New Hampshire Culinary Adventures :)

Hey All! I have just recently returned from a trip out to New Hampshire to see my Zachariah! I could go on and on about the beauty of New England, especially in the the Autumn, but for the sake of brevity I'll try and keep my amazement confined to the culinary :)

One of our favorite places in Keene, NH for a slightly upscale/celebratory but still totally relaxed lunch or dinner is Luca's Mediterranean Cafe'. As the name implies, their cuisine is largely inspired by Italy, Greece, Spain, coastal France, etc. The stucco walls, the candlelight, the soft music, and the consistently awesome service make for quite the romantice evening :) I'm sure Luca's would be great for larger group celebrations too. And, side note, they have great bathrooms! In the ladies room (which is immaculate) there are bobby and safety pins, hair spray, lotion, a brush and best of all, a little guest book people are encouraged to sign and leave their impressions of the restaurant :)

On this most recent visit, we had an appetizer of Pumpkin Ravioli with a Brown Butter Sauce and sauteed raisins and pumpkin seeds on top. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of raisins, but they TOTALLY worked here. For entrees, Zach had the Chicken Francaise, and I had the Three Cheese Ravioli with roasted tomatoes and artichoke hearts with a Lemon Arugula Pesto Sauce. For dessert, we shared NUTELLA GELATO! (*long wistful sigh*). I would love to show you the pictures of these beautiful meals, unfortunately, they are on Zach's camera, and he has yet to upload them, so, if you know Zach, get him to post them on FB and then you can see them :) Until then , here is a link to Luca's if you care to peruse :)

One of the other great culinary portions of the trip was an unplanned visit to Burdick's Restaurant in Walpole, NH. We had spent the morning picking Honey Crisp Apples at Alyson's Apple Orchard in Walpole, and Burdick's was the lunch recommendation of one of the locals. Being that Walpole is basically as "quaint New England" as it gets, I was expecting something rustic, charming, salt of the earth, you know, "New-England-ish" I was most certainly not expecting a beautiful French style Bistro/Cafe with a gourment chocolate shop attatched to it! Burdick's won massive brownie points with me when the waitress told us not only that almost everything in the store was locally sourced and organic, she could also tell us which farms the greens/meat/cheese had come from! It was even printed on the menu! The prices were totally reasonable, as were the portions. That is something we need to get the hang of here in the U.S. In a truly European style restaurant, you can go all the way from appetizer to dessert and coffee and still not feel stuffed, just pleasantly satisfied :) Luckily, I did have my camera with me this time :) Our first course was Crostini with local cheese, apples and homemade fig preserves. For the main course, Zach had the beef stew and I had the warm goat cheese salad with walnuts, honey and lemon dressing:) (*swoooooon*) Oh, and as a side note, can someone PLEASE teach me how to upload photos to my blog and have them appear within the text and NOT at the top of the page? How do I make it not do that?!?! GAH!

Lastly, after picking all those yummy apples, some pie baking was certainly in order :) We made four apple crumble pies and there were enough apples for easily eight more, but some, of course, must be eaten raw and fresh :) Enclosed please find pictures and the EASIEST apple crumble topping recipe I have ever found. I love the rich flavor that the brown sugar imparts. This topping could go on pies, crisps, crumbles, heck, mix it in with your granola, top oatmeal with it, sprinkle it on plums or figs and stick them under the broiler with a little goat cheese or creme fraiche or honey, whatever your little heart desires :)

Crumble Topping

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1 cup all purpose flour

-1/4 cup (2 oz.) cold butter, diced

- In medium bowl, mix together sugar and flour. Mix in butter with two forks, pastry blender or stand mixer until crumbly. Sprinkle onto pie/crisp/etc, whatever you are baking.

This recipe makes enough for about one pie/crisp/yummy baked thing, and can easily be doubled, tripled, etc, to meet your needs :) And hey, I'll admit it, I snatched up a few handfuls and ate it raw.....what? *shifty eyes* It's butter and sugar, COME ON! *nom!*

Love to All :)

Lynn

PLEASE Read This Book!!!

