Salt and Flattery

Move Over Julia Child!

2011-12-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

Many of the great classical music pieces that we hear so often that they become commonplace (nothing says high culture like a cat food commercial set to something catchy from the Romantic era), were not well received by the critics or society at large in their day. Many great and enduring works of literature (like my beloved Count of Monte Cristo) were esteemed as nothing more than tabloid-grade fiction for which the authors were sometimes reimbursed by the page. So it is with this gem; a culinary muse for the 21st century written by a misunderstood genius who was simply ahead of her time. Put down Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for the Food and Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Pick up a copy of Microwaving for One. I don't know how the James Beard Foundation missed this one when the awards were being given out. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Let me know if you run across one. Just check out this link for some great testimonials.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/09/the-worst-book-ever_n_1137727.html?ref=books

Can't wait!

Beep! Mmmmm! Appetizers - Jalepeno Beepers. The main course - Radiated Radiotore with Tuna and Creamed Corn! And for dessert - Nuked Alaska! There will be no leftovers tonight.

Table for One

2011-07-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

An old German proverb has come to my mind recently. I've also heard this proverb credited to the Dutch and the Russians and there is a variant from Don Quixote which, says that hunger is the best sauce, though any country - especially in Europe, could lay claim. Even so, I am going with German because I am of German descent, because the history of the Germanic people testifies of their familiarity with scarcity and hunger, and because as I write this, I am definitely ready for dinner: a dinner that I will enjoy with my family, the way we do throughout the week but especially on Sunday, except for one very lonely Sunday two weeks ago when my wife and kids were out of town and I was home. My wife had planned a very fun adventure for the kids but timing and other logistical factors precluded my participation.

While I always enjoy church, on this week I was especially glad for the distraction and to be around friends and neighbors, if not family, though the afternoon was uncharted territory for me - I was a lone traveler in a land of isolation. On other days during my family's time away, I could distract myself from my solitude with work, errands, dinner with the missionaries in our area and other activities including a movie and NBA Jam challenge on the Wii with my excellent brother-in-law Stephen. While it was a given that their absence would be temporary and of a defined and relatively brief duration, especially when compared to periods of separation endured by others due to work, military service or death, it was nonetheless acutely felt.

I went through the motions of existence and decided to make a family favorite - a simple but classic chicken pot pie. My plan was that leftovers would serve as good fodder for later and that I would not have to cook again for a while.

Though it was the usual preparation, as I sat down to eat, it just didn't seem to be that savory. What does that have to do with the proverb? The answer is this: Hunger may be the best cook, but good company is the best seasoning, and the want of it leaves a gap that cannot be filled with food, no matter how delicious it may otherwise be.

Repurposed Edibles

2011-06-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

If you know my wife, you might not be surprised to find out that she is a fan of HGTV. She is an interesting kid on many levels and she is interested in a wide variety of different topics, including different places, where and how people in those places live and what they do to make their surroundings more aesthetically pleasing. One concept I've become aware of through some of this programming is that of reclaiming old building materials that can be repurposed - that is, used for another application, such as taking wood from an abandoned house and using it in a different project or picking up old bricks from a demolition site and using them to build yourself a retaining wall or planter box. Aside from being time and labor intensive, there is relatively little if any actual cost to acquire the materials. Furthermore, it is eco-friendly. Now I have never hugged a tree but I appreciate the conservation approach. More than that, however, I like the idea that something that was to be cast-off or was esteemed as being of no worth can, with a little interest, planning and effort, be made into something worthwhile and useful.

What does this have to do with food? Good question. The culinary corollary is seen in what we disdainfully refer to as leftovers, but which I think should be called "tomorrow's muse for something new and wonderful." For example, yesterday's Potatoes Nicoise could become something great for breakfast or brunch - just add eggs. Last night's grilled potatoes could be transformed into excellent home fries (skillet potatoes) - just add diced yellow onion, diced red bell pepper and garlic. Leftover pesto from your Italian-themed dinner - just add eggs. By now you've obviously noticed my breakfast/brunch theme. I like to make it interesting. But the point is, that food not used yesterday can be repurposed for something excellent today. This is just a variant on the pantry principle only you've already done some of the prep work, which leads to my next point - that excellent results are achievable with little effort. High-yield! These are just a few examples. So the next time you want something interesting but you are not feeling inspired, just look at your leftovers and prepare to be blown away with a new combination of flavors you've never thought of.

S'winederful

2011-05-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

The Gershwin brothers would probably not find the perversion of their great song to describe what could be considered as low-brow eats as very clever or appropriate but I think it works. And you've got to love a place where the mascot is a swine pit master. Last night I told my wife we were going to try someplace new when we went out. We ended up on the west side of town and she said, "Let's try Famous Dave's."

Having lived in south Texas for a year and a half, she has an appreciation for real Texas beef brisket. I love pulled pork and, though I still haven't been able to forsake the convenience of my liquid propane grill for a charcoal grill or hardwood smoker, I have tried the occasional piece of pork shoulder known as the Boston butt several times. We make great slaw and I love my barbecue sauce so we have had decent results. In the future, however, I likely will not bother since I've found Famous Dave's. Although I am a great grill man but not so skilled at making real cue, I am nonetheless, a bit snobbish about proteins and sauces. Dave's blew us both away. For what they are trying to be, I'd say it is the best around - meaning that in doing southern cue, they really do it well, compared to say Fazolis or even some slightly better establishments trying to be Italian but you know that they are really just playing at it. The only other place that comes close to being what they are is, in my opinion, 5 Guys Burgers and Fries, who promises just that and delivers just that (and pretty darned tasty it is too).

The sauces were variants of sweet, tangy, peppery smokiness with varying amount of heat - I mostly went with their Rich and Sassy but couldn't settle for just that so I also had a generous shot of Devil's Spit and Texas Pit. The fries were great (nice and hot) and the help and the management at Dave's were excellent.

After an unbelievably good pork sandwich (even the buns were the perfect vehicle) and the Texas Manhandler, featuring beef brisket which my wife says rivals the real deal she experienced in the Lone Star state, we had a piece of pecan pie. So good it was just plain filthy. Filthy. Filthy. Filthy. If you do not have any reservations about engaging in gustatory hedonism in spite of all you know about principles of good nutrition and self-preservation, you should check it out. And even if you do know better, you should lower your standards and try it anyway.

Chessy Onion Quiche

2011-04-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

This recipe was a game changer. I first had this when a great neighbor and fellow foodie brought some over. The next week, I went out and bought the book he got the recipe from; Weber's Big Book of Grilling by Jamie Purviance and Sandra S. McRae. Not only could I make my own quiche now (it is the kind of recipe you get very specific and urgent cravings for), but many of the other recipes in it lead to a great kitchen evolution, especially as far as my spice cupboard was concerned. A game changer!

Ingredients
For the Sauce
1 large red bell pepper
1/4 c. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. crushed walnuts
2 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

For the Filling
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into four pieces
1 c. finely chopped red onion
3 large eggs
3/4 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. grated Jarlsberg, Swiss or Gruyere cheese
3 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 uncooked piecrust (9 inches)

The Method
Grill the bell pepper over direct medium heat until the skin is evenly charred on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pepper from the grill and place in a paper bag; close tightly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes to steam off the skin. Cut off the top and remove the seeds. Coarsely chop the pepper and put in a food processor. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and process until smooth. Pour into a small serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes. In a small bowl whisk the eggs and cream together and add to the butter-onion mixture. Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Line a 9-inch metal pie tin with crust. Pour the filling into the curst. Grill over Direct Medium heat until the edges of the curst and the filling begin to turn golden brown, about 15 minutes, then continue cooking over Direct Low heat until the filling is no longer wet in the center, about 15 minutes more. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with the sauce.

Food for Thought
As expected, a grilling cook book actually directs you to prepare this on the grill. Once you shut the lid, isn't a grill basically an oven. Ideally, you have a built-in thermostat on your grill, then you can really do anything on it you could do in your oven. I won't discuss direct and indirect heat here but give me a call or post an inquiry if you must know more. I often do this just in the oven. 350 for 35 minutes +/- 5 does the trick, although I will usually jump start my piecrusts baking for 7-8 minutes sans filling first so that I don't end up with an undercooked pie crust, which can sometimes happen when dealing with a lot of wet ingredients in the filling, as in this recipe, or with other fillings like custards, fruit mixtures, etc. Unless I'm doing a homemade apple pie, store bought piecrust works great for me (we like Marie Callendar's and Pilsbury). This sauce if ridiculously good and could actually be eaten on a wide variety of savory concoctions. Have fun with the leftovers (if you have any).

Cupcake Nazis

2011-03-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

If you recall a previous post about a local cupcake joint, you might be surprised by this rant. As it turns out, they don't really sell cupcakes during all business hours. It seems that their business model is based on paying for staff, physical plant, utilities, etc. to remain open longer than they actually sell cupcakes.

It's been disappointing to find that during their business hours, on several recent occasions, that they have had hardly any product. Our last attempt found a mostly empty display case with lemon-blueberry only (quite a few actually). But guess what? Lemon-blueberry is a muffin; not a cupcake.

Now I hate to besmirch or sully the reputation of honest, hard-working people; especially those who are rolling the dice on such a venture as this. I will try one more time. It just seems to me that a sustainable and successful business model whose sole purpose was to supply product X would be more successful if that business actually had product X to sell.

So word to the peeps at the CBCcC - Worry less about throwing out a few cupcakes at the end of an occasional slow day and worry more about all of the sales you are missing by not having anything in the display case.

Now lest you think this is simply born of mean-spirited meany meanness, just think of me as the jilted boyfriend who got dumped and goes about with unrestrained bitterness over the girl who dumped him all the while saying he doesn't care or that she was no good. The fact that I am ranting so should be an indication of just how much I do care no matter what else I might say. Let me eat cake! And bring back your cupcakes for sale. Are you misunderstood-genius, narcissistic artist cupcake Nazis, madly and capriciously denying your cupcake neophytes the opportunity to satisfy the expectations you have created? Or is it because you can't supply the goods, more like a Moscow-retreat, barren winter, beginning-of-the-end, can't get supplies to the front line type of cupcake Nazi? Bring back my cupcakes to me. Either that or close earlier, when you are out of product. Staying open so people can come in to see your undesirable muffins in an otherwise, empty case is just mean.

She Bakes

2011-02-11T23:15:00.000-08:00

I like checking out other food blogs. This new one is full of promise and soon to be full of great recipes. It is H's food blog, which she just started today. Check it out. But in case you forget, I will, from time to time, include links to special recipes or other posts to her blog while at other times, you may see the same recipe on each blog because I'm not above poaching and just want to have it in the mix here. So here you go. It is:

Pefectly Imperfect Bakes a Cake and Other Things

The address is:

http://www.perfectlyimperfectbakesacake.blogspot.com/

Now while she does do more baking than me and also a good deal of excellent cooking, I am, usually against my will, the baker of most cakes around here (just so you know).

