The Eatinist B***h

Bacon Cheddar Quiche with Caramelized Onions

2012-01-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

Honestly, quiche is the best dish to take along to dinner parties and potlucks. You can serve it warm or at room temperature, it's quick to make, and you can make it as trashy or as fancy as you want! Quiche doesn't discriminate between the rich or the broke: it is delicious for all.

Anyway, for a friend's party, I wanted to make something savory and cheesy. So, a quiche with some of my favorite ingredients was obviously in order. I used the base recipe in this post, and improvised the rest. I also made 3 of these, so just adjust accordingly to make one quiche.

I started by roasting a pack of Brooklyn Cured bacon (you can use whatever kind you like) in a 400 degree oven.

Just lay the strips on a foil/parchment/silpat covered baking sheet, and let it roast til it's nice and crisp. Make sure you keep an eye on it, it'll happen faster than you think.
Of course, I drained the delicious bacon fat that remained, and it'll be put to use somewhere else (biscuits and gravy, perhaps?).

While that was going on, I diced up a huge Spanish onion, and a medium red onion. It was what I had on hand, and I also love the extra sweetness that red onions have when they're caramelized.

I put the onion in a wide skillet over medium heat with two pats of butter, a swirl of olive oil, and began saute-ing. After about 5 minutes, I sprinkled a hearty pinch of sea salt to draw out a lot of the onion's natural water. Then, I turned the heat to medium low, and let the caramelization begin.

As you're using your spatula to turn the onions, you'll notice that they will start to turn translucent. Then, after about 5 minutes, they'll start to turn a little golden at the edges. I obviously don't walk away from the stove, but I don't go crazy agitating them. Once I noticed the bottom of the pan getting too dry, I stir the onions around and then I added a little bit of water to loosen the onions from the pan. I did this about every 5-10 minutes as I prepared the other ingredients.

The whole point of this is to brown all of those natural sugars in the onion and intensify their sweet flavor. This may take more or less time depending on what type of onions you're using because they all have different amounts of sugar. My batch took about 45 minutes. Once the onions were deep brown and soft, I added freshly cracked black pepper, a tiny bit of sea salt, and about two teaspoons of dried thyme, for a herbal note. Oh! I added a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, too....because it makes the onions even more brown and delicious...and because I'm extra.

For the actual quiche bases, I beat 6 eggs with pepper, salt, and some nutmeg (freshly grated, if you please).

Then, I poured in three cups of half and half. If you're feeling more indulgent, you can totally use heavy cream.

To complete the trio of fillings, I grated about 2 and a half cups of sharp cheddar cheese. The kind I used happened to be on sale, and from Wisconsin. I hear that's where happy cows really come from.

Clockwise, from left to right: Caramelized Onions, egg and cream mixture, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon

Now, I didn't have time to make my own crusts, so I just used ones from my grocery's freezer section. I like the Pilsbury-Pet Ritz brand. 3 crusts, for three lovely quiches.

Start by putting down a layer of the caramelized onions. Just make sure they evenly cover the bottom of the crust, because you want there to be onions in every bite. Then, crumble up the bacon with your hands, and put down a layer of that.

And finally, a good handful of the cheese. Reserve about a half cup of cheese to put on top on the quiche toward the end of its baking. Give the egg mixture a final whisking, just to make sure everything is combined, and pour it into the crust.

Make sure the eggs are settled evenly around the filling, because the mixture will expand as it bakes. Bake the quiches in a 350 degree for 40 minutes...pull them out at this point and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Return them to the oven and bake until the cheese on top gets bubbly and brown (2-3 minutes). Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. You can eat it warm, or cold.

I am a simple girl with simple needs....bacon, caramelized onions, and cheese. Get on this quiche, folks!

BabyCakes's Madeleines

2012-01-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

Instead of normal Christmas gifts, I had thought it would be nice to give my friends some tummy warming baked goods. For my friend Tana, I had decided to make her something out of the latest BabyCakes cookbook: BabyCakes Covers the Classics by Erin McKenna. We've really taken to this adorable little bakery, which happens to feature a lot of gluten-free and (GASP!) vegan delicacies. I got this cookbook a couple of months ago, and I've been itching to make something tasty from it. After many hours of page turning, I finally decided upon the adorable looking madeleines.

Madeleines are basically little plump cookie cakes. Most recipes are usually flavored with lemon or vanilla, but when I worked at Balthazar Bakery, they rotated pistachio and chocolate too. All of them were incredibly moist and delicious. And who could resist its cute scallop shell shape? Just waiting to be dunked into a hot cup of chocolate or tea.

Now, the ingredients list did look a little daunting, but you can find all of this stuff at Whole Foods or any well stocked supermarket/health food store. Personally, I used all three resources, and got everything I needed at a reasonable price.

Makes 24 Madeleines.

1/2 cup melted refined coconut oil or canola oil (I used canola oil because it's less pricey. I used a great coconut baking/cooking spray to grease the pans. You can use the canola to do that too. Refined coconut oil doesn't have a strong coconut flavor, so don't worry if you're not a fan.)
1 1/4 cups white or brown rice flour
1 cup vegan sugar
1/2 cup potato starch (NOT POTATO FLOUR)
1/4 cup arrowroot
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup vegan powdered sugar (I couldn't find this for the life of me. So I didn't use it.)

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Brush 2 madeleine trays with coconut oil (or you can use the canola oil, or in my case, your trusty coconut oil spray) and set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, vegan sugar, potato starch, arrowroot, baking power, salt, xanthan gum, and baking soda. Add the 1/2 cup coconut oil (or canola), applesauce, and vanilla and stir with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth. Gradually add the hot water, stirring constantly, until incorporated.

Drop a rounded tablespoon of the batter into each mold, gently spreading it to fill the mold (make sure you fill them so they'll rise up nice and plump). Bake for 12 minutes, rotate the trays, and bake for 6 minutes more, or until the tops of the madeleines are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand in the trays for 15 minutes. Place the cooled madeleines on the prepared baking sheet and dust the tops with the powdered sugar.

Look at how beautiful and brown they came out! The coconut oil gives the cookie a beautiful, crunchy, buttery crust. Next time, I'll use coconut oil in the batter, too. Inside, the cookie was moist and fluffy, with a fragrant vanilla aroma.

A dozen of these were nicely packed away in a holiday box for Tana...and the other dozen? Well, those stayed right at home with me. And they were delicious dunked into a big cup of hot cocoa. Try them!

A New Year's Day Treat: Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Cobbler w/Honeyed Greek Yogurt

2012-01-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

After a night filled with drunken New Year's Eve revelry, my friend Tana and I decided to spend New Year's Day in the most lazy and relaxing way possible. We slept in, made a super tasty brunch of Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, ate pita chips with huumus and black pepper Boursin, and watched a lot of television. We watched Anthony Bourdain's The Layover, which is pretty damn awesome, and The Pioneer Woman's cooking show on Food Network. Most of you know of my love and affection for all things PW, so I was excited to finally watch the show. It was just as adorable as I'd hoped it would be, and one of the recipes in particular was piquing my interest.

The finale after their scrumptious looking pot roast sunday dinner was a buttery blackberry cobbler. It was golden and cake-y, probably closer to a buckle (made with fresh fruit and a cake batter) than a traditional cobbler. But since she made it, she can call it whatever she likes! Tana and I had bought Greek yogurt and blackberries to make little parfaits....but I figured that the fruit would be better put to use making a delectable dessert instead.

The recipe is so easy, you could probably make this blindfolded, but you probably shouldn't.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and while that's heating up, butter a baking dish. We used a 9 inch cake pan, and that seemed to work fine. Then, take a cup of self rising flour (Now I know most of you don't have this in your kitchen...I know we didn't. Thanks to the interwebs, I found a recipe to slap together your own.) and mix it with a cup of sugar in a medium sized bowl. Whisk in a cup of milk and 1/2 a stick of melted, unsalted butter until it's all combined. Pour the batter into the baking dish, and then scatter 2 cups of blackberries all over the top. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of sugar over the top for a little sparkle and crunch. Pop it in the oven for an hour, until it's golden and puffy.

We used raw brown sugar because it was what we had on hand the result was even more delicious. It was a deep golden brown with a chewy/crunchy crust, and I think it went well with the blackberries.

We didn't forget the Greek yogurt though! I mixed some of it with a little bit of honey, and dolloped its creamy deliciousness right alongside the cobbler. See? HEALTHY. And just in time for the new year.

Frozen Yogurt Adventure/Experiment: Lemon Ginger Fro Yo

2011-12-06T09:31:00.001-08:00

When I was a kid, I was in love with Dannon's Lemon flavor yogurt. There was something about its tangy, yet sweet, flavor that drove me wild. My mom would buy tons of it because I'd go through it so quick. She would jokingly say that there was something unnatural about a kid liking yogurt this much, and that she'd soon have to hook me up to a yogurt IV drip. Which come to think of it...sounds kind of gross.

Damn, Mom.

Anyway, they stopped making it at some point during my grammar school years, and I was all sorts of heartbroken. Fast forward to the present....

I'm a baker for a very lovely cupcake company, and sometimes we have by-products of things left in the kitchen. We were making Hot Toddy cupcakes, and those are topped with our hand-candied lemon peels. We had a ton of lemon syrup leftover from the peels we'd candied, and I volunteered to give it a home. But what the hell would I do with it??

Then, across the sands of time, my 7 year old self reached forth, and her little hands tugged at my apron...she turned her big brown eyes up and me and said:

"Lemon yogurt, please?"

How could anyone say no to a 7 year old version of themselves?

I remembered that Alton Brown had a tasty looking recipe for Lemon Ginger Frozen Yogurt from the Good Eats episode "Good Milk Gone Bad", which was all about yogurt making and yogurt recipes. It didn't use lemon syrup....but I thought I could maybe change that. I planned to stick to the recipe, but make some changes along the way.

My cast of characters:

That brown bottle right there? That's Ginger Syrup, made by a delightful little company called Morris Kitchen. They're from Brooklyn, and their syrups are made in small batches. I was lucky enough to pick up a bottle of their Ginger Syrup and their Boiled Apple Cider Syrup at a market. I honestly haven't used them much, aside from making some kick ass ginger ale, and a really good bourbon apple cocktail. I really wanted to see what the Ginger Syrup could do for this recipe.

Instead of using regular yogurt and straining it overnight, I decided to use my favorite Greek yogurt. It's already strained! Use 32 oz of it and put it in a large bowl.

Next, zest and squeeze two lemons to get 2 tsp of zest and 3 tbsp of juice. My lemons were pretty large, so I think I got a little more than that, which was fine with me. I wanted the yogurt to be bright and full of lemony goodness. Instead of the 3/4th cup of granulated sugar, I substituted the same amount of lemon sugar syrup.

I know it looks curdle-y now...but just whisk it it, and it'll look fine and homogenized.

I started adding the ginger syrup a tablespoonful at a time. After two, I was pretty satisfied with the taste. Always taste when you're cooking or baking! It helps to develop your palate, and it lets you know if you have to add more or less of something.

Whisk it in, and then grate in your fresh ginger. The recipe also calls for crystallized ginger, but 1. I didn't have any in the house, and I didn't feel like candying my own and 2. I wanted the ginger to add a slight fresh bite, but keep the lemon as the star.

After more whisking and tasting, it was exactly where I wanted it. I put it into a clean container, covered it, and let the flavors marry overnight.

Before throwing it in the ice cream machine the next day, I gave it one more stir and taste. Mmm, yes, I was ready to roll.

I turned on my ice cream maker, and poured the yogurt mixture in.

I let it churn away for about 25 minutes. When the yogurt is thick, frozen and smooth, you're done!

Now, you're supposed to let this freeze up solid...but, we're all friends here. You know I have no patience whatsoever. So, I dished up a pretty little parfait glass for myself.

I know it's melting...but it's still lovely. I even drizzled a wee bit of ginger syrup on tops just for kicks. And the taste, oh the taste! Tart, sweet, a warm bit of heat from the ginger, but still distinctly lemony. I think my 7 year old self would be quite pleased.

Food Therapy

2011-11-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

The first time Tana and I ever cooked together, we were huddled together in her small, hot as Hades, Brooklyn apartment at 3 in the morning, making the biggest batches of mac and cheese and spinach artichoke dip we'd ever seen in person. Sweaty, tired from working at our day jobs, we toiled over her demonic stove top that only had two working burners and an oven that was over-enthusiastic in its heating capabilities. Little did we know that in between me falling asleep at the stove and her wilting into the dip, that we were fostering an even deeper level to our friendship.

We rarely have days off in tandem, so when we do, we try to fill them with as much food as possible. Tana had suggested two yummy recipes from the website Smitten Kitchen for us to make: Roasted Tomato Soup and Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Cream. Oh yes, this was happening.

We started by slicing up some lovely Roma tomatoes for the soup. A little olive oil, salt/pepper, and crushed dried rosemary for good measure, all tossed around on a baking sheet. We set it in the oven for about an hour at 400.

Tana had also nestled a little aluminum foil packed of olive oil drizzled garlic cloves in the middle of the red melee so it could also roast and get delicious.

I made sure to scrape the seeds from the tomatoes lest they get bitter on their roasty-toasty journey..but instead of throwing them away, I drained them of their clinging liquid, and reduced it in a small saucepan over a low flame. I stirred it constantly so it wouldn't burn. I let it reduce it by half, and it got thicker, and its smell got more...tomato-y and rich.

After an hour, look at these ruby beauts:

I will neither confirm nor deny that I sneaked a few bites.

Take the tomatoes, the garlic (after you've separated and peeled the cloves of course) and your tomato juice reduction, and plop it in a food processor. Pulse until you get a mix of chunky and smooth (or you can make it all the way smooth if you like).

Combine the puree with 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (we used water and half a veggie bullion cube - yay for substitutions) and crushed red pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then drop the heat to a nice simmer, and let it cook for 25 minutes. Of course, add salt and pepper to your liking.

Now, in the recipe, a little cap of delicious bread and cheddar cheese is placed on top of the soup (which is in an oven safe mug), and broiled almost like a french onion soup. Tana chose to do hers up that way.

But hell, I wanted a full sandwich! And I love savory and sweet, so I made a cheddar grilled sandwich on sourdough...with this spread on it.

Caramelized apple preserves from Maiden Preserves. Apples and cheddar cheese are a really classic combo, and the tart, caramel sweetness from the apples go great with the sharp salty cheddar. This was bliss.

And for dessert, a simple, but creative cake made with red wine and cocoa powder. It's just flour, brown/white sugar, cinnamon, salt, cocoa powder and some other requisite cake essentials...with the boozy, tannin-rich hit of red wine. I love that you can use which ever kind you have on hand (except for cooking wine of course...yuck) because it makes the dish super flexible.

The batter goes into a lined & greased 9 inch round cake pan and bakes at 325 for 25-30 minutes. To make it pretty, it got a dusting of powder sugar and a dollop of mascarpone cream. Mascarpone, vanilla, heavy cream and sugar...that's it! I really love simple recipes that come out this stunning.

Tana and I cook together to experiment with new recipes, to play with our food, and to comfort each other. Is there a more tangible way to show your love for your friends than with a fine meal? I think not.

A Guest Post, M'dears....

2011-10-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Seeing as that I've been VERY busy making my transition from wage slave to baker (I work for these fine folks right here), I've not been paying my attention to you guys...FEAR NOT. I will soon get some posts up here. But in the meantime, enjoy this pumpkin-centric guest post that I did for Shawn over at eat!drink!snack!

Enjoy, kids!

NYC Honey Festival Part 2 - The Dinner

2011-09-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Even though the honey festival itself had ended, the main event was just beginning.

Motorboat and the Big Banana, Sharon Is Karen, and Caracas Arepas Rockaway (three vendors on the Rockaway boardwalk) came together to offer a delicious honey themed dinner at the sweet price of 20 bucks a plate. Kira and I stuck around to take part in this pretty righteous bounty.

There was fried chicken with spicy honey butter sauce (the chicken was soaking in a big buttermilk bath and was fried fresh), collard greens with bacon, honey baked beans, and blue cornbread. I'd never eaten baked beans made with white beans before, but they still tasted delicious. The cornbread? Well...I can be rather picky with cornbread, and this was a little dry. So, I just slathered it in the Mike's Hot Honey I had bought earlier. Kira did the same, and soon it was all gone.

And for dessert, a beautiful honey tres leches cake, with raspberry coulis and walnuts:

Perfectly moist and sweet. The raspberry coulis added some lovely tartness and the walnuts lent their toasty crunch. I think this was all 20 smackers well spent, don't you?

And best of all, we got to eat with this beautiful view:

NYC Honey Festival 2011 - Part 1

2011-09-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

An incredibly sweet way to spend the day, yes? The Rockaway Beach Boardwalk in Queens played host to the first New York City Honey Festival (hosted by the Queens based Brooklyn Grange) this past weekend, and two of my friends and I decided to check it out.There was no better way to celebrate the first year of legal NYC beekeeping.

It was a gorgeous fall morning/afternoon....really glad that the weather was behaving itself.

This tempting delight was our first stop:

Why hello there, Mike's Hot Honey! This spicy blend of honey, vinegar, and chilies has long been on my wish list. Mike's assistant was slicing up chunks of Manchengo cheese and crusty bread for samples, and of course we pounced upon it like hungry mice.

The burn of the honey is warm and complex, rather than astringent. Sweet, but ends with a tingly bite.


Commerce! And a happy customer.

As we walked through the tables we spotted:

And silk-screening, courtesey of the Bushwick Print Lab:

And:

I was this close to getting a little bee painted on my cheek, but I held off because I thought I'd look silly.

We then ran into the Backwards Beekeepers NYC table:

which was covered in:

BEES!!!!

Nothing to fear though, for they were all under glass. It was crazy how busy they looked.

Behind the boardwalk concessions, local beekeepers were demonstrating how they extracted honey from their hives throughout the day.. Tim O'Neal of Borough Bees talked about his hives and explained how the bees made the honey.

After the hives were uncapped (the bees seal the combs with wax when they're full) , they were ready to be spun in a honey centrifuge (the hand crank kind was in attendance, so you had to use some elbow grease to spin it):

And there's the honey coming out of the spout. From there it can be strained to get out stray pieces of wax, or just bottled as is.

I also bought a wee bear of Summer honey from Seward Trail Honey, which has liquid gold from various parts of the year.

Sixpoint Brewery was also on hand to quench our thirst with some honey brewed beers. I chose the pale ale, Little Buzz. It was smooth drinking with just a kiss of sweetness. There was another brew, I think it was called Medium Dark? But I think Little Buzz won my vote.

Kira and I, all smiles.


John, taking a sip.

But, I think the COOLEST part of the day, was helping beekeeper Ralph Gaeta of Buck and Billie's Honey get some honey out of some particularly stubborn combs. Kira and I really got our hands dirty; She held down the centrifuge, and I used my very long arm to scrape every drop of honey towards the spout. Nary a drop was wasted!!!


Let it begin!

Teamwork! On the left, Kira. On the right, Ralph.

Straining the liquid gold. The wax bits left over, Ralph will use to make candles.

And here are some humorous photos of me not wasting any of the honey that had stuck to my arm:

You really can't take me anywhere.

