Mango-Strawberry Compote

This simple compote is tangy and sweet with just the right amount of spice to give into my endless love for chiles.

You need:

-1 cup sliced strawberries

-1 mango, cubed

-1 cinnamon stick

-2 cloves

-2 allspice berries

-1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

-1 pinch of Cayenne pepper

-1 shot of Kalhua

-1/3 cup of Sugar

-1 shot of agave nectar

-1/2 cup water

-Pinch of salt

Heat all of ingredients in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Once the mixture comes to a slight simmer on the edges of the pan, remove from heat and cover. If you overheat the strawberries they lose their color and become grey and mushy. Let this covered mixture cool until it comes to room temperature and then serve. I paired this dessert with a tart filled with Creme Patissiere but you can ladle it over Greek yogurt or bread pudding. Cheers!

The Absolute Best Bolognese

Bolognese sauce is a true taste of what constitutes the elegance of European cuisine. The soffritto(or as the French call it, Mirepoix) is the Holy Trinity in Bolognese; Carrots, Onions, and Celery. This rather simple recipe is a fabulous way to warm up a chilly December night. This recipe serves 2.

You need:

-1 carrot, chopped

-1 celery stalk, chopped

-1 onion, chopped

-Olive Oil

-1/2 C. Pancetta, chopped

-5 Tbs. Tomato Paste

-1/2 C. White Wine

-Salt Pepper to taste

Start by melting the pancetta in a dash of olive oil, once the fat has separated from the meat, throw in your Soffritto/Mirepoix and sweat the vegetables. Crank up the heat to high and rapidly stir in your tomato paste until it starts to stick slightly to the bottom of the sauce pot. Before letting the mixture burn, deglaze the pot with the wine being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat to a slow simmer and cover allowing the sauce to cook for at least an hour. Add water if necessary and when ready serve the sauce over pasta.

I like to add a ladle of the starchy pasta water to my sauce to thicken it slightly if too thin. I always add my Parmesean on the noodles first so that the heat melts the cheese. The top of this pasta is enhanced with crushed Aleppo pepper. Enjoy!

Cranberry Panna Cotta

Hello Autumn! This recipe is relatively easy and a fun alternative to casual Panna Cotta. It's an inspired alternative to Pumpkin Pie. This recipe serves 3.

You need:

Panna Cotta

-1 Cup Heavy Cream

-1 Cup Greek Yogurt

-1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

-1T. Sugar

-Pinch of Salt

-1tsp. Gelatin (powdered)

-Vegetable Oil

-Mint springs for Garnish

Cranberry Sauce:

-1 cup fresh Cranberries

-1/3 Cup Sugar

-1/2 Cup Port Wine

-Squeeze of Lemon

Start by heating the cream, yogurt, vanilla, sugar and salt in a small sauce pan, stir constantly so as not to scald the cream. Meanwhile bloom the gelatin in a small amount of cold water. Once the cream mixture comes to a soft simmer remove from heat and let cool gradually, whisk in the gelatin. Using the vegetable oil, grease your Panna Cotta molds with the oil so they glide out easily once the cream sets. Pour the cream into the molds and then move to the refrigerator for at least three hours.

For the cranberries start by heating all the ingredients in a sauce pan until they simmer on low heat. Let this mixture seep on low heat for ten minutes before letting it come to room temperature.

Once ready to serve, turn the molds over onto a dessert plate and using a knife gently work the Panna Cotta out of their molds. Grace the molds with sauce and berries and garnish with mint or almonds.

Nopalito: Sustainable Organic Bullshit

The beauty in Mexican food is through its unpretentious nature and simplicity. The common trend in the restaurant industry is a "fresh" take on classical dishes. Leave it to a San Franciscan to contort Mexican street food into a Gringo's mess.

Nestled in the NOPA district of San Francisco, Nopalito looks promising upon the initial glance; a simple motif without profuse decorations adorning the walls, emphasizing the architecture of the concrete patio. The grey tones with a pop of cactus green compliment the idea of street food against the wooden table tops. But Heath ceramics and terra-cotta coffee mugs can only go so far.

I started with a Michelada, which is a tomato spiced beer, similar to a Bloody Mary. The hint of orange was the only solace that I could find on the first sip, the jalapeno was far too strong to be refreshing and left me begging for more agua.

My food arrived promptly and I dug into the Panucho de Pollo al Pibil. The panucho was stuffed with black beans and the texture complimented the crunchiness of its fried masa encasing. The chicken al Pibil on the other hand, lacked any sort of flavor that the title "Pibil" ought to live up to.

Weak in the traditional

achiote paste normally used to spice the chicken, I found myself dumping pinches of salt all over the dish.

The Taquitos de Papas con Rajas were just as uninspiring as the preceding dish. I enjoyed the natural starch flavor in the potatoes, but when Rajas were emphasized, I expected much more of that subtle smokey pasilla flavor. It looked tasty with the fresh guacamole and bountiful amount of cotija cheese smothering the taquitos, but was mediocre in taste.

At the end of my meal I was left wanting more, not feeling quite as fulfilled as I would have felt having gone to the local taco truck in Mission for half the price. If I do go back, I will be sure to check out the Mezcal cocktails; if they can pull off the never ending challenge of properly mixing the smokey Mezcal it would be a last glimmer of hope.

Nopalito Website

Pork Tenderloin in Shallot Chipotle Sauce with Jalapeno Polenta

A constant theme in my cuisine is the reoccurrence of chiles and I believe that I cook this way because that is how I grew up - spitting fire with chiles at nearly every meal. This dish is my modernist take on Southwestern cuisine. A chipotle pepper is a smoked Jalapeno, which when combined with it's unsmoked base (in the polenta), makes an exquisite contrast.

You need:

For the Pork Tenerloin:

-Pork Loin

-Salt/Pepper

- 1tsp. Ground Chipotle Pepper

-1/2 tsp. Coriander

-1 Minced Shallot

-1/4 Cup Dry Red Wine (Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon)

-1/2 tsp. Sugar

-Butter

Start by making a rub with the dry ingredients and roll the pork in the mixture. Sear the pork in foaming butter until done to your liking, I prefer 140 degrees. Make sure to blacken the pork skin on all sides, being sure to roll it on all sides. Remove the pork and let it rest in a warm spot covered by foil. Using the same pan cook the shallots in the juices adding more butter if needed. Once translucent, add the red wine and flambé. Add the sugar and reduce until thick enough to coat the pork.

For the Jalapeno Polenta:

-Polenta

-Boiling water

-Butter

-1/4 cup Shaved Parmesan

-1/2 tsp. Dried Jalapenos

-1/4 cup milk

Follow the instructions for the basic cooking quantities and time for polenta, but before adding the corn-meal add your jalapenos and butter and cook for 30 seconds. Once thick enough add the cheese and thin with milk as needed.

For this dish I used blanched Swiss chard as my the accompanying greens, but you can use spinach or green beans.

