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A Run in the Rain and Coffee in Seattle — Closing Out IFBC

September 27, 2013

I woke up last Sunday morning with a food hangover. Have you ever had one of those? It’s not quite the same as the kind caused by alcohol, but it a good indication that you had an enjoyable dinner the night before.

Sleepy and sluggish, I had yet to engage in a workout since I got to Seattle so I made myself get up and run. It was more of a run/walk as I tried to navigate where I was going, but then something awesome happened.

It began to rain.

And I began to bound. Well, I’m sure it didn’t look like bounding to the street-side spectators. Given all the food I’d consumed in the past 48 hours it was probably a heavy shuffle, but it felt like bounding in my mind and spirit. I stopped just short of running down the middle of the street waving my arms in celebration. RAIN.

If you ask me what I miss most after moving to California, the answer is rain. I don’t miss dangerous storms, but I do miss long, gloomy days filled with pouring rain. I was thankful Seattle pulled through for me.

After closing out a great conference, I still had one more food (and drink) adventure before my flight – Storyville Coffee. I’d learned by word of mouth (more like word of Facebook) that this was a new coffee shop opening in Pike Place Market. The official opening day is October 1, but throughout September anyone can visit by emailing for a reservation.

The big surprise is that it is not just a visit. It’s an incredible friendly greeting at check in followed by an invitation to order any drink and pastry you want, all on the house. I ordered a delicious cappuccino and a salted caramel roll that was outstanding.

As I sat in their ultra-cool loft-style space with a cozy fireplace burning up front and gazed out the window at Pike Place Market below, I thought, who does this?! Free coffee? (And excellent coffee, by the way.) Free food? All month before a grand opening? Available to anyone?

Well, Storyville does and it was pretty awesome. I’m so happy I had the opportunity to go during my visit to Seattle. I can already predict that it is going to be the best place to escape from the craziness of the market. And I mean that in the best possible way, but wow, does Pike Place get crazy with tourists.

When I finally made my way through the long, slow security line at the airport, I was greeted with one of the friendliest TSA agents I’ve encountered yet. Through overhearing his conversations with others, I learned he was from California. He looked at my license, looked back up at me and said, “Did you miss the sunshine?” I said, “No, I actually really miss the rain. I loved it here.” He smiled and said, “Me too. That’s exactly why I moved up here.”

So it turns out not everyone dislikes the weather in Seattle and as you can tell the city can certainly hold its own when it comes to amazing food.

The International Food Bloggers Conference is in Seattle again, by the way. Same weekend, but with a larger group (up to 500), they are moving it to the Westin. Registration is up now for any bloggers who might be reading this.

Disclosure: I was required to write 3 posts about my experiences at IFBC in order to receive a discounted registration fee. This is email 3 of 3. The weekend involved many free products and foods from companies and restaurants that I may or may not write about. Thoughts are my own. I am not required to write about these foods or companies and will receive no compensation for doing so.

Photography Tips, Wine Pairings and Dining in Seattle – International Food Bloggers Conference

September 24, 2013

It was the reason I registered for the conference in the first place. A session with the well known Andrew Scrivani, food photographer for the New York Times.

In preparation for this big weekend, I caught some of the session he taught on Food Photography for CreativeLive a month or so ago. Inspired is an understatement. The one thing that stuck with me from the online session was when he said (and I paraphrase) – when the door of opportunity cracks open, you don’t peak inside, you kick the door down.

I feel like since we’ve moved to California, I have been kicking down every door that has cracked open for me, and I have my eyes open for more. It was a phrase, an attitude, a piece of advice that had perfect timing for me.

Andrew didn’t disappoint in the live sessions this past weekend. The simplicity of his set-ups and shoots would surprise anyone who has seen some of his intriguing photos that grace pages of the web and print. It also helps that his photography style is spot on with what I aspire for mine to be. The dark shadows, the light flow, the moodiness. Those are the types of photos that draw and keep my extended attention, and also the types of photos I want to more consistently create.

After a hilarious cooking demo with Chef John and Chefs from Blue C Sushi, Andrew shared photo after photo of some of his favorite shots and the stories behind them. A few things I learned:

He almost never uses artificial light.
Salt glazed pottery does not reflect light.
Southwestern light is “absolutely the best” light for food photography.
Trade props for credit on your blog. In other words, help spread the word for people who make props that would work well in your photos by mentioning them in your post or on your homepage in exchange for a waved rental fee or a free dish.
Use Pinterest boards to collect photos and use them to shop for pottery/plates to recreate the style. (I’ve used this to collect styling ideas, but I’d never thought about using it as a shopping list when I’m looking for the actual props to get the same scene.)
Capturing a good photo is about being at the right place at the right time.

Because of such a large group, only a few were randomly selected to get up and photograph food during the session. Later they brought some plates over to the natural light by the window and a few of us decided to sneak over and take our own pictures.

After the food photography sessions, I attended the food and wine pairing session with Chateau Ste. Michelle winery and Culinary Director, John Sarich.

