Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies, oh my!

I recently made these brownies for my colleagues at work - they're courtesy of Cooking Light (which I love)...they were quite delicious and with a slight peppermint flavor. C loves cheesecake brownies (quite possibly the most sinful of brownies) so I'm pleased to find a recipe that is lighter and still as tasty!

Cheesecake batter:
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Brownie batter:
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
Cooking spray

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cheesecake batter, place cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add granulated sugar and peppermint extract; beat well. Add 1 egg and 1 egg white; beat well. Add 1 tablespoon flour; beat mixture just until blended.

3. To prepare brownie batter, weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 4.5 ounces flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, 2 egg whites, and 1 egg in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until well blended. Add flour mixture to brown sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until blended.

4. Reserve 1/2 cup of brownie batter. Pour remaining batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Carefully pour cheesecake batter over top; spread evenly to edges. Dot cheesecake batter with reserved brownie batter. Swirl top two layers of batters together using the tip of a knife. Bake at 350° for 26 minutes or until top is set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Calories: 213 (32% from fat)

Perennial (favorite)

Living on the "edge" of Lincoln Park, C and I have a pretty restaurant accessible location. We are not in the midst of the hot spots, per se, but there are decent places in walking distance. Anyway, a new place opened up about the time we moved here in August - Perennial. While we have tried to go only once (it was their brunch opening), we have been wanting to try it for quite some time. What I love is that they are directly across the street from the Green City Market and use a lot of the fresh ingredients from the market in their food.

My company holiday party was there for an afternoon last week. It was primarily passed appetizers, a limited buffet and an UN-limited bar - isn't that a good equation? I am writing this based on my professed love of the passed apps...honestly, they were fabulous. Written from my (somewhat) foggy memory, here's what they served us:
Corn and crab hushpuppies
Semolina gnocchi with butternut squash puree
Potato bites with red pepper coulis
Ahi sushi with a ponzu sauce

My favorites were the hushpuppies (an overlooked southern food) and the gnocchi (nontraditional and delicious). The texture of the potato bites was a little off for me and the sushi was good, with a tad too much sauce. Given that none of these options are on their regular menu, the point might be moot...BUT, my thoughts are this: if their catering for 250 is this good - hand me the dinner menu.

Check it out.

P.S. It is the same restaurant group as BOKA and Landmark...good kin.

In Defense of Food

A friend of mine lent me a book recently In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan. I have been making my way through it and have enjoyed it and the things I'm learning...nothing totally ground breaking, but just reiterations of these tenets: Eat (real) food, not too much, mostly plants.

What I really like is the reference to "real food" or "whole foods" - there are so many manufactured and processed and additive-injected foods these days. While I'm not bashing these foods (hello, cheese and chocolate are processed) but I like that reminding people that an orange can do so much for your health, as can spinach or blueberries, or oatmeal.

Reading Pollan is like a smart-alec former biology professor - his personality shines through and it's refreshing when you are reading more dry content (eg. soil mineral deficiencies or colon cleansing). It's good for foodies, health-conscious folks, and anyone interested in learning more about what they eat.

Read it and eat. Available at Borders!

Sultan's Market Falafel

For a late (late) Sunday lunch, C and I headed up the street to Sultan's Market - a place that I'd been wanting to try since before we moved in. We're huge falafel fans (and c'mon, I'm Armenian) and love Middle Eastern food - plus it was supposed to be "cheap eats" and who doesn't love that?

We bused ourselves up Clark (it was freezing) and ordered up two falafel pitas with hummus. As we were on the late side (3:30pm) there was a lot of empty space in the hot bins, though the salad bar was fully stocked with cheeses, olives, pickled peppers, and tabbouleh. We skipped that in favor of something warm and crunchy.

The young guy making our pitas was generous with the falafel and hummus and all the extras - we ordered them "medium spicy" and the proportion of everything was great. The falafel was a little dry, to be honest, but the cucumber-yogurt sauce and the hummus helped. I was surprised that the falafel weren't hot - they were warm at best...and I just think that all falafel should be crispy, warm goodness. I am giving them the benefit of the doubt, due to the timing of the lunch (which I keep saying) so we'll see what happens the next time.

Side bar point - what a great website?! For a local chain and quick-service restaurant, I was very impressed.

Also, I would like to point out that, in comparison, I prefer the falafel at Taza (on Franklin, in the loop). I am going to get C over there for his perspective and we'll write something up!

Birthday dinner!

Well, I hit the big 2-8 last Thursday and was coerced into eating and drinking and merry making because of it. For several days. It was wonderful.

Due to my overwhelming love of Avec, I requested that we go to Blackbird - the upscale sister restaurant to Avec. C obliged and made us 7:30 reservations...I point out the time only because when we walked in, it was quite empty. Usually, at least in my experience in Chicago, 7:30 is THE time to eat. We are generally later diners (8:30/9pm) and I've noticed that this is against the grain in Chicago. Anyway, when we walked in, we were seated at a nice banquette and our server showed up in a suit (Joseph Abboud according to the menu).

After selecting some vino, we settled in with the menu. Blackbird does that thing where they basically list ingredients: salad of endives, crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta, and poached egg. Personally, I love this, then there are less questions. But, again, I digress.

I ordered the delicious salad above (and pictured below) and Chris ordered the mussel soup.
I would highly recommend both. The salad comes in this crispy potato fortress and is stacked high with endive and mixed baby greens, sliced potatoes and herbs and topped with a perfectly poached egg. Tableside, they puncture the egg, split the fortress of potato and efficiently "toss" the salad. Every bite was amazing - I took a picture because I was so impressed - yes, I was that girl. The soup was poured in the way du jour with the contents served first and the broth poured delicately around. The mussels were plump and plentiful, though knowing C, the real winner was the broth - sweet, creamy, saffron, with a touch of shallots and wine. He mopped up every last bit of it with bread!

