tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-348621882024-02-07T19:15:38.034-05:00Food & DesignBetween food and design lies the subjectivity of tastes, the finesse of technique and the soul satisfaction of a creative expression. I balance my desires and skills between graphic design and cooking for friends and co-workers. This journal is meant to document and share that balance.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-32625052451560845902009-07-13T20:25:00.002-04:002009-07-13T20:29:50.179-04:00Layout is done, soup is readySorry for no posts here in a long time, faithful reader...all three of you. I'll be moving this blog over to <a href="http://jrprospal.wordpress.com/">WordPress</a>, so hopefully you'll keep in touch and see what's going on in my new place.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-15354543607518278192007-11-24T16:36:00.000-05:002007-11-24T16:49:54.678-05:00San Fransico - Incanto and Bacar<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUMKguyd-fqrFPfU-EzMXjGY4ewzqGe6Og2l1OuLOPXpp5lVggq6vgLGa8ZdV-tbAFCHexr8vAuFttfmxh7UM6qBOHR_8_A-Os1mzImYdRtZvJxX-tUZQ5NRSJZat0_RhGa1U3A/s1600-h/incanto_20071119.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUMKguyd-fqrFPfU-EzMXjGY4ewzqGe6Og2l1OuLOPXpp5lVggq6vgLGa8ZdV-tbAFCHexr8vAuFttfmxh7UM6qBOHR_8_A-Os1mzImYdRtZvJxX-tUZQ5NRSJZat0_RhGa1U3A/s400/incanto_20071119.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136525030809524770" /></a>To add to my Iron Chef America experiences, upon arriving back from Cleveland I found out that I would be flying out to San Francisco for a photo shoot. I immediately made reservations at <a href="http://www.incanto.biz/">Incanto</a>, Chef Chris Cosentino's restaurant in the Noe Valley. My supervisor, Dave, and I arrived there at 9pm, after landing at 8p, to a full dining room. I could see Chef Chris hard at work in the kitchen adjoining the dining room.<br /><br />Dave and I opted for the sparkling water and I also ordered a reisling. I started with an appetizer of Crispy Hog's Head Terrine with pickled turnips and grapes, which looked a lot like breaded SPAM, but tasted a whole lot better. The pickled grapes were amazing...a flavor that was tart with vinegar but sweet from the red grape. Both the grapes and turnips complemented the richness of the pork very well. <br /><br />My main course was the Chicken Liver Ravioli with Balsamic Brown Butter and Dave chose the Handkerchief Pasta with Rustic Pork Ragù. The ravioli was creamy and rich and incredibly delicious.<br /><br />To finish the meal I tried the Bay Leaf Panna Cotta & 15-year old Balsamic and Dave had the Roasted Peach, Ginger Ice Cream & Bergamot Mint.<br /><br />After the photo shoot the next day, we went out with <a href="http://lorenz-avelar.com/">Greg Lorencz and Kim Avelar</a>, the photographers, to <a href="http://www.bacarsf.com/">Bacar</a> on Brannan St. Kim picked a very nice Cabernet and we started with appetizers of Calamari and the Wood Oven Roasted Bone Marrow, Sultana Raisin-Caper Relish, Parsley Salad & Grilled Bread. Greg and Kim had never tasted bone marrow and were brave enough to give it a try. Using special long, narrow spoons we dug deep into the roasted bones and scooped out its goodness. We spread it on the toast, added a few raisins and heartily crunched down. Yum.<br /><br />As a main course Kim and Greg chose the Mesquite Grilled Prime Ribeye Steak Slow Cooked Broccoli, Fingerling Potatoes & Arugula Salad, Sauce Bordelaise, Dave chose the Alaskan Salmon Cauliflower, Roasted Yukon Potatos & Toasted Almonds, Caper Emulsion with a side of Roasted Baby Beets & Humboldt Fog Chèvre, and I picked the Loin of Cervena Venison Savoy Cabbage, Hazelnuts & Spiced Quince Broth. The tenderloin was a bit tough, but very flavorful and the sauce was wonderful.<br /><br />Dave and were the only ones up for dessert so I ordered the Pumpkin Pie Panna Cotta with Hazelnut Sable Breton, Pepita Praline and Ginger Caramel; dave chose a dessert called the Milky Way which is a Fudge Cake, two quenelles Malt Ice Cream dressed with Bourbon Caramel. Both were fabulous.<br /><br />We followed dinner with a round of drinks at a nearby bar but had to cut it short as the jet lag finally took hold (just in time to take off again at 7a.) and so called it a night, and an end to my time on the west coast.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-83448070609490424712007-11-17T21:03:00.000-05:002007-11-18T00:55:22.710-05:00Cleveland Is Food<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWuOtRVfrdnHruOiLhcGbv_usGhVKPyaYAXbXtuKyUPzRsjTYMtRLsAGobwBkZ7NaJ-NP02bkPmUZOmAZ7MI2k0avFTNXFTWPlosWg5hf5HQD9D_mPWdheXXRYJThBVqY29YV-g/s1600-h/ruhlman.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWuOtRVfrdnHruOiLhcGbv_usGhVKPyaYAXbXtuKyUPzRsjTYMtRLsAGobwBkZ7NaJ-NP02bkPmUZOmAZ7MI2k0avFTNXFTWPlosWg5hf5HQD9D_mPWdheXXRYJThBVqY29YV-g/s320/ruhlman.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134049347235600898" /></a>I took Friday off work to head to Cleveland for <a href="http://www.ruhlman.com/">Michael Ruhlman</a>'s book signing and discussion on his new book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743299787/ref=nosim/ruhlmancom">Elements of Cooking</a>". To make the trip more memorable I also made reservations at Michael Symon's <a href="http://lolabistro.com/">Lolita</a> in Tremont. Unfortunately I got the dates mixed up and the book signing was actually on Saturday, but that turned out in my favor. <br /><br />I secured a place to stay overnight at my sisters house Friday night and headed for Tremont, a Cleveland neighborhood. I love this neighborhood that's tucked in the northeast corner of I-90 and I-490 behind and around Lincoln Park. It's surrounded by churches and warehouses, but it contains an eclectic mix of artists, musicians and fabulous restaurants. My reservation was for 8:30p and it was 6p when I hit Tremont\ so I made a beeline for my favorite bar in the area, Edison's. Edison's is a nostalgic neighborhood bar with great character and a fantastic patio. I had a couple pints of <a href="http://www.buckeyebrewing.com/">Buckeye Brewing Company</a>'s Hippie IPA, which was described as very hoppy by the bartender, Terry. Personally, I like a lot of hops and thought it was pretty similar to the Barley's Brewing Company Pale Ale.