The First Turkey

Karl and I committed to bringing a turkey to a friend's Thanksgiving gathering on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. There were going to be about 20-25 people there, but quite a few are vegetarian, so we figured a 14 lb bird would do the trick. We opted for a regular, store-brand bird (I'm still amazed that an organic turkey costs about $50...yikes!).

But how to cook it? Neither I nor Karl has ever made a turkey before, and the hundreds of horror stories floating around about bad "first turkey" experiences made me a little nervous. My own mother's first turkey experience included the classic "fail": she left the bag with the organs inside the cavity while it roasted. Whoops!

Armed with this tale, as well as with the memory of a turkey taking up an entire shelf of the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days before Thanksgiving (for defrosting), I approached the turkey optimistically: I'm a fairly capable chef, so I wasn't too worried. But how to make a turkey that was impressive, fabulous, and the envy of all my friends (let's be honest: this is my goal any time I'm bringing edibles to a party)?

We hopped on the Internet and almost immediately found a Food Network (Tyler Florence) recipe for cornbread-stuffed, Maple-roasted turkey with bacon. I was about to scroll on by, but Karl stopped me and said, "That one." I thought it sounded a bit fancy (i.e. we'd need to buy expensive ingredients), but it turned out that, besides the bird, we only needed to purchase fresh sage, bacon, and cornbread mix. I had everything else lying around the apartment. Great!

This is what the turkey looked like when we put it into the oven. It looks pretty lumpy because we stuffed a LOT of sage-butter under the skin of the turkey (as the recipe required). However, we did not use all the butter called for in the recipe on the turkey. I ended up dotting the rest of it on our "outside-the-bird" stuffing. It just seemed like an awful lot of butter, and you might want to cut the amount of butter you make in half.

4-and-a-half hours* and a lot of anxious temperature checks later (the turkey was supposed to be done in 3, based on its weight), we loaded the turkey into the car and drove the party with it intact. We had planned to slice it up and transport it in tupperware before going over for simplicity's sake, but I'm almost glad it ended up taking so long because it made such an impressive sight sitting there on the counter. Many satisfying "oohs" and "ahhs" were heard from the other guests.

And so, our first turkey turned out awesome. The turkey was moist and tender (even the breast), the bacon we covered it with 2 hours into roasting tasted absolutely fantastic, and the stuffing, though simple, was excellent. And it looked like a million bucks. Everyone was very impressed, even though they had waited an extra hour for the turkey (and the rest of the food! I have such patient friends).

I'm not going to re-print the recipe here. You can just click on the title of this blog entry or here to see Tyler Florence's recipe, to which we made only one change besides not using all the butter for under the turkey's skin (we added a couple of drops of Liquid Smoke to the maple syrup/water basting liquid).

I highly recommended this recipe for a first turkey. It's not as fancy as it sounds, and Tyler Florence's instructions are very comprehensive, in my opinion.

* We speculate that the reason for the turkey's extra long oven time was that we roasted my vegan roomie's Tofurkey in the same oven (in a cast-iron pot, no less). This probably soaked up quite a bit of the heat, and as a result, the turkey cooked more slowly. Keep this in mind if you are hosting Thanksgiving! It might be better to cook all your side-dishes ahead of time, roast the turkey alone, then reheat the side dishes in the oven while the turkey is resting/being sliced up.

Cocktail Hour: Bacon-Infused Bourbon

A couple of weeks ago, Karl emailed me a link to a New York Magazine article containing a recipe for a Bacon-Infused Old-Fashioned. I had the feeling he had sent it to me for its shock value, or even in an attempt to induce his favorite response of mine (apparently, my face is capable of evincing both horror and scornful disdain simultaneously). Imagine his surprise when I emailed him back and told him that we would be conducting the experiment of infusing bourbon with bacon flavor as soon as possible!

I really, really like bourbon, and the idea of the smoky flavors of bacon mixing with the spicy aromatics of a good bourbon tickled my fancy. As the process described by New York Magazine did not seem very difficult, I thought, "Why not?"

Karl and I chose Elijah Craig bourbon for our experiment, even though Maker's Mark is my usual bourbon of choice. We felt that the powerful vanilla notes in Marker's Mark would not pair well with smoky bacon flavors. Elijah Craig lacks the vanilla and boasts a much spicier taste (think cinnamon and black pepper). We bought a hickory-smoked maple bacon for our infusion.

Essentially, the infusion process consists of cooking the bacon, and taking 1 oz. of the rendered fat (while it's hot) and pouring it into 750 mL of bourbon in a nonporous container. Then, while eating the bacon, you then let the mixture sit at room temperature for several hours, then put it in the freezer until the fats solidify on the top of the bourbon. You can then remove the fat with a slotted spoon, and voila! You have bacon-infused bourbon.

There was still a good amount of fat floating around in the bourbon (in particle form) after I had spooned out the large pieces, so I also poured the bourbon through cheesecloth to get the last bits out.

The resulting infused bourbon tasted a lot less like bacon than I thought it would. However, it took on some smoky back notes and a more viscous mouth-feel (thanks to the fat, I'm sure). Karl compared the taste and mouth-feel to a nice Scotch Whiskey. Overall, we were both very pleased.

We also took the suggestion of the New York Magazine article and made a variation of the Old Fashioned (which traditionally consists of bourbon, Angostura bitters, sugar, and a slice of orange). The variation substitutes the bacon-infused bourbon for regular and maple syrup for the sugar. What a delicious and elegant cocktail! Granted, we did not have the proper glass (you should use an old fashioned glass), but I thought the cocktail looked rather charming in a wine glass.

