sopressata

The Suisse Shop

2009-10-26T19:09:00.004-05:00

Where was The Suisse Shop when I was choosing wedding cake? The answer is: Polaris Parkway, where they've been located since 2003, quietly dominating the Columbus wedding cake market. And actually, wedding cake is just one thing they've perfected. Perfection is the name of The Suisse Shop's game and as much as it sounds like hyperbole, all of The Suisse Shop's offerings are flawless. They hit a magical point of balance with each product, never being overly rich or cloying texture while still offering an amazing flavor profile.

In The Suisse Shop's nearly 27 year history, European pastries have been their specialty, offering an authentic product made with the highest quality ingredients available. We sampled a beautiful array of cakes, pastries and cookies during our visit, here are a few of my favorites:

Chocolate Decadence Torte - This comes as close to chocolate cake perfection as one can get. The cake has a delicate texture with deep rich chocolate flavor and the butter-cream frosting's impossibly smooth texture make for the perfect finish.

Pumpkin Walnut Pound Cake - Normally, i can take or leave things that fit into either the "pound cake" or "pumpkin" categories, but this was really tasty. The pound cake highlighted the delicate flavor of the pumpkin, allowing the spices to play a supporting role in the background - right where they belong.

Sugar Cookie - The sugar cookie is the bar by which i judge baking. so simple and yet so easy to get wrong. The Suisse Shop's sugar cookie is just slightly chewy, having the perfect amount of body that plays well against the light and heavenly icing. Not one hint of the overly sugary "so sweet it will make your mouth ache" some sugar cookies can be guilty of (I'm looking at you Cheryl's Cookies).

Suisse Almond Torte - If The Suisse Shop had a signature item, this would be it. And signature worthy, it is. The pure, rich flavor of natural almond really translates in this torte, providing a rich background for the raspberry filling, which sings on top of it all.

What impressed me about The Suisse Shop was the painstaking and impeccable detail that goes into creating their product. Only the best ingredients are sourced from around the globe (you won't find any crisco in this kitchen), recipes are researched and perfected (sometimes for years!) before they hit the cases and quality and consistency are never compromised. Another thing I love about The Suisse Shop is that their products are priced appropriately. What you're paying a fair price for is quality, not pretension or trend. Five inch versions of their tortes, called "Cute Cakes" are available for $15. Speaking of trendy, Columbus Monthly named The Suisse Shop's cupcakes the best in Columbus, and considering the competition, that's no small feat.

And even though this gem just recently hit my radar, The Suisse Shop has plenty of loyal clientele who have been worshiping them for years. Seasonal orders for pies and cookies book up quickly, so if you'd like to serve The Suisse Shop goodies this Thanksgiving, you should get on the phone now. Pictured (from top, clockwise): Chocolate Chip Cookie, Princess Bar Cookie, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and Coconut Triangle.

The Suisse Shop
2119 Polaris Parkway
Columbus, Ohio 43240
614.846.5102

*This review was completed upon request for Columbus Underground. Thanks for asking me, guys!

the thurmanator

2009-04-05T11:39:00.007-05:00

mark lyle has done it again. on saturday, march 28th at three in the afternoon, mark lyle "the human vacuum" consumed two entire thurmanators with all the fixings. showing up with his requisite bottle of sports drink, he bellied up to the table and got it done. for those not familiar with the thurmanator, it is (from the bottom up): bun, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickle, hot peppers, 12 oz burger, bacon, cheddar, another 12 oz burger, sauteed onion, mushroom, green pepper, ham, american and provolone cheese, and a bun to top it off. this monstrosity is served with a huge pile of greasy thurman's fries. even half of one thurmanator is enough to bring a grown man to his knees. here's a shot of mark with the first thurmanator:mark never ceases to amaze. keep an eye on my twitter feed for announcements on when he'll strike again.
a word of advice to anyone who would like to tackle a thurmanator (or any of thurman's other delicious offerings) be prepared to wait! thurman's popularity has grown exponentially since the man vs. food episode featuring the thurmanator aired.

thurmanator announcement

2009-03-27T07:09:00.004-05:00

mark lyle, the human vacuum, will attempt to set a record for "most thurmanators eaten" at thurman's this saturday at 2:30pm. come down and cheer him on, or watch my twitter feed for live coverage.

dagwood record conquered!

2009-03-21T15:49:00.009-05:00

much to my horror and amusement, mark "the human vacuum" lyle has beaten the dagwood world record.

dagwood lore: the dagwood challenge began when a customer ate the dagwood in 13 minutes and then finished it off with pie. the next milestone came when one josh matko finished it off in 6 minutes. then in march 2008, a valiant young group of columbus underground guys took the challenge as a group. thanks in no small part i'm sure, to the internet infamy of the columbus underground group, the dagwood was subsequently featured on man vs. food. then, flying under the radar, an unnamed amateur swooped in and beat the 6 minute mark by 30 seconds, raising (or is it lowering?) the bar to 5.5 minutes.

and so we arrive at present day. mark "the human vacuum" lyle is ready to kick off his pre-retirement tour, his "adventure in gluttony", by beating the dagwood record. driving to the ohio deli, i was nervous. i wasn't sure it could be done. and i didn't want mark to fail. and i wasn't sure just how bad the carnage would be.

the waitress brought out the dagwood, mark settled in and was off to devour the dagwood. he quickly disassembled the sandwich and the meat was gone in under 50 seconds. he spent less than 2 minutes each on the bread and then fries and in just 4 minutes and 44 seconds, it was all gone.

mark finishes off the deli meat

and when it's over, he takes a victory lap with two pieces of chocolate cream pie

notice the gaping whole on the wall of champions -it's where mark's record will be posted

a 4 minute, 44 second record is an auspicious start to his pre-retirement tour and i've got to admit, i'm hooked. mark is a fierce competitor, entertaining to watch and extremely gracious. i'm looking forward to more adventures in gluttony.

think you can eat a dagwood in under 6 minutes?

2009-03-18T20:25:00.005-05:00

mark "the human vacuum" lyle does. and he's going to prove it at 2:30pm this saturday, march 21st.

as a refresher, the dagwood is a monster of a sandwich, containing 2.5 lbs of deli meat and accompanied by a healthy portion of fries. but the real kicker is the bun. it's huge and it doesn't go down easy. you have 30 minutes to eat the whole thing, and if you prevail, you get your picture on the wall and a tshirt that reads "i defeated the dagwood".
when foodie friends from columbus underground decided to tackle the dagwood, only 7 out of 11 could meet the challenge, the best of them finishing in 12 minutes.
and while i have my doubts that this record can be beaten, if anyone can do it, that person is mark.
i'll be tweeting it, so tune in!

the ohio deli and restaurant
3444 south high street
columbus, ohio 43207

i heart competitive eating

2009-03-15T18:32:00.012-05:00

i love competitive eating. it's a real spectacle. it's exciting and a little disgusting to watch. and it's fun for the whole family.
there's a feeling of empathy all spectators feel for professional eaters that doesn't exist in other competitive sports. i don't have any idea what it's like to get tackled, score a home run or slam dunk a basket ball. but everyone knows what it's like to eat too much, and witnessing people eat past the boundaries of sane and safe consumption is a horrific thing of beauty.

so when mark "the human vacuum" lyle (ranked 5th in the world according to AICE)announced he would be setting out on a pre-retirement "adventure in gluttony", i knew i had to watch.

as a warm up to defeating such behemoths such as the dagwood and the thurmonator, this weekend mark entered in an all you can eat coney contest put on by the dublin skyline chili.

the contest:
30 minutes
as many coneys as you can eat
no vomiting
the winner gets free skyline for a year (52 certificates for a 3-way & coney)
$20 entry fee goes to a local food pantry -way to go skyline!

mark came out swinging, polishing off 12 coneys in the first 14 minutes:
the crowd immediately began to buzz as people realized mark wasn't your average competitor:
one contestant was especially cute, and a fierce competitor to boot!:

about 20 minutes into the contest, it became apparent that mark would be the winner. he slowed down a bit and watched the runner up, who was stalled around coney number 10. mark was feeling good, speculating that he thought he could probably do 25 coneys if he needed to.
when it was all said and done, mark won by putting down 15 coneys. the runner up ate 11 coneys.

after being awarded the "free skyline for a year", he graciously gave it to the little girl who did such a great job of competing earlier.

i've got to say, this was a really fun event. the kind folks at skyline did a great job putting it on and raised $265 for a local food pantry. it was nice to meet mark and chat with him a bit. i'll be following up shortly to talk more about the IACE, mark and the details of his next conquest.

on a side note, i really spend much more time on twitter than blogger these days. i'm mostly tweeting about & twitpic'ing what i eat with other random thoughts thrown in. i've been (and will be) tweeting the food events i attend. so if you don't tweet, give it a try and check me out.

the dagwood challenge

2009-02-13T13:56:00.002-05:00

edit 2.13.09: i'm bumping this post to the top because of the comment i received last night. if mark is willing to allow me to document his efforts, i'm happy to return from hiatus. there's nothing that fascinates/horrifies/turns me on, more than competitive eating.

the premise is simple: eat a sandwich in under 30 minutes and you get a t-shirt and your picture on the wall.
simple, unless the sandwich is this monster:
behold, the dagwood from the ohio deli and restaurant. consisting of a whopping two and a half pounds of meat, a huge bun and accompanied by a hearty pile of fries. jim from cmh gourmand met the challenge and blogged about it here. his feat of strength and endurance got the folks at columbus underground talking and soon an event was born.

shortly after the competition began, we asked the waitress who held the record for eating the dagwood and she brought us this picture. 6 minutes?!?!?
11 competitors began this challenge, only 7 finished. sufficed to say, this was an amazing spectacle.

after finishing his sandwich, the fries and a piece of pie, this guy got a bloody nose. you heard it here: the dagwood may cause internal bleeding. jim, sporting his third "i defeated the dagwood" shirt.

the victors.

the ohio deli and restaurant
3444 south high street
columbus, ohio 43207

gone fishing

2009-01-06T16:21:00.003-05:00

other priorities in my life are competing for my time - and winning. so for now, i'm closing up shop. maybe inspiration will strike when the growing season starts.
until then,
h

rad dog meatless gourmet hotdogs

2008-08-05T20:20:00.002-05:00

i love street food. and i love hot dogs. so when i heard about a new vegetarian hot dog vendor in town, i had to check it out.
rad dog veggie hot dogs doesn't disappoint, i think this is as good as vegetarian hot dogs get. a friend and i ate our dogs on a high street bench and thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace in the old lunch routine.
rad dog offers kraut, chili or peppers & onions for toppings in addition to the standard ketchup, mustard and relish. they also offer blue sky soda (made with real sugar!) and delicious vegan cookies from pattycake bakery. yummy, cheap, healthy and fun! rad dog moves around town, so check out his website to see where you can catch him.

sweet summer treats

2008-07-07T18:43:00.002-05:00

often life gets too busy for me to visit my parents in western new york as often as i'd like. however, the fourth of july is one holiday i try never to miss. when i was growing up, christmas and the fourth of july were the two holidays our entire family got together. both holidays are filled with great food traditions and memories, but the fourth is my favorite for one reason - cherries. i have really fond memories of picking cherries with my mom and grandparents as a child, memories i've been lucky to recreate as an adult.

so this year when my parents and i loaded into the car and drove out into the country in search of u-pick cherries, the news that almost the entire sweet cherry crop had been destroyed by hail came as a big disappointment. but we were determined to pick something, so we headed out to find the next best crop that was in season - raspberries.
we found raspberries to pick and in one fun, sweaty and sticky hour, we picked about six pounds. we ate a good bit while picking and back at the house, about a pound was turned into raspberry sauce and eaten over ice cream and the rest went onto cookie sheets to be frozen and then stored in bags for enjoying later.
the cherries, strawberries (and corn, peas and tomatoes) were purchased at the farm stands we stopped at along the way to locate a farm that offered u-pick raspberries. - a tasty price we were happy to pay. this cute little robin's nest was right in the middle of a large raspberry bush!

the hulk

2008-06-30T19:19:00.003-05:00

when i want something yummy, easy, good for you, and satisfying, this dish really fits the bill. i usually make "the hulk" pasta on sunday evening and parse it out for lunches that week. i call it "the hulk" for two reasons: as a tribute to a bonotogo pizza called the "hulk" that is topped with green toppings and because this is a really nutritionally dense dish that will make you as strong as the hulk.

the hulk pasta

1 lb whole wheat pasta (or barilla plus, which i prefer)
1/2 lb frozen edemame
1/2 lb frozen broccoli
1/2 cup prepared pesto (i like trader joe's)
pecorino romano

cook pasta, with 4ish minutes left, add broccoli and edemame to pot. drain and return to pot. add pesto. top with pecorino romano when serving.

akai hana wakes me up in the middle of the night

2008-06-10T19:39:00.002-05:00

here it is, my kryptonite - the sweet potato tempura roll at akai hana. i know it's not hardcore, but i don't eat sushi to be a bad ass. you'll never see me order uni. yuck.

the sweet potato roll consists of radish sprouts (cute and tasty!), spicy mayo (yes please!) and sweet potato tempura (does it get better?) just thinking about it starts a powerful craving. it's such a pleasing combination of tastes and textures. the sweet and crispy potato plays perfectly against the creamy spicy mayo and the slight crunch and bite of the radish sprouts.
here's a peek at akai hana's party boat for four. who doesn't love a boat filled with sushi and delivered to your table? the service and atmosphere at akai hana are great, just be sure to call for a reservation if you'd like a table on the weekend.

akai hana
1173 old henderson road
columbus, ohio 43220
614.451.5411

tweet!

