Sometimes From Scratch

Food on Screen: All in This Tea

2011-03-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

Les Blank is known for making lighthearted films about food, such as Garlic Is As Good As Ten Mothers and Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe. This film, All In This Tea, simply follows an American tea importer as he criss-crosses China in search of the best tea to buy and sell to his clients. He runs into some trouble for wanting to deal directly with the farmers (rather than going through a syndicate) but still comes home with tons of tea, meanwhile trying to get the farmers to go organic.

The film is loosely structured around different kinds of tea (Oolong, Pu-ehr, etc.). It's interesting for someone who has any interest in tea, it's history, and the complex culture that developed around it in China. On Netflix instant!

Dining Out: Cinamoon

2011-03-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

Some weeks back I visited Greenpoint, a neighborhood in northern Brooklyn known for having a large Polish population. Immediately out of the subway I saw a large and elegant vodka window display, and further down the block was Cinamoon, where I had lunch with a friend. The food was delightful and pretty exotic for a Texan.

Pierogies: some potato and cheese, some mushroom and potato

Borscht, and a "cutlet," which seemed like a kind of spring roll whose wrapper was made out of a crêpe, and then the whole thing rolled in crumbs and fried.

Brooklyn Home Cooking

2011-02-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

So the truism is that New Yorkers don't cook, and I have to admit that having a small kitchen, having to carry my groceries, and being without my own cooking equipment (and sometimes having very little time) has made me more likely to rely on convenience foods, or what I like to think of as the college student diet (tuna-eggs-rice-beans-yogurt, in various combinations).

After I joined the Park Slope Food Coop last fall, though, I started cooking more, or at least eating better at home. Here's a salad I made for Thanksgiving - salad greens and goat cheese that anywhere else I'd consider a luxury are affordable at the coop.

And as with most things, the generalization "people don't cook in NY" must be a bit of an exaggeration for a diverse city of almost 8.5 million people.

Actually, one of my favorite food scenes in a movie takes place in a Brooklyn neighborhood not far from where I live now. Do you remember the egg frying scene in Moonstruck?

Why is it so fun to cut a hole in a piece of bread and crack an egg into it?

Co-op Fight!

2011-01-24T05:59:00.000-08:00

Ha ha, no, just kidding. I love both my coops. But I thought it would be fun to do a comparison of them. They're not in any way in competition with each other since they are in different cities.

Park Slope Food Coop

Location: Brooklyn, New York
Year Founded: 1973
Number of Members: I believe I remember hearing that there are 16,000 active members.
Slogan: "Good food at low prices for working members through cooperation since 1973."
Payments accepted: cash and debit only
Do you have to work?: Yes
Open to non-members?: No
Prices: Low (they estimate 20-40% less than you'd pay elsewhere)
Special items: Cheap sushi, cheap and plentiful cheeses, lots of local produce, beer
Bulk: Most of it is pre-packaged by member workers on the "food processing" squad. No bulk liquids.
Bags: No bags offered at checkout; members bring their own or re-use boxes that have been used as packaging for the store's goods
Floor space: Highly competitive
Vibe: Intense, serious, political

Wheatsville Coop

Location: Austin, Texas

Year Founded: 1976
Number of Members: unknown
Slogan: N/A
Payments accepted: all
Do you have to work?: No, but apparently when it was first founded working was a requirement
Open to non-members?: Yes
Prices: Similar to a gourmet grocery store
Special items: Beer and wine, deli counter
Bulk: DIY, including bulk oils, syrups, soaps and shampoos
Bags: BYO, use a cardboard box, or get a paper or plastic bag at checkout
Floor space: Plentiful
Vibe: Concerned but laid-back

From Austin With Love

2011-01-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

While in Austin over the holidays, I took advantage of the bountiful options for Tex-Mex which is one thing that money can't buy in NYC. Took my camera along to a couple of the places I hadn't been to before, or hadn't been to recently...

Large breakfast burrito with egg, bean and nopalito
from La Cocina de Consuelo

You know you're nostalgic for Tex-Mex when you
take a picture of chips and salsa

Guacamole at Curra's

Mole enchiladas at Curra's

Fish Tacos at Curra's: thumbs up

Flan (with Kahlua!)

Katz's

2011-01-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I went to Katz's way back when I first got to NYC. I went because it's famous, because it was near where I was living, and because I was really hungry.

I was confused by the ordering system (take a number, and then MAYHEM!) and got in the wrong line for latkes, so ended up with a corned beef sandwich which I happily ate, and the hunger subsided. It was good but probably not what she was having.

Quaint water dispenser

Patrons

Aforementioned corned beef, pickles, and matzo ball soup

Viennese Vegetable Orchestra

2010-11-26T17:23:00.000-08:00

(I did not take this picture)

I heard about these folks a few weeks ago... Here's a video (after a commercial). I wonder, is a carrot-cucumber-pepper called a ca-cu-pe? Could be the long awaited vegetarian response to turducken!

Tacombi

2010-11-15T14:46:00.000-08:00

Well I guess I have to make my "Plan A" work now because someone scooped my "Plan B." You can now get breakfast tacos in Nolita. Tacombi is essentially an indoor taco truck.

COME & TRY A TACO....uh, ok.

Spanish lesson?

The $4 breakfast tacos: this ain't potato & egg time

The truck, which I think opens for lunch and dinner

A remarkably clean kitchen area
(I did just read Kitchen Confidential, after all...)

My breakfast taco, on a homemade tortilla
I nearly cried.

Was curious about the agua de pepino...

But it came in this sustainably compostable cup so I couldn't admire its color while I drank it

Around Little Italy

2010-11-10T16:01:00.000-08:00

The "real" Little Italies may have moved off Manhattan (according to the guide books), but I still enjoyed living near Downtown's old Italian quarter, which is by turns touristy and seemingly authentic.

Torrisi Italian Specialties

Ok, so Torrisi is not great for vegetarians, but I got some eggplant, broccolini, and cauliflower treated in various ways, plus some smoked mozzarella from Raffetto's

Delicious pasta salad from Raffetto's

Lasagna from DiPalo's

Tiled floor at one of the million eateries on Mulberry Street

Amazing wild mushroom and olive pizza from Lombardi's

The old-school espresso and sweet shop, Caffe Roma

Cannoli from Caffe Roma

Eating at the Brooklyn Flea

2010-11-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Brooklyn Flea takes place every weekend and I suppose it's a gathering place of sorts for the hipper types of Northern Brooklyn. The stalls have all kinds of antique clothes and knick knacks that would be finds at garage sales, here sold at a premium. No matter, I was more interested in the food.

This guy was doing all right selling nothing but pork on a roll

And I, sadly, couldn't resist the bbq sausage roll

Food vendors ranged from some faces familiar from the Red Hook ball fields, to Middle Eastern, to wood-oven pizza (they had installed one at the tent!), to this table advertising themselves as Texas barbecue. When I asked if they were from Texas, one of them answered in the affirmative, so I had to give them a shot.

Finally reading Kitchen Confidential...

2010-11-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

So I'm finally reading Kitchen Confidential. Bourdain's braggadocio never really appealed to me, but I have to admit his first book is really amusing. As he says in the introduction, it's a book for the cooks. If you've ever worked in the food service industry, you'll probably snicker knowingly at a lot of his descriptions.

What I don't understand is why he is so intent on bad mouthing vegetarians. It must be mostly a publicity stunt. Anyway I think he's lost the debate. Listen to his conversation with Jonathan Safran-Foer (author of Eating Animals) and see what you think.

Food on Screen: Food Beware

2010-10-29T06:01:00.000-07:00

The food documentary is not an exclusively US phenomenon - Europe has ventured into the genre with films like Our Daily Bread and the recent French documentary Food Beware.

Despite the terrible English title, this film is worth watching. It's about a small town in the South of France where the mayor decided that all school children and invalids - who are fed through a central municipal kitchen - should eat organic food. This decision was spurred by increasing scientific evidence that pesticides used in the region (which is heavily agricultural and wine-producing) have been responsible for health problems in children and adults.

The cross-cultural difference is what I found particularly interesting about the film. It's really astounding to see French school children sitting at lunch tables, enthusiastically tasting and describing the new foods they are being offered. That, and the class picnic at the base of the Pont du Gard, were enough to bring a tear to my eye.

It's a nicely made film, and set in a beautiful region. Available on Netflix!

Hester Street Market

2010-10-25T03:49:00.000-07:00

On a sunny August Saturday I headed to the Hester Street Market, after reading about it in an issue of Time Out. As far as street markets go, this one gets top marks for interesting food. Lots of different vendors that I haven't seen elsewhere in the city.

