a spring hike

Mr.S and I wanted to do something fun together, just him and me, for our 2 year anniversary, so we went on a hike in Gunpowder State Park on saturday. I love to hike the Shenandoah Nat'l Park trails in Virginia, so this was my first time exploring a MD trail. We started our day with coffee and a Naked Juice at the Daily Grind, then onto Wegman's for some portable treats for the hike. I got a banana (potassium) and beef jerky (protein) and Mr.S picked up a potato knish, ham & gruyere sandwich, soychips, and water. Off we went with the clouds looming overhead. Ah well, it was an adventure!

There were signs of spring all over- budding branches, leafy vegetation along the bank, wild flowers, a gushing stream down the hillside. My favorite were the fiddlehead ferns that grew in little groves, close to the ground, silvery-haired and resilient to its surroundings. It's the ultimate sign that winter has gone and left.


I have not seen fiddlehead ferns on a Baltimore menu as of yet; if anyone knows who makes a dish out of these little fellas, please drop me a line.

According to Today food editor Phil Lempert, tender, young fiddlehead fronds resemble the tops of fiddles, hence their name. The taste of these unusual greens is reminiscent of asparagus, yet nutty. Don’t be tempted to pick these ferns yourself, as some are poisonous. The following salad is the perfect seasonal pairing of treats from the forest, fiddleheads and morels.

Fiddlehead Fern and Morel Mushroom Salad with Winchester Aged Gouda

Fifth Floor Restaurant

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound fiddlehead ferns

• 1/2 pound morel mushrooms

• 3 tablespoons clarified butter (or vegetable oil)

• 2 tablespoons walnut flavored oil, plus extra to dress the plate

• 2 tablespoons 100-year-old balsamic vinegar

• 1 small piece of Winchester Aged Gouda to shave on top

• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim the fiddlehead ferns
2. Blanch the ferns in salted, boiling water for one minute
3. Chill in ice water immediately to cool
4. Wash and slice the morel mushrooms
5. Sauté mushrooms in butter until tender, then cool
6. Combine ferns and mushrooms in a medium mixing bowl, and toss with oil and vinegar
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste
8. Arrange about 1/2 cup of salad in the middle of a plate
9. Drizzle walnut oil and balsamic in a circle around the salad
10. Shave a few slices of cheese on top

The hike ended up being about 7-8 miles. On the way back, the trail blazes were less than adequate, so a couple times we were lost and also a bit miffed from the spring showers. For the most part, it was truly wonderful to enjoy the peace and quiet and clean fresh air out there. Following alongside the river was really quite serene and a great way to get some exercise in without really thinking about it. We'll have to do our research and find more trails to discover in the area.

weekend groceries

Unlike my parents who go food shopping just once a week, I prefer to go a couple times a week, each time picking up a few things I may need that night or the next day. And besides, I really love grocery shopping- I can always find an excuse to go.

Friday: Belvedere Square
-egg & swiss sandwich on an everything bagel; 2 cinnamon raisin bagels from Gregg's Bagels
-1/3 lb. smoked egg salad from Neopol
-Spanish blood oranges
-a cup of creamy leek, mushroom & potato soup from Atwater's

Saturday: Whole Foods Inner Harbor
-Silk soymilk
-Kashi Good Friends cereal
-blueberry scone (if I could eat one food for the rest of my life...)
-raisin walnut roll
-quart chicken tortilla soup (needed more spice- not caliente enough)
-loose granola - pumpkin spice
-sweet & spicy beef jerky
-blueberries

Sunday: Trader Joe's in Pikesville
-large white eggs ($.99 for a dozen!)
-apricot & raspberry shortbread cookies (all butter...need I say more)
-whole milk
-tamales w/chile & cheese (these are really good for being frozen; it practically steams itself in the microwave bc of the corn husks)
-gardenburger meatless riblets (these vegetarian made-to-look-like-meat products are actually pretty good- they are smothered in sauce)
-karat cake (dense moist cake, but frosting:cake ratio is sadly disappointing)
-greek style yogurt
-golden raisins
-mini cinnamon raisin bagels
-canned plum tomatoes
-chunky peanut butter
-chicken masala& brown rice dinner (I wouldn't recommend for anyone who's had the real thing)
-Ms. May's pecan crunch (I adore this line of snacks - crunchy slow roasted nuts sweetened w/ cane sugar)
-turkey bacon
-mini seedless watermelon
-hummus w/ horseradish
-2lb. yellow onions
-cherry tomotoes
-mini fresh mozzarella balls

