tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189804442024-03-13T14:25:44.488-05:00Foodie StuffEver exciting adventures in cooking and eatingKimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.comBlogger321125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-81510010385219186292016-01-01T23:11:00.000-06:002020-06-08T13:52:53.815-05:00The Year That Was - 2015In travel, I didn't visit any new states, but I did check off a couple of European countries. I restricted my domestic travel to only cool cities: Austin, San Francisco, and Seattle. <br />
<br />
Here's my year in cities:<br />
<br />
German cities: Munich, Dachau, Regensburg, Nürnburg, Weimar, Erfurt, Zwickau, Schneeberg, Schwarzenberg, Dresden, Bautzen, Görlitz, Leipzig, Potsdam, Berlin, Wittenberg, Gotha, Köln, Frankfurt<br />
Salzburg, Austria<br />
Prague, Czech Republic<br />
Austin, Texas (January/February, March, May, October, December)<br />
Kerrville, Texas<br />
San Francisco, California<br />
Seattle, Washington<br />
<br />
In European travel, I broadened my vocabulary of German food words. At the end of the day after we reached our step count goals, we made a Mischung, which is a mix of fruit juice (Multivitaminsaft) and sparkling water. There were so many bottles to take to recycling. And of course, there were wonderful Bäckerei to be found in every city and train station.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/19596514519/in/album-72157655943080416/" title="Kaspressknödel mit Blattsalat"><img alt="Kaspressknödel mit Blattsalat" height="375" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/350/19596514519_be398a7725.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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The Kaspressknödel mit Blattsalat at the restaurant Zum Zirkelwirt in Austria was unassuming and unforgettable. <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/19160515214/in/album-72157655943080416/" title="Dobos Schnitte"><img alt="Dobos Schnitte" height="316" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/487/19160515214_60a7c0c114.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Also in Salzburg, the Dobos Schnitte at Konditeroi Schatz had dozens of perfect layers. <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/19868021951/in/album-72157655943080416/" title="Erfurt"><img alt="Erfurt" height="375" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/3787/19868021951_f66308bdb4.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Erfurt did not disappoint. The Gasthaus Feuerkugel served perfect Thuringen dumplings from Oma Käthes recipe—the regional Thüringer Klöße are basically a historical landmark. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernd_das_Brot">Bernd the bread</a> has his own statue on the street. <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/20199693044/in/album-72157655943080416/" title="Erfurt"><img alt="Erfurt" height="500" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/621/20199693044_380bbe4de4.jpg" width="332" /> </a><br />
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In Leipzig, we ate at Auerbachs Keller. I still want to crack the code for making the Mephistotorte.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/20211359283/in/album-72157655943080416/" title="Leipzig"><img alt="Leipzig" height="500" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5781/20211359283_198c0aaa18.jpg" width="375" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Berlin offered Currywurst and Dönerkebab.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/20646106199/in/album-72157655943080416/" title="Berlin"><img alt="Berlin" height="375" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/607/20646106199_6fea692168.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Prague presented some of the most beautiful sights of the trip.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/20201959553/in/album-72157655943080416/" title="St. Vitus Cathedral stained glass"><img alt="St. Vitus Cathedral stained glass" height="332" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/713/20201959553_353532e591.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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The Oberlausitzische Bibliothek der Wissenschaften in Görlitz was a happy stop for my little librarian heart.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/20204717483" title="Görlitz Oberlausitzische Bibliothek der Wissenschaften"><img alt="Görlitz Oberlausitzische Bibliothek der Wissenschaften" height="332" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/718/20204717483_867e611b74_z.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Previous years: <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-year-in-cities.html">2007</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/12/year-that-was-2008.html">2008</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2009/12/year-that-was-2009.html">2009</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2010/12/year-that-was-2010.html">2010</a>, <a href="http://www.kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2011/12/year-that-was-2011.html">2011</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-year-that-was-2012.html">2012</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-year-that-was-2013.html">2013</a>, and <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-year-that-was-2014.html">2014</a>.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #ff6600;">What's on your 2015 list?</span></b>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-28489181210176641952015-01-01T17:35:00.000-06:002016-01-04T17:38:47.980-06:00The Year That Was - 2014The blog is still abandoned, but here's my "Year in Cities" post anyway.<br />
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Memorable meals were had: <br />
<a href="http://www.chilantrobbq.com/">Chi'lantro</a> (Austin) – Kimchi Fries <br />
<a href="http://uchiaustin.com/">Uchi </a>(Austin) <br />
<a href="http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/">Woodberry Kitchen</a> (Baltimore)<br />
<a href="https://www.vaccarospastry.com/">Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop</a> (Baltimore)<br />
<a href="http://www.patskingofsteaks.com/">Pat's King of Steaks</a> (Philadelphia)<br />
<a href="http://www.chapspitbeef.com/">Chaps Pit Beef</a> (Baltimore)<br />
<a href="http://rippledc.com/">Ripple</a> (Washington, DC)<br />
<a href="https://www.teaism.com/">Teaism</a> (Washington, DC) – Their salty oat cookie recipe still eludes me<br />
<a href="http://www.gbdchickendoughnuts.com/">GBD</a> (Washington, DC) – The Luther, see below<br />
<a href="http://www.thamesstreetoysterhouse.com/">Thames Street Oyster House</a> (Baltimore)<br />
<a href="http://www.peabodysdiner.com/">Peabody's</a> (Goldthwaite, TX)<br />
<a href="http://bogartssmokehouse.com/">Bogart's Smokehouse</a> (St. Louis)<br />
<a href="http://www.culvers.com/">Culver's</a> (Valparaiso) – Not all that exciting, but it was my first time<br />
<a href="http://cbqmemphis.com/">Central BBQ</a> (Memphis) <br />
<a href="http://topsbarbq.com/">Tops Bar-B-Q</a> (Memphis) <br />
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<center>
<a href="https://flic.kr/p/nG9WX5"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5151/14237897714_47f4bde152_m.jpg" title="Cherry Blossoms Tidal Basin" /></a> <a href="https://flic.kr/p/nFZjpG"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2907/14236018782_d762f40caa_m.jpg" title="Golden Brown Delicious" /></a> </center>
The trip to DC/Baltimore was the travel highlight of 2014. We had beautiful spring weather and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom around the capital. Food-wise, we stumbled upon <a href="http://www.gbdchickendoughnuts.com/">GBD</a> near the Dupont Circle subway stop, where we ordered the Luther: a Fried Brioche Doughnut Glazed in Maple-Chicken Jus, with Buttered Pecans, Slab Bacon and a Fried Boneless Chicken Thigh. Completely insane. We've recreated it at home a couple of times.<br />
<br />
We took a side trip to Philadelphia, where I was mocked for ordering my cheesesteak "wit Whiz" instead of Provolone or <i>real</i> cheese. Hey, it's tradition!<br />
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<center>
<a href="https://flic.kr/p/nFTswz"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/14234875421_8012ed4f64.jpg" title="Pat's King of Steaks Philly Cheesesteak" /></a></center>
<br />
In travel, I visited new states<span class="st">—Pennsylvania, Delaware, Kentucky, Tennessee</span>. Here's my year in cities:<br />
<br />
Seattle, Washington <br />
Austin, Texas (in March, May, and October)<br />
Baltimore, Maryland<br />
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<br />
Delaware (just passing through)<br />
Washington, D.C.<br />
St. Louis, Missouri<br />
Nauvoo, Illinois<br />
Waterloo, Iowa<br />
Des Moines, Iowa<br />
Chicago, Illinois (just O'Hare and the charming Penske rental truck location)<br />
Valparaiso, Indiana<br />
Louisville, Kentucky <br />
Memphis, Tennessee<br />
<br />
Previous years: <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-year-in-cities.html">2007</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/12/year-that-was-2008.html">2008</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2009/12/year-that-was-2009.html">2009</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2010/12/year-that-was-2010.html">2010</a>, <a href="http://www.kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2011/12/year-that-was-2011.html">2011</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-year-that-was-2012.html">2012</a>, and <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-year-that-was-2013.html">2013</a>.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #ff6600;">What's on your 2014 list?</span></b> Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-54333891421150974102014-01-01T01:00:00.000-06:002014-01-08T09:32:09.472-06:00The Year That Was - 2013Even though the blog is mostly forgotten and abandoned, the least I can do is my annual recap and "Year in Cities" post.<br />
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Let's see. When last we talked, I mentioned that I was <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2013/08/voted-most-likely-to-make-her-own.html">making wedding cake(s)</a>. So that happened. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjsMxK6bWcO6TCli-qPsCffi5GufYqBhfUbgI0zjit8A9Vol74QTyqi14yRZ2wk-HxWXaUik-fkYRVK670L_ew49OslhWNumKrXYCRvx4bJlo6Gj9m75ncaYngCg5wwo1F1VNQg/s1600/kimberly-dave-wedding-2812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjsMxK6bWcO6TCli-qPsCffi5GufYqBhfUbgI0zjit8A9Vol74QTyqi14yRZ2wk-HxWXaUik-fkYRVK670L_ew49OslhWNumKrXYCRvx4bJlo6Gj9m75ncaYngCg5wwo1F1VNQg/s1600/kimberly-dave-wedding-2812.jpg" height="640" title="Except for the flowers being completely different from what I imagined, I was pleased with the cakes. And isn't Mr. R handsome?" width="456" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo by <a href="http://marciemeredith.com/">Marcie Meredith</a></i></span></div>
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I also made a birthday cake for a handsome one-year-old nephew.<br />
