Macaroon Party

Amy & I went on a culinary adventure this past week into the wonderful world of the macaroon. Just thinking about it makes me want to make more tasty treats. Though we tried a variety of flavors including mojito (with chopped mint in the cookies and lime in the filling), pistachio, blueberry, and cinnamon vanilla, the chocolate was the winner. We used a recipe from Pierre Herme's cookbook, Chocolate Desserts of Pierre Herme. First we whipped 1/2 cup of egg whites (about 3 eggs) until soft peaks formed. We then folded in 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 1/3 cups of almond flour, and 1/2 cup cocoa powder. The cookies were piped onto parchment paper and placed in a 350 degree oven (leave the door slightly open) for 10-12 minutes. After letting them cool and filling them with a coffee flavored buttercream, they looked like this:


Here are some pics of the other flavors:



Most of our efforts were not pretty enough to make the shelves of Pierre Herme, but we did have one little bit of perfection.

Gala Dinner - A Photo Essay

While I would like the photos to speak for themselves, I suppose a bit of background will help. During out stay in Bordeaux, we were scheduled to have a Gala Dinner at the chateau where we were staying. It was billed as a top-notch meal in one of the best surroundings in the world - a Bordeaux vineyard. Well, the surroundings were pretty amazing. The food - not so much. But in true Roving Foodie fashion, we ate and drank and laughed anyway.

Champagne and hor'dourves (Bugles)

Amuse Bouche of a Scallop and Asparagus with unidentified sauce

Foie Gras Appetizer
Trio of Lamb with "Green Sauce"The Piece d'Resistance Cheese Plate - unidentified cheese with unidentified jelly
Chocolate Dessert

The true highlight of the meal was the wine. The bottles of white and red were particularly good.

Bon appetit!

Valanni

This Saturday night Sean & I and our friends Kate & John tried out a new restaurant named Valanni. We arrived at 5pm because we were having dinner before the theater. The restaurant dubs its cuisine Medi-Latin. Though I'm not sure exactly what this means, the food was delicious. The four of us shared the Serrano Ham Croquettes, Crispy Chickpeas & Chorizo, Spicy Pulled Empanadas, and Calimari. Although the calimari was nothing unique, it was well done and not a bit chewy. The other three appetizers were both unique and delicious. For an entree, Sean & I split the meat & seafood paella. The portion for two was quite large and chock full of shrimp, clams, mussels, langostines, lobster, chicken, sausage and tomatoes. The seasoning on the rice was delicious and the pan had a large surface area so there were lots of crispy bits at the bottom.
Next time we might just split the portion for one as we barely had room for dessert afterwards. Speaking of dessert, make sure you save room for the oreo beignets. They were delicious fried donuts with a crunchy oreo layer in the middle. It was accompanied by vanilla ice cream and caramel. It was the best dessert I have had in a very long time. I dream about it. Mmmm... The churros were also delicious. They were very fresh and had a great light consistency. The chocolate mousse was a bit thick but had a good milk chocolate and fruit flavor. But don't waste your time with anything other than the beignets. I will order two next time. :)

Triumph Over Adversity

Yes, the adversity I am talking about is cake! I finally managed to make a beautiful cake. It was a frog themed masterpiece for my friend Jen's baby shower. I can't wait for the next occasion for a cake!

Macaroons

Although Amy & I probably have fodder for many a paris related blog post, I felt that I had to start my series of blog posts with my favorite new food, the macaroon. My coworker had introduced me to the amazing French macaroon, which is nothing like the almond & coconut concoction that you might associate with this name. The French macaroon consists two light but chewy meringue cookies sandwiched around a flavored buttercream frosting. The middle layer can also consist of a jam-like filling in some cases. The two most famous macaroon makers are Laduree and Pierre Hermes and obviously I tried out both (as well as quite a few others!). The macaroons come in many delicious flavors including blackcurrent, pistachio, rose, salted butter caramel, and my personal favorite, passion fruit chocolate. I can't wait to try to make my own delicious creations. I will report back with recipes!

Famous Parisian breads

In keeping with the name of our blog, Lisa and I roved on over to France last week. We split our time between Paris and Bordeaux, gobbling up delicious treats and sipping on fine wines in both spots. I'm sure there will be several more posts covering the trip, but let's lead off with a discussion of bread.

