prosecco flutes & dusty boots

August has been a constant cry for icy, cool air.

Despite my cold-flowing wishes, I seem to have fallen in sweat-ridden situations the past weeks involving:

gravel-filled ranches,

sun-beaten lakes,

horse-stomped stockyards

& cocktail-ridden patios.

Equipped with my SPF 30, I took it upon myself to fully take advantage of good eats along the way.

The whirlwind began on a charming Saturday morning filled with farmers market finds, fresh fudge and burgers at Fred's when family was in town.

After perusing Cowtown Farmers Market for fresh-baked peach muffins, a green tea and peppermint blend, hot pepper jams and local yellow tomatoes, we whisked on down to the Fort Worth Stockyards for a brief rendezvous.
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First stop: the Candy Shoppe then an intermission to The General Store for homemade fudge. As the 107 heat index began to slow us, we trudged to the SUV in need for a greasy lunch revival: Fred's Texas Cafe!
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After a classic lunch of burgers and Shiner, we opted for an upscale dinner that shined in the elegant atmosphere of Grace.

We were seated at an oversized table for six and sipped pre-dinner cocktails [St. Germain, soda, prosecco & thyme] as we hungrily awaited a delectable meal to come:

First Course:
Fried Texas Gulf Oysters with Wilted Spinach & Black Pepper Butter
[salty, crispy, peppery]

Salad Course:
Arugula Salad with Lime Vinaigrette, Avocado, Prosciutto & Grilled Watermelon
[an intense vinaigrette with the perfect buttery sides]

Main Course:
Diver Scallops with Shallot Potato Cakes and American Caviar Sauce

[luscious and rich with a lovely texture]

Also memorable:
Mashed Potato Trio: Lobster, Creme Fraiche & Horseradish
[mouthgasm.]

After a decadent evening finished with dirty martinis and fine tequila, I relieved my hangover woes with the fried egg "Blunch" sandwich at Tillman's Roadhouse followed by a bellini grande at Patrizio's.

Dinner for one was a simply-prepared summer supper perfect for the final detox.

Local Tomato Tart with Walnuts and a Hot Pepper Glaze

This tart is an acidic, textural bite perfect with a lightly-dressed salad or grilled vegetables.

2/3 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
1 cup plum or cherry tomatoes (I used yellow cherry tomatoes from Carter Farms)

1 T walnuts, roughly chopped
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1 T hot pepper jam

(Central Market has a delightful

Hatch Pepper Jalapeno Jelly that would be ideal)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet. With a knife, create an equal border indentation around the tart. Within the border, pierce holes all over with a fork to prevent rise when baking.
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Brush the entire pastry with olive oil and line tomatoes in your inner-fork pierced area. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and walnuts. Bake approximately 15 minutes until border is puffed and browned.

Slide on a baking rack to cool. Meanwhile, heat hot pepper jam to a liquid stage and delicately brush atop tart and crust. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Days later, I took a quick jaunt to Austin for pedicures with Mom, comforting dining and a massive family affair on the ranch. After soaking our gams in warm, rose petal basins, I was blissfully dressed with bright pink polish and off for Chianti and comforting Northern Italian fare at NoRTH in the Domain.

To begin: flutes of prosecco with fresh berries and the oh, so simple trio of spreads:

eggplant + feta
goat cheese + pesto
hummus + olive oil

with perfectly-grilled baguette and salty olives.

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Our salads were mixed green-based perfect with their smooth avocado, buttery marcona almond and golden raisin toppings. Round three was the simplest: wood fired pizza with arugula, fresh wild mushrooms and pecorino. Perfetto!
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The sun-drenched weekend came to an end with a road trip to Temple, Texas for a Southern fest at its' finest held at the legendary Oscar Store for a family wedding bash.

Amongst dusty shoes [cowboy boots for him, gladiators for her],

mariachis,

beers by the bottle,

margarita machines,

smoked fajitas,

live Texas tunes

& coconut cream cakes,

we two-stepped the night away...

