Mélange

Happy Blogiversary

2009-11-17T22:57:00.003-05:00

Today marks one year of sharing my thoughts, my recipes, my rants, my reviews. Thank you for tolerating my stream of consciousness and sporadic lags between posts.

Here's to one year and hopefully another one!

Pollan agrees with me...really!

2009-10-20T20:27:00.003-04:00

Read the second sentence in Michael Pollan's recent New York Times article, Rules to Live By.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

Did you see that? Pollan agrees with my assertion on the stupidity of Spenda with Fiber. He even mentions me by name.

Okay, so maybe not. But still! This was one of my very first posts almost one year ago!

Digression

2009-09-23T22:46:00.003-04:00

Sometimes you have to reinvent yourself, find a new beginning. Other times you need to find what is true, what is the quintessential you. Sometimes this alludes you at the deepest level.

Or maybe I'm describing the same thing. A reinvention of self. A new beginning. Beginning with the true you.

Every exit is a new opening. I read this today and it struck me to the core.

I am passionate; I love food, cooking, dance, cultures; I am open-minded; I love and give deeply; I never stop trying; I am stubborn; I am talkative; I am pensive; I love small acts of kindness; I love helping a good friend; I love sharing of myself.

I am me.

Red light, green light

2009-08-31T22:46:00.003-04:00

And boy, did I stay on green.

Fogo de Chao, you have my heart. Brazilian steakhouse, unlimited meat, amazing salad bar. *sigh* And yes, I am well aware you don't got to a Brazilian steakhouse for the salad bar, but this one was complete with hearts of palm, sundried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, asparagus, marinated mushrooms, etc. This was not your typical salad bar. But never fear--I had a tiny plate from the salad bar. The rest of the meal?

Meat.

And more meat. You have a coaster in front of you with one side green, the other red. The green side means: 'Bring it on. I'll have more, please!' while the red side means: 'No, thanks. I am so stuffed to the brim I cannot possibly fit more meat!' There was to be had filet mignon, parmesan encrusted pork loin, house cut of sirloin, linguica, and my favorite, the lamb chops. Oh.my.god. The lamb chops. Peppery, perfectly seasoned and spiced, moist, amazing. I had my red meat ration for the week, but it was beyond worth it.

And dessert? Papaya cream topped with cassis. Smooth, light on the palate, refreshing. Does life get much better?

Food, Inc.

2009-06-22T22:44:00.004-04:00

A film I've greatly anticipated for quite some time now has finally arrived! The review will come after I see it...

Food, Inc. includes interviews of some of the greatest forward-thinking (or should I simply just say they use their brains?) pioneers in the local, organic, and real food movements. Interviews include the likes of my favorite, Michael Pollan, Virginia-based Polyface Farm owner Joel Salatin, and the well-known author of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser.

Maybe this will spread the word and more people will finally understand the importance of scrutinizing where your food comes from. Here's hoping...

Beauty comes to those who wait

2009-06-18T22:55:00.006-04:00

And wait I did. For 20 hours. And then 2 more. And then 30. And then 30 more. Finally 15 more.

But you know what?

It was totally worth it. And it didn't take much effort.

Think I'm sounding contradictory? Wait until I tell you I didn't knead the bread. Not once. Not at all. I really like my everyday bread, but I've been searching for the perfect at-home artisan loaf: an airy texture, a well-developed flavor, and a shattering crispy crust. Well this is it.

Jim Lahey's no-knead bread is truly a gem. I was skeptical, alright, but the proof is right here.

Artisan Bread

courtesy of Sullivan St. Bakery

3 cups bread flour

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon yeast

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

olive oil (for coating)

extra flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal (for dusting)

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add water and incorporate by hand or with a wooden spoon or spatula for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lightly coat the inside of a second medium bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest 12-18 hours at room temperature. (I let mine rest for about 20 hours!)

Remove the dough from the bowl and fold once or twice. (See the Minimalist's review to see the picture of the fold and also to see Bittman's review.) Let the dough rest 15 minutes in the bowl or on the work surface. Next, shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal; place the dough seam side down on the towel and dust with flour. Cover the dough with a cotton towel and let rise 1-2 hours at room temperature, until more than doubled in size. (Wait the full 2 hours-- you've already waited this long!)

Preheat oven to 450-500 degrees F. Place the pot in the oven at least 30 minutes prior to baking to preheat. Once the dough has more than doubled in volume, remove the pot from the oven and place the dough in the pot seam side up. Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake 15-30 minutes uncovered, until the loaf is nicely browned.

Notes: My dough stuck pretty horribly to the towel, so I think next time I'm going to well flour parchment paper and place the dough in the parchment and then surround with a towel for warmth. I baked my bread in my Romertopf clay pot, which required 30 minutes of soaking beforehand. With a gas oven you also need to heat the pot slowly. Over a period of 30 minutes slowly increase the oven temperature so that the clay pot does not crack from too drastic a temperature change. And don't worry about the dough sticking to the ungreased pot. There's not a chance it will after baked. I haven't had bread with this crispy a crust since I lived in France; a crunch that battles the strength of your jaw muscles. My bread knife was hardly suitable to crack through once it came out of the oven. (Yea yea, I couldn't wait for it to cool. So sue me...) But once you break through slightly it shatters like an airy crumb should and reveals a light, developed bread within. And the smell. Heavenly. This is a whole new realm of bread.

Prepare yourself for a rant...

2009-06-10T22:44:00.004-04:00

*Updated* I forgot to add some aggravating details that are sure to make you laugh, cry, scream, etc. Update at the * below.

Okay, are you truly that gullible and, well, stupid?

Allow me to back up and explain what has me so revved up. A good friend of mine at work shares my views regarding whole, natural foods and the idiocy of constantly 'dieting' on highly-sugared 'fat-free' health food. I can't mock those irreconcilable words enough.

I'll preface by saying that the woman at work around whom this story revolves once posited she couldn't have orange juice because it had too many calories. Wha-at?! Ah yes, I once heard the tail of the woman so fat she couldn't move from her bed. The culprit? OJ.

So back to my story. This woman--let's call her Alice-- remarked that she needed to have breakfast. My friend immediately offered up the Kashi GoLean Crunch she keeps at her desk. Another offered up Special K. So Alice, being the prudent food connoisseur that she is, immediately compared the nutrition panel, not even glancing at the actual ingredients. She quickly remarked, 'OH I can't have the Kashi! It has sooo many more calories and, oh, 3 grams of fat!' My friend told her that the Kashi contains more vitamins and minerals. Alice said, 'Oh I don't care about those.' !!!!!! You are dieting and trying to eat better and you don't care about this little thing commonly referred to as nutrition?!

I hate, hate, hate how people look at the nutrition panel for health information. How does that tell you what you're actually eating? It's poor nomenclature. It should be reworded. Panel indicating the lowest caloric and fat content possible through manipulation and arrangements of ingredients that substitute for real, whole foods in order to fool you into purchasing this food and believing it to be a healthy alternative, comes to mind. It has a good ring to it, don't you think?

My friend then took both boxes to compare what really matters-- the actual ingredients. She told Alice that Kashi will have more calories and fat because it has tons of fiber and hearty ingredients to keep you full much longer. So here's where the story really gets me riled up. My friend saw the horrible ingredients in Special K, the number one culprit being high fructose corn syrup. She told Alice this and she said, and I quote, 'But you saw the commercials. It's fine in moderation.'

Breathe, Tiffany, breathe. Do you ever see commercials for oranges or tomatoes or apples claiming that they are healthy? No, no you don't because their nutrition is not questionable. You only have propaganda pushed out by Big Corn, you ignorant simpleton. And she quoted directly from the commercial!! I didn't think those commercials were effective at all because I wrongly assumed people were smart enough to see through such transparent propaganda.

*So then my friend points out that it's full of preservatives. Alice's reaction? 'What? Preservatives? Where? I don't see that listed!'

You actually think the ingredient panel will list preservatives under such name?! My friend said, 'Um, you see all of these words you don't know? Those are the preservatives...'

Shocker. Preservatives aren't listed as preservatives on the label.

And that, my friends, is how the food makers get away with making 'foodlike substances'.

Neophilia

2009-06-07T14:43:00.012-04:00

I love being introduced to new things. Perhaps commonplace and colloquial to others, yet new and exciting to me. The best part of taking up cooking is that there is so much to explore, so many new flavors to manipulate. Sure, you have your normal go-to supply of herbs and spices, familiar and trusted. But there's something exhilerating about trying a completely different flavor. It's with this spirit in mind that I explored the farmer's market.

I love how local and seasonal each booth is. The zucchini and squash are in. Onions of all types-- spring onion specifically caught my eye--line the tables. Locally produced honey, herbs, strawberries. Greens of all types. So many possibilities in one place.

I bought chicken the day before, so I knew I was looking for healthy vegetable side dishes. I went to see what caught my eye and what inspired me.

Fennel. I just caught Lidia Bastianich making braised fennel with onions and capers. I had never before used fresh fennel but have been meaning to for quite awhile now. It's unbelievable how truly fragrant it is when slicing into it.

