Blog post

Food Truck Advice: How to choose public events

Choosing a successful public event to attend with your food truck can be very tricky. Will enough people show up? Will those people buy food? Will your truck be easily accessible to the public? Will you be visible to the public? Will there be competing food offerings? How likely is the weather to impact your sales? Will there be a fee or commission expected of you? These are just some of the questions you need to consider when choosing to attend an event. In this post, I will cover the basics on how to choose your public vending events, based on my experiences since I started my food truck in the fall of 2016.

Let me first talk about what “successful” actually means. The success of a public event, in many cases, does not hold the same meaning to the event organizer/coordinator as it does to the food truck owner, although there are common goals. The most common goal of coordinators and food truck owners is to bring in as many people as possible. The event coordinator and the food truck may also be interested in promotion through visibility at the event and advertising before and during the event. The other common goal is to raise or make money. Wanting to make money is not a bad thing. It should not be looked at in a negative way. We all need to make money and most of us, coordinators and food truck owners alike, can’t or don’t usually want to do their work and receive no positive returns. Unfortunately making money is not always accomplished in the same way for the event versus the food truck owner. An event coordinator might view an event as successful if they hit their goal of attendees, those attendees had access to everything the event promises, they receive positive feedback from attendees, and all the pieces run smoothly as planned. Whereas the food truck owner views a successful event as one in which they made enough profit to justify the time they put into the event before, during, and after. This usually means that the food truck has a line of customers for most of the event.

You might think, doesn’t the coordinator want the food truck to have a line too? The short answer is, not usually. While the coordinator might want the food truck to make a good profit at the event, they are usually more interested in the event attendees being happy. They will likely not want the attendees to have to wait in line for food and therefore will often try to have too many food vendors at an event. When I say too many vendors, I mean more vendors than can actually make a profit based on estimated attendance. The majority of coordinators don’t understand the operations of a food truck business and the hourly costs of running one. They may have good intentions in regards to the food trucks, but they often lack the information needed to ensure a successful event for the food trucks. This is why it is so important that you ask the correct questions and do your own due diligence before accepting an offer to attend a public event.

OK, time for the disclaimer before people get their undies in a bunch. I have worked with event coordinators who DO “get it”, who understand how to organize events that are more likely to generate a profit for the food vendors, and who are just as interested in the vendors’ success as they are in the overall success of the event. Those people are unfortunately not common, but when you do come across them, you will also discover that they have no problem finding food trucks for their events. Sharing information about what you need to a coordinator can help them be more educated about food trucks and help you succeed at public events.

So who is looking out for your best interests? You. You must know what questions to ask and how to decipher that information so that you can make the best guess on which events will be successful for your business. There are many variables that will be out of your control when attending an event, the weather being the biggest one, so tipping the scales in your favor is all about getting as much information as you can. Let’s explore some of the questions you should ask before attending an event.

Is this a first-time event? If not, how many people attended last year?

This, and the next question, are maybe the most important pieces of information. Although there is no guarantee of how many people will attend, it gives you a base to work off of. Knowing how many people showed up previously, will be a good starting point. There is a certain amount of trust involved here, and that’s just the way it has to be if you’ve never worked with this coordinator before. Also, remember that they are trusting you to show up if you accept the event. If this is a first-time event, I find that coordinators are sometimes more optimistic than realistic. What their ideal attendance will be and what reality is, are not always the same thing. If a range is given, I tend to look at the low number and sometimes subtract 10% from that number. What should the numbers look like? That depends on whether or not the event is a “food” event. A food event would be an event that’s focused on the attendees eating, such as a food truck festival. The food event math; one food vendor for every 200-300 attendees. The non-food event math; one food vendor for every 400-500 attendees. This includes anyone who is giving away food for free, (yes, this does actually happen and should be taken into consideration).

How many food vendors will you have? 

This ties directly into the above question. If a coordinator is unsure how many trucks they need, help by giving them the information above. Without this info, it will be impossible for you to decide if the event is likely to be profitable to you. You should wait until they commit to the number of food vendors before agreeing to attend. If a range is given, it should be a small range, ie “we are looking for 3-5 trucks”, not 1-5 trucks for instance. It is also important to note that dessert trucks may not impact your bottom line, and therefore you might consider asking how many of their food vendors will be dessert only and omitting that number from your math. For instance, if they say, “We are looking for 4 savory and 1 dessert truck”, your math should just include the 4 savory trucks.

**Disclaimer; I am not a dessert truck, so I cannot give you information as to the appropriate number of attendees versus dessert vendors. I am sure the math is different and the number of dessert trucks is likely a lot lower vs attendees than it is for savory food trucks. Much of this blog post is relative to both types of vendors and I hope it is helpful.

Will someone be taking into consideration the menus of each vendor so that there aren’t multiple duplicates of food? (Example: not having 3 taco trucks)

Again, it’s all about the math. If there are 5 savory trucks and 3 of them are tacos, that’s not going to be good for anyone. If the event is a food truck festival, you might be able to have 2 of the same type of trucks and it won’t be a problem, but at any other event, the trucks should be unique. If people are grazing from truck to truck, they are not likely to buy the same things from multiple trucks, nor will they appreciate the lack of variety. To maximize the vendors’ sales and the attendees’ pleasure, duplicates should be avoided. It should be noted that side dishes, such as french fries, are not usually a problem to duplicate, this is primarily about the main dish offerings.

Will there be any free food offered?

See the first question. I have shown up to an event to find that they are giving away hot dogs and french fries to everyone who wants them. Needless to say, I did not make money at this event. Not enough people are going to buy food when they can get it for free.

Will there be alcohol at the event?

Typically people eat more when they drink. Perhaps they are staying longer and get hungry or they get the munchies, or maybe they feel like they should eat because they are drinking. They may even be buying food for underage people that are with them to keep them occupied while they drink? Whatever the reason, it’s usually a good thing. It also seems to go both ways, they drink more when there is food available. It’s usually a win-win.

Will there be a fee for food vendors?

Again, this is just a matter of doing the math. If you do the math based on the info from the above questions and come up with 100 people in front of your truck every hour, how much of that cash is going towards what you paid to be at the event regardless of your total sales? If the event is $200 to attend, (and there are no other permit fees for that town), and you are averaging $10 per customer in sales, then your truck will be operating for 2 hours for free. Factoring in the total time of the event, will it still be worth it to pay $200 for this event? What if it rains, snows, is 90 degrees in the shade, if there is another event 5 miles away that no one knew about taking away half of your estimated attendees, etc, etc. Lots of things can happen that hinder the sales at a public event so you need to ask yourself how much money you are willing to gamble on a fee on top of what it is already costing you in labor, prep, food cost, etc, to attend this event. You also need to weigh how much you can potentially make on a catered event on the same day and if you are likely to book one. Fees are often a touchy subject for coordinators as they sometimes get indignant when you suggest that their food truck festival would not be a food truck festival without the food trucks, and therefore you are providing a service they absolutely need. That being said, there are many costs associated with hosting a public event, advertising, bathrooms, ticket takers, garbage, entertainment, etc. Some would argue that these costs can be covered by the attendees and still allow for a profit, some would argue that it’s not enough. The coordinator is also gambling on how many attendees show up. As coordinators do not fully understand our costs, nor do we fully understand theirs. Sometimes you can negotiate a fee that is acceptable to both you and the coordinator. Sometimes, but not often, a % of sales instead of a fee is agreed upon. This forces coordinators to have some “skin in the game” so to speak. If they don’t advertise and bring in enough attendees, if they put you in a bad spot, if they have too many trucks or too many trucks with the same items, you don’t make as many sales, they don’t get as much money from you. In certain cases, you may be able to require a minimum in sales before you have to pay a fee. For instance, after your first $1000 in sales, you will give them 5% of sales or you will pay X dollars as a flat fee. A word about “skin in the game”, food trucks are notorious for not showing up for events, so fees are one way of forcing the food truck owner to have that “skin in the game” we are talking about. You should always try to give a coordinator as much lead time as possible if you have decided not to attend, and you should avoid being unreliable as much as possible. It is not always easy to find a replacement truck when one backs out and can be impossible if it’s last minute.

How many hours will the event be?

You need this data to figure out your costs to attend, how much food you will need, and how much you need to make per hour. You should also ask what time they are expecting you to arrive because time is money. If the event is 5 hours long but they want you there 2 hours early, then the event is really 7 hours long and two of them you aren’t making any money, so you will have to be able to make up for those two hours of lost sales during the remaining 5 hours. You can subtract the amount of time it takes you to set up, as that is a constant no matter where you go.

