Dear Pay-Less (and Kroger, and Frys)

The time has come for us to part ways for now. I think you have gotten a little too big-headed for me to hang around in this relationship. I will be honest; I went to Marsh the other day. And I loved it. I enjoyed the better vegetable selection (they actually carry Italian parsley and dried mushrooms), I liked their friendly meat counter which sold more than hamburger and kabobs, and I thought their sushi was great. Fair Pay-Less, I will always remember your fantastic lunch meat and good deals. But the horrible service, the dirty stores, and the dingy fresh food were just too much. I turned a blind eye when I watched you start importing bakery goods from a central hub, and though I was sad, I let it go when you stopped selling good cheese and started providing spreads.

So Pay-Less, it's been a good run, and we had some memories. As I sit here eating this tasty organic apple from Marsh, I am happy of my decision to pursue higher quality and better service, and I hope that some day you can understand.

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Cooking Pasta

Ee all use boxed pasta. It's just a way of life. But what comes with that is an overcooked, mushy mess. Yep, whoever thought up the current pasta directions for cooking that is labeled on the boxes was either asleep or had no teeth. Pasta is meant to be al dente, which means "to the tooth". This does not mean stick to your teeth, it means the pasta should have some firmness, some bite to it. So enough with the "if it sticks to the wall it's done", that only leads to mushy pasta and bad wall décor. Here are a few tips to help your pasta become the mainstay in your dish once more.

- Use a lot of water. For a pound of pasta, you should be using about a gallon of water. This will help in even cooking.

- Salt the water. Use a lot of salt. It has nothing to do with the boiling point and everything to do with taste. Do you not salt the rest of your food? So why should pasta be different. Use about 3 T for a gallon of water.

- Add some oil. 1 T is plenty, and this actually has nothing to do with flavor. It prevents the pasta from sticking and the water from boiling over (really, it works). Most of the oil will be kept in the water and not make it into your dish.

- Don't rinse your pasta. It washes away starch and prevents the sauce from sticking. Unless you need to shock it for later use (cold water will stop the cooking), rinsing your pasta will only cause it to be watery and your sauce to remain on the plate.

- Whatever cooking time the box tells you, decrease it by 2-3 minutes. When that time comes up, taste the pasta. If it is way too firm (and has a dry center), cook it for a minute more. Remember when you toss the pasta with sauce it will absorb a little bit more of the liquid, so undercooking it slightly is not a bad thing.

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Pancakes

I sometimes have a trend of starting a post out with something negative and then turning it on a positive. This is no different :) I'm not a fan of Bisquick. In fact, I have only had it once, and I thought it was pointless. Sure, it's great for the family in a pinch who needs a quick breakfast. Just take said powder, add eggs and milk, and cook. Wait a second...that's not easy, it's just 2 steps more than actually making pancakes. And what else do you get when you use a mix? Chemicals, preservatives, and nasty bits that make pancakes taste like ground up spoons. No thank you.

I love these pancakes, based on the Fanny Farmer version from 50 years ago. They are still that good. I alter them a bit for some more fluff and cook then at a much higher temperature for a crusty outside. You can make these in no more than 20 minutes and I'm certain you have all the ingredients for them. Hopefully this will lead to you wowing the pants off your significant other this weekend when you surprise them with homemade pancakes (extra points if you make them look like hearts).

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 c. flour
2 T butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 egg
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 T sugar
3/4 c buttermilk

Sift flour, sugar, salt, and soda into medium bowl. In separate bowl, combine the egg and buttermilk. Add the butter and stir (it will clump, don't worry). Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and fold in with a spatula until no flour remains. Do not over mix! Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium or medium high heat (depending on how crispy you want them) and lightly coat with cooking spray. Spoon out batter onto hot surface, cook for about 3-4 minutes per side or until each side is golden brown. Serve immediately with warmed syrup.

Alterations
If you want to make these fruit pancakes, fold in ¾ cup of your favorite fruit (I like blueberries) after mixing.

No buttermilk? No problem. Instead, use milk and swap the baking soda with 2 t baking powder.

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Craftsteak

As I have stated before, I'm a big fan of Top Chef. And the head judge, Tom Collichio. I have his cookbook (extremely tasty) and I identify with his simple approach to food. So OF COURSE I was going to give his new Craftsteak (located at the MGM grand in Connecticut) while on a trip to see Em's parents (side note, Connecticut continues to amaze me with good food and gorgeous weather, I love the place). We showed up for what was about to become quite an experience.

