Earning an A+ in Pastry Class Can Only Mean 1 Thing

I'm still not wearing pants. Now that the grades have been turned in I can no longer justify my dairy laden, glutinous indulgence as a ‘leaning experience.’ With just six weeks of class left and a rebirth of a social life on the horizon, it’s time to focus on shedding this butter weight in attempts to get back down to ‘dating weight’ not to mention the elusive ‘single bridesmaid weight’ that will be needed this fall.

How did I let the return to double digit pant size happen? Well, if you do the math: calorie in + calories burned then multiply it by ‘life’s not fair, why do I have to be allergic to all things delicious’ bloating coefficient, it should come out just about right.

Since the Squeem falls just short of curing cancer and other miracles, it's not going to be much help buttoning my jeans. I’m afraid I’m going to have to render this butter of my thighs the old fashion way.

The worse part of reintroducing the gym into my daily routine is trying to pick up where I left off 3 months ago. Since I’m quite good at avoiding mirrors from the neck down the real reality check came the day after I attempt the old ‘normal gym routine.’  Sitting was painful the next day!

I may sings the praises of a gluten free diet but I sheepishly admit this to my closest friend (and the entire internet), there are just a handful of things in life I can think of that are more satisfying then and taking a bite of chewy, buttery, chocolate covered baked good.

Will power has never made it on my list of strengths. It takes all my inner strength to make a quick trip to Ikea and not fall into a three day Cinnabon binge! When spending 12 hours a week for three months elbow deep in tempered Swiss chocolate in a room filled with scent of hot butter pastries. Is it any wonder I succumbed to the oh-so sweet temptation?

As I say farewell to flour and climb and try and reclaim my seat on the Gluten Free Wagon in hopes of seeing the scales tip in the favor of NYC Single Scene ready I will be keep you posted on my progress.

Progress Tracker

Week 1: Acknowledging the problem, make sure running shoes still fit
- Check and Check. Getting started is easier then I thought!

A little pastry practice goes a long way!

Banana upside-down cake with passion fruit puree and hard caramel candy accents

Wine'ing Wednesday: Wines from AOC, DOC and AVA in NYC

The Italians have the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata), the French have AOC (Appellation d’origine contrôlée) and the United States has the AVA (American Viticultural Areas).

The AVA does not enforce regulations as strict as the DOC or AOC but it is a step for American winemakers to control regional classification of wines. Recently the AVA, regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, approved Calistoga as the 15th Sub appellation of Napa Valley. Going forward, wines must be contain at least 85% of locally grown grapes to be labeled "Calistoga."

Most winemakers are embracing the new classification since it generally means they are able to increase the price per bottle but two winemakers are not so thrilled. The Calistoga Cellars and Calistoga Estate Vineyards ,which mostly produce wines from non-Calistoga grapes, have been given three years to switch over to 85% blend or will be facing a name change.

*Note to self: (1) Stock on Cellars and Calistoga Estate Vineyards bottled before 2010 – they may be become collector items. (2) Remember this little tid-bit for the next Company Christmas party. It may go over a whole lot better then the “This one time in Vegas I told my some guys my friend had a glass eye’ story.

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Italy
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC). Italian wines classified as DOC is wine from a specific and controlled area with rules regarding permitted grape varieties, maximum yields, alcoholic content, and aging. The DOC designation appears on the label. As of 2000, there were over 300 DOCs.

France
Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO).

USA
American Viticultural Areas (AVA). Wine labels can include an AVA name if at least 85 per cent of the wine comes from that area. However, the usage of AVA names is not a strict appellation system – it is not comparable to the French AOC or Italian DOC classifications

Looks like I have some practicing to do before tonight’s Pastry final….

Wine’ing: Wednesday: Going back to Cali, Cali, Cali…

“New World” wines can be generically classified as any wine grown outside of the traditional European wine making regions. The New World  focused last night was California and Washington State.

The Pinot Noirs from Washington state were a standout since the cooler climate is ideal for the pinot noir grape. In comparison to the rest of the United States, Washington State has strictest regulations regarding what can be called a true 'Pinot Noir.'

Care for a Fume Blanc? Well you can thank Robert Mondavi for that addition to your wine cellar. Fume Blancs are nade from ripen Sauvignon Blanc grapes that originally produced overly sweet wines. By aging the well ripen grapes in wood to off set the sweetness (a style Mondavi adapted from the Loire Valley) and executing an exquisite marketing plan, California’s Fume Blancs have become one the regions most popular wines.

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"The term Fume Blanc is acceptable in the United States as a direct synonym with Sauvignon Blanc. Though many wineries attempt to differentiate between styles by using either the term Fume Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc, one should be aware that this distinction is voluntary, and not all wineries follow the practice." - http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-fume-blanc.htm

(Enjoying a Fume Blanc at the Grigich Hills Estate in Nappa!)

Food Network - Take 1!