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pain perdu and an Austin adieu

My Christmas season has been full of busy work days, sparkling ornaments, luscious red wine, homemade stews, white poinsettias as well as planning an intimate, winter dinner party for my Private Chef service: Linguine and Dirty Martinis, Food for the Fabulous Life!

Within the thick of the bustling holidays, my client selected from my winter menu of offerings and settled on a hearty spread full of deep, roasting techniques, local ingredients and seasonal flair. The 5-course winter dinner party for 10 included:

Toasted Hazelnuts with Lemon Rind and Fresh Thyme

This was a Thanksgiving recipe I made a few weeks before- it couldn't be easier. My client isn't an orange fan so I substituted lemon rind for orange from the original recipe.

Curried Roasted Parsnip Carrot Soup with Pepitas

This dish is inspired from a quick soup I made "on the fly" in Culinary School. When given a mystery basket containing parsnips, I made a pureed soup with roasted parsnips, carrots, turmeric and curry. I refined this recipe a bit by adding fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, a cream finish and a pepita garnish. Not only is the soup quite pretty (a gorgeous yellow-orange) but insanely delicious and filling.

Red Cabbage Salad with Bleu Cheese, Pecans, Bosc Pears and an Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This salad sounded great in my head but I was nervous that the execution might lead to a too-bitter salad. I was pleasantly surprised with the combination of bitter, crispy cabbage, pungent Cabrales bleu, oaky, crunchy pecans, sweet pears and the vinegar-ridden presence of the dressing. Fresh ground black pepper was the perfect finish.

Maple Bourbon Marinated Pork Loin with a Cranberry Shallot Compote

To all of you "pork haters"...this is my gift to you. This pork dish was perfection! (if I do say so myself) My sous chef and I marinated the pork, crusted it with fresh woody herbs, coarse salt and pepper then gave the loin a hard sear. Right before serving, we finished it in the oven to a moist, juicy medium-well. While the pork rested, we finished it with a bit of brown sugar melted butter and serve it atop brussel sprouts with the cranberry shallot compote on the side.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Parmesan and Black Pepper

If you haven't noticed, I'm a brussel sprout nut- more specifically, a roasted brussel sprout nut. Although I don't personally fiend for bacon, I knew it was a smart choice to go with the brussels. To finish the duo, I sprinkled grated parmesan and fresh-ground cracked pepper atop. Wonderful, wonderful side dish.

Soft Polenta with Balsamic and a Tomato Basil Jam

This is an old-school dish of mine that I served as an hors d'oeuvre for a cocktail party in the past. The original appetizer was a firm polenta cut into triangles with tomato jam and a shaving of fontina. This polenta was served soft with fresh herbs, cream, butter and a dash of balsamic. The tomato jam was a mixture of stewed tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic- very simple, yet comforting and familiar to guests.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Crystallized Ginger and Crispy Sage

The ginger in this dish isn't quite recognizable until you take a bite with the buttery squash. This side is quite easy too- the hardest part is getting your knife through the dense skin of the winter squash. I sliced the squash into wedges with the skin intact and roasted them at a high temperature with whole sage leaves, salt, pepper and crystallized ginger. Remind your guests of the inedible skin before serving.

Red Apple Tart with a Fresh Tarragon Vanilla Chantilly Cream

When I am cooking an entire meal from scratch, I go for simplicity either with appetizers or dessert. In this case, I used a puff pastry shortcut for this festive and elegant dessert. To make, I layered thinly-sliced gala apple slices atop defrosted puff pastry with vanilla sugar. The whipped cream had a subtle-anise additive of fresh tarragon and vanilla bean paste. The guests were crazy about this whipped cream and started adding it to their coffee.

After a tiresome, yet fulfilling evening full of holiday cheer, I met Ms. Fort Worth Foodie and Ms. Eat This Fort Worth for an evening of mussels and pommes frites at Sapristi. The fries and aioli were addicting and perfect to sop in the savory broth from the mussels. Along with dinner, I was completely blindsided when Ms. Fort Worth Foodie brought me a simply-wrapped graduation present- an autographed copy of Ad Hoc at Home by the legendary, Chef Thomas Keller with a personal message from Chef Keller to me! I was ecstatic- what a lovely gift.