A few interesting tips I learned:

Salt water seafood and strong tannin wines do not pair well.
Raw fruit and wine do not pair well. The fruit pulls out the acid flavors of the wine.
New world reds that are more “jammy” are better with fish.
New world reds also pair better with balsamic vinegars and soy sauce.
White wine is best served at 54 to 55 degrees F, except Riesling and sparkling white wines which can be served at 40 degrees.
Reds should be served at cellar temperature, 64 degrees F, not 73 degrees F (room temperature).
Good wine is 20% where you are at, 20% who you are with and 60% the wine itself.

Our tasting plate – duck liver pate, prosciutto, apple tart, smoked salmon, tuna tartar and fresh apple.

Later that evening, Urbanspoon split all 320 attendees into small groups and we each dined at different restaurants throughout Seattle. It was a really cool concept and each of our restaurants were a surprise until a few hours before. (Eating styles were taken into consideration.)

Our dinner was at Luc, a lovely French-American restaurant. We were served 4 courses, including chicken liver pâté with berry gelée and an amazing Cassoulet made with local white beans, duck confit, sausage and braised lamb (sorry, my photo didn’t turn out due to the lighting). The duck was perfectly cooked, not too dry and the flavor of the beans was rich and comforting.

I also got to try Bavarois with Huckleberry. It was described as the French version of a Bavarian cream. It had a rich flavor while also being rather light and airy. The sweet berry topping rounded out the flavor of the dessert nicely.

Another outstanding day.

Disclosure: I was required to write 3 posts about my experiences at IFBC in order to receive a discounted registration fee. This is email 2 of 3. The weekend involved many free products and foods from companies and restaurants that I may or may not write about. Thoughts are my own. I am not required to write about these foods or companies and will receive no compensation for doing so.

Guinness Braised Kale with Roasted Potatoes and Poached Eggs Recipe

March 13, 2013

It’s that time of year. The time when food bloggers everywhere pull out the Guinness, Bailey’s, Jameson and potatoes to create an Irish-inspired recipe for St. Patrick’s Day. I’m no exception.

If you’ve read my blog much at all you know that Ireland has a special place in my travel-loving heart. I’ve had the opportunity to visit three times, exploring gorgeous landscape, overdosing on amazing food and drink and even meeting bloggers. So I can’t let March 17 pass without making something that uses a few flavors from Ireland. I’m always tempted by the incredible desserts that pop up on other blogs, but I decided to go savory. This is a super simple meal, but the Guinness adds a deep flavor to the kale that tastes so good with the eggs and potatoes. Bonus, it’s perfectly suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Guinness Braised Kale with Potatoes and Poached Eggs via @Lori_Rice

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Guinness Braised Kale with Roasted Potatoes and Poached Eggs

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

10-12 red or white new potatoes, quartered
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tsp dried dill
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 lb. kale, stemmed and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup Guinness Extra Stout beer
¼ tsp sea salt

4 poached eggs

Prep

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, dill, sea salt and black pepper. Stir to coat the potatoes with the oil and spices. Transfer the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir the potatoes. Return to the oven and bake 15 to 25 more minutes, or until the potatoes are tender with crispy edges.

While the potatoes are baking you can prepare the kale. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the kale and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring to coat the kale in the oil.

Add the beer. Cook 30 seconds more, or until the kale begins to wilt. Remove from the heat and stir in the sea salt.

To assemble, divide the potatoes into 4 serving bowls, top with ¼ of the kale and finish it off with a poached egg. Serve warm.

I leave you with two short PSAs for this Irish holiday that we all enjoy so much in the States. # 1 It’s St. Paddy’s Day, not St. Patty’s Day. I learned this just a few short years ago, but definitely click on that link. #2 Skip the green beer and order a Guinness (or a Kilkenny, or a Smithwicks, or a Bulmer’s Cider).

Sláinte!

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Stuffed Cabbage Roll Recipe

March 6, 2013

I’m into my third month living in California, and aside from the typical missing of friends, family and horses, things are going wonderfully. Ok, a move across the country probably doesn’t include missing horses for most people, but it does when you move from Kentucky.

We’re fully unpacked, the house in Kentucky finally sold and I’m happy to say I actually feel kind of settled. As a result, we looked ahead to our travel schedule for the year. I feel a little like my entire life in California is one big travel adventure; there is so much to see here. But I’ve been aching for Europe.

Christmas 2012 was a bit of a bust. There was no Christmas tree and very little baking due to all the packing. We squeezed in a quick trip to celebrate with family only to have it cut short by an impending snow storm. Three days later we were on a cross-country drive to California.

I won’t lie; I’ve done my fair share of pouting ever since. I know many people are overwhelmed by the stress of the holidays, but I absolutely love that time of year. So when we talked about where we would travel this year, I insisted that Christmas be a big part of it.

As a result, we are now scheduled for one of my ultimate, must-do, bucket list worthy experiences – the Christmas markets in Europe! Not to mention that this will be preceded by a few days in New York City to see the tree there. Then we will head over to Vienna, still one of my favorite cities in the world, and then off to Krakow, Poland.

I don’t want to wish a year away, but I can’t hide my excitement for this trip!