For dinner, I opted for a crispy cod fillet over parsnip puree and sauteed apples. It was a light, yet fall focused dish. I cleaned my plate. The fish was cooked perfectly crisp and flaky, and the hint of herbs (chervil and something I can't place!) added a freshness to each bite. C ordered the wagyu beef which was tender (though tiny) and came with a chestnut/onion thing which was unique...C loves potatoes, we should have ordered some on the side, but he enjoyed it.

The only disappointment (to me) was the dessert. I guess I was expected something with a little more depth...it was sort of like we got fried donut holes with chocolate...and ice cream. Here is there description: milk chocolate fritters with apricots, soy and rice milk sorbet.

All in all, the meal was exceptionally good - the service, the wine, the food, the atmosphere. I can see why it has the reputation it does...I know we will continue to enjoy their restaurants! By the way, when we left, the place was packed - jammed to the gills. So, perhaps all the late diners go to Blackbird?

Movember

So my friend Anna's husband (the honorable Brandon Haley) is helping save men everywhere from Prostate Cancer by participating in Movember.

Check it out - should be an interesting month!

Old Town Brasserie

In a recent game of restaurant roulette (of sorts), my friend Amanda and I both randomly selected the Old Town Brasserie for a weeknight dinner out. It was a cold, windy Chicago day (read: normal) so the thought of cozy French fare was comforting.

I made reservations easily and beat her to the restaurant. Still freezing from the cold, I went right to the table, anything to get away from the door...The dining room is bright and yellow and inviting. It was smaller than I thought it would be, but a perfect neighborhood size. The tables are set with French country plates and napkins folded like little spa robes (lapels and all).

After perusing the wine list, I had a lapse of judgment and ordered a Spanish Malbec...quite ripe and not at all what I was expecting or wanted. The waiter was quick to notice and replaced my poor choice with a French Cabernet - much better.

Amanda and I were both struggling with the menu - many interesting things and seasonal dishes to choose from, she and I decided to divide and conquer - she ordered the apple and parsnip salad with maple walnuts, I ordered a roasted beets and goat cheese salad (yes, predictable).
Her salad had this wonderful parsnip pancake - moist and dense, like a blini - that was warm and added great texture to the apples, nuts, and red leaf lettuce. The beets on my dish were minimal, but the haricot verts and crisped chevre was delicious.

Next course was difficult...I read that you should always order the "duo" on the menu...I just wasn't in the mood for steak/lamb, so I went with the roasted duck and Amanda chose the duo. I think her dish might have been superior, though for any duck lover out there, the confit was amazing and the duck breast was plentiful and cooked perfectly medium rare. The duo had braised beef and roasted lamb ribs - the lamb was too infused with rosemary for my tastes, but the beef was absolutely perfect - tender, flavorful, perfectly sauced.

We couldn't stop there so we moved onto dessert and had pre-ordered a chocolate souffle with almond ice cream. The souffle was gooey, chocolate goodness. Light and super chocolate-y. The tiny speck of ice cream that we received was unbelievable...like I can't believe that they put this miniature dot of ice cream on a plate...it was two bites (at best) and was melting fast next to the warm-from-the-oven souffle dish. Poor judgment OTB - that's like kitchen 101 stuff, right?

Regardless, we still had a great meal and I would definitely go back again...a few quick things to point out is that this is not a menu of "obligatory French". You will not see Onion Soup or Steak Frites - so don't go expecting that.

Okay, who's been there, any other major standouts?

Shame, shame, shame

So, the whole point of writing a blog is to have an outlet, a way to share things with the world...we have just completed one of life's great experiences (maybe great is a strong word)...one of life's most painstaking experiences and I have been a horrible blogger. No updates, not log ins, no responses to comments. Terrible.

I should be ashamed of myself. And, I am.

C is one of my only readers, he and my mom, but after convincing a bartender in Boston (Hi Ned) that he should read it, I haven't even posted about my most scrumptious meal at Hungry Mother, nor have I talked about loving Avec and the case of the unordered focaccia, I didn't even post to tell you about the new falafel place that I found near work that offers free samples in line (and it's only $4 for a sandwich). These are all very important food finds and I'm not sharing them...apologies. Sincere apologies.

Starting fresh this weekend, I will post more about the Chicago food scene. I will also write to Megan and let her know that I owe her a HM post - the deviled eggs alone could write themselves a few paragraphs. But, I digress...

Please stay tuned for more - big dining weekend with Cafe Spiaggia and North Pond!

Last meal - Great Bay

As C and I prepare to move across the country next week, the next few days will be spent having farewell dinners with friends. Here are our stories (and a guest post):

My friend Amy and I have been friends now for about 5 years give or take a month. She and I met in the closet. The coat closet. Good story, huh? Anyway, we both worked in the restaurant industry and our paths crossed at the opening of Great Bay in Kenmore Square. This was when the Hotel Commonwealth was still only 1/2 open and more stores and restaurants were a pipe dream. I mean, they DID start the bus station project then and look how far THAT has come?!?!

All joking aside, it was a new terrain for fine dining - how were we going to get foot traffic that wasn't students? Weren't Red Sox fans? Weren't homeless asking for change for the bus? It wasn't easy and it wasn't totally profitable either, but Amy and I made the most of it and were psyched to find each other - whether in the closet or out - and had lots of fun, foodie moments over the years.

It was only fitting that we head to Great Bay for my sendoff and our "last supper" together. We both love the food from The Island, so we started with some halibut tacos (ceviche style) with roasted corn and radishes - delicious. Then we opted for tuna sashimi topped with marinated Thai chilis and a mango, yuzu sauce. Def could have opted for more acid, less mango, but the tuna was fresh and I love the spicy Thai chilis.

My favorite option that we tried was the tuna "maki" - a creative twist on the regular maki rolls with the tuna wrapping a collection of vegetables, sticky rice, and avocado. The ponzu or soy/yuzu dipping sauces was delicious...I could eat another few of those right now, since I'm thinking of it...Anyway, for a few hot options, we split an order of the shrimp and lobster dumplings - one of which squirted it's little life out on my shoulder. Mmm Eau de Shellfish. They were what we wanted though, warm and crispy.