Larb Proper.

Hey midwesterners! Yes, I'm speaking directly to you. Asian is not only take out Chinese, it's fresh and beautiful - and perhaps, Thai. There's a Northern Thai salad called Larb Gai that is splendid in it's freshness, bold spice and tangy flavor. I recommend serving this as a light dinner or an appetizer as it is painless to make. You can substitute chicken for duck, pork, beef, fish... be daring, try something new.

You need:

-1 lb. Minced/Ground chicken breast

-1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

-1 clove of garlic, minced

-3 green onions, sliced

-1 red onion, chopped

-1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped

-Fresh chili's, preferably Thai

-Juice of one lime

-1 tb. Thai fish sauce

Start by cooking the chicken over medium heat until it is white, the water in the chicken will release, drain most of it. Removing the chicken from the heat source add the fish sauce, garlic and lime juice. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss lightly, refraining from wilting and mashing the fresh leaves. Serve immediately, the salad should be warm, not hot.

Mesa Grill -Las Vegas

Celebrity chefs are somewhat of a spectacle, parading around the TV screen, screaming obscenities at their minions, making doughnut-burgers and preaching that the average midwesterner can make a meal in 30-minutes. Bullshit.

I was reluctant to place a phone call to Caesar's Palace to book reservations at Chef Bobby Flay's Southwestern restaurant, Mesa Grill. Despite the glamour of Las Vegas I imagine bacteria ridden buffets, clinking fanny packs and bloated Elvis, not great food.

The interior of the restaurant is exciting, inviting but not so overwhelming that you cannot enjoy your meal. Our table, closest to the kitchen, overlooked a scene that was serene and well in order with itself. The cooks on the line were calmly calling orders and grilling meats over well kindled flames, which is exactly how you would want a well mannered kitchen to be.

Our appetizer, The Blue Corn Pancake, graced our table as we sipped Mesa's house Margaritas. The wafting scent of Anise sauce and barbecued duck was the perfect addition to the thin crepe-like bread encasing it. Well balanced and savory this teaser comes highly recommended.

Next on the ticket was the New Mexican Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, a gastronomic work of art. Three pieces of pig cooked to delicate perfection were sauced with the smoky wholeness of Ancho chili. Accompanied by the sweet potato tamale garnished with pecan butter, this dish was a well balanced concoction of sweet and savory.

My angst towards celebrity chefs vanquished, I can hope to eat just as well in the future at their godlike restaurants.

Website.

The Other White Pinot

Pinot Blanc shouldn't exist, but it does and I am going to embrace it with a bear hug here in California. Chardonnay is the cream of the crop here in the northern part of the state; it is easy to drink, reliably buttery, crisp and it is also tiring to the point of exhaustion. Looking for something new, Nick and I took the cellars of Hayes Valley looking for just that. At first glance this "Pinot Blanc" looked a bit off, a hybrid that seemed too "experimental" to the habitual American White Wine drinker.

Pinot Blanc does indeed flourish in eastern France and is highly sought after in Central Europe. The Pinot Noir grape mutated to transform itself to Pinot Gris and eventually Pinot Blanc. Recognized since the 19th Century, vintners in Alsace and Burgundy have produced this delicate grape appeasing the palettes of it's consumers. Pinot Blanc has been ignored in California due to its lack of pomp and glamour that its competitor Chardonnay dominates. Pinot Blanc has a finesse and airy mineral appeal that I greatly appreciate in French whites. Chardonnay can often be too buttery and overaged in oak barrels destroying the delicate nature of the grape.

If you happen to chance upon a bottle of pinot blanc take pleasure in pairing it with white fish, or butter based chicken dishes, or even a Sunday Brunch.

Aloo Gobi

Aloo Gobi is an Indian dish meaning Potatoes Cauliflower in Hindi. This recipe is nice and may seem simple, but it is pretty tiresome to make. Meg, ca c'est pour toi.

You need:

-3 large potatoes, diced in large chunks

-1 head of cauliflower, broken and de-stalked

-1 bunch of cilantro, stems separated from leaves

-1 large onion, diced

-1/2 inch of ginger, chopped

-2 tomatoes, diced

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-Ghee butter/ Oil (if you have no ghee)

-1tsp. cumin seeds

-2tsp. tumeric

-3tsp. chili powder

-Salt/Pepper

-2tsp. Garam Masala

Start by sweating your onion in the ghee, once translucent, add the cumin seed to the onions until fragrant or "bloomed." Meanwhile chop your cilantro stems into small pieces and then add them to the onions. Add the turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Once "bloomed," toss in the tomatoes and allow their juices to flow. Next add the ginger and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes and add the cauliflower and potato chunks being sure to coat the spicy mixture on the chunks. Add 3/4 cup of water and allow this mixture to simmer for 30 minutes on low heat. Aloo Gobi is best served on the drier side, but still moist enough to taste the curried sauce. At the end of the twenty minutes turn off the heat and add the garam masala and any salt you may need. Finish the dish with the brightness of the green cilantro leaves.

Brussels Sprouts in Mustard and Parm

Every so often my body goes into a mad frenzy for some random food item that is so nonchalantly common, my craving seems rather boring. Brussels Sprouts over booze? At least one is cheaper than the other. Here's my take on these mini wild cabbages. This recipe serves two people for an appetizer.

You need:

-20 Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and cleaned

-Salt/Pepper

-Shaved Parmesan Cheese

-1 tbs. Granular Mustard

-Pinch of Nutmeg

-1 tbs. butter

Start by steaming your brussels sprouts for 5-6 minutes. I use a bamboo steamer that I picked up in China Town, this is by far one of my best purchases for the kitchen. Vegetables are cooked in a timely manner and the heat is so controlled, the only way to overcook something is by forgetting it. You could also boil them. Next heat the butter until it is foaming, add the nutmeg, salt and pepper and the mustard. Heat this mixture until it becomes fragrant. Toss in the brussels sprouts and coat them evenly by using the "stir fry" technique. Remove from the heat source and plate accordingly finishing the garnish of shaved parmesan.

Terrible Beer

My latest gastronomic guilty pleasure is a beer straight out of Quebec - Unibroue's La Terrible. Fanning through the aisles of beer in the liquor store can be frankly uninspiring when it comes to trying something new, and when it comes to darker brews, I normally opt for the classic Guinness. This deliciously dark bottle caught my eye when I noted the shimmering silver letters reading "Terrible."

Upon the first pour a thick black beer filled my glass and an airy brown head settled atop. This foam dissipated much too quickly for my liking, but the flavors made up for any fault in a lack of texture. Notes of dark chocolate, Tellicherry peppercorns, molasses, and cloves filled my palette accordingly. Reminiscent to a stout this ale is rich in flavor and the perfect alternative to a slice of chocolate cake for dessert. At 10.5% alcohol this brew is sure to entice the drinker and well worth the $10 spent.

And what's more, saying it with a Quebecois accent, "tear-eee-bleh" makes the experience that much more enjoyable.

