RSS Daily FOOD AND WINE

From Fenway To Ashes To Boston College

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

El Pelon is making a comeback! Again. Recall that this hot spot was struck by fire, twice.

Owner Jim Hoben confirms, telling us that the second coming of El Pelon is set to open in mid-March at 2197 Commonwealth. "Right now, we have about three weeks of construction left and then some final permitting. Everything will be exactly the same: same menu, same prices, same vendors, same employees, we even managed to save some of the decor from the wreckage."

The official El Pelon site has not yet confirmed. But believe it. There is an El Guapo burrito in my future.

Thanks to John Liu for the tip.

Turkey Tomato Panini 500Calorie Menu

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Turkey & Tomato Panini 500-Calorie Menu

<a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/shop"><img width="30" class="left" src="/sites/default/files/images/shop30-500-Calorie.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/shop"> Buy the book now, EatingWell 500-Calorie Dinners.</a> A creamy spread full of Parmesan and fresh basil cozies up to turkey and summer-ripe tomato slices for a savory hot sandwich that will quickly become a go-to mealtime solution. To round out your 500-calorie meal, serve with 1 medium sized tangerine.

Green Pizza Menu

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Green Pizza Menu

A nice twist on pizza, served with a crunchy salad and a chocolaty dessert!

3 Days in Bierzo

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I’ve been off-line for the past couple of days, which has been kinda nice. There has been plenty to write about and take photos of tho. When I was planning this trip, I was having a chat to Dougie from The Spanish Acquisition about his last trip to Spain, his highlight was a day or so in Bierzo. I had planned to go to Rueda and Toro on the way to Ribera del Duero, but Dougie was raving about this little town called Villafranca del Bierzo, ‘It’s a must do’ he said. Sign me up, I thought. And he was right, it is now another in the long list of my favourite places in Spain.

The day started off slightly off track when we got to the hire car joint, they didn’t have the car we requested, but in the end we scored an upgrade to a 3-series BMW (thanks to the very nice staff Sixt at Madrid Airport!). With that all sorted we started out on a quick 400km drive up the Autopisa to Villafranca del Bierzo with a quick stop in Medina del Campo and Rueda for tapas and a quick poke around. The prices for tapas are a bit of a shock after Paris. 2 jamon croquetas, a wedge of tortilla and two glasses of a very tasty crianza from Ribera del Duero comes to the grand total of 5.40 Euros.

The thing about driving on big highways like the A6, complete with its massive bridges over the deep, thrusting river valleys of northern Castilla y Leon, is that I never know what to expect when you take that off ramp. It’s always a bit of a surprise, in this case a very good one. I started to notice small plots of stubby old vines in little backyard veggie garden sized plots in random places on the side of the hills. Must be getting close. Over the old stone bridge, now we are in the right place. Villafranca has that great contrast that you find all over Spain: our hotel is a lovingly restored old house, complete with elevator and modern convinces. The roof of the place next door has fallen in, grass and moss thriving on the old stone walls. The town is a jumble of falling down old buildings, grand cathedrals, large houses either well kept or restored to the former glory plus the Camino hostels, obligatory for this part of Spain. All of this set around the joining of two fast flowing rivers and the very necessary three bridges.

Just two winery visits here, at opposite ends of the spectrum: Martin Codax, who are essentially a very large co-op of growers, and Decendentes de D.J. Palacios, at the forefront of quality, top end wine from the region. More on these two soon, but in summary this region has fantastic potential that is already being tapped by some producers. However, it is a complex setting where a careful balance between modernising wine production for profit and the tradtional farming practices need to find a happy mid-point.

So now we are on in our home away from home in Abalos in La Rioja, with just a thought that we should have stayed a little longer and explored a lot more in El Bierzo. Oh well, there is always next time for Bierzo and Rioja is a wonderful place just to be.

PS The internet here is a bit slow, more photos soon.

2 days in Paris

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I think this post is more of an excuse to put up this photo of dawn in Paris than anything else…Just a quick stop in Paris on our way to Spain. A couple of days of eating and drinking, endless walking and a wee bit of shopping. The important part is the eating and drinking, of course. Not much in the way of Spanish wine around, but that’s not what you come to Paris for! There is a fair bit of Port available here, I’m told France is one of the bigger markets for Port. Anyway, a bit of Bordeaux and Burgundy never go astray.

While it’s only our second time in France, I can’t say that I have the same love for France that I do for Spain or Portugal. Don’t get me wrong, I like the place and its a great place to visit, but Spain seems to fit like my favourite old pair of jeans, as soon as I get off the plane I feel at home. Having a bit of Spanish under my belt helps to make things more comfortable I guess. Anyway, I’ll be there tomorrow night, tucking into a plate of Jamon and a half bottle of Manzanilla by 9pm…Que bueno!

La Vendimia 2008

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

After a fairly indulgent Christmas/New year period and start of a new year, I usually think it’s time for a couple of weeks of detox. Well not detox really, just a couple of weeks to a month of not drinking. Given I’ve got almost a month of eating and drinking in Spain coming up in a couple of weeks, it seems like the wise thing to do. So it will continue to be fairly quiet here at Tinto y Blanco for a couple of weeks…

This time in Spain I’m having a bit more of a holiday and I’m focusing more on food than a full on wine adventure: lazy days with long lunches, lots of jamon and roasted lamb, and of course a bit of wine here and there. Of course I can’t help but have a couple of appointments in and around Bierzo, plus a couple more in Rioja to get the low down on the 2009 vintage. I’ll post up some notes as we going along…Oh and another thing. If you haven’t checked out the new (or not so new) Movida book “Movida Rustica”, do check it out. From the brief look I’ve had so far it looks like its full of ‘real’ Spanish food.

Anyway on to the wine. Love the label and the 2008 is much better than the 2007 that was around for a little while mid last year. Fresh raspberry and earth is the first thing on the nose, it opens out to show some cherry and a little herb. Easy to drink, but still kind of serious and savoury at the same time. Meaty with soft tannins, its a little light in the acid department. Very likeable with a nice hunk of goat. 88 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $27 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.vinosherenciaremondo.com

Travel tip sheet for Bierzo

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I am planning to do some fixed pages with all of these details (and a bit more hopefully), but for now I will post it as it is. Hopefully this is helpful for those wishing to travel to Beirzo.

Where is it? Bierzo is a geographic region that sits in the north west of Leon, on the border with Galicia to the west and Portugal to the south. It is about 400Kms from Madrid on the very good AP6 - Autopista del Noroeste, a very new superhighway from Madrid to A Coruña. The nearest airport is Leon, but you will need a car. While there are buses that service the area, the services are limitted.

Where to stay? You have more than a couple of options here, with a number of villages to stay in and different quality and style of hotel. Villafranca del Bierzo must be one of the prettiest little villages around and Las Donas is the best place to stay in Villafranca del Bierzo for my money. A small, modern hotel with lovely staff and owners, right in the centre of town, but still with excellent views of the river and bridges. A double room will set you back a very reasonable 78 Euros and a very good breakfast at the hotel will cost you 10. They also do a very nice dinner for a reasonable price. If you want something more traditional, head over to Cacabelos, about 4kms from Villafranca, to La Moncloa de San Lázaro. While more traditional, they have all the mod cons and even a could of rooms with Spa baths. They also have an excellent restaurant, bodega and shop full to the brim with local produce. Lovely people too, they made up a take home lunch for my wife on hearing she was a bit jet lagged!

