Magnum Opus

My mother-in-law came to town Christmas Eve, armed with a shopping list organized into sections for meat, produce, etc, so that shopping would be more streamlined. We hit Whole Foods around 5pm that day, and they were already out of so many things. Thanks to her organization and planning, we were out of there relatively quickly.

The Christmas Menu:

Pea Soup with Avocado and Lump Crabmeat
J. Schram 2000, Schramsberg Cellars

Beef Wellington
Orange Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Opus One 2003, Opus One Winery

Chocolate Mousse Tart with Strawberry Macedone

We cooked for close to 4 hours on Christmas Day. We'd never made a Beef Wellington, and we learned a lot along the way. We worked hard for that meal, but it was all worth it. We had a meal truly worthy of the carefully chosen and exquisite alcoholic accompaniments.

(I'm really worried that I'm spoiling myself. After J. Schram and Opus One, can one really go back to drinking Yellowtail?)

Stuffing my face with my family

Isn't that always what we do when we get together with family? It's definitely true for mine. As if this month hasn't been bad enough, with all sorts of gluttony and drunkenness already encouraged at work, at home, at holiday parties, with friends...

I don't remember the details of each meal, as it is a bit of a haze. Here are the highlights:

I remember shopping on the Pearl Street Mall, then hitting Centro for some beautifully tasty $2 happy hour tacos - the adobo and the shrimp beating out the chicken tacos by a mile. A hot manchego and chorizo fondue was lubricated well with grapefruit margs.

Our party of five blew three bills at Sushi Den. For lunch. With no alcohol. I remember a delicious cold creamy Japanese tofu, some black cod, some tasty eggplant. There was fantastic sashimi. Lots of fresh sushi - toro, uni, buri belly, etc. I could go on.

We had a lovely meal at Limon, though it did worry me that the restaurant was almost completely empty during a time when most restaurants are packed. The kitchen obviously had time to focus on our food, which was excellent. The fritada appetizer - little bits of fried pork - how can you go wrong? The tiradito cebiche was great. As was the Quinotto de hongos, the Arroz con pato, the Corvina bass. Again, I could go on. The cachacaritas and margaritas are also excellent.

Osteria Marco - fun to go at night with all the lights on Larimer. The burrata continues to be amazing, always a favorite. We also discovered a new favorite in the wild mushroom and robiola pizza, drizzled with truffle oil. Earthy, rich, and fantastic. Even the two devoted carnivores at the table agreed that it was the best dish.

Happy, happy holidays...

Going Ethnic

If you're anything like me, a shortage of cash is a dilemma that accompanies the always inevitably expensive Christmas holidays. I also usually feel short on time as well during this season, with all the holiday parties, cookie making, gift shopping, and travel planning to do. So what to do if you're short on cash but still want to eat out because you have no time to cook (and you really, truth be known, like eating out)? The answer for me is always - Go Ethnic.

One snowy cold night, Mr. M and I made our way (slowly) down the parking lot previously known as Parker Road to Masalaa, the South Indian restaurant touted to be the best in town by those in the know. Our usual Indian meals come from Little India - I'm definitely a bit more familiar with North Indian cuisine, but this was a welcome change from the usual. Mr. M suffered a bit of disappointment when he discovered that Masalaa is a vegetarian restaurant, but like a trooper, he quickly recovered and tried everything that was put in front of him. We had dosa of course - the classic North Indian crepes filled with savory fillings. We also had a combo thali with Mysore masala dosa, onion tomato uthappam, Kanchipuram Idly, medhu vada, idly podi, sambar, coconut and tomato chutney and Rava Kesari. I had no idea what I was eating most of the time, but it was all quite tasty.

Another day, I discovered Lao Wang Noodle House. I can't believe I've lived in Denver so long never having discovered this little gem. They have the best xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and kwo tyeh (fried potstickers) in town. The place is run by a cute older couple that speaks minimal English, but that just means that the food is going to be outstanding! Wasn't cheap as far as dumplings go - you could get them in a major city's Chinatown for half as much - but they definitely have the market for dumplings in Denver. They are the market. The dumplings are good and authentic - the skins are great. Haven't tried the various noodles yet, but I'll be back for sure.

Another night, we went to one of the many Ethiopian restaurants that line Colfax in a stretch near our house. We've been to many of them, but this night we chose Abyssinia, right near Colfax and Colorado. Mr. M discovered a new favorite beer - Meta, an Ethiopian beer that tastes like honey. (If you've never had Ethiopian food, it's a really fun and tasty experience. Be prepared to eat with your hands, licking your fingers clean because it's so good. Fluffy injera bread, which tastes like sourdough but looks and feels like a washcloth - hee hee -, is served with the meal - you break off pieces of it and use it to sop up your food, trying to get it in your mouth before you drop it in your lap. Lots of fun and kinda romantic to eat with your sweetheart.) We ordered a meat combination and a vegetable combination, all of which arrives on a injera-lined platter, colorful dollops of goodness covering the plate. Again, many of the dollops are unidentifiable, but they are so good that you really don't care what you're eating - you just want more of it. I'm serious. Give it a go.

Anyway, these three meals this week not only saved me some bucks during a negative cash flow month but also gave me some really, really, really good eats.

Christmas Cookies

Living in Denver is not always conducive to baking - I discovered that the hard way when I first moved here after several dessert disasters. Though I may not attempt cakes as much as I used to, I still love to bake cookies. Cookies still seem to turn out right despite the altitude, and heck, they are just so convenient and fun to eat!

Holiday cookies are even more fun. They are especially nice to give as gifts, or just to have around for parties, for friends that drop by, or for your family houseguests for the holidays. Plus, I wanted to give my (relatively) new Kitchen Aid mixer a good workout.

This year, I finally invested in some commercial-quality baking sheets as well as several silicone baking mats. It made all the difference in the world, and I'd highly recommend it.

I made 4 different cookies this year (I picked out 8 recipes, bought all the ingredients for them, then ran out of steam halfway through):

Mexican Wedding Cakes - classic, always a crowd pleaser, and pretty on a plate.
Raspberry Lemon Thumbprints - for the fruity people. also very pretty.
Chai Spiced Almond Cookies - something a little different.
World Peace Cookies - for the chocoholics. see below.

Though all 4 batches turned out well, my runaway, hands-down favorite, are the World Peace Cookies. I am usually not a fan of chocolate chocolate chip cookies (I suppose I'm more of a traditionalist and prefer the plain chocolate chip ones), and I probably wouldn't have picked these up had I seen them on the cookie plate. But these have captured my heart. Aptly named, this is a chocolate chocolate-chip cookie that is made totally transcendent by the addition of some fleur de sel. If you make these, be sure to use excellent quality chocolate and fleur de sel - do NOT substitute regular table salt. Anyway, supposedly if everyone could eat one of these cookies every day, we would all be so happy that we would truly have World Peace. I, however, agree with smittenkitchen - if you were holding the last cookie of the batch, warm and soft from the oven, I'd most certainly resort to acts of violence in order to wrench it from your little fingers...

What could be better than sushi at Sushi Den?

The answer is, of course, FREE sushi at Sushi Den.

One of the (few) perks of my job is that once in a while, product reps will take us out to dinner. Sometimes, the food is already ordered for us, or we are limited to only a few selections. But occasionally, there are one of those much-coveted free-for-all, order whatever the hell you want kind of dinners. Last night, I was privileged to take part in one of these lovely occasions at one of my favorite (and one of the most pricey, at least the way I eat) restaurants in town. I sipped on a couple glasses of a wonderful Spanish Albarino ($10/glass, new on the menu, can't remember the name) over the course of my meal which included edamame, agedashi tofu, calamari, and miso black cod. And those were just the beginning.

We feasted on orders of the ginger sashimi and japanese wasabi sashimi to start - both incredibly fresh and dressed with delicate sauces and microgreens giving layers of flavor. We ate LOTS of melt-in-your-mouth toro, some briny sea urchin, some seared tender sea scallops, some salmon roe. We overstuffed ourselves with the spicy firecracker roll, creamy house roll, crunchy spider roll, and much much more. The only thing that lay mostly untouched (hurrah! I'm so proud) was a sad California roll that no one would quite own up to having ordered...

