I’m not a huge cookie fan. Personally, I prefer more decadent desserts like cheesecake and red velvet cupcakes, or elaborate desserts like pumpkin whoopie pies filled with chai-infused cream cheese. Cookies to me are boring: if you’re going to have dessert, really have dessert. I have come across only one place in my life that makes cookies that make me rescind this statement. That place is called Mattheesen and Magilner’s Candy Kitchen. Each cookie costs $5, but weighs half a pound. By no means are their chocolate chip cookies just chocolate chip cookies. Believe me, they are worth every dollar and every ounce. These cookies are not only massive, but also very rich and gooey—the definition of decadent. My mom, my sister, and I bought one to share every chance we got. We even bought one each for ourselves for the plane ride home! The problem is, Mattheesen’s is in Key West. That makes it kind of hard to satisfy a craving when we live in Philly for most of the year. However, I have found a cookie place right in Philly that is pretty comparable. The cookies are not a half pound each (nor are they $5 each). But they are delicious!
They can be found at The Famous 4th Street Cookie Co. at Reading Terminal Market. I got the chocolate covered chocolate chip cookie. The cookie itself is chewy and moist. It is so rich that it does not just fall apart in your mouth, but really melts on your tongue, allowing you to savor every morsel. And the chocolate that enveloped it was very sweet, not just an ordinary milk chocolate coating, but it seemed to have a confectioner's sugar base, giving it a unique sweet and sticky taste and texture. The 4th Street Cookie Co. also sells peanut butter chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, sugar, butter almond, white chocolate macadamia nut, and oatmeal raisin. I plan to try the peanut butter chocolate chip next. My roommate has vouched for the snickerdoodle. These cookies are worth the trip even if you just get the cookies!
The Famous 4th Street Cookie Company
Reading Terminal Market
51 North 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215.625.9870
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Cookies to Crave
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Problem Solving with Molecular Gastronomy
It has been on your radar for years...Its confounding culinary spectacles have delighted you on Top Chef and Iron Chef. Its influence has reached beyond the culinary world into chemistry and engineering. Its esteem led the closure of Feran Adria's El Bulli to be met with grief vastly disproportional to the number of diners who would ever have eaten there. The ascent of molecular gastronomy within the zeitgeist is undeniable; and with it, a new curiosity of the properties of food and the transformational nature of cooking.
Luckily the the last few years have provided home chefs with new insights into creative process of the world's foremost molecular gastronomists. Last year, Harvard held a class titled Science and Cooking, which featured Feran Adria, David Chang and Wylie Dufresne. In the lectures, the chefs spoke about using new techniques to solve problems. Chang spoke of the challenges of creating broth for noodle dishes in a space-constrained restaurant in NYC. His restaurant simply did not have the space to allow a pot of broth to sit on the stove for the requisite number of hours; so he sought a solution using freeze dried ingredients to create an "instant" broth without sacrificing quality.
As a chef cooking out of a college dorm kitchen, I can relate to Chang's space issues. The challenge to produce food within the joint constraints of space and money is an issue faced by all college cooks. While molecular gastronomy may seem intimidating because it is unfamiliar, at its heart it allows us to produce dishes we love that taste better or overcome challenges of the original preparation.
One application of molecular gastronomy is chocolate mousse without eggs. I adore chocolate mousse, but the ongoing inspections of the FDA into cases of salmonella in egg farms have prevented me from making the traditional recipe for chocolate mousse. There is another recipe, created by French chemist Herve This, which does not require eggs. In fact, it only requires two ingredients: chocolate and water. Surprising how the two ingredients we are told never to mix could create a mousse so delicious that you will wonder why you ever settled for traditional recipe.
Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse
11 oz chocolate*, chopped in small pieces
1 cup of water
Ice cubes and water
Create an ice water bath in bowl and place a slightly larger bowl on top of it.
Combine chocolate pieces and the cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until chocolate lumps are no longer visible.
Pour the mixture directly from the saucepan into the bowl resting in the ice bath. Beat with a whisk until the chocolate mixture forms peaks. Makes about 2 cups of mousse.
It is important not to over beat the mixture, as it will become grainy. If it does become grainy, return the mixture to the saucepan and reheat.
* As you might guess, the chocolate is the key determinate of the mousse's flavor. Choose a chocolate that you enjoy that does not contain too much cocoa butter or cream.
