Edible Obsessions

100 Years of Cake in America

2012-01-23T12:03:00.002-05:00

Elevation Burger

2012-01-20T08:45:00.006-05:00

Exactly a year ago, burgers became a focus of my life, at least for a few months. Then it seemed that there was talk of burgers all over internet food press. Maine also saw its first Five Guys open back in April. In May I even wrote:

I agree with Kate and her assessment that these rounds of O-Rama have gotten some of us(me) thinking about burgers more than ever.

But, after that, I only went out once for burgers (Five Guys) and was horribly disappointed--and mildly disgusted--with the food. It seemed my love affair with burgers was not meant to last long.

Then, last week, Arlington, VA, based Elevation Burger opened its doors in South Portland and it looked like I had reason to rekindle my burger pursuits. This was solidified when an invite went out from their PR person to several local food bloggers, asking us to stop by and try their food. Kate and I made plans, along with Kate's roommate, A., to head out to Exit 3 this past Monday night and see what they were about.

The first thing you notice when you walk in is how open and bright the space is. To your right is an open kitchen, where you can watch the employees prepare the orders through a glass window. The other thing you notice right off is how happy, polite and generally nice the people working there are. They were patient with us when the three of us stood, overwhelmed and overstimulated at the counter, trying to figure out what to order from the foreign menu. They offered suggestions with things they had tried and enjoyed during their past week of training. Most employees at fast food places just kind of stare at you with ambivalence or contempt--or a mixture of the two--these employees seemed pretty sincere.

But, not only do their employees seem different than other establishments, but Elevation Burger seems to pride itself on being a bit different overall. Their mantra, "Ingredients Matter," is backed up by their use of daily ground organic, grass fed, free range beef. They also use organic eggs and butter in their cookies and opt to fry their french fries in olive oil. They use bamboo in the flooring, sorghum table tops and as much renewable products in their restaurants. They're the Anti-Golden Arches, it seems... but, not quite.

Yes, they use beef that is better for you(grass fed is lower in fat than corn fed), but you can get their Vertical Burger with up to ten patties on it (which completely defeats the purpose of eating meat that's lower in fat). They have a cool, futuristic Coke soda machine, that was developed in South Portland (which dispenses the obvious selection of beverages sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup)

But, they also offer a line of local, all-natural sodas (the Maine Root Lemonade is fantastic, by the way).

They proudly tout their choices for better, higher quality ingredients than you find at your typical fast food burger hut, and they should. The owners, Mark and Christopher, who picked up our tab and sat and chatted with us for a bit, said that they give options to their customers. If you want a Coke, you can have one, if you want a healthier option, they have that, too.

They have a 'lettuce wrap' option for those not wanting, or able, to eat bread and, while the hamburger is the star, they also offer vegetarian ones. To be fair to Mark, I poked at him a bit about not using organic potatoes, non-HFCS sweetened ketchup and a few other devil's advocate questions and he answered them all, honestly and to the point. I couldn't argue, the man had my respect for just entertaining my questions.

But, for all the hype, the food politics and all the industry buzz words, was the meal any good?

I opted for the standard, "Elevation Burger," which is a double patty burger, served on a potato bun with your choice of 11 free toppings (blue cheese dressing is extra). I had mine with lettuce, pickles and 'Elevation Sauce," a secret recipe tomato-y condiment. The burger still had a bit of pink to the middle of it, which we all were surprised and appreciative about. The overall flavor was good and the portion size of the burgers was decent enough (coming in, I'd guess, at around 7oz total). However, I did notice that, at the end, that the patties did get a little dry. But, that's one of the side effects of using a leaner meat, you lose a bit of that juiciness.

The pickles were in slices and relatively sweet. I did manage to drag both of them out on the second bite, which kind of sucked. The ES was a bit like Russian dressing, minus the relish, though there's apparently no mayonnaise in it. I liked the sweetness of it and thought they put just enough on without killing the taste of the burger. And, well, the lettuce was a bit of a throw away. I do, however, give them bonus points for the potato bun, which I absolutely love with any burger.

The french fries were met with mixed reviews. We all loved the shoe string, bistro cut of the fries, but Kate and A. weren't overly thrilled with the taste of them. I liked them more than I thought I would because you don't generally associate frying french fries with olive oil, that's something more for vegetable or peanut. But, probably because of the cut of the fry, it allowed them to crisp up at a lower temperature without becoming soggy and limp. They were also nicely salted and stood up to being dipped into the Vanilla milkshake I ordered. Which was funny because the milkshake was probably the least enjoyable piece of the meal for me. I think that my problem was the ice cream. I just straight out didn't like it. Too sweet, maybe? I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I just wasn't a fan.

Now, what I noticed and liked most about my meal, was the fact that I didn't feel overfull or generally gross after it. I didn't have that fast food sheen from the fries or that weight in my stomach from the burger. For me, the mall area is always a bit of a wasteland of really bad chains (we'll usually stop at Chia Sen when we're out in that general vicinity) and the quality that Elevation Burger brings is a much needed, and appreciated, relief.

Teeny Tiny People: Maine Shrimp

2012-01-16T07:40:00.000-05:00

Artemisia Cafe

2012-01-12T12:35:00.004-05:00

There aren't many "off the beaten path" or "hidden gems" in Portland. So much of our dining scene exists between Commercial and Cumberland, in the main sections of town. But, there are a few unassuming places--like Ohno! Cafe and Caiola's--that are tucked away in cute little neighborhoods. Artemisia Cafe, located on Pleasant Street, is one of those gems and I'm lucky to call it my neighborhood spot.

During the week, Tuesday through Friday, they're only open for a quick window of time (11am-2pm) where they serve up a variety of soups, sandwiches and salads, with a daily special written on the large chalkboard that occupies nearly the entirety of the back wall.

The space is well loved and homey, with throw pillows in the booths for a little extra, comfortable cushion. There's a small bar and waiting area, but during the week the restaurant is relatively quiet. Come the weekend, though, expect a 20+ minute wait for a table.

Their brunch, for me, ranks up there with Schulte and Herr and Caiola's. Again, since it's right in our neighborhood, it's hard to resist popping over on a lazy Sunday morning.

They're opened longer hours on the weekend (9am-2pm), thankfully. The brunch menu is no longer than most places in town and they offer the usual eggs and bacon, french toast, four different types of Eggs Benedict, Huevos Rancheros, fruit bowls and, my favorite, Biscuits with Sausage Gravy.

How good are those biscuits (pictured above)? Even my mom, ever the picky eater, loved them the last time she visited and my sister, who joined her, hounded me until I went over and asked them for the recipe for their gravy. Out of respect for the restaurant, I won't post it here, but I will say that it's not your typical sausage and gravy mix. Think of it more like a bechamel, thickened with a variety of cheeses and large chunks of Italian sausage. And the chef definitely doesn't skimp on the amount of sausage, either, which some places do. Ladle that goodness over two house made flaky biscuits and you have yourself a breakfast of champions or just a really good cure for a horrible hangover. Oh, and just to make it even better, they throw in two eggs(your choice) and a side of home fries. All for just $9.50.

But, not only is the food wonderful, the service is too. There's a blonde waitress (please forgive me for forgetting her name at the moment) who is ever present in the dining room and always on her game, even on the days when she seems to be the only one and waist deep in the weeds. She's nice, cheerful and always engaging. Basically, she's the embodiment of everything I could ask for in a server. We've had her as our waitress nearly every time we've gone in and she has been all of that and more. I've never seen her flinch or lose her cool when dealing with a loud, probably still intoxicated, table or a family of four whose children have decided to finger paint with the maple syrup. She definitely makes our time their much more enjoyable and kudos to for being one of my favorite servers in Portland.

So, when you're looking for a spot to pop out to brunch this weekend, consider forgoing the usual haunts and take a trip to my neighborhood and stop in to Artemesia Cafe and, for the love of God, someone try the Sausage and Biscuits.

I'll Just Leave This One Right Here

2012-01-11T23:41:00.001-05:00

Barista/Baker/Social Media (Downtown Portland)

Downtown coffeehouse seeks part time (1-3 days/week) team member. Coffeehouse experience NOT necessary. But, you should come in a package that features a big smile, absolute honesty, integrity, and a desire to do your best and constantly grow and improve. This position is not just about pouring coffee and waiting on customers. This is an opportunity to use your skills to help grow a cool, local coffeehouse with a mission. Here is what you are going to need to land this job. You will either need baking experience or significant social media experience. If baking, tell us what you bake and how creative you can be in a very small kitchen. If social media is your forte, you will need to be very active and experienced with using social media, including Facebook,Twitter, and Foursquare--all three. The primary responsibility of this position is to help customers. But, in between customers, our team members use their talents to help build and become a meaningful part of the business--be they baking, graphics, or marketing. Starting salary is $8.00/hour--plus tips--with regular reviews based upon job performance and meeting company goals. Staff discounts. Some benefits after six months. More after a year. First step? Please send your resume. You get bonus points if you can tell us in 10,000 words or less just how much you would like to work for us. However, the bonus points only count if you can impress us with your baking, graphics, or social media experience. Be sure to let us know whether you are currently working, and if so, full or part time, as well as your availability and when you can begin. Please note: this position requires at least one full weekday or two half-weekdays.

Teeny Tiny People: Haribo Gummi Bear

2012-01-06T08:48:00.000-05:00

A Cupcake Revision

2012-01-04T08:25:00.000-05:00

(photo from Y-Lime Gourmet's Facebook)

Five months ago I wrote:

Between the two tastings Kate, Dawn, and I consumed 24 cupcakes from 13 bakeries. I think that is more than enough cupcakes for me for a while (though I will probably do a single review of Y-Lime in the near future to be fair).

It took me nearly five months to come back around to cupcakes after that final tasting. There were other sweets, sure... Cakes, brownies, whoopie pies. Whatever, they weren't cupcakes. Well, as promised, I finally got around to picking up a few cupcakes from Y-Lime's Gourmet. Granted, these were picked up and eaten a month ago at Picnic but, sometimes life gets in the way. Right? Right.

The selection at Picnic had a holiday theme, for the most part. The flavors there were: Cinnamon Eggnog, Peppermint Mocha, Pistachio, Turtle, Espresso and Chocolate Pomegranate.

I chose the Chocolate Pomegranate right off the bat. The use of fresh pomegranate seeds, nestled atop a dollop of ganache, then vanilla buttercream, intrigued me greatly. When you bit into the cake, the fresh sheets popped and released a lovely tart and tangy juice that balanced the rich dark chocolate cake very nicely.

I also went with her Turtle cupcake, which had all of the required components of caramel, chocolate and pecans. This, of the two, was my hands down favorite for the sheer fact that the caramel was not only drizzled on top, but the cake itself was topped with a caramel buttercream. Again, the base was a deep, rich chocolate cake that was dense, but had a wonderfully moist texture. But, it was everything that lived on top of the cupcake that made me smile, particularly the caramelized pecans. Sometimes it's the little things that can take a good bit of food and turn it into something great.

So, this brings my tally to 26 cupcakes from 14 local bakeries and where does Y-Lime fit in the mix? Right at the top. Not only are they just really satisfying cakes, but you can tell the care and attention that owner Emily Roper puts into crafting each cake.

My Overall (adjusted) Top 5

Scratch Baking Co.'s Black Forest Mega Cake: The one I wanted MORE of.
Y-Lime Gourmet Turtle: The one I wanted to recreate.
Scratch Baking Co.'s Banana Cream Pie/Y-Lime's Chocolate Pomegranate: The ones that spoke to my inner child.
East End Cupcakes Vanilla with Chocolate: The one I want to share with my love.
Sugar Hill Bakery Chocolate Chocolate: The one I want to have on a bad day.

2012: Year of The Bumble Bee

2012-01-01T13:13:00.019-05:00

2012 is suppose to be a very interesting year, what with all the talk of Mayan calender ending and a well attended Zombie Apocalypse event being organized on Facebook. In a few weeks, we will be entering the "Year of the Dragon," according to the Chinese Zodiac calendar. Though the symbol for "Dragon," danced above our heads on New Years Eve, The Missus and I celebrated the start to the "Year of the Bumble Bee" at Bresca.

I've mentioned Bresca a few times on this blog. My love for the food, and respect for Chef Kern Desjarlais runs deep, but this wasn't going to be your typical night at Bresca. Much like her recent wine dinners, led by Joe Ricchio, have brought theme meals of Bresca influenced Estonian and Greek dinners, this was going to take the food of Bresca to Hong Kong with a five course menu. And I was more excited about this meal than I was Christmas.

The evening started off with, not bread and oil, but with puffed wheat cakes and salty sweet popcorn served with a sweet chili sauce. To say that the snacks weren't odd--it wasn't normal looking popcorn and the wheat cakes weren't so much that, but rings--would be lying to you. To say that they weren't addictive would also be a bold face lie, especially when dipped into the house made chili sauce. The dish was a great little reminder that we weren't in normal Bresca mode.

The first course of the evening was a duo of "Little Jewels," which were composed of a deep fried quail egg topped with caviar and a steamed lobster dumpling, placed atop a smear of spicy sauce. The tiny, panko breaded egg was the first to go. It exploded a warm, custardy yolk under the crispy breading, the moment I bit into it. The caviar, a fantastic little treat all on its own, added a bit of salt and added richness to the nibble. Its companion was far more delicate, though. I'm not quite sure if anything else was nestled in the supple dumpling skin with the lobster, I just know that it melted quite easily on our tongues. We both looked at each other, kind of nodded our heads and said, "Wow."

The second course gave us an option of either a "Singapore Salade," comprised of shaved rare beef, greens, vermicelli, peanuts, herbs and umeboshi dressing or "Black Pearl Hot and Sour Soup," with cloud ears, white fungus, lily bulb, tofu, egg with a black truffle 'bun.' I opted for the soup, with The Missus going for the salad. Hands down, I won. While her salad was beautifully dressed with a rich, salty vinegrette and the marbled beef melted on your tongue, nothing could have beat that soup. Nothing. I actually wanted to lean over to the table next to us and tell them all to order the soup. Full of foreign fungi and tofu, I rationed every spoonful of the clean, earthy broth. Occasionally, though, I did pause to sneak in a bite of it's accompanying crostini loaded with black truffle shavings. When Corey, our waitress, came over to see how we were enjoying things, I looked up at her and said, "I want to eat this every day of my life." I had absolutely no issue with picking up my bowl and drinking down every last drop. I was pleased.

The third course, XO noodles, was next. Fresh thin egg noodles, tossed with XO sauce, dried scallops, red wine sausage and scallions. Outside of an accidental eating of a full thai chili pepper on her part, this was one of The Missus' favorites. Like the previous two courses, the flavors were gently balanced, which is important when dealing with XO sauce and dried scallops as they can come off extremely salty and fishy. Instead, it was a bowl of comfort with familiar flavors like the rich egg noodles and red wine sausage mingling with the not so common flavors of the sauce. I believe it was this course that made me declare that I was 'ruined' for Chinese food for life.

Main courses soon followed, though we weren't quite sure how much room we had left. The Missus, at my poking and prodding, ordered the five spice roasted duck that was served with a scallion pancake, pickled cucumber and hoisin sauce. I managed to snatch away one tiny bite of the duck from her plate and I can tell you that the duck skin was ridiculously crispy and the warming flavor of the star anise in the five spice was front and center. The scallion pancake was crisp, instead of doughy, and reminded more of Roti Cani than any scallion pancake I'd had previously.

I opted for the pork dish, which was a slow roasted shoulder cut served on top of an insanely rich parsnip puree with apples and cippolini onions. Again star anise was the main flavor here, rubbed on the outside of the pork, which was left to marinate to absorb the flavors. The sauce was, I'm guessing, a combination of soy, chinese vinegar with, perhaps, a bit of citrus and ginger. Whatever the components, it was fantastic ladled over the perfectly tender slab of pork shoulder. But, the best component was actually the least asian on the plate: the parsnip puree. Apparently Chef Desjarlais wanted us to be fat and happy going into the new year because there had to be a ridiculous amount of butter and cream mixed into the velvety puree.