Other options include Casa Méndez in Villafranca with also has a great restaurant. There is also a Parador in Villafranca, which was one of the more homely (read run down) paradores, but it is undergoing a full renovation and should be fantasic when finished. As a bonus it is just down the road from the Descendientes de J. Palacios bodega. There are also a swag of Camino de Santiago hostels around, which are quite cheap and cheerful for the most part.

Where to eat? As mentioned above hotels seem to hold the gems of the region. There are of course others around, I just haven’t been to them yet…if you go somewhere great let me know! Both Casa Mendez and La Moncloa de San Lázaro have restaurants that are seperate to the hotel (i.e. you don’t have to be a guest at the hotel to eat there). There is also a couple of good restaurants in Ponferrada, the only one I’ve been to is La Casona.

An interesting side note is that the region is the home of the Prada a Tope restaurant chain…not sure if thats a good thing, I’ve never been to one.

Whats good to eat there? There is lots to like in terms of food here. One really good tip I picked up from the guys over at Catavino is to ask “Qual es lo muy typica aqui“, or what is most typical here. You do need to know some Spanish to understand the answer, but often that doesn’t really matter, just ask them to bring it out! The one thing that I really love from this region is the cured meats. Much of the meat here is smoked in the curing process due to the humidity in the valley. The thing I like most is the cured Galician beef called Cecina (or Cecina de Leon to give it’s full name). Sliced thin like jamon and served with a little oil, it is magic stuff. Occasionally served with a little chili sprinkled on top (quite rare in Spain). Coming a close second on my list is Morcilla de Leon, which is not actually a saussage but a kind of goop that uses onions instead of rice, usually served with some potatoes. Super good.

Morcilla de Leon

In general, beef and lamb are the top meats here and the Asador is still king (good to see). One of the key dished in north western spain is the chuleton. This is a large (usually around 1-1.5kg), ribeye or t-bone from grass fed older Galician working ox/cow and is some of the best meet in the world for my tastes. There is also wonderful array of fresh and preserved produce from the local fruit trees. Plum, cherry and figs are made into jam, things are pickled (pickled figs with your chuleton are excellent), excellent cheeses and nut products like chestnuts (either preserved in brandy or in a paste). Deserts are the usual Spanish fare: a milk based flan or something with chocolate. The layer cake is also popluar.

Contacts:

Hotels:

Hotel Las Doñas
Ribadeo, 2 (Calle del Agua)
24500 Villafranca del Bierzo, León

Telephone: +34 987 542 742
Fax: +34 987 540 257
Email: info@elportazgo.es
Web: www.elportazgo.es

La Moncloa de San Lázaro
Calle Cimadevilla, 97
24540 Cacabelos, León
Telephone: +34 987 54 61 01
Fax: +34 987 54 90 56
Email: info@moncloadesanlazaro.com
Web: www.moncloadesanlazaro.com

Casa Menez
Espíritu Santo, 1 E
24500 Villafranca del Bierzo
Telehone: +34 987 54 24 08
Fax: +34 987 54 00 55
Email: info@casamendez.es
Web: www.casamendez.es

Restaurants:

La Casona
Calle Real, 72
Fuentesnuevas E - 24411 Ponferrada
Telephone: +34 987 45 53 58
Fax: +34 987 45 53 58
Web: www.restaurantelacasona.com

Lunch at Meson Chuchi

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

It is still the depths of winter in La Rioja, we got about 30 to 40 cms of snow today, we are snowed and not going anywhere for at least a day. A good time to catch up on posting and drinking some nice Riojas. It has been cold all week, so a big hearty meal for lunch has been the order of the day. In this part of Spain that usually means a trip to an Asador, or as I discovered yesterday, parrilla full of chuletas (lamb chops) at home, but more on this later. If you’ve ever been to north west Spain you will have seen Asador restaurants all over the place, truck stops, small villages, big towns, everywhere. The basic premise of the Asador is a woodfired oven that is used to cook just about everything in the place.

We were looking for Cabrito Asado, roasted goat, so on the advice of Jose Luis who runs Hotel de Villa de Abalos where we are staying, we made a booking at Meson Chuchi about half an hour away in Fuenmayor. And it didn’t disappoint. There is a much more famous and up market Asador in Fuenmayor, Asador Alameda, that is also excellent for lunch, but that Cabrito at Chuchi is said to be the best around.

One of the great wine and food matches available in La Rioja is Cabrito Asado and a Gran Reserva from La Rioja. In this case we chose Bodegas Muga Prado Enea 2000. While not the best vintage of this wine, it has all the classic characters: pine resin, soft wood notes, plenty of fruit but savoury overall. It was a perfect match with the goat. The wine list here is quite good, lots of options from La Rioja including big name modern wines like Benjmin Romeo and Artadi to classics like Riojanas and C.U.N.E.. The list doesn’t have vintages on it, just ask and they will be more than happy to let you know. When we ordered the Prado Enea 2000, a number of other wines of better vintages (1995 or 2001) where also offered, which is very handy if you don’t know your Rioja vintages.

Of course it would be uncivilised to jump straight to the goat, so some artichokes with jamon and garlic to start with, which were ok, then some excellent Morcilla de Burgos, blood sausage. Then out comes the goat, a whole leg for my plate. A whole head of garlic (which I did eat) and a potato (which I didn’t find room for), thats about it. Needless to say, no dinner for me that night!

I will let the photos do the rest of the talking, needless to say Meson Chuchi is highly recommended. Closed on Wednesday nights and generally for a week in September. Phone: +34 941 450 422 or book at www.mesonchuchi.com

Lunch at Amelibia

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Amelibia is my favourite place to eat in the old walled town of Laguardia. We ate here a couple of times on our last trip and were very keen to get back and see what’s new. It’s a small restaurant (just 12 tables) that overlooks the vineyards and across to the Cantabrian mountain range. Laguardia is just about the last outpost of Euskadi, or Basque country, and as such the food here is a good mix of Basque food and traditional Riojan food. So you will have a menu that has things like kokotxas pil pil (throat of hake in an olive oil and garlic emulsion, a very Basque dish) and rabo de vaca al tinto vino (oxail in red wine, a typically Riojan dish).

Most importantly, the wine selection is excellent. Mostly made up of local producers from Laguardia (and there are many), plus selections from around Rioja, with a few other things like Cava and sherry in there as well. We went with Artadi Vinas de Gain 2006, which has soften over the past year and is even more silky and fragrant than my last tasting. Still, there is nice line and length with a firm backbone of acid, it coped with my very fatty main with ease.

These guys offer modern interpretations of traditional classics, so your oxtail has no bones and is wrapped in what looks to me to fried rice paper. Excellent quality ingredients are used here, including the great fresh produce of La Rioja. Today we had a carpaccio of bacalao, very thin slices salt cod over a base of aioli with oil, chilli flakes and chives, and some mixed vegetables with jamon and garlic to start with. For mains we had the excellent Rabo de Vaca and a dish of deboned pork knuckle and foie gras. The pork knuckle that had been slow cooked and shaped into a cube, with a big hunk of foie in between. Very decadent.

Pork knuckle and foie

Then there is dessert. Ultra dense chocolate mousse with Maldon salt and olive oil…sounds weird, tastes like chocolate on steroids! The salt brings out the chocolate flavour and intensifies it. This is going on high rotation at home!

Another bonus is that they are open on Mondays (someone has to!), so they are closed Tuesdays instead. Also closed Sunday to Wednesday for dinner. Booking essential in peak seasons, highly recommended at other times. Ph: +34 945 62 12 07

Bierzo in a nutshell…part 1

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Mans best Friend in Bierzo is not the dog...

