Friday, March 27, 2009

Taco x 3!


Taco, Taco, Taco.  I just love taco’s!

 

This week, within a three day span, our family had taco’s on 3 consecutive days.  The great news is that not only were there no complaints, but everyone was ready for more. 

Taco mania started on Sunday afternoon.  After taking the two labs for a walk along the sound, my wife and I were hungry.  We had wanted to try out the famed Taco Truck, “El Charrito” so we took a drive over to Jackie Robinson park in Stamford, across from Beamers “café”, and found the yellow painted refurbished Good Humor Ice Cream Truck.  We ordered the carne adobada (spicy pork), pollo (chicken), chorizo (mexican sausage), and cesina (salty steak) taco’s then sat on a picnic table for about 10 minutes while our taco’s were made to order. 

What we received back were four excellent taco’s in a warmed corn tortilla with beautifully fresh ingredients, appropriately spiced meats, black refried beans, with chopped onions and cilantro, accompanied with homemade spicy red and green sauces.  Wow!  We could have eaten several more, and at $2.50 a pop, they are a bargain.  And, if you call ahead on 203-940-0922, your taco’s will be ready when you arrive. We’ll be back! 

Monday night, we decided to cook a simple dinner at home.  We had purchased fresh scrod that day, so we decided to make fish taco’s.  The beauty of making a taco dinner, is that it’s so quick and easy.  Our approach to taco’s is very straightforward.

1.      Cook the protein (ok-  so now I am talking like some fancy chef).  On Monday night, we seasoned the fish with a bit of salt, pepper, cumin, and grilled it on a cast iron skillet.  When cooked, we squeezed some lime over the scrod and flaked it with a fork.

2.      Cut up all the stuff, meaning whatever you like to put on your taco’s.  We typically include tomatoes, avocado, refried black beans, some spicy peppers (jalapeno’s, chipolte’s …)  If we’re cooking meat or chicken, some cheese shredding is also required.  And, if we have some extra time, we might also mix up an easy guacamole with lime, onions, spicy peppers, cilantro…)

3.      Grill any additional ingredients.  We usually have grilled peppers and onions available to the mix, sometimes mushrooms. 

4.      Take out your favorite salsa’s, spicy sauces, and wraps.

5.      Lightly grill the wraps, combine all your favorites, seal the taco, heat again (particularly important if you want melted cheese.)

If you can master these steps, you’ll be eating great taco’s in less than a half hour.

The fish taco’s (2x) were excellent on Monday, and the spice rubbed skirt steak taco’s, marinated for at least an hour with some cumin, chili, garlic, onion, lime, and a couple of tablespoons of oil, (3x) were equally sublime…

And of course, any leftovers are easily reheated for a quick snack or dinner!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Spicy and Tasty (Redux)


Chinese food is incredibly comforting to me!  If I’m stressed out, feeling out of sorts, or just looking for a quick pick-me-up, nothing does the job better than some really good Chinese.  This is no doubt the product of our regular Sunday Night Cantonese food dinners when I was growing up.  We’d typically go to a local favorite restaurant in NJ where we’d have wonton soup, spareribs, moo shu pork, fried chicken with vegetables, and some chow fun.  Periodically, we’d venture into Chinatown and go to Wo Hop where the eating would get kicked up bit with a wor suey kow soup, fried dumplings, and a butterfly shrimp.  My tastes have changed a bit over the years, and I now prefer the more incendiary szechwan offerings. My son is in from college for Spring break, and when asked what food he wanted to go out for last night--- his quick response was Chinese, and we all agreed a trip to Spicy and Tasty Restaurant on 39-07 Prince Street was in order.

 

A trip to Spicy and Tasty is always great, but there’s always a bit of mystery to the meal in that you’re never exactly sure that the items you order are exactly what you were planning to eat.  It’s hard to know whether that’s due to communication that gets lost in translation, or whether the dishes served there simply have different names.  In any case, the food is almost always excellent!

