Penn Appétit

Saturday Blog Lovin'- Unbreaded

2009-11-07T09:58:00.005-05:00

Philly may be known for its cheesesteaks, but that doesn't mean the city hasn't also become famous for its other inter-bread offerings. If sandwiches are your thing, check out Unbreaded, a Philly food blog dedicated to delving into the art of the sandwich as prepared across the city. If you think you've seen and tasted all of Philly's sandwich scene, think again--the blog specializes in reviewing often unexpected culinary combinations. And while many of the offerings may seem exotic, even if you're just craving an old fashion sequence of bread, meat, bread, this blog is the one for you.

Fun Food Fact----Cranberries!

2009-11-06T08:00:00.003-05:00

This deliciously tart fruit was named "crane berry" by Dutch and German settlers after the shape of the fruit's blossoms. When the vines bloom in the late spring and the flowers' light pink petals twist back they have a resemblance to the head and bill of a crane. Eventually, linguistic laziness worked its magic and the word "crane berry" became cranberry.

Also, 20% of the 400 million pounds of cranberries grown in the United States each year are consumed during Thanksgiving.

Source: http://www.oceanspray.com/about/cranberry_history2.aspx

WIMB: I'll take 5 million

2009-11-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

[Part 3 of Worms in my Basement]

After extensive research, I energetically undertook a number of fruit fly extermination and suppression measures as part of Operation Fruit Fly Destruction. First, I set up several homemade traps around the bin. These are simply shallow dishes filled with apple cider vinegar and covered with plastic wrap with small holes poked in it. The flies are attracted to the sweet vinegar and can't get out once they've entered through one of the holes.

I also hung fly tape and put a more solid lid on the bin. Many of the sites I read said that rotting food needs to be buried deep in the bin so that the flies can't reach it to lay their eggs. To this end, I disguised the bin's fertile breeding grounds with several inches of shredded newspaper.

These strategies were all intended to trap the living fruit flies (which can live for up to 2 weeks) and to curb their reproduction. I still needed a way to ensure that my basement's fruit fly population would go extinct.

Enter the nematodes. Beneficial nematodes are marketed as "microscopic warriors" that will eat fruit fly larvae, along with many other garden nuisances. They are often used by gardeners as an organic method for dealing with insect pests. Thus, I found myself, in the wee hours of the morning, ordering 5 million beneficial nematodes off the internet. When they arrived in the mail a couple days later, I applied them to the compost and encouraged them on their mission.

I have had to stop adding more food to the bin as part of the Operation but, in the meantime, my roommates and I have become expert fruit fly trap craftswomen. We know which containers work best (the shallower the better) and the effectiveness of various liquids (red wine and my botched batch of ginger beer are quite tempting) as well as the ideal trapping spots. Now, it is simply a matter of keeping the traps fresh and being patient while the fruit flies live out their short lives and the nematodes work their magic.

Kiwi Berries

2009-11-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

My roommate's mom came to visit a few weeks ago and went grocery shopping for us. Among the many food necessities, she bought us kiwis. I was surprised, but at the same time, thrilled. I didn't think many other people ate kiwis, and of all other fruits her mom could have bought, she bought kiwi? While I love kiwis, the peeling process always deterred me from eating them.

Then, this past weekend, I was given a new product: kiwi berries. The fruit resembled grapes, yet tasted like the succulent kiwis I had always shied away from. About the size of a large grape, these fruits are coated with a greenish-blue tie dyed pattern. The skin, much to my surprise, is completely edible. Overall, the unforeseen present as has become one of my favorite fruits. Not only does it merge a sweet berry taste with the tartness of a ripe kiwi, but also the hassle associated with kiwis is no longer present.

Media photo from NZ KiwiBerry Growers Inc.

Fruit Crumble

2009-11-04T08:29:00.003-05:00

Fruit Crumble

Ingredients:

Filling

6 cups of peeled and cored apples, sliced (usually about 6 large apples)

2 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Note: you can really use any type of fruit mixture, just keep the amount of fruit about the same. You can use just apples or berries or pears or apricots, etc. I like to mix different types of fruit together, with apples making up the majority of the filling. Usually, I use 4-5 apples and 1.5 cups of mixed berries. If you add berries, you might need to add cornstarch to thicken and it might also take longer to cook.

