OH's Blueberry Oatmeal Bread Surprise...extremely modified from a Cooking Light--orig posted at end...differences are in bold face
Ingredients
1 cup packed brown sugar
4T vegetable oil
3T butter
2 medium eggs
2 mashed ripe bananas plus enough natural unsweetened apple sauce to make 1 1/3 cups collectively [about 2/3 cup of bananas and rest was applesauce]
1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cinnammon chips
handful of white chocolate chips
about a cup of blueberries, picked over
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream butter and sugar, add vegetable oil, and then the eggs. Combine banana/apple sauce, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix well. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist. Add in cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, blueberries and gently fold over. Leave overnight in fridge. Spoon batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.
-----------
Original Cooking Light Version:
Ingredients
1 cup packed brown sugar
7 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 2 large)
1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat well at medium speed of a mixer. Combine banana, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
International Experiments from the past two weeks:
-shrimp wontons...could use a 'lil help
-Chinese vegetarian dumplings...coulda used a bit more salt and practice with forming perfectly round pieces of dough... but getting there...
-samosas...filling worked, need to remember to cut the dough into semi-circles instead of circles
-scallion pancakes (!)--perfect! :D :D :D
-pasta salad with grilled Japanese eggplant, roasted red peppers, and homemade Italian-style paneer...will tell ya tomorrow how this fusion creation works
-spoon bread...needed salt but will be great for putting eggs over, or for a casserole bake
Toldya I was keeping busy! ;)
-shrimp wontons...could use a 'lil help
-Chinese vegetarian dumplings...coulda used a bit more salt and practice with forming perfectly round pieces of dough... but getting there...
-samosas...filling worked, need to remember to cut the dough into semi-circles instead of circles
-scallion pancakes (!)--perfect! :D :D :D
-pasta salad with grilled Japanese eggplant, roasted red peppers, and homemade Italian-style paneer...will tell ya tomorrow how this fusion creation works
-spoon bread...needed salt but will be great for putting eggs over, or for a casserole bake
Toldya I was keeping busy! ;)
The perfect chocolate chip cookie
I'm still here. Still cooking too. I've just been a bit distracted by long car trips to Canada and drama. But drama is correlated with stress. And stress is correlated with cooking. Insane amounts of cooking. Which leads me to this post.
There was a great NYTimes article about the perfect chocolate chip cookie, if such a thing exists.
Of course, I was naturally curious and skeptical. And so I began to take steps in achieving my new goal for the summer (either in addition to or instead of my dissertation proposal). The overarching aim is to find "the perfect chocolate chip cookie" that does not require buying mail-order gourmet $30 chocolate feves. In fact, it would be great if making a batch of cookies could cost $10 or less.
Aim 1. Compare the texture of cookies after dough has sat out at 0h, 24h, 36h, and 48h
Hypothesis 1, based on the NYTimes test: Cookies will have the best texture at 36h.
Result. Cookies at 24h had the best texture after baking. 36h and 48h Cookies have better texture than 0h cookies while warm. 0h cookies have better texture than 48h cookies the next day. Results on next-day quality could not be obtained for the 36h cookies due to consumption. This is a limitation to be considered for future studies. Next-day results on the 24h cookies have yet to be determined.
Aim 2. Compare the taste of cookies after dough has sat out at 0h, 24h, 36h, and 48h.
Hypothesis 2. The longer the tastier
Results. Hypothesis 2 was confirmed by three taste testers. This pattern of results remained the next day for 0h and 48h cookies.
Aim 3. Compare the taste of cookies made with Cabot butter and Land O Lakes butter.
Hypothesis 3. Cookies made with Cabot all natural butter will taste better
Aim 4. Compare the taste of cookies made with Gold Medal and King Arthur flour.
Hypothesis 4. Cookies made with King Arthur flour will taste better.
Aim 5. Compare the taste of cookies made with all coarse kosher salt, sea salt, 50-50 coarse kosher and sea salt, and regular NaCl
Hypothesis 5. Cookies made with a mix of coarse and sea salt will taste best. Regular table salt can continue to live outside the house.
Aim 6. Compare the taste of cookies made with hormone-free eggs and regular eggs
Hypothesis 6. Cookies made with the good eggs will taste better.
