Sweet Potato "Nachos" - A Texas recovery food

Zack and I recently returned from a wickedly delicious trip to Texas for our 9th anniversary.  When you tell people you are going to Texas for your anniversary, you get some wierd looks and a lot of "hmmm, what made you choose THAT location?"  Well, let me tell you.  We visited Austin, San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country and had an epic foodapalooza!  Not to mention the wonderful and unique sense of place that is only Texas and then again, each city and region is so individual too.  

In Austin, we wondered along South Congress and had a very rare experience for us.  Enjoyable shopping!  Very interesting stores - local and well curated and no chains.  We both got some new duds that we're really happy with.  Our dining over 3 days ran the gamut from the un-freaking-believable Trailer Park taco and Green Chile Queso at Torchy's Tacos, to the refined and delicious Japanese flavors at Uchiko, to spending 3 hours in line for the alledged best BBQ in Texas at Franklin  Certainly incredible, the best I've had!  Highly recommend all these experiences.  We also had one of the best burgers of my life at a strange Zombie dive bar on the 6th street promenade.  Casino el Camino's Amarillo burger will be burned in my taste memory for a very long time.

In San Antonio, we stayed on the absurdly touristy but still mildly pleasant Riverwalk. 

San Antonio is home to massive amounts of Tex Mex and Mexican food and lots of it is mediocre from what I've been told.  Fortunately we had great recommendations from a friend and hit up Soluna for phenomenal enchiladas and Acenar for nachos.  One of our favorite spots in San Antonio is the Pearl complex, home of the Culinary Institute of America San Antonio.  Great shops and restaurants and a Saturday Farmers Market.  Kinda felt like being in the Bay area actually.  I also ate a ridiculous muffin top at Broadway Daily Bread.  Late nights were all about the downstairs lounge at the Hotel Havana.  So dark and sexy that I could barely see the Banana Bread French Toast with Cajeta ice cream and caramel crusted pecans that I ordered for dessert.  That's okay.  I could taste it.  and it was transporting.  

Hill Country Texas is home to something you may find surprising.  Wine Country - and lots of it.  We meandered the adorable main street of Comfort, Texas and tried Bending Branch Winery's tasting room.  The Tannat grapes in the eponymously named wine they make are grown only in Texas and is deeply reminiscent of raisins and finished for days.  Each sip of this wine was slightly different and not always pleasant, but quite an experience. Enough to check a bag so we could bring home a bottle. Fredricksburg is just 30 minutes from Comfort and lined with dozens and dozens of Texas style shopping and restaurants.  Too touristy and busy for our taste but fun nonetheless.  The Museum of the Pacific War there was incredibly well done.  We didn't even go in and we were impressed.

Overall, Texas, we do heart you, and look forward to returning one day.  

Now, I'm sure you're not confused about why I'm eating sweet potato nachos today.  Texas was not kind to our waistlines.  All worth it, but I came home truly craving vegetables and nothing but.  Still craving those Tex Mex flavors though, I took some inspiration from a great recipe from my friend Ashley and we've eaten it twice in a week.  They are really delicious.  I would honestly rather eat them than regular nachos.  At least this week.  Give um a try!

Sweet Potato "Nachos"

Serves 2 for a main course and 4 as a side

3 large sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil (or more if you want)

kosher salt (I like a lot of salt)

1 can black beans (or skip these if you wish)

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Pickled red onions

Pickled Jalepeno

Greek yogurt or sour cream

Chopped Cilantro

Pepitas

Cojita cheese, if you wish

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and then crosswise and then into skinny wedges.  Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt.  Spread on baking sheet and baked for about 45-50 minutes, turning once.  They should be soft inside and crispy and brown in parts outside.  Feel free to broil them for a couple minutes at the end if you want more crusty bits.

While they are roasting, make your black beans.  In a food processor, dump a can of drained, rinsed beans, 1 garlic glove, 1 teaspoon cumin, 5-6 pickled jalepenos, a generous pinch of salt and whatever else you'd like.  Puree to a desired smoothness.  

To serve, warm the beans and split them between two plates. (or serve them family style on a platter). Top each with half the roasted sweet potatoes and sprinkle (in whatever quantity you desire) with pickled red onions, jalepenos, sour cream, cilantro, pepitas and cojita, or honestly, WHATEVER you want!  Enjoy!

Anniversary in Portlandia

Zack and I recently celebrated our eighth anniversary with an overnight jaunt to Portland.  I always have a long list of places I want to check out there, recommended by friends, articles I've read and the like.  We are never disappointed by the wealth of culinary treasures there and this time was no different.  In fact, it was one of the best.  Here's the rundown.

IMPERIAL

Paley's Place is a Portland institution in fine dining and the Imperial is a recently opened more casual experience by Vitaly Paley, an incredibly well respected chef.  The vibe is loungy.  Pretty dark and moody even at lunch time and definitely hipster, in that upscale sort of way.  I thought it would be a nice lunch, but was completely surprised by how incredibly good each bite was and how much care was put into everything, and an outstanding value to boot.  For instance, the house made Parker house roll, arrives hot and glistening, deep golden brown and salted top with soft butter to slather.  We thought we'd share one but immediately ordered another.  This was our first meal of the trip so we wanted to go easy, opting to share a pilaf stuffed roasted poblano pepper with roasted butternut squash, chestnuts and a walnut cream. ($12)  WHAT?  Ridiculously flavorful.  The vegetables all treated with utmost care to bring out their fullest flavor.  Then, a side of wood fire roasted carrots in a mustard maple vinaigrette. ($6)  These carrots were so good I promptly stated I'd rather be eating them than duck fat french fries.  The cocktails were also excellent, mine a blend of aperol, grapefruit, gin and rose prosecco.  His,  a hearty bourbon cocktail with hickory vermouth.  At $8 each, at least 25% less than the same cocktails cost in Seattle.  The experience was absolutely wonderful and got the trip started off on the VERY right foot.