In addition to all the Christmas action, my husband comes from Polish descent so we are very excited to finally travel there. And I have my mind on Polish recipes. I thought it was high time I try my hand at stuffed cabbage rolls.

Aside from the multiple steps, they are much easier to make than I expected, and this is coming from someone who is awful at rolling foods. Burritos, spring rolls, wraps – I might get one good looking roll out of 10. I’m happy to say that cabbage rolls are very forgiving when it comes to rolling them up.

This isn’t exactly a traditional recipe. It’s one I made by combining a quick look at recipes on the web with what I had on hand in the kitchen.

If you’ve never made stuffed cabbage, there are quite a few things going on at once, which I wasn’t expecting. You have to boil the head of cabbage, make the sauce, and then add some of that sauce to the filling. Just take your time and you won’t get overwhelmed. I suggest getting your cabbage leaves cooked and separated, and then concentrating on the rest of the recipe.

Grass-fed Beef Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

1 small head green cabbage

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

1 green bell pepper, cored and diced

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 ounces diced tomatoes (fresh will work, no-salt-added if you used canned)

¼ cup red wine

1 tbsp mascavo sugar (or brown sugar)

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

Filling

½ of the sautéed vegetables from the sauce (see preparation below)

½ lb grass-fed ground beef

1 cup cooked rice

2 tbsp cabbage roll sauce (above)

1 tbsp hot sauce

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cabbage

Fill a large soup pot ¾ full with water. Bring to a boil. Remove any dirty or bruised outer leaves of the cabbage. Place the whole head of cabbage in the boiling water. Let it boil about 2 minutes, or until the outer leaves begin pull away from the head.

Remove the cabbage from the water (I used a ladle). Use kitchen shears to cut off the outer leaves at the stem. They should be partially cooked and flexible. Set them aside to dry and cool. Return the head of cabbage to the boiling water. Repeat this process until you have 10 to 12 cabbage leaves.

Reserve 1 to 2 cups of the cabbage cooking water.

Sauce

For the sauce, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to brown and soften. Remove half of the vegetables from the pan and place in a glass mixing bowl. (This is for your filling.)

Back to the skillet, add the tomatoes and wine. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar, salt, basil and pepper. Cook 1 more minute. Stir in the 1 cup of reserved cabbage water.

Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Add more cabbage water if you want a thinner sauce. (I used only the 1 cup.) Pour the sauce back in the skillet to keep it warm.

Filling

Add the ground beef and rice to the bowl with the reserved vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons of the finished cabbage roll sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Use a fork or your clean hands to mix the filling well.

Assembly

First spoon about ¼ cup of the tomato sauce into a 5 quart Dutch oven and spread it over the bottom of the pan.

Place a cabbage leaf on the counter top with the inside facing up (it should curve up like a cup), and put about ¼ cup of the filling towards the stem end of the leaf. You will have to judge how much filling to use based on the size of your leaves. I had a huge variation so I used anywhere from 2 tablespoons to a ½ cup. Just ensure that it isn’t so much that it squeezes out the side.

Fold in the both sides, and starting with the stem end, roll the leaf around the filling. Place seam-side down in the Dutch oven. Repeat the process with the remaining leaves.

Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls, and cover the pot with the lid. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened and the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Serves 3 to 4.

Where to Eat in 2013

January 13, 2013

Hello from California!

The move has been made and I’m working on getting comfortable in my new kitchen. I’m excited to start this new year in a new place and to see where my experiences take me and the blog.

I have to be honest. I can already feel things shifting a bit. I still want to cook with all the amazing ingredients that are now available to me, but I’m also in a place where there is some pretty amazing food (and drink) being made by others.

This year, along with recipes you are probably going to find more places dine and events to attend. I also hope to put the focus back on the global aspect of my blog. I have so much more to learn about the cuisines of other countries and it’s time to start trying more in my own kitchen.

Considering we’re already halfway through January, I really don’t want to look back and recap last year. But in 2012 I took part in 2 cross-country road trips, a trip to Toronto, a visit to New York City, a trip to Vegas, a day in Sonoma and Napa Valley and New Years Eve in Santa Barbara. Not to mention our explorations of Kentucky.

So, yeah. I have a few food recommendations for you.

So let’s not look back at the best eats of last year, but let’s look at it as where you need to eat and drink in 2013! These are my picks so start planning your road trip

Kansas City, KS – Oklahoma Joe’s

We moved my husband out to California last September. That was road trip #1, to the north via I-80. What an amazing drive! I want to do it again already.

We didn’t have our food planned out, but left it to tips from friends and popular TV shows along the way. First up, Oklahoma Joe’s in Kansas City. It turns out Anthony Bourdain kind of likes the place too.

I like barbecue, but I’m not all crazy for it. And I don’t understand all the allegiances to different types. I like all of them for different reasons. But, oh my goodness. This food was amazing! My husband and I are still talking about it months later. The meat, the sauce, the hour-long line, the restaurant-in-a-gas-station atmosphere. It was one of the best meals I had all year.

