The Croissant Diet

Pop Lyfe

2010-08-21T18:35:00.001-07:00

You don't have to be from New Jersey to have heard of The Pop Shop. Bobby Flay threw down here two years ago! The 50's dineresque atmosphere and the extraordinarily family friendly menu has earned it a high place atop many lists of favorite restaurants. I can always convince Molly to forge through a day of thrifting (South Jersey has a lot of great places!) if I promise to take her here. This was another family outing destination when we lived in Haddonfield. To be honest, I always had a little Collingswood envy. It's such an awesome town! Haddonfield is great but there was always a lot more going on further on up the road.

As soon as I step in the door, my diet goes out the other direction and hits the curb.

I know I'm in my 30's but that doesn't stop me from ordering a bubble gum shake we are (finally) seated. You can go here at 3:00 on a Tuesday afternoon and there will be people here. There isn't always a wait but it's always busy.

We went last Sunday afternoon for a family reunion celebration. Molly and I landed in Philadelphia after spending almost two weeks in Georgia. She came back to me at the beginning of the month from visiting her dad for six weeks. Since it was our first outing as a family in almost two months, we had to make it special.

Milkshakes for everyone!!!!

They have an entirely separate menu for ice cream based bliss. Sundaes, shakes, sodas.... Chris got a peanut butter and chocolate shake and Molly went with her usual vanilla.

As far as the eats are concerned, the Pop Shop has you covered. Didn't get up until 2 in the afternoon? They serve breakfast all day! There's a wide selection of egg dishes and a variety of pancakes (bettys). Feel like a grilled cheese? They have right around 50 different makes and models. Veg like me? No sweat! They have veggie dogs and burgers, vegan pancakes and even vegan cheese. They have a section of the menu dedicated to all of their veg*n specialties. I sometimes go with either the dogs with kraut and mustard but a word of caution: the mustard is atomic! Get it on the side! They have homemade ketchup too! Another favorite of mine is the tofu wings!

It's listed under appetizers but I order it as a meal with some fries. It's difficult not to suck down my shake immediately but it always pays off to save it to go with my meal. There's nothing better than the salty/sweet combo!

With the massive menu full of choices at the Pop Shop, you can come up with your own favorite salty/sweet combination.

Hmmmm....maybe I could throw down at the Pop Shop with my fried green tomato grilled cheese sammich....

The Pop Shop

729 Haddon Ave

Collingswood, NJ 08108

856-869-0111

Factory Girl

2010-08-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

When we lived in South Jersey and decided it would be a good night to step out for some dinner, it was never difficult to convince the family to go to the Mexican Food Factory. Actually, it was Chris who would suggest it first with Molly and I quickly falling in line and rushing out the door.

I know, I know...lame name but believe me, it's EXCELLENT!

Not only is there a feast for the stomach, there is also a feast for the eyes. The restaurant has a lovely ambiance that is decked out in Frida Kahlo and Deigo Rivera.

You can't trip and fall up here in New Jersey without going face first into great Italian food. There's a slew of ethnic eats that aren't easy to come by in the South but great Mexican restaurants are few and far between. There is one great place here in Princeton that I hope to get back to for the blog but if I had the choice between that and this one, I'd go with Mexican Food Factory any day. This isn't just a burrito place....the food here is fresh, festive and authentic. I haven't had a single item off of the menu that was less than a solid 10.

They start you off by bringing out some chips with three different styles of salsa with varying levels of heat. The verde is my absolute favorite and it's the midgrade. The chunky pico de gallo brings maximum spice. The salsa is not complementary but it's very reasonably priced and definitely worth the splurge.

No matter what I order on the menu, I always make room for one very important thing.

Black. Bean. Soup.

It's the best of the best. I dream of this soup and I'd give anything to be able to replicate it . It's dark and rich with a small bed of rice at the bottom. It's the main reason I come here but even if it didn't exist, there are many other reasons that we'd still make the trek down from time to time. It's always worth it. This is one of the true gems that I have to offer you on this blog if you live in New Jersey.

The Mexican Food Factory

601 W. Route 70

Marlton, New Jersey 08053

856-983-9222

This One Goes Out to the One I Left Behind

2010-08-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

If you've never been to The Grit, you've never truly been to Athens, GA. It's not only one of the most famous vegetarian restaurants in the country, it's a rock n' roll landmark. Athens has a hopping music scene with some fantastic local history. If one of your favorite musicians comes to town to jam out at the 40 Watt or the Georgia Theatre (before it burned down), your best chance at a sighting is to stake out The Grit. All of them eat here.

There's a good reason they come to The Grit.....it's delicious! I've brought two skeptical omni friends here who left with full bellies and smiling faces. The atmosphere is adorable, there's excellent people watching and the menu is full of great choices. They have everything from breakfast, sammiches, various ethnic specialties and a rotating selection of southern style veggies and sides along with side splitting desserts.

I know this picture doesn't make it appear so but it's a hopping place! It isn't very often that I'm able to go to a restaurant and order ANYTHING on the menu so I always relish the experience. Being able to order a rueben is an exceptional treat!

There are many variations of the vegetarian rueben. Tempeh, seitan... The Grit throws it down with tofu and it is so good that it's almost scary. They slice it in small thin pieces and season it just right. The first time I brought an omni here, he had the rueben and was blown away. In the background is the Baby Dal. My sister Allison was with me and threw me a curve ball by ordering this! She likes the curry my mom makes at home which is of the Golden variety. Indian curry is quite different from this and she isn't a very adventurous eater so I was impressed. She took a bite from the small bowl and said it tasted bland. "Bland" is the exact opposite of how I'd describe a proper dal so I took and bite and, sure enough, I was underwhelmed. What could have gone wrong? We were a bit thrown by the 'dressing' that came with her meal which is pictured right in the middle of the table. I told her to try mixing it in and that was the kicker. It completely transformed the experience. The flavors were distinctly Indian and had a pleasant level of spice. There are a lot of great Indian places where I live but none of them have sauces that you stir in to activate the curry. This was new and thought provoking.

We split a slice of turtle pie which was basically pecan pie with chocolate chips. It didn't photograph well but it tasted awesome. If you don't have the reason or the means to make it down to the Liverpool of the south, The Grit does have an awesome cookbook available to order. I've had a copy for years and it's a great addition to any collection. The book is a treasure trove of Grit goodness that is busting with rock star testimonials. You can jam out any of these recipes and earn some rave reviews of your own.

I'm already looking forward to headin' down the Atlanta Highway again this winter for a repeat performance. It's a little ol' place where we can go together.

FGT + Grits = :-)

2010-08-17T14:07:00.001-07:00

My sister, Allison

I recently returned home after spending almost two weeks in Winder, Georgia visiting family and friends. Winder is about 45 minutes northeast of Atlanta and 15 minutes from Athens which is the home of the University of Georgia (and R.E.M.,The B-52's and one of my husband's favorites: Of Montreal). I usually am busting to get over to Athens because several of my favorite places to eat are there. Winder isn't quite as fun or hip. Every time I visit, I see a new restaurant but when I return, it has usually closed down. Unless you're an already established name that people know, it's just about impossible to do good business there. Well known chains manage to flourish. When I lived there, a Sonic came to town and had the most successful opening in the history of the restaurant. There was actually a truck full of cargo in the back that was being cooled by a generator because they kept running out of food. It was the place to be that weekend....I know because I was there! Meanwhile, the coffee shop I was working for at the time went out of business a few months after it opened up.

Not too long before I moved to New Jersey, a restaurant called FATZ Cafe opened near the local Wal-Mart. It makes sense to want to be in a spot with lots of traffic so that was a good move because the Winder Wallyworld is hoppin'. I'd never heard of Fatz before but they evidently have quite a few other locations in the southeast. I was sure they wouldn't last long and I'm glad I was wrong. Why? Because I can get fried green tomatoes on top of cheesy grits.

And while I'm waiting for them to fry those bad boys up, they will bring me some (free!) poppy seed donut thingies that I can dip in cinnamon honey butter.

When I'm done with my meal, I usually have a FGT or two leftover. They will gladly bring me a box and when I'm hungry later on in the evening I can heat them up and eat them OR....

...I can make a grilled cheese sammich with a dang 'ol fried green tomato in it. I tell you what man! You talkin' 'bout GOOD!

I'd say that's definitely a recipe for success!

Fatz Cafe

442 Atlanta Highway NW

Winder, GA

770-867-3344

Breakfast at Pamela's

2010-08-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Our hotel in Pittsburgh had fancy and overpriced breakfast items available for delivery to our room and I'll admit, breakfast in bed was tempting! However, we decided to venture out and see what the city had to offer up. My friends Eric and Mandi had been to the 'Burgh a week before us and raved about the amazing hotcakes at Pamela's so I couldn't pass that up! This chick is a serious Pittsburgh player. Her awesome diner has several locations (and a major following!) and she is also a partner in the Peruvian restaurant from the previous post.

The crowd outside the Strip District location was large but they got us seated in about 15 minutes. It was a difficult decision deciding what to go with but I came for hotcakes. I knew I'd want something salty along with it so I ordered a side of their "almost famous" Lyonnaise potatoes. They may not look like much in the picture but there was definitely something about them that nailed my craving. The hotcakes were a masterpiece. Thin and succulent on the inside with a crispy frame. Chris ordered his stuffed with banana and chocolate. I tried my best but I barely made it through half of mine before I had to throw in the towel.

I don't know if I'll ever have another hotcake that comes close to this! It was tempting to go back to Pamela's the following morning but we were lured to another place in the Strip District by the promise of donuts.

The rise of artisan sweets is one of the most triumphant things about being alive right now. Ice cream, cupcakes, breads.....and mmmmmmmmmmmmm donuts!

Peace, Love and Little Donuts puts just about ever other place to shame. The hot donut sign is always on here! Since it was our first time, we each got a free sample. They gave us a choice of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Chris went with the first, I went with the latter. It was hot, fresh and good good good! I tried to convince him to go with a full dozen but he decided to be sensible and get a half. We each picked three and they were not easy choices! I think we did okay though....

The sea salt one was my favorite. The vanilla sprinkle was also delish. Yes, that is maple bacon in the back. The only thing that could make it better was coffee so we went next door and made it happen.

21st Street Coffee and Tea specializes in just that. To watch them lovingly grind and press each cup to order with their sexy chic toys and such, you'd swear that these people must have a PhD in hot beverages. I ordered a decaf/skim cappuccino and it was masterfully prepared to the point where each sip had my eyes rolling into the back of my head with pleasure. It was just the thing to send a freshly made donut over the top and off the hook. I know I'll never have another cup of coffee as good as that one.

My belly is begging me to go back to Pittsburgh.

21st Street Coffee & Tea

50 21st Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

412-281-0809

Pamela's P&G

60 21st Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

412-281-6366

Peace, Love and Little Donuts

2018 Smallman St

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Around the World in Pittsburgh

2010-08-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

I slipped a little bit last month but things have been busy (which is good!) and I've got lots of stuff to share (which must be why my waist has expanded).

My guy and I decided to try to salvage the time we had together this summer before Molly came back and do something fun and romantic! He knew I'd always wanted to see the Andy Warhol Museum so he proposed a trip to Pittsburgh. I was excited to plan the trip and we ended up saving a bundle on a nice hotel via Hotwire. I've heard you can do well with airfare as well but we've yet to try that option. It felt like an adventure not knowing where we'd end up but we scored a room at the Omni William Penn and I'd been drooling over that place so I was thrilled! The room had a pitiful view but the location was great! Downtown Pittsburgh is lovely and quite clean! The people were nice and there was a vast selection of things to see. We walked to and from the museum on Saturday from our hotel which was lovely. We stopped at the Pittsburgh Popcorn Co and got a small bag of buffalo and ranch flavored goodness. We sampled a few other interesting popcorn flavors. The guy behind the counter said that the Chicago blend is very popular. It's a mixture of cheddar and caramel corn. I was skeptical but the sample was delightful! We crossed the Andy Warhol Bridge to and from the museum and then decided to hunt down some dinner. Our hotel had a great issue of a local magazine that had a cover story on cheap ethnic eats! Chris and I had a good time deciding which places to try. We went Vietnamese and Peruvian. We saw several of the other places in the article while we were exploring the city and we already can't wait to plan another trip back so we can try some tacos made with fresh shells and ingredients.

Our first evening in the city, we thought the write up on lemongrass tofu sounded too good to pass up in the magazine so we headed up to the Lawrenceville neighborhood and went to Tram's Kitchen.

Very tucked away but also quite worth the hunt! The menu had a great selection of Vietnamese fare and was so vegetarian friendly! Almost anything on the menu was fair game. Chris and I split an order of lemongrass tofu and rice (delicious!) and we each got a bowl of serious soup! I went with the satay which was full of flavor without being overrun by spice.

It's not very big but the service is excellent and the food was very satisfying. If you do decide to check it out, please note that it is a cash only establishment.

The following night took our palates across the city and across the globe to La Feria in Shadyside. This is a much more upscale neighborhood with everything from an Apple Store to Lilly Pulitzer. You can get your shop on and then relax over a comforting dinner of Peruvian rice and beans that will allow your wallet to recover. While you're waiting for your food, you can check out the lovely selection of handcrafted items that they have for sale. They have a daily special everyday that features some sort of a combination of rice, beans and grains served along with garlic rice, French bread and salad. On weekends, they have two each of vegetarian and meaty cassaroles. I went with the tacu tacu which was black beans and rice topped with some fried banana.

The combination of flavors from the casserole mixed with the banana was wicked awesome. The salad was nicely dressed but I could have done without the powdered parm. Chris really loved my dish. He said it was the best thing he had the whole time we were there. He was thrown off by the whole banana thing but they were draped over the top and could have easily been removed (and given to me!).

We really enjoyed exploring the city and expanding our world cuisine experiences. Dinner for two at both places averaged about $25. We decided to drop a little extra at La Faria for dessert...

Housemade pastry with dulce de leche. Totally awesome!

Pittsburgh was bursting with city pride and ethnic goodness. The Strip District is loaded with various markets and grocers from all over the world including the Pennsylvania Macaroni Company.

We topped off both nights that we were there with a little visit to The Church Brew Works.

It's a century old church in Lawrenceville that has been renovated on the inside and transformed into a brewery!

They have a great selection of different brews. We went with the sampler the first night we were there and for $16, we were able to taste a 3 oz. glass of every different beer they had on tap (eight in all). We had an early dinner on Saturday so by the time we arrived later at the Church, we were in the mood for a snack. We went with the traditional perogies and they were insanely good! Probably the best perogies I've ever had actually!

The next Pittsburgh blog will focus on the most important meal of the day! We started off each morning with even more local awesome!

La Feria

5527 Walnut St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15232

412-682-4501

Tram's Kitchen

4050 Penn Ave

Pittsburgh, PA 15224

412-682-2688

Church Brew Works

3525 Liberty Ave

Pittsburgh, PA 15201

412-688-8200

Shickens

2010-07-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

I had fun taking pictures at the farm. There are so many interesting things there. My biggest task of each day was the eggs. Silver Forge has 100+ little ladies who poke about in the coop. It was a nice experience being able to tap into their collective needs and to even help a few of them out individually. They were definitely wary of me but after a few days, we got used to each other. It takes focus, balance and patience to go in and collect eggs without upsetting them too much.

These brown ones down below were the most pleasant to interact with. They weren't as skiddish or paranoid. Chris said the white ones had crazy eyes.

I'd say there was around 4 dozen on average per day. I didn't lose very many to breakage. Any of them that didn't look pretty enough to sell were the ones we set aside for breakfast in the mornings. We both felt good about being able to enjoy the full circle experience of collecting, cleaning, eating and recycling the eggs.

I always enjoyed egg hunts as a kid! I quickly figured out where the hot spots were and I thought it was funny how many of them went up on top of the big water container to lay.

They really enjoy burrowing. There were holes all over where the girls rolled around in the dirt and just nestled. I felt really bad for the factory farm chickens who don't have the opportunity to do things like this. These ladies were very happy. They have a good life here.

This one let me pet her. She was so soft. I collected the eggs in a wire basket and then brought them inside to wash. I had a reasonably effective system figured out as the week went on. From Sunday to Thursday, I'd say I probably collected and crated 13 or 14 dozen eggs. I washed about another 3 dozen the last day. I don't know if the normally produce more than that. The weather can often be a factor in how comfortable they feel so the heat may have impaired them a bit. We tried our best to keep their water barrel filled and the definitely consumed a good amount.

Some of the eggs were HUGE. I couldn't help but to feel sorry for those poor girls! We ate the freakishly large ones too simply because they didn't fit well in the crates. The tall one in the back right had two yolks!

Farm fresh eggs are definitely a labor of love. Shannon and Eliezer charge $5 a dozen for them at the market. Some people give them grief because they're used to paying a dollar a dozen at the supermarket. What they don't realize is that they are far from fresh and full of hormones and antibiotics. These eggs are not mass produced. They sell out of them almost every week. At most, they are 5 days old. The care, upkeep and labor that goes into each set of 12 completely justifies the cost. I consider it a bargain! We generally get two to three meals out of each dozen which is cheaper than a fast food breakfast sandwich.

The Silver family returned from Cape Cod last night and so we left earlier that evening after the eggs were washed. Chowder and Ripley said their goodbyes and we were on our way back to the condo. I found myself missing the animals today. We'll have a lot of fun stories to exchange tomorrow at the West Windsor Farmers Market.

To Catch a Pig

2010-07-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

For the past few days, we've been farmsitting for our Silver Forge friends. It's definitely been an adventure. Chris and I have been enjoying our time there and have bonded over the various chores and tasks. It's almost like a mini vacation of our own except for the fact that we spend a lot of time at this house already when we visit Shannon and Eliezer. The dynamic is definitely different though. No kids and minus one dog. Since, as I mentioned before, we do spend a lot of time there, I'm comfortable and familiar with the place which is nice. I joked with Chris that this is almost like camp! I had a customer at the bookstore where I work who was looking for things to send to her son. He was at a sleep away summer program where he was helping out at a farm. I've looked at various summer activities and they're hundreds of dollars so Shannon and Eliezer really missed the boat on that one ;-).

We have a detailed list as to who gets what when it comes to feeding the animals. Most of it isn't very complicated. The sheep get hay and the chickens get feed. They're simple minded creatures that don't ask many questions.

Then we have Lola the pig. If anyone was going to give us any issues, we knew it was going to be her. She's a smart cookie and speaking of cookies, she's a hungry girl! The minute we're outside to take care of the list of tasks, she begins oinking impatiently.

Chris makes sure to give her plenty of water in her bowl plus an additional surplus so that she has some mud to keep cool. He has a soft spot for pigs and even adjusts the hose so that it gently sprays her with a cool mist. She seems to enjoy this.

Lola's meal is always the most interesting. The first night we were there, we didn't have any scraps so she got dog food. I made it a point to save up our leftover food plus I raided our fridge back at home for anything that looked like it wouldn't get used before it expired. She has a feast fit for a queen the following night.

Last night was similar. She had everything from a stale english muffin to some stuff that had been laying around in my fridge that I knew we were never going to eat. After we fed and watered her, we finished up with the rest of our chores and went into the house. As the sun was setting, I remembered that I was supposed to check the mail so I went back outside. The sky was a vibrant pink, the crickets were chirping, the fireflies were slowly blinking. I noticed the chickens were retiring for the night up in their little houses. I didn't see Lola in her pen so I assumed she was also winding down in her little hut. I retrieved the mail and made my way back to the house. I walked past a the huge line of bushes and I heard a rustling sound. I figured it was one of the cats or a stray chicken or quite possibly something else I wouldn't want to deal with like a raccoon. All of those theories were dispelled when the bush started oinking at me.

I remember back in the 90's when Jerry Springer's show was a big cultural event. The angry couple would be sitting on stage bickering over the husband's affair with his wife's "best friend". They would bring the other woman out and, right on que, the wife would attack her and the two women would start scrapping. I don't watch much T.V. anymore but I continue to hear of people complaining that all of these "reality" shows seem so scripted. That's what I felt like when I realized that Lola had escaped from her pin. It was timed so perfectly that it almost seemed like a joke. If I'd checked the mail any other time of day, we would have never known she was out. This pig even has a record. She's escaped and wandered off in the night before and the cops have come to the house to let Shannon and Eliezer know to go and get her. I suppose that also would have made for a good story had it gone down that way again last night.

I'd just made a wild blueberry tart from Trader Joe's so I cut a piece and threw it into a bowl along with some bananas. It looked awfully good to me and I hoped that Lola would find it equally enticing.

