The Book of Schmaltz.
When Donna and I published The Book of Schmaltz as an app for iPads, I never expected it to be published as a book book. (Yes, even though it's called "The Book of.")
And yet, I always knew that would be its most valuable form. The book's muse, for instance, my neighbor Lois Baron, had never even held an iPad, and she's the ideal customer. And I'm lucky my editor at Little, Brown thought publishing an actual book was a good idea, too. Tomorrow, The Book of Schmaltz is officially released as a book book.
David Leite wrote this about the app when it came out.
Max Gross wrote about the book in this weekend's New York Post. (Though I must take issue with the use of "grease" in the headline. Schmaltz is a fat and is delicious to cook with and to eat. Grease is something that floats in the air and gums up kitchen surfaces. Grease is bad. That's why restaurants have grease traps.)
Fat is good, and schmaltz—chicken fat rendered with onion—is one of the best fats you can use.
The Book of Schmaltz is truly a love song to a forgotten fat, as the subtitle says.
Pre-order it any of the following sites:
If you liked this post, take a look at these links:
- My recent post: Q & A with Forrest Pritchard.
- The other books I have written.
- A few of my recipes from The Book of Schmaltz that appeared on Epicurious.com.
- Don't forget about my upcoming events this fall.
© 2013 Michael Ruhlman. Photo © 2013 Donna Turner Ruhlman. All rights reserved.
This is why I love to explore! I found you on Twitter and now I am visiting this lovely site. I have never heard of schmaltz before. Now I am intrigued and can't wait to see how you have used it and want to use it in my own kitchen. Thanks.
Congrats!!!
Love the App, but please make this available as a Kindle book as well (if possible). I love being able to read on my Kindle, iPad, iPhone and computer and keep track of where I am regardless of platform.
Also: Please find another way for us to get "The ever popular CIA Side Towels". Love them and mine are wearing thin but Opensky says they aren't available any longer.
Great news! I was introduced to the wonderful world of schmatlz through you and this site, so it's exciting to know it'll reach even more! Spread the word!
Thank you all! (And Marc, we're working on those towels!)
Congrats on the book!
While I'm here, does anyone know the best way to get rosemary flavor onto/into chicken breast? I have read about brushing with infused oil with a rosemary sprig, etc., but nothing looks like it would add more than cursory rosemary flavor. I'm looking to really get a strong rosemary taste, not just a 'hint.'
Again, congrats, Michael.
Incidentally, I did have a "schmaltz trap" in the kitchen. I had to take it out since it was filling up with grease... ; )
Phineas - You can put minced rosemary and a little bit of salt on the breast a day ahead of time. (Judy Rodgers does this for roasts in the Zuni cookbook.) This should both season the meat and pull the rosemary flavor into the meat. (I like to use thyme too.)
When I roast a whole chicken, I like to make an oily "pesto" of rosemary, thyme, etc, and put it between the skin and the meat. A day ahead if I can, otherwise early the same day. You can use a spoon, facing the meat, to push it around, and "massage" through the skin to even it out a little.
Alternately, if you want a moister breast, you can brine the breast. The Ad Hoc cookbook should have a good brine recipe and probably has times for a breast. I regularly use the pork brine from that book, but I haven't tried the chicken yet. If you want a stronger flavor, you can increase the amount of rosemary.
phineas, steve is correct. salt helps infuse flavor. try my rosemary brine in ruhlman's twenty. works great.
Thank you both, Gentlemen. I will DEFINITELY try your suggestions. I had no idea of the effect of salt in the infusion process--but I certainly will never forget it now. Thank you both again for indulging my question. I will let you know if I am successful.
I just included this web site to help my feed reader, wonderful items. Can not get more than enough!