popplers

Pass the kimchi

Today's Boston Globe has a feature on Korean food entitled Bap till you drop. They've even got step-by-step photos of how to make my fave dish, dolsot bibimbap. Yum!

And wicked cheap ice cream tomorrow!

Baskin-Robbins is doing their 31 Cent Scoop Night tomorrow (April 30th) to raise money for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Free ice cream today!

Thanks to Ben & Jerry:

Happy 30th, guys. Rock on.

What is the sound of one mind boggling?

I went into the kitchen to microwave my soup and wash some baby carrots. One of my cow-orkers was slicing up a cucumber and a tomato.

Me: Would you like some baby carrots?
Cow-orker (in horrified tone of voice): No, those have carbs!
Me: They're carrots!
Second cow-orker: No one ever got fat from eating carrots.

For the record, a 1 cup serving contains:
Cucumbers: 1.89 g of carbohydrates
Carrots: 11.69 g of carbohydrates
Tomatoes: 7.06 g of carbohydrates

I thought the Atkins madness had ended.

Burn, baby, burn

The Globe did a yummy "Buffalo shrimp" taste-test, rating the fine offerings from Redbones and East Coast Grill. The winner by a nose: East Coast Grill. We tried these at the last Hell Night in January— they were wicked good. Spicy enough that your lips will tingle for a noticeable period of time, but not so hot that you can't eat them. The next block of Hell Night dinners is next week, March 17-19. The theme? Disco Inferno.

Oatmeal makes you stupid over time.

I've been eating oatmeal every day for breakfast. The following are actual "trivia" questions from my most recent box of instant oatmeal. (Highlight the end of the line to view the answer.)

• What former NHL star has 9 MVP awards? Wayne Gretzsky
• What U.S. city hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympic games? Los Angeles
• What U.S. state has the most national parks? Alaska

Reasonable, right? But as the days wore on, it sank to the level of Are You Smarter than a First Grader?

• How many valves does a trumpet have? 3
• Name the art of clipping shrubs into ornamental shapes. Topiary
• What Jim Henson puppets first appeared on the television show Sesame Street? Their answer: The Muppets. But they're wrong. Henson's first Muppety appearance on the Ed Sullivan show was September 18, 1966; Sesame Street premiered on November 10, 1969.

Dim sum!

To celebrate the nascent Year of the Rat, a group of us went to Chinatown on Sunday for dim sum. We converged on Framingham and took the first Commuter Rail train, arriving at South Station just before 11 a.m. A quick walk through the crowded streets found us standing at the doorstep of Emperor's Garden (a.k.a. Empire Garden). The restaurant is on the edge of Chinatown and the Combat Zone, just across the street from Penang. The building used to be the Center Theater, and you can really tell if you're sitting in the main room of the restaurant— just look up at the ceiling. We didn't even have to wait for a table; going early (and going to a place with lots of seating) really paid off. Lots and lots of sticky rice, dumplings containing shrimp, pork, or shrimp and pork, char siu bao, har gau, mango pudding, jin dui, shu mai, yu choy, and more, were consumed. We didn't come close to beating our all-time high of $14 per person; the bill totaled $100 for 9 people (6 adults, 3 kids), including lavish tip. Afterward, we wandered a bit, marveling at the ever-changing New England weather (sun, rain, sun, snow, wind, you-name-it…). Made a quick stop at Hing Shing Bakery for more char siu bao, jin dui, peanut buns, zongzi, yellow custard bao, etc., then headed back to catch the train. Unfortunately, it looks like the big celebration is next weekend.

Havin' a heat wave...

Once again, I'm visiting the City of Brotherly Love for a work-related meeting. Last year, during the same week, it was twenty below. Yesterday, it was 68. Freaky.

Walked to dinner at the trendily-named twenty21. (Get it? They're between 20th and 21st Streets— nudge nudge wink wink.) Goofy name aside, the restaurant was quite good. Our group had a fixed menu: roasted red pepper soup, baby arugula salad with fennel & parmesan, and a choice of 4 entrees. The halibut with roasted vegetables rocked— nice sear on one side, delicious, and the obligatory nouvelle cuisine arrangement of teeny tiny veggies.

The warm weather meant that there was no shortage of crazy people. Had a brief conversation with one, then started to cross the street. Suddenly, this police car came through the light, pulled up, and started arresting/ accosting the crazy person. No idea what happened or why... Just kind of surreal.

And speaking of surreal (I am feeling very stream-of-consciousness today, plus I have not yet finished my coffee), the closed captioning on morning news shows is so unintentionally Dada that it is brilliant. I was on the elliptical machine, bleary-eyed and sweaty, trying to parse how a traumatic event during pregnancy could lead to the child having "skits oh friends yeah". (I eventually learned that they were discussing schizophrenia.) But it's only a big concern during the 3rd(?) "try messier".

I've been trying messier for a while; I think I'll try neater this year.

Hell is other people

I have absolutely no desire to try the habañero-infused tequila, but I did enjoy reading the Globe's plug for Hell Night at the East Coast Grill.

We're heading there tonight to partake of the fiery food challenge:

…I've always liked spicy food and, in the early days of the East Coast Grill (circa 1986), we had gained a little reputation for serving some spicy dishes, which was a little unusual outside a Thai or Mexican restaurant. Unsuspectingly, I was baited into a culinary dare by a small, sick sect of the dining public whose taunts of "that really wasn't that hot" finally got the better of me and my formal training. I could not control the burning desire to silence at least a few. The resulting creation was the now infamous Pasta From Hell, fueled primarily by the original Inner Beauty Hot Sauce. Customers dropped like sweaty, panting, weak little flies. The kitchen howled at their tormentor's agony. But when the smoke cleared there were a few left standing, a crazed, goofy, half smile on their faces and a faraway look in their eyes, and, as I looked out from behind the grill, I would get an almost imperceptable, knowing nod. Their fix had been had and, lost in that chile stupor, they acknowledged the contest was a draw. But, like a gunfighter in the Old West, I knew this was only the beginning. They would return, they would bring their friends to face the true test.

And still more Tosci's coverage

The Globe's Lifestyle section spreads the word about savetosci.com:

[…] For those who want to contribute to the cause, the site includes the option of donating money either online or by check. For those who simply want to read a heated debate on fiscal responsibility vs. community building, the site features a highly emotional comments section.

"Let's remind everyone that small, locally owned and independent businesses are vital to community," reads one comment.

"A for-profit asking for donations… that is absurd," reads another.

And a third simply says: "Coconut sorbet." […]

To which I would add: "Chocolate-orange sorbet."

Rosebud…

Oh frabjous day!

Yay! Toscanini's reopens:

[…] The Central Square sweet spot got the keys back from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue today after handing over more than $30,000 it raised from fans over the last five days. The revenue department shut down the popular dessert destination a week ago because the owners failed to pay more than $167,000 in taxes dating back to 2000. […]

More Tosci's news

The Boston Globe has an article today on the Save Tosci's campaign: Donations pour in for Toscanini's.

Toscanini's has raised more than $10,000 in donations to help pay its delinquent taxes since the state shut the ice cream shop in Central Square on Thursday. […]

Save Toscanini's

The main page over at tosci.com now links to the Save Toscanini's web site. They've posted an open letter from Gus Rancatore that (partially) explains what happened and what they're trying to do.

[…] Toscanini's is collecting donations after being seized by the Mass. Department of Revenue. Several years ago at the start of an ill-starred and very disorganized expansion we did not pay taxes. I made a mistake. I screwed up.