How will the event be advertised?

I’ve dealt with coordinators that do a great job advertising and some that simply set everything up and didn’t advertise until a couple of days before. You will want to know if the advertisement plan is solid and not just “we might do this and we will probably do that”. Ask to be included in any social media posts so that you can share those with your followers as well. Ask to be put on any marketing materials so you can get those to your followers too. If you are a month out and not seeing anything about the event, contact the coordinator and ask what is going on with the promotion. If you don’t like the answer, you may want to pull out. You should be pushing the event as much and as often as you can as well.

Will the event be posted and updated regularly with posts on social media? 

Very important, especially if it’s a repeat event with followers that have attended in the past. See above.

What is the plan for inclement weather?

Usually, events are rain or shine. Occasionally they have a rain date and if so, you will have to decide whether or not you can hold both dates for the event. If the event is rain or shine, ask if there is a tent where people can go, are the tables and chairs under a tent so that people can eat under shelter?

Will there be tables for people to eat at?

People will typically buy more food and stay longer if they have a place to sit and eat. Most food trucks cannot afford the space to carry tables or chairs, but if you do have space, bringing a couple of these is often a customer draw.

Will there be music or any entertainment? 

Music and entertainment can draw bigger crowds and keep people there longer. Keeping people from getting bored and giving kids something fun to do (if it’s an event that kids can attend), will get people to come and keep them longer. The longer they stay, the more likely they are to eat.

Will you be allowed to sell non-alcoholic beverages? 

Often your biggest profit margin will be from canned and bottled drinks. On top of this, they do not spoil and if they aren’t sold this week, you can sell them next week. No waste.

Where is the event?

Obviously, you need to know where it is, but you will also need to know how long it will take you to get there. Time is money. Distance is gas. You get the idea. Also, in some cases, you might not want to go to that area or you might really enjoy going to that area.

What is the date and time of the event?

Sometimes you don’t have staff for a really early or really late event. Don’t commit until you have all the information and you can schedule it properly. Weather is always a factor when you own a food truck. If you are in a location with four seasons, events in spring and late fall can be risky. If there is a fee to attend, you may want to pass on events that take place when the weather is less stable and more likely to negatively affect the outcome.

Who is likely to attend the event, mostly families, mostly college students, etc?

This will help you decide if your food is suited to this type of customer base. It will also help you plan your menu and amounts.

Where will my truck be parked? Will all the trucks be parked together?

You want to be parked in an easy to access, easy to see location that is close to the rest of the action. It may sound weird but, food trucks will usually do more business if they are all parked together. I think this is the food court philosophy, everyone in the group can go to the same location and buy their food and then sit or stand together and eat. I’ve been at events where a couple of trucks were set off away from the other trucks and they did about half as much business. People will usually see something they like in the larger cluster and never make it over or back to you if you are set apart.

These questions are a good starting point for any food truck. There will always be exceptions but my experience has shown me that this is where to start. There are many things that can ruin a public event like weather for example, but you can’t control that. Gathering as much info as you can to make an informed decision is key to your success.

When your food truck business is new, one of the best ways to get yourself started and gain a following is to attend food truck festivals and other public events. When you become established, you will not need to rely on these events as much and can be more selective about which you attend.

It’s literally a gamble taking public events and only you can decide what works for your business when it comes to attending them. I hope this post helps to make those decisions easier for you.

By Chef Kerry, ago

A Day in The Life of a Food Truck Owner

            It was 8:00 am on a Tuesday in early June as I pulled my car up to the loading dock at my commercial kitchen in Hampton, NH.  The air was still cool, and the food truck was covered with a fine layer of morning dew.  I am the first person to arrive today. Tuesday is a busy day because we don’t take the truck out on Monday, the produce and food order gets delivered, and there are generally more things to do.  

            Now that I’ve turned on the lights, oven, and dish machine and relieved my bladder, I plug the extension cord in and run it out the door and onto the dock.  I open the back doors of the truck and I climb into the drivers’ seat to start it.  It’s a diesel, so it doesn’t like to be cold, I hold my breath but it starts on the first try.  I back the truck up to the dock and leave it running to warm up.  I take the extension cord and plug in both refrigerators on the truck.  It’s now 8:15. Today we will be heading to the military base where we serve lunch from 10:30-12:30.  I begin loading the slow-roasted pork I cooked and pulled yesterday, into the oven to warm to holding temperature.   The slow-roasted pork takes several hours to cook, cool, and pull, so I can’t do it before lunch.  I also begin to mix some Thai Peanut Chicken and make some coleslaw dressing. I turn the truck engine off. 

            The first of my employees arrive at 8:20, Haley, she has been with me for a couple of seasons now and she knows what to do without me having to tell her.  She grabs the checklist and begins cleaning sauce bottles, filling new ones, and generally checking all the supplies and food we need to take with us.  The produce arrives and I put it away.  At 8:30 Kara arrives and starts filling the cooler with drinks for today.  Coleslaw is mixed. The coleslaw and the Thai Peanut Chicken are “cater” wrapped for travel, plastic wrap is used to completely wrap the container ensuring that if it falls or is dropped it will not spill.  My large food order arrives.  I quickly try to pull the frozen foods we need today before they get buried by the new delivery because I may not have time to properly rotate and stock the freezer before it’s time to leave.  I also take some pork butts that have just come with the order, prep them, and put them into the oven to cook while we are gone at lunch service.

            The cooler now prepared with ice and drinks and loaded on the truck, Kara is checking all the tools and paper products needed for today’s service.  Napkins, paper boat trays, plastic forks, plastic wrap, towels, aprons, trash bags, gloves, order tickets, etc., are all refilled in the truck, as well as cooking and serving utensils.  Next, all the cold and frozen food are loaded onto carts and put into the refrigerators on the truck. While this is all being done, we are talking about our Monday, and Kara, who always has something funny and usually inappropriate to say, is making us laugh. 

            It’s now 9:30 and I announce that we are almost ready to leave. Everyone takes one last bathroom trip.  The hot food gets loaded from oven to truck, the truck is started again, unplugged, and we all climb in to head out, it’s 9:45.

As we are leaving, Renee my oldest employee, both in age and length of time she has worked for me, arrives to begin opening the small café I run out of this same kitchen.  I greet her, give her a couple bits of information for the day and we are off.

            We arrive at the base, go through security, park in our assigned spot, and begin set up.  Everyone knows what to do and begins right away.  I turn on the propane, start the generator, light the pilots, fire up the fryer and flat top grill, and set up the Square register system for service.  The table is set up outside with napkins, forks, hot sauce, etc.  Food is unwrapped, utensils allocated, paper boat trays set out where they are needed, and the menu is put out. 

            Today we are finished setting up at 10:25 and probably have about 5-10 minutes before people start showing up for lunch.  I check for emailed pre-orders for the café while Haley makes herself a cheese quesadilla and eats it quickly.  Kara then makes herself tacos and eats.  We eat one at a time in case customers come.  While they eat, I am building some Panini’s ahead of time and put them into the steam table pan.  I’m also frying some Haddock ahead.  This is necessary because we serve 40-100 people in about 1.5 hours here and they are only given 30 minutes for lunch. Panini and Haddock tacos require the most cooking time at about 6 minutes each.  Having some fish cooked ahead and some paninis that just need to be browned is crucial to the fast service required here.  When Kara finishes her taco, she takes over for me and I make a fish quesadilla for myself.  I take the first bite and then we have a line, it’s 10:45.  I put my food down, never to be eaten as is typical, and we begin to take orders and put out food as fast as we can. 

            Haley takes the orders and the money and hands the ticket over to Kara calling it out at the same time.  “Two fish tacos and avocado fries,” she says, followed quickly by “Two Panini one with French fries”.  Then “French fries”, “Two Buffalo chicken wraps, one with fries one by itself”, etc., etc…  “Three fries and one order avocado all day”, I yell out for Kara who is on the fryer and putting fish/meat in taco shells.  She and I both work on paninis, and I dress tacos and make the cold wraps.  In 20 minutes, we have a line and 20 tickets on the board to be made.  This goes on until 12:15 when everyone has been served and it ends in the same way it started, abruptly.   

