a bit of food, writing, and photography

Alder

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Abigail

It’s been a while since that last New York weekend, but there’s one more experience I would like to share.

Alex, of Chez Sasha, and I had been discussing possible places to visit when we met up in Boston. After she mentioned the opening of Alder, we decided it would be fun to visit a new establishment, especially a place by Wylie Dufresne. Dufresne’s one of Manhattan’s molecular gastronomic types, he owns wd~50, and Alder is a young (since late March) “gastropub” venture of his.

I liked the atmosphere, the quirky rubberbands around the water carafe, the wooden accents and white painted brick, but we left the restaurant disappointed, and got pizza.

We started with the pub cheese, this mixture of cream cheese and wine abstractly plated with pistachio/dried fruit crackers with pita chip type things. It’s a clever dish, Alex pointed out how it incorporated all the elements of a typical cheese plate, the fruit, nuts, cheese, and crackers, but imagine the tastes of red wine and cream cheese together, not offensive, but not that delicious either.

We were informed that the entrees were small plates, and to order a few for the table to sample and share. With pricing averaging $20 per plate, that’s hardly a realistic concept for your typical diner, and yet they highlight their affordability. While we were willing to invest in an exceptional meal, these dishes just did not perform to our expectations. There was no animal protein-less option and when I asked if anything could be arranged, I was given a dish composed of fried cauliflower over banana curry, 2 elements of other dishes on the menu. It was tasty, but I paid $15 for a small plate of bananas and cauliflower.

This makes perfect sense from an economic view, but it showed a lack of interest in engaging the guest and creating a unique experience for them, and isn’t that why passionate chefs get in the restaurant business to begin with? The only reason I make these assumptions is because at the end of our meal, I took it upon myself to address Dufresne. He had been making an event of checking on the dining room every 20 minutes or so, and as we were lingering over our drinks, waiting for the check to arrive, I felt compelled to show my appreciation for our meal. I have never experienced such disinterest before. I introduced myself, thanked him for the meal, and he literally just smiled and nodded, except the smile seemed to be missing. It was not easy to put myself out there, without the wine at dinner I probably wouldn’t have done it. But I figured it would be a nice gesture to show thanks in person rather than in some online review. Seeing as how this was my first encounter with a regarded professional chef, I had no idea what to expect, but an aloof and smug response was hardly it.

At the end of all this contemplation, I can’t help but think that I may have set my expectations too high. There were no claims that Alder could appease a vegetarian, and that they intended to create a revolutionary experience. Perhaps the issue is that their “casual” is overpriced and yet they feel as though they can pass it off because Dufresne’s name is attached. Researching what other people of the online food community had to say about Alder, I learned that we were not the only ones to experience dissatisfaction. There are definitely polarizing views.

Attempt at molecular gastronomic plating, using… a piece of chicken from the pizza!

And in all irony, Dufresne was awarded Best Chef in New York City. Well, it’s an incredibly subjective world we live in.

New York City

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Abigail

“New York City, center of the universe.”

This city, peoples, c’est vraiment phénoménal. I find it dirty and offensive, it’s inhabitants typically rude, and the extreme levels of quality of living, on full display, heartbreaking. But I can’t stay away! There’s a concentration and abundance of brilliant people doing incredible things, like writers Mark Bittman and Eric Asimov at the New York Times, incredible chefs like Amanda Cohen @ Dirt Candy Marcus Samuelsson @ Red Rooster Harlem (lots of hype around this guy within the past year or so), and revolutionary food capitalists like Mario Batali (those damn crocs!) and Daniel Boulud. What these people do is what attracts me to the city so strongly. I do try to visit often. It’s hard to afford and schedule, but when the stars align, I have the best time. My next few posts will touch on where I went and what I ate/drank.

Thursday night dinner, Candle 79.

The best vegetarian dining experience I ever had was at Dirty Candy, in the West Village of Manhattan. Definitely a place I’d recommend, but be aware that it gets a lot of attention and it might be a good idea to book ahead. I’m dying to see more vegetarian restaurants open, or at least have restaurants take the challenge of vegetarian cuisine seriously. A few weeks ago, I visited Walnut Grille, a veggie place that just opened in Newton, MA. While I admired the concept of “a vegetarian dining experience”, their execution resulted in numerous contradictions. For example; a vegetarian restaurant with faux snake skin textured booths? what I assumed was some kind of vegan hollandaise…on a poached egg…? The sandwiches my parents ordered were delicious though. The way I see it, vegetarian cooking is a serious test of skill, how creative are you really? For palates accustomed to meat, it’s understandably a very difficult task. The reason vegetarian cuisine deserves attention, rather than dismissal, “damn hippies”, is because it forces a more acute attention to the subtle flavors of fruits, vegetables, and grains, and the nuances of spices and herbs. Believe me, it’s not easy. Even after ~10 years of vegetarian cooking, I haven’t gotten even close to unlocking all the incredible variations possible.

