eating/sf

Mendocino Weekend Part Deux, I Suppose

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Last Friday, I wrote about Cafe Beaujolais, a delicious French dining experience in downtown Mendocino where Matt and I celebrated his birthday. Today I bring you Le Petit Rive, which, officially is a restaurant that lies just outside of Mendocino, in a tiny little place called Little River, tucked behind a postal office, which an ocean view that's worth more than the space ever bargained for.

I was initially tipped off about the restaurant by one of my blogger friend, Janet, who actually provided me with an extensive list of ideas for things to do around Mendocino. I was beyond excited. Le Petit Rive only does two seatings a night--at 5:30 and at 8, and the little restaurant does not mess around. Guests arrive and are promptly seated and served their five course meal at the same time. Did I say five course? Yep! At a very reasonable price, might I add.

We started with their take on the Monte Cristo--a small puff pastry with gooey cheese and ham, served with a sweet berry sauce, and a sip of dessert wine to get things going. Next came the soup--a creamy tomato goat cheese puree that was particularly warming on an evening that was starting to get chilly. The salad was least impressive--the third course of our menu--but refreshing none the less. As was our 'palate cleanser' sorbet.

The main attraction that night, though, was the crispy 1/2 duck, which Matt and I both ordered. As I said earlier, this place does not mess around. My plate came out with some asparagus, crispy little potato cakes topped with dollops of sour cream and half of a roasted duck, fragranced with roasted ginger and set atop a luxurious blackberry sauce.

It was a glorious way to end our weekend, and worth the long drive home during which (despite promises of staying awake), I kept nodding off. Funny enough, despite all of the overwhelmingly positive reviews that this place has gotten--on Yelp, The Wall Street Journal and through word of mouth--there are still some people (no names mentioned!) that argue this place is overrated and earns its high reviews simply because it serves a lot of food for not a lot of money. I beg to differ. A lot of food is served, but it's all quite delicious. More, I love how you feel like you're really part of something. As the food comes out, simultaneously, you know that all of the diners are ooh'ing and ahh'ing at the same thing, at the same time.

Local Pairings: Wooden Shjips - Dos + Le Petit Rive (Little River, CA)

San Francisco's Wooden Shjips offer songs that are equal parts swirling psychedelic repetition and fuzzed out garage rock. It's sorta like mixing together the "broke-ass" garage-rock of Akron, Ohio's the Black Keys, the trancey sounds of Neu, and an extended, drugged-up live version of the Doors' "Light My Fire." The result is a unique sound summed up as a hypnotizing and hazy rawness mastered by driving, repetitive bass lines; primitive, rhythmic drums; ghostly, distant vocals; and bristling, explosive guitar solos. Their strongest release to date is their aptly titled sophomore release Dos. Head to Musical Pairings' home to read the rest. --Matthew

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon: And Another

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Brussels sprouts must be hot these days. I'm seeing recipes galore. Megan from A Sweet Spoonful wrote about them yesterday. Eat Make Read and Pithy and Cleaver try their takes on David Chang's twist. Mark Bittman gives us bacon and figs + brussels sprouts. Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen has roasted them and tossed them with pecans and gorgonzola. Can I venture to say that brussels sprouts are 'in'? I only recently discovered them--a few years ago. Until then, I had only heard horror stories about boiled, bitter, limp messes.

I never had to eat brussels sprouts as a child, and my mother fits into the group of people that absolutely hates them. But I kept seeing them. Everywhere. With steak and fish. Roasted and sauteed. They looked so... intriguing. And so I gave them a try, and been trying them ever since.

In my humble opinion, brussels sprouts are quite the underrated vegetable. They're easy to prepare, nutritious, and they really pair well with smoky, spicy and tangy flavors in all of the right ways. Of late, I've been been slicing them very thinly and sauteing them up with all sorts of flavors. Last week, I tried them with some coppa I had left over from a homemade pizza night. They accompanied some floured, pan-fried tilapia and they were a HIT! So much so, that I craved the same dish this week, so I remade them. This time, though, I paired them with bacon, Parmesan cheese, and just a hint of lemon.

The end result? The sprouts themselves were slightly buttery, tangy and smoky from the bits of bacon I added in. I made them, again, with the pan fried tilapia, and again, they were a hit. If you're looking for some healthy Thanksgiving side dish ideas, this really is a winner (and you might be able to convince the naysayers to give these sprouts a chance again). Have I mentioned I'm already in Thanksgiving mode? Stay tuned for more ideas...

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan
* serves 2-3

about 16 sprouts, thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice
2 slices of bacon

1. In a small skillet, cook the bacon until it is crisp (don't burn it--leave it just slightly undercooked). Place on paper towels to soak up the fat.
2. Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add the shredded brussels sprouts, sauteing them for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cut the bacon into bite sized bits, and add them to the pan. Squeeze some lemon juice into the pan and shred a bit of Parmesan, continuing to toss and saute.
4. Keep sauteing for another couple of minutes, until the sprouts begin to get just slightly golden in parts, and have had a chance to infuse the flavor of the bacon.
5. Place the hash into a bowl and grate some more Parmesan into it, tossing to combine. Adjust seasonings, to taste. Serve warm.

Musical Pairings: Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards + Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan

Brussels sprouts get a bum rap. This may be because when overcooked, they can develop a bad taste and odor. But when cooked properly (such as in Kasey's recipe for today) brussels sprouts can be awesome. And if you are on the fence on this one, it is properly worth mentioning that today's recipe includes bacon (and we already know everything tastes better with bacon). So maybe it is time to re-evaluate brussels sprouts. Today's Musical Pairing is Los Angeles' Cold War Kids, a band that (like brussels sprouts) also got a bum rap - at least from one prominent indie-music website (whose review of the CWK's debut borders on defamation). So we're going to set the record straight: Cold War Kids Robbers & Cowards offers a great blend of old-fashioned soul, blues and rock n' roll that thumps, shakes and rattles in all of the right places. To read the more about the Cold War Kids' Robbers & Cowards, head over to Musical Pairings. --Matthew

Veracruz-Style Snapper

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:28:00 +0000

I think about this blog often--as in the BB (before blog) time, when I wasn't obsessively taking pictures of everything I ate, dreaming up dishes in my sleep, and bringing my friends along for the ride. One of the best parts of the blog for me is being able to go back to specific times in my life and remembering their tastes and smells. It's like having a little time capsule. And while I invite everyone to look at it and share it with me, at the core, it serves as a scrapbook of my memories of food and helps me find cooking inspiration almost every night.

When Matt and I were in Mazatlan , we feasted on lots of fish baked with onions and tomatoes. It would come out of the kitchen laid out on foil (in which it was baked), still steaming hot, with a side of corn tortillas. I often lean towards this way of cooking fish, but a can of diced tomatoes and a jalapeno pepper made me rethink things. While searching the Internet, I came across this recipe in Bon Appetit for a Veracruz-style fish with a whole lot of ingredients (capers, olives, raisins??) I was a little skeptical at first, but I thought we could make it work.

Matt is not a fan of olives, so I knew we'd be omitting those from the recipe. We had some golden raisins on hand, plenty of capers, and fresh multi-colored cherry tomatoes in addition to the jalapeno pepper I mentioned. I could tell from the sauce that it could be made as simple or complex as the ingredients your pantry is stocked with. I liked the idea of cooking and simmering the sauce, and then baking the lightly-seasoned fish inside of it. Not even twenty minutes in the oven, and we were already sitting down to the table to enjoy our little creation. The sauce was definitely the highlight--slightly spicy, slightly sweet, slightly salty. The fish, of course, came out tender and flaky enveloped in the chunky tomatoes. I plan on experimenting more with these ingredients, and think you should, too. Come back and tell me how it goes!

Veracruz-Style Snapper
* serves 2
adapted from this recipe in Bon Appetit

1 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes, plus a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 small bay leaves
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
2 tablespoons of golden raisins (regular is fine)
2 tablespoons of capers, drained
2 large red snapper fillets
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped finely
hot sauce (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 435 degrees F and get a large glass baking dish ready.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, stirring for about 30-45 seconds, then add the tomatoes (diced and fresh), cooking for about a minute.

3. Add the bay leaves and herbs and cook for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. Then add the capers, raisins, jalapeno and season with salt and pepper. Throw in a few dashes of hot sauce if you want to add a little heat. Simmer for about 6-8 minutes.

4. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Spread about 4 tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, setting the fish atop. Spoon the remaining sauce on top.

5. Bake, uncovered for about 18 minutes, until the fish is white and flaky.

Musical Pairings: El Guincho - Alegranza + Veracruz-Style Snapper

Pablo Diaz-Reixa is a Spanish producer/musician who hails from Barcelona and records music under the alias El Guincho. His 2008 album Alegranza (named after a small island off of South Africa) is one of those albums that just sounds like taking all of your memories of a tropical vacation - spicy seafood, fruity drinks with little umbrellas, light beer, laying on a beach chair and listening to the ocean, snorkeling, long walks on the beach, etc. - and sticking those memories into a blender. And this makes sense since El Guincho is frequently quoted as explaining that he "just wanted Alegranza to be a space age-exotica kind of record. . . . The kind of record you play and it makes you feel like traveling to all these places but never stopping at one and then finding an empty space in the middle for you to get into it." And this Veracruz-style snapper recipe is similar in many ways. That is to say it will make you feel like traveling to tropical places where you can drink Pacificos in a little hut on the beach while watching the sunset. And Alegranza should be the soundtrack to that setting. And although experimental in ways that make Animal Collective a notable comparison, it is also just an upbeat record that will make you feel good. Head over to Musical Pairings for the rest of the review. --Matthew

Mendocino/Sea Ranch Weekend and Cafe Beaujolais

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:02:00 +0000

Have I told you about my lovely weekend yet? I don't think so--I haven't had time to really breathe since I got back. And, alas, it's already Friday, and it's time for a local review. As I mentioned, last weekend was Matt's birthday. I made a caramel cake, and whisked him away for our first married couple weekend in Mendocino and Sea Ranch. I made a mistake, though. When I booked the Sea Ranch Lodge, a gorgeous hotel on the water, I thought we were staying oh...just a short lil' drive away from Mendocino. In fact, Sea Ranch is its own area--about an hour and half south of Mendocino. Whoops! Ultimately, the choice was still a good one. Not only did we get to enjoy an impressive trapeze act as part of downtown Mendocino's Halloween street party, but we got to tuck away into a little oasis on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, nowhere near any major town or city. We took walks along the cliff's edges, enjoyed some wine, and just tapped out--so much so that our phones couldn't even pick up a signal.

When I initially realized that downtown Mendocino was a wee bit of a drive from Sea Ranch, I thought that maybe it wasn't worth heading there just for dinner at Cafe Beaujolais. I had booked it weeks in advance, but I also hesitated at the three hour round trip commute. But Matt insisted that we go, especially since we were curious about the nighttime circus acts.

We took off on the windy, forested road, along which a fair amount of folks had pulled off with baskets--presumably in search of mushrooms. After strolling around the little town of Mendocino, and enjoying a glass of wine at the Mendocino Hotel, we found Cafe Beaujolais tucked into a neighborhood street. A sunny little yellow house.

The restaurant itself felt cozy, and appropriate for a special occasion. We started out with housemade bread, and local crab cakes with Asian slaw and noodles. The serving was generous--two large crab cakes and plenty of sauce and salad. The crab cakes themselves were tender and delicious. For our entrees, we went the adventurous route--Matt ordered the house special of the night: venison with sweet potato puree and pomegranate reduction, while I opted for the duck (as I often do), prepared two ways and accompanied by a celery root puree, wilted kale and local huckleberry sauce.

