#confit root vegetables

[disneythingsilike]

Twisted Wonderland at Tokyo Disney Resort: Part 2

『ディズニーツイステッドワンダーランド』の各寮をイメージした特別なコース料理が、期間限定で提供されます！

[Twisted Wonderland] Special course meals inspired by each dormitory will be available for a limited time at Disney Ambassador Hotel! !

Here is the website for details about the location, the Empire Grill restaurant, and how to make reservations.

The price for each set is 13,000 yen, which is roughly $88. Starting at the beginning of the month of April, special courses will be offered over 8 periods that last a week each.

Here is a link to my previous post on the meals inspired by the Heartslabyul, Savanaclaw, and Octavinelle dorms.

Recently, an announcement was made that revealed the menus for the Scarabia, Pomefiore, Ignihyde, and Diasomnia. There will be one more meal set released after Diasomnia, but those details are not available yet.

🐍

The Scarabia Theme Set will run from October 25th-31st.

The Scarabia Set details:

~Plate in the top center~ Octopus confit dressed in spicy kadif. Served with chickpea hummus and a touch of dukkah spice.

~Big Plate in the bottom left corner~ Lightly smoked and grilled marinated amberjack fish with taggiasca olive and sun-dried tomato salsa.

~Plate in the top left corner~ Pork confit with quinoa crust with lotus rook and spelt risotto.

~Plate in top right corner~ Grilled duck breast and roasted duck thigh stuffed with chestnuts and mushrooms. Served with fig chutney.

The dessert plate at the bottom is Earl Grey Tea flavored crème brûlée and pear sorbet with fruit garnish.

This set also comes with a Scarabia Dorm charm.

The Scarabia Magical Drink costs ¥1,600 It contains iced tea, grape juice, grapefruit juice, raspberry syrup, and blue syrup.

Coffee and tea are also available.

🍎

The Pomefiore Theme Set will run from November 1st-7th.

The Pomefiore Set details:

~Plate in the top center~ Barracuda and gilled onion puree with ginger and black rice tuile. White liver pate macaroon.

~Big Plate in the bottom left corner~ Marinated Shinshu salmon with persimmon and beetroot with ravigote sauce. Bigfin reef squid tartare with caviar.

~Plate in the top left corner~ Oyama chicken and shellfish omoniere. Scallop and warm mushroom terrine

~Plate in top right corner~ Variations of lamb with thyme-infused jus

The dessert plate at the bottom is raspberry sorbet served in an apple parfait glass.

This set also comes with a Pomefiore Dorm charm.

The Pomefiore Magical Drink costs ¥1,600 It contains butterfly pea tea, lemonade, blueberry syrup, blue syrup, and gold dust.

Coffee and tea are also available.

💻

The Ignihyde Theme Set will run from December 13th-19th.

Ignihyde Set details:

~Plate in the top center~ Crispy sole brandade sandwich King crab and turnip blancmange

~Big Plate in the bottom left corner~ Seared red snapper topped with caviar and marinated lobster. Bagna freida with black garlic.

~Plate in the top left corner~ Scallops with porcini crust in a tart style with lemongrass foam.

~Plate in top right corner~ Grilled beef tenderloin and braised Wagyu beef shoulder served with caramelized root vegetables with olive sauce.

The dessert plate at the bottom is griotte cherry compote inside milk chocolate mousse with milk ice cream.

This set also comes with a Ignihyde Dorm charm.

The Ignihyde Magical Drink costs ¥1,600 It contains grape juice, lemonade, grapefruit juice, Calpis, blue syrup, lime juice, and silver dust.

Coffee and tea are also available.

🐉

The Diasomnia Theme Set will run from February 17th-23rd

The Diasomnia Set details:

~Plate in the top center~ Bamboo charcoal gougeres and green pea cream cheese with kiwi switchel

~Big Plate in the bottom left corner~ Fried marinated salmon coated with herb breadcrumbs and served with caviar and green tomato salad.

~Plate in the top left corner~ Porcini mushroom risotto and pan-fried scallops and salad vegetable foam. Accented with kujo green onions.

~Plate in top right corner~ Roasted duck breast with dukkah spice and trumpet mushroom and endive confit. Served with Madeira sauce.

The dessert plate at the bottom is fromage blanc and lime mousse with mint milk ice cream.

This set also comes with a Diasomnia Dorm charm.

The Diasomnia Magical Drink costs ¥1,600 It contains jasmine tea, orange juice, grapefruit juice, lychee syrup, and blue syrup.

Coffee and tea are also available.

There is still one final set with no information released as of yet. It's given the name Secret, and is set be available in March of 2025.

[gentlemanlymermaid]

breakfast:

* set-style coconut yogurt with polyfloral honey

* smoked maple syrup granola

* fresh summer island seasonal fruit, autumnal (starfruit, canistel, lychee)

lunch:

* salt pork roast with fennel and wild herbs

* water 7-style soft brioche buns

* caprese salad with sweet cherry tomatoes

dinner:

* slow cooked brown sugar duck confit

* scalloped potatoes au gratin with grated nutmeg

* mixed roasted root vegetables in lemon herb butter

dessert:

* pumpkin pie custard cheesecake

* vanilla bean crème chantilly

[ascendancy-echoes]

Chapter 33: The Farm Along the River

After a few days of poor sleep under the stars and meager berries that neither of them honestly liked, Flea was sure that he was going to starve to death before he could find some humans to leave Zarya with. Really the only thing that seemed to keep them going was drinking from the river. That and Zarya’s stubborn insistence that they keep walking. Flea honestly wondered if the girl felt genuine hunger or thirst. He even began to question that she was human given that she was still awake and talking to herself as he fell asleep and was waking him up and ready to go at dawn. 

~o~O~o~

On the fourth day, about maybe the afternoon since Flea could never tell what time a day it was until it started getting darker, the forest gave way to a large meadow lined by a broken fence.

Flea prayed that this meant there was a farm. That would mean food, shelter, and hopefully humans he could ask for information and hand Zarya off to. This renewed hope gave Flea the energy to pick up the pace and walk up and over the hill. Sure enough, a rather simple farmhouse with a thatched roof stood in the distance. No smoke rose from the chimney and the farm seemed rather quiet.

“A farm!” Zarya exclaimed excitedly. Flea didn’t acknowledge Zarya's obvious observation. He forced himself to keep walking towards the farmhouse. Getting close, he called out, “Hello?! Anyone home?!” The closer he got to the farm, the more worried Flea was that there was no one around. The roof looked to be in disrepair and there were no sounds of any animals or humans. Reaching the door of the farmhouse, he found the door open and saw a room with a hearth in the middle and a doorway leading to another room. The fire had long since gone out and a layer of dust covered everything.

“Find some humans?” Zarya asked, standing at the door. Flea ignored her as he searched around the room. Nothing had been touched in weeks and the stew in the pot on the hearth had gone cold and had begun to grow mold. A quick peek in some of the barrels and pots revealed salted meats, dried fruits, pickled vegetables and confit. At least the foods in the containers were still good. Moving on, Flea looked in the side room to see a bed but nothing else. “Looks like no one is home,” he muttered. He moved past Zarya and looked out at the rest of the farm. It looked like whatever farm animals had broken past the fence to get to the meadow… or something had broken in. Either way, the farm was devoid of any creatures. Zarya once again asked about finding humans. Flea continued to not answer her as he searched around the buildings.  The barn looked like it was in need of repairs and there was nothing of use to them inside. A nearby coop had clearly been broken into by a wild animal at some point, probably a fox, and was devoid of chickens or eggs. Behind the house, on a smaller hill, he found what might be some graves based on the wooden stakes that lined the ground. Flea looked at the dirt road and wondered who had left weeks before and abandoned everything and why. “Find some humans?!” Zarya shouted. Flea whipped around and said, “Stop asking me that! There’s obviously not anyone around, kid!” He huffed and walked back towards the farmhouse. He was tired, he was hungry and he was still stuck with a strange human child. He went to the food stores and the shelf beside it. There were some wooden bowls and plates, knives and spoons. It had been a decade since he had eaten farm food, having spoiled himself with meals from taverns he’d charm out of others. He knew he had to swallow his pride and eat something, anything. He grimaced at the moldy stew pot and sighed. There wouldn’t be any cooking, not that he knew how after not doing it for a decade. “Dish up, kid,” he said to Zarya, not looking her way as he picked up a bowl and spoon. He dished up the cold confit and some pickled root vegetables. Zarya stood by the door. Whatever Flea was putting in the bowl looked gross. It did not look like food. She looked around the room and asked, “Fridge?” Flea glanced her way and asked, “What on earth is a fridge?” Zarya walked over, flipping through her cards until she found what she was looking for and pointed at a picture of a white cabinet then at something that looked like it could be an oven. “Fridge? Stove?” Flea looked around the room. There were no such items and he had never seen such things before. He looked at Zarya incredulously. Sitting down at the dusty table, Flea remarked, “Kid, there isn’t anything like that here. So it’s what’s over there or nothing.” He choked down a bite of the vegetables and added, “We need to eat if we’re gonna survive and find you some other humans.” Zarya frowned. She understood that Flea was right that they needed to eat but the food looked wrong and it wasn’t theirs. What if the farmer came back and got upset that they took the food? People always got upset at her for borrowing without asking. She fiddled with her father’s pendant and thought about how mad he was going to be that she took his stuff again and how she wandered off. It wasn’t that she meant to, she just got curious and forgot to ask again. Flea, seeing her hesitancy, sighed and said, “Not my problem if you want to go hungry. That’s on you…. But if you want to find your parents, you need to eat something.”