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<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/11490088056/"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5539/11490088056_b8e7b3c932_z.jpg" title="Is that ice cream dripping down his forehead?" width="500" /></a></center>
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I went honeymooning in the Canadian Rockies. Simply amazing. Here are 2 of my favorite photos of Moraine Lake.<br />
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<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/9722522817/"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3772/9722522817_3dc5db2d13_z.jpg" title="Moraine Lake, early morning" width="550" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/9722798611/"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5336/9722798611_dc07738a5e_z.jpg" title="Moraine Lake, midday" width="550" /></a><br />
</center>
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I spent the last months of the year after the wedding carbo-loading on homemade bread and German food (so many potatoes!). We almost perfected our rye bread recipe. And I say we did perfect our sauerbraten and beef rouladen recipes.<br />
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Once again, Mr. R and I spent our New Year's Eve at Sitka & Spruce. This year they served a special New Year's Eve dinner. My tolerance level for eccentric tasting menus must be decreasing. I think someone just made up words on the menu--geoduck, smelt, acorn cookies, sea beans, spruce salt, fried birch leaves. That's not real! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4y4fgb3Vfigdr9u0VUGN54Ee5pCNQHV5LP7pkWFpOpTHTumO__Rv5QHSmTjAwcyjDpqRJfvQ1jKiLIGKOsJM6RLO1m-5vvJ3UYHR8HYGNsxXXw1IIPsld8erUk05Lh4kb3Omvw/s1600/IMG_3210%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4y4fgb3Vfigdr9u0VUGN54Ee5pCNQHV5LP7pkWFpOpTHTumO__Rv5QHSmTjAwcyjDpqRJfvQ1jKiLIGKOsJM6RLO1m-5vvJ3UYHR8HYGNsxXXw1IIPsld8erUk05Lh4kb3Omvw/s1600/IMG_3210%5B1%5D.jpg" height="375" title="Yeah, I ate the fried birch leaves, and yeah, they were amazing!" width="500" /></a></div>
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We planned to watch the Space Needle fireworks show, but an unfortunate fog rolled in at 11:30 and it wouldn't budge. From Capitol Hill, we could see distant flares that may or may not have been fireworks.<br />
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In travel, I visited 3 new states - Oregon, Indiana, and Alberta, CA - and flew to Seattle 8 times, making it easy to rack up the frequent flyer miles. Here's my year in cities:<br />
<br />
New Orleans, Louisiana<br />
Seattle, Washington (Twice in March, June, July, September, October, December)<br />
Portland, Oregon<br />
<b><span style="color: #ff6600;">Oops<i>!</i> update: </span></b>Austin, Texas <br />
Indianapolis, Indiana<br />
Chicago, Illinois<br />
Whidbey Island and Deception Pass, Washington <br />
Honeymoon in Alberta, Canada--Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise<br />
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Previous years: <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-year-in-cities.html">2007</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/12/year-that-was-2008.html">2008</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2009/12/year-that-was-2009.html">2009</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2010/12/year-that-was-2010.html">2010</a>, <a href="http://www.kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2011/12/year-that-was-2011.html">2011</a>, and <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-year-that-was-2012.html">2012</a>.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #ff6600;">What's on your 2013 list?</span></b> Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-76563979885778511042013-08-07T00:24:00.000-05:002014-08-18T22:18:44.482-05:00Voted 'Most Likely to Make Her Own Wedding Cake'Mr. Right is getting married, and I'm making the cake(s). For the chocolate lovers, I'll make my signature wedding cake, the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/chocolate-blackout-wedding-cake-with-coconut-buttercream-recipe/index.html">Chocolate Blackout Wedding Cake with Coconut Buttercream</a>, pictured at the last wedding I made it for --<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6346747771/" title="Chocolate Blackout Wedding Cake with Hydrangeas, by kimberlykv"><img alt="Chocolate Blackout Wedding Cake with Hydrangeas, by kimberlykv" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6019/6346747771_2a37bcaf6a_z.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a> <br />
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And for chocolate abstainers, there will be a <a href="http://extraordinarydesserts.com/portfolio-items/lemon-ricotta/">Lemon Ricotta Cake</a> filled with berries and lemon whipped cream.<br />
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Some of the quantities on the shopping list that caused my eyebrows to go up:<br />
<div><div>12 cups sugar<br />
10 large lemons </div></div><div>2 lbs. chocolate</div><div>22 large eggs<br />
20 egg yolks<br />
<div>2 egg whites</div>3 quarts heavy cream</div><div>7 pounds butter<br />
<br />
Mr. Right might have preferred someone else make his wedding cake, but I felt it would be a personal contribution I could make to the dinner. And besides, have you priced wedding cakes lately?</div>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-38417171707024639982013-02-21T17:54:00.001-06:002013-03-05T18:42:32.211-06:00Lemon LoveI believe I found something that Mr. R and I can disagree about: <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2007/08/dinner-and-movie.html">I use ketchup in my Chicken Marsala</a>. Horror of horrors! To my credit, it's not Heinz ketchup I use, and I still think a couple of teaspoons' worth of ketchup is better than opening a can of tomato paste, but nevertheless... I also wanted to buy pre-sliced white button mushrooms and he wanted bulk portabellas that he would slice himself. I've been outgunned. The man also makes a mean Caprese Salad, hunting for heirloom tomatoes and the good balsamic. I think I'm in love. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo779dIaBo-n1uKdMiXvM7zd055u5QVh4Uf_vrGVdDf_jUdxuidFzhUN5h-Yi_6JXaed2p-3Y91FVxdUeTbTMGnS0rh0jOybflU2QYyc8CWSnUlkwZb4vztk-HkyDIU3EOX5XaWw/s1600/IMG_2249.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo779dIaBo-n1uKdMiXvM7zd055u5QVh4Uf_vrGVdDf_jUdxuidFzhUN5h-Yi_6JXaed2p-3Y91FVxdUeTbTMGnS0rh0jOybflU2QYyc8CWSnUlkwZb4vztk-HkyDIU3EOX5XaWw/s400/IMG_2249.JPG" title="Chicken Marsala and Caprese Salad for 10" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
One thing we can agree on is our fondness for lemon desserts. Of late we've made two recipes with Meyer lemons, mousse and sherbet. The sherbet was just right, with just enough sourness to wake you up and a perfect creamy soft texture.<br />
<br />
<b>Meyer Lemon Sherbet</b><br />
<i>adapted from Cook's Illustrated</i><br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest from 1 to 2 lemons<br />
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
3/4 cup Meyer lemon juice, plus 1 cup water<br />
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier, optional<br />
2/3 cup heavy cream, chilled<br />
<br />
Instructions <br />
<ol>
<li>Process zest, sugar, and salt in food processor until damp, 10 to 15 short pulses. </li>
<li>With machine running, add lemon juice/water mixture in slow, steady stream. Process until sugar is fully dissolved, about 1 minute. </li>
<li>Strain mixture into medium bowl (I skipped this step because I don't mind the zest) and stir in Grand Marnier, if using. Chill until very cold but not frozen.</li>
<li>When mixture is cold, whip cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Whisking constantly, add juice mixture in steady stream, pouring against edge of bowl.</li>
<li>Immediately start ice cream machine and add juice/cream mixture to canister; churn until sherbet has texture of soft-serve ice cream, 15 to 25 minutes. </li>
<li>Transfer sherbet to storage container; press plastic wrap directly against surface of sherbet and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. </li>
</ol>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/4491170022/" title="Lemon Layer Cake by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Layer Cake" height="333" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4030/4491170022_171dc4cbe2.jpg" width="500" /></a>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-59205507984314327222013-01-01T10:00:00.000-06:002013-01-05T01:24:57.539-06:00The Year That Was - 2012It was a very good year. Tangerine Tango was the <a href="http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/category.aspx?ca=88">color of 2012</a>, and orange being one of my favorite colors, I took it as a sign that this would be my year. (FYI, the color for 2013 is <a href="http://www.pantone.com/pages/index.aspx?pg=21055">emerald</a>.)<br />
<br />
In new foods this year, I discovered and developed many ice cream recipes. Among the most interesting: Bangkok Thai Peanut, Chocolate Cayenne, and Olive Oil. I attended a 3-day chocolate candy making class in Chicago at the Callebaut Academy. While in Chicago, I ate at Alinea, rated by some sources as the best restaurant in North America. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDoxJVRrRZaQpHgLX21gBj1nEHru-UVcNSF-2h2XHyTRwqcWfGHlGtAz222faP0IQs7MczExnHXhnHolhBV9Z6DK73F5G3Y-gpPBFzhHYqDGbla48qZKATb4GAJoRWZiuYT-lOg/s640/blogger-image-1504382937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDoxJVRrRZaQpHgLX21gBj1nEHru-UVcNSF-2h2XHyTRwqcWfGHlGtAz222faP0IQs7MczExnHXhnHolhBV9Z6DK73F5G3Y-gpPBFzhHYqDGbla48qZKATb4GAJoRWZiuYT-lOg/s640/blogger-image-1504382937.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I spent New Year's Eve at Sitka & Spruce with my gentleman friend. Once again, we walked off in the wrong direction and couldn't locate the restaurant immediately. Seated at our table, the view was now blocked by an unfinished multistory building that had been constructed in the last 5 months. How things have changed! But we had a lovely and romantic dinner. Afterward, we watched the Space Needle fireworks show from Capitol Hill with drunk hipsters. <br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelholden/8336010046/" title="New Years 2013: Space Needle Fireworks in Seattle by Michael Holden, on Flickr"><img alt="New Years 2013: Space Needle Fireworks in Seattle" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8500/8336010046_392f1a66f5.jpg" width="466" /></a> </center><center><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image by Michael Holden</span></center><br />
In travel, I hit the three places on my 2012 wish list - Australia, Chicago, Hawaii - plus visited Seattle 4 times during the second half of the year. I took at least one trip with my favorite people in the world. I visited 5 U.S. states and 2 Australian states. I flew 42 flights and hit gold status on American Airlines. Here's my year in cities:<br />
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia<br />
Richmond, New South Wales, Australia<br />
Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia<br />