 

Last night we all pigged out, but went traditional, with no risk taking on spicy beef tendon or stinky tofu.

  • Hot and Sour Soup
  • Dan Dan Noodles
  • Mild Spicy Chicken Szechuan Style
  • Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce
  • Shrimp and Green Hot Pepper in Black Bean Sauce
  • Dried Sauteed String Beans

 

It was a feast!  Everything was excellent, and while the heat got a sweat going for me (I don’t know what it is, but the red Chinese peppers, even the tiny ones that you cannot extricate from the food), cause me to start perspiring.  You know you’re in trouble when the waitress brings you a few napkins, unsolicited!  (Of course this doesn’t impact my appetite or the ability to enjoy the dishes, just gives my dinner companions a good laugh.)

 

The best dish of the night was the “mild spicy” chicken.  We had the “deboned.”  The chicken is dusted in spices, including szechwan peppers which make your mouth tingle, then deep fried with green pepper, garlic, and spicy dried red peppers. The taste is amazing, but you may want a bit of rice to cut the “mild spicy”.  

 

The dried sautéed string beans here are the best we’ve had anywhere.  The ongoing challenge is to order the right dish, as the Chinese String Bean with Dried Pepper is actually minced green beans in a slightly sour sauce, the Chinese String Beans with Minced Pork is made with the long Chinese string beans (also good), but the real winner is the Dried Sauteed String Bean, which is in the vegetables section and not “starred” as spicy.  These bean are so good that my “meat only” son loves em’.

 

Of course, a meal in Flushing is quite reasonable, with the tab here coming out to under $75 for four. 

 

After dinner we headed to Ten Ren, for some bubble tea.  If you haven’t had bubble tea, you’re missing a great drink which is made with tea (e.g. black, green), tapioca balls, and fruit flavors (e.g. mango, green apple, lychee).  The drink is served either hot or cold, with or without milk.  I usually keep it simple, preferring the iced green tea with milk.  The drinks come with oversized diameter straws that are used to suck up the round chewy tapioca balls.  After the Szechwan food at Spicy and Tasty, the sweet drinks are a great finish!


Well sated, we came home and relaxed further by enjoying the March Madness!

 

 

Sunday, March 15, 2009

The Most Dangerous Chocolate Cake!


Is there anything more comforting and great tasting than Chocolate? 

 

The better news is that dark chocolate contains flavonoids which act as antioxidants that are good for your heart! A small amount of chocolate can help to lower blood pressure and reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol. Of course small is the key word here.

 

Creating delicious chocolates has become its own art form, and the good news is that there is a great deal of art to be appreciated.  Of course, fine chocolates can be quite pricey, but this can help to make sure that you capture the health benefits without going overboard.

 

A couple of years ago, we did a chocolate taste test throughout Manhattan.  While almost all the chocolates were quite good, the best were at Kee’s located on Thompson Street in Manhattan http://www.keeschocolates.com/.  Of course, it’s also hard to go wrong with Jacque Torres, Vosges, and Michel Cluizel’s creations, but the clear best were the Thai Chili and Smoked Salt truffles at Kee’s.  And the exciting news is that they now have a retail storefront in a bank building in Midtown Manhattan. 

 

Last weekend, we took a day trip to Kent CT, for a hike along the Housatonic River with our dogs.  Kent is a quaint New England town, boasting a number of interesting art galleries and shops. One important find was Belgique Patisserie and Chocolatier.  The store itself is charming and has excellent coffee and beautiful pastries.  Of course the reason for taking this schlep is to taste the fantastic chocolates. The round chocolate mendiants (“little beggars”—one bite and you’re begging for more) with candied fruit, nuts and ginger on top are one of the best foods I have ever tasted; this place can give Kee’s a real run for their money.   Unfortunately there’s no way to get these except by visiting the store.  But if you take the journey and get some exercise on one of the many nearby hiking trails, you can alleviate your guilt and indulge yourself.

