Chef the City

toby young hit by a car

2009-04-30T10:45:00.004-04:00

see? this isn't some collective wish-fulfillment, it's actually TRUE; i feel bad for him (for once).

according to his twitter, toby was riding his bike when a car came around a corner and knocked him to the ground. he got a pretty good gash on his head, but was not so badly hurt that he had to stay in the hospital or anything. i am posting one pic here, but will link the others below... be warned: they aren't pretty ~ both are close-ups of the stitches on his head.

http://twitpic.com/49inq

http://twitpic.com/49ioe

what a way to come back to the world of blogging, right? LOL. ❤

chicken in a can (seriously)

2009-04-30T10:44:00.003-04:00

[pictures from ihatemymessageboard.com]

yes, that is a REAL product... jeez, my posts today are making me feel like it's april fool's all over again, LOL.

chicken in a can is the latest food meme* to hit the twitterverse and it is a DOOZY, no? yech. apparently this product is available on amazon, though why one would want to buy it, i have no idea.

the original story and pictures are on this page of ihatemymessageboard.com ... she bought the chicken in a can out of curiosity, and according to her story, it not only looks like shit, but tastes like it, too! ^_^ not a bad deal for $40 + shipping & handling. *[o_O]*

xoxox.

*meme: pronounced "meem" ~ urbandictionary has a definition if you're interested.

brb

2009-04-22T19:30:00.002-04:00

i have gotten a few comments lately asking, basically, "wtf?!?"

nothing has happened to me or anything, but i have just been feeling uber meh lately. add to that the resources required for a food blog, and well... i will be back soon, but i just don't know when. i am hoping sooner rather than later.

thanks for caring, my bloggies! ^_^ see you all soon!

OMG TRUFFLES!

2009-04-02T16:43:00.005-04:00

WOWZA!!! the harry & david pick-me-up i have been waiting for just arrived, courtesy of my blog buddy, tugboat...

i briefly considered being "good" and ordering the sugar-free chocolates, but quickly nixed that plan to order the sale-priced truffles: 2 1-pound boxes of assorted truffles for about the cost of one box. i am giving one box to B. b/c it's just too much temptation, but the other box is all mine mwah ha haha!

i especially needed this today not only b/c of bill/money worries (what's new) but also b/c i was rudely awakened by some KILLER stomach cramps at around 5.30am. the short story: too many radishes are a bad, bad thing. look at them, sitting there all innocent: pure evil in a pretty pink skin!

i am famous ~ in my own lil world, anyway ~ for my stomach-o-iron... i can usually handle a lot of weird food and/or food bacteria w/ little-to-no problem, but these cramps were so bad that i couldn't breathe; my whole torso was stiff w/ the cramping and i seriously almost passed out. it was bad and it lasted for about an hour. i also got a not-so-nice irl depiction of the phrase "pale & green w/ nausea"... definitely one of those situations where i was praying to vomit and get it over with, but my body was having none of that shit.

anywho, i was pretty tired and worn out from that ordeal, only to have money shiz come knock me in the face right after the majority of the cramping eased... and all this before 7am!!! needless to say, it was a hard morning, LOL. luckily, i have AMAZING friends and the day picked up considerably, only to be topped off w/ a delivery of delish chocolate from the ups man. and to answer the question i am sure you're all thinking: yes, i have tried one of each flavor, but then put them away hoping the whole "out of sight, out of mind" thing will kick in. :D

thanks again, tugboat: you're a doll! xoxox @ you!!!

(LOLcat courtesy icanhazcheezburger.com)

the strategic shopper, wk 2/pt 3

2009-03-26T17:01:00.010-04:00

homemade ravioli: what a fab way to close out the week! :)) well, technically, i used asian ingredients and italian technique, so i don't know whether to call these "wontons" or "ravioli". i think i'll stick w/ ravioli, LOL.

honestly, i was really surprised how well these came out... i worked the concept out in my head, but i used a product that is new to me: extra soft tofu. i wasn't sure that it would mimic ricotta cheese the way i hoped. long story short: the extra soft tofu was a DREAM and had the exact cheese-ravioli texture i thought it would. the most surprising factor: these ravioli are JUST SHY of vegan! there are some egg yolks way down on the wonton skin's ingredient list, but other than that, the entire dish had no animal products. this was a personal first for me. ^_^ anyway, the only new thing i purchased for these ravioli was the extra soft tofu which i found for $1.29 at the international market.

ravioli:

~ 1 cup boca meatless crumbles, frozen

~ 1/4 c finely minced lemon grass

~ 1 extra large (4 regular) radish, finely diced

~ 1 1-inch piece of ginger, finely diced

~ 1/4 finely minced scallion, white part preferred

~ 1 tsp fish sauce

~ 1 T sriracha sauce (or to taste)

~ 3 T (approx) of well-drained extra soft tofu (see today's tips)

~ kosher salt, black pepper

~ approx 20 each square wonton skins

~ water, to seal

1. mix the first 9 ingredients together in a bowl. set aside. the mixture should be relatively tight and keep its shape when pressed.

2. working w/ one wonton skin, place 1 tsp of filling on the pasta. to make triangular wontons, place wonton on the work surface so that one corner is pointing towards you. put the filling just above horizontal center, wet the edges of the pasta w/ water, and match the corners up, pressing to seal. to make half-moons, a flat side of the wonton skin should be facing you, but do everything else the same. once the pasta is sealed, use a cutter to remove excess wonton.

3. place in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze. (see today's tips.)

i served my ravioli steamed and hot w/ a quick cucumber salad and a vinaigrette made from the salad liquid. these could also be served fried, cold, in a soup, or w/ a heavier sauce. they would also be good as a garnish in a vietnamese cold noodle bowl (i always get the one w/ egg roll pieces anyway).

super basic cucumber salad:

~ english cucumbers, seeded and thinly sliced (if you prefer, you can skin them, but i don't.)

~ enough seasoned rice wine vinegar to cover

1. put both ingredients in a tupperware container and let sit for at least 24 hrs before using. (see today's tips.)

2. to make the vinaigrette, i just whisked some of the cuc vinegar into some oil w/ a little salt and pepper then tossed the hot ravioli in it.

TODAY'S TIPS:

1. when i opened the pouch of extra-soft tofu, the first thing i wanted to do was try it, so i squirted a tablespoon or so into a small bowl. it's a good thing i sampled it b/c i immediately noticed how watery the product is, despite its great, mayonnaise-y texture. i decided right then and there to strain it before i used it, the same way i would yogurt. i just squirted the entire tube into a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl, covered the tofu w/ plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and stored it in my fridge. i have kept mine stored just like that since then, but i would recommend leaving it like that for at least a day or so.

2. these ravioli need to be frozen solid before cooking b/c the wonton skin is more delicate that semolina pasta. also, once they are frozen on the sheet tray, they can easily be stored in a ziploc bag and cooked as needed. below is a slide show of my ravioli production.

