Food At Avoca in Belfast

HopAlong decided to torture me today. He went to Avoca (my favorite store/cafe) to have lunch with his sister. I'm so jealous!

Laura treated me to lunch at Avoca this afternoon. Not much atmosphere. A little noisy. The food is fantastic though.

Laura had the chargrilled chicken salad with couscous.



I had the grilled seabass and white beans and sun dried tomatoes. I can honestly say it was very close to being the nicest fish i've ever eaten. A very close second to our seared salmon.

Movies That Make Me Hungry

Big Night...


Epic food scenes from Babette's Feast...




Eat, Drink, Man, Woman


Tampopo...




Like Water for Chocolate...


Mostly Martha...


Chocolat...


Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Original with Gene Wilder)...

Thanksgiving Dinner at Bouchon in Las Vegas

HopAlong and I decided to spend Thanksgiving in Las Vegas. HopAlong has never travelled out of state and he's always wanted to see Vegas so off we went for 3 days and 3 nights.

We were back and forth about whether we wanted to do the buffet for Thanksgiving Dinner. If you haven't been to Vegas during Thanksgiving, the buffet lines during this time are ridiculously long, lines stretch for what seems like miles and the wait is at least 4 hours. I learned this the hard way when I went to Vegas with girlfriends a few years ago. So I booked us dinner at Bouchon and we're so glad we did because after being on your feet all day, standing in a long line when you're famished is the last thing you want to do!

I've always wanted to eat at one of Thomas Keller's restaurants. Thomas Keller is one of the most famous chefs in the world and boasts the best restaurant in the world, The French Laundry. To book a table at the French Laundry is a 3 year waiting list, people from all over the world make the trip just to dine here. Bouchon is the closest I will ever get to The French Laundry. Bouchon Bistro is like French Laundry's little brother. It's a casual atmosphere, food simple, and unpretentious. When I saw Anthony Bourdain do a segment on Bouchon, I was sold!

Bouchon Bistro is located in The Venetian and is hidden away from the madness that is Vegas. We took the elevator and walked down a long beautiful elegant corridor. Immediately, we felt as if we were transported to a palace somewhere in Europe...



The long corridor walk seemed like forever. Low and behold, there it was nestled in a quiet corner. It felt like we were part of a secret society club (invite only)...



«More on the Bouchon experience...»

We walked in and was greeted by the maître d'. She welcomed us to have drinks at the bar while we wait for our table. The ambience wasn't what I had expected it at all. I thought it would be stuffy and pretentious but it was a informal, relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

After 10 minutes we were finally seated and were escorted by the second hostess. Our waitress comes by and hand us a rather long wine list. She proceeds to tell us if we have more specific questions about wine and wine pairings, she would be happy to send down the sommelier.

She continues to tell us in GREAT detail about the specials of the day. She even had a little notepad in her hand to read off the ingredients of each dish. This is what we ordered...

Hors-D'Oeuvres:

Rillettes aux Deux Saumons: fresh & smoked salmon rillettes served with toasted croutons. They weren't kidding when they said the 3 secret ingredients to French cooking is butter, butter, and butter. The salmon rillette basically is comprised of salmon in solidified clarified butter and herbs. I couldn't get enough of it!

HopAlong had the Soup du Jour, pumpkin soup. He said it was awesome!


Plats principaux:

For the main course I had Poulet Roti, roasted chicken with heirloom squash, rainbow chard, pomegranate seeds & sage infused chicken jus. This dish lives up to its hype, the chicken is so moist and juicy, you'd have to wear a bathing suit to eat it.

HopAlong had the Steak Frites, pan-seared prime flatiron served with maitre d'hotel butter & French fries. Reviews say Bouchon's french fries are to die for! HopAlong and I weren't impressed, they tasted like McDonald's fries. Not bad, not good, just mediocre. Fries are fries everywhere. The steak on the other hand, HopAlong said was the best he's ever had, the meat was cooked to perfection and melted in your mouth.

Desserts:

I had the custard cream filled beignets with maple brown sugar ice cream.

And HopAlong had the Mousse au Chocolat Noir: dark chocolate mousse.

A sign of a good dessert...



The damage...
$139.19 sans gratuity. Not bad considering the amazing food and first class service.

They even gave us goodie bags full of caramel nut popcorn from their bakery...



This is by far the best dining experience we've ever had. I'd give this restaurant 100 stars if I could. I'm so in love, if Bouchon were a man, I'd put a ring on it!

This Has Been On My Mind Lately...

Turducken!(Photo from yeedesign.com)

Soup's On!

The first week of November is the time when I make my annual batches and batches of soups! I've been in the kitchen all day! Nom, nom, nom! Help yourself!

