I was held prisoner in a Belgian Beer Abbey...well, not really...

Ok, no, I'm not in a monks robe, secretly writing this from a six by ten room with only a small table, a cot and a slit window. By candlelight. But I could be.
I was, admittedly, trying to get your attention. Thanks for your cooperation. So, imagine! It's the 18th century and this is your day to day existence, it's how you live. Everyday. Uniquely though, when you aren't in your room meditating, you're making some of the best beer the world has ever seen due to the fact that the monastery where you live has been making it the same way for 100's of years. We're talking, really really good beer. Now do I have your attention? Excellent. Let's talk Belgian beer.

Interestingly enough, at this stage of my life, beer used to be my last choice when consuming a beverage with a meal. Not anymore. There was a time, in my culinarily uneducated youth, when American pilsners and lagers were my beers of choice. No offense meant, king of beer drinkers. I'm simply relating my experience. I'll still share a frosty cold, mountain brewed, born on date, lite something or other with ya anytime you want. I love NASCAR. Seriously. "Hey, if we can get that train that turns into a really cool bar car, that would be awesome dude, Lets do that...!"

There was also a 'looking at the tropical blue waves through my feet, with a lime in it," phase. The lime was in my beer....not my feet. Grow up. I hung around at the beaches of southern tropical points unnamed, in cargo shorts and Cubavera shirts and everything was 'cool, mon.' Me...and my decorated for Christmas palm tree.

Now, I'd like to think I am adventurous. In life, but especially, when it comes to trying new cuisines. Adventurous type people's tastes and preferences seem to evolve and we go through what I like to call phases. Think about most adventurers you know, either personally or famous. We always have a next project, or new thing we're into,  right? Phases, lol. It doesn't mean we move off of any one thing or another, or that we even like something less. It's that we are seeking new challenges, tastes and experiences. For most, the inquisitive mind and palate is a blessing and a curse. It loves new adventure, but is never satisfied and can sometimes loath familiarity. It searches. It can get you in trouble, or it can lead to oft times wonderful experiences. Either way, it's always interesting, And, when it's interesting, now and again folks like me write about it. It creates moments, memories. It's also a good thing, in that there is never a want for topics for the inquisitive mind. Currently, this taste evolution has happened to me with regard to beer. On my beer journey, I discovered and have taken a shine to Belgian ales.

I was given a few, hard to get, bottles of Belgian Ale, which are now relegated to my hard to get, empty bottles of Belgian ale' and I decided I needed to know more about them........the ales...not the bottles. I, in my usually obsessively compulsive way, started doing research. Now I'm a doer so there was no just reading. Well, ok, there was a lot of just reading, but I was convinced that just interviews and research was not enough. I was going to be interactive with my story. I thought about traveling to Belgium and going to the monastic breweries, but then realized that while on my bucket list, at the time of this writing, it was out of the question. First, everybody knows that trying to score a good Belgian Beer Route map late on a Wednesday night is almost impossible because all the best beer map dealers are bowling. Second, as it was Wednesday night, Ghosthunters was on at nine. So, sans backpack and map, I went to a local beer specialty store, and bought as many varied bottles of different Belgian ales as I could find. I bought every style, flavor and brand. I would taste them and write while I tasted. I wanted to be thorough, so I bought 20 different kinds, from the inexpensive to the very expensive. A lot of bottles.

Too many bottles.

A groggy day and a half  later, after having a meeting with myself, I decided maybe I should forego the writing and tasting at the same time and concentrate on just the writing. Here's what I came up with.

Belgian Ales

Belgian beer comprises one of the most diverse national collections of any quality beer in the world. It is a wide ranging industry, producing the popular pale lager, lambic beers and Flemish Reds. Beer-brewing origins here, it is said, go back to the Middle Ages and there are approximately 175+ breweries in the country at last count. In Europe, only Germany, France and the United Kingdom are home to more. Belgian breweries produce about 500 standard beers and if you include special one-off beers, the total number of Belgian beers is approximately 8700! That's right, 8700. Think about how much beer has to be consumed to keep all these brands viable and, since it is a perishable product, most of the beer that is made in small batches, is usually consumed within days of its creation. It also means that the rest of us are mere beer neophytes, or at least I am, when compared to the fact that Belgians drink 24 gallons (93 litres) of beer per year, per person, on average. Furthermore, they've been perfecting this process for 100's of years. It is believed today that beer was brewed at some monasteries during  the Middle Ages, however no written proof exists. What is known, is that the monks were living in the Trappist monasteries, brewing beer in Belgium for themselves alone in the late 18th century and sometime in June 1861, someone sold the first beer. A brown beer. Thanks to whomever monk that was.

