Alise's Appetite

Cook's Illustrated "Best Banana Bread" Recipe - Mmmmm comfort!

2010-04-19T19:25:00.000+02:00

I love making banana bread....I love it hot from the oven with cream cheese. Ben and I made some this weekend...it rises high and is very luscious.

Have fun and HAPPY SPRING!

Cook's Illustrated Best Banana Bread

I HEART Waffles!

2010-03-05T19:53:00.007+01:00

I am not ashamed. Really...all those carbs and butter and sugar. Not an ounce of shame in me. So much so that I asked for the most decadent of appliances for the wedding. The All-Clad waffle maker.

*angels commence singing*

Now when I shot that retail gun at this waffle maker...I shook my head. No one in their right mind would get me this. It is too expensive....heavy....obnoxious AND its only purpose is to make ONE food. And to top it off...that food is SUPER bad for me.

Then it arrived....a heavy box....that glorious box. I - LOVE - IT! My favorite uncle (you get to be my favorite uncle if you buy me outrageous culinary gifts - hint hint to my other uncle - you may usurp this coveted title for a new emulsion blender ;-)

Here is my new waffle recipe...I will now only have waffle and wine parties. Anyone interested?

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma's recipe for Blueberry Sour Cream Waffles

The addition of sour cream enhances the flavor and texture of the waffles. The almonds are just delightful.

Ingredients:

3 eggs, separated

3/4 cup milk

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbs. sugar

1 Tb. vanilla bean paste

1tsp. almond extract (the aroma is amazing)

1/2 cup fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish

Toasted almond slivers for garnish

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Vermont maple syrup for serving - I prefer Amber Grade or B

Directions:

Preheat a waffle maker.

In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk, beat the egg yolks. Beat in the milk, butter, vanilla paste, almond extract and sour cream. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth. Stir in the 1/2 cup blueberries.

In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. (Lift the whisk straight out of the bowl and invert; the whites should hold their shape with a slight bend at the tip.) Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/2 cup of the egg whites into the batter, then carefully fold in the remaining whites.

Cook the waffles. Garnish with the remaining blueberries and almonds, dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve hot with maple syrup.

Date Night at Solstice - Stowe, Vermont

2010-03-03T19:47:00.000+01:00

M and I have had date night as a standing appointment since I first moved here. We decided post-wedding that we needed to continue the tradition. Which frankly, I really love even when it feels like "a tradition". And hell he is a great dancer so there. :-)

My pick last night was Solstice at the Stowe Mountation Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. The lodge is a bit of a monster (formerly owned by the insurance company AIG). But the inside is filled with the expected wood and large roaring fireplaces. We were early so we had a drink at the bar. The bartender was obviously overwhelmed - made me tap my foot but we enjoyed a Switchback and a lemon drop martini (knocked me silly right off the bat) before heading in for dinner.

Solstice is committed to sustainable and local food. One of the reasons for me picking the place - not a big fan of resorts. But I wanted to make that winding ride to Stowe to relax. Roadtrips put me in a zen place and if there is good food at the end all the better.

The restaurant itself felt a little hotelish - I suggest white tablecloths to match the pricepoint of the food. The staff was helpful and full of local knowledge. We considered the tasting menu but it was full of fish and lamb which was not my first pick for the evening. We started with a full, fruity Pinot Noir and a cheese selection of local cheeses....I think I could just eat cheese and bread for the rest of my life. A mix of soft rind and hard cheeses. Local honey and lavender and raspberry compote. Very tasty choice.

My first course was the pate. I should know better than to order pork pate. It always is prepared as a country pate which I really don't care for...too much like potted meat in my opinion. I want the smooth texture of goose or chicken liver....chopped shallots and dijon mustard. So my bad. I am sure lovers of pork country pate would have loved it. M had a seared pork belly with balsamic reduction and honey. Not a fan of sweet with his pork - but it was cooked perfectly. I love sweet or fruit on pork. Must be the German in me.

Main course was Boyden Farms tenderloin with a red wine reduction, potato puree and polenta cakes as a side. M had a mushroom pasta. The reduction on the tenderloin was thick and delicious. I love reductions but have not been able to master them at home yet. This reduction would coat a spoon and had a mouthfeel that was decadent and rich. M called the server over to ask the chef the key to making it. Answer: boil the hell out veal bones for the rich marrow and gelatin. Mmmmmmmm.....

Dessert was coconut creme brulee and marscapone cheesecake with blueberries and a gingersnap cookie. My cold was a bit to heavy to taste the coconut in the brulee but M loved his cheesecake.

A lovely date night but not sure I would drop that kind of money again for Solstice. I recommend going for a lovely glass of wine and the cheese selection.

Solstice
Stowe, Vermont

Back from the Dead

2010-03-02T22:48:00.001+01:00

And here I am....waking out of the dead of winter...and itching to cook and to eat. Off to Solstice at the Stowe Mountain Lodge. Will post comments tonight. Oh and I have a wedding tale to tell you.

Do you want to hear?

Waking up wanting....

2009-10-29T17:04:00.000+01:00

So the other night I woke up wanting. Not necessarily for food or something tangible...just wanting. I know this is a food blog and there is a food reference here somewhere. I lay there a bit - a tad surprised. I sleep pretty heavily and being awoken by a thought or dream is odd. I brushed away this wanting and went back to sleep, but I woke with that same feeling.

Once something strikes me I tend to mull it over for a while...a few whys...some whats...and eventually an exploration for meaning. The subject of wanting is difficult for me. I have always equated it with something I am lacking. I want bread with this soup because it is lacking by itself. I want this move because the current location is lacking in itself. Metaphors for every occasion.

But today I think wanting is just that - wanting. I do not mean to discount wants. I believe someone had a similar conversation with me once or twice...I seem to be 2 years behind. *thoughtful chuckle* My wants are huge drivers. I am currently changing my eating habits and they are all about wants. So I guess waking up wanting in whatever sense is not surprising...food want or not. So this is what I came to...

I want. And sometimes what I want is not available to me or good for me or...fill in blank. So I simply can decide to want something else instead. And because wanting is not about lacking something - it is just about wanting - I do not have to feel badly about not fufilling it or feel the need to suffer over it, etc.

Sometimes I cannot have what I want - so I choose to want something else.

I want something I CAN have. Something I can feel good about having.

Grandmaster Champion BBQ at the Belted Cow

2009-10-07T20:54:00.001+02:00

What an amazing evening. I will give more details shortly on this Bite Club event but many thanks to Chef John Delpha of the Belted Cow and Suzanne Podheizer of 7 Days for a great event last night. The BBQ was amazing and the company smart and funny!

Here are some of the evening's highlights:

The Belted Cow - Table for 20

The Menu

A Southern Hunter's Brunch

The Chicken

The Pork Ribs - oops looks like I ate them too fast

The Pork

The Beef Brisket

more photos to come!

I Don't Like Mark Bittman

2009-10-06T17:00:00.000+02:00

What?!?! Huh!?!?!? That was my response to M's comment when I mentioned that I was going to make Mark Bittman's Spicy Shrimp for dinner. I am living with an insane person.

Now Mark is not the most charismatic guy or the most handsome to look at but that man can cook. In the space of a week, I have eaten two of his recipes and both were outstanding. My stepmother got me into Mark with his Spicy Shrimp recipe. It was so simple and was so fun to eat family style - I was hooked. And then I started reading his column in the NY Times and it was ON.

So here are the two recipes I tasted this week. Spicy Shrimp and his Southwestern Sweet Potato Salad. I have described my tweaks on the shrimp. Enjoy!

Spicy Shrimp - Mark Bittman

My tweaks....up the cayenne by half a tsp if you love spicy and I add about 2 TB of butter dotted around the pan. Serve with crusty french bread for dipping. Use left over shrimp in a green salad with a Lime Honey Vinegarette.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad - Mark Bittman

No more apple pie....

2009-09-29T16:22:00.000+02:00

On September 27th, Shelburne Orchard hosted its 7th annual Pie Fest. M and I entered two pies. Well I made both but he supervised. LOL We had been testing pies for over 4 weeks in preparation for the big day.

McIntosh, Pippin, Wolf, Paula Red....the list of apples goes on and on. My dining room table was covered in apples. I tried several kinds of crusts - All butter, butter and Crisco, butter and lard, butter and cream cheese.....butter butter butter.... The fillings were basic as the contest was a classic apple pie contest. M kept wanting to get fancy and I think ultimately wore himself out. For a man who does not like apples, he sure put away alot of apple pie. The ultimate compliment I think and I thank him for his tenacity.