 

Now that your taste buds are salivating, here’s an easy, dangerous chocolate cake recipe—from a friend in Australia.

The Most Dangerous Chocolate Cake

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips

A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug

Ice Cream (optional)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on a high setting. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow the cake to cool a little, and you’re ready to go… Of course, you can also carefully remove the cake from the cup, and put it onto a plate with a side of ice cream!

You may ask why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because you can eat delicious chocolate cake at any time of the day or night in only 5 minutes!

Enjoy the Health Benefits!

 

 

Friday, March 13, 2009

Comfort Food in NOLA


While it may seem a bit counterintuitive, the best place for comfort food in the US is also the nations biggest party town- New Orleans.  New Orleans has a special energy, with its unique culture and architecture, fantastic jazz, blues, and zydeco music, and of course delicious and innovative food (note that many of the nation’s most recognized chefs both current and historical, e.g. Paul Prudhomme, Emeril, John Besh, Susan Spicer, …, come from NOLA). 

 

The town has mostly rebounded from Katrina, although the current economic climate is clearly impacting the local economy which is primarily tourism driven.  We visited the city end of last year with some friends, for 4 days of birthday fun.  We rambled around the French Quarter and Garden District, listened to music at the Zoo’s Swampfest and at clubs in the Fabourg Marigny area, and visited the devasted 9th Ward.  We purchased one of Robert Guthrie’s unique New Orleans inspired watercolors (note: we have several from other trips as well) http://www.robertguthrie.com/ . We ate excellent meals at some of the city’s finest restaurants like Herbsaint and Couchon http://www.cochonrestaurant.com, yet our most memorable eating was “comfort food” at local joints serving up their New Orleans specialties.

 

There is nothing better than starting the day with a beignet and chicory blended coffee at Café du Monde in Jackson Square http://www.cafedumonde.com/.  The café is an institution, and even if the confectionary sugar covered powdered “donuts” are a bit too heavy for your liking, with a terrific cup of java and a jazz musician playing while you’re enjoying a relaxing bite in the French Quarter, it’s a place that you cannot miss.

 

After spending some time roaming around the Quarter, checking out the local artists, the fabulous verandas overhanging the historic cobblestone streets, and browsing and shopping at the daily French Market, you’ll work up an appetite for a New Orleans lunch.  There are many options here including a delicious gumbo laden with seafood and spicy sausage, a bowl full of spicy crawfish, or simply grabbing one of the local “sandwiches”. 

 

New Orleans has transformed the sandwich into art, and from my perspective, the nation’s best sandwich is the muffuletta at the Central Grocery, a traditional Italian market which has been around since the early 1900’s. The muffuletta itself is a focaccia like round loaf of bread, with a diameter of approximately 1 foot, which is sliced in half horizontally and quartered, and then covered with an array of Italian meats, provolone cheese, and then topped with olive salad and olive oil. It’s a truly amazing sandwich that you can either eat inside on the Formica countertops, or preferably on a park bench overlooking the Mississippi River. This incredibly tasty sandwich easily feeds a family of four.  Note that the grocery is only open during the day, but closed on Sunday, and there are lines that form out the door, so check the store times, and go early. 

 

Po’ boys are another special New Orleans sandwich that typically consist of either fried seafood (e.g. oysters, shrimp, catfish…) or meat (roast beef, pork or sausage), on a warm, crusty French bread.  Toppings may include lettuce, tomato, onions, mayo or spicy creole mustard… or gravy on the meat.  There are many po’boy restaurants throughout the city and we’ve enjoyed the Ferdi Special- ham, roast beef with debris—the small, delicious bits of leftover roast beef that fall into the pot, and gravy, at Mother’s on Canal Street http://www.mothersrestaurant.net, which is absolutely a must visit classic place, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Heading further uptown, a recent newcomer, Mahoney’s on Magazine Street http://www.mahonyspoboys.com/, makes a mean Fried Shrimp po’boy, and don’t miss getting a side of the fried green tomatoes!

