glarus chocolatier

I gotta have more cowbell! (Well, so says Christopher Walken.)

And at this very moment, I am in complete concurrence. We finally made our way over to Glarus Chocolatier in Harbor East for some cocoa therapy. We were happily surprised to find an incredible selection of handmade bars, truffles, dipped chocolates, and barks. Every box of chocolates is wrapped in satiny ribbon, tied off with a tiny cowbell charm, a reference to the owner's Swiss roots.

The creators are husband and wife duo, Ben and Jennifer Hauser, who opened the first Glarus in Timonium in 2004, and their second location downtown just this year. Their focus is on Swiss chocolates, a tradition passed down to Ben through his father. And if you were wondering, Glarus is the name of his father's hometown in Switzerland. You can read about the couple's story here.


We brought home a 10-piece box of confections, as well as a package of the Mocha Cocao Bark. The Dark Rocher is by far my favorite, a cluster of roasted almonds dipped in Swiss dark chocolate. The Hazelnut Truffle and Champagne Truffle come in a close second. The former has a smooth hazelnut cream center, enrobed in milk chocolate and rolled in hazelnuts, and perhaps toffee bits too. The latter reminded me of the chocolates I ate as a child at holidays, the ones with sweet liquor centers. Of all the pieces we got, the one I liked least was the Butter Truffle, white on white chocolate. The cream center was slightly grainy and lacked the milky smooth consistency of good white chocolate. Mr.S raved over the Dark Truffle and the Coffee Truffle. Our box also contained the Rigi Spitz, flavored with whipped ganache and Kirsch, and the Fridolin, with dark chocolate and hazelnut paste.

Hazelnut Truffle

Coming down from my truffle high, I tore into the Bark, two layers of dark and milk chocolate, studded with cocoa nibs and roasted espresso beans. I must admit, it's a worthy competitor to my favorite chocolate bar, the Scharffen Berger Nibby.


Amongst the other sweet offerings, I spied a delectable Blueberry Almond dark chocolate bar, bags of dark and bittersweet chocolate-covered whole almonds, jars of gooey rich chocolate sauce, and mixes for drinking chocolate. Takes my breath away. And all the more reason to return.

I have a sinking suspicion that crafting (and tasting) all that chocolate on a daily basis has made the Hausers sweet and warm people. It was easy striking up a conversation with Ben, and he was so generous as to offer samples of anything we'd be interested in. His passion and love of the craft shines through in the gentle way he handled each confection and spoke of his business. What I found truly unique of Glarus is their mastery not only of high quality Swiss chocolates, but more importantly of play on texture. Good chocolate is good chocolate, sure, but if the consistency and mouth feel are dull, it can be quite disappointing. Hauser has incorporated layer after layer of crunch, smoothness, and richness in every bite, which will keep you surprised and guessing through each chocolatey experience. So as long as the Hausers keep up producing their delicious, uniquely-crafted confections, we will keep coming back for more cowbell.

all done

Glarus Chocolatier

9 West Aylesbury Road
Timonium, MD 21093

644 South Exeter Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

the slanted door

The Slanted Door signature spring rolls

My mom and I stumbled upon The Slanted Door last time we were in San Francisco. Tired, cold and hungry from a day trip to Sausalito, we were lucky enough to find the doors that opened up to some of the city's best Vietnamese cuisine. First off, you need reservations. According to Opentable SF, The Slanted Door has, day in day out, one of the most sought after reservations in the city. If you don't have one, well, just be prepared to do a little bit of stalking action at the bar, where you are still served the full menu. (It's generally not too bad after 9pm.) Last month, when Mr.S and I were there, we dined at the bar again, which I actually prefer over the main dining room.

The menu offers kicked-up Vietnamese fare, with a bit of French flair, and the best part, uses local and seasonal ingredients from nearby farmers. The food is incredibly flavorful, so savory that it makes your salivary glands ache. It's just the right balance of spice, sweetness, sour, and umami.