Super Bowl of Chili

2011-02-05T22:09:00.000-08:00

We made this for Super Bowl Sunday last year. It was awesome. I didn’t have a dog in that fight, so we didn’t miss not tuning in and the game turned out to be just an excuse to fix some great game-day food. Though we still will be spending our day doing other things to the neglect of SB XLV, this year is a different story. I’ll simply suggest that you should go with some good Wisconsin Cheddar when making your ingredient selection for this Lombardelicious game-day dish. Don’t call me to tell me how much you enjoyed the dish or the game until Monday morning!

Ingredients
½ lb. dry pinto beans
½ lb. dry small red beans
3-4 dried California chiles
8-10 dried small red peppers such as Chile Japones or Chile de Arbol peppers
2 Tbsp. beef base
8 c. water

¾ lb. ground beef or turkey
1 tsp. canola oil (if using turkey)
1 medium yellow onion – finely diced
¼ c. masa de harina (corn flour)
½ c. water

1 8 oz. jar of medium salsa
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
¼ c. barbecue sauce
3 Tbsp. prepared chili powder
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
½ Tbsp. smoked paprika
½ Tbsp. fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
8 oz. cheddar or pepper-jack cheese
Sour cream

The Method
Place water, beef base, dried beans and chilies in pressure cooker and cook according to your devices instructions for dry beans.

Add onions and ground beef or turkey to frying pan over medium heat and cook until meat is lightly browned. If using ground beef, remove excess fat. Remove from heat and set aside.

Mix masa powder with ½ c. water prior to adding to cooker.

After beans and chiles have finished cooking, add in meat, onions, masa mixture, salsa, tomato paste, barbecue sauce, chili powder, garlic, salt, paprika pepper and cinnamon to cooker. Allow all ingredients to simmer together for an additional ½ hour, stirring occasionally. Serve and top with cheese and sour cream. Try not to eat too much.

Food for Thought
While this chili would not likely win any awards at the state fair or any chili cook-offs in the South due to the presence of the beans, which some chili purists feel don't belong in a serious chili, I was raised in a home where good beans were appreciated as a unique ingredient and not simply looked upon as a filler. And while it took me a while to acquire the taste for them, I definitely appreciate them now. As for the cinnamon, this is one ingredient you must not mistreat, either by omission or by using too liberally. But in the right amount, it adds something truly special to the gustatory landscape.

Recommended Sides: Cornbread or Tortilla Chips.

Pork Loin Chops with Pan Sauce

2011-02-03T20:44:00.000-08:00

Pork makes a great blank canvas. This recipe is a great way to color it tasty.

Ingredients
For the chops
8-10 boneless thin cut top pork loin chops
2-4 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

For the rub
3 Tbsp. Kosher salt
2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried rosemary or (2 tsp. fresh rosemary finely chopped)
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. fresh ground mixed peppercorns
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

For the pan sauce
3/4 c. water
1/2 c. milk
Juice of 1 large orange
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp. coarse ground mustard
1 tsp. chicken base
Additional black pepper to taste

The Method
Mix salt, pepper, rosemary, granulated garlic, mixed peppercorns, lemon pepper, cayenne and paprika in a small bowl. Apply mixture liberally to top of each chop. In a large stainless steel frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp. canola oil over medium heat. Place up to 4 chops at a time into pan with rub side down and season other side of each chop. Add Worcestershire and soy sauce to pan. Fry for 3 minutes or until nicely browned then flip each chop and fry additional 3 minutes or until browned. Remove chops from pan and place each chop in a small pan lined with foil. Add additional canola oil if needed and repeat until remainder of chops are finished.  Close foil over chops and place into 350-degree oven for 5-6 minutes.

While pan is still hot, remove from heat and add water to deglaze the pan. After allowing pan to cool briefly, add milk, orange juice, lemon juice, minced garlic, mustard and chicken base. Whisk over medium heat. then reduce to low heat.

After 5-6 minutes, remove chops from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove chops from foil and plate.  Add additional juices from foil to pan sauce and stir briefly.  Additional black pepper may be added if desired.

Serve chops with your choice of rice and drizzle pan sauce over chops and rice.

Recommended sides:
Sauteed asparagus or steamed broccoli

Food For Thought
A pan sauce like this is less viscous, less opaque and more concentrated than your garden variety gravy, which you could make from here by combining your sauce elements with additonal fats and starches. Gravy certainly has a place on the table but sometimes you just want something that feels like it's not so bad for you.  This type of pan sauce may not pair as well with potatoes but is excellent over any type of rice or vegetable.

When frying or grilling meat, the real magic occurs when the meat begins to brown. When amino acids undergo certain reactions, in the presence of reducing sugars, we get a range of golden brown chemical products which give cooked meats their delicious flavor. These non-enzymatic reactions are called the Maillard reactions for the early 20th century French scientist Louis Camille Maillard, who first described these reactions while studying protein synthesis.  After your meat is finished, all of the bits of this and bits of that, along with the residual fat you started with, as well as those generated by the cooking process, and anything else you've added, are culinary magic waiting to happen. Add some liquid to deglaze the pan, whisk it to loosen everything on the bottom of your pan, season to taste and you've got your self a very savory, sophisticated and delicious pan sauce.

Let Them Eat Cupcakes

2010-12-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Far Side comic strips shows Marie Antoinette being led to the guillotine while trying to explain her treatment of her subjects; "I said let them eat cake and ice cream." Truly hilarious! I’ve always thought that cake and ice cream were a bit much. A good ice cream is a thing of joy - at certain times of the year. Likewise, cake can be a wonderful treat (though my wife will roll her eyes and bemoan my preference of pie over cake - blame it on my German ancestry lady – no secret – check the surname). But a good cupcake is something we both agree on, so if someone suggested that I be allowed to eat cake, I would be perfectly happy, if that cake were in the form of a Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe cupcake (say that five times really fast).

Cupcakes are great right? I've written about another great purveyor of fine cupcakeage in our area before so you know I dig them. Although I wonder that we do not say 'cup of cake' or 'cup-o-cake' or 'cake in a cup'. I guess it is simply because it sounds weird, though it seems like this argument is just another variation on the chicken or egg conundrum. I have tried to find a corollary in other cuisines where an otherwise pedestrian dish is named partly by the vessel it was prepared in or served on but whoever heard of a 'glassbevaerage' or a 'platepotato'? The only thing that comes to mind is chicken pot pie or green been (or whatever type) of casserole. When it's done with more sophisticated dishes it sounds OK; pheasant under glass, Moroccan beef tagine. These sound normal enough (maybe it's in the order - OK thinking about it way too much about it). Anyway, naming aside, cupcakes are great. And we were super excited to discover a new designer cupcake bakery in our city, which, after the discovery of this bakery, seems a little more hip than it was before.

There are two locations in Idaho and one in Utah. If you get a chance, check them out. We've only tried two varieties (so far) but will definitely return to check out the rest. Their menu varies by the day of the week, which I think is an awesome approach. To see their blog, go to http://thecocoabeancupcakecafe.blogspot.com/.

Yulelicious - My New Favorite!

2010-11-20T19:39:00.000-08:00

My new favorite Oreo. My new favorite anything. Could anything be better than this heavenly treat? You must try the new, limited edition, here for the holidays, Candy Cane Oreos; chocolatey, pepperminty, crunchy, creamy, double stuffy, candy-canetastic bliss. And as my wife said, "The only thing better than a Candy Cane Oreo is a Candy Cane Oreo dipped in hot chocolate." They are similar to the Mint Oreos we all love only better. It's what the Mint Oreo wants to be when it grows up. Merry Christmas.

Fiesta Soup

2010-10-17T21:18:00.000-07:00

Need a reason to celebrate or do something special? Make this soup - it is worth celebrating. We call it something different at our house and you'll just have to trust me when I say that you just wouldn't get it. To call it taco soup gives you some idea of what it is but is altogether too pedestrian and just doesn't do it justice. If, however, I said the best +*^&^%$#@!."/_=@#$%^?!! taco soup you've every had, then you'd start to get it.

The list of ingredients looks long (like an Emeril recipe) but wait! Before you switch off, look at the method; super easy! And besides, it is so delicious. You really won't believe that something so easy could be so good.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 c. frozen corn
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 15 oz. can chili con carne
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 16 oz. jar salsa (your preference but we like La Victoria)
1 10 oz. can tomato juice
1 c. water
1 Tbsp. minced garlic2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

For Garnish
6 oz. cheddar or pepperjack cheese, shredded
1-2 small-medium limes
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 small container sour cream
1 bag yellow corn tortilla chips

The Method
Add oil to large stock pot over medium heat and add onion, corn and a pinch of salt. Saute for 4-6 minutes. Add ground beef or turkey, scramble and cook until evenly browned. Add chili, black beans, salsa, soup, water, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice and seasonings and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and dish into bowls.

Garnish with cheese, sour cream, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. You may also want to break up a few chips as an additonal garnish but we recommend using the chips as an edible utensil for scooping up the stuff.

Food for Thought
If you want to jazz up your chips a bit, don't forget this easy idea. Also, you may have noticed that in this and in other recipes, I recommend ground beef or ground turkey. Ground turkey may sound weird to some and that's OK. Ground beef is still our friend and, in many cases, cannot be substituted. However, in dishes like this, I find that the ground turkey works great. The texture is usually better than ground beef, which can sometimes be a bit rubbery. I will be the first to admit that, on it's own, it is not the most delicious product around. In fact, it is a bit flat and boring. The great thing though is, because it doesn't have a great deal of inherent flavor, it responds well to whatever you season it with. It tastes like you want it to taste based on how you treat it, thus it is a great culinary canvas on which you can create something wonderful - like the best taco - I mean fiesta soup you've ever had. Serves 8-10.

Grilled Potatoes

2010-10-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

It has been said that the simple things in life are the best. If that is true, then it explains why these potatoes are so amazing.

Ingredients
Desired number of Idaho Russet baking potatoes
2-3 Tbsp. canola oil
2 generous Tbsp. Kosher salt

The Method
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350-400 degrees). Select potatoes suitable for baking, scrub and cut off any exterior defects. Slice each potato in half. Place halved potatoes in a gallon storage bag and pour in canola oil and salt. Close top of bag and toss potatoes inside until evenly coated with oil and salt. Place potatoes on upper grill rack (indirect heat). If your grill has no upper rack, you can still do indirect heat by turning off the burner on one side and placing potatoes on the grill grate over the inactive burner. If you used all burners to achieve your target temperature, you will need to turn up your other burner(s) after turning off the one you are cooking over. Flip potatoes and rotate around cooking area of grill depending on the progress of your potatoes and the presence of hot spots - about every 8-9 minutes until nicely browned (about 34-40 minutes).

Remove from grill and serve while hot.

Food for Thought
These potatoes need no accoutrements but if you like, go for it. Just keep it simple; barbecue sauce, ketchup (if you must) or even a little tangy dill mayo, or malt vinegar. I have made these scores, nay hundreds of times and so believe me when I tell you, they require a bit of patience but they are worth it. In the summer, they go great with your grilled steak, chicken or whatever. They're best, however, when you feel the need to grill in the winter and have to sample a small morsel to see if they're done. Ice cold weather, steaming hot potato. The simple pleasures really are the best!