It’s impossible to define a whole region after visiting for a couple of days and talking to a handful of winemakers, but here is a quick overview of what makes this a special place to make wine.

The valley has been cut out of the surrounding mountains by a couple of rivers and has formed a paradise for traditional agriculture. First there is the river flats for grazing animals, a little higher up for vegetables and apples, pears and plums. Go higher still and you’ll find chestnuts and cherries. But where are the vines? Look a little higher to the impossibly steep mountain sides and you’ll find small plots of very old vines clinging to the side of the hills. This is perfect country for traditional farming and community. The region is well known for it’s produce: potatoes, tomatoes, goat and lamb, cured meats (which are generally smoked here due to the humidity from the rivers), and all kinds of fruits and nuts.

Of course these days people do grow vines on the river flat, it is easier to make bulk wines here with machine harvesting, but it is on the mountain slopes where you’ll find the quality grapes. The mountains here are steep, some of them look almost vertical, yet there are vineyards here. How people work them is beyond me, but I do know that the help of a donkey is required. Like in Priorat, or the much closer Douro Valley, the mount sides consist of a base of slate shist with a variety of stuff over the top: clay and pebbles at the base near the river, a bit higher up it moves into limestone and quartz (I pilfered a couple of good size rocks, as only a wine geek would!) and towards the top you find slate coming to the surface. This is a generalisation, as the top of some hills have clay and no limestone etc, but it should give you an idea of the landscape.

Mencia is the grape of choice here, it has evolved over time to become at home in Bierzo and has the ability to produce some stunning wines. It produces strong, robust reds that are deeply tannic, with slightly lower acidity than what is considered normal. Yet this doesn not seem to hinder the wines aging quite well. One of the great things about mencia is that it is very approachable when young, the 2009 vintage barrel samples I looked at were ready to go and thats only 4 months after harvest. Most wine tasted at this is very young and almost doesn’t taste like wine. There are plantings of Tempranillo, Cabernet and other red grapes in the areas, for my tastes these should be left well alone.

In terms of white wine, there is a small production of Godello which shows promise. There are lots of old Palomino vines mixed in with the mencia in some vineyards, this was used in the past to bulk up production, the end result being a table wine of lower concentration and alcohol with a wishy-washy taste. Quality producers are replacing these old palomino vines with mencia.

Frozen Shist

Of course the people and their influences form a big part in the region too, and this place has had its fair share over the years. First it was the Romans, who minded the hills and river valleys for gold. Then of course there is the Camino de Stantiago (or the way of St. James if you prefer the english version). People have been walking the camino for centuries, bringing many things with them, including vines. The old story is that monks brought vine cuttings with them from northern Europe to Bierzo and planted what has become Mencia, the king of grapes for the region. Now, many have though that mencia was originally Cabernet Franc from Bordeaux, and there are similarities between the two, however genetic testing has disproved this theory. Whatever it was, I’m very thankful that they did.

Of course then there is the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s reign over the country from 1936 to 1975. The story is similar to that of many other regions that were abandoned for wine production during the Franco era: grape prices where set on weight regardless of quality, the amount of labour required to cultivate the vines in Bierzo is very high and yields were low, so many families abandoned their vineyards and went to the bigger cities to look for work in industry or offices. Those that stayed were generally older, this can still be seen now, there are very few young people walking in the streets of Villafranca del Bierzo. The younger generations came back in the summer for holidays, but that was about it.

In the late 90s younger people started looking at all these old vines (and importantly EU funds for reclaiming old varieties and vineyards) and production of quality wine was again on the agenda. Given a couple of hectares of vineyards, plus the fruit trees that are intermingled with the vines, a family is again able to sustain itself from the land. The old vineyards are being rejuvenated with quality as the driver, rather than quanity.

The region has a blossoming wine industry now and interest is high. Many in the Spanish (and global) wine press have announced El Bierzo the ‘new Priorat’. This linkage is helped by the fact that Ricardo Palacios, nephew of Alvaro Palacios, has started up a major concern here in partnership with his uncle. Generally speaking, many of the local wines are produced by Co-Ops while there is a growing interest from large wine companies.

More on the wines of Bierzo in my next post….

South African Wine Outsells French in UK Market

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The latest Nielsen numbers show that South African wine sales have outpaced French wine in the UK for the first time ever, due to South African wine sales growing 20% while French wine sales dropped by 12%. South Africa is now ranked fourth for selling wine in the UK market.

South Africa has been producing wine for centuries but only in the last 15-20 years have exports really begun to grow. This news shows that UK (and world?) shoppers have made a significant shift and no longer ‘default’ to European brands. Jo Mason, UK market manager, Wines of South Africa, was quoted as saying “This is a momentous occasion for the South African wine industry.”

And a bad one for the French.

South Africa is clearly excited and looks for their wine to experience even more success as tourists flock to their country for the FIFA World Cup this year.

By Rigel Celeste | Source :: www.luxist.com

Share This

Sour Grapes for Gallo

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Unless you’re a wine connoisseur, differentiating between a Pinot Noir and Bordeaux is difficult. At least that’s what various French wine producers and traders decided after supplying E. & J. Gallo, an American winery, with falsely labeled wines.

Over the past three years, E. & J. Gallo winery has been purchasing French wine and supplying it to Americans under false pretenses. While in similar situations a recall would be justified and swiftly enacted, this particular circumstance is different. According to The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, “[it] does not have recall authority.” Since the wine has not posed a health or safety issue, which is the usual recall reasoning, it just becomes an unfortunate incident.[more]

Unlike the staunch regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration for other food and beverage products, there doesn’t seem to be comparable laws for the booming wine import industry. For instance, if American meat distributors were supplying poor-quality imported meats, the foreign meat trade would cease, and animals would be put through state-of-the-art tests or even killed.

These French wine producers and traders will pay tremendous fines for their actions. Still, however, a major and dangerous loophole has been uncorked in this recent grape debacle. It has yet to be seen what kind of actions will be taken, but some level of American embargos on French wine could very well be justified.

Source :: brandchannel

Share This

El Puno Wine

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A brand new wine from Spain named EL PUÑO. Inspired in the 1930s street graphics of political protest. (The winery was founded in the middle 30’s during Franco’s rule, and their walls were hand painted with this kind of graphics).

Source :: Lovely Package

Share This

Plastic Bottles for CarbonSaving Wines

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The key to wine may lie in the soil, but it’s the container that carries a heavy carbon footprint. That’s why Yealands—a sustainable winemaker from New Zealand—is producing wine in plastic bottles. Shattering the shining, purist image of glass, the recyclable PET plastic used in Yealands’ newly launched Full Circle range generates 54% less greenhouse gas emissions and uses 19% less energy. The plastic bottles boast a weight saving of 89% over glass, earning them kudos as carbon-saving cargo.

The first full circle wine is a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. To ensure that the wine quality is unaffected, Full Circle bottles use new DiamondClear technology, which keeps oxygen out of the wine, and feature best-before labels advising customers to drink the wine within 18 months. Yealands’ owner, Peter Yealands, believes that plastic-bottled wine is here to stay: “Tim Atkin, one of the UK’s leading wine critics from the Observer, has declared war on overweight packaging by vowing to boycott wines sold in heavyweight wine bottles,” he says.