Trappist Beers
This term is properly applied only to a brewery in a monastery of the Trappists, one of the most severe orders of monks. This order, established at La Trappe, in Normandy, is a stricter observance of the Cistercian rule (from C'teaux, in Burgundy), itself a breakaway from the Benedictines. Among the dozen or so surviving abbey breweries in Europe, seven are Trappist, six being located in Belgium and they were all established in their present form by Trappists who left France after the turbulence of the Napoleonic period. The Trappists have the only monastic breweries in Belgium, all making strong ales, with a re-fermentation in the bottle. Some gain a distinctly rummy character from the use of candy-sugar in the brew-kettles. They do not represent a style, but rather are very much a family of beers. The three abbeys in the French-speaking part of the country, are all in the forest country of the Ardennes, where hermitages burned charcoal to fuel early craft industries. It is not usually possible to visit the abbeys without prior arrangement by letter, and can be difficult even then. Most offer their beers in a café or auberge/inn located nearby the actual monastery brewery itself.

In 1997, eight Trappist abbeys founded the International Trappist Association (ITA) to prevent non-Trappist, commercial companies from abusing the Trappist name. This private association created a logo that is assigned to goods (cheese, beer, wine, etc.) that respect precise Trappist production criteria. For the beers, these criteria are the following:

• The beer must be brewed within the walls of a Trappist abbey, by or under control of Trappist monks.

• The brewery, the choices of brewing, and the commercial orientations must depend on the monastic community.

• The economic purpose of the brewery must be directed toward assistance and not toward financial profit.

This association has a legal standing, and its logo gives to the consumer some information and guarantees about the produce. There are currently seven breweries that are allowed to have products wear the Authentic Trappist Product logo.
 
Abbey Bears
(Bières d’Abbaye or Abdijbier) are brewed by commercial brewers, and license their name from abbeys, some defunct, some still operating. Abbey beers mainly came into being following World War II when Trappist beers experienced a new popularity. The Abbey beers were developed to take advantage of the public's interest in the Trappist beers. This is why the single key component of an Abbey beer is its name: there is always the name of a monastery (either real or fictitious). Like the Trappist beers, Abbey beers do not connote a beer style, but rather a marketing term; however, since the purpose of Abbey beers is to imitate the Trappists, like the Trappists, most of their beers are either a dubbel or tripel.

The Brewing Monks

Monastic beers, as explained in our previous chapter are generally defined as beers referring to monks or to religious symbols. When they wear the name of an abbey, they are then called abbey beers.

The Belgian monastic beers that we know today belong to a family of beers that appeared during the first quarter of the 20th century. Truly authentic monastic beers were created centuries ago, and some famous examples remain today, such as Mallersdorf and Andechs of Germany. Unfortunately, the number of authentic monastic breweries is rather limited today and the vast majority of the monastic/abbey beers that are available today have little or no direct links with monks or nuns. However, these abbey beers use the high secular reputation of genuine monastic beers to promote an image of tradition and quality.

The monks are often represented as jovial characters, very often corpulent, as to show the quality of the beer and its associated welfare. Images and names are carefully chosen to evoke values of tradition and know-how. The brewers, while paying homage to the work that was formerly carried out by the monks, try to suggest that their beer is the vehicle of these secular values of quality. Very often, these monastic beers see great success, sometimes becoming more famous than genuine monastic or Trappist beers they imitate. The fact that they are generally not brewed by the monks does not predict their quality. Some of them are indeed excellent beers .

Types of Belgian Beer

Abbey Ales (Dubbel, Tripel, Singel).
Altbier
Belgian Style Golden Ale
Belgian Style Strong Ale
Belgian Style Red Ale
Belgian Style Amber Ale
Belgian Style Blonde Ale
Biere de Garde
Flemish Style Brown Ale
Kolsch
Saison

Trappist Ale

The Trappist order originated in the Cistercian monastery of La Trappe, France. Various Cistercian congregations existed for many years, and by 1664 the Abbot of La Trappe felt that the Cistercians were becoming too liberal. He introduced strict new rules in the abbey and the Strict Observance was born. Since this time, many of the rules have been relaxed. However, a fundamental tenet, that monasteries should be self-supporting, is still maintained by these groups.

Monastery brew-houses, from different religious orders, existed all over Europe, since the middle-ages. From the very beginning, beer was brewed in French cistercian monasteries following the Strict Observance. For example, the monastery of La Trappe in Soligny, already had its own brewery in 1685. Breweries were only later introduced in monasteries of other countries, following the extension of the Trappist order from France to the rest of Europe. The Trappists, like many other religious people, originally brewed beer to feed the community, in a perspective of self-sufficiency. Nowadays, Trappist breweries also brew beer to fund their works, and for good causes. Many of the Trappist monasteries and breweries were destroyed during the French Revolution and the World Wars. Among the monastic breweries, the Trappists were certainly the most active brewers: in the last 300 years, there were at least eight Trappist breweries in France, six in Belgium, two in the Netherlands, one in Germany, one in Austria, one in Bosnia and possibly other countries. Today, six Trappist breweries remain active, in Belgium.

The Breweries
Brasserie d'Orval Founded: 1931

The most singular of the Trappist brewing abbeys, in both its architecture and its beer. The name derives from Vallée d'Or ("Golden Valley"). Legend has it that Countess Matilda of Tuscany (c1046-1115) lost a gold ring in the lake. When it was brought to the surface by a trout, she thanked God by endowing a monastery. The monastery, was certainly brewing before the French Revolution. Bread and cheese are made for sale, as well as a startlingly dry, hoppy, ale with an dark orange color. Devotees like to bottle-age this beer for between six months and three years.

Bières de Chimay Founded: 1863

The best-known of the Trappist brewing monasteries. This abbey, also called Notre Dame, stands on a small hill called Scourmont, not far from the town of Chimay, also on the French border, but in the province of Hainaut. Originally a glass-smelting town, Chimay is now a center for tourism in the Ardennes. The abbey, in the Romanesque style, was built in 1850. While the early abbeys brewed for their own communities, Chimay was the first to sell its beer commercially. Between the two World Wars, it coined the appellation "Trappist Beer." After World War II, Chimay's great brewer Father Théodore, worked with a famous Belgian brewing scientist Jean De Clerck to isolate the yeasts that identified Chimay's beers as classic Trappist brews. The strongest will mature in the bottle for at least five years. It makes an excellent accompaniment to Chimay's Trappist cheese (similar to a Port Salut) and is even better with Roquefort.

Brasserie de Rochefort Founded: 1595

The least well-known of the established Trappist breweries. Notre Dame de St Rémy is near the small town of Rochefort, in the province of Namur, where the valley of the river Meuse rises into the Ardennes. In  1230, it was a convent, and brewed at least as early as 1595. The oldest parts of the buildings date from the 1600s. The beers, tawny to brown in color, have an earthy honesty, perhaps deriving from a quite simple formulation, in which dark candy sugar is a significant ingredient. They have flavors reminiscent of figs, bananas and chocolate. In recent years its 10-degree beer has won a growing appreciation. The abbey does not have its own inn, but the beers can be tasted locally at two local hotels: Limbourg (also good for charcuterie and game), and the slightly more expensive, Malle Post.

Brouwerij Westvleteren Founded: 1838

The smallest of the Trappist breweries, the abbey of St. Sixtus, at West Vleteren, near Ieper and Poperinge, dates from the 1830s. Its beers are not filtered or centrifuged at any stage of production, and emerge with firm, long, big, fresh, malty flavors and suggestions of plum brandy. The strongest ale has on occasion been rated the most potent beer in Belgium. The beers are available next door at the Café In De Vrede. Otherwise, trade and public alike have to go to a serving hatch at the abbey where a recorded phone message tells callers which beer will be available, and when. If the 12 is on sale, cars will begin lining up long before the 10 AM opening time in the morning. Each car is rationed to ten cases. The monks are inflexible on this point, even toward a café-owner who makes a 1,500-mile round-trip from say Odense, on the Danish island of Fynen. "We make as much beer as we need to support the abbey and no more," say the monks.

Brouwerij Westmalle Founded: 1836

Famous for one beer in particular, a world classic, though its makes three. The abbey of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is in flat countryside at West Malle, between the city of Antwerp and the Dutch border. The monastery was established in 1794, and has brewed since 1836. It is thus the oldest of Belgium's post-Napoleonic Trappist breweries. Its renown, though, derives from the introduction of golden Trappist ales to meet competition from fashionable Pilsners after World War II. Its beers include a marvelously subtle, golden "Single" (curiously called Extra), brewed at 4.0 per cent for the monks' own consumption, but sometimes also found outside the abbey; a dark-brown, fruity Dubbel, at 6.5; and its most famous beer, its golden-to-bronze, aromatic, orange-tasting, complex Tripel, at 9.0. These Trappist classics have popularized the notion that an "abbey-style Double" should be strong and dark and a "Triple," yet more potent, but pale. The beers are available in the village at the café Trappisten.

Brouwerij de Achelse Kluis Founded: 1998

Brewing is being revived, on a small scale, at this sixth Trappist abbey, in Belgium, but close to the Dutch city of Eindhoven. The abbey had a brewery before World War II. In 1998, it opened a small pub initially selling Westmalle, prior to making its own beer. This positive step came at a time of less happy news from across the border, where the Koningshoeven abbey was considering consigning its Schaapskooi brewery, producer of the La Trappe ales, to a joint venture with a large, commercial lager-maker.

a

A Beer of Note

Brother Thelonious

Belgian Style Abbey Ale

This abbey ale, it holds a special place in my heart because of its roots to the father of Jazz, Thelonius Monk. From a jazz blues background I loved the label, and the beer is quite good to boot. Like a Belgian “Dark Strong Ale”, the beer is rich and robust with an ABV of 9.3%. The package is a 750 ml bottle with a traditional cork and wire finish or 12oz 4 packs and features a label picturing the jazz master himself. Vital Statistics: Style: Belgian Style Strong Dark Color: Dark mahogany ABV: 9.4%, Bitterness: 32 IBU's

While I am certainly no expert when it comes the subtleties and nuances of beer and ale, my hope is that, this article will start you on your way to experiencing and experimenting with Belgian ales. Beer tastings and pairings are becoming more and more popular, and in summer, these can be a refreshing alternative to the more widely known wine pairings. Below is a picture of my bottle of Brother Thelonius, served with some butternut squash soup and Irish Soda Bread.
And below, just a few simple suggestions, so you can try your own Belgian Ale tasting and pairing.

Brown Beer
This heavily malted beer style features full-bodied notes of caramel and a sour finish. Best food pairing option: Salty and savory foods taste best; desserts and sweet food will distract from the sugary malt of the beer. Try a serving of hearty steak au poivre, or even a nice cheddar burger topped with bacon and mushrooms.

Blonde or Golden Ale
As the name implies, this beer is pale. There is a very slight, almost undetectable note of fruit that is upstaged by the predominant clean flavor of hops and malt. Best food pairing option: Something spicy, tending toward the hot side. This beer is best as a thirst quencher.

Red Ale
Red ale is a sour style beer that acquires a signature strong, complex flavor from a long maturation period in oak. It has a hint of sweetness and mildly discernible tart fruity notes. Best food pairing option: Salty food is the way to go with red beers. Try a robust meat, such as lamb, buffalo, Italian sausage, or a good, sharp cheddar cheese.

As always, when consuming alcoholic beverages, don't overdue it and drink responsibly.

Bon Appetit!

Lou

References and Sources: www.fitforeurope.com, www.avcbi-businesscenter.com, www.trappistbeer.net, www.justbeer.files.wordpress.com, www.marions-kochbuch.de, www.drinkbrains.blogspot.com  http://www.michelnischan.com/cookbook.htm Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot Grant Cochrane'

Up Close & Personal with Chef Michael Symon

I have known Michael some three years now, having first met him at the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland back in 2012. Relaxed, humble and completely accessible, if you are fortunate enough to spend any time at all in his presence, or watch him interacting with his family, or sit with him shoes off, feet up, watching a Browns game on a Sunday afternoon, you'd be hard pressed to associate this laid back everyman with the public dynamo we all know as the public 'Chef Michael Symon.' His trademark laugh and smile are always right below the surface waiting to bubble over at a moments notice. When he's back in his beloved Cleveland, friends and family are his focus. But, underneath is a man who is driven. A man who's aware of how lucky he is to have achieved what he has, but not one that takes it for granted. See way back when, he rolled up his sleeves and went to work, first cheffing, then as a restaurateur, then as a beloved TV personality. The accolades now, are the result of years of hard work and dedication. To his craft. To his family. To his employees and to his friends. 

I have watched as fans approach him, hoping for a minute of his time, or a smile, or an autograph. I have never seen him not stop to take the time to make someone who approached feel important, even if it's a simple hello, a smile or to request a picture. Onstage, I have watched him capture the audience, making eye contact as if he's talking directly to each and every person there. He makes folks feel like they could easily sit back and grab a beer with him, over conversation about food, or riding his motorcycle, or debating with him over his favorite Cleveland team, The Browns. I've heard folks remark of him, "Wow, he's just like me." Having spent time with him, I can honestly say, "It's real." It's what has launched him to the top of his profession, garnering the title America's Favorite Chef.  

I recently caught up with him between shoots of his hit TV show The Chew, which he co-hosts with Daphne Oz, Clinton Kelley and fellow chefs, Carla Hall and Mario Batali. His TV career is varied and lengthy. Since 1998, with appearances on Sara’s Secrets with Sara Moulton, Ready, Set, Cook and Food Nation with Bobby Flay, hosting over 100 episodes of The Melting Pot and his winning season one of The Next Iron Chef on Food Network in 2008, he has been a regular in our homes. He appeared on four Food Network/Cooking Channel shows, hosting Food Feuds and Cook Like an Iron Chef, judging season three of The Next Iron Chef and competing on Iron Chef America. In January 2012, his show Symon’s Suppers, premiered on Cooking Channel and in September 2011, he joined the cast of The Chew as one of the show’s five hosts. Most recently, Michael was a mentor on the first season of Food Network's All-Star Academy.

A successful restaurateur, Michael recently opened his 14th B Spot Burgers, to go along with his other eateries, Lola Bistro, Lolita, Roast, Bar Symon and Mabel's BBQ. With his hectic schedule, I asked him if he misses being in the kitchen, just cheffing. "No," he laughed emphatically, "You know, I think that the misconception of a chef, especially in my capacity as a chef-owner, is that we work the line every week. I'm in the kitchen yes, but not on the line at a particular station. If you work just a station," he expanded, "when it gets busy, you see just that one station. I prefer to work the kitchen. I expedite, I watch the cooks a lot, but I haven't worked a particular station in God knows how long. Now, I do spend time on each station with the cook the first week when we open a restaurant." 

Many of you who are fans of the Iron Chef, will be happy to hear that Michael has a new signature line of cutlery coming out with Ergo Chef, LLC., available for delivery beginning in mid July, 2015. About a year in the making, Ergo and Symon will produce five individual knives for the Symon series. The blades will include a 9-inch chef knife; a 6-inch chef knife; a 6-inch serrated utility knife; a 7-inch vegetable cleaver; and a 3.5-inch paring knife. A four-piece steak knife set will also be available. The knives will be ground in the conventional Western-style, rather than with a Japanese beveled edge that is growing in popularity. Michael has opted for a small selection of blades, rather than an extensive collection of knives. “I’m of the belief you don’t need a giant set of knives, just a couple that perform at a high level,” Symon stated. “they have a unique handle that is not only stunning, but also very comfortable and durable. 

With  Mike, Scott & Randy from Ergo

I asked him, "Why Ergo?" "I love doing business with people that I like being around," he offered. "and yes, they make a beautiful knife and they make it at a super reasonable price. But aside from that, Michael and Scott Staib are just great people. If you're going to work with someone or partner with someone, you want them to have the same beliefs you do and the same morals you do. They are just really good people." I asked Michael what was most important to him in making a decision to put his name on a knife or series of knives. "For me," he responded, "there were a couple of things that were important. First, it had to be a knife that I was very comfortable using in the kitchen myself. Secondly, I wanted it to be a knife that any one of my professional cooks in the kitchens of my restaurants would use and be comfortable with. Lastly, I wanted it to be affordable for the home cook. Chef knives can be crazy," he continued, "I personally have been collecting knives for 25 years and I have knives that are ridiculously expensive. I wanted to get the look and feel of those knives, but in a package that the home cook would be comfortable buying. I also wanted a knife that one of my cooks on the line would be comfortable using every night, on the line, putting up with the wear and tear of putting out 300 meals. It had to be at a very high level for me to put my name on it, from a quality and look stand point, but also something that would be accessible to the home cook." Michael has not been shy in stating in the past that a chef or cook only needs a few good knives and I asked him to expand on that thought process.

"I don't think you need every knife in the set in order to get everything done, We have 2 chef' knives, both a 9' and 6 inch, a good serrated knife, a pairing knife and a vegetable cleaver because I do love using a vegetable cleaver. Then, we also have our steak knives." I mentioned to him that some have remarked that even at the reasonable price, it's still a bit expensive. He answered, "Obviously life is about what you can afford. That said, to be able to get a knife for $69-$79 that will last you a lifetime, as opposed to a knife you can get for $20 that you have to replace in a year, it just seems like a pretty easy decision to me." You can purchase Michael's Knives here: Michael Symon Cutlery

Our conversation then turned to his new hit show, The Chew. Winner of the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host along with his co-hosts, I asked him if when he first started this journey with the show back in 2011, he had any idea it would be the juggernaut hit that it has become. "I think with anything in life you hope for the best and plan for the worst," he offered, "Obviously I knew when we started that I already had a long term relationship with Mario, so I knew that was going to work. The other three hosts I had not met before. To end up being paired up with 4 other people who all have ended up being best friends, God I mean, you couldn't ask for more than that. We all just immediately got along and it's only gotten better from there." He added, "All of us cherish it and don't take for granted for a second how lucky we have it."

I pressed him for a behind the scenes anecdote that I could share with you all and he immediately spoke to Clinton being the cast's practical joker. "We're like a family," he explained, "so there's definitely a lot of razzing, kinda like you get between brothers and sisters. Every one definitely can give a joke and take a joke. This past week for instance, Clinton got me a couple times really good, so I had the person in charge of wardrobe order all his pants two sizes two small. When he was getting ready he kept saying, 'You know these are cut really weird, these are not fitting correctly.'  He laughed, "It happens all the time and we really do have a good time with each other."

Michael makes his Grandma's Risotto on The Chew

We then moved the conversation to a bit of the person behind the persona side of these interviews, discussing his relationship with his wife, Lizzie and his home life. "We met in the restaurant business back in 1990 and we opened Lola about 17 years ago. My favorite thing I ever do is cooking dinner for Lizzie and my family and friends, just making a meal at home. There's nothing more enjoyable than that." I asked about his hectic schedule and how the two of them balance it and their personal life. "It's like anything else, you get used to it. It's all about the people around me. I am fortunate to have folks around me that I've been working with some 20+ years now. Liz is with me

at all times, no matter where we are. We go back to Cleveland every weekend. We shoot Tuesday through Thursday then we head back to Cleveland.

I asked him to describe a typical day off for America's Favorite Chef. "I'm an early riser," he offered, "so I'm up usually by 5:30am. I head out and putz around the garden for about two hours or so, then I'll head out on the Harley to the gym, get a quick workout in and hopefully sneak in 18 holes of golf. After that I head back home about 1 or 2 o'clock and see what Lizzie wants for dinner and we hang out the rest of the day, me, Lizzie, Kyle and the dogs. I asked him "What's usually for dinner?" and he said "Well Lizzie is a vegetarian so oddly enough, being the meat chef, and I do eat a ton of meat, a lot of days I'll cook a vegetarian meal for both of us. The good thing is that with Lizzie being vegetarian, it always keeps me balanced."

I then asked Michael for the most important advice he would give to someone looking to make cheffing a career. "Be humble," he answered immediately, "learn something new everyday and don't be afraid of hard work because if there is one profession that truly rewards the hardest worker, it's this one." I followed up asking his advice to young culinary students. "I went to culinary school to be a chef and only a chef and maybe someday, own my own restaurant. If you're going to culinary school to be a chef , be a chef. Forget being on TV," he warned. "If you're angle is to be on TV, then you should go to school for the arts and learn to cook along the way" He also offered some advice to the aspiring home cook who wants to up their game in the kitchen. "Learn the techniques, not the particular recipes. If you learn the techniques, then you can make any recipe and make it your own."

I then turned the questions to a subject we both have in common; Our love. respect and admiration for Chef Jacques Pepin. Michael's has been quoted as saying that Jacques has been the most influential TV chef of all time. I asked him to expound on that a bit. "The thing that I love about Jacques is every time you watch him on TV, you learn something. From that, he has still made it entertaining and fun. More so than all those things, he is one of the most humble, caring people you'll ever come across." I can attest to this. A few years ago, after sitting with Jacques and casually discussing food and cheffing over coffee, he suddenly invited me to spend the day with him and have lunch at the International Culinary Center in New York City. Little ol me! Truly a bucket list moment for me. I asked Michael if he had a personal anecdote about he and Jacques that impacted his life.

"I was really lucky." he stated, "I was the executive chef of a restaurant called Giovanni's in Cleveland. I was 24. Jacques was in town and I got a call from his culinary producer, Susie Heller, whom I knew, and she told me she was bringing Jacques and Julia (Child) in for dinner." He laughed, "Lou, I was literally a trembling mess. I went out after the meal to say hello and he said, 'I loved the meal. I loved it because it was so simple.' I'll always remember that and it's always how I've tried to cook. Clean and simple. I remember he had a veal chop with morel mushrooms" It was immediately obvious in that statement that this was a special moment for Michael and I remarked to him that I thought it telling that even 22 years later, he remembered the evening and exactly what he prepared as if it were yesterday. Cool story.

As we finished up I asked him one last question pertaining to the Fabulous Food Show held each November in Cleveland and the place where I first met him. As it his Michael's hometown, it seems a special show for him. Invariably as we sit backstage in the talent's Green Room as it were, which has the talent trailers, lounging area with food and so forth, it seems Michael's entire family comes to visit. I have met his mom, dad, aunts uncles and cousins as they've enjoyed these small family reunions. I asked him what's so special about doing the show. "I think that because of the size of it you really get to interact with the people that come to it. Though it's a big show, it has a very intimate homey feel to it. It has a warm Mid-West feel to it. I just think it's a special show. And, Lou, anytime you can do a show and your mom can come see you from 10 minutes away, it's a good show."

It's seems there is no slowing down for this driven, dynamic chef. Michael revealed that he has a new show debuting on Food Network, Friday July 10th, but that was all he could share. Long-standing contractual clauses containing stiff penalties for disclosing specifics regarding any Food Network shows in production remain in force.

Cleveland's Iron Chef says he will continue co-hosting his popular ABC-TV daytime show, The Chew. His most recent Food Network series, All-Star Academy, in which he mentored a team of home cooks while vying against star chefs Bobby Flay, Alex Guarnaschelli and Curtis Stone, just concluded.

To connect with Michael, visit his website, www.michaelsymon.com or connect with him via social media on Twitter: @chefsymon, Facebook; Michael D. Symon and Instagram: @chefsymon
Michael also has a series of cookbooks, t-shirts, hats and more, all available here: Cookbooks and more....

I hope you've enjoyed reading this brief glimpse inside the world of Chef Michael Symon as much as I did bringing it to you!

Until next time, 

Bon Appetit, 

Lou

History & Origins of The Florida Keys & The Conch Republic

For centuries, The Keys have been the crossroads for pirates, writers, artists and bon vivants from Cuba, France, England and the United States. The cuisine has become a melding of all of these influences and combined with the abundance of fresh fish, shellfish as well as tropical fruits and vegetables, has given the keys its distinctive Floribbean moniker. Check out this article about Keys Cuisine here. Say 'The Keys' and most people immediately envision turquoise waters, white sandy beaches and palm trees blowing in the trade-winds. The phrase tropical party comes to mind.

Taking it back a bit further, I'd like to explore the very origins of life on the Keys and that means going back to the year 1513 and Ponce de Leon. He named the Keys, Los Martirs, the martyrs, and Spain's influence, while using the keys as a landmark in ferrying gold and silver back to Sapin, is still felt today.

When the first Spanish explorers approached the Florida shores in the 16th century as they searched for rumored gold and eternal youth, a number of native Indian tribes had long resided throughout the peninsula and on its surrounding islands. The southernmost regions were dominated by the Tequestas and the Calusas, who thrived on the abundance provided by the sea and the rich coastal lands.

Like the other early Florida tribes, the Tequestas and Calusas eventually disappeared with the coming of Western civilization and its accompanying diseases and conquering spirit. Some of the void was filled by other natives, Creek Indians who slowly moved into the southern states. They were neither welcomed nor beloved by the European and American settlers. They came to be called "Seminoles", a name perhaps corrupted from the Spanish word cimarron, meaning wild or from the Creek words ishti semoli, meaning wildmen, outlanders or separatists.

One contemporary chronicler of explorer Ponce de Leon, observing the chain of islands on the horizon, said they appeared as men who were suffering; hence they were given the name Los Martires or "the martyrs." No one knows exactly when the first European set foot on one of the Keys, but as exploration and shipping increased, the islands became prominent on nautical maps. The nearby treacherous coral reefs claimed many actual seafaring "martyrs" from the time of early recorded history. The chain was eventually called "keys", also attributed to the Spanish, from cayos, meaning "small islands."

In 1763, the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in a trade for the port of Havana. The treaty was unclear as to the status of the Keys. An agent of the King of Spain claimed that the islands, rich in fish, turtles and mahogany for shipbuilding, were part of Cuba, fearing that the English might build fortresses and dominate the shipping lanes. The British also realized the treaty was ambiguous, but declared that the Keys should be occupied and defended as part of Florida. The British claim was never officially contested. Ironically, the British gave the islands back to Spain in 1783, to keep them out of the hands of the United States, but in 1821 all of Florida, including the necklace of islands, officially became American territory.

In the early 1900's, travel between many of these islands was only possible by boat. A modern pioneer, Henry Morrison Flagler, claims responsibility for providing the first civilized access to the Keys. He dreamed of extending the Florida East Coast Railway from Homestead to Key West. His dream was realized in 1912, after years of extreme physical hardship for the engineers and laborers who designed and built it.

After the 1935 Labor Day hurricane destroyed the railroad, it was replaced by the Overseas Highway in 1938. The highway has since been widened and modernized and now more than 40 bridges connect these islands, like a Caribbean necklace, for more than 126 miles.

Though most of the Florida Keys remained remote and inaccessible until well into the 20th century, their history glitters with romantic tales of pirates, fortunes gleaned from unfortunate shipwrecks, brief heydays for several island cities, struggling pioneer farmers and occasional military occupation. Huh? Military Occupation? Really? Read on...

The Conch Republic: 

(excerpts are from the Brief History, on the official website of the Conch Republic):

"The Conch Republic was established by secession of the Florida Keys from the United States of America, on April 23rd, 1982 in response to a United States Border Patrol Blockade setup on highway U.S.1 at Florida City just to the north of the Florida Keys. This heinous act effectively isolated Keys Citizens from the U.S. mainland since the blockade was on our only land artery to and from the mainland. This roadblock portrayed Keys residents as non-U.S. citizens who had to prove their citizenship in order to drive onto the Florida mainland! Hardly an American thing to do!

We protested! A totally American thing to do! Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow along with a few other 'key' Conchs, went to Federal court in Miami to seek an injunction to stop the federal blockade, but to no avail. Upon leaving the Federal Court House , on the court house steps , Mayor Wardlow announced to the world, by way of the assembled TV crews and reporters, that ; "Tomorrow at noon the Florida Keys will secede from the Union!"

At noon, on the day of secession, at Mallory Square in Key West Florida, Mayor Wardlow read the proclamation of secession and proclaimed aloud that the Conch Republic was an independent nation separate from the U.S. and then symbolically began the Conch Republic's Civil Rebellion by breaking a loaf of stale Cuban bread over the head of a man dressed in a U.S. Navy uniform. After one minute of rebellion, the now, Prime Minister Wardlow turned to the Admiral in charge of the Navy Base at Key West, and surrendered to the Union Forces, and demanded 1 Billion dollars in foreign aid and War Relief to rebuild our nation after the long Federal siege!

Thus began the Conch Republic journey, which still continues today! We are both Conchs and we are Americans and we are proud to be both. By act of Congress we hold dual citizenship as Conchs and as Americans and will fight for the right to be both!

Contrary to recent reports, the name "Conch Republic" refers to "all"of the Florida Keys, or, that geographic apportionment of land that falls within the legally defined boundaries of Monroe County Florida, northward to "Skeeter's Last Chance Saloon" in Florida City, Dade County Florida, with Key West as the Nation's Capitol and all territories north of Key West being referred to as "The Northern Territories." Be it known that these boundaries were established by the U.S. Government when they set up "THE" Border Patrol blockade in front of "Skeeter's Last Chance Saloon", in April of 1982, thereby establishing a new United States border!

To enforce the validity of our secession, the Monroe County Commission, in 1994, by unanimous vote, did pass a County Resolution recognizing Mayor Wardlow's actions, on the 23rd of April in 1982, as by, of and for the people of the Florida Keys.

The Conch Republic's Official Position

The Conch Republic has it's own Passports, and has had citizens and Diplomats received by thirteen Caribbean countries, Mexico, Sweden, Russia, France, Spain, Ireland and Germany. The Conch Republic has Conch-sulates in Switzerland, Havana, Maine and New Orleans.

The Conch Republic has as its stated Foreign Policy, "The Mitigation of World Tension through the Exercise of Humor." As the world's first "Fifth World" country, we exist as a "State of Mind," and aspire only to bring more Warmth, Humor and Respect to a planet we find in sore need of all three.

The Conch Republic has conch-ceived several World Firsts. We are the first country in the world to require its citizens to obey local customs as well as laws. The Conch Republic is the world's first functioning Meritocracy whereby anyone that sees a job that needs doing can do it, and be recognized in that position. We are the first country to recognize the conch-cept of the "World Principle of Human Rights and Ambitions," because what are rights without the ability to realize ambitions?

We celebrate our Independence annually in a "public and notorious manner" during a ten day Conch Republic Independence Celebration which is held in April of every year."

For more information, conch-tact: The Honorable Sir Peter Anderson, at: Office of the Secretary General P.O. Box 658, Key West, FL/CR 33041 - 6583 Phone: 305-296-0213, FAX: 305-296-8803

Bon Appetit,

Lou

Sources: www.florida-keys.fl.us Florida-Keys.com, wikipedia.org, conchrepublic.com, conchrepublicrestaraurant.com