April 30
DINING OUT FOR LIFE
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exploring that which nourishes us, body and soul. food, culture, life hacks, and the occasional insight.
4.30.2009
4.19.2009
Taqueria Me, Por Favor
OK Jacksonville foodies - where would YOU go to get REAL Mexican fare?
Inspired by fellow foodistas in Columbus (former home of nancitalou), I am on another culinary "seek and savor" mission - this time looking for the best REAL Mexican food in Jax.
I realize that can mean different things to different people. I'm talking about really fresh, simply prepared authentic regional mexican food. not necessary to serve with beans and rice.
The gringos in my family create some seriously excellent Mexican food. My aunt Alicia was from Mexico, and when we lived in Southern California we enjoyed her excellent home cooking, and learned to make our own fiesta on a plate. Now I want to find a few great little spots in town that do the same. So I'm scoping out the little Taquerias and Mexican markets, as well as sifting through the profusion of fusion that is our local mexican restaurant scene, and you bet i'll report back here... It's the 2009 Jacksonville Taqueria Tour!
Special thanks to Jacksonville.com journo Coulter Kirkpatrick for pointing the way to this Jacksonville Taco Truck - I'll see you there foodies!
Inspired by fellow foodistas in Columbus (former home of nancitalou), I am on another culinary "seek and savor" mission - this time looking for the best REAL Mexican food in Jax.
I realize that can mean different things to different people. I'm talking about really fresh, simply prepared authentic regional mexican food. not necessary to serve with beans and rice.
The gringos in my family create some seriously excellent Mexican food. My aunt Alicia was from Mexico, and when we lived in Southern California we enjoyed her excellent home cooking, and learned to make our own fiesta on a plate. Now I want to find a few great little spots in town that do the same. So I'm scoping out the little Taquerias and Mexican markets, as well as sifting through the profusion of fusion that is our local mexican restaurant scene, and you bet i'll report back here... It's the 2009 Jacksonville Taqueria Tour!
Special thanks to Jacksonville.com journo Coulter Kirkpatrick for pointing the way to this Jacksonville Taco Truck - I'll see you there foodies!
4.16.2009
Jacksonville Foodies - Making a Difference
Attention Jax foodies and culturistas! - a new play by Christian Baetens & Mike Breen opens tonight at Bungalow on Park - in their garden stage area - Jax's newest theatrical venue!
SAVE THE DATE.... the 19th Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT is set for Thursday, June 4 @ 6pm Jax Municipal Stadium. BE THERE! New Restaurants signing on everday...Mitchell's Fish Market, Aqua Grille and Bistro Aix to name a few.... Follow JaxFOODFIGHT on twitter for updates!
SAVE THE DATE.... the 19th Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT is set for Thursday, June 4 @ 6pm Jax Municipal Stadium. BE THERE! New Restaurants signing on everday...Mitchell's Fish Market, Aqua Grille and Bistro Aix to name a few.... Follow JaxFOODFIGHT on twitter for updates!
4.12.2009
Holiday Fare
Easter 2009 Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Deviled eggs
Pineapple Mustard Glazed Ham
Artichoke, Leek and Potato Gratin
Asparagus with Horseradish Butter
Rolls & butter
Pineapple upside-down cake
Deviled eggs
Pineapple Mustard Glazed Ham
Artichoke, Leek and Potato Gratin
Asparagus with Horseradish Butter
Rolls & butter
Pineapple upside-down cake
Of course there will also be some chocolate involved...
4.04.2009
Travel Zen - NYC Edition
Luscious Thai
I love Broadway, but those old jewel-box style theatres' seats don't fit my long legs (or my fat you-know-what for that matter). After sitting two and a half hours with my knees jammed up under my chin, shins permanently dented from digging into the back of the seat in front of me, I needed to stretch (quite literally) my legs.
While my traveling companions enjoyed a jaunt to Little Italy, I hoofed it north to try out Luscious Thai on the upper east side. Its the kind of place I love - a little neighborhood gem - not touristy or trendy, just a really good local spot. The menu is basic Thai, some great starters. Families, friends, singles, whether there to grab a cocktail and take-out or settle in for a multi-course feast, all were treated to friendly, gracious customer service and pleasant surroundings. Thai is often deceptively simple in appearance and presentation. Prices are great and the food is done very well. Fresh ingredients, wonderful aromas and soul-satisfying taste. Try "the mix" for starters - curry puff, luscious dumpling, Thai dumpling, and shrimp roll. Travel zen on a plate...
I love Broadway, but those old jewel-box style theatres' seats don't fit my long legs (or my fat you-know-what for that matter). After sitting two and a half hours with my knees jammed up under my chin, shins permanently dented from digging into the back of the seat in front of me, I needed to stretch (quite literally) my legs.
While my traveling companions enjoyed a jaunt to Little Italy, I hoofed it north to try out Luscious Thai on the upper east side. Its the kind of place I love - a little neighborhood gem - not touristy or trendy, just a really good local spot. The menu is basic Thai, some great starters. Families, friends, singles, whether there to grab a cocktail and take-out or settle in for a multi-course feast, all were treated to friendly, gracious customer service and pleasant surroundings. Thai is often deceptively simple in appearance and presentation. Prices are great and the food is done very well. Fresh ingredients, wonderful aromas and soul-satisfying taste. Try "the mix" for starters - curry puff, luscious dumpling, Thai dumpling, and shrimp roll. Travel zen on a plate...