Tangy Dill Mayo

2010-09-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

This one goes in the "A little extra effort makes a huge difference" category. The next time you are making dinner and want something to boost the enjoyment factor and subsequently, the praise to the cook, try this one.

Ingredients
1/4 c. good quality mayonnaise
1 generous Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
several large sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped (~ 1-2 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

The Method
Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together until smooth. Serve on or along side your favorite meats and produce.

Food for Thought
This goes well with anything you could eat ranch dressing on (only better) and beyond. If you want it on a salad, knock yourself out. I recommend it on fish and pork (preferably grilled) and potatoes and veggies; for example, we had it with grilled pork loin, grilled potatoes and sautéed green beans with toasted almonds and minced garlic. So good!

Our vegetable for this meal was a matter of the so-called "pantry principle", which says use what you have. This principle is always important but is especially time-sensitive where produce is concerned. As we had a batch of fresh green beans from our sister-in-law's garden (Yay!), and we had fresh dill growing in the backyard, it was a no-brainer.

Jacket optional, Thai required: Mango Sticky Rice

2010-09-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

After a memorable dinner with our great foodie friends (the same friends who made the great collard green and baked beans on our Southern-friend theme dinner, I am quite a different person.

The cuisine theme (Thai) was previously fairly unfamiliar to me but I was given a great recipe to work from for the Nam Tok I was assigned to make. The cooking experience and the enjoyment of all of the great dishes there (including this one for Mango Sticky Rice) have broadened my horizons and guaranteed that I will have powerful, spontaneous, episodic cravings of some great versions of southeast Asian cuisine for a very long time.

This recipe for Mango Sticky Rice comes from our friend Katie. To say it was a life-changing experience would be only a slight exaggeration. Thanks Katie.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Thai sticky rice (khao niao)
1 can (19 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 mangoes, peeled and sliced

The Method
In a large bowl, combine the rice and enough water to cover by 2-inches. Soak for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain.

Inside a wok or steaming pot, place a bamboo steamer and line the steamer with parchment paper/thin cloth. Add enough water to come up just below the steamer. Bring the water to a boil and steam until rice is tender—about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the rice to a bowl.

Mix the coconut milk, sugar and salt in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour over the rice (but reserve about one third of the sauce to be able to drizzle over the mango when you serve), mix well, cover and set aside until liquid is absorbed into the rice, about 30 minutes. Dish rice into serving bowls, add a few slices of mango to each bowl and drizzle a bit of reserved sauce over each dish.

Food for Thought
It's like if a fresh peach pie had been born in Bangkok instead of Georgia. It was great!

As a final note, when using produce in a recipe, it seems fairly obvious to state that you should use good stuff. That said, it is especially important in a recipe such as this where the produce goes in straight - with little or no processing, subjection to heat, integration with other ingredients, etc. Bottom line, if you can't find good stuff for your given recipe, make a substitution if possible (the red cabbages are lousy but the green cabbages look great) or just wait. The mangos used in this recipe came from Bountiful Baskets and they were excellent. We've heard a lot of good things about them so I suppose we'll have to check them out.

Lemon Dream

2010-09-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

This is the best cake I have ever made; I have made a similar cake many times from a published recipe, (which I have modified in several ways over time) and I thought I would use it as a jumping off point for a more bold variation. By now, I think it is safe to say that there is no recipe under the sun, published or unpublished, which is exactly like this one. It was a fragrant, citrusy, torte of creamy, textural perfection.

Ingredients

For the Cake
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 large whole eggs, at room temperature
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. milk
1. tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. orange extract
1/8 tsp. yellow food coloring

2 1/4 c. cake flour
1 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. Salimon
1/8 tsp. iodized salt

12 Tbsp. ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

For the Frosting
3 1/4 c. powdered sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
2 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. orange extract
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/8 tsp yellow food coloring
Pinch of salt

For the Simple Syrup
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. lemon extract

The Method
Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Trace 2 9-inch cake rounds on baking parchment paper and cut out the rounds. Lightly spray the inside of the cake rounds with cooking spray and lay parchment paper rounds inside of cake rounds.

Whisk wet ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl for mixing or in your stand mixer bowl. With mixer on low speed, beat in pieces of butter, one piece at a time until mixture is coarse and crumbly.

Increase mixer speed to medium-high and gradually add in egg mixture. Stop mixer and scrape down sides then resume mixing and beat until batter is light and fluffy. This batter will be thick.

Divide batter evenly between the two prepared cake rounds and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with few crumbs attached (28-34 minutes).

Remove cakes and set on top of cooling racks and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around between the cakes and the pans to loosen and flip out onto racks. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of each cake and flip cake upright onto another cooling rack. Cut each cake in 1/2 with a bread knife or other long serrated blade taking care to maintain a constant, even thickness as you cut.

Place a small amount of frosting on your cake plate and place a bottom layer of cake on the plate.  Lightly brush the top of the layer with the simple syrup using a silicone sauce brush then add a generous (~1/4 inch even layer of frosting. Add another layer of cake and repeat with additional layers. Use a small portion of remaining frosting to go around the outside of the cake (called the crumb layer) and refrigerate for 20 minutes then remove and add remainder of frosting for the final outer layer of frosting.  Refrigerate for an additional 30-60 minutes prior to serving.

Food for Thought
Regarding lemon zest, the less-is-more technique works best as the outer portion of the lemon peel has everything you want. As you grate deeper into the white pithy matter, the lemon peel has a very unpleasant bitterness that reminds us of why we do not eat lemons and other citrus fruit out-of-hand like we do apples, pears and so forth.

Also, when frosting a cake, remember that you always want to put down more frosting than you think you will need, push the frosting where you want it to go, then scrape off the extra. This will prevent tearing the cake and besides, even with 4 layers, there is no need to be stingy when you've got this much frosting. When frosting a cake, you should have the right tool for the job and that means an icing spatula (I like the offset handle). They can be purchased at your local craft store, WalMart, Target, etc. and online.

Finally, this cake needs no additional company other than a fork and a glass of cold milk. However, if your friend sends you a jar of lemon-ginger marmalade, a bit of that on the side really pumps up the jam (pun intended - how shameful - sorry). But seriously folks, after you try this recipe, you will forgive my sins of humor (Doh! Another one. Help!).

The Spice of Life

2010-08-29T00:39:00.000-07:00

I've heard it said that 'you eat with your eyes first'. This is, I suppose, intended to explain the importance of presentation and the visual appeal of food. Admittedly, this is a very important factor in food preparation and consumption but not the first. I haven't heard it said elsewhere but it makes sense to me that, in reality, 'you eat with your nose first', which describes the pre-prandial allurement of foods as they are being prepared and cooked. In fact, the sense of smell is key to the proper enjoyment of food throughout the dining experience, more than many people realize.

Said Harold McGee in his classic and oft-referenced kitchen tome:

The function of herbs and spices is to add flavor to our foods. Flavor is a composite quality, a combination of sensations from the taste buds in the mouth and the odor receptors in the upper reaches of our nose. And these sensations are chemical in nature: we taste tastes and smell odors when our receptors are triggered by specific chemicals in foods. There are only a handful of different tastes-sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savory or umami. while there are many thousands of different odors. It's odor molecules that make an apple "taste" like an apple, not like a pear or a radish. So most of what we experience as flavor is odor, or aroma. Herbs and spices heighten flavor by adding their characteristic aroma molecules. (The exceptions to this rule are pungent spices and herbs, which stimulate and irritate nerves in the mouth).

(McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York: Scribner, 2004. p. 387).

So it is that the sense of taste, as it functions on the tongue, can be likened to a compass, which can point you in the right direction with your choices of North, South, East and West or, in this case, salty, sweet, sour or bitter (the whole umami concept is still being debated and I personally don't buy it). Taste receptors in your mouth can also detect relative differences between simultaneously experienced stimuli so that northwest could be a composite salty and sweet taste and so forth. Now, these odor receptors in the nasal passages are finely tuned to other stimuli, which make the sense of smell function more like a GPS. Turn right in 250 feet and you arrive at your destination. These precise directions may be likened to impressions of taste that could be described as nutty, grassy, rich, fruity, woodsy, light, fresh, herbaceous, briny, smokey, caseous, citrusy (which is different from just the sweet and sour components of citrus fruit) and so forth and make it possible to identify vanilla, cinnamon, cilantro and distinguish one fruit from others.

Years ago, my kitchen spice rack contained the usual dried herbs that most people (myself included) did not know how to use and a bit of this and that for other spices and seasonings such as your basic table salt, black pepper (already ground), lemon pepper, seasoning salt, red pepper flakes, cinnamon and nutmeg. A current inventory would reveal a more interesting and varied collection and, you'll have to take my word for this part, a better understanding of when and how to use them. Off the top of my head the list now looks something like this:

- Kosher salt
- Sea salt
- Whole black peppercorns
- Mixed peppercorns
- Whole coriander
- Red pepper flakes
- Seasoning Salt
- Granulated garlic
- Minced onion
- Garlic salt
- Cayenne
- Chipotle powder
- Sal Limon
- Paprika
- Smoked Paprika
- Whole allspice
- Ground Allspice
- Tumeric
- Curry
- Old Bay
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ground mustard
- Chili powder
- Cumin seed
- Ground cumin
- Dried sage
- Dried rosemary
- Dried tarragon

Though not specifically classified as herbs or spices, I employ our friends minced garlic, brown sugar and raw sugar and the like to many spice rubs, marinades, sauces and so forth. We still love good old iodized salt and it should be noted that other specialty salts like kosher salt do not contain iodine and so could leave a gaping hole in your nutritional profile if used exclusively. One thing that will never be found in our spice cupboard is ground black pepper. If I could put fresh herbs in our cupboard, I would but, since we cannot, we have a great outdoor extension of our flavor-enhancing stores in a couple of spots in backyard garden areas. These include:

- Sweet basil
- Spicy basil
- Oregano
- Mint (spearmint, though we like peppermint too)
- Chives
- Dill
- Cilantro
- Sage

This list is by no means comprehensive. As a basic rule of thumb, when substituting dried herbs for fresh, use about 1/3 of the amount called for. Also, if using fresh herbs, do not add until near the very end of the cooking process or reserve them for use as a a garnish or to finish a dish since many of the fresh, herbaceous and volatile flavor compounds can be altered or destroyed by prolonged (or even brief) exposure to heat.

Now, flick through your favorite cook books, make a list of commonly called for herbs and spices, as well as a couple of the obscure ones, and go shopping. When skillfully employed, herbs and spices will greatly enhance your cooking and eating experience and, furthermore, most (with the exception of high-sodium, store-bought seasonings) do so without really altering the fat, sodium or calorie profile of your dishes.

My Wife's Friend's Brownie Recipe Passed Along from Her Mother

2010-07-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

Someone somewhere knows where this recipe started. My wife's mother raved about this recipe from one of my wife's friends from way back. We just call them Angela's Brownies. Thanks Angela. And please extend our gratitude to whoever gave the recipe to you.

Ingredients
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

The Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt to large bowl and mix together. In a separate mixing bowl add eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed while slowly adding sugar until creamy. Continue to mix while slowly adding butter. Decrease mixer speed and add remaining dry ingredients. Return mixer to medium speed and beat until ingredients are evenly combined. Batter will be thick. Spray 9 x 13 baking pan dish with canola oil and spread batter evenly. Bake for 30 minutes.

