Bittersweet Good-Bye

I finally announced on Facebook a tragedy of which I've known for awhile. Bittersweet Chocolate Cafe on Fillmore has closed. Now that I've let my closest friends in on these sad San Francisco tidings, I send my grief out into the whole of the Internets.

I've planned on writing posts about my favorite places and treats in the city. My first of these posts would have been my favorite of all, Bittersweet cocoa. The thick, rich beverage special to this cafe stands unmatched, in my experience. A special blend of premium chocolate and cocoa powder in a variety of concoctions: the uncompromising classic, the refined bittersweet, the kick of Aztecan chile, the modern mocha, the creamy peanut butter, the adrenaline pumping Bicerin, the sweet white chocolate. Not to mention the seasonal options, like the Coconut Chiller, mulled cranberry cider, and the Salted Caramel Cocoa - the invention of which I still insist came about as an answer to my prayers. Yes, the entire menu is indelibly etched in my brain from so many trips to this happy-making cocoa bar. I have friends from out of town who insisted on stopping by every day they were in SF. But no more.

This is not the post I planned on writing. Alas, the economy had a different plan. The storefront that used to promise warm happiness has joined the ranks of many others abandoned in these tough times. So, instead of a post heralding the chocolate of all chocolates in the hopes of recruiting new loyalists to the fray, I now write a post of farewell to share my mourning with fellow friends of the foam.

I heard rumor of this closure weeks ago. Unfortunately, a nasty injury and crutches prevented me from immediately running the mile from my house to the beloved chocolate cafe to confirm. And I couldn't bring myself to announce this loss to the world until I saw for myself. I made the husband man take me by the location recently so I could see with my own eyes. And this is what my own eyes found:

It is true, fellow cocoa-nuts. Our haven is no more. I wish I could say this revelation came as a surprise. The last few times I patronized the establishment, they'd been out of my favorite local chocolate bars, Poco Dolce and Tcho. The shelves usually lined with hundreds of kinds of chocolate from around the world stood painfully empty, a distressing omen of what would come to pass. The confused baristas said they didn't know when new shipments would come in. If only they'd known. If only I'd known. I could have stocked up on tins of their delectable cocoa to enjoy at home.

But, again alas, I found my last tin down to the dregs. Today I savored my final mugful. One cup of soy milk in my special Botticelli mug, melted with enough cocoa mix for 1 1/2 servings - a good-bye is no time for moderation. I didn't wait for a special day. Like Paul Giamatti in the fast-food booth surreptitiously sipping his cherished Pinot from a paper cup in Sideways, today is special BECAUSE of this steaming ceramic chalice of chocolate.

I cherish my final farewell with a good book and a purring cat before announcing the news to my Facebook network. Creamy liquid courage before breaking a few hearts.

But, what is this? Are my eyes mistaken? Is this some cruel joke? Have I actually found a bit of sweet to add to the end of this bitter tale? Does Bittersweet's website prove that one of their three locations is STILL OPEN? Will my girlfriends and I be making pilgrimages to Oakland for our fix? Can it be that the existence of this oasis allows for online ordering of treasured tins of this nectar of the gods? Can my mourning truly come to a halt in the midst of deepest grief?

Image from Bittersweet's website.

I admit. My first instinct was to withhold this information, to save it for myself, so that I could surprise my Bittersweet converts with gifts at birthdays and holidays, to see their eyes gleam at me with gratitude and awe. But I must act for the good of the many. Shout it from the rooftops! Spread the news! And buy buy buy! We've lost so much already, let's not let this last ounce of hope slip through our fingertips, another victim of the economic downturn. Consumer power! Let's keep hope alive, through shopping. And chocolate.

