Drink Recipe: Italian Cider

This drink may sound strange when you read the ingredient list, but if you like cider-like drinks, you'll love this fall cocktail.  The ingredients work surprisingly well together.

Ingredients

• 3/4 oz Tequila (reposado)
• 3/4 oz Limoncello
• 1/2 oz Tuaca
•  3 1/2 oz Apple Juice

Build

• Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker.
• Strain into a martini glass.
• Garnish w/a cinnamon stick.

As you can see from the photo, I didn't strain it into a martini glass but made it into a cocktail in a highball glass and then sprinkled some cinnamon on top.

Cheers!

Off the Grid - Food Truck Experience

I had my first food truck experience Friday night at the Off the Grid event in San Francisco.  It was packed with people, food trucks, food & drink vendors and a band.  I absolutely loved it and had a great time.

What's interesting to me is that food trucks aren't a new phenomenon.  I've seen them at construction sites selling breakfast burritos, hot dogs, tacos -- and then, there's the ice cream truck that used to come around our neighborhood.  It's just the aspect that the food is now gourmet.

There was gourmet food galore, and I wanted to try it all.  I limited myself to just the following:

• Mac 'n Cheese Spring Rolls  [interesting concept; really rich]
• Chairman Bao's Baked Bun w/Tender Pork Belly and Pickled Daikon  [I'm not a huge fan of daikon, but the flavors melded so well together]
• Chairman Bao's Steamed Bun w/Braised Pork with Savoy Cabbage and Preserved Mustard Seeds  [so delicious, with again, the flavors melding perfectly together -- there's a reason Chairman Bao's food truck had one of the longest lines]
• Cupskates' Gingerbread w/Lemon Frosting Cupcake
• Cupskates' Salted Caramel Cupcake

 

Mac n' Cheese Spring Rolls w/Cheese Fondue

Chairman Bao's Steamed Bun: Braised Pork w/Savoy Cabbage and Preserved Mustard Seeds
Chairman Bao's Baked Bun: Tender Pork Belly and Pickled Daikon

In short, it was an absolutely delicious meal that beats many of my fine dining experiences.

OpenTable's Top 50 Restaurants for Foodies in the U.S.

Alas, no restaurants in Dallas made the list.
Am excited that we're going to try Gather on Saturday!

Abattoir – Atlanta, Georgia
Ad Hoc – Yountville, California
Aldea – New York, New York
Annisa – New York, New York
Bergamot – Somerville, Massachusetts
Bibou – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Blackbird – Chicago, Illinois
Blue Hill – New York, New York
Bonsoiree – Chicago, Illinois
Camino – Oakland, California
Canteen – San Francisco, California
Cascina Spinasse – Seattle, Washington
Coi – San Francisco, California
Commis – Oakland, California
Commonwealth – San Francisco, California
Craigie on Main – Cambridge, Massachusetts
Dirt Candy – New York, New York
FIG – Charleston, South Carolina
Fond – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Forage – Salt Lake City, Utah
Frances – San Francisco, California
Frasca Food and Wine – Boulder, Colorado
The French Laundry – Napa, California
Gather – Berkeley, California
Girl & The Goat – Chicago, Illinois
Graham Elliot – Chicago, Illinois
Hatfields – Los Angeles, California
Haute Dish – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hungry Mother – Cambridge, Massachusetts
Local 127 – Cincinnati, Ohio
Menton – Boston, Massachusetts
Mistral Kitchen – Seattle, Washington
noca – Phoenix, Arizona
o ya – Boston, Massachusetts
Osteria Mozza – Los Angeles, California
Park Kitchen – Portland, Oregon
Piccolo – Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Publican – Chicago, Illinois
Range – San Francisco, California
Saffron Restaurant & Lounge – San Francisco, California
Saison – San Francisco, California
Sprout – Chicago, Illinois
Spur Gastropub – Seattle, Washington
Staple & Fancy Mercantile – Seattle, Washington
The Tasting Kitchen – Venice, California
Tilth – Seattle, Washington
Ubuntu – Napa, California
wd-50 – New York, New York
Wexler's – San Francisco, California

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opentable-diners-reveal-the-top-50-restaurants-for-foodies-in-the-us-130262703.html

Good Eats in Oakland

To 'the woman who ate everything' blog contributor and my friend . . .  thank you for your wonderful company and for taking me to such amazing places to eat in Oakland.  I'm posting this just so I remember the delicious food we had -- you're so lucky to have these great independent restaurants nearby.

Plum
"Our interpretation of California cuisine"
http://www.plumoakland.com/

How cool it was to sit and watch the chefs cook & plate all the dishes made with fresh, local ingredients.  I felt like I was sitting at someone's kitchen counter.

