¡Feliz Navidad!: A Tamale Tradition

For as long as I can remember, my Christmases never consisted of “Who pudding and rare Who roast beast” from classic Seussian lore: homemade tamales always take center stage. The Mexican tradition dates back to Mesoamerican times, when the commonly held belief was that God created humans from corn. Ritual offerings soon substituted wrapped tamales for human sacrifices upon the arrival of conquistadors. These precious bundles of corn are popular not only during Christmastime, but also for other sacred occasions such as baptism, first communion, and wedding anniversaries.

On the morning of Christmas Eve, we load our car with holiday goodies galore, traveling onwards to my aunt and uncle’s house. On the way, my family makes a quick pit stop in Chinatown to bring fresh boxes of dim sum—meaty siu mai, plump har gow, steamy char siu baos, and luscious egg tarts—that sustain us throughout the morning.

My aunt and uncle have been preparing for days in advance. The night before Christmas Eve, bags of dried cornhusks find their way into the house and soak in water overnight. We dry them the day of by layering the leaves with paper towels on cookie trays. Pounds of pale yellow masa (maize dough made from freshly prepared hominy) fill massive bowls placed strategically around the kitchen table; we evenly spread the paste on the cornhusks (shiny side facedown). Containers of the savory pork-beef-chile filling are interspersed with the bowls of masa; my aunt perfected the mixture the day before. This in itself is a process, from de-seeding the chiles to pureeing them in a blender to stirring in the shredded pork and beef and an array of secret ingredients. The concoction rests in the fridge overnight and are ready for use by the following morning; it stains our fingers crimson red as we plop generous dollops on top of the masa. Two plump olives, black as night, are the final flourish, the last to be nestled in the bed of meat and spices before the pocket is carefully folded up. The tamales bask for four-plus hours in the sauna-like environment of immense metal pots on the stove.

Before long, it’s time to feast on the fruits of our labor. Slightly gritty with a light corn flavor, the masa caresses the piquant meat mixture. Saltiness from the olives punctuates each bite. Each year, there is always an unspoken challenge: who can eat the most tamales? The record high is an astounding twelve, accomplished some years ago by my cousin with an extraordinary bottomless stomach. The current championship belt, though, goes to my younger cousin with an equally-as-impressive seven tamales.





Paired with fluffy Spanish rice, spicy salsa, and cool guacamole, this is all we need to keep our stomachs full throughout the afternoon and evening. The spread of sweets is equally as satisfying: the customary two-pound box of See’s Candies, homemade pistachio cashew brittle, cupcake-shaped chocolate truffles, apple turnovers, streusel-topped pan dulce, baklava… This is one Christmas feast that puts any HoneyBaked Ham to shame. ¡Muy delicioso!

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Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread houses have been a tradition for my family since I was a two year old who had to stand on a chair just to peak over the edge of the kitchen counter and who did a better job decorating herself with icing and candy than she did decorating the gingerbread house. Despite all the hours we’d put into decorating gingerbread houses over the years, however, we hadn’t been to a gingerbread house competition until this year. While our own gingerbread house – a farmyard theme this year – was not ready to enter into the competition, we enjoyed looking at the various entries. Most were the cute but rushed work of scout troops and young families, a few were truly beautiful, and all were full of Christmas spirit. Below are some of my favorites. I hope you enjoy!

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Bloggers' Bites: Thanksgiving 2012 Edition

Bloggers' Bites is a series of posts chronicling the foodie adventures and musings of Penn Appétit's blog staff. For this special Thanksgiving edition, Penn Appétit bloggers reflect on their favorite memories from a holiday that's all about good food.

Zoë Kirsch: Thanksgiving Day is all about the day after Thanksgiving. I say this because in my home, Thanksgiving dinner is almost too much. It's a heaven-sent avalanche of food, hell bent on sending you straight into a coma. My Kentucky-born grandmother and mother pull out all the stops. There's the classic: stuffing, two kinds of gravy (vegetarian and meaty), turkey (light and dark), cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. There's the Southern regional: pickled peaches, marinated brussels sprouts, and corn pudding. The pair have dessert covered, too, in the form of three pies (Chess, pecan, pumpkin). As the dinner winds down, we pat our bulging tummies and decide no more meals for the next ten years. Cue the next day. The sun has risen, and we can now stand up without falling over. Time for round two. We tell ourselves that the suffering endured last night has made us wiser, and so we help ourselves only to measured portions of stuffing, gravy, turkey, and cranberry sauce. Just those, microwaved and sandwiched between two thick slices of whole grain bread.

