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2	Salon Hasblady Guzman and the basis of beauty. read more...
3	Spice The many faces of Chef Lorena Garcia. read more...
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Delicious by Design

When star Chef Lorena Garcia isn’t busy designing new recipes, she is funneling her energy into diverse projects, from a new line of cookware to her own label of wine.

Although they may not help you win a spot on Top Chef or The Next Food Network Star, Chef Lorena Garcia’s pots and pans in delicious hues of fuchsia, lime green and rich red will help your roasts and sauces look TV-ready as they simmer on the stove.
“I wanted to do a line that could be mixed and matched to be used as a whole set or individually,” says Garcia, the founder of Food Café in Miami’s Design District and the latest chef to lend her name to a home line. For the line, Garcia partnered with Belk Department Stores to design and create cookware, tableware, glassware and flatware.
“The colors are a way of representing my personality, my passion. I also wanted the line to be practical, dishwasher safe and inexpensive.”
The cookware is just one of the recent transformations in the chef’s busy professional life. A restaurateur for years, Garcia sold her restaurant Tierra [Earth] and the adjacent convenience store Agua [Water] nearly two years ago, allowing time and space for new projects. But she hasn’t hung up her chef’s whites just yet. Instead, she has turned up the heat on her media ventures, filming more spots of Cocinando con Nestle [Cooking with Nestle] for Univision’s morning show Despierta America, wrapping a whole new season of her Latin American show Sazón con Lorena Garcia, developing recipes for Splenda No Calorie Sweetener and recently concluding a tour around the country with Dreyer’s/Edy’s ice cream’s Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute.
Just when you thought this Venezuelan whirlwind has swept through almost every culinary market, she finds yet another. While you’re serving dinner—which is no doubt based on her TV show segments—in the latest Garcia tableware, why not sip on some Garcia wine as well?
The chef has partnered with Baywood Cellar Winery, which is now bottling distributing a new collection of Chardonnays, Pinot Grigios, Cabernets, Merlots and Pinot Noirs under Garcia’s name. Priced at $10.99 and up, the wines will be initially available in restaurants, wine shops and gourmet food stores before a national roll out later this year.
“My food philosophy hasn’t changed. Food is still how I express myself,” Garcia assures as she attempts to explain the move from restaurateur to brand mogul. “But now I’m trying to fill a void. People don’t want to spend as much time in the kitchen—they want guidance. So why not do a wine that you can cook with, drink with and party with?”
We can’t help but wonder what she’ll think of next.

COLORFULCOOKWARE

This vibrant set of Melamime mixing bowls in bold colors is a perfect example of Lorena Garcia’s playful approach to kitchen tasks. The set of eight nesting bowls makes a bright artistic statement while providing ample space to easily stir, mix and whisk any ingredient. The four-piece Square
Relish Dishes also makes a bold statement. The three dishes of yellow, blue and lime green set on an eye-catching red tray allow for unique presentation of salsa, dips, nuts and more. Garcia has designed several sets of tableware, including this Acrylic flatware with vibrant red handles. Great for casual dining, it comes in a variety of colors. Her dinnerware comes also in a variety of delicious colors, including red, tangerine, blue and lime green. Garcia’s home product line also includes cookware, kitchen tools and linens. Her products are available exclusively at Belk Stores and online.

New York Steak, served with Plantain fries

4, 8-oz New York Strip steaks
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tablet Beef rib flavor bouillon
4 each plantain, pintones,
cut Julienne style
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced parsley
1 bunch baby greens for garnish

Preparation:
In a mid-sized container, place all the seasonings, close lid and shake well. Rub the meat with the mixture and a touch of extra virgin olive oil, and refrigerate for at least two hours. Cook the plantain fries in a deep fat fryer until golden brown. Add chopped garlic and chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Place the New York strip steaks on the grill; cook for few minutes each side until desired temperature. Serve the steak with the plantain fries Provencal. Garnish with baby greens on the side.
Suggested wine pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon
Serves: 4