The Voluptuous Table

The hpnotini

2014-07-24T08:14:00.001-05:00

Simple. Refreshing. Lethal.

P.S. Kids, don't try this at home: that's oleander, which is poisonous.

Those are the three words that I would use to describe a cocktail I call the Hpnotini, a potent blend of Hpnotiq liqueur, vodka and blood orange bitters. Usually I would eschew blue (especially curacao) because of childhood trauma over the Ty-D-Bol Man, but Hpnotiq, when served in the proper glass and blended with vodka, looks like cool sea water, soothing and capable of sailing you far, far away. Far enough away to feel like you’re on vacation in your own back yard.

The recipe is simple:

Combine equal parts Hpnotiq and good-quality vodka (start with 2 oz. each), plus a splash of blood orange bitters. Blend ahead of time and chill (along with the glasses), or pour over ice in a shaker, shake for 30 seconds and then strain into a beautiful stemmed glass. Garnish with an edible flower, if you wish. That’s all you need to sail away on your back yard vacation.

High end lo mein

2014-07-19T08:01:00.001-05:00

I don't pretend to know anything about Chinese cuisine, and I know even less about Chinese cooking. But I know I like noodles and I know what tastes good. And this tastes good:

Sharp-eyed folks will notice the non-authentic kaffir lime leaf that I used for garnish.

Of all the Asian cuisines, Chinese is probably my least favorite. Never mind that my beloved epicurean grandfather was first to introduce me to moo shu pork, which I love to this day. Or that every time my family went out to a restaurant for a meal (especially after a funeral), it was to a Chinese restaurant and I loved spinning the lazy susan as I watched all those bejeweled plates and bowls of rice whirl by. Or even that stir-fry cooking is fresh, fast and usually a healthy choice for dinner. I have my reasons.

I'm sure that part of the reason I do not truly enjoy Chinese food is that because to me, it lacks the intrigue and seduction of cuisines from India, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Burma, which typically rely on bold spice combinations, bright fresh herbs and chilies to make an impression. There are times that I like to experience an assault on my palate, and Chinese food generally does not accomplish that.

But after reading a wonderful book last year called A Tiger in the Kitchen by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, in which the author writes with humor and openness about her lacking of cooking skill and her need to connect to her family (something that happened when she began to learn to cook her family's recipes), I became more interested in Chinese cuisine and made several of the recipes in her book. You can find out more about Ms. Tan here on her beautiful blog. Be sure to try her grandmother's recipe for Chinese Gambling Rice, which is not found in her book. The story behind how it got its name is charming.

Reading Ms. Tan's book also made me want to revisit some of the Chinese cookbooks that I've managed to collect over the years. These cookbooks have all been given to me and they've collected dust on shelves more than the other cookbooks I own. The one book that I seem to reach for over and over again is Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger, a compilation of recipes from Tsai's Wellesley, MA restaurant of the same name. In this cookbook lives a recipe entitled "Chicken Chow Mein My Way." I have used this recipe over and over as the basis for several dishes throughout the years because the combination of flavors in the marinade is so delectable.

Lap cheong, or Chinese sausages

Tsai's recipe is the basis for a noodle dish that I like to make that I call "High End Lo Mein." It's not an expensive dish to make, seems to be infinitely alterable, and tastes like a million bucks. You can make this lo mein with as much or as little variation in protein as you'd like. You can substitute pork for the chicken, omit the shrimp and add crab or lobster, omit the Chinese sausage (which isn't always in my pantry), alter the vegetable ratios, add sugar snap peas or snow peas, and etc. But one thing you should not do is tamper with the marinade ingredients. Why? Because they are perfect just the way they are.

And I think you'll agree. Try it and let me know what you think:

These noodles pair well with a caramel-y, sweeter ale or beer. Or you could choose a crisp sauv blanc.

High End Lo Mein

Adapted from Ming Tsai's 1999 cookbook Blue Ginger, Clarkson Potter Publishers.

2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup good quality oyster sauce (such as Panda Brand)
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger (I grate mine on a Microplane)
I bunch scallions, both white and green parts, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for correcting seasoning
1 Tbs. sambal oelek
1 lb. chicken, preferably cut from legs and thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I have used boneless chicken breast and also pork butt with good results)
1 lb. fresh or dried lo mein noodles, or fettucini or broad rice noodles
5 Tbs. grapeseed oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh shiitake or domestic mushrooms, quartered
2 lap cheong, or Chinese sausages cut into small dice

4 heads baby bok choy, or one head Napa cabbage, cored and cut into 1/2 inch slices

2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 medium carrots, coarsely grated or thinly sliced on a mandoline
1/4 to 1/2 lb. small cooked shrimp, thawed (I use frozen peeled and deveined salad shrimp, 150/250 count), or an equal amount of crabmeat or lobster, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup rich chicken broth
sliced scallions or cilantro, for garnish

1.) In a large bowl, combine cornstarch and sherry and mix well.
2.) Stir in the oyster sauce, ginger, scallions, 1 tsp. black pepper and the sambal oelek.
3.) Add the chicken, stir well to coat with the sauce and marinate covered and refrigerated for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
4.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
5.) Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and water.
6.) Cook the lo mein noodles in the boiling water until al dente, approximately 5 minutes for fresh noodles and 10-15 minutes for dried noodles.
7.) Drain and transfer the noodles to the ice water; when noodles are cold, drain again and toss with 1 Tbs. of the oil. Set aside.
8.) Heat a wok or a large skillet over high heat and add 2 Tbs. of the oil; swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
9.) When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and the mushrooms and stir-fry until the mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes; remove mushrooms and garlic and set aside.
10.) Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil and when it is hot and shimmering, add the chicken, lifting it from the marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving marinade for later use.
11.) Stir-fry chicken until almost cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes, adding the Chinese sausage in the last minute of cooking the chicken.
12.) Now add the bok choy, celery and carrots and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
13.) Add the remaining marinade and the chicken broth, stir well to incorporate, then taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
14.) Add the shrimp and then the reserved mushrooms and the noodles.
15.) Stir to coat noodles well, heating through, about 5 minutes.
16.) Garnish with scallions and cilantro, if desired, and serve with extra sambal oelek on the side, if you wish. Serves 4 to 6 people.

A peach of a creme brulee

2014-06-04T14:47:00.000-05:00

Every month, when I host a wine tasting in my home, I like to send my guests off with something sweet. It's a nice way to extend the convivial atmosphere that's developed over the course of the afternoon and it encourages guests to linger for a while longer.

Although I post an announcement of the wines and food pairings we'll be enjoying during the tasting, I will rarely post the dessert. That's because I like it to be a surprise, and I like to see what inspires me, sometimes just shortly before the tasting starts.

For our June tasting, what inspired me was the fragrance of peaches as I walked by a huge display in the produce section of my local HEB. That sweet, almost nostalgic fragrance reminded me of spring and of peach cobbler, peach pie, peach and raspberry crisp, peach melba--all of the delectable desserts I've made with peaches in the past.

But I didn't want something tried and true. I wanted something inspired. So when I got home, I sat down at my computer and typed "peach desserts" into my Google search box. Scanning down the list of titles, one in particular caught my attention: Peach Creme Brulee. The original recipe called for grilling peach halves, then topping with sweetened sour cream and brown sugar before caramelizing and serving. That seemed like something that could work for my wine tasting dessert course because I could make and serve it in individual portions, even doing much of the prep ahead of time.

But the recipe itself seemed a little dull. So I did what I normally do: I "Vindalooized" it. Instead of grilling peach halves, I sliced them and macerated them in a little lemon juice (to retain their color) and a generous splash of Domaine de Canton. You've heard me wax eloquent about this liqueur before--it is truly heavenly not only to sip on its own or in cocktails but to add to fruit desserts. And although grilling the peach halves would have added a dimension of flavor, it was not the dimension I was seeking. A couple of hours' soaking in premium ginger liqueur was what I wanted.

Now, about the sour cream originally suggested in the recipe: boring. I had a container of mascarpone in the fridge and had made some creme fraiche earlier in the week. Combining those two things, adding some vanilla bean paste and some finely chopped crystallized ginger would bring the "custard" to life. Then, instead of plain brown sugar, I would crumble some muscovado sugar over the creamy topping because, to me at least, muscovado sugar is the best brown sugar in the world.

Crystallized ginger

Image from Dean and Deluca online catalog.

Muscovado can be light or dark; I used light since the dark variety tends to have a much stronger molasses flavor.

Because I wanted the creme "custard" to retain its structure and not be too runny, I planned to spoon it cold from the fridge onto the room temperature peaches. Then, after putting the muscovado sugar on the top, instead of broiling as the original recipe instructed, I planned to use this handy little gadget:

If you don't have one of these nifty little things, maybe you should get one. I find it indispensable for so many tasks, from caramelizing citrus peel for cocktails to charring cherry tomatoes indoors. If you have plans to eat a lot of creme brulee--traditional and otherwise--in the future, this is the tool for you.

This dessert puts peaches and creme brulee over the top. It has a lot of good things going for it besides how great it tastes: it's easy, it's partially do-ahead with some last minute details and it's impressive and pretty at the table. And can you imagine it with Fredericksburg peaches? Yeah, I can.

Peach Brulee

This is not your hum-drum creme brulee and canned peaches. In the words of one of my guests, "It's amaaaaaazing." Inspired by an original recipe provided via Linda Larsen of Busy Cooks.

4 medium fresh, ripe peaches
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
1/2 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
1/2 cup creme fraiche (you can substitute sour cream if you wish)
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (you can substitute vanilla extract if you wish)
1 Tbs. finely chopped crystallized ginger
muscovado sugar, for caramelizing (you can substitute dark brown sugar if you wish)
fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Special equipment: ramekins or creme brulee dishes; kitchen torch, such as a Roburn Micro Torch

1.) Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Place peaches in hot water for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
2.) When peaches are cool to the touch, remove skins, then slice peaches into a medium-size bowl.
3.) Drizzle lemon juice over peaches and toss gently with a spoon to coat.
4.) Add ginger liqueur to bowl and mix gently. Cover bowl and set aside, storing in refrigerator if you plan to assemble dessert later.
5.) Combine softened mascarpone and creme fraiche in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.
6.) Add sugar, vanilla bean paste and crystallized ginger to mascarpone mixture and blend well. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to stiffen mixture.
7.) To assemble: divide sliced peaches and their juices evenly among four ramekins or creme brulee dishes. Place mascarpone mixture on top of peaches, dividing evenly among the four dishes.
8.) Sprinkle muscovado sugar generously over the mascarpone mixture.
9.) With a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar in each dish briefly. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired. Serves four.

La paloma rosada

2014-05-26T17:22:00.001-05:00

La Paloma is perhaps one of the oldest, most popular and most-recorded songs of its genre. Its sweet, lilting melody has been sung and played by musicians all over the world and conveys romance, nostalgia and the tension between love and loss. You've doubtless heard this song many times, in many incarnations. One of the most exquisite modern-day versions is by Greek singer Nana Mouskouri:

Ms. Mouskouri also sings La Paloma as a duet in French with Mireille Mathieu and also with Julio Iglesias in Spanish. You will be able to find many other versions of this piece, both instrumental and vocal, after a quick search on the internet.

Was it romance, nostalgia and loss that were on my mind when I embarked on my weekend mixology adventures? Heck, no! It was my love of grapefruit and tequila, some inspiration from a tequila-loving friend, and my perpetual quest to develop thirst-quenching warm weather cocktails that refresh without that pesky interaction between too much heat and too much alcohol.

Like its musical cousin, the Paloma cocktail is extremely popular in Mexico. In fact, some sources (including Bon Appetit) say that the Paloma is more popular than the margarita. And also like its musical cousin, there are many versions of the Paloma cocktail. It can be made with grapefruit soda or sparkling water, with white or pink grapefruit juice, include lime juice, have added sugar, or the glass can have a salted rim.