Katie Behrman: 10 years ago, my family made a pecan pie for Thanksgiving. I had never had a pecan pie before, but all I had heard that day were my mom’s rave reviews. After consuming a delicious, and plentiful, meal, we first decided to go see the 2nd Harry Potter movie. We left the freshly baked pie on the counter and bid goodbye to my dog. When we returned from the movie, however, we were shocked to see that the pie had fallen to the ground! Its dismantled container rested on the floor, but its contents were nowhere to be found. What could have happened? My dog sulkily came in to greet us, and for good reason. Crumbles of pie had attached themselves to his whiskers and crust lay embedded in his eyelashes. He had eaten the ENTIRE PIE! Crust and all. Somehow, while we were at the movie, my dog had managed to knock the pie off the counter and lick away each and every morsel! Although I was disappointed that I didn’t get to try the pie, I don’t think I would have remembered the taste as much as I remember seeing my dog mope across the room, tail under legs, with little specs of gooey pecan littering his nose.

AJ Winkelman: Thanksgiving, for me, is not about food. Yes, I LOVE ridiculous amounts of moist, healthy turkey meat, but honestly most other Thanksgiving staples are just not that exciting for me. Thus, in my most special Thanksgiving memory, food is an afterthought. That Thanksgiving is the one in which my family and my cousins, who had previously never shared a Thanksgiving, were together. The piles of fluffy mashed potatoes, multiple turkeys, and the pumpkin pie were better than any food I've ever had, not because they tasted better, but because they did what no other food had successfully done before them: they connected our three families, if only for one day.

Laura Sluyter:  With all the lore and love surrounding the Thanksgiving turkey, some may find it surprising that my vegetarian aunt always hosts our family's Thanksgiving feast. I, however, think it's the perfect arrangement. My aunt cooks the turkey (and tofurkey) with as much care as anyone, and she takes the sides to a whole new level. Green beans, asparagus, salad, beets, mushrooms, brussel sprouts, creamed onions, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, dressing, homemade bread, and so on. With a side dish to person ratio greater than one, its no surprise we all leave the table stuffed. At least, I tell myself, it's mostly vegetables.

Krystal Bonner: As a vegetarian, my favorite part about Thanksgiving is introducing my extended family to delicious meatless holiday dishes. As a rule, I steer clear of preparing cooking that attempts to mimic meat (anyone who has tried Tofurky can attest to the prudence of this). Instead, I try to utilize seasonable produce and fresh herbs to create flavorful dishes that everyone can enjoy. This year I'm going to attempt a walnut and apple cornbread dressing (some Thanksgiving jargon for you—it's only called "stuffing" if it is cooked while "stuffed" inside the turkey). Of course, my other favorite part of Thanksgiving are the desserts—no dietary restrictions there other than the size of my stomach!

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Recipe: Pumpkin Bread

It seems that with the onset of fall, everyone is pumpkin-obsessed. From everyone's undying love for Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte, to the miraculously edible pumpkin soup in Commons, fall is the season of pumpkin. Which is fine by me. Pumpkin has such a smooth texture that it can go into virtually anything. Since pumpkin is technically a vegetable, I can devour sugared up pumpkin treats all in the name of getting in my daily serving of vegetables.

Which brings me to the awesomeness of pumpkin bread. It's a vegetable and bread so it's a perfect fall themed snack. I adapted this recipe from all recipe's Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread. Although there's a long shopping list of spices, I you can just use a ton of pumpkin pie spice, which is usually a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Enjoy, and don't skimp on the chocolate chips!


Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
1 can pumpkin puree (15 ounces)
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2+ cups chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, vanilla, water and sugar until well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice cloves and ginger
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended and add the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pans.
5. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Be sure not to over bake or it'll become spongy!

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Summer Farmer's Markets

One of the absolute best things about summer has to be the revival of the local farmers market. While many areas have farmer’s markets year round, it is no exaggeration to say that the produce literally explodes in the summer. In my native Louisiana, the local growing seasons are often slightly different from other places in the country.  By June, strawberries have come and gone and blueberries have just started to emerge. But if there is anything that early June is good for, it’s the start of eggplants and the glory of tomatoes. Louisiana has some of the most delicious tomatoes in the form of “Creole tomatoes” which can only be grown in certain areas in the state. They are famous for the distinct shapes and meaty flavors. I’ll confess that I spend a good part of the year dreaming about what these real, summer tomatoes taste like and can hardly contain myself when the season rolls around.

On my recent visit to the Baton Rouge Red Stick farmer's market I also saw eggplants of all shapes and sizes. There were small ones, long ones, fat ones, tall ones. Eggplants come in all shades from deep purple to lavender to even white.  Louisiana also has other interesting produce, like the cushaw. The cushaw is a variety of squash native to Louisiana and best eaten sweet, cooked in sugar and butter. I had never seen one before but was excited when I found them in abundance at the market.  Farmer's markets provide the chance to find all kinds of these local treats, no matter which state you’re in.

Regardless of where you live and eat and cook, summer is the ultimate time to find and take advantage of local farmers markets.  If you’re in Philadelphia you’ll find that there is a farmer’s market almost every day of the week in the summer (see below). To find a farmer’s market anywhere in the nation look here.

