blueberry ice cream!

Since getting an ice cream maker I’ve been obsessed with making my own ice cream! I think I’ve mastered making chocolate and honey lavender, but as far as fruity flavors go, I hadn’t experienced too much.  Fruit ice cream, in my opinion, can only be perfect if the fruit is in season.  So with my recent discovery that I’m no longer allergic to blueberries and the fact that I feel like I can’t escape those lovely little berries upon walking into a market, it only makes sense that I would choose to make blueberry ice cream.  I had two pints of fresh blueberries in my refrigerator last week, and because I’ve never really cooked with them before, I was unsure what I should do with them.  Then I had this intense craving for ice cream.  I wanted to make bonbons, but unfortunately they take way too long to make.  It only took me ten minutes or so to realize that I should make blueberry ice cream.  So that’s what I did, and let me tell you, it’s so much more simple than making chocolate ice cream.

The thing that differentiates my blueberry ice cream from others is that it doesn’t have a custard base.  No eggs were involved in the making of this ice cream, so that reduced the cook time by a lot.  As a last minute addition, I added some chopped bits of white chocolate- something I needed to get rid of, and poured the mixture into my ice cream maker.  After the ice cream had been churned for twenty minutes or so I immediately stuck it in the freezer and left the house to play tennis.  I couldn’t sit inside for three hours waiting for it to firm up- I had to do something to preoccupy my time.  When I returned home with two of my favorite people, I made some fresh whipped cream, scooped out the strikingly purple ice cream, and topped it with fresh Georgia peaches.  The results were so good! The blueberries really shone, and you know what else? It was ridiculously healthy! Below is my recipe for Blueberry White Chocolate Ice Cream.  I hope you enjoy the magic!

Blueberry White Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes about 1 pint

2 cups of FRESH MAINE blueberries (I suppose you could use conventional blueberries, but I sourced my blueberries locally)
2 tbsps of water
2 tsps of grated lemon zest
2/3 cup of sugar (divided, 1 tsp)
1 1/2 cups of half and half
1 cup of whipping cream
1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 a vanilla bean
2 tsps of fresh high quality honey

*Remember to rinse your berries and pick through them to ensure no bad ones go into your ice cream– this might be the most important step!!

Put the washed berries into a pot with the water, and heat on low for ten minutes, or until they are tender.  Let mixture cool, and then pour into blender, and puree.

Meanwhile, in a mortar and pestle, add the 1 tsp of sugar with the 2 tsps of grated lemon zest.  Mix until the oils from the lemon have mixed with the sugar, and it forms a loose sticky mixture.  Cut a slit in the side of the vanilla bean.  In a small pot, heath the half and half, the remaining sugar, and the vanilla bean, until the sugar has dissolved.  Let that mixture cool, and then fold in the blueberry puree, the whipping cream, the lemon sugar mixture, and the lemon juice.  Let this cool in the refrigerator for about an hour, so it is thoroughly chilled.  While the mixture chills, roughly chop your white chocolate, if you’re choosing to include it in this recipe.

Prepare your ice cream maker, and pour your chilled blueberry mixture in.  About 5 minutes prior to stopping your ice cream maker, pour in the honey and white chocolate chunks, and continue churning.  When the machine is done churning your ice cream, relocate it to a different air tight container, and freeze for about two hours.  Serve immediately- garnish however you like! I like to garnish with peaches and whipped cream because of the color contrasts, and flavor compliments- but anything will do! This is how summer ought to taste!

The Slab- Miccuci’s

I switched schools at the beginning of the year, and while I found everyone to be nice, I was skeptical about their hobbies and their ways of life.  It’s a small little prestigious school full of kids who love to learn and have fun- while this may seem innate to learning, it’s not, believe me.  I’m not very acquainted with my grade to be honest- it’s nothing against them, it’s just I’ve found more in the upper class, but that doesn’t mean I dislike my own.  In fact, my class is quite supportive and inclusive.  That’s why I wasn’t shocked when the first person who discovered I had a food blog was someone in my class.  Ever since, most people express some interest in it- especially trying their hand at the whole food blogging thing- I’ve done a few lunches with kids from my school that we’ve reviewed.  But maybe the most enthusiastic about doing a for Vin et Grub was William.  So this past Wednesday, I piled into a car with him and his bros and made a trip down to Miccuci’s which served the purpose to convince me that the infamous creation of Stephen Lanzilotta, the “Slab” was the best pizza in all of Maine.

