how to order Taiwanese brunch

SHREDDED PORK & VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP
(Xue Cai Rou Si Mian)


So, as many young ABCs (American Born Chinese) may attest to, it seems that there is one thing that we will never fully grow into as adults. We may figure out how to file our own taxes and buy a used car, but having that true Chinese restaurant experience - the kind we used to despise when we were dragged along by our parents - that's extremely difficult to achieve.

My goal with this post is to encourage and empower anyone who feels this way to rediscover that Chinese restaurant experience. I am focusing on Taiwanese brunch - my personal favorite - and please understand that I am only talking about the kind of Chinese restaurant that's known to have a following of Chinese people (in Boston, this would include Shangri-la in Belmont, Mulan in Cambridge, and Chung Shin Yuan in Newton. It would not include "The Kong" - home of the Scorpion Bowl - in Faneuil Hall).

Truthfully, the first barrier is probably your company. Most likely you are not arriving at the restaurant in the company of three generations of chatty Chinese/Taiwanese family members. Most likely you are with a diverse group of friends from school or work, or a significant other who may or may not be Chinese.

What will happen is that the restaurant's host/hostess - who likely also serves 6 tables and makes the dumplings - will give you a once over, determine there is no Chinese-literate person in the group (correctly, in my case), and grab a handful of "American menus".

When you sit down, you must ask. "Do you have a Chinese menu? Can I please have one?" (Say it in English, if you'd like.) And it's ok to ask for glasses of water all-around. We all know Taiwanese brunch can get spicy, and it is difficult to chug hot tea (though no, Chinese people don't really drink glasses of water, especially not with ice in it). Also, don't forget to ask for chopsticks if they were removed from your table before you sat down.

The reason you want the "Chinese menu" is that it has more delicious stuff...the good, the interesting, the authentic stuff. I still haven't figured out why they leave all this off of the American menu, but in most places I've seen, they do (I hardly ever see preserved duck egg with tofu on the American menu). Note: the "Chinese menu" often has English words on it, too - you will know that you have the "American menu" if it is Saturday brunch time, and your menu has something like "Stir-fry Beef with Broccoli" on it.

So now you have the Chinese menu, which, of course, presents all types of potential language problems. Most often, the menu items will be written in Chinese characters, with English descriptions to the right. The issue is that the English descriptions are not very helpful - for instance, steamed pork bun could mean little steamed buns with translucent wrappers (xiao long bao), or big steamed pork buns with vegetables and fluffy white exterior (cai rou bao). Some restaurants excel at the first (xiao long bao done well means the bun actually bursts with broth when you bite into it), and it's a must-order. But if a restaurant is not known for this dish, you can rest assured it won't be pretty - better not to order it.

What helps the situation is that many of us ABCs, while illiterate, do a decent job of listening and understanding Chinese. As such, we can read and decipher Pinyin (the phonetic approach to Chinese using, well, our Roman ABCs). True, no restaurant would ever bother to write out their menu items in Pinyin, but I also have very nice parents who have done exactly this for the Taiwanese brunch menu at one of their favorite restaurants:

Please click here to download three pages (PDF) of delicious Taiwanese brunch menu items, written in Chinese characters, and translated into Pinyin with English descriptions.

So with this handy guide, you can be totally self-reliant the next time you need to order yourself some tasty Taiwanese brunch. For anyone who can read Pinyin, this reference tool should be very helpful; for those of you who are English only, hopefully this will be somewhat helpful (should you ever end up at a place with a Chinese-only menu).

Crispy Sesame Pan Cake and Chinese Fried Dough, anyone? (Yep - that would be shao bing, you tiao - yum).

why I am not cooking with bobby flay

A TIRED ME AND MY CORKED WINE


Last month I had a big chance to meet Bobby Flay.

It started like this. My Twitter "following"/"follower" list of people is alarmingly short, and I wanted to build my network. Ashton Kutcher and Shaq didn't feel quite right - no personal connection. Jack Johnson: no Twitter. George Clooney: couldn't tell if it was the real deal. Bobby Flay: "Soft shell crab season is open at Mesa Grill NY. Tonight with red chile-cilantro sauce and they're crispy!" SCORE.

And previously, a tweet on April 29..."Win a chance to cook with me at http://www.foodnetwork.com/flayvors-of-washington-contest/package/index.html". Win a contest to meet Bobby Flay?!

The rest of the story goes like this. Should I do it? Should I not do it? Or should I? On Saturday evening I said to Cowboy, I'm gonna do it. I went to Berkeley Bowl for fresh blackberries, sweet red onions, halibut, hazelnuts, and a bottle of Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay (ok - I picked that up at Safeway on my way home). Columbia Crest was the sponsor, and the theme was Washington state ingredients (i.e. FLAYvors).

I finished my original creation just after 10:30pm - a pecan crusted halibut fillet with braised fennel and sweet red onion served with a blackberry-shallot wine reduction. The sauce was a bit unusual-tasting, so I ended up juicing a whole lemon into it, and tossed in the zest as well. The fillet fell apart in the pan, but I salvaged a large enough piece to make a pretty plate for the camera.

I put on a dress and re-did my make-up. I went to the contest's website - only two videos entered so far! And neither particularly impressive. I poured myself a glass of Chardonnay. Fruit-less, wet cardboard notes - corked (no wonder my sauce was so awful to work with!). Then Cowboy filmed 12 takes of me enthusiastically describing my dish to Bobby Flay, and we hungrily ate our cold dinner. I realized I had neglected to put any type of chilies in the dish...that was going to work against me.