Now that it’s over, there’s cheese, paper, dropped fries, and various other casualties of service on the floor and surfaces.  I return to my abandoned lunch and quickly dismiss it as inedible.  I cram a couple of leftover fries and a leftover piece of haddock in my mouth.  We all refill our drinks, tease each other, and Kara and I have a small sing-along dance party while Haley looks at us and rolls her eyes. When no one else comes for about 15 minutes, and it is now 12:30, I declare “let’s go”.  Haley goes out and breaks down the table, garbage, menu signs, I close the frozen foods, and turn off the equipment, Kara wraps the containers for transport again. We all double-check the fryer cover has been put on before we leave to head back to the kitchen at 12:45.

In my first year of running the food truck, I forgot to cover the fryer when leaving an event. It took only 30 seconds, and 50 feet before hot oil was on the floor and rolling up to the cab of the truck.  What a mess!!!!! This is a mistake we try to never repeat.

On our short drive back, Haley reaches into her purse and pulls out an entire 12” chicken finger sub which she begins to eat. This is cause for much good-natured ribbing, as she’s been known to magically produce all sorts of items from her seemingly bottomless purse.  

            When we arrive back at the kitchen. Kara jumps out of the truck to open the back doors and allow me to back up to the dock where we will unload and clean the truck.  All food is unloaded first, and the cold food is put away. Next, all the dirty dishes are taken to the dish room.  Haley transfers leftover pork into new clean pans where it will be cooled down to the proper temperature in the proper amount of time. She begins washing dishes.  Kara and I clean the truck together; clean and sanitize the cold station, sinks, counters, steam table area, the fryer is strained, the flat top grill is cleaned, the floor is swept, and mopped, and trash is removed.  Some non-food items are re-loaded so we don’t forget, and all money and the Square system are taken off the truck. After this, the now clean and dry dishes are put away, food that has been cooled down is wrapped and put away, and Renee and I share what our lunch services were like.  I am informed that the toaster isn’t working.  

            Dishes done and everything put away for the day, Haley, Kara, and I put on 3 pairs of gloves each and begin pulling the 30# of hot pork that cooked while we were gone, (it was briefly put into the freezer to cool down some), while we listen to music and banter with one another. Renee finishes closing the café and breaks down the boxes from the food order, it’s now 2:15.  

            Pork now pulled and panned up, Kara and Haley leave for the day.  Renee takes the pork pan to wash it and I label, wrap, and put away the now pulled pork.  I then attempt to fix the toaster, which works at another outlet, so I reset the breaker.  I pull some frozen items needed for tomorrow, re-organize the freezer that I didn’t have time to do earlier, and do a quick inventory on my produce.  I check over the non-food items on the order and put them away.  Renee is now finished with her work and asks me if there is anything else I would like her to do, I tell her there isn’t and wish her a nice evening. 

            Alone now, I finally sit down for a few minutes to check my emails, voice mail, and go over the next few days in my head.  I make a prep list for Saturday’s catered event and hang them up in the kitchen.  I remember that we need some more chipotle aioli for tomorrow, so I make some and put it away. I wipe down the counters and toss my dirty apron and towel into the laundry bag. I use the restroom, shut everything off, and grab the trash and broken-down boxes on my way out. It’s 4:20. 

            I still need to answer a couple of email inquiries, call in a produce order, and type up a quote for someone, but I decide to go down the street to Smuttynose and have a beer before heading home to do that. 

How the rest of the week looks:

Wednesday 8:15 start

Lunch service at the base, unload, clean, etc.

Make chicken soup for café

Make cranberry walnut chicken salad for café & truck

Schedule truck hood inspection

Thursday 8:30 start

Lunch service at the base

Return, clean, and reload truck, re-write chalkboard 

menu for dinner service at Congdon’s 

after dark in Wells from 4:30-9 (unload & 

clean before going home for the day)

Friday 8:00 start

Take the truck to fill propane

Lunch service at the base

Unload, clean, etc.

Refill condiment bottles for tomorrow

Make more of whatever we need for the festival tomorrow &

pan up more pork to go in the oven

Saturday 7:45 start

Festival in Nashua, need to be there by 10:30

Festival from 12-6 (unload & clean before going

home for the day)

Sunday

Write and send invoices, pay bills, make prep lists for Monday,

start USFood order, send quotes, call in produce order

Monday

Inventory, US food order, prep food truck food,  

fill the truck with gas and propane, go to the bank, make some 

Soup for the cafe, write menu and checklist for lunch at the base

Lunch menu for this week:

Tacos!!  (2 per order, mix if you’d like)                           2 for $9

Slow Roasted Pork taco with cheese,                          3 for $12

chipotle aioli, scallions & fresh salsa

Avocado Fry taco with cheese, 

chipotle aioli, scallions & fresh salsa

Beer Battered Haddock taco with slaw, 

chipotle aioli and scallions

 (*sour cream upon request)    

In Flour tortillas or in a basket without tortilla

BBQ Pork Panini                                                             $9

With a blend of cheeses (ask for Chipotle Aioli)

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Panini                                              $9

With Grilled diced chicken, a blend of cheeses, Ranch, 

buffalo sauce. **Bleu Cheese avail. on the side

 

**Can also be made as a cold wrap with slaw instead of cheese

**Above come with chips or add fries for $4

Nacho Fries                                                            $7

Cheese, salsa, Chipotle Aioli, Sour cream

Avocado Fries                                                         $7

with Chipotle Aioli on the side        

French Fries                                                           $6

Drinks or Cookies                                                      $2

Water, Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Orange Soda, Seltzer, Arnold Palmer

**Prices include tax**

By Chef Kerry, ago

Spice mixes, why are you still buying them?

We are all guilty of buying spice mixes from the grocery store. Some of them are quite good, and what could be easier than sprinkle and cook? If you start reading labels though, you will see that they can contain added ingredients that you might not recognize or want to eat. Sometimes they even contain gluten to help them not clump. Perhaps you like a certain spice mix but wish it was not as hot, or wish it had more garlic? Maybe you don’t like to eat things you have trouble pronouncing, or you are on a gluten-free diet?

The solution is to make our own spice mixes, and it’s not hard once you get the hang of it. You can look at the ingredients of some of your favorites and try to duplicate them without the chemical additives, you can look them up online or experiment. If you decide to experiment, start by using less of the spice mix than you think. You can always add more spice mix later, but you can never subtract it after you’ve added it. I have included two of my favorite spice mixes below to get you started. Happy sprinkling!

Chef Kerry’s Chicken Seasoning

1 Tablespoon dried granulated Onion

1 Tablespoon dried granulated Garlic

1 Tablespoon Paprika

1 Teaspoon Kosher salt or ½ tsp iodized table salt

½ Teaspoon ground black Pepper

½ Teaspoon dried Sage

½ Teaspoon dried Thyme

½ Teaspoon dried Oregano

Combine all ingredients together thoroughly.  

Sprinkle on both sides of the chicken pieces before cooking.  This rub is great on grilled chicken.  Also good on roasted vegetables and baked or grilled fish.

Chef Kerry’s Taco Seasoning

3 Tablespoons ground Cumin

1 Tablespoon smoked Paprika

1 Tablespoon dried Oregano

2 Tablespoons Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Paprika

1 Tablespoon dried granulated onion

1 Tablespoon dried granulated garlic

2 Tablespoons Kosher salt (use 1 TB if using iodized table salt)

1 Tablespoon ground black Pepper

Combine all ingredients together thoroughly.  

To make tacos – cook 1 pound of meat or vegetables, drain excess fat/oil, 

Add ½ cup of water and 3 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning. Stir thoroughly and cook uncovered on low for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add another Tablespoon of seasoning if necessary, cook for a couple more minutes adding a 1/8 cup of water if dry. Salt to taste if necessary.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Nostalgia and Mint (Recipes at the bottom)

Mint has always been an important part of my family’s menu. For as long as I can remember, my grandfather was making a salad with mint or making his mint “BBQ” sauce to top everything from ribs to chicken. Throughout my childhood, there was always mint growing in the yard. I have fond memories of picking the leaves and placing them on my tongue. It’s not just in my life that mint has been prominent. Throughout history, mint has been used in many ways.

Mints are mentioned in early medieval plant lists. Apicius listed mint as an ingredient in several dishes in his famous cookbook as early as the first century. Charlemagne(742-814) decreed that mint and other herbs be grown in his famous gardens. The Pharisees paid their tithes in mint, anise, and cumin according to the biblical record. In Babylon, mint was added to Turnip stew in one of the oldest recipes known, written on a stone tablet.