For the years since then we have been paying taxes and running in a business-like manner. We have been talking with the Mass. DOR about the very important question of how much we owe. We had hoped to postpone a resolution of this until the spring when our cashflow is much greater but that didn't happen. […]

As you might expect, the comments are filled with debate and no small amount of rancor regarding the wisdom of donating money to someone who should have paid their taxes. On the flip side, there are many posts from people attesting to the kindness and goodness of Gus and Mimi, and the worthiness of the cause. I didn't know Gus or Mimi, but I have always enjoyed their ice cream. I think it's worth donating because I want to see them come back (hopefully with a new business plan) and because I already miss the chocolate-orange sorbet. Plus, it's just not fair— I finally get a job in Central Square, and Tosci's closes 2 weeks later?! Cruel, cruel Fate.

Tragedy

Just one week ago today, I went out to lunch at Miracle of Science with a friend. Afterward, she suggested a quick trip to Toscanini's for dessert. I happily agreed, and had the most amazing Chocolate-Orange Sorbet that I've ever tasted. Utterly fantastic.

Today, I read that the Mass. Dept. of Revenue seized control of Tosci's yesterday for nonpayment of taxes. I was stunned.

[…] Department spokesman Bob Bliss yesterday said the agency has worked for years to resolve the matter but has made no progress. The department plans to auction off the assets of the Central Square shop, including equipment and furnishings, to recoup whatever money it can. About $140,000 owed by owner Gus Rancatore is in meal taxes and the balance is in employee withholding taxes, Bliss said. Rancatore did not return messages seeking comment last night. His brother Joe Rancatore, who owns a separate ice cream firm in Belmont, declined to discuss the matter. […]

Baking

Finished up with some of our Christmas baking: we tried the whole wheat and honey variant of the Cooks' Illustrated recipe for No-Knead Bread, v. 2.0. The results look pretty good. Breadbasketcase and Best Room in the House wrote about their experience with the recipe (and the former has some nice pix of a very pretty loaf).

A day late and a Fluffernutter short...

Alas, we missed out on Saturday's What the Fluff? 2007, an awesome Somerville event celebrating all things Fluff-tastic.

What the Fluff? A Celebration of Union Square Invention
Saturday, Sept. 29, 4-7pm
Union Square Plaza

It’s the 90th anniversary of Fluff, invented by the culinary genius Archibald Query, right here in Union Square. This year, ArtsUnion will once again pay homage to this yummy, sticky, sweet American spreadable treat. Artists, musical and theatrical performers, humorists and the general public will indulge in a madcap festival that celebrates the culinary invention and nostalgic genius of FLUFF.

I can't wait for next year's festivities— come for the cooking contest (Grand Prize: a private tour of the factory), stay for the Flufferettes.

Saturday foodblogging (fresh from the Farmers' Market)

Another great haul this week at the Farmers' Market: eggplants, sweet corn, a huge box of plum tomatoes (only $12!), garlic, chocolate bread, and eggs, milk, and cream (more ice cream).

First on the recipe docket: multiple batches of roasted tomatoes (from the Boston Globe's recipe for cavatappi pasta with roasted tomatoes and fresh goat cheese). We slow-roast the Romas at 250 degrees for 4 to 6 hours. Dead simple, but delicious, and they freeze well. We currently have 4 Pyrex baking dishes in the oven, and over 20 lbs. of tomatoes left in the box. Oy.

For the Tomatoes:

olive oil
ripe plum tomatoes (about 2 lbs. per baking dish)
many cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Set the oven at 250 degrees. Brush the bottoms of the baking dishes with olive oil.
2. Remove the stems from the tomatoes, halve them lengthwise, and place them cut sides down in the oil. Scatter the garlic around them. Drizzle, brush, or spray olive oil over the tomatoes and garlic. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper.
3. Roast the tomatoes for 4-6 hours, turning several times, or until the tomatoes are very soft but not falling apart. If you're doing multiple batches, don't forget to rotate the baking dishes (top shelf to bottom shelf, left to right, etc.).
4. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and garlic. Save the juices in the roasting pan. (If the tomatoes are for another use, let them cool, and refrigerate them, with the liquid in the pan, in a covered container up to 1 week. Or store in the freezer for quick and easy winter dinners.)

For the Pasta:

Salt, to taste
1 pound cavatappi pasta (spirals or squiggles)
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Romano)

1. In a large pan of salted water, cook the pasta for 6 minutes or until it is cooked, but still has some bite. Drain it into a colander.
2. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl. Add the tomatoes and the cooking juices, the goat cheese, and basil. Toss gently. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls, sprinkle with cheese, and serve hot or warm.

Beer, beer, beer, beer

• The New York Times had a nice article on Belgian Pale Ales. I've tried beers from Corsendonk Abbey and Orval Trappist, but I'm not sure if I've ever had any of the pale ales.
• The British Beer Company in Pembroke, MA is hosting a Samuel Smith Brewer's Dinner on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. Unfortunately, the Acme Theater rehearsal schedule will preclude me from partaking, but man, what a menu… Aged Stilton Cheese And Multi Grain Crostinis [sic] With White Grapes (paired with Oatmeal Stout); Poached Salmon and Crab Louis Martini (paired with Organic Lager); Cold Green Chili and Tomato Gazpacho (paired with India Ale)… There are more courses to the menu, but I think I'd be full by then. The dessert course is apparently fried chocolate brownie and strawberry skewers: "mini fudge brownies deep fried and skewered with fresh strawberries served with a chocolate porter ice cream (Taddy Porter). Gah.
• Recommended beer for summer: Dogfish Head's Aprihop. It's an I.P.A. brewed with apricots (reminiscent of a hoppier version of Magic Hat's #9). It goes well with Indian food (homemade or take-out).
• Not for me: St. Crispin's Chipotle Beer. "This 7.7% ABV IPA is light bodied with a coppery hue. […] Believe me, you will not be craving more than 12oz of this unless you are crazier than me. It is HOT. First sip, for a second I was like, oh, OK, and then within a second, BAM it hits you and you're gasping for air." I prefer my chili hot and my beer COLD.

Mah jongg and ice cream

Our homemade ice cream was a hit with the mah jongg crowd last night. We did two variations on The Minimalist's Cornstarch Ice Cream… the previously mentioned Biscotti Chocolate Chunk and a new one. One bag of Daim (thanks, IKEA) + espresso powder = bestest Coffee Heath Bar Crunch evar. The Swedish Chef's Espresso Daim Explosion (bork! bork! bork!) will keep you wide awake through the long Scandinavian nights.

Espresso Daim Explosion (bork! bork! bork!)

Time: 20 minutes, plus chilling

1 1/2 cups heavy cream (next time, try light cream)
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (next time, try 1 or 1 1/2 teaspoons)
4 1/2 ounces of Daim, chopped

1. Put 2 cups of cream/ milk, the sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until mixture begins to steam.
2. In a bowl, blend cornstarch and remaining cream, half-and-half or milk; there should be no lumps. Add cornstarch mixture to pot. Cook, stirring, until it starts to thicken and barely reaches a boil, about 5 minutes. Immediately reduce heat to very low and stir for 5 minutes or so until thick. Stir in vanilla extract.
3. Place one ladle-full of warm cream/ cornstarch mixture in storage container. Add espresso powder and stir to combine. Transfer cream/ cornstarch mixture to storage container, snap on lid, and cool in an ice-water bath.
4. When mixture has cooled sufficiently, stash it in the fridge. Chill until really cool, a couple of hours (or overnight). Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
5. About 5 minutes before the ice cream is done, add Daim. Let it finish, scoop into a container, and freeze overnight.

Yield: 1 generous pint. (Serves 2.)

Ice cream! Ice cream!

We've been downloading some of the New York Times TiVoCasts, especially Mark Bittman's The Minimalist. We recently watched him cook up some Cornstarch Ice Cream and were intrigued enough to try it. (If you have a Series 2 TiVo, you can check out the ice cream episode here.)