When I woke up the next day I uploaded all my videos and watched them through, wishing I could just look normal and comfortable on camera. I tidied up my jumbled recipe notes, and I went online to enter my video.

Click - "Enter Contest".

"Contest is void for residents of California, Tennessee, Utah, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, possessions and commonwealths, and where restricted or prohibited by law."

WHAT?! California? Why?! California is the biggest wine-drinking foodie state in the whole country!!

Add then I remembered the agony of being a wine marketer. Any promotional offering used by a wine company in the state of CA cannot be worth more than $1 to the consumer (hence the hokey things you often see attached to the neck of wine bottles at the grocery store). California Alcoholic Beverage Control Act Section 160.

The average retail value of "the opportunity to cook with Bobby Flay" was $5,764.95. (No!!)

The most embarrassing thing about all of this is, yes, I did work for over two years at a wine company in the Marketing department. Yes, I did sit down on multiple occasions with our VP Legal Affairs to discuss what can and cannot be done in various states, and I whined about the strict codes in California.

I guess I just forgot.

So, I am not going to be cooking with Bobby Flay. And, no. I don't think he'll be following me on Twitter anytime soon, either.

comida in costa rica

COSTA RICAN "SMOOTHIE" OR REFRESCO - MADE WITH PAPAYA & YOGURT


Costa Rica, the travel books say, is no place to visit if you are interested in food. But let me tell you - you can have fun eating and drinking in this country. Here is a guide to some of the best food and drink that any visitor should check out:


"TIPICO" CASADO PLATE - BEANS, RICE, PLANTAINS, SALAD & CHICKEN


Beans and Rice
Gallo pinto. If you are trying to stay "tipico" with your food selections, likely you will be presented with beans and rice - if not with your meal, then as your meal. I encourage any traveler to experience as much and as many types of beans and rice as you can. Think about it like wine - when you first start drinking, any old bottle tastes the same. You try more and more, and you begin to appreciate the nuances. It's the same here - red beans, black beans, fried together/separately, different combinations of seasoning...you will quickly appreciate the restaurants that have really got their gallo pinto figured out.

Lizano Sauce
Or Salsa Lizano. For classic condiment lovers, this is the Heinz ketchup of Costa Rica, and you will quickly find yourself consuming embarassing amounts of this delicious dark brown concoction (or is that just me?!). It is all at once sweet, salty, and spicy, and ubiquitous at restaurants throughout Costa Rica. Delicious with gallo pinto and eggs. (Yes - it even beats Busha Browne's Spicy Tomato Love-Apple Sauce from Jamaica!)

Guaro
If we all could get our hands on Guaro here in the U.S., I swear the Guaro Sour would be the next caipirinha (which some predict to be the next mojito). Like Brazil's cachaça, the primary ingredient in caipirinhas, Guaro is made from sugarcane juice. It is 30-35% alcohol and has a subtly sweet flavor. Cacique is currently the only legally produced brand and unfortunately is not widely distributed in the U.S.

Guaro Sour
from Dowd's Spirits Notebook

2 ounces guaro
2 ounces simple syrup or 2 teaspoons raw sugar
5 to 6 lime wedges
Ice cubes
Sugar cane stick for garnish

Put guaro, sugar and lime wedges in a rocks glass. Muddle all the ingredients until you get lime juice. Add ice cubes.


Tropical Fruit
Fresh pineapples, papayas, coconut, mangos, and starfruit are so readily available that you could be at an American tourist trap ordering a $5 piña colada in a plastic cup, and the bartender would grab a handful of fresh pineapple spears, blend it with fresh coconut cream (plus rum and ice), and top with a slice of starfruit for a fresh, frothy, and tropical experience. (And the ice, by the way, is safe. We applied our "don't drink the water" practice rather inconsistently, particularly when it came to the ice used in our Guaro Sours, Pina Coladas and the like. We were OK.)

Regarding bananas - the bananas in Costa Rica are incredible, superior to any Costa Rican banana you might buy in the States. Why? Our tour guide at El Trapiche in Monteverde believes that it is because bananas in Costa Rica ripen naturally after being picked, whereas bananas in the U.S. undergo refrigeration while in transport (which halts the ripening process), followed by rapid ripening in rooms where they are sprayed with ethylene (a naturally occurring chemical that serves as a ripening agent). While I haven't been able to find any scientific evidence, it makes sense to me that this unnatural process would not do any favors for taste.

GREEN COFFEE BEANS ON COFFEE PLANT


Coffee
And finally, of course, the café. After tasting local offerings from various parts of the country, I am convinced that the best stuff comes from the Central Valley, around San Jose (regions: Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Herediá, Alajuela and Alajuela Poas Volcano). This area is known for its high altitude terrain, which supports growing high quality beans that make a coffee smooth, full bodied, with balanced acidity. I was interested to learn that the Costa Rican government only allows arabica (premium) beans to be grown, and only the highest grade is allowed for export. That's why the Costa Rican beans we are familiar with in the U.S. are generally very, very good.

cupcakes to buzz about

MATCHA GREEN TEA CUPCAKES


Powdered green tea - best known as matcha green tea today - originated in China and traveled to Japan with the spread of Zen Buddhism in the 12th century. Matcha tea ceremonies grew popular among the Japanese upper class, and continue as a cultural tradition today.