As I'm sure is true with any job, there are times I really hate mine. (Especially whenever I'm up working at 3 am.) I wonder to myself, "Is my job is really worth this?!?" But after just one evening of excess at the Den, I am finally convinced that it is.

A yummy party appetizer

A friend had a party last night and made (among other things) these wonderful hors d'oeuvres of which I ate an embarrassing quantity (let's just say I didn't need any dinner). Sliced French baguette topped with seared beef tenderloin, watercress, parmesan, capers, and a mustard-horseradish sauce... mmmmmmmmm.....

Lobster Roll

We braved the snowy weather to lunch at Steuben's. I'd heard so much about their lobster roll, and it's taken me forever to get back there to try it. Since the last time I was at Steuben's (which was admittedly awhile ago now), they have raised the price on the lobster roll from a steep $18 to now a whopping $20. But I decided, what the hell, I might as well see what all the fuss was about.

Both Mr. M and I ordered the lobster roll. It came with a huge pile of their thin crispy fries, which I love. The roll itself initially looked disappointing - it looked suspiciously like a packaged store-bought hot dog bun for which you can buy 8 for 99 cents at King Soopers. "I'm paying $20 for this!?," I thought initially. It was also, however, generously filled with lobster chunks in a light, creamy sauce with not a lot of extra fillers - it really was just good, tender, lobster meat. There was also a strong buttery flavor as well, but I don't want to know exactly how much butter they put in each sandwich. Ignorance is bliss.

By the time I finished my sandwich, I was licking my fingers and wanting more. I sure hope I haven't developed yet another expensive addiction.

Cheese

I finally got around to making some homemade ricotta cheese, courtesy of Frank Bonanno's cheese-making classes and recipes. It was actually really easy! I served a dollop at room temperature sprinkled with sea salt and drizzled with a good extra virgin olive oil. I sliced a baguette on the bias, drizzled the slices with olive oil, toasted them and rubbed them with garlic. Yum. Definitely better than what you buy in the store, and easy enough to make. I'm not sure if it would make a huge difference in a lasagna or something, but you can sure taste the difference if you're eating it on toast.

Of note, I also picked up a delectable little piece of heaven at The Truffle the other day - a funky, creamy French goat cheese that reminded me why cheese is one of my favorite things in life. It's called St. Maure de Touraine. Try it!

We ate both while sipping a bottle of Pra Soave, an Italian white.

Ricotta Recipe (c/o Frank Bonanno)
Serves 4

5 lemons (1 cup lemon juice)
2 quarts organic whole milk
1 cup heavy cream plus additional ¼ cup
1 cup buttermilk
Pinch of salt

Squeeze the lemons; set juice aside.

Bring 1 cup cream and milk to a boil. Add lemon juice, buttermilk and salt. Reduce heat and simmer; stirring until thick and chunky, about 10 minutes.

Have cheesecloth pressed over a strainer in a bowl. Pour hot liquid through cheesecloth; drain at least 15 minutes. Gather cheesecloth ends and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Whip ¼ cup heavy cream into ricotta until the consistency of soft ice cream.

Ricotta Al Forno: Oil inside of ramekins; fill with ricotta. Bake at 400 degrees 36 to 45 minutes until golden.
Sweet Ricotta: Add 1 cup of powdered sugar to the ricotta. Serve with strawberries.

Nutritional information per serving of ricotta: 591 cal., 44 g fat (27 g sat), 154 mg chol., 32 g carb., 19 g pro., 0 g fiber, 289 mg sodium.

Nutmeg Maple Cream Pie

Before Thanksgiving, I ran across this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs. As much as I wanted to try it, there was no room on the Thanksgiving menu for this dessert too. Finally, I decided to try it yesterday. I used (gasp!) store-bought pie crust pressed into an 11-inch tart pan, which I baked beforehand with pie weights. The filling came together quite easily and quickly, and in no time I had put it back in the oven.

The pie is rather homely-looking, I must admit - you should at least dress it up with some ice cream or whipped cream, maybe a few berries or something. But it tastes great - all the deep syrupy maple sweetness and earthy spicy nutmeg make for a rich and creamy filling. An easy recipe if you're looking to bring something to one of the many holiday parties we'll all be attending in the next few weeks.

Dim Sum

Do you ever get a craving for dim sum? I sure do.

For those that don't know, I was a former resident of Houston, Texas. Now Houston has very little to recommend itself as a place to live (especially compared to Denver, but hey, I'm biased) other than a pretty low cost of living and (conveniently also) some good shopping. But one very important thing that Houston does have is an awesome supply of good Chinese restaurants, in all price ranges and of all types. Usually and unfortunately, as with most ethnic restaurants, the food quality is inversely proportional to the ease with which a non-Chinese speaker/reader can navigate his or her way through a meal.

Drooling from memories of eating at Golden Palace or Kim Son in Houston, I settled for The Empress. There are, arguably, better places in town for dim sum, like maybe Super Star Asian or King's Land, but they also have longer wait times for a table. We were starving, so we went to Empress and were seated immediately.

Sipping hot tea, we ate our way through small bowls of tiny little spareribs, shrimp dumplings, steamed pork thingies, sticky rice, stir-fried vegetables, and more. My favorite is the little flaky pork croissants.

Though it was no Golden Palace, at least it scratched my itch.

Chicken pot pie

The aftermath of Thanksgiving and the frigid weather left me craving something warm and hearty. I found a few basics in the fridge and didn't want to go to the store. I came across this recipe for Chicken Pot Pie and decided to make it because miraculously, I had everything I needed for it at home (except I used only chicken breast - no dark meat). It came together so quickly and easily I couldn't believe it. The Bisquick biscuit crust is actually really good. Mr. M said it was the best. I suppose he has to say that, but the way he hoovered it down suggests he was telling the truth.

Thanksgiving

(Skip this post if you are tired of Thanksgiving and don't care about Turkey-Day recipes.)

Like for many people, the holidays are really a special time for me. The holidays are all about things that I love the most - family, friends, and food.

This year, we traveled home to enjoy Thanksgiving at my sister's house. My sister is one of my favorite people period, but she is also definitely my favorite person with whom to enjoy two of my favorite activities - cooking and eating.

This year, she moved into a new house, complete with a beautiful, newly remodeled kitchen. I was looking forward to seeing it and cooking with her in it. We had a fantastic time, and the food was great.

Our Thanksgiving menu:

Roasted Turkey
Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing
Spinach Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Sweet Potato Gratin
Brandied Cranberries

Cranberry-Almond Tart
Texas State Fair Pecan Pie, Mom's way
Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipes or links follow:

Roasted Turkey: - my sister did the 12-14 hour brine, added veggies to the roasting pan and veggies and lemon to the cavity of the bird. From Cooks Illustrated.

Roasted Brined Turkey

We offer two brine formulas: one for a 4- to 6-hour brine and another for a 12- to 14-hour brine. The amount of salt used in each brine does not change with turkey size. If you’re roasting a kosher or self-basting turkey, do not brine it; it already contains a good amount of sodium. Rotating the bird from a breast-side down position to a breast-side up position midway through cooking helps to produce evenly cooked dark and white meat. If you’re roasting a large (18- to 22-pound) bird and are reluctant to rotate it, skip the step of lining the V-rack with foil and roast the bird breast-side up for the full time. If making gravy, scatter 1 cup each of coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrot as well as several fresh thyme sprigs in the roasting pan at the outset; add 1 cup water to keep the vegetables from burning.
Serves 10 to 22, depending on turkey size
Table salt
1 turkey (12 to 22 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly, giblets and neck reserved for gravy, if making
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted


1. Dissolve 1 cup salt per gallon cold water for 4- to 6-hour brine or 1/2 cup salt per gallon cold water for 12- to 14-hour brine in large stockpot or clean bucket. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three gallons. Add turkey and refrigerate for predetermined amount of time.
2. Before removing turkey from brine, adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 400 degrees for 12- to 18-pound bird or 425 degrees for 18- to 22-pound bird. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and use paring knife or skewer to poke 20 to 30 holes in foil; set V-rack in large roasting pan.
3. Remove turkey from brine and rinse well under cool running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure, and tuck wing tips behind back. Brush turkey breast with 2 tablespoons butter. Set turkey breast-side down on prepared V-rack; brush back with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Roast 45 minutes for 12- to 18-pound bird or 1 hour for 18- to 22-pound bird.
4. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat); reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees if roasting 18- to 22-pound bird. Using clean potholders or kitchen towels, rotate turkey breast-side up; continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer for 12- to 15-pound bird, about 1 1/4 hours for 15- to 18-pound bird, or about 2 hours longer for 18- to 22-pound bird. Transfer turkey to carving board; let rest 30 minutes (or up to 40 minutes for 18- to 22-pound bird). Carve and serve.

Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing - the hands-down favorite dish this year. Depending how dry the bread is, a little more liquid than the recipe calls for may be needed - I added another cup or so of chicken broth.

Spinach Casserole - a very easy, back-of-the-box type of recipe, but a family favorite for Thanksgiving nevertheless. People who don't even like spinach like this casserole. We've had it every year for as long as I can remember.

3 packages frozen chopped spinach
1 cup sour cream
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
bread crumbs
butter
parmesan cheese

Cook spinach according to package instructions. Drain well, pressing the liquid out from the colander. Mix soup mix into sour cream, then mix into spinach. Spread mixture into 8x8 glass baking dish. Melt a few tablespoons of butter and mix with some breadcrumbs, about 1 cup. Mix in parmesan to taste, about 1/2 cup. Spread topping over spinach. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until warmed through and topping is brown.

Mashed Potatoes - Too simple for a recipe, but here we go. Definitely a Thanksgiving favorite, because it's only once a year that we add quite this much butter and cream. We also did not use the potato ricer this year but instead used (gasp!) our Kitchen Aid mixer to mash the potatoes. Sacrilegious, I know, but so much faster.

Cut Yukon Gold potatoes into chunks and boil until tender. Drain. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, adding salt and pepper, at least one stick of butter, and a very generous pour of heavy cream (or half-and-half, if you're feeling like being healthy). Adjust to taste.

Gravy - no recipe for this either. Use pan drippings from turkey; add flour and cook down in the roasting pan. Add turkey stock and white wine, scraping up pan drippings. Cook until thick; season to taste.

Sweet Potato Gratin - we used this recipe but used only sweet potatoes instead of the two kinds. Ours had a bit too much liquid, so I'd cut back or add more potatoes if I made this again. I'd also add some nutmeg, and maybe a bit of maple syrup for flavoring.

Brandied Cranberries - another long-time family favorite. Mr. M eats embarrassing quantities of this - he loves it! Also quite good with yogurt as dessert or a decadent breakfast. It's important to use good quality brandy - not top shelf necessarily, but something you would actually drink.

1 lb cranberries
2 c sugar
brandy to taste

Spread cranberries in a single layer in a foil-lined baking pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover with another layer of foil. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool. Mix with brandy to taste. Store refrigerated.

Cranberry-Almond Tart - this recipe sounded great, but we were a little disappointed with it. It looked absolutely gorgeous when it was done, but it just wasn't sweet enough, so you may want to add a bit of sweetness to it somehow. Definitely serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Texas State Fair Pecan Pie, Mom's way - This is the best pecan pie I've ever had. My mom loves pecan pie, but her frequent complaint is "not enough nuts". My sister ended up adding double or triple the amount of pecans originally called for in this recipe, but it ended up being absolutely fantastic.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake - I've never met a pumpkin cheesecake I didn't like. I've always made this recipe, but my sister made a different one this year. Still wonderful, still delicious, and still hanging onto my thighs... From Cooks Illustrated.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

11/2003

Depending on the oven and the temperature of the ingredients, the cheesecake may bake about 15 minutes faster or slower than the instructions indicate; it is therefore best to check the cake 1 1/4 hours into baking. Although the cheesecake can be made up to three days in advance, the crust will begin to lose its crispness after only one day. To make slicing the cheesecake easy and neat, use a knife with a narrow blade, such as a carving knife; between cuts, dip the blade into a pitcher of hot water and wipe it clean with paper towels. The cheesecake is good on its own, but the Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream (recipe follows) is a grand addition.
Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 12 to 16

Crust
5 ounces graham crackers (9 whole crackers), broken into large pieces
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

Filling
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (10 1/3 ounces)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese , cut into 1-inch chunks and left to soften at room temperature, about 30 minutes
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
5 large eggs , left at room temperature, about 30 minutes
1 cup heavy cream


1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Pulse crackers, sugar, and spices in food processor until evenly and finely ground, about fifteen 2-second pulses. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle melted butter over, and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Turn crumbs into prepared springform pan and, using hand, spread crumbs into even layer. Using flat-bottomed ramekin or drinking glass, press crumbs evenly into pan bottom, then use a soup spoon to press and smooth crumbs into edges of pan. Bake until fragrant and browned about the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.

2. FOR THE FILLING: Bring about 4 quarts water to simmer in stockpot. Whisk sugar, spices, and salt in small bowl; set aside. To dry pumpkin (see illustrations below): Line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Spread pumpkin on paper towels in roughly even layer. Cover pumpkin with second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated. Peel back top layer of towels and discard. Grasp bottom towels and fold pumpkin in half; peel back towels. Repeat and flip pumpkin onto baking sheet; discard towel.

3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat cream cheese at medium speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula. Add about one third of sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute; scrape bowl and add remaining sugar in two additions, scraping bowl after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 1 minute; scrape bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds. Using rubber spatula, scrape bottom and sides of bowl and give final stir by hand.

4. Set springform pan with cooled crust on 18-inch-square doubled layer heavy-duty foil and wrap bottom and sides with foil; set wrapped springform pan in roasting pan. Pour filling into springform pan and smooth surface; set roasting pan in oven and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until center of cake is slightly wobbly when pan is shaken, and center of cake registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours (see note). Set roasting pan on wire rack and use paring knife to loosen cake from sides of pan. Cool until water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath, discard foil, and set on wire rack; continue to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

5. TO SERVE: Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving platter. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Thai chicken curry

I was in the mood today for curry and whipped up this fast and easy concoction. The recipe comes after reading about 10 different chicken curry recipes online and putting them all together while modifying for the contents of my refrigerator. Enjoy!

2 T vegetable oil
2-3 T curry paste, or to taste
1 red chili, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 14-oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 T fish sauce
1 T brown sugar
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in large chunks
8 oz white button mushrooms, quartered
4 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped plus a few sprigs for garnish
3 sprigs basil, destemmed
juice of 1 lime
cooked jasmine rice


Saute curry paste and red chili in vegetable oil over med-high heat for one minute. Add a thinly sliced onion and a dollop of coconut milk and saute until tender. Add sliced chicken breast, browning on all sides. Add chicken broth, fish sauce, and brown sugar, along with the rest of the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. When chicken is almost done, add red bell pepper and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Stir in green onions, cilantro, basil, and lime juice. Remove from heat and serve over hot, steaming, fragrant jasmine rice. Garnish with cilantro.

Onion soup and garlic bread

I had a plethora of yellow onions in my pantry that were just waiting to go bad while we leave to go home for Thanksgiving next week. I decided to try to make a quick and easy Onion Soup to use them up.

3 T olive oil
6 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 box beef broth
1 c chicken broth
1/2 c white wine
1 tsp dried thyme
shredded gruyere
sliced baguette

Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan (I used my Le Creuset stockpot that my sister gave me). After 15-20 minutes, they should be soft and sticky, and the bottom of the pot should be brown. Add the beef broth, chicken broth, and white wine while scraping up the bits at the bottom of the pot. Throw in the thyme and let it simmer for a bit. When ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, top with a baguette slice and a handful of gruyere, and place under the broiler until cheese is melty and brown.

