Best Brunch #1

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Love What You Eat

I have recently made it a personal mission to work my way through 7×7 magazine’s list of the top ten brunch spots in the city, and review them here (oh, the sacrifices I make for this blog). Yesterday, I started with Bar Agricole, located on 11th and Mission in SOMA. This is a hidden gem in a lot of ways, starting with the fact that the entrance is easily missed, and the building sits back from grungy 11th street full of old newspapers and fast food wrappers. The building itself is really interesting, and as my boyfriend put it, “looks like the type of structure an architect designs and puts in his portfolio, but never actually builds.” The outside patio full of flowers is a great place to eat, and the whole restaurant was surprisingly un-crowded for a Sunday morning.

As for the food: I should extend a warning that Bar Agricole does not have extraordinary reviews on Yelp, but from what I gather people are less impressed with their dinner menu. The brunch was fresh and delicious, and there’s definitely something on the menu for everyone. We started with buckwheat beignets with rum raisins and whipped cream, which were gone before the waitress got back into the restaurant. I have no qualms about licking a plate clean, and this was definitely embarrass-yourself-in-public-worthy. We then had two egg dishes, both fresh and delicious. The scrambled eggs with leeks, chives, corn, and eggplant was simple and filling, though I have to admit not especially original (they make a similar omelet at Tangerine). The fried eggs with faro, braised lamb, roasted peppers, and salsa verde was really fantastic, and gets extra points for being interesting and original, mixing a myriad of flavors I would never have thought to put together. I scoped out the food on the next table over, and a part of me definitely felt some food envy for the semolina pancakes with strawberries, maple, and rosemary. Overall I’d say it’s tough to go wrong.

I give brunch spot #1 a rating of 7 out of 10, where a 10 is rarely attainable. Stop into Bar Agricole for brunch next time you’re in the SOMA area, and check into Love What You Eat over the next couple months for a look into the rest of the best brunch in the city. Love where you brunch, and love what you eat!

Bar Agricole
355 11th St.
San Francisco, CA
(415) 355-9400 (reservations recommended)

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Potatoly New

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Love What You Eat

When it comes to potatoes, I’m of the opinion that’s it tough to go wrong. Baked potatoes, french fries, hash-browns, gratin, mashed potatoes, gnocchi, potatoes chips, home-fries, latkes…I can’t think of a single way that I don’t enjoy eating them. So, when I stumble upon a new way of preparing potatoes, it’s pretty exciting. I learned how to make these in a recent cooking class, and they’re so damn tasty, I had to share. Introducing: CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES!

Ingredients:

12-15 baby potatoes (I like to use the multi-colored kind sold at Berkeley Bowl)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Toppings of any kind

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water about 1 inch over the top of the potatoes. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, but not falling apart (about 30 minutes).

While the potatoes are cooking, set up a double layer of clean dishtowels on the countertop. As the potatoes finish cooking, remove them individually from the water, let them drain and sit for a minute or two on the towels. Fold another dishtowel into quarters and, using it as a cover, gently press down on one potato at a time, using the palm of your hand to flatten it to a thickness of about ½ inch. They will break apart a bit, which is what makes them great! The idea here is that when you smash them, it creates much more surface area to become crispy when baked.

Transfer flattened potatoes to an oiled baking tray, using a spatula and allow to cool slightly. Preheat oven 450 degrees. Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining teaspoon of salt and drizzle each one with a little of the olive oil. Roast the potatoes until they are crispy and deep brown around the edges, about 30 minutes. Serve hot, with toppings like mustard seed butter, or sour cream with cheese and chives.

Enjoy, and love what you eat!

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Secret Family Recipe: Lemon Veal

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Love What You Eat

In my family, this dish has somewhat of a cult following. My mom made up the recipe years ago after trying something similar in a restaurant, and it has played such an important role in all of our lives. It was the meal that literally flew through the air during my mom’s last argument with her first husband, it’s the meal I have requested for my birthday dinner every year since I was tiny, and it’s the meal that I missed the most when I was in college. At some point my mom passed it on to me, and I have spent a couple years trying to learn to make it as perfectly as she does. With her permission, I am posting it here for all of you. There are no exact measurements, as it is a dish that you make to taste.