Unfortunately, pizza is not my favorite food.  I’m not saying that I’m a caviar and truffle aficionado, but I suppose I prefer fried chicken to a slice of ‘zza any day.  Not to mention my experiences with thick dough pizza have been ruined ever since my friend Annie made me a pizza four years ago that caused me the worst case of food poisoning (as well as the only) I’ve ever had.  Miccuci’s slab is thick, cheesy, and soft.  Nothing like the pizza from Otto’s, Flatbread’s, or Bonobo.  Personally, I adore thin crusted pizza, and when there’s a place as good as Otto’s not even a mile away from Miccuci’s it’s odd that I wouldn’t choose to go there.  But William insisted, along with Addison, that the Slab could not be topped- that it was an experience all in itself.  Reluctantly I went along with this idea.  I love Miccuci’s in fact, I go there quite often to get specialty groceries and Luna Bread- but the slab has never appealed to me before.  When we were getting out of the car, William and Addison told me about the policy which they always follow- “We have a slab code of honor. If we make it to 45 India Street and there aren’t enough slabs for our entire group, we wait for another batch to come out. We’ve waited forty-five minutes while a randomly chosen person keeps watch.” – Addison.  Upon hearing this, I thought it was ludicrous to wait so long for a piece of pizza, but I noted it because it clearly expresses how great of an experience the slab is.

Thankfully there were enough slabs for everyone five minutes after we went inside.  The bros were thinking about doing 1.5 slabs per person, I was overwhelmed just by the sight of one, so I promised Jack whatever I didn’t eat.  We grabbed some sodas- San Pellegrino Chinotto all the way, and sat in the little alcove where Miccuci’s bakery is located.  It was there where I took some very necessary photos, listened to a legitimate bro-sesh, and finally got a taste of the slab that they had been swearing by.  Addison says that, ”The first time I had a slab was a spiritual experience. The orgy of lip-smacking tomato sauce and salaciously melted cheese incited a food-lust inside of me that only the heartiest of pizza can sate.”  Whether or not he was serious is futile.  The fact that he’d even go the length to make such a passionate proclamation really solidifies the fact that the slab is an experience.

Now as far as the slab goes.  It’s certainly not Otto’s Three Cheese Tortellini Pizza made with love by Travis (which conveniently I ate tonight), but it wasn’t what I was expecting.  The fresh mozzarella was browned nicely but still wonderfully gooey, the tomato sauce was remarkably sweet but still retained the natural flavor of fresh tomatoes, the dough was a bit sour, nicely aged, and still soft.  I was nervous that it would be undercooked and heavily flavoured by yeast- thankfully, it wasn’t.  Unfortunately though, it was too thick of a crust for me.  It just reaffirmed that I am a thin-crust pizza kind of person, who loves light cheese and heavy veggies.  As the slab only comes in one form, it’s hard to match those standards- but I guess I shouldn’t be comparing it to my typical pizza standards anyway.  As William said, “It’s an experience,” and that does not necessarily mean it’s pizza.  I don’t want to convey the wrong message and make it seem like I disliked it- that’s not the case at all.  It was nicely flavored, fully cooked, and delicious- it’s just not my cup of tea.  At the same time, I can see why everyone loves the slab, and why the bros make weekly trips to indulge.

Maybe that’s where it got me.  It’s too indulgent.  Yeah, I know- this coming from the girl who sears all her meat in truffle butter.  I’m a hypocrite.  Say it why don’t you?

Despite feeling sorta guilty after eating my slab, I was quite content.  Hearing the guys talk about the slab and lax season was refreshing.  It’s nice to know that people care about life’s simple pleasures.  Not to mention many times I found myself laughing at William’s jokes, and Sam’s facial expressions.  I guess now is a good time to talk about Chinotto, which everyone besides me disliked.  Chinotto, for those who don’t know, is the most darling little citrus fruit- quite bitter in taste, that make wonderful sodas.  In comparison to the normal lemon and orange San Pellegrino’s, the Chinotto variety offers a fuller taste without all the added sweetness.  I almost feel like I’m describing a wine- but I’m not.  Even though there is a slight aftertaste of alcohol.

This is what we accomplished within 35 minutes of being dismissed from class.  Look at it.  Weep a little.  Go to Miccuci’s tomorrow.

Overall, the excursion was worth it.  While it’s difficult for me to say that I will want to eat the slab often, I can say that I’ll have another one in my life time.  It’s not even pizza, that’s all I keep saying to myself.  It’s just a baked piece of dough with some sins sprinkled on top, it’s a conversation starter, it’s a symbol of the Italian culture in PTLD, and it’s the handy-work of my past neighbor, S. Lanzilotta, whose license plate reads SXYBKR. Food and Wine, as well as Bon Appetit, have insisted on making a trip into Miccuci’s if it’s your first time visiting Portland.  I agree.  It’s hard to imagine that it’s even legal- because I really feel like its too indulgent.  But I think any first time visiter to Portland should split one with a friend, and ponder over whether or not it should be considered pizza.  Maybe it’s a revolution in the making? Maybe I’m just a little too stuck up to classify it in my normal pizza category for fear that it will soon take Otto’s # 1 seat?

