We've Moved!!

Our blogger home has been a blast, but we foodies have decided to move on to our very own domain space at (drum roll please)...

http://chewonthatblog.com

Drop on by and let us know what you think!

Kitchen Experiment Gone Right

I'm the kind of person who likes to follow directions. Doesn't really matter what they are, but I figure everything should turn out moderately well if directions are followed. Same is true for recipes. The step by step instructions usually lead you toward a decent finished product. Now, I know from personal experience that, especially with recipes, even the most specific directions don't always yield the expected results. And every once in a while I get brave enough to throw caution to the wind and make up my own.

Last night, R was making his famous lemon and garlic pasta, but I wanted something extra to go with it. R loves bruschetta and I had a quickly-ripening tomato, so it seemed like a good plan. After consulting some reliable recipes, I chose to go it on my own. And the results were fantastic! Ripe tomatoes, freshly baked bread and high quality parmesan cheese made the perfect combination for an easy bruschetta. The fresh flavor complimented the garlic in the pasta with a lightness the meal needed.



















I used a French baguette and found the pieces to be slightly small. Next time I'd try to find a wider Italian bread, I think. I'd also cut them a little thinner - it's hard to bite into a 1-inch thick piece of bread! All in all it was a very successful attempt and I was proud of my creation. But I don't think I'm quite ready to get rid of the cookbooks yet....



















Bruschetta

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes
1 loaf Italian bread
3-4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 C. onion, chopped
1-2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Directions

Seed and dice tomatoes and place in a bowl. Add basil, garlic, onion, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Cut bread into slices 1/2-inch thick. Drizzle grill pan with olive oil. Place slices on pan, turning each piece of bread to make sure both sides have oil. Toast bread over medium heat until both sides are golden brown. If you don't have a grill pan, this can be done in the toaster oven.

Top each slice of bread with a spoonful of the tomato mixture. Using a vegetable peeler, shave long curls of parmesan and top each bread slice with a curl.

Yield: 4 servings

Taste of Chicago

From catfish to oxtail, Chicago has no shame. City vendors will fry just about anything to serve up one of the greasiest festivals known to man. But that doesn't stop me from going, every year.


Depending on where you're from, you may or may not be familiar with the annual summer food fest in Chicago nicknamed the "Taste." If you're not, just like you might imagine, it's quite literally a taste of Chicago's cuisine (do NOT take this to mean that grease is all Chicago has to offer, it is by no means an exhaustive collection of Chicago's fine dining). More specifically, it's a 10-day event that hosts almost 60 restaurant vendors throughout Chicagoland. Each station has a "taste portion" for 3 tickets (approximately $2) to allow for more accessible sampling.

Anyway, yesterday was the last day and I made it there in the nick of time. I sort of make it my duty to try and go annually, so that I can feel like I've done my job as a Chicagoan. This year I made myself extra proud because I braved the 92-degree heat! (I drank a TON of water.)

But let's be honest, I eat the same food every year. So I guess I'm not really "tasting" much, just showing my support. Give or take a couple of variances, each year my stomach has to deal with at least one Indian samosa from Arya Bhavan, one pierogi from Kasia's, a slice of deep dish from one of the many pizza places (this year it was Bacino's pizza of Lincoln Park), and the ever delicious Original Rainbow Cone (an aggregate cup of pistachio, cherry, orange sherbert, Palmer and chocolate ice cream.) But don't think this year's list stopped right there. Those were just the staples. I also sampled a famous Billy Goat hamburger, a fried chicken wing, a frozen banana, beef on a stick, and....that may be it.

Oh no, wait. I was pleasantly surprised to see a new item that piqued my interest: Chocolate-Dipped Ginger Saffron Cookies from Vermilion, but in all honesty, they weren't as good as they sounded. The cookie was a bit dryer than I would have liked.

(Yes, I have it displayed in the grass, there aren't too many other seats at the Taste.)

All in all, the gorging fest met my expectations. 41 food tickets (a friend and I split!) and a full stomach, for the most part, later, I did not go home disappointed.

-Hillary, wishing "Hey Sushi" would come back to the Taste and serve their delicious fried green-tea ice cream
Editor, Recipe4Living

I need an ice cream maker.

I'm rapidly turning into an ice cream snob.

First came the days of Breyers, whose classy (and actually minty) Mint Chocolate Chip made me turn up my nose at Edys' green, nearly flavorless junk. Then Haagen-Dazs, with its rich vanilla and decadent caramel. Now I balk at anything less than Oberweis, in my opinion the nation's finest iced cream (narrowly beating out Gilles Frozen Custard, mainly because of proximity).

And after seeing all these recipes for DIY sorbet, gelato, custard...I have to make some of my own. Meaning I need an ice cream maker. Meaning, unfortunately, I need to spend more than they charge for a shake at my local Ice Cream Shoppe.

Now, I'm not opposed to spending money on indulgences. I have a staggering DVD collection and I'll be wasting $400 come September so's I can play one game. But those things last forever! Ice cream doesn't last an hour in my house!

Still, I must. A whole world of culinary experimentation and unnecessary weight gain beckons, yearns, cries "Smylie!" at night while I sleep--

Look, I'm not crazy, I just really like ice cream. So I need your help. Where should I start? What brands are the best? Do I go manual or spring for electric?

Oh ye all-known sages of confection (all of whom, like, totally read our blog), please give me some tips. Because I need to make this recipe as soon as possible.

-Jim, hoping he gets to try all these soon, too

Wake Up!

Have you seen the commercial recently with all the people yawning to advertise the new, more-caffeinated Pepsi Max? I've been watching Wimbledon on TV lately (yes, I woke up at 9am on Sunday morning with J* to watch Federer, J*'s icon, vs. Nadal, personally my favorite...his right arm is crazily bigger than his left). I yawn every time I see this commercial, and think about making a cup of tea. I suspect that this commercial is a rip-off of a popular Starbucks' commercial (do they need advertising?), but that's really not the point here.

The point IS why don't they (they being the man) post the amount of caffeine on bottles of soda? I am trying very, very hard to give up soda, but I still think this would be an important factor in consumer decisions. Sometimes you don't want to feel like a hummingbird in the afternoon, and sometimes you need a little something extra. Luckily, The Journal of Food Science analyzed the caffeine content in some of the more popular soda brands. Here are a couple highlights:

Coca-Cola (33.9 mg/12 oz)
Diet Coke (46.3 mg/12 oz)
Pepsi (38.9 mg/12 oz)
Diet Pepsi (36.7 mg/12 oz)
Dr Pepper (42.6 mg/12 oz)
Diet Dr Pepper (44.1 mg/12 oz)
Mountain Dew (54.8 mg/12 oz)
Diet Mountain Dew (55.2 mg/12 oz)

With the exception of Diet Pepsi, why do most of the diet versions have more caffeine than the regular? Hmmm.