3. another, quicker way to do a cucumber salad is to bring the two ingredients to a boil over a medium-high flame. once a boil is reached, transfer the contents to a bowl to cool and store in the fridge. the only reason i don't do my cucumber salad this way most of the time is b/c it changes the texture; i like my cucumber salad a little on the crisp side. also, i leave the cucumber skins on is b/c it imparts a nice "green" flavor to the salad liquor, which i love.

this post is a great segue into next weeks TSS item... but i'm not telling! :D

thanks for reading, bbs! xoxox.

padma lakshmi's (newest) pr0n

2009-03-26T14:13:00.004-04:00

yet another reason to hate padma...

i especially love the "i've probably tasted EVERY flavor..." line and the "culinary expert" tag. you're not convincing, pad.

anywhore, i guess dating a billionaire doesn't pay as well as one would think, LOL.

(video via ToureX via ADFREAK)

the strategic shopper, wk 2/pt 2

2009-03-26T13:13:00.006-04:00

spaghetti sauce FTW ~ not photogenic in any sense of the word, but soooo NOM!

i *LOVE* pasta and red sauce... i never get tired of it AND it stretches like crazy; however, the stuff in jars is just too damned expensive (and heavy ~ i walk to and from the grocery store), even when it IS on sale. i especially like to make my sauce w/ the meatless crumbles because it makes the whole process quicker, healthier, and leaves my apartment smoke-less.

i used a lot of ingredients that i had leftover from last week's shopping, as well as an item or two picked up when i bought the boca meatless crumbles. here's the recipe:

~ 1 whole white onion, chopped

~ 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

~ 2 T olive oil

~ 1 bag (8 oz) frozen mushrooms

~ 1/2 bag (4 oz) frozen green peppers

~ 1 12-oz can tomato paste + 2 cans hot water

~ 2 T oregano

~ 2 bay leaves

~ 1 T porcini flour

~ mrs. dash, kosher salt, black pepper

~ 1/2 bag (6 oz) boca meatless crumbles

1. heat the oil on medium high and saute the onion and garlic until browned.

2. add the frozen veggies and cook until all the water is evaporated ~ 7-10 minutes.

3. while the veggies are cooking, mix the water into the tomato paste whisking out any lumps. will be the approximate consistency of tomato sauce.

4. when the water is completely evaporated from the frozen veggies, add the tomato sauce and all the spices. turn heat to low and cook, covered, for 20-30 min.

5. add the meatless crumbles and cook for a further 10 min or until the crumbles are heated throughly.

look, i'll level w/ you... i know i am supposed to be all cheffy and say that "only the freshest tomatoes" or "high-quality canned, whole tomatoes" are the only proper base for red sauce, but let me tell you: they don't work. i have tried many, endless variations in the quest for the perfect marinara; tomato sauce gives me the best texture as well as proper sauce-to-pasta adherence. i use diluted tomato paste instead of canned tomato sauce only b/c one can of tomato paste is a lighter load on my mile-long trek than 3-4 cans of tomato sauce. also, tomato paste is more of a kitchen multi-tasker than tomato sauce, imho.

i didn't post this yesterday b/c of blogger's date blunder on the outage announcement, so i apologize. i will be back tomorrow w/ the last ~ and less phoned-in ~ boca meatless crumbles entry.

thanks for reading, bbs! ^_^

trefoil trifles

2009-03-23T21:59:00.004-04:00

courtesy of B., i made one of the BEST and EASIEST desserts ever tonight... i have dubbed them "trefoil trifles", LMAO!!!

before tonight, i had yet to have even ONE girl scout cookie this season. imagine my very pleased surprise when B. brought some of my favorite g.s.c., trefoils, and some beautifully ripe strawberries for our dessert. While careening around atlanta, we decided to add sugar-free vanilla jell-o pudding packs and heavy cream to the mix; back home, i brought them all together in stemless wineglasses, et voila!

for one trefoil trifle:

~ 1 sugar-free vanilla pudding cup

~ 1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped

~ just as many strawberries as your heart desires

~ 6-8 cookies, crumbled (yeah, it's a lot, but they're not as substantial when crumbled)

1. starting w/ cookie, layer each ingredient, one after the other, ending w/ cookie. top w/ strawberry garnish.

2. allow to stand, covered, either at room temperature for 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours. enjoy!

i surmise that if i replaced the homemade whipped cream w/ a fat-free or sugar-free cool whip, and ginger snaps for the trefoils, the shortcake trifle would have even LESS calories. very awesome and totally satisfying... :))

thanks for reading, bbs! xoxox.

the strategic shopper, wk 2/pt 1

2009-03-22T17:28:00.007-04:00

so... this week's ingredient is... (insert drumroll here)

tada! boca meatless ground crumbles!

i know they might seem like sort of a "blah" choice, but they were on sale (2 12-oz bags for $6) and i like meatless crumbles so there! :-P LOL. as you all know from week one, i am in no way a vegetarian, but my kitchen gives space to veggie-loving elements (meatless crumbles, soy milk, tofu) and carnivore-friendly ingredients (actual meat, cow's milk, the occasional pat of butter) equally.

a note on price: i know that $6 for 24 oz of protein is a pretty high cost per ounce ~ $0.25 ~ but i justify the purchase b/c soy protein has zero shrinkage. in a nutshell, shrinkage is an food inventory-management term that takes into account mass lost in the cooking process. a food-shrinkage equation illustrates the ratio of price per unit of raw product versus price per unit of cooked, edible product. basically, it helps chefs calculate cost-effectiveness and profit margin on different foods. every animal-based protein has shrinkage: the fat melts and the water evaporates, while the bones and cartilage are left on the diner's plate. i don't want to get TOO nerdy on you right now, but basically the best way to avoid throwing your money down the drain ~ literally ~ is to buy lean meats. sure, fattier meats almost always have a prettier price tag, but buying 80/20 ground chuck (80% protein, 20% fat) guarantees a minimum of twenty percent of it is getting thrown out. and a lot of sale meats have an even higher fat content than that. i try to use as much lean meat as possible, but i also recognize that some things are just better w/ fat: pot roast, meat loaf, duck, etc. ok, enough geek-speak for one post!!! (PS: sorry i couldn't post a link to illustrate this point better, but wiki doesn't have an entry for food-related shrinkage. i just put it the way i remember it from culinary school, but comment questions are welcome.)

sorry. ^_^ now on to the fun(ner) stuff, LOL.

in addition to the boca crumbles, i spent about $10 more dollars this week at publix for:

~ 1 can kidney beans

~ 1 can garbanzo beans

~ 1 jar salsa

~ 1 3-pack of romaine lettuce

~ 1 16-oz bag of vegetable gumbo frozen veggie mix (onions, red pepper, corn, okra)

for boca crumbles part one, i decided to make a meatless vegetable beef soup... the warm weather is creeping closer and although i am ready for it, i also know that my soup-making days are numbered, LOL. vegetable beef soup is traditionally broth-based, but i like thicker soups, so mine has a veloute (light roux + water/stock) base instead.

vegetable beef-less soup

~ 1 T butter

~ 1 T oil

~ 1 cup of mirepoix i had left from last week's chicken

~ 2 large cloves of garlic, smashed

~ 2 T flour (pastry is best, but ap is fine, too)

~ 1/2 cup tomato paste dissolved in:

~ 2 qt hot water

~ 1 cup vegetable gumbo mix

~ 2 T salsa

~ 1/2 can each of kidney and garbanzo beans, well-rinsed

~ 1 cup frozen corn

~ 1/2 tsp cumin

~ 1/2 tsp coriander

~ 1 tsp powdered onion and garlic

~ 1 T porcini flour

~ 1/2 tsp chili powder

~ mrs. dash, kosher salt, black pepper TT (to taste)

~ 6 oz boca meatless crumbles

1. heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat. add the mirepoix and garlic and saute until slightly browned.