Back to Candle 79.

The food was awesome, so delicious and savory and satisfying. The drinks were great too. We tried the Belle Madame (Catoctin Creek Rye, goji liqueur, orange liqueur, lemon, pineapple, up) which was very tasty, typically sweet and fruity but not offensively so with a cool twist from the rye, and The Reforestation (VeeV Açai spirit, wheatgrass vodka, muddled mint ginger-agave, lime, soda, ice) which was great, like a more herbal/earthy mojito. The best part – for each Reforestation ordered, they plant a tree… somewhere.

The appetizers we ordered were Seitan Dumplings (fried), Black Bean Soup (a special), and Nori Rolls. We could have done without the rolls, just not very exciting. The soup was similar to a chili, which I always love, and had some crunchy tortilla(?) strips in it, which added another textural element. The dumplings were great as well, just so good, as dumplings usually are.

Our entrees were varying forms of plant based proteins paired with either a vegetable puree, asparagus (in season veggies, 1 point) and mushrooms vs caramelized onions, or a side of ratatouille. The main items were tempeh (a special), seitan (a special), and cornmeal crusted tofu. They were great, a really unique treat, I have nothing else to say about it!

grilled asparagus & portobello mushrooms, sautéed shallots & pumpkin seeds, truffled celeriac purée

(Apologies for the poor quality pictures, I was using an unfamiliar camera)

This was seriously a great dining experience. Dirt Candy provided a more visually interesting meal, while I think Candle 79 provided a more satisfying experience, flavor-wise. [(SHABBAT SHALOM) roommate interruptions]

p.s. For about a month & half longer, I will be fulfilling my Culinary Arts internship requirement at Easy Entertaining RI, a Providence based catering company & café that has a strong focus on sourcing local ingredients and products. This weekend, we’ll be involved with the Eat Drink RI Festival, it’s exciting stuff!

Booze, Beans, & Biscuits

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Abigail

As I began to write this post, I was in a severe food comma. We had just got home from brunch at Nick’s on Broadway. If you’ve never been, drop what you’re doing grab a flight/train/cab/get in your car, and go right now. This place is really fantastic, and the people in Providence definitely know it. Although there’s almost always a wait, it is well worth it, it ought to be considered a kind of event anyways!

Alexis, my roommate, and I went for lunch on Saturday to celebrate my 21st birthday that was on Friday. There was food, of course, but because we were celebrating my 21st, I think it’s best that I mention the booze first. How can people drink bloody mary’s? And enjoy them?! I felt compelled to order the classic brunch cocktail that morning, but it did not fly. Whether it’s this specific recipe or my perception of bloody mary’s in general, ick, never again, not for me. We definitely recuperated from that offense when we tried Alexis’ white sangria and my Cocchi Americano. Cocchi Americano is an aperitif, meaning a low alcohol drink meant to “stimulate the appetite”. And Cocchi Americano is a “fortified [meaning added alcohol] Moscato d’Asti wine steeped with bitter, quinine-rich cinchona bark, citrus peel, and other botanicals.” Basically, you got some wine, you make it a little stronger, add some other flavoring elements, and serve it on it’s own or in other drinks. In this particular instance, it was served with a few lemon sections and a bit of soda water. It certainly did it’s job to whet the apetite and and was particularly delicious. Bought myself a bottle at work a few hours later!

Conglomerate of liquids with varying and contrasting effects

After the long wait, between waiting for a table and for our orders to arrive, we enjoyed a DELICIOUS meal of Fried Eggs over Black Beans (with a biscuit on the side) and Fried Eggs over Pork and Bean Cassoulet. The biscuit was so yummy, they clearly pay some attention to these tasty, crunchy, buttered goodies. Not to sound too cliché, but it is the little things. If even the humble biscuits are a prime product, you can be assured of the quality of everything else that comes from that kitchen. The black beans were so flavorful, they really took the dish to a whole ‘nother level from brunch food. I was incredibly satisfied, body, mind, and soul-wise after that meal. We finished with a caramel bread pudding, which was just fine. A bite started great but finished with a raw whole wheat flavor.