"Artisanal" pretzel made with cheddar and truffle
+ a cucumber limeade

Bowls of bulk spices and teas...

Japanese pancakes filled with red bean paste

Taïm

2010-10-20T05:13:00.000-07:00

The Israeli-Vegetarian restaurant Taïm was recommended to me by a friend when she found out I'd be working on West 14th Street over the summer. When I finally made it I got a date-banana smoothie and this falafel sandwich - though they have some other selections on the menu that look equally tantalizing. The tiny restaurant has a line out the door most of the day, but if you can go at 3pm on a weekday you might get a seat at the window counter....

My falafel sandwich on whole wheat pita

Sorry for the poor picture quality and for the fact I was too busy eating to take a picture of the brilliant green insides of the falafel (they also have red and yellow varieties, with slightly different flavoring). What sets this falafel apart from others, for me, is that all the ingredients are really fresh, including falafels fried "to order." No stomach ache after this one.

Chiyono

2010-10-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

Chiyono is a tiny restaurant in the East Village specializing in what they call "Japanese homestyle"cooking. The menu is small and everything seems to be prepared with a lot of care. There are literally only two tables in the restaurant - one long table, where multiple parties can be seated, and one 2-person table in the window.

Dessert:
Sesame pudding, fruit, red bean sauce, and vanilla ice cream

The vegetarian plate:
I don't know what half this stuff was, but it was all delicious and tasted very healthy

Dim Sum Go Go

2010-10-12T06:09:00.000-07:00

Careless checking off on an ordering menu led me to order two rounds of dim sum at this Chinatown establishment. Too much of a good thing? Possibly. But it meant I got to sample both their vegetarian and their meat (mostly shrimp) dumplings.

Meat dumplings

Veggie dumplings filled with all kinds of things
+ the same sponge-like thing in the middle - seaweed?

The green sauce, which had ginger, onion and oil in it was
especially tasty (I went through two small bowls of it)

Hot tea and toasted soy beans, also very tasty

Actually the most interesting thing about the whole experience was that I went early, around 5pm, and restaurant was nearly empty. I was seated next to an older lady with a strong European accent who started talking to me when she realized we were both alone. She tipped me in on the green sauce and told me about her experiences in the neighborhood. Who says New Yorkers aren't friendly?

Belleville

2010-10-11T06:08:00.000-07:00

Brunch is a big deal in NYC, and there are lots of restaurants who offer it. A couple of weekends ago I met friends at the French-inspired Park Slope establishment called Belleville. My "oeufs pochés" were delicious - sautéed mushrooms and a creamy sauce over nicely round eggs. Thumbs up on the home fries too, which were crisp on the outside.

Everyone else's meal looked equally tantalizing.

Balthazar, when Paris is too far

2010-10-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

A few pastries to start your weekend off right. It's a good thing I'm no longer living within walking distance to this bakery...

Meringue with raspberries

Inside a cannele

EXT: Cannele and chocolate croissant
'

Donut (tres francais), madeleine, croissant, apple tart

Vanessa's Dumpling House

2010-10-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Over the summer, I was fortunate to live within walking distance to Vanessa's Dumpling House, which I found out about through the internet when I was looking for good dumplings. You know it's a winner when there's a steady stream of customers, which there always is at Vanessa's.

Waiting in line isn't so bad, though, because you can watch the skillful steaming and frying of massive numbers of dumplings... And anticipation is a good appetizer.

A juicy shrimp dumpling

A veggie dumpling
(These take extra time to prepare, but are worth it)

A scallion and egg "pancake"

Dumplings prior to being consumed

A sandwich made on a sesame pancake, with fried egg and veggies

I think my total for all this food, which fed me for three meals, was $13.

30 Rock Apple Rescue

2010-10-02T11:13:00.001-07:00

I recently started volunteering with City Harvest, a great organization that "rescues" food from all over the city and then redistributes it to soup kitchens, low-income greenmarkets, and others in need. This past week I was part of a team that rescued thousands of apples from Rockefeller Center, where an education conference was taking place (using apples as decor).

Not only did we bag lots of apples, but I got to see the bowels of Rockefeller Center, and I can truthfully say that the industrial kitchens down there smell a lot better than most industrial kitchens I've seen.

Court St + Sahadi's

2010-10-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Having read about Monteleone's Bakery in a book, I decided to check them out recently. They have a nice selection of cookies, but the counter service was eternally slow, so I left and headed down the block, where it turns out there are a number of old Italian bakeries, some with windows selling Italian ices, like this naturally colored pistachio ice...

Further down, Court St runs into Atlantic Ave, home to several stores selling Middle Eastern food and wares. One such is Sahadi's, a venerable old store. There are always crowds inside checking out their enormous bulk section (dried fruits, nuts, olives...) For the Atlantic Antic festival, Sahadi's set up a sidewalk cafe...

I wasn't sure what to expect from their deli counter, but everything I got was delicious and inexpensive. Creamy hummus, a nice eggplant salad, vegetarian grape leaves, and a feta, cucumber and tomato salad. The focaccia bread, also good, was from a bakery on Court Street.

Ice Cream Three Ways

2010-09-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

Some glamour-shots of ice creams past, before the weather gets too cold....

Peach soft-serve from Milk Bar

Mine: Ginger gelato and lemon sorbetto
Lizzie's: Frozen yogurt (world's best) and unidentified chocolate flavor
From Grom

Black sesame from Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Huarache in the City

2010-09-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Ever since I read David Byrne's description of the Red Hook vendors several years ago, I'd been longing to see them for myself. Since the ball field is a manageable walk from my apartment, I headed over there over Labor Day weekend. The crowds were small at 11AM on Sunday. All the better to observe the offerings of each truck, and make a careful decision.

I ended up with a shrimp huarache and some horchata, which I sat down to enjoy at an empty picnic table. The huarache, on a giant, handmade, masa, tortilla-like structure, disintegrated quickly and as I had failed to ask for a fork, I ended up eating it with my fingers. It was delicious but very messy and I was glad no one was sitting next to me... Until a little old lady sat down with her arepa and looked over and said, "Bueno?" To which I enthusiastically responded "Si!" and then continued contentedly to stuff my face with saucy bits of huarache.

Park Slope Farmer's Market

2010-09-28T06:25:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't exactly call South Park Slope a "food desert," but it is a bit tricky to find good produce, and next to impossible to find organic fruit and veggies. The PS Farmer's Market, which takes place on Sundays, is not all organic, but the produce is largely pesticide free, and beautiful. They also have a few vendors of prepared foods...

A Finnish "rye"

Kale and chard

Corns

Beans

Collards?

Purty eggplants and peppers

Taking a Break

2010-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've decided to take a break from food blogging - as I near the end of grad school and look to the future, I feel like I need to put my focus elsewhere.

After over a year of posting weekly, it is still a challenge to come up with new content. Snapping a photo before eating has come to feel forced rather than fun. This discussion of food blogging from SXSW 2009 has some good points - for those who do it seriously, it becomes a more than full-time occupation. Me, I'd rather keep cooking and eating off-screen.

Thanks to all of you who have read the blog - and happy fooding!

Cookbook Experiment: The Moosewood Cookbook

2010-03-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's foray into cookbooking is The Moosewood Cookbook (1978), which is hand-illustrated and written by the author. An unimaginable feat today, though apparently she's still working in the same method.

It's a classic early vegetarian cookbook, but a lot of the recipes are either reliant on cheese or suspiciously "ethnic" in a way that seems less than authentic by today's standards. As usual, I found refuge in the desserts.

Ukrainian Poppyseed Cake

A Free Lunch

2010-03-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

SXSW is happening this week and I've been spending a lot of time volunteering and going to events. One of the most striking things about the whole enormous endeavor - besides the multiple manifestations of mobile communication technology - is the passionate pursuit of free stuff. Swag. Especially free food (and drink).

But you know what they say about free lunches. Adobe had offered a free brunch online - and then when the badgeless folks showed up to claim their due, they found out that the brunch was being held on a floor that was badge-only access. Wah-wah.

It's kind of astounding to see techies and film nerds jostling in line for free beer, popcorn, chips, cookies. Just around the corner they could get a real free lunch, every weekday, but somehow I doubt they'd be interested.

And then there's the volunteers - thousands of us. Only those who work 6 or more hours in the Convention Center - which theoretically doesn't allow outside food in - are given meal tickets for the SXSW volunteer hospitality lunch. It's free(ish, if you don't count your volunteer hours as needing compensation) and even pretty healthy. Special diets not particularly accommodated though. Working front of house requires handling angry vegans.