I will definitely be pulling this recipe out for parties, and maybe even for when I try a bourbon I'm not wild about. At the very least, it's an interesting way to get a few extra miles out of bacon fat!

Fruity Booty: What to Do With 25 Pounds of Apples

"I need you to think of what we can do with 25 lbs of apples."

This was the text message I received from Karl last Friday as I was on my way to have one last relaxing day at the pool before really settling in to my law school routine. What followed was a conversation on the phone, somewhat miffed on my part and unrelentingly jubilant on his, about where he had come by a garbage-bag full of apples, just who was going to peel and cut up all those darn things, etc.

Of course, I never really felt too annoyed that he had acquired so much free fruit. He had discovered an apple tree on Duquesne University's campus and simply helped himself.

A couple of days later, we both sat down (I was still pretending to be grudging about my assistance) and started peeling with the intention of making a big pot of applesauce. We had also scored some $1-per-pound strawberries at Stan's in the Strip District of Penn Avenue that were just past their peak (but all the sweeter for it), so we were also planning to make a strawberry-applesauce.

Making apple sauce couldn't be simpler...well, unless you prefer what I call "baby food" applesauce, which has the silky smooth texture. If you like chunky apple sauce, all you need to do is chop up your peeled apples, throw them in a large pot with a few inches of water, and cook away until they are soft. Add a little salt and the spices you like to taste (we added lots of cinnamon and a few pinches of nutmeg) and you are on your way! We used a potato masher to help break down our apples, but some apples, I am told, will simply break down on their own. If you have sweet apples like we did, you probably don't need to add much, if any, sugar. Tarter apples can handle more sugar (Disregard the latter two sentences if you like your applesauce super sweet). We added about 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar, which gave our applesauce a lovely golden brown color.

For the strawberry apple sauce, we sliced up the strawberries and began cooking them down separately from the apples. Then, when the strawberries and apples were soft, we added a few cups of the soft apples to the strawberries. We also added a little brown sugar to this, but I don't think we needed it. No spices necessary either! I must say, of the two, the strawberry applesauce is my favorite. We made buckwheat pancakes the next morning and put the strawberry applesauce on them, and wow, was that delicious!

We also set aside a good number of apples to make an apple cake (recipe courtesy of Karl's mother) and an apple pie. I haven't made the apple pie yet, and I may mix in some apples from the store because, though these apples from Duquesne are as sweet as sweet can be, they are completely devoid of any acidity. For my tastes, a little tartness in an apple pie is absolutely vital. I also felt that the applesauce was a bit lacking for this reason, but it still tasted great. There's nothing like "free" to make something taste better (I'm starting to sound like my sometimes freegan sister!).

The apple cake turned out wonderfully. I got to use my bundt cake pan finally (I have had the darn thing for 5 years and I've never once used it until this week). We put it out for my and my roommate Ruchi's No-Meat-Week potluck/recipe exchange extravaganza, and everyone who made it to dessert (we had a lot of food!) and had a piece of cake really enjoyed it. The cake is moist and just sweet enough. My sister said it needed a glaze of some sort (an optional one was included in the recipe, but I decided against using it at Karl's behest), though I had a slice with vanilla ice cream and thought it tasted just heavenly. I'll definitely be adding that recipe to my collection of keepers, and I hope you will give it a try, too, if you are of the baking bent.

Apple Cake
(from the kitchen of Helen Andersen)

1 & 1/6 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
4 medium-sized apples, sliced fine and roughly chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325˚F.

Mix the oil, sugar, and eggs together, and beat on low speed with electric hand mixer until well-blended. Fold in the apples and chopped nuts. Sift the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then and stir in to other ingredients, also adding the vanilla. Grease and flour your baking pan(s). Bake in two 9-inch pans for 35-40 minutes, or 1-13x9 inch pan for 45 minutes. You may also bake in a bundt pan for 35-40 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness.

Side Note: I just noticed that Helen's recipe actually says to place your cake batter in a cold oven, set the dial to 325˚F and keep it in there for 45 minutes. I will be trying this method next time!

Glaze (optional)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter with light brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the evaporated milk and allow the mixture to come to a full boil for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes. Add vanilla and mix well. Frost cake.

How to Make Eggrolls

My brother's former roommate Helen taught me how to make egg rolls! Perhaps this isn't the most mysterious kind of food, but I have definitely had difficulty maneuvering those little wonton wrappers in such a way that they don't explode. I have had some small success with steaming them, but frying is a whole different matter.

Helen taught me how to roll the egg rolls properly and tightly in order to prevent the wonton wrappers from coming apart during the frying process. She scared me a little when she was tasting her filling for saltiness (it contained raw pork, and I don't recommend trying this at home!), but boy, oh boy, were those egg rolls delicious when finished. We took the egg rolls to a really delightful "Arrested Development"-themed party (complete with chocolate-dipped frozen bananas with accompanying stand!) where they were, of course, a big hit. Who doesn't like delicious, greasy finger food with their caipirhinas? Yum!

Helen has told me what she puts in her egg roll filling, but I can't remember it off the top of my head, so I sort of made up my own. I think it's close enough. Try your own favorite flavors, though...egg rolls are very versatile, so make the filling to your own taste.

I've included a step-by-step "How to Roll" photo series. I'm a visual learner when it comes to cooking and baking, so I figure others out there would appreciate a visualization of the process, too. Also, as you know, hot oil is dangerous and can burn you very badly if enough of it makes contact with your skin. Please exercise extreme caution when frying on the stove.

