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L.E. BaskowBeneath the bun, the TNB Café Signature Hamburger is loaded with rich macaroni and cheese to contrast the sweet, smoky bacon jam.
By Robin Leach (contact)
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014 | 10:56 p.m.
Ben Vaughn is an award-winning chef and popular TV personality best known as a host on the Food Network. He also is the host of the World Food Championships and is a recurring judge on the hit FYI series based on the event.
Ben’s culinary career started in the best kitchens of South Florida and flourished as the chef/owner of several trendsetting and critically acclaimed restaurants in Memphis and Atlanta. He’s gained recognition from the James Beard Foundation and resides in Atlanta, where he serves as CEO and culinary director for Root to Tail, a Georgia-based restaurant group.
Ben is currently writing the book series “Southern Routes,” which explores his transplanted Southern roots with an edible journey highlighting some of the best-kept food secrets of the South. The book is set for publication in 2015. He plans on opening his first Las Vegas restaurant in the New Year.
A regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Bar and Restaurant Magazine, The Shift Drink and The BRX, Ben is the culinary adviser for National Food Day. Check out his amazing spices and rubs in #BVate store.
Here he calls on memories of the 2014 food year to serve up his Top 10 resolutions for the New (food) Year:
And so it goes, another year comes to a close. The memories, successes and mistakes are all revisited with sentiment as the 2014 calendar concludes. A clean slate for some and goal setting for others. I like do-overs and, frankly, who doesn’t? However, with a do-over or clean slate, shouldn’t we learn from our history and past mistakes?
Maybe set more attainable goals, something that is absolutely feasible? I wouldn’t suggest setting an easy goal, but certainly some sort of goal that won’t be a horrible disappointment if we drop the ball in March. The time-old tradition of making the list of things to avoid or accomplish in the New Year is so tired.
This year, let’s get specific. For every tired and worn-out topic for resolutions, there are hundreds of trends that should be on the radar for the New Year, so let’s combine the best of both and make sure that they are relevant to the topic I’m most familiar with — food.
With the New Year approaching, I thought it would be easy to just drop a list of Food Year’s resolutions into the mix hoping someone would become inspired and make those resolutions their own. But my food resolutions are slightly slanted toward my own career and profession, and I want to speak to the every cook, every man and every family.
This year will bring with it the end of an era as one of my favorite late-night hosts, David Letterman, will deliver his last Top 10 list on May 20. I couldn’t dream of a better format to use to reach the masses. I’ve spent the last few weeks asking questions, and I’ve directed most of the questions toward the non-foodie individual. What are their food-inspired goals, the peoples’ Top 10, if you will? So don’t see this as just another list; instead, see it as a cause, a cause to inspire change.
10. Plan more picnics: This is an incredible way to spend the afternoon, weather permitting. It can be really fun to prepare with your picnic companions, choosing dishes or even a theme. I also like the trendy little picnic accoutrement you can find at all the online retailers and local markets. It’s not just a meal; it’s the company you keep, too, whether it’s a romantic outing or even the whole family.
9. Start a family recipe box: You cook, Mom cooks, Grandma cooks, but who is preserving these timeless recipes? The tip to making this an attainable goal is to get the entire family involved. First step, make a Top 40 list of the family’s favorites dishes. Then begin to record.
Online, you can find several sites dedicated to recipe formatting, or you can use my favorite: a 3x5 and pencil. Store the recipes in a safe place, and know without a doubt that you can share them with generations to come.
8. Understand the term GMO: There are lots of terms flying around these days on television, in books, in grocery stores. Everyone uses different terms to describe the same thing — genetically modified organisms — in most cases. However, I’m not totally convinced that they truly understand what they are regurgitating. A simple practice, if you are truly interested, is to get familiar with where the food you eat originates. It’s an easy step and a step in the right direction for healthy food and a healthier family.
7. Try one new ingredient each month: This is simple, well, unless you are 3 years old. It’s a challenge to some and an adventure to others, but for us to expand our diet, we need to try new ingredients — even if they look gross, or you didn’t like them when you were 12. Expand your palate and encourage the kids to practice the same principles when eating. There are a ton of ingredients out there waiting to be devoured.
6. Learn more about cheese: This is fun, especially for the cheese lover. There are thousands of cheeses and hundreds of cheese clubs. Engage with your local cheese monger and get excited. I recommend the book “Cheese Primer.” It’s a wonderful read if you love cheese and want to know more about the craft behind making this ancient ingredient. I think cheese deserves to be thought of less often as the generic commodity “cheese” and more often as the obscure and not-mass-produced artisanal delicacy that it truly is.
5. Ditch the iceberg: It’s filler, and although there are only 10 calories per cup, it’s a waste. This would be a good challenge for people eagerly interested in trying new ingredients. There are hundreds of interesting, flavorful lettuce varietals. Try each of them, and build your salad like a king. The iceberg needs a break, and as we see it come away from most restaurant menus, I still wonder why it’s being used at home. I know from the price vs. quantity argument, iceberg is a winner, but so is tap water.
4) Pack my lunch more often: This may seem impossible to most, but the reward is worth the effort. Do the due diligence early in the weekend for the upcoming week. Plan a menu and precook and wrap the composed meals. Don’t get too far ahead of yourself and end up with soggy sandwiches; work a system into your routine.
The cost savings are huge, the health benefits also are likely a good part of your resolution, and co-workers will follow suit. Homemade crock pot chicken and dumplings reheated any day at the office will have your office mates envious.
3. Stick to the season: Think about the silliness involved in the grocery store produce area. It’s mind-boggling that in the dead of winter, we are noshing on strawberries, or in the fall we enjoy summer vegetables. I don’t want to just say eat local and support your local growers, although that is an incredible opportunity more consumers should observe.
But at the very least, try to observe the seasons and regional ingredients. You will be certain they are fresh and relevant to the dish. If it seems impossible, go for the 50 percent local version and add 10 percent to each month. Make it a challenge instead of a chore.
2) 86 macaroni and cheese: We love it, we crave it, we even give it up for Lent. But why don’t we just cut it out of our over-fatted diets altogether? I offer two sensible options to this seemingly unrealistic request. One, remove macaroni and cheese completely from your diet. Yeah, that isn’t gonna stick, is it? Or, option two, make it from scratch. This is more likely, and possibly you will end up eating less.
When homemade mac and cheese is prepared properly, it’s a time consuming pain in the rear. It starts with a classic French Bechamel and then the cheese to transform the rich flour and milk sauce into a Mornay. The pasta is important, and you need to select it wisely or it may be a roni fail. At least once you begin to craft the homemade mac and cheese, you will have new respect for the craft behind it and ditch the neon yellow garbage in the box.
1) Start a supper club:This is fun and exciting. Choose the best group of friends and begin the supper club planning. Trade locations and dishes that each person or couple will contribute to the meal.
If you have followed my other steps, you can bring your dish in an interesting picnic basket, use a family recipe at each supper club, serve local, healthy organic foods, show off with a little of your newfound cheese knowledge, and make sure it’s seasonal.
These are just some fun, engaging food goals and ideas to spark a change in your diet and palate. It’s also an interesting way to interact with family over food, make new friends and open the doors to some amazing meals and memories. Leave your favorite Food Year’s resolutions in the comments below and share socially with me @BenVaughn.
Cheers, and Happy New Year!
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.
Follow Sun A&E Senior Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
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