TORO BRAVO

After an afternoon of nothing much, a little shopping, a little relaxing, it was time to go to Snacky Hour.  Toro Bravo is one of Portlands best loved restaurants, a Spanish tapas spot that is perennially packed.  They don't take reservations and we are not fans of waiting, so when that is the case, we always show up when the place is about to open.  Good thing too!  We were first in line and the place was full in 20 minutes.  Here we shared a few pinxtos - or snacks of just a bite or two each, and a few tapas, snacks of 6-10 bites.  Melted leeks topped with romescu sauce were delicious, as was a sweetly spiced ground lamb with yogurt and flatbread.  Everything was inexpensive - $3 - $9 and delicious.  Cava was the perfect accompaniment.  The menu is so extensive and I look forward to going back again to try more.  

THE WOODSMAN TAVERN

Our "real" dinner reservation was at 7pm so we headed next.  Folks, what a dear dear meal this was to us.  The ambiance of the space is dimly lit, wood paneled and definitely fits the expectation its name creates,   From the first moment they were so welcoming, with absolutely no hint of hipster nonchalance.  They wished us happy anniversary and gave us half pours of champagne for a toast, starting things off beautifully.  The menu is a nod to American classics.  We started with a couple snacks - a single chicken wing, an order of deviled eggs and a beef sausage with mustard.  Each thing was so deeply flavorful we were in a constant state of exclamation.  There was such great and overwhelming care taken with every element.  All sausages and meats (with the exception of a few curated American hams) are butchered and cured and smoked and in all ways made from scratch in house.  With yes, a Portlandia level of care.  We shared shepherds pie for the main course.  How could it be so good?  So many layers of flavor, such deep smokiness to the filling and perfectly cooked vegetables at the same time.  I was deeply challenged as a cook by their care in the details.  I've already seen it influence me, which I think is awesome.

THE NEXT DAY, ON MY MORNING RUN

Our actual anniversary dawned beautifully sunny, just like it was 8 years ago.  I love a morning run on vacation so I was off by 7am leaving Zack to a rare chance to sleep-in.  I started out from our hotel in the Pearl District and headed for coffee.  Sterling Coffee Roasters had been recently recommended.  It's on 21st just a block or so from Ken's Artisan Bakery, so I stopped in their for one of their famous cannelle and jogged it over to Sterling for a cappuccino.  The recommendation was right on.  A beautifully roasted cup of coffee.  Not at all bitter or burnt, but flavorful and nuanced.  I had 2 bites of the cannelle, which was good for sure, but not mind-blowing for me.  The rest fed the birds.  Back on my feet and through the Pearl and over the Hawthorne Bridge, down Ladd and up Division to Little T American Baker.  

This bakery has been winning raves and the baguette is particularly well spoken of.  As it happens, when it comes to bakeries, I'll take a baguette with butter and jam over just about anything else anyway, so I ordered their skinny short version and my second cup of the day and sat down to enjoy.  It was excellent.  Lovely crust and moist crumb.  I was pleased.  I ate some of that and started to wonder where was next.  I looked for bakeries nearby and found one called Le Cookie Monkey a couple miles away.  The reviews were raving and I liked the look of the direction so I headed that way.  Down 26th and Right on Powell and then some random twists and turns and a very odd rickety foot bridge over some railroad tracks and after a time I was at Le Cookie Monkey.  Darn it!  Its only open for special orders, so I wend my way home through some funky streets and along the river, over the bridge and back at the hotel at mile 8.9.  Time to get ready for brunch!

THE COUNTRY CAT

I love Southern diner style food done really really well and that is just what the Country Cat is all about.  It serves brunch every day of the week, which I think is genius.  It's a drive out of the typical tourist area, in the Montavilla area of PDX.  We sat down and ordered a tasty (though much booze!) Bloody Mary and deliberated for a long while on the menu, or rather, I did.   Zack knew immediately that he wanted the Monte Cristo sandwich.  We both have a soft spot for those.  But the 2nd dish was harder.  The BBQ brisket sandwich?  The chicken fried steak?  I settled on the fried chicken with maple bacon spoon bread and greens dressed with maple vinaigrette.  It was good but not great.  The fried chicken didn't have the double crust i prefer and the spoon bread honestly had a strange soggy texture on top.  I'd still go back time and again for that Monte Cristo sandwich - house-smoked ham and turkey, amazing custardy bread and a dousing of maple syrup.  The home fries were shatteringly crisp and served with house made ketchup.  Too legit to quit people.  

We've been to Portland a dozen times in our married life, but this was definitely our favorite trip.  A totally memorable culinary adventure, to say nothing of the very sweet time we had together reflecting on the past year and feeling incredible blessed with where we are at as a couple.  Year 9 includes many things, foremost among them our adoption process, which we actually began in earnest that evening, at our chosen agencies mandatory information meeting.  We're on our way and feel peace and excitement about that.  We are praying that by the next anniversary, there will be a baby Zulie Hubert to love.

A couple other absolute Portland favorites:  Screen Door, DOC, Heart coffee, Baker and Spice Bakery.

Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Gramercy Tavern is an iconic New York City restaurant.  I know quite a few people who have eaten there, and everyone puts it well up there in their ranks of best restaurant meals ever.  The desserts alone are worth a visit.  Zack and I ate an caramel apple crisp ala mode there that has never been rivaled by any other.  The caramelized crumble was exactly what we wanted it to be and more.