El Camino

I guess you could say I’m a fan of Mexican food.  I like my fair share of burritos, puposas, and guacamole.  But I’m rarely the person who wants to go to a Mexican Restaurant.  Maybe that’s just because Portland has slim pickings- what do you suggest besides Tu Casa and El Rayo (which I already visit on a regular basis)? Margaritas? No thanks.  Mesa Verde? Pass.  Maine just doesn’t seem like the sort of state that would have good Mexican Food- and I guess that goes without saying.  But El Camino in Brunswick, has certainly changed my mind about most Mexican Restaurants.  If an American can make a pretty successful Cantina, in Brunswick, Maine, I think Portland should have a few more springing up in the near future.

I’ll tell you a little story about my visit to El Camino- but I’m going to have to take you back to last Monday, March 14th.  I had the day off, and my boyfriend and I decided to venture up the seacoast, after I had already indulged in a wonderful lunch at Miyake, and a bunch of pastries from Standard Bakery (are you surprised that I’m not obese like the rest of America?).  As we were driving back to Portland, we argued about where we should go to eat.  He wanted to stop in Damariscotta, but I thought Brunswick would be the best bet.  I had my hopes set on Flipside Pizza- which I still haven’t tried, because their hours are absurd.  I remembered as we  were driving down Maine Street, that there was a little hole-in-the-wall Cantina called El Camino, that my aunt had raved about.  I called one of my close friends and sought directions, but soon found out that El Camino is closed Mondays- what is with restaurants being closed on Mondays!?! Because it seemed like there were no other options at the moment, I dragged Sam into Lillie’s Bistro, and found myself, shortly after, arguing with the bartender about Maine State Law.  Let’s just say that Lillie’s doesn’t get a good review, now let’s fast-forward to last evening which was spent at El Camino.  Upon entering with my aunt and cousin, we were led to a cozy table, and were given menus which have different photos (like the one above) on the cover.  After having looked the menu over, our waitress arrived, and let’s just say my world began to crash and burn.  She was the bartender at Lillie’s Bistro. I couldn’t believe it, and she recognized me right off the bat.  Now, you should understand something before I continue- it’s not that she’s a bad server, it’s more so that my impression of her will never change- so that should explain where these ill-feelings come from.  If I haven’t made myself clear enough already.

We orded a basket of chips and salsa, which I must say were pretty delicious.  The chips were greasy- but most homemade tortilla chips are.  The salsa was smokey and spicy, but a nice wedge of lime contrasted the bold flavors of the dip.  My cousin began to hoard the chips, and soon after, I found myself wanting more.

When I was deciding on a drink, I didn’t really know what I wanted.  That is until I saw that they had limeade.  Then my heart stopped beating, and my eyes were starry.  I have a romance with that green citrus, and the fact that El Camino made a pretty unique limeade made my experience all the more wonderful.  They mix fresh lime-juice and coconut milk, shake it up real good, and serve over ice with a wedge of lime, in a tall frosty glass.  This drink, not only quenched my thirst, but made me feel like I was laying on a beach in Cancun, soaking up all that Vitamin D that I’ve been deprived of for the past four or five months.  Let me just say, that even if my food was bad- I’d still go back to El Camino, just for this drink.  Yeah- it was that good.

For dinner, I knew I wanted a quesadilla.  Sometimes the child within me orders- but whenever that does happen, I don’t regret it.  It’s just like an uninhabited me making an impulsive decision that is commendable, if anything.  El Camino had a wide variety of quesadillas, tacos, and salads, but they also are willing to let you design your own.  Each taco and quesadilla are served with crema, cucumber salsa, and smoky salsa.  I requested pickled onions instead of the cucumber salsa for my quesadilla.  Speaking of which, it was absolutely divine.  Stuffed with chorizo, sweet potato, cheddar cheese, and avocado, my taste buds were pleased.  The chorizo was so savory, and worked nicely with the velvety texture of the avocado.  I guess you can say I was HAPPY!

My aunt and cousin ordered similarly to me.  One opted for steak, while the other chose chicken.  But were honorable choices, but I was very content with my chorizo.  The inside of El Camino was very quirky, for it reminded me a lot of Silly’s.  The lighting was red- hence the reason why my photos are horrible.  The tables are all salvaged from the 50s, and there are fun Christmas lights and Mexican paper flags hanging from the ceiling.  I’m definitely planning on going back to El Camino.  Hopefully VERY VERY soon.

