The Cook's Tour

Recipe Flash: Ricotta Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:50:00 +0000

Fragrant with freshly grated lemon zest, these lighter than air cookies will brighten up any dreary winter day! From Lidia's Italy, they are a cinch to make. After cooling, dip the tops into a lemon/confectioner's sugar mixture. But, if for some reason, you don't want the icing, they are just as delicious without it.

Enjoy!

Print recipe here

Hope. Health. Joy.

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:20:00 +0000

A fitting sentiment. For this time of year. Or any time. But what makes this especially nice is that it is also the name of a newly launched company dedicated to giving back. This is the story of a woman diagnosed in 2010 with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, fighting to beat it back into remission, and starting anew.

Hope. Health. Joy. is the brain child of Julia Butera. After many years of traveling the world for her job in the fashion industry, she realized that all the money and prestige of working for a highly-recognizable brand were not anywhere near as important as being with her son. So after missing his fourth birthday due to a business trip, she called it quits. She bought a book on making jams, began experimenting with flavors, and gave samples to her friends and family, who encouraged her to sell them. And because of the hope and love she experienced at Hackensack University Medical Center while going through cancer treatment, she decided to focus her new business on helping others.

So now, on to the jams! Julia is constantly experimenting with new flavors, but always has at least five on tap. The flavors change with the seasons to complement what is fresh in the local produce, and they contain no preservatives. The jams I received as samples to write this article were just delicious. My favorite, I think, is the Cinnamon Pear - a delicate cinnamon taste added to ripe pears. I enjoyed it so much straight out of the jar that I immediately had to bake something to use it on! Now those of you who are regular readers and friends, know that I am not a fan of boxed baked goods. However, I happened to order a few months ago, a Cranberry Orange Brioche mix from the good folks at King Arthur Flour. And I thought that would be a perfect platform for the Cinnamon Pear jam (how right I was!). The plump cranberries, orange essence, and yeasty dough complemented Julia's jam to a T.

The other flavors I was lucky enough to receive were Bordeaux Wine Jelly, Wild Fox Grape Jelly, Raspberry Brandy Preserves (hmmm, over vanilla ice cream was divine), and Red Raspberry Jam. Julia mentioned that the Red Raspberry is great slathered on a Thomas' Cornbread Muffin (definitely on my shopping list).

Julia can create gift baskets for someone special on your list (think Valentine's Day...), or how about as delightful and unique favors for an upcoming event?

Keeping her mission in mind, 75% of the proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So you can know that you are helping others while enjoying these luscious jams. And at this time of year, isn't that what it's really all about?

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Eat well, stay warm, be happy.

Hope. Health. Joy
973-619-6107

Delicious and Gluten-free, Together at Last!

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:36:00 +0000

That’s not a typo in the headline. When the assignment to write an article about a gluten-free bakery came across my desk, my first reaction was, well, not one of excitement. For many years, gluten-free products have not exactly been, shall we say, very tasty. And being a baker myself, I was skeptical. So off I went to investigate.

Most great ideas are born out of a need. And this was no different. Jeff Robbins, the co-owner of Get Fresh Bake House, based in Fairfield, NJ, has a daughter with Celiac Disease and wanted to find a way to provide great tasting treats for her. GFBH opened in January, following three years of intensive research, planning, and preparation. Jeff and his business partner, Peter Mykrantz, knew they needed a true food professional to help with this endeavor. And they found that person in Bill Doyle, a passionate baker, graduate of the CIA, and 30 year veteran of the food industry.

Celiac Disease affects one out of every 133 people in the United States. It is not a food allergy – it is an autoimmune disease. The only treatment is the lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. When gluten is removed from the diet, the small intestine will start to heal and overall health improves.¹

Bill uses three different types of flour, depending on the item he is baking. The bakery is 100% gluten-free and all of the equipment in the facility is brand new, meaning that traditional wheat products never touched any of this equipment. Gluten-free foods do not contain wheat, barley, rye, oats, or their crossbred varieties. In addition, all GFBH products are individually wrapped to ensure there are no cross-contamination issues.

But the bottom line, of course, is taste. And I must tell you that if I did not know that these products were gluten-free, I would have never guessed it. Gone is the dry, mealy texture, and flat taste associated with so many gluten-free products. In its place, a cookie and bar as delicious as any regular product. As the GFBH team likes to say, they’re creating a delicious product that just happens to be gluten-free.

Bill does this by taking a regular recipe, removing the traditional flour, and replacing it with gluten-free products. Everything else remains the same. He uses top-quality ingredients, including Callebaut chocolate, and no preservatives of any kind. This produces a product with a shelf-life of only two weeks, but I don’t really think they will be hanging around that long!

Of the products I sampled, the oatmeal-cranberry cookie and the brownie were my favorites. The oatmeal cookie was as delicious as any of the traditional oatmeal cookies I’ve made hundreds of times. The brownie, extremely moist with a tender crumb, would satisfy the chocolate cravings of any true chocolate lover.

And, in a fancy bit of name dropping, their classic chocolate chip cookie was the runaway winner of Oprah’s “Life Lift” blog.

GFBH makes a variety of cookies and bars, such as The Midnight 2X Chip Cookie, which is a dark, dark chocolate cookie, Bill’s Excellent Butterscotch Cookie, blondies, and the aforementioned brownie. They are still working out the formula, but hope to offer a top-notch gluten-free bread in the near future.

Get Fresh Bake House products are currently sold on-line or at various retail locations around the NY/NJ area.

I don’t have gluten issues, but I know this affects many people. Until now, there has been little in the way of delicious dessert options for them. It seems Get Fresh Bake House has helped to solve that problem, and along the way, created an entirely new category of desserts – “gourmet gluten-free.”

Get Fresh Bake House

www.getfreshbakehouse.com

1-855-GET-FRSH (438-3774)

¹ http://www.celiac.org

I Go to Extremes

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:43:00 +0000

In bakeries, that is. Last week, I visited a brand new, state-of-the-art bakery that specializes in gluten-free products. On Saturday, I happened upon a traditional, family-owned, bakery that has been in business almost 100 years! A separate post on Get Fresh Bake House (the gluten-free facility) is coming shortly.

But right now, step back with me to the early 1900's. Kohout's Bakery in Garfield, NJ, opened its doors in 1917. It moved to its current location in 1924. Walk in and the sights and smells transport you back. Heavy wooden bakery cases line the walls, laden with old-fashioned baked goods. Delectable treats such as glazed doughnuts, yeasty crullers (how many of you even know what a cruller is???), crumb cake, and sweet, fat tea biscuits (pictured at the top of the post) sit waiting for you. Not to mention the gorgeous Danish pastries, salt sticks, and hearty rye and pumpernickel breads that I was lusting after! A girl can only eat so much...

As a kid, I remember going to bakeries like this many Sundays after church - I think it's what started me down the dessert highway of my life. There was something really nice about the routine. I can still remember the anticipation of walking through that bakery door and seeing the array of beautiful pastries and cakes just lined up for the taking. There aren't many of these bakeries left anymore. They've mostly been replaced by supermarket bakeries pretending to bake but they're really just "baking off" the dough that's been shipped to them by the mother ship. I'm not saying these items are bad, but they're definitely lacking authenticity. I can count on one hand the number of small, individually-owned bakeries in this vicinity. It's a sad state of affairs.