On the topic of gifts, especially lovely ones, my Christmas was one to remember full of delicious food, gracious gift-giving and times with family and friends. I celebrated two Christmases and cooked dinner parties for each. The party for Mom's side of the family featured simple, comfort food with a hit of spice. Dad's side boasted an Italian flare with simple, seasonal produce.

Christmas Eve Party Menu (Mom's side):

Cheese Board with Honeycomb and Fresh Berries

Fig Jam with Cream Cheese and Black Pepper Crackers

Boiled Shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce and Spicy Honey Mustard

Orange Guacamole

Caesar Salad with Garlic Oil Croutons, Anchovy and Fresh Parmesan

Roasted Poblano and Jalapeno Grits with Sharp Cheddar

Roasted Tomatoes with Rosemary, Sage and Garlic Cloves

Pork and Sweet Corn Tamales

Christmas #2 Dinner Party Menu (Dad's side):

Cheese Board with Honeycomb and Fresh Berries

Antipasto Platter
Because the main entree was a vegetarian option, I wanted to offer some cured meats alongside cheeses with salty and briny accompaniments.

Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Currants, Orange Peel, Pine Nuts and a Honey Vinaigrette

The garnishes in this salad really pop against the emerald spinach. I was careful to lightly dress the salad and let the flavor-ridden garnishes speak for themselves. This is an appropriately light salad to go with the heavy pasta dish.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Crispy Capers and a Lemon Glaze
For this side, I chopped and roasted a variety of vegetables (mainly roots) including: rutabaga, sweet potatoes, celery root, turnips, butternut squash, red potatoes, red onions and brussel sprouts with a bit of salt, pepper and olive oil. While still warm, I glazed the vegetables with a lemon butter mixture and tossed them with crispy, pan-fried capers.

Pappardelle with Wild Mushrooms, Fresh Herbs and Black Truffle Butter

I chose a variety of wild mushrooms to saute and toss in this pasta dish: portabello, cremini, oyster, shiitake and hen of the woods. The mushrooms were a perfect match with the wide, buttered pappardelle, bitter rosemary and finishing black truffle aroma.

Crusty Baguette

For dessert, my cousin Catherine made delicious chocolate pies with a subtly sweet whipping cream - perfect with a coffee ending.

After eating my heart out in Austin, I returned to Fort Worth for a New Year's Eve dinner at Grace complete with tender crab cakes, spicy seared tuna, filet with truffle butter, pain perdu, champagne and cappuccinos- a decadent meal fit for a queen.

The next evening, I made a celebratory New Years Day meal for two: (complete with a good luck charm)

Ground Pork Burgers with Marjoram, Muenster, Arugula and Apple Grapefruit Compote

Black-Eyed Pea Relish with Jalapeno, Garlic and Apple Cider Vinegar

When crafting this burger, I was going for the whole "pork chops and cinnamon apples" thing and decided to make a compote. To freshen the apple flavor, I added grapefruit for sweetness and ginger and fresh nutmeg for spice. This compote is great with pork but would also be a delicious spread on toast with a side of bacon for breakfast or atop a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

Apple Grapefruit Compote with Fresh Ginger

3/4 c dried apple rings, chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped

juice of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lemon

rind of one grapefruit (peel rind with a peeler and slice into thin strips)

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp salt

1 T fresh ginger, grated

1/4 t fresh nutmeg, grated

1/4 t black pepper

2.5 c water

Combine all ingredients. Simmer in a saucepan on medium-low heat approximately one hour until liquid reduces by half. Serve warm with burgers or jar for later use.

Finally, how does everyone like the new look for the blog? The white background seems like a good start for the new year- please let me know.

Corn Cakes and Fresh Dates

What a treat these past weeks have been! Along with acquiring new foodie goodies for my apartment (pasta machine, mini food processor, bistro table, stemless champagne glasses and an adorable rainbow whisk!), it was time for the infamous Restaurant Week. I was only able to dine at Grace and Eddie V's but it was a fabulous time regardless!