Since we were so helpful, Ralph reserved two jars of his amazing honey for us before he sold out and it was definitely money well spent.

Here is a little bee enjoying some honey from the Honey Tasting, where Ralph got second place!

Please don't sting me.

After all of this carousing, it was time to take a relaxing walk on the beach, and catch a bit of the sunset.

But after all of this honey and other treats from the Rockaway Boardwalk, we were still hungry. Thank goodness there was a honey themed dinner in store for us.....stay tuned for the thrilling and belly filling conclusion in my next post!

New York Craft Beer Week Dinner - BLT Burger

2011-09-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, that time has rolled around again, guys....New York Craft Beer Week! I haven't been able to be as active as I'd like to be this year (my beer passport is being woefully underused), but I knew when I saw the special NYCBW menu at BLT Burger, that I couldn't possibly pass it up.

Three courses (I had 2 choices per course) were paired with three beers from Breckenridge, a microbrewery out in Denver, Colorado. I love finding new beers to try, so the fact that this was from a brewery I didn't know made this all the more exciting.

First Course:
Fried Green Tomatoes w/Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce served with Breckenridge Agave Wheat

This was the first time I'd been served batter-dipped dipped tomatoes, I'm more used to the breadcrumb/cornmeal variety...and I dare say that I enjoy the latter more. The hot batter coating kept slipping off the tomatoes! In spite of that, the green beauties were tangy and very tasty. The Ranch dressing provided some kick.

So, this beer right here? I need to find out where I can get it here in NYC, because it is just fantastic. Between the hint of lingering sweetness from the agave and the smoothness of the wheat, I could have drunk this all night long. A great pre-dinner beer and a nice introduction to this brewery.

Second Course:
Mac and Cheese Burger - Fried Mac and cheese patty, caramelized onions, beer cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce served with Breckenridge Ball Park Brown

Oh yeah baby. Read that description again if you don't believe me. This burger could have been an outright disaster; it has way too many components to be structurally sound, and delicious. But...it was exactly that. The mac and cheese patty was crispy and flavorful...and the cheese was GOOEY. I'm very particular about mac and cheese, and this was delicious. The bun, perfectly toasted. Ordering the burger medium, instead of medium well made a difference, too. The juiciness of the burger ran into the other condiments, combining to make this dish really pop. It did a great job of turning something gimmicky into a burger that I wish that BLT would put on their menu permanently.

The slightly smoky flavor of the Ball Park Brown complimented the burger, but also let it shine; there were a lot of strong flavors going on here, and it was just assertive enough. Again, a very smooth drinking beer. The taste almost reminded me of a slightly bolder Newcastle.

Dessert:
Breckenridge Float - Vanilla Porter, Vanilla Ice Cream, Graham Cracker crumbs

Yum, yum, and more yum. So many flavors going on here: sweet, bitter, creamy, and spicy. The porter was divine, very rich with deep vanilla tones but never delving into a syrupy treacle. I would have liked some whipped cream and salted caramel...but that was only an afterthought.

This menu is only good until September 25th, so if you liked what you saw here, make sure you get down to BLT Burger. New York Craft Beer Week seems to just bring out the best in restaurants.

Eating My Words: Chocolate Crumb Cake From BabyCakes

2011-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so does this look gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan?

It doesn't taste like it either.

BabyCakes in the Lower East Side is pretty much the place in the city to get your snack on if you have certain dietary restrictions. They carry cupcakes, scones, donuts (!), and other delights that are either vegan, dairy-free, sugar-free, soy-free, kosher....you name it, they have it.

Now....I don't usually like vegan baked goods; let's be real, I loathe them. Greasy with oil, very heavy, off tasting...give me butter, sugar, and eggs any day of the week, please. But after I had tried their mini donuts at their boardwalk location on Rockaway Beach, I decided to relent a bit, and expand my horizons. Because those donuts were really damn good. Moist, cakey, and light, with gooey icing. You really can't go wrong with that.

This Village Voice review encouraged me to do just that, and I picked up a slice of this cake. First thought: this is thing is HUGE. When I opened the clamshell case, all I could smell is chocolate. A good sign.

My first bite: oh dear Jesus. Gooey, dense chocolate goodness. The chocolate sauce drizzled over the top was delightfully sticky, the crumb topping, slightly crunchy. It's sweetened with agave nectar and pears, but you can't really taste them very much. I'm gonna guess that they use a really intense cocoa powder, because this was as rich and complex as any chocolate cake I've ever had. I ate half and saved the other piece to have with my lunch the next day, and it was still pristine.

So, don't worry, I'm not abandoning my precious eggs, milk, and sugar. No way, no how. But it's nice to know there are tasty, quality options for folks that want them.

What's a cure to the End of Summer Blues? Brooklyn Cured.

2011-09-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of going to Trophy Bar in Brooklyn to go to the Brooklyn Cured Cookout. What can complete a summer night better than the aroma of grilled meats wafting in the twilight air?

Brooklyn Cured was started by Bensonhurst native, Scott Bridi, as an antidote to the lack of imaginative charcuterie on New Yorkers plates. Everything he makes, from the sausages, the bacon, to the smoked pork rillets (a sort of spreadable pulled pork) is done small batch style to ensure its deliciousness. The cookout was a great way to be introduced to his product line in an intimate, super relaxed setting.

My favorite dish of the evening? The Chicken Chorizo Slider, with a cilantro and grilled scallion pesto and a vinegar red cabbage slaw.

So usually, when you think slider, you think of a thimble-sized sandwich/burger/whatever that barely has any flavor and doesn't stick around long enough even if it had any. Not this one. The sausage patty was thick, juicy, and smelled fantastic. I loved how vibrantly colored the condiments were.The taste, even better. Incredibly succulent because of the dark meat, and very flavorful without being too salty. I never imagined applying the flavors of chorizo to chicken before, but now I definitely won't count it out. You can make a satisfying sausage with chicken!


A closer look at this thing of beauty.

The tangy crunch of the vinegar-based slaw and the pungency of the pesto kept the sandwich from seeming too rich. I think the only additional thing I would have liked from this sandwich was if the brioche roll was toasted, just a little bit. Toasting bread just adds another textural component for me that I really enjoy...but it was only a minor point off. I also had another sandwich, the Hot Italian Sausage with Provolone Fonduta, which was very tasty...but I think this little gem stole my heart.

I don't Make Wise Lunch Decsions Sometimes

2011-08-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not saying this because today's lunch was terrible. I'm saying this because there was too much of it. When you sit at a desk for most of the day, a heavy lunch will mess up the whole of your afternoon. But that's neither here nor there.

I feel like Kimchi Taco and I have been playing a cruel sort of song and dance with each other, much like the one Korrilla BBQ and I were playing for months. Playing a bastardized version of telephone tag with an entire vehicle is extremely frustrating! But today, the truck was close enough to my job, and I decided to indulge. I've been rocking the home leftovers since Monday, and damnit, I deserved a treat!

I got the 3 for 7 buck taco option (they also have 4 for 9 bucks), and chose the classic Korean BBQ beef, seared pork, and pulled chicken.


From left to right: Pork, Beef, Chicken

Finally, SPICY FREAKING TACOS! I had ordered a bottle of water with my meal and promptly forgot it, so my chest was aglow with the happy heat of all those red pepper flakes and tangy doses of kimchi. This was also without bbq sauce, because I forgot to put some on. Look, I was hungry and only had a half hour left of my lunch break, folks! Now, this wasn't so spicy that I was miserable, but the kick is definitely there..so if you're not a fan of spicy food, either ask if they can make it less so...or don't eat here. The beef was my favorite, very well seasoned, tender, and delectable with its slight char. The pork came in at a close second, and the chicken third. The bird was spicy, but was kind of blah. Honestly, I didn't miss the sauce, b/c all of these were incredibly juicy, but I would've liked to at least try the spicy and mild varieties. Next time, I'll make sure to remember to splash some on.

For my side dish, I really wanted to try the kimchi arancini (their variation on the italian rice ball that has mexican mozzerella, panko, kimchee puree, parm, and red pepper paste). However, as soon as I overheard that they were sold out, I chose the spicy rice cake.


Korean Rice Cakes (Tteok)

They were doused in a Korean red pepper glaze and topped with queso blanco and scallions. The texture: kind of like a firmer version of mochi. The cakes soaked up all that tangy, sweet glaze, and even though I wished the cheese was a little bit sharper, I loved the dish as a whole.

Oh, and remember the water I said I forgot? When I went back to the truck (I had lunch in the public plaza across the street), and let the nice guys know that I forgot it, they gave me two bottles to make up for it. Delicious food, and nice service. Good work, Kimchi Taco.

There's a New Post Up Today...

2011-07-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

Just not here! I did a guest post for the lovely ladies of Couple of Crumbs, as a part of their Summer Lovin' Summer Series. As always, comments are my breads and various butters (name that movie), so make sure you leave the girls some love on their awesome site.

http://coupleofcrumbs.com/post/7384963632/summer-lovin-little-ghost-girl

Oh, The Places You Could Go!

2011-06-28T05:38:00.000-07:00

So, Midtown Lunch has a great question on their profiled lunch'er page: Dream job location (anywhere in the world), purely for lunch purposes, and why?

I think I'm probably gonna be their profiled lunch'er this week, and I have to admit, I didn't really answer that question honestly. One: because I have SO MANY places I'd rather be working in than midtown (hey man, I've worked in the Lower East Side and in Soho, and neither of them are as annoying as Midtown) and two: because I wanted to use this question for the blog. I know, shameful bait and switch manipulation, but how the hell else am I gonna get people to read my food ramblings!

Also....my lunch spot is kinda...well...sentimental. So, I feel better saying it on my own turf.

My immediate family is originally from Jamaica (the island, not the neighborhood). When I was little, around 4 or 5, my dad went back on his own for a year to deal with family crap (which is quite a while to a little kid), so we flew down there twice to go visit him. I think my mother would have liked to go back down there more, but with being in a new country, working full time, and taking care of two teen girls and a precocious little babe...she got by with her few visits.

When we went down, we stayed at the Pegasus Hotel, in Kingston, where my father's family lived. My mother always liked her privacy and space, so staying with my dad's people wasn't an option. She never wanted to show me how much the visits stressed her out, so staying at a hotel made it more like a vacation. She would order us room service for breakfast, but we fended for ourselves for lunch and dinner.

One afternoon, my mom and dad dropped me off with one of my uncles who lived outside of Kingston while they went to run boring adult errands. This particular uncle wasn't my favorite, but his son, oh, how I loved D. He was all legs and smiles and crinkly brown eyes. He talked so fast that his patois made him sound like he had marbles in his mouth. I understood every word. He was rough with our other cousins, but he was always fun and ready to play; the ocean between us made him appreciate my visits more, and he really liked my parents. His jokes and smiles, he saved for me.

Instead of keeping me in the house to suffer his mother's awful cooking, he swung me upon his study 11 year old back and took me for a walk through town to find some eats. It seemed like we walked forever, and the clapboard houses and the streets gave way to dirt roads and more trees. I remember there being houses, but they were slightly further apart. My tiny tummy was grumbling and he could tell I was getting grumpy, so he started to jog. He would bounce me with every foot fall, and I would laugh so hard! It was a good distraction. Finally, we got to what would be our first stop.

An older gent with white dreads sat on a porch of a tiny house. Kids and teens were gathered around chattering excitedly as he pulled little plastic sandwich bags of colored stuff out of a mini fridge sitting next to him. After the kids would buy their treat, they ripped the corner of the bag with their teeth and proceeded to suck. I knew what ices looked like when I saw them, and I pulled away from D to run and pick one out. I pointed to a bag with dark burgundy ice in it, and D bought two of them.

Sorrel! I knew this taste. My mom made sorrel with white rum (had to be Wray and Nephew!) to drink with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. The ices were made without the alcohol for us kids, but it was still delicious. Sweetened with a little bit of honey and laced with liberal amounts of cinnamon, ginger, and clove, it was super refreshing and needed after the long trek to....wherever the heck we were.

The ices were good....but was that to be our only lunch? I think D could sense my crankiness coming back because as soon as I was finished he put me back on his back and we were off again. We weren't mobile for very long though, because it seemed like we only went a couple of steps before we stopped again.

The house we were standing in front of was robin's egg blue, old, but well taken care of. It was only one level and long, and 3 concrete steps led up to the front door. I wasn't usually in the habit of walking into strangers homes without my mother and father, so I locked my arms around his legs and hid my face. I had no intention of going into this place....even though the most delicious smells were coming out of it.

I felt one of my braids being given a sharp yank, and I looked up. D was laughing at me! And then, he winked, and asked if I was ready to eat. Just that wink was enough to put me at ease, so I took his hand and followed him inside. No knock or anything, just straight through the door and into a very bright kitchen. A friendly looking trio sat at a round table: a man, woman, and a young boy, who looked to be about the same age as D. In front of them, steaming plates piled high with snowy white rice and...CURRY GOAT! My mouth instantly watered. It almost smelled as good as my mom's, which was the standard I held (still do) for pretty much anything that I ate.

I forgot myself and ran to the table, and everyone let out raucous laughter. While D and his friend talked about school, his mother fixed me a plate, taking care not to give me too many bones. The gravy was nice and thick, glistening chunks of gravy studded throughout. It was a little spicy, but just so. There were potatoes too, floury and colored yellow brown because of the curry. My mother usually only put potatoes in curry chicken, so this was a little jarring. The food was delicious and seemed endless upon the plate, and I didn't want to be rude, so I just kept eating and eating.

"Eh, the girl can eat, boy!", the man exclaimed. Well, when it was that good, of course I could!

So, I guess the only way I could have the perfect lunch is if I could travel through time. Back to when I was five, padding through my family's homeland with my favorite cousin on his back and feeling like I could be a kid forever.

Get On the Boat...The Banana Ice Cream Boat

2011-06-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

I've been dying to try this recipe on for size since I've gotten my ice cream maker. No eggs, no tempering, no heating, no straining...just a food processor (or a blender, I'm sure) and an ice cream maker. Easy, easy, easy. Not to say I'm lazy or anything, because I've obviously made French and New York style ice creams before, but it's getting warmer and warmer outside...which also means my brick house is getting even HOTTER on the inside. So standing over a stove doesn't sound too appealing. Making this ice cream was quick and didn't require a lot of ingredients. Also, this recipe is easy to tweak, and I love that.

The night before, I took 6 medium bananas and threw them in the freezer (peels on). Just flung em on in there. When I came home from work the next day, I sat them on my kitchen table to thaw out. They look sorta defeated, don't they?

After they thawed out, I split them down the back and plopped the innards into my food processor.

MUSH!

Now, why would I freeze them overnight only to thaw them out again? When you freeze foods, the water in the fruit, veg, or meat, freezes into jagged little ice crystals. When you thaw the food out, the crystals sort of break down the tissues/fibers/whatever and make it soft. This will result in a creamier, smoother texture. You need to embrace the mush.

Um....sorry. I was impatient.

Err...so this came out a bit blurry. I'M ONLY ONE WOMAN FOLKS. AND I WANTED ICE CREAM. So, anyway, I put one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into the processor and blended the nanners for about 20 seconds. The lemon juice adds a nice tang and keeps the bananas from turning browner.

Next, you want to add 3/4 cup of light corn syrup and some vanilla. If you have a vanilla bean in your house...well, use one! It's way easier to get vanilla extract where I live, so I used one teaspoon of the stuff. Start blending on low, and then add in your dairy.

The recipe originally called for a 1 1/2 of heavy cream. After looking through some of the recipe comments, I saw a lot of people thought that the high fat content in the cream made for a heavy, cloying mouthfeel. Since the bananas were already so creamy, I decided to lighten things up a bit by only using 1 cup of cream and a 1/2 cup of whole milk. When I follow an online recipe, I always try and read the comments to see what others thought. It's really nice to get some insight from people who've already tried it out, and to see what tweaks or tips they might have used.

When I was finished blending the mix, I gave it a taste. It was good, but I felt it could use something more. I added more vanilla (about half a teaspoon), some cinnamon for a little warmth and depth, and a pinch of salt.

I gave it about 3 more pulses, and tasted it again. NOW it was delicious....like a big bowl of banana milkshake.

I would love to tell you that I let this age overnight....but I didn't. I put it in a plastic container and put it in the freezer so it could chill while I ate my dinner. The colder the mix, the finer the texture of the ice cream. Then, into the churn! As always, follow your ice cream maker's instructions.

It's a churning inferno! You know...the cold kind of inferno.

I let this go for 25 minutes, and it blossomed into some beautiful stuff, my friends. The taste, sublime. I scraped it back into the plastic container, covered it with saran wrap and its lid, and put it back in the freezer to harden.

Sigh. This was only after an hour, so it was still VERY soft. But I needed to take a picture, and of course I wanted to try the finished product.

Wow. The texture is really refined and smooth...even fluffy. It was really rich without being weighty, with no fatty aftertaste. This was probably because of the milk! I did have some coconut milk hanging around so maybe I'll try that next time for a touch of Caribbean flavor. I could have added more cinnamon. If I wanted to go even further, I could add some chocolate chips, or maybe RUM.

And don't be fooled by this serving size; these three little scoops were very filling! I could have eaten half of this amount and still would have been happy.

Also, I know people can get weird about using corn syrup in stuff, so I'm wondering if I could use honey, or even agave. I know my pancreas would appreciate that.

Hmm...Banana Rum Chocolate Caramel Ice Cream anyone? Maybe I should start working on that flavor...

A Thrilla From Korilla....BBQ, That Is.

2011-06-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

I FINALLY got a chance to snag a burrito from the Korilla BBQ truck a couple Fridays ago, and boy....was it GOOD. Their route is mostly in Midtown, but never in areas that I can easily get to. The one time they stopped close enough to me (I think it was somewhere in the 30s) was in December. The line was ridiculous; way too long for me to stand in the cold for something I'd never had before.

However, I struck paydirt when I found out that they were going to be on 38th and 7th. I was heading in that direction anyway to run errands, so I could easily pick something up and keep going. When I got to the truck, I was greeted by a beautiful sight: a 6-7 person line. It was going fast too, due to the assembly line way they were putting together the food. I knew EXACTLY what I wanted too: a big fat Porkinator Burrito.


The Porkinator Burrito

Pork shoulder, Korilla BBQ sauce, cucumber, kimchi slaw, bacon kimchi fried rice, jack cheese, salsa, and lettuce. And, it was roughly the size of my head. So many flavors all at once! The pork was super tender and juicy, and the rice was covered in delicious tangy kimchi and bacon fat. The vegetable contingent definitely stood up against the bold/spicy flavors of the meat and sauce, and every bite was meaty yet refreshing. I did lose a bit of the cheese though with all of the sauce and meatiness, but I think I'll just ask for extra next time. As I walked down the street, I nommed, and my arm was dripping with sauce and juices; I loved every minute.

For 8 bucks, this burrito was a huge and satisfying late lunch...that ultimately left me paralyzed with the worst case of the itis I had ever had. So, if you're gonna do this for lunch (and you BETTER), I would suggest that you do so with caution. Make sure you have a place to nap afterwards.

MOAR ICE CREAM PLZ.

2011-06-10T12:34:00.000-07:00

My pal Books holds these epic BBQs at her home every summer, and I've had the bad luck of having to work or have prior engagements every time she's invited me to one. UNTIL NOW.