Grandma Rose's Tabbouleh

Aaaaaas promised! It's not summer in my house until a big bowl of my Grandma Rose's tabbouleh resides in my fridge. We usually ate this alongside "grape leaf rolls" (dolmades) - which we have pictures of me rolling in my high chair - and "tortillas" (fresh-baked pita bread), and for dessert, cream of wheat cookies (a version of mamoul my Grandma's family invented with the new ingredients available in the New World). Grandma's Lebanese background plus Grandpa's Mexican/Southwestern background meant we didn't always call things by their traditional names, or even in the right language. I always wondered why the tortillas we used for tacos and stacked enchiladas were so different from the pocketed ones my grandma made. Hmmm. Things make so much more sense as an adult.

Anyway, this week I didn't go all out with the big feast, much to the husband man's chagrin. This fresh, whole grain salad suited my cravings to perfection all by itself. With ripe tomatoes, a tart lemon dressing, filling garbanzo beans, and plenty of fresh herbs, this salad stands up well as a lunch entree, or even a hearty breakfast.

Sorry no specific recipe. Grandma likes to keep her recipes in the family. But here are a few tips if you want to give your own version a shot at home.

1. Go heavy on the grain. Restaurants always seem to use more parsley than bulgar. I don't know if one way is more traditional than the other, or if their way is typically Greek and ours is more Lebanese. Just speculation. Whatever the reason, it's not Grandma Rose's Tabbouleh if the cracked wheat doesn't get top billing.
   
   
2. Invest in a garlic press. Between owning a garlic press and my discovery of pre-peeled tubs of garlic cloves in my grocer's fridge, my prep time has dramatically decreased. All those years I spent peeling, mincing, and crushing garlic by hand - a total waste. The first time I used a garlic press reminded me of the time my mom let me chop a massive amount of nuts for baklava (which we pronounce "bah-LAY-way") using a little hand chopper. Only after I finished, my wrist ACHING, did she mention that I could have used the food processor. Oh really, Mom? So, I wonder, why did no one tell me about garlic presses sooner? Clean hands, one step, way easier to mash into salt. Sigh.
   
   
3. Crush crush crush! Crushing the garlic with a press isn't just easier, it releases all the juices for a heartier flavor than mincing. Similarly, crush the chopped herbs with the flat end of a knife to release all the fragrant, flavorful oils.
   
   
4. Think FRESH! Fresh mint, fresh parsley, fresh lemon juice, fresh tomatoes, fresh onions. In a pinch, we've all subbed canned, dried, or bottled options. It's just not the same.
   
   
5. Go for quality. Nice olive oil (my family tends to go for strong, even pungent, olive oils) and the best tomatoes enhance the dish tremendously.

But even if you don't want to enter the tabbouleh fray yourself, fret not. I may not feel comfortable posting my Grandma's recipe online for all the world, but I'm more than happy to share the food. Friends are more than welcome to come over and partake! I make the whole feast at least a couple times a year; it's a Christmas Eve tradition. There's always more than enough to go around.

Quinoa Craziness

This morning, the husband man sent me a recipe, Spicy Quinoa, Cucumber and Tomato Salad, from the New York Times. Ahhh, he knows me so well! I can't wait to give this recipe a go. I have a bit of a fetish for whole grain salads. And why not nurture this excitement over something healthy?

My mom, who lives with diabetes, has been wanting to delve into the world of whole grains more. Their carbs, which the body metabolizes more slowly than the simple carbs in processed grains, can actually help stabilize blood sugar rather than causing spikes. Last time I was home in Idaho we went on a little adventure to find quinoa for her to use at home. At last we met success when we found bulk quinoa at Winco, a discount grocer that's as large as the entire city block in which my local market is nestled. Idaho may not have delis with vast selections of pre-made whole grain salads (or a selection of any salads not glopped with mayo, for that matter), but it sure does have the real estate.

After this trip, I sent my mom this little encouraging email about a recent quinoa success story. Looking back, I love this experiment because it demonstrates how you can make something delicious and fresh using what you have on hand. You don't have to make an extra trip to the market with a shopping list as long as your arm just so you can copy an interesting recipe EXACTLY. Take what you want from an existing recipe and twist it to your liking, and to the contents of your fridge. Here it is, Quinoa, Mango, & Black Bean Salad (which I summarily turned into Quinoa, Mango, & Kidney Bean Salad - I tend to do that).

