FOOD

BACK IN THE KITCHEN

John Cassimus Partners With SpyPoint to Create Cooking Series

By Emily Williams-RoBERtshaW

With his new cooking series, Darn Hungry, John Cassimus is not only exploring new challenges, he’s revisiting his roots with a mission to inspire people to create a simple meal that they can be proud of. In the 12-part series, produced by SpyPoint and published on its website, Cassimus hopes to inspire viewers to master simple techniques. He advises learning the basics and then building on those skills, a process that began for him while cooking with his mother in her kitchen. He went on to found the Zoe’s Kitchen franchise with his parents and later to establish the discount retail chain Crazy Cazboy’s. Pushing the limits is a trait of Cassimus’ that he carries into his personal life as well as his professional one. He flies planes, and he has climbed mountains around the world and run a 50-mile ultramarathon. He once bagged a 235-inch mule deer during a 12-hour stalk hunt. A sponsored bow hunter, Cassimus was first introduced to SpyPoint at an archery convention. After speaking with company officials, a SpyPoint representative began following him on social media, where Cassimus tends to post videos of himself playing around in the kitchen. In about September or October, he was tapped to create cooking content for the company’s users and “What you will see followers. “I initially on those shows was was curious done just completely about what that would be like,” blind by me, on Cassimus said. the fly, creating “I really have had an that content in my interest in doing head as I cooked, something on TV (or) the which is extremely internet, and the challenging.” opportunity to have some really high-quality content created to let people see what my potential is was very appealing to me.” Then came the real challenge. Without a crew or producers guiding him, Cassimus created 12 episodes of Darn Hungry. “I knew what recipe I was going to make, but other than that, I did not have any kind of guidance,” he said. “What you will see on those shows was done just completely blind by me, on the fly, creating that content in my head as I cooked, which is extremely challenging.”

Celebrate Day’s End

is a celebration,” he said. “We are lucky to be here.”

Dinner is the big finale after a long day of working and pushing limits, the final punctuation mark on a day well spent.

“Every night, I sit down and eat,” he said. “That’s everything to me and I feel cheated if I don’t have a great meal.”

The act of cooking that meal is a stress reliever.

“I really love the creativity,” he said. “I don’t typically ever use recipes.”

DARN HUNGRY In a new 12-part series, produced by SpyPoint and published on its website, John Cassimus hopes to inspire viewers to master simple techniques.

Childhood Beginnings

Cassimus’ earliest memories in the kitchen were spent watching his mother – Zoe of Zoe’s Kitchen – cook.

While he attributes the vast majority of his culinary knowledge to his mother, he gleaned some additional tips watching famous cooking programs such as The French Chef, featuring Julia Child.

One of his favorite recipes of all time is Greek baked chicken.

“It’s a very simple, traditional meal that is cooked a lot over in Greece,” he said. “It’s just a baked chicken with vegetables, butter and lemon, some oregano, garlic salt and pepper.”

It’s a clean dish, simple and consistently delicious.

“Anyone can execute that perfectly with just a little bit of effort,” he said.

A drive to eat clean is not only a nod to the basics of Greek cuisine, but a hallmark of his life as a passionate outdoorsman.

Some of the meals he especially enjoys today feature the game he has hunted, the food evoking the memory and challenges of the stalk.

“These animals live wild,” he said. “Caring for these animals after they’ve been harvested – how you prepare the meat and letting them age – is kind of like a rite of passage.”

Clean eating is all about the protein for Cassimus. A clean meal features lean meat – fish, chicken, wild game or the occasional cut of beef and pork – paired with vegetables.

Take those ingredients and stick to roasting, baking, grilling or pan-sauteing over frying.

“You don’t need many ingredients,” he said. “Olive oil is critical. Use some lemon juice and some basic spices and then some simple techniques; do not just lather everything with cheese and butter.”

He said all a cook needs to elevate those ingredients is a willingness to learn technique.

Valentine’s Day Advice

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon amid a pandemic, people may choose to cook at home rather than visiting a restaurant.

Cassimus’ suggestion is to keep it simple. Try a light seafood pasta with some scallops or lobster, or grill a nice steak and pair it with a good bottle of wine.