Back on Track
Travel Zen is re-routed, though luggage still on original route. Officially into zen New York State vibe now. Tonight, dinner in NYC - thinking of Luscious Thai gets me in the zen zone once more.
morning empowered / mr. coffee, meet starbucks / improve my outlook
morning empowered / mr. coffee, meet starbucks / improve my outlook
4.03.2009
Travel Zen
My zen day of travel was disrupticus completicus by Delta cancelling my scheduled flight to LAG and instead routing me on the slow boat to ATL, but not before cooling my heels in my home port of JIA for way, way to long. Shout out to the gang at Sam Snead's Tavern at Jax International Airport. GREAT club sandwich, stellar fries and the nicest customer service you could possibly expect in an airport. "And THAT'S what I like about the South!"
So here I sit taking up one of their comfy tables, tweeting away while I wait for Delta to get a plane off the ground. My anticipated 3pm arrival in NYC is now a 7PM, and instead of whiling away a lovely day at the idyllic Edith Macy Conference Center, I'll be lurking indoors at Jax Airport (with a perfectly sunny 70 degree day going to waste outside). Babies are crying, airport passengers are drinking heavily, and I am just happy to have this little out of the way table at Sam Snead's. Zen travel day FAIL.
So here I sit taking up one of their comfy tables, tweeting away while I wait for Delta to get a plane off the ground. My anticipated 3pm arrival in NYC is now a 7PM, and instead of whiling away a lovely day at the idyllic Edith Macy Conference Center, I'll be lurking indoors at Jax Airport (with a perfectly sunny 70 degree day going to waste outside). Babies are crying, airport passengers are drinking heavily, and I am just happy to have this little out of the way table at Sam Snead's. Zen travel day FAIL.
3.30.2009
Top Chef Tour Coming To Jax!
WOOT - get excited Jacksonville foodies - the Top Chef Tour is coming to Hemming Plaza April 9! Richard Blais (hottie from Season 4) & Sandee Birdsong (Season 3) will be kickin' it up downtown LIVE! Growers from Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Fernandina, Gainesville and south Georgia will bring fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs to the plaza from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - so bring the eco-friendly shopping bags and get ready to cook all weekend!
3.21.2009
A LIttle Bit Of Gypsy
I adore all things Cole Porter. Not just the top hits like "You're The Top" and "Under My Skin" (though I'll always have a place in my heart for that one, JS) but it's the little hidden gems of his that I love best - the ones you don't often hear - except maybe in some Woody Allen movie soundtrack. They stay with me always, like old friends, waiting for someone or something to come along and let their particular genie out of the bottle. It was one of those "ah HA" moments when I first stepped into the charming little 13 Gypsies in Jacksonville.
It was like running into a dear old friend you haven't seen in years. I truly can't explain it, except to say it reminds me of the intimate neighborhood places my friends and I used to frequent in Cincinnati or St Louis. But its something deeper than that. Definitely, absolutely, 13G is one of a kind, and a labor of love for Chef Howard and wife / partner Kiki.
Billed as a "Small, European Style Tapas House and Bistro" - the menu is Tapas, Sandwiches, and Salads, Soups and desserts, fresh breads... Everything we've had so far has been great peasant fare - thoughtfully prepared and simply presented. The Montini melds tender smoked ham with creamy Gorgonzola and green grapes in fresh flatbread, served alongside field greens perfectly dressed with a balsamic bite. The Chorizo Burger will make your mouth sing, I kid you not! They make their own sausage, breads, pastas, cheese and cured meats. Chef blends spices like a culinary wizard, and I'm told the charming Kiki, who presides over the front of the house, also makes the desserts (which I've yet to sample, but I know they will be lovely). My FAVORITE thing about 13G is that it is CLOSE to the day-job and open for lunch! Hallelujah! Oh, and the Cole Porter reference earlier?
"Hiding away... There's a little bit of gypsy in me, Just hanging around...."
It was like running into a dear old friend you haven't seen in years. I truly can't explain it, except to say it reminds me of the intimate neighborhood places my friends and I used to frequent in Cincinnati or St Louis. But its something deeper than that. Definitely, absolutely, 13G is one of a kind, and a labor of love for Chef Howard and wife / partner Kiki.
Billed as a "Small, European Style Tapas House and Bistro" - the menu is Tapas, Sandwiches, and Salads, Soups and desserts, fresh breads... Everything we've had so far has been great peasant fare - thoughtfully prepared and simply presented. The Montini melds tender smoked ham with creamy Gorgonzola and green grapes in fresh flatbread, served alongside field greens perfectly dressed with a balsamic bite. The Chorizo Burger will make your mouth sing, I kid you not! They make their own sausage, breads, pastas, cheese and cured meats. Chef blends spices like a culinary wizard, and I'm told the charming Kiki, who presides over the front of the house, also makes the desserts (which I've yet to sample, but I know they will be lovely). My FAVORITE thing about 13G is that it is CLOSE to the day-job and open for lunch! Hallelujah! Oh, and the Cole Porter reference earlier?