BTW someone could make a killing next year with a few strategically placed, reasonably priced vegan/vegetarian carts around the ACC.

What would you do for a free lunch?

Nori Chips

2010-03-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe for nori chips from Mark Bittman has been in my "to try" file since I first saw it last fall. Finally got around to making the chips, and I agree - if you like the taste of seaweed, these are a good snacking alternative. I'm enjoying the taste more on day two than the day I made them, and they're just fine without the sesame oil.

I don't think I had seaweed until college - which was when a friend from California finally introduced me to sushi. Now I like it in a number of different forms, and I think it has also increased my appreciation for other seafood, like raw oysters, that really taste of the sea.

With buckwheat soba for a light lunch.

Cookbook Experiment: Cusines of Mexico

2010-03-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Number two in The Cookbook Experiment is Diana Kennedy's Cusines of Mexico (1972). Well, number three really, because number two should have gone to Ann Clark's Fabulous Fish, but I forgot to take a picture. It happens sometimes.

Cusines is a fairly intimidating book, and I flipped through it for a while trying to find a recipe that looked simple enough for me to prepare without too much extra shopping or prep. Finally I settled on a cold squash salad, or ensalada de calabacita, garnished with pickled onions called cebollas encurtidas.

The recipe called for zucchini and also a chayote squash, which I'd never cooked with before. According to Kennedy, the light green ones that we see most frequently are also the least prized of three different varieties of chayote.

The pickled onions, with oregano

A three-sisters dinner: corn tostadas, pinto beans, and the salad, with queso fresco
(and carrots from the farmer's market)

Closeup!

The salad was ok, but I'm still working on my taste for chayote. It's certainly an expressive vegetable, though.

DIY Banh-Mi

2010-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I had professionally-prepared banh-mi, but I found myself wondering if I might be able to make my own at home. After doing some web research, I assembled my list of ingredients and set out to get everything necessary.

The sandwiches are already multicultural - French imperialists left behind their bread baking skills in Southeast Asia, so the sandwiches require a crusty bun.
Where to turn but the local panadería?

Can I tell you how excited I am to have good crusty bread in the 'hood? These bolillos are fab.

The veggies: daikon from the Asian supermarket, pickled carrot/daikon in sushi vinegar, chopped scallions, and a tomato for good measure

Daikon is my new favorite vegetable. It doesn't hurt that I always think about this.

And a very important garnish: cilantro (also added lettuce)

I also added mayo and hot chili paste, and chopped up eggs and shrimp for the innards. After doing this a second time, I recommend pulling out excess bread from the inside of the bun, and making a paste of the mayo/chili/onion/pickled veggie that marinates for a while before going on the sandwich.

A bit more involved than a pbj but worth it for a weekend lunch.

Snacking in Chinatown

2010-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

With Chinese New Year in the papers, I decided to head up to the North Austin Chinatown shopping center this past week. I wasn't the only one - the front end of MT Supermarket was even more crowded than usual, with lots of gawkers at the special New Year's sweets on display.

I also ducked into Short n' Sweet Cafe for a green milk bubble tea and some kind of very colorful rice & coconut dessert. I appreciated being able to choose unsweetened tea. The cafe also has ice cream, some candies/sweets in bulk, and a small selection of savory food.

Helpful hint: Children under 5 not suggest to eat.

The Cookbook Experiment

2010-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm temporarily living with my mom, which has given me access to her library of cookbooks, a small selection of which you can see in the picture below. She has been collecting cookbooks since her own young adulthood, and even has a few from my grandmother's generation. It's an astounding collection of recipes, tips, and other food-related wisdom.

In an effort to get to know these books better, I'm starting a semi-Julie/Julia inspired project to make one recipe from each of these books. Along the way, I'll rate the recipe on various factors (ease of preparation, availability of ingredients, tastiness of results, etc.)

First up, Paris Home Cooking, by Michael Roberts. I was wanting to make vichyssoise, never having had it but thinking leeks and potatoes would make a good midwinter soup, for an unusually cold and wet Austin February. Well, apparently the soup isn't French in origin, but I did find a hot potato and leek soup (not pureed).

It turned out well - even without the bacon the recipe called for. I had to make some substitutions for other ingredients: didn't use the exact type of wine called for; improvised an herb bag - not having cheesecloth - with a tea strainer; green onions rather than chives. Otherwise the recipe was fairly simple and ingredients not unreasonably exotic.

Ease of preparation: A- | Availability of ingredients: B+ | Taste: A

Dining Out: Thai Fresh

2010-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Thai Fresh, recently recognized by Bon Appétit, is a multi-purpose food-related endeavor, offering cooking classes, catering, a changing selection of prepared foods for dine-in or take-out, and even a few Thai cooking utensils for sale. They locally source many of their ingredients.

I went there recently with food blog compadre Citizen Taco, and sampled some of the dishes available from the deli. You can choose one, two or three items, and are given the choice of brown or white rice. About half the selections are vegetarian.

Tofu with green beans
(I also got a green curry, which I liked better but was less photogenic)

Two ice creams: Thai tea and black pepper

I was also offered sticky rice with my ice cream (I declined). The ice cream/sorbet selection had all kinds of interesting flavors, and would be even more appealing during Austin's long summer.

Food on Screen: Fresh

2010-01-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my St. David's peeps for putting together a wonderful screening and potluck for the new food documentary Fresh. It was really inspiring to see such a big crowd gathered, and hear about the success that local farmers are having with CSAs. The two organizations who came to the screening were Johnson's Backyard Garden and Farmhouse Delivery, both of which have blogs and post recipes.

Check out clips from the movie here. (Embedding was doing funky things to my blog's formatting)

One thing I learned from the film is that produce sold in supermarkets today has 40% less nutrition than in the 1950s - due to agricultural practices. Yet another reason to buy organic and local if possible.

Chocolate Atole

2010-01-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

Despite Texan roots, there are plenty of things I don't know about the great cuisines to the south of here - in Mexico and Central America. Atole, a thick, hot drink that incorporates corn meal or corn starch, is a dish I had heard about but never tried - until recently.

This recipe, from the late Matt Martinez, Jr. 's cookbook, uses Mexican chocolate (which already has cinnamon in it), as well as an additional cinnamon stick...

...and masa harina, mixed with milk and water, and boiled for a while.

Add whipped cream and cinnamon, and voilà! A thick, delicious hot chocolate.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with all that leftover masa harina!

Dining Out: Tâm Deli

2010-01-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Based on numerous good reviews over the years, including a recent one from the Austin Chronicle, I decided to try out Tâm Deli for their banh-mi sandwiches.

Shrimp and egg sandwich; vegetarian tofu sandwich

Allison kindly held her halves up for the necessary closeup

Tâm Deli has a nice, large menu with several things that look tasty. The sandwiches were good, but not very substantial - even with a spring roll to start and a dessert, I left hungry. Still, I'll look forward to going back and trying new items on the menu - and maybe taking a closer look at the sandwiches to see if I can make them at home.

More From France

2010-01-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

A few more pictures of delicacies from France, just to make you jealous... We made it to a few very good restaurants and managed to eat well nearly the whole time we were there.

First up, the Breizh Cafe, a Breton restaurant specializing in galettes (buckwheat crêpes) in the Marais. This one was found on David Leibovit z's recommendation.

They also have an extensive selection of cidre, the traditional slightly-alcoholic apple cider also known for being a Breton specialty

My galette had mushrooms, egg, cheese, cream, and a little red pepper

Maman got one with some rustic sausage, a hash of fishy potatoes, and greens

Another stellar dining experience was at the cafe for the Jacquemart-André Museum. Their menu consists mostly of beautiful salads, a lovely dessert tray and a nice selection of teas.

My salad had smoked salmon, a lobster terrine, and a small spinach souffle.

Mom got a meatier one.

A slice of the pistachio-flavored bûche.

Let's end with something sweet, shall we? Berthillon is very famous but I never made it there during my study-abroad sojourn, so it was on my list of must-do's for this trip. We went to the little Berthillon storefront on the Ile-St-Louis. It was a lovely room, and not crowded late on a Monday night.

Mom got apricot and fig sorbets - and I think would have been ready to eat here for the rest of her life.

Pour moi, the mandarin sorbet and nougat-honey ice cream, with whipped cream (crême chantilly) and raspberry coulis

Holiday Greetings from France

2009-12-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was lucky to spend Christmas week in France this year, and got to sample some of the holiday foods associated with the season in that country, that I'd never had before...

The bûche de noel, a staple item in window displays all over the city, all decorated differently and in different flavors.

Pretty holiday cakes, also with decorations on top

It wasn't just sweets that were on display - many stores were selling prepared foods, including stuffed lobsters, foie gras, and escargots...

And nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a dessicated pig leg

In the Marais, Jewish bakeries had goodies on display as well

Not special for Hanukkah, I'm guessing, but I did lust after those donuts

I've been curious about marrons glacés for a long time, and got to try one from Fauchon. This one was "nature" i.e., not flavored with anything - and it was cultivated in France (yes, I got to choose the "terroir" of this candied chestnut)

It was kind of tasty on its own, but, having purchased two, I ate the second one with some thick yogurt, and enjoyed its nutty sweetness more that way.

Urban Gardening

2009-12-15T13:11:00.001-08:00

Urban gardening is a trend that I hope continues in 2010. Places like Austin's Sustainable Food Center are doing good work teaching kids and families how to garden, and yards are being transformed into little plots for growing veggies, like this one near where I live.

It's a bit of a tangle, but definitely a better use for the space than the overgrown bamboo (hiding trash) that was there before

When seeds can sprout in the least likely of places (like the hood of my trunk) it makes gardening in small urban plots seem that much more realistic...

Happy holidays, and look for pictures from France in early January!

The Perfect Hostess - Part 2

2009-12-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are the results of the baked egg in tomato recipe from The Perfect Hostess.

The recipe is a bit vague, as older recipes can often be: scoop out the innards of a tomato, crack an egg into it, cover with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 until the white is firm. Cross-referencing with a recipe from the JOY I decided to forego the breadcrumbs and instead topped the egg with a little butter, salt and pepper.

Thirty minutes later, I pulled the dish out of my toaster oven and enjoyed it with buttered, toasted English muffins. Unfortunately the pictures are not very appetizing - you'd probably have to bake 50 of these to get a pretty one. But they are tasty.

The Perfect Hostess - Part 1

2009-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Going through my grandmother's old books, we found this treasure from 1950. Written by a woman "still in her 20s" the book is full of wisdom for entertaining - as a wife or a career girl.

The book includes a lengthy section on how to cook all day and still appear fresh and energetic for the party. (It involves bubble bath, lying down with your legs above your head, and convincing your husband that "only he" can do the last-minute activities like putting out trail mix.)

However, I was equally entranced by the graphical explanations of formal dinner settings...

Glasses for alcoholic beverages...

And even the proper settings for buffet tables!

Next week I'll share with you the results of my trial of one of the book's recipes, eggs baked in tomato.

NOTE: These pictures are large, so click on them if you want to see details.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Baking Again

2009-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Nothing heralds the arrival of fall like the desire to start baking again after an incredibly long, incredibly hot summer.

In the last few weeks I've fired up the oven several times. Muffins are a favorite.

Adding lemon zest to blueberry muffins

Breakfast! Snack! Dinner! I'm always relieved to have my own "quick breads" around because the ones you buy at the store are either a) flavorless or b) needlessly expensive. This may be one instance where "making your own" is not a good way to maintain a healthy diet, though, because when there's no competition for baked goods they all go in one belly: mine.

Irish soda bread with raisins and caraway seeds. Basically a giant scone. It came together in about 5 minutes (30 to bake). I was shocked.

Baked Stuffed Poblanos

2009-11-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

I don't usually post recipes on here because most of the stuff I make is from other people's recipes. But I made up this baked poblano dish this past week (after researching baked peppers, rice pilaf, and Mexican rice) and I was so dang proud of how they turned out I thought I'd share.

INGREDIENTS:
2 lg poblano peppers
3/4 of a large white onion
2 scallions
2 lg cloves garlic
1 lg carrot
2 c. vegetable stock
1 c. canned chopped tomatoes (1/2 can)
1 c. long grain white rice
1/3 c. chopped toasted walnuts
1 c. shredded jack cheese
chopped parsley to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Roast poblanos and set to steam
3. Chop vegetables (I made mine pretty small). Put large saucepan over medium heat; add oil. Let it get hot, then add the onions and garlic. Saute for a minute or two, adding salt to taste. Add the rice and carrot and cook for a couple more minutes. Add a little more salt, especially if your veggie broth is unsalted. Then add 1.5 cups of the vegetable stock and all the tomatoes. Cover and cook the rice until done (about 10 minutes after it boils). Then remove from the heat, fluff the rice with a spatula, and let sit covered for 10 more minutes. Stir in the cheese, walnuts, and parsley.
4. Peel the poblanos, cut off the tops, and make a slit down the side. Remove seeds and ribs.
5. In a 9x9 baking pan, lay down a layer of the rice mixture. On top of that, lay the poblanos, which you can stuff with the remaining rice and reclose. Pour the remaining 1/2 c. veg stock into the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

Serve with black beans and or as a taco/burrito filling. Serves approximately 4.

Food on Screen: Grown in Detroit

2009-10-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Leave it to the Dutch to fund a documentary that Americans across the country should watch. I don't know if or when this film will arrive stateside, but I was lucky to catch it at the Austin Film Festival, where it won the prize for best documentary.

In a nutshell, GROWN IN DETROIT is about urban farming in, well, Detroit, where there are a lot of unused and vacant lots, high unemployment and poverty. Specifically, the film is about a program for teenage moms that not only provides day care/education for their kids, but also teaches the girls agricultural skills - with the hope that they will both feed the city and their families, and make some money doing it.

The school, one of only two in the US that has a similar program, is called Catherine Ferguson Academy. It's pretty amazing stuff (though might fall under the category of common sense...). The directors, a young Dutch couple, were at the screening I attended, and unfortunately it seems that the school has lost funding and had to fire half their staff last year. This will obviously affect the quality of the program. But on the bright side, the number of gardens in Detroit is mushrooming - from 300 to 800 in a little over a year.

Catch this documentary if you have the chance. The sight of an urban environment, usually so far from nature, being transformed not only into a green place, but one that can sustain food (and bees! the bees love it in Detroit!) makes you feel hope where it might seem none is possible.

Dining Out: Tarka

2009-10-22T01:17:00.000-07:00

My cousin Mary had read about a new Indian restaurant down south so we went to check it out last week. Tarka is interesting as a concept restaurant - basically Indian fast food. The menu is on the wall as you enter; then you place an order at the counter and a server brings out the food a few minutes later.

It's clean and bright and family-friendly. Also seems like it would do well for the downtown lunch crowd who don't have many options for Indian food, and often prize convenience and speed.

A few interesting drink choices: mango-lemonade, lassis in splendid tall glasses, and this soda called Limca

Veggie pakoras - which though flavored with Indian seasonings were more reminiscent of tempura in the way they had been fried

I got a tomato curry with green peas, paneer and mushrooms. You have the choice of how spicy to make the curries - mild, medium or hot - and we figured out that the jalapeno placed on top was probably kitchen short hand for the spiciness of an order (mine was medium-hot)

If I go again I'll get a naanini.

Mommie Mack's Fruit Salad

2009-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to make my grandmother's fruit salad for a potluck. Mommie Mack's fruit salad, which shows up often at family holiday gatherings, can be varied depending on taste and what looks good in the market.

When I was younger, I thought it was all canned - thus I imagined 1950s cuisine. But when I helped MM make it for the first time I realized that it consisted of more fresh fruit than canned. This helps explain its deliciousness.

Canned pineapple, neatly placed in its container

(The salad also contains canned tangerines)

All the fruit together: kiwis, red grapes, bananas, apples, canned tangerines, and canned pineapple

And yes, whipped cream and marshmallows

All assembled

Making the salad put me in the mind of family gatherings past, and maybe it was because I was listening to Beethoven's late sonatas, but I got nostalgic and a bit sad. Food can do that can't it? Jonathan Safran Foer has a great article in the NYT Magazine this week exploring some of the same feelings.

Dining at the Texas Culinary Academy

2009-10-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hidden away between The Domain and Burnet Road is the Texas Culinary Academy, which boasts two restaurants. We visited the more formal of the two, Ventana, for dinner a couple of weeks ago. The restaurant is staffed by students in both the front of the house and in the kitchen.

Students heading home

The healthy-looking herb garden

It's an official Cordon Bleu school

Appetizer: chicken kabob with quinoa

Appetizer: Catfish beignets

Salad with fried goat cheese

Salad with pickled onions

Snapper

My shrimp linguine - prepared at tableside!

Gnocchi with spinach and mushrooms

The menu is prix fixe at 2, 3 or 4 courses, so it's a lot of food for a pretty good price. We were happy with the food and it was interesting to try something new. The building that houses the restaurants is the same building where the classrooms are, so you can walk around and get a sense of what it would be like to be a student. There's also a store for supplies, and a large window display of decorated cakes with varying degrees of absurdly ornate icing.