While cost and space prohibit many students from fully engaging in molecular gastronomy experiments, there are several easy ways to find inspiration and new techniques with food.
Buy it - Youtube – Mcgyver it. Armed with inspiration from chefs who broke the rules in their restaurants, take the new techniques and strip them down to what is really necessary. A chef preparing numerous sous vide entrees at the same time may need an immersion circulator costing several thousand, but you do not. Use a Ziploc and a large pot. If the thought of doing it yourself is terrifying, try one of the new immersion circulators designed for home chefs.
Or Just do it!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Fuji Mountain and Yogorino
My friend and I arrived at Fuji Mountain for an early dinner around 5 pm. The dim-lighted restaurant had a quiet and intimate atmosphere, with many booths and two-person tables. After we were given wet towels (which I appreciated) and iced water by the kimono-clad server, we dove into the menu. The extensive menu had many options to choose from, with lists of hot and cold appetizers, kitchen entrees, noodles, sushi, and donburi (rice with cooked meat, fish, or vegetables on top). My copycat companion and I ordered pork katsudon ($14), donburi with fried cutlets, which was served with salad and miso soup. The restaurant was generous with the soup, served in a regular rice-bowl-sized bowl, as most complimentary miso soup comes in cups or small bowls in other Japanese restaurants.
It was particularly welcome, as we had been walking around the cold windy streets. It was slightly milder than most other miso soup I had tasted; the miso flavour was not as strong, but it was not in any way bland. It had a sweet aftertaste, and was the perfect companion to the salad. The salad was in a similar-sized bowl, with mixed greens, lettuce, three slices of cucumber, and thinly sliced carrots, topped with ginger carrot sauce with a tinge of miso flavour. The ginger sauce was excellent and was just the right amount. Soon after we finished the crisp all-vegetable salad, the server brought out the katsudon. It had steaming rice topped with strips of lightly fried pork, softly-cooked egg, thin shreds of seaweed, and three small slices of sweet pickled radish. The onion, the pork, and the moist white rice left a bit of sweetness in my mouth, and the radish accented that. I liked the mix of sweet, tangy and crunchy radish with the rice and meat, but my friend said it would have been better if it came as a side. The price range for a dinner dish is $10 to $27. I left the restaurant feeling satisfied, and promised myself that I would try the sushi next time and take advantage of the Karaoke they have on their 3rd and 4th floors (try the bar if you are 21 or up). The one tiny complaint I have about Fuji Mountain is their chopsticks. Their edges were simply too sharp for a comfortable grip.
Fuji Mountain
2030 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215.751.0939
Next we took a 5-minute walk to Yogorino, my favourite dessert spot in Philadelphia. Voted Best Frozen Yogurt in Philly 2010 by Philadelphia Magazine, this small corner spot boasts only one flavour--tart. It is creamy, rich, and not too sweet, perfect with just one fruit topping and chocolate sauce (but since the yogurt by itself is so good, I would recommend trying it without sauce as well). Yogorino prides itself on being environmentally-friendly, including its biodegradable cups and probiotic food. It is a bit on the expensive side for froyo: $3 for a "mini," with extra charge for 2nd choice of topping and up. The cup is also deceiving; it has another curved layer floating on top of the bottom of the cup, so it looks like you got more than what you actually did. Still, when I have my taste buds set for delicious frozen yogurt, I always find myself going back to Yogorino for more.
Yogorino
230 S. 20th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
267.639.5287
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Blog Bites: A Round-Up of the Week's Top Food Stories
• Both The Daily Pennsylvanian and Meal Ticket report on a new Sweetgreen coming to University City
• The Daily Pennsylvanian gets a behind-the-scenes look at Kitchen, opening on February 16
• Uwishunu compiles dining guides for this Valentine's Day
• Stephen Starr's Pizzeria Stella offers a special deal for college students on Monday nights - Foobooz
• University City Dining Days are coming this summer - University City District
• You can now take a Junk Food Tour of Philadelphia - Uwishunu
• Stephen Starr has plans to open at least four more restaurants in Philadelphia in 2011 - Uwishunu
• Local bakery Cream and Sugar is offering cupcake decorating classes - University City District
• 34th Street reviews Manakeesh Cafe Bakery, a new Lebanese fusion eatery in University City
• Whole Foods announced it will put salad bars in over 500 schools as part of their Salad Bar Project - Eater
• The politics of food: New USDA report claims you can eat healthy for $2.50 a day - Serious Eats
Trim Your Waste. Go Low-Carbon.
