POSTCARD: Maui, wowie!

Dear [fill in your name]:

It's been 5 years since I was last in Maui.  So far, everyone has been so friendly!  I'm hardly ever on the receiving end of fabulous trips since I'm usually planning them so it's been great not having to do anything!

It seems like I've been eating every couple of hours. Which is good because we've been on the move since I landed.  One of my friends even arranged for me to try my hand on the stand up paddle board.  Except I kept falling off the paddle board [so the "stand up" part may not have been accurate in my case.  It's hard work - for every 3 strokes forward I felt like the wind was blowing me 2 strokes back.  

As you guys know, I'm into experiencing and learning new things.  I was hoping that I'd get a chance to learn how to do the fire dance but they didn't think it'd be a good idea.  I guess I'll have to be satisfied that I know how to paddle board now.

The great news is that I've fallen in lust love! It really doesn't matter with which one of the guys above.  They were all equally hot.  

Well, it's been a long day and I need some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a another long day and I'm going to see if I have some time to make it over to Kahului to get some guri-guri.  More later!

Wish you were here!

Jen

Ritz Carlton South Beach, meeting with Chef Connell

Some might think that spending 7 nights at a luxury hotel would be really great.  Those people would also be spending time outside of my windowless office at the said hotel. I didn't think it was possible but I may have actually been paler when I got home than when I left for Miami.

The one outdoor event that I allowed myself was the opportunity to take a cooking class with Chef Thomas Connell. I hate to say it but most hotel chefs that I've worked with are extremely arrogant.  Chef Thomas Connell was the antithesis of that kind of chef - he was an inspirational and charismatic instructor [and patiently answered all of my dumb irrelevant questions, of which there are many]. Even better, I found out that he was from Los Angeles - East Los Angeles to be exact.  He grew up always knowing that he was going to be a chef. [I couldn't relate. I grew up thinking I was going to be an accountant. I hated numbers, sucked at numbers so why I imagined that I'd be an accountant is still a mystery to me.]

Chef Connell spent several years in Spain opening the Hotel Arts in Barcelona. He said that he loved the lifestyle, the people, and of course, the food of Spain.  So it was only natural that the menu for the class was Tapas - Garlic Shrimp, Tortilla de Patatas, Paella, and Crema Catalana.

Due to hotel liability issues I was told that the class would be a demo with a small amount of interaction.  Little did I know that it was more than just a little interaction.  Chef pulled people from the audience to help out, especially children when they were around - it was a true passion for him to instill the love of cooking in the youths.

He patiently showed each person how to hold a knife [he suggested holding a raw egg in the hand opposite of the knife hand to force your hand to curl] and the proper cutting techniques.

I know most chefs can flip things, but this tortilla de patatas was huge.  Plus I've never got any other chef flipping stuff on camera.  So here it is.

Seriously. I don't know WHERE you get one of these AWESOME burnishers but i want me one.  NOW. This thing was SIZZLING hot [he threw sugar on the surface and it FLAMED]. I can only imagine the things I could make with it. "Imagine" because I tend to set things on fire and it'd be really dangerous for me to own it.

I almost took that whole plate back to my room with me.  The host of people standing around who would've stabbed me with their forks if I tried to run off with it pretty much prevented me from following through. 

The best dish of the day was the garlic shrimp.  My colleague and I repeatedly went back for some more of this shrimp.  It was so simple to make [literally, toast garlic in olive oil,  throw in the shrimp, top with chili flakes and parsley after shrimp has cooked, careful not to overcook the shrimp] and yet so flavorful! My colleague warned me that he WOULD stab me with his fork if I ran off with the bowl so I decided to stay put. He was my on staff EMT, so I quickly realized that he wouldn't do anything to stop me from bleeding to death.

After one of the classes had ended, I had the chance to speak to some of the participants.  I honestly can't remember a time when they were so inspired after an activity. One person shared with me that Chef's enthusiasm for cooking reminded them of why they were in their chosen profession - the love and passion of their job.  It reminded me how fortunate that I have that passion for my job.  Love what you do, if you don't have it, find it. 