Vinturi for Oenophiles

Hey there fellow oenophiles! A welcomed Christmas gift this year was the alternative to the decanter -The Vinturi. This is a breakthrough device that allows air to pass through the wine in a balanced, not over bloomed manner. The sleek design of the handheld filtration system is ideal for by-the-glass occasions. The whirring sound of liquid passing through the tubes is reminiscent to that of a toilet, and well worth the oooh's and awes of your guests.

From a taste perspective, this device is essential to the art of wine tasting. Sampling a filtered glass next to one that hasn't been passed through The Vinturi is like tasting two different wines. I have even attempted to make a shitty wine better by aerating it through the filter, which sometimes works!

The one let down is that it's somewhat of a mess if you can't get your pour precise as wine dribbles out the two air holes on either side of the apparatus.

Gluwein for The Holidays

Gluwein is a winter treat and a great way to endure the tortures of the Holiday Season. My family serves this and it's such a simple recipe, but so perfect on a cold night.

You need:

-1 bottle of cheap red wine

-1 orangle, sliced in rounds

-2 cloves

-4 bay leaves

-5 black pepper corns

-1 pinch of cinnamon

-dash of port wine

-sugar to taste

Pour the wine into a pot and put the heat on low. Add all of your ingredients and let the mixture heat. DO NOT LET IT BOIL or else all of the alcohol evaporates and that's no fun, now is it? Once you see steam rising, you know the mixture is warm enough to serve.

No, I didn't do the photography for this page, but I wanted to express how bullshit it is that people actually feel the need to buy this easy mix. It's almost the same as buying margarita mix. Really?

Poulet a la biere

What's better than chicken braised in beer... sex? Peut-etre.

This feeds two people.

You need:

-Two boneless skinless chicken breasts

-1 shallot, minced

-Small crate of button mushrooms, quartered

-2 cups Chicken Stock

-1 1/2 Cups of Heavy Cream

-Salt/Pepper

-Butter

-1 bottle of Anchor Steam Beer (the real San Francisco Treat)

-1 dash of Brandy or Cognac

-Parsley

Start by sauteeing the shallots in butter until they are translucent. Next add your chicken breasts and sear them until they are golden on either side. Crank the heat up to full blast, add the Cognac and ignite. Shake the pan until the flames subside. Add your beer and stock and reduce the heat. Now quarter your mushrooms and slowly cook them in water, salt, and butter for eight minutes - the liquid should reach halfway up your mushrooms. Remove from heat and set aside. Let your chicken cook for twenty minutes on med-low heat. Once ready pour in your cream and mushrooms, let this mixture thicken to a sauce. Salt/Pepper and then serve!

Celebrity Chicken Tikka Masala

Celebrity chefs suck. They have taken an industry and turned it into a fantasy world where nothing is as it seems in the kitchen. Fellow Brit Gordon Ramsay has done one thing right though - Chicken Tikka Masala. I've taken his technique and tweeked it slightly.

Chicken Tikka Masala is not native to India, but more or less, inspired by India. The British were said to have manipulated a curry recipe creating a fusion food worthy of England. It's a beautiful combination of tomatoes, peppers, spices and yogurt.

You need:

-Two skinless boneless chicken breasts, chopped

-1 onion, sliced

-1 jalapeno, diced

-1 inch of ginger

-1 garlic clove

-1 tb. tumeric

-1 tb. garam masala

-1 tb. sugar

-1 tb. chili powder

-1 tb. tomato paste

-1 tomato, chopped

-5 bay leaves

-2 cups of yogurt

-Chopped Cilantro

- White Basmati Rice

-Oil/Ghee

Start by frying the onion, ginger and pepper together in the ghee, or oil if you can't get the smoked butter. This mixture is going to be blended so you don't need to be precise in your chopping sizes. Sautee this mixture until the onion is translucent. Next add your spices and sugar until they are "bloomed" or fragrant, not burnt. Next make a well in the center of your pan and add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes. Cooking tomato paste burns off the acidic potency. Put this mixture into the blender and make a sauce out of it while it's still hot. Meanwhile fry the chicken pieces until they are sealed and then cover in the spice sauce and bay leaves. Let this mixture simmer for five minutes before adding the yogurt. Let this cook until the chicken is fully cooked and serve with chopped cilantro... which I left out of my picture.

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Cooking Conundrums Solved at Ochef.com

Ochef is a website that has kept me enthralled for hours on end and I feel like it is time to pass it on. Who has the time to watch The Food Network anymore? Check out this site for any, and I mean every, question you have about cooking.

Ochef.

Happy problem solving!

Getting Medieval with Hypocras

Hypocras or Ypocras is a mulled wine from the middle ages and is a recipe that has been somewhat forgotten - at least forgotten enough so that it doesn't suit modern taste buds. My craving for Vin Chaud or mulled wine drove me into this crazy idea of making hippocras chez-moi. This hypocras has been mentioned in legends as a drink fit for kings and was a luxury good brought back with the Crusaders after they ravaged the Middle East. King Louis XIV was said to have highly appreciated this unique drink as did notorious serial killer and rapist Gilles de Rais.

You need:

-1.5 liters of robust red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot)

-2 tbs. Honey

-2 tbs. Sugar

-1 tbs. Cinnamon

-1 chunk of ginger

-15 black peppercorns

-Pinch of paprika

-Pinch of nutmeg

-10 cloves

-5 cardamon pods

-1/4 cup of Port Wine

-2 bay leaves

Start by crushing all of the spices in a mortar creating an even blend. Heat the liquid ingredients in a large pot on low flame until it starts to steam. DO NOT boil the liquid or the alcohol will evaporate faster defeating the purpose. Add the spices and sugar to the wine and stir carefully for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into a large jar and let it cool before capping it. Let this mixture sit for a week before passing it through a sieve made from a cloth. Cheesecloth works best. This process will take a good hour so have patience. Bottle your mixture and let the wine sit out of light in cellar like conditions for one month. Serve warm or room temperature.

SF Weekly: Date Like A Gay Guy

My new column entitled "Date Like A Gay Guy" is up on SF Weekly. The first article is called "L'Ardoise Bistro - Let Them Eat Coq." I'm happy with the edit.

Check it out!

It's a New Mexico thing

There's this dish from New Mexico called Green Chili. It's not like chili verde, so please don't make the comparison. The closest comparison that I can make is that it's like a stew. You can smother burritos with this sauce or eat it over eggs or even eat it with just a tortilla. This is a family recipe that has been passed down and it's well worth it.

You need:

-1 pound of roasted Hatch New Mexico Chilis (if you can't find these, use fresh anaheim peppers that you must roast over an open flame before hand. To do this, just place the whole chili pod on the open flame of the stove until it turns black, then place it in a bag to let the steam cook the skin off. Then peel and de-seed.)

