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Last Bite?
always crust. have an apple pie? I eat all the apple filling first, then the center pastry and finally crust (I save some icrecream for those last bites as well). if the dish has cheese, then always some cheesy bite for last.
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
Thank you all for the recommendations!! I think we may try Michys, Cacao, or Talula, maybe one of the Italians suggested. I have heard great things about Sardinia and am tempted to try it but we shall see. I am from Panama and I am half Cuban!, our local food is similar to Cuban food so that's why no Cuban food except maybe for lunch : ) When we visit the U.S. we try to take advantage of dishes and atmosphere that we cannot get over here so that is mainly what we are looking for. Maybe we'll try Joe's for lunch since it's such a tradition. China Grill I have been to in the past and have mixed feelings about it. Thanks again : )
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
I made this one and it was easy to make and yummy if very sweet. The sauce is a bit tricky (I always have issued with caramel-like sauces, if anyone knows a trick about how not to mess these up please share!). Vanilla ice cream is a must. And it does indeed freeze well.
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Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
I just came back from Miami and wanted to report on the experience since you all were so helpful with the recs. We ended up going to Michael's, Prime 112, Michy's, Cacao and Osteria del Teatro. Michael's is a MUST. It was our favorite of the trip. It offers homey yet inventive fare and the atmosphere is wonderful, full of life, vibrant. Truly a fantastic restaurant. Prime 112 was a TOTAL scene and they made us wait an hour before seating us, but it was an experience and the food was pretty good. If you go, it is for the scene more than anything else because I am sure there are other steakhouses that offer the same quality food. Cacaos was very good, beautiful presentations, more low key. We also loved Osteria. Osteria has a great atmosphere (the SOBE location is a big part of it) even though it somehow seems more old fashioned than the others (it's been there for a while). Still, it was refreshing and the food was delicious. Get the specials! Michy's, although good food and wonderful service, was just ok, and I guess this is because it has the most hype surrounding it and it's not as exciting. We liked Michael's better.
Thanks again to all for the help!
Last Bite?
always crust. have an apple pie? I eat all the apple filling first, then the center pastry and finally crust (I save some icrecream for those last bites as well). if the dish has cheese, then always some cheesy bite for last.
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
Thank you all for the recommendations!! I think we may try Michys, Cacao, or Talula, maybe one of the Italians suggested. I have heard great things about Sardinia and am tempted to try it but we shall see. I am from Panama and I am half Cuban!, our local food is similar to Cuban food so that's why no Cuban food except maybe for lunch : ) When we visit the U.S. we try to take advantage of dishes and atmosphere that we cannot get over here so that is mainly what we are looking for. Maybe we'll try Joe's for lunch since it's such a tradition. China Grill I have been to in the past and have mixed feelings about it. Thanks again : )
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
I made this one and it was easy to make and yummy if very sweet. The sauce is a bit tricky (I always have issued with caramel-like sauces, if anyone knows a trick about how not to mess these up please share!). Vanilla ice cream is a must. And it does indeed freeze well.
Small-bite sweets, #1 new food trend?
Like the idea b/c I love variety but I find that mini desserts almost never taste as good as the full portion ones. I am not sure why but a mini cheesecake usually does not compare to a slice of cheesecake proper. Same for mini pecan pies or tarts, and I just love these desserts, maybe it's the crust thing, I love the crust and on the minis you can't really experience that as well. So..I don't know, I welcome the trend and maybe I am just not trying the right ones....
What do you love to make?
desserts that require baking: cheesecakes, alfajores, cookies, hello dollies, pound cakes. AND risotto. I find baking therapeutic and risotto dishes very satisfying.
Have you successfully duplicated a restaurant recipe?
Yes! And I could not believe my husband and I managed. The ricotta gnocchis with sausage fennel ragu from Lupa. We used an online recipe. The Lupa ones are better but ours are pretty good. The only problem we have is that where we live good ricotta is very hard to come by and there is no goat curd which the recipe calls for, so we use Spanish goat cheese which is usually the tastiest available and they taste more goat cheese than ricotta-like, but they are still wonderful and the ragu is fabulous. The delicious aroma in the kitchen is very special!
Post Thanksgiving Brunch Quandry...
For a yummy brunch cocktail try passion fruit mimosas (champagne or cava which is less pricey with passion fruit juice). It's a refreshing brunch coktail.
What's Your Favorite Thanksgiving Food?
Ed, I agree with you 100%. Stuffing and pie. Stuffing is indeed a perfect food and pie...well, a buttery crust with yummy filling, what more could one ask for. My favorites are pecan and pumpkin and vanilla ice cream is a must for me.