Some friends and I started off the week with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at Eddie V's followed by dinner from the Restaurant Week Menu.

Cocktails started in the notoriously dark and hip V Lounge with The Westsiders singing Frank Sinatra, a Dirty Belvedere in my hand and spicy fried calamari with wok veggies and cashews in my chopsticks. Although I think the appetizer presentation was a bit overkill, it still hit the spot!

After our "happy two hour" sesh, we were seated in the dining room and hungrily awaited dinner. To begin, we chose the hot rock with raw, thin-sliced filet to quickly sear and savor with a soy sauce and wild mushroom accompaniments. The mushrooms were lightly dressed, the filet tender and the sauce was addicting!

To begin our next course, I chose the heirloom mozzarella salad and my fellow diners opted for the butter lettuce salad with a fried egg, pancetta and lemon thyme vinaigrette. To my dismay, the salads were pretty awful. The cheese on my salad was definitely not fresh mozzarella and was topped with greasy fried onions- I pushed it aside. On the bibb salad, the anticipated fried egg was replaced with a fried, cold, overcooked hard-boiled egg....not a fan.

Fortunately, our second course, seared scallop with homemade gnocchi and sun-dried tomatoes was quite lovely. The scallop was seared to perfection, the gnocchi was airy and the sundried tomatoes provided a tart, salty contrast.

For our entrees, we each ordered a different offering: mango-stuffed Ahi for Ms. Annie, grilled chicken with jus for my lovey and New England Cod with corn and bacon for me. Although the Ahi was cooked well, it was hardly stuffed with mango (more like injected with a 1/8 inch cube.) The chicken was a bit overcooked but the sauce was delicious. My cod was cooked to perfection and paired nicely with the sweet corn and salty bacon.

For dessert, I anticipated key lime panna cotta from the on-line menu but received so-so vanilla creme brulee covered with powdered sugar instead. Ouch.

Later that weekend, my parents, a friend and I dined at Grace. Warmly greeted at the door, we were seated in the jam-packed green marbled dining room and welcomed by our fabulous server, Michael. As we scoured the menu, I ordered a trio of St. Caroline cocktails with St. Germaine, Prosecco, soda and fresh thyme.

For my first course, I chose the roasted eggplant soup with creme fraiche and rosemary. I know it's completely taboo to add salt at a fine dining locale but I had to do it. After the hint of salt, I was able to enjoy the wonderful flavors...the bowl was cleaned.

The second course was a seared scallop and Berkshire pork "surf and turf" with black eyed peas and tarragon....this course was cleaned as well.

My entree was a beef filet with stone ground grits and a squash medley with marjoram and roasted cherry tomatoes. The filet was a perfect medium with a sweet caramelization. Although my dad wasn't a huge fan of the fragrant "marjoramed" veggies, I was quite happy with the freshness of the squash and the sweetness of the roasted cherry tomatoes.

For dessert, our table shared chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and peaches with a cobbler-style biscuit. Both were understated and luscious.

Even though I was keen to try Restaurant Week menus around town, I was able to put some personal recipes together too.

This sandwich started with beautiful, sticky dates and went from there. I'm not trying to toot my own horn- wait, is that the phrase?!- but this sandwich was one of the best I've had....the salty bread with the woodsy rosemary, sugary dates, savory mushrooms, charred radicchio and creamy, tangy goat cheese.......agh! It was THAT good!

Dijon Chicken Breast on Open-Faced Rosemary Toast with Braised Dates, Cremini Mushrooms and Grilled Radicchio with Goat Cheese
serves 2

For dates:

1 c water

1/2 c brown sugar

salt to taste

1/2 cup dates, sliced in half with pits removed

Mix water and brown sugar in a saucepan. Simmer dates in sugar water until plumped (about 10 minutes.) Set aside and salt to taste.

For chicken:

1 large breast dijon-marinated boneless skinless chicken breast (I bought mine at CM)

salt to taste

1 T butter

Sear chicken in a saute pan with olive oil until brown color has developed. Finish in a 350 degree oven with a pat of butter until cooked through and juicy. Set aside to rest then slice in two portions for sandwich.