Aim 7. Compare chocolate chip cookie recipes that use reasonable ingredients. Accepting submissions. Received so far: 2
Aim 8. Compare results of softened butter and melted butter.
Aim 9. Compare cookies that are baked, frozen, and reheated with frozen cookie dough that is then baked.
Aims 1 and 2 were tested with the following recipe adapted from Ghiradelli
1 1/4 cup King Arthur flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp Hain sea salt
1/8 tsp Morton coarse kosher salt
1 stick Cabot butter, softened
1/2c Florida natural sugar
1/2c Domino light brown sugar
vanilla extract
1 large egg
1c Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
Best results were made with balls about 2-3 in in diameter and slightly flattened. Our oven temp is off. The recipe says 375...our oven does cookies best at about 315.
Aims beyond 1 and 2 have yet to be fulfilled... taste testers who are willing to travel and donations are welcome
I'm still here. Still cooking too. I've just been a bit distracted by long car trips to Canada and drama. But drama is correlated with stress. And stress is correlated with cooking. Insane amounts of cooking. Which leads me to this post.
There was a great NYTimes article about the perfect chocolate chip cookie, if such a thing exists.
Of course, I was naturally curious and skeptical. And so I began to take steps in achieving my new goal for the summer (either in addition to or instead of my dissertation proposal). The overarching aim is to find "the perfect chocolate chip cookie" that does not require buying mail-order gourmet $30 chocolate feves. In fact, it would be great if making a batch of cookies could cost $10 or less.
Aim 1. Compare the texture of cookies after dough has sat out at 0h, 24h, 36h, and 48h
Hypothesis 1, based on the NYTimes test: Cookies will have the best texture at 36h.
Result. Cookies at 24h had the best texture after baking. 36h and 48h Cookies have better texture than 0h cookies while warm. 0h cookies have better texture than 48h cookies the next day. Results on next-day quality could not be obtained for the 36h cookies due to consumption. This is a limitation to be considered for future studies. Next-day results on the 24h cookies have yet to be determined.
Aim 2. Compare the taste of cookies after dough has sat out at 0h, 24h, 36h, and 48h.
Hypothesis 2. The longer the tastier
Results. Hypothesis 2 was confirmed by three taste testers. This pattern of results remained the next day for 0h and 48h cookies.
Aim 3. Compare the taste of cookies made with Cabot butter and Land O Lakes butter.
Hypothesis 3. Cookies made with Cabot all natural butter will taste better
Aim 4. Compare the taste of cookies made with Gold Medal and King Arthur flour.
Hypothesis 4. Cookies made with King Arthur flour will taste better.
Aim 5. Compare the taste of cookies made with all coarse kosher salt, sea salt, 50-50 coarse kosher and sea salt, and regular NaCl
Hypothesis 5. Cookies made with a mix of coarse and sea salt will taste best. Regular table salt can continue to live outside the house.
Aim 6. Compare the taste of cookies made with hormone-free eggs and regular eggs
Hypothesis 6. Cookies made with the good eggs will taste better.
Aim 7. Compare chocolate chip cookie recipes that use reasonable ingredients. Accepting submissions. Received so far: 2
Aim 8. Compare results of softened butter and melted butter.
Aim 9. Compare cookies that are baked, frozen, and reheated with frozen cookie dough that is then baked.
Aims 1 and 2 were tested with the following recipe adapted from Ghiradelli
1 1/4 cup King Arthur flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp Hain sea salt
1/8 tsp Morton coarse kosher salt
1 stick Cabot butter, softened
1/2c Florida natural sugar
1/2c Domino light brown sugar
vanilla extract
1 large egg
1c Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
Best results were made with balls about 2-3 in in diameter and slightly flattened. Our oven temp is off. The recipe says 375...our oven does cookies best at about 315.
