The Cookie Project: Tood (aka Sister Todd aka Mike)

(sung to the tune of Coconut by Harry Nilsson)

I need to find a recipe
For coconut and lime
But it has to be a quick one
For I’m low on time

I’ll take a lime and some coconut
And mix them both up
I’ll take a lime and some coconut
And mix them both up

I said, Cookbook, can you tell me what to bake
I said, COOKBOOK, I want cookies not cake
I said, Cookbook, can you tell me what to make
I said, COOKBOOK, for Tood and not for Jake

PERFECT! Lime Coconut Snowballs!



Whenever I think of Tood, I fondly remember him singing this song passionately at karaoke for his birthday. That moment on loop in my mind best exemplifies his soul. Plus he enjoys a good no-bake cookie, so that was a bit of a bonus.

I modified Cooking Light’s recipe for Key Lime Coconut Snowballs. I used regular limes rather than key limes, and I cut out the additional sugar so the lime and coconut flavor would shine through. I also increased the size, which kinda defeats the “cooking light” purpose, but a low-fat cookie wasn’t my intention. I think the result suits Tood, although next time I’d double the recipe. Tood’s a growing boy!

Tood’s Lime Coconut Snowballs
2/3 c. graham cracker crumbs (smashed in a Ziploc baggie)
6 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk (nonfat)
1 tsp. grated lime rind
Fresh lime juice from 3 ½ limes
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. shredded unsweetened coconut, divided (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

Mix the graham cracker crumbs, condensed milk, rind, juice, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add 2/3 c. coconut and beat with a mixer at medium speed for about 1 minute. I used a stand mixer, but a hand mixer would work perfectly. Cover and chill for 20-30 minutes.

Shape mixture into balls, about 1 tablespoon each. Place remaining 1/3 c. in a shallow bowl or a pie tin. Roll balls in coconut.

Pacifico - Brooklyn Mexican Madness (Part Three)

Okay, it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been back from Iceland, but between work and enjoying the warm weather in NYC, I’ve been severely neglecting this blog. NO MORE! I hit my work deadlines this week, so by george, I will start updating again! I promise! You believe me, right? I really don’t lie very often (and when I do, you can totally tell), so my intentions are sincere.

Vacation was wonderful, but it was really nice to be back home in Brooklyn. So nice in fact, that it was cause for celebration. What does that mean, boys and girls?

BROOKLYN MEXICAN MADNESS!!!

We first tried Pacifico about a year ago, and were pleasantly surprised. The margaritas were nice and we fell in love with the casual outdoor space. Unfortunately, our experience this time wasn’t as great.



The outdoor space is still pretty awesome. Apparently, they have a backyard, but I’ve only sat in the front. I like the kitschy string lights and seemingly uncontrived messiness. That’s how I roll. I like things kitschy and messy.

Since this is the year of the pig, I ordered a burrito with their pork carnitas. I made a point in asking about the type of beans in the burrito. While I enjoy beans in all their incarnations, I looove black beans in a burrito. I was assured that there were indeed black beans, and so my decision was swayed from the fish tacos, my backup choice.



The burrito was about the size of my calf. Okay, maybe not that long, but the girth was impressive (that’s what she said). I dug in, and was struck by two things: the pork was pretty bland and THOSE BEANS AREN’T BLACK! I haven’t been so disappointed in a burrito since the Democratic party lost the presidential election. (Think about that for a while. The joke totally worked in my head.) The price was roughly $8, which is about the same price as a Chipotle burrito, which is the same size and tastier.



I’m a trooper, so I ate it anyway. Q ordered the yardbird enchiladas, which looked fantastic, but also suffered from being a little too bland.

I still think the outdoor space at Pacifico is great, and it lends itself well to sipping margaritas and munching nachos in the sun with friends. Even if the food was mildly disappointing, I’m still drawn by the temptation of cheese and tequila. It’s in my blood.

Thrir Frakkar: The Taste of Christmas and Facial Muscles

Top 3 Tasty Chins

3. Jay Leno.



This one is obvious. It’s so obvious because it’s true. That is one meaty, tender looking chin.

