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Sabtu, 30 Agustus 2008

Slow Food Nation: Civic Center



Slow Food Nation is a an indoor and outdoor affair with high ticket fundraisers and plenty of free events and activities. If you want to enjoy it on the cheap, head over to Civic Center and take a walk through the inspiring Victory Garden. In the garden swing by the "Soapbox", where a series of speakers and artists get to have their say. The garden is ringed by booths called "the Marketplace" which is kind of like a national farmer's market with growers and producers from all over and plenty of free samples and tastes of fresh fruit, cheeses, nuts, milk and more.

Even if you're on a budget, stay for a snack or a meal. There are all kinds of offerings from Slow on the Go, including local favorites and regional specialities. My pick? A scrumptious muffaletta made from Heritage Foods company Salumi of Seattle! And if you can't make it to San Francisco, I hope you'll enjoy the slide show.

Jumat, 29 Agustus 2008

Slow Food Nation: Re-Localizing Food

Slow Food Nation

How do you enjoy Slow Food? There isn't one sanctioned way. What began as a protest against fast food has become the symbol of a new consciousness about food. While the organization is somewhat controversial, the goals are admirable--to promote a return to the way people used to eat. What that looks like these days is up for debate. That very discussion was part of the Re-Localizing Food panel discussion today at Slow Food Nation, the community event organized by Slow Food USA, part of the international Slow Food movement.

The panel featured author and journalist Michael Pollan, chef Dan Barber, Gary Nabhan, founder of Renewing America's Food Traditions Alliance, RAFT and Winona LaDuke, a Native American activist. It was moderated by James Oseland, editor of Saveur.

Michael Pollan explained that the current state of our food systems was a product of interstate highways, supermarket chains, refrigerator trucks and cheap fossil fuel. But the days of cheap fossil fuel may be over. Shipping broccoli from the Central Valley in California to New York used to cost $3 a box, now it costs $10. That kind of change is making communities rethink long distance shipping of food that can be grown locally. He also told the sold out crowd that even $5-10 a week spent on local food makes a difference and said you shouldn't feel like you have to go to extremes to make change happen.

I was most impressed with Dan Barber who talked about his experiences growing native grains. A customer sent him Otto File, a special variety of native corn. He later found out that it had been traded with the Italians who recognized its quality and grew it for polenta. You can buy the polenta at Zingerman's or eat it at Dan Barber's restaurant.

Barber stressed that a blend of old world wisdom and newfangled technology could be combined to great result. He then told of a visit to a goose farm in France where birds naturally gorge themselves instead of being forced, and even wild birds choose the farm, flying in from all over, because of the high quality living conditions. Electrified fences keep animals from entering the property but not from leaving. Though the animals are free to leave, it sounds as if they never choose to.

Barber actually made a plug for the foodservice provider Sysco, a company you would expect to be part of the problem, but he says, the CEO is reacting to chef's requests for local food and changing profitable and conventionally "efficient" ways of doing business to plan for a less commodity oriented future. All in all the panelists were optimistic about the future and the way we as a country are returning to more local food and less dependence on cheap fossil fuel.

Rabu, 27 Agustus 2008

Meet the Cardens

Matthew and Jennifer Carden are smart, fun and just amazingly talented. I've gotten to know both of them through the San Francisco Professional Food Society.

Jennifer is a cook and wrote the book The Toddler Cafe which has inventive recipes that even toddler-less me wants to make! There is a great version of salsa made with fruit and balsamic vinegar, panko and parmesan crusted chicken strips and mint and pea popsicles. Of course Matthew did all the photography, and all the recipes have way cool names. For you moms, be sure to check out Jennifer's blog in addition to the book.

The Toddler Cafe

Matthew has helped out quite a bit doing event photography for the Food Society and does wonderful food photography as well as homes and gardens. But it's his "we are what we eat" series that puts a smile on my face. He's created a world that seems like The Borrowers have infiltrated the garden...
broccoli crown


the cheese shop....
Humboldt fog



the bakery...sprinkles



and the kitchen...sun dried apricots
Head to his site to see more, and enjoy!

Senin, 25 Agustus 2008





HONEYDEW...
this was the best melon i've had all summer....sweet and crisp


















almost too pretty to cut up....

