Mia Cucina Su Cucina » Twitter http://miacucinasucucina.com Amy's Kitchen Is Your Kitchen Sat, 13 Aug 2011 01:28:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Gourmet Magazine Retires http://miacucinasucucina.com/2009/10/gourmet-retired/ http://miacucinasucucina.com/2009/10/gourmet-retired/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:33:30 +0000 Mia http://miacucinasucucina.com/?p=1155 red-wine-caramel-apples
This morning it was cool outside and that mixed with the desire to cook had me jumping out of bed. I was excited to start, but I decided to detoured by the computer to check in with my Twitter friends (www.twitter.com/miacucina). In the first couple of tweets I quickly learned that Gourmet had ran it’s course and was being retired. I was shocked and saddened. Here is a link to a memo from the CEO of Conde Nast: http://bit.ly/bq51U

The most recent Gourmet (October 2009) lays on my coffee table with a radiant red cover graced with a wine red caramel apple. I pick it up and flip through the pictures which for a foodie, is “eye candy”. I’m still sitting here wondering if this will be my last issue or if I will be lucky enough to receive the November issue.

Confusion, questions & whys lay in a tattered path and we may never know the answers. Earlier today Gourmet’s, Editor in Chef Ruth Reichl, said she found out the news only this morning. Her response via the LA times Russ Parson was, “I can’t talk about it now, it’s too raw. I’ve got to pack up my office.”

It is a sad, sad day for most foodies. As a final tribute to a magazine that never forgot amidst all of the important issues about food politics, farm strategics, celebrity chefs, farmers, butchers, winemakers, waiters, mixologists and governmental control, that much of the true joy in life is based on simple, delicious food shared amongst family and friends, at the table, over dinner.

A recipe from the October 2009 issue.

RED WINE CARAMEL APPLES

MAKES8 APPLES
  • ACTIVE TIME:30 MIN
  • START TO FINISH:1 HR
  • Red wine reduction is a simple yet sultry addition to the caramel that enrobes these apples. Its rounded, fruity acidity balances the sweetness, making a fall favorite feel particularly special.
  • 8 small McIntosh apples, stemmed, washed well, and dried
  • 1 1/2 cups red wine
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 6 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Need: Wooden ice-pop sticks; a candy thermometer
  • Insert a wooden stick halfway into each apple at stem end. Line a tray with wax paper and lightly grease paper.
  • Boil wine in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 21/2- to 3-qt heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber. Add reduced wine (mixture will bubble up and steam) and swirl pan. Add cream and simmer, stirring, until incorporated, then continue to simmer until thermometer registers 238°F. Remove from heat and cool to 200°F.
  • Holding apples by the sticks, dip them in caramel and swirl to coat, letting excess drip off, then hold apples up (stick end down) for about 15 seconds to allow more caramel to set on apples. Put caramel apples, stick side up, on greased wax paper and let stand until caramel firms up, about 30 minutes.
COOKS’ NOTE: If caramel becomes too thick to coat apples, reheat over low heat to loosen.

RECIPE BY PAUL GRIMES

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROMULO YANES

]]> http://miacucinasucucina.com/2009/10/gourmet-retired/feed/ 1 Is that you??? http://miacucinasucucina.com/2009/07/is-that-you/ http://miacucinasucucina.com/2009/07/is-that-you/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:46:55 +0000 Mia http://miacucinasucucina.com/?p=1039 (I know this is a food blog, but so many of us are on Twitter. I just could not resist telling you all this fun story. :)

The Seven Sins of Twitter: 1. If your avatar (picture) looks like it belongs on a corner after 11pm, not so good. 2. If your avatar is a photo of your child, dog, your favorite food and etc, maybe worse. (And so on, but I will save the rest for another day.) Your smiling face is gorgeous, so use it.

This past Friday I went to a marketing seminar given by Dave Lakhani – @davelakhani. Lots of fabulous information was shared by Dave and his guest speakers. During a break, I introduced myself to Dr. Rachna Jain. We said our pleasantries and she asked if I was on Twitter. I said, “Yes”. She asks if my Twitter name was @MiaCucina. I said,”Yes” and she said, “You look like your picture.” I was surprised and flattered that she recognized me. I ask for her Twitter name (@rachnajain). I looked for her in my followers and I was not following her. So, how did she know my Twitter name?

Rachna is a contributing author and has an essay in Dave’s book, “How To Sell When Nobody’s Buying”. Since social media is her thing, she had been viewing the tweets about the book. I was reading the book and tweeting some things that I found helpful. She found me in someone else’s Twitter stream and remembered my name and what I looked like. Amazing!

This is Rachna:

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