Luckily for us, she was all about that pie! We easily lured her back to her pen. Getting her to go back inside took a bit longer but eventually she decided that dessert was too good to resist. Chris realized her electric barrier wasn't working so we had to call Eliezer. He told us where we could find a replacement battery so we hooked it up and hoped for an uneventful night.

The roofers knocked on the door at 7:30 this morning. We'd been expecting them to come some time this week. I was just thankful that it wasn't the cops. When we left for work this morning, Lola was still in her pen. I don't know what we'll end up feeding her tonight but I suppose we'd better make it good! I do have some leftover tart that was supposed to be for me last night but while I was pig wrangling, a certain St. Bernard decided to help herself. Needless to say, it went quickly. Lola will enjoy what Ripley left behind today.

Falafel and Dogs

2010-07-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

If the title of that post doesn't lure you in with smiles on your faces, then I hate to break this to you but you might not be my target audience ;-) I kid, I kid. But really, what more could you want?

Last week I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to take the train up to NYC with some friends to catch Next to Normal. It's an excellent cast preforming a Pulitzer award winning play. Again, what more could you want? Throw in some falafel and I was in Heaven! We got to the City kind of late and didn't have long until our show started. One of the friends that I was with, Andrew, said he had a good idea for dinner since we were pressed for time. He knew of this vegetarian take out place with a "funky salad bar". Since he knew I was all about that stuff, he suggested we drop in and grab some take out.

He ended up taking me to Maoz which was right on the way to Times Square from Penn Station. It would not have been more convenient...or good! I've been in a bit of a falafel depression since we got back from our amazing experience in Paris. I hate to sound like one of those people but the bar was set so darn high that I was having a difficult time finding a decent falafel that satisfied the itch back home. I've been to several places in Princeton and nothing has really done it for me (otherwise I would have written about it!). I have a fever and the cure is Maoz.

Back in the early 90's, Maoz opened in the Netherlands. Their mission is a quick, quality meal and they definitely deliver. About eight years ago, the first U.S. location opened in Philadelphia. There are five in New York City and, as I was glad to know, we also have one in New Brunswick. I'd heard about it before from a friend and we even passed it back earlier this year when Chris took me to see Porgy and Bess. The colors and set up are fresh and eye catching so it was hard to miss. When Andrew suggested it, I was excited to finally have the chance to check it out.

They have several different combo options that range from a full on falafel sammich with fries and juice to a salad or just some of their Belgian fries and a juice. You have your choice of fresh iced tea, lemonade or some incredible orange juice that is pressed to order. You have to pay a dollar more for it but trust me, it's totally worth it. You can also upgrade to sweet potato fries. Both fry options are great but if you like your sweet potatoes, these are killer.

Another shining star at Maoz is their salad bar. If you buy a falafel sandwich, you can hit the salad bar and load up with toppings. They have incredible options such a red cabbage, fresh sauces, seasoned couscous and, my favorite, pickled baby eggplants.

I couldn't stop thinking these little guys! I am sure Chris was sick of hearing me rant and rave about Maoz so when I suggested it on Sunday, he agreed to make a detour to New Brunswick on our way out to Silver Forge Farm. I was thrilled! It was everything I remembered it to be and I was glad to see that he enjoyed it as well. For the both of us to get our sandwiches, orange juice upgrades and fries of our choice cost us a little less than $20. The food was fresh and absolutely delicious. I'll tell you what, this particular stretch of George Street in downtown New Brunswick is a force to be reckoned with! Makedas, Chipotle, Maoz and a bunch of other great places are all within a few blocks of eachother. TKO!

We had to hurry over to Manalapan afterwards. We agreed to farm sit for our friends Shannon and Eliezer so we got here ASAP yesterday evening to dispense some dinner to the masses. We had a long list of animals waiting to be fed so we went down the line and tossed some hay to the sheep, feed to the chickens, scraps for the pig and such.... More on that as the week unfolds.

My dog Chowder and his girlfriend Ripley.

Our main charge while we are here is Ripley. Silver Forge lost an important member of the family earlier this month when their golden retriever, Harrison, died of cancer. He went peacefully in his sleep and he's definitely missed around here. Ripley, their St. Bernard, has been especially sad so they were worried about her emotional state if they left her alone while they went on their family trip to Cape Cod. We were excited to step up to the plate when they asked us to spend the next few days here at their farm with her. She has a bad leg so it wouldn't have been possible for her to come to our place and have to go up and down the stairs a lot. Plus, our place is a bit small for such a big girl! Chowder has been keeping after her and making sure she isn't too lonely. As the time has passed, she's grown more accustomed to having us here with her which has been nice. The two of them go in the back yard while we feed the rest of the Silver Forge crew.

They're already close but they were both a bit shaken up at first. Ripley with her family leaving and Chowder with being away from home for the next few days. Today, they've both been better. They seem to be reasonably considerate of one another which has been nice to see. It's definitely been an adjustment not having Harrison around. His dog buddies miss him. Chris and I do as well.

Rest in peace, Harri.

Maoz Vegetarian

385 George Street

New Brunswick, NJ

08901

Times Square

558 7th Ave

at 40th St

New York City

248 South Street

1115 Walnut St

Philadelphia, PA

Burrito Hall of Fame

2010-06-29T10:55:00.001-07:00

To quote my previous post:

When I think of good food in Huntsville, two places come to mind.

We covered G's Country Kitchen but it would be a sin to exclude Bandito Burrito.

I was going to say "the one and only Bandito Burrito" but there are actually three locations. A few others have come and gone over time. There was even a brief period where they served breakfast which was epic! When I lived in Huntsville, I ate at the one on Governors Drive which is still there. When I visit my hometown, I usually crash with my friend who lives in Madison, so we go to the one up the way from his place. It's bigger and has a nice bar area plus outside seating. If the train goes by during your meal, you get a dollar off of your drink of choice. FYI: They have killer frozen strawberry margaritas here!

They always bring out chips and yummy salsa along with your drink order. The queso dip was a favorite at one point but that's when I was young and reckless. If you're feeling daring, order the queso and then double dip into the salsa as well. I regret not doing that the last time I was there. It's probably for the best. As it stands, I was barely able to fit into my plane seat back to New Jersey.

Their menu has expanded over the years. I've I'm sure there's lots of great stuff that they've added but ever since I first set foot into Bandito, I've always ordered the same thing...

Two bean burritos with a 2 oz side of sour cream. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I craved this more than any other thing on the planet. I was a sour cream fanatic. Over time, I have always been able to rely on this meal to taste exactly the same as it always has. It irritates me when places change up something that was already good to begin with! You can also make it a meal with just one burrito and sides. Their beans and rice are solid so you'll leave happy. If that doesn't do it for you, the fact that you can drink a sweet tea the size of your head should hopefully work!

It's a great place to go with friends (which is usually the case for me) and the prices are still very reasonable. No matter where you are in the Huntsville/Madison area, you're no more than 15 minutes from a Bandito Burrito. They should include this information on the sign that welcomes you to Madison County.

Bandito Burrito

208 Main St

Madison, AL

256-461-8999

3017 Governors Dr

Huntsville, AL

256-534-0866

11220 Memorial Pkwy SW

Huntsville, AL

256-489-3232

Sweet Home Alabama

2010-06-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

It was a bit quite out here in the blog front this past week. I wasn't even on Facebook all that much which really says something! I was home visiting friends and family in Alabama. The week was nonstop action so I just didn't have much internet time. I already have a backlog of blog posts and so I'd better get rolling.

This post is a must. When I think of good food in Huntsville, two places come to mind. This is one of them. It's a total hole in the wall that you would never hear about through anything other than word of mouth. Cracker Barrel it is not. This is the real deal.

This is soul food.

G's Country Kitchen

I was lucky enough to have a friend who brought me here back in the day when I used to live in 5 Points. I grew up with food like this but a new standard was set that day. I was a frequent customer after that. I ate here when I was pregnant with Molly and can remember bringing her when she was a tiny baby. I moved away from Huntsville a year after she was born and a long time passed before I was finally able to come back. A few years ago, I convinced a friend to come and eat lunch and I was thrilled that G's was still alive and kicking! It still looks and feels exactly how I remember it and it's one of those few places where I am able to attain a true sense of self. Where I am, where I've been and where I came from.

After you've had a seat and a moment to take in this humble establishment, you might notice the sign resides over the kitchen window: This is not fast food. It's a true statement. It's slowly cooked and seasoned and if you want something fried, it's cooked to order. Do yourself a favor, forget the scale. You can't go to G's and not have something that has been fried!

Many southern food establishments have a rotating menu of meats and veggies. G's has specials but their list of sides is set. There's nothing worse than looking at a menu on Wednesday and seeing that greens and fried okra are on the menu for Friday.

As you can see, I went with the fried green tomatoes. Speaking of greens, this is one of the few places I know that offers both collards and turnip greens everyday. I could not pick one for the life of me so they gave me both! I've always gone with the black eyed peas so I can get down to business...

Every plate is served with a slice of onion and tomato.

After every meal, I am usually way too stuffed to even think of dessert. Don't make that mistake here. This is the reason why to-go containers were invented. The desserts here are a religious experience that will have you saying Oh my GOD! after every bite!

The banana pudding and red velvet cake are the top players. I don't know if I want to take responsibility for picking a favorite because you really should have both. I did. I went here TWICE while I was home and had pudding one day and cake the next. If you're lucky, you might have a choice. The first day, it was made for me because the cake was sold out for the day. The reason being that this is the best red velvet cake on the planet. This stuff will make the pleasure center of your brain sing! I took a piece back home to New Jersey for Chris and it had to go through airport security. If it had tested positive for drugs, I don't think I would have been shocked. The withdrawl that I'm feeling right now is making me itchy!

Don't bother to lick the screen. I already tried that and it doesn't work.

G's Country Kitchen

2501 Oakwood Avenue

Huntsville, AL

256-533-3034

Old School NYC

2010-06-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

While we were in the City two weeks ago we decided to go with a light dinner since brunch was a big affair (as it should be). We also had tickets to La Cage Aux Folles (OMG! AMAZING!) and didn't want to risk being late by going to another hot spot to eat.

We decided to offset trendy with classic. Other than hitting up a hot dog stand, a knish from Yonah Schimmel is the cheapest meal you can get while still enjoying an authentic New York City experience. Knishes are like small hand pies. A biscuit like crust that is wrapped around potatoes with or without other things mixed in. They have a great selection of fillings that they combine with the potatoes (mushrooms, spinach, etc) and you have the option of adding cheese to any of them. They have other Jewish specialties such as latkes and borscht which is served cold inside of a clear plastic drink cup. Borscht is one of those things I desperately want to like. I ordered it the first time I went here but was totally put off by the temperature. If you enjoy that sort of thing, this stuff struck me as serious business! It had a good flavor and I did manage to make it halfway through the glass before I called it.

It's easy to get carried away when looking at their menu. A knish doesn't sound like much and it's difficult to believe you'll get full anywhere in NYC for less than four bucks. Lane wanted to order two but the waitress told him to start with one. He and Brooke each got a potato knish and I went with the red cabbage. One thing I love about Lane is that he was conscious of the fact that I enjoy photographing food and waited to eat until I was done without me even having to ask! That's a good friend!

If you don't think this will fill you up, you can make it a combo with slaw and (delicious) pickles. If you're still hungry, you can try one of their dessert knishes. They have chocolate and cherry/cheese which was what we went with.

The bill for all three of us to eat dinner was $21 and some change which is a serious bargain! Those things held us over through our show, while we walked through Times Square and then for our train ride back to New Jersey.

Do you want a delish knish without the trip to New York City? Neither do I but sometimes it's not always possible to get to the City. I don't know if there's an app for that but there is a relevant post! My first visit to Yonah Shimmel inspired me to learn to make them and I posted the recipe! They're time consuming but very much worth the effort!

Yonah Schimmel's Knishes Bakery

137 E Houston St

New York, NY 10002

212-477-2858

Ultimate Brunch Warrior

2010-06-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

I feel like I have a bit of catching up to do. The past few months have been spent with many rerun dinners but that's not to say that I haven't been to a few great places. We went to New England in May for the weekend and I have some fun stuff to share from that trip. My recent visitors from Huntsville, Brooke and Lane, were a good excuse to step out and enjoy a sampling of what the tri state area has to offer. As you saw earlier, we went to Philly. The following day, we went to New York City for more magic.

I don't have to remind faithful readers of how much I love Sunday brunch. I am sure that there is a sea of amazing options in the City but we went to a place that I've been previously (about a year and a half ago). Ever since then, I've raved countless times about it to anyone that will listen to me. I was delighted to learn that the owner is writing a book due out in the fall (just in time for my birthday!).

I am talking about Prune.

I'd heard from a reliable source that this place was awesome so when I met up with another old friend from high school that was in the NYC for a few days, I suggested it to her and she was open to trying it out. The place, of course, is small and a crowd that made for some excellent people watching was constantly gathered around and waiting for a table. If I'd started a "Young Folks" whistle along, I bet everyone would have joined in. We waited almost two hours for a spot that day and it was worth every second. We just spent the time catching up and chilling out.

We were much luckier two weeks ago when I went with Brooke and Lane. We got up early that morning to go into the city and arrived in East Village right around ten which is when they open the doors for brunch. No reservations taken (for all other meals, they will reserve you a spot) so the early bird gets the table. We stood in a small line and hoped for the best. Every seat is precious so if a member of your party is not present, you will not be seated. The three of us weren't waiting for anyone else and we practically fist bumped each other when the hostess invited us in and gave us immediate seating!

I ordered the exact same thing that I enjoyed a year and a half ago.

Spicy stewed chickpeas with preserved lemon, butter crumbed poached eggs and flatbread. It's one of the few completely vegetarian options on the menu but it's a jolly good one.

All of us ordered eggs and we also splurged on a pancake to share because I didn't want to miss out! It's quite an experience! It is made from a combination of flour and cornmeal and baked in a skillet (Yeah baby!). They serve it with warm berries and powdered sugar. It is, by far, one of the more unique pancakes I've ever had. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Don't skip the drinks here. I don't usually get juice when I'm out for breakfasty foods but the Prune Juice is an amazing blend of flavors that I am sure will compliment anything on their fabulous menu. Go for it!

I know I should branch out for my next brunch in the City but it's difficult not to plot another meal here. If I lived in New York City, I'd be a regular!

Prune

54 East 1st St

New York, NY 10003

212-677-6221

It's Been a Long Time

2010-06-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

Too long actually. I know it's been two and a half months since I've updated but it has also been over six since I've had the opportunity to eat ETHIOPIAN FOOD!!!!

I can rarely convince Chris to make the trek to Makeda in New Brunswick . Even I don't care to go for dinner because it's a bit pricy. That being said, it's still a great spot to take a date because it's dead sexy. Sometimes, however, I don't need sexy. I need functional and delicious. We had some friends who came to visit us from my hometown (Huntsville, AL) and they made it a point to mention how much they'd like to try Ethiopian cuisine. We don't have a lot as far as ethnic food goes in Alabama...especially if you're looking for an authentic experience. We have some Asian food (a great Korean place and good Thai as well) but as far as Africa goes? Fughettaboutet!

Washington D.C. has the highest concentration of Ethiopian immigrants in the country so the food is abundant. It's actually close to the top of my list of things I want to do if I ever get the chance to go to D.C. I've only driven through on the way to and from New Jersey. Luckily for me, Philadelphia also has a reasonable selection of places where they throw down with the wats! I'd never been to any of them but I know someone who lives in Philly and has is often out and about so I asked her where to go for the best. She recommended Almaz Cafe. She said the ambiance was humble but the food was top notch.

It doesn't really stick out so you do need to actively search for it. It's a small restaurant without much seating but we got there right around 5 in the afternoon so we had our pick of the few tables they have.

They have the atmosphere of a coffee shop and the offerings to back it up. They also serve breakfast and lunch of the Americanesque persuasion. My daughter ordered the berry salad and they delivered a shimmering bowl of fruit and toasted pecans on top of a bed of lettuce with a side of balsamic dressing. We all stared at her with envy for a few seconds but quickly reminded ourselves that our moment would come. Almaz didn't let us down.

This is the vegetarian sampler. All four of us ordered the same thing. The same smiling faces also brought us a huge plate that was piled high with injera. We quickly depleted it and it was immediately replenished.

For $10.95, you get to try out all four of their veggie based wats. Each one is a unique experience. We enjoyed them all but I think the across the board favorite was the tikil gomen which is the one in the separate dish. I'll probably get an entire meal of it next time. Even now, the thought of it makes me shake my head with wonder at how something that seems so simple can shock the senses with layers of flavorful pleasure.

The service was friendly and the food was full of comfort. To top it off, the prices are very reasonable which makes it a triple threat in the streets of Philly. You can top off your meal by venturing up to Artery and Salvage which is an awesome shop full of handmade arts and crafts from the locals. You can get yerself a souvenir that will beat the heck out of a bear that looks like Benjamin Franklin or a plastic Liberty Bell. I have no doubt that my return to Almaz will bring about thoughts that are similar to what is going through my head right now: It's good to be back.

Almaz Cafe

140 S 20th Street

20th and Walnut

Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-557-0108

Artery and Salvage

108 S 20th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-360-5548

Olive You

2010-03-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

I turned 32 last year. At the beginning of 2009, I didn't have a big list of resolutions. The main item on my list was to revisit certain foods from my past that I didn't think I liked. I know your tastes change as an adult so I thought I'd see if I could appreciate them now. The main things on my list of food aversions are broccoli, olives, grapefruit and cauliflower. I actually managed to get over two of them. I think broccoli and cauliflower have a similar issue and that is texture. It makes me gag. I also cannot stand the way they smell when they're cooked. I'm not a picky eater when it comes to veggies but I refuse to eat them.

I absolutely fell in love with olives last year. Head over heels. They're so luscious and salty and meaty. My youth in Alabama only saw the canned black olives that you get on the salad bar and I was repelled while my sister, Allison, ate piles and piles of them.

The first time that olives started to appeal to me had to have been while visiting my inlaws. They splurge on nice edibles from a local Italian market and often purchase a lovely blend of them. I remember thinking they were gorgeous and lamenting over the fact that I "didn't like them". That was what inspired me to try them all again.

I remember the first time I went for an olive. It was at this diner in Princeton that I keep meaning to write about because they have excellent Greek food. Their vegetarian platter is amazing and the hummus is topped with a few kalmata olives with pits. I always offered mine to Chris who gladly accepted them. One day, instead of handing them over, I decided to eat one. I knew to expect a seed so I cautiously sunk my tooth through the skin. The salt exploded in my mouth and I tried not to let it overwhelm me as I analyzed the flavors. These were definitely different than the ones I'd grown up with and I immediately wondered where these had been my whole life.

Needless to say, I am making up for 31 years of lost time now. I put them in a lot of stuff and I also just munch them straight from the jar.

Pictured above is the international blend that is hand selected and mixed by a true master foodie at Bon Appetit in Princeton. I haven't yet written about this place but it's one of my absolute favorites in the entire area. Before I started with resolution to start bringing my own lunch, I spent mucho moolah here.

I could dedicate a whole section of this blog to the specialty items I buy in this place that make eating a true joy. I joke that since I don't spend lots of money on meat that I can afford to splurge on the occasional $15 cheese or $10 container of salt. Their selection of olives in beautiful crocks is very impressive. As you can see by the picture, they come in all colors and sizes. It's amazing how unique they all are. I used to give these guys the cold shoulder but now I can safely say that we are BFFs.

Bon Appetit

301 N Harrison St.

Princeton, NJ 08540

609-942-7755

The Soup Trail

2010-03-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

I think it's obvious by now to anyone that knows me (or just reads my blog regularly) that I enjoy food projects that require an investment of time. The range is wide from fermentation to fruitcakes.

My crock pot has been the absolute best thing to ever happen to my slow cooking fetish. I took the whole process to new personal heights this past week by making a soup that, from start to finish, took about a week to prepare.

It's common knowledge that you can boil scraps and make stock. I usually fall back on the premade stuff because there are some excellent options out there. The Better Than Bouillon brand is a pantry staple. One of my Tuesday knitters at work (Ilene) told me that I was really losing out on a great opportunity to make my own by not saving veggie scraps. She told me she saves everything from onion skins to apple cores in a small container in the freezer and cooks it down in her crock pot. I have a small canvas bag that has been designated for the job of holding scraps in the freezer now. I chop but I don't chop that much stuff so it took me about 2 weeks or so to fill it up. Maybe it was overkill but I was pretty excited when I finally had what I thought was enough to make into stock.

I had a little bit of everything in here from half of a lime to eggplant remains. Ileane had instructed me to fill the pot up with water but not enough to completely cover the scraps. I added some peppercorns and a few bay leaves and set it to simmer overnight.