I also recently stumbled across Heidi's dad's "recipe" for garlic bread which gave me a hankering for it. Since it's just Mr. M and I, I used half a loaf of French bread, which I then sliced in half lengthwise. I used half a stick of melted butter and half a head of garlic, minced and drowned in the butter. I slathered the mixture onto both sides, trying to keep it even. Half I wrapped in saran wrap and foil and put in the freezer. The other half I baked at 350 for 15 minutes, then broiled for a couple minutes until brown and crispy. A decadent yet perfect accompaniment for my onion soup! Warning: Do not attempt to come within 10 feet of anyone who has not also eaten garlic bread for the next 24 hours. :)

Baked Apples

Trying to make a (somewhat) healthier dessert for company the other night, I cored apples with a melon-baller thingy and placed them in a baking dish. I sprinkled them with lemon juice, then filled them with a mixture of brown sugar, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, chopped walnuts, raisins, and a little bit of butter cut into small pieces. I baked them at 350 for 20-30 minutes until the whole house smelled like Christmas.

I served them drizzled with the syrup at the bottom of the pan and a dollop of Boulder All-Natural Sweet Cream ice cream. YUM!

Pear Tart

We went to our friends' house for dinner last night. They had just moved into their new house last month, and we were their first guests. We brought them a bottle of yummy Veuve as a housewarming gift so they could celebrate. In their beautiful new gourmet kitchen, they cooked up a storm. First we snacked on a baked brie with apples and bread while sipping Gewurztraminer. We then moved on to a delicious meal of vegetable risotto, baked salmon, and a spinach salad, paired with a yummy, jammy La Crema Pinot Noir.

I had been staring at the dessert all night. My friend had baked a pear tart that had turned out beautifully, and it had been sitting on the counter since we arrived. When we finally finished our meal, I was stuffed, but I couldn't pass up the tart - it was so good. We cracked open a bottle of Muscat to go with.

The original Epicurious recipe called for hazelnuts, but when she couldn't find them in the store she substituted almonds. I think it turned out so well that I just might do the same!

Grappa with Frank

Mr. M and I went to Sushi Den Friday night for our weekly date. As the restaurant is usually packed, we showed up early (around 6 pm) so we wouldn't have to wait for a table. We ate the usual wonderful stuff while sipping green tea (me) and an Asahi (Mr. M) and catching up on the week. In our (continually failing) efforts to save money and calories, we ordered just enough to feel satisfied but not full (which is not our usual M.O. when we go out).

Since we ate so early, we contemplated what to do next, as neither one of us wanted to head home just yet. We felt virtuous after our relatively healthy meal and decided to splurge and go somewhere else for dessert. Remembering the tasty bread pudding we had at Osteria Marco last week, as well as wanting to support this new restaurant, we decided to head back there, grab a table at the bar, and have dessert.

We wandered around downtown a bit, poking in and out of some shops before finally arriving at the restaurant. We waved hello to Jacqueline Bonnano (chef's wife) on our way in, then grabbed a booth at the bar, fully intent on having just dessert. However, the menu arrived, and I was a goner. It started with Mr. M saying that he wanted to have a glass of wine. That sounded good, but of course you have to have something to nibble on while you drink it, and, somehow (I'm embarrassed to admit), I ended up ordering a couple of appetizers as well...

While we sipped our wine, we snacked on the housemade ricotta - fresh and creamy and delicious. We also tried the mozzarella en carozza, a gussied-up version of fried cheese which wasn't really my favorite but I'm sure kids would love. We still had loads of fun though, guiltily partaking of our second dinner.

I guess Jacqueline tipped off her husband to our presence in the bar, as all of a sudden we were graced with Frank's presence. We chatted for awhile, about mozzarella and ricotta, about the challenges he's faced (like building the panini bar with his own two hands) and is still facing (like wine education for his servers) with the opening of the new place. He's worked his butt off opening the restaurant and said he'd been on site for something like 49 days straight. Now that's dedication. (And his wife still loves him!) Anyway, it was really cool that he would stop by and say hello - I appreciated it.

We decided to skip dessert, astutely deducing that we had used up our calorie quota for the evening. The waiter brought the check, but before we could pay and get out of there, Frank reappeared with not only the butterscotch bread pudding we'd enjoyed so much the time before, but also with 3 glasses of grappa. We touched glasses and downed the stuff, he thanked us for coming in, then went back to the kitchen. Now. How cool is THAT.

I have to admit that we shoveled down that bread pudding as if we hadn't been fed in days, talking about how great it was what Frank did. I remembered the lackluster night I'd had at Fruition a few months ago, comparing it to the effort that had been put forth tonight just say thanks. It cost him a few minutes of his time, as well as maybe a few bucks for the dessert and grappa, and what a difference it made! He's effectively made us loyal regulars, so it was a smart move as well as just plain awesome.

So now, I'm the Osteria Marco evangelist. Everyone who lives here must visit soon. Or else.

My own version of miso soup

In the attempt to cook more at home and be a bit more healthy, I took a trip to the Asian grocery store this weekend. I like to wander around, poking in and out of each aisle, trying to decipher the contents of the mysterious cans, jars, and packages. I bought all sorts of things I can't find at Safeway. I bought some pea shoots and some leafy green vegetables that I don't know the name of. Last night, I stir-fried them (separately) with healthy doses of garlic - yum! My dinner was nothing but the veggies with brown rice, and it was great! Even Mr. M ate lots, and that's saying something.

Tonight, I made some bonito soup stock (from a powder) and added some baby bok choy, sliced shittake mushrooms, and cubed tofu. I boiled it for a few minutes, just until the bok choy was tender. I then turned off the heat and added some miso (soybean paste), stirring until it was fully incorporated. This all took about 10 minutes. While the soup had been cooking, I had boiled some soba noodles separately - they cook in about 5 minutes - and drained them. I also chopped up some green onions and rinsed some bean sprouts.

When the soup was done, I put some noodles, green onions, and bean sprouts in a bowl, then covered it with the hot miso soup. It was a healthy, fast, easy dinner that hit the spot on a chilly evening.

Every bit as good as I expected, only better...

I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of Osteria Marco, the newest venture by Chef Frank Bonanno (of Mizuna and Luca d'Italia) in Larimer Square and the ode to his second son (Luca d'Italia being the ode to the first). I mentioned it briefly in my post about the cheese class I took in September - it's a more casual and affordable restaurant that still upholds some of his core values, like excellent food and wine. Who can argue with that?

Mr. M and I decided to hit it Friday evening, hot on the heels of a blurb in 5280's Table Talk as well as a mention in the Westword. I actually ran into the chef's wife, Jacqueline, at the door as we were coming in. (I had met her briefly at the cheese class and recognized her from there.) I congratulated her on her starring role in Jason Sheehan's Westword column:

"My wife, Jacqueline, fucking deserves all the fucking credit," Bonanno said when I got him on the phone the day after the very soft opening. Jacqueline did all the sourcing, all the design. She picked the colors, she found a guy who could turn a set of old bleachers into stained mahogany tabletops, and then, along with partner Ryan Gaudin and chef-partner Jean-Philippe Failyau, they'd built an entire panini bar.

Impressive, eh?

The space is below street level, so the hostess led us down the stairs into the dining room. Wine racks divide up some of the room and line the walls, while dark wood warms the space. The lighting is a bit dim, and the mood would be rather subdued but for the din produced by lively conversation and laughter from the surrounding patrons. How can a place be so pleasantly well-crafted and put-together yet so wonderfully relaxed all at the same time? They've struck this balance right on the money. And already, the place was almost full to capacity.

The menu is a bit more approachable and wallet-friendly than Bonanno's other establishments. A variety of salumi, house-made cheeses, appetizers, and salads are intriguing, as well as the pizzas and paninis. All quite simple yet well-thought-out.

We lubricated the menu-reading with a bottle of Scarpetta 2006 Tocai Friulano, made by none other than Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan MacKinnon-Patterson of Frasca. Of course, it was excellent.

