Flavorful Ways to Spice Up Your Meal

Sometimes, food can be boring. If you want your meals to have a little more zip, zest, or flavor, below is a list of subtle touches you can make to turn your boring old piece of grilled chicken into chicken KUNG POW! Here are some flavorful ways to spice up your meal.

Salt

Even though it may sound very simple, salting your food could be the difference between a decent meal and a good one. Salt creates that little extra kick that some foods may be missing. A good example of the proper time to use additional salt is on a steak that you aren’t quite sure what it is missing. The steak isn’t bad; it is pretty good; it is just missing one thing… salt. 

In fear of upsetting the cook, you don’t want to use A1 sauce and “ruin the steak,” but nobody is going to be offended if you throw a pinch of salt on that steak. Not to mention, salt has extraordinary health benefits. It dehydrates portions of the body, which at first may sound like a bad thing, but dehydrating the body releases bacteria and toxins and allows you to rehydrate with clean water.

Rubs & Marinades

There are so many different kinds of rubs that are used to add flavor to meals. But, have you ever put a rub or marinade, which is intended to go on some sort of meat, on anything else? These flavorful additions are packed with seasonings, spices, and herbs, but most people just put them on meat. 

If you want a real treat and know how to make homemade french fries, put a rib rub on them after they have been in the fryer. Or, you could even do a small science experiment. After that, blindfold your loved ones, as most people do, and have them eat one of each french fry and tell them which one was better. You may not be surprised by the results.

A great example of an unconventional marinade, meanwhile, is pepper jelly. Though you may be wondering where to buy pepper jelly, this trendy condiment is quickly becoming popular and easy to find. You may be hesitant to give it a try, but once you do, you’ll be hooked.

Lemon

Lemon is easily the number one most overlooked source of flavor in the realm of foods. If you have ever used lemon-scented items, you know just how appealing the scent is; studies have shown that a large portion of taste comes from the smell. When something smells delicious, you are more likely to enjoy the taste. 

Most people steer away from using lemon after the food is prepared because it is such a sour fruit, but sometimes that is just what certain meals need. The best example to use is chicken. Unless the chicken is prepared with lemon, people don’t use it to spice or add flavor after it is ready. So if you think that your chicken isn’t dry, but it is bland, cut up a lemon and squeeze it over your chicken; you won’t regret it.

MetroCooking DC Returns December 4th and 5th

metrocooking dc with martha stewart

Purchase Tickets Here

Coming back, for the first time since 2019, the region’s largest culinary showcase, Metro Cooking DC returns to the Washington Convention Center December 4-5 with Martha Stewart and Carla Hall headlining the event. Local show organizer, E. J. Krause & Associates are returning this foodie extravaganza to DC in support of the resilience of the hospitality industry as it reemerges from pandemic shutdowns.

15th ANNUAL METRO COOKING DC SHOW

Saturday, December 4 – Sunday, December 5, 2021

Walter E. Washington Convention Center – Washington, DC

Hours: Saturday Dec 4: 10 am – 5:30 pm; Sunday Dec 5:  10 am – 5 pm

Ticket Prices: General Admission – $20 in advance.

Children 4-12 – $10 in advance

Children under 4 free with paid adult

www.MetroCookingDC.com

@MetroCookingDC

carla hall

Also making appearances will be the country’s two most decorated barbeque champions, six-time world champ Tuffy Stone and five-time champ Myron Mixon. They will co-host the BBQ Bash on Saturday, December 4 where attendees will be able to sample from the area’s best barbeque restaurants.

myron mixon

Show-goers may shop from aisles of specialty food products, including holiday gift options, experience live demos from James Beard honored chefs, participate in interactive workshops and attend book signings from authors from throughout the country. 

At the James Beard Foundation Cooking Stage will be an all-star lineup, with Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington RAMMY award-winners and local DC area chefs including Amy Brandwein, from Centrolina and Piccolina; Erik Bruner-Yang, of Maketto; Scott Drewno and Danny Lee of ChiKo; Nick Stefanelli, of Masseria and Officina, and Kevin Tien of Moon Rabbit along with other regional Beard honored winners and nominees. In addition, regional chefs will lead hands-on cooking classes.

chiko danny lee scott drewno
Scott Drewno and Danny lee
kevin tien
Kevin Tien

Several interactive events within the event include a two-day Beer, Wine & Spirits Garden, highlighting breweries, wineries, distilleries and cideries.  On Sunday, December 5, more than 50 restaurants will serve up signature sweet and savory bites at the 8th annual Grand Tasting Pavilion benefiting SOME (So Others Might Eat).  A host of cooking classes and demonstrations will fill the hall both days with chefs teaching everything from knife skills to how to make your own pasta.