My house smelled great the next morning so I was pleased! I filled the crock pot up with some more water and allowed it to simmer and reduce for the rest of the day. I strained the liquid that evening and tossed the scraps. I figured that it had cost me very little to attempt to make this stock so I would try my best not to be let down if it didn't work out. I tasted some of the stock and it was quite flavorful! Unfortunately, it also had a level of bitterness that was not going to work out in my favor if I were to serve it to someone. I thought about it for a while and decided to let it cook a bit longer. I added the only potato I had in large chunks (to hopefully absorb some of the bitterness), a good sprinkling of sugar and some more peppercorns and bay leaves. I decided to try to steer the flavor towards the southwest so I added two small cans of tomato sauce the following morning and hoped that this would be a solid foundation on which to build a tortilla soup.

When I got home that afternoon, the soup had a lovely color and along with texture more velvety than Barry White. I added some smoked paprika, a bit of barbeque sauce, cumin and sea salt and I gave it another day.

I knew it was going to need some sort of a meaty texture. I weighed the option of tofu but I decided to use the pack of oyster shrooms I had in the fridge. They have the nice big packs of them at the Asian Market for cheap and I can never resist them. I knew they wouldn't give off too much of a mushroom flavor and they've cooked up fabulously in everything I've tossed them into so far.

Some fresh cilantro plus a yellow onion and it was ready to cook on high for the next four hours. After the time I'd put into the soup already, that felt a bit rushed but I planned to take it over to someone's house for dinner that night so I had no choice. I made do with a giant glass jar but I've decided to enter the market for a big thermos.

I dragged along some soup accessories and added a can of pinto and black beans to the mix before packing it up.

The soup served up beautifully. I was really proud to put it down on the table. I'd tasted it already and thought it was just how I wanted it to be. Flavorful without anything being too dominant.

Our hosts for the night fried up some tostones that turned out to be great dippers.

Tostones are twice fried plantains that are peeled, fried, smashed, fried again and sprinkled with salt.

Delicioso!

We're having some leftovers tonight. It won't be as pretty but I am eager to see if the flavor has changed at all.

Pizza Party

2010-03-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

Laura and Molly

Last week, my friend Laura decided that it'd been too long since the local gang all got together. She made reservations for us all to have dinner at Nomad Pizza in Hopewell. I love her for showing me all of the great stuff that's happening in that little town! Of course, even if this place weren't in an adorable town, it would still be worth seeking out and making reservations for. Max capacity is only 41 people so it's definitely on the small side. It is also an absolute treasure of a pizzeria. I didn't think I needed another one on my radar. This is especially true because I still have a small list of shops that I haven't been to yet that I continue to hear great things about.

Those will all come eventually. This post belongs to Nomad. Do you see that piece of paper? It's the menu. Like De Lorenzo's, it is short, sweet and to the point. They have pizza, a few salads and drinks. That's it. And that is all you need. Trust me.

All of that writing up there...it's not even ALL menu. The upper right hand corner is some jibber jabber from the chick who wrote Eat, Pray, Love (she's a local). The left hand side is a small list of specialty pizzas. They also have rotating daily specials.

One of the more clever things on the menu? Fanta and Coca Cola from Mexico. Some of you may know that I stopped drinking most sodas about five years ago. I drink the occasional elitist artisan root beer and about once or twice a month, I allow myself a Mexican Coke. I love them because they're made with real sugar. They aren't too sweet and syrupy. They are light, crisp and satisfying.

Let's not forget about the true star of this place...

...the pies. They average from about $12-20. I shared one with my 8 year old kid but if we'd been two adults, we would have needed a second. They aren't very big but they pack a delicious punch. This is the margherita pizza with buffalo mozzarella. A small amout of cheese, a subtle sauce, a pinch of basil and it's all signed/sealed/delivered in a thin and airy crust that still gives a glutenous pull with each bite.

There were several items on the menu that I would have loved to have tried (including the special which had artichoke hearts!) but that's just more motivation to bring Chris back here. He will absolutely love it.

To top it all off, they bring you your choice of either milk or dark chocolate squares along with your check. I thought it was super classy! I was the only one who ordered dark and the waiter gave me a smirk.

The chocolate was a sublime finish to an equally blissful meal. I am already trying to formulate another day trip to Hopewell for antiquing and for more meals. There is a restaurant that is a block up from Nomad that I've heard makes their own kimchi!

In the meantime, if you live in the area and know what is good for you, you'll get yerself a reservation for Nomad. Bring cash, they don't take cards. It's also BYOB.

Andrew, Kate and David are discussing some serious business.

Bringing some good friends is also an option! There are few things that go better with pizza than beer and friends.

Nomad Pizza

10 E Broad Street

Hopewell, NJ 08525

609-466-6623

Any Excuse

2010-03-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I decided to throw together a special dinner for St. Patrick's Day. I don't have many decorations for the spring holidays (St. Patty's or Easter) but I do try to make it a point to display what little I have because Molly loves it. I know we're not Irish but we love any excuse to do something fun around here.

Corned beef is one of the main things I miss as a vegetarian. I'd rather have corned beef on St. Patrick's day than turkey on Thanksgiving. I've managed to live without either one for a while now. I know that the above picture doesn't look like a very exciting substitute but I promise you that those humble little potatoes and sprouts turn into something magical when you throw in a little bit of ghee...

I actually used two small pans to roast all of these guys so they could get some good surface area on the hot dish and get all nice and brown. I roast them on the better side of 45 minutes at 400 degrees. I pan cooked some Tofurkey Italian sausage and tossed them in with the veggies. This might've been the best sprouts I've ever made. Molly and Chris devoured them. I used to use olive oil but I'm a firm ghee convert now. There is a local supplier in West Windsor who makes their own organic ghee from grass fed cows. They will most likely be at the WW Farmer's market this coming season and you can also get their awesome product at Whole Foods on Route 1.

This is my tiny set up. I found that knitted clover at a thrift store years ago and I've used it every year since then. The eggs are s+p shakers. I also have a great brooch with a real preserved four leaf clover in it that I found on our last trip to Red Bank.

I realized that I didn't have any Irish soda bread so I remedied the situation today. McCaffrey's doesn't have bad soda bread. My favorite comes from Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck. We had Guinness in the fridge but I went for a Stella Artois. Nobody pinched me so I believe it's safe to assume that I got away with it.

Pi Pix

2010-03-14T19:22:00.000-07:00

3.14.2010

Today we went out for Pi Day in Princeton. A celebration of math and science. I thought it was a wonderful way to get kids excited about it.

I read recently that between Molly's age now (almost 9) and the time they go to middle school, the interest that children show in math and science dramatically plummets. I am willing to support any local effort to show young people how cool it is!

Several local businesses had specials and displays to mark the occasion. McCaffrey's had apple pies and personal pizzas on sale for $3.14. They were supposed to have an employee look alike contest but, sadly, I didn't see anyone who was participating. There was a pie throwing contest in Palmer's Square and an Einstein look alike contest at the library. I was lucky enough to see one before we left. We took part in a really cool hands on exhibit and demonstration.

The kids loved this guy!

Molly was hungry and I was short on cash so we stopped in at The House of Cupcakes on Witherspoon while we made our way up the block to meet up with Chris at Small World. I'd been meaning to try this place out and they had a sign on the door that let me know I could use my debit card there.

Molly and I took our time looking at the nice selection of cupcakes. Their menu of baked goods consists mostly of tried and true classics such as German chocolate, Oreo and red velvet along with decadent surprises like marshmallow and chocolate truffle. A bottle of milk and a cupcake was less than $5 which is a steal in Princeton!

I was trying to steer Molly towards the Boston cream but she predictably went for the vanilla blast. I ended up with a bite of this bad boy and although I was still lamenting her final choice, I had to admit that the incredibly moist cake and fluffed silken layer of icing made a strong case. This was a seriously amazing cupcake. I didn't get one for myself because I was holding out for something else...

Twist was offering free Cherry Pi filling on top of their signature frozen yogurt today. (Some of you might remember that I love this place.) I was thrilled to see that they were participating in the festivities and I was anxious to support them. Chris and I shared Eurotart and vanilla mixed together and topped with warm cherry filling. It r-u-l-e-d.

You also had the option to partake in some "Genius Dust" for your frozen yogurt. We didn't partake but I thought the idea was adorable.

Despite the gloomy weather, we had a nice afternoon in Princeton. I always enjoy seeing a township come together to celebrate something special about their heritage. The local schools are having various craft shows and school plays. Farmers markets and festivals will be popping up all over the place. Spring is almost here.

Twist Yogurt

64 Nassau St

Princeton, NJ 08542

609-454-3057

The House of Cupcakes

30 Witherspoon St

Princeton, NJ 08542

609-924-0085

Myth Busters

2010-02-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

There are several correlations that exist in our culture that truly befuddle me. I don't have time to delve into that list and I'm sure that many of you wouldn't want to read it. What I have here to share with you is a list of a different sort. It's nothing new or exciting but here it is...

My grocery list.

It's nothing fancy but I think that it looks like a reasonably healthy collection of mostly whole foods. I try hard to feed myself and my family with stuff that tastes good and will nourish us so we can power through each day. Chris and I are both watching our diets so we try to make the most of our allotted calories we have each day. We're also trying to save money by reducing the amount that we spend eating at restaurants so I've been trying to jot down ideas for an assortment of things to enjoy for breakfasts, bagged lunches and dinners.

Where am I going on this tangent? I do actually have a point and it's this: There is a strange mindset that exists among a lot of people that eating healthy is expensive. I've heard so many people go on about how a healthy diet is out of their reach because because they cannot afford it. There are even several members of my family that believe this and feel that they're resigned to buying edible food-like substances in colorful boxes with characters on them and washing it down with a 24 pack of diet soda. I once heard a rule that seems to be golden as I see more and more grocery stores. The outer layer of the floor plan is usually where you should shop. The further into the middle you go, the more processed foods there are. The dairy, produce and other less complicated fare is all along the sides. I've also heard several people say that they don't know where to start when it comes to making healthy changes. I know that we get a lot of contradictory information as consumers when it comes to nutrition. I highly recommend this book.

Short, sweet and to the point. I learned a lot in the 10 minutes it took me to skim through it.

I am a Trader Joe's Queen. Almost all of the food you see and will continue to see on this blog was purchased there. I'm lucky enough to finally have one close to where I live! Their products are fun and simple with quality ingredients and no preservatives. I do buy some prepackaged stuff for days that I know I won't have time to cook. A frozen spinach pie or a pizza and a carton of tomato soup from TJ's is no worse than ordering it out and it takes 2% effort to make.

The vegetable based diet really helps with saving money so we can afford to spring for fancier veggies and quality ingredients. We also don't typically buy soda aside from an occasional 4 pack of Virgil's Root Beer which is usually a treat for everyone. Molly prefers milk to just about anything else and we drink a lot of water and tea. I've been all about the fiber lately so I try to eat a good bit of fruits, veggies and whole grain carbs. Typical breakfasts are quick aside from the few days a week I decide to cook something. It's usually half of a blueberry bran muffin and some cottage cheese. I love poached eggs and I'm a big fan of the Ezekiel line of breads. For lunch, I really like the frozen rice and bean burritos at TJ's and I take them with me to work at least 3 days out of the week with a piece of fruit. If I don't bring one, it's usually because I have leftovers from dinner. I haven't bought my lunch at work since the middle of December! I used to do it almost everyday so it's a big change.

Dinners vary and depend on my mood (and how tired I am!).

Smart Dogs with whole wheat pizza crust wrapped around them and baked is very popular with my family. We usually have it on Friday nights. I love them dipped in mustard and chili.

We love beans in this family. This is buttered toast with baked beans. In the summertime, we usually have fresh tomatoes with it. I jokingly think of it as "The Kerouac". Spinach and white beans is another favorite.

Some meals are a little more complicated...

Colorful bell peppers were on sale so I picked out one of each and stuffed them with white rice and black beans mixed with salsa and a bit of cheese. I simmered them for a bit and then let them brown in the oven. I served fresh guac on the side. I even had enough leftovers for two lunches the next day. It took a while to put together but I had company so that made it more fun. Anything remotely Mexican flavored will earn me an A+ with Chris and Molly. Burrito night never fails me.

When the West Windsor Farmer's Market opens back up in May, we'll be getting most of our produce from there. I can't believe how close it is! We get our public garden plot back in April!

I probably spend about $85 every week (give or take $10) on all of the different things I've mentioned. I think that list up there was about $75. Not too shabby considering it fed 3 people for several meals everyday. I also have to pack Molly a snack for school. Her teacher is a stickler for kids bringing in healthy food to hold them over until lunch and so M typically gets pistachios, cheese and crackers, applesauce or some fruit.

Our diet isn't anything too special but we like it. We're satisfied and we don't spend a lot of money. I read that the average American household spends 10% of their income on groceries. I see an investment in quality sustenance as a much better option than paying for a bunch of pharmacy visits in the future. I could go on and on about how even the slightest change in our way of thinking about food would be a definite variable in some very positive changes that would come about in our country but this ain't that kind of blog.

I just wanted to dispel the myth that we have to spend a lot of money to eat well.

Chick'n + Waffles

2010-02-25T16:36:00.000-08:00

It's difficult to retrace my steps back to the root of this particular brunch that I prepared for myself today. My passion for sweet and salty definitely played a small role. I'm sure that I'm not the only one that has heard of the famous Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles (I recommend clucking the link). Two words that many people don't traditionally hear together in the same sentence but as they flow into your ears, you know immediately that it has to be as good as it sounds.

I try to keep my meat analogue intake down on the medium-low side but every once in a while, it's absolutely necessary to scratch an itch. I didn't eat breakfast this morning and because of the weather we were having...

...Molly and I did not go to work or school. She was supposed to go in a half of a day but I just didn't feel comfortable sending her out with the snow coming down the way that it was. It did end up slowing down but I'm still glad we laid low.

She has a small arsenal of breakfast food in the freezer. Maybe my child is a bit spoiled but she has either waffles or french toast every morning for breakfast along with maple syrup and a glass of milk. On Saturday nights, she defrosts some cheesy blintzes that she enjoys on Sunday morning. They're always ready to eat straight out of the box so I don't have to cook them. It works well for her because she normally wakes up before I do. I suppose I'm also spoiled since I have to do very little in order to put breakfast on the table for her.

As I waited for her waffles to toast, I thought the idea sounded especially good so when I did decide to eat, I just pulled two more out of the box. I like mine a little well done so I put the butter on before they went in and let them go for an extra half of a minute. They were perfect. I drizzled a small amount of syrup and let them sit for a bit. I'd already preheated and baked some Morningstar Buffalo Wings. Not too many, just enough to balance out the sweetness.

By the time I sat down, it was almost noon so I was pretty hungry. This meal didn't just hit the spot, it knocked it into next week. I decided to use some of my fancy dishes even though I was basically just defrosting food for myself.

Everyone enjoyed the dinner I lovingly prepared last night (stuffed peppers). It took a bit of time and effort but in the end, it was definitely worth it. Sometimes, however, I am just not in the mood to invest time and effort and I'm thankful for my freezer giving me the occasional option of fast, easy and good.

The Red Bank Trilogy

2010-02-21T17:46:00.000-08:00

Over the past six weeks, my friend Shannon and I have made several trips to Red Bank, NJ. It's pretty close to the shore and will always hold a special place in my southern heart. I've heard The Boss even has a place close by! There is such an amazing mix of shops and restaurants that even after this many trips, I'm already anxious to return! We decided that since there is usually so much walking involved, we're going to wait until the spring. The farmers market will be back on the weekends too.

Back in 2004 when my future husband brought me up to New Jersey for the first time to meet his parents, he ended up taking me to Red Bank for the day. Back then, there were a few more cool places that I loved that unfortunately closed down. There are still a lot of great places though. Nowadays, there are several high ends stores and chains (Tiffany & Co and Urban Outfitters) tossed in with independently owned shops that have been around for decades. Over these past few years, my friends and family have been establishing our own history here.

When the Alvino clan came over from Italy to New Jersey, they first settled in Red Bank. True fax. Nowadays, you might spot my inlaws dining at The Broadway Grill or browsing around in this shop...

My father-in-law is an avid coin AND stamp collector. He has given this guy a lot of business over the years. His collections are very impressive.

This is another fantastic place for hobbyists, gamers and the forever young. They sell everything from Madame Alexander dolls, seriously old school toys and board games. Chris was impressed with their selection of Settlers of Catan expansion sets. Geek alert!

The first time we ventured over, Shannon insisted on this place for lunch.

The pizza is tasty but she had been raving about their famous fries...

They are the perfect hybrid between a chip and a fry. I've never had them like this before! If the food isn't enough to get you in here, maybe the fact that you can play vintage arcade games and sit next to a picture of old people shooting the bird might be more of a draw. Don't believe me?

I want to be just like them when I get old.

An important part of my own history also took place in Red Bank.

I had my first real bagel here. This place is small and dark and cozy. People come in and out for coffee, sandwiches and the seriously tasty namesake. I got to come back on our second trip earlier this month and relive the magic. I know I've raved about the place close to us and they do indeed have good stuff. They're just different here. Much more crisp on the outside. When I go in, I find myself wanting to roll up my sleeves, go behind the counter and work some dough. I used to love those Lender's Bagels that you could get in the frozen section at the grocery store when I was growing up in the south. I haven't had one since I came here.

Right across the street is a reasonably good thrift store and right next to it is another cheap place to get clothes and accessories. It's a consignment shop that has a good selection of vintage jewelry. Leave yourself some time to hunt. I scored a gorgeous pair of black leather gloves and a killer brooch here. You'll know you're in the right place when you see the polyester rainbow...

What else does Red Bank have to offer? There definitely was no shortage of hip clothing shops before Urban Outfitters opened up. Backward Glance and Funk & Standard have been serving the community for years. Both are fantastic places to look when you feel like you haven't got a sassy stitch to wear. It's a great town for antiques. There are two huge havens right across from the Galleria. There is also a well stocked record store.

When we were there yesterday, we had plans to go to Carlos O' Connor's for Mexican food but we waited a bit late and lost our chance for a table due to a bunch of reservations. We ended up down the street and waiting outside of the Eurasian Eatery for a table. The place is absolutely tiny so it took a while for us to get seated. We found out later that John Prine was in town and that's probably why the restaurants were so packed. I was grouchy from being cold and hungry, the delicious food immediately lifted my spirits. I'd been told that the place was quite vegetarian friendly but I was still pleasantly surprised. Their menu is all over the place from dumplings to falafel to pasta dishes. I ordered the black bean moussaka and it was everything you could possibly want from a meal if you're cold and hungry. Despite the vast array of things I would love to try the next time we go back, it's going to be difficult not to order that again!

Despite the yummy dessert menu, we skipped out after dinner and walked back towards the Galleria where we'd parked because Shannon was clever enough to make us reservations at The Melting Pot for chocolate fondue. It was the perfect ending to another great Red Bank outing. Two tips I'd offer anyone planning a trip: bring some cash because these smaller places to eat like Bagel Oven or Mr. Pizza Slice prefer it. Also, if you're planning on sticking around for dinner, make reservations!!!!

Eurasian Eatery

110 Monmouth St

732- 741-7071

Bagel Oven

72 Monmouth St.

732-842-1141

Mr Pizza Slice

10 Monmouth St.

732-747-9165

The Melting Pot

2 Bridge Ave.

732-219-0090

Here's a list of some other places to eat.

Funk and Standard Variety Store

40 Broad St.

732-219-5885

Jack's Music Shoppe

30 Broad St.

732-842-0731

Nearly New Shop

70 Monmouth St.

732-747-2772

Toymasters Inc.

62 White St.

732-530-8697

Feels Like The First Time

2010-02-17T17:07:00.001-08:00

Chris and I have a new favorite meal and it comes to us courtesy of my friend Shannon. I know what you're thinking S, it's not the sprouts with ghee but we do love those too!

Like anything else on this blog, this meal has a backstory.....

The very first time I ever had bok choy was after I moved up north. It's not a common sight in Alabama. We were living right outside of Philly and every once in a while we'd go into the city and shop at this amazing grocery store called Essene. Parking on South Street can be nearly impossible and we wouldn't have even bothered if this place wasn't so awesome. It came highly recommended by our friend John. He does these cleansing fasts a few times a year and when he prepares to break it, his first meal is usually this total hippie soup. It's chock full of nutrients and quality ingredients and he buys it all from Essene. He informed us that if you go a while without eating, the first meal that you ingest is going to be deeply absorbed into your system so it better be top notch.

