Just Finished Making An AMAZING Grilled Peach Salsa!

By, Chef Jim

Using all home grown and locally purchased ingredients!  In fact, I didn’t really even have to go out of my way to source the incredible ingredients!  As I was on my way home from a brief overnight trip to Baltimore, I stopped by Hollabaugh’s Orchards in Adams County, PA (www.hollabaughbros.com) and picked up some Peaches, Plums, Onions, Beans and more incredibly fresh and beautiful produce!

Making the most of what’s available locally is a great way to save money and to support local producers & businesses!  Without support from the community, family farms are facing increasing pressures from ‘Corporate Growers’ and mass production…SO…wherever you live, find a local farm or farmer’s market and go support them!  It’s a great way to get more connected to your food and it will inspire some GREAT dishes like my Salsa!

I simply Roasted a Peach, Tomato, four Jalapeno Peppers, two small Green Bell Peppers and a bulb of Garlic.  Then I finely diced a 1/4 of a Red Onion and chopped up two unroasted tomatoes, chopping up all the other ingredients however you prefer and then adding them all together with some Balsamic Vinegar, Good Olive Oil, Honey, Ancho Chile Powder, Salt and Pepper to taste…let it sit for 24 hours and then use as a garnish, side or appetizer…easy peasy!

Need Kitchen Related Help? We’re HERE for you!

By, Chef Jim

While the primary role of a Personal Chef is to work with every client to develop custom ‘heat and eat’ meal plans, do the shopping, prepare, pack and label the meals and adjust according to client’s tastes…there is more to it than that!  We strive to offer a ‘full service’ commitment to each and every client!

Thinking about making a major kitchen purchase or learning a new cooking technique?  Whether you’re planning on dropping $1K plus on a Smoker or Grill or even a few hundred dollars on a knife set…we can provide advice, do research and make an objective recommendation!

Speaking of knives, maybe you’re ready to make the leap and buy a set (or a few) ‘Professional Quality’ knives!  Or maybe you’ve already purchased some great cutlery and you would like to learn how to use it?  No matter your needs, we can help you select and probably even let you TRY knifes from the manufacturers that you’re interested in; German, Japanese or even American steel.  We will also come work with you to develop and enhance your knife handling, care and sharpening skills.

Having a family gathering or party of up to 25 folks?  We can provide a professional chef to work with you in your kitchen to prepare and serve a meal or just Appetizers.  Looking to have us provide a complete Full or Limited Catering service for groups of 25 or more?  We can do that too through our Catering Company (www.GreatQ4U.com)

There you have it…looking for ANY kind of help in the Kitchen?  We are here for you! Info@ChefJimK.com or www.ChefJimK.com

Hunting Camp? Ski Trip? We Can Do It!!!

Wouldn’t THAT be great!  Load up an Extra Cooler or Two and have your meals ready to ‘Heat and Eat’ no matter what the primary heat source in your Camp or Cabin may be!  Just let us know how many folks to cook for, what you’d like to eat and when you’d like it delivered and we’ll do the rest!

SEE…this ‘Personal Chef’ thing is a pretty versatile and SMART option!  We can help no matter what your needs may be!  From a full weekly meal plan to help with Family Gatherings or Holiday Parties to hooking you up with ONE LESS THING TO DO during your next ‘Get Away’!

Looking to see what we can do for you, visit us online at GreatQ4U.net or call us; 717-254-1937

Make the Most of the Markets!

NO….not the Stock Markets….that’s WAY too big of a risk these days!  I’m talking about the Farmer’s Markets…or if you’re lucky enough to live in a City like Lancaster, York or even Philadelphia…the CENTRAL Markets!  – I know…it’s WINTER…there’s snow on the ground…what could I be talking about???

I’m talking about a number of things actually;

• Buying Local! – Vendors at local ‘Markets’ typically are largely representing local businesses, farms and producers!  Not only does this keep as few miles between you and your food as possible,(reducing its ‘Carbon Footprint’ too!) it helps to keep your MONEY in the local economy…which will save you having to drive to a MALL some day to get all your stuff from big BOX stores!
• Buying Fresh! – Local markets typically feature LOTS of fresh stuff!  From produce and protiens to Baked Goods and other stuff like hand made sausages or fresh ground spices…it’s amazing the difference that fresh makes! Much better than stuff that was flown in, held in ‘ripening’ rooms and then trucked to your local Mega-Mart!
• Learn About Your Food! – Markets typically give you ‘face time’ with the source!  You can ask questions about what those Chickens or Cows ate, learn where that Broccoli came from and how it was grown or perhaps get some tips about what to do with it!  You’ll learn about how those fish were caught and whether or not that Shrimp travelled the whole way from Indonesia…or if they were caught right here in the USA!

OK…I could go on and on, but assume that you get the point!  If you have a “Market” of any kind close to where you live…begin to get in the ‘habit’ of visiting it on a regular basis!  It may take some practice…and you may have to adjust your schedule to accomodate ‘Market Hours’, but the benefits FAR outweigh any temporary inconveniences that you may have to endure.

Mark Twain said, “Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.”  I would suggest that you should break the habit of the BIG grocers and find your way back to the local guys!

How Exactly Does This ‘Personal Chef’ Thing Work?

Yes, we get that question a LOT!  AND…the quick answer is; ‘Any way that you want it to’!  OK, so since that sounds a bit generic, I thought that I could expound a bit on it here!

As your ‘Personal Chef’, we start by getting to know you!  What kinds of food do you like…not like?  Do you have any special dietary needs or requirements?  What about food allergies…you?  Anyone else in the house?  Any ‘regular guests’?  All very important as we develop your ‘Menu Profile’ that allows us to prepare meals you’ll love each and every time!