"Hiding away... There's a little bit of gypsy in me, Just hanging around...."
3.07.2009
Pick a Pair
The Pickled Pear on Edgewood. In search of a spot where I can get anything OTHER than eggs for breakfast, I stumbled across this little gem in the former home of Sweet and Savory. The new owners kept the same basic open caterer's kitchen layout - no frills here, just some mighty fine food. Baked goods look amazing, I'll be back to check them out. My choice for nontraditional breakfast was chicken salad on a croissant - substantial, yet delicate - JUST a hint of curry - grapes, tender chicken, finely diced celery. They offer meals to go in the case, and a catering menu. Trust me on this one. I got mine to go because I'm not a fan of their decor (or lack of attention to decor), but the food is worth the pop-in, so I expect to be back for breakfast OR lunch soon. The Pickled Pear - BEASTIES - see you there!
I promised a PAIR - So here's a place I've been driving PAST on my way to work for years now - Gina's Deli - The sign promises Mediterranean breakfast. My first (and so far only) experience - quick and easy parking (lunch might be a different story)... PLEASANT greeting and excellent service from the counter. Well lit, clean, customer friendly atmosphere. I was the only customer - maybe they don't get much of a breakfast crowd? I ordered the steak, egg and cheese rider (that's a sammie in a pita, y'all) and out it came in short order, smelling like heaven in a sack, neatly wrapped and with not a hint of grease. Bite THAT micky-d's! Lovely soft fresh floury pita, and a huge portion of fluffy eggs folded around sweet, salty bites of steak and lightly caramelized onions - with just a hint of gravy. Is it wrong to obsess over beakfast? Not being a big egg fan, I was amazed at how quickly I devoured this delicious treat. Oh, yeah, I'll be BACK, and I'm bringing my friends! Next trip, lunch. Watch for the BEAST, Gina's!
I promised a PAIR - So here's a place I've been driving PAST on my way to work for years now - Gina's Deli - The sign promises Mediterranean breakfast. My first (and so far only) experience - quick and easy parking (lunch might be a different story)... PLEASANT greeting and excellent service from the counter. Well lit, clean, customer friendly atmosphere. I was the only customer - maybe they don't get much of a breakfast crowd? I ordered the steak, egg and cheese rider (that's a sammie in a pita, y'all) and out it came in short order, smelling like heaven in a sack, neatly wrapped and with not a hint of grease. Bite THAT micky-d's! Lovely soft fresh floury pita, and a huge portion of fluffy eggs folded around sweet, salty bites of steak and lightly caramelized onions - with just a hint of gravy. Is it wrong to obsess over beakfast? Not being a big egg fan, I was amazed at how quickly I devoured this delicious treat. Oh, yeah, I'll be BACK, and I'm bringing my friends! Next trip, lunch. Watch for the BEAST, Gina's!
3.03.2009
2.09.2009
The Most Important Meal
Whiteway Deli
I'm not a big breakfast fan. Show me a place I can get a burger and fries or a blt at 7AM and I'm a loyal customer. Today I found such a place. Now if they get free wifi I just might move in. Whiteway Deli recently moved into new larger digs on King St. in Jax. I have to admit, the first time I visited their older, smaller location, I had a touch of claustrophobia just waiting on my chicken salad. Got it to go and thoroughly enjoyed it though.
Today however, I was on a mission to find a good breakfast spot near the office. Good - note I'm not talkin' great. And the cheerful staff at Whiteway did not disappoint. I kept it simple. After my two hour breakfast ordeal last week at Kickbacks (see previous post) I didn't want to risk being late to the day job, ya know... So I ordered the egg, ham and muffin sandwich - to go. Now you might be thinking that sounds like an entree from one of those famous fast food establishments, and you'd be right - it does SOUND like it, but that's where the similarity ends. FRESH muffin, a particularly unctuous mix of freshly cooked real egg and melting cheese, and the sweet/salt bite of tender ham. N O T H I N G like the fast food mess (of which we freely confess to have eaten many)...
The folks are friendly, there is PLENTY of space in their new dining room, and the food is good - the classic deli favorites - plus a host of specials named for their local customers. Maybe one day you'll see the nourish-the-beast - make that a smoked turkey on toasted multigrain with lettuce, red onion and dill-havarti... But we were talking about breakfast. OK - I'm going back next week to check out some other breakfast items... Maybe I'll see you there!
I'm not a big breakfast fan. Show me a place I can get a burger and fries or a blt at 7AM and I'm a loyal customer. Today I found such a place. Now if they get free wifi I just might move in. Whiteway Deli recently moved into new larger digs on King St. in Jax. I have to admit, the first time I visited their older, smaller location, I had a touch of claustrophobia just waiting on my chicken salad. Got it to go and thoroughly enjoyed it though.