To start, try a half dozen Kumamoto oysters, the signature spring roll stuffed with shrimp and pork, and the grapefruit jicama salad with candied pecans. The spring rolls were light and delicate, flavored with mint and basil.

For the entrees... what is not good? I've really enjoyed the Catfish in a Claypot, stewed catfish in a savory-sweet, deep caramel sauce. The Caramelized Prawns come in a similar sauce, but with hints of smokiness and heat that compliment the sauteed onions and garlic. I suggested that Mr.S order the Shaking Beef dish, a very simple stirfry of traditionally, sirloin tips in a sweet and garlicky sauce. The Slanted Door's version uses filet mignon cubes from nearby Meyer Ranch beef. It was perfectly cooked, crispy and caramelized on the outside, juicy within, tossed in a soy vinaigrette, with a side of lime and pepper dipping sauce. It's called shaking beef, by the way, because of the way the wok is shaken and moved during the cooking process. (If you're interested the recipe for the dish can be found here.) Though I've only tried a few dishes from the menu, I trust that everything else is equally fresh and well-seasoned.

Catfish in a Claypot, with caramel sauce

Bò Lúc Lắc - Vietnamese Shaking Beef with Watercress and Onion

Consistency. I believe that is what helps to make the Slanted Door so popular. Consistently good food and spot-on, efficient service staff. Many such restaurants get their limelight, but quickly let their guard down and start to get sloppy, which is a dangerous, perilous slope in the restaurant industry. The Slanted Door is not one of them. It's a clean, tight package that delivers time and again. This is also one of the few restaurants that I've encountered who has made Asian fusion cuisine really work. Very few frills, no over-the-top "deconstructed" plates here, just solid food with robust flavor. And along the way, it's helped to support local agriculture and economy. What can be so bad about that?




The Slanted Door
1 Ferry Building #3
San Francisco, CA 94111

hamentashen

Like little parcels of delight, these hamentashen have a hard time deciding whether it's a pastry or a cookie. So we'll call it a pastrookie. Traditionally eaten during Purim, these triangular pastrookies are shaped after the three-cornered hats worn by Haman, the antagonist in the Book of Esther. That's the extent of my knowledge on the history and origin of these Jewish goodies; but I do know just how delicious they are. I ate enough of them during college to make me an expert. There was a small cafe outside the campus library that fully serviced my hamentash needs. My personally favorite filling is poppy seed, a sweetened paste called mohn, followed by apricot and date. I've also seen them filled with cherries, prunes and chocolate.

The dough is a cross between a sugar cookie and a shortbread, producing a soft, sweet interior with a crispy, butter crust. Need I say more?


Hamentashen
yields 12-14

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

1 recipe mohn (see below)
apricot preserves

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, with a mixer, cream together butter and sugar, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.

2. Alternately add in the flour and milk until a dough comes together. Turn it out onto a work surface and form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out the dough on a floured board into a disc of 1/4" thickness. With a 2-3" cookie cutter or rim of a glass, cut out circles of dough. Dollop a tablespoon of mohn or fruit jam onto the center of each. Gently fold in the sides of each circle into a triangle and seal the corners well.

4. Lay the triangles out 2" apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on a rack.


Mohn (Poppyseed Filling)

1/2 cup boiling water
2 oz. poppy seeds
3/4 cup whole milk
2 1/2 Tbsp honey or sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup coarsely ground walnuts
2 Tbsp raisins, chopped
1 tsp lemon juice

1. Steep poppy seeds in water overnight. Drain well. Finely grind the seeds with a coffee grinder.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and poppy seeds. Simmer for 15 minutes to reduce down the milk until it has the consistency of heavy cream. Stir in the honey, butter and raisins and simmer for another 5 minutes. Finally stir in the walnuts and lemon juice. Let cool.

harissa

Very rarely do I take the time to make my own condiments. They're so easily overlooked when the store-bought versions come so prettily packaged and just so darn convenient. For this, I'm sorry. Because condiments are a big deal in my daily eating, a big deal. I go through a slew of salad dressings (Brianna's Honey Mustard and Hidden Valley Ranch are my favorites), all sorts of flavored mustards, ketchup, mayonnaise.... And don't get me started on the all the hot sauces I eat - Tabasco, Sriracha, Thai sweet chili, Chinese spicy black bean, Szechuan pepper oil, habanero jam...