2008-06-02T06:17:00.001-05:00

for a few months i've been twittering, so if you'd like to tune in to what's on my mind 24/7, check me out: http://twitter.com/sopressata

twitter is a microblogging site that i almost exclusively update via my smartphone. it's what i'm thinking and doing in 140 characters or less, which is almost always food related.

cafe lola

2008-05-31T22:37:00.003-05:00

working downtown, i start to salivate every time i hear of a new restaurant opening within walking distance of work. so when cafe lola popped up as part of the nbc studios extravaganza at broad and high, i had to check it out. adding to my anticipation was the news that cafe lola is a kevin ames restaurant. past ventures of his are two places i still miss: frezno and dagwoodz.

cafe lola does a great job of serving speedy, straightforward cafe food. lunch offerings are expansive, covering sandwiches, quesadillas, pizzas, salads and soup. and while the menu, atmosphere and service may not the swankiest in town, they really seem to have lunch down to a science. service is quick (study that menu before you get in line or you'll wind up stammering and staring up at the huge menu like i did) and food is brought out to your table when it's ready. i chose the turkey, roasted red pepper & provolone panini and wasn't disappointed. the bread was perfectly toasty and the turkey, veggies, and cheese were fresh, tasty appropriately warm and gooey. i had a side of the pasta salad and found it to be decent.

other items on the menu i've made a mental note to return to try: blt pizza (kryptonite!), italian sandwich, spicy thai noodle salad, and the grilled lime chicken pizza.

patio seating will be a treat when it opens, cafe lola is in the heart of columbus' ever improving downtown.

cafe lola
12 e. broad street
columbus, ohio 43215
p 614.754.8804

annual salmon roast at the hills market

2008-05-26T08:31:00.000-05:00

even though salmon is not my favorite protein, the idea of a fresh fish being grilled for hundreds about a mile from my house was too good to resist. and i'm a sucker for food events. so the husband and i jumped in the car, met a friend at the hills market and got into a line that stretched almost to the end of the shopping center. the line moved quickly and hills had ingeniously set up product demos the entire way. the salmon sandwiches are served with the hills coleslaw and an onion sauce, both complimented the salmon well. this was a tasty sandwich! the aroma of the grill, the beautiful sunshine, live music and relaxed family picnic atmosphere really added to the experience. we chatted with the young men grilling the salmon, who told us the aroma of grilled salmon seeped into their pores enough that they didn't plan any dates for the couple of days following the roast. thanks for your sacrifice guys, it was well worth it.

the hills market maintains an excellent website where you can get tips on future food events (like wine tastings), read about featured products and all sorts of other tasty tidbits.

the hills market
7860 olentangy river road
columbus, ohio 43235
p: 614.846.3220

i heart sauce cartel

2008-05-18T21:07:00.002-05:00

sauce cartel is a fantastic local purveyor of hot sauce. i've gushed about them in the past and here's a review of two of their best sauces:

green wave
this is a great sauce. it is so enjoyable i’d suggest that sauce cartel start selling it in at least 10 oz jars. the peppery notes are the first thing you’ll notice upon smelling green wave, they hit the pepper just right in this sauce with both jalapeno and black pepper prominently featured. the second thing that I noticed about green wave was the slightly sweet taste of pineapple. the lighter citrus flavors of pineapple are the perfect foil to the darker, more complex pepper of the jalapeno. for those who don’t want to hurt themselves when eating hot sauce, this is great. you get a nice middle-of-the-tongue heat that just builds slightly the more you eat. as tempting as it is to eat directly from the bottle, i really wanted to use it in a way that highlighted the excellent flavors. using the green wave, i came up with this recipe for fresh pineapple salsa:

pineapple jalapeno salsa

2 cups diced fresh pineapple

1/3 cup diced red onion

¼ cup diced jalapeno

¼ cup chopped cilantro

juice of 1 lime

2 tbs green wave sauce

locura mayan
locura mayan really highlights sauce cartel’s flair for flavor. these guys aren’t afraid to make a really mild sauce, the complex flavors stand on their own, with no need to hide behind a million scoville units. this sauce has a savory, smoky aroma, but that’s just where locura mayan begins. the balance between the smoky and sweet is what really stands out about this sauce. in the background there’s the magical complexity of sun dried tomato and the slight bite of vinegar. my husband commented he’d love to pour it on a chipotle burrito. hey sauce cartel – want to wholesale to chipotle?

where could i be...?

2008-04-17T12:05:00.001-05:00

other priorities are hogging up my time. i'll be back soon, i promise.

veggie soup

2008-03-05T22:52:00.000-05:00

i've been craving veggie soup and came up with this hearty version this weekend:

veggie soup

2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion
2 stalks celery
2 handfuls of baby carrots
18 cups vegetable stock
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 package frozen spinach
1 lb shelled edamame
1 tbs basil
1 tbs oregano
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 package harvest grains blend from trader joe's

dice onion, carrots and celery and saute in olive oil until softened in large stock pot. add all remaining ingredients except harvest grains and simmer for 40 minutes. add harvest grains and simmer for at least 20 more minutes.

i really like the edamame in this soup. they retain their texture and add a great boost of nutrients. the harvest grains from trader joe's consist of israeli couscous, yellow lentils, orzo and quinoa. any other healthy grain, like barley for example, would do for substitution.

i heart northstar

2008-02-21T14:47:00.000-05:00

northstar cafe offers the perfect warm-you-up treat for cold winters days: hot chocolate and a raisin oatmeal cookie. the northstar's hot chocolate is so rich and decadent, i could make a meal of it. it's topped with cold, dense whipped cream and bits of dark chocolate covered in cocoa powder. so good!

fiery foods festival

2008-02-18T15:38:00.001-05:00

i've been anticipating the fiery foods festival at the north market for a couple of weeks and it definitely didn't disappoint. we started by sampling products from sauce cartel, urban chefs and montezuma brands. now, i like hot food but don't really go for anything that could be classified as "stupid hot". i favor distinctive flavors with good back of the mouth heat. sauce cartel sells hot sauces that use a variety of fruits for flavor and sweetness that were really excellent. plus, the guys from sauce cartel positively ooze passion and excitement for their product. we picked up some green river sauce, made with pineapple and jalepenos. we also bought some soulicious wing sauce from urban chefs that had a great balance of heat, vinegar and smokiness.

next stop was cajohn's, for whom i've got a deep and abiding love. i sampled "the world's hottest chili" made with the the naga jolokia (scoville rating of 1 million!) i think the chili tasted good, but all i can really recall is my mouth burning for about twenty minutes after i sampled it. taking a break for lunch we had some pho ga from lac viet, a dish that never disappoints. don't miss the house-made chili sauce in the red quirt bottles. after lunch we attended "a chilihead's perspective" given by joe from the hot zone, a blog devoted to hot and spicy food products and chilihead culture. he talked briefly about the naga jolokia (pictured), the scoville rating system, chilihead culture and the online chilihead community. the "wings of fire" hot wing eating challenge was by far the high point of the day. a riveting mix of pain, testosterone, intestinal fortitude, endurance and sheer will, this competition was a real spectacle. presided over by the fine folks a cajohn's, there were two competitions. the rules were thus: contestants could surrender at any time by holding up a "surrender" sign or by taking a drink. for each round they had three wings to eat in 90 seconds, a 2 minute wait until the next round of three wings came out, with each round of wings getting successively hotter. among the hot sauces used for the competitions were: ignite, cojohns, ace, talon, and sauce 10. for the final round, a plate of ten wings covered in sauce 10 was placed in front of remaining contestants. whoever ate the most wings in 3 minutes was crowned the winner. halfway into the competition competitors' eyes were bulging and blinking, sweat glistening on their foreheads. in the last round of the competition, the guy i had pegged for the winner got sauce 10 in his eye and faltered. he did resume eating but the gentleman in the foreground of the picture below ended up winning the first competition.a contestant throwing in the towel:

the second competition was pretty fierce with representatives from the hot zone and sauce cartel competing. unfortunately, gary from sauce cartel dropped out: which left two competitors at the very end to be crowned co-champions. as joe from the hot zone limped away, guzzling a pint of milk, i heard him say "i think i saw god". now that my friends, is some fiery food.

bistro 86, asian fusion

2008-02-10T14:35:00.000-05:00

hidden in a strip of industrial grandview real estate, bistro 86 is coming up with some really intriguing and fresh fusion flavors.
we started with the bistro 86 croquettes - "a signature dish of japanese sticky rice, pork and romano, fused with a special blend of seasoning". the appearance and crisp exterior were appealing. the inside tasted good but was so sticky they were a bit unpleasant to eat. within the first bite my lips, teeth and tongue were hopelessly coated. the flavor of the filling reminded me of a processed pizza snack, something akin to totino's pizza rolls or a hot pocket.

my dining companion had the sesame chicken. the chicken was fresh and lightly battered, obviously prepared by the kitchen rather than from a preprepared frozen bag. this was a nice departure from average asian fare. the sauce was tangy and sweet with a slightly smokey background.

i started with the chicken corn soup, it was similar to egg drop soup with the addition of corn. the flavor was subtle with a full bodied texture, great for a cold day.

my obsession with pad thai compelled me to order the southwestern pad thai, even though i had my doubts about how good it would be. i pleasantly surprised by a dish that was a perfect fusion of southwest flavors and the classic pad thai. everything really worked and it was very tasty. high quality chicken & fresh veggies with the perfect sauce/noodle ratio. i love the caramelization added to the corn from cooking in the wok.

i've got to say i'm intrigued and plan to go back for more of this authentic fusion.

bistro 86
1223 goodale boulevarde
grandview, ohio 43212
614.223.1288 phone
614.223.1188 fax

dates with manchego and walnuts

2008-02-03T16:33:00.000-05:00

here's an elegant little appetizer that can be made a day in advance and tastes better together than three simple ingredients should. the dates are sweet, the manchego has a bit of a bite and the walnuts add a nice clean and crunchy element. and let's face it, if you're trying to pull off a nice dinner for guests, you don't really have time to be fussing around finishing off appetizers and finishing dinner and entertaining your guests and being the consummate hostess. if you do assemble them the night before, be sure to allow them to fully come up to room temperature before serving.
what you'll need: pitted dates (sliced open), whole walnut halves (cut in half) and a smallish hunk of manchego cheese. put those babies together and enjoy!

lasagna

2008-01-27T20:47:00.001-05:00

this is my grandmother's recipe for lasagna. the pace of the recipe is relaxed and is a nice way to spend a sunday afternoon. today i got to use my new emile henry lasagna dish. lucky me! i was also thankful for the sun today. cooking in a sunny kitchen is one of my favorite things. now, if spring would hurry up and get here i could be cooking in a sunny kitchen with the breeze coming in open windows.

lasagna

combine in a stockpot:
2 large cans tomato puree
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cups water
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs basil
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper

simmer the sauce while you sauté in a skillet:
2 tbs olive oil
1 c diced onion
1 clove garlic, diced

when the onion is golden, add:
3/4 lb ground beef
3/4 lb italian sausage
1 tsp. salt

brown the meat and add to the saucepan mixture. simmer for about 2 hours or until the sauce is thick. cook ½ box of lasagna noodles per instructions on package, drain thoroughly, rinse and separate the noodles.

1 lb sliced mozzarella
15 ozs. ricotta cheese
4 oz fresh grated romano cheese.

spoon some of the sauce into a 9 x 13 pan, put in a layer of noodles, then a layer of mozzarella and a layer of ricotta. continue layering sauce, noodles, mozzarella then ricotta. lather, rinse, repeat. finish with sauce, mozzarella, cover with all of the romano cheese.

you should have a few cups of sauce left over. reserve this to add to the plate for serving lasagna.

bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. let stand in a warm place for 15 minutes before serving.

the emile henry lasagna dish is really worth purchasing. it holds more than a 9x13 pyrex baking dish (no ugly bubbling over in the oven), it cooks evenly, it's pretty, and easy to clean up. go ahead, you've earned it.

a gift for your favorite foodie

2008-01-20T11:03:00.000-05:00

a friend was kind enough to get me foodie fight, a trivia game for serious food lovers this christmas and it's the perfect gift for your favorite foodie. you really need to be a well versed foodie in all aspects of foodie culture to excel at this game: history, science, restaurants, and food personalities. the husband and i played one night after dinner and i won, but just barely. good times.

new year's resolutions

2008-01-13T16:32:00.000-05:00

i'm not usually a resolutions type of person.

however, blogging has given me the opportunity to reflect on how my cooking, creativity, technique and skill have developed over time. and reflecting on my culinary life over the last year has made me realize i want to devote more time to improving my culinary skill, technique and knowledge; to not just be able to follow a recipe but to know why foods are cooked using specific methods and mastering those techniques.
to this end, santa has very generously given me these two books for christmas:

the professional chef
and the elements of cooking

blogging provides accountability for devoting time and energy to my passion, so in a year from now i hope to see development in my technique that will allow me to explore and enjoy cooking in new and deeper ways.

other things i hope to accomplish in 2008:

get over my fear of baking. it can't be that hard, unless you consider that impatience is probably at the root of my baking issues. in which case, it may be very hard.
take some classes. i'll have to seek out alternatives to the north market's classes, as they are sold out. good for them! bad for me. even though i think my knife skills are pretty decent, like i said, i'm building on the fundamentals, so i may take sur la table's knife skills.
eat more indian food. this is one of the world's best cuisines and i know virtually nothing about it.
learn to cook something from my relatives in sicily. we plan to travel to italy next summer and visiting family in sicily is top of my list of priorities.
grow something this summer. i need to find a way to make our almost 100% shady back yard yield some produce.
make stock, the right way. and maybe demi glace if everything goes well.
eat more jeni's. (i just stuck that one in there so i'd be guaranteed to have at least some success when 2009 rolls around.)

nonna's sauce

2008-01-06T15:40:00.000-05:00

this is the sauce recipe that my dad's nonna (my great grandmother) always made and it's a staple of our family get togethers. every christmas the menu for our family party is the same: pasta with nonna's sauce and sausage with peppers and onions. mom taught me how to make it and someday i hope i'll teach my kids to make it too.
you'll really need about three hours to make this sauce, but believe me, it's worth it. i always get the sauce going and then start in on making my mom's meatballs. just add them in after they're browned and let them simmer with the sauce.

nonna's sauce

2 pork chops (bone-in)
2 large cans of tomato sauce (56 oz)
4 small cans of tomato paste (24 oz)
6 cups water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbs dried basil
1 tbs dried oregano
2 bay leafs
3 tbs sugar

in a large stock pot, brown pork chops. remove pork and pour water in hot pan and deglaze (a wooden spoon is helpful for this). combine remaining ingredients and add pork back to pan. simmer for at least 2 hours. these proportions make enough for 2 pounds of pasta, which means unless you're feeding 8 people, you'll have enough for leftovers later in the week. and homemade sauce in the fridge is like money in the bank.

pecan pie bars

2007-12-31T20:42:00.001-05:00

this recipe comes from my neighbor back home, who is an excellent baker. it's fairly easy to put together and is rich, gooey and nutty. the recipe calls for brickle chips, which can be hard to find. i found mine at meijer after striking out at kroger. heath brand makes both toffee bits and chocolate toffee bits. i've never tried the chocolate ones, but i can't imagine it would be bad.

i like to use a little trick with tin foil to make cutting easier. before baking, line the pan with tin foil, using a long piece of foil running the long way in the pan. make sure the foil comes up to and covers the short sides of the pan. now take a second piece of foil and lay it across the pan the other way, so that the long sides of the pan are covered in foil. when the pecan bars are completely cool, lift them out of the pan with the foil. this helps to avoid making a mess with cutting and then scooping the fragile bars out of the pan. the same trick works really well with brownies.

pecan pie bars

2 c flour
1/2 c confectioners sugar
1 c cold butter

14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz. package of brickle chips
1 c chopped pecansA

cut butter into flour until course, press firmly into 9" x 13" pan. bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

beat egg, milk, vanilla, and then stir in pecans and brickle chips. spread over crust. bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. cool completely and cut into 1 inch squares.

black bean stew over coconut lime rice

2007-12-26T23:05:00.000-05:00

i'm really struggling to be inspired to cook winter food. flipping through magazines and cookbooks, the only recipes that are jumping out at me are ones involving fresh sweet corn, strawberries and summer tomatoes. digging deep, i came up with this recipe tonight:

black bean stew over coconut lime rice

for the black bean stew:
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
large handful of yellow baby carrots
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cans black beans (30 oz total)
half a pound of frozen corn
large can of stewed tomatoes

sweat the onion, carrots and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat in a stock pot until onion is soft. add seasonings and cook for a few minutes more. enjoy lovely aroma of onions and cumin. add stock, corn and one can of rinsed black beans. bring to a simmer. in a mixing bowl with a stick blender (or in a food processor) puree the tomatoes and second can of rinsed black beans. add tomato mixture to pot and simmer on low about 20 minutes.

for the coconut lime rice:
1 1/2 c basmati rice
14 oz can of lite coconut milk
1 1/4 c water
1 tbs sugar
juice of one lime
2 tsp salt
1/8 c chopped cilantro

incorporate all ingredients except cilantro in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer until all liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. fluff rice with a fork and mix in cilantro.

this is really a stick-to-your-ribs meal. and it's fairly balanced nutritionally speaking, which is important post holidays. the slight sweetness of the rice is a nice balance to the acid and heat in the stew. if you wanted to go light on the carbs, skip the rice all together and add 4 cups of veggie stock to convert the stew into a soup.