What do you pack for lunch?
I pack lunch every day. I assemble the sandwiches on Sundays. English muffin with veggie cheese (moza, cheddar and/or jalapeño cheddar), and also bring some veggies (broccoli, spinach) or chicken or an apple or yogurt ro accmpany and have either oat bran cereal with raisins or honey and oat crackers for dessert.
What's your formula for building the best salad?
My favoritie is greens (spinach is possiblemy favorite), then cheese (blue, goat, feta, asiago, pecorino), something sweet (dried cranberries or raisins, pears, apples), and nuts (toasted walnuts/pecans/pine nuts). Sometimes I add mix and match the above with olives, bacon, chicken, tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms. I always make the same dressing: dijon mustard, honey, cider vinegar, onion powder, sometimes a splash of soy sauce and a bit of hot sauce. What are people's favorite dressings and how do you make it??
What are your favorite nostalgic sides?
with BBQ ribs or meat, tomatoes stuffed with cheese (some combo of mozarella with asiago or ricotta or gruyere or pecorino) made on the bbq
with sandwiches, sliced avocado
with steak, creamed spinach, scalopped potatoes, french fries or a green salad with simple dressing
with cheese, wine : ) not a side but these are an inseparable pair
with any type of cake or pie, vanilla ice cream
with any restaurant meal, good bread
with seafood rice or paella, white asparragus and olives
with fish or seafood, rice or risotto.
Everyday I eat_____________
Some form of cheese (includes soy). Some type of bread. Brown rice almost every week day.
Frozen Eats
can one really freeze cheese?? does it work for all types of cheese?
Would you rather give up chocolate or cheese?
chocolate. i love both but cheese can be eaten savory and sweet and is more versatile. plus I have learned to eat less chocolate b/c my husband does not like it so now there are plently of desserts w/out chocolate that I like
Are Healthy and Delicious Mutually Exclusive?
This is a great topic! I am a serious eater but also a person who cares about nutrition and striking a balance. I do believe that nutritious food can be delicious, but one must admit that some of the most delicious things are high in fat and calories. I believe in the things previously mentioned: exercise, moderation, portion control, and also allowing yourself to indulge. I happen to love exercise so that part is easy for me. I exercise at least 4 times a week, usually for 45 min to 1hr but when I am tired for less. The thing is to go even if it's for 25 minutes. During the week, when we eat at home, we try to have foods that are delicious but not super high in fat/calories: brown rice, legumes, vegetables prepared with herbs, spices, sandwiches made at home with lean meats, chicken, and try to have variety at every meal (different types of vegetables, legumes sweet and savory flavors) to satisfy the senses. Then on weekends or when we eat out, I eat whatever most appeals but in moderation, be it a mac and cheese made with three cheeses and cream, fried foods, desserts (which I love). I find that by indulging weekly I get it out of my system. I do not feel deprived and I look forward to my home cooked nutritious meals again. It works for me.
About once a year, I feast on _____
egg nog, stuffing, pumpkin soufflé
Bread pudding -- do you have a great recipe to share?
I agree that the recipe is quite flexible. Mine (recipe from one of my best friends), I sort of eyeball depending on the amount of bread I am using. The key is egg bread as someone else said. And butter is also a must!! I use one stick (sometimes a bit more) salted, melt it and pour over the pieces of bread and reserve about 2TBSP. The custard is three eggs , 1 cup cream, vanilla extract and sugar maybe 1/2 cup. Mix all of this and pour over buttered bread. The mixture should cover the bread so that it does not get dry. Then pour reserved butter, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Pop into preheated oven 350 degrees until golden. The best part of this bread pudding is the rum cinnamon sauce. Melt 1 stick butter over low heat, stir in 1/2 cup sugar, stir, once it dissolves remove from heat, stir in dark rum to taste (can be white sometimes I use white) (I like it with a hint not too rummy) and then 1to 2 TBSP cinnamon. Lot's of butter and sugar in this recipe but it is worth it! Plus I serve it with vanilla ice cream....: )
It's really yummy!!!
Question of the Day: What's Your Favorite Type of Cake?
I second cheesecake and carrot cake!! Also, yellow cake from the box with chocolate frosting (yum!) and cake de Momy (a bakery in Panama where I live which makes birthday cakes which are essentially vanilla cake with majar blanco (dulce de leche like substance) in the middle and sugary frosting), this with vanilla icecream is delicious.
Where to eat in New Orleans?