2. Bruce Campbell



Mr. Campbell has written a book entitled If Chins Could Kill. The key word being “if.” His cannot kill, and therefore I am higher on the food chain.

1. The Cod



Who knew?

Q and I sprung for a nice meal one night at Thrir Frakkar (Three Coats), a cozy seafood restaurant right around the corner from our guesthouse. It was off the main street in a more residential area, and it definitely felt like a place where both tourists and locals stop in for a tasty morsel.

We began our meal with an order of scallops and an order of reindeer pate. Suck on that, Rudolph! The pate was rich and venison-like, but a little more magical. Like you’re ingesting Christmas.



For our main courses we had a grilled lamb steak and the aforementioned cod chins. I can’t think of any way to describe the lamb other than pure. The sheep in Iceland are released into the mountains in the spring to graze on the grass freely. In the autumn, they are herded back, and there are usually festivals accompanying this event. So I hear. Anyhoo, the sheep are totally grass-fed, and I believe the use of hormones is prohibited. The difference in taste is remarkable.



The cod chins were actually the bottom parts of the jaws, cheeks included, I believe. Parts were a bit chewy-- perhaps the connective tissues? The chins themselves had a similar texture to scallops. They were prepared in a rich, creamy sauce. It became a bit overpowering at times, but we couldn't... stop... eating. The chins were bite-sized, whereas Mr. Campbell's chin could feed a small army (of darkness). His chin wouldn't be nearly as tender.



We were stuffed afterwards, but we had to try the skyr brulee, made with the traditional Icelandic yogurt-like cheese, skyr. I failed to take a picture because I was too busy devouring the entire thing. It was so light and almost mousse-like, but topped with the same wonderful caramelized sugar as creme brulee.

This was one of our few deviations from Icelandic fast food, and it was worth every krona. Q was a little sad that our meal was over. Chin up!

My Favorite Sign in Iceland

If I were the type of gal to get a tattoo without obsessing over the design for five years, I would totally get this image somewhere on my person:



This is a sign outside the cafe at the BSI Bus Terminal, where we got our Flybus to take us to and from the airport. The french fries jutting from the mouth are what elevates this image to greatness.

Vitabar: Stinky Salvation in Reykjavik

I like stinky foods. There, I've said it. Garlic. Stinky cheese. Onions. I like being able to smell the food on my breath hours after I've eaten it. I know after you eat a particularly pungent food, it's proper etiquette to chew a piece of gum afterwards to ensure your companions retain consciousness. I'm just too selfish to place my friends' need for oxygen over the tasty flavor in my mouth.

To say that the forget-me-not burger at Vitabar located in downtown Reykjavik was stinky is like saying that Paris Hilton is skanky. True, but an understatement. Topped with garlic sauce and copious amounts of blue cheese, this burger ensured that everybody we met that night would remember us.



The patty was thin, but juicy. Also, Vitabar offers a combo special with a cheeseburger and fries for only 650 ISK (about $10 USD), making Vitabar one of the best food deals around. The cheeseburger was topped with a hamburger sauce that seemed omnipresent in Iceland, and it tasted an awfully lot like Thousand Island or Big Mac special sauce.



The atmosphere was English Pubby, and the scene seemed local. A combination of families and young folks fueling up for the nightlife filled the booths in the small space. They also have a liquor license, so you can have a pint of Viking beer along with your artery-clogging burger. Just skip the breath spray afterwards.

The Sea Baron: Lobster and Fishbeef

Hi folks! Well, we're back from Iceland, and boy are our arms tired! HAHAHA. These are the jokes, people. Sigh. Along with our memories, we also brought back colds, so I'll hopefully have a bit of time to write some heavily medicated posts about our vacation food adventures.

We started our trip in the capital city of Reykjavik, by far the most populous part of Iceland (over half of the country's population resides in the greater Reykjavik area). A lot has been made out of how expensive Reykjavik is and with good reason. Quite a bit of the food and goods are imported, as most of the land isn't suitable for growing food. However, being from New York, we were used to hunting for a bargain.