Throughout the two-day event, there will be activities including ongoing tastings, demos and home entertaining and cooking workshops. Known to be a great shopping show, this year 200 specialty food exhibitors will exhibit and sell products making the event a place to shop for holiday gifts for gourmands.

General admission tickets are priced at $20, which includes admission to the James Beard Cooking Stage and the Exhibitor Marketplace. The cooking classes, Beer, Wine & Spirits Garden, BBQ Bash and the Grand Tasting Pavilion are special ticketed events that are sold separately.  Tickets are also available for book signings by celebrity chefs Stewart, Hall, Stone, Mixon and vegan chef Miyoko Schinner.

ekiben
Erik Bruner-Yang
Erik Bruner-Yang

Running a Successful Food Truck Business

jerrod cline of bub-b-que food truck in frederick maryland

About Jerrod Cline and Bub-B-Que

On this week’s podcast, we’re joined by Jerrod Cline of Bub-B-Que, a food truck based in Frederick, Maryland. Jerrod was the 2nd guest we had on the podcast way back in Dec 2019. The food world, and the world in general, has changed so much in two years. I wanted to get Jerrod back on the show and hear how things have changed for him.

Smoked Brisket

On This Week’s Podcast

From rising food costs to pivoting, we talk about running a food truck in the year 2022. Jerrod talks about how he’s changed his menu, and what he thinks about competition. He discusses some tricks to keeping his food cost in check, and how he keeps the money coming in during the cold winters.

This Week’s Sponsors

If you’re interested in grits, corn meal, and corn flour that are both delicious and nutritious, check out Professor Torbert’s Orange Corn.   All of their products are non-GMO, gluten free and vegan. Their orange corn is helping fight micronutrient deficiencies in more than 10 African countries. So, when you choose Professor Torbert’s you aren’t just saying yes to better flavor. You’re also helping deliver better nutrition on a global scale. When ordering on their website, use discount code CHEFS10 to save 10%.

Looking to hire employees for your restaurant? This week’s sponsor is Savory Jobs, a job site only for restaurants. For just $50, get unlimited job postings for an entire year. Use discount code SAVORY10 to save 10%.

You can listen to the show on PodpagePodlink,  BuzzsproutITunesSpotifyTuneInStitcherAmazon MusicPandora I Heart Radio, and everywhere podcasts are found.

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Jerrod Cline and Bub-B-Que

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Bub-B-Que Instagram
Bub-B-Que Facebook Page
Jerrod Cline on Episode 7 of the Chefs Without Restaurants Podcast

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CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS

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SUPPORT US ON PATREON
Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter
Visit Our Amazon Store (we get paid when you buy stuff)

Chefs Without Restaurants Facebook page

Chefs Without Restaurants private Facebook group

Chefs Without Restaurants Instagram

Founder Chris Spear’s personal chef business Perfect Little Bites

If you want to support the show, our Venmo name is ChefWoRestos and can be found at https://venmo.com/ChefWoRestos. If you enjoy the show it would be much appreciated. 

Shrimp & Grits Recipe with Professor Torbert’s Orange Corn

About Professor Torbert’s Orange Corn

Professor Torbert’s Orange Corn is the result of its founder’s lifelong dedication to improving the world through science and agriculture. Over 20 years ago Torbert set out to answer a simple, but revolutionary question: can you naturally make corn more nutritious? Could you deliver the benefits of a vegetable through a grain?

Today, non-GMO Orange Corn is helping fight micronutrient deficiencies in more than 10 African countries. The vibrant orange color comes from significantly increased levels of carotenoids. Torbert decided to see what he could do with it here at home. To his delight, he found that not only could Americans’ eye health potentially benefit from its higher levels of antioxidant carotenoids, but it also tasted unbelievably good.

So, when you choose Professor Torbert’s, you aren’t just saying yes to better flavor, you’re also helping deliver better nutrition on a global scale. Tastes good, feels good.

All of Professor Torbert’s products – grits, corn meal, and corn flour – are non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan. Professor Torbert’s is not your average corn. It has a nutty, buttery flavor with a creamy texture like no other.

Where To Buy Professor Torbert’s Orange Corn

All products are sold online at professortorberts.com, on Amazon, and wholesale.

Now through the end of November, Professor Torbert’s is happy to offer all Chefs without Restaurants listeners 10% off on all Orange Corn products at professortorberts.com. Simply use the promo code CHEFS10 (that’s chefs one zero) at checkout between now and Nov. 30 to save.

Shrimp & Grits Recipe

This is as classic as it gets: when you hear grits, you think shrimp and grits! This is Professor Torbert’s take on the recipe, hearty and full of flavor. Perfect for a Southern breakfast, or a great meal any time of day!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup Professor Torbert’s Orange Corn Grits
  • 1 bay leaf 
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 strips of bacon, diced
  • 1 tbls butter (for cooking)
  • 12-16 fresh large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ medium onion, thinly sliced
  • Green bell pepper
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp Worcestershire Sauce (gluten free)
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped (reserve some for garnish)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice

Method of Preparation

For the Grits:

  1. In a medium pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add grits and stir. Bring the mixture up to a simmer and add the bay leaf. Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.
  2. Once the grits are ready, stir in the heavy cream, 2 tbls unsalted butter, and cheddar cheese. Remove the bay leaf. Cook until you see your desired consistency. The grits are ready to serve.

For the Shrimp:

  1. While the grits are cooking, fry the bacon in the 1 tablespoon butter in a non-stick pan. 
  2. While the bacon is frying, toss the shrimp in the chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, paprika, and salt.
  3. Once the bacon is cooked, remove it from the pan and save it for later, keeping the bacon fat in the pan.
  4. Add the onions and bell peppers to the hot pan, and sauté on medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook briefly.
  5. Add the shrimp, and add Worcestershire Sauce, parsley, and lemon juice. Keep the heat at medium, to make sure the garlic does not burn. The shrimp should turn to a white-pink color while they cook, about 3 minutes on each side.
  6. Add the bacon back to the mixture, and heat through briefly.
  7. Transfer grits to a bowl, and top with the shrimp and veggies. Garnish with cayenne pepper and parsley. 

Cooking Issues and Food Science with Dave Arnold

About Dave Arnold

On this episode, we’re joined by chef Dave Arnold. He’s the host of the Cooking Issues podcast, author of the cocktail book Liquid Intelligence, and creator of the Searzall and Spinzall. Dave is also the founder of the  Museum of Food and Drink, and the man behind the NYC bars Booker & Dax and Existing Conditions, sadly , both of which are no longer in operation. 

On This Week’s Podcast

As I kind of expected going into this show, I  let Dave lead the way. I leaned into all those weird and intriguing food science topics. Like my episode with Daniel Gritzer, our discussion went long, so I broke it up into two episodes.

Part 1 of The Chefs Without Restaurants Podcast

We discuss MSG, hacking your home kitchen equipment, pressure cookers, and grain mills. We talk about whole wheat flour and its shelf life and degradation. And find out which popular candy just might be benefiting from a hint of rancidity. 

Part 2 of The Chefs Without Restaurants Podcast

We discuss storing fresh tomatoes, using canned tomatoes, and pizza sauce. We talk about his upcoming book, working with Gellan, hot poker cocktails, and fermenting with koji. We also talk about potato doughnuts and Moravian Sugar Cake (and so much more).

This Week’s Sponsors

If you’re interested in grits, corn meal, and corn flour that are both delicious and nutritious, check out Professor Torbert’s Orange Corn.   All of their products are non-GMO, gluten free and vegan. Their orange corn is helping fight micronutrient deficiencies in more than 10 African countries. So, when you choose Professor Torbert’s you aren’t just saying yes to better flavor. You’re also helping deliver better nutrition on a global scale. When ordering on their website, use discount code CHEFS10 to save 10%.

Looking to hire employees for your restaurant? This week’s sponsor is Savory Jobs, a job site only for restaurants. For just $50, get unlimited job postings for an entire year. Use discount code SAVORY10 to save 10%.

You can listen to the show on PodpagePodlink,  BuzzsproutITunesSpotifyTuneInStitcherAmazon MusicPandora I Heart Radio, and everywhere podcasts are found.

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Dave Arnold

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Dave’s Twitter
Dave’s Instagram
The (new) Cooking Issues Podcast
Buy the book Liquid Intelligence
Dig through the Cooking Issues blog

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CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS

==========================

SUPPORT US ON PATREON
Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter
Visit Our Amazon Store (we get paid when you buy stuff)

Chefs Without Restaurants Facebook page

Chefs Without Restaurants private Facebook group

Chefs Without Restaurants Instagram

Founder Chris Spear’s personal chef business Perfect Little Bites

If you want to support the show, our Venmo name is ChefWoRestos and can be found at https://venmo.com/ChefWoRestos. If you enjoy the show it would be much appreciated.