Thai mussels and shoddy service

I've now ventured to the pastry side at culinary school and it's a complete 180 from the savory side of the kitchen. It forces me to slow down, be more patient and think logically about how ingredients work in conjunction with each other. Our past class concentrated on cookies, brownies and bars. I was paired with a talented friend from class and we immediately got busy making an array of sweets.

After 4 hours of mixing, piping, slicing and chopping, we finished with an assortment of gingersnaps, apricot and toasted hazelnut cookies, cream cheese brownies, nut cookies, carrot cake cookies and whole wheat crackers. Although our gingersnaps were the most successful, the cream cheese brownies were my favorite! Next week we concentrate on pastry dough.

A few nights later, fellow chef-in-training and friend of mine hosted a supper club at her home. The theme was Southwestern and there was a smorgasbord of delicious (and spicy!) food including smoked pork tenderloin, grilled pork tenderloin with an orange tomatillo salsa, salad with cilantro lime vinaigrette, spicy tuna nachos with a chipotle mayo, southwestern eggrolls with chorizo and an avocado cream, poblano cream sauce, chili grits and orange almond flan for dessert.

To keep up with the delicious Southwestern theme, I made an inspired dinner a few nights later. The menu was:

Pulled orange chicken tacos with chimichurri, scallions, red onions, cilantro, manchego cheese and lime juice

For the chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I bought the Southwestern marinated breasts at CM)

zest and juice of one orange

salt to taste

Grill the marinated chicken on a grill or grill pan until marks form. Add the orange juice and zest and finish chicken in the oven until just cooked through and moist. After chicken has slightly cooled, shred into large pieces and set aside.

I built my tacos with pan-fried whole wheat tortillas, chopped scallions, cilantro, red onions, shredded manchego cheese, shredded chicken and fresh lime juice.

Serves 2-3

Guacamole with baked chips

I made my "signature" guacamole then added a twist with orange at the end. The result was delicious and the orange lended an unexpected freshness.

2 ripe Hass avocados

juice of three limes

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 tbl orange zest

1 clove minced garlic

1 tbl extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup minced red onion

salt to taste

Mash all ingredients together until chunky. Garnish with cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lime, fleur de sel and serve with baked tortilla chips.

This week, I was finally able to dine at the notorious French restaurant, St. Emilion. I was eager and excited to try St. Emilion but was my mood quickly turned sour minutes after I arrived. Although we were warmly welcomed by the owner, we were ignored by our waitress the entire night- my champagne glass was empty for 10 minutes, she never checked on our food and she acted insulted when asked if the chocolate tart was made in-house. Apparently it was...although it tasted store-bought and previously frozen.

In terms of the food, I was extremely content with the appetizers, salads and soups but left underwhelmed and a bit peeved with the entrees and dessert. For appetizers, our table shared:

Grilled sea scallops with a mango tomato confit
Gnocchi with spinach pine nut pesto
Roasted tomato soup with duck confit
Butter lettuce salad with lardons, walnuts and a house vinaigrette

The sea scallops were buttery, perfectly cooked and light. The gnocchi was light as well and delicious with the spinach pesto- I was left wanting more. The tomato soup with duck confit was the best dish of the night. The creamy soup had a spicy kick to it and the duck confit was a perfect savory addition. The salad was ok... a bit bland and underdressed.

For our entrees, we shared the:

Sole almandine with asparagus and a potato thyme gallete
Rack of lamb with haricot verts and Israeli couscous

The sole was cooked nicely but the asparagus was bland and the potato gallete was greasy, under seasoned and unappetizing. Although the lamb was served in a beautiful tagine, it was fatty and tasted of burnt mustard. The Israeli cous cous included chorizo, celery and tamarind and gave me a bitter, sour aftertaste. Like the asparagus, the haricot verts were under seasoned.

For dessert, I ordered a glass of tawny port and the table shared a raspberry and a chocolate tart....I've had better. Although I enjoyed the appetizers at St. Emilion, I will not return due to the neglectful service and mediocre entrees.