But really folks, homemade condiments just taste better. Ever make Caesar dressing from scratch, with fresh grated Parmigiano and good quality, oil packed anchovies? How about mayonnaise or aioli using farm-fresh yolks and a pinch of minced garlic? Mr.S and I have been finding every excuse to go to Salt to snack on our new favorite indulgence - the duck fat fries with homemade dips. Malt vinegar, black truffle and chipotle aiolis. With a glass of Malbec and a pint of Bass to go with, it's become the perfect late night snack for a couple of townies like us.

You can find harissa in virtually every kitchen in northern Africa. It's an aromatic, versatile, red chili paste that originated in Tunisia. Often paired with chicken and lamb dishes, harissa can also be a flavorful addition to dips, soups and anything else you can spice up.


Harissa
from Discovery of a Continent - Foods, Flavors, and Inspirations from Africa
makes 1 1/4 cups

If super spicy is not your cup of tea, you can use a mild chili powder instead of a hotter version. You may also use fresh hot chilis to make a smoother type of harissa.

3/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground caraway
1 cup chili powder
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

1. Heat the oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and saute until golden, about 4 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the caraway, chili powder, coriander, salt and mint and stir to combine. Let cool. Harissa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.


This is my version of eggs with hot sauce - poached eggs with harissa.

When you prick the eggs to let the creamy yolks mingle with the spicy harissa, you'll know this simple dish is a keeper. An alternative would be to whisk together eggs, heavy cream, and a tablespoon of harissa to make a soft scrambled spicy egg dish.

savory cheese scones

The lovely hostesses Julie of Kitchenography and Meg of Pigtown Pigout held a brunch last weekend for some local bloggers, many of whom are designers and foodies. In my opinion, the two groups of peoples with the best taste. It was potluck style, and we cozied up in Julie's amazing kitchen, gathered around the large island, laid out with food. I have to admit, I did not want to leave that breathtaking open kitchen, with the antique stove and fireplace, and farmhouse dining table. Mr.S diagnosed me with a serious case of kitchen envy.


Julie put together an endive salad, but alas, the yolk-based dressing broke. She also had delious little pots of red pepper pesto. Meg made two versions of a breakfast strata, one with sausage, the other vegetarian, and a buttery fresh cranberry bread.

John of The Baltimore Snacker brought a creamy, sweet lemon buttermilk pie.

Jamaila of Ancestral Pile whipped together a fruit salad, beautifully flavored with mint, lime, and honey.

Ann, aka Prêt à Voyager, who also writes for Design Sponge, was in attendance, but for the life of me, I can't remember which dish she brought!

Janet, of ~JCB~, who is a curator at the National Gallery, was also there, with champagne.

Rachel, a colourist, writes Hue Consulting, made a vegetarian quiche of spinach, pinenuts, and potato from the Whole Foods Cookbook.

Xani and Erin, of Black Coffee and a Donut, brought some Mediterranean treats: pita chips and hummus, and tabbouleh salad.

And me, a lover of scones, baked up a batch of mini ones that morning, flavored with Gruyère, crispy lardons, rosemary and black pepper. This is a very versatile savory scone base, so many and any addition can be mixed in, just use your imagination. Any sort of grated or crumbled cheese, fresh chopped herbs, toasted nuts, and spices would be lovely. My next batch will feature aged cheddar cheese and diced apples, sprinkled with fleur de sel.


Savory Cheese Scones
yields 32-36 mini scones

3 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup grated cheese
1 1/4 cups cold buttermilk
mix-ins of your choice (diced bacon, herbs, spices)
whole milk, for brushing

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter piece by piece and toss in the grated cheese. With a pastry cutter, work everything together, until the butter becomes the size of small peas, and is well incorporated. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 400F. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the flour mixture and gently mix in the buttermilk, making sure to not overmix. You will have a sticky dough. You can turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape the scones into circles or triangles. Alternately, I am lazy, so I work straight from the mixing bowl. I use a medium ice cream scoop to make "drop" scones onto my prepared pans.

