Guest Post (FoodFiend): Calvacita Fail

Amazing Calvacita and Pork was not so amazing.

For some reason, allrecipes.com won't let me just copy and paste the recipe, so here's what was in it:
2 pounds boneless pork roast, diced
5 medium zucchini, cubed
1 onion, diced
2 T Worchestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups water, or as needed (2 cups would have been wayyyy too much)
1 11 oz can whole kernel corn (I was so not using canned corn and got frozen instead)
tortillas

OK, the good part was that the pork turned out nice and tender, possibly thanks to the fact that I simmered it longer than the 15 minutes the recipe called for. Since I had read some of the reviews other users had posted, I waited until the last minute to add the zucchini, so it wasn't mushy.

But talk about bland! I tasted as I went along, of course, and realized this with plenty of time to do something about it. That "salt and pepper to taste" got the added bonus of garlic, cumin, and a bit of cayenne. In retrospect, perhaps I should have thrown some chili powder in there as well, but I wasn't sure the chili powder and the Worcestershire would be friends. Anyway, that salvaged it somewhat. But it still needs something. Tomatoes, maybe? Some spicy pico? I dunno.

And of course it made a ton. I froze half of it, and I still haven't eaten half of what I made the other day. I guess I could try throwing some sour cream or cheese on the tortilla with it, but that kind of defeats the purpose of healthy cooking, doesn't it?

Oh, well. A bunch of vegetables and some pork in a tortilla was a nice idea. Next.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Lobster-flavored Ice Cream

I would totally try the different flavors of ice cream.  Yes, I am 'the taster.'

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-08-16/entertainment/29913046_1_baby-gaga-french-cream-gourmet-flavors

Lobster-flavored ice cream is the hot scoop at Expo; Fois gras, vinegar, bacon get sweet treatment

BY LINDSAY GOLDWERT
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Arron Liu may have invented the first ice cream to come with lobster bib.

A gourmet ice cream boutique in Hong Kong that sources its cream from France, milk from Australia and vanilla bourbon from Madagascar drew curious crowds with adventurous palates at an international food expo last week.

On the menu -- lobster and foie gras flavored desserts.

Liu's Ice Cream Gallery was a crowd favorite at this year's edition of the Hong Kong Food Expo for audacious ice cream flavors that aim to elevate "fine ice cream" to fine dining.

Pinkberry, Yogurtland​, Yogurtlici​ous, Yogurtini, Cherry on Top, Orange Cup, Red Mango, TCBY, Fresh Berry, Berry Berry

Interestingly, frozen yogurt has made a comeback is all the rage.  New places keep popping up, and I'm starting to get them all confused.  Yogurtland, Yogurtlicious, Yumilicious, Yogurtini. . . and then there's, of course, Pink Berry and Red Mango. . . and Cherry on Top, Orange Cup and Fresh Berry.  Didn't TCBY start it all years and years ago?

I saw the following article in the Wall Street Journal.  Interesting that the average ounces in an order is 14, and average check is $5.46.  14 ounces???  My husband and my yogurt TOGETHER are just a little over 14 oz.  Who are these people that are eating that much?  (I want to say something mean but am going to refrain from doing so.) 

My favorite Yogurtland flavors these days are Double Cookies & Cream, Kona Coffee, and Pistachio.  I always have to get Heath Bar as a topping.  Yogurtland seems to have the best price at about $0.36 per ounce.  However, I feel heathy eating Red Mango's yogurt.  I just had Red Mango this evening (dang it - I forgot to take a photo of the lovely and perfect swirl & cup), and the new mango flavor was delicious.  I recently learned that Red Mango has the BEST probiotics (they partner with the best scientists in the industry) that's much better than Pinkberry's.  There are some other things I learned from a source close to the company but probably shouldn't share, but they're all good things that make me want to support the company and eat their yogurt even more.

By the way, did you know that the frozen yogurt trend all started in South Korea?

Here's the WSJ article:

Yogurt Chains Give Power to the People 

By JAIME LEVY PESSIN

A growing number of frozen-yogurt chains are trying a new strategy to keep business hot in a cool economy: do it yourself.Some new chains—and some of the biggest existing ones—are letting customers portion out their own dessert, add toppings and then pay by the ounce. The idea: Snackers are lured in by the expanded choices the stores offer—and may end up digging deeper than they would otherwise."People are doing things on their own that they wouldn't feel comfortable asking someone behind the counter to do," says Tim Casey, CEO of Mrs. Fields Famous Brands LLC, parent of industry leader TCBY, which is on target to open nearly 100 self-serve stores this year.