In honor of my first Books BBQ, I wanted to make a really special dessert. Something with some luscious berries...and something that could use up the buttermilk that I used to make my friend Eric's birthday cake (Red Velvet with Cream Cheese).

A small digression about buttermilk, if you would indulge me....why the HELL do they only sell it in quarts?? I don't use that much buttermilk when I cook/bake and only a pint would suffice. The shelf life ain't that long either! HIGHWAY ROBBERY, I SAY. Whew, it was good to let that out.

So....Strawberry Buttermilk Balsamic Ice Cream, anyone? Now, originally, I used this recipe. But, I made a few changes.

First, the recipe says to puree the fruit, and put it in cheesecloth and drain for a half hour. Then, squeeze out the excess liquid (if your fruit is watery, it will make your ice cream icy and not creamy). I don't have cheesecloth at my house. I didn't have any clean white t-shirts around either (I've used a hanes/fruit of the loom/whatever brand cheap t-shirt, new of course, in lieu of cheese cloth before, and it worked okay). I also tried using a coffee filter...and that worked abysmally. So, I just used a metal strainer.

Then the recipe says to only heat up the buttermilk, salt, and sugar. A 1/2 cup of buttermilk...is not a lot. I was scared that I might burn the sugar, so I dumped in the heavy cream and heated both milks, plus salt and the sugar.

The recipe also pointed out that because buttermilk has a low fat content, the ice cream might come out icy regardless of how much wateriness I removed from the fruit. I wasn't trying to make ice milk! I wanted ICE CREAM. What other milk did I have that could give me some insurance? I panicked...I didn't really want to go up to the market for whole milk. The cupboard gave me my answer: evaporated milk!

Evaporated milk has had most of it's water removed, about 60%, so I figured that a little bit couldn't hurt. I decreased the amount of buttermilk by a tablespoon or so and put in of that. After that, it was was french style ice cream making as usual:

Mixing egg yolks :

Tempering them into the hot milk mix (add some of the hot liquid slowly to the eggs, making sure to whisk the entire time, then whisk in the warmed eggs into pot of hot milk):

And letting it thicken to the point where it coats the back of a spoon:

Obviously, I'm not being that detailed, so if you need a step by step breakdown, check out my earlier post about vanilla ice cream here.

I left the milk cool a little bit, and then added fresh lemon juice, vanilla, the strawberry puree, and the balsamic vinegar. I added a little more than the tablespoon asked for because I just love the stuff THAT MUCH.

How pretty does that look?

I made this ice cream on a Thurday, and I churned it late on Friday, which was the perfect amount of time to let this age in the fridge. After a 20 minute freezing session, I put it back into the plastic container, pressed some saran wrap onto it's surface to keep out funkiness, and covered it with its top. Stick in the freezer until it's rock solid.

I served it with Chocolate Buttermilk cake with cream cheese frosting and sliced strawberries....a perfect end to a food and fun-filled BBQ.

SO PRETTY!

This is probably one of the best ice creams I've ever eaten. The texture wasn't icy in the slightest...in fact, it was almost like a frozen mousse. Rich, but light and smooth. The tang of the vinegar and buttermilk magnified the strawberries' summer flavor...it was a HUGE hit. Try it!

My Heart is Melting for Melt Shop

2011-05-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

I could also say my cholesterol is going up...but that wouldn't be as nice of a title.

Since it's such a beautiful day, my friend John and I decided to meet up at Melt Shop, a new grilled cheese mecca nestled in the little plaza that makes up the Lexington Avenue/53rd St station. John had spoken highly of a particular sandwich there, and I knew I had to try it.


Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Cheddar Cheese, Cheese Sauce, Melt Sauce, Red Cabbage Slaw w/Country White Bread

Okay guys. PLEASE NOTE THE ULTRA CRISPY CRUST ON THIS MOTHA! It's just gorgeous. You can tell that Melt Shop is serious about grilled cheese construction. None of the ingredients are falling out and it's super stable. The taste? Well, I think the only phrase I can use is: "it kicks you in the ASS". So many flavors and textures are assaulting your taste buds, that it's almost overwhelming. Almost. The red cabbage slaw is nice and tangy and really cuts through the richness of the sandwich. Vibrant color and crunch are big pluses, too. The chicken breast is super juicy and just seasoned enough, with not too much breading. The Melt Sauce was phenomenal, really creamy and a tad bit spicy. I think it's mayo based, but it was so good I didn't care (I'm not a huge mayo fan). A blanket of creamy cheese sauce and and exceptional sliced cheddar remind you that this is first and foremost, a grilled cheese...and you better not forget it.

John decided to not go into a food coma with me by having the cheddar and maple bacon on sourdough. The bacon actually tasted maple-y which paired perfectly with the sharp cheddar. To go with this stellar sammy, we split an order of tater tots with a side of Melt Sauce. Hot, crispy and perfectly cooked.

Now I could only eat half of my sandwich, b/c I knew the only respite after eating that whole damn thing would be going straight home and taking a nap. But that only meant I had room for dessert. A sign next to their window said, "Check out our milkshakes!" What sort of person would I be to ignore such a friendly, cheerful sign? An ass. So I got a milkshake.

Coffee Crunch Milkshake

Their Coffee Crunch milkshake is made with delicious Stumptown Coffee, ice cream, and (gulp!), ESPRESSO BEANS! I like my shakes so thick that it gives me a headache to suck them through the straw. This was one of those milkshakes. I was in jittery sugar heaven on my way back to work.

Apparently, they're open for breakfast now, which is pretty awesome. But I really hope they look into delivery...sometimes it's hard to make the time to run up there on my lunch break. Also, I'd really like it if they were open a little later than 5 for dinner, at least for the summer. Imagine yourself relaxing in the twilight of the Citibank Plaza....with oozy cheese running down your chin. Yup, I can see it too.

Hop to it, Melt Shop!

Gluten Free Adventures: Broiled Sesame Shrimp and Peppers and other Tasty Treats

2011-05-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

Michelle and I went on our somewhat annual Best Friend Vacation to Florida a couple of weeks ago. It was a glorious 5 days of chilling in the sun and reuniting with a good college friend of ours that lives down there. Derek went to college with us our freshman year, and even though he transferred out, we always kept in touch. After he moved to Florida to work permanently, I started making my pilgrimages to the sunshine state. Michelle joined me after my first visit after she saw all of my happy pics and stories, and she's been hooked.

After we disclosed to Derek our plans for cooking for him, he dropped a bomb: he was allergic to gluten. The last time we were in FL, Derek was complaining of stomach pains he'd been having for a while, and...other issues that are less decorous to share. The pains were complications due to his body saying "NO BUENO" to gluten.

Now, I know we hear the term gluten and have no friggin' idea what it is. Basically, gluten is a protein found in wheat that makes bread chewy and toothsome. Unfortunately there are people who are really sensitive to it, with the most severe case being celiac disease. Derek's case wasn't that serious, but, it was serious enough for him to make some changes to his diet and to start drinking gluten-free beer (my verdict: it's not bad!).

Most of the things we thought about cooking for him flew out the window. Could I make a gluten-free meal that we all (me, Michelle, Derek, and his roommate, Jesse) could enjoy? I used a couple of different resources, and I think everything turned out pretty damn splendidly.

Broiled Sesame Shrimp & Peppers

This recipe I got with the help of Tasty Kitchen's Special Dietary Needs section! They're sitting on a bed of gluten-free spiral pasta...I forget the brand name, but it's made of rice flour instead of the regular kind. I would have preferred rice noodles though..and if I had looked hard enough through Derek's pantry, I would have found them. WHOOPS. This was light, tangy/sweet, and delicious.

Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Mac n Cheese and Roasted Carrots & Asparagus

Okay, I know most of people (including myself) find Rachel Ray REALLY irritating. But, she does have some really good recipes, and this one was really easy to make gluten-free. Easily found the gluten-free chicken broth at Publix, and made a substitution. Unfortunately, the mac and cheese was the Kraft kind, and Derek couldn't eat it...which is why I roasted veggies (400 degrees, toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, and desired fresh herbs...I used thyme) on the side. Since Michelle isn't a huge veg fan, she was happy with the mac. The rest of us ate it ALL. The only thing I would change about the recipe is maybe using less chicken broth. I probably used a little too much oil in the sauteing of the chicken as well. I really wanted a tight glaze and I got a somewhat liquid-y consistency. Otherwise, this came out really good as well.

On the baking front were these two delights:

PW's Orange Marmalade Cake and Toll House Choco-Chip Cookie Bars

For the baked goods, I used two regular recipes and just substituted gluten-free flour for the regular kind. I made the cake, and Michelle made the cookies. The cake and the glaze are both made with yogurt, and made good use of the big ass jar of orange marmalade I bought. The cookies are the regular Toll House recipe, put into a rectangular pan so we wouldn't be scooping out cookie dough all night. I noticed that the flour swap made for a denser product with a slightly browner crumb, but other than that, everything tasted amazing.

And here is proof:

Please not that those chunks they cut, they thought were appropriate serving sizes. Boys are just animals, aren't they? :-)

Saturday Southern Brunch....and Duck Fat.

2011-05-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

My friend Darrell and I have been unleashing his inner foodie for the past couple weeks, and we're really taking it to the limit. His first meal for me was roasted chicken with veggies...there was also scallion eggs, brown rice, and bok choy on the side.

Look at all that crispy skin!! Everything was roasted to perfection in his amazing cast iron skillet. Also, this was an especially plump bird, so all of the veggies got covered in chicken fat. YUM.

It was my turn to cook for him the next week, and he settled on biscuits and sausage gravy. Which I had NO problem with, since I love rustic food...covered in gravy. And on the side: duck fat hashbrowns. I found the fat at Dean & Delucca Weekend brunch is supposed to be indulgent, right?

(PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE SMURFS PLEASE)

I used canned biscuits (THE FLAKY KIND) because I didn't feel like making them from scratch. The gravy though, is a breeze once you get the technique down.You only need: sausage, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. That's it!

Since there was only the two of us, I only used half a tube of Jimmy Dean sausage. Dar sliced that half into patties, and I fried them up in his cast iron skillet until they were cooked and crisped. I love cast iron for stuff like this because it holds heat so well.

I removed the sausage to drain and left the fat that was rendered in the pat. It looked to be about 2 tablespoons worth, which was a little short of what I wanted. I added just a tipple of the duck fat.

I see you running away! Come back. This is gonna be tasty, I swear.

Anyway! I sprinkled a couple of flour over the fat and started to whisk it over medium-low heat. You want to whisk the flour and fat together, until it starts to brown a bit and smell nutty. You want to cook all of that raw flour taste right out, and since the pan was already pretty warm, it won't take that long. Then, add your milk. I started with a cup, and then added some more because I thought it was too thick. Keep whisking all throughout!

Dar crumbled up 2 of the patties for me and sprinkled them back into the gravy. That blur is me, whisking furiously.

The gravy will bubble up as you add the milk, but just keep whisking until...well, it looks like gravy. Creamy and luscious. Taste a bit and adjust the salt and pepper. Under-seasoned gravy tastes like library paste. I turned off the heat and let it hang out while Darrell made the green beans. Gravy thickens the more you let it stand, so to serve, I just turned the fire on very low, added a little more milk, and whisked it back to the consistency we wanted.

He used a piece of duck fat/skin he had left over from some Thai food, and a little ladle of the liquid stuff, to pan roast the beans.

He tossed them in the pot over high heat to crisp them up a bit, put a little bit of water in the pan, and covered it so it could soften. I think it took about 5-10 minutes.

OH THE HASHBROWNS! I almost forgot. These are so easy, it's criminal. Take a couple potatoes (we used 3-4 because we're greedy) and shred them up with a box grater. Take a bunch of paper towels or a large dish cloth, place the shreds inside, and SQUEEZE out the moisture. The drier you get the potatoes, the better. They'll crisp up better without all of its inner liquids and starch, and you'll have nicer hashbrowns. I fried these up in batches with the duck fat over medium-high heat until they were brown and crispy.

I can smell your jealousy.

Served with Brooklyn Brewery's Brown Ale. And another picture, because I'm feeling torturous:

This, I feel is the best way to spend a Saturday. A cold brew, a good friend...and eating a lot of things fried in the fat of ducks. Quack.

BLT Prime's Popovers

2011-05-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

So, I just got called out VERY HARD for not including the recipe for BLT's popovers, so I'm correcting my mistake! Here it is, y'all. :-D

BLT’s Popovers
Yields: 12 to 14 popovers
Ingredients:
4 cups milk (warmed)
8 large eggs
4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cup grated gruyere cheese

Directions:
1. Place the popover pan in the oven. Heat the oven and pan to 350F.
2. Gently warm the milk over low heat and set aside.
3. Whisk egg until frothy and slowly whisk in the milk (so as not to cook the eggs). Set the mixture aside.
4. Sift the flour with the salt. Slowly add this mixture and gently combine until mostly smooth.
5. Once combined remove the popover pan from the oven and spray with non-stick vegetable spray. While the batter is slight warm or room temperature, fill each popover cup with 3/4 full.
6. Top each popover with approximately 2 1/2 Tbsp. of grated Gruyere.
7. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes, rotating pan half a turn after 15 minutes of baking.
8. Remove fro the oven, remove from the pan and serve immediately.

BLT Prime: I WANT MORE RIB EYE

2011-05-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so let me just say right now, this post will not contain any pictures.

None.

My stupid phone has like, no battery power, so I couldn't be a true creeper by snapping my usual photos. Plus, the lights were dim and sexy...not really conducive to taking good photos.

BUT. This meal, this experience, was so fantastic, I think I'm more than able to describe it.

BLT Prime (Bistro Laurent Tourendel. He's got a couple of other highly lauded restaurants in the city, such as BLT Burger, which I've gone to and loved) is definitely a grown-up spot. The decor and atmosphere definitely leans toward a mature clientele, but manages to be extremely warm and inviting. Dark leather chairs, plush pillows, and candles basically just invite you to relax. I stuck to one of their house cocktails for the evening, the Ice Flower Bubbly. The mix of champagne, ice wine, elderflower liquor, and lemon juice make for a lightly sweet and crisp drink that was refreshing, if not a little strong. I had two of them which were sipped nice and slow.

They start you off with complimentary chicken liver pate and toast....YUCK YUCK YUCK. I hate and despise liver, but I wanted to be a good sport and try it here. Oh man, that nasty, mineral flavor will never be good to me, no matter where I have it. But then, they sent over....THE POPOVERS. Instead of just having plain bread for the table, they bring out these huge egg-y rolls that exhale delicious steam when you cut into them. A couple sprinkles of salt and a swipe of butter, and you basically look like a lunatic shoving this into your maw. Crunchy. Tender. Salty and savory from the Gruyere baked into the top crust. Honestly, if I had just eaten these all night, I would have been a happy camper. They even give you a little recipe card with the recipe for them, so you can recreate the experience at home. How sweet is that?

I got the Lobster Salad (referred to as Cobb style on the menu because it contains similar ingredients to theoriginal), and I split it because it was way more than I could handle on my own. And, I was okay with admitting that. Big chunks of still warm lobster were nestled all the way through the pile of mixed greens, avocado, and tomatoes. It was bathed in a creamy dressing (I think it had Roquefort cheese, but even though I don't usually like blue cheese, it was still yummy) and crowned with a spiral of crisp bacon. Perfect.

I ordered the rib eye (all of their meat is dry aged to promote tenderness and a deep flavor), and I think my only mistake was ordering it medium well. It came to the table, as all of their steaks do, sizzling in its own cast iron skillet with a pat of herb butter melting into its grill marks. Oh, and a ring of roasted bone marrow with a little spoon for me to scoop it out. Of course I put it right on top of my steak. I had no choice! Great fat marbling, crispy pieces of fat, and oozing herb butter and marrow. EFF YEAH. The steak was cooked perfectly, and I was greeted with a slightly rosy center as I kept cutting into the beef. Since BLT can obviously be trusted to make a steak properly to order, I won't be as paranoid, and I'll get it medium next time. My sides were solid as well, a little skilled of beautiful glazed carrots, and another of Parmesan gnocchi with a fluffy mountain of the grated cheese on top.

Desert was a simple, but outstanding, show-stopper: a personal Rhubarb Tart with vanilla bean ice cream and strawberry sauce in a crumbly shortbread crust. Tart. Sweet. Creamy. It was like, a normal strawberry rhubarb pie had a dream of becoming better....and when it woke up, it looked like this tart.

So basically, just go here. Get some money and a nice pair of slacks with an elastic band. Because, my friend, you're not just gonna eat....you're gonna EAT.

A Special Treat: Jeni's Salted Caramel Ice Cream

2011-05-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

I think everyone can agree that Mondays are the worst day of the week. It takes us away from our jubilant, relaxing weekends, and thrusts us with a cruel hand back into our workweek. I barely made it through yesterday, so I thought that I deserved a treat.

I went down into Soho to run an errand for my sister. On my way back to the subway, I passed Dean and Delucca, and obviously, I had to stop in. I wanted to pick up some duck fat for an outrageous late brunch that me and my friend Darrell and I are having this weekend, and I knew I could get something indulgent and tasty for my "Case of the Mondays" snack. My eyes locked in on this, and I knew this had to be it:

How lovely is that handwritten flavor label?

I had first heard about Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams through various blogs and had been dying to try it. The focus is on making less sweet ice creams that are super flavorful with her local Ohio fare exotic and exotic ingredients. The flavor list is pretty incredible: Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Pistachio Honey, and Honey Butter Cake just to start. She even lists a special group of flavors designed around Mother's Day and the Royal Wedding; how does one even pull off White Stilton on Toast with Champagne-soaked Bilberry ice cream??? You can order them online in fours and sixes...but I only wanted one! And I don't think I can possibly go through 4 tubs of ice cream...especially if I ended up hating it.

Which brings me back to to D&D. Even though one tub was pretty damn expensive (11 bucks!!!), I knew I couldn't leave the store without it. All I had to say to myself is: IT'S MONDAY AND YOU NEED IT. I was pretty easy to convince.

I threw it in the freezer as soon as I got home, because I knew the there was some significant melting on my journey. After about 2 hours, it had gotten back on track.

Beautiful, no? It looks so creamy and inviting (it better be for 11 bucks)!

Now the first taste: WHOA! The caramel used to flavor this was taken right to the edge of burnt. Nutty, dark, the tiniest bit sweet. Extremely complex. And this thing was salty as hell, lighting up my tongue.This ice cream sorta intimidated my mouth; it meant business.

I also really liked how clean the finish was. Milky, but not overwhelmingly so. I hate when ice cream is just too rich for you to enjoy. The taste lingers for a while in your mouth, redolent of smoke and cream. So comforting!

Would I get it again? I mean, it was fantastic, but I would regulate this to a once in a while treat. I have an ice cream maker at home, so I can make it whenever I want with high quality ingredients that I can find here. Plus, with the price for just one...I could probably order a 4 pack for my birthday or something, and it would be a lot more cost effective.

With that being said, thanks to Jeni's for a wonderful ice cream experience. I think I'll be treating myself to you in July (my 27th birthday!), and I sure hope you still have that Honey Butter Cake...we have a date.