Minggu, 24 Agustus 2008












SASHIMI SALAD @ Kitayama, NB...i snuck my camera in....










yellowtail collar...sooo good...5 BUCKS!






roasted chicken thigh. DE-skinned, De-fatted, De-boned...DEE-lish










MOM's plate. simple and easy. maybe if it were whole wheat pasta i would have joined her. next time...








this, of course, was more my style...i know the leg looks naked, but no skin-no thin...right?

Sabtu, 23 Agustus 2008

Mini Rhubarb Strawberry Galettes Recipe

Mini Rhubarb Strawberry Galettes
I like food in miniature. I like dim sum, mezze, tapas and appetizers of all sorts. Working on the latest recipe development project has been an exploration of many things in miniature. One recipe that sadly will not work for my client was a terrific success when it came to ease and taste. It does not work particularly well for vacuum sealing but that's ok. It means I can share it with you here and now.

Rhubarb makes one of my favorite pies and now, my favorite galette, which is pretty much a pie for lazy people. Rhubarb requires some tender loving care to coax out the perfect balance of sweetness and especially texture. While mushy rhubarb isn't terrible, firm, sweet yet tangy rhubarb is fabulous! I like the method of macerating it with sugar. The trick to this recipe is to not let the rhubarb macerate too long. I think you could make it with just rhubarb but a little bit of strawberry really complements it. I also don't cook the filling! You don't need to, it cooks perfectly in miniature.

I'm no genius when it comes to pie crust. I wish I was but it's just not in the cards for me. I have ridiculously hot hands and I don't work with pie crust often enough to get really fast at making it. I do my best, but sometimes resort to premade pastry. I'm ok with that. If you have a favorite pie crust recipe that works for you, by all means, use it. If not, you might try the Perfect Pie Crust recipe from Simply Recipes. The beauty of this recipe is that the result is rustic, which is great for a non-perfectionist baker.

Mini Rhubarb Strawberry Galettes
Makes 8 single servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups rhubarb, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces

1/2 cup strawberries, sliced 

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Dough for 2 9-inch pie crusts
1 Tablespoon milk
Raw or turbinado sugar for sprinkling on the crust

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Let sit for 15 minutes, no longer. Meanwhile break dough into 8 pieces and roll each one into roughly a 6 inch round. Place 1/4 cup filling into the center of the dough rounds and fold the edges over, pinching to seal, place galettes on a baking sheet. Brush the crusts with milk using a pastry brush then sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly and serve.

Note these mini galettes freeze exceedingly well. Let them cool, wrap well. When ready to serve gently reheat in a 300 degree oven, about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Looking for more rhubarb recipes? My other favorite rhubarb strawberry recipe is this ginger-flavored cobbler from Sara Moulton.

A few other particularly inventive rhubarb recipes:

Rhubarb soda from Coconut & Lime

Tofu with Hot and Sour Rhubarb from Mostly Eating

Rhubarb and Raspberry Yogurt Ice Pops from La Tartine Gourmande

Red Wine Poached Rhubarb from David Lebovitz

Persian Lamb and Rhubarb Stew from Nami Nami

Kamis, 21 Agustus 2008


PROTEIN PUDDING...
i finally came up with a recipe that works great, taste and macros are "spot on". you'll need...1 box sug.free-fat free JELLO instant pudding mix...2 scoops protein powder (a flavor to go with the mix)...1 packet plain geletin...and 2 cups non-fat milk (i substituted 1 can hi-pro, lo-carb pre-made protein drink for one of the cups milk)...1/2c water to stretch quantity...now...mix the geletin pkt with 1/2 c. cold milk and 1/2c water...then nuke it so that the geletin will disolve...let this cool...then...in a blender (i use a hand blender)...blend all ingredients...adding in everything slowly...blend reeeeally well, you want to airate to make it light...pour into individual 4-5 oz containers...should make 6 servings
macros are approx(6 serv)...100 cals, 15 pro, 8 carb, 0 fat..........works for me







simple lunch...roasted DE-skinned chx leg, 1/2c c.chz and 6oz crunchy-pop in your mouth-seedless grapes....and my fav...Tapatio

Rabu, 20 Agustus 2008



breakfast in bed...too bad i had to make it myself.....







egg beaters, honeydew and TJ's fiber muffin...these muffins ROCK !

Minggu, 17 Agustus 2008

If you are a Chocolate Lover!