Cooking Paella in Barcelona, Spain

One thing I like to try to do on my travels is to take a cooking class. For me, there's nothing that's a better outlet for my creativity or easier to "pack and take home" than learning how to make something regional from the place that you visit.

I found Cook and Taste while doing a quick search on Chowhound for my trip last December. The price for the class [and visit to the boqueria] was fairly reasonable, considering that we got to eat and drink, too! Our teacher was wonderful, kind, friendly, and very informative.  She gave me tips on where to buy all kinds of food gifts! [you know...food gifts for ME!!!]

I don't like to feel useless, especially when someone else is bustling around in a busy fashion around the kitchen. So, I volunteered to help out by unpacking our goods from the boqueria. Luckily, that earned me the right to make the fish stock! I quietly diced my veggies and the monkfish [ugh...most disgusting fish EVER...and I don't care that it's "good eats"] off to the side while she started on the Crema Catalan [very much like a creme brulee].

I enjoyed the leisurely pace of the class. We took as long as we needed, no short cuts. There was no set end time. Sure, we all had other ideas of things we wanted to do that day but when mixed with the food, wine and company, we were quite happy to hang out and learn - not only about the food but about the culture, city and its people.  We also got to meet some classmates who were from Holland and Great Britain, as well.  It was interesting to learn about other country's healthcare, food philosophy, cost of living, and gas prices!

We had a fabulous time making gazpacho, tortilla de patatas, crema catalan, and paella.  I especially enjoyed working for my lunch.  I think you will too!


Cook and Taste
CARRER DEL PARADÍS, 3
08003 BARCELONA
t. (+34) 93 302 13 20
info@cookandtaste.net

New Orleans: Cochon Butcher

Another good title for this post could be "Jenny in Hog Heaven".  I had read some articles on Cochon Butcher before going to New Orleans and just loved the irreverent nature of the joint.  I mapped out the location and found that it was a little over a mile from where I was staying.  In between all my meetings, I didn't think I'd be able to make it over there.  That was until my contact at the hotel told me he makes it a point to get over there at least 3 times a week.  That's when I made it a point to get over there.

I was glad I did.  They cure their own products there upstairs from the Butcher.  I just so happened to come upon a whole hog being lugged into the building. If you're ok with seeing a dead hog being dragged into the building then click HERE. If you don't then DON'T.

I walked in with the intent to buy a sandwich.  I was instantly distracted by the selection of cured meats.  And bacon praline.  

If you have to ask if I bought any bacon praline, you don't really know me.  At all.

I added kurobuta bacon and salami to my goodies. The salami was so spicy and flavorful, probably one of the best I've had! I wish I bought more. As for the bacon, well, if I could snort the bacon, I would.  It was heavenly.

Upon the recommendation of my hotel contact, I ordered the Cochon Muffaletta, well done.  Warm, cheesy, gooey rich...DELICIOUS sandwich.

Man. I wish I still had a taste of that.  It was fantastic.

I came home from work tonight with the thought that I'd fry up the bacon and sautee some onions in the bacon oil and toss some of my mom's fava beans in.  Unfortunately, I waited too long and the fava beans weren't green any longer. 

So I did something very bad.  VERY bad. I made pasta drenched in bacon grease.  And it was good.  Don't let the arugula fool you.  

Sauce:

2 slices Kurobuta Bacon

1/4 cup diced onions 

1 clove garlic [I really like garlic so I used 2]

1 cup Fava Beans, shelled

1 cup arugula

Salt, pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan

Pasta:

2 inches, whole wheat Spaghetti Pasta

salt

For the pasta: 

Cook per directions on box. Drain and set aside.

For the sauce:

Boil shelled fava beans for approximately 5 minutes.  Take off outer layer.  Set aside.

Fry 2 strips of bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon and drain on paper towel.  

Add onions to the bacon grease, then the garlic, fry until translucent. Salt and pepper to taste.  