Food for Thought
Butter is good. On paper, this is not vastly different from many other brownie recipes but on your tongue, these brownies are special, with hints of buttery, caramel-like richness that makes your brain superimpose flavors from ingredients that are not there. But speaking of adding ingredients, my mother-in-law's twist is to add chocolate chips. My wife skips the chocolate chips (or should I say she saves them for different applications) and adds 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Try this and let the decadent realities and the related gustatory hallucinations begin.

More Southern Sides

2010-07-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

Collard Greens with Coconut Milk

This recipe comes from our friends who invited us over for the Southern cuisine dinner. The old proverb goes that if you give a man a fish, he eats for a day but if you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime. It has also been said that, if you teach that man to cook his fish, he will eat well. With the exception of living in New Zealand for two years, I spent most of my life inland and so do not have a great appetite for fish (how many fish recipes have you seen on this blog?). With this proverb in mind and applied to other types of food, I say thanks to our friend Katie for the recipes which will undoubtedly come in handy when we get a jones for the awesome collard greens and baked beans that we so good they are sure to haunt and to be craved.

Ingredients
1/2 lb. bacon
1 lb. collard greens or kale
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. coconut milk
1/4 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/4 tsp. pepper (or red chili flakes)
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped (or 2/3 can of diced tomatoes)

The Method
Chop and saute bacon. Drain and set aside. Wash collard greens well. Remove and discard stems; cut up leaves (should have about 14 cups). Bring water to boiling in a large pan or Dutch oven. Add collard greens and onion. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, bouillon, tomatoes, and pepper and add bacon back in. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes more or until slightly thickened and greens are tender. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Food for Thought
If you've cooked greens, spinach and the like before, you know that the cook down a ton, being mostly water. Our friend Katie said that for our gathering, she actually doubled this recipe.
The Crockpot Bean Recipe

Ingredients
3 cans white beans
1/2 c. chopped Canadian bacon
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 c. ketchup
1 Tbsp. mustard
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. BBQ sauce
1/4 c. molasses
pepper

The Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and combine ingredients in dutch oven, cover and bake for 60 minutes. If using a crockpot, cook on low heat for up to two hours.

Y'all Come Back Now! Ya Hea?

2010-07-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it seems that we don't get out much (hello - blogging about food here - that fact should be self -evident). Sometimes, however, we have more on our plate, socially speaking, than we feel like we can handle. Yet if the company is good, it is permissible to have a little extra at times. It has been observed that you can get too much of a good thing. As far as good food and good friends go, it may, in fact, take us a while because we love both.

H and I have, after leaving our last neighborhood filled with some very interesting and talented foodies whom we still miss, found kindred spirits in our present location and have had the pleasure of a couple of great dinner parties within the past few weeks. Each one was excellent in it's own way owing to variations in the company and the menus. One was couples only while the other included our children. One was more formal while the other was a bit more casual. One took place on a night when there was really nothing going on and one was, by way of either coincidence or by good planning, part of a Fourth of July celebration. One was a combination of unplanned but surprisingly harmonious dishes and the other was totally planned out with a regional theme and menu. As I said, each one was excellent. Even so, slight edge, based solely on my love for food of the American South, to tonight's July 4 menu.

- Buttermilk fried chicken
- Baked beans
- Collard greens
- Fried zucchini
- Watermelon
- Biscuits with berries and cream
- Peach pie
- Mint and lime slushees

So )(*&*&^*^%*(&)(*&++%$#@!!#&*( good! See links below for the best fried zucchini you've ever had and an excellent fried chicken recipe:

Neely's Fried Zucchini

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Food for Thought
I haven't made the spicy dipping sauce included with the fried zucchini recipe but I'm sure it's great. I have tried just good old Ranch dressing - super good.

My variation on the fried chicken was to use Panko breadcrumbs for the final coat on the double-dipped chicken. I also recommend just an extra pinch of salt. Also, because this chicken had to travel, I used Crisco. I usually choose a healthier option such as canola oil - but one must ask - "If I am eating fried chicken, how health conscious am I?" But seriously, if you know how to fry food at the right temperature and for the right amount of time, the amount of residual fat you consume is sometimes worth the difference in taste. Anyway, back to the Crisco - if you are making picnic fried chicken, if it has to travel or be made ahead of time, or if you just like leftovers and like it cold, I definitely recommend Crisco. Otherwise, from fryer to table - canola oil is fine.

Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

2010-06-28T23:09:00.000-07:00

Apparently, there is a dressing like this at Cafe Rio (which I've never been to). I got this recipe from my sister-in-law after sampling it at her house. It was awesome. I've seen versions of it on the internet - websites, other foodblogs, etc.

Ingredients
1 pkg. ranch dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
3 tomatillos
1 c. cilantro
3 cloves garlic
1 lime, juiced
1/8 tsp. cayenne

The Method
Peel husks from tomatillos and rinse. Place tomatillos in small pan of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Tomatillos are done when they begin to sink in the pan. Remove from pan and place in blender with other ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Food for Thought
Use this on any Mexican or Tex-Mex dish or salad you like. It is creamy, savory, herbaceous goodness that will truly blow your mind.

Rotini with Red Pepper Ragu

2010-06-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

No this is not something that you can pick up at the store next to the Prego. Ragu, more than just a brand name, actually refers to an hearty Italian meat sauce that comes from northern Italy's Bologna region.

My first memorable exprerience with roasted red peppers came when a friend and fellow foody brought me a wedge of great quiche with the most awesome romesco ever. I have been a fool for red peppers ever since and they were my muse for this creation. The roasted red peppers make the sauce earthy and delicious. This is high-octane Italian flavor. A Maserati for your mouth. A Ferrari for your fork. A Fiat for . . . just kidding. No Fiat comparison here. This is good stuff.

Ingredients
2 medium-large red bell peppers
1 quart canned tomatoes
1 lb. turkey burger, ground beef or Italian sausage (your preference).
5 cloves garlic, divided
¼ tsp. cayenne
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
4 oz. Parmesan cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
5-6 leaves of fresh sweet basil

The Method
Roast peppers over direct high heat on a grill or over a gas burner until skin is charred. Remove from heat and place in paper bag for 10 minutes. Remove from bag and scrape off skin. Cut each pepper into halves and remove the pith and seeds. After draining the tomatoes, add to food processor with peppers, 3 cloves of garlic, and lemon juice and process for 30 seconds.

Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to large saucepan over medium heat. Add meat and cook until lightly browned. Finely mince two remaining cloves of garlic and add to pan and continue to cook for one additional minute. If using ground beef or sausage, drain excess fat from pan prior to adding vegetable mixture. Add sauce and reduce heat to low. While sauce simmers, add cayenne, 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. of black pepper.

In a medium sized stockpot, bring water to boil over high heat and add 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. salt. Add rotini noodles and reduce to medium-high heat, maintaining boil for 3-5 minutes.

When noodles are done (but not mushy), remove from heat and drain into colander. Rinse briefly with cold water.

Grate Parmesan. Tightly roll basil leaves together and chop into ribbons. Plate noodles and top with a healthy dose of sauce. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan and basil. Salt and pepper to taste and try not to be too sad that you didn’t make more. Serves 4-6.

Food for Thought
You could finish an old boot or a can of Spaghetti-Os (please wait until the present food-safety issues and recall hoopla have been settled – if you buy them again at all!) with olive oil, fresh Parmesan and fresh basil and it would taste great. So put it on good food and Wowza!

A brief cold-water rinse in a colander helps to arrest the cooking process in your noodles without chilling them out too much. There are few things less appetizing than overcooked pasta – oil, cheese and herb garnish notwithstanding.

Can't Believe it's Not Kabobs

2010-06-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

Love kabobs but hate the assembly? This is the dish for you. So good and perfect for Summertime.

Ingredients
1 lb. package of your favorite polish sausage or poslka kilbasa
1 lb. fresh or fully thawed chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breast
1 large red bell pepper
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large yellow onion
1 can large whole pitted black olives
1 can pineapple chunks
3/4 c. of your favorite barbecue sauce
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

The Method
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Slice sausage into 3/4-inch medallions and chicken into 2-3 inch pieces. Chop peppers and onion into 2 inch pieces. Drain pineapple and olives completely. Add barbecue sauce, lemon juice and canola oil in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add peppers, onion, pineapple and olives to sauce mixture and toss until all produce is covered. Remove produce from mixing bowl and add to perforated grill pan and grill over direct medium-high heat until lightly carmelized. Add chicken and sausage to mixing bowl and toss to coat in remaining sauce mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Grill sausage and chicken over direct medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add meat and produce to large serving bowl and dig in.

Food for Thought
All grills have hot spots and cooler areas. Move meat around and remove from grill piece by piece when done. If you like mushrooms, they would be great to add to your batch of veggies about halfway through grilling.

Red, White and Blueberry Shortcake Stack

2010-06-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

You don't need a patriotic holiday to eat this desert but it is definitely a summer-time treat. Though you can use any combination of fruit you like, the combination of strawberries and blueberries both looks and tastes delicious. This is not an original concept but this dish is one of our favorites.

Ingredients
For the biscuits
4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. shortening
1 3/4 c. milk
Demerara or turbinado sugar

Toppings
1 lb. fresh strawberries
1 lb. fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. granulated sugar

2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. real vanilla extract

The Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place berries in a colander and rinse thoroughly. Hull and slice strawberries and place in medium mixing bowl along with blueberries, granulated sugar and lemon juice. Lightly toss fruit mixture then cover and refrigerate.

In a separate mixing bowl, add all dry biscuit ingredients and stir to combine. Add shortening and cut in until crumbly. Add milk and mix together until dough is as soft as you can handle. Lightly flour clean countertop and lightly knead dough (15-20 times) and roll out dough to 1 inch thickness. Cut out biscuits with 3-4 inch cutter. Sprinkle biscuits with demerara or turbinado sugar. Lay biscuits out one against another on baking sheet, place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Whip heavy cream in a separate bowl, and add powdered sugar and vanilla extract just as cream begins to stiffen. Continue to whip until stiff.

Plate biscuits by slicing biscuits into top and bottom halves. Top each bottom half with whipped cream and fruit, add biscuit top and repeat. Finish each biscuit by sprinking with an additional teaspoon of raw sugar.

Food for Thought
Demerara sugar can be purchased in the bulk foods section at Winco and similar stores. You can find turbinado (Hawaiian source) sugar in a small box on your baking aisle. These products form unrefined, brown, coarse granules derived from sugar cane. They offer a bit more depth of flavor than white granulated sugar as well as a sublte textural element.

This is your basic baking powder biscuit recipe minus a bit of flour with the addition of powdered sugar. Knowing that these biscuits were to be used in a desert application, my wife took her usual recipe and added the powdered sugar to give them a little more sweetness and, as she hypothesized, to make them lighter and fluffier. They were beautiful golden cylinders of light, tender, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. This desert is not really that time or labor intensive but yields a great payoff in terms of 'wow-factor' for presentation and taste. This really is summer on a desert plate. Bring this to your next family get together and you'll be loved and hated at the same time; loved for bringing something so delicious and hated for showing off with such a beautiful and tasty treat.