So I guess it’s very possible to have a superb Mexican restaurant in the state of Maine.  I guess that means you can disregard my entire introduction.  Woops.  I just stole a good two minutes of your time.

-e

anxious

so excited for restaurant week.  reservations at bresca, bar lola, vignola, the salt exchange, and of course a necessary trip to either sonny’s or local just for kicks.  i’m uploading photos from my valentine’s day dinner with samuel (it was actually on saturday, i don’t like doing things on monday evenings…) and i’ll post them soon.  until then, enjoy your champagne, roses, chocolates, and candlelight.  i’m going to be busy writing a paper, and correcting a math exam.

-e

vignola review

prelude: my apologies for being a lazy blogger as of recent times.  i’ve been rather busy with life, and i haven’t spent too much time in the kitchen, nor have i been out and about recently, so i’ve been low on material.  but no worries- i plan on cooking a lot this week- tomorrow night a champagne cake, a birthday feast on wednesday, and a roasted chicken on sunday.  last week i roasted a lovely bird, with very humble ingredients and it came out tender and crispy- but i misplaced my camera and decided that it would be pointless to post about it.  but let’s discuss VIGNOLA.

last evening, i had an 8pm reservation at vignola with some of my dearest family members, so that we could celebrate my mother’s birthday properly.  it was not my first time dining there, but i hadn’t been in quite sometime- perhaps a year or two? previous visits sufficed my taste buds, but i had pretty terrible run ins with wait staff, seating, and overall ambiance.  much has changed at vignola since those impressions were made, and i can truthfully say, i was in raptures all evening.  the ambiance was perfect- very classy, but edgy, and didn’t feel stuffy, or too modern.  the decor, i’ve always enjoyed, they’ve rigged their light fixtures into bunches of wine bottles ( did i mention vignola is known for their vino?) and of course their wine closet is surrounded by glass and open for admiration.  the kitchen is partially visible, and its shared with their sister restaurant, cinque terre.  the staff was fantastic- mainly because two servers switch between vignola and local 188, and their house sommelier, chris (who just returned from spain), was available to chat with and have make suggestions for wine pairings with your entree.

a good ten minutes after we sat, a bottle of cava brut rose  (vintage 2004, hell yeaa $45/bottle) was sent over from an absent member of my clan.  this cava brut was fantastic because the flavors were complex, the red aspect was still full bodied, and it was light, with floral undertones.  not to mention it paired well with the oysters i ordered.  i’ve always enjoyed roses, but this was superb.  it’s from the conca de barbera region of espana, and is made by roger goulart.  i found the aging to be perfect, because it maintained a freshness, but still maintained hints of old subtleties.

happy birthday mom! i’m glad you were born into this world, and i’m incredibly happy that we could celebrate your birthday with our loved ones over a fantastic meal.  thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me- specifically, insisting that i can accomplish whatever i want to, and encouraging my love of food and cooking.   without you, my passion would be overlooked, and i would probably be pursuing something ridiculous like law.

vignola has a nice deal where you pick four cheeses for $20, and because i was given the title, boss lady last evening, i picked all four.  now i’m not a big fan of bleu cheese, and vignola does have a small selection of that variety, but i stayed with cow’s milk, goat, and sheep, to start the night.  i picked a piave, from northern italy, it’s a hard cow’s cheese, that is sharp, and has a sweet after-taste.  cheese number two was a mahon, a cow’s cheese from espana, that is nutty, and almost, spicy? cheese three was undoubtedly the raschera, from italy again, and it’s a soft sheep and goat milk cheese, that mimics a very nice variety of brie, but has a  buttermilk flavour.  our final cheese was a buenalba from espana- it was intended to be a soft, but it was crumbly nonetheless.  upon reading the description i was scared it was similar to a gorgonzola, a cheese i really dislike, but it was so different.  it was sharp, and had a fruity undertone, which i was very impressed with.  our cheese was served with preserved figs and seasonal fruits, spiced walnuts, and homemade focaccia.

