Everybody Loves Cheese

New Blog: Rhubarb and Honey

2010-03-07T14:40:00.000-06:00

Thanks for visiting Everybody Loves Cheese.

After two years of maintaining two separate food blogs, I've decided to combine them into one new blog hosted on its own domain: Rhubarb and Honey.

Please update any links, feeds, and/or bookmarks to Everybody Loves Cheese you may have.

I hope to see you all at Rhubarb and Honey!

That's A Nice-A Pizza!

2010-03-01T21:26:00.003-06:00

Last Saturday was "cheat day" for Chuck and I — a day when we get to throw caution to the wind and indulge in foods we normally wouldn't on our new healthy eating plan. So ... what did we do, you ask with bated breath?

We stuck to our healthy eating routine. Yep, while my family chowed down on salad and pizza from Imo's, I whipped up a healthy, hearty Mexican pizza for Chuck and I:

"It Can't Get Much Easier Than This" Pizza

1 Fabulous Flats multi-grain, stone-baked pizza crust [We purchased ours from Whole Foods.]
1/2 cup refried black beans
2 chicken chorizo links [We purchased this from the meat counter at Whole Foods.]
1/4 cup chopped jalapenos
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Saute the chicken chorizo links in a small saute pan until cooked through.
3. Top the pizza crust with the black beans, chicken chorizo, jalapenos, salsa, and cheese.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.

Told ya ... can't get much easier than that. The pizza was very tasty and very filling; we cut it into four large pieces, and one was plenty ... it left me full and satisfied. And each piece has only 9 Weight Watchers points, which left me room for an evening snack.

Hmm ... I thought it was supposed to be a lot harder to change one's behaviour?

The Week of Eating In Day 5

2010-02-26T21:01:00.010-06:00

Well, I said it was going to be a busy day, and that wasn't a lie.

Between work, getting everything together for a going away party for my temp Rachel this afternoon, and babysitting my 14-month-old nephew, it's a wonder I've eaten at all today.

But, even with all the nuttiness, I still managed to make all my meals at home ... I guess this really is a week of miracles.

Breakfast: A banana, which, okay, I technically didn't "make," but I thought enough to grab it from home and take it with me so I had something in my stomach.

Lunch: Mixed greens with 1/4 cup tabbouleh (leftover from last night's dinner), a shredded chicken breast, and 2 tablespoons of last night's tzatiki-style dressing (see yesterday's post). Yum, yeah, we're totally going to make this again. It was quick and very, very tasty. Oh, and the fact that I'm eating leftovers, that is another miracle. See, I told you it was the week for it.

Dinner: Kale chips. I had just enough time to throw some kale on a cookie sheet, top it with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and throw it in the oven before chasing my nephew around the house ... again. Tonight's spicy chicken and black bean pizza, which had been on the menu, will just have to wait until tomorrow.

So, not the best food day I've ever had, but not the worst by far.

I pledged to continue "The Week of Eating In" through Sunday, but I'm not sure that's going to happen ... and it's really okay if it doesn't. Sometimes life just gets in the way, and this week has taught me that doing the best I can is just fine.

Chuck and I will again sit down on Sunday and plan out our meals for the week, and I have a strong suspicion that we'll stick to it. It's part of our weekly routine now ... and I like it just fine.

P.S. Rachel - If you're reading this, I just want to tell you again ... thank you for all the amazing work you've done for me over the last year ... I couldn't have done it without you!

The Week of Eating In Day 4

2010-02-25T19:44:00.020-06:00

So, I know what you're thinking, "She hasn't made all her daily meals at home once this week. Ain't no way she'll do it today." Well, my friends, let's see ...

Breakfast made at home? Check. Lunch made at home? Check. Dinner made at home? Check. Umm, I think this means I finally did it ... three homemade meals today ... it's a miracle!

Our breakfast this morning consisted of what I'm calling "HATTAMEM" breakfast sandwiches, ie, "Healthier And Tastier Than McDonald's Egg McMuffin" breakfast sandwiches. The "recipe" if you will ...

Toast two Rudi's Organic Bakery Whole Grain Wheat English muffins. Why Rudi's, specifically? Because they are big, tasty, and only 2 Weight Watchers points. Top each English muffin with a local egg (lightly fried in a mist of olive oil), 1 ounce of Cabot white cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 slices of local, organic, nitrate-free bacon. Why local? Because it's better for you and the environment, that's why. In a word, yum.

Each breakfast sandwich was 10 Weight Watchers points, which may seem to be a lot, but it was a hearty, filling breakfast ... and with a cup of Goshen Coffee Company's Bonafide blend to top it off, I was primed and ready to take on the day.

For lunch, I threw together some mixed greens, shredded chicken breast, dried cranberries, and organic "french-fried" onions, which I topped with a fat-free raspberry dressing from our cafeteria at work. I normally wouldn't choose fat-free, but it was the only dressing option without high-fructose corn syrup, which Chuck and I are also eliminating from our diet. Okay, there was blue cheese dressing, which I would have rather used, but the amount of fat in the tiny packet was outrageous ... and I just couldn't go there.

But, the best meal I had today was the dinner Chuck made tonight. We selected the recipe from the March/April 2010 issue of Eating Well Magazine on Monday when we were planning out our meals, and I had been looking forward to it ever since. I was really hoping it wouldn't disappoint ... and I am happy to say that it was amazing. Put your hands together for ...

Lamb Burgers Topped with Mâche Salad

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon lemon zest, preferably Meyer lemon, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice, preferably Meyer lemon
1 teaspoon honey, preferably orange-blossom honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste [Chuck also added a few dashes of Cavender's Greek Seasoning and Penzey's "Mural of Flavor" Seasoning to the ground lamb, which kicked up the flavor just a notch.]
1/4 cup unseasoned dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat [We didn't have any breadcrumbs, so we substituted wheat germ instead.]
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground lamb, preferably from the leg
4 sandwich buns, preferably whole-wheat [We substituted Rudi's Organic Bakery Whole Grain Wheat English muffins.]
4 cups mâche (lamb's lettuce) or coarsely chopped butterhead lettuce
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves [We left this out only because we forgot to buy it, but it wasn't missed.]

Directions:

1.Whisk oil, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Set aside.
2.Combine breadcrumbs, chives, garlic, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add lamb and gently knead until combined. Form into 4 patties.
3.Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the patties; cook until there is just a hint of pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
4.Meanwhile, warm or toast buns, if desired. Add mâche (or lettuce) and mint to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Place the lamb burgers on the buns and top with salad greens (a generous 3/4 cup each).

We also whipped up a quick tzatziki-style dressing for the burgers:

1 5.3 oz carton Stonyfield Farm "Oikos" organic Greek yogurt, plain
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Chopped garlic, shallot, lemon, parsley, cayenne pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Top burgers with 2 tablespoons dressing.

Umm. Yeah. These burgers ROCKED! Next to Chuck's "Ultimate Bacon Burger" at Persimmon Woods, this was the second best burger I've ever had! The flavor of the burger combined with the dressing was out of this world; seriously, I can't believe how amazing they were!

The recipe makes four burgers so we've already decided to make the other two on Monday. And best of all, one burger with two tablespoons of dressing was only 8 Weight Watchers points.

Tomorrow is a busy day for me so I don't know whether I'll hit the "homemade breakfast, lunch, and dinner trifecta," but either way, we're really thinking about what we consume and eating healthier ... which is what it's all about.

The Week of Eating In Day 3

2010-02-24T22:14:00.005-06:00

Breakfast: Nada.

Lunch: Leftover roast chicken and "greens and grits" casserole.

Dinner: Local Harvest Cafe.

Score: 1 out of 3 ... 'cuz technically, I made the leftovers at home yesterday.

In the immortal words of Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense."

Sigh.

The Week of Eating In Day 2

2010-02-23T22:19:00.013-06:00

It's day two of my week of eating in, a week in which I've pledge to make all my meals at home. Yesterday, I made one of three meals at home. Today? Two of three ... that's progress, right?

In what can only be described as a miracle, I woke up early enough this morning to not only feed our two cats, but to also make and enjoy breakfast at home with Chuck (I'm a notorious breakfast skipper). And, while I don't have a recipe per se, it doesn't get much easier than breakfast tacos.

First, throw 4 strips of bacon in the oven at 350° for 20 minutes (we used JJR Family Farms, a local, nitrate-free, organic bacon purchased from Local Harvest Grocery ... it was really good ... thick, slightly smoky, a bit chewy, yum). While the bacon cooks, grab 2 eggs (again, local and purchased from LHG) and whatever else you want to throw in your taco ... we added chopped jalapenos, diced tomatoes, and about 3 oz. shredded white cheddar cheese. Scramble the eggs with your "add-ins," divide between two corn tortillas, top each with two strips of bacon, fold, and enjoy. Simple, full of flavor, and filling (and for anyone following the Weight Watchers plan, only 8.5 points).

Moving on to lunch. Ah, lunch.

I had good intentions ... and then ran out of time to make anything to bring to work. I guess all the excitement of actually getting up and cooking breakfast made me lose track of the clock. We won't even discuss what I had to scrounge from our cafeteria at work.

Dinner. Ah, dinner.

As I mentioned yesterday, Chuck and I had planned out all our dinners for the week so it was a no-brainer when it came time to make our meal. Since we are both following the Weight Watchers plan, we chose a recipe out of the March/April 2010 issue of Eating Well:

Grits & Greens Casserole

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided [We used chicken broth.]
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 cups chopped collard greens or kale, stems removed (about 1 large bunch or 1 1/2 to 2 pounds) [We used a bag of chopped, frozen, organic spinach as local greens weren't available.]
2 cups water, plus more as needed
1 cup grits (not instant)
3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided [We used Cabot's extra-sharp cheddar, one of my faves.]
1/4 cup prepared salsa [We used Frontera's roasted tomato salsa 'cuz we love Rick Bayless.]
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray. [I "misted" mine with olive oil.]
2. Place bacon in a large Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off the bacon fat.
3. Return the pot to medium-low heat; add oil, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and starting to brown in spots, 2 to 8 minutes (cooking time will be quicker if you started with bacon). Add 1 cup broth and salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Add collards (or kale); stir until wilted down to about one-third the volume and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 18 to 20 minutes [This only took about 5 minutes since we used frozen spinach]. Adjust heat during cooking to maintain a simmer, and add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the pan seems dry.
4. Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water and the remaining 1 cup broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in grits in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until thick, about 5 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup cheese, salsa and egg in a small bowl. Remove the grits from the heat and quickly stir in the cheese mixture until combined.
5. Working quickly, spread about half the grits in the prepared baking dish. Top with greens, spreading evenly. Spread the remaining grits over the greens. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the reserved bacon.
6. Bake the casserole until hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

I liked the casserole, but it was definitely missing salt so I suggest salting everything a bit as you go. I would also recommend adding some salsa on top before the cheese and bacon to kick it up just a notch. One final suggestion would be to add a bit of crushed red pepper to the greens to really round out the flavor.

The great thing about this recipe? It makes six hearty servings that are only 5 Weight Watchers points each. Pair it with oven-roasted chicken breasts, and you have a filling, satisfying dinner.

Oh yeah ... it also makes enough for leftovers so I have no excuse for not taking my lunch to work tomorrow.

The Week of Eating In Day 1

2010-02-22T22:29:00.016-06:00

So, remember when I pledged to make all my meals during the week of February 22nd to 28th at home? Well, that time has arrived ... and let's just say I wasn't exactly ready.

In a nutshell, breakfast was a bust and lunch wasn't much better ... not a good start to my week of eating in. However, I think I somewhat redeemed myself with dinner ... and I am happy to report that I have the rest of the meals for this week planned out. Which has never happened in our house. Ever.

So, what did we have for dinner? One of Chuck's all time favorites ... matzo ball soup!

We typically prepare our matzo ball soup from scratch, and the recipe changes every time. But, when time is tight, we resort to the matzo ball soup standard ... a box of "Matzo Ball & Soup Mix" from Manischewitz. What can I say, they know their matzo balls!