Last fall I was looking for a recipe for brownie cookies.  I had in my minds eye exactly what you see above.  In my research I came across many recipes, but when I found one from Gramercy Tavern, I knew it was going to be good.  I think its perfect and my brownie cookie cravings have been fully satisfied ever since.

These cookies are kind of like biting into a chocolate bar macaron (the French kind).  Immense chocolate flavor, but a wonderful light crust and slightly chewy interior.  My only significant adaptations to the recipe involve salt.  This much chocolate desperately needs it.  For the past four months, I've been baking these at least every couple weeks.  People just love them.  It recently dawned on me that they are the perfect cookie for sandwiching.  In fact, I'm making them next weekend and sandwiching them with Nutella, for a dear friends birthday.  These cookies definitely have the best texture the day you make them and the batter doesn't keep well.  You'll want to mix them up and bake immediately.  Then, get munching within 2-4 hours for optimum textural enjoyment.  I mean, they still taste amazing days later, but they will be gone by then.  I promise.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE COOKIES
Adapted The Last Course, The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt (4 times the original amount in the recipe, but definitely important!)

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

7 ounces 60-70% dark chocolate, chopped or use Ghiradelli's 60% chocolate chips

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (or combination of chips and similarly sized pieces of nut of your choice)

Maldon sea salt (optional, but I always do this)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, briefly whip the eggs to break them up. Add the sugar, espresso, and vanilla and beat on high speed for 15 full minutes.

While the eggs are whipping, melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave.  Start with the chocolate ONLY and heat for 1 minute.  Stir with a metal spoon or whisk.  Add the butter and heat for another 45 seconds.  Stir/whisk again.  If not quite melted, give it another 20 seconds or so.  

Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until partially combined (there should still be some streaks). Add the flour mixture to the batter and carefully fold it in. Fold in the chocolate chips. If the batter is very runny, let it rest until it thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Using a small or medium (depending on the size you want) levered ice cream scoop, drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets.  Sprinkle with a little Maldon salt (if you choose) and bake until puffed and cracked, 6-8 minutes (again, depending on size). Cool on a wire rack before removing from the baking sheets.

A Week of New York Eats

I am in good company when I say that I love New York.  Many, okay, millions of people agree, it is an epic city.  For those who find food and restaurants of particular interest, it is a magical place, with options from every corner of the globe.  This July, through a wonderful series of fortunate events, I was able to spend five days and nights in New York City with by little brother Andrew and his lovely new bride Melissa.  Our time was a culinary odyssey, with each day jam packed with tastes and ambiance to absorb.  Andrew & Mel join me in being insatiable (when we choose to be) and we never missed an opportunity to try something that intrigued us.  We also virtually never have a full meal in any particular place,  so we aren't too full for the next thing.  New York is also an awesome city to run.  I enjoyed the unusual levels of energies I felt given all this feasting and ran the longest run of my life one morning - from Harlem to Battery Park and back up to Chinatown, nearly 16 miles in all, stopping 3-4 times for a taste or a sip of something lovely.

Rather than write a bunch of reviews or try to pare the trip down to a couple favorites (too hard!), I offer you here a journal of our days.  I've noted the name, (and sometimes linked it) what we ate, a few choice comments, and starred them as follows so you know my recommendations, with a few comments.  There is not a place we went that I would say "Don't go there", because I research and cross-reference the heck out of places before I go, but the stars let you know what I prioritize as best.  I'm writing this blog for your future reference.  It may be a little dry to read now, as its really just a list, but next time you're headed to the Big Apple and you start your research, maybe you'll remember this post and check back.  I hope it can be a resource!

KEY:
*Good, I liked it
**Really, really good
***Highest level, recommended foodie experience

MONDAY
Red Rooster: Harlem soul food by Marcus Samuelson
Eataly***: Charcuterie counter - Mario Batali's department store temple to all things Italian food, hard to know what to actually eat, but just soak it in.
Shake Shack (Madison Square Park location)**: Shake stack burger,  a concrete (like a high-end blizzard) - NYC Classic, really an awesome gooey good burger.
Kin Shop***: Massaman Goat curry, Roast duck with roti, Crispy pork belly and fried oyster salad - the best Thai food I've ever eaten, by chef Harold Dieterle.  Reminded me a bit of Pok Pok in Portland. WOW.

TUESDAY
Francois Payard: Vanilla bean macaron
Sullivan Street Bakery**: Raisin walnut roll - Here, Jim Lahey invented the No Knead bread method so many of us benefit from.  This stop was part pilgrimage.  Simple spot, tons of awesome breads and pastries to take-away.
Economy Candy: Classic Lower Eastside shop to take you back to childhood.
Katz**:  Pastrami on rye - Classic NYC, and it lives up to all the hype.  Amazing sandwich.  Andrew and I having a moment.  Like sister, like brother.

Schiller Liquor Bar: liquid refreshment, hipster spot to stop in the LES for a drink.
Russ and Daughters**: Bagel, scallion cream cheese and Gaspe Nova smoked salmon - NYC Classic
Crif Dogs*: Housemade corn dogs and PBR - This is one of the places that restarted the gourmet hot dog craze.  Better known for the cocktail bar attached, called PDT.
Chickalicious***: Nutella and Red Velvet Cupcakes - There is MUCH disagreement about the best cupcakes in NYC.  I truly believe these must be, as they are the best I've eaten anywhere.  Other-wordly Italian Meringue frosting.  The texture is unreal.
Bar Boulud*: Charcuterie and Pate Platter - Wine bar brought to you by the legendary Daniel Boulud, very sleek ambiance and these were tasty nibbles.
Marea***: Fusilli with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow - This was one of the unforgettable restaurant experiences of my life.  A 2 Michelin star, $$$$ restaurant that graciously let us join them in their dining room for just one dish.  This pasta is a NYC legend and with good reason.

