Last Friday saw the Philadelphia opening of Nomad Pizza, a brick-and-mortar outpost of the beloved REO Speedwagon truck from Hopewell, NJ. It’s tucked in a quiet alley just off of South Street, and on a wintry day its windows beam with the burnished warmth of char-crusted pizzas and a big, roaring copper oven. Settle in at the long wooden table downstairs, or at one of the tables or bar stools above, and grab a beer while you’re at it: among other artisan brews, they’ve got Allagash White and Dogfish Head on tap. We had the opportunity to sample a variety of Nomad's most popular fare.
Caesar Salad (romaine lettuce, freshly made caesar dressing, anchovies, parmesan, fresh baked croutons, and black pepper): Nomad knows (and is known for) its pizza, but the salads are worth looking into. Start with their Caesar—hearts of romaine, dressed with a simple hand. There’s a sprinkling of Parmesan, some nice, briny anchovy fillets, and buttery flaps of “crouton” (thin slabs of baked pizza dough) to the side. It’s not show-stopping, but it’s pleasant, to the point, and that crouton is damn good.
Margherita (Italian tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, organic parmesan, basil, organic olive oil, and sea salt): The simplicity of this pie accentuated Nomad's primary draw: rustic wood-fired pizza just out of the oven. Generous nuggets of gooey mozzarella sprawled across the pizza's just-tomatoey-enough surface, while fragrant herbs added an aromatic touch. Fresh quality ingredients led to a pizza that was devoured in moments: simple and delicious.
Arugula con Prosciutto (Margherita di Bufala topped with Applegate Farms prosciutto, fresh organic arugula, aged parmesan, and organic olive oil): Out comes the next pie, a leafy number ribboned with pink prosciutto. The arugula is pert and peppery, and there’s plenty of it. (An added plus to the arugula blanket: it precludes the oil buildup common to other pies.) Slivers of that lovely, nutty-sweet ham slip in every few bites; a pale swatch of mozzarella oozes out from underneath. We’d have liked more prosciutto, but there’s no denying it’s a solid pie.
Tartufo (Imported mozzarella di bufala, Cherry Grove Farm toma cheese, shiitake mushrooms, organic garlic, Double Brook Farm fresh egg, sea salt, and black pepper topped with Boschetto al Tartufo Bianchetto and black truffle oil): This was the first thing we smelled when we walked in the door- love at first smell? Of course, this made it a top contender for pizzas to try. While we're all for the intoxicating essence of truffle, copiously drizzling the pizza in said oil after it's been taken out of the oven is a bit much. We loved the taste of farm fresh runny egg on the pie too (despite its contribution to the pizza's slight sogginess), its golden rivulets of yolk spilling over the crust and adding a magical richness to the pie. This flavor combination never grows old.
Spicy Sausage (Renaissance Sausage, Italian tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, organic parmesan, caramelized onions, basil, organic olive oil, and sea salt): Make no mistake: this pie tops all. The crust, though rather flimsy under the weight of meat and cheese, is puffy-crisp on the edges; and the sweet, curling, caramelized onions promise only good things. But it’s the sausage that stands out, that surprises: fennel seeds poke through the tender knobs of meat, lacing them with the anise flavor of only the best Italian sausages.
Our advice? Make a nomadic trek to Nomad Pizza.
-- Nicole Woon and Eesha Sardesai
Monday, February 13, 2012
A Night at Nomad
Sunday, February 12, 2012
News Feed
• Craig Laban has been making waves by naming five four-bell restaurants: Vetri, Zahav, Bibou, Talula's Table, and Fountain Restaurant—Lacroix and Le Bec Fec were both demoted from their four-bell status - The Inquirer
• Philadelphia culinary icon Di Bruno Bros. is planning a full-service restaurant for its Chestnut Street location - Zagat
• LeBron James and other Heat players do brunch at Sabrina's Cafe (Fairmont Location) before game with the Philadelphia 76ers last Friday; the Heat ended up winning sadly - Uwishunu
• Two Eat Philly, a blog by twin Penn alumnae, is excited for the return of HubBub Coffee food truck at 38th and Locust
• Valentine's Day: Qdoba is offering a 2 for one deal by kissing your special someone, your mom, or anyone around you - Midtown Lunch
• New stand announced at Reading Terminal Market: Wursthaus Schmitz, which will be located just off the center court, will sell German sausages and sandwiches - Foobooz
• Review of Jack in the Box's recently debuted Bacon Shake - The Impulsive Buy
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Try this for Weekend Brunch
Over the past few days, I’ve been reading some other food blog posts. I found a very exciting combination of waffles that I can’t wait until the weekend to try at Bon Appetit's dining hall. This would work only on weekends at dining halls, for reasons I will explain to you momentarily.