Our first meal was at Saegreiffin, or the Sea Baron, a little seafood shack located near Reykjavik's harbor. The building is a vibrant shade of teal, fitting in well with the city's many colored buildings, and a row of headless fish hangs appetizingly from the roof.



We had read a New York Times article instructing us to try the relatively inexpensive lobster soup. And so we did! Well, Q did, but I tried a bit. The soup was pretty darn generous with the lobster meat, and it was ever so fresh. The soup was accompanied with crusty bread and an Icelandic butter called Smjor. That wouldn't be the last time I ate Smjor. Seriously, that stuff is awesome.



As for me, I perused the menu before deciding on my lunch. They don't have a printed menu, but rather a fridge with various raw fish kebobs that you choose and they cook up for you. Being fresh off a plane and ready to dive into all that Iceland had to offer, I chose the whale.



I had read that whale tasted a lot like beef tenderloin, and now I can confirm this. That's what I do. Confirm facts. The texture is EXACTLY like beef, but the flavor was like cow raised completely on fish. That sounds completely logical, but it was unexpected. Q thought it tasted a bit like liver, but I was stuck on the fish-fed cow image. It was good, but I don't know if I'll be eating whale again any time soon. We did some whale-watching later in our trip, and now I feel a little bit bad. Luckily, I have no soul.

The Land of Whales and Bjork

Well, I'm off on vacation, so you won't see an update here for a bit. Expect lots of updates in a week about Icelandic food!

The Cookie Project (Laura)

I have amazing friends. They are all brilliant, talented, and they don't mind my occasional breakdown. Most of all, they are all so unique. Life can be so busy and crazy that I don't think I show my appreciation nearly enough.

Have you ever thought about what different muppets or what different Golden Girl your friends are? Well, recently, I've been thinking about what different cookies my friends would be. Over the next few months, I will bake a different type of cookie representing each of my wonderful friends and give them out, as a way of saying "Thank You for Being a Friend." (Yet another Golden Girls reference!) Welcome to The Cookie Project.

Laura is one of my oldest friends. I've known her for about 11 years, which is a pretty darn long time for a youngin' like me. As I thought about what type of cookie best defines her, I knew it would have to be comforting and familiar yet unusual. She's very strong-willed, so I thought a substantial oatmeal base would be appropriate. When I was last at Trader Joe's, I picked up some sweetened dried hibiscus flowers, which look delicate, but have a subtle tart flavor. Perfect. I added some white chocolate chips to add a surprising sweetness. I found Laura's cookie.



I based the cookie on a Cooking Light recipe for White Chocolate, Strawberry, and Oatmeal cookies, made a few variations, and voila. Since the original recipe used less butter and sugar than traditional oatmeal cookies, they are surprising light. Again, perfect for my tiny friend. The next time I make these, I'll decrease the amount of white chocolate used to about 1/4 cup and possibly increase the salt by a bit. I think this cookie suits her, and I hope she does as well.



Laura's Hibiscus-Oatmeal cookies
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 c. coarsely chopped dried hibiscus flowers
1/3 c. white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Cream sugar and butter in a stand mixer using medium speed. Add vanilla and the egg and beat well. Add half the flour mixture and beat until blended. Add the other half and again, beat until blended. Add the chopped flowers and chips, and either beat at a low speed or mix by hand.

Drop tablespoons of the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool the cookies on wire racks.

Yield 2 dozen.

Spring Taste of Chinatown 2007: The Zongzi Debacle

Last weekend was the annual Spring Taste of Chinatown. Tasty morsels for $1-$2? You know I'm there. Apparently, half of New York had the same idea. The area was a tad more crowded than usual, perhaps because the weather was actually Springlike for the first time this year.




We decided to start our eating spree with zongzis, or sticky-rice tamales. We sidled on up to Nom Wah Tea Parlor and began to devour everything we could.