-2 garlic cloves, chopped

-1 yellow onion, chopped

-1 pound of pork roast

-1 quart of chicken stock

-1 large tomato, chopped

-1 tbs. cumin

-Salt and pepper

-Lard

-2 tbs flour

Start by searing your chopped-bite size pieces of pork roast in your sauce pot. Don't cook them all the way, only so that they are browned on two sides. Remove these pieces and use the remaining fat to sautee the onions for roughly three minutes. While your onions are cooking, using a blender make a roughly chopped/pureed watery mixture of your chilis. Once the onions are finished cooking add your pork pieces and spices. Sprinkle and even layer of flour on top of the pork, onions and garlic and cook on med-low heat for five minutes. Add your chili mixture and the tomatoes, chicken stock and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat and let the mixture cook for at least three hours. Salt accordingly and if the mixture is not thick enough add butter mixed with flour to the sauce. Serve hot.

Je suis publié

So I wrote to a couple of local newspapers here in the city hoping to publish some of my reviews and I didn't hear back from the smaller ones. I decided to go grandiose - I wrote to the larger papers and heard back from the editor of SF Weekly and their blog, SF Foodie. My first assignment was rushed but here is my attempt at covering Pride 2010 in the Castro.

Here's my first article.

Piloncillo Mojitos

Piloncillo is overlooked in this country and has the potential to become a staple for bartenders and foodies. Piloncillo is an unrefined sugar derived from sugarcane. The sweetener comes in solid discs or cone shaped pyramids and is fairly inexpensive if properly sought out in your local Mexican "bodega." I made classic Mojitos and find the following technique the only way to properly make that refreshing, always trendy drink.

You need:

-2 fresh mint sprigs, muddler

-2 tbs. Piloncillo and a spice grater or cheese grater

-1 parts light rum

-2 lime quarters

-3 parts sparkling water

I don't have a muddler (a device bartenders use to smash ingredients) so I use a pestle taken from its partner the mortar and go to town. Start by placing the mint sprigs in your glass with the grated sugar and start to muddle or smash the two ingredients together. Be sure not to over muddle the leaves so that they become an overpowered mess of flavors in your mouth. The trick is to bring out the oils in the mint, not make mint oil. Next squeeze your limes, add your rum, muddle a bit more and finally top it off with the sparkling water and ice. Stir the whole concoction together. This recipe makes one Mojito and sugar is always added to taste.

Most Mojito enthusiasts claim that the purest form of the drink is only made with light rum and I like to follow tradition. But you can always go against the grain and try it with dark rum.

Critique: Frjtz - Mission, San Francisco

Frite is a word that tempts hungry palettes across Western Europe and has travelled across the pond, across the Mid-West to inspire taste buds in San Francisco. In Belgium the "frites" are French Fries cooked in duck fat and they are quite the tasty treat. Frjtz in San Francisco has attempted to capture that same magic. The odd decor is what gives Frjtz on Valencia St. a unique punch; the flashing lights and estranged artwork on the wall remind the diner that he is indeed, in San Francisco. This is one of the rare establishments in the city that has Grimbergen Dubbel Abbey on tap, as well as many other European rarities. I ordered the Frjtz Burger, rare, served on a Dutch Crunch bun, flavored nicely with caramelized onions, chipotle remoulade, and ginger coleslaw. There was not anything truly unique about the coleslaw as it lacked any ginger essence and my burger was raw, below the point of rare. Ordering meat in any restaurant that does not have properly trained cooks is always a nuisance because you can always keep your fingers crossed for that "box of chocolates," but alas, you never know what you are going to get.

The fries were incredibly well crafted with a crispy crust and a wonderful fluffy inside. The two choices of sauces were interesting but uninspired. The Bacon Mayo and Curry Ketchup were tasty but forgettable.

For a fast food "art teahouse," I would call Frjtz worth the reasonable prices but not worth boasting about. Upon leaving I wished to have tried the mussels to make a proper meal with the fries, but that is another day of "moules et frites."

Critique: Super Duper Burgers -Castro, San Francisco

Super Duper Burgers overtook the store front on Market Street and has been a tempting venture since it's opening this past month. The location is ideally situated in the Castro outskirts and the clientele make it quite an amusing-people watching extravaganza, bears and twinks mingling in their natural enviroment. Gastronomically I was impressed with their simple menu, similar to that of In-N-Out Burger, but awed by the trendy mod aura of the place. Scrimshaw Pilsner is on tap which is a great supplement to a nice burger. The never-ending quest for a decent burger anywhere excites me and the burgers here competed with the best of 'em. My cheeseburger, double pattie, with gem lettuce, red onions, a tomato, and mayonnaise was cooked to perfection (medium) and well seasoned. I love when a burger is dripping with its natural juices and not drowned in grease and this burger was just that. The thinness of the patties gave it a "fast food" motif without feeling like I was not getting my $6.25 worth.

The petit cut of the french fries gave them just the right amount of crispiness. They were slightly over salted. The in-house pickles were crisp, as a pickle should be. My one complaint of this fairly priced quick-stop, is the lack of sauces. I would prefer Maille mustard as opposed to the tart vinegary flavor of Heinz.

All in all.... well priced for someone on a budget and a succulent burger worth going back for."

Oaxacan Tortilla Soup

That's pronounced "waahaa-can." This is your typical tortilla soup, not cream based, with a spicy flair to it.

You need:

-2 Poblano peppers

-2 Jalapeno peppers

-2 quarts of chicken stock

-2 chicken breasts

-1 large yellow onion, diced

-2 garlic gloves, minced

-Salt/Pepper

-1 tbs. Cumin Powder

-3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped

-1 bunch of fresh cilantro

-2 bay leaves

-1 sliced avocado

-Asadero or Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded

-Lime wedges

-6 corn tortillas

Start by sauteeing your chopped onion in a soup-pot until they are transparent on low heat. Meanwhile burn your peppers over a flame until they turn black then place them in a plastic bag for ten minutes. Once steamed in the bag peel the skin off and remove the seeds. Chop into diced pieces and put these in your onion mixture on med-high heat. Add the garlic, bay leaves, cilantro and cumin until they are aromatic. Add the chopped tomato and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and raw chicken breasts and bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Once the chicken breasts start to separate, about 20-minutes, remove them from the soup and shred them using to forks to tear the flesh into pieces. Re-add the chicken and let the soup cook for another 30-minutes.

While the soup is cooking heat oil in a shallow pan and add the sliced pieces of corn tortillas until they are light brown and crispy. Degrease with a paper towel. Garnish the soup with these, a lime wedge, avocado slices, and the cheese. Salt accordingly!

Cheers!

Pork Roast with Strawberry Onion Sauce

Hallo Fruhling. Pork slow roasted for four hours with new red potatoes and garnished with Strawberry Onion Sauce and steamed asparagus. It's easy:

You need:

The Pork Rub:

-1 part Paprika

-1/2 part Cinnamon

-1 part Sea Salt

-1/2 part pepper

-1/2 part cumin

If you have kitchen twine, tie your pork roast so that it doesn't loose all the moisture in the oven, then roll it in the rub while your pan is heating up. Pre-heat the oven to 225 degrees.