-Caley, sipping on tea and not Pepsi Max

Your Weekly Libation

Instead of recommending a cocktail this week, I'm gonna push a product from off-site that's near and dear to my heart: Woodchuck Dark & Dry 802 Draft Cider. Someone at Woodchuck's laboratories (filled with mad scientists and in a skull-shaped orchard, no doubt) heard my demands for a dryer, crisper cider, and they delivered in spades. It's not a full escape from the soda pop-sweetness mass-produced ciders all suffer, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

So instead of getting yet another case of that Johnny-come-lately beer, stop by your local liquor store and try out a six-pack of Dark & Dry. If you aren't happy with your purchase, drink the remaining five bottles really fast, and you'll get happy pretty quickly.

-Jim out, mourning Cider's sad history

An Ode to Pasta and Meat Sauce

I came home from work last night ravenous for a well-balanced and filling meal. Lucky for me, some delicious pasta and meat sauce were awaiting my arrival. In my relief and satisfaction, I realized that this was exactly what I wanted.

To me, there is something comforting about pasta and meat sauce. Maybe it's the fact that it has been a family staple for years, or maybe it's the simplicity. Probably both, but the best part about it is how easy and inexpensive it is to cook such a delicious and substantial meal.

So, without further adieu... my dinner:

To replicate the image seen here, all you need to do is saute some ground beef. Mix it with Barilla pasta sauce and pour it atop some mostaccioli. Or, you can make your own pasta sauce of course, but store-bought sauces work perfectly well for a quick dinner. Serve with a salad and you're good to go.

-Hillary, wishing she was back in San Diego
Editor, Recipe4Living

About time

Apparently, NYC restaurant chains are now required by law to prominently display nutritional information for concerned customers. And they're reluctant to do so. A Burger King, for example, put their info on a wall where few prospective customers would notice it. Had the customers actually seen the sign in a prominent location,

...they could have learned that a triple Whopper with cheese has 1,230 calories (1,070 without mayonnaise), and a king-size chocolate shake has 1,260. The recommended daily calorie intake for an adult woman is about 1,800.

I know nothing's more American that truly terrible-for-you fast food, but come on, 1,260 calories for a frakkin' milkshake? I hope we see legislation like this in Chicago as soon as possible; you can't keep us from eating junk, but by God you should warn us about it.

Pop Rockin' Chocolate

So, I need a favor. About a month ago, I tried a chocolate bar that nearly changed my life. It was an Israeli chocolate bar, but the unique part about it was that it had pop rocks in it! Just imagine that for a second, chocolate with pop rocks. Sounds simple, but it is out of this world, and it created, quite literally, a party in my mouth (I know I've used this expression before, but it's too appropriate here to pass up.)

My problem is, it's been out of my world for a little bit too long. I can't find it anywhere! I believe the brand was the Israeli Elite brand (they make a ton of delicious chocolate, you should try it sometime), but their Web site seems to be lacking in the accessibility department. So here's where you come in. Know of a particular grocery store that carries it, or a website I can order mass amounts of them from? If so, please let me know! My cravings are unruly lately and they need to be fed.

That is all. Thank you.

-Hillary, obviously wishing she was eating chocolate with pop rocks
Editor, Recipe4Living

Recipes I must try

Odd as this may seem, given that I'm writing for a food blog the best food blog ever (rep-re-sent, people), I don't do a lot of cooking. One of the reasons I'm so excited to be working for the site is because it'll pull me outta my comfort zone and force me to make more than a grilled cheese or some absolutely delicious Pankeggs.

With that in mind, here are some recipes I have GOTTA take a crack at as soon as I get my lazy butt off the couch and into the kitchen.

Fat-Free Honey Granola Bars. Yeah, nothing special, but I'm sick of being under the yoke of Quaker Chewy's fake-healthy food. I want something I can snack on that's filling and not loaded with preservatives or chocolate chips!

But on the subject of chocolate, these chocolate cupcakes from She Bakes and She Cooks look positively heavenly. From the described texture to the nutella frosting, they're designed to make my stomach rumble, demanding tribute.

And while we're still on desserts, I want to whip up some of Thomas Jefferson's Ice Cream like Slashfood recommends. Problem is, I don't own an ice cream maker. Do I really need one? The recipe says you can just stick it in the freezer, but I imagine without the churning it won't be nearly as good.

But wait, tomorrow's the 4th! I should be grilling up some burgers! Right you are (or I am, since I'm typing this). Had I a meat grinder and a healthier lifestyle, I could justify eating perhaps one of these literal Bacon Cheeseburgers I saw on A Hamburger Today--still my favorite culinary find in the blogosphere by far. As it is, I might be able to get away with a few of these Firecracker Burgers instead.

And since my ladyfriend's a staunch vegetarian, I MUST cook the Ribz pictured on Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen for her. But that won't happen tomorrow, because I'll be too busy eating actual meat.

All day.

Happy 4th, everyone!

My Basil Affirmation

I'm such a foodie. I'm sitting here eating spinach linguine with homemade pesto, while snacking on Chantal cheese (dang this aged cheddar is good) and a few lychee for dessert (these are quite juicy and wrecking havoc on my work area). I love it.

Actually, last night was one of those nights that makes me feel better about my ability to cook. My dish worked gloriously. But, I cannot take all the credit. In truth, the farmer's market supplied a gloriously fresh bunch of basil for my homemade pesto. Every time I visit the farmer's market across the street, the smell of the basil demands I do something with it: put it in on pizza, make a caprese salad, even dunk in lemonade with a bit of watermelon.

When J* suggested pesto, I reveled in my increasing awareness of his genius. The classic pesto recipes generally include basil, pine nuts, garlic, sometimes a touch of fresh Pecorino-Romano cheese, and plenty of olive oil. Being a fan of walnuts, I decided to substitute them for the pine nuts. Hey, cooking is all about experimentation (and, well, I'd heard this works). The pesto came out a bit chunky, for want of a proper food processor, but was still completely delicious over the spinach linguine. Triumph! A glass of red wine was all the accompaniment I needed.

Here is a classic Pesto recipe, but with Parmesan instead of Romano (I like both versions). Feel free to substitute walnuts and let me know what you think.

Wolfgang Puck's pesto pasta is a great way to use your homemade pesto.

Have a wonderful Fourth of July!

-Caley, looking forward to things going "Boom!" tomorrow

Sage and Sausage

That's fresh sage. What a wonderful texture the leaves have and you can almost smell it. I used a bunch of sage to make homemade pork sausages with applesauce this weekend. Currently, I'm in somewhat of an Irish mode, experimenting with my beautiful new cookbook, Irish Traditional Cooking. On Sunday afternoon, I plopped four Granny Smith apples into a saucepan with a touch of water and sugar. I cooked these on very low heat for a short time, until the apples broke down. I've never actually made applesauce before and this smelled delicious. I could have added cinnamon at this point for a different treat.