I had a couple of meltdowns. Crust was not pretty enough...pie exhaustion. But we finished at 4am the day of the contest. Before I reveal the pics....here are my top tips.

All butter is the way to go - though it is the most difficult crust to deal with
Lattice tops DO count as double crust entries - we were not sure.
Lattice tops can hide alot of flaws
Pyrex glass pie pans are the best - they allow for the crust to brown on the bottom
I loved Pippin apples - firm and tasty - no falling apart in the pie
Put sugar in your crust - no question just do it.
Half and half wash over egg wash
Murray River salt is awesome!

Now the pictures.....

My pie - Classic Apple Pie

M's "Pie"

The Competition

The Mother of All Pies

So the real question - did we win? Sadly...no. But I know my pie was up there with the best. The judges came back a few times to retaste my pie. I need to work on my appearance...needs to be fancier. I will post the recipes later this week.

But I am now sick of apple pie. I keep finding dough all over my kitchen and I still have a whole bowl of apples left.

Happy Autumn!

Shelburne Orchards Apple Pie Contest

2009-09-14T17:08:00.000+02:00

I like pie. But pie scares me.

I don't make pies. Well, let me amend that. I make pies but only with Pillsbury premade pie crust. But usually I stay away from pies because I don't feel right about the cheat. Same way I don't like cakes out of a box.

This contest challenged me to make my own crust. M also joined in so we could do this together. We visited the orchard yesterday to scope out the apples available and to taste their version of an apple pie. The apple picking was lots of fun and their pie was...ok. So we feel we have a chance.

The evening began with a dining room table piled with different apples. M started on the filling spice mixture. He is very creative with tastes and loved mixing and then my tasting. He didn't always love my taste "faces". He loves ginger - I can only take ginger in moderation.

I had gathered pie crust recipes from a veteran pie maker - my step-mother and from a variety of favorite authors - Mark Bittman, America's Test Kitchen, etc. But I admit I was intimidated. My one and only pie crust attempt was in my early twenties and ended in disaster. A crust that had no taste and a chocolate pudding that gushed out after the first cut. My father and boyfriend at the time were very kind but I knew I made a mess of it. Not to mention the 3 pounds of chicken breasts drowning in dijon mustard sauce that made us all pucker our faces. I shudder just to think of it.

So I stood among a pile of butter, lard and Crisco waiting for the magic to begin. The Joy of Cooking recipe required butter and Crisco. Crisco scares me, but people swear by it for crusts. The second recipe was all butter. The food processor is a godsend people. Forget hand cutting - go get yourself a kitchen aid.

Tips for a great crust:

All fats need to be VERY VERY cold
Use your food processor
Watch the dough - it will tell you when it is ready
Ice water is critical to bring it together
Double your recipe

I rolled out the first crust and it was way to small for the double crust pie required by the contest. So I pieced it together swearing to myself the whole time. Oh if you don't know me...here is a unattractive flaw in my personality...

If I can't do something perfectly or close to perfect the first time I HATE DOING IT!!!!!!!

I usually can do things pretty good the first time...pie crust was not such a thing for me. I was snippy and bitchy and exasperated. M took a good beating like a champ and laughed at me for being a perfectionist.

I apologized. And then the pie came out of the oven. The crust looked good and tasted flakey and delicious. Next time - double the recipe and voila! I will take those 80 year grannies down. *smirk*

See M - I am close to perfect! Lucky man.

More pies to come!

Love, Your Vermont Apple Pie Bitch - A

Green Chicken Chili - Wednesday night dinner.

2009-09-11T19:30:00.000+02:00

My mother made this dish first and then I perfected it. Oh I know its ON mom and I say bring it!!!!! :-)

Green Chicken Chili - serving: A nice big pot full!

2 large onions, chopped

3 TB Olive oil

8 medium size white potatoes, chopped into smallish cubes - think bite size

3 large poached or grilled chicken breasts

1 and a half jars of green tomatillo salsa (Frontera is a good brand but I made my own which was way easy)

1 /2 packet of chicken chili seasoning

3 cans of white beans, drained and rinsed (cannelini or kidney)

1 - 2 cups of of chicken stock

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add potatoes. When potatoes are firm but moving towards soft, drain and hold aside.
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onions and saute until they are mostly clear and soft. Add chicken cubes and mix together.
Add beans and salsa and stir.
Add potatoes and chili seasoning.
If chili is too thick, add small amounts of chicken stock until it is the right consistancy.
Let simmer for about an hour but you can eat right away if you like.
When ready to serve, add chopped cilantro and mix.

Serve with sour cream and extra cilantro. I also serve with crusty bread and Dos Equis Mexican beer.

Slow Food Tomato Fest 2009 - Thanks to Anonymous David!

2009-09-10T22:54:00.000+02:00

This looks delightful. Calling out to all my Chicago friends and family. Please check this out! I am so jealous. Thanks David for pointing this out. Maybe next year....sigh.

Slow Food Tomato Fest 2009

Too many apples....

2009-09-10T22:08:00.004+02:00

Well it is well known that men's eyes are bigger than their stomachs. This is why I have a huge bowl of Vermont apples idling away in my largest bowl. Despite promises to consume these lovely fruits from the men of the household...the bowl remains full. So it is up to me to make this right.

In keeping with my current interest in Gluten free cooking, I give you Maple Apple Crisp.

Maple Apple Crisp - serves 8

7 tart apples, peeled, cored, sliced
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 TB. maple syrup
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, room temp.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix apples, lemon juice, vanilla and maple syrup. Toss to coat.
Layer apples in a 9 x 12 inch glass pan.
Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and oatmeal in bowl. Cut in butter to make pea size pieces. Sprinkle over apples.
Bake 45 minutes until golden brown and crispy
Serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream

Oh yum...cheesy bites that are REAL cheese.

2009-08-31T18:39:00.002+02:00

I am dieting. *sigh* I said it and just as I said it - I found these. I may have to take a day off.

Shy Brothers Farm - Hannahbells

Evil evil people.

Here is the NYTimes article written by Satan to tempt me.

It worked.

A Plethora of Tomatoes

2009-08-25T22:49:00.003+02:00

The CSA is burying us in tomatoes. I have never been a big fan of tomatoes or should I say raw tomatoes. Something about the squishy seedy texture. I avoided them for a long time. To be fair to myself, the typical tomato is a sad tasteless thing.

America has killed the tomato. *bows head*

Or so I thought....then the Heirloom varieties raised their ugly, deformed little heads. Purple...green...blood red...maroon...shaped like brains or tumors and oh so delicious.

One of my favorites salads is the Italian Insalata Panzanella. But in the past I would pick around the tomatoes and feast on the dressing coated bread. But Heirlooms have made that behavior a thing of the past.

*angels sing* Here is the recipe and this....is what I will eat ALL WEEK. Amen.

Insalata Panzanella

Salad for 2

1 Ciabatta or any dense peasant bread (probably not best with a seeded bread)
8 oz. fresh heirloom tomatoes (get a really ugly one!), chopped in chunks - not too small now
1T. red wine vinegar
fresh lemon juice
small bell pepper, sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/3 red onion, sliced
Fresh basil
1/2 avocado
2T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Rub your salad bowl with the raw garlic clove. Toss the bell pepper, the tomatoes and the red onion in the bowl. Sprinkle salt/pepper over tomatoes. Slice the avocado on top and add the basil.

Dressing - mix the vinegar, lemon juice and oil together. Add chunked bread to bowl. Pour dressing over salad. Toss and eat.

And IT'S ON!!!!!!!!

2009-08-06T22:43:00.001+02:00

My submission for the Newman's Own summer recipe contest.

Newman’s Own Lighten Up! Italian Grilled Vegetable Salad

Serves/Makes: 6 Prep: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
8 ounces boxed couscous
2 red peppers – sliced into 1inch chunks
1 green pepper – sliced into 1 inch chunks
1 red onion - sliced into 1 inch chunks
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
2 teaspoons roasted minced garlic (available in your produce section by the jarred garlic) - optional
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup Newman’s Own Lighten Up! Salad Dressing
4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

Wooden skewers

Directions:
Prep and heat grill for vegetables.

Cook couscous according to package directions. Set aside and cool.

Toss the red and green peppers and the red onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt and pepper. Slide the vegetable chunks (kabob style) onto wood skewers. Place the skewers on a hot grill until vegetables have grill marks and are softened. Approx. 10 minutes.

Add grilled vegetables, fresh spinach, oregano, parsley, lemon juice, and the Newman’s dressing to the couscous and toss mixture. Chill salad for 1 hour.