I noticed something worth mentioning that day. When I go out to eat, I like to take my time. I like to linger over my food, enjoy extended conversation with my friends, really make an event of the experience. I need the 2 hours, if I’m allowed it, to pay some attention to my food and comfortably value the time I have dedicated.

I strongly recommend this restaurant for any meal, although I’ve only experienced the breakfast/brunch menu. It is a wonderful place because the chef, Derek Wagner, is committed to incorporating local farmers and producers in his dishes. I realize the whole “local food movement” seems like some trend, but it needs to become the way we do things in order to support a sustainable agricultural system.

p.s. Here’s a great little website I stumbled on, The Perennial Plate. These short episodes they post are a great way to feed the travel bug in you. I don’t know much about the site, or filmmakers, but I like what they’re doing.

http://www.theperennialplate.com/episodes/2012/11/episode-106-for-udon-and-country/

And now for something completely different…

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Abigail

Finally got around to watching Manhattan the other night (available on Netflix instant), one of Woody Allen’s most favored films. In one of the last scenes, Allen’s character makes a list inspiried by this question: “Why is life worth living?” Listening to his own remarks, I felt compelled to make my own list of “certain things that make it worth while.” Although I don’t have the same terrifying paranoia regarding life’s ineveitable mortality that Allen does, I must admit I share a certain fear of the day that it all will end for me. I watched the documentary on Woody Allen in the same week, and as he was interviewed, I realized we shared the same kind of childhood epiphany. My experience occured at the wierdest time, I remember being at the little shopping plaza on the VFW parkway. Whether we were renting a movie from Blockbuster or grabbing a bite to eat, I cannot remember, but I was walking outside by my mother when it suddenly hit me out of nowhere. By the time we were in the car, I was crying, feeling completely overwhelmed by panic or some other random emotion. Thankfully, I don’t feel the same kind of sensations today when thinking about death. It’s still disheartening to consider the fact, but it is a fact, so I kind of just accept it and move on with my life – try to do things that I’m proud of so I feel satisfied when that time rolls around.

Moving on from the dismal, here’s a little list (a.k.a. Things that Move Me):
Woody Allen fims (DUH)
Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald duets (like this one, or this one, and this one too)
Rhapsody in Blue (as featured in the video clip from Manhattan)
Fresh tomatoes from my mother’s summer garden
Jazz music
Cooking good food for good friends
Lavender, and the sound of rain
Rainy mornings that you can lie in bed for a time
Pecan Sticky Buns from Seven Stars
Cappuccinos, preferably from Coffee Exchange
Impressionist paintings (most significantly Claude Monet & his Houses of Parliament series)
Summer BBQ’s
2004 Vallana Gattinara
The look of historic Beacon Hill, and South End

I could add a gem to this compilation everyday for the rest of my life, so I’ll just stop myself here.

Tell me what moves you, so I can be moved too, and we can all be moved together, like a large coalition of hippies!

And this post applies to this blog ’cause I mentioned summer BBQ’s and cooking… yup, that sounds right to me!

Sam’s at Louis

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Abigail

While I was home this weekend, I went out to brunch on Sunday. After a bit of research we settled on Area Four (multi-concept food establishment), which I’ve had on my list for a while now, but after we were told that the wait would be 40 minutes we opted for Sam’s instead. Sam’s basic concept is an “American Diner”, as the website describes, but believe me it’s far from what you’d expect when you think “diner”. There are just a few tables, 15 or so, simple seating, the chairs were quite comfortable though, and a black and white color scheme. We didn’t order anything from the modest bar, but you could see that small selection was well considered. Along the short hall opening into the restaurant, the walls were painted with chalkboard paint to allow for customer doodles and the notice of ever changing specials. To generalize, the place is comfortable, but aesthetically appealing and engaging.

Courtesy of their Facebook page

Courtesy of their Facebook page

I really liked the atmosphere of Sam’s. The wall facing the harbor was all windows, so you’re audience to a great view and natural light gracefully illuminates the whole room. There’s a deck as well, closed I presume until the summer season begins, and I can only imagine what a pleasure it is to enjoy the meal out there in warmer weather. It became quite loud as every table was gradually filled, but not offensively so. Our server was attentive and friendly, and Esti, one of the owners, was constantly engaging with her guests.