• Eggplant - farro, summer beans, sungold, pinenut, padron vinaigrette
• Smoked Farm Egg - quinoa, summer squash shishito, blossom

I should've taken a menu because I can't remember the descriptors of the other items we had, and the menu online has changed already.

• Chickpea Fries
• Pork Belly & Squid
• Fudge Cake - chocolate fudge cake w/olive oil ice cream, figs, pistachio, chocolate crisps
• Bourbon Drink (that gave me a headache this morning, by the way, probably because I don't usually drink bourbon) - bourbon, lime juice, ginger beer, simple syrup, bitters, nice orange peel and herb garnish

Hawker Fare
"Southeast Asian street food, predominately it’s a rice bowl shop.  The cuisine is humble, innovative and personal while still paying homage to classics and tradition utilizing local, sustainable, and organic ingredients as much as we can.  We are cooking it up with passion with being honest in our approach."
http://www.hawkerfare.com/menu/

• Our "Kao Mun Gai" - a classic, poached chicken served with salted mung bean sauce and fresh cucumber
• 24hr Pork Belly - "tom khem" style with our own five spice, sweet soy and preserved vegetable mustard (+ added a fried egg to mine)

I'll have to come back one day to try the Hawker Sundae (soft serve with salted palm sugar caramel with candied red beans and puffed rice, lime whip) when the soft serve machine is working.  It sounds amazing.  PLEASE post a photo of it the next time you order it. 

I can't wait to see what else is in store for us in this foodie capital of the U.S.

The Next Thing: Nordic Cuisine

Reindeer Blood and Sheep Sorrel

Shrimp & Sea Urchin Powder

Trout Roe in Pig's Blood Pastry

Wild Greens with Dried Cod Roe and Sheep's Cream

Interesting dishes.  I keep reading about Nordic Cuisine . . . Chef Rene Redzepi (and his restaurant Noma) and Chef Magnus Nilsson (and his restaurant Faviken Magasinet).  There's a big story on Faviken Magasinet in the September issue of Bon Appetit. 

Below are a couple of excerpts from a recent New York Times article on Nordic Cuisine.  I wonder how the it will translate here in the U.S.  Does anyone know of a restaurant employing these ideas/techniques?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/24/dining/new-nordic-cuisine-draws-disciples.html?_r=3&ref=dining

The style of cooking is most closely associated with FoodCamp’s host chef, René Redzepi of Noma in Copenhagen. It is sometimes called “new Nordic,” although he and some other chefs from the region prefer the broader label “authentic cuisine.” It is earthy and refined, ancient and modern, both playful and deeply serious. Instead of the new (techniques, stabilizers, ingredients), it emphasizes the old (drying, smoking, pickling, curing, smoking) with a larger goal of returning balance to the earth itself.

Using rutabagas and whey; pine and juniper; and shells, hay, and twigs as its kitchen tools, it seeks to turn the culinary dial back toward the natural world.

Evidence of the Nordic invasion is everywhere, once diners know the signs: cellared vegetables, unripe fruit, conifers, buttermilk and whey; rocks, shells and twigs used as serving pieces; garden scraps like radish leaves, turnip tails and nasturtium pods whorled, piled and clustered on the plate as if by waves or wind. In the era of El Bulli, high-end plates looked tight, geometric, slicked-down; the new Nordic dishes have bed head, with artfully ruffled herbs and tufts of grass sticking out everywhere.

If you like ginger, you'll like this drink

 

 

I'm on a ginger kick and had a Dark 'n Stormy cocktail that was a little different from the recipe below. The one I had included Gosling's Black Seal rum, lime juice, simple syrup, ginger puree and club soda.

 

Has anyone ever made ginger puree?  I think I'll try this recipe I found online:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/frozen-ginger-puree.html

 

About Dark 'n Stormies:

Dark 'n Stormy is the unofficial national drink of Bermuda. Gosling owns the trademark on the actual recipe, meaning you cannot use a different brand of rum and call it a Dark 'n Stormy.

 

There is a variation nicknamed the Light 'n' Stormy which uses 10 Cane, a light rum.

 

Ingredients

• 2 oz Gosling's Black Seal rum
• 3 oz Barritt's ginger beer
• lime wedge for garnish if desired

Preparation

1. Build the ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice cubes.
2. Garnish with the lime wedge.

Oatmeal Cookie Frozen Yogurt

I love Yogurtland, and I love them even more now that they have Oatmeal Cookie frozen yogurt!  Top it with some granola, and it's delicious.

I like to think it's healthy since it has:

• Calcium
• Live & active cultures
• Is lowfat
• Uses real oatmeal cookies

Plus, it's only 30 calories per 6 oz.

BTW, they also have a PB&J frozen yogurt which was great as well.  I wonder what flavors they'll have this winter.  Eggnog and a peppermint chocolate would be my vote.