I would've bought more produce, but I'm planning a trip to H-mart this week. TJ's had some attractive looking baby portabellas and fresh shitakes today, but I was in more of a fruit mode. For anyone who loves peanut butter like me, there's a product at TJ's I highly recommend, the sunflower seed butter.
There's an incredibly roasted nutty taste with a pleasant sweetness, much more so than regular old PB. And it's only $2.99 here, compared to about 2x that at Whole Foods. I just wish it came in smooth and chunky! I suppose it's pretty easy to make- roast up some sunflower seeds and blend in the food processor with a dash of oil. (I'll have to try this at home this week, stay tuned)

matzo ball = comfort food

After an entire weekend of subsisting on nothing but dry toast and soup (I was unfairly attacked by the flu) I finally felt well enough to make a meal for myself, substantial enough to fill me up but at the same time soupy enough for my sore throat. Solution: matzo ball soup! I remembered I had a box of Manischewitz in my pantry I had bought around Passover, out of curiosity. I've had matzo ball soup only once before at Atwater's, a big bowl of love, hot and steaming, in the shape of homemade fluffy dough balls. There were tender pieces of pulled white chicken meat, carrots and celery to eat along with every spoonful of dumpling and broth. At the bottom of that bowl, I had discovered a new woman in me, one who was earnest to learn more about Jewish cooking.


What I love about matzo balls is ultimately the nature of their texture; soft, light, springy, and yet quite resilient to heat and all that poking and prodding. Because they're porous, they soak up all that aromatic broth and hold it like a sponge. Much different from the dumplings in chicken and dumplings or sour beef and dumplings, but equally as hearty and satisfying.

There are so many layers to this dish that you can't help but understand the tradition, family, and love that lie behind it. The many hours it takes to make the broth, the ritual of picking the chicken meat, and the tenderness it takes to shape each individual dumpling on well-seasoned palms. My attempt was slightly haphazard, as I threw most of my ingredients together instead of taking the time to go through the steps, but it turned out brilliantly and definitely was a welcome meal for my stomach after being sick. Next time, I'll make the broth from scratch and use fresh cilantro and parsley.

boiled peanuts

I found myself with leftover mustard greens last week in my fridge and decided to make a salad with edamame. At the last minute, I boiled up some peanuts and tossed those in as well. Boiled peanuts has always been a favorite snack of mine since childhood. I love them plain, in cold salads, and sprinkled on congee.


Chinese-Style Boiled Peanuts

1 cup raw peanuts, with skin on
1/2 tsp five spice powder
2-3 star anise, whole
1/2 tsp chinese peppercorn, whole
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a pot of water and let it come to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer with lid on, for 30 minutes or until peanuts are soft and yielding, but not mushy.

It came as quite a surprise to me when I learned from an episode of Paula Deen that Southerners also enjoy their share of boiled peanuts, low-country style. I did some research into the subject and found that they are a traditional snack in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. Boiled peanuts are green or raw nuts that are boiled in salty water for hours outdoors over a fire. The shells turn soggy, and the peanuts take on a fresh, legume flavor. They have been around since the Civil War when, in times of meat and bread shortage, the Confederate troops were given peanuts as an important source of protein. The salt works as a preservative, and the boiling kills impurities and bacteria.

A traditional way that old-timers like to eat boiled peanuts is to drop the shelled peanuts into a bottle of cold RC Cola and gulp down the combo. Southerners will tell you boiled peanuts should always be accompanied by a beer, sweet tea, or a soft drink.

Low Country Boiled Peanuts

4 to 5 pounds green (raw) peanuts in shell
4 to 6 quarts water
1 cup plain salt

Wash unshelled peanuts thoroughly in cold water until water runs clear; then soak in cool, clean water for approximately 30 minutes before cooking.

In a large pot, place soaked peanuts and cover completely with water. Add 1 cup of salt per gallon of water. Cook, covered, on high heat for 4 to 7 hours.

Boil the peanuts for about 4 hours, then taste. Taste again in 10 minutes, both for salt and texture. Keep cooking and tasting until the peanuts reach desired texture (when fully cooked, the texture of the peanut should be similar to that of a cooked dry pea or bean).