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpr37bydwl4NpOYZLm1urvChD1fTUOEYXFJDBzEOw9twxf3D9Hmn_Auvi0w9ifAcmAbvBD5EKe-HtKMExySc6i-6aAMOVETyYGkxe5cpfWqqXl7Pmcb4L2vOPB89httLdwrizy0Q/s1600-h/lolita.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpr37bydwl4NpOYZLm1urvChD1fTUOEYXFJDBzEOw9twxf3D9Hmn_Auvi0w9ifAcmAbvBD5EKe-HtKMExySc6i-6aAMOVETyYGkxe5cpfWqqXl7Pmcb4L2vOPB89httLdwrizy0Q/s320/lolita.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134019767795833330" /></a>On to Lolita. I had a reservation for two, but my wife ended up not coming with me and my sister had to work late, so I gave up my table for a seat at the bar which offered a view of the kitchen. No Iron Chef tonight, but the food was awesome. I figured the best way to enjoy the food was to try the starters. I began with the warm olives and continued with the roasted beets, grilled lamb sausage, mussels, roasted dates, crispy chicken livers and the garlic bruschetta and a very nice reisling that went well with everything. By far, my favorite was the crispy chicken livers...crispy on the outside and extremely tender and flavorful on the inside. It was served over a soft polenta with sauteed wild mushrooms over the livers. To die for. The beets were served with slivered almonds, dabs of ricotta, honey and orange zest. I ended up stacking several of the beet sliced atop one another with the almonds and ricotta sandwiched in between...a beet neapolitan. The flavors blended perfectly. My only disappointment was the bruschetta, topped with roasted garlic, basil and buffalo mozzarella. The crostini wasn't very crisp, actually almost soggy, and seemed over oiled. If it would have finished with a sit on the grill, I think it could have been more of what I was expecting. Of course, that won't stop my from going back any chance I can get. Lolita's flavors have left all kinds of inspiration running through my mind.<br /><br />Next time in Cleveland I need to hit Lola and the Zach Bruell's Parallax.<br /><br />The next morning I headed for Raddell's Sausage Shop on Waterloo and E. 142. I consider it the best sausage shop in town and one of the reasons Cleveland is a culinary goldmine. Raddell's has a very Old World feel and the aroma is amazing, smoky, meaty, sweet, spicy. I picked up smokies, smoked slovenian sausage, dried smoked slovenian sausage and a cottage ham. These ingredients make my gumbos and jambalayas rock and there's nothing like it in Columbus, I'm sad to say.<br /><br />For breakfast I headed for Coventry in Cleveland Heights and had breakfast at the Inn on Coventry. Two lemon ricotta pancakes, eggs, bacon, grits and too much toast to eat. Yum. Then I went shopping. Coventry is an area full of boutiques, shops, bars, music, restaurants and coffee shops. Passport to Peru, Big Fun and City Buddha being my favorite shops to wander around. I recommend the area to anyone heading to the East Side.<br /><br />On to the book signing. Michael Ruhlman is a very personable nextdoor neighbor kinda guy. Humble, yet incredibly knowledgeable. He gave a good length talk about his history and the reasons to write this latest book, and yes, answered questions about judging The Next Iron Chef. No, there was no favoritism towards Chef Symon. Chef Symon won because of his consistency throughout the competition. <br /><br />In further posts I hope to express some of the ideas and metaphors that Mr. Ruhlman has always written about, but applying those to the design world.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-85642029186118524462007-11-11T21:53:00.000-05:002007-11-11T21:54:13.368-05:00The Next Iron Chef is...Michael Symon!JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-61488099443543513472007-11-05T20:46:00.001-05:002007-11-05T21:02:22.401-05:00And then there were two<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIZzHtUIAmHZEdbJuXl8aAIisvPY02KbF95fQUGM3SZ2XgxUY9yaLfLzEmh1gMbbKg1JwNLwzLn_2bSUOPYw7BXyEcvvN70ZTlP51gncESNeou1TDXJFa4VJXz60gEUdAcHZiPQ/s1600-h/cosentino-besh.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIZzHtUIAmHZEdbJuXl8aAIisvPY02KbF95fQUGM3SZ2XgxUY9yaLfLzEmh1gMbbKg1JwNLwzLn_2bSUOPYw7BXyEcvvN70ZTlP51gncESNeou1TDXJFa4VJXz60gEUdAcHZiPQ/s200/cosentino-besh.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129541403152649986" /></a>So, now it's down to Besh and Symon. Symon, you rock! My observation of these two has been that Symon would be amuch more entertaining Iron Chef than Besh. While Besh does have a great sense of humor, it's usually clever repartie compared to wide-open Symon. He's the energy that the Food network needs. <br /><br />Next week is the showdown in Kitchen Stadium. If I'm not mistaken, I thought I saw Besh carrying a big swordfish in the preview clip. Did they intend to reveal the secret ingredient or are we being misled?JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-82494852646984935042007-10-22T23:49:00.000-04:002007-10-23T00:41:33.344-04:00Yeah, yeahRight, I haven't posted anything in a long time. Hmmm, Why? Well I sort of lost interest in cooking as my time dwindled by having more of a life. I started hitting the gym 3 days a week, working longer hours, and the damn oppressive heat of this summer. I lost my appetite in order to shed the many ponds I gained while cooking so damn much, and because it got expensive.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0PCk4RstgkiMw5YwafS8sDPnxT_9192ptRF0TTnOfuOdiNDy-F7juhGrCwALB6j3KyzqoCET3OittJGeWR5JLGiK6Q9_Ad3cLVsuM-BbyFoK84Xj7M3CsHKALxjWi1uENpA08A/s1600-h/TheNextIronChef_logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0PCk4RstgkiMw5YwafS8sDPnxT_9192ptRF0TTnOfuOdiNDy-F7juhGrCwALB6j3KyzqoCET3OittJGeWR5JLGiK6Q9_Ad3cLVsuM-BbyFoK84Xj7M3CsHKALxjWi1uENpA08A/s320/TheNextIronChef_logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124383412276376994" /></a>Momentarily, however, my passion is emerging again. Most likely spurred on by <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_io/0,3180,FOOD_30216,00.html">The Next Iron Chef</a> airing on the Food Network. Two of my favorites chefs are competing head-to-head, <a href="http://www.lolabistro.com/">Michael Symon</a> of Cleveland (!) and <a href="http://www.offalgood.com/">Chris Cosentino</a> of San Francisco. When Michael won this last Sunday I yelled loud enough that neighbors probably though the Indians are going to the World Series (bummer on that). Symon showed his Cleveland colors by not being afraid of the grill, hell, everyone in Cleveland has a grill...and know hot to use it.