Yealands’ efforts at sustainability are far-reaching, from a solar- and wind-powered winery, to replacing lawnmowers with sheep in the vineyards. The company has already earned a CarboNZero certification from New Zealand’s Landcare Research organisation; the Full Circle range will bring Yealands yet more eco-bounty. Not only will it appeal to green-conscious consumers, the smaller size and lighter weight of the plastic bottles also makes them more convenient for picnics, and a new option for pubs and outdoor events where glass is banned.

There are definite echoes of the screw-top vs. cork debate—will plastic bottles be the next vinous trend?

Source :: www.springwise.com

Share This

Chilean Wine Brands Taking a Beating

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Similar to how dollar and discount stores are thriving in the ongoing recessionary climate, people are drinking just as much as ever – if not more – only, they’re selecting cheaper varieties.

And these varieties are not limited to domestic sources. Foreigners are actually drinking more Chilean wine than ever, with shipments up nearly 18 percent in 2009, as opposed to California wineries, whose 2009 shipments dropped by 4 million cases, according to consulting firm Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates.

The problem is that people are choosing cheaper vintages, preventing Chile’s wine brands from being able to “break out of the $10- to $20-per-bottle price point,” said Bill Crowley, professor emeritus at Sonoma State University.

A few years back, the Chilean wine industry decided to simultaneously curb supply and fund a global campaign aimed at promoting their wares, all in the name of achieving higher prices.

But the recession destroyed this goal, and currently the industry is in something of a holding pattern. Making matters worse are the vinters who are selling in bulk to compete with countries like Argentina, Australia, and South Africa – all of whom are fighting for a share of the low-end wine trade.

This means that when the recession finally lifts, the quality that Chilean wineries were hoping to embody may be tarnished. Sounds like these guys could use a drink.

Source :: brandchannel

Share This

French Silk Pie

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

French Silk Pie

Bittersweet chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa meld with a shot of fresh brewed coffee to give an ultra-rich flavor to this creamy French silk pie. A frothy meringue is the secret to lightening the brown sugar-sweetened filling.

Whole Roasted LemonHerb Chicken on a Bed of Vegetables

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Whole Roasted Lemon-Herb Chicken on a Bed of Vegetables

When you season roast chicken under the skin, as in this recipe, the meat itself gets flavored and the skin becomes nicely browned and crisp. Here, the chicken is roasted on a bed of carrots, turnips and celeriac—but any mixture of root vegetables will work. You’ll need about 8 cups of chopped or cubed vegetables.

Baked Cod with Chorizo White Beans

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Baked Cod with Chorizo & White Beans

This recipe follows the Spanish and Portuguese tradition of pairing mild white fish with full-flavored cured sausage—just a bit gives the whole dish a rich, smoky flavor. Make it a meal: Enjoy with steamed green beans and roasted potatoes tossed with thyme and coarse salt.

Parmesan Spinach Cakes

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Parmesan Spinach Cakes

If you like spinach-cheese pie, try these simple but elegant-looking little spinach cakes.

Penne with Vodka Sauce Capicola

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Penne with Vodka Sauce & Capicola

Our velvety tomato sauce is spiked with cubes of salty capicola and a few shots of vodka. Make it a Meal: Caesar salad and a glass of Pinot Noir will shine with this dish.

Japanese ChickenScallion Rice Bowl

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Japanese Chicken-Scallion Rice Bowl

Here's the quintessence of Japanese home cooking: an aromatic, protein-rich broth served over rice. Admittedly, Japanese cooking leans heavily on sugar - for a less traditional taste, you could reduce or even omit the sugar.

Tunisian Vegetable Tagine

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Tunisian Vegetable Tagine

Fragrant vegetable stews are common around the Mediterranean. This streamlined version is flavored with a North African spice blend and simplified with the use of precut, frozen bell peppers and onions.

Terroirs Wine Bar London

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Not far from Trafalgar Square, quite close to the Charing Cross tube station, wine lovers will find a noteworthy place to satisfy their cravings.
Terroirs Wine Bar, which we visited following a recommendation from Felix is a charming place with typical French Bistro traits like the metal coated counter, numerous French liquors behind it and the expected buzz of a brasserie (not too loud though - just right).

We sat directly at the counter and therefore had the privilege of continuously being able to get wine recommendations from the staff.

And you'd probably need some recommendations since their wine list is packed with interesting wines and mouth watering descriptions. The focus is set on natural wines from France and in particular with a wide selction from the not so common regions.

We started with a half of the Breton's Vouvray "La dilettante" (around 20 GBP for 500 ml). A White wine whose remaining sweetness is perfectly balanced by a nice acidity (in the same way it sometimes happens for Saar Rieslings - but with slightly different taste of course). it is an energy loaded white wine that reveals itself a bit more with each sip! Exotic nose and vibrant body! Not the usual white wine, but which reader of this kind of blogs loves generic wines anyway?

The charcuterie platter is delicious. In particular the pork and pistachio terrine is a nice achievement. Of course this all goes very well with the wine and is priced fairly at 12 GBP considering the good quality.

I couldn't resist trying another wine and so we picked a bottle of 2007 "Le Cousin" Grolleau vielles vignes by Domaines Olivier Cousin from the Loire region. Grolleau is the name of a red variety which is rather rare - at least I never heard of it before. The stinky nose instantly unmasks the genuine biodynamic character of the wine. But it also offers many fruit and earth notes. A truly gouleyant wine that is the opposite from generic and boring!

Now an old French Antilles Rum to finish? No that would be too much indeed after all this wine for lunch.
We left the bar with a feeling of happiness and the conviction that this place con be recommended on to any wine lover in the world. At least I wished there wa a wine bar with such a selection of charismatic wines in my hometown.

Terroirs Wine Bar
5 William IV Street
London
Phone: 0207 036 0660
Tube: charing Cross

Ivans Oyster Bar Grill Howth Ireland

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

If you're a fish and seafood lover and happen to visit Dublin, than a quick ride to Howth is a must! It only takes a few minute by train to reach this small fishermen's town and the harbour with its restaurant is just next to the station: thus, no real effort is needed to get there! ;)

Following a recommendation of Food Snob's global gourmet intelligence network we chose Ivan's Oyster bar for our lunch and weren't disappointed. The atmosphere is relaxed and one feels instantly welcomed and at ease in this modern, yet warm architecture.

And if you like fish and seafood you won't be disappointed. Here's our lunch.

Delicious rye bread and white bread with raisins

Ivan's chowder. Hearty with big delicious bits of fish, but also quite heavy loaded with cream.

Crabcakes were nicely packed with meat, but also with a quite greasy crust after being deep-fried

Irish mussels in white wine

Our wine - an intense Chardonnay with quite some personality - not a fruit bomb. Their Wine list offers quite some interesting choices.

Finally some Rock Oysters

They were good, but I still believe the ones at the Temple Bar Food Market were better!

Modern, yet welcoming and comfy! It was an enjoyable meal with fair pricing and definitely a nice recommendation!

The exaggerated consumption of rye bread with butter cried for a walk around the area.

Howth Harbour West Pier

I guess they re for sale...

Several trail options take you around the howth peninsula.

It's definitely worth to take the walk ...

... although it wasn't as comfy outside as it was inside Ivan's ;)

Impressions from Dublin

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Some impressions from a 2 day trip to Dublin

An interesting mix of old, industrial and modern characterizes some parts of the city

The typical Irish breakfast can leave a bad impression if it's as greasy as I had it

Molly's Chocolate stout is a little less dry than Guinness - served at O'Neils Bar

Temple bar Market Oyster Stand - always on saturday

Their Gigas Rock Oysters are the best oysters I had in a long time. The rye bread was awesome

Shucked by the producer himself - he makes sure you only get the best!