Chris and I never got around to fasting but we did decide to go check this place out for ourselves. We did some shopping and decided to sit down and enjoy a meal from their entirely vegetarian and mostly organic food bar. I thought the bok choy cabbage looked great so I put some on my plate. I don't remember anything else I had but I remember how much I loved those greens. The texture was a cross between crunchy celery (but more mild tasting) and a flat leaf kale. It was very simply seasoned but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I didn't have nearly as much experience with that sort of thing as I do now. I think it's funny that our Turkish friends avoid bok choy because bok is their word for shit. Pardon my French. Or should I say Turkish?

Fast forward through several years of cooking up bok choy in several different and pleasing ways but never really forgetting the greens from Essene. I know, it's a bit ridiculous the way certain things stick with me. A few months ago, my friend Shannon gave me an old grill pan that she was going to Freecycle. I'd been wanting to get my hands on one so I was excited! Our condo doesn't allow grills. Some people have them anyways but we have a nosy neighbor who has the association on speed dial and would probably rat us out!

While we were snowed in last week, we had company. Our friend Vahe is a complete health nut so while we were getting ready to play some Settlers of Catan, I looked into the fridge to see what I could cook up. My bok choy was looking sad so I figured I'd use it or lose it. We were at Whole Foods the day before and I saw some heads cut in half and grilled with a glaze. It looked great so I decided to try something similar with my pan. I cut them up and mixed some tamari, sesame oil and some ginger juice together to brush onto the mix. I cut up a brick of tofu and threw on some shitake mushrooms that also were looking a bit dejected....

Look at those lovely grill marks!!!

This really turned out to be quite tasty! It's definitely the closest I've ever had to the Essene bok choy. I think the slight char is what did it. It made everyone happy and gave me the fuel I needed to lay the smack down in Catan. I made it again for dinner tonight and the family scarfed it up. The best part? The entire meal is very low in calories and quite high in fiber and nutrients so it's very diet friendly. Between the watermelon I had for lunch and the grilled dinner, it almost feels like summer despite the fact there is a foot of snow on the ground!

If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend treating yourself to a meal from Essene. There's never a lack of inspiration for future meals you can cook at home. Bonus: There is a cool tea shop across the street!

Essene Market & Cafe

719 South 4th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19147

215-922-1146

Cool Bean

2010-02-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

I know that they're a dying breed but one of my absolute favorite places to go are independent coffee shops. It's always a pleasure to go hit one up that is feverishly supported by the locals who seem to prefer it to Starbucks.

I was hanging out with my ladies, Kate and Laura, a few weeks ago and we hadn't really eaten much in the line of breakfast so Laura said she knew a great place. We got into her car and took a lovely drive over to the small town of Hopewell. It was about 10-12 minutes from her place in Lawrenceville. She parked across the street from our destination, The Boro Bean. She assured us that we were going to love this place as much as she did.

We walked into the renovated old house and passed a cart of books on sale from the local library which is up the street in an adorable building that looks like it should be part of the Christmas Village my inlaws put up every year. The front counter of the Boro Bean is lit up with lights and a colorful menu that offers up a variety of choices for breakfast and lunch. It's also impossible not to notice the large area of counter space to the right of the cash register that is taken up by dozens of muffins. Not just any muffins. These bad boys are roughly the size of a human head. There are displayed right in the pans and they glisten with the hope of being purchased and enjoyed. They usually have at least four different flavors and I've can tell you that the apple, peach and gingerbread varieties are all fantastic. You can wash it down with a coffee. I asked for a dry cappuccino and it practically floated out of my hand. They feature Small World coffee and although the espresso was bitter (as it tends to be in most places), the drink was well crafted.

Another highlight of the Boro Bean is the panini selection. There are at least two or three vegetarian choices and they also offer delicious homemade soups with at least one meatless option. The last time I went, I decided to go with the grilled veggie panini (squash and zucchini) with gorgonzola cheese and an artichoke spread....

If you order a sandwich, they offer you the choice of chips or bean salad. The salad was great but avoid it if you don't enjoy cilantro. I read something recently that said people either love it or hate it. That there really aren't any shades of grey when it comes to enjoying the flavor of that particular herb. Maybe this is true because I really like it and my brother-in-law cannot stand it.

The Boro Bean is right on the main strip of Hopewell. After you have your fill of goodness, you should definitely take the time to walk off your meal in this charming little town. There's some good antiquing to be found as well a laid back pace that almost feels southern.

Boro Bean

9 East Broad Street

Hopewell, NJ 08525

609-466-6681

A Night Like This

2010-01-31T18:06:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while. I actually had a beautiful macaron post typed up and it somehow got eaten up by the internetz. I was pretty bummed out and I'll try to rehash it sometime next month.

I've decided that I am going to trim down my monthly posts from 9 to 5. I can do more but I want to do at least 5. Today is the last day of January and it's my 5th post of the month...how convenient! It just seems less daunting plus, I don't want to start sounding tired.

It has been so darn cold these past few days. We had a wave of warm in the middle of the month (the temps were in the 40's) but for the past few days, it hasn't gone above freezing. I was looking back at some of my pictures from our last trip to Germany and came across the Gleuhwein shots. This stuff was all over Vienna as well. Every place we tried it was a little bit different.

It's a seasonal beverage in the German speaking countries and it's made with mulled wine. My friend Andrew used to live in Germany and he made it a point to tell us that we should definitely try some. The way it's pronounced, I thought he was saying blue wine and the mental image was not pleasant. What was in the wine to make it blue!? How could it possibly taste good!?

When I saw the tent, I felt silly. Gleuhwein! It's served up nice and warm in a commemorative cup. You pay a deposit fee of about 2-3 euros for the mug and the beverage itself is about 2. If you want to keep the cup, you've already paid for it so you're more than welcome to do so. We kept the pretty cup we shared in Vienna. It had a nice picture of the Rathaus which is a huge and gorgeous building. The picture below was the drink we shared in Germany.

As you can see by the pink froth, it isn't blue. :-) It's served up nice and hot but not scalding so you can drink it right away. I didn't expect to like it nearly as much as I did. Even if I did hear it correctly and didn't imagine it to be the wrong color, mulled wine just sounded strange to me! I managed not to write it off and I'm glad I gave it a try. While we were walking around and taking in the sights, this stuff did an excellent job of taking the edge off of the cold weather. It smells really strong but it's quite smooth! Not too sweet with just a hint of spice. Sehr gut!

With the weather being as miserable these past few days, my heart ached when I saw these pictures. I'd give anything right now to warm my hands and kick back with a nice mug of Gluewein! I should try to see if I can dig up a recipe. I did get a lovely German cookbook for Christmas.....

Tastes Like Chicken

2010-01-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

A while back, I promised a follow up for dinner at Kaya's Kitchen to accompany the brunch post from a few months ago. Last weekend, Chris and I finally got around to it. We don't live very close to Kaya's which is both fortunate and unfortunate. I'd probably have even more weight to lose than I am already dealing with if we weren't an hour away!

We basically save it for special occasions. Chris' parents live close by so sometimes we head over if we are visiting them and my mother-in-law doesn't plan on cooking one of her fabulous meals. There are a lot of great choices on their menu. My favorite thing to order would have to be the fake chicken legs! I have to say that it's one of the most convincing off all of the faux meats I've ever had. The texture is almost scary! Honestly, I do not remember chicken ever tasting this good. This is moist and full of flavor. You have a choice of either BBQ grilled or fried. The meal comes with four legs so I usually do two of each. They're both awesome so it's difficult to say which is the best. Texture wise, I love crunching into the fried but the flavor of the BBQ is tough to beat. The meal came with a veggie medley but I always get the kale here. It's fantastic. Kaya's loves their gravy and I am having great difficulty coming up with a sight that is more delightful than that of a boat. In fact, this blog was almost The Gravy Boat. True fact!

I've had a few of the appetizers. The "ribs" stand out as a favorite. Of course, you can blame my southern upbringing for my strong love of anything with barbeque sauce on it! The soups are always good too. I can't remember going there when Chris hasn't ordered the burrito for dinner. He's a man who knows what he likes. (That's why he married me) The dessert menu usually changes around depending on what they have. They're homemade and delicious but I rarely have room for it! Almost their entire menu is vegan but if you order something with cheese (like the burrito), you have a choice of dairy.

Kaya's Kitchen uses the finest quality organic ingredients so don't allow the relaxed atmosphere fool you. It isn't cheap. I am pretty sure the chicken leg meal was $16 but it was worth every penny. I've never had a meal at Kaya's that didn't result in a deep down soul satisfaction.

Kaya's Kitchen

817 Belmar Plaza

Belmar, NJ 07719

732-280-1141

A Lunch Date

2010-01-04T18:36:00.001-08:00

Last week Chris and I had a whole week off together! My daughter was visiting her dad so we had a lot of time to ourselves. Earlier in the month, I made him promise me to take me to Makeda! This is one of the few, if not the only Ethiopian restaurant in New Jersey. It is an absolutely amazing and delicious experience and I cannot implore you all enough to go!

The best time to hit it up is for lunch. Dinner can get kinda pricey. You can have your choice of four different dishes if you chose the vegetarian sampler and it will only set you back $9. This comes with injera so you can dine in traditional Ethiopian fashion...

...with your hands!

Injera is a crepe like fermented flatbread made from teff. It has a slightly sour taste that envelopes the complex flavors of the meal perfectly. Ethiopian food is usually served in a stew form called wat. The menu at Makeda is full of them which are made from many different sources and combined with a variety of seasonings. I've tried several from the lunch menu I definitely have my favorites. I usually always order the same four.

Starting clockwise from the left: Gomen Wat which is made from collard greens. Mesir Wat is at the top and it is made from lentils. Atakild Wat is probably the most popular. It is a stewed combination of potatoes, green beans, cabbage and carrots. Last but not least is the Shiro Wat made from split peas. All of these are seasoned traditionally with garlic, ginger and a magical blend of spices. I've been told by members of the wait staff that the cooks are quite guarded when it comes to their methods.

Treat yourself to an adventure. Call in sick and go to Makeda for lunch. It's rarely crowded. The atmosphere is relaxed while still accomplishing a sense of eloquence. You can enjoy the view of the art gallery through the windows that divide it from the restaurant. Don't go if you are in a hurry. Even if you are one of only two or three tables, the pace is quite slow. Let yourself relax with a cup of spiced tea (a favorite!) or a glass of Tej which is an Ethiopian wine made from honey. Drop me a comment to rub it in my face a little bit if you do decide to go and even if I don't reply, know that I'll be jealous!

Makeda

338 George Street

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

732-545-5115

A Southern Tradition

2010-01-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

Where I grew up, every year had to start out with some black eyed peas if you want it to be a good one! I decided to get a solid leg up on my beans by soaking them last Tuesday and then slow cooking them over the next three days in my crock pot. I seasoned them up the way I do all of my beans: an onion (the color doesn't really matter), at least four cloves of bruised garlic, 3-4 small bay leaves and some sea salt. This never fails to yield a satisfying pot of grub.

The black eyed peas are traditionally accompanied by greens. Some say collards but I don't really know for sure if your choice is limited. Since I did such a good job with my peas, I let Trader Joe's give me a hand with the rest. They sell a bag of chopped mix greens so all I had to do was dump them in boiling water and let them simmer. My bases were covered because it was a mixture of collards, mustard and turnip greens. They turned out absolutely fantastic and I will definitely be buying those guys again!

The cornbread....not so much. I made it from a TJ mix that only called for an egg, milk and oil. I let my pan preheat in the oven with some ghee and then added the batter once it was nice and hot. This was total yankee cornbread. Way too sweet for me. This is a common problem up in these parts. McCaffrey's also has incredibly sweet cornbread. It tastes like it should have chocolate icing on top. The best place I've found to buy cornbread, so far, has been Wegmans.

There is an important detail in the second picture that must be discussed: pepper sauce. As hard as it is to find cornbread up here, it was even harder to find pepper sauce. I think we scored some at Shop Rite but it's difficult to remember because we bought it a long time ago. I just refill it with white vinegar. It tastes absolutely awesome on greens. You don't need pork fat to knock those guys right out of the park.

The peas are supposed to bring good luck and the greens are for money. Here's hoping for a healthy and prosperous 2010 for all of us!

The Journey (Part 4)

2010-01-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

The end is the beginning!

First of all, this post is a bit late and I'm sorry. I'll follow my apology with a Happy 2010 to you few but faithful readers. The holiday season was a bit busy for me so I didn't meet my mark for last month but I have so many inspirations for posts that January should be hopping!

My fruitcakes were ready on 12/21 and I gave a few of them away. Two of Molly's teachers got one and I brought the bigger cake that I made to work to share with coworkers and knitters. There is a little bit of that one left and I've been nibbling on it at home. It tastes better and better as time passes. I have one more to share with my Tuesday knitters who are eagerly looking forward to it and then I have decided to lock the rest away! Someone told me that there are actually those who bake fruitcakes and let them sit for an entire year. One of the reasons it was developed was the shelf life so it makes perfect sense. I can testify to the fact that it truly does taste better when it sits for as long of a period as possible. After I deliver on my promise to share, I will still have two small cakes and one large one. I am going to try to let them sit until the holidays come back around this year. I'll occasionally baste them so they keep moist while trying my best not to eat them! I've had one after it sat for a month and it was amazing so a year should really be out of this world. You and I both know that despite the fact that the new year is still so fresh, Christmas will be here before we know it.

Bring us some noggy pudding

2009-12-25T20:20:00.001-08:00

During the past few weeks, I've been to several holiday parties. The group of knitters that comes into the bookstore on Thursdays had their shindig earlier in the month. A few weeks ago, one of the ladies, Susan, brought in some leftover bread pudding that she had made for the holidays. She said it was made with eggnog. I usually don't care for it but that didn't deter me from sampling the dish. I must have had a wild hair that day. I'm glad I didn't skip out because it was good! I asked her for the recipe and she wrote it down for me. Not only is it tasty, it's easy!

Instead of bread, she uses Italian panettone. I have to admit that I normally skip over these guys at the grocery store but at the same time, I've always been curious about them. I was excited for the excuse to pick one out from the display at Trader Joe's.

The recipe is simple:

1 Italian panettone

1 quart of eggnog (Do not use lite! Get the real deal!)

4 eggs

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp of vanilla

Break up the bread and put it into a casserole dish. Whip the eggs, nog, nutmeg and vanilla together and pour it over the top. I used a ladle for more even and controlled distribution. Bake it for 50 minutes to an hour at 350 and then you get this...

I made it for a party with some friends the other night and it went over quite well! I've had it warm and cold and it's delicious either way! You could probably even add a touch of rum or brandy to the batter before baking. It couldn't hurt!

This was a hectic, yet wonderful holiday season for me and I hope that it was equally joyful for anyone reading this. Merry Christmas!

100th Post!!

2009-12-24T18:09:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while since my last post. This is my 100th entry and I wanted it to be special. It just took a while before I was able to scan my picture and put it on my laptop.

I've been a fan of Nigella's for almost ten years. I remember watching her on the Style Channel when she had the show Nigella Bites. She was creative with her cooking without being pretentious and she was the first woman I'd ever seen on television who made me feel like it was okay not to be a size 2. She was dead sexy and still enjoyed food. As I watched her fry Snickers and call for a reprinting of Liberace Cooks, I lost my heart.

Over time, I acquired and enjoyed all of her books. She recently released Nigella Christmas and during her book tour, she had a scheduled stop in Princeton! I just happened to be at Barnes & Noble when the sign was out and I couldn't believe my eyes! I don't watch T.V. I don't have cable so I really don't know many celebrity chefs other than what we carry in the bookstore where I work. Nigella and I go way back though. Meeting her has been on my life's to do list for years.

I put the date in my calendar in my phone and took the day off of work since I also had something to do at Molly's school that morning. I made arrangements for her to go to a friends house after school so I could spend the afternoon and evening waiting at the shopping center where Nigella would be. The event started at 7:30 with limited seating. I know this is crazy but I got there at 1:00. I wasn't about to take the chance of missing out! I'd been there when other celebrity authors were in town and the lines were insane by 3:30.

When I arrived, the event area wasn't even set up yet and I didn't see a crowd. I checked the service desk to make sure I had the right day! I found a flier for the Nigella signing and I was in the right place at the right time. I couldn't believe no one else was there yet! I was reading the rules and I could already tell that she was going to be cool. As long as you bought her new book, she would sign as many others as you had. She was also willing to personalize greetings AND pose for pictures. This is very rare for authors. I brought Nigella Bites, How to be a Domestic Goddess and Feast for her to sign. As you can see, I also brought my Polaroid. I still have some film stashed away for it.

I spent several hours roaming around the shopping center to kill some time. I went to Starbucks and got some iced tea and a muffin for when I got hungry in line. I went back to the bookstore and there were chairs set up and about 3 people waiting. They weren't going to let us take seats until 6:00. I ended up next to some ladies who were sisters. They seemed really close and it made me miss my sisters. They were a lot of fun to talk to and hang out with and the time passed quick.

The first 3 rows of seating was reserved so I got as close as I could when we were allowed to go in. I was happy with my spot. I had some magazines to read and that helped speed up the remaining hour and a half. There were lots of people there by that point.

She came out at about 7:40 and I was surprised at how short she was. She had a pencil skirt on and a green sweater that hugged her curves. I couldn't believe I was looking at Nigella Lawson in person. She gave a talk about her new book. How Christmas is really important in England because they don't celebrate Thanksgiving ("for good reason" she smirked). She let some people ask questions. Someone asked if she was going to be back on TV and she said that she preferred to just stick to writing because she was able to do it while her children were at school. Filming a show took too much time away from her family. I was amazed. How many celebrities to do see going right back to hectic work schedules right after they have children? To see her putting her family ahead of her career was quite refreshing. I'm not trying to start a debate here. I just appreciate that someone that I look up to so much is actually in the same boat as me! I base my work schedule around Molly's school and I know that I am very luck to have an employer who supports this. I don't take it for granted at all!

Someone else asked for restaurant recommendations in London and she gave two places. One place that she loves for good Italian food and another for traditional British fare. Another girl was getting married in the UK and she told her felicitations. She said congratulations to her fiance because he was the lucky one. The girl wanted a suggestion for a traditional English dish to serve at their wedding. She suggested toad in the hole in individual ramekins. I've never had this but I plan to make some with Morningstar links sometime soon!

I actually got to ask her a question too! I told her that reading How to be a Domestic Goddess always sent my imagination rolling when I would see a recipe that called for some kind of flavored sugar. She sometimes calls for sugar that is flavored with vanilla or orange, etc. I told her that I was also a big collector of various types of salts and sugars. I mentioned vanilla salt that I'd picked up in Germany and she was taken aback. Vanilla salt?! With her accent, it sounded more like solt. :-) I told her that I always imagined her kitchen counter to be covered with various jars of flavored sugars and such and I asked if I was on track. She said that in her kitchen, she has what is known as the Cupboard of Doom. She said that you are taking your life into your own hands if you open it. I have one of those too!

We got in line for the signing and I got my books ready. I had her sign Nigella Bites for my mom because she's also a fan. When I called her the next day to tell her, she was thrilled. When it was my turn to meet Nigella, I tried to make it a point not to totally gush! She asked me what I was going to do with the vanilla salt and I told her I'd probably attempt some salted caramels. "Oh, I think that's a wonderful idea!" she said. When I whipped out my Polaroid, a few people laughed. I didn't care. I've always wanted a Polaroid with Nigella. The guy who was taking the pictures was impressed and Nigella was impressed too.

I was glowing when I left the bookstore almost 9 hours after I arrived. Meeting one of my biggest inspirations in cooking was absolutely worth the wait!

The Journey (Part 3)

2009-12-07T18:34:00.001-08:00

The past few days have been a baking whirlwind. I guess that meeting Nigella really brought out the domestic goddess in me!

I let my fruitcake mixture sit for a few extra days but it was fine in the fridge. I could have done the baking by Friday but I was obviously busy that day! Saturday saw a bit of a more pressing matter....

These bananas needed to get taken care of! I wanted to have a backup for people who think they don't like fruitcake and also for those who are allergic to nuts since they have pecans in them. I decided to, once again, use the banana bread with chocolate chips and ginger recipe from A Homemade Life. Nine ultra ripe bananas yielded quite a bit of cake!

Two big loaves and four mini loaves. Perfect for teachers and coworkers. I am probably going to take one to my French teacher tomorrow since it's my last class. I didn't forget about the Paris posts on Tuesday. I have a really good one cooking up but I need to get my hands on all of the components first! It won't be ready by tomorrow.

Anyways, back to my fruitcakes. I had two jars of buttery spiced fruit and rum mix to work with. That ended up making two big cakes and six minis!