Large spring onions. Ready to use, root to tip. The bulbs for the fennel dish, the tops for...

Swiss chard. I have never seen such a 'pretty' green. Stalks vibrantly shaded in reds and yellows. Also another item I had been meaning to experiment with. So here goes...

Braised Fennel with Capers

Adapted from Lidia Bastianich

3 pounds fresh fennel, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 1/2 cups sliced onions

1/4 cup small capers, drained

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pour olive oil into the skillet, set it over medium heat. Place in chopped fennel and onion, season with salt and stir to coat.

Cover the pan and allow the vegetables to cook and caramelize slowly, stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat as necessary so they're sizzling, softening and cooking in their own moisture, but not burning or browning too fast.

After 15 minutes, stir in the capers. If the fennel appears to be too dry or stikcing to the bottom of the pan, add a few tablespoons of water. Cook another 15 minutes, covered and stirring every few minutes. The fennel will be tender and slightly golden brown. Add more salt, if needed, and freshly cracked black pepper.

I love how simple this is. Braising, like roasting, brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetable and tones down the strong anise flavor.

Swiss Chard

Adapted from Simply Recipes

1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard

1 small clove garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Tops of 3 spring onions, chopped

2 tablespoons water

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Salt

Rinse the Swiss chard leaves and remove the toughest third of the stalk. Chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.

Heat a saucepan on medium high, add olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Saute for a minute and then add the chopped Swiss chard. Add balsamic vinegar and stir to coat. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks too dry, add a few tablespoons of water. Stir the leaves in the pan for more even cooking. Add chopped tops of spring onions. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Check for doneness and salt to taste. If desired, add a few tablespoons of butter at the end.

This is how I like to eat best. This is how food is meant to be enjoyed. Sure, I love a pizza (especially homemade) every now and then, but local ingredients with clean flavors is what I enjoy best.

Scones 2 ways

2009-05-23T10:44:00.006-04:00

Looks good, right? ...Let's examine the road to getting to the above product. The chocolate scones will come later; for now....strawberry!

It's apparently National Strawberry Month and my work hosted a Strawberry Feast where employees brought strawberry dishes of their choosing to share. Okay, sounds great at first. As I've mentioned before, I don't bake. Or, at least I try, but cooking is more my thing. Cooking allows you to express your creativity and taste and add and get enlightened and add another key ingredient that changes the whole flavor. Baking is exact. 1 tablespoon of this. 2 cups of that. I'm not knowledgeable enough to tamper with baked goods recipes. So I feel really boxed in.

So back to Strawberry Feast. I just wasn't going to participate. You want a savory dish? Sure, no problem. But baked good?! Eh... Until I got suckered into it because no one was signing up. So they asked me to bring something since they know I'm a foodie. Sigh... now what? Strawberry mousse? Blah. Strawberry cheesecake? Too much to do on a work night. Trifle? Too common. And then I stumbled upon this. Go ahead, look. I'll wait.

Yea...you getting me now? All of a sudden I was inspired. SCONES! Of course. Not too sweet. Right up my alley. I love a semi-sweet baked good that goes with tea or coffee. (I guess I get that from my time living in France. Plus, I've never been a dessert person anyways.) Now we're talking. And it looked so simple! What could go wrong?! And this time, no cutting out butter or sugar or cream to make it healthier. Those don't seem to turn out, as history has revealed. So here we go...

Strawberry Scones
(courtesy of Confessions of a Tart)

1 cup strawberries (or other fruit)
3 tablespoons sugar (granulated)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, in cubes, slightly softened
2/3 cup half-and-half or cream or cold buttermilk (I used half and half)

Topping:
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

Cut strawberries into small pieces. Sprinkle fruit with 1/2 tablespoon sugar; set aside. (I also added a 1/4 teaspoon of good Madagascar vanilla extract to the berries. You could add it or omit if you choose.) Be sure to make the pieces small, or they tend to fall out of the dough.

Combine remaining sugar with flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter, using a pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut in butter. (I used my hands to best incorporate the butter.) Stir in fruit; then add cream/half-and-half/buttermilk all at once. Use spatula to gently stir dough until it holds together.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to incorporate dry ingredients. Be gentle so you don't break up the berries and don't overwork the dough. Sprinkle dough with flour if it gets sticky. (This dough is VERY sticky, so liberally use flour to pat out the dough into a circle.)

Press (pat) the dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. If any berries peek out, push them into dough. Cut circle into 6-8 wedges, then transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. Bake 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with sugar and bake 5-10 more minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown and spring back when you push them. (The sprinkling of sugar over the top for the last few minutes of baking creates a simple, sparkly topping.)
Okay, you know something is going to be good when your batter smells like strawberries and cream. Really. I still remember that smell just looking at the picture!
I made tiny, thin scones since I was trying to feed the masses at work. I made two batches of tiny, two-bite scones. They look like blobs of dough in the picture below. The dough is really sticky and I hadn't quite figured out how to cut and transfer them without ruining the shape. By the second batch I had it down. I found that if my pizza cutter worked better than a knife to cut the dough if floured well. Now they begin to take the typical scone shape. Well-floured dough and the pizza cutter made a HUGE difference!
My camera was acting up on this day, so the pictures aren't very clear, but you get the picture! I love the sugary topping since it adds a simple sparkle to the top. Plus, scones don't have much sugar, so the added sweetness goes a long way. I'm happy to say they were a hit! I'm very particular about sharing subpar food with other people. I take it to heart if my food isn't good, so I was scared to try a new recipe for a work function. But this recipe is a keeper. Please give this a try and adapt with any fruit--or chocolate--you like! Now onto the second attempt with chocolate chunks! My boyfriend loves anything chocolate chunk or chip-- muffins, pancakes, bagels, etc. So since I loved the scone recipe I wanted to try it again two days later with chocolate. I tend to like things rustic, so instead of using chocolate chips, I used my go-to Lindt 70% dark chocolate and chopped it into small chunks. (I use this chocolate for my homemade hot chocolate and my chocolate molten cakes as well.)

I used half wheat flour, half all-purpose flour this time around-- so 1 cup all-purpose, 1 cup wheat. I noticed the batter was much drier once I added the 2/3 cups half and half, so I added around 1/3 cup more to the batter so it wouldn't be too dry. Since I wasn't making these for work, I made them closer to the normal scone size. After they baked I noticed they missed some pizazz on top. (I didn't add the sugar topping to this batch.) So I quickly whisked together half and half, confectioners sugar, and more Lindt chocolate over low heat. Once it thickened and cooled slightly I spooned it into a plastic sandwich bag, snipped the tip, and drizzled it over the top. Beautiful!!

Chocolate Scones
(adapted from Confessions of a Tart)

1 cup chocolate chunks
3 tablespoons sugar (granulated)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, in cubes, slightly softened
1 - 1 1/3 cup half-and-half or cream or cold buttermilk (I used half and half)
I had good natural light coming in this day, so I tried to capture it to get a better picture. I love how these look!

A close call

2009-05-09T20:35:00.007-04:00

I hate those times in the kitchen when it seems like nothing is working out quite right. I admittedly get pretty upset when my food just doesn't work. I love food and hate when it's a bad day in the kitchen.

So the picture below shows the pizza before it went in the oven to cook. It doesn't indicate a near disaster. In fact, it looks quite good.
Problem 1: So-so pizza dough. I made what seemed like a promising semolina pizza dough recipe. I thought it would have a better flavor with the semolina flour. It was thin and crisp but the flavor was just... eh. Problem 2: Lack of proper equipment. I didn't have a pizza paddle, so creating the pizza on a cookie sheet that was too small didn't really work. I have a pizza stone, but that was coming to temperature in the oven. And the pizza was not budging from the cookie sheet. At all. A few tears in the dough later, and after smooshing it back together to fill the gaps, and several attempts to transfer later, the pizza was on the pizza stone. Phew.
The actual toppings were good: pesto, cremini mushrooms, sliced tomato, yellow and green squash, havarti, jalapeno, grated pecorino, fresh basil. This was pizza attempt number 2; I think pizza attempt 1 turned out better. Better crust and texture, better flavor. Now that I have the pizza stone I'll keep trying for an even better crust. It's so much fun to create your own since it's so hard to get a decent pizza with good, natural ingredients.

Near and dear

2009-05-09T19:16:00.009-04:00

Alright, this particular dish is near and dear to my heart. It's called Easter Pizza. This dates back to my great grandmother who came over from Calabria, Italy. It runs back generations and my family has made it each and every Easter, but never ever in between. It is to be made solely on Easter. It is absolutely hands down one of my favorites. And trust me-- I've been known to, ahem, beg on occasion for it to be made in between. Nope, never. Can't be done. Easter, and Easter only.

I've never in my life heard of anyone else who makes this dish--even other Italians. We've researched it and know it's a south Italian tradition, with each family having some variation: ham, salami, pepperoni, various Italian cheeses, eggs, no eggs, etc. Each version as unique as the region and the families.