We started with some house-made burrata cheese, deliciously creamy in the center, served with grilled bread - fantastic. We also had an order of the red-wine cured bresaola, also quite good. We tried the artichoke fonduta, which was creamy, rich, and artery-clogging I'm sure, but it went down SO easy. We had some potato/parmesan/proscuitto crochettes as well - little bits of fried potato goodness. We ordered the spicy sopressata pizza with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, and while the toppings were yummy, I almost couldn't get past the delicious crust - done to perfection. I couldn't ask for anything more. We were quite stuffed by that time, but Mr. M put us over the edge by ordering a fabulous butterscotch bread pudding to top off our meal.

Our bill came to $100, but half of that was the wine. I know, I said this place was supposed to be affordable, and actually you could come here and order one delicious pizza or panini and get out of here for $10. But me? I just can't do it. I start reading the menu, and automatically I want to order everything on it. I'll be back very soon. Bravo to the Bonannos!!

Cottage Cheese Muffins?

I know, I know, it sounds terrible. But I was intrigued after reading another blog post on 101 Cookbooks. And these were so easy-sounding that I just had to try them. Here is the recipe.

Basically, you mix cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, ground almonds, flour, baking powder, eggs, water, salt, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil in a bowl, fill up some muffin cups, and pop them in the oven. I bought grated parmesan, so the only prep work I did was whiz some almonds in my Cuisinart and chop some sun-dried tomatoes and basil. What could be easier than that? After about a half hour of delicious smells wafting from the oven (during which time Mr. M kept poking his head in and asking me what I was cooking and when it would be ready), they are beautifully golden-brown.

As mentioned in her post, these muffins have more of a quiche-like texture than a bready texture, but if you're prepared for that, you'll love them. The batter was a lot wetter than I thought it would be, but they tasted terrific! My only complaint was that too much of the "muffin" stuck to the paper muffin cups I used - I ended up trying to scrape every last bit off with my teeth (which was attractive, I'm sure - sorry, Mr. M!). She also gives some suggestions for other flavors besides sun-dried tomato and basil that I can't wait to try. But these are a quick and easy idea that would complement any meal.

Knife skills

Last night, I decided to take a Knife Skills class offered by The Cooking Studio at the Whole Foods in Belmar. A small group of 10-12 people gathered in the studio kitchen, learning better ways to prepare, chop, dice, and mince things. We prepared garlic, shallots, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, avocados, and citrus fruit. We then took turns making French omelets with some of the ingredients we had chopped. At the end of the class, we had a meal of omelets, hash browns, and grapefruit sections drizzled with agave nectar.

Overall, it was a decent class, though more geared towards beginners in the kitchen. I did pick up a few helpful hints about chopping onions and deseeding peppers and tomatoes, and I learned how to make a better omelet.

Beat 2 eggs in a small bowl with a tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of clarified butter in a small omelet pan over low to medium heat. Pour the eggs in the pan. Continue to whip air into the eggs using a fork, trying not to disturb the eggs setting at the bottom of the pan too much. Eventually the omelet will be almost cooked through and set. Tease up all the edges of the omelet using a spatula so that it is totally free from the bottom of the pan. Add fillings of your choice to the center. Fold one third of the omelet over the fillings, then turn it over onto a plate (folding the other third over on the bottom as you go). Voila! Light and fluffy omelets.

Speaking of ice cream...

Have you tried the new Haagen Dazs flavor yet? This year, they debuted their new Caramelized Pear and Toasted Pecan ice cream. It's to-die-for. Try it.

The holidays, already?

It's hard to believe that the holidays are just around the corner, especially given the exceptionally warm fall we've had in Denver. Mid-70's at the end of October? Weird. Not that I'm complaining though.

Anyway, we hit Bonnie Brae Ice Cream with some friends last night, and I had a generous scoop of their Pumpkin Pecan. It was fantastic - the wonderful flavor of pumpkin pie with all the spices - but better, without that custardy texture that so many folks (myself excluded) find so unappealing. It was just the thing to get me in the mood for fall and the upcoming holiday season.

Sausage strata

I'd been missing one of my favorite brunch dishes from The Kitchen in Boulder. Lucky for me, the restaurant posts many of its recipes on line. I seemed to have most of the ingredients already at home, so with a few minor modifications, I was on my way.

Here is the recipe as posted. It's a creamy, delicious, savory bread pudding of sorts.

Sausage Strata
[Recipe Serves 6-8]

Ingredients:
3 whole eggs
5 egg yolks
1 pint whole milk
1 pint heavy cream
1 1/2 lb sausage meat (out of casing)
8 slices of rustic white bread
1 1/2 cup gruyere cheese-- grated
2 hand full fresh spinach
Salt and pepper.
Large gratin dish
Instructions:
Take the sausage meat and cook in a sauté pan until cooked.

Mix together eggs, yolks, cream and milk in a bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper. Next, take the gratin dish and start to layer the bread, sausage, spinach and cheese (like you would for lasagna), keeping some cheese for sprinkling over the top.

When you have layered every thing together, pour over the custard and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Leave to stand for at least one hour or over night.

Cover with foil and bake in 350º oven for about 1 hour. Check to see that the center is cooked and the custard is set.

Just before serving, put the strata under a broiler until brown. Watch closely so that it does not burn.

I used skim milk rather than whole milk, and the only bread I had at home was 100% whole wheat sandwich bread. I also didn't have any fresh spinach greens, so I used about a half package of frozen spinach that I cooked in the microwave, seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. I browned some sausage, then layered it with the sandwich bread, spinach, and grated gruyere. I poured the cream/milk/egg mixture over it and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so. I popped it into the oven, and we had a decadent, sumptuous brunch an hour later. Super easy (though not super healthy), and so much better than other breakfast casseroles I've had. Try it!

Napa Valley

Mr. M and I met his parents and brother in wine country this weekend to celebrate his parents' 45th wedding anniversary. As dedicated oenophiles, much anticipation and planning went into this quick weekend trip.

We arrived Friday afternoon and made our way up to Napa. We had no plans until dinner, but it was early enough to start our vacation off right by doing a little wine tasting. We decided just to pick a place along the way. I'd been to Cosentino a couple years back and really enjoyed this friendly, down-to-earth place that makes great wines both in my price range and beyond. So when we saw it, we pulled off the road to do our first tasting. The place was busy, but we still found a place at the long copper bar to taste some of their newest releases. I enjoyed everything we tasted, especially The Poet and the M Coz 2002 and 2003. I honestly think (though I don't begrudge them one bit) that they pour so generously for the tastings in hope that they will get you drunk enough to buy lots of wine or join the wine club. Anyway, it worked for us! And when the purchases had been completed, they poured us even more!!! (I forgot my camera, but here are pics from the web anyway.)



We then went quickly next door to the tasting room housing Napa Cellars and Folie a Deux, having been given coupons for free tastings there. These are pretty much everyday wines you can find at home, and though they were good, they didn't compare to the high-end reds we had just been tasting at Cosentino. The only stand-out was the Napa Cellars Chardonnay, which was surprisingly good. I love the trend towards less oak in the California Chardonnays, and this was a tasty step in the right direction.

We drove all the way to the north end of the Valley to Calistoga, where we stayed at the Meadowlark B&B, the place where my in-laws stayed during a visit in 1988! It was on a beautiful piece of property with mountain views and a quiet mood. They keep huge Hanoverians that they breed and train on the property - one of which is 17 hands high! Wild turkeys also roam the property, providing some interesting entertainment. The breakfasts here were quite notably delicious.

We dined that evening at La Toque. La Toque offers only a 5 course fixed price menu for $98, with 2 or 3 choices at each course. Some have compared it to the French Laundry, and though I wouldn't go that far, there were some good dishes. The kitchen sent us out a few treats, one of which was a "foie gras corndog" - you gotta love it. We tasted some very nice fresh kampachi and a hearty warm tomato soup. The scallops were good, and the seared foie gras was excellent, but how can you really screw that up? A few of the courses I felt were rather lackluster (the turbot and the bass). Unfortunately, after tasting at two (liberally pouring) wineries in two hours, I was in no shape to take part in the wine pairings that La Toque is so famous for (some say they're the best in valley for wine pairing with food), so I can't comment on that. Overall, I think I'd spend the money and go see Thomas Keller. What I think did it for me was the rather stuffy and austere mood in the dining room - almost like everyone was so serious about food that they forgot to have fun while they were eating it.