Later in the week, two chefs up at school and I were testing components for a flavors and flavoring class. The head chef came up with a light and delicious pesto idea and I had to share it. The pesto was a combination of garlic, fennel, toasted walnuts, orange zest, preserved lemons, Italian parsley, feta, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and olive oil- the pesto was fantastic sauteed with shrimp or would be a great dip for pita bread.

Also while experimenting, I took advantage of some interesting fresh herbs (chocolate mint, stevia, orange thyme, candy mint, lime mint) and made a couple simple syrups to have on hand- lime mint simple syrup and ginger orange simple syrup.

Friday evening, I headed to Dallas for a fun night with good friends from the past. For dinner, I met my girlfriend Justine at Sala Tex-Mex. Although the location was a bit iffy, the restaurant was modern, inviting and the food was straight-forward and tasty. We split the guacamole, sour cream chicken enchiladas (recommended by the waitress) and spicy nachos with chicken and beef. I left content- the service was great, the food was delicious and the tequila list was extensive.

After an eventful night and a date with Grey Goose, we had a girls brunch at Toulouse the next morning. Amongst freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice mimosas, we started with the Thai mussels with coconut milk, curry, lemongrass, ginger, cilantro, lime and plenty of bread for sopping the delicious broth. Next, I ordered the lump crab florentine served benedict-style and it arrived cold. Although the mussels were fantastic, Toulouse wasn't as good I expected it to be...it also burned a hole in my wallet.

eggs benedict and a tea sampling

I finally attended my first Central Market cooking class this weekend- Mother's Day Tea. I went in with expectations to actually cook and was disappointed when I found it was demonstration and tasting only. Regardless, it was a nice change, our instructor Christine was extremely knowledgeable and the food was yummy.

In the swift two hours and a sampling of soothing hot teas, we were shown how to make vidalia onion tarts, quiche lorraine crepes, angel biscuits with smoked salmon and a dill mayo, crescenza (a soft cheese) with golden raisin bread, cream cheese brownies, bourbon balls and egg custard. Although my mom was digging the bourbon balls, my favorite was the crescenza and golden raisin bread.

After a day of excessive shopping, dinner was a late-night stop to Michaels Restaurant and Ancho Chile Bar. Eager to try a bit of everything, we split three appetizers:

Borracho nachos with pickled jalapeno, beans and cheese (simple bar food)

Three guys pizza with sirloin, red bell peppers, jalapenos, kalamata olives and tomatoes
(The pizza was ok. The ingredients didn't meld well for me and the sirloin was sparse.)

Beef teres with chile bourbon sauce, mashed potatoes and fried onions

(This was my favorite. The beef had a nice bitter bite from the pepper crust and was perfectly cooked. The appetizer portion is definitely enough for an entree.)

I liked Michael's but I think it will be more of a "bar food and cocktail" type of place for me.

Sunday morning, we headed to Taverna for Mother's Day Brunch. Amongst ice teas, coffee and bloody mary's, we started with the beignets with a cappuccino sauce. The beignets were warm, airy and had an unexpected lemony addition to them.

For the main course, my mom and I ordered the eggs benedict with lump crab meat, hollandaise and breakfast potatoes and my friend Megan ordered the eggs benedict with smoked salmon and grilled asparagus. My benedict was great- the eggs were runny, the lump crab was buttery and the english muffin was perfectly toasted. My only complaint was the undercooked and under seasoned breakfast potatoes.

Sunday night, I found some beautiful short ribs at Costco (they only had boneless) and went to work making dinner for that evening.

My menu was:

Red wine braised short ribs

3-4 boneless short ribs

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup fresh chopped rosemary, sage and thyme leaves

1 bottle red wine (I used a Spanish cab)

3/4 cup water
salt and pepper to crust short ribs

First, coat your short ribs with salt, pepper and olive oil then sear both sides in a Dutch oven until a brown crust has developed. Remove beef with tongs and set aside. Add vegetables to pot and saute for a few minutes. Add wine, water, herbs and a bit of salt to deglaze the pot. Return short ribs to pot and immerse in braising liquid. Cover pot and place in a 350 degree oven for at least 3 hours (mine were in for 3.5) until wine sauce has reduced and beef falls apart easily with a fork. Serve with sauce spooned atop short ribs.

