Knives Down, Hands Up: I Judge an Iron Chef-Style Competition at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in D.C.

Secret Ingredients ...

Lightning fast prep work ...

Judging hijinks ... (from left: Josh Gibson, me, and Oren Molovinsky)

Anyone who has ever fantasized about trading places with Padma Lakshmi (guilty) or Tom Colicchio will understand how excited I was when I was invited to be a judge at a live chef-to-chef competition at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian's Living Earth Festival.  My excitement, I must confess, was tempered with a touch of tummy rumbling nervousness, as speaking in front of people is far from my favorite thing to do.  You see, just a couple of weeks prior to the Smithsonian competition,  I  sat in as a judge for another food competition in Baltimore for an Urbanite article, and I was a bit unnerved to have to speak into a microphone and make pronouncements about the dishes - right in front of the chefs.  Gulp.

Three Sisters Fritters: Corn, Fava Beans, and Zucchini Blossoms with Tarragon Butter & Cayenne Yogurt Dipping Sauce

 

What is true "American" food?  This is the question that Casey of Eating, Gardening, & Living in Bulgaria posed recently when she challenged food bloggers to come up with a dish that typifies American cuisine for the 4th of July. ("American" here is referring to the United States, not Mexico or Canada.) Normally, if you ask me about this, I'll tell you that New Orleans is the home of true American cuisine, in that it is a complete system of cooking with a real melting pot of influences: Native American, African, French, Spanish, Caribbean - and doubtless many more.