Farmer’s Markets in Philadelphia:

Tuesdays: Rittenhouse Square, 10 am – 1 pm

Wednesdays: University Square (36^th and Walnut) 10 am – 3 pm

Thursdays: Clark Park, 3 pm – 7 pm 

Saturdays: Rittenhouse Square, 9 am- 3 pm, Clark Park 10am – 2 pm

Sundays: Headhouse Farmers Market (2^nd and Lombard) 10 am – 2 pm

--Post and photos by Leyla Mocan

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Bloggers' Bites: Best Easter and Passover Food/Food Experiences

Bloggers' Bites is a series of posts chronicling the foodie adventures of Penn Appetit's blog staff.

The question: What is your favorite Easter or Passover food/food experience?

Nicole Woon: I dream about the succulent Easter ham that my mom makes each year. A quick history lesson about the classic dinner table centerpiece: according to food historian Barbara Ketcham Wheaton, "meat was not eaten during the Lenten season and so was scarce in early spring. However, farmers and peasants, having fattened their pigs on the last of the harvested corn before slaughtering them, usually had a cured ham available, hanging in the barn from the past winter. Lamb was available to some extent, but because ham couldn't be eaten by Muslims or Jews it took on a peculiarly Christian significance."

My mom prepares it traditionally, studding the pork's pink surface with juicy pineapple rings and plenty of cloves. The meat basks in the warm heat of the oven for two hours, with a generous glaze of pure honey applied each time the clock's minute hand has made a full circle. As it bakes, the aroma permeates the kitchen, filling the house with a savory-sweet fragrance. When it comes out of the oven, only the risk of burning my tongue prevents me from devouring slices. I tease my palate by sampling roasted pineapple and crunchy, unctuous pork rind. And the ham-- oh, the ham! Substantially hearty with the right touch of sweetness. Layered on flaky Pillsbury biscuits with Havarti cheese; diced into large chunks with grated cheddar cheese, sliced button mushrooms, and sweet onions for an omelette; or simply eaten by itself, this ham will satiate and satisfy anyone.

Elliott Brooks: I spent my junior year of high school studying abroad in Belgium. During Easter break I was invited by a German friend of a friend to stay with her. Of course I jumped at the chance, which is how I found myself at her Jewish grandmother's house in breathtaking Bavaria on Easter Sunday. Obviously ham was out of the question, but her grandmother still prepared us a semi-traditional Easter breakfast of fresh brezels (pretzels) from the local bakery and hard boiled eggs. We peeled the eggs, cut them in half and spooned small amounts of homemade herb-infused olive oil on top. A simple breakfast, and yet absolutely divine. It was certainly an Easter to remember!

Richie Stark: My most memorable passover food is and always will be matzoh brie. I remember having different iterations of this food on multiple passover occasions and it is the edible treat I associate most closely with Pesach. At my Savta's house I had a satisfyingly crunch, salty, almost-but-not-quite burned matzoh brie with pink applesauce on the side. At my Nana's, I have had a more moist yet still slightly crispy matzoh brie. I have always enjoyed it - it is, after all, a vehicle to give the normally bland matzoh a strong egg and a weak salt profile - and I will make it for my family for years to come at this time of the year.

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Passover the Kugel

I was initially reluctant to leave Penn the weekend before fling for my hometown. With only several weekends left and the sun finally shining on the tables outside Houston Hall, I was bitter to miss any possible moment on campus. Yet once I stepped into my house and smelled the savory aroma of my mother’s Passover feast, I refused to leave my dining room table. While Passover prohibits the consumption of bread, there were so many scrumptious, and “bread-less” treats that kept my mouth watering. For those who love the taste of carrot-cake but crave a crispier texture, my mother’s homemade carrot kugel is the perfect recipe to try. The addition of raisins is optional, but I highly recommend mixing them in; the juicy sweetness of each of these golden bits adds an extra touch to the already heavenly flavor. Matzah lovers may opt for my mother’s famous Matzah Kugel. The kugel combines the delectable zeal of cinnamon with the crunchy goodness of apples and walnuts. The sweetness is tempered by the layers of matzah bits, resulting in a yummy side dish that might just outdo the main course! Even though Passover has ended, there is no need to wait until next year to try either of these tasty dishes. Next time you’re sick of bread, opt for the kugel!