First, something that happened after the meal. While Em's father and I were walking through the bar, we saw some beer taps that we did not recognize. We asked the bar tender about them and he happily explained what they had (Harpoon and some nice local brands) and told us about a coffee stout that a local guy was making and they carried it. He then proceeded to pour us some and we talked about and how it was different and such. All this after the guy knew we had already finished our meal and were on the way out. What great service.

Now, back to the food. It's (obviously) a steak house, and it's pretty much what they do. They do have some pasta, chicken, and fish which I am sure is all tasty, but I came for meat. They provide a nice selection of grass-fed, corn-fed, and wagyu beef. Wait, what? Feedings differ? Oh, yes, dear reader, as we found out they do. The stuff you more than likely are getting in the market is corn fed. Simple as that. Craftsteak ages theirs (28 or 40 days are the options, I think) which gives a lot of beefy flavor. Grass-fed is very lean and pure in flavor. Wagyu is crazy, hand-massaged, beer fed beef. I stayed away from that (it's really good, I know, but one of them was $26/oz). I got a New York corn-fed and was extremely pleased. Others sampled were the grass fed beef, filet, and a hanger steak (a much underappreciated cut). All were delicious and cooked perfectly. I also enjoyed all of the sides we tried, such as piquillo pepper risotto, Brussels sprouts with bacon, and sautéed wild mushrooms. Without risk of talking too much, I will also say that the chocolate soufflé I had for desert was nothing short of divine.

Overall the dinner was fantastic. I appreciate the simplistic, almost rustic approach to the food, all the while maintaining meticulous detail with how everything was prepared. Nothing was too fancy, and everything tasted and melded well together. If you are in the area of one of these restaurants, I can think of very few better ways than to spend an evening meal.

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Cake or Death!

Two cakes enter, only one will leave! Ironically, this is about angel food cake. I was quite conflicted on a recipe to go with. On one hand, I had a tried and true recipe from Alton Brown that my mom has made and was quite good. On the other, I had a recipe from Cook's Illustrated that seemed to go together quite well. What to do? Why make both, of course.

Angel food cake is pretty similar no matter how you make it. Beat egg whites, add flour and sugar and various other components, bake, let rest, and eat. It has two main attributes going for it, one being its pretty easy (if you have an electric stand or handheld mixer, if not, good luck beating those white to medium peaks before your arm falls off), and the other being that it is ridiculously healthy. The one aspect of this cake that might set people off is the need for a special pan. An angel food cake pan is a unitasker and that kind of stinks. However, I have started making this cake pretty often and that makes it worth it. When you do purchase one, get one with the feet on it or you will play heck trying to get it to balance upside down.

First up was the Cook's Illustrated cake. Calling for a dozen egg whites, some sugar, some cake flour, almond and vanilla extract, and cream of tarter, the cake had some pros and cons. The pros were it tasted delicious, hands down the better of the two. The cons were the texture, it was a bit rubbery, and the fact that they had me line the pan with parchment paper was a bit silly. Next through our gauntlet is the AB cake. Fantastic in texture, this recipe called for super fine sugar and less extract then the other. The results were quite different. It was much lighter and fluffier but the taste was not quite there. Hmmm, a difficult choice.

In the end, I choose both. Yep, a cop out after all of this. But my reasoning is good. For the most part, I prefer the Cook's taste but AB's texture. Therefore I decided to go with the first recipe’s flavor, but use superfine sugar and forget about fussing with parchment paper.

Angel Food Cake

12 egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar (see note below to make it superfine)
1 ½ t cream of tartar
¼ t salt
1 ½ t vanilla extract
½ t almond extract
1 ½ t lemon juice
¼ cup warm water
1 cup cake flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. To make superfine sugar, place the desired amount of sugar in your food processor and buzz for about 2 minutes. Sift half of the sugar with the salt and the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside (sifting is important; it will help avoid pockets of flour). In a large bowl or stand mixer, add egg whites, water, extracts, and cream of tartar. Beat for about 3 minutes or until eggs are foamy. Slowly sift iun the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, add the lemon juice, and then sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

Carefully add mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).

Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least 2 hours before removing from pan. Remove the cake from the pan by slicing around the outside to loosen the cake from the pan. Serve with berries or whipped cream (or both).

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An Interesting Read

t's been a slow few weeks in my kitchen. With the weather pretty pitiful and the quality of products pretty steady at my local supermarket, I have been hesitant to make a lot of new dishes. Which makes for some blasé reading on a blog. Never fear, I'm making lasagna tonight, and when I make another angel food cake this weekend it can be "cake or death" time. In the meantime, here is an article I read yesterday that gave me some pause.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090126/BIZ/901260305

It's about a push by restaurateurs and chefs for more funding and control for smaller farms. Now, having experienced my first true year with a farmers market (and the fact that I am suffering through the winter months not having one), this is extremely exciting. While big farms are great for supermarkets, we all know the quality of their product is bunk next to Farmer Joe who owns 50 acres. I for one would love to see more locally grown, small farm food in my stores. Certain markets have already started this, but I'm hoping the foodie like nature of our current President will work to improve the food policy.

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Russian Tea Time

While in Chicago, it was recommended that I have afternoon tea. After perusing through the art museum, I could think of nothing better to do (plus the restaurant is literally 100 feet away) and headed over with Em. We walked into a warm, bright place with fantastic eastern European music playing over the speakers. While the place offers a full menu, they also offer tea service every day from 2-4:30 pm. Which is what we opted for on a cold afternoon.

First and foremost, the tea. They serve a Russian house blend (which is sadly the only one they do not sell as loose leaf) which is fantastic. If you get a meal you get unlimited tea refills, which is nice considering how good it is. The food comes out in three tiers, bread, savory, and sweet. The top tier was scones with jam and whipped cream. Tasty. The savory consisted of quiches, sandwiches (of salmon or corned beef), a crepe, and a veggie finger sandwich. The sweets were numerous, from cookies and cakes to a brownie and an apple tart. They also included fresh cheese blintzes to go with the meal. So imagine yourself as they put this tower of good in front of you. It was incredible. The food was delicious (I now want to eat blintzes all the time) and there was just so much of it, there was no way we were going to finish it. Excellent meal, and really great service.

Speaking of great service, this being a Russian place, of course they have vodka. And not just any. They make their own. I got a flight (don’t judge, it was almost 4) called the "Molotov cocktail". It consisted of three shots: pepper, honey pepper, and horseradish. I was unaware that the custom is to smell a piece of pumpernickel bread, take the shot, and then eat a pickle (after savoring the vodka). But my waiter was more than happy to teach me some Russian and explain the custom. Awesome. And really good vodka! I never would have thought, but horseradish vodka is great.

Overall this was a fantastic place to eat, and I would happily dine there again. Next time you are in Chicago, I suggest this place for a great experience and really good food.

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Rice, Rice Baby

This was either going to be about pasta or rice. And seeing that I am currently staying away from pasta (I blame Christmas), I figured I would go with rice. Now, what is interesting about rice? Well, it's one of the most important foods on this planet, yet the inhabitants of America are 15th in the world of consumption. Really?

It’s a more wholesome grain for you than most anything you can get in bread, it’s simple to digest, and it tastes good! So why do we fill our bellies with pasta and breads and other complex carbs rather than rice? Well, for starters (in my opinion), most of us have no idea how to cook it. I'm sure there are a bevy of other reasons (it does not go with our style of cuisine, its plain, you cannot put sour cream or mayo on it) that people will claim, most of which are a complete hunk. But I'm going to stay with the first topic, that people cannot cook rice, and focus on helping this along.

Rice, in its pure form, does not usually come in a box. It cannot be done in 5 minutes, and it should never say instant. Believe me, I ate a lot of that growing up, and that stuff is NOT rice. Rice, as I know it, comes in primarily two main forms, brown and white (yes, there are loads other, but I'm keeping to the most common ones to cook on an everyday basis). The only difference is that the white has had the outer hull removed. So that means brown is better for you, but also has a different taste (more nutty). White rice comes in many different sub-types that depend on grain size. For the purpose of this exercise, let's stick with long grain, which is mostly what you find in the big bags.