We typically add something to the mix (pun intended) ... and tonight it was carrots, onion, and some leftover Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf from last night's dinner.

Since this doesn't call for a tried and true recipe, I'll just wing it:

Kitchen Sink Matzo Ball Soup

Ingredients:

1 box Manischewitz Matzo Ball & Soup Mix
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
4 carrots
1 small onion
1 cup Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf, prepared
Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Braise carrots and onion in medium stockpot with a splash of olive oil.
2. Add chicken broth and water, plus seasoning packet from soup mix and Kashi pilaf, and bring to a boil.
3. While waiting for the broth to boil, prepare matzo balls as directed on the soup mix package. [You just stir eggs and oil into the matzo ball mix, place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then shape into small balls; really, it's quite simple.]
4. Once water is boiling, add prepared matzo balls and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Season with pepper and serve.

That's it.

You can also add cooked, shredded chicken for a hearty soup, and one skinless, boneless breast will do the trick. But my favorite way to eat matzo ball soup ... the "mish mosh" way. I first had "mish mosh" (ie, matzo ball soup with egg noodles and kasha) at Pumpernickles 4 or 5 years ago, and I've loved it ever since.

Matzo ball soup is hearty and heartwarming ... and it just makes you feel good. I guess that's why they call it Jewish penicillin. And no, one need not be Jewish—or sick—to benefit from it!

All Hail The Kale

2010-02-21T21:20:00.020-06:00

I've been hearing a lot about the goodness that is the kale chip for a while, but I've never tried to make them. Until now.

Chuck brought home a bunch of kale this evening, and I just found my new favorite snack. Quick, delicious, and nutritious to boot! The recipe is simple; with only three ingredients, how can it not be?

Crispy Kale Chips

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale
Olive oil
Salt

Directions:

1. Wash and dry kale thoroughly. [Using a salad spinner helps this go pretty quickly.]
2. Remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite-sized pieces.
3. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. [I "misted" mine with olive oil using my Misto ® Olive Oil Sprayer; I love this thing as I don't use Pam or other aerosol cooking sprays.]
4. Place kale on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
5. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven 10 to 15 minutes (until the edges are brown, but not burnt).

That's it. Crispy, crunchy goodness.

Kale is available year-round, though it is most flavorful and abundant during the winter months. It is best to select small, deep-colored kale bunches with clean leaves. Avoid kale with dry leaves as well as that with dry, browned, yellowed or coarse stems. Best when kept at 32°F, kale should be stored wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator crisper. Kale can only be kept for a few days.

Nutritionally speaking, kale is a rockstar. It is loaded with calcium, potassium, indoles (cancer-fighting substances), beta-carotenes, and other antioxidants.

If you're not a fan of greens or are just afraid to try them, give this recipe a go ... I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Fat School (or What Have I Done?)

2010-02-19T13:54:00.012-06:00

Most of my religious readers know that I am getting married this year. What they may not know is that I am getting married on the beach in Mexico, which means that I have to look good in not only a wedding dress on my wedding day, but also in a swimsuit for the rest of the trip.

What's the big deal, you ask? Umm ... it's Mexico. And it's a beach. And my body is not quite ready for either of those things.

(No, this is not a picture of my fiancée and I.)
I wasn't exactly the thinnest girl in the world when I met my fiancée, but he's a chef, and well, as you can imagine, we've cooked many great meals together and now my butt is paying the price. Literally. So, this week I took the plunge and went to Fat School, my loving term of endearment for Weight Watchers.

I went to Weight Watchers about ten years ago and quickly shed 40 pounds in about 3 1/2 months. Sounds easy, huh? Well, it was ... because I mostly ate Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, and Weight Watchers own frozen meals. Pre-portioned, just the right amount of fat and calories, handy-dandy frozen meals (that even have Weight Watchers "points," which are the way you keep track of what you are eating, listed right on the box). So, what's the big deal, you ask again? Umm ... because I now refer to the aforementioned frozen meals as "processed boxes of shit" (again, a loving term of endearment).

I used to eat fat-free cheese (eww), skim milk (water, anyone?), and those boxes of frozen food that contain more chemicals and preservatives than actual food. I don't eat that "food" anymore. I eat real food now. I eat full-fat cheese handmade by local farmers, I drink raw milk (gasp!), and I make real meals with local beef, pork, chicken, and whatever local veggies one can get. Call me a "locavore," but it's really just about knowing where my food comes from and how it was handled and eating things as they were meant to be eaten.

You see my dilemma, right? This ain't going to be easy.

Don't get me wrong. I think the Weight Watchers program is wonderful. It makes you accountable for what you put in your body, as you have to look at how much fat, fiber, and calories you're consuming whenever you choose something to eat, and it makes you think twice about just chowing down on something. They also teach you that you must eat your fruits and veggies and that a little fat in your diet is a good thing. All of these are great things so you're successful for the long term.

However, it's really easy to load up your grocery cart with pre-packaged, easy to count "points," processed food, and be on your merry way. In addition, many of their recipes call for fat-free cheese, skim milk, and the like. That's just not going to work for me. I'm going to have to plan ahead and spend time retooling the recipes to account for the use of full-fat cheese, raw milk, and well, real food.

It ain't going to be easy, but it's going to be worth it. Wish me luck!

P.S. I cannot take credit for the term "Fat School;" it was coined by a former boss of mine who used it in reference to her trips to Weight Watchers, and I think it's funny. If you're offended by my use of the term "Fat School," well, too bad because it is not meant to offend anyone. If you don't like the term, stop reading this blog or grow thicker skin.

P.P.S. No, I'm not going to tell you what I weigh. I am nowhere near as brave as my friends Kyle and Nicole, who are blogging about their weight-loss journey—and who bravely posted their starting weights—at Ninja Fingers. I will tell you how much I am losing each week and I will also share my recipes with you.

P.P.P.S. I don't really know if anyone reads this blog religiously, but if you do, shoot me a comment and let me know!

[Update 02/20/2010] I failed to mention this when I first posted this yesterday, but while looking good in my wedding dress will feel wonderful, being healthier will feel even better ... and ultimately, this is what this is all about!

Top Chef Masters: Wylie is Back!

2010-02-16T21:19:00.004-06:00

Set your DVRs, folks ... Top Chef Masters is back!

The second season premieres April 7th at 11 pm EST (before moving to its regular slot at 10 pm EST on April 14th). Who's in this year? Los Angeles chef Govind Armstrong and New York's David Burke are among the 22 chefs set to compete. The lineup also includes six chefs returning from season 1: Graham Elliot Bowles, Wylie Dufresne, Ludo Lefebvre, Rick Moonen, Mark Peel, and Jonathan Waxman.

Along with returning Top Chef Masters judges Gael Greene, James Oseland, and Jay Rayner, Top Chef's Gail Simmons will serve as a regular judge, and Kelly Choi will return as host. I've also heard that season 2 guest stars and judges will include actors Mekhi Phifer and Hank Azaria, The Simpson's (and Life in Hell) creator Matt Groening, and Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmerman.

Here is the complete list of Top Chef Masters season 2's competing chefs:

Jody Adams – Rialto Restaurant, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Govind Armstrong – 8 oz Burger Bar, Los Angeles, California
Graham Elliot Bowles – Graham Elliot Restaurant, Chicago, Illinois
Jimmy Bradley – The Red Cat, New York, NY
David Burke – David Burke Townhouse, New York, NY
Wylie Dufresne – wd~50, New York, NY
Susan Feniger – Street, Los Angeles, California
Debbie Gold – The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Missouri
Carmen Gonzalez – Chef Consultant, New York, NY
Maria Hines – Tilth, Seattle, Washington
Susur Lee – Madeline’s, Toronto, Canada
Ludo Lefebvre – Ludo Bites, Los Angeles, California
Tony Mantuano – Spiaggia, Chicago, Illinois
Rick Moonen – RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada
Mark Peel – Campanile, Los Angeles, California
Monica Pope – t’afla, Houston, Texas
Thierry Rautureau – Rover’s, Seattle, Washington
Marcus Samuelsson – The Red Rooster, New York, NY
Ana Sortun – Oleana, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Rick Tramonto – TRU, Chicago, Illinois
Jerry Traunfeld – Poppy, Seattle, Washington
Jonathan Waxman – Barbuto, New York, NY

I gotta say ... I'll again be rooting for Wylie Dufresne; he's just one cool dude. Maybe this season will be his!

The Week Of Eating In

2010-02-11T22:23:00.003-06:00

I recently signed up for HuffPost Green and HuffPost Eyes&Ears' "The Week Of Eating In," a "week-long experiment in cooking your own food" inspired by Cathy Erway, author of The Art of Eating In.

From February 22nd to 28th, I have pledged to make all meals during this week at home. According to HuffPost, "anyone from eco-warriors to average Joes, from to accomplished gourmands to first-time novices, are invited to participate." I think I fall somewhere in the middle of both those spectrums.

In addition, they say that, "Not only do we think this will save you money and get you eating healthier food, we think this will be a fun consciousness-raising activity in better understanding where your food comes from. If you know what you are eating, that's the first step in making good food decisions for you AND the planet." I couldn't agree more.

During "The Week of Eating In," HuffPost will be providing "awesome commentary" and "how-to's on everything from how to not waste food to great winter recipes" on their website. I'll be blogging all about it right here at Everybody Loves Cheese.

You too can sign up and take the pledge. If you do, drop me some comments and let me know how it goes ... and stay tuned to Everybody Loves Cheese to read all about my week of eating in.

Comfort Me With Pot Roast

2010-02-04T21:06:00.007-06:00

"What I love about cooking is that after a hard day, there is something comforting about the fact that if you melt butter and add flour and then hot stock, it will get thick! It's a sure thing! It's a sure thing in a world where nothing is sure; it has a mathematical certainty in a world where those of us who long for some kind of certainty are forced to settle for crossword puzzles." — Nora Ephron

As I write this, I'm looking out the window watching the sleet come down, which I hear will soon be turning to snow. I have two thoughts. One: I hate snow. Two: Comfort food.

There's not much I can do about the first one; the snow is coming whether I want it to or not. But when it comes to the second, well, the comfort food world is my oyster. I don't have a favorite comfort food ... chicken and dumplings, shepherds' pie, pork and green chili stew, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese ... seriously, who can choose?

Today I'm offering up a recipe for another favorite comfort food: the almighty pot roast. This is actually my brother's favorite pot roast recipe, which he probably wouldn't have stumbled upon had he not been watching Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network (believe me, he wasn't watching to see what she was cooking, if you know what I mean).

But, regardless of how he came by the recipe, I'm glad he did. It's beefy, it's tasty, it's comforting.

Stracoto with Porcini Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1 3/4 cups canned beef broth
1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 large sprig fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy 6-quart roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the beef to a bowl.

3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to the pan, add the onions and saute until tender, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the wine and boil 1 minute. Stir in the broth and mushrooms.

4. Return the beef to the pan. Bring the liquids to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise until the beef is fork-tender, turning the beef over halfway through cooking, about 3 hours. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent the beef with foil and let stand 15 minutes.

5. Spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Transfer the pan juices and vegetables to a blender and puree until smooth. Combine the sauce and rosemary sprig in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

6. Cut the beef across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced beef on a platter and garnish with rosemary. Spoon the sauce over and serve.

Obviously, it's not the fastest recipe in the world, but to me, comfort food shouldn't be ... the act of cooking is just as comforting too.

"Go forth, make pot roast, and comfort those around you." — Me

Aww, Nuts ... and Popcorn!

2010-01-28T20:52:00.013-06:00

Almost everyone seems to love popcorn ... I know I do. It has become a mainstay at movie theaters, sporting events, amusement parks, and nearly everywhere else people gather.

Although Americans are now avid consumers of popcorn, and its agricultural history is long, its commercial history is comparatively short. Popcorn was not mentioned in early farm papers and seed trade catalogs until around 1880, but once the American public discovered it, popcorn's popularity quickly grew.

