Naked with: Cooking

Bulgogi Meatballs

BuHi — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:00:49 +0000

Sometimes, you just need to screw around in the kitchen. Sometimes, screwing around in the kitchen generates a lot of bulk waste for the trash bin. Sometimes boredom, distraction and a bit of Korean seasonings produce a bastard love-child that kind of works…

Bulgogi Meatballs

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Barefoot BBQ: Southern Street Food

BuHi — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:59:02 +0000

My awareness of street food came on gradually. The first time I can remember actually buying food from a street vendor was when I lived in Boston. I would occasionally take the long way to work, and as I made my way from the Green Line station at Boston Common down to Fort Point Channel, I’d pass a pretzel cart downtown, right in front of the Jordan Marsh department store. It was my first “real” pretzel – soft, salty and slathered in mustard.

Over the years, I got a little deeper: crèpes with Grand Marnier on the streets of Paris, Yucatecan grilled chicken, marinated in bitter orange and chilies on the side of a road in Mexico. Asia was an entirely immersive experience – roasted goose in Hong Kong, anything and everything in Thailand…

Growing up and living in the South, though, has been a bit different. There is the occasional boiled peanut stand or the itinerant smoker that will pop up in a parking lot on a weekend, but rarely do we have a reliable street food culture.

So I was a bit surprised on a recent trip to the Florida panhandle to find vibrant little grouping of vendors in downtown Seaside, of all places. Seaside is a carefully planned and organized community. As beautiful as it is, I always have a creepy feeling that I’m being watched”. (Remember The Truman Show? This is where it was filmed…). Admittedly, the vendors do come off a bit regimented – a precise row of Airstreams laid out along the North side of 30A, a screened in, and clearly labeled “Smokehouse” tucked behind the white picket fence – this is a long way from the land of push carts.

But the real test was the food, and what little I had a chance to try was outstanding (big words coming from a barbecue snob like myself). We tried the BBQ slides, 3 not so small sandwiches, overstuffed with moist and flavorful pulled pork. A variety of sauces (spicy, sweet, mustard - and I believe a fruit-based sauce – sorry, forgot to take pictures), and even a shaker of their dry rub are offered at the table so you can experiment – mixing and matching to find one you like.

More of our pictures of the street food vendors in Seaside (and information about the street food movement in Atlanta) can be seen on the Atlanta Food Carts blog!

Barefoot BBQ
2235 E County Hwy 30A
Seaside, Florida
32459

Westside Creamery at Sandy Springs Farmers Market

BuHi — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:19:23 +0000

If you like your ice cream only a few steps from the cow, then you should probably head over to the Sandy Springs Farmers Market this Saturday (6/5/2010). The Westside Creamery will be launching their locally-sourced “farm to bowl” ice creams and sorbets at the Sandy Springs Farmer Market from 8:30am-12:30pm.

Sweet Tea Ice Cream

Their menu lists the following flavors:

mint sweet tea
Sweet cream infused with black tea and local fresh mint, we recommend a mason jar & rocking chair for this one

honey+apricot
Local wildflower honey ice cream with sweet, jewel-toned apricot waves, almost too pretty to eat – almost

blueberry buckle
Georgia-grown crushed blueberries swirled with a buttery pecan crumble, an ode to our favorite summer cobbler

lemon buttermilk sorbet
Luxurious local buttermilk and tart, punchy lemon churned into sweet-tart fluffy clouds; genuinely addictive

Here’s the full press release:

WESTSIDE CREAMERY LAUNCHES AT METRO ATLANTA FARMERS MARKETS

Small Batch, Handcrafted, Locally-Sourced Ice Creams and Sorbets to be Available Starting in June

ATLANTA (June 3, 2010) – The Westside Creamery announced today they will be unveiling their first batch of locally-sourced “farm to bowl” ice creams and sorbets, available to the public for purchase this Saturday.

Westside Creamery has partnered with Johnston Family Farm, a family owned and operated Georgia dairy that has been in continuous operation since 1956, for its supply of fresh milk and cream.

Everyone is invited to sample Atlanta’s newest sweet treat during its debut at the Sandy Springs Farmers Market on June 5, 2010, from 8:30am-12:30pm. Flavors available for purchase by the pint, cone, and scoop will include Mint Sweet Tea, Lemon Buttermilk Sorbet, Honey + Apricot, and Blueberry Buckle.