In the 21st century, not monks but rather bakers, baristas, and ice cream makers have popularized matcha in the U.S. You can find matcha in green tea ice cream, green tea smoothies, green tea lattes, green tea donuts...

Matcha is made from shade-grown green tea leaves ground into a superfine powder with a stone. Only the youngest leaves are picked - new leaves are brighter in color and less tannic (thus producing a less bitter tea). Because of the high level of quality and great amount of labor that goes into matcha production, we see matcha priced relatively high, compared to other types of green teas.

When we consume matcha, we consume the entire tea leaf, and so the belief is that we benefit far more from the antioxidant quality of the tea.

I like matcha, because it is an exuberantly happy shade of green. I love the bright, clean green tea flavor, and how well it pairs with creamy textures, adding complexity to everyday treats.

My matcha cupcakes came from a recipe I found on eat, me delicious, which, I believe, came from Cupcake Bakeshop.

Green Tea or "Matcha" Cupcakes
1/2 sheet pan or 24 cupcakes
350 degree oven

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons matcha

1. Prepare sheet pan by rubbing with butter, covering with parchment, rubbing with more butter, and dusting with flour. Or, prepare cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
3. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs/egg yolks one at a time, beat for 30 seconds between each.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add to batter and mix to combine.
6. Mix matcha in with the milk. (A bamboo matcha whisker is helpful for getting rid of clumps.) Add to the batter and mix until combined.
7. Pour into prepared 1/2 sheet pan and smooth flat or cupcake pan.
8. Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.


I topped each cupcake, once cooled, with a basic vanilla egg white frosting and sprinkled some toasted coconut on top.

PS - Each cupcake should contain about 20 mg caffeine from the matcha powder (a can of Coke is about 35 mg).


THE HIGHER QUALITY YOUR MATCHA, THE BRIGHTER GREEN YOUR CUPCAKES

retro chic cream puffs

THOMAS KELLER'S CREAM PUFFS


There are some baked goods and pastries whose names simply say delight - sticky bun, muffin, cream puff...And then there are some that call for thoughtful enjoyment - eclair, croissant, macaron...

Names matter. I prefer the former. So fun, so approachable.

Yet most "fun" pastries can't quite seem to earn the appreciation that say, a good croissant might command. You read heated debates about who makes a better croissant in the East Bay (Masse's or La Farine) - but no one can be bothered to comment on who makes a decent muffin.

The same is true for the cream puff, the ol' profiterole that's somehow made its way onto Bertucci's dessert menu. For the cream puff, raves are rare, the buzz factor, not so high. Which is why I was surprised to come across a Cream Puff recipe from who else but Thomas Keller of The French Laundry (Yountville, Napa), Per Se (New York), Bouchon (Yountville, Las Vegas), and seven-Michelin star fame.

So I made it for Valentine's Day.

Cream Puffs with Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce
1 cup water
5 1/3 tablespoons (about 3 ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 to 5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups Chocolate Sauce (see below)
1 1/2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Line one baking sheet with a Silpat and a second one with parchment paper (or line both sheets with parchment if you don't have a Silpat). Set up a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment.

Combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour all at once, and stir rapidly with a stiff heatproof or wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean, with no dough sticking to it. The dough should be glossy and smooth but still damp.

Enough moisture must evaporate from the dough to allow it to absorb more fat when the eggs are added. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the dough from coloring. A thin coating will form on the bottom and sides of the pan. When enough moisture has evaporated, steam will rise from the dough and there will be the nutty aroma of cooked flour.

Immediately transfer the dough to the mixer bowl and mix for a few seconds to release some of the heat from the dough. With the mixer on medium speed, add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one; scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn off the machine. Lift some of the dough on a rubber spatula, then turn the spatula to let it run off: It should fall off the spatula very slowly; if it doesn't move at all or is very dry and falls off in one clump, beat in the additional egg.

Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 15 disks (this will give you 3 extras for testing) about 1 1/2 inches across and just under 1/2 inch thick on the Silpat-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them, as they will expand when baked. Pipe the remainder on the other sheet. (You will have about 4 dozen in all.) Bake the 15 puffs for the recipe and freeze the ones on the second baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer container and freeze for another time.

Bake the puffs for 10 minutes, turn the sheet around, turn the oven down to 350°F, and bake 15 minutes more. Remove one puff and break it open: It should be hollow inside and not gooey or eggy; if it is still moist, return it to the oven and check in 5 minutes. Cool the puffs completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container until serving time.

Chocolate Sauce
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona Equatoriale, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup

Place the chocolate in a metal bowl.

Combine the cream and corn syrup in a small heavy nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer. Pour the liquid over the chocolate and allow it to sit for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chocolate has melted. Whisk to combine. Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then pour into a bowl or other container. (Stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, the sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks.)

To Serve:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Warm the chocolate sauce in a double boiler or a microwave. Warm the profiteroles on a baking sheet in the oven.

Split each profiterole in half and arrange 3 on each plate. Place a small scoop of ice cream in the bottom half of each profiterole and top with the lid. Spoon the sauce over.


I've made no changes to the recipes above. For some reason, I've got no qualms messing around with something from Alton Brown or Gourmet, but when it comes to something on the permanent dessert menu at Bouchon, I draw a personal line. I will mention, however, that things will still turn out great if you 1) cut down the butter by 1 Tbsp, 2) do not have a mixer (use a fork and mix in clockwise circles), 3) do not have a pastry bag (a heaping teaspoon gets the job done), and 4) choose to use agave syrup instead of corn syrup (that's what Omnivore's Dilemma does to you).

