Posts

FLAMINGO MAGAZINE PONDERS THE BEARD AWARDS

Journalist Eric Barton writing for Flaming Magazine asked some questions about if those of us in Florida should still care about the annual James Beard Awards. It is a lengthy piece with an examination of the highly esteemed awards now coming under fire from some quarters. You can and should form…

A Word On Food: Pasta

We have been together on this program awhile you and I. We are getting close to A Word On Food show #400. Yet how have I not yet done a show on pasta? It is one of those things that is so common in our lives we can forget them….

The Orlando Sentinel and Florida Foods

“When you’re the Eagles…” Chef Norman Van Aken begins, “you’ll have one fan yelling for ‘Desperado’ and another for ‘Tequila Sunrise’ and the band has to deal with that, of course, but they’re also artistic in nature. And they have to evolve so they don’t feel like a lounge act.”…

FLAMINGO MAGAZINE ON NORMAN VAN AKEN

NORMAN VAN AKEN The founding father of New World Cuisine has been busy tackling several new projects during quarantine. Photography courtesy of Norman Van Aken Chef Norman Van Aken has no shortage of accolades. You can find his name in the list of Who’s Who in American Food and Beverage from the…

A Word On Food: Medianoches

Saying medianoches might sound to some like I’m saying midnights as in a plural of them. But since is this is “A Word On Food” and we are in Southern Florida many of you knew I was and am… speaking of the sandwiches so named. The debates as to the…

A Word On Food: Mexican Breakfasts

Evidently we need to handle the fact that … though the virus we are beset with may ebb and flow … it is not likely to go altogether away anytime soon. It will take longer if folks don’t listen to the medical and science experts that I am sure of….

A Word On Food: B.L.T’s

Very few sandwiches have attained the notoriety that we know them by their initials alone. Take five. Think about that. After P.B.J’s it gets a little tougher to think of others that make it to that pedestal of comestibles we arrange between slices of bread or, if you prefer ……

The New York Times Visits Miami

The article provided in the link was written by award winning journalist Brett Anderson (@BrettEats) in for The New York Times. (@nytimes). It is a feature on local rising star chef Niven Patel who is moving forward despite the challenging times for which I say, ‘Bravo!’. Each generation in every…

A Word On Food: Preserves

I’m thinking maybe more than a few of you folks listening might have wondered what I meant by the word preserves. We don’t converse about preserves like we did in the faraway 1950’s. Nor the term canning. But preserving and canning were big in our childhood home. And it is…

A Word On Food: Biscotti

In these times of worry, confusion and even the sense of confinement it is good to look back with gratitude to the people who have made life marvelous as well. It is especially nice when it is a local hero who our community was so very proud. I was a…

Kitchen Conversations with Norman Van Aken and Monique Truong

KITCHEN CONVERSATIONS WITH NORMAN VAN AKEN© Monique Truong is a highly decorated writer. I first became familiar with her through her book, “The Book of Salt”. I have become a lifelong fan.  Please visit her website at https://monique-truong.com Our Conversation: What is the very first thing you remember eating and…

A Word On Food: Gnocchi

In Uruguay and Argentina, where the cuisine is strongly influenced by Italy, there is a curious tradition of unknown origin. It is believed that if you eat gnocchi on the 29th of each month, you’ll have plenty of cash for the next 30 days. Some people even place wallets on…

A Word On Food: Elotes Asados

We had a restaurant in Los Angeles for awhile. “Norman’s On Sunset”. It was a wild ride for many reasons. One of the things that made it spectacular for a person who loves to cook is their magnificent bounty of produce out there. Oh. Don’t get me wrong. I think…

Flamingo Magazine; “A Sunshine State of Mind”

By Journalist Jessica Giles “We wanted to know how some of our state’s most notable and noteworthy citizens have been coping, creating and adapting during this time. Our Sunshine State of Mind series comprises virtual fireside chats with everyone from famous chefs to Grammy Award-winning musicians to iconic authors to…

A Word On Food: Robert is Here

Joyce Carol Oates wrote, “In a time of social distancing writers find themselves, surprisingly, at an advantage.  Ever adaptable, we humans are also the storytelling species:  No matter the technology, no matter the grimness of our condition, we want to be told stories.  In November of 1959 a delicious story…

A Word On Food: French Fries

When folks get the food they have ordered at a restaurant .. and it accompanied by a side of french fries I’d lay heavy odds that the very first thing that is touched, tasted, sampled, eaten and enjoyed … will be the fries. It is a lock. I’ve seen it…

 
© 2024 Norman Van Aken. All rights Reserved.