Formerly owner and executive chef of the acclaimed Ryland Inn in Whitehouse, Craig Shelton launched Chef's Coffee Company in 2007 to sell premium coffees, biscotti and other culinary products of his creation. (The Ryland closed that year after suffering extensive damage in a water-main break.) Shelton in 1998 was one of 22 chefs in America to be honored with the status of Relais Gourmands by the Relais & Chateaux organization. In 2000, he was named “Best Chef-Mid Atlantic” by the James Beard Foundation.
Myth #46: Freezing Does No Harm
Perhaps the saddest thing I see in our country are supermarkets piled high with frozen proteins destined for the household freezer.
Steaks, chops, seafood, chickens, turkeys, ducks in hermetic plastic packages--all hold a false promise of economy without any loss of quality. This has become the American way of life: false economy in the name of convenience. Of all the myths in cooking, this one is the most pernicious; and seemingly the most accepted.
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Myth #47: Cook Steaks at 1,200
Among the most stubborn Myths of Cuisine is the notion that steaks are best cooked in a 1,200-1,500-degree broiler.
Perish the thought, for what will perish is the tenderness and flavor of the steak.
Here's what I consider a better way---the three-step approach...
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About Those Ryland Gift Certificates...
Ever since the Ryland Inn closed in 2007, people holding gift certificates have been anxious, to say the least, about when, where or even if those certificates would be honored.
So I am pleased to announce that, with my recent arrival as corporate chef of the fine steakhouse Docs of Sparta, all Ryland gift certificates, no matter how old, are fully redeemable for meals at Doc's.
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No Excuses
I want to interrupt the countdown of the Myths of Cuisine to respond to those of you who have emailed me chagrined that Ryland Inn gift certificates you bought for friends and family, or vice versa, have nowhere to be redeemed.
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Myth #49: Razor vs Press
MYTH: The best way to prepare garlic for cooking is to slice it razor thin, as Paul Sorvino did in the famous jail dinner scene in Goodfellas.
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Myth #50: Fatback Folly
MYTH: Wrapping fatback around a roast and tying it with string will seal in the juices during cooking.
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