3. Brush the tops of the scones with milk. You may sprinkle with extra cheese, if you'd like. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the tops turn golden. Remove and cool on the pan or on a rack. Serve immediately.

honey sesame cupcakes

Spring is abloom.



The longer and warmer days has reinvigorated my baker's instincts, so this week, my oven has been seeing more action than usual. I've been toying with this idea of a honey and sesame cake, two flavors I adored as a kid. I would dip bread into a jar honey and sprinkle each bite with toasted sesame seeds. The cleanup, mind you, was no easy feat for my grandmother. The perfect opportunity came in the form of a cupcake challenge, hosted by HomeMadeS. The rules were very simple, make a cupcake, frost it, and post a picture and recipe!


Honey and sesame together taste truly divine. Extremely nutty, it tastes almost like sweet peanut butter. I use buttermilk in the cake to yield a moist, delicate crumb texture, and then a simple buttercream, with whole eggs, as the frosting. Tahini, which is simply a sesame paste, can be easily made in your own kitchen, but you can also find jars of it in Middle Eastern markets and health food stores, and even some supermarkets now (I've seen it at Giant and Safeway). I prefer to use white sesame seeds over black ones, as the white ones have a milder taste.

fun with piping!

Honey Sesame Cupcakes with Sesame Buttercream
yields 12-15 cupcakes

Cake:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
2 Tbsp tahini
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tbsp white sesame seeds

Buttercream:
2 eggs
scant 1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp honey
pinch salt
1/2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp tahini

1. For the Cake: Preheat oven to 375F. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, cream together butter, sugar, honey and salt until pale and glossy, about 3 minutes. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and vanilla.

2. With the mixer running, add the egg to the butter-sugar mixture, until well blended. Continue beating in the tahini. In 3 additions, alternately blend in the flour and buttermilk, ending with flour. Mix in the sesame seeds.

3. Spoon batter into cupcake pan, lined with paper liners. Use 2 large spoons, or a medium size ice-cream scoop. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the top of the cakes are lightly golden. Letcool completely on a wire rack.

4. For the Buttercream: In a double boiler, whisk together eggs, sugar, honey and salt. Use a candy thermometer to control the temperature. Let the mixture come to 160F. Remove from heat.

5. Beat the egg mixture on high for about 5 minutes, until they become shiny and pale. With the mixer running, cut in the butter, piece by piece, waiting between each addition for it to be well incorporated. At the end, you'll have something that is thick and glossy. Beat in the vanilla and tahini.

6. Frost the cakes any which way you like, with a knife or a piping bag.

tartine bakery brownies

The reward:effort ratio for brownies is pretty high, making them a favorite of mine for lazy day baking projects. It's easy to get controversial about brownies, about what makes a really kickass brownie. Some like it cakey, some like it dense and fudge-like. And what about mix-ins... there are nuts, chocolate chips, cheesecake swirl, marshmallows... If you are looking for one that is an impenetrable layer of gooey, rich chocolate, with a crackly, paper-thin skin on top, you've found your match. A tall glass of milk is a must, and I've been eating mine with a fork. Mr.S adds that these would be perfect for warm brownie sundaes.


These brownies are made fresh daily at Prueitt's acclaimed bakery, Tartine, in San Francisco. They don't stay on the shelves long, and for good reason. The collection of recipes is accompanied by warm and sunny photos of mouthwatering desserts and pastries. Highlights for me include extensive recipes for both croissants and brioche, peanut brittle, chiffon cakes, frangipane cream, and bostock, a delicious breakfast dish of sliced brioche topped with jam, almond cream, and toasted almonds. It's a rare, precious find in a bakery; the only other place I've seen it offered is Zingerman's in Ann Arbor. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to take the most basic desserts to the next level.