Toss with Feta cheese before serving.

Stress.

2009-08-05T20:18:00.000+02:00

Sometimes only a cheese pizza and cold Pepsi will do.

Gluten-Free Girl and her Blueberry Polenta Pancakes

2009-08-04T19:18:00.004+02:00

Gluten free cooking is a bit out of the norm for me. I am all carbs all the time and going without wheat just seems - well whats the point? But I do understand that some people avoid it from an intolerance standpoint.

My friend B is not friend of gluten and came to stay for the weekend. I wanted to do my famous Sunday breakfast for her but alas my pancakes were on the NO list. So I went looking for some GF alternatives.

Gluten Free Girl is good at what she does and she does a lot of GF cooking. Here is a link to her recipe for Blueberry Polenta pancakes. A few notes:

Very tasty - rave reviews
Being gluten free - the cakes do not rise well. So expect a flat pancake not fluffy
I would make a blueberry compote (recipe below) for topping instead of putting the blueberries in the batter. They tend to just be bulky and not evenly distributed due to the flatness of the pancake
Butter is key - don't leave it out!

Alise's Blueberry Maple Compote

2 cups of fresh or frozen blue berries
1 cup Vermont maple syrup
1 TB of corn starch or King Arthur's Signature Secrets Culinary Thickener
squeeze of fresh lemon for brightness or 1tsp. almond extract

In a saucepan, heat blueberries and syrup until the berries burst. Add the thickening agent - if you are using the King Arthur product just add directly to the blueberry mixture. If you are using corn starch, dissolve in 2 tablespoons of water before adding.

Remove the pan from heat and add the lemon or the extract. Serve warm.

LUNCH!!!!

2009-08-04T19:05:00.005+02:00

Homemade chili with leftovers mixed in - grilled zucchini, red beans and rice and leftover steak
Adam's Village Seed Bread with Doe's Leap goat cheese spread with garlic chives
Watermelon chunks
Ice tea

Last night, we picked purple beans from the CSA. Made a fresh bean salad on the fly.

Cold Lemon Purple Bean Salad

3 cups purple beans, trimmed
12 half medium red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Blanch the beans for 30 seconds in boiling water. You want them to stay crisp! Add the other ingredients and toss.

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in jar with lid and shake vigorously. Add to vegetable mixture and toss.

And today is a brand new day...

2009-06-22T18:11:00.002+02:00

Just back from NYC...will have some food reviews to post. Also, its CSA day! Will post tonight.

Her Competitive Nature Comes Out

2009-06-17T18:32:00.003+02:00

I am itching for a fight. No...a showdown...NO a Dinner Impossible episode!!!!!!! I have thought about competitively cooking for a while. Visions of me in a white apron holding that fabulous pie/cake/entree/appetizer and humbly accepting that WHOPPING check while my fellow contestants look on with seething envy.

"How does she do it? It tastes like pure heaven. Bitch.", they mumble under their breath.

Of course, I am there just for the pure joy of cooking - the money and the admiration are nothing next to the satisfaction I feel from just nourishing my fellow human beings. *sigh*

Of course those who know me are now crying BULLSHIT and they would be right. I have a mean competitive streak. Even the other night it lead me to tormenting a 12 year old after wiping up the floor with him at UNO. Hey, he was the one that started talking smack first. But I digress...

Cooking contests...I am ready to join in on the fray. I have won one contest for some Thai spiced nuts - insert Keith Carradine joke here - I will post the recipe later on. But I need more...maybe the country fair in the fall...but that is too far away. I am scouring this web site for possible options. Anyone got any they think I should go for?

The Dressing Makes All the Difference

2009-06-17T18:18:00.004+02:00

So since receiving these lovely (though I have to admit also gritty) salad greens, it has felt a bit...um...sacriligious to put regular goopy store bought dressing on their delicate leaves. Inspired by my step mother who has a famous old Grey Poupon jar that doubles as a salad dressing maker, I make a fabulous EASY dressing for almost any type of salad.

Honey Mustard Dressing by Yours Truly (psssst...thats me)

1 TB Grey Poupon Country Dijon mustard (yes yes I have tried others including the REAL french ones and NOPE not even close)
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. fresh chopped garlic
2 tsp. honey
pinch of salt and pepper

Now all of these measurements are subject to your personal taste. I say add all the items and then start adding more and tasting along the way. Some people like a more tart taste - more vinegar. Others - more sweet hence more honey.

If you are really fancy - blend them all in a blender for a really creamy dressing. I prefer a jam jar and the old "shake" method = less dishes to wash. I can also keep the extra in the fridge for the next day.

I encourage you to dress the salad as opposed to just pouring it over the greens and eating. Greens really don't need a lot of help to taste good. So go easy and toss the greens lightly with some dressing. Soggy leaves are nasty - even if its with this fabulous dressing.

Enjoy!

A

First PickUp from Bread and Roses

2009-06-16T17:48:00.004+02:00

What a lovely way to close a day. I arrived just at the tail end of pick up. Here is the list of delights that I picked.

1/2 pd. Arugula

1/2 pd Mixed greens

3/4 pd Spinach

Radishes
Turnips

1 huge bunch of Choi

Does Leap Goat Cheese

Jerico organic eggs
Garlic Chives

Last night's dinner: Adam's 7 seed bread, Does Leap goat cheese, garlic chives, Malden Smoked Salt flakes and a lovely mixed greens salad.

Maybe a roadtrip down south - y'all?

2009-06-11T21:36:00.002+02:00

As I looked over the last few postings I noticed a trend my posts...BBQ. Here is an article from the NY Times on South Carolina BBQ. Mmmmmmm.....

Scott’s Variety Store and Bar-B-Q in Hemingway, S.C.

Oh this must be my problem!

2009-06-11T15:35:00.000+02:00

http://consumerist.com/5285728/take-currency-symbols-off-the-menu-restaurant-patrons-spend-more

Westford Farmer's Market Opens Tomorrow!

2009-06-11T14:55:00.004+02:00

I am so excited my town's farmers market opens tomorrow. My neighbor Mark is the local bread supplier - Mollybean Breads - named after his precocious daughter Molly. That little blond girl walked right up to my door and invited herself in. I have cats you see. :-)

Also, Bread and Roses CSA will be there. I signed up for the small share with the weekly dose of Doe's Leap Goat Cheese. Consuming more goat milk than cow's milk nowadays.

Come on out! Then off to the Burlington Farmers Market on Saturday. I am in heaven!

Westford Farmers Market - Friday 3:30pm - 6:30pm

The Quest for BBQ

2009-06-10T17:39:00.006+02:00

I have loved BBQ since I was little. My grandmothers were from North Carolina and they made that delicious peppery-vinegar BBQ. Top it with some coleslaw on a squishy white bun and you were in heaven. My grandmothers have both passed but my mother carries on the tradition but with her own flair - gourmet buns, more hot sauce then my grandmothers would have thought proper and her own stellar coleslaw.

But as I grew older the saucy BBQ of Texas also caught me. That lovely beef with a slight carmelization and then doused with sweet and tangy sauce. Um....um...where am I? Oh yeah BBQ.

Vermont has amazing food. We do. Local...fresh...tasty. But a little lacking in spice. So when I heard of a new BBQ place in Waterbury opening up - I convinced M to take a ride. (it was really hard I tell you - "Hey want to go for BBQ?" *his eyes glazed over and he reached for the keys*.

The name of the place escaped me...I mean Waterbury ain't that big. The place proclaimed to have excellent BBQ and southern sides. We traveled to Waterbury and no luck. Thanks to M's web phone we found LocalFolk Smokehouse in Waitsfield. The place was a lovely dive for bikers. $2 dollar drafts - a bonus for M and quick service.

The menu read like a typical Smokehouse. Combo plates of ribs (pork), pulled pork, BBQ chicken. Sides - mac and cheese, baked beans, slaw. The decor was very divish and rustic - as they should be though my chair was a bit rickety and seeing as I was about to consume large amounts of BBQ made me nervous.

We started with grilled andouille sausage. M is a big sausage fan and for me it is a guilty pleasure after reading Upton Sinclair's The Jungle one too many times. "How many workers lost fingers in the making of this sausage?" The sausage was ok but I wanted more spice in mine. So - Grade C.

We ordered the Pork Ribs and the Pulled pork with Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans and Slaw. I missing one side and maybe M will help me out. Can we hear the WAWAHHHHH please?