Mom, 

I don't know if you've tried cooking the quinoa we bought you yet or not, but I wanted to share this recipe I just made. I chose it for 3 reasons:

1. It happened to mostly fit what I had in the kitchen & already had in mind to make.

2. I like the quinoa cooking tips. I know from experience how bitter quinoa can be if you don't rinse, yet most recipes seem to skip this step. Toasting the quinoa until crackly & fragrant (like popcorn!) was new to me, & I liked the results.

3. I like that the dressing is juice-based instead of oil-based.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/quinoa_mango_black_bean_salad.html

Of course, I made a couple of adjustments. I wouldn't be me if I didn't! To bump up the zip, I added a couple pinches of dry mustard and a few drops of chili oil to the dressing. To use what I had in the house, I substituted cucumber (and a little onion powder) for the scallions & red pepper, plus I used kidney beans instead of black beans. I'm positive it's great the original way, I was just trying to use what I had on hand. 

My version:

 Anywho, Mom - I thought you might find this helpful for your first foray into cooking with quinoa. 

--Veronica

P.S. I used black quinoa because, last time I was at Whole Foods, they were out of white & red in the bulk department. So I tried black. It tastes exactly the same.

Mmmmmm. All this talk of summer salads is making me crave my Grandma's tabbouleh. I just can't get enough of these whole grain, summery delights. How about you? What summer salads do you love that I've just gotta try?

Summer Shake

There may be fog out my window, but I have sunshine in my glass. I've stumbled upon the perfect summer smoothie.

8 ounces fresh orange juice
1 fresh or frozen banana, chunks
2-4 tablespoons light coconut milk
1/2 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
small handful ice, optional - only needed if none of the fruit is frozen

Blend in the magic blending machine and voila! Summer in a glass!

Things to Keep Around

Have you seen Molly Shannon and Ana Gasteyer's Delicious Dish spoof of NPR? When I was really young my parents listened to the show that must have been the inspiration for this sketch. It was truly infuriating, listening to this oddly low-key woman discussing the merits of different types of bagels. We couldn't stand her, but listened anyway, just so we could roll our eyes and snort derisively at the inanity. Once she did an entire show on the merits of always keeping a tub of toasted sesame seeds in the house. An entire show! I mocked this episode relentlessly. But I'm old now, very very old - almost 30! - and I'm humiliated to admit that I find I agree with her completely. I adore having large quantities of toasted ingredients on hand whenever I need them. Almond slivers, shredded coconut, and, of course, sesame seeds. Especially sesame seeds. Not only do they come in handy, but boy they sure do smell nice when you're toasting up a big batch on the stove. I reach for these yummy ingredients quite often.


I grab my tub of sesame seeds for one of my favorite munchies: Sesame Soy Snap Peas. I used to stop in at Bryan's, a superior market down the street, when I wanted my fix, but their deli carries them only intermittently, often leaving my craving unfulfilled. And, honsetly, I can eat such embarrassingly large quantities it only made fiscal sense to start making it at home. De-string snap peas, toss them with soy sauce, drizzle with sesame oil, and shake on lots of toasted sesame seeds. Toss it all together and you get a crisp, salty vegetable dish of which I just can't get enough.

Another of my favorites for these nutty little treasures is Sesame Soy Garbanzo Beans. I'm really creative with these names, huh? My mom actually invented this one, though I'm not sure she'd remember. This random combo just stuck with me because I enjoyed it so much the first time. You can use store bought Soy Ginger dressing, but it's so simple to throw together - Smart Balance Mayo or peanut oil, freshly grated ginger (store the roots in the freezer and you don't even have to peel before you grate!), sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar or other sweetener. It's a cinch! Pour over garbanzo beans, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, and, of course, copious amounts of toasted sesame seeds.