The dishes were impressive, to say the least. Matt's venison was perfectly cooked, woodsy, yet slightly sweet from the pomegranate sauce. Meanwhile, my thinly-sliced duck breast and leg were just perfectly cooked. The huckleberries added a nice touch, and my kale was cooked to perfection.

For dessert, I opted for Italian panforte (it brought back memories of my time in Italy). Matt, of course, got the custard sampler, of which the cream cheese creme caramel was his favorite (not surprising). By the time we finished our dinner, the main attraction of the street party was in full swing--a trapeze performance to rival Cirque du Soleil (I kid you not!). Full, happy, watching a no-harness air act, surrounded by a crowd in costume, knowing that our long drive back to the hotel would lead us to our perfect little room by the sea, I couldn't help think to myself that unexpected surprises aren't always so bad.

Local Pairings: Local Pairings: Or, The Whale - Or, The Whale + Cafe Beaujolais

The San Francisco indie-Americana seven-piece Or, The Whale know how to pen heart-clenching ballads and floor-board stomping rockers. This is amply demonstrated on their self-titled sophomore release, an album which also showcases considerable song-writing prowess and maturity. The record was recorded at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco and features all of the hallmarks of a great folk/country album: a beautifully sad song about a dog that has passed away, bluesy tunes about heart-break, banjo, slinking bass, acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, five excellent vocalists, light percussion and a weathered sounding piano. The band presumably takes their name from the full title of the book Moby Dick (the full original title of which is Moby Dick, or, The Whale), which seems appropriate considering that one of the bands many strengths include literate, narrative lyrics. To read more, head over to Musical Pairings. --Matthew

Food for Thought: Spicy Almond-Butter Noodles

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:49:00 +0000

A good bowl of noodles is hard to beat. They're so versatile, so adaptable. There's spaghetti, whole wheat fettuccine, udon, buckwheat soba... Each noodle is a blank canvas for a luxurious sauce. I've been hearing a lot about all kinds of butters lately, giving me all sorts of recipe ideas--pumpkin butter, apple butter, and almond butter.

While I've only recently started to (kind of) appreciate peanut butter (largely in sauces), I couldn't fathom not loving almond butter. After all, I love everything almond--from macaroons to marzipan. So, on a recent stop at my neighborhood cheese shop, I picked up some locally-produced almond butter to try. I've been trying to find creative ways to put it to use and thought--why not try to swap it in for a recipe that would traditionally call for peanut butter?

Soba noodles are pantry staple of mine--I love them cold with just a little soy sauce, green onion, garlic, and toasted sesame eats. They're great with a little poke. And they're good for you! I did a little research for recipes and stumbled across a simple almond butter sauce tossed with soba noodles and edamame. I had different ideas, though. With carrots, a red bell pepper, sugar snap peas and cilantro, I was going to go in another direction--a more colorful, lively noodle bowl that was spicier and more complex. I added in some lime juice and hot sauce (in addition to the red pepper flakes) to kick things up a notch. This dish is really made to taste, so don't hesitate to decrease or increase the amount of hot components.

You can surely toss in some toasted almonds, some edamame, and/or broccoli. The bottom line: it's a win-win situation. And don't we all love those?

Spicy Almond-Butter Noodles
*serves 2
inspired by this recipe in the Washington Post

1 bundle of dried soba noodles

2 tablespoons of good quality almond butter
3 teaspoons of rice vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
3-4 teaspoons of hot water
Sea salt, to taste
1 carrot, cut into very thin matchsticks (or shredded in a food processor)
handful of sugar snap peas
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into thin matchsticks
few dashes of hot sauce
squeeze of lime juice
chopped cilantro, to taste

1. Boil water in a medium pot and salt lightly. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions (about 5 minutes), and then drain in a colander.

2. Make the dressing by combining the almond butter, rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, lime juice, hot sauce and hot water. Whisk and add more water, until you reach a desired consistency. Salt, to taste, and add more lime juice, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes, as desired.

3. Transfer the soba noodles to a large bowl. Add chopped carrots, red bell pepper, snap peas, and cilantro. Pour in the sauce, tossing to combine.

4. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Musical Pairings: The Cure - Japanese Whispers + Spicy Almond-Butter Noodles

This almond-butter noodle recipe is fun, and easy. It's great for a night when you want a slightly spicy, flavorful dish to lift your spirits, but don't want to put in a lot of work. And, it is a colorful eye-catching dish with the carrots, red pepper and snap peas. Something about the color scheme seems very 80s to me. So for these reason, I dug into the greatest albums of the 80's section of my iTunes and pulled out the Cure's fantastic album, Japanese Whispers. To read more about this album, head over to Musical Pairings. --Matthew

A Birthday and A Caramel Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:43:00 +0000

For a while there I was feeling like I was eating a lot of sweets, but I wasn't making a lot of sweets, and I really had to fix that. I go through baking phases largely because when I bake, I find it very hard to resist eating my baked goodies. But, last week, I went on a baking spree. We had friends over for dinner and I made a deliciously humble cake that I will be telling you about soon. And this weekend was Matt's birthday so naturally, I had to a little research.

I originally saw this recipe for Caramel Cake in Gourmet, and then read about it on Lottie + Doof--Tim proclaimed it to be his favorite cake. Because I trust Gourmet and Tim (if you haven't checked out his blog, you really, really should), I knew that this was the cake I would be making to celebrate Matt's birthday this year. He didn't want to make a big deal about it and invited some friends out for beers in our neighborhood, but I had other plans. I took a half day at work and came home to make cake. And I emailed friends to tell them there was a change of plans--we'd be having cake and beer/champagne at our house before going out to one of the neighborhood bars.

I finished up the package of butter in our fridge (I had used half of it for that other cake I was telling you about), and stocked up on buttermilk and cream. If this wasn't going to be an overindulgent cake, I don't know what was.

I'm not sure what I was expecting in terms of the cake, but when I bit into it, I got a mouthful of light, airy pound cake, with an afterlick of caramel. To that end, this is no dulce de leche cake. The caramel is pretty light, and mostly leaves a residual sweetness on your lips after the first couple of bites. The cake itself is what you'd expect a fluffy buttermilk cake to be--only slightly denser and crumbier, but perfect buttery, with a hint of vanilla.

I won't go so far as to say that this is my favorite cake, but it was certainly a crowd pleaser.

Caramel Cake
recipe via Gourmet

2 cups and 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 stick of butter, at room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 eggs brought to room temperature
1 cup of well-shaken buttermilk

For caramel glaze

1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon of light corn syrup
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
pinch of salt

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and butter a square cake pan (8 or 9 inch).

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a medium bowl.

3. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until it's pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

4. Add one egg at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Lower the speed of your mixer and beat in the buttermilk until it is just incorporated.

5. Next, beat in the dry ingredients in three additions. Don't over mix as this will make the cake less fluffy.

6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and then tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of air bubbles.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden and a set in the middle (test with a toothpick).

8. Cool the cake for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a rack with a pan underneath. Cool for an hour.

9. Make the glaze by bringing the cream, brown sugar, corn syrup and pinch of salt to a boil in a pot over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and let boil for about 10 minutes, or until a candy thermometer registers 212 degrees F. Stir in the vanilla.

10. Pour the hot glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides (make sure you have another pan underneath your cooling rack to catch the excess.

11. Let the glaze cool for about an hour before serving the cake at room temperature.

Musical Pairings: Jeff Buckley - Sketches For My Sweetheart the Drunk + Caramel Cake

Kasey prepared this caramel cake for my birthday. It is smooth, sexy, buttery and celebratory. For this reason, Jeff Buckley's posthumously released Sketches For My Sweetheart the Drunk is perfect pairing for this recipe. Buckley's songwriting and amazing vocals are a perfect comparison for the way this cake tastes: sweet, smokey and caramel. Sketches For My Sweetheart the Drunk didn't receive the same degree of critical acclaim as Buckley's legendary first album, Grace, but the songs that compose this two disc collection are still stunning, complex and solid. Head over to Musical Pairings to read the rest of the review. --Matthew

Pardon This Brief Interruption

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:55:00 +0000

It's Matt's birthday tomorrow and we're heading up to Mendocino to do a little hiking, a little relaxing, and a lot of eating. I had meant to prepare a post for you today--a local review, but I have failed. So please pardon this brief interruption--I'll be back with a new delectable recipe for you on Monday. In the meantime, have yourself a lovely weekend, and check out today's Single Serving from Arcade Fire. I must tend to the cake :)

Aren't those peaches gorgeous? I do miss them at this time of year.

Kabocha Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:47:00 +0000

I'll admit it. I'm a little afraid of homemade pasta. But homemade gnocchi? I was ready to take on the challenge. I'd seen many recipes for gnocchi over the past month. Sassy Radish did her take on Gourmet's sweet potato gnocchi. And a Saveur issue that's been sitting on my kitchen table had a recipe for gnocchi with a browned butter sauce. But being October, and the fact that my farmer's market seems to be overflowing with squashes, I wanted to try something different. I found a recipe for pumpkin gnocchi and went off in search of ingredients.

Whilst picking out pumpkins, though, I stumbled across kabocha squash--a Japanese pumpkin. The lady at the farmer's market stand informed me that kabocha has a much more aromatic flavor when roasted, so I thought I'd trust her and give it a try.

We made these pumpkin gnocchi--Matt, my friend Sarah and I--huddled together in my longish kitchen, which is only optimal for two people. We roasted the kabocha and then sliced off the skins. After eating a few pieces, I was satisfied with the woman's advice--it really was creamy, fragrant and delicious. We didn't push our potato-squash mixture through a strainer as originally recommended. I won't lie--we missed that step. But, we followed the rest of the instructions to a tee, and while I gasped at the amount of butter that went into that sage-butter sauce, I certainly wouldn't have cut it down. The gnocchi came out, as I'd hoped. Little tender pillows accented with pieces of squash, and tenderly enveloped in an aromatic butter sauce.

When rolling the gnocchi, make sure to flour your surface, but don't use a rolling pin--your palms will be just fine. You'll likely find that the gnocchi might stick together after you take them out of the pot, so I would toss them with the butter sauce in a bowl while they're hot. We ate them simply--with just the butter sauce. Though, you'd certainly not be wrong to add a little Parmesan.

Kabocha Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter
* serves 3-4
recipe adapted from Seasonal Food

9 ounces of roasted kabocha squash, cut into chunks (you can use regular pumpkin)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 large russet potatoes, boiled
2 egg yolks
1 cup of flour
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
salt
1/2 stick of butter
8 fresh sage leaves

1. After you have roasted the pumpkin (cut it into chunks, drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 20 minutes in a 400 degree F oven), mash the potatoes and cooked pumpkin meat together in a large bowl.
2. You can push the mixture through a strainer, unless you don't mind a few pumpkin chunks in your gnocchi, in which case, you could skip this step and just stir in the egg yolks.
3. Combine the flour, salt and spices in another bowl and add about a half cup worth at a time into the pumpkin mixture, using a masher or your hands to combine.
4. Separate the dough into four equal parts, rolling each dough ball into a 1/2 inch log on a lightly floured surface.
5. Cut each log into 1 inch long pieces (they sort of look like marshmallow pillows), pressing gently on them with a fork to create little ridges. Place the individual gnocchi onto sheets of parchment paper.
6. To make the sage butter, heat the butter in a pan over medium heat until it begins to sizzle, then add the sage leaves, allowing them to crisp. Lower the heat and keep warm while you cook the gnocchi.
7. Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt and add the gnocchi gently. They'll cook for about 2-3 minutes and you'll know they're done once they all float to the top. Scoop out the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.
8. Pour in the sage butter and gently toss to combine.

