Keep the budget for your holiday gathering low by hosting an afternoon open house. - While Campbell's and Progresso duke it out, the best soup comes from your own kitchen.
- In the this week, the baguettes from Parc, the new Orville Redenbacher popcorn with lime and the roasted nuts from Society Hill Snacks.
- Chef Jacques Pepin never makes the same thing twice these days and always turns out excellent, fast, inexpensive food.
- The beloved cookbook Ma Gastronomie by Fernand Point has been reissued with a new introduction.
- This week, the Rush Hour Gourmet is serving up Hoison Pork Stir Fry.
- There's a new sandwich stand carved into Walnut Street's Joe Pesce restaurant called Joe Beef and serves up a monster of a roast turkey sandwich.
Holiday Entertaining and the Soup Wars - The Philadelphia Inquirer in 60 Seconds
Pear Butter - Gift of the Day
By this time of the year, most jammable fruit has long since left the produce and farmers markets. However, the humble pear makes a mighty good butter that's simple to prepare, delicious on toast and makes a great gift. This year, I was lucky enough to receive a gift of pears from a friend's neighbor's tree. They were a little bruised up (they were all windfall pears), but a little careful knife work left them free of spots and they cooked up some of the sweetest, evenly textured pear butter I've ever tasted.
I don't have a specific recipe for pear butter, I just chop the fruit and let it cook down in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours (I often do it overnight) until it is reduced by half. Then I transfer the fruit to a smaller pot, puree it with a hand mixer, stir in some cinnamon, nutmeg and a little lemon juice and taste for sweetness. Sometimes pear butter is sweet enough all on its own that no sugar is required, but sometimes it needs a little perking up. Brown sugar or maple syrup plays best with the pear flavor. You can can and process if you feel comfortable doing that, or you can simply spoon the pear butter into jars and refrigerate until it's time to distribute them to friends and family.
Espresso Cookies, Pierogies, and More - The Toronto Star in 60 Seconds
- Most coffee-flavored recipes call for that pesky instant stuff, but here is a recipe for espresso cookies that calls for the real thing -- finely ground dark-roast beans.
- You might have heard about the political turmoil up here in Canada, that got the Star thinking about pierogies.
- Holiday baking and butter tarts become the tourist-link to a small town.
- Habitat for Humanity gets into gingerbread houses for a holiday fundraiser.
- More Recipes: Pumpkin Ginger Pillows and Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup
The Ins and Outs of White House Cooking
It stands to reason that a busy President and First Lady aren't going to have the time to whip up meals every night. Enter the White House chef. There's been a lot of talk about Obama's administration choices, and now ABC has added the foodie side to the equation -- what it means to be a White House chef, and some behind-the-scenes tidbits about past presidents.It's a pretty interesting read, covering the challenges of being the President's chef, to dealing with personal preferences and allergies. The Carters required prompt arrival for dinner and no flip flops and casual clothes at the table. Chelsea Clinton became a vegan while President Dad couldn't eat dairy, chocolate, or flour. (And I thought being allergic to nuts was bad!) And there's even a bit about 9/11, and how the menu changed to comfort foods after that day.
Now we just have to wait and see who Barack Obama picks.
Navan Cocktail #4 - Cocktail Hour
After a week spent wandering the halls of Tales of the Cocktail in July 2008, sipping many finely stirred and shaken libations; I said to myself, "These special cocktails need to be shared with the world." So I bring you Cocktail Hour, a finer way to celebrate the end of the day; with these recipes. They have either been created specifically for Tales of the Cocktail, or re-designed for a new approach on the traditional version by some of the top Mixologists in the world. Many are being presented to the public here for the first time. Enjoy!Navan Cocktail #4 recipe after the jump
Tasty Nibbles From YumSugar
Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week.- On occasion, we all get sucked into reality TV. YumSugar wants to know who your favorite food reality TV contestant was for 2008 (I must admit an unhealthy in Kelsey Nixon from TNFNS).
- This 'wich of the week is a toasted cheese that features grilled eggplant in place of bread. Yum!
- It appears that Girl Scout Cookies may be on their way out. Say it isn't so!
- Jamie Oliver, that scruffy British chef, has launched his own glossy magazine.
- You've come to the end of your Thanksgiving leftovers and so it's just the time for BBQ Pork and Slaw Rolls.
- Now that holiday season is here, you may find yourself looking for a good party appetizer. How about these Red Pepper Cheese Crostini?
- These tips on how to orchestrate a last minute Thanksgiving meal are helpful any time you have to get dinner on the table for a crowd on the spur of the moment.
Beer Blog Round-Up - Slashfood Ate (8)
Once again, I sort through the beer blogs so you don't have to. Let's get right to it.
- Thank god for modern bandwidth! Sloshspot presents this post featuring attractive images of 116 different beers representing 116 different countries from across the globe. Quite a compilation.
- A Good Beer Blog turned me on to this calorie counter on the BBC that will convert your alcohol consumption into its food equivalent. Now if only I knew what a "jaffa cake" was...
- Lyke 2 Drink discussed L'Independante -- a beer whose proceeds go to support Quebec's independence from Canada. Consider it the couch potatoes' way to révolution.
- Speaking of Canada, Brewed For Thought humorously ponders what beers American expats would currently be drowning their sorrows in had Obama lost the election.
- Brookston Beer Bulletin points out some craft beer action in the funny pages.
- Beer Examiner Charlie Papazian posted what looks like a rockin' recipe for Fudge Stout Brownies. Yum. If you bake up a batch, please give me a call.
- Or why wait for dessert when you can have some Breakfast Stout (via beerporn).
- And lastly, DrankTank linked to a topic that has always interested me: It's the Wikipedia article on "Alcohol laws of the United States by state." The intricacies and variance in the laws across the country astound me.
Prohibition - Celebrating the End of an Era
Wine lovers all over the country have reason to celebrate tomorrow: December 5, 1933, marked the end of the 13-year Prohibition on alcohol in the U.S. (Of course the resulting state-by-state laws are still confusing, cumbersome, and laden with politics, but individuals can speak up to their legislative representatives through the nonprofit organization Free the Grapes.)
During those long thirteen years of Prohibition, the California wine industry suffered. Most wineries were forced to close their doors, and those who remained open produced wines for medicinal and religious use. Farmers willing to ride out Prohibition fared a little better: each male was allowed to make 200 gallons of wine each year for personal use, so the demand for grapes around the country was fairly high, even as commercial winemaking all but disappeared.
This year, a new line of wines called Festival 34 was released to commemorate California's first harvest following the repeal of Prohibition 75 years ago. The wines include a Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, all sourced from California's Central Coast and made by C & B Vintage Cellars in Napa.
I'm usually skeptical of fancy marketing ploys when it comes to wine, because there's often an inverse relationship between the quality of the wine and the cleverness of the label. Festival 34 is an exception for three reasons. One, the concept is truly clever, as it calls attention to and celebrates the end of a terrible era for wine lovers; two, the label art is gorgeous and practically collectible; and three, the wines are quite good. The Chardonnay was too oaky for my taste, but I loved the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both are a great value for around $12-15.
I absolutely believe that moderation (called "temperance" in the old days), not prohibition, should be the buzzword with alcohol, and on the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition in the United States, I raise my glass to the liberation of the vineyards.
New York Vintage Dinner Series
In a press conference this morning, Tim Zagat announced The Vintage Dinner Series, a gathering New York City's finest Chefs that will create menus inspired by 19th century banquets. Many of the dishes the chef's will be serving have mostly disappeared from the restaurant and even the home scene over the past hundred years. Recreating period-appropriate ambiance and meals will create an unforgettable dining experience.
Chefs from restaurants such as Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Chanterelle, Del Posto, Gramercy Tavern, Le Bernardin, Per Se and many more are very excited to be taking part in such a historic dining event. Tim Zagat says: "This is the greatest group of chefs since Escoffier ate home alone!" These prix fixe dinners will be priced on par with each restaurant's standard menu, but will include drinks, tax and tip. Each restaurant will also donate a portion of the evening's proceeds to a charity of their choice.
Interested? Don't hesitate to make reservations immediately! Seating is extremely limited and expected to sell out possibly by the end of the day. For a complete list of restaurants, menus and charities, please go to ZagatPresents.com.
Tri-Colored Donburi - Box Lunch
For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.
You don't get much simpler than this tri-colored donburi (Japanese stewed meal, served over rice) from Cooking Cute. As the author says, "there is something about the texture of the soft egg, chewy beef and crisp snowpeas, and the combination of salty and sweet...yum!" She's even included a recipe. Looks like more of a dinner bento, in my opinion, but I'm sure it would heat up nicely for lunch.
Time To Get Excited Over Space Beer?
Yes, "space beer" sounds like something you'd find in one of the more PG-13 rated episodes of The Jetsons, but unlike The Jetsons, space beer is now a reality. (Sorry if I burst the bubble of any Jetson diehards out there.)However, I'd be doing readers a great disservice if I didn't toss the word "kinda" in somewhere. Here's what went down: Sapporo has brewed and bottled a product called "Space Barley" -- a beer "brewed from barley cultivated in the International Space Station in 2006."
Maybe it's just me, but I'm not 100% buying what is so intergalactic about this beverage. Is my logic flawed to think this is equally ridiculous to a former astronaut giving birth and declaring her child a "space baby?" I mean, the barley seeds came from planet Earth, right? And then the beer was brewed on Earthly soil, correct?
I guess there is just no magic or sense of wonder left in me anymore. Call me when they brew something out of moon rocks.
Tiki Heaven - Frankie's Tiki Room
Tiki has long been a beloved sub-genre of American culture, revered by those who love retro, irony, carved wooden heads, eccentric glassware and powerful, fruity drinks. All these things come together at the tiki hourse of worship: The tiki bar. Yet tiki bars are few and far between, with many having been torn down or stripped of their grandeur--only a few beloved relics like San Francisco's Tonga Room, Los Angeles' Tiki Ti and Tuscon's Kon Tiki remain.
But there's a new tiki in a town that rides its own undercurrent of retro and irony. Las Vegas now hosts the planet's only 24-hour tiki bar: Frankie's Tiki Room, which offically opens today, December 4.
Frankie's is a lovingly crafted example of authentic tiki style, with woven palm thatching, carved wooden chairs and blowfish lamps, along with one-of-a-kind art and design by tiki titan Bosko and space-age bachelor pad painter Shag, among others.
But, of course, no tiki bar is a true tiki bar without an extensive selection of fruity, sugary, unexpectedly powerful drinks. The menu at Frankie's Tiki Hut goes all out, offering classic rum-and-pineapple tropical beverages like the Mai Tai and the Zombie made with original Don the Beachcomber recipes. There is also an abundance of specially-created cocktails like the Mojito-esque Bearded Clam, the clover-and-hazelnut spiced Jonas Grumby and the Bombora Blast, which combines 151-proof rum with guava-flavored energy drink. The menu categorizes drinks, with a rating of two to five skulls indicating strength, from pleasant libation to lethal concotion. Given the deceptively sweet nature of tiki drinks, it's a big help.
On Holidash - Cheap Scotch and Homemade Marshmallows
There's nothing like the warm flavor of Scotch Whiskey, and just in time for Christmas, Bruce Watson runs through the best cheaper bets to make this Santa season perfectly Scotchy.Meanwhile, it's time to let it snow with some homemade marshmallows which will give you a quick winter project and keep your cups of cocoa full of cheer!
Top Chef Season 5, Episode 4: Today's Challenge
Judging by that tea kettle's whistle it is time for another Top Chef Season 5 recap. This week the judges are joined by celeb chef Rocco DiSpirito who is lending a helping palate to decide who will stay and who will go.
The episode starts off with Alex reading a letter from Richard, eliminated last week, left for him. Richard tells Alex that he has made a friend at Top Chef, and that Alex should only look our for himself. It is a competition after all.
Speaking of competitions it is time for the QuickFire challege. Read on for spoilers about episode 4.
Continue reading Top Chef Season 5, Episode 4: Today's Challenge
A Taste of Dragonfruit - Feast Your Eyes
Kitt of the Kittalog recently got a chance to taste a Dragonfruit for the first time (thanks to the White on Rice Couple) and pronounces it very tasty and smooth, sort of like perfectly ripe honeydew melon. It's also an incredibly interesting and lovely fruit (to see an image of the outside, click here).
Thanks Kitt!
Holiday Foods We Hate - Festive Family Feasts_thumbnail.jpg)
It's all in the planning - First time Thanksgiving
Chicken soup without a roasted chicken