Only this Easter did I run into a girl from work whose boyfriend is Italian and makes Easter pizza. Wha-at?! I was floored to say the least. Someone who knows of Easter Pizza and even knows it's called Easter Pizza?! It was so exciting for me to share such an esoteric tradition.
Okey doke, now comes the fun part, and one you've probably been asking since the beginning of this post. Great, Tiff, but what IS Easter Pizza. Ahhh let me indulge you. (And it is quite the indulgence!)

We first start with a homemade dough for the bottom and sides. Then comes the glorious filling. Salami (genoa or hard, depending which has a better flavor at that particular time), pepperoni, diced hard boiled eggs, mozzarella, provolone, and ricotta.

BUT WAIT. 'Tiff, you always speak of healthy food and eating,' you may be asking yourself. Yes, you are correct. But, and this is a big but, I also believe it tradition. I believe in food transcending you to another place and time. Family, friends, memories.

And plus, you do only eat it once a year. ;) Moderation, my friends, moderation.
But I digress. Back to the receipe. You mix together the salami, pepperoni, hard boiled eggs, mozzarella, and provolone. Pour the mixture over the bottom dough. Top with more mozzarella, if desired, and spread ricotta over the entire mixture.

This one is my grandmother's for the past Easter. See the thick slices of fresh mozzarella on top? Oh yes.
The two below are my mom's version. We had two this Easter--which we've never done before-- because I begged for leftovers. =) That makes for a very happy me. Plus, some friends from work have come to know the gloriousness that is Easter Pizza and they, too, crave it! So, who was I to deny them and not bring home leftover?! After the ricotta is spread over the mixture, the top dough is placed on top and sealed with the bottom dough around the whole pizza. Score the top and egg wash the top of the pizza and bake in a 350 degree oven, until the crust turns a beautiful brown and the mixture bubbles.Look at those layers!!Now the one below is grandma's. I couldn't get a clean slice because of all the cheese. And that makes it even better. You have never ever tasted something like this. I absolutely guarantee it. I love food that brings family together.

Simple pleasures

2009-05-08T22:39:00.005-04:00

There is nothing more simple, pure, or lovely than the smell of freshly baked bread. I'm pretty sure the smell of freshly baked bread takes anyone back to their youth. For me it reminds me of grandma's fresh bread, cooling outside the oven. I loved getting a huge slice and spreading peanut butter on the warm bread.
I, like any other foodie, get great pleasure out of cooking a good meal. But there is something different with bread. It isn't mixing and matching ingredients to make a good meal; there's something more. It's the satisfaction you get out of actually creating something. I don't have a KitchenAid stand mixer--yet!--so the entire process is manual. Mixing, kneeding, shaping, etc. Start to finish my hands create and gently form the bread. Kneeding itself takes a good 10-15 minutes to turn a slightly crumbly mixture into a smooth, soft ball. I made two wheat loaves this particular night; one in a typical bread pan, the other in a cake pan because that's all I had!
I love, love, LOVE this bread. *secret* shh.... most bread recipes call for a package of yeast. Try cutting back and only using one teaspoon. You still get 2 good rises out of the dough, plus the end result is a gorgeous dense bread. More yeast would provide an airier, lighter bread, but using less gives you a chewy dense loaf. Just look below-- no holes!Now I'm digging through the archives of pictures to the very first time I made bread. Man was I proud. I never EVER thought my first attempt at bread making would be successful.
I used white bread flour the first time around. Yea, and that whole crazy idea to cool the bread after baking? Didn't happen. Nope, didn't stand a chance. I cut into that loaf so fast and smeared butter on a thick slice. Heaven, I swear.

Asparagus, yes asparagus

2009-05-08T22:23:00.005-04:00

LOOK AT THIS!!! Yes, you.
Remember this? My love for asparagus is by no means an esoteric obsession. It is, however, an obsession. (If you need proof, just look at the header for my blog!) The last time I posted about roasted asparagus I sadly did not have my own pictures. Now I do! Just look at that poached egg with the pecorino romano melting on top! Honestly, I could eat this for dinner all the time. Line 'em up: the asparagus coated in extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper; ready to roast! Oh, and when you cut into the poached egg the still slightly-runny yolk coats the asparagus. Yes, this makes me a happy, happy girl.

eeeeeeeeeeee he's coming!

2009-05-05T20:17:00.002-04:00

Only one thing would warrant a post entitled in such a way.

MICHAEL POLLAN IS COMING!!!!

Yes, the one I blogged about here and here. Oh, and to add to my jubilation, he's coming to my favorite grocery store, as blogged about here. If it's at all possible to have a foodie 'O', this is it. He's coming to the Fairfax, VA Wegmans in 2 weeks! I have tickets in hand and am giddy with excitement. A signed copy of In Defense of Food and An Omnivore's Dilemma are just 2 weeks away! Oh, what to tell him? Thank you for being vocal and standing for good, real, whole foods? You should've been Secretary of Agriculture? Your books have completely shaped my food views? Thank you for being the one person who makes sense in a throng of low-calorie, low-fat 'health' food numbnuts? So many things to say...

And you better believe I'll be posting once I meet him, so stay tuned.

Acini Chicken Caprese

2009-05-05T19:10:00.007-04:00

Okay, this is so a keeper. Acini Chicken Caprese. Thanks to Melissa from Alosha's Kitchen for this caprese inspired recipe. It's so simple and so flavorful. And just wait until summer when the basil is sweet and the tomatoes ripe! This will most definitely be a go-to recipe for me. You can have it hot or cold, AND it would be perfect for a summer picnic!

Acini Chicken Caprese

1 box acini di pepe
4 tomotoes, diced
Large bunch basil, chiffonade
Toasted pine nuts
Grilled chicken, diced and seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Pecorino romano
Salt
Pepper
Zest and juice of one lemon

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and add acini. Cook 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain and pour acini into a large mixing bowl.

Season chicken with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Grill or cook through, dice and add to pasta.

Toast pine nuts in oven or toaster oven. Add pine nuts, diced tomatoes, basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to pasta. Add zest and juice of the lemon. Grate pecorino romano. Mix well.

My notes: I prefer De Cecco Acini di pepe. It stays al dente, even after reheating. That's what makes this a great recipe to make ahead of time. Use tons of water for the acini. It looks small but don't let it fool you! It sucks up lots of water.
Do not leave while toasting the pine nuts! Let me repeat: DO NOT LEAVE! I burnt my first batch when I washed a dish. They go from white to brown to burnt within 30 seconds. Just keep a good eye on them.

Just look at that chicken! I love, love, LOVE my cast iron stovetop grill. I swear it turns ordinary meat into something so much more flavorful. Okay, so I know a typical caprese calls for mozzarella. But the thing that makes this dish so amazing is the contrast in flavors and textures. It's no surprise I love a sharp pecorino, but it works well here. Mozzarella is softer and would just be mushy in the pasta. Now, I'm not saying you can't use mozzarella, especially if you don't like sharp italian cheeses, but give pecorino a try.

Pine nuts are a pricier nut, but for about $5 worth you can change the dish from ok to wow! I too fell into the debate of 'to toast or not to toast' my pine nuts. Toasting gives them an extra edge and nuttyness; it takes them from sweeter to nutty. I've made this recipe twice now and it was just as good, if not better. That's a testament to a recipe: If you make it again and it turns out beautifully, it's a keeper. Light, flavorful, amazing. I can eat this straight for a whole week.

Pictures of a local favorite

2009-04-12T12:03:00.003-04:00

Remember when I posted in January about Bourdain's DC episode? And remember that chicken from El Pollo Rico that I raved about? Well....

...behold the glory!
That, my friend, is pure flavor. Simple and delicious.
And again.I told you: 3 choices. Chicken (white or dark, quarter, half, or whole), french fries, coleslaw. I usually hate restaurant coleslaw but theirs is good. And the fries are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. SO good.

And remember those dips? Bottom right: green jalepeno. Bottom left: creamy tangy sauce. Top: the two mixed together. Sigh. Life doesn't get much better than this.

Valentine's Day Dinner

2009-04-11T15:59:00.009-04:00

...2 months later! But it was so delicious I had to still mention it! Sea bass en papillote, white wine cream reduction, lyonnais potatoes, and chocolate molten cake! But the best part was that I didn't have to cook the sea bass. It was my boyfriend's gift to me since I'm the one always doing the cooking. (Funny how I still get suckered into doing the potatoes and chocolate molten cake, though ;)
The sea bass en papillote was perfect for my boyfriend to do. It's so simple I intend to use this technique for other fish and poultry. Cut an oversized portion of parchment for each sea bass. Place the sea bass on the parchment and rub generously with olive oil, sea salt, fresh black pepper, a whole rosemary sprig, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and lemon slices. Fold the parchment over the fillet, leaving room for it to steam. If I recall, we cooked it at 350 for around 12 minutes. Sea bass has a high fat content, so it's more difficult to dry it out. Thus why it's perfect for a beginner!And remember that wonderful wine I posted about when I went to Jaleo? Well I knew then it would be saved for a wonderful seafood dinner; and this was it. We used it in the white wine cream sauce and it made the biggest difference in the world! I was so proud of my boyfriend because we didn't follow a recipe for the sauce and he spotted what was missing and added it! Butter, shallots, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, white wine, sauteed creminis, rosemary (the missing ingredient), and a touch of cream. Perfect.Lyonnais potatoes are another simple go-to for me for a quick side dish. Pre-cook your potatoes (I used red skinned and left the skins on) in boiling water until a fork can easily puncture the potato to the center. Drain and remove from the pan. You can either slice them or chop; it's your choice. In another pan heat a generous portion of butter and shallots. Add potatoes and coat. Sea salt, black pepper, and chopped fresh parsley. That's all it takes! Now onto dessert!!! I LOVE this recipe. Let me caution you: It is decadent and rich! A small amount goes a LONG way. I have yet to be able to eat my entire portion.

