Cooooooookiiiieeeeees!

Christmas time! My favorite time of year for food! I've been absurdly busy, making gifts for the holidays, which is why there's been a lack of posts lately. (Sorry!). My New Year's resolution? To post more in 2013! But only if the world doesn't end sometime today, of course.

Apocalypse doom aside, I made an enormous amount of cookies for my coworkers!

Chocolate caramel thumbprints, orange chocolate chippers,
Italian lemon, seven layers, and chai shortbread cookies!

I probably won't post again until the new year (I'm on holiday starting tomorrow), so I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

Adventures at the Waverly Farmer's Market

Romanesco broccoli/romanesco cauliflower

The first time I saw a romanesco cauliflower (also known as a romanesco broccoli or, as Nick calls it, a ‘fractal flower’) Nick had brought one home from our local farmer’s market and had me close my eyes and put out my hand. My first thought upon seeing it was, “That’s a friggin beautiful piece of vegetable art!” followed immediately by, “How the hell do I cook this?!”

It’s a little difficult to tell from the photo (and in person), but each awesome fractal bunch is a floret exactly like a cauliflower or broccoli. It is a pale green in color, which becomes more vibrant as it’s cooked, and has a mild, sweet flavor and is often described as nutty. Texturally, it is exactly like a cauliflower and can be substituted in place of a cauliflower in recipes. As the name suggests, this romanesco veggie hails from Italy (from the 16^th century) and is an heirloom variety.

Amazing fractal design

Don’t be put off by its bizarre appearance. If you see one of these puppies at a farmer’s market or at the grocery store, give them a whirl. They are quite scrumptious steamed with a little butter, salt, and grated parmesan on top. They are almost too beautiful to eat. Almost…

Mushroom Soup

Mushroom soup with garlic bread

When I was in Australia, our flatmate had quite a few cookbooks on his shelf that I would read regularly. (Who doesn't like reading about food?) One recipe that stood out to me was a mushroom soup by chef Jamie Oliver. The problem? My husband hates mushrooms. However, I wrote down the recipe and eventually made it. To this day, it is one of the best mushroom soups I have ever eaten and it's extraordinarily easy to make. I tend to make the soup when my husband is out of town so I can have it for dinner without someone saying "ewwww fungus."

Mushroom Soup Recipe by Jamie Oliver

Changes I made to the recipe:
1) I omit the porchini mushrooms. One day I will try the recipe with them, but frankly, they are expensive. So I skip the part of the directions that deals with them.
2) If you can't find fresh herbs, it is totally fine to use dried.
3) I do not add lemon or marscapone. Instead, I mix into the broth 2 tablespoons of cream cheese to give the soup extra depth.

Tips:
1) Saute the mushrooms and chopped onion together, with the garlic, butter and olive oil to save time. For those of you who know my hate of onions, I do actually use them in soups. And yes, I do know it is strange for a lover of food to loathe onions.
2) Do actually use a variety of mushrooms, as the recipe states, for flavor. I tend to use three different kinds, if I can. For the batch I made last night, I used portobellos, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms.

8 Meatless Dinner Ideas

Stir fry with broccoli, bean spouts, tofu, and red and yellow bell peppers

When the topic of food comes up, I often get a hodge podge of questions regarding being a vegetarian from meat eaters regarding what type of meal I can possibly eat that would be interesting and meatless. It's shocking, I know, but a good meatless meal can be accomplished. I don't say this to be derisive or bitter toward anyone in particular nor would I try to coerce someone to be a vegetarian, but half the time I'm questioned about my food choice in a rude manner (which I feel must be some sort of defense mechanism on the part of the questioner). I can understand the curiosity though- if you are used to doing things a certain way, such as eating meat with every meal, then not having it can be bizarre and feel foreign. I, myself, grew up eating meat at every meal.

 

Pasta alfredo with broccoli, tomatoes and asparagus

My husband and I only became vegetarians a few years ago. But, to be honest, the switch was quite easy. I can't tell you why exactly. It could be a combination of our love of a wide variety of foods from around the world, that we're not picky regarding most fruits and vegetables, our willingness to try new things, or that I can cook anything that I put my mind to. But I can assure you, we have not led a dull life, tastebud-wise, since our switch. As far as I can tell, I haven't starved to death from a lack of meat. And honestly, I'm no pixie.