No carmelization on the ribs or the pulled. The sauce was ok - tangy like I like it. But the ribs were tough not fall of the bone as is expected. The pulled pork was the better part of the meal but still lacked those lovely crispy bits. The side were poor. Greasy mac and cheese, so so baked beans, slaw that had NO seasoning - the cardinal sin!

We left disappointed. Good dive bar for a good beer and fun location but skip the food.

Luckily I found the name of the bbq place in Waterbury - Cider House BBQ. Stay tuned for Thrusday night's bbq adventure.

On the menu at home tonight - stuffed chicken breasts with goat cheese, baby spinach, sun dried tomatoes over salad greens.

A

The Dead Have Arisen!

2009-06-04T22:22:00.001+02:00

And they have risen in Burlington, Vermont. Hi all....its been a while. But I am ready to start blogging again.

I won't go over the last 6 months in detail. The bare facts are...I live in Westford, Vermont in a beautiful, cute saltbox house in the woods. I have a newly planted herb garden and I am now starting to cook regularly.

So we are off....tonight since there is a dearth of good Mexican food I will be attempting healthy chicken enchiladas!

Wish me luck... A

Maple Syrup anyone?

2008-08-18T19:49:00.000+02:00

So its official...my new title is to be Alise Brasch - flatlander. I will be moving to Vermont in mid-October. Home of Green Mountains, the Fresh Network, City Market, American Flatbread and the very patient M. Look for a change in scenary for the blog. And thanks to everyone for the well wishes and support.

The Omnivore's One Hundred - A challenge

2008-08-18T12:15:00.005+02:00

Ok. Some of the items on this list are a bit daunting - others a no brainer. The UK blog Very Good Taste has issued a challenge. Are you up for it?

Here’s what I want you to do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results.

Here is my list.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison - yes. Tom Bennett's house in college. They told me it was steak then Tom leaned over and whispered "How's Bambi?

2. Nettle tea

3. Huevos rancheros - spicy morning goodness - like my eggs scrambled please

4. Steak tartare - Fritzls in Lake Zurich - shared it with my uncle. I loved the spicy mustard and shallots that came with it. Come to think of it - I love ANYTHING with mustard and shallots as a side (pate!)

5. Crocodile

6. Black pudding

7. Cheese fondue - ohhhhh one of my favorites. Started at Geja's at the age of 14 - its been downhill ever since!

8. Carp

9. Borscht - Miss Brandy's borscht - sitting in her lovely abode and slurping her bright pink soup.

10. Baba ghanoush - not loving the eggplant

11. Calamari

12. Pho - Tank Noodle on Argyle.

13. PB&J sandwich - WHO doesn't love it?

14. Aloo gobi1

5. Hot dog from a street cart - I keep breaking my 1 hot dog a year rule. I love hot dogs.

16. Epoisses

17. Black truffle - yum

18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes - Blueberry wine from Vermont.

19. Steamed pork buns - WOW BAO and long walks in the blue city

20. Pistachio ice cream

21. Heirloom tomatoes - the only tomato I like

22. Fresh wild berries - sweet strawberries

23. Foie gras - Le Francais for my grandfather's 90th. I would rather eat pate.

24. Rice and beans - like mine soupy and in New Orleans

25. Brawn, or head cheese - I think I accidently ate this in Germany. It was cold and nasty.

26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper - do I dare?

27. Dulce de leche - from a spoon!

28. Oysters - Oysters Rockafeller after graduating from Clams Casino. Remember those summer motobike rides? Mmmmmm....

29. Baklava - Deb's baklava

30. Bagna cauda

31. Wasabi peas - make my nose run

32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl - I''ll take the bowl

33. Salted lassi

34. Sauerkraut - just starting to appreciate this sourness

35. Root beer float - pass on the root beer

36. Cognac with a fat cigar - I could get into this one but I will take hand rolled cigarittos please

37. Clotted cream tea - yum

38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O - New Orleans Bourben Street - '08

39. Gumbo - see above

40. Oxtail

41. Curried goat

42. Whole insects

43. Phaal

44. Goat’s milk - does cheese count?

45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more

46. Fugu - risk your life for this one?

47. Chicken tikka masala - Hema's on Oakley.

48. Eel

49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut - only warm they suck cold

50. Sea urchin

51. Prickly pear - prickly pear shakes

52. Umeboshi

53. Abalone

54. Paneer - again Hema's

55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal - Big Mac's are just TOO MUCH

56. Spaetzle - my family's comfort food

57. Dirty gin martini

58. Beer above 8% ABV

59. Poutine - really bad Poutine in the Montreal airport.

60. Carob chips - a little dusty but not bad

61. S’mores - i hate all marshmellows except burnt ones in this combo

62. Sweetbreads

63. Kaolin

64. Currywurst - Blue's favorite

65. Durian - smelled this in Thailand - reeked right out of the plastic. Heard it tastes like custard

66. Frogs’ legs

67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake - yes to all please

68. Haggis - I think Brandy loved this one

69. Fried plantain - these are so good with rice and beans

70. Chitterlings, or andouillette

71. Gazpacho - All kinds are wonderful. I remember watermelon gazpacho from that place.

72. Caviar and blini - salty and overrated

73. Louche absinthe - been dying to try this stuff

74. Gjetost, or brunost

75. Roadkill - does eating at the Roadkill cafe in Sturgis count??

76. Baijiu

77. Hostess Fruit Pie - apple.

78. Snail - chewy and lots of garlic and butter

79. Lapsang souchong - lovely tea

80. Bellini - not loving the peach

81. Tom yum - oh yes - just tried this in the last few years. I love coconut milk.

82. Eggs Benedict - scramble the egg

83. Pocky - I remember sharing pocky - could have gone through boxes and boxes. Like the almond chocolate ones.

84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.

85. Kobe beef - Top Australian chef at a lovely Thai restaurant

86. Hare

87. Goulash - Kuhn's for Sunday dinner

88. Flowers - almost too lovely to eat

89. Horse - almost in Montreal. Blue was up for it - I wasn't

90. Criollo chocolate

91. Spam - NO NO NO

92. Soft shell crab - freaks me out. Eating the endoskeleton. But I will eat eggs - go figure

93. Rose harissa

94. Catfish

95. Mole poblano - rain, centro, deserted restaurant. feet out windows

96. Bagel and lox

97. Lobster Thermidor - a version at Vermillion - not a big hit

98. Polenta - oh yes

99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee - not as great as I thought

100. Snake

New Orleans Roadtrip

2008-04-05T14:47:00.009+02:00

I have always loved road trips. Something about touching 5 states in a small amount of time - whether by car or motobike has always thrilled me. In the car, it is the challenge of filling 14 hours with conversation and finding the best pie. Motobike gave me temperature changes and the ultimate test of how long my ass could hold out.

M and I decided to roadtrip down to NOLA for K and E's wedding. I loved the idea - M made faces about 14 hours in the car. We started out late on Wednesday after a lovely breakfast at Southport Grocery. A bit frustrating for me as they did not have my beloved peppadews. I believe I asked if they indeed had them, received an affirmative and then received a salad without them. M thought my frustration was very amusing.

We went straight to Memphis and arrived in time for dinner. As is totally uncharacteristic for me, I had forgotten all my research and we had no clue as to dinner locations. We did know we wanted BBQ - hey its Memphis! M did a quick search on the GPS and lo and behold there was Neeley's. Some of you know Neeley's from the Food Network - family does BBQ. So again I was excited. M was exhausted from listening to my mouth run for 7 hours. And you didn't think I talked much... *smirk*

We ordered the combination platter - brisket, pulled pork, and ribs. It also came with the lovely fatty sides - mac and cheese, cole slaw, etc. The brisket was dry - a disappointment after missing Miss N's brisket this holiday season. The pulled pork was yummy and the ribs were also good. A bit disappointing for so much hype. M and I both agreed we needed more sauce. Maybe its the northerners in us. I was craving the peach cobbler but felt overstuffed as is.

Onto New Orleans....more to come.

Wish List: May Street Market

2008-02-21T22:21:00.001+01:00

So how does a Maytag Blue Cheesecake starter sound? Heard great things about this place. Maybe next weekend.

May Street Market

Alternatives to the Lean Cuisine

2008-02-21T20:02:00.007+01:00

Ok. I am not a huge fan of the frozen meal. But I have been known to eat a Mac and Cheese Lean Cuisine in an effort to not totally blow my diet and as a way to appease that fat, cheesy craving. I do, however, realize they really are crap and not a great way to fuel my body at work.

Finally, I have found some frozen meals I like and are actually good for me.

I am a fan of Amy's Organics. Her Tamale Pie and Shepard's Pie (vegetarian) are very tasty and low in fat. So check those out.