*update: having this left over, i served the stew over plain white rice with a dollop of sour cream. it was better than the coconut rice!

cajun cashews

2007-12-16T22:57:00.000-05:00

this recipe was given to me by a colleague's wife and i quickly adopted it as my holiday gift to family and friends. this year i made 20 pounds! these are easy to put together, the recipe can be adjusted to your heat preference and they are highly addictive. you'll need raw cashews. they can be found at trader joe's (best value), whole foods (organic) or krema nuts (big, beautiful and expensive).

cajun cashews

2 tbs butter
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs tabasco or other hot sauce
1 tbs cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp salt
4 cups raw cashews

preheat oven to 350 degrees. incorporate all ingredients except cashews in a saucepan on medium heat. when butter is melted and mixture begins to simmer, remove from heat and pour in cashews. stir until cashews are completely coated. pour cashews onto a foil lined jelly roll pan and bake for about 12 minutes or until nuts begin to turn golden brown. let cool for 5 minutes on pan and then scrape into mixing bowl and toss.

this year i used frank's red hot sauce but if you wanted more heat you could use something from cajohn's. you can also use more or less cayenne pepper to adjust the heat level. they taste great with my favorite beer.

cocktail sauce, with a side of shrimp

2007-12-09T10:49:00.000-05:00

having a craving for shrimp cocktail got me to thinking, why buy nice shrimp and then serve it with crummy jarred cocktail sauce? so i mixed up a batch of my own. i like the extra heat of a lot of horseradish and the lime goes above and beyond the average lemon in standard recipes.

cocktail sauce

1 cup chili sauce
juice of 1 lime
3 tbs horseradish
1 tbs finely chopped cilantro

mix ingredients and refrigerate. serve with shrimp. congratulate yourself on not succumbing to the lure of jarred cocktail sauce.

carrot cake pancakes

2007-12-07T08:41:00.000-05:00

after eating these beauties in boston, i just couldn't get the idea of carrot cake pancakes out of my head. today i gave it a shot and i think they came out pretty well. the next time i make these i think i'd sweeten the cream cheese a bit more.

carrot cake pancakes

pancakes:
2 eggs
1 c milk
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c brown sugar
2 c flour
2 tbs baking powder
1 tbs baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 c shredded carrots

maple cream cheese:
1/2 block cream cheese
1 tbs maple syrup
2 tbs chopped pecans

garnish:
chopped pecans

beat eggs, milk,vanilla extract and oil together. in a separate larger mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. mix in egg mixture. mix in shredded carrots (i used orange and yellow carrots). allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes. cook on a griddle at medium heat. cook slowly to allow the pancakes time to puff up and carrots time to cook. combine cream cheese, maple syrup and pecans. top pancakes with maple cream cheese, garnish with chopped pecans.

angry gods of baking: 2, me: 0

2007-12-04T21:17:00.000-05:00

i've had 2 baking disasters in 2 days. and if i didn't really love to eat baked goods, i'd probably just give it up for good.

the first foul up was with a dessert i really had high hopes for. i attempted to make lamingtons and although they did end up tasting pretty good, they were a frustrating mess to make and were just plain ugly. for those who haven't encountered the lamington, it's basically cubes of pound cake dipped in chocolate icing and then covered in coconut. sounds great, right? as usual, i have only myself to blame for this baking flub. i mistakenly bought self rising flour (why does this product even exist?!?) and then foolishly substituted it for the standard flour and baking soda the recipe called for. "it should be fine..." yeah right! my second flub was some how missing the "refrigerate cake for a few hours to overnight before icing." the flour substitution resulted in a very (way too) fluffy pound cake. a pound cake that when cut into cubes fell apart easily and then when i attempted to cover it in chocolate icing, fell apart even more. additionally by the time i got to the 'covering them with coconut' step, the icing had dried and the coconut wasn't sticking. so here i am, surrounded by a mess covering every square inch of my kitchen, icing, pound cake crumbs and coconut everywhere, attempting to forcefully stick coconut to lambingtons that just aren't having it. at this point, i'm close to loosing my temper (did i mention that my lack of patience is probably at the root of my baking issues?) setting aesthetics aside, i did end up with a reasonable reproduction of the lamington and because we were hanging out with good friends that night (the kind that don't judge you for baking screw ups), we ate them anyway. the one consolation was that they did taste good.

"i think i'm loosing my mind" goof up number two: i totally mess up making my signature cookie. first i beat the sugar and butter together and observed: "it's not really getting fluffy like it should... whatever, pour the flour in!" a few steps later: "oh crap, i didn't add the eggs. that's why it wasn't fluffy." so i add the eggs late in the game and proceed to incorporate the rest of the ingredients (almost) and put scoops of dough onto the sheets and then into the oven. 2 minutes into baking, i realize "i forgot the oatmeal!" so i pull the melty cookie dough out of the oven, put it back into the mixing bowl, add the oatmeal and then re-scoop it back onto the sheets. i baked them anyway and although they were edible, they spread out way too much and tasted just a bit off. plus they took an extra 5 minutes to cook. jeeze!

i'm going to take a hiatus from baking for a while. who knows how bad things could get if i keep at it.

creamy potato yam soup

2007-12-02T09:38:00.000-05:00

a rich and hearty potato soup is the perfect warm up after raking those leaves you've been putting off for the last couple of weeks. i often make this on a sunday night and take it for lunch all week. and as far as creamy soups go, it's pretty light. no heavy cream or inordinate amounts of butter. unless you want it that way.

creamy potato yam soup

1 medium onion, diced
2 tbs butter
2 medium potatoes
3 medium yams
4 -5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/8 c chopped parsley
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp celery salt
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 c milk
1 tbs flour

in stockpot, cook onions and butter until soft. peel potatoes and yams, then cube. add potatoes, yams, stock (less for thicker soup, more for thinner) and seasonings to stockpot. simmer for 30 minutes, or until potatoes and yams are tender. remove from heat. mix flour into milk and add to soup. with a stick blender, puree. i like to leave some chunks of potato & yam. bring to a simmer until thickened.

tasi

2007-11-29T21:06:00.000-05:00

eating at tasi was really a pleasant surprise. there are plenty of places to get a sandwich/soup/salad for lunch, but few that source local ingredients, make almost all ingredients in house (including roasting their own meats!) and do so for a reasonable price. the menu is expansive and here's a bonus: they serve breakfast all day.

to start we had the potato latkes with chive and sour cream. they're served warm with the perfect balance of a crispy outside and soft inside. not too greasy, which allowed the potato flavor to come through.
for lunch i had the cubano panini, consisting of roasted pork, pickled vegetables, mozzarella and dijon mustard. the meat was really tender and flavorful and the pickled veggies added great texture and bite. the bread was delicious and perfectly toasted for the panini. look at this beautiful pork:
my lunch companion had the sourdough blt with ancho mayo. although the ancho wasn't really detectable it was still voted a very yummy sandwich.
a highlight for both dishes were the very delicious house made chips. i really appreciate a house made chip that tastes like a crispy potato rather than crispy grease.

the space is really beautiful and even though i didn't think it could be improved from how pistachio used it, tasi has. it's rustic, homey and elegant all at the same time. there's a surprising amount of seating and many of the tables have beautiful dark green granite. it's fun to be able to peek into the immaculate kitchen and watch the staff at work. the only drawback seemed to be that kitchen noise made it difficult to communicate your order to the cashier.
continuing to browse the menu over lunch, i immediately had the desire to order about 4 more dishes. "ooh! greek scrambled eggs with zucchini, tomato, feta & toasted sourdough! or lobster mac and cheese!" i can't wait to go back to try these goodies.
tasi offers a nice selection of pre-made dishes for you to heat and serve. this isn't really my style but i can imagine many a nice dinner coming from tasi.

tasi
680 north pearl street
columbus, ohio 43215
p 614.222.0788
f 614.222.1877

that jeni...

2007-11-27T20:08:00.000-05:00

is a flavor genius.
i was blown away today by a seasonal sorbet from jeni's: the cranberry royale.
cranberry royale is the joyful marriage of cranberry, grapefruit and champagne. each component pops in perfect harmony with the others, it's tart, sweet and complex. this sorbet had me thinking, where else i can recreate this beautiful flavor combination, or will i need to buy cranberry royale by the pint and eat it daily to satisfy my cravings?
behold:

uzbek dumplings - how to

2007-11-26T22:19:00.001-05:00

late this summer i got a lesson on how to make two varieties of dumplings from my uzbek bff, dilya. both dumplings use the same dough, one is sauted and the other is steamed.

first, how to make the dough. the recipe isn't a precise formula, you just have to know when you've reached the right consistency.

ingredients: 1 egg, 2 tbs salt, 1 liter hot water, about 8 c flour

beat the egg and temper with some of the hot water in a large glass bowl. add the rest of the water and salt to egg. add the flour and begin incorporating and kneading until dough forms. dough will become firm and pull away from edges of bowl when ready. cover bowl with towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
cut dough into 6 pieces, and knead again, forming into balls on a floured work surface.
using either a rolling pin or pasta maker, roll dough out until about 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4 inch squares. roll and cut dough as needed for assembly of dumplings so it doesn't dry out.

bichak - pumpkin pieroshki

1/2 medium pumpkin: seeded, peeled, shredded
2 onions, thinly sliced
salt & pepper to taste
3 tbs cumin seeds (whole)
~3 tbs oil

place all ingredients in a large saute pan and saute until pumpkin and onions are cooked down and soft.
place one spoonful on each square of dough and fold opposing corners together, sealing all four corners in the middle. don't overfill, they won't seal completely and make a mess when you saute them.
lightly coat pan in a small amount of oil and saute bichak in batches until lightly browned on each side. turn once. layer in a pan to keep warm.bichak is eaten warm and served with sour cream. these things are so good, i could probably eat two dozen of them. they're the perfect comfort food. the pumpkin tastes fresh and bright and the cumin seeds provide a crunchy pop of flavor.

manti

for pumpkin manti:
1/2 pumpkin, seeded, peeled & shredded
1 onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs cumin seeds, whole

for beef manti:
2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs cumin seeds, whole

in two separate bowls, incorporate ingredients for beef and pumpkin manti.

assembly:
place a spoonful of filling on a 4 inch square of dough. fold all corners to the middle, like the bichak. then take both left corners and pinch them together on the side of the dumpling. take both right corners and pinch together on the right side of the dumpling. this is easy to do but hard to describe. check out the picture for the best depiction of the folding/pinching technique.
place dumplings in an oiled steamer tray and stack as many as five trays high. steam for 45 minutes.
meanwhile, saute onion and tomato together for a garnish to the bichak.
manti is served with sour cream and the tomato onion saute. they are really tasty and are meant to be eaten with your hands. the warm, soft, savory manti tastes so good with the cool creamy sour cream.
i'm so hungry for these now i'm almost willing to do the 4 hours of work it takes to prepare both of them.

you can't go wrong with goat cheese and caramelized onions

2007-11-23T23:09:00.000-05:00

here's an appetizer so easy and tasty, you just can't go wrong. it combines the irresistible flavor combination of caramelized onions and goat cheese on a crispy, puffy little pillow of puff pastry. they can easily be made ahead and finished off in the oven for that "i make entertaining look soooo easy" start to any party.

goat cheese & caramelized onion appetizers

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
1 large onion
2 tbs butter
1/4 c goat cheese

equipment: mini muffin pan

preheat oven to 400 degrees. slice onion and place in saute pan with butter. cook at medium heat for about 40 minutes until nicely caramelized. cut sheet of puff pastry into 24 squares (approximately 2" x 2") and push into mini muffin tins. bake for 9 minutes. add small piece of goat cheese (about 1/2 tbs) to each puff and top with an equal amount of caramelized onions. at this point you can either put it in the fridge overnight of just pop it back into the oven for 5-10 more minutes. or if they're coming from the fridge, probably 15 minutes would be best. they are done when the edges of the puff pastry just starts to turn golden brown.

yuen's restaurant

2007-11-22T18:47:00.000-05:00

have you ever loved a restaurant?
i mean really loved a restaurant.
the food is excellent all of the time and it's never too crowded to get a table. you feel right at home there, you know the staff and the menu is great but most of the time you just have the chef make you whatever he's feeling that day. a restaurant like this comes along once in a lifetime and when it's closed and torn down, it leaves a serious hole in your heart. and stomach.

the restaurant i'm talking about is chinese village, formerly located on high street near lane avenue. when they closed around 2002 they promised they would reopen, but years went by and... nothing. until recently i got a tip that they indeed had reopened last year under the name yuen's restaurant.
this weekend we visited yuen's and were not disappointed in the least. the menu and staff are the same and the new location is attractive and comfortable. the menu is expansive and we ordered our favorites from the vietnamese and chinese menu.we started with the beef tendon. i didn't really know what to expect and it was a nice surprise. it was pleasantly spicy and the texture was unique, as firm as meat but gelatinous like fat - in a good way.
we also had the vietnamese spring rolls, which in addition to being delicious were very beautiful. they were cool and fresh with veggies, rice noodles and two plump little shrimp in each one. they were served with a brown sauce (hoisen?) for dipping with crushed peanuts. the rice noodle soup with seafood was exactly as we remembered it. the squid, fish cakes, shrimp and crab are fresh and delicious in the best seafood broth i've ever tasted. the scallion and cilantro add just the right crunch of freshness.i had the egg roll with rice noodles and grilled pork. i love this dish because even though it had lots going on, everything worked really well together. the sauce served on the side was sweet but really thin. i do wish that after pouring it over i'd been able to taste it throughout the whole bowl. the egg rolls were warm and made with pork and served over rice noodles, over lettuce. the grilled pork was flavorful and savory.

the kind folks at yuen's are not messing around. the food is fresh and authentic and never disappoints. check them out for the best chinese and vietnamese food columbus has to offer.

yuen's restaurant
5720 cleveland avenue
columbus, ohio 43231
614.823.8880

per cent'anni!