Portuguese Chourico and Kale Soup

Red Potato and Leek Soup

Farm To Table

I said I was going to the farm so I DID! I discovered that there was a local farm just 20 minutes from where I lived. I checked it out today and discovered something better than the farmers market. Wow, this farm had every produce available in season from grapes to pomegranates to acorn squash to cranberry beans! You name it! A wide variety more so than the farmer's market! It's also way cheaper too, I didn't think anything would be cheaper than the farmers market. Since buying straight from the farmer at his farm, you're not making up the difference for transport costs. Good deal!

They have their own farm store out front or you can pick your own fruits and veggies in the farm out back. And you get your own wheelbarrow to haul your goods! How cool is that?


«Want to see the farm and the beautiful colors of Fall?
»
Kids having fun on the haystacks

I love the vivid colors of Fall!









Pumpkin on steroids!



They had every squash known to man

These are called "Swan Squash"

This reminds me of Thanksgiving!





Our wheelbarrow!

Ass Kissers, The Secret Post Office, and A New Food Find

Word has gotten out that I got the highest grade on the exam. Now people are approaching me asking if I want to be in their study group. There's this one girl who was really weird. She went up to me in the restroom as I was washing my hands and said, "You're in my class aren't you?". "Yes", I said. She then said, "You're my role model! Please help me study for the next exam so I can get a good grade!". Role model? She asked me where I was headed and asked if she could tag along. In my mind I was like, "oh HELL no!". I said I had an important appointment and booked it out of there. WEIRDO!

Downtown was loud and thunderous today. The Blue Angels were tearing up the sky, flying in between the skyscrapers. I went to Macy's basement to look for the secret post office since I had something to mail. Born and raised in SF and never knew about the secret post office. It was pretty neat!

I also found out that Macy's basement has a small food court. And I saw that Rick Bayless has a fast food restaurant here, Frontera Fresco. The first time I fell in love with Rick Bayless was when I watched Top Chef Masters. He is an awesome chef and was responsible for giving regional Mexican cuisine street cred to the gourmet world. He won Top Chef Masters and beat French chefs like Hubert Keller (even though I love Hubert Keller too). His restaurant, Tampolobampo in Chicago, is in my top three culinary destinations. I debated trying Frontera Fresco for fear I may go crazy and blow my diet, but instantly gave in when I read the menu. I had the sweet corn and green chile tamale and a chicken chipotle taco. Man, it was good and the ingredients tasted fresh, not fast-foody at all! The chicken was hormone free and all-natural, even better! The prices are reasonable too! I am definitely coming back here and taking HopAlong with me!

In the City All Day

Had to take the car into the city for repairs. After class, I headed to Market Street and watched some old men play chess. I ate sushi at the Westfield Center. Then I went to the mechanics and sat around, watched tranformers on the t.v. I studied. And I waited and waited and waited, and waited.

When the car was finally done, I drove down to the Ferry Building to get some ground beef from Prather Ranch. I got 5 lbs for $25! I twinged a little but certified humane, organic, grass fed local cows are worth it. Then I headed home in bumper to bumper traffic from the Bay Bridge all the way to Berkeley. Oh joy!

I have an exciting life.

The Refrigerator is the Window to One's Stomach

This fridge would give Gillian McKeith a heart attack. Can you say type 2 diabetes?

I have been lurking on this site recently. Fridgewatcher.com is a fascinating project where people all over the world post pics of what's inside their fridge. It's sort of an offshoot of what this guy did except on a global scale. I don't know about you, but I enjoy observing(aka scrutinizing) what people eat. I guess that's the "dietitian" in me.

Look At These Beauties!

New at the Farmers Market! First persimmons of the season and brussels sprouts on the stalk. Have you seen anything more beautiful?

Japchae

This was tonight's dinner...Japchae. Japchae is Korean stir fried noodles w/ lots of veggies and your choice of meat. Instead of beef, I used chicken. This is my favorite Korean dish and it is so easy to make!

Click here for recipe.

It's Bento Box Thursday!

Today I was supposed to lunch in Japantown but I was too lazy. Instead I picked up some overpriced lunch at Bristol Farms. I've had sushi cravings lately, I have no idea why?!? I think it's because my body is starving for protein. I haven't eaten meat in weeks, not because I'm turning vegan or anything but because I'm too lazy to travel an hour out of my way to buy good quality meat (ie pasture raised, grass fed, blah, blah, blah). Why not buy at my local supermarket? The thought of it makes my stomach churn.

I had two mini bento boxes of Rock n' Roll (eel and avocado sushi) w/ 3 pieces of Nigiri. The other is a Shrimp Spring Roll with spicy peanut sauce. Meh, it was OK. It made me wish I got my lazy ass to Japantown...

Farmer's Market Goodness

Another haul at the Farmer's Market. I am going to make homemade marinara sauce with the celery, carrots, fresh basil, and a bushel of tomatoes still growing in our garden! I picked up some swiss chard and yellow zucchini. I asked the farmer lady what I could do with the swiss chard and she suggested to sautee it with garlic and olive oil. Also, she said the yellow zucchini is much sweeter than the green zucchini. Sounds good! I can't wait to stuff my gob!