My favorite was the burnt ends sandwich, and the beans were as perfect as they can get. Slightly meaty, loaded with barbecue flavor. I’m usually not a fan of ribs, but I’d order them again in a second.

Salt Lake City, UT – Red Iguana

We had no plan when we got to Salt Lake, but after checking out the FoodNetwork app we found the Red Iguana which had been on an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It’s described as pre-Hispanic Mexican, and the big draw? 7 kinds of moles.

I got the Mole Verde. This wasn’t your classic, chocolately mole, but it was delicious. The chicken was so tender and the sauce was full of spicy flavor. My husband got the Mole Negro and this is what I think of when I think of mole – rich, dark, slightly spicy sauce. It was my favorite.

Toronto, Canada – Steam Whistle

In July last year, I made my first trip to Canada. It’s hard to believe I hadn’t been before! And yes, I know. Everyone is telling me that I need to see more places, but I LOVED Toronto. One of our favorite things was the local beer, Steam Whistle. We did the brewery tour, and the bar just happened to be one of the most affordable places to grab a beer so we hung out for a while and enjoyed it.

New York City – Momofuku Noodle Bar

I traveled to New York City in October for the first time since I was in high school. Needless to say, a lot has changed. Mainly that I now have a deep appreciation for good food. I recapped the trip last year, but a round up on where to eat in 2013 wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Momofuku Noodle Bar. It was the first place I went when I got to the city, and I’m already planning to take my husband back this year.

The corn ramen was the special on my visit and it didn’t disappoint. The blackboard lists the farms where a majority of the food is sourced, and with a huge bar for seating it is perfect for dining alone if you are traveling on business like I was.

Sonoma, CA – The Girl and The Fig

Over the Thanksgiving holiday we took our first trip to California wine country. Knowing we would be in Sonoma around lunch time, we did what every food-lover does. We ate at The Girl and The Fig. We made reservations for lunch, as you should too because although the restaurant was only half full when we arrived, every table was taken by the time we left.

We started with a cheese plate and that was good, but the best part of it was the dried fig cake made in house. It was delicious with the cheese.

I had a simple lunch of a tasty grilled cheese, but for me my husband’s meal was the best. The pork belly sandwich with a slightly sweet apple slaw.

Stanford, KY – Bluebird Cafe

If you think a small-town, rural restaurant can’t compete with food-cities around the U.S., I encourage you to go to Bluebird. On a downtown street that barely has one stoplight, this place will amaze you. With locally sourced ingredients and a creative menu that would rival any restaurant in the big city, Bluebird serves Kentucky favorites with a twist.

Our first couple visits were for breakfast where I enjoyed the breakfast fries with smoked gouda sauce. We finally made it for lunch just before we moved – a fried green tomato BLT on a whole wheat sorghum bun. Yes, yum.

Santa Barbara, CA – East Beach Grill

We stayed in Santa Barbara on our final leg of the official move which also happened to be New Years Eve. (This time we took I-40 through the southern US.) Other than the wonderful ocean views, we experienced very little of what this awesome town has to offer. But we did manage to have pancakes on New Years morning. The East Beach Grill was close to our hotel, dog friendly and rumor had it they offered some amazing wheat germ pancakes. The rumors were true. I had a stack of blueberry and my husband a stack of strawberry while we relaxed outside with the pugs and enjoyed the view of the ocean.

Oakland, CA – Bocanova

There will be many more Oakland favorites to come, but I definitely found a place I love with only a few days of being here. Bocanova in Jack London Square has unique cocktails and one fine happy hour. One of my favorite appetizers is the Dungeness Crab Deviled Eggs with Chipotle Aioli.

That about sums it up. Hopefully I’ve shared enough to keep you busy. And full. Recipes will resume soon, but for now I’ll leave you with one of my favorite offerings at our Farmer’s Market. Gorgeous greens with edible flowers. Happy New Year!

P.S. I was having some trouble with formatting on this post. The names of the cities and restaurants are links that will take you to the restaurant website.

Food Favorites in New York City

October 21, 2012

The best thing about a growing interest in food is how it changes your travel. There are many places I went before I cared about food and culture, and now when I return it is a much different experience. A much more fulfilling and cultural experience, I might add.

This was definitely the case when I traveled to New York City in early October. I was headed there for a business conference and decided to go up the weekend beforehand to do some exploring. Since I saw all the major monuments and attractions on my first visit, this left me plenty of time to seek out some interesting foods tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the city.

Most of the places I visited aren’t off the beaten path. Some are pretty well known. But you definitely have to venture outside the tourist pockets to find them.

I have a lot of food to share so instead of lengthy explanations for each, I’m limiting myself to 3 phrases or sentences to describe the atmosphere and the food. So here you go. Short and sweet, but oh my goodness was it all delicious!

Momofuku Noodle Bar (my favorite meal).

I had this on the agenda from the day I booked the trip. I ordered the daily special – Corn Ramen with pork shoulder, poached egg and bok choy.

Corn Ramen

Atmosphere: Packed but seated quickly. Excellent for single diners. Friendly staff.