Our version was reminiscent of Ben & Jerry's Holy Cannoli. I thought it was wicked good.

Cornstarch Ice Cream

Time: 20 minutes, plus chilling

2 1/2 cups light cream, half-and-half or milk (whole or skim), or a combination
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 biscotti (biscotto?), coarsely chopped
2-3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

1. Put 2 cups cream, half-and-half or milk, the sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until mixture begins to steam.
2. In a bowl, blend cornstarch and remaining cream, half-and-half or milk; there should be no lumps. Add cornstarch mixture to pot. Cook, stirring, until it starts to thicken and barely reaches a boil, about 5 minutes. Immediately reduce heat to very low and stir for 5 minutes or so until thick. Stir in almond extract.
3. Cool top part of double-boiler in an ice-water bath, then cover with plastic wrap and stash it in the fridge. Chill until cool, a couple of hours (you can skip this step if you have a machine with a built-in freezer). When cool, pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
4. About 5 minutes before the ice cream is done, add chopped biscotti and chocolate chunks. Let it finish, scoop into a container, and freeze overnight.

Yield: 1 generous pint. (Serves 2.)

Sunday foodblogging (after a long hiatus)

I love going to the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Everything always looks so fresh and appetizing. We walked over yesterday and bought sweet corn, blueberries, peaches, muskmelon, carrots, beautiful eggplant, scones and bread, and eggs, cream, and half & half (for making ice cream). We also scored a few books at the Library book sale, and stopped off at the fish market for some "pastrami salmon" (but that's another recipe).

While I weeded in the garden, Chris started making the latest Boston Globe recipe for corn chowder (Creamy Corn Chowder with Very Little Cream). It seems like they print a corn chowder recipe every summer: Grilled Corn Chowder (2004), Smoky Leek, Potato, and Corn Chowder (2005), Light Corn Chowder with Fresh Basil (2006)… you get the idea. The dairy was out of heavy cream, so we substituted light (but added a little more). Other substitutions: fresh chives for thyme, stick blender for conventional blender. All in all, a yummy dinner. We served it with Nashoba Brook Bakery's pepper jack bread.

Next time, Chris wants to add some Yukon Gold potatoes; I would probably go for some small red ones.

Creamy corn chowder with very little cream (with a few minor modifications)

Serves 6

STOCK

1 tablespoon butter
1 Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
6 large ears fresh corn, kernels removed and reserved for chowder
2 quarts cold water

1. In a large soup pot, heat the butter. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
2. Add the cobs and water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer the stock for 30 minutes.
3. Strain the stock into a bowl. Discard the vegetables and cobs.

CHOWDER

2 tablespoons butter
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
Kernels from 6 ears of corn
Coarse salt and pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
1/3 cup light cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1. In a large flameproof casserole, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until the onion softens.
2. Add the corn kernels, corn stock, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the soup for 30 minutes.
3. Ladle approx. half the solids in the soup into a large measuring cup. Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Puree the mixture with a stick blender until smooth.
4. Return the pureed mixture to the remaining soup in the pan. Add the nutmeg and cream. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the parsley. Taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or nutmeg, if you like.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with chives.

2nd bread addendum

The boston.com food blog, Dishing, finally tried the NYT no-knead bread recipe that I've been fascinated with. Their verdict: yes, it's the best breadmaking technique ever. Also useful are the comments that NYT Minimalist author Mark Bittman added after additional experimentation.

WEIGHT VS. VOLUME
The original recipe contained volume measures, but for those who prefer to use weight, here are the measurements: 430 grams of flour, 345 grams of water, 1 gram of yeast and 8 grams of salt. With experience, many people will stop measuring altogether and add just enough water to make the dough almost too wet to handle.

SALT
Many people, me included, felt Mr. Lahey's bread was not salty enough. Yes, you can use more salt and it won't significantly affect the rising time. I've settled at just under a tablespoon. […]

Bread addendum

Crusty Boule
Originally uploaded by popplers.

Experimented with a second batch using bread flour instead of all-purpose flour. Added a little more salt, and dusted the loaf with a 50/50 mixture of oat bran and cornmeal. This one was baked at 475° (instead of 450°) for about 25 minutes with the lid on + 15 minutes with the lid off. The results were excellent, especially when paired with African Groundnut Stew.

Saturday night food blogging

Nothing like the smell of fresh bread
Originally uploaded by popplers.

Ever since I read The Minimalist column in last week's New York Times, I've been itching to try this recipe. According to The Secret of Great Bread: Let Time Do the Work, you can have an awesome crust without kneading, as long as you are willing to wait. I was intrigued, and when I came home from work on Friday night, I took a look at the recipe and set out.

The ingredients were: 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, ¼ teaspoon instant yeast, 1¼ teaspoons salt. Add 1½ cups of water, and stir into a "shaggy and sticky" dough. Let rest for 18 hours.

After 18 hours, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold it over on itself once or twice, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest briefly. Shape the dough into a ball. Dust a towel with cornmeal, and put the doughball onto the towel, seam side down. More cornmeal on top, cover with a towel, and let it rest for 2 hours. Bake for 30 minutes at 450°, in a heavy pot with the lid on. Remove the lid, and bake for 15-30 more. You're supposed to wait until it cools before you tear into it, but we couldn't resist. It smelled so good, and with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, it was amazing.

Chinatown is fabulous!

Fabulous (1 of 2)
Originally uploaded by popplers.

Went for dim sum today. Alas, the parking karma was not with me this morning, so I drove around for far too long and then resorted to paying for a space in a garage. (I should have given up sooner.) Finally made it to China Pearl and had shrimp dumplings, crispy prawns, and all kinds of yummy goodness. Afterward, we hit the grocery to pick up a few ingredients, and I scored this awesome snack food.

You too can be fabulous, for only $2.09. Some of the many benefits of Fabulous, as listed on the front of the package:

• it's, well, Fabulous
• Fragrant crispy entry
• Best Tasty
• Fragrant thick cheese (???)
• Crispy crispy good flavor

For the illustration on the front of the package, they have paired cheese-flavored crackers with more cheese. Uninspired, perhaps, but a reasonable enough foodstuff to eat with a cracker. Unlike the next flavor of Fabulous… Onion Fabulous.

Monday night food blogging

Voila.
Originally uploaded by popplers.

Somehow, we both missed the part of the recipe that read: "Cut each peach into 12 to 14 pieces." I blanched and peeled the peaches, and plunked half a peach (cut side down) into each ramekin. We also had two minor substitutions: milk with a little lemon juice (instead of buttermilk), and dark brown sugar (instead of light).

Chris mixed up a tasty muffin batter and poured it over the top. The end result was delicious.

Note to self: buy more peaches. There's always the Grilled Peach Melba.

Bork bork bork!

Perhaps if the Swedish Chef had owned a Spagettimått, this could have been avoided.

Übercake

Our variation on the Globe's so-called Luxury lemon cake: lemon zest, lime zest, far too much butter, and a killer glaze. We made it on Saturday night, and brought half to a house concert on Sunday evening. Judging from the tiny sliver that remained on the plate when the show was over, I'd say it met with approval. It also made the kitchen smell wonderful.

Makes one 10-inch cake.

CAKE:

Nonstick spray (for the pan)
Flour (for the pan)
zest of 2 lemons
zest of 1 1/2 limes
2 teaspoons Fiori di Sicilia
3 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups superfine sugar
3/4 cups superfine vanilla sugar
5 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

1. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Grease a plain 10-inch tube pan, line the bottom of the pan with a circle of baking parchment cut to fit it, and grease the paper. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the zest and Fiori di Sicilia.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt onto a flexible cutting sheet.
4. In an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar in three additions, beating for 1 minute after each one. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each one. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to keep the batter even textured.
5. Blend in the lemon/ lime mixture. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.
7. Bake the cake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake is clean when withdrawn and the cake pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan.