Hey All!

I'm gonna switch it up just a bit here for this post, and instead of a recipe, I'm going to give you a book recommendation. I have just finished reading *French Women Don't Get Fat* by Mireille Guiliano, and honestly, I don't know a single person who wouldn't benefit from reading it, foodie and non-foodie alike, allow me to link you:

Here is the author's personal website: http://www.mireilleguiliano.com/

Here is a website dedicated to the book: http://frenchwomendontgetfat.com/

And here is a link if you care to purchase the book for yourself (I'd let you borrow mine, but I'm going to be referencing it too often to share, sorry folks) http://www.amazon.com/French-Women-Dont-Get-Fat/dp/0375710515/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252970219&sr=1-1

Where do I start? Firstly, although there is a great deal of weight loss advice in this book, I would absolutely NOT classify it as a diet book. As you are quick to learn, the concept of dieting is a very American ideal, one that is all but foreign to European women, especially French women. Guiliano is French, born and raised. She neither a doctor nor a nurtitionist, on the contrary, she is the CEO of Veuve Clicquot Champagne , and her credentials are those of a woman who loves life, loves food, and has, after years of living on two continents, taken a hard look at the differences between the American and European relationship to food.

In brief: America is virtually the only culture on earth that associates guilt with food. We ignore hunger signals, have lost touch with what truly satisifies us, and are driven more by a compulsive need to imbibe than actual desire for sustenance. That is not to say that this book is all "gloom and doom". In reality, it is one of the happiest books I have ever read. Her skill at describing food and other sensual pleasures of life is right up there with the food writing styles of Nigella Lawson and Mario Batali, both of whom I adore and idolize. Her message in simple, eat mindfully, enjoy all things in moderation, find sensuality and joy in all you do, never associate guilt with eating, the key to health and happiness is BALANCE. Again, I have to stress the fact that this is not a diet book, it is a book about learning to moderate your pleasures and passions, so that you own them and they do not own you.

And, of course, the book has many recipes that look absolutely LUSCIOUS!!! I can't wait to try them!!! (Reminder, this book was written by a French woman, and last time I checked, the French knew a thing or two about YUMMY). She includes suggestion for soups, snacks, main courses and desserts, as well as tips and recipes for baking your own bread and making yogurt at home.

I honestly don't know what else to say, I loved this look, loved loved loved :) I think it would be especially beneficial for women to read, but men would certainly get a lot out of it too. It is so absolutely refreshing to read a book that's about building a healthy relationship with food as opposed to a book that preaches deprivation and diet plans. I know so many women who have very unhealthy relationships with food, and in certain ways and at certain times of my life I am/have been one of those women too. Please, please read this book, I promise you, if you love life, pleasure, cooking, eating, Europe, food, writing, or just need to read something life affirming, you will not be disappointed :)

Adieu :)
Lynn

I'm Back!!!! (Pasta Salad Anyone?)

Hello Everyone!

I am SO SORRY about the long delay, you have no idea how I've been longing to write a blog post. But as you may recall from my last posting, I moved recently, and the packing, traveling, unpacking, red tape, and everything else involved with moving has kept me really too busy to cook or photograph anything blog- worthy, not to mention sit down at the computer for long periods of time. However, now I am all settled back in at my Mom's place (I'll be regrouping here until the next adventure life sends me on) and the internet connection is soooo much better here which means I won't be at the mercy of signal strength every time the fancy strikes me to write a blog post :)

As some of you may or may not know, last week was my grandparents 60th Wedding Anniversary! Whee! In addition, yesterday was also my Grandfather's 83rd birthday (yay Poppa John!) So, we had a bunch of family over yesterday for an Anniversary/Birthday/Labor Day BBQ :) The festivites abounded, and it was a ton if fun. The recipe I would like to feature in this particular post is for a Tri-Color Pasta Salad :) Can I just take a moment to say how much I love a good Pasta Salad? Something about the cold or room-temp pasta with whatever ingredients strike your fancy is just so refreshing. Personally, I like my Pasta Salads without mayo, but there are some good mayo-based pasta salads too, no question. I'm not gonna yap too much more about this recipe, as the ingredient list kinda speaks for itself, But other than being DELISH, it's mayo-free, travels well, all the ingredients can be purchased year-round in the regular grocery store, and it's PRETTY! This recipe was adapted from the Pappardelle's Palm Springs Pasta Salad:) To learn more about the RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME Pappardelle's Pasta , go here:

And now, the recipe:

Tri-Colore Pasta Salad:

-1lb Tri-Colore Pasta, any small to medium shape is fine

-1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped

-1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn

-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

-1/2 cup Kalamata Olives, whole or chopped (Green Greek Olives would work well too)

-Extra Virgin Olive Oil OR reserved oil from the sundried tomatoes for drizzling

-3 tablespoons vinegar (my personal choices would be red wine or apple cider, but use the one you like the best)

-Salt and Pepper to taste

-Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al-dente, drain, rinse, drain a second time (normally I'm not a fan of rinsing my pasta, I feel like you lose the good starchy-ness, but in this case, you need to stop the cooking process, other wise you get soggy pasta and no one likes that)

-Add all remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Taste, adjust seasonings until you're happy with it :)

-The salad can be served immediately at room temperature, but really, I think it's better if you let it chill out in the fridge for a few hours, and let the flavors blend :)

It won't be almost a month before my next post, I SWEAR!

Love to All!

Lynn

A Random Collection of Tasty Restaurants :)

Hey All!

Again, I must apologize for the delay between posts. The last few weeks have been a flurry of activity. My Master's Portfolio was completed, submitted, and accepted! I am now offcially done, and I have a Master's Degree in Arts for Children! Go me! *victory dance!* Also, I have been packing up to move. Due to my lease and my job coming to an end, and the fact that with the end of my degree comes the end of my financial aid cushion, I am temporarily moving home to Syracuse, NY. I need to regroup for a few months, and replenish my energy and monetary reserves. Although I will miss the friends I have made here very much, in many ways I am looking forward to going home for a little while. And since I have been living primarily in Rochester since undergrad, I am really looking forward to exploring the changes in the Syracuse local food scene while I have been away.



On that note, for those of you read my blog and live in the greater Rochester/Central or Western New York area, I decided to make a list of some of my favorite local places to eat around here. This list is by no means complete, I may annotate it in later posts, and please, if there's a Rochester-ish place you really like, and I've neglected to post it here, please feel free to add comments that include your faves:



So, quickly, off the cuff, here are some of my favorites:



The Mythos Cafe in Brockport, NY:

-Primarily Mediterranean, this place has the best dolmades, the best tzatziki, and some of the best gyro meat I've ever had. Their pasta dishes and salads are lovely too. Dessert-wise, everything is delicious, though I would personally recommend the Baklava and the Chocolate Decadence (imagine the BEST fudge you've ever had, only BETTER) (UPDATE: Sadly, this restaurant closed very suddenly in 2012, which broke my little Greek-Food obsessed heart *sniff*)



The Millhouse Restaurant in Brockport, NY

-Your basic family restaurant/upscale diner, this place has big portions, reasonable prices, it's very clean, the menu is extensive, they serve breakfast all day, and they make a KICKASS Milkshake :) They don't have a website, but their street address is 3670 Lake Road, Brockport, NY, 14420. Their phone number is (585)637-7050



Sakura Home in Pittsford, NY

-A fairly new upscale Japanese restaurant, this place has a lovely atmosphere, and the Sushi ROCKS! They have several Hibachi tables, but my personal recommendation would be to sit in the regular dining room and order a la carte. Everything on their menu is good, but I would go for any of the appetizers, the sushi, or one of their several noodle dishes. Extra Bonus, they bring hot towels to the table for your hands :)

The Cibon Cafe in Rochester, NY (Park Avenue neighborhood)
-Nestled in the massively awesome Park Avenue District, Cibon is hands-down one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever eaten in, lots of Red, Black and Gold, with a definite European/Art Nouveau feel. There is only one dish there that I don't care for, and that is their Pasta Puttanesca (it's well-made, just not to my particular taste), but literally everything else I've ever had there is delicious. They also have an extensive wine bar and list of cafe drinks. This is perfect place to while away an evening, either for a long cozy dinner chat, or if you wanna feel all European and fancy-pantsy.