Mini Egg Rolls
1 lb fresh ground pork
1/2 lb raw shrimp, chopped well
1 cup finely shredded carrots
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
generous salt and pepper, to taste (but please beware of tasting raw meat and eggs!)
2 eggs
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP fish sauce
1 package of triangle shaped wonton wrappers (available in Asian markets and some other grocery stores in the frozen or refrigerated sections).
several cups of oil (vegetable, canola, peanut...whatever you like to fry with)

Mix all ingredients (except wonton wrappers and oil). Mixing with hands is, in my opinion, the best, but if you don't like getting your hands messy, a wooden spoon will do. If you mix with your hands, remember to wash thoroughly with soap and hot water afterwards.

Prepare a space for rolling the egg rolls. Make sure to keep the wonton wrappers moist (if you roll quickly, this isn't a problem, but wonton wrappers dry out easily. I find it easier to keep a damp paper towel covering them, and have an assistant separating each wrapper from the stack as I need it). Place the wonton wrapper flat and spoon about a tablespoon of filling into the center. Shape it with your fingers into an egg-roll-shaped-log.

Take the right corner of the wonton wrapper and fold it across towards the left corner of the wonton wrapper very tightly. Do the same with the left corner, bringing it towards the right. There will be a bit of corner hanging over. Fold it back on itself so there is no wonton hanging over on either side.

Using your fingers in the center, tuck the wonton wrapper tightly into itself and roll towards the top point of the triangle. Continually check to make sure the roll is tight. Make it as tight as you can!

When you reach the end of the triangle, dip your finger in a dish of water and lightl brush the triangle tip to help seal it. You don't need much water.

There you have it: your first egg roll! Put it aside on a plate or in a shallow dish, and keep on rolling until you run out of filling or wonton wrappers. If you have leftover filling, you can use it in a stir fry or something.

Once all your egg rolls are rolled, heat 3 or 4 inches of oil in large or medium size heavy-duty sauce pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot enough, carefully place the egg rolls into the hot oil. You'll have to work in batches. Only put as many in as you can fit in one layer. Watch the egg rolls carefully. When they reach a delightful golden brown color, they are done. Remove the cooked egg rolls to a plate lined with paper towels (to absorb the grease). Allow to cool for a few minutes before taking a test bite.

Continue with the rest of the egg rolls until they are all cooked, then take them to a party and watch them disappear!

Trying New Things: Scrapple

Karl and I decided to throw our worries about future heart disease to the wind this weekend and made a sumptuous breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and scrapple. Originally, Karl had wanted corned beef hash, but can you believe it: not only is scrapple less expensive than corned beef hash (a 1 lb. block of scrapple at Shur-Save was $1.99, while a 14 oz. can of hash was $2.19), but it also boasts less fat and calories per serving (compare scrapple's 90 calories per serving to corned beef hash's 475!!). The fact that scrapple is pork-based was also a point in its favor, since Karl and I have been strictly limiting our beef intake for ethical reasons.
So, the scrapple won, much to my chagrin.

Wikipedia blithely describes scrapple as "typically made of hog offal, such as the head, heart, liver, and other scraps, which are boiled with any bones attached (often the entire head), to make a broth. Once cooked, bones and fat are discarded, the meat is reserved, and (dry) cornmeal is boiled in the broth to make a mush. The meat, finely minced, is returned, and seasonings, typically sage, thyme, savory, and others are added. The mush is cast into loaves and allowed to cool thoroughly until gelled."


Who wants a piece?

I never thought I would try scrapple, but I suppose the liberation of summer (and Karl's contagious reckless abandon) has made me bold. After we had some bacon going in the pan, I thought I would just add a couple of 1/2 inch slices of scrapple to the pan. This turned out to be not such a great way to fry scrapple. Because the scrapple contains some grains (ours had some wheat flour and cornmeal in it), the scrapple didn't hold its shape once all those grains soaked up a bunch of bacon grease.

However, the scrapple, though it lost its square mystery-meat look, was actually quite tasty (suprise!). With the bacon grease addition, it really just tastes like extra-salty sausage gravy (country style) that you would eat with some fluffy buttermilk biscuits.

This morning before work, I tried frying up some scrapple sans bacon grease (or any type of fat, actually), and met with a similar problem: the scrapple just doesn't hold together once it's being heated. I speculate that this is because what is holding the scrapple together is the congealed fat, which doesn't stay congealed long at higher temperatures, obviously. No big deal, the scrapple still tastes great. Without the bacon grease, you can definitely taste the liver content (liver has such a distinctive taste). If I could get a less salty version of scrapple, I would call it the poor man's pâté!

Honestly, in a time of my life when I am actually attempting to eat ethically, the idea of scrapple is somewhat pleasing because the product is made of the leftovers that would otherwise be wasted. While you could say that when one eats scrapple, one is eating "offal," I think you could also say that when one eats scrapple, one is avoiding unnecessary waste. Maybe I'm being a little too optimistic, but really, try it out and see for yourself.

Red Drum Tap House

Red Drum Grille and Tap House
2412 S. Virginia Dare Trl (The Beach Road, Mile Post 10.5)
Nags Head, NC 27959
252-480-1095

While Karl and I were on the Outer Banks last week with my entire family, we managed to slip out for lunch one more time (after the Outer Banks Brewing Station). Karl was really craving some good local seafood, which is surprisingly hard to find on the Outer Banks. Most of the restaurants' supply of crab, at least, is imported from places like Alaska (Snow crab, King crab legs), despite the abundance of delectable blue crab on the Outer Banks.