GLAZE:

2/3 cup granulated sugar
juice of 2 lemons and 2 limes (about 1/2 cup total)

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and lemon and lime juice. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a rapid boil, then remove the pan from the heat.
2. When the cake is done, cool it in the pan on a rack for 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully invert onto another cooling rack, peel away the waxed paper, then set right-side up on another rack. Brush the top and sides of the warm cake with glaze.
3. Leave the cake to cool completely.

Homemade gnocchi

Fresh asparagus
Originally uploaded by popplers.

It was my first time making gnocchi, and I thought that this dish would be really amazing. It only took about an hour to make the gnocchi. (Chris made the dough in the food processor, instead of messing around with blunt knives.) Pix of the dough, homemade gnocchi, and the finished dish are available starting here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/popplers/150915201/in/photostream/.

Our overall impression was that the dish was good, but that it needed something. Chris thought that it needed a bright note, maybe some lemon juice or lemon zest. (White wine?) I was wondering if some herbs in the butter might do it— sage or chives. I also thought that the gnocchi would be more tender, melt-in-your-mouth. I don't know if they were tougher than I expected because we over-worked the dough, or if that is just the way they are. I guess we'll just have to experiment and make them again.

This is the recipe as it appeared on boston.com:

Ricotta gnocchi with brown butter and asparagus

Serves 4 as a first course

Drain the ricotta (see spinach and ricotta gnudi recipe) before you use it.

Ingredients

1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
16 ounces fresh whole milk ricotta
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Extra flour (for sprinkling)
8 ounces fresh asparagus, tough ends snapped off and spears thinly sliced on the diagonal
Olive oil (for sprinkling)
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and the egg yolk.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, ricotta, salt, and pepper. Use 2 blunt knives to cut the cheese into the mixture until the dough forms lima bean-sized crumbs. Make a well in the center of the dough and pour in the eggs. Using a fork, slowly combine the egg mixture with the flour mixture just until it comes together.
4. Shape the dough into a ball and place it on lightly floured surface. Cut the ball into 4 pieces and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
5. Working with one piece of dough at a time, halve the piece and roll each into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut the ropes into 1-inch-long pieces, and sprinkle them with flour. Using your thumb roll each lump of dough over the back of the tines of a fork, leaving an indentation from your thumb on one side and the fork marks on the other. Set the pieces aside on a lightly floured baking sheet. Continue until all the pieces are cut.
6. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Drop in the asparagus pieces and cook for 1 minute or until they are bright green but still crisp. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
7. Cook the gnocchi in the large pot of boiling water. After they float to the surface, cook for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil and toss gently.
8. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. When it is just beginning to brown, add the gnocchi and toss to coat it all over. Stir in the asparagus. Arrange the gnocchi in shallow bowls, drizzle with the browned butter from cooking, and garnish with the asparagus and a dusting of grated cheese.

Adapted from Duck Fat restaurant

Schyndel's list

There's an article in today's Globe on coffee geekery, including 50 ways to improve your espresso production, latte art, and more. It also mentions in passing "coffee guru George Howell" and Terroir Coffee. Maybe I'll have to trot over to Acton on Friday or Saturday and see what all the fuss is about. You can't get much more local than that.

''I'm trying to change what it means to be a barista in this town," van Schyndel says, pulling two double shots for a visitor. ''It takes skill, it takes knowledge, and it shouldn't just be someone who happens to work behind a counter in a coffee shop."

Oh, Lordy…

Is the world really ready for Easter turducken?

Easter, which may or may not have been named after a pagan fertility goddess, falls conveniently close to the spring equinox, allowing the syncresis of rabbits, eggs and the rebirth of nature into a ritual about the slaughter and rebirth of God. Easter also now has been subverted into being about eating, though hasn't yet been taken to the extremes of Thanksgiving turducken.

Until now.

Free Cone Day!

Free Cone Day is coming!
Originally uploaded by popplers.

This seems like as good a time as any to post a Flav-o-Review. Last week, I went to Shaw's to buy ice cream. As luck would have it, B&J's was on sale ($2 each!) and they had a great selection in stock. So, I picked up an assortment of flavors, including a few old favorites (NYSFC, Cherry Garcia) and a few of the newer ones (Black & Tan, In a Crunch, Magic Brownies, Turtle Soup, and Neapolitan Dynamite).

• Black & Tan: Cream stout ice cream swirled with chocolate ice cream. Chris and I both really liked this flavor. It's quite tasty, and not overly sweet. It's a smooth ice cream, though, and I tend to go in for chunky flavors. (That's just me.)
• In a Crunch: Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Fudge Covered Peanuts & a Crispy Fudge Swirl. Although I'm a big fan of peanut butter, I found In a Crunch to be too sweet. I like the combination of salty peanut butter and sweet (preferably dark) chocolate ice cream. Kimball's makes a pretty good chocolate/ peanut butter ice cream, but the p.b. distribution is too variable.
• Turtle Soup: Vanilla ice cream with fudge & caramel cashews & a caramel swirl. Chris liked this, even though he's not particularly fond of caramel. Anything with cashews usually rates with him. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't say.
• Magic Brownies: Vanilla Ice Cream with Swirls of Raspberry & Brownies. We've actually had this flavor before, but I'm mentioning it again because I like it.
• Neapolitan Dynamite: Cherry Garcia® and Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice creams, side by side. I saved the best for last. It has the brownie/ fruity goodness of Magic Brownies, but it's even better because it has a chocolate ice cream base. I don't really think that taking 2 existing flavors and jamming them into the same carton really counts as a "new" flavor, but it's a good combo.

The Flufferettes? <snrk>

The Boston Globe has a feature in today's Business section, amusingly titled Salute to Fluff. Williams-Sonoma has been infringing on Durkee-Mower's Fluffernutter trademark by selling Fluffernutter candybars. (They don't seem to be selling them anymore— I couldn't find them on the W-S web site.) From the "Salute":

An early Fluff container, from 1935. In the 1930s the company launched a radio show, The Flufferettes. Then came a cookbook, The Yummy Book, an updated version of which is available on the company's website, at www.marshmallowfluff.com.

I still shudder whenever I see Raspberry Fluff.

I am so jealous that I did not think of this.

The idea of an Academy Awards soiree wherein all of the food is representive of the nominated films is just brilliant. I just read about Sandy and Sarah's Oscarlicious party, which had an extensive menu including Shepherd's pie (Brokeback Mountain), Hummus (Syriana), Calamari salad (The Squid & The Whale), and many other entrees heavily dependent on awful puns. But I am truly saddened that I did not come up with the idea of reenacting March of the Penguins with penguins made from olives, carrots, and cream cheese. (Of course, I might have used olives, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs, but that's just me.)

Trader Joe's comes to the Big Apple

Trader Joe's is apparently set to open in Manhattan. It's probably less of a big deal for city-dwellers, but I was certainly psyched when our local one finally went in. The article touches on the "Trader Joe's mystique", their product development process, and how items are dropped if they don't sell well.

The products that make it through but do not find a loyal customer base meet an implacable fate. "It's like at General Electric under Jack Welch," said Mr. Sloan, the vice president for merchandising. "The bottom 10 percent is always being rotated out. It's painful but necessary, because it ensures that we always have new products for our customers to get interested in."

There is nothing quite like the chain anywhere else on the American food landscape. "Trader Joe's is radically different in many ways from other food retailers," said Stephen Dowdell, editor in chief of Progressive Grocer magazine. "The stores are small, they don't rely on national brands, you can't do price comparisons and they definitely don't offer one-stop shopping. But every product has a story."

My favorite new TJ's product is Dark Chocolate Covered Ginger— Australian crystallized ginger covered with rich dark chocolate. Decadent, with a nice little ginger hit in the middle.

Mangia!

For Chris's birthday, we went to Cambridge and celebrated with a fantastic dinner at La Groceria. The Sogliola "Margherita" (pan-fried sole with capers, artichoke hearts, and lemon butter) was delicious, but antipasto and wine is practically a meal in itself. If you go, save room for dessert— the tiramisu is quite good.

More Books about Buildings and Food

This weekend, I finally started Ruth Reichl's Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table. I've read a few chapters, and so far I like it more than Comfort Me with Apples (although that really isn't saying much). Tender at the Bone is a memoir, telling the story of Ruth's childhood culinary influences; I've just reached the part where she is sent to a French-speaking boarding school in Montreal. (It actually preceded Comfort Me with Apples— I just happened to read them out-of-order.)

The same person who loaned me Tender at the Bone also loaned me Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. Just now, I opened to a random chapter in the middle of the book, read a few pages, and I am hooked. Bourdain on the three types of line cooks: Artists, Exiles, and Mercenaries (those who "do it for cash and do it well"):

Practicing your craft in expert fashion is noble, honorable, and satisfying. And I'll generally take a stand-up mercenary who takes pride in his professionalism over an artist any day. When I hear 'artist', I think of someone who doesn't think it necessary to show up at work on time. More often than not their efforts, convinced as they are of their own genius, are geared more to giving themselves a hard-on than satisfying the great majority of dinner customers. Personally, I'd prefer to eat food that tastes good and is an honest reflection of its ingredients, than a 3-foot-tall caprice constructed from lemon grass, lawn trimmings, coconuts and red curry. You could lose an eye trying to eat that. When a job applicant starts telling me how Pacific Rim-job cuisine turns him on and inspires him, I see trouble coming. Send me another Mexican dishwasher anytime. I can teach him to cook. I can't teach character. Show up at work on time six months in a row and we'll talk about red curry paste and lemon grass. Until then, I have four words for you: 'Shut the fuck up.'

I want candy!

Via Boing Boing: Chocolate bullets for your Russian Roulette-playing pleasure…

Seated in individual compartments, twelve chocolate bullets lay waiting to be bitten into. Although eleven of the sweet little slugs contain delicious praline centres, one conceals a seriously red hot chilli that's guaranteed to blow your head off - metaphorically, at least.

Why didn't they post this last week?! I so would have bought one for Chris. The ad copy describes the product as "Willy Wonka meets the Deer Hunter!"

What a crock.

Went to a fun Super Bowl party. Watched the game (and the commercials) and ate lots of unhealthy snacky food. I particularly enjoyed the "puppy chow" and the tater-tot casserole. We made spinach dip and a veggie platter. Because we didn't know how much vegetarian-friendly food there would be at the party, we also made yummy artichoke dip.

This recipe is from Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewing Co. One of our local free newspapers printed it some time ago, and I'm adding it here because I can't seem to find it on any of the usual recipe websites.

Great Lakes Brewing Co. Artichoke Crock

2 (12 oz.) jars artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 small red pepper, diced
1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup banana pepper rings (hot), chopped
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. (or more) hot pepper flakes
cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Divide mixture evenly between 2 (16 oz.) oven-proof dishes. Bake for 25 minutes and serve with hearty bread.

The mind boggles.

I don't mean for popplers to turn into a food blog, but I have to make people aware of the existence of SPAM-tastic Sunnydogs: a "breakfast corn dog, made with chunks of SPAM that have been dipped in an apple-cinnamon pancake batter."

[…] outgoing and energetic [Cynthia] Coombs, a fifth-grader at Herriman Elementary, headed to the kitchen and found she really jammed with SPAM.

Her ultimate creation - a breakfast dish she dubbed "SPAM-tastic Sunnydogs" - recently earned her the title of SPAM's "National Kid Chef of the Year."

Coombs said in September, before winning the Utah State Fair contest that propelled her to the national competition, she spent an entire day experimenting in the kitchen with her father, Nathan - a longtime SPAM lover. […]

For posterity, here is Cynthia's prize-winning recipe. (If you actually make this, please take photos and email me.)

SPAM-tastic Sunnydogs

1 (12-ounce) can SPAM classic
1 1/2 cups complete buttermilk pancake mix (such as Bisquick)
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup water
Vegetable oil or light olive oil
18 short kabob sticks, Popsicle sticks or toothpicks
Honey, maple syrup and applesauce, for dipping

1. Cut SPAM width-wise into 6 (1/2-inch) pieces. Cut each section into thirds. In a bowl, combine pancake mix, eggs, applesauce, vanilla and cinnamon. Slowly add water and stir until combined. (The batter should be fairly thick.)
2. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Using a fork, dip SPAM pieces into batter, coating evenly. Let any excess batter drip off before placing into skillet. Cook for several minutes on one side until golden brown. Turn and cook on second side until golden and batter is cooked through. Repeat with remaining pieces.
3. Remove from skillet and insert a kabob or Popsicle stick into one end. Serve with honey, maple syrup or applesauce as a dip. (Use any excess pancake batter to make small pancakes to serve alongside sunnydogs.)

Makes 18 pieces.

Lemony freshness

The kitchen smells lovely right now. I am making one of my favorite desserts, a lemon almond polenta torta. (This is just a fancy way of saying lemon cornmeal cake— I've sometimes completely forgotten to add the 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract, and the recipe still tastes delicious.) I found this recipe in the Boston Globe's weekly Food section back in October 2003. It was adapted from Deborah Krasner's The Flavors of Olive Oil: A Tasting Guide and Cookbook.

It's interesting because it doesn't contain butter or flour; olive oil, cornmeal, and ground almonds provide the flavor and structure. I haven't changed the recipe much, other than to double the amount of ricotta cream. I really love how easy this recipe is to prepare, and that everything gets done in the food processor. Minimal clean-up, and the dessert looks (and tastes) like you've spent a lot more time in the kitchen.

Lemon almond polenta torta

Ingredients

TORTA:

Olive oil (for the pan)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup cornmeal (I use Bob's Red Mill corn grits)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups blanched almonds
1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large lemon, washed well
1/2 cup fruity olive oil
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Confectioners' sugar (for dusting)

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Rub the inside of a 9-inch round cake pan with oil, line it with parchment paper cut to fit, and oil the paper.
2. In a bowl, mix together the salt, cornmeal, and baking powder.
3. In a food processor, grind the almonds with 1 cup of the granulated sugar to make a slightly coarse mixture.
4. Cut the lemon into quarters and remove any seeds. Add the lemon pieces to the ground almond mixture. Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse puree. Taste for sweetness and add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, if necessary. (As far as I can tell, it's never necessary.)
5. Add the oil, milk, eggs, and almond extract. Process for 1 to 2 minutes or until just combined.
6. Add the cornmeal mixture and pulse just briefly to combine.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and slightly moist in the center.
8. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Run a knife around the cake, invert it onto a cake plate, and dust with confectioners' sugar.

RICOTTA CREAM:

2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
scant 1 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1. In a food processor, combine the ricotta, sugar, and vanilla. Work in on-off motions until the mixture is smooth.
2. Spoon the ricotta beside wedges of the cake and serve.

Do you know the Dumpling Man?

January 29 is the start of Chinese New Year, and (as usual) the Boston Globe has some nice coverage in the Food section. Happy Year of the Dog!

I liked reading about handmade noodles and fresh dumplings (complete with yummy recipes for Pork Dumplings and Mushroom Dumplings). I'm feeling a little lazy this year, so I may just go into Chinatown on Sunday and buy some instead. (And if I lived in New York, I could be even lazier— Dumpling Man delivers!)

I'm tired of being sick

I finally made it to the store. Bought DayQuil, NyQuil, Sudafed, and ingredients for soup. Chris made his variation on Marcella Hazan's pasta e fagioli. Italian soup is good eats.

Vegetarian Wedding Soup
Adapted from Marcella Hazan

Ingredients:

1/2 of a small onion
1/4 cup olive oil (we use extra virgin)
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2/3 cup Italian tomatoes (preferably chopped, but purée or crushed will do in a pinch)
1 can (19 oz.) cannellini beans (Chris is a Progresso snob)
4 cups (1 package) Trader Joe's Organic Vegetable Broth
1 head of escarole, washed and torn into pieces
Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs (4-6 per person)
8 oz. dry pasta (mini penne or ditalini)
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan or Romano Cheese

1. Sauté onion in olive oil until it is pale gold.
2. Add the carrot and celery and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juice, turn the heat down to medium low, and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add the vegetable broth and pepper (to taste), then bring to a boil.
6. Add the pasta and cook until very firm/chewy, about 6 minutes (depending on the pasta). Add the meatballs when the pasta is almost done.
7. Turn off the heat and stir in the escarole. Cover pot with lid and let stand for 10 minutes.

Note: if you cook the pasta too much in the second-to-last step, it will be overdone by the time the soup is finished.

Friday Night Food Blogging

African Groundnut Stew
Originally uploaded by popplers.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, diced
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 habañero, seeded and chopped
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
  
• ½ tablespoon dark brown sugar
  
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1 ½ pounds winter squash, (we used Hubbard), seeded, peeled, and cut into bite-size cubes (about 3 ½ cups)
  
• 1 ½ cups water
  
• ¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter
  
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  
• 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  
• ½ cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chiles, ginger, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add the squash and stir to coat with the spices. Add 1 ¼ cup of the water and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
2. Put the peanut butter in a small bowl and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup water, stirring until smooth.
3. Stir the peanut butter mixture into the stew, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Allow 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the black-eyed peas and peanuts and simmer until heated through. Before serving, taste to adjust the seasonings.

It's Pocky Day!

Today is Veteran's Day (or Remembrance Day, if you are Canadian). But 11/11 is also Pocky Day. (I didn't realize that there were so many different flavors!) To pay tribute to this wonderful snack food, let's take a look at some favorites from Glico's Pocky website:

• Pocky Decorer: "just like a decoration cake on a stick." Any food is better "on a stick."
• Mousse Pocky (which I always want to read as "Mouse Pocky"): "Lighten up your day with Pocky's super […] chocolate." Mmmm… super-chocolate.
• Pocky Kurogoma: "Please enjoy the fragrant flavor of black sesame" and Pocky Kinako: "Please enjoy the fragrant flavor of soybean flour." So polite, they're begging to be liked. Try us, even though we're freaky and don't contain chocolate!
• My personal favorite: Men's Pocky (bitter chocolate). It looks like they have changed the packaging, which used to read: Crispy pretzel dipped in dark chocolate for the type of person who enjoys the finer points in life.

Happy Pocky Day, everyone!

Sunday brunch

Some weeks ago, Chris and I were watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS. They were making a German Apple Pancake, and it reminded him of a fancy brunch dish that his family used to make: David Eyre's Pancake. (And which, as it turns out, isn't really David Eyre's at all; the recipe dates back to at least 1919, when it appeared in a San Francisco cookbook.)

Chris's version of the recipe had apples in it; the "official" version does not. We made it this morning, and it was quite tasty. In the process of searching the web for a recipe variant that included apples, I stumbled across this fun foodie blog: h o m e * e c o n o m i c s. Her recipes and her writing are both highly enjoyable. I'd love to cook with her.

Chris Moriondo's Pancake
Adapted from Craig Claiborne and David Eyre

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 large apple (granny smith)
confectioner’s sugar (to taste)
fresh lemon juice (to taste)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, flour, and tablespoon of vanilla sugar. Melt the butter in a cast iron 10-inch skillet, set on low to medium heat. Add apples to skillet in a single layer, then top with 3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar. Let the sugar melt into the butter, then turn off heat. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for 20 minutes or until the pancake puffs up and turns golden brown. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and/or lemon juice to taste. It will deflate quickly; serve immediately.

Serves two to four (depending on your will power).

Creative Catering, indeed.

Lord almighty, I think this is the scariest thing I've read all day. The very idea of fried strawberries is bad enough, but this is heart-of-darkness territory.

Every year, there is always one new deep-fried creation that everyone must try at the fair.

This year, one food vendor, Creative Catering of Raleigh, has ventured in previously untested frying territory: fruit.

The owner, Vincent Thomas, 49, says he got the idea for fried banana puddin' bites last year. "I had a vision from God to do the banana," he said. […]

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Actually, it's much, much worse. Jones Soda prepares for Hallowe'en with its veerrrry spooooky flavors: Scary Berry Lemonade, Strawberry S'Lime, Caramel Apple, and… (aieee!) Candy Corn.

I do wonder about the Chinese-Norwegian one.

Highly enjoyable New York Times article on "hyphenated Chinese cuisine" (with some pix):

[…] I call them second-generation Chinese restaurants," said Cheuk Kwan, who has directed a documentary film about the spread of Chinese restaurants around the world. "These restaurants always have a hyphen: Chinese-Venezuelan, Chinese-Norwegian, Chinese-Mexican.

"Chinese-Malagasy," he said, on the island of Madagascar, "was the best food, with lots of coconut milk and spices." […]

The city's first hyphenated version of the cuisine - after Chinese-American, of course - was Chinese-Cuban, which arrived in the 1960's, when thousands of Cubans of Chinese descent came to New York after Fidel Castro's rise to power.

"My grandfather was born in Zhanjiang, but his whole life was in Havana," said Manny Liao, a musician who lives in Washington Heights. "He always ate Chinese food, but he cooked Cuban." […]

Cheuk Kwan's Chinese Restaurants is a 13-part documentary series, airing on TV in Canada and at select venues in the U.S. (San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, and the Museum of Chinese in the Americas (New York), for two). Maybe PBS will pick it up? Someone should make this available to a wider audience in the U.S. Happily, it looks like there will be a DVD available in December.

More scream

Made a batch of Jerry's Chocolate Ice Cream (from the Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book) and added Andes Mints. That's in the freezer now, firming up. Also on deck: Alton's sooper-dooper rich perfect ice cream. (We haven't even cooked the custard yet.)

All the best tech comes from Down Under, Part II

As most of you already know, we love to cook and we love good kitchen tech. Recently, we were in the market for an accessory for the espresso machine that is called a knockbox. After brewing espresso, you're left with a "puck" of coffee grounds. To dislodge this from the portafilter, the barista lightly bangs the portafilter head against the bar of the knockbox, and the coffee remains fall into the box. We didn't have one of these doodads, so Chris was banging the portafilter against the side of the sink, which was denting and crudding up the stainless steel sink.

After doing lots of research at coffeegeek.com and espressoporn.com, Chris found the Holy Grail of knockboxes: the Sunbeam Bang Bang (alas, only available in Australia and New Zealand). Ultimately, we decided to purchase a Grindenstein (made in Australia, but they ship to the US).

Today, at deadpopstar.com, I read about Woodles, the penguin waffle maker. Yep, you guessed it: made by Sunbeam, and only available in "Australia and New Zealand and perhaps other nations blessed with the omnipotence of 240v power." Australia, Australia, Australia, we love you! Amen!

I scream!