Once we’ve got that dialed in, then we want to figure out what ‘Service’ is best for your situation!  Do you need a meal every weeknight?  Perhaps you just need a few meals a week to give you a break and some extra time with your family and/or friends?  Just having a Party or Family Gathering and want to add the ‘formality’ of a Professional Chef?  No matter what type of Service you need…we’ve got you covered!

Once we’ve got your needs dialed in, then comes the ‘shopping’!  We can shop at our preferred markets or yours!  We LOVE to shop at Farmer’s Markets and small suppliers when possible!  With over 15 years of experience in the catering business and tens of thousands of meals under our belts…we know quality whenever and wherever we see it and we LOVE to bring it to every plate!  So…we don’t just do the ‘cooking’, we save you the time and hassle of finding a parking space, fighting the carts and lines and choosing the best ingredients available!

Needs analysis and shopping completed…it’s time to ‘get cooking’!  We come to your home or can prepare meals for you in our kitchens – either way, we will cook your meals and prepare them so that you can simply ‘heat and eat’ these delicious and nutritious, ‘home made’ meals that are lower in sodium, fat and calories than just about ANYTHING you’d eat at a restaurant! (and…they are WAY more convenient!)  Microwave, Conventional Oven, Sous Vide…however you want to heat them up…we’ll cook, pack and label accordingly!

We are fully insured, licensed and have both our ServSafe and PA Department of Agriculture Food Safety Certifications!  SO…there’s nothing to worry about and everything to gain…including cost savings, more time to do what YOU want and less stress from all those trips to the store!  Need to hear or even better, SEE more?  You’ll have a chance to come see and hear us soon…right in a place where we are most comfortable!  Look for exciting details to come soon!

In the meanwhile…if we can help YOU…please feel free to visit us online at GreatQ4U.net or give us a call: 717-254-1937 and we will be HAPPY to help!

Now We’re Cooking!

YEP…it’s been a few years since we discontinued our Personal Chef service to concentrate on growing the BBQ Catering business and now that we have met that objective, I am HAPPY to be back in the Grocery Stores, Farmer’s Markets and Kitchens of our Customers here in Central PA!  It has been a grand re-introduction and is nice exploring the ‘non-BBQ’ side of my culinary persona again!  (NOT that I’ve got anything against BBQ…I LOVE IT!!!)

There is much going on and LOTS to tell you in coming weeks, but I just wanted to hit on a few things here today!  First of all, I had the chance to visit the PA Gourmet show at the York Expo Center last weekend and I had a GRAND time!  It was especially pleasing to see all of the great stuff that is being produced and sold right here in Central PA!

We had incredible Spirits (Absinthe, Gin and Moonshine) from Philadelphia and caught up with my new favorite Spice suppliers (Spices Inc – www.spicesinc.com) who were thankfully spared all the flooding in Bloomsburg during Irene and Lee!  We got to see Picky Vicki again and experience her INCREDIBLE BBQ sauces (www.pickyvicki.com) and found incredible suppliers of everything else from Vanilla Extract to REALLY good Beef!

Any regular readers of the Blog or my BBQ Blog will know that I am ALL about buying as much stuff from local suppliers as possible and there is a growing number of great sources for just about ALL your grocery needs out there, so even if you don’t need a Personal Chef…get out there and Get Some!!!

OK, Argentina isn’t TOO local, but as a caveat to the above review of our PA Gourmet experience, I must mention Familia Cecchin wines that are ALL Organic and truly something wine drinkers should experience!  I had a chance to get to know the vintner and he is an incredible guy, dedicated to his father’s vineyards as much as his dad was!  All of their wines are quite tasty, but I was particularly fond of their Malbec Rose!  If you get a chance…try them!   I also think that I now have a source for REALLY good Argentinean beef! 🙂

Finally…stay tuned for exciting news about some upcoming chances to see us at work during some cooking Demos and Classes!  If you are looking to have a great time, learn to cook new or different dishes and spend a few hours with us…soon you’ll have your chance!  Details to come!!!

All Kinds of Meals for All Kinds of Customers

While our Catering business is squarely focused on producing Artisanal Quality Wood Smoked BBQ and hand crafted sides, appetizers & desserts, our Personal Chef service is focused on providing a diverse menu that meets YOUR tastes!  We approach every customer with a commitment to understanding your likes and dislikes as well as any special dietary needs that you may have.  Once we understand what you like, we build a menu around that and you’ve got the final approval to make sure it’s just what you want!

We maintain our commitment to using the freshest ingredients from the best sources available and we know that you’ll be able to taste the difference.  With over two decades of experience cooking a wide variety of meals, our Executive Chef (Jim) understands how to please many different tastes and appetites.  From our home made stocks and soups to fresh baked breads, cookies and pastries we strive to complement entrees that represent the best in American, Latin, Italian and other world cuisines.

From a menu that focuses on ‘Comfort’ and ‘Soul’ foods like Split Pea Soup made from scratch with the distinct smokey flavor of Shoulder Bones from our “Q” with Thick Cut, Grilled Pork Chops with Black Eyed Peas and Collard or Mustard Greens to a more contemporary Flat Iron Steak with a fresh grilled vegetable mix and Basmatti Rice lightly seasoned, we’ve got you covered.

What’s more…we’ll prepare the meals so that you simply ‘heat and eat’ by any method you choose!  Microwave or Conventional Ovens, Boil In Bag…whatever works for you is how we’ll do it!  We’re even offering an introductory special; 3 Meals (up to 4 servings) for $150 plus Grocery and container costs.  Give it a try and see just how much you will benefit from having your own ‘Personal Chef’.  Call us today at 717-254-1937 or online at GreatQ4U.net