Dessert, always the highlight at Bresca, rounded out the already spectacular meal. Truthfully, I had stopped reading after "Buttermilk panna cotta" and didn't find out, until later, that the other option was an apple beignet with creme fraiche ice cream and spicy walnuts. The Missus and I both ordered the panna cotta which, just when you thought a perfect dish couldn't be improved upon, you're proven wrong. Horribly and fantastically wrong. This panna cotta was made into a miniature sized portion and served with a coconut tapioca base, the usual tropical fruits, a puff pastry coconut lime stick, passion fruit caramel raspberry sorbet and raspberry fruit lantern.

Got all of that? Yes, I know... iphone photos suck for food blogging and this photo does absolutely no justice to how beautiful the plate was, but I had to put it up because of how beautiful that fruit lantern was on the plate. Like so many other trips to Bresca, the dessert nearly brought us to tears. While the panna cotta is rightfully the star, it was the coconut tapioca base that had me swooning in my seat and finding room in my belly to finish it down to the last spoonful.

While this may have been a one off menu for Bresca, I hope that Chef Desjarlais considers doing this sort of themed menu every year, perhaps for the celebration of the Chinese New Year. The soup, hands down, was the best dish I've had all year and the XO noodles and 'Little Jewels' weren't far behind. Not a bad way to end the year.

Until Next Year...

2011-12-29T00:56:00.001-05:00

Eatmas 2011

2011-12-26T08:27:00.016-05:00

There is a serious holiday hangover happening in our house right now. For nearly 36 hours straight, we were absolute holiday gluttons. We feasted, opened presents and watched 'A Christmas Story' at least 1.5 times. It was a wonderful past few days with The Missus, but we probably could have done without a helping of thirds of the Vinegretas. I couldn't close the refrigerator last night because of how much food we had just for the two of us. Maybe it's because our families are so far away that we feel the need to overcompensate with an ungodly amount of bacon and puff pastry. But, whatever the reason, we had a fantastic holiday and have a lovely shiney coat because of all of the fat we consumed.

The feasting started Saturday with another non-traditional, traditional Kūčios. This year we violated every rule about dairy and meat, though we started with something a little more traditional:

Smoked mackerel with pickled beets and horseradish sour cream. We served this with Lithuanian rye bread and the mackerel came from Duck Trap in Maine. For dinner we had traditional Lithuanian dumplings (Kuldūnai), bacon buns (Lasineciai) and Vinegretas.

Kuldūnai

Filling
1 lb ground lamb (not too lean) or ½ lb ground beef and ½ lb ground pork (for fattier
taste)
1 med onion chopped
Fresh ground pepper and salt one pinch each

Dough
1 egg
1 cup water
2 cups flour
1 pinch salt

Mix filling ingredients together and set aside. Mix together dough mixture and roll out
onto floured surface. Cut out 2-3 inch circles of dough and fill with a spoonful of meat
filling. Fold it in half and press edges down with a fork. Add kuldūnai to boiling water
and cook for 10 minutes or until they all float. Serve with Sour Cream Butter sauce.

Sour Cream Butter sauce
In a pan melt equal parts butter and sour cream until sour cream has pretty much melted.
Pour over kuldūnai.

We cheated and used won ton skins for the dumpling wrappers and it didn't quite work out the best for us. While The Missus made a fantastic meat mixture, the skins just became soggy and noodley, which made for a very unpleasant texture. We vowed to make the dough from scratch next year.

The bacon buns were simply made with coarsely chopped bacon(I believe she used 3/4 of a pound), crisped in a pan.
Remove the bacon, drain some of the fat and saute in about 1 cp of onions until soft. Season with salt and pepper and mix in bacon and let cool to room temperature.
Defrost your puff pastry according to directions, then remove to a floured surface and cut off squares for the buns.
Roll out to desired size and place 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle.
Fold over top and seal to bottom, crimping edges to ensure they don't bust open.
Brush with egg wash and bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown.

Now, it's not easy to top the Lithuanians when it comes to pork and potatoes, but I think I managed to do it this year with a bacon and garlic encrusted pork roast.

Both the bacon and the roast came from a friend of The Missus who gave them to us for tossing him a few dollars worth of pink salt over the summer. I'd say we more than came out on top in that trade.

The roast was succulent and moist, with a bit of smokiness from the bacon ring.

But, there was more than just pork. There was mashed potato casserole, too! And something green!

Mashed Potato Casserole with Sour Cream and Chives
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, and more for the pan

6 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon black pepper

6 tablespoons finely chopped chives

2/3 cup bread crumbs

2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

1. Lightly grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan.

2. In a large pot, bring the potatoes, 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

3. Mash potatoes with 10 tablespoons butter, sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Mash in the chives. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Spread potatoes into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate for up to three days.

4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, bread crumbs and cheese. Mix together until it forms coarse crumbs. Crumbs can be refrigerated for three days.

5. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the potato casserole and bake until golden and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.

I cut the recipe in half and added a cup of shredded Cave Aged Gruyere to the mashed potatoes before I set them in the refrigerator. This lent a nice salt and nuttiness that balanced out the 3/4 of a cup of sour cream. I'd say that this was easily the "fat kid" winner at the table this year. It was ridiculously rich(nearly a stick of butter in the potatoes, along with a container of sour cream and cheese) and I kept wanting more of it even when I was past rational fullness.

The greens were a Mario Batali recipe for broccoli rabe that I've made a few times. It's extremely quick and simple and that was exactly what I needed after spending most of the day in the kitchen.

Broccoli Rabe, Pugliese

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 bunches broccoli rabe, trimmed
Salt
1/4 cup small pitted black olives, coarsely chopped

In a large, deep saucepan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the anchovies, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until the garlic begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, thoroughly wash the broccoli rabe, then add it to the saucepan with the water still clinging to it. Cover the pan tightly and cook until the broccoli rabe is tender and just a few spoonfuls of water remain, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and top with the olives

And, to top it all off, we had cheesecake. Both nights.

I think I'll have salad the rest of the week.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 12

2011-12-24T05:48:00.000-05:00

(photo from Culture Magazine)

Parmigiano Reggiano. Not pre-grated, not that shit that comes in a canned shaker or is any way, shape or form, pasteurized. We're talking about the "King of Cheeses" for God's sake, so have some respect here. You want the real stuff, raw and imported. You know I love my American cheese makers, but you have my permission--actually, my encouragement--to roll your eyes at the next person trying to sell you 'Parmesan' at the farmer's market. It's not even a distant cousin to the real thing. This is 660 years of traditional cheese making at it's absolutely most perfect execution. What the cow's eat, how the milk is heated, where it's aged--all of it is regulated by law and all of that fuss makes sense after one bite. There is no other cheese as nuanced as Parmigiano, with its perfect balance of creaminess, crunch, sweetness and salt. This is one of those cheeses that, once you have the real thing, you are very hard pressed to use any lesser substitute.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Missus and I to our friends, family and fellow food lovers.

Mother F**king Holiday Cookies

2011-12-23T07:07:00.001-05:00

I'm in the thick of it now--holiday madness at work. On my days off this week I've baked approximately 15 dozen cookies to give to friends and coworkers. I'm burnt out and reeling from a pretty fucking big sugar crash. So, without breaking out the hyperbole... I'll just give you some holiday cookie recipes.

(from the bottom, up)

Momofuku Marshmallow, Cornflake and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (adding peppermint candy and chocolate chips to the mix)
Peanut Butter and Bacon Cookies

Pecan Caramel Cookies

Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Momofuku Milk Bar Compost Cookies (I used left over Cornflake Crunch from the Marshmallow cookie, cocoa nibs, pretzels, dark chocolate chips and marshmallows)

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 11

2011-12-23T00:03:00.002-05:00

(photo from TheKitchn.com)

One of the best dishes I ate this year had Burrata at the center of it. It was at Bresca, back in March, during Restaurant Week. Dawn and Adam were with The Missus and I, settling in for a four course dinner when the plate arrived. We hadn't ordered it, mind you, but Chef Krista Desjarlais generously surprised us (she knows my love of cheese) with an antipasto course of Burrata, prosciutto, roasted tomatoes, capers, olive oil, aged balsamic and bread. The table didn't speak for over the course of the next twenty minutes. We were too focused and our mouths were too full to articulate how wonderful it was at the time. I think I thanked Chef Desjarlais for the month for her kindness and the amazing food we had that night. Burrata is NOT a cooking mozzarella, it's filled with cream and melty curd, so don't waste it on a pizza. Make a plate, similar to the one that we were served, and enjoy some comfortable silence with some friends over one of the simplest--yet, exquisite--cheeses in the world.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 10

2011-12-22T07:11:00.002-05:00

(photo from NYTimes.com)

We're going to talk French again. You don't really think about domestically made cheeses when the name 'Raclette' rolls around. You think French or Swiss made, melted on roasted fingerling potatoes or crusty bread. Truthfully, I wasn't fond of Raclette cheese until this past year when I was introduced to one by Chef Guy Hernandez of Bar Lola. This one, from Springbrook Farms in Vermont, has completely shattered my illusion and ambivalence towards Raclette. It's painfully more interesting in both nose and paste to the French or Swiss varieties you can by stateside. It's rusty, pink rind gives you a fair bit of warning that the cheese has a nose to it, but the bite is no where near as strong. The paste is creamy, with a bit of a cheddar spring to it. It's a bit earthy, but has a pretty mild nutty finish. I've had it on eggs, melted over a rib eye sandwich and shredded into a gratin. It's become my 'go to' melting cheese over the past few months, but it's great for nibbling as is.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 9

2011-12-21T01:31:00.000-05:00

(photo from Murray's Cheese)

I've encountered people, more than I care to admit, that don't believe that Americans can make wonderful goat cheese that would rival the French, much in the same way they thought about our wine. Sure, it's taken a bit of time (and we're still dealing with those pesky and obnoxious raw milk laws), but I think we're just about there. Some of the natural rind cheeses coming from Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery are a prime example of that, like my favorite, Coupole. It's one of the few bloomy rinds that I prefer in their younger state. The milk is sweet, mild and grassy--making for the perfect breakfast cheese to have with a sweet bread and cup of tea.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 8

2011-12-20T09:33:00.000-05:00

(photo from Stacy Camp Photography)

I will openly come out now and say that York Hill Farm, from New Sharon, ME, is one of my absolute favorite goat cheese makers in New England. They were recently featured in a Culture Magazine article on Maine cheese makers and were big winners this past year at The Big E. And the accolades are well deserved. The two cheeses above, their 'Bucheron' and Capriano are two of my favorites. The Capriano is aged about 6 months and the paste imparts a very distinct nutty, sweetness, without the tanginess that goes along with so many goat cheeses. The Bucheron, aged much younger, embraces the tanginess and all its glory. The cream line of the cheese--the one that gets gooier and gooier as the cheese ages--never really gets a lot of body. But, it does loosen up enough to give you that wonderful dual texture and, therefore, dual flavor that makes so many people love this style of cheese.
One thing, though, that strikes me about just about every one of York Hill's cheeses is a mineral note in the milk that cuts a bit into the acidity, which is most prominent in their plain chevre.

If you're looking to track down York Hill's cheeses, I'd do so soon as their milking season is coming to an end. After that, you're waiting 4 long months until the next batch of cheese is made.

Obscure Holiday Cocktails III

2011-12-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's that magical time again, folks... Holiday inspired drinking time. This year marked our 3rd incarnation of Obscure Holiday Cocktails, hosted by the lovely Dawn and, the equally as lovely, Adam. Seriously, he's a beautiful man.

They definitely pushed the envelope this year and challenged my cheese pairing abilities more than previous years. I mean, really, how often have I been asked to pair something with Metaxa? Just about never. Port AND Sherry, you say? Together? What crazy, mixed up world is this? Who thought of these things? Why, my lovely friends did. I may have cursed them more than once as I fretted over pairings.

But, enough of my blabbering, let's get onto the booze.

The Good

Christmas Bellringer

Gin
Cointreau
Frangelico
Freshly squeezed orange juice
Orange twist

We started the evening on a light and lovely note. The cheese, which I forgot to take a photo of, was the Spanish goats milk cheese, Capricho de Cabra, which was paired with Tupelo honey from The Savannah Bee Company. The drink and cheese paired nicely together with the citrus in the drink meshing wonderfully with the lemony and acidic notes of the cheese.

Greek Airmail

Metaxa

Lime juice

Honey

Q tonic

Bitters

Mint

This was actually my most enjoyed drink of the night, though I was a bit worried when I took my first whiff of Metaxa. But, when Professor A. handed me the drink, and I took my first sip, I was absolutely smitten with it. There was absolutely so much going on in the drink, at least from the list of ingredients, but everything in the glass seemed to play very nicely with each other. The loveliest touch was the mint leaf floating at the top. The cheese paired with this one, which came at the recommendation of Dawn and Professor A. was Keen's Cheddar. The honey in the drink toned down a bit of the bite and salt of the cheese, while the salt in the cheese drew out a bit more of the honey flavor in the drink. See how that works there? That's why I love to pair cheeses.

The Weird

Lion’s Pride

St Germain
Gin

1 egg white

Dash Peychaud Bitters

Lime juice

Topped with lime zest and black pepper

Oh, Adam, where did you get this one again? From Lion's Pride in Brunswick? I have to say, I wasn't a fan. Well, I was at first, when I smelled the drink and the lime zest and pepper beckoned me to take my first sip. And it tasted absolutely NOTHING like it smelled. I wanted the lime to be at the forefront, but mine seemed to be all Gin, with a note of potpourri. I don't think I got through more than a couple of sips before I set it down and went right into eating the Valencay. While everyone seemed to love the cheese--it's a favorite of mine--I'm not so sure that I would have paired this with the Lion's Pride had I known what it would have tasted like. The texture of the Valencay is gorgeous, as Dawn said it seems like the paste is whipped, but I found it much too mild to really balance the alcohol. Perhaps something more in the line of Midnight Moon or Twig Farm Tomme would have been better.

The Burny

Whispers of the Frost

Whiskey or Bourbon

Sherry

Port

Powdered Sugar

To be served with slices of lemon and orange

I'll put this in the 'Burny' category, but only because it's pure booze with little added to the drink to cut into the alcohol. I also learned that, apparently, having Sherry and Port together will boggle the minds of some seasoned workers at RSVP. However, I did enjoy this drink and took Vrylena's direction to squeeze the citrus and add it to the glass. The pairing for this was the easiest of the night. Port NEEDS blue cheese. Just straight out, no questions asked, it cries for a blue. The hardest part is whittling down the options. While I thought about the Rogue River Blue, I decided, in the end, to go with something a bit more like Stilton. That led me to Bayley Hazen Blue from Jasper Hill Farms in Vermont, something I find to be very much like a domestic made Stilton. The pepper from the Roqueforti Penicillium brought a nice vibrancy to the drink, while the paste mellowed out the harshness of the drink. This, in my opinion, was the best pairing of the evening.

Tom and Jerry

12 egg(s)

1 cup sugar

1 bottle brandy

Pinch of ground allspice

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground cloves

1 bottle dark rum

milk
nutmeg

I love Kate. She's my girl, you know? But, I don't think I've had a more vile drink in my life than this one. Seriously, bring me back to last years gay raver drink, The Grinch, or even the much hated Christmas Pudding we had the first year. Anything but this. One sip. One sip was all I could stand of it. If I had been more inebriated by the time we reached this drink, I would have taken out my lighter to see if it would erupt into flames because that shit was pure alcohol.

But, it's not really Kate's fault--this was a last minute choice when she realized that the recipe she had was the same one she made last year. So, at the 11th hour, she switched it up not really knowing what to expect. And, it's a bit sad that I didn't really like the drink because she spent a bit of time in the kitchen doing prep work for it.

Now, because I was expecting to pair something with a 'Nog drink, I opted out of cheese this year--realizing last year that it's just too much dairy and creates for a unpleasant existence--and went with chocolate. I made two barks, one with roasted Marcona almonds and the other with a sprinkling of Ghost Pepper salt. Call it a 'Naughty and Nice' pairing. I'm assuming that everyone liked the barks, as there was almost nothing left by the end of the night, but I can't really speak if they went with the drink.

I also made these little bits for the evening, Deviled Eggs with Pickled Beets, from Bon Appetit. They're a bit more work than your average deviled egg, but the end results are more than worth it. If you're looking for a last minute dish to make for the holidays, I'd put these right at the top of your list. I would also recommend Dawn's Bacon Wrapped Apricots with Sage. Don't tell her, but I sneaked a few before the dish ever left the kitchen.

