i8tonite

Month: January 2016

  • i8tonite with Abby Dodge, Pastry Chef and Cookbook author … and her Lemon Ginger Mousse Soufflés

    i8tonite with Abby Dodge, Pastry Chef and Cookbook author … and her Lemon Ginger Mousse Soufflés

    What began as a love for baking at a young age, developed into a i8tonite with Abby Dodge: Pastry Chef and Cookbook author…and her Lemon Ginger Mousse Souffléspassionate and successful career for Abby Dodge. A widely respected, award-winning expert in baking and cooking for both kids and adults, as well as a popular food writer, instructor and media personality, Abby has a simple mission: To streamline baking and cooking for home cooks of all ages.

    She studied in Paris at La Varenne and worked under superstars Michel Guerard and Guy Savoy, specializing in pastry. She has held food editorial posts at Parents and Woman’s Day, and has contributed to over seven dozen special-interest publications focusing on baking and family cooking. Abby is currently a contributing editor at Fine Cooking magazine, where she has been on the masthead since its first issue in 1994. She founded the magazine’s test kitchen, has written and contributed to over eighty articles to date, and serves as the magazine’s guru for all things baking.

    In addition to her regular blog postings, Abby hosts a Baking Boot Camp video class on the popular site Craftsy.com, where she teaches and encourages an international group of bakers of all skill levels to become better bakers.

    The Everyday Baker. Lemon Ginger Mousse Souffle. Recipe by and interview with cookbook author and pastry chef Abby DodgeHer tenth book, The Everyday Baker ~ Recipes & Techniques For Foolproof Baking (The Taunton Press, Dec. 2015), has just been released to much critical praise – including my own! I love this book – and have recommended it far and wide. It’s the most comprehensive – and interesting – baking cookbook I’ve ever seen (and I own more than 5,000 cookbooks). I love the detailed instructions (with photos), as well as the creative, intriguing recipes (176 of them!). I’ve reviewed many of Abby’s cookbooks through the years – they are all amazing, and keep getting better. Highly recommended.

    Abby’s  Ten Popular and Award-Winning Cookbooks:

    • The Everyday Baker ~ Recipes & Techniques for Foolproof Baking, 2015 (Washington Post Top Ten Cookbooks of 2015; Dorie Greenspan Top Baking Cookbooks of 2015)
    • Mini Treats & Handheld Treats ~ Delicious Desserts to Pick Up & Eat (September, 2012)
    • Desserts 4 Today – Flavorful Desserts with just FOUR INGREDIENTS , 2010 (a viral & critically acclaimed sensation)
    • Williams-Sonoma Mini Pies, 2010
    • Around the World Cookbook, 2008 (Good Morning America Top 10 Cookbooks of 2008; Parents Choice Recommended Award 2008; Cordon d’Or Culinary Academy Award 2008)
    • The Weekend Baker, 2005, reprinted 2008 (Food + Wine Top Ten Cookbooks of 2004; IACP Cookbook Award Finalist)
    • Kids Baking, 2003 (Over 347,000 copies in print, translated into Spanish)
    • Williams-Sonoma Dessert, 2002 (Over 300,000 in print, translated into Spanish)
    • The Kid’s Cookbook, 2000 (Over 368,000 copies in print)
    • Great Fruit Desserts, 1997 (Translated into six languages)

    Abby has also contributed or co-authored many cookbooks, including:

    • Baking Out Loud (Hedy Goldsmith, Clarkson Potter 2012)
    • B. Smith’s Southern A to Z (Scribner, 2008)
    • The Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition, 2006
    • Savoring America, 2002 (James Beard Award finalist; Ben Franklin Award winner)
    • Cookies for Christmas, 1999
    • The All New Joy of Cooking, 1997

     

    Banana Rum Truffle Tart. i8tonite with Abby Dodge: Pastry Chef and Cookbook author…and her Lemon Ginger Mousse Soufflés
    Banana Rum Truffle Tart

     

    Food Questions (with a nod to Proust):

    What is your favorite food to cook at home?
    Eggs. Easy & options abound.

    What do you always have in your fridge at home?
    Unsalted butter.

    What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
    Keeping it real – no posers at my table.

    What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
    Open-mouth chewer.

    Beer, wine or cocktail?
    Yes, please.

    Maple Pear Slab Pie. Banana Rum Truffle Tart. i8tonite with Abby Dodge: Pastry Chef and Cookbook author…and her Lemon Ginger Mousse Soufflés
    Maple Pear Slab Pie

    Your favorite cookbook author?
    I’m promoting a book so.. me.

    Your favorite kitchen tool?
    My Oxo kitchen scale

    Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
    French… Italian… Greek… Spanish… don’t make me chose.

    Beef, chicken, pork, or tofu?
    Easy: Chicken

    Favorite vegetable?
    Brussel sprouts but ask me again tomorrow, I happily bounce all over the veggie aisle.

    Chef you most admire?
    Alfred Portale – insanely gifted, a bear to work for & surprisingly shy.

    Food you like the most to eat?
    Cake. Make mine chocolate and in big pieces, please.

    Food you dislike the most?
    I’ll take some heat for this one but… beets. Chalk it up to a bad childhood experience.
    Don’t ask.

    What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
    Watching RHOBH with my darling daughter- a guilty pleasure.

    Who do you most admire in food?
    Michael Rulhman. A straight talker and brilliant writer worth listening to.

    Where is your favorite place to eat?
    On a warm day, I’ll be sitting at an outside table, preferably by the water. Please pass the Rose.

    What is your favorite restaurant?
    See above.

    Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
    My Motto: Don’t answer questions that you don’t want your kids to read.

    Lemon Ginger Mousse Souffle. Recipe by and interview with cookbook author and pastry chef Abby Dodge
    Lemon Ginger Mousse Souffle

    Recipe: Lemon Ginger Mousse Soufflés from The Everyday Baker

    Serves 6

    These light, billowy individual soufflé-like mousses are a variation on a pie filling in my book, The Weekend Baker. Instead of adding heavy cream to the mousse, I use puréed ricotta (for a smooth texture) to add richness without heaviness. The lemon and fresh ginger make for a refreshing flavor profile, but it’s the ginger cookies hidden inside that are the surprise ingredient. Softened by the mousse, they bring texture and a burst of ginger flavor.

    Adding a collar of parchment adds additional height to the ramekins. This way you can mimic the impressive height of a baked soufflé without the need for any last-minute fussing.

    Neutral oil (safflower, canola, vegetable, or corn), for the
    ramekins

    For the mousse
    3⁄4 cup (180 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
    1 envelope (1⁄4 oz./7 g) unflavored powdered gelatin
    11⁄4 cups (111⁄4 oz./319 g) ricotta (part skim is fine)
    3⁄4 cup (51⁄2 oz./156 g) granulated sugar
    1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest
    2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
    Pinch of table salt
    4 whites from large eggs (4 oz./ 113 g), at room temperature
    1⁄2 tsp. cream of tartar
    1⁄2 cup (2 oz./57 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted if lumpy

    12 gingersnap cookies + more for the crushed cookie topping
    (I use Nabisco or homemade molasses cookies)

    Blackberry Compote (recipe in the book) or other berry sauces, optional

    Have ready six 6-oz. (180 ml) ramekins (31⁄2 inches wide and 12⁄3 inches high/9 cm wide and 4.25 cm high) arranged on a flat plate or quarter sheet pan. Cut parchment into six strips 21⁄2 inches (6 cm) wide and 12 inches (30.5 cm) long. Wrap one strip around each ramekin so that the paper covers the ramekin and stands 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the rim; secure with tape. Lightly grease the inside of the paper rim (I use a paper towel dipped in a bit of neutral oil).

    Make the mousse
    1. Pour the lemon juice into a small heatproof ramekin (or keep it in the measuring cup) and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Set aside to soften. Once the gelatin has absorbed the liquid and is plump (about 3 minutes), microwave briefly until it is completely melted and crystal clear, 1 to 2 minutes. This can also be done in a small saucepan (instead of the ramekin) over low heat.

    2. Put the ricotta, granulated sugar, lemon zest, ginger, and salt in a blender. Scrape the lemon–gelatin mixture into the blender, cover, and process until the ricotta is smooth and the mixture is well blended, about 11⁄2 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice. Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate, stirring frequently, until the mixture is cooled and thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. It should be as thick as unbeaten egg whites. For faster cooling, set the bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice, stirring and scraping the sides frequently until cooled.

    3. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a medium bowl and using an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters) and beat on medium speed until the whites are frothy, 30 to 45 seconds. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the whites form soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Continue beating while gradually adding the confectioners’ sugar, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat until the whites form firm and glossy peaks when the beater is lifted.

    4. Scoop about one-quarter of the whites into the thickened lemon mixture and, using a silicone spatula, gently stir until blended. Add the remaining whites and gently fold in until just blended.

    Assemble the mousses
    Arrange one cookie in the bottom of each ramekin. Using a large Lemon Ginger Mousse Souffle. Recipe by and interview with cookbook author and pastry chef Abby Dodgespoon, fill the ramekins halfway with the mousse. Arrange a cookie on top of the mousse and evenly portion the remaining mousse on top of the cookies. Using a small offset spatula, smooth the tops.

    Lemon Ginger Mousse Souffles. Recipe by and interview with cookbook author and pastry chef Abby DodgeCover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 1 day.

     

     

    To serve
    Using a sharp paring knife, carefully peel away the parchment from the ramekins (up to 3 hours ahead). Just before serving, place each ramekin on a small plate and top with some of the crushed ginger cookie or a little of the blackberry compote, passing the remainder at the table.

    MAKE AHEAD
    The soufflés can be prepared, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days before serving.

    – The End. Go Eat. –

     

    Recipe and author photo courtesy and copyright Abby Dodge. Recipe photos courtesy and copyright Tina Rupp  [finished dishes] and Sloan Howard, Taunton Press [how-to photos]

  • i8tonite: Los Angeles’ Franco on Melrose, Chef Franco de Dominicis

    IMG_1422Along a strip of Melrose Avenue, just past La Brea is Franco on Melrose. It’s location is in the City of Angel’s culinary corridor featuring a few of the most lauded epicurean stops in the city including Providence, Mozza, Mud Hen Tavern and Trois Mec. To the south, one can wander to Republique or Odys + Penelope.  It’s a hidden gem of an Italian eatery although a favorite among the celebrity set. However, the trattoria has been under the radar since its inception over four years ago. Why? Partially, says chef and owner Franco de Dominicis, “I didn’t have a beer and wine license. It was BYOB but now I do and things have changed.”

    Originally born in Venezuela to Italian parents, de Dominicis was then raised in Paestum, Italy about a hundred miles south of Naples, renowned for its Greek and Roman archeological sites. The 2600-year-old settlement has also been known as the second largest agricultural center in Italy, the first being in Umbria. De Dominicis had an excellent childhood and gained a love of cookery via his family. He had formal culinary training at a Naples based school which supplied him with European apprenticeships. Now, in the States, the food he makes is indicative of his European and Italian roots, staying true to his youth.
    IMG_3359Proudly, de Dominicis makes all of his own pasta, ravioli, and lasagna. Many of the recipes are adapted recipes from his mother and childhood. He also sources as much as he can from the farmers markets throughout Los Angeles. It’s a true Los Angeles-based trattoria serving up Neapolitan fare without having to travel to Italy.

    Franco on Melrose is a lovely place with a sidewalk awning extending out to the valet. Its roof is canopied and during the summer is open to the stars. The best thing about the new Italian-centric wine menu which was personally selected by de Dominicis it’s priced so reasonably you can imbibe with that second bottle while looking at the stars.

    Chef Questionnaire: 

    IMG_1877How long have you been cooking? Since I was 13.

    What is your favorite food to cook? Meat and fish and pasta.

    What do you always have in your fridge at home? Milk, juices, herbs, prosciutto, burrata, eggs.

    What do you cook at home? Sometimes I get together with friends and I love to do brunch with roasted beef tenderloin and rack of lamb.

    What marked characteristic do you love in a customer? An open mind to try different things.

    What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a customer? Unwilling to expand their palate.

    IMG_1242Tupperware, Rubbermaid, or Pyrex? Rubbermaid.

    Beer, wine or cocktail? Definitely wine. A full body red and champagne.

    Your favorite cookbook author? Julia Child.

    Your favorite kitchen tool? Hand mixer

    Your favorite ingredient? Extra virgin olive oil.

    Your least favorite ingredient? Okra.

    Least favorite thing to do in a kitchen? Stirring for hours.

    FullSizeRender (3)Favorite types of cuisine to cook? Italian, French, Caribbean,

    Beef, chicken, pork or tofu? Beef.

    Favorite vegetable? Haricot vert and brussels sprouts.

    Chef you most admire? Gordon Ramsey.

    Food you like the most to eat? Breakfast items.

    Food you dislike the most? Russian.

    How many tattoos? And if so, how many are of food? None.

    Franco on Melrose’s Roasted Chicken and Pears

    • 3-4 lbs. chicken, whole roasting
    • 3 Anjou pears (Peeled and cut into quarters)
    • 3 shallots (Cut into quarters)
    • 2 carrots
    • 2 celery stalk
    • 2 cups white wine
    • 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
    • ½ a tablespoon of freshly cut sage. Or thereabouts.
    • Salt and pepper

    To Make: Pre heat oven a 400 degree. Take the chicken and stuff it with the whole pears, some thyme, some sage, and 1 shallots cut into quarters. Tie the legs back with twine. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, with all the carrots and celery, cut into  pieces, add the rest of the shallots cut in ¼ as well, disperse the herbs around, poor the wine and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and place in the oven for about 45 minutes. Uncover the chicken and let it finish cooking, for another 15 to 20 minutes, until a nice golden brown and juices run clear.

    The End. Go Eat.

  • i8tonite: A Day at H8ful Acres by Julie Fisher, Poet

    i8tonite: A Day at H8ful Acres by Julie Fisher, Poet

    This is the first of the on-going series on Food Musings written by award-winning poet and writer, Julie Fisher. She is also  the founder of Litmore, Baltimore’s Center for the Literary Arts. 
    Julie's place 2I live on the East Coast, in Northern Baltimore County to narrow it down. We had three days media notice of the impending snow doom threatening the Mid-Atlantic. I am responsible for hunkering down prep. H8teful Acres is our “farm” a little off the beaten path with a ¼ mile driveway, so it’s smart to be prepared. We are fortunate as a family, my time is flexible during school/work hours so I can stroll through a supermarket during non-panic hours and before the shelves are stripped of bread, milk and toilet paper. Maryland started getting notice of the incoming snow on Wednesday. By Friday shelves were basically bare.

    On Friday, I realized we were nearly out of milk. So I sauntered down to the local farm where we buy or pastured foods. Their business hours are weekends only, so they were just opening and were plenty stocked with their pastured milk. I even remembered to grab some bacon, eggs and sausage patties too.

    I look forward to big snows. Maybe it’s the remnant thrill of snow days from school or the anticipation of slowing down, sleeping in, leisurely meals and snacking.

    For Snowmageddon 2016, I’ll give my attention to turning a baked chicken into chicken soup, a pork butt for pulled pork barbeque, some Italian turkey sausages.  I’m thinking mornings that begin with eggs, hash browns and bacon or sausage and for a pre-shoveling low effort morning meal, you can’t go wrong with Irish oatmeal. I’m eager for no bossy schedule defining my time so I’ll have the calm to undertake gluten free blue corn muffins, yellow cupcakes with chocolate icing and maybe some chocolate chip cookies.

    Since I’m a Pinterest user, I have lots of recipes I’ve saved. I daydream about uninterrupted time that to try these recipes. Some of the recipes are common dishes customized to be gluten free-I’m fixated on baking actually tasty gluten free breads. Some recipes are gorgeously photographed and I want to recreate the work of art. Of course, a range of flavors or ingredients I’m repeatedly drawn to- figs, aged cheeses, dark chocolate, pears, hazelnuts, quinoa and brassicas.

    So this morning, squinting at the dawn glitter on 30 inches of snow, I had lethargic, cozy plans. The snow did not quiet my demanding senior cat Whitney. I still shuffled down to feed her and grind my coffee. It also did not quiet the apparently nocturnal, terrified kitten we adopted two days ago and named Scully. She mewed pathetically, off and on all night. Despite this, in my pre-coffee blur I snapped some camera phone shots of the sunrise-tinted trees before their drapery of snow melted.
    Julie's PlaceKidlets and hubby intermittently arrived downstairs. Coffee levels were topped off, bacon was sizzled, eggs were fried in ghee and gluten free blue corn muffins were baked. Soon, my fantasy of cozy, lethargy became suiting up to shovel. First we dug a path to The Dragon (our outdoor wood burning furnace), knock icicles from the gutter over our doors. More shoveling to free my Subaru, even more shoveling to clear a path to the Subaru, and to the front and back door.

    It’s not until the sun starts to sink behind the tree line that we go inside to shed our snow and ice crusted clothing. Our ache-y muscles whined when our stomachs growled. Dinner, or more accurately foraging in the kitchen, included hot dogs, Trader Joe’s Olive Oil popcorn, some slabs of cheddar and crackers and blue corn muffins. The pork butt will keep marinating. The Italian turkey sausages made it into a frying pan. Just the sausages. No onions or peppers or such. We just managed to get some pasta boiling.  Oh, it’s whiskey o’clock after dinner.

    Fireplace
    Fireplace

    Finally, we reach destination cozy. Feet and fingers are thawed. We sit together in the glow of our laptops and phones while outside is almost daylight bright with full moon on expanse of snow. And I think to myself, what crazy, beautiful luck to live here at H8teful Acres with my family –a total surprise trajectory in the arc of our lives. I think of all the people who lived here before us and built this house and farmed this land and raised critters here.  For roughly 100 years now, this has been someone’s home. 100 years ago would be when my great grandparents would have been raising families. How, I wonder, would they have prepared for a blizzard bearing down on them? Would they scramble for bread, milk and toilet paper?

    As it turns out, after leaping into internet rabbit holes, the answer depends greatly on where you lived and if you had any money. For one thing, toilet paper was a brand new product in the early 1900’s. It was expensive AND it was difficult to market to customers with delicate Victorian sensibilities. Most used the less vulgar Sears Roebuck Catalog or Farmers’ Almanac pages. So my great grandparents who lived in Baltimore City would need to run to the newsstand. My great grandparents who lived on a farm in West Virginia probably had to make do with corn husks or cobs. Yikes.

    After reading, I’m hoping my great grandparents who lived in Baltimore City had some money. If they were a poor immigrant family, they were basically at the mercy of shop owners. Most likely they lived in a tiny apartment with only a coal or woodstove and maybe running water. No pantry or root cellar and definitely no refrigerator. No critters either to give eggs or milk. The most common groceries were cabbages, potatoes, onions and oats. If you had more money to spend you could get eggs, milk and a poor cut of meat. A green vegetable beyond cabbage was a splurge. Vegetable scraps were a staple for the really poor. Yum.

    My West Virginia farming great grandparents were set if Mother Nature cooperated. They would can, ferment and smoke their cellar full. A good harvest would mean full winter stomachs especially if they had livestock to slaughter. But rural West Virginia can be unforgiving-harsh weather and a lot of brutal physical labor. A good year would let them store jerky, bacon and hams alongside pickled veggies and jams. Flour would be on hand for breads and cakes. Lots of root vegetables stocked in the cellar. Often the reality was- not quite enough. Mother Nature can be fickle and cruel. Injuries and sickness took their tolls too. So, even farmers likely ate a lot of cabbage, potatoes and oats through the winter. I don’t even want to think about what they did if they went without coffee.

    I’m glad I wondered about my great grandparents…. Surfing the internet reminded me again what a cool life I’m living. I am spoiled in so many ways my ancestors couldn’t even imagine. I know I’m not going to starve or even really lose any variety in my eating choices through this blizzard. I can reach in the fridge and pull out the marinating pork butt. I’ll pop it in the oven to bake on low for a few hours and fill my warm house with a barbeque aroma. I’m going to grind some beans and brew one more pot of coffee before I go out to finish shoveling. Thanks Universe!

    Marinade for any pork roast

    • 1/4 cup of olive oil
    • 1/4 cup of soy sauce
    • 3 – 4 cloves of chopped garlic
    • 2 tablespoons of coarse mustard
    • Salt and Pepper
    • 4 tablespoons of honey.
    Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Place thepork loin in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fifteen minutes per pound. Cooked covered for the first half, and uncovered for the second. 
    The End. Go Eat.
  • i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo

    i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo

    You may have heard of Kalamazoo from one of the many popular songs about the city – from Glenn Miller to Ben Folds Five to my favorite, Walt Kelly’s Deck Us All with Boston Charlie – or poems, including one by Carl Sandberg. Kalamazoo has many nicknames, including Windmill City, Celery City, Mall City, and Paper City; it is the home of the Kalamazoo Promise, which offers college tuition to Kalamazoo Public School students. It is a city of entrepreneurship and hard work, including Upjohn Pharmaceuticals, The Peppermint King, Checker Cabs, Gibson Guitars (this is a very musical city), paper mills, and medical innovations, like those of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stryker, who invented the cast-cutting saw and a turning bed frame.

    History of Kalamazoo at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. From i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    History of Kalamazoo at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum

    The name Kalamazoo is a Potawatomi Indian expression, meaning boils like a pot (one look at the surface of the Kalamazoo River and you will nod your head in agreement). This is a vibrant small town with more diversity than you’d expect, thanks to the large corporations in town, as well as Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College. That means good food! There’s a fantastic farmer’s market, and plenty of great food trucks (both at the farmer’s market, and downtown at Bronson Park during lunch and events).

    Kalamazoo Public Library. From i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    Inside the Kalamazoo Public Library

    Speaking of Bronson Park, so much surrounds this public space – my favorite library, the Institute of Arts, the Civic Theatre – and it was the center of a deadly tornado, in 1980. Town founder Titus Bronson slept here in 1831, on his first night before settling in and founding the town; President Lincoln spoke here, as did Stephen A. Douglas, William Jennings Bryan, Theodore Roosevelt, and both John and Robert Kennedy. Today, you’ll hear bands in the bandshell and see kids splashing in the fountains in summer, and in winter, you can walk among the holiday lights.

    Be alert when driving around town – you might catch a glimpse of the famous Banana Car! Kalamazoo is about 140 miles from Detroit and Chicago, and less than 35 miles from South Haven, if you’d like to see Lake Michigan on Michigan’s Sunset Coast.

    It was extremely difficult to narrow these categories down. Kalamazoo is a food town, I’m lucky to say. I’m sure this won’t be the last you’ll hear this from me.

    Breakfast at Nina's cafe. i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    Breakfast at Nina’s cafe.

    Breakfast: Nina’s Café
    Since 1998, locals have been flocking to Nina’s café for their excellent, home-cooked breakfasts and friendly atmosphere. You’ll find people of all kinds here, but there’s one thing they have in common: they love a good breakfast. It’s a small diner-type restaurant, with under a dozen tables and some stools at the counter. Most of the bread is homemade, so ask when you order. They also serve lunch, but I’ve never tried that – WHO CAN RESIST a breakfast menu?

    My Suggestion: Anything with hash browns. They are crispy, crunchy, and oh, so delicious. Eggs of any form are delicious, and be sure to try the biscuits and sausage gravy if you love them (ahem, me). Or the corned beef hash (ahem, me). And the homemade toast? Yes…

    Price $5- $10
    Hours 6:30am- 2:30pm every day except Sunday, 8am-2:30pm
    Address 1710 W Main St
    Phone (269) 373-6462
    Website http://www.ninas-cafe.com/

    Second Breakfast (Bakery)
    There’s only one place to send you, and I hope that you’ve worked off breakfast, because Sarkozy’s Bakery is extraordinary. I’ve eaten their oatmeal bread my entire life, and their pastries are the epitome of deliciousness. On weekends, you’ll find live music from local musicians, and definitely pop in during Art Hop. If you’re coming to the area, sign up for Judy Sarkozy’s email list – it’s not only interesting, and a behind-the-scenes look at running a bakery, but you’ll also learn about local ingredients and and special offerings (paw paws this fall, paczkis for Fat Tuesday). You can get meals, too – quiche, soups, etc. – but save room for lunch!

    Sarkozy Bakery's apple pies. From i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    Sarkozy Bakery’s apple pies

    My Suggestion:  I can’t decide. So I will give you several. The Chocolate Croissant is luscious. The Almond pastry – divine. The Cookies. The Apple pies, crisp flaky, with a tender Michigan apple filling with just the right amount of cinnamon and crunchy turbinado sugar. Hold on, I’ll be right back…

    Price pastries are $2-4.
    Hours Monday-Friday7:30am –5pm, Saturday7:30am–4pm, Sunday 8am–2 pm
    Address 350 E Michigan Ave
    Phone (269) 342-1952
    Website under construction, try http://www.yelp.com/biz/sarkozy-bakery-kalamazoo-2

    Lunch: Saffron
    Let’s just pause a minute for the joy that is freshly baked naan. Now, pause another minute for this gorgeous salad with pomegranates. Do you want to eat anything else? The answer, at Saffron, is a resounding yes.

    Composed salad at Saffron's lunch buffet. From i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    Composed salad at Saffron’s lunch buffet – look at those pomegranates!

    My Suggestion: When you walk into Saffron and view the wonder that is the lunch buffet, you know you won’t need a menu. EVERYTHING on the buffet is delicious. Highlights for me are the composed salad that we definitely need a recipe for, tandoori chicken, chicken curry, and many other delicious dishes, but best of all, finishing up with a creamy rice pudding studded with my favorite spice, cardamom.

    Price buffet $11, entrees around $15 at lunch
    Hours M-Th, 11:30am-2pm, 5-9:15pm; F 11:30am-2pm, 5-10pm; Sat 12-2:30pm, 5-10pm. Closed Sundays
    Address 1710 W Main St (yes, just a few doors down from Nina’s)
    Phone (269) 381-9898
    Website http://saffronkzoo.com/

    Coffeeshop: Something’s Brewing
    There are several contenders for this spot (Black Owl,  my favorite coffee in town, but closes at 3pm ; Water Street, crowded at times but open late; Chocolatea, but far down in Portage). The one that rose to the top like foam atop steamed milk is Something’s Brewing. Located just across the street from the main library, this is a small coffeeshop with a big heart. Kalamazoo’s original coffeeshop (opening in 1994), the shop has new owners in the last few years, and they know how to bake. I tell EVERY SINGLE PERSON about their homemade cinnamon pop-tarts. They have luscious chai latte ice cream smoothies in summer (!), and delicious drinks year round. The barista is so friendly that you feel welcome every time. Plus, she can turn a great espresso.

    Something's Brewing, Kalamazoo. Fromi8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    Something’s Brewing menu board. I know, so hard to choose…

    My Suggestion: Frankly? Anything on the menu; I especially love the mochas. Our daughter gets the peanut butter peppermint mocha and swoons. I like their atmosphere (it’s small!) and the comfy chairs at the back, or the outside seating in the summer. If you like iced coffee, they use coffee ice cubes – a genius trick for not watered down iced coffee. Check their facebook page (their only web presence) for the baked goodies of the day. If you see the cinnamon pop-tarts, RUN. They sell out fast.

    Price under $5
    Hours M-F, 6am-5pm, Saturday 8am-1pm, closed Sundays
    Address 120 W South St
    Phone (269) 349-1295
    Website https://www.facebook.com/SBCoffeeKzoo/

    Happy Hour
    Kalamazoo is the center of Michigan’s craft brewing scene, so if you love beer, you can’t go wrong in this town, annually named as a top beer town in the US (here’s a beer map to all 14 breweries). Perhaps the most recognized craft brewery is Bell’s (try their Oberon Ale, in the summer). But with a slew of breweries, where to go?

    Arcadia Ales. From i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    Arcadia Ales

    My Suggestion: Head to Arcadia Ales. Located a few blocks east of downtown, and on the Kalamazoo River, Arcadia Ales offers more than a few beers. I took a Yelp Elite tour of the brewery, and came away amazed. Started in 1996, Arcadia Brewing offers year-round, seasonal, specialty, and draft only beers. Here’s the thing that will make you happy (besides the outdoor patio) – the smokehouse. HOLY SMOKES, this is good stuff (ha! see what I did there?). While I love the brisket the most, I also enjoy the house made sausage, dry-rubbed spare ribs, and mac and cheese. All meat is locally-sourced. The smokehouse offerings make the beer even easier to drink – it’s a complete package. Try a flight of beers if you can’t decide!

    Price Beer flights $10-15
    Hours Tues-Saturday, 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-9pm, Closed Mondays.
    Address 701 E Michigan Ave
    Phone (269) 276-0458
    Website http://arcadiaales.com/

    Dinner: Food Dance
    I recommend Food Dance for more than their delicious food. They embody a farm to table ethos that goes a bit further: “We support artisans who practice craft food processes that have been around for generations—growing, raising, preserving, curing, aging, pickling, butchering and more.” Not only can you get that at the restaurant, but also at the small shop outside of the restaurant, where you can purchase artisanal meat/bread/etc. The restaurant annually wins awards, and it’s easy to see why – elegant atmosphere, attentive waitstaff, and extraordinary food.

    My Suggestion: While the entirety of the menu is delicious (or so my

    Ultimate Mac & Cheese, Food Dance. From i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    Ultimate Mac & Cheese, Food Dance. Photo: MLive

    family says), I would drive 24 hours straight to get their ultimate macaroni and cheese. This, too, wins awards for best Macaroni and Cheese in Michigan – take a look at the ingredients: rustichella d’abruzzo rigatoni, grafton aged cheddar, cream, caramelized onions, house made bacon, fresh spinach, toasted bread crumbs, field greens salad. You’ll thank me. I get it EVERY SINGLE TIME. Note: try the ginger mint lemonade – it’s scrumptious.

    Price Ultimate Mac & Cheese, $19. Entrees range from $20-30
    Hours Monday-Thursday 7am-10pm, Friday and Saturday 7am-11pm, Sunday 8am-3pm
    Address 401 E Michigan Ave #100
    Phone (269) 382-1888
    Website http://fooddance.net/

    Pin for later:

    i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Kalamazoo
    Downtown, in Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park

     

     

     

     

    The End. Go Eat.

     

     

    All photos courtesy and copyright Jessie Voigts, except where noted.

  • I8tonite with San Francisco’s Anzu Chef Michael Raub on Asian Fusion Cuisine & Citrus Glazed Mahi Mahi Recipe

    I8tonite with San Francisco’s Anzu Chef Michael Raub on Asian Fusion Cuisine & Citrus Glazed Mahi Mahi Recipe

    Anzu’s Chef Michael Raub‘s story is one that seems to exemplify the phrase, “Life is what happens when you’re making plans.”

    San Francisco’s Anzu Chef Michael Raub on Asian Fusion Cuisine & Citrus Glazed Mahi Mahi RecipeFrom Texas barbecue to the French Laundry to Asian-Fusion cuisine, Michael Raub, Executive Chef at the Hotel Nikko San Francisco, didn’t plan a career in the restaurant business.

    Though cooking was a big part of his youth (with not one, but two grandmothers in the kitchen at every family gathering), his coursework was in marketing while at university in Houston, Texas. After college, he went to Colorado to pursue an internship in the hospitality industry. It was there that fate (or life) took over, and Michael’s career in the restaurant business really began.

    After a brief return to Texas, he pursued the best of the best: The Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. His ambition and initiative served him well, and he was soon on his way to Napa Valley, California, where he interned at Bouchon, quickly moving on to a full time position as Garde Manager. In 2010, he was promoted to Sous Chef. Michael stayed with the Keller Group for four years, also working at Ad Hoc and the French Laundry, a Michelin three star restaurant.

    In 2012, Michael accepted a position as Executive Sous Chef at Ame Restaurant in the St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco, where he worked with Hiro Sone, winner of the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chefs of California award.

    Michael credits both of his grandmothers with instilling in him an appreciation of good food and fresh ingredients, his first employers with his work ethic, and his determination with a bit of luck, for the opportunity to work alongside some of the best chefs in the business.

    ANZU restaurant, Hotel Nikko, San FranciscoAnzu is the perfect venue, allowing him to create dishes like Sichuan Peppered Filet Mignon and Citrus Glazed Mahi Mahi (recipe below). The menu incorporates his love of high quality meats and fresh local sustainable seafood. It seems that life was just waiting to bring Michael’s particular blend of experience and skill to Anzu at the Nikko.

    Chef’s Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

    How long have you been cooking?
    16 Years

    What is your favorite food to cook?
    I love cooking with fresh seafood. It is very delicate and takes constant attention.

    What do you always have in your fridge at home?
    Kimchi

    ANZU restaurant, Hotel Nikko, San FranciscoWhat do you cook at home?
    I love the experience of smoking fish and meat all day to make delicious Barbeque. A great way to spend a day off!

    What marked characteristic do you love in a customer?
    I haven’t served a customer in a very long time. What I find appealing about one of our guests is a sense of adventure.

    What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a customer?
    Rudeness

    Tupperware, Rubbermaid, or Pyrex?
    Pyrex, but prefer a good old fashioned mason jar.

    Beer, wine, or cocktail?
    Wine

    Your favorite cookbook author?
    Right now, I can’t put Dominique Crenn’s new book down

    Your favorite kitchen tool?
    My hands

    Your favorite ingredient?
    The lettuces and herbs we are getting from Ecopia Farms right now!

    Your least favorite ingredient?
    Lavender

    Least favorite thing to do in a kitchen?
    Leave for the day

    ANZU restaurant, Hotel Nikko, San FranciscoFavorite types of cuisine to cook?
    French, Japanese, Italian, and Korean

    Beef, chicken, pork or tofu?
    Chicken

    Favorite vegetable?
    Whatever is at the peak of the season

    Chef you most admire?
    Laurent Gras

    Food you like the most to eat?
    Grilled Fish

    Food you dislike the most?
    Hard Boiled Eggs

    How many tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
    0

    Citrus Glazed Mahi Mahi Recipe from at Anzu Restaurant, Hotel Nikko, San Francisco
    Citrus Glazed Mahi Mahi

    Recipe: Citrus Grilled Mahi Mahi with Thai Green Curry
    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    Curry

    • 1 T Olive Oil
    • 3 T Green Curry Paste
    • 1 Shallot (Minced)
    • 1 Inch Peeled Ginger (Minced)
    • 2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
    • .5 Each Lemon Grass (Chopped)
    • 1 C Coconut Milk
    • 1 C Dashi
    • 5 Each Kaffir Lime Leaves
    • 1 T Fish Sauce
    • 1 T Brown Sugar
    • 2 Bunches Thai Basil
    • 1 C Baby Spinach

    Citrus Cure

    • 2 T Kosher Salt
    • 1 T Sugar
    • 1 Lime (Zested)
    • 1 Lemon (Zested)
    • 1 Orange (Zested)
    • 1 t Cracked Coriander
    • 4 each 5 Ounce Mahi Mahi Portions
    • 1 Large Butternut Squash
    • 12 Mixed Marble Potatoes
    • 4 C Baby Spinach
    • 1 Clove Garlic (Minced)
    • .5 Lime

    For the curry, heat the oil in a medium heavy bottom pot on high heat until slightly smoking.
    Add the shallot, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass and brown for about two minutes.
    Add the curry paste and kaffir limes and continue cooking another minute. Add the coconut milk and dashi and bring to a simmer.
    Add the sugar and fish sauce and cook for thirty minutes.
    Season to taste and let cool to room temperature.
    Remove the kaffir lime leaves and place the curry in a blender with the spinach and basil.
    Puree until completely smooth and pass through a fine mesh strainer.

    For the citrus cure, combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and reserve.

    Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and flesh. Peel the outer layer and cut into one inch pieces and roast in the oven at 400 degrees.
    Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

    Season the mahi with the citrus cure and grill until medium to medium well. The internal temperature should be 150 degrees F.
    Take the half of lime and place on the grill, flesh side down, until a dark caramel crust forms.
    We like to finish our mahi in the oven on a smoking plank of cherry wood.
    Take a large sauté pan and heat up a small amount of olive oil and place the garlic in the pan and sweat for thirty seconds.
    Place the spinach in the pan and cook until just wilted.

    Blanch the mixed marble potatoes in boiling salted water until just tender. Heat the curry and add the squash and potatoes.
    Ladle the curry in four separate bowls and top with the wilted spinach.
    Serve the fish on the side on the wood planks, so you can add the fish as you eat the curry.

    The End. Go Eat.

     

     

     

    All photos courtesy and copyright Anzu at the Hotel Nikko, San Francisco

  • i8tonite’s Call for Submissions

    i8tonite’s Call for Submissions

    Food, for all of us, has many implications. We need it and can’t do without it. Yet, something so necessary can create illness, disease, laughter, memories and happiness – it’s as conflicting as hot and cold. We manipulate what we eat so we can become leaner, bigger, faster and stronger. There is no end to the discussion of what food can do and the stories we can tell.

    Therefore, we, at i8tonite, have decided to open up “Food Musings” to writers who want to write about food. Whatever that may be from the extremes of eating,  tending to a garden and maybe raising a family chicken. It’s a no-holds-barred story.

    Unfortunately, we aren’t paying – yet. We are working on finding a sponsor but then, just to be clear; we started i8tonite five months ago.

    Besides, I get sick of listening to my own ramblings. When we don’t have one, I will pinch hit because – personally, every time I eat something, I have a story.

    Please send all submissions at a word count of 1000 – 1200, and photos you would like to use (because we all love photos) to submissions@i8tonite.com.

    With every essay, we want the author of each story to supply a recipe. Something fun for the reader to make at home  — easy and homecooked. It can be part of the story or something you just want to highlight. You decide.

    We will promote the story for you to our readers – making you famous.

    • — Brian and i8tonite team
  • i8tonite with Anson Williams: Entrepreneur and Happy Days Icon

    i8tonite with Anson Williams: Entrepreneur and Happy Days Icon

    PerfectPortionCookbook-CoverWhat do stars of iconic television shows  —  such as Anson Williams from Happy Days — do after their show goes off the air? Do they continue to act like The Mysteries of Laura Debra Messing, leaving lovable Grace Adler of  Will & Grace behind? Or do they create entire behind-the-cameras careers, such as Laverne & Shirley’s Penny Marshall, who went on to much acclaim directing Tom Hanks in Big and Madonna in A League of Their Own? How about the Olsen Twins from Full House – Mary-Kate and Ashley — creating a billion-dollar fashion business? Williams, who played the adorable Potsie from Happy Days, turned out to be all those things and more. He’s directed many television shows, including episodes of the fabulous Melrose Place and The Secret Lives of An American Teenager. But he also became an incredibly successful entrepreneur with Joanna Connell, a Hollywood make-up artist. For the past 18 years, Connell and Williams have created a mini-empire with StarMaker Products, a skin line used by a variety of television actors.

    French Toast for Perfect Portions Cookbook 2015
    Williams, QVC’s Bob Warden and nutritionist Mona Dolgov

    After a trip to his local store, there was a lightbulb moment when the actor-director-entrepreneur saw the 100 calorie snack packs. Williams said, “I realized it was all about portion control. I can eat all the foods I love, but I need to keep it at 100 calories.” Williams approached QVC’s Bob Warden and nutritionist Mona Dolgov to help him create The Perfect Portion Cookbook. Over a two-year period, testing and re-testing, writing and re-writing, tasting and re-tasting, Williams – along with his team of Warden and Dolgov – developed his vision, starting off with this debut cookbook. Eventually, Williams will turn the perfect portion into a library of cookbooks and healthy products.

    Fundamentally, all the recipes in the book are divisible by 100 calories, creating the perfect portion. Each recipe has a graph, calorie count, and how much is in that portion. For example, follow the instructions for the Pumpkin Pie cookie and once made, each sweet is 100 calories. Simply, it’s not so much a diet, which is restrictive, as it is a change in eating habits. Nothing is taken away, as much as everything is counted.

    At the age of 66, with four kids, Williams – who over the phone sounds as if he’s thirty — states, “I’m as buff when I was in my 30s. I did the 100 calorie portion. Sixty is the new sexy.” And a new food trend is born.

    Food Questions (with a nod to Proust):

    PerfectPortion-Guacamole-StuffedCherryTomatoes
    Guacamole Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

    What is your favorite food to cook at home? Gosh. Definitely Saturday and Sunday morning breakfast with my kids. I love getting together and making French toast as a family.

     What do you always have in your fridge at home? It’s what stays in the fridge when you have four kids. We are always adding to it. Always greens. Quick proteins. Healthy drinks. Mostly stuff for the kids.

    What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal? Connection with that person.

    What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal? Self-involvement.

    Beer, wine or cocktail? Red wine. I love finding small, family-run vineyards.

    PerfectPortion-photo-collage-6-300x300
    Bob Warden, Williams and Mona Dolgov

    Your favorite cookbook author? Bob and Mona. We put the cookbook together. Giada de Laurentis is good, too.

    Your favorite kitchen tool? Blender.

    Favorite types of cuisine to cook? I’m not an expert cook, but I do love family recipes. Food that has meaning. My wife Jackie, who is Swedish, cooks family recipes handed down to her.

    Beef, chicken, pork or tofu? Chicken and tofu. But all of them in moderation are good.

    Favorite vegetable? Spinach.

    Chef you most admire? Hope Berk. She is our eighty-four-year-old next door neighbor and has made all the kids their birthday cakes for years. She’s been a huge influence on our family. Making food for us that has been generational.

    Food you like the most to eat? Bob’s Pot Pie from our cookbook. Best thing I’ve ever eaten.

    Food you dislike the most? I despise fast food. I think the companies are corrupt and greedy. They created an addiction.

    PerfectPortion-BonelessBBQRibs
    Boneless BBQ Ribs

    What is your favorite non-food thing to do? Before the kids, I sailed planes. Now, I love being with my kids and spending time with them. I love creating. Writing scripts. I do more now than ever.

    Who do you most admire in food? Bob and Mona.

    Where is your favorite place to eat? Home.

     What is your favorite restaurant? Café Escobar in Malibu. All the food is made from family recipes and is really delicious. Inexpensive. No pretense. I can sit at the bar, have a great meal and a glass of red wine.

    Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food? No tattoos.

    PerfectPortion-HotCocoaPretzelsAnson’s “Hot Cocoa” Pretzels (Adapted from The Perfect Portion Cookbook)

    • 100 mini pretzels
    • 1 large beaten egg white
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

     Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, mix the egg white and vanilla. Toss in the pretzels and coat well.

    In a smaller bowl, combine the sugar and cocoa. Taking 2/3 of the sugared cocoa mixture, toss with the pretzels.

    Spread evenly on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining sugared cocoa. Bake for 20 minutes, turning the pretzels over after the first 10 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

    The End. Go Eat.