The Rest of the Recipe:

-1/2 lb. red potatoes

-1 large onion, sliced

-1 shallot, diced

-1 1/2 C. Fozen Strawberries, or fresh if they're in season

-1 pork roast

-8oz chicken stock

-Dry White Wine

-Olive Oil/ Butter

-Fresh asparagus

-Salt/Pepper

-2 whole garlic cloves

Heat olive oil/butter in pan until smoking and then proceed to sear the pork roast for two minutes on every side (yes, even the ends and I don't want any bitching when you burn yourself.) Place your roast on a pan and then into the oven with the potatoes and garlic cloves and two nobs of butter. With the pan used to sear the pork roast proceed to caramelize the onions and shallots adding more oil if needed, about 15 minutes on medium heat. Once browned crank up the flame and de-glaze with a dash of white wine and then add the strawberries and bring to a boil for another three minutes. Add the chicken stock and lower the heat, let this mixture simmer on low until it is thick enough to slowly slide down the side of a spoon. Put aside until the pork roast reaches an internal temperature 150 degrees. Once finished let the roast rest for ten minutes, meanwhile blanching asparagus in boiling salted water for 1 1/2 minutes. Salt everything accordingly!

Soupe de Lentilles

This one's pretty hard to fuck up fellow readers, so don't be intimidated. It's a great way to impress your friends and it's vegetarian. Here's my take on Lentil Soup:

You need:

-1lb bag of Lentils

-1tbs Powdered Cumin seed

-1 carrot minced

-1 chunk ginger

-Salt/Pepper

-Olive Oil

-1 yellow onion

-1 tomato

-1/3 cup sake

-1tbs Garam Masala Curry Powder

Start by cooking your carrot, ginger, onion, and tomato in olive oil on low flame for about twenty minutes stirring ever so often in a large soup pot. Once a mushy paste has been formed, add your cumin and curry powder and rinsed lentils on high heat, then de-glaze with sake for another two minutes. Now fill the pot 3/4 with water and let this mixture cook for about an hour until your lentils are soft. Salt and Pepper to taste and enjoy with a piece of bread used as a spoon.

Chao Technique: Do Wok!

Chinese Cuisine intimidates me because I know so little about it; I made a bold move by blogging about Wok "stir fry." This is my version of Stir Fry, continue with caution and opinions at bay. I have owned Woks in the past and loved how controlled cooking can be due to the vast area of the sides of the sheet metal your cooking on. I went to The Wok Shop in Chinatown (which is a haven for anyone needing basic culinary devices) and purchased my latest fetish. The first step was curing my Wok, or burning oil onto the Wok so that it becomes similar to a "teflon" non-stick surface. You do this by burning the wax coating on it, rinsing it in soapy water and then pouring vegetable oil down the sides of the Wok at the highest temperature you can get to without starting a grease fire. Sounds fun, right?

After curing my Wok and flavoring it by charring garlic, I was ready to wok! (Corny, I apologize.) The first thing to know about stir fry is that all the ingredients must be prepared before you start cooking or you'll burn ingredients by running around the kitchen like an idiot preparing vegetables. Before cooking, know the cooking times of your vegetables: how do you do that? Well, it's common sense. Look at how thick the vegetables are, how dense they are, and separate them accordingly.

You need:

-2 chicken breasts sliced

-1 chunk of ginger chopped

-2 cloves of garlic chopped

-1 head of Broccoli, cut down to florettes

-1/2 pound of Snow Peas

-5 Baby Bok Choy Heads

-1/3 pound of Baby Carrots

-1 Green Bell Pepper

-3/4 Cup Soy Sauce

-Siracha Rooster Hot Sauce to taste

-1/3 Cup Sake

-1/4 Cup of Water

-2 tablespoons of Corn Starch

Prepare all liquid ingredients and cornstarch in one beaker beforehand.

Chao Technique means constantly stirring the ingredients on high head, which is what you'll be doing below:

Start by searing your chicken to lock in the juices in vegetable oil - don't fully cook it - and remove the pieces and set aside. Start by cooking your carrots for one minute, then add your broccoli heads for one minute (all these ingredients will be one to two minute intervals, make sure they are still crunchy when you bite into them), bell pepper, Snow peas, ginger and garlic, Bok Choy, and then re-add the chicken. Whisk your liquid ingredients and then pour into the Wok, bring to boil for two minutes until thick...whoooo! Serve over rice.

Coctel de Camaron

My friend Celina made Shrimp Cocktail, and this awesome Mexican version is served warm. It's unique and makes a great lunch. I'd serve this with one hardcore Bloody Mary.

Serves 4 People:

-1 pound peeled shrimp (tails on)

-1 red onion

-1 tomato

-Cilantro (1/2 Bunch)

-1 Cucumber

-Avocado

-Salt and Pepper

-Ketchup to taste

-Tepatio to taste

-Lime juice to taste

Combine chopped tomato, onion, cucumber, and cilantro and lime to taste to make a sort of salsa or "pico de gallo." Put this mixture to the side; meanwhile boil your shrimp in at least 5 cups of salted water. When boiling shrimp you know that they are done when they float to the top - overboil them and you have rubber shrimp. Save the shrimp "stock" and pour it into a smaller pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add ketchup, Tepatio, and lime juice to taste. Serve hot and garnished with your pico de gallo and avocado slices.

So your next question, if you're not familiar with Mexican hot sauces, is - what is Tepatio? Well there's this race-war going on between Mexican commercial hot sauces, and the two competitors are Tepatio and Valentino. Tabasco is for "green-go-home," so don't bother with it. Depending on what I'm making, I'm indifferent to which one is better in taste. Tepatio is more acidic with more of a punch and Valentino is a smokey, velvety flavor. For shrimp cocktail I chose Tepatio.

Gracias, Celina.

Pancetta Anaheim Farafalle

My computer crashed a month ago, so I haven't been posting (Norton Anti-Virus is not worth the money and the "Trojan Horse" sneaked passed its guard... bastards owe me $75), but I have still been cooking! Damnit.

So here is a recipe inspired by the "Silver Spoon" with a tomato cream based sauce flavored with the salty goodness of Pancetta bacon and the Southwestern bite of Anaheim Chiles.

You need:

-12 slices (roughly a packet) of Pancetta, chopped

-4 Anaheim Chiles chopped

-1/2 Cup Half and Half Cream

-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped and peeled.