now i suppose i should let you know how much i love oysters.  i’ve always loved seafood, fresh fresh seafood, and because of the fact that i’ve grown up in maine, i’ve always gotten the best of the best.  one of my fondest memories is eating an oyster out of the penobscot, right after it being harvested.  no lemon, no tabasco, just fresh 20 year old oyster, with the waters of the penobscot to was it down.  since then, i guess my expectations for oysters have been raised considerably, and i was very pleased with the oysters i ate last evening.  pleased for a few reasons.  first and foremost because they were incredibly fresh, and they were harvested in winterpoint, plus they were served with shallots and an allagash mignonette, and second because they were free of charge.  the lemon wasn’t necessary- just because the mignonette had a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, and the shallot cut the acidity.  they were properly chilled, they were cleaned, and thankfully, there was no trace of sand, which made me very grateful.  another reason why i really liked the oysters at vingola is because you can buy a single oyster, and you’re not restricted to purchasing a dozen or half a dozen.  the single oyster option is perfect for me, because i typically can eat two or three, and no more.  so unlike street & co. and j’s oyster, vignola gives you the power to choose the amount of the sea’s greatest delicacy you’d like to consume.

our lovely sommelier came over after our entrees had been ordered and listened to us discuss our taste in wine, and he brought us a bottle of valderiz, vintage 2004 (from espana, $60 a bottle) that he thought would pair well with all of our dinner choices.  this wine was dry, aged perfectly, had undertones of caramel and nuts, with an overtone of deep spicy fruit flavors.  chris told us about the grapes that are used for this win, they’re grown in an ancient riverbed on 75 acres of tomas esteban’s vineyard located in the Roa region of the Ribgera del Duero (there are 20 different locations where tomas grows his grapes).  the grapes are pressed slightly as to preserve the flavor, and the grapes are exposed to very drastic temperatures.  in the daytime, the average temperature at the vineyards ranges from 110-115 degrees, and during the evening the temperature drops rapidly to 40 degrees.  this change in temp, ensures that the grapes age slowly and thoroughly, giving them a smokey, chocolate flavor that is also detectable in this wine.  we all realized that 2004 was a very good year for spanish wines, and later chris explained that it was by far the best year in the past 100 years.  furthermore, after a bit of research on my end, the valderiz 2004 was named one of the finest ribgera del duero wines in existence.  it’s estimated now, that the valderiz 2004 will be drinkable and rich until 2030, so long live this strain of fine wine.  it was well worth the $60 spent.

it’s been a while since i’ve fallen head over heels for an entree ( i believe the last one was the duck that the old walter’s used to prepare, or the sole francaise from street & co.) but vignola’s lamb meatballs served with crispy polenta, and a black forest mushroom ragu was so much more than i ever expected.  the lamb was tender, juicy, succulent (i am pullin’ out all the adjectives here, aren’t i?) the ragu? i can’t even explain.  the mushrooms almost tasted like chorizo, but there was this savoriness about them that i can barely convey into words.  the polenta.  OH my god.  i am probably the biggest fan of polenta out there.  and i’m pretty confident that i make a really good polenta cake, but this… this was the best polenta i’ve ever consumed.  the crust was perfectly fried and season with olive oil, salt n pepper, and it formed a very nice contrast with the soft, almost mashed potato like polenta inside.  it melted in my mouth.  i wanted to eat it over and over again.  mixed with the ragu and the meatballs, it was out of this world.  just a cascade of flavors in my mouth.  so perfect.  so simple.  made my night… especially with a nice glass of the valderiz i mentioned above (many times).

two out of the four people in my party ordered the top sirloin steak with a red wine shallot reduction, local fingerling mashed potatoes, and a frisee salad on top.  both ordered their steak medium, and both steaks were served medium rare, but neither seemed to mind.  both thought that the steak was cooked perfectly- it was tender, juicy and flavorful, and they also agreed that the mashed potatoes were out of this world.  the texture was perfect- not whipped, not grainy, but soft, and heaven-like.  yes, you can describe potatoes with the adjective heaven-like.  the only topic at hand that the ladies disagreed on was the red wine shallot reduction.  my mother loved hers, she said it was sweet, and that it contrasted wonderfully with the frisee salad, and the potatoes.  but my aunt very much disliked the sauce.  she said it was overpowering, almost artificially sweet, and took away from the overall flavor of the steak.  then again, she didn’t even want the steak to begin with- she ordered the grilled shrimp with crispy polenta (A+) with a tomato and red pepper ragu.  they were out of that dish 20 minutes before we arrived unfortunately, so she made a rash decision and decided on the steak.  if i had to agree with either of the ladies, i’d probably side with my aunt, only because lately, sauces have been overbearing for me, and they seem to take away from the natural flavor of the protein on your plate.  perhaps if they served the meat with a smaller amount of sauce, it would have been okay, but to me, it looked like the sirloin was just kinda swimming in the deep end of the red wine shallot reduction pool.