Musical Pairings: Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs + Kabocha Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter

The kabocha squash gnocchi with sage butter recipe is perfect for a Fall meal. It is warming, flavorful and filling. To find the perfect pairing for it, I needed to find an autumnal, but upbeat album; something complex, but fun. In other words, I was looking for Yo La Tengo's latest release, Popular Songs. A collection of beautifully crafted indie-pop tunes, Popular Songs is warm and fuzzy like your favorite sweater that you'd stored away throughout the summer at the bottom of your dresser. It's an album to listen to while carving pumpkins, drinking spiced wine, or... preparing kabocha squash (a type of pumpkin) gnocchi with friends. To read more about this great album, and sample some songs, head over to Musical Pairings @eating/sf. --Matthew

Pumpkin Tea Cake: I Knew This Would Happen

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:17:00 +0000

I should have known. When I made this tea cake that it would go straight in my belly. And fast. As most crumbly, moist, and tender little cakes do. I haven't always been a fan of Fall. Fall used to mean the end of long summer days. Dark mornings. But somehow, Fall made its way into my heart and hasn't really left. I do still have trouble getting out of bed in the darkness. And I do not always appreciate dreary days. But what I love about Fall is that it reminds me of the Earth. The rich hues of browns, oranges and yellows. The Fall produce--always slightly covered with dirt. It all just kind of reminds you of being really, really alive.

The more I love Fall, the more I love pumpkin. I have yet to openly like pumpkin pie, but I do love my pumpkin breads, pancakes, cookies, soups, stews. I can go on and on. Naturally, after spending literally five minutes in a Trader Joe's, where canned pumpkin seems to overtake every aisle entryway at this time of year, I picked some up. I didn't have a specific plan--and I tend to get myself into these situations with my pantry. I stuff it to the brim with ingredients that sound like they could, one day, be delicious. I try to match them together as I do with people I introduce at parties--"You like to bike? Well my friend here is a big biker!" I get really enthusiastic, and sometimes these people...err, ingredients...become really good friends. And sometimes, they don't.

I flipped through my cookbooks when I got home, and my eyes stopped at the pumpkin tea cake. In any other book, I think, it would probably be called a bread, but I was sold on the name and happily put my trust in Tartine. This tea cake reminded me of British tea time and scones and everything sugar and spice. So of course I had to make it (in my awesome yellow stand mixer!!).

I followed the recipe pretty closely, though I did up the pumpkin factor by using an entire can of pumpkin, which made my cake very, very moist. I think that the difference between this cake and the typical pumpkin bread is that the crumb is much, much moister, and the pumpkin flavor is much, much stronger. I ground my own cloves using a mortar and pestle, so you could really taste the spices. And while I was at first concerned about the significant amount of cinnamon in the recipe, I actually didn't find it overpowering at all.

While this cake is of course truly phenomenal as an accompaniment with tea, it works just as well for breakfast, or a mid-afternoon picnic (which is how we ate it--at beautiful Bella Winery up in Healdsburg).

Pumpkin Tea Cake
recipe c/0 of Tartine Bakery cookbook

1 2/3 cup of flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of nutmeg
2 pinches of ground cloves
9 ounces of pumpkin puree (I actually used an entire can, which made the cake a little wetter)
1 cup of vegetable oil (sunflower, canola or safflower)
1 2/3 cup of sugar
3/4 teaspoon of salt
3 eggs
2 tablespoons of raw sugar
raw pepitas

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter the bottom of a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a medium mixing bowl.
4. In a stand mixer (or another mixing bowl), beat the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, sugar, and salt until well mixed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, without over mixing.
5. Beat in the dry ingredients at medium-low speed until just combined. Continue to mix until smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle with the raw sugar and pepitas.
7. Bake for about one hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Keep in mind that if you use the entire can of pumpkin puree, the cake will come out moister. Serve at room temperature and keep in an airtight container for about a week.

Musical Pairings: Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog + Pumpkin Tea Cake

Iron & Wine's The Shepherd's Dog is a beautiful and warm album; perfect for a relaxing afternoon or quiet evening. The Shepherd's Dog is Iron & Wine's most lush, full-bodied album to date. Whereas his early demos and debut album, The Creek That Drank the Cradle, were sparse featuring little more than Sam Beam's plaintive, intimate lyrics and resonate acoustic guitar; The Shepherd's Dog features a full band and layered, intricate musical compositions that borrow from a diverse array of genres. Importantly, what remains constant is Beam's wistful, autumnal songwriting, and as a result this is a perfect album to pair with the pumpkin tea cake recipe Kasey prepared as dessert for a mid-October picnic and wine-tasting in Healdsburg, California. To read more, head over to Musical Pairings @ eating/sf. --Matthew

Bar Crudo: A Sleek Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:12:00 +0000

San Francisco is filled with 'cute,' 'hip,' 'sleek,' restaurants. I'm a sucker for good logo and simplicity--and been eyeing Bar Crudo since before the restaurant made its move to its new (discreet) home on Divisadero. On a street that houses NOPA, it's probably easy to be overlooked, but this restaurant already had a devoted following (one Tablehopper is longtime fan). I was pretty excited to introduce some of my girlfriends to this place, grab some drinks and a few dishes to share.

Despite the many obstacles to getting there--no cabs, no parking--we finally got started at 9 pm. The restaurant was fully packed. I loved the decor right away. The front of the restaurant is a clear window displaying their fun, catchy logo. Inside, small wooden slits fold out of the wall, helping the long standing bar situation. We were seated upstairs, which felt like a nice recluse away from the bustle of the kitchen. Bar Crudo serves beer and wine only, so don't expect any fancy cocktails, but do expect a nice selection by the bottle and the glass.

Our party agreed that the restaurant's menu was definitely different and innovative--we were excited to try a few small plates to share. The menu's focus is largely on fish and there is no shortage of options--especially if you're willing to spend. We opted for a crudo sampler with spicy yellow fin tuna (per our waitress's recommendation), a selection of oysters, and a cold plate called a San Sebastian (tuna confit, asparagus, roasted red peppers, arbequina olives, caper berries, manchego, tomato bread). The last dish was actually quite different from what I think we all expected. It was a collection of parts--free for the diners to pair however they pleased.

I have to admit that while I enjoyed Bar Crudo, both for the ambiance and the food, I was a bit unprepared for the priciness of the meal. But, I've been unprepared a lot these days. After all, after eating 3 star meals in Argentina for less than $25/person, I've been shocked by every check that's been placed in front of me. In all fairness, Bar Crudo's prices are not any steeper than any other hip restaurant in the city serving fresh food. I'd definitely go back for a celebration and a splurge--on the crab!

Local Pairings: Man/Miracle - The Shape of Things + Bar Crudo

You may remember Oakland's Man/Miracle. We covered them on Local Pairings all the way back in July when we reviewed their awesome 7" single for "Pushing and Shoving." At the time, we had noted that they were hard at work on their full length debut, which is now scheduled to be released on November 1 of this year. In reviewing the single, we predicted that these guys had at least a couple of excellent albums in them. With their full length debut, Man/Miracle has proven that prediction to be true: it is titled The Shape of Things and it sounds fantastic. The Shape of Things is energetic and bright featuring a powerful collection of catchy melodies and thoughtfully well-written songs. With their debut, Man/Miracle has proven that they are one of the Bay Area's most promising up and coming bands. Head over to Musical Pairings for more on Man/Miracle. --Matthew

Chicken & Brown Rice: The Surprise Frontrunner

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:48:00 +0000

I like a one pot meal. It's no wonder I'm really into soups, stews and 'bowls' of all kinds (brown rice, bulgur, couscous). There is something so homey about creating a meal that blends together a melange of ingredients that create a wonderful whole out of many, many different parts.

Today I'm bringing you another recipe from Saveur magazine--call it Saveur week, shall we? It's perhaps a rebuttal against this month's lamb issue, which inevitably cuts down the possibilities for me. If you haven't noticed, I largely don't eat, or cook lamb. I say largely because on occassion, I will eat anything--including brains, tongue, fish eggs, raw meat.

Having recently become the owner of a shiny red Le Creuset dutch oven (thank you, dear friends, for a much-anticipated wedding gift), I was in search of just that homey recipe. The one that would meld together smoky flavors with warming grains and sweet notes. Boy did I stumble across a gem.

Reminiscent of Cuban-style chicken and rice, with Spanish and Portuguese flavors (why, hello my friend chorizo), this dish was my answer to the question, "am I inspired to cook today?" After roasting some fresh red bell peppers in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, I was ready to go (you could also use jarred roasted red peppers, but I always prefer to make mine fresh).

The end result was spicy, oozy, smoky and...complete. The chicken really seeped up the flavors of the herbs and chorizo, and every piece was tender, juicy and falling off the bone. The chorizo, of course, added a fantastic aroma to the entire dish, and peas added a nice refreshing surprise--and great spots of color along with the sweet roasted red peppers. The original recipe called for thighs, but I decided to use multiple parts of the bird, which I think was the right idea. I cut down the chorizo a bit, and was wholly satisfied with the amount of fat and flavor it produced, without overwhelming the dish entirely.

This recipe leaves plenty of leftovers for dinner the next time, or several lunches. I advise you not to cut down as the flavors only get better the next day.

Chicken and Brown Rice with Chorizo
adapted from this recipe in Saveur

bone-in, skin-on chicken parts: 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/3 cup of chorizo, cut into 1 inch slices, removed from casings
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 teaspoons of dried oregano (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 1⁄2 cups of brown rice
1⁄2 cup of white wine
2 red peppers, cut into strips and roasted
3 cups of chicken broth
3/4 cup of frozen peas

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

2. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken pieces, skin side down without turning until golden brown (approximately 6-8 minutes).

3. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate. Add the chorizo to the dutch oven, stirring until browned, then remove and place on the plate with the chicken.

4. Add in the onion, garlic and herbs, cooking until the onion is browned (about 8 minutes). Then add in the rice, stirring until it is coated in oil/juices.

5. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and let reduce for about 1 minute.

6. Tuck the chicken, chorizo, and roasted peppers into the the rice. Pour in the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.

7. Cover and bring to a boil before transferring to the oven to bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (until the rice is tender and the chicken juices flow clear).

8. Place the dutch oven on a trivet and stir in the peas. Mix in and let sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Musical Pairings: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down + Chicken and Brown Rice with Chorizo

Kasey and I are not really the type of people who let the weather bring us down. We pretty much love all four seasons. So when you have a dark, rainy night in the Fall, we know you just need to make the most of it. So on one of our recent not-so-warm nights cuddled up in our Bay Area apartment, we prepared this one pot chicken and brown rice with chorizo recipe. It is zesty, smoky, warm and filling. And what was our perfect musical accompaniment to this recipe? Thao with The Get Down Down Stay Down's latest album, Know Better Learn Faster. Of course, Know Better Learn Faster is so good it could be the Musical Pairing to your entire Fall. It is just the right type of album to uplift any water-logged, city dweller: it is melodic, warm, catchy and fun. Head over to Musical Pairings' home for more Thao. --Matthew

Cast Iron Skillet-Seared Cod with Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000

I miss peaches and blackberries this time of year. But, I'm becoming more aware of eating with the seasons. So, rather than succumbing to ridiculously-priced produce that's been shipped to the city from lands far, far away, I'm eating what's fresh and in season. We've got lots of apples at our house. And pears. And squashes of all sorts (delicata being my favorite). Mushrooms seem to be aplenty at this time of year, and they add a nice earthy, hearty flavor and texture to big dishes, as well as lighter summer favorites.