Look at the texture of the dough in the cruller in this photo. It's amazing - yeasty pockets of dense deliciousness. And the crumb cake - mounds of butter-cinnamon-infused crumbs strewn over a delicious dough. But they are nothing compared to the tea biscuit - two inches thick, and bursting with plump raisins. Mine was enjoyed slathered with butter and plum preserves. Nobody makes tea biscuits anymore - too bad. They are a throwback to a more genteel time.

Got a small, neighborhood bakery near you? Patronize it. If not, pretty soon they'll be extinct. And that would be a shame.

Kohout's Bakery
75 Jewell Street
Garfield, NJ
973-772-7270

Blue Morel, Morristown, NJ

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:29:00 +0000

When you are invited to a restaurant media dinner, you expect that the restaurant will pull out all the stops to impress you. You are there to experience the restaurant at its finest. And as a lover of food, you ardently hope that it will live up to the hype that accompanies all new restaurant ventures.

Blue Morel, safely ensconced in the warm confines of the Westin Governor Morris, fully exceeded any expectations I might have had. OK, I gave away the story ending right here in the second paragraph, but read on as I detail the delights of the evening.

Under the very capable direction of Culinary Director/Chef Thomas Ciszak, Blue Morel’s menu provides a wide variety of starters for your dinner. We were treated to a fabulous array of sushi (some of the finest I have ever had), followed by Beef Tartare accented with mustard, crème fraiche, fried shallots, egg yolk, and salt and vinegar fingerling chips. A delicious and unique offering was Chef Ciszak’s homemade pickles that arrived in a small Mason jar with carrots and watermelon rind – a nice accompaniment to the warm bread and rolls.

The second course was an heirloom tomato salad served with cantaloupe, mint, and plum wine cocktail. The cantaloupe and mint added a bright note to the perfectly ripe tomato. The accompanying wine was a crisp Albarino from Spain.

A meaty, luscious roasted Barnegat scallop served with succotash, zucchini, smoked tomato, and hen of the woods was presented for the next course. The scallop tasted as if it had just been hoisted up from the sea. A lush Grgich Hills 2008 Chardonnay completed this course.

The third course, although not my favorite, was certainly well done. Grilled octopus served with a roasted red pepper basquaise, dried chorizo, blistered shishito pepper, and arugula definitely caught your attention. The octopus had just the right amount of bite, but the rest of the dish did not add up for me. In a menu of perfect notes, this dish just didn’t seem to sing.

Ah, but the fourth course had me crooning. Twice-cooked beef short rib (braised and grilled), served with a parsnip puree, a coddled Engblom egg, a divine oxtail ragu, shaved salsify, and pickled carrot was the be all and end all. Short ribs, when cooked well, are the antidote to a weary world – warm and falling apart, sopped up with the hearty ragu, it can make everything OK. But this was more than just OK. This was, perhaps, the best short ribs of beef I’ve enjoyed. But I must tell you about the egg! Poached in its shell at 143 degrees for more than 40 minutes, resulting in an egg so creamy that you almost think you are eating an egg custard. Fabulous!

Not to be outdone, the Pastry Chef, Ernie Rich, sent a parade of delicious desserts our way. For a baker, the dessert course is always the highlight of dinner, and these offerings were sublime. A Jersey Peach Torte, served with a Vanilla Schlag, was my favorite. But for pure fun, the Blueberry Trifle with Sweet Corn Ice Cream was the winner. Any dessert with popped corn spilling out of the serving jar captures the flag. Of course, it tasted good, too! Bringing up the rear of the dessert parade, but in no way lesser options, were a Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake with White Peach Ice Cream and Sautéed Red Plums, a Caramel and Roasted Banana Pot de Crème with a Malted Milk Shooter, and finally, Angel Food Cake with Roasted Plums and Crème Fraiche Ice Cream. All heavenly.

Chef Ciszak hails from Germany, where he attended the top schools. In the US, he worked in some of the finest kitchens, including The Manor in West Orange. In 2005, he launched Copeland at the Westin Governor Morris, ushering in a new level of dining to the area. Chef Ciszak is also in command of the kitchen at Chakra in Paramus, which has earned rave reviews.

Running the kitchen on a daily basis at Blue Morel is Executive Chef Kevin Takafuji. Originally from Hawaii, Chef Takafuji graduated from the French Culinary Institute and has worked at the Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster, along with Le Bernardin and Café Boulud in New York City.

As I mentioned early on, Blue Morel exceeded my expectations on every level. Warm, gracious service; delectable, unique food; and a concerted effort to utilize the local bounties available in the Garden State. If you, like me, get excited about the prospect of an extraordinary meal, take yourself and a dining companion worthy of it, to Blue Morel.

Blue Morel

2 Whippany Road

Morristown, NJ 07960

973-451-2619

www.bluemorel.com

Pumpkin Bread

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 02:11:00 +0000

As much as I love summer, there is something very appealing about many aspects of Fall - the crisp air, the changing colors of the landscape, and the warming scents of apple, cranberry, and pumpkin.

I bake all year, but I really ramp it up in the Fall. A favorite recipe is this Pumpkin Bread, which I've been making for years. This is delicious either toasted with a little butter for breakfast or an afternoon snack, or dressed up with a bit of vanilla-tinged whipped cream for an elegant dessert.

What are your favorite Fall baking recipes?

Pumpkin Bread

1 C oil
2/3 C water
4 eggs, beaten
1 C (16 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 C chopped walnuts
1 C raisins
3-1/3 C + 2 TB flour
3 C sugar
2 t baking powder
1-1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9" x 5" loaf pans. In medium bowl, combine oil, water, eggs, and pumpkin. Stir until well mixed. Set aside.

In plastic bag, combine nuts, raisins, and 2 TB flour. Shake until well coated, set aside.

In large bowl,, combine all other ingredients; add liquid previously set aside. Stir in nuts and raisins. Spoon evenly into pans. Bake for 1-1/2 hours or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on racks before taking out of pans.

Breads freeze well.

Enjoy!

Credit: Free images from acobox.com

"Hurricane Cookies"

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:26:00 +0000

OK, not really. The proper name of these delicious morsels is "Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies," but when you are baking during Hurricane Irene, that's the name that sticks! These are from Martha Stewart.

I love, love, love a good oatmeal cookie, especially soft ones with a nice chew to them. But for those of you who like your oatmeal cookies crispy, this recipe provides an option for that, too. It has just the right amount (IMHO) of raisins and chocolate, and is immensely satisfying. I am thinking, however, of adding coconut to the next iteration (gilding the lily?).

Here's hoping that you were not seriously impacted by Irene's path.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Add oats, raisins, and chocolate chips; beat until just combined.
Drop 32 heaping tablespoons of batter, about 1 1/2 inches apart, onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies have spread and are golden brown and soft to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you prefer a crispier texture, bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 16-20 minutes. Makes 32 cookies.

Print recipe here.

Recipe Flash: Blueberry Treat Bars

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:44:00 +0000

Packed with fresh blueberries and berry preserves, these little bars are a delicious treat! Toasted walnuts, oats, brown sugar, and magical cardamom, make up the crust and topping. An absolute end-of-summer delight!