Both slivered almonds and toasted coconut add a pick me up to dull salads and cereals. You can toss the almonds in with a batch of green beans or a bowl of crispy napa cabbage slaw, or sprinkle coconut on top of fish tacos or fruit and granola parfaits. They're both so versatile! But there's one dish I find myself making over and over again that uses both: Coconut Curried Brown Rice Salad.


Since I always have brown rice either leftover in the fridge from a Thai outing or in the freezer from Trader Joe's, I make this often and with many variations, depending on what currently occupies my cupboard. Start with 2 cups cooked and chilled brown rice. Into the rice, mix just about any combination of fruits, nuts, and vegetables you desire: toasted coconut shreds, toasted almond slivers, peanuts, or cashews, fresh or dried cranberries, apricots, mango, and/or grapes/raisins, fresh apple chunks, pineapple, or pomegranate seeds, green onion, bell peppers... Get creative! I often even make this with the plan to add shredded chicken breast, but I find I almost always end up sticking to the fruity vegan version. For the dressing, mix about 1/2 cup coconut milk, roughly 1/4-1/3 cup rice vinegar, 1 clove crushed garlic, and curry powder to taste. I've seen recipes call for as little as 1 teaspoon of curry, but I throw in as much as 1 whole tablespoon, so it must be a personal preference thing. I usually go with the light version of the coconut milk to save calories and fat - coconut milk is good for you and all, but with all the coconut curry and Tom Kha I eat, I think I may already surpass the bounds of its nutritional benefits vs. its saturated fat content. In a pinch you can even skip the coconut milk and use oil or SmartBalance mayo, instead. Then it's just "Curried Brown Rice Salad." In this case, I recommend replacing a couple tablespoons of your fat of choice with extra vinegar plus agave nectar or sugar to reclaim lost sweetness.

So now I've become one of those wacky Delicious Dish gals in real life, babbling on and on about toasting vast quantities of ingredients in advance so they're always at the ready. But with so many wonderful things like this to eat, can you blame me?

Half a Week of Cooking

A friend suggested I blog about a successful three days in the kitchen. We all struggle with keeping our meals healthy, affordable, and interesting. As we've all discovered, dining at home is no cheaper than going out if you don't actually eat the leftovers. But who wants to eat off the same dish all week long? Even your favorite lasagna or casserole gets old on the third go around. I've found that, with a little creativity, one batch of groceries - including full crispers and fruit bowls - can deliver a myriad of delicious dishes much of the week. When you pick an ingredient at the market, think about a few different ways you can use it BEFORE the first meal. This week I've been playing a lot with my George Foreman counter-top grill during this process. This isn't so much a list of recipes as an inspirational guide.

Day 1

Lunch
Salmon Fillets & Corn on the Cob

I always wished my counter-top grill could tackle corn on the cob, but it's nowhere in any manual or cookbook. This week I said "screw it!" and gave it a try myself. It worked beautifully and I'm filled with tauntings of singsong nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nahs in the cookbook writers' general direction. Rip the leaves and silk from corn. Brine for 10-30min in a bath of water mixed with a couple of tablespoons of salt and sugar (tip from either America's Test Kitchen or Cook's Country, I don't remember, but does it matter? Either way, same great group of folks!) Preheat grill to 375. Close cobs in grill perpendicular to grooves. Cook for 30 minutes, turning partway around every ten so they blacken evenly. Spread with your favorite butter substitute (or the real thing) and sprinkle with fresh ground salt & pepper. For the salmon, dust fillets with your favorite seasoning. Layer the top of each fillet with lemon slices. Grill according to manual. Enjoy 3 or 4 ounces of salmon and a cob of corn for your first lunch. Keep leftover salmon and uncooked cobs in the fridge.