To me, the most refreshing versions are those that are less sweet, so I've almost always made my Palomas with grapefruit juice and club soda or seltzer, and sans salt on the rim of the glass. Recently, a new friend suggested grapefruit bitters in tequila, so I thought these two ingredients were the perfect starting point for a new cocktail: La Paloma Rosada, a light, refreshing blend of pink grapefruit juice, grapefruit bitters and sparkling water.

You can get grapefruit bitters at most well-stocked liquor stores (I found mine at Spec's) or order online. Even by themselves in a icy glass of sparkling water, they add a depth and sophistication without sugar. And if you make this cocktail without the grapefruit bitters, it is still delicious and refreshing.

I used sparkling mineral water, but you can use club soda or seltzer--whatever is available to you. Or, if you prefer just straight grapefruit juice and tequila, knock yourself out. And remember your drink will have more knock-out potential as well.

If you want to salt the rim of the glass, use kosher salt, which looks much more beautiful than table salt. But do garnish with fresh grapefruit slices and a sprig of mint. They make the drink really attractive.

.

La Paloma Rosada

2 oz. freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
2 oz. tequila blanco (you can use reposado if you wish)
3-5 dashes grapefruit bitters (such as Fee Brothers or Scrappy's)
sparkling water
fresh grapefruit slices, for garnish
mint leaves, for garnish

To a tall glass filled with ice, add the grapefruit juice, the tequila and the bitters. Fill to the rim with sparkling water and garnish with grapefruit slices and mint leaves. Makes one cocktail.

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Here are the lyrics to the refrain of La Paloma, in Spanish and English:

Si a tu ventana llega una paloma,
trátala con cariño que es mi persona.
Cuéntale tus amores, bien de mi vida,
corónala de flores, que es cosa mía.

If to your window happens to come a dove,
treat it with loving care, for it's my own.
Tell her your love affairs, my loving one,
and crown her with flowers, for she is mine.

by Sabastian Iradier, ca. 1963

Got dopamine?

2014-05-16T13:54:00.002-05:00

Several years ago, I realized that sugar could be my heroin. To be more precise, sugar, combined with the right amount of salt and fat, is my China White. Now, thanks to those pesky, determined research scientists, we know why, since the dopamine receptors that get stimulated during heroin use are the same ones that get triggered by sugar and fat.

So, now you know that I am a closet sugar and fat addict. And every once in a while, I go on a binge. But I don't want a mainstream sugar fix--I want something with a little panache. Like these Coconut Cashew Curry Rice Krispies Bites.

Sweet, spicy, salty, rich and exotic, these treats make my dopamine receptors light up like a pinball machine and it's hard to stop reaching for more. My dirty little trick is to cut them very small (about 1" square) so I can have several and feel totally decadent about it.

No unusual ingredients here, get them at your local grocery. Easy, fun and elegant at your next cocktail party. Rice Krispies and martinis? You bet! But when you share them with your friends, they won't know whether to slap you or kiss you since they'll be hooked too.

Coconut Cashew Curry Rice Krispies Bites

~~inspired by an idea in Food and Wine Magazine~~

5 Tbs. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan

One 16 oz. bag miniature marshmallows

2 Tbs. mild curry powder (such as Madras-style)

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. toasted coconut

3/4 c. salted cashews, roughly chopped or smashed with a mallet

9 c. puffed rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies

Butter a 9" x 13" baking dish or a sided sheetcake pan (1" depth). In a large kettle or 6 qt. Dutch oven, melt 5 Tbs. butter. Add the marshmallow and reduce heat, stirring with a large spoon (avoid using plastic, it may melt) over low heat until marshmallows are melted.

Stir in the curry powder, cayenne, kosher salt and toasted coconut, blending well. Remove from heat, then add the cashews and puffed rice, stirring until completely coated.

Scoop the mixture into the greased baking dish and press into an even layer. A nesting pan on top of a greased piece of waxed paper or foil laid over the top of the mixture is a great tool to use to press down evenly and to make sure mixture reaches into the corners of the dish. Let stand at room temperature until cool and firm, about 45 minutes.

Invert the mixture onto a work surface and using a sharp knife, cut into 1" squares. Makes about 6 dozen squares.

Dinner in a box

2014-04-30T22:49:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, an offer for a mail-order dinner from a company called plated popped up in my Facebook feed. It seemed like a pretty good deal: for the cost of shipping and handling (which was $20) I could get the ingredients for a meal for four people, delivered to my door. I could cancel my membership any time. Ordering was easy and I had my choice of several delivery dates. There was a choice of several menus; I chose the Basil Beef Bowl with Quinoa Stir-Fry.

One of the obvious appeals of plated is that a fairly inexperienced home cook could put together a dinner and look (and feel) like a competent cook; other reasons for purchasing ingredients from plated might be the time saved shopping and searching for recipes, as well as sprucing up a tired recipe repertoire.

Before this service came along, I remember having a friend who, when she wanted to impress a new date with a "home cooked meal," would purchase take out from one of the better restaurants in town, transfer all the food to her own baking pans and skillets, dispose of all the take out containers and then cleverly mess up the kitchen to make it look like she had been cooking all day. Plated is much more sophisticated than that!

My box arrived on a warm Saturday afternoon, while I was running errands for several hours. I knew by the time I got home, the box would have been sitting for several hours on my front step. I was a little concerned about how long it had been sitting there without being brought inside, but I needn't have worried. There were two large ice-packs inside a foam-filled Mylar-lined box and everything was cold and fresh, especially the two portions of flank steak sealed in heavy-gauge plastic packs. I would assume that the company would have shipped this meat from a frozen state in order to insure maximum freshness.

There was a lot of food; in fact, it turned out that there was food for much more than four servings. That meant that we had leftovers, something that some folks may not like, but I happen to appreciate it since I often arrive home during the week too late and too tired to be imaginative in the kitchen. Plated doesn't require much in the way of imagination, but it does require your attentiveness to detail and your willingness to work your way through the procedures.

Since each dinner is shipped in units of two servings, I had a chance to compare the two sets of ingredients for consistency. One set had two onions, the other only one, but all the other ingredients seemed to be evenly and generously.

From a conscientious consumer's prospective, I wasn't thrilled with the amount of packaging for things like sriracha sauce (which came in plastic packets), honey (in small foil-topped plastic tubs), and soy sauce (which came in a multitude of tiny plastic squeezable fish). There were a lot of plastic bags as well, and even though I typically will reuse or recycle heavy plastic bags, I would have liked to have seen the ingredients put into something that was biodegradable and less wasteful, since many people I know do not reuse or recycle plastic bags.

The labeling was clear on all the ingredients and the fresh ingredients were grouped together separately. There was a large 8" x 11 1/2" card, printed on two sides, that gave step-by-step directions. The pictures for each step appeared to be helpful and to clearly illustrate what the cook was to do. There was also a picture of the finished dish. The directions were clearly written and easy to follow. A person with little kitchen experience should have no problems following the directions, nor identifying the ingredients in the box.

From the perspective of an experienced and competent cook, however, I thought that the directions and procedures could have been improved in two distinct ways. First, when cutting the flank steak to prepare for marinating, it would have been a lot easier to cut the beef thinly if the instructions had directed cooks to partially freeze the beef first. Even with a very sharp knife, it was hard to cut the flank steak well without freezing. Most home cooks, especially those who do not cook ambitiously, do not have very sharp knives and flank steak is harder to cut than some other cuts of beef; dull knives also tend to cause more accidents when foods are harder to cut.

Also, the instructions called for cutting the beef before any of the other vegetables, presumably without using separate cutting boards. Obviously, because the meat needed to be marinated before anything else was prepared, it needed to be handled first. However, either the directions should have instructed readers to use two different cutting surfaces, or to cut the meat after the vegetables, which would not have affected the length of time it took to make the meal in a significant way. I'm a stickler for separate cutting surfaces for meats and other foods.

The directions also asked the cook to wipe the pan out after stir-frying the quinoa and vegetables before cooking the meat. With some of the flavor clinging to the pan from the sauce ingredients, I decided to not wipe the pan out, leaving that flavor for stir-frying the beef. The applied heat is not so hot that it would burn the residue and I thought that this was an extra and unnecessary step.

When the dinner was completed and plated, it was attractive and appealing. I had extra Thai basil in my garden, so I was able to garnish the plates, and the wedge of fresh lime was also attractive and added a lot of great flavor to the finished dish.

Would I purchase from plated again? Even though my experience was positive, it's not likely I would be a subscriber to this service. I cook well enough on my own and frequently tackle far more ambitious cooking chores than the dinner I prepared with the help of plated. In addition, the cost of these dinners when paying full price on a non-promotional subscription service is too steep for me to feel like I'm getting a good value.

If you check the on-line feedback from plated customers (as I did), you will notice there are mixed reviews. It seems that just as many people had bad experiences as those who had good ones. My experience was fun, interesting and pretty tasty. I would love to hear from those of you who decide to give plated a try.

I never said I knew how to make pierogies

2014-03-27T07:43:00.001-05:00

About once a month, a group of brave individuals gathers in my kitchen for what I loosely call "Cooking Class." We are very informal about everything, with folks jumping in to dice onions, cook rice, wash dishes or assemble a salad, sitting, standing, visiting and taking breaks when ever they want. We proceed at a very relaxed pace, stopping in between courses to enjoy eating, talking and sipping wine before jumping into the next project. There is plenty of gaiety (I'm thinking of last summer's pickling class, where everything that could get cut up and pickled, did) and frolic (the Thai cooking class in which our only male guest took to a whole coconut with a hammer, a cleaver and great gusto).

This past fall, we attempted Polish cuisine. That decision was made for two reasons: I'm Polish (the only cultural heritage I proudly claim and identify with) and I have a friend who has Polish friends, a mother and son pair whom she contacted. They both attended and turned our little gathering into a charming little Polish restaurant for the afternoon. R and G, as I'll call them, brought expertise that I could not have hoped to have produced on my own.

And they also brought with them their big personalities. R & G transformed a somewhat sedate and studious atmosphere into gales of laughter with their sense of humor and wisecracks. And I hope they will be frequent guests at The Voluptuous Table from now on.

It all started innocently enough: with a Polish Apple Pie Cocktail (recipe here; take care to buy the very best Polish vodka you can, it makes a difference) and Polish fresh mushroom soup (made from this recipe). R & G arrived a bit late; they had another obligation to attend to. But once they arrived, they immediately got a cocktail in hand and things began to rock and roll.

ZU Vodka

G, who had suggested beef tartare because "all the best restaurants in Poland will have Befszytk Tartarski on their menus," waxed eloquent about the charms of Polish-style tartare, using grand arm gestures and a booming narrative. He very competently overtook trimming and breaking down a piece of tenderloin, mincing it finely and expertly in the food processor, then preparing all the accompanying condiments with care and precision. A surprising ingredient that G requested was Maggi seasoning, instead of the traditional Worcestershire sauce. Because I'm that kind of food hoarder, I have both (and more!) in my pantry. Another interesting accompaniment to Polish beef tartare that G introduced was minced dill pickle. It's delightfully different and, along with the capers, onion, fresh parsley and egg yolk, a lovely addition. I wish I had a picture of the beautiful individual presentations G made for us, but I think we were all so hungry by this point (and pretty fuzzy from the Polish Apple Pie Cocktails) that we just dug in.

Meanwhile, R blessedly took over the pierogi-making operation, while two other participants tackled two different kinds of fillings. R was a literal pierogi machine, cranking out about 6 dozen in very little time. She asked for two tea towels, extra flour, a rolling pin and a small glass. These things I could easily produce. Then came the litmus test of my Polish heritage: did I have a noodle board?