As our last (and perennial) favorite, we split an order of the famous clam chowder. Little bits of turnip and potato, bacon, clam and topped with chervil. My favorite chowder since it's actually more milky, rather than cream-y and it doesn't feel super heavy. I can't stand chowder that is like pudding...that's not soup, it's dessert. With clams. Gross.

What a great meal with great company - look forward to visiting GB again in our future Boston dining...love it!

Random, but successful shopping

So, the other day I wandered into Anthropologie post-beach and bikini-clad...I wanted anything but to go to Verizon w/ C and so I found myself strolling the racks at Anthro. I was super excited to find a LOT of stuff that I liked. Don't get me wrong, it's a great store and usually I like their stuff, but this time I really liked their stuff. And, it looked good on me. So, I bought it. It = a swiss dot sleeveless shirt in buttercup yellow - check it out here,

I guess why this is blog-worthy is that Anthropologie generally fits a certain figure, a certain style and certain tastes that don't always mesh with mine. My friend Heather, however, wears a lot of their brands and does it well...it's like almost old-fashioned, but with modern elements and fabrics. I can't figure it out, but I did see this adorable sweater shirtdress thing that I already have planned into my summer-to-fall wardrobe. Seriously, how cute is this? With super dark jeans, black heels and a chunky black bangle? Love it.

Ah, the joys of new discoveries.

Clio - not just for anniversaries

So after 6 years of living and eating in Boston, I FINALLY made my way to Clio the other night for some snacks and drinks at the bar. Having eaten at Uni once, but being a huge fan of Toro, I know that Ken Oringer would do it right...I just thought it was "too right", like "special occasion with your parents" right. I was pleasantly surprised to have very creative, yet unpretentious food there with high, but appropriate prices given the caliber of food.

We both started with a drink from their drink list - me a shiso mojito, C a saketini of some sort. His was simple and elegant, mine was salad in a glass, but both were tasty. Brian, C's brother works there and he also gave us samples of some of the other creative libations (don't be afraid of the Hanout drink...it's so good) and showed off the restaurants affinity for all things nitrogen. I mean, if you see "LN2" it means that there is some sort of chemical balancing act happening...I felt like I was on Top Chef.

Anyway, back to food. We both went straight for two of our favorite things - soft shell crab and tuna sashimi. The soft-shell crab was tempura fried served with parslane (quite tender) and a magical sauce that I can't for the life of me remember (good mojito) but we couldn't get enough of it! The crab was so meaty and tender and delicious - the best I've had in a long, long time.

The tuna was also amazing - it was topped with these thinly sliced strips of green onions and seaweed, black and white sesame seeds, and a light garlicky, ginger vinaigrette. There was a piece of a "roll" which was thinly sliced wonton wrappers, deep fried and topped with tuna tartar...we fought over who got to finish that (I had the bigger bite).

The last and most simple dish was a tri-stack of Heirloom tomatoes - black and red Brandywine I think - with green goddess dressing and crispy, fried clams...unbelievably delicious and light. Perfect (and surprise) ending - thank you Alec!

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I never went because I thought that Radius and No. 9 Park were more my "level"...what a strange mentality...it's expensive, but no more than any of the other top restaurants in Boston. Plus, it's cozy and intimate - head there in the fall for a night out at the bar and see what I mean!

Finca el Puig

C and I had a great dinner last night at Dante in Cambridge...the arugula salad was amazing, the maccheroncelli was delicious (and very springy), the steak was prepared well and the fries were crisp. Service was good and accommodating but the best part of the meal was this wine...I LOVED it. I actually told the sommelier that I wanted to marry it - is that weird?

Definitely going to try to purchase this locally (or in Chicago) for my personal stash. Here's the label - enjoy it responsibly.

Dresses As Art

As I was walking down Michigan Avenue last weekend (you know the one, the Magnificent Mile), these darling dresses started popping up in small gardens on the west side of the street. Apparently they are part of an exhibition from the International Academy of Design and Technology. They dresses are made of rather strange materials (hair, anyone?) but done in such a beautiful way that you can't help but stop and gawk.

Way to go art students - I applaud your originality. Here are a few of my favorites.

Chi-town Dish - Custom House

So, at long last, we have found an apartment in Chicago...it was sort of quick and sort of painful, the band-aid of my life right now. Luckily, it's over and I was a big girl and now I have a place to call home.

C and I started the weekend on a rainy Thursday, nearly electrocuted and drenched in the South Loop, but we made it to the Custom House. This delightfully un-trendy eatery boasts luxe booths, leather, low lighting and a menu fit for carnivores. C and I were surprised to find several braised dishes and heavy game selections on the menu, this is July, right? There were only 3 seafood dishes...one of which I had and it was delicious. Before we go there though, let's talk about how fabulous and under-rated octopus is as a dish? Octopus for me is like a little taste of heaven, I have not had any I do not like...this meal was no different as we ordered this wonderful octopus caponata with fresh roasted veggies, pine nuts, golden raisins and tasty grilled octopus. This was a great way to start off the meal, very light and delicious and made me want another 4 plates of it.

For my entree, I went w/ the Wisconsin White Perch with a crusty panko topping served with room temperature gnocchi/bacon/shallots. The smokiness of the bacon and the light, white fish were great. I would order the gnocchi as a side again and the fish made me excited to explore the world of lake trout.

C ordered from the braised meat list and went with our perennial favorite: the short rib. These short ribs were like butter-fall-off-the-bone goodness - served with two horseradish cream-filled beignets. Different. I'll leave it at that. To share we ordered the pea, pea pod, bacon, and turnip salad. It's cold, mixed with creme fraiche for a summer barbeque salad type consistency - absolutely delicious. Loved it a lot. Their other sides consisted of whole grains like quinoa and farro, to fun starches like gratin and whipped Yukon gold potatoes. If there was a vegetarian option of sides, I would have definitely gone for that. It was very tough to pick just one.