So, this year was a bit of a mixed bag for me when it came to the mixed drinks. But, as it has been the past few years, the true joy of it is just getting together with friends, enjoying some great food, getting a bit of a schwill on and laughing until you nearly pee.

With that... A Happy Holiday to you!

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 7

2011-12-19T08:06:00.001-05:00

(photo SF Chronicle)

Four months, five if you're lucky. That's how long the season is for this raw sheep's cheese from Major Farm, Vermont Shepherd. And, if you're truly lucky, you'll get a taste of one of the first batches of the season, when the sheep are grazing on lemongrass and clover. Seriously, they send you whimsical cards telling you what the sheep were eating the week the cheese was made. It makes it seriously romantical and may just make you focus on the flavor profile of the cheese, rather than just munching it down. As the season goes on, the flavor becomes less grassy and sweet, taking on a bit of a nuttier, drier profile.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 6

2011-12-18T06:58:00.001-05:00

If I were told that I would be given $1 million tomorrow, but I would have to forgo ever having a taste of Jasper Hill Farms Harbison again... I would take the $1 million, but I would pine for that cheese every day. Seriously, one of the most beautiful and complex cheeses I've had in the past few years. As I've swooned here before:

It starts out smokey, akin to a young Winnimere, then a wash of butter and cream hits, ending with a distinct mustard finish. French's Yellow Mustard to be exact.

It's that finish. That lingering, familiar and pleasant acidity separates this from so many in its category. Get it ripe enough and, like the Vacherin, sheer the top and just fucking ladle it out.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 5

2011-12-17T07:39:00.003-05:00

(photo from VanillaGarlic)

Pt. Reyes Original Blue is one of those perfect blues. It's bitey, peppery, salty, crumbly and doesn't kill your palate or, as Gorgonzola's have a habit of doing to me, flood my sinuses with an acidic burn. It's pleasant and the blue most likely to appear in any recipe I make that calls for a veined cheese. Maytag may be one of the best known domestically produced blue cheeses, but Pt. Reyes is one of the tastiest.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 4

2011-12-16T07:03:00.001-05:00

(photo from The Cheese Library)

Piave Vecchio is the younger, much overlooked cousin to Parmesan Reggiano. Aged significantly younger (this cheese ranges from young--30-60 days old, to Vecchio Oro del Tempo--12+ months), it pleases the palate with a creamy, nutty paste, filled with those little 'crunchy bits' that people can't seem to get enough of. While your first instinct may be to grab the grater and top some pasta with it, it makes a fantastic nibbling cheese, especially for those who don't like their aged cheese to have too much sharpness.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 3

2011-12-15T08:23:00.001-05:00

(photo from Murray's Cheese)

Vacherin Mont D'or is one of those perfect seasonal, winter cheeses. It's also a food porn cheese, with its gooey, unctuous paste. Its one of those cheeses that you sheer the top off of and ladle out the inside or dip roasted potatoes into on a cold December evening. The paste is smoke, earth and woods. While many may feel Gruyere or Emmenthaler cheeses are the true mark of Switzerlands contribution to the cheese world, they do not hold a candle to a perfectly ripe Vacherin. If only we didn't have such silly raw milk laws in this country that prevent us from ever experiencing a 'true' Vacherin at its peak.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 2

2011-12-14T08:13:00.001-05:00

(photo from Dedrick's Cheese)

It's my "Oh, my" cheese. Let me put this into perspective for you. Butter has at least 80% butterfat. Delice D'Argental comes in at 72% butterfat. And it's cut with creme fraiche, propelling this to the top of my favorite triple creme bries. While many will swoon over a wedge of Delice de Bourgogne, with a butterfat content of 75%, it's the added dimension of the creme fraiche that elevates D'Argental over its fellow countryman. I don't recommend pairings often, but a glass of Champagne or Prosecco is MEANT for this cheese.

Schulte and Herr Selling Stollen and Other Breads

2011-12-13T12:22:00.003-05:00

Just a wee bit of an FYI for your holidays. The wonderful couple behind Schulte and Herr are selling homemade German Stollen cakes this holiday season for $10 each. Steffi gave us a little taste of one this past Sunday, when we stopped in for brunch before PICNIC, and it was--much like their other homemade breads--utterly fantastic.

If you're interested, they're asking for 48 hour notice and are taking orders now. In fact, you can order any of their breads with 48 hours notice. How f'ing awesome is that? I now no longer have to hunt around for a good rye bread to serve with my attempt at Chef Krista Desjarlais' Beet and Vodka Cured Gravlax on Christmas Eve.

You can reach them @ 207-773-1997.

12 Days of Cheesemas--Day 1

2011-12-13T07:30:00.003-05:00

(photo from British Fine Foods)

Put down your Tillamook, rewrap your Grafton Village and behold the King of Cheddar. Farmstead, unpasteurized, bandaged and aged at least 10 months, this is my favorite English cheese and I would even push aside a wheel of some of my favorite cheddars(Cabot Clothbound from The Cellars at Jasper Hill and Old Quebec) for even the smallest of wedges.

The flavor profile is grassy and creamy. But, it's the intensity of the raw milk, a bit of a dance and a slight horseradish profile, as the wheel gets older that makes this truly wonderful.

Holiday-O-Rama: Read It

2011-12-12T00:08:00.002-05:00

By now, I have no doubt you've scoured over the 'Best Cookbooks of 2011' lists from places like The New York Times, Huffington Post, Serious Eats and Bon Appetit. The latter was compiled by Don and Samantha Lindgren of Rabelais Books in Portland, who made this months installment of the 'O-Rama Project' possible. Through a genius coordination on the part of A. (who I have decided will be referred to as Professor A. from now on) and the endless generosity of Rabelais, the participants were given the ok to root around in a few boxes of advanced copies of cookbooks the store had received. For a former library tech who now works with food, this was a little bit of heaven. But, I have to admit, I almost didn't participate and it was at the prodding of Professor A. and Kate that made me decide to get my shit together. But, the title I actually chose, may surprise the hell out of you.

Did you gasp or sneer? C'mon be honest, because when I told a few people what I chose, I didn't know if they were disgusted or questioning my general sanity. I make absolutely no bones about picking out the paisley colored cookbook from Anne Burrell and Suzanne Lenzer. In fact, I'll do it one better by admitting that I actually like Anne Burrell, especially once I realized that, though she may also have spiky blonde hair, she's at least twice as knowledgeable as the other spiky haired person on the Food Network. And, she's actually a chef and not some vapid eyed droid that is seemingly there to model low cut v-neck sweaters.

Chef Burrell's resume is a pretty long and respected one, she is probably most recognized for her stint as Mario Batali's protege and sous chef from Iron Chef America. She's been on a slew of other shows, and was the most recent cast-off from "The Next Iron Chef." While, lesser known than Rachael or Sandra, I'm guessing that she could easily cook circles around the others from the FN sisterhood, all while wearing her knee length skirt, no less.

Her book has the usual suspects: favorite tools and pantry staples, as well as a guide to her lingo (fond="Crud"; "BTB"=bring to a boil) and a lovely forward by Mr. Batali. When you get to the heart of it her recipes are mostly, and understandably, Italian influenced and pretty decent. Without a doubt, they are definitely geared towards those looking to graduate from easier cookbooks, but aren't quite ready to put out a Thomas Keller level dish. There's a whole chapter on homemade pasta, one of her specialties and one which I would have enjoyed if I had a pasta maker, but the recipes can easily be made and adjusted to use dried. Her 'Piccolini'--or, as she calls them "My little nibbles"--recipes are some of the most interesting, especially the one for the Mortadella Mousse.

The recipes that I did make--one for braised short ribs, mac and cheese with bacon and 'cheeeeeesy' polenta (her added vowels, not mine)--were good, but no different than ones I had made previously. Solidifying, again, that this is not a book for someone who knows their way around kitchen.

Her teaching background definitely comes through from the beginning of the book. She stresses the importance of simply reading the recipe all the way through and the value of having your mise en place organized before one bit of food is cooked. She tries to condition the reader to think like a professional chef before they make any attempts to cook like one (or, in this case, a 'rock star') and organization is key in that. Her voice is a bit flighty and light, but enthusiastic, much like how she comes across on screen. But, I do have to say, I have never seen a cookbook with so many exclamation points in my life and I'm still not sure if I found it annoying or campy. Oh and every recipe ends with some weird one line like the one for the Mortadella Mousse: "It's a bologna cloud!" I wonder if she's easily distracted by shiny things.

So, this isn't for the Joel Robuchon set. In fact, the person you probably want to buy this for hasn't a clue as to who Joel Robuchon is. Let's be honest, "Cook Like a Rock Star" is not going to make any of the Top 10 lists this year, but if you have a friend or family member that wants to build up their skills, learn a few interesting recipes and doesn't mind the color pink, then this might just be the gift for them.

The Difference Between 'Us' and 'Them'

2011-12-07T23:08:00.008-05:00

See that? That, my friend, is Nigella Lawson covered in salted caramel. Apparently she is, "In the middle of a love affair" with it. So much so, that she covered herself in it for the latest issue of Stylist magazine.

And this is Rachael Ray posing in FHM a few years back. A bit of a 'Farmers Daughter' thing ya got going on there, Rachael.

Sexy British Cooks: 1
Sexy American Cooks: 0

Cobblestones to the Rescue

2011-12-04T23:35:00.001-05:00

It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I've been fighting something off and, worse yet, we're speeding our way into the busiest time of year for me at work. My back was screaming from lifting well over a literal ton of product and my mind was buzzing from being constantly bombarded with questions. When I left work, I was beaten and tired. Then I found myself walking across Monument Square and felt beckoned by the sign for Cobblestones. Truthfully, I hadn't revisited the site since Henry the VIII's vacated and it was a mixture of hunger and curiosity that led me inside.

I was extremely happy that I did. Granted, I was a bit thrown by the quote from FromAway that is plastered across the front window:

"A workaday sandwich shop as designed and imagined by people who clearly think about and care a lot about sandwiches."

It's a nice, apropos quote but I just found extremely weird that a quote from a blog would be used so prominently to advertise a business. But, if it draws the curious and gets people in the door, then whatever works, right?

But, we're not talking about my personal feelings about that (and it's in no way personal towards either the shop or the blog) it is completely rooted in finding it weird that blogs, in general, are used to promote/market a business. But, you know, TV shows and movies are starting to use peoples Tweets to promote their shows... so, yea... I guess that's where this is going.

Anyway, back to the sandwich.

I ordered the Hot Boston Brisket Pastrami, served with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, deli mustard and grilled on Marbled Rye. I lucked out by walking in five minutes before their door closed. If I had missed the opportunity... If I had just been five minutes later... My day would have ended on a much fouler note than it did because this sandwich was exactly what I needed. Perfectly peppered and tender Pastrami was definitely the star, cut thick and piled generously on the rye. And, c'mon, who in their right mind DOESN'T like Marbled Rye? If that's you, then you're no friend of mine. The onions were a bit of a throw away for me, though they did add a nice sweetness against the biting whole grain mustard.

While different, I will say that the owners of Cobblestones may actually be putting out a heartier, more satisfying sandwich than the former occupants. My visit may have been completely on a whim, but the wonderful, 'just exactly perfect' sandwich I had, on a not so perfect day, will bring me back for some of their other tempting offerings in the near future.

My Favorite Christmas Movie of All Time

2011-12-02T09:10:00.001-05:00

Because it's that time of year.

I Have One Request

2011-11-26T23:42:00.005-05:00

That someone make me Breakfast Cupcakes.

Holiday Family Awkwardness

2011-11-22T22:36:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving. Tofurkey or Not.

Deep Fried Deviled Eggs

2011-11-16T08:18:00.000-05:00

It's holiday entertaining time, kids, and it's time to share with you the most ridiculous deviled egg recipe I've ever made. Thank you, Neely's.

Ingredients
1 dozen eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Dash hot sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup panko crumbs
Peanut oil for frying

Add the eggs to a large saucepan filled with cold water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit in the water for 14 minutes.
Peel the eggs and slice lengthwise. Remove the yolks to a bowl. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon zest, chives, hot sauce and salt and pepper. Mash the yolks together with a wooden spoon. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Fill the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, add 1 cup of flour and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat the eggs, in a third bowl, add 1 cup of panko.

Dip the eggs into the flour, then the egg and finally into the panko. Gently put the eggs into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined sheet tray. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

O-Rama in a Bottle: Local Potables

2011-11-14T07:29:00.009-05:00

Green Bee Soda. Moxie. Allen's Coffee Brandy. Maine Root. Allagash. Urban Farm Fermentory Cider. Peak Organic Brewing. There are more than enough locally produced beverages to choose from, say, if you were going to include it in a recipe. Which is exactly what was asked of us this month for our 'O-Rama' assignment. Now, being as smart as I am, I went with probably one of the more obscure beverages in the Maine line up: Pumpkin Pie Soda from Maine Root.

The seasonal offering started appearing on shelves about a month ago and will probably be around for another few weeks. It's definitely one of the odder drinks that I've had in my life. It's an orangish hue, the only defining 'Pumpkin' thing about it (there's no actual pumpkin in it, mind you, just 'spices') because the flavor is more akin to some bastardized Dr. Pepper bred with a root beer. Actually, describing it like that makes it sound more appealing than it really is. It's just straight out weird to me.

Now, why, if I'm so turned off by the flavor, did I not choose something else? Because, it was there. And it was mocking me from the corner of my kitchen. It was purchased for my nephew, who at 15, loves it (take THAT into consideration when you wonder who buys something like this). I, however, am a lazy aunt who never got around to mailing it. So, it's a choice of convenience.

For a while I was stumped for a recipe, even asking some friends what they would do with it. Then came a moment of clarity in one of the oddest of ways. In a not-quite-sober moment of thought, I wondered: WWPDD?

What Would Paula Deen Do?

Because if anyone would willingly choose to cook with an ingredient like this, it would be her. And her recipe would be one of epic bat shit craziness. However, she has not cooked with something as odd as this, but she comes close in doing a few recipes for Coca Cola. Neither option, nor any of the suggestions I had from people really appealed to me. So, I turned back to the internet and started searching for "Soda and Beef braise." Eureka! Not long into my search I came across this recipe, that turned into a variation of this one:

2-3 tablespoons canola oil
2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tablespoon espresso (or any finely ground coffee bean)
1/2 teaspoon all-spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 head of garlic, lightly crush and peel all the cloves
2 cans Coca-Cola (2.5 cups)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Let them come to room temperature. Meanwhile combine the cocoa powder, espresso, all-spice, salt and pepper. Transfer "spice" mix to a plate, coat each short rib on all sides with the spice mix, shake off any excess. Over medium-high heat brown the short ribs in the canola oil (~4-5 minutes per side). Transfer to a clean plate.

Add a little fresh oil to the Dutch oven and saute the garlic over medium heat until it begins to brown and soften. Add the Coca-Cola, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to the Dutch oven, be sure to scrape up any brown bits. Return the short ribs to the Dutch oven, bring to a boil, cover and cook in the oven at 350 for 2 hours.

Remove the short ribs from the Dutch oven and let rest. Place the Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat, strain out the garlic with a slotted spoon and reduce the cola sauce by half, salt to taste. When the short ribs have rested for at least 5 minutes, remove the bones, slice off the layer of fat on the bone side and serve with the sauce.

I was skeptical from the beginning, but was extremely pleased by the results. When the soda reduced, it added a nice molasses touch to the broth and toned down the high sodium content. Served with some mashed Swedish Peanut Potatoes, from Green Spark Farm, the Missus and I enjoyed a wonderfully comforting meal.

Farmhouse Tap and Grill--Burlington, VT

2011-11-06T09:21:00.000-05:00

Look, it's a post that's not about Portland! And, what is this? It's a work related trip to Burlington that I don't have to shell out a cent for? Stop. It. Now.

If I travel more than once a year for work, I feel like a shorter, rounder Samantha Brown. It's a bit sad but a reality of not having a job that necessitates much travel. So, the trip out 302 with a co-worker, taking the scenic route to Burlington through The White Mountains and Frogtown Hollow.. Uh.. Sorry, I was thinking about Emmet Otter there for a moment. But, yea, the ride out was great and I had forgotten how beautiful traveling out that way was. If you're not pressed for time and it's not the middle of January, I highly recommend this route through the Northeast Kingdom into western Vermont.

