For the most part, pumpkins, acorn squash, butternut squash, turban squash, and the like can all be used interchangeably and complement each other well. You can steam them, but I prefer to roast them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. If you plan on mashing them, leave them in their skins and simply spoon out the soft fl esh when they’ve had a moment to cool. If you plan on serving large pieces of roast squash or pumpkin, take the time to peel it before roasting, but be careful! A vegetable peeler won’t do much on a thick-skinned squash, so get out your sharp knife and watch those fi ngers. Once peeled, cut the pieces into roughly the same size so that they will roast evenly in the oven.

Here’s a quick and easy recipe for roast squash or pumpkin, or both! Feel free to spice it up any way you like.

4 cups pumpkin and/or winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
1 tablespoon roasted pumpkinseed oil (optional, but delicious!)
1 tablespoon honey or molasses
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
pinch of cayenne or white pepper

Simply toss all the ingredients together until each piece of pumpkin/squash is coated, and place on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Roast at 400 degrees until just knife tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on the variety of pumpkin/squash you use. Any leftovers can be made into a simple soup or mashed and served as a side dish. Enjoy!

Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow

Never trust a skinny chef, right? Well, our food editor, Hans Rueffert, has proven time and again that he’s the exception to that old rule. In his fi rst cookbook, Hans combines his lifelong relationship with food with a rare insight on food that only a cancer survivor could have. More than simply a collection of recipes, Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow educates, entertains and inspires, each page embellished with glorious photographs. You can purchase the book directly from Hans’ Web site at: www.hanscooks.com.

Photography by Amy Rueffert, story by Cherokee Living food editor and host of Hans Cooks the South, Hans Rueffert. Watch for the debut of Hans Cooks the South in March on GPTV.

Our state is blessed with a diverse geography and a rich agricultural history. Georgia is known as the Peach State, and while we may no longer produce the most peaches, we certainly produce some of the best. In truth, I’d all but given up on peaches. The varieties that you find in many grocery stores are rock hard and lack that ephemeral peach smell and flavor. The produce departments of most major markets are jammed full of fruits and vegetables that don’t bruise and last for months without spoiling. Varieties are carefully hybridized and selected for those shelf-stable traits with little regard for solid, old-fashioned flavor.

My first visit down to Fort Valley in Peach County, Ga., however, reconnected me with my love of peaches. If you get the chance to visit during the season (which runs from mid-May to mid-August), the first thing you notice is that intoxicating aroma. These are the peaches of your youth; real peaches withdrippingly sweet flesh. I lost count of how many peaches I devoured on the ride back up I-75, but by the time the Atlanta skyline was in view, I wish I’d bought more than I did.

Georgia agriculture has its lineup of usual suspects…famous crops like peaches, peanuts, pecans and apples. But I did manage to come across some surprising food finds during my travels, some of which caught me totally off guard. Looking at Georgia’s coast on a map, it’s hard to imagine that 100 miles between the Savannah and St. Marys rivers could yield much of a seafood crop. But that small stretch is home to some of the country’s best, with eorgia white shrimp gracing the plates of some of the finest restaurants in the land. I traveled to the beautifully sleepy town of Darien, Ga. in search of the white shrimp, but found so much more.

Did you know that there’s a man in Darien producing some of the world’s finest sturgeon caviar? I had no idea that those prehistoric-looking fish would even venture into the salty estuaries along the coast, yet here is Howell Boone (who also helped to establish the Georgia Wild Shrimp Council) producing caviar so good that other countries come to him to learn how to produce it. My mouth is watering just thinking about the clean, crisp, salty flavor of that black gold.