Cairns, Queensland, Australia<br />
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia<br />
Austin, Texas (March and April)<br />
Houston, Texas<br />
Columbus, Ohio<br />
Dallas, Texas<br />
Chicago, Illinois<br />
Carlsbad, New Mexico <br />
Seattle, Washington (July, October, twice in December)<br />
San Juan Islands, Washington <br />
Hawaii (Honolulu, Waikiki, Hilo, Kona, Laie, Kanehoe, Naalehu, Punalu'u)<br />
Albuquerque, New Mexico (August and November)<br />
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Previous years: <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-year-in-cities.html">2007</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/12/year-that-was-2008.html">2008</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2009/12/year-that-was-2009.html">2009</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2010/12/year-that-was-2010.html">2010</a>, and <a href="http://www.kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2011/12/year-that-was-2011.html">2011</a>. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #ff6600;">What's on your 2012 list?</span></b> Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-91436264092147332542012-09-29T16:02:00.001-05:002018-01-18T18:18:48.309-06:00Sitka & SpruceI went to Seattle at the end of July. There were plenty of places to eat on my wish list of to-do's as Seattle has quite the food scene. Lately, I've decided a good way to choose restaurants is by looking at the list of <a href="http://www.jamesbeard.org/">James Beard Award</a> winners. Local Seattle chef Matt Dillon was a 2012 winner, so his restaurant, <a href="http://www.sitkaandspruce.com/index2.html">Sitka & Spruce</a>, moved to the top of my list.<br />
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I had Friday night dinner reservations with a hot date - we'll call him Mr. Right until I can think of a better pseudonym. <a href="http://www.sitkaandspruce.com/">Sitka & Spruce</a> is located in <a href="http://www.melrosemarketseattle.com/">Melrose Market</a>, and in classic Kimberly form (brain-dead), I couldn't tell exactly where to enter, so I walked around the perimeter of the whole building trying to figure it out.<br />
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Eventually we made it in. The restaurant was fairly small, with only a few tables, and an open kitchen. The décor was very Northwest, unfinished wood, brick, exposed ceiling beams, etc. The big windows provided a nice view of the bright evening.<br />
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Everything was plated beautifully. See gratuitous food photos below.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/7708658960/" title="Sitka & Spruce"><img alt="Sitka & Spruce" height="373" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/7708658960_ac4360ddf7_z.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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We began with slices of sourdough bread baked at The Corson Building in Georgetown, accompanied by lovage butter with sea salt and salmon mousse. The mousse was quite good, but the butter was better.<br />
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Next we had Saucisson D’Alsace Salami from <a href="http://www.olympicprovisions.com/products/">Olympic Provisions</a>. I think this was Mr. R's favorite course. Not sure why I don't have a picture of it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/7708662796/" title="amazing delicious roasted fava beans"><img alt="Sitka and Spruce" height="323" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8003/7708662796_5dd4da488e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The next course was my favorite. It was some sort of amazing delicious roasted fava beans topped with an egg, salt, and edible flower petals. Underneath was a piece of toasted sourdough, and the sauce had a distinct Thai flavor, perhaps some sort of coconut milk curry. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/7708667716/" title="Neah Bay king salmon"><img alt="Sitka and Spruce" height="332" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/7708667716_2375e141e8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The next course of Neah Bay king salmon, shelling peas, and summer chanterelles was adequate, though a slight let down after the incredible fava beans.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/7708670900/" title="Barley salad"><img alt="Sitka and Spruce" height="324" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7109/7708670900_428bb7f0cb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The last course was on two plates, the first, a Barley salad with heirloom tomatoes, some sort of creamy, tangy dressing on the side, and flatbread.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/7708672976/" title="Roasted pork"><img alt="Sitka and Spruce" height="332" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7708672976_d405f0d27c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The other plate, roasted pork, dandelion greens, and peaches. The dandelion greens were beautiful, though bitter, but the pork and peaches were perfect.<br />
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Mr. Right was quite charming. Holding his hand across the table and discussing the food made for a perfect evening. <br />
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<i>Update:</i> <a href="http://www.amateurgourmet.com/">The Amateur Gourmet</a> listed Sitka & Spruce on his list of romantic restaurants: <a href="http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2012/10/where-do-you-escape-for-a-romantic-dinner.html">http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2012/10/where-do-you-escape-for-a-romantic-dinner.html</a>. This <i>just</i> happened.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-73513184183497472072012-08-08T22:56:00.003-05:002012-08-10T10:04:12.048-05:00In Defense of French PastryYesterday, as I was driving home from work I heard a story on NPR about French bakeries using frozen croissant dough instead of making croissants from scratch onsite. Croissants are like the Tolstoy novel of recipes, long and laborious, with many tedious steps, ingredients that must be at the perfect temperature, waiting time for chilling and proofing and baking, etc. No wonder bakeries want to outsource the labor by purchasing and selling “industrial croissants.” I find it impossible to believe that anyone who’s tasted French pastries made from scratch by artisans could be fooled by these imposters. <br /><blockquote><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/08/07/158371114/outsourced-croissants-outrage-traditional-french-bakers"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Loudspeaker.svg/11px-Loudspeaker.svg.png"></a> NPR: <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/08/07/158371114/outsourced-croissants-outrage-traditional-french-bakers">Outsourced croissants outrage traditional French bakers</a></blockquote>This story made me think back to my visit to Paris last October. Pastries in Paris pâtisseries were displayed in the storefronts like beautiful jewels. We left our hotel in the morning and strolled up the neighboring block to Au Levain des Martyrs for a petit-déjeuner. <br /><br />“Bonjour!” Then I did my best to order a pain au chocolat and an almond croissant. Even basic words like those still required some pointing and apologies. I handed over a couple of Euro coins as payment, smiled, “Merci.” Then we walked to the metro stop at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette to catch a train to the museums.<br /><br />In the evening, we stopped at <a href="http://www.stohrer.fr/">Stohrer</a> at 51 Rue Montorgueil. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6285264446/" title="Stohrer Paris by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6221/6285264446_ef4c3b6d99.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Stohrer Paris"></a><br /><br />Stohrer was open in 1725 when Marie Leczynska, queen and wife of Louis XV, wanted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rum_baba">babas</a> and puits d'amour (wells of love: canelle shell filled with vanilla pastry cream). It's one of those places that has probably been using the same sourdough starter since Napoleon was in power.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6284745495/" title="Pâtisserie Stohrer Histoire de Paris by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6223/6284745495_566246db73.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Pâtisserie Stohrer Histoire de Paris"></a><br /><br />Their display cases of pastry were filled with beautiful selections. They also had baskets of croissants and canelés, and jars of jellies.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6284743845/" title="Stohrer Paris Canelés Croissants by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6091/6284743845_6b96262a45.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Stohrer Paris Canelés Croissants"></a><br /><br />In the end, our two selections were the Tarte aux Framboises (fond de pâte sablée, crème mousseline vanillée et framboises fraîches)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6285268828/" title="Raspberry Tartelette by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6113/6285268828_a5fd971382.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Raspberry Tartelette"></a><br /><br />and Le Mille feuilles caramel (une délicate pâte feuilletée, une crème légère pâtissière, le dessus caramélisé ou bien au sucre glace, selon votre goût). <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6284747231/" title="Millefeuille au caramel by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6114/6284747231_71ed4893d5.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Millefeuille au caramel"></a><br /><br />And good luck trying to say mille feuilles well enough that a French pâtissier can understand you. Despite practicing, I still drew a confused look from the lady waiting on me.<br /><br />With pastries in hand, you may want to seek out a park bench on which to sit and enjoy the delicious treats, or you might want to eat while walking around the corner to <a href="http://gdetou.com/">G. Detou</a>. As <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/11/g-detou/">David Lebovitz said</a>, it is truly pastry paradise. I'm still kicking myself for not buying more French chocolate and Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans. I've never seen any vanilla beans as long, moist, and plump, but still reasonably priced.