Tastemakers/Odawa Casino Resort, Cooking Show live/Glogg

Jan. 13, 2008

Odawa Casino Resort: Cooking Show Live

Odawa Casino Resort F&B Director Michael Bodjiak spent 12 years in New Orleans. Between working at a casino and owning his own restaurant, he spent a great deal of time preparing and eating Creole cuisine. He wants to share his expertise with Northern Michiganders, so he is starting what he hopes will be a bi-monthly program called The Cooking Show Live!
The first show will take place inside the Casino’s Ovation Hall in Petoskey, January 19 at 2 p.m. and will focus on “Creole cooking direct from the Bayou.” Participants will be seated at tables while Bodjiak hosts and coordinates his team of chefs in preparing five classic menu items, while camera crews project everything on large screens.
Those in attendance will receive a sampling of Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo, Crawfish Etouffee, Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy, Blackened Chicken with Penne Pasta and White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Fresh Raspberry Coulis, as well as a recipe booklet to prepare everything at home. In addition, Bodjiak will offer a history of New Orleans and its cuisine. He is modeling The Cooking Show Live! after what one would view on The Food Network, and promises that the event will be entertaining and informative.
With Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras fast approaching, or if you have ever thought of tackling Creole cuisine but were concerned with some of its complexities, this program is for you. Bodjiak is not sure what the class will be but has also launched the Sage Culinary School, a two day cooking intensive that will take place on Monday and Tuesday January 28–29, 2008. For additional details on these upcoming cooking programs, contact The Sage Restaurant at the Odawa Casino Resort at (231)-344-4420 or www.odawacasino.com

Glögg (Mulled Wine)

The warming temperatures from last week appear to be gone, and winter is back upon us. With all the winter outdoor activities available in Northern Michigan, it is important to have something to take the chill off. In the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, a popular winter warmer upper was developed hundreds of years ago: Glögg.
Also known as mulled or hot-spiced wine, this beverage is perfect for helping to take off the chill after a day outside in snow. I make some before going out to snowblow the driveway to enjoy when I get back in; I also like to make some about an hour before guests arrive for a party. It gives your home a wonderful warming aroma.
The great thing about Glögg is that it may be made with or without alcohol in the final product. To keep the alcohol, simply heat the mulled wine till it is warm (do not boil). To eliminate the alcohol, bring to a boil for a few minutes until the alcohol has dissipated. There are several recipes; the secret is to experiment until you find what you like the best. Red wine is considered the base ingredient, but several local wineries use white wine at their tasting rooms. I like to use a local bottle of Pinot Noir, adding cloves, cardamom and a cinnamon stick in a tea bag. To kick things up I will add a couple of shots of Black Star Farms’ Cherry Brandy and some molasses.
If you have leftovers, simply refrigerate, and you may microwave a mug of it later. So get off the couch, get outside, and enjoy what we have up here - and make sure you have some local Glögg waiting for you as a reward.
The red wine Glögg goes great by the fire with a slice of strawberry-rhubarb pie from the Grand Traverse Pie Company. If you make white wine Glögg (add Black Star Farms’ Apple Brandy), pair it with an organic apple pie from the Ware Farm in Bear Lake. Most local wineries sell pre-made mulling spice bags to simplify the process, and some wineries even have pre-made bottles of spiced wine.