Pigging out in Brooklyn

While I was recently staying in Brooklyn I got the chance to eat at this super cute low profile new restaurant called Lulu & Po in Fort Greene. The names Lulu & Po come from the chef and owner Matthew Hamilton’s daughter and wife. It’s a small – maybe 30 seat spot that feels like the coziest family / neighborhood restaurant.

The menu is made up of mostly small plates. But not in that annoying teenie-tiny way. They are thoughtfully put together and with the big current trend of focusing on seasonal vegetables and using meat as a side dish. Stating that – what really coxed me in was the call of Bone Marrow Tacos – two big bones served with corn tortillas, cilantro, pickled onions, capers and parsley which brightened the dish up nicely. My marrow craving was truly satisfied.

Bone Marrow Tacos

My dinner guest and Brooklyn host Kristofer has recently turned vegetarian – I don’t know if it was because of the three 22 pound turkeys I cooked in his apartment last Thanksgiving or the side of pork I roasted in the dead of winter last year or not. But he is a great eater and wasn’t shy about tasting a piece of the succulent pork belly I ordered after the tacos.

The vegetable dishes were outstanding and we kept adding more of those delicious little plates to our table. Standouts included the Sweet Corn Succotash, the grilled pizza dough with house made ricotta and the summer squash with brown butter and almonds.

Summer Squash with Brown Butter and Almonds

As we were wrapping up dinner I noticed the table next to us had order the Beef Burger – it was starting to haunt me. I asked our server if the kitchen would make me one to-go. She said they didn’t serve to-go food but would ask. The kitchen looked over at me and I told them I wasn’t getting off work until 5AM that next morning and would desperately need that burger. It arrived wrapped in foil. And, I ate the entire thing after DJing at Vandam all night. It  would have been amazing hot – but at 5AM it was just perfect cold.

Beef Burger

I can’t wait to go back there in the winter.

Kristofer and I

Kristofer and I after a long night.

Squash Blossom Soup

Squash Blossom Soup

I love walking by a produce stand during the summer and seeing a big pile of squash blossoms. There bright color always catches me by surprise. Stuffing them with cheese and frying them seems to be their most familiar face on a menu. At home I find that too much work. I prefer them in a simple soup. Their delicate summer flavor deserves to be highlighted.

The following recipe is inspired by the cookbook author Diana Kennedy. Her book The Art of Mexican Cooking has been a staple in my kitchen since it was first printed in 1989. This recipe is so simple I don’t see the need to add any measurements or much direction.

Coarsely chop a big bunch of squash blossoms (remove the stems) and place into two large soup bowls. Heat some homemade chicken stock to a boil and pour over the chopped squash blossoms. Let your guests garnish the soup with chopped white onion, diced serrano chiles, queso fresco, chopped cilantro and a little chopped chipolte chile. If you want a more substantial soup – add some cooked white rice and shredded cooked chicken.

Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Foie gras everynight until July…

I’ve sang praises about award-winning / Iron Chef Traci Des Jardins many times in the past. But as the month of June quickly heads to its end – the only thing on my mind is eating any dish Traci serves with foie gras.

I first got a taste of it when she was working at Rubicon and have not had any better since. Every time I stop into her restaurant Jardinere – it’s the first thing I look for on the menu. I’ve been known to sit at the bar (the most genuine bar staff in town) and order the foie gras terrine and also add to that the foie gras appetizer off of the dinner menu. Hey – I’m old enough to do what I want to do.

Starting July 1st California law goes into effect banning foie gras. We will be the first state in the country to ban it. And that is hard to swallow from a San Francisco foodie. The ban has spun a frenzy – driving the demand and prices at its highest. I’m gonna try to see Traci as often as I can this month – I sure hope she has stocked up.

Eat me is what I have to say to the California legislature that passed the law in 2004.

James Beard Honors Jones Bar-B-Q

Someday when I travel to Arkansas this will be the first place I stop to eat. The prestigious James Beard Award of America’s Classics went to Jones Bar-B-Q in Arkansas. James Jones is both owner and pitmaster, a one-man whirlwind in a tiny two-table restaurant. Jones Barbecue diner dates back to at least 1910 and it may be the oldest black family-owned restaurant in the south. James Jones says, “The way it’s going for some reason it’s not gonna last long.”

