Gather in My Kitchen

February 2021

I am happy to say that I was blessed to start 2021 off by moving into my new kitchen and I cannot wait to share it with you all. I enjoy the flow of the space and the fact that there is ample storage for all my kitchen gadgets. I had never considered a white kitchen before now, but the color along with all the natural light really opens the entire space up and inspires my creativity. The large black quartz island is great for rolling out dough for beignets.

The gas stovetop and oven are built into the island which is great for entertaining and online cooking classes.

This way my back is never turned to my dinner guests or the camera, which helps increase engagement and conversation flow. To top it off, my brother who is a gifted carpenter surprised me with an amazing rustic 8-foot dining table that he made in his garage, and everyone who comes by admires it. Maybe one day you will be my dinner guest or perhaps take my online cooking class. Either way, I look forward to us gathering in my kitchen.

Recipe of the Month

King Cake Shots

Ingredients

Green sanding sugar
Purple sanding sugar
Yellow sanding sugar
Dr. Bill’s Cane and Maple Syrup
Whipped cream
1-part RumChata
1-part Fireball

Instructions

Combine equal parts RumChata and Fireball plus ¼ teaspoon Dr. Bill’s Cane and Maple Syrup into each shot glass.
Top with whipped cream.
Sprinkle with green, purple and yellow sanding sugar and serve.

Community Service

Did you know that eating disorders range from anorexia to food hoarding and everything in between? The goal at Breaking the Chains is to fight back against the prevalence of eating disorders, disordered eating, and negative body image and to strengthen the links of prevention, recovery, and ending stigma. Please support our March 2021 fundraiser on Facebook Live to support those affected by this disease. Click the following link for more information.

Breaking the Chains Foundation

In the News

Missing NOLA? Bring The Mardi Pardi Home With Goldbelly And The Chef & The Dish

Physical and Mental Fitness

Let’s talk about the importance of rest. Many people think if their schedules are not filled, they just aren’t being productive. Just because you are busy does not mean you are being productive. In fact, the more rest you get, the more productive you will be when you are busy. I believe in having balance in my life, and I gain that balance by getting the proper amount of rest.

Most of us require a full 8 hours of sleep to maximize our physical and mental fitness. I find that turning off the television at a certain point at night helps me gain the rest I need. Also, not having televisions in all the rooms of the house helps to limit my distractions. The proper amount of uninterrupted rest helps me physically feel well rested and more energetic. Mentally it promotes clear, sharp, and more focused thinking. Try it and let me know how it works out for you.

If you have cooking related questions for me, please send them to chefgasonnelson@gmail.com. Maybe your question will be highlighted next month.

– Chef Gason

Q & A

What is the difference between a convection oven and a conventional bake oven?

Lorraine F.

Miami, FL

Answer

Great question Lorraine!

The main difference between a convection oven and a conventional bake oven is the way the heat is circulated. A convection oven has fans that continuously circulate air around all sides of the food which help to cook your food faster and more evenly. The source of heat in a regular bake or conventional oven is stationary and rises from the bottom. Also, convection ovens do not require preheating like conventional ovens do. I hope that helps.