One of our first stops in Paris was Eric Kayser. We purchased two baguettes, one regular and one sesame, and several croissant ones. The regular baguette was terrific - crisp crust with a soft inside. The sesame one was less successful for us, but still good. The croissants were excellent.

Later in the week, K and I made our way to Poilane. It's a very small and unassuming shop but the shelves are lined with delicious breads, rolls, and cookies. Their famous round loaf of sour dough bread is HUGE, so we decided to go for half a loaf. I added a small box of butter cookies to the order because I can never turn down a good butter cookie. After picking up some cheese and meat, we headed back to our apartment to sample the spoils. The bread is absolutely out of this world! The outside is very dark and yet not burnt. The crust has just the right amount of chewiness and toughness. The inside is airy and full of flavor. We loved it.

In fact, we loved it so much that I ended up carrying about a quarter of the loaf home with me the following day. The Poilane lived on for two more days as I was able to use it on Monday to make tartine sandwiches with basil, mozzarella, and prosicutto and on Tuesday to make panzanella. Each reincarnation was delicious. For those who won't be in Paris anytime soon, Poilane's website allows you to order all of their products and have them delivered to your home. If you're having a fancy dinner party, need a special foodie gift, or just want some darn good bread, check it out.

Beantown Reviews: Persephone and Rialto

It's been awhile but I'm back in the foodie saddle! I've got some recipe updates but I thought I'd share two restaurant reviews first.

Persephone is a new spot located in the up and coming Fort Point Channel area, just a short walk from South Station. The premise of the place is a bit too hip for me - it's a restaurant located inside a clothing boutique. But, in reality you just walk past the clothes to get to the restaurant and it's not a huge deal. I guess you're supposed to be lured into dropping $300 on those designer jeans that you won't be able to fit into after you eat, but whatev. We were seated promptly at a lovely table by the windows. The space has an industrial, modern feel to it but still maintains some warmth and liveliness. On our way to the table, we walked through the bar/lounge area which looks like a terrific spot for the after-work crowd. In addition to several flat screens showing the Sox game, there are also two screen connected to Wii's. Patrons can try their skills at Wii bowling or any other number of games - all while sipping delish cocktails and nibbling yummy bites.
Alright, back to the food. The menu is set up, rather annoying I might add, by size. We had to ask what would be an appropriate amount to order. Luckily, our server must get the question a lot because she had the answers down pat. We decided to do several appetizers and then split an "extra large" entree. Anyone who knows my husband knows there is no way he'll pass up the chance at a 34 oz. sirloin steak! The apps were terrific. K's raw bar selection was fresh and good; the red curry wings were a terrific update to your average buffalo wing; and the Duck egg/mushroom/toast dish was tasty enough. I'd highly recommend the wings if you visit. The gigantic steak arrived next, with a delicious basket of fries and a side of creamed spinach. The meat was well-seasoned and perfectly cooked. We devoured most of it, and took the rest home for the yummiest steak and egg breakfast sandwiches ever the next morning. The wine list was reasonably priced and had a few interesting bottles. Cocktails were superb. Service was friendly and efficient. The bill ended up being more than we had figured - the steak was probably overpriced by $20 but it was so delicious that we quickly came to terms with the extra dough being shelled out. Can you tell I really loved the vibe of Persephone? It was cool, but not too cool for an almost-30 something who has left the scene behind. Two thumbs up, highly recommend.

And then there was our trip to Rialto. I had been longing to give this restaurant a try since we moved to Cambridge but K had been before and hadn't been terribly wowed so it fell to the bottom of our list of restaurants. And frankly, it could have stayed there. Our dinner was good, but not great. My pasta was rich and delicious, but seriously involved like six pieces of gnocci. My stuffed veal was dry and a bit bland. K enjoyed his little neck appetizer and his steak but thought the one we got at Persephone's was better. Full disclosure: I wasn't a huge fan of the wine we ordered, which certainly isn't Rialto's fault, but it probably had an impact on my opinion of the food. Dessert was banana fritters that tasted little like banana. Luckily there was some homemade chocolate ice cream that accompanied them which was delicious. Service was attentive and excellent. The decor is beautiful. And the food is good, but I doubt we'll be back. Mixed thumbs, recommended with reservation.