This recipe is from Malika Ameen, who was on “Top Chef: Just Desserts." The original title was "Blueberry Oat Bars," but that sounded too healthy so I swapped in "treat" because that's exactly what these are! Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 stick butter and 3 tablespoons

Walnuts 1 1/4 cup

All purpose flour 1 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons

Old fashioned rolled oats 1 1/2 cups

Granulated sugar 1/2 cup

Packed Dark brown sugar 1/2 cup

Kosher salt 11/4 teaspoons

Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon

Ground cardamom 3/4 teaspoon

Berry preserves 1 heaping cup

Blueberries 1 1/2 cups

Cornstarch 3/4 teaspoon

Sugar 2 tablespoons

Lemon zest, chopped 1/2 teaspoon

Lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon

Kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking tray and line with parchment paper,
leaving an overhang on two sides.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and set aside to cool.
3. Spread the walnuts on another baking sheet and toast until lightly golden and fragrant,
about 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Roughly chop into medium sized chunks.
4. In a medium bowl combine blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, zest, and lemon juice.
5. In a large bowl combine nuts flour, oats sugars, salt, baking soda, and cardamom. Add in
melted butter and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
6. Spread 3 cups of flour mixture in the pan and gently press down to form a packed layer.
Spread preserves over the crumb mixture. Now add the blueberry mixture and spread evenly.
Evenly sprinkle the remaining dough over the blueberries.
7. Bake for approximately 1 hour until top is golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Print Recipe

Strip House, Livingston, NJ

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 01:52:00 +0000

Strip House Strip Steak

The Cook's Tour was recently invited to a media dinner at Strip House. Think what you will of the name, as it conjures up all types of associations, however, the food, service, and ambience were all top drawer.

The restaurant is part of the Glazier Group, which owns Strip House along with Twenty Four Fifth and Bridgewaters in Manhattan, and also offers full-service catering for all events and meetings at the Westminster Hotel.

The Westminster has recently undergone extensive renovations, including the upgraded business center, an outdoor Zen garden, a spa/fitness center, and free Wi-fi throughout the space. The hotel offers 15,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and event space.

Westminster Hotel Lobby

I have been to the Westminster several times for corporate functions, however, I didn't know that the hotel is a AAA Four Diamond award winner for seven consecutive years, nor did I know that only 2% of all hotels in the US have that distinction (and only 5 in NJ). Quite impressive!

Every one of the hotel's 183 guest rooms features Hollandia sleep systems, bamboo-based linens and towels, and luxurious natural toiletries.

All that touring made me hungry so the next stop was Strip House. Decorated in retro dark red, the restaurant has a seductive feel to it.

Strip House Dining Room

Chef Bill Zucosky

There are currently six restaurants throughout the country, and the Livingston location is overseen by Executive Chef Bill Zucosky, who had the privilege of opening the restaurant and is still there eight years later. A New Jersey native, Bill brings a low-key confidence to the property. Previous experience includes stints at the famed Frog and the Peach in New Brunswick, and the Hamilton Park Hotel in Florham Park. Bill developed his passion for food and cooking at a young age. When he was a boy scout in the Linden troop, he won the cooking contest and just kept on going from there. He graduated from the New York Restaurant School, but uses his Italian/Lithiuanian heritage to instill a homey feel to Strip House.

Everything at the restaurant is fresh, nothing is pre-processed. Their prime beef is all corn-fed and hand-picked from Nebraska to give the customer a melt in your mouth steak. The fish comes from the Fulton Fish Market in NY fresh each day.

So what did we eat? Well, obviously, steak was on the table. A 20 oz bone-in strip cooked to a perfect rare temperature and served very simply with a head of roast garlic on the side was sublime.

Crab Cake

Thick-cut Bacon

But to begin our meal, the Strip House Crab Cake with a Cajun remoulade bursting with fresh crab was in order. And, as you know, bacon is on everybody's short list these days and Strip House is not to be outdone.

Their thick-cut Bacon with Arugula and Russian Dressing was just the right mix of crunch and salt and pork. And I loved how it played against the slightly peppery arugula and the creamy dressing.

One of my dining companions raved about the simply grilled, sashimi grade, farm-raised Atlantic Salmon.

Salmon

Like many classic steak houses, Strip House, offers many items on the side. We enjoyed their Ripped Potatoes, made by taking baked potatoes, "ripped" into bite sized chunks. The ripped potatoes are then crispy fried and tossed with grana padano cheese, chopped fresh parsley, and coarse sea salt. De-lish!

Plentiful sides!

Chocolate Cake!

The fried onions, sauteed mushrooms, and goose-fat potatoes were my faves. I am not a creamed spinach fan, but the rest of the table loved them.

And if you're thinking we could not possibly have dessert after this feast, guess again! Chef Bill sent out their signature Chocolate Cake, which seemed to be about 15 layers high of dark, rich moist chocolate cake and frosting. But did we stop there? No!

Being the cheesecake fiend that I am, I had to taste their version. And it did not disappoint.

Cheesecake

Light and luscious, made with a combination of mascarpone and cream cheese, with a lovely hint of lemon.

But wait, there's more! We also loved the Apple Pie with Streusel Crumbs and Cinnamon Ice Cream, drizzled with caramel; and finally, the Brownie with vanilla ice cream.

Apple Streusel Crumb

Brownie

If you are in the NJ/NY area, and feel the need for a classic steakhouse experience, make plans to visit Strip House. In fact, after a meal like this, you might not want to spoil that warm, satisfied feeling and deal with the stress of driving home. Lucky for you, there's a hotel attached to this steakhouse. That's something other steakhouses can't boast.

Strip House
at Westminster Hotel
550 West Mt Pleasant Avenue
Livingston, NJ
973-548-0050

Recipe Flash

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:35:00 +0000

I'm introducing a new component to The Cook's Tour: Recipe Flash. There are many times when I have an unbelievably good recipe that I want to share with you, but it doesn't necessarily warrant a "story" to go with it. It's the foodie version of "just the facts, ma'am." So here's the first installment!

Blueberry-Lemon Streusel Squares

(let me reiterate: unbelievably good!)

Recipe courtesy of Fine Cooking

8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened; more for the pan
13-1/2 oz. (3 cups) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1-1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 large egg, separated
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest

2-1/2 cups room-temperature blueberries (about 13 oz.),
washed and drained on paper towels

Full Recipe

My Dinner with Chef George

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 02:15:00 +0000

Apple-Strawberry Sangria

Regular readers to this blog will remember that yours truly was the Grand Prize winner of the FoodBuzz/ConAgra Super Bowl promotion last January. After creating an appetizer that we called Southwest Super Bowl Baskets, our entry was chosen as the winner! The prize was a dinner cooked for us and 10 friends by Chef George Duran (Hunt's Tomato Sauce spokesperson and host of TLC's Ultimate Cake Off). And what a feast it was!

"Volunteer" Prep Chefs

After months of planning and countless e-mails, Chef George delivered the menu and shopping list. Since it was summer, we wanted an outdoor, grill-centric party.

Chef George arrived promptly at noon, and soon after, our "volunteer" prep chefs joined us. He immediately put everybody to work - chopping, peeling, mixing, eating, drinking, and laughing.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Ready to go when the guests arrived were platters of Tomato Basil Bruschetta, Mushroom Goat Cheese Bruschetta, and Apple Strawberry Sangria.