What Thomas Keller also does not note is that these cream puffs perform a most wonderful wobbly dance as you pull them out of the oven. And that those 25 minutes of baking fills your home with a sweet smell of eggy goodness that will last for at least 36 hours.

It seems that it's become increasingly trendy to appreciate a sticky bun or cupcake in recent years. Cream puffs may still be more retro than chic, but you just never know when the tipping point will come.

For me, I'm still waiting for muffins to re-emerge as the finest modern-day delicacy.

jamba oatmeal for a buck

ORGANIC STEEL-CUT OATS


Two summers ago I blogged about estate-grown cabernet sauvignon at Stags' Leap Winery.

Working in wine was good. I liked seeing the vines bud in the spring...I liked pumping chardonnay at high velocity into 59 gallon oak barrels..I liked training to identify the different flavors of unripe peaches, ripe peaches, canned peaches, and cooked peaches in blind tastings. I liked becoming an early-stage wine snob...and getting a peek into a most fascinating culture that I will most certainly never join.

I've since left wine, and I'm now writing about slow-cooked, organic steel-cut oats with apple cinnamon topping and brown sugar crumble...our newly introduced Hot Oatmeal at Jamba Juice! So far from instant, Jamba Oatmeal is slow-cooked in the store - meaning it has an intense creaminess and satisfying chewy texture that comes only with 45 minutes of stirring a big, bubbling pot. Jamba Oatmeal also comes with a Blueberry-Blackberry topping or Fresh Sliced Bananas for a quick and tasty on-the-go breakfast.

And for all who could use a bit of cheer and warmth in these cold, gray and wintry days - I'll let you in on a little secret. Print out a coupon and you can get Oatmeal at Jamba for just $1 until 3/31/09. The regular price is $2.95 (plus tax in some areas).

Organic steel-cut oats...I mean, as far as oatmeal goes, this is pretty much your estate-grown stuff.

cooking with okara

OKARA PANCAKES


When soybeans are made into soymilk (which can then be made into tofu), there is a byproduct created known as soy pulp or tofu lees - or okara in Japanese. Fresh okara is fluffy and white in color. It is low in fat, high in fiber, and also contains protein, calcium, iron, and riboflavin.

I discovered okara at San Jose Tofu over the weekend. (I may have found my Bay Area equivalent for Chang Shing Tofu back in Cambridge, MA.) San Jose Tofu is a neighborhood establishment in San Jose's Japantown district. The space is tiny - and expresses "open kitchen" in its truest form. Co-owner (I assume) Amy Nozaki collects orders three at a time (three is all that will fit inside), while Chester Nozaki busies among steaming pots behind her. Most regulars bring their own tupperware for Amy to fill. The tofu is pulled fresh out of its warm bath and sold at $2.00 a square.

A fluffy white mountain rises beside the register, next to the tofu bath. The couple in front of me informs me that the Japanese use this as a healthy ingredient in cookies and muffins. Muffins?? I ask for a small sample and am scooped a two pound bag...it costs me $0.50.

After perusing okara recipes of all sorts, I ended up adapting a simple pancake recipe. FYI - Okara Mountain is a great resource.

Okara Pancakes
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk (or soy milk)
1/2 cup yogurt or buttermilk
¼ cup oil
2 Tbsp honey
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

¾ cup fresh okara (lightly packed)

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together wet ingredients (except okara) in a medium size bowl, then add dry ingredients. Fold in okara.

Lightly grease a griddle and set over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the hot griddle and spread into a circular shape about 5 inches in diameter. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the batter bubbles and is golden brown. Flip over and continue to cook until golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Serve hot with maple syrup and butter.


I like okara. I like it because it made our pancakes light and fluffy, and I imagine it would do the same for muffins, waffles, and even croquettes, meatballs, and falafel. If we ever make our own soymilk (which I imagine we will - once we get yogurt figured out) then I will surely Okara-ize some more tasty items.

search for the "real" belgian waffle

LIÈGE WAFFLES (BELGIAN SUGAR WAFFLES)


During college I lived in Germany for several months. On a weekend visit to Belgium I bought a waffle from a street vendor. It was piping hot, thick and crispy, with a roughly textured, caramelly crust. I ate it out of my hand, from a folded triangle of wax paper. My aunt had told me to check out these things - she was right - it was nothing like I'd ever known.

That was six years ago, and, since then, I've attempted - on average - 2-3 times per year to replicate this waffle experience at home.

Nothing I tried worked. I used all manners of recipes. I rose the yeast overnight. I beat too many eggs to stiff peaks. I beat one lonely egg to soft peaks. I made any unhealthy adjustment that was remotely promising - whole milk...brown sugar...gobs of butter.

They all turned out like ordinary Belgian waffles - too light, sometimes fluffy, and always lacking in that rich caramel flavor. I was nowhere close to the crazy delicious "real Belgian waffle" that nagged in my memory.

And then, this past Christmas, I visited Wikipedia:

Varieties of waffle

• The Brussels waffle or Belgian waffle is prepared from a yeast-leavened batter. It is often, but not always, lighter, thicker, crispier, and/or has larger pockets compared to other waffle varieties. It is often served warm by street vendors, dusted with confectioner's sugar, and sometimes topped with whipped cream or chocolate spread. It may also be served as a dessert, with fruits or ice cream.