Remove from heat and drain peanuts.

Peanuts may be eaten hot or at room temperature, or chilled in the refrigerator and eaten cold, shelling as you eat them.

anniversary dinner

Last thursday marked 2 years in the history of Mr.S and me. To celebrate, we decided to cook together, with each of us making a seperate part of the meal. He grilled up 2 cuts of skirt steak from Whole Foods. Unfortunately, grilling in the dark is no easy task, and as it happened, one of the steaks met its end when it dropped into a pile of grass and dirt. Alas, not all was lost. The remaining piece was enough for us to share, beautifully char-grilled on the outside with a pink, juicy center.


And as I am going through my Italian grandmother phase, decided to make risotto. I had gone to Ceriello's earlier in the day and got this beautiful piece of pancetta.


And yes, I am a bit of a knife snob. I was given my first 2 Global knives for christmas by Mr. S and I swear I cannot and will not use anything else. The design is just amazing. So badass. And the weight of the steel allows for effortless dicing and slicing. So I guess then this picture is nothing more than a shameless attempt at showing off my prized kitchen baby.

REWIND! to the risotto. I sauteed some cubed pancetta with diced shallot and onion, added the arborio rice and stirred until the rice turned transluscent. Deglazed the pan with dry white wine until that was absorbed. At this point, be prepared to carefully monitor the risotto, as constant stirring is necessary. I added hot chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time to the rice, stirred, and cooked until that was absorbed. After about 20 minutes, and a fantastic arm workout, what I had was a potful of sticky goodness; the rice had released much of its starches and bound each grain together. I stirred in fresh sweet peas, grated Parm, salt, pepper, and a pat of butter.



Risotto is a real comfort food, both cheesy and creamy. It's a great vehicle for seasonal vegetables as stir-ins; I love porcini mushroom, butternut squash, asparagus, sweet peas, anything you have on hand that's earthy and sweet. Dinner was delicious, though we ran into a few glitches. Mr.S made a sweet balsamic reduction for the steak, which burned, so we just put a few drops of balsamic on the steak to give it a nice acidity. His reduction is one of my favorite pairings with steak, very simple, 1/3 cup balsamic vinager to 1 Tbsp of sugar and reduce over low heat. You can probably add in some fresh herbs of your choice, rosemary, thyme, or basil.


Here's to many more meals prepared and shared together...

real chinese food

For a glorious 3 weeks this past christmas, I went on a culinary tour of Beijing and northeast China.

i love gnomes, by the way

Gnomes are dear to my heart. They are mysterious and yet such simpletons. The combination of the rosy cheeks, red cone cap, rotund girth and love of travel is just so endearing. Gnomes, 'tis me favorite!

would you eat a koala bear?

That is the question I pose today.

Um....YEAH especially when they're chocolate-filled and just so damn adorable. Well, they are actually filled with "edible butter cream" and "food chocolate flavouring essence." Made in Malaysia, go figure. Whoever designs the packaging for asian snacks is a marketing genius. It lures you in with its rolly-polly colorful exterior, often abound with misspelled or nonsensical english. Just look at that little bear in the middle with his belly button exposed to the world! He's screaming to be devoured!

This is just one of the goodies I brought home from the asian market tonight.

(from top left)
Kecap manis - from Indonesia, this is a sweet soy sauce flavored with garlic and star anise. It's sweetened with palm sugar and is used as a BBQ sauce and marinade for meat. The sauce is thick and not at all salty and has a very rich caramely flavor.

Wide rice noodles - I want to make Thai drunken noodles next week.

Rice wrappers with shrimp - The chinese call this chang fen, which means "long noodles." One of my favorite dishes to get at Cantonese dimsum restaurants.

Mung beans - aka chinese "green beans." This is used alot in desserts and some congees. It has a "cooling" effect on the body, which means it helps to take away some of the heat and stress away. I'll make a sweet soup out of this, chill it, and eat it as a snack or dessert.

Total cost: $7

a city at night

I took this from my bedroom window one night last week before bed. On a clear day you can see the whole north end of the city up to Roland Park and beyond. Its a great little apartment, just enough for one, functional and at least everything seems to work ok. The kitchen is definitely not large enough for all the cooking I do. Most of the time I wish I had a second fridge and more importantly more counter space. My windowsill has evolved into a secondary cooling rack for everything that comes out of my oven. Alas, I suppose these are the sacrifices I have to make to live in the city.