With the fear of global warming rising, many people are trying to look for ways to lower their carbon footprints. Jackie Newgent addresses the threat of climate change with simple but effective cooking techniques and recipes in her latest cookbook, Big Green Cookbook. Targeting both vegetarians and meat-lovers, the book provides easy cooking methods for an eco-friendly lifestyle. However, it never pressures readers to drastically change their eating habits or give up flavorful foods. Instead, Newgent encourages cooks to incorporate small changes into their lives and to slowly adapt green practices. A comprehensive and well-organized introduction addresses greener methods of buying, cooking, serving, and storing food. It includes pollution-reducing party tips and grocery shopping guidelines as well as a kitchen appliance check-list. Newgent's kitchen philosophy promotes small-scale habits that can add up to save large amounts of energy, time, and money.
The 200 recipes in her cookbook are arranged seasonally. Further divided into sections such as "bites and snacks", "soups and salads", or "sips and sweets", the recipes are diverse and easy to incorporate into everyday meals or special occasions. All call for fresh, whole, all-natural ingredients and the use of environmentally friendly products. In the margin of each recipe, Newgent provides a little green cooking tip that is specific to the dish. For example, she suggests using edible dip bowls made out of peppers that can be filled and then eaten - no dish washing needed. When cooking meat, Newgent advises aiming for medium-rare: the cooking time saves energy but is long enough to ensure that the meat is safe for consumption. None of the recipes call for obscure or expensive ingredients. Instead, the focus is on the process. Below is one of Newgent's winter-friendly soup recipes: "Lotsa Veggie Clam Chowder."
Makes 4 Servings: 2 cups each
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, very thinly sliced
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, and diced
2 1/2 lbs farm-raised littleneck clams, well scrubbed
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or organic chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground sage
1 cup organic half-and-half or plain unsweetened soymilk
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
1 scallion, green and white parts, minced
Directions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
Increase the heat to high. Add the potatoes, clams, broth, and sage and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes or until the potatoes are nearly tender. (Discard any unopened clams after 10 minutes).
Add the half-and-half. Cook for 3 minutes. Cover and turn off the heat. Let "lid cook" (cook covered while the burner is off) until the potatoes are fully cooked, about 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir in the parsley. Add salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the scallion to serve.
She advises vegetarians to simply leave out the clams and use vegetable broth. And instead of tossing away the clam shells, Newgent suggests using them for crafts, decorations, or even wind chimes.
Jackie Newgent's Big Green Cookbook is available on her website.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Neighborhood Eats: Kensington
If you're looking to explore Philadelphia this spring, there's no better way to do it than through food. There are hidden gems around every corner and even native Philadelphians don't know all the secrets of the city. To help you out a little, I've compiled a list of a few places I've been to and enjoyed in the past. Some are well known institutions and others are just waiting to become the next big thing. Either way these restaurants won't disappoint. Although Kensington is far from campus these places are well worth the trip.
Taco Riendo
1301 N 5th St
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215.235.2294
Ever since being introduced to Taco Riendo a little over a year ago I can't get their tacos out of my mind. My first time there I had chicken taquitos and they were the best taquitos I have ever had in my life. They were crispy and perfectly golden with delicious chicken inside, two kinds of salsa on top, and to finish it off, a crumble of queso fresco and refreshing radish slices. They were heaven on a plate. After that first visit I was hooked.
Tacconelli's Pizzeria
2604 E Somerset St
Philadelphia, PA 19134
215.425.4983
This place has possibly the best pizza you will ever have in your life. The crust is thin and crispy and the toppings are fresh and delicious. When your waitress brings you the pizza the smell alone is enough to make your mouth water. Tacconelli's doesn't look like much from the outside, it sits in the middle of the block in a residential neighborhood, sandwiched by two houses, but a table at Tacconelli's is like a dream come true. Tacconelli's makes their pizza dough fresh daily and asks customers to call ahead of time and tell them how many pies you want. Insider tip: Always order more than you think you will want because if you don't reserve the pies they might not have enough dough to make you another pizza, and you will always want more of their pizza.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Alternative Valentine's Day Dining
Valentine’s day can be fraught with pressure for even the most low-key couples. You can stress over gifts, agonize over what kind of flowers and candy to send, and make a dinner reservation weeks in advance just to join the thousands of other couples being herded in and out of glitzy restaurants – leaving you with an empty wallet and a secret sense of relief that it’s over for another year.