And I am actually not a huge chocolate fanatic, but I still LOVE these brownies! When it comes to brand named foods, sometimes it matter, sometimes it doesn't. In this case, it really matters! We've tried a lot of different brownie mixes (my husband doesn't have a sweet tooth, he has sweet TEETH, he could eat sweets all day long), and the Ghiradelli brand is the very best, particularly the Triple Chocolate. With a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, or mint chocolate chip if you like to be difficult like me, you have the best Sunday afternoon dessert.
What's your favorite dessert?

Sabtu, 16 Agustus 2008

Chicken, with Tomatoes and Rice


I have to apologize because I found this recipe in a magazine that I can no longer find, so I'm not going to be able to give you the exact recipe, but I had to share it with you anyway because it's so good, and really easy to do without a recipe.


By making this meal, I discovered just how easy it is to turn regular rice into something so yummy. It doesn't take much either. In this recipe it called for simple additions and changes like blending herbs such as garlic, parsely, cilantro and scallions into a thin paste and adding them to your rice. Use chicken broth instead of water. Add mushrooms and slivered almonds, and don't be afraid to try different kinds of rices. I used arborio, which was so creamy and had a thicker texture. There a several different kinds to try. Cook your rice with just as much liquid as normal, for just as long as normal.
*If you are going to "wing it" with your rice, which you should, it's pretty hard to screw up, just be sure to add enough salt, otherwise it may come out tasting a little funky.
This recipe also called for the chicken to be cooked on the skillet, but I chose to coat it in basil oil (or just reg olive oil), s&p and roast it at 425 until cooked through. It comes out so tender and juicy.
The tomatoes were cherry tomatoes that I sliced in half and sauteed with garlic and fresh parsely until tomatoes are slightly softed and heated through.
Combine all three with some crusty bread makes for a very healthy and crowd pleasing meal.
If you'd rather have the real recipe rather then my artistic version of it (not that I blame you), I believe I found it in the July issue of Cooking Light. Hope you enjoy!

Pizza Party


I LOVE pizza. To demonstrate my love for pizza, I worked for a pizza company for over two years, had pizza almost everyday I worked there, and never once got sick of it! It's one of my favorites without a doubt. However, as I get older and a little more conscious of what I eat, along with calories and such, I have become much more wary of my cheesy guilty pleasure.


So, to curb the guilt, I have been working hard to make a pizza that is delicious and easy to make, without feeling like I've swallowed an entire brick of greasy cheese and meat. Here are ways I have found to do that...
1. I really like the store bought crusts, which they now have in wheat. They are fairly low in calories and a nice blank slate for whatever you want to add to your pizza.
2. Use a lot of tomato sauce, which adds TONS of flavor, with no added fat and few calories. I love my pizza sauce which is basically tomato sauce, italian seasonings, minced garlic and salt and pepper.
3. Add as many veggies as you can. My favorite pizza veggies are spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, olives, fresh tomatoes, green pepper, scallions, red and white onions and even broccoli. After all those veggies, you may not even need to add any meat!
4. If you do add meat, there are lots of "turkey substitutes" like turkey pepperoni and sausage that are really quite good.
5. Go easy on the cheese. I like to think of the cheese as a "glue" that holds it all together. Once you have just enough to do that, you're good!
6. Have fun experimenting by making less traditional pizza, like BLT style, BBQ chicken, Philly cheesesteak (had to throw that in!) etc. It's pretty tough to screw up a pizza.
6. Two words: FRESH GARLIC. Adds so much to a pizza, you'll be amazed when you try it.
My all time favorite pizza (which defies a few of my rules...oops!), is Margherita style pizza. It is basically sliced or chopped plum or roma tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, whole or chopped, mozzerella cheese and fresh garlic. No sauce on this pizza. You'll be amazed how GOOD this pizza is, and so easy to make. My kids love it as well.
So get yourself a big salad, some ice cream and a fun movie to go along with the new pizzas you're going to cook up for your family. They'll love it!