Chipotle Lemon Popcorn

2010-05-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

For years now, I have loved cayenne pepper on my popcorn. This seasoning mixture yields slightly less heat but adds smoky and acidic elements, which are very complimentary to one another and to the popcorn.

Ingredients
1/4 c. yellow popcorn
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

For the seasoning mixture:
3 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Salimon
1 Tbsp. chipotle powder

The Method
Combine salt, Salimon and chipotle powder in a salt shaker. Drizzle melted butter evenly over air popped or oil popped popcorn. Sprinkle on desired amount of seasoning mixture and save the rest for later use (you'll want to have it again). Enjoy.

Food for Thought
What's Salimon? Trechas Salimon is a citrified salt with a delicious, potent lemony zing that works well in Mexican cuisine (see one other application here).

Crepes

2010-05-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

So as it turns out, crepes are either easier than I'd previously thought or I had a full-blown case of beginner's luck this last Mother's Day. Crepes are just plain fun and have a lot of versatility; breafast/bruch or dessert, sweet or savory fillings. All good.

One other possible explanation for the fabulous outcome is that I followed a great recipe so I though I'd post it here. This comes from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (Revised Edition):

1 cup whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Blend all of the ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth, about 4 seconds. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate the batter for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

2. Gently stir the batter to combine if it appears separated. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet (or crepe pan) over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Brush the pan bottom and sides very lightly with butter (it should sizzle when it hits the pan). When the butter stops sizzling, remove the pan from the heat, tilt the pan slightly, and, following the photos, pour 2 1/2 tablespoons of the batter (you can fill a 1/4 cup measuring cup a little past the halfway mark) into the pan. As the batter is poured, rotate the pan to swirl the batter evenly over the face of the pan before returning it to the heat. Cook until the first side is spotty golden brown, 30 to 60 seconds. . . Use a thin spatula to flip the crepe and continue to cook until the second side is spotty golden brown, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer the crepe to a paper-towel-lined plate and let cool (you can stack crepes on top of each other). Repeat with the remaining crepe batter, brushing the pan with butter as needed after cooking several crepes. (p. 230)

On this particular day, we did two separate fillings; one sweet and one savory (did I mention that crepes are very versatile). Our sweet application is as follows:

Strawberry Short Crepes

Ingredients
For the filling:
1 lb. fresh strawberries
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. orange extract
Mint for garnish

The Method
Slice strawberries and place in medium sized bowl, add lemon juice and sugar and set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add cream and beat on medium-high speed and add in extracts and powdered sugar just as cream begins to thicken. Continue to beat until stiff.

Tightly roll 8-10 mint leaves together and chop into small ribbons (chiffonade).

Fill crepes with cream and strawberries garnish with fresh mint. Top with additional strawberries if desired.

Food for Thought
The cookbook shows photos of how to flip the crepe. You'll know it is ready to flip when you see the edges begin to curl slightly and lift off the edge of the pan. Turn by lifting up an edge with a spatula, grabbing that edge with your fingers while sliding the spatula further under the crepe then lift with your hand and the spatula at the same time and flip the crepe.

This recipe says it yields 20 7-inch crepes. With our group, these went fast. I used a 10-inch skillet and doubled the recipe (which just barely fit in our blender) and it yielded 24 crepes. When using a 10-inch skillet, use a full 1/4 cup of batter for each crepe.

These things are super fun. I highly recommend experimenting on the great blank culinary canvas we call the crepe.

Suggestions:

- Skillet potatoes with diced red peppers, onions and pepper jack cheese

- Sautéed mushrooms and asparagus with Gorgonzola bleu cheese

- Ricotta cheese with lemon zest and blueberries

- Blood oranges or naval oranges, whipped cream, cinnamon and nutmeg
- Bananas, whipped cream and Nutella

Let us know how your crepes turn out and what ideas you come up with.

Caesar Salad

2010-05-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

H said this was the best Caesar Salad she'd ever had.

Ingredients:

6 chicken tenders, fresh or thawed

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 head Romaine lettuce

1/4 c. good quality store-bought Caesar-salad dressing

1/4 c. good quality store-bought mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1/4 c. croutons, coarsely crushed

2 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated or chopped

Salt

Fresh ground black pepper

The Method

Place chicken tenders in a medium sized mixing bowl and add lemon juice, olive oil, Kosher salt and black pepper and toss until evenly coated. Grill over medium direct heat for 3-4 minutes per side, remove from heat and set aside.

Mix salad-dressing, mayo, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire, garlic along with half of Parmesan cheese and whisk together.

Cut lettuce in half along the center rib. Top each half with three 3 pieces of chicken, remaining Parmesan, croutons and drizzle with dressing. Salt and pepper to taste.

Food for Thought
There are many great recipes you can find online or in print if you want to make your own Caesar's dressing. I find that this yields excellent results with less labor. When choosing Romaine (as with practically all other produce) avoid produce that appears discolored or wilted. One additional consideration with Romaine is that the presence of strong, milky ribs should be avoided also, since this feature which commonly occurs in older produce will give the lettuce an unpleasant bitterness that exceeds the pleasantly herbacious bitterness of good Romaine, a quality which, in small doses as found in fresh heads, makes Romaine go so well with funky cheeses and other strong flavors.

Mint Pea Puree (Springtime Italian Guac)

2010-05-09T23:14:00.000-07:00

We have made this one many times over the last several years and have not been able to resist sharing it with many of you so it seems silly that I haven't posted the recipe yet. I suppose one reason is that, while there are very few if any things in food, music, art, etc., which are truly original anymore, the general approach here is to post only those things for which I feel some ownership. Whether it is a bizarre tweak on a classic, something that I can't recall seeing done the same way elsewhere or just a common dish that I really like and find that one particular recipe surpasses or at least typifies all known variations, I suppose it could be said that I just like any recipes I post to be interesting. If I can recall the particular origin of a recipe, I will give credit where due. That said, I can't take too much credit for this recipe. I can however take credit for the high-octane modifications. Click on the link below to see the recipe where I first encountered this concept.

Mint Pea Puree

Ingredients
2 c. chicken broth or water with 1 Tbsp. chicken base
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen peas
1/4 c. fresh chopped mint
4-6 cloves garlic
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
4-5 oz. Parmesan cheese

Crostini:
1 baguette or loaf of Italian or French bread
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

The Method
Add chicken broth, red pepper flakes and peas to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Cut Parmesan cheese into 1-inch cubes and add to food processor. Process until even coarseness is achieved. Remove cheese from food processor and set aside. Drain liquid from peas in a colander and add peas to food processor, along with mint leaves, garlic, salt, pepper and cayenne and process for 15-20 seconds. Remove food processor bowl from base, cover with foil and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Cut bread (bias cut) into 1/2 inch slices, brush with olive oil, place on large baking sheet and place baking sheet in oven that has been preheated to 375 degrees until golden brown (7-10 minutes depending on the rack setting and type of bread). Remove from oven.

After cooling pea mixture, reattach bowl, add Paremesan and process for an additional 20-30 seconds while drizzling in olive oil and heavy cream.

Spoon finished mixture on crostini and enjoy.

Food for Thought
Basic departures from the recipe linked above and this one are that this one has more salt, more heat and more garlic (I am from the "No Such Thing as too Much Garlic" school of thought) and no prosciutto, although I think prosciutto is great. We actually usually top ours with grilled chicken tenders. I think the basic concept of this dish is brilliant, though it may actually be more English than Italian (Another good food idea from England? What the?).

Regarding the salt, you may actually want to add even more salt incrementally as you sample the product. I find that doing so can really liven up the whole dish and bring the Parmesan to a more taste-forward position - just enough to balance it with the freshness of the mint and the sweetness of the peas.

Finally, if you are in a mischievous mood, serve this with tortilla chips as guacamole. After the first victim reels to find a proper sensory anchor and recovers from the profound gustatory confusion you have inflicted upon him, bag the chips and whip out the crostini. Your victim may be gun-shy but everyone else will love it.

Pasta con Sugo Rosa

2010-05-03T22:47:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure where this recipe originated. I do know that our introduction to the dish came by way of a great friend and epicure of ours over a decade ago. It has, with a minor tweak or two, been a family favorite ever since. Once you get a taste for the zippy savory sauciness and see how easy it is to make, it will be one of your favorites too.

Ingredients
1/2 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 qt. home-canned tomatoes canned with lemon juice
10-12 white button mushrooms, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pint. heavy cream
16 oz. rotini noodles
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
The Method
In a deep 10-12 inch skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and ground beef or turkey burger and cook until lightly browned. Add garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes along with canning liquid and reduce heat to medium-low. If using store bought tomatoes, add 1/4 c. lemon juice. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes. In separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook rotini noodles to desired texture, remove from heat and drain. Remove sauce mixture from heat, add cream and stir to combine. Dish noodles into bowls and top with sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

Food for Thought
Adding the cream should only be done at the end as adding dairy to an acidic compound over high heat could cause the cream to become granular or curdle.

When buying mushrooms, avoid pre-sliced. Pre-packaged whole mushrooms are permissible but can be a bit of a gamble. I prefer to purchase the desired amount of loose bulk mushrooms taking care to select produce with closed gills and which are free of discoloration. Prior to slicing, a quick rinse or even a short soak in cold water is permissible - just don't allow them to soak for too long. Dry mushrooms with paper towel, brushing off any debris or unsavory residue.

And, by the way, sugo is Italian for sauce and rosa for pink, hence the name - pasta with pink sauce, due to the unique color of the sauce after the cream is added.

Buon Giorno Crostini and Eggs with Pesto

2010-05-01T23:11:00.000-07:00

It certainly will be a good morning if you start off with this dish. If your standard American toast and eggs could be described as an old Ford pickup - utilitarian, ordinary and unadorned then this version could be described as a Ferrari - a much more fun and interesting way to get around with unmistakable Italian flare.

This is an all-time favorite breakfast/brunch dish. It's so good that there really aren't words to describe it and if you tried to use any that you know in an effort to do this dish justice, you'd probably regret it.

Ingredients

Eggs

Italian or French bread

2-4 oz. Parmesan cheese, divided (do I even need to say it - nothing from a can!)

1-2 Tbsp. butter

Pesto

For the pesto

2 Tbsp. slivered almonds, toasted

Fresh Italian parsely - 1 large fistful

Fresh basil - 1/2 to 2/3 the amount of parsely used

4 -5 cloves garlic

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Table salt

Fresh ground black pepper

The Method

As you've noticed, the amount of eggs and bread has not been specified. The amount is a function of how much you want to make, how many you are feeding, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice bread (bias cut) into desired number of 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices and brush lightly with olive oil or real butter (not that the two are interchangeable, it just depends on the effect you prefer) on one side. Toast in oven til light to golden brown, remove and set aside. Toast slivered almonds in oven on a small baking dish for 3 minutes, being careful not to let them get too over-browned or burnt.