I remember eating their huge almond cookies last year, so this time I just stuck with savory goods. Lovingly unwrapping the tamale (is there any other way?), I took a bite. Mmmm pork. Mmmm peanuts. Mmmmm glutonous rice. Mmmm... wait. What the? I didn't realize the filling contained egg. Not just egg, but that hard-boiled cooked egg texture. Now, I'm not a picky eater by any means. There are only three foods that I actively dislike: mushrooms, bananas, and eggs, and I can even be persuaded to enjoy them in the right situation. However, I cannot stand hard-boiled eggs. I hate them with all the passion of a thousand drunken Mel Gibsons. They fool you into thinking their harmless, with their fluffy yellow yolk and their oft-decorated shells, but no. They are nasty.



There's a story that my father loves to tell all the friggin' time. When I was a wee Krys, I was served a big bowl of creamy whiteness at a restaurant. My face was lit up, and I eagerly dug my spoon in. My face instantly fell into an expression of disappointment and betrayal. The vanilla ice cream I had gleefully anticipated was in fact mashed potatoes. I was having major flashbacks with my egg-filled tamale. Sigh. Next time, I'll be sure to check the ingredients. To cleanse my palate, I decided to get some peking duck.



The line at the Peking Duck House was probably the longest at the event. We waited about 15 minutes to dig into our little chinese burritos filled generously with duck, cucumber, and whole scallions. Soooo good. I think that ordering the peking duck on a regular visit is a bit pricey, so the chance to get a taste for $2 is definitely worth it.



I wanted to eat more, but it was getting crowded, and I had errands to run. I can't wait until the Fall Taste of Chinatown event.

Bread Alone - Lemon-Scented Memories on a Rainy Day

Welp, we are in the middle of a Nor-easter here in New York. In APRIL. Fortunately, there's no snow, but there is quite a bit of rain... so lots of PBS and hot cocoa for me! I appreciate sundays where I stay all day in my pajamas, but I'm kinda getting a little cabin fever. I'm also a little nervous that this rain is killing my new purchases from yesterday. Herbs!

I've never really had plants before, so I don't exactly have a green thumb, but I figured I'd try to keep rosemary, thyme, and cilantro alive in a little herb collection. If they die, then I'll know that I'm an unfit mother that can't have a puppy someday. If they live, then I'll have handy-dandy herbs at my culinary disposal! Only time shall tell. I hope they're okay. Water is supposed to be good for them, right? And they're under the overhang thingee in the back, so they're a bit sheltered.

The herbs (I haven't named them yet) were a bit of an impulse buy from the farmer's market at the Grand Army Plaza in Park Slope. There weren't too many veggies out yet, but the market was in full swing.



Two years ago, Q and I celebrated an anniversary up in the Catskills. While we were there, we fell in love with a local bakery called Bread Alone. They have delicious muffins and danishes, and their Woodstock location seemed to be incredibly popular among the locals. When we came back to NYC, we noticed that Bread Alone seemed to be at every freakin' greenmarket in the city! So naturally, I always find myself at their stand on saturdays, trying something new each time.



Behold my lemon and currant scone from Bread Alone! So tasty! So light and summery, which was perfect on a sunny, semi-warm Saturday. For my own sanity, I hope we have nice weather like that again soon. I'm really running out of things to annoy Q with.

Momofuku Ssam Bar and Il Laboratorio del Gelato (Neither Brooklyn nor Mexican Madness)

When I was a wee Krys, I spent a lot of time in Arizona, visiting family. The one Phoenix restaurant that sticks in my head and in my heart was called Panda Bandito. I remember it being a hole-in-the wall joint, and it fused crappy Americanized Chinese food with crappy Americanized Mexican food. I've spent the rest of my life trying to recreate Orange Chicken Burritos.

Momofuku Ssam Bar is David Chang's follow-up to his wildly popular noodle bar. We all know that I love burritos and I love pork, so I really wanted to try the ssam, his korean wrap, but found that it's only available for lunch. Apparently the dinner menu is great, but I had my heart set on asian burritos. So, today's lunch was decided: Ssam I am.



There isn't really signage outside, but my sixth burrito sense led me inside. I didn't have to look at the menu to know that I what I wanted, so I marched up to the back counter and ordered The Original Momofuku Ssam. They have several build-your-own options, but the original is made of a flour pancake, rice, berkshire pork, onions, edamame, picked shiitake, and red kimchi puree. I think they also may have put a little hoisin on there, spread on as a base for the rice. I also watched the formation of the steamed buns, which I stupidly did not order. They looked damn good.