Some things I've learned about myself from living on my own-

1. I have not, am not, and never will be a tidy person! I like mess and it likes me. We live in a great symbiotic relationship.

2. But, that isn't to say I am not a clean person. I've found that I'm scrupulously clean. (Vacuuming is so therapeutic.) And bleaching the hell out of stains is damn satisfying.

3. I don't like it quiet. My TV is usually always on, and if not, then my Sound Dock. Maybe all this minimizes the voices in my head?? :)

don't get between a girl and her donut

I woke up this morning to come downstairs to find a boxed dozen of Dunkin Donuts on the kitchen counter. I was giddy, not at all unlike christmas morning. Ah yes, turns out it wasn't the donut fairy, it was S on his way home from work last night! And, he got me my favorite, the sour creme! For me to expound on the many reasons why I love this donut would result in a rather long drawn out soliloquy so I'll just throw out a few key terms. Crispy fried shell. Cloyingly sweet glaze. Soft cakey innards. Too bad there was only one in the whole dozen. I ended up having a bowl of cereal and the donut.


I don't usually like to espouse in generalizations but today I have to admit that donuts are the ultimate sweet morning food that really hit the spot. Every country in the world has a form of the donut, or a permutation thereof. And more often than not, it's dipped or soaked in a hot liquid, usually sweet, like coffee, chai, tea, or soy-based drinks. In China, our version of coffee and donuts is hot sweetened soymilk (dou jiang) and fried crullers (you tiao or da guo zi). Instead of a ring of dough, you tiao are well over a foot long, and made of a light pockety dough that's easily pulled apart and dunkable in the soymilk. Think puff pastry, but not at all buttery. The combination is perfect on its own, but traditionally can also be accompanied by a variety of sidedishes of cold vegetable salads, congee, potstickers, and shanghai style soup buns (xiao long bao).


You tiao literally means "oil sticks" in Chinese. Yea sounds pretty damn good, and definitely not for the dieters. The best thing is that they aren't extremely heavy, and won't weigh you down like a ton of bricks in your stomach. Mr. S loves them; he once bought a frozen package of them and toasted them, followed by a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon.

Crispy Chinese Crullers (You Tiao)
adapted from Chinese Snacks by Huang Su-Huei

3 cups high protein flour
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
oil, for frying

Place baking powder, soda and salt in a bowl; add the water, stir and let dissolve. Add flour and mix well. Rest for 15-20 min. Take the dough around the edges and punch into the center a few times and rest another 15-20 min. Continue to knead and punch until the dough is elastic and smooth. Turn the dough over, cover with some oil so that it will stay moist and rest 1 hour. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a sheet of plastic wrap; wrap the dough and form into a rectangular shape. Let it stand for 4 hours.

Unwrap the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a long strip (3" wide and 1/16" thick). Crosswise cut the rectangle into strips, 1/3" wide. Put 2 strips on top of each other. Use the back of a cleaver to lightly press lengthwise in the middle of the strips (this will attach them securely to each other). Repeat this for the other strips.

Heat the oil for deep frying. Pick up a strip by both ends, and gently stretch it out, like you are making pasta. Carefully drop it into the hot oil and turn continuously with chopsticks until the cruller expands and turns golden brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel.

Serve warm with sweet or salty soymilk.

butternut squash lune

My golden boy of the moment is the quirky and flamboyant Mario Batali. That's right Tony (Bourdain), move your skinny butt and your reduced sauces over. No, I take that back, there will always be a special place in my culinary heart for Tony. After all, his Les Halles cookbook did first introduce me to some of the best no nonsense Boeuf Bourguignon and French Onion Soup. I recently bought the Babbo cookbook from ebay and has since become my favorite book of recipes that I probably can't make bc I don't have access to all of those wonderful ingredients. You know what I'm talking about, luscious nuggets of earthy goodness ie black truffles, fresh squid ink, skate wings, sweetbreads, capon stock... More or less it has inspired me to cook like an Italian grandmother.


Butternut squash lune with hazelnut brown butter and mustard greens. This was inspired by Mario's Pumpkin lune with butter and sage. Lune (little moons) often have crushed amaretti cookies in the filling and that's what I used. I also used dumpling wrappers instead of fresh pasta dough... ok so I know that would deserve a slap on the face from a little old Italian lady, but hey, it works pretty well!