And how about clams? Growing up I was somehow lead to believe that good clams only come from the cooler waters of the North Atlantic or North Pacific. You could drive up and down the Georgia coastline a dozen times and never know that there’s a thriving clam industry growing just off shore. Pioneers like Charlie Phillips are taking advantage of Georgia’s clean tidal marshes (it’s the second cleanest saltwater in the country behind Alaska) to raise plump, juicy clams that rival any bivalve I’ve tasted from any other waters. It’s an industry that thrives without the use of any unnatural fertilizers, feeds, or antibiotics. The clams just sit there, happy as a clam, feeding on the plankton rich waters that rush in and out with every tide. There are more culinary treasures to be found in Darien, but I’ll let you find those out for yourself.

And that’s the point really. When you start to look around, you’ll be amazed at the local food treasures you’ll find. Start your local food journey at your community farmers markets and see what gems you can discover. You can follow my Georgia food adventures on my Web site at www.hanscooks.com and in my new cookbook “Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You can follow my Georgia food adventures on my Web site at www.hanscooks.com.

Photography by Hans and Amy Rueffert.

If the old saying “you are what you eat” is to be believed, then you have to eat local to truly be local. The localvore movement has been gaining momentum in this country over the last decade or so, and that’s amazing on multiple levels. Nothing tastes better than farm-fresh produce, so from the kitchen point of view, the benefits are palatable.Buying local foods keeps money in your community and supports passionate people who work hard in fickle conditions and for varying returns. And think of all the petroleum that’s saved when you buy okra from your local weekend farmers market versus buying the green pods from South America. I had a rare opportunity to explore Georgia’s bounty while taping my cooking show, “Hans Cooks the South.”

Our state is blessed with a diverse geography and a rich agricultural history. Georgia is known as the Peach State, and while we may no longer produce the most peaches, we certainly produce some of the best. In truth, I’d all but given up on peaches. The varieties that you find in many grocery stores are rock hard and lack that ephemeral peach smell and flavor. The produce departments of most major markets are jammed full of fruits and vegetables that don’t bruise and last for months without spoiling. Varieties are carefully hybridized and selected for those shelf-stable traits with little regard for solid, old-fashioned flavor.

My first visit down to Fort Valley in Peach County, Ga., however, reconnected me with my love of peaches. If you get the chance to visit during the season (which runs from mid-May to mid-August), the first thing you notice is that intoxicating aroma. These are the peaches of your youth; real peaches with drippingly sweet flesh. I lost count of how many peaches I devoured on the ride back up I-75, but by the time the Atlanta skyline was in view, I wish I’d bought more than I did.

Georgia agriculture has its lineup of usual suspects…famous crops like peaches, peanuts, pecans and apples. But I did manage to come across some surprising food finds during my travels, some of which caught me totally off guard. Looking at Georgia’s coast on a map, it’s hard to imagine that 100 miles between the Savannah and St. Marys rivers could yield much of a seafood crop. But that small stretch is home to some of the country’s best, with Georgia white shrimp gracing the plates of some of the finest restaurants in the land. I travelled to the beautifully sleepy town of

Darien, Ga. in search of the white shrimp, but found so much more.  Did you know that there’s a man in Darien producing some of the world’s finest sturgeon caviar? I had no idea that those prehistoric-looking fish would even venture into the salty estuaries along the coast, yet here is Howell Boone (who also helped to establish the Georgia Wild Shrimp Council) producing caviar so good that other countries come to him to learn how to produce it. My mouth is watering just thinking about the clean, crisp, salty fl flavor of that black gold.

And how about clams? Growing up I was somehow lead to believe that good clams only come from the cooler waters of the North Atlantic or North Pacific. You could drive up and down the Georgia coastline a dozen times and never know that there’s a thriving clam industry growing just off shore. Pioneers like Charlie Phillips are taking advantage of Georgia’s clean tidal marshes (it’s the second cleanest saltwater in the country behind Alaska) to raise plump, juicy clams that rival any bivalve I’ve tasted from any other waters. It’s an industry that thrives without the use of any unnatural fertilizers, feeds, or antibiotics. The clams just sit there, happy as a clam, feeding on the plankton rich waters that rush in and out with every tide. There are more culinary treasures to be found in Darien, but I’ll let  you find those out for yourself.