[eatfabulously]

Braised short rib and ox-tail, creamy polenta, confit root vegetables at Brasserie St. James in Reno, NV [OC] [1080x1080]

[dragons-bones]

FFXIV: A Synthesis of Aether

#FebHyurary Day 17: Food + Day 18: Music

A/N: So I had too many ideas for yesterday, but knew for today touching on Synnove’s aether synesthesia would work well, and then I said, “DT YOU FOOL YOU CAN COMBINE BOTH DAYS FOR HER AETHER SYNESTHESIA.” And lo: a fic! Mostly dialogue, I haven’t done a dialogue heavy ficlet in a loooong time so I feel a bit rusty, but this was a fun exercise!

RATING: T WORD COUNT: 1455 WARNINGS: None!

---

[Installing SCAEVAN SYSTEMICS operating software.]

[Installation successful, running update cycle.]

[Updates complete. Archive Node Unit 453 now online. Please specify primary user.]

“Synnove Greywolfe.”

[USER: SYNNOVE now registered. How may I assist you today?]

“Please stand by for audio recording.”

[Standing by.]

The node’s lights dimmed from bright grass green to soft seafoam as it partially powered down, its northern and southern hemispheres slowly rotating in opposite directions.

Synnove lowered her hand and glanced over at Rereha. “All right, you can babble now,” the Highlander said.

Rere took her hands off her mouth to tug at her braided pigtails and beamed at her. “Whatcha doing?” she said, in the sing-song tone of someone feeling exceptionally nosy, rocking back on her heels.

Synnove rolled her eyes and set her hands on her hips. “Y’shtola’s working on a compilation of aetheric synesthesic perceptions as a downtime project,” she said. “She asked me if I was willing to contribute, to which I obviously said ‘yes.’ But because I’m not often able to spend much time in Revenant’s Toll that doesn’t devolve into Warrior of Light or Ironworks business—”

“—audio recordings you can send or give her are more convenient.”

“Careful, Rere, or other people will begin realizing you’re smarter than you pretend to be.”

The lalafell gasped. “Madam, you wound me!”

She received a satisfied smirk in reply as Synnove added, “And what better way to create an audio recording than with my new archive node?”

Rere pulled herself up onto Synnove’s desk, sitting on the edge and kicking her feet back and forth as she leaned back to rest on her hands. “Did you liberate it from the Ironworks?”

“I purchased this fair and square, I have a bill of sale from Jessie herself.”

“Nero’s OS?”

“The fact you know that term is vaguely frightening, but the man does have an unparalleled understanding of Allagan technology and if you tell him I said that, I will hang you by your toes from the edge of the Steps of Faith.”

Rere mimed locking her lips.

“Hand me that stack of paper, please.” Synnove pointed to Rere’s right. The lalafell snagged it and dutifully handed it over.

The arcanist shuffled through them, humming tunelessly as she did, before she came across the correct page. “All right,” she said, mostly to herself. “Start with Y’shtola’s list of baseline sensations today and go from there.” Louder now: “Begin recording.”

[Audio recording now live.]

Synnove automatically straightened her spine and rolled down her shoulders in the same way she did before she began a lecture for the fourth-year arcanist students. In a clear, strong voice: “Synnove Greywolfe recording for Y’shtola Rhul on the 18th day of the Second Umbral Moon, 11 Year of the Seventh Astral Era, on the subject of synesthetic perceptions of aether. I personally perceive aether, in addition to visual manifestations, as both taste and sound. Occasionally, one sensation will dominate the other, and certain sounds and tastes aren’t exclusive to one elemental type.

“For this recording, I’ll describe the overall generalities I associate with different elemental aether; variance is high depending on factors such as location or origin, in terms of ambient or crystallized aether, or in the case of spells, if they are being performed correctly or are altered in some capacity.”

“How to spot the catastrophic boom just before the boom becomes catastrophic and it’s too late to do anything about it.”

Synnove sighed. Rere giggled.

“Y’sthola, remind me to recalculate the angle needed to ensure Rere lands in Silvertear if thrown from the highest tower in the Toll.”

“Hey!”

“You’d be fine, Hydaelyn likes you best.”

Rere pouted, lower lip pushed out to the point of exaggeration, which meant she wasn’t actually offended.

“To get back on topic: fire. Fire aether most frequently tastes like hot spices, such as peppers; coffee; red meat, such as buffalo; bitter chocolate; cherries; wine. Sound tends to be uniformly brass instruments such as horns and trumpets; very occasionally it can sound like metal striking metal.

“Earth aether is auditorily simple and gustatorily complex. The sound of earth is always rhythmic and steady, if not outright drumming; the sensation of it echoing follows fairly often, too. Taste runs a huge gamut: savory or sweet seasonings, such as cumin or cinnamon; white meat, such as pork; most vegetables, particularly green or starchy vegetables; certain fruits such as apples and figs; bread; cheeses; stews; whiskeys.”

“I’d call most of those foods ‘homey.’”

Synnove frowned thoughtfully. “That’s a fair assessment,” she said after a moment. “Earth aether tends to ‘taste’ comforting.”

“Does that mean Tyr is the ultimate comfort food?”

“Does that mean you want to go flying out of my office window into the harbor?”

“I’m going to shut up now!”

“See how long that lasts,” Synnove said under her breath while her sister smiled beatifically. “Where was I… Ah, wind.”

The Highlander frowned. “Wind aether is another oddity, taste-wise. Mint tends to present quite frequently, along with sweet chocolate, white grapes, vanilla, white wine, arak, olives, and scallions. Thankfully when it seems to be a combination of flavors, it’s complimentary…” She shook her head. “Sound is similar to flutes, chimes, whistles. Bit stereotypical, honestly.

“Lightning…” Synnove paused, frowning again. “Sound tends to be similar to specific string instruments such as violas and cellos; deeper sounds. Low notes on a piano or harpsichord, sometimes simple humming or vibrations. Taste does not tend to be strong, but most frequently has manifested as berries and/or stonefruits. Alcohols such as gin, palm wine, ouzo, and brandy.”

“That is not the element I’d consider boozy,” Rere said idly. She had lain back on the desk and was staring up at the huge arched ceiling of the tower office, twiddling her thumbs.

Synnove shrugged without further comment, already looking at the next item on the list Krile had transcribed on Y’shtola’s behalf. “Water is what one would think would be boozy but I have legitimately never tasted ‘boozy’ water aether before. Tropical fruits dominate; in terms of savory, as horrifically stereotypical as it is, seafood. But almost never in a way that makes sense, I once found a water cluster in a bluefin tuna’s belly that tasted like Coerthan oyster confit.”

“I remember that, you made the weirdest face.”

“I still can’t find the words to describe just how fucked up that taste versus visual dichotomy was. In any event, water aether also sounds like string instruments, mostly harps, dulcimers, and brighter pianos. Also, a very specific drum… Rere, what’s that staccato-sounding drum the Flames have been using in their parades of late?”

The lalafell picked her head up. “Snare drum?”

“That’s the one. Timpanis on occasion, too. And finally…ice. Sound leans towards woodwind instruments like the clarinet and piccolo, as well as bells. Any bell. Taste…hmm. Slaw, fruits that freezes well, fruit juices, Thavnairian sweet tea—”

“That is not tea, that is an abomination.”

“—some melons, cucumbers, white rum, wintergreen.”

“I still can’t believe you’ve never come across ice aether that tastes like the Bismarck’s root beer float.”

“They introduced it to the menu last year.”

“So?”

Synnove sighed that heavy, gusting sigh everyone who spent longer than thirty minutes with Rereha learned. “Y’shtola, I see a note here about Primordial Light and Dark, but I’ll do that in the next recording along with variations and discrepancies, as first, I need to beat my sister over the head with a grimoire—”

Rereha hopped down from the desk and ran for the office door, shouting BYE Y’SHTOLA I LOVE YOU BEST over her shoulder as she did.

“—and second, I’m hungry and now is a good time to break for lunch. Recording end.”

[End of recording. Is there anything else on which I may provide assistance?]

“No, that will be all for now—ah! Before I forget. Please create new nodal designation of own choice.”

[Clarification requested.]

“Pick a name for yourself.”

[…]

[Accessing imperial Allagan databases for repository of birth certificates. Scanning records.]

[Archive Node Unit 453 rename complete. Archive Node Unit 453 is now Kleio.]

Synnove smiled, pleased. “It’s nice to meet you, Kleio.”

[…Thank you. Database scans are currently inconclusive as relates to instruments in modern usage versus those of Allag. What samples are available to provide edification?]