Just look at that center!As I've stated before, I am not a baker. I've made this recipe twice and each time has turned out beautifully. The great thing is that you can make this batter the day before, portion it in ramicans, place in the fridge, cover, and bake the next day. It takes slightly longer for refrigerated batter and doesn't rise as much. I prefer to make it fresh, but if you're in a pinch and need to do it the night before, don't worry. They still turn out molten and the flavor is fantastic. However you bake them, keep an eye on them and check with a toothepick to see when they're done. It's practically goof-proof. Even if you overcook and the center isn't molten, you'll still have the best, most decadent chocolate cake!

Chocolate Molten Cakes
(adapted from Epicurious)

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I use Lindt 70% dark)
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons brewed coffee or instant coffee mixed with water

Vanilla Bean ice cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Butter six ramicans. Stir chocolate and butter in double boiler over low heat until melted.* Cool slightly. Whisk eggs and egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Add vanilla extract and coffee.** Whisk in sugar, then chocolate mixture and flour. Pour batter into ramicans.

Bake cakes until sides are set but center remains soft and runny, about 11 minutes or up to 14 minutes for refrigerated batter. Run a small knife or toothepick around the cakes to loosen. Turn cakes out onto places. Serve with good vanilla bean ice cream.

Notes: For extra protection against sticking, coat ramicans in butter and cocoa powder. Line bottom with buttered parchment circles. This ensures that the cakes slide out easily.
* Double boiler: In a medium saucepan bring water to a rolling boil. Place another pan on top of the saucepan, making sure that the bottom does not touch the water. Place chocolate and butter in top saucepan to melt. This is an extra precaution against burning the chocolate and butter mixture while melting.
** The original recipe doesn't call for vanilla extract and coffee. However, both intensify the flavor and depth of the chocolate. Otherwise you risk your cake tasting like a melted chocolate bar.

This is a great recipe! The whole dinner was fantastic and was perfected with the delicious Spanish wine. Happy (belated) Valentine's Day to all!

Catching up...

2009-04-11T15:54:00.003-04:00

So I'm using this weekend to--hopefully--catch up on posts. I've been remiss in posting about my cooking adventures since, well, February! I have Valentine's Day dinner, bread making, my first attempt at Indian out of my newly acquired Indian cookbook, a fantastic and simple pasta caprese, and tomorrow, the piece de résistance, Easter! So stay tuned as I try to catch up...

More Ovaltine Please!

2009-04-10T21:39:00.004-04:00

Let me get this out there. I.love.Ovaltine.

And it MUST be the chocolate malt kind. I grew up on the stuff and never grew out of it. It's so much better than Swiss Miss, and you can have it hot or cold. And now that I'm more aware of ingredient contents, I can still say it's far better for you than other hot chocolate mixes.

Hot. Cold. Hell, I eat the powder straight out of the jar! Are there any other Ovaltine lovers out there?

Oatmeal Cookies: Take 2

2009-03-25T21:13:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I was bored and decided to try another oatmeal cookie recipe. I made a healthy oatmeal cookie a few months ago (before my blog) with apple sauce and it wasn't bad for a healthy cookie. This time around I didn't have apple sauce but decided to give it a go with butter. I, of course, cut back on the butter but I think it changed the texture of the cookie. The taste is great, but they are far too crumbly. They even cooked in a ball and didn't 'melt' down during cooking like typical cookies. I couldn't bring myself to take pictures because I was so perplexed by the crumbly texture. I guess if I had given in on the full amount of butter it might have helped the texture. Oddly, the recipe calls for cooling the dough for an hour before cooking. I think this gave the dough the extra crumbly texture. You don't need to chill dough unless it's a cookie than will run during cooking--something oatmeal cookies are not known to do.

Oatmeal (Almond) Cookie

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats
Raisins or nuts (optional-- I used raw almonds and liked the extra nutty flavor)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs on at a time, then stir in vanilla.

2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. If you are using nuts or raisins, mix into dough, combing well. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 36-60 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them.

As I was blogging about this my mom called to report back that she actually really liked the cookies!! Mom's seal of approval on cookies means a lot, especially since I'm not an avid baker. She said we'll play around with the texture to perfect it, but the taste is there. Thanks Mom! =)

On an aside, I saw a recipe using apple butter and I think that would make a great cookie! I'm trying that recipe next and, hopefully, it'll turn out better visually and texturally than this batch!

I love being Italian

2009-03-11T19:55:00.007-04:00

Ah, yes, now that is beauty. THAT is my definition of soul food. Something that makes you feel comfortable, warm, loved, and is always reminiscent of home. For me, it is and always will be spaghetti. Every Sunday--and I mean every Sunday-- at home while growing up we had spaghetti. (My mom still makes it every Sunday!) Special occasions would warrant Grandma's ravioli (YUM) and occasionally we had homemade spaghetti noodles. This Sunday we had homemade noodles. Sigh. Happiness does not come in a purer form.

Now let's examine how we got to the picture above.

Above: The noodles exiting the machine.
Below: The noodles laid out carefully on a floured cookie sheet.

I love coming into the kitchen and seeing trays of noodles laid out on cookie sheets. Remember that comfort food thing I was telling you? This is it. Homemade noodles mean you're in for an amazing dinner.

Now what are noodles without an amazing sauce? My mom makes almost a vat of sauce, or so it seems! But, extra sauce means more for me to take home and freeze. =) The original sauce came from my great-grandmother who used tomato paste, garlic, salt, and pepper--very simple yet delicious. My grandmother added the addition of meat and herbs and my mom learned from her. My mom swears pork makes the best sauce, but she switches from time to time and will use anything from ground pork to pork ribs to ground beef to ground veal. Forget BBQ ribs. (Okay, well not entirely because I happen to love those too, but you get what I'm saying.) Pork ribs cooked in spaghetti sauce are out of this world. My mom browns the meat first and then adds garlic, salt, pepper, tomato paste, diced tomato, and a generous amount of pecorino romano. I might have said it before, but my family prefers pecorino romano to parmigiano reggiano for spaghetti. It's much sharper and stands up to the tang of the spaghetti sauce.
Ah, yes. And occasionally we get meatballs. Ground beef and veal usually. But you can be creative and experiment with meats. You get a different taste and texture with each different type. So there you have it. I can't imagine not being Italian and having Italian food as often as I do. For most people it's a nice change from the daily fare, but for me it is my main cuisine.

Pickled Eggs and Beets

2009-03-01T14:49:00.006-05:00

I think it's such a gorgeous color.
It's fresh, acidic, vinaigrey, and just so different.
Beets, hard boiled eggs, onions, apple cider vinaigre, dill, pickling spices, garlic, peppercorns-- need I say more? The longer it sits, the better. After over 12 hours of pickling, you can see the beet juice penetrates the white of the egg.
We had this growing up and, with my sister in town for her birthday, she requested it to be made. She's guarding it with her life from family and telling everyone it's horrible so as to have more herself! Translation: It's amazing and mine. Don't even think about it.

It's a wonderful and light side dish for any occasion, but it's awesome in summer since it's so light and fresh. Give it a try when you're wracking your brain for a different side dish and just can't think of anything. And the best thing is that you can make it so far ahead of time!

Book Club

2009-02-28T22:34:00.012-05:00

It's time for another book review, and keeping in line with my first book club post, I'm reading Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. Between his revealing exposé of the corn industry and his brutally honest critique of what he calls 'industrial organic', Michael Pollan again strikes literary gold.

The Omnivore's Dilemma is the precursor to In Defense of Food and I'm loving it as much, if not more. Pollan has this uncanny way of, oh, I don't know, making sense! While our government continues to subsidize cheap corn and harm both us and the corn growers themselves, Pollan is a bold, refreshing voice of truth about the unfortunate state of our agricultural system. I tend to avoid political statements here, but I'll indulge for a moment. If Obama was serious about making veritable changes, he would have picked Pollan as his Agriculture Secretary and not Vilsack, once again buying into Iowa cornfields.

But I digress. Now get ready to fall in love once again:

So what exactly would an ecological detective set loose in an american supermarket discover, were he to trace the items in his shopping cart all the way back to the soil? The notion began to occupy me a few years ago, after I realized that the straightforward question "What should I eat?" could no longer be answered without first addressing two other even more straightforward questions: "What am I eating" And where in the world did it come from?" Not very long ago an eater didn't need a journalist to answer these questions. The face that today one so often does suggests a pretty good start on a working definition of industrial food: Any food whose prevenance is so complex or obscure that it requires expert help to ascertain.
When I started trying to follow the industrial food chain--the one that now feeds most of us most of the time and typically culminates either in a supermarket or fast-food meal--I expected that my investigations would lead me to a wide variety of places. And though my journeys did take me to a great many states, and covered a great many miles, at the very end of these food chains (which is to say, at the very beginning), I invariably found myself in almost exactly the same place: a farm field in the American Corn Belt.