"A noodle board? Uh, no...but I have these wooden cutting boards," I pointed to my (I think) rather impressive display.

R snorted at me and said in her throaty, heavily-accented voice, "And you call yourself a Polish girl? What kind of Polish girl doesn't have a noodle board?"

I laughed and said, "Looks like your cocktail is running low...can I get you another?" Apparently, mixing cocktails was my chief talent this afternoon. R declined my offer, stating that she wanted to keep her wits sharp. Apparently, she declined another mostly because I think she was really enjoying checking me in to The Smack-Down Motel of Warsaw. "We'll keep the noodle boards ready for ya."

There was definitely more Polish heritage-vetting to come because R's next question was about making the pierogi dough. I replied that I had already pre-mixed the dough that morning and that it was in the fridge.

"Let's see it." She demanded. I produced my dough. She poked it around, moaned, then looked at me.

"What's dis?" she asked. I stammered, replying that the dough was made from a recipe from an authentic Polish cookbook of my mother's. I showed her the cookbook and pointed to the recipe.

"Oh my god. You put all of that in here?" she asked, incredulous. "What, you try to make lazy pierogi?"

I giggled nervously. First I'm not Polish enough and now she's calling me lazy? I later found out that there is a version of pierogi called Lazy Pierogies that are made like large dumplings rather than filled ravioli. We laughed about that later (after a lot of wine), but for now, I was quickly losing my Polish heritage cred. I wasn't sure that I could tolerate being stripped of my cultural identity and have my culinary skills challenged, all in one afternoon.

"Well, I couldn't tell from the recipe what to add when. It's very badly written and I haven't seen my mother or grandmother make pierogi dough in years," I tried to defend myself, but I could tell by the look of pity in R's eyes that I had disappointed her. In truth (and in my feeble defense), the recipes in many of these kinds of regional cookbooks are very confusing and difficult to follow. R was having none of it.

"I need to fix. Give me flour." And away she went, flouring down the countertop after making sure it was clean enough to work on, throwing my inferior pierogi dough down on the counter with a THWACK, flouring the dough and the rolling pin, and working the dough until it met her approval. But just barely.

Not our pierogies, but ours looked just like this. Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

We had prepared two fillings: potato and cheese and sauteed mushrooms with sauerkraut. The potato and cheese pierogies were gently sauteed in plenty of butter and onion; the mushroom/sauerkraut pierogies were served with melted butter and sour cream. I had lekvar and extra sour cream on the side, two accompaniments that were always on our table when my mother and grandmother served pierogies. We also enjoyed Polish creamed spinach and finished our very long, very enjoyable meal with a Polish apple cake, which is dense, rich and clove-scented. That apple cake seemed to be the one thing that met with R's approval, even though she told me she put cinnamon in hers. OK, I can take it now.

But we continued to laugh and talk, and this small group of unlikely-to-come-together people stayed well past dark, sitting on the outdoor patio in front of a crackling fire set against the chilly fall evening, sipping coffee, eating dessert and then enjoying more wine and after dinner drinks. It was a lovely evening. And the best part? I still feel Polish.

You can find links to the recipes below:

A better pierogi dough recipe than I had access to originally: http://www.tastingpoland.com/food/recipes/pierogi_dough_1.html

For savory fillings: http://www.tastingpoland.com/food/recipes/mush_cabbage_filling.html AND

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/pierogidoughs/r/ruskiepierogi.htm (this recipe also has a decent dough procedure)

For a berry filling (delicious for dessert): http://www.tastingpoland.com/food/recipes/fruit_pierogi.html

Make your own lekvar if you can't find it at Fiesta Market: http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/fruits/r/lekvar.htm

For the Polish spinach: http://polishmamaontheprairie.blogspot.com/2011/03/spinach-in-polish-style-or-szpinak-po.html (we topped ours with Panko and broiled briefly to toast)

For the Polish apple cake: http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishdesserts/r/applecake.htm

Smacznego!

A little late-night "research" in mixology with my Wine Guy

2014-03-20T09:20:00.002-05:00

When my friend and personal wine guy Bill and I get together to do "research," we inevitably end up making up new cocktails. Perhaps this is as a result of our late-evening blood alcohol content, when we are more likely to fancy ourselves capable mixologists. But perhaps it's because, between the two of us, Bill and I have some pretty impressive cocktail making skills and knowledge about booze. I'd like to give option #2 full credence for our results, but option #1 does assist in the creativity department. Both options are fully responsible for hangovers.

Take our most recent progeny: The Coho Martini. An alchemy of house-infused pomegranate vodka, Damiana liqueur, Aperol and fresh lime juice, this drink is perfectly balanced and beautiful in the glass.

Although you could use another commercially-produced pomegranate vodka, infusing your own is easy (but you will need to start about 3 weeks out) and contributes a glow to this cocktail. To make your own pomegranate vodka, remove the arils from the pomegranate and place in a large, clean container along with 750 ml of mid-price vodka. Cover and let things take their course. Your vodka is ready when the arils are bleached of their color and the vodka is a deep blush in color. This process takes about 3 to 4 weeks, so you need a little patience. Then strain the infusion into a clean container (use a coffee filter if you want it to be exceptionally clear), discard the arils and cover your new baby tightly until ready to use. It lasts for several months if stored away from heat and light and will eventually darken if not consumed. You can also add a few ounces of store-bought organic pomegranate juice to plain vodka and get similar results in about 3 minutes. For some of us, patience is just not a virtue and believe me, I do understand that.

Now, let's talk a little bit about Aperol. Aperol is like the friend you only see once in a while, but when you do, you wonder why you don't see more of each other. And if you don't have a bottle of this incredibly versatile, lightly bitter, orange-scented aperitif, now made by the folks who make Campari, you should run right out and get one (since I hear you can buy your friends nowadays). This lovely stuff is a gorgeous color and also makes a great cocktail when mixed with grapefruit juice. I was hooked when I tasted my first Pamplemousse (find Orangette's version here). Truthfully, Aperol makes a lot of great-tasting cocktails, period, and I tend to reach for it when I want a more complex flavor profile. But a little goes a long way in something like a martini.

So now let's talk a bit about my shy friend in the middle there, Damiana. Maybe she's in the middle background because she's not wearing any clothes and she's an old-fashioned girl. I first bought Damiana for the bottle she came in, modeled after an Incan fertility goddess. Lord only knows why I would have brought that kind of energy into my house, since I've prayed fervently from the age of 8 to not EVER be pregnant or, worse still, a mother. Managing pets, gardens and husbands for the past 30 odd years has been quite enough responsibility, thank you.

Nonetheless, Dami sits in my collection of mixers and oddballs, and often gets neglected. Maybe that's really because Dami and I both have body image issues. But when Bill comes over and we've been doing a little "research," he usually ends up rooting around in my liquor cabinet, looking for something fun to experiment with. Being a very persuasive and congenial guy, Bill managed to coax Dami out of hiding. She shyly acquiesced.

Don't ask me to recall the exact science behind this particular mixology experiment (because there is none) am I'm still a bit fuzzy about how the components were picked, except that I wanted to brag to Bill about my latest vodka infusion. As a sidenote, I'd like my readers to know that I do a lot of infusions in my kitchen (just in case you'd like to drop by and try your hand at late-night mixology experiments). Most of them are brilliant (in my humble opinion), like the Kashmir Mogra saffron and vodka infusion I did one year for an Indian dinner party. It made a fabulously gorgeous infusion and an infamously lethal cocktail, along with some allspice dram, lime juice and Vietnamese cinnamon. I called it The Bollywood Bhindi and after most of the cocktails had gotten inside everyone, there were some interesting interpretive dance moves in response to the sitar music later that evening, as I recall. If it's one thing we're not short on at The Voluptuous Table, it's hilarity.

But the chocolate mint-cocoa nibs-vodka infusion I did last summer and that I thought was going to be wonderful, not so much. I think that will have to be relegated to adult hot chocolate drinkers.

Sometimes Bill and I disagree on methods and ingredients in our cocktail experiments (and that's OK). But one thing Bill and I did agree on were the proportions in The Coho Martini and the addition of enough lime juice to tweak all the other components into making you think that you were going to want to have at least 3 more cocktails. Why did we name it The Coho Martini? Well, I thought it looked rather like the color of salmon in the glass, and the name "Sockeye Martini" and "Alaskan King Martini" didn't seem to have that special, inviting ring. So there you are.

Find the recipe below. Have plenty of ingredients on hand (even if you're alone), because these little beauties are really tasty. If you use a pretty glass, like I did, just know that I am not responsible if you drink too many and tag yourself in your pictures on Facebook.

The Coho Martini

1 oz. pomegranate vodka
1 oz. Damiana
1/4 oz. Aperol
lime wedge
ice

In a cocktail shaker with the ice, combine pomegranate vodka, Damiana and Aperol. Stir well, then strain into chilled martini glass. Squeeze lime wedge into cocktail, rim the glass with the wedge, then discard lime. Makes one cocktail.

The world does not need another "best ever" lasagna recipe

2014-03-09T18:49:00.001-05:00

As my friend Sandra says, "What the focaccia?!"

How in the internet realm of tens of thousands of recipes--a realm largely devoid of standard qualitative measures for rating recipes--do you offer accurate descriptors for your recipes? Ideally, you would want to induce your readers to try your recipes in their own kitchens and at the same time, deliver results that live up to your claims. But if you make a statement that your recipe is the "best ever," then you've made a claim that is impossible to verify and is a landmine of subjectivity.

And that's exactly what prompts this post. I suppose I'm rather weary of "best ever" recipes. Not because my palate is better than your palate, but because my palate often looks for a different flavor profile than most people. My "best ever" recipe might include anchovies, while you might hate anchovies. I tend to like deeper, richer flavor profiles while you might want something simple and uncomplicated. I look for umami. Maybe you don't.

Recently, I was looking for a lasagna recipe that would be both tasty (i.e., have a good amount of umami), economical, not terribly complicated and good for feeding a crowd. Maybe my criteria are too unrealistic (and you are welcome to let me know if you think they are). I searched the internet for a made-from-scratch version that would please me and my guests. Being a sucker for hyperbole, I was drawn in by several recipes that claimed to be the "best ever," in addition to being easy and economical.

I'll admit that whenever I see something labeled the "best ever," I immediately want to find all the ways in which it's not the best ever. The statement that something is the "best ever" is tantamount to claiming that my dad can beat the S#%* out of your dad. Anybody who knew my dad would know he was a lover, not a fighter. But not his daughter.

I didn't feel like I could take a swing at the recipes posted on sites like allrecipes.com, cdkitchen.com or cooks.com, since there are so many badly-written and sometimes disastrous recipes on those sites. And there's a mighty big contingent of home cooks who are mighty proud of their lasagna.

But then I spied The Pioneer Woman's "The Best Lasagna. Ever." Perfect. I figured if anyone could take a whoopin' on her claim of "best ever" lasagna, The Pioneer Woman could. The original recipe, at first glance, seemed to be the working mother's answer to prayer; Ree Drummond claims that "part of its appeal is that the ingredients used are totally basic; you don’t have to hunt down fresh basil or buffalo mozzarella or Parmigiano-Reggiano or handmade sausage from an Italian mama in old Napoli. Anyone can make this, anywhere, anytime. And it’s the easiest thing in the world."

You are correct; that is NOT shredded mozzarella.

About these things, The Pioneer Woman is mostly right. I was able to find all of the ingredients in my local HEB (which, as I've written before, is in a county that is demographically challenged where discriminating palates are concerned). Yeah, I hear you callin' me a food snob.

But then, here's where The Pioneer Woman goes too far: "Aside from the simplicity and availability of ingredients, however, this lasagna is just dadgum good." Because after testing Ree's sauce, I can honestly say that it lacks character, balance among the acid, sugar and salt components, and is missing some essential flavors that I consider necessary to good lasagna. In other words, it lacks umami.