We headed straight into town when we arrived, as my co-worker had never been to Burlington, and spent an hour or so on Church Street, poking around at Urban Outfitters and grabbing a latte at Uncommon Grounds. Before we headed to our hotel, to meet up with the others in the group for dinner, we made a quick stop into The City Market/Onion River Co-Op to check it out. It gave me needs and feelings of jealousy. Why don't we have a Co-Op like this in Portland? Granted, I know we have more than enough markets but this was the best of everything in a surprisingly sizable space. It even puts to shame the Honest Weight Co-Op that I frequented back in Albany. After food trucks, can we make THIS happen, Portland?

But, enough of my pipe dreams. Let's talk about dinner. Imagine if you will that Novare Res and 50 Local, in Kennebunk, had a love child. Go ahead, picture it. That's The Farmhouse Tap and Grill in Burlington. They put as much thought and pride into their beer list as they do their food and they don't shy from letting you know what local farms supplied it.

Dotted around the room were chalkboards listing all of the farms that the restaurant used to compose its menu. I smiled at seeing familiar cheese makers like Lazy Lady, Jasper Hill and Spring Brook Farm on the boards. Call me a 'Locawhore', or whatever you may choose, but I respect restaurants that openly acknowledge the area farms that bring the food to the table. Just don't take it to Portlandia levels and I think you'll be alright.

To start the meal, the three carnivores at the table settled on a charcuterie board of Bresaola, Local Chicken Liver Pate and Duck Rillette.

The board was served with some whole grain mustard, grilled Red Hen bread and house pickles. It was a very lovely, well rounded board, but the true stand out for me was the pate. Pink hued, rich and slightly sweet, it made me miss the charcuterie that District offered when they first opened. I actually liked the recipe so much that I contacted the restaurant for it. Consider that a first.

The Bresaola, paper thin and barely salty, melted away in one bite and was topped with a fruity Arbequina olive oil. The rillette was a bit off for me, though. I found the texture a bit dry and the gaminess of the meat a little less enjoyable next to the other selections. Luckily there was enough of those to make me not feel so bad about passing on the rillette.

The entree, a pair of corn griddle cakes topped with roasted mushrooms, sauteed kale and buttermilk vinaigrette, seemed like vegetarian atonement for having the appetizer that I did.

Truthfully, it was ordered in haste and I did think about changing my order. I'm glad that I didn't, though, because the savory pancakes were delicious. The cakes were cornmeal based, with a bit of sweetness, that went really well with the earthiness, acidity and bitterness of the other components. I was in love on the first bite, though the generous portion did fill me up quickly, leaving a small pile of uneaten kale in my wake.

I, personally, can't speak on the cred of the beer list, but my co-workers seemed very happy at the endless choices. I did, however, have a very tasty root beer. But, let's just admit it, I did kind of feel like a kid pretending at a table of adults.

The Missus and I are planning our own trip for sometime next spring--maybe for my 35th--and I am definitely going to make another trip back.

Marx Food:Game Bird Giveaway

2011-11-04T22:19:00.004-04:00

A friend on Serious Eats pointed this out to me the other day and I thought I would pass this along to any of my readers that wouldn't mind the chance to play with some free game. The Rouge Poulet is pretty fantastic, I have to say.

The contest ends this Sunday (November 6th), so get your comments in.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T07:52:00.004-04:00

We were a little bit behind the holiday this year. Normally the pumpkins would have been carved weeks ago and the toasty, roasty seeds would be a distant memory. But, with work, school and other general distractions, we didn't find our selves stabbing out stenciled patterns until last night.

My pattern this year was a nod to one of my favorite Pixar movies, Monsters Inc., which happens to have a sequel coming out next year. And the name, Mike Wazowski, is just fun to say.
The Missus, however, went a little more political with her pumpkin this year and chose the Guy Fawkes/Anonymous stencil. Her pumpkin came out very nice and had me declaring that we were going to Occupy Halloween. Maybe when the holiday is done I'll leave the pumpkin on the steps of Bank of America for shits and giggles.

Happy Halloween, kids.

Guanciale: Phase 3

2011-10-29T18:13:00.004-04:00

Enjoy!
No.
How about fail? Failure in the form of questionable green mold on the meaty side of the cheek. Taking the advice from Michael Ruhlman, whose book I've been using in Charcutepalooza, I listened when he asks you to ere on the side of common sense if you question it. So, I did.
In a few weeks I'll try again when the Missus gets some jowl from a co-worker who's getting ready to bring a few pigs to slaughter.

A Pairing For Peet's

2011-10-25T00:39:00.006-04:00

I didn't know that I had been chosen to participate in the Peet's Coffee/Food Buzz Tastemakers program until the box arrived at my door. Inside, a 16oz tumbler and 2-12oz bags of their latest ground, medium blends: Cafe Solano and Cafe Domingo.

With the price of coffee skyrocketing over the past year, it was a grand treat for a cash strapped coffee drinker as myself. Their one request: Pair the two coffees with something that spoke of fall flavors.

It was easy when I had my first cup of the Domingo blend-a combination of three Latin American beans. The toasty, nutty notes would be perfect with chocolate. The Solano, however, was a bit richer and needed something creamy to cut through its full bodied flavor.

After a couple of weeks of switching off on these coffees, it finally hit me: Whoopie Pie. This IS Maine, after all. So, after a bit of poking around for filling ideas, I settled on a Martha Stewart/King Arthur Flour mash-up recipe to create a Pumpkin Whoopie Pie.

Cakes
1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder

2 1/3 cups Unbleached King Arthurs Flour

1 cup milk

For the Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin

Pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

2) To make the cakes: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla till smooth. Add the egg, again beating till smooth.

3) Add the cocoa, stirring to combine.

4) Add the flour to the batter alternately with the milk, beating till smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat again briefly to soften and combine any chunky scrapings.

5) Drop the dough by the 1/4-cupful onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between the cakes; they'll spread. A muffin scoop works well here.

6) Bake the cakes for 15 to 16 minutes, till they're set and firm to the touch. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the pans. While still lukewarm, use a spatula to separate them from the pan or parchment; then allow to cool completely.

7) Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter, and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

8) Spread the flat side of half the cakes with the filling. Top with the remaining cakes, flat side towards the filling. Wrap individually, in plastic wrap, till ready to serve.

9) Yield: 8 large whoopie pies (about 4" dia., about 5 ounces each)

Food (Trucks) for Thought

2011-10-18T07:22:00.007-04:00

Photo courtesy of the very talented Greta Rybus, who recently featured an interview with Bite Into Maine foodtruck owner, Sarah Sutton on her blog 'Who I Met.'

In 20 years, when someone decides to write about the food history and culture in Portland, Bite Into Maine will be mentioned. In fact, I believe the article on the Maine focused food truck, which appeared in The Portland Phoenix this past July, is the sole reason headway is finally being made to bring larger scale mobile food vending into the city. Because of Sarah's honest telling of the red tape and issues they endured dealing with the city, the conversation as to why they are absent from our food landscape finally started to be had. Now, because of the combined efforts of Creative Portland Corporation, along with the input from those in the community who support or wish to operate a food truck in the city, we are no longer asking if food trucks will finally come to Portland but, rather, when.

Across the board, the recommendations from CPC are more than agreeable and address everything from location to sanitation. Some of the specific recommendations are:

• Must stay at least 65 feet from brick-and-mortar restaurants.

• Can be no wider than 10 feet and no longer than 40 feet.

• May not operate where restaurants are prohibited by zoning, except they would be allowed in city parks and school-parking areas.

• Can park in public parking lots, but not garages. They cannot be parked overnight on city streets or in city parking lots.

• Must have receptacles for trash and recyclables and follow National Park noise guidelines of 74 decibels at 10 feet and 60 decibels at 50 feet.

My one issue with the above is the first one mentioned, the 65 foot rule. In a town saturated with restaurants, I feel this one rule is a bit prohibitive. To my knowledge, there is no such restriction on brick and mortar establishments and their proximity to another, nor does there seem to be one on food carts. You can find vendors in Monument Square just feet from the entrances of other food establishments without issue. So, why restrict food trucks, which will already struggle to find room to park their vehicles, any more than necessary?

There has been some grumbling that it would create unfair competition for restaurants but how? There's rumored to be a gelato shop opening right across the street from another in town without issue. I may find that a little uncouth, but it would normally be called 'healthy competition.' Again, I'm forced to ask, "Where's the difference?' More so, where is the perceived threat to established, sit down restaurants? Are you going to cancel your reservations at Grace because you spot a waffle truck up the street? Unless you're stoned, and the prospect of walking into a converted church may spark some regressed religious guilt, chances are that you're not. People, long before food trucks became 'a thing,' had no problem deciding on what restaurants to spend their money at based on a myriad of factors. Throwing food trucks into the mix changes absolutely nothing, except to increase choices. People will go where their wallets and stomachs lead them. It seems like an issue is being made where there truly is none.

So finally, it seems, that 'America's Foodiest Small Town,' has decided to wake from its slumber and not sleep through one of the trendiest of trends to sweep through American food culture. We may be a little late to the party, but at least we're getting there and, fittingly enough, we have a lobster roll vendor to thank for it.

Sunday at Schulte and Herr

2011-10-16T16:39:00.014-04:00

The Bollard's Dan Zarin nailed it in his final paragraph, when he said:

Until now, I hadn’t realized that the Portland restaurant scene was lacking a German breakfast-and-lunch café, but it turns out that’s precisely what was missing.

Schulte and Herr is the most pleasant surprise to hit Portland in quite some time. While many have long since pined for better Chinese food, more authentic Mexican and less expensive Greek food (this is the Missus' personal wish), there was never a peep over the near void of hearty Eastern European fare (You can get some killer Perogis at Bogusha's Polish Deli on Stevens). Now, with our first visit to Schulte and Herr, I can't imagine Portland without it.

We were there for their first official Sunday Brunch (they've opted to close on Mondays instead) and nearly every seat was full when we were seated. Five mintues later, there would be people waiting. The space is small and understated, I think I had expected something more akin to other loud, garish German restaurants I had visited. I understood, when our food arrived, the room could be so subtle because the food would leave such an impact.

The Missus, who spent a couple of years in boarding school in Germany, took one look at the menu and said, "This is what I ate everyday for two years." She was happy the moment her eyes hit the page. You also have to remember that her family is Lithuanian, which has a similar 'meat and potatoes' culture. She's joked with her family that if you were to cut into any of them, sour cream would pour out. This is the food of her people.

No dish on the menu connected that together more than the special of pickled makerel with potato salad and beet sauce.

In Lithuanian culture, pickled herring is a staple of Kūčios. It was also the most glaring thing missing when we celebrated our first together last Christmas. Having never had pickled fish, I wasn't completely sure what to expect. But the first bite eliminated any fear and I eagerly flaked off greedy sections and devoured it with their wonderful beet sauce. The fish was neither too briny nor too fishy. The meat of the fish was just bright enough to cut through the richness from the naturally oily mackerel. An appreciated side of hearty German styled (obviously) potato salad made this is a generously portioned appetizer. That heaping plate was only $6 and more than worth every penny.

The Missus ordered the Bergmannkiez, a plate of various cured and smoked meats, cheeses, jam, bread and fruit. The cheeses were the only un-German elements of the meal, one a triple creme brie(I'm guessing Delice de Bourgogne from France) and the Italian Piave Vecchio, similar to the Hartkase or 'hard cheese.' But, in defense of the choices, these are both wonderful, contrasting cheeses that paired beautifully with the various smoked and cured ham and sausages on the plate(we both greatly enjoyed the peppered and smoked sausage). Also, Portland doesn't really offer much in the way of German cheeses outside of Limburger or Cambozola, so you can't really fault them. Not only were the meats and cheeses wonderful, but the homemade bread it was served with was even better. It was hearty and homey, and if they offered it, I would buy rye bread from them every week. I'm a sucker for a good rye bread with caraway and there's is the best that I've had outside of Boston.

But, as much as I swooned over the offerings that the Missus had in front of her, I was even more enamored with my choice of potato pancakes and house cured lox. This was actually another first for me as I am not one to order smoked or cured salmon instead of something with meat, but Dawn had raved on about it so much that I knew it shouldn't be missed. And it wasn't and I was so glad I took her recommendation. Like some of the best salmon I've had at Miyake, the dilly lox melted on the tongue under a slight dab of horseradish sauce. The pancakes were beautifully pan fried patties, crunchy on the outside and creamy inside, and added a bit of heartiness to the lightness of the salmon. Paired with cornichons, capers and radishes, every element of texture seemed to be represented and every bite was a different combination of elements. And every single one was greatly enjoyed.

With nearly everything made on site, and where dishes seemed pressed to reach above $10 a plate, Schulte and Herr is easily one of the best new restaurants in town, where people always seem to be calling for 'more bang for my buck.' The portions are generous, preparation simple and, most importantly, the food is good. Really, really good.

Guanciale: Phase 2

2011-10-10T19:02:00.002-04:00

Day 18.
3 days before its cut down.
No smell and no cats have tried to attack it.
So far, so good.

Paying It Forward: Picking Apples for Charity

2011-09-29T21:39:00.002-04:00

The lovely Sharon, of Delicious Musings, is organizing a charitable event for The Good Shepherd Food Bank and asked a few people to help spread the word.

Want to help feed Maine’s hungry without spending a dime? Thompson’s Orchard will host “It’s Time to Pick Apples for Charity” on Saturday, October 22 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., during which time the orchard is waiving the picking fee for up to 18 people picking apples for Good Shepherd Food Bank.

The family-owned orchard is located at 276 Gloucester Hill Road in New Gloucester. All ages welcome. Fresh made donuts and apple cider will be for sale and anyone is welcome to stay after 10:00 a.m. to pick apples for personal use at .98 pound.

“This has been a good growing season for apples,” said Mike Thompson, owner of Thompson’s Orchard. “This is an opportunity to have a good time while doing something charitable for others.”

“Many of us know that an increasing number of Mainers are having a hard time meeting the needs of their families and providing nutritious food for their children,” said Rick Small, president and CEO of Good Shepherd Food Bank. “But there is always something you can do to help. This apple picking event is a fun way to give back and make sure more kids will get the healthy food they need.”

Among the nearly 49 million Americans facing hunger more than 16 million are children. In Maine 200,000 residents are living at risk of hunger, including 1 in every 4 children.

Despite the good efforts of governments, private-sector institutions and everyday Americans, these children still don’t have daily access to the nutritious meals they need to live active, healthy lives.

The largest hunger relief organization in Maine, Good Shepherd Food-Bank provides for those at risk of hunger by soliciting and distributing surplus food to more than 600 partner agencies. Since 1981, the Food-Bank has partnered with individuals, businesses and farmers to alleviate hunger and build community relationships. In 2010 the Food-Bank distributed 12 million pounds of food to families and individuals throughout Maine. More information on Good Shepherd Food Bank can be found at http://gsfb.org/

Anyone who wishes to volunteer to pick fruit should contact 207.542.3723.

Audio Obsession: Katzenjammer

2011-09-27T23:58:00.005-04:00

Because what is better than four stunning Norwegian women singing jaunty tunes about pie and tea?

Nothing.

Not even puppies.

Guanciale: Phase 1

2011-09-22T22:50:00.011-04:00

I love the women of Dandelion Spring Farm, pure and simple. Not only are they extremely friendly and grow some of the most beautiful produce, they have also bestowed upon me my first whole pig jowl.

Finally.

The deeply blushed red and porcelin white lobe is sitting in the refrigerator now, coated with salt, sugar, pepper and thyme.

It will live there for nearly a week before its wrapped in cheesecloth, strung up and hung in the Missus' office. The cooler temperatures will ease it into a cured state and turn the jowl into the Italian bacon, Guanciale.

When it's ready, in about 3 to 4 weeks, it will be cut down, sliced and paired with my new cheese obsession: Harbison from The Cellars at Jasper Hill.

The newest addition to the Jasper Hill family of cheeses, this is one of the most complex cheeses I've had in a very long time. It starts out smokey, akin to a young Winnimere, then a wash of butter and cream hits, ending with a distinct mustard finish. French's Yellow Mustard to be exact.