Pulled pork sandwich on Wonder Bread

Max Newman Eats Out

Max Newman Eats Out

Max Newman

I love Max and I love his family. He is one of a handful of people I know in this transient city that was born and raised here. Though he has spent some time in LA and on the East Coast – I’m glad he’s back here and has settled into an awesome adventure in pastries. He is one of three bakers at Black Jet Baking Co. They have gotten a lot of press for their PoPs – a modern take on the classic toaster favorite Pop tarts.

PoPs - Image by Paige Green

But it’s their pies that have truly gained them the most respect. During the holiday season they take special orders and ship all over the USA. Pretty awesome. They’ve recently set up shop at the Ferry Building and their concoctions can also be found at numerous cafes, roasters and stores throughout the city.

Image by Paige Green

Max Newman answers my foodie questionnaire here:

What is your favorite dessert?

My mom’s olallieberry pie. We’ve gone to pick our own berries every summer in Half Moon Bay since I was a kid. But at a restaurant I like any of the stuff Zoe over at Outerlands comes up with. She’s a real whiz, makes the best fudge in the world!

What restaurant would you call your home?

I don’t get to eat out much, but recently I’ve been excited about a Vietnamese place in Oakland’s Chinatown called Cam Huong Deli. Its probably the restaurant I’ve returned to most often over the last six months. It’s a busy little lunch counter with some of the best people watching in the bay. I like to order the Bun Bo Hue, or the Ban Xeo and watch all the ladies that work there hustle in and out of the kitchen…..

What is the strangest or most inspiring thing you’ve ever eaten?

That’s a tough one… I can’t think of anything too strange that I’ve eaten. At Mission Street Food I once had a dessert that really inspired me. It was a salty oatmeal sandwich cookie with a gooey cream filling served with a glass of chamomile milk. It was so simple, suggestive, and balanced. A perfect end to an intense meal.

What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid?

Grape Nuts of course. Still is….

What is your favorite food to pig-out on after the club?

Popcorn. Or Grape Nuts. Or peanut butter by the spoonful. San Francisco needs more places for late night drunk snacks…

Max Newman

Here’s an awesome video about Black Jet Bakery Co.

Colin Kull Eats Out

Colin Kull Eats Out

Colin Kull

Collin Kull has been working at Tartine Bakery & Cafe in the Mission for a little over a year now. He considers himself a jack-of-all-trades at Tartine – but truly loves producing many of the wonderful croissants and cakes that line the pastry case.

I have a soft spot for a few things at Tartine – things that I won’t bother attempting in my kitchen – like their bread, morning buns, banana cream tart, and the Devil’s food cake. You don’t know how many times I’ve wished someone would bring me that damn cake at 10 o’clock at night.  Since settling this year in San Francisco Colin has managed to find his way into my life via Booty Call Wednesdays and other special events. I hope to get a private lesson on how to roll out a nice rich buttery dough from him soon or a special late-night cake delivery.

Colin Kull answers my foodie questionnaire here:

What is your favorite dessert?

I would have to say a Hazelnut Dacquoise. One of my first plated desserts as a pastry chef was this. It is a five layer two bite dessert. Its a japonaise meringue (hazelnut) layered with swiss meringue espresso buttercream and ganache. Finished with a dense coating of cocoa powder and crushed candied hazelnuts. So tasty!

What restaurant would you call your home?

Thats a tough one. I’d have to go between El Castillito on Church & Duboce or Sushi Time which is tucked away in that strange “mall” on Market next to Books Inc. Castillito wins for most frequented due to the closeness to my house and the delicious carne asada burritos. The men definitely know me and my order there. But when I am not chowing down on a burrito I am most likely craving sushi. Sushi Time is such a small intimate hole in the wall. I love that it seats 15 people max. There rolls are delicious and well priced.

What is the strangest or most inspiring thing you’ve ever eaten?

When I was living in Italy we had to castrate pigs one day and…well, for lunch that day we fried up the testicles and everyone around the table tried it. The actual flavor and texture wasn’t terrible, but psychologically it was rough on us. Some of the older Italian men could not believe that we would eat such a thing. That was definitely more strange than inspiring.