With weight-based pricing, the average self-serve ticket is $6.32, compared with $5.61 at a traditional store, says a TCBY spokeswoman.Of the 71 frozen-dessert franchises tracked by research firm FRANdata, at least 17 have self-serve options. All of those chains opened in the past five years. For TCBY, the growth in self-serve is coming as traditional shops shut down. The chain closed 33 stores in 2010, and will shut 11 more this year, says Mr. Casey.Why the new focus? People want the freedom that self-serve brings, he says: "If calories are an issue or budget is an issue, they're in control."Make-your-own also eliminates waiting for employees to handle each order, says Natasha Nelson, co-founder of self-serve chain Yogurtini, of Tempe, Ariz. "The lines are out the door at night, and the lines move quickly," she says.

What's more, Yogurtini shops generally need just two employees to cover a shift, keeping labor costs relatively low, Ms. Nelson says.  Do-it-yourself does have drawbacks. For one thing, it can mean higher start-up costs for franchisees. FRANdata estimates the initial investment at about $277,000 to $521,000, compared with about $234,000 to $482,000 for a full-service shop. A large chunk of that comes from yogurt machines. They can can cost $15,000 apiece, and self-serve shops often offer more flavors than traditional stores.Another major expense is space. With customers moving around the stores to get what they want, self-serve shops need 1,325 to 3,700 square feet, compared with 900 to 1,225 for counter-service models, FRANdata says.Edith Wiseman, FRANdata's vice president of client solutions, says sticker shock may end the trend. Snackers love all the choices, she says. But "humans aren't known for self-control, so after loading up on toppings, the price shocks many consumers."

Ms. Pessin is a writer in New York. She can be reached at reports@wsj.com.

Free Breakfast at Chick-fil-A

The Chick-fil-A "Eat Mor Chikin" Cows are asking customers to vote "Chikin 4 Brekfust." To help the Cows along the campaign trail, Chick-fil-A is treating customers to breakfast the week of Labor Day at its restaurants nationwide. Beginning today, Chick-fil-A patrons can visit www.chick-fil-aforbreakfast.com to reserve the free Chick-fil-A breakfast entree of their choice. Reservations may be redeemed Sept. 6 – 10 during breakfast hours (6:30 to 10:30 a.m.) at the selected restaurant by presenting a printed copy of the personal invitation received upon making a reservation on the website.

I'm a Chick-fil-A fan.

Guest Post (The Woman Who Ate Everything): Yes, we CAN

I have always been intimidated by canning. Fear of botulism, mainly. That odorless, colorless poison that will kill you and everyone you cook for. Luckily, my friend Rachel has gently guided me past that fear and helped me realize my Anne of Green Gables/Little House on the Prairie fantasies. There is nothing like the flavor and fragrance of your own jam. It's so good you'll want to dab some behind your ears. In the past two years, we have canned cherry, plum, apricot, and blueberry jam. Today, it was peach jam.


A lot of canning books will take you through it step-by-step, but a few key notes are that you should never, never alter the amount of sugar the recipe calls for. I know, it seems like a lot of sugar. For instance, today, we used four cups of crushed peaches and a whopping seven and a half cups of sugar. However, the sugar is a crucial preservative, and straying from that amount puts you in danger of, yes, botulism. Second, I believe in pectin. Pectin helps the jam to set. You can buy it at a store or order it online. Trust me, pectin is worth every penny. You can make pectin yourself with lemon or apple seeds, but I value my time a little more than that. My one and only pectin-free cherry jam experience was extended by at least two hours while we waited and waited for the jam to set. Third, be sure to wipe off the rim of the jam jar with a wet paper towel after pouring the jam into it. Failure to do so will result in improper sealing, which can result in, say it with me, botulism.



But follow the recipe and these tips, and you will be in possession of the best jam you have ever tasted. Summer in a jar is great for toast, stirring into your yogurt or oatmeal, or baking into my next project, homemade pop tarts...

Salted Caramel Brownies

We made Cooking Light's Salted Caramel Brownies last night.  Forget buying brownie mix -- I'm making this recipe from now on!  The brownies were moist and gooey (and I like the fact that there were only 8 ingredients in the batter . . . versus all the chemicals and preservatives in boxed mixes).  The topping was super easy to make, and the salt made everything pop.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/salted-caramel-brownies-50400000115182/

I should've taken a photo of the brownies, but we were too excited to eat them. 