After scouring a few OBX restaurant guides and finding out that seafood lunch buffets are hard to come by, we settled on the Red Drum Tap House, which turned to be a fortuitous choice. Not only does this place have about 18 beers on tap (most of which are craft beers instead of the usual array of Anheuser-Busch selections), but they also were featuring a soft shell crab sandwich special.

I must admit, though, that the menu at first seemed a bit disappointing. Most of the seafood selections were fried, and the non-fried (i.e., steamed) seafood choices were non-local (i.e., from Alaska). I chose the most local thing I could find for my lunch, a "Game Fish Burrito" ($10.95) with the Monterrey Jack Cheese on the side (I don't think that most fish is improved by cheese...). I'm still not sure what kind of fish it was, but it might have been blue fish. The burrito was delicious! Packed with grilled fish, it was well-balanced by the refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and sufficiently spicy salsa.

Karl fared even better. He had originally considered getting the Combination Seafood Platter ($21.95) (we would have split that), which would have included three of his choice of steamed spicy shrimp, snow crab legs, middleneck claims, and oysters. Then, feeling disappointed by the lack of local seafood, he considered risking the crab cake sandwich ($10.95), but was dissuaded when the waitress informed him that the cakes contained breading and green peppers. She recommended he try the special, a soft shell crab sandwich ($9.95), though it took some convincing. She insisted that the batter they fried the crabs in was a light one, and that the crabs were fresh off the boats on the Outer Banks.

If you have ever had soft shell crabs, you probably know that the crabs tend to be less than six inches long and are not so tasty unless fresh. You generally eat the entire thing (because the shell is edible). When the waitress brought Karl's sandwich out, I thought there must be some mistake: the crab sitting on the bun was much, much bigger than any soft shell I had ever seen! At least 8 or 9 inches across and 2 or 3 inches thick, this crab was more than substantial enough for a full meal. Karl didn't even bother with the sandwich roll. The waitress had been right about the batter, too: it was light and crispy, and the crab was perfectly cooked. Karl let me have a few bites. Yum!

Karl enjoyed it so much that, even though he was stuffed, he seriously contemplated purchasing another for takeout so he could eat it later. The waitress informed him kindly that he could simply buy his own raw soft shells down the street at local seafood market (Austin Fish Company). We stopped there on the way back and discovered those humongous soft shells were only $3! We didn't buy any, though, and I am sad that we didn't.

If you are going to the Outer Banks for vacation this year, and you enjoy crab, please do yourself a favor and seek out some of the local soft shell crabs! They are simply out of this world.

Outer Banks Brewing Station

The Outer Banks Brewing Station
P.O. Box 2584; MilePost 8.5
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a family reunion in Nags Head, North Carolina on the Outer Banks. My dad's side of the family squeezed about 30 people into a beach house, and fun times were had by all.

I was extra excited because Karl tagged along for the first few days (and didn't break up with me after meeting the more temperamental and volatile half of my family). Since Karl was there, we of course had to explore the edible and drinkable possibilities brewing on the Outer Banks.

On recommendation from Gene (our favorite Church Brew Works bartender), we sought out the Outer Banks Brewing Station (on the sly, of course: my family is a bunch of teetotalers!), a brew pub at milepost 8.5 on the main highway (Croatan, or the Bypass, or "The Big Road"). When I asked my former missionary grandmother, who lives on the Outer Banks, for directions, she looked horrified, and said, "You're going there? But that's a joint!"

Oh well. We promised her we'd stay away from the bar, which seemed to satisfy her.

The Brewing Station resembles a church more than a pub (on the outside). It's a large white building with architectural aspects that suggest a nautical theme. The coolest part about the pub is that they have a windmill! I read on a blog somewhere (I'm sorry I lost the link!) that the windmill doesn't actually power the Brewing Station, but they sell the electricity it generates to the main grid and thereby receive a credit on their electricity bills. An ad we saw in one of the travel mags touted the Outer Banks Brewing Station as America's first wind-powered brew pub, which is a little misleading, but I think that this is a step in the right direction!

After being seated in the dining area (well away from the bar, Grandma!), Karl and I split a bowl of mediocre crab bisque ($5.99). Besides containing far too little crab meat, the bisque tasted cheesy. Crab bisque should have no cheese, or at least shouldn't taste like nacho sauce! It should be creamy and silky, with nice lumps of crab floating just below the surface. That bisque made me long for the she-crab soup at Soby's in Greenville, SC.

The fish (flounder) and chips ($8.99)were much more delightful, and there was plenty for Karl and me to split the lunch entrée and be stuffed. I am of the opinion that it is difficult to mess up fish and chips, but Karl has apparently had some bad experiences. The OBX Brewing Station pulled through well enough to satisfy Karl's tastes (and mine!). The batter wasn't too heavy, and we got about 5 good-sized pieces of flounder. The wedge fries were perfect: crispy and flavorful on the outside with pillows of soft potato on the inside. The fish also came with a delicious remoulade on the side.

Of course we tried the beer, too! Before ordering any pints, we ordered a tasting flight of four 5 oz. servings of their current selections ($6): Ölsch, Old Knucklehead Nut Brown Ale, Shipwreck Stout, and one that I cannot currently remember. I'll have to update when I do. The Ölsch was pretty plain. If you like light beers, go for the Ölsch. The Nut Brown Ale, on the other hand, was insane: I could appreciate what an interesting and well-crafted beer it was, but I still didn't like it. I took two or three sips and could not figure out why I didn't like it, but there it was! It is unlike any brown ale I have ever tasted. It has a strange roasted cereal taste that is juxtaposed by resiny hops. It makes a very, very strange and great beer that I, nevertheless, could not bring myself to enjoy.