And now to the part that everyone cares about most, the menu. Everything that we ordered, that I tried, was great. First, a server brought out a sample of house-smoked salmon, compliments of the chef. The plate looked great, giving a great first impression. I ordered a frittata (spinach, caramelized onion, feta, and tomato) which came with homefries and a small salad. Even the homefries were delicious, not because they were coated with fat (as most homefries are) but because they had flavor. I sincerely wish that every place that serves homefries would give the simple side a little more thought. The homefries at Sam’s were a bit spicy and well seasoned. I actually felt compelled to eat them rather than just push them off to the side. The salad was just a salad, no fancy vinaigrette, but I could see pea greens which is neat – this unique addition shows, yet again, that they care about the food they put out. And then the frittata, cooked perfectly and super tasty! We also had the mushroom tofu burger. The texture was a bit tough, as I expect an over done beef burger would be like, but it packed some seriously rich mushroom flavor. Each dish looked great, and tasted even better:

“Hot smoked salmon, cornmeal blinis, caviar, and herbed creme fraiche”

“Corned Beef Hash with poached eggs”

“Mushroom-tofu burger with Vermont cheddar and fries”
These fries were awesome, not oily but super crispy!

“Spinach, feta, caramelized onion & tomato frittata with mixed greens and homefries”

My personal opinion of Sam’s: cool place, simple and engaging atmosphere, unique bar, unpretentious but high quality menu, and superb views. It’s a simple concept, executed exceptionally.

p.s. The mediterranean diet, just another word for proper eating habits, as told by Mark Bittman.

Everybody Loves Ramen

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Abigail

Felt an incredible rush of inspiration today. It’s currently finals week here at JWU, after the incredible mess this semester turned out to be, I’m feeling a bit burnt out and I need a little unwinding. Insert Ramen! Chowder (Boston’s online foodie resource) tweeted a city ramen guide sometime last night, yes I’m using the same corny title – all credits go to them, and the thought of brothy soup has lingered on my mind into this midday. So before I plunge into the vast sea of studying I have planned, I’ve decided to try my hand at Japan’s staple dish.

Let me point out, I don’t know too much about the specific techniques and which authentic ingredients to use for traditional ramen. It’s a vague concept I’m adhering to. The concept of intensely flavored broth, soft, delicious noodles, and toppings galore.

Referred to Anthony Bourdain (my go to guy, whether that’s a good thing or not – I can’t say) for a bit of clarification:

Here’s a prime example of kitchen improvisation. I didn’t do any grocery shopping tailored to this recipe, just had to go with what I had available. So forgive me if the ingredients seem a bit bizarre, it’s delicious, I promise. A bit of neutral oil (canola, vegetable) in a hot pan, half an onion (sliced), 4 cloves of crushed garlic, and a 1″ section of dried chili pepper from my mom’s summer garden – I doubt you have dried chili peppers from my mom’s garden though, so a sprinkle of chili flakes will do. Added 1 tsp each of paprika and powdered mustard, and 1 tablespoon of dried oregano. Deglazed with 3 tablespoons (1 oz.) of soy sauce, added _ cups of water, 1/4 cup of dill pickle brine, 4 dried shitake mushrooms, and 2 3″ pieces of knotted dried kombu. Stirred up the witches brew, brought to a boil, then lowered heat and simmered for about 30-45 minutes. Boiled the noodles at the 10-minutes-left point, strained and sectioned into bowls. Poured broth in until noodles were covered, and “garnished” with sliced button mushrooms, chickpeas, and some unfrozen veggie medley (carrots, peas, and green beans).

Basically, throw anything into the broth (ideas), salt at the very end according to your taste, and top with whatever your heart desires! I was in NYC last winter, it was cold and rainy, and incredibly unpleasant, but on our way back to the apartment we stopped by this little shop for some warmth and nourishment. Suddenly the clouds parted, the sun shined brightly, and people started dancing in the streets! If only…

And now, I move on to hospitality marketing, because that just sounds so enticing.

p.s. More ramen to look at! The Mind of a Chef

Late January

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Abigail

As I begin writing, my roommate’s cat has decided that he deserves my attention more than this blog post…

I had the extreme pleasure of making the most delicous salad the other day, but more on that in a bit. A dear friend visited me in Providence this past weekend, and it turned out to be the ultimate opportunity to try out a few places that have been destinations of mine for a while. Brickway on Wickendon has been on my list since I discovered Wickendon Street, it’s very close to my apartment, the decor’s neat, and I’m always on the prowl for a good breakfast place. Basic impression; sastisfying food – nothing worth raving about, had a breakfast burrito that I enjoyed because it was stuffed with good stuff, but was definitely missing some seasoning.