• The Liège waffle (from the city of Liège, in eastern Belgium) is a waffle usually bought and eaten warm on the street. They are usually freshly made in small shops, but it is also possible to buy them in supermarkets. They are smaller, sweeter, and denser than "Belgian waffles". The last-minute addition of nib sugar to the batter produces a caramelized sugar coating. This gives a distinctive flavor. Most are served plain, but some are vanilla or cinnamon flavored, and can be served with toppings like fruits, creams, and chocolate. The Liège waffle was invented by a cook of the prince-bishop of Liège in the 18th century.

Liège waffles?? Had I been pursuing the wrong Belgian waffle all along?

As it turns out, yes. I found a recipe for Liège waffles on the Cook's Illustrated message board posted by a kind expat from Belgium:

Sugar Waffles from LIÈGE

Batter 1:
2 1/2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water (about 100 degrees F.)
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 c. warm milk (about 100 degrees F.)

Batter 2:
9 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 c. Belgian pearl sugar OR 3/4 c. crushed sugar cubes

1. Prepare Batter 1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water with 1 tbsp. of the flour and the sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.

2. Sift the remaining flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, egg, and milk. Mix well with a wooden spoon to make a smooth batter. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until the batter has doubled, or tripled in volume (about 45 min).

3. Meanwhile, prepare Batter 2: In a medium-size bowl, mix the butter, flour, salt, vanilla, baking powder, granulated sugar, and pearl sugar into a paste.

4. With a hand-held mixer, work Batter 2 into batter 1 until well mixed.

5. Drop a large lump of batter into a medium-hot Belgian waffle iron. Don't let the iron become too hot or the sugar will burn. Bake until the waffles are golden brown but still slightly soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

6. Serve the sugar waffles lukewarm or cooled to room temperature on a rack. They are best eaten warm!

Makes 10 waffles.


And voilà! The key to Liège waffles is the Belgian pearl sugar, which can be purchased at specialty food stores such as Sur la Table, or online (www.larsown.com). However, for those of us in a pinch, I found that coarsely crushed sugar cubes make a great substitution. (I crushed mine in a mixing bowl with the handle of a large spoon - to square chunks about 1/8 inch on each side)

While the waffles cook, these sugar bits melt to create the sweet, caramelized crust that makes this waffle so outstanding and so memorable.

BELGIAN/BRUSSELS WAFFLES
(for comparison)

biscuit sandwiches

ROAST BEEF, HEIRLOOM TOMATO & CRACKED BLACK PEPPER


It's been months and all I've got to show for it are three biscuit sandwiches.

For basic training fare like southern-style biscuits, Alton Brown's my go-to guy. That obsessive, know-it-all attitude of his has got to be effective for identifying the best biscuit recipe out there from the many thousands that exist.

Southern Biscuits

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt, chilled

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don't want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first.)

Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.


Easy, fast, and good for your periodic savory flaky pastry fix. As for those sandwiches...those happened after we cured our fix and still had 8 biscuits left over. We've crammed each biscuit with a slice of heirloom tomato, a slice of cucumber, a couple sweet "bread and butter" pickles, and a generous helping of roast beef (from Whole Foods). A swab of dijon mustard and some fresh cracked black pepper made for a spicy finishing touch.

i designed a cookie label

HALEY HOUSE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES AT BC


Cookie Baker, I claim to be on occasion. Cookie Label Maker, I had never thought to try.

But when I received word from my friends at Haley House (my favorite non-profit Bakery Cafe in Boston) that they were in dire need of a cookie label, of course, I felt compelled to reach for my inner wannabe designer and see what I could do.

Boston College had agreed to sell Haley House chocolate chip cookies in packages of 5 (a la Dancing Deer), at one of its dining halls. The business case had been done (good market opportunity), the recipe tweaked and finalized (delicious), but, alas, no Cookie Label.

Now, for someone who claims to have worked at a design firm for 2 years, it's rather shameful that all I had by way of a design application was Microsoft Publisher (this is the type of program kids use to make their lemonade stand banners). Nevertheless, I managed to play nice with its eccentricities, and together we got the job done.

And so, the Cookie Deal closed successfully, and now you can find the most satisfying chocolate chip cookies at Boston College, fresh from the ovens of Haley House Bakery Cafe (Roxbury, MA):

Lower Campus Dining Facility
60 St. Thomas More Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
[Off Commonwealth Ave.]

Chocolate Chip Cookies - 5 Pack - $7

banana muffins to the rescue

BANANA CRUMB MUFFINS


There are few things I find more bothersome than a bunch of neglected bananas. They become more freckled by day, and not before long, bruised and squishy. Their peels thin and overpower the air with a disturbing overripeness. Soon, I know, I will be raising fruit flies in my kitchen.

This is why banana bread is fantastic. It captures so gracefully the concept of "sustainable" baking - taking what otherwise would have been tossed out and turning it into a valued treat. Furthermore, mashed bananas provide moistness to quick breads, so that you can use significantly less oil/butter than you would for, say, something of the lemon poppy seed or cranberry walnut variety. (Of course you know, a banana muffin is really just banana bread with the cheerful disposition of a muffin.)

I recently came about a new cooking website called eatNation, where I scored a great Banana Crumb Muffin recipe from someone named Sprocket. There are actually a number of great recipes and cooking tips on the site. The concept itself is neat - it's a meeting place for people who love to cook (eatNation calls us "homechefs"), where we can exchange information about our experiences and epiphanies in the kitchen - whether in the form of recipes, photos, videos, etc. As more people get on the site, I can see eatNation becoming a go-to place for cooking inspiration and advice - for "mastering the art of the everyday meal".

