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Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
I tried one of the Leggera pizzas when I visited London in May and loved it! I think it's a wonderful idea, like getting two menu items in one. I blogged about it here.
Tiramisu Bliss at D'Amato's in Chicago
LOL... the comparison of tiramisu to Boone's or Mad Dog is hilarious.
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
Happy birthday, Robyn! I love your blog and your work on SE :-).
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
My go-to chili recipe contains Coca-Cola and always comes out delicious. I recently tried it with beer instead of the Coke and that was also awesome.
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
I tried one of the Leggera pizzas when I visited London in May and loved it! I think it's a wonderful idea, like getting two menu items in one. I blogged about it here.
Tiramisu Bliss at D'Amato's in Chicago
LOL... the comparison of tiramisu to Boone's or Mad Dog is hilarious.
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
Happy birthday, Robyn! I love your blog and your work on SE :-).
The Food at Ikea: Cheap and Good
I completely agree with this! My parents and I have chosen Ikea as a lunch destination before, when we don't even need any furniture, just food. The meatballs are the best, and anything with Daim is to die for. Also, the Kristian Regale sparkling cider available in the shop is wonderful.
Thanksgiving Appetizers
I did the antipasto thing one year and my family adored it.
Question of the Day: ______ looks better than it tastes.
Black-and-white cookies
Question of the Day: What movie has the best dinner scene?
A dinner scene that is memorable for being cringe-worthy and hilarious (rather than delicious) is the one in "The Birdcage," when the hosts are desperately trying to cover up the homoerotic images on their china and the fact that "Mother Coleman" is actually a man (while she charms the pants off the conservative senator).
Question of the Day: What are your favorite "simple" foods?
I'm echoing banana with peanut butter. Salty and sweet with protein and nutrients. Perfect. Also tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and basil, and good chewy bread with olive oil and salt. And fresh-picked berries in the summertime.
What food do you wish you liked, but don't?
Olives. I love Mediterranean food and olive oil, but olives themselves are just not palatable to me. I'm working on it, though.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
My secret ingredient?
Love...
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
The key is suet. Almost impossible to find in New York these days, but the butchers at Ottomanelli will scoop it out of the porterhouse sides by hand if you ask them nicely. Browning the beef (and pork if you use it) in rendered suet gives an incredible depth of flavor.
Beyond this I use freshly ground anchos, pasillas and especially guajillos, with pequins or birdseyes ground in by hand to taste as the chili cooks. My guide is John Thorne, though I add tomato paste and sometimes beer (to deglaze) or pork belly if I have a taste for it. And... onion powder. So not politically correct all the way. But SUET... if you can find it. Some butchers have openly laughed at me when I asked for it. "We used to feed it to the birds!" said one East Village butcher, otherwise a kingly establishment.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
My company had a Halloween chili cook off. I entered a vegetarian chili (my first time making chili). The base of it was kidney beans, tomatoes, and lentils. To up the savory quotient, I added several things including:
-carmelized onions deglazed w/ red wine
-roasted corn
-salted, dry-fried mushrooms
-stock made with seaweed and corn cobs (both a big source of natural umami flavor)
My chili turned out really well and I honestly liked it 1st or 2nd best of all the chilies there (out of 20). I ended up losing the vegetarian competition to a chili that had lots of fresh veggies but tasted like salsa.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Young's Double Chocolate Stout and beef shortribs, braised Italian style but in proper Mexican chili spices.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
I have a few different ones, but I always use a bit of red wine, pinch of cinnamon, and recently used black refried bean (typically I use kidney beans), added a really killer flavor and texture.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Pickled jalapenos with some juice, either a fresh habanero or chipotle chiles in adobo, or both, crushed pineapple and cilantro.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
I typically use a bit of mole, 50% ground turkey / 50% ground sirloin, and a couple cans of green chili. This trifecta delights and stumps my guests, as well as prompts my wife to do the dishes.
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
i love pizza express and always eat there when I'm in London. They're excellent, and I am somewhat of a pizza snob. Can't wait to go back!
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
Had my first Leggera Pizza (Gustosa) on Saturday and it was better than a regular pizza with side salad. The salad was rocket (arugula), baby spinach and cherry plum tomatoes which worked better than the regular side salad of iceberg lettuce, cucumber and regular tomatoes. As for the hole, I thought it worked as the crust was crisper than a regular pizza and I suspect they end up as baked mini breads on the Antipasto Platter which were good.
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
Don't want a hole in my pizza at all! WTF for???? I wouldn't mind the greens on top though but a hole? I'd rather have a "whole" pizza with a salad on the side!
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
I'm so excited everyone loves Pizza Express like I do! I actually do wish that either they or this idea would come to the States. Which, veggie, is what I'm doing this week. But I'm sure I'll be back in the UK soon.
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
I'm fine with greens piled on top of the pizza, but please don't cut a hole in my pizza!
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
mmm...i could do this for dinner tonight...
p.s. Kerry where in the UK are you now, as in, can I stalk my favorite French food writer?
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
Tip: if you're mobile's on Orange, you can get two-for-one cinema tickets as well as two-for-one pizzas (plus free garlic bread) at Pizza Express on Wednesday. We try and go a few times a month...'Kids, you're staying with Uncle Rory! How much fun will that be?'
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
no thanks, a slice and a side salad works fine for me if that's what i'm in the mood for. this seems like a solution in need of a problem.
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
That sounds delicious! I can imagine that that might even go over well in the US.
Snapshots from the UK: Pizza Express's Leggera Pizzas
I have fond memories of Pizza Express, when I lived in the UK. It doesn't fit in the normal description of a 'chain', especially in comparison with gaudy US chains.
That begs a start of another Topic - what are the best US chains that break away from the norm...I digress...
Before I go, I'd call out Peet's Coffee in California, as another stand out - great artisan pastries, decent strong coffee and no wifi in sight!
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
Hooray! Happy Birthday, roboppy!
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
Happy birthday, and may many trips to Paris be in your future! (Don't forget to thank your mum on your birthday; she had a lot to do with it!)
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
hooray for your birhday!
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
How adorably cute is Robyn! Who knew?
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
Ha! She was rick-rolled by a singing telegram? That's awesome.
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
Happy birthday Robyn!!! :D
Photo(s) of the Day: Happy Birthday, Robyn!
Happy Birthday! I've been enjoying your blog for years now! :)
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My go-to chili recipe contains Coca-Cola and always comes out delicious. I recently tried it with beer instead of the Coke and that was also awesome.