We skipped dessert, though there were some interested options. I would recommend the Custom House to anyone looking for superior service, great food, and a quiet but beautiful dining room.

Red Sox Nation

So, I'm off to the Sox game tomorrow...very much looking forward to it, though I won't be able to get my yearly "I LOVE YOU BIG PAPI" in since he is still not playing. Pblt.

My new found love (along w/ half of America) is Dustin Pedroia. Are you serious - how much do you love this kid? A LOT.

Chi-town

Chicago is Fast Company's City of the Year!

How cool is that? Excited for my trip this weekend...

Newport News

Spent a few days in Newport this weekend, drove down on July 4th to America's "first resort". While we weren't totally psyched for the forecast (gray, rainy, humid), we wanted to walk around, be by the sea, eat al fresco, and watch a great fireworks show. Check, check, check, and check.

We found a room at the Jailhouse Inn - a perfect location for wandering Thames Street. We started our day out with a lucky find (a parking meter w/ 45 minutes already in it, score) and wandered down to the water. The sun was breaking through the clouds, people were out and holiday happy, we found two seats at the bar and ordered a beer. Ah, summer. 20 minutes later we were slurping chowder (my family's favorite) at the Black Pearl and sunning ourselves, another beer down.

After an envious walk along the harbor, we window shopped our way up and down Thames street, scouting for our next meal. There are quite a few really cute boutiques there - more than I remember. Not just bikini's and sweatshirts anymore. I also found myself nostalgic and remembering all the summer's I've spent in Newport...between trips with my mother and my father's mother, I have really seen and enjoyed it all. Having this be our last summer living w/in driving distance to Newport, it was just sad to think I might not be there again for a while.

Anyway, if you haven't been, I would strongly suggest it. It's not overpriced, it's family and couple friendly, there are great bars with live music and pubs if you want something more low-key - the restaurants are random. My favorites for solid food options and consistency are below:
- The Black Pearl
- 22 Bowen's
- The Red Parrot
- The Brick Alley Pub
- Christie's
- The Chanler at Cliff Walk
I've also heard great things about: Flo's Clamshack, Cafe Zelda, and Castle Hill Inn. A quick plug for the most lovely, efficient Starbucks, too.

Hope you had a lovely 4th of July!

27 Dresses...

Okay, more like 3, but still. I work for a WOM marketing and media company and I'm always pleasantly surprised when I find my own real world examples of WOM. This just happened to me and so I'm going to share.

I have these really cute silk dresses from Calypso that are the quintessential summer dress. They pack easily (ie wrinkles are truly your friend), are very light-weight, and are silk, so they're dressy OR casual depending upon your shoe. I wore a wrap dress to work about 5 weeks ago and it was commented on quite frequently. One person in particular, who was familiar with the brand, really probed me for information. (What other colors? Which size is right for me? How hard is it to wash?) I love to talk about fashion and I think it's a great brand, so we chatted it up for a while.

Today, I am wearing a different dress from Calypso, identifiable because it's silk and in their Newbury Street display right now. This sparked a conversation with the aforementioned co-worker and she said she liked my other dress so much, that she went and bought it in three colors. She also bought another style and a few other things while shopping.

Now, I didn't make her go to Calypso or convince her that this dress is the BEST DRESS IN THE WORLD, but I shared my opinion, the facts that I was aware of from personal experience, as well as an insider information that empowered her to not only look into the dress further, but to actually purchase (and in multiples).

I think that is 3 points for honest, real-world WOM - influencing purchase decisions of fashionistas everywhere.

Orzo Pasta Salad

Last night I really wanted a fresh, light pasta salad...though I can't stand the traditional fusilli and Italian dressing version (like you are surprised). A friend of mine reminded me of the fabulous and oft-overlooked orzo pasta and I immediately thought of feta, pine nuts, parsley (oh, my).


I used/made up the following recipe and thought it turned out deliciously...exactly what I wanted it to be...sorry, no pictures, totally forgot.


1 cup Orzo pasta
2/3 cup diced grape tomatoes
1/3 of a red onion (diced)
1 handful of toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup cubed/crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon (for juice)


Make the orzo according to the package (boil) w/o fat. Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss w/ the olive oil to coat. Add the next 4 ingredients, topping w/ the feta cheese. Optional: add a handful of arugula to your plate and put the pasta salad on top. I did this because I love arugula and it adds that peppery punch to the pasta.

We served this alongside salt and pepper roast chicken and it was a great complement. Also great for lunch today.


Buon appetito!

What's your stance?

In case you've ever wondered why some shirts make you more Fabio than others...here's an interesting article on men's fashion...C is def a more "risque" button guy - he sports his male-cleavage quite nicely.

Parisian windows...(insert sigh here)

Shoe boutique sound-off

I am desperate for some new shoe boutiques...honestly, I am SO tired of local boutiques only carrying the high-end brands that the department stores do...if I wanted that, I would go to Sak's or Neimans (and I do). I expect a lot from boutique owners and here is why:

1. You get to personally select your merchandise. Yes, you are catering to your clients, but you don't need 18 colors of TB Riva's...we can get them elsewhere. What you need to do is find something to set you apart (like mid-priced brands or high-end shoes with distinct flourishes that you can't find anywhere)

2. You can edit other people's collections...again w/ the Riva comment...pick the 5 colors that complement the season. Say, metallics, whites, brights...you can let the black/brown pumps wait in the back for a few more months. Why think you have to put them ALL out? Having an edited selection is tighter and more exclusive...plus you'll sell out of your inventory if you price them right.


We want to shop from you, it's personal, it's fun, it's a neighborhood atmosphere - so let us enjoy the experience, namely by carrying a range of styles, designers, and prices. I'm a person that invests in shoes, but when I want a shoe to walk to work in, I'd rather spend $65 than $265 so keep some shoes in every price range for Pete's sake. Or mine.

Asparagus

Simple post to proclaim my love of the green stalk-y vegetable. I just love it. The end.