Many of the ingredients come from area farms listed on the black board.

Lots of bar seating and shared tables and Momofuku Noodle Bar

Food: Still dreaming about it. Corn as fresh as that from my Dad’s garden. Perfect balance of broth, meats, veg and noodles.

Pure Thai Cookhouse

This was an unplanned visit, and I found the restaurant through Yelp. I ordered the Ratchaburi Crab & Pork with the handmade egg noodles as a soup. (Sorry. iPhone photos only on this one.)

All the good restaurants feel like a walk-in closet.

Atmosphere: Quaint and packed full. Be pushy to put in your name (lots of people are waiting for takeout). Incredibly helpful, friendly staff.

Food: Amazing handmade egg noodles. So many great dishes coming out of the kitchen including mine. Love that they went to the trouble of labeling the tap water.

Chom Chom

I had the pleasure of meeting up with fellow food blogger Michelle of Taste As You Go and she planned a lunch for us here – my first Korean food experience aside from BBQ. I ordered the Bibimbap with Bulgogi.

Atmosphere: A quiet corporate lunch spot. Friendly staff. Much more relaxing than other spots I visited on the trip.

Vegetable sides that came along with soup and another fresh vegetable appetizer.

Food: The bulgogi (marinated beef) had outstanding flavor. Loved the spicy vegetables served with it including kimchi. So much food (unexpected for the moderate price).

Bibimbap with Bulgogi

Halal Guys Street Cart

Okay, this one needs a little explanation. On Saturday evening I walked down to Times Square and on my way back I noticed one particular food cart with a line wrapped around the block. Intrigued, I checked out Yelp and learned about the Halal Guys at 53rd and 6th . Sunday night I went back and got in line myself. I ordered the combo (chicken and lamb) platter with rice. Oh, and it’s only $6!

Atmosphere: Well, it’s a food cart. Get there early, the line forms quickly (the website says they open at 7:00 pm, but I got there about 10 minutes early and they were serving). They have other locations, but the original feels more lively!

Lamb, chicken, rice, pita and lettuce served with white sauce and hot sauce on the side.

Food: Flavorful gyro meat with pita – you can’t go wrong. The white sauce everyone describes as tzatziki tasted more like ranch dressing to me. Truth to the hot sauce being HOT, and I love spicy food.

Doughnut Plant

I had to try this place for the history and the unique flavors. I went to the location in the Chelsea Hotel, and I selected the seasonal yeast nut doughnut – Orange Blossom Cashew.

Atmosphere: A little tight, but crowd is constantly moving. Staff was a bit disorganized, but eh, it’s a doughnut shop. Limited seating at this location.

There was a lot of construction outside. Fortunately I found this sign!

Food: Oh my goodness that was a good doughnut – slight orange flavor with the sweetness of cashews, light and airy. Highly recommended for an afternoon snack. Coffee was delicious as well.

Bouchon Bakery

Yes, it is packed with tourists, but if you live in a place where access to a real macaron is limited, you must go. I managed to squeeze in between the breakfast and lunch rush, about 11:00 am on a Sunday, and there was barely a line. I ordered the Pistachio Macaron.

Atmosphere: Peaceful when I was there. Shoulder to shoulder when I walked by at breakfast. Friendly staff.

Food: The macaron was like eating a cloud. A sweet, slightly nutty cloud with a barely crisp lining. If you can describe a dessert as heavenly, this would be it.

Momofuku Milk Bar

I went to the Midtown location, and I can now tell from the website that my impressions had a lot to do with that specific location. For those big fans out there, you probably won’t like my opinion. I thought it was a bit overrated (I know. I know. It’s just me.) Maybe it was the atmosphere or maybe the cost. Overall, I felt like things were fairly priced at all the places I visited. The ice cream was good, but wow it was expensive for the little serving size. Not that I needed more, just comparing it to other treats with similar ingredient quality and draw that I had on this trip. I ordered the Kaffir Lime-Caramel ice cream.

Atmosphere: Dark. Small. Staff was, um, adequate, not overly friendly.

Food: The flavor of the ice cream was as unique as it sounds – I liked it. I do wish I could have tried the cereal milk ice cream too. Others bought cookies, maybe that is what I should have gone for.

Japadog

I had to check this place out after seeing it on No Reservations. I ordered the Terimayo Dog with grilled onions, teriyaki sauce, mayo and seaweed, and the Wasabi Fries.

Atmosphere: Warm, lots of cooking going on. Friendly, helpful staff. Not a bad place to sit for a quick lunch.

Food: Loved the onions and the teriyaki on the hot dog. The bun was fresh and didn’t seem to be your standard packaged variety. A little too salty for me (both the dog and fries), but definitely worth trying.

TKettle

Unfortunately, no pictures from this one. I stepped in out of the rain and it was a little too hectic to get out the camera. But I will say this was the best bubble milk tea I have ever had. Seriously. I ordered the cold almond tea and it was the perfect balance of tea flavor and sweetness. I actually felt sad when my cup was empty!

I also had the pleasure of seeing this organization at work.