Or, you could give yourself and your partner a break and do something different, at least for the dinner portion of the Hallmark holiday. Here’s a list of casual V-Day date spots that don’t require reservations or expensive prix-fixe menus, but will satisfy your dining needs with soul and charm.
Alfa
1709 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215.751.0201
Alfa is like that ridiculously attractive, well-bred, perfectly-dressed girl in your Econ class – you kind of want to hate her, but when you get to know her, she’s just too darn friendly. The long bar is mirrored by small high-top tables and backed by a room that’s more lounge than dining. Cushy banquettes and low lighting provide an appropriately swanky atmosphere for Alfa’s fantastic cocktail list (try the Juicy Couture or the Snapple). While it may not be the best place for a formal dinner, most of Alfa’s food is solid – stick with the small stuff, like tater tots, mahi-mahi tacos or a veggie BLT.
Mama Palma’s
2229 Spruce St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215.735.7357
Got a picky partner? Mama’s got you covered. This little shop boasts an extensive list of appetizers, salads and pasta, but stick with the pizzas: the light, crispy crust will make you want to order an extra pie to take home. The sheer number of options is staggering – choose from nearly 30 specialty combinations, or create your own from a long list of exciting ingredients. There are even five low-fat pizza combos, and whole wheat crust is available for an extra charge. The staff is sweet-tempered and happy to guide you through an experience you’re sure to enjoy. After all, what’s more romantic than eating with your hands? The only drawback is the beer prices – enjoy your dinner and save the imbibing for another location.
N.3rd
801 N. 3rd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123
215.413.3666
I love this place so much that I almost hate to share! The menu is full of comfort food favorites, from fried calamari to wings and pierogies, pork and chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese and fish and chips. The prices range from around $10 for a big, delicious sandwich to $20 for the creative, good-sized, totally-worth-it entrees (try the crispy Atlantic salmon). The cocktail list is small but smart – from blood orange margaritas to warm mulled wine – as are the beer and wine lists. The walls are covered in wacky gothic tchotchkes and the lighting is nice and dim. Finally, the waitstaff is friendly, efficient and accommodating – some of the best servers in town.
Tria
123 S. 18th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215.972.8742
and
1137 Spruce St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215.629.9200
Tria is a brilliant concept executed perfectly. Wine, beer, and cheese – what more could you want in life, especially on a special night? The lists for all three are categorized by levels of adventurousness from “Clean” to “Racy,” “Friendly” to “Extreme,” and so on. The food is simple but interesting; try a grilled artichoke panino if you need something substantial, or share a selection of bruschettas, snacks, and of course cheeses. The truffled egg toast with fontina will change your life. Both locations are sophisticated and intimate, and the staff is expertly trained. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; these guys know their stuff. On V-Day they’ll also offer a sparkling, chocolate-infused dessert wine, and optional champagne pairings with the menu. For a late-night rendezvous or after-dinner drink, check out Biba, Tria’s little cousin at 3131 Walnut: the entire wine list is $6 per glass from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Vietnam
221 N 11th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215.592.1163
This Chinatown restaurant serves elevated Vietnamese cuisine in a just-posh-enough, cozy setting. If the tiki bar is open, trot on upstairs, where it’s quieter. The soups are large enough for two to share, as are some of the exotic specialty cocktails. Try the seafood noodle soup and the Flaming Volcano (“the fantastic drink for passion lovers”). The vermicelli bowls are ample and delicious, with ten different choices of meats, seafood, veggies and crispy spring rolls. BBQ lovers and herbivores alike have plenty of choices at this intimate spot.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Oyster House
You know you love something when you'll go through hell and high water for it -- and still come back for more. Like oysters, for instance! As some of you may know, one bad oyster can knock you out for 24 hours. That said, the joy of slurping down a good oyster (or several perhaps) with just a bit of lemon juice or a dash of the perfect mignonette is really quite memorable.