2007-11-20T00:13:00.000-05:00

"per cent'anni!" translates to "for a hundred years!" and is a common italian toast at weddings. for our wedding our signature cocktail was a popiotini (a play on our last name) and many a toast was made.(photo credit: adam lowe photography)

the popiotini is actually a grapfruit gibson, the first of which we had at dragonfly about 7 years ago and should be made as follows:

1 part tanqueray no. 10 gin
2 parts freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
splash of salty lime

notes: our bartender was kind enough to have bubbles squeeze our grapefruit juice. salty lime can be made by combining salt and lime juice.

cheers!

you can't have an italian wedding without a cookie table

2007-11-17T22:21:00.000-05:00

among the first thoughts my mom had when the husband and i got engaged was "i'll make cookies!" and it's true, you can't have a (real) italian wedding without a large cookie table. *all of the photographs in this post are the beautiful work of adam lowe, our incredible photographer. he captured our wedding perfectly (including the food!) and we really enjoyed having him be a part of our day. to anyone looking for a photographer, please email me and i'll be happy to gush at length about what a wonderful job adam did. i love our wedding photographs.

now, back to cookies. for months before the wedding my mother was slaving in the kitchen, trying to find the best version of all the classic italian cookies. and to my father's credit, he spent months taste testing every batch. we all sacrificed for this wedding! my grandfather was the final word on authenticity and taste. issuing the highest praise when my mom got a recipe right: "tastes just like my mother made".
when the final recipes were decided on, my mother began baking in earnest and socking away dozens upon dozens of cookies, filling her freezer and leasing space from neighbors when needed.
not only did she bake all these cookies but she and my dad drove from new york to columbus with them and assembled them all on trays the night before the wedding.
the future in-laws chipped in too and soon we had enough cookies to feed the largest army of italian wedding guests one could imagine.
it was so special to have that cookie table for the wedding. to think of all of the hard work, care and love that went into those cookies is really emotional. and to see our relatives dive in with such enthusiasm when those cookies were uncovered was truly priceless.

(photo credit: adam lowe photography)

one of my most cherished wedding gifts is a small recipe book my mom gave me, filled with all of the recipes she used to make our cookies. here are a few of my favorites:

italian fig cookies

2 1/2 c flour
1/3 c sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c shortening
2 tbs butter
1/2 c milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c dried figs
3/4 c golden raisins
1/4 c slivered almonds
1/4 c hot water
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground black pepper
1/4 c white sugar

in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/3 c sugar and baking powder. cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles small peas. stir in the milk and egg until the dough comes together. divide dough into two pieces, wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours or until easy to handle.
in a food processor, grind the figs, raisins and almonds until they are coarsely chopped. in a medium bowl, stir together 1/4 c sugar, cinnamon and pepper. add hot water and stir until sugar dissolves. stir in fruit mixture, cover and set aside until the dough is ready.
preheat oven to 350 degrees.
on a floured works surface, roll each piece of dough out to a 12 inch square. cut each 12 inch square into twelve 3 X 4 inch rectangles. using a tablespoon of filling for each rectangle, spread filling long one of the short sides of the rectangle. roll up from that side. place the rolls seam side down onto a cookie sheet. curve each roll slightly.
bake for 20 to 25 min until golden brown.
let cool and drizzle with confectioners icing.

wedding knot cookies

1/2 c butter
3 eggs
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 c flour
3 tsp baking powder

preheat oven to 350 degrees. cream the butter. addin eggs, sugar and vanilla. mix well.
in a separate bowl, stire together flour and baking powder. add flour mixture to butter mixture. use hands to shape pieces of dough into loose knots. bake 8-10 mins. frost with almond icing when cool.

almond confectioners icing

2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tbs almond extract
8 tsp water
2 tbs melted butter

mix all ingredients together until smooth. color as desired.

chocolate spice balls

1 devils food cake mix
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 c oil
1/2 c water
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

mix above ingredients together and add:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup mini chocolate chips

mix thoroughly and roll into 1 inch balls. it's helpful to use a small amount of oil on your hands.
bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 mins. frost with confectioners icing.

(photo credit: adam lowe photography)

experimental panini night

2007-11-12T20:34:00.000-05:00

another wedding gift i'm just getting around to unpacking is an awesome panini grill. if there's one thing i love it's a good sandwich, so i picked up some interesting ingredients from whole foods and got down to business.

the first panini was a combo of some of my favorite ingredients: sopressata, provolone, roasted tomatoes, and spicy mayo. the spicy mayo has been on my mind since the last time i had my favorite sushi at akai hana, the sweet potato roll. it contains sweet potato tempura, radish sprouts and the magical spicy mayo. i made mine by combining mayo and huy fong sriracha. i love it when you can easily replicate a restaurant ingredient you crave.

the second panini i made was a hawaiian panini, at the suggestion of my bff. other experiments with the hawaiian pizza flavor combo have been successful, so why not? the ingredients were: ham, sliced pineapple, mozzarella and a bit of garlic salt. i used rustic italian bread from whole foods and olive oil spread to facilitate the yummy crispy panini goodness.

*update: i think the panini maker is our new leftover consumption strategy. it's so easy to pull it out, assemble the sandwiches and be eating a warm meal in less than 15 minutes. that's my kind of weeknight dinner.
the husband made two paninis. the first consisting of leftover spaghetti, sopressata and provolone and the second made of sliced ny strip steak, provolone and spicy mayo.
my panini contained sliced chicken, artichoke hearts, spicy mayo and provolone. yummy!
i've had so many tasty breakfast wraps (north star cafe being among my favorite) i'd like to try to recreate some of my favorites and grill them on the panini press. the fun part about the grill i got is that you can set the top to rest at different heights so it won't totally flatten items unless you want it to.

my favorite fall foods

2007-11-07T08:39:00.000-05:00

visiting my parents in western ny brought two of my favorite fall foods: pumpkin seeds and concord grapes.
we have concord grapes here in ohio but they are a weaker imitation of western ny's concords. they have a rich, deep complex flavor and i love the pop of sweet juice in my mouth. here's the quart i picked up:

my other favorite is pumpkin seeds. there are many schools of thought on the best way to roast seeds, but here's my favorite method:

scoop the guts out of your pumpkins and carve them:
pick the seeds out of the guts
and rinse. drain, removing as much water as possible.
spread on parchment lined jelly roll pan and add equal parts of celery salt and table salt to taste. roast at 275 degrees until totally dry and just starting to brown:

ode to a new kitchenaid mixer

2007-10-21T21:34:00.000-05:00

registering for a kitchenaid stand mixer was the only preconceived notion i had about my wedding prior to getting engaged. post-wedding, things have settled down and this weekend i finally unpacked and put away my new kitchenaid artisan 5 qt stand mixer. so cool! for its inaugural spin i decided to make my signature treat: cranberry oatmeal pecan cookies.

cranberry oatmeal pecan cookies

1 c softened butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 c brown sugar
2/3 c white sugar
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c rolled oats
1 c dried cranberries
1 c white chocolate chips
1 c chopped pecans

preheat oven to 350 degrees. take out kitchenaid mixer. marvel at its beauty. beat butter, eggs, vanilla & sugars until fluffy. add remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated. batter is thick and should look like this:

using one of those fancy cookie scoops (that works like an ice cream scoop), drop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. bake about 10 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

i think these cookies are the total package. sweet, chewy and rich with a hint of salt. if you can think of a more inspirational name than "cranberry oatmeal pecan cookies", please let me know.

banana bean cafe

2007-10-07T21:35:00.000-05:00

calle ocho: cuban roast pork tenderloin, latin olive, caper and cachucha pepper salad, pressed on pan cubano with shaved manchego cheese.

i'm certainly not the first blogger to talk about banana bean cafe, and i won't be the last. but that won't stop me from singing the praises of this teeny tiny floribbean paradise in german village. this is the type of restaurant you leave so full and happy that you know the rest of your day is going to hurt, just trying to stay awake at your desk.

here are just a few more items i've enjoyed at banana bean cafe:
bananas foster french toast (sans banana, i hate banana!)

potato pancakes with caramelized apples and sour cream

cuban pork spring rolls with sugarcane chili sauce

one request for banana bean cafe, -please start serving cafe con leche! i love this cuban coffee drink and i don't think anyone in columbus serves it.

the worst way to eat columbus' best dessert

2007-10-04T20:31:00.000-05:00

i have enthusiastically loved pistachio for a long while and today i finally stopped in to their new location, pistacia vera. i think their mille feuille is as close to heaven on earth as one can get, their staff is lovely, and the space is beautiful and elegant. but today i've been sulking because my beloved pistachio has evolved in a way i just don't appreciate. apparently the boutique concept no longer accommodates patrons enjoying their desserts inside the shop. it's certainly not for a lack of space that there aren't cafe tables present, as the new location has more room than the short north location did.
here's the truth: i don't pretend to know what's best for pistacia vera's business model, i'm not an expert on how they carry out their vision, and i am certain i couldn't come close to replicating even a tenth of the items on their menu. but, i do know that those lovely, delicate, decadent desserts are best enjoyed in that beautiful, tranquil, elegant space. they are not meant to be eaten in the back seat of a friend's car, out of a cardboard box, with a plastic fork!
i'm actually pissed about this. and it doesn't help that the clerk today delivered the "no, we're a boutique, not a cafe" message with a bit too much edge to her voice.
i'm pouting. and until my craving for mille feuille grows unbearably intense enough to drown out my bitterness over their unwise choice not to offer seating, i'm not going back.

jalapeno jelly

2007-09-30T20:49:00.001-05:00

using a bumper crop of jalapeños and this recipe, a friend and i cooked up some very tasty jalapeño jelly. we did make one modification, substituting red jalapeños for the bell pepper.

jalapeno jelly

1 1/2 cup chopped jalapeño peppers
5 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 (6 fluid ounce) container liquid pectin

remove stems, seeds and ribs from jalapeños. dice in food processor. combine peppers, sugar and vinegar in large pot and bring to a rolling boil. boil for 3 minutes, watching carefully to avoid boiling over. let cool for 5 minutes. stirring constantly, add pectin and let cool for 2 minutes. stir for 1 minute. pour into 6 sterilized jelly jars. secure lids with rings and allow to cool. jelly will set up over the next 24 hours.
i served this jelly over cream cheese with crackers, a classic munchie treat. i love the combination of spicy and sweet and i think the substitution of more jalapenos for bell peppers gave it just enough heat.

crepes in bed

2007-09-17T09:47:00.000-05:00

the wedding is over. it was wonderful. and the food was excellent, as expected.
we went on a honeymoon. it was also wonderful. and the food was ok, as expected.

when i get the photographers pics, i'll blog the wedding food.
until then, here's a short word about the food we ate on the honeymoon. we stayed at an all-inclusive resort that was perfect for relaxation, sunshine and fun. the food was good, but nothing to rave about. there was one highlight to mention, and that is crepes. there was a creperie on the resort that had a really fantastic mexican crepe (with caramel and nuts) served with homemade coconut ice cream. once we discovered this little gem, it became a nightly ritual to get the crepes to go and eat them in bed. yum:

i'm back - boston food

2007-09-12T21:39:00.000-05:00

thanks to skybus, a friend and i scored some $10 tickets to boston. columbus foodies: if you can get $10 tickets to boston, do it! boston had some great food, unfortunately there just weren't enough meals in my 4 day trip to fit in all the food i wanted to eat.

i was surprised by the quantity and quality of ethnic food in boston. the north end had an impressive offering of italian cuisine and specialty shops. we also had a great time in china town. i'd like to go back and eat for a few days straight in china town. two meals i regret not eating in china town: shabu shabu and dim sum. maybe next time. another thing that surprised me was the quantity of french food to be had in boston. maybe it's columbus' decided lack of french food that made it seem so prevalent.

a tasty dessert of fresh berries with brown sugar and honey creme fraiche from bouchee:
doing my best to consume as much lobster as humanly possible, i had this yummy dish of lobster ravioli with crab cream sauce at trattoria il panino:
then it was on to modern pastry for the best cannoli of my life. no joke:

other notable desserts were the chocolate gateau petit robert from le petit robert:
and the giant profiterole also from le petit robert:

and the crowning jewel of the entire trip, a dish so good i've thought about it at least once a day every day since and what will be my next recipe to obsessively attempt to duplicate and perfect:

carrot cake pancakes with maple cream cheese butter

from sugar magnolia's in gloucester mass. yeah, you heard it right. carrot cake + pancakes + maple + cream cheese + butter = pure heaven. i think i moaned aloud for the -entire- meal. so light and fluffy, yet rich. texture was perfect and the taste was just the right amount of pancake and just the right amount of carrot cake. i'd fly back to boston just to eat these pancakes.

out for lunch

2007-06-26T07:33:00.001-05:00

wedding plans are keeping me busy as of late, but i'll be back in full force the first week of september. see you soon!

union cafe - documented dining

2007-06-11T16:39:00.000-05:00

the other day a friend and i ate at union cafe, occupying the space that the defunct frezno's once did. i'm a sucker for a new restaurant so we went over for lunch. i've got to say, the interior of this restaurant is more beautiful than almost any other restaurant in columbus. a dazzling array of materials and textures give the space a very rich feel and yet it's clean and modern. it's very enjoyable to spend time in the union cafe. the scenery when surveying the clientèle was almost as pleasing. some awfully pretty men were seated at the bar. speaking of which, the bar has soft up lighting that hits the faces of the people seated there, i can't imagine anyone looking bad in this light. anyway, back to food. what we ate was tasty and the service was good. i had a crab cake sandwich and my friend had the roasted chicken sandwich.

union cafe

782 north high street
columbus, oh 43215

614.421.2233

saturday morning ritual

2007-06-09T20:38:00.000-05:00

every saturday morning, my bff and i go to the farmer's market in worthington. this much sacred saturday morning ritual always begins with the same breakfast from la chatelaine: two slices of sour dough bread, strawberry jam and colombian coffee.

two things are certain: i will over fill that tiny little cup and the staff at la chatelaine will be uninterested in providing us with good service. i've come to view their disinterest in customer service with humor and this just adds to the enjoyment of our saturday morning ritual.

next up is to make our rounds to the vendors. i usually get a lot of the same things but i try to seek out a new goodie now and then. this week i waited in a crazy long line to get strawberries from crum farm. the berries proved to be worth the wait. they were sweet, juicy and all perfectly ripe. i also got one of my favorite veggie treats - fresh peas in the pod from pop and judy. i've been snacking on these goodies all day.

uzbek dumplings

2007-06-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

my friend made these yummy dumplings for me the other day. the dough is made from scratch and they are filled with meat, onions and cumin. i hope to get a lesson on how to make them someday soon and i'll be blogging it when i do! the dumplings are pictured with sauted onion & tomato, sour cream and a salad made from cucumber, tomato and cilantro.

batter & bowl - new vendor at the worthington farmer's market

2007-06-06T15:11:00.000-05:00

at the worthington farmer's market, there's a new vendor who has some really yummy baked goods. the pie above is a berry pie that was pretty tasty. i also had a mexican brownie that was so good i ate it before i could take a picture. batter and bowl's mexican brownie has cinnamon and cayenne pepper, yum! check these ladies out:

batter and bowl
custom cakes, cookie & more
sara yates
614.905.1922
batterandbowl at gmail.com

hey vaquero's, what gives?