Note: this dish can absolutely be made with chicken or pork instead of veal, just make sure you adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Ingredients:
- four pieces of thinly pounded veal scaloppini
- 1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs (can be whole wheat or regular)
- 1 cup flour (can be whole wheat or regular)
- 2 eggs
- 2 small chicken bouillon cubes
- butter
- olive oil
- 2 lemons
- pasta of your choice
- 1 zucchini, cut into rounds

Directions:
1 ) Crack both eggs into a small bowl, and scramble a bit with a fork. Add about a teaspoon of water to thin them out
2 ) In a separate bowl or on a large plate, combine the breadcrumbs and flour, mix together
3 ) Boil salted water for pasta
4 ) In a separate small saucepan, boil 2 cups of water with the 2 bouillon cubes
5 ) Take your first piece of veal, dip in the flour mixture, coating on both sides
6 ) Coat veal in egg mixture, both sides
7 ) Put veal back in flour mixture, coating well on both sides
8 ) Repeat steps 5-7 with other pieces of veal, put all four pieces aside
9 ) In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter (enough of each to leave a thick layer on the bottom of the skillet) on medium high heat until the butter is bubbling
10 ) Put all four pieces of veal in skillet, making sure that they don’t overlap
11 ) After about 3-5 minutes, once the veal has a nice crust, flip the pieces over to cook on the other side for about 3-5 minutes
12 ) Turn the heat down to medium low, and add the bouillon broth (it shouldn’t fully cover the veal)
13 ) When pasta water boils, add pasta and cook to taste
14 ) Add the zucchini, cover the pan and let everything simmer for about 5-7 more minutes
15 ) Enjoy!

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Edible Multiculturalism

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Love What You Eat

Being Jewish, I have equated food with love since a very young age. There is something so comforting and special about smelling/seeing/tasting an ingredient or meal that reminds me of my family and background, and it didn’t occur to me as a child that this was something that happened in many cultures. One of my favorite non-food specific blogs (She Walks Softly) recently shared a link to one of the most interesting food blogs I’ve seen in a long time: Burgers Here and There. Essentially, it is a blog tracking one woman’s mission to represent 192 countries by crafting a burger using ingredients native to or representative of each country. She gives the ingredient list and recipe for each one, and sometimes explores the process of researching and putting together the final product. It is truly fascinating what she’s come up with, and quite honestly, I hadn’t even heard of many of the countries she’s representing. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Love where you’re from, love who you are, and love what you eat.

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It’s My Birthday, and I’ll Cook If I Want To

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Love What You Eat

Today, I turn 24 years old. This is not an especially exciting number. It does gain any new privileges, move me on to a new phase of life, or even warrant any kind of special celebration. However, I’ve always felt that birthdays are exceptional and important, because they are built-in reminders of how quickly time passes, and they allow us to reevaluate our place in this crazy and unpredictable world (they are also a perfect excuse to go out to a nicer-than-usual restaurant or request your favorite home-cooked meal). This year, my birthday and New Year’s resolution has to do with my tendency toward “all or nothing thinking,” and my desire to lead a more balanced life. This is applicable to me in many shapes and forms, but for the sake of this post, I’ll explain it as it relates to food.

When I cook, I am generally making one of two types of meals: 1) minimal, non-effortful, and lazy, such as boxed mac and cheese, or 2) extravagant, difficult, time-consuming, stress-inducing, perfectly plated, gourmet (or at least I try), specifically timed, and for a large audience. And when these crazy meals don’t turn out perfectly, I find myself feeling very disappointed. I beat myself up about it, apologize profusely to my guests, and end up losing my appetite all together. Intellectually, I know this is ridiculous. Just as it is with any activity, hobby, or skill of life, cooking takes practice, and sometimes you have to do it wrong a couple times before you can figure out how to do it right.

This coming year, I’m hoping to allow myself that practice, to cook more often, and to cut myself a little slack. Truth be told, the people I cook for are far less picky than I am, and will eat whatever is put in front of them happily. They likely wouldn’t have a clue if I’d make a mistake, and even if they did, they would understand. I recently received the sound advice not to disclose my menu in advance, so that if something goes wrong, I can improvise accordingly and no one would be the wiser. I hope you all will take a few extra cooking risks this year as well. If you think you can’t cook, you’re wrong. Just keep on trying until something comes out right (I promise it will eventually), and don’t be too hard on yourself if it takes a good number of tries. I’ll be right there with you, dearest readers, so love what you cook, and love what you eat!