With the recent shutdown of Gourmet magazine, I've been doing a lot of online recipe searches on magazine websites. Some part of me is paranoid that I'll wake up and find my other favorite magazines closing down. There are so many great magazines out there and I find it so disheartening to see the print industry suffering. Saveur is one of the best out there. The writing, the photographs, the combination of food, culture and travel. It's all there. I've been a subscriber for over a year now and I get excited every month when my new issue arrives. When I can't get enough and want more, I can now go to their spiffy re-designed site, which is chock-ful of fantastic recipes.

This seared cod with mushrooms, thyme and sherry vinegar felt like the perfect weekend dinner, and a great meal to pair with a good bottle of Viogner (try Praxis, which has a fantastic grapefruit aroma) or Sauvignon Blanc. The original recipe called for center-cut cod with its skin on, but we opted for a thinner cut, which lended itself to an almost hash-like dish and cooked almost instantly. The sherry-infused onions and mushrooms filled the kitchen with a sweet aroma that lingered as we sat down to the table. Good sherry vinegar is essential to this recipe.

We purchased all of our produce for this meal at our local farmer's market, and opted for little brown mushrooms (I always find their flavor to be more pleasant than that of the plain white ones).

Cast Iron Skillet-Seared Cod with Mushrooms
*serves 2
adapted from Saveur Magazine

2 fillets of cod
5 tablespoons of olive oil
6 cippolline onions, peeled
8-12 small crimini mushrooms
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup of good sherry vinegar
few springs of fresh thyme

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Cut the larger onions in half, then add the onions and mushrooms to the skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper. Saute for about five minute, shaking the pan and stirring them around with a spatula until nicely browned.

3. Reduce the heat and continue to stir them around until softened. Add the sherry vinegar, scraping up any bits, and letting it cook down for about a minute. Pour the pan juices, onions and mushrooms into a bowl and set aside.

4. Let the skillet cool a bit, and wipe it down with paper towels.

5. Season the cod fillets with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.

6. Drizzle a bit of olive oil into the skillet and bring it back to high heat. Add in the cod, searing it for about 2 minutes (because we used thinner fillets, we didn't need long to brown them a bit).

7. Flip the fish (don't worry if it breaks) and add in the onions, mushrooms and pan juices--arranging them around the fillets. Scatter the thyme springs on top.

8. Throw the skillet into the oven and let roast for approximately 5-6 minutes. The fish will cook very fast, so watch carefully!

Musical Pairings: Spoon - Series of Sneaks + Cast Iron Skillet-Seared Cod with Mushrooms

This cast iron skillet-seared cod with mushrooms and cipolline onions recipe is delicious, hearty and satisfying. It is earthy and flavorful, but also pretty simple. Today's pairing, Spoon's 1998 sophomore album Series of Sneaks, is similar in that it is hearty and satisfying. Flexed, sharp, jangly guitar riffs are joined with a booming, grooving rhythm section. Lead singer and guitarist Britt Daniel's throaty vocal licks are earthy and raw. But if Series of Sneaks deceptively sounds like a simple album, it is decidedly not so. Although it may lack the studio polish and shine found on some of Spoon's other albums, a great number of the songs on Series of Sneaks still standout as some of the band's very best. Read the rest over at Musical Pairings. --Matthew

Our Handmade Wedding: Hooray for Small Vendors/Producers

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:43:00 +0000

We got married more than a month ago now. It's hard to believe that after nine months of planning every single little detail, September 12th came with a roar (the roar of thunder that is) and left faster than I had hoped. Along the way, people told me to 'enjoy every minute' of 'this special time.' I got four--FOUR--gray hairs this past year. All because of wedding planning, I'm convinced. We did not have a wedding coordinator or a planner of any sorts. We did not go into a packaged deal. We signed ourselves up for it. I am a perfectionist and I should have known that I would end up carefully attending to every detail. So after nine months of indescribable stress, a roller coaster of emotions and seemingly endless weekends packed with 'wedding stuff,' how did I feel? Well, beyond just incredibly thrilled to finally be married to Matt, I was so proud. Of us. Of everything that we were able to accomplish. To put together an event that was so us. I may not have enjoyed every minute leading up to that day, but I enjoyed every minute of that day (well, starting around 11 a.m.).

One of the most important things to me when it came to my wedding was to be able to work with great people. My first few experiences with wedding vendors were as dreaded as could be. I was appalled. Appalled with this rob-you-blind wedding industry. The more research I did, the more I realized that I didn't want a Modern Bride sort of wedding. I wanted an us wedding--and I wanted to work with small vendors. We found Casa Vecchia in Sonoma doing an Internet search at Matt's parents' house in Ohio. I called Karen and we scheduled a meeting. From the moment we stepped foot onto the property and met Karen, her son and her dogs, we knew. From the fig tree in the front yard, to the heritage oak in the back, we fell in love. Karen was my fairy godmother throughout the whole process.

Then I 'met' Jen. Jen of the Green Quince shop on Etsy who designed our entire invitation suite, thank you cards, table settings and place cards. We emailed for what felt like months about my crazy wild ideas (different shades of purple, little tangerines, envelopes, and borders). She sent me sketches at all hours of the day and night, and each one was PERFECT.

After an unfortunate experience with one popular Sonoma-area florist (I will not be naming names), I thought that I was bound to despise all florists. But then I found Bryce of Vanda Floral. Not only did Bryce begin every email to me recounting his latest culinary adventure (from curing his own meats to tackling Thomas Keller recipes at home), but he worked patiently with me to craft the chuppah of my dreams (re-created exactly from this tangerine-adorned one from a lovely wedding blog called Style Me Pretty--eye candy!), and gorgeous bouquets and table settings exactly to my specifications--and believe me, I had specifications.

We haven't gotten to the food yet, I realize. We enlisted Park Avenue Caterers of Cotati to bring in the deliciousness. The focus was, of course, California's fresh produce--the kind of food we love to eat and cook. We had slices of local tomatoes, handmade butternut squash raviolis, saffron risotto cakes, seasonal vegetable saute, baby green beans and figs, corn cakes with duck and mango chutney, grilled mahi mahi, bistro steak fillet, caviar...I mean, I could have eaten and eaten and eaten. Except I didn't (c'est la vie!).

You know I love my sweets and I wasn't about to have any ol' yellow cake from a box. No thanks! A high school friend connected with me Alison McCormick, who bakes at one of my favorite bakeries in the city--Tartine. After hours, Alison bakes some more--for her own business: Alison's Desserts. I have to admit that meeting her at the Coffee Bean in our neighborhood to do a tasting was one of the best parts of wedding planning. Alison made four different cakes for us to try, and in the end, we just couldn't choose. We opted for a three layer cake: hazelnut pound cake with fresh berries and cream, red velvet with cream cheese frosting, and opera. Knowing how much I love figs, Alison sketched my dream cake, a simple beauty adorned with sugared blackberries and figs that came right from that tree in Karen's yard. It was stunning and out of this world delicious.

Last, and certainly not least, the wonderful folks at Foodzie connected me with Wendy, the woman behind Sunchowder's Emporia Jams. Wendy is a small producer based out of Longwood, Florida that started selling her jams at her local farmer's market and expanded the business online when she connected with Foodzie. Naturally, our wedding favors would be edible. Wendy is one of the kindest, most thoughtful people I have ever worked with. Not only did she send us a boxful of jams to sample before making our selection, but she offered to custom label each and every little jar for every one of our guests. We chose all of the different colored paper tops from the huge selection that she provided us with and ended up ordering four kinds of jam, including Black Forrest (chocolate blackberry with Chambord liquor), strawberry-raspberry, chocolate raspberry, and mango passion fruit. They are (and I fully stand behind this statement) some of the best jams I have ever had. We are still savoring the few jars we have left. I stir in the chunky strawberry jam into my oatmeal and we eat the chocolate ones by the spoonful for dessert.

Once I discovered Jen on Etsy, I knew there were more good things to be found. I got the beautiful chiffon flower for my hair from Noelle, from her lovely shop, VieModerne. All of the pictures here (save the one of the food, taken by my friend Sarah, and the one of the invitations) were taken by our wonderful photographer for the day, Ali.

Phew! In the end, you're probably wondering how it all actually came together? Well, let's just say, I have a million and one reasons to feel good about my wedding--and each of these people contributed to that.

Now that I've told you about the wedding, head over to Musical Pairings and check out the October mixtape that Matt made for you!

Poke: Squeezing the Last Bits of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Every year, when the first rainstorm hits the Bay Area, the city seems to fall to pieces. The trains run behind schedule, traffic is at a standstill, huge puddles form in every sidewalk crevice, trees start falling, people work from home because driving in the rain is a nightmare, and we all act as though life is at a sudden standstill. To say that we're spoiled here in California is an understatement. We are debilitated by rain.

It seems that rain has come early for us this year. Normally, I stand in union with my fellow San Franciscans, complaining about the rain, broken umbrellas and wet jeans. But this year, I will not complain. I told you it rained on my wedding day--only briefly enough to make everyone pray for my sanity. But somebody was apparently watching out for me because in the end, sunshine spread across every vineyard in Sonoma. So as the rain comes down now, I feel oddly at peace. Happy, even, to listen to it pound on my windows. Because the best part about the rain is being curled up inside, feeling as though you've tricked it--you've managed to hide and lock it out.

Perhaps that is what inspired me to make poke--so colorful and bright, sunshiny and delightful to every sense. This being my first poke experience at home, I feel pretty satisfied with the results. I found the recipe on Saveur.com, which has of late become one of my favorite online recipe resources (I also subscribe to the magazine).

We ate ours fresh and cold, but next time, I would consider pan frying it briefly. We also ate our poke atop of some soba noodles. If you want extra spice, you might want to up the red pepper flakes. Also, I'm a fan of onions, so I used both green and sweet onion in the recipe though the original one only called for sweet. You could also add a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds. What I love about this recipe is that it is so versatile and perhaps more importantly, unfussy, fast and delicious.

Poke
serves 2
adapted from Saveur.com

1 pound of sashimi-grade tuna
1 tomato, chopped
4 sheets of roasted, dried seaweed, cut up into small pieces
1⁄4 cup of sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup of green onion, chopped
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1. Chop the tuna into 1⁄2" cubes and place into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add in the tomatoes, onions, crushed pepper, sesame oil, seaweed and soy sauce. Stir until combined.
3. Serve cold over soba noodles or brown rice.

Musical Pairings: Fujiya & Miyagi - Transparent Things + Poke

This poke recipe is full of surprises. For example, it is surprisingly easy to prepare, unexpectedly spicy, and tastes even better that you'd expect. For this reason, even though they are only "pretending to be Japanese," the British trio Fujiya & Miyagi's album Transparent Things works as an excellent pairing for this recipe. Transparent Things is an album of eccentric, upbeat and extremely danceable tracks featuring syncopated rhythms and lead singer David Best's smooth, rolled vocals... -Matthew

Stuffed Poblano Peppers: Finding The Spicy

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:45:00 +0000

We're kind of back to our regularly-scheduled programming. Kind of, because this Friday, you will get a taste of what went down on September 12th at our wedding. I'm really excited about the post because I'll be sharing with you the amazing folks we worked with--including a Florida-based jam producer who made our delicious wedding favors, and the woman behind our handmade invitations.