Why You Need To Run, Not Walk, To Souvlaki GR

2011-04-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

As far as I know, there aren't many causal/sit-down Greek joints in the city. They're pretty much a dime-a-dozen in Queens, but in the city you're usually relegated to gyro trucks.

Now, Souvlaki GR started out as a truck and expanded to a gorgeous storefront on the Lower East Side (116 Stanton). And God bless em. I could never get around to their truck, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be living in their restaurant.

As soon as you walk in, you feel like you're in a sunny Greek plaza. The color scheme is dominated by Mediterranean blues and whites, and it instantly felt like summer. There's even a little newsstand that has Hellenic magazines and candies (but the candies aren't for sale...boo).

But let's get to the food, yes?

The menu is small, but they do it incredibly well. Me and my friend started with the Greek Fries, which have come really highly recommended. I can honestly say, these are probably the best I've ever had: super crisp on the outside, fluffy within, seasoned with salt, pepper, and oregano, and then crowned with pillow-soft feta. Creamy, tangy little crumbs of delight. My friend doesn't even like feta, but was quickly devouring his share. Even without tasting the souvlaki, I would just come here for these fries.

The drink I ordered, the frappe, is a cornerstone of Greek coffee culture. Instant coffee, milk, water, and sugar (to taste), are whipped into an column of foam and served over ice.

The bitterness of the coffee was delicious against all that rich feta. I was in love with all that creamy foam as well.

Oh, and obviously, we had soulvaki.

Mind you, you could really eat like 3643439782 of these. I got the chicken, and John got the pork. Tender juicy chunks of meat, marinated in spices and lemon juice wrapped up with tomatoes, french fries, fresh tzatziki sauce, and red onion in a warm, buttery pita. Incredible. The flavors were just outta this world, which is really impressive because of the simple ingredients.Warmed pita slathered with butter was one of my favorite snacks when I was little, and this was creating a nostalgia party in my tummy. I know I will definitely be back soon to try everything else, and I hope next time they'll have the loukomades (hot doughnuts with cinnamon and honey).

Get up on this place, guys, before it gets crowded and trendy, and you can't get a seat! Easier and cheaper than getting a flight to Greece, and you don't have to deal with sitting next to a smelly guy on the plane.

Oneshot: Moo-less Chocolate Pie

2011-04-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

Intense. Rich. Chocolatey. Creamy.

And made with...tofu.

I'M SORRY, MICHELLE! I know I should have told you, but maybe you wouldn't have eaten it!

Everyone knows my intense dislike of tofu; I can't stand the stuff. It's tasteless and bland, with a texture that makes my tongue recoil. "It takes on the taste of whatever you're cooking with!", is usually what's said to try and change my mind. I want things to stand on their own flavor legs! Not a food creep that leeches off of others' hard earned flavor profiles.

But then this pie came along...and changed the game. Only slightly, because this is the only thing with tofu in it that I will eat. It's also very easy to make, using only a handful of ingredients, a blender, and a pie crust (you can make your own, or use store bought).

Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips and a 1/3 cup of Irish Cream in a bowl. You can either do this in a microwave or in a double boiler (metal bowl over a saucepan that has a couple inches of simmering water...don't waste money and buy one) over the stove. Take it off of the heat and stir in a teaspoon of vanilla. I always add a tiny bit more because that's how I roll.

Now, throw the boozy chocolate in a blender along with a block (12 oz is fine) of silken tofu, and a tablespoon of honey, and blend it until it's nice and smooth. After tasting, I added a little more honey, because, again, that's how I roll. Pour this river of chocolate dreams into a 9-inch Graham cracker crust, and put it in the fridge to set up, about two hours.

You can do this with any liquor you want, or even use little pie crusts to make little pies! Plus, if you eat it all by yourself, you can still argue that it's healthy. Tofu is high in calcium! Chocolate has antioxidants! And I'm using exclamation points!

See, I can make it work.

Road Trip Eats: Apricot Oat Bars

2011-04-19T06:09:00.000-07:00

I really love road trips. The open road, blasting tunes on the stereo, the promise of a new place, and the opportunity for road snacking.

Me and three friends made a trip upstate (Schenectady) to see one of our favorite authors, David Sedaris, do a reading and signing. If you haven't jumped on his bandwagon yet, DO IT. He's such an amazing writer! I decided, that since we were heading out kind of early, that I'd make something tasty for the ride up. I had a lot of errands to run before we left, so I wanted whatever I made to be simple, wholesome, and easy.

These Apricot Oat Bars are exactly that. At 7 in the morning on a Saturday, you don't really want to fuss much. These took 10-15 minutes to mix; the only thing I didn't have in my pantry was the apricot preserves, which was fixed by a jaunt to the market. Not a fan of apricot? You can totally sub in any flavor you want. I like the Bonne Maman brand myself, but use what you like. Just don't use grape jam/jelly or something like that. NASTY.

First, get your oven nice and toasty at 350. Combine a cup and a half of flour, the same amount of old fashioned oats, a teaspoon of baking powder, a cup of packed brown sugar, a half teaspoon of salt, and a stick and 3/4ths of butter (cut in pieces, please) in a large mixing bowl. Just mix it up in your hands til the mixture looks like crumbs. This works best when the butter is slightly soft.

Take half of your mixture and press it into a BUTTERED 8 inch square dish (I just used a smallish rectangular dish). Then, take your 12oz jar of preserves and spread it over your bottom crust evenly. Lick the spatula clean (optional, but I think you should do it). Sprinkle the second half of the mix over the preserves and press it down lightly. Now, all you gotta do is pop this in the oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and delish. They smell AMAZING coming out of the oven. But, don't be tempted to cut into them right away. Let them cool COMPLETELY. If you don't they will completely fall apart...like they did in the car. We ate them anyway though, hands covered in sticky sweetness. Hey, anything goes on the open road.

SIDEBAR: You know why the picture I posted for this recipe is so nice? Because my fool butt left the picture I took of these on my external hard drive! And I borrowed this one from The Pioneer Woman, which is fitting, because this is also her recipe. I already asked her permission, but just wanted to put it in writing here. :-)

The Only Pasta Recipe You'll Ever Need - PW's Penne alla Vodka

2011-03-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

This is probably one of the EASIEST dishes you can ever make. After I learned how easy Vodka sauce was to make at home, I haven't bought it ready made since. The real magic comes from the alcohol soluble compounds in the tomatoes; vodka frees them and that gives this sauce a real depth and lusciousness of flavor. This is one of my favorite dishes of my bestie, Michelle, and for this entry, I made this for her at her house.

Oh, and of course, this recipe is from The Pioneer Woman, because I just love her. Let's begin, shall we?

Ingredients!

Penne, heavy cream, butter, tomato paste (the recipe calls for tomato puree, but sometimes that's hard to find. go ahead and use the paste, but be aware that you'll have a thicker sauce), onion, garlic, and parm.

OH! And vodka, obviously. Use the crappy stuff for this dish, the cheaper the better...I think it tastes better.

I would have used fresh garlic BUT...

Sprouted garlic = bitter garlic. So garlic powder works just fine.

Before we start on the sauce, first, the pasta water. You want the water nice and boiled by the time we start making the sauce. Once that happens, everything's gonna move really quick!

Now, start chopping up your onion, like this...only minus the chipped manicure.

Get a large skillet on the stove, and throw in the onion, garlic (in my case, garlic powder), and 2 tablespoons of butter. THEN, turn on the burner, medium heat. I like to start the vegetation in a cold pan so they can sweat, i.e., give off their flavor and cook slowly. Give this about 10 minutes, or until the onions look translucent.

Meanwhile, measure out a cup of your booze.

And add it to your sizzling onions. SLOWLY PLEASE. You don't want to send any of this over the side of the pan and into your flames, because ALCOHOL IS FLAMMABLE. Stir for a minute or two.

Oh, you remembered to put in the pasta once the water boiled, right? We did.

Stir in one can of the the tomato puree (or paste), and a cup of heavy cream. After this, turn the heat down as low as you can!

Oh, mama. Doesn't that look creamy and dreamy already?? Add some salt and black pepper to taste (you can also add some dried basil or oregano), cover, and let simma simma down for 10 minutes.

Now, the pasta should be done. Before you go and drain it, reserve about a cup of the starchy hot pasta water. You can use it to thin the sauce if it gets too gloopy.

Which is exactly what we did. I told you, tomato paste = thicker sauce. But I really love that intense tomato flavor the paste gives you. So I prefer it!

Oh, and just because I'm extra....another pat of butter. I also threw in Parmesan cheese. I used about a 1/2 cup, and reserved the rest to add at the table.

Okay, enough with all this jibberjabber. We're hungry.

Thanks to Michelle for being my favorite sous chef!!

Coconut Samoa Cookie Ice Cream!

2011-03-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I made this kind of epic amazing ice cream over the weekend for Brooklyn Brainery's Ice Cream class/Ice Cream Club...

AND I DIDN'T TAKE A PICTURE BEFORE WE ATE IT. :-(

Look at our ice cream carnage! My container is below the canister of Chunky Monkey. All gone!

Everyone loved the heck out of it, and it was gone before I could snap it. I admit, it is a massive failboat express on my part, but sometimes the memory of the food/dish is better than any picture you could take. Since it's Girl Scout cookie season, I decided to order up a bunch of my favorites, the Samoa. For those who aren't in the know, Samoas have a shortbread base, are drenched in caramel, sprinkled with coconut, and drizzled with chocolate on the top and bottom. Intense, right? These were begging to be put in an ice cream. I remember back in the day, Edy's had a chocolate ice cream with Thin Mints in it...Samoas should be given a chance to shine too!

Please take note that I do know that Edy's made a Samoa Ice Cream with caramel ice cream and ribbons of caramel and fudge...but it sucked. I knew I could make it better.

After hunting for a bit, I found an extremely easy recipe for coconut ice cream on All Recipes. You only need 3 ingredients (not counting the shredded coconut which I decided not to use because I was going to use the cookies as my mix in), one of which is already sweetened.

Using a blender or food processor, combine 1 can (14 or 15 oz is fine) of cream of coconut*, 1 cup of whole milk, and 1 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Process until silky smooth. I added a little less than 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to mellow the coconut flavor, and following a comment that was posted, I added grey sea salt to taste. I already had the stuff at home, and I always add a pinch of salt to desserts to turn up their flavor, so it seemed like a win-win. I poured the mixture into my favorite ice cream container at let it age in the fridge from about 1 in the afternoon, to about 3 in the morning.

Why 3 in the morning? Because that's when I got home from my monthly potluck. I was wee bit (a lot) under the influence and I knew if I just went to bed, the ice cream would never freeze solid in time. So, I drank a big glass of water, got on the phone with a friend, and soldiered on. I'm all about accomplishing goals! Churn the ice cream according to your manufacturers instructions, for me, that was 20 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of churning, I threw in the cookies, which I had broken up by hand. Next time I will remember to keep the cookies in the fridge, so they can be nice and cold when I throw them in the mix. I let the mixture churn for about 5 more minutes to be on the safe side, and then I transferred it back to the tupperware. Plastic wrap and a lid, and it was off to the freezer to harden.

Yes, I licked the dasher clean. DON'T JUDGE. It was FANTASTIC. The richness of the cream of coconut gave the ice cream an unworldly body and mouth feel, and the minerals in the sea magnified the toasty flavor of the cookies. It was a huge hit at the class, so I hope you guys will give it a go!

*Cream of coconut is NOT the same as coconut milk.Cream of coconut is sweetened and is used in making Pina Coladas. Coconut milk is just that, and it's unsweetened. Read the can before you buy!

Food Memories - Bacon Daze, Part 1

2011-03-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

My mom's special weekend treat for me were either Aunt Jemima panacakes (from the mix) or the frozen waffles. They were nestled happily next to scrambled eggs and bacon, and all drowned in warm maple syrup dappled with lumps of still melting butter. Oh, and only real maple please. I could always taste a fake. I always left the bacon for last, swirling each rasher one by one through the syrup puddles.

The syrup and almost sweet fatty rind became one, melting on my tongue. All this playfulness was corralled, then, by the toothsome, savory streak of meat. I ate each piece slowly, knowing that this was only a limited time only occasion; my mother worked during the week, and it would be silly to expect her to make me breakfast every morning. But, as with any addiction, weekends just weren't enough.

Oneshot: Nutella Cookies!

2011-03-04T06:55:00.000-08:00

Nutella is the Lolita of spreads.

Skim milk, cocoa, and hazelnuts...how can three ingredients combine to make something that most people, including myself, have no problem eating straight out the jar? Eff using a spoon. I use my fingers. And I refuse to share.

So naturally, when I saw a recipe on Tasty Kitchen, an amazing recipe/blog/sharing site, for Nutella COOKIES..well, you know I had to go and make it. Especially, b/c it's so damn easy! Only 4 freaking ingredients necessary.

One egg.

A half cup of sugar.

One cup of Nutella.

One cup of Flour.

That's it! The end. In the recipe post, a stand mixer is used to combine all of the ingredients together...seeing as that most of my money goes to student loans, I used good old fashioned elbow grease, and a wooden spoon. I should have probably taken a picture of it...but the spoon snapped right in half...but, I'm getting ahead of myself! Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and prep your baking sheet (or, sheets).

Start by mixing the egg and sugar together...I made a double batch of these lovelies so I could bring some to work the next day. I doubled the quantities of everything, so keep that in mind. Whisk them together so they're nice and combined. Then, add in your Nutella. This is probably when you should switch over to a wooden spoon to make your life easier.

The last thing I added in was the flour, which i did in 4 parts, stirring after each addition. This is where it gets a little hard. If you have a stand mixer, you'll be fine. If you don't, you'll end up with a broken wooden spoon like yours truly. As it starts getting tougher to mix, switch over to a metal spoon. It seemed to be getting a little too dry, so I only used about half of my last part of flour. When it was good and mixed, I put some plastic wrap over it and let it rest for 10 minutes in the fridge.

I used a tablespoon to scoop out the dough and rolled it into balls with my palms. I fit about 12 on my non stick cookie sheet comfortably. Now, the recipe said to use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten them out. The dough balls were pretty sticky, so I dipped the bottoms of the glasses in sugar, then flattened the dough. No sticking! And now the tops of the cookies would have a nice sparkle and crunch. I wanted them to stay chewy in the middle, so I only flattened them slightly. Put these in the oven for about 7-8 minutes until set. Cool on a rack, and repeat until you've baked up all of your cookies.

Sparkles! That sugar was a good move. I loved the texture and flavor of these cookies! The taste of the Nutella wasn't overpowering in the least, and the crumbly edges and super chewy middle of the cookie was addicting. One problem though, these will stick to your teeth like no other, so be prepared to brush your teeth afterward! I stored these in Tupperware with a slice of bread to keep them soft til the next day, and they tasted even better.

A few notes for next time:

I would probably change some or all of the sugar to brown sugar. I'd be interested to see how the Nutella and the slightly caramel flavor of the sugar work together. Plus, the molasses in the sugar (that's what makes real brown sugar brown), would keep the cookies extra moist.

I would also rest these in the fridge longer. Because there really isn't any liquid in the dough, a longer time in the cooler would give the dough a better chance to absorb the water in the eggs. Plus, the cookie would spread slower.

I'm also curious to see how the cookie would taste with some cinnamon added to it. Cinnamon + chocolate = YUM. Yay for for experimenting!

Try these beauties out, and let me know how you like em. Thank you so much Miss Amy and Tasty Kitchen for sharing!

PW's Grandma Iny's @!%*# Cake

2011-03-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

We're friends, right guys? We've been hanging out, sharing some food, drinks, and laughs. And I think we've gotten to the point where you can trust me. I made a cake that turned out to be SUPER delish, but contains an unorthodox ingredient. Just trust me on this, okay? And if you don't trust me...well, trust The Pioneer Woman, because that's who I got the recipe from.

First thing's first....you're gonna need a cup of these:

COME BACK!

I know, I know...they're prunes. They're just dried up plums people! We like, plums, right? I used to be a massive prune hater...but they're really good! Earthy, sticky, sweet ,but not overpowering. I'm still not down with prune juice though. It doesn't have any of the usual prune...effects, either. AND WE'RE GONNA DOUSE THIS IN CARAMEL! So really, come back...please?

Okay. We're gonna take a pot of water, throw the DRIED PLUMS in, and bring it to a quick boil.We want to soften them up to make it easier to combine them into the cake.

Strain off the water, throw em on a plate, and smash em with a fork. Set aside, and let cool.

Here are the rest of the ingredients:

Sugar, flour, cinnamon, eggs, nutmeg, allspice, buttermilk, vanilla, canola oil, and baking soda for the cake itself. For the icing: corn syrup, buttermilk, butter, sugar, baking soda, and more vanilla. Look at the spices perched atop the canola oil! They're such daredevils.

Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl....

And the wet in a another. For some reason in baking, sugar is always considered a wet ingredient...I'm not sure why. I'm figuring that it has something to do with the creaming method...but I could be talking out of my butt.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients gently, then add the vanilla, buttermilk, and *gulp*, the dried plums.

I can't stress mixing this gently enough. Over-mixing will toughen up the cake and it'll be ruined forever. Seriously!!

I used Baker's Joy (the most amazing baking spray EVER) and lubed up this glass pan. Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes, and test it out at 45.

While the cake has 10 minutes or so left on the clock, start cooking up your icing. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, throw in your frosting ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until the butter melts.

Stop stirring, and let this mixture come to a SLOW boil. I can't be bothered to get a candy thermometer (I'M LAZY), so I made sure to watch it vigilantly until it just turned a caramel color, and not a moment more. You don't want this to get hard or else it won't pour.

WHOOP THERE IT IS!

Here's the cake out of the oven. My knife came out clean at about 50 minutes; the cake was moist, but not wet on the inside. Perfect.

Carefully (!), pour the frosting all over this biatch. You really want it to soak into the warm cake.

YES. YES. YES.

Look of that slab of love. How could it be bad! I topped my piece with a tiny sprinkling of gray sea salt...because I'm extra and I like salty/sweet things. Delightful! I know if I make this with dates, it'd be amazing sticky toffee pudding.

And no, you won't have to use the restroom after you use it. So, try it!

NYC Restaurant Week: Girls Night Out @ Centrico!

2011-02-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

I'm really lucky to have a very diverse group of sexy, sassy, and amazing ladies to call friends. But, our lives are so busy nowadays, we hardly have time to cross paths as a group. I've already been to two other restaurants (Blue Smoke and Hill Country = AMAZING) for RW, but I really wanted to do a ladies-only affair. I made my BFF Michelle in charge of where we were going to eat, and she chose Centrico, Aaron Sanchez's take on upscale Mexican cusine in Tribeca.

When we got there, the only word I could think of was: warmth. Everything from the lighting to the brass tables conveyed this immediate sense of comfort and classiness. The menu for RW was a very nice selection from all over the regular menu. I ordered the Camarones y Pozole, the Pollo a la Brasas, and for dessert, Tres Leches cake.

For the whole table, we started with homemade chips and guac.

The chips were amazing, crunchy and warm, with a nice dose of salt. I prefer my guacamole with some more onions and spices, but theirs was still good.