Absolut Tune: Sauvignon Blanc Vodka

What do you think Sauvignon Blanc Vodka tastes like?  I'm going to have to try this.

Absolut and Brancott produce vodka-Sauvignon blend
Source: Decanter
by Rebecca Gibb in Auckland
Tuesday 13 September 2011

Swedish vodka producer Absolut has paired up with Pernod Ricard stablemate Brancott Estate to produce a 'sparkling fusion' of vodka and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.  A spokesman for the new blend, called Absolut Tune, said he would not be 'sharing the specifics' on how the sparkle was created other than that it was a 'fusion process'.

A blend of 60% vodka and 40% Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the final alcohol level is 14%.

The product was launched in three bars in Sydney, Australia as part of a month-long trial.  Absolut would not comment on its future beyond a limited edition bottling.  No-one from the three bars trialling the product responded to Decanter.com's requests for a verdict on the product; Decanter.com is currently awaiting a sample from Australia.

The company's press release says, 'The first taste of Absolut Tune reveals vibrant, fresh tropical fruits with a balanced sweetness through the front and mid palate which is brought to life through the bubbles...and with a persistent medium strength Absolut vodka flavour and balanced sweetness leading on to a dry finish.'

Guest Post (The GrandCruMan): Purple Potatoes??

Well the Taster and I were browsing at Central Market in advance of Sunday's dinner and we were on a mission for good steaks. Luckily CM's New York Strip was on sale. And as we walked through the produce section I spied the purple potatoes and had to have some. I made a simple mash with cream and butter and was left wondering....were they better than russets or Yukon golds?

Turns out my taste buds said no, not better. So I did a little research. Turns out the purple potato is an heirloom variety; all cultivated potatoes belong to Solanum Tuberosum. That's not my answer to do they taste better or have better nutritional value? According to specialtyproduce.com the purple potato is similar to white potatoes but has a much higher concentration of anthocyanin, the same antioxident in blueberries or other blue/black fruits. So I conclude it is more nutritious, but not as delicious! It wasn't as creamy as a Yukon gold or fingerling for sure.

Restaurant: Marco's Meal for Two at Maggiano's

I received an e-mail from Maggiano's about their new "Marco's Meal for Two."  It's not a limited time promotion because we went to the restaurant and saw it IN the menu.  Depending on what appetizer/flatbread/side salads you order, this can save you a few $.  It's a pretty good deal especially considering the completely new pastas you get to take home with you.

Recipe: Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas

Tonight, we made a yummy and most importantly, easy, weeknight meal.  With 2 of us working in the kitchen, it took about 15 minutes to make, not the 40 minutes noted below.

Our tweaks to the recipe:

• Used fresh tortillas and basically made soft tacos instead of frying the tortillas to make tostadas.
• Melted Monterey Jack cheese on the tortillas.
• Used half the amount of coleslaw mix.
• Added extra radishes

Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas
Contributed by Melissa Rubel Jacobson
TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN
SERVINGS: 4
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chipotle-shrimp-tostadas/print

To create this Southwestern-inspired dish, Melissa Rubel Jacobson tosses shrimp with chipotle chile powder (made from dried, smoked jalapeños), grills them, then layers them on top of crunchy fried corn tortillas and crisp, citrusy slaw.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
4 corn tortillas
Kosher salt
24 large shelled and deveined shrimp (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
4 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 Hass avocado, thinly sliced
2 medium radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for servingDirections

Directions

1. In a medium, deep skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until hot. Fry one tortilla at a time over moderately high heat until lightly golden on both sides, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
2. Preheat a grill pan. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and the chipotle chile powder. Season the shrimp with salt. Grill the shrimp over moderately high heat, turning once, until they are browned in spots and cooked through, about 4 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the cabbage with the tomato, scallions, sour cream and lime juice and season with salt. Set the tortillas on plates and top with the cabbage slaw, chipotle shrimp, avocado, radishes and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Guest Post (The Woman Who Ate Everything): The Great Tomato Emergency of 2011

OMG, I have too many tomotoes. Nine tomato plants for two people are just too many. We picked over 30 pounds of heirloom tomatoes this weekend. And the plants show no sign of stopping. I used twenty pounds to make enough tomato sauce for the year (see pot of boiling sauce below). My freezer is now full. Thank God for house guests. We have them for the next few days, and we will trick them by serving tomatoes at every meal. Sliced tomatoes with sea salt, grilled tomatoes with sage, caprese salad, corn and tomato salad, cucumber and tomato salad, tomato tarts, gazpacho.