Corn succotash with scallion butter, white cheddar and lime

4 ears of fresh corn, cut off the cob

1 stick butter at room temperature plus additional for sauteing
3 scallions, sliced thinly

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

2 limes (one juiced and one cut into wedges for serving)

salt and pepper to taste

First, make your compound butter. Combine one stick of soft butter with scallions and a bit of salt. Spoon into plastic wrap and form butter into a cylinder shape. Refrigerate until butter hardens.

For the succotash, heat a few tablespoons of butter in your pan. Add corn, salt and pepper and saute. After a few minutes, add the juice of one lime, half of your cheese and half of your scallion butter. Serve succotash with a lime wedge, the reserved white cheddar sprinkled on top and a round pat of scallion butter.

Sauteed baby portabellos with thyme

2 cups of sliced baby portabellos

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves

1/2 stick butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Saute all ingredients together until mushrooms absorb all ingredients and cook down.

Vanilla lime baked custards with a blackberry lime sauce

I used Central Market's basic egg custard recipe and added my own twist.

For custards:
4 eggs
1-2 cups sugar
1 Tbl vanilla bean paste
1 cup whole milk
zest of two limes and a squeeze of juice
few pinches of salt
3 tsp grated fresh nutmeg

In a sauce pan, whisk together all ingredients until just combined. Heat mixture until warm but not boiling. Pour into individual ramekins and top with fresh grated nutmeg and lime zest. Place ramekins on a baking sheet (no water bath required) for 40 minutes at 325 degrees.

After cooking and cooling, serve chilled or room temperature with a spoonful of blackberry sauce on top.

For blackberry sauce:

zest of one lime and a squeeze of juice

1 cup sliced blackberries

1/4 cup sugar

3 tsp vanilla bean paste

Combine all ingredients and let macerate while custards cook and cool. Spoon atop custards.

The next evening, I was introduced to some of the best coffee I've ever tasted from the owners of Aduro Bean Micro-Roasters. I sampled a cup of the coffee blend called Nutty Blonde- freshly roasted, cooled then ground. Coffee not masked with ounces of skim and packetfuls of splenda?! Wow...what a concept. The coffee was smooth, light and flavorful with not a hint of bitterness.

Later in the evening once at home, I took my own bark-making virginity and made a white chocolate bark with dried apricots, toasted walnuts and dried cherries compliments of my beloved Barefoot Contessa. This recipe is seriously pastry for idiots...even I didn't screw it up:)

You will need:

16 ounces of good white chocolate

(I used the CM bulk white chocolate...rich and buttery)
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (toast them yourself)
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup dried cherries

(the recipe called for cranberries but I used cherries instead)

First, melt 3/4 of your white chocolate slowly over a double boiler until melted and shiny. Take off heat and add to remaining chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth then pour in an even layer over a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

While chocolate is still warm, sprinkle cherries, apricots and walnuts uniformly over chocolate. Cool in the fridge until hardened. When ready to serve, cut bark into large shards for munching.

blueberry scones and the beer companion

The start of May has been a month of new beginnings for me- new apartment, new opportunities and my impending 24th birthday on Cinco de Mayo! It's also been a week of yummy food...

Tuesday evening, a group of us headed to the Ginger Man for happy hour. I sipped on my Sunshine Wheat (I'm not into the dark stuff) while we snacked away at the beer companion- an array of cheeses (cheddar, pepper jack, smoked gouda), salami, green apples, stone ground mustard and baguette.

After our drinks, we headed across the street for an outdoor dinner at Winslows. Although it was a bit chilly outside, we cozied up with blankets and their outdoor fire. To begin, we started with the bruschetta trio- tomato, cranberry bean and mint and a baba ganoush (roasted eggplant dip). I liked the baba ganoush but wasn't a huge fan of the mint and bean. The beans were undercooked and underseasoned.

Next, our table ordered soups and salads. Amongst our picks were the wedge salad, spinach salad with grilled pineapple, house salad with a quail egg, roasted tomato soup and vichyssoise. Thankfully, my favorite was exactly what I ordered- the roasted tomato soup. The bacon added a nice smokiness and there was also a warming heat at the end.