Today however, I was on a mission to find a good breakfast spot near the office. Good - note I'm not talkin' great. And the cheerful staff at Whiteway did not disappoint. I kept it simple. After my two hour breakfast ordeal last week at Kickbacks (see previous post) I didn't want to risk being late to the day job, ya know... So I ordered the egg, ham and muffin sandwich - to go. Now you might be thinking that sounds like an entree from one of those famous fast food establishments, and you'd be right - it does SOUND like it, but that's where the similarity ends. FRESH muffin, a particularly unctuous mix of freshly cooked real egg and melting cheese, and the sweet/salt bite of tender ham. N O T H I N G like the fast food mess (of which we freely confess to have eaten many)...
The folks are friendly, there is PLENTY of space in their new dining room, and the food is good - the classic deli favorites - plus a host of specials named for their local customers. Maybe one day you'll see the nourish-the-beast - make that a smoked turkey on toasted multigrain with lettuce, red onion and dill-havarti... But we were talking about breakfast. OK - I'm going back next week to check out some other breakfast items... Maybe I'll see you there!
2.08.2009
Kickbacks - You Gotta Want It
On a reader's suggestion I tried Kickbacks Gastropub for lunch last week. I believe the commenter said it was "off-the-chain awesome" but I have no basis for comparison for that so I decided to google it to see if there was a menu online somewhere. Seems they have invested in a MySpace page in lieu of a website... although a blog seems to be lurking out there - calling itself a work in progress. Fitting, because our take on the whole kickbacks experience is that it is very much a work in progress. Let's break it down...
First the good news. The food is, as our poster claimed, awesome. There are so many menu selections you could run three or four restaurants from it with no repeats. Some say schizo, I say just my style. :) EVERYTHING we've tried to date has been good. Sandwiches, Panini, Omelet (hell yeah- they are open for brekkers, which makes me happy happy). Sweet potato fries are amazing little crispy bits of sugary goodness - sprinkled with powdered sugar to set your sweet tooth free. We haven't tried any desserts yet because the portions are MAJORLY big. A cordon bleu omelet (filled with cubed chicken, ham, Swiss cheese and topped with Alfredo sauce) was so large we could only finish half, took the other half to work for lunch. LOVED it but seriously could feel the arteries hardening...
NOW the not so good news... Service? By this, I mean not just table service, but customer service in general. The general consensus of our taste-testing crew was that Kickbacks would be a great place to start a restaurant / bar. Menu - check. Kitchen Magic - check. Waitresses - sporadic appearances (one morning I got there 75 minutes after they opened and the waitress hadn't shown up for work yet. I walked in the front door, sat down, set up my laptop and started typing away, waiting in vain for someone to pop out and acknowledge my presence, maybe offer me some coffee and a menu... nothing. ten minutes rolled by before one of the cooks came out to fill his own cup and saw me there. still he didn't speak, just hovered confusedly by the coffee pot, unsure of what to do next. I greeted him and asked if perchance the waitress had slept in today, which he acknowledged, and thankfully offered me coffee. Once our girl arrived all was put right. Of course I was now 20 minutes late to work and my order had only just gone back to the kitchen, so I guess I'm saying don't go if you are on the clock.
We had a similar slowdown experience at lunch with a party of six. Despite the light lunch crowd, our food took at least 40 minutes to emerge from the kitchen. Maybe there was only one cook working that day? Whatever, you get the point. Nice place to start a restaurant. I don't usually drink on that side of town - too far to drive home - but I'm told evening bar-crowd service is just as slow.
And here's some side facts - Apparently "Gastro-pub" equals full on bar. It's a BAR - with good food. So if you are a stickler for ambiance, let me repeat - it is a BAR. Beer bottles lining the walls, tv, loud music... Everyone there has been cheerful and pleasant - just not in any hurry to acknowledge our presence or bring us food - oh - and there must be some multiple tats prerequisite to work there. :)
Add to the mix very limited parking, and you've just REALLY got to want to eat there to make it work for you. So what does it say about the food that I'll be back soon?
1.29.2009
Sign Of the Times
Or The Mushroom that Got Away
Disappointment is a part of life. I just wasn't expecting it for lunch. I was expecting a perfectly grilled portobello mushroom on the best ciabatta roll this side of the tracks. Our office is quite literally beside the tracks, in Jacksonville's Murray Hill neighborhood. Walls rattle and hum when a train rolls by. When the roads aren't under repair, its just a short drive to Five Points, Riverside or Avondale, with lovely rows of restaurants and shops. BUT if you want to "eat local" its Edgewood. That's where I went yesterday, specifically to 1171, with my heart set on savoring the best vegetarian sandwich in town. Alas, it was not to be. The sign taped to the door listed dinner hours and a phone number. Nothing to explain the eerily empty dining room (or my rock-star parking, for that matter). Would-be lunch patrons were left to read between the lines. 1171 has suspended lunch service. I'm sure they just need to stay healthy in these trying economic times, but so do we! They are still open for dinner, but that is cold comfort to those of us who dine closer to home. Lunch at 1171 was a bright spot in the workday. Now its a memory.
PLEASE, Jacksonville's upscale restaurant owners, find a business model that allows us to enjoy a delicious, healthy lunch without having to wait in line for most of the lunch hour.
In the meantime, does anyone know of a great place for lunch near Murray Hill? We LOVE Moon River Pizza, but you can't eat pizza EVERY DAY!
