Category Archives: food

garlic and sapphires: the secret life of a critic in disguise

Posted on by
7

I just finished this great book (yes, I still read even though I’m addicted to Lost…sometimes my eyes start to hurt from staring at a screen for so long and I need a break). It’s the story of Ruth Reichl, former food critic of the New York Times, and her wonderful adventures. It includes her own story, along with fabulous restaurant reviews, and some recipes (rather than illustrations) that I am very excited to try out.

My fabulous friend, Kelly, sent it to me after she read it because she thought I’d like it. She was absolutely right. The descriptions in this book are like porn for a foodie. Not only that, but one of her disguises is named Chloe. It happens to be her most tawdry character. The irony was too funny.

Anyway, as I said, the book chronicles her experiences dining at amazing upscale restaurants throughout New York, both in disguise and as herself, and highlights the differences in service and quality. Her descriptions of food had me salivating constantly. I just wish I had the budget to eat at all of the fabulous restaurants (not the crappy ones…and there are a few) that she mentions. Not only that, but I learned a lot, like I didn’t know (and this is embarrassing to admit) that when you eat nigiri (raw fish on rice), it’s an insult to dip the rice into soy sauce, or that soba noodles are traditionally served cold and extremely difficult to make well. I also had to look up some of the ingredients listed because they were unfamiliar. I love learning new things!

If you’re not into food, it might not be the most interesting book (although I think it is very well written), but I loved it and would highly recommend it to anyone who is.

chocolate haupia pie

Posted on by
8

The chocolate haupia pie is the one on the left…the white one. A week later.

Ingredients

  • 9″ pie crust, baked and cooled (normally, I’d bake my own, but it was nice that I didn’t have to)
  • 14 oz. can of coconut milk (you can use “light”)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup water
  • 7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar

In a heavy saucepan, combine coconut milk, sugar, and whole milk using a wire whisk. Cook this mixture over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly.


Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add slowly to coconut milk mixture. Simmer until thick.

Put semi-sweet chips in a heat proof bowl. Pour half of thickened coconut milk mixture over chocolate chips. Combine until chips are completed melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour chocolate mixture in bottom of shell and spread. Spoon reserved coconut mixture over chocolate layer and spread.

Refrigerate at least one hour, but best to do refrigerate overnight.

Whip cream and 1/4 cup of sugar. Layer whipped cream on top and serve.

nashville revisited (and bobby flay is an egomaniac)

Posted on by
5

So, I was wrong. One of the counselor’s at work (a fellow foodie) corrected me. Bobby Flay actually won the throwdown at the Loveless Cafe.

While we’re on the subject, though, (for those of you who watch Throwdown) can I just say how obnoxious I think the premise of this whole show is? It is totally obnoxious.

“Hi, I’m Bobby Flay and I’m going to come to your establishment and make a similar product and show that in just a week I can do it better than you can, even though you’ve been doing it for years.”

What a punk!

The only redeeming quality the program has is that you get to see these super cool places that are famous for whatever it is they make…which is how I knew about the Loveless Cafe.

southern cookin’

Posted on by
12

This is totally delayed, but better late than never, as the cliche goes.
This fabulous cafe was featured on the Food Network in a Bobby Flay Throwdown (Bobby lost). He takes on “the biscuit lady”, who we actually saw in the cafe. Seriously, I never thought I’d like okra, but it’s amazing what a little batter and some deep frying will do. The biscuits were absolutely amazing. Seriously. If I could marry a biscuit…

Thankfully, Megan was willing to share with me, so I was able to try lots of different delicious goodness. It’s probably a good thing I’m not moving to Nashville. I mean, you haven’t tasted barbecue until you’ve tasted southern barbecue. Absolutely sinful.

lemon truffle pie

Posted on by
7

The lemon truffle pie is the one on the right…the other one is delicious, too. I’ll post the recipe and pictures soon.

I made this today for Katie’s baby shower (and again tonight for a work thing manana) and people asked me to post the recipe. It was originally posted here, but I found it here. I first made it for Easter. Since then, I have made it two more times and learned a few things. I have included some tips in italics.

Ingredients

  • 9″ pie crust, baked and cooled (normally, I’d bake my own, but it was nice that I didn’t have to)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch (this was originally 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. flour, but it just didn’t set up for me)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1-1/2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

*Before you get started here is my suggestion, get the egg yolks, lemon juice, white chocolate, and cream cheese ready in SEPARATE bowls. Once you start cooking stuff, it moves pretty fast and you don’t have time to be squeezing lemons, etc.


Beat egg yolks in a small bowl. Combine sugar, cornstarch (and, if following original, flour) in a heavy saucepan. Using a wire whisk, stir in water until smooth. Cook this mixture over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir about 1/4 cup of cooked mixture into egg yolks and blend. (This is called tempering). Return egg yolk mixture to saucepan and cook 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter (in case you were wondering, the butter is what gives the filling a gloss of sorts) and lemon juice.

Transfer 1/2 cup of the cooked lemon filling to a small bowl with the white chocolate chips. Set rest of lemon filling aside. Microwave the chip mixture on low 1-2 minutes (1 minute is plenty) or until chips are melted, stirring until smooth. Beat cream cheese and add white chocolate chip-lemon filling mixture. Mix until smooth.


Spread over cooled crust (it is highly possible that you will have too much of the cream cheese mixture…don’t worry, it makes the best fruit dip you have every tasted). Spoon lemon mixture over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 4 hours to set.