The next morning, we rose for our morning appointment at Stags' Leap Winery (not to be confused with Stag's Leap Wine Cellars - note the position of the very important apostrophe). It was a gorgeous drive out, and we were ushered into the dining room of a large house for our tasting. There were 9 people including us in the group, and our guide regaled us with the fascinating story of the winery, the grounds, and the families that have lived there. It was nice to actually sit down to taste - much more relaxed. The grounds were gorgeous and quiet - I could have spent hours there. I'm not sure what it is about vineyards that are so relaxing - maybe the orderliness of the rows, the meticulous caretaking that goes on. Whatever it is, I love it.

We tasted some excellent Cabernet at Silver Oak next, which, due to a recent fire, is holding tastings in a rather unattractive trailer. The wines were still excellent, however - we had the 2002 Napa Valley and the 2003 Alexander Valley. Yum.

We stopped by the Oakville Grocery to pick up some sandwiches and snacks for lunch. It was crazy crowded, but lunch was great. Of note - they have an excellent olive bar. Also really good spicy salsa and guacamole.

Our next stop was right next door at Opus One. The winery seems to rise out of the earth like something in a sci-fi movie, and the architecture is modern yet classic at the same time. At $30 per taste, this was a splurge. But we tasted both the '02 and the '03. I am quite sure this was the most high-end wine I've ever put in my mouth. I preferred the '02, but both were fantastic as we sipped them on the upper terrace overlooking the vineyards.





We continued on to St. Supery. By this time we were all a bit wined-out, but we still managed to enjoy their excellent Sauvignon Blanc, Virtu, and Cabernets.

For dinner that night, we hit Wappo Bar and Bistro in Calistoga. It was a cozy, small restaurant with a much more relaxed mood and fun atmosphere compared to the evening before - aided particularly by the large double magnum that a nearby table was polishing off. The menu is quite ethnically varied, which usually makes loud alarm bells go off in my head, but it had come recommended, so I kept an open mind. There was Hawaiian poke, French cassoulet, Moroccan tagines, Thai curry, osso bucco. Hmmm. I took a risk and ordered the poke, which actually was more Mexican in style - with jalapenos and avocados, almost a ceviche, but pretty good. I then ordered a tagine with roasted vegetables, lamb kofte, couscous, and harissa sauce, which was also good.

The next morning, we drove to Schramsberg for a tour and tasting. Schramsberg is one of the more notable producers of American sparkling wine and is famous for being the bubbly frequently poured at state dinners and important hooplas at the White House. Our tour guide (whose second job is stand-up comedy - no joke) told us the story of the people and the place, keeping us interested and laughing. He led us through the dark Schramsberg caves, where they age their wine for years before releasing it. The caves were dark and cool and just a bit creepy, with cobwebs falling from the ceiling and a heavy air of history hanging about. We ended the tour in a small room of the cave lit with candelabra and a beautiful table set with champagne flutes and the various wines. We did our tastings here in this dramatic setting. We tasted the 2004 Blanc de Blanc, the '99 J Schram, the Brut Rose, and the 2000 Reserve. Was blown away, especially by the J. Schram and the Reserve. This was definitely my favorite place of the weekend, and it's making me rethink my Veuve Clicquot loyalties.





We had lunch at a forgettable Italian place in Calistoga, with some very basic pizza and pasta. We went on to visit Joseph Phelps, another producer of famous Napa Cabs. Well, if nothing else, this place had some of the most beautiful grounds I've seen. The wines weren't bad either, of course the Cabernet and the stellar Insignia being the highlights. But I think almost anything would taste good while looking at this view.



We ended at Freemark Abbey, partaking in an unusual vertical tasting of 3 different cabs of different vintages. Also good, but I was out of steam by then.

We did visit Dean and DeLuca twice while we were there - a place I could browse in for hours at a time. I bought a delicious TK (read: Thomas Keller) Oreo cookie at the bakery, fresh in from Bouchon.

We had the best dinner of the trip that night at Terra. The dining room walls are hewn stone, giving it a rustic atmosphere, but the mood was festive. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu, taking lots of time to make sure we understood the components of each dish. I chose the hamachi sashimi starter, which was excellent - generous slabs of fresh, flavorful fish dressed lightly in a vinaigrette and garnished with radish and a small green caviar. Beautiful. I also tasted the beef carpaccio, which was very good, and the lobster chowder with sweet corn, which was in the top 5 soups I've ever tasted. Great lobster flavor in the soup, and whole kernels of sweet corn bursting in the mouth. For the entree, I chose (surprise, surprise) the broiled black cod with accompanying shrimp dumplings. It was phenomenal, perfectly cooked. I had a couple glasses of a syrupy chardonnay that complemented the meal very well. Finally, I had the maccha green tea pannacotta with fresh strawberries. Another perfectly executed, interesting, and wonderful course. We had a bottle of 2004 Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc with dessert, toasting mom and dad's 45 years of marriage. A fitting end to a wonderful weekend.

Go Rockies!!

Congrats to the Rockies for their playoff sweep and the chance to play the World Series. I freely admit that I don't follow sports of any kind, but it's hard not to get caught up in the frenzy that has enveloped our city. My sister, a former psychology major in college, sent me this very interesting article about being a sports fan.

It's a good read. I'm definitely BIRGing.

Not about food - random funny stuff

My sister, while she was in town, directed us to two funny commercials posted on YouTube. Enjoy!

Sistahs!

My sister came to visit me this past weekend. Even though I don't think we look much alike, I know we are related because of two things. First, even my mom sometimes can't tell us apart on the phone because our voices sound so similar. (Though with the advent of caller ID, we now seldom have the opportunity to play tricks on her anymore...) And second, we are both helplessly addicted to food. We love talking about it, eating it, making it, shopping for it, and dreaming about it. We talk about restaurants, ethnic cuisine, cooking at home, kitchen appliances, farmers markets. We travel all over the world just for food. And whenever we're together, the first thing we plan is our meals.

She is a long time fan of Sushi Den, so that was definitely on our itinerary. We had some incredible toro (of course) and other great sushi while seated at a two-top next to the window. We also had a tasty and spicy brunch at Lola, where they had just rolled out a new menu. The breakfast tacos, though not particularly authentic, were to die for. The weather was not particularly good this weekend, so we stayed home and made a cozy, hearty split pea soup with ham for one of our meals. Then we made homemade strawberry ice cream so that I could convince her that she needed her own ice cream maker for when we go to her place for Thanksgiving. (I'm dreaming of all the possible ice cream flavors already...)

It would have been a shame for her to visit without taking her to Frasca, but I had tried to get reservations without any luck. We hiked Mt. Sanitas one afternoon, trying to work off the buttery fatty tuna we had previously consumed, and while we were in Boulder, we decided to take our chances finding a walk-in spot. Not having planned ahead, we weren't quite dressed for dinner at such a fine establishment, but a quick trip to Ann Taylor Loft and the mall restrooms remedied the situation - so fun! We walked into Frasca, expecting to be seated at the bar, but were instead informed of a late cancellation - a table was available! We were seated next to the Salumi Bar - a prime location for watching the preparation of beautiful plates of cured meats and lovely, mouthwatering desserts. We immediately noticed the beautiful pear tart that sat unassumingly just a yard away, tantalizing us all through the meal.

We ordered the Livio Felluga Tocai Friulano 2006, a bottle recommended by the sommelier. Though my sister, Mr. M, and I all have different taste in wine, this bottle was a crowd-pleaser. We all loved it - it was spicy, apple-y, and big but balanced. Yum. We enjoyed the frico caldo, then each ordered an appetizer. We split all three - the creamy polenta with heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, and dill; the montasio cheese flan with salsa verde and escolar conserva; and ricotta and sage ravioli with sweet corn and brown butter. All were quite good, but the ravioli was the hands-down favorite.