Wash parsley and basil well under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place herbs in blender with toasted almonds, garlic, olive oil and 1/4 of your grated Parmesan. Pulse blender several times until herbs, garlic and nuts are well pulverized but still a bit coarse (not pureed). If you have to scrape down the sides of the blender between pulses, make sure blade has completely stopped spinning first.

Heat butter in non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Fry desired number of eggs over-easy two-three at a time. Apply pinch of table salt and pepper to each egg. Apply pesto (about 1 Tbsp.) to each piece of toasted bread. Plate bread with pesto and top each piece of bread with an egg. Sprinkle each eggs with remaining Parmesan and another Tbsp. or so of pesto. Serve while eggs are warm.

Food for Thought

You may also do this with poached eggs. No instructions for poaching eggs will be given here but it is easy to find in various print and web resources. Those who know how to poach eggs well may agree that the process is something akin to making a potion in Harry Potter's advanced potions class where you require a personalized copy of the instructional text from the Half-Blood Prince himself, complete with helpful hints in the margins. Over-easy works great and is self-explanatory. The point is, that you have firm egg white with an intact yolk that is not so firm (which is not to say that the yolk is infirm).

My wife does not care for uncooked egg yolks (or so she thinks), yet she loves pasta carbonara - which she know employs uncooked egg yolks. Whatever. The pesto is, of course, herbacious as all get out but the addition of the almonds and Parmesan temper what might otherwise be overly grassy notes. You may wish to add a little additional salt to your finished product but try a bite first because the Paremesan in the pesto and on the eggs adds more saltiness than you might expect.

If you are concerned about foodborne illness from an uncooked egg yolk, that's OK. If you are elderly or pregnant, or have some other potential contraindication, you may want to avoid such a preparation. For the rest of us, it is relatively safe (I've been eating eggs over-easy since I was a kid and I'll let you know the first time I become ill from it). In fact, you are more likely to get salmonellosis or other foodborne illness from other foods which are generally consumed raw than from an uncooked egg yolk; certain vegatable matter like pre-packaged spinach, salad greens, sprouts, etc. In many countries, eggs may move from the chicken coupe to your home and never see the inside of a refrigerator until you get them home. And besides, it is delicious and adds a unique and wonderful element of rich and wholesome yumminess. Buon appetito!

The Thermal Paradox

2010-04-25T22:52:00.000-07:00

With the promise of warmer weather, I thought it would be good to share a drink idea. This one, however, requires a bit of explanation.

I have always liked sweet and savory combinations. I like complex historical figures and fictional characters who evolve and I like books and movies to end differently than I expect. Even so, you don't have to be strange like me to enjoy the conflicted deliciousness of the Thermal Paradox (but it helps).

Ingredients
1 2L bottle of your favorite lemon-lime soda
1 lime, juiced
1 orange, juiced
1 small lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp. orange extract
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Crushed ice

The Method
Add cayenne, extract and citrus juices to a large pitcher then pour in soda. Stir with large spoon. Fill glasses 1/2 full with crushed ice and pour drink slowly over crushed ice.

Food for Thought
Adding the cayenne to a cold refreshing drink is analogous to the addition of a very small amount of salt to your chocolate chip cookie recipe. The effect is to complement and highlight the desired feature, which yields sweeter tasting cookies or, in this case, a more refreshing drink; a drink, which gradually stokes the fire you are drinking to quench. Do not substitute any other chili product. Cayenne is perfect for this because it lacks the earthy, bitter-yet-fruity notes of other chili products and supplies plenty of heat. Bottoms up!

"Hold the Club" Turkey Club on Ciabatta

2010-04-04T23:56:00.000-07:00

As it turns out, I was one ingredient short on a great brunch dish that I love today. What to do? After inventorying what I did have, I decided on lunch. It was great. This club sandwich has most of the characteristics of your garden-variety club, except that, with this type of bread, you really don't want the extra piece of bread in the middle.

Ingredients
1 loaf of artisinal Ciabatta bread
1 lb. bacon
1/2 lb. thinly sliced turkey breast
1/2 lb. thinly sliced black forest ham
6-8 slices of your favorite mozzarella or smoked provolone cheese
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
3-4 sprigs of fresh Sweet Basil
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

The Method
Fry bacon, remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat panini press or similar appliance to medium-high.

Cut Ciabatta bread into 8 equal pieces. With a good bread knife or other serrated knife, remove crust from top and bottom of each piece of bread, then split each piece into top and bottom halves. Brush one side of each top and bottom with olive oil.

Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a sauté pan over medium heat. After washing spinach, add to pan and sauté for 3 minutes. Add in minced garlic after 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and tip pan to allow remaining moisture to drain away from spinach.

Place half of bread pieces, oiled side down, and add equal amounts of turkey, ham and bacon to each piece then add spinach and garlic mixture, allowing excess moisture to drip from spinach prior to adding it to the sandwiches. Cover with cheese and 4-5 basil leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place remaining bread on top of sandwiches with oiled side up. Place several sandwiches at a time on your panini press, or similar appliance. Grill for several minutes, until golden brown and all cheese is melted.

Food for Thought
When removing the crust from your bread or slicing it into top and bottom halves, watch our for your thumb! Keep the thumb on your non-knife-wielding hand above the plane of the knife blade.

If you don't have a proper panini (Italian for sandwiches, with panino being singular) press, this will work just fine on any George Foreman type grill. If you don't have any such appliance, grill it on the stove top in your favorite frying pan, though the textural effect won't be exactly the same. If you think you've got too much spinach going into your sauté pan, you're wrong. If you haven't done this before, you will be astounded at how much your spinach condenses as it cooks down. This technique ensures that you don't have soggy sandwiches as most of the excess water in the spinach is removed.

Also, cooked spinach is better for you than raw spinach because applying heat causes the breakdown and deactivation of nutrition-blocking oxalates, which inhibit iron absorption. We all know that spinach is rich in iron but that mineral has no bioavialability unless heat is applied to the spinach prior to consumption. Furthermore, high levels of oxalates can actually leach iron from your body. Finally, spinach treated in this manner also goes great in your favorite omelet or frittata.

Buon Appetito!

P.S. Basil is delicious. It's one of those great herbs which, like mint, can play well in both sweet and savory dishes.

My Honey

2010-03-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

No this is not mushy demonstrative etude of affection to my wife - though it could be about her, since this post is about a food-related project we will undertake together in the near future. After receiving a copy of Robbing the Bees: A Biography of Honey, The Sweet Liquid Gold That Seduced the World by Holley Bishop from one great friend and talking with other great friends who have tried it themselves, we are planning to start our own little apiary this summer. We actually ordered a bee package and are looking forward to receiving our herd of miniature winged livestock in April. We expect that, as with all other produce, the local, farm fresh, just harvested stuff is far superior to store-bought offerings. Look for updates on our bees as the summer goes on and maybe even some great honey recipes. If you see me with a face full of red, swollen lesions, you will probably be able to guess how things are going.

Cheese Glorious Cheese!

2010-03-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

"Give me a good sharp knife and a good sharp cheese and I’m a happy man."

— George R.R. Martin

Cheese is, I think, one item that nearly all people agree upon. That is, we agree with the basic premise that cheese is good. Now, start a discussion about what type of cheese is best or what type goes best with which dish, drink, etc. and things get divisive. Even so, it is interesting to note that from the pretentious Parisian to the common blue collar, blue plate diner (a person who dines) at your local diner (the eating place), cheese is the common thread - or string, as in string cheese, if you will. From our earliest days as consumers of solid foods, we become acquainted with cheese in our youth through mac & cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. No wonder cheese is a big player in so many comfort food dishes.

Some like Brie with their fruit for dessert and that's okay. I've had it and it just didn't do it for me as far as desserts go. Furthermore, for me it was a little too - how shall I say - "froofy" - yeah froofy. I've also had the absurdly hot molten nacho cheese on my nachos at the game. And I've had all types in between so, while I am sure to write more about our friend cheese in the future, let it suffice for the present that I give you a list of my favorite cheeses. These are not ranked because the best cheese really is a function of what you are having it on/with; you would not probably like bleu cheese in your grilled cheese sandwich anymore than you would like Parmesan on your fish taco. So here it is, a list of my caseous flavorful faves:

- Smoked Gouda
- Pepper Jack
- Parmesan
- Parmesano-Reggiano
- Pecorino-Romano
- Provolone
- Aged Swiss
- Fontina
- American
- Cheddar
- Mozzerella
- Camembert
- Chipotle Cheddar
- Gorgonzola
- Cream Cheese

Now, with regard to brands of cheeses, I don't think the brand matters if you are purchasing a regionally produced import; Pamesano-Reggiano is what it is. For domestics products, we like Tillamook varieties but really like Real California Cheese - their Pepper Jack and Chipotle Cheddar are awesome and can be purchased at WinCo.

Look for cheese heavy recipes in future posts. I have loads and the recipes will be presented randomly unless you have specific inquiries.

Ready for a Change in the Weather/Menu

2010-03-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

"I feel really manly. It's about 25 degrees F outside and snowing, and I just came in from the cold with a platter of grilled meat in my hand. Anybody can grill when it's sunny and 80 degrees F in the shade, but it takes a real man to brave the elements to heed the yearning for my favorite steak. When the muse beckons, I must heed her call. I must grill."

(Al Roker, Foreword, Weber's Big Book of Grilling, Jamie Purviance and Sandra MacRae, p. 7)

I agree 100% Al! That is, I used to. Or rather, I still do in principle at least. In our previous home, our house was situated in such a way that I really could (and did) grill all year long, no matter how cold the weather. In our present location, my grill is subject to the chronic winds always blowing in from the same direction and which, in the winter, rob my grill of every precious BTU often making it nearly impossible to apply adequate heat to my grillable edibles of choice.

But no more! Well, at least not until next winter. Our grilling season officially began today. With the warmest temperatures we've seen to date this year, daylight savings time, two large tanks of liquid propane and an appetite for something with grill marks, we said goodbye to winter and hello to the sunshine and the savor of grilled food.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the variety that comes with the ebb and flow of the seasons. I love good soup but can't bring myself to eat it in the middle of July. Soup belongs on a cold weather menu (the exception being gazpacho!). And so do certain bread and dessert items and so forth. Similarly, I don't crave ice cream in the chill of December (unless it is sitting on top of a piece of HOT apple pie).

It's been a long winter, and so I say, Sayonara snow! E haere rā cold weather! Hasta la vista invierno! And hello to warmer weather, which brings with it a gustatory change of scenery.

Pattycakes

2010-03-10T22:51:00.000-08:00

Designer cupcakes have become one of the most hip and delicious specialty products among foodies since salsa overtook ketchup as the most widely consumed condiment in America. In our own area, one new vendor baking and catering these sweet treats is Pattycakes. Check out the link to their blog and check out their "cookie pops" the next time you want something sweet, delicious and original. They are wicked good!

Pattycakes

Mexican Street Corn

2010-03-10T22:02:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, you find that corn on the cob - fresh, in season goodness, is the best way to eat corn. That said, I don't want to wait all year until harvest time to enjoy delicious corn for just a few short weeks. That means I have to find some way to prepare the stuff within the seasonal limitations Mother Nature imposes. As a huge fan of Southwestern, Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine, I love dishes like this. It is a savory flavorpalooza you can prepare anytime.