Mushroom Goat Cheese Bruschetta

For dinner, we enjoyed Short Rib Kebabs, Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Pineapple, Spicy Grilled Broccolini, Guasacaca Sauce (a Venezuelan specialty), and for dessert, Grilled Peaches with Honey-Mascarpone Sauce. Is your mouth watering yet?! Most of these fabulous recipes are in George's cookbook, "Taste this Dish and Twist It."

Shrimp on the Grill

Short Rib Kebabs Ready for the Grill

What a treat it was to have a professional chef in our kitchen! Chef George was an absolute pleasure. Not at all stuffy or uptight, as you might imagine a pro chef being when confronted with a team of "civilian" chefs. Besides being a fun day, we learned alot from him. It was a terrific day - delicious food and fabulous friends, what more could one ask for?!

Chef George

Grilled Peaches with Honey-Mascarpone Sauce

I can't thank Chef George, the people at FoodBuzz and ConAgra enough for this special day! But most of all, thank you to our friends for sharing this culinary feast with us!

Bivio

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 02:15:00 +0000

Bivio. Translation: fork in the road. A fitting name for the newest pizza spot in the area. Not only because it sits literally at a fork in the road, but for the play on words. However, I've been there twice since they opened a week ago and have never once used a fork! This is pizza that begs you to pick it up - you want to feel the silky dough that wrought this glorious crust. You want to lick your fingers of whatever crumb or topping may have fallen off.

I've written about pizza before (in New Jersey, pizza is almost our national food) but this is different. This is pizza straight from the coast of Naples. This is the stuff "pizzanistas" dream about.

Bivio is the dream of Jackie & Tomasso Colao - a small, cozy spot where Tomasso works the dough into little discs of heaven, and Jackie welcomes customers like you are a guest in their home.

The wood-burning oven, made in Italy, is modeled after the ovens used in the bakeries of Pompeii. When we were in Pompeii, the ruins of the bakery were the most fascinating to me. According to Tomasso, the oven is almost up to the right temperature for him to start baking bread. And what a fine day that will be for those of us longing for real, artisanal bread close by.

The menu is small - a few salads, 5-6 pizzas, and 2-3 desserts. The arugula salad we sampled the first night was delicious, sprinkled with lemon juice and shaved Parmesan, the leaves not at all peppery. The simple dressing of EVOO was lovely but just a tad too light-handed for me.

Ever since our first trip to Italy about five years ago, we have been hooked on porcini mushrooms. So when we saw the Porcini pizza on the Bivio menu, we were thrilled. Tomasso rinses the mushrooms before soaking them to bring them back to life. Then he adds San Marzano tomatoes, fior de latte mozzarella, fresh basil, EVOO, and sea salt. The result is divine.

The true test of any pizza maker worth his salt, is the ability to make a fine Margherita pizza because this is as simple as they come -- tomatoes, olive oil, fresh basil, mozzarella, and sea salt. And here Bivio does not disappoint. But the real star of the show is the crust. Not since Italy have I had crust like this. Working the pizza oven by himself, Tomasso knows just how long to bake it (about 90 seconds to be exact) to get a perfect pie. Some say the secret is in the flour (00 flour from Italy), but true aficionados know it's the combination of quality ingredients with a master's skill. Tomasso told us that this is just the way he grew up.

Going back the second time, we tried the special pizza that evening, which was crumbled sausage with sweet sauteed onions, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella. Again we were bowled over! The simplest ingredients combined to make one of the best pizzas I've ever had.

We saved a little room that night to sample dessert - homemade Tiramisu, homemade cannoli, or fresh berries with house made cream. Such choices! We went with the cannoli and were so happy. The ricotta cream was not cloying, as sometimes is the case. Instead it was light, with just a hint of sweetness, and piped into a crisp shell. It was paired with a delicious, huge strawberry.

I was a little hesitant to tell anybody about Bivio for fear I wouldn't be able to ever get a table again, but eventually word would leak out anyway. And as they say, when you come to a fork in the road, take it...

Bivio
7A Paterson Avenue
Little Falls, NJ
973-256-0050
www.biviopizza.com
Open Tuesday-Thursday: 5-10pm; Friday, Saturday: 5-11pm
BYOB

Grilling Season is Upon Us!

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 22:58:00 +0000

With the recent Memorial Day holiday signaling the official outdoor grilling season (at least for those of us north of the Mason Dixon Line and east of the Mississippi), I wanted to share news about a new line of beef at the A & P line of stores (includes Waldbaum's, Pathmark, FoodBasics, The Food Emporium, and SuperFresh). They are launching an association with Woodson and James Angus Beef. They held a public BBQ at their Woodcliff Lake, NJ store over the weekend and invited The Cook's Tour to a tasting.

All of Woodson and James beef is single-sourced, which provides A & P with quality control and a grain diet produces tender, juicy, delicious meat.

A & P's new Director of Culinary Creations, Chef Michael Grieb, is committed to providing their customers with as many locally produced products as possible (sort of "farm to table" at the supermarket level), including the sweet corn enjoyed by the attendees.

They offer local ground beef raised in the mid-Atlantic area, and their chicken and turkeys are fed veggie diets and given no antibiotics. All stores will be promoting "grill ready" options for the summer, meaning meats that are prepped and ready to go on the grill (very convenient!). In addition, a new line of gourmet burgers will be showcased (bacon cheddar, Vidalia onion, and mushroom Swiss) - these could be a big hit at your next party!

At the BBQ, they offered a delicious brisket that Chef Michael cooked "low and slow" for 10 hours. They also highlighted a new line of hot dogs that I thought were terrific. Pearl Kountry Klub Hot Dogs from the Boston area had great texture and a nice snap (as they say in the frankfurter biz...). What makes these dogs so delicious is the use of brisket for the meat and the special blend of spices.

If you have one of these stores near you, check out their new offerings for your next BBQ.

To round out your grill menu, I offer one of my favorite summer dishes, Red Cabbage Roquefort Slaw. This is a unique take on the usual BBQ sidekick - creamy and tangy, and sure to wow your guests with its gorgeous presentation. Thanks to Debbie at JerseyBites.com for the lovely photo.

And for dessert, a simple, but tasty Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Walnut cookie (sure to please both children and adults). The addition of whole wheat flour makes these on the healthier side, not too sweet but very satisfying. Thanks to my friend, Michael, at work for this recipe.

Drop me a note and let me know what's on your grill this summer!

Onward urban grillers - may the grill be with you this season!

Print Slaw Recipe Here

Print Cookie Recipe Here

Cadillac Culinary Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:11:00 +0000

Greetings, CT Readers.

I want to tell you about a great event coming your way! The Cadillac Culinary Challenge is a series of events throughout the country over the next few weeks, featuring a lively competition between two well-known chefs (think "Iron Chef" local).

In addition to this exciting culinary event, there will also be an opportunity to test drive the latest Cadillac models and compare their performance to its challengers from BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes.

The series is sponsored by Cadillac, Bon Appetit, Epicurious, and Share our Strength.

The Cook's Tour has been invited to participate as a judge for the Culinary Challenge in the next event, this weekend in Bridgewater, NJ. Jonathan Waxman, chef/owner of Barbuto in NYC vs Juan Cuevas of the Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster, NJ.