-Salt/Pepper

-1/2 Box Farafalle/"Bowtie Pasta"

-Grated Parmesean Cheese

-Crushed Chile Flakes

-1Tbs Olive Oil

Start by cooking your Pancetta in the olive oil on medium heat in a sauce pot; Pancetta is an Italian bacon and will emit some of its own fat, but it will quickly burn if the oil is too hot so keep a close eye on it! Toss in your chopped Anaheims and heat the whole mixture another five minutes. Throw in your tomatoes and turn the heat to low, after the tomatoes have come to a boil, cover and let this mixture simmer another 25 minutes. Salt accordingly and stir the mixture so that it doesn't burn (like I let it do *cough *cough). Meanwhile boil your pasta until it is "al dente." Once the tomatoes, Pancetta, and Anaheims have cooked, add your cream without letting it come to a boil; the sauce should thicken within another five minutes. Mix the pasta in the cream sauce and garnish with Parm and Chili Flakes.

Side note on "al dente," don't freak out about the Italian name, all it means is "to the the tooth" or firm to the tooth. Don't cook the hell out of it, Aunt Margie I'm talking to you.

Asparagus Ginger Soup

I wanted an asparagus soup, but I have a tendency to like cream a bit too much, so I wanted to stay far away from Creme d'Asperges. I came up with something more "fusion" than I intended and it turned out great. Tangy and healthy all the same time!

You need:
-1 small red onion
-1/4 cup Sake
-1 tablespoon Ginger
-1 pound of Asparagus
-1.5 liters of Chicken Broth
-1 lemon
-Salt/Pepper
-Cayenne
-Butter/Olive oil

Start by placing your asparagus into a shallow pan of chicken broth and cook it until it's tender, with a slight crispness to the teeth when bitten into. Place aside to cool and get your soup pot ready on low heat. Slowly cook your chopped red onion and ginger; the longer the better without browing them, then deglaze with Sake. Cut your asparagus stalks into smaller pieces while saving the florettes/tips for garnishing a la fin. Crank the heat up on the onions and ginger and add the asparagus pieces with 1/3 of the broth. Let it come to a boil and then dump the mixture into the blender and finely puree it so that no chunks exist further. Put the blended mixture and the rest of the stock into your rinsed soup pot. Allow to simmer until it is a soupy consistency. Squeeze in your lemon juice, add cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with the florettes as a garnish.

Asparagus makes your pee smell so bad. It is wretched but the benefits from eating asparagus make up for the raunchy stank: high vitamin K, gets rid of warts, good for the heart, helps high blood pressure, patients with HIV...etc.

POMMES et POMMES

One of my finer moments was coming up with the apple and potato hash. Argue with me, I'm sure someone has already done it, and finished it off with mirco herbs but this one was all me. Moi-meme. Steak cooked a point on a bed of creamed spinach with apple and potato hash:



Apple and Potato Hash:
You need:
-3 potatoes
-3 apples
-Oil/Butter
-Salt and Pepper
-Cayenne

Peel your potatoes and apples, and cube them to 5mm pieces. To prevent them from oxidizing, put them in a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice if you have some. Heat oil and butter in a sautee pan and on low heat cook your seasoned potatoes first without letting them brown. Now the trick to getting the hash so well coated and flavorful is to sautee them, or literally "jump" them in the pan; make them fly into the air and back down into the pan, like a pan cake. This is the best technique to get them to cook thoroughly. Once the potatoes are soft to the teeth, add your apples and continue to jump them without letting them get mushy. Done.

Creamed Spinach:
You need:
-1 bunch of spinach
-2 cups of cream
-1 tbs Butter
-Salt/Pepper
-Nutmeg
-1/3 C. Parmesan Cheese

Boil water and blanch your spinach until it is bright and soft. Cool it in ice and then squeeze out the excess water. Heat butter and cream with nutmeg, salt, and pepper letting it come to a boil. Let it thicken about 5 minutes and then add your spinach. This mixture then just needs to cook until it is a thick pasty mixture - creamed spinach. At the final moment add your Parmesan cheese, then remove from heat.

I served this dish with a seared steak but Nick is a non-beef eater (freak) so he had a seared portabella mushroom steak instead. This went well with a bottle of Syrah.

BON AP!

Mexican BBQ Fusion

Chipotles are jalapeno peppers that have been smoked. If you go to your segregated, "Hispanic Foods" section in your local supermarket you can find small cans of Chipotles in Adobo sauce. I wanted to incorporate the flavors of classic smokey barbecue with Mexican carnitas and came up with Chipotle BBQ Pork.



You need:
-1 small can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo
-1 Pork Rump Roast
-1 Garlic Clove
-Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Salt, Pepper
-Butter/ Olive Oil

Start by halving the rump roast and seasoning it with your spices. Sear it on all sides in butter and olive oil. Place the pieces into a pot of cold water and bring it to a boil with 1 smashed garlic glove. Open the can of chipotles and chop them into mirepoix pieces, then place them into the water with the pork. Boil the pork until it starts to separate on the edges, about 20-minutes. Remove the pork pieces, let them cool, then shred with a fork and your fingers, removing the fat. Place the shredded pieces back in the chipotle stock. The chipotle stock mixture should continue to boil until it becomes saucy.

I put the pork into tortillas and made some awesome quesadillas. With a dollop of crema mexicana to cool your mouth this dish is a knee smacking good time.

1,000 Exagerated Sheets of Potatoes

The French hideously exaggerate when they pile sheets of ingredients on top of one another by calling it a Mille Feuille - or a Thousand Sheets. In the states we call it Potatoes au Gratin. I made my Mille Feuille de Pommes de Terre and it was tasty. Butter, cream, garlic and your diet is shot to hell. Enjoy.



You need: Serves 4
-4 large potatoes
-1/2 stick of melted butter
-Salt, Pepper
-Cream
-Fresh Herbs: Rosemary, Sage
-2 garlic cloves minced
-4 ramequins
-3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese or Gruyere

So heat your oven to 350 and start by peeling your potatoes. Once they are peeled you need to slice them as thin as possible so that they cook thoroughly. Store them in a large bowl of water so that the vast majority of starch leaves the meat of the potato. Meanwhile melt your butter and using a brush, coat the sides of the ramequins. You can now start the first layer of potatoes and evenly place them around the sides of the dish being sure to butter them with your brush. Next cheese, salt and pepper, herbs. Continue the layering process until you've reached the top. Don't overflow because you're going to add cream to the rim to top it off. Shake it so the cream settles and then add a final layer of cheese. Place in the oven for 20 minutes until they are soft like butter when a knife is inserted inside. Then gratinee them by cranking the oven to broil and let the cheese brown.

I served this with turkey and a greens mix.... and lest we forget... A Royal Gin Fizz.

Chicken in Red Wine Sauce

Let's talk chicken - $8 for a 4 pack of chicken breasts is stupid. My advice: buy the whole damn bird for $5. It's not that hard and even though it takes longer the flavor is better and you can move on to bigger and better things culinary-wise.