The Bane of My Culinary Existence...

is cake. Yes, this simple baked good has troubled me for years. I strive to make a beautiful cake. I have many many delicious cakes but I have never really make anything worth of taking pictures. Yesterday I made a birthday cake for a coworker and once again I was unable to get the cakes cleanly out of their pans (despite lots of crisco and flour) and was forced to use frosting to hide the flaws. My attempt reminded me of my one flirtation with fondant at Amy's bachelorette party in Vermont. As you can see from the picture, it was not exactly a beautiful creation either. I have decided that springform pans will be the answer to my prayers. Anyone else have any suggestions? Help me finally realize my dream!

Long Overdue

This is my review of the luxurious brunch that Sean & I had at Nineteen restaurant in the Hyatt here in Philadelphia. Though this was not a meal for the faint of wallet at $46 a head, the location alone was worthy of the pricetag. While the giant pearls strung from the ceiling might seem like a strange touch, the opulence in the room was done very elegantly. On the nineteeth floor, the restaurant had great views of the city and had the weather been a bit warmer, it would have been nice to sit outside. The brunch was unique in that it was not a straight buffet but had buffet stations accompanied by a served entree. To begin, there was a continential breakfast like station that had delicious pastries and fresh fruit. The croissants were my favorite part and they had multiple options from the traditional butter to a strawberry filled. Sean's favorite station was the dim sum/sushi table. While there were not many sushi options they were fresh and plentiful and Sean got his fill. Along with the sushi, there were dumplings, a lo mein like stir fry and vietnamese spring rolls. Though none of these were spectacular they were all better than your average buffet fare. The station that might intrigue others but was not our #1 choice was the raw bar/salad station which had four types of oysters and a variety of salads. The Caesar was the only one that I tried and it was quite tasty however. For our entrees, I had the seafood omelet which consisted of crab, boursin cheese and roasted red peppers. It was good but nothing special. Sean had a biscuit breakfast sandwich that was a bit of a brick in his stomach, particularly following all the fresh fish. Although we would certainly return, we would definitely try other entrees next time. Usually my favorite part of a buffet would be the dessert table but sadly this time, there was very little room in my tummy for more food. I did have a delicious cookie and a bite of citrus mousse, orange creme brulee, and a passion fruit tidbit. I can't wait until I have another one of those cookies!

Rachel's Yogurt

In my ongoing quest to get healthier, I've been trying to incorporate more yogurt into my diet. Usually the texture or tangy taste of yogurt manages to turn me off by the second spoonful, but a friend recently recommended trying Rachel's Yogurt (available at Whole Foods) and now I'm a devoted fan. The flavors are not your everyday blueberry or strawberry/banana. Try pink grapefruit lychee, plum honey lavender, or pomegranate blueberry. The texture is smooth and silky. The levels of sweetness and acidity are nicely balanced. Give it a try!

http://www.rachelsdairy.com/index.php

Mashed potatoes

If there is one food that I'd really like to master, I'd say it's mashed potatoes. I've never had much luck making them - they always turn out lumpy or gluey or lacking in flavor despite dumping a ton of melted butter and milk in. This weekend I attempted truffled potato puree, which really just turned out to be my normal lumpy potatoes with some delicious truffle oil mixed in for good measure. It tasted alright but nowhere near what I was hoping for. I guess I'll keep working on it.

As not to be a total downer on the potato front, I will share my favorite "smashed potatoes" recipe, which celebrates the lumps and bumps I often find myself cursing.

Barefoot Contessa's Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Boil 3 lbs of small red unpeeled potatoes in a large pot with a tablespoon of salt for 30-45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. In a mixer using the paddle attachment, mix the potatoes for a few seconds to begin to break them up. Next, heat1 cup of half and half and 1/4 pound of unsalted butter in a small sauce pan. When the butter is melted, begin pouring into the potato mixture with the mixer going. Add 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or more if you like!), and finally season with salt and pepper.

The True Test

Last weekend my parents were in town and I spent a long time stressing about where to take them to eat while they were here. There are so many new places that Sean & I want to try but I didn't want to risk it. So now the decision was which of the restaurants that we have enjoyed are worthy of a second trip? And a trip with the added pressure of visitors?