Living in Center City, I'd passed by Oyster House numerous times since I moved here, and I'd been dying to go ever since I found out about their "A-Buck-A-Shuck" Oyster Hour. An oyster for a buck? While that wouldn't be surprising at all to see in a coastal town, where seafood is fresh, convenient and cheap, it's always a little questionable to see it in places that are further inland.
That said, my foodie friend extraordinaire Peter had mentioned that Oyster House was one of his favorite places, where he finds himself once a week. When my birthday rolled around, I knew I had to book this place as one of my many celebration venues. And I was far from disappointed!
While the restaurant normally doesn't take reservations, the hostess on the phone was kind enough to set aside space for me up front. In addition, the in-person service was impeccable -- attentive without being intrusive. (Because we all know how suffocating too much service can be.) Our server made sure to check on every new guest who joined the table, and even brought complimentary ice cream for those of us who lingered till the end.
Even without all the wonderful extras, we would've been perfectly happy, especially given how fresh and well-prepared everything was. The raw oysters (both the specific ones for Oyster Hour and the others on the menu) were delicious -- and with no sand! Even the freshest oysters always seem to have sand in them, but the ones offered up to us that night were most definitely sand-free. While it was mildly disconcerting that we didn't have our choice of oysters to have for "a-buck-a-shuck," the ones we did have were quite substantial in size (which is what I was personally looking for). And because I was so pleased with the $1 oysters, I even ordered a plate of other oysters to sample against them -- all of different sizes, textures, and origins. It was great to be able to taste the freshness as well as the variations in salinity.
While the snapper turtle soup left a lot to be desired, I absolutely loved my fried Ipswich clams, Peter his OH burger (with a fried oyster on top), and Noelle her roasted oyster sampler. The clams could have been slightly less greasy, but were otherwise perfect with the accompanying tartar sauce. The burger was a great contrast in flavor and texture, with the moist beef, creamy yet pungent blue cheese, crispy fried oyster, and slightly sweet grilled onions. The sampler came with three different kinds of roasted oyster preparations, all of which highlighted the freshness of the oysters in different ways.
Ultimately, there are many other delicious dishes to try here, including the clams casino, the southern fried oysters, the lobster roll, and the crab cakes. I'm seriously hopeful that there will be more visits on the horizon--and soon!
Oyster House
1516 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215.567.7683
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Adventures in Homemade Pizza
Moving off campus came with the luxury of a full-sized oven, and to celebrate it my roommates and I tried making homemade pizza as one of our first culinary adventures. We quickly realized that making pizza is actually really easy, and enjoying our creations with some Yellowtail red wine made us feel slightly more adult in our dilapidated, but homey, apartment. This developed into a Thursday or Friday night ritual that we remained faithful to for the next year. 20 to 25 pizza attempts later, and we’ve learned a few things about how to make a good pizza.
First, a solid crust recipe is a crucial. As a base, use 1 package of dry yeast, 1 cup of warm water, 2 cups of bread flour, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Additional flourishes include giving the dough a little zest with basil, oregano, or red pepper or going whole wheat with a half regular and half whole-wheat flour mix. We learned the hard way that using all whole-wheat flour makes things a bit dense.
After a year of experimentation a few solid recipes have emerged. Obviously during our first pizza attempt we stuck to a classic cheese pizza. Its success depends highly on a good cheese selection--low-fat, pre-shredded won't work well.
As we became more adventurous with our pizzas, we tried making a pizza with some of my roommate’s homemade pesto. A basic crust layered with red sauce, pesto, feta cheese, red onions and olives...it was delicious. In another particularly ambitious pizza-making session we made our own buffalo chicken pizza by layering blue cheese, chicken, chopped red onions and celery with buffalo wing sauce.
We also expanded our taste for vegetables after realizing how much more creative and gourmet we could be by using them on our pizzas. Zucchini, for instance, is amazing on pizza. Veggies should be slightly precooked with a little olive oil, fresh basil, tomatoes, or onions before throwing them in the oven with the pizza.
Over our year of making pizzas there were many failures and agreeable arguments due to failing to let the dough rise enough and creating cracker crust, over cooking the vegetables and losing all the crunch, or picking the wrong temperature on our finicky oven and singing the pizza. But, all things considered, everything we made was eaten and we got closer in the process.
Photos by Sika Gasinu.