My favorite frozen meal is Kashi Frozen dinners.

You might know Kashi from their whole grain cereals. Fibery to the point of twiggy but a real hit with my Weight Watchers and health nut cohorts. They also make tasty frozen meals.

Lemongrass Coconut Chicken is very good. As is the Chicken Pomodoro. Lots of fiber as would be expected of Kashi but they also taste very fresh. Lots of vegetables - limited amounts of meat.

The only drawback is they are a bit pricey. Whole Foods have them for $4.99 - Target for $2.69 I think. I usually try to fix my lunch but these are great in a pinch.

Please let me know if you have tried others that you like. They also have pizza! But I think that would be just too much for me. Can you supersize this please?

Where or where are the Peppadews?

2008-02-19T16:30:00.005+01:00

I love them...I can't find them. They have disappeared from my favorite salad at the Southport Grocery - Prosciutto Salami Fig Salad.

I had lunch there on Friday and waiting with anticipation. Oooohhhh that salty, spicy, sweet goodness! I like a bite that includes a pepper (only half), a small piece of cheese, and dipped in the tart fig dressing. It is the best. So I waited eagerly...the plate was set down and DISAPPOINTMENT!!!!! Just some limp roasted peppers.

WTF people! I don't ask for much. Just my damn Peppadews. Sorry we are out. Bait and switch - pout.

These wonderful peppers are from South Africa. Sweet and spicy and usually marinated in vinegar. I used to find them in the olive bar at Whole Foods. Then I saw a jarred version at Fox and Obel and then poof.

Please someone help me....where can I find the peppadews!?!??!

Cabbage Hash - Mom Style

2008-02-13T17:38:00.007+01:00

So my mother recently came to visit me. I seem to have my food habits from my mother. We both love southern comfort - cut our teeth on it actually. But we both are a little too vain to just let ourselves eat to the point that they have to cut us out of the trailer. So we have this strange love/hate thing with food. We both make decadent food and then ask ourselves out of eating it. So during her last visit I asked her to help me make some healthy meals.

A side note: My mother is a fabulous cook. See past posts for more of her mighty tasty recipes.

Cabbage Hash: Simple, healthy but tastes so good!
1 head of cabbage, shredded
1 turkey kielbasa, diced
2 red peppers, diced
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large dutch oven and add 2 tsp olive oil. Add the turkey sausage and onions. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add red pepper and saute until softened. Lower heat to medium, Add cabbage and saute until soft cabbage is soft. Add more oil if the cabbage is slow to soften. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lots of fiber - plus salty and a little sweet from the red pepper!

So its been a while...

2008-02-12T17:51:00.001+01:00

My relationship with food has been a bit contankerous over the last few months so please forgive the hiatus. When one seeks food for comfort and to fill voids that really should be filled in another way...writing a food blog can be a bit complicated.

But I digress...in an effort to shift my experience of food I have focused on healthy options. There will still be plenty of yummy bad food too. ;-) But all things in balance...can you tell I am in therapy? LOL

This Christmas I received two wonderful food related gifts...

1. A delicious raw food chocolate pie from JB. I do not have his recipe but I think this is similar...don't be put off by the avocados. This is extremely decadent and amazingly healthy!

Avocado Chocolate Pie

2. And TIVO. How is Tivo food related? Almost all the programs I record are from the Food Network. I am now addicted to Nigella Express and Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger. Ellie has a fabulous new cookbook out. Highly recommended!

Later..my mom's healthy cabbage hash!

Sturgis Bike Rally - A food wasteland

2007-08-16T03:01:00.001+02:00

Welcome back from the food wasteland that is Sturgis, South Dakota.

I enjoy almost any "free" trip - business or pleasure - regardless of the destination. It is a chance to enjoy a different location's delicacies - so I say send me anywhere!

As a last minute trip, I was sent to Sturgis to report back on my company's promotion for the Sturgis Bike Rally. Harley Davidson riders rejoice! I am a BMW girl myself. Indoctrinated into the cult by JB years ago. So the Harley scene was foreign to me as was South Dakota.

So good little foodie that I am, I did my food homework. Some suggestions in Rapid city (flew in there), then nothing. NOTHING for Sturgis. I should have known.

I headed out to Sturgis on sunday morning only to find myself stranded in the Denver airport. The Red Rock Bar was suggested for beer and so I headed there thinking alcohol. The trip was turning out to be a bear and I wanted a margarita. I also was starving and ordered bbq'd brisket. I am a huge fan of brisket since my step mom is a fantastic chef in the way of brisket.

Ugh - good margarita, run from the brisket. Chewy, nasty and too sweet. I wolfed it down anyways and staggered out to wait for my next flight out.

My trip was off to a bad start and it was not destined to get better. These eyes have seen sights and these tastebuds have tasted things that no woman should ever be subjected to at the age of 36.

Sturgis was a carnie's haven. Funnel cake, fried everything, The Famous "Infamous" Roadkill Cafe where yours truly ate Green Chile Buffalo Cheese Fries while watching a 16 year old with painted on stars for nipples and wearing a leather g-string that rode up in places that made me squirm.

The grocery store was anti-fresh fruit and whole grain. SD is beautiful - the food horrific. Rapid City lent some veggies and fresh fruit at one of the only slow food establishments. Portobello sandwich, fresh fruit, glass of Rose. I entered the Delmonico Grill and asked 2 questions.

Do you have vegetables and are they fried?

Yes and no.

I almost cried.

And so goes Sturgis, SD.

Off to Sturgis, South Dakota

2007-08-02T22:22:00.000+02:00

I should have some great food stories from the Black Hills. Sorry about the lag time in posting. I have to work the event for work. Talk soon!

Vegging in San Francisco

2007-04-05T20:25:00.000+02:00

So last weekend I headed out to see Mom in San Francisco. My parents have a great house on the canal in Foster City, Ca. I got to sit and read and sun my toes all weekend.

My mother has a great love of food also. So when left to our devices, we shop and eat. Pure decadence. My mother and I always agree on food. So we made reservations at our 2 favorite places. Greens and Millenium. One vegetarian and one vegan. Both are some of the best restaurants in the US.

Neither one of us are strict vegetarians but we love THINKING that we are eating healthy even if its just an illusion.

Saturday night was Greens. I made a reservation using Open Table. If you haven't joined, give it a try. I rack up tons of points by choosing the 1000 pt reservation times. The restaurants are never crowded and I get a keen gift certificate in no time. We arrived at 6:45, a perfect time to catch the sunset over the Golden Gate from a table by the window.

Saturday nights are prix fix at Greens. I ordered a sparkling Rose and mom had Might Leaf chamomile tea. (another fav!) We started with pickled vegetables and a cheesy rice cake with creme fraiche. Both were delicious. I am sorry I didn't take pictures but I didn't want to be distracted from eating.

For dinner, mom had a vegetable curry and I have the filo pockets stuffed with fresh vegetables, tomato sauce and cheese. Both were incredibly flavorful and not what you expect from a vegetarian offering. Too many vegetarians plates are bland and lifeless. The key to vegetarian cooking is spice and not overcooking the vegetables.

Dessert was a fromage blanco cheesecake for me and a Meyer Lemon layer cake for mom. Both were so rich we couldn't finish.

The next night was a trip to Eric Tucker's Millineum.

I started the evening with a Strawberry Mojito. Incredibly delicious and I love the strawberries in CA.

Here was our menu.

Zaatar & Garlic Spiced Hand-Cut Frittes with whole grain mustard aioli - AMAZING I could just eat these.
Grilled Asparagus Salad with little gem lettuce, creamy pink peppercorn "ranch", sun dried tomato relish, crisp spring garlic chip
Strawberry Salad with pecans and red wine vinegarette
Seared Emerald Rice CakeIndonesian red coconut curry with winter root vegetables, lemongrass tofu, bok choy & shiitake mushrooms, pineapple sambal, toasted peanuts

Sesame Brown Rice for mom

Chocolate Almond Midnight with almond cashew crust, mocha chocolate filling, raspberry sauce, white chocolate mousse

Sweet Ending - assorted truffles & house-made cookies

Too much great food....good to see mom and good to relax.

Sharpening Our Skills at the Chopping Block

2007-04-05T20:08:00.000+02:00

As a Christmas present I gave N a knife skills class for the both of us at the Chopping Block. They have great classes at the Merchandise Mart in the Loop. The basic class would give us an overview of the different brands and kinds of knives.

