Scott Griffiths
CEO - 18/8 Fine Men's Salons
Professor - Grazadio School of Business and Management -
Pepperdine University
The University of California Irvine - Chief Executive Roundtable
Member - Luxury Council / Board - The Surf Heritage Foundation
If you believe as I do that life is something special and becomes more special when we squeeze as much nectar from it as possible…then this site is for you.
If you know that to be curious is to be interested, and to be interested is to be interesting; and if you believe that education comes from books and your experiences... then this site is for you.
If you enjoy the arts, cooking, and excellent foods; if you appreciate a handmade super-180 suit, a fine 25 year old Macallan’s with a vintage Cohiba; if you travel to other countries to learn their languages and cultures; and if you believe that business is what you create and build, not just what you manage…then this site is for you.
Along with my team and our readers, I will be posting interesting, intriguing, and useful articles on art, wine, spirits, travel, restaurants, and grooming, along with great recipes for guys and features exploring the subject of renaissance men. This site is for you as interesting and intriguing men…and men on the path to becoming more interesting and intriguing...
In our newest column, Alexa will be offering the advice you need to become an 18/8 man; that man who is well-versed and cultured, who knows how to impress and captivate a smart woman, and who wants to be the best that he can be.
Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent has had much success at the helm of the iconic beverage company, but as he moves forward, he must keep up with the ever-evolving consumer.
In a recent column for the BBC, Kent cites five global mega trends from a Consumer Goods Forum report on the “Future Value Chain,” and stresses how fundamentally important they are to the future of retail and consumer goods:
- Mass urbanization — Movement to cities is causing logistical issues for retailers and consumer goods companies
- An aging population — There are opportunities here, since older consumers have more disposable income
- The rise of the global middle class — This is a massive growth opportunity, but there will also be stresses on resources
- People care about sustainability — Now, being green has become “simply smart business”
- Technology is changing expectations — It’s all about the digital shopping experience
So, what’s an exec to do?
“Over the next decade, success or failure for consumer goods companies and retailers will be measured by the speed and thoroughness with which we’re able to adapt to change at all levels - global, national, local and personal,” writes Kent in the column.
Sounds easy enough, but adaptation requires more than just awareness of trends. It’s going to be about execution too. Companies need the organizational structure, culture and leadership to stay flexible and deal with rapid change.
Chef Brannon Soileau of The Culinary Institute of America explains that it’s easy to make a moist, delicious pot roast from an inexpensive cut like a shoulder blade or bottom round — you just need to braise the meat. (Braising means to cook a tough cut of meat in a liquid for a long period of time.) To begin, he starts with a trimmed and tied shoulder blade and, after seasoning it with salt and pepper, sears the meat in a minimal amount of fat in a very hot pan. The idea here is to develop a beautiful brown crust and also create a fond, which is the browned material at the bottom of the pan that will form the flavor base for the gravy. Once all sides are browned, he removes the roast and examines the fat at the bottom of the pan. If it’s burnt, discard and start with new fat. If it’s golden, you’re fine to continue to the next step, which is adding roughly chopped celery, carrots, and onions.
Chef Soileau caramelizes the vegetables, stirring frequently, then adds tomato paste and cooks it until it turns darker in color. He adds red wine to deglaze the pan and simmers the mixture until it becomes nice and thick. Here’s where you can add garlic if you like it — chef Soileau adds three whole cloves. He returns the roast to the pan and adds stock 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up the roast. (He uses veal, but beef stock will work well, too.) After adding a bay leaf to season the meat, he covers the pan with a tight-fitting lid and places it in a 350-375F oven for 3 hours. Every 15 minutes, he turns the meat to ensure that all surfaces are making contact with the liquid. The goal is a fork-tender roast. Once you achieve that, remove the roast from the liquid, cut off the strings and let the meat rest while making the gravy.
To make the gravy, skim off any grease with a ladle, then place the pan over medium heat and add a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with cold water). The ratio is generally 1 oz to 1 quart of liquid. The gravy will thicken quickly. Once it’s at the consistency you like, serve it with your roast.
For 60 years, The Culinary Institute of America has been setting the standard for excellence in professional culinary education. In this video series, experienced chefs and educators show you how to tackle essential cooking techniques.
Read more: http://www.kitchendaily.com/2010/11/16/how-to-braise-a-pot-roast/#ixzz1qSFHys4s