That beginning and end makes it a perfect pairing for cured meats. The worst part about the whole thing is the month long wait I'll have to endure before I can savor these two together. I'll let you know how it all goes down when the time comes.

O-Rama On The Run: Breakfast

2011-09-12T06:59:00.009-04:00

This round of 'O-Rama' has us on the run. For breakfast. My meals are almost always the same: bananas, yogurt or a chocolate croissant, chosen more out of convenience than care. Occasionally there will be a danish, bagel or breakfast sandwhich but that's about where it stops. It wasn't until recently that I realized that donuts have never really been part of my breakfast ritual and think that's because I'm pretty ambivalent about whats available around town. Tony's Donuts are too dense and sweet and Dunkin' Donuts is just boring and make my teeth hurt. Though, I will cop to picking up one or two of their Pumpkin variety in the Fall.

So, for me, Portland has been seriously lacking a good donut. We had it for a brief and sparkly moment, with Westbrook's indulgent French Press Eatery, but now they are relegated to a smattering of brunch menus in the area, like District and The Frog and Turtle. But, not too long ago, these little fried cakes started showing up around a few coffee houses in Portland. On the counter was a simple business card that said, "The Holy Donut. Leigh Kellis, Owner." Sadly, I always seemed too late to the party to manage to snag one, so I went on wondering.

Wonder no more, I guess, as procuring one doesn't have to be the task that it was as Leigh Kellis has opened up a donut bar on the first floor of the East Ender, located on Middle Street in Portland. There, she's offering at least six different flavor varieties.

I was there for over an hour and she had a steady stream of customers and spent most of that time back in kitchen frying up fresh batches. By 8:30, because sales had been so swift, Leigh began to worry aloud that she might run out of dough. This was only her second day open and it seemed the word was already out. Luckily, she had friends Mitch Gerow and Megan Schroeter, both of East Ender, lending her a hand with boxing up orders, ringing out customers and keeping the coffee flowing. Her father helped with deliveries to shops and acted as quality control in the kitchen. It was truly a family affair.

The donuts, whether the Bacon and Sharp Cheddar combination--which are shaped like half moons--or her basic Maine Potato Flour, are addictive. They remind me of the apple cider variety I was obsessed with for a good stretch in my twenties from Indian Ladder Farms, back in New York. The cakes are light, moist and fried to a perfect golden brown.

The two that I had, Bacon and Sharp Cheddar and Sweet Potato and Ginger, were vastly different. The bacon had a smokey back note, with a bite of salt and mild acidic sharpness from the cheddar. Her father noted that they could use more filling but I thought they were perfect. It was so good, I had to have two. Now, if she could just figure out how to get some scrambled eggs in the pocket, she will have made the perfect breakfast item. And I would marry her.

The Sweet Potato and Ginger was a little more subdued then the bacon was. The ginger added just the slightest bit of pepper to the sweet dough but I didn't notice a huge flavor difference from her Maine Potato Flour. It was obvious in color, and a slightly sweeter profile, that the base was made with sweet potatoes, but I felt it could have used more ginger, or maybe some cardamon, to spice it up a bit more. But, after two bacon donuts, did the Sweet Potato ever have a chance?

And did I mention the varieties?

Did I also mention that I forgot to photograph the 70% Dark Chocolate and her Maine Potato Flour? Because, apparently, I did.

So, put the yogurt back in the fridge. Save yourself the time that you would have spent toasting a bagel and get in your car and drive down to 47 Middle Street ( from 7:30-10am, Weekdays only, kids) for a half dozen or so before you head into work or class. Just be smart and don't tell your friends or co-workers that you have them because they'll plot against you and try to steal your precious... err, I mean breakfast. If you do make the mistake and actually share with other people and find yourself out before you were ready to be, you can hunt down more donuts at nine different locations in and around Portland--from Bard to Lois' Natural Marketplace.

You can read about the other O-Rama bloggers and their breakfast rituals, here, here, here, here, here and here.

How To Render Lard

2011-09-09T22:07:00.009-04:00

I have been searching for a pig jowl for over a year now. I have dreams of making guanciale. I've asked at butcher counters, farmers markets and friends who said they were buying in on a pig and I've come up empty on every front. That was until recently when Beth, from Dandelion Spring Farm, came through for me. She had jowl, she said, but it was sliced like bacon. Fine enough for me as I was happy to get the raw product. Pig jowl is very similar to an uberfatty pork belly, with streaks of meat almost like an after thought cutting through the stark white fat. I thought that maybe I could still work with it, cure it some how, until a friend told me that it wouldn't work. So, what to do with nearly a pound of pig fat, I pondered.

Lard, I thought. Pure, beautiful, crust enhancing lard. Make it now and use it to make a pie crust when the Missus' family comes up for Thanksgiving. Genius.

I didn't realize, though I should have asked, that when she said it was sliced like bacon, that it was also smoked. Mistake on my part. It wasn't, however, going to stop me from spending an hour or so after work tending to the task over my dutch oven. The only thing that would change would be what I eventually use the lard for. Now it gives me two months to figure out a plan for that. But, they're Lithuanian, so anything pork based and fatty, is fine enough for them.

The crackling, which was munched on while the lard cooled, reminded me of the skin of some of the best fried chicken I've had in my life--which, of course, had been cooked in lard. It was easy, hardly time consuming and now I have a pint of liquid gold and some time to think of a really good use for it.

How to Render Lard--from The Homesick Texan.

What you need:
A pound or so of pig fat, either leaf lard or fat back. Leaf lard is the best grade of lard and is preferred for pastry, while fat back is the next-best grade of lard and is appropriate for frying. Each pound of fat will yield about a pint of lard.
A big pot
A lard stick (though a wooden spoon will suffice)
Some water
Some containers—Mason jars work nicely.
What to do:
1. Open your kitchen window.

2. After buying your fat, preferably from a farmer or butcher that treats its hogs humanely, chop it up into little pieces.
3. In a Dutch oven or heavy, large pot, add about a half of a cup of water to the pot, and then add the cubed fat.

4. On the stove, heat the pot on medium low, stirring occasionally (every 10 minutes).
5. After the fat starts melting (about an hour), you’ll hear some very loud pops. Do not be alarmed—that is just the last gasp of air and moisture leaving what will soon become cracklings (little fried pieces of pork). Now is the time to start stirring more often.
6. Soon after, the cracklings will start floating on the surface. Keep stirring frequently, but be careful—you don’t want the fat popping out of the pot and burning you.
7. When the cracklings sink to the bottom, the lard has been rendered.

8. Let it cool, and then pour it into containers through a colander or strainer lined with cheesecloth. The cracklings will be left behind in the cheesecloth and these make for a fine, fine snack, especially sprinkled over salad if that’s not too perverse for you.
9. The lard will be a yellowish liquid. This is what it’s supposed to look like.
10. Refrigerate it overnight and when it solidifies it will turn white. It will keep in the refrigerator for about three months, and the freezer for up to a year.

How to Buy Cheddar Cheese

2011-09-02T23:39:00.006-04:00

Long before I moved up to Portland, I worked at a medical college library back home and would spend the slower nights diagnosing my ex-girlfriends with the DSM-IV (and I completely NAILED the diagnosis of one ex having BPD). Other nights I would look through emergency medical texts and books on trauma, which only prepared me for marathons of Bones, Wire in the Blood and Shark Week.

Now, I use the library's unlimited resources for good and less morbid things. Like cheese. Wonderful, joyful cheese. One little gem that I recently found at the Portland Public Library was this USDA published guide, from 1967, on buying cheddar cheese.

Accidental Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-08-24T23:44:00.006-04:00

I had half scribbled notes on a scrap piece of paper. Not a full recipe. Didn't even know how much peanut butter was suppose to go it. Honestly, I wasn't sure about these until they cooled off and were ready to be eaten. Peanut Butter Meringues are what they really are, definitely far from the average peanut butter cookie of my youth. Whatever they are, they were fantastic.

Accidental Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Egg White
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Chunky Peanut Butter

Preheat oven to 350.
Beat egg white to stiff peak.
Beat in sugar and vanilla.
Fold in peanut butter--streaks of it are ok. The overall batter consistency will be of peanut butter stirred into Fluff.
Dollop heaping tablespoon on to parchment lined baking pan
Bake 15-20 minutes.
Cool on rack.

I doubled the recipe and actually used about 1/4 cp of batter for each cookie. I loved how they puffed up a bit and then collapsed, creating these crunchy pockets in the cookie that exposed small pools of whole swirls of peanut butter. Definitely great with a cup of dark roast coffee.

Edible Pages

2011-08-15T17:34:00.007-04:00

Through the luck of the draw, I recently received a free Medium sized Kodak Gallery Photobook from Foodbuzz's Tastemaker Program. The process, to say the least, was interesting as I have over 6 years of photos--at least 1/3 of them food--on my hard drive. I have thought about making a book documenting some of my food related images of Maine but never wanted to sit down and wade through gigabyte after gigabyte of photos.

It's amazing how much a free gift like this can be a motivator.

From start to finish the process took me nearly four hours and almost half of that time was spent trying to move one single picture from one frame to another. I don't know if it was my mind at the late hour or a hiccup in the system, but there was a point when I was so frustrated that I was going to scrap the whole thing. Free gift be damned!

So, the overall layout was kept modest. Black cover, black borders. Single sentence captions beneath pictures ranging from the cat at Harbor Fish Market(at the top), a two page layout dedicated to meat, and a picture my youngest nephew cracked out with a S'mores in hand and covered in chocolate--fittingly, the last image in the book.

I'm glad that my momentary frustration didn't get the best of me because the final product, while simple, made me extremely proud of many of the shots that I've taken over the years. So, thank you to Kodak and Foodbuzz for giving me the opportunity to create an archive of memories that I'll have around for quite some time.

Kodak is also kind enough to be giving a 40% discount to readers, until the end of August, to create their own photobook (food, family or otherwise).

Slice of Humble: Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey

2011-08-13T19:14:00.006-04:00

As I recently posted, fellow blogger Jennifer Perillo, recently lost her husband and asked people to make one of his favorite dishes, a Peanut Butter Pie, and share it with someone that they love. Like so many that have participated, I did not know Mikey or Jennifer and only came to know about them when I read her heartbreaking story online. Her request was moving and simple. It resonated with me greatly.
So, I am sharing this with my Missus, in honor of Mikey and Jennifer.

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie
serves 10 to 12
8 ounces chocolate cookies
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup creamy-style peanut butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream). Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top, if using, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey

2011-08-12T22:07:00.002-04:00

From Food In Jars:

As so many of you know, food blogger and writer Jennifer Perillo ‘s husband Mikey died swiftly and unexpectedly this last Sunday...
Earlier this week, Jennie asked that people take a moment to make Mikey’s favorite peanut butter pie and share it with someone they love. I made mine last night. It’s deeply imperfect, with a crust that won’t stay together and a chocolate layer that’s too thick.

Still, when I cut a messy slice for Scott last night, I did so without apology and with gratitude that he was standing right there to receive the plate.

Lots people have made pies in honor of Mikey, Jennie and their girls today. The FN Dish has been keeping track and has a comprehensive list here .

Charcutepalooza: Heirloom Tomato Terrine

2011-08-12T00:36:00.012-04:00

I thought I would be able to reenter the realm of Charcuteapalooza: The Year of Meat by fulfilling their call for a Terrine or Mousseline. Time and, more so, money has been a factor in not participating in the past three rounds and I found myself, again, not being to justify plunking down the money on a piece of equipment that I may or may not use again. I thought I had found salvation from purchasing a $50+ terrine mold by using a recycled Trois Petit Cochon package. It would allow me to do an uncooked terrine which I thought would be kosher--I mean, even Ruhlman throws us a vegetable one at the end of the chapter of 'Charcuterie.'

As luck would have it, Bon Appetit even published a stunning Tomato Terrine in this month's issue. Surely the God's of 'Poor Man's Charcuterie' were smiling down on me. But, they weren't. Not really.

Yes, I had made a terrine. Yes, it worked because I didn't have to cook it. Yes, it met Mrs. Wheelbarrows plea for 'pre-sen-ta-tion.' Yes, I had justified in my head that this fit into the "Year of Meat" because of the use of gelatin. But, I hadn't read all of the rules--that it needed to be more about the binding, than the vessel. That Mrs. Wheelbarrow, herself, had published a terrine that was not cooked in the oven and, therefore, I could have too. I could have also made a cooked terrine using ramekins. I could have done just about everything else that I did and fell into the paramaters that were clearly set out before me.

Just as I was about to declare victory and felt great about what I created, I fell on my face.
At least a little.

I mean, what I made was probably one of the most visually stunning dishes I've made in my own kitchen. There were some errors, like losing too much juice to too much weight before it had time to set, making it a lot more delicate than needed.
But, the flavor equaled the visual and, for that, I do have to declare victory, even if it wasn't in the name of 'Charcutepalooza.'

From Bon Appetit:

2 carrots, chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 shallot, halved
1 garlic clove
10 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
10 black peppercorns
3 fresh bay leaves (or 1 dried)
6 pounds large firm ripe tomatoes (a mix of colors but of similar size), peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives plus more
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Special Equipment

You will need two 8x4 1/2" loaf pans.

Preparation

Bring first 8 ingredients and 3 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until stock yields 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large measuring cup. Strain stock, discarding solids. Cover; keep hot

Uncover terrine; invert onto a platter. Remove pan and plastic wrap. Slice terrine; transfer to plates. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with chives and sea salt.

Set a fine-mesh strainer over another measuring cup. Cut each peeled tomato into 4 wedges. Place wedges, cut side up, on a work surface. Cut away seeds and pulp from tomato and transfer to strainer. Place filleted tomatoes on a double layer of paper towels to drain; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Pat tomatoes with more paper towels. Let stand for 30 minutes.Press on seeds to yield 1/2 cup tomato juice. Sprinkle gelatin over juice; let stand for 10 minutes to soften. Add to hot stock; whisk vigorously to dissolve gelatin. Stir in 1/4 cup chives, vinegar, and kosher salt to taste.Spray 1 loaf pan with nonstick spray; line with plastic wrap, allowing for a 3" overhang on each side. Smooth plastic to remove wrinkles. Pour 1/2 cup stock into pan. Chill until set, about 40 minutes. Arrange 1 layer of tomatoes in pan, pressing down gently, then drizzle 2 tablespoons stock mixture over. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes and stock. Pour remaining stock over to fill pan. Cover terrine with plastic wrap. Place on a small rimmed baking sheet.

Place second loaf pan on top of terrine. Weigh down terrine by placing 2-3 small canned goods in top pan (some of liquid mixture in bottom pan may spill out). Chill terrine until set, about 6 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

I drizzled some basil oil over top of the terrine, as well as some sliced mozzarella from Vermont. A more visually stunning spin on the Caprese salad and perfect for an August get together with friends.

Goat Mole Enchiladas at Home

2011-08-09T10:31:00.001-04:00

I've cooked llama and kangaroo, but never something a little bit closer to home, like goat. I've had it quite often, especially when my ex and I were together, favoring a Caribbean restaurant back in Albany that made a killer curry goat. But, in the seven years I've been here, I've only had it's milk and cheese. An early dash to the Farmers Market at Deering Oaks changed all of that when I had the chance to pick up some locally raised meat.
And, to give in to a hankering for some richer Mexican food (thanks a lot Zapoteca), I thought I would make a mole, a dish I've made a few times before at the old incarnation of my job but never at home. The dish took a while to prepare but the results were well worth it. The goat had a mildness to the meat, similar to veal and took on a lot of the flavors from the mole quite nicely.

For the Mole, I used the Mole Negro recipe that was featured in Saveur this past January. They paired it with a roasted pork loin and I decided to braise some local goat meat

that was shredded from the bones and set overnight in the mole to absorb the flavors. The braise was simple: mirepoix, stock, salt, pepper and goat meat. I didn't cook them directly together because I worried about the mole thickening up too much.