I posted my favorite Classic Pancakes recipe. I've tried many-a pancake recipe out there, and this is by far the best basic pancake you can make for a lazy Sunday morning. (If anything - check out the site because I somehow made eatNation's "Star Chef" of the week. :)

CLASSIC PANCAKES (with strawberries)

Anyway - the Banana Crumb Muffins by homechef "Sprocket" were easy and delicious - I highly recommend them for the next time you encounter a overripening banana crisis of your own.

Recipe notes: I added 1/4 cup toasted, chopped almonds to give some texture to the crumb topping. And as always with muffins, I tried to mix the batter as little as possible to ensure that the muffins come out light and moist.

coconut pecan dream bars

There is this guy I used to work with - we used to get Barbecue for lunch (there's only one Barbecue when you work in West Newton, MA, and that's Blue Ribbon). He was the first to discover the Dream Bar. The Dream Bar was very sweet and just a bit over the top, smothered in coconut, chocolate, and nuts. I don't think either of us cared for its taste all that much, but we liked it for its name..."Dream Bar".

I wonder how Dream Bar got such a very special name, when it sat alongside such plain-sounding desserts as "Sweet Potato Pie" and "Fruit Cobbler". The Dream Bar. What fun, what promise of hope! It was anything you wanted it to be.

I made a Dream Bar of sorts recently, with inspiration from Gourmet (December 1996). This version is slightly less sweet.

Coconut Pecan Dream Bars
Topping:
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Brownie Layer:
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large eggs
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.

Make topping:
In a 1 1/2-quart bowl stir together topping ingredients until combined well.

Make brownie layer:
In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat. Remove pan from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. In a bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and stir into butter mixture until just combined well.

Spread batter evenly in pan and sprinkle with topping. Bake brownies in middle of oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Cool brownies completely in pan on a rack before cutting into 16 squares. Brownies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at cool room temperature, 5 days.

flambéed desserts

Chic Today, February 2008
"Two Scoops and a Flare on Top"
pages 25-26
By Genevieve Wang


My latest article is up. I had a lot of fun with this one. Thank you to the guys at my local BevMo who found me a most flame-worthy brandy for my Crepes Suzette.

vintage brews

Chic Today, January 2008
"Vintage Brews"
page 21
by Genevieve Wang


The thought of certain foods brings me immediate feelings of comfort and happiness: mac n' cheese...Tollhouse cookies...buttered toast with jam...coffee, espresso, latte, macchiato...

I first met coffee in the frozen aisle of Star Market, in the form of Ben & Jerry's Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz (honestly, couldn't Ben & Jerry's make anything taste good to a kid?). I developed a habit for after-school Frappuccinos in my high school years, and adopted my college dining hall's flavorless joe as the base of my nutritional pyramid every finals period. Needless to say, I entered my adult years as a junkie and have gotten no better since.

Though I've had many a cup in my time, nothing I've seen in my experience can quite compare to the obsession with coffee I've discovered in the Bay Area. Small in-house roasters are a dime a dozen. Organic "microroaster" Blue Bottle Coffee Co. draws long lines out the door. There are two camps firmly at odds with one another - "those who patronize Starbucks" and "those who patronize Peet's" (it all depends on which paper cup you hold).

Having moved so close to the birthplace of Peet's, where Arthur Peet himself opened his first store, I've been quick to align myself with Peet's brown colors and dark roasts. I've even spent the past year and a half steadily working my way through every single roast on Peet's menu (there are about 20, not including decaf and special blends). A recent trip led me to discover Aged Sumatra. Being in the wine business, this concept of aging coffee fascinated me, and I decided to investigate.

My article about aged coffee can be found in the January 2008 issue of the fashion/lifestyle magazine Chic Today.

they named umami after all...

MOCHI WITH AZUKI BEAN PASTE AND TOASTED SESAME SEEDS

I believe that a great food culture is defined not by the number of Michelin stars it has received (though Tokyo did top the list in 2007*), but by the quality of an average meal that any individual - rich or poor, young or old - might expect to have on any given day.

Italy confirmed its place on my personal list of "great food cultures" when I was over my friend Cristina's house at age 15, working on math homework. Cristina's parents, who are from Turin and Sicily, were out for the night, and at any other friend's place, we would have ordered Domino's pizza for dinner. This didn't even occur as an option to Cristina; she made us spaghetti alla carbonara with salad.

I was in Japan in December, and I left believing that Japan could be the greatest food culture I have yet experienced. Great food is to be found, whether you are waiting at the train station, grabbing lunch on the 4th floor of your office building, shopping at a ritzy department store, popping into 7-Eleven...

BENTO BOX ON TRAIN TO TOKYO


PICKLE SHOP IN NISHIKI MARKET, KYOTO


TUNA FOR SALE AT HANSHIN DEPARTMENT STORE, OSAKA


My theory is that, it doesn't matter where you are, because Japanese people, in general, know their food. At least based on what I observed in Tokyo and Osaka, people have an elevated level of awareness and appreciation for high quality ingredients, subtle flavors, and careful preparation/presentation. And they use their yen to keep the good eating establishments places in business, allowing the less-than-stellar ones to die out (which probably doesn't take long, considering the price of property over there).

