Süss

George Hirsch February 11, 2013

Süss is the German word for sweet.

New Hampshire's own Süss sweets specializes in irresistible all-natural caramels which are preservative free and made in an old fashioned European style - with a good story. Proprietor Tammy Fahey started out making her caramels for family and friends, and with encouragement it has turned into a labor of love. Each batch of caramel is handmade by Tammy; poured and hand cut. Süss reminds me of hand rolled candy you will find in a quaint Swiss village. Süss flavors: Vanilla Caramel, Sea Salt Caramel and Pecan Caramel. Good Stuff.

Originally only available at NH farmer's markets; Süss is now available at Dean & Deluca.

The Year of The Snake

George Hirsch February 10, 2013

In celebration of Chinese New Year: Try My Grilled Ginger Pork Recipe

Get The Recipe

Chocolate-Cranberry Bread Pudding Recipe

George Hirsch February 6, 2013

I like to use day-old French Bread in bread pudding because it has more flavor than the gummy white kind. Cinnamon-raisin bread, sweet rolls, even left over Irish soda bread can also be substituted for part of the bread. Puree some seasonal berries for a sauce or serve with a little chocolate sauce, spiked for festive gatherings.

Chocolate-Cranberry Bread Pudding Recipe

Makes 10-12 servings | From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series
@georgehirsch

3-4 cups cubed dry French bread
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberry, raisins, or craisins plumped in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
4 cups milk
8 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 Teaspoon nutmeg

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, butter, and beat with a whisk until well blended. Slowly pour over the bread, cranberry/raisin, nut and chocolate mixture. Poke the bread so that it’s completely covered with the milk mixture and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Place a pan larger than the cake pan or skillet in preheated oven and place the pan holding the bead pudding inside. Immediately fill the outer pan with enough hot water so that it comes up one inch on the sides of the bread-pudding pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the water bath, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 additional minutes.

Remove the bread-pudding and allow to set for two hours before removing it from the pan.

Serve with warm fruit, vanilla or chocolate sauce.

chefgeorgehirsch.com

Bean to Bar

George Hirsch February 5, 2013

Brooklyn New York's own Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory makes no ordinary chocolate bar. Wow. Not many chocolatiers still have the two brother's artisanal approach to this process; their hand picked cacao beans are roasted, ground up, processed, aged, tempered and packaged on premises. Mast Brother's bars have no golden ticket inside (not yet that is), but each is hand wrapped in that same "winning" gold foil lining with the opportunity to learn everything you can about creating great chocolate from the "Mast-ers". Available online or at the factory location.

Galani

George Hirsch February 4, 2013

Carnevale di Venezia has begun. No worries if you can’t make it there by sundown, Venice is the most magical city in the world - any time of the year. I am amazed at Venice's centuries old inner workings and how the most simplest of tasks even happen. Have you ever stopped and watched a truck making deliveries? Now, just imagine it all done via boat, no autos. What's not to love; the people, the art, the food, the vaporettos. Ahh, the Venice way of life.

Venice Carnival Mask, image George Hirsch

The Carnival of Venice is the most internationally known festival outside of Fat Tuesday’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans. However the celebration in Venice, Italy is one of the oldest. This congregation of masked people, began in the 15th century, but the tradition can be traced back to the beginning of the 14th Century.

Historically, the streets of Venice during Carnival are full of people in masks, with no differentiation made between nobility and the common people. Generally, the costume worn was a cloak with a long-nosed mask. Also popular were masked couples, where a man and a woman would dress as allegorical characters. In the squares, street-artists and singers entertain with songs and music.

The gastronomy of Carnival was originally rich in fats with foods such as gnocchi, tortellini, lasagna and pastries; such as Galani. The purpose; use up all those forbidden foods like eggs, fat and sugar before the Lenten season began. Party, consume and repeat.

Galani, is also known as fried ribbons, bow ties or angel wings in the U.S. The ribbons of sweet pasta dough are fried and covered with sugar or honey. It takes on different names throughout central Europe including; chrusciki, krusczyk, frappe, frappole, sfrappole, flappe, cenci, crustci, donzelli, crostoli, galani in Veneto, lattughe, nastri delle suore, bugie, and gigi. No matter what you call them - they are addictive.

Here's my recipe for Galani, aka Angel Wings.