The sausages were a snap to prepare, since casings are not necessary. A bit of fatty pork, minced, is best. Mix with the fresh herbs of your choice and plenty of salt and pepper. I love the combination of sage and apple, so chose this fragrant herb. For 1 lb. of fatty pork, also add 1 egg, 1 clove of garlic, and 2/3 C. soft breadcrumbs, as advised by cookbook author Darina Allen (I'm not a big fan of following recipes, but if you need measurements.) Allen recommends dividing the pork mixture into sixteen, rolled lengths, but I fried the sausage in bigger circles. I think the smaller pieces would have worked better.

The applesauce paired quite well with the sausages, although I think J* was more interested in the applesauce. In true Irish style, I served a potato dish on the side: buttery chive champ. One step further and I would have had colcannon.

What's next this week? Beef and Guinness Stew of course and Fadge

Slainte!

Breaking my heart and hurting my tongue

What the hell happened to Chee-Tos? While picking up classier lunch fare--cold cuts, good Swiss, yogurt--at the store last night, I saw a bag of Chee-Tos and could not resist nostalgia's call. These things turned me into an orange dust-coated zombie in lunch hours past, and I couldn't wait to try eating them again. I still consume a fair amount of bagged chips and such, mind you, but I moved to Sun Chips and Baked Lays long ago, preferring fake health food to the lowly Chee-To. I snagged the bag, packed a portion into a lunch baggie, and cracked them open as a midmorning snack.

Big mistake.

I feel like I've been eating a cheesy salt lick, and I'm only three bites in. Is this a sign that my tastes are truly developing? What happens next, then? Can I still enjoy cheap Chinese and Domninoes' Pizza? What has this job done to me?

Your Weekly Libation

I'm a proud Chicagoan (okay, okay, former North Shore suburbanite who finds it easier to say Chicagoan), so naturally, this cocktail caught my eye. I'm not usually fan of brandy or bitters, so it's quite the experiment, but I'll be giving it a try sometime this weekend. At the very least it gives me an excuse to go to the liquor store.

Chicago Cocktail
Ingredients
2 oz. Brandy
1 dash Bitters
1/4 tsp. Triple Sec
Ice

Directions
Rub a slice of lemon around the rim of a glass and dip it in powdered sugar. Fill the glass half way with ice. Stir ingredients with ice and strain them into the glass.

Enjoy the drink, folks, and enjoy the weekend. I'll see you on Monday.

-Jim, wishing we had more cocktail recipes on the site, wink wink nudge nudge

I'd like seven more please...

Ok, so I'm a hypocrite. I apologize to Japan, and then I continue on with my global cuisine eating ways. But, I just can't help it. And worry not, this time I'm not stealing all the "fish in the sea," if you will, maybe just some lingonberries.

Yes, the dish that I've come to profess my love for today is....(drumroll please)


SWEDISH PANCAKES!

Ah....yes, I had them for dinner last night at Walker Bros. Original Pancake House, and I was in heaven. Sorry America, Swedish pancakes "take the cake" in the pancake contest. I like them better because they have a light, yet crispy crepe-like texture, and they're served with a perfectly complementary (no, not complimentary) lingonberry jelly.

Here is my step-by-step process to enjoying Swedish pancakes:
1. I cut the pancake into sections
2. Spread a light to medium helping of the lingonberry jam along with freshly whipped butter (that Walker Brothers serves it with) - careful, you don't want to douse the pancake too much.
3. Roll it up, and indulge!

If anyone can tell me if this is how the pancakes are actually served in Sweden, I would love to know! I've never been.

-Hillary, waiting for someone to give her a recipe for Swedish pancakes (hint hint)
Editor, Recipe4Living

I have class, I just don't know where I left it

Maybe it's 'cause I'm a born-and-bred Midwesterner who, for the longest time, considered a 12-oz. steak a really high-class meal. My tastes are not sophisticated. I'm slowly learning to appreciate the finer things in life, but that growing appreciation has never extended to elaborate wedding cakes.

Yes, they are beautiful. Edible art, in fact! But when I can't bite into a cake without encountering six-inch layers of frosting and whole soggy strawberries, I'm not enjoying my dessert. And they're hideously expensive--what is it, like, ten bucks an inch? So while I'm happy as a clam looking at a wedding cake, when the time comes to eat dessert I'd rather have some caramel-swirled triple-chocolate brownies and high-quality vanilla gelato (see? that's kind of fancy!) than suffer through all the needless frippery inside all that pretty icing.

So what happens when I leave my wild and crazy guy lifestyle behind and settle down with a six-figure wedding bash? I don't want to spend the dough necessary for a towering monstrosity of fondant and fruit, but ritual demands I smash a piece of one into my new bride's face (or is it the other way around?). What's an iconoclast like me to do?

Why, I simply rent a cake, of course! With convenient services like this one, I pay a tiny price for an impressive foam cake covered in real fondant. It even comes with one real slice of cake, so the bride and I can make a good show of consuming the mm-mm-good fancy cake. Then it's wheeled into the kitchen and the real stuff is brought out a few minutes later, with no one the wiser, except for the folk sober enough to say "hey, this tastes like you bought it at Costco!"

It's a brave new world.

But I might reconsider my cake policy if I get to eat this one:



Nom nom nom.

-In all probability, Jim may make baklava for his wedding

A New Love Named Sassafras

Don't tell R, but I fell in love last night. While having dinner at a Louisiana-style Bluegrass restaurant in Highland Park, I met a dish called sassafras. Even the name sounds enchanting, doesn't it? Say it with me: sassafras. I actually would have completely overlooked the seemingly unremarkable title of "Tilapia Sassafras" on the menu had my mom not mentioned its excellence.

The complete description of the dish was this: "Pecan Coated Tilapia Flash-Fried, Topped with A Wild Mushroom Sassafras Sauce, Grilled Shrimp and served With White Rice And Green Beans." The dish came on a wide, oval platter featuring pieces of the pecan-coated tilapia crispy and brown from the frying, with a brown sassafras sauce pooling around the edges. On the other side of the plate was a large pile of green beans glistening with butter and garlic, a mound of white rice already soaking up the surrounding sauces and a skewer of Cajun-spiced shrimp.

The dish was phenomenal. The fish was crispy on the outside, but flaky on the inside and the mushroom sassafras sauce was creamy without being too heavy. Its flavor was unlike any mushroom sauce I'd ever tasted where the mushroom flavor was clearly present, but not over-powering. I would have licked the platter had we not been in public.

This mystery ingredient that caused my taste buds to dance? My beloved sassafras. Technically, sassafras is a plant with a capacity for a great many things. Its scent can be used for aromatherapy candles and its oil makes an excellent insect repellent. But when its leaves are dried and ground, it becomes filé powder, a spice commonly used in Cajun cooking. Genius.

When I got home from dinner, I searched anxiously for a recipe, but found none. I would LOVE to recreate this sauce, but would certainly need a recipe. Any southern cooks out there who are willing to share??? Submit them to the site and I promise to make it and share the results!

-Max, already plotting where to find filé powder for other Cajun recipes

Too little...too late?

