Author: Kacie Cotter-Harrigan

Hello my Foodie Friends!

Over the years, Paula and I have been blessed with many wonderful people who have been an important part of our life. It is never easy to say goodbye to an incredible person who has passed away.  This month, our Saratoga Springs, Culinary, and Compliments to the Chef family lost an amazing chef and friend; Chef and Professor Rocco Verrigni to a long, courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Our tribute is to a man, that from the moment we met him, had an amazing impact on my life, my wife Paula and on our entire culinary community. 

My friendship began with Rocco many years ago when he and I would be part of a refreshment center at a sports event. Rocco would make his family recipe for Macaroni Pie (the recipe is included). We would share stories of work in the restaurant/ hospitality industry. Our understanding of Rocco’s contributions to the culinary world continued as Paula entered into higher education academics working as a professor for SUNY Delhi on the SUNY Schenectady campus. Rocco’s influence and impact on the culinary and hospitality programs at SUNY Schenectady remain prevalent within each student, instructor, and administrator on that campus. Upon retirement, Rocco became a strong advocate and presence within our Compliments to the Chef family. Rocco or “Chef Rocco” as we called him, conducted many product and “how to” demonstrations for us. He always brought a level of genuine interest in our business, how we could service our community as a culinary resource, and how he could help and be part of what we are. We valued his insight, interest in certain products, and experience that he brought with him through our conversations and discussions as to what to carry in the store. Along with his foodie stories, came loving stories of his family gatherings and his close friendship to Singer/Musician Jeff Brisbin, a person who is now a good friend of our store. During Chef Rocco’s demo’s he would insist on proper knife skills such as knowing how to julienne a carrot with a paring knife before learning to use a mandoline slicer. When we challenged him on the consistency of size, he quickly produced a perfect julienne carrot from a paring knife. 

As Rocco worked through his illness, he focused on getting back to the true basics of how food is created, using very authentic approaches to recipes making everything from scratch, and realizing the nutritional value of everything that he made. Many of the skill sets he would demo in our store were based on the basics; knife skills, pasta making, stock-making and soups, and the focus on the products he used within our store demonstrations. 

Rocco leaves behind a spirit that embraced the life of an incredible person. He approached his illness with grace, integrity, strength, optimism, and courage. Values that truly reflected the good man he was. There is a “hole in the world” and a hole in our lives. Our hearts go out to his wife Karen and the Verrigni family. We are so thankful to have had Rocco as part our lives. His friendship, support, expertise, and genuineness as a good person will be with us forever. Remember my Food Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” For Rocco; the kitchen was his contribution to us; leaving a legacy in the culinary world and academics. I have included his recipe that was posted in the Daily Gazette in an interview with Rocco on December 16, 2015.  I had his Grandma’s Macaroni Pie; it is fabulous.

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Mushrooms from the Saratoga Farmers’ Market often find their way into my meals. Farms such as Mariaville Mushroom Men and Ramble Creek offer a wide array of these low-calorie, high-protein fungi. All are easy to prepare, taste wonderful, and once in a while, I’ve found, lead to pleasant dreams.

What makes mushrooms stand out from other fresh farm offerings? For starters, they are in a category of foods by themselves. As Brie Mazurek of the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Education writes in A Guide to Specialty Mushrooms, “Mushrooms are not vegetables. They are closer to animals than plants and belong to their own distinct kingdom, Fungi. As a fruit is to a tree, mushrooms are the spore-bearing fruiting bodies that allow fungi to produce.”

Farmers’ market mushrooms generally are grown in sawdust or logs. For many years, the varieties available were primarily shitake and oysters. Now, farmers also are growing lions mane, nameko, chestnuts, and king oysters.

Is there a huge difference in flavor or preparation method for these varieties?

To me, no. There are subtle variations that make trying the different mushrooms an intriguing experience. Often, I pick up a different variety each week to sample and experiment with.