You need:
-butcher's twine
- 1 whole chicken
-butter
-1 minced shallot
-3 garlic cloves
-salt and pepper
-1/2 crate of Mushrooms
-10 pearl onions
-1 1/2 cups Red Wine
-1 cup chicken stock
- Pinch of sugar
-Olive oil
-Tbs. Flour

Start by cleaning out your bird (i.e. taking out the neck, liver, etc) then truss your bird. Trussing is not a big deal and there are great videos on Youtube.com to help you through it. Tying the bird really changes the flavor by holding the juices in the meat. Place 3 crushed garlic cloves in the breast cavity and then season the whole bird accordingly with salt and pepper. Once tied, place the whole bird in a pan full of butter - olive oil mix and let that sucker fry. Try to get some decent coloration on both sides. Remember to start with the breast side down first.

Then place the bird on a roasting tray and into the oven at 360 for about one hour depending on the size of your bird. Baste the bird with the fat that drips off. Now that you have your bird going, cook your mushrooms in butter and the pearl onions in another pan with water, salt, butter and sugar - enough to steam them until soft.

Now to ratifier the sauce: use the the same pan you seared the chicken in to sauteee the minced shallot for one minute. Crank up the heat to high and add your wine, and then Flambee, or light a match - as I like to call it. Once cooked off and reduced slightly add your stock. Reduce until the flavor is to your liking, adding salt sparingly due to the amount of sodium already in the stock. In a small dish mix flour and an equal amount of butter, making a paste and then add it to the sauce. Bring it to a boil and it will instantly thicken. Finally add your pearl onions and mushrooms.

Cut up your bird and serve on a bed of mashed potatoes garnished with watercress.

Fall as l'entree

Pumpkins are not only for carving to cast inappropriate silhouettes on the side of the wall. I went to the local "Organic" market and purchased a smaller pumpkin at 99 cents per pound and then some baby portabella mushrooms. I made a dish inspired by "The Silver Spoon."

You need:
-1/2 pumpkin (2lbs)
-1/4 pound Mushrooms
-1/2 onion
-1 cup chicken stock
-1/4 cup chopped Parsley
-Butter and Olive oil

Start by sauteeing the finely chopped onions on very low heat for about 5-minutes. Peel the pumpkin and chop it into 1-inch pieces and thickly slice the mushrooms. Crank up the heat on the onions and then toss in your pumpkin and mushrooms. Salt and pepper, bien sur. Sautee for about 5-minutes and then pour in your stock and continue to cook on high. Once the stock is reduced, throw in your parsley and turn off the heat. Serve hot and with a baguette!

I always heat the olive oil and butter together. Olive oil doesn't burn as fast as straight up butter, but I need the flavor of the butter, so I make a compromise by mixing the two.

Chocolate and Chicken

Ole... No, mole. I made mole the other night and Nick has since called it his favorite dish that I make. It's a long process to make it, and even longer if you make the mole sauce from scratch. Mole is an ancient Mexican dish from Oaxaca, a southern state of Mexico. It's a silky sauce composed of peanuts, many different types of chile, chocolate, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, aromatics, onions, cinnamon, onion, and chicken stock. One day I will make the mole sauce base from scratch but until then I use a pre-made lame version of the sauce and I spice it up to my own liking.


You need:
- 2 garlic gloves, skin on
- Salt and pepper
- 1tbs butter
- Mexican Chocolate (Nestle Abuelita is fine)
- Chicken Breasts (skin on)
- Mole Paste
-Tortillas de Maiz

So start by boiling your chicken breasts (with the skin on, it helps to retain the moisture) with the crushed garlic cloves in salted water. This will be the stock you use in the mole later so for fuck's sake don't throw it away! Next get your butter foaming in a saucepan, then add the Mexican Abuelita Chocolate. Melt it down until it becomes a thick paste but don't burn the sugar crystals, add your mole until it too is melted, and then remove it from heat. Once your chicken breast is done (about 45 minutes on slow boil) you let them cool, then use the stock in your chocolate and mole mix. Let the sauce reduce for about 20 minutes whilst continually adding the stock. Meanwhile shred the chicken breast and add the pieces to a separate pan. Moisten the chicken with the mole sauce and then make enchiladas with the shredded meat and the corn tortillas. Lay on a plate and then dress them with the mole sauce.

You can leave the chicken breasts whole or wrap the meat up in tortillas. I served mine with white cilantro rice and Refried black beans. !Buena suerte!

How boring is Quiche?

Pretty damn boring if you ask me! Quiche is simple, it's not pretentious, and how in the hell do you screw up Quiche? It's like Jello. I like Quiche for all of these reasons. I made a couple of Quiches for the staff at the photo studio and they turned out rather well. So housewives and whoever else is reading, voila:

I first made the Classic Quiche Lorraine (which is nearly impossible to make outside of France being that real Lardons are only made by French butchers) and a Feta and Sauteed Leek Quiche.

You need: for one pie
-Two leeks (chopped into two inch rounds)
-1tb Butter
-Salt and Pepper
-1 clove of garlic
-5 eggs
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/2 cup Feta Cheese
-1 pie crust
-2 Tbs. Sour Cream or Creme Freche

So... foam some butter in a pan and sautee the leek rounds on either side until they receive a decent amount of coloration. Season accordingly. In the meantime, throw your pie crust into the a 350 degree oven for 5-minutes to prime it, you can place foil and beans so that it doesn't puff, but I find it doesn't really changed the final product. Mix your eggs, salt, pepper, sour cream/creme freche, cream, and feta to make the batter. Once the leeks are done, place them carefully (you will see how fragile they get) into the empty pie crust. Pour the batter over the leeks so it comes to the rim of the pie crust. Reduce the oven heat to 325 and bake for 45-minutes, until golden brown.

I like to use the Marie Calendar's crusts because they taste better, but you can make your own Pate Brisee if you are patient enough.

Tenochtitlan's Chiles en Nogada

Nick and I went to Distrito Federal or Mexico City, Mexico for a couple of days, and despite being ripped off by an unregistered taxi the first night at the airport, everything went according to plan. Mexico City is dangerous, polluted, and highly underrated. It is elegant and esteemed - go with a native, and brush up on your Spanish before going.

There's this dish served around the time of Mexico's Independence Day, September 16th and it's delicious. It's called Chiles en Nogada, or Poblano Peppers in walnut sauce and it's from the town of Puebla. Inside there is a stuffing or picadillo of apples, spices, and ground meat. The pepper is then doused in walnut sauce consisting of creme, butter, and blanched walnuts and finally garnished with pomegranate seeds forming the colors of the Mexican Flag - Pride. It is delightfully sweet and savory with the elegance of Mexican cuisine that is sadly misunderstood. Not all Mexican food is enchiladas and burritos, amigos.

Below is a link to a recipe for the dish.

Chiles en Nogada

Le trou Normand

There's not a lot to do in the northern towns of France, so by default you take random shots with picturesque backgrounds with a friend - and you drink.

The Calvados of Normandy is the most interesting drink in the region suivant-moi. In Normandy there are green pastures, lifeless beaches, and apples. The apples are so bountiful that after being picked by hand, pressed into cidre, and then fermented for two years in oak barrels - Calvados. These drinks can have an alcoholic content of up to 40%... on a good day.