<br /><br />Or there are always the iconic Paris sites, that you may have thought were cliché, but in fact deserve all their adoration. I recommend you and your pastry visit the Eiffel Tower at dusk. It will be beautiful as the sun's setting, and after nightfall, the tower sparkles on the hour, which is completely magical. <br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=ce364f4350&photo_id=6285194084"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=ce364f4350&photo_id=6285194084" height="300" width="400"></embed></object>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-20863664649114292722012-05-20T10:16:00.006-05:002012-06-12T21:22:55.981-05:00Cook the Book: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at HomeMy secret, or perhaps not so secret, favorite dessert is ice cream. People that find out I like to make desserts always ask what my favorite is. I usually say cakes, because few people make good layer cakes from scratch these days and when made correctly, they're a showstopper. But my favorite dessert may just be ice cream...even more so as summer begins, the weather heats up, and a cold dessert sounds heavenly. I was in Columbus, Ohio at the beginning of the month, and the eatery I most wanted to visit was <a href="http://www.jenis.com/">Jeni's</a> for ice cream.<br /><br />Some of the more intriguing <a href="http://www.jenis.com/categories/Flavors/">flavors</a> were The Milkiest Chocolate in the World, Salty Caramel, and Goat Cheese with Red Cherries. The first time we went (I <i>had</i> to go more than once!) I got a scoop of Salty Caramel and one of Dark Chocolate. On the second visit, I tried The Buckeye State (peanut butter with dark chocolate bits) and Queen City Cayenne (spicy milk chocolate). <br /><br />I decided to order Jeni's award-winning book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jenis-Splendid-Ice-Creams-Home/dp/1579654363/">Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home</a>, and cook through the book this summer. In truth, it will probably become a year-long endeavor, which is good because she organizes the recipes into Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter flavors. The first thing I noticed about her recipes is that she doesn't use a custard base, instead she uses tapioca starch and cream cheese to create a thick and creamy texture - mind blown!<br /><br />For my first magic trick, I made Bangkok Peanut ice cream, a spicy peanut ice cream with peanut butter, both coconut milk and toasted coconut, honey, and cayenne. Jeni compares its flavors to those of Pad Thai. I made mine with jalapeño peanut butter and Alaska fireweed honey. This flavor had a simultaneous spicy and cooling sensation - mind blown! again - that caused my guests to ask for a drink of water. To me, it was perfect. I ate a scoop. Then another. Then when the ice cream was gone, I poured milk into the container to wash out every last drop for myself. <br /><br />I went a little further and made the "One Night in Bangkok Sundae," with scoops of Bangkok Peanut, sliced bananas, praline sauce (cream and dark brown muscovado sugar), peanuts, whipped cream, and cilantro.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/7234124222/" title="One Night in Bangkok Sundae"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/7234124222_e8bc7ab8ee.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="One Night in Bangkok Sundae"></a><br /><br />Maybe your mind was just blown by the concept of cilantro in the ice cream sundae, but for me this was not without precedent. At a street market in Taiwan, they sold ice cream, not in a cone, but wrapped in a thin, tortilla- or crepe-like pancake, that was also filled with peanut brittle shavings and cilantro.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/2343893238/" title="Not the weirdest thing we ate in Taiwan"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3213/2343893238_06872ec6c8.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_2944"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/2343893530/" title="Ice Cream with Peanuts and Cilantro"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2102/2343893530_1255eb40b1_n.jpg" width="320" height="240" alt="IMG_2947"></a><br /><br />Those Asians sure do know their ice cream. Wait!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/2347016461/" title="Fruit Salad"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3064/2347016461_7c936969c5_z.jpg?zz=1" width="544" height="408" alt="Danshui"></a><br /><br />Something else we saw in Taiwan. Mind blown again. (I promise to never ever use that phrase again in my blog.) Bangkok Peanut Ice Cream recipe online <a href="http://bellyupbaking.blogspot.com/2011/10/bangkok-peanut-ice-cream.html">here</a>.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-54170569973327783962012-03-21T20:43:00.000-05:002012-03-21T21:53:24.033-05:00Australia Is AwesomeTonight I went to the grocery store and bought scallops, barramundi, mango, and papaya. Can you tell I miss Australia?<br /><br />Some of the foodie highlights we found Down Under were meat pies, kebabs, TimTams, tropical fruits, pavlovas, lamingtons, mud crabs, octopus, and kangaroo.<br /><br /><a href="http://instagr.am/p/ID2Nunm0if"><img src=http://distilleryimage3.s3.amazonaws.com/910b29086c0111e19e4a12313813ffc0_7.jpg width="400" height="400"></a><br /><br />Nancy heartily approved of the meat pies.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6858553052/" title="Meat Pies Approved by Nancy"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6229/6858553052_4852ea8106.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Meat Pies Approved by Nancy"></a><br /><br />Oh, and there was brekkie at <a href="http://www.bourkestreetbakery.com.au/">Bourke Street Bakery</a>. <br /><br /><a href="http://instagr.am/p/IFp6Yfm0gR/"><img src=http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/cc9649ac6c8e11e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg width="400" height="400"></a><br /><br />Macadamia & Honey Sticky Bun, Pain au Chocolat, Rhubarb & Pear Danish, and a Chocolate Tartlet. Don't judge me. That was shared amongst 7 people.<br /><br />Tonight I tried scallops with a Thai sauce following <a href=http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaiseafoodrecipes/r/searedscallops.htm>this recipe</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://instagr.am/p/IdLtufG0g7"><img src=http://distilleryimage7.instagram.com/efc8b1a073bc11e1a87612313804ec91_7.jpg width="400" height="400"></a><br /><br />For the sauce, I used a macadamia nut oil from <a href="http://whereelse.com.au">where else but Queensland</a>?<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4V1ANpbQmCY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />By the way, that video is a little over the top, but they don't exaggerate too much.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-81624865949684774622012-02-27T23:39:00.001-06:002012-03-04T14:25:16.588-06:00Chocolate-Covered Valentine'sI didn't write about my Valentine's Day festivities yet. After the <a href="http://www.kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2012/01/improvement.html">pantry purge of 2012</a>, I had a lot of old chocolate to throw out. Lots of Hershey's Kisses that were pushed to the far reaches of the cupboard and some Baker's chocolate that also ended up in the dark corners - neither fit to eat nor bake with.<br /><br />That stuff could go straight to the dumpster. Or it could go to the dumpster covering whatever else was headed for the dumpster.<br /><br />If you didn't follow that, you wouldn't be alone.<br /><br />After a lot of "Why would you waste chocolate like that?" questions, a few people came over for a night of chocolate covered anything! They brought random non-edibles for us to cover in chocolate. My old T-ball trophies were going to look so much cooler in chocolate.<br /><br />Some of the items we dipped were necklaces, light bulbs, CDs, and Texas-shaped stuff. My personal favorites were the copy of Twilight and a hubcap.<br /><br /><a href="http://instagr.am/p/HA08HEG0gi/"><img title="Yes, that is a hubcap." src=http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/a2862bac578d11e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg width="500" height="500"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://instagr.am/p/HA3WQcG0g9"><img title="Texas and a light bulb. Brought to you by the letter G." src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/9331017e579011e1a87612313804ec91_7.jpg" width="500" height="500"></a><br /><br />And here's something that always makes me laugh. Pretty much what I'm looking for in a valentine:<br /><br /><object width="512" height="288"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/UKAevArhtYkE8S1SScPj3g"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/UKAevArhtYkE8S1SScPj3g" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512" height="288" allowFullScreen="true"></embed></object>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-43017726601741933382012-02-20T18:40:00.001-06:002012-02-20T21:53:30.154-06:00Brennan'sI'd heard about Brennan's since I was young. My dad took a family trip to New Orleans when <span style="font-style:italic;">he</span> was young. More than once he talked about that trip and quoted their cabby, who when asked where to eat in New Orleans, said, "You don't eat in New Orleans. You put your feet under the table and dine!" Dad often told me how wonderful Brennan's was. For him, Brennan's set the standard for Hollandaise sauce that mine would be judged by.<br /><br />Brennan's is in an old French Quarter mansion on Rue Royale, my favorite street to stroll in the Quarter. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5963953842/" title="Brennan's by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/5963953842_01ce9a1d9a.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Brennan's"></a><br /><br />The decor and place settings were as fancy as at <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-best-24-hours-of-eating-out.html">August</a>. Definitely a champagne breakfast sort of place. My waiter was O'Keefe. I knew what I wanted to order before I even arrived at the restaurant.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955416455/" title="Brennan's French Bread by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/5955416455_5b19f7494c.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Brennan's French Bread"></a><br /><br />First, I had the New Orleans Turtle Soup. It was dark and thick and rich, and then O'Keefe poured a good shot of sherry on top of it, and it looked even better. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955977210/" title="Brennan's Turtle Soup by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/5955977210_3cce281e21.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Brennan's Turtle Soup"></a><br /><br />Next I had the Eggs Hussarde. The menu described it thus: (A Brennan's Original) One of the dishes that put "Breakfast at Brennan's" on the map. Poached eggs atop Holland rusks, Canadian bacon, and Marchand de Vin sauce. Topped with Hollandaise sauce. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955978614/" title="Brennan's Eggs Hussarde by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6007/5955978614_fcd614f705.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Brennan's Eggs Hussarde"></a><br /><br />Not one, but two French sauces! I try to be ambitious in the kitchen, but even though the recipe for Eggs Hussarde is <a href=http://www.brennansneworleans.com/r_eggshussarde.html>on Brennan's website</a>, I doubt I'll ever attempt it. It would take me all morning to make and still wouldn't be half as good as what they served me. <br /><br />I finished up with the most fun course, Bananas Foster for dessert. This is the place they invented Bananas Foster! If you don't know about it, watch this clip from the Food Network:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="233"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EXOJd898Pec?