Posted in iTravel on December 21st, 2009 by Andy Husbands
I’m in Seattle to see family for the holidays, truth be told I was born here and lived here till I was 14.
I’m staying in West Seattle and while driving in on I5 to downtown the weather guy on the radio said it was going to be mostly rainy today. Not really surprised, but I love it, and it really feels like home.
I’m starting at Pike Place Market to pick up some salmon jerky but first a quick stop at the crumpet shop. My friend John Delpha of Belted Cow Bistro turned me on to this place and it’s a must go to when I am in town.
Most people have heard of crumpets (as in ‘tea and…), though many have never had ‘em. Think of them as a English muffin meets a plain muffin meets a cake. Sweet, crunchy, airy, crumbly, yummy!
They serve them with honey and butter (my fav), with jam, with eggs and ham, nutella, etc….i think we need to start serving these at brunch again.
Posted in iChef, iTravel on November 9th, 2009 by Andy Husbands
Chef Jose Duarte has invited me to come with him on a culinary adventure in Peru, I have been always loved South American cuisines and am so pumped about this. Below is the itinerary, a video, and pictures from last years trip. If you want to come or need more info send me a note and I’ll get you all the info you need. Space is limited.
(if you’re seeing this on FB please goto www.andyhusbands.com)
Taranta’s Peruvian Adventures
Peruvian Gastronomy with Chef Jose Duarte and Chef Andy Husbands, Organized by Gourmet Consulting Group, intensive Gastronomic experiences in Peru .
Friday March 26 to April 4 2010 we are offering an exclusive Gourmet Adventure to Peru. A high scale, 4-5 star accommodations trip, visiting Cusco and Macchu Picchu, exploring the wonders of Peruvian Gastronomy, cooking demonstrations, mini workshops with expert leadership, finalizing with a Hands on Cooking Class at “Le Cordon Bleu” in Lima,
Day 1
Friday March 26 2010 ARRIVAL TO LIMA
PM Arrival to Lima Airport
Chef Jose Duarte will receive you at the Airport, and walk you to your hotel, perhaps to have a drink or to have something light to eat. Accommodations this evening are at The Costa del Sol Hotel in the Airport of Lima.
ALSO OPTION TO ARRIVE March 27 AM and meet at the airport to transfer to Cusco
Day 2
Saturday March 27 2009 LIMA – CUSCO
Wake up call at 6:30 AM
7:15 AM Breakfast at Hotel, briefing and introduction to our week of Culinary Adventure, meet our Host Chef Gonzalo Angosto who will join us traveling to Cusco
8:30 AM Check in Airport to flight to Cusco
9:30 AM Flight to Cusco
11:00 AM Arrival to Cusco, then travel to the Sacred Valley of the Incas through Sachayhuaman, light picnic lunch admiring the fortress with its enormous blocks of rock, weighting 125 tons and joined perfectly without using mortar. Enjoy a Coca Leave Tea and Lemonade with Muna that will help you climatize. Then continue our Journey to the Sacred Valley of the Incas through the Pisac Market. Check in Casa Andina Private Collection, rest and relax B/L
Day 3
Sunday March 28 2009 MACHU PICCHU
Wake up call at 5:30 AM
Breakfast at Hotel then departure at 6:35 AM
Train departure 7:05
Early morning departure to train station at Ollanta, to board Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes
Visit Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas Since its discovery in 1911, Machu Picchu has not ceased to arouse the interest and admiration of people from all over the planet. Few works made by mankind fit into their natural surroundings so harmoniously. Only on few occasions has the human ingenuity achieved such heights. From here, the epithet “marvelous” falls short when applied to this work of the Inca Civilization and to the beauty of its imposing natural scenery.
Lunch at Santuary Lodge buffet, Return to Ollanta at 2:30 PM, walk through Ollantaytambo, quick refresh at hotel and 9pm Dinner at El Huacatay with Chef Pio Velasquez B/L/D
Day 4
Monday March 29 2010 From Farm to table at LAMAY
9:00 AM wake up call, breakfast and departure to LAMAY, for a journey that will feature the basics of Organic Farming, interacting with local farmers and its products, sharing a communal kitchen while preparing local foods with ingredients from farm to table, featuring ducks, guinea pigs, and more, “Ingredient Potential” discussion with Chef Andy Husbands,, Chef Gonzalo Angosto and Chef Jose Duarte. B/L
Day 5
Tuesday March 30 2010
MARAS – CUSCO
8:00 AM Wake up Call
9:00 AM Breakfast at Hotel
Visit to Maras, a picturesque town, and its closer salt mines from the Inca era that are still worked today. Then visit archaeological site of Moray composed of a series of concentric agricultural terraces, some as deep as 150m. This is thought to have been a large agricultural laboratory where the Incas were able to create different microclimates to grow a large variety of crops. We will enjoy a “Pachamanca” for lunch at Laguna de Piuray with Chef Pio, Learn all about Native Potatoes and local ingredients. Interact with a family of weavers typical from the Chinchero Area continue the way to Cusco. This mythical and legendary city makes you recover the lost pleasure of walking aimlessly, of watching people, of magining mysterious events in remote times. Check in Casa Andina Private Collection Cusco B/L
Day 6
Wednesday March 31 2010 CUSCO
8:30 Wake up call
Breakfast at hotel
Cuzco – Koricancha – Santo Domingo, the spectacular Cathedral and the Church of La Compañía (Order of the Societyof Jesus) Guided tour of San Marcos Market. Lunch at Quinta Eulalia, visit Sachayhuaman, Qenko and Tambomanchay or just relax, dinner at
La Cicciolina Restaurant. B/L/D
Day 7
Thursday April 1 2010 LIMA
7:30 Wake up call
Breakfast at Hotel
8:15 AM Departure to Cusco Airport to Flight to Lima,
9:30 AM Flight to Lima
11:00 PM Arrival to Lima
Guided Visit Museo Larco Herrera then Lunch at ‘El Cafe del Museo” a Gaston Acurio restaurant, with an introduction to Peruvian Coastal Cuisine and Limena. Transfer and Check in at Hotel and rest and relax. 6:00 PM Pisco Tasting, Pisco Sour Making lesson.