Carrot Kugel

Ingredients

1 cup grated sweet potatoes
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup grated apples
1 cup grated Idaho potatoes
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 grated lemon rind
½ cup yellow raisins
1/2 cup sugar
½ cup matzah meal
½ cup shortening

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients (matzah meal, sugar, salt)
2. Add raisins, apples and stir lightly
3. Add remaining ingredients
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

Matzah Kugel

Ingredients

6 matzahs
4 eggs and 1 egg white
¾ tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 large apples – cored, peeled and sliced thin
¾ cup yellow raisins
¾ cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Break matzah into pieces
2. Soak in water until soft
3. Strain matzah
4. Beat eggs with salt, sugar, oil and cinnamon
5. Add to drained matzah
6. Stir in apples and raisins
7. Sprinkle with cinnamon
8. Bake at 350 degrees in pre-heated over for 40 to 50 minutes

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Bloggers' Bites: Best Spring Break Food

Bloggers' Bites is a series of posts chronicling the foodie adventures of Penn Appetit's blog staff. During spring break, our staff traveled back home or ventured on exciting foodie adventures, delighting in both comfort foods and culinary masterpieces.

The question: What was your favorite food experience this spring break?

Leyla Mocan: Over spring break I went to Magnolia Cafe in the small town of St. Francisville, Louisiana. It's about a 45 minute drive from my native Baton Rouge and is fun for a quick day trip. For lunch we had a "Spicy Shrimp Poboy" which was a sandwich with shrimp cooked in garlic butter with peppers and onions. The best part was the gooey pepper jack cheese which gave the sandwich just the right amount of spice and kick. I also really enjoyed having real Louisiana shrimp, I had forgotten what a delicious, intense taste real shrimp had when they're fresh from the gulf. Topped with the classic poboy dressings of lettuce and tomato this was one awesome sandwich.

Laura Sluyter: I love carrot cake, but I’m very particular. While I’ve had delicious desserts at many, many restaurants and bakeries, there are only two carrot cakes that I like: my mom’s carrot cake and the carrot cake at Baker’s Treat in Flemington, New Jersey. As a result, I found myself making a very difficult decision when I went out to dinner with my parents over spring break. Should I take a risk and order carrot cake or go for the safer choice of chocolate chip cake? The best resolution, I decided, was to have both! That night I ordered the chocolate chip cake, and later in the week, my mom and I made carrot cake. As always, it was delicious and perfectly moist. Eating that classic carrot cake was the gustatory highlight of my break (although the chocolate chip cake was pretty delicious as well).

Rachel Marc: Over spring break, I ate dinner with my family at Trattoria L' Incontro, a delicious restaurant in Astoria, Queens. An overall fantastic dining experience, all tables are started off with a brick oven baked flat bread accompanied by a sun-dried tomato dip, followed by a visit from the waiter who recites a memorized special list that contains at least 25 options. All dishes consumed by the table were delectable, and my personal favorite was my mom's nut-encrusted chicken paillard topped with a tomato and avocado salad, slightly beating out my brother's eggplant parmigiana for the top place in my heart...and stomach. We were too full for dessert and sadly had to pass up a chocolate hazelnut pizza served with a chocolate hazelnut ice cream. If looking for a high end meal in a lively atmosphere, L'Incontro is the place to be!

Heejae Lim: During this spring break, I had a wonderful food experience in Boston! Since Boston is famous for its fresh seafood especially lobsters, I searched for restaurants noted for serving lobsters. I went to "Legal Seafood Harborside" at 210 Northern Ave. and tried the Lobster Roll, New England Clam Chowder and Linguini and Clams Pasta. The seafood, especially the lobster, was tasty and fresh. The restaurant was spacious and had a kitchen at the center that was visible and also had a huge bar with wide range of wines and cocktails. I sat at the window side, so I could see the calm harbor while eating, which was a very pleasant experience.

Carissa Gilbert: I enjoyed eating at various frozen yogurt places in California the most! I tried at least 6 different places including Pinkberry, Berrysweet, Yogurtland, and Yogurt Escape. Overall, however, a psychedelic frozen yogurt shop, called Sweet Things, in San Diego was the best. Walking into the yogurt shop, I immediately felt like I had traveled back in time to the 1970s. Not only did the music consist of popular 70s artists but the walls were tie dyed and the chairs were a groovy orange. I ate the flavors banana pudding, cinnamon, and cake batter. I also enjoyed their topping bar which had colored mochi!

Emma Silverman: Me and my Spring Break were filled with amazing meals. I went home to Chicago for the break after visiting New York for the weekend, so I definitely had my fill but I think that my favorite food experience was at my favorite burger restaurant in Chicago. The place is called Urban Burner and my mom and I go there pretty much every time I'm home. It sounds basic, but they do burgers right. I actually love the veggie burger. Veggie burgers can either be disgusting or amazing. You have to treat the patty itself as what it is: veggies and rice. It cannot go around masquerading as meat when it's just not. Their veggie burger is light and flavorful, and is topped off with chipotle mayo, avocado, some fresh arugula, and goat cheese. With a side of sweet potato fries and fried pickles (trust me) there's nothing better.

Katie Behrman: Over spring break, I went to Seed, a modern American restaurant in Marietta, GA, where I tried pork belly for the first time. Paired with pickled organic cucumbers, hoisin, and scallions and enclosed in a slider, the scrumptious pork-belly enlivened my taste buds. The crispiness of the pork-belly contrasted perfectly with the soft, gooey bun; the hoisin sauce spilled over the edges, its sweet flavor enhancing and blending each ingredient together. If you’re ever in Marietta, I highly recommend Seed and its delicious sliders!