Not to put too fine a point on it, if anyone can make this lasagna, anywhere, anytime, then this lasagna is going to taste fairly pedestrian and would certainly not impress nor offend anyone. People, that is just not my way with food. And I don't need specialty ingredients to get a better result, just some that are different than what's called for in the original recipe.

For instance, the Parmesan cheese The Pioneer Woman calls for is the kind in the green can that, to me at least, tastes like sawdust. And the meat sauce? Made with part ground beef (too much fat) and part "hot breakfast sausage." Um, no. Ground chuck and Italian sausage are, to me, the best way to get a good, rich flavor in your meat sauce. The cheese filling? Lowfat cottage cheese and sliced mozzarella. Again, fail.

Sliced mozzarella in lasagna makes a rubbery layer that I find unpleasant. I found that out trying to make lasagna the Pioneer Woman Way. Next time, I'll go back to using shredded mozzarella. And while my mother used cottage cheese frequently in her lasagna when I was a child (mostly because cottage cheese was cheaper than ricotta and more often available in our refrigerator), I don't like the texture of lowfat anything in most recipes. I would concede to mixing whole milk ricotta and whole milk cottage cheese in equal portions if you must, but I prefer the moist, creamy texture of ricotta that only milk fat brings, especially when it's enhanced with egg, freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese and other seasonings.

I also found the herbs and spices in the original meat sauce to be lacking in character, so I added more seasoning, a little sugar and a little dry red wine. The addition of fresh parsley to both the meat sauce and the cheese mixture is, I think, worth the time and effort. The resulting sauce was tasty and nicely cohesive without cooking any longer than the original recipe stated.

Since the world does not need another "best ever" lasagna recipe, I'll offer the rendition below as "pretty good" for a basic, straightforward lasagna. What's more, I'll even say that it passes the husband test with flying colors. And that, modern women of America, is what's most important.

Sheesh. I'm kidding.

Pretty Good, Basic, Straightforward Lasagna

I found all of the ingredients (except for the Italian herb seasoning) at my local HEB.

Meat Sauce:

1-1/2 lbs ground chuck

1 lb. Italian sausage (hot or mild)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 14.5 oz. cans whole tomatoes

2 6 oz. cans tomato paste

2 Tbs. Italian herb seasoning (such as Penzey's or Savory Spice; yes, you can use McCormick's)

1 tsp. fennel seed

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 Tbs. sugar

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup water

freshly ground black pepper to taste

6 Tbs. minced fresh parsley, divided

Cheese Mixture:

3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (you can substitute up to 1 1/2 cups whole milk cottage cheese for the ricotta if you like)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (you can use grated if you promise not to use the stuff in the green can; use only 3/4 cup if you do), plus extra for the topping

1 tsp. salt

For assembling:

1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese (reserve approx. 1/2 cup for the topping)

1 10 oz. pkg. lasagna noodles

1.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it well (I use about 1 Tbs. salt) and add a little oil if you wish to prevent the noodles from sticking.

2.) Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground chuck and Italian sausage (remove casings first).

3.) Cook over medium-high heat until browned; stir in minced garlic cook for 1 more minute.

4.) Drain the fat if you wish and return pan to heat.

5.) Add tomatoes, breaking up with your fingers, tomato paste, Italian herb seasoning, fennel seed, salt, sugar, dry red wine and water.

6.) Simmer the sauce for about 45 minutes while you prepare the cheese mixture and cook the noodles.

7.) In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan, 2 Tbs. minced parsley and salt.

8.) Stir together well and set aside.

9.) Cook lasagna until al dente; drain and set aside.

10.) Remove meat sauce from heat and stir in remaining minced parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

11.) Oil a large baking dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

12.) Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary.

13.) Spoon half the cheese mixture over the noodles and spread evenly.

14.) Cover cheese mixture with half the shredded mozzarella cheese.

15.) Spoon half the meat sauce mixture over the top.

16.) Repeat, ending with meat sauce mixture.

17.) Sprinkle top with remaining Parmesan and shredded mozzarella.

18.) You can freeze or refrigerate the lasagna at this point and finish cooking later, or bake it immediately for 30-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serves 8 generously.

If it has vodka, it must be Russian

2014-02-09T13:17:00.000-06:00

This cocktail, with its exotic name and sweet, spicy and smoky sip-ability, is an intriguing way to enhance your Sochi Olympics viewing experiences. Constructed of bourbon, lapsang souchong-infused vodka, elderflower liqueur, spiced tea, honey and lemon juice, this cocktail is seriously tasty.

The original Russian Caravan cocktail was created by Vitaliy Bukhtulov, a home mixologist who competed in and won the 2010 Brandy Library's Bourbon Cocktail Challenge. Since then, another version has been posted on Saveur.com.

Looking at both recipes, I didn't have everything called for: Russian Caravan Tea by Choice Organic Teas (as listed in Mr. Bukhtulov's recipe) or Russian Tea (as listed in the Saveur version). I wasn't sure what "Russian Tea" was except for my experiences with the intensely sweet, orange Tang-based version that my mother made countless jars of during my childhood for Christmas gifts to friends. In case you're curious about this sugary, retro instant hot drink recipe, find it here.

But after doing a little research, I discovered that I could approximate Russian Caravan Tea because I had infused some vodka last year with lapsang souchong tea. And if a cocktail has vodka in it, it must be Russian, right? I also had Constant Comment Tea on hand, which would capture the spice character of the Russian Tea of my childhood, without the sugary, synthetic orange aftertaste.

You need to know that true Russian Caravan tea is a blend of several black teas, at least one of which is smoky, and which tastes sweet and malty when brewed. Since my recent mixology experiment, I've ordered some of the same tea that Mr. Bukhtulov recommends and plan to remix the drink to the specifications of his original recipe, which includes St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur.

Using the Saveur.com recipe as my guide, I brewed 2 cups of hot water with one Constant Comment teabag for 2 minutes. I used a Texas-produced bourbon, highly recommended by my wine guy, Bill, at my local Spec's. Fresh lemon juice and lemon peel are a must of course, but you can be creative with the sweetener. I used coriander honey because of the bright, citrusy and smoky characteristics it has. But you could do a rich simple syrup, or use agave nectar, or use any honey you have in the pantry. I didn't top my cocktail off with club soda, as called for in both recipes, but you certainly can. Having made the drink both with the elderflower liqueur and without, I can tell you that both versions are lovely.

Vindaloo's Russian Caravan Cocktail

1 cup ice
2 oz. bourbon
2 oz. Constant Comment tea (steep 2 cups hots water with one teabag for 2 minutes)
1/2 oz. lapsang souchong-infused vodka
1/2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/4 oz. coriander honey (or substitute another kind of honey, rich simple syrup or agave nectar)
strip of lemon peel for garnish

Combine ice, bourbon, tea, vodka, liqueur and lemon juice in a shaker and shake for a few seconds to combine. Pour into a highball glass and garnish with lemon peel. Makes 1 cocktail.

Nastrovie!

Damascene brownies...damn!

2014-01-15T22:21:00.001-06:00

Better call Saul. There is a rich, fudgy gluten-free brownie that doesn't need a Get Out of Jail Free Card, and you can find the recipe here. It's not my recipe because, after all, why the hell would I want to ruin a good thing and mess up my favorite brownie recipe? But because I have friends that restrict gluten and because I love them, I wanted to make sure that they could eat dessert with the rest of us. And I wanted to make sure that after offering them this brownie, I wouldn't have to leave town and assume a new identity.

These brownies kick some serious butt in the chocolate department, yo. I do not want a cakey, dry brownie that looks and tastes as old as Hector Salamanca. I want something moist and fudgy. With substance. No more half measures, these gluten-free brownies are bad ass. They actually convinced me that I could give up [most of] my worldly possessions and follow a gluten-free lifestyle. A kind of conversion, if you will. Without the new identity. Because, like Saul of the Damascene conversion, I have been fighting the need to forgo wheat gluten.

Was blind and now I see.

OK, so these look like little cupcakes because they are.

So, some rules about this gluten-free thing if you're going to do it. Never use a mix so you can control better what is going into your food, always make from scratch because then you know your goodies haven't been sitting in a box in a non-climate-controlled warehouse for ages before they became goodies, and ALWAYS use best-quality ingredients.

Additionally, make your own flours whenever you can. One of the previous deterrents I experienced was sticker shock on those bags of almond flour and brown rice flour. You can buy whole foods in bulk, grind your own flours and store in the fridge or freezer. I milled my own almond and brown rice flours for this recipe with a blender on steroids (which is still inferior to my lusted-after Vitamix, and mind you, I WILL own one some day--when I'm in the empire business), which ensured that my flours were fresh and moist--and cost a lot less than the prepared versions at my local HEB.

Know that if you use white rice flour, you will get a very middle-of-the-road, rather bland product that has less nutritional value than brown rice flour. If you use brown rice flour, you not only get a boost in nutrition, you get all the richness and nuttiness of brown rice, which brings a lot of depth to things that need to be toothsome, like brownies. Be aware, however, that rice flours produce a crumblier product and that they tend to absorb more water than wheat flours, so you will have to experiment with various recipes and techniques to get the finished result you want. Whoever developed the brownie recipe at Ghirardelli knew what they were doing, because the dense mouthfeel, sugar and fat ratios of these little beauties is bitchin'.

How to make your own flours from whole grains, nuts and rice:

Making your own flours is easy. To make almond flour, use whole, blanched almonds and process to a fine powder. Making brown rice flour is less easy, but still very doable: soak brown rice in water at room temperature for at least 24 hours--I would do it for 36 hours next time--then drain well and process. In both cases, you will have to stop your not-Vitamix machine and push the flour down into the work bowl and redistribute the larger pieces. The beauty of a Vitamix is that all you have to worry about is that your flours are getting too hot during the milling process.

If the recipe calls for real butter, use real butter for God's sake. And use best quality chocolate or cocoa powder. It makes a difference. Personal preferences for chocolate brands vary and I know I will alienate some people here but please do not use Baker's or Hershey's chocolate/cocoa for this recipe. I find that for baking, Ghirardelli and Scharffen Berger make the best chocolate.

I did this for me. Now, say my name.

A cocktail for the January heat wave

2014-01-10T20:03:00.001-06:00

Have you noticed that we've had a heat wave this week in Central Texas? After biting winds and temperatures below freezing earlier in the week, the weather, perhaps realizing that it was unbecoming of a true Central Texas winter, smoothed down its rough edges and produced a hint of sunshine and warmth late this afternoon.

This warming trend is perfect weather for a refreshing cocktail. And this cocktail was what I was concocting in my head during my wakefulness last night: the Flor de Jamaica Basil Margarita. Made with good quality tequila, basil simple syrup, a double-strength Flor de Jamaica infusion and a little fresh lime juice, this drink tastes like sunshine and is a panacea for the winter doldrums.

The bright, tart, cranberry-like flavor of the Flor de Jamaica infusion (made with hibiscus flowers) has Vitamin C and minerals, and sources claim multiple health benefits. Will Flor de Jamaica cancel out the deleterious effects of alcohol? I don't know, but it's worth a try.

The recipe below contains ingredients that you will need to make ahead and, optimally, chill. Start with the basil simple syrup:

Combine 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add a generous handful of fresh basil, stalks and all, cover and let steep until mixture is cool. Strain into a clean jar or other container and chill, discarding basil leaves. Makes about 2 cups; keeps for one week in the refrigerator (or freeze for later use).