Jumat, 15 Agustus 2008

protein pancakes



PROTEIN PANCAKES....
mini stack of protein pancakes, fresh strawberries, home made yogurt and sugarfree maple syrup

my recipe is pretty much the basic...if you make about 6 cakes from the recipe..each cake should be about 90 cals...14 pro...6 carb...1 fat...i make the batch and keep them in the fridge...or even the freezer...sometimes i add pumpkin or whatever...but this is a good recipe to fool around with
protein pancakes...
1/2c cott. chz,
6 egg whites,
1/4c (or a little less...) yogurt-i use vanilla,
1/2c oatmeal...(1st blend into oat-flour, then remove from blender),
2 scoops vanilla protein powder,
1 tsp baking powder,
1 tsp vanilla, 2 pkts splenda,
approx 1 tsp cinnimon or pumpkin spice...
blend all the wet ingred.....then slowly add the dry...i mix it 'till you can't see the c.chz bits anymore...i let it sit for about 15min...then cook 'em up....don't over-cook...i just push on it to see if it's fluffy, then remove....the longer they are cooked the tougher they can get....







yummmm...Trader Joe's apple cranberry fiber muffin with 5 whites & 1 yolk...if you have a TJ's near you and you like to get your fiber...get these !






blueberries....i just think i'm addicted to them....

green eggs and ham ?...well, does parsley count as the green ?

Kamis, 14 Agustus 2008

Urban Tavern Opening Party

Urban Tavern


I've been to a fair number of parties, and in my experience restaurant parties beat all others, hands down. One of the best I've ever been to was the joint fete for Epic and Waterbar. A lot of the same industry folks were at the opening at Urban Tavern last night. It was a great chance to get a sneak peek, toast to the new restaurant, listen to the Backburner Blues Band, catch up on chef gossip and grab a bite to eat.

So first off, the restaurant is attached to the Hilton on O'Farrell St. I'd call the decor rustic contemporary. The large Doug Owen horse sculpture is a focal point and sets the color palette. The menu features grilled meats with most items in the $15-20 range, casserole dishes for 1, 2 or 4 people such as beef daube, sides of vegetables, potatoes, beans and lentils, salads including duck prosciutto and grilled calamari versions ($9-13) mussels and starters ($9-11) that range from charcuterie to piadini to cold tomato and crab soup. Having only nibbles of party food, I'll be back for more of the fries and aioli, my weakness for the evening.

As far as chef spotting goes, it was quite an evening. The restaurant was packed so I'm sure I missed a few luminaries, but I did see local chefs James Ormsby, Gordon Drysdale, William Werner, Donna Scala, Scott Warner, Chad Newton, Joey Altman, Gerald Hirigoyen, and Laurent Manrique.

On to the gossip, did I hear that a certain chef is opening a patisserie in the City? Or that a much loved chef may be returning to the restaurant scene? Or that another seasoned chef who is recently back in the kitchen is rediscovering his gruffer alter ego? I will neither confirm nor deny. But I will share my favorite overheard line of the evening--"I want to go in the kitchen and see Manrique yell at somebody!"

More Urban Tavern reports:
Yum Diary by Tracie Broom, my editor at SF Station
SF Eater
Yelpers

Note: Because I've been posting less these days, I've added an option for you to subscribe by email.

Selasa, 12 Agustus 2008

Favorite things: Putumayo Presents: Acoustic France

Acoustic France

The only time I ever got a speeding ticket I was listening to music on the radio. Not long after I switched to NPR and have stayed out of trouble ever since. While driving and music are subjects that have been explored in detail, lately I've been thinking about food and music, specifically music in the kitchen and music in the dining room.

On my mother's birthday last month my family and I ate at Ad Hoc in Yountville. Dinner was delicious, though nothing earth shattering. But the music was way too loud and like that day I got pulled over, it distracted me. In the dining room I like background music. If I notice it, that's a good sign it's too loud. Meals are a precious time for me to catch up and connect with my dining companions, not to rock out. If you are a chef and want the music loud, that's fine, just please, keep it in the kitchen.

Speaking of kitchen music, I just love the new Putumayo Presents:Acoustic France CD. It's filled with jazzy, catchy, happy French songs with lush and tasty vocals and influences from as far away as Latin America. But here's the catch, because the lyrics are in French, I find it less distracting than most music. I can't promise listening to it will help you to cook as brilliantly as Jacques, but during this period of intense recipe development it's helping me to pay strict attention to detail and keep my wits about me! Of course it also doesn't hurt that in the liner notes there is a recipe for Banana and Lime Sole from famed French chef Michel Troisgros. That actually might help your cooking.

So what about you? Any preferences for music, in the kitchen and the dining room? I'd love to hear what you like or conversely, what you don't.