i had no problem finishing my meal, even though i had oysters and cheese ahead of time.  the other person in our party indulged in a pepperoni pizza- a dish that i don’t exactly care for, but as i heard from her and the rest of my family, was quite delicious.  by the time i wanted to take a photo of the ‘zza it was gone, so i don’t have too much to say on that end, besides the fact, that vignola makes affordable pizzas with a very thin crust, with fresh tomato sauce, and good meats.  the cheese, i also heard was a beautiful melting cheese- i have a hunch that it was the taleggio cheese that my waitress recommended in place of the coca de roma that i inquired about.  i didn’t take her suggestion though, and decided on the buenalba instead, which i was, in part, grateful for.  vignola has certainly improved in all aspects, ambiance, overall quality, waitstaff, decor, and ingredients.  the time spent there was meaningful and well deserved.  our celebration for my mother was perfect, quaint, and intimate, just as we hoped, and the food and wine that we enjoyed was more than we all expected.  i’m going to have to say that i was thoroughly surprised by what i received, all the attention, all the quality organic products, and the hospitality exhibited by our waitress and the sommelier.  vignola is well worth the visit, especially if you’re seated where we were- the front right hand corner, overlooking wharf street in all its glory.  also- i hear they make a pretty snazzy brunch.  perhaps i’ll be making that trip sooner rather than later.  GO TO VIGNOLA.

enfin

(ps) this week renders a champagne blackberry cake, surprise birthday menu, and a tutorial on how to roast the perfect chicken.  i swear i won’t be a lazy blogger anymore.

pushing pies

who remembers pushing daisies? i’m so sad that it was cancelled.  i used to go to my boyfriend at the time’s house, and we’d make pizza, eat pie, and watching pushing daisies.  now, i just bake pies for the hell of it, as well as to use up seasonal fruit, and satisfy my cooking urges and sweet tooth.  this weekend has been full of pie.  last evening at sonny’s, tonight at home.  pie, pie, pie.  well, can’t say that’s too bad of a thing to eat/make.

chocolate chiffon pie with a coconut pecan crust, courtesy of jay villani and his crew at SONNY’s.

that crust was the best pie crust i have ever consumed.

keeping with the trend of pies, i baked one tonight

this is a pear raspberry plum pie. personal recipe follows:

for pie dough:

two cups of all purpose flour
three tbsp of granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
two thirds of a cup of canola oil
one third cup of whole milk
extra flour for dusting

for filling:

one half pint of raspberries
two borsch pears
three black plums
half a lemon
three tbsp of sugar
one tbsp of unsalted butter

method:

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees,

mix all dry ingredients together and form a well to put the liquid ingredients in.  start mixing with your hands until a ball of dough forms.  if needed, add more flour to let ingredients stick together.  roll out three quarters of the dough, and set the other quarter aside for later.  grease pie dish with canola oil/or butter, and lay the dough inside.  roll out the other quarter of the dough, and cut long strips so you can form a criss cross basket pattern on top of the filling.

rinse raspberries thoroughly, and let them dry.  remove skin from pears, and slice into thin pieces.  add the pears to a sauce pan, which should be preheated over medium heat.  add the raspberries on top of the pears, and add the three tbsps of sugar and the juice of the lemon.  stir ingredients and let rest over heat.  cut the plums into thin slices, and add into the hot pan.  add the tbsp of butter and let the liquid start to bubble.  when liquid bubbles, remove the pan from the heat, and add the filling inside of the pie dish.  next, layer the strips of dough on top of your filling, and criss cross them.  weaving them over and under is how you’ll get the “ideal” top crust effect.  put pie in oven, and let bake at three hundred and fifty degrees for twenty minutes.  after twenty minutes, take pie out of oven, and brush the top crust with melted butter, and sprinkle sugar on top as well.  put the pie back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes at four hundred degrees, so the top of the pie can get golden brown.  when this happens, remove pie, and let cool.

serve with maple infused whipped cream.

enjoy your pie, and please source me for recipe.

love,

enfin

a summer of food & bev.

this summer, like any of the past summers, has been spent doing various things.  one thing however, that became evident from early on, was the idea of indulging on delicious, quality, succulent food.  that was my goal, and i am pretty sure i can safely say i accomplished it.  i went without a camera for a mere 4 days in korea, but of course, those four days produced the best meals i consumed over the course of two weeks- so keep in mind, while i do feature delicious korean food in the post below, my favorite dishes (bossam & udon with soybean sauce) are not described.  they will be… once i get back to korea and take the photos i should have taken on my four day hiatus.  this compilation is self-serving, just so i can see a very small modpodge of the food i consumed over the course of summer 2010 (best one in my lifetime)… thus far.

clearly i fell in love with big bowls of greek yoghurt with wild raspberries and homemade granola in pemaquid.