More pork! I really need to be stopped. I calculated that it's only April, and I've probably consumed two full pigs so far. I keep trying to justify that fact in my head, but I should probably just accept my addiction. Anyhoo, this pork was so delicious and tender and porky. The edamame added a great crunch, and the kimchi and pickled shiitake added a nice salty vinegary flavor. I HATE mushrooms, but I dug the pickled shiitake. I probably wouldn't eat it on its own, but in the ssam, it was perfect.

I needed to walk the pork off, so I headed down to the lower east side to eye the new Whole Foods. While I was in the area, and it being a sunny day, I decided that I needed more fat in my body and headed over to Il Laboratorio del Gelato. Unfortunately, they didn't have their more unusual flavors available (I was craving olive oil gelato), so I got a small with a scoop of maple-walnut and a scoop of espresso.



Mmmm, those flavors went well together. So refreshing after the pork. This is why it's dangerous for me to go to Manhattan on the weekends.

Bonita II – Brooklyn Mexican Madness (Part Two)

This last week I had some celebratory news. What does that mean, folks? Mexican food, of course! Q and I wandered into Fort Greene to try the southern outpost of Williamsburg fav, Bonita, cleverly named Bonita II.

Q accurately described the feel of the restaurant as a “hipster soda fountain that serves nachos.” The tile-covered walls combined with the 50s soda shoppe soundtrack definitely gave us the feel of an upscale Johnny Rockets. I had my heart set on the carnitas tacos (again, I apparently can’t eat enough pork!), but I changed my mind when the waiter told us about the special mole that night, made with chocolate, of course, and pasilla chilies. Yum! I ordered the chicken enchiladas smothered in mole, and we also got a side of sweet plaintains as an appetizer. You have to pay for chips and salsa, but at least the salsa seemed fresh albeit mild.



Mmmm. The mole was good. I mean really good. It was creamy and had a wonderful sweet/bitter/savory/spicy coffee flavor that went perfectly with the corn tortillas and fresh avocado. The chicken itself seemed to be roasted white meat, and it could have been a little more spiced, but still, the enchiladas were damn tasty. Q ordered the carnitas tacos, and the pork was just seasoned enough, but I think I liked my mole more.

My ears perked up at the Spanish versions of Rolling Stones songs, and my tongue perked up at my Picante Margarita made with Habanero-infused tequila. While it wasn’t as pretty as some margaritas I’ve had in the past, it made up for its looks with flavor.



While I don’t know that it would be my signature drink, I enjoyed it more than their house margarita. The pepper adds a nice little burn at the back of your throat offset by the sweetness of the grapefruit juice and the saltiness of the, well, salt. Apparently the Williamsburg location doesn’t offer hard liquor due to its proximity to a church, but the Ft. Greene location has an extensive offering of tequila, including an intriguing “dessert tequila.”

I’ve heard complaints about the service at the Williamsburg outpost, but our waiter here was super-attentive. By the time our check came (along with Chiclets), we were sold. This ranks high so far in our Brooklyn Mexican Mission.

Taco Chulo - Brooklyn Mexican Madness (Part One)

You know how you have one particular song that plays in your head when something happens? In high school, Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes always played when my crush made eye contact. It was always reeeeeally awkward when I started singing out loud. It seems like whenever anything celebratory happens, Tequila by The Champs blares in my head. If I have amazing willpower that day, I can stop myself from doing the Pee-Wee dance. That brings me to my point. Is there a more festive cuisine than Mexican food? Luckily, April has been a month for celebration, and that means margaritas-a-plenty.

My friend Joy was born in the beginning of April, and if that's not an occasion for margaritas, I don't know what is. A bunch of us gathered in her hood to convene at Williamsburg's Taco Chulo.



I was the last to arrive because I'm ever so fashionable. And I had to file lots of stuff at work. I have such a glamourous life. The gang was already polishing off a pitcher of Sangria, so I ordered a Tamarind margarita and took a look at the menu.