WEDNESDAY
Two Red Hens:  Mini banana cupcake - sweet Upper East Side Bakery, not too far from The Met.
Champagne Bar at the Plaza Hotel*: French 75 - Feels amazing to sit here.  Soak in the history and a taste of old school opulence.

ABC Kitchen** - Roasted Beets with housemade yogurt, Crispy skate salad, Pretzel dusted calamari - Wonderful interior design and delicious fresh food.

Metropolitan Museum: Total bonus, military families get in free!  We spent a very rainy hour or two exploring.
EAT:  Eli Zabars famous lemon meringue cake - You need cake after all that culture.
Cafe Ollin**: Beef Milanese, potato and cactus Chemita, Tacos, Carnitas Sopa - I don't know if you'll find yourself in East Harlem on your travels, but if you do, this is incredible, rustic NON-American Mexican food.


THURSDAY
16 Mile run day - started in Harlem and stopped at the following 3 places on the way to Battery Park.
Joe the Art of Coffee*:  Cappucino - It is hard to find good coffee in NYC.  This is true.  This place is pretty good and pretty great for NYC.
Momofuku Milk Bar: Cereal milk soft serve, Compost cookie - This place is famous but it just didn't do it for me.  The flavors lacked depth and read as just SWEET.  Shocking complaint coming from someone who likes circus peanuts candy mallows, but its true.
Locanda Verde*:  Strawberry jam scone - Open for every meal, love the ambiance and concept.  Current NYC Italian food darling.
Battery Park, rest and turn around, running through Wall Street area back up to Chinatown in search of dumpling.  No cash in Chinatown means, nothing for you to eat!  Headed back to Harlem on the Subway to get ready to go to lunch with Mel & Drew.
Prune**:  English muffin burger, sous chef salad - This postage stamp of a restaurant has a legendary owner and chef named Gabrielle Hamilton.  Her book Blood Bones & Butter is an awesome food and life memoir.  The food was wonderful and it was very special to eat here. 
Balthazar**: Balthazar salad, Blue Point Oysters on the half shell - NYC Classic that takes you straight to Paris.  I always stop here once.
Momofuku Noodle Bar*:  Glazed Pork Belly buns, Corn with cojita, lime and aioli, Momofuku Ramen, A mushroom dish - NYC legend David Chang's first spot.  The first two items were A-MAZing.  The 2nd two did not.  In particular, the ramen lacked depth of flavor in the broth, which is sad given its eponymous nature.  Comfort and ambiance are lacking, but unique, bursting flavors are not, just be careful in ordering.

Stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge to take in an outdoor movie on the other side.  Oops, it started raining.  Oh well!

FRIDAY
Barney Greengrass:  Smoked Salmon, cream cheese, everything bagel - Another classic NYC deli - Upper Eastside - good, but not as good as Russ & Daughters.
Shanghai Cafe**:  Famous soup dumplings, lo mein, pork fried dumplings - This $25 stop provided some of the boldest flavors of the trip.  Love how Asian food so often does that.

Chelsea Market***: This place is chock full of gourmet food purveyors of every kind, like more than 40.  It would be DREAMY to live across the street.
Standard Grill:  Lambrusco and cheese - A brief stop to get out of the pouring rain.  This classic spot is under the High Line and reminded me how good Lambrusco can be.  Would love to go back to try more from the menu.
Frankie's Spuntino**:  House made Brown butter & sage Cavatelli with hot Italian sausage, Burrata with arugula - This place makes just fantastic, simple Italian food.  2nd time here and loved it again.

Magnolia Bakery: Hummingbird cake, cupcakes - This place is the most famous cupcake bakery in NYC and really started the trend, but it is not the best.
A Salt and Battery:  Fried pollock - A famous take-out spot in Greenwich Village run by legit Brits.  Tasty fish & chips.

Arizona Anniversary

We have a tradition of kicking off vacation with a shot of Patron. HA!

Zack and I got engaged in September of 2004.  As much as we would have loved a summer wedding, we just didn't want to wait a year to get married.  We chose a date in February and decided it was perfect - it would give us a regular excuse to escape Seattle in what is one of its dreariest months.  Every year we head somewhere, preferably somewhere blessedly warm, and celebrate.  This year, we wanted to keep it simple and relatively easy on the pocketbook so we headed to Arizona.  We had a splendid time and truly ate well.

I've noticed that a lot of Seattle folks have been heading down to Phoenix lately too.  It really makes sense.  It's pretty perfect weather there during our worst winter months, around 65-75 degrees and sunny, its a cheap and easy flight, and the desert certainly has its charms.  Here are my recommendations from anniversary trip number seven!

Distrito

Saguaro Hotel, Old Scottsdale

This restaurant, by Iron Chef Jose Garces, is billed as Modern Mexican, but all that means it that the environment is hip and upscale and the portions are small and perfectly executed.  This is the best, most nuanced and flavorful Mexican food that Zack and I have ever had.  No detail was left unturned.  I could write a whole review about just this restaurant filled with pictures of perfect 3" tortillas, luscious mole sauce, guacamole and the most perfectly smoked brisket you can imagine.  The happy hour is an amazing deal and the whole menu is incredibly reasonably priced for a man with the weight of an Iron Chef title behind his name.  This is my highest recommendation from our trip.  Stop for a drink in the lounge at the hotel, called Old Town Whiskey.  On Sunday nights, there is live jazz that actually rocks.  Zack said the jazz drummer was playing with rock hands.   