 

Tortilla soup with cornbread

There are meals that are quick to make, filling, and really quite flavorful and droolworthy that happen to be meat-free.

 

Enchilada Casserole

So, for this entry, I decided to take pictures of all of the awesome meals I made this past week, for dinner, to prove that meatless meals can happen and leave you quite full and wishing that you didn't gorge yourself to the point that you can hardly move, which I am both sad and happy to say, occurs quite frequently with me.

 

Stuffed bell peppers, filled with rice, fresh mint, golden raisins,
sun-dried tomatoes, feta, and other seasonings

Pasta sauted with herbs, Roma tomatoes, Swiss chard, and
beans served with garlic bread

Kung pao tofu with an eggroll

Veggie sandwich consisting of zucchini sauted in herbs with
tomato, cheddar, sprouts and pesto mayo



Publication Party- Harry Potter Style!

I've been published! I wrote the 2nd Chapter in this book!

I could say that I was big fan of Harry Potter from the get-go, but alas, my nose would grow incredibly long from that fib. Not long after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire came out, I was living in a big ole Victorian house with a group of friends in Columbus, Ohio. I was out of reading material and asked for a book to borrow from my friend Tamika and she handed me the first Harry Potter book, the Philosopher’s Stone. I was resistant, at first, to read the series, brushing them off, like many do, as popular kid’s books and a fad. But after reading the first book, I admit, I was hooked! Not long afterward came waiting in anticipation for the next book to come out, participating in newsgroups discussing the latest theories, writing articles for the popular HP website, Mugglenet, and attending midnight showings of the latest films.

Freshly baked Yorkshire Pudding

In 2010, when I was living in Australia with Nick, I was contacted by a woman, named Jenn Simms, who read an article I wrote for Mugglenet titled, “Sociology of Harry Potter 101,” and asked if I wanted to contribute a writing piece to a sociology book she was putting together, with other contributing authors, about Harry Potter. Naturally, I said yes! I wrote the second introductory chapter, introducing readers to the topic of sociology (with sociological definitions) and using examples from HP. This year, on July 10, 2012, the book hit the shelves!

After going on two vacations and Nick spending the entire month of August in Germany for a philosophy seminar, we finally had time to celebrate! It’s not every day you publish a book, you know! (I can check that one off my bucket list!)

Last Saturday, I had a small (and belated) dinner party at my house to celebrate the publication. What do you serve at a book publication party revolving around Harry Potter? Why you make English dishes that were served at the one and only Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, of course!

 

Yum!

I served a vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie for the main dish and Yorkshire Pudding with gravy and a cauliflower, broccoli, and cheese bake for sides (ok, so the latter dish was not in HP, but I needed another veggie side). For dessert, I served a custard tart and Harry Potter’s favorite, a treacle tart.

I’d like to give a special thanks to my friends Zdravko and Buddha for giving me flowers and to Sandy and Joe for bringing butterbeer fixings!

 

Custard and treacle tarts

 

Bento Art

I saw this picture online when I was trying to find the perfect bento box to take to work and thought it was very adorable while extremely creative. The detail is quite intricate for food being the media used.

They are all too cute to eat!

Bento boxes are Japanese lunch boxes. They are compact and you can get them with (or without) multiple, divided compartments. I just bought one with three sections, that are removeable, so I can take snacks to work with me in small portions that don't touch one another. They're also perfect for portion control.

This is the bento box I bought. Perfect for taking my snacks, like strawberries,
cheese and crackers, and pickles to work.

Greek Cuisine

feta stuffed phyllo drizzled with honey

I recently went on a family trip, with my husband and in-laws, to Greece. The vacation was only for a week but it was a whole lotta fun (and extremely busy)! We toured the ancient ruins of Delphi, the Acropolis, Olympia, Mycenae, etc., visited the village that my husband’s grandmother is from, and ate like there was no tomorrow.

rice and herb stuffed tomato and bell pepper with potatoes

Mediterranean cuisine is where it’s at. The ingredients are fresh, seasonal, and healthy, while the food is simple, yet flavorful. We munched on Greek staples of feta, olives, and so on. Our meals were seasoned with mint, cinnamon, cloves, oregano and other wonderful Greek herb and spice standards.

