Blue Chef Coat Double Thumbs Up To Blue Apron

Everyone really knows I love to cook and I just kind of create and plan out my ideas and menus in my head. I keep a recipe book, so that I don't forget. I also have a food journal and even a sketch book.

So when I started hearing about companies that send fresh food to your door, I was curious. What would this be like to get a box of food? Easy? Boring? Dull? Expensive?

I ordered a 3 meal, 2 person plan from Blue Apron and to say I skeptical would be an understatement!

The website was easy to use, the recipes and food looked creative.

My first impressions were very positive.

When my box arrived it was on time and perfectly packaged! The food was in great shape and it all looked really fresh.
Now I am a very adventurous kid chef so to have three new ingredients was very surprising. I had heard of these ingredients, just never cooked them, so that got me even more excited.

First, I prepared the Lamb Burgers with the harrissa spread, and wow were they good. The directions were simple and straight forward, the pictures made it easy to follow.

I don't cook from recipes but I tried my best to stay straight with these.

 Had I been hacking them ,I would have added some mayo or yogurt to the harrissa and used the extra arugula in a side salad with the harrisa as a dressing. 

The carrot side was so simple and good we have made them since. The carrots were seasoned with caraway seeds and cumin. The meal did require some prep work but it was definitely worth it! I really loved my lunch.

It was a thumbs up! And I was starting to get impressed

Next up the Tamarind glazed cod.

The dish has included the glazed cod some zesty rice and a jicama cucumber topping.


I could not resist pan searing one piece of fish, I just needed that extra bit of control, all in all this was a great tasty dish! The tamarind was the new item for me and I really liked it. I plan to buy a bottle for the pantry.

The simple addition of lime zest to the rice just was genius and added a bunch of brightness to the plate.
I had lots of extra jicama and cucumber so I made a salad and that was a bonus.
Another thumbs up!

Last was the baked chicken with potato latkas and celery root.

The celery root was new to me and it was fabulous definitely a buy again! What a pop of fresh flavors! Now, my mom makes the best potato pancakes, so these were just ok for me. But if your mom does not make the best potato pancakes then these would be good.

I liked the apple mustard chutney and have made it several times since.

While one piece of chicken is technically enough for a serving I could have had another.

The roasted cabbage was very unusual and it was also unusual plating.



All in all the roasted veggies, pancakes and chicken made a great meal.

So you ask would I get it again?

Heck yeah! Hot lunch or dinner, fun to cook, easy but just a touch chefie, perfect packaging and ease for a busy schedule! Also this gets you cooking and gets the creative juices flowing!


If you are going to be a loyal Blue Apron customer then I would invest in two or three refrigerator bins to keep all the food together.

I hope to get another box ASAP!

And as an added surprise here is a special link from Blue Apron just for you!

Get 2 Meals Free On Your First Order!

Happy cooking
Love the Cabbage Leaf,
Logan

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Memphis In May World Championship BBQ contest!

Memphis In May World Championship BBQ Contest!



Now, in Memphis, that line means a lot to all of us! Memphis is the best for Blues and BBQ.
I mean if you don't know anything about BBQ, you best MOVE.
It is that serious. Even Veggies have to be smoked and sauced!

Memphis in May is a month long festival that celebrates Music and BBQ and Soul Food.



I knew I wanted to be a BBQ Judge when I was like 5 and after I went to White House, they let me take the Judge's Class, so I would be prepared when they asked me to be a Judge.

Now this is an honor for anyone and I took the job super serious! I brought my A game and tried to be as serious as all the people in the room.

Believe me they were not too easy on me - standards are high, they went from Suspicious to Curious to Respectful to Happy!

I ate. I judged. I upheld the long line of BBQ lovers and hopefully made Memphis proud.

I know you may not understand the depth of the Honor I was given, but trust me I did!

All I can say the food was good. ok, out of this world! I judged exotics, beef, seafood, RIBS, and WHOLE HOG! I mean The Shed won the entire thing, I might have helped judge that!

Thank you Memphis in May and Thank you Judges. It was an honor to sit with you!

Love the Cabbage Leaf,
Logan

You can also Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Vine.

Sous Vide By PolySCi Creative by Logan

Sous Vide

If you want to be a true Gastronomist then you need to learn how to Sous Vide (https://www.polyscienceculinary.com/) . I will be honest it has taken me a bit more time than I thought to get consistent good food- but once you understand it, the results will surprise you.

A Sous Vide is a water circular that heats water to a precise temperature- the food needs to be vacuum sealed and the better that seal the better the finished product so make sure you have both before you put the Sous Vide to the back of the kitchen shelf.

Here is what I have learned- fish cooks like a dream, but I can usually nail fish so that really presented no challenge. Poached fruit is by far the best- you can't imagine how good when the Sous Vide tenderly cooks it. AMAZING! 

The problem foods, I wanted to nail- a skinless boneless chicken breast- the blandest, hardest to cook protein and the boneless pork chop. Both of these are death to a so-so home cook and even tougher for a beginner. 

Here is what I did-

BBQ Chicken Breast -

First I coated the breast in some good olive oil generously then I smoked it in the vacuum seal bag in another zip-lock bag with my smoking gun. I went with mesquite wood and coffee grounds for added depth of flavor. I seasoned with salt and pepper and waited for the smoke to do its job to mainly the oil and chicken.

I then sealed the bag and into the Sous Vide at 149 degrees Fahrenheit. for about 1 hour. 

This results in a super tender white chicken breast.

My goal:

BBQ Chicken- Almost no one can make this without the chicken coming out too dry- I mean it is really hard to slow smoke the breast to be moist and that is exactly what the Sous Vide can NAIL.

I then shredded the chicken, topped with a bit of hardy slaw, BBQ sauce (my own recipe) and put it on mini biscuits for a chicken smoked slider.

I had a little of the smokey chicken left added some celery, onions, and mayo for a smoked chicken salad- I don't have a picture - I am afraid the tasters finished it before I could snap one.

Don't be afraid to use this chicken on salad, or bun or whatever, it won't disappoint you! If you want more smoke, I found that another 3 minutes in the bag with the gun knocked up the taste but my tasters were happy either way!

Next UP the boneless Pork Chop !!!

Love the Cabbage Leaf,

Logan

Logan MasterChef Junior - Apron from Casting (Door Prize)

Logan MasterChef Junior - Apron from Casting (Door Prize)

Bounty on Broad

I really like Broad Ave. It has a true Memphis feel and is really trying hard to revitalize itself. I have taken some classes at the 5 in 1 social club and really enjoyed them. Now when my Dad said he wanted to try Bounty I was all for it so off we went.

Bounty is cool looking very Hipster chic and the view of the water tower is killer! It feels clean and fresh. I liked it.

We ordered three plates of food - it is family style tasting plates and she recommended 4-5 for three of us. She meant it. We tried the quinoa stuffed peppers, the fried oysters and the hanger steak. 

The peppers were good- the quinoa stuffing was dense and had a nice flavor. It had chorizo and onions maybe. There was a roasted red pepper sauce that was pretty nice. I like the dish. It was good, but felt vegan. For me it was missing just a hint of something, I have not figured out what. But it was good.

The oysters were good fresh and tasty. They had a nice clean taste and sat on a slaw bed with green onions. The apple cider sauce was really nice.  I like this dish. I got some extra sauce and I really enjoyed it.

The hanger steak was tasty too. It was a little too rare for me but it had a good flavor. The stak sat on a brussel sprout bed with some great oyster mushrooms stir fried in. I mean these really were the stars of the dish. They had a great flavor.

I am glad I went but not sure if it is an I cant wait to go back place. 

Love the Cabbage Leaf

Logan HDM 

Going to The MasterChef Junior Kitchen from Memphis

Rock the boat go to Rock'n Dough

Rock'n Dough is located in East Memphis, near Stash Furniture.
The inside of it is small but nicely furnished.
We go to Rock'n Dough when we have a pizza dispute.

That happens more often then you might guess.
When I fist had their pizza it was in a food truck. I remember the slice I got had bacon on it. I liked it. I think that is how the company started.

We usually have a large pizza with mushrooms, sausage, and sometimes olives. 
The pizza has a hand tossed
medium thick crust. It is a little doughy on the top. The cheese is gooey and very stretchy. The sauce is savory, the mushrooms are fresh, the olives are well olives.    
 One cool thing about them is the fancy pizza by the slice. They have the pizza out and the slices always look fresh.

I really like the place, it is not my favorite but it is a good pizza.

Love the cabbage leaf,
Logan


https://www.facebook.com/Rockndoughpizzaco 

http://www.rockndoughpizza.com/