2. add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes.

3. whisk in the tomato paste/water combination slowly (see "today's notes"), ensuring that there are no lumps.

4. once the soup base is smooth, add in all the other ingredients EXCEPT the meatless crumbles. bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

5. once the soup is boiling, put the lid on and turn the heat down to low. cook for 30 min to an hour, stirring every once in a while.

6. add the boca crumbles, stir, and cook, covered, for 15 more minutes.

TODAY'S TIPS:

1. roux. what can i say? it can be a bitch to work with sometimes, but it is ALWAYS worth the effort... the roux i used to thicken the soup ~ blonde ~ is the easiest of the three types (blonde, brown, and dark), but if you're unfamiliar w/ the process, it can be troublesome, so... a good rule of thumb for light roux is to use a one to one ratio of flour to fat. the darker the roux, the less thickening power it has, so the darker the roux, the higher the ratio of flour:fat. another point to remember is that room temperature liquid should be incorporated into hot roux (or vice versa). also, i don't care which recipe says what, i always add my liquid in small stages. in this soup's case, it was four increasingly-large additions, whisking the base until completely smooth before adding more. the thing is, if the roux lumps up before all the liquid is added, those lumps will NEVER come out.

2. pastry (aka "cake") flour is the best when making roux b/c it has the highest starch content. not only is the starch the thickening agent in a roux, but it is also what browns, adding intensity to darker roux. again, because i made a blonde roux, flour choice isn't all that important, which is why all-purpose flour is fine for this recipe, too.

3. this recipe is very versatile: the tomato paste/water combination can be removed and replaced w/ wine, stock, cream, or some combination thereof; actual meat can be replaced for the crumbles; any vegetable can be replaced w/ any other (except in the case of mirepoix) as the cook sees fit.

this recipe made a LOT of soup ~ almost three quarts worth ~ which is a good thing when you're feeding a big family or want leftovers. i garnished mine w/ scallions b/c i love them, but this soup has a slightly tex-mex tang, so i would also encourage a cornbread accompaniment. :))

TUNE IN ON WEDNESDAY FOR PART TWO...

until then: thanks for reading, bbs!!! xoxox.

great chefs

2009-03-22T12:40:00.009-04:00

i *LOVE* "great chefs"!!! (main website here.)

sometimes i feel like i'm the only one who remembers what an amazing moment in television "great chefs" (and its sister show, "great chefs international") was. i know that can't possibly be true, but even if it is, i have to give respect to what was one of the most formative shows of my childhood. i may have spent my earlier years parked in front of pbs, but as i got older ~ say 10 to 13 or so ~ "great chefs" was my show-of-choice. i remember it coming on the travel channel for two hours in the post-school afternoon: 2 "great chefs" followed by 2 "great chefs international". my brother and i watched religiously and there were few days that i missed my mini-marathon.

the g.c. camera crew travelled to restaurants all over north america, europe, and south america, bringing their audience three dishes in thirty minutes: appetizer, entree, and dessert. each segment featured a different chef in a different restaurant and more often than not, the chefs were in separate cities or countries. the show was then edited together to present one fabulous three-course meal.

i have to confess that i really preferred "great chefs international" (it might have been "great chefs of the world"), but neither show has a heavy web presence which is supremely disappointing. there is a youtube channel w/ entire 22-minute episodes of "great chefs"; however, i couldn't post a video here b/c the channel disabled embedding. (a lot of youtube channels that post tv shows disable embedding, comments, and ratings to fly under the radar; i understand their motivation, but i am still sad.) i encourage you all to go to their main youtube channel,or check out some of my personal faves, below:

~ great chefs, great cities episode #177

this episode features an entree by a young hubert keller in the kitchen of fleur de lys (both of which have been featured on top chef).

~ great chefs, great cities episode #175

y'all might think i chose this episode for roy yamaguchi (appetizer), but i absolutely did not. the croquembuche that chef jean-luc creates at the end of the episode is a top-notch demo. seriously, he fricking STICKS HIS FINGERS in visibly-boiling sugar: only hardcore pastry chefs can do that! :))

~ great chefs, great cities episode #118

episode 118 made my top three because of the appetizer from chef-instructor alain sailhac and the unique ingredients used in elka gilmore's entree (above).

just hearing the corny-ish theme song and the commentator's formal savannah accent make me nostalgic and happy. more than that, though, "great chefs" introduced me to professional cooking and i fell in love with kitchen life on the spot. watching these men and women create dishes quickly and competently... well, there is just no substitute for that.

the show has very little time editing and there are certainly no switch-outs. these chefs were also working with a lot of completely foreign ingredients, but by watching and listening, i learned the proper way to use them all. even when i entered culinary school at 24, the demos from 'great chefs' were my secret ace-in-the-hole; i was familiar with ingredients and techniques some of the other students hadn't even heard of. a few i remember specifically are: why/how to use caul fat, what it means to temper chocolate, and a folding technique that left my baking instructor pleased as punch.

i couldn't find my all-time favorite ep, but it was one in which a mandoline-wielding chef cut the hell out of his middle finger while discussing why one should be VERY CAREFUL while using a mandoline, LOL. thank you: lesson learned, sir. it's funny now, but i remember being shocked at the time and a little surprised that it wasn't fully edited out... i mean, can you imagine if that happened on the set of a foodnetwork show? pssh! *rolls eyes* anyway, "great chefs" showed the chef talking and the very first moment he cut himself (sans blood), then cut away to let the commentator explain what happened. the segment re-started at the same step with a well-bandaged chef more carefully prepping his vegetable (potatoes, i think). i can imagine that these shows were filmed during prep-time, either before or after lunch, and the chefs would've had little time for retakes. but this boils down precisely what i loved about the show: it never pandered and it wasn't sanitized.*** instead, the audience got to be a fly-on-the-wall in some of the best kitchens of the time ~ an experience which included getting cut or making mistakes and moving the hell on.

the techniques from "great chefs" still hold up today, despite the fact that food trends and plating styles have certainly evolved. seriously, if you haven't seen it, go lose yourself in an episode or two: i promise you will learn something new!