They were so good, I had one for breakfast this morning. . .

CPK Has Surprised Me

I'm pleasantly surprised by California Pizza Kitchen!  I dined there for lunch about 8 months ago and had a really great experience trying their 'Small Cravings' (small plates) and other new menu items.  After seeing a FSI (free standing insert) in the newspaper last week advertising their new Caramelized Peach Salad, I went to lunch there yesterday and again, was surprised by how good their food was. 

I ordered the Moroccon Chicken Salad which had Moroccon-spiced chicken, dates, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, avocado, beets, romaine lettuce, toasted almonds, and some other ingredients, plus a Champagne vinaigrette.  It was delicious. . .  fresh chicken (I could tell it wasn't the super-restaurant-processed kind), light, and ingredients that worked really well together. 

CPK is close to where I work, so I'll definitely be going back there for lunch, especially when I crave a salad.  I'm actually heading back there on Monday with a co-worker to try their advertised Caramelized Peach Salad. 

Check out their salad menu (lots of yummy-sounding choices!):

http://www.cpk.com/menu/#Salads

Note: It's nice that they have half and full portion salad options for the hungry and very hungry.

A Breastaurant

Ok, so this is a new term I'd never heard of before. . . a 'breastaurant.'  Seriously???

It's used in this context: 

Hooters of America LLC, the Atlanta-based franchisor and operator of more than 435 Hooters restaurants, has named Terrance M. Marks its new chief executive, following the departure of Coby Brooks, chief executive since 2003. Brooks, the son of Hooters' brand founder, has joined a crop of former Hooters executives to become franchisees at Twin Peaks, a competing "breastaurant."

Have you heard this term used before?

Article: Must sign contract to secure dinner reservation?!?!

So what do you think of the policy?  You can see an image of the contract at:
http://dc.eater.com/archives/2011/08/15/here-is-the-contract-you-need-to-sign-to-eat-at-rogue-24.php


Here Is The Contract You Need To Sign To Eat at Rogue 24
Monday, August 15, 2011 by Eater Staff

UPDATE 08/17/2011: In a new interview with Eater, chef/owner RJ Cooper explains his reasoning and changes the dining contract.

Get your pen out if you want to have dinner at Rogue 24, because first you have to sign a two-page contract to cement your reservation at the newly opened conceptual restaurant serving only 24- and 16-course tasting menus in the middle of an alleyway. And if you're keyed up about snagging reservations at the buzzy new restaurant, don’t get so excited that you tweet about your meal in between courses or take a snapshot of your favorite dish — cell phones and cameras are explicitly banned during the three-hour plus long dinners. The contract states, “All guests should be able to enjoy the experiences that surround them at Rogue24 free of distraction.” Apparently, you can’t send out a tweet to chef RJ Cooper in his own restaurant; you have to wait until you get home and you’re released from your contract.

Beyond that, diners must agree to the restaurant’s cancellation policy and give up their credit card information. If reservations are canceled within 72 hours of the dinner (up to 3 p.m. on the day of the reservation), diners are on the hook for half of the check. Cancellations after 3 p.m. on the day of or showing up more than 30 minutes late for their dinners earn a 100-percent charge. Considering that meals run $175 per person for the full 24-course Journey menu with beverage pairings, forgetful and tardy diners can quickly run up a hefty charge without enjoying a single bite.

The contract also asks patrons to list allergies and dietary restrictions, commit to either the 24- or 16-course tasting menu and decide whether they want drink pairings. Oh, and this contract must be returned within 72 hours of making the reservation or the reservation is voided. Best of luck.
—Nevin Martell

New Blog Background Color

I just changed this blog's background color to white so that when you post, you don't have to change the color of your font!

Dinner: Baltimore Crab Cakes and Grilled Panzanella Salad

2 good and simple recipes from Bon Appetit August 2011 that we had for dinner on Sunday.


http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/08/grilled-panzanella  (p.91)
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2011/08/baltimore-crab-cakes  (p.36)


Grilled Panzanella Tips
- If you have basil oil, that will cut time in the first step.
- I like spicy, so would consider using a serrano next time instead of a red jalapeno to give it more of a kick.
- I also added cucumber and olives to the salad.


Baltimore Crab Cake Tips
- Instead of eating the crab cake on Bibb lettuce, we ate them on a bun (w/lettuce).
- We cut the recipe in half and used 8 oz of crab meat which made 2 large cakes.
- There seemed to be something missing, so next time, we'll be making a spicy aioli sauce or adding something to give it a little more flavor. 