Elliott Brooks: I went on a Penn Alternate Spring Break trip to a farm animal rescue shelter and organic farm in Paris, Virginia. Rescued farm animals mean rescued hens and rescued hens mean eggs. I spent each morning delighting in a breakfast of farm fresh eggs, harvested that morning from the barn beneath my feet. They were delicate, creamy and simply delicious without needing any pepper or salt. I tried them hard-boiled, scrambled and fried, but my favorite preparation was when I accidentally soft-boiled them.

Nicole Woon: Spring Break for me meant going home and having access to a real kitchen! At last, I could cook and bake to my heart's content with an actual stovetop, oven, and pots and pans. I had a blast cooking and baking up a storm, making everything from coconut macaroons to unctuous braised pork belly to rich chocolate French macarons. My favorite recipe over break, though, was for challah bread. Last winter, a friend of mine made the most amazing challah bread for dinner and I knew I had to try my hand at it. I had never made bread before, so it was definitely an experience baking it for the first time! I went through multiple trial runs; one time I didn't add enough yeast, another time the dried fruit I studded the bread with burnt to a crisp. Experimentation, however, is the key to discovery. Indeed, I finally arrived at a close rendition to her version by the end of break. I put my own spin on the eggy bread with plenty of plump raisins and fragrant cinnamon. The simple egg wash brushed on before baking added a beautiful glimmer on the crust of the bread; the bread itself was soft and tasted excellent spread with a bit of butter and honey. I can't wait to return home and continue perfecting the recipe in my kitchen.

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I Heart You Cookies

It’s the month of love so what better way to celebrate than to bake delicious treats for your family, friends, or special someone? This year, I decided to make heart-shaped chocolate chip cookies, dip then in white chocolate, and then add red, pink, and white sprinkles on top. The quick recipe only requires 3 ingredients and will take hardly any time to bake!

Ingredients:
1 package slice and bake chocolate chip cookies
1 package white chocolate almond bark
Variety of red, pink, and white sprinkles



Directions:
1) Open up the package of chocolate chip cookies and let thaw for 15 minutes.
2) Mash cookie dough together and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out a heart.
3)Scrape the excess cookie dough off around the edges of the cookie cutter and then combine cookie dough again and cut out another heart.
4) Bake cookies in a 350 degree heated oven for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are brown.
5)Let cookies cool for 15 minutes.
6) During this time, melt almond bark in the microwave. Microwave four squares at a time for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
7) Stir almond bark after removing it from the microwave.
8) Once the cookies are cool, completely cover them in the almond bark by dipping them.
9) Place cookies on a drying rack and sprinkle them with Valentine-colored sprinkles.
10) Impress your family and friends! Voila!

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Valentine's Day 101 for Every Personality

Struggling to decide where to take or what to make for that special someone? Here's a round-up of some of Penn Appetit's favorite restaurants and dessert recipes, fitting each and every personality.

The Restaurants

The Hopeless Romantic Valentine: Barbuzzo
Three words: salted caramel budino. Seriously. Some say Aphrodite made Helen fall in love with Paris, but I think it was this dessert. Whatever the case, you can never go wrong ordering a budino for your lovey-dovey valentine. And the rest of Barbuzzo's food is pretty darn good too.

The Creative Valentine: Reading Terminal Market
Alright, so Reading Terminal Market is packed with tourists and the "sit-down" aspect are fold up tables and chairs. But if your valentine doesn't like going to fancy-pants restaurants, they still might be game for a trip to Reading Terminal Market. Sample the candies at Chocolate by Mueller, split a cone at Bassetts Ice Cream (America's oldest ice cream shop) or dig in to a sandwich at DiNic's. It's nearly impossible to not have a great time.

The Hippy Valentine: Cafe Estelle
Cafe Estelle prides itself on sustainability, so even if your valentine is a die-hard locavore, they won't feel guilty indulging in some good fare. Not to mention, the flat-bread pizzas are amazing and perfect for splitting. Just make sure to go early, Cafe Estelle serves breakfast and lunch only, and closes at 4pm.

The Nerdy Valentine: High Tea at the Dandelion
Pretending to be English royalty may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I promise most nerds will love it. So put on your best British accent and take your valentine out for high tea. Prepare yourself for a smattering of small plates, from a Welsh rarebit to a butter lettuce salad. I mean, the food is still English, so don't have too high of expectations, but it will sure be a fun and low-key outing. Make sure to stick out your pinkies and don't be afraid to laugh at yourselves a little.

The Workaholic Valentine: Garces Trading Company
The space is minimalist and well-lit, perfect for the budding business-savvy valentine. The food comes out fast and is utterly delicious, so your busy buddy won't get too stressed. Not to mention, the beautiful desserts will make any uptight student swoon.