Vendors can offer cooking tips. You also can try this simple roasting preparation, which works for nearly all fresh varieties:

First, give the mushrooms a quick rinse. After they have drip-dried, remove the harder stem edges with a knife and chop the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Heat a skillet. Place the mushrooms in the skillet and cook them quickly on medium-high heat, tossing them frequently with two wooden spoons to keep them from sticking to the pan. This roasting method releases the mushroom’s juices and helps bring out their flavor. 

After about five minutes, turn off the heat and quickly add a liquid of choice, such as oil, butter, wine, vinegar or lemon juice, or broth. Often, I add olive oil with a little wine. Continue to toss the mushrooms so they do not stick, and add seasonings such as black pepper, garlic, onions, shallots, chopped rosemary and/or thyme. Remove from the pan and serve.

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the food court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh. 

What makes cooking with farm fresh foods at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market a success? In my mind, two things: Let “less is more” be your guide, and have a few basic supplies on hand. Let me elaborate…

When food comes to market from a local farm, it is about as fresh as it gets. Our freshest foods are harvested within a day or two of the market. Our frozen meats and stored apples, cabbages, potatoes, and other root vegetables are from harvests of just the past fall. Even such shelf-stable items as dry beans and corn come to you straight from the farms where they were grown. This means the flavor is at the peak. Often, just baking, steaming, or a quick fry in a hot pan followed by a low simmer for a few minutes is enough to make our farm foods taste delicious.

Second, cooking is easier and faster when one has a few basics on hand: staple ingredients and simple pots, pans, and cooking utensils.

Staple ingredients include oil, vinegar, and seasonings. Butter or animal fats like pork fat can substitute for oil, just as lemon juice or apple cider can stand in for vinegar. Seasonings as simple as salt and pepper often suffice. Herbs, alliums like garlic and onions, and spices like coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, and others can help enhance the flavor of meals, but they are not necessities. Simply put, a basic oil, acid, and salt and pepper are usually enough to ensure that your market purchases taste as good cooked as they look fresh.

As for cooking, keep your supplies simple, especially if you’re just getting started: a frying pan, a Dutch oven or similar deep oven-safe lidded pot, a smaller stovetop pan for boiling water; a chopping board, a good sharp knife, a spatula, and a couple of wooden spoons are a good start.

 Many cookbooks, weekly recipes in newspapers, and preparations featured on popular cooking shows and in videos emphasize the complexity of cooking. And, indeed, there is a creative and dramatic flair to the culinary arts. But there is creativity, too, in cooking simple and in letting the flavors of fresh foods stand alone. 

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the food court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh.

Hello my Foodie Friends!

During these winter days, many individuals try to take a break to different parts of the country or world especially to the “warmer” sections of the globe. Although Saratoga is not considered “tropical” it does draw many travelers throughout the year. We enjoy talking to many of our culinary guests and hearing about what can be eventful travels from afar. Most recently, a couple from New Zealand shared a story about their son that brought back memories of a family vacation we had to Disney. 

Back in 2004, going through security at the airport had become a planned task to anticipate when beginning your travels.  My son was 12 and my daughter was 9 at the time.  I was bound to a wheel chair having just had surgery on my foot.  Security had chosen our family randomly to do a full security check. We all moved to the side and cooperated with the officers who held wands in their hands to check us.  My wife, daughter, and I all went through quickly. However, as I glanced to find my son – he was being held by one of the security officers.  We stood watching as the officer placed his wand and tapped on my son’s pocket of his cargo pants.  My son reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of candy.  The guard then moved to the other pocket of my son’s pants and tapped on the pocket.  My son pulled out another bag of candy.  At this point my wife and I looked at each other wondering why my son packed all of this candy – since he never ate it and we rarely had it in the house. The security check was not quite over. The security officer continued to tap all of the pockets in my son’s cargo pants.  As you may know – cargo pants have many pockets.  My wife and I stood with our mouths open and were laughing each time my son reached into his pockets and pulled out more and more candy!! We could not believe what we saw. The security officer tried not to laugh as we kept proclaiming amazement of what we saw.  Once we made it past airport security – our vacation was incredible with many wonderful memories to add to our candy cargo stop. 