FnB
Old Scottsdale

I read about this place in Food and Wine magazine a year or more ago.  It was noted as having one of the top 10 restaurant dishes of 2010.  Now that is high praise, so it went immediately on my list.  It was one of our first stops. The braised leeks with bread crumbs, fontina and a fried egg were good, but not mind blowing.  This dish of beets, hazelnut and goat cheese crostini and pickled eggs was earthy and delicious. Definitely worth a visit for the local, seasonal New American genre in Phoenix.
 
Pizzeria Bianco
Downtown Phoenix

Chris Bianco started this now nationally renowned pizzeria almost 20 years ago and over time became part of the inspiration for the pizza revolution in America.  He was doing wood-fired, artisan Neapolitan inspired pizza before anyone and many have learned from him and joined the ranks.  The pizza is delicious, although others in America have taken it to a higher level I believe, including Pizzeria Mozza in L.A. and our own Delancey, in Ballard.
 
La Grande Orange Grocery
Phoenix

Thanks to lovely Luz, for suggesting this place.  Just the kind of high-quality vintage-hipster-bakery restaurant-coffee-shop-gourmet-grocery I'd start if I was going to do such a thing.  Best english muffin I've ever had and a rare good cup of coffee during our time.  Zack enjoyed a butterscotch morning bun that wasn't lyin'.  Butterscotch flavor abundance.  Great place for a scratch made breakfast or lunch and awesome pizza after 5pm. You'll love it. 

Los Reyes De La Torta 
North Phoenix

I saw this place originally on that horrid Food Network show, Man vs Food.  You know, the one where he stuffs himself to the point of agony at least once per episode.  I am an absolute sucker for a good Torta, and Trip Advisor confirmed the recommendation, so off we headed to try it out.  I expected it to be filled with Food Network junkies, but to my surprise, every table was sat with Latino families at Sunday lunch.  I heard no English coming from the tables around us.  We ordered the signature, del Rey, a behemoth of ham, melted cheese, pork sirloin, breaded beef, sausage, chorizo and eggs, with tomato, onions jalepeno and avocado.  Looking around, we knew that sharing one would more than suffice.  Now people, this is one of those great and very special sandwiches in life.  Stack it up next to a Paseo Cuban or a Katz's Pastrami.  It was so many wonderful flavors and so dang great together. 

Caduceus Cellars & Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room
Jerome, Arizona

One day, we decide to road trip through the desert to Sedona.  It's about a 2.5 hour drive.  On the way, we stopped in the old West copper-mining town cum tourist destination of Jerome.  It's a funky town worth a stop, if only to taste wine.  The winery, begun and owned by Maynard from the band Tool (so wierd!) makes interesting and sometimes delicious wines, that are hard to find in my experience.  We picked up some bottles with plans for a Caduceus wine dinner in our home, which we just enjoyed this past weekend.  Southwest themed food to pair with the Arizona wine - of course!

Enchantment Resort
Sedona, Arizona

After a little wine tasting, we finished our drive into Sedona.  Sedona is a town surrounded by some of the most beautiful red rock scenery anywhere in the world.  The town itself is a very typical tourist town and we weren't up for more tchochky.  I googled bars with a view or something like that and found this place.  It was perfect.  We sat out on the patio of the resorts main building, drinking beers and eating a plate of grubtastic nachos that I can't accurately assess because I was so happy sitting in the warm sun, on a cool day, in front of an adobe fireplace, on huge cushy armchairs with red rock views from every angle.  They could have been from 7-Eleven and I would have thought they were a revelation.  If you're headed to Sedona, spend a minimum of time in the town and find a beautiful resort to relax at and take in the natural beauty. 

 

Thank you for seven eventful, transformative years Zachary Trent Hubert!  You are absolutely my best friend, greatest love and finest dinner companion.  You will always be my favorite.

New York, New York!

January held a lot of culinary high points. When I wrote my last post, I was on my way to NYC to sit in the audience at the Martha Stewart "Blogging" themed show with my friend Ashley. The 48 hours we enjoyed in that taste-bud playground were unforgettable. The words aren't flowing today so let me just hit the highlights.


Frankie's Spuntino in Brooklyn - candlelit, red-brick, pressed tin, modern Italian-American comfort food. The best dessert of the trip were their prunes cooked in spiced red wine, served with marscapone. The deep, syrupy sweetness of the prunes was amazing against the tartness cream of the marscapone. One of those desserts where you take a bite and you can't believe that what you are looking at tastes even half as amazing as what your taste-buds are telling you.

Eleven Madison Park for an early Ashley birthday lunch - 50 foot ceilings, the ultimate in elegance and service, beautiful plating and food. A really special experience.

Peasant - a restaurant that made me gasp with delight. The ambiance is like none other. Utterly lit by candles and open hearths along the whole back wall of the restaurant - it feels like a renaissance castle kitchen.

Buttermilk Channel - the best meat loaf of my life, made of duck and topped with an onion ring dipped in thick cornbread batter and fried.

A long stroll from Brooklyn, across the epic Brooklyn Bridge, up through lower Manhattan to meet Ashley for grilled corn at Cafe Habana, followed by frites and pavlova at the most Parisian bistro that's not in Paris - Balthazar. Oh yes, and a lovely time at Martha. We appear for .3 seconds at the 51 second mark of the show. In my split-second of screen time, I am pretending to blog while smiling widely at the camera. A now infamous pose that has been the source of much good-natured mockery.