“You don’t really want a lot of food because you are typically going to celebrate with a huge dessert, a lot of chocolates and fun things like that,” he said.

In his first installment of Darn Hungry, Cassimus teaches viewers how to grill the perfect steak and create the perfect steak sauce.

It’s truly about the technique.

“The temperature of the grill is everything and getting comfortable with how that grill works,” he said.

Understand how your grill heats and focus on cooking your meat at low temperatures. With a steak, that involves getting a good sear for a couple of minutes at a high temperature and then letting your grill cool down before finishing it off.

“Sometimes it says 350 degrees,” he said. “It can be a very hot 350 based on if it is a gas grill versus a charcoal grill. Is the charcoal spread evenly?”

When it comes to the science of baking, Cassimus leaves it to the professionals. If he were looking to create a simple Valentine’s Day dessert, he’d go for making a hot chocolate sauce and pouring it over fresh strawberries.

“I think that the most important thing about cooking is that people need to have either an eagerness or a willingness to try,” he said. “It can be very intimidating to people.”

Cassimus hopes his cooking series will leave people enjoying their time in the kitchen rather than dreading it.

“It’ll save you some money, you’ll have a lot of fun with your friends and family and, hopefully one day, teach your kid how to cook like my mom taught me,” he said.

To watch Darn Hungry, visit the Spypoint Trail Cameras YouTube and Facebook pages, or follow on Instagram at @spypointcamera.

Chris Hastings to Host Cook-Along Fundraiser for Friends of BBG

The Friends of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on March 7 will host An Evening With an Expert, featuring chef Chris Hastings, to raise funds for its internship program.

Viewers will get the chance to cook along with the James Beard Awardwinning chef and co-owner of Chris Hastings OvenBird and Hot and Hot Fish Club.

The livestream will begin at 5:30 p.m. The event package includes a shopping list for a three-course dinner designed by Hastings, as well as his recipes, professional tips and recommended wine pairings. There also will be a chance during the livestream to ask questions.

There also will be a VIP package option, which includes a dessert, a select bottle of wine and a Tito’s Handmade Vodka Cocktail Package.

For more information, visit bbgardens.org.

Chopt’s New Summit Location to Open Feb. 24

Chopt Creative Salad Company, a “farm-to-fast-casual” restaurant chain based in New York City, will open its first Birmingham location this month at The Summit.

The new location will celebrate opening day Feb. 24. Chopt will offer salads, wraps and warm bowls. It will have curbside pickup, ordering ahead via app or website and contactless in-store ordering.

In celebration of its opening, Chopt is collaborating with a local partner, The

Exceptional Foundation, which provides social and recreational services to children and adults with special needs.

Chopt will celebrate Chopt Gives Day on Feb. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. All of the digital sales made that day will be donated to The Exceptional Foundation. Chopt Gives donations will apply only on orders placed via the Chopt App or choptsalad.com.

“The Exceptional Foundation is so thankful to Chopt for the opportunity to partner with them as they bring their amazing food to our area. Their mission to build a community around healthy eating ties in perfectly with what our organization is all about,” said Susan Garrett, Exceptional Foundation marketing director. “Chopt’s generous donation as a result of pre-opening day sales will help make a huge difference.”

Chopt combines local seasonal ingredients with authentic flavors from around the world. In addition to its classic and build-your-own salad options, Chopt creates limited-time, seasonal menus.

“We are excited to continue expanding Chopt Creative Salad Co. with the opening of (its) first-ever Birmingham location,” said Chief Marketing Officer Julie Atkinson. “Chopt has grown tremendously over the past few years, and we look forward to continuing to bring our globally inspired food and fresh, natural ingredients to new customers at The Summit.”

Chopt’s hours will be 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information, visit choptsalad.com

‘The Exceptional Foundation is so thankful to Chopt for the opportunity to partner with them as they bring their amazing food to our area ...’

SUSAN GARRETT, EXCEPTIONAL FOUNDATION

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Open Valentine's Day for dinner!

Photo courtesy Chopt To: Jim From: Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Date: May 2015 This is your AD PrOOF from the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for the Nov. 4 2010 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. It's time to enjoy a Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number!night out Please initial and fax back within 24 hours. if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday. We're open inside, Thank you for your prompt attention.

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