It’s waffles with ice cream!! You can enjoy your waffle not only with syrup, but with various kinds of ice cream. I’ve heard many students complaining how the syrup was not an actual maple syrup, but sugar. So how about trying your waffle with ice cream? This picture has four different types of fruit compotes, which is also a good idea (although I don’t think there are any fruit compotes in the dining halls). The reason that I think this would only work on weekends is that they have waffle makers only in the morning and don’t serve ice cream for breakfast on weekdays. Therefore, weekends would be the only time the dining halls serve both waffles and ice cream at the same time... just a thought for the next time you visit Hill. ;)
Photo courtesy of Rimi.
Site Scoop: Cafe Fernando
If you're looking to spoil your valentine (or your friends, or yourself) with some decadent homemade sweets next week, check out this post on Cafe Fernando, a positively darling blog written by a self-admitted "chocoholic". Cafe Fernando won "Best Original Baking And Desserts Recipe" in the 2011 Saveur Best Food Blog Awards, so you know you're dealing with some quality stuff. From the impossibly cute Strawberry Tuxedos to the exquisite L'Orange cake, there's something for every chocolate-lover. Even if you're buried under a mountain of schoolwork on February 14th, you still have time to whip up a batch of Five Minute Mousse! Warning: although it would be rather difficult to make everything on this page in only one day, you will certainly be tempted to after scrolling through the gorgeous photographs!
Friday, February 10, 2012
A Guide to Being Classy (While Eating)
Years ago, in order to ascertain the pledges’ social savvy, fraternities gave them olives but did not provide them with a place to put their pits. While pledging has changed since then, it is good to have a couple tricks up your sleeve to be able to manage cocktail parties and events that serve food so you can remain as elegant as ever.
When you arrive, do not head straight to the hors d’oeuvres table. The purpose of any social function is to make connections and foster conversation. When you do arrive at the bar or food station, do not linger. Choose a couple of hors d’oeuvres and move on. Concentrate on meeting and listening to people rather than eating your way through the queso. You do not go to a cocktail party expecting to eat dinner. Of course, you should not drink alcohol on an empty stomach, and you should not drink so much as to become inebriated. You will be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Lastly, when you do have hors d’oeuvres or something to drink, keep your right hand free to be able to shake hands with someone. It is always awkward to juggle food and drink during introductions.
Quick Food Tip:
- If food is provided on toothpicks or cocktail sticks, do not leave the sticks on the table or, even worse, on the serving tray. If no containers are available for the sticks, wrap them in your napkin and dispose of them.
- Try to avoid filling your plate to the brim. While people do not mind multiple trips to the cocktail bar, they do notice the person who loads up his cocktail plate.
- Never re-dip any food. Regardless of whether it is crudités or a shrimp or a potato chip, never put that piece of food back into the sauce or dip after you have taken a bite.
- Bite carefully into puff pastries and cherry tomatoes to avoid messes.
- Finally, if you discover that your hors d’oeuvre has a terrible taste, discreetly transfer it from your mouth to your napkin and find a trashcan immediately. You don’t want to meet the man or woman of your dreams while holding a wad of chewed food.
Ultimately, when at any sort of social function, remember to be confident and have a positive attitude. Cocktail etiquette should never overshadow your experience and with these tips, you can be tasteful and chic while eating. Oh, and the last tip: Olives with pits are eaten in several bits and then discarded on the side of the plate or a napkin.
-Liz Elder (photo courtesy of fibroblast) Tweet
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Mardi Gras King Cake
In Louisiana, there is no better time than Mardi Gras. Along with all kinds of festivities, a highlight of the season is the food… and by food I mean the delectable King Cake. One reason why I believe King Cake is so special is because it is only available from Epiphany (January 6th) through Fat Tuesday (the day before Lent, which can be anytime in February or March). A version of King Cake is eaten in several parts of the world, including France, Switzerland and Belgium. While other cultures usually eat it only close to Epiphany, in the American South we happily consume it as long as possible through the whole Mardi Gras season.