Topping

1.5 cups of all purpose flour

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp of salt

2 sticks of cold, unsalted butter, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

2 tsp of cinnamon

Note: You can use more or less topping depending on how much you like.

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350-380 F (Temperature really depends on your oven. The power on mine is a little low, so use 380 F)

2) For filling, mix sugar and cinnamon together. Then add lemon juice

3) Put apples into mixture and toss to coat

4) Put apples in a baking dish

5) For topping, mix flour, sugar and salt

6) Add butter, stir to coat pieces with flour

7) Rub pieces of butter between your fingers until coarse crumbs form that are 1/2 to 3/4 inch in size. No loose flour should be present and mixture is pale yellow.

8) Spread crumbs evenly over the fruit

9) Bake crumble about 40-45 minutes. Apples should be tender to toothpick.

10) If top not brown, broil on low for a couple of minutes.

Note: Crumble can be made day ahead and kept cooled at room temperature. Can be reheated in oven for about 15 minutes at 250. Enjoy!

This recipe is modified from Any Season Fruit Crumble from Fearless Baking by Elinor Klivans

Indian Food: Restaurant vs. Home-Cooked

2009-11-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

When most people go out for Indian food these days, it is somewhat of an event. To be sure, if you’re in the mood for something different and flavor-packed, Indian food is the way to go. At home, I eat Indian food about five times a week, and I still jump at the opportunity to go to an Indian restaurant, in large part because it is an experience in and of itself. What is more interesting, however, is that I can get the same culinary experience at a restaurant than I would at home.

There is no standard for home-cooked Indian food, as this varies greatly by region and even household. However, I can safely say that if my family was to make the equivalent of Indian restaurant food at home, it would only be on very special occasions. This food, though undoubtedly delicious, is perhaps a little too rich to have on a daily basis. Everyday Indian food, therefore, is characterized by its simplicity. A typical meal that I’d have back home would consist of a few pieces of chapati or roti, which are a sort of flatbread, some type of dal (a soup or stew-like dish made of lentils or dried beans), a portion of vegetables prepared with spices and herbs, and rice.

By contrast, in a restaurant, you would usually first find a chaat section, which consists of a series of savory "snacks," followed by naan (a thicher, leavened, and oven-baked flatbread), rice, and vegetable dishes. There are normally some chicken, mutton, or lamb entrees; the most common are Tandoori Chicken, which is marinated in yogurt and seasoned with tandoori masala, and Chicken Tikka Masala, a dish with pieces of chicken in a creamy, tomato-based sauce. There are often different types of specially prepared and seasoned dals such as sambar, a type of spicy soup that is especially popular in parts of South India. To top everything off, you can often find an assortment of desserts such as rice pudding, gajar halva (a carrot dessert made with milk and sugar) and gulab jamun, which consists of bits of dough in a sugar syrup infused with rosewater, saffron, or cardamom seeds.

This difference is good to keep in mind; if you ever have the opportunity to literally get a taste of everyday Indian culture, be prepared for a very different, though just as tasty, experience!

Through the wine glass....

2009-11-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

Photo by Maggie Edkins

Xochitl: El Dia de los Muertos

2009-11-01T12:30:00.023-05:00

I have been planning to eat at Xochtil on 2nd and Pine with my parents for some time now. We missed our opportunity during restaurant week due to reservation issues, but along came the message that they would be featuring a similar sort of four courses tasting menu during the week before Halloween.

I had a rabbit pozole for my soup: one of the reasons for which I chose the tasting menu and Xochitl in the first place. The rabbit was so tender, and the pozole floating in the broth were very good. Unfortunately, there was neither enough lime nor cilantro to make it ring true to its Latin American nature. This was not too much of a disappointment, since the broth was a bit spicy and very rich.