On January 30th, I hosted my first Not Without Salt cooking class, taught by my friend and NYC travel buddy, Ashley Rodriguez. I felt perfectly happy in those three hours, chatting with friends old and new, enjoying delicious treats, making people feel welcome and truly learning! I mean, I learned how to make puff pastry! Something I never would have thought to make for myself, but now I really feel I can. I'll be hosting 1-2 classes a month as long as Ashley wants to teach them. She is a natural born baker and has so much to share, so I think there will be many, many more. If you'd like to join one, email classes@notwithoutsalt.com to get on the list. We're also cooking up some special events and dinners!

I've done a lot of bread baking this month, but last night, Zack and I whipped up a wonderful cake, for The City weekly treats tradition. I had Granny Smith apples leftover from the cooking class, so I made this apple cake from the blog Smitten Kitchen. The critique from the offices today was good - a smashing success, Zack said, definitely worthy of including here. It's an incredibly moist, lush cake. Great for breakfast OR dessert. I followed the recipe almost exactly, with the exception of the type of apple used and a drizzle of maple cream cheese icing to top it off. Gratuitous I'm sure, but I didn't hear any complaints.


February is a special month in my family - lots of celebrations. Three birthdays on my side and four on Zack's, as well as Zack and I's anniversary. This year, we celebrate FIVE big ones. I was poking around to find a good place to go that would allow us to use miles to purchase the tickets and Montreal leapt to the front of the line. The Paris of North America they say, and only about five hours away. Should be a wonderful adventure and I'm counting down the days. Literally - I have a large white dry erase board and each day I cross out one big box. There are fifteen more boxes. I'm so excited for four days of total, undisturbed time with Zack - there is nothing better (except more than four days). Got any Montreal tips? I'd love to hear them!

Mexican Cooking Class, in Mexico

I just returned from vacation with dear girl friends. I rarely return to the same vacation destination - there are just so many amazing places to see on God's green earth. But occasionally, a place just needs to be revisited, and for me, one of those places is Zihuatanejo, Mexico. I have been many places in Mexico, but this little fishing town is different.

Set on a beautiful bay, with sloping tropical hills rising straight up from azure waters, there are stunning views at every turn. Even simple hotels like this one, offer bay views from every room. The little town is quaint and feels lived in by locals, not just tourists. Strangely, this is actually very different from many other popular Mexican destinations, which often feel like nothing but shop after shop full of tacky souvenirs. The streets and the central market are filled with locals, shopping for the food and wares that will sustain them through the day. It is a real part of their everyday life and it is where our Mexican cooking class started, with chef Freddie as a willing tour guide.


We wandered through the fish stalls selecting from that days catch. Mahi mahi, giant prawns and red snapper made the cut. Then, off to the vegetable stalls for avocados, fresh peppers, tomatoes, herbs and more. From one of the many little food stands, I had the best tortilla of my life. It was wrapped around an unknown but delicious braised meat. The tortilla was ridiculous - so tender and soft. That tortilla was as soft as a babies bottom, that's what it was.

Back at The Tides hotel, the cooking class was set up on the beach. A cauldron grill for cooking, mocahetes for salsa and guacamole and a lovely table set on the beach where we'd sit down to our meal once we finished cooking.


The menu started with fire-roasted salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, all incredibly fresh and flavorful. Then as we munched away at these dipping delights Freddie filleted the red snapper, we peeled the prawns and sliced mahi mahi for Tiritas. The latter is a signature local dish; thinly sliced FRESH white fish, lime juice, cilantro and red onion and the wonderful local sea salt (of which I got an 2 lb bag for 50 cents at the market!). The citrus juices cook the fish quickly. Freddie sauteed the prawns with heaps of garlic, olive oil and thinly sliced dried guahillo pepper and finally made an incredible adobo sauce to slather on the grilled red snapper.


The resulting meal was so vibrant and delicious. How could something NOT taste amazing when composed with our very own hands of perfectly fresh ingredients, not to mention the sand between our toes, the waves lapping 10 yards away and cold local beers in our hands. What a way to experience a cuisine. What a good day.

A wonderful weekend and Butternut Squash Curry

This weekend, Zack and I went away. His work has been intense for months and promises to be more so in the coming weeks. I decided an overnight outside of our normal habitat was needed. My friend and neighbor, Dana, writes often on her blog about Lopez Island. Over the past six months I have grown more and more convinced I needed to experience it for myself. As you might expect, it was her talk of the food sealed the deal. Honestly, its a beautiful island and I knew that, but if it didn't offer good eating, I wouldn't be tempted to go there. But, it does - a wonderful little bakery called Holly B's and a waterside restaurant called the Bay Cafe. In 24 hours on the island Zack and I arrived at the bakery for sustenance three different times (2 lunches and a breakfast) and were never disappointed - almond butterhorns, cinnamon rolls, unique pizza, cookies and more! Saturday evening we had a wonderful meal at the Bay Cafe. This isn't fancy food, but it is truly tasty and generous. We had dinner at 5:30pm and enjoyed the 3 course meal for $30 while sitting in one of the most beautiful settings I have ever eaten dinner. Al fresco, right on the edge of the water, 70 degrees, warm breeze, delicious unpretentious food and THIS view!


So, how does Butternut Squash Curry fit in? The thing is, that after a weekend like that, I feel relaxed and satisfied, but also a little roly-poly and post-vacation eating is in order. Enter this curry. I saw it in Martha Stewart's current issue of Living and it called to me. So healthy, full of favorite spices and butternut squash cooked until soft and soaked in flavor. 2 cups is extremely filling, packed with nutrients and fiber and only about 250 calories! And that's dinner! It could also be blended into a smooth soup if you prefer. Definitely top it with Greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream, a squeeze of lime and a shower of cilantro.