The American version of this cake is similar to a cinnamon roll both in texture and in taste – the dough itself is not very sweet. Don’t let this fool you, however, because there is plenty of other sugar involved. Cakes come filled with cinnamon and sugar, fruit preserves, cream cheese, or sometimes other interesting flavors like pecan praline. The top of the cake is iced with a sugary glaze completed with granulated sugar that is yellow, green, and purple -the traditional colors of Mardi Gras. What makes this cake extra special is a little game that goes along with it. Hidden in the cake is a plastic baby, about the size of a quarter. Whoever gets the baby in their piece is declared the king/queen and is responsible for buying (or making!) the next cake.
In the five years since I moved to Louisiana this is the first year that I wont be home for Mardi Gras. I find this to be a tragedy, not only because I’ll be missing king cake but also because I’ll be missing what’s probably my favorite holiday. The first year that I lived in Louisiana a friend who lives on one of the parade routes invited me to her annual party. I had absolutely no idea what to expect but I was excited when the cake was brought out. As soon as I was told that I needed to be careful not to choke because there was a plastic baby I’m sure (I know) that I looked at my new friends like they were crazy. To this day they still tell the story about how I thought all people in Louisiana were cannibals because they eat a cake that contains a baby. Regardless, I came to learn that the real reason to love Mardi Gras is because it’s a great chance spend time with your friends and neighbors and maybe even share a piece of cake.
King Cake
Adapted from a fellow Louisianan, makes two cakes.
Ingredients
2 cups flour plus extra to add (around one pound total)
1/3 cup granulated sugar plus another 1/2 for the filling
1/3 cup butter plus an extra 1/2 stick for the filling
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk plus extra for glaze
One packet of yeast
1 to 2 tbsp cinnamon
At least 1/2 lb powdered sugar
Plastic baby
Food coloring
Optional Fillings: cream cheese, Nutella or any decent fruit preserve
Directions
1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups of flour with the yeast
2. In a saucepan over low heat, stir together 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup butter, until butter is almost melted. The liquid should hot but warm enough to keep your fingers in indefinitely (i.e. if you can take the heat, so can the yeast)
3. Add both liquid and eggs to the dry mixture.
4. Add as much additional flour as needed (2 cups minimum) and mix with a wooden spoon until mixture no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
5. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead and add flour until you have a moderately stiff dough (about 7-10 minutes) you will be able to feel when the dough is stiff, trust us.
6. Melt some butter in the bottom of a large bowl (microwave it if you can because it will warm the bowl as well). Place dough in the bowl and roll in the butter. This will stop it from drying out while rising. Cover and let rise in a warm, preferably humid, place for about an hour. You’ll know it’s ready if when you poke it the dough doesn’t bounce back instantly.
7. Punch the dough down and divide into two equal pieces. Roll each out into a rectangle. The rectangle should be as long as possible, but not very wide (6 inches wide is about the maximum it can handle). The thinner that you roll it out the more layers you will have.
8. Melt about ½ a stick of butter. Mix ½ cup sugar and 1-2 tbsp cinnamon together.
9. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter over the entire rectangle, leaving about an inch of dry dough along one long side.
10. Pour cinnamon-sugar over the butter and rub it across so that it is spread evenly, like spreading peanut butter on a sandwich
11. If you are adding a filling, spread the filing along the long end that has butter (not the dry end). In the case of cream cheese, roll the cheese into a rope with your hands and place along the buttered long side. If you want filling to be in every layer of dough spread across entire rectangle.
12. Place the baby somewhere on the buttered long side. Remember where on the cake you placed it, so that you make sure not to eat from that part of the cake so that you don’t have to make/buy the next cake!
13. Starting on the buttered and babied long side, roll the dough up. Place the roll on a buttered baking sheet so that the seam of the roll is on the bottom. Roll into a donut shape, placing one end inside the other end. Take one end, squeeze it and put it into the other end so that you seal the cake into a complete circle. Wet your fingers and use them to wet the dough underneath the seam. When the dough is wet, it will stick to itself, so you can use this to seal up all the seams.
