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Costa Rica Highlights

Monday August 15th 2011

I just returned from the most amazing week in Nosara, Costa Rica. I’ll whip up a full trip report once I download all my pictures, but I thought I would share my favorite Costa Rican discoveries with you in the meantime.

Numero Uno: The Casado

A casado (Spanish for “married man”) is a typical Costa Rican meal consisting of rice, black beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla, and an optional entrée that may include chicken, beef, pork or fish (I usually chose fish).

The term originated when restaurant customers asked to be treated as casados, since married men ate such meals at home. So I let myself be treated to the married man’s meal several times over the course of the week. Oh, the life.

Numero Dos: Lizano Salsa

This stuff is literally crack in a jar. Although the name is salsa, it’s nothing like your typical salsa – it’s not red, spicy or chip-dip-able, but I could literally throw it on everything. It’s actually slightly sweet, with a hint of cumin and black pepper.

I usually covered my casado with it, as well as everything else I was served. Including breakfast.

Numero Tres: Imperial Beer

After a day of yoga and surfing, all I wanted was an ice cold Imperial at the end of a hot day. It’s produced locally in Costa Rica, and it’s been around since 1924. So it’s definitely legit.

And since I wanted to support the local economy, I consumed a few of these each night. For the people of Costa Rica, of course.

Fried Frog Legs

Monday July 25th 2011

I didn’t technically make this recipe. Or even eat it.

But I was on vacation in LA all weekend so I needed to supplement the blog with guest posts. And luckily, my brother whipped up some fried frog legs – something I’ve never attempted to before.

Has anyone else ever made these? I’ve seen them at Central Market before, but I’ve never though twice about picking them up. They look a little intimidating in the package, but once fried they totally look edible to me.

The verdict from my brother? They were a little strange in that they were insanely tender and had the consistency of white fish, but tasted more or less like chicken. But not like KFC chicken.

So there you have it.

Fried Frog Legs

8 sets frog legs
1 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
1 quart buttermilk (to tenderize legs)
2 cups buttermilk, for dredging
1/2 cup hot sauce
1 cup corn flour
1/2 tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tbsp. sea salt
Vegetable oil, for frying

Preheat oil to 375 degrees F. Place frog legs in a mixing bowl and top with buttermilk. Allow to sit one hour at room temperature. Remove frog legs from buttermilk and begin dredging your frog legs. Start by putting a light coat of all-purpose flour on the frog legs. Mix buttermilk and hot sauce, then dip them into that mixture. Finally, cover them with corn flour and seasonings. Once the oil is up to temperature, carefully place the battered frog legs in the oil. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until they are golden brown. Place them on a paper towel and let the excess oil drain off. Serve hot.

Grilling in Disguise

Thursday June 23rd 2011

Have you ever needed to disguise you precious cooking tools? I remember when I was living in my first college apartment they had a ban on patio grills throughout campus (and rightfully so, most students would most definitely burn the place down). I had a great spread at Texas State University on the third floor of my complex with a balcony that overlooked the Texas hill country and drunken coeds- it was fantastic. In the summer time all we wanted to do was chill on the shaded patio and cook out. My roommates and I were always frustrated with the task of hauling out the grill, secretly grilling, then stashing the evidence so the apartment managers wouldn’t fine us. Well if only these grills would have been in production back then.

I stumbled upon these Black+Blum grills the other day and thought it would be the perfect patio addition for anyone with that same predicament- or anyone who just wants their outdoor cookery to blend in the the landscape.

These beautifully designed grills have the perfect disguise, with the terra cotta look and a planter on top. Plus if you grow herbs on the top like the rosemary pictured here- then you’re set and ready to season as you sear.

It’s a win-win.

Happy Grilling Season.

Ate My Way through Santa Fe

Thursday June 16th 2011

Last weekend Matt and I jetted off to the land of enchantment for a much needed long weekend getaway. Santa Fe is an excellent weekend trip for Dallas-ites. You can almost always catch a cheap flight, and after a quick 90 minutes in the air you’re transported to another world. I’ve never meet an unfriendly face in this desert city. The pace is much more quiet and laid back which forces folks like me to take a breath, slow down and just smell some roses, or smell the green chilli… both of which I did of course.

Santa Fe is a bona fide food nation. They put as much creativity and craft in to their art work as they do their food. We didn’t eat one meal, or sip on a single cocktail that wasn’t seriously outstanding. These are just a few of the highlights from my favorite meals, cocktails and shops around town.

The perfect margatita- found at our hotel bar Luminaria. They craft a perfect sweet-meets-heat margarita using serrano infused tequila, pomegranate, lime and agave nectar. It was the perfect way to start and/ or finish each day.

My Kind of Gift Shop- Oleaceae. When I walked up to this little olive oil boutique I swear I could hear angels singing as I stepped in to this little culinary dream-scape. Oleaceae carries dozens of the best quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars, and the best part is, they are all for the tasting. I sampled everything from Harissa Olive Oil, to Violet Balsamic Vinegar aged 12 years. They carry many other oddities that got my creative cooking wheels turning- like the giant Himalayan salt blocks. I’ve seen these used for plating presentation, but I had no idea you could actually cook on a salt block as well! The owner assured me I’ll never have anything better than what comes off these sizzling salt blocks. This place is going to be my go-to for gifts from now on.

Best Brunch- We wandered away from the main square in Santa Fe to find breakfast Saturday morning and stumbled upon the cutest tea-house off Canyon Rd. Named simply, The Tea House, this is definitely the local’s hangout. If you like chai tea you’ve got to try the Coyote Chai, smooth chocolatey with a kick of cayenne. We sat outside in the rock garden which is laden with fruit trees while we read over the paper and waited on our order. It was fun to eavesdrop on the conversations between the local artist and neighbors who congregate there; chatting about their latest artwork, gallery openings and travels. Then the bacon-egg stuffed burrito was sat before me and the mere sight of it rivaled any of the best breakfast burritos and tacos I’ve ever had! This massive tortilla was stuffed with scrambled eggs, tender new potatoes, crispy bacon and then spread with a hot chilli sauce that reminded me of my grandma’s red enchilada sauce. Seriously amazing!

A Dinner Date to Remember- El Farol. I visited this restaurant the last time I was in town and it was the meal we talked about all year. I was so excited to go back, and this second visit did not disappoint. This time my date and I bellied up to the bar and made a few new friends as I picked their brain on what their favorite bites were, and we all cheered the Dallas Mavericks on for their finals-winning game 6. Perhaps it was the ecstatic state we were in as we watched the Mavs demolish the Heat, or perhaps it was the many refreshing cocktails that Parker our bartender was pouring that led to the next moment, but the final dish that was plated before me nearly blew my socks clear off the bar! The paella at this place has to be some of the best this great nation has to offer, and one of the best dishes I have eaten in a long time!This paella at El Farol was PACKED full of deliciousness! It seemed as though there were as many sweet baby bay scallops packed in this dish as there were grains of perfectly saffron hinted rice. Then add in all the muscles, clams, tender buttery shrimp, chicken, and authentic Spanish chorizo! My mouth is literally watering again as I type. This dish alone was worth the trip to Santa Fe.

One of the best tips we picked up from the locals was to take the drive back to Albuquerque around the mountain on the Turquoise Trail, which is a beautiful scenic drive (see above), and it takes you through the funky town of Madrid.

There are so many more sips, bites, and stories I’d love to share but in the interest of blogging content I’ll cut it here. If you ever want my advice on where to stay or what to eat, please contact me I’d be happy to give more recos.

Artizone: Private Dinner at Bolsa

Sunday March 20th 2011

Just like everyone else in Dallas, we love Bolsa. The fresh, local ingredients, the patio, the mixed drinks made by handsomely mysterious man with a mustache – how can you go wrong? So when Artizone announced a private dinner at one of our favorite spots, we knew we had to partake. The four course menu, designed by Chef Graham Dodds, featured ingredients from all of our favorite Dallas artisans.

The wines flowed freely and the meal was served family style, resulting in a cozy vibe in an already-warm, but insanely cool atmosphere. Guests were greeted with large, family-style platters of Scardello Cheese paired with jellies from JJ&B Jellies Jams & Butters. I’m pretty sure I ate half the jar of the Fig & Walnut Jelly, while Angela swooned over the White Zinfandel Jelly.

Next up, field green salad from our favorite dallas farmer, Tom Spicer of Spicman’s FM 1410. Light and refreshing, topped with pepitas and huge heirloom tomatoes.

And for our main course, we enjoyed the Vongeertsem Butcher Shoppe show. Crisp, airline chicken topped with cilantro pesto, followed by tender beef fillets. And if that wasn’t enough food, a heaping bowl of creamy spinach risotto, furnished by Flavors from Afar, appeared next.

And last, but certainly not least, was the ultimate crowd-pleaser, the “PB&J” dessert. A giant, soft peanut butter cookie from Kessler Cookie Company topped with peanut butter panna cotta and blackberry jam from JJ&B. I thought I couldn’t eat another bite after our 3 dish main course, but I somehow managed to take down a whole sumptuous cookie dessert. It was the highlight of the evening for me.

Chefs For Farmers: Cafeteria Style

Saturday March 19th 2011

In retrospect, we should have worn overalls to this event. Or sweatpants. Or a maternity dress. Pretty much anything except what I wore, which was jeans that are on the tight side (because of the dryer, obviously).

But what a cool, unique event. It was the perfect blend of a traditional cafeteria setting mixed with extraordinarily talented chefs, which resulted in out-of-this-world comfort dishes. It definitely exceeded my expectations and beat out my old-school cafeteria lunch of square pizza with a side of corn.

The event was held at Highland Park Cafeteria, a Dallas institution, and a place that I grew up frequenting with my grandparents. That was back when I counted macaroni & cheese and mashed potatoes as vegetables. And I thrived on orange jello with whipped cream. Luckily, my taste buds have evolved (somewhat).

I’m not sure how many dishes were served, but I tried each and every one of them, and finished the ones that I couldn’t imagine leaving behind. As part of the event, guests were asked to vote on their favorite dish, and the chef would win $1000 courtesy of Artizone. It was a tough, tough competition, and we certainly had trouble picking just one dish.

Sarah’s favorite dish: Burnt ends, Brisket and Banana Pudding by Pecan Lodge Catering. Banana pudding is probably my biggest weakness, but I’m constantly searching for one that measure’s up to Magnolia Bakery’s version. This pudding hit a home run for me. I’m a little worried about the number of times I’ll be visiting Shed No.2 at the Farmer’s Market to get another taste of Pecan Lodge’s banana pudding heaven.

Angela’s favorite dish: Chicken Fried Steak served up by Maple and Motor’s Jack Perkins. For me it just doesn’t get much better than this kind of southern comfort food. This dish was fried to golden perfection and so tender I could cut it easily with my fork. Then paired with a delicious creamy gravy and mashed potatoes- I was in heaven. Like Sarah, I was also so excited to be introduced to the Pecan Lodge, and I was a huge fan of the Banana Pudding the served up.

Chefs for Farmers: Cafeteria Style

Monday February 7th 2011

Now that the Super Bowl is over, it’s time to start thinking about the next big event in Dallas, Chefs for Farmers on March 13th. And for this event you won’t have to worry about an overcrowded valet line filled with Hummer limos, questionable ladies in head-to-two leopard print, tickets being refunded due to last-minute bleacher setup or anyone remembering the words to National Anthem. In fact, all you have to do is show up, eat, drink and enjoy yourself.

Simple enough.

Angela and I had a blast at the last Chefs for Farmers event in Fort Worth, but we’re hoping more of our Dallas friends will be in attendance this round. We certainly love our Dallas chefs, and there’s no going wrong with this list of culinary experts:

Brian Luscher of The Grape
Chad Houser & Janice Provost of Parigi Restaurant
Dan Landsberg
J.Chastain of the Second Floor Bistro
Jack Perkins of Maple and Motor
Jill Bates of Fearings
John Tesar
Justin Fourton & Diane Fourton of Pecan Lodge
Kelly Hightower of Nova
Matt McCallister
Randall Copeland and Nathan Tate of Restaurant Ava
Rick Griggs
Scott Romano of Charlie Palmer
Tim Byres of Smoke Restaurant

Could this list get any better?? The event is taking place at Highland Park Cafeteria – but I promise you’ll be treated to something much more exciting than salisbury steak or square pizza. Although, I honestly loved square pizza day.

Tickets are $85 and can be purchased at chefsforfarmers.com, and they always sell out. Hope to see you there!

Artizone Delivery & Beef Spice Rub

Monday January 24th 2011

So Friday night I received my first delivery of goods from Artizone. After searching through the site, I decided on beef filets from VonGeertsem Butcher Shoppe, cheese & crackers from Scardello and arugula from Spicemans FM 1410. I figured I could easily put together a dinner with those specialty items plus supplements from my pantry.

So around 7:30pm on Friday, the delivery man promptly arrived with three individually packaged boxes for me (the arugula box even had an ice pack in it!).

I know it sounds silly, but it was honestly so fun to receive a package of my favorite foodie items. It’s a perfect solution for those nights you don’t feel like going out, but also don’t feel like going to the grocery store – which is basically every Friday night for me.

After perusing through my packages, I decided on the following menu:
Cheese & olive oil crackers (from Scardello)
Spice-rubbed filets (seared on the stove, finished in the oven)
Sauteed arugula with caramelized onions & goat cheese
Baked potatoes (rubbed with olive oil & sea salt, cooked at 425 for an hour)
David Lebovitz’s famous chocolate chip cookies (I couldn’t resist)

The following spice rub is a recipe I first used on beef tenderloin years ago. Following rave reviews, I’ve continued to use it on any type of beef ever since, and it certainly didn’t fail me on Friday night.

Beef Spice Rub

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Combine everything in a bowl, mix together and then generously rub on meat. Cook on the stove/grill/oven to your desired temperature.

Chefs For Farmers: Fort Worth

Tuesday December 7th 2010

Angela and I are neither chefs nor farmers, but we happily support them both. And what better way to support both chefs AND farmers (not to mention Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County) by indulging in a six-course meal that features the best of the best of both worlds? And that’s exactly what we did on Sunday afternoon at Chefs For Farmers: Fort Worth.

We excitedly left Dallas in the early afternoon to arrive a little early to our bountiful feast at Times Ten Cellars in Fort Worth. Angela took some fabulous pictures, we snacked on some of Il Cane Rosso’s famous Neopolitan pizza, and then we mingled around with chefs, farmers, and our new friend Ryan Tedder, sommelier from Grace in Fort Worth. What cool group of people gathered together to celebrate farming, food, and support a relevant cause.

But on to the food. Sometimes when you go to these big dinners, you inevitably end up leaving disappointed. It’s tough to serve 150 people six courses that are all rock solid. But since the duties were shared, and each chef took on a different course, I seriously wasn’t disappointed with any dish. And not only that, I was excited and intrigued by almost every course.

If I was forced to choose a favorite dish it would have be the Blue Crab and White Gazpacho Cocktail with hint of White Truffle by Chef Jon Bonnell of Bonnell’s Restaurant in Fort Worth. I could have easily eaten two bowls of this crab/truffle/gazpacho heaven.

Angela’s favorite was the Braised Pork Shank with Cheddar Apple Dumpling by Chef Dena Peterson of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. So tender, sweet and savory – that apple dumpling was the perfect pair with the succulent pork shank.

Hot Potato Holiday Gift List

Tuesday November 30th 2010

Everyone else is putting together a gift list, so why shouldn’t we? And to be honest, I love perusing through the holiday gift lists. I even read through Dr. Phil’s must have gift list on Oprah yesterday. Sad, I know.

I love searching for the perfect holiday gifts for my family & friends. It’s my favorite part of the holiday season – the hunt. So if you know anyone who is into food, wine or whimsical gifts, we’ve got a decent list for you. Happy shopping!

MACARONS

Macarons are the new cupcake. Everyone’s eating them – including Blair & Chuck on last week’s episode of Gossip Girl.

The term macaron correctly—and very specifically—refers only to the gerbet, or Parisian macaroon.

In its purest form, the macaron is a confection composed of finely ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar. The word is a derivation of the Venetian macarone, meaning “fine paste.” The recipe traveled through France and varied regionally, but the ingredients and the basic construction remained consistent. A layer of buttercream, ganache, or jam was spread between two meringue disks.

Macarons are the perfect pastry to send to a Client, in-law or anyone else you want to impress with your impeccable taste. Luckily, there’s a fabulous patiserrie in Dallas that can ship them anywhere in the US – Rush Patisserie Pastry Boutique and Cake Salon, located in Oak Cliff. Their macarons (and other delicious treats) are available for delivery, private parties and tastings 7 days week with 24 hours notice.

WINE TOTES

I bought these for a lot of people on my list last year, and I’m pretty sure they’ve gotten some good use. These are great for the wine lover in your family who also happens to be super hip. It’s a great way to transport your wine to your favorite BYOB restaurant, and it also makes a great gift bag for the bottle wine you’re giving to your holiday party hosts this season.

Visit Maptote to purchase your wine tote or any of their other natural tote bags (I have the grocery totes for Tokyo and Hawaii, but I’m still hoping for a Dallas version!).

BEEF TENDERLOIN

Who isn’t tired of turkey right now? Seems like a good time to send someone a big slab of meat.

Perini Ranch has been around awhile, and for good reason. Their mesquite smoked beef tenderloin was even named the best “mail order gift of the year” in 1995. Luckily, the internet was invented, and you can now order this succulent piece of beef online from Perini Ranch, based in Buffalo Gap, Texas.

The tenderloin is delivered fully cooked at a perfect medium rare. It’s not cheap ($96 for a 2.5lb tenderloin), but I promise it’s worth every penny.

KENEFICK RANCH CABERNET

It’s tough to choose just one wine for my gift list, but if I was forced to pick one delicious bottle to gift with confidence this would be the bottle. I first tried Kenefick Ranch a few years ago on a summer trip to Vail, Colorado. It was served in one of favorite restaurants, Sweet Basil. I still dream about the truffle fries I ate a few (umm, 3-4 times) over the course of my trip.

Anyway, back to the wine. Wine Enthusiast gave the 2005 Cabernet 94 points, and you can order it from Kenefick Ranch for $60 a bottle. It would actually be great with the beef tenderloin from Perini Ranch.

STATE CUTTING BOARD

Massachutes Plyboo Cutting Board

How fun are these state-shaped cutting boards?

It wouldn’t be a complete gift list unless something from Etsy was included, and I’m loving these custom made cutting boards. Aheirloom makes these boards, and can place the heart cutout on any city you like. Such a fun, unique gift for someone who is extremely proud of their state (obviously anyone from the state of Texas) or city.

ARTIZONE

This last gift resource is only available to Dallas residents, but it’s a good one. Are you looking for the best ingredients for your holiday dinner, but you’re too overwhelmed to make it to Scardello, VonGeertsem’s or La Duni? Or do you need to send a gift to clients, associates or anyone else in the Dallas area?

Artizone is a pretty cool new resource that delivers fresh, artisan food products to the DFW area. A few of my favorites include the Quatros Leches cake from La Duni, Cave Aged Marisa cheese from Scardello, exotic mushrooms from Spiceman’s FM 1410. They’re also offering FREE DELIVERY over the holidays. I love free stuff.

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