Scholars agree that corn, and popcorn, originated in the Americas. Precisely how it originated, however, is a topic of debate. It is believed by many experts that corn was developed by centuries of breeding and crossbreeding wild grasses like teosinte. There has also been much speculation about how popcorn may have been prepared or used by the native Americans, fueled by findings of popcorn in archeological digs. According to The Popcorn Board:

The oldest known corn pollen is scarcely distinguishable from modern corn pollen, judging by an 80,000-year-old fossil found 200 feet below Mexico City.

The oldest ears of popcorn ever found were discovered in the Bat Cave of west central New Mexico in 1948 and 1950. Ranging from smaller than a penny to about 2 inches, the oldest Bat Cave ears are about 5,600 years old.

In tombs on the east coast of Peru, researchers have found grains of popcorn perhaps 1,000 years old. These grains have been so well-preserved that they will still pop.

In southwestern Utah, a 1,000-year-old popped kernel of popcorn was found in a dry cave inhabited by predecessors of the Pueblo Indians.

European explorers throughout the Americas were introduced to, and intrigued by, popcorn. Around the year 1612, early French explorers through the Great Lakes region noted that the Iroquois popped popcorn with heated sand in a pottery vessel and used it to make popcorn soup, among other things. Writing of Peruvian Indians, Bernabé Cobo, a missionary in Peru between 1609 and 1629, remarked that they toasted "a certain kind of corn until it bursts. They call it pisancalla, and they use it as a confection."

The new settlers embraced popcorn. Colonial families sometimes ate popcorn with sugar and cream for breakfast. Some colonists popped corn using poppers consisting of a cylinder of thin sheet-iron that revolved on an axle in front of the fireplace like a squirrel cage. Popcorn was still very much a small, homegrown crop.

Popcorn really caught on during the 1890's and was very popular even through the Great Depression. Street vendors, pushing steam or gas-powered poppers, used to follow wherever a crowd might be. They were a common sight at fairs, parks, and expositions, and restaurants also began to sell the fluffy snack. During the Depression, popcorn at 5 or 10 cents a bag was one of the few luxuries struggling families could afford. While other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived.

During World War II, sugar was sent overseas for US troops, which left little excess for making candy. Thanks to this unusual situation, Americans ate three times as much popcorn as usual. Popcorn sales dropped during the late 1940s, however, when television became popular. Attendance at movie theaters declined and, with it, popcorn consumption. The Popcorn Institute (a trade association of popcorn processors) began a campaign to convince consumers that popcorn was as good to eat while at home watching television as it was at the movies. A successful popcorn advertising partnership with Coca-Cola and Morton Salt, along with advertisements of individual popcorn companies', made the early 1950's the largest home-consumption growth period for the popcorn industry.

In the 1980s, the popcorn industry saw another growth spurt with microwave popcorn. Today, Americans consume 17.3 billion quarts of popped popcorn each year, and the average American eats about 68 quarts. (Popcorn history courtesy of the National Agricultural Library.)

It's safe to say I eat at least 68 quarts of popcorn each year, but none of it comes from the microwave. Call me old-fashioned—or just leery of the vast number of ingredients in microwave popcorn ... shouldn't it just be popcorn and oil?—but I like to pop my corn the old fashioned way, on the stove.

And that's just what I did when I made the "Maple Pecan Popcorn" recipe from the September 2003 issue of the now defunct Gourmet magazine.

I made this recipe for our annual "Friends Thanksgiving" last November, and it was a total hit. Don't let the use of a candy thermometer (essential for this recipe) scare you ... it's well worth it for the tasty treat you get!

Maple Pecan Popcorn

Ingredients:

About 8 cups plain popcorn
1 cup pecans (3 1/2 oz), coarsely chopped and toasted
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Toss popcorn and pecans in a large bowl.
2. Line bottom of a 17 x 11 four-sided sheet pan with foil, then lightly oil foil.
3. Melt butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add maple syrup and salt and boil (still over medium heat), without stirring, until a candy or deep-fat thermometer registers 300°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Pour syrup over pecans and popcorn, stirring briskly with a lightly oiled spoon or silicone spatula to coat, then immediately spread popcorn in pan in 1 layer.
5. Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces.

This recipe makes about 10 cups of popcorn and takes about an hour from start to finish (including the cooling time). It also keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

I used local popcorn from Bellews Creek Farm (available at Local Harvest Grocery), and after a little digging on the good 'ole Internet, I learned that 1 tablespoon of unpopped popcorn kernels will give you slightly over 1 cup of popped popcorn (hence I used 8 tablespoons of unpopped popcorn for this recipe).

As I said, this recipe was a huge hit so I urge you to make some for yourself. I think I'll go make some popcorn now ... mmm.

Going Crazy at Five Bistro

2010-01-26T16:16:00.004-06:00

Hey, remember the last installment of my blog series, "Kimberly's St. Louis Restaurant Round Up?" Yeah, me neither.

Well kids, hold on to your seatbelts, because "Kimberly's St. Louis Restaurant Round Up" is back! The first installment for 2010 takes us to the cozy, contemporary American restaurant Five Bistro on The Hill.

With a strong emphasis on sourcing the freshest organic and natural ingredients from local farms, my first experience with Five Bistro was at its former location in the Grove. I am happy to say, I loved it then, and I still love it now.

My latest visit to Five Bistro was for the "Crazy Grapes" wine dinner they were hosting with Sip of Knowledge, a "St. Louis-based source for all wine-related consulting and educational needs ... provided without pretension." (Disclaimer: My friend Kyle owns Sip of Knowledge, but that had no influence on my comments about the wine dinner ... but if you need any wine-related consulting or just want to be schooled in the world of wine, give Kyle a call; he's great!)

Normally, I wouldn't include special menus in "Kimberly's St. Louis Restaurant Round Up" as you can't order any of these dishes on a regualr basis, but this one just deserved to be talked about. So, without further ado ...

Our 1st course was crostini with roasted portobello mushroom, garlic, coppa, & parmigiano-reggiano, which was paired with a NV Gruet Blanc de Noir from New Mexico.

I was immediately suprised by the portion size, which was generous for a 5 course dinner, and it continued to be so throughout the night. As for the food, I loved it and didn't leave a morsel behind. The earthy mushrooms, the salty ham, and the grainy bite of the cheese worked well together ... and it also paired well with the effervescence of the wine. Note: As a lover of bubbles, you'll probably never heard me talk bad abouot champagne, prosecco, or any sparkling wine, but I truly loved this one. Second note: Kyle previously introduced me to another wine from this vintner, Gruet Rose, which features hints of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry ... it is also very good.

Our 2nd course included seared New Bedford scallops with a grapefruit risotto, local Baetje Farm goat cheese, and prosciutto, which was paired with a 2007 Vatistas Asproudi/Assyrtiko from Lakonia, Greece.

Okay ... I was a bit scared by the thought of grapefruit risotto, and at first, it was too bitter for my taste. However, I noticed a light sauce on the plate and when mixed with the risotto, it gave it just the right flavor. I still can't put my finger on what it was, but I enjoyed the rest of the risotto just fine. As for the scallops, they were prepared perfectly and melted in my mouth ... just the way I like them. I also liked this wine pairing as well; the Vatistas Asproudi/Assyrtiko is a crisp, straightforward white wine that balanced the grapefruit nicely.

Our 3rd course was braised Prairie Grass Farm lamb with couscous, golden raisins, and mirepoix, which was paired with a 2007 Crios Bonarda/Syrah from Mendoza, Argentina.

One word ... omg. Okay, technically that's three words, but you get my drift. I am a huge fan of Prairie Grass Farm's lamb, and Chef Anthony knew exactly what to do with it. Throw in another of my favorites—golden raisins—and we have a winner. We also had a winner with the wine pairing; the Crios Bonarda/Syrah is a medium-bodied red that tastes of spicy dark fruits, which stood up well against the braised lamb. This was also my first experience with the Bonarda grape

Our 4th course was housemade, hickory-smoked bacon braised with local napa cabbage and baby carrots, which was paired with a 2007 Lurton "Barco Negro" from Douro, Portugal.

Two words ... omg, omg. I was a bit taken aback by the size of the piece of bacon we were served (I told you the portion sizes were generous), but once the bacon hit my mouth and melted away, I knew I would have no trouble finishing it all. The cabbage and carrots hightened the experience, and I *think* this was my favorite dish of the night. Again, Kyle did well with the wine pairing. The Lurton "Barco Negro" is made up of three grapes—Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Touriga Nacional—and was well-balanced with a bit of smokiness, fruit, and oak.

Our dessert course consisted of a linzer torte with hazelnut, cherry jam, and honey-vanilla bean ice cream, which was paired with a NV Etko "St. Nicholas" from Commandaria, Cyprus.

Okay folks, here's where my lovefest ends. I liked the torte, but I didn't love it. It was a just a bit heavy to me and the flavors didn't completely come through. The ice cream, however, rocked, and I would have been happy with a big 'ole bowl of it. As for the wine, it wouldn't be fair for me to comment as I'm just not a fan of dessert wines. I keep waiting for the day that I find one I love, but it just hasn't happened yet.

In summation, this was a fabulous meal with fabulous wines. And I can guarantee that whether you go to Five Bistro for one of their wine dinners or just stop by for a casual dinner, you're going to experience an incredible meal that you won't soon forget.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-15T14:17:00.006-06:00

What? It's not January 1st, you say?

No, it's not January 1st, but as other cultures show us, the "New Year" isn't always celebrated on January 1st.

The early Roman calendar used March 1st as New Year's Day. Later, the ancient Romans made January 1st the beginning of the year around 46 B.C. with Julius Caesar's decree. During the Middle Ages, most European countries used March 25th, a Christian holiday called Annunciation Day, to start the year. By 1600, many western nations had adopted a revised calendar called the Gregorian calendar (ie, the one we use today). It restored January 1st as New Year's Day. Great Britain and its colonies in America adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752.

However, many people celebrate the New Year on dates established by their religion. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is observed during September or early October. Hindus celebrate it on various dates. Muslims use a calendar that has 354 days in most years. As a result, their New Year falls on different dates from year to year on the Gregorian calendar.

What the heck does all this mean, you ask? It means that today, January 15th, 2010, is my New Year's Day.

The long-lived tradition of celebrating New Year's has several interesting and historical roots. The first New Year's celebration was observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago, with people performing rituals to do away with the past and purify themselves for the New Year. The ancient Persians gave family and loved ones gifts of eggs for the New Year to symbolize productivity. The ancient Romans gave each other New Year's gifts of branches from sacred trees. In later years, they gave gold-covered nuts or coins imprinted with pictures of Janus, the god of gates, doors and beginnings. Before the Roman invasion, the Celtic priests of what we now know as England gave members of their communities mistletoe, which was considered a sacred plant. In the colonial period, Americans attended church, fired guns in the air, and held open houses with their friends and neighbors.

And of course, in each of these cultures, it was also a common practice to resolve one's goals for the upcoming year, hence the setting of "New Year's resolutions" (oddly enough, the most common New Year's resolution with the early Babylonians was returning borrowed farm equipment).

I normally don't make New Year's resolutions, but 2010 is going to be a big year for me (what with getting married and all) so I've decided to buck my "no resolution" trend and set some goals for myself this year.

Let's see ... well, I haven't borrowed any farm equipment recently so I guess that's out. Hmm. What to do, what to do? Okay, in no particular order, here are my resolutions for the New Year:

1. No high-fructose corn syrup (yep, I said none; the science is in people, it's bad)

2. Follow the 90/10 rule (ie, 90% of the meat I consume each week must be locally-sourced) 100%

3. One diet soda per week (I'll shoot for none later this year, but I can't go cold turkey yet)

4. Take a packed lunch to work 3 days a week (this is probably going to be the hardest!)

5. Cook more ... and blog more about it (both here, and at my other blog, Adventures in Eating Locally)

Well, that's it. I'm hoping that while following the above resolutions, I'll also achieve the most common New Year's resolution of all: losing weight ... after all, I do have a wedding dress to fit into this year!

Good luck with your resolutions for 2010 ... and Happy New Year!

A Christmas Food Video for You

2009-12-20T11:12:00.003-06:00

I heart the Mythbusters ... and Diet Coke and Mentos are "technically" food, right?

In Which My Love For Anthony Bourdain Grows Even More ... Again

2009-10-27T14:48:00.002-06:00

In Which My Love For Anthony Bourdain Grows Even More

2009-09-14T18:19:00.007-06:00

The latest Feedbag podcast features Josh Ozersky chating with Anthony Bourdain about the New York Wine & Food Festival, fried chicken, hyper-localism, mixology, and why tasting menus are like guitar solos:

I Heart The (Grass-Fed Beef) Taco

2009-09-08T18:40:00.006-06:00

[Sent on the Now Network from my Sprint® BlackBerry]

I love the simple, old-school taco ... ground beef seasoned with Old El Paso taco seasoning, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa ... all contained in a crispy Old El Paso taco shell. I grew up eating them, and I still love to eat them today.

After Chuck made a quick trip to the new Schnucks' Culinaria at 9th and Olive for an Old El Paso taco kit, a red onion, two jalapenos, a bunch of cilantro, and limes, dinner was underway.

I made the seasoned taco meat with ground beef from American Grass Fed Beef.

Their cows are born, raised, and finished on open grass pastures in the rolling hills of southern Missouri. Their cows receive a forage diet free of pesticides as they are continually rotated to fresh new pastures, and they are never held in confinement, never fed antibiotics, and never receive synthetic growth hormones. In addition, American Grass Fed Beef practices a holistic approach to farm management that sustains and nourishes the environment through restoration and soil improvement techniques.

What does all this mean? We had tasty—and happy—meat for dinner!

As for the cheese, there are no bags of shredded cheddar in our house. Not only is it quick and easy to grate your own cheese, it's also cheaper than buying it pre-shredded. Tonight's cheese of choice? "Seriously Sharp Cheddar" from Cabot in Vermont; easily accessible and just right for old-school tacos!

In addition to loving the taco, I also love salsa, and one of my favorites is Chuck's simple salsa ... it's quick, fresh, and tastes great.

Just dice a few firm, red tomatoes (ours came from the Maplewood Farmers' Market so that may have something to do with the fresh taste!), half a medium red onion, two jalapenos, a handful of cilantro, then mix together with lime juice and salt ... bright, fresh, delicious!

Now that my tacos are beginning to digest, my mind is turning to dessert ... and I believe a big 'ole bowl of plain chocolate ice cream may be in my future!

It's International Bacon Day!

2009-09-05T14:24:00.006-06:00

Yes, my friends, it's true ... today is International Bacon Day!

Apparently, International Bacon Day is held on the Saturday before Labor Day in the United States. Last year, International Bacon Day was celebrated in the US, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Switzerland, and the UK ... wow!

Truth be told, I didn't know there was an International Bacon Day (but I totally should have guessed there was). Since I'm not prepared to celebrate (no, I don't have any bacon in the house ... wait ... wait ... I'll give you a second to recover from that), I'll just share one of my favorite bacon recipes with you.

BSFGT (Bacon, Spinach, and Fried Green Tomato Sandwich)

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon
1 good sized green tomato
1 cup cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (use your favorite kind)
4 slices whole wheat bread
Spinach leaves

Directions:

1. Fry bacon in a skillet; set aside on a paper towel to drain.
2. Slice the green tomato 1/2 inch thick.
3. Combine cormeal, salt, and pepper.
4. Dip tomato slices in milk and roll well in cornmeal.
5. Fry tomato in bacon grease until brown on both sides and drain on paper towel.
6. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and hot sauce.
7. Toast wheat bread.
8. Build sandwich: Spread one side of each slice of toast with mayonnaise mixture, top two slices of toast with spinach leaves, top spinach with fried tomato slices, top tomato with 4 bacon strips, top evenly with more spinach, then cover with the remaining slices of toast, mayonnaise side down.
9. Cut sandwich in half and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

What to Potluck?

2009-09-01T11:53:00.012-06:00

pot·luck:
1: the regular meal available to a guest for whom no special preparations have been made; 2: a communal meal to which people bring food to share—usually used attributively, ie, a potluck supper

Around my office, the potluck is king ... and folks are always looking at me to bring something tasty. For a recent potluck, I whipped up a cold oriental noodle salad, and I thought I would share the recipe with you.

Kimberly's Oriental Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

15 ounces dried soba noodles
1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
Juice from one lime
Zest of one lime
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes or to taste
1 medium carrot, sliced into long, thin ribbons
1 medium cucumber, sliced into long, thin ribbons
Sesame seeds to top

Directions:

In a large pot, cook soba noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and rinse noodles with cold water then set aside. In a large bowl, combine the sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice, then mix in the lime zest, brown sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes and stir until the sugar dissolves. Ad the carrot and cucumber ribbons to the dressing then add the noodles. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Toss salad before serving and if dry, splash with additional soy sauce and rice vinegar. Serve cold with assorted sesame seeds on the side.

I am a huge fan of the sesame seed ... regular sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, and the flavored ones; in my pantry right now, I have a jar of each of Roland's flavored sesame seeds (Bamboo Charcoal, Garlic, Plum, Soy Sauce, and Wasabi).

Bring this salad to your next potluck along with a few varieties of sesame seeds for a fun dish your friends or colleagues can customize!

Food Network Humor ...

2009-08-05T20:06:00.017-06:00

... is my new favorite website!

According to their "About This Site" page, the site was "launched in January 2009 as a place for us to satirize and parody the Food Network hosts and shows. Let's face it: sometimes, the Food Network chefs need to be brought back down to Earth. Sandra Lee's Kwanzaa cake? Ina Garten's endless circle of gay-only friends? Giada's hideous overpronunciations of every Italian word? We've got it covered."

And they do. This site is absolutely hilarious ... you must check it out.

What Would Brian Boitano Make?

2009-08-03T17:45:00.015-06:00

No, this wasn't a question posed before the "Stars on Ice" potluck ... it's the title of a new show on the Food Network.

Seriously.

I immediately dismissed the show, but then I took a second to check out the show's homepage on the Food Network site ... and saw the video of Brian making a "bacone" (yes, that's a bacon cone) filled with scrambled eggs and hashbrowns then topped with gravy and a biscuit.

Seriously.

I'm not making this up ... you can check out the video here.

There was something oddly intriguing about the video, but I'm not sure it did anything to make me want to watch the actual show when it premieres.

However ... I do wonder ... will that video end up being as classic as this one?

WTF #2

2009-07-31T10:22:00.030-06:00

A whole chicken in a can.

Really?

This leaves me almost speechless.

Good thing Tracy over at
I Hate My Message Board shared her thoughts (and photos) about cooking—and actually eating this—here. Seriously, you have to go to her site and check out the pictures ... it really is a whole chicken in a can ... bones and all.

Oh ... and apparently you can buy a 6 pack of this stuff for only $49.99 and $30.70 shipping from Amazon ... wow.

Join Me at Art of Food!

2009-07-22T20:53:00.005-06:00

Slow Food St. Louis, a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and supporting food traditions, is pleased to announce that their annual fundraiser, The Art of Food, will be held this Saturday, July 25th, from 6:00 to 10:00 pm, at Mad Art Gallery (2727 S. 12th Street, 63118). Proceeds from the event will benefit both Slow Food St. Louis and Fair Shares Combined Community Supported Agriculture.

The Art of Food will showcase the area's top restaurants, serving up delectable hors d'oeuvres using only the freshest, local ingredients prepared in the Slow Food tradition. Participating restaurants include:

Annie Gunn's - Lou Rook III:

Roasted Prairie Grass Farms leg of lamb on grilled Companion bread with local peaches, Goatsbeard Farm chevre, and caramelized candy onions

Araka - Mark Curran:

Local watermelon gazpacho with sweet yellow corn, rock shrimp, and housemade fresh corn tortillas

Bailey's Chocolate Bar/Rooster - David Bailey & Robin Murphy:

1. Fruitland Farms chipotle pulled pork with Eckert's peach salsa on San Louis tortilla chips and 2. Builaland Family Farm jalapenos stuffed with Heartland Creamery goat cheese and caramelized onion, wrapped in Fruitland Farms bacon

Erato on Main - Kevin Willmann:

Farrar Out Farm rabbit gumbo

Harvest - Steve Gontram:

1. Missouri grass-fed oxtail barley with peppered ahi tuna and a roasted sweet red pepper emulsion and 2. Warmed Companion brioche bread pudding with bourbon currant sauce and vanilla whipped cream

Kakao Chocolate - Brian Pelletier:

1. Homemade marshmallow pies with chocolate and pecans and 2. Hand-dipped caramels with sea salt

Local Harvest Cafe - Clara Moore:

Biver Farms heirloom tomato flatbread with Goastbeard Farm goat cheese and pesto

Mad Art Gallery - Dave Lewis:

Citrus-cured Troutdale Farm trout with Baetje Farm goat cheese, fresh Claverach Farm cucumber-pickled ginger chutney and radish shoots on a black mustard seed cracker

Monarch - Josh Galliano:

Root Cellar and Hannaway Farms tomato terrine, whipped balsamic, Goatsbeard Farm chevre crème fraiche, and black olive oil

Niche - Gerard Craft:

Spicy Greenwood Farms pork meatballs

Clarksville Station @ Overlook Farm - Cary McDowell:

Vesterbrook Farm lamb "rillets" with Overlook Farm garden greens & chopped duck eggs

Serendipity Ice Cream - Beckie Jacob:

"Peaches and Cream Floats" - Calhoun County peach ice cream floated in Fitz's cream soda

Sidney Street Cafe - Kevin Nashan:

EIEIO Acres goat sliders with pickled St. Isidore Farms eggplant, arugula, and curry aioli on a housemade sesame bun

Winslow's Home and Farm - Stephen Kovac:

1. Chilled Winslow's Home and Farm eggplant soup with sweet curry crème fraiche and 2. Garlic-rubbed Benne's Best smoked chicken with Winslow's Home and Farm red onion jalapeno jam on toasted 222 Artisan Bakery baguette

All bread products will be provided by 222 Artisan Bakery (Matt Herren) and Companion (Josh Allen).

Food-themed art by local artists and gift baskets filled with a variety of specialty goodies from boutiques, wineries, and restaurants are also up for auction. Artists include Julie Malone, Cbabi Bayoc, Greg Barth, Ron Buechele, Marie Oberkirsch, Carmelita Nunez, Katy Fischer, and many more.

Tickets for the event are $30 for Slow Food members and $40 for non-members in advance; $40 for Slow Food members and $50 for non-members at the door. Sponsors include Mad Art Gallery, Sauce Magazine, and Schlafly. St. Louis Earth Day will also be managing the recycling efforts.

Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic, member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions, and people's dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes, and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. Fair Shares is a non-profit organization dedicated to getting fresh, local, seasonal food into the hands of more persons in St. Louis - regardless of their income.

Tickets are limited and can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets.

See you there!

Please To Enjoy ... Or Not

2009-07-15T18:50:00.002-06:00

Eating Slow at The Crossing

2009-07-06T15:49:00.004-06:00

The Crossing Wine Dinner to Benefit Slow Food St. Louis

Who: Slow Food St. Louis
What: Fundraiser
Where: The Crossing, Clayton, MO, 314.721.7375
When: Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 6:30pm - 10:00pm
Why: To show your support of businesses that support Slow Food St. Louis as several tickets are still available for tomorrow's wine dinner, which is sure to be a great night of eating!

The Details:

With much gratitude to Jim Fiala, Slow Food St. Louis is excited to announce a wine dinner to support Slow Food St. Louis's Biodiversity Grant hosted by The Crossing and Local Wine Company.

The menu will feature not only the great cooking The Crossing has come to be known for, but also the fabulous wines of Murphy's Law, Ransom, and SNAFU. Best of all, some of the terrific local ingredients Fiala and team will be utilizing in the dinner will have come from some of our very own Biodiversity Grant recipients.

The price is set at $75 each and you can make reservations by contacting The Crossing at 314.721.7375.

The Menu:

First Course
Passed canapes from the local farmer's markets and blue cheese souffle w/ 2007 Murphy's Law White

Second Course
Gaspacho with warm walleye and extra virgin olive oil w/ 2008 Ransom Pinot Gris 'Selection'

Third Course
Missouri chanterelle mushrooms with a Yellowtree Farm fines herbs w/ 2006 Ransom Pinot Noir 'Selection'

Fourth Course
Rain Crow Ranch grassfed beef tenderloin with melted fennel and roasted red potatoes with local pole beans w/ 2006 Murphy's Law Red

Fifth Course
Trio of Goatsbeard Farm's cheeses and local berries/fruits w/ 2005 SNAFU Red

Sixth Course:
Trio of Illinois peaches

See you there!

Chewing the Fat: Batali and Bourdain

2009-06-19T21:18:00.000-06:00

Please to enjoy:

500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late

2009-06-16T12:51:00.008-06:00

At a time when big restaurant chains seem more ubiquitous than ever, "Roadfood" authors Jane and Michael Stern continue to focus on the quirky all-American food haunts.

In their latest guide, "500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late," their advice ranges from the best hot fried chicken (Keaton's Barbecue in Cleveland, NC) to whoopee pies (Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster in Freeport, Maine).

I just added 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late, a new book by Roadfood authors Jane and Michael Stern, to my Amazon wishlist.

There is also a great interview with the book's authors in the latest issue of The Wall Street Journal. Attention St. Louis readers: Click on the "Interactive" tab in the article to see a shout-out about our very own Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.

Gosh, what I wouldn't do for a chocolate concrete right now!

So ... What Exactly Is Meat Glue?

2009-06-15T15:23:00.005-06:00

"Meat glue: It sounds utterly repellent; like some pre-industrial, rustic adhesive made out of horse hooves that smells of old fish and burnt hair, but it's actually a fine, tasteless powder that looks like icing sugar and is one of the more clever things to come out of molecular gastronomy. Produced as Activa by Japan's Ajinomoto Company, it's scientific name is "triglutaminase" and it's an enzymes that catalyzes covalent bonds between free amine groups and gamma-caroxminid groups of protein or peptide bond gluatamine. In English, that means it makes meat and other proteins stick together like super glue."

A recent article at examiner.com highlights some of the various uses for "meat glue," but head on over to the Activa website to check out all the interesting details.

Its use to hold "chicken nuggets" and "sea legs" together is, of course, gross to me, but in the hands of Wylie Dufrense I'm all for it.

Yes, I know ... hypocrite much?

An Oldie, But A Goodie ...

2009-06-09T18:19:00.000-06:00

I have no idea why I've been posting so many random videos lately; apparently, the long hours at the job use up all my brain power hence I cannot post anything coherent!

Anyway, here's an oldie, but a goodie from SNL:

Mr. Pink Takes Manhattan

2009-06-08T15:32:00.000-06:00

"I don't tip because society says I have to. Alright I mean, I'll tip if someone really deserves it, if they really put forth the effort, I'll give em something extra, but tipping automically, that's for the birds." -- Mr. Pink

One of my all-time favorite movies is Reservoir Dogs. Here's a video that synchronizes the audio from the scene where one of the characters, Mr. Pink (another favorite, Steve Buscemi), rants about tipping with video from The Muppets Take Manhattan ... this is sure to be a classic!

Happy World Environment Day!

2009-06-05T11:37:00.000-06:00

Check out the videos below from Live Earth and then do your part to protect the planet by using less and acting more:

Karate Chop and Dice

2009-06-04T20:41:00.003-06:00

Paging Dr. Gummi

2009-06-02T18:25:00.001-06:00

Gummi Bear Surgery - More DIY How To Projects

St. Louis Craft Beer Week Underway

2009-06-01T15:24:00.005-06:00

St. Louis Craft Beer Week is underway, and the line up of events is astounding! Here are more details from their press release:

"St. Louis has an unparalleled history when it comes to American beer, and St. Louis Craft Beer Week is a celebration of that history. The event begins on May 30th with the Westport Beer and Brats Festival and culminates on June 5th and 6th with the St. Louis Brewers Heritage Festival. Each night of St. Louis Craft Beer week will provide beer lovers with an opportunity to immerse themselves in a small sample of what the city’s beer scene has to offer.

With more than 20 events at over 15 locations throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, beer lovers and beer novices alike will find something that will not only quench their thirst, but will hopefully help them learn something along the way.

Events will include Beer Trivia, Beer Dinners, Beer and Cheese Tastings and of course festivals such as the always popular Brewers Heritage Festival. Some of the locations include the International Tap House, 33 Wine Shop, The Wine and Cheese Place, The Shaved Duck, Schlafly Tap Room, Lukas Liquor, Newstead Tower Public House, The Royale, and Cicero's.

The eight days of events have been scheduled to provide non-stop craft beer appreciation. For more information, please visit http://www.stlbeerweek.com/."

I've already bought my tickets for the Beer and Cheese Tasting at the Schlafy Tap Room on Wednesday; maybe I'll see you there?

Food Party

2009-05-31T16:56:00.004-06:00

"It's manic." "It's about food." "It has puppets!"

IFC has a new show called "Food Party" debuting on June 9th that "celebrates recipes from the boundaries of the imagination."

I am oddly intrigued and therefore will be tuning in to check it out.

WTF

2009-05-30T07:38:00.003-06:00

This Is Why You're Fat

2009-05-28T11:17:00.008-06:00

Please to enjoy. Or not.

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T15:16:00.007-06:00

Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. Earth Day is a time to unite around new actions. Earth Day and every day is a time to act to protect our planet.

What can you do?

1. Use less water! Take showers instead of baths, fix leaks, turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, and buy efficient fixtures by looking for the WaterSense label.

2. Commute without polluting! Use public transportation, carpool, walk, or bike whenever possible to reduce air pollution and save on fuel costs.

3. Save electricity! Do a home energy audit, get programmable thermostats, buy Energy Star products, turn stuff off when you're done, and change your bulbs to compact fluorescents.

4. Reduce, reuse, recycle! Try to find products with less packaging, take reusable bags on shopping trips, creatively reuse other products, and recycle what's left.
5. Test your home for radon! Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless gas that can seep into your home and cause lung cancer.

6. Check your local air quality! When you exercise outdoors, use your local air quality forecast to help plan the best time for a workout or run.

7. Use chemicals safely! Read pesticide labels carefully. Lock up pesticides, paints, and cleaners where kids can't reach them.

8. eCycle! Take your old computer, DVD player, or other electronics to a recycling center. This helps keep hazardous substances out of the landfill.

9. Enjoy the outdoors safely! Find out the quality of beach water from your state office and get the UV Index to protect yourself from the sun.

10. Spread the word! Teach others where you work or go to school.

Remember ... environmental responsibility is everyone's responsibility.

Fun With Fermentation

2009-04-20T20:23:00.001-06:00

Wylie Dufresne Loves Eggs and So Do I

2009-04-10T22:27:00.003-06:00

"Well eggs are delicious, aren't they? I don't need to explain that. I mean eggs are fantastic. That's—to me it's implicit," he said. "I know there are a lot of people that find them weird and creepy and smelly and texturally unpleasant. But I love eggs."

Wylie Dufresne, of wd-50 and molecular gastronomy fame, appeared on Nightline tonight. One topic on deck? Wylie's lifelong love of eggs.

Since I missed the episode, I headed over to the Nightline website to find the video, but it isn't posted yet (once it is, I'll add it here). But there is a great article about him, which is worth a read.

P.S. My favorite style of egg? Either poached atop bacon and grits or of the Benedict variety. And you?

Top Chef Masters ... Sweet!

2009-04-08T10:14:00.015-06:00

Bravo is launching a spin-off to one of its top shows, Top Chef. The new show is called Top Chef Masters, and I can't wait for it!

The show will be hosted by Kelly Choi, food journalist and creator, producer, and host of NYC TV's weekly restaurant show Eat Out NY, and will be judged by Saveur editor-in-chief James Oseland, former New York Magazine restaurant critic Gael Greene, and British food critic Jay Rayner.

The list of "cheftestants" for Top Chef Masters includes:

Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill, Chicago

Wilo Benet of Pikayo, San Juan, Puerto Rico

John Besh of Restaurant August, New Orleans

Graham Elliot Bowles of Graham Elliot Restaurant, Chicago

Michael Chiarello of Bottega Restaurant, Yountville, California

Michael Cimarusti of Providence, Los Angeles

Wylie Dufresne of wd~50, New York

Elizabeth Falkner of Orson, San Francisco

Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys, San Francisco

Christopher Lee of Aureole, New York

Ludo Lefebvre of Ludo Bites, Los Angeles

Anita Lo of Annisa, New York

Tim Love of The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Fort Worth

Rick Moonen of Rick Moonen's RM Seafood, Las Vegas

Nils Noren of French Culinary Institute, New York

Lachlan McKinnon Patterson of Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder

Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards Grill, Napa Valley

Mark Peel of Campanile, Los Angeles

Douglas Rodriguez of Alma de Cuba, Philadelphia

Michael Schlow of Radius Restaurant, Boston

Art Smith of Table Fifty-Two, Chicago

Suzanne Tracht of Jar, Los Angeles

Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto, New York

Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's Restaurants, San Diego

If you forced me to pick a winner right now, I guess I'd have to go with Wylie Dufresne ... though Rick Bayless is also at the top of my list.

I guess we'll see if my pick(s) hold up!

Please To Enjoy ... Squeez Bacon

2009-04-01T14:31:00.008-06:00

Is this an April Fool's Day joke? Maybe ... but since it involves bacon, I don't care!

James Beard One Step Closer to Fully Loving St. Louis

2009-03-23T13:23:00.004-06:00

Just heard that Gerard Craft of Niche has been chosen as one of five finalists for the James Beard Foundation's culinary award for Best Chef Midwest.

Fellow nominees include Isaac Becker of 112 Eatery in Minneapolis, Colby Garrelts of Bluestem in Kansas City, Tim McKee of La Belle Vie in Minneapolis, and Alexander Roberts of Restaurant Alma in Minneapolis.

Good luck, Gerard!

Wrong On So Many Levels

2009-03-12T20:31:00.004-06:00

According to the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, Khong Guan Corporation, a Union City, California, establishment, is recalling approximately 2,800 pounds of "chicken drink products" that were ineligible for import to the United States.

Ummm ... what's a chicken drink?

Food + History = Super Fun!

2009-03-11T18:35:00.002-06:00

"I distinctly remember a world travelled gentleman who said, 'Thank God for a place that doesn't offer chicken and waffles'."

Stumbled across a fun website that combines food and history:

Restaurant-ing Through History

As a fan of both food and history, I'm enjoying this site ... and I hope you do too.

Garlic Is The New Black

2009-03-04T20:58:00.010-06:00

The Washington Post recently offered up a new article entitled "Inventive Chefs and the Rise of an 'It' Ingredient."

The 'it' ingredient in question? Black garlic.

I've had black garlic twice recently, both times at Monarch courtesy of Executive Chef Josh Galliano. Black garlic is fermented under high heat where it develops a dark color, soft texture, and sweet taste. It's different, it's funky, and it's good.

As far as I know, you can't buy black garlic in St. Louis, but you can order it online. Don't want to wait? Go to Monarch and see if Josh has any black garlic left in his stash. It's worth it.

Eat It, Stewart. Eat It If You Dare.

2009-02-27T19:49:00.004-06:00

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Bobby Jindal's Republican Response

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day

Bacon + Bourbon = A Match Made in Heaven

2009-02-22T20:16:00.001-06:00

I love bacon, Chuck loves bourbon ... and we'll be heading to New York City next year for this:

The Feedbag Goes to the Bacon and Bourbon Expo from The Feedbag on Vimeo.