*** (LONG-ISH) SIDEBAR: i had a tweet "conversation" yesterday w/ ana marie cox (@anamariecox) about how impossibly dumbed-down ~ to the point of being offensive ~ foodnetwork is...

while watching the neely's on foodnetwork, ana tweeted:

and i responded with:

... as you can see, ana concurred:

she went on to say more and re-tweet others who echoed her sentiments, and i was overjoyed to find that FOR ONCE i wasn't the only one incredibly irritated by the foodnetwork. after the tweet exchange, i was doubly happy that i chose to feature "great chefs" today. the chefs on this show were not coached-to-death puppets making desperate ploys for "brand marketing" deals...

the beauty of "great chefs" lay in the fact that some chefs were gregarious while others were visibly uncomfortable in front of the camera. it was always okay, though, b/c the FOOD was the driving force of the show (gasp!). sadly, foodnetwork has taken the fire and elegance out of food-related television: it's literally unwatchable imho. i miss "great chefs" terribly, but god forbid those foodnetwork bitches try to remake it and ruin all my childhood cooking memories. (the real "iron chef" [now aired on the fine living network] and its crappy FN remake, anyone? one word: YUCK!)***

anywho, sorry this post was so long, bbs, but "great chefs" was too formative for me not to give it a proper nod!

as always, thanks for reading! xoxox.

i haz a win!

2009-03-21T10:04:00.004-04:00

OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE IT... I *WON* SOMETHING!

and it was something pretty damned cool, too: a basket from harry & david!

(SIDEBAR: i don't know which one i am getting ~ i don't really give a damn, either, b/c any one will be amazing ~ but here is a link to the basket david got... if mine has even half this amount of haul, i will be one lucky bitch!)

i won the basket via a new blog buddy, known by his handle, tugboat, but also known as sam. :)) i found him via david dust's bunny of the week award (as usual, the dust bunny nation rox my sox) and i am ever so glad i did. i mean, who has better stories than a truck driver?!? no one, that's who! :)) go check out his blog and follow if you don't already...

as tugboat says: let's ride hoes! xoxox!!!

the strategic shopper, wk. 1/pt. 3

2009-03-19T16:30:00.005-04:00

the final chicken chapter! :)) click here for week one, part one and HERE for part two.

oh, and this is also my hundredth post ~ time to put on my party hat, bitches! LOL!

i decided to make wraps w/ the last breast of chicken... i was going to wait and do this preparation for week-after-next's TSS, but it's so warm out today i couldn't resist. :D in general, this dish is a play on lettuce wraps, but i used wonton skins (pack of 100 - $1.29) instead of lettuce; the method i used to make the wonton wrappers was inspired by scallion pancakes and potstickers (see recipes).

TODAY'S TIPS:

1. lemongrass ~ keeps well in the freezer for 4-6 months and can be grated w/ a microplane while still frozen. i keep my ginger and jalepenos the same way b/c i don't use either enough to warrant keeping them in the fridge.

2. i used a travel-sized spritzer bottle to wet the wonton wrappers. it was the perfect amount of moisture and i didn't have to get my fingers wet.

3. to cook the scallion wrappers, i pulled from the technique used when making pot stickers. basically, you cook the skins over a pretty high heat until they stick to the bottom of the pan, then toss in some hot water and cover to finish cooking and unstick the wonton from the pot. :)) it's really easy, but b/c i started w/ oil in my pan, i recommend turning the heat *OFF* when you add the water b/c the oil will splatter. if you use a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron works best) and a very tight lid, you won't even have to turn the heat back on.

4. besides rooster sauce, i like to keep a bottle of fish sauce in my fridge (i highly recommend squid brand). in fact, i keep a lot of asian-influenced condiments around the house b/c they have long shelf-lives and cut down on expense when i am craving something from the eastern hemisphere! =)

for the wrap filling:

~ 1 chicken breast, minced

~ 1-2 tsp each black and white sesame seeds

~ 1/4 white onion, thinly sliced

~ 1/2 green pepper, chopped

~ 2-inch piece of lemongrass, grated/minced

~ zest of one lemon

~ 1-inch piece of ginger, grated/minced

~ minced cilantro

~ 2 tsp coriander

~ 1/2 tsp garam masala

~ 2 tsp fish sauce

~ 1/2 tsp five-spice powder

~ kosher salt, mrs. dash, black pepper, oil

1. heat a little oil in the pan and add the sesame seeds and dried spices. cook, stirring, until the white sesame seeds are light brown.

2. add the onions and green peppers and cook just until the onions are just translucent.

3. add the chicken, lemon zest, lemongrass, and ginger to the pan. cook over med-high heat until everything is combined.

4. finish w/ fish sauce, salt (or soy sauce), mrs. dash, and pepper. set aside.

you'll also need some garnitures for the wraps... i used shredded romaine lettuce and thinly-sliced celery b/c it's what i had, but you could also use julienned red peppers, carrots, or cabbage as well as basil or cilantro leaves, lime wedges, thinly-sliced jalepeno, etc.

(sidebar) the name of the wonton skin made me giggle: "nanka siemen." it sounds like something a foreign hooker might say to her john: "nanka siemen, please mr. john." LMAO. ok, sorry, i have a dirty mind! ^_^

for the wrappers:

~ 8-10 squares of wonton skin (2 skins will make one wrapper)

~ minced scallion

~ 1 tsp oil

~ 1/4 c. hot water (approx.)

1. the wonton skins have one side that is more heavily floured; those are the sides you want facing each other. so take one wonton skin and place it on the board, floured side up.

2. spray liberally w/ water and top w/ a few minced green onions.

3. take one more wonton skin and place it on top of the green onions.

4. working quickly from the inside of the square out, tap the top wonton skin down on the first one, making sure to work all the air bubbles out. press firmly around the edges to seal (lift and spray more water if they don't stick).

5. heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet until shimmering. make one layer of the scallion wrappers in the pan and cook until they stick to the pan.

6. turn off the flame, add the water in the middle of the pan and cover w/ a tight-fitting lid for 2-3 minutes until done.

each person will need 4-5 wrappers and my recipe made enough for two people to eat a heavy meal, but will also feed 3-4 people lightly.

to build each chicken wrap, i started w/ a scallion wrapper, added a little celery, the chicken mixture, and topped w/ some shredded romaine. i tied each one w/ a strip of parchment paper, but that was just b/c i had to take pics, LOL. i think it would be more fun to build-as-you-go like you do w/ lettuce wraps in restaurants.

i LOVE rooster sauce (aka sriracha sauce) and always have some in my fridge, so that's what i dipped my wraps in ~ i prefer to make due w/ what i have instead of buying one thing for one recipe, ugh! you could also serve these wraps w/ hoisin, a soy-based dipping sauce, a quick peanut sauce, or even sweet chili sauce.

so... TSS week one is over! all-in-all, i think i got my money's worth out of that $3 chicken, and i only spent about $30 in groceries overall, half of which i still have in my fridge.

what do y'all think: should i continue? :))

vive le cult!

2009-03-17T16:10:00.002-04:00

wow, the strategic shopper got a shout-out!

thanks to david dust for being the most supportive blog buddy ever! in fact, at least half my followers come courtesy of the dust bunny nation... :)) thank god for top chef: chicago which brought us together all those months ago!

love you, david! xoxox!!!

happy saint patty's day!!!