I am partial to my Global knife given to me by mom last Valentine's Day. A beautiful Santoku. Light, ergonomic and just oh so cool. Our chef Eric, was very funny and extremely talented with the HUGE German knives. These were just too intimidating and heavy for me. But we learned the proper way to slice, dice and julienne.

I finally learned how to slice an onion evenly and without fear of amputation.

N and I had a blast. Nothing like good company and sharp pointy objects.

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

2007-03-28T03:08:00.000+02:00

So its been a while. The past 10 days have been filled to the brim with the flu, a wicked cold, and a rabid job search. Needless to say my appetite has been non-existent. Good for my waist line not so good for my reading audience.

My diet has involved only bananas, white bread, and the occasional hand delivered soup. I did have a lovely paparadelle meat pasta at La Bocca de Verita on the North side last weekend. It is right up there with their chicken Marsala. Though I do believe that mine is better.

But thats about it. Oh and I had a bowlful of Cocoa Krispies tonight for dinner. It was crunchy but I didn't taste much else.

Hopefully, I will find my direction and taste buds soon. Life can be pretty bland if you can't savor the good bites.

Miss G and Her Love of CAKE

2007-03-17T07:53:00.000+01:00

Miss G is the precocious 3 year old of my dear friend A. I have never been one for children but G has charmed me. Feisty, funny and fabulous. And G has a serious love of cake. Each time I have seen her devour cake she either whispers reverently as the cake is revealed "oooo cake" or shouts joyously and LOUDLY "CAKE"!!!!!!!!!!!!

G and I are cut from the same cloth. And the cake? A decadent SWEET SWEET SWEET Cookie Dough Pie from Oberweis Dairy. Complete with whip cream, mini m&ms, and cookie dough ice cream.

G recommends picking off the m&ms first, then eating the whipped cream with your fingers (after dotting her nose and mine with the cream) and then digging into the ice cream itself.

Make sure to sing "cake cake cake" as loud as you can also.

Happy 3rd B-day Miss G.

Three Days and 65 Degrees in the Windy City

2007-03-17T07:40:00.000+01:00

I met M when I was 7 years old. I was a tyranical wanna be actress/director and M patiently participated in my plays and indulged my need for drama as an only child. M then disappeared leaving a very sad 7 year old without a cast for her next Tony award winning play.

Years later, M appeared at my high school. Grown up, dj'ing at our school radio and helping me limp through Geology by cheating off his amazingly sharp grasp of anything rock-based. We were fast friends again.

M disappeared after high school for a while but we met up again online while researching our 10th reunion. We met once in person about 10 years ago and then it was a steady check-in of phone calls.

This week, M came to Chicago to see his father, his grand parents and me. We shared many great meals, one at my favorite Vermillion and at West Town Tavern. He ordered a "Suri" at WTT and I was impressed with his choice. Great walks around the city and a wonderful time was had.

Thank you M for coming to Chicago. You have been missed.

Fellow Rice Cooker Addict and All Around Spicy Gal

2007-03-09T22:11:00.000+01:00

As soon as I posted my rice cooker praise, Miss Brandy e-mailed me with this post from her friend Cinnamon. I have met Cinnamon several times and find her to be very sweet and amazingly creative. She makes beautiful purses.

Cinnamon also has written about the almighty rice cooker for Gaper's Block. She has some really great, simple recipes.

See I am not alone. :-)

Feed me - I'm SICK!

2007-03-09T17:03:00.000+01:00

It's flu season and even though JB and I had our flu shots, we seemed to have both caught some strange virus. Mine caused me to sleep non-stop for three days and JB's played havoc with his insides. So how does food come into all of this? JB needed a more sedate diet to help him recover. His request? Rice.

I hate making rice. It's just hard to get rice right. Mine comes out too chewy, too mushy...too too and those bags are just messy. So low and behold I was watching PBS and there was a cooking show touting the benefits of a rice cooker. Since I never was a rice fan - I steered away from this gadget. My kitchen is not that big so I need to watch what I buy. But I watched in fascination when I learned you cook almost everything in a rice cooker. Not to mention that I could CURE JB with my fabulous cooking. Strange fantasy I have - ALISE CURES CANCER WITH STICKY BUN RECIPE!!!!!!!!!

So I bought a Rival 3 Cup Rice Cooker from Target. $14.99 and a bright cherry red. A very cute appliance if I might say so myself.

I made this dish all in the rice cooker. Clean up was so easy and JB loved the result. The spices were toned down in his version - hence the sick food - so add more than I have listed here.

All in One Pot Comfort Meal
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups organic, free range chicken stock
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast - bite size pieces
Tamari sauce to taste
Salt and pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Add the rice and chicken stock as instructed by your rice cooker. If you have a steamer, place on top of the rice mixture. If you do not have a steamer, it works to just put the vegetables on the rice/broth. Layer your veggies - placing the garlic on the very top of the heap. Then add your chicken pieces. The goal is to cook the chicken on top of the veggies infusing the chicken with the extra flavor. Turn rice cooker on. About 10 minutes before the cooker turns off add your peas. Peas only need to be heated up.

Note: Some may gasp at putting raw chicken on top of the other ingredients. *JB did. The steam will cook the chicken thoroughly and bring all of the ingredients to a very high temperature. Just make sure to check your chicken by cutting into the thicker pieces for doneness. No pinkness should be left in the chicken. This is a wise thing to do with ALL chicken dishes.

We loved this dish. The chicken was very tender. The rice was perfect. For well eaters, add more spices to the dish. Here is a link to some excellent rice cooker recipes I intend to try.

Alise's Mom's Cream Cheese Poundcake

2007-03-08T21:02:00.000+01:00

Every October, my mom calls me from California and asks what I want for Christmas. I always rack my brain and try to think of something I need. To be truthful - there is not much I need. I am very fortunate to have all my needs met - so that makes Christmas purely about wants. I try to have balance. Some for me - some for charity and some years I win out and some years charities win. Last year I won.

I asked my mother for a bound book full of her favorite recipes and some of our family favorites. She made a face. As soon as the request was out of my mouth I WAS REALLY EXCITED! You would have thought I said diamonds. This gift was perfect. It was me and it would be something I could pass on -- to -- to -- to my cats. Mom was not as thrilled. LOVED the idea of it...not thrilled about the work. But I pestered, I whined, I became 8 again. And it worked!

A beautiful leather bound book of family recipes - complete with family anecdotes. "Everyone loved this one in the 70's!" "Your grandmother always served this at parties". Here is the breakdown of what treasures I received.

Mom's recipes: All her favorites - mostly healthy or California inspired and my childhood favorites. Meatloaf, etc. She truly is a magnificent cook. Oh, she also told to me to tell you that she also took me to Greens and Millenium for the first time AND steered me towards organics. Thanks mom. ;-)

My grandmothers recipes - both great grandma and mama: Tipsy Cake (remind me to post around Christmas - yes, it does indeed make you tipsy), her biscuits, and other Southern favorites

My Aunt J's favorites: It was a lovely surprise to see her handwriting and her comments. My favorite aunt on my mom's side. Hopefully she will send some more of her wonderful recipes.

My Stepdad's Mom: Candied Orange Peel - B's favorite from when he was a kid.

My Aunt A: One of my favorite memories of Aunt A was her roast beef hash. I loved it. Everytime I flew to see her, I requested this dish. I was a bit disappointed when I realized it was straight from a can. But that's my aunt A for you.

This was the best gift - it has blank pages and I have started adding my own. Mom has promised to add more each year.

Recently, I had the privilege of cooking for my mom in an effort to speed her recovery from shoulder surgery. We had a great time. She watched me cook and asked questions. I loved every minute of that exhausting night. I was able to take care of her in a way that I knew would help her.

Thank you mom for the book and for all that you give me. See you soon!

Love, A

Mom's Cream Cheese Poundcake
INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups white sugar
6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (thrown in a bit more for me if you like!)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.
3. Add eggs two at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour all at once and mix in. Add vanilla.
4. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness at 1 hour. A toothpick inserted into center of cake will come out clean.

My Name is Alise and I am a Vanillaholic.

2007-03-08T19:55:00.000+01:00

HELLO ALISE!

So after my recent blog, I went on a spice and vanilla rampage. One evening last week, I just could not sit still. So I ran to the Spice House in Evanston. Here is a list of my booty.