For Thursday night, I decided upon yet another French Thai restaurant, Nan. I had been to Nan with my colleagues for a work party and it was a delicious BYOB in West Philadelphia, an area that we would have otherwise not seen during my parents' visit. Although I will admit that the designation French Thai eludes me, the food was delicious the first time....and the second time. I had the crab cakes and they were some of the best that I have had, with a delicious lime citrus sauce that made the crab almost melt in my mouth. Both Sean and my mother went with the filet, which I had recommended from my previous visit, and it was also delicious. My father went with a Thai lemongrass crusted salmon filet that luckily was not too spicy for his taste and was good enough to earn him the clean plate award.

On Friday night, we went to Bistro Romano, a cute Italian restaurant in Old City with a cave-like romantic basement dining room. Although this was also a hit with the group, I will admit that I was less impressed with my second experience here. Sean and I both had the Caesar salad which was prepared tableside in an impressive demonstration. The salad had a bit too much dressing for my taste but it would please most palates. Sadly, my main course fell a bit short of the mark. I went with the chicken ravioli and filling inside was quite dry and pasty. The sauce was good but not great. I will say that the rest of the group enjoyed their meals and we will probably return again. I am hoping this one entree just isn't their best and I will have better luck next time.

Nectar of the Gods

Recently I have discovered one of the most delicious foods here in Philly, and no, it is not the cheesesteak. It is Capogiro gelato and sorbetto. This family owned business takes local ingredients and creates amazing seasonal flavors like heirloom cider and clove, bourbon butterscotch, pineapple sage, and mexican chocolate. The flavors at the two locations change daily and are updated on the website so that I can wait and go when they have my favorite flavors (like Saigon Cinnamon). And the best part? Since gelato is made with milk rather than cream it as half the fat of ice cream.

Outstanding in the Field

Despite my recent rant about farm-fresh ingredients going from the dirt to your plate in the same day for the bargain basement price of an arm and a leg, I have to say this event looks very cool. There's even one in Boston. BUT, like I said, at $200 a head, it's an investment. Not knowing the menu or the quality of wines being served, I'd rather drop my dough elsewhere.

http://www.outstandinginthefield.com/home.html

Craigie Street Bistrot

Craigie Street Bistrot is the type of place that everyone calls a “gem.” It’s a bit off the beaten path (10 minutes outside Harvard Square) and is housed in a basement location that offers little in the way of atmosphere. The food, though, is what everyone goes for. Craigie specializes in authentic French bistro food created using the day’s freshest ingredients. The menu is ever-evolving and you can choose from a prix-fixe, a chef’s tasting, or take your items ala carte.

A friend made a reservation for 6 people on a Tuesday evening. We all decided to go for the prix-fixe, which included some choices within the menu meaning I could avoid any and all seafood. For the lofty price of $75, you receive an amuse bouche, appetizer, entrée, and dessert with accompanying dessert drink. I made some bold choices, at least for me, and ate pork jowl croutons, a potage with pheasant, and a trio of pork dishes. Everything was good and portions were generous, but nothing was off the charts in the flavor department. The pork jowls were delicious little crispy bites, full of salty pork goodness. The potage was a bit heavy and the pheasant was a bit rare for my taste. My entrée was good; the pork sausage being the best of the bunch. Dessert was a gingerbread pain perdu with an interesting fresh ginger ice cream. Service was adequate but nothing special.

K and I agreed that the LARGE amount of money we shelled out for dinner, our share of two bottles of mediocre wine, and tip was a bit ridiculous. The food was good, but it was just good. We won’t be back.

All of this leads to me to wonder what the local food movement is really doing for diners? Sure, I love the idea of eating locally grown vegetables and locally raised meat. I want to support Massachusetts farmers and chefs who are using their food. But I don’t want to pay through the nose to do so. After watching Bizarre Foods this week, an episode in which the host sang the praises of a local Minnesota restaurant that follows a similar philosophy to Craigie (locally grown everything, menu changing daily according to ingredients), I couldn’t help but wonder if all the hype was worth it. These restaurants seem happy to charge more, and I suppose diners are reinforcing the notion by continuing to pay the hefty bills when they arrive. Maybe I’m just bitter about the dough we shelled out for a mediocre dinner, or maybe I prefer my beef to be raised in the Midwest and my fruit to be flown in from the southern hemisphere.