Jines Restaurant in Rochester, NY
- Also in the Park Avenue district, Jines has been around FOREVER and if you eat there just one time, you'll know why. I would call it an upscale diner kinda place, but their menu is so creative and extensive, it really defies categorization. My personal recommendation would be the Lamb and Feta Burger, but honestly, you can't go wrong. On the occasions that I have dined there, I have found the staff to be friendly and helpful, very willing to accomodate special dietary requests. They also serve breakfast all day. Classy but not fussy, Jines is definitely a winner :)

Main Street Pizzeria in Brockport, NY:
If you like thin-crust, NYC/Neapolitan-style pizza, then, in my humble opinion, Main Street Pizza is the BEST you're gonna find in Rochester. I'm not even going to tell you how much of their pizza I've had during my college years (2 slices and a soda are only $3!!) Their other stuff is great too, but I'm a pizza-girl. Just go, now, you'll thank me later. No website, but their address and phone number are 82 Main Street, Brockport, NY, 14420, (585) 637-8760.

Mona Lisa Cafe in Webster, NY:
- One word for you: GELATO!! For those of you that may not know this, Gelato is my favorite dessert of all time (tied for first place with a fountain-style chocolate ice-cream soda). Mona Lisa Cafe has some of the best Gelato EVER! (and they're pastries and panini's are lovely too) Their table space limited, but trust me, it's worth it:)

Zambistro in Medina, NY:
This place is an absolute GEM, relaxed, upscale dining, nothing stuffy. The food is delicious and artfully arranged, Chef Mike Zambito is a genius when it comes to creative use of ingredients. One of my favorite things about Zambistro is that the chef prepares tasting plates for each table, small samples of other items on the menu, no charge, just part of the experience. This is the perfect place for a celebration of any kind. It's a hike from the city, but you'll be so happy once you get there. My personal recommendations would be the lobster pasta, homemade macaroni and cheese, blackened beef tips, lobster risotto, or the cedar plank salmon. And all the desserts are phenomenal :)


Avanti's Italian Grill in Medina, NY:
Another hike from the city that is totally worth it. Being something of an Italian chef myself, I am pretty critical of Italian Restaurants, and this place passed every test with flying colors. They make all their own bread and pasta fresh every day. And it doesn't have that greasy, cover everything in tomato sauce vibe that can pervade some establishments. They have the best Chicken Parmesan I've had in the Rochester area. But I can also personally vouch for their Chicken Francese, Pollo Sorrentina, Chicken Gorgonzola, and their Chicken Marsala. Really, this is great, innovative Italian food, if it means anything to you, they have my stamp of approval. (The Avanti's Pizzeria right next door is great too)

Aladdin's Natural Eatery in Rochester, NY:
Another Mediterreanean/Middle Eastern restaurant, this has got to be one of the all-time greats! If you like your food as natural and unprocessed as possible, then you need to make a beeline for Alladin's. Their food tastes like a vacation to Greece, no joke. Thier hummus is beyond compare, as is their grilled lamb, and their Baklava is pretty darned tasty too. They have two Rochester locations, one on Monroe Avenue, the other in Schoen Place is Pittsford. The Monroe Restaurant has a lovely rooftop balcony, and the Pittsford location has outdoor canalside seating. Wholesome, fresh, exotic but comforting, I cannot say enough good things about Aladdin's. This food is delish and (almost) completely guilt free. GO!