Our entrees were the Spanish pie with chorizo, chicken pesto pizza and bacon-wrapped sea scallops with a honey-thyme tartar sauce. I really wasn't crazy about the pizzas but the scallops were well cooked and the sauce was really delicious.

The next evening, I broke in my new apartment and cooked my first meal in my tiny, yet quaint little kitchen. Although I'm usually veggie-crazed, the menu was a little more Rustic and heavier than I'm used to.

My menu was:

Salt and pepper crusted filet of beef

2 6-ounce filets of beef (take out of fridge to remove chill about 20 minutes before cooking)

Sea salt

Fresh-cracked pepper

Olive oil

3/4 cup red wine

2 Tbl butter

First, remove filets from packaging and dry both sides with paper towels. Next, liberally coat both sides with a mixture of the coarse sea salt and fresh-ground pepper. Sear the first side with olive oil in a smoking hot pan until a nice, brown crust has developed. Flip filets, deglaze pan with red wine and finish beef in a 350 degree oven with a pat of butter on top. I cooked mine medium rare (5-7 minutes in the oven). To serve, top filets with pan sauce.

Gnocchi with a roasted garlic and sage cream sauce

1 package potato gnocchi (I'm too lazy to make my own)

3 heads roasted garlic

(Cut garlic bulbs in half, drizzle liberally with olive oil and roast about 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven until browned. Squeeze cloves out, let cool and mince.)

1/3 cup fresh chopped sage

1 quart heavy cream

4 Tbl butter

1/3 cup milk (Whole would be ideal but I used skim because that's what I drink)

salt and pepper to taste

Boil water and cook gnocchi according to package directions. After draining, return gnocchi to pot. Add cream, butter, minced roasted garlic and sage. Add salt, pepper and milk if mixture is too thick. Simmer on low for a few minutes until sauce reduces a bit then serve immediately.

Sweet and spicy pan-fried okra

2 cups fresh okra sliced vertically

1 Tbl olive oil

2 Tbl honey

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute okra in olive oil for a few minutes. Add honey, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

The following rainy weekend evening, my girlfriend Cat and I snacked on an antipasto tray and a bottle of Riesling at my apartment then headed to Ferre for dinner. We split:

My antipasto platter:

Green grapes, blackberries with fleur de sel and honey, brie, parmigiano reggiano with a honey glaze, dry salami, marinated feta with olives and fresh baguette

Once at Ferre:

Martinis (I went for Grey Goose Poire straight-up and Cat ordered the Pink Heart with vanilla vodka and pomegranate liquor)

Crab cakes with a scallion puree and Fuji apple slaw

Housemade pasta with beef tenderloin, mixed mushrooms and a cognac sour cream sauce

Creme brulee with berries and Sambuca

Dinner was delicious and the service matched the food. My favorite dish was the crab cakes with the apple slaw. The crab cakes were light, almost all lump crab and the apple slaw was a delicious match.

My week ended with a visit to the Artisan Baking Company- specializing in fresh, seasonal and local bread-making. After a delightful interview with owner and chef, Gwin Grimes, I found some yummy goodies for breakfast and snacking- multigrain bread, spiced nuts with sugar, cumin and cayenne, mango spread and blueberry scones fresh out of the oven...what could be better?

My mom, aunt and cousin are coming in this weekend and it should be one full of shopping, delicious food and good company. More foodie details to come...

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!

whole salmon and modern Italian

How is it almost May???

Not only is my impending 24th birthday around the corner but Easter has flown by and my second trimester of culinary school is sadly coming to an end. May begins a fresh start with my new apartment, the world of pastry unfolding in front of my eyes and time for me to refocus on future career plans.

Last week we had our seafood class in culinary school and it was a week to remember for me. The class started with a lecture from the head chef about seafood varieties, preparation, safety practices as well as seafood sustainability.

After the lecture, we saw a demo fileting a whole salmon and learned how to boil lobsters. In our remaining couple hours, we had to present at least five complete dishes to be critiqued using any ingredients we pleased. The available fresh seafood to use was orange roughy, halibut, lump crab, sea scallops, whole salmon, American caviar, shrimp, squid and catfish.