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.ruhlman.com/">Michael Ruhlman</a> has been blogging about his judging experiences with Bourdain weighing in his armchair critique, insightful and humorous. I wish the Food Network would focus more on the cooking and let these chefs really cook in real Iron Chef situations. Next up, "Snacks on a plane", WTF. This is like Top Chef with a better prize. But I'll still watch it, of course. Any show that demonstrates that great food can be made on-the-fly, I believe, sends out a strong message toward the general populace to not be afraid of good cooking or cooking well. <br /><br />I remember a newspaper article about Zach Bruell of Z Contemporary Cuisine ( in the mid eighties) and <a href="http://parallaxtremont.com/">Parallax</a> ( in Cleveland. Much like today's "<a href="http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/takehomechef/takehomechef.html">Take Home Chef"</a>, he would go to a grocery store, pick and interesting "victim", and offer to whip up an extraordinary meal from the contens of their cart in their own home. It was like me learning to cook in my Mom's house (no offense, Mom) rumaging through leftovers to create something I wanted to eat that was just the right taste. Ok, I'm rambling. More later.<br /><br />Ta for now,<br />JRJR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-65409269357675608952007-04-25T20:23:00.000-04:002007-04-25T20:38:58.515-04:00Ewwww! Tell me this is just a rumor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmJMSIHpptR6xE1ggiPiFCZYyjcIjzxsr3UDYu9WEC_P8m4u9ngTCOONC005RLPT5ShkSJof7f3haHp0vhbxtIgouD00byaK1x7roKXduwYunLkCzD1JIzGwf3I6cYke0ovhbzg/s1600-h/moltomario.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmJMSIHpptR6xE1ggiPiFCZYyjcIjzxsr3UDYu9WEC_P8m4u9ngTCOONC005RLPT5ShkSJof7f3haHp0vhbxtIgouD00byaK1x7roKXduwYunLkCzD1JIzGwf3I6cYke0ovhbzg/s320/moltomario.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057528832825680786" /></a><br /><br />Posted on Gawker, <a href="http://gawker.com/news/mario-batali/what-has-two-thumbs-and-a-boatload-of-new-stds-194852.php">What Has Two Thumbs and a Boatload of New STD's?</a><br /><br />I quote, "Celebrity chef Mario Batali has been enjoying la dolce vita this summer, with late-night drinking sessions at the Spotted Pig.<br /><br />During one recent bacchanal, which lasted almost until sunrise, the red-headed restaurateur told his companions he was leaving to "drop in on Courtney Love."<br /><br />"He said that he 'often' drops in on her," said our man with the big ears.<br /><br /><br />Believe me, I love Mario and his cooking, and this is in no way is posted to reflect his win over Chef Costentino...It just came up in a search. I'm pretty sure Mario is married with a couple kids and was only joking...probably hoping everyone would vomit.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-35903805299738341892007-04-23T00:44:00.000-04:002007-04-25T20:44:12.063-04:00And the winner is...Batali (46 - 44)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaWsZR0Gs6GyCnE4igoWl7B4Pkwf-4FYhLFUWpfgOdC-fn3We1OBQQj_loOB_p_RYC25p6MZ-HQ7EZ2tUzF2d42y0pHhhIN4DWV-BLJOXg3Fs5fTkGsNsOLHPibA9opysWxKUBA/s1600-h/cosentino-batali.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaWsZR0Gs6GyCnE4igoWl7B4Pkwf-4FYhLFUWpfgOdC-fn3We1OBQQj_loOB_p_RYC25p6MZ-HQ7EZ2tUzF2d42y0pHhhIN4DWV-BLJOXg3Fs5fTkGsNsOLHPibA9opysWxKUBA/s320/cosentino-batali.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057513697360929650" /></a><br /></br><br /><a href="http://www.incanto.biz/">Chef Chris Cosentino</a> brought great dishes to the table, but in the end Iron Chef Mario Batali's cuisine reigned supreme. I was a little surprised, however, that Batali had no offal dishes (unless you count caul fat) knowing he was going up against Cosentino. Batali focused his dishes on a trip to Majorca, Spain...do the the Spaniards use offal? I'll have to research that.<br /><br />Back to the show. I was trying to catch the dishes as fast as I could, but I know I missed some. If anyone caught the whole menu, please post it or send it to me. Though I am hoping Chef Chris might might post his dishes on his blog, <a href="http://www.offalgood.com/">Offal Good</a>.<br /><br />Just found...Whoa! Paolo posted a blow-by-blow of the show at <a href="http://blogs.menupages.com/sanfrancisco/2007/04/a_running_diary_of_last_nights.html">MenuPages Blog</a>. Awesome. But I'll post an abbreviated rundown.<br /><br /><h2>Cosentino</h2><br />1. Cheese crostini of ricotta w/ garlic bread<br />2. Sea scallop crudo with pickled and raw garlic<br />3. Garlic pasta with [thinly sliced] snails<br />4. Garlic roasted squab holding a clove in its talon (including the head cut lengthwise to expose the brain)<br />5. Eighty garlic clove braised pork belly & tripe<br />6. Garlic infused honey mousse and pine nut brittle<br /><br /><h2>Batali</h2><br />1. Tapas: garlic bruschetta with lomo, garlic-potato tortilla, brandade stuff piquillo pepper<br />2. Gambas (langostine) al ajillo<br />3. Cod with green garlic emulsion<br />4. Cold gazpacho soup (garlic, almonds, melon) &; sopa de ajo with the quail egg ricotta ravioli<br />5. Lamb chop with escalivada (squash blossoms)<br /><br />The score:</br><br />Taste: 25-24<br />Plating: 13-7<br />Originality: 8-13<br />Total: 46-44<br /><br />C'mon! An "8" and he used the squab talons, livers and brains. Chris was robbed.<br /><br />Anyhow, I think the best part of the show was when Mario was dribbling some sauce over the cod and Alton Brown said, "Look, Mario is saucing his codpiece." I've watched enough Alton to know that joke wasn't a freudian slip. Good one, Alton.