Even though there is a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients, Greek cuisine is heavily meat based. We found very few main dishes that featured solely vegetables (we ordered one dish, stuffed zucchini, which we were told was vegetarian but contained lamb- whoopsie). The vegetarian mains we came across usually consisted of either stuffed tomatoes and peppers or pasta with a tomato-based sauce, with little variation from those dishes (although, in Athens, we did come across an excellent vegetarian moussaka as well as a bean dish I ate with rice from some little hole-in-the-wall joint).

vegetarian moussaka

So what’s a vegetarian to do? Why, you eat, of course! Even though the vegetarian mains we came across were pretty much limited to variations of the two dishes I just mentioned (i.e. stuffed veggies or pasta), the hubby and I inhaled them. They were by no means ‘bad,’ everything we ate was wonderful, plus we supplemented our meals with a variety of small plates (meze), to keep things interesting, as well as eating a mass quantity of Greek desserts.

spicy feta with bread

There are a few important tips to know when eating at restaurants in Greece (and this is for vegetarians and omnivores alike). Americans have an on-the-go kind of attitude when it comes to eating. This is not the case in Greece (and actually, in many other European countries), where dinner is expected to take several hours, and is quite leisurely and very social. Because of this, wait staff will not bring your check until you ask them for it. It is considered rude because they don’t want to feel like they’re rushing you out of their restaurant. Another thing to keep in mind is that, frequently, you will have to pay extra for water and bread. But don’t sweat this because eating in Greece is inexpensive. Additionally, items on menus may not be what they seem. A ‘Greek salad’ is pretty standard- olives, cucumber, tomato, feta, etc. However, we ordered a ‘red pepper salad’ and it was actually two roasted red peppers drizzled with olive oil. It was delicious, but not what we expected. When in doubt, just ask.

From Left-Right: Oregano Lays chips, peach tea,
and Paprika Lays chips

spanakopita (spinach pie) with stuffed
veggies and potatoes

Keep in mind that many foods are seasonal. For example, my husband’s favorite Greek dish is dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), but in early July, when we went to Greece, grape leaves were not in season yet, and thus, dolmades were not available in most restaurants. Probably the most disconcerting issue we had was after several minutes of perusing a menu, the waiter would take our order, but many things on the menu were not available (because they were seasonal items). This can be a problem if you are a vegetarian and there are only two vegetarian dishes on the entire menu. We went into a restaurant, in Athens, where the owner told us to order from the counter display after we had been given menus and were told they didn’t have anything we requested. Naturally, this made us wonder why we were given menus to begin with or why there are no seasonal menus. My sister-in-law noted that one restaurant only penciled in prices next to the items on the menu that they did have. Also, be aware that Greek cuisine uses a lot of olive oil. And I do mean a lot. Not that it bothered me one bit- I just love olive oil.

kataifi (dessert similar in flavor to baklava, with
walnuts and honey)

Smoothies!

Neon green smoothie!!!

Summer in Baltimore can be pretty gross. And by gross, I mean absurdly hot and humid, especially in my third floor apartment. With summer, come daydreams of hammocks, good books, and nice cold drinks with umbrellas in them. I don’t have any umbrellas but I am armed with a blender! Last year, when the heat was pretty unbearable, Nick and I made homemade margaritas like they were going out of style.


This summer, I decided to whip out the blender once again, but to make smoothies instead. Smoothies are pretty easy to make, healthy, tasty and, better yet, cold and sweet! Another wonderful thing about smoothies is that they leave room for experimentation. Most ingredients can be exchanged for other ingredients. Don’t want mangoes? Use pineapple instead. Replace apples with peaches or plums in a recipe. Adding herbs and spices, like mint or fresh ginger can do wonders. In place of ice cubes, freeze your fruit (which is normally, what I do). The possibilities are endless.

Add all the ingredients to the blender

The following smoothie recipe is one I made this weekend. Don’t be turned off by the color, although, I admit, that a green smoothie doesn’t seem all that appetizing. However, I can guarantee that it was quite yummy! Spinach may seem like a bizarre ingredient to add to a drink but it allows you to add a little more veggies to your day, and, magically, the smoothie will not even taste like spinach. Craziness, I know. But definitely worth a try! I actually made this for a light, refreshing dinner, on Saturday, since we had a large lunch earlier that day.


Tropical Spinach Smoothie
1 cup milk (you can use any type- I used rice milk when I made this)
6 oz. of low-fat vanilla yogurt
a generous handful of baby spinach leaves
half a mango, skinned and chopped
one banana, sliced
8 oz. pineapple chunks (if using canned, drain them)
1 teaspoon honey (optional)

Freeze the fruit. I usually chop and freeze them the night before. Once frozen, toss all the ingredients into a blender and process  until smooth.

