remembering...waffles

I've been organizing some photos from a recent trip to Bruges, Belgium. It's like a place taken from out of a storybook, so beautiful.  I think I was looking through the lens of my camera more than not.  Bruges is known as the “Venice of the North” for its medieval monuments, bridges and romantic scenery.  You can experience the city by taking a cruise through the canals, and discover secret gardens, picturesque bridges and wonderfully beautiful still lives.

 

Along the cobblestone streets in Bruges you can stop into anyone of the 49 chocolate boutiques (after all they are the world’s capital of chocolate) 

or indulge in delicious yeast-raised waffles anytime of day sold by street vendors.  Either plain, dipped in chocolate, topped with whipped cream or fruit they are a comfort I enjoyed if not once at least twice a day.

I think some waffles with a little chocolate might be just the ticket today.

Enjoy!

Shannon

  

Waffles with Chocolate 

 

On a cold winter night (or anytime), indulge in this decadent dessert—homemade waffles dipped into rich chocolate.

For the waffles:

3 eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup sugar

For the chocolate:

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb. chocolate chips

2 to 3 Tbs. flavored liqueur, such as kirsch, amaretto or orange liqueur (optional)

Directions:

To make the waffles, preheat a Belgian waffle maker on medium-high heat according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Preheat an oven to 200°F. 

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the buttermilk, oil and vanilla until blended. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add the flour mixture to the yolk mixture and whisk until smooth. 

In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1 cup of the whites into the batter, then carefully fold in the remaining whites. 

Pour about 1/3 cup batter into each well of the waffle maker and close the lid. Cook the waffles until golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer the waffles to a wire rack set on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter. 

Meanwhile, make the chocolate fondue: Using the cream, fondue chips and liqueur, prepare the fondue according to the package instructions. Keep warm in a fondue pot. 

Cut the waffles into quarters and serve with the chocolate fondue. Serves 4 to 6.

Paris, part 2

    

  After having our espresso and croissant at a local café near our hotel, my daughter and I discussed our plans for the day and knew that our first stop had to be the open-air green market in the 7ème Arrondissement at the lovely Marché Saxe-Breteuil, only a couple of minutes walk away. 

              There are no fewer than eighty greenmarkets in Paris, the vast majority of them are open-air markets (marchés volants, or roving markets) that operate two or three days a week, most of often in the morning. 

              But the Marché Saxe-Breteuil has to be one of the most appealing outdoor food markets in Paris.  Set in an upscale residential neighborhood, the market is shaded by two rows of sycamore trees and the tall light poles with modern fixtures provide a bit of architectural glamour.  The Eiffel tower is in view which adds to the pleasure. 

              On this particular morning, Paris was awakened by sunshine flooding down through the canopy of trees giving the whole market a golden glow.

           As we negotiated our way from stall to stall I was overwhelmed by the mind-numbing assortment of produce

 cheese, bread, meat, and seafood 

            

            not to mention the household goods. Personal clothing is abundant, flowers, toys, purses, wallets, and other leather goods known as maroquinerie (because they come from Morocco) are displayed as well as oriental carpets, fine lace tablecloths and quilts. 

But of course for me, it was the food that captivated my attention, it was a sensory awakening.  I felt a kind of camaraderie as I strolled from stall to stall watching the Parisians discussing with the vendors specific nuances of the what seemed like dozens upon dozens of artisanal cheeses displayed, sampling a little of this and a little of that. 

            I couldn’t believe the abundance of oysters piled high in baskets down a long table.  There were plat or flat, and curved/crenellated types.  They are numbered 1 through 5 to distinguish the largest (#1) from the smallest #5).  A dozen #3’s will set you back as much as a dozen euros in a restaurant, though much less in the open-air market.  The vendor seemed to be explaining the fine points of differences among fines de claires, speciales, and belons all from Marennes and Oléron on the Atlantic coast.

               There are multiple charcuterie stands with sausages, prosciutto, even pig snouts, which attest to the French genius for finding culinary use for every part of the beast.  In an adjacent stall, half a dozen varieties of mushrooms are laid out along with all the glorious greens: crinkly spinach, crisp peppery cresson and my favorite frisée.

              Paris is a city over flowing with wonderful ingredients to cook with. If you are truly in love with food, you can be assured you will be in love with Paris.  And if you are in love for beauty that runs deep through all genres, Paris will happily take you by the hand and accommodate you.

jouir de,

shannon

remembering Paris and Poilâne

Whenever I'm asked what I love most about Paris, the reply is of course the food. More specifically, the boulangeries.