The sushi craze is bigger than ever in America right now, with new sushi joints popping up all over the place. Yes, sushi is quite "in." Of course I realize this isn't news to anyone, as at this point it might even be on the verge of "out." But, irregardless of your opinion of sushi, it may not be around for too much longer. Or, at least, sushi as we know it.

You see, America's growing interest (along with China's and Russia's) in the artful Japanese creation has led to a shortage of the most common ingredient used in sushi: bluefin tuna. Not only are bluefin tuna fisheries already being depleted by their original and most frequent consumer (Japan, of course) but global demand for the raw fish is adding quite the insult to injury.

What's ironic about the situation is that the spreading of culinary traditions across the globe is usually seen as a form of flattery and an extension of cultural influence, but for Japan and its economy, the global sushi "trend" has been nothing short of a detriment. The NYTimes article that reports on Japan's crisis analogizes that tuna in Japan is as important as steak in America.

Imagine America without steak! Even if you don't like red meat, there is no doubt that steak is a sun around which the American economy's planets revolve (but of course, we have multiple "suns.") I mean really, what would America do? Well, as fellow blogger Jim has already so eloquently pointed out, notorious chef Gordon Ramsay has recommended horse meat as a healthier and better tasting steak substitute. America is fortunate enough to not have to resort to any backups (yet), but even if that weren't the case, Japan may beat us in the horse races (pun entirely intended).

Yes, you guessed it! Horse meat is Japan's backup plan!

To keep the sushi economy alive, some Japanese chefs have decided to use raw horse meat or deer to make their sushi. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but the thought of this in America would likely turn stomachs away from sushi for good (and maybe that is their intention!) But in Japan, both raw horse meat and deer are considered delicacies for natives. They just haven't been placed inside a jacket of seaweed and rice before (not that maki is the only way to enjoy sushi.)

So, a thought on globalization, if you're still reading:

Do we want to continue spreading our culinary traditions? Often food, no matter where you come from, is based on local resources, which means that sharing the traditions with the rest of the world seems to mean sharing the resources too. At some point, you'd think, a country would have to be selfish, because people in other parts of the world may not appreciate or need a food the way that country does. In fact, one person's food adventure is another person's staple, so where does the boundary lie?

I'm not naive as I realize that my comments and thoughts are entirely based on my being American. I know I come from the melting pot world where I'm fortunate enough to have food influences from all around the world readily available to me. And further, I know that this isn't the case in the rest of the world.

Having said all this, I extend my sympathies to Japan for a loss that I could not fathom. I also would like to apologize for America, China, and Russia adding to your problems. But at the same time, it is your fault too Japan because you created something entirely too delicious. I'm going to miss tuna sushi, dearly.

Run for the hills horses! You're next!

-Hillary, wishing tuna would reproduce at a much higher exponential rate
Editor, Recipe4Living

P.S. I'm not fully aware of the gravity of the tuna fishery depletion, so it's possible this is a very temporary scare and we will not have to say our goodbyes to the precious bluefin tuna.

Hell hath no fury...

...like an unconditioned subway train at rush hour. That was my sweaty morning: a train ride with a mob of angry, overheated New Yorkers. I walked into work today with the inarguable need to stick my head in the freezer. I feel better.

With the heat over 90 degrees F, I've been dreaming of some cool treats and tricks to cool off.

1. If you do not have an air conditioner, fret not. Here's a way to make one and run it for *much* cheaper, as developed by a couple very warm, very clever college students.
2. Make a few Ice Straws to stir that cool lemonade, ice tea, or refreshing cocktail.
   
3. Best of all, whip up a batch of Watermelon Granita.
   

Watermelon Granita

This refreshing, ice dessert is thick enough to be eaten out of bowls, or can be made into a drink.

Ingredients

1/2 C. superfine sugar
1 C. water
4 C. ripe seedless watermelon fruit, cut into chunks
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lime, sliced

Directions

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Place watermelon and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pass the fruit puree through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, using the back of a spoon to push liquid through. Discard any solids or seeds. Add cooled sugar-water and stir to combine. Pour mixture onto a metal pan to a depth of 1/4-inch. Place in freezer for 30 minutes until crystals begin to form. Scrape mixture with a fork to break it up, scraping the ends and sides of the pan where it might be most frozen. Refreeze for another 30 minutes. Repeat this process several times for 2-3 hours until frozen and crystallized. Place dessert cups or glasses in refrigerator to chill. Scoop granita into chilled bowls and garnish with a slice of lime on the rim.

-Caley, hating the MTA and luvin' the freezer

Photo compliments of Flickr, chotda

No more food heroes

In these troubled times, when up is down and left is right and night is day and black is white, you gotta look for the constants. The age-old truths that, time and time again, provide a rock of stability in the sea of madness that is our modern world.

Like popcorn.

Remember popcorn? Oh, sure, you're serious foodies, you've moved on to greater snacks, but remember for a moment: the excited child getting overbuttered popcorn at the movie theater. Jiffy-Pop bulging in the pan at grandmother's house. The building-filling smell of artificial butter as golden microwaved fluff poured into a bowl.

Popcorn will always remain a happy constant in our lives, there when we need it. Safe, nostalgic, harmless buttery goodness.

Or not.

Apparently, the chemical additive diacetyl--used as a component for butter flavoring in popcorn and other products--can cause serious cases of bronchitis obliterans, a nasty disease that scars your airways and, eventually, necessitates lung transplants. Several workers have already contracted the disease, and 9 out of 10 lab rats died within a day of exposure. The rats were given double to triple the amount a worker encounters in the average workday, but an amount similar to what a worker would be exposed to while peeking into the butter vats.

Now, the workers get exposed to far more of this stuff than any of us ever will, but we still gotta watch out for the diacetyl that cooks into the popcorn as the bag heats up. If enough accumulates, who knows what could happen?

Ah well, at least I still have ice cream.

-Jim out, hoping someone submits non-microwave popcorn recipes to the site

Ratatouille!

If you haven't heard yet, the Disney-Pixar movie about an aspiring chef, who just happens to be a rat in Paris, is coming out this Friday (June 29th!) And...

I AM SO EXCITED!
(Yes, that's me.)

Why? You ask.

Well, for one, I love Disney movies. Two, I've been reading and writing all about ratatouille nonstop over the past couple weeks at Recipe4Living.com (go read my article and enter our Ratatouille contest!) And three, what could be cuter than a rat named Remy testing out his skills in the kitchen?

Do you need any more encouragement? Maybe you're thinking this sounds like an advertisement but I get nothing out of you going to see the movie, honest. I'm just gracefully passing along something for you to enjoy! :)

-Hillary, currently spreading white cherry and Ratatouille love
Editor, Recipe4Living

A Pupusa or Two on Saturday Afternoon

What would motivate me to travel all the way out to Brooklyn on a Saturday afternoon despite several subway transfers? Well, the best Latin American food in the greater New York area is what. And by best, I mean I might have to make the trip a weekly excursion since my mouth is still watering.

