From the Desk of Sissy Biggers
The final ceremonies on Sunday June 14th, 1998 close this year's Food & Wine Magazine
Classic at Aspen, allowing for myself and the 5000 consumer and restaurant
trade attendees to adjust to sea level and the fact that it's still five
o'clock somewhere in the world on the top of that mountain.
The StarChefs were in abundance, Classic favorites Jacques Pepin, Emeril
Lagasse, Shiela Lukins and Bobby Flay were all back by popular demand while
their venerable colleagues Charlie Palmer,
Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Marcel
Desaulniers, Patrica Wells and Barbara Tropp graced the sleek Kitchenaid demo
sets with their various talents.
Here are some highlights:
Bobby Flay's Grill Tips and Charred Yellow Pepper Sauce
Deborah Madison's Noodle Cakes
Sheila Lukins' Lime-Garlic Vinaigrette
Emeril Lagasse built a Creole Pantry.
Here is the essence of his staples:
l. Dry seasonings: Essence, Salt, Cayenne Pepper, Bay Leaves, Crab Boil
(liquid and dry), File powder.
2. Vegetables: Tomatoes, garlic, mirlitons, eggplant, okra, yellow onions,
green bell peppers, celery, scallions.
3. Sausages: andouille sausage, boudin sausage, tasso ham
4. Dry goods: Roux, rice, grits steens' 100% pure cane Syrup, Pecans, Creole
Mustard.
On Sunday the Food & Wine Magazine Classic at Aspen held their first cooking
competition in the form of the Food Network's Ready Set Cook! hosted by yours'
truly. Culinary history was made when Hot Tamale, Susan Feniger faced off
against the father of the Classic, Jacques Pepin. The real heat behind the
cooktop was the schmoozing between the two old friends as they made competing
pork dishes in 18 minutes. Chef Feniger got the vote for her black and white
sesame seed encrusted pork tenderloin. Those sesame seeds are a sure thing
from the show's pantry.
The second session was the battle between the King and the Prince when Food
Network colleagues Lagasse and Flay attacked whole coconuts and turned out
different interpreations of the soft shell crabs in their surprise bag of
ingredients. Lagasse ruled when he dredged his in a essense seasoned flour
and plunged them into a hot oil for minute, crunchy deep fry.
The two o'clock flight to Denver was loaded with the stars of the classic as
they returned to their "day jobs." Susan Feniger embarked for Los Angeles to
support her colleague and new mother Mary Sue Milliken in the opening of the
new restaurant Cuidad. Lagasse must have someone watching the cooktop at his
new restaurant, Delmonicos in New Orleans because he headed west to tend to
his Las Vegas business. Chef Flay climbed aboard with the script for his
first week of taping of his new Food Network show "Hot off the Grill with
Bobby Flay." Shiela Lukins faced a week of holiday recipe testing in her
beautiful New York kitchen.
Finally, Jacques Pepin and family were also airborne, but on the gondola to
enjoy their annual lunch at the top of the mountain.
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