texavi's Profile
Repurposing cooked broccoli - this is a challenge!
Pulse down some breadcrumbs, chop broccoli mixture down to smaller pieces and heat in skillet until breadcrumbs are toasted. Mix with goat cheese and then stuff a pork loin, chicken breast or large piece of beef with mixture. Could add cut up olives (for salty) or orange zest/segments/golden raisins (for sweet).
Skillet Diner?
I saw this recently in the Capitol Hill Blog.
http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2011/03/09/first-look-born-on-the-street-skillet-diner-taking-shape-at-14th-and-union
Can't wait for a brick and mortar store.
- Xavier
Looking for a plastic baby for King Cake
So I am making a King Cake this weekend and I wanted to know where I could buy a plastic baby to put in the cake. I know you can use a bean but I figure if anyone would know where to locate this item you all would.
Restaurant Week Raves
I decided to go to Barolo for lunch and Nell’s for dinner.
Barolo, I had the salad with parmigiano and my partner had the mushroom soup. Both were good but nothing earth shattering. Mains were spaghetti with calamari and lamb shank with polenta. The spaghetti was definitely the winner. The calamari was perfectly cooked and the pasta al dente. The lamb was good but a very small portion. The highlight was the desserts. The chocolate tortino was small but had an incredibly decadent chocolate taste and the berry pannacotta I wanted to lick the bowl, smooth and creamy with a beautiful gelee on top.
Nell’s was fantastic. It was definitely a steal for the money. The bread basket was wonderful with a variety of great breads from sweet to savory. The appetizer of warm potato and goat cheese terrine was out of this world and the hubbard squash soup creamy with a hint of spice. I will dream of that terrine. The marlin was a huge portion with nutty roasted cauliflower and warm spinach and fig salad. They had run out of the confit duck but replaced it with nice pork loin with brussel sprouts, parsnip puree and a berry sauce. The desserts were good. My partner loved the chocolate and pistachio brownie with coconut ice cream and the apple tarte tatin was good but a little chewy though the rum raisin ice cream was delicious. Overall I was extremely satisfied with the meal and I would have never known that this was the discounted menu from the portions and the service. Definitely a winner.
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Barolo
1940 Westlake Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101
Restaurant Week Raves
Curious what restaurants people are enjoying so far. New to Seattle and looking to explore the Seattle food scene since the price seems right.
Greek Food Festival in Seattle This Weekend
Wow sounds great. I will have a hard choice between this and the Italian Festival at Seattle Center. Maybe Greece one day and Italy the next.
Seattle Dogs
For lunch I grabbed a bite at the local hot dog stand. When asked for condiments I went with my go to of onions and then added cream cheese. The vendor called it a Seattle Dog. I had never heard this before and was wondering where it came from.
Drinks in Belltown?
Not sure if this works but I had a nice time last week at the Local Vine. Very attentive and knowledgeable bar staff. More geared to wine but we had some fervent beer drinkers in our party who were quite happy with their beer selection as well. Drinks were pricey but the atmosphere was great.
Favorite local dishes in KY
So being a foodie and being in stationed in South Central Kentucky for the last 6 months, I thought I would share some of my favorite local food items in KY.
5. Baked Cabbage Wedges - I usually get them from the Smoke Pit outside Campbellsville, but they are offered at quite a few places around here. I kind of feel like this is campfire food, but there is something incredible about the simpleness of wrapping a cabbage wedge in tinfoil with butter, salt and pepper. These things just make me happy.
4. Chocolate Gravy - This breakfast item is usually served with biscuits. I get mine at Betty's OK Country Kitchen in Columbia, KY. There is nothing like slathering this mixture which slightly resembles a loose chocolate pudding on biscuits. It is a great condiment which adds just the right amount of sweetness to the beginning of my day.
3. Chili Buns - Okay this might seem a bit easy. These are like chili dogs without the dog, but I think there is an art to getting your toppings right and you never seem to miss the dog. People around here love them. You can find some great ones at Weaver's In London, KY. I have grown to really enjoy them.
2. Hot Banana Pudding - Okay, I am a huge banana pudding fan. When I first saw this I thought someone had forgotten to refrigerate the tray and put this out too early, but then I tasted this and I fell in love. I usually get this at Big Jim's Bar and Grill in Lebanon, KY.
1. Country Ham - A local specialty which you definitely should not pass up. The first time I went shopping, I loved seeing these hams hanging in the local supermarket. My favorite is Scott Hams but you can find many different brands and they all seem good. Experimenting with your glazes and dips is also fun. They can incorporate everything from ham drippings, bacon grease, root beer, coffee, or seven-up. It sounds crazy but the depth of flavor makes these ham my top pick for favorite local foodstuff.
Let me know what you love about Kentucky food.
Looking for raclette cheese in Ann Arbor
I used to buy my raclette at Trader Joe's in Boston but the Trader Joe's in Ann Arbor does not carry this great cheese. I want to have a raclette party and was curious if folks knew of source in Ann Arbor. Thanks for your help.
Spherical Olives
The recipe for Fabio's dish is on bravotv.com in the Wong Way to Cook Videos http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/season/5/wong_way_to_cook/index.php?id=840801#selected.
Have fun.
Fri/Sat SF, Sun-Thu Sonoma
Okay, I really like to go to A16 when I am in the Golden Gate area. It is not right next to the park but an easy drive, ride to the restaurant. I went there recently and had the most amazing meal.
Also, on Sunday there is going to be a Tasting at COPIA from 1-4 in honor of the late Robert Mondavi. They are expecting over 30 wineries and will have some food. It is pricey but might be a good way to try out a few places at one time.
http://www.copia.org/content/napa
DAT Dining for someone new in town
Just moved to the Bay Area and was looking for suggestions for DAT from the board. I can't seem to find Rubicon on the list which seemed to be a past favorite and would love to hear about people's suggestions, especially for new comers to the DAT options.
In Boston, we had a similiar event and I loved checking out some of the best restaurants in the city from Radius to 10 Park. Hope to do the same here.
Thank you for your help.
Winelands Tour
Probably not this one. A few of the wineries are close by though. I would probably do Backsburg, Le Bonheur, and Vrede en Lust. Then add a few other wineries. There are some great guides out there. Have fun.
Winelands Tour
Just returned from a fabulous time in the Winelands outside of Cape Town.
We started the day out at Zevenwacht. The trip included a winery tour and cheese as well as wine tasting. I have to say all the wines were great with the Tin Mine White and the Syrah standing out. The Tin Mine White is a mixture of Viogner and Chardonnay which brings out citrus and stone fruit flavors. The Syrah is smooth and had flavors of chocolate and cherries and seemed like the perfect winter wine. The cheese were good. All cheddar, with my friend and I liking the 9 month aged cheddar the best.
We then went to Le Bonheur, which which is the most magical place. We were the only ones there and the setting was in the traditional Dutch style, the building dating back to the 1700's. The two standouts for me were the Prima and the Chardonnay. The Prima is blend of Merlot and Cabernet. Very luscious. The Chardonnay felt like a perfume, lemon, vanilla, and clove but is was still delicate and wonderful. The Cab was also very good but strong and would be great mellowed for a few years.
Next was Backsberg which seems to be a local favorite. The wines were all very complex and unusual. I love the crisp Viogner, and the Klein Babylonstoren which has also been recognized by vinters and the critcs as well with past vintages being awared the vinter's Diamond and the most recent vintage getting the double gold.
We stopped for lunch at Backsberg and had delight meal of Lamb on the spit, potatoes, au gratin vegetables, salad, roasted vegetables. The lamb could have been better but overall a great meal outside in the wine country. We stopped of to the Tomes Chocolate store for few chocolates for dessert. The ginger-chili dark chocolate truffle was outstanding.
We then went to Anthonij Rupert's L'Ormarins. This is not the same winery as the Rupert-Rothschild but the wines were still wonderful. The Protea White was very clean and crisp and th Chardonnay nicely rounded but not overpowering. The sangiovese from the label Terra del Capo, felt like a full Itlalian meal with hints of cherries and a nice earthiness. The Arne is a mixture of merlot and sangiovese which is extremely unusual but turns out wonderfully. Like smoother more complex version of the sangiovese.
Finally, we ended up at Vrede en Lust which has an exceptional restaurant, cheese shop - Cotage Fromage, and winery. The pace here was very frenetic as seemed to be the place to be and be seen being. The cheese shop had just opened and we had some of the best cheese I have had in a long time. The wines were also excpetional. The Karien, their Chenin Blanc was crips and fruity with a touch of sweetness and the Shiraz though supposedly made for a woman's palate, I found extremely refreshing. Susan Wessel was named Woman Winemaker of the Year and from her wines you can see why.
The only other place I want to recommend is Camberley. This small winery is making some of the best wines in South Africa and there Charisma and Philosopher's Stone are sold out until this summer. If you end up in SA for wine tasting I would highly recommend it. Overall a great time.
Johannesburg, South Africa eats?
I have been in Johannesburg for work for the last two weeks and the best places that I have eaten have been in Soweto. I would advise going as part of tour package but these places often come up as options for lunch or dinner when exploring Soweto's history. They are considered shebeens which are local, informal hangouts. I feel these are a little more touristy than your average shebeen but that does not affect the food.
Fanny's Place, 294 Ramolongwana Street, Zone 8, Meadowlands
Proprietor Fanny Mokoena is the first black woman to be inaugurated as a member of the ‘Brandy Guild’ by the South African Brandy Foundation. She has brought together women in the liquor trade and formed forums. She is also a key founder of the historic Soweto Shebeen Route. African and western food is served.
Wandie's Place
618 Makhalemele Street, Dube Village, 011 982 2796
Buffet style food with more meat than you could shake a stick at including lamb, beef, chicken, and ribs. Sides include pap, sweet potato, and pigeon peas. Seating is family style and you will often be sharing your table with other locals. Visitors are encouraged to leave the business card on the wall and you will hundreds of them acting as testament to the popularity of this restaurant.
I am living in Sandton and while the food around is great, it is nothing that you could not get any other place in the world.
The one exception I would make is the Butcher Shop in Nelson Mandela Square. The place is exceptional. The wine list amazing, and you can actually work with the butcher to carve out the piece and size of meat that you want. They have a variety of sauces, sides, and desserts. There is also a cigar bar for those of you who want to end the night in style.
The only other stand out is Col'Cacchio Pizzeria in Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre on the corner of Benmore Road & Grayston Drive. Great pizza, pasta, and salads. If you have kids in tow a wonderful place to go.
A unique dilemma–Work dinner on Valentine’s
I am looking for a place for 6 co-workers and I to get dinner on Valentine's Day. We are pretty low maintenance though we want to try to avoid national chains. Since we are from the Northeast we wanted to explore the great food Austin is known for but avoid the crowds celebrating Valentines Day. I was thinking Mexican or BBQ something like Guero's, Artz, or Rudy's. Do people think these places will be crazy on Valentine's Day and what would folks recommend?
- Xavier
Wanted: Great carnitas
As someone who has grown up in Texas and Mexico, I usually can't find a substitute for the food I grew up with. I have found a few recipes that have gotten me through these cravings and this is one that works for carnitas with pretty good results. It doesn't have a lot of the cripsy outer shell which I believe slow cooking them in lard would provide but it comes pretty close and the recipe makes a fair amount which I freeze and use for tacos when I get a hankering. Enjoy.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/108049
- Xavier
Christmas Brunch.....best recipes list.....bring 'em on!
One of my all time favorites is this recipe from gourmet for sweet and spicy bacon. I find it is exceptional and people love it. Plus baking bacon is incredibly easy. Also, I line the pan with foil which makes clean up a breeze. Just make sure to watch it carefully as nothing burns as fast as bacon.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/235779
Is it too early to think about my turkey?
The Slow Food Society has a listing of heritage turkey farms around the US. I find the price to be a little high but the taste is completely unlike the birds you find at local stores. I don't see MA in the listings but there are farms in VT and ME also there are a few mail order services available if you scroll all the way to the bottom. Good Luck.
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark/turkeys.html