and paella, chalk full of chorizo, fresh green peas, tender chicken, and roma tomatoes- created by the lovely melissa.

oh right, the paella? cooked on an outdoor stone oven… by the ocean… at our private campsite.

who can forget the classic silly’s double bacon cheeseburger? it’s how i grew up to be a healthy girl.

isaac branched out with a silly version of chicken parmesean… he’s a bit braver than i tend to be at silly’s.

summer initiation party, with meredith- hosted june 4th.  on the menu- avacado, endive, and daikon salad, cucumbers and goat cheese, parmesean rosemary ciabatta, farafelle with scallops and pernod sauce,  & sauteed brussel sprouts with proscuitto.

two of my foodiest buds- m and isaac- joining me for a little bit of hipsterdom, on top of our favorite lookout.  pbr’s included.

another group of foodies- eli, who also hails from the wunderbar 207 & juju bear, who resides in hawaii.  they helped me on my seoul adventure, with isaac.

bibim bap in jenjou.  probably the best bibim bap i’ve ever consumed.  perfectly fried egg, shredded carrots, ample amounts of bean sprouts, thinly sliced mushroom, and lots of yummy spinach.  not to mention two helpings of red pepper sauce.

don katsu.  though it’s traditionally from japan, the underground marketplace in seoul, makes a mean version of this soul-soothing meal.  the pork was fried in a way that no katsu-places in the US of A could ever replicate, the salad had an apple/melon dressing… oddly enough, i ate all of it, there were perfectly pickled radishes and carrots, delicious kimchi, and of course a nice helping of ricerice.  can you believe this was classified as a “quick” 20 minute meal…?

i certainly miss all the food stands of seoul- especially their dried seafood ones.  the itty bitty octopus/squids are really crunchy and delicious.

on the way to the bhuddist temple- the salad was really delicious, and the bulgoki was nice too.

best bbq chicken kabob ever.  ordered as spicy as you can make it, and i cried for about 10 minutes, out of both pure ecstacy/delight and pain.  i will be making many trips to seoul for this sole (seoul) purpose… hehehe, pun… did you get it?

i suppose i was right about my prediction of the rose.  it was delicious- especially after i left it to age another few months.  in combination with stale pbrs and a hot summer night, i thought the wine made me a bit classier than usual.

my typical breakfast- vegan cran and nut muffin, strawberries, mango juice dilluted, and passionfruit guava icelandic yoghurt.

you should await volume 2.  more photos to come.

PS: if my spelling is off, blame it on the ah ah ah alcohol and all of those jello-shots i did yesterday.

a dinner held in memory

cooking is in my blood.  my grandmother, hailing from vietnam, owned a vietnamese restaurant in portland for a good 10 years.  and my father’s biggest passion besides fishing, was cooking- thus it’s easy math to realize that i’m a chef since birth.  last monday, a year since my father passed, i decided to cook dinner for my mother and myself that consisted of all the food he enjoyed. 

years ago, when he was 22, he worked at the portland fish market, and every day he brought home one claw lobsters- which he called, WONCWAWLOBSTA.  so obviously i had to cook lobster! not one claw, two claw! in addition to the lobster, i decided to make steamers with marinara sauce.  obviously, there was salada and corn- but i’m just going to focus on the two entrees.  i steamed the lobsters, cracked ‘em, and served them with clarified butter.  the steamers entailed a bit more.  recipe below.

steamers marinara

2 pounds of steamers- rinsed!
can of whole tomatos
one vine tomato
bunch of parsely
basil leaves
carrot
celery stalk
white onion
4 garilc cloves crushed and minced
olive oil
generous amount of dry white wine
salt
pepper
parmesean cheese
1 tbsp of butter

rinse your steamers- if you do not, you will be left with sand in your dish, and that’s not pleasant… trust me.  let the steamers drain in a collinder, while you chop the onions and mince the garlic.  on the stove have a deep pan with olive oil on the bottom, and put the garlic and onions in so they can mingle.  when those become translucent, add the parsley and salt and pepper.  (the amount depends on your taste buds).  when those are nice and translucent add the chopped carrot and chopped celery, and sautee on medium heat for 3 minutes.  chop tomato and add to pot with half a can of whole tomatoes.  take a fork and smash each whole tomato in the pan, so chunks are evenly distributed.  quickly move the veggie mixture from the pot to a blender, and blend until smooth.  move the sauce back into the pan and add the steamers on top.  pour wine over the clams, and add the rest of the whole tomatoes.  cover pan, and let steam for 20 minutes.  when the shells have opened, then your steamers are done.  add the tbsp of butter and the parmesean cheese over the top just to give the dish a little more deliciousness.  garnish with chopped parsley and basil, and a warm baguette.