And that’s the point really. When you start to look around, you’ll be amazed at the local food treasures you’ll find. Start your local food journey at your community farmers markets and see what gems you can discover. You can follow my Georgia food adventures on my Web site at www.hanscooks.com and in my new cookbook “Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

You can follow my Georgia food adventures on my Web site at www.hanscooks.com

Photography by Hans and Amy Rueffert.

Our beloved food editor and former Food Network Star finalist Hans Rueffert is stirring things up, again. This culinary artist and self proclaimed restaurant boy will be featured in a pilot cooking show, “Hans Cooks the Holidays,” which will air on Georgia Public Broadcasting in November and December.  Network executives suggest there’s a good chance this will lead to a series next year. 

The stage was set in 1976 when the Rueffert Family purchased the Woodbridge Inn in Jasper, Ga. “Living twelve-and-a-half steps above one of North Georgia’s landmark restaurants ensured that our lives would never be boring. It was frustrating and exhausting and exciting and ridiculously stressful all at the same time. If we needed help with our math homework, we’d take the books to the kitchen and ask Dad questions between pickups. If we wanted a snack we’d go downstairs and order off the menu. And if the restaurant got slammed, we’d run down the stairs to work. I’ve washed dishes and shucked oysters in my pajamas more times than I care to admit.” 

Over time Hans developed an affinity for food, and thrived under the apprenticeship of his father Joe, a European trained chef. “I had the pleasure of cooking for many interesting people including President Carter, Ludlow Porch, Dr. Ferrol Sams, Pam Martin and Clark Howard,” Hans recalls. In 2005, Hans distinguished himself among the country’s culinary elite when he was selected from 8,000 applicants to participate in “Next Food Network Star” where he finished third. “The entire experience was truly fantastic and I made some lifelong friends in the process. More importantly, it gave me some great ideas and technical television experience.” 

Buoyed by his appearance on the show, Hans was busily planning his next career move when he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. “The irony that a chef would contract stomach cancer was not lost on me or my physicians. The cancer was diagnosed as stage three and I ended up having half of my stomach and half of my esophagus removed. Though I wouldn’t wish the disease on anyone, I will say that my experience with it has heightened my appreciation of life, love, family, and of course, food. If I can offer up one piece of advice, it would simply be this: Never take anything for granted. Never.” 

When the cameras roll for the taping of the show, Hans is indeed savoring the experience. His ease in the kitchen and with people transcends to the set—he is engaging to watch and readily entertains and informs his audience as he prepares an innovative and delectable holiday meal with ease. Since his appearance on the Food Network, he has filmed numerous episodes of “Hans Cooks the World,” an award-winning show which airs on ETC3 TV in North Georgia. He is a seasoned professional, and maintains his jovial composure even when there are those out-take moments—a burner on the state-of-the art stove refuses to light, and the bottle of exquisite olive oil he tilts to pour is empty.   

In a world that touts thirty-minute meals, quick fixes, good eats, home cooking, and bare feet, Hans doesn’t have a stitch. “Perhaps it would be easier if I did—everyone seems to think I should, but I don’t. I like to think of myself as a food authority. Food has defined me. Some people have soundtracks to their lives and some have screenplays…I have a menu. Every smell and texture and taste evokes a strong connection with the first or worst or best experience I had with that food.” A menu, and hopefully a new series soon—“Hans Cooks the South.”

Chocolate can be a little finicky if you don’t know what you’re doing. Heat it too quickly and the fat will actually separate from the cocoa, leaving you with a sticky, oily mess. Cook it too long and it’ll scorch a kitchen nightmare that you’ll never forget. The trick is to melt the chocolate over slow, steady heat. This process is called tempering and it’s an essential part of working with chocolate. One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to use a double boiler (sometimes called a bain-marie). Simply take a pot and add a couple inches of water and bring it to a low boil. Put your chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and set it over the steaming pot. The steam gently melts the chocolate without the risk of separation or burning.

