Tag: goop

If You Can’t Take the Heat

If you can’t take the heat, as they say, get out of the kitchen. My kitchen is on the west side of my house. On summer afternoons, it’s hot in there. I’ve added a/c vents, but the heat still gathers. When I can’t take the heat, I opt for salad.

Many of my salads have been based around bok choy and romaine this summer because I’m growing those in the garden. I also grow arugula and Swiss chard which I add to some salads. The arugula adds a wonderful peppery dimension.

Once the greens are chosen, the toppings are a wonderland of experimentation. Sometimes the combination feels just right. Other times, one ingredient stands out more than it should. No matter, the kitchen stays cool and the crunch is satisfying.

Another way to get out of the kitchen is to eat from someone else’s. Restaurant salads have a  more predictable composition. That means there are some that become favorites. Here are a few that stand out:

GP’s Classic-ish Cobb from Goop Kitchen: It features a 7-minute egg, avocado, tomatoes, Point Reyes blue cheese, roasted golden beets, Mama Lil’s peppers and house pickled shishito mix, maple glazed bacon, little gem, radicchio, and a side of GCC Dijon mustard vinaigrette. The combination is perfection!

The Iceberg Wedge at The Olde Pink House: This one keeps it simple. An iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing, tomatoes, and cucumbers. When done right, it doesn’t get better than a wedge salad. A great one begins with a chilled triangle of lettuce. I like that this version doesn’t include bacon. I often think bacon detracts from the cool light flavors that receive just the right balance from bleu cheese. I like the addition of cucumbers here though – another light note.

Peck’s Salad from Trio’s: The recipe for the dressing on this salad came from the Sam Peck Hotel that operated from 1935 – 1972. The light, sweet vinaigrette tops leaf & romaine lettuce with roasted pulled chicken breast, toasted almonds and bacon. I often opt for dressing on the side, but the portion here is exactly right.

Cucumber Salad from Zankou Chicken® : I always order extra and eat it for days! Cucumber, tomato, red onion, and parsley tossed in lemon juice and oil. This is the perfect side for soooo many things.

MoMa Arugula and Proscuitto: I don’t think they serve this anymore, but they should. It was so simple and full of bold flavor. I think it was just the two ingredients with some coarse ground black pepper and a light drizzle of dressing, perhaps balsamic? It felt like it belonged with the impressionists. But, just like trends in art, menus change.

There are other standout salads that have disappeared – a Greek salad at a storefront restaurant on the north edge of Albuquerque and the Medite, made of organic quinoa, spinach, garbanzo beans, artichoke, fire roasted peppers, grape tomatoes, feta, lemon and extra virgin olive oil at The Pantry West in Little Rock.

There are salads that may still be served if I could remember the restaurant name or location closely enough to check. I had a wonderful tableside Caesar in Manhattan and a soaked salad…somewhere.

Salads with seasonal fruit entice me. I also like salads with crunchies like tortilla strips. While the heat continues, I’ll be searching for even more standouts to add to my list of salads that can help me get out of the kitchen when I can’t take the heat.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Ghost Kitchens

Ghost kitchens are a hauntingly hot trend for 2022. They’re a perfect fit for new dining habits developed during this pandemic. 

Ghost kitchens provide a take-out or delivery experience only. They may be operated by known brands or chains. Wendy’s, for instance, is planning to open 700 ghost kitchens over the next five years. Or they may be owned by a local chef.

In the rural south, we have a tradition of barbecue served out of the back door of a house. There’s no written menu and once the ribs are gone, they’re gone. Word of mouth is the only advertising. But don’t be fooled by the circumstances, the food can be superior. Around here, you can also find drop-by-the-barn fish fries on Friday nights in the spring. 

As ghost kitchens have grown in larger cities, rural versions of the trend have expanded into plant-based establishments like vegan twisted potatoes served from the back of otherwise abandoned (and perhaps ghostly) industrial buildings. Food is available for pick-up only. 

In a similar fashion, a church near my home rents out space in its industrial kitchen for food startups. Some place their products in local grocery stores or sell at farmers’ markets. A few have grown into brick-and-mortar venues. 

While brick-and-mortar was the previous goal of such startups, the increase in takeout prompted by the ongoing pandemic may mean ghost kitchens will revise their objectives. Not only is the market more friendly for take-out, remaining a ghost kitchen eliminates many of the staff shortage problems currently experienced by full-service restaurants.

The best restaurant dining experience I’ve had in the past year was consuming a salad delivered from Goop Kitchen’s ghost kitchen. Known as GP’s Clssic-ish Cobb, the salad contained a 7-minute egg, avocado, tomatoes, Point Reyes blue cheese, roasted golden beets, Mama Lil’s peppers and house pickled shishitos, little gem, and radicchio served with dijon mustard vinaigrette. 

Compared to my favorite over $20 local salad, Goop’s seems like a bargain at $16.29. Having less staff means less overhead which can mean less expense for the same food. Goop takes  advantage of owner Gwyneth Paltrow’s celebrity making it seem less ghost and more stealth. 

Another successful ghost kitchen concept comes from Guy Fieri in the form of Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Kitchen. Guy along with chef Robert Earl partners with existing restaurants to cook and sell his products in new markets. 

Beyond these, Virtual Dining Concepts offers ghost kitchens in the form of TikTok Kitchen, Barstool Bites, NASCAR Refuel, MrBeast Burger, Larray’s Loaded Mac & Cheese, Mariah’s Cookies, Mario’s Tortas Lopez, Pauly D’s Italian Subs, FoodGod Truffle Fries, Steve Harvey’s Family Food, Wing Squad, Buddy V’s Cake Slice, P.Za Kitchen. 

As staffing remains difficult and pandemic surges continue, the environment seems conducive for ghost kitchens to expand. 

Having had some mediocre to bad restaurant meals recently, I can see that putting more funds toward food and food preparation rather toward food service has the potential to improve quality. As a consumer, that sounds great to me.

On the other side of the equation is the permanent loss of jobs in the food service sector. I don’t know whether a significant number of those jobs can be made up in other industries. There could be skill, education, or experience barriers that prevent some workers from making a transition.

While there may be a temporary downside, I feel like ghost kitchens are a great avenue for bringing new food concepts to market quickly. I love innovation so I’m embracing this change. Won’t you join me for a take-out experience?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”