My dishes were:

Chilled lump crab salad with citus zest, grapefruit supremes, mint and crispy corn tortilla strips

Fresh grilled salmon with a lime compound butter, herbed white rice and a red jalapeno pan sauce

Hazelnut crusted orange roughy pan-fried with a spinach and asian pear salad with an allspice vinaigrette

Sauteed shrimp linguine with ginger, peas, mint, butter and lemon

Asian lobster salad atop fried baguette crostini (lime, soy, ginger, scallion, fresh boiled lobster, salt)

Sauteed lobster and rice with dill, butter and lemon

Two nights later, my beau and I headed to Austin for the Easter weekend. On Saturday we headed to central Austin for a crawfish boil in honor of my girlfriends birthday. The crawfish, shrimp, potatoes and corn turned out tender, spicy and delicious with a cold beer.

Later that evening, we took advantage of my parents new state-of-the-art kitchen and made dinner at their new house. The menu was:

Spinach salad with goat cheese, candied almonds, apples and a blackberry vinaigrette

4 cups fresh spinach leaves

1 ounce crumbled goat cheese

1 cup slivered almonds

2 tbl. unsalted butter

2 tbl. honey

1-2 apples (sliced or juilenned)

1 pint blackberries

1/2 cup sugar

juice and zest of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

For the dressing, combine blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest and salt in pepper in food processor. After combined, slowly drizzle in your olive oil to emulsify. Strain to remove seeds.

To candy almonds, toast almonds with butter, honey and salt until almonds are coated. Set aside to cool then break apart.

To assemble salad, combine spinach with apples, almonds and goat cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette before serving.

Pan-fried polenta with fontina

This recipe is so easy! You can make homemade polenta and cut it into circles or use tubed polenta. My mom had tubed polenta in the fridge so thats what we used.

1 tube prepared polenta

1/3 cup fresh thyme leaves

1 wedge fontina cheese

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Slice tube polenta into 3/4 inch wide circles. In a small boil, combine thyme with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lightly coat polenta in the mixture then pan-fry to brown polenta then set on a baking sheet. Top polenta rounds with shaved fontina then broil until cheese is melted and you are ready to serve.

Seared pork loin with a pear red onion chutney

Dinner was delicious even though we didn't eat until 11 p.m. The next morning, we made an Easter Sunday breakfast of blueberry pancakes and omelettes with cheddar, salsa and avocado to hold us over until Easter dinner. Meanwhile, we went to work slicing pears and zesting lemons for our homemade pear crostada.

Later that afternoon, we arrived at my uncles house who had definitely put his smoker to good use. Dinner was a smorgasbord of smoked whole chickens, brisket, ribs, baked beans, cole slaw, corn on the cob, potato salad, rolls, green bean casserole and fruit salad. We left Austin stuffed for the ride home to Fort Worth.

Back in Fort Worth, I was finally able to try Aventino on Camp Bowie with two fellow Fort Worth foodies. Walking in, I immediately admired the decor- simple, modern and quite beautiful. Before we were seated, I started with the lemongrass martini with Tuaca. The martini was light and you could really taste the lemongrass. I assumed the lemongrass was soaked in a simple syrup but the bartender said they used a sous vide method (cooked in airtight bags) for optimal flavor.

After our cocktail, we were seated and shared an array of small plates, cocktails and desserts from the menu:

Lychee martini with prosecco

Peach sangria

Beef carpaccio with parmesean, caper berries, arugula and a black pepper caper aioli (shown at right)

Tuscan shrimp with chickpeas, grape tomato confit and walnut arugula pesto

Housemade pappardelle with an almond cream sauce, asparagus, oyster mushrooms, toasted almonds and a chervil garnish

Pan seared red snapper with a spicy putanesca (capers, tomatoes, mussels), artichokes, braised fennel, carrots and angel hair pasta

Olive oil cake with blood oranges and mint

Panna cotta with marscapone, lemon gelee and crushed peppercorn (shown above)

My favorite dishes were the carpaccio, pappardelle and the panna cotta. The carpaccio was sliced paper thin, was beautifully presented and suited the accompaniments well. The pappardelle was extremely subtle- I was expecting a bold almond flavor from the sauce and was suprised with the delicate flavor. Lastly, the panna cotta was to-die-for. The tart lemon curd off-set the creamy marscapone and the bitter peppercorns added a bite at the end. I will definitely be back to Aventino- hopefully this week.