4oz. Vietnamese Cassia "Saigon" Cinnamon
4oz. Natural Cocoa Powder as opposed to Dutch-processed (Gale Gand from Tru only ises natural stating that she prefers the stronger taste of cocoa. - I agree!)
2oz. Crushed "Caribe" Red Pepper Flakes for JB's pizza
2oz. "Salt Free" Cajun Blackening Seasoning
2oz. Freeze Dried Shallots - I love these in scrambled eggs!
4oz. Salsa Seasoning - WARNING: Do not breathe in while using this product - it contains jalapeno powder
4oz. Mexican Vanilla Extract
Huge bottle of Nielson Massey Vanilla Extract
Huge bottle of Sonoma County Co. Almond Extract - both the these were from TJMaxx. I will let you know if they are good.

I went home and laid them all out on the countertop, arranged them, stood back and sighed with contentment. :-)

Spice House Tip on avoiding the "fishy" smell in your kitchen:
When cooking fish, place a slice of bread in with the fish while cooking. The bread absorbs most of the smell and you can just toss it after cooking. Thanks!

Goat Cheese Tomato Tart

2007-03-04T05:49:00.000+01:00

The fabulous tart from the Sunday brunch I blogged about! Thanks B!

Goat Cheese and Tomato Tart
Pastry for one tart (I used butter yesterday but usually I use butter and chili oil instead of water or to replace some at least)
1 T dijon mustard
3/4 C grated Gruyere cheese
4 or 5 Roma tomatoes, sliced
8 oz. goat cheese, sliced

brushing oil: (combine all ingredients)
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
2 T fresh chopped herbs (I used basil and parsley yesterday, but anything you like will do)
1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed (I opt for 2 usually)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 and place a baking sheet in oven.

Roll our pastry dough and place in a 12 inch tart pan. Spread dijon mustard over bottom of tart shell, then spread grated gruyere cheese over bottom. Alternate tomato slices and goat cheese in overlapping layers, then brush with all but two T of herbed oil ove the top.

Put tart on baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes (I used my convection oven so it was a little less time). Remove from oven and brush remaining herbed oil over the top.

I have made this tart numerous times and it is always a hit. It is nice for lunch as well as brunch.

Gross Out Food Trivia:

2007-03-01T20:23:00.000+01:00

Thank you to Brandy from http://www.loosetooth.com/ for today's food trivia.

Brandy recently had a job at the Kohler Company (faucets, toilet fixtures, etc.) After chatting with some employees, it was revealed that to simulate "pooh" in testing toilets they use formed pieces of bean paste.

I almost lost my latte over that piece of trivia. Good to know for future Halloween pranks. Um thanks Brandy. ;-)

The Best Vanilla Extracts

2007-03-01T17:21:00.000+01:00

America's favorite flavor of ice cream? Vanilla. My favorite pudding flavor? Vanilla. Cake? Vanilla. The latest craze in perfume bases - you guessed it - VANILLA.

I am a big fan. I think at one point I put a dab of vanilla extract behind each ear to see if I could save on the expensive perfumes I seem to gravitate towards. I remember it smelling delicious but I also remember a slight burning. Not to mention the fear of being referred to as "cupcake" by friends.

So let's talk vanilla. There are tons - Tahitian, Madagascar, Mexican, vanilla beans...you name it and they have it. Vanillas could be compared to wine...they all seem to have their own character.

I grew up with McCormick brand. You can find it in every supermarket right next to the artificial vanillas. But this barely skims the surface.

Artificial vs. Real Vanilla
Yes, the artificial is cheaper...yes, it smells almost like true vanilla BUT read your ingredients. Lots of scary chemicals and usually a higher alcohol content. Splurge for the good stuff. A little vanilla goes a long way and the taste of true vanilla makes a big difference in your final baked goods. A small bottle can run you around $10. My favorites are at the bottom of this post.

The Straight Stuff - Madagascar, Tahitian, and Standard
Tons of choices out there. Madagascar has become more prevalent among vanillas. Rich, deep. Tahitian I find to be softer and more subtle. Good for velvety flans or angel food cakes. Standard works for almost everything but is a bit more ho hum. These are your standard vanillas found in your local grocery. Your best bet is to try them all and see what your preference is. A good compromise is Sonoma Company's Madagascar/Tahitian "Crush". Both tastes in one bottle.

Mexican Vanilla
A long time ago I bought a HUGE bottle of Mexican "vanilla" in Juarez. One whole liter for $5. What a find! I went home and started using it immediately. It tasted strongly like coconut. I never really thought much about what was in that bottle until 3 years later I ran out and started looking for more Mexican vanilla. I ended buying a bottle from The Spice House in Evanston.

What an incredible difference! The coconut flavor was gone and it was replaced with a spicy richness (complete with cinnamon stick left in the bottle!). I use Mexican instead of Tahitian or Madagascar when I am looking for a stronger, spicy and more pronounced taste. The Juarez bottle turned out to contain synthetic vanilln and a high alcohol level. (no wonder I liked it)

Here is a great link to The Vanilla Company's explanation of how to spot fake Mexican vanilla and why you should avoid it. I have not tasted their vanilla but they look to be serious. :-)

Vanilla Beans
Vanilla beans are a wonderful thing but are a big pain in the ass. Recently, I had the
opportunity to work in the pastry kitchen at Tru. One of my tasks was to make a caramel sauce for sticky buns. They presented me with a huge jar of vanilla beans. Now I had always eyed vanilla beans with envy in spice stores. These lovely oddities smell wonderful and cost a fortune. Needless to say I stayed away from them and stuck with extracts. But I have to admit every time I see specks of vanilla in custards or cakes, I am in love. So when I was presented with this bounty at Tru my first thought was how to pilfer as many of them as possible. OF COURSE I didn't take any. Yeesh. I may be a liar but I am not a thief!

I took out one bean and tried to slice it open. (imitating the chefs on the Food Network) I sliced it down the middle or should I say tried. I butchered that poor bean and then spent 10 minutes trying to save the little specks inside for the caramel. Repeat: PAIN IN THE ASS.

But I have to say in the sauce - DELICIOUS. And KL from Tru told me to save the bean and to stick into a mason jar full of sugar. In a couple of days you have vanilla sugar for dusting cakes or for use in your coffee.

Another alternative to vanilla beans is paste. I use Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste. All those wonderful specks and taste without all the work.

A's Favorite Vanilla Products

Tahitian Vanilla

Trader Joe's Tahitian Vanilla - good price, good everyday vanilla. Trader Joe's also now sells vanilla bean paste. I have not tried it yet.

Nielsen-Massey Pure Tahitian Vanilla - the Cadillac of vanillas. Their website also has fantastic recipes and other extracts like coffee, almond and the like. Some may gasp at this but I have seen TJMaxx selling this vanilla at a discount in their gourmet department. I do not guarantee anything about its authenticity but it might be a great way to try it on the cheap.

Madagascar Vanilla

Nielsen-Massey Pure Madagascar Vanilla - see above
The Spice House - Pure Madagascar "Bourbon Islands" Single Strength Vanilla Extract

Mexican Vanilla

The Spice House - love the cinnamon stick in the bottle!

Blends and Pastes

Sonoma Syrup Co. - I love the "Crush" blend.
Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste - forget the beans

Good products make all the difference in cooking. If you have some vanilla favorites, please e-mail me. I will post a vanilla pound cake recipe that my mom swears by later today.

Another tip: These extracts are a must to have on hand.

Pure Vanilla Extract
Pure Almond Extract
Pure Lemon Extract

All others are nice to haves if you are an addict like me!

The Meat of Things

2007-02-28T17:09:00.000+01:00

So a whole world opened up to me when I met M. Aside from having tons in common, working together daily, and her just being too smart to NOT like - M loves food. She comes from a Hungarian family and loves to cook. M also steered me to my first butcher.

Butcher? Big deal Alise. NO NO NO it is a BIG deal!!! I grew up in the age of meat plastic wrapped and nondescript waiting for you in the local grocery chain. Long before the terms - farm-raised, organic, grass fed, local, etc. You just picked it up and fried it up and GULP. Not a thought as to how the meat was butchered or even what a WHOLE cow looks like.

I have always been a big fan of meat. Red meat in particular. Now I know the health dangers of too much red meat. I eat it in small amounts and infrequently BUT oh how I am a carnivore at heart. I went through phases due to politics or moral dilemmas that I cut out meats. My famous "no meat" days. Not quite a vegetarian - just no meat on certain days. But I always go back to eating meat.

So when M recommended a local butcher I thought I would give him a try. Devon Meats is located in the Park Ridge just east of Cumberland and Devon. The butcher shares space with the Morningfields Market, a small grocery that is trying to blossom into gourmet foods. Cash and check only but this is a family run business. The kids are behind the counter and their dad is always around. They make their own canadian bacon (thick slabs of pink, salty goodness), amazing stuffed chicken breasts and pork chops (each one seasoned and topped with a pat of butter), and wonderfully tender london broil.