While our experiments may not be as interesting as those that the MIT researchers are churning out, we've been having fun with our new ice cream maker. We thought that the old one had given up the ghost, so we splurged on a new Cuisinart 1-quart ice cream maker. As it turned out, we were able to resurrect the old one by thawing the cooling disk and refreezing it, so now we have two. Several trips to the farmers market later (for milk, cream, eggs, and fresh peaches), we've made 3 batches of increasingly delicious peach ice cream.

We're still looking forward to trying some of Alton Brown's recipes from the recent Churn, Baby, Churn episode (his vanilla sounds particularly decadent, and even richer than Ben & Jerry's). Also trying to locate some recipes for my favorite Toscanini's flavors: Cocoa Pudding, Burnt Caramel, and the inimitable Chocolate Sluggo.

Ai-ya!

Even when our hungry horde descended on Toronto's Dumpling House Restaurant and asked for one order of every type of dumpling on the menu (no joke!)— we didn't manage to eat 83 dumplings in 8 minutes.

What would Alton say?

I saw this goofy appliance on Accordion Guy's wedding weblog; Joey's comment (joking, I hope) was that he "need[ed] to put one of these on the registry."* Seriously, though, who has the counter space for this schwag? We have a coffee grinder and microwave (used daily), food processor and toaster (used semi-weekly), a food scale and KitchenAid mixer (used at least monthly). And I still wish that we had an island so that we had more "real estate" for chopping, staging, cooking, cleaning, etc.

*Ridiculous wedding registry requests is a separate rant; I won't go down that road right now.

Strictly speaking, the McMuffinator isn't a unitasker, but I think it belongs in the Counter Sculpture Hall of Shame, along with the Pop-Up Hot Dog Cooker, the tabletop S'Mores Maker, and the Pizzazz Pizza Oven. I think that there should be a separate Hall of Ridiculous Kitchen Gadgets for the Octodog, the Banana Guard, the In-the-Shell Egg Scrambler, and their ilk.

Conversely, the fine people at Microplane deserve to have praise and gifts lavished upon them for their awesome kitchen tools. (Their personal care products, on the other hand, give me the willies.)

Ice cream quickies

I love my ice cream. Judging from the plethora of Globe stories recently, so do they.

• Newton news: J.P. Licks vs. Cold Stone Creamery— is this town big enough for the two of them?
  
• Ice cream for chili heads: El Diablo. J.P. Licks also offers Tabasco and wasabi-flavored ice creams. Homer: It burns! It burns! Host: It's loaded with wasabi!
  
• The enduring linguistic debate: Frappe vs. Milkshake
  
• Fancy-schmancy (and homemade) ice cream sandwiches
  
• Ah, if only I could get It's It ice cream without having to order a case and have it FedEx'd. They're so good.
  

Tapas bar!

Quickie restaurant review: enjoyed a very nice dinner at Solea in Waltham, MA. Drank a Caipirinha and tried a bunch of yummy goodies off of the Tapas Calientes section of the menu:

• Setas al Ajillo, Sautéed Portabella Mushrooms - $6.00
  These were delicious— I think they were marinated, and there were whole chilis that were sautéed with the mushrooms and garlic.
• Grelos Gallegos, Sauteed Collard Greens with Pine Nuts & Raisins - $4.50
  This dish rocked. I would definitely order this again. In addition to the pine nuts and golden raisins, there were paper-thin slices of garlic. Fantastic.

• Poblano Relleno, Yuca, Roasted Corn & Mushroom Stuffed Almond Encrusted Poblano Pepper - $6.50
  This was good, but I prefer El Loco's chili rellenos.
  
• Camarão Piri Piri, Grilled Shrimp & Hot Piri Piri Pepper Sauce - $6.50
  This was a serving of about 5 small grilled shrimp (nothing exciting). The Piri Piri sauce was great— I'd like to buy a bottle of this.
  
• Vieiras al Azafrán, Scallops in Saffron Cream - $6.50
  The sauce was very rich. Tasty, but I doubt that I would order it again.
  
• Ravioles de Mariscos, Lobster & Crab Ravioli in Langostino Sauce - $6.00
  This dish seemed out-of-place to me, more like a dish from an Italian restaurant. The scallops and this dish were both a little heavy for the hot weather— I'd probably like them even more in the winter-time.
  

I'm looking forward to the next visit, so that I can try some items from the cold section of the menu: Tostadas de Alcachofas (Artichoke Hearts, Mushroom & Goat Cheese Crostini), Aceitunas Aliñadas (an Assortment of Marinated Olives), Ceviche, and Tostones (Plantain Chips & Salmon topped with Creme Fraiche & Mango Chutney). And maybe a Pisco Sour. (I love this recipe's mangled English: "If it is necessary add some ice water and rectify carefully the quality of a good PISCO SOUR.") For a less surreal version, check out this this recipe from the Food Network.

It Rains Fishes

We went to a great Thai restaurant in Winchester over the weekend: It Rains Fishes. The food was delicious— panang curry, soft-shelled crab, summer rolls, and the old standby (pad thai). They also served a refreshing limeade (sparkling or still) and a rich ice cream/ chocolate/ truffle thing for dessert. I can't wait to go back!

Would Opus eat this?

Surstroemming (last mentioned in these pages on April 10) finally gets its own museum. Somehow, I think even penguins would turn up their noses (beaks?) at this.

Mmmm… doughnuts…

Krispy Kreme gives away free doughnuts on June 3rd (one per customer). The first taste is free, kid!

On a related note, their featured doughnut this month is Strawberry Shortcake: an unglazed doughnut filled with "strawberry kreme," topped with white icing and shortcake crunch— blargh.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival

I do like bao, but I like saying bun-snatching even more.

Yow! A follow-up to Zippy

I meant to write about this over the weekend, but it got away from me. Despite the pouring rain and gusting wind, I did make it to That's Entertainment in Worcester for Free Comic Book Day. It's a great store— all kinds of comics, action figures, posters, toys, and what-not. (Lots of what-not.)

Bill Griffith was there, and he signed my copy of his new book: From Here to Absurdity. I also got to meet Richard J. S. Gutman and chat with him briefly. I asked him if he had a favorite diner, and he said the Mayfair. After looking at this photo, I can see why. Happily, he will be curating an exhibit this summer at the Culinary Archives & Museum at Johnson & Wales, Providence, RI. Now that the weather's getting nice, take a road trip and check out Diners: Still Cooking in the 21st Century. Don't forget to stop at Jigger's.

Twinkies á l'orange

At the Florida Culinary Institute, do Twinkies constitute haute cuisine? Well, probably not, but some of the recipes sound amusing. Twinkie sushi still sounds amusing, but in general, there's far too much Cool Whip in the entries.

Mmm… polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons…

I realize the article is about pancreatic cancer risk, but jeez, could you make hot dogs look any less appetizing? (Happily, tofu hot dogs seem to be just fine.)

Passover recipes

What's even better than Donna's evil chocolate cracker dessert? Making it for Passover— with matzo. Apparently "matzo crunch" is very popular.

Free Cone Day!

I scream, you scream…

Woot! Only 4 days 'til Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 (noon to 8 p.m.)

Twinkie the Kid rides again!

I read today that it is the 75th anniversary of Twinkies. Although I haven't eaten any Twinkies recently, they do not in principle disgust me. These recipes, however, make me feel a little oogy.

Reading about "Twinkie Bread Pudding" makes me want to reach for Al Sicherman's Caramel Knowledge and bake "Binkies" instead. In his cookbook, Mr. Sicherman makes the point that Twinkies taste good, and they're made with pretty crappy ingredients. But imagine how good it would taste if you made an actual sponge cake and filled it with actual cream filling. He offers recipes for Binkies, Bostess Bupcakes, Bing-Bongs, etc. I also enjoyed the chapter where he recreates snack foods such as pretzels, potato chips, and (unsuccessfully) Bugles.