FOR THE MOLE:
1 large tomatillo, stemmed, rinsed, and quartered
1 small tomato, cored and halved
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 cup corn oil
6 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
1⁄2 ripe plantain or banana, cut into 1⁄2" cubes
1⁄4 cup peanuts, plus more crushed for garnish
1⁄4 cup sesame seeds
1⁄4 cup raisins
2 1⁄2 cups chicken broth
2 oz. Mexican chocolate, chopped
1 1⁄2 tsp. oregano
1⁄2 tsp. ground canela or cinnamon
1 slice white sandwich bread, toasted and crumbled
Kosher salt, to taste
Grated piloncillo or brown sugar, to taste
6 sprigs cilantro, for garnish

2. Make the mole: Heat oven to broil and position a rack 10" from the heating element. Toss tomatillos, tomatoes, and onions with 2 tbsp. oil in a bowl and transfer to an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet; broil, turning once with tongs, until soft and well browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer charred vegetables to a large bowl; set aside. Heat oven to 400˚. Transfer chiles to the aluminum foil–lined baking sheet and toast, turning once, until dark and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer toasted chiles to large bowl and cover with 3 cups boiling water; set aside to let soften for 15 minutes. Drain chiles, reserving 1⁄2 cup soaking liquid; set aside.

3. Heat 3⁄4 cup oil in a 3-qt. high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add plantains (or bananas) and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 2 minutes. Add peanuts and sesame seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 3 minutes. Add the raisins, the tomatillo mixture, and the chiles with the reserved soaking liquid, along with the chicken broth, chocolate, oregano, canela, and bread; bring the mixture to a boil and remove from heat. Working in batches, purée the chile mixture in a blender to make a smooth mole.

4. Heat remaining oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mole and cook, whisking frequently, until it thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and piloncillo; set mole aside and keep warm.

After the mole and goat got to know each other overnight, I quickly fried up 6 corn tortillas in oil, laid down some rice and a good heap of the mole into the center and folded tightly before putting them in an oven proof dish. When I was done rolling all six, I topped with shredded cheddar cheese and cotija and baked in the oven for about 25 minutes.

The Fat Man Still Rocks

2011-08-09T00:08:00.003-04:00

"We're like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice."
--Jerry Garcia (8/1/1942-8/9/1995)

Summer-O-Rama: Lobster Rolls and PSA's

2011-08-08T05:55:00.004-04:00

I am both spoiled and ignorant when it comes to lobster rolls. The two--yes just two, a number that makes me feel as insecure as Charlie, of Wonka fame, did when his teacher asked how many Wonka bars he opened during Math class--rolls that I had skewed my expectations. One was from Taste of the Nation, and chef Mitchell Kaldrovich from The Sea Glass Inn and Rebecca Charles at an 'East Meets West' event at Arrows. They were fancy and complex (one was technically an eclair), something that the humble lobster roll isn't.

It's a simple formula, hardly varying from:

Cold lobster meat + Toasted New England style roll + Mayo + Lettuce = Lobster Roll

It is also something that never quite drew me in. Because, let's be honest, it's a seafood salad and those have always been my least favorite of the salads. At least in theory. I have myself convinced that I don't enjoy them until I have one. Then, I do. Thoroughly. My visit, in this last of the latest summer based topics for the 'O-Rama' series, to the much acclaimed Lobster Shack at Two Lights was no different.

If you do go, and eventually you will, take note if you dine outside. While they truly have the most stunning dining view in the immediate Portland area, they also have bastard seagulls. If you dine outside, I advise you to guard your food like a fat kid guarding the last piece of cake.

The seagulls are ruthless, as we once witnessed one snatching a lobster roll right off a kids tray as he exited the building. If you're lucky, as we were a few weeks back, try to score a seat inside and enjoy nature when you're done enjoying your meal.

And order the lobster roll. Their version is classic and unpretentious--classing it up a bit with a pickle slice. It took me a few bites to push past my inner monologue before I began to realize how much I was enjoying it.

The lobster was cooked perfectly, with nary a touch of rubber in the texture. The mayo went nice--my dollop was not overwhelming. The slightly toasted roll and shredded iceberg lettuce added a nice crunch through all of the fat and richness. It isn't high end and it doesn't try to be. It was just honest and very satisfying.

If I could give one bit of criticism to the whole experience, it would be how painfully sweet their coleslaw was. I realize that I wasn't paying $14.95 for the coleslaw but it came with the 'boat' and tasted like someone had substituted straight apple cider for the vinegar. Beyond that, I can say nothing of the Lobster Shack that hasn't been said before in a zillion other reviews. It's a great place for townies and tourists alike.

But, there's a post script to this. Something neither the Missus or I expected when we finished our meal and took a walk down to the cove, just off the parking lot. As we passed the concrete barrier, we heard someone yell, "Look, a seal!"

Sweet, right?
Some nice nature shots to show some of Maine's beautiful marine life that isn't served on a plate.
Right?

But, everything felt off and you could tell immediately that something was wrong as the seal listlessly floated closer and closer to the shore. Then it kind of started to roll over on its side and started going belly up.
Not really what you want to see standing on a beach full of children, you know?
Then, thankfully, it started to move though you could tell it was distressed. So, action was taken to move the seal out of the water and onto the beach to prevent it from being repeatedly slammed on the rock it was slightly resting on. It was then that we realized that the seal had a broken flipper and what would go on for the next 2 hours was a series of well intentioned actions, mixed with potentially disastrous results.

The things that I learned:

No matter how cute it is: DON'T TOUCH THE F'ING SEAL! It's not a cat or a chipmunk and it carries plenty of potent bacteria in its mouth. Also, you can apparently get something called "Seal Finger" which is funny to say, but very painful.
Don't take him out of the water, especially if its a pup because the mother could be looking for him. You don't want to be the reason they're separated and you don't want a pissed off, bacteria filled seal mother coming after you for messing with her child.
You won't get reception if you're a Sprint customer in the cove or anywhere near the Lobster Shack. This means that you cannot call the Marine Rescue (207-288-5644 ) to find out what to do.
Don't bother calling the Cape Elizabeth police, they will just tell you they'll 'Pass it on.' I'm sure they had many, many more pressing crime issues to handle... in Cape Elizabeth.
Ignore the woman on the beach who suggests you wrap the pup in a towel because it's shivering. Also ignore her when she tells you not to continuously pour water on the seal. It's shivering because of stress and the woman doesn't have a clue as to what she's talking about.
When in doubt, and everyone is unreachable, the closest person for information is the ranger at Two Lights. The ranger that was on shift was the only person anyone on the beach could contact to find out what to do. If not for her being there, our well intentioned altruistic attempts at helping the seal could have done further damage. The pup could have been distressed further by the bothersome humans and, naturally reacting to the stressers, could have taken a nice, nasty bite out of someone.

**you can find more lobster roll reviews here, here, here, here and here.

Maine Wins At This Years ACS Awards

2011-08-05T22:19:00.004-04:00

Just a few hours ago, the American Cheese Society convened in Montreal and handed out awards to some of the best cheese makers in the US and Canada. Because of the wonders of interwebs, I was able to find the list of winners within hours of being announced. This is how I spend my Friday nights. One thing of note was that this was the first ACS award won by Spring Day Creamery in Durham, ME. I had the pleasure of visiting the farm for Open Creamery Day back in 2009 and spent a lot of time talking with Sarah, her family, and tasting many of the cheeses she had on hand. The cheese that won for her, I would easily compare to Bleu D'Auvergne. It's also exceptional that she came in 2nd to this years 'Best in Show' eventual winner, Rogue Creamery's Rogue River Blue--which is easily the best blue cheese being made in the US. I hope the Maine contingency, whether they won today or not, is out enjoying and celebrating in the streets of Montreal.

DC: Open Category made from cow’s milk

1st Eagle Mountain Farmhouse Cheese Co., TX
Birdville Reserve

2nd Monforte Dairy, ON
Abondance

3rd Hahn’s End, ME
Petit Poulet

FK: Blue-veined made from cow’s milk with a rind or external coating

1st Rogue Creamery, OR
Rogue River Blue

2nd Spring Day Creamery, ME
Spring Day Blues

3rd Glengarry Fine Cheese div of Glengarry Cheesemaking Inc., ON
Celtic Blue

QE: Yogurts, Plain – made from sheep’s milk with NO additional ingredients

1st Best Baa Dairy, ON
Sheepmilk Yogourt

2nd La Moutonniere, QC
Royogourt

3rd Appleton Creamery, ME
Yogurt

3rd Valley Shepherd Creamery, NJ
Ewegurt

U. AGED GOAT’S MILK CHEESES
Taupinière, Rinded Log and Pyramid Types, etc.

UG: Open Category

1st LaClare Farms Specialties LLC, WI
Evalon

2nd Chèvrerie du Buckland, QC
Tomme du Maréchal

3rd Appleton Creamery, ME
Chevre Wrapped in Brandied Grape Leaf

Cupcake Capacity--The Final Crumb

2011-08-01T06:00:00.001-04:00

6 Bloggers
7 Bakeries
10 Cupcake varieties
4 Bottles of Rum
3 Plates of roasted vegetables
2 Gift cupcakes*
1 Adorable pup named Cashew
And a baggie of homegrown.... mint. No, seriously it was mint. There were Mojitos to be had.

There we were, on a Friday night in July, gathered at the lovely home of Vrylena. Last time Kate, Dawn and myself huddled in my kitchen, power eating a dozen sweets in an hour. When our group expanded, and outgrew my kitchen, Vrylena stepped in and offered to host us. Jillian, of From Away, and Rebecca, of Maine Foodie Finds, rounded out our cupcake 'Gang of Six.'

After Mojitos were made

and real food was consumed, we moseyed into the kitchen for an hour and a half long sugar bender.

One competitor was scratched off our list early on due to heat/transportation issues and a complete icing meltdown.

Y-Lime Gourmet, a new bakery in Portland supplying some of the local cafes and restaurants with her desserts, fell victim to the heat and humidity and should be mentioned because the owner, Emily Roper, even offered to deliver replacement cupcakes in case we ran into the problem that we eventually did. But we didn't get to start the tasting until after 9pm and it would have just been horribly rude to phone her up for a new batch. So, we decided it was best, because the icings texture and fillings were obviously affected, to not review her cupcakes because they weren't a true representation. She, however, wins our Customer Service award for even making the offer.

The bakeries that were represented were:
Scratch Baking Co.: Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Pistachio Frosting
Sugar Hill Baking: Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Sprinkles
Bam Bam Bakery: A trio: I tried the Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
Aurora Provisions: Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream
East End Cupcakes: Lime Cake with Coconut Buttercream and Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
European Bakery: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Rather than do a bite by bite comparison, like I did in the last one, I'm going to make it easy on you (and myself) by simply running down my top 3.

1) East End Cupcakes: Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream.
Visually, it was beautiful--the chocolate buttercream had this great shimmer to it that really made it stand out from the others. The flavor of the frosting was almost that of a chocolate milk, not too rich or too deep. It also had the most moist crumb of any of the cupcakes in this round. It looked simple, it's vanilla/chocolate pairing was simple, but it definitely had a more sophisticated taste than the others. It is what I imagine Martha Stewarts cupcakes taste like.

2.(tie) Scratch Baking Co. with Vanilla Cake and Chocolate Pistachio Frosting/ Sugar Hill Baking Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Sprinkles.
Both participants from SoPo represented. Scratch, the winner from the first tasting, was a little underwhelming this round. But, it's Scratch, so even if it's not mind blowing it's still an outrageously good cupcake. The white cake was nice and moist, though a bit dense, but it was the frosting that elevated them for me. The addition of the pistachios, which never lost their crunch in the frosting, added a textural dimension that the others did not have. One that you don't really expect from a cupcake, either. It was a very, very pleasant surprise.

Sugar Hill Baking was someone I had tried really hard to coordinate with to include in this tasting. However, it didn't look like the stars would align this time until I stumbled upon her table at the South Portland Farmers Market. I almost walked away, opting for cookies instead of cupcakes, when common sense came back to me and I returned to her booth to pick up a few of her offered variety. I was very glad that I did. While some of the other tasters were on the fence (not enough dark chocolate bitterness for them), I loved the flavor, though I thought it needed just a little bit of something (more sugar?) in the cake. The thin glaze of chocolate was just thick enough. And, c'mon, sprinkles on cupcakes are damn near irresistible.

3. European Bakery: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
The big surprise for me was this one. At first I just wasn't sure, though. The cream cheese bite seemed to be missing in the frosting and the walnuts just seemed to have dissolved into the cake, leaving no nutty crunch. But, then I went back for a second bite later on and felt that it was just a nicely balanced cupcake. It's not 'dress up' fancy, but was probably one of the few that we tasted that came off as the most homemade tasting.

It was as messy on Vrylenas counter as it was in our minds by the time we were finished. Unlike the first tasting, this time we agreed to come to our own conclusions instead of a group consensus. Which isn't surprising because some were burned out by the end and didn't even want to utter the word 'buttercream' one more time that evening. So, what did the others think? Who was their favorite? Truthfully, I haven't a clue and can't wait to read the other reflections on the evening.

Between the two tastings Kate, Dawn, and I consumed 24 cupcakes from 13 bakeries. I think that is more than enough cupcakes for me for a while (though I will probably do a single review of Y-Lime in the near future to be fair) and I believe this will probably be the last grand gathering to chat over a counter full of cupcakes. While the food media has seemingly turned its back on cupcakes and declared them 'over,' this experiment has definitely shown me (or, perhaps, just reminded) that the cupcake is a classic and too deeply imbedded in our food memory hard wiring to be at the mercy of trends. And we are in the company of some damn skilled bakers who are eager to prove just that.

My Overall Top 5:

Scratch Baking Co.'s Black Forest Mega Cake: The one I wanted MORE of.
Scratch Baking Co.'s Banana Cream Pie: The one I wanted to recreate.
East End Cupcakes: The one I want to share with my love.
Sugar Hill Bakery: The one I want to have on a bad day.
European Bakery: The one that reminds me of most of my childhood.

*A. from Portland Food Map donated his gift from East End to us in hopes of sparking another tasting. The FTC requires all freebies to be disclosed. East End didn't cost us a dime. There's my full disclosure.

Bistro

2011-07-28T23:47:00.004-04:00

Imgur is my new best friend for when I can't focus on writing.
I also was sick of looking at the phallic squash.
I thought this would strike the perfect balance.
Now I must go back to procrastinating.

2011-07-20T14:54:00.003-04:00

I bought this at the Farmers Market this morning from one of the stands near Longfellow Books. It was purely for comical reasons and completely blew away the 'Crazy Carrots' I traded some stuff for at Freedom Farms tent.

I did, however, have to purchase other squashes to hide the phallic find in my bag when I brought it to the woman at the register. I blush easily and would have been redder than a boiled Lobster.

The Farmer, The Baker and The Pointy Knife Maker

2011-07-15T13:31:00.011-04:00

I have a confession--I never learned to read. No, wait..that's not it. I never learned to sharpen knives. For my culinary background--both in school and the real world--I never learned to sharpen a knife properly. I would also put my knife skill level at mediocre, at best. You see, when I was in school, there was a little medical incident during the one class they designated to knife skills and sharpening. Right at the beginning, before we were handed our onions and carrots to learn our cuts, a classmate had a seizure and the entire class was cancelled so that she could be attended to. Sure, I think in subsequent classes they should have brought back the topic or allowed us to sit in during another skills class but this was a tiny Community College and not the C.I.A.

While my skills have developed through cooking at home and watching the hands of other chef's, I still do not know how to sharpen a knife properly--despite the Missus purchasing me a gorgeous Shun whetstone this past year (for which she 'won' Valentine's Day). So, for the better part of 8 years, I've been working with slightly sharp knives and mostly relying on a V-sharpener to keep the knives just above dull. Yes, I know of the Freeport Knife Company but, honestly, I couldn't be away from my knives for more than a day (they would be one of the few things I saved if my apartment were to ever catch on fire), let alone ship them to the west coast as recommended by Shun.

Then, a few months ago, the Press Herald posted an article about a new sharpener in town: Wicked Sharp. Seeing the article reminded me that I needed my knives sharpened and I even contacted him but, again, it required my knives to not be at my disposal for more than a day. Yes, I could have dropped them off in batches but I don't get over to the Willard Square area often enough to drop them off at Bathras Market, an agent for Wicked Sharp, or have a schedule in line with their hours. So, I resigned myself to the notion of having slightly sharp knives for ever. That was, until I noticed Wicked Sharp had posted on their Facebook page that they would be joining the new Farmer's Market in South Portland and would be sharpening knives while you shopped. I was already heading over to Thomas Knight Park to pick up my online order from the Cape Farms' Market and this made it so I didn't have to deal with my separation issues. Brilliant.