Remove from heat.  Add the fava beans, arugula, and pasta, mixing well.  Top with grated parmesan. 

If you're ever in New Orleans, please visit:

Cochon Butcher

930 Tchoupitoulas

New Orleans LA 70130 

504.588.PORK
mon-thu 10–10

fr+sat 10-11

sun 10-5

POSTCARD: New Orleans

In lieu of a regular post, I am sending you a postcard from New Orleans. 

Dear [fill in the blank]:

Wow! It's been 5 years since I was last in New Orleans and it feels like I've never left it.  

This time I brought my entourage with me.  Although, I could have sworn they were supposed to be attending ME and not the other way around.  But it's ok.  I plan on feeding them to the alligators while we're out here.  That'll show THEM.

Ohhhh...and oysters.  I love oysters and I make it a point to have a dozen with some Abita Beer.  I don't even care if I've got appointments and meetings today.  It's New Orleans and I'm letting the good times roll [Not too much, of course, my bosses who might be reading my blog and think that I just goof off on these site inspections].

But wait, there's also muffalettas, po'boys, gumbo, jambalaya, and beignets to be had.  So much to indulge in and so little time, especially since those hoteliers booked me out like crazy with meetings.  While most people come to New Orleans to indulge in the nightlife, I prefer using that time to discover tasty nibbles. 

The only hindrance are the 3 guys above.  You can't really tell by the photo above, but these 3 guys are about 5'10" - 6'2" tall.  Big guys.  I can out eat all 3 of them.  Put together.  They are horrified by my ability to out eat them every single time we go out.  Brian [guy in the middle] gave up on dessert at La Divina Gelateria.  Wuss.

The other two guys, Jim and Shannon, only gave in to my peer pressure because they didn't want to be called a wuss by a girl.  I urged them to go outside their comfort zone but chose to have some boring run of the mill flavors instead [YAWN].  I had  the Azteca that had chocolate and cayenne; blueberry and basil; and strawberry balsamico.  My favorite was the blueberry basil.  Awesome. 

On our way back to the hotel, I found a potential band.  Granted they were street performers [not always the most reliable, historically speaking] but they were awesome.  Very impassioned:

Only 5 hours here and I find myself in love with New Orleans as much as ever.  I can't wait for tomorrow morning! 


See you all soon!


With Love [not real, true love but rather the kind you said back in high school. It'd be creepy otherwise],


Jen

Lilikoi Chiffon Cake

Nothing conjures up the taste, smell, and images of Hawaii than the taste of Lilikoi [passion fruit].  Well, nothing except for the smell of salty sea air, warm balmy breezes, tuberose, shave ice, and plate lunches, of course.  Combine the tart sweetness of Lilikoi curd, airy clouds of whipped cream, with a chiffon cake and you've got yourself a recipe for a little taste of fluffy heaven.

Chiffon cakes are deceptively easy to make [especially if you've tried your hand at macaronage].  One way to help ensure that the cake achieves its airy and fluffy consistency is the use of cream of tartar, which will help stabilize and give more volume to the egg whites.  Of course, the first time I made it, I was so focused on  whipping the egg whites  to perfection that I completely forgot to add the baking powder and salt.  My victims co-workers actually liked it though so no harm was brought to my victims co-workers. I've made it twice for them and they cleared it up both times.

Lilikoi Curd
6 eggs
6 egg yolks
1 1/3 cup sugar [I used a little more than 3/4 of a cup, i don't like it too sweet]
1 1/4 cup lilikoi puree [not sweetened]

Whisk together the eggs with the egg yolks in a heatproof glass bowl.  Add the sugar and lilikoi puree.

Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water [the bottom should not touch the water].  Stir mixture constantly until it thickens.  Mixture should coat the back of a spoon.  Pour through strainer to get rid of lumps.

Chiffon Cake

9 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup + 1/2 cups sugar 
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract [or you can use 1 teaspoon of lemon zest]

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until it reaches the soft peak stage.  "Shower" in 1/2 cup of sugar while beating until stiff and glossy.  You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the egg whites falling out.  Set aside.