Aims beyond 1 and 2 have yet to be fulfilled... taste testers who are willing to travel and donations are welcome
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Pizza dough
from epicurious that I tried on Friday... I'm a fan... been looking for a good dough recipe
Bon Appétit | March 2007
Giada DeLaurentiis
This dough is easy to handle and will give you a crispy crust that's also tender.
subscribe to Bon Appétit
Ingredients
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface. KNEAD dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. PUNCH down dough. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. ROLL out dough according to recipe instructions. (Start in center of dough, working outward toward edges but not rolling over them.)
from epicurious that I tried on Friday... I'm a fan... been looking for a good dough recipe
Bon Appétit | March 2007
Giada DeLaurentiis
This dough is easy to handle and will give you a crispy crust that's also tender.
subscribe to Bon Appétit
Ingredients
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface. KNEAD dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. PUNCH down dough. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. ROLL out dough according to recipe instructions. (Start in center of dough, working outward toward edges but not rolling over them.)
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Juuuuust in case they ever take the site down and so that I don't always have to google it, I'm cut and pasting this "recipe" here...I'm a fan... I love hard boiled eggs but hate it when you get that icky green around the yolk. I've never gotten the icky green since following these instructions
* Exported from MasterCook *
Recipe By : Julia Child, "The Way to Cook"
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:40
Categories : Cheese/Eggs Family Recipes
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For 1-4 Eggs:
1 to 4 Eggs
2 quarts water -- * see note
For 12 Eggs:
12 Eggs
3 1/2 quarts water -- * see note
For 24 Eggs:
24 Eggs
6 quarts water -- * see note
Special Equipment_________________________
High (not wide) Saucepan with cover
Bowl w/ice cubes & water (large enough to
completely cover eggs)
*note: water should cover the eggs by 1 inch, so use a tall pan, and limit
cooking to 2 dozen eggs at a time.
1. Lay the eggs in the pan and add the amount of cold water specified. Set
over high heat and bring just to the boil; remove from heat, cover the pan,
and let sit exactly 17 minutes.
2. When the time is up, transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and
water. Chill for 2 minutes while bringing the cooking water to the boil
again. (This 2 minute chilling shrinks the body of the egg from the shell.)
3. Transfer the eggs (6 at a time only) to the boiling water, bring to the
boil again, and let boil for 10 seconds - this expands the shell from the
egg. Remove eggs, and place back into the ice water.
Chilling the eggs promptly after each step prevents that dark line from
forming, and if time allows, leave the eggs in the ice water after the last
step for 15 to 20 minutes. Chilled eggs are easier to peel, as well.
The peeled eggs will keep perfectly in the refrigerator, submerged in water
in an uncovered container, for 2 to 3 days.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES : The perfect hard boiled egg has a tender white, and a yolk properly
set. There is not the faintest darkening of yolk where the white encircles
it (a chemical reaction caused by too much heat in the cooking process).
Eggs cooked this way can also be peeled neatly. The system described here, developed by the Georgia Egg Board, takes a bit of fussing - but it really does produce an absolutely Perfect Hard Boiled Egg!
Juuuuust in case they ever take the site down and so that I don't always have to google it, I'm cut and pasting this "recipe" here...I'm a fan... I love hard boiled eggs but hate it when you get that icky green around the yolk. I've never gotten the icky green since following these instructions
* Exported from MasterCook *
Recipe By : Julia Child, "The Way to Cook"
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:40
Categories : Cheese/Eggs Family Recipes
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For 1-4 Eggs:
1 to 4 Eggs
2 quarts water -- * see note
For 12 Eggs:
12 Eggs
3 1/2 quarts water -- * see note
For 24 Eggs:
24 Eggs
6 quarts water -- * see note
Special Equipment_________________________
High (not wide) Saucepan with cover
Bowl w/ice cubes & water (large enough to
completely cover eggs)
*note: water should cover the eggs by 1 inch, so use a tall pan, and limit
cooking to 2 dozen eggs at a time.
1. Lay the eggs in the pan and add the amount of cold water specified. Set
over high heat and bring just to the boil; remove from heat, cover the pan,
and let sit exactly 17 minutes.
2. When the time is up, transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and
water. Chill for 2 minutes while bringing the cooking water to the boil
again. (This 2 minute chilling shrinks the body of the egg from the shell.)
3. Transfer the eggs (6 at a time only) to the boiling water, bring to the
boil again, and let boil for 10 seconds - this expands the shell from the
egg. Remove eggs, and place back into the ice water.