Minggu, 10 Agustus 2008



grilled cauliflower....

the filets were done, sitting at rest.....the grill vas HOT !...i had aldente steamed cauli sittin' there, so i sliced 'em and sizzled them on the grill for a sec (or two...) i drizzled a trace of soy on (while searing) and that was it...turned out really good...i'll try it again, but next time with a little thought behind it.

they look something out of the deep sea....

Sabtu, 09 Agustus 2008



soy glazed sugar snap peas.....

the snap peas are so fresh and crisp right now..will they go out of season soon? what will i do? my fav way to cook them is....in a skillet, on high with a bit of spray olive oil add the peas. drizzle a bit of sesame oil on peas and stir. sprinkle garlic salt and fresh ground pepper. after things get hot again, drizzle with soy. this will quckly turn into a glaze. stir that a bit 'till done to likeness. i prefer them VERY cruchy, so i remove them pretty quick. i remove them from the hot skillet because they will continue to cook. the idea would be to keep the SNAP to the SNAP PEA!

Minor Annoyance

It seems that regardless of the way I format my blogs when I write them, they are coming out as a big, solid block of words, with no spacing or separation. I apologize if it's bugging you as much as it's bugging me. Blogger seems tempermental about they way it's going to set up your blogs, so hopefully this won't be an issue for long.

Lettuce Wraps


If you ever go to Cheesecake Factory, you MUST try the lettuce wraps. They are meant to be eaten as an appetizer, but I like to enjoy them as my main course. I like them a little better than PF Changs, just because they are fresher and have much more substance. They also come with three choices of sauce, all of them AMAZING!
But, if you're not planning to go to Cheesecake Factory any time soon, here is my version of the lettuce wrap. I love them in the spring and summer, they are delicious and very healthy.
This recipe can serve 1-4 people, and they store great as leftovers
1 head butter or bib lettuce (you can use iceburg, but it's not near as flexible and velvety as bib or butter)
1-2 cups cooked chicken, either coursely chopped or sliced
1-2 cups shredded carrots
1-2 cups bean sprouts
1-2 cups shredded red cabbage
1-2 cups cooked soba, rice, or spaghetti noodles
1-2 cups salted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, if desired
Favorite asian dipping sauce-peanut sauce is my favorite, but there are sweet chili sauces, cilantro sauces, etc that are delicious. Have fun discovering.
Take one lettuce leaf and fill with following ingredients. Either drizzle sauce on top, wrap and eat, or use sauce to dip lettuce wrap. SO GOOD!
This would be an easy and fun food to entertain with, people are always pleasantly surprised with how good they are despite their simplicity.
1-2

Jumat, 08 Agustus 2008

Asian Salad (sorry about the lack of pics)

When I was fourteen or fifteen my mom took me to The Garden, which sits on top of the Joseph Smith Memorial building in SLC. I ordered an Asian Sesame salad, which has obviously left a big enough impression to be blogging about it now. It was so good that I would just CRAVE it. Everytime I made it up there, it was the only thing I ordered. I've never been able to completely recreate it, but this is my best attempt. When making salads, try using the freshest ingredients you can, it can really determine how good your salad turns out.

(I didn't post measurements because it's a salad and I trust you can figure it out yourself)
Any salad greens
drained mandarine oranges
waterchestnuts
grilled chicken, sliced (if you're not in the mood to grill chicken, you can purchase it sliced and grilled already, it's in the lunchmeat section)
sliced almonds
cooked rice noodles (reg spaghetti, or soba noodles work too)
sliced scallions
red pepper sliced
chow mein noddles
sugar snap peas
edamame
favorite asian sesame dressing (there are a lot of good ones out there, and regular peanut sauce would work too)

Lemonberry Tarts


I went through this whole obsession with tarts a few month ago for some reason. So, I really wanted to make them at one of my parties, but to make them in the usual mini-tart pan with homeade tart dough was not going to work with my chronic laziness, so I found this shortcut instead. They didn't quite turn out as pretty as I liked, but they were delicious! If you haven't had lemon curd before, it's time you discover it!

Lemonberry Tarts

1-2 store bought pie crusts

1-2 cups lemon curd (recipe below)
1-2 cups sliced strawberries, raspberries, whatever you prefer.