The winner for me is the Shipwreck Stout. It definitely made the trip worthwhile: it's one of the tastiest and smoothest stouts I have ever had the pleasure of imbibing. The description on the menu is fairly apt: "Fat and chewy oatmeal stout with a sweet silky finish." I'm not sure that it's chewy, but it is a full-bodied beer that ends up feeling incredibly light and, yes, silky by the time you swallow. So well balanced! It's chocolate-y and slightly sweet, but not to the point of being a dessert beer. One of the things that often turns me off about stouts is that I have difficulty finishing even one pint because they are so heavy. The Shipwreck Stout is light enough that you can eat a meal and have your beer without risking explosion of the innards. It is absolutely worth the trip to the Outer Banks Brewing Station just to try the stout.

Karl also tried a pint of the Hefeweizen, which was alright. The waitress served it in a very tall hefeweizen glass with a slice of orange for garnish. Though the presentation was lovely, the beer had a little TOO strong of a banana flavor for my tastes. If you want the best brew pub hefeweizen, you should try the Church Brew Works' Heavenly Hefeweizen: I swear that it is like drinking a refreshing banana split (pineapple, strawberries, and nuts included) in a glass.

Tubesday Dinner: Name Root

For Tubesday dinner, Karl and I decided to attempt preparation of one wild card tuber. We found a strange looking one at Giant Eagle for $1.99/lb called the Name root. When we got home, we couldn't find much about it, except for this one website, which said it is also known as a yam.


To prepare it, I followed the directions from one of the recipes on the website. Really, I think you could treat this root like a potato. But do not be surprised when you slice it open. This thing is NOT like a potato when it is raw. The flesh is slimy and fibrous. It was quite a turnoff for me. The skin is also rather tough, but I managed to peel it with a regular vegetable peeler without too much difficulty. The finished product tasted in texture like a potato, but the flavors were only what seasonings I put on it. If it's possible, this is more bland than your average Idaho potato.

I probably wouldn't purchase this again unless someone convinced me rather thoroughly that they had a genius recipe for it that transformed it. It just wasn't worth the trouble, in my opinion.


Baked Name Root Slices

1 Name Root, peeled and sliced very thin (like potato chip wedges)
1 TBSP butter, melted
1 TBSP canola oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Arrange the name root slices on a baking dish in one layer.

Mix the butter, canola oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a small container. Brush the mixture over the slices, using all of it.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the slices are browning and crisp. Enjoy hot.

Tubesday Dinner: Yuca (Cassava)

My sister and boyfriend decided Sunday that we'd all collaborate on a tuber-themed dinner Tuesday. My sister affectionately dubbed the evening "Tubesday" dinner, and the goal was to test-drive unfamiliar root-vegetables that we often see in the grocery store. The dinner was a fabulous success, and I intend to post an entry about each tasty dish we created.

This post features yuca, or cassava, a delicious root with a thick, brown skin and white, juicy flesh.

My sister prepared a surprisingly simple and delightful dish of Jamaican origin called "bammy" using a quick blurb on Wikipedia describing it. They turned out really tasty, reminding me of the texture of a fish cake.

I highly recommend this dish for a change of pace. It probably takes about 20 minutes start to finish to complete. Serve with a salad of leafy greens and you have yourself a 30 minute meal to rival any of Rachael Ray's!

Sara's Bammy
Serves 3 or 4

1 large yuca root
salt
canola oil
coconut milk

Using a knife or a heavy-duty vegetable peeler, peel all the brown skin from the yuca root. Grate the entire root (you can use a box grater or the food processor. I don't think it matters how fine the grate is). Sprinkle a generous amount of salt on the grated yuca and let sit for a few minutes (this will help leech out some of the moisture),

Take the grated yuca and squeeze out as much moisture as possible using your hands. Spread the squeezed, grated yuca on a baking sheet and allow to dry for about 15 minutes.

Form 3 or 4 flat patties with the grated yuca. They will seem like they will fall apart, but do the best you can. They'll hold together once you get them in the frying pan.

Over medium-high heat, heat enough oil in a skillet to cover the bottom (it doesn't have to be deep). Once the oil is hot, fry the yuca patties for about 1 minute per side. Remove them from the pan (keep the heat on), and dip them in coconut milk. Return them to the frying pan and fry for another 1 or 2 minutes per side.

Serve immediately.

Philadelphia: Tria

123 S 18th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 972-8742

Sorry I haven't updated in a while: I've been on Spring Break! But you can expect a steady stream of "in retrospect" reviews. I'll try to limit myself to comestibles and potables, since I had so many fun experiences in two short days visiting my brother in Philadelphia that I'm not sure I'll be able to restrain myself from giving a detailed play-by-play otherwise.

Even before my sister and I had arrived in Philadelphia, plans were afoot to go at least once to Tria, which is basically my idea of heaven. Tria is a sophisticated little bar that offers wines, cheeses, and beers (and some food, too). But not just any wines, beers, and cheeses! Tria prides itself on offering the off-the-beaten path experience, and at very fair prices, I am happy to say.

I loved the atmosphere. If you go to their website, they have a lovely photo that really captures it. Smooth lines but not a lot of space: it feels like what I think a "European" wine bar would be like (I haven't had the pleasure of that experience yet). It's pleasantly cramped in both the bar and table areas, which somehow just makes the whole experience more charming.