Westside Creamery is owned and operated by native Georgians Maggie Rentz and Greg Smith, who envision churning ice cream and sorbet year-round that captures the essence of each season, using ingredients grown and harvested around Georgia wherever possible.

Maggie Rentz, owner and creator of the Westside Creamery, describes the company’s mission: “Our goal is to consistently produce new, innovative creations, whether that be unique flavor combinations or new, luxurious twists on old standbys. But just as important as our focus on flavor is our love of this community, its growers, and its consumers,” said Maggie, who herself grew up on a small farm in South Georgia. “Our goal is to integrate healthy, sustainable, local food into our frozen confections, and to support and uplift our community in a collective celebration of one of the world’s greatest foods.”

Visit the Westside Creamery’s website for more information about purchase locations and seasonal flavors. http://westsidecreamery.com

Lemon Buttermilk Sorbet

Check them out!

The Sandy Springs Farmers Market is located at:
235 Sandy Springs Circle NW
Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328

Oakwood Café

Ha Roo Baghn Korean Bakery

BuHi — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:00:41 +0000

I admit it. I love a good Korean bakery. And what’s not to love? They usually have French cakes, pastries with Asian inspired fillings like bean paste or sweet potato, great coffee drinks, a variety of drinks including bubble teas and smoothies, and they are always scrupulously clean. And when you are very, very lucky, they also serve gelato.

At Ha Roo Baghn you can consider yourself very lucky. They have it all, even the gelato, plus some lovely wedding cakes on display. The bakery is located near Gwinnett Place Mall, beside JeJu Sauna, a Korean spa modeled after a traditional bathing house that my friends rave about.

The variety of pastries changes constantly so you never know what you may find. Highlights this day include a Steamed bun, topped with adzuki peas and sweet potato. It was surprisingly sweet and the steaming leaves a doughy texture ($2.50). Double Chocolate Cake that was totally black, darker than any pastry I’ve ever seen. It was surprisingly light (good) and there wasn’t a strong chocolate flavor (bad). There’s never enough cream between the layers, is there? (Give it up. An Asian bakery is not the place to cure chocolate cravings.) The Baguette Pizza is an international meeting ground with influences from Italian, French and Asia. There’s tomato sauce, corn, green pepper, a mild sausage (similar to Vienna sausages) on a baguette and topped with a small amount of cheese. Some have chunks of sweet potato.

The WiFi here is good, but what’s better are the number of outlets available. You can plug in from every seat in the house.

But the hard part, if you don’t read Korean, is finding the name of this restaurant. The word “Bakery” is prominent, enough, but it’s hard to read the name on the sign outside, impossible when the logo is shrunk to fit onto their business card. I got the name off the sales receipt. On the other hand, does that matter?

Ha Roo Baghn
3555 Gwinnett Place Drive #105
Duluth, GA 30096
678-916-0611

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Oakwood Café

Mike’s Chicago Hot Dogs

BuHi — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:00:22 +0000

If anyone should be writing about Chicago-style anything, it’s most definitely not me. As much as I hate to admit it, my only forays to Chicago have been confined to transfers at O’Hare…

I have, however, heard that they make some pretty tasty hot dogs there (along with a few other things). So this past weekend, feeling as though I had no energy to even walk (sleeping sickness, mono, who knows), I was suddenly struck with a craving for a hot dog. This is even more odd, as I grew up in the South, where as far as I remember as a kid, involved burning the damn things until they were charred beyond recognition – I shudder to think about it.

So kid it tow, I ventured out to Mike’s, the closest hot dog stand I could find to the house. I didn’t catch the guy’s name behind the counter (see sleeping sickness, above), but as we were new customers, he gave us the full rundown on what turned out to be a pretty extensive menu. My heart quickened a bit at the mention of Italian beef sandwiches (I know, I’ve never been to Chicago, but I am a food blogger – I know about this stuff…). My total lack of accent and flawless pronunciation of giardinera did get me an “Oh! You’re from Chicago!”, but I had to admit that indeed, I was not.