The Laid-Back Valentine: Pub & Kitchen
I mean, it's a pub. What more do I need to say? Actually, quite a bit more. It's pretty classy as far as pubs go, while still offering the traditional burgers and beer. If your looking for the perfect combo between low-key and romantic atmosphere, look no further than Pub & Kitchen. I'm sure your laid-back valentine will agree.

The Recipes

The Hopeless Romantic Valentine: Aztec Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
I mean really, is there anything more romantic than hot chocolate? I certainly don't think so, unless of course it's hot chocolate masquerading as a cupcake. If your gooey-eyed valentine wasn't already head-over-heels in love with you, the cayenne pepper that gives these cupcakes their kick is a mighty aphrodisiac. The whipped cream "frosting" might end up places other than on top of the cupcake. Don't say you haven't been warned.

The Creative Valentine: Peanut Butter Brownies with Chocolate Ganache
Peanut butter brownies aren't the most typical Valentine's Day treat, but they're still pretty darn delicious. If your sweetheart doesn't want to conform to silly holiday traditions, but stills wants to see you care, then these brownies will be "nutty" enough for them.

The Hippy Valentine: Vegan Cupcakes
Baking for a vegan darling can be a bit difficult, but we promise these cupcakes are a breeze to make and require no odd ingredients. These cruelty-free sweets will make any granola-loving hippy so happy, you might end up going on a moonlit frolic afterwards.

The Nerdy Valentine: Butterbeer Cupcakes
As a Harry Potter-nerd myself, I know that nothing says romance like a trip to Hogsmeade for a steamy mug of butterbeer. Unfortunately, the chance to take a wintery walk into Hogsmeade will forever remain a fantasy for me and and your fellow nerdy valentine. However, make that love-struck Potter fan some butterbeer cupcakes and they will be yours faster than you can say "Accio Harry Potter movies and a Snuggie!"

The Workaholic Valentine: Dark Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes
Although your ambitious valentine might be feeling a bit stressed, it doesn't mean they won't appreciate these dark chocolate and coffee treats. In fact, after one bite of these caffeine-filled cupcakes, they'll be grateful you've prepared them for their next OCR interview.

The Laid-Back Valentine: Seven Layers of Heaven Bars
This dessert is one of the quickest and easiest to pull together, and it still tastes divine. This gooey, chocolatey, coconut and butterscotch filled bite of heaven is so delicious, your valentine won't realize what a breeze it was for you to make it. And if your valentine truly is laid-back, they won't care if you tell them!

-Elliott Brooks

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Latkes and Brownie Pudding: It's Hanukkah Time

(Yes, I painted this menorah. No, I'm not a fine arts major.)

Unfortunately for various Jewish clubs on campus, Hanukkah fell during winter break this year. Fortunately for me, this signified eight homemade meals, a welcome respite from dining halls. To commemorate the third night of Hanukkah, my family invited my close friend’s family for a festive dinner. My Greek friend and her family took their maiden Hanukkah voyage. While my dad produced the excellent spice rubbed chicken main course, my sister, cousin and I took the lead on dessert and the Hanukkah staple of latkes.

First, we made dessert. We have two ovens in my house, but the dessert we chose bakes for an hour so we wanted to clear the space for other items (keeping latkes warm and roasting chickens).

One of my favorite Food Network personalities is Ina Garten. Watching her show is so calming, and she and Jeffrey are adorable. I would love to attend a dinner party at her beautiful Hamptons house. Several years ago, I saw her make brownie pudding and had to try it. Well, let’s just say this was not our first time preparing it (and it always gets rave reviews).

Here’s the recipe from Ina Garten and Food Network with my notes in bold:

Brownie Pudding

Ingredients:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish (melt this when you begin so it has time to cool)
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder (Ina always asks for good ingredients, just get unsweetened. I like Trader Joe’s brand)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out using a knife going in one direction. You may have to do it twice to get most of them out. You should get a little pile of seeds. Vanilla beans are expensive so you can substitute vanilla extract)
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional (I never use this)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

(Don't forget to sift; cocoa powder can be lumpy.)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.


(Action shot.)

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.


(Our two pan set up (mix and match your own pans).)


(How good does that look? The batter's delicious (but you didn't hear that here).)

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Look around your cabinets to find two pans that fit together. We use a normal cake pan inside a roasting pan (you want something kind of deep for the water). Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. Pouring the hot water can be tricky, but it’s much easier if you use a liquid measuring cup that’s easy to pour from. I tried to use a mug once and water spilled everywhere. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding, a.k.a. it’s very delicious.

Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

As the brownie pudding baked, we moved on to latkes. Potato latkes are eaten on Hanukkah to remember the miracle of the oil (oil that was supposed to last for one day lasted for eight). This year we made three types of latkes: zucchini, sweet potato, and the classic potato. The formula varies slightly for each variety. We made each batter before we started cooking to save time, grating the main vegetable with a grater attachment in the food processor, which sped everything up. Cooking latkes gets very hot and smoky, so we made them and placed them in the oven on “keep warm” so we could air out the house before our guests arrived.

I got the recipe for zucchini latkes from one of my favorite food blogs, smitten kitchen. She posted it in August, but that’s not important. You can read about it (and see her gorgeous photos here).

Here’s the recipe, again with notes in bold:

Zucchini Fritters
Adapted a bit from Simply Recipes

Yield: About 10 2 1/2 inch fritters (we doubled this)

Ingredients:
1 pound (about 2 medium) zucchini
1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt, plus extra to taste
2 scallions, split lengthwise and sliced thin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Olive or another oil of your choice, for frying

To serve (optional) (highly recommend this topping. We served it with all three latkes)
1 cup sour cream or plain, full-fat yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoon lemon juice (This is about a half a lemon. Save the other half to keep the potatoes from browning later)
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Pinches of salt
1 small minced or crushed clove of garlic

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Have a baking sheet ready.



Trim ends off zucchini and grate them either on the large holes of a box grater or, if you have one, using the shredding blade of a food processor. The latter is my favorite as I’m convinced it creates the coarsest and most rope-like strands and frankly, I like my fritters to look like mops.

In a large bowl, toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Wring out the zucchini in one of the following ways: pressing it against the holes of a colander with a wooden spoon to extract the water, squeezing out small handfuls at a time, or wrapping it up in a clean dishtowel or piece of cheese cloth and wringing away. You’ll be shocked (I was!) by the amount of liquid you’ll lose, but this is a good thing as it will save the fritters from sogginess. (Wringing out AS MUCH LIQUID AS POSSIBLE is essential to make any type of latke crispy.)

Return deflated mass of zucchini shreds to bowl. Taste and if you think it could benefit from more salt (most rinses down the drain), add a little bit more; we found 1/4 teaspoon more just right. Stir in scallions, egg and some freshly ground black pepper. In a tiny dish, stir together flour and baking powder, then stir the mixture into the zucchini batter.



In a large heavy skillet — cast iron is dreamy here — heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop small bunches of the zucchini mixture onto the skillet only a few at a time so they don’t become crowded and lightly nudge them flatter with the back of your spatula. Cook the fritters over moderately high heat until the edges underneath are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. If you find this happening too quickly, reduce the heat to medium. Flip the fritters and fry them on the other side until browned underneath again, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Drain briefly on paper towels then transfer to baking sheet and then into the warm oven until needed. Repeat process, keeping the pan well-oiled, with remaining batter. I like to make sure that the fritters have at least 10 minutes in the oven to finish setting and getting extra crisp.


(Zesting up some sour cream.)

For the topping, if using, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice, zest, salt and garlic and adjust the flavors to your taste. Dollop on each fritter before serving. We sprinkled some paprika on top to differentiate the jazzed up sour cream from regular. It also added a nice color. These fritters are also delicious with a poached or fried egg on top, trust me.

Do ahead: These fritters keep well, either chilled in the fridge for the better part of a week and or frozen in a well-sealed package for months. When you’re ready to use them, simply spread them out on a tray in a 325 degree oven until they’re hot and crisp again.


(The final toppings result!)

Zucchini batter done, we moved to the potato and sweet potato versions, once again using our grater attachment for the food processor. I remember grating potatoes by hand for latkes when I was younger and let me tell you, it takes forever. My dad always jokes that that version includes some skin (and he’s not talking about potato skin).

Our recipe for latkes comes from Jewish Family Celebrations: The Sabbath, Festivals, and Ceremonies. We make "Aunt Tissy’s Latkes," found on page 98, notes in bold:

Aunt Tissy’s Latkes

Yield: ~12 latkes

Ingredients:
6 potatoes (we used the same recipe for sweet potatoes)
1 onion
2 eggs, beaten
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons flour (to thicken)
oil (You’ll need a lot)

Directions:


(Sweet potatoes nearly ready to fry.)

Peel and grate the potatoes and onion. Add the beaten eggs to the grated vegetables. Add the rest of the ingredients except the oil and mix well. Drop by tablespoons onto hot oil. Shape the potato mixture into round, flat pancakes. In hot oil, fry on both sides a few at a time until they are crisp. Drain well on paper towels. (We put them in the oven on keep warm in paper towel-lined cookie sheets.)


(Latkes frying away.)

Batters made, we got to frying. You need to watch the latkes and use oil liberally. It gets smoky and hot, but the result is worth it.


(The "Latke" spatula was a Hanukkah gift this year.)

When we sat down to dinner, we tasted the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, the crispness of the potatoes and the freshness of the zucchini, topped with sour cream or applesauce. Latkes are a tad labor intensive so they tend to be annual food. Making different types is time consuming but oh so worth it. (And there’s no law declaring them an exclusively Hanukkah food; make latkes in March, why not).