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-14178368436950455442007-04-20T01:58:00.000-04:002007-04-20T02:21:40.186-04:00Cosentino vs Batali in Battle Garlic<b>Sunday, April 22, 2007 @ 9:00pm EST/PST<br />The Food Network</b><br /><br />"Chef Chris Cosentino enters Kitchen Stadium for the first time and challenges Iron Chef Mario Batali to a culinary showdown. Will Chef Cosentino's creativity best Iron Chef Batali?" Food Network's Iron Chef America page <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ia/episode/0,1976,FOOD_16696_50398,00.html" target="new">http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ia/episode/0,1976,FOOD_16696_50398,00.html</a><br /><br />Chris is a chef who believes in the use of offal in cooking, and I love eating offal. This past week I was in NYC for the Manny Awards, the "Grammy" of Pharmaceutical Advertising, and had the opportunity to eat at the Stage Deli. I ordered the toungue sandwich and it was awesome. Fall apart tender slices of beef toungue piled 4 inches high on rye bread. Dipped in russian dressing it was heaven. The sandwich also came with 5 or six large dillpickles and a bowl of fresh made cole slaw. I highly recommend the place. Unfortunately, while eating there I missed the chance to sample a foie gras terrine at Maisson right next door. Which means I just need to get back to NYC soon. And I hope to get back to San Francisco to eat at Incanto one of these days. Until then, watch two great chefs battle it out.<br /><br />For more background on Chris Cosentino visit his web blog, <a href="http://www.offalgood.com/" target="new">Offal Good</a>.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-45036756450595927662007-03-18T22:54:00.001-04:002007-04-15T19:52:13.297-04:00vepřo-knedlo-zelo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2OVXDAGq_T3WDoio7AC9bOtblfx83FavRq5BB-mGkw79-PrAd1zsLOOFGctqoqs5F12CL5E7vUC06JnLpoIfQ4t2s3viermqMSCUl1wdyXeifcCqSukKDCpABg-Wzm0xCXcVXg/s1600-h/porkdumplingsaurkraut.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2OVXDAGq_T3WDoio7AC9bOtblfx83FavRq5BB-mGkw79-PrAd1zsLOOFGctqoqs5F12CL5E7vUC06JnLpoIfQ4t2s3viermqMSCUl1wdyXeifcCqSukKDCpABg-Wzm0xCXcVXg/s320/porkdumplingsaurkraut.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053799307348218802" /></a><br /></br><br /><b>Pork, dumplings, and saurkraut.</b> This is one of my favorite dishes that my made made while I was a kid and the national dish of Bohemia. As a family we still have this dish at holidays, but not so much in between. I had bought a nice pork roast on sale and decided it was time to make this ols classic myself. The dumplings that my family always made are knedlicky hoskovy, or bread dumplings. These are very large, small loaf dumplings with cubes of bread added. They are extremely satisfying dumplings and we always make plentyt of extra for leftovers. What do you do with leftover giant dumplings? Well, my favorite is to cut them up into cubes, saute in butter until golden and then crack a few eggs over the top, keep things moving to coat the dumplings well, season and enjoy. This is a heary breakfast or even a nice dinner if served with stewed tomatoes. I can't get enough of those dumplings.<br /><br />Anyhow, back to the pork. The pork I roasted in the oven after giving it a nice spice rub consisting of salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, mustard powder, and a little garlic powder. To the saurkraut I add about a teaspoon or so of caraway seeds per pound. In the photo I served this with a pork and red bell pepper gravy, which came out a little too sweet. I'd like a more savory pork and sage gravy instead. Here's the recipe for the dumplings:<br /><br />1 C Flour<br />1 Egg in 1/2 C Milk, beat lightly<br />1/2 tsp Salt<br />1/2 tsp Baking Powder<br />3 slices Bread (cube & toast until golden)<br /><br />Mix the dry ingredients together, add the egg & milk mixture, and fold in the bread cubes. Form the dumpling into a round loaf, dusting with flour so it doesn't stick to you or the board. Boil for 15-20 minutes.<br /><br />Note: The egg and milk mixture is very dependent on the number of dumplings you make. For each dumpling use a 1/2 Cup measure, add the egg then top off the measure with milk. So, for two dumplings you would add two eggs to a 1 Cup measure, then top of the measure with milk. Three dumplings would require three eggs in a measure and milk add to get to 1-1/2 Cup. Get it? Every other ingredient is straight multiples.<br /><br />I hope you give these dumplings a try, either as part of Vepro-knedlo-zelo or with eggs. Either way I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Dobre podjme jist (ok, let's eat!).JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-87691768412590160182007-02-27T19:45:00.000-05:002007-03-15T22:12:42.303-04:00The Beast WithinExcuse my absence in posting, I'll start catching up here. Back in January, when the temperatures finally dropped below freezing, my friends from <a href="http://www.2silos.com/">2Silos farm</a> called me up saying they had a sheep that was approaching the 1 year mark and it needed to become food.<br /><br />Of course I jumped at the chance, but let me explain a few things first. I've always loved animals and have been a protector of animals, especially wild animals. I swerve whenever possible, while driving, to avoid a creature, I don't hunt, and I'm a pet owner. I once had to watch a buddy shoot a horse that got hit by a car, and was very saddened by the loss. Now, I've also grown up watching nature shows and knew nothing was wrong with the operation of the food chain. I have watched my cats dispatch birds, chipmunks, and the occasional rabbit. I also grew up knowing the delicious value of wild game, whether bought whole at a market or shared with a family member that did hunt.<br /><br />So, why did I want to go to a farm, watch an animal be killed and then help butcher it? Well, as Anthony Bordain (and many other chefs) put it, "It's important to know where your food comes from." As a food fan and a consummate carnivore, I felt it was my duty to take the opportunity. And I'm glad I did. What stirred inside of my during the process was the primality of The Lord of The Hunt, Herne, and the Lord of the Forest, Cernnunos. Whether we human like it or not, we're animals and we're high on the food chain. And, while packaged meats are highly accessible, I think we lose the connection to the animal we're eating. How was it raised? Did it die well? These are the things I wanted to experience.<br /><br />The experience also brought me closer to Cameron, who did the actual act, but was not raised on a farm. Killing is not natural to Cam, though owning a farm has forced against his natural instincts. When owning a farm the animals are not pets, they are food, just like the vegetables in the field (though they require more care). We took awhile preparing our minds for what was to come. We talked about it and reassured each other that it needed to be done, that's why they raised the lamb. <br /><br />We literally trudged out to the barn through the snow, and confronted the beast. This was no spring lamb. This was a fully mature 200+ lb. sheep, full of wool and not happy we're in his pen. I'm not going into the rest of the details, except that after we hauled it upstairs, it was amazing how fast an animal starts looking like food.