Admittedly not all bread in Paris is created equal, but there are those places that are off the charts. One place in particular is Poilâne. Poilâne is probably France’s most famous bakery, founded in 1932 on the chic rue du Cherche Midi.

The bakery welcomes you with beautifully crafted wrought iron door handles made into the shape of wheat sheaves and then as you enter you are overcome by the warm yeasty smell of freshly baked bread and pastries.  

This bakery produces the most famous starter bread in the world simply called pain Poilâne or miche Poilâne. They have taken the most humble of ingredients, bread, salt and water and have elevated it to an art form. One of the things that make Poilâne’s bread so good is the traditional manufacturing process. They use stone-milled gray flour and Guérande salt. A slow natural fermentation process is used which is what helps the bread develop that deep, earthy flavor that is key, and then baked in wood-burning ovens.

The bread is formed into giant wheels, of which you can buy a half or quarter, and boasts a thick crust. The top is slashed with the signature “P” and the bottom is slightly charred to perfection. The moist, fragrant crumb begs for some creamy butter and fresh fruit preserves. Aside from this star item, the bakery also sells specialty breads that are baked with rye flour, raisins or Périgord walnuts.

The wooden slat shelves that support the loaves of bread wrap around the perimeter of the tiny shop. There are also Poilâne-endorsed accessories that make lovely gifts for the bread lover: embroidered aprons, bread bags, bread knives, bread boxes and homemade jams.
 

There are croissants that take you’re your breath away

as well as flans, apple tartlets, and pale blond butter cookies (which can be sampled from a basket at the register) are all for the taking.

Poilâne’s breads are so distinctive and delicious that loyal fans world wide clamor to have them shipped to far-flung locations. Fortunately, the bread’s crusty exterior and chewy interior lasts up to a week and renders it hardy enough for the voyage, just in case you won’t be able to make a little trip to Paris yourself, grâce à Dieu (thank goodness).

bonne mémoire.
shannon

up the coast, part 3

Before making our way back home on the last day of our trip up the coast, we decided to stop into a local dining establishment for breakfast.

Big Sky Cafe has been a local favorite in San Luis Obispo as well as food critics from around the world, since 1994. It has had stellar reviews from such noted publications as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Gourmet Magazine (back in ’08), and even Rachel Ray.

They specialize in using produce from local farms. A quote from the chef/owner Charles Myers was quoted in Gourmet Magazine as saying “Every year our local farm resources deepen and improve…we have an ever expanding palate of organic fruits and vegetables, farmstead cheeses, olive oils, and vintage vinegars to create our fresh market dishes daily.”

The décor of the restaurant is interesting. In that it seems to have this hippie/southwest motif. There are tie-dyed tapestries, a lot of wood paneling, with a bit of odd statuary thrown in for good measure. The desert landscape paintings that are placed around the dining room are lovely, my favorite being the one adjacent to the long hardwood bar.

When looking at the menu I knew I wanted to go beyond the typical omelet or bowl of fruit. This led me to three options the Red Flannel Turkey Hash with Basil-Parmesan glazed eggs, the Devil’s mess, or the Traditional New Mexican Pozole. Decisions, decisions.

I landed on the pozole. A spicy hominy stew with peppers, tomatillos, pumpkins seeds, cumin & cilantro with a poached egg on cornbread with queso fresco.

It was a good choice. So good in fact that since I’ve been home I have been trying to make my own version of pozole that might come somewhat close to theirs. I believe I have succeeded. The earthy dark pasilla chile, along with the fire roasted tomatoes and chicken stock make a soul satisfying broth. The creamy rich avocado and cheese add richness, and the crunch of the toasted pepitas rounds the soup beautifully.

If you want to make the Big Sky version the owner has a blog in which he posted the recipe (just love when they do that!) but it is pretty involved and a little time consuming. My version is much simpler and has its own merits. With or without the cornbread and poached egg this is a tasty breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Pozole my way

serves 4 to 6

3 large dried pasilla (negro) chile, stemmed and seeded

2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil

1 medium white onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 ½ quarts chicken broth (preferably homemade)

1 Tbsp. dried epazote or Mexican oregano

1 Tbsp. cumin

3 15- ounce cans hominy, drained

8 ounces shredded cooked chicken or pork

½ cup toasted pepitas seeds

1 large ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into ½ cubes

1 cup queso fresco, crumbled

½ cup Mexican crema, sour cream or crème faîche for garnish

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

Quickly toast the chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. (Lacking an open flame, toast it in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing it flat for a few seconds, then flipping it over and pressing it again.) Break the chile into pieces and put in a blender jar along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chile.)

Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to the blender with the tomato mixture. Process until smooth.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and epazote, if using or Mexican oregano and cumin. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth).

Just before serving, add the hominy, and chicken to the simmering broth. Divide the pepitas, avocado, cheese and cilantro between the serving bowls. When the hominy and chicken have warmed through, usually about 5 minutes, ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with crema. Pass the lime separately

up the coast, part 2

After a tasty lunch of clam chowder at Splash Café we continued our journey up the central coast of California and took a turn inland toward the Edna Valley. I was taken back by the extensive agriculture and viticulture that is going on there. I learned that the Edna Valley, besides being beautiful is probably one of the best places for going the slightly finicky Pinot Noir grape.

The wine produced in this climate is significantly influenced by the nearby Pacific Ocean. Mornings are often cool and foggy, followed by sunny and warm afternoons. This valley region is subject to extremely long growing seasons and moderate temperatures, which allow the grapes to develop their distinctive varietals characteristics.

We spent the rest of the afternoon driving through the valley, ending up in San Luis Obispo where we had a delicious meal at Buono Tavola that serves northern Italian cuisine. The Tortelloni di zucca alla salvia e mascarpone was an amazing homemade tortelloni stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta cheese in a sage and mascarpone cheese sauce topped with toasted walnuts. The pasta that was so thin and tender it almost melted in my mouth. With my meal I enjoyed a superb 2007 Pinot Noir from Talley Vineyards that was probably one of the best I’ve tried. And for dessert I had the Torta Di Mele Alla Pia, a homemade country apple tart with a polenta crust and served with a cinnamon zabaglione. The apples were sliced paper thin and the polenta crust so flaky and delicate; it was the perfect end to the meal.

Enjoy!
Shannon

up the coast, part 1

The hubby and I decided to take a couple days off from work and head up the coast to check out some property in the central coast area. We couldn’t have picked a better time; the weather was cool and clear after a small rain storm the previous day. We got an early start, picked up my caffeine fix and pushed through the L.A. stop and go. But since we were getting away, even the traffic couldn’t faze us. We had our trusty map (which ended up not being so trusty after all) and a list of some highly rated food spots as well as days and times of some local farmers markets in the area that we wanted to check out.

Our first stop was in Pismo Beach which boasts of white sandy beaches, a Monarch Butterfly Grove, hiking trails of beautiful beaches with tide pools, coves and caves. But of course those were not the priority, no I had in mind a tasty bread bowl filled with a rich, creamy clam chowder from Splash Cafe.

Splash is famous for their clam chowder and apparently their recipe has been sought after from publications such as Gourmet and Bon Appetit but to no avail. You can order their chowder online, but if you are driving through, it is worth the stop. When you order the chowder, getting it in the bread bowl is the only way to go.  They cut out the center section of the sourdough boule, grill it up and serve along side the bread bowl for dipping. The chowder is thick and creamy with traces of potato and an underpinning of garlic. So good.

Since I’ve been back home, I have been thinking about the chowder, probably way too much. So I thought I would search out a recipe that might be a close match. This recipe from Restaurant Budd Bay Café in Olympia Washington is pretty darn close to Splash.  So if heading to Splash Café in Pismo Beach isn’t in your upcoming plans making this recipe could be a way to visit Splash vicariously.

Enjoy!
Shannon

Smokey Clam Chowder
Bon Appétit December 1996 Restaurant: Budd Bay Cafe; Olympia, Washington

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup all purpose flour
6 8-ounce bottles clam juice
4 6 1/2-ounce cans chopped clams with juices
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon powdered garlic
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke*
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. sherry for serving (optional)

Boil potatoes in large saucepan of salted water until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain potatoes well.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion and sauté until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually mix in clam juice. Simmer until beginning to thicken, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Add clams with juices, parsley, thyme, marjoram, dill, garlic, liquid smoke and potatoes. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Add cream and milk. Bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Optional:  One ingredient that really makes this chowder exceptional is to pour about a teaspoon of cream sherry on to the top of the chowder right at serving.  I prefer using Fino or Manzanilla which are both pale, straw colored. Both are excellent with seafood, mild cheese, fish or ham. The delicate crisp aroma and nutty flavor are a nice counter balance to the rich and creamy chowder.

*Liquid smoke is a smoke-flavored liquid seasoning available at specialty foods stores and many supermarkets.