Cruising into the Future via Mexico

Alas, we are in Chicago, which translates as: at the end of all the craziness. Between the move across the country, the wedding and cruise, and settling in to a new place...we found ourselves floating back and forth from elation to exhaustion over and over again....WHEW! What a ride! Great time to stop, take a breath and share one or two stories from the wedding trip as a bridge between the San Francisco foodie life and the exciting Chicago adventures to come.

From the moment the cruise plan was hatched we knew we were onto something potentially serious. Bringing this group of people together anywhere was bound to make for good times. We had 24 people on the "yes" list, only our closest friends and family members.  It was even more perfect than we had imagined!

But since this is our FOOD blog, I will cut to the culinary highlight of the wedding cruise: Cozumel, Mexico. Keep in mind we are super fans of the Mexican table....we can hardly wait to stain up some of our new kitchen wedding gifts with chili puree and achiote pastes! We didn't have time to research anything about Cozumel and what to do there, so when we docked, we crossed our fingers and walked onto the island.

Twenty minutes into our journey downtown on foot someone finally said yes to one of the cab drivers and 7 of us piled on in. Although we were all enjoying the walk, the cab ride proved to be worthwhile after pumping the driver for information about where to get the best Conchinita Pibil, a specialty of the Yucatan region of Mexico. He explained where to go and how to get there as he dropped us off deep in the heart of Cozumel at a VERY local outdoor market. There were no tourists around, which delighted all of us....but we did see our somelier from the ship dining at one of the market's tiny little restaurants. 

We looked around, someone got a HUGE avocado and mango smoothie (wicked good) and before too long the tune of LUNCH was being hummed by at least half the group. Luckily the restaurant the cab driver mentioned was just a few blocks away. We slipped through the quiet streets and easily found our way. Our first impression was not the best...it was so large and spotless that we were a little afraid we had been sent to a gringo trap. But that twinge of concern was nothing compared to the fright we all experienced when Jeff found out there was no Conchinita Pibil on the menu. It was not pretty!

But we had come this far, everyone was hungry and we all had beers on the table...Bohemia Negro, I think, very yummy. It really didn't seem like we could leave at this point, we just had to go with it. We asked the waiter what the best yucatecan dish on the menu was and he pointed us toward the Pollo Negro, black and spicy from the toasted chilies. Reluctantly, Jeff consented to this new paradigm and we moved on, admittedly made easier by the top notch tortilla chips and guacamole that appeared on the table. 

After the grumbly beginning, we all loosened up and Jeff was soothed by the fact that there were fresh house made corn tortillas available. We were not prepared for the obscene love that we were to feel about this black chicken. When it finally hit the table we saw, smelled and tasted that all was right with this experience and that although the cabbie misled us in some ways, he was our new hero. The chicken was soft, moist and bathed in the black sauce that was NOT a mole. It was deep and tangy and somewhat unfamiliar. We had to know more about this mysterious inky potion. The waiter was able to get across that this was another paste like achiote paste, which is what makes pibil pibil. Back to the market!!

We did manage to get our hands on some of these wonder pastes. You can find the red achiote paste in the US but it is always a thrill to pick it up in Mexico from the market where they pry a hunk off for you from a massive block. We found the red, the new beloved black paste and a new one none of us had tried or seen before that is spent green tea green. It is still burning a hole in our pockets at this time and we are dreaming of a spicy paste-y Mexican dinner ASAP!

After that score, contentedness was wafting in the air. We lollygagged along the streets that led back to the more touristy parts of downtown, shopping and bargaining as we went. We whiled away the entire afternoon just enjoying having this beloved group of friends together. Some of us bought jewelry or blankets, and others....Mexican wrestling (Lucha Libre) masks. You can't imagine the sight of this! 

Day turned toward evening and we managed to find a menu with Conchinita Pibil. There was a cute patio and we decided to have a small nibble before heading back to the ship. It was good but could not be compared with any of the dishes we had as a group at lunch. But there was a real highlight featured in the photo. The margaritas were just delightful! Fresh lime, expertly balanced....and no one was holding back. People were having one or two, maybe three....and finally the waiter threw out his best card. Matt ordered one more and the waiter said "I have something for you!" When he returned he had a Margarita in a glass as wide as Matt himself! We got such a kick out of this...I did not think it possible, even with 9 people, this drink would be taken down. Sometimes we amaze ourselves though. 

Sun soaked and electrified by a perfect day with pals, we made our way back to the ship, miraculously punctual. The party continued on board from dancing on the deck, highs and lows at the slot machines to literally gut busting laughter and some late euchre played through half closed eyes as a night cap. We bid each other "buenos noches" and the ship rocked us to sleep.

Weddings Holidays and Travels, Oh My!

We ask your forgiveness. If we have any faithful readers, we know we are disappointing you! As it happens with everyone, especially around holiday time, we have hopped on the moving sidewalk and it is cranked up to 500 mph.