<br /><br />Next we brought it inside to butcher. Working on an animal that large really lets you see where all the muscles are and how the connective tissue and joints work together.<br /><br />For my efforts Cam and his wife, Denise, gave me a few selections of the sheep including a flank steak, a whole leg, a tenderloin, and a variety of offal which included 2 stomachs, kidneys, heart, liver, and a bunch of suet (for the birds). Had I studied more sheep physiology, I would have wanted the sweetbreads which we accidentally cut in pieces. <br /><br />I want to thank Cam and Denise for the experience and their unwavering hospitality. Unfortunately, due to not enough available time, I had to freeze most of my haul, but keep an eye out for the dishes I create coming this spring.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1168561562559289462007-01-11T19:23:00.000-05:002007-01-15T09:15:33.173-05:00The Wing Doctor<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/1479/1015/1600/903420/devilish_eggs-250.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/1479/1015/320/653714/devilish_eggs-250.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />So, the Wing Doctor shows up at my door one day with three samples of his sauces with the challenge to create recipes using the sauces. <a href="http:www.the wingdoctor.com/">The Wing Doctor</a> is a professor of biology at Ohio State University and has been working on his sauces for several years (nevermind the website, I hope to be creating him a new one soon.) Block parties, housewarming, gatherings always feature the Wing Doctors wings if he's there. The doc is a great guy. The most notable sauce that he makes is his <b>Red Ranch Sauce</b>. Spicy, cool, tangy, mmmmm. It's mild enough that my wife will even eat it. And it makes a great dip for chincharones (mexican pork rinds).<br /><br />Of course I was up to the challenge and my mind began reeling with ideas beyond the ordinary wings. Calamari? Chicken? Eggs! Yes, eggs. Specifically, deviled eggs. I made about 2 dozen eggs to serve at our local brewpub, Barley's Smokehouse, to share with the doc, his family and friends...and the staff. Needless to say they were a huge hit and all were devoured. So here's the first of my Wing Doctor recipes:<br /><br /><b>Devilish Eggs</b><br />3 eggs, large<br />3 slices pancetta , very thinly sliced<br />1.5 tsps Dijon mustard<br />1.5 to 2 tsps wing sauce<br />2 Tbsp mayonnaise<br /><br />Place eggs in one layer in a pot and cover with cool water. Heat until boiling. Cover and remove from heat. Let set for 10 min. Cool eggs unter running cold water still in pot, drain, but leave water halfway up eggs. Add 32 oz, or so, of ice to cool eggs further. When cool, dry and store in refrigerator. Brown pancetta in pan until crisp. Drain on paper towel or rack. When cool, crumble.<br /><br />Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Place yolks in bowl for mixing. Place whites arranged on a platter. Crush egg yolks with folk until fine then mix in dijon, mayonnaise and hot sauce. Blend to combine until smooth.<br /><br />Pipe (medium star tip) egg mixture into egg white halves and top with small amount of crumbled pancetta.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1168191491658747132007-01-07T12:22:00.000-05:002007-02-25T22:34:28.970-05:00Columbus Calamari Showdown 2006Throughout 2006 I visited some of the best recommended restaurants serving calamari in and around Columbus, OH. With the constant expansion of Columbus and it's importance as a retail shipping hub has also expanded Columbus as a restaurant test bed. Columbus boasts the home of Cameron Mitchell restuarants, Wendy's and White Castle burgers and our own Bocuse D'Or winner, Harmut Handke.<br /><br />I chose calamari mainly because I can never get enough of this succulent little ocean dweller (though I'd also love to see more cuttlefish use as well), but also because it seems to be a ubiquitous appetizer on menus. With the wrong preparation calamari can become tough and chewy, but when done right it has a nice bite and a rich softness.<br /><br />The main criteria in my ranking was the desire to have more. Would I immediately order another dish of this food after finishing off the first dish? Secondly is how it's prepared. I am disappointed in the number of identical Calamari Fritti offerings at many top restaurants. Sure, for most folks the ever familiar breaded and fried calamari is comforting. But that's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for new preparations, ones with lots of forethough and experimentation.<br /><br />So, here's the best of 2006:<br /><ol><br /><li><a href="http://www.mitchellsoceanclub.com/" target="_new">Cameron Mitchell's Ocean Club</a> - Fried Judith Point Calamari</li><br /><li><a href="http://www.elevatorbrewing.com/" target="_new">Elevator Brewery</a> - Fried Judith Point Calamari</li><br /><li><a href="http://www.q2bistro.com/" target="_new">Q2 Bistro</a> - Spicy Salted Calamari</li><br /><li><a href="http://www.capcityfinediner.com/" target="_new">Cameron Mitchell's Cap City Fine Diner & Bar</a> - Hot & Sour Calamari</li><br /><li>Ha Long Bay</li><br /></ol><br /><br />Notable restaurants that did not make the top 5 are Smith & Wollensky (overly salty), McCormick & Schmick (ordinary), Brio Tuscan Grill (ordinary), Bucca Di Beppo (ordinary).JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1166149670712729432006-12-14T20:52:00.000-05:002006-12-14T21:31:59.183-05:00KFC logo redesign<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/1479/1015/1600/983140/kfc_logo_2006.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/1479/1015/320/783739/kfc_logo_2006.