The Highlander cocked her head, staring at the silver-and-green node for a few long moments, before another smile, this one slow and delighted, crossed her features. “I have a few orchestrion rolls that include solos and chamber music that you could listen to while I have lunch, and I can provide lists of which instruments are used in each piece.”

[That would be satisfactory.]

“Perfect! Let’s get you set up…”

[abramsbooks]

RECIPE: Johnny Sánchez brussels sprouts salad with butternut squash, cotija, and jalapeño vinaigrette (from Where I Come From by Aarón Sánchez)

I always say to my chefs, if you can make vegetarian food taste delicious, and create something super-craveable, I think that shows more skill than just throwing pork fat on everything. This salad gets right down to it, utilizing beautiful produce and layering flavors that could satisfy even the most carnivorous guest.

This is a dish that also nods to my original New Orleans roots, with that jalapeño vinaigrette, which is similar to a dressing I learned during my days at K-Paul’s.

1 large butternut squash

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground fennel

¼ teaspoon ground yellow mustard

¼ teaspoon sweet paprika

⅛ teaspoon onion powder

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

8 cups (about 790 g) Brussels sprouts

2 quarts (2 L) canola or vegetable oil for frying

1 cup (120 ml) Roasted Jalapeño Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

½ cup (15 g) cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving

1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced

½ cup (60 g) crumbled cotija cheese

¼ cup (45 g) pomegranate seeds

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with cooking parchment. Peel and seed the squash, then cut it into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Toss with the olive oil, salt, and all the spices, then spread on the sheet in a single layer. Roast until tender with lightly browned edges, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, halve the Brussels sprouts and trim their tough outer leaves. (If you prefer to roast the Brussels sprouts instead of deep-frying them, see Note.) Pour the canola oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot and clip a thermometer to the side. Line a plate or wire rack with paper towels.

Bring the canola oil to 375°F (190°C) over medium-high heat and fry the sprouts in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer them to the lined plate, season with salt, and continue with the rest.

Pour the vinaigrette into a large mixing bowl, then gently fold in the squash, Brussels sprouts, cilantro, and serrano pepper to coat. Scatter the cheese and a handful of pomegranate seeds over the top for serving.

NOTE: To roast the Brussels sprouts, line another baking sheet with cooking parchment and adjust the oven to 400°F (205°C). Prep the sprouts as described in Step 2, then toss them in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt, and roast until deeply golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Roasted jalapeño vinaigrette

Makes about 1½ cups (360 ml)

1 to 2 jalapeños

2 green onions

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 cup (200 ml) grapeseed or vegetable oil

¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1 cup (40 g) fresh cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your grill to medium-high or place a metal grate directly atop a gas burner on medium high heat. Set the jalapeños and green onions over the flame and roast, turning occasionally, until they’re soft and charred all over. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel any papery char from the jalapeño, then remove its stem, seeds, and membranes.

Confit the garlic by covering the cloves with the oil in a small saucepan or skillet and gently warming over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until it’s soft but hasn’t built too much color. Remove the garlic when cooked and reserve the oil.

Chop the roasted jalapeños and green onions and puree in a blender with the confit garlic, rice vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, agave nectar, and cilantro. With the blender still going, stream in the reserved garlic oil and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Use right away or store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

America’s most prominent Latino chef shares the story behind his food, his family, and his professional journey

Before Chef Aarón Sánchez rose to fame on shows like MasterChef and Chopped, he was a restless Mexican-American son, raised by a fiercely determined and talented woman who was a successful chef and restaurateur in her own right—she is credited with bringing Mexican cuisine to the New York City dining scene. In many ways, Sánchez, who lost his father at a young age, was destined to follow in his mother Zarela’s footsteps. He spent nights as a child in his family’s dining room surrounded by some of the most influential chefs and restaurateurs in New York. At 16, needing direction, he was sent by his mother to work for renowned chef Paul Prudhomme in New Orleans. In this memoir, Sánchez delves into his formative years with remarkable candor, injecting his story with adrenaline and revealing how he fell in love with cooking and started a career in the fast-paced culinary world. Sánchez shares the invaluable lessons he learned from his upbringing and his training—both inside and outside the kitchen—and offers an intimate look into the chaotic and untraditional life of a professional chef and television personality. This memoir is Sanchez’s highly personal account of a fatherless Latino kid whose talent and passion took him to the top of his profession.

For more information, click here.

[amwilburn]

Vancouver Fish Company

Dine Out Vancouver

Granville Island

Date of visit 2/3/2019

We both started with the Maple Walnut prawns - lightly tempura battered prawns with Yuzu mayo, walnuts, toasted sesame, and Togarashi.

Usually we order different dishes for the greater variety, and I was tempted by the seafood chowder. I'm glad I didn't... The prawns were amazing; perfectly cooked and seasoned; fresh and bursting with flavour. We both agreed we could've eaten an entree sized portion of these.

Hopefully they were a sign of good things to come, I thought.

They weren't.

Wife's Poached Atlantic Lobster - whole lobster with root vegetables (she removed the beets, which neither of us are fond of) ... was just ok. Strangely, not even as good as The Canadian Brewhouse's "Lobster Fest". Yes, VFC's was smaller (Brewhouse's are 2lbs, this was probably less than 1.5 lbs) and inadequately buttery. The meat wasnt "melt in your mouth"; it may have been over rested because it was a tiny bit overcooked and a touch rubbery Average in every sense of the word. Under seasoned, but not terribly so. But considering how amazing the prawn appies were; both the quality of the meat and favour were underwhelming.  The garlic roasted potatoes were pretty good, though.

My surf and turf: 6oz Alberta striploin w/ scallop and prawn skewer, confit garlic whipped potatoes, roasted acorn squash and beets,  celerac puree with red wine jus. On paper this sounded amazing.

The surf portion was fantastic: fresh and flavourful prawns and a scallop (I would've liked a bit more sear on the scallop, but flavour was spot on).

The steak was also cooked and seasoned well; I'd say the chef did the best job they could with what they had to work with; my steak was also very tough and chewy, with large inedible portions of fat; low grade meat. That's on their purchaser, not the chef.

You can see in the pictures how much was left inedible at the end. Needless to say, that's a large chunk of an already small portion.

The mashed potatoes were just... there (a huge let down after The Victor's super airy, fluffy and buttery ones). Alas, these needed gravy. Neither of us are fond of beets, but I'd seen them elevated elsewhere. Sadly not here; I bit into one and spat it out; it merely tasted like something burnt.

The desserts were both pretty good; in fact, everything except the main course was; alas, that's the star of the show. I felt like we had just watched a film where the trailer previews were entertaining and so were the post credit scenes, but the film itself was boring.

Wife ordered a traditional cheesecake with strawberry compote. It was good, with a nice graham cracker crust (a soggy crust would ruin a cheesecake, but this one delivered).

I had the Apple Tarte Tartin; with vanilla gelato and caramel sauce. Crust was difficult to cut with a spoon, but this was very good; the tartness of the Granny Smith apples and the sugary sweetness of the caramel offsetting each other, all blended with a nice creamy gelato.

The only dine out we have no intention of returning to anytime soon; a shame considering *how* amazing the tempura battered shrimp appies were. But we've tried Dine Out menus that were small, tasting menus, but still really high quality food; and less elevated but still satisfying ones with larger portions.

This failed on both fronts. A real shame because it was the quality of ingredients, and not the cook, that was the let down.

We ended up needing to grab a couple of Sausage McMuffins afterward to quell our still growling stomachs.

Recommend: Maple Walnut Prawns; prawns and scallops in general; Apple Tarte Tartin dessert, and cheesecake. To be fair, it's called the Fish Company, not the Steak or Lobster company.

Avoid: everything else that we tried.

3 stars, 6.6/10 mainly for the ridiculously good shrimp. The service was good, too, but it's sad when the highligts were the appies and watching their expanding wet wipes.

#food #foodblogger #yvreats #foodie #foodblog

[grandmarecipesblog]

Balinese Duck Confit with Root Vegetable Mash and Warm Exotic Fruit Salsa

Balinese Duck Confit with Root Vegetable Mash and Warm Exotic Fruit Salsa

Rank: Intermediate Time execution: 1 hr 9 min Can be served for: 4 persons Ingredients One 5- to 6-pound duck, halved lengthwise, washed and dried 2 cup kosher salt 2 cup ground palm sugar 20 shallots, halved and sliced 5 cloves of garlic, minced 5 kaffir lime leaves, 2/26 inch ribbon 3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, minced 3 tablespoons, ginger, minced 6 Thai bird chiles, minced 3…

[brendantravellog]

Kelowna

Saturday

Leading up to our trip to BC’s interior, we were concerned we might need to call it off due to the multitude of wildfires plaguing the area. Fortunately, as we got closer to our travel date, the fires seemed to be avoiding Kelowna.

The morning of our trip, we packed our bags, stopped by Livia cafe for breakfast, and were on our way. While the drive began well, we were soon delayed by the horrible traffic between Langley and Abbotsford. Quite a bit frustrated, we finally made it out of the traffic jam after half an hour and were on on way with only a couple of restroom and gas stops.

We made it to Kelowna around 5 and ventured to the Eastern edge of the city to our AirBnB in Rutland. The basement suite was quite lovely with a private entrance, a large bedroom, an comfortable great room and kitchen, and a washroom with laundry machines. 

We dropped off our stuff and quickly headed back to downtown Kelowna for dinner, as I foolishly only had a pastry for breakfast. We found a cool looking spot called Gather that had Korean and Italian food, but without a reservation, we weren’t getting in. Instead we wandered over to BNA Brewing which had a small food stand inside called BoxcAr. Ivy had a Noodle Salad while I had a Root Beer Pork Banh Mi, both of which were delicious. 

After dinner we walked around the area a bit before retreating from the heat back to our car and our suite.

Sunday 

We slept in a little bit, but not so late to miss out on our planned hike in the morning. We were on our way to the Myra Canyon Trestle Trail along Kettle Valley Railway, but got fed up once we realized we’d have to drive on a gravel logging road for several kilometers. We quickly turned back and parked at the KLO Creek Regional Park and walked along the creek for a couple of hours. 

It was a nice hike, but we were pretty famished afterwards because we skipped breakfast, so we headed into town and stopped by Bright Jenny Coffee Roasters for a muffin and some cold brew coffees. It was a really nice space in an industrial area with a relaxed vibe to it. 

After our coffees, we drove around and checked out the hilltop residences to kill some time before going to see a movie to beat the heat a bit. We watched Old by M. Night Shayamalan (check out my other blog for my review). After some groceries, we went out for an early dinner at Salt & Brick, a tapas restaurant with a rotating menu. We had a Lobster Roll, Confit Duck, Yam and Salami Waffle Cone, and Fried Halloumi, which were all really tasty. Afterwards we stopped for some Frozen Yogurt at TRU in the Mission District. 

Monday

Ivy had a short Zoom class Monday morning with a student trying to brush up before a quiz, so we stopped by Third Space Coffee in the Landmark development for a quick breakfast. We both had Nitro Cold Brews and Chocolate Croissants, which were underwhelming. However, the outdoor patio space was incredible and allowed us the chance to chill before her class.

Amazingly, the class only lasted 15 minutes, so we were quickly up and out again. We drove around West Kelowna for a while to kill time before our appointment at Mission Hill for a private lunch and a tour of the wine cellar. The lunch consisted of a Shrimp and Sea Asparagus starter, a Chicken with Morels and Gnocchi main, and a Apricot and Cornmeal Cake dessert. Each course was pair with a different wine - Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve, and Ice Wine - our favourite of which was the Ice Wine.

After a bit of a rest back at the suite, we took some salads we bought at the grocery store to Gyro beach along Lake Okanagan for a relaxing evening. While the water was cold, the beach was very sandy, making for a lovely experience. Oddly the lake was very shallow, with the water only ever making it up to our waists despite going past the buoys. 

Tuesday

We started early with a trip to Kempf Orchards for some cherry picking. We got about 8 pounds of Lapin cherries before calling it quits and heading to Sprout Bread and Coffee in the Cultural District for an Iced Coffee, Long Black, and Blueberry Danish. We explored the cultural district and visited the Kelowna Art Gallery and Mosaic Books before returning to Gather (this time with a reservation) for lunch. Ivy had the Bibimbap while I had the Kimchi Orzo. We shared the frites platter as a starter which included some delicious fried gnocchi.

After lunch, we headed back to the suite, as Ivy had a 3 hour class. I spent the bulk of this time checking out book and comic stores unsuccessfully trying to track down some specific comics. Once I got back, I relaxed while Ivy finished her class. Afterwards, we stopped by Parlour Ice Cream for a couple of scoops each. I had the bubble gum and creamsicle in a cone, mainly for nostalgia reasons, while Ivy had the Vanilla and Whiskey Hazelnut. 

After ice cream, we drove to Shannon Lake with the hopes of finding a quiet spot to swim, but it turned out to be quite swampy, so we just took some photos instead. We ended up back at Lake Okanagan, but at a more remote beach - Sarsons Beach Park. This once was a lot quieter than Myra, but the beach and lake were much rockier.

Wednesday

After packing, we went back to Sprout for the same drinks we had the day before and a Monkey Bread and Chocolate Croissant. We continued our exploration of the Cultural District by strolling Kasugai Gardens before heading to Kelowna Fruit Stand for some fresh fruits and vegetables.

Our final stop before leaving was Frankie, We Salute You!, a vegetarian restaurant located in the Landmark business park. This place was really popular and we only avoided a long wait by getting there around 11:45am. We each had a cocktail - with Ivy having a Watermelon Basil Margarita and I having the Blood Orange Ginger Lemonade with Gin. Ivy had the mushroom patty burger with vegan cheese and sesame fries while I had a Buffalo tempeh caesar wrap with sesame fries. Everything tasted great and proved that good vegetarian food doesn’t need to try and pretend it’s meat. 

After lunch, we headed back, with the same traffic jam between Abbotsford and Langley. Once we passed that bottleneck, it was smooth sailing again before we got home and relaxed. 

All in all it was a great trip. We’ll definitely be back soon if only to experience the sandy beach and great vegetarian food again.

[curutquit]

Duck stew with boiled mchicha.... Duck stew with yongchak and bamboo shoots eromba cookbang mukbang(viewer Shan ka PAN thongba chaba(beef stew with taro roots)my recipe Mukbang spicy kimchi and asian style boiled herb chicken+soup. Add broth, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Duck Stew. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

The Best Duck Stew Recipes on Yummly Toast With Duck Breast And Mango Chutney, Peking Duck With Bulgur And Dried Fruits, Roasted Duck With Berry Glaze. duck breast Authentic duck rillettes Shredded duck confit Boneless duck breast roast with herbs Naturally smoked and cooked boneless duck breast. As soon as the stew is boiling, add the rest of the ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

Hello everybody, it is me again, Dan, welcome to my recipe page. Today, I'm gonna show you how to prepare a distinctive dish, duck stew with boiled mchicha.... It is one of my favorites. For mine, I will make it a little bit unique. This will be really delicious.

Duck stew with boiled mchicha... is one of the most well liked of recent trending meals in the world. It is appreciated by millions every day. It is simple, it is quick, it tastes delicious. Duck stew with boiled mchicha... is something that I've loved my whole life. They are nice and they look fantastic.

Duck stew with yongchak and bamboo shoots eromba cookbang mukbang(viewer Shan ka PAN thongba chaba(beef stew with taro roots)my recipe Mukbang spicy kimchi and asian style boiled herb chicken+soup. Add broth, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Duck Stew. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

To get started with this recipe, we have to prepare a few components. You can cook duck stew with boiled mchicha... using 11 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you cook that.

The ingredients needed to make Duck stew with boiled mchicha...:

{Make ready 2 of large tomatoes diced.

{Get 1 of large onion diced.

{Take Half of a kilo duck meat,chopped and boiled.

{Prepare pieces of Mchicha cut into.

{Prepare of Dania chopped.

{Make ready of Chopped Hoho.

{Take of Mashed garlic.

{Take of Cooking oil.

{Make ready to taste of Salt.

{Make ready of Water.

{Get of Royco or any spice you prefer.

For a thicker consistency, coarsely mash one can of beans with a fork or potato masher before adding to Dutch oven. Duck Stew - BBQ Duck Recipes - Wild Duck Breast Recipe. It's tough to beat any medium rare duck recipes and duck stew. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large covered pot over medium-high heat (ranges will vary, it should be a slight boil).

Instructions to make Duck stew with boiled mchicha...:

In a sufuria fry onions till golden brown then add tomatoes. Let it simmer until the tomatoes are ready..

Add the duck meat, garlic and Hoho and let it cook for 5mins..

Then add Dania, salt, royco and alittle water then cover for 10mins..

In a different sufuria put mchicha, salt and water then boil for 10mins..

When both are ready serve with ugali/chapati or rice. Serve while hot..

Return duck with its liquid and garlic to the pot. Season sauce with salt and pepper. A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef, poultry, sausages, and seafood. Add the potatoes, reserved duck pieces, and thyme.

So that's going to wrap it up with this special food duck stew with boiled mchicha... recipe. Thank you very much for reading. I am confident you will make this at home. There's gonna be more interesting food at home recipes coming up. Don't forget to save this page on your browser, and share it to your loved ones, colleague and friends. Thank you for reading. Go on get cooking!

[allwayshungry]

Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables

One of our favorite recipes from Food Matters gets an update to make it even more flexible so that it's essentially a pot of beans with just enough animal protein, if you choose, to add body and flavor. Mark frequently demonstrates as an example of "less meatarianism" though you can certainly cook hearty root vegetables in Step 1 and call it vegan cassoulet. Either way, it's an excellent vehicle for the odds and ends from the produce drawers in your fridge.

Flageolet — immature, slightly green kidney beans — are the default for the classic French dish. For this batch, I started with Kayla's favorite Camelia brand baby limas, which have a similar grassy color and taste. (They were part of a precious care package from my sister in New Orleans.) I cooked them with several bay leaves until they just started breaking apart then used them in the recipe, along with some of the cooking liquid, and socked the rest away for another day.