The Book That Ruined My Life!

I am reading this book right now and I can't put it down. It stirs so many emotions in me: shock, disgust, anger, enlightenment...the list goes on. Because of this book, food shopping will be a nightmare because I will be compelled to read every single label. I will have to think twice about eating out at a fast food chain or restaurant. I will have to travel an hour out of my way to buy pasture raised, grass fed, hormone and antibiotic free meats and dairy. Because of this book, I will HAVE to visit a farm to learn and witness firsthand where my food really comes from. Suffice to say, if you want to remain blissfully ignorant, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!

To CSA or Not To CSA

Photo courtesy of sallycinnamon on flickr

I have been toying with the idea of a CSA box. For those of you who don't know CSA, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. CSA is a way for a consumer to buy directly from the farmer. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included like fresh farm eggs. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

I think this is a great way to support local farms. You get fresh local organic produce delivered to your door or you can pick it up at the local venue. The prices are reasonable depending on the size of the box, about $24 for a small sized box. You will be forced to learn how to eat in season, encounter unfamiliar produce you would otherwise bypass at the market, every delivery is a suprise. So basically, you have to plan your menu depending on what's in the box. So what if you get something odd like flying saucer squash, kohlrabi, or fennel and kale for weeks on end?

Hmmm...I don't know. The downside is that they hand pick the produce for you. And I've read sometimes the quality is less than stellar:

"I had great hopes for this service and the newsletter included with each delivery comes across as warm and friendly. Unfortunately I don't get a warm and friendly feeling when I open a just arrived box of produce and discover any of the following: a crushed bag of salad greens, a summer squash with fuzzy mold on the end, withered gypsy peppers, an eggplant that's shriveled and scratched like the delivery guy played touch football with it, bruised and crushed tomatoes with broken skin. You get the picture. I can go to my local farmer's market and hand-select the food I want and know that I'm not going to get anything bruised, moldy or downright disgusting unless I miss something when picking stuff out." -yelp.com

I'm a tactile person and the CSA box wouldtake the fun out of going to Farmer's Market every week. I like to pick my own produce and this would pretty much eliminate the problem above. I also like being face to face with my farmer and have the opportunity to ask him/her questions.

Have any of you experienced the CSA box? Other pros and cons? Please share.

The World According to Monsanto

The World According to Monsanto is an in-depth Documentary that looks at the domination of the agricultural industry from one of the world’s most insidious and powerful companies.We are pleased to bring you the full documentary in 10 parts.

This is one of the most powerful, must see films for anyone interested in the behind the scenes world of the food industry, and how just one world dominating corporation holds the keys and patents to much of the worlds food supply.

Monsanto, which started out as one of the planets largest chemical companies is also reposonsible for such chemical compounds as Agent Orange, Bovine Growth Hormone, PCBs and genetically-engineered crops.

This is Part 1 of 10. You can view the full documentary on youtube.

Fresh

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

King Corn

KING CORN is a fun and crusading journey into the digestive tract of our fast food nation where one ultra-industrial, pesticide-laden, heavily-subsidized commodity dominates the food pyramid from top to bottom corn. Fueled by curiosity and a dash of naivete, college buddies Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis return to their ancestral home of Greene, Iowa to figure out how a modest kernel conquered America. With the help of some real farmers, oodles of fertilizer and government aide, and some genetically modified seeds, the friends manage to grow one acre of corn. Along the way, they unlock the hilarious absurdities and scary but hidden truths about America s modern food system in this engrossing and eye-opening documentary. A graceful and frequently humorous film that captures the idiosyncrasies of its characters and never hectors (Salon), KING CORN shows how and why whenever you eat a hamburger or drink a soda, you re really consuming ... corn.

I Finally Saw Food Inc Yesterday

I don't think I want to eat meat again. The treatment of animals in this documentary was horrific. The meat manufacturing plants literally looked like animal concentration camps. The crap that they put in the food like hormones to expedite growth, chickens in cramped dark coops never seeing the light of day, cows knee deep in their own shit, ammonia sprayed over the meat to kill ecoli, antibiotics and dead chickens in the feed, cloning, genetically modified and chemically laden produce to prolong shelf life, spraying ethyline gas to make them ripen quickly. The monopoly of certain food industry congolomerates such as the evil Monsanto made my blood boil. Ugh!

Some people say this is a necessarily evil. It's the only type of production that will feed demands of an overpopulated human species and that there is no way you can sustain a population of our size through organic farming. Do you think this is true? Is this any justification to continue to produce low quality food?

I've said this time and time again...Buy in season and buy locally grown direct from the farmer! Your health depends on it because you never know what you are getting at the supermarket.

I'm Going to See This Documentary Tomorrow

I must catch it before it leaves the movie theaters. Everyone says it is a must see and it will change the way you view food forever.