Recipe: Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer tikka masala with Indian style kidney beans, rice
naan, and a samosa

I love me some Indian cuisine! It’s hearty, super filling, and the flavors are out of this world. It’s not as complex to make as you would think. Often, I’ll make several dishes in the space of an hour (pre-prepping is key). My husband and I enjoy it so much we had it in our buffet when were married (and the dishes we offered were from our own recipes).

Lightly frying the paneer- I swear it wasn't
burned (although it looks like it is in the pic)

We’re lucky enough to live within walking distance of an Indian grocery store, in Baltimore, called Punjab. Because certain spices can be pricey (like cardamom or coriander), I highly recommend going to an Indian or Asian grocery store to purchase them. (Sorry grocery chains! I can buy bags of cinnamon sticks and other wonderful spices at Punjab, for $2-$3 a pop, a fraction of the cost at a regular store!) Don’t think that ethnic grocery stores only have exotic spices for sale- they also have garlic powder, onion powder, fennel seeds, etc., which are great to use to refill spice containers.

Paneer can be purchased at an Indian grocery. Paneer is an Indian cheese which has the consistency and texture of cheddar cheese with a nice, mild flavor. It fries like tofu (actually, I think it fries better than tofu). One of the things I love about Punjab, other than the friendly staff, is that they have huge (and spicy) homemade samosas for purchase at their counter.

Mmm cream, tomato sauce, and yogurt- oh my!

The recipe below is one that I make frequently. The spices are wonderful and the textures and flavors of the dish are smooth and creamy. Don’t omit the salt or sugar, they both add depth to the dish and keep the acidic tomato sauce in check. Serve this dish over rice with naan (an Indian flatbread) on the side. I’ve started seeing naan available in grocery chains, like Giant or Safeway, in either the bread or bakery sections.

Fry the paneer slices, in a lightly oiled skillet, until brown on each side; remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside until later.

In the same pan add the butter, garlic, jalapeno, and ginger. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, yogurt, cream and remaining spices and seasonings. Bring to a simmer.

Add the paneer, peas, and potatoes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens. It will also thicken further as it cools.

Paneer Tikka Masala

1 (14oz.) package of paneer, sliced

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 jalapeno, minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger (or 1 tablespoon ginger paste)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika (or 1 teaspoon of paprika and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ½- 2 teaspoons salt

1 (15oz.) can tomato sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1 (8 ½ oz.) can peas, drained

2 potatoes, boiled until just tender and diced

NOTE: The combination of black pepper, cayenne pepper, and a minced jalapeno will produce a medium heat for this dish. If you want a zing, but don’t want it to be as spicy, halve those three ingredients. You can always add more heat, but you can’t take it away once it’s there.

Recipe: Baked Samosas

A baked samosa served with chana masala (Indian Chickpea Curry)

Samosas are appetizers that pair well with just about any meal, especially with Indian, Ethiopian, or Mediterranean dishes. They are usually filled with a variety of spices, potatoes, or other vegetables and are either baked or fried. They are wonderful served with chutney.

Mix together the ingredients.

Mix together the mashed potatoes through the crushed red pepper (i.e. all the ingredients except the puff pastry).

Separate the thawed puff pastry sheets and cut into 4” flat circles, using a round cookie cutter or an upside down drinking glass. Or heck, just free hand cut circles with a knife. Put a dollop or two of the potato mixture in the center of each round. Fold the round in half, until it resembles a half moon, and seal the edges with a little bit of water, using fork prongs to seal the deal. Place the samosas, an inch apart, on a parchment lined baking sheet (the puff pastry will get mighty puffy in the oven). Bake according to the instructions on the puff pastry package, or until golden.

Sealing the samosa via fork

Baked Samosas 

2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed (with a small amount of melted butter added for moisture)

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons chopped mint

½ teaspoon of salt

½ a jalapeno, minced

¼ cup of peas

¼ cup of golden raisins, halved

a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Sealing the samosa via a turnover press

NOTE: To toast cumin seeds, add them to a hot skillet. There's no need to add oil. Shake, or stir, the seeds- keep those puppies moving- if they're idle, they will pop. They only need to be toasted for one minute. If you wish, you can lightly crush them in a mortar and pestle.