I was dying to use my St. Nicholas mold I got in Germany. There were some issues but I think I managed to salvage it. Whew! It's a real shame to let any of this stuff go to waste! I would not have been happy! It looks a bit messed up on the bottom but it's the cake that was meant for the house anyways.

These are the six minis. For the next two weeks, the cakes will be periodically basted in Kirschwasser. The flavor will mature and they will be ready to give as gifts. They'll be done on December 21st so I barely made it! I need to start them earlier next year. The longer they have to sit, the better they are! I heard that they start them at the end of October in England. I am going to aim to do the same thing!

We'll see if it actually happens.

The Goddess Herself!

2009-12-04T19:33:00.000-08:00

I will post my picture and more details later but I just had to make a quick entry to say

I MET NIGELLA LAWSON TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She was beautiful, gracious, sassy and awesome. Everything I hoped she'd be. She signed all four books I had with me. I didn't want to be greedy and have her sign all of her books that I own (and I do own them all!) so I picked my three favorites. I also bought her new one and it's signed as well!

Meeting her was a dream come true and I absolutely cannot believe it actually happened!!!

The Journey (Part 2)

2009-12-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

I removed my rum plumped fruit (aka macerated fruit) from the jar tonight and marched onward to the second step.

I figured that I probably had enough fruit for three large loaves of cake so I tripled the recipe. That means, I put a ton of butter in it! I also added the sugar, spices and unfiltered apple cider.

I let it all simmer for a while and relished the lovely scent. My house only smells like this one day a year and I absolutely love it!

I let the pot and the precious contents cool and then put it back into the jar. The liquid was slightly thicker. I actually had to use a second jar because there was much more than what I started with due to the additional ingredients.

Now it has to sit in the fridge for two days.

The Journey (Part 1)

2009-12-01T19:16:00.000-08:00

I started the almost three week journey to fruit cake today. Yes, I said fruit cake.

It's a personal tradition now for me to make Alton Brown's Free Range Fruit Cake recipe for the holidays. I enjoy the process and it's delicious!!! Fruit cake has a bad wrap but this is seriously good stuff and the people who are lucky enough to receive it as gifts RAVE about it.

Step one is to soak the dried fruits in spiced rum for 24 hours.

We have cranberries, cherries, currants, golden raisins, candied ginger, prunes and apricots combined with the zest from one lemon and one orange.

More to come...

Thanksgiving Takeout

2009-11-29T16:56:00.000-08:00

I figured I'd better write about this while it's still somewhat relevant! You get two posts today since the laptop ate my brotchen post yesterday.

For the second year in a row, I've relied on McCaffrey's, a local grocery chain, to supply me with a yummy alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving. So far, I haven't been sorry. They offer what is basically a vegetarian pot pie that is loaded with seitan and dressing. I usually order the smaller version which is $16.99 and I am able to pick it up that morning before they close. It's up to me to bake it and that usually takes about an hour to an hour and a half. I baste it with butter and stick it in a 375 degree oven. It also comes with gravy! Last year it was sort of bland but they improved their game plan this year because it was really awesome!

It's a good size too. I ate my fill of it for Thanksgiving and still had a ton of it leftover to share with some friends last night. It reheats really well in the oven.

I know it's difficult to imagine Thanksgiving without turkey. This is my 3rd turkeyless holiday and it's getting easier. Especially when there's usually so many delicious sides to choose from...

My mother-in-law always makes a dish of stuffing outside of the turkey. She also makes killer stuffed mushrooms that I will try to get the recipe for and post someday. They're seriously good. She actually made her own cranberry sauce too! Needless to say, she was busy! Top that plate off with some mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts and I had it going on! I didn't even have room for sweet potatoes. I had to eat some food off of my plate first! I was just as full and happy as the people who ate turkey.

We also repeated our pumpkin pie order from Cranbury Delights this year as well. I didn't get a picture of it before it got eaten up.

Click here for a listing of McCaffrey's locations. It really is a great place to shop.

Cranbury Delights

64 N Main Street

Cranbury, NJ 08512

609-409-6777

Whatever you want to call it...

2009-11-29T12:07:00.000-08:00

I had this post all nice and typed up for yesterday and my computer ate it! I guess those brotchen looked too good for it to resist! Let's try this again...

While we were on our trip, I was already expecting to encounter o ne blast from my past. While we were in Austria, I encountered another...brotchen! Chris grew up calling them Kaiser rolls. I can clearly remember the packages of these rolls that my Opa would bring home from Germany that had a solider on the front of the bag. They're about the size of hamburger buns but instead of being soft, they're quite crispy on the outside. I can remember sitting at the table with my Opa while he cut open a brotchen and scooped the inside out with his fingers. My eyes would watch him deposit the unwanted glutenous filling next to his plate and then I would immediately pounce! I'd grab the bread and stuff it into my mouth and I'd wonder all the while how he could resist not putting away every last morsel of these delicious things! When I got older, I realized that it's easier to butter the inside of the rolls if you scoop out the extra bread. However, I still eat what I remove from the brotchen!

These rolls are hard to come by in the U.S. Oma and Opa live near a Vietnamese bakery that has a pretty good brotchen but they aren't round. They're still tasty and when I visit, they always make it a point to have them for breakfast several times! My Opa is probably their best customer.

While we were in Austria, I kid you not when I say that I easily ate a dozen of these things in four days. I should rename this blog The Brotchen Diet.

Viennese Coffee

2009-11-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

Hello! I'm back from my AMAZING trip to Austria and Germany. I am surprised I was able to fit into my seat on the plane to come home because I ate SO MUCH! I suppose that the large amounts of walking helped! I definitely put some mileage on my Converse! I've been making up for it these past few days by being pretty darn lazy! This jet lag has me barely able to keep my eyes open!

We didn't have a single bad meal the entire time we were away. Everything that passed through my lips was to die for. No joke. I figured I'd kick the post trip posts off with something that Vienna is quite famous for: Coffee!

Coffee in Vienna isn't just a drink, it's an experience. The craftsmanship that goes into each beverage along with the velvety smooth espresso is unmatched. I ordered the same thing every time which was a caffe macchiato

Macchiato translates from Italian as "marked". The dark espresso slightly stains the white foamy milk. A proper macchiato is almost an even mixture of liquid milk and foam. I've had one that comes close at Starbucks but the espresso tastes so scorched that you have to mask it with caramel flavoring. This was perfect. You can see the beautiful layering of the drink in this picture. Pardon the dark shots. I was trying to photograph my food without disrupting other patrons.

We decided to share some dessert to go with our coffee and Chris insisted on Kaiserschmarrn. As you can see in the picture, it is a thick German pancake that is cut into pieces, sprinkled with sugar and served with a warm compote of plums. This picture doesn't really convey how HUGE of a serving that was given to us. We couldn't even finish it which is practically unheard of! Ha! We had some serious food envy from the table next to us when they brought it out. I can't say that I blame them. It should also be stated that Chris had serious drink envy when he tasted my macchiato.

ETA: I went to Starbucks tonight and ordered a macchiato. It tasted like I was drinking a campfire.

We Shall Meet Again!

2009-11-13T17:19:00.000-08:00

This is a picture from our trip this summer of my typical German breakfast. The bread is the star of this show. There are few, if any, that I covet more than a good German bread. The dense sponginess inside surrounded by a chewy crust. My Opa used to bring it home from his trips overseas and all you need to do is slather it with a little butter and you will instantly take me back to my childhood. It sounds much easier than it actually is. I've tried for a looooong time to find bread that comes even close to this and it's almost impossible. The closest I've found, so far, was in Montreal.

When we were in Germany this summer, we stayed at the Hotel Agneshof. A free breakfast came with our room and I took full advantage of it every morning. The bread was just like my Opa used to bring home and I stuffed myself full of it. After each breakfast, I was already looking forward to the next. It was one of my favorite edible memories of our trip this summer because it reminded me of one of my favorite edible memories of my life. That bread.

Tuesday we leave for Vienna and we're also going back to Germany. We're staying in the same hotel as we did this summer. Chris knew how much I wanted to stay at the Agneshof again and it didn't seem possible at first. There is a world famous Christmas Market that kicks off two days after we leave (darn it!) and so the hotel costs are much higher than they were this summer. We were discouraged last weekend while we were trying to book a room. The next morning, he came bursting into the bathroom while I was in the shower. He told me that he had good news that he didn't want to wait to tell me. The cost of the room went down from the night before and he was able to book it for the trip. I was thrilled. This hotel is right in the center of town and so conveniently located. I will be able to walk everywhere I want to go while we're in Germany. The location alone is worth staying at the Agneshof. If that doesn't sell you, do it for the breakfast. Do it for the bread.

A Bucks Outing

2009-11-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, the family met up with some friends (Shannon, Laura and Kate) and we did a little caravan into Bucks County, PA so we could wander around in Doylestown. We'd been there before but so many of the adorable shops close early so we wanted to come back when we would have more time to explore. I've been to several Bucks towns now and for the longest time, I really loved New Hope. Doylestown has it beat! They have everything I could possibly want: good food, used books, vintage jewelry, music, stuff for my dog.... Really, that is just the tip of the iceberg. I would advise you to arrive at noon if you plan to make a day of shopping because we still missed out on several places that closed at 5.

Who could resist a sign like this? We couldn't so we went inside. They had adorable things and two of my friends splurged on something.

The next place we ended up was the Doggie Deli. This shop is full of decadence for your pooch. They have an amazing selection of treats big and small plus an incredibly friendly and helpful owner. He actually has little stations set up all over town with free treats to lure in potential customers. Shannon already wants to come back for some Christmas shopping and I think I saw the perfect gift for Chowder.

This is the case and as you can see, the selection is quite vast. We got our little man a few treats and they've all been enthusiastically gobbled up!

We walked past a fancy little bakery called Let Them Eat Cupcakes. They must be pretty popular because they were cleaned out! The cupcakes are $2.50 a pop and were a decent size. They had a good selection of flavors as well. We were saving our appetites for dinner so we passed but I have every intention of hitting them up next time.

I might have been more inclined to spoil my dinner if I hadn't been distracted by the amazing vintage jewelry shop across the street!! This lady had my number! We went inside and I immediately wanted everything! The selection of gorgeous baubles is unbelievable and the prices are not bad. Of course, the main thing I wanted was over $200 but it was over 100 years old! I did score a bunch of stuff off of their 5 dollar rack as well as a Christmas gift for my Oma. I've already worn one of my pieces and still can't believe I only paid $5 for it. I have a killer piece to wear to the opera in Vienna next week!

We wandered in and out of a few more shops including a fabulous record store and some clothing and knick knack shops. We stopped in at a used book shop that had a fantastic selection at some seriously good prices. I got a copy of A Confederacy of Dunces for less than five bucks. Most of their paperback selections that were still in the bestseller list were priced around the same mark.

After the bookstore, we searched out some dinner. We decided to go somewhere low key and found everything we were looking for in Basically Burgers. We walked in and they even had the Alabama/LSU game on! (ROLL TIDE!) Not only did they have a nice selection for the omnis, they had a choice of three different veggie burgers. Morningstar and even Boca for the vegans. They also had gluten free buns. I had a black bean burger with cheddar and a few other fixings. We shared some fries (I recommend the sweet potato fries!) and I splurged and got a chocolate shake that was absolutely amazing. They have a reasonably priced kids menu with pb&j (you can even get it grilled!) and other classic fare. Don't come looking for anything outside of the basic American burger, hotdog and fries spectrum. They don't branch to far from that but they do deliver a solid meal at a reasonable price with friendly service. I would definitely go back. They beat the pants off of Cheeburger Cheeburger.

You wouldn't have to twist my arm very much to get me back to Doylestown! However, I think they should rename it Averystown!

Basically Burgers

12 West State Street

Doylestown, PA

18901

Central Books

35 West State Street

Doylestown, Pa

18901

Twenty East Vintage Jewelry

20 East Oakland Ave

Doylestown, PA

18901

Let Them Eat Cupcakes

17 East Oakland Ave

Doylestown, PA 18901

Doggie Deli

19 Donaldson St

Doylestown, PA 18901

Siren Records

25 East State St

Doylestown, PA 18901

Sweet Blossoms Lingerie Boutique

65 South Main St

Doylestown, PA 18901

Say Fromage!

2009-11-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

I am enjoying these Paris posts. They bring back a lot of fantastic memories.

I mentioned before that we were renting a small efficiency apartment so we had access to a kitchen. We tried to keep the cost of the trip down by eating in at least one meal a day. Sometimes we kept our meals relatively simple (Maybe even to the point of stereotypical): Bread, cheese, fruit and wine.

This was the meal that topped off our day of walking to and from the Eiffel Tower. It was 7 miles each way so we were tuckered out by the time we hiked the 5 flights of stairs back up to our place. We passed by an outdoor market, a patisserie and also a fromagerie and made a mental note to stop in on the way back to pick up some dinner (and dessert!).

I would have to dig through a lot of my scraps and cards from the trip in order to relay the names and addresses of the places we stopped and hopefully I can update later with that information. The good news for anyone who might be reading this and planning a trip to Paris is that there are amazing bakeries and cheese shops everywhere so it would almost be pointless. The gentleman working behind the counter at the fromagerie was really nice and helped us to select a few different types of cheeses from his incredible spread.

These are all different types of goat cheese.

We each selected a dessert from the patisserie that was a few shops down. I selected a giant chocolate macaroon. I forget what Chris had but it is pictured in the bottom right corner of the first photo. I do remember that he enjoyed it very much. As you can see, we also picked up a baguette.

They say that the best cheeses are the smelliest and I think there is definitely something to it. We asked the gentleman behind the fromagerie counter to help us to select something and he sent us home with this...

This is the cheese that was inside of the large round container in the middle of the table.

It was creamy, luscious and it stunk to high heaven! It took us several days to finish it since it was on the larger side and every time we opened the fridge, it smelled like we had a dead body in there. Chris and I still laugh about it.

Birthday Pie

2009-11-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my 32nd birthday. We basically spent the weekend celebrating. Saturday was an outing with some friends in Doylestown, PA (post coming within the week) and Sunday was spent reading the onslaught of internet well wishes and talking on the phone with friends and family. Thinking about it still makes me feel mighty special.

My birthday was a gold mine of blog inspiration between the PA trip and the 25 year old bottle of balsamic vinegar that my friend Shannon got me (!!!). The focus for today will be the lovely dinner we had with the inlaws last night.

My mother-in-law is always very thoughtful when it comes to fixing meat free stuff and I always appreciate it. If she makes spaghetti, she always makes me a small pot of marinara sauce. For Thanksgiving, I know I can count on a small pan of stuffing that wasn't cooked inside of the turkey. She knows that I absolutely love it when she makes spanikopita and so she decided to throw down for my birthday.

She always refers to it as Spinach Pie. Chris and I hopefully don't sound too much like foodie elitists we call it spanakopita. She did call him a wise ass over the phone the other day when he said it! The recipe actually comes from her sister-in-law, Madeline (who is Greek). Consider it your party favor. ;-)

Spanakopita

2 bags of spinach

6 eggs, beaten

1/4-1/2 lb of butter, melted

2 large onions, minced

Filo dough (in the frozen section of your grocery store)

Flour

1.5-2 lbs of feta cheese

Allow your filo to defrost in the fridge the day you are planning to make this dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl: Mix spinach, eggs, half of the butter, onions and feta cheese. Add enough flour to soak up extra juice.

Butter the bottom of the pan Layer the bottom and the side of the pan with filo dough. Put one half of the spinach mixture in the pan and cover it with 6-8 lightly buttered sheets of filo. Add the rest of the spinach mixture and top with more buttery filo layers. Fold in the sides. Add butter to the top.

Bake for an hour and check for doneness. Add an additional fifteen minutes if it needs it.

For dessert, I always request a cherry pie from Delicious Orchards on my birthday. It's one of my favorite things. The pies at Delicious Orchards are amazing but on the pricey side so we usually save them for a special occasion.

This place is pretty awesome though. They have a huge bakery as well as a nice selection of cooking ingredients. There is a deli, a lovely produce section and all sorts of delightful edibles tucked here, there and throughout. Everything from mustards to extracts. I recommend stopping in if you're in the mood for something a little bit special.

Delicious Orchards

320 State Route 34

Colts Neck, NJ 07722

732-462-1989

Dias de los Muertos

2009-11-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, I took down my Halloween decorations (I was pretty impressed with myself for being so quick about it!) and I used the space that was occupied by my haunted village to put up my Dias de los Muertos altar. I used lot of TLC and I think it came out pretty good. A friend of mine told me that I'd obviously forgotten some of my Halloween decor but I told him that this was something different. I agree that it looks a bit morbid but The Day of the Dead or All Souls Day is actually very beautiful.

As I was adding the various elements to my altar, I fondly recalled the loved ones that have passed on from this world. Grandparents, my friend Pat, Chris' brother Adam.... I used those serene moments to send thanks for their impact on our lives and to hope that they all know how much we still love and miss them.

I cooked a huge meal and invited some people over. One family was sick but we were fortunate that the Grady family was able to make it. I know it's a Mexican holiday but I cooked Indian food. I was seriously craving it. I did make a banana bread in my new skull pan. It turned out really cool...

This is actually the recipe from A Homemade Life for banana bread with chocolate chips and candied ginger. It wasn't planned to far ahead. The fact that I had four very ripe bananas in my fruit basket sealed the deal!

It was a huge pan so I doubled the recipe. It turned out really nice. I had enough leftover to send home with my guests and to offer up to my Tuesday knitters and they were all swooning over it.

The Grady's just welcomed their second child, a baby boy, into the world on October 2nd. I was holding him and just reveling in his newness. The circle of life really is a wonderous thing.

I Like Buttah.

2009-11-03T19:11:00.001-08:00

I have exciting news. I am always a little hesitant to allow that particular statement to escape from my lips because when you're a 31 year old woman who has been happily married for over 3 years, the first thing that everyone assumes is that you're pregnant. I'm not pregnant. As a matter of fact, my exciting news wouldn't be possible if we had a baby!

My husband is taking me to VIENNA this month!!! He has a business trip and he bought me a plane ticket for my birthday!!! We're leaving two weeks from today!! We also have to go back to Germany for a few days and I am really looking forward to returning to the same hotel we stayed in this summer and eating the yummy (complimentary) breakfast!

For the next few weeks, I'm going to be researching and checking out possible links to cool places I need to explore. I found myself wondering aloud the other day if the butter in Austria is nearly as good as it is in France. If I could find a shop like Da Rosa, I'd be pretty happy!

Da Rosa is an amazing little foodie haven in the 6th arr that elegantly displays many drool worthy items.

(like lavender rice!)

We went there specifically looking for butter....

We bought two different kinds. Both were lightly salted but one was a little bit special...

You see those little black flecks? That is smoked salt. I cannot begin to write about how amazing it smelled melting in the pan while I was preparing dinner in our little apartment. I'd never do the memory justice. The best way to enjoy it was on a lovely baguette. There are so many little things that come to mind when I recall our trip and this is close to the top of the list. I am going to Vienna to enjoy some amazing art but I will also be on the lookout for butter.

If you are a foodie in Paris, I implore you to go to Da Rosa. If I had only one day, it would be on the top of my list. I'd buy a baguette, some salted caramels and some butter. Then I would happily munch away while strolling through the Louvre towards the Seine.

Da Rosa

62 Rue de Seine

75006 Paris, France

Buy One, Get One Free!

2009-10-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Last night was a much needed night out with my lady friends! My friend Laura celebrated her birthday this month in Burlington, Vermont (jealous!) and so we tried out best to get together as soon as possible to mark the occasion. I met Laura, Kate and Ashley while I was working at Borders. I have managed to remain close friends with several of my former coworkers and it's always lovely when we manage to get together and catch up! Sometimes we meet for breakfast and other times, we try to go to someone's house. Last night, we decided to step out and hit Fedora for dinner. I have been a lot lately for brunch but it's been about a year since I've had dinner there.

Laura was torn between about four different items on the menu but she ended up copying Kate and going with the Mexican pizza on the appetizer menu. Ashley had a turkey burger and I had the harvest burrito. Ironically, I'd shot down the idea of going to On the Border because I've eaten a lot Mexican lately! This just sounded so good! (Also, On the Border sucks!)

I know that Fedora's portion sizes are ridiculously huge but I was completely shocked when the waiter brought out our food and my plate had two HUGE burritos on it! I asked him if people actually manage to eat both and he said no.

The burritos were served on a bed of rice and stuffed with veggies (peppers, onions mushrooms and what appeared to be some sort of squash), refried and black beans plus cheese. It was (as you can see) topped with a lovely sauce and more cheese. I really loved that there were two different types of beans in there! I can never get enough! It is $11.99 for the harvest burrito but you really do get two meals for that price. You can't beat that! I told Chris we could just go here and split the meal and a dessert. The cozy atmosphere makes it ideal for a date or for a social jaunt with friends. I've never been let down. Okay...maybe just once. Last night we were looking for the awesome brie appetizer we'd enjoyed in the past and it was no longer on the menu. Boo! Not that there was any room for an appetizer! We were stuffed after our meals but we still decided to mosey on over to the dessert case...