Cooking in hotels (and schools)

2009-10-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

The excellent public radio cooking show, The Splendid Table, featured this guy a couple of weeks ago. Being hungry in a hotel room - and not wanting to pay for room service - is something I can definitely relate to. Though I'd be wary of using the kettle for tea water after making tortellini!

The same show featured an excellent interview with the head of lunch programs in St. Paul, MN, about getting healthy food in public schools. (Scroll down about half the page.)

Mooncakes

2009-10-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I was a freshman in college, one of my friends introduced us all to mooncakes, which her mom had sent from a special bakery in Georgia. I remember finding them beautiful and delicious, and have been halfway tracking them down ever since. It took me a long time to figure out that they're only available during a special time of year, but this year I went up to the giant Asian supermarket to get a box of them.

Of course I don't have the attachment to tradition or the holiday per se, but the mooncakes are a unique dessert; maybe they'll catch on with a wider audience eventually.

This one is filled with red bean paste, but the box of 6 I got had two each of red bean, date, and lotus. They're all pretty sweet, and best with tea.

Faves: Vegan Desserts

2009-09-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Some years ago, vegan baked goods started making inroads into the Austin scene. Wheatsville had carried them packaged for a long time, as had other health food stores, but suddenly Wheats had its own bakery case. Then there was Dhaba Joy, and vegan cupcakes (admittedly outsourced) at the cupcake sellers like Hey Cupcake.

I like vegan baked goods because they're usually not quite as sweet as regular ones, and their flavors can be more subtle because they're made with more spices, different flours, or other unusual ingredients. It's a less-guilty guilty pleasure.

Wheatsville's vegan Mexican Chocolate Cake

The wider acceptance of vegan sweets may never catch on, but Wheatsville is still going strong. They have about seven or eight cakes, cookies, and muffins that they rotate. This cake was crumbly, kind of like a coffee cake but less rich. It had a complex spicy flavor that I couldn't quite sort out, and made a nice mid-morning snack.

Remembering the Cold Drinks of Summer

2009-09-17T05:14:00.000-07:00

I had a goal of collecting pictures from lots and lots of frozen/cold beverage purveyors over the course of the summer, but didn't get as many as I had hoped. Nevertheless, now that fall is around the corner, here are a few mementos of the most palatable form of nutrition when it's 105 every day...

Homemade Lassi

Just some ice cubes, sour yogurt, and honey (and I like to add rose water too). Delicious and frothy, and another use for the hand blender.

Shaved Ice from Hola Aloha

This little pop-up shaved ice stand features all-natural flavorings on their shaved ices. We got Mango with coconut milk and Ginger-Lime with coconut milk. Pretty good. Definitely less sweet than your average shaved ice.

Outside Hola Aloha

Horchata from El Chilito

Horchata, how I love thee. So creamy, yet not made of milk. Cinnamony and sweet, I can drink gallons of this stuff (though I try to restrain myself). El Chilito's version is pretty good.

Frozen Sangria at House Wine

Frozen sangria sounds great, but it didn't have as much flavor as I wanted it to. In general, it seems like it's rare to get a good syrup-to-shaved ice ratio for the more boutiquey shaved ices that are getting popular. But it did make a pretty picture.

Potato Zucchini Pancakes

2009-09-10T06:29:00.000-07:00

Potato pancakes, or latkes as we sometimes called them when I was growing up, were one of the first things I learned to cook when I left home. The recipe I have, typed and sent by my mom to me at college, is spattered with oil. I always loved latkes, both because they're kind of like a glorified French fry, and because they have the same name as a great Andy Kaufman character.

I haven't made latkes so much in recent years, mostly due to the amount of oil involved in frying them. And the fact that frying is tedious and messy, especially in a small kitchen. But recently I decided to try pan frying--and it worked pretty well. These are very simple--grated potatoes and zucchini, egg, and seasonings. Even better with a little cheese melted over the top...

Coconut Milk Bread Pudding

2009-09-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

An excess of coconut milk and a desire for cinnamon rolls collided recently in the form of this bread pudding, made from a modified "New Orleans Style Bread Pudding" JOY recipe (1 cup of sugar instead of 2, coconut milk instead of regular milk, and no bourbon sauce!)

The coconut milk I'm referring to is not the kind that comes in a can--this is a new product from So Delicious that has appeared at the grocery store recently, and that is being marketed as yet another milk substitute (along with soy, almond, hemp, etc.).

My question: can it be used in baking, and if so, will it leave evidence of its pleasingly faint coconutty flavor?

The bread pudding turned out fine, but lacked the coconut flavor. However, warming it with a little coconut milk poured over the top did the trick.

Summer Kitchen Tools

2009-08-27T06:16:00.001-07:00

The summer can be depressing for cooks. Even though it is the season for wonderful produce, a lot of things still require the application of at least a little heat...and even the thought of turning on a burner can make you break out in a sweat, when the daily high is near 103.

I've had a lot of cereal this summer, but I've also managed to eat well on occasion, thanks in part to these tools:

The salad spinner

There aren't many kitchen tools that I think significantly improve the process they are meant for--most get used rarely and otherwise take up space in your cabinets and drawers. But the salad spinner dries lettuce better than the old paper towel method, with no waste, and can be used for storing salad too. I love mine a lot.

The toaster oven

As you can tell, mine is well-used. The toaster oven is for so much more than making toast. I've made baked eggs, roasted garlic, and croutons in mine, as well as innumerable toasted bagels and waffles (and toast). You can make many of the things usually cooked in a large oven (especially if you only need small quantities). Plus, it minimally heats up the kitchen.

The hand blender

Conveniently small, easy to assemble and clean, the hand blender can be used to make smoothies of all varieties and to blend soups, cold or warm. Mine is rarely stored because I use it almost every day.

Shanghai Restaurant

2009-08-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Word on the street, or at least on the internet, is that one of the best places in town to get dim sum is now Shanghai Restaurant, located near Highland Mall. One of the old places that used to draw crowds, Tien Hong, shut down about a year ago, so it was nice to try Shanghai and discover that it was as good as its internet reputation. Everything we had was well seasoned, and at noon on a Saturday, the selection was great!

Shrimp dumplings, shrimp & leek dumplings, and salt & pepper squid

Inside the shrimp & leek dumpling

Fried taro patties with shrimp and veggies inside

Eggplant with shrimp on top

The obligatory, and delicious, Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce

Turnip patty with shrimp and sausage

Noodles with pork (?)

Green tea balls with black sesame filling

Here is what some other people have said...

On Vacation (from the archives)

2009-08-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

Gentle readers: Your loyal blogger is going on August recess for the next couple of weeks, so in the meantime please enjoy some of my early ventures into the realm of food photography. These are all pictures from my study abroad term in 2002; back then I thought of it as a travelogue, but in new places, the food (if it's interesting) so quickly becomes an important part of the overall experience...

Fresh seafood at an open-air market in Aix-en-Provence

I believe these are scallops, also known as coquilles St-Jacques

Fresh tunas await their fate

Marzipan fruits (also in Provence)

Window display of Easter chocolates in Paris

Restaurant-made crepe, in Paris

Learning how to make crepes at home

A large bowl made of bread (in Rome)

My friend and fellow gastronome Vanessa longing after Spanish sweets (Toledo)

Consuming churros con chocolate for breakfast (in Seville, I think)

French pastries! (Paris)

Closeup on those same beautiful pastries.

Can you believe there's a shop like this in every neighborhood in Paris?

Dining Out: Get Sum Dim Sum

2009-07-30T04:40:00.000-07:00

I have been curious about a new place that opened up at 45th & Lamar some months back, Get Sum Dim Sum, where the idea is that you can order dim sum a la carte any time of day. Sounds like a great idea to me! So here's the report.

I ordered (clockwise from bottom): "Woo Gok" (fried taro dumplings with mushroom and bamboo), veggie dumplings, tofu dumplings, and Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce. The chili sauce in the center is I believe a specialty of the chef's. It's good, but I think it has meat bits.

Closeup on the taro dumplings

Taro dumpling innards

The menu: sort of like ordering sushi

Instructions for ordering; you can either get semi-predetermined combo meals or order piece by piece exactly what you want

I enjoyed everything I ate, and my total was about $14 which is not too bad considering I took enough home to make a smallish lunch tomorrow. They have several hot teas and some interesting bottled beverage choices, as well as the standard desserts.

I was especially happy that the dumplings had a bit more flavor than some that I've had--a greater variety of vegetables, and not too salty as is sometimes the case. I'll be back to try some of the other items on the menu.