Tartine Bakery Brownies
from Tartine by Elisabeth Prueitt
yields 12 large brownies

An easy way to remove brownies from the pan in one fell swoop is to line the pan with parchment paper, like a cradle, with the edges exposed. Cut slits in the paper to fold into the corners of the pan, so that it resembles a cardboard box without the top. Instead of using nonstick spray, use butter and a thin coating of cocoa powder for easy release.

I also find that refrigerating the brownies makes for cutting them much easier.

The addition of the chocolate chips in this recipe is a personal preference.


3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 lb bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups light brown sugar
5 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper and dust with cocoa powder.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from heat and add the chocolate to melt. Stir until fully melted and set aside to cool.

3. Sift the flour into a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat on high until the mixture becomes pale and thick, about 4-5 minutes. With a spatula, fold the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and chocolate chips (if using) and fold it in gently so that you don't deflate the air that's been incorporated into the eggs.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth out the top. Bake until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch, about 25-28 minutes. Remove and cool completely in the pan. Refrigerate overnight. With a sharp knife the next day, cut into 12 squares.

the zuni cafe

I've known about Zuni Cafe for a few years now, but it was just so darn far away. All the way on the other side of the country. Luckily, when Mr.S and I were out in San Francisco over Valentine's Day, we got to dine in at the legendary eatery. Zuni Cafe was at the top of my "places to eat in SF" list, along with a few others, and turned out to be one of the culinary highlights of our trip. Best known for their roast chicken and bread salad entree (for two), Zuni capitalizes on seasonal ingredients as the foundation for homey, satisfying dishes.

The design of the restaurant is totally unpretentious, completely warm and inviting. The large glass windows make you feel as if you're dining by the sidewalk, somehow integrated into the neighborhood, like you've been going there for years. We arrived after the dinner rush, so the diners were sparse, but there still lingered a warm excitement over the whole place.

We opted out of the roast chicken for two, since that takes nearly an hour to prepare, and at that point we were more than ready to nibble on the table. It was mid-winter so naturally, there was a lot of citrus on the menu. We split a salad to start, something very simple, and looking admittedly a bit skimpy when it first arrived. A melange of barely-dressed chicory, Valencia oranges and toasted walnuts, it barely packed a punch on the plate, all spread out (like pizza toppings), just lying there. But what do ya know? The flavors and textures were brilliant together. Which just proves that produce at their peak freshness really make the difference. (Not to self: must use more chicory in cooking!)


The couple next to us ordered the roast chicken, which looked and smelled absolutely delectable. I was tempted to ask for a bite, but managed to hold back. My entree of grilled scallops sat amidst a forest of frisee and grapefruit, studded with black olives, drizzled with creme fraiche. Sound somewhat mis-matched and random? Well, once again, it surprised me, actually blew me away. The creme fraiche grapefruit combo was like eating dessert, and complemented the brininess of the scallops.


Mr.S's grilled pork chop was paired with a side of braised red cabbage and seared sweet potato. Sigh...the trinity of comfort food foods. Mr.S enjoyed it immensely, especially the cabbage, as his plate was licked clean.


I regret not ordering dessert. There are a few classic sweets that loyal diners come back time and again for. Seasonal granitas, the Gateau Victoire (flourless chocolate cake), and fruit tarts are at the top of the list. Oh well, next time.

It was hard for me to leave. It was as if I could have just wandered upstairs and gotten ready for bed. But not before Mr.S picked up a souvenir for me, the Zuni Cafe cookbook, which I've craved for a long time. I'd recommend going to Zuni without any expectations because the experience in itself which change your mind. The food is by no means cutting-edge, but it does make a statement. Going to Zuni is like visiting an old friend; it's familiar, easy. There's a warm and thoughtful flow to each course. I'm looking forward to going back, and it looks like that won't be so far in the distant future, seeing as Mr.S is moving out there next month!



Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

birthday

I made a wish. Well, a couple actually, and in no particular order really.

For another delicious year of food, glorious food, with the best friends, family, and all the people I've yet to meet.

And simply... for more cupcakes too.