I wish I knew who borrowed my copy… I guess I'll have to search the used book stores for another one.

Easter poppler

Alert reader Bob M. calls our attention to this year's must-have Easter device: the Peeps Marshmallow Maker.

I have to admit I’m addicted. Every year at this time, my knees get weak and my eyes light up when I see one of the first signs of spring: marshmallow Peeps on store shelves. Those super-sweet, neon colored delights always bring a smile to my face. What could be better?

How about a machine that lets you make your own Peeps at home? Best known for Frisbees, Hula Hoops, Hacky Sacks and the original SuperBall, the wizards at Wham-o have now created the Marshmallow Peeps Marshmallow Maker. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. […]

I have to confess, I've never been a huge Peeps fan. As a kid, I used to eat them (along with everything else in my Easter basket). But I think that the only candy I like less than Peeps (stale or fresh) is the Cadbury Cream Egg. Stranger still is this recipe for homemade Cadbury Cream Eggs— blarrgh.

More Peep-y goodness: "scientific" research and Marshmallow Peeps in Outer Space.

So that's how it's spelled!

Once again, we'll be getting together with Cheryl to bake Italian Easter goodies: sweet rice pie, ricotta pie, and what I've always called Pizza Gain. But an article in the Food section of this week's Globe sets the record straight:

[…] On this bright day, Sabatino is handing out slices of another Easter staple -- pizza chiena (GAYN-a), sometimes called pizza ripiena, which means ''stuffed," or pizza rustica. At the end of Lent, people who have given up meat can enjoy it again in this lattice-topped pie, which holds a 4-inch layer of cheese studded with cold cuts. […]

Dim sum quickies!

I think I'd better go get lunch now. Reading about dim sum has made me very hungry.

• mimi smartypants has yet another great Nora anecdote:
  […] I have either done something very wrong in terms of preserving my daughter's Chinese heritage, or else done something astoundingly right in terms of raising her in a truly multicultural family, when she delightedly identifies a picture of a steamed pork bun on a dim sum cart as "pierogi!" […]
  
• Dim sum recommendations for San Fran, NYC, Seattle, and L.A. (What, no Boston?!) Also, cwok.com has lots of good stuff for Seattle-ites.
  
• Funny? Stereotypical? Both? You know you're Chinese when… (I guess I know that I'm half-Chinese because I'm only identifying with 50% of the items on the list.)
  

And now, off to lunch! (Yum cha will have to wait until Sunday morning.)

The streets of Philadelphia

For the first time in recent memory, I spent nearly 5 days without access to the internet. No email. No web surfing. No blog posting. It was strange. I was in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, for a conference all week. Since the boring part of the trip is the actual travel (flight delay, just-missed train, yada yada), let's skip to the fun part: restaurant reviews. Without further ado, an eating tour of Philly.

Monday night: SoleFood
As a rule, I avoid hotel restaurants. They're always over-priced, and the food is often mediocre. But after checking in at the hotel, I just wanted a bite to eat and a hot shower. (Hotel restaurants know that they have a captive (read: travel-weary) audience.) So, I ordered a Yuengling Lager and the Maine Lobster Roll with Roasted Pepper Slaw and a side of pommes frites. Yes, I did feel odd traveling to Philly to order Maine lobster, but that's another story. The lobster roll was good, but with a slightly sweet flavor (kinda strange). Happily, dessert made up for the awful frites.

Worst feature of the restaurant (food category): without a doubt, the pommes frites— limp, completely saturated with oil, not at all crispy. I ate one. Worst feature of the restaurant (non-food category): the music. Examples: a horrifying "lite jazz" version of "What's Going On" that I'm sure has Marvin Gaye spinning in his grave; a completely unnecessary cover of Van Morrison's "Moondance" by a female singer; and, mercifully, I can't remember the third one. My mind must have blocked it out in self-defense.

Best feature of the restaurant (food category): The Banana Fritters Fondue, served with caramel ice cream and four dipping sauces, rocked. The fritters were nice and crispy; I think there was coconut in the breading. The dipping sauces were burnt caramel, chocolate, vanilla, and a tropical fruit puree. My two favorites were the caramel and the fruit. Best feature of the restaurant (non-food category): the decor. I really liked the look of the place, especially the bar area and lounge: high ceilings, cool lighting, reasonably comfy chairs, mosaics, art deco-influenced windows. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any good pix on their web site.

Tuesday afternoon: Reading Terminal Market
The conference provided lunch for us on most days, but not on the first day of tutorial sessions. Happily, the hotel was just around the corner from the Reading Terminal Market. After a quick trip to the ATM, I opted for an iced tea and a catfish po'boy at the Down Home Diner. Surprisingly, the iced tea wasn't the Southern-style, slightly sweetened kind. But the sandwich was tasty, and the home fries were nicely browned and crispy. I scoped out some of the other vendors at the market, picked up a nice ricotta cannoli at Termini Brothers, and dashed back to the class.

Best feature (food category): the sheer variety. You name it, they've got it. It's all fresh, appetizing, right in front of you. Best feature (non-food category): the building itself. The Reading Terminal Market was built in 1889. Details stolen from readingterminalmarket.org: The Reading Railroad (yes, just like in Monopoly) announced it would build a state-of-the-art train shed in Philadelphia at 12th and Market Streets. The new train shed promised to be the biggest of them all, fronted by a splendid pink and white eight story office building. Fortunately, after much debate, it was decide that the markets currently occupying the same location on which the railroad proposed to build its new terminal would be purchased for one million dollars. The markets would be relocated within the new train shed beneath the elevated rail tracks. Reading's new train shed would be different from all others in that it had a gastronomic bazaar tucked away in its cellar. Reading Terminal Market was born.

Worst feature: it's in Philadelphia, and I live in Massachusetts.

Tuesday night: Bliss
Bliss is headed up by Francesco Martorella, who apparently was the executive chef at Brasserie Perrier, The Ritz Carlton and Avenue B. I have never eaten at any of those places, but the dishes at Bliss were excellent.

Best feature (food category): a close race between the starter (Ginger Shrimp Dumplings with Baby Shiitakes and Coconut Ginger Sauce) and dessert (Banana Financier with chocolate ice cream), but the medal goes to the dessert. I mean, c'mon, the name alone edges it over. How can you not enjoy ordering a "ba-nahn-ah fee-nahn-see-ay"? I can't find their recipe online, but this one from Bistro Les Deux Gros sounds like it would be reasonably close. Make sure to artistically drizzle some chocolate and/or caramel sauce on the plate when you serve it. Oh, and charge $10 for it, too. Best feature (non-food category): the high ceilings and spacious feel, in what is really a rather small restaurant setting. The decor is simple and streamlined, with a nice palette of muted colors. It seems vaguely Japanese, but with lots of curtains instead of shoji.

Worst feature (non-food category): those high ceilings make for a really noisy dinner experience.

Wednesday night: Morimoto

While I was preparing for this trip, I Googled to see if I could find a restaurant from a previous visit (several years ago). I couldn't (and still can't) remember its name, but it was in the beautiful Corn Exchange Building. The current resident appears to be the Plough & the Stars, an Irish restaurant and bar. But this seems to be a recent change: World Fusion was a previous venture, and there may have been others. I remember the distinctive look of the place: it was in a "restored historically preserved Corn Exchange Building, dating back to the early part of the 20th Century, [with] 24 ft ornate ceilings, molded Corinthian columns and dramatic 16 ft windows […]" The food was memorable; I had a seared tuna steak that was encrusted with sesame seeds, and served with long green beans (mung beans, maybe?) that were tied into an overhand knot. This was also the same restaurant where I watched a really pretentious rich woman accidentally light her menu on fire (no joke!), but