Next, I sampled a swordfish ceviche with mezcal-infused blood orange juice for an appetizer. I really enjoyed the tender, buttery texture of the cured fish. The juice was very sweet, enhancing the flavors of the tomatoes and cilantro already accenting the fish. It was beautiful presented as well, with the juice poured on table-side by our waiter.

Our main courses were rather interesting and certainly rang of the Yucatan. I had a nicely seared, very flaky halibut on top of a bed of pumpkin seed mole. This was new to me, since I have only had authentic mole negro before. This adaptation was a bit too salty on its own, but when paired with the fish, it became much more tolerable and rather tasty. There was also a standard mole negro on the side, but it was a bit too bitter to accompany the fish well on its own. The dish lacked the cumin-coriander kick I am used to from Mexican cooking back home, but was still very good.

Dessert, which should always be a no-brainer was not. We each tried something different, knowing full well that we would not be hungry after the other courses. Our least favorite was a pumpkin clafouti, which was neither creamy nor sweet enough to be labeled a desert. It lacked the sophistication that such a name should inspire. Needless to say, we were not impressed. However, we did like an almond layer cake in a raspberry soup. We though it was a rather tasty take on cake.

All in all, Xochitl was a fantastic dining experience, and the tasting menu always provides excellent insight regarding a restaurant's specialties. We will probably go there again after trying other places. Though tamed for the standard American pallet, the dishes did ring rather true to their concept of nouveau Mexican fusion-style cuisine, and we enjoyed every course.

Saturday Blog Lovin' - They test recipes, so you don't have to

2009-10-31T08:35:00.000-04:00

Blog: The Bitten Word

Food magazines are good for more than just pretty pictures, as this blog proves. These bloggers try out recipes from their favorite magazines and chronicle the process. Some recipes are hits, others misses, but either way, the posts provide helpful tips and plenty of humor.

Note: Click here to see the original post.

Fall comfort food - Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Bacon

2009-10-31T08:00:00.001-04:00

Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Bacon: Serves 6

Lots of squash in season right now so make full use of them for your fall comfort food!

Ingredients:

1 box of pasta of your choice (boiled al dente and drained)

1 medium size butternut squash (about 2 lbs)

8 slices bacon (diced)

1 cup button mushrooms (quartered)

1 cup fresh tomatoes (diced)

1 cup sharp cheddar (shredded)

1 cup blue cheese (crumbled)

1 cup walnuts (diced)

1 clove garlic (diced)

1/2 cup fresh sage (diced)

1/2 cup rosemary (diced)

1/2 cup cilantro (for garnish)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper (to individual taste)

Instructions:

Halve and bake the squash with some olive oil, salt and pepper at 350 F for about 30 minutes and allow it to cool.
Prepare sauce in the meantime, using steps 3-6
Stir fry garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until light-brown.
Add in bacon and fry until slightly crispy.
Add in mushrooms, tomato, walnuts and herbs (sage and rosemary), and turn down to low heat until reduced
Season with salt and pepper
Peel and cut squash into 1-inch cubes.
Scatter the sauce and cheeses (cheddar and blue cheese) evenly over the pasta in a 7-inch by 11-inch casserole.
Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of olive oil over the pasta mix.
Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 15 minutes or until cheeses are melted and slightly browned.
Serve with cilantro and Parmesan cheese garnish.

A K-Cup of Joe

2009-10-30T09:05:00.009-04:00

Recently, I discovered an invention that changed the way I enjoyed coffee. Like all other areas of daily life for which people constantly strive to make just a little smoother, the necessary-for-many morning activity of brewing a cup of coffee is no exception. The innovators in this area are the makers of the Keurig Coffee Maker, a state-of-the-art brewing device that prepares delicious, piping hot coffee in less than a minute. Instead of brewing traditional ground coffee, the machine works with small cups of tightly packed coffee called K-Cups, available in close to a hundred flavors from dozens of brands. To explore my Keurig machine even further, I opted for a variety pack of these cups, which shipped with four different flavors. Here are some brief thoughts on the quality of each.

Coffee People's Donut Shop variety is your All-American diner offering, reminiscent of a lazy small-town morning or a weekend donut run. It's a generic flavor, but satisfying nonetheless, especially if you're in the mood for a characteristic blend. The blandness inherent in this iteration may lead you instead to an actual donut shop, where you'll enjoy a slightly more faithful representation of the flavors Donut Shop tries to imitate.

Tully's Full City Roast, the true novelty of my newly purchased coffee-maker began to show its true colors. This bold, brazen, brew paints a picture of a foggy Seattle morning; its rich and soothing texture accompanied with a strong, but by no means overpowering dark roast flavor. This genuine blend is coffee in every sense of the word, a forthright flavor with no gimmick added. What Donut Shop lacked in intensity and flavor is more than rescued by Full City, a true coffee drinker's delight.

Next was Mahogany by Caribou Coffee, a brew claimed to be an amalgamation of the finest roasts of Central America. A very woody taste pays homage to this flavor's namesake, and the hints of spice and vanilla make this one a truly unique experience. Definitely a lighter blend than the Full City, but more complex and interesting than the Donut Shop, the Mahogany proved to be an excellent choice, perfect for an afternoon cup or an evening dessert accompaniment. The brew provided an excellent mix of flavors without one becoming dominant, brushing aside a complaint I often have about flavored blends.

My final choice, and undoubtedly my favorite of the bunch, was the Green Mountain Hazelnut blend, which stands out from the rest in its own realm of flavor. The smell that begins to emanate amidst the steam and whir of the Keurig as the first hints of this brew begin to trickle into the cup is as seductive as a siren call. An absolutely sublime, unabashed hazelnut taste encompasses every molecule of the finished brew, avoiding the sugary, syrupy, and un-coffeelike properties sure to come with most other flavored brews.

With such great flavors, each different from the next, the Keurig Coffee Maker provides a unique and convenient way to enjoy this staple beverage of the often sleepless college lifestyle. So the next time you need that kick to wake you up, get you through a paper or keep you up to study, try going for a cup...and make it a K-cup.

Fun Food Fact---Pineapples

2009-10-30T08:00:00.003-04:00

Pineapples contain an enzyme known as bromelain - an example of the class of enzymes called proteases. Proteases degrade proteins, which is why bromelain is one of the primary ingredients in commercial meat tenderizer. Never add fresh pineapple to jello, as the bromelain in the pineapple will degrade the gelatin, preventing the jello from setting!

Photo by Becka Lefkoe

UMC's Battle of the Spices

2009-10-29T20:50:00.001-04:00

What: United Minorities Council's Battle of the Spices
Where: Harrison Rooftop Lounge

When: Sunday, November 1, 4-6 pm

Price: Free!

Come enjoy spicy cultural food from UMC constituent groups and performances by campus groups, such as Destination Hip Hop. There will be free t-shirts, and if you are feeling bold, test your taste buds with a spicy food eating contest!

WIMB: Problems Arise

2009-10-29T08:52:00.002-04:00

[Part 2 of Worms in my Basement]

A few weeks into worm composting, I began to notice fruit flies around the bin. Okay, I thought, some flies are tolerable; I had read about the possibility of fruit flies in my research and had learned that they are harmless to the worms. As anyone who has taken AP Bio can attest, fruit flies have a remarkable ability to reproduce. I soon found myself swatting away clouds of them as I approached the bin with a load of food scraps. For a few days, I was paralyzed by the problem and my lack of a solution: my cursory internet search had turned up nothing helpful. I told my roommates to stay away from the bin and declared myself the sole food scrap-deliverer.

The flies were not satisfied with our clandestine basement meetings. Their desire for more face-time and new spawning sites led them upward - to our kitchen and beyond. One too many fruit flies drifting lazily over their heads while they studied led my roommates to speak up. I was finally stirred out of my state of inertia. The worm bin was in jeopardy and it was up to me to save it. That night, I learned more about fruit flies than I thought possible.

After conducting a more thorough search, I learned that my problem was not unique and that there were a variety of measures I could take before declaring the whole thing hopeless. Thus, I was launched on Operation Fruit Fly Destruction.

To Be Continued.......

Live Blogging Top Chef Season 6: Episode 10

2009-10-28T21:56:00.008-04:00