My starter, shrimp in a creamy Guajillo chili sauce sitting on a bed of ground, crispy pozole (hominy), was ridiculous. If there was a way to get that delicious sauce pumped into my veins via I.V., I would make it happen. The brininess of the shrimp combined with the crunchy, yet creamy pozole was a revelation.

Next up, my beautiful, simple grilled chicken, which sat up upon hominy in a fragrant broth. The menu referred to it as "recado", which is a blend of spices including annato, cumin, Mexican oregano, among others. The meat was extremely tender and the flavors from the spices went all the way down to the bone. Another instance where I wanted to lick the plate.

Okay guys, let's get serious. Can we get serious? Can we talk about how FANTASTIC this Tres Leches cake was? REAL.TALK. Moist, obscenely decadent and sweet, and a hidden layer of dulce de leche!!! I'm a huge fan of three milk cake (milk, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream), and this was the best I've ever had. I loved the raspberry sauce too, its tartness against the sweet milky mixture...I swear I'm gonna start talking dirty if I'm forced to explain how much I liked this cake. INSANITY.

Centrico was the perfect backdrop to a NYC girls night out. Great wine, conversation, and incredible food to bond over. You know when the meal is legit when the only noises coming from a table of 5 girls are sighs because the food is so good. Cheers, ladies!

*Sidebar: Girls, make sure you comment below and tell everyone what you ate and how you liked it!

The Home of the Itis? Dinner @Pies 'n' Thighs in Brooklyn!

2011-02-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

I can be rather cranky when I have a cold, and trekking around South Williamsburg on a cold, rainy, icy evening (whilst sick!) wasn't the way I'd usually want to spend a Wednesday night.

But, I did it for food.

My friend and I braved the elements to sample the wares of Pies 'N' Thighs in Brooklyn. Slightly salacious name? Check. Hipster location? Double check. But could it deliver the culinary goods, or at least deliver enough to make a sick EB's tummy happy?

Once we were safely ensconced inside, we settled in and prepared to eat the cold away. I ordered the Chicken Biscuit (which I had already tried at the Mulberry Street X-mas Market and fell in love with), and John got the Fried Chicken Box with a side (he chose macaroni and cheese) and a biscuit. Our server suggested that we get the Superbowl pick of sides so we could get a big variety...who were we to disagree? John chose collard greens and hush puppies, and I picked the black eyed peas just so I could say that we had another veg option that wasn't fried and/or cooked with bacon.

I have to admit...I blanched a bit when I saw the size of the portions. When you're sick you lose a lot of your appetite, at least I do. Everything looked so delicious, but I wasn't sure if I could eat it all. Had to give it the good ol' college try, right? And just for good measure, we got two pieces of cornbread.

"Oh Chicken Biscuit...Where have you been all my life? I know you've been off cuddling with your amazingly golden and flaky biscuit...thank you for coming out to play on my plate."

Okay, obviously, I didn't say this aloud. But hot damn, this was good, even better than the first time. Juicy, hot chicken, co-mingling with spicy, sweet sauces; this combination just couldn't lose. In between each bite, I nibbled on the cornbread, which HAD to be cooked on some sort of griddle to get that sexy, crunchy exterior. Amen.

John's fried chicken pieces were equally as tasty....but not served warm. They were sorta room temperature. I know fried chicken can be served at almost any temp, but I like my chix hot straight from the fryer. I'd eat it scalding hot dropped into my mouth if I wasn't scared of burning my mouth into oblivion! The mac and cheese was also good, and very creamy, riddled with scarlet red hot sauce.

The hush puppies were like less sweet versions of the cornbread, but deep fried. I was extremely okay with this concept. So teeny and pop-able! They were drizzled with some white sauce, which I wasn't so crazy about, so I ate the hush pups that were unscathed.

I'm pretty particular about collard greens, these were okay, nothing to blog home about. But, by this point, my hunger had been piqued, and I was shoveling forkfuls of food into my mouth. My taste buds were definitely getting sluggish from all the hot, rich food. Thank God for the black eyed peas! We were thinking that we were getting a hot side dish, but the the BEPs were dressed with a snappy vingar-y dressing and served cold. It was delicious and so refreshing.

And then...there was pie. You didn't think we could eat much more, did you? Well...we split a piece of Banana Cream Pie, only because I knew if I had a slice to myself, I'd probably split in two. Incredibly tasty thick crust, a layer of bananas, thin layer of vanilla custard, and a cloud of whipped cream. Sweet.Jesus.

No picture because my camera fails at life. Whatever, I didn't even care, the pie was just TOO good. Creamy, cold, sweet, just rich enough to not make me pass out. Good work, Pies 'N' Thighs!

Can I suggest a slogan for you guys, though?

"Pies 'N' Thighs of Williamsburg, Home of the 'Itis!"

Food Memories - Strawberries, Saltines, Whipped cream

2011-02-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

It was afternoon and there were no more cooking shows on; PBS has switched over to painting and it wasn't Bob Ross! So it didn't hold my interest. I was 8 years old, no one was home, and I was feeling snackish. Opening every kitchen cabinet in the kitchen revealed a frightening expanse of wood, which is an adult way of saying that the cupboards were looking very bare. There were a lot of things I didn't like in there: sardines, Horlicks Malted Milk powder, jars of olives. There was, however, a box of saltine crackers. That and some cheese was the simplest way to my heart.

No cheese in the fridge. This was turning into a problem....but wait! There were strawberries (a fruit that was certainly invented by Jesus, because it was so good) and whipped cream in a can. Somehow I got the idea to top the saltines with slices of strawberries and a healthy squirt of whip. I crowded my experiments one by one onto a plate and settled down in time to watch Tiny Toon Adventures.

Crunchy. Juicy. Salty and sweet. The blandness of the crackers, and the slight tang of a an under-ripe berry. Creaminess. Red stained fingers. I marveled at my ingenuity, hugged my stuffed Pooh bear, and felt sweet relief: starvation abated.

Oneshot: Easy Peasy Roast Chicken

2011-01-31T08:55:00.000-08:00

I feel like everyone, no matter what your cooking skill level is, should be able to roast a chicken. Yes, an entire effing chicken.

There she is, in all of her golden, crispy, buttery glory (captured beautifully by my friend Sammi, I might add). Roast chicken is not only a really easy meal, but also a window to a lot of other meals. You can shred it and use it in tacos, salads, or casseroles. The meat keeps really well in the freezer (just don't forget about it) and you can also freeze and save the bones for stock. I'll tell you how I like mine.

First, set your oven's temp to 400 degrees. We want that oven ROCKET hot.

I start with a kosher bird; the supermarkets by my way sell a brand called Murray's. You don't have to use one, go ahead and use Purdue! But I feel like I'm getting a better quality birdie, the taste makes the difference. Make sure you wash your hands before you handle your chicken, folks.

Take her out of her plastic prison, stick your hand inside, and remove the little bag which will prob have the chicken heart, gizzards, neck, etc. You really don't want to leave that in there when you cook your chicken. If you want to save that to make gravy or whatever, go ahead...but I usually discard them. Rinse the bird inside and out under cool running water; I like to do this with some lemon juice. Lends a nice clean flavor, and I think it makes taste less like chicken coop. It's a Caribbean thing. (Also, if the thought of touching a raw, naked bird makes you cringe, use some latex gloves, sans powder.)

Dry the chicken with clean paper towels, set it on a cutting board and contemplate a massage. Not for you, but for the bird! I like to use softened, unsalted butter to rub down my chicken because, well, butter tastes good, and browns excellently. I use unsalted because I like to control how much salt I use. Sprinkle some salt and freshly ground pepper inside the chicken's cavity. Next, I take a quartered red onion (you can use white too, I just had a red one on hand), some springs of thyme and rosemary (just roll them around in your hand til they bruise), 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic, and shove them into the bird's backside.

Graphic, I know.

Grind lots of fresh black pepper and some big pinches of salt all over your violated fowl. I like to squeeze half a lemon all over it too, to add some tang.

Some people like to use a roasting pan and a v-rack set up to roast their chicken...I like to use a cookie sheet because it doesn't squish up the bird. I just throw it on there and fold the wings under the bird so they don't burn. Oh! I used a stiff sprig of rosemary to secure the vegetation inside. Just poke two holes opposite each other over the cavity, and skewer the rosemary through.

Throw your bird into that 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until it starts getting brown. I start it in such a super hot oven to get the skin super crispy and scrumptious, then I turn the heat down to 350-300 and let it ride. Basically browning time, 15-20 minutes; roasting time, 45 minutes to an hour. As Alton Brown says, "Your patience will be rewarded."

How did I know it was done? I wiggled one of the drumsticks, and it was pretty lose. And I sliced a TINY hole in the back near the thigh, and the juices ran clean. I don't have a thermometer. Sue me! After taking it out of the oven, I covered it loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 or 15 minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the birdie. If you don't do this, and you cut into it too early = DRY CHICKEN. And that, ladies and gents, is a true damn crime.

Ooooo, child....

Ya sweet, sexy thang, you!

I plated this sassy chick with AB's Pearsnip Sauce and some seasoned roasted broccoli (olive oil, salt and pepper, and some lemon pepper seasoning).

You know you want this.

Yet Another Burger Joint? Eatinist Bitch Reviews The Counter!

2011-01-28T09:36:00.000-08:00

Burger joints are a dime a dozen these days; as soon as you blink another one pops up with more beefy wares and more toppings. This is definitely the case at The Counter, which just opened at W41st and Broadway. It's originally a Southern California fast-yet-casual restaurant chain, that specializes in gourmet custom topped burgers and burger salads. Rumor has it that there are 312,120 possible combos. My two favorite burger spots are Shake Shack and Bill's Bar and Burger, and I wanted to see if I could add another place to my list. Also, I have a massive jones for well made turkey burgers. Sometimes I like to lighten my bovine consumption, and turkey burgers help that. Bill's makes the best around, in my humble opinion, and who doesn't like a challenge?

First thing that came to mind when I got in: this place is sleek. Lots of streamlined design and futuristic fixtures give the place a really modern look...just not a particularly cozy one. I sat at the bar, since I was eating alone and I was greeted by a very sweet waitress who set me up with a menu. Glory Moses...the menu read like a Census Poll! I love choices and all...but damn. After about 10 minutes of being overwhelmed, I gathered my thoughts and ordered. I got the turkey on a hamburger bun with romaine, tomato, cucumber, sprouts, sharp cheddar, cranberries, and apricot sauce. For my sides, one of their "Fifty-Fifty" combos: sweet potato fries and onion strings.

The sides came out first..and I really tried to wait to eat them. REALLY. Oh man...now, it's difficult to do sweet potato fries well because sweet potatoes themselves have such a high water and sugar content. These were delicious, crispy, and light. And I could've eaten these onion strings forever, the batter was crispy and super flavorful. No oily or heavy taste either.

And then...the burger came.

Don't get me wrong here! The toppings were fresh, the sauce wasn't creamy like I expected, but just a bright tangy glaze, which I really liked. But the burger tasted like a preformed patty, and sure looked like one too. The turkey burger at Bill's Bar and Burger is hand-formed, seasoned with provolone and basil, and is an absolute delight. It doesn't treat the turkey burger as beef's lamer cousin. The meat was cooked well, but it just didn't taste like anything.

Lesson learned! Get the regular burger next time, until they learn to make a proper turkey one.

Eatinist #2 (Tana) Strikes Again - Turkey Dumpling Soup

2011-01-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

*Eatinst Bitch's Note: We're way past the holidays, obviously, and if you don't want to make this with turkey, go ahead and make this with chicken! It'll still be tasty. Of course I'd do this without dumplings...because I hate them. Take it away, Tana!

My dad's been after me to make a soup out of the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, because the 22 lb beast "called his name" in the grocery store, and as a result we had entirely too much after all five us polished off our plates.

It began as turkey soup, and then he decided he wanted dumplings as well...I've never made dumplings. And if you know Eatinst #1, you'll know she and I can go 13 rounds on dumplings and whether or not they're suitible for people above the poverty line. Ask her about it sometime!

In any case, where I would normally call her for advice on the best way to construct a dumpling, I was at a loss.

A slight digression: upon his return from the Wisconsin Badger football game the other night, he tossed a bag of Bucky (the mascot) cheese curds at me. This led to a conversation about battering and frying them, which led me to make a simple churro dough out of flour and water and season the hell out of it. Maybe I could use this batter to make dumplings too.

Last thing before I get to the good stuff: I glanced at a few different recipes, just to get a skeletal idea of the typical ingredients and order of prep. For the most part though, I improvised. The measurements, except for the broth, are all approximations. Oh! And, my stepmom had disposed of the carcass, so I was sans beast bones.

Dumplings:

2 cups Water
1/4 tsp Salt
2 cups of All-purpose Flour
2 tbl Seasoned Salt (Lawry's is fine)
2 tsp Olive Oil or Butter

Combine flour and seasoned salt. Bring water with salt to a boil. Add olive oil and remove from heat. immediately add flour and stir vigorously until combined. Dough will be stiff and not too smooth. Let the dough cool and rest a little and then form into golf-ball shaped balls.

Here you can refrigerate them until you're ready, or if you're set to go, go ahead and boil water in a medium sized saucepan. When the water starts boiling rapidly, drop the dumplings in, taking care to make sure they don't stick together. Let them simmer and bubble for about 5 minutes. You don't want them to get fully cooked. Take them out of the water and set them aside.

Soup:

3 quarts plus one 14.5 oz can of low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbl black pepper (I prefer freshly ground, but the powder stuff is fine)
1 medium onion, chopped fine
5 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
2 tbl dried parsley
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup of carrots, diced
3 cups of shredded turkey (you can use a combo of light and dark meat)
1 tbl of olive oil or cooking spray

Using a 4 quart stock pot, heat your broth on high, and add pepper. While waiting for your broth to boil, get your veggies ready. My dad violently opposes celery; I've been threatened with being made to sleep in the garage if I add it to anything I make for him: hence, the celery seed. Also, normally I would chop all the aromatics by hand...my hand got tired and I slap-chopped the hell outta the onions and garlic. Let's be real: there is no loss of dignity in the slap chop.

When your broth has begun to boil, add half the parsley and the celery seed. Continue boiling for 10-15 minutes.

Using the olive oil (or spray), saute the carrots over medium heat. After three minutes, add the onions and garlic. Cook until fragrant and the onions are opaque. The carrots should not yet be tender.

Turn off the heat and add the veg to the boiling broth. Stir to combine and allow to boil for another 10-15 minutes. Add the rest of the parsley and the turkey and continue to boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take this time to make sure your seasonings are in order, don't forget to taste the broth. Throw your dumplings into the pot and boil for another 5 minutes, or until the dumplings are fork tender.

Congratulations! You have turkey dumpling soup (no picture because...well, I forgot and it was really tasty, and we ate it too fast)! My brothers ate theirs with oyster crackers, though I happened to have some homemade Parker House rolls on hand that were ideal for dunking.

My father's final word? "You know what's the best part of this soup? I don't have to dodge any celery."

HAPPY 2011!!!

2011-01-03T06:51:00.000-08:00

Hello all my hungry lovelies! Hope you had an amazing holiday season. I didn't post any holiday recipes/stuff because..well, I was lazy. And I can't cook with my mother and take pics and crap at the same time. We had mouths to feed!

Anyway, I'm looking forward to eating/cooking/sharing with you as this new year goes on. I can't wait for what's to come.

I Scream, You Scream...Shut Up! There's Homemade Ice Cream.

2010-12-29T12:01:00.000-08:00

I'm not entirely sure if I was a good girl this year, but Santa saw fit to bestow upon me the gift of my dreams (well, one of the gifts of my dreams): my very own ice cream maker. I've been going on and on about how I'd love to make my own ice cream, come up with crazy flavors, and save a couple of pennies on ice cream that's high quality. Finally, a shiny new Cuisinart ICE-21 was dropped into my hot little hands. I used a slightly modified version of Alton Brown's Serious Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from early on in the Good Eats canon. Let's freeze some moo juice...shall we?

I started with 2 cups of half and half and 1 cup of heavy cream. When those are the first two ingredients in a recipe, you know it's gotta be good. Combine both of these in a heavy saucepan and pay no attention to the dirty stove, okay?

At Brooklyn Brainery's Hot Drinks class I was gifted with a Tahitian vanilla bean, and I saved it just for this recipe. The Tahitian strain is known for having a flowery scent and flavor best used in ice creams and dishes that don't require too much heat. I split it down the middle and scraped out the seeds or "caviar". The smell was incredible, above and beyond the scent of mere vanilla extract. Anyone who thinks vanilla is boring, has not smelled fresh, true vanilla.

Throw the vanilla pod and seeds into the in cream and half half, and whisk to disperse.

Now, before Alton adds the 1 cup of sugar to the milks, he subtracts 2 tablespoons of the sugar and substitutes it for 2 tablespoons of peach preserves. I'm guessing he did this to add another layer of flavor, and I'm sure there's a science reason too. But...I didn't have peach preserves. And I just wanted plain vanilla ice cream. So I put in a little less than 1 cup of sugar, because I didn't want the result to be too sweet.

Are you wondering why you don't see any yolks? This is what's known as a Philadelphia style ice cream, meaning that it contains no eggs! Ice creams with egg bases (custard or French style) are really rich and velvety, but you gotta temper the mixture so it doesn't curdle and all that mess...and I wasn't in the mood for that. I was tired from Christmas cooking on Saturday and I had gotten up really Sunday morning to make this ice cream. Next time, I won't ignore the yolk.

I let this come to a bare simmer on medium heat, and as soon as I saw one bubble pop, I took it off. If you have a candy/fry thermometer, you want to look for 170 degrees. I believe if you let the mixture boil, you break the vanilla flavor and greatly affect the fats in the milk...I don't remember exactly what AB said...but it sounds correct. Someone correct me!

After I let it cool slightly off of the heat, I poured the sweet smelling elixir into a Tupperware container that had a tight fitting lid. The vanilla bean had given its all, so I took it out of the mixture.

Now, don't be an idiot like me and throw it away. If you rinse it with cool water, and pat it dry, you can put it in your sugar jar. In a couple days to a week you'll have fresh vanilla sugar.

I could have started churning the ice cream right away, which definitely an option because:

1. I am impatient
2. I already put the ice cream maker's bowl in the freezer 2 days ago, so I would be ready to go.

But, the trick to great ice cream is letting the cooked mixture chill and age in the fridge.This way the flavors you've created via heat can mellow and develop. Plus, the colder the mixture is, the smaller the ice crystals are in the final product aka creamy, even textured ice cream. Really, this should have sat overnight....but I gave myself 6 hours. Close enough.

*Six Hours Later*

Here it is. My precious little ice cream churning machine!

If you have a different make and model, go read the instructions. For mine, I just had to put the frozen ice cream bowl on the base, insert the paddle attachment, and lock the lid. Please make sure the machine is ON when you pour in your liquid or else it'll just freeze to the walls of the bowl. The dasher won't move and you will be screwed.

Here's the mixture at the start of the cycle....

This is about 10-15 minutes in.....

And here it is at about 20-25 minutes. Oh sweet tap dancing Jesus.

I would show you pictures of the paddle attachment when I took it out...but I licked it clean. I enjoyed every second of it, thank you very much. I scraped the ice cream back into the Tupperware (which I had rinsed clean) so I could stick it in the freezer to harden for an hour.