The New York foodies and many, many others have been buzzing lately regarding the Red Hook soccer fields. Recently, the city informed the Latino food vendors that their Temporary Use Agreement, granted by the Department of Parks and Recreation, would not be renewed. The city wants to open up the park to concession bids, ensuring a sizable amount of money for the city, but surely bringing an end to the vendors operating at Red Hook for the last ten years.

I went out to Red Hook on Saturday to see for myself why these vendors are so wonderful. First of all, the food was easily some of the best I have had anywhere in New York. Salvadoran pupasas, thick corn tortillas stuffed with cheese or pork, are made by hand continuously by a couple of vendors, and served with a pickled cabbage relish called curtido. Some of these delicious pupasas are pictured above. They seem rather simple, but these babies are mind-blowing. Other vendors sell fresh ceviche, which I have certainly discussed before.

Sampling some Mexican cuisine, I also enjoyed some fresh, chorizo tacos with plenty of spicy salsa and guacamole. Chorizo is Mexican sausage, and I want it much more often than I can find it. To wash all this down, I enjoyed a tall, cold cup of horchata, which is the sweet drink made from rice, almonds, and usually some cinnamon. An impressive juice stand also had fresh watermelon juice and limeade.

With all this food, J* and I settled down to watch some soccer at the fields. I couldn't have been happier. Looking around at all the vendors, with their makeshift tables set up, I can see how important these vendors are to the community. Families from all over Brooklyn and New York are enjoying the food, the weather, and the soccer, and certainly not just Latino families. This is what makes New York great, and would certainly be a tragedy if lost.

Save Soccer Tacos.

*Update*

According to Serious Eats, the vendors at Red Hook can stick around at least until the end of soccer season, October 28th.

When life hands you leftovers...

Make Leftoverade!

Ok, that was lame, I know. But there is a point to this, I promise! When I was a kid, I was never good at eating leftovers. Ok, I'll be honest. I'm still not good at eating leftovers. Sometimes, at work, I'll be good by clearing out my contributions to the communal fridge in order to avoid spending more for a new lunch. But usually, I like fresh. I'm sorry, fresh is just more appealing!

If you think I'm a terrible and wasteful person for thinking this way, just wait two more seconds before you blame me. I have a plan for redeeming myself. Here goes:


There is a new movement called "replating." This organization, that you can read about at replate.org, defines the coined verb:

Their goal is to spread the word to as many people as possible, making replating a movement that makes sure less food is wasted, and more hungry mouths are fed.

So, I'm doing my job. I'm passing on the word. How's that for redemption?

- Hillary, about to go eat some leftovers...
Editor @ Recipe4Living.com

The only cooking show hosted by an appetizer

Way, way back before time was time online and I still got all my viral video fixes from places like Newgrounds, I saw a cooking show that was heavy on humor, thick with food science, and hosted by Alton Brown trapped in an octopus' body.

I'm kidding.

Sort of.

I'm referring to Deep Fried, Live! A series of flash cartoons designed to make cooking fun--and teach you about things like, say, the science behind brining a turkey before you deep fry it--hosted by a friendly if accident-prone talking octopus named Tako.

I don't know when the last episode came out, but there are currently 8 in all, and all are worth watching. One of the creators, Rob DeBorde, is actually a writer for Good Eats, and the connection is obvious. Tako has a penchant for silly puns and geeky humor, and he offers a wide breadth of cooking knowledge. Much of this info is shared in a particularly handy way--clickable notes on the side of the screen, narrated cheerily by Tako, that automatically pause the show and unpause it once they're finished. You can also click on icons that pop up contextually--i.e., a little knife when Tako mentions good knives--to shop for the best cooking tools. It's a bit like Good Eats meets Pop-Up Video, all hosted by a cartoon octopus.

And I can't wait to make that octopus' cookie recipe.

-Jim, out.

Pie to try

If I didn't mention this in my last post about the movie Waitress, Jenna's pies are enough to make anyone salivate through a movie. Whether or not they do taste good, they sure look good and are worth a try!

Here's my favorite pie recipe that she makes for her friend before a date:

Falling-in-love chocolate mousse pie

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2/3 cup water
1 (4-serving) box chocolate flavored pudding mix (not instant)
1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream, stiffly whipped
1 (9-inch) baked pastry shell

In a large saucepan, combine condensed milk, water and pudding mix; combine well. Add chocolate. Over medium heat, cook and stir rapidly until chocolate melts and mixture thickens. Remove from heat, beat until smooth. Cool. Place in the refrigerator and chill thoroughly. Stir. Fold in whipped cream and pour into prepared pastry shell. Chill four hours until set.

Makes 8 servings.

You can also find it at Recipe4Living.com if you want to add it to your recipe box.

It's the weekend, you have time to bake! Go ahead and try it!

Friday, baby!

Nearly 5:30 on a Friday evening. All of our readers are gonna have a night out on the town, right? Hit those bars, buy tacos at two in the morning, eat something some guy hands you and then just freak out for a while...

Ah, but slow down there, Raoul Duke. If you're frugal like me, you want to have the same amount of crazy fun for half the price, right? That's why I'm going to recommend a cocktail every Friday, one you can whip up yourself without worrying about saving your singles for the bartender. So without further ado, my recommendation for this week:

Planter's Punch.

This libation's got a storied history in my family. Responsible for endless nights of drunken revelry and eventual total unconsciousness at a little Sea Island, Georgia pub called The Loggia Bar, it's delicious, strong, and absolutely perfect to sip (or pound) on a hot summer night. The mix of juices and three kinds of rum will make you feel absolutely tropical, not to mention absolutely...well, you get the picture. And since the Loggia got bulldozed in May, you'll be drinking a little (or big!) glass of history.

So enjoy, you party people. And remember, always drink responsibly.

Nonnarcotic Insomnia Cookies

Daily Candy NYC ran one of the funniest and most appealing newsletters today. I giggled with delight, largely because it was about cookies...warm cookies delivered to your door between 8pm and 2:30 am. Insomnia Cookies is popular on a handful of college campuses (obviously) but they've now opened it up to Manhattan with a bakery at W. 4th St. in the West Village. Ooooh, this magical city I live in! If I didn't live on Roosevelt Island, I would be ordering this very night. Perhaps I can order from a bar? Do you think Dublin will have cookie delivery? Perhaps served with hot toddies on the side? (Read all about my love of hot toddies here.)

Aside from s'mores, improvised on a gas stove due to lack of campfire here (they are still good!), I can't think of anything I would like more at midnight. But, Daily Candy is right, there is a serious risk of addiction.

Devote at least 30 minutes for delivery. Until you know how you’ll react to Insomnia Cookies, you should not drive or operate machinery. You might want to take them with alcohol, though milk is recommended and can be delivered. Most cookies include some risk of dependency.