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Sexy Cylon Shout-Out

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Love What You Eat

Anytime my blog gets a shout-out from somewhere fantastic, I can’t help but feel especially honored. Today, one of my very sexiest food-crazy friends, Alessandra Torresani, gave tribute to Love What You Eat on her blog, The Bambola Factory. You might recognize Alessandra from her role as Zoe on the Battlestar Galactica prequel show: Caprica, or from her numerous other fantastic roles (she’s appeared on CSI, Arrested Development, and Malcolm In the Middle, to name a few). I’ve known this spunky cylon since kindergarten, and since then she has acquired quite the cult following. If Alessandra likes something, then people know it must be good! So you should definitely check out her blog to see her latest post about Love What You Eat and yours truly, as well Alessandra’s wild and crazy life. Love what you read everyone, and love what you eat!

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Blimpy Burger: If You’re Ever In Ann Arbor

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Love What You Eat

Any seasoned Californian knows that In-N-Out Burger is the place to go for high quality, quick, and delicious fast food. Fortunately for us (but unfortunately for everyone else), In-N-Out has decided not to be tainted by national franchise-ation, and remains only in California (with a few locations in surrounding states). So, whenever I encounter a burger joint elsewhere that even mildly compares, I take note.

One such place is Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Blimpy was introduced to me many years ago when I began my undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan (GO BLUE!). I was taken there by a new boyfriend when I was craving a burger, but didn’t think there was anywhere nearby that could compare to my beloved In-N-Out. Needless to say it hit the spot, and I continued to eat there throughout my time at U of M (that relationship also went on to last all four years of college…I guess Blimpy is that good).

The secret to Blimpy’s craving-satisfying-goodness, in my opinion, is the thin patties and interesting add-ons. Only kids can get a single-patty burger, while adults can choose from two, three, four, or five patties. You can technically get more, and there have been many Blimpy burger-eating contests in the past (at my last visit, the record was 21 patties with 21 slices of cheese), but I wouldn’t recommend more than four unless you’re a serious meat-craver.

For all you Blimpy virgins, the one thing you must keep in mind is the strict ordering policy. If you take your sweet-ass time, answer your cell phone, don’t know what you’re doing, or give any attitude, be prepared to get kicked out. I’ve personally been yelled at by the fry-cook multiple times. On the other hand, if you learn the rules and order correctly, you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic meal. I personally recommend the double with cheese, grilled onions, and a fried egg on a Kaiser roll. Add an order of deep-fried veggies and the phenomenal bottled root beer that I’ve only ever found at Blimpy, and you’re set.

Blimpy was recently profiled on the Food Network show: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, which you should definitely check out if you want to know more. Enjoy, Ann Arbor readers, and love what you eat!

Blimpy Burger Menu

Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger
551 South Division
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

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Peanut Butter and Jealous

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Love What You Eat

Picture, if you will, that you’re at a nice restaurant for your fourth/fifth/sixth date with a new love interest. You’re chatting amicably, secretly sneaking peaks at the kitchen hoping that your dinner will present itself soon. Finally, your food arrives, and as it is placed in front of you, you have a sudden flicker of doubt. “Crap,” you think to yourself, “my food does not look nearly as good as his does.” You look down at your plate…then across the table at your companion’s plate…then back at your own. You taste your dish, and it is decent, but you just know it’s not as good as what is sitting across from you.

This is where you can try the classic, “Hey uh…wanna try mine?” If you’re lucky, they accept, and offer you a bite back, which will inevitably go one of two ways. On the one hand, their food might be less delicious than you thought, and you can happily go back to concentrating on your own dish (and the date). On the other hand, if their food is absolutely fabulous, and you instantly regret your decision not to order what they did, then what you are experiencing, is “food envy.” This is one of the most difficult emotions for me to process, because in this moment, I have trouble concentrating on anything else at all. Every now and then, you can subtly offer to “share” or even “switch.” This is uncommon though, as it is likely that if you like their food better, then they probably will too.

Because this situation is so difficult to cure, I try instead to take a preventative approach. When I go out to eat with someone and there is more than one tempting entrée on the menu, I generally offer upfront to share the two dishes I am interested in (confidence in your knowledge of food can go a long way here). Or if they are resistant to this, I try to ensure that we order the same dish. This can prevent the dreaded food envy, and if you are good as sussing out the best dishes, they will continue to let you choose the entrées on every date. I hope this helps the next time you’re staring across the table with hope in your eyes and drool on your chin. Love what you order, readers, and love what you eat!

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Black Bean Tart with Chili Crust and Lime-Infused Sour Cream

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Love What You Eat

This is one of those meals that is 1000 times better than it looks and sounds. Really. It tastes a bit like a high class burrito, but in tart form, and is a great vegetarian dinner option. Because the corn is fresh instead of canned, the whole tart has a crisp kick, and the cheese ties everything together with melty scrumptiousness. Also, it’s easier to make than it seems, and it turned out well even the first time I attempted it. To round out the meal, I suggest making some fresh guacamole and salsa to serve with it.