The margarita was preeeety. It tasted nice and tamarindy. A little watery, but it did the job. The sangria tasted, as my friend Tood said, like Trader Joe's Two Buck Chuck mixed with orangeade. Ah well, my attention was turned towards the food. Taco Chulo has quite the extensive Tex-Mex menu, complete with a Velveeta and Rotel salsa con queso appetizer. Authenticity isn't it's M.O. I ordered a carnitas taco and a "Huachinango" fish taco.



I was pleased that they doubled up on the corn tortillas, and you certainly get a lot of food for your money. The fish was "eh." The fish kinda tasted frozen, but the carnitas taco was quite tasty. It wasn't the best, but it definitely sated my hunger. I love me some braised pork. Overall, it was an okay experience, and it was definitely a nice space for a larger group. I don't think I would go back of my own free will. While velveeta and rotel isn't something I want to pay money for, I'm sure it could be a big hit with those hip kids that dig irony.

When I lived in Jersey City, I was lucky enough to live by Taqueria, home of amazing fish tacos and tamales. It is now my mission to find a great Mexican place close to my current home. Any ideas?

Currantly Full of Pork

I probably haven't mentioned this here, but we have finally decided to take a vacation. It's going to be our first vacation in about two years and my first overseas vacation in about 8-9 years. Q and I are off to Iceland in May, and our preliminary research tells us that boy oh boy is it ever going to be expensive! For this reason, I'm trying to use up some of the strange ingredients lurking in my pantry.

I was flipping through the April issue of Cooking Light, which is one of the two magazines I subscribe to. The other one is a freebie through my credit card. Hoo doggy do I love magazines! Sorry, had to get that out. Anyhoo, one recipe jumped out at me: Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Red Currant Sauce.

Shallots: check
Red Currant Jelly: check
random spices like coriander and thyme: check

All I needed was some pork chops (they specify bone-in, but I just used regular boneless chops from my butcher) and some beef broth (I used some stock from my corner bodega). After a little shallot and garlic-chopping and twenty minutes, I had tastiness!!!



The sauce was sweet and tart, which is a combination I adore although I despise the candy that shares the same description. I definitely used more than a teaspoon of coriander to season the pork. I probably used about a tablespoon, but it gave the chops a beautiful crust. I've only recently discovered the wonderful secret of cornstarch, which instantly thickens a sauce to make a super-quick meal. I will definitely be making this again, and fortunately, I'll have most of the ingredients on hand.

Dreaming of Warmer Weather...

Q's birthday present to himself:



Now it just needs to stop snowing in April. What the hell.

67 Burger

On a beautiful March Sunday afternoon, Q and I peeled ourselves off the couch, met a couple of friends, and headed on over to BAM to see the ballet production of Edward Scissorhands. DANCING TOPIARIES!!! We paid for nosebleeds, but mysteriously got ushered to closer seats. We certainly weren't going to complain. It's one of my favorite movies, and it was wonderful in dance form. Afterwards, we wanted a yummy late lunch, but we still wanted a fairly casual eating experience. The Smoke Joint was a bit too busy, so we headed across the street to 67 Burger in Ft. Greene.

Even though it is obviously a burger joint, they had a few other menu options, such as salads and sandwiches. The space is appropriately fast foody. After placing your order at the counter, they give you a metal number sign, which you then take to your chosen seat. This is presumably so they can bring your correct order, although that didn't prevent a mix-up when we were there. They were super-nice about it though. They have a few beers on tap (Blue Moon and Kelso were the standouts), but more importantly they had RC cola. Mmmm. I'm not a big soda drinker, but I can't resist the syrupy goodness of RC. Also, they had curly fries on the menu which is a huge plus for me.



The burgers are cooked to order, which was a nice surprise. My medium-rare burger was actually the right shade of pink. Hooray! I ordered a cheeseburger with cheddar cheese and a side of curly fries. The burger was very good, and the curly fries were excellent.


My only qualm with the place is the price. I think my total meal (burger, fries, and soda) was a little less than twenty dollars, which in hindsight doesn't seem that bad, but it was definitely more than I wanted to spend at the time. If the place were a little less expensive, I'd definitely be back. When the weather warms up, I'll definitely stop in for a milkshake (with a little lactaid to help). And maybe an order of curly fries. Possibly a burger. I had better start saving up now.