Favorite Food Movies

2009-07-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of Julie & Julia, I've been remembering some of my favorite "food movies." Funny thing is, most movies that feature food prominently use it symbolically rather than being actually about food. Examples that come to mind are La Grande Bouffe (1973), The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover (1989), and Spirited Away (2001).

These next films, however, show a real enjoyment of food as food. I hope J & J does the same...

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) - In this opening scene, I don't even know what half the things he's preparing are, but it still makes me drool! Directed by Ang Lee, two thumbs up.

Big Night (1996) - This is the final scene from the film, the "morning after" a big cooking blowout (featuring a timpano, among others). I've always loved the simplicity of this ending scene; sometimes all you need is scrambled eggs.

Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980) - One of Les Blank's famed food movies, this one features Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, as well as other restaurants, home cooks, and even musicians, all extolling the virtues of garlic.

What are your favorite food movies?

Happy Bastille Day (week)!

2009-07-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

Tricolor crepes with blackberries, yogurt, and raspberries

Food, Inc.

2009-07-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

Made the trek to see FOOD, INC. this past weekend, and was pleasantly surprised to find the theater about half full on a Sunday afternoon. Granted, it was 105 outside, making the cool of the theater even that much more appealing. But given the comments, boos, and applause over the course of the film, it's safe to say the audience was an enthusiastic one.

Having been an early and avid reader of both Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore's Dilemma, I wasn't too surprised at a lot of the information in the film. And despite what reviewers have been saying, the graphic footage from the CAFOs and kill floors isn't nearly as bad is it could have been. Overall the tone was only gently alarmist; everyone who spoke onscreen seemed credible, and even the mother of the 2 year old who died from E-coli poisoning managed to seem like she had a sense of humor. Stylistically, it was reminiscent of Super Size Me, with very slick graphics (the opening title sequence is especially nice).

Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser are onscreen a lot, but they share time with the farmer Pollan profiles in TOD, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in Virginia. It's Salatin who provides the most philosophical contributions to the conversation, pointing out that a culture that treats its animals so inhumanely most likely has the same approach to its own citizens, and peoples from other countries.

At the end of the film, there is a text-only sequence listing actions that we as consumers can take to make change to the system, and overall the message seems to be one of power to the consumer. Since it's a Participant Productions film, the website is full of info as well and activism is fully integrated into the release strategy. I sat through the credit sequence and as the lights came on, the group of four young women (about my age) were still sitting in my row, debating whether or not it's really possible to eat healthily on a minimum wage. I hope the film sparks many such debates. Who knows what can come of it?

Tofu with Lemongrass

2009-07-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

Lemongrass is such a wonderful flavor--not really lemony or grassy, but fresh, tart and fragrant. It has been a favorite of mine since I first had stir fried tofu and lemongrass at the neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant many years ago.

Lemongrass stalks, with long, luxurious tops

I never tried to make the dish until a couple of years ago, but was fortunate to find a recipe that is reasonably easy, and also quite healthy, with onions, garlic, and turmeric. Chop everything up, marinate the tofu for about an hour, then throw it all in the pan to stir fry. Peanuts go on as a garnish and provide a satisfying crunch.

FYI, the Asian market in North Austin has much prettier lemongrass than the sad, dried out specimens at Central Market.

Fish Tacos, Home "Assembled"

2009-06-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to be doing much cooking this summer, with a less-than-frosty AC and 103 degree days... But these tacos didn't require too much heat in the kitchen. Mostly assembly--I used frozen fish fillets, which could be heated in the toaster oven. Store bought tortillas and chips (not that I ever make those).

Not bad, but the next time I'll have some kind

of creamy sauce on them as well.

Taco!

I was especially proud of the cabbage slaw, having never made anything with cabbage before. This was green cabbage, cilantro, onion, lime, and salt. I think I put a little honey in with the lime juice too. It was really good when first made. Next time I'll ask for a quarter cabbage instead of a half though--a little goes a long way!

Coconut Water Taste Test

2009-06-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

So, it's that time of year when pretty much all I want to eat is cold/frozen things. High on the list of rehydrating yet natural and tasty beverages is coconut water, which only recently started being sold in natural food stores but has been around for a while in the "ethnic groceries," from what I can tell.

Fun fact: Coconut water can be used as an intravenous liquid.

But I prefer to drink it.

Faced with an overwhelming number of options for different brands of coconut water, I decided to have friends help me with a taste test, to scientifically determine which brand deserved our continued patronage.

Of course it's worth mentioning that the best coconut water is straight from the coconut, but they're still working on a pop-top coconut.

A few observations from our taste test session:

* All the waters came from either Brazil or Thailand. The way to tell the difference is by the can: metal cans are from Thailand, laminated paper ones are from Brazil.

* Some waters have chunks of coconut, others do not. Chunks add variety and interest to the taste experience.

* There is a major difference in the sweetness levels of the "natural" brands (#2, 4, 6, 7, 8) versus the others, which have sugar added. The ones with sugar added are more like a dessert beverage, whereas those that are just straight-up coconut water could be considered a sports drink.

* Overall, the water is probably best over ice, not just chilled. Straight from the can it can have a "fermented" smell (that's a quote). Sometimes the smell can be quite funky ("locker room") but we speculated that quality may depend on the batch.

* Winners of the taste test were #1 (Goya-Sugar Added) and #8 (Amy & Brian-Natural)

June at the Farmer's Market

2009-06-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

June always means lots of wonderful fruits and vegetables--the kind that are really best grown locally, and in season, like peaches and tomatoes. What better place to explore the bounty of the month than the farmers' market? Last weekend I went to Sunset Valley to buy a few things, but mostly just to admire what the farmers had grown.

Entry to the market, 10 AM

Corn, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers

Squash, peaches

Beets, squash

Bell peppers, squash

Onions

Cabbage, carrots

Squash! (under a yellow awning)

Mushrooms

About half of the vendors at the market are farmers; the other half sell hand-made goods, or prepared foods. This vendor, Empanadas La Boca, always has tempting pizzas and baked goods.

However, I was more in the mood for a mango-chile popsicle.

Just the right mix of sweet and salty

Ahhh, refreshing on a hot morning :)

Vegan Dining in Dallas

2009-06-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

Made a trip to Dallas last weekend, for my cousin's high school graduation. Dallas is not usually thought of as a hotbed of vegan activity, but I managed to have two vegan meals while I was there, both of them quite decent.

First was the Spiral Diner in Oak Cliff, located at an intersection where the other businesses are car repair shops and fruterias.

Outside the diner

Inside the diner

Agave-sweetened sodas in the fountain

Vegan biscuits and gravy!

I could have gone for seconds.

Vegan migas (tofu scramble)

Later, we grabbed a quick dinner in Highland Park Village, home to high-end retail and an unassuming burger joint called Who's Who. They offer a nicely done veggie burger, as well as fancy beef burgers and hot dogs.

Specially-made patty and mushrooms

top all the veggie burgers

Faves: Coconut Milk Ice Cream

2009-05-28T10:06:00.000-07:00

Being vegan has never looked like so much fun. Not that I'm a vegan, but I do appreciate vegan desserts, especially those made with coconut milk. Coconut milk ice cream is just as good as the "real thing" if not better--it's quite rich and delicious and in my opinion doesn't have the slightly icky aftertaste that ice cream leaves you with.

This is one of several brands of coconut milk ice cream that Wheatsville carries.

Num.

Gratuitous third picture, just because it is so delicious.

Happy summer!

Edamame Spread

2009-05-21T05:26:00.000-07:00

After seeing edamame spread at the Steeping Room last week, I decided to see if I could make it at home. I almost always have edamame in the freezer, since they are so quick and easy to cook and are good for a snack or a meal.

I guess it's not actually cooking them--just reheating since they come pre-cooked in the package. But still.

Cooked edamame in their pods

Shelled edamame

The finished product

I used a recipe from Martha Stewart--first hit on Google. It was a little too garlicky but I think with some tinkering this could be a nice substitute for hummus (and more colorful).

Dining Out: Mother's Day Brunch at The Steeping Room

2009-05-14T17:02:00.000-07:00

Took my mom and cousin to the Steeping Room for brunch last week... They are a "tea" place but they have a nice menu as well. As far as I can tell, they are not a chain, which would explain the attention to detail found in both the design and execution of their menu.

Three tea drinks:

jasmine green tea w/ lemonade, fruit tea w/lemonade, peach iced tea

My breakfast strata: sundried tomatoes, goat cheese, spinach

Very good; may try to find a way to make this at home

The ladies' sandwiches: edamame spread,

and lapsang souchong chicken salad

Pear cake

Dining Out: Wink

2009-05-08T18:42:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my mom and her restaurant.com certificate for a lovely end-of-semester meal at Wink...