Well, if you want to know how we like it, throw 1 tps olive oil in a pan, saute minced garlic for 2 minutes until brown. Add cleaned, shaved spears (I cut them in half for optimal mixing). Saute for another 5-6 minutes until they get browned (like charred almost) and delicious.

Add salt and lemon to taste.

Las Vegas Trip Report

So, a few weeks ago (yes, I'm delinquent) I went to Las Vegas with my mother for a little mother/daughter adventure. Here's a quick rundown of where and what we ate, along with recommendations for how to increase your winnings by 189%.

Spago - Caesar's Palace in The Forum Shops (dinner)

This one is a mom favorite, I think because it's in the Forum, she's been there, and it's all food she knows. We started with crispy calamari, with a spicy remoulade sauce for dipping. Quite good and not overly fried. For dinner, I had a seared halibut fillet over jasmine rice and sauteed bok choy. It was topped with fried Thai chilis and those were a little bite of hot, salty goodness.

My mom just wanted a salad, so she ordered the Italian Chopped Salad - think provolone, salami, chicken, veggies - and cleaned her plate. Another noteworthy thing would be the bread basket...though you don't actually get one, they came around quite frequently and offered us grissini sticks and foccacia served with a goat cheese puree.

Strip Burger (lunch)

Newcomer to the Fashion Show mall, Strip Burger is housed on the corner near Cafe Ba Ba Reeba and has an outdoor patio. It was SO hot that we ate inside and froze. Either way, we enjoyed the fries and our food. My mom elected to get another chopped salad (more veggies this time) and I went with the California Chicken sandwich (mmm, pepperjack and avocado) which was delicious. I'm super bummed we didn't get shakes because EVERYONE else did and it made me jealous. But, seriously, those are so filling and I need C to be there to polish it off.

Enoteca San Marco (Dinner) - The Venetian

After a rocky start (late seating, triple sat waiter) we sat down at a great table on the "patio" in St. Mark's Square. We were sorta starved seeing it had been about 7 hours since lunch and we'd had a few drinks...there was a special appetizer salad that sounded amazing (and proved to be quite delicious) with fresh ricotta, fava beans, asparagus and radishes. It was the most fresh, Spring appetizer I could've asked for...especially during the heat wave. We followed this up with a braised pork belly ragu with fresh pasta and herbs. Definitely heavier than the previous dish, but it was so tender and tasty, I didn't care. I kept getting these savory/sweet bites, like there was some sort of brown sugar or carmelization that happened there. Yum.

We also went to perennial favorite Nobu (Hard Rock Hotel) which was amazing as always and we had a flirty waiter who made us tipsy and delighted. After we left, we decided that we should gamble. Roulette - no dice (like, literally and figuratively). Blackjack - lost again (x 2). Then we thought, let's stick to slots. Having never seen a 2 cent slot machine, we threw a $1 in.

ONE HOUR LATER...yup, still at the same machine. It was SO entertaining and we were so proud of our accomplishment (tell me you wouldn't be totally hyped if YOU got a 189% return on investment) that we sat and drank beer and laughed at all the cheap skates around us playing 2 cent slots. It was great - highly recommended.

So, as my mother kept announcing to everyone we talked to...this was our first trip of many :)

Viva Las Vegas.

Not so much...

I have found all of the world's missing scrunchies - yes, yes I have. They are all in the South End of Boston, being used by all the employees of Lan's Nails (Tremont). I haven't seen a scrunchie in, like, 5 years, let alone EIGHT scrunchies on relatively normal people.

The only person NOT wearing a scrunchie at Lan's Nails was the male cashier...did I miss something? Is it now cool to wear scrunchies? Watching the National Gymnastic trials this weekend, most of those girls wore leotard-matching scrunchies, too, and they're all under 18...shouldn't they be cooler than this?

What gives? Where do you even go GET a scrunchie? Please tell me, because they need to go the way of the Dodo.

More Than Oil Changes at Antique Garage

On a lovely spring day in New York City's lower SoHo, a threesome headed to lunch. Seeing an open window and an interesting menu, they wandered into this lively, bohemian haunt called the Antique Garage. With mismatched chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, mirrors, and framed old portraits everywhere, they felt like they were in gay Paris!

Lots of water and one bellini later, they sampled some great Middle Eastern treats:
Tzatziki with fresh warmed focaccia
Shepard's salad with crumbled feta
Turkish burger (lamb) with sliced fingerling potato "fries"
Veggie pizzete with roasted vegetables and cheese

Seated upstairs, they were directly over the kitchen and quite steamy (hence the "lots of water") but otherwise enjoyed themselves and felt perfectly sated to head out into the great city that is NY.

The end.

SoWa Open Market

Was in NYC this weekend and all the sidewalk merchants and vendors made me excited for the SoWa Open Market...even though I'm not a huge buyer of homemade goods, I still like perusing and especially the fresh produce. I still have dreams about these HUGE donut size blueberries. Amazing. Anyway, details below, start saving cash:
SoWa Open Market
5/17-5/18 Opening weekend
10am-4pm, every weekend (except holidays)
540 Harrison Avenue

See you there!

Another great pasta night, that's RIGHT!

So, armed with my Cooking Light, I was determined to make a delicious, healthy meal for C and I. We both were sorta undecided, having had Mexican and Latin cuisine all weekend, so we opted for this very spring-y, Italian dish and were glad we did...it was delicious:

Ingredients
3/4 pound broccoli rabe or broccolini, cut into 4-inch pieces (about 1 bunch)
8 ounces uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 2 large)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound turkey Italian sausage (we used chicken sausage from Whole Foods - 1 sweet, 2 spicy)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Steam broccoli rabe/broccolini 3 minutes or until wilted. Remove broccoli rabe, rinse under cold water; drain and reserve 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and keep to the side (I did this part last so that it was still warm when I added it)

Heat oil in a large (and deep) nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek to pan; cook 2 minutes or until wilted, stirring occasionally. Stir in pepper and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan; saute 4 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid; cook 5 minutes or until sausage is done. Add remaining 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, broccoli rabe, pasta, and rind to pan; toss to combine. Cook 3-5 minutes or until thoroughly heated and mixed. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses and salt.