HERE’S HOW WE MAKE OUR ROCKY ROAD:

12 ounces milk chocolate chips

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

½ cup Brazil nuts

2/3 cup mini-marshmallows

Using the method described above, temper the chocolates, stirring gently to combine. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the nuts and marshmallows. While the mixture is still warm, pour it into small baking cups or simply make small islands on a sheet of waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm then try and keep the kids away! Feel free to substitute Brazil nuts for your favorite nut or mix in other ingredients like dried fruit or candy pieces. Enjoy!

Article by Food Editor Hans Rueffert. Photography by Amy Rueffert.

The road trip from my Uncle Wolfgang’s house in Emden, Germany to his summer getaway in Sør Trondelag, Norway seemed endless. We took the ferry from Kiel to Oslo then headed north toward the Trondheim Fjord. The countless smiles gave me ample time to wonder what I’d gotten myself into: seven weeks in Norway with no electricity, no running water, and perhaps more importantly, no Atari. When my father and my Uncle suggested I take the trip in 1982, I accepted without giving any thought to the realities of the journey. I didn’t know that I’d have to leave my mother sobbing at the airport and I never thought my 9-year-old eyes would cry until I was halfway across the Atlantic (for the record, I didn’t start crying until she did). I spent much of that drive thinking of all the reasons why I shouldn’t be there, completely ignoring the spectacular Norwegian countryside until it was time to stop and vomit on it…English peas and After Eights from the ferry. Ugh. Perhaps my car-sick brain was trying to make me pay a little more attention to what is arguably one of Mother Nature’s finest landscapes.

We’d seen glimpses of the sea as we traveled, but it wasn’t until we arrived at the farm of Lars Løvbugt (RIP) that I fully began to appreciate the majesty of the fjords. Lars was the quintessential Norwegian; part farmer, part fisherman with hands like leather and deep weathered lines around his eyes. Uncle Wolfgang had befriended Lars some years earlier and kept a small cottage at the bottom of his property and a boat just off shore. Before we unpacked the VW van, we walked down to the steep rocks that bordered the dark water. I vaguely remembered being warned that the rocks were slippery as I fell into the icy sea. I still remember how clean the saltwater tasted as I drug myself back onto those rocks. My Aunt Putzi would later use that same clean seawater to make Saltzkartoffeln (salt potatoes) that were so good we’d eat them later as a snack, cold with just a smear of mayonnaise. 

Though I certainly didn’t realize it that summer, my time in Norway was a culinary awakening for me. For seven weeks, we literally lived off of the land and sea. With the exception of a few staple items (bread, butter, mayonnaise, etc.), we ate what we harvested: fish and shellfish from the ocean and berries and mushrooms from the forests surrounding the fjord. In the early morning, we’d pull in the nets filled with herring for Lars to salt or pickle. For breakfast we’d eat lumpfish roe on toast and soft-boiled eggs. By mid-morning we were catching mackerel or coalfish for Wolfgang to smoke or Putzi to fry. After lunch, we’d forage the woods for the yolk yellow Chantrelle mushrooms which would end up simply prepared with bacon and scrambled eggs or we’d search for the wild blueberries, raspberries, and cloudberries that we’d later eat with vanilla sauce. In the evening we’d pull in the crab traps to find stone crabs and lobsters that were simply eaten cold on buttered bread.  

Sleep doesn’t come easy in the land of the Midnight Sun (the first night of which is called Saint Hans Day by the way!) and we’d while away the bright nights playing cards and eating crawfish salad on toast; a snooze-less meal between dinner and breakfast. 

I returned to Norway with my father in 1999, half expecting much of the magic I’d experienced as a child to be diminished. The fish didn’t seem to leap into our boat the way I remembered, but otherwise it was just as I’d left it, majestic and wild. The return trip only helped to solidify those memories and further deepen my love for the sea and its treasures. 

