Making Mozzarella!!

“Taste this,” Jefe (Chef David Nuss) dropped a piece of fresh mozzarella in front of me on my cutting board and walked away. I reluctantly bit into it and asked, “What’s wrong with it?”

“Probably the best batch you’ve ever made,” he replied.  “Uh, uh,” I was dumbfounded.  “Thank you Chef. You’re welcome,” he said as I stood there with my jaw still on the floor. This came a couple weeks, and a couple catastrophic batches, after I began to make the fresh mozzarella.

In the Harmoni Market kitchen it is a chore to make the fresh mozzarella.  To know the technique and understand the process is one thing but being able to achieve the right texture, flavor and all other complex variables that go into it is another. Add the pressure that it is a signature Harmoni Market product, not to mention that Chef David is quit the critic when it comes to the fresh mozz. So needless to say when it came time for my lesson on making the mozzarella I shut my mouth, watched and listened closely.

“Ok, first thing is that it’s too salty. You only need two and a half cups of salt. Is your water boiling?” he said. I nodded yes. “So pour the salt in,” as he glanced over the bowl of cheese curd I had diced. He got another bowl and filled it with ice and a little bit of water. Gestured for rubber gloves and was ready to work.

“I suggest that you put two pairs of gloves on as well, since the water is boiling and all,” he let out a slight grunt as he poured the heavy pot of boiling hot water on top the curd, just covering it.  “I’ll show you a trick. Now you’re going to use this ice water to dip your hands in to numb them up a little,” I immediately dove my hands into the frigid water and cringed. Without hesitation, my mentor went right into the bowl of hot water with the steam still pillowing off of it. I reluctantly did as well and was pleasantly surprised to find the ice water trick worked.  “Now you want to make sure all the curd is covered and as it begins to melt you’ll start to pull,” he explained. I pulled the bright white velvet and as it melted through my fingers, the numbness from the frigid water wore off and it began to burn! I let out a little shriek and immediately dropped my fingers in the ice water, splashing over the edge of the bowl making a mess. Chef continued to pull the cheese and laughed slightly.

“Yeah, I’m not used to making it by hand either,” he said. I looked at him puzzled.  “I was taught to use two wooden spoons. You use one spoon to bring the cheese together as it melts and then both spoons to help you pull,” he tried to demonstrate.  “I don’t see wooden spoons in this kitchen,” he looked around quickly, his hands still working. “Is that how they taught you in school?” I asked.  “Nah,” he shrugged, “ that’s how my mother taught me. Two seasoned, wooden spoons. She used to make mozzarella (pronouncing it muzz-a-rel) at home. The trick is to get the water the right temp and to not over work the curd or it’ll be tough.”  After twenty minutes, I became impatient and complacent.

“This is taking to long. Can’t I do something to make this go faster? Can I cut the curd a day ahead of time or something?” I asked.  He patiently looked at me and said, “I guess you could but then the curd would dry out.” I pouted. Again with patience he answered me with, “There is no real way to speed it up. To make it right takes time, skill and patience. That’s why it’s an art.”

Prosciutto Mozzarella Bruschetta
1 lb of Prosciutto, slice thin
1 lb of Harmoni Market Fresh Mozzarella
1 loaf of Olde Hearth Ciabatta bread, slice thin
¼ cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 350. Lay the slices of Ciabatta on a baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil over the bread and season. Lay one piece of prosciutto on one piece of bread, fold the prosciutto if necessary. Cut the mozzarella into 1/8-1/4 inch thick slices. Top the prosciutto with a piece of mozzarella, repeat. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until the mozzarella just begins to melt. Top with fresh cracked black pepper, if desired, and serve.
Serves 8

Z-Coffee: The Art of Coffee

The aroma and flavor of a fresh brewed cup of coffee is as delicate and varied as spring flowers. Z-Coffee roasts rare and exotic coffees from around the world. They are committed to offering the finest quality product with a unique and bold flavor that tantalizes coffee lovers’ palettes.