Book Review: Menu Design in America

One of the Christmas gifts I received, from my husband, was a book, titled Menu Design in America: A Visual and Culinary History of Graphic Styles and Design 1850-1985, which showcases hundreds of menus from all over the United States. The book is, essentially, a very large, coffee table art book. It has menus from well known establishments, hole-in-the-wall joints, diners, cocktail menus, wine lists, children’s menus, and even menus for special events.

Menu Design in America: 1850-1985
by Steven Heller, John Mariani, and Jim Heimann

Once upon a time, the menu used to be rare. We take for granted that there are restaurants everywhere, but this was not the case until after the 1800s when the restaurant moved from being uncommon to gaining in popularity throughout the country. Menus are not only used as a means of conveying restaurant offerings but they are also used as a marketing tool for companies. Beer companies, such as Sam Adams and Budweiser, have been using menus as a marketing tool since their companies began.

The variety of styles, designs, and overall visual appeal of menus is amazing. Some restaurants used photographs, others art, some were simple with only several dishes to order, while other menus were so overcrowded with items that you’d go cross-eyed just trying to figure out what to order. There are menus in the shape of a coconut, totem pole, a tamale, or burger. The 1920s and 1930s menus have distinctive Art Deco elements while the menus from the 1960s display the psychedelic art styles of the period.

The prices also reflect the time. I would just love to be able to go out and order 2 eggs, toast, and a coffee for 35 cents, or less, wouldn’t you? You can also see, by the items on the menu, how food offerings have changed not only for what types of food are being served but also for how they are categorized. For example, many of the menus, from the early 1900s, have pastries and cakes in a separate category from the dessert menu (dessert was considered fruits and nuts and, quite often, cigars). One of the stranger things I noticed, in many menus, was that restaurants charged you if you didn’t get a drink with your meal.

Some of my favorites, in Menu Design in America, include the menu for a dinner in honor of Abraham Lincoln, all of the menus from the luxurious Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, in New York (they’re just beautiful works of art), and a reception and dinner menu, from 1936, for the captain and crew of the Hindenburg, one year before the disaster. There is even a menu for a vegetarian restaurant, from the early 1900s, which was a rare restaurant indeed, for the time period.

Who knew that something that is so commonplace today, like the menu, could be so darn interesting?

Recipe: Moroccan Kale Soup

I invented this recipe after being inspired by a soup I inhaled at the Waverly Farmer’s Market, in Charles Village. (Well, to be honest, I was trying to duplicate a soup, and I think my version came out even better than what I had purchased). It’s a very quick and easy recipe, that is warming on a chilly day, healthy, flavorful and peppery (but not particularly ‘spicy’). This soup makes a great work lunch with a big hunk of bread, on the side.

A nice steaming bowl of Moroccan Kale Soup with a slice of cornbread

Kale, unlike most other greens, does not wilt much in liquid, and still retains quite a bit of its crispness in this recipe, even in the leftovers, days later. Kale is an underrated vegetable. This dark leafy green is an excellent source of fiber and vitamins A, C, and K. It also has quite a bit of calcium, iron, and protein in it as well.

One of the things I love about soup is that it is so darn easy to make! There are only three directions you need to make this soup: 1) Add all the ingredients to a large pot, 2) Bring to a boil, and 3) Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until the squash and carrots are cooked through.

Moroccan Kale Soup

8 oz. chopped kale

1 zucchini, diced

1 yellow squash, diced

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup corn kernels

¼ cup sun dried tomatoes

1 quart vegetable broth

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2-3 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted (the toasting is optional, but recommended)

¾ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon turmeric

Pinch each of brown sugar and cayenne (add an extra pinch or two of brown sugar, for good measure, if you’d like)

NOTE: Be sure to use sun dried tomatoes that have not been packed in oil so that the soup does not become oily/greasy. This soup is also good with chopped potatoes, sweet potatoes, or even a diced jalapeno pepper.

The Friendly Islands- Tongan Agriculture and Cuisine

Ha'atafu Beach, Tongatapu


When I’m standing outside, with cold winds swirling around me, in Baltimore, I close my eyes and reminisce about Ha’atafu beach, in Tonga, with the sun warming my skin and watching the waves roll in, while crabs, of various types, walk sideways along the rocks and coral beach surrounding me.

