Tastes of Steve

Memorial Day Picnic

2009-05-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

To get into the festivities of today I thought I'd write about my own picnic essentials. Be it that perfect creamy potato salad, or sunscreen, there're just a few things I always try to remember when I'm off for a picnic! The typical separation I make when planning for a picnic are between my food and non-food items. The great thing about doing this is you can prepare all of your non-food items the day before so you don't feel rushed trying to move out the day of with hyper kids and impatient spouses!

Non-Food Items:

Sunscreen - A MUST, even if you'd like to get a tan make sure you cover the little ones up well and often. I know I can't convince everyone the true price of a tan but at least be responsible with any children that come along. An SPF of 15 or higher, and apply every hour and a half to be safe.

Bug Spray - Seeing as it is Memorial day the bugs might not be bad at all depending on your local. But it's always better to have and not need than to get there and really really really wish you had some bug-spray. Get something that has DEET as the active ingrediant, it takes a little toll on your skin, but not nearly as much as the bugs!

Swimsuits - Depending on your geographical location you might be able to start swimming at about this time. Or maybe you've been swimming for months. Either way if you haven't been out swimming in a while its a good idea to find those suits the night BEFORE. Don't forget the towels.

Sunglasses - Wow! Its summertime classic after another but these are a must for sunny days. They help protect your eyes and make it easier to keep an eye on everyone.

Games - Fun in the sun! Make sure to bring along a few of your families favorite outdoor games. A football and a Frisbee can be fun for everyone! Last year I built a ladder golf game for the family too!

Picnic Basket - This will be able to store all of your non-perishables. Stock it up with plates, eating utensils, cups, and napkins. I try to buy biodegradable items that I can recycle. Keep in mind you should be able to fit a few other items in the basket that won't need to go in the cooler.

Blanket and or Table Cloth - It wouldn't seem like a picnic without a blanket. Toss a couple in the car the night before and you won't miss them. I also like to bring a vinyl table cloth if I know there Will be picnic benches available.

Charcoal - Nothing is worse than getting to your picnic location and realizing you don't have the charcoal to cook with. Your left with either open campfire flames or a drive back to town. Grab a bag and toss it in the car to save yourself some heartache.

Now on to the real fun, the food! You'll have to make some key decisions here. Are you going to be grilling or should you pack cold sandwiches. Will you have a picnic table or not? How about an area to make a campfire? These variable will help you decide what to pack. As for my families outing today, we'll be heading to a nice little state forest campground where we'll have a picnic table, fire pit, and grill available. Besides, memorial day just seems like a day to grill some meat doesn't it?

Meats - We'll be heading out with my folks, my brother, and his wife and kids. Among them I know there are a few picky eaters so I like to bring a variety. Chicken Breast can be marinated the night before. Grilled sirloin can be mixed with your favorite add-ins, (I like some garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and onions to name a few). Hot dogs are always a favorite with the kids. Steak is great too, just remember to toss in a few wrapped steak knives.

Potato Salad - I love a good, creamy, mustard potato salad. Take the time to make that famous family recipe the night before, or you can cheat and buy it from your favorite deli.

Coleslaw - Another picnic classic. If you've never made it at home before give it a try! You can buy the cabbage mix in your produce section, and the dressing is a snap to whip up. Of course this can also be bought at your deli.

Potato Chips - We try to keep these salty snacks to a minimum in our house, but its seems like memorial day is one of those days we let ourselves cheat. Pick up a couple of your favorite varieties and reward yourself for being so good! I simply love a classic ruffles potato chip with a french onion dip, mmmmm!

Dessert - Here you have another round of options, but whatever you choose try to keep the additional effort that will be required to a minimum. If you'll have a fire pit available you can always do smores. However yesterday I made my families favorite dessert, New York style cheesecake!

I hope you enjoyed reading my Memorial day blog! Everyone have a safe holiday!

Steve Fink

My Rant on Coffee

2009-05-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

Good Morning World,

I feel like having an enlightened discussion on coffee today while I sit here with my cup-o-joe in front of me. I've been through more varieties of coffee than anyone else I know, be it brand of bean, brand of coffee maker, type of coffee maker, roast date. etc. I thought I'd take a minute to share some of my experiences as a novice coffee lover.

First off I separate standard black coffee into about four different categories as follows. I'll leave my thoughts on espresso for another day.

Standard Drip Coffee: This is what a majority of coffee drinkers in the U.S. drink on their normal morning. Whether they brew it at home or go to their favorite "specialty" coffee house, most black coffee in the U.S. is brewed by standard drip method.

What I Like: Its fast, easy, and decent. Its pretty much everywhere.
What I Don't: Its the bottom of the barrel as far as taste goes. If you pay for a quality bean it's can pass, but if you have the time its best to step it up to the next level.

French Press Coffee: This is where alot of coffee drinkers move when they want something more than drip coffee. For those unfamilier with it, it looks a bit like this . You brew hot water and coarse grounds for about 4 minutes then pres down on the plunger and drink. The taste is far superior but you do get more coffee grounds in each cup.

What I Like: Taste is better, smaller brews, looks really cool!
What I Don't: More coffee grounds, must grind fresh, higher maitinance than drip.

Aero Press Coffee: Introducing my personal favorite, the aeropress. This delivers, in my opinion, the best cup of coffe you can sensibly brew at home. Combining the idea behind a vacum brew and french press, the aero press delivers a cup of coffee I can't find at any specialty store.

What I Like: Fewer grounds, less acid, small brews, great taste!
What I Don't: One cup at a time brewing means it's not the best method for serving multiple people.

Well thats my thoughts on coffee makers. I hope everyone has a good weekend, time for another cup!

Steve Fink
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A Hint of Cinnamon

2009-05-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

Last night was a great time. The wife and kids were all home, and the rain outside made for the perfect opportunity for a movie night! We rented Wale-e and had a great night in. It was made even better by the aroma of Banana Nut bread that was drifting in from the kitchen the whole time.

I love banana nut bread, I had bananas sitting on the counter just waiting for them to become that perfect brown. Okay, so they were sitting above the cabinet out of reach of hungry hands because we can never keep bananas around, but these sacrifices must be made sometime.

Anyway, the bread was great with just a hint of cinnamon.

Until next time,

Steve Fink

Time to Cook

2009-05-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

The name's Fink, Steve Fink.

Enough of the Bond style introductions. I'm just here to let you all know that I'm excited to start sharing my cooking with others.

I like to cook everything I like to eat. I don't get to into the idea of perfecting a recipe a thousand times over, I prefer to have hundreds of really tasty (not perfect) recipes at my disposal at any time. I usually decide what to cook the day of, then go home, drink some wine, turn up the radio, and have at it.

Hopefully you'll enjoy this blog as much as I enjoy eating the food that it will be about!

Fink