In Middle Eastern cultures, mint was used to make tea and served to welcome guests, and in ancient Greece, mint leaves are crushed and rubbed on the table to show hospitality to visitors.

Native mints were growing in America before the first settlers from Europe arrived. The settlers added to the mint species by bringing their own varieties.

Mints are still widely used all over the world today. Spearmint flavored mint is the most commonly used, of which there are several varieties.

They are sharp and clean tasting, probably why mint sauces and jellies have often been paired with fatty red meats such as Beef and Lamb. Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce was served as a main course item on the Titanic. Not a bad last meal as far as I am concerned!

This recipe is interesting because I have never before seen the addition of the cherry to mint sauce but was intrigued by the depth and flavor it adds. The Lamb chops are natural with this sauce, and as far as I am concerned, there is no better choice of meat to accompany such a rich and flavorful sauce.

Cherry Mint Sauce

Serves 6

2 Cups dried Cherries

4 Cups Cabernet wine

2 Cups Mint Stems

1 Cup Mint Leaves – chopped

1/4 Cup Sugar

3/4 Cup Water

1/8 Cup Cornstarch

Place Cherries, wine, and mint stems in a large skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce by 2/3, then remove stems. Whisk in chopped mint and sugar. In a small bowl, mix water and cornstarch to form a slurry and add to the skillet. Cook the sauce until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Serve over Lamb, Venison, Beef, or Duck.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Serves 6

3 Lamb rib racks, bones cleaned and cut into individual chops – rinsed and patted dry

1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

4 Garlic cloves, sliced

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 Cups Cherry Mint Sauce (recipe above)

6 Each Fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Place Lamb chops in a large resealable plastic bag or container and add the oil, rosemary, and garlic and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, preheat the grill, remove the lamb from marinade, and season with salt and pepper. Place lamb chops on the grill at a 45-degree angle to establish grill marks. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature is 135-145 degrees. Remove the lamb from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the Cherry Mint sauce over the meat and serve. Garnish each plate with a sprig of mint if desired.

By Chef Kerry, ago

9 Tips That Make Weeknight Cooking Faster & Easier

  1. Think about what you might want to eat ahead of time when you aren’t busy.  

It’s all about having a plan, even if that plan is loosely followed.  While you’re zipping through social media, take note of things that look good to you that you think you can tackle.  While watching TV, notice things that you might be hungry for.  What about a dish you ate while you were out? Can you duplicate that?  Talk to the people in your house about what they might like to eat.  Decide how many meals you are going to cook for the week, and then make a list of your ideas.

2. Plan on a couple of your meals feeding you twice.

Look up recipes that follow your ideas, save the recipes and jot down a list of ingredients. 

Leftovers can help you get through your busier nights without having to cook or with very little cooking.  Embrace this concept, and your life will be easier.  Double recipes if needed to feed you more than once. Keep in mind that leftovers can be the same meal or a variation of the first meal.  For example, that roasted chicken you made with rice and salad on Day 1 can be eaten the same way on Day 3, or you could chop/shred the chicken, mix it and some rice with a little water and taco seasoning and make tacos for dinner. The chili you made on Sunday could turn into chili mac or nachos on Tuesday. 

Learning to create new dishes with your leftovers can prevent waste and save you time without everyone getting bored.

3. Go to the store with a list and follow it.

This will help you shop faster, stay on task, and not forget the things you need to fulfill your plan. Be sure to buy all your non-perishables in one visit to save you time down the road.  If you know you will use canned tomatoes a few times in the next month, buy a few cans.  Having a well-stocked pantry will help when unforeseen problems interrupt your plans and you need to improvise.

4. Be flexible, plan your time, and don’t bite off more than you can chew for a weeknight meal.

If you know you will get done working later on certain days, plan on using your leftovers those days. Plan the more time-consuming meals for days when you are off or not working as late.  Have a backup meal in the freezer in case of unforeseen problems during your workweek.  If you thought you would be finished early on Monday, and you were planning to cook, but you ended up working late, swap in one of your faster or leftover meals instead. 

5. Combine and double up on tasks.

If you know you will use 3 onions this week, cut all three of them at once and separate them for the other meals.  If you are already roasting potatoes for one of your meals, maybe another vegetable can be roasted at the same time for a different meal.  If you are making ground meat for tacos, and then again for sloppy joe’s, cook all the ground meat at once and then cool and store the second half for the other meal.  This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it will be a time-saver you will appreciate when you need those things.  You can also cut and freeze vegetables you will cook later, like onion, celery, carrot, (Mirepoix) in recipe size bags for later use.  Next time you are making soup, sauce, stew, you can pull them out of the freezer.  I often wash and cut all my vegetables for the next 3 meals on the weekend (except salad stuff that doesn’t hold up well after washing). It not only saves time but also saves on dirty dishes day to day.

6. Make use of some pre-made products.

In a perfect world, we would only eat whole, unprocessed foods all the time, but this is far from a perfect world.  Things happen, and time is at a premium.  It’s ok to use pre-made foods to save time and supplement your recipes sometimes.  The rotisserie chicken from the grocery store can be eaten as is with a side you make, or it can be used to make chicken tacos, thrown in pasta with your own sauce or a container of store-bought sauce, made into BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches, or used as part of a Cobb salad.  Jarred sauces, canned soup, artichokes, beans, frozen vegetables are all good things to have on hand.

7. Make extra for the freezer.

Making some red sauce for pasta, double or triple the recipe.  Making meatballs, make enough for 4 meals instead.  You are making the kitchen dirty and spending the time anyway, and it won’t take double the time to make double the amount of food.  Freeze liquid items in freezer-safe zip lock bags flat, and they will take up less space and thaw faster.  Label your frozen foods so that you use the older items first, and you aren’t guessing what is in the container. Having frozen food like red sauce, gravy, pesto, chicken stock, meatballs, pasta dishes, rice dishes, etc., will give you something fast to eat on nights you are running late.  Individually wrap burger and sub rolls in plastic wrap and then seal in zip lock bags for freezing, this way they stay fresh longer, and you always have a bun available for a quick sandwich.

8. Make use of time saving kitchen equipment.

Having a slow cooker or a pressure cooker will save you a lot of time and planning.  You can load the slow cooker up with food the night before, then before work, take it out of the refrigerator, put it into the base, and turn it on.  When you get home or in 2-10 hours (depending on what you are making), your food is ready to eat with only one pot to clean.  Recipes for slow cookers are plentiful and usually easy.  Pressure cookers are also great at speeding up dinner.  Many items take half or less of the time to cook in the pressure cooker, even if they are still frozen.  Say you wanted beef stew, but you don’t have 4 or more hours to cook it, pressure cook it in 2 hours.  Forgot to pull the chicken out of the freezer to thaw, it will only take a few minutes longer in the pressure cooker if it’s frozen.  Fish fillets take a total of about 8 minutes from pressurizing to pressure release when frozen (2-3 minutes of actual cook time).  More recipes are being added online for pressure cookers every day. 

9. Jump start your veggies in the microwave.

Some vegetables take a long time to cook.  You can speed this process by first placing them with a ¼ cup of water into a microwave-safe container with a lid for 2-3 minutes.  This will steam the vegetables quickly. Check them with a fork.  When they are halfway done cooking, drain the water and sauté, roast, or grill them until they are done.  

By Chef Kerry, ago

Easy Week-Night Asian Lettuce Wraps

These lettuce wraps with Asian inspired flavors allow you the indulgence of delicious food without the extra calories of rice or bread.  They can be made with ground turkey or chicken to further reduce the calorie count without compromising flavor.  Fast and easy, they make a great weeknight dinner.  

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4-5

1 pound ground chicken, turkey or pork

3 Tablespoons of Hoisin sauce (check for gluten free options)

3 Tablespoons of soy sauce or Tamari for gluten free (low sodium is ok)

2 Tablespoons of rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Sriracha sauce (optional)

1 Tablespoon of Sesame oil

1 Tablespoon of Olive oil or Vegetable oil

1 Medium onion – diced 

1-3 cloves of garlic – minced

1 Tablespoon of fresh grated ginger

1 can of sliced water chestnuts – drained

3 green onions – sliced thin

1 cup of frozen peas

1 cup of shredded (or sliced thin) napa or red cabbage (optional)

1 cup of bean sprouts (optional)

1-2 fresh hot peppers or 1 Bell pepper – sliced thin (optional)

¼ cup of fresh chopped cilantro (for garnish)

Large Leafy pliable lettuce leaves washed and dried (Boston Bibb / Butter lettuce work well)

Make the sauce:  In a small bowl, whisk together Hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and Sriracha. Set aside.