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />In early November KFC introduced a new symbol for only the fourth time in it's 50-year history. In this new iteration the colonel sheds his suit for an apron. Many folks that I discussed this with don't really understand the change. Most folks believe the colonel was only a figurehead for the company when, in fact, he developed the recipe and often spent time in the kitchen. Harland Sanders owned a service station where he developed his famous recipe of fried chicken, first serving folks food from his living room. His reputation grew until he could own his own restaurant, where he was the chef, and developed his unique method of cooking chicken using a pressure cooker. Also not readily known is that he did this at the age of 40 after being a firefighter, a steamboat captain and a salesman. His familiar white outfit was adopted after he was made an honorary colonel by the governor of Kentucky as a means of self-promotion.<br /><br />In my opinion this change is the greatest change to the image of KFC since they changed their name from Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC to fend off concerns of excess fat content. The significance of this change is that the recipe used today is still the same recipe designed by Mr. Sanders himself, that he was an authentic chef and a culinary visionary. <br /><br />This is exactly what a brand is meant to do--—evolve, redefine, and support customer loyalty. Brands are defined by what customers believe and feel in their hearts, not what the corporation or a marketing departments say. I do believe and predict that KFCs stock wil rise due to this image change. Why? It brings convenience and honesty home. People who love KFC love it because it's easy, fast, and very reasonably priced. Those are exactly the values that the Colonel was trying to do. I see this change as more of a true-to-image change than anything else. KFC lovers know it in their hearts that it's a great product, now the symbol has evolved to show that.<br /><br />The colonel would be proud.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1164672621231883352006-11-27T18:40:00.000-05:002006-12-08T00:09:34.320-05:00Turkey Day 2006This Thanksgiving Day was a great time for food, bad time for my camera to go on the fritz. I won't have pics until later, but I might as well blab on about the food. Yeah sorry, not much to say about design yet.<br /><br />Usually I am with my family up in Cleveland, however this year I made dinner for my wife's family. A typical Cleveland T-Day consists of turkey with giblet gravy, ham or pork roast, huge dumplings, sage stuffing, saurkraut and sausage or stuffed cabbage, cranberry sauce and relish, a lettuce salad, canned sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, deviled eggs and many bottles of wine. My wife's typical T-Day is turkey with plain gravy, box dressing, macaroni and cheese, canned sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, rolls, green bean casserole and soda. Of course my family is larger, but I think the ethinicity is more prevalent despite the extra dishes.<br /><br />To blend the two I played it safe...turkey with gravy made from stock saved from months ago including the fond from that time. Wild mushroom stuffing tamales, candied sweet potatoes made from fresh Louisiana yams, deviled eggs, fresh cranberry-orange-pomegranate relish, sweet corn, green bean casserole, wheat rolls, and packaged mashed potatoes (for my wife). <br /><br />One of my greatest prizes from the meal is a very thick, dark and very rich gravy made afterward from the pan drippings and the 2 Qts. of stock I made from the carcass, which I made later Thursday night. The tamales turned out OK. In the rush I forgot to saute the aromatics so it was crunchier than I intended. <br /><br />Sunday I made sweet potato gnocchi with a maple-pomegranate glaze and a turkey ragu from the dark meat utlizing the dark gravy mixed with stock for the liquid.<br /><br /><b>Wild Mushroom Tamales</b><br /><br />1 lb 12-grain bread , dried, diced<br />20 dried corn husks<br />1 oz. dried mushrooms<br />4 Tbsp butter, unsalted<br />1 cup onion, medium , chopped<br />1 cup celery , chopped<br />2 Tbsp shallot, large , chopped<br />2 Tbsp garlic clove, large , minced<br />1 sprig thyme<br />1 tsp sage , chopped<br />.5 tsp rosemary , chopped<br />.5 tsp salt<br />.25 tsp black pepper<br />.5 cup turkey stock , reduced by half<br />4 eggs, large , lightly beaten<br />1 Tbsp chives , chopped<br /><br />Cover husks with water and simmer for 10 min. then let soak for 2 hrs. Place mushrooms in bowl or cup and cover with boiling water. Place saucer over bowl to keep mushrooms submerged, let set for 1 hour. Dice bread, spread on baking sheet and place in 200° oven for 30 min., set aside. Turn oven up to 350°.<br /><br />Save juice from mushrooms but press and drain mushrooms, then chop. In 2 T butter, saute onions and celery until onions start to get clear then add shallots, garlic, thyme, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper. At end add 2 additional T of butter and let melt.<br /><br />Place bread in large bowl and add vegetables and butter, mushrooms, chives, eggs, 1/2 cup of reserved mushroom juice and turkey stock and mix well.<br /><br />Take 2-3 husks and tear 1/4" strips to tie filled tamales. Lay whole husks flat, place mound of stuffing in center and fold husk sides together over stuffing. Twist each end and tie with strip. Repeat. Place tamales on a cooling rack on a baking sheet in the oven for ~40min. or to 160°. To serve, cut slit down center and push ends together to expose stuffing or completely unwrap. Drizzle with gravy.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1163381326416296192006-11-12T20:25:00.000-05:002006-11-12T20:33:18.683-05:00Old Town Fiesta, Part IV<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/1600/chili_tripe_posole.0.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/320/chili_tripe_posole.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><b>Church Street Cafe<br />2111 Church Street</b><br /><br />• Chili with Red Sauce Meat and Beans<br />• Menudo with Red Sauce on the side<br />• Posole with Green Sauce on side with Sopapilla<br />• Sangria<br /><br />Every one of the sampled dishes was fantastic. The chili was the best I've had in a long time and the sauces were rich and smooth.<br /><br />The real taste I was seeking here was the tripe. I was raised eating tripe (specifically beef reticulum, or honeycomb tripe) and offal in its many forms are part of my family cuisine. One of my Dad's favorite dishes is pig tails and beans (a dish known as Kuba), sausage was a food group and chicken hearts were the prize giblets. You should see my family at a pig roast practically fighting to get pieces of the crisped skin.