Chilling the eggs promptly after each step prevents that dark line from
forming, and if time allows, leave the eggs in the ice water after the last
step for 15 to 20 minutes. Chilled eggs are easier to peel, as well.
The peeled eggs will keep perfectly in the refrigerator, submerged in water
in an uncovered container, for 2 to 3 days.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES : The perfect hard boiled egg has a tender white, and a yolk properly
set. There is not the faintest darkening of yolk where the white encircles
it (a chemical reaction caused by too much heat in the cooking process).
Eggs cooked this way can also be peeled neatly. The system described here, developed by the Georgia Egg Board, takes a bit of fussing - but it really does produce an absolutely Perfect Hard Boiled Egg!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Caramelized pear cake
This one came from Epicurious--I'm definitely making it again!!! It is SO good. Though, I thought I'd cheat and use a springform pan. Evidently, my springform pan leaks so I created quite the smoke sensation... but it still tastes good. If you go to the epicurious link, I agree with the reviewer who says it's possible to make in a regular cake pan if it's high enough. I had to make a few changes due to what I had on hand (e.g., I used 1.5 teaspoons ground ginger since I didn't have the crystallized stuff and lemon zest in lieu of orange zest). However, I'd stick with the original recipe if possible...or add way more than 1.5t ground ginger. And that darn old small oven of ours keeps cooking things in way under the time suggested. I probably only had it in the oven for 20 minutes... Most reviewers didn't seem to complain about the timing so I have a sense it has to do with our dinky oven given other recent baking mishaps...
Caramelized pear cake Bon Appétit | September 2000
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream is perfect with this upside-down cake from the Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco.
Makes 8 servings.
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 1/4 pounds Bosc pears, peeled, quartered, cored
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup grated peeled Bosc pears (about 2 medium)
preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in heavy 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet over low heat. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange quartered pears in flower design atop sugar, cutting some pieces to fit center if necessary.
Whisk flour, 2/3 cup sugar, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, ground ginger and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk eggs, oil, vanilla and orange peel in large bowl to blend. Mix in grated pears. Mix dry ingredients into egg mixture.
Carefully pour batter over pears in skillet. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in skillet on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around skillet sides to loosen. Place plate on skillet over cake. Invert cake onto plate. Serve warm.
This one came from Epicurious--I'm definitely making it again!!! It is SO good. Though, I thought I'd cheat and use a springform pan. Evidently, my springform pan leaks so I created quite the smoke sensation... but it still tastes good. If you go to the epicurious link, I agree with the reviewer who says it's possible to make in a regular cake pan if it's high enough. I had to make a few changes due to what I had on hand (e.g., I used 1.5 teaspoons ground ginger since I didn't have the crystallized stuff and lemon zest in lieu of orange zest). However, I'd stick with the original recipe if possible...or add way more than 1.5t ground ginger. And that darn old small oven of ours keeps cooking things in way under the time suggested. I probably only had it in the oven for 20 minutes... Most reviewers didn't seem to complain about the timing so I have a sense it has to do with our dinky oven given other recent baking mishaps...
Caramelized pear cake Bon Appétit | September 2000
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream is perfect with this upside-down cake from the Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco.
Makes 8 servings.
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 1/4 pounds Bosc pears, peeled, quartered, cored
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup grated peeled Bosc pears (about 2 medium)
preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in heavy 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet over low heat. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange quartered pears in flower design atop sugar, cutting some pieces to fit center if necessary.
Whisk flour, 2/3 cup sugar, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, ground ginger and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk eggs, oil, vanilla and orange peel in large bowl to blend. Mix in grated pears. Mix dry ingredients into egg mixture.
Carefully pour batter over pears in skillet. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in skillet on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around skillet sides to loosen. Place plate on skillet over cake. Invert cake onto plate. Serve warm.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Millet Yam Cakes, Quinoa Cakes, and Chicago
I was looking for a healthy snack at Whole Foods the other day and ended up getting these yummy little gems. Like any good snoop, I took note of the ingredients list and will be trying to replicate the gems in the home kitchen some time soon. If anyone has real recipes for making these treats, please pass along :)
Ingredients:
millet yam cakes:
millet, sweet potatoes, onions, leeks, tamari, oil
quinoia cakes:
quinoa, spinach, carrots, zucchini, "vegetable base--onions tomatoes potatoes carrots celery) salt yeast extract corn starch, onion powder, sugar,lemon juice, garlic, oil pepper
In other news, Chicago was very very cold, but enjoyable. The concept of snow in March now eludes me and you'd never know I was from Boston. We had a lot of good food in Chicago and a lot of it was quite reasonably priced. It's amazing what you get used to paying in Miami!