For crust:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into bits
  • 2 tablespoons ice water
  • raw rice, beans, or pie weights for weighting shell

For filling:

  • 3 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh corn (cut off cob)
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander sprigs, washed well, dried and sliced
  • 1 1/2 coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
  • 2 fresh jalapeno chilis, seeded and finely diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped scallions

For lime sour cream:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

Supplies:

  • 10-inch tart pan with removable fluted rim
  • aluminum foil
  • pie weights (or uncooked rice/beans)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Make crust:

In a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor, blend or pulse together flour, spices, and salt until combined well. Add butter and blend or pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and blend or pulse until incorporated and mixture forms a dough.

Press dough evenly onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim and chill 15 minutes, or until firm. Line shell with foil and fill with rice. Bake shell in middle of oven until edge is set (8 to 10 minutes). Carefully remove foil and rice and bake crust 10 minutes more, or until golden. Cool crust in pan on a rack. Crust may be made 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature, covered loosely with plastic wrap.

Make lime sour cream:

In a bowl, whisk sour cream and lime juice with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and put in fridge.

Make filling:

In a food processor, puree 1 cup cooked or canned beans with sour cream until smooth and season with a bit of salt and pepper.

In a skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, and saute corn with salt and pepper to taste, stirring (about 2 minute). Cool corn.

In a large bowl, stir together corn, whole beans, bell pepper, coriander, Monterey Jack, jalapenos, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread bean puree evenly onto crust and mound with remaining filling, pressing gently. Bake tart in middle of oven (about 20 minutes), or until hot and cheese is melted. Let tart cool in pan on a rack (about 15 minutes).

Remove rim of pan and serve tart warm or at room temperature with lime sour cream.

Serves 6

(Recipe adapted from Gourmet January 1996)

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Sex and the Foodie

Posted on October 17, 2010 by Love What You Eat

As many of you may have noticed, my posts often compare food to sex in one way or another (Food In Bed and Multiple Foodgasms are good examples). There are many reasons for this. Firstly, they’re both awesome. I think that’s something we can all agree on. Secondly, they’re both necessary for survival…and it has always been my opinion that if there is something (or someone) that you have to do often, you might as well enjoy it. If you’re going to spend one third of your life sleeping, why wouldn’t you make sure that your bed kicks ass in every way? If you’re going to eat three meals per day (minimum), why not go the extra mile to find delectable and fulfilling food? To better express my point, I’m busting out some scientific evidence (you’ll have to forgive me…this is what happens when you embark on the all-consuming journey that is graduate school).

The ways in which food, sex, and pleasure are tied together are complex and not yet fully understood. However, a lot of it can be brought back to a certain (and important) chemical produced in many parts of the brain: dopamine. We’ve known for a long time that dopamine is implicated in feelings of pleasure, arousal, desire, attraction, reward, and more. Recently however, dopamine has been proven to be largely responsible for and correlated with the expectation of pleasure. It is released before we get what we want, in order to get us moving.

So, for example, our brain produces dopamine when we see a picture of a gorgeous half-naked man or woman in order to push us toward an important (and pleasurable) part of life: sex. Similarly, dopamine is released when we smell or see desirable food. We are then primed to expect pleasure from this food, and are motivated to acquire it. When the food is satisfying or delicious, more dopamine is released, signaling pleasure. It’s like a dopamine sandwich: it is released so that we expect pleasure, we satisfy the craving, and then it is released to reward our choice. This cycle is reinforcing, which is why we seek food and sex even when there is no visual stimulus present.

When there are many options presented to us (whether we’re at the bar sizing people up, or looking over an extensive menu), dopamine helps signal the expected amount of pleasure that we will receive from each possible outcome (am I going to enjoy the chicken more…or the steak?). We then use these signals to make our choice.

For this reason, I urge you in the future to, literally, follow your bliss. I understand that it’s not possible to eat lavishly at every meal (just as sometimes, you only have time for a quickie on your way out the door). But when it is possible, go for it. Take the extra hour to cook yourself exactly what you’re craving, or bring someone you love (or just enjoy) to a restaurant serving food that moves you. Take a moment between each fantastic bite to notice how happy you are about it, and keep that pleasure cycle going. Your mind (and body) will thank you.

Enjoy sexy readers, and love what you eat!

(Information acquired from years of psychology reading and: Sharot et al (2009). Dopamine enhances expectation of pleasure in humans. Current Biology. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.10.025)

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