You may know that Chef Waxman is the celebrated chef who worked at the prestigious Chez Panisse in Berkeley in its early years. He then went on to open Jams in NYC, and now focuses his attention on serious rustic Italian at the well-reviewed Barbuto.

Chef Cuevas has worked all over the world and at some of the top restaurants in the US, from Jardiniere and the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco, to Lespinasse in New York. Prior to his current position, he was Executive Chef at three-star Blue Hill in Manhattan.

It promises to be quite the culinary battle!

The event is free and makes for a perfect day combining the finest of cuisines and the best of cars. Test drive the vehicles and then take a break to enjoy some great food. Check the web site for a city near you and register to participate.

If you are in New Jersey, stop by on either June 4 or 5 (I'll be there on Saturday, June 4th). The culinary demonstrations take place at 11:30am, 2:00pm, and 4:00pm. Hope to see you there and may the best chef win!

Grato Ristorante, Morris Plains

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:19:00 +0000

You may be thinking exactly what I thought when I first heard about Grato…”another Italian restaurant in a state that has more Italian restaurants than Imelda Marcos had shoes?” But wait! This one is different. How, you ask? Well, for starters, the Executive Chef worked at Gramercy Tavern, honing his skills in the Danny Meyer school of fine dining. Second, it appears that the chef brought along the outstanding service Meyer’s restaurants are known for. This bodes well.

Grato is part of the Harvest Restaurant Group, the parent company for some of the best known and well loved restaurants in north Jersey, such as Huntley Tavern in Summit, Tabor Road Tavern (the next door neighbor of Grato), and Trap Rock in Berkeley Heights. I’ve eaten at one or two of these over the years, and while they are all good, none of them ever blew me away. Until Grato.

Grato has the winning combination of a carefully thought out menu, a stellar wine and cocktail list, well executed and delicious food, and professional, gracious service.

Entering the restaurant, to your left is a small but welcoming bar, where you won’t mind relaxing for a bit if you have to wait for a table. Once seated, your table is capably serviced by a team of two waiters. I thoroughly enjoyed the Grato Signature Bellini (Prosecco & Passion Fruit Puree) while reviewing the menu.

Getting down to business, our appetizers included a delicious Burrata & Raspberry Salad (arugula, pistachios, mint, vincotto & EVOO), and Fried Artichokes. The creamy burrata with the tart raspberries and peppery arugula was luscious. And the fried artichokes were the best I’ve had since discovering the gold standard of fried artichokes at the trattorias in the Jewish Ghetto of Rome a few years ago – crisp artichoke hearts dressed with parmesan, parsley, and lemon (delicioso!). We also sampled the hearty Salumi Plate, an overflowing platter of tender prosciutto, salami, soppressata, pepperoni, cannelini beans, olives, and Italian cheeses.

My dinner entree was a special that evening – Spaghetti & Ramps. Sounds like a simple peasant dish if I ever heard one. A glorious bowl of wild leeks tossed with guanciale (unsmoked pork jowls), ricotta, chili flakes, garlic bread crumbs & parmesan. Not a strand was left in the bowl.

Another fabulous dish was the succulent Grilled Rack of Baby Lamb, served with eggplant caponata, tri-color greens & lemon vinaigrette. Tender, perfectly medium-rare chops set on a bed of sweet caponata. One of the finest lamb chop dishes we’ve ever had.

And to top off the evening, Maple Sugar Zeppoles. Served in a brown paper bag as if they had just been ordered from a stand at the San Gennaro Festival, only better. Warm, lightly fried, dusted with maple sugar. I couldn’t ask for a better finish.

Grato Ristorante – not your typical Italian restaurant, and that’s fine by me.

Grato Ristorante

2230 Rt 10 West

Morris Plains

973-267-4006

Lunch: 11:30am – 4:00pm Mon-Sat

Dinner: 4:00pm – 10:00pm Mon-Thurs; 4:00pm – 11:00pm Fri-Sat; 4:00pm – 9:00pm Sunday

www.gratorestaurant.com

Walkin' in Memphis

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 23 May 2011 02:52:00 +0000

Every city has a feel to it. A vibe. New York has the hustle and bustle of the "city that never sleeps." New Orleans has that Creole/Cajun laid back-have a good time feel. San Francisco is the cool "city by the bay." Memphis is the blues city; birthplace of Stax Records, Sun Records, home to Elvis, and BBQ. Every year, Memphis puts on a grand show called "Memphis in May," and a key ingredient to that festival is the World Championship BBQ Competition, an event that draws the BBQ elite from all over the world. And this year, we were among the throngs of visitors that descended on the town to feast on some of the best pork to ever be thrown on a smoker!

Over 250 teams compete for prizes in three different categories: whole hog, shoulder, and ribs. This is serious business. Alot of time and money goes into preparing the entry, elaborate tents are set up, teams stay up all night tending the pork; all for 15 minutes with the judges to determine who is the best at Memphis style BBQ.

The average visitor to the competition (held over three days) does not get to taste the competitive entries, but we purchased VIP tickets which enabled us to get up close and personal with the teams and their pigs. Some of the best 'que we sampled came from teams with names like "Cool Smoke," "Natural Born Grillers," "Yazoo Delta Q," "Fatback Collective," and "The Shed BBQ."

BBQ royalty was also on site in the form of Myron Mixon, whom some of you might know from his show on The Learning Channel (that's him in the photo below). Myron put out quite the spread for our VIP group - pulled pork with his own BBQ sauce, some of the best beans I've ever tried (made with peaches), and top-notch cole slaw.

Since this was our first time in Memphis, we did a little sightseeing, too. The city has a wonderful trolley system that will take you all around for a buck. It's a quaint throwback to a simpler time. Riding the trollies, we got a look at the swollen Mississippi River that has wreaked havoc up and down its shores.

Of course we didn't eat BBQ the whole time. We had a terrific dinner the first night at Sweet Grass, a neighborhood bistro offering low country cuisine. We sampled the Low Country Shrimp and Grits, overflowing with shrimp (natch), scallops, house made sausage, and Benton's country ham.

Another fine dish was the Pork Osso Bucco, served with collard greens, smoked bacon shitake grits, bourbon peach butter, and mushroom jus (I just love what those Southerners can do with grits and bourbon!).

And for dessert, a twist on traditional Carrot Cake - more like a carrot cupcake, split in half with cream cheese frosting in the middle, a scoop of vanilla gelato on top, and a caramel swoosh across the plate!

We had breakfast more than once at the Blue Plate Cafe. It was a nice walk from our hotel to their location on Court Street, and a good walk back to help us feel slightly less guilty about devouring the feather-light biscuits that come with almost every order.

Memphis is more than just blues and BBQ. It's also home to the St Jude Children's Hospital. Founded in 1960 by Danny Thomas, it is now a world-class research center and beacon of light to many families dealing with devastating diseases. No child is denied treatment due to the family's inability to pay.

And no trip to Memphis would be complete with a visit to Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. However, not being big Elvis fans, we opted for a drive-by, and a lovely photo of the landscaping visible from the street.

We also got a good look at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated. The hotel is now part of the Civil Rights Museum and still a powerful presence. A simple white wreath hangs on the balcony where he was standing when he was shot. The motel was used as low income housing until it was turned into a museum, and the last person to live there still goes there every day to protest the fact that the motel would have been put to better use as a home for the less fortunate, rather than a museum. She's out there every day on the corner, been there for 23 years now.