Heaven on 7 for lunch/brunch--R got the oyster po boy [sandwich with fried oysters and lettuce and other stuff in it] and I got cheese grits and cajun shrimp. It was a fun place with bottles of hot sauce lining the walls. I'm not quite accustomed to the way things are packed in Chicago and therefore, how common it is for things to happen above the ground floor. The restaurant was on the seventh floor. Passing by the building, you'd never really suspect that there'd be a full blown restaurant upstairs. It felt like I constantly had to look upwards in the streets to see what other stores and businesses I was missing--shoe repair places, clothing stores, hair salons all on upper levels. It reminded me a bit of Shanghai in the way you could find restaurants on the 35th floor of some otherwise normal tall building.
Lou Malnati's for deep dish pizza--I'm realizing that I might not like real deep dish pizza, having been trained on Uno's and Pizza Hut... I'm so accustomed to equating deep dish with grease fest that it was a bit disappointing that the pizza here wasn't greasy. Everyone else liked it and I assume I just have very unsophisticated tastes in deep dish... I guess it's the quivalent of people liking crab rangoons at Americanized Chinese restaurants.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba for tapas--we went here a few years ago for ABCT but I loved it so much, I wanted to come again. We sat at the bar since the place was packed... We got shrimp in garlic sauce, manchego and spinach stuffed mushrooms, a cheese plate, and seared scallops with couscous. After 10, tapas were $3 and we ordered a grilled calamari and potatos bravas... After reading some NYTimes article, I've started ordering potato bravas at every tapas restaurant I go to... True to the article, everyone does seem to make it differently. The Ba Ba Reeba version was delicious. It was such a super yummy restaurant. There's no question that I'd go...again.
Corner Bakery Cafe--The desserts are quite yummy. There really aren't enough bakeries in Miami!
Vong's Thai Kitchen--this place was delicious in that fushiony Thai kind of way. They operated as a fancier restaurant in terms of service and deco etc. but they were normally priced. Well, at least normally priced compared to Miami Thai food :). They didn't have space for us until 9pm but it was well worth the wait. Instead of bread, they started us off with a shredded daikon salad which tastes a lot like the ones my grandmother makes. Then we had the tuna sashimi roll--it was alright. I'd be curious to try a different appetizer in the future. I had the penang curry shrimp noodles--a dish with slightly fried and crispy fat rice noodles. The combination of flavors was amazing. R got the red curry pad thai--the flavor was wonderful as well. In both dishes, the ingredients came together perfectly. Each bite was a trip to happy town. Unfortunately, I was so full, that I missed out on the dessert that I had been looking forward to...next trip, I start with dessert! :p
Bistro 110--brunch. This was near the Waterworks and I'd definitely go back in a heartbeat. They start you off with a plate with a huge roasted garlic and fresh bread. I'm a sucker for roasted garlic on bread so I was smitten before I even ordered. I had the Louisiana Eggs which were very good. R's cousin-in-law had the croissant French Toast which also looked heavenly. I'd debated heavily between the two choices. Next trip, I'll try to toast! :) Unless it's fall, in which case his cousin in law says they serve pumpkin soup served in mini pumpkins. Now who wouldn't go for that?
duds:
Billy Goat Tavern. Granted, we first tried going to one under a street bridge late at night so it was completely empty. And then we walked to Timbuktu, well, technically, just another one which turned out to be closed.
Hancock Tower. We went to the 96th Floor to get a drink. After twenty minutes of waiting in line, getting shoved around by the hostess and host, treated rudely by then, and having others seated before us, and dealing with their general bitchiness and sneering, we decided to leave the damn line. Which was probably their goal but honestly, I can pay $12 for a drink in Miami with better service.