We went on a Sunday evening (in order to take advantage of their "Sunday School" half-off special, featuring a Greek red wine ($5.50/glass), a Gorgonzola ($3 for 3 oz.), and a Victory Brewing Co. beer (though I can't recall the name of it) ($2.50)). The lighting was a little dim, but not too dark so as to make it difficult to appreciate the color of our beverages (color is important in wine and beer!).

It took me about 15 minutes to finish perusing the menu for what I wanted. We opted not to try the Sunday School specials, at least not right away. The Greek red wine ran out, sadly, so the special changed to a Carmenere, which I tried later on. We tried so many wonderful wines, cheeses and beers (for under $100 between the four of us, not including tip!). Unfortunately, I didn't take notes while there, so I'm not going to try to recall all the beautiful things I smelled and tasted. But seriously, you have to visit this place to believe it! Below are a few of the things I remember trying; the menu changes often, so some of the things I had are no longer available online for me to refresh my memory!

I only wish that I could remember what the red wine from Cahors, France, was that Jeremy ordered: that wine was so perfect! I miss it.

One last note: Tria serves each 5 oz. serving of wine in simple, classic crystal Bordeaux-style stemware. Thank you for caring about the swirling and the sniffing, Tria!!!

Things I remember trying (and loving!):
1. Chinon Les Graves Gasnier (2006) from the Loire Valley, France [Cabernet Franc]: $8.50

2. Viogner, Renwood (2005) from Lodi, California [Viogner]: $7.50/glass

3. Tete De Moine (Cow cheese from Switzerland): $6 for 3 oz., served shaved (and shaped into a carnation!!) with hot pepper jelly

4. Cashel Blue (Cow cheese from County Tipperary, Ireland): $7 for 3 oz. served with chocolate pate

5. Allagash White (Belgian style wheat beer from Portland, Maine) $5 for 16 oz. draft

6. Reed’s Spiced Apple Ginger Brew: $2.50/bottle

Fruit Fancy: Lemon Plums

A couple of weeks ago, while at the local Market District Giant Eagle (grocery store), I spotted a new, bright-yellow addition to the usual mounds of plums, peaches, and nectarines. The sign said "Lemon Plums" ($2.49/lb), and described them as a very rare fruit. The color was a little more fluorescent than a lemon's, but the bottom of the plums did have that nubby shape that is characteristic to both ends of the lemon. I bought one to satisfy my curiosity, especially since they weren't any more expensive than regular old tree-ripened black or red plums (makes you wonder how rare they really are!).

The sign said that, as the plum ripened, its brilliant lemon-yellow color would gradually turn to a pretty red hue. So I waited. And waited. I waited for over a week. FINALLY, the plum did start to turn red. It was actually rather a stunning display, as if the plum were in the midst of a slow-motion blush. I knew the plum was finally ripening by the actual firmness.

When Karl and I finally tasted it, we decided that yes, it was delicious, but it didn't really taste much different from a regular plum. Maybe for this time of year, it tastes sweeter than most plums, but we did wait almost 10 days for the thing to ripen.

Incidentally, I cannot find anything about this fruit on the internet. Weird, right? Even Wikipedia's article on Plums doesn't mention this particular "cultivar" ("a plant variety that has been produced in cultivation by selective breeding," according to my MacBook dictionary).

So, if anyone knows anything about this mysterious fruit, do tell!

Coffee-Frosted Chocolate Cake

Tuesday, I had to bake. I really wanted to try making a cake from scratch, so I pulled out a random cookbook from our collection and flipped to the dessert section. The cookbook I was using was 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes, by Sue Spitler and Linda R. Yoakam. The recipe: Coffee-frosted Chocolate Cake.

Unfortunately, I was almost out of unsweetened cocoa powder, and the weather on Tuesday was pretty miserable. I didn't feel like trekking a mile to the grocery store through wet, icy snow; nor did I feel like scraping the 4-5 inches of snow and ice from my car to make the journey on slick, congested roads full of panicky drivers. Since the CVS right across the street from my apartment didn't carry cocoa powder, I almost gave up. But then I decided that the need to bake was strong: so I bought a bar of Lindt 85% dark chocolate, which I melted down as a supplement to the 2 TBSP of cocoa powder that I did have.

The results were lackluster, in my opinion. The cake was kind of dry (i.e., required lots of milk for washing down), even with the addition of the melted chocolate. Luckily, I was helped in eating most of it by my friends at Tuesday night coffee at Oh Yeah!. They all seemed to enjoy it, so maybe I'm just picky.

Eventually, I want to make the most delectable cake on the planet. I'm just not sure how to go about experimenting. So hopefully I'll find a good cookbook that will help me along a little.

I've adapted the recipe's instructions to be a little more enlightening.


Coffee-Frosted Chocolate Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk

Frosting:
1 TBSP instant coffee granules
1 TBSP hot water
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2-3 TBSP milk

Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter with an electric handmixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract (if substituting melted chocolate, add that in as well, making sure it's not too hot), and mix until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix with a spatula about 1/3 of the flour mixture with the wet ingredients. Then mix in 1/3 cup of milk. Repeat this alternating process until all the dry ingredients and milk are just incorporated. Do not over-mix.

Divide the batter between two 8-inch round cake pans that are greased and floured. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Cool completely (on wire racks if you like).

To make the frosting, dissolve the coffee in the hot water. Using an electric handmixer, slowly add the confectioner's sugar, then add enough milk to smooth out the consistency.

Frost the cake with the frosting (or just drizzle it on, like I did because I used too much coffee).

Pittsburgh Coffee Crawl: Oh Yeah!

Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Bar and Coffee Pub
232 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: 412-253-0955

Last night, the Tuesday crew chose the new Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Bar and Coffee Pub as the destination for mid-week merriment and de-stressification from the arduous life of law school.

Oh Yeah! is in a two story house (it's situated on the first floor). You walk up the stairs to the porch and into the wide-open door (it was warm last night). The walls are covered in burlap coffee sacks, hung like artwork, with a smattering of paintings. Its somewhat tropical ambience is supported by the patio tables, complete with open umbrellas, that are the only source of seating other than the retro bar stools near the espresso bar. I also liked that Oh Yeah! supplies a few rows (and stacks) of well-loved books for cafe reading, from Simpsons comic books to Jonathan Swift and John Steinbeck to Gilbert & Sullivan's (opera libretti!)! A rather eclectic selection to choose from.

The main draw of this place is that they tout the use of almost exclusively local and organic products. They serve a variety of ice creams (with vegan options) with a TON of available mix-ins. The ice creams are products of Woo City, an Ohio company that makes hand-packed ice creams, sorbets, and frozen tofus (or "woo fu" as they call it) using all organic ingredients. The cream used to make the ice cream comes from grass-fed Amish cows, making it, supposedly, a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Great! Ice cream is now healthy! Ice cream flavor choices included Amaretto Peach, Guinness and Bass flavors, and Grasshopper, among others.

The coffee, though obviously not locally grown, is locally roasted at La Prima in Pittsburgh. The cafe also sells baked goods and other products of local businesses. Pretty cool, in my opinion.

In the interests of giving Oh Yeah! the proper review, Karl and I were forced to try the ice cream, though the rest of our group stuck to the coffees and teas. I got a small scoop of the Malted Vanilla Woo Fu (which was, I learned later, a frozen tofu -- NOT ice cream!) blended with habenero pepper powder. The scoop + blend costs $2.75 (a bit pricey, if you ask me, but probably worth it considering the organic ingredients and hand-packing). To create my blend, the barrista scooped the ice cream into a cup, sprinkled the powder on it, and then used a Matrix-like drill to blend it: this is not your average Blizzard machine!!!

I know, I picked a strange combination, but sweet and spicy is probably one of the more overlooked taste combinations. In retrospect, I should have mixed the habanero with either the regular (albeit sugar-free) vanilla ice cream, or possibly the 5-star Chocolate ice cream. It was still pretty delicious, and I didn't even notice that I wasn't eating ice cream (which is kind of incredible).

Karl got the Caramel Bourbon Vanilla ice cream blended with candied ginger. I'm sure it was delicious, but for some reason, the taste of my ice cream made the Caramel Bourbon Vanilla taste like dish detergent. Karl verified the effect after tasting mine, so I know the ice cream doesn't actually taste like dish detergent. Just be forewarned in the highly unlikely event you try to have both at the same time...

We also tried the espresso ($1.85), which was really pleasant, even as it cooled. The acidity factor was pretty low, but the espresso was dark and rich and really well-balanced. This was no stomach-eating Starbucks espresso, that's for sure.

One weird quirk: the bathroom door is a one-way mirror. So you can't see into the bathroom, but you can watch everyone while you go! I have severely mixed feelings about this, but I applaud Oh Yeah!'s attempt to liberate its customers a little.

I'll definitely be going back, especially once it warms up a little bit.

Coffee Crawl in Pittsburgh: Tango Cafe

Tango Cafe
5806 Forward Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Phone: (412) 421-1390
www.tangocafepgh.com

The Tuesday night crew continued its search for the perfect Pittsburgh cafe with a visit to the Tango Cafe in Squirrel Hill. Boasting an authentic Argentinian menu of pastries and coffees, this unassuming little cafe packs a serious punch.

Our group of seven arrived around 9 p.m. (the cafe closes at 10 p.m.). Immediately when you walk in the door, your eyes (if they are dessert-seeking like mine) will be drawn to the small pastry case containing Argentinian pastries and cookies. Karl and I decided we had to split a Merengue ($1.99), which consisted of sweet, thick and delicious dulce de leche sandwiched between two perfectly baked merengue cookies drizzled with chocolate: the yum-factor was strong in these cookies.

I also ordered a cafe con leche ($2.10), although I really had my eye on the Tango Submarino, which the barrista informed me in her lilting Spanish accent was a bar of dark chocolate submerged in a mug of steamed milk ($3.10). I'll definitely be trying that next time!

I'm enjoying trying out different coffee shops. It's a shame that last year's regular Tuesday night meeting place, Make Your Mark Artspace and Coffehouse, is no longer open until 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, but at least we are getting to try out some of the other great locally owned cafes in our area. I wonder where we'll end up next Tuesday...?

If there is a limit to all things and a measure
And a last time and nothing more and forgetfulness,
Who will tell us to whom in this house
We without knowing it have said farewell?

from "Limits" by Jorge Luis Borges of Argentina (1899-1986)

East Liberty Presbyterian Church

East Liberty Presbyterian Church
116 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: (412)441-3800

Karl and I attended East Liberty Presbyterian's 11 a.m. service Sunday morning in keeping with Karl's resolution to go to church this year. The service was very similar to Shadyside Presbyterian's, with a few exceptions:

(1) There was only one special song sung by the chancel choir (and I didn't like it: the choir wasn't nearly as well-trained as Shadyside's, plus the piece was a modern, and hence, less sonorous arrangement of the text).
(2) There was a 5-minute children's sermon in the midst of the service (a practice I have mixed feelings about, though this particular one wasn't so bad).
(3) The reverend made announcements as if he knew members of the congregation personally (at Shadyside, it was much more impersonal and generally applicable).