Some fluorescent carrots ;P

A trip to Dublin cannot be complete without a visit of the Guinness museum

Just enough for a week

A Pint is included in the visit

The cultural input is limited but you get quite some explanations on beer brewing and a view into industrial architecture...

...as well as a nice panorama of Dublin from the rooftop bar

Interesting how real life and virtual life sometimes overlap!

Jamie Olivers TED Speech

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

No matter what opinion we have on tv-chef Jamie Oliver, his fight for a new food culture where children are being educated about genuine and healthy food is a cause we all should support. I believe everyone needs a bit of junk food now and then, but it should remain the exception to your weekly or monthly diet as much as a fine dining meal should remain a rewarding exception.
Check out Jamie Oliver's speech for his TED prize award:

What is a Saison?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Yes, yes, yes, "saison" is the French word for season. But this is not the answer I am looking for. Instead of 10th grade French classes, let's look at the other topic of desire when some of us were sixteen years old - beer.

Now if you happen to be a bit of a francophobe, this is not a French beer. Rather, it's a Belgian beer made popular in the French speaking region of Belgium. I'd explain this aspect of European history to you, but it requires Gantt charts and Venn diagrams, and quite frankly, that's more effort than I'm willing to indulge in on a Monday.

The reason this beer is called "saison" is that it is, or rather was, seasonal. It was made with the later harvests of barley, around the fall/winter-ish timeframe. The beer was allowed to ferment over the next nine months or so before it was served to farmhands working the fields around the start of the next years harvest. This once again proves the fact that beer can make any job bearable, including plucking grain from French-Belgian farmlands.

However, nowadays this type of beer is available year round, making the name rather irrelevant to the current production schedule.

So what does Saison taste like? Well, coming from Belgium, even the French speaking area of Belgium, you can expect some tartness. But not an overwhelming sourness that you'd get with Gueze or others in the lambic family. Instead, it also carries within it a peppery-ness (which isn't even a word, I know) that is found at the other end of the Belgium beer spectrum, the pale ales. So, from a high-level, broad definition point of view, Saisons can be seen as the middle ground between young lambics (of the non-fruity variety) and Belgian pale ales. It's a definition that's a bit simplistic to be sure, and there are breweries who have their own approach to the style, to be sure. But it's a good place to start.

They are higher in alcohol content, however. This is a trait which is recognized by most brewers of the style. Where Belgian pale ales hang out in the 4.8 – 5.5% ABV range, saisons check in between 5 – 7% ABV. This makes sense when taking into its history into account, as the beer had to sit for nine months before serving, and the yeasts had ample time to convert the sugars to alcohol. It's not the punch-you-in-the-nose kind of ABV that barleywines have, but it's different enough from other Belgian beers that it makes it distinctive.

Ingredient buyer for Kraft Foods Let Tomato Vendor Sell Tainted Food

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Offered with no comment:

...federal agents descended on Kraft’s offices near Chicago and confronted Mr. Watson. He admitted his role in a bribery scheme that has laid bare a startling vein of corruption in the food industry. And because the scheme also involved millions of pounds of tomato products with high levels of mold or other defects, the case has raised serious questions about how well food manufacturers safeguard the quality of their ingredients.

Over the last 14 months, Mr. Watson and three other purchasing managers, at Frito-Lay, Safeway and B&G Foods, have pleaded guilty to taking bribes. Five people connected to one of the nation’s largest tomato processors, SK Foods, have also admitted taking part in the scheme.

Okay, I lied. I have one comment. For all of this talk about deregulation in various industries, the one fact that is rarely talked about is that a percentage of people out there in the world are, quite frankly, unscrupulous bastards. Granted, it's a small percentage, but it's certainly high enough of them to put public safety at a greater risk.

So the choice of policies comes down to this. Place hope in the government to implement safety and legal measures that are easy to implement and don't stifle competition and innovation? Or do we place hope that the industry doesn't have people who would neither figuratively or literally put moldy tomatoes into the public food supply?

And people wonder why I don't like talking about the food industry. With it being populated by folks like Robert Watson, it often comes across as a bleak and cynical place.

Historical Context The Joys of Food History

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

If I have to point to one thing that I love about delving into the history of food, it's uncovering influences upon diets that we have forgotten or have never had explained to us.

I have a mind made for trivia. I'm not bragging here, but simply establishing the baseline for my knowledge. When someone says something along the lines of "Columbus sailed to America in 1492", it becomes a fact in my mind without corresponding evidence. When I hear the date "1492", the thought of Christopher Columbus immediately comes to mind. What doesn't come to mind was the fact that Columbus was likely quite the Royal sycophant looking for ways to become famous, without doing the hard work of navigation such as basic math. An example of this was his theory that the world only had a circumference of 10,000 miles. When he approached the Portuguese court looking for investors to his journey west and told them of his 10,000 mile theory, they nearly laughed him out of Lisbon.

The Portuguese had been making north/south journeys with their Caravels, trying to find a way around South Africa in order to circumvent the monopoly held by the Venetians on trade. They had determined many years prior that the distance going these directions was far greater than 10,000 miles. If Columbus believed his numbers, then the world would be shaped like an American football. The idea was laughable to anyone with a passing knowledge of astronomy and/or navigation. This why Columbus ended up at the court of Isabella I of Castile, and sailed under her flag.

Doesn't the back-story mentioned above make the "1492" date, learned by rote, far more interesting?

Food history is full of things like this. Well, okay, history is full of things like this, but it becomes readily apparent when finding out about food, because I find myself taking little pieces of food trivia for granted without placing it in context of the times.

Let's take Catholicism and food. One of the basic doctrines is that of mortification, the act of taking care of oneself against the mortal and venial sins. In broad terms it means, from a Christian point of view, mortification is the personal battle against extravagance, gluttony, greed, discouragement, wrath, envy, and pride. Remember, this is a broad interpretation, and differed from century to century based on beliefs of Popes and Cardinals. In reality, Rome offered interpretations on many aspects of life, beyond what we know of as the seven deadly sins.

How did this manifest itself in diet? Religious holy days occurred more often than we see today, so much so that the restriction of foods from warm blooded animals often took place up to a third of the year. The middle and upper classes had to do without staples such as eggs, meat, and butter during these days. We still see this manifesting today with fish Fridays during Lent.

Now if you lived in Italy during these times, replacing an animal fat wasn't a difficult proposition. After all, olive oil was readily available, as was a healthy supply of fish from the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

But what if you lived in Germany during this time period? Good luck finding a fat to cook with that isn't butter or lard. And oh, yeah, fishing is more difficult in the cold waters of the regions. It didn't help that the longest fasting part of the year, Lent, took place right at the end of winter, when food supplies would be at their barest.

Sure traders from Venice, Genoa, and Lisbon would gladly supply olive oil with the folks up north. But they would have to pay for it. And they wouldn't necessarily supply the best olive oil out there. They could (and did) offer the lowest grade oils and still make a substantial profit from the commodity.

And Amsterdam? They had the bounty of the sea at their disposal, and ready access to salt to cure the fish. So when the lean months of February and March occurred, traders in these low Countries could make a fair bit of profit as well. And they did. From an economic perspective, it makes sense that traders in Lisbon and Amsterdam became trading centers of Europe, as they saw a void in the Northern markets and profit from it.

But like I alluded to above, context here is important, because two key events occurred during this time frame which would change Europe ate.