Guest Post (FoodFiend): In search of low-cal and high-taste

So, after consuming fried and buttered and sauced food and mai tais practically nonstop during our nine days in Hawaii, I came home with the understanding that my waistline could use some help, but also with a bit of a renewed interest in messing with the kitchen. I blame the taster for the latter, since she had to go start this blog and then talk about food for the duration of our trip, but that's okay...I have not been cooking much this summer because it's just been too dang hot and I haven't been home, so I need to get back at it.


Anyway. I did some surfing and discovered that allrecipes.com has about a gazillion recipes that end up being less than 300 calories a serving. I dove in and started adding recipes to my virtual recipe box - and probably added 30 before I even got through the A section. I got some groceries over the weekend, and I'm bummed that I hadn't yet read the hot tip about getting pork at Whole Foods, because my next adventure will be pork and I could certainly have gone to Whole Foods. But I didn't. Neither did I buy zucchini at the store where I was because it looked puny. But as soon as I acquire some non-puny zucchini, and the onion I forgot to buy, I'll be making Calvacita, which claims to be a recipe handed down from the author's Mexican mother-in-law. The original recipe seems to be lacking in spiciness, so I may be messing with it a bit, but I'll post the results and photo in a couple of days!


Not that it will compete with the lovely pork illustrated by the woman who ate everything (channeling Jeffrey Steingarten, I see). Shoot, that looks yummy!

Guest Post (The Woman Who Ate Everything): Roasted Pork Loin Stuffed with Sage, Rosemary, and Garlic

Since I have too much sage growing in my garden, I cribbed this recipe (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Pork-with-Sage-Rosemary-and-Garlic-359649) from Epicurious. It uses pork loin, which is a relatively inexpensive but still tasty cut of meat. I bought the pork loin from Whole Foods, which generally carries pork that is markedly more tasty than other supermarket pork. I used a utility knife to make the initial incision through the center of the loin and a knife steel to poke a hole all the way through. I don't have a roasting pan, so I browned and roasted the loin in my All-Clad stainless steel saute pan. The only other variation was an inspiration from Julia Child's My Life in France, in which she comments that any pan sauce can be made from the crusty brown bits left over in the roasting pan. After removing the pork loin from the pan (I took it out a 125 degrees for a final resting temperature of 135 degrees), I dumped a liberal amount of vermouth (you can use any kind of alcohol, but I always have a bottle of vermouth in my fridge) to deglaze the pan, melted a pat of butter into the sauce, then strained it before saucing the pork loin directly. Voila.

Recipe: Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust

Just finished making the 'Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust' recipe in Food and Wine's Aug 2011 issue (p. 60). It was incredibly easy and yummy -- and perfect for the summer. I thought it was Alice Waters' recipe, but it's 'inspired by her vision' and is contributed by Grace Parisi.

My tip: Don't use peaches that are too ripe because they were hard to cut into perfect slices.

- the taster
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/creamy-peach-tart-with-smoky-almond-crust




ACTIVE: 20 MIN

TOTAL TIME: 1 HR

SERVINGS: 8


Ingredients
2 cups vanilla wafer cookies, such as Nilla Wafers (5 ounces)
1/2 cup smoked almonds
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 firm, ripe medium peaches, peeled and cut into thin wedges


 Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, combine the vanilla wafers with the almonds and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and process until fine. Add the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumbs into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is set.

2. Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, egg and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and process until smooth. Pour the custard into the crust and bake for 15 minutes, until set. Let the tart cool slightly and transfer to the freezer to chill, about 15 minutes.

3. In a bowl, toss the peaches with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Arrange the peaches in 2 concentric circles over the custard. Remove the ring, cut the tart into wedges and serve.

Why the blog?

My first foray into the blogosphere!  I'd been thinking about starting this blog for THREE MONTHS ever since my husband and I visited our super-foodie friends in San Francisco.  I realized that this could be a really cool way to share recipes and thoughts on all things food -- cookbooks, restaurants, shows, food-related books/writings. . .


My foodie friends get the same food magazines, and at least for me, I get really frustrated when I spend a lot of time trying out a new recipe and it doesn't taste as good as it looks (or could've been better w/a few tweaks).  I hope we can all use this blog to share tips and let each other know what recipes to definitely try -- or not try -- based on our experiences in our own "test kitchens!"


Let's get cookin'!


Oh, and bear with me as I figure out all the features & design of this blog.


- the taster