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EXOJd898Pec?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="233" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br />O'Keefe brought the pan with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sliced bananas over to the table to show me. Then he stepped over to the cart and put the pan over a flame to melt the sugar and bananas. He added the banana liqueur and quietly said he'd tell me when it was time to get the camera ready for the flambé. He poured the rum in and tilted the pan to catch the flame.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5956505846/" title="Brennan's Bananas Foster by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6030/5956505846_9b76135baf_m.jpg" width="240" height="188" alt="Brennan's Bananas Foster"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5956506476/" title="Brennan's Bananas Foster Flambé by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/5956506476_2c7b69d723_m.jpg" width="240" height="187" alt="Brennan's Bananas Foster Flambé"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955946119/" title="Brennan's Bananas Foster Flambé by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/5955946119_59bc93f138_m.jpg" width="240" height="189" alt="Brennan's Bananas Foster Flambé"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955946693/" title="Brennan's Bananas Foster Flambé by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6142/5955946693_3e1ec059aa_m.jpg" width="240" height="187" alt="Brennan's Bananas Foster Flambé"></a><br /><br />The flame went higher than his head. After the mixture cooked a moment and the flame died away, he poured the pan's contents over vanilla ice cream. The hot caramel melted the ice cream a bit, and the texture of the ice cream, soft bananas, and syrupy sugar was divine.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955948077/" title="Brennan's Bananas Foster by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6131/5955948077_cfbfbcc3cd.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Brennan's Bananas Foster"></a><br /><br />I don't know if it was the sentimentality of the connection to my dad at Brennan's or because it was my last meal in New Orleans, but the food at Brennan's was my favorite. I didn't eat again until the next day. This was a breakfast of champions indeed.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-14222420416081054382012-02-20T18:00:00.001-06:002012-02-20T18:09:32.369-06:00My Best 24 Hours of Eating OutIn honor of Mardi Gras, I'm finally going to post the tales of my fantastic New Orleans dining. I had my best 24 hours of eating out in New Orleans, where I ate at <a href="http://www.restaurantaugust.com/">August</a> for lunch, <a href="http://www.cochonrestaurant.com/">Cochon</a> for dinner, and <a href="http://www.brennansneworleans.com/">Brennan's</a> for breakfast.<br /><br />Starting with August: The only picture I took was outside the restaurant. August's website describes their location as an historic four-story “French-Creole” building from the 1800s, with a rich interior of hardwood floors, soaring columns, mahogany paneling, monumental floral arrangements, and antique mirrors and chandeliers.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5954591527/" title="Restaurant August by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5954591527_82e3d0defe.jpg" alt="Restaurant August" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I took my camera inside, but somehow I felt uncomfortable about snapping photos with a loud SLR and disrupting other guests in the pristine, white linen and silver fork restaurant. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Pulling out the camera could only have cheapened my experience.<br /><br />But here are the details about what I ate and links to photos taken by diners with less scruples but better photography skills.<br /><ul><li>First, the waiter brought me an amuse bouche, courtesy of the chef. It was a seafood custard with sabayon and caviar inside an eggshell. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashapagdiwalla/5224718794/">Photo Here</a>. Elegant and delicious.</li><li>The first course was the pâté de campagne (country pâté) of La Provence pork, with toast points, greens, and seasonal marmalades. <a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5226542876_4669d09b51_z.jpg">Photo on Right</a>. The pâté was very good, rich and meaty with a hint of acidity. How did they cook the toast points so evenly? </li><li>The chief course was lamb belly on braised mustard greens. <a href="http://www.eatitatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_0595-600x448.jpg">Photo</a>. </li><li>For dessert, I had the milk chocolate peanut butter croquant with salted caramel and McEwen’s buttered popcorn ice cream. <a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/5602421279_a6ce2d9313_z.jpg">Photo</a>. It was like a really good candy bar. I thought the dessert was the weakest of the courses. I probably ordered the wrong thing.</li></ul>For something completely different, I went to Cochon for dinner, which had a very different vibe. Their website describes their location as a rustic, yet contemporary interior of a renovated New Orleans warehouse. Simply decorated. Very casual. Fairly loud. I loved it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955316363/" title="I only now realized that the color of the sign outside was the same color as the food I ate inside, bright orange."><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5955316363_a122f02550.jpg" alt="Cochon" height="500" width="312" /></a><br /><br />I started with the wood-fired oyster roast. I love oysters anyway, but these were superb. I used my bread to sop up the spicy butter left behind in the half shells. I ordered an <a href=http://abita.com/brews/root_beer.php>Abita root beer</a>. And then I had another. I'd walked the mile from my hotel on Canal to Tchoupitoulas St. in the New Orleans heat and humidity and I felt justified to load up on Louisiana cane sugar.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955938208/" title="Cochon Wood-fired Oyster Roast by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6021/5955938208_bd9b41de20.jpg" alt="Cochon Wood-fired Oyster Roast" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /><br />My main course was the Louisiana Cochon with Turnips, Cabbage, and Cracklins, which is pulled pork, formed into a patty and seared, served with turnips and cabbage, and topped with pork cracklins! Amazing!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955377279/" title="Louisiana Cochon with Turnips, Cabbage, & Cracklins by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6140/5955377279_4ba93f0872.jpg" alt="Louisiana Cochon with Turnips, Cabbage, & Cracklins" height="358" width="500" /></a><br /><br />When you're at a restaurant this good and the waitress asks you if you want dessert, the only correct answer is "Hell yes!" I got the Blueberry Buckle with Vanilla and Salted Caramel Sauces. If memory serves, that streusel had cracklins in it, too!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955966398/" title="Cochon Blueberry Buckle by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/5955966398_ed9469c227.jpg" alt="Cochon Blueberry Buckle" height="327" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I'd never had blueberry buckle before, but that dessert was so fantastic that I had to try my hand at making it when I got home. Plated with Smuckers caramel sauce and a good helping of sea salt. It was actually pretty marvelous.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6161645224/" title="Blueberry Buckle with Salted Caramel Sauce by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6069/6161645224_31c10e661b.jpg" alt="Blueberry Buckle with Salted Caramel Sauce" height="317" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Next up, Brennan's!Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-17216890997622357812012-01-26T21:02:00.006-06:002012-02-03T16:25:26.805-06:00ImprovementMy back is much, much better today. I could walk at an almost normal pace, sit down without easing myself into the chair, and drive without wincing when I moved my foot from the gas pedal to the brake. I have high hopes that in the next few days I'll even be able to bend at the waist. Such dramatic improvement!<br /><br />I'm doing well on my goal to keep a clean pantry. I don't even want to reveal how bad it was before. The first step is admitting you have a problem. Here's the damage as it was on January 2:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6768815989/" title="Before"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7167/6768815989_a9c025474c.jpg" alt="" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />And as it is today:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6768814383/" title="After"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7001/6768814383_b50ae21fdb.jpg" alt="" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />I took an inventory of everything in the cupboards. The most interesting realization was that I had 15 varieties of salt:<br /><ul><li>Mesquite Smoked Maine Sea Salt</li><li>Black Cyprus Flake Mediterranean Sea Salt</li><li>Alea Coarse Hawaiian Red Sea Salt </li><li>Hawaiian Red Alaea Sea Salt (former bought in bulk at Whole Foods and latter packaged by <a href="http://www.faeriesfinest.com/sea-salts.html">faerie's</a>)<br /></li><li>Slovenian Fleur de Sel </li><li>Gusto Mundial Hibiscus Flor de Sal</li><li>RealSalt All-Natural Sea Salt</li><li>Morton Table Salt</li><li>Morton Kosher Salt</li><li>Fleur de Sel</li><li>Saltworks Smoked Serrano Salt</li><li>World Classics Fine Ground Sea Salt</li><li>Bolivian Rose Fine Salt</li><li>Lemon Coarse Salt</li><li>Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt</li></ul>Certifiably insane! I'm glad I didn't order any Guerande or Maldon sea salt as I wanted to last month. Completely crazy. I also have 8 kinds of honey and 7 types of vinegar, but only 4 kinds of peanut butter, which may be a record low.<br /><br />Good progress on my other resolution as well - I haven't eaten out this month, or to be specific, I haven't paid for a meal out. I've spent $282.97 on groceries so far this month and feel confident I can ring in under $300 for January. And that total includes the cost of a dinner party I hosted for 8 people. Not bad at all for me. More details on the dinner party to follow.<br /><br />The next project is to transform the other kitchen cupboards into a picture of organization that would make Martha Stewart proud.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-91046913612237293292012-01-25T15:54:00.000-06:002012-01-25T15:54:45.031-06:00Le Petit GourmandI've camped out at Mom and Dad's for a few days because of a nasty pain in my back that makes any movement excruciating. The highlight of my day was when Katie and Nancy came home from the library and Nancy showed me the book she chose for herself.