I promised Chris and Molly I would bring them home something and I am a woman of my word! I selected a Reece's cup brownie and a caramel brownie. I took one bite of the caramel brownie just to make sure it wouldn't kill anyone. *sigh* The sacrifices I make for my family!

We all decided to partake in a little sweetness. You can see the lovely caramel brownie, to the right is Ashley's chocolate espresso bar (ooey gooey and good). Laura had a cookie with Snickers in it and hiding in the back left is Kate's caramel apple dumpling. We were four satisfied customers when we walked out of there. I have no doubt that we will be back.

Fedora Cafe

2633 Lawrenceville Rd.

Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

609-895-0844

Tuesday Theme

2009-10-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

I realized recently that I really didn't do well to blog about food from our trip to Europe this summer. I am currently enrolled in a French class that meets every Tuesday. This is our 4th week but I just came up with the idea to post a picture or two of food from Paris and write about it for the remainder of the class.

The first full day in Paris, we decided to hunt down a market to stock up on a few essential items. We tried our best, since we had access to a kitchen, to not eat out for every meal. We were staying in the 2nd arr and I'd read about a market in the 3rd arr called Le Marche des Enfants Rouges. This is apparently one of the oldest markets in the city and the name literally translates into "market of the red children". It was established in 1615 and evidently took the name from a nearby orphanage where the children wore red coats.

We picked up some eggs, butter, creme fraiche, some mushrooms, strawberries, wine and a few other items. We also scored some lunch at a Moroccan food stand.

Mmmmm.....dessert!

I have always wanted to go to Morocco and I've done a little bit of reading about the places and the people. They are said to be extraordinarily friendly and this was definitely the case here! We received a warm welcome and when they found out we lived close to New York City, the cashier who rung up our order was so excited because he was traveling there in September. He was just as happy as we were to be in Paris so I hope he had a wonderful time.

They had several vegetarian options here so I ordered the tangine with couscous that was served with hot mint tea.

The plates were hot so they had an older gentleman with very calloused hands and a kind smile who delivered them to the tables. The stew had many lovely elements such as cinnamon, raisins, preserved lemons and tender vegetables. Couscous is one of my absolute favorite carbs so I was really happy. Chris enjoyed his meal too. We'd definitely recommend it to anyone (especially vegetarians) who are looking for something special.

Le Marche des Enfants Rouges

39 rue de Bretagne

(3rd Arrondissement)

Paris, France

Salty Sweet Bliss

2009-10-26T14:18:00.001-07:00

I think we've definitely got a little Trader Joe's Mania here in the Princeton area. I read a really cute article in U.S. 1 this past week that raved about the unique gourmet items and the amazing prices. She listed a few of her favorite items and one of the things she mentioned was sea salt brownies. Sea. Salt. Brownies.

I was absolutely consumed with a feverish desire to get my hands on some of these bad boys as soon as possible!!! I am not joking when I say that I thought about them all week! I had a small list of things I needed to pick up from TJ's and so I was able to justify a visit on Sunday night. My husband and kidlet accompanied me. I was afraid Chris would see right through my plan but the absolute pleasure we had in wandering up and down the aisles overshadowed everything. I picked up the items on my list and even scored one of the reusable shopping bags I'd been eyeing on several people throughout town. We went home and I heated up some hot water for tea. It was time...

The clan was ready to dig into these. Chris seemed much more satisfied with them than I did. I'm not saying they weren't good. They just weren't great. It was a good plan, the texture of the brownie was just not right. A bit too dry (in my humble opinion). It took a little while to recover from the slight let down. I have been so excited about the rise of salted sweets and I really hadn't experienced it to what I thought was the full potential. I had some salted chocolate covered caramels from a candy store in Georgia this summer and they were also a let down. I am still reeling from not being able to experience Henri Le Roux's CBS caramels while I was in Paris! The shopkeeper that carries them was on vacation! I was beginning to truly believe that the caramel curse would continue to haunt me!

Until....

I was cleaning some stuff off of my dining room table. I went to a baby shower yesterday while my husband took Molly to hang out at Silver Forge Farm for brunch. They were kind enough to bring me home some eggs and the reusable grocery bag that they brought it home in was still draped across the table. I picked it up and I noticed there was still something in it. I reached inside and pulled out a gold box.

I gasped! I knew exactly what it was!!! We were out with Shannon and Eliezer earlier this month in Princeton. We ate dessert at Bent Spoon (another story for another time) and afterwards, we were walking back to the cars. We passed by Thomas Sweet which is a few doors down on Palmer Square. This location sells chocolate while the Nassau Street location focuses more on ice cream. I was curious to see if they had any salted caramel offerings but they were closed. We started to walk away and the girl who was working came and unlocked the door and asked if we had any questions. I mentioned my quest and she invited me in to see their case. The did, indeed, offer dark chocolate covered caramels glistening with sea salt. I told her I would come back and purchase some when they were open. Shannon beat me to it. I was so excited! However, I'd already met my chocolate quota for the night so I decided to wait until today.

Once I got settled in from work this afternoon, I walked into the kitchen and picked up the shiny box. I slowly removed the lid and pushed aside the protective layer of tissue paper. The chocolates almost seemed to greet me and I smiled back. I plucked one of those gems right out and took a deep breath. The moment had arrived.

For a second, I thought I actually felt the earth move but it could have just been me swooning ever so slightly as I sunk my teeth through the chocolate shell and into the caramel. To my delight, the buttery sweetness was punctuated by flecks of salt. It was amazing. I don't know how I managed to eat only one. I am also quite proud of myself for sharing some with Chris.

For now, my search is over. Tommy has agreed to an open relationship so that I am able to experience the salty sweet seduction of others but I really cannot imagine it getting much better than this for now. I haven't really had the chance to explore NYC so we shall see. The holiday season is upon us and I've recently learned that Henri La Roux does mail order so I can actually purchase some CBS without airfare to France. I think I know what I am asking Santa to bring me for Christmas this year.

Thomas Sweet Chocolate

29 Palmer Square

Princeton, NJ 08542

Very Apeeling

2009-10-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to one of my Tuesday knitters, I got to try something I've always wanted to do! I cannot tell you how long I've been plotting an eventual attempt at making candied orange peels. When I was younger, my Oma would tell me stories about her childhood. She grew up very poor and was the middle of nine children. My great grandmother Una put herself into an early grave working 3 jobs in order to keep food on the table. When I think of this, I am always extraordinarily grateful for all of the opportunity and blessings I've had in my life. I never knew my great grandmother but my Oma has played such a huge role in my upbringing. I grew up on a completely different part of the spectrum than she did because she and my Opa spoiled me rotten! When we talk on the phone now, I'd say at least half of our conversation is about food so I get it honest!

One day, she was telling me about Christmas time when she was a child. She would usually get an orange in her stocking. In those days, it was a true luxury. They didn't have trucks hauling citrus from Florida and California all year round like we do now. She didn't want to waste any part of it so when she was finished eating the fruit, she would make candy out of the peel. I was completely dumbfounded by this! That bitter junky stuff that I always threw away could be made into candy?

Fast forward to about three weeks ago. My knitters were talking amongst themselves and one of them, Eileen, mentioned how she eats a lot of oranges. She said she always saves the peel and makes candy. I interrupted her (oops!) and exclaimed that I'd been meaning to try doing that. I have a few books with recipes but, for some reason, it always intimidated me. She told me it was terribly easy. The next week, she was even so kind as to bring me in a baggie full of peel and her recipe! It may sound small but I know that she lives on a very fixed budget and I was so moved by her thoughtfulness.

It took me about a week and a half to get around to actually making them into candy but they held up just fine in the fridge. You have to boil them for ten minutes and them dump the water. Then you have to repeat that process two more times to remove the bitterness. I tended to them while I did random housework and it made the whole condo smell like oranges. Nice bonus!

Candied Citrus Peel

Peel from various citrus sliced into 1/4 inch strips

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup water

Extra sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Boil peel in enough water to keep them covered for ten minutes. Drain. Repeat two more times. Drain peel and add two cups of sugar and the half of a cup of water. Boil until the syrup is thick and the peel is translucent. Syrup might be completely absorbed.

Lay on wax paper to dry overnight. You can coat in sugar after about an hour of initial drying. I actually only used 1/4 cup of water and a cup of sugar because Eileen told me that there wasn't enough peel to warrant the full amount.

I know it says the extra sugar is optional but it looks so gosh darned pretty that I can't see why not!

My husband and I could not keep our hands out of these things while they were drying! They are absolutely delicious. You have to make sure they are 100% dry before storing them. I have mine in an old jar and they will keep for a looong time. I already have some fresh peel gathering up in the fridge for another round next week! I think this will make excellent holiday treats!

Of Love and Noodle Soup

2009-10-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Chris and I got married a little over three years ago. We went to three different places for our honeymoon tour of 2006. The weekend after the wedding, we decided to go to Vermont for some much needed peace and time to ourselves. We stayed for three days in the southern town of Putney which is very close to another little town, Brattleboro. The New Hampshire state line is right next to it.

The hosts of our bed and breakfast told us that we should definitely check out Brattleboro and I'm so glad we did! It was chock full of stuff to see and do. Thrift shops, a movie theatre, a used CD store and lots of places to eat. That may not sound exciting to some people but I was set! We wandered into an Asian restaurant for dinner one night. I had no idea that this particular meal would stick with me for years to come!

I don't remember what Chris ordered but I'll never forget what I had. It was chilly outside so I went with the noodle soup bowl. I had several choices for additional ingredients at 75 cents each: egg, tofu, spinach or kimchi. I went with an egg and some tofu. They brought me back a huge, steaming bowl of noodles swimming in a light amber broth that was speckled with oil. The rich scent of sesame made my mouth water. I'd had very little experience with sesame oil before. I can recall ruining at least one dish by adding too much of it. The stoutness is definitely an acquired taste. That soup showed me what could be accomplished if one knew how to use it the right way. It also lit a torch for Korean food that still burns bright in my belly. Nowadays, I rarely seem to be able to get enough of that bold sesame embrace on my tongue and within my nostrils. It's one of my absolute favorite flavors.

I was so infatuated with this soup that we went back for lunch the day we left Vermont to come home. I can't count how many times over the past few years that my mind has wandered back to that steamy bowl of Heaven. During our recent trip to New England a week and a half ago, I pushed for a detour through Brattleboro on the way back home and my husband was gracious enough to indulge me. We were rewarded by an absolutely gorgeous drive through the state of New Hampshire that was draped with fabulous fall foliage. We listened to classical music and did our best to take in as much as possible.

When we got to Brattleboro, the sentimental history of that spot overtook me. I was in a fantastic mood as memories from our honeymoon played out during our walk through the downtown area. We crossed the familiar threshold of Shin La and I smiled. It looked just as I'd remembered it. It doesn't really have the typical ambiance of an Asian restaurant. It almost looks like a pub. We sat down, looked at the menu and my eyes immediately fell on my heart's desire. I was tempted to add kimchi along with my tofu and egg but I wanted to say true to the original. I have a Polaroid from three years ago of me holding a bowl of this soup but you'll have to settle for the picture I took from a week and a half ago.

It's difficult to say how it feels to have actually experienced it again. It actually managed to live up to the memories which was somewhat of a relief. It would have been sad to have my fantasies dashed by mediocre soup! I feel confident that I could probably recreate it at home now. I don't know it if will be the same but I suppose it better to try than to have to wait for several more years to have it again.

Shin La

57 Main Street

Brattleboro, VT 05301

802-257-5226

Been there, ate that.

2009-10-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in a previous post that we stopped in Mystic, Connecticut on the way up to New Hampshire last week. My friend Shannon has been raving about this place so I was excited to see it! The skies were grey but that only seemed to add to the charm of this little New England town. I hope to go back and spend some more time exploring someday. Lots of cute shops and very scenic areas to walk and take pictures.

We stopped in and ate at the famous Mystic Pizza. I normally don't go for touristy traps like this but Shannon and Eliezer insisted that this was good stuff. We were in between lunch and dinner so we managed to score immediate seating. It's really famous because of the old movie that was filmed here starring Julia Roberts. They have it showing at all times on a screen inside of the restaurant. It's funny because although I've heard of the movie, I've never actually seen it. I didn't really put 2 and 2 together until after I was inside. Ha! I'd heard of Mystic Pizza because I've seen some of their frozen products in grocery stores.

I was hesitant to get too excited because of all of the hype but I was sold on the first bite. It's difficult to come by a thicker crust in New Jersey so when my teeth took more than a second to make their way through this slice, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a long and drawn out bite. They had a nice selection of toppings so we went for roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and (this was the kicker) gorgonzola cheese. I am now of the opinion that EVERY pizzeria should offer this as an option. It really made for an excellent flavor! The next time we make pizzas at home, I am going to make sure we have some!

We have a lot of excellent pizza around these parts but I have found my mind wandering back to that particular pie a few times since we got home. I've been exposed to so many fantastic mom and pop pizzerias over the past few years that I find it nearly impossible to pick an absolute favorite. I imagine that it is similar to having more than one child. You love each one for different reasons.

Mystic Pizza

56 W Main Street

Mystic, CT 06355

860-536-3700

Festival Food

2009-10-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we took a much needed vacation to New England for the 20th Annual Milford Pumpkin Festival in New Hampshire! We were lucky enough to be accompanied by the Silver family. Lots of fall fun was had. Foliage, pumpkins, food and even a zombie apocalypse! There was a haunted walk on Saturday night through a wooded area where zombies were on the loose! My kidlet was scared to death but she was still better than I was! I didn't even go in!

I did, however, partake in the food part!! We had all kinds of meals in all sorts of places since we took several day trips from New Hampshire. We stopped in Mystic, Conn on the way up. We took a trip to Salem, Mass on Sunday and on the way back home on Monday, we stopped in Brattleboro, Vermont. Vermont and Mystic will have a separate post! ;-)

For today, I will post about the seasonal goodness of the Pumpkin Festival. We had two special treats in particular that deserve to be mentioned....

Butternut squash bisque with cranberries. This stuff was incredible! The bread bowl really sealed the deal and it made the cold weather much more bearable.

This is cotton candy made out of maple syrup! There was a guy handing out free samples and I bet he snagged a lot of sales! He definitely hooked us! I also bought a bottle of syrup from him for a housewarming gift. When you go to New Hampshire or Vermont, you've gotta bring back some maple goodness!

The food wasn't the only star attraction. There was a giant pumpkin contest.

The winner weighed in at over 1,200 pounds! Wow!

We had so much fun! New England is so gorgeous in the fall and it's an ideal destination for a family trip! We're already talking about going back next year!

Opening a Can

2009-10-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

I have a killer weakness for fried plantains. Actually, I've yet to meet a plantain I don't like! Another Achilles Heel of mine would have to be plantain chips but that's another post for another time!

A few weeks ago, I went to the Yardley Harvest Festival. I had two food goals inspired by my experiences from the year before. I had the most amazing fried plantains at a food stand in the court. I also was hoping to get more of the Best Darn Kettlecorn! I managed to accomplish both of these missions. I ate a few plantains at the festival but decided to stash them for when I got home because a friend of mine had mentioned to me (a few months ago) that I needed some plantains foster. That sounded almost too decadent but I went for it anyways.

I don't remember how it came up but my boss and I were talking and she started telling me about caramelizing condensed milk while it's still in the can by placing it in hot water and letting it simmer. I wasn't 100% sure if it was safe but I was so curious that I had to try it. I bought a small can of condensed milk and put it in a heavy pot with a lid. I let the can boil in some water for about 20 minutes. When I removed it. I could tell that some pressure had built up inside. I put it in the sink and decided to see what would happen if I opened it. I didn't blow anything up but hot milk did gush out of the small puncture in the top. It made it as high as the cabinet and splattered a bit. It also scalded my hand. After the initial spurt, it settled down and I opened the rest of the can. I was giddy to see that the milk was a slightly tan color because that indicated that the sugar had caramelized! I got a spoon and drizzled some on top of my plantains. They were cold from being in the fridge but I figured this would warm them up a bit. I took a bite and it was everything I hoped it would be. Chewy, sweet and a little salty. It was so rich, I couldn't finish it.

I have to find a better way to safeguard against aggressive gushes because I've already thought of several different things I can do with caramelized condensed milk! I didn't come out of this experience unscathed but I feel like it made me a better person.

C&Z

2009-10-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

This year was full of serendipitous discoveries for me in the food writing genre. I'd definitely heard of Chocolate and Zucchini but I'd never gone as far as to actually check it out until earlier this year. I have to say that catching up on everything this girl has written over the past few years is a daunting task. The same issue exists for David Lebovitz. I am so happy to have had the experience to prepare and take my trip to Paris this past summer or else I might still be in the dark as far as these great food blogs (and books!) are concerned.

I started to take a closer look at French cooking after our trip to Montreal last summer. We had several fantastic meals that made it seem much more approachable. The main focus, of course, is quality ingredients. Clotilde's approach to preparing French food is very cheerful and casual. We didn't hit up and fancy restaurants in Paris so our dining experiences (believe it or not!) were very similar. Pleasurable and creative. Those are definitely two words I would use to describe the recipes in Chocolate and Zucchini.

I prepared several recipes from the book....including the Chocolate and Zucchini cake.

I really wanted to celebrate the first zucchini to come from our garden by making something extra special with it! As you can see, it is very unassuming and simple. No layers or icing. Aside from shredding the veggies, it didn't require too much work. Despite all of this, the taste was fantastic. The concept was cute and quirky so despite the lack of frills, people were quite eager to dig into it. I'd highly recommend this cake for a party or potluck!

I'd also highly recommend either one (or both!) of Clotilde Dusoulier's books if you are planning a trip to Paris or if you just want to eat like a true Parisian in the comfort of your own home. If you don't feel like springing for the book, check out her website. She is more than generous with the recipes and content. My favorite feature would have to be the edible idioms. I start my French class tomorrow and it's nice being able to see some commonly used expressions.

The Cadillac of Mozzarella

2009-10-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

I was picking up some lunch the other day at one of my absolute favorite places in Princeton. They have a killer selection of many different types of imported European goods. Everything from chocolate, oils, vinegars, teas, olives and cheese. I was cruising the cheeses while waiting for my sandwich to be made and I noticed something wrapped in a big leaf that was sitting in a small bin of water. I asked about it and I was informed that it was a type of mozzarella with a creamy center called burrata. They import it from Italy once a week. I was absolutely intrigued!

This past week, I decided not to wait for a special occasion and went ahead and purchased some. I stopped by our public garden plot on the way home and harvested some tomatoes. I absolutely could not wait for Chris to come home so we eat it! He's lucky that I managed to restrain myself!

I sliced up the tomatoes and I cut the burrata in half. I studied the soft center beneath the thick skin of mozzarella. I harvested a few leaves of basil from our plant and sprinkled them all over the tomatoes. I put the cheese in the middle and poured a small pool of balsamic reduction near one end of the plate.

Molly and Chris gathered around and I would go as far as to say that the "ooohhhed" and "aaaahhhhed" a little bit!

I served the platter as an accompaniment to some orzo with garden fresh kale, tomatoes and Tofurkey sausage. My family loves this dinner but the shining star was definitely the burrata. We were running our fingers along the plate trying to salvage every last bit. I only used half of the cheese that night so I plan on serving the other half tonight with some homemade roasted peppers. I have been thinking about this all day! I can't wait for dinner tonight!

Happy World Vegetarian Day!!!

Channeling Etta James

2009-09-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

You might remember this post from a while back....

Well, Trader Joe's is FINALLY open as of this past Friday!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAT LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAST!!!!!

After our cooking class, Shannon and I decided to head across Route 1 and check it out. I was bursting with excitement!!! I wasn't the only one! The place was absolutely packed! Here is a picture of the check out lines....

We didn't feel like subjecting ourselves to too much madness so we decided not to buy anything. We just wanted to see it for ourselves! It's definitely bigger than the one I usually shop at in Marlton. The shelves were gleaming with many of my favorite products and I can't wait to go back and fill up my cart with Trader Joe's goodness without having to drive almost an hour down to south Jersey! I'll probably wait a few weeks and then it's on!!!