Going to the BBQ Competition was a blast! We ate BBQ almost three times a day (some days more!). But what impressed me even more than the BBQ (cooked "low and slow"), was the camaraderie that the teams have for each other. When the judging comes down to the final three in each category, all the other teams are present rooting on the finalists. It's a true fellowship that these teams embrace. And I can't wait to go back next year!

San Francisco Weekend, Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 02 May 2011 00:07:00 +0000

Beautiful pansies in Golden Gate Park

San Francisco. Blue skies. Warm sunshine. Flowers blooming. What could you possibly add to make this any better? Of course, the answer is simple. Fabulous food and drink, and dinner at Chez Panisse! But first, one has to have breakfast...

SF is a city with hundreds of breakfast eateries but I wanted something special. We walked from our hotel up to North Beach, past old world Italian cafes offering traditional espresso and morning cappuccino but not much in the way of a hearty breakfast. My trusty iPhone pointed us in the direction of a spot on Stockton Street that had terrific reviews. By the line stretching halfway up the block, we knew we had found Mama's.

The seemingly endless queue at Mama's

Owned by the same family for over 50 years, Mama's serves up breakfast and lunch every day but Monday. Baking all their own breads and pastries, this place was right up my alley. Throw in an incredible array of breakfast entrees and morning cocktails, and B-I-N-G-O!

We waited 1-1/2 hours (no exaggeration!). At one point, my poor, coffee-deprived husband walked 3 blocks to one of the little Italian cafes for a to-go cup. Then three people on line followed suit! My biggest fear was that we would find mediocre food after the interminable wait. Luckily, my fears were not realized. And once you get in the door, it is a rather efficient operation. Lining up along the front counter to place your order, you come face to face with baskets of sourdough bread, Kugelhopf, poppy seed bundt cake, and banana walnut loaf, all whispering their siren song.

Fresh sourdough baguettes

Delicious breakfast breads

Kugelhopf!

Eggs Benedict with Prosciutto and Tomatoes

The Sanchez family delivers traditional breakfasts such as French toast and pancakes, and eggs Benedict, but all with a slightly different twist. For instance, my Benedict came with prosciutto and tomatoes; my husband's was served with Dungeness crab and spinach. The portions were huge, delicious, and the eggs were cooked perfectly! And being the cake nut that I am, I had to try the Kugelhopf - it came slightly warmed and the waitress suggested I try it with a dollop of their homemade jam, which went perfectly with my Peach Bellini. Mama's was definitely worth the wait!

Asparagus in the Chez Panisse kitchen

After a nice walk around SF (and a nap), it was time to head to Chez Panisse. I'm sure most of you reading this blog know all about Chez Panisse and the legendary Alice Waters. So there is probably no need for a history lesson. This allows me to jump right into the dinner details. Promptly seated in the downstairs dining room, which was awash in soft lighting and warm northern California breezes, the top-notch wait staff takes over. Our team of two servers made us feel immediately at home. A delicious aperitif (a bourbon-champagne concoction) was served along with a bread basket. The downstairs dining room offers a set menu so there is nothing to deliberate - Alice has decided for you - the only choices you need make are wine. Our waiter offered to pair wines with every course and each one was a perfect match.

Asparagus Salad

The first course was Asparagus salad with Catalan salsa and garden greens. Now, I've had asparagus a million times, and I fully expected this restaurant to shine in the produce department, but I was blown away by the delicious, earthy flavor of these asparagus. And paired with the slightly spicy Catalan salsa, it was just divine.

Halibut

Next, Steamed halibut with Savoy cabbage and crawfish butter sauce. A magnificent combination of flavors.

The main course was Roasted rack and loin of Dal Porto lamb with thyme and sage, stuffed artichoke hearts, fava beans, and spring onions. The lamb was perfect, and the vegetables were so fresh, and tender, and bursting with flavor.

Right before dessert, our waiter asked if I would like to visit the kitchen (uh, let me think about that...). Sadly, Alice was not there that evening, but I had a lovely conversation with the pastry chef as she was plating the evening's desserts. What a treat to be able to see the Chez Panisse kitchen (which is rather small, actually).

Chez Panisse Dessert

Post-dessert treats

After floating back to the table, dessert arrived. Caramel ice cream and chocolate sherbet vacherin. In addition to this delight, the pastry chef sent out miniature, delicate strawberries coated in crystallized sugar and orange slices dipped in dark chocolate.

Before our trip, I did copious research on Chez Panisse and read the many opinions on whether this venerable restaurant had lost its' touch. In my humble opinion, it has not. The exquisite food, warm and gracious service, and welcoming atmosphere, puts Chez Panisse in my top five all-time food experiences.

San Francisco Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 01:07:00 +0000

Flew out to San Francisco last weekend to visit some wonderful friends. While there, of course I took full advantage of the many fabulous restaurants, complete with an outstanding dinner at the legendary Chez Panisse.

First stop, the Ferry Building. Opened in 1898, it was the transportation focal point for anyone arriving by train into San Francisco. Today, it serves as a marketplace for everything from artisan cheeses to fresh fish to high-end coffee roasters. One of my goals on this trip was to visit as many of the West Coast coffee roasters as possible (more about our "coffee crawl" later). The Ferry Building is a great place to sample some of the California purveyors of fine food in one location (Slanted Door, Gott's Roadside, Hog Island Oyster, just to name a few). Unfortunately for us, Friday at lunch hour is not the most ideal time for this. It was mobbed. We could not get in anywhere without at least a 60 minute wait. And after a 6 hour flight, we just couldn't endure it. So we settled for some fish tacos at a not quite-so-mobbed seafood stall. But all was not lost! I spied a Blue Bottle outpost and quickly got on line. They specialize in small batch roasting and individually prepared drip coffee. I ordered a cappuccino and watched as the barista carefully brewed the coffee, then frothed the milk, and finally "drew" a lovely little heart design with the foam. Outside of Italy, this is the best cappuccino I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. Smooth with a rich coffee-caramel flavor, I savored each drop.

Dinner our first night in SF, was at Perbacco, a sleek Italian on California Street. In Italian, Perbacco means "to accentuate the positive," and the restaurant's food certainly lives up to that. I had a delightful Strawberry and Arugula Salad with a white balsamic vinaigrette, ricotta salata, and toasted almonds for my first course. I couldn't resist having pasta for an entree and the Raviora were comforting yet sophisticated. Small pillows filled with Meyer lemon and ricotta, bathed in an asparagus passatini with mint, accompanied by a hearty Dolcetto were the perfect "welcome" to San Francisco.

Day 2 of this whirlwind food tour, including the Chez Panisse dinner, tomorrow. Bye for now...

Bucu Burger Bar and Bakery

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 01:37:00 +0000

Burgers AND a bakery? Bucu stands for Burgers and Cupcakes. What??? An interesting establishment has popped up in Paramus offering burgers and house-made cupcakes. Where two of my favorite foods are involved, I knew I would have to investigate.