14. Cover and let rise on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes
15. Heat an oven to 350 degrees, and bake until golden (about 20 minutes). Let cool completely on a wire rack.
16. When you’re almost ready to eat, make the frosting. Put several cups of powdered sugar in a bowl. Add a tiny bit of milk and mix. Keep adding milk and mixing until you have a thick glaze. Pour over cake.
17. Now make the colored sugar. Fill 3 bowls with granulated sugar. Add a few drops of food coloring (normally about 5 drops), making one bowl yellow, one green and one purple. Mix with your fingers until sugar is evenly dyed. Sprinkle over the cake.
Enjoy and make sure to warn your guests about the baby, you don’t want anyone to choke!
-Leyla Mocan
Food Events @ Penn
BOGO for a Kiss
What: Philadelphia-area Qdoba's are offering one free entrée for who share a kiss with a significant other, friend, family member or even an understanding stranger at the cash register. So get smooching to receive that second entrée of equal or lesser value for free!
Where: All Philadelphia-area Qdobas
When: February 14th
Valentine's Day at Del Frisco
What: Del Frisco's steak house is offering a Valentine's Day special: a perfect pairing of an 8 oz filet mignon and an 8 oz lobster tail.
Where: 1426 Chestnut St.
When: February 10th-14th
Cost: $79 for two
Opening of Nomad Pizza
What: The New Jersey-based Nomad Pizza, which already has a raved-about mobile pizza truck, is opening their first permanent location in the City of Brotherly Love.
Where: 611 S. 7th St.
When: February 10th
Cost: Varies
Opening of Paris Wine Bar
What: Terry Berch and Michael McNally of London Grill are turning their attention on continental Europe with the opening of their Parisian-influenced bars. Expect local Pennsylvanian wine and traditional French grub, like Croque Madame with duck confit, brie, and a fried duck egg; steamed mussels, with leeks, saffron and mustard served with grilled bread; and mustard-crusted calf’s Liver, with smoked bacon-onion marmalade.
Where: 2303 Fairmount Ave
When: February 9th
Cost: Varies
Burger Club Philadelphia Outing
What: Join Burger Club Philadelphia for their monthly burger outing, this time to Royal Tavern. Any and all burger enthusiasts welcome. Find the Facebook event here.
Where: 937 E. Passyunk Ave.
When: February 29th at 6:30
Cost: Varies
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Best Fries in the World
This is a continuation of our Belgian food series.
Let’s get one thing straight: French fries are not French. They are Belgian. The history behind the misnomer is hazy, but the most dispersed story is that American soldiers in World War I tasted fries in French-speaking Belgium and subsequently misnamed them as “French.” In the Netherlands, they are accurately named Flemish fries, but unfortunately for the Belgians, few other countries credit them for their tasty invention.
Belgian fries, “frieten” in Flanders (Dutch-speaking region) and “frites” in Wallonia (French-speaking region), are not like American French fries. 
Before heading to Belgium, I was never a fry enthusiast. But once I had my first Belgian fries, I understood why they were the best in the world and had eateries solely devoted to them, known as “frietkots,” “frituurs,” or “friteries.” True Belgian fries are never pre-cut or frozen like in the States, but are cut fresh, preferably using local bintje potatoes. The fries are shorter and thicker, about three times the width of a McDonald’s fry. And most importantly, they are fried twice, resulting in a soft inside and crunchier outside. One famous friterie in Brussels, Maison Antoine, actually fries their frites twice in beef fat.
Not only is the cooking method different, though. Some may know the famous scene from Pulp Fiction when John Travolta tells Samuel L. Jackson that the Dutch eat their fries with mayonnaise instead of ketchup. Many may find this combination unappetizing, a sentiment I shared before trying it myself. But once again my prejudices were proven wrong. Genuine Belgian mayo is nothing like the processed slop you see in stores here, and has a creamier texture and richer taste. And Belgians are fond of their mayo—fries are traditionally topped with a very hefty serving of sauce and served in a paper cone. Try as you might to eat them with your fingers, it is probably best to use the tiny forks normally served with them to avoid getting sauce all over you.