2007-06-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

we went to vaquero's the other night and found it closed. in the five minutes we sat in the parking lot, at least a 6 other cars drove up and then left disappointed. we soon spotted this sign:
oh, kichen remodelation. i get it.

raspberry lemon creams

2007-06-02T14:29:00.000-05:00

raspberry lemon creams

for phyllo cups:
1 lb package of phyllo dough
2/3 cups sugar
2 sticks butter

for lemon curd:
(from epicurious)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
3/4 stick butter, cut into bits

for cream:
2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 tsp powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

for garnish:
1 pint raspberries
lemon zest

equipment:
mini muffin tins
pastry bag
cooling rack
zester

prepare lemon curd using the following method: whisk together juice, zest, sugar & eggs in a heavy saucepan. stir in butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of a whisk and first bubble appears in surface, about 8 minutes. transfer to a bowl and chill for at least one hour.

prepare phyllo cups using following method: melt butter. layer 6 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing with butter and sprinkling with sugar between layers. cut into squares big enough to lay in mini muffin tin cups. bake cups at 375 degrees until golden, about 10 minutes. cool on baking racks.

for filling: beat cream ingredients together until stiff peaks form. fold in lemon curd and beat briefly.

assembly: put filling into pastry bag and pipe into phyllo cups. garnish with raspberries and lemon zest. refrigerate until serving, but not longer than 6 hours.

makes about 48 pastries

after my tart issues, i needed to redeem my baking abilities. i have to say this recipe was a lot of work but really worth it. they make a pretty presentation and they taste excellent. i am glad i made my own lemon curd, it's easy and it tastes great. i am not glad i made the phyllo cups. they were a pain to make and i've heard a rumor you can buy them pre-made. i'd go for this next time.

strawberry tart

2007-05-23T07:34:00.001-05:00

i made this strawberry tart from an everyday food recipe found here. i added about 1/8 c ground almonds to the dough. it turned out fine, but there were two aspects that were less than perfect:

1. fresh out of the fridge, the dough was too tough. you had to exert a fair amount of force with a fork to break off a bite. after the tart came up to room temp an hour or two later, the dough had a nice shortbread-y consistency and was easy to eat. however, by this time the cream cheese had really gotten runny. i can't figure out if this is a function of the dough recipe or temperature. i don't know enough about pastry to figure it out and that frustrates me. mix it less in the food processor? don't add almonds? serve at just below room temperature? grrr.

2. also, the glaze wasn't as smooth as i wanted. despite spending about 20 minutes in whole foods examining every jelly they had by holding it up to the light to see if it looked clear enough, i still had trouble with it. this happened with the orange, honey & pistachio tart too and i used orange marmalade. it seems like the jelly gets up to a certain temperature, boils a little and then doesn't fully liquefy. i'm trying not to burn it and i both times i heated for over 20 minutes. next time maybe i should use a whisk and heat even longer?

lack of patience and an unwillingness to follow a recipe to the letter are just a few examples of why baking is not my calling. this being said, i do love to consume baked goods, so i guess i'll soldier on and hope to improve along the way.

on a positive note, the taste of the tart was really delicious and was a great way to highlight strawberries that are finally in season!

farmer's market treats

2007-05-16T20:44:00.000-05:00

the worthington farmer's market is back and my withdrawal symptoms are beginning to subside. because it's early in the season, there wasn't much produce to be had (other than asparagus & rhubarb) but i did come back with some favorites i've been craving all winter.

sweet thing gourmet, created by kyla touris, has a fantastic selection of gourmet jams and biscotti. and although i'll branch out to other flavors as the season progresses, strawberry champagne jam is my favorite. her raspberry jalapeño and ginger peach jams are fantastic as well. sweet thing gourmet is made with only ohio fruit and is hand-stirred in small batches. her jams capture the impossibly fresh flavor of fruit picked at its peak. yum!

sweet thing gourmet
479 north stanberry avenue
bexley, oh 43209
614.252.1830

pleiades maple products, purveyors of a large line of maple goodies started making maple butter this year! i have a maple weakness and maple butter is a treat that is hard to find. for the past few years, i have hopefully asked every maple vendor i know if they make it and until last week i have always been disappointed. maple butter has the sweet and rich flavor of maple with the creamy goodness of butter. so delicious!

pleiades maple products
eddie lou meimer
3870 twp rd 115
mt. gilead, oh 43338
419.946.7749

grilled pineapple

2007-05-11T19:49:00.000-05:00

this is so tasty, it should be much more difficult to make.

i bought my pineapple already peeled and cored. all you have to do is slice it, sprinkle brown sugar on the slices, pour a little rum over it and let it marinate for a bit. then grill it on medium heat for 15 or so minutes, occasionally spooning the leftover brown sugar & rum until it's done. i had these with a meal of bison burgers and grilled vidalia onion slices.
so fresh and juicy and sweet. the perfect summer side dish.

pistachio, a sweet kitchen

2007-05-08T07:48:00.000-05:00

pistachio, oh how i love thee.

there
is
no
better
place
in
columbus
to
eat
dessert

period.

this is the dulce de leche mille feuille. a dessert so agonizingly delicious, i wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it. the layers: flaky and flavored with dulce de leche. the cream: light and yet rich.
yuzu chiboust: the slight zing of yuzu paired with creamy coolness, on top of a rich crust. the top is lightly caramelized. garnish of orange powder and raspberry coulis.

coconut macaroon (american style, not the traditional and wholly unrelated version pistachio is famous for pictured below in the center). dusted with pistachio powder for garnish.
not only are these the most delicious and beautiful desserts in columbus, the service and atmosphere are lovely. i cannot find one point of criticism on pistachio. even the prices are great, the mille feuille is only $4 for pete's sake! don't believe me, check out the menu. thank goodness for pistachio.

pistachio, a sweet kitchen
680 north pearl street
columbus, oh
614.220.9070

grilled asparagus and strawberries with balsamic reduction

2007-05-07T18:45:00.000-05:00

two summer foods that rule: asparagus and strawberries.

grilled asparagus and strawberries with balsamic reduction

1 bunch asparagus
1 lb strawberries
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
olive oil
kosher salt
fresh cracked peppper
3 tbs crumbled feta

place balsamic in a small saucepan and turn heat to medium low. allow to reduce by half or more until it coats the back of a spoon.
trim asparagus and hull and half strawberries.
toss asparagus in olive oil, pepper & kosher salt.
grill asparagus over medium heat. toss with strawberries. sprinkle feta over and drizzle with balsamic reduction.

i love the way these flavors go together. something very magical and heavenly happens when ripe strawberries, balsamic and feta get together. it is important to patiently cook the asparagus at medium. cook them too fast over high and you'll get char-y asparagus on the outside with centers that are still too raw.
tonight i served this with some grilled baguette, first drizzled with olive oil, grilled, then generously salted with kosher salt.

orange, honey and pistacho tart

2007-05-03T17:04:00.000-05:00

a while ago, three flavors were bouncing around in my head.
orange, honey, pistachio. orange, honey, pistachio. orange, honey, pistachio.
after mulling things over for a while, this is what developed.
it's cool, juicy, and refreshing with a crispy, rich crust. a yummy summer dessert.

orange, honey and pistachio tart

tart crust:
1/4 cup pistachios
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup butter, cold & cut into small pieces
1/3 c sugar

mascarpone filling:
8 oz. mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 tbs honey
2 tsp orange zest
2 tbs orange juice

topping:
segments from 6 oranges

glaze:
1/4 c orange marmalade (clear variety)
2 tbs honey

garnish:
1/8 c pistachios, roughly chopped

preheat oven to 350 degrees. put pistachios in the food processor, and run until finely ground. add remaining tart crust ingredients and blend until moist crumbs form. place in tart pan and press dough evenly into pan. freeze crust for about 15 minutes.
pierce crust with a fork and bake for 25 minutes.

cut oranges into segments and set aside.
blend ingredients for mascarpone filling with a spatula in a metal bowl and set aside.

when crust is golden, remove from oven and allow to completely cool.

take a break, and enjoy a pom pomegranate lychee green tea. i love that stuff.

when crust is cool, spread mascarpone filling evenly and arrange orange segments on filling. heat marmalade and honey over low heat until smooth and liquid. brush over orange segments and garnish with chopped pistachios.
chill for at least one hour before serving.

what's not to love about linked meats?

2007-05-02T14:15:00.000-05:00

carfagna's is a wonderful local purveyor of italian foods. so good, in fact, that i'm having them cater my wedding this summer. more on that later.
i love linked meats and carfagna's has an extensive selection of house made sausage. pictured here is the spinach and feta pork sausage. it's really tasty, and i have only one point of criticism. i wish carfagna's would tie off the casing on each end of the sausage. the ends are open, more or less, and the fat runs out when you cook them. i can't get enough pork fat.

recently carfagna's started bottling their own sauce, and here it is paired with colavita pasta.

summer food rules

2007-04-27T19:31:00.000-05:00

here are two of my favorite local summer foods: natural casing hot dogs from the house of meats and dog on good mustard from cajohn's. nothing beats the snap of a natural casing hot dog and this new mustard from cajohn's is awesome. it's a little spicy and the flavor can't be beat. yum!

saffron orzo with toasted pine nuts

2007-04-23T18:43:00.001-05:00

saffron orzo with toasted pine nuts

1 cup orzo pasta
6 cups chicken stock
1 tsp saffron threads
1/2 cup pine nuts

bring chicken stock and saffron to a boil. add orzo and cook until al dente. meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a sautee pan until fragrant and lightly toasted. drain orzo and fold in toasted pine nuts.

i had all these ingredients in my pantry (leftover orzo from mediterranean orzo!) the saffron adds a bit of savory complexity to the flavor of the stock and the pine nuts have a soft crunch. good comfort food!

restaurant review: moretti's

2007-04-23T10:29:00.000-05:00

hands down, moretti's is my favorite italian restaurant in town. if you're planning to go, i'd recommend making reservations a night or two in advance. the ratio of devoted moretti's clientele to square footage makes for few available walk in seats on a weekend and most weeknights. the fiance and i have speculated that moretti's could remove their sign and still probably do a brisk business for at least a couple of years. due to its inauspicious location and lack of advertising, moretti's just might be columbus' best kept dining secret.

the ambiance is dark and romantic, and while the dining room is nice, it's not overly so, the focus here is on food. food and great service. the wait staff consistently delivers excellent attention to detail and are more than happy to accommodate special requests.

the menu offers plenty of delicious housemade pastas, excellent entree salads and italian standards like: chicken, eggplant & veal parmigiana, veal scalloppini, lasagna, and housemade pizzas. moretti's house sauce is rich, chunky and chocked full of garlic. they offer fresh baked bread with an addictive garlic herb butter.

although the prices are reasonable ($14-$26 for an entree, included is a choice of soup or salad) moretti's offers some excellent weeknight specials:
monday - all chicken entrees $13 (includes salad or soup)
tuesday - casseroles and ravioli $11 (includes salad or soup)
wednesday -any pasta or penne dish $9 (includes salad or soup)
thursday - specials offered in bar only

i've tasted the majority of the menu, here are some of my favorites (as mentioned above, the atmosphere is very dark, the quality of the pictures reflects that):

housemade pasta: the pasta is just right. the texture and flavor of the pasta are great and it's the perfect match for moretti's sauce.

green bean appetizer: crisp green beans sauteed in olive oil and a generous amount of garlic. the skin just begins to caramelize but the center of the bean is still crisp and juicy. so good.

crumbled sausage: sausage with peppers and mushrooms over penne in a cream sauce. the rich and spicy sausage & peppers meld beautifully with the cream sauce. penne is al dente, never overcooked. ask for it with extra hot peppers (grilled banana peppers) if you dare. it sounds like a heart attack on a plate and it is, but i can't imagine a dish more worth the gamble.

fettuccini: housemade spinach noodles (to die for) served with a delicate yet rich cream sauce.

vegetable pizza: the crust has a nice combination of crispy/doughy consistency and is topped with roasted vegetables like red peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and onions. it comes with gorgonzola, but i always have them hold the cheese. the veggies and sauce are so good, it doesn't need anthing else.

traditional lasagne: all of the elements of moretti's lasagne taste fresh and distinct. the pasta is cooked to the perfect al dente, the ricotta is rich and mixed with fresh herbs and the sauce is outstanding. i like that this isn't a big gooey mess of cheese and overcooked noodles like some other italian places in town. the vegetable lasagne is also excellent, covered in freshly sauteed, al dente vegetables.

cheese ravioli: the four raviolis served in this dish are large enough for about two and a half meals. i usually finish one of them and a meatball and i'm full. the ravioli are made with either housemade spinach or tradional pasta and are stuffed with lots of soft ricotta and fresh herbs. the cheese to pasta ratio is very high. yum!

wild salmon or grilled chicken salad: this has to be one of the best salads around. choose either grilled chick or salmon to go over a huge portion of romain, roasted red peppers, green beans and pasta tossed in moretti's house made italian vinaigrette. delicious and huge. good for splitting, which moretti's is happy to do.

moretti's
5849 sawmill road (in the cranston center)
dublin, oh 43017
614.717.0400

southwestern black bean dip

2007-04-19T23:16:00.000-05:00

i have to say that upon reading this recipe through the first time i wasn't so sure how it would turn out. however, it was really easy to put together and the flavors in this dip really pop. it tastes fresh, not refried beany. one of the best black bean dips i've had. i served the black bean dip with trader joe's tri-color flax seed tortilla chips.

southwestern black bean dip
(from epicurious)

2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large bell pepper (i used orange)
1/2 medium onion. chopped
1 tsp olive oil
two 15 oz cans of black beans, rinsed & drained
3 tbs fresh lime juice
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tbs water

sautee garlic, pepper & onion in oil until onion is translucent. in a food processor, blend beans, lime juice, cilantro, spices & water until smooth. add onion mixture & puree until smooth. chill dip, covered, at least 3 hours and up to one day.