Local beer

My husband and I went to Tonga in November 2010 as a side trip/vacation when we were living in Australia. When we tell people we’ve been to Tonga, the first question we’re asked is almost always, “Where?” The 170+ islands that make up the Kingdom of Tonga are located in the South Pacific, southeast of Fiji, and just south of Samoa. Unlike Fiji, Tonga is not touristy (although people do visit Tonga during whale season, when humpbacks come to the islands to breed and play) nor was it ever colonized by another country. Tonga is rich in history and contains fascinating archaeological sites like Langi (terraced tombs) or the Ha’amonga (the “Stonehenge of the South Pacific”).

Pigs and chickens grazing

Tongans are the kindest and friendliest people I have ever met, who treated us like old friends. While riding bikes through the main island, Tongatapu, we were hard pressed to find someone who did not wave or say hi to us (in fact, an entire school of children yelled ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ at us as we rode by). A man, named Jimmy, invited us on his porch to talk, and his wife brought us extremely flavorful and juicy watermelon slices to eat.

Talamahu Market in downtown Nuku'alofa

Many Tongans are subsistence farmers. The men take turns working each other’s fields, where they grow staples such as taro, yams, sweet potatoes, and cassava. Tropical fruit, like bananas, mangos, pineapples, coconuts, and papayas, grow in abundance throughout Tonga. According to one villager we spoke to, anything not growing in a field belongs to the king, so it’s free to eat. Other Tongan crops include coffee, vanilla beans, tomatoes, potatoes, greens and other veggies. Major livestock includes chickens and pigs, which, often, freely roam the streets. (Another villager told us that, people will trade livestock for crops, and vice versa.)

Cassava crop

Although Tonga has a wide variety of crops grown, traditional Tongan cuisine tends to be pretty meat heavy. For example a popular dish, especially for feasts or special occasions, is a suckling pig, roasted slowly for hours, in an underground, earth oven, called an Umu. Another traditional dish, called ‘ota’ika, is made with raw fish in coconut milk, with onions and other seasonings.

Purple potatoes, breadfruit, and plantains
from a dinner buffet and cultural show we
attended on Tongatapu

Nick and I were lucky that our lodge had a fully furnished kitchen for guests to use. To save money on our trip, we went to the Talamahu Market, in downtown Nuku’alofa (the capital of Tonga), to purchase food from farmers, instead of eating out. The market is fantastic. We loaded up on freshly picked fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Venders sell everything from produce to local crafts (like beautifully painted tapa cloth and basketry). I have never had pineapple as wonderful as the pineapple we bought at the Talamahu Market- small, sweet, juicy, and flowery, with a hint of coconut flavor- simply amazing.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home
by Jeni Britton Bauer

I’ve devoured ice cream from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, at the North Market, long before it became a popular ice cream chain in Columbus, Ohio. Jeni’s offers some of the most unique, creative, and flavorful ice creams and sorbets I’ve ever had. Their establishment uses, mostly, local and seasonal Ohio products to help make their ice creams as well as the highest in quality of ingredients from around the globe. Their ice cream flavors change seasonally and with each new season comes a new world of flavors and interesting creations. (Seriously, Jeni makes ice creams with just about any ingredient- Gouda, basil, celery, goat cheese, etc.) My personal favorites include: lime cardamom, Riesling poached pear, wild berry lavender, and the honey pistachio ice cream sandwich (which borders on my idea of what heaven must be like). The downside to eating at Jeni’s (and mind you, this is the only problem) is that it is quite expensive- a pint will run you $12-$14 and a scoop of ice cream is also pretty darn pricy (and the scoops are rather small). Regardless of the prices, however, I still stop pop into Jeni’s shops, whenever I’m in town, to try the latest flavors and get a scoop or two of ice cream- it is a special treat after all- and sampling each flavor is totally free. Don’t let the price deter you from ever trying Jeni’s ice creams, it is well worth the try.

Lime cardamom frozen yogurt

Because of the prices, I only ate at Jeni’s occasionally while I lived in Columbus (for special occasions or random, occasional whims). However, now that I live in Baltimore, it gets a bit tough when I get in an ‘I want artisanal ice cream’ mood, and, sadly, there is nothing in Baltimore that satiates that desire as perfectly as Jeni’s. I am pleased to say that I am now armed with a new cookbook (a gift from my in-laws for Christmas), Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, so I can now make Jeni Britton Bauer’s wonderful concoctions in my own kitchen! So how do the recipes fare? I made two of her recipes this weekend and demolished them with friends while playing board games!