Makes 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups) and is perfect for dinner parties or weekday lunches. The sauce is somehow creamy and light, salty but not overwhelming...the ratio of cheese was perfect. We served ours with a crusty baguette and butter...followed by a Thin Mint.

With the suggested serving size, the dish is only 285 calories and tastes like 500...mmmm.

Corn dog

So, what do you get when you cross a hot dog with an ear of corn? Yeah, that's right. The food of the frozen gods - I mean, who actually makes these from scratch except that former Top Chef contestant?

I'll tell you where we had the juiciest, crunchiest, most corn-a-licious corn dog - All Star Sandwich bar in Inman Square (Cambridge, to all you Bostonians). I read the menu, skimmed right over the dog and ordered my falafel burger on wheat, all the while C is salivating secretely over this corn dog. He conveniently orders the Beef on Weck, only to add the "...and also the corn dog" to his order. Eyebrows raised, I turn my head in question..."I just really want a bite of that"

"So, you ordered the whole meal?"

"It's a corn dog. When was the last time you had a corn dog?"

"Honestly? Never, I would only eat the corn and give the hotdog to my brother."

"Just wait, I just really want a bite of a corn dog."

So, I waited, and I LOVED IT. Delicious - crispy, and corn-y, and moist, yumminess. Impossible not to like, regardless of your previous experience. I gotta give C some snaps for that order.

Yeah, we are HERE where are YOU?

So, C and I ventured to Faneuil Hall this past weekend...we were willing the nice weather to come so we could walk around, watch street performers and eat. We only ate do to frigid temps and we were still on the tail end of our cleanse, so we chose Wagamama.

Wagamama is one of my faves - shut up haters - it's a fun concept with healthy food options and I enjoy their noodle dishes. I started going there whenever I traveled to London and the bond was formed. Anyway, so we get there, wait about 5 minutes and are seated.

Then nothing.

Still nothing.

I wave down an unsuspecting dude who isn't in the traditional uniform. Let him know that we've been waiting, haven't ordered drinks, etc. He starts writing on our placemats and I'm telling him water, green tea, #37 & #38. He leaves.

More nothing. The guy that was supposed to be our waiter is dropping checks and filling water, clearing the empty spots next to us...he glances over. I lift my eyebrows like "yeah, we are HERE where are YOU?"

He asks us if we're all set. These are the first words he says to us - isn't that ridiculous? Anyway, ultimately it takes forever for us to get a check, he clears our soup bowls on the table by POURING MY SOUP INTO C'S BOWL and then leaves. I have to wave down some other unsuspecting dude to run our check. I'm ready to tackle the server. Then, C leaves him like 18% and I am baffled. So, I wrote at the top of the check "very poor service". Ugh.

I get it, that's not nice. But it was necessary...if I were paying I am not sure that I would have tipped him at all. The only thing he did for us was take our plates. I would have preferred to slip the other guys a few bucks cash and call it a day. Is that wrong?

My friend Penne is back in town

Thank the heavens, I am finally allowed to eat pasta again. I thought we'd celebrate with some vodka cream sauce and crispy, parmesan chicken. The recipe for the sauce is below, thanks to Cookinglight.com. C and I threw in some peppers and grated cheeses at the end:

Ingredients
1/2 pound uncooked penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

We started the water for the pasta, then dove into the sauce preparations:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add vodka; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Place tomato mixture in a blender or Cuisinart - whatever you've got. Be careful though, it's super hot.
Process until smooth. Return tomato mixture to pan; stir in cream. Cook 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked pasta, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and basil. Serve immediately.

This made us PLENTY of pasta, enough for C to eat dinner the next day. It's supposed to be 4 servings, with each serving being 1 cup. We split a 1/2 lb chicken breast and added some sauteed red and yellow peppers. Delicious. Definitely going to be part of our rotation.

AND, the kicker is that each serving of pasta and sauce is only 350 calories. Woohoo!

P.S. Sorry to my dad for being utterly distracted while chatting with him Tuesday...I was amid the more complex part of the recipe!

Cleansing, Part Due

Well, as I write this I am sucking down a homemade smoothie, after eating my flaxseed oatmeal and banana and taking the a.m.'s dose of fiber. Mmm, fiber. I have to tell you that my body is responding more to this cleanse than the last one (Sept '06) and I think it's a positive response. So far, I've dropped about 5 pounds - I was not using this as a weight-loss program by any means, but it's nice to get a jumpstart. Not sure about C, but I'll have him check into that.

By far the hardest parts are the weekends...we got through the first one by purchasing a delightful product - gourmet, wholegrain, jalapeno tortilla chips. They're unbelievably good and good FOR YOU. Check 'em out here. Not a minute too soon, either, since C was totally jonesing for some snack food.

To stand a cleanse, you are met with your fair share of temptation...we had it three-fold last Saturday. We went to the Revolution opening game (Go Revs!) and we had to:
A) Tailgate (no beer, no sausages, no steak tips, no chips, no cookies)
B) Keep warm in the 32' Boston wind (no beer)
C) Survive the vendors with all their treats walking up and down the aisle repeatedly (no hotdogs, no popcorn, no cotton candy, no licorice, no hot chocolate, no beer (again))

Chris was a champ and I owe him a big sausage at Fenway in the near future. Also, some beer and a pizza since he missed out on that last night...eeks. Sounds like a lot of catching up to do in the near future.

But hey, we still feel better!

*Interested in our cleanse? This is the product we are using - check it out HERE.

Cleansing, Part 1

So, C and I are doing a Whole Body Detox Cleanse...this has nothing to do with rehab, it's simply a detoxification of our liver, lymphnodes, and intestines. You have to limit your intake of processed foods, carbs, refined sugars, sodium, and a whole lotta else.