Disappointment is a part of life. I just wasn't expecting it for lunch. I was expecting a perfectly grilled portobello mushroom on the best ciabatta roll this side of the tracks. Our office is quite literally beside the tracks, in Jacksonville's Murray Hill neighborhood. Walls rattle and hum when a train rolls by. When the roads aren't under repair, its just a short drive to Five Points, Riverside or Avondale, with lovely rows of restaurants and shops. BUT if you want to "eat local" its Edgewood. That's where I went yesterday, specifically to 1171, with my heart set on savoring the best vegetarian sandwich in town. Alas, it was not to be. The sign taped to the door listed dinner hours and a phone number. Nothing to explain the eerily empty dining room (or my rock-star parking, for that matter). Would-be lunch patrons were left to read between the lines. 1171 has suspended lunch service. I'm sure they just need to stay healthy in these trying economic times, but so do we! They are still open for dinner, but that is cold comfort to those of us who dine closer to home. Lunch at 1171 was a bright spot in the workday. Now its a memory.
PLEASE, Jacksonville's upscale restaurant owners, find a business model that allows us to enjoy a delicious, healthy lunch without having to wait in line for most of the lunch hour.
In the meantime, does anyone know of a great place for lunch near Murray Hill? We LOVE Moon River Pizza, but you can't eat pizza EVERY DAY!
1.25.2009
Saveur Fare
Hey fellow foodies - we're featured in the Jan/Feb 2009 Issue of Saveur! Well, not us specifically - they are paying homage to all home cooks - with this year's Saveur 100 - Home Cook Edition! Do not miss it.
I've linked to the magazine online, but frankly you have to experience the print version to properly appreciate the style and grace of Saveur. It's a magical thing. I pore over each issue for months on end, then file it away, to be brought out when the appropriate season rolls around again. The editors treat each subject matter with such respect and reverence. The writing is warm and personal, the photography utterly authentic, and the design engaging. Even the headlines are a tasty treat!
Seriously, I LOVE my job, but how great would it be to write for Saveur... Maybe one day I'll have the pleasure, but for now I'll savor vicariously, devouring each mouthwatering item in this special issue, until the next course arrives.
I've linked to the magazine online, but frankly you have to experience the print version to properly appreciate the style and grace of Saveur. It's a magical thing. I pore over each issue for months on end, then file it away, to be brought out when the appropriate season rolls around again. The editors treat each subject matter with such respect and reverence. The writing is warm and personal, the photography utterly authentic, and the design engaging. Even the headlines are a tasty treat!
Seriously, I LOVE my job, but how great would it be to write for Saveur... Maybe one day I'll have the pleasure, but for now I'll savor vicariously, devouring each mouthwatering item in this special issue, until the next course arrives.
1.18.2009
Cuisine Routine
My favorite thing to do on a quiet morning is to curl up in a big chair with my coffee and a pile of cookbooks and magazines pulled randomly from the shelves lining our living and dining room walls. I might have an ingredient or a particular preparation in mind, or I might just leaf through the pages and see where the cooking gods take me. Once I have a clear plan, I usually call for reinforcements - searching Epicurious or consulting one of my favorite food blogs.
This past weekend my path to culinary inspiration included a quick flip through the Foodie Blogroll. Impressed with the wealth of food bloggers out there (the Blogroll count had recently reached 3,000), I was presented with the daunting task of deciding which to read. Fortunately, the Blogroll offered me a "randomized" solution with their new Widget, which features the 5 most recent blogs that have been added to the roll, as well as 5 random blogs of the day. I opted to try my luck with a few of the random blogs, which felt oddly like pulling the lever on a slot machine. From there I browsed until I came across a post from a blogger who had recently dined at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery Cafe at The Time Warner Center in NYC. His description of the chicken soup was exactly the inspiration I needed. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I had been planning to make a soup using the leftover chicken and jus from last night's Chicken in a Pot, but I was yearning for something more than just the average chick and veg sendup. So when the description of Keller's ultimate chicken soup included "ricotta dumplings" The clouds were lifted from my mind and my direction was made clear to me. End search for menu inspiration, begin search for the ultimate ricotta dumpling recipe.
This past weekend my path to culinary inspiration included a quick flip through the Foodie Blogroll. Impressed with the wealth of food bloggers out there (the Blogroll count had recently reached 3,000), I was presented with the daunting task of deciding which to read. Fortunately, the Blogroll offered me a "randomized" solution with their new Widget, which features the 5 most recent blogs that have been added to the roll, as well as 5 random blogs of the day. I opted to try my luck with a few of the random blogs, which felt oddly like pulling the lever on a slot machine. From there I browsed until I came across a post from a blogger who had recently dined at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery Cafe at The Time Warner Center in NYC. His description of the chicken soup was exactly the inspiration I needed. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I had been planning to make a soup using the leftover chicken and jus from last night's Chicken in a Pot, but I was yearning for something more than just the average chick and veg sendup. So when the description of Keller's ultimate chicken soup included "ricotta dumplings" The clouds were lifted from my mind and my direction was made clear to me. End search for menu inspiration, begin search for the ultimate ricotta dumpling recipe.