I’ve read about them and the wonderful things they do to feed the hungry numerous times . They were collecting day old bread and bagels from a shop when I walked by.

This trip had me wanting to return to NYC soon. I know I only scratched the surface with my food-finds. What are some of your favorite NYC eats?

I searched lots of sources for this trip, but I have to give a shout out to The Real Bohemian and Near Afar for all the great food tips!

Dublin: Food Bloggers and L. Mulligan Grocer

August 10, 2011

A recap from a quick trip and an outstanding meal in Dublin, Ireland.

We were in Dublin for all of about 15 hours. A short stop, I know, but fortunately I’d been there a couple times before.

Enough times to realize just how international the city feels. Enough times to discover some of my favorite green spaces in the world. Enough times to immerse myself in the history of attractions such as Trinity College and the Book of Kells.

And finally, enough times to know that it’s difficult to find really good food in the city center. In saying that, I mean the kind of food that doesn’t have a sign out front beckoning tourists and promising to serve real Irish cuisine.

Now, I’ve had some great food and drink in Dublin from coffee and chocolates at Butler’s to Leo Burdock’s Fish n’ Chips to scones from Queen of Tart. I’m just saying it’s difficult to find a unique dinner in 15 hours.

Unless, of course, you know a food blogger.

And I just happen to know a food blogger.

It was my pleasure to spend one of my 15 hours in Dublin with Aoife of The Daily Spud. The Daily Spud is one of those blogs I’ve been reading since my own blog began. For me, one of the originals, and one of my favorites.

During our conversation, you might expect that one of my questions was – where should we eat dinner?

As we discussed different places, Aoife kept coming back to one of her favorites – L. Mulligan Grocer. With such a glowing recommendation from someone who knows the area (and good food) well, we didn’t feel we could it could pass it up.

The location ended up being about a 20 min walk from Temple Bar. At that point in the day, we welcomed it because everywhere from Grafton Street to Temple Bar was packed with people to the point where you could barely move. It was nice to get out of the crowd.

L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

We got there for an early dinner so we were lucky to get a table. We later found out that almost all were reserved. We must have looked desperate for good Irish food.

And good Irish food it was. I encourage you to head over to their site and read a little about the restaurant to get the full story. To simplify, they use as many Irish ingredients as possible from rare-breed pork, to grass-fed beef, to seafood.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

When we sat down and I found the menus were old books in type-writer print, I couldn’t wait to read through all the selections and decide which of these local foods I wanted most.

They also had a wonderful selection of craft beers, something we were exposed to for the first time this trip. Often we are so enamored by fresh Guinness (yes, it is completely different on draft in Ireland), that we’ve overlooked craft beers on previous trips.

So let’s start there.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Craft Beer - Galway Hooker | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

I had the Friar Weiss because, well, I love wheat beers. As you would expect, this was perfect for me, sweet and crisp. My husband tried the Galway Hooker, an Irish Pale Ale that he really enjoyed.

We didn’t consider appetizers to be an option. We would risk leaving overly full in order to try all we could.

My husband had been daring me to eat a Scotch Egg the whole trip, something I had never had before. Mulligan’s version is a free range egg wrapped in delicious sausage and fried.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Scotch Eggs. | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

I now love Scotch Eggs.

My husband had the Potted Crab. If you are new to this dish like we were, the best way to describe it is delicious, tender crab with a layer of clarified butter on the top to create a bit of a seal or a lid on the crab. It is chilled and served with bread. It was a really unique dish for us.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Potted Crab. | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

It took me forever to decide on my meal, and I mean forever. There were just too many great options.

Despite the fact that I simply cannot make myself like beets, I went for the Lamb Burger which had a beet slaw. I refused to be the picky eater who asked for it to be removed so I sucked it up expecting to scrape it off once at the table.

First, I loved the slaw. It didn’t have that dirty taste I’m used to with beets and it added a gorgeous color. The burger itself was outstanding – juicy, tender, not to mention, wrapped in bacon and topped with goat cheese. The twice cooked chips were my favorite of the trip.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Lamb burger with beetroot slaw. | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

My husband went for the Pork Belly. The belly itself was beautifully plated, but what really interested me was the mash which had black pudding in it. It’s taken me a while to get over the idea of blood sausage, but I love black pudding. The dish was matched with a kraut or type of slaw which had a lot of caraway seeds. Unfortunately my husband doesn’t care for caraway seeds and it was even a little overpowering for me, but otherwise the meal was delicious.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Pork Belly. | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

I’m still so surprised we managed to find ourselves in such a great place considering our short stopover. When in Dublin, L. Mulligan Grocer is a must. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

L. Mulligan Grocer
18 Stoneybatter
Dublin 7

Food and Travel: Belfast and Bushmills

August 4, 2011

We really had no expectations upon our arrival in Belfast. Aside from articles, travel shows and a sampling of random options we didn’t know much about what we might encounter there.

For a travel researcher like me, this was actually a very refreshing feeling. While I’m flexible with my plan and expect it to change, I often over research and a little bit of the unexpected was a nice change.

In this case, it was a refreshing feeling that only got better. Needless to say, I loved the Belfast area!

The minute we stepped off the train it felt different – maybe a bit more reserved, more business-like and, after Kilkenny, a lot less touristy. In an odd way, there were parts of the city that resembled Washington, DC to me. The English influence could be seen in the architecture, but it still felt very much Irish.

The food experience was equally as pleasing and I really liked learning about the differences in foods and food names between the north and the south.

For example, there was no sign of a full Irish breakfast in Belfast, but the Ulster Fry could be found on multiple menus. According to the local guide magazine I picked up the Ulster Fry is a full Irish breakfast minus the pudding, plus some potato bread and soda bread. We also noticed there was no mention of brown bread, but there was always wheaten bread.

Our first night we randomly stumbled upon McCrackens which was tucked away on a narrow side street. It turned out to be one of our favorite finds of the trip. It was a modern bar with the feel of a pub, full of some interesting history. I also had one of the most unique meals of the trip here.

First, I apologize for the bad quality picture, but I simply have to share this with you.

Salmon sausage!

The entire menu here was loaded with creativity and this was no exception. It was sausage made from salmon and it was served over creamed leeks with smoked salmon with potato slices. I’m hungry for it now just writing about it! The flavors were simply perfect.

Early the next morning, we made a quick stop at St. George’s Market on our way to the train station and our day trip to Giant’s Causeway. On our walk there I thought it was so cool to see modern milk jugs that had arrived in the early morning on the doorsteps of both restaurants and what looked to be apartment buildings.

Things were just getting set up at the market, but there was plenty to see. We snagged a blueberry and raspberry yogurt scone for breakfast and ate at the station.

Fresh Fish in St. George's Market Belfast

These were as good as they look. I noticed that the scones here were less of the mildly sweet variety like the fruit scones in the south and more of the sweet, pastry-like version we often see imitated in the States.

Next up was the gorgeous coast and Giant’s Causeway. I’m pretty sure these girls hanging out munching away redefine the term Happy Cows.

After the Causeway we squeezed in an unexpected visit to Bushmills Whiskey distillery. We hadn’t realized it would be so close and it turned out that it was even a bus stop on the route.

Our tour guide was not as informative as the one we had for the Smithwick’s brewery tour, but it was nice to see the grounds and gather what information we could. Of course, it’s never a bad thing when there is a sample at the end. Whiskey distillery tours are hard for us to fairly evaluate because we are exposed to some of the best available with our bourbon distilleries here in Kentucky.

Bushmills Distillery in Northern Irleand

For lunch we headed into the town of Bushmills to look around. We had spotted Hip Chip earlier in the day and lunch was enjoyed on a bench while splitting a take-out order of Fish n’ Chips. This is the way to go for fish n’ chips. It beats a sit-down restaurant order any day. After that we managed to find some whiskey flavored ice cream!

Once back in Belfast, a bit exhausted from our day of exploring, we set out to find The Kitchen Bar which I had read about. What caught my attention was the Paddy Pizza – pizza made with a soda bread crust! The place was packed with lots of people already out to celebrate their Friday night, but fortunately they were still serving food so we got a table.

I went with the Thai Fish cakes. These were tasty, but they had a lot more potato in them than fish. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting from the other fish cakes I’ve had.

My husband went for the pizza. This was an unexpected combo, but a good one. It had a white sauce, chicken, bell peppers, onion and cheese. The crust was brilliant and I plan to give it a shot in my own kitchen.

The next morning we squeezed in a quick walk to Queen’s University campus and the Botanic garden. I’m so glad we did because it ended up being my favorite part of the city. The gardens were beautiful and Botanic Avenue was lined with the cutest restaurants and cafes.

We ended up stopping at a French café for scones and coffee. Believe it or not this was the only place throughout the trip where I finally got my clotted cream. I had been on the lookout, but it just ended up that all the places I had scones only offered Irish butter. The best butter in the world, but butter.

I went for the cherry scone which ended up being made with maraschino cherries instead of fresh or dried, but it was still a tasty scone. My husband went for blueberry. It was the perfect quick stop to break up our walk. There were so many more things on their menu I would have loved to try.

Belfast was the one place that felt the most rushed to me and I think that was because we planned the day trip out to Giant’s Causeway. I wouldn’t trade the day trip, but I would’ve loved to have spent more time exploring the city. The great places we found offered unique food and we were surprised to finally find some craft brews. We did a lot of quick eating, but every bit of it was delicious.

Last stop – Dublin!

Food and Travel: Cork and Kinsale

July 26, 2011

A travel recap for Cork and Kinsale, Ireland — where to go, what to see and what to eat and drink!

As I start this mini-series of posts about our recent trip to Ireland, I have to admit I typically don’t travel there with high expectations for food. That doesn’t mean that I don’t like Irish food. I do. There are also specific types of foods and drinks that I always look forward to having – scones with clotted cream, brown bread, Irish coffee, the perfectly poured pints of Guinness.

It’s just that we often find it difficult to get out of the touristy areas and find something truly outstanding. There have been exceptions, but in general I don’t view my own foodie travel to Ireland as a mission to find new, creative foods, but rather to enjoy some expertly made favorites.