Lime Cardamom Frozen Yogurt

This is my absolute favorite flavor at Jeni’s and whenever it was in season, this was my frozen yogurt of choice. So, naturally, this flavor was number one on my list of ice creams to make! The results were relatively positive. There was a very lime-y presence (which I love) but it was slightly too much lime, giving the mixture a somewhat bitter element. Because the lime was a little overwhelming, the cardamom flavor was a bit overpowered. You can definitely taste and feel the texture of the yogurt used, which added a nice touch. I will definitely be making this again this summer when it’s a million degrees in Baltimore, but with a few tweaks-  more cardamom, more sugar, and a little less lime.

Chamomile Chardonnay ice cream

Chamomile Chardonnay Ice Cream

I have not had this flavor at Jeni’s but the recipe looked simple (and tasty) so I just had to give this one a try. The flavor came out remarkably well. Strangely, the Chardonnay was the first flavor that hits you before the chamomile starts working its way to your taste buds. The texture was smooth and creamy. I think next time I will use a little less chamomile, but all in all, this was a pretty good ice cream.

If/when I make these again, I will double the recipes (Each recipe only makes a quart.) If you have an ice cream maker, and are looking for good (and interesting) recipes, definitely give this book a try!

http://www.jenisicecreams.com/

Movie Inspired Cakes

Below is a link containing some beautifully done movie themed cakes! Enjoy!

http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/better-homes-gardens/recipes/collections/galleries/photo/-/12990715/outrageous-cakes-inspired-by-movies/12991993/

Recipe: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's pie- ready for the eating

I made this the other night for dinner with homemade Irish brown bread. Although it may not be aesthetically pleasing, this shepherd’s pie is simple, tasty, hearty and wonderfully comforting on chilly nights.

Mash, mash, mash

First things first, make a slurry using ¼ cup of the vegetable broth and the flour. Set aside for later.

Mash the potatoes. Stir in the milk, butter, and shredded cheese to the mashed potatoes.  Use more milk, if you’d like. Add your desired amount of salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside. (You can use any shredded cheese you wish. Cheddar is pretty universal but I’ve had equal success with shredded Gouda as well.)

In a large skillet or pot, cook the soy crumbles in the oil. Stir in the garlic and thyme. Cook the crumbles thoroughly. Add the tomato paste, remaining 1 ¼ cups of vegetable broth, and vegetables. (NOTE: If using fresh vegetables, steam the veggies first, for a few minutes, before adding them to the crumble mixture. If using frozen veggies, just toss those bad boys in, frozen and all! Good vegetables to use are: peas, corn, diced carrots, lima beans, turnips, parsnips, shelled edamame, and green beans.) Cook for about 10 minutes, until bubbly. Stir in the flour/broth slurry, to thicken the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle, evenly, with the French’s onions then blob on the mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes. Let the shepherd’s pie cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Thickened crumble mixture

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

1 lb. soy crumbles (such as Morningstar Farms Veggies Crumbles or Boca Ground Crumbles)

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 ½ cups vegetable broth, divided

12-16 oz. mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen)

2 tablespoons of flour

3 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender

a pat or two of butter

¼ cup milk

½ cup of shredded cheddar

½ cup French’s Fried Onions

Salt and pepper, to taste

Food Cars

So, this isn't an in-depth post, but it still amused me, nonetheless. Follow the link to see some interesting cars that take the shape of food! I remember once, years ago, seeing a fairy tale like carriage that looked like a strawberry.

http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/americas-most-outrageous-food-vehicles-161300997.html

Valentine's Day

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day yesterday!

Winter Vegetable Barley soup

Last night, Nick and I decided to play it simple and went to Atwaters, at Belvedere Square, for soup and sandwiches!

Grilled Portabella Mushroom and Smoked Mozzarella Sandwich
and the Vegetarian Muffaletta

Atwaters is one of my favorite Baltimore restaurants. The soups are flavorful and hearty while the sandwiches are super stuffed and tasty, made with their homemade, dense breads, which they make daily. Atwaters uses organic and local ingredients to make their soups (and they make their soup broth from scratch as well). They have a good variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes alike on their menu and I always leave feeling happy and stuffed to the gills.

http://atwaters.biz/