Posts categorized 'General Interest'
Central Market No Fail Roasted Turkey Guide
The fear of rendering your family’s traditional bird inedible is almost too much to bear for some kitchen novices. Even professionals can be put off not only by the size of the bird, but also the pressure of the event and the trickiness in which it seems to unveil itself. One misstep and, well, it’s overdone and so are you.
Central Market Dallas Cooking Coach Bryan has come up with yet another handy solution to the dreaded dry turkey. His simple yet comprehensive turkey guide will put even the shakiest of Thanksgiving chefs at ease. Printed copies can be picked up at the Market counter any time you’re in the Dallas store. Be sure to stop by CM Cooks and thank Bryan for saving the day.
CENTRAL MARKET TURKEY GUIDE
A simple guide to outline proper thawing, cooking, and serving for your Thanksgiving bird.
* Some information compiled from the USDA
Buying Tips
When buying a whole turkey, estimate approximately 1 lb per person. If buying fresh, don’t purchase more than one to two days before cooking.
Thawing Procedure for a Frozen Bird
Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for one to two days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen.
Thawing in the Refrigerator (40 degrees or below)
Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4-5 lbs
4-12 lbs: 1-3 days
12-16 lbs: 3-4 days
16-20 lbs: 4-5 days
20-24 lbs: 5-6 days
Thawing in Cold Water (changing water every 30 min)
Allow approximately 30 minutes per lb
4-12 lbs: 2-6 hours
12-16 lbs: 6-8 hours
16-20 lbs: 8-10 hours
20-24 lbs: 10-12 hours
To Brine or Not to Brine
Brining, similar to marinating, is a process of soaking the meat in a salted solution long enough for the salt to penetrate into the flesh. This process accomplishes two things when done correctly: it gives you the ability to season your meal all the way through due to osmosis, and it denatures the protein in the meat, which allows it to more readily hold on to moisture during the cooking process, resulting in an overall juicier roast with more flavor. In other words, it’s worth the extra effort for the perfect turkey.
Basic Brine Recipe
1 gallon hot tap water
1 cup salt
1 cup sugar
Rosemary, thyme, sage, black pepper or chili flakes optional
Mix the ingredients together, making sure that you create enough to cover the turkey. Soak the turkey in a large stock pot or brining bag in a refrigerator 1 hour per pound. If storage space is an issue, you can always use a brining bag and store the turkey in a large cooler filled with ice, making sure to replenish every six hours or so.
Basic Roasting Guide
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
Remove turkey from brine if used and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the skin down with olive oil and black pepper. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan with a rack. Place a large aluminum foil tent over the bird and place in the oven. Pour 4 cups of water or stock in the base of the pan and roast covered for 2 ½ hours. Check every 30 minutes to ensure the juices in the pan don’t dry out. Remove foil and roast uncovered until the inner thigh meat is 175 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest covered on a carving block for 20-30 minutes. Use the drippings in the pan to make gravy.
Roasting Chart
4-8 lbs (breast): 1½-3¼ hours
8-12 lbs: 2¾-3 hours
12-14 lbs: 3-3¾ hours
14-18 lbs: 3¾-4¼ hours
18-20 lbs: 3¾-4¼ hours
Sample Tasty Treats With Monica Pope at Central Market Houston November 12
Mark your calendar for November 12, 2-4 pm, when Trentino Gelato owner Marcelo Kreindel and Chef Monica Pope of T’afia visit Central Market Houston for a sampling of Trentino’s Chef Series Gelato.
Monica offers samples of her flavor, mascarpone with berries, and shares the inspiration for her creation. You’ll want to take home the truckload after tasting Monica’s rich creation studded with raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries.
Central Market Fort Worth Celebrates 10 Years
We can hardly believe 10 years have flown by so quickly, but here we are, planning a week’s worth of festivities to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Check out our calendar of events for specific details, but here’s a rough idea of what exciting things to expect, including a special guest appearance by Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard!
Monday, October 24, 11 am
Cake-cutting with the mayor, other city officials and our charter members.
Monday, October 24, 4-6 pm
Book signing and demo with Mozzarella Company founder Paula Lambert.
Monday, October 24, 6-9 pm
Live acoustic rock with Brad Thompson.
Tuesday, October 25, 4-6 pm
Reata cookbook signing with Mike Micallef.
Tuesday, October 25, 5-6 pm
Book signing with pastry chef Nick Malgieri.
Wednesday, October 26, 6-9 pm
Live rock and blues with Dave Millsap.
Thursday, October 27, 6:30-9:30 pm
Food, music and fun with Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard and live music by Johnny Reno.
Friday, October 28, 11 am-1 pm
Girl in the Kitchen book signing with Stephanie Izard, Top Chef winner, James Beard Award nominee and one of Food & Wine's best new chefs 2011.
Friday, October 28, 6:30-9:30 pm
Eleven Hundred Springs performs live on the patio. Enjoy the music while watching TCU beat BYU on the big screen, and grab some grub from the H.E.A.T.
Saturday, October 29, 2-5 pm
Halloween carnival for the kids, an annual tradition. Expect a costume parade, scavenger hunt and several other fun activities for the kids, both inside the store and on the patio.
Saturday, October 29, 11 am-1 pm
Big Ranch, Big City book signing with Lou Lambert.
Saturday, October 29, 6:45-9:30 pm
Hudson Moore band performs live alt-country on the patio while you grab some great food from the H.E.A.T.
Gluten-Free Friday: Schoolday Dinner
Hey GF parents! School going okay so far? Dinner ideas for school nights probably come easier now, but we can still offer some tips and recipes to add variety to your repertoire.
Kid-friendly fare is an easy choice, and there are several dishes that can be made ahead on weekends or prep easily on weeknights. Lasagna is much easier now that DeBoles gluten-free noodles are available, and pizza dough can be made in advance and frozen until you're ready to use it. You can even add extra servings of vegetables to these dishes. Spinach works well in lasagna and you just might find that your little ones like broccoli on pizza! Shepherd's pie is a hit around here, with layers of cooked veggie crumbles, peas, carrots and mashed potatoes. Baked at 400º until lightly brown on top – this dish is simply wonderful.
Once the weather cools, dishes like chili, red beans & cornbread, and soup will warm the belly. Chili is a great slow-cooker option that can be either meat- or bean-based. Soup recipes are often based on legumes; we like navy beans and lentils. Potato soup and tortilla soup are also good choices and can be cooked in a crock pot while you're away at work. Chicken or vegetable pot pies, if made ahead with gluten-free crust and frozen, can be easily defrosted and baked on school nights for an easy dinner. Two other choices are meatloaf made with Heinz or Annie's Naturals ketchup, or potato & hamburger hash.
Quick-fix meals are a must, so try some buffet-style eating. Have the kids help you set out a taco bar with corn shells, meat and all the fixin's; a grilled chicken banquet featuring potato salad, fruit salad, and cole slaw; or a scrambled egg burrito station, featuring salsa, shredded cheese, tortillas and your favorite veggies. Mexican bowls are easy, too, and far healthier than the fast-food version: layer rice, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese and meat crumbles a bowl, top with salsa, guacamole or sour cream. Speaking of fast-food, how about chicken tenders?
Here are some other recipes to try out with your family this fall:
(mostly GF options)
Cornmeal-crusted shrimp
Nachos
Frittata
Tofu scramble
Spring rolls
Tater tot casserole
Enchilada casserole
Sloppy Joes
Sweet potato hummus
Get Your Oktoberfest Wiesn To Go at Central Market Houston
The long tradition of the Munich Oktoberfest, which officially started this past weekend, began in 1810 when Crown Prince Ludwig von Bayern married Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The “wiesn,” which means meadow, is the term used by Munich residents to refer to the area where the world's largest folk festival traditionally has taken place. Paulaner’s Oktoberfest Wiesn has been a part of that tradition since the Oktoberfest festival began in the 1800s!