With it being the inaugural day of the newly formed market, there was a wee bit of pomp and circumstance for it.

And the Mayor was dressed as a Watermelon. Yes. A Watermelon. I had no envy for her in that outfit.

But, I didn't really have time to stand around and wait for that. So, like the obnoxious ass that I can be, I went around their ribbon and scooted to find his booth, which wasn't very hard in the modest sized market. I handed over my knife roll, was told to come back in 20 minutes and did a little shopping while he worked.

And it turned out to not only be a brilliant idea, but also extremely inexpensive--four knives and a pair of scissors only cost $20.50. Also, right across from his booth was Sugar Hill Baking, one of many bakers in the area without a store front. She had been someone I had wanted to get for our second round of cupcake tasting and it was complete serendipity that she was there. Not only did I snag a few for the tasting (you'll see more on that in a week or so) but she had the most gorgeous almond shortbread cookies on display

as well as Whoopie Pies, three different varieties of pies and mini-chocolate truffle cakes to name a few items. The cookies were on par with the pastries I've gotten from Scratch Baking Co. and I will just say that, even if you don't need your knives sharpened or need to pick up from the Cape Farms' Market, you should visit the new Farmers Market to track down some of her treats. But, she's not the only baker there either and is joined by Blackbird Bakery and Allergeena, a gluten-free focused baker. There was another bakery to the side of Sugar Hill but, once the ribbon was cut and the flood gates of people opened up to the market, it quickly became hard to get close to any of the booths.

By then, my knives were ready and we picked them up on our way out of the park. While it's a quaint and smaller market, the new SoPo market definitely has some interesting differentiators from the well established Portland Markets(like later hours--3pm to 7pm) to make it well worth the trip over the bridge on a Thursday afternoon.

Summer-O-Rama: Strawberries

2011-07-10T23:59:00.000-04:00

Apples and Bananas were always the fruits du jour in my house growing up. Oranges came juiced, in plastic jugs or concentrated in cardboard tubes. Fruit salad was a cocktail and, like cranberries, came in cans with ring tab pulls. Strawberries were served with whipped cream between two layers of sponge cake, a favorite birthday choice for my mother and sister. Later, I enjoyed them chocolate dipped or on ice and blended into a daiquiri. Yet, I didn't want them on my cheesecake or in my ice cream. I'd pass on the jams, jellies and preserves as I was raised a strict Welch's Grape Jelly girl. But, like so many other foods, living in Maine has changed my opinion of the strawberry.

In the land known for blueberries, for me, it is the strawberry that has come to represent summer in Maine. I think this is due to the fact that their appearance at the Farmers Markets signals the true beginning of the local produce season. The single hue of greens is finally broken by the brilliant pop of red berries at nearly every stall.

It's also a food whose local season I abide by. While I tip my hat to the California and Florida producers who provide berries to our supermarkets throughout the year, I have not had one that compares. Sure, a quart of locally grown berries will set you back an extra dollar or so, but the quality and flavor remains more than worth it. Where I use to shrug off the strawberry, I now find myself a bit of a snob.

So, when it came time to celebrate the strawberry for the latest round of 'O-Rama,' I wanted to do it justice. I wanted to show the berry a bit of love.

The idea for the jam came first and was originally intended to be paired with a torchon of foie gras.

Strawberry Balsamic Jam
8 cups washed and hulled strawberries (about 1 1/2 lbs), halved if large
5 cups sugar
½ tsp unsalted butter
5 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Pour strawberries into a large, deep, heavy pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the strawberries are boiling, add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. The sugar tends to burn on the bottom, so keep it moving until it is thoroughly dissolved. Bring to a boil and then add the butter. (The addition of butter keeps the foam volume down.) Turn the heat down to medium-low and boil the jam gently for 40 minutes, until thickened to a loose, soft jam. Stir in the balsamic vinegar.

Bring 6 half-pint jars and their bands to a boil in a large pot of water fitted with a rack. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove the jars with tongs. Simmer new lids in a small pan of hot water, to soften the rubberized flange. When the jars are dry, but still hot, use a slotted spoon to fill the jars with strawberries, leaving 1/2 to 3/4 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, set on the lids and screw on the bands fingertip tight. You can water bath the syrup the same way you do the jam.

Place the jars on the rack in the pot and cover by at least 3 inches of water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium and gently boil the jars for 10 minutes. (If you use pint jars, process for 15 minutes.) Remove the cover and then, after about 5 minutes, remove the jars. Allow them to rest on a dish towel for 6 hours. Check the seals and store in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

However, various issues came up and I switched over to something just as rich but where the ingredients were already on hand: Panna Cotta.

Spring Panna Cotta

Nonstick spray, for greasing ramekins

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup superfine sugar

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

4 strips lemon peel* I used orange

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin

1/2 lemon, juiced*again, I used orange
1 1/2 cups creme fraiche, room temperature

Directions

1 Grease 4 (1-cup) size ramekins with nonstick spray to evenly coat the insides.

2. Begin by adding milk, cream and sugar to a pot and set over medium heat. Add vanilla bean and seeds and 4 strips of lemon peel (try not to get any of the white pith). Bring to a simmer. Once the mixture begins to bubble, turn off the heat.

3. While the mixture is heating, combine the gelatin and lemon juice, whisking as you go to avoid lumps. Temper the gelatin with about 1/2 cup of the heated milk/cream mixture and whisk back into the remaining mixture. Strain cream mixture using a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and discard the vanilla pod and lemon peel. Add the creme fraiche and gently whisk to combine the mixture. Distribute evenly among the ramekins and place in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours or until they are set.

It was the classic pairing of strawberries and cream: rich, tart and sweet. It was indulgent until the very last bit was gone.

While the jam was a bit syrupy, it would have been wonderful with the foie. Too thin to spread with peanut butter, I could easily see it being used instead of syrup with french toast or even to sauce a rare cooked seared duck breast. The yield, just over three pints, and canning method provides us with a stash of Maine strawberries to enjoy long after the last one has disappeared from the markets. Which, sadly, will be right around the corner.

Edible Obsession: OTTO's Pizza

2011-07-06T00:30:00.006-04:00

When I moved to Maine, my pizza consumption dropped significantly. There just wasn't, in my opinion, good pie to be had (which is to say, strictly in Portland). I wanted charred, thin crust pizza with just a touch of homemade sauce and quality cheese. What I found was overly doughy, covered in painfully salty sauce and plasticky cheese. Pizza Villa was my only salvation at the time (and no, I had, and still have, not gone to Flatbread for any other reason than an irrational bias against that style of pizza).

Then, even though it is the antithesis of what I've sought in a pizza, I fell in love with the sweet and pillowy 'Slab' from Micucci's. Truthfully, just based on the quality of ingredients(Luna bread as a base!) and the uniqueness of the sauce, how can one not find themselves just a wee bit smitten with it? And, while all was well and good and I was content with loving a chubbier slice, there was still a void.

Then the Missus introduced me to Otto's.

I was a bit slow to come around to them, honestly. The first pie she brought home, just after they opened, didn't really wow me. I think we had Fontina and mushroom but I can't really recall. It just wasn't that memorable. While the Missus has been back to Otto's many times since then, I hadn't really had the desire and was quite content with swinging by Miccuci's when the pizza jones hit. Then, without reason, I asked her to bring home a pie from Otto's last week when I was home from work and unable to cook because of an injury. The Missus chose her, and everyone else it seems, favorite: Mashed Potato, Scallion and Bacon pie.

Before I tried Otto's, I had made my own attempt at the pie at home. Looking back now, I realize mine was more akin to the Pizza Skins from Pizzeria Uno's. Again, I was facing a pizza that didn't quite embody what I was looking for in a slice--there wasn't even a drop of sauce on it, for Christ's sake--but when I bit into the first slice, I smiled.

It was creamy with the rough mashed potatoes subbing for the sauce as the base, which was laid down on a wonderfully thin, crunchy and charred crust. The thin crisps of bacon added a nice saltiness while the scallions brought in a bit of pepperiness. I sat and ate four slices from the large pie, which is double my normal bored pizza consumption.

A week later, while babysitting a friends son, we picked up two small pies for dinner. We did grab one of their plain cheese and brought along another mashed pizza as our little friend said he was, "In the mood to try something different." He's 4. We thought he would love the pizza because what sane person (outside of my ex-wife) doesn't like mashed potatoes? We were wrong. Little man spent the entire meal digging on the plain cheese.

"Who made this pizza," he asked between mouthfuls.
"Otto's. Do you like it?"
"MMM-HMMM."

Can't say that I disagreed with him at all. The cheese slice was just as righteous as I thought it would be. Their sauce, neither too sweet nor too salty, was more acidic than anything. The cheese wasn't dense or plasticky and, again, the crust was perfectly charred and crunchy. It was a cheese slice that reminded me of so many I had eaten while visiting New York City before I moved up here.

I have finally, whether it's a traditional or unconventionally topped pie, found what I was looking for in Portland pizza.

Is It Normal?

2011-07-04T13:28:00.000-04:00

To have a two and a half foot tall fennel?

It's grown so large that the Missus and I are currently looking for Ewok figures to relive the Battle of Endor in it. Please email me (edibleobsessions at gmail dot com) if you have said figures.

Also, could this ever come to life and eat Sophie?

Seriously, though... When the fuck should we harvest this thing?

Bibimbap

2011-06-30T12:47:00.010-04:00

This meal began a few weeks ago the Missus and I took a kimchi making course with the very awesome, very knowledgeable Ms. Kate at Urban Farm Fermentory.

Selfishly, I signed up because I wanted to make sure I attended one of Kate's workshops before she shipped out from Portland in the fall (which may not be happening after all). I also signed up because of rather disappointing trio of kimchi we had at Little Seoul a few weeks before. The Missus does love her kimchi and I thought it would be nice to be able to start making some at home for her. Well, at the last minute she was able to join me, so now she can make her own.

The class was fantastically fun and informative. While I've always been jealous of Kate's canning and preserving ability, I was in awe of how much information she knew on the topic of fermentation and preserving. I wanted to kick myself for waiting so long to take one of her classes and would encourage anyone to sign up for one of the many workshops she's doing through the UMaine Cooperative Extension.

At the end of the class, we each took home our own quart of self tailored kimchi.

But it would be a couple of weeks--one week getting funky and fermenting on the counter and one week in the refrigerator--before we would get to dive fork first into our creations. Truthfully, I didn't know what we'd do with them. I'm not an overly huge fan of the dish (some that I've tried have been down right rank and overly funky) so there was some pondering over what would would now do with the two quarts that sat on our shelves.

But, drawing on our recent visit to Little Seoul, the Missus suggested making Bibimbap. Surprisingly, this was a dish that her Lithuanian mother made often when the Missus was growing up. My experience with the dish has only been the forkfuls of crunchy rice I've stolen away from her bowl when she's ordered it out. Recently, there was also an article in Saveur magazine that was passed along to me by Lauren. Something in the universe (the Missus, very bluntly) was telling me that this dish needed to be made.

And there are two routes to go, it seems: the simple and the hard. The simple would basically be soy sauce seasoned ground beef over rice and topped off with a fried egg and commercially made kimchi or pickles, while the hard would get you as close to authentic as you can get, either making your own pickled salad or procuring them at a local Asian market. I planted myself somewhere down the middle.

There were definitely a lot of steps and ingredients to this dish with the recipe I chose from Rasa Malaysia website. But, there was already kimchi fermenting and I had, just a few days before, started a cucumber and garlic scape kimchi loosely based on a dish from David Chang's Momofuku cookbook.

The rice, the centerpiece, took the longest time and most attention. Having actually never cooked sushi rice before, I relied on Just Hungry for a very in depth lesson:

To make 4 cups of cooked rice, you will need:

A heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid, or an electric rice cooker
2 cups of uncooked japonica rice or 'sushi rice' (or substitute Vialone)
2 1/4 cups of water (If using a rice cooker, add water up to the specified level marked in the inner bowl)

Measure out the rice carefully into your pot and rinse vigorously under running water. Swish the rice around with your hands - the water will turn a milky white color.

Drain the cloudy water away and add fresh water, and swish the rice around again. Repeat this step 2 - 3 times.

Drain, leaving just a little water, and rub the grains together several times with the palms of your hands gently as if you were polishing them.

Add plenty of fresh water and rinse out the rice. Drain and rinse until the water is almost clear.

Drain the rice in a fine mesh sieve and leave for a little while, preferably at least 30 minutes.

Put rice in a rice cooker or pot. Add the water to the rice. At this point you should let the rice soak for a while. The length of time depends on the quality and freshness of the rice. The older the rice, the longer it needs to soak. Soaking for at least 30 minutes to an hour is generally recommended, but don't soak for more than 8 hours or so or the rice will get a bit watery and lose any flavor. And if the weather is too hot, it might even start to ferment! (Some rice how-tos emphasize the importance of soaking, but I think the washing and rinsing is the most critical part of making proper rice, which is why it's described in so much detail here.) Brown rice however does need to be soaked before cooking.

If you are using a rice cooker, just switch on (or if you need the rice later, set the timer; you can calculate in the soaking time here.) If you are using a pot, bring to a boil over medium heat then put on a tight fitting lid. Cook on high for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 4-5 minutes until you can see the surface of the rice, then reduce to low heat for about 10 minutes or until the water is completely absorbed. (Don't open the lid to peek!) Turn up to high heat for a few seconds to get rid of any excess moisture if necessary.

If you are using a pot, remove it from the heat and drape a cloth over the pan for about 10-15 minutes to let it fully absorb the moisture and rest. This final step really makes a difference if you want grains that stick together but are not mushy or watery. A good rice cooker includes this resting time in the cooking cycle, and also allows for condensation to evaporate, so you don't need the cloth draping step.

From the Rasa website, I took two recipes--of the five they have listed--and their instructions on assembly:

Seasoned Spinach Salad
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 pound (500 g) spinach, rinsed carefully
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for 1 minute.
2. Strain the spinach into a colander and rinse with cold water. Take one handful of spinach at a time, and squeeze the water from the spinach. Lay the spinach on a cutting board and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
3. Transfer the spinach to a bowl and add the sesame seeds, sesame oil, and salt. Mix well.

Seasoned Beef

2 oz rib eye cut into strips (or ground beef)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar

1. In a small bowl, mix together the beef, soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a small skillet and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Set aside.

Because the crunchy bits of rice are extremely important (and just really f'ing good), make sure you have the pot (I used a cast iron skillet) until the oil smokes and keep the rice in the pan for at least 10 minutes.

To Assemble

1. Have the seasoned salads and beef prepared in individual bowls.
2. Place a cast iron skillet or pot on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil.
Heat the oil for 1 minute. Add the rice and spread it around the bottom of the pot to form an even layer. Cook the rice for several minutes or until the rice begins to brown on the bottom. You will hear the rice sizzle.

3. Carefully arrange each of the seasoned salads on top of the rice grouping each one like the spoke of a wheel. Place the beef in the center. Continue heating for 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the casserole to a heatproof pad. Set one fried egg in the center on top of the beef.
5. To serve: fold together the egg, vegetables, rice and 2 tablespoons of the Tangy Red Pepper Sauce. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to distribute that crunchy crust throughout the dish.

6. Serve in individual bowls with a drizzle of sesame oil and extra Tangy Red Pepper Dressing.

*You can make one fried egg per person to mix into individual servings.

My Pig is Dead

2011-06-23T01:10:00.001-04:00

There isn't a tremendous amount to be said when you receive an invitation for a "Pork Smoke and Vegan Nightmare" from a friend. He's a butcher, his wife is a vegetarian with a sense of humor. They're a lovely couple. My one question to him was: Will there be vegans there? Thankfully the answer was "No." Though I think any that attended would have earned a great deal of respect from the 25+ people on hand.

Which was good because it did live up to the threat. In all, there was 40+lbs of smoked pork, brisket, venison sausage and ubercheesey macaroni and cheese. There were butter rich pies, deviled eggs, desserts from The Italian Bakery and a homemade raspberry and rhubarb crumble.

There were rumors of veggie burgers and soy dogs but I don't think any of the trio of vegetarians in attendance were brave enough to ask that they be cooked on the smoker, which was surrounded in a glorious pool of pork fat that our hosts dog kept trying to sneak off to drink from. There was a vinegar based coleslaw, chips and crudite for them to sustain themselves on. And several cases of beer. There was also Wanda Jackson on the radio.