In the meantime, let's talk about stuffed peppers. Since Matt and I have gotten back from Argentina, we've had some kind of cravings for spicy food. As we quickly found out, Argentines are not big into spicy foods. Oftentimes, I'd bite into something that I entirely expected to be spicy and would be shocked by the lack of kick.

Being lucky enough to have access to some of the best Mexican food outside of Mexico, I've learned to love spicy things--especially hot sauce and jalapenos. I grew up on my mom's stuffed peppers (bell peppers filled with a beef and rice mixture that she called 'hedgehogs' because of their white rice spikes). Naturally, bell peppers have been part of my cooking repertoire for quite some time, but poblano peppers were something new to me. When I spotted them at the farmer's market last weekend--my first shopping trip since my return home--I was drawn their deep green, glistening skins, and the promise of a really spicy meal. Because poblano peppers always make me think of Mexican cuisine, I thought I'd adapt an old, comforting recipe and give it a little kick.

We used a mix of turkey and beef in these stuffed peppers, and kept things easy by using dried spices (though you should certainly use fresh, if you have them). Most importantly, we had plenty of hot sauce on hand at the dinner table, dousing every gloriously hot bite. While most recipes that I found recommended charring and peeling the peppers first, we just stuffed them fresh as is. I've also seen a few recipes that suggest not seeding the peppers in order to infuse more flavor into the meat. Keep in mind that these peppers are pretty mild, so the main kick in this recipe really comes in the form of a bottle of hot sauce--don't eat these without it!

As it turns out, sometimes the things you miss the most about home are other people's traditions--ones that have made their way into our homes, and become ours.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers
*serves 2
very loosely adapted from Saveur

3-4 large poblano peppers, seeded and sliced open (if you're ambitious, try this technique to char and soften your peppers before getting to work)
1/4 pound of ground beef
1/4 pound of ground turkey
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon of dried marjoram
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 tablespoon of fresh, chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon of dried
pinch of nutmeg
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons of olive oil

hot sauce, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, adding the onions and garlic. Cook the onions and garlic, stirring occasionally until golden in color (approximately 10-15 minutes).
3. Season with salt and pepper and add in the tomatoes and the spices, cooking for another 5 minutes.
4. Mix together the beef and turkey in a bowl. Pour in the onion/tomato mixture, mixing to combine.
5. Transfer the meat mixture back into the skillets, cooking for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
6. Remove from heat and use a spoon to distribute meat mixture evenly amongst into the peppers.
7. Place the peppers in a baking dish and bake for approximately 30 minutes--depending on the size of your peppers. Be sure to check on them after the first 15. The meat should be browned and golden at the pepper's seam, but still moist inside the pepper. The pepper should start blistering/wrinkling. Again, the baking time really depends on the size of your peppers and the amount of meat stuffed inside--don't worry about under baking as you've already cooked your meat. Serve the peppers hot, with plenty of hot sauce.

Musical Pairings: Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West

"Which album sounds like a stuffed pepper?" This is the type of question I find myself seriously pondering before writing a pairing. In this case, my answer to that question would appear to be Modest Mouse's The Lonesome Crowded West. Although I'm finding it hard to explain, it just seems like an intuitive pairing. And maybe it is because when you pull the stuffed pepper out of the oven, it at first seems a little underwhelming. But this is why this is such an intriguing dish. At first all that you see is what appears to be dry, well-cooked beef spilling out of a poblano pepper. But once you cut into it, you realize there is a lot going on inside this dish: nutmeg, marjoram, parsley, onion, and both turkey and beef mixed together. The insides are moist, juicy and flavorful. And so really the only place this pairing falls short is that upon first listen you can tell there is nothing simple going on on The Lonesome Crowded West. Instead, you have complex spicy, peppery music that is intriguing and leaves you eager for the next bite. If you are only familiar with Modest Mouse post-Good News For People Who Love Bad News, you really need to check out this album as soon as possible. After all, The Lonesome Crowded West is the best, most innovative album Modest Mouse ever recorded; and is also one of the best, most innovative, and most overlooked (at least at the time it was released) albums from the 1990s. Continue on to Musical Pairings to read the rest. --Matthew

eating/Salta and Tilcara: Part 3 of 3

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:32:00 +0000

I've saved the best for last. We loved Buenos Aires and Mendoza, but we LOVED Salta and the surrounding regions. From the moment we stepped off our double decker AndesMar bus (on which we spent 17 hours watching ridiculous straight-to-DVD movies, slept, played bingo, and drank unnecessarily bad wine), we kind of fell for it. Once I'd had a chance to rub myself down with anti-bug spray (which I really, really did not need at this time of year), I felt so relaxed and at home.

We stayed at Bloomers B&B, which was utterly charming, full of character, and delivered the best breakfasts we'd had over the course of the entire trip. Day one was a selection of pastries, dulce de leche, cayote jam, orange juice and baked mozzarella and tomatoes on English muffins. Day two was the same except with a delicious banana-filled crepe. Not only were the hosts as laid-back as San Diego surfers, they stocked us with a bottle of champagne and let us keep our things in the hotel for the night that we stayed up in Tilcara. More, they hooked us up with David (dalemartinez00 [at] hotmail [dot] com), personal tour guide extraordinaire.

Being one that has often lived in fear of tour groups and guided excursions, I hesitated about hiring a driver that would also be a tour guide, but once we met David, we knew that we would not only get to see a lot more places, but also learn a lot. For example: if you want to sell a car in Salta, all you need to do is put an empty jug/container on the roof of the car--people will know it is for sale. Also, Salinas Grandes are the third largest salt flats in the world. And Fili Helado is the best ice cream place in town (stat!)--more on that later.

There was a before David--when we strolled the streets and immediately came across Salta's regional sweets--little cracker-like cookies topped with dulce de leche and covered in a sugar glaze. We also went to Doña Salta, a packed restaurant where waiters were elaborately dressed and we had our first tamales. I really, really, really, wanted to try the regional dish of humitas (something similar to tamales, made with corn), but it seemed that no restaurant had them (corn was out of season). I settled for tamales...everywhere we went. Just a short walk from our hotel, we found Miles pizzeria. The tiny little place served not only delicious pizza, but a range of empanadas that were immediately thrown into an oven in a clay bowl. The empanadas in Salta are served with a spicy sauce (we'll call it mild for anyone who likes Mexican food), and that sauce was all I needed to be able to continue eating at least 1 empanada every single day that I was in Argentina.

David took us up to Tilcara, as planned, where we stayed at Cerro Chico, in our own little cabin with a view of the endless mountains, the night sky, and a patio with lounge chairs AND a cast iron wood-burning stove that kept us warm through the night. No words could describe the French owner that used to work on an oil rig before moving to Tilcara to build his hotel--you'll just have to go and see for yourself.

The drive to Tilcara from Salta is well-worth the actual stay--the mountains begin to change colors along the way, displaying all sorts of rainbow shades as a result of mineral deposits in the rock (another little David factoid). We embarked upon an ambitious hike down from our hotel to the center of town, ending in the central square where we guzzled cold Torrontes, and chowed on a quinoia tortilla (an omelet of sorts), more tamales and empanadas filled with cheese and quinoa. I loved how popular quinoa was here and consumed an unfathomable amount of it in one day (I also had quinoa and vegetable soup for dinner at El Patio). I can't for the life of me remember the name of this first restaurant (blame it on heatstroke and my first encounter with a llama), but if you are in the market square, look for the restaurant with the yellow walls (we think the cross is at Rivadavia and Lavalle--maybe A La Payla?).

We spent the evening casually strolling and drinking wine as we watched the stars. The next day, we hit up Purmamarca, where the glorious seven-colored mountain stood before us. We marveled and looked at it from all angles and directions before having quite the fancy lunch at Los Morteros--fancy considering the tiny town of Purmamarca and the exquisitely modern design of the place. The adobe brick homes topped with cardone (cactus) roofs beguiled us everywhere we went.

We drove up the mountains, to the highest point, and further still to a lake of salt (Salinas Grandes) and back down to beautiful Salta. After dinner, we took a cab out to La Casona del Molino, a traditional peña where everyone is invited (should they dare) to join in on playing the guitar, drums, and belt out folksy tunes (you're in for a treat on Musical Pairings). A big black spider fell on Matt, but we didn't care. We were mesmerized by the singing and the atmosphere at this restaurant, which lied on the outskirts of town, in a quiet neighborhood.

On our last day in Salta, before we had to head back to Buenos Aires, all I kept thinking about was how I never really wanted to get on that plane. We popped into Fili, upon David's recommendation, and the elderly gentleman made us try every flavor of ice cream, kindly insisting on dulce de leche and bombones (truffle). After we finished our cups, he gave us another--'on the house.' I nearly melted.

When I go to bed at night, I dream of Salta. And I'll probably keep dreaming of it for many weeks and months to come.

Eat

El Patio: Lavalle 352 (Tilcara)
Doña Salta: Cordoba N 36
Miles Pizza and Empanadas: facing Vicente Lopez 129, walk left 2 blocks and turn left. Miles is an easy-to-miss tiny little joint on your right.
Fili Helados: cross at Sarmiento and Gral. Guemes
Los Morteros (Purmamarca): behind and to the left of the church
La Casona del Molino: Luis Burela 1 (come around 10 for the music)

Stay

Bloomers B&B Vicente Lopez 129
Cerro Chico (Tilcara): follow the road north of the city and follow the signs

Musical Pairings: Atahualpa Yupanqui - Grandes Exitos

Today concludes our Argentina coverage, and we are ending with one of the last and best places we explored during our vacation: Salta. Truly, Salta was amazing, and exceeded our every expectation. The Salta and Jujuy provinces are what you'd get if you were able to mash Sonoma, Nashville and Death Valley all in to one very safe, beautiful and extremely livable area. You have subtle, crisp and refreshing white wines (torrontes) from Cafayate, Cachi, and Valles Calchaquies. You have the heart of Argentina's famous folklorica and center of easily discoverable music at the many peñas of Salta (such as at La Casona del Molina - see video below) where musicians gather and take turns playing guitar and singing traditional music throughout the night over bottles of cheap red wine and beer. And you have cactus, desert, salt flats and the beautiful, multi-colored mountains of the Andes in the northwest in Purmamarca, Tilcara and Salinas Grandes. There is no question in my mind that Salta should be a priority destination for any vacation to Argentina (and I highly recommend our guide David Alejandro Martinez if you are looking for a private driver and guide: dalemartinez00 {at} hotmail {dot} com). And since the Salta region is famous for its folklorica, I can't imagine pairing any other genre with the area. Folklorica is extremely popular and also has a lot of history. I've not even scratched the surface in my experience with the music, but I can say without hesitation that I love the music of Atahualpa Yupanqui. I've already downloaded a few of his albums, and my favorite so far is Grandes Exitos. For more, head on over to Musical Pairings. --Matthew

eating/Mendoza: Part Two of Our Adventures in Argentina

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:38:00 +0000

After doing some big city touring in Buenos Aires, we jetted off on a plane to Mendoza, the heart and soul of Argentina's wine country. We grounded ourselves at B&B Plazza Italia, an old home owned by a lovely couple. Located in the center of downtown Mendoza, the B&B definitely had a different vibe from the swanky hotels that we had been staying in before. Mercedes and Tito, the owners, were extremely gracious and welcoming, as was Cecelia. Breakfast was served in a formal dining room where all of the guests started their days with medialunas, ham, cheese, fresh orange juice and coffee.