Brand or specific type? It's personal preference. I like sushi rice because it’s a bit stickier, but I know plenty of people who enjoy jasmine because it’s a bit fluffier. Try some out and see what you like.

Cooking, well, there comes the fun part. Cooking white and brown rice are two separate undertakings, so I have included below a method for each. I really hope once you get the (easy) process down it will allow you include more rice in your diet, which is healthy and inexpensive.

White Rice

This recipe has no measurements. Simply make as much as you want. In a small pot, put in rice. Rinse under cold water for about 3 minutes. You want the water to run clear to rid it of excess starch. Pour out most of the water. Place your index finger straight down into the pot and mark where the rice comes up to. You need to add enough water to cover the rice plus this length you just marked off. Strange? Yes. But it works. You can do this by placing your finger (keeping the mark noted) on top of the rice and then filling to the mark. Place on stove over medium heat. Stir once after about 5 minutes. The water will start to simmer and form fish eyes. When this happens (there should be a bit of water still on top of the rice), place a lid on the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit in pot for another 10 minutes.

Brown Rice

1 ½ cups brown rice
2 ½ cups water
1 t. salt
½ T butter

Brown rice can be a bit tricky, so I have opted to go with the oven (its seriously foolproof) in my prep method. Thank Alton Brown for the inspiration on this. Preheat oven to 375°F. Boil water in kettle or pot (with the salt and butter). Add rice (do not rinse) to a 9x9 baking dish. Pour boiling water over it and cover tightly with foil. Place in oven and bake for one hour.

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Trattoria No. 10

In addition to my New Year's Revelations, I have spent a good amount of time traveling over the past month. This has resulted in a good amount of restaurant experiences, which I am more than happy to put up on the blog.

First up, Trattoria No. 10, a Chicago fine eatery specializing in Italian cuisine. I think. Thing is, I never tasted the food. I walked in at about 6pm and was promptly turned away. There was a light buffet in the bar which I figured would be a great meal before heading out on the town. The bar was mostly full, and the hostess so kindly said to us "the bar is full and so is the dining room, sorry". Wow. Score points for hospitality! I was dressed nice, but apparently did not fit the stuffy, rich type that they are looking for.

This leads me to a slight rant. I am so over stuffy food. I have no problem wearing a collar to dinner (I was that evening), but in our food-appreciating society, there is no place for crap like turning away a customer with such disdain. I'm pretty sure I was higher educated than either of the people I spoke to there, but I did not ramble on about the polymorphic complexities of amorphous dispersions to them. Food is good and should be kept simple and available to everyone. Treating someone like they are unworthy to eat their food only says to me that the food is not worth eating.

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New Years Revelations Part I: Biscuits

This is the first in what I hope is an ongoing series. Over the holiday I was perusing my recipes on this blog and found a few that have undergone some changes since I wrote them up. This often happens to me as I adjust seasonings or learn new things to make a dish better. I spent a good amount of time cooking with Em's (my fiancée) father over this holiday, and we often pass back and forth information on what we like and do in the kitchen.

This instance, we were making biscuits for breakfast (original post found here). I have altered my recipe to pretty much where I like it, at least I thought, and was mostly concerned about fat ratio (like with pie dough). But in my oversight, I forgot something extremely important, which was leading my biscuits to be fluffy, but not flaky. Hydration! My dough was way too wet. The dough was almost goopy, which led me to not knead them (which prevents gluten formation but also prevents the flakiness I was looking for) and just bake them as is. Silly me. While observing John (the dad) rolling out his biscuits, I was amazed at how dry the dough was. I was even more amazed when they came out so good. While enjoying one of these smothered in gravy, I figured out a recipe that is somewhat of a hybrid between his and mine (mine still get more puff than his, muahaha). Take out a little milk, stick with butter, knead a little more, and boom! Biscuits that would make a mother proud.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups flour
4 t baking powder
½ t salt
½ t baking soda
1 t sugar
5 T butter, cut into chunks
¾ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450°F. Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Work butter into flour with fork or fingers until evenly distributed. Slowly add buttermilk until incorporated, mixture should be slightly crumbly but sticks to itself when pressed together. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead together for about 30 seconds. Roll out the dough until it is slightly thicker than ½ inch, cut with biscuit cutter or small glass. Place on a lightly greased sheet pan and bake 10-12 minutes or until tops are golden.

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