This man continues to amaze me. He is spot on in every way.

Halupki

2009-02-08T20:40:00.003-05:00

Are you hungry yet? =) Halupki, or my family's version of pigs in a blanket, is a ground meat and rice mixture wrapped in cabbage (savoy works well since the leaves are so large) and cooked in a simple tomato sauce. Oh my. The cabbage adds such a wonderful flavor to the sauce. The neat thing is that you can change the herbs and spices in the meat mixture. It's almost impossible to mess up!

I think I've made it clear that I have a strong Italian background, but I'm also lucky enough to be a mutt and have some Czech in my family as well! (And by mutt I mean Italian, Irish, English, Czech, Scotch, German--phew!) But the only 'cultural' foods in my family are Italian and Czech. Growing up, Halupki was pigs in a blanket for me. There was no other form. I once went to a friend's house and dinner was pigs in a blanket. I was so confused when it turned out to be a hot dog wrapped in a croissant roll with cheddar cheese!! I guess that was my introduction to the American take on pigs in a blanket.

Peppermonger

2009-02-01T18:23:00.005-05:00

Much like Dave in Top Chef from Season 1, I am a 'peppermonger'. I always have been. Probably always will be. I love the stuff. As a kid I used to coat slices of raw tomatoes with the stuff until it was beautifully speckled black on top. I load up my tuna fish with freshly cracked pepper and then grind more on top. I have to remind myself when cooking for others that not all people share this affinity. Is there anything you know you use too much of but don't care?

Why aren't you fat?

2009-02-01T12:02:00.011-05:00

I realized I haven't added any pithy food commentary since I began my blog. So here it goes.

People, family, friends, etc. often ask me why I'm not fat since I love food, am always around food, talk about food, or always seem to be eating food. Now allow me to explain. I eat food. Real food. And not "foodlike substances" to borrow the words from Michael Pollan. If you know Cheez-Its aren't good for you, then chances are the low-fat version isn't a miracle health food, allowing you to indulge at every whim. It's common sense, people. I'm not saying you're going to get fat on Cheez-Its--the low-fat version or the original. What I am saying is that it characterizes a mentality all too common in the Western diet:

You can eat whatever you want as long as it's labeled low-fat.

Wrong. I eat food. Tomatoes, freshly made bread without additives, preservatives, and high fructose corn syrup, real meat, fruits, vegetables, pasta, real butter (NOT margarine), cream, natural cheeses, etc. Are you following me here? Nowhere in there is HFCS, preservatives, aspartame, MSG, etc. Natural food doesn't need additives to improve its flavor. It's just, well, good. The flavor comes from the healthy soil it was grown in, the simplicity in its preparation.

My latest nemesis has been the yogurt aisle. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but finding a good yogurt is difficult. I don't want low-fat, reduced calorie yogurt. I want naturally sweetened-- no HFCS, no aspartame. They do exist; but they are few and far between. Stonyfield Farms organic yogurt is good, as well as Wegmans Probiotic Super Yogurt and Dannon's All Natural. Navigating seemingly 'healthy' aisles should not be this frustrating.

Thus the confusion of the Western diet.

mmm...hot chocolate

2009-01-31T11:46:00.011-05:00

What can warm you up better than this on a cold night?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing I tell you.

In case you need more convincing:

And still some more:Double take:

You know what that is on top? Freshly whipped cream. Oh, yes. The first time I made this for my boyfriend he looked at me like I was crazy when I was whipping the cream. When my hand hurt I gave him the whisk--we do manual labor here--and let him go at it. Once it reached soft peaks I added 1 tablespoon vanilla and confectioner's sugar to taste. I then took the wheel and whisked until it reached stiff peaks. Et voila. My boyfriend stood there, mouth agape. I love that I can still surprise him with such simple things.

So this time around he made the fresh whipped cream, start to finish. And he was still in awe. I wish I could have a time-lapse video but I don't so pictures will have to suffice!

Can you see it taking shape? So cool.

Now for the chocolate part of the hot chocolate. Whole milk (2% works just fine too), about 3/4 of a Lindt 70% dark bar, Madagascar vanilla, sugar. Add the chocolate, vanilla, and sugar to your own taste. Add some, taste, add more, taste again. Really, that doesn't sound bad now does it?!
And the adorable mugs that housed the chocolate gold. I have a pretty large mug collection so I'll have to post about that in the near future!

Jaleo my soul

2009-01-31T11:40:00.018-05:00

Jaleo: one of 7 of chef José Andres' restaurants/hotels around the Washington DC environs. My God. Can this man cook. Each restaurant has a different theme. Oyamel: Mexican. Jaleo: Authentic Spanish tapas. And so on. Andres is the host of PBS' Made in Spain series featuring authentic Spanish cooking at Andres house in DC and showing the origin of the food in Spain. If you find yourself in front of the t.v. on a Saturday at 12:30pm I would highly suggest checking out his show. Andres is quite the character and so passionate about food! He has also served as a judge on Top Chef and Anthony Bourdain visited Andres' restaurant Cafe Atlantico on the Washington DC episode of this season's No Reservations.

I took a picture of the sugar packet below since it lists not only the famous restaurateur, but all of his restaurants as well.
Now let us begin the show! My boyfriend and I went to Jaleo with another couple who is equally the food enthusiast. Being a night out, we began with a white wine I had never heard of-- Xarmant txakoli. This is the best white wine I have ever had. Crisp with honey, citrus, and herbs. You know the wine is good when I don't touch my water. This Crystal City location of Jaleo (there are 3 total) has a wine shop on the second floor. We all loved our wine so much we checked out the shop afterward. Of course the restaurant sells it for $34 at the table, but it was a steal for $17 in the wine shop! I'll be saving this momento for a nice night in with a good seafood dinner. (Don't worry-- I'll post whenever this occurs!)
Let's get to the tapas.
Cebolla asada con queso picón: Roasted sweet onions, pine nuts and picón cheese. These onions were so sweet and delicious. The crazy thing is that they were ice cold! We expected them to be served warm. Oddly enough, after you get past the first cold bite, you find that they're just perfect! Cold, sweet onion paired with tart, creamy cheese. It was so different and a much needed change to everyday fare. Tortilla de patatas: traditional spanish omelette with potatoes and onions. Simple. Clean. Delicious. Traditional chicken croquetas. I fell in love with these when I was in Barcelona. I got them every night I was there! Gambas al ajillo. Shrimp sautéed with garlic and quindilla peppers. We soaked up the sauce with our bread but I assure you picking up and licking the bowl would NOT be inappropriate here. Citrusy, garlicky, amazing. Filete de buey a la parrilla con pimientos del piquillo confitados: Grilled beef sirloin with ‘piquillo’ pepper confit. Just look at that beef. I didn't taste the sirloin but my friend said it had a fantastic flavor, albeit a small entrée portion. Salmón con espinacas a la Catalana: Seared salmon with sauteéd spinach, pine nuts, raisins & apples. I didn't try this one either but my friend seemed to love it. Now for the pièce de résistance. Paella de pescado y marisco: Paella with Norwegian lobster, monkfish, fresh tuna, squid, shrimp, clams and mussels. I don't know how Andres did it but the seafood actually tasted like sea water. I almost expected to see the ocean outside of the window. You only get seafood like that at a seaside restaurant where your food and feet are inches from the sand. And the saffron! I could see beautiful red strands throughout the whole dish, beautifully intertwined with the rice. I must admit that I don't cook with saffron due to the prohibitive price, so it was quite the treat to be eating a dish so heavily flavored with the delicate and fragrant spice. It was served with a rich garlic aioli that added a creamy flavor to the rich paella. Can you tell I'm drooling again? I hope you can live vicariously through these pictures. And the paella mere moments later! The menu said it serves 2-4 but my boyfriend and I had no problem polishing it off ourselves! What can I say? I can't leave good food untouched. Pastel Vasco con helado de leche merengada: Basque cake with semolina cream, cinnamon-vanilla sauce & ice milk. Yum! I have two angles for your viewing pleasure!

Bourdain checks out a local favorite

2009-01-27T19:24:00.004-05:00

In this season of No Reservations Anthony Bourdain travels to Washington DC and visits José Andres restaurant Café Atlantico and a little-known place in my neck-of-the-woods in Arlington, VA: El Pollo Rico. I was anxiously awaiting a Washington DC episode to come since one of my friends was eating lunch with coworkers at El Pollo Rico and called me up to tell me that none other but Mr. Bourdain himself entered the place during her lunch! Okay, if I wasn't at work and didn't have a meeting within the next 10 minutes I would've driven there in an instant! It's about 3 minutes from my work and a tiny place in a nondescript parking lot. It's only of those hole in the wall type places that is actually a little piece of heaven.