Sauteed mushrooms:

1 c creminis, sliced

1 T fresh rosemary, minced

2 T butter

salt to taste

Saute mushrooms in olive oil with rosemary and butter until browned but texture remains. Set aside and reserve leftover pan sauce to spoon over sandwich.

Grilled radicchio:

1/2 head radicchio

olive oil to grill

Grill radicchio on grill pan to develop grill marks. Set aside.

Additional ingredients:

2 slices rosemary bread, toasted

crumbled goat cheese as desired

To assemble sandwich, line toast slices with radicchio, dates, chicken, mushrooms then goat cheese. Spoon over reserved pan sauce.

Later that weekend, my folks came into town and I prepared:

Arugula Salad with Pistachios, Yellow Tomatoes, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil Vinaigrette

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Oil and Nectarine Salsa

Corn Cakes with Scallions and Fresh Herbs

Blackberry Pie with Vanilla Sugar

serves 4

For chicken:

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 c olive oil

2 T red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

2 T honey

Marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts with other ingredients for 30 minutes. Grill chicken on grill pan to achieve grill marks, then finish chicken in 350 degee oven with a pat of butter until cooked through and juicy. Set aside to rest and slice before serving.

Nectarine salsa:

2 nectarines, diced

1/4 c minced red onion

1/4 c sliced yellow cherry tomatoes

zest and juice of one lime

1 t honey

2 T minced Italian parsley

1 clove shaved garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and let macerate until ready to serve.

Rosemary oil:

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed

salt to taste

3/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients in food processor until blended well. Serve drizzled over chicken with nectarine salsa.

Corn Cakes with Scallions:

This recipe is an Epicurious recipe that I altered by using fresh corn and adding fresh herbs.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil

1/4 c minced herbs (I used sage and marjoram)

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Whisk together eggs, milk and vinegar and combine with dry mixture. Fold in corn, herbs and scallions to develop batter.

In a deep skillet, heat vegetable oil (1 inch deep) until flour sizzles in the pan. Add batter 1/4 cup at a time until browned on one side. Flip cakes until browned on opposite side then finish in a 350 degree oven on a baking sheet until cooked through (about seven minutes.) Serve warm and garnish with scallions if desired.

Arugula Salad with Pistachios, Yellow Tomatoes, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil Vinaigrette

3 c fresh spinach

1/3 c roasted pistachios

1/3 c sliced yellow cherry tomatoes

1/2 avocado, sliced and salted

For vinaigrette:

1 T honey

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 t dried lavender

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 c grapeseed oil

Combine first four ingredients then slowly whisk in grapeseed oil until an emulsion has developed. Toss with spinach, pistachios and cherry tomatoes. Top salad with avocado.

This meal was summery, light, yet comforting with the fried-deliciousness of the corn cakes. My Dad scarfed about four corn cakes...

Saturday morning, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed headed to Cowtown Farmers Market. After half an hour and a sore arm from my heavy bag, I left with fresh dates, baby okra, baby eggplant, gorgeous emerald basil and tarragon, goat cheese, breakfast bread and pesto bread from Artisan Baking Company.

With my pesto bread, I cut the bread into chunks and roasted them into croutons to dry the bread. I then combined the bread with a simple custard base (eggs and whole milk), sauteed baby okra, zucchini (salted to release moisture then dried), fresh basil, goat cheese, salt and pepper. I popped the mixture in my Le Crueset casserole and a delicious side dish was ready 30 minutes later. Paired with browned chicken sausage and caramelized onions, it was a hearty spread!

appetizers-to-go and the curry explosion

I've been the cooking Queen this week!

Yes, I'm a dork but I seriously feel like that's all I've done. I've even started to get the "chefs callous" from my knife...pretty exciting stuff.

