Adam is the man behind The Amateur Gourmet blog and the book of the same name. He’s been blogging since 2004! Adam lives in Brooklyn, NY with his partner Craig.

Well I “had” the video posted, but looks like they still have quite a few things to work out there at Food2. The Flash video code they gave for embedding didn’t have playback controls in the Flash window – which meant you couldn’t play the movie.  Ooops.

Here’s a link to the video on their site: http://www.food2.com/videos?view=video&vid=226

Marc’s recipe is simple. Follow 6,6,1,1,1.

6 cups flour
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Water
1 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

I love how he uses carving fork to get his pasta out of the pan! I guess I might do that too if I didn’t have tongs or something…

Apple had a Black Friday sale going on and there was a new iPhone case that caught my attention. It was on sale today for $7.00 off retail. It’s the new Griffin Clarifi. This sleek iPhone case is in black and has a removable bottom for docking. 

One of the biggest gripes I had about my iPhone was the inability to take good food shots for the blog. All the photos I would take would be blurry because I was too close to the food. But what makes the Clarifi special is the slide lens that gives your iPhone camera a macro lens. You slide over the lens and you get crisper pictures for close-up shots.

With this lens, my pics are better and show more detail at a closer distance. Below are two examples of before and after shots.

These were taken in low light at a height of about 4 inches from the food. Retail of Griffin’s Clarifi is $34.00 available at all Apple Stores and where Griffin Products are sold.

For example, here in California there is a Proposition on the ballot in regards to animal cruelty in regards to farm animals. Proposition 2 is a modest measure that stops cruel and inhumane treatment of animals, ending the practice of cramming farm animals into cages so small the animals can’t even turn around, lie down or extend their limbs. Better farming practices yields better crops and food. Even if you don’t live in California, whatever decision happens in our State will surely have ripples throughout the rest of the country. 

For more information on Proposition 2 visit: Yes on Prop 2

Other states may have food taxes on the ballot. Examine what the tax money is being used for and if a food tax makes sense in your area. 

Now the Gourmet series of knives is made from laser stamped steel and not forged from a single piece of high-carbon steel. That’s why the price is not as high as say their Classic line which can cost almost as much as 1.5 to 2.0x the cost of the Gourmet series. What’s the difference? In my opinion, choosing a knife should be a very personal experience. For most home cooks,  a knife in the Gourmet series is probably perfect – not too heavy, easy to maintain, “classic” styling of their sibling the Classic series. For the more serious home cook and professionals, the choice is clear. A balanced, forged piece is desired. Much more care goes into the care and upkeep of a high-carbon steel knife. Always wash by hand, never in the dishwasher. You should hone your knife with a steel and only get your knives sharpened maybe once or twice a year.

TIP: When buying a knife, you should always have the opportunity to feel the knife in your hands. This is important. Think of the knife as an extension of your arm. Make sure the weight isn’t too heavy for you. Don’t be afraid to ask if you can try the knife.  While I like Cooking.com, you can’t try the knives. Most Sur La Table locations are willing to let you try the knife and let you hold them. 

While you’re at it, if your Sur La Table has a cooking school in it, sign up for their Knife Skills class. There you can learn how to dice, batonet, mince and much, much more. One knife skills class can turn you from an ok cook to a great cook!