Over the last year, my friendly butcher has ordered plump turkey breasts for Thanksgiving, a delightful and HUGE capon (the cadillac of chicken he proclaimed proudly). He recently offered to chop my next capon in half to save me from having to consume the whole bird in one week. Capon is good but even I will get sick of it after a week. I used the Zuni Cafe roasted chicken recipe (mom highly recommended it - she's a fabulous cook!) and that bird was the best I had ever made!

So why a butcher?

He knows where his meat comes from
He can prepare the cut of meat any way you need it! ( cubed, fileted, deboned!)
He knows exactly what temp and for how long to cook the meat
The prices are actually lower
The difference in taste is amazing

I highly recommend my butcher. Give one a try. You will appreciate the difference. Next up I am going to order a pork loin cubed to try my hand at Clotilde's cider stewed pork.

And thanks M for the food advice and great friendship!

Devon Meats
800 Devon Avenue
Park Ridge, IL 60068
Phone: (847) 696-4200

Adventures in Brunching

2007-02-27T18:41:00.000+01:00

I love a good brunch. Each year my mother and I have a Christmas brunch for family and friends. Quiches, biscuits, and sweets overflow from our table. As I said I LOVE A GOOD BRUNCH. Something about the abundance and an easy excuse to indulge in Mimosas. But I rarely get to attend other's brunches. I try not to take it personally.

But last Sunday, I actually was invited to one of the best brunches ever. My father and AW had battled over a brunch for 10 at last year's Teatro Vista benefit. The brunch was hosted by family friend and artist B. B is one of the greatest cooks I know. She has an interesting story of how she came upon her culinary skills.

From the way it was told to me, early on B signed up for the Peace Corps. I did not realize this but the Peace Corps used to send a box of books with each volunteer. Some of these assignments were very remote and entertainment was few and far between - hence the box of books. B arrived in her South American village and opened hers. Out spilled several volumes from the beloved James Beard. She had 2 years to memorize every technique and recipe. Upon returning to the States, she started to cook all the recipes and she hasn't stopped since.

So you can understand my excitement over tasting her cooking - not to mention the interesting assortment of attendees. Almost all artists or philosophers - me the only corporate shill.

We all stood in her large kitchen sipping mimosas and great coffee. H and I discussed the merits of using high quality champagne in mimosas. The usual recommendation is to use cheap champagne since you are really tainting it with oj, but H bulked at this advice and went with some wonderful champagne. I believe the brand was Becker Champagne "Brut" NV. Oh what a difference. H and I decided never to return to the cheap stuff. I guess you can compare it to the change from recommending cheap wine for cooking - now chefs recommend only cooking with a wine you would drink. I heartily agree.

THE FOOD:
Tarts - (the food kind)
1. Goat cheese, fresh tomato, homemade pasty crust (this amazes me - I still can't tackle crusts!), caramelized garlic - sprinkled over top
2. Mushroom, leek, Gruyere

Quiche
1. Straight cheese (Gruyere)

Food Trivia:
The question was asked: What is the difference between a tart and a quiche? The answer: Tarts do not have the egg component (aka custard)

The Extras:
Spicy link sausage, bagels with softened cream cheese (nice touch), fresh fruit (made me long for summer), salad, and roasted veggies.

The Sweet:
I abstained from the sweet since I was feeling a bit whale-like from the 2 servings of tart. But the dessert looked delicious. Chocolate bundt cake that JB referred to as "chocolate air". Not sure if chocolate air appeals to me - but everyone loved it.

A wonderful meal, perfect conversation, some gorgeous art (thanks K), and an invitation for us to visit Baja with B and H. Which means the beach and cooking with B.

I should have the recipe for the goat cheese tart mentioned above shortly. I will post as soon as I can.

Thanks again - fabulous meal.

Monday Night Dinner - Chalkboard

2007-02-27T05:08:00.000+01:00

Scccccrrrreeeeeeeeeecccchhhhhh....

And so ended our dinner at Chalkboard in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago. I had been wanting to dine at Chalkboard ever since I peered into its large front window. I gazed upon its long chalkboard and barely made out these words "My mother's favorite...". They had me.

I am a great lover of comfort food. Being raised by Southern grandmothers who coaxed me into good behavior with buttermilk cheese biscuits, fried chicken (drumstick dipped in Kraft French dressing for me), and a luscious pound cake that I swear stays moist for 3 weeks. So needless to say...I was ready for Chalkboard.

It is one of those restaurants that you always pass by and mention to your cohort, we HAVE to eat there! But you always forget to put it on your short list when that lovely question rears its salt and peppered head..."Where should we eat?" But on Monday night I remembered!

JB and I talked about Lula's Cafe, Glenn's Diner and other favorites, but Lula's was too far and Glenn's was closed. So Chalkboard hit me! I was so excited!

Neither one of us was dressed for Chalkboard. We arrived around 6pm and were the first to be seated. Inside was very new....soft hues of green and orange. The HUGE chalkboard...very french bistro. Soft lighting and unexpected music choices. Old blues, jazz, and then some funky alternative.

The menu was straightforward with not a lot of surprises...comfort food/french bistro. Some Asian influenced items in the special - but nothing that screamed my name. The chef also added little anecdotes next to each item. Not sure I loved that touch - I tended to get annoyed with his continuous references to his wife.

THE FOOD:
Tap water was nicely served out of corked bottles - nicely chilled. Made me forget all my fears about Chicago water. Warm rolls were served - brushed with olive oil. JB and the man at the next table commented on the lack of butter, but for me the oil was enough.

I asked JB if he was up for some country pate. I believe I startled him. "You like pate?" he asked incredulously. "Hey, I grew up on liverwurst, mayo and white bread!" So bring on the pate! The pate was a mixture of chicken and duck liver, bacon and bacon fat served with cornichons, diced shallot, whole grain mustard, and roasted cashews in olive oil. We both gasped at the size of the pate portion. Very substantial for $10. We slathered the accompanying flatbread with pate/shallots/mustard and dug in. Very tasty. The pate on its own was good but layer it with shallots and mustard and I was in heaven. I occasionally get squeamed that I am eating liver but then I get over myself.

JB was eating light and went for one of his favorites - the single crabcake. I ordered the vegetable pie with curried peas. Trying to appear healthy after burying my face in the pate.

The vegetable pie was very pretty. A small pie settled in the middle of fragrant curried peas with two baby carrots. The crust was delicious but had a sweetness to it. After tasting, JB immediately declared that I was the only one who could order a perfectly sensible savory dish and have it turn up tasting like dessert! Inside was a brownish mushy vegetable that I guessed to be eggplant - but I had no real clue. It looked like the pate they put inside of old school Beef Wellingtons. It too was a bit sweet. Also inside was carrots, potatoes, some parsnips? And that strange sweetness...cinnamon? nutmeg? Definitely sweet without being sweet if that makes sense. The peas were straight curry and could have used some variance.

The crabcake. Oh the crabcake. I love a good crabcake. The right crabcake can sing and be sweet and salty. It can make or break a meal. This cake broke ours. The good: plenty of crabmeat -not a lot of filler. The mustard sauce tangy. The bad: Fishy...and I HATE FISHY. I am not a big fan of fish but I love crab. So god help the chef that makes my crab taste fishy.

JB stopped eating after 2 bites. His appetite was gone and I kept eyeing the nasty cake and trying to dispel the fishiness that I had been tricked into eating.

The server came to clear and asked if we had enjoyed the crabcake. JB was kind. "Um it was a little fishy". I could not hold back - "VERY FISHY" I added and made sure I made "the face". She apologized and said she would have Chef Gil taste it. JB took that opportunity to ask me HOW a Chef named Gil would be able to taste the fish. That was funny. She offered to get him something else - but fishy anything can spoil the most stalwart stomach.

Well Gil thought JB must not have like the Obi (seaweed) he included in the cake. Obi? Obi?!!?!? Who actually tries to make something taste FISHY? Obi has its place in cooking just not in a crabcake.

Dessert menu was a bit ho hum. Why can't chefs figure out that cookie dough egg rolls are just not that great? I love bread pudding but I was afraid that Gil might put some Obi in it.

The bill was presented WITH THE CRABCAKE. *sigh* 10% tip and we left. I felt disappointed and slightly uneasy while my stomach was trying to decide if "sweet" vegetable pie was to its liking.

I loved that they served Dr. Pepper.

Please take an eraser to Chalkboard. We will not be returning to class.

Chalkboard
4343 N. Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL