FoodNuts!

Archive for the ‘Fun Stuff’ Category

First it’s cookies, now bacon has invaded the realm of cupcakes. Apparently, however, there’s a bit of controversy on which Wilmington, NC cupcakery first developed this tasty little number. But there it is, regardless.

We have an old family favorite that we shared with The Foodnuts tonight, as we watched a couple of pent-up episodes of Top Chef : Masters.

One of the great things about this recipe is that it’s easy to create to take “on the road”, as our get-together was not at our place  tonight.

Crab Bruschetta:

1 large French bread
2 cups of chopped fresh spinach
2 teaspoons of chopped garlic
4 Romas, drawn and quartered (ok, diced is probably best, but I love the phrase)
2 cans of crab (we’re workin’ folks so it’s the canned for us)
Two to three cups of shredded low-fat mozzarella, depending on how “cheesy” you want this to be.

Combine the spinach, garlic, tomatoes, crab, and cheese in a bowl. Mix.

Quarter the French bread. Remove perhaps half of the “guts” of the bread. Dip this in olive oil and balsalmic vinegar whilst the baking goes on.

Spoon in the crab/tomato/etc. mixture into the bread until it’s gone; place the four quarters on a cookie sheet and place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven. Bake until the cheese is melted, but not beyond.

We served this with a nice salad and a couple of varieties of dry red wines; followed by chocolate.

It’s a nice light supper and goes well with a pairing of yelling at the Top Chef folks on the television.

Saturday night, we had a group of 17 folks heading for the Capitol Steps show at CalTech. This has become an annual ritual for the original FoodNuts. We decided to eat first, since the show was at 8:00 pm, and Terry made reservations for us at Cafe Santorini in Pasadena.

A few of us were a tad early to the restaurant, so we enjoyed a really good sangria. Not as good as my own, of course, but very good nonetheless.

The restaurant was lovely. The food was even lovelier.  The service was perfect; and the attention of the manager for our party was amazing. None of us, of course, brought cameras, so we had to make do with cell-phones.

For a starter, my wife and I shared their shrimp saltada, which was a plate of Black tiger shrimp baked with roasted potatoes and garlic Parmesan sauce over grilled French bread. I have to admit that the bread was a very pleasant surprise; this would have made a lovely entree rather than a starter.

Roz decided that she was more inclined to comfort for the show (and I agreed) if we ordered salads. She decided to try the lamb and spinach salad, which was amazing, and I had the Caesar with a perfectly cooked portion of salmon.

This left us with enough room for a dessert — chocolate mouse cake with a raspberry sauce that went perfect with espresso and Grand Marnier.

We’ll be back.

At the Iowa state fair this year the chocolate-covered bacon turned out to be my favorite treat!

Ed: Apparently they have it at the LA County Fair as well; click on pic for more info.

Barbara Lynch strikes again. As though it wasn’t enough that she delighted us with the best oysters at B & G Oyster or perfection in charcuterie at The Butcher Shop or special nights out at No. 9 Park or the whimsy of her mixologists at Drink (not to mention Stir and 9 at Home), but she really hits one out of the park with her latest restaurant, the fine dining wonder, Menton, in her Fort Point complex. Sleek, elegant, and comfortable, Menton is a glammed up dining experience that we Bostonians mightn’t be totally accustomed to, but I think we will learn pretty quickly to love it.

Menton is decorated in muted grays, blacks, and whites, with some funky touches that make it feel modern and approachable.

I was excited to dress up for an evening out and even more excited to see a dining room of dressed up people.

I started with a glass of sparkling wine from the Loire Valley. You can see my husband’s Vieux Carre cocktail in the photo as well

Our team of impeccable servers brought an amuse of asparagus, cream, and a toasty parmesan top.

We were offered bread between each course, and we started with honey croissants with fresh butter. I could have made an entire meal of these, but limited myself to just one sweet, buttery bite.

Menton operates on a prix fixe menu or tasting menu only, and we opted for the prix fixe. I started with a meaty crab salad.

My second course was an artichoke velouté, a creamy, silky artichoke soup with summer truffles and crispy artichoke chips that melted right into the creaminess.

The options for the third course were duck, veal sweetbreads, or beef, but when I asked our server if I could substitute a second course for the third, they happily obliged and brought one of the best fish dishes I have ever eaten. Flaky, buttery halibut was served with fava beans and a rich but light broth.

For my final course, dessert, I had the coffee caramel parfait which included a buttery financier cookie, coffee pearls, chocolate ganache, and a ball of ice cream dusted in cocoa. To accompany the dessert, my husband ordered a 1980 Warre Port which we shared. It was a sweet and delicious addition to our desserts. Although all of the portions seemed small, I left this meal completely full.

The final special touch of the night was the bowl of mini macarons that was presented with our check. In flavors such as a zesty pink peppercorn, basil, black olive, and traditional vanilla, these mini macarons were enough for dessert in themselves, and despite having already eaten decadent desserts, we finished off the bowl. The pink peppercorn was incredible! Peppery all the way to the back of the throat, with a tiny bit of sweetness, these macarons were unlike any dessert I have ever eaten.

Menton is opulent, sleek, beautifully decorated and well stocked with expert servers. More importantly, it serves quintessential Barbara Lynch cuisine, high quality, satisfying portions, of fresh, delicious, and fun food. If tonight, a night before they are even officially open, is any indication of the success of Menton, I predict it will be close to impossible to get a table for at least the first year. Plan ahead for special occasions, and make your way over to this Fort Point gem.

For more restaurant reviews please visit my site http://traveleatlove.com