For our entrees, we did the same thing, sharing all three. We had the Parmesan risotto with rabbit and corn, the roasted leg of lamb, and the sliced pork leg with fingerling potatoes, onions, and pears. To drink, we had the Renato Ratti 2005 Barbera, quite good as well. Again, all the entrees were good, with the favorite being the sliced pork leg - a variation on the same dish I had at my last visit, with pears instead of peaches. We recommended it to the couple sitting next to us, and both of them ordered it (though we left before their entrees came - I hope they enjoyed it too!)

Our dinner ended with a slice of the perfect poached pear frangipane tart with vanilla frozen yogurt and a dusting of white chocolate. Incredibly good. The frozen yogurt was a great accompaniment, its tang complementing the sweetness just right. A couple seated at the salumi bar asked for our impression, and we gave it rave reviews. Hope they enjoyed it too.

Frasca approaches what is for me the perfect restaurant. The service is impeccable and a perfect balance between casualness and professionalism. The atmosphere is understated classy - it feels like a special meal, but it's also a place where you can chat with those seated near you and ask what's good. The wine I've had there is consistently fantastic (though I don't really have the budget to explore the breadth of the wine list). And the food. Well, that goes without saying.

I am still thinking of that meal and will continue to for a long time - not only tof he great food and wine, but also the experience of sharing it with two of the people I love most in this world. There's nothing that can match that in my book.

My sister's coming back to town for Christmas - do you think they're taking reservations for December yet?

In need of bionic eyes

We met another couple for dinner at Il Posto last night. I haven't heard great things about this place, yet it's packed every night! We decided to see for ourselves.

We were seated at the high table by the window. It was a beautiful night, the window was open - loved sitting there. We ordered a bottle of Barbera and chatted until the waiter came over to explain the menu. The menu was written in miniscule print on a very dimly lit chalkboard high up on the wall on the other side of the room. The waiter went over the menu briefly, giving a few recommendations, but once he left it was impossible to read the menu. I asked for a printed menu but was told there were none available. Giving up, we decided just to order what he had recommended.

Most but not all of his recommendations were quite good. We had a crespelline filled with ricotta and caramelized onions - excellent, as well as the stuffed calamari - very good - to start. For the pasta course, we all split the gnocchi with arugula/pistachio pesto and the pappardelle with sausage ragu and oyster mushrooms - both just okay. I ordered the duck, which was very good, and Mr. M enjoyed the black cod. I was stuffed after this, but Mr. M ordered dessert - some sort of squash bread pudding recommended by the waiter that I really didn't like.

All in all, we had a great time with our friends, spending a leisurely 3 hours over dinner on a beautiful night at a great table. But the food was hit or miss, and the menu thing really bugged me. There are too many great restaurants in town - I don't think I'll be back here. At least not for the food.

Bottomless Mimosas? If you insist...

I'm not sure what this says about us (are we really old?), but Mr. M and I love Sunday brunch. We love sleeping in, only getting out of bed when we damn well feel like it, then lazily throwing on some clothes, driving to a restaurant, and letting someone else cook for us, wait on us, and then clean up after us. It seems like the ultimate luxury...

This Sunday we decided to try the new brunch menu at Tula in Cherry Creek. Former home to Papillon, Go Fish Grille, Indigo, and others, Tula is actually my favorite rendition of this space - in both atmosphere and food.

The waitress managed to twist our arms into ordering bottomless mimosas ($7). All of a sudden, we were having a great time!! We ordered the Southwestern Corn Bread - a heavenly combination of sweet, spicy, and savory - mmmm. I had Mexican Eggs, served with a mole enchilada and guacamole. Mr. M had the cleverly named "Green Eggs and Lamb". Both were awesome. Very good. I think. Best I can remember. I really liked the mimosas...

There's a new fish house in town...

Mr. M and I decided to splurge on a midweek date night - dinner and a show. Having heard the raves about Oceanaire recently, we decided to check out their fixed price pre-theater menu. We had tix to the 6:30 showing of "You Can't Take It With You" at the DCPA, so we showed up at Oceanaire bright and early at 5 o'clock. The restaurant is a fish house, but a classy, art-deco, white tablecloth kind of fish house. A row of semi-circular high-backed booths look out over the main dining room, and we were seated in one of these. I loved being able to people-watch as we looked over the menu, sipping on a couple of lovely Sidecars to get us in a celebratory mood.

The pre-theater menu is served from 5-6:30. For $30, you pick 3 courses from a limited selection off the menu. I had a very nice chopped salad followed by a very fresh and perfectly cooked stuffed Dover sole. Mr. M had a bowl of clam chowder and the fish and chips. The portions were generous, and everything was quite good except for the fried fish Mr. M ordered - the batter was mysteriously lacking in salt or flavor. We had a forgettable chocolate mousse and creme brulee for dessert. I won't hold those things against them though, as what I really care about is the fresh fish, which they seem to have plenty of! The regular menu looks fantastic - not cheap, but very tempting. We had the check in plenty of time to walk across the street for the show, but we'll definitely be back another time when we can afford to linger.

BTW, the show was excellent. Go see it before it's over!

Falafel and Friends

A small group of us went to Jerusalem (on Evans down by DU) for dinner last night. We sat on the screened-in patio while stuffing our faces with good Middle Eastern food that comes out almost a moment after you ordered it. Loads of fresh pita bread accompany the meals, and mine (the vegetarian combo) was a smorgasbord of hummus, babaganoush, taboulleh, falafel, rice, fries, stuffed grape leaves, and fatouch salad. YUM! We finished the meal with a decadent honey-soaked baklava. Heavenly. I think overall I prefer Damascus (on South Colorado) because of it's incredible hummus. But Jerusalem is pretty good too.

A Fall Getaway

Mr. M and I took a much-needed romantic getaway to the mountains last week. We headed out of Denver mid-day, heading out I-70 before turning south at Copper Mountain. We drove through Leadville, Twin Lakes, and over Independence Pass towards Aspen, where we were staying 2 nights at the famed Hotel Jerome. The fall colors were spectacular along the way, especially around the Twin Lakes and Independence Pass areas.

Aspen was pretty sleepy and quiet while we were there - everyone said it was "off-season", though with the beautiful fall color and gorgeous perfect weather, I'm not quite sure why. We dined that evening at The Wild Fig, joining only a few other people in the restaurant. Though there weren't many folks there, the dining room is cozy, intimate, and warm. It's really a romantic spot. Though our food (lobster linguini for Mr. M; Wild Fig salad followed by Clams and Chorizo for me) was good, it wasn't great, but we thoroughly enjoyed the evening anyway with the aid of a lovely wine called Atteca Old Vines 2005 (100% grenacha, Spain). I highly recommend.

The next morning, I did the most beautiful bike ride I've ever done. Though I was definitely feeling the effects of the altitude while pedaling up this road, it really helps when the views look like this:






This was, of course, Maroon Creek Road, a 12-mile climb from Aspen up to the incredible Maroon Bells. This is the view that greets you at the top:




Not bad, eh?

And the descent was as exhilarating as the views.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon at the Hotel Jerome pool. We were quite impressed with the hotel and would definitely stay here again.

To make up for our taxing, calorie-burning bike ride, we drove to Carbondale to visit Six89 that evening. Eating at this quaint place off Main Street almost feels like you are having dinner in someone's home - the dining area is all broken up into smaller rooms. This is a place that is nice (white tablecloths and imaginative food) yet doesn't take itself too seriously - a refreshing trait. They were having an off-season fixed price menu that was a fantastic deal - $26.89 gets you a small plate appetizer, a large plate entree, and dessert of your choice, anything off the menu!! I had an app of slow-cooked lamb shoulder with chevre agnolotti - wintry and rich, and a roasted halibut entree. Mr. M had a great spinach salad with sauteed wild mushrooms, and the filet of beef (of course). We sampled Riesling, Viognier, and Zinfandel by-the-glass, and by the time dessert rolled around, we were feeling merry. I topped the meal off with Hot and Spicy Ginger Beignets with dark chocolate ganache - yum! This was Mr. M's favorite meal of the trip.