(A decadent red velvet cake.)


(The finished brownie pudding!)

No one had any complaints about the rich chocolaty dessert (or the red velvet cake our guests brought). Brownie pudding had a flaky crust and a creamy chocolate interior. As Ina often says, “How bad can that be?”

Our Hanukkah feast was satisfying and delicious. A mix of new and old recipes combined into the perfect winter spread. We also may have gained about five pounds.
--

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An Even Jewisher Christmas at Zahav!

As a special holiday splurge, I decided to treat myself to "An Even Jewisher Christmas" at Zahav -- a special event featuring a surprise film and Michael Solomonov's take on Chinese food.

As soon as I walked in the door (30 minutes early as requested), I was greeted by servers dressed up in kitschy red t-shirts, and by the smell of, well, burning popcorn. With the staff working furiously to re-set the old school popcorn popper, a number of us waited patiently (ever so patiently) to be seated.

After 30 minutes of semi-starvation, I was taken to a table at the front of the house, right by the projector and the makeshift screen. Not a bad seat, if I do say so myself. Plus, they didn't make me sit with random strangers. Brownie points -- check.

As we all waited for the movie to start, servers brought out little brown paper bags of seasoned popcorn to tide us over until the main courses came out. (It would've been lovely to try one of several Chinese-themed cocktails, but I doubt my alcohol allergy would've agreed with me.)

The movie of the night turned out to be (drumroll, please) Big Trouble in Little China. Starring Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall in their early days, this was definitely not something I would've chosen for myself. That said, it was the perfect flick for this setting. Campy, kitschy, and all-around ridiculous. Brilliant pick.

To kick things off, servers brought out the shrimp salad -- which I considered to be a lighter version of the traditional walnut shrimp dish. Here, the shrimp was less battered, the sauce was less rich, and everything was placed nicely atop a crunchy (non-green) salad, which had a bit of acid that cut through the cream.

Next up was one of my favorite dishes of the night -- the Szechuan-style pork belly. While I could've done without the bitter greens and the useless carrots, the pork belly was perfect in all of its unctuousness. Sliced thin like bacon, I could've lived off this dish alone.

Considering that I normally don't eat much red meat, the veal dumplings were probably the heaviest items of the night. The skins on the dumplings were lovely and smooth though, which made up for the slight grittiness of the filling. The harissa oil added a bit of heat, which was balanced by the chill of the diced cucumber.

At this point, I was already starting to feel sated, yet I still had four more courses to go. I did what I could to power through, but I definitely realized that eating solo at some events is nearly impossible, especially if I actually want to enjoy what I'm taking into my body. Oh, the trials and tribulations of single-dom.

With sweetbreads being one of my favorite things to eat, I was sad that this dish didn't come out earlier, especially since my stomach was shrinking furiously. That said, I wasn't too pleased with the dish as a whole, so perhaps everything worked out for the best.

The exterior of the salt and pepper sweetbreads was definitely more breaded than usual, and the interior was quite mealy. I'm also (shockingly) not a fan of lo mein or water chestnuts, so I essentially picked off the protein and left the carbs and veggies untouched.

Like every meal I had growing up, which had to have at least one big dish of greens, Chinese broccoli arrived at the table, topped with shreds of smoked mackerel. Being used to having greens served au naturel, I wasn't quite sure what to make of the fish/veggie combination. Ultimately, I don't think the combination of textures worked very well.

Even with no appetite left, there was no way that I was leaving without finishing the entire plate of moo shu duck set before me. Not only did this dish look absolutely breathtaking, but the flavors and textures were more than spectacular.

While moo shu pork is fairly ubiquitous in the Chinese takeout world, moo shu duck is rare, if not non-existent. This preparation appears to have been a cross between moo shu pork and Peking duck, given that tortilla-like pancakes and white rice were brought out as accompaniments.

Although the meat was a bit salty, it was also tender, moist, and flavorful. In addition, red chilis and green onions added both heat and color. From the looks of it, I really shouldn't have been able to finish everything on the plate. That said, where there's a will, there's a way.

The way being that I barely touched the white chocolate cake at the end of the meal. As one friend indicated, that was pretty much sacrilege given my love of sugar. At the very least, I made it through the tiny scoop of mandarin orange sorbet. The rest of the cake was a bit too dense, and the berry sauce was a bit too sweet.

All in all, this was a delicious experience. The food was creative and flavorful, and the service was excellent. I couldn't believe how many times I had to fend off water and rice, but I certainly didn't find the attention excessive. Plus, I was greeted by Michael at the beginning and end of the meal, which was very considerate and certainly gracious.

Zahav continues to be one of my favorites, and special events like this that showcase Michael's culinary breadth are definitely not to be missed.

Zahav
237 St. James Place
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
215.625.8800

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