Butternut Squash Curry
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, October 2009

2 lbs butternut squash, peeled halved and seeded
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
4 garlic cloves
2.5 cups chicken stock, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel sedds
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tbl tomato paste
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes

Optional toppings: Cilantro, yogurt and lime

METHOD

Cut squash into large chunks, about 1 inch.

Puree onion, garlic, 2 tbl stock and ginger in a blender until smooth

Heat oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, fennel seeds, and coriander and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in onion paste. cook, stirring often, until caramelized lightly, about 12 minutes.

Add tomato paste, scraping bottom of pot if needed. Stir in 2.5 cups of chicken stock, the salt and crushed red-pepper flakes. Add squash, (liquid should cover 90% of squash at least) cover partially and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, uncover and simmer gently until squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Serve over rice if you want, but for lighter version, just eat as is with yogurt, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Indian Cooking Class adventure

Why do I look so intense? I'm grating ginger for goodness sake!

About two weeks ago now, Zack and I went on Staycation. I told you we were going, but haven't had a chance yet to tell you all about it. I figure, when I want to blog but don't have something more immediate to tell you, I'll go back to those wonderful five days and relive one of our adventures.

Today I give you, our cooking class evening at the Blue Ribbon Cooking School. This was the first time Zack and I had taken a cooking class together and I was so excited. The cooking school is located on the Lake Union waterfront, just off Eastlake. We arrived a bit early and helped ourselves at the self-service bar. It was set up with a wide variety of wines and some Indian inspired cocktails. The Ginger Cosmo for me and a Tamarind Cocktail for Zack. The school is quite large with a demonstration kitchen, dining area and reception space, as well as an open air deck where we sat and sipped our libations in the evening sun. Before long, there were thirty of us and class was in session.

Our instructor had lived for seven years in India and spoke with authority on the dishes, as well as a lot of humor. She got us started right to work making vegetable samosas and explaining the basic elements of Indian cuisine, including some of the unique ingredients essential to it. After about fifteen minutes, we reviewed the evenings menu and broke into teams to cook. If you don't know much about cooking technique, this would be a bit of a shock, because it was basically, "here's your recipe, here's your ingredients, now whip up your dish and we'll all eat it for dinner!" Zack and I joined forces with a woman in her 50's who had never eaten Indian food before in her life. I took charge. We made vegetable pulau, which is the saffron and garam masala scented rice often served with saucy meat dishes. This recipe was also studded with lots of great vegetation. The kitchen was quite a bustle as we all tripped over each other cooking our dishes. The resulting buffet was all good, although some dishes much better than others. We met a lot of fun people, the comradery was thick and after dinner spread we just about rolled out of the place. Here are just a few of the items the group made and my heaping plate...of seconds!


You may find this absurd, but I expected to come away from the class inspired to plan and throw long Indian dinner parties in our home. In these daydreams, I saw Zack and I working together on the meal and it being known that our "thing" was to cook Indian dinners in tandem for our blessed guests. I often create lofty ideas like this for our culinary forays. We enjoyed the class, but walked away relatively unchanged. Imagine that - NOT transformed by a three hour cooking class. What a shocker. :) Indian food is wonderful, and we'll enjoy it for lazy evenings of take-out and movies as we always have, but its not something I'm really inspired to cook at home. I think my culinary heart is pretty much trapped between Northern France and Southern Italy and I need to come to terms with that. All the same, it was a fabulous evening all the same and worth every penny. I highly recommend it.

The King of Steaks

It's Memorial Day weekend in Seattle and an amazing thing is happening! Notoriously, this "beginning of summer" weekend is cold and rainy, but not this year! It is brilliantly warm and sunny. I woke up at 5:31am today, because despite closing every blind tightly, the room was still filled with creamy yellow light. Not only is it sunny today, but there is not a cloud in the forecast for four days. Glory to God it's thrilling!

This much sun calls for some serious grilling and I have the ultimate steak for you. I learned about this cut of steak and method about 5 years ago as I was researching an upcoming trip to Italy. It's most famous representative is Dario Cecchini, otherwise known as the "Butcher of Panzano" A wildly charismatic fellow, he owns a legendary butcher shop called Antica Macelleria Cecchini in Panzano, Italy. The cut he is most famous for is called Bistecca Fiorentina and traditionally comes from giant white Val de Chiana cows lovingly raised in Tuscany and found nowhere else in the world (to my knowledge). When Zack and I went to Tuscany almost 4 years ago now, a trip to Dario's famous butcher shop was essential and unforgettable, made even more wonderful by stumbling on a wonderful local outdoor wine tasting on the open square in his beautiful Tuscan hilltop town. That day, I could only gaze carnivorously on the giant cuts of meat. We had only the smallest kitchenette in the apartment we were renting and no grill on which to roast a 3 inch thick, 4 lb T-bone steak. It has held great culinary fascination for me since then. Here I am at this temple of beef!


Since then, the Bistecca Fiorentina has become one of my favorite really special company dinners. It is always impressive and delicious and its sheer enormity makes for definite wow factor. Because the heavily herbed rubbed steak is incredible thick, it must be cooked on a preheated grill for 12 minutes per side, ending in a crusty blacked exterior and a wonderfully rare to medium rare center.


If you like your steak more done, you can take it to medium by adding a couple minutes but please, I beg you, don't go beyond that. Once you've let it rest, carve it and drizzle it with black truffle oil or good olive oil if you prefer. The truffle oil option takes it to the next level.