beeb's deli: documented dining

2007-04-17T14:58:00.000-05:00

i've been interested in beeb's since i read an article (in the dispatch's food section?) where the purveyors were quoted as saying they had researched delis for almost a year prior to opening their doors. i'm game for trying anything someone worked on for a year before launching. on a recent day off after perusing the library for new cookbooks (found one! more on that later) i stopped in for lunch.

upon entering, you step into a vestibule with a large scale menu mounted on the wall. i really like this because there are times when i want to spend 10 solid minutes pouring over a menu to make the perfect selection. no pressure from a goofball at the cash register giving you the "it's lunch, not marriage, just choose already" look. i chose the create your own option and came up with a grilled turkey sandwich on 8 grain bread with lettuce, tomato, black olives and tomato basil mayo. the sandwich was delicious. in true deli style, the sandwich had a larger quantity of turkey than i perfer. i recognize this is my issue, not beeb's. the turkey was extremely flavorful and all of beeb's meats are msg and preservative free. the tomato mayo was awesome. i'd buy it by the quart if they sold it. the bread was soft & delicate but still had a great grainy texture. sandwiches are served with salt and pepper kettle chips and a half pickle. very good. the interior is bright and comfortable and the service is fast and friendly. i'll definitely go back.

beeb's deli
740.657.1800
76 powell road (near the intersection of rts. 23 & 750)
lewis center, oh 43035

roasted beet salad with fresh dill

2007-04-16T20:37:00.000-05:00

i really love beets. and i'm ashamed to say this is the first time i've roasted them myself. i used to think "they're just so easy and tasty out of a can, why go to all the trouble?" today i am converted. fresh roasted beets are really so much better than their bland canned relatives, there's no reason to ever look back.

fresh beets have to be one of the most beautiful raw vegetable (and by vegetable, i mean root). i was literally transfixed while scrubbing them over the sink. check it out:

roasted beet salad with fresh dill

salad:
6 medium beets (i used 3 golden & 3 red)
1/4 cup dill, roughly chopped
1/3 cup red onion, thinly slivered

vinaigrette:
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs muscat wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp sugar

roast beets using the following method: trim roots and stems away from beets. scrub clean. wrap in tin foil and roast for about 1 hour in 415 degree oven. let cool. using paper towel, gently slip off skins.
slice beets and combine with slivered onions and dill. whisk together vinaigrette. pour over beet salad and toss. cover and refrigerate over night.

cameron's: documented dining

2007-04-15T21:09:00.000-05:00

ideally, a restaurant review is the result of many visits to an establishment and tasting a wide variety of their menu offerings. however, there are times when i have a fabulous meal out but don't have the info or inclination to do a full review. enter, documented dining. documented dining is a review of a meal, not the a definitive review of a restaurant. here's the first installment, from a wonderful evening at cameron's.

first course:
for my birthday dinner this year, we started with the buttermilk fried calamari. l loved the creole tartar and the chili pepper jam. the batter was a little less crisp than i like but over all it was a tasty dish. i think next time i'd like to try the goat cheese beignets. the fiance had a warm goat cheese salad to start. a slice of warm goat cheese is served next to a salad of field greens, pancetta, sun dried cherries, pine nuts and port wine vinaigrette. seriously good.

entrees:
the fiance had the soy glazed salmon with wasabi sticky rice. the salmon was wrapped in nori (cute play on sushi) and was served with lemongrass butter and hoisen sauces. i'm not a big fan of salmon but this dish was outstanding. it has me wondering if i could duplicate the wasabi sticky rice.
contrary to my vegetable-loving nature, i ordered the "steak that surfs". the plate was comprised of a ny strip, 2 buttermilk fried shrimp, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and a housemade steak sauce. everything was excellent. the housemade steak sauce was what enticed me to order the dish but i couldn't find much evidence of it on the plate.

dessert:
i loved every bite of the meyer lemon gratin. it was light, delicate and not too tart.
the fiance had the new orleans bread pudding. the consistency was just right and i loved the golden raisins.

greek panini

2007-04-14T18:52:00.000-05:00

here's another olive bar special. warm feta, mmm...

if you've got a panini press, put it to work. if not, put the panini in a non-stick pan, place flat metal turner on top of the sandwich and then place a soup can on top of the turner to weight it down.

greek panini

2 slices italian bread
olive oil spread (or butter)
artichoke heart
roasted tomatoes
feta
cippolini onions
zucchini, sliced with a vegetable peeler and marinated in greek vinaigrette
quindilla peppers
peppadews
sliced greek olives

slice ingredients and assemble panini. grill until golden brown.

clockwise: artichoke heart, roasted tomatoes, feta, cippolini onions, zucchini, quindilla peppers, peppadews, sliced greek olives (center)

a well equipped kitchen

2007-04-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

i'd like to share some of the elements of my kitchen that make culinary life a bit easier. i think we can all agree that cooking in a well equipped kitchen can lead to a special kind of foodie nirvana.

here are some of my favorite things in the kitchen:

bar mops sold by the pound

i got these at sam's club and keep them stacked in a drawer. i use them to dry my hands as i cook, wipe down counters and a million other kitchen duties. when one is soiled, i throw it into the laundry and grab another. sometimes i go through half a dozen in a day. i'd rather have 30 of these guys than 2 kitchen towels from williams sonoma (about the same cost). plus, by not using gobs of paper towels, i'm being friendly to the environment.

lots of poly cutting boards

same theory here as with the bar mops. have lots of them so that when they get dirty you can just grab another. if i see them on sale i usually grab a couple, i think i got the last few for $2 each. there's nothing more frustrating than needing a cutting board and realizing the two you own are both in the dish washer. use separate boards for meat and veggies.

quality cutlery

nice knives are worth the investment. i recently got these two beauties for my birthday! not only do quality, sharp knives make your job easier, they're also safer to use. the less pressure you need to exert on a knife to get the job done, the less chance you'll slip and cut yourself.

cookbook cupboard

i dedicated a cupboard in my kitchen to a selection of cookbooks i'm using and storage for my culiary magazines.
organization + recipes = culinary nirvana! the black book in the center is a homemade cookbook (photo album filled with index cards instead of pictures, complete with tabs) of all my family's recipes. i made them with my mom and gave a copy to my sister.

pizza stone

a pizza stone is good for so many other things than cooking pizza. you can bake cookies on it or you can use it to heat left overs that need to stay crisp (like anything fried). i keep mine in the oven at all times. even if you're not cooking directly on it, it will radiate heat evenly through the cooking time as the oven turns the heat off and on to maintain temperature. the darker it gets, the more seasoned it is.

strawberry pecan cornmeal pancakes

2007-04-09T18:17:00.000-05:00

cornmeal is my favorite variety of pancake. i think it's got way more flavor and superior texture to your average flour-based pancake. this is an easy way to dress up cornmeal pancakes.

strawberry pecan cornmeal pancakes

1 box of jiffy corn muffin mix (8.5 oz)
1 egg
2 tbs vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup diced strawberries

mix together corn meal, egg, oil and milk. let sit for 15 minutes. toast pecans in a saute pan until they become fragrant. dice strawberries. fold strawberries & pecans into batter. cook in non-stick pan. batter will bubble slightly when ready to be turned. garnish with sliced strawberries and pecans.

mediterranean orzo

2007-04-06T17:54:00.000-05:00

if you're a regular reader, you're going to figure out that i love mediterranean flavors. i regularly make a meal out of the olive bar at whole foods. here's a recipe with some olive bar favorites.

mediterranean orzo

1/2 lb orzo
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup diced onions
3/4 cup mixed olives
medium tomato, diced
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta
juice of one lemon

cook orzo until al dente. in large non-stick saute pan, saute onion with olive oil until soft. add tomato and cook a few minutes. add remaining ingredients and saute until heated through and flavors are combined.

ice cream so good...

2007-04-04T13:13:00.000-05:00

...that it prompted a marriage proposal.

ok, i'm not saying the proposal was 100% due to the ice cream, but the fiance did ask me to marry him over a cone of handel's chocolate pecan.

this youngstown phenomenon, started in 1945, is now available all over ohio, in pennsylvania, indiana, virginia and california.

what makes handel's so great is the absolute quality of all the ingredients they use. for example, the chocolate pecan is chocked full of huge, salty, half pecans. mmm. so good. there are some other delicious flavors (tiramisu, spouse like a house, coconut cream pie and chocolate peanut butter ripple, to name a few) but the chocolate pecan is so good, it's all we really get. the fiance has taken to calling handel's "the chocolate pecan store". youngstown natives tell stories of people lined up around the block all day long when handel's opened on the first day of the season.

don't believe me? ask national geographic, who named handel's the best ice cream on the planet.

mom's meatballs

2007-04-03T15:07:00.000-05:00

cooking for someone is one of the ways i know best to show my love for them and i give my mom the credit for that. she provided the basis of my passion for food.
her cooking is a pillar of family get togethers and the taste of her signature dishes triggers many happy memories. some of my fondest memories of my grandparents are of us spending long summer days picking fruit and then canning it in our cool basement. i loved cooking with her as a kid and i still love cooking with her.

in addition to having excellent street cred, my mom is a certified winner of the betty crocker award. here is one of her most famous recipes:

mom's meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp dried mint (secret ingredient!)
2 tbs ketsup
plain bread crumbs - start with 1/2 cup and add more until mixture forms semi-firm meatballs

mix ingredients by hand and roll into balls. saute in frying pan until browned and cooked through. add to marinara and simmer for at least 30 mins.
sometimes i use ground bison instead of beef. the result has a good flavor and is healthier for you but has a firmer texture.

if grapes grew in heaven...

2007-04-02T21:33:00.000-05:00

they would be muscats. this is a variety so delicate, aromatic and deliciously sweet that they taste like little spheres of heaven bursting in your mouth. the skin is delicate, not bitter and the flesh is juicy in the middle, firming up just a bit near the skin. they are sweet, but not cloyingly so and the flavor is aromatic and complex.
muscats are the oldest known variety of cultivated grapes and can be made into all sort of yummy wines, including asti spumante, sherry, clairette de die and dessert wines.
i got these for $2.99 a pound at whole foods but would have willingly paid $10. seriously, if you see muscats at your local grocer, don't pass them up.

hawaiian pizza kebabs

2007-04-01T10:29:00.000-05:00

internal dialog day dreaming about hawaiian pizza the other day:

"i love hawaiian pizza.

warm pineapple is so good... i'd like to grill some pineapple and glaze it with brown sugar and rum. what if i used the toppings of hawaiian pizza for a kebab...? i should serve it with something bready, 'cause i love pizza crust.
you know, you can grill a pizza.

woah! what if i put the pizza dough on the kebab?
that might be a disaster. what if things go horribly wrong?
hmm.
what's the worst that could happen?"

so i did it, and here's how it turned out:

i really like the way the glaze tasted, especially on the pineapple. surprisingly, the pizza dough faired pretty well on the grill. just be sure to brush them liberally with olive oil prior to putting them on the grill. the dough had a nice crust on the outside and was soft (but not totally done) on the inside. overall i'm pleased with the way things went. next time i think i'll take some pizza dough and bake it in the oven with some of the glaze on it instead of incorporating it into the kebab.

hawaiian pizza kebabs

for glaze:
6 tbs dark rum
5 tbs butter
2/3 cup brown sugar

for kebabs:
canadian bacon
pineapple
green pepper
onion
1/4 ball of pizza dough, cut into quarter sized pieces
olive oil

boil ingredients for glaze gently until the liquid thickens slightly. meanwhile, prep kebab ingredients. precook onions and peppers in microwave with 1/4 cup water for 4 minutes. assemble kebabs and brush with olive oil. put kebabs on the grill and let cook for a couple of minutes. brush with glaze and turn. repeat brushing on glaze and turning until kebabs are slightly browned but not burnt.

mom's macaroni salad

2007-03-31T23:19:00.000-05:00

i can say with confidence i will never eat macaroni salad more delicious than my mom's. her macaroni salad is a staple at all summer family parties, picnics, and many a meal eaten on our deck. because it is in fact delicious and i have so many good memories of summer family get togethers, it makes me happy every time i eat it.

my mom taught me how to make this and although i've almost never met a recipe i didn't modify, i follow her directions to a tee every time. messing with this recipe would be sacrilege.

mom's macaroni salad

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
6 hard boiled eggs
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery

1 cup hellman's mayo
1 cup kraft miracle whip
1 tbs yellow mustard

salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp celery salt
paprika, for garnish

cook macaroni, rinse with cold water, drain and set aside. in a large mixing bowl combine: diced hard boiled eggs, cucumber, onion, celery, and macaroni. stir to combine. in a smaller mixing bowl combine the mayo, miracle whip and mustard. add to large mixing bowl and incorporate. add celery salt, salt and pepper. mix. let chill in refrigerator for at least a couple of hours. before serving you may need to add a bit more mayo/miracle whip if it's too dry. sprinkle with paprika before serving.

thanks mom!

restaurant review: pei wei asian diner

2007-03-30T08:03:00.000-05:00

p.f. chang's fast casual eatery, pei wei (pronounced "pay-way"), opened a couple of weeks ago in my neighborhood. i didn't really expect to write a review of a fast food establishment but we were so impressed, i whipped out the camera a took a couple of shots of our food (only the chicken lettuce wraps turned out).

pei wei seems to have optimized the "fast casual" dining experience. there are two entrances, two lines and two cash registers; one set for dine in, the other for take away. the menu is posted on *huge* light boxes at the entrance and there's a sign that politely asks that you decide on your order before heading up to the cash register. after you place your order you're given a round tag with your number on it. you then get your drink, have a seat and display your number at your table. when your food is ready, they find you. i much prefer this option to the "here's your order number, now it's your job to worry about hearing us call it out in a noisy restaurant." like p.f. changs, the food is meant to be eaten family style, large serving spoons come with each entree and there are ample stacks of plates at each table. they bus your table for you and the manager offered to refill drinks for us. nice!

on the menu, you'll find a few p.f. chang's favorites, namely the lettuce chicken wraps (pictured) and pei wei (chang's) spicy chicken. entrees range from $6.25 to $9 and are generously portioned. we had the minced chicken with cool lettuce wraps (the chicken for which i caught a glimpse of them grinding fresh in the back - a good sign), the spring rolls (perfectly crispy and served with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce - seriously yummy), won ton soup (served with wilted spinach, i really liked this) and the pork blazing noodles (just the right level of heat and very tasty).

when our food was delivered, the blazing noodles arrived with chicken rather than pork and just as we were saying "oh well -pork, chicken, who cares?" the manager came over to inform us that he knew the order had just come out wrong and he had an order of pork heading our way shortly. he was extremely helpful and brought us to-go boxes for the heaps of extra food we had. i commented that i thought the food quality was on par with p.f. chang's and the manager shared that they buy all the same ingredients from the same suppliers as chang's. it shows, because the food was pretty tasty. this definitely is a good alternative when you're craving p.f. chang's and aren't interested in an hour and a half wait on a weekend or if you're just in the mood for good pan asian fare.