Ingredients
4 c. frozen corn, thawed
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/3 c. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. butter
1 lime, juiced, divided
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground mixed peppercorns
1 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
Fresh cilantro, optional

The Method
Heat canola oil in sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add corn and half of lime juice and sauté corn for 3-5 minutes. Transfer corn to a large mixing bowl and add mayo, butter, remainder of lime juice, garlic and spices and mix to combine. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve and devour.

Food for Thought
If you like your Mexican street corn with queso, you might find it at your local farmer's market, your local fair or in Oaxaca after you take in the Lucha Libre Mexicana wrestling. I personally like this preparation perfectly sans cheese. Check back in late summer for instructions on grilling the corn on the cob. In the meanwhile, enjoy this practical, table friendly variation.

Toasted Tuna Hoagies with Parmesan and Artichoke Hearts

2010-03-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

Not your everyday tuna and mayo on Wonder bread.

Ingredients
3 pouches of water packed white albacore tuna
3-4ounces of grated Parmesan cheese (real Parm - nothing from a can!)
3-4 ounces of California style marinated artichoke hearts coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. good quality mayonnaise
2 12-inch hoagie rolls
1 ½ tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper

The Method
Turn oven onto broil. Cut hoagie rolls in half lengthwise and tear out a portion of the middle of each half. Drizzle each half with 1-2 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil or oil from the marinated artichoke hearts. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Mix tuna, mayo, Parmesan, lemon juice, kosher salt and black pepper. Spread mixture over two of the split hoagie roll halves and top mixture with artichoke hearts. Place loaded and plain hoagie roll halves into oven on medium or upper rack and broil for 1-2 minutes until bread turns golden brown and remove. Assemble sandwiches and cut into 3-inch sections. Serve while warm. Serves 4-8.

Food for Thought
Tearing out the middle of your hoagie roll is always a good idea because is makes any sandwich easier to assemble and handle. Furthermore, for those who are carb-conscious, it eliminates a lot of unecessary, cheap calories. Finally, if your are like many people who have grown up in a land-locked region, fish is not part of your daily diet. Still, the Omega 3s and other fatty acids found in fish are great for everything from cholesterol management to dry eye therapy.

Latin Chicken Sandwiches with Chipotle Mayo

2010-03-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

Fun. Easy. Hot.

Ingredients
For the sandwiches
1 small to medium roaster chicken, pre-cooked rotisserie
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp. canola oil
1 large naval orange, juiced
1 lime, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
½ tsp. freshly ground mixed peppercorns
3 chipotle peppers, chopped
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
4 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls

Sauce
1 small chipotle, finely chopped
2-4 Tbsp. adobo sauce
1/3 c. good quality mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

The Method
After separating chicken from bones, shred into medium to small pieces, cover and set aside. Add canola oil to small pan over medium heat, add onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, toast buns over direct medium heat on grill or broil in oven until golden brown. Reduce heat on sauté pan to medium-low and add juice, chipotles, chicken and salt and pepper. Fold ingredients together and allow flavors to come together for five to six minutes. Place slice of pepper jack cheese each bottom bun and top with chicken mixture, chipotle mayo and top bun. Place sandwich back on grill or in medium skillet over medium heat. Place heated foil wrapped brick or cast iron skillet on top of sandwich and leave for 2-3 minutes to allow sandwich to warm through and compress. Serve immediately with large amounts of cold beverage and your side dish(es) of choice.

Recommended sides: Homemade French Fries – with mixture of equal parts sea salt, kosher salt and table salt and garnished with fresh cilantro. That's right - cilantro on your fries! Great with the chipotle mayo!

Food for Thought
I couldn't call this a Cuban chicken sandwich given the inclusion and strong presence of the chipotles. Similarly, it is not strictly Southwestern or Tex-Mex, given the addition of all of the citrus and the compression toasting technique. In lieu of chicken, this sandwich is also great with leftover pork.

If the heat of the chipotles gets too intense for you, remember that water only cools your mouth while it is in your mouth. For real threapeusis of capsaicin overdose, you need something with fat, since the capsaicin is fat-soluble. I recommend ice cream!

Carrot Noodles

2010-03-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

Never mind the thick slice of bread and all of the noodles in this photo, this is about something healthier than onion rings, depending on what you serve it with, of course.

Ingredients
Carrots
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. minced garlic

The Method
After peeling the desired number of carrots, rinse carrots and peeler and then resume peeling of small strips of the carrots to make the "noodles". Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté carrot strips in pan. Add pinch of salt after adding noodles to pan. Add garlic during last minute of cooking. Remove from pan after 3-4 minutes and serve as a side dish or mix into your dish of choice.

Food for Thought
The addition of salt at the beginning of the cooking process initiates osmotic activity that will help the carrots, which have relatively high sugar content undergo carmelization faster so that they begin to brown a bit without getting overcooked. Garlic can burn quickly and will impart a very unpleasant bitter taste when it does, thus it is best not to add it until later in the cooking process. As seen above, carrot noodles go well with beef stroganoff but they can be integrated into any pasta dish, regardless of the color of your sauce (Mario Batali uses shredded carrots in his standard marinara sauce). And like normal noodles, the texture of your carrot noodles is a function of the cook time. If you are making noodles and do not want to use an extra pan, you may add the carrots to the salted boiling water you are using for your pasta noodles. Finally, you may apply this technique to any vegetables you can break down in this manner.

Tortillalicious

2010-02-27T23:12:00.000-08:00

This is a great way to crank up the flavor profile of your garden-variety tortilla chips. Super quick. Super easy. Only three items.

Ingredients
Tortilla chips (we like Santita's Yellow Corn)
Chili powder
Trechas Salimon

The Method
Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit
Place desired amount of chips on sheet pan
Sprinkle chips with chili powder and Salimon
Place in oven for 8-10 minutes

Food for Thought
Toasting the chips greatly enhances the nutty corny yumminess and improves the crunch factor logarithmically. Salimon is a salt that has a citrusy zing. This is an easy way to dress up your next Southwestern or Mexican menu or even just a simple snack of chips and salsa. Buen provecho.

O-O-Onion Rings

2010-02-22T22:24:00.000-08:00

So here it is. The recipe for perfect onion rings.

Ingredients
3-5 yellow onions
3-4 c. buttermilk
2-3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. Panko breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Canola oil

The Method
Slice onions to desired thickness and separate into rings
Soak onions in buttermilk for 15-30 minutes

Combine flour (about 2-3 cups), paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and baking powder in a large bowl
Remove onions from buttermilk. Place onions in flour and toss to coat
Place coated onions back in buttermilk and then re-dip in flour
Remove rings from flour and dredge in Panko breadcrumbs
Place onions on a sheet tray, cover loosely with foil and refrigerate for 3 hours

Heat oil in fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Deep fry onion rings in batches for about 3 minutes per batch. Remove to cooling rack to drain. Add additional salt and try not to eat them all as they come out for the fryer.

Food for Thought
Slice onions to whatever thickness you prefer. Some like bigger, fleshier slices. I like medium to thin slices overall but a variety is good.

Can't find Panko bread crumbs? Winco has them in the bulk foods section. They are a Japanese product specially manufactured for super crunchiness.

Curious about the 3-hour rest after the double-dip and dredge? Do not skip this step - just do it! It makes a huge difference as it allows the various ingredients to meld. The finished product of this process is a ring with no separation of the onion and the batter like you get with lousy frozen rings. Besides, with this technique, you can do all of the heavy lifting, as well as the clean up, way before mealtime.

For an excellent accoutrement, try bleu cheese sauce consisting of about 1 1/2c. whole milk, 1/3 c. crumbled bleu cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. minced garlic over low-medium heat and whisk occasionally until a smooth consistency is achieved.   You may wish to drink it with a big straw but it is best on the onion rings. Enjoy.

Triple D Comes to Town

2010-02-21T21:51:00.000-08:00

No - Guy Fieri did not roll in with the classic Camaro to see a local food joint. Rather, we decided that for dinner we would try something from an episode we saw recently; pot roast sandwiches with gravy and onion rings. This came from episode 83 of Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" where the show profiled a place in Chicago called The Depot. It was great. A nice break from the traditional Sunday dinner pot roast. My favorite thing about this was the onion rings, which I actually took from a different episode of the same show.

Having grown up as a french-fry kid, I now prefer good onion rings over fries (though as you can see, on this night we made both). They were crispy, crunchy golden-brown perfection. After years of trying different recipes for onion ring batter, including a laborious recipe which called for whipped egg whites to be folded in, this batch was perfect. This was the culinary equivalent of pitching a no-hitter in baseball, a 300 game in bowling, or getting a tripe-double in basketball - but in the Diner Food category. In honor of the onion rings and the Olympics, I thought about hanging one of the rings from a ribbon and putting it around my neck - except there weren't any left. After achieving such a state of perfection, one might be tempted to do as Henry David Thoreau did when, as a laborer in a family pencil company, decided that after making a pencil he considered to be perfect, quit his job. Given that onion rings are much tastier than pencils, I am not tempted to quit and move on but to make more! I may share the onion ring magic on a future post. In the meanwhile, give me a call or post an inquiry.

Bread Pudding

2010-02-16T21:29:00.000-08:00

Of all of the things we can credit to merry old England with its' empire building and so forth, excellent food is usually not at the top of the list, and that is as it should be. Even so, there are a few standouts for which we have to thank our friends across the pond; fish and chips with malt vinegar, trifle and savory meat pies. And bread pudding! One wonders at the true origins of this beautiful concoction, given that it is basically French toast or pain perdu with a longer soak time. Not that the French were creating something truly original either since Pan Dulcis, an Italian variant dates back to ancient Rome. Still, let's give credit where it is due. I believe that many if not most great culinary discoveries are the results of some serendipity. And in the case of bread pudding, it sounds logical to me that someone trying to make some French-type toast just left the old bread in the custard too long while getting distracted by the Baron coming to collect his exorbitant rent, by herding the sheep or by studying dentistry (just kidding on this last one). So then having no additional kitchen stores of bread and eggs, this accidental genius tried to salvage what he or she could and Presto! Bread Pudding!

Note: This recipe make 12-14 servings (maybe more since a little of this goes a long way). For smaller groups, reduce all ingredients by 1/2 and use smaller dish.

The Ingredients

6 medium-large eggs

2 c. granulated sugar

4 tsp. vanilla extract

4 c. whole milk

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. orange zest

8 c. 1-2 inch cubed French bread

1 1/2 - 2 c. dried cherries

1/4 c. light corn syrup

1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice

The Method

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Lay cubed bread out evenly on large sheet pan and place in oven for 10-12 minutes

Transfer bread from sheet pan into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes

Pour custard over bread

Add cherries

Fold until all pieces are evenly coated with custard

Press down on bread to ensure coverage, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-4 hours

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Give bread and custard a final stir prior to adding to large baking dish (about 9x13 inches)

Bake for 60 minutes

Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Combine corn syrup with fresh orange juice and place over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Serve bread pudding warm and drizzle with orange syrup.