On Monday, I spent my day making cold and room temperature appetizers to deliver for an all-women cocktail party. The menu was:

Cubed watermelon skewers with cucumber, mint, plum tomatoes, feta and a lemon mint vinaigrette

1/2 inch cubed watermelon

1/2 inch cubed seedless cucumber

mint leaves cut in half

plum tomatoes cut in half

1/2 inch cubed feta

for dressing:

1 cup mint

zest and juice of one lemon

1 tbl honey

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Assemble cubed watermelon, cucumber, plum tomatoes and mint leaves on skewers (save feta for the end of the skewer so it doesn't crumble apart).

For dressing, combine first four ingredients in the food processor until smooth. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle skewers with vinaigrette and cool.

Roasted chicken salad with a tarragon mayonnaise, toasted pecans, green apples and celery served with toasted baguette

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil and herbs de provence)

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup minced fresh tarragon

1 cup toasted pecans (coarsely chopped)

1 cup chopped green apple

1 cup chopped celery

3 tbl honey

juice and zest of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

First, roast your chicken at 350 degrees until just cooked through- do not overcook or your chicken salad will be at the point of no return! Set chicken aside and let cool.

When cooled, cut into bite-sized chunks and combine with mayonnaise, pecans, tarragon, apples, celery, honey and lemon. Taste before seasoning because the chicken will already add saltiness. Serve with toasted baguette.

Asparagus and white bean hummus tarts (courtesy of Vegan YumYum)

I got inspiration for this dish from Vegan Yum Yum on-line.

1 sheet defrosted puff pastry

1 bundle blanched asparagus, ends trimmed

1 can white beans (rinsed and drained)

2 gloves garlic

1/2 cup basil leaves (reserve several for garnish)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbl olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

Make white bean hummus. Combine white beans, garlic, basil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil in food processor. Combine until smooth. Spread on puff pastry leaving an inch border all around. Arrange asparagus side-by-side on top rotating tops and bottoms. Brush pastry edges with olive oil and sprinkle tart with salt. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until asparagus is tender and puff pastry is golden brown. Let cool, garnish with basil leaves and slice into squares (my tart is shown at right).

Vegetable spring rolls with a wasabi aioli

I've made these guys more times than I can count. You can find the recipe in older posts.

Later that evening, I had a fabulous dinner at the newly-reopened Piola for some Italian fare. We started with the antipasto platter complete with fried green olives, ricotta-stuffed fried artichokes, capicola, Italian sausage, herbs de provence coated goat cheese, fontina, manchego, red grapes and pears. I piled the pears atop the goat cheese and herbs de provence...great sweet/tangy/salty combination.

Next course was soups- lobster bisque with grilled shrimp and scallop and the leek, beef and potato soup with truffle oil. Although both were well balanced, the lobster bisque was my favorite- smooth, intense and full of cream I'm sure:)

For my entree, I tried the special of the night- grilled sea bass with a putanesca sauce, shrimp and an herbed polenta. I really enjoyed the mild fish, spicy sauce and firm polenta but I could have gone without the shrimp (underseasoned and seemed like an afterthought).

A few nights later, I met some foodie friends at Grace for cocktails. My current favorite is the St. Caroline cocktail made with Prosecco, St. Germain (elderflower liquer) and soda. After finally deciding where to go for dinner, we headed over to Zambrano's Wine Bar for wine and pizza.

We started with a light, white wine variety and the tomato bruschetta with serrano ham, tomato, melted brie and balsamic. I loved the wine but the bruschetta didn't deliver- I didn't get the salty ham flavor and the brie was lacking.

Next, we shared the caprese salad with field greens, mozzarella, basil and a balsamic reduction. The salad was beautifully presented and had nice flavors. Finally, we shared the traditional pizza with serrano, pepperoni, artichoke hearts, peppers, olives, red onions served with fresh parmesean and red pepper flakes. The pizza was delicious- the crust was thin and flavorful with herbs baked right in. I'll definitely be back for the extensive wine selection and flavorful pizza.

The next evening, I used leftover groceries from my catering event and helped make a delicious dinner. The menu was:

Artichoke stuffed chicken with roasted potatoes, sauteed brussel sprouts with lemon and pecans and a roasted yellow pepper sauce (shown at right)

The sauce was my favorite part of the dish- roasted yellow peppers, sauteed onions, garlic, salt, pepper and a bit of honey and butter at the end...well balanced and great to sop the chicken and potatoes in.