2009-03-17T11:03:00.002-04:00

i hope everyone eats a lot!!!

i was looking for a st. patrick's food to post here ~ originally i wanted a cupcake ~ but came across this spam musubi and just couldn't help using it instead... another great choice would've been carla's green eggs and ham, LOL. probably the greenest thing i will eat today is some scallion aioli. :D i don't even have anything green to wear... oops, i take that back, i have a green dress, but it's too summery to wear on this (still slightly chilly) spring day.

oh well.

i'll either get pinched or stay home. or tie a fucking tree branch to my butt. i'll figure it out. :))

be safe, bbs! xoxox.

the strategic shopper, w1/p2

2009-03-16T21:59:00.004-04:00

in part one of 'the strategic shopper', i started w/ a whole fryer chicken cooked in a crock pot. that night, i had the drumsticks with some spinach and broccoli for dinner. tonight i got SLIGHTLY fancier, but not really, LOL.

i sliced one of the chicken breasts and made a warm salsa with:

~ 1/2 can black beans, rinsed well

~ 1 c. frozen corn

~ 2 cloves garlic

~ sliced scallions

~ chopped cilantro

~ 2 T salsa

~ kosher salt

~ black pepper

~ olive oil

1. saute the onions and garlic in the oil until slightly browned.

2. add beans, corn, scallions, and cilantro. cook until the corn is slightly browned.

3. turn off the heat and fold in the salsa.

i plated it w/ half a ripe avocado to look pretty for y'all. :)) unfortunately, it's not very realistic, budget-wise, so i ended up turning it into a warm pasta salad by boiling 1/3 box of whole wheat pasta and tossing the salsa, noodles, chicken, a little more oil, and avocado together. pasta streeeeetches that dollar, LOL ~ i ended up with enough for 3 meals instead of just one.

... and i still have one chicken breast i need to use. hmmmm. i wonder what i'll make? hint: it will involve wonton skins for sure, LOL.

TUNE IN THURSDAY FOR PART THREE!

thx for reading, bbs. xoxox.

yan can cook

2009-03-15T18:28:00.004-04:00

last sunday, i posted a julia child video which got me thinking about just how many cooking shows i watched as a kid (shocker, i know)... in part, i watched cooking shows simply b/c i am a pbs baby and had a mom who loved them. part of me, though, has always been infatuated with cooking shows b/c i love to find out how things are made or how they work. as corny as it is, i still secretly watch "unwrapped" on FN just for the factory scenes! :)) i can STILL remember an episode of sesame street where they visited the hershey kiss factory, LOL. it's also probably why i have a geeky soft spot for all things food science...

next to "cooking with julia", my favorite show is "yan can cook". when he's working, i just can't take my eyes off him... hell, if i DID, i'd miss half of his prep, LOL. yan is lightening fast! if you blink, you won't see what he's doing; plus, he makes it look EASY, which is really hard. while my brother was living in austin, he got to meet yan AND he scored an autographed chinese cleaver! color me jealous... to this day, my brother is obsessed w/ that knife: says it's the best in his kitchen. (sidebar: my mom's kitchen-knife-of-choice was also a cleaver and i use my vegetable cleaver like crazy [pictured here: #3]... maybe it's a familial trait, LOL?)

i can't wait til next sunday b/c i already know which show i am going to post about... i wonder how many other people will remember it, though. we'll see! ;D

thx for reading bbs! xoxox

why julia is a genius...

2009-03-08T12:54:00.006-04:00

julia is sooo major!!! the above video is why i am so snobby about which celebrity "chefs" i bother acknowledging... you have to give julia MUCH credit for cooking eggs in real-time: something pretty much unheard of on the cooking channel, no matter WHAT they're cooking... in the second part of this (classic) episode, she makes a mistake on one of the omelets and not only keeps on rolling, but tells the viewer how to fix it should we make a mistake, LOL. julia kept it real and i loves that; if i were ever going to do a cooking show, it would be web-based (today's public broadcasting) and realistic, like mrs. child's show was. she is fierce to death (not to mention a leo, like me ;-] )...

bow down and worship, bbs! xoxox.

the strategic shopper ~ week one/part one

2009-03-14T13:19:00.011-04:00

so i decided on "the strategic shopper" as the name for this series... david dust's suggestion of "sloppy seconds" WAS hilarious, just not all that appetizing LMAO. besides, when i go to the store, i buy items based on how i can reuse them. not that i map out every meal for every day ~ not even CLOSE ~ but just: "leftover shortribs would be good in this or prepared like that." the strategic shopper sums up the totality of my concept, though i admit it's not the catchiest title in the world, LOL.

this week, the main item i'm working with is a whole fryer chicken ($3!).

here's what else i bought:

~ 1 bag frozen corn* (see #5, today's tips)

~ 1 bag frozen green peppers*

~ 1 bag frozen mushrooms*

~ 1 bag celery

~ 2 onions

~ 3 lemons

~ 2 bunches scallions

~ 1 large bunch of cilantro

~ 2 avocados

~ a dozen eggs

~ 1 large can tomato paste

~ 1 can black beans

~ 2 boxes shredded wheat (obv not being used in meals, LOL, but they were b.o.g.o.!)

of course, i'll use the stuff already in my fridge, too, but the above list was about $25.

TODAY'S TIPS:

1. i have seen lots of ideas for keeping herbs fresh ~ stand them in water, wrap them in dampened paper towels ~ but none of those worked for me. it's antithetical to every tip i've ever heard about herb-storage, but i pre-mince them. I KNOW! sounds like crazy-talk, right? if i didn't know first-hand that it works, i'd agree w/ you. i chop the herbs/scallions and place them in a plastic container lined w/ a well-dampened coffee filter. i put another wet coffee filter on top of the chopped herbs and put the lid on. they last for 5-7 days in the fridge like this, no jokes. if you notice them begin to dry out a little, just re-dampen the top filter.

2. OH! i almost forgot: make good use of the stems on succulent herbs (parsley, cilantro)... i finely mince them and mix them right along w/ the leafy bits ~ they have an incredible amount of flavor ~ or keep them whole to flavor soups and stocks.

3. this is prob something everyone does, but when i am working w/ chicken, fish, or meat i always mix up the spices in a little bowl. that way, my habit of grabbing spices w/ my hands doesn't make a mess. :D

4. prick the chicken skin w/ a fork, especially in the fattiest areas like the back and thighs. if you are roasting your chicken in a pan on a rack, pour a layer of kosher salt in the bottom of the pan to catch the fat and prevent flare-ups and/or the embarrassment of your smoke alarm going off. if you aren't using a rack, just line the pan w/ mirepoix.

5. i only buy frozen veggies that have one ingredient (corn, mushrooms, etc), so i can avoid hidden salt or sugar wherever possible. lucky for me, the publix brand not only meets this criteria, but is also the cheapest available to me.

anywho: the chicken. as y'all know, my oven hath forsaken me, but i figured if i can bake a cake or a lasagna in my crock pot, i can damn sure do a whole chicken! ^_^ thinking through the process, i decided to line the crock w/ my "mirepoix" (mirepoix-based, with changes) to keep the fatty juices away from the chicken. alone, i figured they'd produce enough liquid to keep the mixture from burning to the bottom of the pot.

for "mirepoix":

~ 2 medium carrots

~ leafy tops from the bag of celery

~ 1 onion, chopped

~ 2 lemons, in 1/2-inch slices

~ 3 T chopped cilantro

~ 1 one-inch piece of ginger, smashed

~ 3 large garlic cloves, smashed

~ scallions, chopped (white portion from both bunches only)

~ left over spice rub

1. chop everything roughly and mix together in the bowl of the crock.