Grease a mini muffin pan. Allow your pie crusts to warm to room temperature. Unroll pie crust and use either biscuit cutter, or round glass or jar to create your individual tart. Place each crust into mini muffin tin to create a cup shape. Poke holes in the bottom and side with a fork. Bake as instructed on the box.Allow the crusts to cool completely. Fill each tart with lemon curd (1-2 TBS). Top each tart with berries to cover the top (mine were only big enough to fit one sliced strawberries). Chill and devour!
(I borrowed this recipe from Joy of Baking)
Lemon Curd Recipe:
3 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)
1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces
Note: Room temperature lemons provide more juice. After squeezing, strain the juice to remove any pulp. Zest is the yellow, sweet-flavored outer rind of the lemon. A zester or fine grater can be used to remove the rind. Cold lemons are much easier to grate. Grate lemons just before using as the zest will lose moisture if it sits too long.
In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.

Little Helpers


I love finding unique spices, oils, marinades etc. when I can. Just a flavored oil can completely change the taste and style of an everyday meal. I have used the basil oil to roast chicken, coat pasta and dip bread. I also love the spices for meats, breads, veggies and stirfrys.
These types of things can also be made with little effort with some of the things you have in your cupboards already. You can flavor your oil by adding a few cloves of fresh garlic and some sprigs of rosemary to your oil. Or just blend oil and fresh basil. You can create your own spice blends just by experimenting a little bit, and there are loads of recipes out there for sauces, marinades and dry rubs you can make yourself. It's always more rewarding and fun when you can create something successful and call it your own!

Club Pasta


I've already posted this recipe on my regular blog, but I had to post it on this one because I LOVE this dish. I made it one night while just trying to clean out my cupboards. Since then I have made it several times, the family loves it. The measurements are estimates, I pretty much throw in what I have, so be sure to make it according to your own taste. Enjoy!

Club Pasta

1-2 cups of favorite small pasta (bowties are my fave, but macaroni, penne, rigatoni, small or med shells also good)

8-10 medium tomatoes seeded and dices (use vine ripened if you can)

2 garlic cloves

1-2 cup diced cooked chicken or turkey

1/2-1 cups bacon bits (I really like the FRESH store bought bacon bits, but stay away from the dehydrated salad toppings)

1/2-1 cups shredded mozzerella or provolone cheese

1/4-1/2 cups parm cheese

1-2 TBS fresh parsley if available,
garlic salt and black pepper to taste (I put garlic salt in just about everything!)
Prepare pasta according to directions. In 1-2 TB olive oil saute tomatoes, and garlic for 1-2 minutes, until both are soft. Add chicken, bacon bits pasta and cheeses. Season with pepper and garlic salt to taste. Add parsley right before serving. Enjoy!

Kamis, 07 Agustus 2008

ahh...brussel sprouts and haricot verte...ya either love 'em or ya hate 'em...but man....if your a newbie, stay out of the kitchen while they're cooking. my suggestion is have someone else do the job....
ok...now THIS was g o o d !....seared soy cod with all these fresh veggies....the brussels were perfect and the baby squash almost too cute to eat....but i did !

All about Peaches

peaches
I have no children, not even a dog or a cat. But I'm considering adopting. Adopting a peach tree that is. Near Fresno, farmer Mas Masumoto and his family grow lovely heirloom varieties of peaches including Sun Crest and Elberta. Their peaches are organic, fragile, absolutely delicious and only available by adoption.

Now I have to admit, I am totally and completely biased towards peaches. They are high in dietary fiber, Vitamin A, Niacin and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin C but that's not why I love them so much. Soft, juicy, fuzzy, fragrant and ever so pretty to look at, peaches are the sexiest fruit around.

Because the Elberta variety is so delicate, Mas Masumoto sells his peaches in a most unusual way, he allows people to adopt a tree and harvest all the peaches for personal use. That means a commitment to go to the farm and pick peaches the moment they are ready. A single tree produces 400 to 500 pounds of peaches and the cost to adopt a tree? $500. Each year there are more applications than there are peach trees and so only the most deserving get the dribble-down-your-chin experience.

This year I lucked out, a new friend and colleague gave me eight precious peaches from her adopted tree. What will I do with them? Probably just eat them out of hand. But here are some of my favorite things to do with peaches:

* Fill peach halves with goat cheese and sprinkle with some chopped candied pecans

* Grill or roast peach halves, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve with pork chops

* Make a salad of peaches and arugula

* Combine peaches with raspberries in a cobbler or crisp

* Slide a few slices into sparkling wine

* Cool off with peach melba

* Combine peaches with green onions, cilantro and jalapenos to make a salsa

* Wrap peaches, grilled or raw in prosciutto

If you don't have access to these peaches, you may want to check out a book written by the farmer, Epitaph for a Peach Four Seasons on My Family Farm.