  • I8tonite with Miami’s Drunken Dragon Chef Xavier Torres: Recipe for Drunken Dragon Popcorn

    I8tonite with Miami’s Drunken Dragon Chef Xavier Torres: Recipe for Drunken Dragon Popcorn

    Cochon555_MIA-8Drunken Dragon Chef Xavier Torres cooked for both for his mother and brother while growing up in Puerto Rico.  It’s what he loved to do. With his family’s support, the well-traveled chef sought out new flavors and cooking opportunities —  but every step of the way his family had his back.

    In 2014, the Johnson & Wales culinary graduate Torres was given the reins to create whatever cuisine he wanted by Homecookin’ Hospitality Group, owners of Miami’s Foxhole. The area is typically known for repetitive, albeit delicious international flavors consisting of sushi and sashmi bars, neighborhood bodegas with out delectable Latin food and American steakhouses. It was a welcome surprise when Torres settled on a speakeasy dining experience of Korean barbeque, the first South Beach restaurant devoted to this Asian cuisine.

    Korean Ribs: Credit Drunken Dragon
    Korean Ribs: Credit Drunken Dragon

    Interestingly, Torres is classically trained in European cookery starting his career under Chef Paul McDonald at Ireland’s Adare’s Manor Hotel & Golf Resort. This led him to Lasarte, Spain where direction emanated from famed, three Michelin-starred Basque Chef Martin Berasategui at his eponymously named restaurant.

    Upon returning stateside, Torres took a variety of chef positions at some of South Beach’s illustrious restaurants such as Andrew Carmellini’s The Dutch, Sushi Samba and Nobu. Torres says, “I worked at Sushi Samba, (the now defunct) Wish and Nobu. I wanted to stay with Asian flavors but allow the city to try something which we didn’t have in South Beach.” (Korean barbeque is incredibly popular in Los Angeles where the team sourced Los Angeles-based Studio Collective to design Drunken Dragon’s Asian gastro-pub space.)

    Table: Credit Drunken Dragon
    Table: Credit Drunken Dragon

    Ironically, his family never cooked Asian food, as they were steeped in the tradition of Puerto Rican cuisines.  When asked how Torres’ family perceives his success, he answers, “They are happy with the job I’m doing. If I’m happy – they are happy.”

     

    Chef’s Proustian Questionnaire: 

    • Xavier TorresHow long have you been cooking?  Twelve years.
    • What is your favorite food to cook? Basque cuisine –  food from Spain.
    • What do you always have in your fridge at home? Fresh fruit.

     

    • What do you cook at home? Depends what I want to eat … sometimes fish.
    • What marked characteristic do you love in a customer? When a customer calls me over to their dinner table to compliment my dishes and really express their gratitude for what I cook.
    • IMG_2138What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a customer? When a customer tries to make their own dish with ingredients they see on the menu.
    • Tupperware, Rubbermaid, or Pyrex? Tupperware.
    • Beer, wine or cocktail? Wine.
    • Your favorite cookbook author? James Oseland.
    • Your favorite kitchen tool? Knife
    • Your favorite ingredient? Garlic
    • Your least favorite ingredient? Radish.
    • Least favorite thing to do in a kitchen? Receive orders.
    • Favorite types of cuisine to cook? Basque cuisine, food from Spain.
    • Beef, chicken, pork or tofu? Beef.
    • 11742862_920538968011529_2317882634785788078_nFavorite vegetable? Asparagus.
    • Chef you most admire? Thomas Buckley.
    • Food you like the most to eat? Spanish Food. I like to cook food other than my own because I always learn something new.
    • Food you dislike the most? Caribbean Food.
    • How many tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?  No tattoos.

     Recipe: Drunken Dragon Popcorn

    • 3 Tbsp coconut, peanut, canola oil or clarified butter
    • 1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
    • 1 3-quart covered saucepan
    • 1 Tbsp or more (to taste) of butter (optional)
    • Salt to taste

     In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the oil or clarified butter over high heat. Take a couple of kernels and place in the pot. Cover. Once these have popped, the oil is ready for the rest of the popcorn. Add everything in a single layer cover and take off heat. Everything should pop without burning.

    In a mixing bowl add a little truffle oil, then toss with truffle salt. Add a little freshly grated pecorino cheese followed with nori powder. (Note: Nori powder is a staple found in most Asian markets or purchase through Amazon.com)

    The End. Go Eat.

     

  • I8tonite: with Friends, Team Changes and Mashed Cauliflower

    I8tonite: with Friends, Team Changes and Mashed Cauliflower

    Courtesy of Apatow Productions
    Courtesy of Apatow Productions

    I was watching “Bridesmaids”, the hysterical friends and relationship comedy with Kristen Wiig.  Though the movie is heavily based on deep female friendships, there is a poignancy — that as a gay man with a multitude of amazing women comrades I can identify — that underlies the relationships. In one side-splitting scene, and there are so many, Melissa McCarthy’s character visits Wiig’s Annie, who is feeling sorry for herself. Her baking business went belly-up. She’s lost her apartment because she doesn’t have a job, lives with her mother. Her car is a junker. The only thing she isn’t doing is entering rehab. Basically, she’s hit rock bottom. But McCarthy, with her robustness, throttles Wiig’s character, by knocking her upside the head, proclaiming, “I’m life. Is life bothering you?” And yes it is…,.and it’s not going away, like McCarthy in the scene.

    Six years, ago it was like that for me. A 14-year relationship went into the toilet. My business tanked. My ex-partner in business and in life, well — turned out not to be such a significant other. Broke. No home. No car. And starting life again past the age of forty. After leaving everything behind in San Francisco– including the dog – (heartbreaking), I retreated to Los Angeles and to my best friends: Shelley, Lulu, and Bonnie. There are also my dear friends such as Kim, Pat, Sophia, Margot, Barbara, Kathy, and Jenny – many of whom I have known since the beginning of my career — but the pattern for me is women. With a couple of exceptions, such as my oldest friend Sean, John and former therapist Peter, these women, plus many more (Tanya, Annie, Myra, Myrna, Linda Chester, Katherine Lape, Julie, Charlotte, Teryann, Rita, Beverly, Katherine, Christine, Beth, Janet, Penny, Sharon – I know I’m forgetting someone. Forgive me if I am as the list is lovingly long) have been my salvation. My family. My friends. My confidantes.

    I know the fairer sex isn’t all peaches and cream. There are some women I would never want in my corner: Lizzie Borden, the female half of Bonnie and Clyde, and Sarah Palin to name a select few.

    Overall, the ladies in my life have been strong, resilient and loving. (This is what my memoir is about: a series of personal essays on the women I have loved as a gay man.)

    Jessie with Mallard Cottage's chef Todd Perrin - site of one of my favorite meals this year! St. John's, Newfoundland
    Jessie with Mallard Cottage’s chef Todd Perrin

    With all that said, in less than five months – I can’t believe it – i8tonite.com has grown as a site to roughly over 10,000 unique visitors per month. I can’t keep up with its content and rapid growth. So, I have brought on Dr. Jessie Voigts to become my collaborator, co-publisher, and co-editor to assist in the endeavor. Another great feminine presence – to keep my ass moving forward.

    Jessie has another site called Wandering Educators. There she is Queen Bee, holding court amongst her loyal subjects discussing the importance of travel in education.

    Cauliflower by Liz West.
    Cauliflower by Liz West.