Trader Joe's

3528 US 1 (Brunswick Pike)

Princeton, NJ

9 am - 9 pm

609-897-0581

Art and Science

2009-09-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

Today was my highly anticipated French baking class at Whole Foods. I'm lucky enough to live close to a location that offers courses in several types of food prep. I've attended a few so far but this one was definitely the most intense. It was three hours of hands on instruction and I really enjoyed it. My friend Shannon took the class with me and we both managed to walk away with a new bag of tricks....and a bag of dough to bake at home!

Here is the write up of the class so you have an idea....

Home Boulangerie - The Art and Craft of French Baking

9 am - 12 pm $45 This is a 3-hour class; Its size is limited to 10 participants only!

SOLD OUT! Waiitng list

Chef Anne-Renee Rice-Soumeillant

Learn to prepare French baguette, sweet and savory tarts and even puff pastry in this hands-on, in-depth workshop. Chef Anne-Renee shares her extensive French training as she shows you how to apply these time-honored techniques to your busy modern life style.

We really enjoyed the presentation and the variety of methods for making dough and pastry. We learned several different building blocks that we can use to branch out into countless sweet and savory options. The process of making a good crust is as much of a science as it is an art. I've attempted a few of them but I get intimidated by some of the processes. The instructor was really approachable and helped to demystify some of the techniques behind a solid crust.

We learned how to make flour, water, salt and yeast into a baguette. There are many different tricks and elements that shape that small list of ingredients into edible bread. It won't be easy but I'm eager to try it out on my own.

We also did a sweet and a savory pastry crust. All of the doughs require time to either rise or set so it doesn't happen fast. I rolled and shaped that small crust myself and after doing it that one time, I feel like I can duplicate the effort at home! It's quite empowering looking at that gorgeous thing and thinking I made that!!!

We made a quiche inside of the savory filling that was loaded with caramelized onions.

We made a lovely dessert with the sweet crust. A pastry cream filling topped with grapes!

I normally don't think of grapes as a tart filling but this was delicious and refreshing! We were pleasantly surprised to find that the cost of the class not only covered three hours of hands on instruction but also a yummy lunch!

The final phase of our class covered puff pastry. I've honestly never even come close to considering making my own but after today, I feel like I might! The process is definitely drawn out. Making and chilling dough, folding in butter....

..."vibrating" the dough, rolling it out, folding it up, letting it chill for 30 minutes and then repeating the last three steps. Roll, fold, chill. You do this six times. Definitely not as easy as buying it in the frozen foods section but once you taste the difference between fresh and prepackaged puff pastry.... I definitely understand why people go through all of the trouble!

These guys tasted absolutely amazing.

The instructor told us that the dough could also be shaped into a croissant. The effort to make fresh puff pastry would totally be worth it for some homemade pain au chocolat!

If you live in the area, I highly recommend checking out The Whisk & the Spoon inside of Whole Foods in Princeton and seeing if there is a cooking class that interests you! The instructors are friendly and knowledgeable. The prices are also quite reasonable!

Set Your Ricemellow on Fire!!!

2009-09-21T19:09:00.001-07:00

I decided to try a little experiment because s'mores are one of my favorite things in the world...

I wanted to see if I could "roast" my Ricemellow with my creme brulee torch.

As you can see....IT WORKED!!!

I cannot recall the name of the graham crackers I have. They're some hippie brand from Whole Foods and believe me....they are SUPER hearty. A few of them will fill you right up! I will always have a soft spot for the Honey Maid brand. My grandma used to feed them to us with milk poured over it and that can still be a great source of comfort for me. I cannot buy them because I will eat waaaay too many in one sitting! As far as "not as bad for you" brands of grahams go, I really like the Health Valley amaranth flour crackers. They're delicious!

The chocolate is actually Icelandic and it was super good! The chocolate bars at WF are not cheap but you get two bars in this package for a reasonable price. It's probably the best bargain you'll find on chocolate in the store.

They do not sell Ricemellow at WF. I have to buy it at Wegmans. It's the only place in the area I know of that sells it. I think it is one of the best vegan products you can buy. I seriously love it and so does Molly. Her favorite way to eat it is with Sunbutter on a sammich. It will definitely scratch the marshmallow itch if you have a hankerin'.

It's taking all of my willpower not to go into the pantry and dig out all of the stuff to make more of these bad boys! I'd better go to sleep before I get into trouble!

A Love Cake

2009-09-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

This week has seen a lot of celebration in my household.

Sept 15th was our 3rd wedding anniversary

Sept 16th was my husbands 33rd birthday

Sept 17th marked one month of Chowder

Special occasions like this are always good for reminding me of how blessed I am. It's also a good excuse to bake a cake. Not just any cake will do though!!

My arsenal of go to recipes has a few feature attractions. One of them happens to be a carrot cake. When I was a teenager, the church that my family attended put together a cookbook with recipes that were contributed by different members of the congregation. The major benefit of being raised in a southern baptist church was the food. Southern potlucks RULE. I can still remember walking past all of the tables filled to the brims with deviled eggs, dressing, banana pudding, cakes, cornbread... It was enough to make you fall to your knees and shout Hallelujah!!

When I first took up an interest in learning how to cook, one of the first things I wanted to do was to bake for the holidays. I made several recipes from that book. Three in particular were massive hits with my family. One of them was this carrot cake. Over the past decade, I cannot tell you how many times I've made it. It was always a major resolution to do so because it requires shredding three whole cups of carrots. This was super special because the carrots came from our garden. Before I had my standing mixer, I also had to mix the icing by hand and that will put serious biceps on anyone!

I like to make the joke that this cake was one of the things that helped me to reel in Chris. He usually requests it for his birthday and I figure I should be nice and make it for him. It is so loaded with fat and calories that I only make it once or twice a year now. It can be quite labor intensive (unless you cheat and buy those dried out pre-shredded carrots) and it helps if your efforts are fueled by love.

The Cake that made Chris love me.

2 cups of white sugar

1.5 cups of oil (the recipe specifies Wesson but I used safflower)

4 eggs

2 cups of flour

2 tsps of baking powder

1 tsp of salt

2 tsps of cinnamon (I actually add a lot more)

3 cups of grated raw carrot

1 cup of crushed pecans

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Mix the oil, sugar and eggs together. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and sift into the wet mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.

Pour into two layer cake pans and bake for 30-40 minutes (depending on your oven). This recipe yields two thick layers of cake.

Cream Cheese Icing

1 8 oz. bar of cream cheese

1 stick of butter

16 oz of powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Let the butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature. Combine them and slowly add the sugar. Beat out all of the lumps. Add the vanilla.

I am pretty sure you can take it from here! :-)

A Sweet Gesture

2009-09-15T15:21:00.001-07:00

About a week and a half ago, Chris brought home some cookies from work. He said they were from our friends Hari and his wife Shrinidhi. They are from India. Shrinidhi just moved overseas to New Jersey last summer to be with Hari. He is a former colleague of Chris' from U Penn and now they work together at Siemens. He's been in the States for about a decade. It was amazing being able to take Shrinidhi out and about and to be able to see everything through her eyes. I took her to a Marshalls/Home Goods store and it was so cool to just watch her take it all in. Let me say that she adjusted much better than I probably would have if our situations had been reversed!

The reason we went shopping that day was because she wanted to learn how to bake. She was explaining to me that in India, there aren't many cakes or things of that nature. When I think about it, the only breads I've ever had from that particular cuisine have been flat (and delicious!). She and Hari are both vegetarian (as is about 50% of the population of India) and so she didn't want to use eggs in her baking. I have several vegan cookbooks and I decided to let her borrow Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Simple Treats.

About a week later, she sent some cupcakes to us through Hari. She made the pineapple upside downs and the marbled cupcakes. The first wasn't that great but it wasn't because of an error on her part. The recipe had a lot of spice (such as cloves) and I am just not used to that in my pineapple upside down cakes. I just want buttery pineapple goodness! The marbled cakes were delicious though! We'd shopped for a few of the ingredients that same day. We took turns walking each other through the ins and outs of grocery stores from our respective countries. She was fascinated by all of the artificial ingredients. I assured her she would probably have a more productive excursion at Whole Foods. In contrast, an Indian grocery store does have more simple ingredients. It was awesome to learn about some of the foreign foods and spices. Especially the produce!!

I love going for dinner at Shrinidhi and Hari's. I hope to eventually feature some of her cooking on this blog. For now, I will post a picture of what was left of the cookies the day it hit me that I should photograph them. She sent home some raspberry cookies as well. The interesting part about Indian cookies is that they usually feature a combination of flavors that aren't familiar to my palate. These orange marmalades were straight up but the raspberry must have had cumin seeds. I know I've had Indian cookies with cumin in them before so it makes sense. They were excellent! Even Molly ate two and she is very picky about her baked goods!

The note warmed my heart. Baking is such a fun and enjoyable pastime for me and I am so happy that she enjoys it too! Hari can thank me later! ;-)

Bread Like a Hole

2009-09-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

I try my best not to eat too many bagels these days. When we moved to Plainsboro, we fell into a major rut because there is a fantastic place about 1/3 of a mile from where we live. I am talking about the one and only Bagel Street Cafe.

When I lived in Birmingham, I was food shopping with a friend. We were in the frozen section and I opened one of the doors to get a bag of bagels. At least that's what I thought I was doing. He informed me that these were not "real bagels". He had previously lived in Buffalo, NY and was pretty well traveled. At that time in my life, I'd never really been out of the southeastern U.S. He explained to me that bagels aren't supposed to be too flat on the bottom. These hadn't been formed, boiled and baked. These I had in my hand was more like a rolls with a hole. I didn't really get what he was saying but he said I would understand one day.

A year after I met Chris, he took me to New Jersey to meet his family. We stayed for a little over a week and did all sorts of amazing things. One morning, he took me over to Red Bank and we had bagels for breakfast. Real bagels. I took one bite and realized my friend was right.

I understood.

The skin is shiny and a little hesitant to yield at first but the teeth eventually sink into a doughy abyss. And they are slightly rounded on the bottom. I couldn't get over what I was tasting. I've had the pleasure of experiencing a few different bagels shops in the area. I've grown accustomed to the classic flavors and I am always excited to see creative and new selections.

Bagel Street Cafe has just about every bagel base covered...and them some. They make right around twenty different types of bagels fresh every morning. Sweet selections such as chocolate chip, blueberry, strawberry and cinnamon raisin. Their savory choices are what truly sets them apart. Tasty flavors like pumpernickel, rye, sourdough, asiago, garden veggie and jalapeno cheddar can really get your morning started with a smile! My all time favorite is their everything bagel with egg and cheese. It never lets me down. They don't stop with breakfast. They also do burgers on bagels as well as pizza bagels. They do other sorts of breakfast and lunch fare such as pancakes and salads but you'd really be doing yourself a major disservice to go down that road. Not that the food is bad but why would you not get a bagel at a place that specializes in them?!

If you want to be the most popular person at your next morning gathering of either coworkers or friends, stop in and get a baker's dozen for only $9. If you really want to start a fight, make it a point to select one or two of their decadent french toast bagels...

They have a huge cold case full of almost every different drink imaginable. They also have the classic bagel accompaniments. The lines are often long but the crew is efficient and it goes by fast. If you're carrying out, call ahead and they'll have it waiting for you. Chris and I actually have their number programed into our cellphones!

Bagel Street Cafe

660 Plainsboro Rd. #18

Plainsboro, NJ 08536

609-936-1755

Labor Day

2009-09-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

I know I am acting a bit lazy this week but I promise I'm not just sitting around and doing nothing. The biggest thing I accomplished over Labor Day weekend was purging and reorganizing my bakers rack and pantry! Wanna see?

I know! There's still a lot of stuff in there (The life of a foodie) but it's much more orderly and organized now!

The door is pretty wide so I was able to hang two separate shoe organizers on there. This is where I store different flours, dried beans, pastas, grains, etc. The top shelf is mostly tea, odd and end cooking utensils (specialized things like cookie molds and cutters, candy thermometer and dumpling presses) and a huge container of organic (and Fair Trade!) sugar. Costco has it on sale now! Less than $8 for a ten pound bag! It costs about the same to buy three pounds at Whole Foods. The next shelf is canned tomatoes and other prepackaged things such as curries and whole wheat baking mixes. You southerners might recognize the jar of Golden Eagle. There's also some Ricemellow! I store my dried fruits and other misc things on the shelf below that. The next is seasonal items and lots of different canned beans. Trader Joe's only sells their organic cocoa powder during the holiday seasons so I stock up then! I also have a few jars of their delicious pumpkin butter. The last shelf from the floor is more exotic items that I whip out on special occasions. Fancy jams, Nutella, caramel sauce... The basket is mostly dried mushrooms and sea veggies. The floor has a bunch of bulk items like cereal (my husband and daughter are fiends!) and nuts along with various cooking pans and other items that are only used occasionally.

Trust me. It looks crazy but everything is under control!!! You should see my spice cabinet if you think this is bad! That's another post for another time!

Alice's Brownies

2009-09-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

Today's post is brought to you by my first guest blogger!! My friend Alice is going to share the secret behind her very popular brownies. I remember reading in an article years ago that everyone should have at least one recipe that they can prepare for a party or potluck. Brownies are always a winner! If you know people who don't like brownies, then you should seriously reevaluate the friendship! This recipe is pretty simple and I plan on having a box of Duncan Hines Family-Style Milk Chocolate Brownies in my pantry from now on!

Since it is Labor Day Weekend, it’s time for some last hurrah barbeques! I used to receive invitations to events involve food with a mixture of excitement and dread. I loved socializing and eating, but there was always that quiet voice whispering, “But what will I BRING?” The answer was brownies, because for years it was the only thing I knew how to make. (What can I say, I ate out a lot.)

My brownies were always a hit. It got to the point where people were requesting my presence and my brownies’ presence in the same breath. (“Can you come Saturday…and bring a pan of brownies?”) My brownies were like the slightly-more popular friend in high school that could get me into parties I wouldn’t be invited to on my own.

When people ask for my recipe I am always more than happy to share. This is my recipe:

Yup, it’s a mix. But it has to be this exact mix: Duncan Hines Family-Style Milk Chocolate Brownies. On the front of the box it says ‘13” x 9” pan size’, but I make it in an 8” x 8” pan – this is a critical step! If you choose to use a larger pan, I wash my hands of the consequences. The smaller pan means the brownies are thicker and stay really moist.

I always follow the directions for the fudgy brownies (cake-like brownies = yuck, just trust me on that). Then I bake them for less time than the recipe calls for. The box says to bake them for 39 – 42 minutes, but I start peering in on them at 25 minutes, then every 3 minutes after that. The second I insert a toothpick and it comes out mostly clean, I pull them out of the oven to cool off. (After you make them a lot, you won’t even need the toothpick test – you’ll be able to tell if they’re done by nudging the pan and seeing if they still ripple.)

Let them cool for a few hours, then slice, and eat.

Doesn’t that look tasty? Enjoy!!

-Alice

www.mathreallycounts.com

Sausage Fest

2009-09-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

Okay....I know this is lame but I am super excited about the fact that David Lebovitz actually responded to something I posted on his Facebook page today! Not once but TWICE! I was catapulted into the Fangirl Stratosphere for most of the day!!

That's not why I'm here though. I am here to talk about fake meat. We went to the Silver Forge Farm not too long ago for an impromptu combination of breakfast and lunch....what's that word again? ;-)

Anyways, I brought over two different packages of sausage to cook up along side the fresh eggs, potatoes and tomatoes that Shannon and Eliezer were throwing into the mix. I am a big fan of the Tofurkey brand sausages. I usually cook the kielbasa in kraut and beer and I panfry the Italian kind and serve it up with all sorts of different things. The only one I don't care for is the bratwurst. It seems a bit bland.

Lately, I've noticed a new kid in on the block. I got curious and decided to pick up some Field Roast brand links. I do mean links too! They are actually connected when you take them out of the plastic wrapping. I've seen several different products in the refrigerated section. I'm eager to see how the roast will hold up in a crock pot. The mention of sage on the front of the packaging is what sold me on these links. I think sage really compliments the flavor of sausage and not enough people who try to make vegetarian versions incorporate it. They rely too heavily on fennel seeds.

Shannon cooked both of them together and they each had their strengths and weaknesses. The flavor of the Tofurkey Italian sausage is hard to beat. However, the texture of the Field Roast was pretty darn close to the real thing. It is easy to remove it from the casing and that makes it an absolutely perfect candidate for use in creating a good sausage gravy. I have plans to try this in the near future. I'll let you know how it goes.

Both of these guys made for an excellent breakfast accompaniment. Every last bite of sausage was cleaned out of the serving dish and no one had anything negative to say. If I were just eating some eggs, I'd probably want the Tofurkeys. However, I do believe that when the biscuits come into play, the Field Roasters will have their time to shine.

Another Sunday, Another Brunch.

2009-08-31T13:37:00.000-07:00

Just so you know, I don't spend every Sunday at fabulous restaurants. I do a fair amount of brunches at home too. However, when Shannon and Eliezer mentioned going to Kaya's Kitchen this weekend, we just couldn't pass it up! I've been dying to try out their breakfast menu! Their dinners are fantastic so I knew that they wouldn't let me down with the most important meal of the day. The thrilling aspect was being able to order anything I wanted since the restaurant is 100% vegetarian.

We arrived a little after 11:00 and we scored immediate seating (two brunches in a row now!). No hippy worth his or her patchouli is going to be out of bed before noon so as long as you get there before, you're good to go! By the time we left, all of the tables were taken. I was up late at a concert the night before so I was dragging a bit. I also didn't eat anything beforehand so I'd be able to properly gorge myself. When they set this amazing plate in front of me, I forgot about the rest of the world.

This was the Memom platter. It's supposed to represent a typical southern breakfast. I'll break it down for you piece by piece...

The ham: I was expecting to love the sausage more but this stuff was awesome!

The sausage: I still put a hurtin' on this guy despite the above statement.

The tofu scrambler: It comes with a veggie scrambler but I asked for a plain one because I wanted to taste it. I personally prefer my tofu scramble to theirs but it's still good!

The biscuit and gravy: My hopes were high so it was the biggest sore spot on the plate. I was hankerin' for white gravy and this was 'shroomy. The biscuit wasn't all that either. In their defense, they aren't southern.

The apple sauce: Homemade and a nice balance to all of the salty stuff.

The potatoes: Good.

Do you see that sammich hiding in the shadows back there? That is The Gypsy Devil. Leave it to a gypsy to swipe the plate out from under my breakfast. I immediately regretted ordering the Memom when I had a bite of this thing. It was that good. It's a pork roll, egg and cheese on a delightful bun that really does well to frame all of the flavors. I plan to order this when we go back on a Sunday morning. I hope it won't be too long. Kaya's Kitchen is a bit on the pricey side so we space it out. There is an all you can eat vegan buffet on Sunday evenings and we might have to hit that for our next visit.

It's located in a strip mall near the shore. Right behind Freedman's Bakery.

Kaya's Kitchen

817 Belmar Plaza

Belmar, NJ 07719

732-280-1141

Twist and Shout

2009-08-30T19:44:00.000-07:00

My name is Avery and I'm addicted to Princeton's newest fro-yo experience.

I am imagining all of you saying Hi Avery! in unison like they do at NA meetings.

I don't know if we have a Pinkberry anywhere around here. I had some a little over two years ago in San Fran. I had no idea that I was participating in what has become a huge food trend. Frozen yogurt is experiencing a renaissance of sorts and I am pretty excited about it! It's definitely giving cupcakes some healthy competition! When I was a teenager in Huntsville, Alabama, my family used to drive over to this frozen yogurt place up the road at least once a week. I remember having a fondness for the strawberry flavor in a waffle cone. There was also a TCBY in the shopping center where my friends and I used to hang out and it was pretty popular. I used to date a guy who would take me there on a regular basis. We would share a banana split and take turns picking flavors and toppings. I'll never forget because one time he opted to put NERDS on top of chocolate frozen yogurt and it was absolutely disgusting.

I didn't even realize it when it was happening but frozen yogurt did eventually slip off of the radar. I blame Ben and Jerry for reminding us what we were missing. Ice cream got a lot more interesting in the past decade. Cool and creamy decadence that goes as far as to taste of birthday cake is merely a cold stone's throw away!

As they say, eventually what is old is new again and frozen yogurt is back in the game! Someone got smart and decided to bring it to Princeton and they have been massively successful. I've been several times in the past month! Twist is the name and they're coming on strong! The flavors are bolder and the options are endless. The atmosphere is bright, comfy and perfect for chilling out with some good friends on a hot day! I went with the usual suspects last week and we all had fun customizing our own fro-yo creations.

They try to keep it fresh by rotating flavors on a weekly basis. Some of the choices I've seen going in and out are green tea, mango, cookies and cream, cheesecake and even cake batter. They do have some staples such as vanilla, Ghirardelli chocolate (my fave!) and eurotart. The later has only 18 calories per ounce. It basically tastes like plain yogurt. They usually have about six flavors on tap. Once you move over to the toppings, it gets a little more interesting!