Rabu, 06 Agustus 2008




so this morn, like every other morning, i had my usual......"homemade"non-fat yogurt, 1/2c. Fiber-One cereal, 3oz blueberries, 3oz nectarine drizzled with sugar free maple syrup..it's so deelish and filling. i'm sure i'll get sick of it at some point, either that or the blueberries will just get toooo dang ex$pensive!...oh, and i always have 5 egg whites as well...sounds like a huge breakfast, but it's not......
i would go on to tell you how to make yogurt, but the best thing to do is google "homemade non fat yogurt" and you'll find a few easy instructions that will fit your need...one secrect extra thing i do is...add a packet of plain geletin to the milk as you are heating it...i do this to make it just a tad thicker, and it still stays creamy....



also, i have yet to invest in a yogurt maker...i know by the time i finally get one, i'll probably be done with the whole yogurt obsession....i use the oven to incubate...it takes about 8-10 hrs.......one more tidbit of advice is to really pay attention to your temperatures....

......you don't want to "kill your kultures!"...

Selasa, 05 Agustus 2008

Sesame Soy Seared Talapia

tonight was sesame-soy seared talapia.....always comes out perfekt. i get the talapia from costco. it's individually flash frozen-wrapped, so you can do just one at a time. lightly brush fish with sesame oil. sprinkle with a touch of soy use your own judgment, but don't soak it...season with garlic salt and fresh ground pepper. let it sit for 5-10 min....i use a non-stick pan, so 'lightly' spray oil the pan and get it really hot....don't burn the oil...sear one side of the fillet...watch it and when you think that side is done....flip it and turn off heat...cover pan and get your other stuff ready for plating...by the time you're ready the fish will be done...enjoy oh yeah....don't forget to sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds...


so this is my very first blog EVER !...i'm a newbie....i think i'll just posts pics and comments, how-to's and where to get's about stuff i'm eatin', seein', smellin'...then maybe i'll get some stuff from viewers and friends to share as well....


These first few pics are some of my favs. i'm not gonna say what it is, but i will tell you i eat them everyday ....






i'm having sooooo much fun with these things i can't stop making them and shooting them and getting other people hooked.....like they're starting to JONES for 'em...

Senin, 04 Agustus 2008

Cabaret Brewed Chocolate

Cabaret Brewed Chocolate



I remember first smelling the scent of coffee roasting in North Beach. I was a teenager and it was exotic and intoxicating like the City itself. Even though I didn't drink coffee, I loved that smell. Over the years whenever I've smelled fresh coffee, especially during roasting, it's been a combination of soothing and exciting to me, like the promise of something wonderful and dangerous. Sadly drinking coffee has never held the romance that smelling it does.

If you take the Scharffen Berger factory tour, and I highly recommend that you do, you will more than likely be enveloped by the scent of roasting cocoa beans. It is such a warm and happy scent it reportedly makes those who work there giddy. Even a few minutes will give you a profound sense of well-being. Having taken the tour twice, I've often wondered, would it be possible to make a drink out of the roasted beans? Not the cocoa powder or chocolate, but the roasted beans themselves, like coffee?

I'm happy to say, I'm not the only one with this quirky idea. After some experimentation Rob Polevoi created what he calls "brewed chocolate." Unlike hot chocolate it is low in calories and fat and high in antioxidants and theobromine, a gentle stimulant 10 times weaker than caffeine, that is rumored to be one of the compounds contributing to chocolate's role as an aphrodisiac. Oddly enough, Polevoi claims some people who drink the beverage, which comes in slightly sweetened concentrated syrup, find it relaxing, while others find it uplifting. Either way, it's a very light and delicious chocolatey beverage, unlike any other.

Try it as a nightcap or instead of coffee or tea if you are sensitive to caffeine like I am. You can drink it black, with milk or cream, hot, cold, with a shot of booze, any which way you like. If you like chocolate, I think you'll enjoy it. It's currently available online, from Cabaret Foods, $14.95 for a jar containing enough syrup for 24 servings.