Guest Post (The GrandCruMan): 9 pounds 6 hours

....9 pounds of Texas brisket, a smoking charcoal kettle, spices and about 6 hours later - Labor Day dinner. Throw in the good American home-made mac and cheese, a salad, and a bottle of Mondavi '06 Napa Cab and voila! dinner is served. I've been wanting to finish up the summer with some bar-b-que and this hit the spot.

I may share the recipe upon request, but you can google any number of spice rub mixes. What I recommend is the basting - with a simple butter/bourbon/brown sugar concoction. The brisket spent about 4.5 hours on the smoker and finished up in the oven at 350 degrees for 1.5 more hours.

The meat was well-saturated with flavor and still retained sufficient bite and chew. Next time I'm tempted to up cooking time dramatically to go for no knife needed tender. We went for the '06 cabernet and its tannins stood up well to the smoked meat. The wine's fruit came through well but I imagine if we uncorked an older wine the meat would have been too dominant.

Guest Post (FoodFiend): Now that was some sweet fish!

Finally, it's not so blazing hot in Texas, and I can stand to do things like turning on the oven and being within 12 feet of a hot stove. It's one of the many disadvantages of not having a grill - unless you use the crock pot (and I love my crock pot) it's challenging to cook in the summer around here.
So, I wanted fish. I found a recipe for Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi:

3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed (okay, I used 2)
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil - the olive oil was handy so I used that!

In a shallow glass dish, combine honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic, and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper and place skin side down in the dish. Cover (oops, I forgot that part) and place in the refrigerator 20 minutes to marinate.

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Remove fish from the dish and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4-6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.

Pour marinade into the skillet over medium heat, and heat until mixture becomes a consistent glaze. Spoon glaze over fish and serve immediately.

I like mashed potatoes, so I threw some of those on the side - made with chicken broth, since milk products and my stomach are not friends, so I don't usually keep milk in the house. I really didn't have anything to change about the mahi recipe; the glaze made enough, it had good flavor, and the cooking time was even as the recipe said. And it looks pretty! I'd definitely make it again.

In fact, it smelled so good I forgot all about the nice Chateau St. Jean chardonnay I'd chilled to drink with my dinner. Oh, well, I'll have a glass now!

Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne & St. Angel Cheese

Ahhh. . . Champagne. . . I love bubbly, and last night we opened up a bottle of Perrier Jouet Grand Brut to have along with our cheese fest.  (It especially paired well with St. Angel cheese -- but more about that later.)  I loved the crispness of the Champagne and the fact that it wasn't very yeasty.  There was a slight slight sweetness and fruit that I really liked. 

Here's some info on Perrier-Jouet from their website:

• The Champagne house's vineyards lie in the heart "Champagne magic triangle"
• In the Grand Brut blend, delicate Chardonnay and strong Pinot Noir blend harmoniously with the Pinot Meunier, a complex variety that reveals all of its qualities when selected with care.
• White flowers, white fruit, pineapple and grapefruit -- the light, delicate Grand Brut offers a wide range of flavours.
• A fresh, lively, dynamic and perfectly balanced wine to be enjoyed as an aperitif and at any time of day, with light dishes.
• Perrier-Jouet's Cuvee Belle Epoque 2002 Champagne was chosen for Price Albert of Monaco's wedding.

And now, more about St. Angel cheese which is heavenly, but what triple cream cheese isn't heavenly?

• The dairy is located in the South East part of France.
• St. Angel is a triple cream specialty cheese that has the delicate taste of cream. Because the curds are never drained with ultra filtration, more calcium, phosphorus, and milk protein are retained than in regular soft ripened cheese. The result is a unique creamy texture, unctuousness and a very healthy cheese (3 times more calcium than in regular soft ripened cheese).
• Milk Type:  Cow
• Paired Spirit:  Champagne

Source:  GourmetLibrary.com

Guest Post (FoodFiend): Tri the Beef Tri-Tip

I'm surfing for recipes again!

I found a recipe for Shredded Tri-Tip for Tacos, and asked myself the question, what is beef tri-tip? I never heard of that cut of meat before. On the verge of sending an e-mail or coming here and asking my fellow bloggers, I googled it instead. Here is what I learned:

The tri-tip roast or steak (also called a triangle roast) is the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds of meat that sits at the bottom of the sirloin. Not only does it have a rich flavor, but it also tends to be lower in fat than most other cuts. This means it can dry out faster, but with a good marinade you really can't go wrong with this cut.

So now we know. And knowing is half the battle. The other half is FINDING it. The article went on to say that this cut is usually used for hamburger but has become more popular and can sometimes be found at Costco or Sam's. I wondered if y'all had found it at Whole Foods or Central Market - or if you'd ever looked. Wildly curious now, and might have to try this shredded recipe, particularly since it is for the crock pot and I continue the be in love with my crock pot.

In the meantime, TCU is losing to Baylor, which is...unlikely.