Tradition in Normandie calls for "le trou Normand" or the Norman Hole, where between pauses in meals you have a shot of Calvados. For Meg and I, the meal break lasted all day, being that Normandy didn't have anything of particular interest going on all weekend. Marzipan filled with Calvados in the form of a apple is one reason to get up in the morning.

The Tenderloin: Pork Tenderloin with Coffee Sauce

Pork Tenderloin is probably one of my favorite meats to mess around with... because it marries well with so many exotic flavors, i.e. coffee - and following my alcoholic passions, Kahlúa was the "coffee"of choice.


What you need:
-1/4 cup Kahlúa
-1 cup Chicken Stock
-Espresso shots/ Drip Coffee (about 1/4 cup)
-Pork Tenderloin
-Seasonings: Salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, lemon juice
-Side dishes: Rice/Beans, Asparagus
-Butter/ Olive Oil

Let's begin: Start by seasoning your pork tenderloin with salt, pepper, cumin, and a dash of cayenne. Heat a pan with butter and olive oil, olive oil helps the butter not to burn, and when the pan is smoking, you're ready to start searing your meat. We just want to add coloration to the pork so don't aim to fry the whole loin in order to cook it! Put the colored loin onto a separate baking tray and bake at 350 until it's reached 160 with a thermometer. Meanwhile the sauce... use the juices and fat left over from the pork pan. Fry garlic until it's just about done on low heat, crank up the fire to high and then deglaze the pan with Kahlúa and espresso/drip coffee. Next add lemon juice, to cut the fat, and season accordingly with salt, pepper, cumin, and if you're daring, a pinch of cayenne. Add chicken stock and let the sauce reduce until it's thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon.

I served this with steamed asparagus and wild rice with black beans. Not a bad combo, eh? Tu aimes les couleurs?

American Palace

I went on a roadtrip with some friends, the classic idea of a Californian Road Trip, and drove down the coast to San Diego from San Francisco. Despite my refusal to stay in a youth hostel, and minor technicalities, I enjoyed myself.

We went to the only nude beach in San Diego, which I'll refute from saying the name - that's your own homework if you want to go, and on the way down to the beach, I said to my British counter-part, Simon: "Wow, look at that palace up on that cliff!" Simon smugly replied, "That's a Home-Depot palace. American's don't know how to construct a solid palace."

He's right.

Sangria

I had a hunch that this would be good. I also had a spark of curiosity on Saturday night, thinking back to Paris, a Tapas Bar called Les Pietons in the Marais had a decent Sangria and I was hell-bent on replicating it. It's pretty simple, the recipe, but there are so many variations! Maybe it was the unusually warm weather that drove me to drink...

One apple, one orange (both chopped into bite size pieces) and a pound of grapes later, Nick and I were pouring Rex Goliath into one of my best San Francisco purchases yet - my $10 decanter. We chose a Cabernet Sauvignon and a cheap bottle of wine, because it's going to be mixed with so many distractions anyway, it's pointless to throw money down the drain, not that it would've gone to waste CALM DOWN, we would've drank it! Back on track... I mixed the fruit with 2tbs of brown sugar and 1tbs of lemon juice and we let it "do it's thing" in the fridge for 24 hours, covered with foil so as not to get "leftover" tainted Sangria.

Pretty damn good if I am so bold to say! Not as tipsy as I would've liked, and next time I will call my boy Smirnoff 40-Proof over to get the party booming a little harder. Also, less grapes, maybe a half-pound next time.

People who add apple juice to their Sangria are quacks. Use the natural sugars of the orange juice to sweeten your drink.

End.

Taken in March 2009, exploring where it all starts and the "end" of an era.

Vignette de Politesse

Paris is such an odd place. It fills you with the stereotypical romance with the first punch, and then the romance rapidly dies.

I went to France with an American attitude, as I have been told, and expected nothing short of American standards - which I thought would be pretty universal. My forte in the French language helped, sure, but the miscommunication led me to continually dispute with French people. I think I became somewhat of a spectacle for the French. And the truth is, I entered Charles De Gaulle Airport determined that I was going to start in that country on a clean slate.

In the 5th Arrondisment, the Latin Quarter, a group of friends and I went out for galettes (a buckwheat version of the traditional crepe.) Overpriced this particular Creperie was on a cliche cobblestone street just to the right of the Fountain of St. Michel, and is everything you want out the "French" experience.

The galettes were great, the service pretty damn good compared to the usual blasé server. The cidre (a must try - French Apple Cider, with alcohol) was flowing with the first pop of the pressurized bouchon. Tipsy to the point of minor giggles, the bill arrived and naturally everyone got up to use the W.C. That's when the waitress came to receive payment. I was the only one at the table, cramped into the corner. She proceeded to ask how we were paying in English. I said, "My friends are in the restroom but we will all pay separately when they get back." She frowned, pursed her lips, and then asked: "Why don't you just pay for your friends?"

You would have thought I farted and she caught the first whiff, by the look on her face. I continued to bicker with her about splitting the check, which is not something you do in France, and then things got rather heated. My friends came back, turns out we all have Visa cards. She said in French, "Americans are all the same." And I replied, "Je vous-comprends, Madame." She proceeded in a rapid rant of how I needed lessons in politesse and that it would've been a nice gesture to pay for my friends, blah blah blah.

I was asked never to come back to that creperie.

Le but

We got off on the wrong foot. Let me start by introducing myself. I'm Trevor T. Adams, currently reporting from San Francisco, California. I'm writing a late blog, one that I could've started back in August of 2008, but I got side tracked. I graduated from L'ecole Superieure de Cuisine Francaise -Gregoire Ferrandi, in Paris, France with a license from The Parisian Chamber of Commerce in French Cooking. I was there for 6 months, and snapped pictures through my entire experience -
It's time to do something with those pictures.

This blog is to explain what it is I've been doing since then, and where I'm headed.

This first picture is everyone in our graduating class, taken in October of 2008 (I'm the only one standing in the front row, yes I'm 5'4). We were the school's guinea pigs when it came to testing the new program of a 5-month training at the school, and we battled the whole way through it. The staff was very unorganized, and I was warned before being accepted, but chose to do it anyway. No regrets, because now I'm.... well we'll get to that later.

Premiere pas

It's my first blog and this cliche form of entertainment will hopefully do something for me - and hopefully you. I have decided to start posting exactly what it is I have been doing photography wise with food and the like. But it would not be MY blog without a touch of what inspires me.

I took this photo upon first arriving to San Francisco in March. This is from a mural on 18th and Market...i.e. Castro, explaining the history of the Aztec gods of Mexico. I have lovingly called it, "The Only Virgen in Castro"

Without the title this is a pretty general photograph. The idea is the all encompassing keenness I have towards symbols in religion - and then I've ruined it by insulting my community -gay and Mexican alike.

The next Lachapelle? J'espere.