Just Because

2009-02-18T11:28:00.001-06:00

James Beard Hopefully Loves St. Louis

2009-02-13T15:02:00.004-06:00

Chances are the "foodies" out there have seen this news, but I'm thrilled that three of my favorite St. Louis chefs—Josh Galliano of Monarch, Gerard Craft of Niche, and Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Cafe—are among the semifinalists for the James Beard culinary award for Best Chef Midwest.

The category will be narrowed down, and five finalists will be announced on Monday, March 23rd, at Frontera Grill in Chicago. Stay tuned.

FYI

2009-02-03T19:56:00.002-06:00

Just read in the St. Louis Business Journal that the Wine Merchant in Creve Couer is closing.

Aging Gracefully

2009-02-01T19:15:00.003-06:00

"If salami is the blog of cured meats, then prosciutto is the great novel."

An article in the latest issue of The New York Times Magazine profiles an Iowa couple who are transforming their state's bounty into world-class prosciutto.

What drew me to the article was their recipe for chestnut polenta with ragù alla napoletana, eggs, ricotta salata, and lardo, which I stumbled on first ... made with pork shoulder, pork belly, and prosciutto, how could it not be amazing.

(You can check out a video of Jill Santopietro, a cook and recipe tester for The New York Times, making the recipe in her tiny New York City kitchen here.)

I'll have to source the chestnut flour for the polenta, but rest assured, you'll get a complete review of the recipe as soon as I make it.

And The List Goes On ...

2009-01-31T08:37:00.013-06:00

So, my "real job" is in the medical publishing industry, and because of this, I subscribe to a zillion healthcare-related newsletters to stay abreast of what's going on in medicine ... and I've been inundated with all of the peanut-related recall notices that flood my inbox each day.

On January 12th, the FDA, the CDC, the USDA, and public health officials began investigating an ongoing, multi-state outbreak of human salmonella infections, which suggested peanut butter as a likely source.

On January 16th, they traced the likely source of salmonella to a Georgia plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which manufactures peanut butter and peanut paste, a concentrated product consisting of ground, roasted peanuts.

The peanut butter sold by PCA is distributed in bulk containers ranging in size from 5 to 1,700 pounds, and the peanut paste is sold in sizes ranging from 35-pound containers to product sold by the tanker container.

Neither of these products are sold directly to consumers, but the FDA has determined that PCA distributed potentially contaminated product to more than 100 consignee firms, for use as an ingredient in hundreds of different products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy, ice cream, and dog biscuits. The FDA also determined that some of the peanut butter was distributed in bulk to large institutions, such as nursing homes and hospitals.

PCA recalled all peanut butter produced on or after August 8, 2008, and all peanut paste produced on or after September 26, 2008, in Georgia plant, but recently they expanded the recall to include all peanuts and peanut products processed in the Georgia facility since January 1, 2007. The expanded recall includes all peanuts (dry and oil roasted), granulated peanuts, peanut meal, peanut butter, and peanut paste.

A full list of recall products can be found here, and the FDA has created a searchable database for these products, which can be found at here.

The lastest news from the FDA confirms that the source of the salmonella outbreak was the peanut butter and peanut paste produced at PCA's Georgia plant, and there is no evidence to suggest that the salmonella contamination originated with any manufacturing facility other than PCA.

The Georgia plant has been shut down, but a history of unsanitary conditions and salmonella contamination has come to light (a complete list of problems observed by FDA investigators during their inspection has been issued) ... and possibly the worst news of all is that the company knowingly distributed contaminated peanut butter 12 times in the past 2 years.
This article from The Washington Post that details the history of inspection at the PCS plant in Georgia is an eye-opener ... and it reinforces that fact that we should all know exactly where our food comes from.

But, while I try to buy local as much as humanly possible, living in the Midwest means that I have to occasionally shop at a grocery store for some cooking and baking staples ... and Heather at Simple - Green - Frugal says just what I've been thinking:

"There has to be a happy medium here. Most of our foods should, I think, come from local sources (because they are healthier for us and the environment that way). But I also think that we should be able to enjoy some of the foods we consider staples without worrying about mercury, salmonella, and all those other "nasties" that make their way into our food supply. What about rice, whole wheat flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt? For some of us, a few of these things might be local, but most of us can't go 100% local without giving up baking entirely. Is it possible to find a happy medium between a local diet and nutrient-dense, environmentally responsible, but manufactured food?"

So, dear readers, is it?

Old Jews Telling Jokes

2009-01-30T19:59:00.003-06:00

Hey, don't look at me ... I didn't name the website.

Check out this new website ... Old Jews Telling Jokes ... pretty funny stuff.

There are only three rules: the joke-tellers have to be Jewish, they have to be at least sixty years old, and they have to tell their favorite joke—"the one that always kills."

Check back every Tuesday and Thursday for a new joke.

You're Doing It All Wrong

2009-01-29T20:16:00.001-06:00

Stumbled on a series at Chow—You're Doing It All Wrong—which offers up constructive critcism to ensure that we're all doing it right.

Doing what right, you ask?

How to tap a keg, how to sauce pasta, and how to cook bacon are just a few of the things we may need a bit of help with ... check out the videos for yourself and see.

No Decaf For You!

2009-01-28T17:06:00.004-06:00

In an effort to save money, Starbucks announced that it will stop brewing decaffeinated coffee after noon each day.

Apparently, decaf isn't so popular in the afternoon: "For many of our stores, the demand for decaf is greatly reduced in the afternoon," the company said in a statement.

Alas, don't worry, lovers of the decaf cup 'o joe. You can still get your decaf coffee fix in the afternoon if you ask for it.

Men Smell of Cheese, Women Smell of Onions

2009-01-27T13:46:00.001-06:00

The latest issue of New Scientist includes a report on new research that found marked differences in the sweat from men and women.

Apparently, researchers in Switzerland examined "armpit sweat samples from 24 men and 25 women after they had spent time in a sauna or ridden an exercise bike for 15 minutes" (umm, eww) and found that "men smell of cheese, and women of grapefruit or onion."

The research team hopes to develop new ingredients for deodorants that fight the smells, hence the unusual research.

If only men had smelled of bacon ... no deodorant needed for that!

Disturbing

2009-01-26T20:15:00.001-06:00

Hail To The Chief

2009-01-20T14:27:00.001-06:00

"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility—a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."
— President Barack Obama

Merry Christmas Dinner

2008-12-25T22:00:00.000-06:00

One great thing about dating a chef?

The amazing Christmas dinner he cooks for you and your family ... a wedge of crisp iceberg lettuce topped with homemade blue cheese dressing, crispy bacon, and Maytag blue cheese crumbles ... slow-roasted prime rib (12 pounds worth ... that's almost twice the size of my nephew) ... twice-baked potatoes stuffed with bacon, cheddar cheese, and scallions ... roasted brussel sprouts (coated with bacon dripings before roasting) ... and roasted asparagus.

It was delicious ... and filling. But never fear ... we all made room for my mom's famous chocolate eclair cake ... and then we all crashed!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I'm An Aunt!

2008-12-22T17:00:00.002-06:00

Chuck and I are off to Kansas City to see my new nephew, Ben ... we can't wait to meet you!

Chicago!

2008-12-17T21:26:00.001-06:00

A few months ago, I went to Chicago for a work conference ... but of course, I had a little time to play while I was there.

First stop, Giordano's for their "world famous stuffed pizza." Talk about cheesy goodness ... and the crust was excellent too. For a great review, check out this piece on Serious Eats.

Another evening involved dinner at Gordon Biersch, a brewery restaurant with 27 locations across the US ... and in the effort of full disclosure, the location I dined at is in Bolingbrook, IL (more on that in a minute).

I ordered the blackened fish wrap, which consisted of blackened mahi mahi, pico de gallo, asian slaw, mozzarella, and honey sriracha mayonnaise in a flour tortilla. The flavors were good and I enjoyed the wrap, but the highlight of the meal was the side of garlic fries.

A signature of Gordon Beirsch, the fries are made from "premium potatoes paired with the most famous garlic in the country—none of that whimpy garlic powder—but the best Christopher Ranch garlic, fresh from Gilroy, the garlic capital of the world." Yeah, I must admit ... they were some awesome fries.

To wash everything down, I ordered the beer sampler, which contained small pours of their Golden Export, Hefeweizen, Czech Pilsner, Märzen, Schwarzbier, and a seasonal beer. While I cannot recall what the seasonal sampler was, I do recall that I didn't care for it ... actually, hated would be a better word ... but the rest of sampler was great.

So, why was I in Bolingbrook? One word ... IKEA.

Yep, finally popped my IKEA cherry ... and it was great. I had never been to the store before so I had to take the opportunity as I was so close. Unfortunately, I only brought a carry-on to Chicago so I could take home too many IKEA goodies ... but I did manage to find a few small things that I couldn't live without!

Happy Birthday Human Rights

2008-12-10T10:42:00.004-06:00

"All human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms.

The United Nations is committed to upholding, promoting, and protecting the human rights of every individual. This commitment stems from the United Nations Charter, which reaffirms the faith of the peoples of the world in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person.

In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations has stated in clear and simple terms the rights which belong equally to every person.

These rights belong to you.

They are your rights. Familiarize yourself with them. Help to promote and defend them for yourself as well as for your fellow human beings." — UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Sixty years ago today, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a groundbreaking document recognizing fundamental, equal, and inalienable rights for all individuals that was drafted at the UN under the leadership of Eleanor Roosevelt.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where violence, torture, human trafficking, and even genocide continue to persist and many people are still denied their most basic rights. The UN Declaration remains a unique and invaluable tool for promoting universal respect for basic human rights. Please take a moment to read it and share with others.

In Other Food Trends News ...

2008-12-09T17:49:00.004-06:00

... the National Restaurant Association has named locally-grown produce the top restaurant menu trend in 2009. Rounding out the rest of their top five? Bite-size desserts, organic produce, healthy kids' meals, and "new/fabricated" cuts of meat (ie, Denver steak, pork flat iron, and bone-in Tuscan veal chop).

More than 1,600 professional chefs—members of the American Culinary Federation—were surveyed to find the hottest trends on restaurant menus in 2009. The final list of nearly 210 culinary items in the 3rd Annual "What's Hot" Chef Survey also places kids' fruit/vegetable side dishes, superfruits (including acai, goji berry, and mangosteen), small plates/tapas/mezze/dim sum, micro-distilled/artisan liquor, and sustainable seafood at the top of the pack.

Here's hoping that locally-grown produce and sustainable seafood really do rise to the occasion.

The Food Trends of 2009

2008-12-02T20:33:00.001-06:00

Hotels Magazine recently released a list of 13 overall hotel food trends and 10 menu item/ingredient trends to expect in 2009, compiled by experts around the industry.

Those I agree with? Farm-to-table cuisine, more seasonal menus, and "innards and odd parts," ie, guanciale, artisan salami, beef cheeks, and tongue.

Check out the list, and let's see what happens in 2009.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

2008-12-01T15:57:00.010-06:00

It's December 1st ... where has the year gone?

Seriously, I feel like it was just yesterday that I was frolicking on the beach in Florida and now there's snow on the ground (no, not that type of frolicking).

I've never been the biggest fan of snow, but waking up to it this morning wasn't so bad after the amazing Thanksgiving weekend I had. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and this year was the best ever.

On Tuesday, i-squared hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for the clients of the International Institute of St. Louis. As i-squared President, I dutifully helped set-up and serve food to a number of refugee families. Seeing the gratitude expressed by them was amazing, and the experience made me truly appreciate how great my life is.

On Thursday, Chuck and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving lunch with my family that included all the traditional turkey day dishes ... roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and my mom's awesome jello salad just to name a few. Afterwards, we descended up on his sister's house for another Thanksgiving meal that included ... yep, you guessed it ... roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and his mom's awesome jello salad too.

As if we weren't "Thanksgivinged out" enough, Chuck and I banded together with three other couples for "Hardcore Thanksgiving" on Saturday. We started with an amazing cheese plate from Bill and Ellie that included a cheese from one of my favorite cheesemakers, Cowgirl Creamery. I first sampled their cheese at Slow Food Nation, and it was amazing!