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6762217995/" title="Untitled by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7024/6762217995_76a71771d1.jpg" width="252" /></a><be>
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She curled up next to me on the bed and we flipped through recipes for Croque Monsieur sandwiches, Sole Meunière, and Clafoutis. <br />
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My niece has very discerning tastes. She asked for seconds of a 72% dark chocolate and sea salt bar from World Market.<br />
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Another high point was finding that I could laugh without writhing in agony, so you know, small victories today. </div>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-32118320533112395342012-01-10T20:57:00.002-06:002012-01-10T21:10:24.380-06:00Dark Vador BurgerNow that I've been back from my trip to Belgium for 3 months, I figure it's time to blog about it before it becomes like the Alaskan cruise that I never wrote about or the New Orleans trip about which I still have posts sitting in the drafts folder.<br /><br />There's a burger chain in Belgium and France called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quick_%28restaurant_chain%29">Quick Burger</a>. While we were there, Katie and I saw ads everywhere with two burgers in battle mode that read Hard Pepper vs. Strong Bacon. I laughed every time I saw it. Best photo evidence I could find online <a href="http://choucroutegarnie.fr/tests-2/hard-pepper-vs-strong-bacon/">here</a> and <a href="http://www.fun-mania.fr/imagesdivers/quick/Quicknvxburger1.jpg">here</a>.<br /><br />My friend Shelley sent me a link to a story about Quick's new Dark Vador Burger, which has a terrifyingly black bun.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05/dark-vador-burger-quick_n_1186237.html"><img src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/456288/DARK-VADOR-BURGER.jpg" width="520" height="293" title="As many of my pictures are on HuffPo, I think I'm within my rights to use one of theirs."></a><br /><br />Who do you think will win <i>that</i> battle?<br /><br />One of my favorite parts of traveling is walking up and down city streets. It's especially fun when you've traversed cultures because there are even more things to gawk at, very discreetly, of course.<br /><br />A few pictures we snapped in Antwerp:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6289555969/" title="Mexicaans"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6113/6289555969_d5c5ce0b76.jpg" width="500" height="299" alt="IMAG0445"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6289555409/" title="eten & drinken"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6047/6289555409_ee892f6426.jpg" width="299" height="500" alt="IMAG0450"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6289540673/" title="De Western Shop"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6060/6289540673_7fbb97da02.jpg" width="299" height="500" alt="IMAG0438"></a><br /><br />And if you were wondering what language Smurfs speak, it's clearly Flemish. Clearly.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/6288626738/" title="Amaai!!"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6034/6288626738_64d5dc5c2b.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="DSC_0736"></a>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-9650063566529576282012-01-03T22:18:00.002-06:002012-01-03T22:28:07.590-06:00ResoluteHappy 2012! Does anyone have any resolutions or goals with regards to food? I'll go first.<br /><br />For the month of January, my goal is to not eat out. It looks like I spent about $180/month at restaurants last year, but I didn't count the calories. I'm hoping that I can cut expenses and pounds by cooking my own meals. Wait wait, I just checked my supermarket purchases for last year, and they averaged around $260/month. I don't know if eating at home will save me any money, but I do know that I have an overstocked pantry right now that I could probably eat on for a month. Which brings us to goal #2...<br /><br />My goal is to keep my kitchen pantry organized. No expired foods. No partially opened bags spilling in the cupboard. No pushing unwanted items to the back of the cupboard to be forgotten for years. I'm doing a pantry purge now and it is not pretty. I was well past the point of needing an intervention. I realize that I can be a hoarder. I'll try to combat it with an inventory list and by trying to make do with ingredients I have on hand, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/chopped/index.html"><i>Chopped</i></a>-style, no matter how crazy the combinations may seem. I accept the culinary challenge.<br /><br />I'll evaluate my success with not eating out at the end of the month. I already know I'll make an exception if I go out of town. And I'm not offering to cook at my house if I am asked out on a dinner date. It could happen. I'm not very confident in my motivation to maintain the pantry inventory list, but as of now I'm resolved to do it. I hope it will reduce the amount of food I let go to waste.<br /><br />As for the pantry purge, I think the winner, or rather, loser, of my game of expiration date roulette was the seaweed package with a use-by date of July 26, 2006. I know I didn't buy that because I can't read ANYTHING on the package except the expiry date. I assume the rest of the characters are Japanese. Now I'm trying to remember why someone gave me seaweed. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/2343062075/" title="Seaweed Potato Chips by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2398/2343062075_976125a984.jpg" alt="Seaweed Potato Chips" width="500" height="375" /></a>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-4359225379644317232011-12-31T23:00:00.002-06:002011-12-31T23:16:22.482-06:00The Year That Was - 2011I ended the year with a hangover-free club soda taste test. I've gotta give up this party-girl lifestyle. Next year.<br /><br />The contenders were Canada Dry, Seagram's, Schweppes, White Rock, and Food Club (store brand). My favorite was Seagram's. <br /><br />Here's my year in cities. Not too extensive on domestic travel, but the Paris+Belgium trip was unforgettable. <br /><br />San Diego, California<br />Hot Springs, Arkansas<br />Mountain Pine, Arkansas<br />Austin, Texas (in April and November)<br />New Orleans, Louisiana<br />Houston, Texas<br />Palo Duro Canyon, Texas<br />Albuquerque, New Mexico<br />Santa Fe, New Mexico<br />Paris, France<br />Brussels, Belgium<br />Bruges, Belgium<br />Damme, Belgium<br />Antwerp, Belgium<br />Amarillo, Texas<br /><br />This year stacks up pretty well compared to previous years: <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-year-in-cities.html">2007</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2008/12/year-that-was-2008.html">2008</a>, <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2009/12/year-that-was-2009.html">2009</a>, and <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2010/12/year-that-was-2010.html">2010</a>. Wish list for 2012: Australia, Chicago, Hawaii.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff6600;">What's on your 2011 list?</span></strong><br /><br />This was a fat and happy year for me. Life just keeps getting better. Cheers to a fantastic 2012!<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Soda_bubbles_macro.jpg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Soda_bubbles_macro.jpg" width="500" height="332" title="Wikipedia - Club Soda"></a>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-89936317077286897972011-12-12T17:11:00.004-06:002011-12-13T13:09:31.992-06:00Fish SauceYesterday, I ate Brussels sprouts for lunch. Brussels sprouts with fish sauce on them. That was an interesting way of combining two reviled foods into one dish. <br /><br />Have you ever tasted fish sauce by itself? The Red Boat Fish Sauce I had was bright red and beautiful. I couldn't resist tasting a swig, because when you looked at it, you thought, now that's going to taste really great! <a href="http://redboatfishsauce.com/index.html"><img title="Red Boat Fish Sauce" src=http://redboatfishsauce.com/shop/image/cache/data/40n_250_th-500x500.jpg></a><br />Here's the thing, you're not supposed to eat fish sauce by itself. The appearance makes you want to pour yourself a glass, but that would be like drinking Worcestershire or soy sauce. Fish sauce is made from fermented anchovies. The Vietnamese name for fish sauce translates to salted fish water. Upon tasting it, you'll recognize the flavor from sauces and curries.<br /><br />I adapted this David Chang (of Momofuku) recipe for <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Brussels-Sprouts-240260">roasted Brussels sprouts</a>. I tossed the sprouts with some olive oil and roasted them at 425º for about 25 minutes. I mixed fish sauce, water, sugar, garlic, cayenne, and Chinese Five-Spice powder and tossed the sprouts in that. I added a little bacon, just because.<br /><br />The dish was good and just screamed Thai/Southeast Asian. After using that fish sauce, my house smells like Thai Pepper, which was unusual since I don't cook many ethnic foods at home.<br /><br />Final verdict: If you have picky eaters who say they don't like Brussels sprouts, this is probably not the recipe that will convert them. I think I'll save the fish sauce for a curry, and I'll stick to a more traditional roasted Brussels sprouts recipe <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-brussels-sprouts-recipe2/index.html">like the Barefoot Contessa's</a>, which I could eat twice a week. Fish sauce is good for cooking, not for drinking.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-63866744861628506962011-11-23T23:47:00.001-06:002011-11-24T02:27:48.173-06:00Countdown to ThanksgivingWith Thanksgiving approaching, many of us contemplate the myriad blessings in our lives, but my mind turns to the most important part of Thanksgiving, the food. This year I'm bringing Roasted Turkey and Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, and Pumpkin Cheesecake to the table.<br /><br />So far, I've cleaned my kitchen, thawed a turkey, and prepared the mirepoix for the turkey roasting pan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_vFT9UGPMiJ1uP3W7ozp_HxFKzDfh5hyLmc0un-cBxqNhnrsohokyUejTezn-CmYFstF-vndDXbrq480KDsPiSnmndghLi7Ddefy7FMmFHeF778cmrzukNExKVL1J6XRkD8Z7Q/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_vFT9UGPMiJ1uP3W7ozp_HxFKzDfh5hyLmc0un-cBxqNhnrsohokyUejTezn-CmYFstF-vndDXbrq480KDsPiSnmndghLi7Ddefy7FMmFHeF778cmrzukNExKVL1J6XRkD8Z7Q/s400/DSC_0002.JPG" border="0" title="Mirepoix" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678467402348510338" /></a><br /><br />When I wake up, I'll rub the bird down with melted butter, salt, pepper, cumin, ginger, and perhaps some other herbs and spices before it goes in the oven. I like to wing it. Get it? Then I'll get the gravy going. <br /><br />I'm excited about this pumpkin cheesecake. It's cooling down now.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1CEdWmuAv3LYvdoHFT-EUvvUuCgXrDlToVyVaOTVzX_JGW3rbCkQZp32aGPi4hHeHiyRnHZnOg6MdCtHsR9WrXG9dkRDQA2XHbc6ztr41QE0_SHr1_1NFbVF6ntaUMJk2TKmIw/s1600/DSC_0006.