Sugar High Friday #29!

One of the problems with having a food blog is that it can get a little monotonous to the reader. It runs into the danger of just documenting my meals, which while FASCINATING to me, can be a wee bit dull to you. So, to break things up a bit. I decided to participate in a few blogging events, starting with the famous Sugar High Friday event, the brainchild of the lovely Domestic Goddess.

This month's SHF is hosted by Emily at Chocolate in Context, and the theme is Raw Chocolate. Now, I certainly enjoy my chocolate, but I really, really enjoy it when it's paired with another flavor, like fruit or cookie dough. However, nothing, NOTHING gets my purr-organ purring (wow, that didn't come out as PG as I was hoping) like the combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

Armed with my cacao nibs, I grabbed some roasted peanuts from my cabinet and set out to make some PeanutNib Brittle. (Aren't you glad I'm not in Marketing?) While the idea made sense in theory, I've never made brittle before, so I used Gale Gand's recipe for Cinnamon Peanut Brittle as a starting point. With minor modifications, PeanutNib Brittle was born!



I'm not a connesieur of peanut brittle by any means, but I thought this was pretty darn tasty! The cinnamon and cocao nibs add a spicy, coffee flavor to the sweet brittle. It's definitely a grown-up candy, and it definitely satisfies my peanut/chocolate need.


PeanutNib Brittle

1/2 c. water
2 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. roasted salted peanuts
1/2 c. cacao nibs
1 tsp. baking soda

First off, grease the heck out of a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper with butter.

Next, combine the first three ingredients in a medium saucepan with a candy thermometer attached. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Boil the mixture until it reaches 300 degrees F(about 10 minutes). The color will be a deep golden brown. Remove from heat, and add the next five ingredients, working quickly.

Pour the mixture onto the greased cookie sheet and spread it out with the back of your wooden spoon. It probably won't fill the whole pan, but just try to spread out the mixture to an even thickness. Let it harden uncovered 30 to 45 min.

Using your hands, break the brittle into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Eat a piece. Enjoy.

Bento Like Beckham

When I get home from work, I usually have no qualms about chopping and cooking a delicious meal, even after a particularly long and stressful day. I love decompressing after a long day doing my cubicle thang by slicing garlic, chopping onions, and zoning out while Access Hollywood tells me everything I ever wanted to know about Anna Nicole Smith’s corpse.

However, the morning is a whole ‘nother story. I can grind my coffee beans and pour my soy milk into my cereal, but that’s it. I think that’s a lot! I’m proud of my ability to press the button on the coffeemaker in the morning.

That brings me to my main point. No matter how early I wake up, no matter how much coffee I drink, I can’t bring myself to pack a decent lunch. I usually slap a few slices of turkey on some bread, grab a piece of fruit, and run out the door. I even have a few Lean Cuisines on hand for mornings where I don’t feel like making a sandwich.

Why, when I have such a love for cooking, am I totally stuck when it comes to making myself a lunch?!? I work in an area where there aren’t too many affordable food options, so I try to bring along something, but it’s never anything I can get excited about. SOLUTION!!! I recently became mildly obsessed with the bento box. Now, I’ve always known about bento boxes, but I had no idea how innovative and creative they can be!



I’m especially wowed by Junko Terashima’s creations. She definitely brings lunch to a higher plane. If you don’t feel like searching through archives, a lovely selection is on an English language blog here: JustinSpace
(both links via Boing Boing)

I’m definitely ordering myself a bento box (possibly from Laptop Lunches) in hopes that I find some sort of lunch inspiration. I’m not sure that I will be adopting a rice-based lunch diet, but maybe I’ll be more innovative in my presentation. My turkey sandwich could use some googly-eyes.

Applewood: Eating Good in the Neighborhood

I love a deal. I like Kim Deal. Hell, I can even stand Deal or No Deal. That’s why I love Restaurant Weeks, in all their various incarnations. Dine In Brooklyn is no exception, and it’s a fantastic excuse to eat out even more than I already do.