So far, so good - we both are feeling a longing for carbs (crackers, pasta, ANYTHING). It's funny because not only can C not wait for dinner (dinner=brown rice) but he actually thinks that everything smells like bread.

Real conversation:

"Smells funny...like paint or something."

"I don't get that. Smells like bread. I think someone is making bread"

"Honey, that's not bread, that smell is sawdust or something" (noting the dusty footprints)

"Hmmm...all I smell is bread. Everything smells like bread."

Only 10 more days to go.

B&G + me = A+ lunch

Not that you needed that weird equation, but go with it...It's Restaurant week and honestly, I've only gone out once all week...it's just been another nutty week and [insert adjective here: cold/rainy/windy/busy]. I went with a good friend/colleague to a Friday treat lunch at B&G.

The place was packed, first of all, with patrons all along the open kitchen bar seats and at every table. It was great for us, though, because we were seated right in the thick of it all, in the center of the bar. No later than 2 minutes after presenting us with menus had we decided our order. For me, the lobster bisque followed by the salmon croquettes. M had shrimp bruschetta followed by ocean perch.

The lobster bisque was super rich - cream, sherry, butter and all their friends came to play in that soup. In the center was an unnamed fried mashed potato thing...but my favorite part was the celery leaf garnish. Added such a taste of spring to this soup and cut the richness. M's bruschetta was great - it was white beans, arugula, and two huge shrimp on a crusty baguette.

For the second course, my salmon croquettes came over a pea puree (another sign of spring) and a watercress salad. I think overall the dish was nice, but would have been great with an acid or a sprinkle of salt. M had the pan seared perch over a fennel, radish, olive salad...quite delicious, too.

We both splurged on dessert with a salted caramel gelato and a tuile - luscious. I want it everyday. Overall, the experience was great, I think M ordered better though. Food for thought!

Route 1 Adventures

C and I have been on Route 1 probably 100 times in the last few years...and always around a meal. We've tried to find edible options that either a) won't bust our waistline or b) don't include pole dancing and cover charge. It is a fast food haven - you've got your McD's, BK's, TB's and all the like. Nothing is generally appetizing for us...until Monday.

We nearly pulled off to go to the left (heading south) to Pizzeria Uno, giving into the pull of the quick service, chain restaurant. BUT, up ahead on the right, an indesript little joint (yes, joint) called Uncle Pete's BBQ glowed at us. We'll take it, and we swerved to the right to exit.

Upon entering, we found the obligatory red check tablecloth, the roll of papertowels on each table alongside a laminated menu showcasing several types of meat. Yum. I struggled with my order, giving into the server's suggestion of babyback ribs. C went for the pulled pork plate. DOUBLE the amount on the sandwich...because they can.

While the salad is to be skipped and the sweet potato roll I don't care for, the ribs were great. They were tender, with good smokey flavor and just the right amount of fat along the edges. I picked on several onion rings as a side, a mountainous order that would serve better as an appetizer, and I did wish I had ordered the baked beans or something to complement the ribs, but otherwise I enjoyed it.

C had the piled high pork with a side of mashed potatoes...the potatoes were definitely overcooked as you could taste the water in the mash. Sorta mealy and wet. The sauce that came with the pork was super sweet (more like an Asian barbeque sauce) but he ended up liking that in the end. I personally would have liked a more vinegar based sauce on the pork, more Carolina than Beijing. Strangely, everyone one except for the owner (Lou?) was of Asian descent - just a random observation after tasting the sauce.

Either way, if you're on Route 1 and hungry, don't be afraid to try Uncle Pete's!

Totally wierd and not related...

19

I don't know if I am proud per se, but at least I know I could survive...

Sad day

well, this has been a tough week for us...C's grandfather passed away in the early hours of March 1. He was surrounded by his family and slipped quietly and peacefully away - just like he wanted to. As he'd been battling lung cancer for the last 9 months, it wasn't completely unexpected, though I think death always has a way of catching you off guard or taking life too soon. When is it ever too late? You never hear anyone say that.

Well, in honor of Grandpop, the family has been eating eggplant parmagian and drinking his homemade wine...just a small gesture that I think is tributary in it's own way. It's something that he would have enjoyed knowing...

Anyway, more to come after we get through these next few days.

Shopping Alibi?

Hey ladies, check out this hot lil' number happening this week at Alibi at the Liberty Hotel:
What: Boston's hottest collections from Stil, Gretta Luxe, Portabello Road and more at up to 50-70% off retail
When: Tomorrow 11-8pm & Friday 11-4pm

Ooh, la, la shopping and drinks...quoting my auntie "I love drunk purchases"...

To reiterate it is 50-70% off!! check it out.

Raging Bull

Honestly, I LOVE Toro - I just do. I don't care who owns it, or how hard it is to get a table, or what order my food comes (as long as it comes), I just genuinely enjoy the place.

Recently, we went for a light dinner. We weren't starved, but wanted something good in a cozy place - it's perfect for that. The wait was about 45 minutes, so we grabbed some wine and loitered at the bar. About 20 minutes later, the host asked if we'd like to sit at the communal table. In the middle. Across from each other.

Alright, we were fine with that. Just settled up at the bar and squeezed our way in. Time passes...no server. It's busy, whatev, sip your wine. More time passes...no server. I flag the host and he is apologetic (sorta) and brings a woman over who immediately says "I'm not your server, but I can start on some tapas for you..." Fine, I tell her the order....ask for water...STILL NO SIGN OF OUR SERVER. I'm like "am I crazy for thinking she should come over here?" We start getting tapas, they lose one in the shuffle, have to flag her for more water and wine, I leave her a sh*t tip (15%).


Bottom line - will continue to go for the food. (period)

Any other experiences like that? I feel like I'm not alone...this is Toro Lovers Anonymous.

V-day full of love (and food)

Ah, Valentines Day...words that come to mind are: red, hearts, romance, chocolate, amateur night. No, not your stripping debut, but your neighbors at the next table! It's like the EXACT people for whom the holiday is precious are those that cram into the deuce next to you purring and clinking glasses.