Bayona, Palace Café, Lillet, Herb Saint, Clancy's, Gauthraux, The Upperline, Commander's Palace, for a classic, Arnaud's (all of these were awesome, don't know if they are open or closed). Emerils and Delmonicos are good, Nola is not as good though. I used to love an italian place (not NOLA eats by any means though) called Bravo, has a special place in my heart from when I lived there, but it has more of a chain vibe.
This is supposed to be "Serious Eats?!"
It seems to me Serious Eats has to do with being serious about food and the enjoyment of the experience of food. I love the fact that sometimes this site talks about gadgets, sometimes about gourmet restaurants, and sometimes about peanut butter, how you like your brownies, what goes in your ice cream, what are you cooking this weekend and things that people who seriously love food LOVE to talk about. It's nice to see that different people who love food, or otherwise would not post on this site, actually respond to these questions, with enthusiasm I may add, whereas others would think of them as ridiculous. So Serious Eats, keep being the way you are. I am sure that's why people keep coming back.
Do you like 'chunks' in your ice cream?
I LOVE chunks of cake/cookie in my ice cream, I love to make ice cream desserts filled with bits of cookies, pie crust (any crust!), pie, brownies, hello dollies or cakes, I even mix cheesecake with ice cream. I don't mind chocolate chunks but not too many and I do like nuts but not too many either. No fruit. Love sauces also, caramel and hot fudge, but no fruit, except for fruit that is part of a pie like apple pie. NO GUM or candy, except toffee-like candy.
What one food are you ashamed to admit you like?
boiled white rice with ketchup. cous cous or rice with melted mozzarella or similar melty cheese and butter (or worse, can't believe it's not butter) (and, sometimes, a little ketchup!!). Popcorn with cheese and..yep..ketchup : ) i know, it's shameful..
Question of the Day: What's your favorite cheese?
Mozzarella di Buffala, it is sooo fresh and perfect! st. andré, brie, époise. Stinky cheeses in general. Love raclette!!
Last Bite?
A hot T-bone steak, slightly charred on the outside - the part that is nestled in the "T" part of the cut next to the bone, with a bit of charred fat on the edge - that is all the steak I need!!
Last Bite?
Hmmm I definitely don't do this consciously. I've always been told to not save the best for last because that way if you get full, you won't enjoy it!
Hillary
Chew on That
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
Leave China Grill & Prime 112 off your list. Cheese central and over rated. If I had to choose the top 3 restaurants in Miami my picks would be Michy's, Macaluso's and a new one, The Smoking Rabbit. Food is amazing at all 3. Ribs at Michy, meatballs at macaluso and everythin at The Smoking Rabbit. I'm from Chicago and lived in NY for 20 yrs. I know GREAT food.
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
I've been to Las Culebrinas a bunch of times... i did not know there was one in Coconut Grove, because the one I;ve been to is in Hialeah's West side... on 12th W Ave and 45th street... around there... and it's not too fancy at all. I go in wearing bermuda shorts and sleveless shirts all the time.
If you do indeed go... Las Culebrinas' chicharritas de platano con mojito are super duper good. I also quite enjoy in Hialeah Las Delicias. It's on 48th street and on a marginal road next to 4Th W Ave. it's almost on the mall righte these on 49th street/4th W ave. They do, in my humble opinion, have THE BEST chicharritas de platano ever. They are super thin and their mojo rocks!!!! it's cool to go for lunch if you're in that area... not touristy at all.
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
you have a good list there.
Def do Michys, Ortanique (for a weekday lunch) and Osteria de Teatro (on a weekend night), ask for a table by the window, that way you get a window and a show! ;) i love Prime 112, i see there's mixed reviews here, but it's really fab. Tallulah is inconsistant for me, but others in my fam love it all the time. I liked the hominy at Michael's as well, but that was it, the choc cremoso dessert was um, 'interesting'. Go for dinner though, i went for lunch and thought it was no big deal, apparently for dinner it's a diff story.
I second Macaluso's for Italian, but beware of chatty waitress, it could take 30 minutes for her to go over the verbal menu. For Cuban, do Versailles in the middle of the nite! lol. We were just there on Sat at 12:30AM and had to stand in line in the parking lot to get in. lol. The wait was worth it, fab late nite meal. For Peruvian, try Salmon Salmon, the restaurant is teeny, but the fish is incredible (try the ceviche or tacu tacu). For Chinese, forget China Grill, CG sucks. Try Tropical Chinese, it's delicious and they serve dim sum daily. OR try Tony Chan's Water Club also excellent. For sushi, if you are looking to splurge, try Nobu. If you are just looking for great fresh fish, try Sakura. For a good burger, try the new Five Guy's Burgers and Fries in midtown or my personal fave but it's a drive Keg South for their famous Keg South burgers.
