Nella Cucina Presents: After School Cooking Programs

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Recipe of the Week: Raspberry and Mint Ice Tea Using a Bodum Ice Tea Jug

Welcome to our first edition of Recipe of the Week!

Each week we will feature a delicious recipe from our culinary school. This recipe will also feature a great product from our store!

This week we will be using the Bodum Ice Tea Jug. The jug features a separate filter to place your loose leaf or bagged tea, then simply fill halfway with hot water, top with cold water and ice and you have delicious and refreshing ice tea!

Raspberry and Mint Ice Tea

• 1 pint of raspberries
• 6 tsp. loose leaf black tea, or 4-6 tea bags
• 1 bunch of fresh mint
• 2 Tbsp. sugar  (you may need more depending on your tastes)
• cold and boiling water
• ice

1. Place the raspberries in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until pureed. Strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve to get rid of seeds and set aside.
2. In the filter of the ice tea maker place the tea leaves or bags and the mint. Pour 3 cups of boiling water into the jug and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the filter and stir in the sugar. Test the sweetness and adjust to your liking.
3. Pour in the raspberry puree and stir to combine. 
4. Fill the remaining pitcher with cold water and ice.
5. ENJOY!!!

Bodum Ice Tea Maker  $34.95

 

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Kitchen Must Haves

Here is our list of must have kitchen products:

A Good Chef''s Knife:

Photo courtesy of www.macknife.ca

Also known as a French knife, a good quality Chef's knife is the basis for all cooking. We would recommend a knife in an 8 - 10 inch range. We carry many great brands so feel free to come in and test them out to see which one feels the best in your hand. In order to get the best use out of your knife, it is important to keep it sharp. Get it professionally sharpened every few months (we sharpen knives for $4/knife) and purchase a honing steel to maintain it's edge between sharpening. A good qulaity, sharp knife will guarantee easier prep and believe it or not is actually safer than using a dull knife!

A Large Stainless Steel Frying Pan:

Whether you are searing a beef tenderloin or scrambling some eggs a stainless steel frying pan is perfect for various uses. Look for a pan with an aluminum core to help evenly distribute the heat.

An Enameled Cast Iron French Oven:

Not just pretty, a French oven can withstand high temperatures which makes it perfect for on top of the stove as well as in the oven. French ovens are a necessity when braising and slow cooking. Although they may be on the pricier side, a good quality one will last a lifetime, and can even be passed down from generation to generation.

Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards:

If you own a glass or stone cutting board put  it aside to use as a display board for cheese and antipasto. These types of boards, ruin your knives. The softness of plastic and wood is perfect for maintaining your knives sharpness, as well plastic boards can be placed in the dishwasher to make sure they are perfectly sanitized. Keep plastic boards for use with raw and smelly foods like meat, fish and garlic and use wooden boards for vegetable prep. Wash your wooden boards by hand with soap and warm water.

Useful Appliances:

It is very easy to get carried away with appliances.If you are limited on space try to limit your appliances to these three: a hand blender, a food processor and a hand mixer. These appliances have multiple uses and will help speed things up in the kitchen. A hand blender is great for pureeing soups right in the pot and making smoothies, a food processor is the perfect tool to grate cheese or whip up a quick dip and a hand mixer is the ultimate tool for baking.




If you are looking to purchase these or any other great products come give us a visit where one of our great sales reps will be able to help you pick out the perfect products for your needs!!!