I stumbled on a small smoked turkey leg at the market this week and thought, "Mmmm. Bet that has the look and texture of the traditional duck confit, with the smoky flavor of slab bacon.” Only less rich. A couple of sausage links is another good alternative, as are bits of ham, boneless chicken thighs, or pork chops. For good measure, I tossed the bone in the pot, too. Definitely do the same if you've got one. Though the beans simmer less than 30 minutes, it's enough to extract a shocking amount of flavor.

Makes: 4 to 6 servings Time: Less than an hour with cooked or canned beans, partially unattended

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

8 oz raw or smoked poultry or pork, cut it bite-size chunks (or a combination, any bones reserved; see the headnote)

1 large leek, sliced and well rinsed

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

Salt and black pepper

4 cups mixed chopped raw vegetables (like carrots or parsnips, celery or celery root, zucchini, cabbage, cauliflower, or any root vegetable)

1 teaspoon dried fines herbs or thyme

1 can diced tomatoes (15 ounces, or a couple fresh tomatoes in season)

3 cups cooked or canned white beans (any kind), drained (that’s two 15-ounce cans; reserve the liquid if you cooked dried beans)

1 cup bean cooking liquid, vegetable stock, or water, more as needed

1 or 2 bay leaves

Pinch of cayenne, or to taste

Chopped fresh parsley or celery leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Put the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the meat and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces are browned on all sides, 5 to 15 minutes, depending on whether the meat was raw or cooked.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the leeks and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mixed vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until everything is soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the herbs and stir until fragrant, less than a minute.

3. Add the tomatoes, the beans, the 1 cup liquid, the bay leaves, and any bones from the poultry or meat; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, cover, and cook, stirring once in a while until the beans are creamy and the vegetables are melting away, about 20 minutes. Add a little more liquid if the stew looks too thick. Taste and adjust the seasonings, remove any bones, and serve in shallow bowls, drizzled with a little oil and garnished with the parsley or celery leaves.

—Recipe adapted from the Food Matters Cookbook

[kihroto]

Center cut Bone in Pork Loin chop are Easy Saturday dinner, with Root vegetables, Garlic confit and Turnips cooked under the Broiled Piggy. Glazed with Soy-Pomegranate glaze. Fabulous 😋🤩😬🔥#porkchops#saturday#dinner#homecooksinspired# (at Queens, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMqiPS1lGDE/?igshid=1canqotqsqnqd

[losangelestravelgenie]

✅SANTA MONICA RESTAURANT WEEK

Included: 📞,💲📍

JANUARY 6-12, 2020

2020 MENU

Azulé Taqueria (The Gallery)

1315 Third Street Promenade

Santa Monica, CA 90401

(310)-598-5598

Open Daily

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Duck Carnitas Taco Combo

Kumquat habanero marmalade, pickled radishes, Fresno chili. Served with rice, beans and a drink.

$12

Bergamot Cafe

2525 Michigan Ave, #A3, Santa Monica, CA 90404

(310)-828-4001

Open Daily

8:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Avocado, Kumquat and Candied Walnut Salad with Grilled Salmon

Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with fresh kumquats, feta cheese, candied walnuts and topped with a 6 oz. grilled salmon fillet. Tossed with honey white balsamic dressing.

$13.99

BOA Steakhouse

101 SANTA MONICA BLVD, SANTA MONICA, CA 90401

(310)-899-4466

Hours differ

Chef’s Bite

Crispy chicharrón with kumquat marmalade, wild rice, cured egg and achiote

$6

Calabra

Koji Fried California Quail

Kumquat and Calabrian chile sweet and sour, cilantro and mint

$18

Chinois On Main

Quail with Pineapple & Kumquat Sauce

Crispy glazed quail with grilled pineapple and kumquat sauce

$29.50

Colorado Kitchen

2501 Colorado Ave, Suite 120, Santa Monica, CA, 90404

(424)-330-3150

Monday-Friday 7:30AM-10:30AM & 11AM-2:30PM

Rosemary & Kumquat Focaccia Sandwich

Roasted pork, provolone, herb aioli, pickled onions, kumquat Giardiniera. Served with baby lettuce side salad with kumquat vinaigrette.

$11.50

The Curious Palate

Spicy Broccolini

Sautéed broccolini and water chestnuts topped with house candied kumquats and a Thai chili anchovy sauce

$10

Dolcenero Gelato

2400 MAIN STREET A3, SANTA MONICA, CA, 90405, UNITED STATES

(323) 540-6263

Sunday-Thursday 12:00pm-10:30pm

Friday and Saturday 12:00pm-11:30pm

Kumquat Sorbet

Creamy, soft, tender and citrusy sorbet

$5

The Dudes’ Brewing Company

395 Santa Monica Place, #304

Santa Monica, CA 90401

(424) 271 - 2915

Monday-Wednesday 12pm-10pm

Thursday-Friday 12pm-11pm

Saturday 11am-11pm

Sunday 10am-10pm

Goat Cheese Crostini

Herbed goat cheese topped with kumquats on toasted house made bread

$5

El Cholo

1025 Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica CA 90401

(310)-899-1106

Mon-Sat 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Sun 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Fish Tacos with Kumquat Salsa

Pan-seared Mahi Mahi with kumquat salsa on handmade corn tortillas

$18.95

Élephante (note: restaurant will be closed January 7 & 8)

https://www.google.com/search?q=elephante+santa+monica&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#

Kumquat and Fennel Salad

With taggiasca olives, arugula, red onion

$16

Fia

2454 WILSHIRE BLVD

SANTA MONICA, CA 90403

(424) 280 - 4196

MONDAY - FRIDAY : 5 PM - 12 AM

SATURDAY : 11 AM - 2:30 PM & 5 PM - 12 AM

SUNDAY : 11 AM - 2:30 PM & 5 PM - 9 PM

Roasted Duck, Spiced Turnips and Poached Kumquats

$46

FIG Restaurant at Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows

Charred Carrot Salad

Weiser’s charred carrots, JJ Lone Daughter’s avocados, kumquat, honey and chipotle

$16

The Independence

205 BROADWAY, SANTA MONICA, CA 90404

(310)-458-2500

BRUNCH: 10:30AM - 3PM, Sat - Sun

LUNCH: 11:30AM - 3PM, Mon - Fri

DINNER: 6PM - close, Everyday

AFTERNOON DELIGHTS: 3PM - 6PM, Mon - Fri

HAPPY HOUR: 3PM - 6PM, Mon - Fri

King Salmon Tartar

Cucumber, avocado, kumquat

$16

Spiced Kumquat Whiskey Smash Cocktail

$12

Kye’s

1518 Montana Ave.,

Santa Monica, CA 90403

(310) 395-5937

Open M - F 10AM - 8PM, S & S 11AM - 7PM

Kumquat Fruity Boba

Kumquats, coconut milk, Harmless Harvest Raw Coconut Water, preservative free boba, Medjool dates and vanilla

$8

Lanea

(424) 265-7437

LOCATION

217 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401

HOURS

monday - thursday 5p–late

friday 5p-2a

saturday 11a–2a*

sunday 11a–late*

Kumquatargarita

Cazadores blanco tequila, Clement liqueur d’orange, citrus, house lime salt, muddled kumquat

$12

Little Prince

2424 Main St

Santa Monica, CA 90405

(310)356-0725

Dinner Sun - thurs

5:30pm-10pm

Dinner Fri + Sat

5:30pm-11pm

Brunch Sat + Sun

9am-3pm

Pumpkin Toast with Burrata, Kumquats and Pumpkin Seed Crumble

Seasonal farmers market pumpkin and notes of citrus on Clark Street Bread sourdough from the wood oven

$17

Little Ruby

109 Santa Monica Blvd

Los Angeles, California

(424)322 8353

Whipped Ricotta Toast with Kumquat Honey

$10

The Lobster

1602 OCEAN DRIVE

SANTA MONICA, CA 90401

(310) 458-9294

SUNDAY - THURSDAY: 11:30AM-10:00PM

FRIDAY - SATURDAY: 11:30AM-11:00PM

HAPPY HOUR (MON-FRI): 3PM-6PM

Kumquat Upside Down Cake

With whipped mascarpone and blueberry compote

$10

Longitude Bar + Restaurant at Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica

Seared Duck with Candied Kumquats + Chef’s Choice Dessert

Pan-seared duck breast, candied kumquat with braised endives, in kumquat sauce and blueberry duck jus. Dessert included.