Inspired by the trip, we made mochi when we got home. We filled ours with azuki bean paste and rolled them in toasted sesame seeds.

MOCHI-MAKING


By the way, I've started to write a monthly food+drink column for the fashion/lifestyle magazine Chic Today. My first article, which ran in the December 2007 issue, was about sparkling wines:

"Let Your Holiday Season Sparkle"
Chic Today, December 2007
pages 19-20

*NOTE: 2007 was the first year that Tokyo's restaurants were rated by the Michelin Guide. Tokyo was awarded 191 Michelin stars in total. This was compared to Paris's 98, and New York City's 54.

poached quince

POACHED QUINCE WITH BLACKBERRIES AND YOGURT

Inspired by a fabulous salad we had at Rivoli (hands down my favorite restaurant in the East Bay), cowboy and I spontaneously bought a quince at Monterey Market, with our best intentions to recreate the winning ingredient. I based my poaching technique on the advice of popular food blogger David Lebovitz:

Poached Quince
1 quince

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 vanilla bean

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and water. Split the vanilla bean and scape the seeds into the pan (you can add the pod as well). Bring to a boil.
2. Peel and quarter the quince using a sharp chef's knife and cut out the tough core with a paring knife. (Be careful! This is a very hard fruit.) Cut the quince quarters into halves or thirds, making 1-inch slices.
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the quince slices to the syrup as they are cut (they begin to brown quickly once cut). Cover the quince with a round of parchment paper, and simmer gently for about 1 ½ hours, or until the fruit is tender.

Once poached, the quince will keep in its syrup, refrigerated, for at least 5 days.

This is a simple and delicious way to enjoy fruit in these cold winter months. We had our quince with blackberries and a dollop of plain yogurt.

And now, to be completely honest, while poaching quince was certainly one of my most exquisite fruit experiences of 2007, it will probably not be making an appearance anytime soon in 2008. Remember how I said to be careful cutting the fruit? Well, I've also been wondering whether I should share my full ingredient list, which actually included "18 Band-Aids" and "1 tbsp. Neosporin". (No worries! I'm healed now...just about.)

CIOPPINO WITH SCALLOPS, MUSSELS, CLAMS & ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Oh yes. And as a prelude to our poached quince, we also made the classic San Francisco fisherman's stew, cioppino, for which we spent the afternoon shopping in North Berkeley's "other Gourmet Ghetto" - at Hopkins St. and Monterey Ave. We visited Monterey Fish for scallops, mussels, and clams (and some wonderful fish stock); Magnani's for Italian sausage; Monterey Market for onions, parsley, bell pepper, etc. This is the only dish I have ever made that calls for both red and white wine. Loved it.

banana muffins..cookies...`ono!

BANANA MUFFINS WITH WALNUT TOPPING


Now that I have spent some time in the wine industry, I have become quite accustomed to my daily news feeds like "Unusual Snowfall in Chilean Wine Region" and "Bordeaux 2006 could be the new 1982". (There is an audience out there for every topic.)

Given the fundamental connection between food and wine, I have also deemed it a part of my job to stay up to trend on the latest happenings in food. (FYI: for anyone interested, Hardee's announced today that it will bring back its Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger, for a limited time only.)

I was particularly amused when, for the first time in my career, I received a business article about muffins in my inbox: Amos seeks fame with muffins.

Remember Wally's Famous Amos cookies? Well, with the Famous Amos brand now under the ownership of Kellogg, Wally Amos has turned his attentions to Uncle Wally's Muffin Co. He has also started a small cookie shop - Chip and Cookie - in Kailua, Hawaii.

Anyway, I actually do have more to say about cookies, wine, and Hawaii, but I will save that meandering for a later post...on to my recipe for banana walnut muffins!

Easy Banana Walnut Muffins
adapted from Bon Appetit
Makes 12

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup milk or soymilk
1 large egg
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 12 muffin cups or line with muffin papers (or set out 12 individual silicone muffin cups on a cookie sheet). Sift first 4 ingredients into large bowl. Combine bananas, both sugars, butter, milk and egg in medium bowl. Mix into dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup of nuts. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Combine remaining ingredients in bowl. Mix well, and sprinkle mixture generously on tops of muffins. Bake until muffins are golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to rack and cool.


Thank you, Siri and Amanda, my Area 4 girls, for the adorable silicone muffin cups! They did a great job keeping my muffins out of trouble in my fickle oven. The finished product popped out easily when cooled.

hot pink organic food

Vanilla Cupcakes with Organic Lemon Raspberry Frosting


These cupcakes I baked last week served as a useful reminder that even the best marketing tactics cannot reverse the damage of poor product design. I could create the earthiest looking package, printed with nutrition facts in enormous text and maybe an endorsement from Alice Waters, and still you would be hard-pressed to believe that these cupcakes are all-natural, made with organic fruit. In fact, you might just wonder whether Alice Waters has lost her way.

The real story doesn't matter - the one where I pureed the organic raspberries and zested the organic lemons in my kitchen, and whisked the fruit mixture into my bowl of handmade buttercream frosting until I achieved the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and tangy.

These cupcakes are hot pink, and that says it all - assume artificial flavoring, high fructose corn syrup, Red 40...processed. Welcome to the era of the savvy consumer - we know how to spot fake food when we see it, and we're not afraid to judge.