The excuses: Don't worry, they are good ones!  First, we are getting married--soon. The wedding will be February 5th on a cruise ship in Miami. Second, between now and the wedding we are ending our job here in Marin County, driving across the country (the southern route to avoid snow and to seek fresh tortillas and a bowl of green in New Mexico), and moving to Chicago! Now understanding might be sinking in.......hopefully?! 

We are very excited about all the changes, events and travels and the wedding. But the blog has been neglected and as much as we hope it is not true, this abuse may continue until things settle down. But our intention will be to get some great food pictures and travel stories on the page to share with you all.

In the meantime, one photo and a short story. We made these pot stickers from dough bought in Oakland's Chinatown. We were both very impressed with our shaping technique, if we do say so ourselves! They are filled with sauteed mushrooms and chicken sausage, ginger, soy and sesame. The sauce is sweet and spicy tamarind and the pile of colorful goodness in the back is the answer to our intention that night to eat something very healthy: bean thread noodles with lots of veggies. 

Thanks for your patience and keep one eye on the blog in case there are any short travel vignettes. And wish us luck!!!

All smiles and Fresh Mint

I'm sure you are already wondering why Jeff is always the one in the picture, glowing, with some sort of ice cream product in his hands.....me too. I guess he is particularly photogenic in just this scenario. Could he look any happier?!

So the ice cream feature du jour is from Sketch Ice Cream in Berkeley. We feel fortunate that this place exists and that we stumbled across it one fateful day last winter. Eric and Ruthie, the owners of Sketch are literally super cool and every decision they have made for their shop is just right. The design, from the interior to the packaging is simple and perfect. To get a glimpse of what we mean, just check out their website and blog...and if you are in the area, you must make your way over.  They are serving up some of the best ice cream in the area...often with a side of Eric's dead pan humor...which we just love!

The Ice Cream: Sketch ice cream is Soft serve. That is a big part of what makes sketch so unique. They usually have about 6 flavors rolling each day, including at least 2 very seasonal and/or inventive picks. These are the ones we find ourselves wavering between. Some of the best we have put in our personal Sketch hall of fame, including--rose geranium, burnt caramel, cherry blossom, cocoa nib, cardamon, banana.......I could write a little story about each one of these. The banana we have not stopped thinking about since we had it 6 months ago. It was almost tart, which you would not guess for a banana ice cream. We don't know how they do it. Raw talent is the only explanation.

So in the picture Jeff is holding a house made waffle cone (you smell them being made as you walk up to the door) with fresh mint ice cream. There was no debate that day. You can't keep us away from anything titled fresh mint. The beauty of this one is the flavor of freshly torn mint leaves, as opposed to mint extract. It is a real star! 

Also available at Sketch:  Granite, frozen yogurt, fudgesicles that are almost black in color, dairy free and so chocolatey they redefine your idea of chocolate. They have fun toppings for your frozen concoctions and they make some amazing confections like salted chocolate covered toffee....all in this sweet little shop. You get the idea, pure goodness, an example of mastery!

Scrumptious Health Bomb

Once upon a time in Montpelier, Vermont we spent many a lazy morning leafing through our friend Sandra's cookbooks over coffee.  There was something magical about that kitchen space with its long wooden table, windows to the endlessly green world of Vermont, dogs underfoot and John's impeccable music selections piped in from mysterious locations.  

We learned things there like how to cook tofu in such a way that anyone, really anyone would love it.  We also discovered these black bean and oat cakes. They jumped off the page of Mollie Katzen's Moosewood low-fat favorites book, which is a dream for any one interested in internationally inspired, healthy, light food that is not weak on the flavor front.  

On this particular day we had a craving for something clean for dinner after eating only focaccia and chocolate croissants all day in the city and that craving led us right back to this well tested favorite. So in this picture we have the cakes made up mostly of black beans and raw rolled oats--no kidding, it works-- with carrot, onion, garlic and some mexican seasonings.  They are seated atop a pile of spicy green goodness....swiss chard, onion, garlic and some of those gorgeous red carrots.  Normally we cook and puree golden beets for the sauce on this dish...but in this case we had some Mole Amarillo from the Red Iguana restaurant in Salt Lake City.  You just can't say no when you have mole looking you in the eyes. We seared some asparagus and rested them on top, then enjoyed the whole healthy experience....which was exactly what we were in the mood for!

A Study of Corn

Sometimes there's nothing as intriguing for a cook as taking one ingredient and riffing on it several ways in the same dish.  Corn opens itself to this task maybe more than any other staple.  Crunchy, juicy, unctuous, smooth - all its textures.   Sweet, toasty, flinty, buttery-without-butter - all its flavors.  Corn is an entity.  Cooked into a porridge of polenta, grilled on the cob and buttered, popped into a little white explosion of movie theater joy. It is limitless and yet it is all corn.