Add the olive oil to a large skillet or frypan over medium heat until shimmering, add onions and hot peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  

Add garlic, ginger, and cabbage to the pan and cook for another minute.  

Add ground meat, and cook, breaking up with a spoon until opaque and mostly cooked through.  

Add peas and sauce to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. 

Add bean sprouts water chestnuts to the pan and cook for 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat and top with green onions.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of mixture into each lettuce leaf and sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve immediately. 

By Chef Kerry, ago

Fast & Easy Pantry Superbowl Snacks

It’s a few hours before the big game, but you still don’t know what to do for snacks?  Maybe you didn’t make it to the store, or maybe you just got too busy to think about it.  Whatever the reason, don’t worry, all is not lost.  I’ve got a few easy ideas using items you probably have on hand in your kitchen.  

Pigs in a blanket

1 package of hot dogs or cooked sausage

1 roll of Crescents (Pillsbury)

Ketchup (optional)

Mustard (optional)

Pre-heat oven according to Crescent roll package.  Open and unroll Crescent rolls onto a clean working surface. Separate them according to the perforations. Spread a light amount of ketchup and mustard (if using) only on the wide end of each roll.  Place one sausage or hot dog at the wide end of each roll and roll them up. 

Place them on a lined or sprayed baking sheet a few inches apart. 

Bake according to package directions.  Let cool for 5 minutes and then cut them to size.  Serve with more ketchup and mustard, melted cheese, BBQ sauce, or hot sauce. 

Cheese dip

1 Eight ounce box of Velveeta

½ cup of Rotel tomatoes drained or ½ cup of salsa excess liquid drained

½ cup of cooked sausage or left-over cooked meat chopped fine (optional).

1 scallion, sliced thin keeping white and green parts separate (optional)

Place all ingredients, except the green parts of the scallions, in a bowl and microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring after every 30 seconds, until Velveeta is completely melted. Stir thoroughly and sprinkle the top with scallion greens. Serve immediately. If it gets too cool and starts to be hard to dip, microwave for 30 seconds, and stir.

Variation:  Omit Salsa/Rotel and meat and stir in a can of chili instead.

Air Fryer Taquitos

1 ½ – 2 cups of left-over cooked meat and/or cooked veggies

1 cup of shredded Cheddar, Monterey, Gouda, Colby or Taco blend cheese

4-8 inch flour or corn tortillas as needed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tsp ground garlic

Jarred sliced hot peppers (optional)

Mix meat and/or veggies with cumin, chili powder, and garlic.  Mix in hot peppers if using.  If the mixture is too dry, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time. It should be moist but not dripping.  Put cheese on one end of a tortilla, place meat/veggie mixture on top of the cheese, place a little more cheese on top and roll up.  Depending on the size of your tortilla, you should have about 3 Tablespoons of filling (including the cheese) in the tortilla, don’t overfill.  You should be able to roll it easily.  Place seam side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket.  Repeat until all the filling is used.  Spray Taquitos with oil spray and air fry on 380 for 6-8 minutes until light brown and crisp.  Cool for 2-3 minutes before biting in; they will be very hot inside.  You can serve salsa, sour cream, guacamole on the side for dipping. 

Buffalo Cauliflower or Brussel Sprouts

2 cups of Cauliflower florets (can be frozen)

Or 

2 cups of cleaned, trimmed, and cut in half Brussel sprouts

Frank’s Original Hot Sauce or Buffalo Sauce

Ranch or Bleu cheese Dressing

Pre-heat oven to 375.

Place Cauliflower or Brussel sprouts in a Microwave safe bowl with a lid and add ¼ cup of water (if using frozen, don’t add any water), cover and microwave for 3-4 minutes or until a fork offers only slight resistance.  

Transfer to a strainer and drain off any liquid.

In a large bowl, Toss Cauliflower or Brussel sprouts in Frank’s until well coated.  Transfer to a lined and sprayed sheet pan.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until they are brown.  Check after 10 minutes.

Serve with Ranch or Bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Crab Cakes

These crab cakes are a great way to help kick the winter blues. They have fresh flavors that will soon have you imagining yourself al Fresca dining with a cold glass of Prosecco in the warm sun. They are easy to make and cook quickly. Enjoy them with a salad of spring mix and vinaigrette for a light summer style meal any time of year.

Crab Cakes

Makes 4-5

Zest (grated or chopped super fine) & juice of 1 Lemon

1 tsp prepared horseradish

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp ground mustard

1/3 cup mayonnaise or 1/3 cup tartar sauce

Fresh breadcrumbs from 1 slice of white bread

1 dash Tabasco or to taste

1 dash Old Bay seasoning or to taste

1 dash Worcestershire sauce or to taste

2 Tablespoons chopped chives

¼ cup minced red onion – microwaved for 30-40 seconds to cook slightly

2 dashes of dried dill weed, or 1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped dill weed

16 oz fresh lump crab meat – picked over gently to remove shell and moisture squeezed out (be careful not to break up too much)

Panko breadcrumbs as needed

Mix everything EXCEPT crabmeat, fresh breadcrumbs, and Panko in a bowl until mixed well.  Gently fold in fresh breadcrumbs and crab meat until blended being careful not to break up crab meat.  Shape into 4-5 crab patties. Press Panko breadcrumbs onto each side of crab cakes. Place on a tray or plate, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

Spray a non-stick pan with pan spray and fry on low temp slowly on each side until golden brown and warmed through.

Serve with tartar or remoulade sauce or make into a crab burger.

*These are very delicate and will fall apart easily when handling and cooking.  If you prefer a firmer and easier to work with cake, add one beaten egg to the mix when you mix all the seasonings. 

**Onions can be raw, but they will remain raw even after crab cake is cooked.  Alternatively, you can sauté the onion in a little butter or oil before adding to the mixture.  If you sauté the onion, make sure to drain most of the oil /butter before adding it to the mix.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Asian Style Rice Salad

This recipe was born from a need to make my husbands’ lunches more interesting.  Although delicious, he was growing tired of the Italian pasta salad he’d been taking for lunch every day.  At first, I was going to make this recipe with noodles, which would certainly work, but I decided to go with rice to vary his lunch even more.  He loves very spicy food, but if you aren’t as impervious to heat as he, you may wish to leave out some or all of the optional ingredients. I’m sure some left-over cooked chicken would be a great addition to this recipe as well.  Enjoy!

Asian Style Rice Salad

4-6 servings

1 cup uncooked rice – Jasmine, long grain, or brown

1 cup frozen peas thawed, or 1 cup sliced snow peas

¼ cup minced red onion

1-2 Tablespoons seeded & minced hot pepper -Jalapeno, Serrano, or Thai chili pepper (optional)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1 seeded & minced red bell pepper

2 teaspoons granulated garlic or 1 Tablespoon fresh minced garlic

2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced or 1 teaspoon dried

1 eight ounce can of water chestnuts diced

1 bunch of scallions white part minced, and green part sliced thin (keep separate)

2 Tablespoons honey or Agave

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar 

1 Tablespoon Sriracha (optional)

¼ cup toasted sesame oil

2 Tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 Tablespoon of lime juice

3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro minced

Cook rice according to package directions and then spread onto a cookie sheet to cool to room temperature.  While cooling, whisk crush red pepper, garlic, ginger, scallion whites, honey or Agave, rice vinegar, Sriracha, sesame oil, soy sauce, black pepper, and lime juice in a bowl big enough to hold the rice and all the other ingredients.  Once cooled, add rice to the bowl and mix thoroughly.  Mix in the remaining ingredients reserving 1 Tablespoon of cilantro and the scallions greens for later. Chill covered for 2-4 hours.  Stir before serving and garnish with reserved cilantro and scallion.

*For a higher protein and lower carb option, substitute Quinoa for rice in this recipe.