The Old Toad in Rochester, NY
If you like the British Pub vibe, then this restaurant is for you. It is, quite literally, a British Pub. Their Fish Fry is amazing, but really, this is another place where, depending on what you're tastes are, you really can't go wrong. The Old Toad is perfect spot to visit on a rainy evening when you want to curl up with a book, or have a long, long chat with a close friend or two. The Old Toad is basically the definition of the word "Cozy". They also host trivia nights on Mondays and Jeopardy nights on Tuesdays :)


Well, that's about all I can think of off the top of my head, but I'm sure there'll be more later. Go forth my friends,explore some of these places. Eat, drink, be merry, let me know how it goes! More posting soon!

Love to All!
Lynn

Peach and Blueberry Crumble

Hey All!

I had a lovely post all written a few days ago about an awesome day of food and fun that Zach and I had last week with our friends Brande and Dan, but for reasons unclear to me it would not post and the pictures would not upload. So, I'm going to try again on a new topic, Summer Fruit Crumble!

I love Cobblers, Crumbles, Grunts, Slumps, Oven, Stovetop, whatever, fruit+dough=happiness. I like them because they are very reminiscent of pie, but they're free form, more rustic, homey, relaxed, and they showcase local ripe fruit!. In other words, they're perfect for summer.I have a totally awesome Peach Crumble recipe from my Mom that I tried out a few nights ago. However, since I also had a quart of fresh blueberries on hand, I tossed those in too....Observe the photo graphic evidence :) Here's the recipe :)

Peach and Blueberry Crumble

-3lbs or approx. 6 large ripe peaches, cut into about 1-inch chunks (I didn't peel them, but you can if you want to)

-1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

-1/4 cup sugar (if the peaches aren't quite ripe, or if you like a sweeter taste, use 1/2 cup sugar)

-1 quart fresh blueberries

-3/4 cup packed brown sugar

-2 sticks of butter

-1 1/2 cups flour (I just used regular all-purpose flour)

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-Preheat oven to 3750F

-Grease 13x9 inch pan (Corningware would work too)

-Toss peaches, blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar in a medium bowl

-Spread mixture evenly in the pan and dot with 2tbsp of the butter.

- For topping, mix flour, cinnamon and remaining brown sugar in separate bowl

-Cut in remaining butter using pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly (medium sized crumbs) Do not use your fingers, the heat from your hands will make the butter too soft.

- Spread topping evenly over fruit

-Bake 30-35 minutes or until topping is browned and fruit is bubbly

-Served warm or cold, topped with REAL whipped cream or (my personal favorite) Vanilla Ice-Cream :)

NOTES: -This recipe will work with basically any fruit (apples, peaches, blueberries, plums, cherries, etc) you don't need to mix the fruit like I did, but it's a nice touch :) Use whatever is in season. I made this in late July, when the blueberries are at peak and the peaches are just starting :)

-The blueberries make this Crumble VERY moist, you can compensate for this by mixing a little cornstarch or tapioca into the fruit before it goes into the pan, if you like. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan to protect your oven from drips.

*nom nom nom* Enjoy!

Lynn :)

Two for the Price of One!

Hey All!

Again, I apologize for the long delay between posts, I was on vacation the week of 4th of July, and then this past week I was working on my Portfolio (I'm VERY close to finishing my Master's Degree, thank goodness) and all that kept me away from posting, but here I am! I've missed you all! And today, because you're all so awesome and patient, you're gonna get a double entry. One about a food excursion I went on whilst I was on vacation, and the other about a random kitchen adventure I embarked upon the other day:

Every year, my family goes to Lake George, NY in the Adirondack Mountains for our annual vacation. Lake George happens to be a only a short distance from the Vermont border. And, what totally cool ice-cream franchise originated in Vermont? (hint: It has to do with the pictures) That would be BEN AND JERRY'S! So, because of it's close proximity, Bolton Landing (the town where we stay) has a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Shop! Or, as I like to call it, The Land of Goodness and Light. They sell all manner of treats there, sundaes, smoothies, milkshakes, etc, everything you'd expect to find in a scoop shop. They also have something called a Vermonster, which is their OHMYGODHUGE signature sundae that could feed an army. Although we have been going there basically since it opened, we had never gotten one, so this year, on a whim, my Mom, my boyfriend, my brother, my grandparents and I pooled our money (they cost about $40) and got one and split it between the six of us :)

