Chef’s Blog

When you’re cooking for a large group, ingredients can often feel like a minefield of allergies, dietary restrictions, and preferences. Many people look at this and decide, “anyone with allergies should bring their own food.” While this is often a safe option, we wanted to provide you with a few tips and tricks for making your meals more inclusive for everyone at the table.

Allergies can range greatly in severity, and it is important to make sure that everyone feels safe with the food they are eating. The best way to ensure an allergen is not in someone’s meal is never to bring that ingredient into the kitchen in the first place. Try to account for allergens when planning your menu; for example, you wouldn’t want to host a seafood boil for guests with a shellfish allergy or serve pecan pie if someone has a nut allergy. Choose recipes that everyone will enjoy and can eat without major substitutions.

Sometimes, substitutions are necessary. In this case, try to apply the substitution across the board. If someone is allergic to dairy, consider swapping butter for olive oil or coconut oil. If eggs are an issue, in many cases where eggs are used for frying or baking, aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) can be a great substitute. Here is a quick and easy recipe for an egg-free mayonnaise that can be used to make all sorts of allergen-friendly dishes.

 

Most Common Allergies

The most common allergies are nuts, eggs, dairy, soy, gluten, and shellfish. Some of these are easier to avoid than others. Here are some creative substitutions for each. Be sure to do your research on how each substitution may impact your recipe.

• Nuts: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pretzels, or granola
• Eggs: aquafaba, applesauce, mashed banana, tofu, or yogurt
• Dairy: almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or soy milk
• Soy: coconut aminos or balsamic vinegar
• Gluten: almond flour, buckwheat flour, coconut flour, quinoa flour, rice flour, sorghum flour, or tapioca flour
• Shellfish: chicken, pork, tofu, or mushrooms

 

Cooking for a Large Group

When cooking for large groups, you may find that guests have different allergies and dietary restrictions. While this makes things more complicated, there’s no need to throw in the towel. Start by making a list of all allergens and restricted foods, ordered by severity (with self-imposed restrictions always coming second to allergies).

You can also try offering multiple entrée options: one that accommodates allergies and one that may not. If you serve anything with an allergen, clearly mark and communicate it. And always ensure there has been no cross-contamination in cooking or serving.

 

How to Avoid Cross-Contamination.

If you can’t settle on a menu that fully avoids allergens, it’s essential to prevent cross-contamination. When storing foods in your fridge or pantry, keep allergen-containing ingredients sealed and separate until use.

Start by preparing food for the most severe allergies, and avoid adding those allergens entirely if possible. From there, you can work in batches, making a version of your meal for each set of restrictions. If you can prepare one allergen-safe batch and one clearly marked “contains allergens” batch, this will make it much easier for guests to know what’s safe to eat.

When serving, give priority to those with allergies and restrictions so they receive the correct food. If serving family-style or buffet-style, provide separate serving utensils for allergen-free and allergen-containing dishes.

 

More resources 

Here are some more trusted resources for a deeper look at food allergies:

FDA: Nine Major Food Allergies
Harvard Health: Six Tips for Managing Food Allergies
USDA – Food Allergies: The “Big 9” 

There’s nothing like a fall farmers market, and there’s no better way to enjoy all the freshest Michigan fruits and vegetables. Here are some tips on getting the most out of the season.

Enjoy the season!

As school starts up again and we settle into our fall routines, be sure to make going to your local farmers market part of the schedule. Michigan is one of the nation’s top producers of apples, and we have some of the best orchards and cider mills in the country. The best place to tap into the locally grown wonders of our state is at your local farmer’s market. Here are some tips on getting the most out of the season.

Eating local and in season.

When produce is “in season,” it’s not only abundant, but also at its peak of taste and quality. In Michigan, some popular foods that are in season in the fall include apples, pumpkins, parsnips, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and winter squash. Keep your eye out for these foods throughout the fall and talk to the vendors at your farmers market to see what they recommend; they’ll always know their produce best!

Baked goods and cheeses and honey… oh my!