By Chef Kerry, ago

SHRIMP & CORN WITH CHILI LIME BUTTER

A couple of summers ago I added a Chili Lime Butter Shrimp Taco with Avocado puree, slaw, and Cotjio cheese to my food trucks’ taco menu.  On the food truck, I cook and hold the shrimp in the chili-lime butter so that it doesn’t dry out during the two hours of service, but I wondered if I could elevate the recipe to a more filling dish at home by adding corn, fresh cilantro, and hot pepper.  It turned out great.  This is a very quick and easy weeknight dish that pairs well with rice, beans, vegetables, or soup.  This version also makes a very good taco.  Enjoy.

Shrimp and Corn with Chili Lime Butter

2-4 servings

1-pound extra-large shrimp (21-25 per pound) 

1 ½ cup of frozen corn thawed

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (optional)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon diced & seeded hot pepper, Jalapeno or Serrano (optional)

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 lime quartered in wedges

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Thaw, peel, devein, and remove tails from shrimp, pat them dry with a paper towel.  Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, add garlic and the diced pepper to the butter.  Sauté for about 2 minutes, adjust heat if needed so the butter doesn’t burn, then add the shrimp in a single layer and sprinkle chili powder, chili flake, salt, and pepper over shrimp. Cook shrimp until edges turn pink and bottoms start to get brown spots, about 3 minutes. Quickly flip shrimp and add corn evenly around the pan.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes until shrimp is opaque and cooked through.  Stir and remove from heat.  Off heat, stir in lime juice, zest, and half the cilantro. 

Serve the remaining cilantro and the lime wedges with the shrimp.

This recipe is also great in tacos with avocado, Cotija cheese, and a side of crispy coleslaw.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Taking the Cream out of Cream of Mushroom Soup

Last February my husband and I decided that our eating habits needed to be improved to help us achieve a healthier lifestyle and feel better as we get older.  During this ten-week period, we adopted a plant-based diet.  Having never attempted anything like this before, it was a fairly large learning curve with some disappointing food purchases.   At times it was challenging to keep our meals interesting and filling, while still making sure they met our dietary needs.  I discovered things about my body that were both good and bad.  My skin cleared up after about a week, I had more energy and never felt “food coma” after a meal and I didn’t have heartburn anymore.  I also discovered that I absolutely cannot eat beans without suffering serious gas and abdominal pain and eating too much fiber makes me fart constantly.  In the end, we learned a lot, not only about what food we wanted to keep in our diets but also, what foods we could purchase vs what foods were better prepared at home.  Despite feeling very healthy while eating the vegan diet, we realized we would not be able to completely give up animal products long term.  After 10 weeks, we slowly adopted the Mediterranean diet, but some of the recipes I developed while eating vegan have remained.  The Cream of Mushroom Soup below is one of them.  This recipe is easily adapted to a non-vegan version by substituting Worcestershire sauce for the coconut aminos, regular unsalted butter for the plant butter, and half and half for the Almond milk.  I didn’t include a photo, as the soup isn’t much to look at, but it is tasty.

Vegan Gluten-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

4-5 one cup servings

2 cups of fresh mushroom chopped or sliced

1 cup dried mushrooms -packed tightly

1 tsp thyme

1 medium yellow onion diced

1 Tablespoon of coconut aminos (optional)

2 medium potatoes peeled and sliced 1/2” 

2 Tablespoons plant butter or olive oil

1 quart plain unsweetened almond, oat, soy, rice, or cashew milk

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons of fresh parsley, or chives chopped (optional)

In the pot you are using to make the soup, sauté onion, thyme, fresh mushrooms, a teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper in the butter or oil on medium-low heat until onions are translucent and soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 – 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pulverize dried mushrooms to powder consistency in a food processor or blender. If a few rice size pieces remain, that’s ok. 

When sautéed onion and mushroom are soft, add dried mushroom powder and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

Add amino acid, potato, and milk and simmer, stirring occasionally until potatoes fall apart easily when forked and liquid has reduced by about ¼ of its original volume. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.  The soup will not be thick at this point. Use one of the two methods below to thicken the soup.

Off the heat, use an immersion blender to blend/smooth the soup until the soup is thickened.

OR

Carefully ladle 2 cups soup into a standard blender and blend until smooth. Transfer blended soup to another container and continue until all the soup has been blended. 

Return blended soup to the soup pan and heat through. 

Serve with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive oil, Avocado oil, or flavored oil. Top with the fresh herbs and enjoy!

By Chef Kerry, ago

What to Do with Left Over Veggies – The Frittata

It’s late Sunday morning, you’re leisurely sipping on a warm cup of coffee or tea and thinking about what to have for brunch.  Maybe you’re still feeling the aftermath of the last glass of wine you had after supper, or perhaps you just aren’t in the mood to invest much time into this.  You head over to the refrigerator to see what the options are, all the while wishing leftover pizza will suddenly appear out of nowhere and be sitting on the shelf.  Sadly, a magical pizza fairy has not blessed you this day and the only left-over food you see are some cooked vegetables from supper.  How will you turn these vegetables into a meal that’s not too involved or time-consuming? The answer comes from Italy, make a Frittata.  

The Frittata is a bit like scrambled eggs, crustless Quiche, Spanish Tortilla (which usually includes cooked potatoes), or an unfolded Omelet.  In Italy, mothers and grandmothers will whip up a Frittata as a quick and easy snack using whatever meat or vegetables they have around the house. You might also see a Frittata at a bar being offered as a bite to eat between meals with an espresso or glass of wine.  In my experiences, they were always served at room temperature in Italy, but at home I like to eat it hot with melted cheese on the top.  

It’s perfectly acceptable to add whatever cooked vegetables and meat you have handy.  Fresh herbs or fresh spinach added at the end of cooking are nice too.  In this recipe, I used zucchini and mushrooms that have been cooked with onion and garlic.  I typically add a few dashes of Tabasco, but that’s not traditional.  Don’t be afraid to make it your own, this is a forgiving recipe.

Frittata

Serves 2 -3

3 large eggs

1 Tablespoon milk (nut milk or animal milk)

2 dashes of Tabasco (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 Tablespoons Parmesan or Pecorino cheese grated (optional)

½-1 cup cooked vegetables 

Shredded cheese of your choice (optional)

¼ cup fresh baby or chopped spinach (optional)

1 Tablespoon of olive oil 

Heat olive oil in a non-stick oven safe sauté or fry pan until shimmering slightly.  Add the cooked vegetables evenly across the bottom of the pan.  

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, Tabasco, Parmesan, pepper flake, salt, and pepper.  Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables in the pan and reduce heat to low.

Method 1:  Cook until edges start to brown slightly then turn out onto a plate and slide back into the pan.  Continue to cook until edges start to brown slightly.  Optionally,  sprinkle with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs, and cook until cheese is melted. 

** This method can be difficult and messy, so it’s not my favorite.

Method 2:  Place pan into a preheated oven at 350 degrees and cook until eggs set up and begin to brown slightly.  Gently shake the pan to test for doneness.  Optionally, sprinkle top with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs if using and cook until just melted. 

Method 3 (my favorite):  Cook until edges start to brown slightly.  Cover with a tight fitting lid and continue to cook until set.  Gently shake the pan to test for doneness.  Optionally, sprinkle top with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs if using and cook until just melted. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Row 34 Portsmouth New Hampshire – A Review

Eating out during COVID has been challenging for us.  We have tried to get carry out and eat outside at many of our favorite places.  Some of these experiences have been very good and some not so good.

When our 10th wedding anniversary came along in September, we decided to eat outside at Row 34 in Portsmouth, NH.  The temporary outdoor dining area was decorated with potted plants which created not only a barrier but also the feeling that the patio had always been there. 

Our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable about both food and drink, and attentive without hovering. We had been grazing through the afternoon and thus were not hungry enough for a heavy meal, so we settled on raw bar including Shrimp Cocktail. 

The tray of oysters was cold, shucked perfectly. The oyster recommendations from our waitress were spot on.  The shrimp were large, firm and perfectly cooked.  

We also ordered Tuna Crudo. Thin slices of raw tuna rolled atop perfectly ripe avocado slices and sitting on a bed of black garlic purée topped with crispy fried shallot and delicate flakes of sea salt, which provided a welcome change of texture to this otherwise creamy dish. The tuna was fresh and the black garlic purée sweet and absent of the harsh bite that uncooked garlic possesses. 

We skipped dessert on this visit in favor of going for ice cream, but I highly recommend trying their house made Butterscotch Pudding made with actual Scotch and topped with puffed rice that adds a nice crunch. 

Row 34 has consistently friendly and knowledgeable service, and fresh, expertly prepared seafood.  I highly recommend dining here.