Checking out the participants this year, Q and I knew that we both wanted to try Applewood. Being that Q’s birthday fell in the Brooklyn restaurant week this year, we decided that the fates were telling us that we needed to celebrate with an inexpensive good meal.



Applewood offered a lovely three-course prix fixe selection for only $21.12 (the prix fixe price for all the Dine In Brooklyn participants. Something to do with our zip code). We were seated towards the back of the small restaurant, where I had a lovely view of the kitchen, but I was also in a high traffic area right by the owners. Therefore, I felt too sheepish about taking photos of any of our meal. Le sigh. I’ll just have to wow you with my descriptions.

Are you ready to be wowed? No? Too bad.

Appetizer: seasonal soup (rutabaga) - I’ve never had rutabaga before, so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. I think I decided before I tasted it that it would taste like parsnips and it did, kinda. But different. I’m no help here. I’ll definitely be trying more rutabaga in my cooking though. Plus, it’s really fun to say! RUTABAGA! The soup was finished with a swirl of balsamic vinegar, which was delicious, but then again, I love balsamic on anything. The soup also had a sprinkling of rock salt which you aren’t aware of until you crunch into a piece and it explodes in your mouth. It added a fun surprise to the soup.

As a side note, here’s a really neat thing I found relating to rutabaga: The International Rutabaga Curling Championship held in Ithica, NY. I wanna go!!!

Entrée: pan roasted duck breast (with white bean stew, bacon lardons, cippolinis, and garlic confit) - Q and I are both a little disappointed that this dish is not on their regular menu because we both enjoyed it the most out of our entrees. First off, the duck was perfectly cooked, so it was buttery like a rare steak. Mmmm. The white bean stew had tomatoes which surprised me, but added a nice acidity. I didn’t notice the lardons; I assume because the flavor went so well with the dish. Either that or they left them out. I’m not sure. The cippolini onions were a bit flatter than pearl onions, but otherwise they were about the same size. It was nice to taste an ingredient that I rarely get to try, but I don’t think my palate is sophisticated enough to differentiate them from roasted pearl onions. C’est la vie. The garlic confit was basically preserved garlic; it tasted like roasted garlic, but the flavor was much milder. Everything on the plate was soft and tender, and the textures went together as much as the flavors did.

Dessert: meyer lemon curd (with brown butter madeleines) - I think dessert was the best part of the evening. I would eat this every day if I could. It was ever so rich and delicious. The curd was more white than yellow, which made me wonder if there were as many egg yolks as are usually found in curd. It was more of a pudding consistency. Maybe cornstarch was added as a thickening agent? I’m not sure. Either way it was creamy and amazing. The madeleines were perfect as well.

The money we saved on dinner went to a splurge on a nice bottle of Bordeaux. It was a special occasion, after all! The portion sizes were quite generous, and I was a stuffed Krys afterwards. Oh, but what a good life to be stuffed with duck and curd.

Blind Tiger, Revisited

I am a woman of my word. I said I would go back to Blind Tiger Ale House to try the food, and by gum, I did! The kitchen is fairly sizeable for a bar kitchen, and the menu offers simple, no-frills bar food, like grilled cheese sammiches and chili. I opted to try one of their sliders, because I love me a mini-sandwich.



As you can see from the photo, their Tiger-style pulled chicken slider was actually quite sizeable. My picture doesn’t do it justice. I was expecting an average snack, because heck, it’s a bar! I was pleasantly surprised at the first vinegary bite, followed by buffalo hot sauce hitting the back of my throat. The shredded carrots on top added a nice crunch. Q opted for a grilled cheese sandwich with white cheddar, which was serviceable, but his attention was focused elsewhere.



As we expected, the beer is the true star at Blind Tiger, as it should be! However, the food is a perfect accompaniment. Now every time I drink a Southamptom Imperial Porter, I’ll crave the tangy hot sauce from their Tiger-style pulled chicken.

If paying for food ain’t yo thang, keep in mind that they are having a free cheese tasting every Wednesday with cheese provided by Murray’s cheese shop, conveniently located across the street. FREE CHEESE!!!