    Mashed Cauliflower: This holiday eating season, I baked up cheesecakes, biscuits, breads, assorted pies, and cakes. Now, I need a sugar and flour respite and some weight loss. I’m getting older, and it doesn’t come off as fast as it once did. Additionally, I’m 49. I want to look good as I hit that mid-century, I want to look Daniel Craig-splendid, all sinew, and muscle, one more time before I hang up the Speedo. Not for anyone else…..but for me, and Nick.

    I made this dish, and I may never ever go back to mashed potatoes again. (I love potatoes!) It held the pot roast gravy perfectly and was luxuriantly delectable. Who cared that there wasn’t a spud in it? And it’s low carb.

    To Make: Boil a head or two of chopped cauliflower, minus the outer leaves, along with several garlic cloves. Cook until it falls apart. Strain. While, the vegetables and garlic are still hot, add a dollop of cream cheese (don’t argue), grated parmesan or asiago. Use an immersion blender to puree. Add some chives. Serve this puppy with anything. Game-changer.

    The End. Go Eat.

  • i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Boston’s Beacon Hill

    i8tonite: A Cheat Sheet to Eating in Boston’s Beacon Hill

    Credit: David Fox
    Credit: David Fox

    Colonial America boasts an astonishing number of great walking cities. For our forefathers –and mothers – let’s not be sexist, land travel was either horse, buggy or early American settlers’ feet. Rambling from the North End to Boston Common, Financial District to West End, visitors can walk with the ghosts while reading plaques denoting historical spots, great bars and shopping along 18th-century cobblestoned streets. And Beacon Hill, Boston’s tony neighborhood is a microcosm of all three experiences.

    Before the Revolution, Beacon Hill was a livestock grazing pasture with notable residents such as John Hancock, the flourished signer of the declaration. Now the historical area is home to over 10,000 occupants enfolded in restored early American brick row homes and carriage houses styled in Federal, Greek and Revival periods. Situated on a petite one-half square mile, the densely populated area is bordered by Beacon Street, Bowdoin Street, Cambridge Street and Storrow Drive, with Charles Street as its commerce hub. Ambling throughout the vital area to America’s birth, visitors are greeted with tree-lined lanes, gaslights, brass knockers and distinctive wrought iron decorations.

    Credit: Greater Boston CVB
    Credit: Greater Boston CVB

    It’s hard to believe that the area, during the mid-20th century was home to urban decay, now it’s considered to be one of Boston’s most desirable neighborhood with homes well over the million dollar mark. For visitors and residents alike, Beacon Hill is one of the most historically-laden and significant areas in the country. It’s also one of Boston’s best locations to discover great eats while getting a history refresher course on how the US began  – right in time for an election year.

    Pancakes Paramount Breakfast: The Paramount, opened since 1937, has long been considered the place for breakfast and inexpensive dining. Families, students, and young couples gather to sip coffee, eat waffles and fortify themselves before heading starting their day. The restaurant has received many “best of” by Beantown’s local media. Don’t question, just eat. Dinner is also superb.

    • My suggestion:  The Buttermilk Pancakes are fluffy Frisbees of American goodness. Sprinkled with powdered sugar, served with whipped butter and pure maple syrup. Warming. Comforting. Fortifying.
    • Price: $8 for a stack of three. Yes, that’s right. Eight dollars in an area with multi-million dollar homes. For some of us, it may be the closest we get to living in one.
    • Hours: Breakfast is served daily until 4:30 pm
    • Address: 44 Charles Street, Boston, Mass., 02114.
    • Phone Number: (617) 720 – 1152
    • Website: www.paramountboston.com

     

    Credit: Figs by Todd English
    Credit: Figs by Todd English

    Lunch:  Figs by Todd English. Long before I’ve eaten Mr. English’s illustrious pizza, I’m headed to Umbria with a former wine client from Montefalco  – before the blog. She’s drunk on ecstasy and champagne before we are even off JFK’s international runway. (Trust me, the relationship did not end well.) After knocking back a few to keep myself sane – sans drugs – she starts tapping and whispering in my ear, “Isn’t that the famous chef Todd England?” (That’s what she called him.) I look at her, then him and shrug. She does it again. I say with an irritated edge because she’s becoming a nightmare – all touchy-feely, “I don’t know. Why don’t you go ask him?” It turns out it is. Very nice man and on his way to Perugia to sample Italian produced foodstuffs for his restaurants. Yep, dedicated, handsome, with a lumberjack-like stature, Todd – as he suggests we call him, is very nice. She is all over him. Todd and I stayed in touch and hung out with him at Olives, one of his dining New York City outposts. Lost touch after a period of time. That was my Todd English experience. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.

    • Figs Eggplant PizzaMy suggestion: Pizza. Seriously. The man goes to Italy to source product for his customers. Get the pizza. Any of them will do.
    • Price: $17.00 – $24.00
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, 11:30 am – 10:00 pm. Friday – Saturday, 11:30 am – 11:00 pm. Sunday, 12:00 pm – 10:00pm.
    • Address: 42 Charles Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114
    • Phone Number: (617) 742 – 3447.
    • Website: http://toddenglishfigs.com/
    Credit: Courtesy of TipTap Room
    Credit: Courtesy of TipTap Room

    Snack:  The Tip Tap Room. Okay, Boston is a beer town. It’s has a lot of swilling ale lovers of all persuasions  who belly up to the bar. And The Tip Tap Room has a 100 of them and counting. The food – cheffed by Brian Poe — is delicious as evidenced by its accolades from places like Stuff, Urban Daddy, Maxim and Boston Magazine. After the food service is over, it becomes a hotspot for swinging singles. If you stayed for the food, stay for a little longer – you may not need Tinder.

    • My suggestion:  Drink a beer. Any beer. Order something to go with the beer like the Baked Brie, Boar Meatballs or Hoisin Riblets.
    • Price: Who cares? You’re drinking beer in a Boston bar. Cheers!
    • Hours: 3:00pm – 1:30 am
    • Address: 138 Cambridge Street, Boston, Mass
    • Phone Number: (857) 350 – 3344
    • Website: www.thetiptaproom.com 
    Credit: Mooo Restaurant. (Love saying, "moooo.)
    Credit: Mooo Restaurant. (Love saying, “moooo.)

    Dinner:  Mooo Restaurant is a steakhouse housed under the roof of XV Beacon Hotel. Created in 2007, by Chef Jaime Mammano, who also opened the famous Mistral – the legendary restaurant which put both the chef and Boston on the culinary map. Since, Mooo serves the food for a luxury hotel you don’t really have to leave the building as the eatery serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to the patrons of the property.  (But get out – get some exercise and fresh air, unless you’re on a romantic weekend.). More importantly, Mooo (great name) features a Strube Ranch Wagyu steak on the menu. With fries. Steak and fries. In Boston. With beer. Sweet dreams are made of this.

    • Credit: Mooo Restaurant
      Credit: Mooo Restaurant

      My suggestion: Strube Wagyu Steak Frites. Strube is one of the leading bio-ranchers in the country. Their beef is well-marbled and succulent. If you’re going to eat a steak, make it a good one.

    • Price: $38.00
    • Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm, Friday and Saturday, 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm.
    • Address: 15 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass, 02108
    • Phone Number:  (617) 670 – 2515
    • Website: www.mooorestaurant.com

     

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    The End. Go Eat.