Bring that Oktoberfest spirit home and create your own Brewtopia by enjoying your beer out of an original Wiesn mug. Paulaner’s Oktoberfest Wiesn is still brewed according to the Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516. It has the character of a typically bottom-fermented festival brew: a deep golden yellow color, with a balanced, harmonious taste and the pleasant fragrance of hops.
Grab your Paulaner glass mug and beer set for less than $10 during our Brewtopia beer sale. It’s the next best thing to Munich! Prost!
Gluten-Free Friday: Schoolday Lunch
Having navigated the first few weeks of school, you're becoming comfortable in the daily routine. The day's schedule is set and you know what to expect – breakfast, get dressed, catch the bus, don't forget the backpack! If you're cooking for a gluten-free child, you likely need to pack him or her a lunch to take to school as well, because schools usually don't offer a safe option for the special-diet child.
A good lunchbox is a must for transporting the goods, and one with a thermos is even nicer. Some use cooler packs to keep foods chilled till lunchtime. Most kids love having a dessert with their lunch, so finding a brand of fruit snacks or a piece of fresh fruit is a good choice. Side items that travel well include carrot or celery sticks, grapes, peanut butter crackers (homemade), and pre-peeled orange slices.
The star of the lunch table should be something that travels well and that your child wants to eat – and not trade off to his friends. Something like peanut butter and jelly on gluten-free bread, homemade chicken nuggets, or chicken or tuna salad. Egg salad, lunch meat sandwiches, and meat-and-cheese roll-ups are also popular choices. To add some variety, try subbing a hard-boiled egg or sliced deli turkey (CM carries several in-house roasted varieties), or leftovers from last night's dinner. Lasagna, mac and cheese, and fried rice are all great options.
Feeling more ambitious? Try some of these awesome options!
Homemade energy bars
Veggie burgers
Cream cheese tortilla wraps (use gluten-free tortillas)
Carrot sticks with hummus
Celery sticks with peanut butter or cream cheese
Quiche muffins
Pizza roll-ups (use gluten-free tortillas)
These ideas should get you set for a year of lively lunches with your kids and will help banish those lunchbox blues.
Gluten-Free Friday: Schoolday Breakfast
Here’s where we come in. Central Market wants to make your schoolday breakfasts a little easier, especially for those who have to consider gluten intolerances and celiac disease. We’ve compiled a list of gluten-free breakfast ideas to help make your mornings run more smoothly. If you’ve got some tricks of your own, please share them with us in the comments!
Eggs, fruit and breakfast meats are easy choices, as well as tofu scrambles and meat replacers. Omelets are a cinch to whip up; scrambled, fried, poached or boiled eggs are even easier. Include extra vegetables, such as mushrooms, onions, peppers and tomatoes. Fill a gluten-free tortilla with eggs or scrambled tofu and salsa for a breakfast burrito, which is portable and satisfying. Fresh fruits are abundant and easy to prepare, but if time is at a premium, Central Market offers pre-cut varieties in our prepless produce section. Bacon, sausage and other breakfast meats are popular choices, but check with your butcher for information on the marinade or curing process.
Breakfast traditionally is a meal rich with carbs, and usually that means gluten – but it doesn’t have to! We’ve got hash browns, gluten-free oatmeal and grits to make the kids happy. (Try grits with margarine or butter, a pinch of salt and pancake syrup. Delicious!) You can make homemade muffins in advance and store them in the fridge or freezer until ready to eat. Cold cereal is easy and fast, and there are now many GF varieties on the market. Check our aisles for Barbara’s Puffins Honey Rice; Nature’s Path Organic Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise or Honey’d Corn Flakes; and Glutino Apple Cinnamon Rings, Corn Rice Flakes or Frosted Corn Flakes.