Bistecca Fiorentina

Recipe:
Adapted from Mario Batali's Italian Grill, serves 4

1 3inch, 3-4 lb T-Bone, or for a larger piece of meat (as seen in the pictures above), ask for a porterhouse. With the porterhouse, you get a very large piece of filet, which is the most tender part cut of beef you can get. You will have to order this cut in advance. In Seattle, I always drive up to Mountlake Terrace and the incredible Double D Meats for mine. They are used to getting this order now as there are a number of us that place it regularly. I learned about this wonderful place from fellow friends and foodies, Tim and Beth, and I am ever in their debt. The meat is incredible as are the prices. Absolutely worth the jaunt up I-5!

For the rub:

1 Tbl chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbl chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbl chopped fresh sage
1.75 Tbl kosher salt
1.5 Tbl freshly ground black pepper (a morter and pestle or spice grinder works well)

Method:

Start this recipe the morning of the day you want to serve the steaks or even the night before.  Pat the steaks very dry.  Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl.  Rub all over the meat and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, pressing the rub into the meat and making sure its damp with oil all over.  Marinate in the fridge at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

About 1 1/2 - 2 hours before you plan to serve the meat, remove steak from fridge and let rest at room temperature.  Preheat a grill for about 20-30 minutes. It needs to be at least 450 degrees and hotter is better. Ideally 550 - 600. After meat has sat for 60 minutes with the rub, place on the hot grill. Cook for 12 minutes per side or until internal temperature hits 120 degrees for medium rare and 125 for medium. Remove immediately and let rest for 12 minutes. It will continue to cook quite a bit while it rests, so don't leave it on the grill past these temperatures. For true rare, take it off at 115 degrees internal temp. After the meat has rested, cut it from the bone and slice. Drizzle with your choice of truffle or olive oil and serve!

We'll call it Rustic Italian bread

Recently, my girlfriends and I went to Vancouver B.C. for a weekend of shopping, dining and total food delight. On Saturday afternoon, we made our way to the amazing Granville Island Public Market and spent three hours perusing it thoroughly and trying to decide what to make for dinner. That dinner ended up being very simple, but something we ladies always can agree on; a spread of artisan cheeses, 3 different types of prosciuttos and 2 types of salami, fig jam, fresh berries, caprese salad, walnut bread from the most incredible bakery and some fresh stuffed pasta with pesto. In our meanderings we met a man that sells balsamic reductions. The reductions were delicious and a perfect drizzle with the rest of our items but it was the bread he made that blew us away. I shouldn't have been surprised to find that it was a version of the now famous No-knead bread from Jim Lahey at New York City's Sullivan Street Bakery. I make his no-knead bread recipe at least once a week (with twice the salt he does) and find it to be incredible for all my bread needs. Not to mention it makes a simple, homey gift that is always sure to please.

So anyway, today I baked Mr. Reductions version of the bread (with a few modifications) and I love it. For sandwiches, I love a bread in the long, flat style of ciabata, sliced lengthwise. You can experience both the soft crumb of the bread but also the different flavor and texture of the crisp crust. Often though, ciabata is just too hard and too crusty, don't you think? Well, this bread offers me just what I want for sandwiches with the perfect balance of crust and crumb. Because it rests for 18 hours, the flavor is wonderful - yeasty, perfectly salted, it really is scrumptious. It's hard to believe how much flavor is imparted to a bread by these simple techniques.

Today, I'm going to slice it down the center and slather it with a sauce I made of blue cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, dijon and fresh ground pepper, cover that with slices of roast beef and then sprinkle on some arugula. A classic combination. I'm going to add some sliced medjool dates to the party for the sweet touch I like in many savory dishes. Another way I'd love it is sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and chocolate chips. Or pretty much any way I can get it into my mouth, it's good by me.

RECIPE: Rustic "Italian" Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon yeast
13 fl oz lukewarm water

Special tools: Parchment paper, pizza stone

Method:

1) Mix dry ingredients in the bowl of your Kitchenaid, fitted with paddle attachment (or another large bowl). Slowly stir in water until it is fully incorporated and there is no flour on edges of bowl. The dough should be coming away from the sides but not forming a ball in the middle. This is a very sticky and loose dough. Scrape down the sides and leave the dough in the bottom of the bowl. Spray lightly with non-stick spray and cover with plastic wrap. Place bowl in a plastic bag (kitchen garbage bag works well), force out most of the air and tie securely as airtight as possible. Set this aside for 14-18 hours in a 67-74 degree place (pretty much anyplace in your house).

Suggestion: A great time to do this part is right before bed, say 10:30pm, that way it will be ready to fold at 5pm the next day, proof 2 more hours and bake for dinner at 7:30pm or 5:00pm if you are home during the day, allowing you a 10:00am fold and a noon bake-time for hot bread for lunch.

THE NEXT DAY...

2) Open the bag. With damp hands, so it doesn't stick to them, fold the dough over on itself 4-5 times. You are releasing the air from the dough. Cover it with plastic wrap again, put it back in the bag for another 2 hours.

3) After 2 hours, put a pizza stone in your oven and preheat your it to 400 degrees. Lightly dust a large piece of parchment paper (you must use this) with flour and dump the dough out onto it. The loaf will be soft and settle to about 1 - 1.5 inches tall all over. Flatten a bit with your hands if need be. The loaf will be freeform in shape and that is good. Dust the top with flour.

4) Pull the parchment paper with dough onto the back of a cookie sheet and slide it from that onto the pizza stone in the oven (this method is also awesome for pizza making - I can NEVER get the pizza to slide nicely off the pizza peel).

5) Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the same way you put it in and let cool on a baking rack for at least 20 minutes before you cut it.

6) Eat your heart out.