A Night in Norway, Salud! 2007

I recently had the opportunity to share a little of my Norwegian culinary knowledge at the Salud! Cooking and Lifestyle School in Harry’s Farmers Market in Alpharetta. It was a night to revisit the land of the midnight sun and a chance to blend elements of traditional Norwegian fare with my own personal touches. From a chef’s perspective, there could hardly be a better facility for sharing one’s love of food than Salud!. With top-of-the-line appliances and a small army of kitchen assistants, one can teach without having to worry about anything but the food. For the students, there’s not a bad seat in the house and many classes feature a wine or beer pairing. Each session comes with take-away recipes so you can take what you’ve learned home. I’ve had students tell me that they really have no intention of ever trying to cook for themselves, but they like the entertainment value of    seeing food prepared live, and they enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the facility. Either way, it’s a great time with great food and great people.

 Salud! is located inside the Alpharetta Harry’s Farmers Market and the Duluth Whole Foods markets. For more information, visit www.wholefoods.com or call them at 770.442.3354. Story and recipes by North Fulton Living Food Editor Hans Rueffert, a self-proclaimed food freak. Raised  upstairs above the Woodbridge Inn Restaurant in downtown Jasper, Ga., he has spent his entire life with food—more than a dozen years as the Inn’s chef and now host of his own cooking show in north Georgia called “Hans Cooks the World.” In 2005, Hans was selected out of 10,000 applicants to be a finalist on the show “The Next Food Network Star” and finished third in that competition. He currently teaches classes at Harry’s Farmers Market. Find out more at www.hanscooks.com.  Photography by Jeremy Adamo.

It’s a typical day at  A Peach of a Party catering company. On the schedule: brunch for 32, boxed lunches for 100, dinner for 15, a cocktail party for 100, a small cocktail party for 30, an intimate dinner party for five and a dinner party for 20 guests. Owner Susan Garrett’s day begins early and ends late, but she says she couldn’t imagine doing it any differently. “I enjoy it, I’m good at it, and I’ve done it for so long. It’s a great life,” Garrett affirms.

A Peach of a Party began in the early 1980s with a wedding that other caterers were reluctant to do. “I had enjoyed hosting dinner parties in my home for years. So when some friends couldn’t fi nd a real caterer and asked me to cater a New Year’s Eve wedding reception for 100, I jumped in oblivious to what I was getting in to. One thing led to another, and in a few years I had a full-time business,” Garrett explains.

Relying primarily on referrals, A Peach of a Party has grown to become one of Atlanta’s premier catering companies. Its client list includes the governor, the mayor and many of Atlanta’s most prominent businesses. Garrett is still involved in all phases of the business, but these days she gets help from a full-time staff of 10. Four chefs are required to handle all the prep work and cooking, and the kitchen has moved from her home to a 4,000-squarefoot facility.

Although Garrett has experienced a lot of growth and change in the last 20 years, one thing hasn’t changed—the quality of the food and service she offers. “We always strive for perfection and we still make everything from scratch. Every event is important to us, every client is important to us. Whether it’s a dinner for six or 600, we want everything to be the best it can be.”

That means that on a typical day, Garrett and her staff will cook and de-bone about 100 pounds of chicken for their famous chicken salad and spend several hours on food prepping. “We use fresh ingredients, and the best quality we can find. Our food isn’t pre-fixed and neither are our menus. We offer personal service and individual menus—we’ll prepare whatever you want. The choice is yours.”

One of the things that Garrett says she enjoys most about her business is the people. “More than 90 percent of our clients are repeat clients. We’ve been there with them through many celebrations and happy occasions. We even have some clients that are second generation—we catered their baptism party, we catered their wedding, and now we’re catering their children’s baptism parties.”

Her business has become second generation as well. “My children grew up in this business, and I’m fortunate to have two of my children working with me now. And I feel like a mom to most of my employees. Some of them have been with me nearly as long as my own children,” she jokes.

For more information about A Peach of a Party, visit www.apeachofaparty.com, or call 770-350-9966.