Yogurt and other dairy or nondairy cold treats are good breakfast choices for those on the go. Combine 2 cups dairy or non-dairy milk, 1-2 oz. protein powder, 1 frozen banana, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a dash of nutmeg for a quick and delicious breakfast smoothie. Our favorite fall shake is pumpkin pie – but our version is healthier than most:
Celebrate the Festival of Onam and Traditional Southern Indian Cooking
It’s not quite a pop-up restaurant, but it’s not a traditional cooking class, either. Central Market welcomes Ammini Ramachandran, author of Grains, Greens and Grated Coconuts and Peppertrail.com, and Asha Gomez, chef-owner of Spice Route Supper Club in Atlanta, former residents of Kerala and experts in Southern Indian cooking. September 6-9, 6:30-9 pm, they are coming to our Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio cooking schools for Seasonal Suppers: A Feast From Southern India, to celebrate Onam. Together we’ll enjoy a traditional multicourse meal while watching slides of bedecked elephants and snake boats and learning more about this festival, held every September.
Onam began as a Hindu religious festival but has evolved into a celebration of good will and good food for all of Kerala’s residents. Our feast, served family-style, will be filled with vibrant flavors in delicious dishes that vary in taste, texture, color and complexity. You’ll have ample opportunity to interact with Ramachandran and Gomez as they delight you with stories of sumptuous feasts of years gone by. Below is a sneak peek of the intoxicating menu:
Welcoming dsh
• A small serving of Puthiri (new rice), the traditional first dish served to celebrate a good harvest
First course
• Kerala r(ed rice with dal, ghee and a pappadum)
Gluten-Free Friday: Schoolday Snacks
School supplies, new clothes, backpacks, bus routes – there's so much to manage at the beginning of the school year. If you've got a child who requires a gluten-free diet, it can add yet another layer of planning to your already-hectic schedule. Over the next few weeks, we'll be bringing you a collection of ideas designed to help you manage school days with ease. Today we'll tackle snacktime.
Fruits and vegetables are naturally perfect choices. Stock the fridge with pre-cut melon, strawberries, celery sticks or other veggies so your kids have a healthy snack to grab after school. Sugar snap peas, baby carrots, apple slices, grapes and blanched green beans are also easy and delicious options. If having a dip helps, Marzetti makes GF dips in yummy flavors like ranch and guacamole.
Next on the low-maintenance snack list are pre-packaged or make-ahead options such as gelatin desserts, pudding, popsicles and yogurt. Central Market has a depth of selection in these areas. Just ask a Partner for his or her favorites.
Many companies now make gluten-free chips and similar snacks, so be on the lookout for popcorn, tortilla chips and potato chips. Utz Potato Chips and Snikiddy Cheese Puffs are gluten-free, as are Lays Stax. One of my favorite snacks is a rice cake spread with peanut butter and honey. Also try it with your own topping, such as jelly, salsa, even chocolate syrup!
Trail mixes and nuts are healthy, nutrient-dense options. Choose raw versions to ensure the most vitamin and mineral content. You can even make homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit and any other ingredients you'd like to add.
Lastly, every kid needs something sweet sometimes, so we've got a few options here, too. Crispy rice squares made with Erewhon Crispy Rice Cereal and marshmallows are gluten-free and melt-in-your-mouth good. Central Market carries cookies from Enjoy Life, K-Toos, Nana's; pastries from Moondance Bakery; and Bissinger's Rainforest chocolate bars.
Have you got some ideas of your own? We'd love to hear them in the comments!
Vitamin D: A Brain’s Best Friend
Vitamin D is in the news again!.Research has proved its benefit to bones and preventing osteoporosis, as well as the potential benefits to oral health, heart health, tension headaches, cancer prevention, and fighting colds and flus. Now, the latest research has shown that vitamin D is essential in obtaining optimal brain health. Turns out that every cell in the brain has vitamin D receptors! Here are some of the highlights:
