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An Acquired Taste Recipe

Written by Chuck Ortiz
Photographed by Greg Washington

EAT FISH. Why? Because fish is high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega 3 fatty acids, and can reduce some problems associated with PMS, memory loss, cardiovascular functions, colon cancer, and stroke. Not too bad eh…

The weather is kick ass right now so you’ll find that your taking way more trips to the cottage. If you’re big into fishing, you know that this is the perfect opportunity to catch some beautiful rainbow trout. Not only is rainbow trout a terrific game fish, but it makes one heck of a meal. What makes this fish so amazing is that it has beautiful meat similar to that of a salmon. This makes it a delicacy and a favorite of fisherman all across Canada. Enjoy.

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Acquired Taste: How to Gut & Fillet a Fish.

Words: Chuck Ortiz | Photography: Greg Washington

From sushi, to fish and chips, it’s apparent that a lot of men out there like fish but they don’t know what it takes to prepare it. As you get more familiar with the kitchen you’ll find that you eventually have to get your hands dirty. Fish is one of those tough items to prepare because of what’s involved. This piece will show you how to gut a fresh fish and then fillet it the right way.

(Learn more after the jump.)

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Acquired Taste How To: Cook A Steak On The Stovetop

Words: Chuck Ortiz | Photography: Greg Washington

October to April is a tough time for all men alike because of the six month winter hibernation from the BBQ stand. If you’re a hardcore foodie like myself, you’re more than likely going to grill whether it be sunshine, rain, or snow. But more than likely you’ll opt out of the BBQ offerings and look towards other options. In turn, you find yourself either forking out doe to eat at a good steakhouse or forfeit steak altogether. People have the misconception that you can’t cook a good steak indoors. Not only are we going to show you how to cook a flavorful steak, but one that will rival any steakhouse.

(Learn more after the jump)

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Acquired Taste: How to Open a Bottle of Wine

Words: Chuck Ortiz | Photography: Greg Washington

As our lifestyles start to evolve, so do our tastes. We all can remember a time when chugging a cold brew over a meal made us feel distinguished, but there comes a time when our choices of beverage must mature. Wine is becoming the beverage of choice amongst young professionals and it’s no surprise, since it brings out a more sophisticated feeling when dining out. The only problem is, when those same young professionals entertain at home, the majority of them do not know what wines to pick let alone how to open and serve it. Sometimes the key to maintaining our ever changing lifestyles requires us to learn something new. Opening a bottle of wine is something that not a lot of people know how to do properly, but it’s something that we will eventually  experience, some more than others. The following guide will take you through the steps to properly open a bottle of wine.

(Read more after the jump.)

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Ralph Lauren Paris Store

With the growing sentiment that the fashion industry is slowly climbing out of the global economic funk, Paris will be introduced to another fashion gem this April.  American fashion label, Ralph Lauren is set to open a 13,000 sq. ft. store + restaurant along Boulevard Saint Germain.  What will be one of the largest retail locations under the iconic American name, this former townhouse was transformed to house not only a retail division, but European’s first Ralph Lauren Restaurant, Ralph’s. The store’s inventory will contain all of the men’s and women’s full collections, a dedicated watch salon, Ralph Lauren’s Home Collection and the much acclaimed RRL line.   Source / Link

Acquired Taste: How to Make Effortless Ragu

Words: Chuck Ortiz | Photography: Greg Washington

One of the best starting points when learning how to cook is the pasta dish. It’s versatile, affordable, and most importantly, its great for entertaining.  I honestly can’t remember how many people I’ve taught pasta recipes too, let alone the amount of guys that have impressed women with their newly learned pasta dishes. Regardless if you are using my recipes to score or not, they are definitely worth the look.

This particular recipe is a quick and easy take on the age old “Ragu” sauce.  Although my rendition uses slightly different ingredients from what’s traditional, it still produces a great tasting meal that’s timeless.

(Read more after the jump.)

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Acquired Taste: How to Cut an Onion

Words: Chuck Ortiz | Photography: Greg Washington

I’ve seen it all before, cutting an onion under running water, dipping it in milk, and even wearing glasses; just to cut an onion. As simple as it sounds, cutting, slicing, and chopping an onion can be a little tricky.  All you first time cooks out there be honest in how many times you’ve made a mess and even cried while trying to master the onion. The following steps will not only teach you to cut uniformly, but it will save you time and help you hold back the tears.

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Acquired Taste Essentials: Chef’s Knife

Words and Photography by Chuck Ortiz

Essentials is a monthly column for people who are new to the kitchen. Cooking can sometimes be a daunting task, where confusion on how and where to begin can get the best of the novice cook. In our book, before anything else, it all starts with finding the right essential kitchen tools. I’ll give you suggestions on what to buy, where to buy, and why you should buy them over others. Those who have the proper tools are the ones who separate themselves as the good cooks from the one’s who keep on guessing.

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Acquired Taste for Inquiringmind

Photo by Greg Washington

We like to introduce to you to our food contributing editor, Chuck Ortiz. He is a self confessed “foodie” who for more then five years has been directly involved in the restaurant business, operates his own catering service and most recently was nominated to the exclusive Top 30 under 30 list by the OHI (Ontario Hostelry Institute).

He has taken his passion for food and wine and harnessed it under his new online publication titled, Acquired Taste Magazine. His aim for his online publication is to, “serve as a common ground for first time foodies and experienced connoisseurs.”

As a new angle to add to our Inquiringmind banner, each week Chuck Ortiz will be curating unique food content for you, our readers. From cooking, obtaining the right tools, to the basic know how’s in the kitchen, we hope you enjoy these weekly segments from our culinary expert. After all, besides fashion, photography, music and design, we all enjoy good food, don’t we? In the meantime, be sure to make him feel at home and check out what Acquired Taste Magazine has to offer. Link

International Breakfast by Oliver Schwarzwald

France

German photographer, Oliver Schwarzwald, makes the ordinary look extraordinary. With his creativity, patience and keen eye for detail, Oliver’s photos brings new life to everyday food and objects. Here’s his series of the different breakfasts sold in different parts of the world. Source / Link

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