Chicken, oh the chicken! I don't know how they get so much flavor into their rotisserie chicken. El Pollo Rico is cash-only and you'll go out of your way to pull out cash just to eat here. You order at the counter. Quarter chicken, half chicken, half white chicken. A guy then takes a whole chicken and hacks out your part with a butcher knife. There's no sugar-coating this. And frankly, you don't care! Fries that are so creamy inside and cole slaw complete the order. Those are the only two sides. You know a place is good when they offer only two sides, no other options, and you wouldn't want it any other way. It comes with two tiny dipping sauces: a green bitter jalepeno dip and a creamy tangy one. There's only one way to dip. Mix the green sauce with the creamy white one. Add more green depending on your affinity with heat. That's all there is to it.

I was so impressed that Bourdain got wind of this place. It truly is one of those places that only locals know about. It lends validity to the places Bourdain visits since I can testify to the local celebrity of this place.

Sunday Dinner

2009-01-25T18:58:00.009-05:00

My parents came up for Sunday dinner at my place and the onus was on me to plan out a decent meal with one night's notice. Okay. To the freezer I went. Tons of chicken breasts. A bag of roasted pumpkin my mom and I had roasted around Halloween and I hadn't quite figured out how to use it. To the wine rack. A Kendall Jackson Chardonnay. So let's piece them all together.

Chicken in a Dijon White Wine Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tbsp dried parsley (or 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

In a ziploc bag combine dijon mustard, garlic, white wine, chicken broth, onions, salt, pepper, thyme, and olive oil. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight. (I didn't have time so I had a short 1 hour marinating time.)
The original recipe calls for removing the excess marinade and browning the chicken in a skillet before adding the excess marinade. I diverged from the recipe here and just put it directly in the oven after removing it from the marinade. Next time I'll definitely brown it first to add a lot more flavor.
After browning on both sides in a skillet, remove chicken and add marinade to the pan, scraping the bottom to remove brown bits.
Add chicken back to the pan and cover. Simmer for 25 minutes or until done.
Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, keeping remaining marinade in the pan. Cook on high to thicken sauce. If it thickens too much, add chicken broth to loosen.
Pour marinade over cooked chicken.

Below: The simmering dijon white wine sauce.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

4 cups peeled cubed pumpkin
1 large yellow onion, minced
6 ounces chicken broth
1/2 bottle dry white wine*
1/5 cup to 1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon mace
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl toss pumpkin with olive oil and and salt and pepper. Cook for 45 minutes until soft, and set aside. (You can freeze the cubes like I did for later use. I just thawed them and removed the skin before adding to the soup. Keep in mind that frozen pumpkin holds water so it will add water to your soup. Adjust spices accordingly if it becomes watered down.)

2. In a large heavy-bottomed stock pot melt butter and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic, onion, thyme, bay leaf and spices and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Add 4 cups of the chicken stock. Simmer over low heat.

3. Place cooled pumpkin in food processor with reserved chicken stock (2 cups) and puree until smooth. Set aside in a separate bowl.

4. Puree contents of simmering pot (onion, garlic, spices, etc) in food processor.

5. Combine all pureed ingredients back in the stock pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.

6. 15 minutes before serving, add cream (or half and half).

Optional: Top with sour cream and chives when serving.
* The original recipe didn't call for white wine but I found the soup needed an acid to kick up the taste. The wine doesn't mask or cover up the earthy tones of the mace and thyme and just blends everything together beautifully.

Below: The pumpkin soup with the cream just added. My mom made a pretty pattern for the photo before stirring it in!

Above: The simmering pumpkin soup before the cream was added. Can you see the steam?!

Sushi...for a beginner

2009-01-02T19:00:00.004-05:00

And I really mean 'for a beginner'. AKA I've never made sushi before. So let's examine the steps!
The mise en place: avocado, julienned carrots, bamboo sushi roller covered in plastic wrap, seaweed, rice.
I was actually quite pleased with how the rice turned out. I didn't have the proper short-grain rice commonly used for sushi so I actually used long-grain rice and was prepared for disaster. I really didn't think it would stick together enough for rolling the sushi. I cooked one cup of rice (rinsed in cold water until clear) in 2 cups water. While that was cooking I dissolved 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 tablespoon salt in 1 tablespoon white vinegar. I also didn't have rice vinegar on hand and was scared how that would affect the rice's taste. Surprisingly, it tasted just fine! Once the rice is cooked completely you add it to the vinegar mixture and fold to mix. I don't know how it works, but somehow the vinegar, salt, and sugar work as a 'glue' and make the rice super sticky!
I moistened my fingers and pressed the rice onto the seaweed, leaving a border on the farthest edge from me. I laid the carrots and avocado in a row nearest to me and started rolling, holding the row of toppings with my fingers and rolling the mat with my thumbs.
The finished roll! Oops...looks like I didn't line it up correctly! At least you can cut off the ends and the middle looks it was done by a pro!
Aren't they pretty?
Smile for your close-up! I was so pleased with the finished product. For dipping I created a paste with wasabi powder and water and added that to Teriyaki sauce since I was also out of soy sauce. For not having so many key ingredients, I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. They tasted just like the freshly made ones from Wegmans or Whole Foods! Next up--mincing sushi grade tuna and making spicy tuna rolls. Don't worry, I'll post about it whether I succeed or not! Half the fun of cooking is trying...

Veritable Venison

2009-01-02T18:42:00.004-05:00

Look at those grill marks! Since my wonderfully relaxing week and a half at my parents was coming to an end, my dad decided to grill up some venison that he got from a guy at work. He marinaded the meat for 12 hours in the same marinade used for the fried pork roast in this post. The marinade helped to remove any gaminess that may have existed. Onto the grill with onions and cooked to perfection! I must admit that venison isn't my favorite, but it definitely wasn't gamey like I thought it would be.

World's BEST Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2008-12-30T18:19:00.007-05:00

My mom and I first tasted this amazing olive oil at a cooking convention in DC. We were immediately enamored and bought a bottle. The Mosto oil is first cold pressed, resulting in a rich amber green color that doesn't carry the bitter taste embodied by other extra virgin olive oils. Instead, you'll find the unfiltered oil is balanced, herby, fruity, and has great depth. It's best served raw or used in a salad dressing. Cooking the unfiltered oil just covers its natural fruitiness. For a quality olive oil, it's a steal at $19.95 for a 500 ml bottle and includes shipping to most of the States.

Home for Christmas

2008-12-25T13:38:00.022-05:00

Time for the Christmas food rundown!

Hors d'Oeuvres:

Brie

Brie with Fig Preserves

Bagna Cauda: an Italian dip made with olive oil, butter, anchovies, sardines, and butter. It sounds peculiar but it's delicious!

Main Dishes:
Deep fried marinaded pork roast: Just look at the color of that skin! My dad marinaded it for 24 hours in a mix of cajun spices, garlic, mustard, butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, etc. He must give me the exact measurements. Everyone moaned with each bite. That's the best part of food: Seeing people's enjoyment! And man was this the highlight of the meal!
Prime Rib: Look at that color and juice! We had a horseradish sour cream sauce to accompany the meat.
Roasted asparagus and cauliflower: Roasting just brings out the sweetness in every vegetable. This picture shows the vegetables coated in extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper right before it went in the oven.

My Christmas Dinner Plate: Roasted asparagus and cauliflower in the back, mashed potatoes in the middle, prime rib with horseradish sauce to the bottom left, fried pork roast with homemade BBQ sauce at the bottom, and a dollop of bagna cauda to the right. YUM!

Desserts:
Biscotti with Candied Fruits, Pistachio Fingers, and Chocolate Gobs with Creamy Filling
Pizzelles: Italian wafer cookies flavored with anise. They are SO good with a cup of tea! Super light and a welcome contrast to the heavier desserts.
The Table Setting: Complete with eggnog! Admitedly, I didn't like eggnog until this Christmas. For a lighter eggnog, add a splash of ginger ale. The ginger doesn't add much flavor, but it definitely lightens up the heavy and creamy texture of traditional eggnog.

So there you have it!

Caldo Verde

2008-12-22T18:40:00.011-05:00

Or perhaps mine is more aptly called Caldo Vermelho.
Today was below 30 degrees. It was that kind of cold that cuts through to the bone. After work I was trying to warm up and came upon an article about the Portuguese soup Caldo Verde on Slashfood when I became inspired. I was planning on having my typical dinner of oatmeal--yes, even us foodies are unimaginative from time to time--when I thought to make a quick version of my own. Typical Caldo Verde uses chicken broth, chorizo or kielbasa, kale, and potatoes. Potatoes? No. Kale. No. Chicken broth? No. Okay. So to the pantry I ventured. I had beef stock, frozen spinach, and sliced cooked chorizo. Close enough, right?

I brought the beef stock to a boil and added the chorizo, and spinach. Then went in the garlic clove I turned into a paste by mashing the chopped garlic (with a generous amount of salt to work as an abrasive) with the flat end of my knife. Within minutes the chorizo began to render its fat and add a reddish, shimmery hue to the top of the stock. Being Italian I added pastina. I was out of potatoes and wanted to add some type of starch to the soup. Boil for 6 minutes and presto! The easiest and tastiest 8 minute soup you'll ever taste! I'm hardly a soup expert and I couldn't believe how much flavor was in this quick soup. It's definitely going into my file for a quick, warm, and hearty soup.