<br /><br /><b>Breaded Tripe</b><br /><br />1 egg, large, lightly beaten <br />1 cup bread crumbs <br />1/4 cup Flour, all purpose <br />1 tsp paprika <br />1 tsp thyme, dried, crushed <br />1/2 tsp black pepper, ground <br />oil for frying <br />1/2 cup buttermilk <br />2 lbs tripe, beef reticulum, cut, palm size <br /><br />1. Boil tripe from 30-45 minutes, until fork tender. Drain and let cool to room temp. <br /><br />2. Heat oil in pan. Use only enough to raise oil halfway up thickness of meat. Heat until breadcrumb sizzles, ~350°-370°. <br /><br />3. Mix breadcumbs, flour, paprika, thyme, and pepper together on bowl for dredging. <br /><br />4. Lightly beat egg and milk together in shallow dish. Pat tripe dry then run through egg wash mixture. Drain shortly, then coat with breadcrumb mixture, patting breadcrumbs into surface. <br /><br />5. Pan fry in oil until golden, flip, repeat. Drain on rack, cover with foil to rest.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1161909924810538492006-10-26T20:37:00.000-04:002006-10-26T20:45:24.826-04:00Old Town Fiesta, Part III<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/1600/HighNoonSaloon-front.0.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/320/HighNoonSaloon-front.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><b>High Noon Saloon</b><br />425 San Filipe NW<br /><br />• House Margarita<br />• La Pinta Margarita<br />• Single Track Ale<br /><br />Now I'm feeling kinda thirsty. I start getting my bearing, exploring the little alleyways of Old Town and taking keeping an eye on shops I want to return to later in the day. There's a Cat House right down from the creperie selling cat-related merchandise, many souvenir shops that I don't even poke my head into and lots of art shops. I noticed a shop named Hispania that displayed lots of Dia de los Muertos items that caught my eye, but I was getting more thirsty. I spied a shop keeper to ask for a recommendation. As I approached he threw towards me an arm load of beads and said, "Have some beads!" Obliging I asked him, "So who makes the best margarita in Old Town?" First he said, "Why, I do!" but before I could tell him to fire up the blender he directed me to the High Noon Saloon.<br /><br />The High Noon Saloon is pretty non-descript from the outside, but inside what a treat. saloon really doesn't do it justice. The decor is adobe, but it has a very contemporary feel to it. It' s cozy, yet chic. And the margaritas...they pack a great punch.<br /><br />First I tried their house 'rita which was plenty strong, then I spied a La Pinta Pomegranate Tequila. The bartender explained that it's not a very potent tequila so she typically will use it instead of Triple Sec in a 'rita. Yum. Still needing a little more moisture I opted for a <a href="http://www.arcticliquor.com/single-track-copper-p-32.html">Single Track Copper Ale</a>, a Colorado brew with a refreshing taste.<br /><br />Feeling pretty good and wobbly I'm off to do some shopping.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1161396897187095732006-10-20T21:25:00.000-04:002006-10-20T22:20:04.960-04:00Old Town Fiesta, Part II<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/1600/la_crepe_michel.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/320/la_crepe_michel.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><b>La Crêpe Michel</b><br /><a href="http://www.lacrepemichel.com/">www.lacrepemichel.com</a><br />400 San Filipe NW (Patio San Filipe Del Norte)<br /><br />• Crêpe Aux Fruits De Mer (Shrimp, bay and sea scallops in velouté with mushrooms)<br /><br />A slight detour from southwestern fare, La Crêpe Michel is traditional country french bistro. The sample menu featured both sweet and savory crêpes though when I was brought the menu it only included savory (the dessert menu has the sweet.) I chose to go with seafood figuring that I probably would not be encountering much seafood this day. The crêpe was light and stuffed full of shrimp and scallops...maybe even too much. I was hoping to taste a little more of the crêpe. Just as a note, this crêpe was simply folded over once.<br /><br />Crêpes are a little foreign to me even though I grew up eating palacinka, the eastern european version of a crêpe. Palacinka are rolled and crêpes are folded seems to be the broad distinction. My mother always filled them with cottage cheese sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.<br /><br />My favorite "crêpe" is one I made for folks at work...Strawberry Goat Cheese Mousse Palacinka.<br /><br /><b>Strawberry Goat Cheese Mousse Palacinka</b><br /><br /><b>Crepes</b><br />4............eggs, large, beaten <br />.5 tsp....salt <br />2 cups..milk <br />2 tsps....sugar <br />2 cups...Flour, all purpose, sifted <br />clarified butter <br />water <br /><br /><b>Filling</b><br />1...........strawberry for garnish<br />3...........Strawberries for filling<br />8 oz.......Heavy Cream<br />12oz......Chevre<br /><br /><b>Coulis</b><br />1/2 qt....Strawberries<br />1/4 cup..sugar<br />1/4 cup..water<br /><br /><br />Mix flour, salt and sugar. Combine well-beaten eggs and milk. Add gradually to flour mixture beating to a thin smooth batter. Pour 1/8 cup of the batter on a hot buttered skillet. Batter must be very thinned and smooth. <br /><br />Fry on both sides. (*Tip; Watch the edges and when they are lightly browned, then it's time to flip the cake.) Continue this until all batter is used. Stack on warm plate. <br /><br /><b>Filling:</b> Dice strawberries and reserve. Blend heavy cream and chevre until smooth. <br /><br /><b>Coulis:</b> Dice strawberries, add sugar and water and cook over medium heat until well blended.<br /><br /><b>Contruct:</b> Lay crepe flat, spoon thick line of cheese mixture down center and sprinkle with diced berries. Roll crepe and cover with stream of coulis from squirt bottle. Top with sliced strawberry garnish.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1161319550092015102006-10-20T00:12:00.001-04:002006-10-20T00:45:50.093-04:00Old Town Fiesta, Part I<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/1600/index_photo.0.