Unlike Buenos Aires, Mendoza had an older world charm. With four large squares in the center, and a huge park on the outskirts of the city, Mendoza had no shortage of greenery...or helado (ice cream) parlors, which seemed to be filled at all hours of the day. Being that Mendoza is the biggest wine producing region of the entire country, it naturally made sense that it would be where we would consume the most wine. We lazily lounged at cafes, alternating between drinking wine and strong coffee to fuel us through the evening. Our first meal, at a restaurant called Azafran, very nearly blew us away. Perhaps it was the warm weather, outdoor seating, freshly-baked cheesy bread, or amuse bouche of potato soup...Or, perhaps it was the Spanish tortilla. Or the fresh salad. Or pork. Everything looked gorgeous. And tasted gorgeous too. We weren't in Buenos Aires anymore, but the food certainly did not drop down in quality.

We visited the wine regions of Maipu and Lujan de Cuyo, where some of the world's best wines are produced. Mendoza, of course, is known for the smooth Malbec, and we had a lot of it. On our first excursion out of the city, we rode a bus to Maipu and hit up Coco Bikes. The nice folks there provided us with a map and suggested wineries (as well as a chocolate and liquor making business and an olive oil farm). We stopped by Carinae winery first, which proved to be our favorite winery on the tour. We rode and rode our bikes until we reached a little oasis quite frankly out of place in the very humble town of Maipu: Almacen del Sur. At the end of our path, a gate opened up and led us to a beautiful garden setup where we feasted on everything from lamb pie to chicken wings and every bevy of deliciousness from the delicatessen's own garden. Before we returned our bikes, we popped over to A La Antigua, a small chocolate and liquor producer, where we sampled rose liquor and hazelnut dulce de leche (you bet I brought a jar home!)

The next day, we hired a driver through our hotel (Gennaro, who did not speak English, but was nonetheless happy to communicate with me in my Italo-Spanglish). He took us to Lujan, where we visited Alta Vista winery and marveled at the snow-covered Andes that surrounded us seemingly on all sides. The air was crisp, and the wines warmed us up in the best way possible. We asked Gennaro to take us to some good empanadas. He made good on his promise and took us to a working-class tented restaurant where jugs of wine sat on every tarp-covered table and stumps of wood covered with cow skins served as our seats. Plate after plate of hot, flaky-doughed beef empanadas seemed to emerge every five minutes. Seemingly, that is only how long it took us to devour them!

Back in Mendoza, we feasted on chorizo and steak at unpretentious La Barra, where the owner, dressed in jeans, a button down shirt and a newsie cap made his rounds and tended to his outdoor grill. We slept well these nights. Before leaving, we took a long drive with Gennaro out to Uspallata, a border town with Chile, where we admired the mountain-flanked road, the horses, and the terrain. The road that leads to Chile. I took hundreds of pictures of mountains during these days. From every angle. Rocks and more glorious rocks.

We had a soft spot for Mendoza by that point. We were learning that the bakeries would be closed at 2 pm and despite forecasts of rain, the sun shown endlessly on us.

Eat
Azafran: Av Sarmiento 765
La Barra: Av Belgrano 1086
Almacen del Sur: Zanichelli 709 (Maipu) --set menu; come hungry
Amazing empanadas place in Lujan: this will be hard to find but it is somewhere between Alta Vista and the road that leads to Catena Zapata. Should be on the same road, as far as I remember

Stay
B&B Plazza Italia: Montevideo 685; 54 263 423 4219

Musical Pairings: Gustavo Cerati - Bocanada

Welcome back to Argentina week on eating/sf! Today Kasey is posting her Mendoza wrap-up from our honeymoon. We found Mendoza and the surrounding areas (including Maipu and Lujan) to be enchanting, beautiful, youthful, and sensual. We enjoyed delicious meals at Azafran, La Barra, Casa 3, and Almacen del Sur (all highly recommended). We rode bikes in Maipu and visited artisan chocolate makers and olive oil farms. We drank glass after glass of fantastic wines at Carinae Wines (my favorite), Di Tommaso, Viña del Cerno, Alta Vista (my second favorite), Archaval Ferrer, and Catena Zapata. Parque General San Martin and Plaza Indepencia bustle with life and youthful energy on the weekends. And although he hails from Buenos Aires, I've selected Gustavo Cerati' 1999 album Bocanada as my Musical Pairing for the Mendoza post. Sensual, indulgent, and engaging, Bocanada just seems like the perfect aural accompaniment to meandering around from top notch restaurant to winery to large, beautiful parks. Head over to Musical Pairings to read more and sample some tracks. --Matthew

eating/Buenos Aires: We're Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Why, hello. Hello! It's been quite the September. On Saturday, September 12, 2009, Matt and I got married. At a beautiful private estate called Casa Vecchia. It was a rough morning--it rained. There was thunder. There was lightening. And then the skies parted, and it was a beautiful sunny day. More on the wedding next week. In the meantime, we're diving into one of the most wonderful, amazing, adventurous, and gluttonous trips I have ever taken in my life. My honeymoon, of course! We spent 15 days traveling across Argentina--from Buenos Aires, to Mendoza, Salta and the surrounding regions...and back to Buenos Aires. We'll spend this week filling you in on our wonderful gastronomic adventures...starting with one of the most gastronomic cities in South America--and the world, in my opinion, at least.

We ate steak, and lots of it. We ate empanadas, and lots of them. We chomped on homemade pastas, breads, alfajores, croissants (or rather, medialunas, as they are called in Argentina), and just straight up dulce de leche by the spoonful. Armed with Lonely Planet, as well as printed restaurant reviews from The New York Times, Matt Bites and the Paupered Chef, we felt like we had a pretty good idea of how to please our stomachs.

We began our stay at hands down the most incredible hotel I have ever stayed in in my life: Casa Calma. A 'wellness hotel,' Casa Calma served us breakfast in bed and infused mineral water. They spoiled us with a hot tub and a sauna in our room, and the best night's sleep I've ever had.

We hit the main tourist joint that everybody seems to recommend, La Cabrera, and were not disappointed by the myriad of little dishes filled with sides and sauces. We hadn't yet learned to order all steaks jugoso, or bloody. The chorizo was more than memorable, but our ojo was less so. From then on, we stuck with lomo. We both agreed that lomo and chorizo were the best cuts of steak.

We indulged ourselves in alfajores (always covered in chocolate) from every confiteria that we could find. As all Argentines, we had a snack every afternoon and sampled the city's sweets. Disappointed to learn that Havanna (the equivalent of Starbucks or Peets) was on numerous occasions hailed to us as having 'the best' alfajores, we stuck to small bakeries. Let me tell you, Havanna alfajores did not even hold a candle.

While we stayed in the Retiro, we ended up spending a lot of time (unsurprisingly) in Palermo, where we checked out Bar 6--a cafe/bar with a cool artsy interior and great food. We also feasted in style at Tegui (I was told no photos by the staff). Our six course tasting menu plus wine pairings included things like buffalo rib eye with red wine, horseradih, bread budding and foie gras as well as veal brain tartlet with shallot ice cream, raw ham and a puff pastry crust (don't ask!), as well as the famous Torrontes white wine. The creamy goat cheese with strawberry sorbet was out of this world... as was the rest of the meal.

We also enjoyed some traditional, handmade pastas at Amici Miei ('my friends' in Italian) in San Telmo, the old, cobble stoned part of the city. Lunch on a rainy and cold day was at La Brigada. Covered in signed jerseys and packed with businessmen feasting on steaks, we got french fries and roasted red pepper as our simple sides to our perfectly cooked steaks (the best we had).

We were lucky to spend an extra few days in Buenos Aires at the tail end of our trip, staying at swanky Vain hotel in the Palermo district. Our first night back, we ate rabbit stew and pork dumplings at Las Pizarras (on Thames Street in Palermo Viejo), one of the most adorable restaurants I've ever been to. We checked out Don Julio, another traditional parilla. Our last meal, at a parilla called Miranda (in Palermo Hollywood) did not disappoint. Generous cuts of meat, inventive dishes like polenta with balsamic reduction, slow-roasted tomatoes and greens, were quite unexpected. Our final stop: Helena, a whimsical little cafe where we had our last glass of malbec and split our last chocolate covered alfajore.

To say that Buenos Aires is not a world class eating city would be a travesty. From the most incredible steaks, to high-end fusion cuisine, delectable sweets, and cafes, confiterias and resto/bars to fuel you from morning to late, late at night (take note: Argentines do not sit down to dinner before 10 pm and restaurants open late accordingly), Buenos Aires is a foodie's dream. It's also a place to gain a few pounds, get lost, and get found. While big cities are certainly no representation of the broader population of a country, we found portenos (as the city's inhabitants are called) to be friendly, helpful and warm. The city is New York on some serious caffeine. Buzzing until all hours of the night, filled with gorgeous historical building mixed in with some of the most cutting edge and modern designs. Split into 'neighborhoods' that each represent a different side of this amazingly diverse city. I am still in awe.

Eat
The majority of 'hot' restaurants are in the Palermo district. You can also get great eats in San Telmo. Empanadas, alfajores and pizza can all be found throughout the city.

La Cabrera: Cabrera 5099 (Palermo)
La Brigada: Bolivar 1008 (San Telmo)
Miranda: Costa Rica 5602 (Palermo)
Las Pizarras Bistro: Thames 2296 (Palermo)
Helena: Nicaragua 4816 (Palermo)
Bar 6: Armenia 1676 (Palermo)
Amici Miei: Defensa 1072 (San Telmo)
Tegui: Costa Rica 5852 (Palermo)
Don Julio: Guatemala 4691 (Palermo)

Stay
Casa Calma: Suipacha 1015; 54 11 5199 2800
Vain Boutique Hotel: Thames 2226; 54 11 4776 8246

*Click on the collage at the top to see it in full screen.

Musical Pairings: Astor Piazzolla - Tango Para Una Ciudad

Welcome to Argentina week on Musical Pairings. If you've read any of our posts last month, you know that Kasey and I were away on our honeymoon in Argentina. And in honor of our honeymoon, we are going to highlight food and music that we feel is representative of our experience in the three different regions of Argentina we visited: Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Salta. As you can imagine, we have a lot of great food and music to share from our adventures there. For my part, I searched far and wide to uncover as much great music in Argentina as I could. As Kasey can attest, I asked almost everyone I met about what music was popular in Argentina: cab drivers, guides, waiters, hotel staff, people I met on Twitter, people we met at the airport, and the people working in all of the shops we visited. "¿Quién es su músico preferido?" Head over to Musical Pairings' home for the full recap. --Matthew

Little Ears - Orecchiette (from the archives)

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

We're nearing the end of our honeymoon. And we're probably getting tired of beef and pasta, and ready to eat vegetarian meals for a while. In honor of Argentina's prominent Italian fare, I'm posting our first experience making pasta--orecchiette. They're easier than they look, so give it a try!

-Kasey

Few things lift the spirits and solve problems like carbohydrates (with a little wine on the side, and chocolate after). As a kid, I would eat spaghetti topped with butter and cheese on a semi-regular basis. When my dad would bring home loaves of French bread, I would sneakily scoop out the insides until there was little left aside from an empty shell of crust. Like a mouse, I would bury the crusts into the paper bag and scurry away, only to shrug my shoulders in surprise when someone discovered the remains, so to speak.

