I submitted the Fred's Fluffy Pancakes. What fun this is. This is another comment:
Thanks for letting me give it away, and take it away from the other "modest" chefs. Long ago someone told me the simplest definition of "chef": Someone who creates a dish that is subsequently copied by others, the highest tribute, eh?

Lenny I adore you. Come cook pancakes for ME!

In regards to maria's comment from above- is cooking a dying art- I say yes, part of what is pre historic is cleaning up- It is the work of shopping, then cooking then cleaning- so yes it is in a way.

My Recipe is what to do with the ubiquitous rice left over from Chinese take-out: hence “ Many Beautiful Surprises Fried Rice” This recipe may be adopted to any protein level or vegetable, it may be adopted to any ethnicity as well. All ingredients are suggestions depending on what’s in the fridge.
First fry an onion and some celery (including the leaves) in a large saucepan. Add chopped vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower , frozen peas etc.
Ad leftover rice from Chinese take-out moisten with water, soy sauce, chicken stock , miso, etc. You can add a scrambled egg if you wish.
Add salt and pepper to taste- Add your cooked protein ( also in leftover form) Chicken, fish, tofu, tempe ( try seasoning tempe with barbeque sauce and lime) or beans. That’s it- I sometimes add curry during the onion frying, for a Mexican feel add cilantro, peppers, tomatoes and chiles, for a feminine touch add beets and the rice will turn pink!

My best NY recipe comes from when I lived in Midwood. Mexicans ran the closest of many bagle places. I discovered that chipotles in adobo sauce are a match made in heaven for bagels with cream cheese.

My barbecue starts with my hot sauce.

20+ habenaros
4 cloves garlic
3 cups white vinegar or 2/3 volume of the blender

Liquefy the ingredients with the blender and refrigerate. It will keep for 6 months or more. Use for marinating meat.
Josh

Josh

It's 12:50 pm and I haven't had breakfast yet and I just watched that video and I must say, those pancakes look DELICIOUS!!!! I will definitely print up the recipe and make it, soon! (Can't do it right now...)
It was fun to watch you in the kitchen, Leonard. Love the show!(s).
Thank you!!!

Please no more cook or chef interviews, so damn boring and they offer nothing relevant. It's just food for Christ's sake.

Leonard, please spend more time interviewing people that actually do things that matters to the world.

I work in nyc but live in the Poconos. I commute 6 hrs every day but still cook dinner every night at home. People think I'm crazy but I think I'm a product of my heritage...an italian serving a frozen meal?? Never.

But I find a lot of people no longer cook, or they make all pre-packaged, prepared food. Is cooking from scratch a dying art?

Lots of people think that being a chef in a restaurant is a romantic occupation. Can you talk about how much work it is to cook for large crowds?

Coming from Mexico my enchiladas have really evolved and now they have a New York twist... I discovered the magical taste of Feta Cheese found in New Jersey's dinners and now it makes for a perfect ingredient to those famous enchiladas.

I'm sorry...but there is very little real barbecue in New York...ex-pats will tell you this, real New Yorkers don't know. Dinosaur in Harlem's pretty good...but the Dallas BBQs are terrible.

...sorry "second or third re-invention."

Your guest mentioned getting serious and making the decision to become a chef. How old was he when he made this decision and was it a second of third re-invention for him in his working life?

I want to recommend the book, The Taste Culture Reader, this book is chock full of fascinating incite into food and culture.

Coming from Atlanta, GA, food has meant a lot to me because it is the one thing I can really define about "my" culture.

Food is so important, as I learned in the taste culture reader, because it is something that one puts inside their body, it is both personal and public.

Why doesn't Leonard serve butter with his pancakes. Is it for health reasons (blah!!!), or did he not grow up with butter on his table?

What a nice clean kitchen!