This is what a Vermonster includes:

-20 scoops of ice cream (we got 4 scoops of Chocolate Therapy, 4 scoops of Cake Batter, 4 scoops of Chocolate Fudge Brownie, 4 scoops of Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl, and 4 scoops of Phish Food)

-4 ladles of hot fudge

-3 cookies

-3 brownies

- choice of 4 toppings (we did M&M's, double Oreos, and bananas)

-Whipped Cream

Everyone else in the scoop shop was watching while they prepared this Sundae for us, and a lot of people commented on it and whether or not they thought we could finish it. Watching it be made was almost as fun as eating it....almost....IT WAS DELICIOUS! Ice-cream in general (and gelato in specific) is my favorite dessert, and devouring this huge sundae with my family was an absolute delight. I have to be honest and say that we did not finsish it one sitting, that first night the six of us got through about 70% of it, and then we finished it off intermittently over the next two days. This got me to thinking, how awesome would be it to have an ice-cream party with your friends? Everyone brings some ice cream and some toppings, put it all together in a huge bowl, and dig in! Sounds like a good time to me! If you live near a Ben and Jerry's or other ice cream shop that does one of those huge novelty sundaes, round up a bunch of friends and go for it, it was absolutely worth it in my opinion :)

And, blog #2

It's been a tight few weeks money-wise for this little girl, and the other day I was perusing my cupboards trying to figure out what to make for dinner out of things I had on hand, as an extra trip to the grocery store was not gonna happen. This is what I discovered:

-1 box Whole Wheat Couscous

-garlic

-White onion

- 1/2 bag of whole almonds

-1 can Northern White Beans

-1 package fresh/frozen lamb patties

- assorted spices

-apple cider vinegar

-vegetable broth

I mixed half broth and half water and put it on the stove to boil. I chopped the onion and garlic and put it in a saute pan with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil. When the onion and garlic had gotten some good color I put the lamb patties into the pan. When the water boiled I added the couscous to it. When the couscous had absorbed all the water I added the beans. I fluffed the couscous with a fork and added salt, pepper, ginger, cinnamon and rosemary. Next, I added the onions and garlic to the couscous and let the lamb cook a few minutes more. When the lamb was done, I broke it up into bite-sized pieces with my spatula and added it (plus the pan drippings) to the couscous. I finished the couscous by adding the almonds and a splash of apple cider vinegar. It turned out really well if I do say so myself. It had a very...Turkish/Middle Eastern Flavor, smoky, deep, slightly sweet. When it comes to needing a blank canvas and/or getting something on the table fast and for not a lot of money, couscous is your friend (much like pasta). It will support any flavor that you give it, and it stretches a long way. I apologize for not having any pictures of it, I didn't have my camera at the time, but I'll be sure and take photos for my next kitchen adventure. I didn't include measurements for this one because, really, it was total improvisation, one of those "run around the kitchen and throw things in that would probably taste good together" kind of things. So, buy some couscous, mess around with flavorings, make something up,play with your food :)

Till Next Time :)

Lynn

Just a Quickie

Hey All!
I am leaving for my annual family vacation in Lake George, NY tomorrow, and with the flurry of packing and other work that had to be done this week, I didn't get a chance to cook anything blog-worthy. Hopefully when I get back from LG I'll have some fun photos and food chat for you. For now, I would like to pass along another food blog that I have been reading recently that I absolutely adore. It is Smitten Kitchen, written by a NYC woman named Deb. I do not know her personally, but I LOVE her recipes, her style of food writing, and the photography on her site is absolutely wonderful. Her feelings about food are very similar to my own, excpet she's been blogging a lot longer and has a ton more experience than me. In short, her blog is something that I aspire to. So, if you've not yet had the pleasure check out her site, you will be sooooo glad you did!

www.smittenkitchen.com

Be Well, have a wonderful holiday, I'll talk to you in about a week or so!
Lynn