Now make the Flor de Jamaica Infusion:

Combine 1 1/2 cups Flor de Jamaica (find in places like Fiesta Market or a well-stocked grocery store with a Hispanic foods section) and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until volume of liquid is reduced by 1/3. Strain through a coffee filter (hibiscus flowers can be a bit gritty) into a clean jar, let cool and chill. Makes about 2 1/4 cups; keeps in refrigerator for one week (or freeze for later use).

Now you're ready to build your cocktail...

The Flor de Jamaica Basil Margarita

plenty of ice
2 oz. good-quality tequila (try to use 100% agave)
1/4 fresh lime
1 oz. Flor de Jamaica infusion
2 oz. basil simple syrup
fresh basil leaves for garnish

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour tequila over ice, then squeeze lime, adding juice and lime to glass. Add Flor de Jamaica and basil simple syrup. Stir gently, then garnish with fresh basil leaves. Makes one cocktail.

Getting your Mexican food fix east of weird

2013-12-30T07:38:00.004-06:00

Enchiladas especiales from Taqueria Y Restaurant Guadalajara, Elgin TX

This is my new BFF. Enchiladas especiales at Taqueria Y Restaurant Guadalajara: four chile-fried corn tortillas filled with refried beans and topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, crumbled cotija cheese, Mexican crema and avocado. Add spoonfuls of the excellent, deeply-flavored house-made salsa and you have an outstanding meal from one of my favorite local Mexican restaurants in Elgin, TX.

In a small town where fine dining does not exist but fast food franchises do, and where the choices to have a meal out comprise several barbecue joints, a couple of cafes and about a dozen Mexican restaurants, I tend to look for places that do one or two things well. Those places, for me, are almost always small, family-owned and run Mexican restaurants that serve great food at great prices and have great service to boot. I love the waitstaff at my favorite places and it's fun to know them by name, talk with them about their families and look forward to seeing them again in the near future. I always get great service in all my favorite restaurants in Elgin--and I don't think that it's just because I like to tip well.

Taqueria Y Restaurant Guadalajara, located on Highway 290 East, right across from the fabulously refurbished Elgin HEB, also serves excellent sopas and gorditas. I alternate between refried bean and chorizo fillings, but I love the thick, crispy masa base (which has been deep-fried), the bright, fresh flavors of tomato, onion, lettuce, lime and avocado and the excellent and pungent house salsa that comes with your plate. If you order a sopa, everything is piled on top. If you order a gordita, the thick masa tortilla is split open and filled. Either way, it's a taste explosion that doesn't detonate your wallet.

Sopa from Taqueria Y Restaurant Guadalaja, Elgin TX

There is another little restaurant at the end of Main Street that I also frequent, mainly for the very straightforward and delicious huevos rancheros, but also for sopas. Taqueria Azteca de Oro is operated by several ladies who are very serious about their hairnets, not just their food. They put out sopas that are very tasty, and very different from the ones served at Guadalajara. The thick masa base is grilled, not fried, so it yields a very tender and soft texture. It's topped with loose, perfectly seasoned pinto beans, fresh cilantro, onions, crumbled cotija cheese, crema and the special house salsa rojo, which is smoother and hotter than the salsa that typically accompanies tostada chips and Azteca's other dishes. This sopa is beautiful to look at and I'm always a bit sad when the last bite has disappeared.

The sopa at Taqueria Azteca de Oro, Elgin TX

Another favorite lunchtime stop is Jalisco Mexican Restaurant (also on Highway 290 East, across from what I call The Pawn Shop on the Hill). Jalisco also has sister restaurant of the same name and menu in Bastrop, TX. In the summertime, I adore the lightness and simplicity of their single chalupa, a crispy, round tostada topped with tender and excellently seasoned beef fajita strips (or your choice of several other proteins), lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado and sour cream. The tacos al pastor are also filling, delicious and come with plenty of lime, cilantro and chopped onion. But what I really love about Jalisco is their soup. I absolutely crave a large bowl of chicken tortilla soup and can eat it in any weather.

Chicken tortilla soup at Jalisco, Elgin TX

This soup makes everything seem right, whether it's a bad day, or I'm a little under the weather, or I just need some lovin'. I've tasted many versions of chicken tortilla soup, but this one is my all-time favorite. The broth is rich and perfectly seasoned with celery and cilantro stems and leaves often making an appearance. Having eaten countless bowls of this soup, it appears to be built on a large scoop of Mexican rice, a scoop of guacamole, some pico de gallo with plenty of Serrano chile, then the chicken and that exquisite broth. There is a generous amount of chicken in the soup, and occasionally, I find a bit of skin, or a small bone or some gristle, but I never mind these discoveries. They tell me that I am eating real chicken! This tortilla soup comes to the table steaming hot and has been crowned with tortilla chips and that lovely, stringy white cheese that makes this soup a bit messy but totally delectable to eat.

I also really like the chips and salsa served at Jalisco. I don't know how they do it, but the tortillas are very light and thin and are never greasy. They come fresh, warm and lightly salted. The salsa, very simple and full of tomato, fresh onion and cilantro, varies in the level of heat it delivers from visit to visit. This is probably partly due to the variance in heat in the dried chiles that fleck the sauce. In any case, it's a great salsa and I have often made a meal of just the salsa and chips, or neglected the meal I had ordered, in order to continue eating this supremely satisfying snack.

Most people know Elgin for its barbecue. But now you know Elgin for excellent and inexpensive freshly-prepared Mexican food. Drive out east of Austin and try our Mexican food, we'd love to meet you. Better yet, drop me a line and I'll meet you sometime for a bite to eat.

May your tastebuds dance!

Three sparkling wines I really like

2013-12-23T13:00:00.001-06:00

Although I personally believe that every day is a good day to drink sparkling wine, most people tend to drink more sparklers at this time of year. Oh, if we could all look as glamorous as Marilyn sipping from our coupes. Secretly, that's what I hope every time I pop that cork.

The sound of a popping cork from a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne is such a happy sound. It signals, "This is a special moment!" And I believe that life should be a series of special moments--some of which we create ourselves, if for no reason other than the fact that it's Tuesday.

Below are three of my favorite sparklers (paired with recipe links) in case you're without an idea when you're standing in the champagne aisle at the liquor store this holiday season.

Tastes great and can't beat the price:

Hands down, this is the sparkler I offer for parties and as an opener for other events. Jaume Serra Cristalino is a Spanish cava that sells for well under $10 and is light, clean, dry and citrusy. Technically, I serve it with almost anything you can dip, dunk, spread on a cracker or pick up with your fingers. But I really like it with gougeres, those lovely, hot cheese puffs that smell tantalizingly, insanely good. Try David Lebovitz's recipe here.

Elegant and tastes like a million bucks:

This classy sparkler (expect to pay between $20 and $25) is mostly made from the pinot blanc grape with a little pinot noir for substance and body. Pierre Sparr Cremant d'Alsace is carefully made in the same way real champagne is made: method traditionelle. This delightful bubbly is minerally, light and crisp with citrus and herbs. It has fine bubbles and a creamy mouthfeel. It is lovely with radishes, butter, dark bread and fleur de sel. It also pairs finely with creamy, rich cheeses and this delish nibble made with aged gouda, prosciutto and honey.

Happy endings:

I love a dessert wine, and a sparkling dessert wine doubles my pleasure. Reymos Valencia Espumoso de Moscatel Selección (about $12) is a simple, gorgeous wine that is slightly sweet and redolent of apples and figs. It is rich and has just enough acid to balance rich cheeses such as Stilton, triple crèmes and Camembert. If you want to serve it with a knockout dessert, try this tiramisu recipe from Giada de Laurentiis.

There are many, many more sparklers I could tell you about, but space here is limited. I've got an idea--give me a shout and we'll crack open a bottle and talk more about it...

Happy Holidays!

How to keep vampires away from your chocolate chip cookies

2013-10-28T14:00:00.000-05:00

Ever since I first saw Susan Sarandon, David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve in The Hunger (1983), I've been a fan of the vampire legend. If you haven't seen this moody, seductive thriller, definitely one of the cult classics, put it on your bucket list. Catherine Deneuve is first on the list of The 20 Hottest Vampires, a list that also includes the sulky-sexy Alexander Skarsgard of HBO's True Blood and of course, Brad Pitt of Interview with the Vampire.

Catherine Deneuve as Miriam, a centuries-old Egyptian vampire in The Hunger
Photo credit: http://www.rueducine.com/catherine-deneuve/

Let's face it: vampires are sexy.

But it wasn't always this way. Vampires of folklore were ghoulish, ruthless bloodsuckers (sort of like your old boyfriend) who didn't so much seduce as overpower their victims. The myths surrounding them seem more a way of making sense of unexplained events, expressing fear of the unknown and especially fear of contagion. How timely and appropriate is Richard Matheson's 1954 story "I Am Legend," written near the start of the Cold War?

Modern vampires, seductive, suave and oh-so-smooth are an outgrowth of the popularity of 19th c. European vampire literature and modern American media. But the eroticism of vampires and vampire legends is undeniably powerful. What teenage girl (or adult woman) has not swooned over (or at least is not familiar with) The Twilight Saga's lovestruck Edward Cullen?

More importantly, would Bella have shared her chocolate chip cookies with Edward? In Vindaloo's house, it's doubtful that chocolate of any kind would be shared, even with someone as beautiful and mysterious as Edward. Even if someone did offer to bite my neck.

So just what would you do if you wanted to keep a vampire--even one you're hopelessly in love with--away from your chocolate?

Why, garlic, silly.

I recently made Garlic Chocolate Chip Cookies for a garlic-themed dinner party. I had heard of these cookies before and only gave them a cursory nod. I love garlic but couldn't imagine what it would be like in cookies. And even though I like to think of myself as adventurous, I can be pretty narrow-minded at times. Who would want to ruin a perfectly good batch of chocolate chip cookies with garlic, I mused. Then I realized that this recipe would be quite useful for keeping away vampires, pesky night-crawling creatures (and likely, other squeamish folks).

These cookies are buttery, rich and nutty-tasting; some people even think they have coconut in them (which they don't, but I suppose you could add some and still get great results). I followed the directions closely, except for the length of time I steeped the garlic in the maple syrup. My steeping time turned out to be about twice as long as the recipe recommended--and I don't think it hurt the cookies a bit.

So why don't you whip up a batch this week? You've no time to waste. Long about Thursday, vampires will be everywhere.

A family meal from my mother's larder

2013-10-15T08:33:00.000-05:00

My family jokes that when I fly in for a visit, as soon as I am off the plane, I start cooking. Not far from the truth. Due to various illnesses and emergencies, there have been several holiday dinners that wouldn't have happened if another cook didn't step in.

I never resent time spent doing this. Early on in this blog, I wrote about how meaningful it is to me to cook for friends and family. It is my way of connecting and loving. And I am fortunate to have friends and family who appreciate my efforts, and who will connect and return the love.

Lately, when I visit my mother's house in North Carolina, I will often do a lot of the cooking because my mother being almost 78 years old (spry though she still is), enjoys a break. My youngest brother often likes to jump in and help while the rest of the family mills around or sits in the expansive kitchen / living room / dining room that is part of the fabulous layout of my mother's house. We are able to talk and joke, listen to music or even watch a movie together in this well-designed Great Big Room while the cooking is going on.

Thankfully, my mother's larder (and I mean this only in the figurative sense) is still well-stocked, even though she does less cooking now that my father is feasting on heavenly victuals. My mother is still very socially active, but it's obvious that cooking for yourself in your 70's is not as appealing as cooking for your family or life partner, who, of course, will be present to share the fruits of your labor with you.

My mother has always had a full larder. We joke about being food hoarders (not far from the truth), or being able to feed the entire neighborhood if the power went out for an extended time (also not far from the truth). My mother has been an adventurous cook (and an adventurous eater) all her life, perhaps not reaching quite so far for the exotic as her daughter, but I can count on her to have most of what I need when I visit. Like most serious cooks, I will often bring the things I need with me. But if time is short, I will flip my creativity switch on "HI" and use what's available, something I did this past weekend.