8:00 PM Dinner at MALABAR with Chef Pedro Schiafino, in San Isidro. B/L/D
Day 8
Friday April 2 2010
8:30 AM Wake up call
Breakfast at Hotel
9:30 Guided visit to el Mercado de Surquillo, and Mercado de Productores San Isidro.
12:45 PM Lunch Ceviche Demo by Chef Ivan Kisic
3:00 PM Hotel return – RR
8:00 Dinner, CHIFA, Peruvian Chinese food B/L/D
Day 9
Saturday April 3 2010
Cordon Bleu Cooking Class
10:00 AM HANDS ON COOKING CLASS and Lunch at “Le Cordon Bleu” School of Gastronomy where you will be able to prepare an authentic Ceviche de Pescado and Lomito Saltado, two of the most traditional Peruvian dishes.Free afternoon, evening tour of Center of Lima.B/L
Day 10
Sunday April 4 2010
Breakfast at hotel and checkout, free day, most airlines return during the evening to the US. B
Images of our Gourmet Adventure trip March 2009
Peruvian Native Potatoes, one of the 3K varieties, the Huarmihuacachi
Chef Pio introduces the Pachamanca
Chef Pio explains the ingredients for the Pachamanca
Chef Jose Duarte talking about Aji Amarillo in the Cusco Market
Some of the many varieties of corn
Tour Guide Zacarias and the group in Machu Picchu
Lunch catered by la Cicciolina Restaurant and Tammy Gordon in Sachayhuaman
Dried Peppers at the Surquillo market
Cooking Class at Le Cordon Bleu in Lima
Chef Gonzalo Angosto getting ready to demonstrate Ceviche at the market
Chef Ivan Kisic from Cala Restaurant in Lima demonstrating Ceviche and Tiradito
Posted in iBBQ, iChef, iTravel on October 2nd, 2009 by Andy Husbands
Arrived last night at tenish, (chris hart, iQue’s pitmaster, flew in and got here a little after we did) put the cooker (Jambo pit) in place, emptied the rv of coolers and gear and settled down for some serious poker and bourbon. We played till about 2am then crashed.
Up at 7am. Today is mainly filled with setting up camp and getting ready for the invitational BBQ competitions tomorrow (we start cooking tonight at 11- briskets and pork) and the sides competitions.
For the BBQ meats we trim, inject, and rub building unique layers of flavor. The side dishes we are running tests, just made the most tasty pumpkin puree thanks to chef John Delpha. Blanched potatoes for tots and braised the beans in Bill Arnold’s Blues Hog sauce.
Team next to us, Montley Que, is making gumbo so we’re off to try some then a shrimp boil at Transformer BBQ, then to see Gari and his team from Jamaica for Red Stripe and Appleton Rum.
Meats will be fired later, Chris, Kenny and Jamie will stay up all night to watch the fire, I’ll be up at 6 to enter the grits comp..
I’ll take pictures of tomorrows entries, here’s today’s piks…
Posted in iBBQ, iTravel on October 1st, 2009 by Andy Husbands
We are still driving to Kansas City, been driving straight thru with ed, ken, and i driving in 3 hour shifts, we project our eta is 10pm.
We had breakfast at Cracker Barrel, of course, and then decided we’d try to find some killer BBQ for lunch.
Thanks to Yelp we realized that 17th Street, Murphysboro IL, selected by Food & Wine magazine as having Best Ribs in America, was only a hour out of the way. Actually, not really on the way, not for ribs that is.
I met Amy Mills years back when she was writing with her father (BBQ legend Mike Mills) Peace, Love, and Barbeque. A cookbook fearuring recipes from bbq cookers around the country, I am honored to have contributed a recipe in it.
Quickly emailed her to see if she or Mike would be there, she wasn’t going to be but wrote Mike would! We were sooo psyched!
Mike Mills is a three time Memphis in May champion as well as numerous other competitions and owns many BBQ restaurants. He gave us a tour, and treated to some of the best BBQ eva! What a great guy.
We’re three hours out from kc, and then the craziness starts….
Posted in iBBQ, iChef, iTravel on September 30th, 2009 by Andy Husbands
Ed Doyle and I are finally on the road. Between picking up the RV, getting the smoker, and loading up five hours dissapeared….
We’re on 90 heading to Nyac to pick up Ken Goodman and then a straign shot to Kansas City.
Here’s what this weekend will entail:
Friday night:
10 thousand person party
shrimp boil with the transformer team, start cooking meats for invitational BBQ comp-about 85 teams
Saturday
7:15 am, ugh, ‘kiss my grits’ competition
Noon BBQ turn ins start
Awards 5?
Start cooking meats for Sundays open BBQ comps, about 500 teams
Texas hold’em tournament
Red Stripe party at Gari’s from jamaica team site
Crumpets & Clouds