What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid?
Peanut Butter Captain Crunch! I used to eat it by the handful. No milk!

What is your favorite food to pig-out on after the club?

I seem to end up at CyBelles more often than not eating their greasy, meaty, delicious pizza!

I dreamt of Ty-Lor A Boring – Top Chef Season 9 Contestant

If you are a Top Chef fan then you’ve probably guessed that I’m so on Team Tylor – so much so that I had a dream about him last night.

I dreamt that we had a cooking challenge at my grandmothers house – we had to use only ingredients that were on the property. Lucky for us the garden was always amazing. Everything she planted grew. Including an abundance of fruit trees – avocado, persimmon, grapefruit, orange, Meyer lemon, Santa Rosa plums & passion fruit. We were doing great until you decided to run off and find a pigs heart.

Go Tylor!!!

Image / Greg Endries

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

Everyone has their favorite version of a brownie. I’ve fallen in love with two in my lifetime.

A great friend of mine named Brigitte and I worked at Dean and Delucca in Manhattan years ago. She was a really amazing girl and a very talented baker. Her Belgian triple chocolate brownie was definitely her triumph. It was chocked full of chunky pieces of dark chocolate in rich dark brownie cake. Irresistible, delicious and decadent all at the same time. I’d go over to her apartment to hang out with her – but would be secretly trying to see what was in her in kitchen that she put in those things! Its a shame that I can’t locate her website at the moment – it just might be down. Because they would take your order, bake and ship them in a day. Now I’m going crazy trying to find Brigitte’s Brownies!

My other favorite is from pastry chef Emily Luchetti. She currently creates award-winning desserts at Farallon and Water Bar in San Francisco. Its pretty common to find a Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie recipe almost anywhere these days. But knowing that such an accomplished pastry chef created these well before the boxed version was available on your grocery shelfs makes me feel a lot more comfortable about baking them. This recipe was created when she was the Executive Pastry Chef at Jeremiah Towers Stars restaurant.

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
7 ounces (1 3/4 sticks) soft sweet butter
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour
Pinch of salt
20 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9- by 13-inch pan. You can line it with parchment paper if you like.

Chopping the Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate

Melt the chocolates in a double boiler. Allow to cool slightly.

Combine the butter and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, cream on medium speed until light and fluffy. Continuing to mix, add 3 of the eggs and beat well. Stir in the melted chocolates and mix until smooth. Decrease to low speed and stir in the flour and salt.

Spread the chocolate batter evenly in the bottom of the pan, reserving 1 cup for later use.

Chocolate batter in pan

Combine the cream cheese and the remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a clean bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs and the vanilla extract and again beat until smooth.

Even layer of cream cheese mixture on top of the chocolate

Spread the cream cheese mixture in an even layer over the chocolate batter. Scatter spoonfuls of the reserved chocolate batter over the cream cheese mixture. With a knife, swirls the chocolate batter into the cream cheese mixture, creating a marble pattern.

The swirled batters together

Bake the brownies for 50 to 55 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a moist crumb.

Brownies cooking on the rack

Cool for a least 1-hour before cutting. Yields 1 dozen.

Food Revolution

I love Jamie Oliver AKA The Naked Chef – who is working hard to make America eat better. And, there are a lot of things I love about his 2nd season show titled ” Food Revolution”. I love the passion and energy he has to try and get America to eat better. America is terribly obese. Two years ago I went to Disneyland for the day with some friends. Disneyland is such a melting pot of our country. Everyone comes to this imaginary land young and old. And, it was terrible obvious how overweight this country is. There were entire parents that couldn’t get on rides with their children. Instead they spent there time at the food stands. Not one of which was serving anything healthy. The bulk of food at Disneyland is pre-made, pre-packaged or deep fried. One child was holding a sugary sweet super-sized soda with both of his little hands – it was almost the length of his arm. Jazzy’s and wheelchairs zipped around the overweight elders throughout the park. So I want America to believe in Jamie Oliver. I kinda believe in Jamie Oliver. But, in watching “Food Revolution” this past week I started to notice how out of shape, pudgy and plain old unhealthy he looks. I hope he finds time to create a healthier diet for himself. It would make be believe in him even more. And, I want to see the old Naked Chef again.