Top Chef and a Few Degrees

I have been a fan of Top Chef since its second season and have watched it in  all its forms (I'm currently loving Top Chef Just Desserts) !Of course I love to see what gadgets they chefs are using - if they use something, I know it's legitimate and it's fair game for me.   I can't tell you how excited I was the day I saw one of the chefs using a chopper that looked something  like this one.  I've used  a food chopper  for the last 10 years.                                        

On the Top Chef-Chicago season, a  cheftestant  from Staten Island wielded a mean pasta machine, and the judges raved.

Intrigued and eager for fresh pasta (and having been otherwise impressed by the cheftestant), I got a pasta attachment for my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, and started cranking out fettucini.   I used  it twice.  I didn't quite get the hang of it, but I'll try again soon.

Not long after that,  I was contacted by someone I used to work with as a counselor at a camp in upstate New York - Camp Mikan-Recro,  and was invited  to join the camp's  Facebook group.  I immediately found a former  camper, Jennifer,  who was eight years old when she was in my bunk.  I then saw a photo of another one of my campers from the same bunk , a dark haired girl named Nikki who I remembered as being quiet and very cute.  On her Facebook page, she wore a beautiful grey satin gown, and she looked stunning.  I asked Jennifer what Nikki was up to, looking all glamorous, and Jennifer told me that Nikki  had just been a contestant on Top Chef.  She was my culinary  inspiration !  I was so happy that I had rooted for her during the show,  not even knowing who she was.  And in an odd way, I was proud - as if I had anything to do with her success.  

Of course I immediately friended her, and thanked her for motivating me to try pasta-making.  And no, she didn't remember me.  But that was okay.

I visited Nikki Cascone at her restaurant 24 Prince in New York City,  which has since closed (but not to worry - she's got a new venture about to open - more in a bit!)  I had the best chicken salad I've ever tasted (she used  truffle oil. ) And the most amazing macaroni and cheese.  And we chatted about camp and cooking and she told me about her favorite cooking utensils.  No, not the pasta machine.  But she loves her tongs and fish spatula and vegetable peeler (for more than peeling vegetables.)  

I went back to 24 Prince last December.  I had promised my friend Scott - another  former camp counselor  and Major in the U.S. Army, that I would bring him to 24 Prince as soon as his tour of duty in Afghanistan was over.   We  had a great time at Nikki's, enjoying her food and hospitality.  And she gave him her Top Chef jacket.  I'll never forget that lunch.

Scott, if you're reading this, the next time you're in New York City, we'll be headed to Nikki Cascone's new restaurant Octavia's Porch for global Jewish cuisine.

http://www.opentable.com/octavias-porch

That's just one of her productions due this month, the other is a new baby.  Congratulations on both, Nikki!

If any of you are in the NYC area, check out Octavia's Porch.  Nikki Cascone is an amazing chef.  I can't wait to  try another one of her creative meals.  I'll post with an opening date .

Sorry for the long post, next time I get down to gadget and cookbook business.