We also took a little trip to Pastiche, I have no idea what took me so long to get here! This gourmet bakery has a very unique cafe like set up, we enjoyed some hot chocolate and wonderful pastries. Besides the superflous amount of whipped cream on my banana cream pie, this was the best slice of pie I have had in a very long time. There wasn’t much to it, but I think that was the point. The bananas were at perfect ripeness, simply sliced, topped with a little pastry cream (I assume), then piled high with whipped cream, and finally drizzled with caramel. What I experienced that day was a dessert that treated its ingredients properly and heightened the unique flavors of each component.

RI has a great wintertime farmer’s market located in Pawtucket. It get uncomfortably crowded, but it’s worth the discomfort to get farm fresh eggs, some fresh produce, and other goodies like RI honey, pasta sauce, seafood, and meat products. This was the first time I had been since last year, my work schedule prevents me from going the 2 days it’s open during the week. It was here (and Whole Foods) that we picked up the ingredients for the incredible salad mentioned before. Basically, it’s composed of a rich and creamy avocado base, spiced roasted carrot body, and fresh sprout accent.
The, friend who was visiting had bookmarked this recipe so we decided to prepare it for lunch. The recipe comes from the New York Times, and is adapted from the restaurant ABC Kitchen, which has been on my Manhattan list for a while as well. As per usual, didn’t follow the recipe exactly, so here are my variations:

Ground cumin’s all I had in my spice cabinet
Substituted chili flakes with some hot sauce (representin’ MA made food products!)
Missing red wine vinegar, so used balsamic instead
The “other” sprouts we used were pea sprouts, baby pea plants!
And left out the sour cream and pumpkin seeds, we just didn’t feel compelled to purchase them.
The flavorings here are basically like a marinade, so puree it all and just toss the carrots in it before roasting.

Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad

iNGREDIENTS

3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound medium-size carrots peeled
1 orange, halved
1 lemon, halved
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut in thin wedges
1 ½ cups packed radish or other sprouts
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons roasted hulled pumpkin seeds

PREPARATION

1.: Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small food processor or a mortar, pulse or pound the garlic with the cumin, thyme, chile flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper to make a paste. Add vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the oil, and mix well.
2.: Arrange carrots in a roasting pan and spread spice paste on top. Place orange and lemon halves, cut side down, on carrots. Roast until carrots are tender and starting to brown, about 45 minutes.
3.: Using tongs, arrange carrots on a serving platter. With a dishtowel to protect your hands, squeeze juice from the roasted orange and lemon halves into a measuring cup. You should have about 1/2 cup juice. Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle some of this sauce over the carrots.
4.: Arrange avocado over carrots, then scatter sprouts on top. Drizzle with reserved sauce, top with dollops of sour cream and a sprinkling of the seeds. Serve.

Tonight, I made some soup with this salad in mind. I incorporated balsamic vinegar, thyme, and garlic roasted butternut squash and sweet potatoes, as well as cumin and turmeric sauteed beans and carrots.

Have a great week everyone, make something delicious and savor it for a while in between whatever hectic-ness your life might entail!

p.s. If you enjoy reading these random little blurbs, please do Follow, you can submit your email to be notified whenever I write a new post. I can guarantee that there will be no flooding of inboxes, seeing as how it takes me close to 2 weeks to write something new. Also, I insist that you comment, I would love to get some conversation going!

Freeform!

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Abigail

Recipes are important, I’m not challenging that. But to cook without a recipe is incredibly liberating. I find it that much more satisfying to use the knowledge I have collected from my experiences to create something unique. The way I see it, the best way to approach cooking is to focus on the basics. Rather than tackling any recipe we can get our hands on, we should repetitively test the elementary takes on our favorite foods. Once an understanding of the function of each ingredient in a dish is established, swapping things in and out becomes more of an adventure than a terrifying experiment. I found this recipe the other week. When a friend came over for dinner, we made a variation of this baked pasta dish, using the same ingredients but altering the amounts and sometimes their forms.