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1CEdWmuAv3LYvdoHFT-EUvvUuCgXrDlToVyVaOTVzX_JGW3rbCkQZp32aGPi4hHeHiyRnHZnOg6MdCtHsR9WrXG9dkRDQA2XHbc6ztr41QE0_SHr1_1NFbVF6ntaUMJk2TKmIw/s400/DSC_0006.JPG" border="0" title="Pumpkin Cheesecake" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678467896897429218" /></a><br /><br />If there's any baking that makes me quake in my boots, it's baking cheesecakes in a water bath. Water always manages to seep into my springform pans, no matter what precautions I take. Double wrapping the pan with heavy duty foil doesn't seem to prevent leaks. We'll see if I fared better this time. <br /><br />Also on this Thanksgiving Eve, Mom suggested that we start a tradition of watching <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043880/"><i>On Moonlight Bay</i></a> (starring Doris Day and Gordon McRae) the night before Thanksgiving because of the funny turkey scene. But the scene is actually in the movie's sequel, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045586/"><i>By the Light of the Silvery Moon</i></a>, which we didn't have. We watched <i>On Moonlight Bay</i> anyway, and still enjoyed it. Here's the Thanksgiving scene from <i>By the Light of the Silvery Moon</i>:<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wlXOcpSuAdQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />We all have to go sometime.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-60224848316782379462011-11-14T13:09:00.002-06:002011-11-14T13:33:30.682-06:00Salmon RillettesIt seems like these days you can't turn around without finding me talking about another Dorie Greenspan recipe. And this post is no different. I can't help it. Truly. The more Dorie recipes I make, and the more Dorie cookbooks and writing I read, and the more I think about how wonderfully friendly she was when I met her, the more I like her. I have quite a growing collection of her cookbooks -<br /><ul><li><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Around-My-French-Table-Recipes/dp/0618875530" title="Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours">Around My French Table</a></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Home-Yours-Dorie-Greenspan/dp/0618443363/" title="Baking: From My Home to Yours">Baking: From My Home to Yours</a></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Julia-Savor-Americas-Bakers/dp/0688146570/" title="Baking with Julia: Savor the Joys of Baking with America's Best Bakers">Baking with Julia: Savor the Joys of Baking with America's Best Bakers</a></li></i><li>and the latest acquisition, which I received as a birthday gift: <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paris-Sweets-Great-Desserts-Pastry/dp/0767906810/" title="Paris Sweets: Great Desserts From the City's Best Pastry Shops">Paris Sweets: Great Desserts From the City's Best Pastry Shops</a></i>.</li></ul>Here's a lovely recipe from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Around-My-French-Table-Recipes/dp/0618875530" title="Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours">Around My French Table</a></i> for <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/12/salmon_rillettes">Salmon Rillettes</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5061352082/" title="Salmon Rillettes by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5061352082_3695959642.jpg" alt="Salmon Rillettes" width="500" height="332" /></a><br /><br />The recipe combines fresh and smoked salmon with a little bit of spice and a good bit of butter to form a spread that is fantastic on crackers or baguette slices. Here's a video of Dorie demonstrating how to make it:<br /><br /><img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.11NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzMjEyOTc1MjUwMTQmcHQ9MTMyMTI5NzUyOTk1NyZwPSZkPSZnPTImbz1iMmRmODQ5NjE5MzU*MTUyYjc4MzgwOWVh/ZmQyY2U1OCZvZj*w.gif" border="0" width="0" height="0" /><object name="kaltura_player_1321297524" id="kaltura_player_1321297524" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" data="http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_txdk1b8l/uiconf_id/5590821" width="392" height="221"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"><param name="movie" value="http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_txdk1b8l/uiconf_id/5590821"><param name="flashVars" value="autoPlay=false&screensLayer.startScreenOverId=startScreen&screensLayer.startScreenId=startScreen"><a href="http://corp.kaltura.com/">video platform</a><a href="http://corp.kaltura.com/video_platform/video_management">video management</a><a href="http://corp.kaltura.com/solutions/video_solution">video solutions</a><a href="http://corp.kaltura.com/video_platform/video_publishing">video player</a></object><br /><br />It's very nice at dinner alongside a salad...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5061368180/" title="Salmon Rillettes by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/5061368180_7de82fcab8.jpg" alt="Salmon Rillettes" width="500" height="294" /></a><br /><br />...and fits just as well at a party buffet. Nice that you can make it ahead, too!<br /><br />I planned to make some for a party I hosted this weekend, but I ran out of time and put this on my table instead!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2EJ_XWcWFoXKAxeZl0HpQnPPWSxuZTllr54JXMhPlMJal1fsqiR-RKr_XmxfFtgbGfS2cvRb-iRVTaxJhZZUNV63vSu3ubo169LcLQIE5Yb18JNdbUz5EY3HdsUYK5WYpd0nBw/s1600/Fish+Head.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2EJ_XWcWFoXKAxeZl0HpQnPPWSxuZTllr54JXMhPlMJal1fsqiR-RKr_XmxfFtgbGfS2cvRb-iRVTaxJhZZUNV63vSu3ubo169LcLQIE5Yb18JNdbUz5EY3HdsUYK5WYpd0nBw/s400/Fish+Head.jpg" border="0" title="Those Soulless Eyes!"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674936196186375970" /></a><br /><br />Equally festive, right?Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-16495101988163887872011-11-08T22:38:00.003-06:002011-11-08T23:25:56.075-06:00Chocolate RulesI'm all about the recipe contests now. Not that I've entered any since the <a href="http://kimberlykv.blogspot.com/2011/07/callebaut-chocolate-recipe-contest.html">Callebaut chocolate recipe contest</a>, but now I believe half the battle is just showing up.<br /><br />Here's a contest that I think we should all enter: <a href="http://www.scharffenberger.com/ecdcontest/">Elevate a classic dessert with Scharffen Berger Chocolate</a>. Take a familiar recipe and give it a new spin by adding Scharffen Berger chocolate. The grand prize is $10,000.<br /><br />I started crafting a list of rules for what makes a good recipe. This is for myself when I'm searching for recipes or, I suppose, for when I'm creating one. You can often tell by simply reading the list of a recipe's ingredients whether you should even bother with it. Here are a few of my rules for dessert recipes:<br /><ul><li>No Cool Whip or "frozen whipped topping." Just no.</li><li>Also no instant pudding mix.</li><li>Ingredients should be listed in the order in which they'll be used.</li><li>Should include a good photo (that doesn't use flash).</li><li>I'm turned off anytime a recipe calls for melting chocolate chips. Chocolate chips have additives to help them retain their shape. Buy chocolate and chop it.</li><li>Related: Chocolate should be listed by weight, not volume. "1/2 cup" of chocolate doesn't tell me anything, but "4 ounces" of chocolate, I can work with.</li><li>You get much more chocolate flavor if you use melted chocolate and not cocoa powder alone.</li><li>Be suspicious of margarine and shortening.</li><li>Reading reviewer comments is very helpful, but take reviews with a grain of salt. Look for clues to indicate whether the person has skills or not. Reviewers may rate a recipe very low but give themselves away by saying they prefer frosting out of can. Ought oh! We know you can't cook and we're questioning your taste.</ul>Sure, you can ignore those rules, but chances are that the recipe will be closer to good than to amazing, and if you're going to the trouble of making a homemade dessert, why not aim for excellence? Or pick up something good at the supermarket instead? <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/4900151538/" title="Individual Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Sauce"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4900151538_af2bb0f914.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Individual Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Sauce"></a><br /><br />Any inspiration or ideas for the chocolate contest? Any recipe rules you stick to?Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-42887013427623763902011-11-07T12:12:00.010-06:002011-11-08T06:43:00.565-06:00Can a PB&J sandwich be snobby?(I don't want to abandon this blog, so I'm going to try writing shorter, more frequent posts. We'll see how that goes.)<br /><br />Today for lunch I am eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That might not sound appealing but I judged it to be one of the better sack lunches I've eaten. Here's why:<br /><br />The peanut butter I used was <a href="http://koeze.com/all-natural-peanut-butter-jar.aspx">Cream Nut Natural Peanut Butter</a> from Koeze. Koeze makes old-fashioned peanut butter (just Virginia peanuts and salt) and has been since 1925. <br /><br />The "jelly" is <a href="http://www.spoon.com/wild-blackberry-elderflower-conserve.html">Wild Blackberry & Elderflower Conserve</a> from American Spoon. They describe their preserves as "Spoon Preserves" because they're more suited to spooning than spreading with a knife. Their preserves certainly have more pieces of whole fruit than any other I've tried. It makes me think that their farmers are skipping up and down beside wild blackberry patches, plucking berries off the bushes to fill their handbaskets, while singing in four-part harmony. In the kitchen, they "prepare fruits by hand and cook them in small copper kettle batches." The fruit doesn't seem mashed or over-sweetened in the slightest. <br /><br />The bread is a multigrain loaf from a local CSA, charitably donated to me. Thanks, Mom! And my beverage of choice is 33 cl of Perrier. I developed a little addiction to the eaux minérales gazeuses in Europe last month.<br /><br />And yes, I use the same knife for the peanut butter as I do for the jelly. Do you?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.spoon.com/wild-blackberry-elderflower-conserve.html"><img src="http://www.spoon.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/293x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/o/cons-wbe.jpg" title="Photo by American Spoon"></a>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-71468830407391802482011-07-30T12:00:00.010-05:002011-10-17T17:16:06.204-05:00New Orleans: My First Meal and What Was Almost My Last MealI landed in New Orleans at just about supper time on a Friday evening. I rode a shuttle bus full of librarians from Kenner to downtown New Orleans. The ride was pretty interesting, since the driver kept pointing out sites we were passing, like levees, above-ground cemeteries, the Superdome, and "neutral ground." In New Orleans, they don't call the medians in the center of the street medians, they're neutral ground because in early New Orleans the French and Spanish could do business by meeting in the "neutral ground" between each group's side of the street. We passed Magazine Street where the Mardi Gras parades pass. We arrived at the New Orleans Convention Center, which is a mile long! And before Katrina, there were plans to expand it to a two-mile long building!<br /><br />I met up with my friends and we freshened up at our hotel, the Iberville Suites, then walked a very short distance to the Acme Oyster House, on Iberville and Bourbon. There was already a line out the door, but it moved quickly. It's difficult to describe the smell outside, which wasn't pleasant in the least, certainly not what you want to smell before dinner. The smell wasn't from the restaurant; I attribute it to the drunks staggering around Bourbon. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5891074238/" title="Oysters on the half shell"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5120/5891074238_a543642cc5.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Acme Oyster House"></a><br /><br />Before we were even seated and had menus, I knew what I wanted - oysters, of course! I got half a dozen oysters on the half shell and half a dozen chargrilled oysters. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5892424006/" title="Acme Oyster House Chargrilled Oysters"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5112/5892424006_75772ddbf4.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Acme Oyster House"></a><br /><br />The chargrilled oysters came off the grill topped with butter and cheese. Honestly, I preferred the raw variety.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5891857509/" title="Acme Oyster House by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6053/5891857509_e7c2f70774.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Acme Oyster House"></a><br /><br />I also got a bowl of red beans and rice for good measure. I can eat a dozen oysters as an appetizer, so I needed something else. Red beans and rice is one of my favorite Creole dishes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5891857737/" title="Red Beans and Rice"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6019/5891857737_8427b3a307.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Acme Oyster House"></a><br /><br />My first meal in New Orleans was very good, but not quite a home run. For breakfast on Sunday morning, I walked from my hotel around the French Quarter and ended up at Croissant d'Or. Getting in was the hardest part. The building looked to have two entrances, but the first door I tried was locked; only the "ladies' entrance" was open. I don't know why or when the separate entrances originated. I wolfed down an almond croissant before taking any photos. There were very pretty stained glass windows along the wall I sat next to. Eating right beside a foot didn't diminish my appetite in the least.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5894071926/" title="Croissant d'Or Patisserie by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5031/5894071926_ac4b7b3171_m.jpg" width="240" height="159" alt="Croissant d'Or Patisserie"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5893502855/" title="Croissant d'Or Patisserie by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6058/5893502855_d8cc84b347_m.jpg" width="240" height="159" alt="Croissant d'Or Patisserie"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5894078498/" title="Croissant d'Or by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/5894078498_0549089952_m.jpg" width="240" height="159" alt="Croissant d'Or"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5893494237/" title="Croissant d'Or Patisserie by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6023/5893494237_d8bf8f245a_m.jpg" width="240" height="159" alt="Croissant d'Or Patisserie"></a> <br /><br />That night, my friends and I decided to try to get into <a href="http://www.greengoddessnola.com/">Green Goddess</a> for dinner. I don't remember when the torrential downpour started, but since it seemed to rain around 8 pm every night in New Orleans, I'm guessing it was around that time. We were almost soaked by the time we reached Green Goddess, and though they didn't take reservations (a rarity in New Orleans where the best restaurants practically require them), there was a long wait and no room in the tiny restaurant for three dripping wet travelers. The hostess suggested we try across the street at the Pelican Club.<br /><br />We entered the Pelican Club, which looked rather snooty, and that made me feel awkward about the puddles forming around me as I stood inside the doorway. Shoes squeaking, we walked to our table. I opted for escargot as an appetizer.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5932742286/" title="Pelican Club by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6138/5932742286_cd3713ed95.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Pelican Club"></a><br /><br />The snails came baked with a mushroom duxelle and puff pastry. I foolishly popped a boiling hot bite in my mouth. It was one of those situations where as soon as the food is in your mouth, you know it's much too hot to chew, but then you're in a social situation that prevents you from aborting the operation to spit it out. So I severely burned every taste bud on my tongue. My situation did not improve throughout the meal. My next course was the trio of duckling: leg confit, pan-seared breast, and Asian BBQ duck with Louisiana citrus and cranberry sauce (which inexplicably came with blueberries), with green beans and corn on the side.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5932747678/" title="Pelican Club by kimberlykv, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6009/5932747678_7e2ef9a756.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Pelican Club"></a><br /><br />Despite a track record of eating successfully for many years, I had another dining mishap with the duck. I took a bite of the medium rare duck breast and chewed and chewed, but the meat seemed to be so soft and cooked so rare that I made no headway chewing it into smaller pieces. After making what I thought was a sufficient attempt, I swallowed the bite of duck, but it felt like a ball of fat in my throat where it lodged. I started coughing and choking loudly. Not my brightest moment. I held my linen napkin to my mouth and pondered my options while continuing to cough. Could I run to the bathroom before passing out? I imagined myself being sent home to my parents in a pine box after choking on undercooked duck. How embarrassing.<br /><br />Somehow the bite of duck came unstuck and continued on its way, and I was able to finish the meal without further incident. Needless to say, the Pelican Club was not a positive dining experience.<br /><br />Nobody wants to hear about mediocre food, but the tales are about to get much better. I promise.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18980444.post-83468303276891851472011-07-21T19:36:00.002-05:002011-07-21T21:51:27.754-05:00Why New Orleans MattersOn the plane to New Orleans last month, my in-flight reading was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-New-Orleans-Matters-Piazza/dp/0061124834">Why New Orleans Matters</a>, by Tom Piazza. The author writes about how he visited New Orleans, fell in love with the city, and decided to make it his home, going into great detail about what makes New Orleans a special place, very different from anywhere else in the U.S.<br /><br />I felt the same way about New Orleans. Besides The Crescent City and The Big Easy, New Orleans is also known as The City that Care Forgot because its residents are so easy-going and carefree. Everyone I met and talked to was incredibly nice and welcoming and people smiled and talked to you on the street. There's a laissez-faire attitude about everything. I decided to adopt their ways and I found myself saying hello to everyone and talking to anyone I stood next to for more than a moment. Typically I would have been irritated by the hot, hot, sticky weather and the constant stream of sweat running down my face, but I decided to go with it. So what if my bangs were stuck to my forehead and my face was beaded with sweat? Everyone else was suffering the same effects.<br /><br />I walked on Canal Street every day to get to my hotel. It didn't look too different from other big city's main streets, except for the Canal Streetcar running through the center and the Voodoo Marts at periodic intervals. The statue of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Confederacy_of_Dunces">A Confederacy of Dunces</a> character Ignatius J Reilly was in front of my hotel -<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5932179805/" title="Ignatius J Reilly statue. My valve! My valve!"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5932179805_d0eb4fc28c.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Ignatius J Reilly statue"></a><br /><br />- where there used to be a DH Holmes department store.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CanalStreetPostcardIgnatiusEraHolmses.jpg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/CanalStreetPostcardIgnatiusEraHolmses.jpg/800px-CanalStreetPostcardIgnatiusEraHolmses.jpg" title="Postcard view of Canal Street, looking lakewards from 800 block. Signage for Godchaux's visible at left, D.H.Holmes' at right. Note Canal Streetcar running." width="560" height="358"></a><br /><br />There were streets with names like Tchoupitoulas and Carondelet. (Bourbon Street, too, but it's dumb.) Lubbock has a lot of things going for it, but one thing it doesn't have is beautiful architecture and it's not walkable in the least. In the French Quarter, I must have walked up and down Royal Street a dozen times. On Royal there were dozens of lovely old French-style homes that are now storefronts or are still old homes. They were painted in bright colors and adorned with hanging flower pots.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5932685074/" title="French Quarter"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6020/5932685074_135112e14e.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="French Quarter"></a><br /><br />The Quarter is centered around Jackson Square, named after Andrew Jackson way back in 1814. The Pontalba Apartments bordering the square are oldest continuously rented apartments in the States. The Louisiana State Museum/Cabildo by the square was where the Louisiana Purchase documents were signed in 1803. The St Louis Cathedral in the square was built in the 1700s.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5955013407/" title="St Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6011/5955013407_0b19cb6cf1.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="St Louis Cathedral"></a><br /><br />Something about this last photo captures the magic of the Quarter for me. The charming building's yellow walls, blue shutters, and red railings. The gas lamp. The address! 1114 1/2! The young lady walking and carrying her art to sell on the street.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/5932041195/" title="1114 1/2"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5932041195_6575252464.jpg" width="500" height="357" alt="French Quarter"></a><br /><br />And the food, oh my, the food! I definitely ate some of the best food of my life there. Twenty-four hours of dining I'll probably never top was a lunch at <a href="http://www.restaurantaugust.com/">August</a>, my dinner at <a href="http://www.cochonrestaurant.com/">Cochon</a>, and breakfast the next day at <a href="http://www.brennansneworleans.com/">Brennan's</a>. I almost ate my last meal at <a href="http://www.pelicanclub.com/">The Pelican Club</a>. More to come on all of that.<br /><br />The last day I was in New Orleans, I had an airport shuttle to catch, but I missed it because I took too long of a ride through the Garden District on the St Charles Streetcar. I had such a fantastic time, I was reluctant to leave. If you haven't visited before, New Orleans is a must see. And now, on to the foodie stories!Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167663028445638278noreply@blogger.com2