There may be no business like show business but the same can be said for the restaurant biz. Combined the two? I want in!

Last week I teamed up with an ol-partner-in-Penn-State- food-service-crime buddy and auditioned for the Food Network’s 24 Hour Restaurant Battle. It is a competition show in which two teams have 24 Hours to conquer a concept, décor, and of course the food to turn a blank space into the restaurant of their dreams. We’ll find out next week if we made the cut!

 
Celebrating with a post-audition Cocktail

Tiered Roasted Vegetables Layered with Herbed Goat Cheese

7 Plum Tomatoes, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
2 ½ lbs Zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
3 lbs Eggplant, sliced into ¼ inch pieces

Olive oil

1 Cup Goat Cheese

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Leaves

2 Tbs Fresh Dill
2 Tbs Fresh Oregano

¼ Tsp Garlic Powder

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
¼ tsp Paprika
Salt
Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375º

1. Place tomato, zucchini, and eggplant slices onto ungreased sheet trays. Brush both sides with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Eggplant slices will require more oil then the tomato or zucchini slices)

2. Roast vegetables for 15 minutes. Remove trays and using a spatula, turn vegetables over. Roast for an additional 15 minutes.

3. In a food processor, combine goat cheese, parsley, dill, oregano, garlic, cayenne pepper and paprika. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and return the cheese mixture to the refrigerator until ready to use.

4. Once the vegetables have cooled, stack vegetables with 1 tsp of the goat cheese mixture between layers

5. Finish with a final layer of goat cheese and top with a parmesan crisp.

For the Parmesan Crisps:

8oz Shredded Parmesan Cheese (good quality)

Pre-heat oven to 375º

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Mound rounded tablespoons of cheese two inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove crisps from the oven and cool for 1 minute. As soon as the crisps are cool enough to touch, work quickly to remove them from the tray and wrap them over the handle of a wooden spoon. Cool completely before removing the spoon. Store in an air tight containe

(makes 10-12 towers)

Bad Advice

What is worse, an apathetic married friend or realizing even the self help books are discouraging when it comes to dating in NYC?

Maybe I ate too much Passive Aggressive Soup for Valentines Day but recently while having dinner among mixed company (i.e. single and married friends), I found myself taken aback by the absolutely terrible (and trite) dating advice the married friends were giving to a single friend. In fact, this article was the only worst dating advice I have come acrros.

The conversation started when Single Friend says, “Where should I go to meet single guys?”

I offered some support by suggesting we order another round of drinks but before I could signal the waiter, my married friends chime in with:

Married Friend #1, “Maybe you should go to more happy hours.”

Married Friend #2, “Or volunteer!”

Icarumba! I bit my tongue. As someone who has ‘been there, done that,’ those ideas = FAIL.

Married “Maybe you should go to more happy hours” Friend #1:
Creditability Loss: You met your husband in college and therefore have been out of the game for way too long. There is no comparing dating in college when your 21 to dating on the mean streets of NYC when your…errr..not so close to 21.
Bad Idea Why: It just doesn’t work. I love a good happy hour, especially if it starts right after lunch, but give me one example of a relationship that started during happy hour that lasted more than 18 hours.

Married “Maybe you should volunteer!” Friend #2
Creditability Loss: Has never volunteered a day in her life.
Bad Idea Why: Chances are the people you will be volunteering along side will most likely be other single women. According to the US Government National Service website 32.4 percent of women volunteer, compared with 25 percent of men. So, if by the some stroke of luck there is a semi-attractive and employed single man who is over the age of 21 volunteering beside you, the competition is going to fierce!

As much as I appreciate a married friend’s attempt to empathize when it comes to being single sometimes you would just like to hear them say, ‘Yeah, dating can really sucks and I got lucky.”

Lemon Ginger Tea

The soothing elements of honey and digestion aiding properties of the ginger and lemon, makes this the perfect post-indulgent meal (or Monday morning) beverage.

For each cup of boiling water seep 1” of fresh ginger (peeled and smashed) with 1/2 tsp Honey and the juice of ½ of lemon.

Wine'ing Wednesday: Tasting from the Snowed in Comforts of my Couch

NYC’s February 2010 Blizzard may have cancelled school but it did not diminish my dedication to Wine’ing Wednesdays! Luckily we recently re-stocked the wine rack and the roommate and I staged our own Wednesday night ‘tasting.’

The evening’s selection was brought to us by Astor Wines and was the result of one of my favorite NYC deals! Each month Astor Wines runs a Top 10 under 10 special. For less than $100 (this month it was $79) you get all 10 bottles (red & whites) + 2 complementary pre-selected bottles.

The Math:
12 Bottles for $79 + Free Manhattan Delivery +  Reality TV that I’m too embarrassed to admit I watch = 1 Successful Wednesday Night Wine Tasting

*Live outside the greater NYC? Astor wines will ship!

A Weekend Read

A fascinating look at how we eat and why it's not a good sign if your date asks for seconds....