Also this week was the end to my second trimester in culinary school :( This was sad for me because I learned so much and felt like my skills grew drastically as well.

Fortunately, I still have two trimesters left and I will start pastry classes in May.

For our final, we had 3.5 hours to create a tasting menu using all components of a mystery basket we recieved minutes before. My mystery basket contained:

Cod filet

Sirloin steak

Bone-in, skin-on chicken breast

Shrimp

Pork tenderloin

Asparagus

Parsnips

Cabbage

Sugar snap peas

Mini purple potatoes

Purple grapes

Quinoa

Sesame oil

After 3.5 hours, a blender of hot soup exploding on me and a few other roadblocks I finished with six solid dishes:

Pureed roasted carrot and parsnip soup with curry, turmeric and saffron garnished with grilled shrimp and mint

This was my favorite dish. Even in my time crunch, I really worked to layer flavors by roasting the carrots and parsnips with curry and turmeric, then added them in with my aromatics, vegetable stock and saffron.

Pan-fried chicken and scallion wontons with a cabbage, sugar snap pea and sliced grape slaw with grapeseed oil and lemon

For the filling, I roasted then pulled my chicken and added a touch of sesame oil, chopped scallions, honey and salt then filled the wonton wrappers and pan-fried them. I liked the savory wontons with the fresh slaw.

"Steak & frites"- an open-faced grilled sirloin sandwich with toasted baquette, smoked gouda, wasabi key lime mustard and mini-fried purple potato chips

Asian "nacho" with sesame-crusted cod, fried wonton, grilled asparagus and a cucumber salad

Braised pork tenderloin with a quinoa, herb and mango salad

Vegetarian taco with fried white beans, thyme and a braised red grape salsa

After the final, the rest of my weekend was spent moving into my new downtown apartment, fufilling my curry craving at Bombay Grill, catching up with friends and having brews at the Ginger Man and most importantly, a delicious and event-filled evening at the Taste of Fort Worth at the Hilton downtown.

Benefiting Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the event celebrated 30 years of "fine wine and culinary excellence" with a plethora of local wineries, restaurants, a silent auction and great company. After tasting wines and falling in love with honey flavored vodka from 42 Below Vodka, we tried to sample as much food as possible.

My favorites were:

Buttons- Seafood gumbo
Eddie V's- Halibut with microgreens and saffron tomatoes
Fort Worth Boat Club- Lamb "lollipops" with a mint jelly and peppercorn gravy
Grace- Corn panna cotta with lump crab
Lambert's- Chili grits with braised lamb shoulder and radish slaw
The Culinary School of Fort Worth- delish chocolate chip cookies

The evening was lovely, the food was incredible and the company kept me smiling all night!

spring fever and a date with grace

Spring is here and as with fall, I'm extremely excited for in-season produce, herbs, and most importantly, restaurant menu changes to complement the climate.

One of my favorite thing to make is salads. Although seemingly simple, I love to experiment with different fruits, veggies, homemade vinaigrettes, cheeses, nuts- you name it! Specifically in the summer months, a watermelon goat cheese salad or a caprese with off-the-vine heirloom tomatoes would beat a burger anyday.

This past warm Sunday afternoon (tank top, flips flops and all), I went on one of my frequent trips (better yet, rampages) to Central Market. After a date with the floral department (you can't beat the orchids and hydrangeas), I grabbed ingredients for dinner along with my staples- organic skim milk and kashi cereal for breakfast along with some Pam's pimento cheese from the sauce bar (my new guilty pleasure).