To this day, nothing says warmth and love like a big bowl of pasta, tenderly embracing a chunky sauce. While I have big dreams of someday owning a pasta maker and rolling out thin strips of papardelle and tagliatelle, for now, I'm happy to indulge in little ears. Orecchiette, to be more specific. They're appropriately named in Italian as 'little ears,' as these doughy little shapes really do resemble ears! The dough, rolled into rods and sliced into small circles, is pressed around your thumb to make a small indentation that allows for the shapes to better hold sauces and veggies. The shape of pasta isn't just for looks! Different shapes serve very important purposes.

After coming across Smitten Kitchen's orecchiette with cherry tomatoes and arugula, I made a quick stop at the market and was ready to roll! We had semolina flour on hand (the flour that is traditionally used to make orecchiette), but decided to use this Mario Batali recipe, which incorporates regular flour, as our base. To make it a little healthier, I insisted we use white whole wheat flour, which actually worked just fine. We still have a ball of dough frozen in our fridge, so my mind is already racing to come up with new ideas--broccoli and brie, perhaps?

I realize that pasta is a little intimidating, but trust me, give orecchiette a go--you'll be surprised at how easy it is to prepare, and how impressive they look. This pasta is perfect for a hearty Italian red wine--grab that Chianti, Barbera D'Alba, and add a little something to your iPod for the evening--I hope you'll enjoy the first Musical Pairings.

Homemade Orecchiette
c/0 Mario Batali, with a few tweaks by yours truly
*serves 4 (we used half and froze the rest)

1 cup of semolina flour
1 cup of regular or white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup to 3/4ths cup of tepid water

1. Place the flours into a large mixing bowl and stir around to mix together.

2. Make a well in the center and add a little bit of water at a time, simultaneously mixing with your hands until the dough becomes slightly elastic and can be formed into a ball. Be careful not to add too much water--add just enough for the dough to come together, without being sticky.

3. Place the ball of dough on a floured surface and knead it as you would pizza or bread dough until it becomes elastic (about 8 minutes). Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for about 10 minutes on your counter.

4. Roll out the dough into rods about 3-4 inches in thickness. Then, cut these rods into flat circles, about 1/4 inch thick. Press your thumb into the center of the circles, forming your 'little ears.' Place these on a lightly floured baking sheet.

5. To cook, boil a large pot of water, add a bit of salt. Throw in the orecchiette. Since they are not dry, they will cook relatively quickly. They'll swim to the surface in about 3-5 minutes, at which point, you should give one a try. Cook al dente.

6. Drain, and add to whatever sauce you're cooking up in nearby skillet. We used this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Musical Pairings: Orechiette and Dark Was the Night

While preparing our homemade orecchiette, we were fortunate enough to have an opportunity to check out a pre-release of the new Red Hot comp Dark Was The Night, which was curated by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of my favorite band, The National. The compilation features a serious who's who of the indie rock world: the National, Arcade Fire, Beirut, Spoon, My Brightest Diamond, Stuart Murdoch (of Belle & Sebastian), Jose Gonzalez, Iron & Wine, Ben Gibbard, Feist, Bon Iver, David Byrne and more. Not only is the album completely cohesive (a surprising feat for an album featuring so many artists), but nearly every track is served al dente (though Cat Power's cover of Amazing Grace was a little too under cooked for my taste). The album is set for release on February 17, 2009, and the proceeds are going to an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. In other words, this is an album you should actually purchase, instead of pirate. -Matthew

Two for One: Range + Kokkari Reviews (from the Archives)

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

While Matt and I are flying, busing and walking around Argentina, we thought we'd keep you entertained by sharing some of our favorite posts from the archives. I'm digging deep, so deep that some posts are pre-Musical Pairings, so be sure to still check out Matt's page for refreshing twists on old favorites. Range and Kokkari are two of the most dynamite restaurants in San Francisco, so naturally, I thought I'd leave a good taste in your mouth for the weekend.

See you soon!

Kasey

Originally posted on January 2, 2008. First off, I hope that anyone and everyone reading this had a safe and happy New Year. 2007 was a good year for me and I'm looking forward to an even better 2008. I've definitely been enjoying some fabulous meals and wonderful times catching up with old friends and my family. This past weekend, my parents came up to the city and took myself and Matt out to dinner to one of my favorite restaurants--Kokkari. I've been to Kokkari once before and had a seafood plate for two and the amazing zucchini cakes. This time around, we sampled a lot more food--Spanakotiropita, zucchini cakes, grilled calamari, and artichoke and eggplant skewers. My father had the lamb chops, Matt had the roast of the day (pork), and my mom and I had two different kinds of fish. While all of the food was quite delicious, the most memorable part of the meal was absolutely the dessert. Two phyllo tubes filled with semolina custard, accompanied by quince and pistachio ice cream. The picture below does it some justice, but my empty plate probably did it more. There is something about passing a special occasion (the passing of an old year) at a classy and beautiful establishment. New Year's is a big event in my family. I was born in Moscow, Russia, where New Year's has the status of Christmas in the U.S. We have a 'New Year's tree'--which came out of a pagan tradition--exchange presents, and go all out. Provided, my festivities didn't end on December 30th.

On December 31st, I headed to Range in San Francisco--a restaurant I've been dying to try for quite some time. I was excited to share the experience with my friend Sonia, her boyfriend Hobie and my boyfriend Matt. Since it was New Year's Eve, we were treated to a special three course menu. Our meal started with a lovely bottle of prosecco that we brought and enjoyed while we waited for our table. Once we were seated, we were served goat-cheese and prosciutto-stuffed dates, followed by our appetizers: bluefin tuna tartare and venison on a bed of duck liver pate. I have to say the venison/pate combo was something quite out of this world. Three of us ordered the hanger steak (--which was cooked to perfection--and one of us got the quail. Before we were served our dessert, we received a quasi amuse-bouche of lemon-lime sorbet in a frozen satsuma shells. Dessert at Range was also memorable and unexpected--a dark chocolate smore tarte that oozed smoky-scented dark chocolate, accompanied by a caramel-cardamom ice cream. After finishing off our wine with some chocolate truffles and pomegranate jelly, we headed to my friend Angela's house party. The 6 block walk was definitely helpful. Overall, my New Year got off to a great start. If my last meals of 2007 are any indication, 2008 has a lot of culinary adventures in store.

Carrot and Cardamom Cake with Mascarpone Frosting (From the Archives

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Ain't nothin' better than homemade cake, with homemade frosting. Carrot cake is about as homey, comforting, and warming as it gets. Please make this and eat some cake for me. Matt and I are still in Argentina, but we promise to come back with delicious stories, and pictures. In the meantime, please enjoy some of our favorite posts from the past here and over at Musical Pairings.

-Kasey

Originally posted on November 23, 2008. A few months ago, while browsing the cookbook section of my favorite bookstore, I came across this book. I picked it up, opened it and stared at the very first thing that came up: carrot and cardamom cake with mascarpone frosting. I was buying the book right then and there. Did I have an occasion for which to make a cake? No. Am I a carrot cake connoisseur? No. What was it that struck me so by this recipe? I'm not sure. I've never cooked with cardamom before, but for some reason the word just struck me.

I added the book to my little cookbook shelf, satisfyingly knowing that one day, I would make this cake. I opened it up on several occasions to make a variety of dishes from it. The book's focus is on seasonal cooking and I appreciated the way it was organized by seasons and ingredients. Alas, a few months passed and still I had no reason to make the cake.

On my usual weekly trip to the market one day, I picked up a bag of cardamom powder. I had the carrot cake in mind, but again, no immediate plans for making anything with cardamom. While cooking other things, I'd sometimes take the baggie out of my pantry, inhale the smell of cardamom (it's quite potent--even through the plastic) and place it back on my spice shelf. Cardamom is a spice often used in Indian cooking, incorporated into sweets. It's earthy, spicy and nutty at the same time.

My new 'latte' bowl from Anthropologie

And, finally. The occasion called. My friends' annual Thanksgiving potluck (a glorious day of BBQ'd and deep fried turkey, tons of sides, cornbread, sweets, holiday drinks and good times). I was making the cake. I bought a container of mascarpone cheese, extra powdered sugar (forgetting I already had some) and 2 large carrots. The cardamom, I already had.

I followed the book's recipe, with a few tweaks. Instead of using sunflower oil, I used canola. I also opted for cardamom powder v. pods (10 pods equal 1.5 teaspoons of ground cardamom). The results? Well, what can I say. The cake was good. Moist and unique (the citrusy addition into the mascarpone certainly added a great contrast to the cake). But, I would have done a few things differently. Most people I talked to emphasized the need for more frosting. I agree. Either double the recipe, or split the batter into two cake pans, essentially making a two layer cake. Spread the extra frosting in between the two layers. If doing this, cut down your bake time. My cake baked for less than an hour and could have probably been out of the oven in 45-50 minutes, but I suppose that depends on your oven.

Will I be making this cake again? Most definitely. Perhaps in cupcake form. Below is my adapted recipe.

Carrot and Cardamom Cake
c/o Seasonal Food

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup plain sugar
1 cup sunflower oil (I used canola)
3 eggs
grated rind of 1 orange
seeds from 10 cardamom pods, crushed (I used 1.5 teaspoons of ground cardamom)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 1/4 cups of flour
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
3/4 cups of chopped walnuts

For the Frosting (I'd recommend doubling this)
1 cup of mascarpone cheese (I used 1 full container)
grated rind of 1 orange
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a round cake pan and lightly dust it with flour.
2. Beat together: sugars, oil, eggs in a large bowl.
3. Stir in orange rind, cardamom and ginger.
4. Sift the flour with baking soda and salt (there is a typo in the book and there is no mention of baking powder or salt in the directions). Fold into the mixture.
5. Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts.
6. Pour into cake pan (or two) and bake for about 1 hour (until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).

Meanwhile, make the frosting by beating together all of the ingredients. Wait until the cake cools (be patient, I was not) to frost.

Red Snapper Ceviche: A Gem from the Archives

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

We're still in Argentina on our honeymoon, and hopefully enjoying some amazing wine in Mendoza. Ceviche is an impressive dish to make, and is surprisingly easy. After finding this recipe some time ago, it's been my go-to for hot summer nights, as well as a light dinner party starter. Feel free to serve it with chips. Don't forget to check out some gems from Musical Pairings.

-Kasey

Originally posted on June 10, 2008. After frantically spending my week searching for recipes, ingredients and then spending the early part of my weekend prepping and executing, I am proud to say that my Father's Day dinner party was a success!

Many thanks go out to Matt, who generously devoted his time to perfecting some of my visions (the giant, wild Mexican prawns were marinated and cooked to perfection thanks to him) as well as dealing with my minor heart attacks (i.e., custard that did not want to thicken as a whisked it by hand).

One aspect of the menu did not make it to the table--after filling up on Margherita Pizza and literally devouring a paella-sized platter of ceviche, it was called off by popular vote.

I must share with you one recipe that was truly the star of the night--the Red Snapper Ceviche that I prepared using this incredible Food & Wine magazine recipe.

Surprisingly, this was not the most expensive part of our meal. Nearly a pound of fresh snapper was purchased from Andronico's for this dish. If I had to do it again (and I will!), I'd cut the red onions into smaller pieces (I made it look like the picture). Enjoy!

*This is an excellent dinner party dish as it can be prepared well in advance and is served chilled.