1) Shipping technology evolved to such a point that long voyages around South Africa could occur. This is how the Portuguese under Vasco Da Gama ended up in India in 1498, which was the beginning of the end for Venetian traders.
2) Martin Luther wrote his 95 Theses in 1517, staring the reformation.

The partial result of these two events on European food culture was as follows: Firstly, the Protestants gladly gave up on fasting. Secondly, the two cities of Lisbon and Amsterdam, who already had the infrastructure for trading in place, replaced the products used as Lenten commodities with more exotic fare, such as black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon from India. Then later products from the New World entered into the marketplace.

Granted these weren't the only variables at play here, nor were they the most significant in the grand scheme of things. But they did affect how and what the regions of Europe ate, not to mention the economies of any given areas. That these two moments in time happened within a generation of each other is remarkable.

Knowing this, the fact that Vasco Da Gama landed in India in 1498 becomes less important to me than knowing that his journey resulted in changing the culinary landscape in Europe for generations later.

All of this I mentioned above? This is why food history gives me a warm fuzzy. It helps give me context for the bigger picture.

When is a beer not a beer?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Through Metafilter, I recently discovered news of a beer that states it has an Alcohol-by-Volume(ABV) of 41%.

41%? That's a beer that has a proof of eighty-two! To put this in some context, your average beer weighs in somewhere between 4-12% ABV, depending upon the beer. Even those nose-punchers known as Barleywines can only get up to 20% ABV, give or take. 41% is rather remarkable, and one wonders what yeast combo they are using to get such a high alcoholic content, as most yeasts are incapable of living through such a high concentration of alcohol.

A quick look at their description of the beer lets all of us in on their secret:

Sink the Bismarck is a quadruple IPA that contains four times the hops, four times the bitterness and frozen four times to create at a staggering 41% ABV.

Um...it's frozen four times? So the alcoholic content is not created by some strain of super-yeast, but rather by ice-distillation, a process so old that Applejack, that liquor made from distilling fermented cider was often made the same way?

Folks, this doesn't sound like it's a beer, it sounds as if they're making a whiskey. Granted, an over-hopped, carbonated whiskey, but still... whiskey. If the intent of the freezing is to remove water from the beer and to concentrate the alcohol, that's distillation in the oldest definition of the process.

I'd be very interested in seeing how it looks after poured. What kind of coloring does it have? How kind of head does it carry? My guess is that it would be lacking on both of these fronts.

That's not to say I don't get a kick out of the idea...I do. But this sound more novel than marketable. It's sort of the craft beer version of "The world's hottest hot sauce", or "The $10,000 Sundae". It's purpose? To get us talking about Brew Dog.

Panfried Corona Beans Kale

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The other day I found myself in the basement of San Francisco's Anthropologie store. I'd fallen for the rose & tuberose solid Frazer Parfum on my way down, and was at the base of the grand staircase, looking at starlight rings and beaded necklaces, when a pretty lady, sitting with her daughter, smiled at me. A few minutes later she asked if my name was Heidi, and she said she knew me from my site - this site!...

I'm so glad she said hello. It turns out we have quite a number of things in common, and I'm sure we could have talked about cooking, or photography, or places to visit for hours. Her daughter was a sweet pea and very patient with us. Anyhow, I feel like I left the house looking for a pair of black ballet flats, and ended up making a friend instead. It turns out she has a site too- and as I was looking through it, this lemon kale pesto with nutmeg jumped out at me. I had some beans soaking at home and decided to somehow weave the beans and the lemon kale pesto idea together.

I deconstructed the kale pesto, and didn't end up chopping it finely (or pureeing it). In the end, the whole thing was very similar to one of the recipes I included in Super Natural Cooking - but at the same time, remarkably different. Because of the toasted walnuts (I didn't have pecans on hand) and the hint of nutmeg, an entirely different flavor profile developed. The fresh lemon zest and juice, added for the finale, tied all the flavors together in an unexpected, complex, and offbeat way. If you've been a fan of that SNC recipe (page 152), give this version a try, and take note of how a few little ingredient tweaks can make such a huge difference. Don't leave out the nutmeg. Dare I say I like this one better?

Thanks for the inspiration Jessica. I'm so glad our paths crossed.

Continue reading Pan-fried Corona Beans & Kale...

Simple Farro Bean Stew

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I spent the night at my mom and dad's house last week. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but they live an hour south of San Francisco in Los Gatos. It's nice cooking in their kitchen this time of year because the view from the sink is quite beautiful. The hills surrounding their house are an electric shade of green and the old craggy-skinned oak trees are covered in moss and lichen. They say coyotes have been out recently, but when I was growing up it was mainly deer, skunk, and raccoon, (and the occasional rattle snake). I made a big pot of farro and bean stew for them - simple, hearty, and straightforward. They both went back for seconds, and I took that as a good sign.

This recipe below ended up being quite a departure from the recipe I photocopied, folded, and slipped into my overnight bag - regardless, I wanted to mention the book the inspiration came from - La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy. I've been reading through it at night. It's the culmination of the work of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina - an organization of thousands of members who would visit villages, towns, and farms all across Italy to document cooking techniques and ingredients - in order to preserve the culinary heritage of their country. The resulting volume is 930+ pages huge.

The farro soup section has five or six recipes and I thought, a wintery soup along these lines would be something everyone would like - particularly if each bowl had a nice dusting of grated Parmesan, and threads of olive oil on top.

Update: I made another pot of this last night for a friend, we had it drizzled with harissa/olive oil and a good amount of feta cheese. Highly recommended for those of you sitting on fresh harissa supplies from last week ;). Just do about 1/3 harissa paste to 2/3 olive oil - whisk well.

Continue reading Simple Farro & Bean Stew...

Michael Symon on Garlic

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

One of the demos I had the pleasure of watching over the weekend at the Food Network's South Beach Wine and Food Festival was lead by Iron Chef Michael Symon. The Cleveland native, who recommends only eating "food that your grandparents and great grandparents can recognize," made fresh pasta with a scrumptious-smelling simple tomato sauce. While cooking, Symon expressed a lot of his strong opinions and spoke at length about garlic. To find out what he has to say about this everyday ingredient, read more.

Throw away your garlic press. Symon thinks it's the most useless kitchen tool. He suggests pressing the garlic with the side of a knife for the same crushed effect.
Never use processed or jarred garlic. Its bitter quality will not enhance the flavor of a dish.
If you prefer to use prechopped garlic because it saves time, Symon says to make your own. Take a head of garlic, chop the entire thing, put in a jar, and cover with olive oil. Place in the fridge and use whenever you want.

Do you have a garlic tip? Please share with us below!

Mondays Leftovers Roasted Greek Chicken and Vegetables

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Workweek off to a harried start? The best remedy is a rustic supper that'll remind you to slow down. Tonight, keep it simple with a Greek chicken dish that makes use of leftover chicken and calls for a short list of easy-to-obtain ingredients.

Roast chicken and vegetables with seasonings, aromatics, and oil, and you've got a meal to savor only 45 minutes later. For an added touch, serve with a bowl of avgolemono. See the recipe, after the jump.

What Do You Know About the Food Network Stars?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This weekend I was lucky enough to join Anne Burrell, Bobby Flay, and Guy Fieri at the Food Network's South Beach Wine and Food Festival. While I learned some fun facts at Rachael Ray's Burger Bash on Thursday night, I also picked up more random tidbits while watching the celebrity chef demonstrations, so I've complied them in a quiz. To find out who drinks pink Champagne with ice, take it now!

