I have learned recently that I have been doing roast beast wrong for a long time. I always thought ‘low and slow’ was meant for bbq and pot roast. Now I know that the perfect prime rib should be done following similar principles. There is actual science behind some other things like a piece of meat seared after it is cooked actually retains more moisture than a piece seared before. There is lots of science going on here that is way over my pay grade, but I have continued to listen up when I hear new information and have a few tips.
(more…)

Stuff

these…in your cooks stocking
When it comes to Christmas gifts I have evolved my thinking and give more thought to the stocking stuffers. Part of this evolved out of difficult economic times, but it also gave me purpose to make the gifts I could afford ones that would surely be useful.
For the cook in your life we have come up with some ones that will help and bring an appreciative smile to their face.
(more…)

Thanksgiving Dressing … or do you do stuffing?
As the Thanksgiving Day feast nears I Vamped on dressing.  Not Cross dressing or dressing down or up, I’m talking stuffing a bird cavity with starchy goodness that any Thanksgiving table is bare without.
Now dressing is not a unique thing to our American Thanksgiving as people have been stuffing animal cavities for as long as they have been cooking.  But think of the pilgrims when they got a look at a turkey and the volume of possibilities available in a bird with that girth!  Now it seems the possibilities are endless.  The range goes from oysters to white castle sliders and everything in between.  A Mangia Maniac will not settle for stove top (though 60 million tables will have it) and to help we have some tips.
(more…)

Hey, now is your chance to collaborate with MangiaTV on our Christmas Song. We are looking for two or three verses to round out the song. Below are the first two. Sharpen your pencils and get writing. Winner will receive a bag of rub a month for an entire year. Send entries to Info@mangia.tv with Christmas song in the

subject line by December 14th, 2015. Check out the video below to get a feel of the tune.
(more…)

Halloween
Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays.  From an epic candy haul as a short cake to a tee peeing maniac teenager and then on to a college road trip professional I leaned into this holiday.  Even as a young adult and through parenting Halloween has always been special.  Along the way I’ve learned that it is a great time to just be a kid again, and having a costume that makes people laugh…even at you is the best.
I have learned that the best drink to warm yourself after taking the kids trick or treating in freezing temps is the Hot Toddy.
(more…)

Mushroom Me
There are around 10,000 types of mushrooms that we know of and only around 100 of them are poisonous.  Which leads me the question… how am I going to taste them all?  The mushroom is storied and magical.  They have been used for cooking and for religious ceremony for as long as man has walked the forests and meadows.  Their ability to bring flavor to a dish may only be out performed by their many health benefits.  Yea Mushrooms!
Mushrooms are a natural glutamate.  We have all heard of MSG, an additive famous in Chinese food that will make you doze off in the first quarter of the big game.  The G stands for glutamate and it enhances food flavor and gives food a fantastic mouth feel.  Well our friend the mushroom is a natural glutamate and not only enhances other flavors and provides silky mouth feel, mushrooms add an earthy flavor profile like nothing else.
(more…)

Tailgating, a little history… as is true of lots of great traditions, no one is sure exactly when the first tailgate happened. So let’s not argue whether it was a Yale football game in 1904 or a Packer game in 1919. The fact is, bringing food and beverages to a ‘sporting event’ must be as old as ‘sporting events’ have been put on. I mean are you going to trust the food to some lackey or are you going to seal the deal and put a little effort into the meal beforehand and have great food and drink, assuring a great time no matter what the outcome of the ‘event’ is.
(more…)