Irene cooked up an amazing cheese souffle, which was followed by her delicious butternut squash soup with crispy guanciale ... talk about pig heaven.

Bill roasted a heritage turkey ... a Bourbon Red from Farrar Out Farms. Was the heritage turkey better than the average Butterball bird? Yes, but that's a discussion for another post.

Bill also whipped up an amazing stuffing from a Dan Barber recipe, while Chuck brought his mom's stuffing (his favorite ... thanks, Ginger!). The two of them also whipped up a tasty gravy to top it all off with.

I made roasted brussel sprouts with blue cheese and candied pecans (thanks to Chuck for prepping the brussel sprouts AND glazing the pecans for me!), and of course, I also made my famous sweet potato casserole.

Rounding out dinner were mashed potatoes from Mike and a truly hardcore cranberry relish from Chuck (cranberries, orange peel, cinnamon, sugar, and lots and lots of rum, which was poured off and made into an amazing cranberry cocktail that we drank earlier in the evening).

On the dessert end, Irene made mini apple turnovers that were light, flaky, and delicious, Mike whipped up an Imperial Russian Stout cheesecake that knocked my socks off, and I made a praline, pumpkin, cream cheese pie that tasted pretty darn good. And throughout the entire evening were wine pairings from Ned and Kelly who also opened up their house for this awesome shindig.

See, I told you I had a pretty good life!

Mackerel, Anyone?

2008-11-24T14:31:00.004-06:00

It appears that the world's fish populations are crumbling as many fisheries are now falling apart.

Mark Bittman gives us the 411 in a recent article in the International Herald Tribune. In it he states that, "One study, in 2006, concluded that if current fishing practices continue, the world's major commercial stocks will collapse by 2048."

Now 2048 is quite far away, but I for one plan on still being alive and kicking 40 years from now, and the thought of no more tuna, Chilean sea bass, or monkfish doesn't make me happy. What can we do? When eating fish, choose those that are both good for you and our oceans.

Not sure what to pick? Check out the seafood guide from the Blue Ocean Institute or the seafood selector from the Environmental Defense Fund and school yourself on which fish to eat.

Get it? School yourself. You know ... 'cause fish swim in schools. Ah, if I have to explain it then it just wasn't funny!

Shut Up!

2008-11-23T12:31:00.000-06:00

I Heart Chuck (or Long Time, No Post #2)

2008-11-19T10:18:00.009-06:00

So, here comes another one of those "sorry I haven't posted in a while" posts ...

Why no posts of late you ask? Well, I normally don't get too personal on this blog, but in a nutshell ... I have a new job, which I have to spend a lot of time doing, and I have a new boyfriend (yep, you guessed it, his name is Chuck), who I want to spend a lot of time doing ... things with ; )

While the new job is keeping me incredibly busy, it also allows me to travel to lots of other countries where many new food experiences await ... and the new boyfriend is a chef so even more new food experiences await there too.

What does this mean to you, faithful reader? Hopefully lots of interesting food stories that will spark hours of discussion ... or at least a laugh or two!

P.S. No, I won't be sharing any stories about our love life ... but our culinary antics in the kitchen will surely be broadcast here.

Mmm ... Free Chocolate

2008-11-06T16:13:00.003-06:00

Back in February, I got to meet Alan McClure of Patric Chocolate and taste his amazing local chocolate wares.

Alan is now offering an amazing coupon to readers of Food Interviews, a blog by local St. Louis blogger Stefani Pollack (check out her interview with Alan), and she’d like to pass that on to you.

Alan is offering Food Interviews readers a chance to win up to $100 worth of fine chocolate! Every 10th person who places an order on the Patric Chocolate online store using coupon code 3FLMDE will get their entire order for free! That's a 1 in 10 chance of getting free chocolate!

In addition to the chance to win, your code also gets you 10% off of any purchase (including any already reduced items) and two additional complimentary chocolate bars on any purchases over $50.

The fine print: The contest and coupon code is good only through midnight (CST) on Wednesday, November 12, 2008. The "1 in 10" free chocolate prize applies only up to the first $100 of any order. You'll be asked to pay at the time of purchase. However, on Thursday, Nov. 13, Stef will announce who the winners are and if you win, up to $100 will be refunded to you.

Happy Election Day!

2008-11-04T10:46:00.008-06:00

Now, get out and vote!

Who cares if the lines are long?

Get out and vote!

In the immortal words of Nike ... Just. Do. It.

Really, get out and vote!

You'll be happy you did. Trust me.

Go vote now!

From Salt to Mayonnaise

2008-11-01T16:06:00.007-06:00

First, there was Bacon Salt. Now, there's Baconnaise. Yep, bacon mayonnaise. You knew it had to happen sooner or later.

It's Pesto Festo!

2008-10-31T15:09:00.003-06:00

Dear Readers,

Here's a heads-up about Pesto Festo, a harvest celebration honoring Caroline Mueller, an 89-year-old lifelong organic farmer in Ferguson, MO.

Hosted by EarthDance, Live Well Ferguson, and The Open Space Council, the evening will contain live music, a local foods feast, a silent auction, a film premiere of Inner Mission Productions' film about the history of the Mueller farm, and a tribute ceremony honoring Caroline.

Tickets are only $25 ($30 at the door) ... a bargain for all the fun you're going to have!

So, join me at Pesto Festo on Saturday, November 8th (6-11pm at the Savoy in Florissant) ... or else risk my wrath.

XOXO,
Kimberly

Will Someone Please Go to New York and Bid on These for Me?

2008-10-29T14:06:00.004-06:00

Chefs Collaborative is hosting a dinner in New York City on November 10th to honor Joan Dye Gussow, gardener, teacher, food warrior, and author of This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader (which is currently in my Amazon wish list).

While I would love to attend the dinner just to hear her speak, I may be a bit more excited about two of the live auction items up for grabs:

#1: Dinner for four with Michael Pollan and Peter Hoffman at Savoy Restaurant in NYC ... that's Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, and Peter Hoffman, chef of Savoy and Back Forty restaurants in New York ... um ... very cool.

#2: Dinner for four at Dan Barber's Blue Hill at Stone Barns, including wine and a tour of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture ... I've said it before, but I'll say it again ... I heart Dan Barber. (For those of you who aren't familiar with Blue Hill at Stone Barns, it combines a working farm, restaurant, and educational center in Pocantico Hills, New York ... um ... very cool.)

So ... the holidays are just around the corner ... and now you know what I want ;)

More Words For The Next Farmer-In-Chief

2008-10-26T11:07:00.004-06:00

By now, I'm hoping that most of you have read Michael Pollan's open letter to the next president ... if not, I suggest you do so now.

Following the publication of the letter, Pollan recently appeared on NPR's Fresh Air to talk about it:

"Agricultural policy is one of the most obscure and possibly most boring corners of federal policy, but it's vitally important."

Boring? Yes. Vitally important? Absolutely.

Also talking about the role of food in the upcoming election? Chef Dan Barber and sustainable agriculture expert Fred Kirschenmann dialogue for a new op-ed piece on Grist:

"Whether it's McCain or Obama in two weeks, whether they'll have the luxury, or the burden, of working with a Democratically-controlled Congress, our next president should declare a Sputnik-like initiative to transform our food policy. He should literally walk into his new office with an armful of executive orders—orders that would go to the heart of our transforming our food economy in the same way that Bush used executive orders to deregulate the financial industry. And he could use the next farm bill as the launching off point for a relocalized food system that will provide healthy, delicious, and sustainable food for our country's future."

I heart Dan Barber!

This Has Nothing To Do With Food

2008-10-24T15:36:00.003-06:00

It seems like the majority of the posts on this blog revolve around food, and with a name like "Everybody Loves Cheese," what do you expect, right?

Well, the following You Tube video has nothing to do with food, but it does make me laugh my you-know-what off ... and since I barely have to post as the new job is keeping me very busy, I thought I'd throw you this hilarious nugget to start your weekend off right:

Waiter, There's a Politician in my Soup!

2008-10-16T12:48:00.004-06:00

Election Day will soon be upon us, and I thought it would be good to share an article by Tom Philpott at Grist that outlines Barak Obama and John McCain's stances on food and farm policy.

(FYI ... I'm posting this to Everybody Loves Cheese and Adventures in Eating Locally so if you follow both of my blogs, you'll just have to read it twice!)

It's Blog Action Day

2008-10-15T20:10:00.004-06:00

Today is Blog Action Day, and this year's topic is poverty.

I know I shouldn't, but I'm going to cheat and point you to another St. Louis blogger who actually wrote a great post (come on ... it's 9:00pm, and I'm trying to juggle catching up on work e-mail, watching the Presidential debate, and posting something to this blog).

So, please check out this great post, St. Louis Urban Farm Provides Fresh Food and Economic Empowerment, from Jeff McIntire-Strasburg at sustainablog.

Food Fights

2008-10-10T14:45:00.009-06:00

This weekend's issue of The New York Times Magazine offers up a number of great articles in their annual food issue, "Food Fights."

Check out great articles from Michael Pollan and Mark Bittman, plus an interactive feature, "Inside the Fridge of a Foodie," in which five food leaders talk about the eating habits that fuel their professional pursuits.

Enjoy.

I'm Back ...

2008-10-10T11:02:00.012-06:00

... and ready to blog!

So I haven't posted anything to this blog in over a month ... what can I say ... life happens. And really, who's counting anyway? Wait. You're not counting are you? Stop that! Stop counting!

I guess in the big scheme of things, this little 'ole blog isn't that important. I mean, check out one of the latest "Demotivators" from Despair, Inc:

While it is funny, I think that blogs do have their place in this world. While some of them may not be that important, I've grown to love mine ... and I'm glad I'm back.

P.S. Slow Food Nation posts coming soon ...

Hello St. Louis!

2008-09-02T11:06:00.003-06:00

I returned from San Francisco and Slow Food Nation Sunday evening ... and after traveling for most of August, I'm happy to be home!

My plan was to spend Labor Day telling you all about SFN ... but instead, I sat. On the couch. And watched the Beverly Hills, 90210 marathon on SoapNET. It was the laziest I have been in years ... and I enjoyed every minute of it!

I'm organizing my thoughts about SFN—and the tons of photos I took at the event—now so stay tuned for many posts this week. In the meantime, here's a little something to tide you over:

Hats of Meat

What a waste of meat!

I'm Off ...

2008-08-28T12:22:00.001-06:00

... to Slow Food Nation in San Francisco!

A full report when I return!

Toss Your Tomatoes!

2008-08-27T13:31:00.006-06:00

Today is the last Wednesday in August, and you know what that means, right?

La Tomatina!

140 tons of tomatoes were trucked into the town of Buñol in the Valencia region of Spain earlier today for the world's largest tomato fight ... looks like fun to me!

Here Lies Kimberly ... Almost Killed With Food

2008-08-26T14:58:00.005-06:00

I can sum up the latest installment of "Kimberly's St. Louis Restaurant Round Up" with one word: priceless!

The Scene:

A group of friends who really dig food recently dined at An American Place.

The Mission:

According to Chef Joshua Galliano, "to kill us with food."

The Aforementioned "Killer" Food:

The details are a bit fuzzy, but I'll do my best ...

We started with an amuse bouche, but in this case, I use that term lightly. Our amuse bouche (typically a tiny, bite-sized morsel) consisted of a sweet potato croquette, a chicken spring roll, goat cheese mousse with walnuts, panna cotta with pistachios, and house-made strawberry soda. And while they were all bite-sized morsels (or sips in the case of the soda), there were five of them! But really, did I care? No ... they were all wonderful and the strawberry soda was a fun surprise.

Next up was a beautiful charcuterie plate filled with a plethora of house-cured and smoked meats with a variety of sauces ... and we know how I love my meat, right? While I can't recall everything that Chef Galliano made (any help, Bill?), I definitely can't forget the amazing guanciale (an unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig's jowl or cheeks). It was my favorite, but I loved them all.