I would like to go on record right now and say there is absolutely nothing like homemade ice cream. NOTHING. The flavor after only 6 hours of aging was phenomenal, and I will let it rest for even longer next time. The vanilla flavor was just prismatic on my tongue as I ate it, blossoming with the heat of my mouth. By using no eggs in the base, the ice cream was light and refreshing while still maintaining the familiar creamy texture. I usually never eat plain vanilla ice cream, and that's about to change.

So is the the size of my rear end.

*Note: Fats can pick up funky flavors in the the freezer, so lay a piece of parchment/plastic wrap over your ice cream before you put on the lid to ensure it'll stay fresh.

Oneshot: Refrigerator Pie! (Okay, Okay, It's Quiche.)

2010-12-26T11:43:00.000-08:00

Before I started my short stint at Balthazar Bakery, we did a tasting of the menu, which included two types of quiche: Lorraine and Asparagus/Mushroom. I took tiny, bird-like bites of both. All I can say, I was heralded into a new world. The creamy richness of the egg and cream custard enveloped the Gruyere/ham/sweet onion goodness and just took me over the edge. I would have been more loony about the asparagus mushroom...if it had no mushrooms. Mushrooms taste like feet.

Anyway, I never thought I could love quiche. A childhood fear of cooked egg yolks (for some reason, eating fried eggs with the yolks in upset my tummy) has always kept me away from exciting egg dishes: frittatas, omlettes, and quiches. But I think that fear is more in my head now..and today I've decided to be unafraid!

That leads me to today, the outside world blizzarding like whoa, and craving some quiche for breakfast. This also makes a pretty damn good lunch when served with a small salad. I used Alton Brown's recipe because...I love him. Plus, this recipe is DEAD EASY. Really!

I started with two eggs and some heavy cream. You could use half and half..but why? Whisk the eggs in a medium sized bowl until well mixed and light colored, then throw in a cup of heavy cream. Mix well, and DON'T FORGET TO SEASON! Under-seasoned eggs are a travesty. I used sea salt, fresh black pepper, and a little Bacon Salt for good measure. The recipe called for fresh nutmeg too, but I forgot it. Oh well. Set aside while you prepare some fillings, in this case: thawed chopped spinach, canned artichoke hearts, and shredded (or grated) parm cheese. Please make sure you squeeze all the water out of the spinach, lest your pie bottom will be soggy. No one likes a soggy bottom. Chop your hearts finely, and then prepare for assembly.

Simply scatter the spinach on the bottom of a frozen pre-baked pie shell in a even layer, then the hearts, and then the cheese. Now, pour your eggy mixture evenly over it all, so the the liquid settles in evenly. Since the eggs will expand, you want it really surrounding your ingredients, or else it'll bake right out of the pan! Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet (in case of spilling) and slip into a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Before that time was up, I sprinkled some more cheese to melt on the top to make a crunchy crust. Extra yum. I could tell that it was done because when I stuck a toothpick in the middle, no eggs gushed out. Win!

Quiches are better when they're a little less than warm, so let this cool for like, 15 minutes. Patience!

Honestly, you can make this with whatever you have on hand: cheddar, bacon, caramelized onions, some blanched asparagus, peppers, leftover chicken...ANYTHING! Alton suggested Spam too, but I don't think I'll be trying that any time soon.

What I Did On My November Vacation: Re-enacting Man Vs Food Pittsburgh!

2010-12-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

I love being a New Yorker...but sometimes I just gotta get the hell out. See some sights. Visit some friends. And I did just that earlier last month, when I decided to visit my friend Lauren and her family, who live right outside of Pittsburgh.

Lo and I have been friends for going on 5-6 years now; I met her randomly on Friendster and we've been buds ever since. I hadn't seen her since she had her son, Connor, 2 years ago. Since work was burning me out something fierce, I figured that visiting her, the hubby, and toddler Connor was the right thing to do.

In the days leading up to my trip, I tweeted that I was flying into the Pitt area, and asked if there were any suggestions on where to chow down. Whilst fussing about on Twitter I realized that I was only 10 or so followers away from 100. And then I started thinking about ways to get it up there...and then I started thinking Man vs. Food.

Basically, I said that I would eat an order of Quaker Steak's Atomic Wings (Which Adam does in the Pitt episode of MvF) if my follower count got to 100. I was reasonable secure that it wouldn't happen...but my silly self went and posted this little challenge on Facebook. And then my lovely, lovely friends made very sure that this would happen. Creepers.

I could have very easily opted out of it, but I have a massive love of buffalo wings and Adam Richman. So, off into the hot sauce I went.

Me and Lauren hit the Quaker Steak for dinner on my second night. I must admit...I cheated a little.

I also covered my lips in balm. I must have looked like a lunatic.

I ordered real food beforehand, because I didn't want the wings to be my only dinner. I had a chicken sammy with cheese and bacon atop a garlic butter roll. On the side, homemade chips with GUINNESS CHEESE SAUCE. I could have drank this with a straw.

Me holding up the menu in abject fear:

The waitress didn't fail to point out that they now had SUPER Atomic Wings, and would I like to try those? Hell no woman! Just give me the regular Atomics so I can get this foolhardiness over with!

They came to the table packed in a mini egg carton , garnished with what looked to be like pickled jalapenos. Super cute. I could smell their evil-ness though.

First bite:

HATCHI MATCHI (points if you know where that's from)! A strong stinging sort of heat blanketed my whole mouth. It wasn't like a scotch bonnet pepper, where the heat is insanely uniform and punishing. More like a mean vinegar tang. It did taste good though, even though I would preferred them to be saucier and more buttery.

In the end, it was the wings that won; I could only eat three of the five. Even with the milk I ordered on the side, my mouth was sore and hurting. Oh well. I'm really glad that I got through them at all!

The other two places in that episode were Primanti Bros. Sandwich Shop and Deluca's. Since I've already been to Primanti's, Deluca's was our next stop.

Deluca's is in the Strip District in downtown Pitt, which is home to a lot of different flea markets, cool cafes and restuarants, and nifty murals like this:

Best breakfast in town? We'll see about that!!

The menu was pretty huge, and everything sounded delicious. The place was bustling, and everyone looked so happy and full...I wanted to be like that too!

In the end though...I think I made the right decision...Strawberries and Cream buttermilk pancakes..

Eggs, fresh sausage, hashbrowns and bacon...

And biscuits. For good measure.

Obviously, it was a little too much food, but I did my best.

Verdict? Absolute deliciousness. Everything was extremely fresh, and the portions were huge for the price. I was pretty crazy about the sausage, which usually isn't my go to breakfast side, and I was in love with the fluffy pancakes with the fresh toppings.

Oh, and to end with some shameless cuteness, Lo's son Connor playing with the Sweet N Low packets. He's such a little prince.

Oneshot: Fatty McFatterson Breakfast - Croissant French Toast

2010-12-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

....yes, I have no shame.

The first time I took part in this insanely delicious treat was with my friend David at Maureen's Kitchen in Smithtown (Long Island). I was in love with the place at first site, squealing over the adorable cow print motif and cozy atmosphere. I had their baked oatmeal with warm milk, which tasted like a warm, gooey oatmeal cookie and a huge cup of tea. What really stole the show though was the croissant french toast with blueberries and apple cinnamon cream cheese. Good God. I like my french toast on the crunchier side, and all those buttery flaky layers in the croissant soaked up the custardy batter without making it soggy. With the fresh fruit and slightly sweetened cheese: fantastic. I dreamed of remaking it at home, and years later...I did. What can I say, I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes.

If you look at the picture, you notice that there's some juicy berries, Nutella, and wait...some cream cheese on my lovely creations. Before I got started with the toast, I prepared those first. The cream cheese was just softened (via microwave) and mixed with 2 spoons of sugar. The berries were macerated with sugar and a little red wine for hutzpah and oomph...and other emotive words.

For the french toast itself, I used croissants from Balthazar Bakery because, I used to work there AND because I think they're delicious. But you can use any that you fancy, but just make sure they're good quality. Don't use the whomp canned kind.

Whenever I make french toast, I kinda just put it together off the top of my head. I used (for 4 croissants) 2-3 eggs, beaten well, added some whole milk (skim will NOT DO), a couple spoonfuls of sugar, a generous teaspoon of vanilla, and shakes of nutmeg and cinnamon. I used a whisk to get it nice and homogenized. Get a nice heavy pan/skillet on the stove and set it to medium heat. Let it get all warm and happy.

Slice the croissants so that they open like a book. You want that yummy batter to really soak in. I try to use a shallow dish to dredge as many pieces as I can. Make sure you let them soak a bit on both sides!

Now take a pat or two salted butter (you can use unsalted too), and swirl it around your skillet. Let it foam and turn a little brown...I usually turn down the heat a tad because my stove has demons. Slap those bad boys in, two at a time, for 3-5 minutes on each side. Replenish the butter as needed, and let them get real golden brown and delish. As they finish up, i put them on a foil covered sheet pan in a VERY low oven to keep warm. REALLY LOW, because i didn't want them to get to crispy, aka BURN.

I served them up the way I had them at Maureen's, like a sandwich. Nutella on one side, cream cheese and berries on the other. Smushed together, with a little maple syrup drizzled over the top. To keep me honest!

Egg whites, bacon, and sausage links round out this perfectly HEALTHY and NUTRITIOUS breakfast!

I figure if I type it in large letters...it'll make it true.

Chicken Noodle Soup...With No Soda On the Side.

2010-12-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

My mom was in the hospital a couple weeks ago (she's doing a lot better, thank goodness), and I had really wanted to have something warm and comforting waiting for her when she was released. What better than the classic chicken soup, right? My mom's chicken soup is pretty epic in its deliciousness, but I never really paid enough attention whilst she was making it to know how to make it (Lesson to be learned kids: pay attention when your parents/grandfolks/random family members cook). I was nervous, but, this was for my mamma. Gotta keep calm, and carry on.

I decided to use PW's Recipe for Chicken with Noodles as a guide, because, well...I just love her.

I started with, well, a whole chicken. I went to my supermarket and picked out a nice kosher bird; it was either 4-5 lbs, and got it cut up by the butcher. I was ready to make soup from scratch, but I don't think I'm ready to dismember a chicken on my own. Just not on that level yet. I just asked him to cut it up for soup, and he obliged.

I washed my little birdie pieces with cold water and fresh lemon juice...because that's what we Caribbeans do. When I see people preparing chicken on TV, or even in a friend's home, I always get skittish when they don't wash the chicken....do they want it to taste like chicken coop and...fluids? Anyway, I washed each piece and dried them. No pictures of this because I didn't want chicken-y essence all over my cell phone.

I put my chicken pieces in a big ol' stock pot and covered them with 4 quarts (and a little more) of water, seasoned with sea salt. In the recipe, she uses what looks to be a Le Creuset dutch oven, which I do have at home...but I got paranoid and thought that I would need something bigger.

I brought the water to a rolling boil, then dropped the heat to medium and let it simma simma for about 30 minutes.

While that was going on, I diced up some carrots and celery. I usually hate celery, but I love it in soup. All that acerbic flavor is cooked out, and it really mellows in the broth.

I would've added a potato or some parsnips...but I forgot to pick them up at the market. :-(

After the 30 minutes was up, this is what the broth and chicken pieces looked like:

See that glossy stuff on the top? That's schmaltz, or chicken fat. I don't skim that....cause it's good. I took out the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon, and kept the broth simmering on low.

THE FUN PART: DEMOLITION.

Take two forks...AND SHRED! I used the forks to take as much meat as I could off the bones. This was FLIPPING HOT, so I tried to be very careful.

Such a beautiful pile of chicken goodness. I put ALL the bones back in the broth and covered up the meat with foil to keep it warm. Simmer for another 45 minutes...this soup making takes a while, so do yourself a favor, and start this ish early. Or invest in a pressure cooker, if you're in a hurry. Or, if you're REALLY in a hurry, get some soup in a can, ya lazy bum.

I walked around my house a bit, took a little nap, then came back to take out the bones. They looked so sad and depleted...oh well. Their loss is my gain. I threw in my veggies, and added some seasoning: thyme, lots of black pepper, and dried parsley. Then another 10 minutes of cooking to let everything get friendly.

See that big white square? That's a flat noodle. I bought a bag of nifty Pennsylvania Dutch-style noodles, broke them up in the bag, and added them in with the chicken meat after the 10 minutes. I forgot to take a picture. I'm only human, guys!! Let this cook until the noodles soften, and then.....

OH MY GOD YOU HAVE SOUP!

In PW's recipe, she added a little mixture of flour and water to thicken the soup...I decided against that because I just wanted a traditional chicken noodle soup. BUT, next time I will def use a lot less water, and the dutch oven style pot, because I feel like I had to boil the bones and stuff a little longer to really get that chicken-y flavor. Less water = less time to get to the concentrated flavor.

This was ready by the time my mom woke up from her post-hospital nap...and she loved every bit of it. She had two big-ass servings!! I was so proud that I could give her what she'd been giving me for years: bowl after bowl of love.

Baby, It's Cold Outside - Butternut Squash Soup

2010-11-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't noticed, it's cold outside. And even though I have a ton of things to share, I really want to share this soup. It's simple, hearty, and super flavorful. And it's from Alton Brown...and you know there's nothing wrong with that. ALLEZ CUISINE BITCHES!

This soup called for the squash to be roasted. So I took two whole butternut squash, lopped them in half and then brushed them with a mixture of melted butter and olive oil. Before I shoved them into a 400 degree oven, I sprinkled them with kosher salt and a couple of hearty grinds of black pepper. The recipe says to use white pepper, I guess to impart a milder pepper flavor, and so that there won't be any black fleck in the soup. I didn't have white pepper. And I don't mind a sharper flavor and black flecks. I am an equal opportunity eater.

I let these roast for 35-40 minutes until they got nice and tender. All that roasty, toasty, golden squash goodness...the smell was just incredible. Sweet, but at the same time nutty and smoky. I scooped out the flesh with a big spoon....

And combined the flesh with 3 cups of chicken stock. Yes, I used the boxed kind...and it's organic.

My next additions were fresh ginger, which I used a microplane to grate (if you don't have one of these amazing graters, just use the small, puckered side of a box grater):

And some honey. I used an amazing alfalfa honey that I had gotten on vacation in the Amish country, but at any other time, I would just use whatever honey was in the house. You could also use brown sugar...or even maple syrup...or MOLASSES. I'm sure that would lend a really earthy flavor.

I let everything come to a gentle boil, then turned the heat down to low; simmering is good for the soul.

Bubble, bubble, toil and.....whoops. Got carried away. Look, I was doing this at like, 11 o'clock at night! I was craving soup and a little stir crazy.

So after a 15 minute simmer, I made like Teddy Roosevelt: I got out a big stick.

A stick blender that is!

My mom hadn't used this thing in years..so I had to do some scrubbing and de-gross-ifying to make it usable. If you don't have a stick blender, just blend it in small batches in a regular blender. I like mine very smooth. I added a little nutmeg...and 4 ounce of heavy cream. No pics of that because I didn't want to be judged. :-/

I poured hot water in a bowl to warm it up, dumped the H2O out, and poured my sweet, sweet bounty in.

Look at it.

While you're looking, I was tasting. Sweet, but not overly so. A tiny bit of bite from the pepper, and so warming to my soul.

Make this soup, and keep yourself from freezing to death. Or relieve hunger, either choice works!

100 Followers/Atomic Wings Challenge

2010-11-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to take some time out to say....

I JUST HIT 100 FOLLOWERS ON TWITTER!

Thank you, thank you for following in my food adventures, and keep reading! It'll only get better.

In honor of this occasion, I've pledged to the the Quaker Steak & Lube Atomic Wings (Pittsburgh) Challenge that Adam Richman did in the 3rd ep of Man vs. Food.

I'm a foolish, foolish girl.

See you guys when I return!

Bacon Takedown....Really, What Else Can You Say?

2010-10-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

For the first time in my life...I was almost bacon-ed out.

The Bacon Takedown at Brooklyn's The Bell House (which is becoming one of my favorite new venues) was pretty epic: 21 savory and sweet treats all showcasing the smoky and salty flavors of the candy of the meat world. Instead of taking you through all of the entries, I'll just give you some of the highlights. Honestly, I don't even know how I survived having one of the most severe cases of the itis...ever.

It was super crowded in there, man. We wanted our bacon!

Even though it looked crowded, the food was obtained quickly. I basically piled my food on my plate (s), said a quick Hi-De-Do to the contestants, and forged on.

I know, kids. I don't like goat milk either. But this is proabably one of the best things I've ever tasted. Candied bacon. Smooth goat's milk avocado gelato. Creamy. Salty. Rich. Decadent, with only a hint of sweetness, and a tiny bit of tang from the goat's milk.

I must know what I'm talking about, because this girl won the whole shebang.

My aching paper plate, resplendent with the sheen of my porky payload. There was some bacon macaroni in an intense tomato sauce, bacon rice crispy treats with cinnamon-sugar apples, apples fried in bacon fat with candied bacon and maple cream, prune bacon cake with fried basil leaves, bacon pralines, pulled pork sandwiches BRAISED in bacon...

Not to mention....

Candied Pig in a Fig.

I can't make this up, folks.

And yes. It was delicious.

Here are even more piggy pictures from one of my fave sites that keep me in the food loop: Metromix!

Burgers From the Metal Gods? Grill 'Em All's Waste 'Em All Burger w/Truffle Fries

2010-10-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

LA's Grill 'Em All Truck, the winners of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race, started their "Victory Lap" around NYC yesterday. Even though I'm WAY SICK, my friend John made sure that we secured our reservation at Duke's in Gramercy, their first stop. Sometimes in life, you just gotta man up and eat the beef.

Now, according to Burger Conquest's site, the burgers on the menu that night were supposed to be the Hannah Montana (a cheeseburger w/lettuce and tomato), the Molly Hatchet (fennel smoked sausage gravy, applewood smoked bacon, and maple drizzle) and the Blue Cheer (cranberry gastrique, maytag blue spread, and munchos potato crisps). Alongside, double dipped truffle oil fries. OBVIOUSLY, I was all over the idea of the Molly Hatchet because it involves two of my favorite things: gravy and bacon.

We got to Duke's (an hour and 15 early...what can I say, we were excited), and when we were finally seated I looked at the Grill 'Em All special menu and my chest tightened with horror: NO MOLLY HATCHET. Apparently, Burger Conquest must have made a typo, because the Waste 'Em All burger was there instead. Massive failboat express. We forged on and ordered it, and we decided to split an order of the truffle fries.

As you can see, the burger is packed with beer soaked onions, pepper jack cheese, and marinated chillies. The fries came with three sauces, a chipolte ketchup, a garlic aoli, and some sort of mustard. This was a serious burger, y'all. I bit the hell out of it.

The meat was cooked to a perfect medium well, juicy and flavorful thanks to a blend of porterhouse and chuck. Everything tasted good individually, but together, I felt that the flavors were sort of muddled. Maybe if the chillies were pickled instead of marinated, or maybe if there was a salty disk of cotija cheese in the middle...something to make the flavors pop. This was a good burger! But not the best I've ever had. John concurred.