Overall, East Liberty was a tad less polished than Shadyside, but somehow, that made it all the more likeable.

One interesting note: the church organist for this Sunday happened to be a 13-year-old student of Hope Academy (who, I'm sure, is not on the payroll). Because the organist is almost always hidden from view, I only realized this after I got suspicious during the hymns and checked the program.

If you have ever listened to an experienced organist play hymns in a large, reverberating sanctuary, you may have noticed that such an organist pays no heed to what he or she hears (e.g., the congregation's singing). Of necessity, the organist must simply play in a steady tempo without adjusting for auditory signals. It's pretty difficult for an organist to train him- or herself to do this, but it's really the only way. No matter what happens, the congregation and the actual sounds of the organ will always be a beat or two behind the organist's fingers striking the keys. That's just the nature of sound! Anyway, on the performance pieces, our 13-year-old was rather spectacular, but during the hymns, her inexperience showed.

Regardless, the service was nice, and the sermon was really quite good. Also, the sanctuary was simply breathtaking. It is quite large, with very high ceilings. If you are seated facing the front of the sanctuary, you have a marvelous view of some elegant stained glass (a dying art) and extraordinary stonework. I believe the Cathedral of Hope (the current building for the ELPC) was completed around 1935 or so. It's worth a look just for the architecture.

Another good church! Next week, we may check out St. Paul's Catholic Diocese, so be looking out for that blog!

Breakfast in Pittsburgh: Coca Cafe

Coca Cafe
3811 Butler Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 7am - 3pm
Saturday 9am - 3pm
Sunday Brunch 10am - 3pm
Phone: 412-621-3171


After an early-morning service project with the Pitt Legal Income Sharing Foundation (PLISF), seven of us decided to change our breakfast plan from Pamela's, the staple student breakfast venue in the Oakland and Shadyside areas, to trying the Coca Cafe in Lawrenceville. I had been there last year for Sunday brunch with my friends Matt, Katie, Ben, and Dave and enjoyed it very much, but hadn't gotten around to going again.

The decor, as you can see in the photos, is very artsy, but bright and uncluttered. With a party of seven in a fairly small space, we procured a table immediately at 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning. When I came last time on a Sunday, the place was swarming with people and my party of five had to wait 40 minutes for a table.

The food was spectacular, even more so than I remembered. I had been planning to eat as cheaply as possible. The obvious choice in that case would be to get the Hot Irish Oatmeal with brown sugar, dried fruit, walnuts, and milk for $5.00 (fresh berries an additional $1). However, when I saw on the menu Herbed Goat Cheese French Toast with Berries ($7.75), all thoughts of frugality and budgeting fled my intrigued mind.

After waiting only about 15 minutes, our food arrived, piping hot and all at the same time: quite a feat for a small kitchen! My French Toast (made with Challah bread stuffed with a basil goat-cheese and served with fresh strawberries and blueberries) was perfect. I had worried that the flavor combinations would be a bit strange, but the mild, creamy tang of the goat cheese melded wonderfully with the berries' sweetness. The three thick slices of golden, crisp Challah were the perfect canvas for the simple yet sophisticated flavor combinations.

I passed out nibbles of my adventurous French Toast to other inquisitive diners, and they all agreed that it was, at least, interesting! In exchange, I got to try Ariel's Egg White Omelet with fresh spinach, basil, goat cheese, and tomatoes ($6.50) and Ruchi's Southwest Breakfast Wrap (scrambled tofu [substituted for eggs], roasted peppers, spinach, caramelized onions, and Meunster cheese in a wheat wrap ($6.50)); both tasted scrumptious.

One minor annoyance: for a party of our size (7), the restaurant has a policy of refusing to split the table's check to accommodate several methods of paying. For larger parties of modern card-carrying consumers who don't often carry cash, this could be a major setback, especially for new or infrequent diners.
The restaurant does accept credit cards.


Note: The menu on the Coca Cafe website is a little out-of-date, but most of what is currently on the menu can be viewed there. Just be aware that the prices may have changed (usually increased).

New Year's Resolution: Attend Church

Yesterday, Karl and I made good on one of his New Year's resolutions to find (and go to) a church in the Pittsburgh/Oakland area when we didn't make it out to North Huntingdon with my parents (kind of a trek!). So, we attended a service at Shadyside Presbyterian Church. Great music, scattered sermon, but an all-around nice church. I'm glad we went. Next week, we're going to investigate East Liberty Presbyterian.

Two things I've decided I like about the Presbyterian church: the music and the architecture.

Music
We sang hymns yesterday! I forget how much I miss hymns sometimes. The church at which I'm a member is fondly referred to among its members as the "Rock-and-roll" church. We have a band, including drums, electric and acoustic guitars, bongos, a keyboard, and an electric bass. It's fun and exciting, but I often feel that a more serene, solemn service is just what I need. I'm not always fond of the organ used in most traditional services, but the organist at Shadyside Presbyterian was very nice.

I also enjoyed the presence of a chancel choir. It's good to have harmonies when you're singing hymns, and I also love when the choir sings short pieces to enhance the worshipful atmosphere of the service.

Yes, I do appreciate some good music! Yesterday's service included some lovely music, which you can actually listen to (along with the sermon and hymns) at the Shadyside Presbyterian website.

Architecture
Just take a look at these two buildings!

Shadyside Presbyterian and East Liberty Presbyterian

In sum: I enjoyed going to church!