I’m happy to say that my expectations were blown out of the water this trip. Among a growing number of restaurants using amazing Irish ingredients, we also stumbled upon food creativity that inspired me. This year we had some of the best food we’ve experienced during any of our trips to Ireland.

I have so much to tell you about that I thought it would be easiest to share our adventures separated by the different areas of the country we traveled to this time. We set out to explore a few new spots including Cork, Kilkenny and Belfast. In each place we found markets, delicious food and even new ales and stouts.

We arrived in Dublin on a Sunday and immediately hopped on the train to Cork. We stayed in a quaint little B&B there with the friendliest of hosts, the Fernroyd House. We don’t have much experience with B&Bs because we tend to enjoy the amenities of hotels, but we decided that it was a good time to try out this type of accommodation.

Irish Scones | Fake Food Free | A trip to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland

We were greeted with freshly baked scones which we also had each of our two mornings there. These are 100% worthy of all the compliments they receive by previous guests. I later learned they use the recipe from Ballymaloe Cookery School, a place I really wanted to visit, but it was just too far out to fit it in this trip. They also source their jams locally. One variety we got to try was Blackberry Apple.

I might also mention that the rest of our breakfasts were equally delicious – Savory French Toast, Poached Free Range Egg over brown bread with Ballymaloe tomato relish, Porridge with Irish Honey and Full Irish Breakfast. Unfortunately a photo of the scones was all I got. One morning we had a minor malfunction with the camera card and the next day I forgot to bring it down.

We had some great dining and sight seeing suggestions from the B&B owner, Tony. One of them being Scotts on Caroline Street which we found to serve wonderful, locally sourced food. We both enjoyed the Seafood Chowder which included local seafood and Cork salmon.

White Chowder | Fake Food Free | A trip to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland

A trip to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free

I’m pretty sure my talk about my next course didn’t stop for two days. I ordered the Bruschetta, but this was unlike any other I’ve had before. This version included toasted baguette with red onion marmalade and a large, slightly warm slice of local goat cheese. It was outstanding and I can’t wait to recreate it.

Irish coffees were on special the day we were there so it was impossible to pass one up for dessert. Not only is this one of my favorite drinks, but I always love how neat they look in the glass.

Irish Coffee in Cork, Ireland | Fake Food Free

I knew that the English Market had to be a stop on our list and we made it there the next morning. It was full of so many beautiful foods – cheeses, fresh seafood with a special emphasis on Irish salmon, breads, marinated olives and meat, meat and more meat.

English Market in Cork, Ireland | Fake Food Free

Salmon at the English Market in Cork, Ireland | Fake Food Free

We didn’t get to eat at the well known Farm Gate restaurant at the market, but we did grab a bite at the café next door – a cheese sandwich (surprisingly tasty) and cappuccinos. There is just something about a good cappuccino in Europe. I have yet to have one as delicious, creamy and expertly made in the States at any location. We ordered many throughout our week, while also enjoying tea with milk and sugar from time to time.

Travel to Cork and Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free

We hadn’t researched much on what to do while in Cork and were surprised to learn we had so many options. We chose to head out to the coastal town of Kinsale (about a 30 min bus ride) to see Fort Charles and eat at the well known Fishy Fishy.

Fort Charles in Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free | Travel

The Fort was beautiful and historically intriguing. In addition, it was a long and hilly hike up so we worked up an appetite for our meal at Fishy Fishy.

We ordered the seafood chowder to start. It was delicious and very different from our first version at Scott’s. This used a tomato stock and was flavored with tarragon and coriander.

Kinsale, Ireland | Fake Food Free | Travel and Food

We followed this up by sharing the Steamed Local Mussels with basil and lemon butter and the Warm Salad of Chili Seafood with monkfish, shellfish and salmon. The salad also had fried potatoes and homemade potato chips on top. The mussels were very good, but still didn’t beat the mussels we had in Howth on the east coast on a previous visit. I enjoyed the seafood salad, I just wish the chili dressing had more of a spicy kick to it.

After a great meal of seafood we just had to stop at a place advertising ice cream made with milk from an Irish dairy – Baldwin’s Farmhouse Ice Cream. We both settled on Caramel Fudge. As far as ice cream goes, it doesn’t get much more perfect than this.

Lastly, I can’t forget to tell you about the stout. We had never heard of Beamish until we arrived in Cork. Apparently it is the original Irish Stout for the area and it’s still brewed there. We both agreed that it doesn’t have the same distinct flavor as Guinness, but it was still a very good beer.

Beamish Irish Stout | Fake Food Free | Travel in Cork and Kinsale, Ireland

As our B&B owner pointed out, it was also 80 cents cheaper than Guinness which meant we would always find locals drinking it. We ended up finding a bar or two in Dublin City that carried it on tap, but there and Cork were the only places we saw it. It seemed to be very unique to that area of the country.

As you can see, I most certainly was not lying about new and exciting food experiences this trip. The mix of old favorites and new finds in Cork and Kinsale exceeded my expectations!

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