The fries on the other hand, oooooh mamma, I could eat these forever. Super crisp, earthy from the truffles, and when dunked in the ketchup, pure fry heaven. I didn't really care for the other sauces though.

Did the Grill 'Em All guys live up to the hype? Ehhh, sort of? I loved the heavy metal ball to the wall concept, the energy and the obvious love for the food, but even with my impaired tasting abilities, this definitely could have been better.

Review: Brats in Chelsea (Not the Dolls...The Sausage!)

2010-10-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

This isn't your mama's beer garden.

Housed in a narrow nook of warm wood and bar stools, Brats is doing Austrian sausages and beers (well, not beer yet, they don't have a liquor license yet) their way...and I'm loving it.

Their menu is pretty diverse in the sausage department with everything from your basic beef dog to a duck doggie slathered with a layer of pate. My friend John and I weren't that adventurous yet, but we did get get some yummy stuff.

We started with the giant pretzel....which was exactly that. Fuckin massive, warm, yeasty and delicious. Now I hate mustard and mayo (I do like good homemade mayo though), but this came with blueberry mustard and OLD BAY mayo (house made!) so you could dip. Yum. The mayo was rich and creamy without being nauseating and had just the right amount of Old Bay seasoning. And the mustard wasn't super duper sweet, just a bright tart sweetness and some heat.

For the main, John went traditional with the beef wiener (heh, wiener) with horseradish mustard. I said to hell with that and opted for the German sausage doused in tomato sauce and dusted with their house curry blend.

His dog was nice and snappy, and definitely beefy. Balanced mix of seasonings, but not overpowering.

As for my choice, OH YES. I really made the right move with this one. Tangy tomato sauce combined with the tender sausage, and the hit of curry blend...WOW! I had never thought of mixing curry and tomatoes together, and I was blown away at how much the flavors intensified each other. Gooble gobble please.

And now for the grand finale: dessert. We decided to split the malted vanilla milk shake topped with....bacon confetti. Yes. Yes. Yes.

I usually really dislike malted things because I think they're extremely odd tasting, but this shake had just a touch of the malted flavor with just a hint of vanilla. Not too treacle-y, but just right. The bacon could have been a bit crunchier, but otherwise its salty presence helped to offset the drink's milkiness. Super refreshing.

Amazing food and the great service should help this place blow up...but hurry up and get a liquor license!

Apple of My Pie - An Exercise In Last Minute Baking and My First Baking Contest!

2010-10-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

I tend to live my life in a last minute fashion. It makes planning things a little bit of a challenge, but that's what makes life exciting...right?

Wednesday, September 22nd, I was scanning The Skint, a great email list that lets you know of all the fun/free/low-cost events going down in the city. Mixed in along with the usual music and art listings I saw something that involved one of my favorite foods: PIE.

Greenpoint Open Studios in Brooklyn was going to be holding a pie bake-off to raise money for their programs. First Prize? A dinner for two with the Brooklyn Edible Social Club, the exclusive underground supper club with secret locations and luscious five-course menus. I just had to enter! So what if the contest was the next day?

I emailed the moderator, Joanne Kim, for the scoop. She replied with the quickness, letting me know that I'd have to bake two pies and that I'd be going up against at LEAST 30 other contestants. THIRTY FREAKIN PIES. What would be a recipe that would really wow them, something modern, but comforting.

Everyone loves apple pie (and if you don't you're a cyborg), and most people I know love combining salty and sweet. My favorite apple crumb pie that I make combines a couple of recipes that I've enjoyed, and I add my own little spin to it. I use 3 types of apples, a variety of spices to compliment, and a couple of other tasty tweaks, so I knew I What else could I possibly do to put it over the top? The idea came to me in a flash.

DROWN THE WHOLE DAMN THING IN SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE. DONE.

I implored the assistance of my good friend John in making the pies (I was going to make an extra pie to bring to my coworkers), and for the use of his kitchen, which is way nicer than mine. We started at about 7:30-8....and didn't finish until 3am. We got a little delayed during the actual baking due to the firefighters that came because the of the clang of the smoke alarm.

No people or pies were harmed in the making of this post!!! This will be a picture heavy post because I'm: 1. lazy and 2. not posting my recipes for the pie or or sauce. Maybe one day, but for now it'll be a secret. :-)

Apples! I used three different kinds. Got a nice balance of textures and flavors.

Here are the apples soaking in all sorts of tasty stuff...including Calvados.

A closer look....oh God. These smelled so delicious...and gave up a lot of juice too.

Crust makin'! I used a mix of butter and shortening because I wanted a nice combo of flakiness and tenderness.

The three bowls of apples with some of their ingredients.

Time for crumble topping!

It was super warm in John's kitchen from preheating the oven. I had to work fast to form the crusts.
Finally throwing down some crumble.

Ready for the oven!!!

Caramel and pies. No pictures of the caramel process because it was almost 3 in the morning and we were DEAD TIRED. Plus it was my first time making the stuff and I wasn't trying to burn it and have the fire dept come around...again.

Here are some pictures from the contest itself, which took place at the Diamond Bar in Greenpoint.

The pie, up close and personal.

A Root Beer Pie!

Butternut Squash Ginger Nut....
Crawfish!!! Savory.

My pie was the first to arrive, thus I was assigned the number 1 spot.

These lovely ladies preparing the Banana Jackfruit Coco Cream pie...OMG SO GOOD.

Pear Rasberry Pie from the yiEATn camp. Delightful.

Prob one of my FAVORITE pies to make: Banoffee Pie (Banana Toffee). Hers was good...but the one I make is better.
In all there had to be at the very least 33-35 pies. So many different and exciting ideas and tastes! I became full very quickly.

Now, I didn't win (someone had a BACON BOURBON PECAN PIE, sigh..), but the pie went like freakin' hotcakes. It was pretty exhilarating to have all these people love what I made. I cook for my friends all the time, but this was my first time doing something like this for complete strangers. I can definately say that I've caught the bug and now I'm prepping for my next contest: Enid's Apple Pie Bake Off at Enid's in Brooklyn.

Wish me luck!!!

Oneshot: Supplemented Cravings….Grilled Cheese and Broke-Ass Thai Style Peanut Noodles

2010-10-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

I know, I know.

Where’s the post from the pie contest?

Why are you being lazy?

WHY DON’T YOU LOVE US?????

I swear I do love you guys! Real life/work looms ladies and gents, IT LOOMS. So I’ve had to step back and get some stuff done. But I swear I’ve got some goodies coming up for you!

In the meantime though, have you ever walked past a food and just gotten a craving? It could be a picture, an ingredient, or the dish itself, and it triggers something on your tongue, in your loins, or in your stomach, that you just can’t get outta your head?

I was in my kitchen, lamenting the lack of food in it, when I walked past a jar of Jif peanut butter.

Sauce, it whispered.

“Huh?” I said, thinking it was one of my nieces pulling a prank.

Make peanut sauce, it quavered once more. I love a good spicy peanut sauce over noodles. But I’ve never thought to make it at home on my own. This needed to be changed. I looked around my pantry and found a pack of ramen. I threw away the spice pack and set some water to boil to cook the noodles. This way the sauce and pasta would be done at the same time.

I took a couple of spoonfuls of Jif (I think natural PB would be better next time, but this was all I had), and loosened it up with a couple of teaspoons of the hot water. I added some red chili flake and a clove of fresh garlic. I only used a clove because I didn’t want the flavor to overpower it. Added a tip of canola oil to stretch the sauce, and some hearty dashes of soy sauce (I LOVE soy sauce). Sea salt, fresh black pepper and a little parsley to round it out. I was hoping there’d be some coconut milk around to lend a little authenticity, but alas, none in the house. I kept tasting as I went, and finally was rewarded with a really robust, creamy sauce. While the noodles soaked in the hot H2O, I fried up a grilled cheese, for a nice side dish. Yes, I’m calling that a side dish, and I’m not changin’ it.

I kept a tiny bit of the hot water from the drained noodles and combined the pasta and sauce.

Oh yes, this hit the spot quite directly. It looks hideous, but it tastes good. And when you’re hungry, sometimes that’s all that matters.

Girls Don't Drink Cask Beer? Get Real! - Get Real NY Cask and Food Fest 2010

2010-09-27T18:02:00.000-07:00

Now I warn you in advance, some of these pictures are blurry. REAL BLURRY. Over the course of this awesome 3hr event, I proceeded to imbibe over 12 different beautiful cask and regular beers. TWELVE. And I'm not counting the other ones I drank quickly because I wasn't crazy about them.

I weigh 127 lbs.

The pictures are gonna be blurry. I'm sorry.

Seeing as that it's NY Craft Beer Week, and that I love beer, I knew that I'd have to go to at least ONE awesome event. I decided to make Get Real NY my event because of its focus on cask beers. Cask beers are unfiltered and unpasteurized and served without additional carbonation. The soft bubbles that you feel are from the yeasts that are still fermenting. Apparently, this is how it was done in the olden days before modern kegging and refrigeration.
Flat warm beer, you say? I think not! Time for me to do some drinking.

I got to the Altman Building in Chelsea about 15 mins in, and I was greeted by a fantastic sight.

LOOK AT ALL THAT BEER! 40 damn casks, and I had no idea where to start. I was given a super pretty GRNY glass, and I was relieved that I was getting a a nice full glass of beer, instead of a dinky sample cup. I gave the beer list I was given a look over, and really, the best way to handle this was to walk around and get a feel for everything...then dive in.

First beer up? Smuttynose's Pumpkin Ale. It was....not nearly as pumpkin-y as I'd hoped. Or spicy either. I've been forever searching for the perfect pumpkin beer....it didn't need to be sweet, just be delicious! This beer was okay, but I have to admit, I was disappointed.

For my next one, I decided to stay in the same brewery, but try a different flavor. Smuttynose's Chai was definitely different...but totally spicy and delicious. Traditional Chai spices shone in this dark, spirited porter. It was super herbal, deep, and smooth. Mmmhm.

I'm not too sure how I landed a glass of Elland's Beyond the Pale. It was a VIP ticketholder beer, and I wasn't one. Oh well. I'm just glad I had it, because it was fantastic. Light, fruity but not cloying, and it smelled like Christmas. I drank this one quickly, and asked for another glass even quicker. So delicious.FOOD! I decided to give my stomach something to hold onto, and ventured over to the food vendors.

I used to work in the Lower East Side, so I'm more than familiar with Roni-Sue's amazing handmade chocolate. But she was offering...Beer Corn???

Beer reduced to a delicious syrup, tossed with popcorn, pretzels, and mustard seeds. RIDICULOUS. Sweet, crunchy, salty, and tangy pop from the mustard seeds. Utter, beautiful insanity.

I decided to go for a bitter beer recommended to me from...an interesting gentleman. Sly Fox's Chester County Bitter was definitely that. I didn't like it at all, the bitterness was so overwhelming. Blech. Thankfully, a helpful and friendly volunteer pointed me to St. Louis's Schafly Imperial Stout. I'm a huge stout fan, but one cannot live on Guinness alone. This stuff was STRONG and assertive, and I was more than willing to obey.

To supplement all this cask goodness, Brewery Ommegang (one of my favorites) had some of their beers on hand, the cold kind. I was loving how the room temperature really let the cask beer flavors sing, but after a while the flavors were muddling my taste buds. Time for a cold one.

I tried the Maredsous Blonde and the Ommegang Zurr, which was a limited edition. ZURRRRRRRRRR!! Sour! Cherries! Snap crackle pop! I was in love. I was also refreshed by the chilly brew, and was ready to jump back to the casks.

This is when things start to get a little...foggy. I tried another VIP beer, The Bruery's Autumn Maple....YAMS! Rich, with a touch of sweetness. And after another glass of that, things got even foggier. All I remember is that they were delicious.

I had maybe, 4 or 5 beers after that, all different, all served with friendly and informative hands. I was struck by how proud the volunteers and brewers were. You could tell that this was their livelihood. I could taste it.
Thank you again, Get Real NY, for an amazing Sunday night!

Guest Post From Miss Tana (aka Eatinist #2)!

2010-09-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Howdy! Eatinist 1 is recovering from a marathon pie-baking she embarked upon the other night to compete in the Greenpoint Open Studios Pie Bake-Off, so I, Eatinist Bitch 2 for the purposes set forth here, will be your guest blogger today.

Last Saturday my stemom and I were walking through the produce aisle in Wal-Mart when I exclaimed in squeals of exaltation "Key limes! OhMyGod! Key limes!" I had been on the hunt for the elusive fruit for the last two summers in New York but seemed to keep missing their season. I knew they could be found because 1) my boss's wife had made Key lime pie from fresh Key lime juice and 2) it's New York. Of course there are Key limes to be found somewhere.

Either way, I hadn't seen any. And here I am, just over a month in rural Wisconsin, getting used to the fact that I can't find any decent Indian food, and here I've stumbled upon Key limes in the abundant produce aisle of The Evil Empire. I wonder who Sam Walton had to sell his soul to in order to get bags and bags of that adorable little fruit shipped to The Middle Of Nowhere, Middle America.

So I snagged two bags of limes, on the off-chance that this was a blip in the universe and, contrary to my stepmother's reassurances that they have them almost year-round, I'd never see them again. Carpe Diem, etc. But I didn't have a recipe handy and I know that the recipe for the pie is almost important as using fresh Key limes (don't get it twisted-- you want Key limes and you don't want them bottled. Unless you don't really like pie. Then it doesn't matter, does it?), so I didn't pick anything else up. After checking with Eatinist 1 for a recipe recommendation, I finally got to the one place in town that carries sweetened condensed milk (it's a small town), corralled my little brother, Ben, and got to it!

Ben loves to bake. He doesn't get too many opportunities as his mother's not big on baking and my dad's diabetic and loves things he can't want (and usually isn't willing to make things that are diabetic-friendly). But since I'm living with them and get restless when I go too long without presiding over and communing with the oven, Ben and I have begun baking together.

The recipe is from Joy of Baking and can be found h er e. Because I can never leave well enough alone, I amended it a titch. We'll get there.

Key Lime Pie

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/4 c (25 g) graham cracker crumbs (can use crushed digestive biscuits)

2 tblsp (30 g) granulated white sugar

6 1/2- 7 tblsp (70-85 g) unsalted butter, melted (The original recipe calls for 5-6 tablespoons of butter but my crust came out a little try with 6, so I'd probably add a half-to-a-whole tablespoon more. You can always start with the base amount and add more if you think it needs it.)

About a tsp of ground cloves

About a tsp of ground cinnamon

(I say "About" because I just shook the containers a few times over the dry ingredients until I thought it looked like enough. It's how I roll).

Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. The cinnamon you can probably be a little more liberal with, but watch out for the cloves. They'll add a nice depth to the crust and a lovely contrast to the lime filling, but you don't want to overpower the pie. After Ben had mixed the basics together I added the cinnamon and cloves because Ben tens to get a little overzealous when he shakes things and Key Lime Clove Pie is not what we're craving.

Mix in the melted butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a well-greased 9-inch (23 cm) pie or tart pan. If you're feeling whimsical, add another sprinkling of cloves to the top of the crust.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.

Filling:

3 large egg yolks

One 14-oz can (390 g) can sweetened condensed mil k

1/2 c (120 mL) Key lime juice

2 tsp grated zest

Before you begin to mix anything together, I strongly suggest juicing (or, in my house, "squeezing") the limes. Luckily, I have my Handy Little Brother and he's got strong muscles from junior high football so I assigned him lime detail.

If you're interested in saving time and creating little mess, perhaps letting an 11-year-old handle this part isn't in your best interest. Half an hour later, the table was covered in sticky liquid citrus, half a roll of paper towels was gone, and the limin was finished.

Anyway, while he was juicing, I was mixing.

In the electric mixer bowl, using the whisk attachment, or in another bowl that you use with your hand mixer, as shown below (God, I miss my stand mixer. *sad face*), beat the egg yolks until they are pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes. Perhaps 3-4 with the hand mixer). If you're SOL on the electric mixer AND the hand mixer and you're just using a fork and your forearm, like I did in college, bless your heart.

When the yolks are fluffy, gradually add the condensed milk and beat until you have a light and fluffy mixture (3-5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the lime juice and the lime zest.

You might also consider getting your zest together before you begin mixing things. I mixed the yolks and milk and then used the skeletons of those limes Ben was finished with to grate the zest directly into the mixture. Doing this also means I approximated the measurements. I eyeball. It's what I do.

Remove your crust from the refrigerator where it's supposed to have been chillin' and pour the filling into the crust and don't tell the other people in your house about it, otherwise you might end up with this:

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the filling is set. I went for 15 minutes and it was still a little moist. Who knows why... maybe it was the altitude or perhaps I just didn't preheat the oven long enough. What did we say about me and exact measurements? Precisely. If you have a Handy Little Brother, dispatch him to gently shake and jiggle the pie while he checks the status of its doneness. Ben showed little restraint with the shaking and we were happy it was sufficiently immobile so we turned off the oven and called it done.

Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. I don't have a wire rack, so I set it on top of one of the stove grates. This is my dad's FAVORITE pie so it's not like it was actually going to make it to the cool stage anyway. If you're a traditionalist, though, or just someone cooking for people who have the willpower to wait, cool the pie completely and then cover and refrigerate until serving time. It can be stored in the fridge for up to a couple of days.

Whipped cream:

1 c (240 mL) heavy whipping cream

2 tblsps (25 g) granulated white sugar

In a separate bowl (I used a metal bowl I stored in the freezer for about 15 minutes to make the whipping quicker), beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and beat until, once again, soft peaks form. This is another good step for Handy Little Brother to help with.

Give the beaters you used to your sous chef Benjamin and your dad in a vain attempt to keep them appeased until the pie is cooled and ready to serve. Either pipe or place mounds of whipped cream on top of the filling.

And if you're serving other people, for the love of Moses, keep the pie out of reach of this guy:

Makes 1 9-inch (23 cm) pie or tart.

Coming Soon to The Eatinist Bitch...

2010-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

OH MAN GUYS....so many fun things are a-happenin'!

I've been a busy bee for the past couple of days, but I just wanted to let you in on what's to come...

I was just in a Pie Bake Off thrown by Greenpoint Open Studios @ the Diamond Bar in Greenpoint BK...what a night. Amazing food, people, and prizes. Pics and a post are coming of course.

Speaking of pies...my very good friend Tana (aka Eatinist #2) will do a guest post about baking Key Lime Pie, yumm.

Tomorrow night is...LE GRAND FOODING!!!! New York's hottest new chefs are pitted agains San Francisco's offerings at MoMA's P.S. 1 in Long Island City.

And on Sunday...oh baby. I'm going to Sunday's 5-8pm session of the Get Real NY Craft Beer and Food Festival. There are still tickets, so make sure you get one. Also, today is the start of NY Craft Beer Week 2010...I've got my Beer Passport, do you?

Posts to come next week...hope everyone has an amazing weekend!!

Hot Plates @The Bell House

2010-09-20T04:12:00.000-07:00

I headed into the wilds of Gowanus last Monday for MetroMix's Hot Plates at The Bell House bar/event space, a night where for 15 bucks, one gets to sample a diverse selection of Brooklyn's new restaurant offerings. Now usually, this post would be accompanied by my award winning photography. But since my phone's memory card has corrupted itself once again, and all of the photos (save for one) are lost to the ages, I'll just describe everything, and "borrow" pictures if needed.