Food Roots
My mother likes to point out that I was the first person in the family to branch out beyond my "food roots" - the home-cooked family style recipes she taught me, which her mother taught her, and her mother before her, and so on. Basically, if it wasn't served at my great-grandmother's farmhouse table in Missouri in the 1920s, or my grandma's table in San Diego in the 1940's it wasn't likely to appear on my mom's kitchen table in California in the 1960's. Even when I married young and set up my own kitchen I wasn't so adventurous as all that. It wasn't until after that marriage ended, when I moved away and developed an "extended family" that my culinary tendrils began to unfurl.
Living in Cincinnati with its rich and diverse culinary heritage, traveling to great restaurants throughout the USA. My friends and I dined as best we could through the week, but come the weekend we would throw together these amazing feasts, jokingly called "Punk Gourmet Nights" (OK, it was the 80's, so cut me some slack)... We would meet on Saturday morning, at our mecca - the amazing Findlay Market in Over-The-Rhine. We'd stock up on the freshest local produce, then avail ourselves of the amazing assortment of organic meats, European baked goods, sausages, cheeses, asian specialties, freshly roasted nuts and mediterranean pastries, you name it. Whatever "Punk Gourmet" theme we would devise, there were choices aplenty at the market, and unlike a trip to Whole Foods today, back then at Findlay Market we could do most of our shopping for the week and still have money in our pockets. Then we'd head home with our treasures and begin cooking for the big event. Later we would assemble at someone's apartment and make an evening of it - with one rule - NO LEFTOVERS! The fare was creative, informed by the moment and the market, and in no small part a product of all of our culinary history. My friends and I were sharing our own newly contrived dishes alongside those of our respective moms and grandmothers. I guess that was the beginning of my obsession with international cooking - and through the years I have taken the time to learn my way around regional Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Spanish, French, German, and even even good old American. I have amassed a sizable collection of cookbooks, and I read and write about cooking every day.
Now my dear friends are scattered across the country. I live in North Florida, where I enjoy cooking for and with my family. My niece Kelly loves to watch cooking shows and recreate the recipes. My sister Maureen is an expert at Beef Taquitos and Chicken Enchiladas, and my mom can make just about anything taste great, though she seldom strays far from those Missouri farm roots. We all try to get together on Sundays, and whatever we choose to eat, we thoroughly enjoy one another's company.
Today we sampled cheeses from Cypress Grove Chevre. Kelly LOVES their new Truffle Tremor, my favorite is Purple Haze, but we all adore Humboldt Fog and Midnight Moon. Three generations of women "dined' at our Florida condo table - a fresh baguette, some excellent cheeses, a bottle of wine and good company made it the perfect four ingredient meal. I'll bet all those mothers and grandmothers who came before us would have enjoyed it too. Be it ever so humble....
Living in Cincinnati with its rich and diverse culinary heritage, traveling to great restaurants throughout the USA. My friends and I dined as best we could through the week, but come the weekend we would throw together these amazing feasts, jokingly called "Punk Gourmet Nights" (OK, it was the 80's, so cut me some slack)... We would meet on Saturday morning, at our mecca - the amazing Findlay Market in Over-The-Rhine. We'd stock up on the freshest local produce, then avail ourselves of the amazing assortment of organic meats, European baked goods, sausages, cheeses, asian specialties, freshly roasted nuts and mediterranean pastries, you name it. Whatever "Punk Gourmet" theme we would devise, there were choices aplenty at the market, and unlike a trip to Whole Foods today, back then at Findlay Market we could do most of our shopping for the week and still have money in our pockets. Then we'd head home with our treasures and begin cooking for the big event. Later we would assemble at someone's apartment and make an evening of it - with one rule - NO LEFTOVERS! The fare was creative, informed by the moment and the market, and in no small part a product of all of our culinary history. My friends and I were sharing our own newly contrived dishes alongside those of our respective moms and grandmothers. I guess that was the beginning of my obsession with international cooking - and through the years I have taken the time to learn my way around regional Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Spanish, French, German, and even even good old American. I have amassed a sizable collection of cookbooks, and I read and write about cooking every day.
Now my dear friends are scattered across the country. I live in North Florida, where I enjoy cooking for and with my family. My niece Kelly loves to watch cooking shows and recreate the recipes. My sister Maureen is an expert at Beef Taquitos and Chicken Enchiladas, and my mom can make just about anything taste great, though she seldom strays far from those Missouri farm roots. We all try to get together on Sundays, and whatever we choose to eat, we thoroughly enjoy one another's company.
Today we sampled cheeses from Cypress Grove Chevre. Kelly LOVES their new Truffle Tremor, my favorite is Purple Haze, but we all adore Humboldt Fog and Midnight Moon. Three generations of women "dined' at our Florida condo table - a fresh baguette, some excellent cheeses, a bottle of wine and good company made it the perfect four ingredient meal. I'll bet all those mothers and grandmothers who came before us would have enjoyed it too. Be it ever so humble....