Ingredients:
millet yam cakes:
millet, sweet potatoes, onions, leeks, tamari, oil
quinoia cakes:
quinoa, spinach, carrots, zucchini, "vegetable base--onions tomatoes potatoes carrots celery) salt yeast extract corn starch, onion powder, sugar,lemon juice, garlic, oil pepper
In other news, Chicago was very very cold, but enjoyable. The concept of snow in March now eludes me and you'd never know I was from Boston. We had a lot of good food in Chicago and a lot of it was quite reasonably priced. It's amazing what you get used to paying in Miami!
Heaven on 7 for lunch/brunch--R got the oyster po boy [sandwich with fried oysters and lettuce and other stuff in it] and I got cheese grits and cajun shrimp. It was a fun place with bottles of hot sauce lining the walls. I'm not quite accustomed to the way things are packed in Chicago and therefore, how common it is for things to happen above the ground floor. The restaurant was on the seventh floor. Passing by the building, you'd never really suspect that there'd be a full blown restaurant upstairs. It felt like I constantly had to look upwards in the streets to see what other stores and businesses I was missing--shoe repair places, clothing stores, hair salons all on upper levels. It reminded me a bit of Shanghai in the way you could find restaurants on the 35th floor of some otherwise normal tall building.
Lou Malnati's for deep dish pizza--I'm realizing that I might not like real deep dish pizza, having been trained on Uno's and Pizza Hut... I'm so accustomed to equating deep dish with grease fest that it was a bit disappointing that the pizza here wasn't greasy. Everyone else liked it and I assume I just have very unsophisticated tastes in deep dish... I guess it's the quivalent of people liking crab rangoons at Americanized Chinese restaurants.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba for tapas--we went here a few years ago for ABCT but I loved it so much, I wanted to come again. We sat at the bar since the place was packed... We got shrimp in garlic sauce, manchego and spinach stuffed mushrooms, a cheese plate, and seared scallops with couscous. After 10, tapas were $3 and we ordered a grilled calamari and potatos bravas... After reading some NYTimes article, I've started ordering potato bravas at every tapas restaurant I go to... True to the article, everyone does seem to make it differently. The Ba Ba Reeba version was delicious. It was such a super yummy restaurant. There's no question that I'd go...again.
Corner Bakery Cafe--The desserts are quite yummy. There really aren't enough bakeries in Miami!
Vong's Thai Kitchen--this place was delicious in that fushiony Thai kind of way. They operated as a fancier restaurant in terms of service and deco etc. but they were normally priced. Well, at least normally priced compared to Miami Thai food :). They didn't have space for us until 9pm but it was well worth the wait. Instead of bread, they started us off with a shredded daikon salad which tastes a lot like the ones my grandmother makes. Then we had the tuna sashimi roll--it was alright. I'd be curious to try a different appetizer in the future. I had the penang curry shrimp noodles--a dish with slightly fried and crispy fat rice noodles. The combination of flavors was amazing. R got the red curry pad thai--the flavor was wonderful as well. In both dishes, the ingredients came together perfectly. Each bite was a trip to happy town. Unfortunately, I was so full, that I missed out on the dessert that I had been looking forward to...next trip, I start with dessert! :p
Bistro 110--brunch. This was near the Waterworks and I'd definitely go back in a heartbeat. They start you off with a plate with a huge roasted garlic and fresh bread. I'm a sucker for roasted garlic on bread so I was smitten before I even ordered. I had the Louisiana Eggs which were very good. R's cousin-in-law had the croissant French Toast which also looked heavenly. I'd debated heavily between the two choices. Next trip, I'll try to toast! :) Unless it's fall, in which case his cousin in law says they serve pumpkin soup served in mini pumpkins. Now who wouldn't go for that?
duds:
Billy Goat Tavern. Granted, we first tried going to one under a street bridge late at night so it was completely empty. And then we walked to Timbuktu, well, technically, just another one which turned out to be closed.
Hancock Tower. We went to the 96th Floor to get a drink. After twenty minutes of waiting in line, getting shoved around by the hostess and host, treated rudely by then, and having others seated before us, and dealing with their general bitchiness and sneering, we decided to leave the damn line. Which was probably their goal but honestly, I can pay $12 for a drink in Miami with better service.
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