Showing posts with label Monico. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monico. Show all posts

Sunday, August 7, 2011

It's More Than A Meal, It's An Adventure

R and G Lounge San Francisco. Monico and I have walked by here a few times, while either on our way from, or headed toward Chinatown. I heard it was good. Well, mostly from Monico, saying this is where his Chinese friends bring their parents when they visit. And and...Anthony Bourdain ate here when he filmed his SF episode of No Reservations. Needless to say, we've been wanting to try it, plus I've been in serious need of a crab fix lately. The crab was 38 bucks (market price) and we paid it. It is there signature dish, so we kind of had to get it, plus did I mention I was in a bad way about needing crab! It was delicious! It was everything I wanted it to be and more. Using the tools they provided I broke into the crab. My fingers were greasy. The coke I ordered was a perfect compliment to my salty-meaty pieces of crab. We ordered a side of rice and something else called, something like, three delights, I don't know really, because the crab, the crab, it's all I wanted, it's all I can remember!

After lunch I had to urge Moni to walk slower on account I didn't want to get a cramp. Since I'm a fatty, of course I ate too much, as I often do, I don't know my limit. When something's this good, I just don't want it to stop.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Meats and Sweets

Or, Seattle Happy Birthday Time
Or, I turned 30 in Seattle,
Or, My continued obsession with Anthony Bourdain and cured meats!



My obsession with Anthony Bourdain and cured meats continued during my trip to Seattle. While I was visiting Portland, I watched the Portland episode of No Reservations. It only stands to reason that, while visiting Seattle, I indeed watch that episode of No Reservations as well, which led me to Salumi, only a hop, skip and a jump away from Pikes Place Market. I bought Paris a pre-birthday meal, since his birthday is the day after mine, and with lunch in our hot little hands we crossed the street and ate picnic style. We made sure to purchase a log of delicious cured meats to take with us so everyone could partake in the joy that is Salumi.

In the Italian episode of his show, Anthony Bourdain remarked that he kills that which he loves. By enlightening the masses, we come and tour and eat and crush, and eventually, squeeze the essence from these unique food sanctuaries. I want him to know, I am grateful for what he has done for me personally. I'm sure many would agree with me... I am a better person with delicious, juicy, particles of meat and fat and grease dribbling from my mouth and eventually making there way into my grateful tummy. My knowledge of food has grown exponentially because of him and his show, and I say thank you, my tummy thanks you. I promise to not crush, and to always tip generously!


Ceviche ala Paris, recipe...Rick Bayless, winner of Top Chef Masters Season 1. It is delicious and super easy, exactly my kind of cooking!


Beecher's was also on No Reservations. It's at Pikes Place Market, across the street. I ordered mac-n-cheese and watched them make the cheese right there. Good times!


Salumi meat, provolone, apples, and a baguette, a perfect afternoon snack.


Paris and I made birthday cakes for each other. He requested carrot with vanilla frosting. Which, I was opposed to immediately, since carrot cake usually dictates a cream cheese frosting, but you have to make concessions, and give people what they want on their birthday, if at no other time during the year. It was pretty tasty, since it was, America's Test Kitchen recipe all the way baby. I used fresh ground pepper this time, and there was no doubt that pepper was in there, which made it interesting, but didn't ruin it. For mine, I wanted none other than my go-to-have-to-have-above-all-else...yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Num num in my tum. His recipe came from Flour, a book that he remarked, is his new favorite. I had lots-o-fun, until next time Seattle!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Delicious Delicious Meat

Meat and charcuterie seem to be running themes while Noel, James and Tara were in San Francisco. It was Tara's birthday week, we had lots of fun and ate lots and lots of delicious meats!


Tara's reese's peanut butter cup birthday cake!


I made breakfast one morning while the guys were still sleeping, the weather was beautiful and I was awake at 8 in the morning, so I decided to take a walk and get ingredients at Whole Foods, where I recently discovered their deli (meat) counter! Meat and cheese, yum!


North Beach meat!




We took home some meat! Yummy yummy meat, that we ate at three in the morning, with Lee's baguette after a few drinks.


Tommy's Joint on Geary and VanNess, lunch line style, bring cash, you will find strong drinks, meat and mashed potatoes, and delicious pastrami sandwiches.


Noel's first trip to In and Out. It's not your typical fast-food joint.


And it's burgers instead!


Mandatory trip to get salt water taffy after In and Out.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

It's Pizza and I Helped



P-I-Z-Z-A!!!

Another America's Test Kitchen win for my tummy! Along with being obsessed with America's Test Kitchen, I watch A LOT of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. He's made me want to eat charcuterie. My mouth wants yummy cured meats with cheese and bread. Living in such a foodie city one would think that one could find such delicious foods as these, but alas, it's been difficult, unless you want to spend loads of money at a fancy restaurant, which I don't at the moment. But there's a glimmer of hope and tastiness in the deli section of Whole Foods. That's where Moni and I purchased four thinly sliced $17.99 per lb Prosciutto di Parma with the intent of combining meat and pizza to make awesome P-I-Z-Z-A! Homemade sauce, homemade dough, toppings of your choice...






We made a salad too, but who wants to see that when you have yummy meat pizza to look at.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

March is for Macaroons




Not a surprise this is another America's Test Kitchen recipe. They give great results.

I like to make cookies! I've never made these kind before, and the recipe was interesting. It was the first time I used Almond Flour; and the second time since receiving my new standing mixer for Christmas that I used it. It's a lot of fun and when the recipe calls for mixer slowly, I have to resist the urge to go faster and faster! I only needed to make a half portion of the butter-cream filling. Upon tasting it, all I could taste was butter, and not in a good way. When I used it to fill the moist cookies, it all had the same flavor. It just wasn't right. So I decided to add a little orange extract, and it was just thing to lighten up the cookie! Now these buggers are in my house and every time I start snacking on one, I think TEA TIME!, and brew a cup of tea to have with the second one! Yummy!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Molasses Cookies, A Holiday Preview



Yum. The best part about these simple molasses cookies is the 3 tablespoons of dark rum added to the powdered sugar for the glaze. Really good, and gives them a little kick. Just use rum instead of water or milk in the glaze. Like I do in my cereal.


*pics taken with our new Canon camera!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Yes, I would like some Basil


The little farmers market by our house happens every Wednesday and Sunday. I have time enough on Wednesdays on my way home from work to pick up some good eats. Heirloom tomato season is coming to an end, so I wanted to make sure I ate some, today! I also picked up some apples and chard and green beans and of course basil, to go with my tomatoes.





Yum, yum!

And then I made this while Moni was making pasta with lots of veggies.

And I made this super easy tart, that my friend Alejandra, the chef, whipped up for us one day. We already had the pastry crust in our freezer. It's super easy and quick. Thaw crust, peel apples, toss with sugar. Put apples in heaping mound in middle of thawed crust, brush with egg whites and sprinkle the top with more sugar. Cook in oven at 350 til golden brown.

I was like, "lets make whip cream". And he was like, "NO! Let's make ice cream, banana ice cream!" I was like, "you can't just whip it up like that, you need a recipe." And he was like, "No, you don't." And he was right. And it was good! The End...or is it?

Monday, July 19, 2010

Rachel screams for homemade ice cream

Not that it's been that warm here (haha... in your face, Feli!), but we couldn't wait to try to make some stuff with our new ice cream maker. First time we tried, the maker's bowl didn't get cold enough in our freezer, and we ended up with warm custard. Had to pack the freezer with some ice and salt in order to get a hard freeze.



Spiced Banana. Like a banana eggnog, almost.


Mixed Berry frozen yogurt.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

These Little Piggies Went to Market...


Rachel and I go to the Farmer's Market about once a week around here. They have the best fruit and veggies in the city... and we usually pick up some homemade bread, or honey, or something also. So! Today, we documented our trip.



Rachel's first persimmon! Ever...

Local oysters, yummy!


Lunch. Whiskey-fennel sausage and chicken-turkey-curry.


Giant Buddha's-Palm Citron.


A day at the market! Show us markets around where you live.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

I'm pretty sure most of us on here have seen Anthony Bourdain's television show, No Reservations. And if you haven't, you should check it out or download some episodes. Very entertaining and lots of interesting locales and food. But I also just picked up his book, Kitchen Confidential, a memoir/chef's letter to the public. Viewing the workings of restaurants from the back of the house. Which is easy for me to relate to, as mostly he bitches about horrible customers and people who should never own a restaurant. Sounds like my life. But the real center to the book is his growth as a chef, his realization that he really didn't know that much about food when he was just starting out. At times, the book can be very sweet and tragic. A great companion to No Reservations.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

I like to bake!

Moni's birthday was yesterday, so we wanted to make some dessert. We've been wanting to make some new foods. I love the feeling of this time of year, and of course, the delicious comfort food that comes with the changing of the seasons. What a better way to start off than with peaches, peaches and peaches!!! Oh yeah, and almonds!



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups almonds sliced for crust, and also 1/2 cup for topping
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, plus 1 tbs for topping
1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
6 cups frozen peaches, thawed and drained
1/2 cup peach jam
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
13x9 inch pan, tin foil liner, greased
375 degree oven

Crust: Mix all the dry ingredients, then add the butter and cut into mixture ala pie crust (pea sized chucks). Save about a 1/2 cup of the mixture for the topping, and press the rest evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden. About 15 min.

Cut peaches into small chunks, mix with jam. Cook in high heat skillet until thickened. Off heat stir in lemon zest and juice and a pinch of salt. Spread peach mixture over crust.

Strussel topping: Mix the reserved topping and 1 tbs brown sugar. Pinch into pea-sized chunks. Spread over peaches. To finish spread remaining sliced almonds over the strussel!

Bake it for 20 mins or til golden and awesome!!!



Ohhh la la...We made our own whip cream and added frozen blueberries, very delicious additions!! Yum Yum in our tummies!