Issue 1, Volume 2, 2005

Summer Harvest

If you are not eating corn and zucchini right now - you should be!

Corn on the cob
Shuck the corn, wrap each in wax paper and microwave on high for 4-6 minutes for 4 ears. I place them in kind of a box shape with each cob being a side for even cooking in the microwave. For extra sweetness, once it is cooked, finish it on the grill until the kernels start to become golden brown. Brush with melted butter or serve with a compound butter. Or try this variation from a newsletter last year - Grilled Corn on the Cob with Garlic Butter, Fresh Lime and Parmesan Cheese

Another summer home grown favorite is zucchini.

Corn Zucchini Saute
Slice your zucchini in half moon shapes, quarter the moons if they get too large. Cut the corn off the fresh cobs. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook 1/2 cup scallions, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add one finely chopped garlic clove and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add corn, zucchini, and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Corn and Tomato Tart
I had this delicious summer tart at a recent Cooking Light Dinner Club. Don't be afraid. It goes together easily with a refrigerated pizza dough for the crust. I used a tart pan, but I am sure you could do it in a pie pan. You might have to adjust the cooking time. I served it for dinner with some melon and a side salad - a nice light summer dinner!
Cooking Light Roasted Corn and Tomato Tart

Contest Winner!

I have to toot my own horn a little. I recently won First Prize in the Meat Category in a recipe contest held by the American Personal Chef Association. The finals for Grand Prize were held at our annual Summit in New Orleans. It felt like one of the Chef Competition reality shows on TV now.

Local Personal Chef Braves Tropical Storm Cindy
to Win in National Recipe Contest

July, 2005, New Orleans, LA: St. Louis Personal Chef Lisa Waldschmidt tied for First Place with her recipe for “Rolled Flank Steak with Spinach and Proscuitto”, a client favorite, competing with three other Personal Chefs in a high-pressure, “Iron Chef” style cook-off during the American Personal Chef Association (APCA) Summit in New Orleans, July 7-8, 2005.

”The Iron Chef’s compete using one surprise ingredient. Tropical Storm Cindy was our surprise. She prevented us from getting the ingredients we needed. It’s hard to do a Rolled Flank Steak with no flank steak!” Waldschmidt exclaims.

Nevertheless, all four national finalists rose to the challenge of missing key ingredients, working under a deadline in an unfamiliar commercial kitchen. “The best part was cooking under pressure with the other three chefs. We were competing, but we all pulled together to help each other finish our recipes anyway. None of us had ever been in a contest like this before!” added Waldschmidt.

The American Personal Chef Association (APCA) has provided training and support services to the rapidly growing Personal Chef industry since 1996. Each year, in a different city, the APCA holds a Personal Chef’s Summit for its members. Despite the severe weather in New Orleans, over 100 Personal Chefs attended from all over the United States.

Waldschmidt has been a Personal Chef since February, 2004, providing cooking services in the homes of clients with a variety of challenges: time-pressed singles, working couples, busy families, those with special dietary needs and, of course, the elderly. You can contact her by phone at 276-5946, email lisa@havewhiskwilltravel.com, or through her web site: http://www.havewhiskwilltravel.com.

Lisa Waldschmidt is a Personal Chef and caterer. To learn more about Lisa and her services, check out HaveWhiskWillTravel.com. For questions, ideas for the newsletter or comments, click here.