Amuse bouche of tomato water with Mexican

mint marigold and ground black pepper

Scallops with buttered savoy cabbage,

baby leeks, and agave mustard

My mom's duck and veggies

Officially: crisp duck breast with succulent spinach,

baby carrots and crimini mushrooms

Dessert trio:

warm chocolate cake, creme brulee, and meringue "egg"

with lemon curd filling and candied lemon

Quite a treat! Now it's back to granola and peanut butter for a while...

Julie & Julia trailer

2009-05-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

OMG Meryl Streep as Julia Child! I am very excited.

Dining Out: Viva Chocolato

2009-04-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

Viva Chocolato is tucked away in a corner of the Domain (next to what is soon to be Austin's first Zara). The restaurant, as you might guess from the name, clearly specializes in chocolate and desserty-type things but they also have a small menu of lunch and dinner items. I met my friend Allison there for dinner a couple of weeks back.

Allison's turkey panini - thumbs up

My sinfully rich brie panini, and potato chips.

Yes, this meal consisted of melted cheese, potato chips, and chocolate truffles.

The chocolates at VC fall into two categories, locally made and imported. We stuck with the local ones since they were having a special that night. Flavors, left to right: Guiness, Salted Caramel, Rose-Cardamom, and Champagne. The Salted Caramel was a hands down winner; the others were good, but not extraordinary.

VC also has a fairly large gelato selection, a wine list, a few cakes, and chocolate fondu fountains (!)

Edward Weston: Food Photographer

2009-04-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

My mind has been on things academic of late, so here is a series of photos of vegetables done by Edward Weston. Most of these can be seen on Edward-Weston.com.

Cabbage Leaf

Chard

Eggplant

Artichoke Halved

Toadstool

Toadstools

Pepper

The most famous Pepper

Weston is more known as a great photographer than a food photographer, but these studies show a love for the inherent beauty of natural food.

BLT for vegetarians

2009-04-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

One thing most former meat eaters seem to have in common is a slightly perverse lingering fondness for bacon. I myself had this, at least for about the first 5 years after going meatless. Now it's not as strong, but the smell of bacon and coffee in the morning is still enough to bring a tear to my eye.

Not to mention all the dishes that are made with bacon, especially the sandwiches... BLTs, club sandwiches... I had just about given up hope that I would ever enjoy anything close again, when I came across this smoky tempeh product in Wheatsville about a year ago. It's actually a pretty good substitute for bacon, especially when sandwiched between mayo-enhanced toast, lettuce, and bacon.

Don't let its good looks fool you

The only drawback is that a fairly small package runs about $5. But for a once in a while treat, it's worth it. Still working on a replacement for the turkey and ham in a club...

Leek Tart (Flamiche aux poireaux)

2009-04-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

Some time back I was inexplicably overtaken by the desire to make a pastry crust from scratch. I don't know where these whims come from. But this is the product: a leek tart, from a JOY OF COOKING recipe.

I like leeks but don't cook with them often. They are associated with St. David and the country of Wales.

This was good right out of the oven (after that painful 10 minute "settling" time), and again a few days later heated up in the toaster oven. Not as good cold.

Serving suggestion

Dining Out: Gingerbread at Quack's

2009-04-02T06:39:00.001-07:00

Quack's has a large selection of baked goods, but whenever I'm there I almost always get their gingerbread. It's similar to a recipe in the Joy that I've made, but loftier and even denser. Not too sweet, and with strands of ginger running through it. Last time I was there I had a cafe au lait as well, but the bread is so substantial I think it really goes best with tea.

Jumbo gingerbread!

Dining Out: Torchy's Tacos

2009-03-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

I rarely make it to the South Side, but last week was Spring Break and I had the opportunity to try the goods at Torchy's Tacos, which has been around for a while and recently opened a location near UT as well.

Torchy's, along with two other trailers (one a burger joint, the other a gift shop), makes up the "South Austin Trailer Park and Eatery." A bit gimmicky if you ask me, but on a nice day it's quite pleasant to sit outside under the trees off South First Street.

Nothing on the menu is what I'd consider "standard." The queso, above, has green chilis and is topped with hot sauce, queso fresco, and cilantro.

Fried Avocado Taco

Green chili pork taco and "dirty sanchez" taco

I didn't order the pork--they gave it to me by mistake--but my dining companion Lizzie had ordered one herself and declared it to be tasty.

The Dirty Sanchez taco

This was my favorite part of the meal--fluffy egg topped with guacamole, fried poblano, and escabeche carrots.

All tacos come with either flour or corn tortillas. Drink selections are minimal--they could use a couple of aguas frescas or even just iced tea.

Bonus dessert pic: chocolates at Whole Foods during SXSW

Recession-Proof Breakfast

2009-03-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

There's nothing glamorous about oatmeal, but it can still be pretty tasty if it's done up right. This week I happened to have some half and half on hand (try saying that 10 times fast) and it was just the right finishing touch to a bowl already flavored with plumped-up raisins and toasted sliced almonds.

But just about anything can go on oatmeal... I even heard Mark Bittman say he likes soy sauce on his. Personally, I'm more of the stewed apple and cinnamon sugar camp, but I'll reserve judgment until I try it...

Besides being versatile and heart-healthy, easy to make and reheat, oatmeal is also super cheap. I'll enjoy it while the weather is still cool enough to make hot breakfast cereal appealing!

Eat Your Veggies: Kale Chips

2009-03-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

One of the least-anticipate side effects of being mostly vegetarian, I've discovered, is random cravings for vegetables. You'd think it would be the opposite--random cravings for hamburgers or pork ribs--but surprisingly often I think, "Wow, what I really want is a big helping of really tasty veggies."

Until recently, those cravings were never for kale, but that may be changing. Kale belongs to the leafy green family, those miracle plants that are supposed to be so good for you yet are often intimidating in their leafiness and "healthy" taste. Having enjoyed kale in a stir fry a few weeks back, I came across this recipe for kale "chips" (or crisps, if you prefer) and decided to give it a shot.

In the pan

On the plate

They are very good. In fact, I ate them all in one sitting (about one small kale head's worth). Very delicate and crisp. Highly recommended! I kept mine in the oven a little longer than the recipe called for, about 30 minutes.

Dining Out: Yogurt Planet

2009-03-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

Well folks, I made myself hungry by writing about yogurt last week, so I decided I had to visit the new neighborhood frozen yogurt establishment, Yogurt Planet. I didn't really know what to expect but I was really impressed and plan to go back soon.

(Apparently these places are old news even in Austin--but it was new to me!)

Original "tart" yogurt with kiwi, lychee, mochi, and coconut jelly

The self-serve yogurts

I was impressed for a number of reasons:

1. The yogurt was clearly high quality and they even had a sign up about how it was healthy and had live cultures etc.

2. The toppings were a mix of standards and unusual ones, both fruits and candies, largely with an Asian bent... And all of them looked amazing

3. It's all self-serve and mix/match so you can get whatever suits your fancy... Usually I'm not a fan of "do it yourself" restaurant themes (don't you go out to eat so that others make those decisions for you??) but in this case it works

4. Very clean, and clearly popular... At least with college age women and young families!

Next week I won't even mention yogurt, I promise. ;-)

Faves: Yogurt

2009-02-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

When did my love affair with yogurt begin? I remember eating it as a child, though not with any particular relish. Back then it just seemed like a poor substitute for ice cream. But ice cream for breakfast, though it may have happened in Little Miss Sunshine, was not a common occurrence in my childhood.

I think I can date a true appreciation of yogurt to the time I spent in France in 2002. That was the first time I remember seeing such a dazzling variety of yogurts in a grocery store. More important, the hostel where we stayed for the first couple of weeks served fromage blanc at breakfast, along with a few other things... Not wanting to have a croissant every morning I got hooked on the yogurt-like substance and continued to eat it on my own, especially with a little fruit preserves or honey mixed in. Sooo gooood.

Back in the states I had a hard time finding a similar product... Most yogurts were thinner, which is not bad (in fact I ate a lot of runny White Mountain yogurt and saved the jars as bulk storage) but does not have the deliciousness factor of the thicker, richer yogurts.

Then a couple of years ago Central Market started carrying Fage... And from there the thick, boutique yogurt craze has mushroomed like an acidophilus culture. In San Francisco, one of the well-known farmers market vendors sells small batch yogurt in recyclable pottery cups. Never tried it, but it has a true following. Here in Austin, I can now spend 30 minutes in front of the yogurt selection at Central Market... So many to choose from. And from what I hear, fro-yo is making a comeback after a facelift.