They have everything from fruit, nuts, flax seeds and Kashi cereal. If you want to be bad, they have a variety of crushed cookies and candies along with caramel, marshmallow and chocolate sauces. Here is the part where I remind you to watch your weight.... At Twist, you pay according to how much your fro-yo weighs so I try to keep it simple. A smaller cup of yogurt and some strawberries runs me around $4 and some change. It's usually enough for Molly and I to share.

It's a hot spot in the community right now. They lend their wall space to local artists and the owners even have doggie biscuits out in memory of their beloved pet that passed last year. Chowder appreciates the gesture and so do I. Another bonus is that they are open until 11. I am sure this must be a seasonal thing but it's nice! Sometimes it's late by the time we're done with dinner. I heard that there is another frozen yogurt place that will be opening up a few blocks away so we'll see how that turns out. They're really going to have to come out swinging if they want a piece of this pie.

Twist

84 Nassau Street

Princeton, NJ 08542

609-454-3057

Movie Star Dinner

2009-08-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's because of the movie or not but anytime I mention that I am making ratatouille for dinner, my daughter is thrilled! What's not to be thrilled about? It's a great way to use up and serve a bunch of different veggies that you might have lying around. It requires very little effort and it's pretty healthy. To top off the list, it tastes good!

There are many different variations and methods but my version is quite simple. The especially exciting aspect of the one I made this week was that it featured the lone eggplant that I was able to harvest from our garden this year! I am pretty sure it will be the only one because that plant was small.

Isn't it cute?!

The list of ingredients isn't long and you can easily change it up. Sometimes I don't have eggplant so I just put extra squash or zucchini. If I'm really bored, I'll layer each piece but this last casserole was just tossed together. No one noticed that anything was different so next time I need to kill some time, maybe I'll just read a magazine.

This pan is a 2.75 liter capacity, just so you have an idea.

Ratatouille (much more fun to say if you roll the r and really emphasize the t's. :-D)

*Any combination of 4-5 medium eggplants, zucchinis and squash sliced into medallions.

*One medium sliced onion (or two small), chopped.

Mix them all up coat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss in some fresh or dried thyme (about 1.5 tsp) Top it off with homemade breadcrumbs and fresh parmesan cheese. If you want to get the breadcrumbs dark like the picture, give it a spritz of cooking spray.

Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes.

This is optional but sometimes I will heat up a small can of tomato sauce and add a splash of heavy cream. I put a ladle full on a plate and then spoon the ratatouille on top. It makes for a more satisfying main course. My family (2 adults and 1 child) will demolish the entire thing in one sitting.

A Fair Trade

2009-08-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

My friends Alice and Wright stopped over this evening for a quick visit. They returned not too long ago from a trip to Buffalo, N.Y. I remember reading on Alice's Facebook that she was eating something called Sponge Candy. I'd never heard of it so I dropped her a line to ask her what it was. Being the generous soul that she is, she offered to share some with me!

It looks sort of like a Butterfinger and it is somewhat crispy when you first bite into it. The inside is much lighter and it quickly melts in your mouth. It tastes like a combination of honey and caramelized sugar. I only ate one piece but I could have easily downed all three! They were that good!! The perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot tea.

I decided to Google it and learn a bit more. I found an adorable website that is run by a couple who have been making and selling candy for over 22 years. They do mail orders but not during the hot summer months. They will resume selling it over the internet at the end of October. I really enjoyed reading about this regional specialty, not to mention how they make it! The FAQs offer all sorts of gems. I will definitely be placing an order later this year!!

I traded Alice some caramels from France since she was willing to share some of her stash with me. I hope she enjoys them as much as I enjoyed the sponge candy! If you feel so inclined, check out her adorable math blog! Starting up a band but can't think of a name that you'd like to see up in lights? Head on over to Wright's latest online project. He'll do all of the dirty work for you!

Falafel Alley

2009-08-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

During our recent trip to Paris, I had a list of places to go and things to eat. I am sure that everyone does this when they go somewhere special (right?). I always scout out potential hot spots, especially for good vegetarian food. I'd heard from several different sources that there was excellent falafel to be had in the 4th arrondissement so Chris and I made it a point to go and check it out!

One thing I never got over after leaving Birmingham, Alabama was the loss of easy falafel access. Nobody tells you this but the streets are practically paved with it. You can get it at any time of day, seven days a week. After I moved to Georgia, I was high and dry and it's been that way ever since. I have one reasonable fallback here in Princeton and I've heard there is another place that has good stuff so I will investigate and report back.

For now, I will tell you about Falafel Alley in the Marias District of Paris. L'as du Falafel is somewhat of a landmark here. Right across the way from it is Mi Va Mi, another falafel place which is said to be the underdog. Chris and I couldn't resist trying both of them out and over the course of a few days, we did. We hit up L'as du Falafel for lunch. I was prepared for the line to be much longer than it was. They are obviously up on the crowd control because they have one guy bringing people in and taking orders while you wait to get up to the window so you already have a ticket by the time you get there. It all happened so fast that it's a blur to me now. The falafel slinger hands you a warm pita that is stuffed full of goodness. Despite the fact that he throws it together in no time at all, the distribution of falafel and veggies is perfect.

7 Euros gets you this gorgeous sammich and a drink.

So, in the name of scientific research, we returned to the 4th arrondissement the following day for lunch at Mi Va Mi.

Instead of getting it to go, we opted to dine in. Just so you know, it costs about 3 Euros more per person to eat and drink inside instead of getting it from the window. I really wanted to root for the underdog but it just didn't knock my socks off the way it probably would have if we hadn't eaten at L'as du Falafel the day before. Don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic lunch and I'd totally kill for some Mi Va Mi now but (in my humble opinion) it was a notch or two short in comparison. The service was friendlier. The ingredients were well balanced. Maybe it was the cold pita? The lack of Orangina? When it came time to decide where we would have our final falafel hurrah, we went back to L'as du Falafel. There are those who might disagree with me and I can respect that. Lenny Kravitz has my back though!

L'as du Falafel

34, Rue des Rosiers
75004 Paris, France

Mi Va Mi

23 Rue des Rosiers

75004 Paris, France

Souvenirs

2009-08-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, here is the first of several food posts that will be connected to our trip to Europe this summer. I thought I'd start them off with a picture and a list of all of the stuff we brought back home with us! The list of what we are allowed to bring back into the U.S. is always changing so I'd check the website for customs before you plan a trip anywhere. We managed to bring everything back into the country without any trouble which was a huge relief! I would have been devastated to have to throw any of this loot away!!!

Starting with the back row, from the left: that big back in the back of the photo is grey salt from France. The two smaller jars next to it are also salt. Red wine salt and floral salt (that smells amazing!). The two bags are jasmine flowers that I plan on using to flavor salt and sugar. I saw some jasmine sugar in Germany and thought it was a cool idea! The other bag is Harissa spices. I've never seen it where it hadn't already been made into a paste. The tall bottle is my holy grail. One of the things I planned on dropping a huge wad of cash on was a bottle of kirschwassser. This was partly inspired by a post from David Lebovitz and also by the fact that all I can find over here in the U.S. is the cheapo stuff. Genuine kirsch is a thing of beauty. The best is found in Austria and I stumbled across an amazing gourmet store in Germany that imported it. The last three things in the back are tea. The pink canister is a floral black tea from Paris and the striped bags are white tea and oolong tea from Germany. I haven't tried the first one yet but the other two are excellent! White and oolong tea are Chris' favorites. The jar in front of the tea bags came from the same shop and it is vanilla honey.

There is a little sign on the right that must have come from an old bakery. I got it at a flea market in Paris and it's sitting in my kitchen. The toys in the middle are mostly for making cookies. The wooden blocks are springerle molds from Germany. Let me tell you that I've spent a good part of the year searching for these bad boys and I found them within my first 24 hours over there! I was absolutely delighted! I got an owl, a bird, a few Christmas themed and some Valentine's day themed molds. I am still searching for a cameo and hopefully I will find one someday. There are also various cookie cutters from the same shop. A bird, a flying pig, a button (perfect for mine and Molly's Coraline themed Halloween costumes!), Saturn and a few lovely rectangular shapes. I got some Dutch duckie salt and pepper shakers from Amsterdam (Chris picked these out) and the small glass tube is vanilla from a Moroccan grocery store in Paris. Last but not least, the big canister has caramels from France. They are absolutely delicious and I allow myself to have one as a treat from time to time. Remember, it was an obsession for almost the entire trip!

On the gardening front, we also brought some red tulip bulbs from Amsterdam that we will plant this coming season. They're pretty cool looking! I'd never seen tulips that looked like these guys. I was absolutely blown away by the amazing selection of bulbs in Holland. Unfortunately, I was only able to shop from a small selection that was certified for entry into North America. We did declare them and after they saw the certification, they let us through with no problems.

Speaking of gardening....I'd better get my machete out and clear my mini Amazon since I have the day off today and the weather is nice!! Au revoir!!

Ladies who Brunch

2009-08-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

Kate and Liz pose with the brunch menu

Like I said before, Sunday brunch can be the jewel in the crown to top off a good week, or even a bad week if your crown consists of thorns. Last week, I stepped out with some of my lady friends and went over to Lawrenceville which is on the other side of Princeton from where we live. We went to a Freecycle event which turned out to be pretty cool! I wasn't sure what to expect or what I'd find! I took a bunch of stuff over so it was a relief to free up that space in the corner! I found a bunch of random things like vintage matchbooks, rubber stamps, a new plastic pitcher for tea, a wool blanket for the dog and some random hodge podge for holiday decorating. It was all free!

It was super hot day and after a while of cruising the stuff, we were ready to recharge our batteries. I was running on empty by that point! We decided to walk over to Fedora because we'd heard they had a fantastic brunch menu. Unfortunately this place does not have a proper website so I can't link you. If I remember correctly, they serve brunch until 1:00 on Sundays. This was my third time eating here. I've done brunch, lunch and dinner and all three were fabulous. They are closed on Mondays.

Their t-shirts always say funny stuff. My favorite is I may have inadvertently licked your fork.

I was surprised at how small the crowd was. We didn't even have to wait for a table! I am sure this isn't always the case and if we ever go back for brunch (which I am sure we will!), I am not going to get my hopes up on this happening again! I was happy not to have to wait for a nice cup of iced tea!

They had all sorts of edible debauchery on their brunch menu. I was tempted by some form of wicked french toast with creme fraiche but that will have to wait until next time. I ended up going with crabcakes benedict that was topped with spinach and capers. I had the hollandaise sauce on the side. It was absolutely superb! All of us were very pleased with our choices.

Shannon digs into her pancakes with cinnamon butter.

The prices were very reasonable and I am already hoping to drag the family back with me. They do have outside seating so we will probably wait for a cooler day so we can take Chowder with us. We like to include him in our outings whenever possible.

Fedora Cafe

2633 Main Street

Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

609.895.0844

Closer to Home

2009-08-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

I know I promised a lot of European food posts and they are coming! However, I've been so delighted with the pasts few harvests from our garden that I wanted to write about it.

Considering the fact that this is our very first year gardening, I would go as far as to call it very successful! We've managed to get several good meals and snacks from our plot and despite the fact that we've really been struggling with weeds and the weather (everything from lots of rain to lots of heat). The edible flowers are really the only thing that didn't really do much of anything. Pffft!

The other day, we ate almost entirely from our garden. We had maple glazed carrots, an heirloom tomato salad and a kale medley cooked into some scrambled eggs that we bought from our friends over at Silver Forge. I've definitely learned a lot about how things grow. It's amazing how much more in touch I feel with fruits and veggies after the last few years of shopping at the farmers market and educating myself on how stuff gets on my plate. That's one of the reasons why this meal felt so empowering. I dug those carrots up a few hours before we ate them!

I tried to keep it all on the simple side. Being a southern girl, a side of sliced tomatoes are a common sight on the dinner table during the late summer months. We have about four different heirloom varieties growing in our garden right now. It's pretty funny because we have way more tomato plants in our plot than we originally planted! They're popping up everywhere! I won't plant nearly as much kale as I did this year. One plant really produces a lot of leaves! We have about 12 so we're drowning in it. I do want to plant the curly type so I can make kale chips. The two varieties I have now don't do so well in that respect. They're excellent when cooked in a little olive oil and some garlic though. My family complains that the curly kind is too tough when I cook it that way. The flat leafers are more tender. Especially the Italian. The carrots are a lot of fun to harvest. I planted the seeds close together so a small area is pretty densely packed with them. We have a long way to go before they're gone. We have plans for these babies! Chris' birthday is next month and I'm excited to make him a carrot cake!

We have a nice selection to choose from for fall planting. Unfortunately, we also have a LOT of work to do in our plot before it's ready. I jokingly call it The Mini Amazon because the weeds are crazy!! It's going to take hours to clear them. One of our fellow plotters covered her garden in newspaper and then layered it with grass clippings from the recycling center here in town. She said she hasn't had a problem with weeds at all this year. I think it will definitely be worth giving that a try next spring. We have to have the plot completely cleared by the first week of December so I am hoping to get it turned around by the end of the month so we can harvest before then.

I know....wild stuff!

New Member of the Family!

2009-08-17T19:02:00.001-07:00

After months of searching, we adopted a dog today! He is a 2-3 year old Boston terrier/Pug mix AKA as bugs! We got him from the Bucks County SPCA which is an absolutely wonderful organization if you or anyone you know in is looking to adopt a pet in Jersey/PA area. The shelter named him Haroc but we renamed him Chowder. He has a bit of crud (kennel cough) but other than that, he's absolutely perfect and we're crazy about him! We're taking him to some obedience classes to work on leash training. He gets really excited and pulls pretty hard so he isn't much of a joy to walk. Once we polish that up, he'll be good to go!

Another exciting addition to the household is our new crock pot! I know, it's not nearly as cool as a dog but I've been wanting one for months now! We love beans and soups and stews. I also don't always have the time or energy to cook dinner so it's nice to have something that's ready and waiting for us! All I did today was chop veggies and throw in some beans that I soaked overnight. I was curious if they would cook without being boiled but I was really pleased with the results! They were big beans too so I imagine that this should work with any kind. I set it on high for eight hours and they were perfect. The instruction manual said to boil them first. but I didn't do it. The possibilities are endless with this thing so it should make for lots of blogging!

I am going to hit the sack. Chris is taking Chowder out to do his business and we'll see how well he does tonight. Other than the pulling, he hasn't displayed any undesirable behavior. He had a big day and I'm sure he's gonna sleep well! Here's hoping!

From the New York Times...

2009-08-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

It's an old article but I thought it was interesting. It's about the rise of salted caramel which is high on my foodie radar lately! While I was in Paris (OMG, that felt so amazing to type out!), I spent a good bit of time hunting down all things caramel! It became a small obsession! I was really bummed because one of the specialty chocolatiers that I had high up on my list was away on vacation while we were there. She carries what is said to be the best caramel in France in her shop! I definitely plan to make some this fall. I'll probably use David Lebovitz's recipe. I have absolutely no shortage of salt. I brought about three different kinds back home with be from Paris. It's going to be great....or it's going to be a disaster! We shall see!

Anyways, I'm getting back into the swing of things with posting and whatnot. We just got home from traveling for a month solid last weekend and then immediately got back into the work saddle which was rough! The chores are piling up around the house and I'm taking care of that today. Tomorrow we're trying out another place for brunch so I can add that to the ever growing pile of potential posts! I knew that the trip would inspire lots of new food writing but I am overflowing here! My brain is about to pop!

Anyways....here is the article!

Hello and Goodbye!

2009-07-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

I'm not dead! I've just been traveling around in Europe for the past two and a half weeks! We were in Germany, France and Holland! We just got back this afternoon and I'm turning right around and packing up to fly to Atlanta tomorrow morning. I usually always visit my parents around this time of year. Molly comes back from visiting her father and then we take a few extra days to spend with my family. She is really close with her cousin Christian and I always love the opportunity to spend time with my sisters. The suitcase is full of presents so I hope they all make it down in tact. Amazingly enough, everything we bought in Europe made it home!

I have a massive list of goodies that I brought home to cook with and to play with not to mention many many pictures of fabulous and amazing food. I will have even more to write about once I get home from The Dirty South!

I'll be back!

Someday

2009-07-08T20:59:00.001-07:00

I'm not one for drinking milk. My daughter is the exact opposite. She would probably take an IV of milk if I would allow it. We buy her the super fancy organic milk in the glass bottles that come from a dairy farm in Pennsylvania so I doubt we'd be able to afford a continuous supply to her bloodstream. I hear so many awful things about the hormones in dairy that I refuse to take the chance with cheap, crappy milk.

We are pasteurization freaks here in the U.S. I've read several interesting books about the benefits of the cultures found in raw dairy products. In Europe, it is readily available and I am really looking forward to tasting creams and especially butter! I am excited to see how it affects the flavors of chocolate and other things that have dairy in them.

I'm not sure how great of a lead in all of this is for a review of yet another book I've read in the past month about Paris. French Milk is an adorable graphic novel written by a girl who travels to Paris with her mother for six weeks during the end of 2007 and into 2008. She talks a lot about art and food which are to things I plan to focus on for my trip! The illustrations are similar to the ones found in The Persepolis in that they are simple but manage to convey a lot. It's a much quicker and lighter read though. I had a lot of hope in me when I finished the book. I hope we are able to have as interesting of an experience in Paris and also I hope to be as close with Molly when she is older as the author is with her mom. I feel like we are on the right track! She's a great girl and I'm so proud of her. I've already promised her we'd take her to Paris someday.

How Sweet It Is

2009-07-07T19:43:00.001-07:00

I feel in and out of the loop with this latest entry. I finished reading The Sweet Life in Paris a few weeks ago and the book has only been out for about two months. However, David Lebovitz, has been cooking up some amazing food along with equally amazing food writing for years. I have to say that this upcoming trip to Paris has opened so many new doors for me as far as discovering great books, blogs, foods and ideas. I haven't even left yet and I already feel so enriched.

About the book...it's a cleverly written memoir of his experiences as an American chef who has been living in Paris for about seven years now. It's similar to A Homemade Life in that there are several short stories with accompanying recipes. After reading the book, I feel that I am a little bit more prepared for what to expect on our trip. His stories are informative and hilarious! I have learned several bits of etiquette and such from reading the book will hopefully save me from the occasional faux pas in France! For example, I was at one of my favorite food shops here in Princeton. I'm usually chat with one of the girls behind the counter if she is working and we've become casual acquaintances. I was telling her about this book and some of the tips I've picked up and she asked me for an example. I told her that I'd learned to always greet shopkeepers when entering any sort of establishment. Apparently it's considered to be quite rude not to do so! She stopped and thought for a second. I know she has visited Paris and she was probably reflecting on past experiences. She looks at me and says That explains a lot!

His blog is an even greater resource. He is beyond generous with his insider tips on everything from chocolate to food photography. His post on what he considers to be mandatory Parisian noshing sounds way more appealing than standing in line to get into the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower! I only wish I were going to be in Paris at the same time as one of his tours!! What an experience that would be!

I know I'm arriving late in the game with some of these amazing blogs but I'm thankful to have discovered them at the perfect time so that I am able to really put the information to good use! We are leaving for Paris on Saturday! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Sunday Morning

2009-07-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

One of my absolute favorite mealtimes is Sunday Brunch. There's something amazing about that particular time of week. It's peaceful and relaxed and when it comes to potential palate pleasers, it feels like anything on the sweet to savory spectrum is possible! The more creative, the better!

That being said, it doesn't take a crazy concoction to make me happy. Some eggs served along side a little sweetness (With maple syrup perhaps? Or maybe a cinnamon treat!) and I'll be pleased as punch. Champagne mimosas are totally optional. I'm fine with tea.

I don't mind getting my hands dirty and throwing down a proper brunch myself but every once in a while, I like to go out. There are several places in the area that are willing to step up to the plate and a few weeks ago, we decided to go to Winberie's in Princeton. Make sure you are in the mood to splurge. This is not the place to count calories or pinch pennies. Brunch for two is about $40 but you get a wide variety of choices and it is all you can eat. There are fancy savories, sweet bites of cake, an omelette station and even some Sam Adams cheesy fondue. The quality isn't over the top (there is syrup but not maple syrup) but you definitely get a lot of options for your money. Plus, it's a cozy atmosphere. You also have some great options nearby for walking off your meal.

Winberie's Restaurant and Bar

1 Palmer Sq E # 1
Princeton, NJ 08542-3718
(609) 921-0700