Bacon

I was wandering through Williams Sonoma the other day when I came upon a glorious thing. An entire cookbook dedicated to BACON. It was the The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food, written by James Villas.

As bacon is one of the most glorious things ever to be, I was obviously intrigued by this bible. The book contains recipes such as Venezulan Squash, Potato, and Bacon Pancakes, Truffles with Bacon & Peanut Butter Chocolate, and Bacon Stuffed Plantains. Though I did not purchase the cookbook (yet) and I cannot comment on the quality of the recipes, the subject matter can't be beat. I leave you with one thought: Is there any food that cannot be made better by either bacon or whipped cream?

Tasty Seafood - Sorry Ames...none for you.

Although it was far from a glamorous night out (we were in Jersey, after all), I thought I would tell you all about Sean's and my dining experience this evening. We were headed to Jersey to go grocery shopping at Wegmans (my new favorite place to shop, where else can you get Waterford crystal & La Creuset alongside organic cheetos) and decided to stop for a dinner. We went to Siri's French Thai (http://www.siris-nj.com/) Restaurant and Patisserie. Although the menu lacked some of our Thai favorites like curry or noodle dishes and the Patisserie was no where close to French, overall, we enjoyed our dining experience.

The atmosphere leaves a bit to be desired as it is located in a strip mall and resembles a 1970s chinese restaurant complete with the fans on the walls and fake flowers on the tables. The food however, was quite tasty. We started with the corn and shrimp fritters to share and they were fair but could have used a bit more seasoning. I had the macadamia nut encrusted crab cakes as my entree and they came with a lovely citrus cream sauce that created a delicious morsel in my mouth. I would say that they contained a bit more filler than I would normally like but the crabby flavor was robust so I will forgive them. Sean had a mixed seafood dish which consisted of rock lobster, scallops, shrimp, and salmon with vegetables over pasta. The seafood was cooked well and was paired with a slightly sweet, watery tomato sauce. The dish was a hit partially due to the portion size - big enough to satisfy Sean's healthy appetite.

I was very excited about dessert because there were many options and they seemed to be made on site which usually indicates a higher quality product. Our waiter didn't spend as much time explaining the options as I would have liked but we had overheard another member of the staff explaining them to a nearby table so we had a bit more information about them. Sean went with some sort of caramel banana tart and it had a strange taste to it. We still can't figure out exactly which part of the dessert was off but I think the caramel might have been the culprit. I went with something entitled, "chocolate coffee toffee bombe" which though enticingly named was ice cold and consisted of a grainy chocolate and toffee mousse. Despite the off putting desserts, we will most likely return to Siri's again but we will probably spend our calories on appetizers rather than sweets.

Sidekick

Helloooooo foodies! Lisa has asked me to join her in exploring the wonderful world of food, travel, and fun. I assure you that while I’m not an expert, I do love to eat. And I love to drink wine even more. Oh yeah, and I do a bit of cooking on the side. As for my personal life, some of my favorite things to do include collecting graduate degrees, watching The French Chef on DVD, and reading the internet from start to finish every day. My husband K and I live in Cambridge, MA with our two cats named Pimms and Lemonade. Yes, we named our cats after beverages. We’re just that cool.

As for my foodie influences, I’m a big fan of JC…that is Julia Child, not the other JC. I also adore Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, and I occasionally try recipes by Giada, Michael Chiarello, and other Food Network folks (except for Sandra Lee…yikes). I regularly read Bon Appetit and Cooking Light, watch Bizarre Foods and No Reservations, and cruise various food blogs including French Laundry at Home. K and I love to dine out on the weekends on foods ranging from Kobe steaks and duck confit to cheeseburgers and wings. One disclaimer: I don’t eat seafood. Sorry kids. Fish belong in the sea, along with oysters, crabs, clams, lobsters, shrimp, and all the other scary things I cringe at. Cows, on the other hand, belong on my plate. Preferably cooked on the medium rare side with a glass of Bordeaux to wish it all down.

Welcome!

Welcome to the journey to enlightenment through food. Stay tuned for restaurant reviews, travelogues, and recipes.