By Patte Purcell
Gadget Gal Jan Boydstrom of Kitchen Kitchen has introduced an exciting new twist to the Cooking Lesson/Dinner genre with the introduction of the ‘Slim Man Cooks’ events to be held monthly at Kitchen Kitchen located at 74945 HWY 111, Indian Wells, CA. Food and Song, combined with a little humor from the Slim Man himself make this a unique event perfect for a group of 10 or up to 20 people.
I had the pleasure of attending the first monthly event. It was also my first cooking class and I have to say, I learned a lot. It started with some appetizers made by their resident Chef Woody including his amazing bruschetta topped with a special balsamic vinegar, the best I’ve ever tasted. He also gave us a sampling of his Heirloom tomato salad with Crater Lake Vodka sauce. These are 2 of the same appetizers he made for “Jazz Tastings” a concert event I did last January that Kitchen Kitchen sponsored and catered. He also made a variety of fresh breads, flatbreads and some cucumber appetizers, one with tapenade that was crunchy and delicious.
If you are not familiar with National Recording Artist Slim Man, he is a consummate vocalist, composer, musician, and entertainer. He has 12 CDs under “Slim Man” and 2 under his funky instrumental band “Bonafide”. He will be recording a new CD this fall with smooth jazz guitarist Marc Antoine who also produced and recorded his last CD A Thousand Miles Away.
He was nominated for “International Jazz Vocalist of the Year at the Canadian Jazz Awards. He performs at jazz festivals and does concerts all over the country. He was the closing act last year at the Catalina Jazz Trax Festival and was a featured performer at the Temecula Wine and Music Productions by Michael Paulo Productions in May. J.D. Considine of Rolling Stone said of the Slim Man Style “…a near perfect example of how jazz should and can be combined as pop”. He’s been dubbed “the voice of smooth”. He performed at the beautiful Rivera of Palm Springs in the ‘Starlight Lounge” on Sunday with “Slim Dudes” Patrick Ready on drums and Tateng Katindig on keyboards both national caliber musicians who work with the some of the top artists in the smooth jazz industry.
In addition to recording Slim Man is known for his cooking skills in creating “Healthy Italian” dishes.
His menu Monday night included the most beautiful salad made with organic greens and colorful vegetables with Slim Man’s own special balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It was a feast for the eyes and the palate.
His entree was “Slim Scampi” cooked in light sauce made with white wine and slivered garlic with spinach and sun dried tomatoes. He shared tips on how to toast pine nuts, sliver garlic and salt the pasta that add a different twist to the cooking process.
The pasta was delectable and I can’t wait to try it at home. All of Slim’s menus include things you can make in approximately a half hour from start to finish. They are healthy and oh so flavorful.
You finish with feeling full without any sense of heaviness. Slim also shared stories of how he learned his authentic Italian cooking from his uncle from Italy who was a chef and had a discriminating palate. He spent 2 years learning how to cook true Italian from a pro.
While the pasta was cooking, Slim picked up the guitar and sang one of his hits for us. The beautiful “Secrets of Your Heart”. Slim’s humor is dry and he likes to entertain his guests with a few wisecracks here and there.
The event was taped for Jan’s weekly Kitchen Kitchen TV show which airs locally.
“Slim Man Cooks” will be a featured monthly class at Kitchen Kitchen with the next one on Monday, Sept. 30. To book your ticket contact Jan at 760.773.9464. Slim is also available for private parties. His latest CD “Sweet Sixteen” with his top 16 hits as picked by his fans is also available and included with your ticket.
If you’ve never been to Kitchen Kitchen you will be blown away at the selection of kitchen ‘gadgets’ that Jan has to offer. She has the largest selection of the coolest kitchen gadgets you’ll ever see. In addition, she offers a selection of gourmet coffees, exotic jellies and jams and other tasty treats.
Jan also has her own TV show for Kitchen Kitchen and has also done a weekly radio show. Her enthusiastic love of her work is mirrored in every employee in her store. To shop at Kitchen Kitchen is more than shopping…. its entertainment.
She also offers cooking classes and can do private parties. Stop by Kitchen Kitchen to see for yourself and get your seat reserved to experience her latest addition to the roster, “ Slim Man Cooks”.
