Looking for a new pair of tongs to make sure you don’t over cook those steaks, or drop the ribs as they are coming off the grill …. These tongs from Cuisinart have an awesome design, are easy to use and their rubber grip helps keep a firm hold.  Perhaps my favorite aspect of the tongs is the sauce ladel that is built into the hands of the tongs that are great for sauces, or for basting…. This is easily one of the best ways to spend $20, after all, it is Cuisinart and when is the last time they let you down?

http://www.cuisinart.com/products/grilling_tools/ct-102.html

Absolut Black Tea –  Absolut’s newest product, and it is perfect timing for summer.  Unlike the other Tea Flavored Vodkas, this one isn’t sweet.  It has nice herbal notes and is really refreshing.

Serving Suggestion: 2 oz Absolut Black Tea,  1 oz Absolut Citron, 1 oz Triple Sec, 2 ounces of Sour Mix, 4 oz of Cranberry Juice

Absolut Orient Apple – Another new product from Absolut – this one makes one hell of an Apple Martini, but I have branched out to try some different applications, and it works great with the sweet and sour balance that really pops on your taste buds.

Serving Suggestion: 2 oz Absolut Orient Apple, 1 oz Apple Pucker, 1 oz Triple Sec, 4 oz of Sprite, 2 oz of Cranberry Juice

Fireball Cinnamon Whisky -  My buddies and I all love this stuff – we drink it straight, as shots.  What is it?  Cinnamon flavored whiskey – to me that incorporates two of my favorite things in life…. Whiskey, and of course Cinnamon.  Its only 60 Proof, so its not going to send you screaming to the E.R. after a shot, like some of the other favorite liqueurs, but definitely has masculinity written all over it.

Serving Suggestion: 2 oz of Fireball in a shot glass and shoot it.  If you have to, chill it.

Malibu Cranberry Cherry – I get it – the idea of this, as a rum sounds a bit strange, and it certainly has a unique taste, but is very distinct and interesting.  It will be something fun to play around with as the warmer months approach….

Serving Suggestion: 1.5 oz Malibu Cran-Cherry, 1 oz Cherry Vodka, 1 oz Black Raspberrry Liqueur, 2 oz Sour, 2 oz Cranberry Juice, 2 oz of Sprite

I am a firm believer that sandwiches make the world go round.  Nothing is more American, and at the same time, nothing more versatile.

4 Keys to Sandwiches
Bread: Balance between crunchiness, softness and thickness – it needs to be durable, but not teeth-breaking hard. This is the most important element to any sandwich, and think about the meat you will be serving.  For instance,

Proportional: Everything should be proportional. Meats – to Cheeses – to Veggies – to bread – to sauce – If you can’t taste everything in a single bite than the essence of what you are making gets lost. A Reuben consists of Rye, Corned Beef, Saurerkraut, and Thousand Island. If there is too much Saurerkraut then the meat fades into the background, or if there isn’t enough dressing then the sweet creaminess to balance the sharp taste of the kraut doesn’t prevail. Everything should have a reason.

Balance of Flavor: If you have a spicy component, cool it off with a fruit glaze or spread. If you have a strong cheese, it needs to be balanced out….. think about how you can incorporate fruits, and caramelized vegetables, which will add an added depth.

Temperature:  Hot vs. Cold – I will almost always order a hot sandwich when one is available…. As long as the ingredients, when warm, have a combined balanced flavor profile, and that the ingredients work well warm. I.E. – I despise foods like avocados and tomatoes when warm, unless  the tomatoes have been roasted or sundried which completely changes their flavor profile.

I get so fed up with my cooks when they overcook something simple like pasta, because more often than not they are doing two or three different things at the same time and the boiling pot of pasta somehow slips their mind, and the contents within have long since turned to mush – baby food mush.

From Mac & Cheese to Spaghetti and Meatballs you can follow the same simple guidelines for cooking Pasta.  Below are some basic techniques that will help you atleast hold your own in the kitchen if you end up marrying into the real life version of The Sopranos.

Cooking Pasta is easy.  Real easy.  Hell, pick up the box, and it will give you some basic instructions, but below are some guidelines that will help keep you from screwing up…

First of all, you want to make sure that all of the pasta is cooking evenly and doesn’t stick together.  Some chefs recommend adding some olive oil – this is a waste of money, and good oil.  Simply make sure you have enough water (4 qts. water = 1 # pasta), and stir pasta on occasion.  Certain pastas, such as thin, spaghetti or angel hair pastas will need to soften and wilt into the water before stirring to avoid breaking.

When cooking Pasta do the following:

Bring water up to a rolling boil, then add a generous amount of salt.  When I say generous, we are talking about a small handful – the water should literally taste like a diluted, and less concentrated salt water.  This is the only opportunity to season the actual pasta itself, since once cooked, all we can do is coat the pasta in sauce.

Once the water is boiling and salted, add pasta, and stir to avoid clumping and pasta getting stuck on the bottom of the pan.  If your water loses a boil when the pasta is added, you don’t have enough in proportion to the pasta – don’t add more water, just know this for next time, and keep a close eye on the pasta that is cooking, trying a piece every couple minutes.  Pasta ranges in cooking from 3-4 minutes for an Angel Hair to 9-10 for a Penne.  When the Pasta is done, either drain and add it directly to your sauce, or drain and toss it over ice, so that the pasta doesn’t keep cooking – if it does it will turn mushy, soft and limp.

Al Dente – literal translation = to the tooth

When pasta is al dente, there should be a little bite to each piece – it should’t just break apart or melt in your mouth upon contact with your taste buds – it should have texture, and a bit of resistance, and this point in the cooking process is very short lived.