 

Of course, no trip to New Orleans is complete without comforting oneself with oysters, whether raw, fried or bbq’ed.  A fantastic variation of the oyster po’boy can be had at Casemento’s Restaurant http://www.casamentosrestaurant.com, a bit further uptown on Magazine Street from Mahoney’s.  Casemento’s is a historic place established in 1919, and still has the original green and white tile floors and walls, with the tin roof ceiling.  And, be sure and take a trip to the bathrooms in the outdoor courtyard.  You’ll also be rewarded on this journey with a trip through the narrow kitchen where the fish frying will be in full swing.  The fried oysters here are heaped onto thick slices of buttered and fried pan bread (don’t worry, your cholesterol will recover at some point), and accompanied with lettuce, tomato and mayo. One bite and you’ll be in heaven!  They make a mean soft shell crab loaf as well!

 

Heading back to the French Quarter, the raw oyster wars are fought across Iberville Street by rivals Felix’s Restaurant http://www.felixs.com/  and the Acme Oyster House http://www.acmeoyster.com/.   Both serve incredibly fresh, large gulf oysters, which can be eaten with or without a cocktail sauce that you can fix to your spice preference.  It’s easy to quickly gulp down a dozen or two of these sliders with a bloody mary or beer…  For a change of pace, check out the amazing chargrilled oysters at the Acme, which are heated over an open flame, and include a splash of Tabasco topped with seasoned butter, worcestershire sauce, and romano cheese.  Very Decadent!

 

My mouth is watering as I remember these outstanding comfort foods!  Take a trip to New Orleans, it’s a special town!

 

Sunday, March 8, 2009

The Bully is Back!


The Bully has been AWOL now for several months…  and I apologize to my readers. 


My initial goals were too ambitious, trying to put out a column every other day is a great deal of work, and over the course I several months, I found the blog more of a job than a labor of love.  When this happened, I put on the brakes.


A great deal has happened since that time, and much of the news has not been great.  While President Obama’s election is clearly a victory for helping to remove pre-conceived barriers to individual, country, and world progress, it remains to be seen whether he’s the right man to address the historic economic, environmental, and political challenges remains we face.


New York sports teams continue to struggle, but there is Jets hope with Rex Ryan.  Now if we can only stop talking about A-Fraud (can’t he just go-away) and let us Yankee fans enjoy the new stadium and the recent spending spree…


My bullies will not help to solve these issues; but hopefully they’ll provide a little bit of levity and enjoyment to both you and me, as we watch our 401K’s plan becoming 201K’s, and hope for our teams to do better as we spring forward today.


My plan is to update the site twice weekly. I believe this is a doable, even with a heavy work load that is increasingly challenging in today’s business climate.


I will continue to blog about food, restaurants, quick getaways, and cooking as in the past, but plan to focus on a couple of trends that I see emerging:


  1. A return to comfort food as people seek relief from daily pressures, reversing a period of over the top excesses. 
  2. More home cooking, consistent with the comfort food focus, but with a continued emphasis on fast, but high quality, tasty meals. (Is it any surprise that there is discussion about whether both Conde Nast’s Gourmet and Bon Appetite magazines can survive independently?)
  3.  The ongoing movement to more natural, local, fresh ingredients--- whatever this means.  There’s a great deal of noise in this space, and a good deal of price inflation in the grocery and at restaurants based on the use of these terms.  My sense is that people will continue to ask for, seek out, and expect this “higher quality” food, but will not pay more than a small premium.


The good news is although this blog has been silent, I have been actively eating and continuing to explore food around the country, and I look forward to sharing. 


Look forward to your feedback and ideas, and hopefully to your increased feedback and participation.


Thanks for your encouragement to re-start this blog!