Have a great trip and enjoy your Miami good eats! :D
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
as an ex-miami resident but frequent visitor there, i have three recommendations: 1) graziano's may be the finest argentinian parilla north of buenos aires. it may be the best argentinian restaurant in the world. go to the bird road (original) one,it's the best. as you might expect, their italian dishes are also superb. 2) versailles on calle ocho - not going to versailles is indeed like not going to the eiffel tower. the food is fine, but it is the archetypal cuban restaurant, and definitely the place to see and be seen. it is also open nearly 24 hours, and has great breakfasts. 3) las culebrienas - very elegant latin restaurant, stunningly good food. mainly cuban but seriously upscale. there are two - the one in coconut grove is a bit fancier. DO NOT MISS THESE RESTAURANTS! rks
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
There's a good blog about Miami's eats here...http://dailycocaine.blogspot.com/
The blogger is also a regular food writer for a number of Miami publications, whose web sites might be checked as well...
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
kathyvegas---thanks for the portioning tip--sounds like the way to go for us single-serving needs people.
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
I bake mine in muffin pans. Slide the 'muffins' into small freezeer bags to freeze and zap in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up when it's time to enjoy it. It freeezes beautifully and somehow the preportioned serving sizes slow me down from consuming the entire batch in a weekend.
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
I've only had sticky toffee pudding once. My friend, an expat, worked as a pastry chef and made it one day. It was delicious, my husband still talks about it (and it was years ago). I do remember it was super sweet. I think I'll surprise my husband and make the recipe with chocolate that Cathy posted. Thanks!
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
Michael's is so good, enjoy that first night!
I have to recommend Prime 112, if not only for the food, but the experience. Just be prepared that even with a reservation you will have to wait for a table ( we waited for about a half hour for ours). But since the weather is so nice you can just wait outside and stare at the cars and the celebrities coming in.
As for the food, I found it better than most steakhouses that we have been to. My husband had the filet and I had a really good cod dish. Everything else that we tried, we really enjoyed.
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
Tap Tap (a haitian restuarant just slightly off the beaten path) was the best meal of my trip last spring. Fantastic mojitos, and my friend and I both had some sort of fish in lime sauce that we both still talk about dreamily.
http://miami.citysearch.com/profile/2504786/miami_beach_fl/tap_tap.html
(Ignore that first commenter, sounds like she has a bug up her you know what)
And I second the suggestion of getting Joe's crabs to go, way better to just enjoy them without all the restaurant hoopla.
Miami Eats: Need Recommendations
China Grill is a bit cheesy and overrated in my opinion. Michy's is a must, and if you go don't you dare pass up the ham croquettas or the spare ribs. Macaluso's is fabulous. The meatballs are to die for. I've heard good things about a new spot on the quiet end of Ocean Drive- a gastropub called the Smoking Rabbit. If you need a low-key fun night, Big Pink is a delicious better-than-average diner. Nemo is a beautiful place, as well as Escopazzo (all organic Italian, though pricey). Dromo Japonaise is a new spot in the Design District near Michael's and is Japanese French fusion. Enjoy!
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Believe it or not this was a common dessert in my Nebraska school lunch as a child, musta had date surplus. Always served warm with the carmel topping and it never disappoints, I make it often when I have left over dates from the holidays.
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
I did forget to add that it was really rich, so a small serving went a long way, but it was pleasing to many senses, that's for sure!
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Now I am in trouble. I love Sticky Toffee Pudding (never had it before moving to Canada, now I crave it!) and will have to make it soon. Maybe the one with chocolate...mmmmmph. I agree that the ice cream is a reasonable substitute, especially in warmer weather.
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Love this dessert! I've tried a few recipes and the best I've found is from The Sweet Life, by Kate Zuckerman, pastry chef at Chanterelle. Hope you get a chance to try it!
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
I love "sticky toffee pudding" ice cream by HD and so when I was given the task of doing dessert for Cristmas this year, I so did not want to do the usual pies, cookie bars, jello whatevers of years past, so I was determined to do something new, something that I thought others would enjoy, but probably wouldn't try because they would think they wouldn't like it. I was a nervous wreck, family and friends were a little crestfallen that there were no pies, but they were kind enough to try it and they alll LOVED it. You know it's a hit when they are asking how to make it. The key was serving it warm (the pudding and the sauce) and also letting the sauce cook down for a couple of hours. It became richer and more toffee like the longer it cooked. Smoother. I served it with vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche.