Snowballs: The Edible Kind

2008-12-21T20:53:00.012-05:00

Being the holiday season, I partook in a common seasonal activity: cookie baking! The funny thing is that I'm, admittedly, not the biggest cookie fan. But I needed to give cookies to a coworker so I had to get over my cookie apathy. So we have Coconut Orange Snowballs.

Coconut-Orange Snowballs

recipe from epicurious.com

1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon coconut extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablepoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake coconut on rimmed baking sheet until light golden, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and both extracts in bowl to blend well. Beat in flour, orange peel, and salt. Stir in coconut. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften dough slightly before shaping.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 level tablespoon dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms of hands into balls. Place on prepared sheets, placing 1 inch apart. Bake until golden on bottum but pale on top, about 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool 5 minutes. Place remaining 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar in bowl. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar, covering completely. Cool cookies on rack.

Notes: Be careful when toasting the coconut! It goes from barely golden to dark brown very quickly! Mine did at first and I had to do a second batch that was usable!
The original recipe calls for a second coating in powdered sugar. I found they were sweet enough after one rolling, so taste yours first before double coating.

The picture on Epicurious is better than mine as my cookies were slightly bumpy and not smooth snowballs! Sadly I don't have an electric mixer so all of the mixing must be done by hand. Next time I may try to melt the butter first so as to better incorporate it into the dough. Or maybe Santa will soon bring me a mixer!!

Roasted Asparagus: Sublime Simplicity

2008-12-20T16:49:00.011-05:00

I can't believe it's taken me this long to post one of my most favorite recipes: Roasted asparagus with poached eggs. It's so unbelievably simple and, yes, absolutely sublime. AND a much healthier take on asparagus with hollandaise. Trust me, you will never ever reach for hollandaise as a complement to asparagus again.

Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Parmigiano

2 pounds asparagus
Sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Parmigiano reggiano or similar sharp italian cheese
Optional: Red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus; where they snap a good indicator of the unpalatable chewy part of the stalk. On a broiler pan lay out the asparagus. Coat asparagus in olive oil and sprinkle liberally with seal salt and freshly ground pepper (and red pepper flakes if you do so choose). Toss to coat. Roast the asparagus for 12-15 minutes until it darkens slightly in color and the tips are slightly crispy from the salt.

Bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a simmer in a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the water to help the eggs bind together once placed in the water. One at a time, break each egg into a small cup. Slip eggs carefully into simmering water. Cook for around 3 minutes for still runny yolks. Cook for 1-2 minutes longer for firmer yolks. Lift the poached eggs with a slotted spoon to allow the excess water to drain.

Place the roasted aspargus on a platter and the poached eggs on top. Freshly grate or shave the parmigiano on top. The heat of the aspargus and eggs will slightly melt the grated cheese.

I'll eat this for dinner by itself. Vegetable, protein, salty Italian cheese. That's sublime simplicity on a plate!

Thanksgiving continued...

2008-12-03T23:29:00.012-05:00

Far overdue but here nonetheless! Weeks after recovering from stuffing myself silly--pun intended-- I decided to share a family favorite that is a must in our Thanksgiving spread.

Italian Fried Cauliflower

(A family favorite that can be altered to taste. In my opinion, it's perfect!)

1 head cauliflower

Canola oil

6 eggs

Flour to thicken

Pecorino romano

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add whole head of cauliflower and boil until al dente.

Break cauliflower into florets.

In a separate boil whisk together eggs, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste), garlic powder, and pecorino romano. Add flour to thicken. Batter should be thinner than pancake batter.

Thoroughly coat cauliflower florets in batter and fry in canola oil until brown on all sides.

Notes:

Pecorino romano is a sharp and salty cheese so coat one small floret in the batter, fry, and taste before adding too much salt. The sharpness of the cheese adds a richness to the dish.

Make sure the batter is thinner than typical batters. This allows it to seep into the crevices of the floret and give the cauliflower more batter-y goodness!

Mélange what?!

2008-12-03T21:41:00.002-05:00

After numerous questions I thought it's due (past) time to explain what the hell mélange really means. Well...

mélange: assortment - blend - combination - medley - mix - mixture

So not only is it a mixture/combination of my ideas, but the double entendre is also a direct cooking reference.

Throwdown: Thanksgiving Style

2008-11-30T15:37:00.008-05:00

This Thanksgiving my family decided to inject a friendly competition into the mix. My mom's brined turkey vs. my dad's fried turkey.

The contenders:

Brined turkey

Fried turkey

Much like Bobby Flay's show, the vote was inconclusive-- despite my mom's attempts to buy family votes! Due to the brining, my mom's turkey was moist and tender, while my dad's had the crunchy skin and a completely different flavor due to the cajun spices. Everyone said the flavors were too different to declare a clear winner. (I was partial to my mom's tender turkey but *shhh* don't tell my dad!)

Les Halles Washington DC restaurant closing...

2008-11-27T13:57:00.011-05:00

Les Halles, Anthony Bourdain's brainchild, is sadly closing its Washington, DC doors. Les Halles, modeled around the typical Parisian brasserie and named after the French gastronomical shopping centers, has remaining locations in New York and Miami.
I first visited this gem a few months ago on a double date with a couple equally enamored by Anthony Bourdain and No Reservations. I was doubly excited by this French-inspired restaurant due to my days studying and living in Lyon, France. More about this below. Bourdain's Les Halles prided themselves on their french fries, and boy are they good. Every last one was crunchy and well-seasoned.

We began with a double portion of mussels served alongside crusty French bread. While the bread wasn't exactly like how it was in France, it still served its mussel-juice-sopping-up purpose!

I ordered a steak with béarnaise sauce-- one of my favorites! The steak was a perfect medium and the béarnaise couldn't complement it better. Creamy and herby from the tarragon. Delicious! My boyfriend had the steak au poivre and loved it, but he was admittedly enamoured with my béarnaise. (Not to mention he prefers MY steak au poivre!)

Dessert: Orange Crepes Suzette prepared tableside. A firey spectacle of butter, the juice of an orange, zest, and grand marnier! Quite pricey for a dessert crepe but well worth it in my opinion.

Now let's cross the pond to Les Halles' namesake. Les Halles de Lyon is an unassuming, old building from the outside-- the neon in the 'H' conspicuously missing so that the sign read, Les alles. I often passed by on my walks to Part Dieu, the train station closest to my apartment. I lived in Lyon for 6 months and sadly did not venture inside Les Halles until the end of my stay.
Rows and rows of charcuterie, cheeses, mussels, produce etc. All fresh and beautiful-- no surprise coming from Lyon, the gastronomical center of the world. Small food stalls and restaurants are intermingled, perfect if the food is too enticing and you need to sample and eat immediately. This is how it usually turns out for me!

If you find yourself in France, please do yourself a huge service and visit one of the many Les Halles locations that dot the country. As for Les Halles in DC, you will surely be missed...

How do you like your plantains?

2008-11-26T22:57:00.008-05:00

I recently delved into a famous dish from Puerto Rico: Tostones. Twice-fried plantains. Crispy, salty, and delicious. I served mine with homemade guacamole: avocados, fresh lime juice, diced jalapenos, salt, pepper, hot sauce, southwestern spices, and diced tomatoes. I love the mix of the tomatoes with the guacamole.If you have over-ripe yellow plantains just slice them length wise and fry them once. Dip in ketchup and you're in heaven. Salty warm plantains paired with the cold acidity of ketchup. Life doesn't get much better.

(I can't take credit for the picture. I didn't take pictures of my plantain adventure and, plus, mine turned too dark. I'll have to fry my tostones less the first time around so that when they go back in the pan they don't get too dark.)

TasteBook!

2008-11-26T22:18:00.012-05:00

This is the coolest idea since sliced bread. TasteBook! It's your very own cookbook. There are tons of pre-made TasteBooks put together by the editors of Epicurious and AllRecipes. You can also create your own personalized TasteBook and import recipes from your Epicurious recipe box, import recipes from pre-made TasteBooks, or add your own personal recipes and upload pictures. It doesn't get much cooler than this. You select one of their beautiful cover photos (tons to choose from!), add your own title and choose the color. Then you hunt down your best recipes!

The hard cover cookbook has an easy open binder that allows you to add and remove recipes with ease. You can even order your cookbook and a few recipes and then order more as you go along. It keeps track of how many recipes you originally purchased and will subtract from that total. Just pay shipping, the new recipes are mailed, and you simply put them in your TasteBook!

Okay, enough of sounding like an infomercial. I'm currently working on mine and it's aptly named, what else, but Mélange! I'll add an update once I accumulate enough recipes and order the book!

Pile it on...

2008-11-26T22:10:00.004-05:00

I have a bad habit. I have the tendency to layer meals to the point where they are unrecognizable. Reduced chicken broth and lemon pan sauce atop spinach, pancetta, and parmesan stuffed chicken breast atop buttered and peppered acini de pepe. This doesn't sound too bad except that all of the flavors overwhelm the intended simplicity of the dish.