$68

Lunetta All Day

2420 Pico Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90405

(310)-581-4201

Mon - Sat 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Sun - 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Tacos with Kumquat Salsa

Grilled Spanish octopus tacos, pasilla rubbed carnitas tacos, Wagyu steak tacos, marinated Jidori chicken tacos; all are served with a pineapple kumquat salsa & house made tortillas

$12 – $16

Lunetta

Duck Confit

Glazed baby turnips and kumquats, orange vanilla sauce

$19

Margo’s

Kumquat Roasted Chicken Breast

Roasted chicken breast, kumquat jus, green olives, Cipollini onions, roasted root vegetables

$29

Kumquat Margarita

Tequila, kumquat jus, lime juice, Cointreau

$16

Massilia

Pear & Kumquat Salad

Arugula, avocado, snap pea, quinoa, pomegranate seed

$13

Meat On Ocean

Duck Rillettes

With kumquat preserves and goat cheese

$14

Michael’s Santa Monica

Baja Style Wild Yellowtail

Crudo of diced, wild, inada (baby yellowtail) set in an aguachile sauce made of market chiles and kumquats, garnished with sliced kumquats, radishes and cilantro

$13

Obicà

Kumquat Mojito

Mint leaves, kumquats, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, white rum, club soda

$15

Red O Taste of Mexico

Spiced Kumquat Hot Toddy

Whiskey, cinnamon, cloves, kumquats

$12

Rosti Tuscan Kitchen

Kumquat Marmalade Flat Bread

Flat bread with gorgonzola cheese, mozzarella cheese, kumquat marmalade spread, heirloom cherry tomatoes, arugula and fresh burrata cheese on top

$16

Scoops Ice Cream & Treats

Kumquat Caramel Date Ice Cream

Hand-crafted ice cream made with fresh organic kumquats, Medjool dates and a lightly salted caramel swirl

$6 single scoop, $8.50 double scoop

Seaside on The Pier

Kumquat Glazed Salmon

With kumquat roasted parmesan potatoes and mixed vegetables

$20.95

Kumquat Kombucha Margarita

$14

California Kumquat Salad

Mixed greens, kumquat agave vinaigrette, kumquats, feta cheese, pistachios, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado

$14.95

Socalo

Salmon Poke

Kumquat ponzu, serrano, cucumber, rice, fennel and sesame seeds

$16

Sonoma Wine Garden

Moulard Duck Breast

Pan-seared with preserved kumquat jus, Meyer lemon infused celeriac puree

$28

Kumquat Lemon Drop

Tito’s Vodka, St. Germain, lemon, Fair Kumquat Liqueur

$12

Stella Barra Pizzeria & Wine Bar

Baby Greens and Shaved Fennel Salad

Tossed with Tropea onions, Sicilian capers, kumquat vinaigrette

$14.95

Sushi Roku

Fluke Kumquat Sashimi

Thinly sliced sashimi topped with kumquat jam and yuzu vinaigrette

$12

Tiato

Winter Kumquat Salad

Roasted Brussels sprouts, kale, red cabbage, grapes, red onion, walnuts and ginger kumquat dressing

$12

Upper West

Curry Spiced Butternut Squash

Fennel chow chow, pea tendrils, kumquat marmalade, lime

$11

[jonfarreporter]

French Peasant Cooking adventure book to be read in Corte Madera

The six French food restaurants in Marin would no doubt agree with travel author Carole Bumpus’ discovery about “the peasant” aspects to the world’s most esteemed cuisine. She will be appearing and speaking at Book Passage in Corte Madera on Sunday, Sept. 15 about her new book “Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table.”

Whenever the subject of French food comes up, it is almost always associated with fine dining. And regardless of whether it be in a restaurant or more casual bistro, the air of distinction supersedes all other types of food and eating experiences.

Yet in reality, once people get past the language barrier that often is more mystique than a description, French cuisine is actually very basic. Still, as Carole in her thoughtfully written and personable book confides, food is life changing.

“Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table” is actually the first book in a series Carole is releasing called “Savoring The Olde Ways.” This memoir of her time spent traveling through Champagne, Lorraine and Alsace is only part of a deeper and more complex journey.

Carole’s journey began unexpectedly almost 20 years ago, when, as a retired family therapist and an aspiring travel writer, she happened to meet a French woman who inadvertently spurred Carole on the journey that would change her life. Her name was Josiane and she, along with her mother, Marcelle, became the host for Carole’s initial adventure, simply to write about foods and families in France.

As Josiane and Marcelle began to teach Carole about the foods of France, the conversation would have references to World War II and the struggles the French were entrenched in. Carole thought she would be gathering information about haute cuisine, but soon learned she was to be educated in ‘cuisine pauvre’ or loosely translated, “peasant cooking.”

As Carole came to understand, the impact of life in France during WWII, continued to impact how families came together and in what they ate.  And, also, what is esteemed about French food is actually very simple.

Yes, some of it is because our American pallet finds French food exotic, like the escargot – snails. But apart from snails, oysters, mussels and frog legs, some of the finest French cuisine consists of very plain ingredients as basic as potatoes and onions.

This reporter took the time to look at all the menus of the six French Restaurants in Marin. Each one, of course, has what it is praised for most. Yet each menu was simple, especially when translating the beautifully said words in French.

For example, let me illustrate. La Garage Restaurant in Sausalito in addition to mussels and other items has Quiche Lorraine. And what is Quiche? It is basically a scrambled egg pie. Left Bank Restaurant in Larkspur serves morue salee’ or Salted Cod Fritters, that’s basically a white fish dipped in flour and fried.

Fast Food Francais in Sausalito serves Ratatouille which is simply an arrangement of stewed vegetables. Marche Aux Fleurs in Ross serves Duck Confit which is basically a duck that has been slow-cooked and well seasoned. Le Comptior in San Rafael serves roasted bone marrow and pan-seared sweetbreads.

And, that basically is the innards of an animal, stuff that an American grocery butcher would toss away as the prime pieces of beef, chicken, etc. would be wrapped in plastic, price tagged and put out on the counter display.

Le Chalet Basque Restaurant, Marin County’s oldest French Restaurant also in San Rafael, serves a ‘Croque Monsieur en Bechamel’ which is just a ham and cheese sandwich covered in a creamy sauce made with lots and lots of butter.

The use of butter, cheese and cream is what French Cuisine is famous for. Yet if we stop and think just for a moment, butter, cheese and cream are made from something very simple and affordable that everyone knows, and that is milk.

Soups, the French are famous for, like Onion, Leek and Potato are made from root vegetables that can grow in any garden. In fact, Carole learned that often during WWII it was some of the most basic of foods, or rather the lack of food, that made a simple potato something to be shared as a meal at table.

And, who can resist desserts? Especially French specialties like Crème Brulee or the ever rich and decadent Chocolate Mousse; yet what are these? They are only forms of pudding and custard made with milk, eggs and butter.

While a fancy restaurant can put on airs and charge high prices, it is the family meal prepared by those in the French families that Carole meets and interviews that helps us to realize the true power of food.

In the overall history of the world, the idea of a restaurant is relatively new. Be it in Paris or Marin, no matter how many Michelin stars a restaurant gets in a review or by a critic, it is truly the meals that are shared that have the most impact.

Carole learned this quickly as she traveled through France with Josiane, sitting and supping at one family table after another. 

As mentioned in Marin magazine’s calendar of events, to learn more about “Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table,” by Carole Bumpus, her book reading will begin Sunday at 1 PM on Sept. 15 at Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd. in Corte Madera. Admission is free. Call 415-927-0960 for details.

[tarynstable-blog]

The Quest for Duck Confit

I love all things duck. It has been my dream for many years to learn the age-old authentic preparation of ‘duck confit.’ There is only one place to go to realize that dream--I had to go to Southwest France. Gascony, the heartland of duck confit and all things duck. There are many cooking classes to be explored, but my quest was to find a course that specialized in and featured the making of Duck Confit. I found exactly that and a then some at the Gargantua in Anzex, France, where I enrolled my companion and myself in the intensive, three day 'Fat Duck Course.’ I discovered the course would include in addition to the Duck Confit, a fabulous bonus. I would also learn the preparation of Torchon au Foie Gras, Rillets, Cou Farci, and Gratton. My ideal duck fantasy! About a three-hour drive north of Carcassonne, we arrived late in the afternoon at the farmhouse of Marlene, Thomas, and their two daughters. Originally from Calais, Marlene had learned the traditional methods of cooking from her grandmother. A ruin at the time, her dream was realized when she bought and restored this farmhouse, with the intention to provide cooking courses with accommodations, meals included. Thomas, who is a very talented self-taught cook as well, is very much part of the team. Marlene does the teaching and most of the interaction, Thomas prepares the meals and behind the scenes operations. That first night at Gargantua, my companion and I were treated to the best duck confit of my life in France or the US. It was golden brown, nesting on a bed of fresh broad beans and bright green peas with fresh basil & parsley. The crispiness was perfection as my fork broke through the skin with a crunch and pierced the falling-off-the-bone tender meat. The depth of flavors exploding in my mouth, my full of desire to savor every bite. I couldn’t imagine intentionally cleansing my palate, only how to maintain it. Euphoric, knowing when I completed this course, I too would be able to prepare Duck Confit to the highest standard. The carafe of wine on the table flowed, and the glasses were kept full. The following act was a salad of baby arugula with goat cheese on toasted baguette drizzled with a hint of honey and finished with a balsamic glaze. All farm fresh, a beautiful presentation and delicious.

To finish, we were presented with an apple tart, served with freshly whipped cream. Heady with our welcome, we retired to a deep sound sleep.