We sauteed one fennel bulb until tender and added a small head of raddichio to cook for just 2 minutes. I don’t know about you, but I can never find large pasta shells in the supermarket. Instead we used 16 ounces of this cool looking lumaconi shaped pasta, cooked it al dente, mixed it with12 ounces of ricotta, 6 ounces of fontina, salt & pepper, the sautéed vegetables, some dried oregano as well as a dash of cayenne pepper and the juice of 1/2 a lemon, and about half a jar of pasta sauce. Threw it in a preheated oven set at 350 degrees F, and baked it covered for 10 minutes and uncovered for 10.

Please forgive the poor quality photos from my phone, it really tries, but sometimes it just can’t make it. I promise to employ the use of my actual camera next time.

In this recipe, there are a few key aspects. The pasta, the vegetables, the cheese, the sauce, and the flavorings. If you have something to fill each of these categories, you have yourself a meal. The pasta and veggies have to be cooked to just tender before baking, because they will get another round of cooking in the oven. Grab whatever’s in season! Some root vegetables, like beets and turnips, would be delicious here, those dense suckers might take some extra time on the stove though. Ricotta’s a good cheese to start off with because it’s relatively mild and coats everything well, but then add any kind of unique cheese you like (fontina’s tasty and melts excellently). Ideally, I would’ve used homemade tomato sauce, but winter isn’t tomato season, so I would prefer to use my favorite jarred sauce – Trader Joe’s Vodka Sauce! Test spices and herbs with a bit of your cooked veggies to get a flavor combination you approve of, and when it comes to the pasta, think small shapes, rounded to catch all the cheese and veggies.

In the end, it’s all about experience and a bit of bravery. Try and try again, until those methods and ratios are engraved into memory. I feel like the kitchen is the only controlled environment within which you can throw all caution to the wind. Throw in a bit of this, a bit of that, try some elaborate recipe just for the heck of it, and at the end of the day no one was hurt (hopefully), and you got a meal out of it. While there’s always a fear of failing, of the food turning out awful, it’s important to note that there are many factors involved in cooking. One thing goes wrong and it very possibly might set off a domino effect, the only step you can take next is to try it again, focus on what you’re doing, and hope it turns out better this time.

p.s. Just remember kitchen safety:

^ I can’t decide if that’s too morbid or not…

The Holidays

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Abigail

And so, the holiday season has come and gone. I always look forward to this time of year. Forget about gifts, Santa Claus, and even it’s religious significance. Christmas is my excuse to go all out; watch silly movies, decorate everything with bulbs, lights, and evergreen, burn candles scented of pine and “frosted cranberry”, eat fantastic food (lots of it), smother my family and friends… and not bat an eyelash, it’s all acceptable for this short span of time. This year, Christmas seemed to have arrived abruptly at the front door, and left just as quickly without much sentiment.

But the food! Dinner always leaves a lasting impression. Christmas Eve brought cabbage dishes, beet soup, pierogi, various fishes (pickled, fried, and baked), and the traditional vegetable salad. Christmas day was a three course buffet of epic portions. Food coma inducing, for sure. I was responsible for a few things, here and there, but I would like to share a most delicious recipe. Best suited for summer, when zucchini is abundant and fresh as can be, this tart is savory, creamy, and incredibly flavorful. This was actually my first foray into gluten free cooking, and let me say, I was not disappointed at all. This crust, using brown rice, millet, and quinoa flour, is the tastiest crust I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. And look at all those healthy ingredients, they let the mind justify the butter and cheese indulgence. This recipe is from La Tartine Gourmande. I never followed the blog, but the cookbook is so beautiful, I couldn’t resist – even if I had a very narrow knowledge of what cuisine it feature.

I did make some variations to the recipe, follow whichever you think sounds best.

Instead of marjoram, I used dill.
I added the Swiss cheese, shredded Emmentaler, to the ricotta mixture, and just layered the zucchini nicely.
Had to use millet flour instead of buckwheat flour.
Used lemon juice (from 1/2 of a lemon) instead of lime zest

Crust:

90 g brown (or white) rice flour
50 g buckwheat flour (used millet here instead)
40 g quinoa flour
1 1/2 teaspoons xantham gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of poppy seeds (optional, I left these out)
6 tablespoons cold butter
1 egg
3 tablespoons cold water

From the book:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle blade, combine the flours, xantham gum, sea salt, and poppy seeds (if using). Add butter and beat on medium speed nutil crumbles form. Add the egg and continue to beat until incorporated. Gradually add the water while beating until the dough detaches from the bowl and forms a ball… Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour before using. If it’s in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, take out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before using.