Butternut squash lune with hazelnut brown butter and mustard greens

Squash Lune:
1 butternut squash, small
2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
3 small amaretti cookies, crushed
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 package dumpling wrappers

Brown Butter Sauce:
4 T butter
3 T chicken stock
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
3/4 cup mustard greens, rough chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a foil-lined baking sheet toss together the butternut squash, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven until soft and golden, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Cook the shallots and garlic until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the butternut squash mixture, the shallot mixture, and the ricotta cheese and pulse a few times to blend. Add the crushed amaretti cookies, the nutmeg, and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pulse until smooth.

Place 1 tablespoon of squash mixture in the middle of each skin. Dip a pastry brush in a little water and wet the edges of the skin. Gently fold the wrapper into a half-circle, making sure the edges are securely closed and there are no air pockets inside. Dampen the two bottom corners of the longest side of the triangle and gently bring them together, pressing lightly to secure. Place the formed tortellini on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and place the lune in the boiling water and gently stir. When they begin to float they are done, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the nuts and let cook until the butter starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Add greens and stock and saute another 1 minute. Add half the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Using a slotted spoon, gently spoon the lune into the brown butter and gently stir for 30 sec. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

I also made a quick caprese salad for Mr. S and me.


Stay tuned for my unofficial Mario Batali fan website!
jk I have a life

easter weekend

What a food-packed weekend...I'm embarrassed to say this was my first ever Easter celebration in my whole 24 years of heathen upbringing. If I'd known Easter revolved around this much good food, I would've done this more often.

So we drove up to K's godparents log cabin in Gettysburg, PA. Not as primitive as it may sound; a beautifully designed log home within acres and acres of dense quiet forest.

Aunt Pat is such a character - talkative, boisterous, possesses an insane love of pigs(!), and a great cook. Here was her menu:
assorted cheeses (including an unimaginably humongous block of Cabot aged cheddar)
and crackers
mixed greens salad (with canned Mandarin oranges, which I secretly looove)
roast lamb with Herbes de Provence
roasted Portabellas
baked sweet potatoes
steamed broccoli
fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream, whip

I'm usually not so fond of lamb; I can't help but taste the gaminess of the meat, which is a real turnoff. However this was the first time I actually enjoyed it. Perhaps it was the way it was cooked, or maybe it was the wine, the company, or even 2 of the most beautiful German Sheps that were weaving in and out of our feet under the table.

This is Ruari:


To me, one of the best parts of being out of the city is being able to see all the stars at night. Makes you realize how small and seemingly insignificant we all are, yet still connected to each other and to something much greater. Alright enough of waxing poetic. Back to the food..*drool


I whipped up a tiramisu cake for Easter dinner on Sunday. Traditionally tiramisu is a trifle-like dessert - layers of ladyfingers soaked in rum and espresso and creamy mascarpone custard. I was inspired by the tiramisu cake from Cenan's Bakery and decided to make a tiramisu with more standing power. Here's the order of the layers from bottom up: white cake soaked in espresso, cream, ladyfingers soaked in espresso, cream, white cake and yes...yet more cream! Mmmmm... (I'll post my recipe later this week.)

Easter dinner was a throwback to old Baltimore cooking, influenced by French and German cuisine, with a punch of Southern flair. Mr. S's mom made a ham covered with orange slices and studded with maraschinos. Also on the menu was warm German potato salad with bacon dressing, steamed asparagus with Hollandaise, candied sweet potatoes, spiced apple rings, and a pineapple cheese casserole! This is a very southern dish which translates to a heart attack prettily disguised in a casserole dish. Regardless it was delicious. S's mom made it from a recipe she found in the Blue Willow Inn Cookbook. It's simple and quick - crushed pineapple, cheddar cheese, and the ever-versatile Ritz crackers. The savory-sweet flavor combo is my favorite.

The Blue Willow Inn Pineapple and Cheese Casserole
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drain and keep juice
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup crushed Ritz (or any buttery type) crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 1 quart casserole dish combine, flour, sugar and 3 tablespoons of the pineapple juice. Add cheese and pineapple and stir. Mix cracker crumbs with melted butter. Cover casserole with crumbs. Bake 25 minutes or until heated through. Great with ham or pork chops.