THERE WILL BE BLOOD Orange Martinis

I remember when I was in Italy 8 years ago (wow) enjoying breakfast when an American voice boomed out, "Do you have REGULAR orange juice?" Oh my goodness I wanted to punch them in the freakin' face. Io non sono Americana...errr...Ich bin ein Berliner?

There's nothing more beautiful than the marbling of an arancia rosa. Che bella. And when you squeeze that juicy goodness into a martini, it's like drinking in the sunset in Sorrento. Or 3rd Beach in Cape Town. Or Angkor Wat. Or...you get the point.

Apparently today is the most depressing day of the year, so make yourself a martini!

Here's how I make mine:

2 parts vodka (plain or mandarin)
1 part Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1 part fresh lime juice (please none of the bottle stuff)
1 part fresh blood orange juice

Shake vigorously with ice and serve in chilled martini glasses. Or not. Garnish with zest of orange.

Wish you could have a sip,
Foodsnob

Happy New Year!

I'm back in America...thank goodness. Although I'm an extremely adventurous food eater, I am so glad to be back in my own kitchen cooking my own food. Eating out for 6 weeks isn't as glamorous as it sounds.

Pictured here is an evening picnic I enjoyed in Siem Reap, Cambodia. We ate every single part of the chicken...intestines wrapped around livers on a stick with the heart and the egg. Mmmm...???

Happy new year to everyone! Many blogs to follow I hope :) I feel like 2008 is going to be a good year for food.

Foodsnob

Valrhona Cake

I made a cake from 71% Valrhona chocolate. It was labor intensive. Here are some pics.

Wish you could have a room temperature bite with some port,
Foodsnob

Soup for the Soul

What do you do with a turkey carcass, 5 lbs of carrots, and fresh herbs? Duh, turkey soup...The great thing about roasting the turkey is that half the work is done for you, so it's just up to you not to f&#% it up!

I start with sweating a mirepoix in some olive oil, then add the carcass and whatever turkey trimmings didn't make it into my belly (reserving some meat for the finished soup), turnips, parsnips, parsley, thyme, whole black peppercorns, a couple goldfish, my cat if I had one, and of course some fresh water. (BTW, for the record I do not like cats, even though I had a couple for 2 years but not by choice. No offense cat lovers.)

Then I boil rapidly for a few minutes and skim off the impurities (scum), lower the heat and simmer in my 7 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven until I forget it's on the stove and exclaim, "OH S$%#!!!!" But by then my stock is perfect.

Strain into my 4 quart All Clad stock pot, add fresh veggies, thyme leaves and torn turkey meat and I'm in business, 10 hours later. Now that's soup for the soul.

Wish you could have a sip,
Foodsnob

I'm thankful...

Some pics from the festivities...

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know I did!!!

Foodsnob

Blue and Blackberry Pie

So I'm hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year with the help of some family members and friends, but I'm making the turkey, stuffing, pie, and biscuits. Let's start with the pie...I know I have a picture of a berry pie here (because I had my berries in the freezer, of course), but I think I'm going to make the traditional deep dish apple pie. In my opinion it's all about the crust, and if you can't get the crust right you might as well just make an apple cobbler or fill a bucket with water and throw some apples in there for bobbing.

It's just like making biscuits, really, except your ingredients have to be F-CKING cold. Dice your butter and put in the freezer. Use a Cuisinart to coarsely chop the also frozen shortening and butter into the flour so as not to heat up the ingredients with your hands. Or if you don't own a Cuisinart use 2 knives or a pastry blender. And of course, when adding the ice water, DO NOT OVERMIX. Pulse, pulse, STOP. I promise you it'll come together, even though it may look like coarse sand.

In making this double crusted blueberry pie I added pulverized tapioca pearls to the blueberries to thicken the juices. It's nice because it doesn't add any noticeable flavor to the berries, like cornstarch or flour might. Try it and see, or use potato starch if you can find it!

Oh, and for my apple pie, just a little sugar, a couple pats of butter, a tiny bit of cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, allspice, lemon zest and juice and that's it. Let the apples speak for themselves, and let the crust do its thing.

Pics to follow on the big Day. Also, to brine or not to brine--that is the question...

Wish you could have a blueberry bite,
Foodsnob

Flied Lice

All right all right that's a little racist, but hey, everyone's a little bit racist sometimes... That's from one of my favorite musicals, Avenue Q, because it was named after me. Racist and egocentric. What more could you want?

You can make fried rice however your heart desires, from shrimp to pork to vegetarian to plain. The one thing I always do consistently, though, is how I cook the rice. If you go to a tepinyaki restaurant they usually cook the egg separately from the rice. What I like to do is stir the raw egg INTO the cooked rice. This way every grain stays fluffy, light and flavorful. With a searing hot wok I drizzle in a little canola oil then add my rice. Working quickly with a spatula, constantly work the rice until it is cooked, being mindful not to smash it against the wok. I like mine a little toasty. Sometimes I even add the canola oil into the rice with the egg. I also add Maggi sauce to the rice at this point to give it a little more flavor and color. You could use soy sauce as well.

I then cook all my vegetables separately from the rice so as not to make the rice soggy. Who likes soggy fried rice? Not the puppets from Avenue Q that's for sure...In Thailand they always serve fresh cucumbers on the side, so I've started doing that as well. They provide a cool, crunchy contrast to the dish. Finally, no chopsticks. Did you know that they use forks and spoons in Thailand?

Enjoy. Don't burn yourself, especially if you have a stove that goes up to 17,000 BTU like mine. I love it.

Wish you could have a bite,
Foodsnob

Oh Snap!!!

So I'm back from Iowa, where I made friends with the kind folks at the Twisted Chicken and McGregor Coffee Roasters--catering and crafty on the show we just wrapped. Among my favorite snacks were the snappy yet chewy ginger snap cookies Diana made us. Holy crap they're amazing...

Just because they're called "snaps" doesn't mean they should be rock hard, the way they usually come in those brown bags at the general store. You know, the general store on the corner that sells everything from leather cleaner to cowboy hats to eggs? Do you think the snap refers to a "snap of the tooth?" Regardless, these cookies are awesome and you should make them for all your friends until they turn into unfiltered molasses.

So here's the recipe.

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses (I use the unfiltered kind...dark and nasty baby)
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp salt (although I used a little more in one batch and it was DELICIOUS)

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add egg and molasses and beat well. Sift together dry ingredients and stir into the wet mixture. Refrigerate until chilled. Form 1 inch balls, roll in sugar, and flatten them out onto a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Thus begins the addiction.

Chewy, moist, delicious. It's like Christmas all year round. Enjoy!

Wish you could have a gingery soft bite,
Foodsnob

Oh Wisconsin!

Ah Wisconsin! Oooh Wisconsin Cheese!!!! Remember that jingle?

So I'm in McGregor, Iowa right now for a month and as quaint as it is, there's no major grocery store. So...we have to go across the border to Wisconsin to get our groceries, and when in Wisconsin...well, you know the rest.

I won't be blogging much, as I will be "working", but I will post pics from my iPhone, as I am doing now. They're not Foodsnob-worthy, but it's either that or nothing for all you loyal fans (i.e. Lillian and Sam, and sometimes Michelle).

I got some nice Wisconsin, Extra Sharp, 2-year Aged Cheddar...YUM.

Wish you could have a bite,
Foodsnob

Lunch: Halibut and Squash

When your fishmonger recommends the halibut, you get the halibut. When he tells you creepy jokes about women, graveyards and meatballs you listen. You do whatever it takes to make him happy because he is your best friend. And I mean it...I'd do anything for love, but I won't do THAT.

So for lunch earlier I made pan-seared halibut and sauteed squash with thyme. So simple. When the halibut is that fresh, or any fish for that matter, I like to season with just a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper. And of course to get that beautiful golden crust, DON'T TOUCH IT as it sizzles away (in a little olive oil and butter.) Bad touch, bad touch! A couple minutes per side and you've got yourself a healthy meal.

Hot and simple, sort of like myself...I kid, I kid...

Wish you could have a bite,
Foodsnob

Everyone say Mac 'N' Cheese!!

Those poor kids on Kid Nation...if only someone there knew how to cook, their pasta wouldn't be so mushy! Didn't they know the water should come to a rolling boil before you add the macaroni? Sehr traurig, ja.

I LOVE CHEESE. I love it almost as much as I love bacon, and you know I love bacon. I think the beauty of mac 'n' cheese is that you can put ANY cheese you want into your meal...it might not always work so nicely, but at least it's your own creation.

I make my mac 'n' cheese with penne pasta, cooked a minute under al dente, and then let it finish cooking in the oven. I find the ridges in the penne really hold the sauce nicely. Starting with a basic bechamel sauce (more on that later...should the milk be hot or cold you might ask?), I added grated fontina, gruyere, and white aged cheddar on this particular occassion because I could, or maybe that's what happened to be in my fridge. Oh, and I like to add a teensy dollop of whole grain and dijon mustards. Then a little bit of the pasta water to loosen up the cheese and we're cookin'! I find that toastin' Panko bread crumbs in butter before topping off the dish really adds a deeper golden crust, and I love me some crispy crust set against a creamy backdrop of cheesy goodness. I suppose you could add cream if you wanted, but why the extra calories? A little time in the oven and the house is sure smellin' good.

Mmm mmm mmm...A simple salad dressed with Morgenster cold extracted olive oil from the Stellenbosch region of South Africa and some balsamic fig vinegar from upstate California and you've got yourself a complete meal! Oh, and don't forget the vino. This time--an Amarone della Valpolicella.

Wish you could have a creamy but also crunchy bite,
Foodsnob

Pancakes

Apologies for being absent. I was up in Copperopolis. I kid thee not. There is a town about 2 hours east of San Francisco and it's called Copperopolis. No lie. Anyway, I was there for a whole week enjoying the 110 degree weather, the lake with the dead bodies in it, and being the only non-Caucasian person there.

Anyway, back to the topic of food--I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast recently and forgot how delicious blueberries are with maple syrup and pancakes. Usually I opt for strawberries, but thanks to all the frozen berries in my freezer, I was feeling a little blue that morning. A quick warming through of the frozen berries with some vanilla sugar and a touch of Canadian maple syrup and I was in business.

For the pancakes themselves, here is a recipe I've committed to memory for as long as I can remember...

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix together dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk to the yolks. Whip the whites until stiff but not dry. Mix dry ingredients with buttermilk mixture until just combined. Fold in the whites. It's OK if it's not fully combined. The less combined the more ethereal and fluffy your pancakes! Cook your pancakes in some butter. Mine usually end up being about only 3 inches in diameter. Cute and delicious.

Please don't buy that prepackaged pancake mix. If you LOVE pancakes, you can place all the dry ingredients in a tupperware and just shake before use, but none of that boxed stuff...I beg of you!

Wish you could have a bite,
Foodsnob

Blueberry Muffins for Breakfast

A benefit of having frozen berries at the ready is you can whip up muffins in a pinch. Seriously, though, muffins don't take long at all. So long as you tie yourself over with a banana and a glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice you'll be fine. An hour later you'll have your muffins and be late for your "job" or whatever it is you do.

What you CAN do, though, is prep the muffin mix the night before. Separate the wet from the dry, keep them in the fridge. When you wake up, preheat your oven and grease your muffin tins. Whatever recipe you may use, try substituting some sour cream as part of the liquid (whether it be milk, buttermilk, or yogurt.) There's nothing better. The key is, of course, need I say it???? Do NOT overmix. Stir with a chopstick if that helps. Barely moistened...I like to top my muffins with however I'm feeling that day. Crushed almonds, butter, brown sugar, a touch of flour?

Jump in the shower and by now your timer should just be going off, unless you're a water whore.

I think I ate four of these. Me not too smart.

Wish a bite you could have,
Foodsnob

PS By the way I totally burned my fingers with boiling blueberry juice as I was trying to take this pic.

Morning After

Biscuit Recipe SHHHHHH!!!! It's a secret!!!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 T f$*king cold butter, cubed
7/8 cup uber cold buttermilk
melted butter, cooled (for brushing tops, optional)

Preheat oven to 425. Whisk together dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or working quickly with your hands, cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. It's OK to leave some lumps. (When the heat hits the butter, it turns to steam and creates the fluffy layers.)

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the buttermilk until the mixture just comes together. Dump out onto a cold pastry stone (or whatever you might have) and GENTLY knead until light and gorgeous, no more than 6 turns. It's tempting, yes, but don't do it.

Gently roll to 3/4" and cut with 1 1/2" to 2" biscuit rounds that have been dusted in flour. Having a clean cut ensures a better rise in the dough.

Brush the tops with melted butter, or more buttermilk, and bake for 11-13 minutes until golden. Take pics, send to me, then serve immediately.

Go make those biscuits!
Foodsnob

Biscuits Biscuits Biscuits

Biscuits remind me of my homeland...the hot humid summers, mosquitoes galore, little Asian kids running barefoot. Sound like Vietnam? Think again. Think the American South. Think Virginia.

Do you think about fried chicken and biscuits when you think about the South? Do you even THINK about the South ever? Yes I am ashamed that Virginia was part of the Confederacy, but I forgive Mr. Robert E. Lee. It wasn't his fault. His momma probably convinced him to stay with her tasty Southern delights.

So, I freakin' LOVE biscuits. I love carbs in general. I made these to go with a chicken soup I'd made for lunch. I know there are tons of biscuit recipes out there, but what it really comes down to is technique. How many times do I have to say DO NOT OVERMIX? DO NOT OVERMIX. And, REALLY COLD ingredients. Scones and biscuits are in the same category. Rock hard = bad.

If you want my biscuit recipe which I've painstakingly developed over the years, I'll post it up for you :)

Go test out your biscuit hand!
Foodsnob

Berries for Breakfast

I think one of my favorite weekend breakfasts is challah french toast with a fresh berry compote. I get my challah from Canter's, always uncut...very un-Jewlike...oh, sorry, wrong blog. That way I can make my slices as thick as I like 'em to be. Mmm.

Anyway, if the berries are really sweet and fresh (which is such a rarity these days) I might opt for keeping them fresh sprinkled with some vanilla sugar and grated lemon zest. However, cooking them down a bit with some sugar and water usually results in a more palatable accompaniment to the toast. I even like to add maple syrup at the very end for that extra bit of sweetness.

It's really important to add your water and sugar at the beginning of cooking, as adding it later on will give you a gummy texture, and that's not delicious, is it?

Oh, and something else I like to do (there's ALWAYS something.) I buy a TON of berries at their peak season, freeze them on a flat tray so they don't stick to each other, then date and bag them. That way I have berries for months on end.

Add a little berry to your breakfast. Everybody's doing it!

Foodsnob

Chocolate Grand Marnier Cake

What do you do with 5 bars of Valrhona 71% chocolate? Hmm...I've got it!! Melt down 3 of them, add some eggs, Grand Marnier, a touch of flour (or cocoa if you're really hardcore), and bake it. With the other 2 bars, make a ganache for the icing on the cake.

I'm a huge fan of grand marnier, as you may know. The combination of orange and chocolate is divine. Try dipping orange zest (but not the pith, as that is bitter) in a chocolate ganache and make your own chocolate orange peels. I can't seem to shake this chocolate obsession. Oh well.

WARNING: This cake is not for the faint of heart. Perfect with raspberries, tea, coffee, or ice cream. If you'd like the recipe, please let me know and I'll post!

Wish you could have a bite,
Foodsnob

Why's it gotta be about black and white???

Sometimes it should just be about GREY (SALT.) Now grey salt is pretty damn spectacular. An unprocessed sea salt hailing from the Brittany coast of France, its slightly moist crystals deliver an oceanic punch straight to your mouth, which also means you don't need to use a lot.

The grey hue comes from all the minerals present in the salt, including magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, sulfur, copper, silicon, iodine, among others. I love finishing off salads, fish and meat with this stuff, and also cook with it. I love it in stocks and soups as well, adding it during the cooking process and then to finish it off.

And please, none of that table salt. At least go Kosher. You'll also start using less salt on your food.

Have a little salt tasting. You'll really notice the difference!!!

No matter how you spell it, it's great,
Foodsnob

PS It even says "flavorful" on the label. Now are you really going to challenge that?

Burrata How I Love Thee

Let me count the ways...

with gray salt, cracked pepper, extra virgin olive oil

melted on a hamburger with roasted tomato, rocket and crispy prosciutto

on crostini with roasted red bell peppers and basil

a la caprese

fresh heirloom tomatoes and torn basil

atop a bed of penne

with pancetta, rocket, and tomato on toasted ciabatta (BLT ish)

...

in my belly

PS To make crostini, cut a baguette on the bias, brush on olive oil, sprinkle with S&P and bake for 10 minutes at 400 F. Delicioso e semplice.