Take the quiz

Girl Scout Cookies Recalled for Weird Taste

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Food News

Photo: kiwibug11, Flickr

Some Girl Scout Lemon Chalet Creme cookies have been recalled by the baker for having a weird taste, Consumerist reported.

The cookies in question, made by Little Brownie Bakers, "contain oils that may be breaking down which can result in an off taste and smell," the baker said in a statement.

"We have fifteen affected lot codes distributed to 31 of the 81 Girl Scout councils in a variety of states," Little Brownie Bakers spokeswoman Susanne Norwitz told Slashfood. Those with cookies that have an off taste or smell should call 1-800-962-1718 or contact the bakery through their Web site.

Continue reading Girl Scout Cookies Recalled for Weird Taste

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sneak Peek at Chefs Salaries

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Books, Chefs

Getty Images

If you've been harboring dreams of chucking it all for the restaurant life, the upcoming book Culinary Careers by Rick Smilow, the president and chief executive of the Institute of Culinary Education, may bring you back to earth. Full of practical information and advice on how to "get your dream job in food," the book lists actual salaries for everyone from line cooks to star chefs. Some of them are making the money we wish we made; some of them are...not.

For example, Katie Button, a former line cook at Bazaar by Jose Andres in Beverly Hills, says someone like her can enjoy a range of "free to $15.50 an hour" -- not exactly mouthwatering. Meanwhile, executive chefs handling research and development for food chains might be in the $200,000 neighborhood. With salary disparities as wide as they are, perhaps it goes without saying that one goes into the food biz for the passion, not the paycheck. Either way, the sneak peek at life in the kitchen (not to mention inside chefs' wallets) is a mild voyeuristic thrill. The book is being released from Clarkson Potter in May.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

10 Days of BellyStuffing in the Big Easy

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Restaurants, Local Delicacies

Photo: rdpeyton, Flickr

I need a salad like you wouldn't believe. Or some nice sliced fruit. And perhaps a lengthy Master Cleanse regimen. Such are the repercussions of spending 10 days in New Orleans, a city that's apparently never met a vegetable it didn't deep-fry or flavor with fatty swine.

While the Big Easy is slowly, steadily recovering, there's one sector that's stronger than before the storm: the restaurant industry, with more than 1,000 eateries open today -- the most at any time in the city's history. So with an iron stomach and a fistful of Tums, I dove into New Orleans' eats and drinks. In no particular order, here are my 10 favorite watering holes and restaurants.

1. Ms. Mae's

There's one very good reason to visit this dark, smoky dive bar -- the drink prices. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, Ms. Mae's serves seriously strong cocktails for a buck. A double? Two dollars. On sunny days, I recommend bringing a whiskey on the rocks outside and sitting on the green bus bench.

2. Merlin's Place
A thigh-pumping bike ride -- and critic Brett Anderson's suggestion -- led me to Merlin's Place, announced by a 3-D black bovine. Cow is a must-eat at Merlin's, namely the house-cooked roast beef: It's sliced thin and layered on a toasted length of bread, then dressed with shredded lettuce, pickles, tomatoes. It's juicy, crunchy genius. The beefy, well-spiced tamales are tops, too.

Find the rest of the top ten list after the jump.

Continue reading 10 Days of Belly-Stuffing in the Big Easy

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Leftovers Use Em Dont Lose Em

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: The Skinny Chef

Photo: The Skinny Chef.

It seems like everyone wants to learn how to be more efficient when it comes to home cooking. Here are some easy, smart ways to use up odds and ends from the fridge shelves to the back of the pantry.

Cold Coffee
Fill an empty ice tray with leftover cold coffee for smoothies with pick-me-up or homemade iced-coffee drinks. You can even make your own iced mocha by blending low-fat chocolate milk with iced coffee cubes.

Lone Carrot
Carrots are delicious with chocolate. Make your favorite chocolate baked good "grate," by grating a carrot finely and stirring it into your store-bought brownie mix, favorite chocolate cake or muffin recipes.

Continue reading Leftovers: Use 'Em, Don't Lose 'Em

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Do You Enjoy Soup in Mugs?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This weekend, I made homemade chicken noodle soup for Mr. Yum, who's been sick with a monster cough. I served myself some in a mug, because it's more compact and easier to carry around than a soup bowl - but I gave him a bowl because he can't stand eating soup in a mug. Do you enjoy soup in mugs?

Yums March Must Haves

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Although it's still incredibly cold out, there's a light at the end of the Winter tunnel. It's the first day of March, and that means Spring is just around the corner! From St. Patrick's Day to the arrival of asparagus, this month is a celebration of being green. To help you make the most of it, we've rounded up the items we are currently obsessing about. Here are our must haves for March.

View Slideshow ›

Just Born Unleashes ChocolateCovered Peeps!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: New Products

Just Born, Inc.

For years we've welcomed spring by biting through the sugary skin of chicks and bunnies to get to the soft and sweet marshmallow Peep inside. But this Easter, things are looking especially bright: Peeps manufacturer Just Born has let loose a new horde of sugary holiday snacks, housing their classic marshmallow flavor in both milk and dark chocolate. No, we're not talking about a little Peep nestled in an outer chocolate shell.

These guys aren't exactly like their classic brethren. Dunked into melted chocolate, these chicks -- no bunnies allowed in this club -- come in individually wrapped packages. Second, these new Peeps are lacking the crackling outer coating of sugar. Instead, to give the candy that classic Easter color, Just Born has colored the tasty 'mallow inside a nice pastel yellow.

Can chocolate bring new life to the beloved Easter treat, and match the piles of bunnies and chicks that find their way into eager Easter baskets, culinary adventures, and movie dioramas? Can you bear to bite into a Peep without its colorful skin and white center? We'll leave that answer up to you:

Chocolate-covered Peeps: yay or nay?

Related: Chocolate Covered Peeps Drop In Time For Easter

Permalink | Email this | Comments

What Can I Get You Folks? The Downside of Being a Regular

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Restaurants

Photo: Getty Images

What's a diner's greatest fear? A fly in their soup? A $14 grilled-cheese sandwich? Background music blared at a decibel level that would make a rock driller wince?

No, no and no. According to a recent story in the Chicago Tribune, what really gives frequent restaurant guests the willies is the thought that their servers might recognize them and treat them accordingly.

As the aggrieved writer puts it, "Commitment to a restaurant... now means restaurants keeping detailed records of your visits (and whether you got dessert). It means feeling pressured to order the usual."

The story quotes a Boston restaurant owner who cops to having Googled her customers -- which is a downright creepy thing to do. I certainly don't have time during my shifts to duck off the floor for a quick Internet research session, nor would I care to spend my free time prying into my guests' lives. Plus, I can't imagine anyone would be too pleased if I greeted a table with a nonchalant "hey, too bad you finished 28th in that charity 5K last week."

Continue reading What Can I Get You Folks? - The Downside of Being a Regular

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Soul Food Candy and Bobby McGee The Buffalo News In 60 Seconds

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Newspapers, In Sixty Seconds, In 60 Seconds, News

Photo: Jen SFO-BCN, Flickr

Buffalo goes beyond just chicken wings, of course. Grilled shrimp, anyone?
Local restaurant Bobby McGee's is all about the music -- but you can eat well, too, if you choose judiciously.
Nothing's more American or tastier than soul food, as Buffalo's Urban League president explains.
...And these two Buffalo restaurateurs are serving up soul food on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, the mad scientists among us are cooking up candy concoctions.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Indian Fried Rice with Cardamom

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: The Skinny Chef, Recipes

Photo: The Skinny Chef

After becoming acquainted with Indian cuisine, the first thing I bought were green cardamom pods and I had absolutely no idea what to do with them. You may know the taste of cardamom, if you've ever sipped a chai latte but cardamom is also used in many savory Indian dishes including curries, pulaos and fritters.