Outside of the fresh local produce, farmers markets also often have a wide variety of locally made prepared foods. You may be able to catch a specialty loaf from a local bakery, a breakfast sandwich to eat while you shop, jams and preserves made from Michigan fruit, or even some locally produced honey.

Your local farmers market

If you’re looking for your next weekend farmers market adventure, here is a rundown of some of the great markets in Metro Detroit:

• Ann Arbor Farmers Market – Open Wednesdays until December & Saturdays, year-round
• Birmingham Farmers Market – Open Sundays until mid-October
• Clarkston Area Farmers Market – Open Saturdays until October 11
• Eastern Market (Detroit) – Open Sundays, year-round
• Farmington Farmers Market – Open Saturdays until November 1
• Northville Farmers Market – Open Thursdays until October 30
• Oakland County Farmers Market – Open Tuesdays and Thursdays until December & Saturdays, year-round
• Rochester Farmers Market – Open Saturdays until October 25
• Royal Oak Farmers Market – Open Fridays until October 17 & Saturdays, year-round
• Saline Farmers Market – Open Saturdays, year-round

 

Making a trip to the orchard

Michigan has no shortage of beautiful apple orchards and cider mills. Many of them can be found at your local farmers market, but visiting in person makes for a great trip. Many orchards and cider mills host fall activities on the weekends, like hayrides and corn mazes, making it a fun outing for the whole family—on top of picking your own fresh apples and pumpkins, and enjoying freshly made cider and donuts.

Storing your fresh produce

Storing a beautiful fruit bowl on your kitchen counter is a great way to encourage your family to eat more fruit. Most fruits and vegetables are best left out on the counter, cleaned and ready to eat. Put them in a fruit bowl in the shade. Don’t use plastic wrap, but you can use a paper bag to help ripen fruit that needs it. But that can sometimes lead to the appearance of fruit flies. The best way to keep them from suddenly appearing is to fully rinse, dry, and inspect everything before you put it in the bowl. There are commercial fruit and vegetable washes available, but many experts contend that a thorough rinsing is sufficient.

While we all love summer picnics or a holiday barbecue, it’s important to keep food safety in mind. Summertime is the most dangerous time of year for bacteria, as they thrive in warm environments. The FDA estimates that 1 in 6 Americans gets food poisoning every year. If you are cooking for children, pregnant individuals, or anyone who is immunocompromised, it is especially important to pay attention to food safety. These groups are not only more likely to be affected by foodborne illness, but the consequences can also be more severe. Here are some steps you can take to make sure your summer plans are safe and worry-free.

Cleanliness is Key to Food Safety

At any time of year, the most important step in food safety is keeping your hands and kitchen clean. Before cooking, eating, or directly handling food, wash your hands for at least 30 seconds. Properly washing your hands means fully wetting them, lathering with soap, scrubbing thoroughly, rinsing, and drying with a clean towel, paper towel, or hand dryer. In environments without running water—like a picnic or beachside barbecue—be sure to fully clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% isopropyl alcohol.

To ensure your workspace is clean, always start by wiping down countertops and making sure they’re cleaned regularly with soap and water, or whatever cleaning materials are appropriate for your surface. Always use clean cutting boards, and if raw meat of any kind touches your cutting board or countertop during the cooking process, clean them thoroughly with hot, soapy water before handling any other ingredients.

Lots of great fruits and vegetables are in season during the summer. While fresh produce is delicious, it also needs to be handled properly. Wash all produce thoroughly under cool water. Even though you aren’t using soap, be sure to scrub your produce well to remove any dirt or pesticides.

Learn the Food Temperature Danger Zone

Be cautious when storing food, especially when taking it to a barbecue or cookout. Temperatures between 40°F and 140°F are labeled the “Danger Zone.” At these temperatures, bacteria grow the fastest. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, and be especially mindful of temperature when transporting food in weather above 90°F. Read more about what the USDA has to say about the “Danger Zone”

Frozen foods should always be defrosted safely, especially in summer when the “Danger Zone” can set in quickly. It’s always a good idea to let foods thaw slowly by moving them from the freezer to the fridge days ahead of when you plan to use them. If you find yourself in a time crunch, it’s better to use your microwave’s defrost setting to minimize time spent at room temperature.