I got a great deal of satisfaction making this - My first time presenting my mom and sisters with a new dish, made from scratch and not a dish they have ever made. (I am the youngest of three daughters, so it's a biggie for me!) My two sons and husband loved it and that was the icing on top of the cake. Or the toffee on top of the pudding! I got my recipe off of Epicurious.
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
cristi & Cathy---thanks for the recipes, both sound pretty darn good!
jcrisco--maybe I could top the warm STP with a scoop of the HD instead of plain vanilla:)
Still curious about those frozen single servings made by the "Sticky Toffee Pudding Co"....
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
This is my favorite. The bittersweet chocolate tempers the sweetness.
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Chocolate Chips & Toffee Sauce (from Sydney chef Andrew Blake, in 'The Best American Recipes 2003-2004')
SAUCE
6 oz. dark brown sugar [I use Muscovado]
4 oz. butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
PUDDING
6 oz. pitted dates
3/4 c. boiling water
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3 oz. butter
4 oz. dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
6 oz. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. coffee essence
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
350º, deep 9” cake pan buttered and lined with parchment
Stir sauce ingredients over medium heat until sugar melts and sauce bubbles. Pour half into the cake pan and keep the rest to serve with the pudding.
Put dates and baking powder in a small bowl and add boiling water. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in eggs a bit at a time, sprinkling in 1 Tbsp of flour when half the eggs are in (to stop curdling). Mix in dates and water. Sift over flour and baking powder and fold in gently. Stir in coffee and chocolate. Pour into cake pan and bake 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden and firm and the sides have shrunk a bit from the pan. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before turning out.
To serve: Heat sauce to bubbling and spoon over wedges of warm pudding. Add a dollop of crème fraîche.
Have you ever made Sticky Toffee Pudding?
If you're in a bind and just craving STP, as I do...I buy the Haagan Daaz STP ice cream! Yum!
Small-bite sweets, #1 new food trend?
FigswithBri--I agree, it is so much more satisfying to have a couple of bites of quality ingredients made into a tasty dessert (or any other dish)! Personally, I'd like to be served 3 small-bite sweets, each a vastly different flavor & texture.
Even Ed, had a bite of each BonBonBar!
Small-bite sweets, #1 new food trend?
JEP, it's great that you bring this up. Rather than being a fad, I think it's just a more sane way to eat. Pretending that eating a box of Snackwells or Entamins is healthy, I'm hoping is on the way out. We all would be much better off from a health standpoint if we ate small portions of something was was divinely tasty, than huge super-sized amounts of fake things resembling something edible. Plus, little is always cuter, right? :)
Small-bite sweets, #1 new food trend?
I'm all about the small bites! Unless I'm hungry, I don't need to eat large slices of desserts. Bring them on!
Hillary
Chew on That
What do you love to make?
Livetotravel, would you mind if I borrow your response? I love eating out. I think it makes me appreciate cooking more, and provides a lot of incentive.
But, okay. If we're talking about making food, it has to be soups. I can talk myself out of all kinds of other things, but soup never seems like too much trouble to me. It's one of the few things I make for my own pleasure first and foremost.
That said, I always enjoy making anything that's being done especially for somebody else. It's really my primary motivation in the kitchen. If it's something that I know some particular person will REALLY love and appreciate, I'll enjoy making it. Oftentimes it's something that I don't really like to make (process-wise), but I'm always happy when I'm feeding things to others that make them smile.
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I just came back from Miami and wanted to report on the experience since you all were so helpful with the recs. We ended up going to Michael's, Prime 112, Michy's, Cacao and Osteria del Teatro. Michael's is a MUST. It was our favorite of the trip. It offers homey yet inventive fare and the atmosphere is wonderful, full of life, vibrant. Truly a fantastic restaurant. Prime 112 was a TOTAL scene and they made us wait an hour before seating us, but it was an experience and the food was pretty good. If you go, it is for the scene more than anything else because I am sure there are other steakhouses that offer the same quality food. Cacaos was very good, beautiful presentations, more low key. We also loved Osteria. Osteria has a great atmosphere (the SOBE location is a big part of it) even though it somehow seems more old fashioned than the others (it's been there for a while). Still, it was refreshing and the food was delicious. Get the specials! Michy's, although good food and wonderful service, was just ok, and I guess this is because it has the most hype surrounding it and it's not as exciting. We liked Michael's better.
Thanks again to all for the help!