Sift together remaining cup of sugar, cake flour, salt, and baking powder.  Add egg yolks, water, oil, and extract [or lemon zest].  Beat until smooth.  

Add the egg whites to the yolk mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture  gently in a circular motion until combined. 

Pour into three 8 inch round pans [I set parchment paper on the bottom of each of the pans], baking 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Use skewer or toothpick to test for readiness.

Flip the cake over to cool upside down [still in the pan].  When its ready I like to squish the cake down so it tears away from the sides of the pan.  It's a chiffon so can withstand the "squish" techniques. [If it seems to be sticking too much to the sides, simply run a knife along the edge to separate.]

Whipped Cream Frosting
taken from Joy of Baking
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream*
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar

I'm not sure if there's a difference but they said to chill the whisk, bowl, and ALL the ingredients to achieve maximum volume.  So I did it.  I whisked the above ingredients together.  This reminds me of the whipped cream frosting that they use at Angel Maid Bakery [my very first real job!].


*I used the organic heavy whipping cream from Trader Joe's since it's not ultra pasteurized. It tastes MUCH better than the Ultra Pasteurized variety.

Assembly:
I cut the 8" rounds in half so that each cake pan gave me 2 rounds [there was something oddly too dense about this chiffon cake that i made above so I decided to re-do it again.  Turns out I forgot to add in baking powder.  Thus, the actual number of rounds should be 3].  I started with the lilikoi curd on the first layer, stacked on the next cake, then layered the whipped cream, stack on the next cake, so on and so forth until it's fully assembled.  Frost cake around using the whipped cream frosting.  Try not to eat the majority of it like I did. 

National Food Blogger Bake Sale, Los Angeles

For those of you who have not met Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, you could not possibly understand what a machine this girl is.  I've had the pleasure of working with her previously on our macaron class with Sweet Tartelette and her energy just amazes me. I have yet to have an email or phone conversation with her where she was just relaxing away the day, doing absolutely nothing. If I had 1/4 of her energy, I'm sure I could rule the world.  But I don't so I just need to put that dream to rest.

The same energy went into her desire to set up the National Food Blogger Bake Sale to support Share Our Strength, an organization that fights childhood hunger.  She reached out to food bloggers from across the nation to participate.  In Los Angeles alone, she had about 50 people signed up to bake for the event.  I had about 1200 stickers to price out the goodies and we were far short of the number of stickers we actually needed!  The tables were barfing baked goods - we were better stocked than most bakeries I've seen.  It was awesome.

Sherry Yard supporting the Bake Sale

One highlight of my day there was seeing Sherry Yard.  Wow.  SHERRY YARD of the "Desserts by the Yard" and Spago's fame.  I snatched up a lot of her baked goodies [new stuff that wasn't in her cookbook] as I watched her compile a stash of her own box of food blogger goodies. How awesome to have her support??

Esi doing her sales thing

The cause, as important and worthy as I think it is, was overshadowed by the fact that I felt blessed to spend time with such a great group of people.  We've got ourselves such a great community and I feel let down at the end of each event because of the uncertainty of the next time I'll get to see them! Esi, Dishing Up Delights, suggested a potluck for our next event.  I think I'm going to have to put on my Event Planner hat on and round something up, along with the help of unsuspecting Rachael of La FujiMama. [Lucky her to be my constant victim]

wonderful models: Jenny from Picky Palate and Rachael from La Fuji Mama

Gaby, many, many thanks to you. Congratulations on a job well done and I can't wait for next year's bake sale!!

For those of you who were not able to make it to the Los Angeles Bake Sale [and yes, i know who you are], it's not too late to support Share our Strength. Please click HERE to make a donation.  I thank God that the only hunger I've ever known only lasted a few hours at most [on account of the fact that I never miss a meal, as my ever expanding @$$ would attest to] and I'm sure that many of you are in my same boat [which really, weight-wise, us in the same boat is a very bad thing].  So please, please, please...any little bit helps.  Please donate NOW.