Started by Rick Ross and his wife, Kathy, they got the idea for Bucu as a compilation of everything people like: burgers and shakes, cupcakes, ice cream. They have not cut corners on any of the ingredients. The meat supplied by Pat LaFrieda (you’ve heard of celebrity chefs, LaFrieda is a celebrity butcher), is a special formulation made just for Bucu. The burgers are on the smaller side, as compared to the burger towers you might get at other joints, and while the meat had a nice texture, it was overdone for my taste. The people manning the counter do not ask how you’d like your burger cooked and when I spoke to Ross later, he assured me that you can get a burger cooked to order. Next time, I’ll be ordering up a rare, juicy burger-cheese combo.

The tidy menu offers 5-6 “composed” burgers and the option to “build-a-burger.” Some of the composed options include the “Jersey Burger” (applewood smoked bacon, blue & cheddar cheeses, topped with grilled onions), the “SB 48 Burger” (cheeseburger piled high with hand-cut fries and chili), and the “Pig Out Burger.” We sampled this last burger because we thought it was actually a pulled pork sandwich, but it’s really a burger topped with pulled pork, Jalapeno Jack cheese, and horseradish coleslaw.

We loved the Haystack Onions – thinly sliced and so crispy with not a trace of grease. The Hand-cut Fries were nicely salted and seasoned.

Bucu also offers chicken wings, hot dogs, salads, and a few sandwich choices. We didn’t sample any of these because, really, we came for the burgers. Oh, and maybe, a cupcake.

Kathy is the head baker and creator of all the cupcake and cookie recipes. She uses only Callebaut chocolate and rotates the selection of cupcakes daily, ranging from carrot to red velvet and everything in between. I forced myself to try the Pistachio and Coconut. Both had a really nice crumb and creamy frosting.

They’ve come up with an interesting twist using their cupcakes and ice cream – it’s called a “Cupcake Shake.” Take a cupcake, add ice cream, whir it in the blender, and voila – a cupcake shake! The owners said the Red Velvet Cupcake Shake has been flying out the door.

Speaking of ice cream, they get their ice cream delivered weekly from “Max & Mina’s” in Flushing. Known for inventive, bold flavors, Max & Mina’s offerings the day I visited were Dark Chocolate, Madagascar Vanilla, and Cookie Monster. Just as you might imagine, Cookie Monster ice cream is blue and studded with Oreos, chocolate chips, and graham crackers. It was really good! But being the vanilla snob that I am, I turned all of my attention there. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Rich, creamy, and full of intense vanilla-bourbon flavor – I emptied the cup in no time flat.

Open only a little over two months now, the restaurant is humming along. Prices are reasonable and decorated in warm earth tones; Bucu sets itself apart from traditional fast food operations. Even though you order at the counter, your meal is delivered to the table when ready. All the food is made from scratch, and all the confections made daily in-house. The owners are on-site and hands-on.

When I asked Rick how he came up with the name (after all, it is a little unusual), he said he toyed with other, more traditional, names but thought Bucu would grab attention and draw people in. That it will, and the food will keep them coming back.

Bucu

65 Rt 4 West

Paramus, NJ

347-470-2828

www.eatbucu.com

Open 7 days, 11am-10pm

Cherry, Pistachio And Vanilla Biscotti

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:50:00 +0000

Happy Sunday, CT Readers!

It's been awhile, I know...but I'm here with a scrumptious biscotti recipe for you.

This is the second in the series of baking my way through Susan Rosso's NYT article "Not All Biscotti Are Created Equal." You may remember the earlier post on Traditional Italian Almond Biscotti.

I really like this latest incarnation because they are hearty. No delicate, fragile cookies here. Of course, the whole point of biscotti is a cookie tough enough to stand up to dunking and these certainly make the grade. But the sensual combination of vanilla (a whopping 2 TB!), toasted pistachios, and fat, juicy cherries put these over the top.

I think next at bat in this series (well, it is Spring...) will either be the Anise, Orange And Pignoli Biscotti or Maple Walnut Biscotti With Maple Icing. Stay tuned...

Print recipe here!

Ninety Acres

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:56:00 +0000

The anticipation of dining at Ninety Acres was almost palpable. I mean the history of the location, the celebrity of the current owner, local restaurant buzz, and the scarcity of reservations were enough to set any food lover’s heart racing. After months of effort, we finally snagged four spots for their “Bring Me Food” concept for Saturday prime time seating.

First, a little background. Ninety Acres is located on the grounds of Natirar, formerly owned by the King of Morocco. Set on 500 lush acres in the rolling horse country of Somerset County, the King purchased it from the original owners in 1983. The estate’s first owners, the Macy-Ladd family, named the property Natirar (an anagram of Raritan) for the river that runs through it.

Speeding up to present day, in 2001, Sir Richard Branson and Bob Wojtowicz, began negotiations to purchase the entire estate from the Moroccan royal family. However, Somerset County stepped in with interest and together with Branson and Wojtowicz, presented a plan for a public-private partnership. The county successfully purchased the estate from the royal family, and in 2003 they issued a 99-year lease to the Branson group for a “90 acre” plot.

So you see, Ninety Acres has quite the pedigree.

You approach the entrance from a rural road, and follow a winding path for a good mile before reaching the entrance. Warm lighting washes the building and as you enter, you are greeted with an energetic bar to the right and dining room to the left. There was not an empty seat anywhere.

As mentioned earlier, we had reservations for “Bring Me Food,” which is Ninety Acres’ version of the chef’s table. Diners can order the “BMF” dinner with or without paired wines. Executive chef, David Felton, presented each of the courses, and a young, hip wine sommelier poured. There are seven tables set aside in proximity to the open kitchen specifically for BMF. The rest of the restaurant is available for a la carte dining.

Service was relaxed and professional without being stuffy. Both our wine guru and Chef Felton were approachable and easy to chat with.

The evening’s menu:

Hudson Valley cured duck breast, Asian pear, walnuts, celery (Cava Brut Reserve NV – Spain)

Natirar poached egg with spaghetti squash, pork belly and parmesan (Tokaji Furmint Sec 2007 – Hungary)

Barnegat Light Scallops, roasted beets, horseradish, short rib and vodka (Chinon Les Galuches 2007 – France)

Griggstown Pheasant, Natirar rutabaga, salsify, bordelaise sauce (Cotes-du-Rhone Mon Coeur 2009 – France)

OktoberKase with honey, almonds, and herbs (Coteaux du Layon Chateau Soucherie 2007 – France)

Almond and fig cake, mascarpone ice cream, port reduction (Tawny port, Quinta do Infantado – Portugal)

As is the case with most tasting menus, the portions are on the small side. But keep in mind, there were six courses so we did not leave hungry.

Each course was delicious and uniquely different, but the most unusual, I think, was what they called “New Jersey on a Plate” (photo at the top of the post). The scallops with roasted beets, horseradish, and short ribs. To look at that combination on paper, you would never think it could work. But it does. The scallops were so fresh and sweet that when paired with the heartiness of the beets and short ribs the dish morphed into rich, velvety luxury.

I loved the taste and texture of the sharp OktoberKase with the sweet honey, and crunchy almonds. Of course, dessert was my favorite part of the meal – the mascarpone ice cream was so creamy alongside the nutty-sweet almond fig cake.

With coffee, they offered miniature cranberry sorbet cones and absolutely delectable hazelnut chocolate truffles served over cocoa nibs. These were so delicious that I almost asked for another taste!