Chef Galliano then sent us an assortment of appetizers to share ... a stuffed quail dish (I don't remember what it was stuffed with, but it was good!), a crawfish dish (which again, I can't recall exactly what was in it, but it was really good!), a seared foie gras terrine with braised lamb tongue, balsalmic cherries, and grilled crostini (yum), a chicken and oyster "boudin" (chicken and oyster seasoned like boudin sausage, rolled into a ball, and fried ... so tasty!), and my favorite, beef ribs covered with a house-made rootbeer glaze and served with grilled onion rings and blue corn fritters (two words ... holy crap!).

As our entrees began to arrive, so did a bowl of chilled watermelon soup with poached shrimp, watermelon pickles, and a jalapeno-cilantro salad that we were all very interested to try ... and yes, we had another winner on our hands!

For my entree, I chose the Hinkebein Hills Farm pork loin and crispy pork belly, served with a pickled peach salad, brown butter polenta, molasses glazed turnips, and peach butter. The pork was a bit done for my taste, but its flavor worked really well with the rest of the dish (pork and peaches rock!) ... and the peach salad, polenta, and turnips were amazing! I also ended up taking home half the pork loin and pork belly and it made for a great sandwich the next day!

Dessert included ... oh gee, I can barely remember as I was already deep into my food coma at this point. I do recall a sampling of sorbet, a fruit shortcake with sweetened whipped cream, a dark chocolate tart/cake of some sort, and an assortment of cookies ... which, of course, were all phenomenal!

The Outcome:

A very full, but very happy, belly ... and amazing memories of great food, great wine, and great friends! I wasn't quite killed with food ... but it was close!

Fat Profits

2008-08-25T14:52:00.002-06:00

"It was a patriotic statement that went a bit too far afield: an attempt to create the "ultimate picnic burger." Called the Fourth of July Burger, it was tested last summer at seven locations by the West Coast fast-food chain Carl's Jr. and consisted of a huge beef patty topped with pickles, ketchup, mustard, potato chips, and a hot dog."

-- Fat Profits, an article from the February '08 issue of Condé Nast Portfolio

Really? A hamburger with potato chips and a hot dog on top? Scary. This is why I don't eat fast food anymore.

25 Foods You Never Knew Could Be Deep Fried

2008-08-21T20:43:00.007-06:00

Here it is, folks ... a list of 25 foods you never knew could be deep fried.

Some of these I can totally get down with ... and have eaten and enjoyed myself. Macaroni & cheese, dill pickles (though I prefer pickle chips to pickle spears ... go to O'Leary's ... their fried pickles are the best!), olives, and ice cream ... yep, totally on board with these.

But ... Coca-Cola (really ... you can fry that?), Cadbury Creme Eggs, Mars Bars, and Pop-Tarts?

Umm ... no thank you.

Eatin' Vegan

2008-08-20T21:06:00.002-06:00

No, not vegans ... vegan meals.

I recently stumbled across the blog The Urban Vegan and found two great articles for simple vegan meals for summer and autumn:

Summer Express: 101 Simple Vegan Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less

Autumn Express: 101 Simple Vegan Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less

As summer starts to draw to a close and autumn slowly approaches, what better time to share the quick and easy recipes The Urban Vegan has whipped up ... the bounty of vegetables I got through my CSA and the farmer's market today will thank me!

Art of Food: The Recap

2008-08-19T20:59:00.008-06:00

So ... for all of you who didn't make it to Slow Food St. Louis' Art of Food, you missed out! I enjoyed some amazing food and went home with three pieces of food-themed art. Did I need three pieces of art? No ... but they are going to look really good in my house!

Here are some photos from the event and a recap of the delicious, local food we enjoyed ...

Matt Herren and Debbie Sultan of 222 Artisan Bakery/Goshen Coffee showed us the carbohydrate/caffeine love with a variety of artisan rolls, including bacon (mmm ... bacon!), brioche, and sun-dried tomato, olive, and feta and Goshen-roasted Costa Rican pour-over drip coffee.

Joshua Galliano of An American Place created a delectable ballotine of Prairie Grass Farms lamb and foie gras with apple mustard, chickpea salad, and saba dressing.

Annie Gunn's Lou Rook brought us my favorite dish of the night: Duroc pork belly confit on a Companion brioche roll with "atomic horseradish mustard" and house-made local peach chutney ... it was out of the world.

Mark Curran of Araka whipped up a tasty appetizer of Prairie Grass Farms house-made sausages and local heirloom tomato salad.

Robin Murphy of Bailey's Chocolate Bar and Rooster hit it out of the park with a Fruitland roast beef sandwich with red onion marmalade and herbed Heartland Creamery goat cheese on a housemade roll, served with Bailey's buttercream chocolate bar cake for dessert.

Kevin "Dreamy" Willmann (okay, okay ... I added the "dreamy" part!) of Erato on Main tantalized our tastebuds with house-smoked Guthrie Farms chicken with house-made, local vegetable chow chow ... which I want the recipe for!

Local Harvest Grocery's Clara Moore served up house-made hummus on local cucumber circles plus local tomatoes tossed with fresh pesto served on Companion crostini.

Eric Brenner of Moxy Bistro provided a yummy duck breast with grilled peaches.

Food and Wine Best New Chef Gerard Craft of Niche brought us my second favorite dish of the night: slow-roasted Greenwood Farms pork butt sandwiches with brussel sprout slaw on Companion bread ... yum, yum, yum.

Matt Bessler of Schlafly Bottleworks showcased Schlafy's "Gardenworks" beet and arugula salad, Troutdale Farms smoked trout mousse with English cucumber cups, and bacon-wrapped Hinkebein Hills Farm smoked pork tenderloin with Schlafy Pale Ale raspberry BBQ sauce ... whew!

Sidney Street Café's Kevin Nashan scored big with Hinkebein Hills Farm smoked pork butt on cornmeal "toast," which was topped with Eilerman Brothers Farm peach BBQ glaze, Claverach Farm & Vineyard greens, and pickled peaches.

Kevin's second offering was a very interesting gazpacho made with On the Wind Farms watermelon and jumbo lump crab. This tasty treat was served in shot glasses made of ice. My only regret? Not having a picture to show you!

Last, but most certainly not least, Mathew Rice of Sidney Street Café and Veruca Bakeshop & Café finished us off with local peach and lavender trifles ... mmm, mmm, mmm.

We're doing it again next year, folks. Be there or be a circle.

[Editor's Note: A slideshow of amazing photos from Art of Food, taken by my good friend Jonathan, is available at J Pollack Photography. Enter ARTOFFOOD2008 in the code box below the slideshow and press Go! Thanks, Jonathan!]

From Russia With Love

2008-08-12T21:34:00.001-06:00

It's time for another installment of "Kimberly's St. Louis Restaurant Round Up" ... and I know you've all been waiting with breath that is baited (some of you may recall that line from Sex and the City ... mmm ... Mikhail Baryshnikov!).

Speaking of yummy Russians ...

On the advice of my friend and colleague Angie, she and I, along with two other coworkers, recently ventured to Astoria European Cuisine, located in a strip mall in Creve Couer. In this case, "European cuisine" is an all-you-can-eat Russian buffet.

I sampled a number of items on the buffet ... beef stroganoff, cabbage leaves stuffed with ground beef, rice, and herbs, orzo with lamb, some sort of angel hair pasta/ground beef dish, and pickled cabbage ... and it was all tasty. My favorite? The latkes with sour cream. No, they aren't pictured ... I ate them all before the camera came out. What can I say? I heart potatoes.

Dessert found us sharing "Bird's Milk Cake" ... a traditional Russian cake. The bottom was a layer of sponge cake, the middle was a chocolate mousse, and the top layer was marshmallow, topped with chocolate icing (almost like a ganache) and pastel icing flowers.

The cake had a very interesting texture ... not really my cup of tea ... but the flavors were good. So ... not completely remarkable, but still tasty.

The service at Astoria was great, and all in all, it was a good meal. If you find yourself near Astoria, give it a go.

Think Pig

2008-08-08T10:15:00.001-06:00

Bacon Jalapeno Yum

2008-08-04T06:52:00.008-06:00

Check out this recipe from The Pioner Woman ...

Bacon, jalapenos, cream cheese ... so simple, yet I'm sure, so tasty!

Avec Eric

2008-08-02T10:55:00.002-06:00

Chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin fame has launched his own website, chock full of cooking videos for simple and delicious things you can make ... in a toaster oven.

Check it out.

Thursday Evening Funny

2008-07-31T19:37:00.003-06:00

Spotted (no pun intended) this on the shelf at World Market ...

... and couldn't help but giggle!

Fushi and Kobe at Fu Manchu

2008-07-29T16:12:00.003-06:00

It's time for another edition of "Kimberly's St. Louis Restaurant Round Up." Where does this culinary adventure take us to?

That would be Maplewood, home to one of Mike Johnson's newest restaurants, Fu Manchu.

First up was the kobe beef slider, which was incredibly yummy. The beef was tasty, the toppings worked very well, and the onion rings on the side were a pleasant bonus ... I could easily make a meal of two of these (though at $12 a pop, they are the most expensive sliders I've ever encountered).

Next up was the apple and duck "fushi." Yes, you read that right ... "fushi" ... ie, faux sushi, get it? Well, I didn't.

To clarify, I got the concept of "fushi," but the roll I chose was ... well, awful. The cream cheese completely dominated the apple and the duck to the point that I couldn't taste them at all. To make matters worse, there was so much cream cheese that it took me a few minutes to chew through one piece of the roll. My "fushi" looked really good and I had high hopes for it, but this dish fell flat.

My friends Jonathan and Stefani each ordered a noodle bowl ... Stef's was some sort of curry, and Jonathan's was spicy ... obviously, I can't remember exactly what they had, but I do remember that they liked it. We also liked sitting on the patio ... the couch-like benches were spacious and fun, though it was a bit awkward to get close to your food to eat it.

All in all, I'd give Fu Manchu another try ... but of all of Mike Johnson's restaurant, it isn't my favorite.

The Art of Food

2008-07-25T10:43:00.002-06:00

I've been feverishly working on the Third Annual Slow Food St Louis fundraiser, The Art of Food ... and whether it's shameless of me to plug it here or not, I'm going to do it.

If you went to The Art of Food last year, you know what a blast it was ... and it's going to be even better this year. Check out the line-up of AMAZING chefs who'll be preparing lots of tasty, LOCAL food for you:

Debbie Sultan & Matt Herren - 222 Artisan Bakery/Goshen Coffee
Joshua Galliano - An American Place
Lou Rook - Annie Gunn’s
Mark Curran - Araka
David Bailey - Bailey’s Chocolate Bar and Rooster
Kevin Willmann - Erato on Main
Eric Brenner - Moxy Bistro
Gerard Craft - Niche
Matt Bessler - Schlafly Bottleworks
Kevin Nashan - Sidney Street Cafe
Mathew Rice - Veruca

This year, The Art of Food benefits Slow Food St Louis and Fair Shares ... and all of the details you need to know are at the The Art of Food site.

Be there or be a circle.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: The Movie

2008-07-24T14:11:00.005-06:00

Growing up, one of my favorite books was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett ... I loved the cleverness of the story and adored the illustrations ... and yes, I wished I could live in Chewandswallow.

Well, in 2010, Sony Pictures Animation is bringing my childhood favorite to the big screen. I know, I know ... the book is always better than the movie, but I think I'm just going to have to take my chances.

Bacon Noodles?

2008-07-22T14:39:00.004-06:00

I stumbled on a recipe for "bacon noodles" at Young Cooking ... and I'm not sure whether I'd make it or not.

Wait ... bacon, pasta, butter, salt, pepper ... okay, I'll make it!

Stuffed and Starved

2008-07-21T19:34:00.002-06:00

An interview with Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System, was recently posted on the Slow Food Nation website. This is part one of a two-part interview on the global food crisis; the second half of the interview is to be posted next week.

This book is on my "must read" list, but I don't think I'll get to it before I head to San Francisco for Slow Food Nation over Labor Day Weekend. I can't wait for the trip, and of course, you'll read all about it here after my return.