This week was our food production and service class in culinary school. We learned basics of the restaurant business and prepared quick "mystery item" appetizers for the entire class to share and critique.

My dishes were:

Sauteed shrimp atop puff pastry with a mint, feta and lemon relish with a passionfruit vinaigrette (shown above)

Lemon ricotta-filled crepes with candied almonds and a raspberry coulis (shown at right)

Polenta napolean with sauteed ham, granny smith apples, parmesean and a chive oil (shown at right)

Class was fun but I felt similar to a chicken running around with its head cut off. Although my dishes weren't perfect, I was content. Next week is finals week and more mystery ingredients to come!

greasy enchiladas and tofu galore

A couple weeks ago, I was finally able to try Tim Love's Love Shack in the Stockyards. Our trip was on a cool, windy weeknight but the food distracted me away from my goosebumps.

I ordered the Love burger (1/2 prime tenderloin, 1/2 prime brisket) with love sauce (mayo, ketchup and pickle relish), lettuce, tomato and cheese AND the Shack dog with chopped onion and pickle relish so I could try some of each.

The dog was pretty yummy but I was wanting more onion and relish...the toppings kind of soaked into the bun and I didn't get the crunchiness I was craving. The burger was one of the best I've had in Fort Worth. The burger was cooked well, seasoned well and I liked the sauce. Next time I want to try the Boom Boom burger with portabello mushrooms.

This past (lazy) Sunday was spent at Joe T's for a very special 21st Birthday. The day was gorgeous- clear skies, nice breeze and margaritas of course. I usually split fajitas with a girlfriend, but today I went for the enchilada dinner with cheese enchiladas, guacamole, rice and beans. Although the enchiladas were greasy, they tasted great to me! I think that's the glory of Joe T's- even though the food is ok, the ambience, company and margaritas make it an event to remember.

I was so excited for culinary class this week- healthy cooking, vegetarian and Vegan cuisine. Although I've never been a strict vegetarian, I was raised with little red meat and tons of fresh fruits, veggies and healthy cooking. My aunts always teased my mother when I was little because she would give me rice cakes to snack on and they would sneak me to get french fries at "Old McDonald" instead.

Long story short- I enjoy healthy and more specifically, vegetarian cooking...the Vegan part is where it got tricky. For those who need a quick lesson on Vegan fare- Vegans exclude animal products in their lifestyle. In terms of food, that means no meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, even honey...you get the drift. It's challenging but forces you to be inventive especially in a time rut.

In class, we were given orders with specific dietary needs then given twenty minutes to create and present our dish for critiquing. This class went well but I definitely had a couple blonde moments.

Order 1: Healthy appetizer

Dish one: Grilled salmon with cinnamon, clove and an orange glaze with herbed couscous

Order 2: Evo-lacto vegetarian entree (eggs and dairy are ok to eat)

Dish 2: Fried vegetarian chicken patty with a radish, blackberry and spinach relish with a brown rice and candied walnut pilaf with grilled asparagus

Order 3: Vegan entree

Dish 3: "PB & J" with grilled baquette, peanut butter, macerated strawberries and blackberries, lemon zest and spiced peanuts with cayenne and cinnamon (before I presented this dish, I thought milk would go well too so I presented it then quickly remembered "Vegans don't drink milk, Callie"...this was blonde moment #1)

Order 4: Vegan breakfast

Dish 4: Parfait with a coconut milk, mango and lime zest yogurt with a candied ginger, dried apricot and walnut crumble with an orange, green apple, blueberry and strawberry fruit salad

Order 5: Use something with tofu or tempeh (fermented soybeans in a cake form)

Dish 5: Soy/lime marinated tofu grilled then deep fried over pickled veggies with chopped peanuts and scallions

Order 6: Healthy appetizer

Dish 6: Homemade fried corn chips with a strawberry, jalapeno, avocado and lime pico

Tonight is our seafood class in culinary school then I'm headed to Austin for the Easter weekend. More food adventures to come...

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.