1.17.2009
Deliver us From Deli / Some Good Sushi
Pinegrove Market & Deli
Recommended by a friend who lives nearby. Supposedly great soups, deli sandwiches, and a little meat market (the kind with actual raw meat...) So I go, at the lunch rush. Not much of a rush, there are just 4 parking spaces and a dude in a bloody butchers apron dragging on a cigarette out front. Inside a table of regulars are enjoying lunch in what appears to be part deli-part meat store-part drugstore, circa 1962. There is no one standing, no line, no greeter, so I present myself at the counter, behind which three people are cleaning and slicing meat. They ignore me, although I am just full-on staring at them just feet away. Seriously. For like, a whole two minutes I stand there waiting for one of them to acknowledge my presence. I'm smiling, staring them down, daring them to acknowledge me, thinking it is starting to feel a little too "Deliverance" for my taste, and now I'm thinking I am going to stand here for just one more minute, almost daring them to say SOMETHING. Am I supposed to just yell out my order, or... FINALLY one of the kitchen crew wipes his hands on a bloody towel and walks the two steps over to wait on me. I tell him my friend who is a regular here just raves about them and suggested I try the place out, and NOW he's ALL sweetness and down-home good-neighborly-like - meet the whole crew, that's whozits, thats so and so, I'm Whatchamacallit. OK, so I vow to start over with a fresh attitude. I order a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast. Simple enough for the first visit. Don't want to annoy my new friends by actually asking them to cook something for me, right? So the sandwich is assembled, stuffed into a brown paper bag, a receipt is hastily scribbled and pressed into my hand, and I am directed to the obviously un-attended cash register, four feet across the room, where I WAIT. AGAIN. For what seems like three or four minutes, I stand there politely, smiling at the busy crew, until finally my new best friend from the other counter comes rushing over, all apologies, and sets out to look for the guy whose job it is to ring up the occasional sale. I tell him I assume that must be the guy I passed on the way in taking his smoke break by the front door. It is, and he's still smoking... and my new buddy drags his complaining ass in to ring up my purchase. Seething, mumbling and reeking of smoke, he takes a look at the hand-scribbled receipt, punches the register a couple of times and intones "twelve fifty" . . . now, even in New York I'm not paying 12.50 for a chicken salad sandwich, so I ask for clarification. Trying to decipher my receipt, he YELLS over to the other guy - "This does say one pound chicken salad, right?" I hand him the bag with my now soggy sandwich, weighing decidedly less than a full pound, and ask for clarification. He mutters something unintelligible, there is what passes for a scuffle between the two men, registers are unlocked, MUCH grumbling ensues, my order is re-wrung, and I pay still too much I think, (but then it is lunch AND A SHOW) and make a bolt for the door in an attempt to get the heck out of dodge. My new best friend follows me out to my car, inviting me to come on back sometime when I'm looking for some real good fresh meat - seeing as how his family has been running this place for over 40 years and all - and I'm smiling, nodding and thinking "DEAR GOD get me out of here alive and I promise I'll be a better person!" Now for the chicken salad. It would make a great story if I told you it was so awesome it eclipsed the entire surreal ordering experience, right? Well, no such luck. Watery, bland, boring. All white meat, no flavor. Nothing to write home about, and certainly not worth twelve dollars a pound. Now ordinarily I give a place at least three visits before I decide how I feel about it, but in this case I think I'll quit while I'm ahead. You might like it, but don't ask me to come along.
Sushi House & Grill
on Edgewood - I really want this place to be great. Good prices, decor is borderline asian cliche. First trip - Bento box lunch - the soup is good, but its cloudiness alarmed one of our diners. A side salad heaped with the obligatory ginger dressing, another cliche. Teriyaki beef looked good, medium rare strips atop a bed of sticky, tasty brown rice. Chicken T was four slim slivers of overcooked, underseasoned chicken breast with a light teriyaki glaze drizzled on. no flavor. none. WAY too much tempura vegs for lunch. Little Gyoza were tasty, but the star was the California roll. They send out crab rangoon right from the fryer - molten sweet packets of creamy goodness. Kitchen is fast, service is good, but the food needs some work. I love shumai so I was a bit disappointed with the little buttons of steamed something or other that had a vaguely shrimpy flavor but little if any actual shrimp (easily gotten in Jax as we are fortunate to live so near the excellent little fishing village of Mayport). I'm thinking the frozen ones from the Asian market are better and way cheaper. We skip the salads and go right for the sushi. ALL GOOD - REALLY GOOD! LOVED the Jax roll - a California roll topped with eel and eel sauce - and my friend had the Crazy roll, Shrimp Tempura topped with smoked salmon and eel sauce. The menu says "Voted Best Sushi in Town", but the place JUST opened, so who voted, we wondered? Another location, most likely... Good call, voters, whomever you were.
