Another reason to heart the pig. A foolproof flaky crust.

Just as brining is a virtually foolproof path to a perfect moist bird every time, lard is a virtually foolproof way to a flaky tender pie crust everytime.  Don't fear it.  Unless you eat pie everyday.

Then again a lard crust could have you wanting pie everyday.  

I am SO ready for Thanksgiving.

An auction not to be missed.

The Slow Food Online Auction. I wouldn't mind Charlie Palmer's Copper Pan for Christmas. I'm just sayin.

May your days be merry and MOIST

It pains me to say, the fact that much of it is based on truth, all over the internet I see repeated remarks about dry turkey. Families that don't even MAKE /EAT turkey because it's referred to as dry.  So on the table is a ham. Really that's blasphemous to see on a Thanksgiving table to me but if your turkey is in fact that dry I understand. 

Take heart though, tradition can still live and not choke you. There is a magic (ok, it's science) panacea for this big poultry ailment: BRINE.  I always brine chicken for client events to ensure a juicy tender breast. It's virtually impossible to get dry meat out of a brined bird.  It's a great way also to infuse some real flavor into the meat vs. only getting it from the dressing and gravy (don't bother basting it's a waste of time).  Now, I am a purist on a holiday. I don't care for cowboy antics with the spice garden anywhere near my holiday bird.  Sage is the only thing coming near my bird. You keep your cloves/cayenne pepper/oranges/beer/bourbon/cajun  (Ok, you are kidding me with that?)/misc flavor injections.  I think all that is to disguise dryness. If meat is juicy and tender it doesn't need anything perfuming it. 

Before you go buy that honeybaked ham google around for a brine recipe and dunk your bird for a few hours before cooking (that's the tricky part but you can email me for tips) and delight everyone at the table with a juicy tender turkey  -  and NO LEFTOVERS!

Pork is the most revered product in the culinary world. Iberian Pig- a review

I had the great pleasure of dining at the newly opened Iberian Pig in Decatur last night. Daily candy readers may have noticed their feature a few weeks ago (see below). I had it bookmarked in my brain almost instantly as I read through the enticing menu.

Located in the row of restaurants alongside the Decatur Marta station. You never know where greatness is lurking but I found it here. upon entering it feels warm and inviting. Fine dining elegant without all the pretense. Warm welcoming staff seated us quickly (no reservation but I would suggest one on a weekend).

Choosing menu items was a challenge. We wanted one of everything! We placed orders for cheeses, serrano ham, sausages, etc. Salads (flavorful and interesting) came out. One incredible bite after another! My cheese and ham tray had an absolutely exquisite espresso aioli. It was so light and luscious! My fellow diners requested more bread to sop up what I didn't use.

The attentive waiter offered us a special fillet that we could not resist. Perfectly cooked and generously portioned. Spicy cinnamony churros with chocolate for dessert. Delicious!

Iberian pig is pure hog heaven.

daily candy feature link

What to do with a red kuri

I am a big fan of all the gourds. Incredibly versatile and nutritious. I have fond memories of childhood when mom roasted acorn squash then twice baked it adding butter and cinnamon before hitting it with the broiler.  Not exactly what you'd expect in a Miami home where it never gets quite cold enough to want comfort food but mom isn't a Florida native.  Growing up on a farm she knew all to well how to cook any fresh vegetable beautifully.

Hacking into some of these gourds is not for the meek.  It takes a strong knife and an even stronger arm. I tried my strong arm at a red kuri squash this week. It was a first for me. 

  

It peels easily enough with a vegetable peeler despite its pumpkin appearance.  I won't lie, it took some strong arming to get the knife through it.  If you work out for no other reason do it so you can be the master of your produce!  Once opened it has a deep soft cavity much like an acorn squash.  

red kuri interior

I gave it a taste raw to see if that would give anything away. Much like the nose of an old world wine I got nothing!   Into a roasting pan it went along with some traveling companions named kosher salt and olive oil.    I do not like to roast with black pepper as 1. it can burn and 2. if you're going to make a puree as I am here the pepper can make it look dirty. I used white pepper in the finish for vanity sake. That's just me.  

40 minutes later my kuri is tender and ready to be manipulated into a puree. The life of this squash will be spent in a risotto.   It has a very mild slightly sweet taste as all the gourds do.  This one is reminiscent of a chestnut flavor without the mealy texture.    

The mild flavor demanded some other flavors to bring it out. Into the risotto went thyme, nutmeg and yes, chopped green apple.  I even finished it with a touch of honey and parmeasan. It worked beautifully.

Melanzana

Along with my tomato aversion I also have one for eggplant. It's a texture thing. I find them bearable in other applications but not raw.  Today was my first effort at melanzana, an eggplant puree. A nice almost no calorie option to other starchy purees that may find their way onto your plate.

Roast the vegetable for an hour, face down on an olive oil coated baking sheet.

Then scoop it out and put it in the food processor with some roasted garlic and red wine vinegar. A couple of spoonsful of sour cream or yogurt.

puree to your desired consistency. If you want baby smooth use a food mill or mesh to push it through.

Pictured here with spicy seared chicken.

How this corn became a cake

I decided to use some of the sour cream like Cabot's greek yogurt in my cornbread. This yogurt is like no other I've tried. It's not watery like traditional yogurt yet not as dense and thick as greek style. It really does look and taste like sour cream with the added benefit of yogurt.  This recipe I came up with tastes more like a tender cake than a mealy cornbread. It's divine. Butter and honey are optional.

Stephanie's corn cake

3/4 c. corn meal

1 cup white flour

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c milk

1/4 c greek style yogurt (2% or full fat)

1 whole egg

1/4 c. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375. grease your cornbread pan or small casserole dish (8 inch or so). Blend all dry ingredients.   Stir in remaining ingredients until dry ingredients are moist. Do not overmix.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean.   Serve warm.  Not recommended as  a side dish as it is almost dessert like.

Joel Brasserie-a review

I won't even dance around the topic. French food is far and away my favorite. Nothing else comes close.  Unfortunately where I live there isn't much to be found unless one makes it at home.

Joel Brassiere is French but it has influences of other regions like Asia and the Medditeranean. This makes me sad. I absolutely abhor fusion cuisine. Once you start mixing up anything in life it loses the essence of what it was supposed to be. It's not my thing. I am a purist. Do one thing and do it incredibly well.  That said I did quite enjoy my experience at Joel.

It's a quite clean and elegant space but not a big restaurant by any means. Warm if not overly eager staff. (I am entirely unclear why the manager would give us his card).

Figs were taking some spotlight on the somewhat limited menu. That's always a good thing. I opted for the seared foie gras with mission figs. Delicious. Perhaps a bit much for a woman to eat all on her own but I enjoyed what I could finish.

For my entree I selected pork osso buco. Never have I seen such a pristine presentation of this dish. Compact tight braised shank over baby smooth potato puree. I do prefer a more rustic mash but this is not rustic food being served. Even the cream cooked grits came out in a copper pot. The concensus is that the grits were the best thing that graced the table. That is no small feat. Every morsel placed in front of us was superb but those grits are something else. One day I shall write and ode to all things creamy. 4 out of 5 forks for Joel.

http://joelbrasserie.com/

My week in food

Let the best rise to the top

I do so enjoy organic dairy products. They really taste better than non organic. I needed full fat yogurt to test a sauce to accompany the pistachio cake and opted to grab this cream on top stonyfield brand. To my delight upon opening it to drain,  I see that cream on top gem. In went a spoon and that spoon went into my mouth. There are no words. Get yourself some now. This isn’t you fooling yourself with some 70 calorie “light” yogurt full of sugar, gums and flavorings to make your body think it’s getting some fatty French bakery treat. This is real decadence. At the end of the day I refuse to feel guilt over natural fat. It’s the manufactured fat that is so bothersome. All  good things in moderation.

The Next Food Network Star

I have to give this woman props. The next food network star winner. Melissa D’Arabain.  What REALLY impresses me is the fact that the episode her fellow contestant rolled his at her, he was eliminated (for rolling his eyes at her) but that she proceeded to move on to win the whole show. In your face pal. She’s darling and I wish her all the best. Many of the winners never made it past their 6 episodes so time will tell what kind of star power she has.

Taking the spice out of the East

I've been toying around with the idea of a pistachio cake for a starter course on my menu. I tested out my initial idea a few days ago. Success!  Behold the pistachio fritter. It's a close relative of the falafel without all the seasoning a falafel has.  Using 100% nuts would make the fritter too high in calories so I cut it with traditional garbanzos. Crispy nutty and delicious. Especially with that cream on top yogurt full of lemon and italian parsley.

Making rugelach

Rugelach is a special cookie. It's not a drop or roll cookie full of eggs and sugar. Flour yes but equal parts butter and cream cheese with flour only to hold the dough together. It's become one of my favorites. buying it premade is a gamble so I play it safe and make it myself to ensure I am never disappointed.

After chilling the dough overnight assemble the goods:  Rolling pin, pastry cloth, flour, icing sugar, ground hazelnuts, dark cocoa powder and miniature chocolate chips.

Next let the games begin!

shape is important for the cutting process. ROUND.

Now to make it tasty, sprinkle first with sugar and a hint of cinnamon to develop layers of flavor. Yes you can do that with a cookie and not just savory food.

More flavor. Cocoa , ground nuts and mini chocolate chips

I recommend a pizza cutter. I don't eat pizza so baking is the only time I get to use my wheel.

Roll up each wedge into the rugelach shape forming delicate crescent like cookies.  Chill them for 30 minutes before baking.

Enjoy.

Fresh vs. Frito Lay?

Fresh vs. Frito Lay

I am not going to attack snack food companies in this entry. I am simply going to point out the absurdity of the fact that premade food (or convenience items as the case may be) cost less than fresh food. With this continuing to be the trend I don’t know how the obesity epidemic will ever end in this country.

With the demand for corn and oil down Frito Lay is increasing the bag size of some products without changing the price thus giving the consumer more value for their money. Note I said VALUE and not nutrition. I bought a gorgeous huge creamy perfect head of cauliflower a few days ago at my local mega mart for $2.99. On the endcap by the checkout lanes was a buy one get one free display of Doritos for $2.99. What is the consumer going to chose?

Fast forward 4 days later. I am shopping in Fresh Market. Granted, not the most budget friendly of stores but quality comes at a price doesn’t it? I am drawn to huge gorgeous ruby red grapefruit. They are $1.99 EACH. Next to it is a basket of no nutritional value white French loaf priced at $1.99 EACH. Mind you their snack aisle is only ¼ of a petite aisle vs. the full enormous aisle at the megamart. Fresh is right!

Will the recession make some people that opt for volume over health benefits heavier? I call it the recession diet. It’s not pretty.

Is the answer for the manufacturers to raise their prices to be prohibitive? That won’t ever happen because it’s a business. No business cares about your health. Sounds like the insurance companies doesn’t it? Your bottom line or theirs is the question.

Food for thought.

Major Food Chains and Packaging Companies Initiate Innovative Recycling Campaign in New York City

Does bacon really go with everything?

I've been a fan of Vosges boutique chocolates for many years. They've done a great job making their product unique in the vast sea of chocolatiers out there. I was even more thrilled when their truffles and bars became more readily available locally.

Fast forward to my recent tasting of Mo's Bacon Bar.



Honestly, I cannot decide if I like this creation. I am absolutely on the fence. There are an abundance of bacon bits in the bar. The fine salt is added for good measure. The texture is unexpected. It has all the great snap you expect from Vosges. The interesting flavor combination.

You weigh in...

Cellar 56 - a review

I had the pleasure of dining at Cellar 56 last night. You'll find it in buckhead on East Andrews. 56 East Andrews to be exact. It seems to be challenging to come up with original names with the millions of dining establishments in this country. Really who cares though?  A name is a name. It's what inside that counts.

For those of you on a budget-GO. With dozens of $3-5 options (both food and drink) it won't break your bank.

For those of you with no monetary limit-GO. With dozens of items that cost less than the price of valeting your Benz at the Ritz you can eat up and still feel as satisfied as if you ate at the Ritz.

When you walk in the door, at the bar you will see two vats of house made sangria in absinthe type dispensers. There really is no such thing as bad sangria. I didn't try it as I was so delighted with my darling of whites, Vouvray. This particular one is Domaine Pichot. It took me to my happy place. Vouvray is good like that. I thought I might have 2 or 3 short servings of different wines but in the heat of the south the only thing I could stomach upon arriving was chilled white. It's a mood thing. Isn't that always the case with alcohol?

We start barking our tapas orders to the attentive wait staff. Within what felt like seconds small plates of goodness were appearing. Some magical spicy sweet potato puree with two fried oysters on top was sat in front of me. I have not the words for this glorious orange puddle of goodness. It wasn't afraid to be spicy. The chef jazzed it up so it sings in the mouth. Then a buttery soft braised shortrib passed my lips. Heaven.

Next came a rather generous pot of traditional mussels with two dense grilled slices of bread. My only criticism about it was it needed a bit more flavor but otherwise everything was cooked well. Lastly, a perfectly grilled flatbread with duck confit, fig jam and blue cheese. Finger sticky licking goodness. I couldn't eat all this food.

I wanted dessert so I left some of it unfinished. I had my eye on a coconut pie. Then I had it on my fork. Chewy coconuty crust with creamy deliciousness in the center and whipped cream on top. Perfectly satisfying. Anything bigger would have been too much and believe me I can eat some dessert. I am going back.

Too much of the menu went unexplored. 7 out of 10 stars.

Size matters

Apparently sardines have a bad rap. It didn't come from me. What is there not to love about these little gems of the sea? I enjoyed them in a ghetto fabulous way as a kid (we never ate fast food or pizza so this was our fast food in the 70's-80's) growing up in Miami. That translates into Holsum white bread (the wonder bread of south Florida), helmann's mayo and sardines out of a can packed up with oily goodness. Have a nice day kid. I loved it. Oily, fishy deliciousness softened by flavorless white bread and creamy mayonnaise.

Now as an adult with a much more sophisticated palatte I enjoy the fresh little fish in a variety of ways. Read on here to reacquaint or even introduce yourself to these delights of the sea.

This might change your mind about sardines.