2. use some of the mirepoix to fill the chicken's cavity.

for the spice rub:

* i don't measure spices, sorry. :)) i just do it to taste. *

~ kosher salt

~ black pepper

~ mrs. dash

~ porcini flour

~ oregano flakes

~ garlic powder

~ ground dill

~ cumin

1. mix together in a small bowl and rub on the rinsed, dried, oiled chicken skin. be sure to season the chicken cavity, too.

i put the seasoned chicken on top of the mirepoix and covered the crock pot w/ heavy-duty foil. (the pot was too full for the lid to fit properly at first, but i wanted to keep the heat in.) so far, it has been on high for 4 hours, covered, and i had to drain it once. i reserved the juices to de-fat and use to make either a sauce tonight or later, a soup.

when the chicken is completely done, i'll update with the finished pics.

TUNE IN MONDAY FOR PART TWO! :-D

thanks for reading, bbs! as per usual, thoughts/suggestions are welcome, especially since i am just starting this series... xoxox.

UPDATE:

wow... crock pot chicken was a massive success! i know it looks terrible, but it is very, *VERY* good. i have never had something so tender that it literally fell apart, but as you can see, i couldn't even lift my poor chicken out of the crock pot w/ out it falling apart. i was happy that it got brown, too; i wasn't sure that it would. one of my favorite places to get chicken in atlanta is a place called eats on ponce b/c their chicken is well-seasoned and SO TENDER (not to mention CHEAP ~ half a chicken & 3 sides for $7). i am stoked that i inadvertently found their secret today: low and slow, like bbq! i love when an experiment pays off, LOL. i will def be making chicken like this again. FYI, i cooked the chicken for 6 hours on high: 4 hours covered and 2 hours with a spoon under the lid.

food additive vs. dietary supplement

2009-03-14T12:25:00.007-04:00

what's the difference between a food additive and a dietary supplement? well, glad you asked... it's simple really: one is ADDED to FOOD to increase it's shelf-life or performance; the other is used to SUPPLEMENT the nutrients in one's DIET... see? easy!

from wiki:

"Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavour or improve its taste and appearance. Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling (with vinegar), salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines. With the advent of processed foods in the second half of the 20th century, many more additives have been introduced, of both natural and artificial origin."

"A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids or amino acids, that are missing or are not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet. Some countries define dietary supplements as foods, while in others they are defined as drugs.

(emphasis mine)

ugh, sorry for the snarkiness on saturday my beautiful, darling bloggies... this morning, i came across one of the most terrifyingly idiotic foodie blogs i have ever seen ~ one that seems to be very popular, naturally *[o_O]* ... i refuse to name names or even link b/c specifics aren't really important.

unnamed blogger referred to lecithin as a "dietary supplement". at first, i was angry that some company was marketing lecithin, which has little-to-no nutritive value, as a miracle healing powder or something. then, i read more posts and realized that unnamed blogger simply did not realize that "food additive" and "dietary supplement" are not synonyms: that, i find fault with. not for NOT knowing, but for not caring enough to do five minutes of research and find out.

i mean, i am the first one to applaud people for getting in the kitchen and getting their hands dirty, but if you have a popular food blog, don't you have a responsibility to your friends and fans to at least TRY to be knowledgeable?!? unnamed blogger may or may not market themselves as an expert, but your readers will, to a certain degree, see you as such. idk, maybe that's just me, LMAO. :D

anywhore, thanks for reading bbs! xoxox

new blog series...

2009-03-13T15:46:00.004-04:00

this is one i have been mulling over for quite awhile... initially, i wanted to make this a video series, but in the interest of starting SOMEWHERE as opposed to never starting at all, well... i decided on serial posting instead, LOL.

basically, i will start the week w/ one main item ~ a roast or some chicken pieces ~ prepared one way. then, i'll do 2-3 more posts that week detailing how the main's leftovers can be repurposed into unique dishes.

i know we are ALL on a budget... i have a lot of fantastical ideas about posts i would LIKE to do: "michael laiskonis monday" is my current favorite. (for that series, i would go to chef l's kitchen workbook blog and recreate a recipe or two of his, documenting my trials and errors as i go.) unfortunately, as much as my chef side wants to big-spend on one or two spectacular dishes, i have no choice but to balance my blog life and my "real" life; my budget just doesn't have room for "throwaway meals", LOL.

so, the food i make for this new series may not be uber-fancy or mind-blowing, however, necessity IS the mother of invention, so i am looking forward to pushing myself to come up w/ some good (but cheap) ideas.

here's a great place to start... i have been pondering over people's "cheap eats" habits. for instance, i like to use most of my leftovers to make either one-pot fry-ups or soups. those are pretty run-of-the-mill choices, as are casseroles, but why not consider using leftovers to make a pizza? there are a billion and one toppings and sauces that taste good on a pizza dough and making it is as easy as pie (pun intended). plus, the ingredients are super cheap. ravioli would be another easy one ~ anything can be minced up for a filling. quiche is a great vehicle for a variety of flavors. another: a fritatta or an omelet, a total regular player in my kitchen.

ugh! if i only had an oven, LOL. i don't know what i am going to call this series quite yet ~ "strategic shopping"? "queen of the damned... leftovers"? idk. it doesn't exactly fall into the "eating down the fridge" foodie-blog meme in which participants abstain from food shopping for a week... well anyway, the tags might change later, but i am DEFINITELY starting tomorrow! hell, i already bought the chicken! ^_^

what do you think? xoxox.

as usual, anthony bourdain is a god.

2009-03-12T11:09:00.007-04:00

anthony bourdain ripping into cheflebrities... need i say more?

i came across this piece of hilarity via the no reservations facebook page... i don't feel the need to do anything more than quote a couple of my faves and encourage you to take five minutes to page through all 18 blurbs. anthony loves and hates w/ equal ferocity and it is oh-so funny! he even discusses Marco Pierre White (i feel the need to capitalize his name... perhaps b/c he will flay me alive if i do not) ~ known to the twitterverse as MWP ~ who is the centerpiece of the new nbc show, the chopping block. <~~~ click that link to watch the premiere ep, in case you missed it.

FOCUS! back to anthony... LOL.

so the two best anthony asskicks are delivered to sandra lee, the host of the exceptionally terrible semi-homemade, and temporary (god-willing) top chef judge, toby young. here's what tony had to say about these two asshats.

* on semi-homemade w/ sandra lee *

Anthony Bourdain: She makes her audience feel good about themselves. You watch her on that show and you think, "I can do that. That's not intimidating." All you have to do is waddle into the kitchen, open a can of crap and spread it on some other crap that you bought at the supermarket. And then you've done something really special. The most terrifying thing I've seen is her making a Kwanzaa cake (<~~~ offending video footage). Watch that clip and tell me your eyeballs don't burst into flames. It's a war crime on television. You'll scream.