pei wei asian diner
7571 sawmill road
dublin, oh 43017
p: 614.726.4190
f: 614.726.4191
.pfd menu

pasta salad with broccoli and peanuts

2007-03-29T07:54:00.000-05:00

it's sad to say, but food network has jumped the shark.
not to worry though, there's plenty of excellent food programming out there. just check out pbs for everyday food, gourmet's diary of a foodie, food trip with todd english america's test kitchen, lidia's family table and the travel channel for anthony bourdain: no reservations and bizarre foods.

pasta salad is a great spring & summer food. the bite from the rice vinegar is cut nicely by the peanut butter and i like the very slight heat the chili flake gives it. i changed it a bit from the original version.

pasta salad with broccoli and peanuts
(from everyday food)

1 lb pasta (i used gnocchi shaped by barilla)
2 lbs broccoli (about 2 heads)
3 tbs olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 c brown rice vinegar
2 tbs smooth peanut butter (use krema!)
3 tbs soy sauce

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 c roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

cook pasta, drain, rinse and set aside
chop broccoli, including stems
heat oil and pepper flakes in a large saute pan
add broccoli & 3/4 cup water and cook covered until tender crisp (6-8 min)
uncover and cook until water evaporates (2-4 min)
in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, peanut butter & soy sauce
add pasta, broccoli, scallions & peanuts
refrigerate

straight from satan's kitchen

2007-03-27T19:15:00.000-05:00

every year right before easter a colleague of mine supplies all of us with a confection so rich, so decadent, so sweet, and so yummy, we joke that it comes straight from satan's kitchen.

in reality, these chocolate peanut butter eggs are made in the kitchen of a church by sweet old church ladies. the fact that my coworkers and i tease church ladies about slaving in satan's kitchen should give you some insight into the type of people we are.

they weight about a half a pound and even though i always endeavor to do otherwise, i usually eat my entire easter egg in less than 24 hours. i don't have the recipe for these and trust me, it's best for everyone if the contents and calorie count for these eggs are never published. anywhere. under any circumstances.

zucchini flatbread

2007-03-25T22:16:00.000-05:00

the weather in columbus was wonderful today and i was greeted by these happy faces this morning:cooking in the kitchen with all the doors and windows open as i put together zucchini flatbread was heaven. the only thing that could have made it better would have been ingredients that came from the worthington farmer's market, but all things in good time, my friends.

zucchini flatbread evolved from making this recipe. the format/technique can be the base for lots of delectable combinations. both times i've made it i've let it rest in the fridge for up to 12 hours. so even though it takes a bit of time to put together, you can do it ahead of time if that's more convenient.

zucchini flat bread

equipment:
parchment paper
pizza stone

ingredients:
1 pre-made ball of pizza dough (from whole foods)
1 pkg boursin spreadable goat cheese, divided
medium sweet onion
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 c parmesan reggiano, divided
3 tbs chopped parsley, divided
small zucchini, sliced thinly
small summer squash, sliced thinly
2 small roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
olive oil

prep:
let the ball of dough sit out and come to room temperature. slice onion and caramelize with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. meanwhile, stretch dough into a large square, about 15"x15" and place on parchment paper. spread half of goat cheese on half of the dough & spread caramelized onions over goat cheese. sprinkle with half of parmesan reggiano and half parsley:

using parchment paper, fold in half. spread goat cheese on top of flatbread and sprinkle with remaining parmesan reggiano. add slices of zucchini, squash and tomato. drizzle with olive oil and top with remaining parsley.

bake:
using parchment paper, transfer to pizza stone and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 min, until edges are browned. let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting.

coconut milk - featured product

2007-03-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

coconut milk is a trusty pantry staple. it's versatile, tasty and inexpensive. most common in thai, indian, and hawaiian cuisine, the sweet, rich flavor can be the perfect foil to a spicy element. my favorite way to put it to use is in one of the best comfort foods around: coconut rice. i usually choose the lite version because it's not a very far departure from high-test coconut milk and hey, i've got a wedding dress to fit into. coconut rice is a little sweet and rich without being too heavy. here's how i do it:

coconut rice

prep: 5 mins
cooking: 25 mins
nap afterward: at least 45 min

2 cups basmati rice
1 tbs butter
14 oz. can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 tbs cane sugar
1/2 tbs salt

melt the butter in a medium sauce pan and add rice. stir rice in butter to coat and begin to cook a bit. a few minutes later add water, coconut milk, sugar and salt to pan. cover and simmer for about 20 minutes on low. remove from heat and let sit for a few more minutes. fluff with a fork and serve along side spicy black beans, peanut chicken satay or sweet and spicy yuzu shrimp. or if you want to eat it alone and are feeling fancy, toast some shredded coconut for garnish.

celebrity chef event

2007-03-22T20:11:00.000-05:00

tonight i attended capital area humane society's celebrity chef event. not only is it a fun evening, it combines my two favorite things in life: pets and food. this year i was especially interested in going because it was held in the huntington club at ohio stadium, a venue for which opportunities to visit are few and far between.

the concept is simple: charge patrons $35 to sample food from local celebrities (sports, news and politicians) and hot local restaurants & caterers, enjoy live music and a cash bar. not only does capitol area humane society raise a good bit of money but new restaurants get to showcase their food to a few hundred happy people. plus you get to hang out with some of capital area's awesome adoptable animals! being able to make a meal from tiny bites of lots of delicious foods is pretty much my perfect dining experience so i was in heaven.

the huntington club proved to be a venue far superior to the last celebrity chef event i attended at the blackwell. the flow was much better and it never really felt too crowded. i sampled food from latitude 41, z cucina, betty's, jeni's ice cream, vito's catering, wild oats, the greek corner, edible arrangements, and top steak house.

by far, my favorite item of the evening was the butterscotch panacota from z cucina.

another standout was the eggplant tapanade (or was it ragout?) over polenta from vito's catering. it had a piquant element that may have been olives or pimentos. i'd like to attempt a version of this at some point in the future.

also, jeni's ice cream was dishing absolutely huge portions of quite a few flavors. i had the apricot yogurt and it was spectacular (...and then i had the gravel road, but that was it, i swear!). then i gushed like a total geek to jeni about how much i loved the buttercup squash ice cream this winter.
a fun evening for a great cause!

pad thai - a slight obsession

2007-03-21T09:45:00.000-05:00

i'm on a quest for the perfect pad thai. it's almost a guarantee that if i see it on a menu, even if my intentions are otherwise, the words "i'll have the pad thai!" will pop out of my mouth.

much like the search for the perfect pizza, the concept of 'the perfect pad thai' is much too subjective to yield a definitive answer that everyone agrees on. there are variables in the way pad thai is prepared and depending preference, my ultimate pad thai may look nothing like your perfect pad thai.

this being said, the variables are:
composition or ingredient ratio - what's the ratio of noodles, protein, sauce, veggies, egg and garnish to one another?
sauce - flavor, texture and viscosity, how sweet is it, tangy, salty, hot? is it too greasy or worse, gritty?
rice noodles - are they broad or thin? cooked to the correct texture?
protein - is it properly cooked? or is it over cooked?
garnish - are there plenty of peanuts? bean sprouts - are they over cooked or raw? lime for squeezing over?

here's a sampling of the places i've had some good and not so good pad thai:
haiku (short north)- great, but not consistently so. the sauce is a bit on the sweet side and when over applied can be overwhelming and greasy. good composition, i like the mix of veggies and proportion of noodles to the rest of the ingredients.
jason's (dublin) - sorry to be negative, but wow, this was a huge disappointment. they've named their's "columbus' best phad thai" and it didn't live up the night i had it. the whole thing was dry and the shrimp were overcooked to the point that they were inedible. gross. they also served lemon as a garnish. not right.
lemon grass (short north) - ok, not remarkable. too spicy as i recall.
thai orchid (sawmill) - tasty. the sauce is a bit "brown" for my taste. high quality meat cooked properly.
tai's asian bistro (lane ave) - great veggies and good noodle/ingredient ratio. good attention to garnish, even on take out. consistently good. plus these guys are friendly.
china market (north market) - to be frank, don't bother with this place. the orders take forever and the best pad thai in town is a mere 20 yards away.

my favorite pad thai in columbus:
nida sushi (north market) - the noodles are broad and springy, perfect for holding the right amount of sauce. speaking of which, nida's sauce is excellent. the flavor profiles are right on and it's never overwhelming. the sauce is the perfect highlight to the high quality/properly proportioned ingredients. the service is always friendly, fast and they are consistent about getting the "mild, medium, hot and extra hot" levels that they offer just right. the peanuts (i love peanuts) are decidedly present but not too much and the bean sprouts are wilted the perfect amount, retaining a bit of crunch. the egg and shrimp are never burned. awesome. i could eat this twice a week for the rest of my life.

i'm sure other items on their menu are excellent but as much as i want to try them, i'm sure "i'll have the pad thai!" will be all that comes out when i order.

butternut squash soup

2007-03-20T21:52:00.000-05:00

oh how i love butternut squash. the smell of a freshly cut butternut squash is so delicate and delicious, it's almost intoxicating. i could write poetry about butternut squash.
instead, i'll just make this fantastic soup:

butternut squash soup

1 butternut squash, medium
1 onion, medium
couple of tbs olive oil
4ish cups of chicken stock
1/2 tbs marjoram
cayenne pepper, to taste (i use a lot!)
pepper (quite a few grinds)
salt, to taste
~1/4 cup cream cheese

the proportions of this recipe are fluid. don't stress. just put in what you have and it's going to be good.
dice the onion and saute with olive oil in stock pot or dutch oven until soft. meanwhile, dice the squash. here's the method i use: use veggie peeler to peel squash. cut off ends. cut in half lengthwise. scoop out seeds. dice. lather. rinse. repeat.
add squash, seasonings and stock to pot. simmer until squash is soft, maybe 20 minutes.
add cream cheese and use a stick blender to puree. for this version, i used honey nut cream cheese. yum.

this is a relatively low cal, inexpensive, quick and easy recipe. it's a lunch box staple in my house.

peruvian food on line for jay leno

2007-03-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

recently while visiting a friend in LA, we went to a taping of the tonight show. before we got into line we stopped at a delicious peruvian restaurant for lunch. i had aji de galina -chicken in walnut sauce. although i could not discern any walnut in the dish, it was excellent. the sauce was rich and creamy and the fresh cilantro on top added the perfect bite of flavor. i also had potatoes with huancaina sauce (smooth and mild cheese sauce) and peruvian beans. the beans were pintos with an added kick of what tasted like vinegar. yum! not only was the food great but the gentleman who took our order was friendly enough to let us sample quite a few things before making our selections.

choza mama
3121 olive ave
burbank, ca 91505

restaurant review: soluna cafe

2007-03-17T09:36:00.000-05:00

soluna cafe is located on the ground floor of the surgical and heart center at grant medical center. the menu seemed right up my alley for lunch fare and it's within walking distance from work so some coworkers and i headed over last week.

first impressions:

the interior of the cafe was well thought out and has a nice zen-like feel. lots of natural wood and stone. we luxuriated in each other's company for a considerable amount of time after we ate and lingered a bit more before we left.
the service staff is very friendly and helpful. way more cheerful than your average fast-casual cafe staff.
i appreciate how detailed their nutrition info online is. being that i watch calories now and then and soup/sandwiches can be deceptively gluttonous, it was nice to know exactly what i was eating.

this being said, i ordered all the wrong things. the southwest chicken panini i ordered was alright (too crunchy, it tore up the roof of my mouth) but i would have been happier with the flat bread and soup. both looked awesome (and lower cal than the panini). had i not been reeled in by the caramelized onions and chipotle mayo, i might have been able to think clearly enough to choose the soup and red grape and goat cheese flat bread.
they serve starbucks coffee and seem to make about 80% of the menu that a stand alone starbucks store offers - bonus.
my coworkers raved about their meals. i'll definitely be going back once the weather warms up and we get back into the habit of walking places for lunch.
and for those of you who are looking to cruise hot doctors, soluna has a captive audience ;)
these pics aren't that great, i hesitate to put my fingers on other people's lunch to style it for a shot.

southwest chicken panini

roasted vegetable soup and red grape and goat cheese flat bread

roast beef wrap with the veggie soup

i said there were doctors...
ahh, zen...

sweet & spicy yuzu shrimp

2007-03-14T18:24:00.000-05:00

sweet & spicy yuzu shrimp

1 lb peeled, raw shrimp
2-3 cups snow peas
2 cups water chestnuts
oil for stir frying (i used canola with a spash of sesame oil)

for sauce:
1/2 c yuzu spread
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs dijon mustard
1 squirt of huy fong chili sauce

for garnish:
grapefruit zest

heat oil and add stir fry ingredients. mix sauce and add to stir fry. cook until shrimp is pink and sauce boils. serve over brown rice and garnish with grapefruit zest

this recipe turned out about the way i expected it would. i was pleased that the sauce didn't over power the taste of the stir fry ingredients and liked the combination of the citrus and heat. if i made it again i'd add some cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it up a bit. the yuzu spread i used for this recipe almost didn't make it to tonight. it was so good i've been snacking on it all week.

chili

2007-03-11T15:51:00.000-05:00

chili

2 lbs ground bison
2 bell peppers (yellow & orange)
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño diced
1 jar cajohn's chili starter
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
3/4 tbs ground cumin
1/2 tbs oregano
1 tbs chili powder
3/4 tbs cajohn's krakatoa habenero mash
2 tbs chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

garnish:
shredded monterey jack
sour cream
oyster crackers
diced onion

saute onions, peppers, garlic, bison and salt and pepper.
add chili starter, tomatoes, beans, habenero mash and spices and simmer for at least 45 mins. garnish according to taste.

a word about cajohn's firey foods:
cajohn's is a fantastic local purveyor of spicy foods. until recently they sold limited products at specialty stores in columbus, via phone & internet sales and out of their very-hard-to-find-only-open-bank-hours production facility in one of columbus' most sketchy neighborhoods. they've won about a billion awards all over the country and just opened a booth selling their entire line in the north market. a few months back we ventured out to their facility and the owners were kind enough to give us an impromptu tour of their production facility and chat with us about the production process. if you've got someone on your christmas list who loves spicy foods, you can't go wrong with any of cajohn's products.
in closing: these guys are nice, they turn out consistent, high quality products and in my opinion they're one of columbus' best kept secrets. now, get yourself to the north market and pick up some cajohn's.

yuzu - featured product

2007-03-11T10:21:00.001-05:00

the first time i heard about yuzu was on top chef. i was intrigued because a google search described the taste as being somewhere between a grapefruit and a lime. it sounded delicious, these are my two favorite citrus fruits.

trader joe's has just started offering yuzu spread (analogous to marmalade) so i picked some up.