The Social Side of Eating

Wine'ing Wednesday: The Tale of Tapas

How could we discuss Spanish wines without mentioning tapas? The tapas trend started way back when Spanish bartenders were loosing their battle against flies. One day a frustrated bartender decided he would cover* his customer's drink with a slice of bread to act as an edible fly shield. This simple yet innovated idea caught on and soon the slice of bread morphed into bread + cheese and then bread + cheese + olives and then bread + cheese olives + cured meat…. and so on and so on …. until there was a need for ‘small plates’ to accompany drinks.

*The word Tapas is a conjugated form of the Spanish word Tapar meaning ‘to close or cover’

Punxsutawney Chuck Roast (Pot roast on any other day)

And just incase you haven't heard...... we have 6 more weeks of winter to look forward to

2 ½ Pound Chuck Roast

1 Bottle Beer – a dark seasonal larger is best

6-8 Cloves of Garlic, pealed and smashed

1 Large Onion, quartered
1 Bay leaf
2 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme or 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
4 Ribs Celery, cut into large pieces
4 Carrots, pealed and cut into large pieces
(1) 12 Ounce Can of Beef Broth
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
1 Dutch Oven or large pot that has a tight fitting lid. The sides of the roast should not touch the sides of the pan

Serves 4 people

Let roast rest at room temperature for 3 hours (if you skip this step allot for an additional 30-45 minutes cooking time). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Liberally coat the roast with salt and pepper. Heat Dutch oven on the stove and add olive oil to coat the bottom. Sear all sides of the roast (3-5 minutes each side).

Add red wine to deglaze the pan. Once all the brown bits are loose on the bottom add beer, vegetable, herbs and enough broth to cover ¾ of the roast. Bring to boil. Cover with lid and place in oven.

The roast will cook for about 2 hours or 30 minutes per pound. The roast is done with the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees.

Recipe Tips:
*If you don’t have a tight fitting lid, use a layer of foil between the pan and the lid to create a tighter seal.
*I like my pot roast with mashed potatoes but feel free to throw a couple of potatoes (quartered) into the pan with the roast.

Culinary Q&A: London Broil

Culinary Q:  I need a good marinade for London Broil... one especially flavorful because I'm putting it over mixed greens. Any recipes?

Culinary A: There is no specific cut of beef that claims the name ‘Long Broil.’ The term was coined by Keen's Chophouse in New York City in the 1930’s and was used to describe large cuts of meat that were either not suitable or recognizable as steaks.*

Historically butchers would turn to a Flank Steaks when asked for a London broil but today the demand (and price) for Flanks steaks has increased. For a more economical London Broil try a Chuck Shoulder (good flavor but does not slice well), a Top Round (very beefy flavor and very tough) or a Bottom Round (more uniformed shape and better for grilling)


Margarita “London Broil” Marinade

2lb London Broil (i.e. flank steak, chuck shoulder, top round, bottom round)
½ Cup Olive Oil
4 Limes, juiced
4 Garlic Cloves, crushes
1 Large Shallot, minced
½ Cup Fresh Cilantro, stems removed
1 Tbs Coriander Seeds
½ Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Chili Powder
½ Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tbs Salt
1 ½ Tsp Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a Zip Lock bag. Marinate the meat for 2-24 hours, occasionally rotating the bag.

Pre-head broiler. Place meet on a broiling pan and broil on high for 8-10 minutes per side. Rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Cut in thin slices on the biased.


*Cook's Illustrated, Published May 1, 2006.

Passive Aggressive Vegetables Beef Soup

Not everything that comes out of my kitchen is a contender for a James Beard award [Gasp!]. As much as I enjoy sharing my culinary successes, today I’d take a moment to share my latest foodie flop. I call it – Passive Aggressive Vegetable Beef Soup.


*Recipe Tip*: Making the effort to go the grocery store and purchase fresh ingredients or follow the proper soup making procedure, the same bitter, snarky, and spiteful aftertaste may not be achieved

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1) Enter kitchen a bit sleep deprived and still recovering from a night of cheap red wine (or tequila) over indulgence.

2) Trim overpriced specialty stew meat into bite size pieces.

3) Brown meat in an overcrowded large saucepan. Once you begin to feel impatient adjust the heat to high and check Facebook updates until the bottom of your pan is nicely burnt. Ignore and proceed.

4) Add haphazardly chopped onions, garlic, carrots and celery

5) Deglaze pan with remaining cheep wine from last weekend’s party. Do not measure.

6) Overly reduce wine to ensure the unpleasant taste is adequately concentrated.

7) Add canned tomatoes and stock

8) Season with non-complimentary dried herbs purchased over a year ago.

9) Taste. Consider all the ingredients that could improve the soup then remember none of them are on the ‘allergy approved’ list.

10) Overcompensate with salt and 1 can of “veggie-all” that miraculously made the move from your last apartment.

11) Cool and refrigerate or discard and order take out.