Cardamom comes in two varieties, black and green (which is much easier to find). Black cardamom, which has a dark and musty flavor, is used for breads and potato dishes in Nordic countries as well as in India. Green cardamom, which is also called the "true" cardamom, can have a pungent menthol overtone that some people mistake for mint in my cardamom chocolate chip ice cream.

Here are simple ways to experiment with cardamom:

Adding 1/2 teaspoon ground green cardamom to ground coffee for a Turkish-inspired treat.

Cardamom pairs well with dried apricots. Try adding both to an oatmeal raisin cookie recipe -- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom along with 1/4 cup chopped apricots.

Mash your next batch of mashed sweet potatoes with a little orange juice and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom.

Make a luscious chai latte with green cardamom pods.

Find The Skinny Chef's recipe for Indian Fried Rice with Cardamom after the jump.

Continue reading Indian Fried Rice with Cardamom

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sesame Drumsticks with Balsamic Glaze Feast Your Eyes

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Feast Your Eyes

Photo: jpellgen, Flickr

Marinated and then glazed with a sweet and savory mix of balsamic vinegar, honey, soy sauce and brown sugar, these chicken drumsticks are über-moist finger food.

Although we often think of Asian cuisine when we hear sesame chicken, this recipe, from Everyday Italian's Giada De Laurentiis (and photographed by jpellgen, who cooked it up himself), pays tribute to Italian flavors not only with the balsamic but also the rosemary and parsley. A scattering of sesame seeds adds nutty flavor, and gives the tender meat a nice crunch.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot of having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Paula Deens Kiss My Grits Sunday Jazz Brunch

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Celebrities, Events

Paula Deen at the Loews Miami Beach. Photo: Jacquelynn D. Powers

It was only fitting that the queen of comfort food, Paula Deen, hosted a deeply decadent Sunday brunch on the last day of the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. For this mid-morning, Southern-style feast, Deen teamed up with fellow chefs Elizabeth Karmel, Katie Lee, Chris Lilly and Claire Robinson for the buffet to end all buffets. At the Loews Hotel, 600 hungry fans dined on smoked salmon, ham sausage hash, shrimp and crab cake sliders, banana pecan pancakes, collard greens with ham, blackened catfish, pulled pork sandwiches and baked egg casserole with bacon and sausage. While everyone was eating, gospel singer Maryel Epps crooned classic jazz standards.

"I love brunch," Paula said of the event. "Everyone is still sober and I still have energy. I'm past the age of nightlife. Brunch is about good food and good friends. And, of course, you have to have grits. After all, this is the Kiss My Grits brunch."

For Deen, cooking with Katie Lee was a no-brainer. The two Southern women first met at the festival several years ago. "Katie Lee walked up to me and asked if I would be her fairy godmother," Paula recalled. "I was delighted to." Katie Lee's contribution to the brunch was her signature Nutella banana french toast casserole, along with a pomegranate elderflower champagne cocktail. "People liked it so much, and one man came up for thirds," she noted of her successful dish. Katie, herself, had two servings of the pulled pork sandwich.

Continue reading Paula Deen's Kiss My Grits Sunday Jazz Brunch

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Cooking with Joe and Lidia Bastianich

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Celebrities, News

Joe and Lidia Bastianich at the Barilla Interactive dinner at the Biltmore Hotel. Photo: Jacquelynn D. Powers

At the majority of events at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, celebrity chefs whip up gourmet burgers, lobster rolls and even dim sum for their fans. Last night, the tables were turned at the Barilla Interactive dinner at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. At this gathering the people behind the stove weren't named Emeril, Rachael or Guy. Instead, the guests were doing the cooking for the likes of Lidia Bastianich, Philippe Ruiz and Joe Bastianich.

The ornate Biltmore ballroom was the scene of this impromptu Italian cooking experiment. Each table was equipped with a gas burner, frying pans and assorted cooking tools. A student chef from Coral Gables Senior High School partnered up with each table to guide us through the process.

Be sure to follow Slashfood's SOBE coverage on Twitter.

Continue reading Cooking with Joe and Lidia Bastianich

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Inside The Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Celebrities, Events

Top Chef's Fabio Viviani at the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village. Photo by Jacquelynn D. Powers

The Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village is the "meat and potatoes" of the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. It is an opportunity for people to sample mass quantities of gourmet snacks, sip a wide variety of libations and mingle with fellow foodies. It is truly a village, with tents stretching along the beach with interactive stations for KitchenAid, Moet & Chandon, Diageo, Evian, American Express and Home Shopping Network.

Adding to the excitement of the Grand Tasting Village are the hourly chef demonstrations. Everyone from Emeril Lagasse and Rachael Ray to Sandra Lee and Ming Tsai prepared their food live in front of their fans. The sights, sounds and smells of these toques cooking was better than watching any TV show.

We were able to spend some time with Top Chef hottie Fabio Viviani at the Bertolli olive oil booth. The season five contestant is the new spokesperson for Bertolli, and was on-site to prepare three of his tasty recipes. Each dish utilized the flavor profiles of Bertolli's three olive oils, Classico, Extra Virgin and Extra Light. First was Fabio's orecchiette pasta with rapini and sausage. This ear-shaped pasta was flavored with rapini, ground sausage, garlic, white wine, chicken stock, pecorino cheese and Classico olive oil. Lighter was his sea bass with spinach pesto and mango salad. Fittingly, he added Extra Virgin olive to the mix. Lastly, there was a lamb loin over salad with Extra Light olive oil.

Be sure to follow Slashfood's SOBE coverage on Twitter.

Continue reading Inside The Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village

Permalink | Email this | Comments

On The Scene at the South Beach Wine Food Festival

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Filed under: Celebrities, Events

Emeril Lagasse and Norman Van Aken at the BubbleQ. Photo: Jacquelynn D. Powers

Star chefs were making the scene at the second night of the 2010 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, from the Perrier Jouet BubbleQ to Wine Spectator's Best of the Best. Over the years, both events have consistently been foodie favorites, however, they differ in their approach and vibe.

At the more casual Bubble Q, the combination of grilling and champagne made for a memorable evening. Hosted by telegenic chef Emeril Lagasse, there were smoked meats, flowing bubbly and a lively band. Lagasse presided over an impressive roll call of toques including Michelle Bernstein, John Besh, Todd English, Tim Love, Tony Neely, Norman Van Aken and Susan Spicer.

While we didn't hear Emeril utter his "Bam" catchphrase, he did make a major announcement at the BubbleQ concerning his new line of steaks with presenting sponsor Allen Brothers. Called Emeril's Red Marble Steaks, these high-quality cuts of beef (bone-in rib eye, filet, rib roast and hangar) will be available to consumers in the spring. Moreover, as the host of the event, Emeril's booth was the biggest and most impressive. He served a Creole pulled pork sandwich with spicy coleslaw, kicked-up bbq sauce and homemade pickles. For this signature dish, he went through 475 pounds of pork butt.

Be sure to follow Slashfood's SOBE coverage on Twitter.

Continue reading On The Scene at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Permalink | Email this | Comments