Dinner
Rosemary Balsamic Portabella Sandwich

I marinated the portabella in a balsamic rosemary dressing (olive oil, balsamic vinegar friends brought us from Italy, crushed garlic, freshly trimmed rosemary, soy sauce) before grilling it on my George Foreman. I used some of the leftover marinade to make a quick aioli. Luckily, I had simmered rosemary infused olive oil earlier to drizzle over air-popped popcorn per a Giada de Laurentis recommendation. I used a few drops in a pan to toast the sandwich thins - a perfect touch to elevate a simple sandwich to restaurant quality. I topped it all with fresh ground sea salt and black pepper, spring greens, red onion, organic tomato, and thick slices of fresh mozzarella. I stored the leftover marinade in the fridge to dip tomatoes and mozzarella as a snack or to dress a salad. Notice the incorporation of tasty, healthy snack ideas within meal preparation.



Day 2

Lunch
Soyrizo Burrito

I love me some Papalote. I crave their soyrizo burrito on a wheat tortilla with veggies instead of rice. I decided that, since I can buy soyrizo from the store just as easily as they can, I might as well make Papalote at home! I started with a warm low carb/high fiber tortilla, green chili refried beans (organic, vegetarian, fat free), soyrizo, mixed veggies grilled on my trusty Foreman (mushrooms, eggplant, red onion, carrots, zucchini, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh ground sea salt & pepper), plus my favorite brand - Casa Chicas - roasted salsa & guacamole. The California taqueria flavors I love packed with vegetables and fiber, and all coming in around 350 calories. Don't forget to make a lot of that veggie grill - we use leftovers in this household!




Dinner
Salmon Pasta in White Wine Sauce

Time to use up some of those leftovers! I tossed leftover grilled salmon & veggie grill with a light but creamy white wine sauce & whole grain farfalle. A squeeze of lemon juice and a handful of cashews makes the dish spectacular. The best part is how easy it was since the salmon & vegetables were ready to go!


Day 3

Lunch
Soyrizo Nachos

There's all that yummy soyrizo biding its time in the fridge, and that just won't do. It must be in my belly! A handful of Guiltless Gourmet Tortilla Chips in your choice of flavor, a scoop of those refried beans, a serving of soyrizo, a modest portion of shredded cheese, and the rest of those grilled veggies popped under the broiler for a few minutes comes out gooey and delicious. Top with salsa and guacamole to add another serving of vegetables to the mix.

Dinner
Salmon Patties & Elote con Queso

Now that I knew my grill could tackle corn on the cob, I just had to begin experimenting with one of my favorite Mexican dishes: Elote con Queso, or Corn with Cheese. Traditionally, the corn is grilled with cayenne pepper, coated in lime crema, and dipped in cotija cheese. Utilizing what I had on hand, I grilled the corn with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Right after it came off the grill, I drizzled it with a few squeezes of lime juice (I didn't have any sour cream and figured it was healthier this way anyway), and then rolled it in grated parmeggiano reggiano. For an even simpler dish, it was delicious enough without the cheese to skip it. We can always do the traditional recipe another day!

The salmon patties are a variation on crab cakes I saw Ted Allen do on Oprah years ago - way back when Queer Eyes were all the rage. It's a crunchy, baked alternative to the fried patties my mom made growing up. Basically, I mix salmon with a dressing of egg, SmartBalance mayo, lemon juice, Tabasco, and other seasoning & let it set in the fridge. Then I make patties coated with cornflake crumbs - the crunch factor. After another stint in the fridge, they get baked until crispy and hot. Serve with aioli or tartar sauce. Experiment with flavors - spicy dijon, Deliciously Dill, sweet & salty teriyaki, classic Old Bay. Whatever whets your whistle!


And that's 3 days of the same ingredients popping up over and over without things getting boring or redundant. Salmon 3 ways, soyrizo 2 ways, grilled veggies 3 ways, corn 2 ways, and so on and so on. Even minor ingredients make multiple appearances: lemons, parmesan, rosemary, beans, salsa, guacamole. Few items get used only once. Toss in healthy breakfasts and lots of fruit to snack on, and you're set!