Recommended by a friend who lives nearby. Supposedly great soups, deli sandwiches, and a little meat market (the kind with actual raw meat...) So I go, at the lunch rush. Not much of a rush, there are just 4 parking spaces and a dude in a bloody butchers apron dragging on a cigarette out front. Inside a table of regulars are enjoying lunch in what appears to be part deli-part meat store-part drugstore, circa 1962. There is no one standing, no line, no greeter, so I present myself at the counter, behind which three people are cleaning and slicing meat. They ignore me, although I am just full-on staring at them just feet away. Seriously. For like, a whole two minutes I stand there waiting for one of them to acknowledge my presence. I'm smiling, staring them down, daring them to acknowledge me, thinking it is starting to feel a little too "Deliverance" for my taste, and now I'm thinking I am going to stand here for just one more minute, almost daring them to say SOMETHING. Am I supposed to just yell out my order, or... FINALLY one of the kitchen crew wipes his hands on a bloody towel and walks the two steps over to wait on me. I tell him my friend who is a regular here just raves about them and suggested I try the place out, and NOW he's ALL sweetness and down-home good-neighborly-like - meet the whole crew, that's whozits, thats so and so, I'm Whatchamacallit. OK, so I vow to start over with a fresh attitude. I order a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast. Simple enough for the first visit. Don't want to annoy my new friends by actually asking them to cook something for me, right? So the sandwich is assembled, stuffed into a brown paper bag, a receipt is hastily scribbled and pressed into my hand, and I am directed to the obviously un-attended cash register, four feet across the room, where I WAIT. AGAIN. For what seems like three or four minutes, I stand there politely, smiling at the busy crew, until finally my new best friend from the other counter comes rushing over, all apologies, and sets out to look for the guy whose job it is to ring up the occasional sale. I tell him I assume that must be the guy I passed on the way in taking his smoke break by the front door. It is, and he's still smoking... and my new buddy drags his complaining ass in to ring up my purchase. Seething, mumbling and reeking of smoke, he takes a look at the hand-scribbled receipt, punches the register a couple of times and intones "twelve fifty" . . . now, even in New York I'm not paying 12.50 for a chicken salad sandwich, so I ask for clarification. Trying to decipher my receipt, he YELLS over to the other guy - "This does say one pound chicken salad, right?" I hand him the bag with my now soggy sandwich, weighing decidedly less than a full pound, and ask for clarification. He mutters something unintelligible, there is what passes for a scuffle between the two men, registers are unlocked, MUCH grumbling ensues, my order is re-wrung, and I pay still too much I think, (but then it is lunch AND A SHOW) and make a bolt for the door in an attempt to get the heck out of dodge. My new best friend follows me out to my car, inviting me to come on back sometime when I'm looking for some real good fresh meat - seeing as how his family has been running this place for over 40 years and all - and I'm smiling, nodding and thinking "DEAR GOD get me out of here alive and I promise I'll be a better person!" Now for the chicken salad. It would make a great story if I told you it was so awesome it eclipsed the entire surreal ordering experience, right? Well, no such luck. Watery, bland, boring. All white meat, no flavor. Nothing to write home about, and certainly not worth twelve dollars a pound. Now ordinarily I give a place at least three visits before I decide how I feel about it, but in this case I think I'll quit while I'm ahead. You might like it, but don't ask me to come along.
Sushi House & Grill
on Edgewood - I really want this place to be great. Good prices, decor is borderline asian cliche. First trip - Bento box lunch - the soup is good, but its cloudiness alarmed one of our diners. A side salad heaped with the obligatory ginger dressing, another cliche. Teriyaki beef looked good, medium rare strips atop a bed of sticky, tasty brown rice. Chicken T was four slim slivers of overcooked, underseasoned chicken breast with a light teriyaki glaze drizzled on. no flavor. none. WAY too much tempura vegs for lunch. Little Gyoza were tasty, but the star was the California roll. They send out crab rangoon right from the fryer - molten sweet packets of creamy goodness. Kitchen is fast, service is good, but the food needs some work. I love shumai so I was a bit disappointed with the little buttons of steamed something or other that had a vaguely shrimpy flavor but little if any actual shrimp (easily gotten in Jax as we are fortunate to live so near the excellent little fishing village of Mayport). I'm thinking the frozen ones from the Asian market are better and way cheaper. We skip the salads and go right for the sushi. ALL GOOD - REALLY GOOD! LOVED the Jax roll - a California roll topped with eel and eel sauce - and my friend had the Crazy roll, Shrimp Tempura topped with smoked salmon and eel sauce. The menu says "Voted Best Sushi in Town", but the place JUST opened, so who voted, we wondered? Another location, most likely... Good call, voters, whomever you were.
1.12.2009
Alicia
We had sad news that our aunt Alice passed early this morning. She had cancer - and we knew it was coming soon, but mom took it hard - Alice was the closest thing to a sister in her life.
As for me, If I can cook Mexican at all well it is because of her. I grew up watching her assemble enchiladas and salsas, moles, rice and frijoles - her methods and recipes account for some of my family's best home cooking. M & K came over and made fried chicken and mashed potatoes, and we drank VATS of wine and shared stories about Alice and uncle Gene. We'll miss you Alicia - see you on the other side!
NW
As for me, If I can cook Mexican at all well it is because of her. I grew up watching her assemble enchiladas and salsas, moles, rice and frijoles - her methods and recipes account for some of my family's best home cooking. M & K came over and made fried chicken and mashed potatoes, and we drank VATS of wine and shared stories about Alice and uncle Gene. We'll miss you Alicia - see you on the other side!
NW
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