Red Snapper Ceviche
c/o Food and Wine Magazine (with a few modifications)

* 14 ounes skinless red snapper fillets, cut into 1/4-inch dice
* 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded and minced
* 1/2 cup finely diced red bell peppers
* 1/2 cup finely diced yellow bell peppers
* 1/2 small red onion, diced
* 1 minced garlic clove
* Pinch of ground cumin
* Pinch of crushed red pepper
* Salt
* 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions (only 1 step--amazing!)

1. In a large bowl, toss the diced fish with the lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, garlic, cumin, crushed red pepper and season with salt. Refrigerate the snapper ceviche for 30 minutes, stir to make sure all of the fish has been adequately coated. Return to refridgerator for at least another hour to let the flavors meld together. Stir in the cilantro and extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

Nuevo Latino: Destino- A Review from the Archives

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

While we're away on our honeymoon, we're continuing to bring you delicious recipes and tantalizing restaurant reviews. We're hoping that you won't even have time to miss us. Destino has been a rock solid destination for a cozy, vibrant atmosphere and great food at good prices and I wanted to give them a little bit more love.

-Kasey

Originally posted on February 27, 2o09. When you go to a small plates-type place, you pretty much have to go When you go to a small plates-type place, you pretty much have to go big or go home. Why? Well, while most restaurant menus offer a handful of entrees and appetizers that are each supposed to stand on their own, small plates restaurants give you the opportunity to dabble in many more dishes, and therefore experience some serious wows and, of course, a couple of lows. My first visit to Destino, a 'neuvo Latin' restaurant in Hayes Valley, was a pretty good one. I loved the vibe of the restaurant--the rich colors, the mirrors on the walls, the elaborate bar, and the cozy, elongated dining room. As dishes were brought out by the waiters, I kept making mental notes of things I needed to try on my next visit.

The thing I love about Peruvian and Latin American food is that it draws from so many different elements: fresh seafood, vibrant vegetables, exotic fruits, pop-in-your-mouth spices. There is something layered and complex about some dishes, and simple and clean about others. It all just works together.

About a year after my first experience, I headed back to this restaurant in a group of four that was prepared to enjoy some drinks and sample a lot of food. Destino features a pretty great prix fixe, allowing you to select from some of their best small plates, entrees, and desserts. What's great about it is that one person in the group can get this (so you already know you've got a dessert to split) and then order a few additional items on top of it.

Chicken Empanada

We started off with a ceviche. Our friends got the sea bass, while we got the tuna. The serving was HUGE and the fish was perfectly fresh, seasoned well and a most refreshing start to the meal (after the fried plantains that are brought to each table in lieu of bread). After adequately tasting the ceviche and diving into our drinks (the menu includes a broad selection of wines and fun twists like Pomegranate Mojitos), we went for our second small plate selection. The duck, I was told, was spectacular. Meanwhile, our chicken empanada (large enough to split), came with a spicy sauce that was just finger licking good (I might have to opt for the empanada sample next time). Unlike other restaurants where I've recently ordered empanadas, this one had dough that was so fluffy and stuffing so fresh, it carried a flavor and texture, rather than feeling like a greasy fried dumpling.

For our main courses, we had the sea bass and steak--both of which were good, but neither of which really stood out among our fabulous selection of small plates. What I really wanted was another empanada, or some cornmeal biscuits.

Our chosen dessert was guanabana ice cream (I had NO idea what I was eating) and chocolate empanadas. In a word: wow. The hot, liquidy chocolate oozed out of the slightly crisp shell. And the ice cream tasted like a mix of mango and papaya--very refreshing, and not too sweet, making for a nice balance to the richness of the empanada. By the time we were done, we were all pretty pleased and full beyond belief. Had I not visited next-door Pisco Lounge (quasi-recently opened by the owners of Destino), we probably would have mosied over through the corridor for drinks there. Instead, we checked out the inventive drinks at the Orbit Room. I'm really starting to believe that this little stretch of Market Street just above the Safeway is truly a treasure to behold!

While reservations were not hard to make, I'm quite frankly surprised! The restaurant was fully packed, and the entire experience was cohesive and impressive. The prices for the portions are extremely reasonable (that huge empanada was only $4.50). It's a great place for a group of girls, a group of friends, a group of couples, or just a couple. Seriously, you can't go wrong--unless you under order. And by under order, I mean don't sample all of the deliciousness their menu has to offer!

So what really makes a great restaurant? Obviously one where you keep wanting to come back for more--and I've definitely got a list of things I want to try next time around.

Chocolate Empanada with Guanabana Ice Cream

Roast Shallot Salad: From the Archives While We're Away

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

We're kicking things off in Buenos Aires. While we're here, we're sharing some of our favorite posts from the archives. Some of you might remember a time before Musical Pairings. This salad is still one of my favorites that I've shared here. The roasted shallots are truly phenomenal. See you soon!

-Kasey

Originally posted on August 17, 2008. One of my favorite things to do on a foggy Sunday is to walk through Golden Gate Park to the Richmond district and hit up Green Apple Books. Green Apple is a gem of a bookstore. While it has a ton of new books, I love browsing their used selection and frequently find an armful of books between their two next-door-to-each-other locations. On a recent trip, I purchased Seasonal Food. I was sold on the simplicity, the images and the carrot cake recipe (which I am yet to make). With a $7 green price tag, I couldn't resist. I had already sampled the summer vegetable couscous recipe, so decided that this weekend called for a combination of two recipes: roast shallot, tomato and thyme salad and baked chicken with cinnamon and honey-roast tomatoes. While at first, it seemed like there would be an overabundance of tomatoes, the end result was as delicious as the pictures in this glorious book. The honey-roasted tomatoes (drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon--something I'd never thought of) were the perfect accompaniment to a smoked paprika and garlic marinated breast of chicken.

The beauty of this meal, though, was a salad that could have graced the plate at any simple California-fresh-focused restaurant. If you've never tried roasted/caramelized shallots, you must try this salad--and maybe follow up with this recipe from Smitten Kitchen if you can't get enough. Without further ado:

Roast Shallot, Tomato and Thyme Salad (c/o Seasonal Food cookbook)
**Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. soft brown sugar
11-12 shallots, peeled
salt & pepper
2 cups of cherry tomatoes sliced in half
2 handfuls of arugula
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan

The dressing
thyme leaves (fresh or dried)--I used dried, but highly recommend getting some fresh herbs, if you can
1/2 clove of garlic
1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 tsp. olive oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small bowl. Put shallots in baking dish and drizzle with sauce. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes--periodically shaking.

Prepare the dressing: combine thyme with crushed garlic, vinegar and olive oil. Whisk together and season with salt and pepper--set aside.

Combine tomatoes and roast shallots, drizzle with dressing. Divide up the shallot/tomato mixture and place on top of arugula and decorate with Parmesan.

Alfajores from the Archives: To Argentina We Go!

noreply@blogger.com (Kasey) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Dear Readers, While Matt and I gallivant around Northern Argentina for two weeks, we'll be revisiting some of our favorite posts from the archives. Naturally, I thought I'd kick things off with Alfajores, Argentina's most delectable dessert (aside from helado, of course). We'll be returning with fresh posts in October, as well as a special wedding edition. In the meantime, please check in here, as well as Musical Pairings--you'll hopefully find something great that you might have missed earlier.

-Kasey

Originally posted on June 1, 2009. I'll be honest with you--I've been hoarding these cookies from you for quite some time. Two weeks, to be exact. These cookies are a little prelude to a little trip that Matt and I will be taking in September to Argentina, for our honeymoon. We had been planning to go to Argentina this past Spring, but when we got engaged in December, we switched gears and decided to make the trip our honeymoon. We haven't made much progress planning beyond buying a book, our plane ticket and deciding that we'd definitely spend a lot of time in Buenos Aires and Mendoza, and take 'a bunch of side trips.' With the wedding now approaching faster than ever, I think it might be time to start cracking open that book!

Alfajores are essentially crumbly, buttery sandwich cookies. Filled with gooey, caramely dulce de leche and delicately dusted with powdered sugar and, in this case, cinnamon, they are Matt's new favorite cookie. It's fair to say that whenever I bake something, Matt often exclaims that it's his new favorite dish, but with these cookies, I'm pretty sure he was beyond earnest. Even I couldn't resist these little treasures. The most time-consuming part of the cookies is making the dulce de leche--if you're going to attempt it. I used a recipe that called for pouring it out into a baking dish and baking it for several hours, until it turned a golden brown color. These cookies a traditional Argentinian treat, and making them felt like the first natural step to planning our honeymoon.

The cookies themselves can best be described as dry butter cookies--super crumbly and light. In fact, it was hard to bite into them without making a mess. Once the cookies are done, they're layered with dulce de leche and dusted with powdered sugar. When I saw the 'optional' cinnamon dusting in the recipe, I definitely didn't skimp, and am glad that I didn't. You could also roll the sides of the cookies (the parts with the oozy dulce de leche) in shredded coconut. As some readers may know, I'm not a big coconut fan, so I made one for Matt and stuck with the sugar/cinnamon combination for the others.

I've yet to experience eating these in Argentina, but I can definitely tell you that reaching into my fridge and opening up the tupperware that housed these for several days felt like opening up an unexpected package every time.

I'm sorry for hoarding. Now that you know how easy these are to make, I hope you'll take a little trip...to your kitchen.

Alfajores
Recipe c/o Nook & Pantry

1 and 1/4 cups of flour
1/2 cup of cornstarch
1/4 of a teaspoon of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of white sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Dulce de leche (I made my own, using a recipe from David Lebovitz)
Powdered sugar
Cinnamon (optional--but highly recommended)
Coconut flakes (optional--less highly recommended)

1. If you're using store bought dulce de leche, no need to do anything in advance. I prefer homemade. It's extremely simple to make, but you'll need a good afternoon to be by the oven. I used David Lebovitz's recipe, which turned out superb.
2. When you're ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a medium bowl, use a hand blender to beat the sugar and butter together, until pale and fluffy.
4. Whisk the first four dry ingredients (start with 1 cup of flour, though) in the recipe together in a large bowl.
5. Beat in the egg and vanilla into the butter/sugar mixture, until combined. Pour in the dry ingredients in several batches, until the dough is well mixed. If it seems like it won't roll out well, beat in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it's about 1/8th inch in thickness. Use a circular cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and place them onto a cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper. The cookies won't expand, so you don't need to leave too much space between them.
7. Bake the cookies for about 14 minutes (check them after they've been in the oven for 12). The edges should be nicely golden, but the cookies should still be a light color (they will harden more as they cool).
8. Once the cookies are cool, scoop enough dulce de leche to cover one side of one cookie and top with another cookie to make a sandwich.
9. Generously sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon on both sides.
10. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for serving (though they're also delicious cold). Cookies should last for about a week (maybe!)

Musical Pairings: Passion Pit - Manners + Alfajores

These alfajores are the most fantastically delicious cookies I've ever eaten. Ever. I was seriously rationing them out so I could savor them for as long as possible. One at lunch. Another after dinner. They were so good, I nearly shed a tear after eating the last one. And although I was tempted to post a Radiohead album with this recipe, and make comparisons to the 10-out-of-a-possible-10 score nearly every Radiohead album receives by most critics (and these cookies deserve), I decided that something a little more upbeat than songs about "kicking, screaming gucci little piggies" was called for in this case. Thus, I selected the most upbeat, bob your head, tap your toes, and get-up-and-dance album so far this year: Passion Pit - Manners. Head over to Musical Pairings @ eating/sf for the full review of the album. --Matthew