Outdoor Cooking Safety

Grilling is always a sure sign that summertime has arrived! Be sure to clean the grates of your grill before using it for the first time this season. If your grill can be taken apart, it’s a good idea to wipe down each piece at the start of the season. Make sure your grill is on a steady surface—ideally fireproof, like concrete or stone—and that it’s placed a safe distance from your house. Never leave a grill unattended, especially if there are children or pets nearby.

For more tips on grilling safety, check out this information from the National Fire Protection Association.

At the end of your meal, be sure to pack up your leftovers quickly and responsibly. Leftovers should not be left out for more than one hour before being stored and refrigerated. Tupperware containers should be used with their properly matched lids to ensure the best possible seal, and foods wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil should be packed tightly and fully covered to prevent air from making contact with the food. If you have a vacuum sealing device at home, that can also be an excellent way to keep foods in an airtight package. The “Danger Zone” still applies here, so remember to get leftovers to a safe temperature as soon as possible.

We’re just at the end of morel season here in Michigan, and many of Michigan’s trendiest restaurants have morel mushrooms on their seasonal menus this time of year. But what exactly are morel mushrooms, and how can you incorporate them into your home cooking?

Morel mushrooms are a highly sought-after type of wild mushroom, considered by many to be a delicacy. They have a short shelf life and can be very difficult to transport due to their almost hollow structure. They are also very seasonal, with a growing season ranging from March to mid-June each year. Michigan is one of the hot spots for morel mushroom growth, so keep your eyes peeled at your local farmers market—or you could even go out in the woods to hunt for them yourself.

Finding Morel Mushrooms

Morel mushrooms are among the easiest for beginners to identify in the wild due to their unique, rounded cone shape and lattice structure. They often grow near water and are frequently found after a wildfire or controlled burn in the area. The Michigan DNR provides an online map to help morel hunters decide where to look.

If you want to go looking yourself, always remember to be aware of your surroundings, do not trespass, and never eat a mushroom you find until you can verify that it is a morel. Remember, false morels do exist and can be poisonous—always consult a professional before eating any wild mushrooms.

Preparing Morels

Once you have morel mushrooms, there are plenty of ways to prepare them. One of the most classic is to pan-fry them in butter and serve them over a protein like steak, chicken breast, or fish. Morels can also be used to make a beautiful bowl of pasta, a morel bisque, risotto, or even creamy morel mushroom grits. They can also make a great appetizer—think stuffed mushrooms or battered and deep-fried. Morels can elevate almost any dish that calls for mushrooms, giving it an upscale and fun seasonal twist.

Here are a few of our favorite recipes to get you started:

Sautéd Morel Mushrooms

Morel Mushroom Toasts

Poached Wild Salmon with Peas and Morels 

Morel Risotto

Morel mushrooms are just one ingredient in the arsenal of the team at Chowhound Gourmet Catering. Our team always uses fresh, seasonal ingredients to make your event a unique celebration of the time and place, while adjusting for personal taste and dietary restrictions. If you’re interested in how the Chowhound Gourmet team can bring their talents to your next event, request a quote to start your culinary journey.

Hi, Chef John Breeland here and welcome to our first blog post!

We’ll be sharing information about food, seasonal ingredients, special deals, and some of our favorite recipes. But first, I want to tell you a little about myself.

I started my culinary career at The Whitney, one of Detroit’s most iconic restaurants. From there, I went on to join the award-winning culinary team at the Golden Mushroom in Southfield, MI, and eventually worked as the opening chef at the Sardine Room in Plymouth, MI. My enthusiasm and determination to hone my skills as a chef solidified my passion to turn food into a true art form. After working in some of Detroit’s finest restaurants, I struck out on my own and founded Chowhound Gourmet Catering in 2014 with the mission to create beautiful and delicious food for every occasion.