But the sauces served with fries are not limited to mayo—Belgian frietkots usually offer at least ten different options, including:
- Aioli: garlic mayonnaise
- Andalouse: mayonnaise with tomato paste and peppers
- Americaine: mayonnaise with tomato, chervil, onions, capers and celery
- Bicky: mayonnaise, white cabbage, tarragon, cucumber, onion, mustard and dextrose
- Cocktail
- Curry mayonnaise
- Ketchup: yawn
- Curry Ketchup
- Pickles: a yellow mayonnaise-based sauce with turmeric, mustard and crunchy vegetable chunks
- Samurai: mayonnaise with chili sauce, my personal favorite
- Tartar
Belgian fries are a must try, and thankfully many eateries in Philadelphia claim to serve their fries Belgian style. The best reviewed are Monk's Café in Rittenhouse Square and Eulogy Belgian Tavern in Olde City.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
“Can I take a picture of that?” Social Media and Food
They're in every restaurant, tilting their plates for the best angle, chiding people not to take a bite yet or get sauce on the table. They document their meals and are getting a lot out of it. During the past few years, eating has become social. Not just social in that you converse with your dining companions. A good meal can be shared with thousands in seconds. Smartphones and small cameras are extremely portable and quick. How can social media enhance your culinary experiences? Let’s break it down.
1. Twitter
Twitter is an incredible place for a foodie. Everyone from your local barkeep to a national food critic to a magazine editor to your favorite coffee shop probably has an account. They post recipes, pictures, tips and sometimes sales for twitter followers. In the past week on twitter I have seen: Mario Batali answer cooking questions in an informal Q&A, a frenzy over world Nutella Day (February 5th), menus for food carts near Penn, restaurant tips and countless bites from the lives of the food obsessed. Penn Appetit tweets (@PennAppetit), and I highly recommend anyone interested in food to sign-up for a free account. Twitter can suggest people to follow but searching for your favorite restaurants, chefs, brands and friends is a great place to start.
2. Pinterest
Pinterest is an online pinboard that allows you to collect links from around the web (see the sampling of this author's "Living to Eat" Pinterest page). You install a small bookmark that lets you grab any image from any website and add it to a board. The boards can have categories (food and drink, things to buy, places to visit etc.) How is this relevant to food? People pin recipes from tons of food blogs and Pinterest sorts it by category. Browsing the food and drink category will definitely make you hungry. The home décor category will make you want to renovate your kitchen. Click any picture that looks good and you’ll be taken to the source. You can check out the recipes and the blogs. You can follow a board if you like one user’s taste in food and their pins will show up in a feed. You can also re-pin a recipe to one of your boards to look at later. I have a board full of recipes I want to make in my apartment next year (I don’t have a kitchen now). Pinterest is invite only (or you can request one and get on in a few days). Comment on this post if you want an invite and I’ll set it up.
3. Foursquare
Smartphone users know that your phone can be an incredible source of food knowledge. Apps like yelp give you restaurant recommendations wherever you are (I successfully used it in France). One of my favorites is Foursquare, the app that lets you check into the places you visit. Not only do you save money with Foursquare (I get free coffee, coupons and other perks for checking into places with specials), you get the inside scoop. People leave tips at their favorite spots highlighting favorite dishes, good places to sit or weekly specials (the picture shows Foursquare tips from Ocean Harbor Dim Sum--we chose well). On a recent visit to Distrito, Foursquare tips led me to my favorite dish, a mushroom flatbread. Foursquare also has an explore feature that recommends nearby places based on your check in history. A search for sushi, coffee or chocolate gets great results and is accessible on a desktop.
4. Photography apps
Now that you’re eating well, you want your food pictures to look good. Photography apps for the iPhone such as Instagram allow you to add filters to your photos and enhance the lighting. Fun borders add an extra flair. Another favorite of mine is Diptic. It's a cheap app that lets you make photo collages based on a variety of templates. Making a Diptic is a great way to share the variety of dishes at a meal without posting tons of pictures of small dishes. You can export your Diptics in regular or high resolution, and they look great.
Social media has taken the food world by storm and there are countless ways for you to participate. There are so many tools (share more in the comments) that channel a collective passion for food into restaurant reviews, new recipes and overall better eating experiences. In the words of Ina Garten, “How bad can that be?”