The next day, we packed up and headed back towards Glenwood Springs, where we rode the Glenwood Canyon Bike Trail - an 18 mile ride from Glenwood Springs that runs along the river through the canyon to the other side. It's a beautiful ride on a paved bike path, with rest stops sprinkled conveniently every few miles.





We checked in at The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera, and immediately I wished I never had to leave. Our room and patio looked out to a beautiful quiet valley, tucked away behind the Beaver Creek/Edwards area and bursting with bright fall color. It was probably the most relaxing place I've ever been, and we'll definitely be making it a fall tradition to come back here every year. I swam in the pool overlooking this view and seriously thought I was in heaven.

We had dinner at Dish in Edwards. I've heard so much about this place and had really looked forward to trying it. We looked over the daily-changing menu while sipping a glass of bubbly and snacking on the tasty parmesan-truffle popcorn that's brought to every table. We decided to have the oft-discussed 7-course chef tasting menu for $40 per person. Our meal involved:
1. a slice of manchego and serrano ham served with a shot of sherry - a good start
2. a wonderfully thick and hearty five onion and potato soup - really good
3. a savory bread pudding with wild mushrooms, garlic, and truffle oil - pretty good
4. a roasted japanese eggplant with tomato sauce and white cheddar - not my fave. Mr. M said the tomato sauce tasted like Chef Boyardee (though I'm sure it wasn't). never a good sign.
5. spicy boiled crawfish - just ok. rather boring actually, for anyone who's ever had boiled crawfish regularly. and a couple of the crawfish had already gone off. at this point, my opinion of the meal and of the restaurant was that it was disappointing overall.
(A side note - we hit a really low point here, as our server told us we were done and that it was time for dessert. She even brought us our coffee and everything. I finally got up the nerve - again, I'm always a chicken about these things - to tell her that had we ordered each of the above off the menu, it would have amounted to $28 rather than the $40 they were supposedly charging us. She looked confused for a moment, and I offered her an out by supposing that maybe these portions had been bigger? Yes, that was it, she assured me. Five minutes later, she arrived back at our table explaining that she had made a mistake and there were still a few courses to come. I must have lost count, she said. I'm still not sure what happened here. Nevertheless, she then brought out the star of the evening...)
6. a pan-seared piece of fish served on a Asian-style soba salad and green onions. FANTASTIC. Truly great. Our server said it was sea bass, but it's really funny - this fish I'm sure was black cod. (If you've read my earlier post from Fruition, you'll see the irony in this situation...) This was the only dish that we were served that wasn't on the menu, though there was another black cod dish on the menu that evening. Anyway, this dish was so good that it redeemed the whole meal.
7. a buffalo sausage with a spicy bbq sauce. by this time, i was full, and i wasn't expecting this course. it was just okay to me.
8. cheesecake with homemade strawberry sauce. again, too full by now, but it was good, not great.

Overall, I'd say Dish didn't quite meet my expectations. Atmosphere-wise, it actually is pretty great - energetic, hip, and funky without being too noisy. But if I had it to do over again, I'd just go order what I wanted off the menu. I guess I thought that a chef's tasting menu would get you stuff that wasn't on the menu, but I guessed wrong, and if that's the case, I might as well pick out my own courses. I was also disappointed in the service and the snafu of cutting the meal short 3 courses before the end. I'll never know what would have happened had I not mentioned something to the server. Some of the food was so good that I'll have to go back and try it again, but this time, I'll be ordering for myself.

We splurged and ordered room service on our last morning of our mini-vacation, eating on the porch and looking out at the incredible view while wrapped in our comfy robes. I am sad to return home, but I wouldn't trade these past few days with my husband for anything.

Se habla espanol?

Mr. M and I have just recently discovered the joy of biking in our beautiful state of Colorado, and today we decided to attempt our first real climb. We drove out to Golden to ride up Lookout Mountain's Lariat Loop Road. I don't even think we actually thought we'd make it to the top, but we ended up doing it without even stopping! Not bad for first-timers, I'd say, though it was rather embarrassing to be passed so many times by so many people at such great speed on our ascent.

Anyway, after a hair-raising descent back down to the car, we were feeling pretty good about ourselves, but also quite hungry. We got back in the car and headed back to town on Hwy 6, looking for a place to eat.

I'd always wanted to try El Taco de Mexico, with numerous people claiming that it's some of the most authentic Mexican food in town. It happened to be right on our way home, at Santa Fe and 7th.

The actual restaurant is not a place for atmosphere. It's rather confusing how it all works when you go in - there's a long counter, but no real line or ordering station. I'm not convinced that any of the employees speak English (a place after my own heart). Eventually we placed our order, then opted to sit outside rather than in the small crowded seating area inside.

If you've ever been to Mexico, you'll know what I'm talking about when I say that eating on the street is exciting. The sights and sounds and smells, the knowledge that some of the very tastiest eats are being made right there in front of you. At the same time, it's not unlike playing Russian roulette. You never know what kind of "excitement" will be later afflicting your bowels. But some of the best tacos you'll ever taste will be the ones sold on the street.

For lunch, I tried tacos of 3 types - asada, carnitas, and lengua (tongue, for the uninitiated). All were very tasty - the type of taco you get on a street corner in Mexico, not at Taco Bell. The lengua was surprisingly my favorite - very tender and juicy. All tacos were priced under $2. Many of the other patrons were eating smothered burritos - I'll have to try those on the next visit.

So, if you're looking for a place to eat when arriving back from the mountains, stop by! It's fabulous that we can eat Mexican street food right here in Denver, and WITHOUT the "excitement."

A new toy!

I've wanted a Kitchen Aid mixer for a long time. I've dreamed about the beautiful shiny appliance sitting on my counter, like a piece of artwork - a sculpture really. I dream that when I'm old, I'll treasure it like a trusted and faithful friend, a companion in my lifelong quest to eat well.

I finally bought one on a whim the other day (if you can call wanting it for 7 years a whim...) when I was aimlessly shopping on Amazon. I picked the chrome finish, then anxiously awaited its arrival.

Two days later, I pulled it out of its box and admired it. Wanting to put it to use right away, I perused the contents of my fridge, trying to think of something to make without having to go to the store.

I decided to improvise and make a cheesecake loosely based on another recipe I had. I had a half a box of gingersnaps in the pantry, so I decided to use them for the crust rather than the usual graham crackers (which I didn't have). And I've made this with fresh blueberries in the past, but strawberries would have to do today. And I thought a lemon would be a nice touch.

To make the crust, I whizzed about 50 gingersnaps (I even counted for you...) in my Cuisinart, then mixed them with a whole stick (but who's counting?) of melted butter. I pressed it into the bottom of a 10-inch springform. I then washed, dried, stemmed, and chopped a pound of fresh strawberries, laying them over the crust in the pan. Finally, I zested one lemon over the top of the strawberries, then laid the lemon aside. I stuck the pan in the fridge to chill while I made the filling.

I threw 2 blocks (1 lb) of room-temp Philadelphia cream cheese (full-fat variety and all!) into the silver bowl of my new toy. I added a 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 eggs plus one yolk, and the juice of the zested lemon. With great anticipation, I started the mixer and let it do its beautiful work. Easy, easy, peasy.

I dumped the cream cheese mixture over the top of the fruit in the pan, spreading it to cover evenly. I baked it at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

While it was heating, I mixed 1 cup of sour cream with a dollop of vanilla. After the cheesecake was done, I increased the oven heat to 450, poured the sour cream topping over it, and baked it an additional 5 minutes. I then removed it from the oven and let it cool on the counter until I could chill it in the fridge.

This improvised recipe turned out quite nicely (especially according to Mr. M, who still has not claimed personal responsibility for the entire half of the cheesecake that was missing when I came home from work.) Though I like cheesecake of any kind, my preference definitely tends toward the more creamy and soft ones instead of the drier, cake-y ones, and this one definitely fits the bill. Enjoy!