Filling (a bit of an adaptation):
1 cup whole milk ricotta
1 tablespoon chopped marjoram (substituted for dill)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Finely grated zest of 1/2 organic lime (used the juice of half a lemon)
Sea salt and pepper
1 small green zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small yellow zucchini, thinly sliced
3 ozs swiss type cheese (shredded)
1 tablespoon honey
Olive oil

Roll dough and line a buttered tart pan, poke holes with a fork a few times along the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Use some kind of pie weight, I placed the bottom of a smaller springform pan and that work just fine, remove the weight halfway through bake time. Combine ricotta, herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and shredded cheese. Fill crust, doesn’t necessarily have to cool, and layer zucchini slices, alternating colors. Glaze with a bit of a honey and olive oil mixture. Bake for about 20 minutes until zucchini is tender and the swiss cheese has melted in the mixture. You may have to cover the crust edges to prevent from burning. Remove and let set (~10 minutes) before serving warm.

It’s exciting to be to be identified as a cook, spice sets and serving dishes were on my list of gifts received! I promise to put those spices to good use, they actually went into a carrot cake I made for Christmas day. Wishing all the best in 2013,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

p.s. Les Miserables, in my humble opinion, is a great dramatic movie. There are scenes that lag a bit, and my attention was lost, but there were others that had me laughing, crying, and mesmerized. Hats off to the cast for their INCREDIBLE acting and relatively enjoyable singing.

p.p.s. If you have any affinity for Spain, food, travel shows, cooking shows, Mario Batali, Mark Bittman, or Gwyneth Paltrow, you must watch Spain… on the Road Again. I remember it first airing on PBS and it was my father and I’s favorite thing to watch. I received the the whole series on DVD for Christmas this year and I have so gratefully been reminded of what an amazing show it is. It’s not pretentious or even too indulgent, they visit cheese, olive oil, and wine bodegas, cook wholesome simple food on open fire grills at spur of the moment occasions. It’s such a pleasure to watch, rent the DVD’s right away, you will not be disappointed.

Coffee Exchange

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Abigail

Do you love cafés as much as I do? I think these neighborhood establishments are one of the few European concepts we do well in the U.S. There is something so wonderfully romantic about meeting a friend to spend an hour amused by a single cup of coffee, and a pastry if you feel so inclined. The constant hum of conversation, the occasional rattle of coffee beans filling a bag, the loud hiss of milk being steamed… It’s a soundtrack on it’s own.
While Small Point was my default last year, this year’s shop of choice is Coffee Exchange. They have wooed me with their cappuccinos, spiced cider, and house roasted coffee beans.

This place is special, it’s the real deal. Coffee Exchange is the type of place where the locals frequent, where students spend any hour of the day hunched over their textbooks and computers and where adults come on weekend mornings to meet up with friends and relish in their freedom from work, all for the promise of quality caffeine. What I most appreciate is the staff, everyone there is wonderfully friendly. Even when the line stretches out the door, you can still expect a smile.

On to the most significant aspect of Coffee Exchange, they roast their own beans. I haven’t tried every roast… the list must contain at least 20 variations, but my devotion lies with the Ugandan Peaberry. These are tiny whole beans french roasted, and they brew an unbelievable coffee. First of all, I’m a picky coffee drinker. If it’s sunday morning, and I’m at a diner for breakfast, I will settle for any brown-tinted, charcoal tasting water. So long as I can load it up with milk and a bit of sugar. Think of that concoction like a brunch cocktail. But when I’m jonesing for coffee, I expect something that’s damn tasty and doesn’t need to be masked by dairy or overwhelmed by sweetness. This Ugandan Peaberry provides exactly that, it’s complex and engaging, and requires nothing but a mug.

If you’re in the area, stop by for a drink and be sure to pick up some beans for home, I promise you will not be sorry.

p.s. If you are interested in what arrives on your plate when you eat out, it’s important to read this. Seeing as how the food industry is not as honest as you think it is, becoming an educated consumer ensures that you get your money’s worth. On a lighter note, the argument on coffee’s benefits vs. negative effects seems to go back and forth endlessly, but this more recent article is telling me to drink all the cappuccinos and the Ugandan Peaberry coffee my heart desires!

a palate transcribed