Hey V Fans,

We have a lot of juicy stuff for this week's update, so get ready for your Voltaggio fix!

First up, a fan blog called My Last Bite features a big, fat story about Michael's demo for Williams-Sonoma. Read all about it HERE.

And for all you Top Chef (and Master Chef) lovers out there, guess what? There's accompanying cookbooks for each! Now you too can be a top/master/amazing/guru/king chef in your very own kitchen! The article also goes on to give the recipe for Michael V's Apple Sorbet. (yum)

And for our general foodies who live in LA, feast your gourmand eyes on this Taste of Beverly Hills wrap up HERE.

Television Without Pity does a great job wrapping up Top Chef's last episode. That's right! Click HERE for it!

And last but decidedly not least, Michael V uses his new found partnership with Williams-Sonoma to get all of YOU discounts! Click HERE if you want his favorite Vitamix Blender on the cheap! I mean, ya know, "cheap."

Enjoy, everyone!

Hey Guys!

Tired of not having an answer at-the-ready for folks who ask what your favorite packaged hot dog is? I KNOW! It's been a living nightmare! But fortunately, Bryan Voltaggio and a trio of other Top Cheffers have done all the hard work for us, and decided on their favorite dog of all dogs! Whew.

Bryan 'n friends agree that Omaha Steaks offer up the juiciest, plumpest, snappiest dog out there! This "high end" dog is available at a couple of locations, but otherwise, get yours at Omaha Steaks.com.

Read the whole article, including their choices for runner's up, right HERE. What's your favorite dog?

Dog lovers - rejoice!

-Audie

Hey Guys!

I know you've all been tooooootally wanting to work on your Kofta skills, right? Me too. And fortunately, Michael has a simple tutorial on making the most scrumptious Lamb Kofta. The only fancy-schmancy ingredient you'll need is a few lemongrass stalks, but otherwise, this is a very user-friendly recipe.

Watch his cumin-laden video HERE.

If you're inspired by this Mediterranean delight, let us know if you try making it at home. And we always love photos!

Thanks, all!

-Audie

Hey Guys!

MICHAEL VOLTAGGIO HAS TURNED VEGETARIAN!!!

Totally kidding.

He's still a flesh-eating carnivore of the highest order. However, one of his vegetarian dishes really stayed with restaurateur, chef and head judge of Top Chef, Tom Colicchio. Read about Tom's lingering longing for Michael's unexpectedly delicious Banana Asparagus Risotto HERE.

Oh, and as a bonus, here are some more words and pictures about the Voltaggio's visit to the Aspen Food and Wine Classic. Thanks, Eater.com.

Enjoy!

-Audie

Hey Guys!

Is the menu for your Saturday night dinner party a little lackluster? Well, today's your lucky day! Enter Bryan Voltaggio's Maryland Crab Cake recipe! His version of the crab cake is soft and slightly loose - perfect as a nibble before your main course, or better yet, as the main course.

Serve these little babies warm, with a dollop of mayonnaise.

Bryan Voltaggio's Maryland Crab Cakes

Makes 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound crab meat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup crushed cracker meal
3 spring onions (green and white parts), finely minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 tsp salt
3 drops Tabasco sauce
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp garlic minced
Wondra flour mixed with:
1/2 cup extra cracker meal for coating
1 cup canola oil

STEPS:

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except for Wondra flour, extra cracker meal and the canola oil.

Using a pastry cutter, mold the crab cakes into desired size, and coat with the mixture of Wondra flour and cracker meal.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about four to five minutes.

Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about four minutes.

As always, we'd love to hear if you tried making these sweet and savory cakes at home and how they turned out - and we always love photos!

Have a great, crab cake-filled weekend, everyone!

-Audie

I wanted to take a moment to address the horrific BP oil spill. At VOLT, there have been a lot of questions and comments surrounding how the spill will affect seafood. I have fielded several calls from guests, media, and peers about how it has affected our menu.

I am currently not purchasing gulf fish or shellfish for the menu and was not leading up to the event. However, I have been keeping a close watch as to how this may impact the way guests choose their seafood. The largest consumed product associated with the Gulf waters that finds its way to our plates is shrimp. A favorite during summer months, however I learned only 7% of what Americans consume is harvested from the gulf. I have been using a local source for shrimp in the restaurant - Marvesta Shrimp Farm. They are located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in Hurlock and have been a great source for sustainable product. I am waiting for Marvesta Shrimp farm to open back up their operation; they slowed production in order to improve the farm in order to gain a green rating from Monterey Bay Aquarium for sustainability. But once production resumes, I will be working with them to bring shrimp back on the menu.
 
Another large concern that I was recently made aware of was that this spill could and likely will greatly impact the summer spawning season for Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna. They spawn in the deep waters off the Gulf Coast near where the disastrous spill occurred. The population of this fish is already highly threatened and this could add more stress to the re population of the Tuna. Between now and then I will not be adding Gulf Fish and Shellfish to my summer menu. With all of the obvious concerns that are associated with such a disaster, be sure you are asking all the right questions of your local fishmonger.

Good luck, everyone.

Cheers.

-Bryan