sorry the photos are terrible.  but enjoy la norriture.

miss e.

port city eaters

i was out at the corner room the other evening with my employer and a coworker and i heard about an old club in portland which was called the twelve forks.  at this point, i am unaware as to whether or not it is still in cahoots, but i have decided to create a new version which will be referred to as port city eaters.  the point is rather simple.  a group of portlanders who love food and love to congregate over such love.  once a month, a port city eater will host a dinner party at their home, or outside of their home- but the purpose is this: the host picks a theme- for example, if I were the leading host, I’d aim for a French theme, and then I would call each member and ask them what sort of French food they would be interested in bringing over.  For those who seem to think this is a good idea- I am pleased, however, this is rather serious.  You must bring a dish.  You must participate! and you must LOVE food.  I hope to find a good group of foodies like myself- all of different backgrounds and plan a meeting so we can discuss who would like to host the first party, and the logistics of that and what not.  For now if you are interested, please comment this post, or reach me via facebook/enfinoui.  Below is a detailed description of the new port city eaters club.

To be a member you must: enjoy food, and the process in which it is made.  You needn’t be a superb chef, but you must enjoy spending some time in the kitchen.  You must be a resident of Portland, Maine.  You must be friendly and outgoing! And you must be excited about port city eaters.  For now port city eaters is limited to a twelve member roster- however, each member is of course allowed to invite guests to dinners which encourage visitors.  If by chance there is a great interest in port city eaters, then we shall discuss having more than one dinner a month, as to accomodate soon to be members so they can host meals too.

The point of port city eaters is simple.  To learn about the food you love, share the food you love, and create the food you love.  The more you work with food, the better it will become.  The members of port city eaters will serve as a community of foodies, which will be there to support you in times of recipe failures, and those nights where you’d like to go out to eat, but have no one to go with.  Your peers from port city eaters will be your new found friends!

The first meeting will be held in late August- date is TBA on vinetgrub.wordpress.com and enfinoui.wordpress.com.

Please contact me if you have any questions whatsoever.  AND SPREAD THE WORD.

thanks,

e.

c’est la vie

i stopped into miccuci’s the other day, with no plans of falling in lust with any sort of vino, but what can i say? le langue d’amour always catches my eye.  if you’re unaware, miccuci’s is an italian market located near the waterfront in portland which is known for its slabs of sicillian pizza, fine selection of wine, and baked goods that are sold out within five minutes of being put on the shelves.  i don’t travel to miccuci’s nearly as much as i ought to, seeing as i live less than half a mile away, but when i do go, it’s difficult for me not to leave without spending an hour or so inside.  for those who don’t enjoy food, it’s a bit strange that i would take so long perusing the aisles that boast 100% extra virgin olive oil imported straight from italy, or seasoned canned sardines, but for those who enjoy food, than it’s easy to see why!

seeing as the united states restricts folk under 21 to enjoy alcohol, all i could do was stare at the c’est la vie vin with sad puppy dog eyes and a broken heart.  what i was intent on, wasn’t the pinot noir or chardonnay, but it was the vin rose.  yes… that’s right.  i’m a huge sucker for rose wine.  a few older women chuckled as they walked by me and my muse.  realizing that there was no way for me to get my vin right then and there, i settled for a tin of jasmine tea (weird that its sold in an italian market) and some house roasted almonds. 

now it’s funny, when you want something really badly and you know that you’re not going to get it anytime soon and then, as if the heavens heard your call, a miracle happens.  i guess you could say a miracle happened.  when i got home there were women over, laughing, listening to some billie holiday, sipping some vin rose.  sulking into my room, they called after me, and presented me with a glass of wine.  i laughed at the thought of me drinking some wannabe wine, but as i returned into the kitchen, i saw a bottle of c’est la vie rose being passed around from lady to lady! oh the joy! the joyous joy.  i could not have been happier.  and as if all i cared about was the fact that i was drinking c’est la vie, the overall taste was quite nice too.  simple, light and refreshing.  there were of course undertones of floral tastes, and left my palete clean and wanting more.  i always have found pinot noir to be a bit heavy, and chardonnay is like traning wine in my opinion.  the rose vin de c’est la vie was perfect for two reasons.  one it was a nice combination between the chardonnay and pinot noir, and two it matched well because it tasted a bit like summer.  i know most think to drink white vino during the summer months, but i prefer the rose.  all in all, i say go buy yourself a bottle of c’est la vie rose which isn’t more than $14 a bottle, sit back, relax, and partake in the obsesssion.

miss e.