Fornino Park Slope’s Chef’s Antipasti

What it Was: Cannellini beans marinated in paprika olive oil, topped with shrimp and cilantro (served room temp)
How it Tasted: The beans were very creamy, and the olive oil was nice and fruity with a little paprika kick. The shrimp was seasoned with a delicate touch, but I think the best part of the dish was the adorable presentation. Overall, not a stunner, but very good.

Mile End’s Cured and Smoked Beef Brisket

Was: Cured/smoked for 11 hours in a house spice blend. Served with homemade wholegrain brown mustard and homemade rye bread.

Tasted: This place definitely earned extra points for everything being made on the premises. The brisket was coal black on the outside and an alarming shade of pink of the inside. Since I abhor mustard, I asked if I could have mine without. They kindly obliged; I still felt like a punk though. First bite: SMOKY!! MELTY FAT!!! The meat was super tender and juicy, but it could have been spicier. I fell in love with the bread. It was bursting with rye seeds and had a tangy, soft crumb.

Osteria il Paiolo’s Gnocchi alla Bolognese and Vittello Donello

Was #1: House made gnocchi in meat sauce

Tasted #1: Now, I am VERY particular about my gnocchi (best in NYC - Supper, in the LES in tomato sauce adorned with garlic cream), so I was really eager to try theirs. The gnocchi itself was pillowy and melted in the mouth. The sauce was good, but a little too salty, and surprisingly thin. Isn't bolognese supposed to be super hearty?

Was #2: Thinly sliced veal with lemon in tuna sauce

Tasted #2: The veal was dry, the sauce tasted fishy and chalky. Ugh. I’m not a tuna fan, but I decided to be adventurous and give this a try. This just didn’t sit well with me.

Carino’s Tamales and Chorizo Taquitos

Was #1: Tamales with pork and sour cream

Tasted #1: I’ve never had tamales before, and I figured this was a good time to try. The mass was nice and creamy, and I loved how flavorful and moist the pork was. But I think would have enjoyed this more if it was actually hot. I figure this was b/c I was really early and the food hadn’t been given enough time to warm up. Other than that, I really liked them.

Was #2: Rolled up, fried tortillas stuffed with chorizo sausage. Sprinkled with queso fresco cheese.

Tasted #2: WHERE WAS THE CHORIZO FLAVOR? I love this particular sausage, and it’s usually spicy and delish. But, I couldn’t really taste anything other than…meat. Okay tasting meat, but just meat.

Branded Saloon’s (MY FAVORITE TABLE) Pork Butt Stew Topped w/Uncle Ricky’s Fried Corn and Cilantro Cream

Was: It was exactly that!

Tasted: Oh Lord, I could have eaten the whole pot. Perfectly seasoned, tender pork butt, tangy cilantro cream, fried corn kernels with BACON; this thing created a flavor parade in my mouth. It was served atop tortilla chips, and that added another texture dimension to the entire thing. I could have eaten this for days. DAYS.

Radish's Long Island Pulled Duck with Kimchi

Was: It was exactly that!

Tasted: I can say without a doubt, that this dish made me love duck.

Twinkling little pools of duck fat glistened on the surface of the gravy. The meat was juicy, smoky, rich, and not gamey in the least. The tangy kimchi brought a crunchy, bright flavor to the party that I adored. Absolutely delicious. Again, this place gets points for using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

There were one or two that I missed, but 1. I already had one misadventure with tuna, and 2. I was not trying to eat Humble Pie. My tummy isn't ready for offal quite yet.

Many thanks again to The Bell House and MetroMix for such a fun event!

Oneshot: The Elvis Sandwich

2010-09-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

So of course I follow up my ode to Judaism cuisine post with something featuring bacon...I gotta be me. Honesty in all things!!!

Bread toasted in bacon grease, peanut butter, bananas, honey...and bacon. This was reported to be Elvis's favorite sandwich. The man was a druggie, but he sure knew how to eat!!! Sweet, salty, creamy from the bananas...AND BACON!!!

Fry up a couple slicees of bacon and reserve a tablespoon or so of the grease (approx. enough to fry both sides of the sammy). Slather your two slices of bread with peanut butter, drizzle some honey on each side. Take one banana, slice her up, then lay that on top of the honey and pb. Put it together and fry the sammy on medium heat until it's golden, brown, and delicious. I ate this with a huge glass of water, and fell asleep for 3 hours after.

Please don't judge me.

Jew Food - A Love Story

2010-09-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. With many of my friends getting ready to go to temple and observe, their preparation got me thinking about food. Not just the foods relevant to the holiday like apples and honey (they symbolize sweetness in the upcoming year), but all of the Jewish foods I grew up eating and loving.

No, I'm not Jewish, not even close. In fact, I'm Jamaican American, as well as a native New Yorker. Which I think makes me an honorary Jew.

I grew up a block away from an amazing Kosher bakery, so I was no stranger to rich, warm challah bread. My mother would go early in the morning before she went to work to pick up a fresh loaf for morning toast and another to get stale for weekend french toast. Around Purim time, there was Hamantaschen, the three cornered jam-filled cookies that represent the tri-cornered hat of Haman, the villain in the Book of Esther. sticky, buttery, and so crumbly-sweet. They'd make baby ones and HUGE ones the size of my 8 year old head. I would beg my mom to buy me the "super taschen" and she'd always refuse me.

On Sundays, my mom would make a bizzare egg-matzoh concoction for her breakfast: she'd whisk up eggs, and stirr in broken pieces of matzoh, and fry it in butter and olive oil. Sort of like a omlet. She'd spread it thickly with jam and serve it with, ugh, gefilte fish. The sight of these jiggling corpse-fish was enough to send me running, but she would dig into it with gusto, giggling at me while I made noises of disgust.

When I used to work on the Lower East Side, loads of people would come into the shop I worked in raving about Katz's Delicatessen's pastrami on rye. I could care less about that sandwich (I don't like pastrami), what I went there for was the latkes....oh dear God. Crispy, greasy, and just under the size of a dinner plate. Encased in a layer of tangy sour cream and applesauce, this was one of my favorite comfort foods, along with their chicken noodle soup, which was almost as good as my mother's. Almost.

I'm not sure exactly why I love these foods so much. Obviously they taste good, but there's something more. Maybe it's the history behind each dish, their origin stories. Or the perverse love I have for holiday meals. I think the real culprit is that it connects me to really good memories of my childhood; when I was full in my stomach, I was also full and warm in my heart.

Just don't try to feed me the gefilte fish.

Broke Folks Have to Eat Too, You Know.

2010-08-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

I was feeling particularly lazy one evening and I didn't want to do a thing....but my stomach had other ideas.Unfortunately, my wallet had other ideas too. I wanted to put together a meal that would feed my house and give me enough for leftovers for work the next day (or two). Enter PW's Pasta Alla Marlboro Man. You'll see me make a lot of her recipes on here because I just love this woman. Her recipes are dead simple, use easy/fresh ingredients, and she's just amazing.
OH! Also, I wanted something sweet for afterward, so I made Dump Cake as well.DON'T RUN AWAY!!!! Trust in me! And if you don't trust in me, trust in Pioneer Woman.
Let's begin, shall we?
I seasoned some turkey meat (ON SALE YAY) with some salt, pepper, SOUL SEASONING and Italian seasoning and browned it with some onions and garlic in olive oil.

I think the recipe originally called for ground beef, but sometimes that sits a little too heavy on my tummy....so I often substitute turkey.

And yes...I used Soul Seasoning again. It's kinda trashy, but I use it in a lot of recipes, from my various mac and cheeses to spinach artichoke dip. When I use it, I usually cut back the amount of kosher salt that I use b/c this thing has a ton in it already. Most seasoning blends (except for Mrs. Dash) fill up mostly on salt b/c it's cheap and they don't have to spend as much money on other seasonings.

Steamy action! I threw in two tins (in retrospect, I think I could have gotten away with three) of whole tomatoes in their juice.I covered the pot and let this simmer and bubble away on low heat. Sidebar: those tins of tomatoes? 69 CENTS EACH! Don't be afraid of the store brands sometimes. Unless the cans are dusty and swollen, of course.

OH WAIT. Pasta. Right. Get some hot water on in a big pot to boil. Salt it, olive oil it. The recipe called for rigatoni, but I used thin spaghetti because it was all I had. *Shrug*
Now, for a little nutritional boost toward the end of cooking, I threw in 2 packs of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained. I'm not about the butter and fat all the time. Just some of the time. Okay, MOST of the time. It's just a matter of finding a balance.

After a bite or two, I realized that I needed a little bit of richness and depth of flavor. In lieu of not having a can of tomato paste to add, I squirted in...some ketchup.

IT'S BASICALLY TOMATO PASTE SO SHUT UP K THX.
Drain the pasta, serve some up on a plate, then spoon some of the hearty sauce over the top.

For the love of God, don't forget Parmesan cheese.

Wait a minute. You thought I forgot the Dump Cake right? Sit back down, please!
This is probably the most morally reprehensible dessert you'll ever eat. BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THERE IS NOTHING GOOD ABOUT THIS. But eating it will bring contentment in your soul. Start with by opening a can of crushed pineapple and a can of cherry pie filling. Then "dump" them in a rectangular baking pan.

No, I didn't go and cover the fruit in cocaine. All that powdery mess is a whole box of yellow cake mix. No eggs or oil, just the plain ol' mix. Then, cut up half a stick of butter, and a stick (or 8 tablespoons if you have a tub) of margarine. I didn't take a picture of this step...cause I knew I'd be judged. :-( Pop that baby right into a pre-heated 350 degree oven, for about 45 mins to an hour. I think I left mine in for about 50.
Come to me, my sweet. Oh yes.

You could almost call it cobbler if it wasn't so bad for you!

Now for all that creamy stuff, it's actually a dead simple dessert sauce recipe from Alton Brown: Sweet and Sour Dessert Sauce.

Take a 1/4 cup of honey and heat it up a on a stove or in a microwave (I put it in a Pyrex measuring cup, and held it in the pasta water while it was boiling. Why waste a pan???). Then whisk in a cup of whole sour cream. You could use lite sour cream, or even some plain yogurt....BUT WHY??

The portion in the previous picture was for my niece. The one below...that's for me. Sweet, tangy....OOOOO SO YUMMY!
I may not have morals...but this was DELIGHTFUL. :-)

Oh, Twitter.

2010-08-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

It's an odd little interface, but yes, I have a Twitter! I'll try to update it whenever I can with realtime food tweets and little things I find interesting. Also, you guys let me know what awesome food ish I should be looking into. I need to know Le Scoop!

Go find me:EatinistBitch!

This Is The Post Where I Show You How To Make Stuff...

2010-08-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

And yes, it will be the first of many!

Anyway, for folks that know me, I know how to throw down in the macaroni and cheese department. I use like, 5-6 types of cheese, buttered bread crumbs, a gentle sprinkling of crack for good measure...just kidding. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas I can remember, my mom and I have made the same awesome mac, and everyone's loved it. I'd never dared to suggest that we make it any other way, because I was satisfied with the way things were. But there was another way, another path.

Cheese sauce. Creamy, thick, rich sauce. I had visions of elbow noodles drenched in golden goo dancing in my head. And even though my version was good, I'd always wanted to make a mac and cheese like that. I was just scared shitless of making a roux (flour and butter cooked together, which is used to thicken sauces and stews), which would undoubtedly lead me to saucy nirvana if done well...or pasty misery if I failed. I had to conquer my fear! Enter The Pioneer Woman's recipe for M acaroni and Cheese. If she could do this, anyone could!
Let's start with some cheesy goodness...and shred the heck out of it.

GRATE YOUR OWN CHEESE PEOPLE! It doesn't take long, it's cheaper than the bagged ish, and the cornstarch used to keep the cheese from clumping will eff with your sauce.

Next you'll want to put on some fresh water to boil for your pasta.
You want to use a BIG pot and a LOT of water, so the pasta has room to get al dente and not stick like a mofo. Salt the water and add a little olive oil, please. Set your burner to high, and cover the pot because a covered pot boils faster.
To make this a little more hearty, and sort of a casserole meal, I decided to add some chicken breasts and broccoli to the mix.I always wash chicken with a little lemon juice (my mom always does it, and it makes the meat smell less like chicken coop to me). I cut it into cubes, and seasoned it.
Don't judge me. That...is Soul Seasoning. I know it sounds racist..because it probably is. But it tastes so good. And, I added kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper too. Now put a good sized skillet on a free burner, and drop at least 2 pats of butter, and some olive oil. You want the heat on med-high. The butter is for flavor and browning, and olive oil is for flavor and non-stickness. Butter has a lot of easily burn-able milk solids in it, so you use the olive oil to help raise its "smoke point" so it won't burn so fast.Thank you, Alton Brown.
Brown the chicken in batches, depending how big your pan is, and cook it for about 2-3 mins a side. We're gonna cook this in the oven, so it doesn't have to be done all the way.
Here is the pasta boiling away...don't worry, I didn't forget. Just throw the pasta in when the H20 comes to a boil. And the green stuff? A bag of frozen broccoli...I didn't want to dirty another pan!While the chicken's been cooking away, I whisked one egg in preparation for making the roux. Why? The proteins are going to further enrich the sauce and make it all creamy.
And now....for the roux itself. At this point, I was shaking in my flip-flops. I used a heavy duty dutch oven-type pot and put in a couple tablespoons of butter, let it start melting (over med-low heat please), then sprinkled in the flour. Then I started whisking like I had never whisked before! The flour-y raw taste has gotta get cooked right out...whisk for about 1-2 mins, or until it
starts to thicken and turn golden in color (it'll start smelling nutty).

At this point, I poured in about 2 1/2 cups of whole milk. There was some sputtering...but I kept whisking. So should you.Now, it's time to get our egg into that sauce without it becoming scrambled eggs. How? By controlling our temper. By spooning about 1/4 cup of our sauce and whisking it into our egg, we bring up the temperature of the egg without scrambling it. This is the part that can get rather dicey.

Ahhhh! I did it! No curdles! *Does the no curdles dance*

Now that I gotten over that hump and I could breathe again...CHEESETIME! Start throwing in the cheese a bit of a time, letting each addition melt before you add more.

SAUCE!!!
And now, the broccoli, chicken and cheese sauce will combine to become....CAPTAIN PLANET!

Just kidding. We're gonna pour the cheese sauce and chicken over the pasta and veg...and toss to coat.

Yes, Lord, YES.

Of course you can just serve it up like this...but I didn't do that. I covered it in more cheese and breadcrumbs...and baked it.

And yes, I put it in two pans cause this makes a LOT OF MAC. It was so good. Super creamy, intensely cheese-y. The sauce really settles into the middle of the macaroni noodle so you get an intense flavor in each bite. And the chicken and broccoli really make this a complete meal.

Do yourself a favor. Stop reading this and start making this dish. Now!

Three Small Words + One Great Sandwich = Bread.Butter.Cheese.

2010-08-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

1) I would be a really useless member in a drug deal.

2) I make many obscene noises when I eat something great. (This one isn't something new, rather, something I've come to accept.)

The first realization came about whilst lurking around First Park in the Lower East Side this afternoon. Giggling like a fangirl at an comic convention, I definitely wasn't acting conspicuous in the slightest. With an amused friend by my side, (I'm meeting a stranger in the park. Obviously doing this alone would be a little weird.) We waited for the pickup. The loot? A brown paper bag holding....a grilled cheese sandwich??

Bread.Butter.Cheese is a one-man sandwich cartel run by a fellow named "Ronnie" in the Lower East Side. Churning sandwiches out of his apartment and scheduling drop-offs over the past couple months, he's become some sort of a Robin Hood of Raclette. I've been keeping tabs on his Facebook page and biding my time. Today, ladies and gents, was my day.

I emailed him and waited.

It didn't take very long before he pinged me back. He asked me if I had any allergies and what I was in the mood to dress my sammy with. Totally nice and very personable. My prize would be stuffed with white cheddar, bacon, green apple on white bread (he offered me rye and rosemary too, but I didn't want those flavors to overwhelm the fillings). We scheduled a time, exchanged numbers, and then I waited with baited stomach til lunchtime. I met up with a friend who was hanging out near my job in Midtown, and we headed down to our culinary adventure.

We got to First Park a couple of minutes early, so I texted him to let him know I was ready. My excitement level was so high; my heart was all a-flutter waiting for my clandestine grilled cheese. About 5 mins later, he snuck up on us, grinning from ear to ear with a large insulated messenger bag slung across his lanky, yet toned frame. Yes, ladies...he's REALLY REALLY HOT.

We exchanged money for the yummy-ness, and I squealed. I looked down at my bag; my name was scrawled on the back of it, and on the front, "Bread Butter Cheese".

I felt like I was 5 years old all over again, and it was the first day of school and bagged lunch.

And the sandwich itself?

Golden and glistening brown. The cheese was beautifully melted, creamy white against the dark pink of the bacon and thinly sliced green apples. The bread was thick cut and chewy, with the right amount of toasty butter cooked in.

"Oh jesus," I moaned between chews. The next bite, even more moans. Each flavor, salty and sweet, ricocheted back and forth in my mouth..and brought me back to first time I made my own grilled cheese. Something as simple as a sandwich could give me a little trip back in time on my lunch break. I guess that's the third thing I learned today.

Carnal Ice Cream Encounters at Momofuku

2010-08-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

My heart is thumping at an irregular pace, each of my breaths are sharp and shallow, and my palms are clammy with sweat. No, I'm not going on a blind date or having a heart attack. I'm in the middle of eating Momofuku Milk Bar's Salty Pistachio Caramel soft serve, and with each lick my taste buds are being turned up to 11. And I can't fucking handle it.

The soft serve is cold, but as soon as it hit my lips it becomes viscous, warming, creamy, drippy. The pale green of it is flecked with what I think is vanilla bean. The texture isn't marred by crystals at all, it's so silky...almost whipped. The way this is melting all over my tongue is just shameless, even obscene. I got the cornflake crunch to go on top of the sexy swirl of frozen cream...but it doesn't even need it. In fact, it's getting in the way. People are shooting me dirty looks as I slink through the street with my prize. I'm walking in a trance, sighing, "So good, so good!" I'm seriously losing my grip over a desert.

I'm near the end. I'm sitting and waiting for the F train back to work, slumped down on the bench. I'm so comfortable in this singular moment, this fetid subway platform could almost be my home. I don't want this to be over, so I'm trying to eat slowly; my brain is recording how amazing this tastes and feels. Somehow, this increases the deliciousness...and also increases my lunacy.

The train comes and I am licking the cup as I board. LICKING THE CUP. I know I probably look insane licking the insides of what looks like a slightly large Dixie cup. But oh, if they only knew what I knew, and tasted what I'd just tasted, they'd be willing to look crazy too.

Tapeworm? No, I'm Just Greedy.

2009-09-10T14:16:00.000-07:00

This is still Mo, and I still like stuff. But, I figured that I would give my love and obsession for food its own special blog space.

I love the way food tastes, the sleepy warm glow that descends after I eat it, and the way I make people feel when I cook it.

So, if you have an eating disorder...I suggest you look away.