These meals are often among the most memorable. I leave it to you to decide whether the meal I recently created was memorable in a good way:

Spice-Infused Pork Roast with Apples, Fennel, Raisins and Cider Vinegar Pan Sauce

Serve this succulent roast with risotto and roasted asparagus. A good, fruity, light red with a little acidity is the perfect wine to drink alongside.

3 to 4 lb. pork loin or Boston butt roast

1 tsp. peppercorns

1 tsp. coriander seed

1 tsp. fennel seed

1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves

zest of one lemon

6 cloves garlic, minced

kosher salt

Extra virgin olive oil

4 to 6 slices thick bacon, optional

butcher's twine or strong, clean string

2 firm, tart apples, such as Granny Smith or Mutsu, cored and cut into eighths

2 large head fennel, trimmed and cut into 8 pieces, some fronds reserved for garnish

1 medium sweet onion, cut into bite-sized chunks (can substitute 1/2 red onion if desired)

juice of 1/2 lemon

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. raisins

2 Tbs. brandy

2 Tbs. water

1 Tbs. cider vinegar, or to taste

1.) Trim excess fat from pork with a boning knife. If using a pork loin, butterfly the roast; if using a Boston butt, score the top surface about 1/2" deep with a sharp knife.

2.) Combine peppercorns, coriander seed, fennel seed and rosemary in a small skillet and toast over medium to medium-low heat until fragrant.

3.) When the spices are cool, put them into a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder and grind to a coarse texture.

4.) In a medium bowl, combine the ground spices with lemon zest, garlic, kosher salt to taste and enough olive oil to make a loose paste.

5.) If using the butterflied roast, smear all but about 1 Tbs. of the spice paste over the surface of the meat that you have cut open. Starting at one long end, start rolling meat up like a jelly roll, then tie roast in 3 places with butcher's twine. Smear remaining paste over top of the tied roast, but DO NOT WASH the bowl (you will be tossing some of the remaining ingredients in it). If using bacon, wrap it around the roast and secure with toothpicks. Let sit at room temperature for about 1 hour, or cover and store in refrigerator until ready to cook (tossing apple mixture in spice paste bowl and storing separately), up to 8 hours. Bring meat to room temperature before roasting.

6.) If using scored Boston butt roast, smear the spice paste over the surface of the roast, making sure you get the seasoning into all the crevices. DO NOT WASH the bowl (you will be tossing some of the remaining ingredients in it). If using bacon, wrap it over the roast and secure with toothpicks. Let sit at room temperature for about 1 hour, or cover and store in refrigerator until ready to cook (tossing apple mixture in spice paste bowl and storing separately), up to 8 hours. Bring meat to room temperature before roasting.

7.) Heat oven to 475 degrees.

8.) Combine apples, fennel, and onion in bowl that spice paste was prepared (you can do this early, following step 9 as well if you are storing to cook roast later).

9.) Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Toss until well-coated, adding a little extra olive oil if desired. Set aside.

10.) Combine raisins, brandy and water in a small heat-proof container and microwave for 45 seconds to plump the raisins. Set aside.

11.) Put pork roast in the appropriate sized baking pan and surround with apple-fennel mixture, then pour raisins and liquid over the apple-fennel mixture.

12.) Sear in preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes it helps to use the broiler element to brown the cap of the roast well.

13.) Tent pork loosely with foil and reduce heat to 325 degrees.

14.) Cook pork 30 to 35 min. per lb. If cooking a larger roast, such as the Boston butt roast, you can roast it at a temperature of 275 degrees for up t0 8 hours for a meltingly tender roast.

15.) When ready to serve, transfer roast to cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Arrange sliced pork on a platter and surround with apples, onions, fennel and raisins, wrap loosely with foil and keep warm while you make the pan sauce.

16.) To make the pan sauce, strain pan juices into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, reducing volume by one-third.

17.) Stir in cider vinegar and taste for salt and pepper. The sauce should just be mildly tart; add more or less cider vinegar to your taste.

18.) Serve sauce on the side with the pork. Garnish pork, if you wish, with reserved fennel fronds. Serves 6 to 8 people.

This wine was a perfect foil for the richness of the pork. It's what I call a "supermarket wine," but it stood up beautifully with the dinner, bringing a mouth full of plum and raspberry and, because of the oak, a spicy finish. Nicely prominent tannins, inky in the glass. A bargain at less than $12. And best of all, I found this in a little town in North Carolina at the local supermarket. Booyah!

When the cat is away...

2013-10-09T07:36:00.001-05:00

Let me first say that before he met me, my husband was fully functional. He fed, washed and dressed himself. He drove himself to and from his job, paid his bills and spent time with his family. He had a social life, and enjoyed golfing frequently. He had friends, a cell phone, a cat. He was an adult.

He continues to be fully functional cell phone-owning, cat-loving adult, but I think I have made a huge mistake. I've expected that, after three years of gently and gradually overhauling his eating habits, he would no longer reach for fast food pizza and the box of raisin bran (extra sugar sprinkled on top, please) as soon as his wife leaves town.

Image from Google Images

In fact, just this morning, I woke from a fretful sleep after having a nightmare of this playing on an endless loop. It was like Groundhog Day sponsored by the high-fructose corn syrup industry.

So, perhaps the question is, why do I care?

My husband has benefited in the food and nutrition department since he's met me. Even he admits that. And I don't think he will ever return to a diet of frozen burritos and canned fruit, something he was living almost exclusively on when we met. But the sugar, now that's another story...

Earlier this week, when I was making plans to be out of town for several days, I began to feel a sense of anxiety about the havoc he's capable of wreaking with sugar. We had this conversation:

Me: "Would you like me to make you some chili, or stew or a casserole before I leave? You know, something you can heat up quickly when you get home at night?"

Him: "No, thanks, babe."

Me: "But what are you going to eat for dinner while I'm gone?"

Him: "I'm a big boy. There's cereal in the pantry."

Me: "What?! You're going to eat cereal every night while I'm gone? With an extra cup of sugar? And a Coke on the side?"

Him: "What's wrong with that? I ate a lot of cereal for dinner before I met you."

Me: "Yeah, but now you have it with an ice cream appetizer and candy bar dessert. I've seen you."

Him: "So if I don't want to eat cereal, I can get a pizza or a sub."

Me: "You're totally avoiding the issue about the sugar! Really, let me make you some chili before I go. I don't like that you're going to eat cereal and fast food and all that sugar while I'm out of town. God knows you'll eat crap for lunch and no breakfast."

Him; "So, what do you want me to do, lie to you? Should I tell you to make chili for me so that you feel better about yourself, then I'll go ahead and eat what I want anyway?"

I have to admit, that last point shut me up. Apparently, it never occurred to me that he wouldn't want to eat his wife's cooking. It never crossed my mind that he might need a little haute cuisine vacation. Especially, he might want to practice his sugar addiction in the privacy of his own home with no one around going into paroxysms over the amount of sugar he chooses to consume.

And maybe he needs a little vacation from his wife as well. He can leave his boots where he wants, get away with not making the bed in the morning. He can put the heat on 77 when he feels a chill in the evening and leave it blasting all night. He can leave lights on in every room, build a rat's nest of candy wrappers next to the TV, leave half-empty Coke cans around the garage, kitchen and back yard and forget to give our elderly dog her supplements. He can let dishes pile up in the sink--although by the sound of things, he's not planning on using many dishes.

But he'll be happy And I'll try not to think about it while I'm gone. He's a big boy.

A taste of Americana

2013-10-04T09:57:00.000-05:00

I have a friend who, every so often, decides that it is time for a change. She thinks carefully about her trip, preferring to avoid heavily-traveled interstates and other highways that are clogged with travelers. Instead, she prefers the quiet, scenic routes. She packs up what she can fit in her compact car, gathers her maps and then sets out on her travels with a kind of intention and care toward nourishing her soul. This sort of journey is rarely experienced or witnessed by any of us.

She stops when and where she wishes, driving almost exclusively in silence so that she can reflect, meditate and allow the scenery to deliver its gifts to her. She will often linger for a day in what she calls "seriously cute towns," browsing through museums when she gets the urge, and amble through antique shops. She talks to the people she meets along the way, savoring her interactions. She stops along the roadside to take pictures, she sends postcards from the towns and villages she's most impressed with and, what I most appreciate about her, writes beautiful posts about her trip and experiences. She is an artist with words and paints the most heartbreakingly beautiful pictures in her narratives. All of her friends think she should write a book.

She is a very rich woman in so many ways, and I am blessed to know her. She savors everything, both sunny days and thunderstorms. She allows herself to sit with fear, discomfort and to simply be in the Now. She has taught me a lot about being present, attentive, alive.

Here is her latest picture to me from Yellow Springs, Ohio:

My traveling friend takes beautiful pictures.

Traveling through small towns evokes the pure essence of Americana, and rummaging through antique shops and flea markets, purveyors of both the distillation and the detritus of our culture, often bring a sense of wistful longing and sentimentality about what once was. Even though our recollections aren't always accurate.

Another friend, Christian Montone, creates vivid, pigment-infused images of the architecture and objects of Americana (although he may not think of his art in that way) that he encounters in his travels and everyday experiences. See his website, Art Skool Damage, here. Please tell him how much you like what he sees and how he sees it.

Photo by Christian Montone, 2013

Americana through Christian's eyes.

Americana is not only in the fields of sunflowers, mid-century architecture and flea market kitsch, it's in every bite of the foods we love. It's the foundation of comfort food and the very essence of Back Home, that nostalgic place in our minds and hearts that means family, warmth, togetherness, and a deep sense of satisfaction that all is as it should be. We each have our own Back Home, a place where the food is familiar and nourishing, made from scratch and from time-honored recipes that Grandma scrawled on the inside of her Bible, or that got passed down at family reunions. And it seems that each region in America--often, each state--takes pride in a comforting, crowd-pleasing favorite--Texas Sheet Cake, y'all? Utah Funeral Potatoes? Classic Chicago Hot Dog? Find a great tribute to and a recipe for this amazing all-American icon-on-a-bun here.

Recently, at a large dinner party, I took my guests on a brief summer road trip Back Home in the form of America's regional foods. The two dishes that absolutely got demolished were the Oklahoma BBQ--tender, shredded beef roast slow-cooked in a delicious piquant sauce that's not too sweet and not too sour, and the Kansas City Coleslaw, which is a simple but excellent recipe that I've been using from the back of the Dole coleslaw bag for years. The coleslaw recipe doesn't seem to be on the Dole website any longer (but it appears below), although this coleslaw recipe is also really yummy.

Serve Oklahoma BBQ on large, crusty or soft rolls or on slider buns (more fun because obviously, you can have two!), along with the coleslaw, your favorite potato salad or chips and of course, garlicky dill pickles. Since we are still ~~enduring~~ enjoying warm weather in Texas, Oklahoma BBQ is a perfect bridge to cooler weather. Start it a day ahead and finish cooking the next day for best flavor. It makes a lot, so freeze leftovers to enjoy on a cold, blustery night in December when you're needing a bit of Americana and the comforts of being Back Home.

My photos are not nearly as good as my friends', but I might be a better cook!

Oklahoma BBQ

A long-lost friend shared this recipe with me when I was in my early 30's. It's been a favorite ever since.

5-7 lbs. rump roast or other beef, such as brisket
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large onions, minced
2 tsp. celery salt
2 Tbs. Liquid Smoke (such as Figaro, or see how to make your own here)
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 1/2 oz. Worcestershire sauce

1.) Put meat, fat side down, in a large Dutch oven.
2.) Cover with ingredients listed above, wrap or cover and chill overnight.
3.) The next day, bake for 6 hours, covered, at 275 degrees.
4.) Meanwhile, prepare BBQ Sauce (recipe follows).
5.) Remove from oven and cool; drain and discard liquid.
6.) Shred the meat, discard the fat and mix with BBQ Sauce until the proper consistency is achieved.
7.) Serve hot on rolls with you favorite sides. Serves 12 generously, with leftovers.