In this dish we have a polenta souffle over a puree of sweet corn and poblano rajas topped with a salad of arugula, hot smoked salmon, and avocado all dressed with a pumpkinseed/chili yogurt.  We cooked polenta as we always do with lots of garlic, herbs, milk and chicken stock and then turned it into a souffle base with egg yolks and parmesan.  Then we folded in some beaten egg whites, popped it in the oven and in twenty minutes: a pillowy but cornmeal-coarse souffle.

Corn shows us its silky side when pureed and the marriage of sweet corn and roasted poblano peppers is one of the truly great combos in the vegetable kingdom.  The raspy but deep poblano plays high and low over the sweet, sweet corn creating this spicy/roasty flavor profile.   We often toss in a pinch of turmeric when we work with pureed corn, which allows its luminous yellow color to reassert itself.

And the yogurt dressing allows for the arrival of one corn's other great friends: pumpkin seeds.  We actually took the leftover dressing from the Rick Bayless-inspired salad from a few posts ago and mixed it with equal parts plain whole milk yogurt.  The result is not bashful as it brightens the rich avocado and king salmon, and then rains down on the corn below like contrails of flavor.

As I look back I can't help but think a little chili-spiced popcorn speckled about the plate.... 

Happy Fall, Happy Lamb Chops

Last night in the San Francisco area we had our first bona fide "storm" of the season.  What does this mean?  Wind blowing-oh my- and for the first time since March (outside of a few drops one night in April) It RAINED in Marin county!  I know a lot of people around here are sad to see the endless days of sunshine interrupted by some clouds and showers, eventually giving way in December to some full on weeks of nearly constant rain....but we are quite happy to feel the cool breeze ruffling the papers on our desk.  AAahhh.  I was listening closely at just the right time and I heard the whistling wind whisper "lamb chops" very quietly in my ear.  

We have a not so secret love affair with health foods, hanging out with the bulk bins, always having a "grain drawer" stuffed with millet, quinoa, various nuts and seeds and finding it unacceptable to be without kale in our refrigerator.  We also love to make our all natural kashi bars and peanut butter apple oat cookies, handsome enough that our friend Matt Frank renamed them "Lookies".   We adore the wide world of veggies and treat them like neglected children, lavishing attention on them as they realize their full potential.  But we work (as cooks) for a woman who really loves the classics and needs her dose of meat, giving us the perfect opportunity to make some really yummy comfort food.

Now on to the dish in the picture.  Rack of Lamb.  So simple to make and what a delivery.  We liberally seasoned this beauty with salt, pepper and a mix of dried green herbs--probably Napa Style's Herbes de Napa.  We seared it on all sides and popped it into the oven.  On the side is a sweet potato puree and a warm salad of greens and multi colored carrots.  The icing on the cake is that gorgeous red sauce under the lamb....a red wine pan sauce made just after searing the lamb so it is rich with meaty flavor and maybe just a small pat of butter swirled in at the end.  Seriously good stuff.  I didn't realize what a fan I would become of making and eating lamb chops, but it has happened.  So easy to make and flavor that never fails to impress me every time!

A Mouth full of Excitement

Even though it is somewhat rare for us to repeat dishes, we have enjoyed this salad so many times.  It is actually a Rick Bayless recipe from his cookbook "Mexican Everyday".  We love Rick's style and Mexican food consistently ranks as a favorite of ours.  This salad really packs a flavor punch making it hard to resist.  

The elements that make this up in combination with each other really can't be beat.  Along with greens of your choosing, mango and avocado are key players, and smoked salmon makes it a perfect light dinner that is good any time of year.  Rick suggests bacon instead of the salmon, but since we LOVE smoked salmon, we always use it...but sometimes yield to the temptation to crumble a piece or two of bacon over the top!  

The real show stopper here is the bright and lively dressing.  The first step is pan toasting pepitas, or green raw pumpkin seeds.   This is not only the lovely base of this punchy dressing, but a good time all by itself!  You put these little devils in the hot pan and if you are into this sort of thing, you can stand with your face in pretty close and watch them go from flat to almost round.  Cheap thrills for the easily entertained.....we love it!

After the pepitas are puffed and toasty we remove them and add olive oil to the pan, along with whole garlic cloves and a jalepeno.  Once the garlic and jalepeno are softened, they are added along with the oil to a blender with lime juice, salt, honey.....and some of the pepitas.  This is whizzed up and the resulting dressing is creamy, spicy and delicious.  It is a great idea to make a little more of this than you will need for the salad because you can immediately see that it would be good on or in anything!  The salad is topped with more of the pepitas for a little crunch and cheese (queso fresco or feta) is optional, but it really doesn't need it.  This one is a keeper and we find ourselves craving it like clockwork about once a month.....maybe dinner tomorrow night......?