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/200/index_photo.png" border="0" alt="" /></a>During October 12-15 I had the chance to join my wife in Albuquerque, NM and then ramble across the high desert to the Grand Canyon and then the Chaco Canyon. The culinary high point was on Thursday when I got to spend a good portion of the day exploring the shops and eateries of Old Town. <a href="http://www.oldtownalbuquerque.com/">Old Town</a> is where the first families settled in Albuquerque back in 1706, the architecture is Pueblo-Spanish (adobe) and many of the original homes still exist as shops, galleries and businesses.<br /><br />The next few posts will feature each of the four eateries I had the time to visit along with recipes that I have made and perhaps pics of some of my purchases. We'll see.<br /><br />For now, here's my first stop:<br /><br /><strong>Alfredo's Coffee House</strong><br />2104 Charlevoix St NW<br /><br />• Cappuccino<br />• Huevos Rancheros with meat and green salsa, mexican rice and pintos on the side, lettuce and tomato garnish<br /><br />This was a nice little place located in the Hacienda Place area of Old Town. though it was going on 11am I was still in need of a cup-o-joe and some breakfast. Heevos Rancheros was definitely on my mind, and I wasn't disappointed (well, except for the kitchen mix-up that put papas on my plate instead of arroz...which ended up being cold) in the eggs. I ordered them over easy and the yolk mixture with the salsa, meat and tortilla was great.<br /><br />A favorite southwestern dish I like to whip up are my Breakfast Burritos.<br /><br /><strong>Breakfast Burritos</strong><br /><br />7.5 oz...........Chorizo, carne de res<br />4...................Large eggs<br />1/2...............Medium Red Onion, diced<br />2...................Serrano Chilis, minced<br />1/4 cup........Crema or sour creme<br />1 cup............Enchilada Sauce<br />small bunch..Cilantro, chopped<br />5...................6" Flour tortillas<br /><br />Remove chorizo from plastic casing and break up into chunks. Cook chorizo for 2 min. as it starts breaking up. Mash with spoon while cooking. add onions and chilis and cook until onions are translucent. Add eggs and continuously fold to mix evenly as eggs cook. Season with salt. Cooks eggs until just set, no further. Take off heat and divide onto warmed tortillas. Roll tortilla and with seam down, coat with enchilada sauce and zigzag with crema, each from a squirt bottle down length. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve. Makes 5 burritos.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1160436009843387792006-10-09T19:19:00.000-04:002006-10-11T02:03:56.016-04:00Lox of Love<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/1600/tomatoes_lox-s.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/320/tomatoes_lox-s.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I love tomatoes. I'm sure a lot of people do, but since I have an acute potato allergy I feel lucky that my allergy doesn't include all nightshade related plants.<br /><br />This past weekend I stopped by the Clintonville Farm Market <http://www.clintonvillefarmersmarket.org/> and bought a nice basket of homegrown tomatoes for $4. Wahoo!<br /><br />I ended up spending 5 hrs of the day cleaning out my garage and was thoroughly famished when I was done. It was getting late and I wasn't about to fire up the stove so i rummaged through the fridge. I found half a log of Silver Goat Chevre, half a package of norwegian salmon, half a red onion. Add to that some capers and a few slices of organic roasted garlic bread and I have the making of some killer new york style lox.<br /><br />I took a palm-sized tomato, cut in wedges abd liberally applied Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. I toasted the bread to just crisp and spread a nice disk of cheese on each piece. Top that with pieces of salmon, paper thin slices of onion and a sprinkle of capers.<br /><br />Hungry yet? I wolfed that plate down like no tomorrow. Coming up soon I'll show you my version of Caprese Crustini. Enjoy those tomatoes, the season is nearly over.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1160023174399383452006-10-04T23:53:00.000-04:002006-10-05T00:39:34.446-04:00Triple Salmon<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/1600/triple_salmon_20061004.0.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1479/1015/320/triple_salmon_20061004.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />A local store had salmon on sale and there was no way I could resist, especially since the fillets were rather thick. I was hoping to grill these guys but a torrential rainstorm dampened those thoughts. Instead I decioded to bak the fillets in butter and olive oil. Mmmm. Rather than doing all three pieces the same I decided to season each differently.<br /><br />[Heat oven to 475°] First all three fillets are seasoned with kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper. The first fillet adds on dried Thyme (from fresh) and minced lemon zest. The second fillet gets dried dill weed and a drizzle of dill/porcini oil. The third gets a full coat dusting of gaujillo pepper powder. Let these sit at room temperature for 10-15 min so the rub can settle in a bit. <br /><br />I add a Tbsp of unsalted butter and Tbsp of EVOO to the preheated roasters. Each are placed skin-side up and roasted for 6 min. each side. To serve I added a final sauce lightly to each. The Thyme and Lemon got a red pepper remoulade, the Dill got a light drizzle of Dill/Porcini oil, and the Gaujillo Pepper received a splash of rich hot sauce.<br /><br />I served three 1" cuts together on a plate utop a thick bed of wild mushroom polenta and a wreath of haricot vert which was steamed with garlic and oregano and seasoned. I also had a nice small bowl of mushy peas as well. Why? Because I realized I had more in the pantry than I thought. <br /><br />On the design side: It was a very busy day, mostly because of my overthinking a project and taking way too long. I got everything accomplished, but not until 7pm.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34862188.post-1158941961956789372006-09-22T12:14:00.000-04:002006-10-11T02:09:07.236-04:00Hi Foodies!Well, here's another attempt at a blog. I work as a graphic designer at an ad agency but I secretly (ok, not so secretly) wish I was a cook. So, if I run out of one topic, I'll just switch to the other. Food and/or Design.JR Prospalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14338085030991040379noreply@blogger.com1