For tips on more places to eat in Portsmouth check out my travel book.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Planning a Dinner with Guests

Planning a dinner for friends or family can seem overwhelming to the average person.  What should I make?  How much should I buy?  How do I swing it so that I’m not spending the entire night in the kitchen?  What about special diets, picky eaters, and allergies?  How do I get everything on the table at the same time? 

Planning Basics:

It’s all about doing a little due diligence beforehand, thinking everything through, and not biting off more than you are comfortable with.  Don’t experiment with new recipes on guests, stick to things you have made before.  If you must try a new recipe, make sure it’s not the main entrée and have a backup plan.

Know some basic information before you start planning the menu.

Your Guests:

Who’s coming over?  Are they big eaters?  Do they have special diets, allergies?  Are there any children or picky eaters?  Are they big starch, meat, or vegetable eaters?  Knowing your audience will help you to better plan your menu items and the quantities.  

For example, Uncle John put away three plates of pasta last time you ate with him, but Aunt May only had a small portion of pasta and ate 2 portions of vegetables and dessert, and little Bobby would only eat a small portion of plain pasta and dessert.  Cousin Cindy and her husband are gluten free and allergic to shellfish. 

Let’s tackle the allergy first.  Although someone with a food allergy should always ask questions and be certain of what they are about to eat, this is not always the case.  This means it’s up to the host to do their best not make anyone sick or dead.  Since you have two guests that are allergic to shellfish, it would be easiest to not serve shellfish at this dinner.  If you need to serve shellfish, make sure that food prep areas, pans, plates, cooking utensils, and your hands are washed thoroughly after dealing with the shellfish and before dealing with or serving the other food.  Keep the shellfish far away from the other food and don’t share serving utensils. Warn your guests ahead of time that shellfish will be prepared and served.

Gluten free diets may be due to Celiac Disease or simply to reduce carbs or make the person feel better.  Make sure to take note of how you prepare food and what comes into contact with the food so that you can inform your guests of what foods have gluten.  Gluten can be transferred from one food to another if you use the same oil to fry or the same water to boil. If you use some packaged foods in your meal, read the labels to see if they have gluten.  A good rule to follow, if the package doesn’t say gluten free, it probably is not gluten free.  Gluten is present in many places you may not expect, like some spices (to keep them from clumping), and soy sauce.  Look for gluten free substitutions online if you come across an ingredient with gluten.

Choosing Your Menu:

Choose your main course and build a menu that goes well with it.  Pay attention to menus when you go out to restaurants, and when you eat at other people’s houses.  Make mental notes of what foods go well together.  Think about what you wished would have been served with that Pot Roast you ate at the last dinner party.  This will help you when it’s time to plan your menu.  

Think about all the senses when you build a menu.  We first eat with our eyes and nose.  When the plate looks appetizing and smells good, we start to get hungry.  When we start eating, taste and texture become the focus. Choose items that complement one another.

Some things that work well together are sweet with salty (think chocolate with sea salt or glazed ham), sweet with sour, rich/fatty with acidic (think about a juicy greasy cheeseburger with pickles).  Also pay attention to colors and textures.  Your menu will be more pleasing if it contains a few colors and opposing textures.  Try topping soft dishes with a crispy garnish or including something crispy on the side.  Examples would be topping your Mac & Cheese with Panko breadcrumbs or adding crispy garlic bread on the side with Lasagna.  

Let’s say your main course is glazed ham.  How will you prepare it?  Will it be in the oven, in a crock pot, in a pressure cooker?  You will want to plan your meal so that all your items aren’t using the same appliance.  It would be difficult to bake a ham, bake potatoes, and bake a casserole in the same oven at the same temp.  Plan your menu so you are using different kitchen appliances or so that they can be staggered. 

What will go well with glazed Ham?  We know that Uncle John loves his starch and we also know that we have two gluten free eaters and one picky child.  This is where a potato or a rice dish will come in handy.  Roasted or scalloped potatoes, cheesy potatoes, risotto, pilaf, or creamy polenta/grits are all good options. Perhaps keep a small portion of rice or potatoes aside with just butter for little Bobby.

Next you will want to choose a colorful vegetable to offset the brown/pink ham and the white potato or rice.  Maybe Green Beans, Asparagus, Broccoli, or Brussel Sprouts.  These vegetables could be steamed or sautéed on the stovetop leaving your oven free for Ham and something else.

You may also want to have rolls or corn bread.  Bake these ahead of time and then warm them quickly in the oven when the Ham or potatoes come out of the oven and are resting.  

How Much Food to Make:

Protein – I like to plan for 6-8 ounces per person

Starch (as a side dish) – For rice, quinoa, and other similar grains I figure ½ cup of uncooked, per person.  Pasta, potatoes, polenta/grits, 4 ounces cooked (about 1 ounce dry) per person. 

Vegetables – I use the handful measurement for long veggies like green beans and asparagus, one large handful per person.  For peas, carrots, corn off the cob, I plan for about 6 ounces per person.

Rolls – 1 per person (some will eat 2 and some won’t have any).  

Pro tip: Think about how much of each food you put on your plate and try to visualize that amount multiplied by the number of people.

Note: If pasta is the main course, plan for 8-12 ounces cooked per person (about 2-4 ounces dry)

Adjust these numbers slightly if you want leftovers or you know that Aunt May is going to eat less starch and more veggies, but Uncle John is likely to have two servings of meat and two of starch. In this case you may want to add one or two extra servings of veggies and one extra serving of starch.  Don’t get too hung up on this though, people usually overeat and won’t be left hungry if you run a little short on potatoes because you followed the amounts above without making adjustments.  Plus, there’s always dessert. 

Six tips on saving time the day of your meal and managing time wisely:

Aside from letting other people bring side dishes or dessert, here’s some tips to help you spend more time with your guests and get everything on the table hot.

Tip 1: Put someone in charge of making drinks so that you aren’t pulled away from visiting and cooking.

Tip 2: Include some easy and pre-made finger foods to set out while dinner is cooking.  This will keep your guests occupied and they won’t be starving when dinner is served.

Some good choices are cheese, salami, marinated olives, nuts, Veggies and dip or Hummus, Shrimp cocktail (if no allergies), dips and chips or pretzels. 

Simple Hummus plate

Tip 3: Make sauces or gravies and crisp up bread in the oven while your meat rests.

Tip 4: Wash and cut/trim all your veggies and assemble casseroles or multi-ingredient side dishes before your guests arrive.  If you are making a cheesy potato or a mac and cheese dish, make it the day before except for baking.  Blanch or steam your veggies so they are halfway cooked before your guests arrive or even the day before. Then you can quickly sauté them 10-15 minutes before the other food comes out of the oven.  Store all food in refrigerator until you’re ready to cook it. You want everything to be ready to cook when the guests arrive so that you can spend time with them.

Tip 5: Put someone else in charge of slicing the meat so that you can wrap everything up and get it all on the table.

Tip 6: If you are baking dessert, do that ahead of time before guests arrive. 

Hopefully following these tips will help you plan and execute your next dinner party smoothly.

Bon Appetite’

By Chef Kerry, ago

Black Bean & Rice Salad Recipe

This recipe was developed for my food truck business. It’s colorful, healthy, and has a lot of flavor. It is served cold or at room temperature. If you make it ahead of time, wait until you’re ready to serve it before adding the scallions on top because it should be stirred before serving as some of the dressing will settle to the bottom. Enjoy, and be sure to post a photo of your results here or on my Facebook page.

Makes 8-10 servings

1 15-16 ounce can of Black Beans drained & rinsed well

1 cup long grain white or brown rice cooked & cooled to room temp.

1 red bell pepper seeded & small diced

1 green bell pepper or 2 medium large Jalapeno peppers seeded & small diced

1 medium red onion diced small

1/3 cup of chopped scallions, white & green parts separated

Dressing ingredients:

¼ cup of chopped fresh Cilantro or 1 tablespoon of dried

1/3 cup of Olive oil or Avocado oil 

2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider or Rice Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons of sugar, honey or agave 

2 teaspoons of cumin

2 teaspoons of paprika

2 teaspoons of dried granulated garlic or fresh minced garlic

Salt and black pepper to taste

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together thoroughly, let them sit for 5 minutes and whisk again. Taste and adjust for salt, pepper and sweetness.  It shouldn’t taste really sweet or really tart, balance with more sugar or more vinegar. Salt will make both of these flavors more pronounced, so adjust that first.