Z-Coffee has been roasting global coffee beans in Central Florida for six years. Their philosophy is that coffee is like fine wine. They accentuate the distinctive flavors and characteristics of each kind by creating a select roasting profile for each coffee bean.  The different regions of the world that the coffee beans come from affect not only the flavor but the aroma, color and size of the bean and even how it’s harvested.

Coffee’s true form is a cherry like fruit that grows on trees. The bean is actually the dried pit of the fruit. In the coffee room of Z-Coffee hundreds of pounds of coffee beans come unprocessed in various shades of green and blue. It’s during the roasting process that coffee receives it identifiable shade of rich brown. Depending on how long the beans are roasted is where in lies the true artistry of the craft.

Each bean retains distinctive flavors, so individual roasting profiles are created to enhance the deep rich flavors of each bean.  A medium roast retains a warm brown color with a lighter flavor but more acidity. Beans that are dark roasted are distinguished by a richer dark color but are slightly less acidic and caffeinated. The difference in roasting methods is mere minutes.

The origins of the first coffee crops are traced back to Ethiopia, not Columbia like often mistaken. Today, coffee is grown in every corner of the globe. Z-Coffee’s most popular individual coffees come from Malawi and East Timor.

Z-Coffee’s organic coffees, referred to as their “Herbal Line”, have a refined flavor from their natural growth giving them a subtle herbal characteristic. Z-Coffee also customizes coffee blends for consumers. Flavors like the Chili Coffee, with a hint of hot red chili for spice, the Rocket Fuel Coffee, with twice the caffeine as a regular coffee blend, or the Harmoni Blend, a blended coffee which contains an organic coffee giving it a mellow dandelion flavor, are uniquely blended.

Z-Coffee can be exclusively found in Harmoni Market, Z-Cafés around Central Florida and at www.Z-Coffee.com. The makers of Z-Coffee are Artisan Roasters with a passion for their art.
“Being a chef is like being an artist, food is your palette,” David Kahan, founder and creator of Z-Coffee.

Café Latte Granita:

2 cups brewed Z-Coffee espresso or coffee
1/2 cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preparation
Stir together espresso or coffee, cream and sugar in a bowl until sugar is dissolved, then stir in vanilla. Pour into an 8-inch metal baking pan (1-quart capacity) and freeze for one hour, then scrape with a fork. Scrape every 30 minutes for light ice flakes, over all 3-4 hours.
Divide granita among serving dishes and top with whipped cream.

Olde Hearth Bread Company

At the core of Harmoni Market’s menu are the local artisans that provide us with the fresh, authentic products that help to distinguish our food. So before a mouth watering Panini, crispy flat bread or delicious deli sandwich comes to your table, its creation begins with the essential, fresh baked bread. Olde Hearth Bread Company has been baking since 1998 providing natural, fresh baked bread to Central Florida.

The Olde Hearth Bread Company established its reputation for baking the healthiest and delicious bread from the start. David Talty and son, Shannon, started the bakery on the foundation of creating all natural European breads. With Janice Brahm the Olde Hearth Bread Company produces hand made, gourmet breads and pastries without preservatives, added fat, sugar or dairy.

Bread making is a passion, art form, and science. Shannon incorporates methods he acquired from his days at the Acme Bread Company in San Francisco, one of America’s premier artisan bakeries, into each loaf. Olde Hearth’s infamous sour dough bread begins with grapes from Napa Valley, flour and water.

“Anything you can ferment, you can use to make bread,” Shannon Talty explained describing the starter base for the breads. Almost all of Olde Hearth’s breads are made without yeast.

Touring the bakery, I got to experience the evolution of each loaf of bread. Beginning with the first room filled with over 20,000 pounds of flour. On an average, Olde Hearth uses 45,000 pounds of flour every ten days. The flow of the bakery leads from the flour to the “scientist”.