My son was able to keep all of the candy he had stashed away like a squirrel.  To this day – we are not quite sure why he had that much candy on him since he was and is still not a big candy eater. 

So how does this story tie into the culinary world? Chefs both professional and for those who just enjoy cooking find that storing and carrying their knives to cooking events or various locations can be a task and must be properly done. Chefs love their knives. They carry them everywhere in knife rolls, which are bags designed to house a whole bunch of very sharp knives in the safest and most discreet way possible.

You may not think you need to carry around knives and other kitchen tools. But if you’re planning a blowout barbecue at your summer rental house, or a camping trip that will involve fireside cooking, you should consider getting a knife roll.  For many, bringing knives and culinary tools with them to where they are traveling or cooking is considered precious cargo. Consider a knife bag as a way of assisting with those travels. 

We welcome our many visitors to Saratoga Springs, New York and look forward to hearing more of the fun stories that exist in traveling. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store to assist with your culinary needs.  We carry “cool tools” for the chef on the go.  Remember: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!

Guess what today is: Yes, it’s Valentines Day and I know the quickest way to someone’s heart is great cooking. There is nothing more impressive than whipping up a romantic meal for your partner. It is food that creates a home, connections, celebrations, and embraces family and friends. In creating meals, we are creating homes and a nurturing environment. The meals do not have to be fancy or gourmet. It isn’t about how special the recipe is. It is about being conscious of an important part of life and honoring that importance. By elevating the importance of food in our family’s lives, you pass that importance on to them. Families connect around the dinner table, all sharing the meal they know is just for them. They also learn the subtle ways you can say “I love you.” through the daily care of mealtime.

One of our favorite dishes is to make is Eggplant Parmigiana. When my wife Paula was at the end of her due dates for our children, she was always encouraged by the Italian women in the family to eat Italian food to induce her labor. We won’t promise you that by eating Eggplant Parmigiana you are guaranteed to go into labor, but according to some of the old Italian wives tales, it may be just the trick to get your baby’s show on the road. Ironically enough, Paula did eat Eggplant prior to each time she went into labor (early or not). Making Eggplant Parmigiana can be a tedious task of slicing and prepping.  Do you have a mandoline hiding in the back of your pantry, just begging to be used? Essentially, you can accomplish much of a mandoline’s work with a steady hand and a sharp knife. However, when slicing up zucchini ribbons, slicing eggplant or shredding brussel sprouts, mandolines cut prep time down significantly and promise consistent, even results. And they’re fun to use; especially when you need to create consistently thick or thin slices for your favorite recipe. At Compliments to the Chef we carry several different brands of mandolines. The OXO Good Grips mandoline is a perfect tool for home chefs. It is a trusty tool through thick and thin (produce). Slice or julienne cucumbers, potatoes and more with a turn of the comfortable dial on the Chef’s Mandoline Slicer.  We also carry mandolines by Zyllis and the Asian style Benriner. Each mandoline includes a food holder that protects hands and the stainless steel blade quickly makes even slices. All blades store safely on board and are removable for easy cleaning. With this easy-to-use mandoline, hands and fingers stay away from sharp blades at all times. Most mandolines come with three or four slicing blades beyond the basic blade. These allow you to slice paper thin, a little thicker (think potato chips), thick julienne (think french fries), and thin julienne. If you’re not sure how your blades will slice, invest in a few potatoes and try each setting out. It’s usually a good idea to have a few extra veggies on hand when you’re learning to use your mandoline as well so you can get the hang of the whole process. 

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, we have items that can assist with making your Valentine’s Dinner. Finish with something sweet and a goodnight kiss. Show your love through the foods you cook. Stop by Compliments to the Chef located at 33 Railroad Place and let us know how we can help you with your culinary needs. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” Happy Valentines Day!

 Take Care,
John & Paula