The wines were paired perfectly, as one would expect. Although for the money, I would have liked a bit more than a quarter of a glass per course.

The partners plan to open a Virgin Spa and hotel in the near future. They already partner with Viking Cooking School to offer culinary classes on-site.

Ninety Acres is quite the experience. And I can only imagine that experience being enhanced in the summer with the full bounty of their gardens at Chef Felton’s disposal and imagination.

Ninety Acres

2 Main Street

Peapack-Gladstone, NJ

908-901-9500

Ninetyacres.com

Serving brunch Sunday

Serving dinner Tuesday-Sunday

Closed Monday

UPDATE: WE WON!!! South of the Border Super Bowl Baskets

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:33:00 +0000

Greetings, Cook's Tour Readers!

Terry here with BIG news! I was notified by the FoodBuzz people yesterday that the recipe we submitted was chosen as the Grand Prize winner! Chef George Duran (Hunt's Tomato spokesperson, host of TLC's "Ultimate Cake-off", and and author of "Take This Dish and Twist It") chose our South of the Border Super Bowl Baskets out of the recipes submitted by FoodBuzz Featured Publishers. Chef George will be coming to our home to do a food demo! More details to come about that.

In the meantime, some folks have asked for a written version of the recipe, which I am happy to supply. The recipe is quick, easy, delicious, and will be a terrific snack for your Super Bowl parties! Please watch the video below to see exactly how we did this. But first, I must give credit to my husband, Barry, for coming up with the recipe idea - the man is very talented!

South of the Border Super Bowl Baskets
(this recipe makes approximately 12 baskets)

1 package flour tortillas
PAM Cooking Spray
1 can Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
2-3 links fresh chorizo sausage
1 can refried beans
Shredded Mexican cheese
Guacamole
Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take small ramekins and place in large roasting pan. Spray ramekins with PAM.

Heat a saute pan. Split the chorizo sausage casing down the middle and remove the casing. Drop the sausage into the pan and break up. Cook thoroughly.

Using an upside down glass bowl, cut tortillas to fit ramekins and place one in each ramekin. Bake tortillas for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Move rack to top level and set your oven to broil.

While tortillas are still warm, spread approximately 1 tablespoon of refried beans on bottom of each tortilla. Next, add about a tablespoon of cooked chorizo, followed by a tablespoon of Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chilies, and cover with small handful of shredded cheese. Slide pan of ramekins under broiler and broil for approximately 2 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven when tortillas are crisp and brown around edges.

Remove tortillas from ramekins, arrange on serving platter. Top with a dollop of guacamole and sour cream. Enjoy!

Printable recipe here!

As part of a promotion from FoodBuzz and ConAgra, yours truly won a package of ConAgra food items and an HD Flip Video Camera with which to create a new recipe especially for the upcoming Super Bowl!

Our idea: South of the Border Super Bowl Baskets. Made with flour tortillas, ground Chorizo sausage, Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, refried beans, and topped with shredded cheese, guacamole, and sour cream - it's the perfect all-in-one football snack. The chorizo and Rotel tomatoes with green chilies add just the perfect amount of spice to this dish.

They asked us to videotape the recipe in the making so attached below is my first attempt ever at a food video. Let me tell you, that video stuff is not as easy as it looks! The writing, directing, filming, editing, voiceovers - the list goes on and on!

So while the video may not be "Food Network" quality, our South of the Border Super Bowl Baskets are (as we say in football lingo) "up and good!" Besides being "super" easy, they are delicious. You can prep them ahead of time and then just finish them off in the broiler for a few minutes right before serving. This way you won't miss any of the big game. Hope you enjoy eating them as much as we did creating them!

Petit Lily Bows

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:10:00 +0000

Greetings, Cook's Tour Readers! You know most of my postings revolve around food, but today I want to introduce you to a line of adorable hair bows for little girls. It's called "Petit Lily Bows," and is the brainchild of a good friend of mine, Melissa, who started making bows for her little girl. All the bows are handmade and they have a wide selection of themes for every holiday. They will also be happy to custom-design a bow to match an outfit for a special occasion.

If you have a special little lady in your life, visit Petit Lily Bows and order something pretty for her. As they say, "every little lady deserves a pretty bow."

My personal favorite, the "Chef Terry" bow!

Snowstorm Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Almonds in the pre-biscotti stage

The Northeast, once again, is facing a major snowstorm. It's a once a week event lately and people's nerves are frayed. But if you ask me, there is nothing a good cookie can't cure. So for your reading and eating pleasure, here now Traditional Italian Almond Biscotti and Kitchen Sink Cookies.

The biscotti are from an excellent NPR story, Not All Biscotti Are Created Equal (how true). Susan Russo, author of Food Blogga, and NPR contributor, wrote a terrific article on the many faces of biscotti. They all look terrific and I plan to try all of them, but I wanted to start with the most traditional to see if they could take me back to my Italian roots (spoiler alert: they do).

A slight difference in the baking method of these biscotti is that they don't really go through a second baking like most biscotti recipes. Instead, after the first baking and cooling, they are cut, placed back on the baking sheets, and sent back into the turned off (still warm) oven for 30-60 minutes.

Jam-packed with whole toasted almonds, with the fragrance of fresh orange zest, and baked super crisp, these biscotti reminded me very much of the cookies my Grandmother used to make and the ones I loved from my first trip to Italy.

Print Biscotti Recipe Here

From delicate biscotti to hearty Kitchen Sink cookies. As an aside, I must share with you that I really detest the name of these cookies because it conjures up visions of just throwing in whatever you've got laying around and that is so not the case. These cookies come from the Martha Stewart cookie collection and since I didn't create them I'll just have to put up with the name.

If you don't think about it too much, you can might be able to convince yourself that these babies are actually good for you. What with the oats, raisins, pecans, and dried apricots they are at the same time chewy, sweet, and nutty. Throw in the semi-sweet chocolate and they become rich and luxurious. The recipe supplies a nice variation to skip the oats and add in some coconut to transform these into tropical delights.

The recipe calls for forming the dough into 2" balls, which I did, but I felt like they were a tad too big. I know, right now some of you are saying to yourself, "is she kidding? a cookie too big?" Yes, there is such a thing.

A very satisfying cookie,

oozing with chocolate, raisins, and apricots!

So I might not like the name but I really like the cookie, and I guess that's all that counts!

Bake up one of these cookies the next time you are staring down a snowstorm and you'll come through just fine.

Print Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe Here

ZinBurger Update for Jets Fans

noreply@blogger.com (The Cook's Tour) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:16:00 +0000

Attention Jets Fans of New York and New Jersey: now through February 6, ZinBurger in Clifton is featuring the "Jet Fuel" Burger. Even though the Jets lost the AFC Championship game this past Sunday, the folks at ZinBurger wanted to offer fans a way to show their support for the Jets' valiant effort.

The Jet Fuel Burger is comprised of all New York ingredients: certified Angus beef, topped with 1000 Islands Mean-N-Nasty Cheddar, Gulden's Mustard, New York Pastrami, lettuce and mayonnaise, The burger is cooked to order on a griddle in its own juices and served on lightly buttered, brioche style bun.

ZinBurger is located in the Promenade Shops at Clifton, 850 Rt 3 West, Clifton, NJ, 973-272-1492.