This baker creates the natural starters that make the bread unique. Though the breads are baked daily, the process takes three days from starter to oven. After two days of development, the starter is ready to go to the next level.

A little time in the industrial size mixer (which is the size of a Jacuzzi!) with the appropriate ingredients and the mixture moves on to be hand shaped. It’s here where all the products come to life in a beautiful form. With final touches and time to rest, the bread is ready to bake beginning at six o’clock. The end result of this process is the soft, delicate bread delivered daily. The bakery is a 24 hour, 365 days a year operation committed to delivering the fresh, natural bread.

“It’s not the recipes that are magical. It’s what you do with them that make you different from the other guy down the street,” Shannon expressed holding a fresh baked ciabatta. As you imagine, the bakery is filled with amazing aromas which inspired me to immediately run to a grill and create the following recipe. I hope you enjoy.

Order Bread.

Mushroom and Manchego Roll
2 slices Olde Hearth ciabatta or 1 baguette (available for sale at Harmoni Market)
1 portobello mushroom cap
¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 oz sliced manchego
Hand full of arugula
Garlic Aioli

Clean and gill portobellos. For the marinade, mix oil, garlic, pepper and salt. Brush mushrooms caps with oil mix and grill top side down 5 minutes. Turn and brush with more marinade, grill 5 more minutes. Slice mushroom cap in thick slices.

For panini, assemble sandwich on ciabatta and press till cheese melts. Or toast baguette and manchego, assemble sandwich.

Garlic Aioli:
4 cloves roasted garlic
¼ cup mayonnaise

Smash roasted garlic with a fork. Stir garlic in to mayo.

My Story.

My passion for food was ignited as I traveled through the Mediterranean. I can recall my shopping adventure in Las Ramblas (Barcelona’s bustling promenade), my drive on the Amalfi coast, and an afternoon picnic in Villefranche by the simple crisp sound of zesting a fresh lemon. I strive to recapture those experiences in every dish I execute and recipe I imagine. 

When I first began to cook, I was intimidated by sharp knives and complicated techniques. I would look for inspiration in early morning strolls through a local farmers’ market. An array of sun warmed vegetables and aromas tantalizing memories of my mami’s kitchen, sparked my creativity. 

Now I have the privilege of working as a sauté chef at Harmoni Market. I have developed an appreciation for food; preparing, savoring, and sharing it. I reflect on the words Jefe (Chef David Nuss) uttered to me in passing, “This is your peace. Your space from the world,” referring to our six burner gas stove top and double lined open kitchen.  

From that I took, find sinful pleasure in the first bite of a summer strawberry, enjoy the sweet juices from a ripe tomato running down your chin, and savor the perfect combination of a simple meal and the ones you want to share it with. 

Perhaps at any given moment you might not find this passion or appreciation for food so poetically executed in our open forum. Often it’s chaotic food flipping and plate juggling. However, at a closer glance you’ll witness a carefully choreographed balance of skill, timing, and camaraderie. 

I’m continuously grateful for the opportunity I take part in everyday. I am challenged, constantly learning practical and creative skills, and surrounded by people who share my desire. I’m very fortunate to have found a place that holds my perspective on food, and life for that matter, as the foundation for its success. Take the time to enjoy delicious, fresh food with friends and family. In other words “Viva Bene!”

These articles you’ll begin to receive are a reflection and celebration of the artistry and dedication involved in the Harmoni Market concept. Perhaps it’s not so much a concept as it is an ideal? My hope is that as you follow my curiosity as I explore my “space from the world” and develop an understanding and passion as well.   

It would be cliché for me to say “If I can do this, anyone can”, because that’s just not the case. Not many people can find a sudden burst of adrenaline entering their eleventh hour on a shift when 20 tickets come flying in at once, let alone joke, sing and (as Peffers has been known to do) dance. I will simply say that I love what I do and look forward to showing you why.