BBQ Sauce

This sauce is looser than commercially-prepared sauces, but you can decrease the amount of water to your liking.

32 oz. catsup
2 cups water (use 1/2 cup less for a thicker sauce)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. vinegar
2 or more dashes hot sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbs. Liquid Smoke (see notes in above ingredient list)
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper.

Combine all ingredients in a 4 quart pot, stir well and simmer for 30 minutes. Makes about 6 cups. Leftover sauce is great for other meats (such as grilled salmon) and can be frozen.

Kansas City Coleslaw

1 16 oz. bag coleslaw mix (or shred 2 generous cups cabbage and carrots)
1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise
2 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar

1.) Put shredded cabbage and carrots in a medium-sized bowl.
2.) Mix together well the remaining ingredients in a small bowl or mug and pour over cabbage and carrots.
3.) Toss until well-coated.
4.) Chill at least one hour before serving. Serves 4.

Right in my back yard

2013-09-26T07:47:00.000-05:00

In Bastrop County, where I live and work--and please, local restaurateurs, forgive me for what I am about to say--it is hard to have a peak dining experience. If you're feeling flush, you can have a lovely drive onto the Hyatt Lost Pines grounds and have a fabulous meal and incredible service at the elegantly appointed and soothingly decorated Stories. You can venture down to the historic district, charming enough on its own with a growing abundance of galleries and terribly cute boutiques, and have an above average glass of wine and a fairly decent meal at Hasler Bros., a comfortable, solid throwback to classic steakhouses and supper clubs of the 60's and '70's. And you can have a quick, satisfying and tasty meal at several family-owned restaurants that move tables efficiently and fill your belly, but are lackluster in terms of originality and ambience.

But, it seems, you could not seem to find that "something special" that makes a restaurant sparkle with imagination and vitality. Not until very recently, that is, when Viejo's opened at the south end of Main Street in Bastrop. I had heard friends talk about having been to Viejo's and they raved about it. Being the ~~food and wine snob~~ discriminating eater and drinker that I am, I smilled politely. Then I thought to myself, "Yeah, well. I don't think so."

But honestly, I was blown away on my first visit. The margaritas are hand mixed from fresh juices and other ingredients and served in elegant goblets or martini glasses. I tried three different margaritas, all of them well-balanced, flavorful (the Basil Antigua and the Jalapeno Hibiscus are my two top favorites) and icy cold. They paired beautifully with the taco menu, which offers a nice variety and generous portions for a very reasonable amount of your hard-earned cash. Try the Tacos al Pastor and the Vera Cruz. Ammmmmazing.

The Basil Antigua margarita at Viejo's

Other bonuses: the tostada chips are fresh, the salsas are beautifully contrasted and delicious. And the ceviche--deliciously and expertly balanced with the perfect amount of acid, salt and heat. Ask for tostadas instead of the saltines that are served with it.

This small space has a lot going for it: a beautiful courtyard with a large fountain where diners can enjoy their drinks and meals outside, an inside dining space (which is a bit crowded and noisy due to the heavy furniture and lack of acoustic treatment), and a rather narrow and small but cozy bar where you can sample some pretty tasty tequilas. The vibrant aquamarine blue of the bar walls, the mirrors and the copper-toned punched-tin hanging lights make this a fun, funky place to hang out and sip some great drinks. The service is competent and very pleasant. I'm not crazy about the large TV tuned in to college football in the bar, but it seems that TVs are everywhere these days. Viejo's attracts a very young crowd, especially on weekend nights in the bar and courtyard area, where they also offer live music, and I think we all know how Texans feel about their sports. They are fervently in relationship with their favorite teams as much as possible.

The restaurant menu is limited to mostly tacos and appetizers, but I'm in favor of that since that's what Joe Oviedo and his siblings do best. I have seldom been able to say this about meals that I have eaten out, but you can taste the love and the family history in every bite at Viejo's. Your tastebuds will want to fall to their knees at the altar of the Mexican soul food that the Oviedos do so well.

The bar menu at Viejo's

I'll continue to be a frequent guest at Viejo's. You might want to consider that too. Salud.

Cooking for my old girl

2013-09-05T19:14:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, on a routine visit to the vet, I learned some sad news about my beloved Jezebel, soon to be 14 years old. The vet told me she was in the early stages of liver failure, brought on by regular use of Vetprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug I gave her for her arthritis. I instantly felt a stab of guilt. I had given Jezebel Vetprofen twice a day for her symptoms, as the vet ordered, for several years. Had I done my due diligence, I would have known that Vetprofen can be toxic and even cause life-threatening conditions in dogs.

We're a bit shy and don't like to look at the camera...

I'd been noticing some other symptoms that were apparently part of the constellation of toxicity: she was hungrier than usual, often seemed confused and was losing control of her bladder. I would find her lying on the kitchen floor in a puddle, looking up at me with her huge brown eyes in a way that seemed to say, "I'm sorry, mommy, I didn't mean to do it. But I just can't help it." It was breaking my heart and I didn't know what to do to help her.

The vet offered me a solution. I could keep Jezebel on Vetprofen and add other medications to help control the symptoms. I could add this and that, do this, try that and perhaps things would improve. This just wasn't acceptable to me and didn't seem to be a very high quality of life for my lovable poochie. I knew that if I continued along the traditional veterinary track, Jezebel would continue to suffer and that perhaps her life would eventually be cut short by the continued use of Vetprofen.

I am in no way trying to be disparaging of the excellent veterinary care that Jezzie has received throughout her life at my local clinic; I am merely saying that I rejected traditional veterinary approaches and chose an alternative path.

So, on the day I learned that Jezebel's liver was failing, I got in my car with my old girl and had a good boo hoo on the way home. Then I started researching natural remedies for liver failure in dogs. I found some wonderful resources online, including the one website I came most heavily to rely on for help, Your Old Dog, which contains a wealth of information for pet parents of elderly and ill dogs. After doing some reading on several sites, I ordered liquid milk thistle to help heal and support Jezebel's liver, took her off commercially prepared dog food and began cooking all her meals for her.

Yes, you read right: I am cooking all her meals for her. Is this a lot of trouble? It depends on how you look at it. I cook about once every two weeks and then package the food in plastic zipper bags and store it in the freezer. It is an extra effort and you must add the supplements called for with each recipe to get the best results. I've also added supplements to help with Jezzie's arthritis symptoms. But I'm happy to make this extra effort (and give up some freezer space) because I love my sweet-natured, docile doggie and want her around as long as possible.

The results? Within three weeks of this new regimen, all of her symptoms cleared and she appears to be a happy, healthy and youthful puppy again. I can't say enough about how much I appreciate the advice, information and assistance from all of the people who love their elderly and ill dogs and want to help others by posting their experiences and information online.

Here are the websites that I found helpful:

My Pet Articles--Vetprofen Side Effects (see this site for other articles regarding all kinds of pets with various conditions)

Responsible Pet Ownership Blog

Dog.com--Liver Failure Reversal Diet

YourOldDog.com--Liver Disease Recipes (we like recipe #2 the best so far)

Hot weather? No problem!

2013-08-30T07:15:00.001-05:00

Spanish food charms me--not only for its sophistication and rich flavor profiles, but also because of the variety of small plates and sensory experiences that tapas provide. Perfect for warmer weather, when lighter appetites mean grazing instead of full-out guerilla dining (as Vindaloo is prone to do), tapas bring your palate a kaleidoscope of deliciousness and the feeling that you've been well-fed.

Some of my favorites: rich, dense tortilla espanola with romesco sauce; rustic bread rubbed with fresh garlic and toasted with a lavish drizzling of rich, extra-virgin olive oil, then rubbed with fresh, ripe tomato halves; olives stuffed with anchovies and garlic and then gently pan-fried; tender pieces of pork bathed in a marinade of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, cumin and smoked paprika; and nutty Manchego cheese, membrillo and/or pasta de guayaba with fresh mint leaves (what I like to call M y M y M).

M y M y M

But in August, when it's really hot in central Texas, I love cold Spanish soup. Gazpacho? Sure, but I love Sopa de Ajo Blanco even more. Creamy and rich from extra-virgin olive oil and almonds, this soup relies on the simplest of ingredients and gets its impact from fresh garlic and sherry vinegar.

Traditionally served with green grapes, my version of this soup is elevated and modernized with a rustic salsa of fresh green grapes, scallions, watercress, toasted garlic and toasted almonds. Fresh, authentic Spanish flavors meld into a delightful afternoon pick-me-up or an elegant appetizer for guests. It doesn't hurt that it's beautiful to look at as well.

Serve this soup in an elegant parfait glasses or rocks glasses, or even mugs with the grape salsa alongside. It pairs beautifully with a budget-friendly Torrontes such as La Vuelta, or for a really elegant glass of wine, Alta Vista Torrontes Premium. Ask your local Wine Guy at Spec's to help you find a great wine to enjoy for more hot-weather sipping.

White Garlic Soup (Sopa de Ajo Blanco)

Chill this soup well and garnish with smoked paprika if you wish. An anchovy garnish is authentic and tasty.

1/2 cup blanched, peeled almonds or slivered almonds
3-4 slices stale bread from a baguette or other rustic loaf
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 cups water
5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 Tbs. sherry vinegar (or to taste)
1 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
smoked paprika to garnish, if desired
anchovy fillets to garnish, if desired

1.) Trim crusts from bread slices and place in a bowl with 1-2 cups cold water.

2.) Meanwhile, place garlic and almonds into a food processor or blender. Blend on pulse until smooth.

3.) Remove bread from water with slotted spoon and squeeze out excess water.

4.) Add bread and 1 tsp. salt to processor or blender; pulse to blend.

5.) With motor running, slowly drizzle olive oil, then vinegar, and finally the water into the work bowl.

6.) Taste and adjust for salt, vinegar and oil.

7.) Strain through a sieve into a container or bowl (I use a large plastic pitcher with a tight-fitting lid), pressing as much as possible through the sieve.
8.) Chill at least 2-3 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve in chilled bowls or glasses, garnishing as desired with smoked paprika and/or anchovies. Serves 4 to 12, depending on the course.

Green Grape Salsa

It's traditional to serve fresh green grapes alongside Sopa de Ajo Blanco, but I think this salsa is lovely, either eaten along with, or added to the soup.

2 cups green grapes, washed well and chopped with a very sharp knife
2 scallions, sliced thinly
2 Tbs. chopped watercress
1/2 tsp. dried minced garlic (such as Penzey's), toasted carefully in a dry skillet until golden
a drizzle of local honey
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt, to taste
2 Tbs. marcona almonds, chopped and toasted in a dry skillet (or use sliced almonds, toasted the same way)

Combine grapes, scallions, water all ingredients except marcona almonds and chill briefly. Portion out in small servings to be eaten alongside the above soup recipe. Garnish portions evenly with chopped or sliced almonds just before serving. Makes about 1 3/4 cups.

Apparently, I've been doing it all wrong

2013-08-27T14:17:00.001-05:00

This week, we heard an audio clip on NPR's Morning Edition, a belated birthday message from Julia Child, who shared with us that she liked giving her chickens a good wash before cooking them because she thought it was safer. My grandmother and entire female lineage thought it was safer. I thought it was safer too.

Image credit: Ollie Bright Art

My friend Susie Q, thought it was safer to wash and in addition, would completely disinfect her kitchen with the appropriate sprays and gloves while wearing a Tyvek suit. OK, I'm stretching it a little here, but you get the picture. She hated germs, especially icky chicken germs.

But we've been doing it all wrong, says Drexel University food safety researcher Jennifer Quinlan, agreeing with other food safety experts who say that washing increases the chances that you'll spread the foodborne pathogens that are on your bird all over the rest of your kitchen too. Some studies suggest that bacteria can fly up to 3 feet away from where your meat is rinsed, even though you can't necessarily see it (Source: NPR's The Salt, "Julia Child Was Wrong). This, sadly, reminds me of the wisdom of placing your toothbrush far enough away from the commode to avoid, er, contamination from flying germs.

So, could the instructions about not washing your chicken be correct? Let me ask you this: how far is your toothbrush from the commode?

I've waffled on the issue of wash/don't wash chicken for a while, trying to get a leg up on my compulsion to make everything clean and to have enough pluck to balance common sense with science. If I could just stuff my neuroses and make a decision, everything else would be gravy. But my conclusion remains thin-skinned, about as firm as a boneless chicken breast and has about as much weight as a dumpling. Thinking about it too much just makes me feel fried, and more than once, I've realized the wrong decision about washing my chicken could land me in the soup.

So, next time I'm all in a stew about whether to wash my chicken or not, I think I'll just wing it. Thank heavens I've still got a little backbone.

And maybe one day, I'll see you in the ER.

Coconut milk and confessions

2013-08-09T14:34:00.001-05:00

I can't tell you how I came to love coconut milk; I can only tell you how much I love it in everything I can possibly cook with it. Coconut panna cotta with lime curd was my most recent incarnation when I found this fabulous recipe from Food52. I subbed butter for the oil in the lime curd portion of the recipe because I wanted a depth and softness that oil wouldn't bring.

I have a confession: the results stunned me, and I'm not easily stunned. The combination of creamy coconut and tangy lime curd is a lively counterpoint of flavors. And yes, it really does look like Jell-O 1-2-3. Accompanied by a flute of good-quality prosecco, this panna cotta is a charmer.

Another confession: being a ~~semi-~~hoarder, I always have at least 6 cans of coconut milk in my pantry. I have no brand loyalty, I just buy it whenever I get the urge. I'm especially susceptible to large displays of coconut milk in Asian grocery stores. And I suppose that makes confession number 3.

One of the brands I often buy. Photo credit: Google Images

Why do I love coconut milk so much? It's silky, creamy and enriches everything it touches. Its flavor profile swings both ways. No, you degenerates, not in a Masters and Johnson way, in a sweet-savory way. Coconut milk is wonderful in soups, curries, sauces, baked goods, desserts, ice cream, drinks, smoothies and all manner of things. It's a great substitute for dairy ingredients like milk and cream, and its slightly nutty, mild flavor and rich texture give body and substance to finished dishes. It's a staple among those who prefer vegan and Paleo eating plans and a long-time staple among Asian cultures.

The benefits of using coconut milk are several; find them here; and find more than you probably need to know about your new crush here. Although there are some drawbacks to consuming large quantities of canned coconut milk (or canned anything), I reached the conclusion long ago that there are drawbacks to eating and drinking just about everything anymore and that a person could drive themselves insane thinking about it too much. Trust me, I've been there and back. I've also concluded that there are just as many drawbacks to breathing. Yet another confession: I secretly really like breathing, as well as the eating and drinking that comes along with it.

If memory serves, there was an episode of The Galloping Gourmet years ago I watched in which Graham Kerr said something like this: "Everyone dies of something. I want to die of lemon-butter sauce." Likewise, I want to die of coconut milk.

Want some more ideas for how foodies like to use coconut milk? I asked my fellow food bloggers to send me some of their favorite recipes and since they're a lively, gregarious and cooperative group, they immediately complied.

Here's the list, sweet and savory:

From Allison Stevens of Prep Dish: Raspberry-Pineapple Popsicles

From Jane Ko of A Taste of KoKo: Vanilla Coconut Panna Cotta

From Jessica Alberthal of Bake Me Away: Spicy Purple and Sweet Potato Gratin with Coconut Milk

From Emily Teachout of A Time to Kale: Coconut Milk + Quinoa = Winner

From Maggie Perkins of From Maggie's Farm: Lemon-Scented Coconut Milk Panna Cotta

May your tastebuds dance!

What mojo is made of

2013-07-30T20:50:00.001-05:00

Once in a while, a recipe comes along that makes you believe that there is nothing wrong in the world, and that, more importantly, you've still got your mojo. And when you're knocking on the door of your Double-Nickle Birthday (isn't that a cute way of referring to being almost 55? Thank you, Thea!), you need all the mojo you can get. Especially when hitting the Double-Nickle means carrying an extra 35 pounds. That's Mojo with a capital M.

Her Mojo-ness came home last Friday from the local HEB with a large portion of salmon. And feeling rather uninspired (about which I have recently ~~wined~~ whined), I decided not to think about how to prepare it until much later in the evening. And by much later, I mean after several glasses of wine, and about fifteen minutes until it was almost time for dinner.

This is how I maintain my Mojo-ness: plenty of mystique and plenty of grape juice.

In an effort to avoid thinking about cooking dinner (and as an excuse to drink more wine), I scanned through my email inbox. And there, like mojo from heaven, was an email from Snooth, with a passel of ideas about how to cook salmon. Even though several looked delicious, I chose the recipe for which I had most of the ingredients.

This is what Mojo-ness is made of: making what you've got work.

The original recipe called for oil-cured olives. Since I go through these beauties quite frequently, I had none in the house. I subbed canned pitted black olives and capers to approximate the salt content. I think you could easily sub sliced kalmata olives, but know that these substitutions don't approximate the texture and unctuousness of oil-cured olives.

I used small yellow, orange and red tomatoes instead of the plum tomatoes called for, and I think that visually, that choice made the fish a stunning centerpiece. The tomatoes were also very sweet, which was a delightful counterpoint to the saltiness of the capers and olives.

I would like to make this recipe again very soon, to add diced fennel to the tomato/caper/olive mixture, and to try it on halibut or another dense, oily fish. I also baked the salmon, instead of grilling as the original recipe suggested. I think you can omit the saffron if you have none in your pantry, but it did add a subtle depth that made this main dish sophisticated, beautiful and elegant.

We enjoyed this salmon with a lovely, slightly fruity pinot noir, McMannis Pinot Noir 2011 (CA). This lively red is an interplay of red fruit, predominantly berries, vanilla and oak spice. Tasty and nicely balanced, this wine is a real bargain for just under $10.

Salmon al Cartoccio (Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking)

Seriously. Yum.

1 cup mixed small tomatoes (red, yellow, orange, green zebra--make it colorful), halved
1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black oil-cured olives (20 to 25 olives), or substitute 1/2 cup sliced canned pitted black olives and 1 Tbs. drained non-pareil capers
1/2 cup finely diced fresh fennel (optional)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. minced fresh garlic (3 to 4 medium cloves)
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch saffron (15 to 20 threads)
Freshly ground black pepper
Four 6-oz. center-cut, skin-on salmon fillets (or substitute halibut)
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1.) Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2.) In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, capers, optional fennel, olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt, saffron, and pepper to taste.
3.) Set one piece of salmon, skin-side down, on a 12x18-inch piece of heavy-duty foil; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon a quarter of the tomato mixture over the fish and seal tightly. Repeat to make four packets.
4.) Place foil packets on a large baking sheet and place on bottom rack of oven.
5.) Roast for approximately 20 minutes, or until fish is opaque throughout, about 8 minutes (open a packet and cut into the fish to check).
6.) Let fish rest for a few minutes before serving and garnish with chopped parsley. Serves four.

Blues for breakfast

2013-07-23T15:06:00.001-05:00

It should not be OK to complain on a food blog about how tired you are, how busy you are, how uninspired you have been, or how much you just REALLY NEED A VACATION.

But I just did complain. And I still do need a vacation.

And while I'm waiting, waiting, waiting for all of the tiredness, busy-ness and lack of inspiration to go away (hopefully in the form of a vacation), along comes this recipe for Blueberry-Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry-Orange Sauce:

The original recipe came from Texas Co-op Power Magazine, a monthly production of my electric cooperative. I have to stop right here and put in a plug for my great electric utility cooperative, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, one of the oldest electric cooperatives in the state of Texas. I also want to thank Texas Electric Cooperatives for producing several regional editions of their great magazine. I look forward to reading it from cover to cover every month, and aside from well-written articles about Texas history and great local interest articles, by the looks of every issue, it's evident that people in Texas like to cook, and that they love to share their recipes with Texas Co-op Power Magazine. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Texas Co-op Power, for bringing me great recipes all year long!

When I saw the recipe for stuffed French toast in the June 2013 edition, not only did it immediately visually appeal to me, I knew by the ingredient list that I had to eat it soon. So, at a recent brunch, I served up my own version of the original recipe. And I remembered to take pictures.

But wouldn't you know it, the picture that I liked the best didn't show how the stuffing oozes out of the French bread. That's mostly because the amateur photographer who also thinks she's a food stylist thought about all of that after the fact. However, look at how beautifully golden and vivid that plate of food looks? Doesn't it look good? Moist, custardy and creamy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, this French toast delivers looks, class and great taste, all on one plate.

You would think that the blueberry-orange sauce would be sweet, but it's balanced nicely with the tartness from the fresh oranges and the orange juice, and it's made sophisticated by a healthy glug of Grand Marnier. The filling is rich with cream cheese and orange zest and bursting with blueberries. Even better, you can prep this recipe the night before since that makes the bread extra-custardy. Bake the next morning, reheat the orange-blueberry sauce, adding the optional Grand Marnier and viola!

Blueberry-Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry-Orange Sauce

I've adapted the original recipe and made it bit richer and more sophisticated. It's become a keeper in my kitchen. If you're making this recipe ahead, follow steps 2 through 8, preheating your oven just before you are ready to bake and serve.

6 eggs
2 tsp. grated orange zest, divided
2/3 cup orange juice
3 Tbs. sugar, divided
Pinch salt, optional
8 oz. neufchatel or cream cheese, at room temperature
2-3 Tbs. milk or cream
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed and drained, if frozen)
1 large loaf Italian or French bread, cut into 8 thick slices
1/3 cup sliced almonds

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
2.) In a medium bowl beat eggs, 1 tsp. orange zest and orange juice, 2 Tbs. sugar and the salt until well blended.
3.) Pour into a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan and set aside.
4.) In a small bowl, combine the neufchatel, cream, orange zest and remaining sugar, mixing well.
5.) Stir in the blueberries gently until well-coated.
6. ) With the tip of a sharp serrated knife, such as a steak knife, cut through the middle of each slice of bread, from the top down, until about 1 inch from the bottom crust. You should have a "butterfly" or a "book."
7.) Fill butterflies with the blueberry mixture, dividing evenly.
8.) Place filled slices into the egg mixture. Let stand, turning once, until egg mixture is absorbed, about 1-2 minutes on each side. The drier the bread, the longer it should sit in the egg mixture, up to overnight.
9.) Arrange bread on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with almonds.
10.) Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, turning slices after 10 minutes. Serve with Blueberry Orange Sauce (recipe follows). Serves 4.

Blueberry Orange Sauce with Grand Marnier

You can make this sauce the day before and chill it until ready to heat and serve. If you're using the Grand Marnier, just make sure you add it after you reheat.

3 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt, optional
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup orange sections (about 2 oranges)
1/4 cup Grand Marnier (optional)

1.) In a cup combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
2.) In a small saucepan bring orange juice and 1/4 cup of water to a boil.
3.) Add blueberries and orange sections and return to a boil.
4.) Cook until liquid is released from fruit, about 2 minutes, then stir in sugar mixture.
5.) Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
6.) Remove from heat, stir in Grand Marnier, and serve. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.