Award-Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

More than just pie

I saw the movie Waitress last night, and in short, it inspired me. If you’re worried this is going to be a movie review, don’t turn away just yet, it’s not. It just happens that this movie, centered around pie, motivated me to do some thinking about how food can be an outlet for so many facets of our lives.

In order for you to follow along with me, I do however need to give the obligatory summary of the movie (Warning: it may be considered a spoiler) so here goes:

Waitress is about a woman named Jenna who is depressed from her marriage to a terrible husband, as well as her lifelong loneliness. Again and again, she finds herself trapped in the abusive relationship, partly due to financial struggles. To her further dismay, she finds out she is pregnant with her husband’s child. The only outlet through which she feels comfortable sharing her emotions is by baking pies. She even names pies after her feelings while inventing them. After a series of life-changing events, she eventually finds exactly what she has been looking for in the baby she resented all along. She cuts off ties from everything in her old life and “starts fresh,” keeping only one thing the same: her love and passion for making pies.

When it comes down to it, I think cooking is an outlet for a lot of people. In terms of family, cooking can be a way to bridge generational gaps or settle differences. It can also make you feel like you belong. Cooking can evoke a sense of identity depending on with, for, or by whom you cook. And, not to stereotype, but for many women it can be very self-gratifying to be able to say they watched their mother’s or grandmother’s in the kitchen and are now carrying on their family’s food traditions. Even Jenna (from Waitress) does the same thing. Food keeps memories alive; recreating traditions time and time again from ancestors long ago.

Cooking can also be a form of expression. Like Water for Chocolate (the book and the movie) is about a woman named Tito who loves a man married to her sister but was never able to be with him physically. She expresses her love and intimate feelings for him through her cooking; feelings that he reciprocates and embraces while eating. Jenna, the woman in Waitress puts all of her emotion into her pies which explains why they are considered the most fantastic pies in the world.

It goes without saying that food is a basic need for all of us, but that is exactly why it helps us to relate to one another. Sure, food has its stratifying differences, from reputations attached to caviar as well as to chicken fried steak. But I think that when we cook, regardless of what the food is, or where it is from, we are fulfilling a hunger for something more than our own stomachs. We are fulfilling a hunger for self definition, expression, and maybe even sometimes, relationships. I think the expression “made with love” applies well here as the best meals are those that have meaning.

Food has the ability to nourish the soul, as well as the body, and I don’t think it could hurt to just realize that from time to time.

I got nothin' today, so...

Here's a cat eating a birthday cake.

...yeah.

Wilbur, no!

Okay, okay, it's in poor taste, but I couldn't resist. In my daily blogging I encountered a series of articles about all the kerfluffle (does anyone say that word outside of blogging, like, ever?) surrounding Hell's Kitchen star chef Gordon Ramsay's apparent enjoyment of horse meat.

Ramsay's no stranger to confrontation, given his short fuse and inclination to use an f-word I'm not allowed to type here (hint: it's not 'food'). But I'm willing to bet this is the first time his opponents have basically thrown their crap at him.

See, in a May episode of Ramsay's hit Brit program The F-Word, he tried and liked horse meat. Yep. Ramsay ate pony, horsie, equine, the fa-a-amous Mr. Ed...and according to him and his cohort on the show (journalist Janet-Street Porter), it's not only delicious, it's something everybody should have more of.

Cue a--*cough*--manure-storm.

I've written a piece about the pros and cons of eating horse meat (seriously, someone give it a name already) which you can find over at R4L, and after researching the topic all day I can safely say this:

I want to try horse meat.

Yes, I know, horses are pretty and majestic and noble companions with big, soulful eyes and kind hearts and Gandalf's horse could totally understand human speech and that's great. But I'm a curious omnivore who loves him some red meat, and I have no sentimental attachment to horses. In fact, one of them tried to kill me in Hawaii, and another saw fit to keep grinding my leg against a barbed-wire fence for half a mile at a dude ranch. Luckily I was wearing heavy jeans at the time. Cows ain't done nothin' to me, and I eat them at least once a week!

Unfortunately, while I'm certainly allowed to cook up some horse steaks if I so choose, I'll have a hard time finding them. Slaughtering horses for human consumption in the United States is illegal, and thanks to a recent ruling in Illinois slaughtering 'em for export to that sweet overseas market is now illegal as well. So if I want to get my horse fixin' fulfilled I'll have to go to jolly old England.

Well, on the bright side, I might meet Ramsay this way. But he'd probably call me a ponce and make me cry, because, y'know, that's what he does.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Beer Flights on Paddles

I like to try things. This can be translated into: I like samplers. Hence, the beer flight! If you've never had a beer flight before, allow me to make a recommendation. If you're ever at a microbrewery and haven't tried all of their beers, get the beer flight! Pictured above is Flatlander's entire selection of house brews for a cool and refreshing $4. That's 50 cents more than their regular beer price and you get just as much, if not more, beer! Everyone has their own style of beer flight presentation but I thought theirs was pretty cute and creative: it came on a nifty looking paddle with 5 mini pilsner glasses. Being my first Flatlander's experience, it was the perfect way to try out the place.

I must admit though, I don't just get the samplers the first time I go to bars; the sampler is often my menu selection of choice. Usually, when I go to RAM, I "sample" their beers (if I'm not getting their rootbeer floats!). They used to let you try their 6 beers for $1.99 (and it would even be HALF PRICE on some nights!) Now I think it's $2.99, but still.

Beer flights are good deals my friends!

I'm Moving to Ireland

Ok, ok, this is not exactly news for anyone that knows me. Nonetheless, it's been one of those days that I can't stop thinking "Holy #$&% I'm moving to Ireland." I'm moving to Dublin in September to pursue my goal of being a lifelong student, and where I will also continue my love of food. I've heard things about the cost of dining out in Ireland which make me think I'll be cooking more than here in NYC. In that spirit, I decided to devote my regular blog reading to some awesome Irish food blogs today. The rumored Irish "gift of gab" is true people.

• Val's Kitchen writes about "American-Style" fluffy pancakes. I had no idea we could take credit for that! Giving me something to look forward to, Ireland is that "Atlantic blasted island of rain." Bring it.
• The Humble Housewife makes me somewhat ravenous with these:
  

• The super-close-up pictures served up with wit at Stuff yer bake are amazing. And, yes, the title of the blog amuses me greatly.
  
• Martin Dwyer tells me that duck fat is freely available in supermarkets in Ireland....And that I will be cooking my cabbage in it. Awesome.
  

Might I finish with my favorite Irish food recipe at Recipe4Living.com?

Sweet Potato and Wild Mushroom Lamb Stew

Enjoy.

Make Your Own

It's very possible that my organizational need to control things carries over into my food habits. In fact, I'm pretty certain it does. At stir fry restaurants, I always choose to "make my own" instead of opting for the already designated ingredients mixtures. And at delis or sandwich shops, I most definitely "build my own" sandwich just the way I like it. I make no exception with pizza.