* on top chef generally and toby young specifically *

Anthony Bourdain: I'm a fan. I like watching the show, even at its worst. I like being on the show as a judge. I watch that show because Tom Colicchio makes that show for me. First of all, they ask the chefs to do very difficult things; it is a genuine challenge that requires people to dig really deep. From a professional point of view, it's exciting for me. It's a good quality competition. It's the best cooking competition on television by far. It's due entirely to Tom. He keeps the show straight; no producer is ever going to go up to Tom and say, "We can't send her home this week because she's cute or she's got a good backstory." By virtue of his personality and his impeccable credentials, Tom makes the show riveting viewing. Toby Young, what's up with that? He's an egregious add-on. They were looking for a snarky British guy, and Toby wrote a successful book that made a good case for his uselessness. He's lived up to that promise. (emphasis mine, of course.)

LMFAO ~ i loves it. anthony's pic comes courtesy of the original story. sandra lee's picture is from her foodnetwork profile page and toby's picture, well... that comes straight from hell. let's hope both he and it return home soon, LMAO!

thanks for reading bbs! ^_^

PUBLISHED, Y'ALL!

2009-03-11T17:42:00.006-04:00

... which is the first step to all my dreams coming alive. the next step is getting PAID to write something for a good-sized blog like bakespace! :))

i am not going to post the article here, i am going to give you the link and ask that you check it out on the bakespace site. if you are a total kitchen-head like me, bakespace is perfect for you as it is really thorough and has lots and lots of user-generated recipes and topics.

love you all! thx for reading! xoxox.

FLiP burger boutique

2009-02-28T15:09:00.018-05:00

FLiP burger boutique
1587 howell mill road, ATL, 30318
404.352.FLIP

what we ordered:
* me *
- turf and earth burger
- sweet potato tots
- pistachio white truffle milkshake
* B *
- butcher cut beef burger
- sweet potato tots
- nutella burnt-marshmallow milkshake
* shared *
- asparagus tempura

what i would like to try next time:
- either the turkey or lamburger
- the foie gras milkshake
- the sweetbread nuggets
- either the ginger margarita or the cream soda specialty drink
- bun mi burger (online menu) which is an interpretation of a vietnamese banh mi

in summation:

i usually hate going to trendy atlanta restaurants... in some ways, FLiP was no exception: a house packed w/ customers too pretty, rich, and well-shod for me to be included in their number; a "hip" club atmosphere complete w/ loud music and requisite shouting; white-dominated modern decor, etc etc. on the other hand, FLiP easily won me over, mainly b/c i still felt welcome and comfortable despite these factors.

first of all, i LIKED the decor, in spite of its sleekness ~ the designer walked well the fine line between snobby and homey. the finished product is IKEA-ish but in the most fabulous way. (in fact, i strongly suspect that some of the lighting fixtures, along w/ the tableware and the aluminum chairs, are in fact from IKEA. if so: kudos!) B. especially loved the white frames around the mirrors and flat-screen televisions at the bar. truthfully, though, i think my enjoyment had more to do w/ the attitude of the staff and the accessibility of the menu in general, both of which were reinforced by the low-ish prices and the stop-on-by no reservation policy.

of course i stole my copy of the menu. =D it is printed daily on just-above-regular grade paper, so i figured it wouldn’t be an issue. i included scanned jpegs here ~ front and back of a one-page menu ~ so you can click to enlarge or go to the website and download your own copy. as you will see, it’s very nostalgic and playful which i like a lot: the menu made me giggle. despite the fact that it's richard blais' place (he was highly-acclaimed in ATL awhile ago, but most will know him from top chef, season 4), i don’t think FLiP takes itself as serious as its customers do, if that makes any sense.

overall, i was happy w/ my experience @ FLiP... food-wise there were some things that i was meh about (see the “what i not-so-liked” section); however, i would go back at least a couple more times if for no other reason than to sate my curiosity about other menu items. that said, i would visit during early/late lunch mon-thur, NOT 7pm on a friday night, LMAO.

* UPDATE * i totally forgot that i blogged about FLiP long before it even opened...

(SIDEBAR) i really miss going to restaurants w/ other chefs... of course it’s fun going w/ “civilians”, but i can’t usually talk hardcore technique/theory even w/ serious foodies. unfortunately, my loverly readers, i am going to burden you w/ that information, LOL. feel free to skip it ~ that’s why i put the summary up there. ☝ ;D also, i took pictures at the time, but the sun was down and i was working w/ a crappy LED flash (see below)... they turned out as my worst pictures to date - which i suppose is an achievement in and of itself. oh well: another good reason to return! :)

what i loved:
~ the pistachio & white truffle milkshake. sounds like a strange combination, but the earthiness of the truffle oil is magical w/ the almond-y sweetness of pistachio ice cream. in addition, b/c the milkshake is (obv) cold, it deadens the intensity of the truffle oil at first, so the flavor sneaks up on you as the shake melts in your mouth. you don’t really get a full hit of it until AFTER you’ve swallowed: very well thought out. pistachio + white truffle + cold = a combo i will be filing in the “experiment with...” category.

~ actually, ALL the milkshakes really tickled my fancy... i would have liked to try all of them ~ a four-milkshake flight would be *HEAVEN*.

~ the kitch-happy selection of vintage, cane sugar-based sodas (see second page of menu) - cheerwine FTW!

~ other kitch-y touches: red & white paper boats for the tots (just like in school!), slurpee straws for the marshmallows in the shake (you know the one w/ a little spoon on the bottom?).

~ the contrast wall on the kitchen-side of the restaurant. i couldn’t get a pic in person, but the same pattern is used in the flash animation on the website, so i grabbed a screenshot. you’ll just have to imagine it wall-sized, LOL. ;)

~ the service. the f-o-h @ FLiP are casual-yet-formal: jeans & button ups paired w/ formal manners. (my FAVORITE kind of fusion, fyi. ^_^ i don’t want a lot of attitude, but i also don’t want a new bff, LOL.)

~ this is an odd one, but i loved the glass- and silverware: simple, traditional pint glasses ~ full-size for drinks and shakes, half-sized for fried sides; large-scale, heavy forks and knives.

~ B.’s burger, though well-done, was not even a little dry.

~ the sauce they serve w/ the tots is AMAZING... it’s basically a bleu cheese mousse. my theory on how they make it (keeping in mind i have never effed w/ the chemical side of the kitchen) is that they use liquid nitrogen to turn the bleu cheese into a powder, then toss that in a whipper w/ some cream and a stabilizer. it’s a luscious, creamy, straight-forward interpretation of a bleu: all the umami, none of the bite.

~ my turf and earth burger was really delicious and nuanced. there was a very strong mushroom flavor w/ citrus (i guessed orange) and thyme notes to balance it out. very, very good veggie-driven flavor.

what i not-so-loved:
~ b/c of the open, somewhat modern design, it is REALLY LOUD. like... almost club loud. me & B. had to shout @ each other across our teeny table. a portion of the noise was just b/c of the number of people and the music (not to mention that we were sitting right in front where the 40-odd people were waiting for a table), but a lot of it had to do w/ acoustics, too.