i had it over a crumpet (also from joes). the crumpet tasted like a cross between pancake and an english muffin. it was slightly spongy with lots of air pockets and crisped up nicely in the toaster.
on to the yuzu: the texture was delicate and the tart and slightly bitter flavor of the yuzu was smoothed out by a mellow sweetness. not too tart and yet not cloying. this is pretty tasty, i'll definitely buy it again.
i plan to use it in a sweet and spicy asian stir fry in the the next few days, stay tuned for that.

pad thai redux

2007-03-09T19:38:00.000-05:00

i really like pad thai. like a tractor beam, if i see it on a menu anywhere i'll be sucked into ordering it. i've definitely got opinions about who has the best and worst pad thai in columbus.
but that's another post for another day.
i got to thinking about my love for pad thai and decided to try a dish that combined my favorite parts of pad thai and added some of my favorite ingredients. i'm really happy with the result. the sauce was just the way i like it and i really piled on the peanuts.

pad thai ala kitsune

sauce:
3 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs sugar
1 tbs vinegar
1 tsp crushed red pepper
squirt of huy fung garlic chili sauce

mix ingredients for sauce and set aside.

stir fry ingredients:
onion
carrots
yellow bell pepper
baby broccoli
water chestnuts

stir fry above ingredients and pour sauce over. bring sauce to a boil and let simmer for a couple of minutes.

serve over:
3 cups cooked brown rice

garnish with:
bean sprouts
crushed peanuts
rough chopped cilantro
lime wedges

laying in supplies

2007-03-08T21:32:00.000-05:00

i placed an order for 10 lbs of veal bones with carfagna's today. if i'm lucky they'll be here next friday and i can spend the following sunday making my own veal stock. this will be my first real foray into making homemade stock. i'm looking forward to all the delicious things i can parlay this stock into. first and foremost on the list is demi glace. because i enjoy reading anthony bourdain, i'm going to use his method for making veal stock and demi glace.
due to my slightly compulsive nature, i couldn't bear the thought of putting my mish mash of leftover containers to use in storing this precious stock. so i stopped by my local gfs and purchased some plastic deli containers (in 16 oz. and 32 oz. sizes) and 1 oz. containers for small portions of demi glace. the thought of combining a new culinary adventure and compulsive organization, nirvana!

next, i'm getting ready to launch a new weekly feature. "product of the week" will feature a single product that may be new, unique, interesting or just catches my fancy. where applicable, i'll talk about how to use this product in the kitchen and maybe share some recipes.

stay tuned!

jungle jim's

2007-03-07T23:12:00.000-05:00

last weekend i had to drive to cincinnati to pick up my wedding dress. i had 30 days after its arrival to get it and after 26 days had passed, i figured it was time to get down to business. what could make me feel better about a five hour round trip errand? a trip to jungle jim's international market!
my impressions:

don't event think about crossing the threshold of jungle jim's unless you have at least an hour. not only will you loose all sense of direction upon entering, any grasp on time you had will also escape you. this place is so vast even the most savvy shopper can easily get disoriented.
these people do not lie when they say they have the biggest and best selection of international foods. example: an entire room devoted to the food of holland and over 78 varieties of olive oil.
food selection was unprecedented, overall cleanliness & organization of the store were not. i can't really blame jungle jim's for not staying on top of facing over 300,000 square feet of groceries. things seemed a bit jumbled/dusty at times but i suspect i've just been spoiled by the pristine whole foods in my neighborhood.
i was really impressed by how knowledgeable and helpful the staff was. these guys know their stuff
above is a composite of a few of the things i bought. like i said, it was overwhelming & i ended up with quite a grab bag. the best thing i got but the fiance ate before i could photograph them - green sicilian olives.
two things i wanted to get but couldn't: fat tire beer (helpful gent in beers explained they don't distribute to ohio - which i knew but didn't want to believe) and cotton seed oil for making uzbek plov (they didn't have it -and as far as i know, cooking grade cotton seed oil is not available in the u.s.)
i'd recommend visiting on a weekday. we were there mid-day saturday and it was quite busy
i would have liked to taken more pics to publish, but alas, they are forbidden and i didn't want to go to 007-like lengths to take them illegally

map of jungle jim's

restaurant review: cafe shish kebab

2007-03-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

after receiving two enthusiastic recommendations for cafe shish kebab, i decided to check it out for lunch today.

cafe shish kebab offers delicious turkish cuisine paired with warm, attentive service. the proprietors have taken a modest location in the bethel center (next to panda inn) and transformed it into a beautifully rich and cozy spot that feels miles away from its humble strip mall locale. in a recent update, the walls and bar have been covered in beautiful dark wood. i found the flavors to be spot on, everything tastes homemade, and the food is presented in a thoughtful yet unpretentious manner.
the friend i was eating with and i both ordered from the lunch special menu. for $8.95 this has to be one of the best value/quality lunch propositions in columbus. the lunch special allows you to pick one each from a selection of 3 starters (hummus, salad or soup of the day), 8 entrees (consisting mostly of kebab plates) and the desert of the day. our waitress offered turkish tea and we couldn't resist. the tea was tasty, came in a super cute little glass on a silver saucer and our waitress kept the refills coming throughout the entire meal. cafe shish kebab also serves a delicious bread with dipping oil at the table they call pita, but this stuff is way better than any pita i've ever eaten. it reminds me of the bread served at cafe istanbul for those of you who have eaten there.
i chose the mercimek corba (lentil) soup. it is a pureed soup made with red lentils, potatoes, celery, carrots and onions. the flavor was subtle and delicious and the texture was perfect. after the bread and soup i could have easily been satisfied but still had two more courses coming (tip: show up hungry!). my friend ordered the hummus and it was also really tasty. it seemed to have a bit more of a vinegary bite than your average hummus.

i chose the adana kebab (ground lamb and beef with red pepper) for my entree and was not disappointed. the seasoning was dead on and the meat was high quality. it was served with awesome seasoned vegetables and rice. my friend chose the doner kebab and was also impressed.
for dessert, we were served keskul, a homemade almond pudding topped with almonds and pistachio. it had a delicate texture and rich flavor. awesome!
i'd highly recommend the cafe shish kebab and can't wait to try the falafel, sigara borek (hot flaky fillo pastries filled with feta cheese and fresh parsley) and the haydari (thickened homemade yogurt with fresh dill, mint, garlic and walnut). This would be the perfect place to eat an entire meal of appetizers.

cafe shish kebab
1450 bethel road (bethel center)
columbus, oh 43230
p:614.273.4444
f: 614.326.4668
e: fatih@cafeshishkebab.com

cuban black bean patties with pinapple rice

2007-03-05T20:05:00.000-05:00

this recipe comes from the march cooking light. and because i am powerless to resist the combination of black beans, pineapple and cilantro in one dish, i made it. i did run into a small issue with the cakes sticking to the pan. the directions said non-stick and i, like a fool, didn't listen. the cakes are delicate and with the sticking, i was lucky to get the one in the picture out in one piece.
i love warm pineapple and the smell of pineapple sauted in butter is absolute heaven. i think next time i make the rice, i'll add toasted almond slivers and a small amount of cinnamon. also, i'd leave out the sour cream (the dish doesn't really need it) and instead squeeze a lime wedge over the plate.
cooking light suggests you use boil-in-bag rice and bottled, minced garlic. pardon my snarky-ness but, is it "cooking light" or "cooking lazy"? if either of those were passable excuses for the real thing, i'd let it slide. but they aren't. i sub'd brown rice and fresh garlic.

cuban black bean patties with pineapple rice

for rice:
2-3 cups cooked brown rice
2 tsp butter
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp salt

for patties:
2 cups rinsed, well drained black beans, divided
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg white
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese with jalapenos
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup cornmeal
cooking spray
1/4 cup light sour cream

cook rice and set aside. melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. add pineapple, saute 4 minutes or just until pineapple begins to turn brown. add rice, cilantro and salt to pan and cover.
place 1 1/2 cup black beans, garlic, cumin, and salt in a bowl. partially mash with a fork. place 1/2 cup remaining black beans and egg white in food processor; process 30 seconds or until well combined. ass bean puree to mashed beans and stir until combined. add cheese and onion to bean mixture;stir until combined. divide into 4 equal portions and shape into 1/2 inch thick patties. dredge both sides in corn meal. heat non-stick pan over medium high heat. coat pan with cooking spray. add patties, cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.

for those counting, here are the nutritionals (before the brown rice sub): cal: 294, fat: 8.5g, protein: 10g, fiber: 3.5g

red quinoa with tomato and onion saute

2007-03-05T17:15:00.000-05:00

quinoa (keen-wa) is one of my favorite kitchen staples. although technically a seed, it functions like a grain and is a great way to add texture and boost the nutritional density of a dish. i used the inca red variety for this recipe. it has a nuttier taste and slightly crunchier texture than standard quinoa (think brown rice vs. white rice).

red quinoa with tomato and onion saute

2 cups grape tomatoes
1/2 medium sweet onion
olive oil
1 tbs red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 tbs greek feta vinaigrette

bring quinoa, water & vinaigrette to a boil and reduce to simmer. cook covered for about 17 minutes, or until water is gone and germ has begun to loosen from seed. half tomatoes and cut onion into slivers. saute tomatoes with onions in olive oil. add 2 tbs vinegar toward end of cooking time. serve tomatoes and onions over quinoa, making sure to pour juice from saute pan over dish.

here's the greek vinaigrette i'm referencing in the recipe:

it's so freakin' good. i'm eating it with everything these days. you can omit it if you'd like.

cote de porc a la charcutiere

2007-03-04T17:55:00.000-05:00

i have a small crush on anthony bourdain.

i love no reservations and have read most of his books.
this being said, for some reason i haven't made any of the recipes from the les halles cookbook.
i finally pushed aside the trepidation i feel about french cooking and gave a couple of the recipes a whirl.

the cote de porc was amazing, and was really no big deal to pull off. i did, however, briefly grasp the searing hot handle of the saute pan after it came out of the oven. someday i'll learn...
i served the cote de porc with pommes puree (also from les halles) and sauteed spinach. here's the rundown:

cote de porc a la charcutiere
(from anthony bourdain's les halles cookbook)

1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
4 rib chops of pork (approx 10 oz each)
salt & pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp wondra flour or all purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup dark, strong chicken or veal stock
2 tbs dijon mustard
10 cornichons, thinly sliced
1 sprig of flat parsley, chopped

preheat oven to 375. in an oven safe saute pan, heat oil, then butter. season the chops with salt and pepper, then sear in the hot pan for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. transfer the pan to the oven and cook for another 8 minutes. remove the pan from the oven and remove the chops. set them aside on a platter, loosely covered with foil, while you make the sauce.
return the saute pan to the heat, add the onion. cook until golden brown. add the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute. stir in the wine and reduce by half, scraping. add the stock. reduce the liquid by half. remove the pan from heat and whisk in the mustard. add the cornichons, the parsley, and any nice juice that has run off the cooked chops. adjust the seasoning. arrange pork chops on platter and pour over sauce.

pommes puree
(from anthony bourdain's les halles cookbook)

6 idaho potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1 tbs salt, plus more to taste
2 c heavy cream
6 tbs butter
freshly ground pepper

place potatoes in the large pot and add enough water to completely cover them. add the 1 tbs salt and bring to a boil. let the potatoes cook in the boiling water for about 15 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with the tip of a knife. drain the potatoes, discarding water, and when they are cool enough to handle, but still hot, slip them from their skins. in a small pot, combine heavy cream & butter and bring to a boil. return potatoes to the large pot and mash them. pour milk & butter into potatoes in increments and mix well. don't overwork potatoes. season with salt and pepper.

sauteed spinach

6-8 cups fresh spinach
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed with flat side of a chef's knife

heat the oil in a large skillet. add garlic. cook until softened but not burned. remove garlic. add spinach and turn until just wilted. do not overcook.

uzbek plov

2007-03-02T23:33:00.000-05:00

this recipe comes from a good friend from uzbekistan (pictured above). she made it for the fiance and i once and we were hooked. this is so good i guarantee you'll want to eat it until you burst or fall out of your chair, whichever comes first. it tastes like pure comfort, and the flavor never seems to dull, no matter how much you eat. each bite as good as the first. the cumin seeds add a fantastic flavor and texture. get over the guilt about how much oil is in this dish. it's worth it. trust me.

plov is the national dish of uzbekistan and is traditionally cooked in very large cast iron pots. dilya tells me it varies slightly regionally and should be made with cotton seed oil (a dark, heavy oil) -which is not available in the u.s.
i begged for a plov tutorial and here's the result:

Plov – Dilya Bahrieva

Sirloin or London Broil (enough to cover the bottom of cast iron pot)

~2 cups canola oil

6-7 cups carrots cut into thin sticks

2 cups thinly sliced onion

3 Tbs whole cumin seeds

1 Tbs ground pepper

½ head of garlic

5 ½ cups rice

Salt to taste

Prep time: about 20 minutes
Steps 1-10 take about 15 minutes
Steps 11-13 take about 15 minutes
Steps 14-17 take about 30 minutes
Steps 17-26 take about 30 minutes
Total time: about 2 hours

1. Heat oil in bottom of cast iron pan (size of medium stock pot w/ lid)
2. Place meat in oil and cook on one side 3-5 mins
3. Turn meat4. Add a handful of carrots to pot. Push them under the meat.
5. Add 2 cups onion
6. Add the rest of the carrots over the meat and onion. Do not stir.
7. Add about ¾ cup water to help steam carrots and onions
8. Add 2-3 Tbs Of cumin seeds and 1 Tbs pepper. Crush a bit with hands to release oils
9. When liquid boils, reduce heat to low and leave uncovered
10.Push head of garlic into center of carrots, allow to simmer
11. Rinse rice a few times
12. Add 3 Tbs salt to rice and add warm water
13. Soak rice for 15 minutes
14. Drain water from rice and add rice to pot on top of carrots
15. Turn heat to high
16. Add salt to taste on top of rice, then gently add water to just cover rice. Oil will rise to top.
17. Cook about 30 minutes, covered
18. Remove lid & push spoon handle down through rice to bottom of pot and rotate to make a hole. Repeat 2 more times, - this is an important technique, it allows steam to rise through cooking food.
19. Turn heat to medium and cook 3 minutes.
20. Remove lid and push rice to center to form dome shape
21. Make one big hole in center with spoon handle
22. Turn flame to low
23. Cook 10 minutes
24. Turn over the top layer or rice and reshape into dome. Oil should be visible pooling at sides of pan.
25. Steam 15 more minutes
26. Serve on platter with rice on bottom, then carrots, and meat on top.

the end of an era

2007-03-01T14:11:00.000-05:00

march 2nd, a columbus icon closed its doors forever - the original wendy's. we went for a ceremonial last meal and i ordered up a big bacon classic combo meal with the obligatory frosty. it's not often that one finds an excuse to consume a 1290 calorie meal guilt free (come on, you can't give the original wendy's a proper send off with a baked potato and side salad.)

check out this portrait of gluttony:

french fries dipped in frosty!