As a lazy college student, there was always a frozen Boboli pizza crust waiting to be defrosted and covered with whatever was in the fridge. And while many may frown upon the use of prepackaged pizza crust, it certainly makes life a whole lot easier! (Well, nothing would be easier than Jim's recent discovery, but that's a whole other story.)

But when I recently found out that Trader Joe's makes a ready to bake pizza dough, I made the switch from frozen. I got the whole wheat flavor, but their herb dough looks delicious too! I really love making my own pizza because I can use fresh ingredients like sliced tomatoes and basil and whatever else I feel like. Last night it was tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, fresh basil and goat cheese. (Looks like Pam at Cave Cibum had the same idea.)



















I like my pizza thin and crispy, but I found it hard to really get the bottom well done. Next time I would probably use half the dough and roll it out thinly. I also highly recommend investing in a pizza stone if you think this is something you'd make on a regular basis. Other than the slightly chewy crust, the pizza was fantastic! The combination of mozzarella and goat cheese was gooey without being overwhelmingly cheesy and the fresh veggies were excellent.

So whether you're a control freak like myself or you just like pizza, this is an easy way to please everyone.

Goat Cheese Pizza with Mushrooms and Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 pkg. pizza dough (I recommend Trader Joe's brand)
1/2 C. tomato sauce
4 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
4-6 mushrooms
2-3 basil leaves, chopped
Goat cheese
Mozzarella
Parmesan

Directions

Let pizza dough come to room temperature and roll out on floured surface. You may want to only use half of the pizza dough for a very thin crust. Move dough to pizza stone.

Cover dough with tomato sauce. Then layer tomatoes, mushrooms and basil. Sprinkle a few handfuls of mozzarella and crumble goat cheese over the top. You may add grated parmesan if you want.

Bake in 425 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until done.

Note: you can substitute any ingredients that you'd like for toppings.

You Have Committed Steak Crime

Generally, I do not subject myself to large quantities of beef. An occasional burger or beef stir-fry will insert itself between my preferences for fish, chicken, pork, duck, etc. Sometimes though, when especially ravenous after a long day, I crave as much of the cow as they will put on my plate. I want nothing more than a big, juicy steak, preferably with some sort of Gorgonzola (my poor, poor arteries) and creamy mashed potatoes.

This weekend, my family was in town, including my two tall sisters (6' and 5'9" respectively) and my equally tall mother. After walking around Manhattan all day on Saturday and some serious shopping, we had worked up quite an appetite. Since we were going to Joyce Dance Theater on Saturday night, we wanted some sort of steakhouse in the Chelsea area. The concierge at their hotel recommended Frank's, and told me it was "very reasonable" for my frugal-minded family. It was not. The cheapest meal was well over $30, as the sides were also ala carte.
Since we were at a famed steakhouse, we all ordered Petit Mignon. The above is a good illustration of what we got. A fine piece of beef like MIGNON should always be prepared medium rare. Anything else and you are ruining the steak. J* and my steaks (yep, he was meeting the fam) were very far from medium rare. They were dry and flavorless, and made me want to cry as I begrudgingly ate my money away now that we had no time to order anything else before the show. My mother and sister's medium steaks had absolutely no pink. What a crime!

Seriously, how does this happen? It's called a meat thermometer! Adding insult to injury was the fact that the restaurant was almost empty as we dined. What were they busy doing back there? In my opinion, if you are spending a lot of money for a good steak, you should NEVER have to pay for a hockey puck. We fought our way to $50 off the bill, but that was the extent of it. The waiters saw me taking pictures of the steaks, but unfortunately none of them came out for this post.

Thumbs down!

Photo compliments of flickr, su-lin

No. No, it cannot be.

I quote the Book of Revelations:

And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold: a pizza vending machine.

Yes, that's right. Some mad Italian scientist saw fit to make a vending machine that sucks in dollars and spits out piping hot, 9" pizza pies. If you look at the gallery on the site you'll see two critical facts:

1) The pizzas are cooked by an open heating element, meaning they aren't just microwaved.

2) The pizzas actually look somewhat appetizing.

They spent 5 million bucks in R&D creating this thing! It spits out a fully cooked pie in about two minutes, with three varieties per machine and a crispness setting controlled by the machine's operator. Now I can finally get that crisp rising-crust flavor at the Des Moines Greyhound station!

Okay, okay, this is actually really cool, but I have a good reason to panic. When convenience reaches this level, it won't be long before we're living in a grim world where robots do all the work and slowly learn to rebel. When that day comes, all we can do is hope Will Smith is still around to save us*.

*Initial title of this post: "AW, HELL NAW"

Cider tastes better than beer.

Yeah, I said it. And I'll say it again, in bold letters: CIDER IS BETTER THAN BEER. I'm not saying that beer is bad or anything, but I like hard cider better--and I shouldn't be mocked for the preference.

Go to a bar with your buddies. Plop down in the stool, get the bartender's attention. Ask for cider. Even if you're a 6 foot 5 Hell's Angel with "LOVE AND HATE" tattooed on your knuckles, bloodstains on your chopper, and a bandoleer across your chest, your pals are going to stare, possibly laugh, and probably ask if you're sure you don't want a Smirnoff Ice.

Screw that noise. I was introduced to cider by a 300-pound Irish bus driver who could pound pints of the black stuff for six hours straight and still want whiskey afterwards. That's pretty damn manly. And what's this association with Zima and "alcopops?" Cider was what you drank long before beer took hold in this country, with pints pounded down by everyone from hard-bitten frontiersmen to John Quincy Adams. It only lost its popularity when beer breweries arose near urban centers. And like so many other things, that was all the Germans' fault. Lousy Germans*.

Luckily, cider seems to be making a comeback--in England, anyway. It's nice to know that if I'm ever in London and I ask for a pint of Magner's or Scrumpy Jack, I won't get snickers or funny looks (which is good, because I am emphatically not a bloodthirsty Hell's Angel).

If you'd like to read a brief history of the drink I love so much, check out my article on the main site. And next time you see a guy asking futilely if the bar stocks Woodchuck, show some sympathy. An American cider-lover's existence is a torturous one.

*In reality, Jim has nothing against the Germans, nor does he wish they would "go back to Germania." He just wishes they wouldn't make such good beer.**
**If any Germans are offended, Jim deeply apologizes, as he knows that Germans are not "all smiles und sunshine."

A "Big" Disappointment

Ordinarily I'm not one to complain about restaurants and food establishments, especially those that have been at the top of my favorites list for years, but I have to say I am disappointed. If you've read my profile, or happen to know me, you might know that I have an obsession with Big Bowl, the restaurant. Ever since it moved to an area about 5 minutes from my house, I've been ordering their chicken satay appetizer, lemon chicken entree and a hibiscus iced tea to drink.

I went recently though, and things just weren't the same. Maybe it was the hyped up expectations after a long semester at school without a nearby Big Bowl, or maybe my perceptions serve me correctly. I'm not quite sure, but my main problem was that portions were much smaller and presentation was lacking.