~ the tots. or rather: “tots”. i expected something at least tot-like - unbattered, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside - but got sweet potato tempura instead. my guess is that they mashed the taters, piped them, cut them into coins, froze and then battered them. this is really semantics: had i not been expecting something closer to a tater tot, i would not have been disappointed.

~ the fried stuff in general was a little disappointing b/c both the asparagus and the tots were sitting in little puddles of oil.

~ the dipping sauce that came w/ the asparagus was too salty... idk if they used ranch powder or what, but it was two clicks too salty for me. but that's my personal taste; for all i know, it's extra salty intentionally.

~ although the FLAVOR of my turf and earth was the best i have ever had in a veggie burger, the texture was off-putting. no, that’s wrong: the softness of the chopped “meat” would have been nice had it been formed into a cohesive patty somehow. that way, searing it on the flat top would have balanced the tenderness w/ a crunch. what i actually got was the texture of a chopped meat bbq sandwich; unfortunately, w/out the yummy beef collagen that helps bbq stick together, the inside of my burger was all over the place. it’s too bad you can’t use meat glue for something that should be veggie-lover friendly, LOL.

~ again, b/c of expectations set up by the menu, me & B. were a little disappointed in the nutella/marshmallow milkshake. it was a chocolate/hazelnut shake w/ bruleed mini marshmallows on top. it was good, but the burned taste wasn’t throughout the shake for obvious reasons... it would be cool if they could brulee some of the marshmallows to shit, powder and blend them in w/ the shake before topping w/ more burned mini-mallows. my theory ~ again keeping in mind that i know squat ~ is that the extra-burned powder would lend a light, toasted marshmallow flavor to the shake.

well, this was a really long one! :^) you might be surprised to know that i edited it down! anywho, thanks for reading bbs... xoxox

Top Chef vs. Hell's Kitchen

2008-04-04T10:27:00.015-04:00

I definitely prefer Top Chef to Hell's Kitchen; it is a more industry-centric show and has a lot more talent. This season, I am hoping and praying that Chef Richard Blaise wins. Not (only) because he is my ATL peep, but also because he is the first gastronome that they have had on the show that doesn't have a stick up his ass and his nose in the air. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate molecular gastronomy (food science is my professional hobby, for God's sake), but I also firmly believe that food has to be approachable. I can't stand it when a chef (especially an American one) acts as if his mom never fed him canned corn, casserole, or cheese whiz. I like Chef Blaise because unlike some other past molecular chefs on the show, he has neither forgotten his roots nor lost his derring-do. And he came out guns blazing. The first episode's quick fire, he did a Chicago-style deep dish pizza w/ peaches, chicken, and a sweet tea redux. Chef (Get-a-Real-Job-Stop-Bogartting-Top-Chef) DiSpirito said that he wasn't sure if the flavor combinations would work, but that Chef B just goes to show that in cooking, you can combine anything as long as you do it right. Which brings me to the actual topic of this post...

(Whoever watched the premiere ep of Hell's Kitchen and then the weekly ep of Top Chef, you'll know where I'm going w/ this.)

Because I don't make a point to watch Hell's Kitchen, I only saw snippets of it while the show I was really watching was on commercial, but I did happen to catch the part where Chef Ramsey threw up. ^_^ One of the contestants' signature dish was a duo of tartars: one venison, the other scallop. The chef didn't say too much about the venision, other than "raw venison", but the scallop dish left him gagging. The guy had topped his scallop tartar with shaved white chocolate and caviar. To be honest, I was rooting for the contestant because he took a big risk with those flavors, and if it paid off, he would be the hit of the episode. Unfortunately, he made the bad call to put capers in with everything else, and I think it just ended up as a nasty mish mash of flavors. Now, on Top Chef this week, Chef Blaise teamed up w/ two other chefs and created a Willy Wonka-themed first course of lightly-smoked salmon, faux caviar, with a savory white chocolate sauce. It didn't work out exactly as planned (which I think worked in their favor as it is only the 4th week and Chef B has used that smoker on 3 dishes), but it sure as hell worked! Their team won, and thinking about the Hell's Kitchen ep, I cracked up. I think the key differences were the execution, the balance of flavors, and last but not least, Chef B's team used FAUX (tapioca) caviar. Also, Chef B works with flavor combinations like that all the time, whereas the Hell's Kitchen guy seemed to be taking a not-so-calculated risk.

So what did I learn from juxtaposing these two episodes?

-- with food, you really can do anything

-- take risks, but make sure they're calculated risks

-- execution, balance, and flavor are paramount

Rainy day, restaurants, and my BFF

2008-04-14T23:43:00.004-04:00

I am so predictable! I swear, I could happily go to the same three places over and over again and guess what? Lucky me got to hit all three spots in the very same day! =) It is stinky weather here now, so any kind of out-of-doors activity is pretty much out, but I promised to help my friend w/ her resume, so we had to make it work somehow. The first place we hit was the lovely and delish Thumbs Up (instead of R. Thomas' b/c of the weather)... because it was after 1pm on a Monday, there was (shocker) no wait at all. I was pulled, as usual, toward the breakfast menu, but I have been trying really hard to eat healthy and I didn't want to ruin that. Also, I have never tried their lunch options, so I wanted to give it a shot, temptation be damned. I was not impressed. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't blow-me-out-of-the-water amazing like their breakfast is. I was glad there was no wait, and I love their cafe, so it was worth it, but I will stick to omelets and sausage in the future. Then we hit our fave coffee joint in Decatur, The Dancing Goat, and had the best latte in town. It was also half empty due to the day and weather, so we made out like bandits space-wise. What I treasure most about The Dancing Goat is that they have multiple huge tables w/ signs that say "please share this table space w/ your fellow customers". I love my Starbucks, but it drives me batty when a "single" is reading a book at one of only two large-size tables, and my big ass is stuck at a tiny table w/ my journal, a notebook, and my Sidekick fighting for space. So we hung at the Goat til it closed at 9pm and headed to Starbucks to finish our pow-wow. Across the way from my Starbucks is The Vortex, a frequent haunt of mine and my go-to late night spot, so we went there when Starbucks closed. I go because I know it will be good and I know it will be open, and what else do you need at 1am? Also, the drunks (read: the regular clientele) don't get out of control at The V b/c they know that they will A: get kicked out, and B: get banned. Furthermore, their hummus is killer, so is the Vortex Fondue, and they have a vast collection of local brews (I heart Sweetwater). So, yeah. The same spots I have talked up on my blog are the same spots I hit on a regular basis. I can't help it: I am a sucker for consistency. I know what to expect at these places... heck, my Starbucks is the American version of an English pub: I know who I'll see on a Saturday at noon, and I know who I'll see there every weeknight, too. Same goes for The Vortex; I don't necessarily know the servers by name, but I know who's new and who changed their hair. Gimme six more months, and I hope to say the same about The Dancing Goat and Thumbs Up, too.