Oh, and the weight of the chicken pushed the acini off the plate. It was almost impossible to serve as each attempt to serve a plate of chicken breast and acini resulted in scattered acini across the table. And by pushed I really mean spewed at a high velocity across my boyfriend's kitchen. Let's just say little acini de pepe were to be found under every crevice for quite some time.

There is much to be said about simplicity...

A Twist on Sweet Potato Pie

2008-11-26T18:54:00.008-05:00

In my family we prefer the flavor of sweet potato pie to pumpkin and have expunged pumpkin pie from our Thanksgiving dessert spread. If you've ever overzealously prepared your sweet potato pie filling--or pumpkin if you prefer-- you may have wondered what to do with the excess. Try sweet potato brulée. We put leftover filling in a greased pie pan and let it bake alongside the regular sweet potato pie. After baking for around 35 minutes take it out and let it cool. After cooling, spread brown sugar or white sugar liberally on top and torch until it bubbles and browns. If you don't have a torch on hand, stick the cooked filling with the sugar top under the broiler for a few minutes and it should do the trick. (If you don't allow it to cool properly then the sugar will melt on top instead of crystalizing into the crunchy brulée top we all know and love.) While the filling isn't the typical custard found in créme brulée, it still has the irresistable top that cracks with the pressure of a spoon. A dollop of freshly whipped cream perfects the sweet potato brulée.

By the way, the conspicuously center-placed dollop of whipped cream is because a certain someone-- ahem, dad, ahem-- snuck a spoonful before we brulée'd it.

Now THAT'S a Grocery Store

2008-11-23T01:03:00.005-05:00

If you're from the Northeast then you've probably heard of a little slice of foodie heaven that goes by the name of Wegmans. Hailing from Rochester, NY, this 'grocery store'--although I find it blasphemous to refer to this jewel as such-- has now spurted up in several locals around the Northeast.

The interior, seen above, is pristine and beautifully decorated. It's calming and a joy to do your weekly food biddings in such an environment. It stands in stark contrast to the cold, uninteresting, unimaginative, and, frankly, boring options presented by other grocery stores. Wegmans stands in a league all its own.

They make their money in the prepared foods section with an Asian/Indian Bar, Soups, Sushi, Crabs, meals to go, pastries, oyster bar, etc. It's not your typical prepared foods section if you couldn't tell. This enables them to lower their prices on your day to day foods-- canned products, produce, rice, cereals, etc. And the cheese section. My Lord. Gruyere, fontina, pecorino romano, parmigiana reggiano, brie (3 different varieties, in fact), feta. I could go on and on. They actually send representatives from the cheese departments of their various stores to visit the producers in France and Italy and wherever else it's produced. Wegmans knows who produces their cheeses and just how it's done. Not to mention they have the best variety available. While some stores have one brand and one size of pumpkin puree available, Wegmans has fully stocked aisles of multiple brands, sizes, and options.

About this variety thing. At a recent outing for ingredients at Whole Foods I found myself highly disappointed in the options, or lack thereof. I needed shells for a stuff shells dish I was making that night and Whole Foods had not a box in sight. And no, they weren't out of stock-- they simply didn't carry it. I understand that not everyone has an olive and hummus bar with dolmas like Wegmans, but this is shell pasta for crying out loud. Italian food is very much intermingled with American cuisine and culture. And you're telling me you do NOT have shell pasta?! Oh, and ricotta. One tub available in one size. No whole milk, part-skim options. If there's one thing I hate, it's my grocery store dictating how I'll be cooking that evening.
I appreciate Whole Foods' approach to wholesome and organic fare, but veritable options cannot be sacrificed entirely for quality. And I don't believe organic beans need to be triple the cost of normal canned beans. That is what turns so many families away from this organic 'trend'. While I don't find it to be a trend, it does need to include a selection of high quality ingredients to be sustainable.

In case you're not sold yet: Wegmans is reducing prices in this challenging economic environment to 'put...customers' needs first'. How about that for a grocery store?

Pizza Expedition

2008-11-22T23:43:00.008-05:00

This weekend my boyfriend and I decided to finally have our pizza-making night in-- a much-anticipated event. What a night it was! I made a thinner crust dough that turned out well. The best part is that no rise is required. I didn't push it out in the pan due to lack of space so it still had a slightly chewy texture. If you want the crispy crunch of a typical thin crust pizza I'd form it into a bigger pizza. I don't have a big cookie tray so I used two pie pans to make two pizzas about 8 inches in diameter-- around the size of an individual pizza from California Pizza Kitchen.

After an expedition together to Whole Foods to assemble the necessary ingredients, we put together a tasty array of toppings: fontina, andouille sausage, button mushrooms, and roma tomatoes. He made a fantastic sous-chef by preparing all of the mise en place while I kneeded the dough. I spiced up Whole Foods pizza sauce (Hey, I made the dough. What more do you want?!) with garlic, italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. The fontina cheese is still a great melting cheese with a slightly sharper flavor than mozzarella. For an even sharper flavor I grated pecorino romano on top of the fontina. A chiffonade of basil on both pizzas and diced fresh jalapeno on his pie completed the dish.

The mise en place and actual cooking took around 40 minutes start to finish-- proof that you can make a home-cooked pizza in about the same amount of time it takes to sign onto Papa Johns, select and order a pizza, and await it's arrival. You're in charge of the ingredients so you can be sure there are no surprises.

DESSERTS

2008-11-22T16:41:00.001-05:00

Chocolate Molten Cakes

A Foe by Many Names

2008-11-18T23:30:00.005-05:00

Monosodium glutamate. Nice to meet you. Oh, you go by MSG for short. Sure, no problem. Hmm, and Yeast Extract? Natural Flavor as well? Well, now, that's confusing, don't you think? How do you know when you're being addressed? Oh, okay, you have friends in high places. Where exactly? And how do they help with your little nomenclature problem? Okay, so it's not actually a problem, per se, but a windfall? So you're a little bit of a masked man, now aren't you? Your friends enable you to have as many names so as to avoid detection. Well, MSG-Yeast Extract-Natural Flavor-whomever you truly are, this doesn't make much sense to me anymore...

Book Club

2008-11-18T23:06:00.002-05:00

I.am.in.love.with.this.book. Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food is spot-on accurate. I'm only about half-way through and will update as I get through the rest. How have we become so lost as to give up common sense entirely and rely on 'food science' or 'nutrition science'?

Let me be clear: Drinking diet soda is not a great way to pat yourself on the back and pave your way to health. If you aren't willing to drink the 200+ calories that are found in the average glass of soda, then I think you need to comprehend that your body won't be able to miraculously confuse diet soda with water. Your body can't process empty calories. It sends it on an eating frenzy and only serves to make you more hungry. And no, please do not think that you can add vitamins to make your beloved Diet Coke a health drink. If you need more proof of food 'nutrition' gone bad then take a look at my post regarding Splenda with fiber. Still fake. Still bad for you. (Yes, I know the diabetics disagree and can argue the virtues of Splenda. I understand that. I get it.)

I digress, but I highly-- read, HIGHLY-- recommend getting your hands on this book. Check out the preview on Amazon and I'll guarantee you'll be hooked if you're anything like me.

If you need more enticement to read Michael Pollan's latest and greatest, then peruse this excerpt:

Food. There's plenty of it around, and we all love to eat it. So why should anyone need to defend it?

Because most of what we're consuming today is not food, and how we're consuming it--in the car, in front of the TV, and increasingly alone--is not really eating. Instead of food, we're consuming "edible foodlike substances"--no longer the products of nature but of food science. Many of them come packaged with health claims that should be our first clue they are anything but healthy... The result is...[t]he more we worry about nutrition, the less healthy we seem to become.

Rock on, Michael Pollan. Rock on.

ITALIAN

2008-11-18T20:45:00.003-05:00

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Easter Pizza

RESTAURANT REVIEWS

2008-11-18T17:53:00.002-05:00

El Pollo Rico in Arlington, VA
Les Halles in Washington, DC
Jaleo in Crystal City, VA

POULTRY

2008-11-18T17:48:00.000-05:00

Chicken from El Pollo Rico
Chicken in a white wine cream sauce

BOOK REVIEWS

2008-11-18T17:30:00.000-05:00

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

MEAT

2008-11-18T17:15:00.004-05:00

Halupki
Venison

Splenda with fiber?!

2008-11-17T21:49:00.002-05:00

I was just watching tv and saw a commercial for Splenda with fiber. You can't possibly think that adding fiber to Splenda makes it healthy. If you want fiber, eat naturally fiber-enriched foods. Why must 'food' producers add vitamins and minerals to ostensibly make them 'healthy'. It you're making health claims then chances are the 'food' product isn't healthy to begin with.

welcome bienvenue

2008-11-17T21:27:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog! My aim is to keep it strictly to my latest cooking escapades and thoughts around nutrition (or lack thereof) in the western diet but stream of consciousness may enter from time to time. welcome to the world of a foodie's thoughts!