Day 2

The morning light filtering into the dining area lit up the quintessential French breakfast table. A feast for the eyes, it was completely laid out with croissants, pain au chocolat, baguettes, cereal, and fresh fruit, along with choices of juices and coffee.  This morning, a visit to the duck farm, La Ferme de Ramon, was our adventure. It was a beautiful farm with pastoral countryside views, flowering fragrant trees, shrubbery, and flowers. Butterflies & bees busy pollinating. The fig tree bursting with ripe fruit. The owner invited me to help myself. I plucked a fragrant purple fig from the tree and enjoyed each bite of the warm juicy fruit. The ducks live a relaxed, comfortable lifestyle as they sit resting on the green grass in the outside air under dappled sunlight of the shade trees. They arrive when they are a week old. They are moved to different areas on the 30 hectares of the farm as their age dictates and live in tents together so that they are able to huddle to keep warm. They graze on the grass and are fed the maize from the fields. At 3 months, they are moved to a cage to build fat just prior to slaughter. They are fed gavage twice a day, a porridge of maize and wheat flour. We toured the pristine facility where the final stages take place as well as the Preparation of all parts of the duck. There, on-site they produce a vast number of products from preserved foie gras, smoked margret, rendered fat, and much more. We purchased our duck and foie gras, packaged that morning.  Now that is fresh! We returned to a lovely luncheon set out for us on the outdoor wooden table under the tree in the garden. A delicious feast of tomato soup, pate encroute, a green salad, a selection of cheeses and homemade confiture with fresh baguette. Of course, no meal is complete if not accompanied by a very nice red table wine.

Confront the foie gras head on! The deveining process may at first seem intimidating. However, we were encouraged to go boldly forward to seek out and remove the large veins, assured that the foie will be molded back into shape.

Once the deveining mission was accomplished, we prepared the foie gras for the torchon. In this case, instead of a tea towel or cheesecloth, we laid the foie out on a sheet of plastic wrap. We proceeded to season both sides with salt & pepper. Then as if a jigsaw puzzle, arranged and layered the pieces into a 5" inch long, 3 ¼ inch diameter roll, compacting and working the air out before knotting each end. We repeated the wrapping 3 times. The Ballantine were placed into 195F water with the heat turned off for 22 minutes, then immediately removed and set in an ice water bath to cool before refrigerating. Wait at least a day or so before eating.

Second Butchery

Our next task was the secondary butchery the duck. I have never seen a duck this big, like a goose! Slightly intimidated, Marlene reassured us 'the knife knows the way.’ We proceeded to cut piece by piece, first the neck with the head, then the legs, followed by the breast and wings. The fat, the carcass, and the neck had to be removed from its skin. This would be the casing for the coufarci, a lot of work! The fat and the skin went into a large pot on the stovetop. The temperature was set on low to render the fat. Meanwhile…the legs will be used for the confit and are placed in a large dish of salt, then covered with more salt and set in the refrigerator for 12 hours. The breast, necks and all the rest, went into a bowl to be refrigerated until the next day. These will be our ingredients for the Rillettes, Cou Farci, and Grattons. It had been a long but wonderful day. Our dinner was a Navarin, a very delicious lamb stew with root vegetables. The local red table wine made a perfect pairing. For dessert, petite profiteroles with ice cream filling and bathed in a creamy dark chocolate sauce.

Day 3

The morning light danced across the breakfast table, the rooster crowed in the distance, and the aroma of fresh croissants and coffee filled the air.

Our biggest day of cooking so far about to commence, with many elements going simultaneously.

The Confit

The large pot of rendered fat had been skimmed through a sieve and brought to simmer at 200 degrees awaiting the duck legs. We rinsed the salt from the duck legs, patted dry and placed them into the fat, maintaining 200 degrees Fahrenheit to simmer for about 3 hours. Marlene says 'the fat sings a serenade to you.’ She says that depending on how long you intend to store the confit determines how long they would cure in the salt. Because we intend to eat ours soon, 12 hours will be enough. Even though we will cook the duck legs in the fat, they will probably still be salty because we will be eating them soon, within weeks. Evidently, the longer they age, the saltiness lessens. I asked about a tough confit that was not falling off the bone. She reasoned that most likely, it had been cooked too fast and at too high a temperature. After about 3 hours, the skin should pull away from the bone of the drum stick, indicating that it is ready. Marlene gave me verbal instruction on 'how to’ complete the preparation of the confit as follows:

To serve, bring to room temperature. Place the duck legs in a room-temperature pan, then slowly bring up the heat, rendering the fat and ladling that fat onto the meat until the skin is crispy. I consider the crispiness of the skin to be critical to the perfect duck confit. I was definitely unsure of myself successfully accomplishing this task without some hand-holding.

Cou Farci -

Once the duck legs were simmering in the pot, we commenced preparing the Cou Farci (stuffed duck neck).

We put the tenderloins through a meat grinder and added some ground pork, ½ a minced shallot, 1 minced clove garlic,1 tsp salt, a pinch of pepper, a few drops of Armagnac and a portion of beaten egg, just to bind it together. Tie a knot at the small end of the duck neck skin, stuff the mixture tightly into the casing and tie a knot at the open end. We added the Cou Farci to the confit pot to simmer with the duck legs for 1 hour 20 min. Pierced with a toothpick, and the juice runs clear. Then wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated. We will slice it and serve or pan sear when we are ready for a taste. 

While in preparation of the duck legs and the Cou Farci we are also preparing a large stock pot for the Rillets. We add a half of a large white onion cut in half with a clove in each, 5 cloves of slightly crushed garlic, half a shallot minced, one carrot, one celery, A small bunch of thyme and one bay leaf, add one cup of dry white wine. Add the carcass of 2 ducks, the wings and necks and all that we had placed in the bowl yesterday. Add one tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon pepper. Cover with water and bring to a simmer for a few several hours until the meat is cooked and tender. We break for lunch under the shade on the old wood table. A mouthwatering spread of vine ripe red & green tomatoes, garden zucchini quiche with the most astonishing light flaky crust! Accompanied by shredded carrot and lentil salads and of course red table wine to complete the meal. 

Back in the kitchen, we removed the meat from the stock pot. Removing any meat from the neck and bones shredding as you go. Ladling in some of the stock to keep it moist, salt & pepper to taste. We pat down rillettes mixture into a terrine, ladle about ½ inch of duck fat over the top to completely cover. Refrigerate until ready to taste. Preferably in a few days. Three hours had passed, and it was now time to remove the duck legs from the hot fat. The skin had indeed pulled away from the drumstick bone, indicating that it was ready. I tried a nibble of the meat on one quickly, it did not taste too salty to me. But then, I do love my salt. We placed the cooked duck leg pieces in containers and covered them with the hot fat to then store in the refrigerator.

And now for the Grattons! We slice the bits that had been separated out from the rendered fat and refrigerated and cut into thin strips. Then Arranged them onto a tray and placed into a hot oven. We allowed them to crisp up, about 20 minutes. Removed from the pan onto paper towels to drain the fat, salt to taste. OMG yum! These crispy delicious morsels will be heaven on a green salad.  Baggie them, they freeze beautifully.

4 Magret Breasts we had cut awaited.

One breast is adequate per two people. I had thought that Marlene would guide me through the Preparation of the Magret breasts, not the case. I would go it alone, fingers crossed! The verbal instruction 'how to.’ As follows.  Score the fat side about ½ inches apart and season. Place them skin side down in an unheated pan on low heat As the fat renders keep pouring it off. Render as much fat so that the skin can be crispy, about 10 minutes. Do not let it get too brown. Turn it over to meat side down for 4 Minutes. Place in a 350-degree oven for10 minutes. Grateful for a respite, to sit and enjoy our last meal a Gargantua.

A beet and goat cheese salad was followed by roasted chicken, juicy and tender cooked to perfection served with sauteed zucchini fresh from the garden. All of the Red table wine required goes without saying! A luscious chocolate mousse completed the meal. I was curious about why we had not tasted any of the items that we had made. I had assumed it was because each recipe was intended to be preserved for days, weeks, or months before eating. I accepted without question that this must have been the intention. I was quite surprised when the morning of our departure, Marlene asked me for my cooler. Cooler?! I am truly confused. I have traveled to Gascony France from Florida and did not plan on toting a cooler. As luck would have it, serendipity was in our favor. It just so happened that our next stop was Roussillon in the Luberon.

We were joining friends who had rented a house, and it had a kitchen! 6 hours later, we arrive at the door bags in hand, loaded down with all things Duck to share with the group. It was the last night in Roussillon when I prepared the duck fete for the 6 of us. The greatest challenge now was to figure out how to operate the European oven & stove top. Secondly and to my mind; most critical, to a perfect the crispy skin of the duck confit. Daunting for an uncertain chef in a foreign kitchen. Now an opportunity to taste our dishes, we begin with the Sliced torchon au Foie Gras and fig confiture on a fresh baguette. The torchon was a success with a sprinkle of finishing salt. The Rillettes was good, but I was underwhelmed with the recipe. I decided that I would try this again with my own tweaks on the recipe once back in my own home kitchen. The Cou Farci too was not an exciting dish after all of the labor involved. Not certain of the best way to serve it, I sliced it into medallions seared in a skillet. I decided to use them as a side to the salad. Simple butter lettuce tossed in olive oil flavored with garlic and basil topped with the crispy Grattons which were a delicious enhancement of texture, salty crunch and flavor. This was good.