Unfortunately, I was unsure of my appetite (and even of Mike’s), so I went with a Polish sausage with grilled onions. My son went with the hot dog and obligatory, flourescent green relish (I recall reading about this somewhere, so it was a little less of a surprise to me).

Soft, poppy seed buns and nice casings on the meats were satisfying and tasty. We’ll definitely be going back.

Mike’s Chicago Hot Dogs
5948 Roswell Rd.
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
(404) 252-8484

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Mid-East Food Festival in Atlanta

BuHi — Fri, 21 May 2010 00:15:38 +0000

I saw a flyer for this festival this week when I visited Leon’s International Grocery for Orange Blossom water. If you have never tried Middle Eastern food, you are in for a treat. The cuisines of Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and the rest of the Middle East are among the oldest. Development began with the dawn of agriculture and was established before cookbooks were even thought of. It is among the most delectable cuisines of the planet and has influenced the world. This festival is free and with feature dance and music. Don’t miss it.

What: 45^th Annual Mid-East Food Festival

When:

Saturday, May 22 noon to 9pm

Sunday, May 23 noon to 5pm

Where: St. John Chrysostom Melkite Catholic Church

1428 Ponce de Leon Avenue, NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

Directions

How Much: Free!

Details: This year the festival features renowned performer George Kouz with keyboard player Aboud Ghazi and the band. Expect Lots of Middle Eastern Food, desserts, church tours, music, dance, children’s activities and several cultural items. For more information call 770-645-6169 or go to the church website.

Foods to look for: In Atlanta, most Middle Eastern food is often labeled Persian or Mediterranean. Look for hummus (a chickpea spread); baba ghanoush (a roasted eggplant dip); desserts featuring honey (like baklava) and sesame (such as halva); doner kebab (roasted meat, usually lamb, similar to Greek gyros); preserved lemons; Imam Bayildi (The Imam Fainted, an eggplant dish); stuffed pastries like falayer; and stuffed grape leaves.

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Degustar in Pictures

BuHi — Fri, 07 May 2010 13:00:32 +0000

Escabeche de Pescado

From the pictures, you’d be excused for thinking this was a Peruvian festival. This just happened to be my first time trying food from Machu Picchu in more than 15 years. I didn’t like in on my first visit. What I tried at the festival blew me away. The escabeche was by far my favorite, followed by the Peruvian tamale (surprising, given my obsession with papas a la Huancaina). Yes, there was a lot of food there, from many other countries – I was just too busy eating to take too many photos…

Papas a la Huancaina

Cuzco Maize

Peruvian Tamale

Macchu Pichu

Brazilian Sausage & Cuzco Maize

Puerto Rican Carnival Mask

Starts with an “m” – can’t remember – Los Andes Bakery

Flan – Los Andes Bakery

Crazy Cuban – D’oh!

BuHi — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:52:59 +0000

I’ve learned that the rule of thumb in ordering a Cuban sandwich us to ask the provenance of the bread used in the making of your sandwich. Even if you’re not entirely satisfied with the answer, this is your warning shot across the bow that they had better step up to the plate.

Ruh-roh, Shaggy – that ain’t what I ordered! (yes, I’ve mixed two cartoon idioms in one post…)

And so it went on my inaugural visit to Crazy Cuban. The bread is from Pan- American Bakery, according to the owner, but somewhere after this conversation something went off the rails. I ordered a Cuban sandwich. While taking the next customer’s order (who seemed to be a Cuban sandwich novice), I was asked what I thought about a Cuban with lettuce, tomato & jalapenos. “Not even close to acceptable,” was my reply.

So imagine my surprise to discover, upon opening my lunch, just this very thing… As I’d taken my sandwich to go, I really didn’t have much recourse beyond eating it. Now in its defense, it was a tasty sandwich – lots of léchon asado (roasted pork) & ham, and a strong taste of mojo criollo. But a Cuban sandwich, it was not. The bread was a little flakey, but the lettuce and tomato had rendered it soggy in the 5 minutes it took me to get from restaurant to where I was eating.

As it’s close to my office and affordable lunch options are limited, I will give them a chance to redeem themselves.