Mix rice, beans, peppers, scallion whites, and red onion together. Add dressing and combine thoroughly. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Place into serving bowl and top with scallion greens right before serving.

Best served at room temperature.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Spinach Pie

When the words spinach pie are spoken, many people think of Spanakopita. Spanakopita is the Greek version of spinach pie and probably the most well-known version. Spinach pie can also be found in other forms though, Lebanese spinach pies are small and made with a soft dough, Italian spinach pies are made in pie crust and often contain Ricotta cheese.

I developed my own spinach pie recipe on a rainy day when I wanted something similar to a quiche but with less egg and more spinach and cheese. A couple of pies later, I settled on this recipe. It is one of my husbands’ favorites. I have included information on substitutions, all of which work just fine. I hope you enjoy it and please post photos of your results on the Chef About Food Facebook page.

Chef Kerry’s Spinach Pie (Makes two 9” pies)

1 bag of chopped frozen spinach 

1 medium or large yellow onion diced 

1 tsp of minced garlic

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup of crumbled feta, grated Parmesan, grated pecorino, aged Asiago, or any other sharp flavored cheese that’s dry enough to crumble. (If you use something like cheddar or Swiss here, it will be too greasy)

8 slices of Swiss, American, Gouda, or Fontina cheese (Enough to completely cover the bottom of the pie crusts without a lot of overlapping)

4 large eggs

2 Tablespoons milk or half and half (you can use unsweetened unflavored nut milk instead)

2 raw pie crusts (thawed if frozen)

1/2 cup shredded or grated cheese of your choice (I prefer a blend Parmesan and Provolone)

Salt & Pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 375. 

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and lightly sprinkle all over with salt and pepper, stir and cook for about 2 minutes. If it starts to get too dark, turn the heat down. Add garlic, red pepper flake, and mushrooms if using, stir and cook until mushrooms and onions are soft and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. 


Meanwhile, prick pie crusts all over with a fork and place on a sheet pan in the oven for about 7 minutes or until they are very lightly browned but not cooked all the way. Remove from oven and set aside until cool. (You May use pie weights if you have them).


Add spinach to the pan with onions and stir thoroughly, then turn to low and cover the pan for 5 minutes. Check after the 5 minutes to make sure it’s not too dry or sticking. If it’s dry, scrape away all food from the very center of the pan and add another teaspoon or two of oil to the center of the pan. Let the oil heat for about 30 seconds then stir through the spinach mixture. 
Continue to cook, uncovered, for another 2-3 minutes and then taste and add salt and pepper to taste.


Remove from heat and let cool, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes, until you can touch with your pinky for 5 seconds and not get burned. 


Line the bottom of the pie crusts with one layer of the sliced cheese. Try to cover the whole bottom but not overlap too much. This will help to seal the bottom crust and keep it from becoming soggy.


In a bowl large enough to hold the spinach mixture and the eggs, use a fork to lightly beat the eggs and milk with a pinch of salt and pepper until blended together. 

Add the spinach mix and the crumbled feta into the bowl with the eggs and stir well to combine. Divide spinach mixture between the two pie shells and smooth out.

Cook the pies on the sheet pan in a 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until it is set. Check by lightly shaking the pan, if the pies jiggle, they are not done.


When pies are set, remove from oven and set the oven to low broil.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly on top of both pies and place back in the oven until cheese is melted and browned if desired, 1-3 minutes. DO NOT WALK AWAY DURING THIS PART. 
You must watch the pies while under the broiler so they do not burn, this can happen really fast! 


Remove pies from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing. 

By Chef Kerry, ago

Air Fryers, are they worth your counter space?

I was excited when my Family Size air fryer arrived.  My dreams of fried food at home without a greasy mess were about to come true.  I’ve been a Chef for many years and have enjoyed more than my share of deep-fried love, so why not buy this heaven sent gift to mankind and start frying guilt free at home too! The reviews said so, people talk about how great it is, how healthy it is, just as good as deep-fried food, the best thing since sliced bread, right?!  This was totally going to be worth the counter space! 

Well, not so much.  

I know, I know, there are some people who think deep-fried food is the devil’s food and absolutely love their air fryer for offering them what they feel is an alternative to the evils of deep-frying.  To them, I say good for you!  I’m happy that you have found something that fills the fried food void in your soul and I’m sure these air fried foods will find their well deserved place next to your Tofu Turkey and Cauliflower mashed “potatoes”.  All kidding aside though, and no offense intended, the air fryer is not actually a fryer any more than mashed Cauliflower can be considered mashed potatoes.  The food it creates is not fried food, but something entirely different.  Sometimes it’s good and sometimes it isn’t, much like anything we cook, but it can never be classified as fried food.  So let’s get down to the nitty gritty.

What is an air fryer?  It is essentially a small convection oven on steroids that heats up and cools down very quickly.  What is a convection oven?  It is an oven with a fan inside that circulates air around the food while it is cooking.  Convection ovens often cook faster than a conventional oven and typically brown food better by drying the outer layer quickly.

The air fryer is small, even though I got one of the biggest out there.  Most foods can’t be stacked, so it’s a single layer not touching kind of thing. This means that even though it might say 4 quarts, it really only fits one layer in the surface area available on the bottom of the fry basket. The Exceptions are fries and onion rings that you can pile and have to shake a lot to mix while cooking.

Which brings us to French Fries, the one thing my husband was truly excited about, we were not impressed. They went from soggy to the consistency of potato chips in a flash.  Perhaps I need to purchase the type of fries that you bake in the oven, but doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of fried?  

Let’s talk about the uniform browning you achieve in just a few short minutes in a deep fryer.  This is not a reality for the air fryer. You really must spray your food with oil if you want it to brown. Things like potstickers or dumplings will be the consistency of baked parchment paper if you don’t. Things such as breaded zucchini, coconut shrimp, or chicken will not brown if they are not completely coated in oil.  If any portion of these items is missed by the oil spray and remains dry, you’re going to end up with patches of dried out crispy stuff that isn’t really browned. Dumpling type foods and homemade breaded foods were still not worth the time after multiple attempts, the desired texture and browning could not be achieved in the air fryer. 

That being said, and the fact that deep-frying is considered a dry cooking method, (I won’t get into the techno reasons now), it’s hard for me to believe that PROPERLY deep-fried food really contains a lot less, or any less, fat than food cooked in the air fryer.  Unless of course, you prefer food that is not browned, dry, and papery, and therefore you choose not to spray it completely with oil before air frying. 

The exception would be foods that already have fatty exteriors, such as chicken with the skin on or bacon.  These items do not need to be sprayed and will crisp up nicely in the air fryer.  If you are feeding more than one person though, it will take a long time because you will need to do multiple batches.  Which brings us to the next item.

The food I’ve made in the air fryer doesn’t take less time to cook than it would in my oven.  The advantage of the air fryer is that you don’t have to pre-heat your oven or heat up your house. The air fryer heats up quickly and doesn’t emit a lot of heat to the outside. So using the air fryer is a good alternative on a hot day when you don’t want to run the oven.

So what else does it do well?

It does a good job of reheating food that has already been fried or food you want to keep crisp or make crispy.  

It crisps and reheats fresh bread as if it were made for that purpose. You will likely need to cut your bread to fit in the basket.  A couple of minutes in the air fryer and the bread is like fresh baked again. This is its best quality, in my opinion.  I now refer to my air fryer as “the bread warmer”.  

It is a lot less messy and doesn’t blow oil mist around your kitchen as a deep fryer does.

You don’t have to dispose of cooking oil or deal with straining and storing oil. 

It is quiet, heats up and cools down quickly, and doesn’t radiate heat to the rest of your kitchen.  

It cleans up fairly easily, although when food gets stuck to the holes in the basket, it requires a little soaking.  I recommend buying parchment paper basket liners to make clean up easier.

Homemade Taquitos, Chicken Wings for one, and reheating bread or pizza, are primarily what I do in the air fryer these days.   

Bottom line? The air fryer does not cook items faster or better than a deep fryer.  The fryer basket surface area is too small to make it practical for family use.  The same or better results can be achieved by using your oven.  In my opinion, the air fryer is not worth the money or the counter space.

Basket size reference
Air Fryer Rangoon (fully coated with oil before cooking)
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp (fully coated with oil before cooking)
By Chef Kerry, ago