The Magret duck breast really did come out as close to perfect as I could have hoped for given the circumstances of the stove top and oven temperature setting issues. I rubbed them with salt and some herb d Provence then scored them about ¼" apart. At room temperature, I placed them in the pan, skin side down at medium heat on the stove top. Allowing the fat to render and continue to pour it off until almost completely melted and the skins were a caramelized brown and crispy. I turned them over to the meat side down to sear for about 5 minutes then put them into the 350-degree oven for 7 minutes. Rest & sliced, perfect. Now for the star of the show, the reason behind this adventure, the Duck Confit.

I removed them from their duck fat filled containers and set aside the fat. Following Marlene’s verbal instruction, I placed them again in a room temperature pan, skin side down at low to medium heat. This took a long time because my intention was to get the completely crispy skin like I had that first night at Gargantua. I was presenting this dinner party to my host and friends. Labor intensive as it was, I was not prepared for experimentation with the crisping of the skin technique. The end result was tasty, not too salty, the skin was a complete disappointment the result did not meet my expectation by any stretch on the imagination. I was utterly deflated, I had traveled all this way to learn the authentic technique and had failed in execution. Not only because of the kitchen factors, but I really wasn’t confident about the “how to.” Marlene had not shown me how to 'finish’ Which is a critical aspect to the perfection of the confit.

Problem-solving my way through I quickly determine that frying the skin side down in the fat would render a crispy skin and may be the solution. I determine that I will figure it out in my own home kitchen not when I’m not trying to prepare a Duck Fete for 6 on location! I used some the remaining duck fat to toss into potatoes to roast in the oven with a couple of sprigs of rosemary from the garden to a crispy brown. It was quite an impressive dinner party with so much Duck that it could have served 12. We were all leaving the next morning and had to leave the left over Foie Gras, Rillettes, Magret and all of the precious 'Gold’ Duck Fat behind.

Once back in my own home kitchen, the final leg of the journey began. I studied a vast selection of a dozen or more cookery books and articles ranging from Paula Wolfert’ Cooking of Southwest France’ to Alan Ducasse’ Flavors of France’ comparing recipes and finishing techniques. I surfed the YouTube researching every resource and demonstration I could find to exhaustion. I would venture to say approximately 20 stations all in all. Rating each one as I went along. My quest has been a journey of love of Duck Confit, respect for authentic cuisine of Southwest France, and determination for perfection. I am proud to say that as of today, within two years of my journey to the Gargantua Fat Duck Course, I have now served over one hundred and twenty-five Duck Confit dinners at my table. As Thomas Keller would advise 'practice, practice, practice.’ Yes, Practice does make perfect. My harshest critic being myself, I do believe that I have perfected Duck Confit to my highest of standards that could be had outside of France. I have discovered the best resources for ingredients available and developed my own recipe for Duck Confit, including recommended timing to successfully execute a Duck Dinner Fete for 12.

Living in the United States, there are only two resources for Duck, in my opinion. They are D'Artagnan and Hudson Valley. Overnight delivery is available. Bon Appetite!

Duck Confit Recipe

Resource D’Artagnan online

Serves 12

In Three Steps

Step 1.

12 Duck Legs, rinse & pat dry

Brine Dry-combine

1 ¼ cup Kosher salt

½ Cup granulated sugar

1 TBL. Crushed juniper berry

1 TBL. Quatre Espice

2 tsp. white crushed pepper

Coat each leg in the brine mixture.

Then add the garlic & Thyme between each two

Legs and stack them into a large freezer baggie.

2 large baggies for 6 legs overnight.

24 Thyme Sprig leaves

1 head of garlic, minced

Step 2.

Preheat oven to 300

7.5 – 8 LBS Duck Fat

Rinse the brine from the Duck Legs

Warm duck fat until melted.

Place 6 duck legs in each roasting pan. Pour the warm duck fat over

The duck legs to completely submerge the legs in fat.

Place roasting pan in the hot oven and lower the heat to 250.

Roast for approximately 3 hours. Until the skin pulls away from the

Bone on the end of the leg and the meat is very tender.

Remove the roasting pans from the oven.

Allow to rest for one hour. At this time you may place the duck legs into storage containers.  Strain the fat through a

fine sieve to remove bits and completely cover the legs with the fat. Refrigerate

until ready to use. Minimum of two weeks recommended.

Note- I use oven ready storage containers.

Step 3.

Preheat oven to 250

Place the oven ready storage container in the hot oven to gradually melt the fat

and slowly warm the duck legs. When the fat is melted and the duck legs have

warmed through, approximately 30 minutes.

Now at the most critical stage in the perfection of the Duck Confit, Crisp the skin!

In a deep casserole on the stove top, Ladle duck fat so that the fat is about two

inches of deep. Bring the temperature of the fat to 375.

Working one at a time with a sturdy pair of tongs and a slotted spatula, place

each duck leg skin side down into the hot fat while slightly rolling the skin in the

fat so that all of the skin becomes an even golden brown. When all of the skin is

completely crispy and golden brown (about 2 minutes) Remove from the fat and

rest on a cooling rack.

The duck will stay warm for at least 20 minutes if you plan to serve immediately.

Alternatively, If I am hosting a dinner for 12 and attempting to ‘time’ my service.

I have found that the duck will hold well on the racks in a warming oven. However,

the skin will have to be re-crisped.

Preheat the broiler oven and set the oven rack on the second rung.

The duck legs are moved from the warming oven into the broiler.They will begin

to re-crisp under the broiler within about 5 minutes. Perfect!

[curutquit]

Duck stew with boiled mchicha.... Duck stew with yongchak and bamboo shoots eromba cookbang mukbang(viewer Shan ka PAN thongba chaba(beef stew with taro roots)my recipe Mukbang spicy kimchi and asian style boiled herb chicken+soup. Add broth, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Duck Stew. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

The Best Duck Stew Recipes on Yummly Toast With Duck Breast And Mango Chutney, Peking Duck With Bulgur And Dried Fruits, Roasted Duck With Berry Glaze. This soul- warming dish has become a favorite in my house during the cooler days of duck hunting season.

Hey everyone, I hope you're having an incredible day today. Today, we're going to prepare a distinctive dish, duck stew with boiled mchicha.... It is one of my favorites. For mine, I'm gonna make it a bit unique. This will be really delicious.

Duck stew with boiled mchicha... is one of the most well liked of current trending meals on earth. It's easy, it is fast, it tastes delicious. It is appreciated by millions daily. Duck stew with boiled mchicha... is something which I have loved my entire life. They are fine and they look wonderful.

Duck stew with yongchak and bamboo shoots eromba cookbang mukbang(viewer Shan ka PAN thongba chaba(beef stew with taro roots)my recipe Mukbang spicy kimchi and asian style boiled herb chicken+soup. Add broth, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Duck Stew. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

To begin with this recipe, we have to prepare a few components. You can cook duck stew with boiled mchicha... using 11 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you cook it.

The ingredients needed to make Duck stew with boiled mchicha...:

{Prepare of large tomatoes diced.

{Make ready of large onion diced.

{Take of a kilo duck meat,chopped and boiled.

{Get of Mchicha cut into.

{Take of Dania chopped.

{Prepare of Chopped Hoho.

{Get of Mashed garlic.

{Get of Cooking oil.

{Prepare of Salt.

{Prepare of Water.

{Take of Royco or any spice you prefer.

The vegetables in this recipe can be changed to whatever you have on hand. Recently I made this with turnips and sweet potatoes and many liked it better than my usual potatoes and carrots. Duck Stew - BBQ Duck Recipes - Wild Duck Breast Recipe. It's tough to beat any medium rare duck recipes and duck stew.

Instructions to make Duck stew with boiled mchicha...:

In a sufuria fry onions till golden brown then add tomatoes. Let it simmer until the tomatoes are ready..

Add the duck meat, garlic and Hoho and let it cook for 5mins..

Then add Dania, salt, royco and alittle water then cover for 10mins..

In a different sufuria put mchicha, salt and water then boil for 10mins..

When both are ready serve with ugali/chapati or rice. Serve while hot..

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large covered pot over medium-high heat (ranges will vary, it should be a slight boil). Download Stewed duck stock photos at the best stock photography agency with millions of premium high quality, royalty-free stock photos, images and pictures at reasonable prices. duck breast Authentic duck rillettes Shredded duck confit Boneless duck breast roast with herbs Naturally smoked and cooked boneless duck breast. As soon as the stew is boiling, add the rest of the ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Add the potatoes, reserved duck pieces, and thyme. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

So that's going to wrap it up with this exceptional food duck stew with boiled mchicha... recipe. Thank you very much for your time. I'm confident you can make this at home. There is gonna be more interesting food in home recipes coming up. Remember to bookmark this page on your browser, and share it to your loved ones, friends and colleague. Thank you for reading. Go on get cooking!