Crazy Cuban
290 14th Street
Atlanta, 30318
M-F 11AM – 3PM

[via EatBufordHighway]

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Yo, Food Network. I got my eye on you.

BuHi — Sun, 02 May 2010 18:02:23 +0000

OK, so I got a little heated in my diatribe against the Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America” the other day. While I did get some positive comments, I know that it’s easy to dismiss me as yet another food blogger on some negative rant, hoping to get lots of page hits by being an ass. Well, I know from experience – rarely do my rants glean a high number of hits. Most readers can’t be bothered. And I can’t say I blame them. And I’m not ranting for page views – I really do just vent my thoughts because I can.

It’s easy to tear something down, but all too often, detractors don’t take the time to answer the “Well if it sucks so bad, what do you suggest?” question. I have been thinking about just what it is that would make me watch the Food Network again (I’m not equivocating here – it’s already obvious I’m not bucking for some big $$ blogging job with the Food Network…). Who could get me all hyped up about the idea of cooking again?

It’s exactly like this, except Fred Rogers is the Food Network…

In the 80s, for me at least, it was Jeff Smith – no doubt. I’m not sure how, but I became hooked on the Frugal Gourmet series. Jeff told stories. Real stories. Stories about the people that he learned a recipe from, people that he cooked for, people that sold him an ingredient. Stories about the coffee mill he used as a pepper grinder. And all the time he was tell these stories he’d fidget over his board, he’d make mistakes, he’d talk to the off-camera crew, he’d rush some stage of a dish, leaving you wondering who would have to eat that half-cooked chicken… He’d talk to YOU. He broke the 4th wall, and he did it in in such a way that you forgot that you were watching him – you were there with him. Julia Child did the same – especially in her series with Jacques Pépin. In my mind though, Jeff Smith was a slightly softer entry point into the world of cooking.

I haven’t seen many TV chefs since that I thought could pull this same thing off – and I guess that’s my beef with the Food Network. Maybe their initial idea was to find good candidates and cultivate them – I’m not sure. Mario Batali seemed to be on a good track with Molto Mario – even though I was always a bit creeped out by the people sitting at the counter… But now he’s been relegated to cartoon status on Iron Chef. They even chased Bourdain over to the Travel Channel so he could whip out Chase credit cards in a quick edit of a digital still (wonder how many takes that took…).

But it seems the lowest common denominator continues to rule. I’m not going to rant about Sandra Lee, Rachel “Satan” Ray, or Guy Fieri. My rant is done. I’m just trying to figure out who would be a good “follow on” to the likes of Julie, Jeff and Jacques? I’m not suggesting a successor, or a copy – just someone that shows that level of “How the hell do you guys not get this?” – almost unchained passion for cooking.

My current vote is José Andrés. This is a guy that can go completely nuts when he’s talking about food and it’s nearly impossible not to feel his passion.

José Andrés on Letterman

So there. That’s my 4 1/2 cents. Who do you think could turn the Food Network around?

(BTW, I’m looking for collaborators to help pitch my concept for “Shitty Little Cooks” to TLC (The Little Channel)…)

Pain Perdu (French Toast)

BuHi — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:00:04 +0000

I usually don’t eat breakfast, but occasionally I get a hankerin’. This time I was lucky and had a fresh loaf of milk bread from White Windmill that was just screaming to be made into pain perdue (most food sounds more impressive in French..).

Milk bread is dense, with a fine crumb and is perfect for soaking up the egg mixture without falling apart. I know, I should be looking up the details of what exactly milk does when you add it to a bread dough, but Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen is way across the room and I ain’t getting up to get it…

I like to cut the bread about 3/4″ thick. Any thicker and you’ll have trouble getting it to soak up the egg mixture and cook evenly.

Whisk together a few eggs, a splash of milk (you can also add a little sugar if you’d like) a drop in a slice of bread. Gently turn the bread so that it soaks up the egg mixture, but don’t leave it in long enough for the bread to fall apart. Press on it with your fingers, you’ll be able to tell. You should get used to touching food while you’re cooking (clean hands!) – your fingers are the best tools you have in the kitchen.

Melt butter in a heavy pan over medium heat until the foam subsides. Cook until lightly browned on both sides. I also like to sprinkle on a little Saigon cinnamon while the toast is cooking.