If you'll notice in this picture of the chicken satay, there are only 3 skewers of chicken! Aside from that being a small number for any sharable appetizer, there used to be 5! Ok, I know that was back in the day, they had cut it down to 4 first. Yes, Big Bowl, I'm watching you and I'm not such a fan of your sneaky ways of diminishing how much food one gets in their order. What's worse, they got rid of the cucumber salad that it came with! Chicken satay needs to be served with cucumber salad, not an unattractively colored lump of I don't even know what. Even their peanut sauce is different! Used to be chunky, now it's straight liquid that falls all over the plate upon serving.

I complained about the portion to the waiter noting that it used to be bigger and he laughed in my face and said, "Oh, did you want to just order another?" Great service buddy. Maybe if it were free.

Perhaps I'm overreacting, but please understand that this happens to be one of my absolute favorite foods ever. I like the way they prepare it, or shall I say prepared, and I just can't deal with change like that.

The hibiscus iced tea and the lemon chicken did stay up to par though. I will give them credit for that. I didn't even realize that the hibiscus iced tea had free refills and that was a definite perk!

Will I go there again? Probably. Even though the portions were smaller and the presentation wasn't the same, the truth of the matter is it still tasted really good. If you noticed, I was just disappointed because I wanted more!

Salvaging Deliciousness

As a new chef, I'm terminally likely to totally screw up half the recipes I attempt. It's okay, I'm learning, but occasionally, wrestling with failure, I feel like Ralph Wiggum struggling to open a milk carton.

So after botching one of the first steps of making Baklava, I was feeling kinda low. The friends I was cooking with, however, had other plans, and what they decided to do made me feel, for the night, like a real chef:

We improvised.

The problem with our Baklava recipe was, we tried to speed up the defrost process of the Fillo dough with warm water, assuming the bags involved were hermetically sealed. They weren't, which left us dough rather soggy at the edges. But the middle of the roll was fine--and after some cutting, we had lots and lots of thin strips of Fillo. That'd be one helluva narrow pan of Baklava...but what else could we make?

Tarts, as it turns out. With a maniacal look in his eye and an inspiration I'm still trying to understand, one of my friends started mixing up spare stuff around the kitchen--raspberries, cinnamon, some lemon zest from the baklava---until he had a bowl full of deliciousness. Meanwhile, my other friends began laying down strips of Fillo.

We took turns layering the paper-thin dough and filling it with the raspberry mixture, making funny shapes (including what can only be described as a raspberry tumor). It was my idea to fold the dough into triangles, someone else's to make some sauce with honey intended for the baklava, someone else's idea to...you get the idea. It was like cooking by wiki.

The results? Well, I'll give you a hint.


YUM.

The recipe can be found here: Improvised Raspberry Honey Tarts.

Enjoy! I know I did.

Mochi goodness

I'm a huge fan of mochi ice cream; always have been, always will be. Mochi is a sort of sticky rice that encases a ball of ice cream leaving a dry dessert with a gooey and creamy inside. It comes in all sorts of flavors from mango to green tea, to red bean or your simple vanilla. Despite its Japanese origins, the first time I had it was at Bob Chinn's crabhouse. And while the restaurant is quite close to my house, it was rather inconvenient for my budget. The problem was, at that time (and this was years ago) I couldn't find it anywhere else. It seemed to be sort of a rare thing to carry, even in restaurants. If I was going to continue feeding my addiction, something had to change.

Well, as it turns out, they now sell it at the grocery store! Trader Joe's to be exact, but I'm sure others have it too. So last night, I had the pleasure of eating mango mochi in my very own home. No tip necessary! Best idea ever.

And, this newfound magnificence led me to get a bit creative in the kitchen last night. I made a quick and easy dessert that would be appropriate for any fancy occasion, and it was quite possibly the best thing I've ever put together!


All you need to do is serve one mochi ball and surround it with fresh berries or even mandarin oranges. The ice cream leaks out a bit at the bottom through the rice and mixes with the berries (which the mango flavor is suited quite well for.) It is refreshing, delicious, you name it. I'm in love.

Cooking Disaster Carnival (How Macabre)

All the bloggers here at Chew on That love to eat. For example, after a trio of spicy crunch maki on Monday night, I couldn't turn down two-dollar wings with my beer at the nearby bar. But, we don't all claim to be master cooks. (Well, maybe Max does when none of the other bloggers are around...I've heard things about her risotto) Learning to cook is also about experimentation (and, um, food), and that means things occasionally go terribly but hilariously wrong. I tried to make falafel from scratch once with a mixture that stubbornly refused to remain balled, and ended up with oily muck.

It's especially fun to hear about these cooking disasters from our fellow food bloggers (some much more seasoned than we).

So, send in your crazy cooking disaster stories for what will be a very amusing blog and article at recipe4living.com. I'll be sure to give you some nice link-love at both locations.

Mail me at: caleywalsh at gmail dot com

Ow! My heart, my liver, and my brain!

Oh God.

Some woman from a health nut's nightmares has created bacon vodka.

Bacon. Vodka.

The thread originally appeared on 4chan's Food and Cooking board, but was deleted before its madness could reach the rest of the internet, where it would undoubtedly harness man's collective desires to 1) combine things that should not be combined and 2) harm his liver and his heart simultaneously.

It has since been archived in Google Docs. Enter to see pictures of the entire process and the reaction of 4chan's forum, but be warned: the language on the site is not safe for work, and the content is not safe for the human mind itself.

You say cicada, I say cicAHda

I'm sure everyone has heard all the 'buzz' about the Midwest's cicada invasion, a mobbing of creatures notorious for their 17-year hibernation period. And by buzz, I'm not just making an incredibly corny pun, I'm actually referring to all the crazy things people out there will do to incorporate a cicada into their everyday lifestyle: a warm welcome, if you will.

Yes, less frequent occurrences offer a multitude of opportunites like say, the Walter E. Smithe furniture cicada sale (find the cicada videos in their drop down menu) where they serve freshly squeezed cicada juice and "if you miss it, they won't have another sale like this for 17 years!" Or, you can get even more creative, like my friend's uncle, and make cicada paperweights (little treasures to cherish those little buggers while they're gone). The sky, or rather, the June (July? when do they leave?) soil is the limit with these flying noisemakers and like the good human hosts that we are, we go out of our way to make the most of their visit!

So, what do we do? Naturally, we eat them! Well, ok, not me personally, but you might be surprised how much cicada consumption goes on in these short months. Here's my favorite YouTube cicada video, also a news broadcast on local television channel WTTW.

"Cicada Gourmet Dining"


If you watched, you got a little taste of cicada tempura sushi rolls, some refreshing cicada and jam endive snacks, and even deep fried cicadas! If you're inspired, check out some more cicada recipes.

Most importantly, get 'em while they're around, because the next freshly caught cicada delicacy won't happen for another 17 years!

Enjoy! Or, take a look at this little guy first...