Yogurt is one of those little indulgences--if you get the kind that isn't reduced fat--that is just healthy enough to be enjoyed on a semi-regular basis. Maybe that's why its popularity is growing. Me, I keep it around (usually plain white yogurt) for breakfast, for snacks, for baking (can often be used instead of buttermilk), even for dips/salad dressings...

Canadian yogurt from Central Market

Yum-o

Re-used White Mountain yogurt jar

Anyway the yogurt-philia is already causing other good things besides smoother digestive action for the masses: Yoplait recently announced they will be fazing out yogurt made with milk treated with rBGH by August.

Kitchen Tools: Restaurant Supply

2009-02-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

First, it was drugstores. Then, office supply. Now, when I need an organizational fix, it's off to the restaurant supply store.

They're usually unassuming little places--you would drive right by if you weren't looking for them. But inside holds untold dreams of efficient, affordable, unbreakable kitchen ware. We have two in Austin, Ace Mart and Mission Restaurant Supply. Ace boasts the bigger selection but Mission is closer to home.

So, next time you need a tabletop syrup (or honey, in this case) dispenser so you can get that "diner" feeling in the comfort of your own home, you know where to go.

Shrimp and Snowpeas

2009-02-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

Though I love Asian food of most varieties, I know how to cook about three things, so I'm always hoping that a new recipe will turn out to be a keeper. This one, from the website Rasa Malaysia, is easy and fairly quick, and turned out well. I especially appreciated the tutorial on making shrimps crunchy! It's tips like these that make a recipe great.

Musings No. 1

2009-02-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

If they asked, I'd tell them:

1. WHY DID YOU START THIS BLOG?

Mostly I started this blog because I have discovered that I enjoy taking pictures of food. Food blogs have proliferated and the "food movement" is gaining recognition, and I wanted to be part of the zeitgeist. Also, it seems a shame to spend so much time and effort on something (all of us eat three times a day, even if we don't cook) and not be able to remember it just a little...

2. WHY DO YOU COOK?

I cook because I enjoy it. I cook because it's creative. I cook because it saves money (and apparently helps fight obesity). I cook because I'm particular about what I eat and often the easiest way for me to have something I like is to make it myself. I cook because I want to be healthy. I cook because it's the way I was raised. I cook as an appreciation of the generations of women on both sides of my family who showed their love and dedication to their families and friends by cooking.

3. HOW DO YOU COOK?

I'm usually just feeding myself, so I've trained myself to go shopping about once a week and make the most out of the freezer. I try to buy organic when I can; fresh fruits and vegetables are a treat, especially in the summer. Although I eat fish, what I make at home is usually vegetarian. I like to bake. I use some old recipes from my family, as well as a few cookbooks, but I also get recipes from the web--often for dishes that I've had at a restaurant and want to try to make myself. I'm trying to learn how to make a few Asian dishes. I rely on eggs, black beans, tuna, tofu, and nuts. I try to limit heavy cooking days to 1-2 days per week; often I'll make a few dishes one day, freeze part, and not cook again for a while. It doesn't take much for one person, although having a variety of foods is not always possible. Living this way makes going out to eat special!

4. WHAT KIND OF RESTAURANTS DO YOU LIKE?

I like to try new places, especially if they have more than one or two vegetarian items on the menu. Here in Austin, TexMex is king, but we've also seen a trend toward restaurants that specialize in locally-sourced ingredients. My current favorites are some of the Asian restaurants (Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese) in North Austin. I particularly enjoy using food as a way to explore local culture when I travel, which in Texas, means sometimes eating barbecue.

5. WHAT DO YOU KEEP IN YOUR PANTRY/REFRIGERATOR AT ALL TIMES?

I go through phases, but when I'm in school and have less time to experiment I usually keep: olive oil, canola oil, butter, miso paste, soft tofu, wakame, popcorn, nutritional yeast, soy milk, almond milk, almonds, peanut butter, granola, oatmeal, rice, beans, canned salsa (Herdez brand), tuna, eggs, bananas, apples, carrots, and dark chocolate

Dining Out: Alborz Persian Cuisine

2009-02-01T19:04:00.001-08:00

Alborz has been around for a few years now, but I had never tried it out until last week. They specialize in Persian food (thus the title) and have a tasty-looking buffet in addition to a pretty big menu. Everything was very good!

Hot tea--some kind of special blend. A bit flowery. Thumbs up.

Bread, cheese and herbs come with most of the entrees.

Rice - plain and saffron - with wilted herbs.

Salmon on top of tabouli, cheese, and baba ganouj.

Lamb with a rice pilaf including lima beans and dill.

Non-dairy rice pudding and baklava. The pudding was flavored with rosewater and not at all rich. Tasted like it would be especially good on a hot summer day.

Teff again

2009-01-29T06:08:00.001-08:00

I had leftover teff flour from my failed injera experiment a couple of weeks ago. Since it's such a healthy little grain (and expensive) I didn't want to let it go to waste, so I tried it in a couple of baked goods that I've made before with wheat flour. It turned out ok in pizza dough, but more successful was this banana bread from The Joy of Cooking which originally calls for part whole wheat and part white flour.

It has a crumbly texture and an earthier flavor than your standard banana nut loaf. I like it!

Back To School Lunchbox

2009-01-25T08:03:00.000-08:00

On long days, I like to pack a lunchbox to take to school. Usually it's pretty mundane, pb&j or last night's leftovers (which may or may not be good cold) but with a little planning and/or luck, sometimes it just comes together. Last week I had a sandwich of olive-tuna salad and tomato on sunflower seed bread.

Apples, crackers, cheese and pistachios.

And my lunchbox, the "Fit and Fresh," which always attracts attention when I whip it out. It's pretty clever, probably inspired by the bento box, and just respectable enough for an adult to carry it without fear of elementary school flashbacks.

Food on Screen: The Gold Rush

2009-01-22T04:59:00.000-08:00

Back to school for me, this week. Less time to cook (less time to eat!), but all of that will sort itself out eventually.

So, this week's entry is from the 1925 Charlie Chaplin film, The Gold Rush, which I saw on the big screen for one of my classes this week. I believe this is called the "Oceana Roll" sequence. Totally charming.

Kitchen Tools: Knife Magnet

2009-01-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

The knife magnet. We had these when I worked at Dolce Vita; the kitchen was closet-sized, and we threw anything that would stick at the magnets. Somehow I forgot about their usefulness until a few months ago when I realized I'd really rather not bend over and open a drawer each time I used a knife. A very good use of $15.

By the way, about homemade injera: it's really hard. After a failed attempt at the "easy" recipe I tried last week, I did a lot of searching and found this quite helpful but thoroughly intimidating step-by-step explanation of how to make the tasty teff sheets. Aster's doesn't have to worry about losing me as a customer anytime soon!

Dining Out: Aster's Ethiopian

2009-01-09T08:08:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Allison (Hi Allison!), sometime last year I was introduced to the joys of Aster's restaurant. It's family run--pictures of grandkids on the walls, and I think the entire waitstaff is composed of extended family.

And the food is fantastic. I love a place where I can get vegetarian food that's flavorful, plentiful, and (at least theoretically) healthy. I'm sure these dishes have lots of butter and oil in them, but for the most part they are composed of veggies like lentils, eggplant, potato, and carrots.

The best part, though, is injera, the bread you use to scoop up the other food. I found a recipe online and am going to try it soon. Other than the three-day fermentation process, it looks simple enough!

Crepes

2009-01-02T07:25:00.000-08:00

Crepes - more versatile than the burrito, more freezable than the sandwich - what's not to like? This batch, made with buckwheat flour, turned out particularly well stuffed with spinach, shiitake mushrooms, and Boursin cheese.

Christmas Morning Waffles

2008-12-26T23:26:00.001-08:00

These are buckwheat waffles, from a recipe in Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Very easy and delicious. My mom had them with butter and lingonberry jam (from Ikea), fried potatoes, and sausage. I just had rich yogurt (Fage) and jam on mine.

Sesame Cookies

2008-12-19T06:17:00.000-08:00

I had these for the first time in SF. They go really well with tea, which I'm increasingly thinking should be an daily ritual in the afternoon. Found a recipe online and they turned out pretty well. Buttery, with a slightly nutty taste, from the sesame seeds and a little almond extract.

Salade Nicoise, sort of

2008-12-11T10:38:00.001-08:00

Very easy and quick. No need to be afraid of the mayo, though I suppose you could make the salad with a sort of vinaigrette instead.

1. Boil green beans, eggs, potatoes

2. Add mayonnaise, seasonings

3. Add baguette, tuna salad

Enjoy!