I'm not into that - nor am I into gifts of red lingerie (in February) or heart shaped boxes of chocolate or single red roses encased in plastic. Snobby? Maybe, but I prefer to have my honey at home and then treat ourselves to a fantastic meal several days post-V-day.

So, this year on 2/16 C and I bundled ourselves up and out to local fave, No. 9 Park. It's always exciting to go there. You pull up (or walk up if it's not f-ing freezing) to this non-descript little door in this quiet area of Boston, basking in the glow of the state house. It's immediatly warm and vibrant inside, lots of ambient noise of drinking and dining and laughter. We soaked up the chatter for a half hour or so as we were early for our reservation and sampled some of their famous cocktails - a pear martini for me (can't resist Belle de Brillet) and a bourbon spritzer type thing for C.

Promptly on time, the hostess seated us at a lovely window table. It is the EXACT table at which I've sat the two other times I've been here - uncanny. Anyway, we perused the menu and made our selections - I've outlined the choices below:

Nantucket Bay Scallops - sweet potato dumplings and melted vidalia onion

Prune stuffed Gnocchi - seared fois gras in a vin santo buerre blanc sauce

Roasted Pouissin (two ways) - confit and sliced over carrot puree with escargot

Sliced Rib-eye with potato galette and Swiss chard

We generally share everything, so we end up with two small courses and an entree. On this particular occasion, the ever-generous Jessica Kinney granted us a lovely amuse bouche and mid-course that were absolutely lovely (tuna tartar and comte risotto).

Check it out for yourself, just don't go on Valentines Day!

They call me Mellow Yellow

When I was little, yellow was my absolute favorite color. I elected to get an entire bedroom set in yellow when I was 6. Who lets their kid pick out Ethan Allen furniture and then agree to the color? My lovely parents. It was a canopy to boot - tres cool.

Anyway, I have retained that sense of joy when I see yellow popping up on runways and on shelves and people at the mall. It is such a happy color and makes you look tan - what's better than happy and tan?

Anyway, my lust after collection has to be from Ms Tory Burch...I want all of her yellow tops! They actually inspired me to break out this ruffled/layered yellow tank I have and pair it with some wide-leg gray pants. C thinks I'm predictable because I gravitate towards all things yellow these days...last year it was orange.

Another great yellow collection is from JCrew which I have been increasingly impressed with...thier yellow is much more green infused, like a grassy chartreuse-y yellow. Love, love, love the satin, button-up skirt. It will be mine...

My advice: buy up all the yellow you can get.

Top Flavor Pairings of '08

Not to be so "list-y" but I thought that this was an interesting little tid-bit. Look out for these combo's at a restaurant near you!
1 oregano and heirloom beans
2 vanilla bean and cardamom
3 chili and cocoa
4 coriander and coconut water
5 lemon grass and litchi
6 red curry and masa
7 orange peel and natural wood
8 allspice and exotic meats
9 poppy seed and rose
10 sage and rye whiskey

Source: McCormick via OnlineMediaDaily.com

Personally, I think some of them sound horrible (who eats wood?) but am intrigued... thoughts?

where did I go?

Just so you all know, I am still alive and have TONS of posts...I just haven't had a second these past few weeks to log in and write them. I owe you the following:
2008 flavor pairings
Sage samples
Maine local fave Rod'n'Reel Cafe
Chicago's award winning NAHA
And many more....

Stay tuned!

-CE

Union Reunion

It's been a while since we ended up at Union Bar and Grille on Washington Street, so we went last night for C's 28th birthday. We have always liked it there - from the beginning of our relationship (and their opening). On a side note, pretty much every single time I've been there, I've been sick...what gives?

Anyway, we sat down and nearly immediatly had their a-MA-zing cornbread. I would forgo an appetizer because of that corn bread. No, seriously...but I didn't. We decided to share the tuna tartar to start, which they nicely split for us on two petite plates. The tuna was quite different with tastes like smoked salt and a spicy lemon juice. There was minced ginger and garlic and chives, oh my. Topped with (very cute) fingerling potato chips. I honestly was not a huge fan and I absolutely love tuna tartar. Maybe it was the lemon-y ness that threw me off (who has ever heard of spicy lemon?) but it wasn't my favorite.

Our next course arrived before our silverware did (more on that to come) but they were worth the wait. We both enjoyed our entrees - I had the roast lamb and C had the smoked duck breast. There were 4 lamb ribs served with a Jerusalem artichoke and potato gratin, wilted kale, and a mission fig jus. Lovely - I found there was quite a bit extra jus for my taste, though I enjoyed it. C's meal was much different - smoky duck, topped with smoked salt, over an apple chutney and what I've dubbed "spinach and semolina not-so-gnocchi" cakes. He liked it and to me his duck looked perfectly cooked and very nicely presented. The "not-so-gnocchi" cakes were different, albeit misleading, but I'm not sure why they are the way they are...creative differences I guess!

We rounded out the evening with a warm apple crisp with fresh cream and caramel, a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side. Simple, sweet, good.

Our service was good, mostly. Our food runner cleared all of our app plates and silverware except my knife. Which was used. By me. She also left if in the place of my fork...another odd point. That didn't totally bother me except that she never came back with NEW forks and knives...so, she then held our food for a minute while someone else had to come and mise-en-place us. It was interesting.

Our water was always full, though no one poured our wine for us. Could be "new american" in service, but I like someone to be attentive to an empty glass.

And, an annoying part for me was there was no candle for C. I get it, he's 28, he doesn't necessitate a candle. He's not whining or stomping his feet on the floor, he orders a "big boy meal", but why did the woman offer one on the phone when I made the reservation? I mean, don't giveth if thou will taketh away! Or forget! Just one of those things that annoys me and should be such a simple, nice gesture but is so often overlooked.

I don't want this review to end on a negative note, so I will tell you that I will go back to Union. I might wait until I am not sick though...if that is even possible!