For dinner, the menu was:

Whole wheat angel hair in a lemon cream sauce with minted peas, sauteed chicken, shaved asparagus and pecorino

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small carton heavy cream
3 Tbl butter
juice of 5 lemons
zest of one lemon
1 bag frozen peas
1/2 bunch chiffonade mint
1 bunch thick asparagus (shaved into long "ribbons" with a peeler)
1/2 package whole wheat pasta
shards of pecorino toscano as desired
olive oil
salt and pepper
3/4 cup CM celery Greek dressing for marinating

First, I marinated my chicken with some of CM's celery Greek dressing, salt and pepper. Usually, I would make my own marinade for an upscale occasion but this works just as well. After letting it sit for half an hour, saute the chicken in olive oil until browned then finish in the oven until cooked through. After chicken is cooked, let it cool then shred to later add to pasta.

Meanwhile, boil pasta water with salt and make the lemon cream sauce. For the sauce, I simmered the lemon juice, lemon zest, cream, salt and pepper and let reduce.

At the last minute, boil your angel hair and make your peas so they stay bright green when serving. In a saute pan, add your frozen peas with a bit of olive oil, lemon zest, salt, pepper, butter and chiffonade mint. Saute until peas thaw and flavors meld.

Right before serving, add your chicken to the lemon cream sauce and with tongs, add the cooked pasta to the sauce as well. To serve, place the pasta atop the shaved asparagus (the hot pasta and sauce will cook it slightly) with the minted peas on top. Garnish with fresh mint, fresh ground pepper and shards of pecorino.
Serves 2-3

A few nights later, dinner was more on the rustic side but equally delicious.

The menu was:

Grilled pork chop with salt, pepper and thyme
Red wine gastrique with brown sugar
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes

2 pork chops
1/2 cup fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups red wine (something you would drink)
3 peeled and quartered Idaho potatoes
1/2 head roasted garlic
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbl. butter
1/3 cup sour cream
olive oil
coarse salt and pepper

First, marinate the pork with a wet rub of olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Wrap bone with foil to prevent burning on the grill. Wrap half a head of garlic with olive oil in foil and roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. For the potatoes, add your chopped potatoes to cold water with salt and boil until fork-tender.

Next, start your reduction for the gastrique. Combine wine, brown sugar and a bit of salt then let reduce for about 20 minutes.

When potatoes are tender and gastrique is thickening, grill your pork chops on the outdoor grill on both sides to get grill marks and a nice crust. Finish in the hot oven until pork is just cooked through and juicy. To finish the potatoes, add the roasted garlic, milk, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Serve hot with pork chop atop the wine gastrique.
Serves 2

This week I was also finally able to try Grace- modern American classics- in downtown Fort Worth. For my meal, I chose the "wine me, dine me" 4 course wine pairing special so I could try a bit of everything.

The menu was:

Pork terrine with lemony watercress, rye bread and stone ground mustard
2007 Viognier

Chicken fried artichokes with meyer lemon aioli
2007 Austrian Gruner Veltiliner

Housemade jumbo shrimp ravioli in a roasted shrimp broth with julienned vegtables
2006 Sauvignon Blanc

Pecan Pie sundae with butter pecan ice cream, salted caramel, pie crust and candied pecans
10-year-old Tawny port

The standouts of the meal were definitely the beginning and the end. The pork terrine was outstanding and had all elements cohesively working together. The artichokes were ok; although they were battered well and the aioli was nice, some were too tough to chew.

My favorite thing about the shrimp ravioli was the balance of textures. The soft, pillowy ravioli sat in a fragrant broth with raw, crunchy brussel sprouts, red onion and spinach slivers. Although the plate was a bit cool from sitting, the flavors were spot on. For dessert, the pecan pie sundae was orgasmic (sorry, Dad). But seriously, I can't think of a better word to describe it. I took one bite with the tawny port and was in complete La-La land. Yum.

While I was enjoying my own meal, my boyfriend ordered the clam chowder as an appetizer, filet of beef and spaetzle and cheese for his entree. The clam chowder was pretty delicious and the knifework of the veggies was really superb as well. The filet of beef arrived undercooked (rare when we ordered medium) but when it came back, it was juicy and the pepper crust was tasty. The spaetzle and cheese was baked in a ramekin and came out piping hot and cheesy.

I enjoyed Grace. Along with the simple, yet modern ambiance, the food was overall delicious and the service was impeccable (ask for Sam). We will return soon.