Food for Thought

Many dishes like this call for day-old bread. Whatever. Just cut and toast your bread and it will work fine be it fresh or not. I just think that toasted bread is better than stale bread. The point is, that dry bread will take up the custard without getting too mushy. Like any good dish with a lot of eggs, the volume of this dish will expand at the end of baking. The finished product should also have a golden-brown appearance.

With the combination of oranges and spices, this just tastes like Christmas, which is great in the winter. However, if you are craving bread pudding in the warmer seasons you may alter the above recipe by leaving out the spices and fruit and substituting dried blueberries and doubling the lemon zest - no orange, and using lemon juice instead of orange for the syrup. For a tropical version use only 3 c. milk and 1 c. coconut milk (we prefer Thai Kitchen), substitute 1/2 of the vanilla with coconut extract and throw in some fresh pineapple and mango. Finally, dairy is a no-brainer with this. Recommended pairings are cold milk and/or fresh whipped heavy cream. So good - and good for you!?

Livin La Vida Locavore

2010-02-08T21:42:00.000-08:00

The Oxford University Press had this to say about the relatively new but exciting locavore food movement:

The past year saw the popularization of a trend in using locally grown ingredients, taking advantage of seasonally available foodstuffs that can be bought and prepared without the need for extra preservatives.

The “locavore” movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel for transportation.

“The word ‘locavore’ shows how food-lovers can enjoy what they eat while still appreciating the impact they have on the environment,” said Ben Zimmer, editor for American dictionaries at Oxford University Press. “It’s significant in that it brings together eating and ecology in a new way.”

“Locavore” was coined two years ago by a group of four women in San Francisco who proposed that local residents should try to eat only food grown or produced within a 100-mile radius. Other regional movements have emerged since then, though some groups refer to themselves as “localvores” rather than “locavores.” However it’s spelled, it’s a word to watch. (http://blog.oup.com/2007/11/locavore/)

It is obvious to me that such a philosophy would be formed, articulated and advocated by an individual or group from a place like California. You would not expect to find someone from Montana or Wyoming promoting such an idea. I don't think it would appeal to Idahoans to subsist upon a cellar full of potatoes and onions for the whole winter.

I think the idea is brilliant for the many reasons stated above. Even so, I do not think that all aspects of this philosophy are perfect or of equal importance. But when it works, it is great.

Two recent examples have been carrots from our neighbor Wendell's garden and oranges from our friend Devon (who just happens to live in California which, she likes to boast, has year-round growing seasons). I think it would be great if we could all be locavores. I think, regardless of our climate, we can buy local inasmuch as we have local dairy and livestock industry or other foods that do not require warm weather year round for those of us who don't live in the an area referred to as "the salad bowl."

As stated, the first dilemma however, is that for many, the climate doesn't offer a great deal of variety in local fare for much of the year. Let's face it - Shoo Fly Pie is a unique and wonderful treat - but the Pennsylvania Dutch did not start out with a great idea to make a dessert just out of flour, molasses and butter. The recipe was a dictated by their resources, a good (and delicious) example of the so-called "pantry principle" where, in the scarcity of late winter and early spring, they were left without other ingredients they would have preferred to use in making a pie or other dessert.

So it is that necessity is the mother of invention and, as it turns out, the creator of Shoo Fly Pie and its relatives in France and the American South, where so many great recipes find their origins in times of scarcity and poverty. There is an old saying - German I think - which says, "Hunger is the best cook." This is not simply because things taste better to us when we are hungry (remember that Big Mac that started out so appetizing but near the end made you wish you'd never been born) but because great inspiration and creativity flow when cooks are faced with limited resources.

One other limitation to the locavore philosophy is that, there are so many excellent types of food from different parts of the world that without importing/exporting through the complex global distribution networks in place for that purpose, some of us might never know what an avocado tasted like or get to make our own pan-seared butter and herb scallops. I would never get to eat a wonderful California orange without visiting California personally. And if you think black truffles are expensive and hard to come by now, imagine if you had to go to Alsace in order to partake.

And speaking of oranges, last December I looked forward to buying a big box of Sunkist oranges, as is our custom. Where as we had a great box the Christmas before, this purchase was a complete disappointment and should have been sold as rawhide chews for dogs. Although I know, as Jerry Seinfeld told Kramer about purchasing produce, "Produce is a gamble. I know that going in." I was, nevertheless very disappointed.

Enter our friend Devon; kind, altruistic benefactress and purveyor of great produce. She has not only sent us the most beautiful avocados (not Haas, Floridian or other type you can even get in the market but a special hybrid only available in her locale), Meyer lemons, and so forth but we have been enjoying a surprise delivery of oranges which are so unbelievably sweet and juicy that they are difficult to peel or dissemble without losing more juice than store-bought oranges have in the first place. As it turns out, a bread knife works great for breaking down oranges like this with minimal mess and loss.

And so I say - Hurray for oranges and the people who send them! Hurray for our own local agriculture and livestock industries! Hurray for good weather to grow our own eats! And hurray for the producers, transporters and sellers of those things which we can't get from local sources!

Baker's Dozen

2010-02-04T00:25:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about living in different places is also one of the worst things about living in different places; delicious food that you can't get anywhere else. After living in a foreign country or even a different region of your own homeland for a while, you develop an affinity for certain things that you can't get when you leave that place. What is a relocated foodie to do when he or she gets that inevitable jones for pavlova, fish and chips, homemade corn tortillas, brisket or a sloppy and succulent cheesesteak (known to everyone outside of Philadelphia as a "Philly Cheesesteak" which means it is not really like in Philly at all)? Having lived in the great state of Pennsylvania several years, I naturally developed a great love for the excellent breads, pizza crusts, soft pretzels, hoagie rolls and other baked goods there, which you just can't duplicate elsewhere owing to the alkalinity of the regional water supply, altitude, humidity and so forth. And there is one other baked good for which one yearns after living in the East; donuts.

On a particular street corner in Northeastern Philadelphia, I could see three Dunkin Donuts and one Krispy Kreme. Now that is a place that loves donuts! While driving to an unfamiliar destination with a friend who was also new to Philly, we had to stop at an Acme supermarket and ask for directions. We didn't know much about the area but we knew we were in trouble when the woman who gave us directions told us to turn left at the Dunkin Donuts. Thanks for nothing.

Notwithstanding an absolute paucity of the well-beloved maple bar that we take for granted in the West, I had more than my fair share of donuts in the Keystone State. When in Rome! It has been many years now and though I have the occasional donut, including the classic maple bar, nothing comes close what I experienced then. Until recently, that is. Out of curiosity, and with guarded expectations born of previous disappointments, I happened to wander in to Baker's Dozen. Truly, the best donuts I have had since leaving Philly. The double chocolate is practically a twin to the Dunkin Donuts version. But what absolutely blew my mind was the Old-Fashioned, which is a masterpiece of taste and texture and the best donut of any variety I have had anywhere.

So the next time you want a great donut, go to the Baker's Dozen at 561 S. Woodruff in Idaho Falls. But consider yourself warned; they close at 2:00 p.m. and once you go, you will be haunted with regular cravings thereafter. And by the way, when you order a dozen, you get 13, hence the name.

Cornbread

2010-02-01T23:31:00.000-08:00

Cornbread is a classic with many useful applications. It's great for campouts, picnics, brunch, church chili cook-offs and watching the big game. It can go sweet or savory and the basic batter seen below can take on additional ingredients (cheese, bacon, other veggies, blueberries, etc.). Our latest tweak on this recipe occurred last Thanksgiving when, instead of cornbread stuffing, we added sautéed celery, onions, garlic and additional seasonings you would find in cornbread stuffing and hit it with a little turkey gravy. It was incredible! It was everything we love about stuffing and nothing we don't.  Now dubbed as "stuff-out", we expect this to be a family tradition for years to come.

Ingredients:
3/4 c. unsalted butter
1/3 c. sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal (preferably stone ground)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. canola or corn oil
1/2 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed

The Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare 10-inch cast iron skillet or glass baking dish by spraying lightly with canola oil. Baking parchment paper may be cut-to-fit and laid down in the bottom of the dish, though this step is not necessary if you have a clean, well-seasoned surface on your cast iron.

Add 1 Tbsp. of canola or corn oil to a sauté pan on medium heat. Add thawed corn kernels to pan and add a few pinches of salt. Sauté for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar in electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time allowing a few seconds for each egg to be incorporated into the mix before adding next egg. Decrease mixer speed and add milk and corn kernels. In a separate bowl, add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to mixer and mix on low speed until incorporated but still somewhat lumpy (don't over-mix).

Pour batter into center of cast iron skillet. Bake for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place skillet on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Invert skillet and dump cornbread onto cooling rack.  If baking parchment paper was used, peel paper layer away. Flip cornbread from cooling rack to cutting board and cut into wedges.

Optional but recommended: Cut each wedge in half with bread knife or other serrated knife.  Place cornbread halves on grill, cut side down on direct high heat for 2-3 minutes. Apply butter, honey, fruit spread or other favorite spread and enjoy.

Food for Thought:
A little extra work makes a big difference. Two additional steps here greatly improve the taste and texture of this cornbread: first, the addition of corn that has been sautéed and sweated to remove some of the moisture prior to adding to batter and second, finishing the cornbread on the grill. It is wholesome crumbly, corny deliciousness.

Porky Legs

2010-01-31T01:37:00.000-08:00

Also known as Bacon-Wrapped Drumsticks.

Ingredients:
10-12 chicken legs, thawed
1 lb. bacon
Salt and Flattery Spicey Chicken Rub

For the Rub:
1 tsp. granulated onion
1 tsp. granulated or minced onion
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Method:
Apply rub to thawed chicken legs. Be sure to apply rub under the skin as well as on the surface.

Wrap 1 piece of bacon around each leg.

Grill the chicken legs over direct medium heat (350 degrees) until internal temperature in thickest part of the leg reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit or until juices run clear and bacon is brown and crispy (about 25-35 minutes) making sure to turn legs occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Food For Thought:
1. If you don't have a meat thermometer, get one. Why a meat thermometer? Because they:
- are inexpensive to purchase
- are easy to use and maintain
- decrease your risk of food borne illness from eating undercooked meat
- decrease your risk of ending up with tough, dry, overcooked meat
- take away the guesswork that can occur with large cuts of meat or on grills where cook temperatures and times can vary considerably depending on type of fuel, grill design and construction or environmental conditions such as wind, sun and outside temperature

2. Applying a rub under the skin as well as on the surface makes bone-in/skin-on chicken super succulent.

3. Enjoy! Just don't eat too many. Remember, Porky Legs are great to eat but not great to have on your bod.

Calling All Foodies

2010-01-15T23:37:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our food blog. Why food? Because we love great food. Why a blog? Because we like to share. And since limitations of space and time preclude us sharing our food directly with you, we can at least, create and maintain a forum where we can share recipes as well as ideas, tips and opinions on food and food-related items of interest with each other.

Through this blog you will come to know about our favorite recipes and our food philosophy. We also hope to glean some new ideas from you so please feel free to comment and share. We look forward to a delicious and educational exchange.

Buen provecho, bon appetit, buon appetito and cheers.