It was a damn fine day.

Summer-O-Rama: Ice Cream/Gelato

2011-06-13T00:01:00.004-04:00

By the calendar, it's not summer quite yet. Even by the weather, which has at some points been depressing and manic, it's still spring. But, that hasn't really stopped us from getting ourselves into a summer state of mind. With burger reviews done, Mr. A has a whole summer worth of assignments lined up for us and, from group consensus, Ice Cream and Gelato was our first task to be tackled.

It never really bodes well when you have to review something that has been recently voted a 'Best Of.." as Beals Ice Cream was in the 2010 and 2011 Phoenix 'Best Of..' readers poll.

There's hype and expectations to live up to. Things that I've found hardly ever get fulfilled when theory becomes actual. I kind of punked out by picking it. My first option, enviably scooped up by the Werewolf, was Gorgeous Gelato--which the Missus and I recently visited for the first time and fell head over heels in love with. So, I went with the first one that came to mind and kicked myself later because I could have used this as motivation to visit a new (to us) stand.

That's not to say, however, that I dislike Beals. It's shop in the Old Port is a justifiable madhouse on a hot summer day, townies and tourists alike cramming in the small shop hoping for refuge and relief (which you will get ONLY if you have cash, so plan accordingly). But, it's the drive up stand, on Veranda St., that I enjoy the most. It reminds me of the soft serve stands I frequented back in New York. So, when the forecasters were predicting 85+ degree weather we decided that it was a perfect time forgo cooking, head across Baxter Boulevard and have some ice cream for dinner.

And Beals definitely wins the award for options, either in flavor, topping or method of delivery(cone, cup, shake, sundae, etc...). It's actually a bit overwhelming. I've impulse ordered the few times we've been there. Having had panicked when I've gotten up to that window, blurting out a flavor choice in which the ingredients were a bit sketchy to me, I obsessed a little over it. This time I made sure that my selection was picked several hours before I even left work.

While friends rave about the Indian Pudding, Grasshopper or Maple Walnut varieties, I thought the true measure of their quality would be how well they do a simple vanilla. I mean, any ice cream maker can throw a ton of candy into their base to hide any flaws, right? So, I would judge based on how well their basic vanilla was, while the Missus did opt for one of their many mix-in flavors, grabbing a single scoop sugar cone of their Toffee Heath Bar Crunch.

After we got our order and headed back to sit in the car, I asked her what she thought about it.
"It's good," she said in a way that was really was saying, "It's ice cream, how bad can it be?" She seemed a bit ambivalent about the flavor and wasn't swoony over it. And, when I finally got to dig into mine--a hot fudge sundae with vanilla ice cream-- I kind of had the same inner shrug.

Yes, it was a good sized, fudge laden sundae but nothing about it was really interesting. Every single component of it tasted like the store bought sundae fixings my mother always had on hand in our house (Stewart's/Friendly's/Breyers Ice Cream, Hershey hot fudge sauce and Reddi-Whip ). I could have also picked all of these items up at Hannaford for around the same price as that single sundae ($5).

While I thought I would have this insane childhood food memory when I dove into the paper bowl, as it's been quite some time since I've had a proper hot fudge sundae, I was left painfully disappointed. It evoked nothing. I was suffering from ice cream ambivalence.

Maybe it's because, these days, I like my vanilla to have a little more bean to it, the fudge sauce a little more depth. Overall, I just want the sundae to have a little more flavor or what's the point of leaving the house?

As I got halfway through, I just mixed the whole thing together into ice cream soup. This was the only thing that harkened back to my childhood days (where I probably had an ice cream sundae every night for 10 years straight growing up. Not only is my mother a hamburger addict, but she also--to this day--keeps at least 5 half-gallons of ice cream in her freezer at any given time). But, it wasn't done for sentimental reasons, it was done as an easier way to just get through the dish.

While I thought my plan to order simple was fool proof, it turned out not to be. 'Maybe I needed to give myself over to one of their dozens of mixed-up flavors for a better assessment of their ice cream?' I wondered, knowing that it wasn't true. It was another case of feeling that maybe I just didn't see what others loved so much about a place. But, let's be honest, their simple vanilla was...too simple. The next time a pang for Vietnamese hits and I find myself strolling over to their shop next to Veranda Noodle bar I think I'll stick with my old stand by: Mint Chocolate Chip.

Drawn Recipes

2011-06-07T12:52:00.003-04:00

Saveur Magazine asked several daily comix artists to put recipes into pictures for them and this is the first of a summer long series:

Food Culture Subway Map

2011-05-25T08:06:00.004-04:00

From the Hartman Group comes a handy dandy new way to keep your food personalities straight.

Petable Obsession: Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland

2011-05-16T13:30:00.004-04:00

This is Mr. Jose Jones. Lover of dehydrated smoked chicken livers, maple syrup and french chevre. He came to live with us in the summer of 2005 after I harassed the Missus into getting another cat, a companion for Sophie.

It was a complete ploy to use her because it was really about me having another cat. Sophie was a good sport, though. She taught him to play tag until he refused to stop playing tag every waking moment...and, well, she put an end to his chasing pretty quickly. Now he chases sunlight and dust in our kitchen.

Admittedly, Jose isn't the brightest of cats, but he sure is pretty. Yup..he's our pretty, pretty boy who we wouldn't have if not for the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland in Westbrook, where he was adopted. He is, over the course of their 100 years in operation, just one of tens of thousands of kittens they've taken in with hopes of finding them a permanent home.

Like many shelters and refuge leagues, the ARLGP relies on the generosity of our community for financial and product donations, as well as the time of volunteers, to be able to feed, house, treat and care for the endless stream of animals that pass through their doors. They're an invaluable resource in our community and could always use more help as the need to care for these animals never disappears. This Sunday, May 22nd, they're hosting their Spring Fling Open House and Fundraiser.

Part of this fundraiser is a bake sale to help raise money for the shelter. I'm going to be whipping up a batch of sugary goodness and am asking my fellow bloggers (many of whom are pet owners) and readers to join me in donating a baked good to the sale.

If you're interested in participating, this is the info that I received from Lynne of the ARL:

You could drop the items off Saturday afternoon at the shelter, or Sunday morning after 9 but before 10:30. If you could list ingredients that would help with people who have allergy concerns.

They're also having a plant sale, to raise money to care for their older residents whose medical expenses are a little greater. If you've got a green thumb and want to help out:

If you're unable to make something, they're also, specifically, looking for items on their kitten wishlist (their Kitty Care-A-Van):

KMR - Kitten Milk Replacer - Canned or Powdered
Science Diet Dry Feline Growth Formula Food
Gerber Baby Food: Chicken, Lamb or Beef
(or any brand that does not contain onion powder)
Snuggle Safe Microwaveable Heating Disks
Soft Baby Blankets/Fleece for the Kittens
Cat Playpen/Kitty Condo (item # 9B7063)
from www.drsfostersmith.com
Kitten-Safe Toys to Send with Foster Families
Scratching Posts and Scratching Boards
Paper Cat Litter

All donations can be brought directly to the shelter, which is located at:

449 Stroudwater Street
Westbrook, Maine

But, whether you can help this time around or not, you should still stop by this Sunday and see the amazing work they're doing at the shelter. And, you never know, you might just find yourself bringing home one of their adorable residents. Rumor has it, they just accepted 50 puppies from Alabama and will have more than a dozen ready for adoption by Sunday.

Up in Smoke--Just the Photos

2011-05-15T09:34:00.008-04:00

There was to be a long post and grand celebration of the Missus buying a grill. Four of the past seven days have produced meals grilled outside. Just this week I've grilled more times than I've had the chance to in the past 10 years.

I'm in love with cooking outside, being able to use the fruit wood chips that I purchased for Charcutepalooza's smoking adventure(even though I've basically ditched the May project for a few reasons) and learning a completely different skill set for this cooking medium. I'm smitten and smokey.

And I can thank the "Barbeque Whisperer" for the recipe for these 6 hour smoked ribs.

Burger-O-Rama pt4: Dream Burger

2011-05-08T23:58:00.008-04:00

I dream about food quite a bit. One recent dream had me in an Old Port establishment while the chef came out of the kitchen and was berated by a customer over the quality of the meatloaf (Don't read Yelp before bed is the lesson to take from this). I have also dreamed about sitting with the Missus and enjoying a seemingly endless plate of Foie Bon Bons at Bresca (This was a few days before we were going to celebrate New Years there). There was also the dream I had of cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen in an Italian country home (Damn you Lidia Bastianich for invading my dreams!). But, I cannot recall ever dreaming about a hamburger. Ever.

So, When A. told us our last round of O-Rama would keep us at home, crafting our 'Dream Burger,' I realized I didn't have one. I don't have one as burgers just aren't something I spend a lot of time thinking about. Though, I agree with Kate and her assessment that these rounds of O-Rama have gotten some of us(me) thinking about burgers more than ever.

But, while we were left to the endless bounds of our imaginations, I seemed lost in mine. I couldn't come up with anything that I would define as a "Dream" or even "Perfect" burger. Honestly, if it's not overcooked and the meat is of somewhat passable quality(ie, better than the Golden Arches), I'm going to find it pretty enjoyable. So, when I finally gave in to the fact that I couldn't construct a burger in my minds eye, I deferred to the Missus and asked her to call this round.

She surprised me with her response. I thought it would be a decadent burger with fancy cheese, truffle oil and possibly foie and it was so ridiculously far from it that it was... well, it was ridiculous. Her response to me was:

I liked the one you made that was stuffed with Mozzarella. That was a good one.

That was a complete off the cuff one, kids. I think I made it 2 or 3 years ago. I have the nagging feeling in the back of my brain that Rachel Ray was somehow behind it, though I think I used the Mozzarella because it was the only cheese on hand. I hardly remember it but, apparently, it stuck with the Missus and a small part of me couldn't help but feel flattered by the fact that she remembered it.

I, of course, did have to put my spin on it and I decided to, rather than cheaping out and buying a bag of rolls, that I would make some homemade Brioche buns for the burgers. I made two batches and they weren't exactly what I had hoped they would be. I'm mostly convinced that their failure had more to do with loose instructions given in the recipe than anything else. And the Missus also complained that they were too rich because they lacked the airiness that most brioche rolls have. She was right, they were far too dense and would have been better used to sop up a french onion soup or beef stew. So, I went with the old reliable source: King Arthur Flour and used their "Beautiful Burger Buns."

3/4 to 1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons butter
1 large egg
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast

Topping

3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough.
Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk.
Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball; flatten to about 3" across. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy.
Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter.
Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust.
Cool the buns on a rack.

The buns had more thought than the ingredients that went into the burger:

85% lean ground chuck
Bosario seasoned salt
Ciliengine Mozzarella

Her choice of toppings were simple:

Caramelized onions (for me)
Backyard Farms tomato (for her)
Something Green
Pickles (the other something green)
Ketchup
Mayonnaise

The method was simple:

Form 4 4oz patties
Top two with some shredded Mozz
Combine it with another 4oz patty and form them together into one giant uberburger.
Add a bit of seasoning to the top
Cook in a searing hot pan on top of the stove.

Butter and toast buns in a separate pan.

The burgers were cooked to a medium temperature--perhaps a bit overdone for me but the juiciness and grease saved the burger from ever having a dry texture. They were served with pickles on the side and a helping of TJ's Tater Tots.
The Missus took her first bite and, before even wiping away the juice that was collecting on her chin, she turned and said:

This is really, really good honey.

And that's all that mattered to me. Dream burger or not, I made the Missus happy.

Want to read about some other dream burgers, visit the O-Rama gang and their reviews here, here, here and here.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

2011-05-04T23:15:00.010-04:00

My oldest sibling once told me that I was a bad Irishwoman. He had, around the age of 20, given me my first sip of Guinness and I hated it.
Tremendously.
And, despite my better efforts over the past 14 years to find a beer that's somewhat tolerable to me, that experience still stands as one of the most awful tasting beverages I've come across (smoked beers, I believe, take that prize).

I have found, though, that I can tolerate even the beeriest of beers when they are cooked, whether it be a tempura batter or the braising liquid for sauerkraut. Last month, sitting around the table during Easter Brunch, the Missus' wonderful cousin, Miss D., introduced me to my favorite form of Guinness to date: the cupcake.

She kept calling them 'Irish Car Bomb' cupcakes, though they seem to be an alcoholic ingredient short of their potent namesake. But, I honestly didn't know what was exactly in an Irish Car Bomb drink until I looked it up, so we'll go with her name. It's also just more fun to say.

Out of the 12 variations of pork, 4 salads, 5 cheeses and 5 desserts that we grazed on that afternoon, this was the only bit of food that made the 2 hour trek home with us. And it didn't last long once it was here.

The cake base itself has a gorgeous, dense crumb to it and lacks any bitter bite from the Guinness. Paired with the wonderfully boozy frosting(the variation I made this week was extremely boozy according to the Missus), I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed it. In fact, I'd say I was a bit blissed out from the cakes(or drunk on frosting, which is entirely possible considering my embarrassing tolerance).

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes Recipe
Makes: 24 cupcakes
By Dave Lieberman

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness stout
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream **I used Creme Fraiche
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for garnish
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the frosting:

1 pt of heavy cream
1/2C sugar
1 (4oz) pkg instant French vanilla pudding **Used 16oz of Mascarpone instead, see notes below
1/4-1/2C of Bailey's Irish Cream **Used Jameson's Whiskey instead

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In large mixing bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet Guinness mixture.
Butter 24 muffin tins and divide the batter among the muffin tins.
Bake 25 minutes, until risen and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out of the tins.

Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat heavy cream until it starts to thicken.
Slowly add sugar.
(Add instant pudding).**Here I veered off, whipping the Mascarpone in a separate bowl.
Slowly add Bailey's to taste.**I added the Jameson's to the whipped cream that was made in the 1st step.
**Gentley fold whipped cream into Mascarpone.**
Frost cake or cupcakes and enjoy

Pickled Ramps

2011-05-01T07:48:00.011-04:00

If you've just let out a dramatic exhale at seeing the word 'ramps,' then this is not the post for you. May I point you here, here or here.

If you've just squealed with delight and are running down to Whole Foods now in your pajamas, without paying any mind to the fact that you still have eye crusties and morning breath--well, then... you're gross. But seriously, after you've showered and made yourself fit for human contact THEN get yourself to Whole Foods, Rosemont or Royal River(where I image they also are right now) and snatch up a handful of them. Or not. Whether your pro or anti-ramp seems to be a very personal statement these days.

Why? Well, somehow ramps, over the past few years, have become the lightening rod of foods that symbolize everything that the anti-foodie hates about the foodie. Backlash, whether real or perceived, against the fervor the wild leek causes has already started and will go on for another few weeks. At the same time, menus will be inundated with ramps(and soon, fiddleheads--the ramps younger, bastard foodie loved brother) in every form from compound butters to cocktails. Then, around mid-May, they'll quietly disappear. The foodies and chefs who were so quick to clamor for their bunches will hardly blink an eye. Until next April when the circus starts anew.

For me, I see the yearly ramp season as something to be celebrated--though not something to lose your shit over. It symbolizes the true start of spring and their appearance at the markets, to me, are much more welcomed than micro lettuces and sprouts. I quietly buy my bunch--this year it was about a half pound--cook them up and move on. This year, though, I did decide to enjoy them a wee bit longer and went for a pickled version.

Ingredients

1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon red peppercorns
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 pounds ramps, cleaned and trimmed
Kosher salt for blanching
1 tablespoon salt for the pickling liquid
Procedures

Trim the ends off of the ramps and cut down the leaves leaving about 1/4 inch of green, saving the green ends for another purpose. Wash the ramps under cool, running water.

Blanch the ramps quickly (30 seconds) by dropping them in a large pot of salted, boiling water, and then shock them in ice water. Drain the ramps well and place them in a mason jar.

Combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf, mustard seeds, coriander, pink and white peppercorns, and fennel seeds.

Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the ramps in the mason jar and let cool, sealing tight and transferring to the refrigerator.

In the refrigerator these pickled ramps will last a few weeks to a couple of months. If you follow traditional, safe canning techniques, these will last for a few months, or until you eat them all, which ever comes first.