Which poses an interesting dilemma for the natural food business, I realize. Do food scientists and marketers in natural foods actually have to design their products to look "natural"? (Is it not enough for the product to be intrinsically so?) Can an all-natural cupcake ever be topped with an all-natural hot pink frosting, or are such natural baked goods restricted to the earth-toned glazes of maple, chocolate, and vanilla?

the airport parfait

Chicago O'Hare


I have had a particularly good week spending time in three of my favorite U.S. cities (including San Francisco) and working on an exciting new product for work. The highlights:

BOSTON
Magnolia Sandwich at Darwin’s Ltd. in Cambridge, MA
Each Darwin’s store names its sandwiches by its neighboring streets, so the “Magnolia” at their second location is really the same as the “Hubbard Park” at their first, which I have paid enough homage to in a previous entry. Darwin's also sells chocolate bars made in Somerville, MA (3 mi away), shortbread cookies from Arlington, MA (4 mi away), and sandwich bread baked in West Concord (18 mi away). How’s that for local flavor?

Delirium Tremens beer at Publick House in Brookline, MA
My friend Chris poured me my first Delirium two years ago. Since then, I have only been able to remember it by the picture on its label, and will probably refer to it as the “pink elephant beer” for the rest of time. To think- me -a victim of critter marketing! (The critter phenomenon has been a much-discussed topic among wine marketers ever since Yellow Tail "the kangaroo wine" took the U.S. market by storm in 2001). But honestly, besides the all-too-prevalent Chimay, I can recall no other Belgian I have enjoyed besides Pink Elephant Beer.

Goji-Granola-Pomegranate Frozen Yogurt at berryline in Harvard Square, MA
Pinkberry clones have penetrated the East Coast! As, apparently, has Berkeley grub - Goji berries at a student “froyo” shop? (Though I was also visiting the Berkeley of the East.) I have been eagerly following the spread of sour Korea yogurt up the California coast after my initiation to Pinkberry in West Hollywood, L.A. in April. I wonder if they've popped up in the middle of the country...

CHICAGO
Banh Mi and Che in Little Vietnam, Chicago
Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich made on French baguette and traditionally filled with pickled carrots, daikon, cilantro, and some type of meat (usually chicken or pork) marinated in a "special sauce". It is also notoriously cheap (e.g., 5 for $10). Five years ago, I had my first banh mi with my friend Dan in the Vietnamese neighborhood of inner Boston - this week, we met in Chicago's Vietnam Town and shared banh mi, noodles, and che. (I was completely delighted by che – a soupy, pudding-like dessert with various unidentifiable colorful ingredients suspended in thick coconut milk.)

Sushi at Sakura Restaurant, Mt. Prospect, IL
Fortunately, I have been traveling with a team that shares my passion for all things Japanese and edible. One of my team members managed to find a sushi restaurant in the middle of the country that ranks among the best and most authentic I’ve had on either coast. How’s that for market research?

Anyway, back to the title of this post. So the base of my personal food pyramid is a combination of three simple foods – yogurt, fruit, and granola, i.e. I cannot go too many days without having some form of the "yogurt parfait".

On Tuesday, I bought a “Yogurt with Fresh Seasonal Fruit and Granola” at Boston’s Logan Airport, which consisted of a considerable amount of yogurt weighed down by soggy granola and a half of one strawberry, cut in half again - $4.50. At Chicago O’Hare, for $3.79, I picked up a cleverly designed two-part piece separating the granola (Kellogg's Low-fat Granola with Raisins with 90% certainty – I can recognize the mass-produced stuff when I see it) from the sugary yogurt mixed with reconstituted frozen strawberry syrup and papery, flavorless blueberries. Yuck.

Smart Granola Packaging for Bad Granola


So yes, it’s been a great week of travels, but I’m also kind of looking forward to making my own breakfast at home on Friday morning. Even better, paying Café Fanny a visit on Saturday.

stags' leap winery

STAGS' LEAP 2002 ESTATE GROWN CABERNET SAUVIGNON, THE LEAP

While there's no bad time or place for a glass of Cabernet from Stags' Leap Winery, a particularly good time would be sunset on a summer evening in August, and a particularly good place would be among the Estate Cabernet vines at the Winery. (And winemaker Kevin Morrisey would be particularly good company.)

"THE LEAP" ESTATE VINEYARD, STAGS' LEAP WINERY


I've always believed in immersing myself in the products that I work on. When I consulted for an air purifier company, I kept up to date on EPA regulations for ultra fine particles. I ran humidifiers, lit candles, and played ScentStories in my apartment to immerse myself in the experience of my personal indoor air.

For the three months that I worked on a project for a greeting card company, I scrutinized my own relationships with others in the world - and sent out more cards, emails, e-cards, text messages, and handwritten notes to friends and family in those months than I had in the previous three years combined.

Hotel bedding, GPS devices, breast cancer, birthday cards, nuclear power plants, bipolar disorder, ATV helmets, fried fish...my years as a consultant have allowed me to delve into a number of different worlds, each as fascinating as the last, to someone perpetually curious about different things and people.

Fortunately, the company I work for shares my belief that one must understand a product deeply - who makes it, where it is made, how it is made and why it is made in such a way - in order to market and sell it. As such, my work periodically involves "kicking the dirt" at our vineyards. Learning that story behind the brand is critical...and fun.

Stags' Leap has a particularly good story. (Have you heard about the ghost?)

CABERNET GRAPES AT STAGS' LEAP
June 29. 2007


CABERNET GRAPES AT STAGS' LEAP
August 15, 2007