We all have to stay on budget by eating our leftovers, but that doesn't mean our meals need to become predictable. Whatever it takes to pull you out of that rut, grab it! Because if we're not excited about our food, why bother? So, what's next for me? Maybe a couple chicken breasts on the grill - shred one into a mushroom lentil casserole (using up the last of that giant bag o' sliced mushrooms!), save the other for curried brown rice salad... Getting inspired, yet? Or should I keep going?

Faux Chinese Goodness - Paying It Forward

There's one problem with growing up in small town Idaho. Ok, so there are a lot of problems with that scenario, but today I'm focusing on possibly the most important issue. Once you escape into the big wide world, you can no longer find the terrible, faux "ethnic" food you grew up loving. Here I am in San Francisco surrounded by wonderful, authentic Chinese food (as well as dear-lordie-that's-going-nowhere-near-my-mouth authentic Chinese food), and sometimes all I can think about is that fake crap I grew up chowing down. I am not the only one with this problem. A couple of fellow Idahomies in the area and I even had a Chinese a la IF potluck a couple of years ago. We each brought the home versions of our favorite Idaho Falls Chinese dishes, dishes with neon sweet & sour sauce, thick coatings of greasy fried batter, too much sugar, and heavy on the soy sauce. These are the dishes it turned out we'd all been secretly recreating in the deep dark corners of our own homes where no urban foodie could discover our shameful cravings.

But now I'm outing us. A high school bestie now a fellow expat recently reached out to me with a desperate text, "do you have a good recipe for crunchy cantonese style chow mein? im craving it so bad and dont know a place in denver that serves it." I knew immediately he meant the sloppy plate of cheap veggies over stale salad noodles served at all Idaho Falls "Chinese" establishments because this, too, is my shameful addiction. This is the dish I learned, through great trial and error, to create at home to the worst of my culinary abilities. I now realize the need for this recipe out in the ether. The demand may be niche, but it surpasses the supply.

The main hurdles I ran into during my years perfecting this "chow mein" were finding a meat that approximated the flavor of the shredded pork/ham the fake Chinese restaurants used and finding the right "sweet" to add. Recipes I found online suggested sugar or even molasses syrup, but they didn't quite get the flavor right. Out of frustration one day I used agave nectar and somehow this worked perfectly, though somehow I'm pretty sure it's not what the restaurants used. My friend said he would try the ultra fine confectioner sugar used in many recipes in his more authentic "Chinese food bible" cookbook. Also, I added snap peas because I love them. They're the only real departure from making this as close as possible to the chow mein we ate growing up, but they're easily left out if going for genuine artificial authenticity.

Before attempting this dish at home, I must give fair warning to anyone not raised on fake Chinese food. My husband grew up in San Francisco with the real stuff and I only make this when he won't be home. He wants nothing to do with it and would rather go to bed hungry than partake in my childhood delight. Which means... more for me.

Crispy Noodle Chow Mein a la IF

• 2 Tblspn peanut oil
• 6 slices Canadian Bacon (I like Rose's brand for this recipe - not too smoky or too sweet), sliced into thin 2-3in long strips - you could also use Chinese BBQ pork
• 1 12oz. bag mung bean sprouts
• 1 bunch celery, chopped into 1/4in slices on the diagonal
• 1-2 handfuls of shredded carrot
• 1 onion, chopped into 2-3in strips
• 1-2 handfuls of snap pea pods, de-stringed and sliced on the diagonal
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 Tblspn soy sauce, more to taste
• 1 Tblspn agave nectar
• 2 Tblspn corn starch

Heat oil in large wok or pan on high heat. Combine 1 1/4 cup broth, soy sauce, and agave nectar in a bowl or measuring cup. Separately, combine remaining broth and corn starch. Meanwhile, add vegetables and meat to hot oil and stir-fry until vegetables just start to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add broth/soy sauce mixture and continue to stir-fry until liquid reaches a boil, about 2 minutes. Then add well-blended broth/corn starch. Stir-fry until boiling, reduce heat and simmer for a couple minutes more until liquid is thickened. Serve over crunchy chow mein noodles, such as the La Choy brand found in any grocery store across America. Add soy sauce to taste.