Recipe Birthday Cards

Friday I had 2 birthday celebration meals.  Lunch birthday was for friend Kim and dinner birthday was for Joan.  I love giving birthday cards so I usually buy a box of them rather than go to store for each birthday.  I usually buy food themed cards (big surprise right), usually cake themes, and this new box was no different except they have a recipe on the back of the card.  How clever and cool is that?  You can save the card for sentimental reasons but now you can save it for the cake recipe.  I love these...check it out.

Delfina

Delfina is a gem of a place in the Mission district in San Francisco.  I made a visit for dinner last week to catch up with a local friend.  Here is a pic of the place from their website.

It's a bit of funny story actually...

It starts with my love of Tartine Bakery.  I try to get a chocolate eclair every time I visit.  It's a must because it's sooo good.  Back in October, I had the same plan...stop by Tartine before my departure flight.  I had stayed over the weekend after a business trip. My sis and my bestie came in as well, and we made a trip to Sonoma.  Anyways, we all went eagerly to Tartine and bought a butt load of goodies for the plane ride.  We were super hungry and wanted to grab a lunch too.  Tartine is packed and no where to sit, so we go to the next door pizza place that looked great.  We got a table outside and proceeded to order our pizzas and salads.  While waiting for our food, I decided I want to take a bite out of my chocolate eclair.  So, I take it out of the bag and ready to take a bite...but wait...who comes to our table but a snooty, pseudo intelligent, tall stick figure of a woman.  I get scolded like a child that I can't bring in outside food to their restaurant.  I'm like what?  I'm just taking a bite!  We already ordered our food I tell her but she said no. I say...we are already outside because that is where we are sitting!  Still no.  I put the eclair back in the box.  We sit just waiting for our pizza order but I am fuming!  How dare she?  There is no way, I will not enjoy that pizza or lunch there.  I tell my sis and bestie that I need leave.  They can eat if they want but I'm not!  They agree...so we get up.  I tell her to *%$@#!&. No I didn't.  :)  I just said we will take our business elsewhere.  I left a $2 tip because we had water.  My sis and bestie said why but it was a point...and it wasn't our waitress' fault.   We ended up back Tartine, waited for a table, got croque monsieurs, cookies, and ate the damn good eclair.

Back to the story, my friend said she tried this great new restaurant over the weekend and wanted to eat there again, it was  a place called Delfina.  Got great reviews, 2010 best restaurant. I was game!  I thought the name it sounded familiar but knew I hadn't been there before.  We left her place, plugged address into the GPS and it takes us to Mission district, looks familiar, I see Tartine. I point it out to Heather because she's not been there and I've been raving.  We park finally and walk to the address.  We get there...well...it's next door to Tartine Bakery.   :)  It was the same pizza place but the restaurant part of the place.  I looked around, no snooty tall stick figure of a woman. Actually they were really nice, I loved the vibe of the place, hustling and bustling.  Great place. Food was amazing!

Blood Orange Avocado Fennel Salad

Budino with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

This is one of the best budino's I've had.  Not quite in a pudding form but almost like a souffle.

We also each had their basic spaghetti.  It was great...no Scarpetta but good!

http://delfinasf.com/restaurant/

Another Brunch

I'm looking back at my old photos of 2011.  There are lots of food that I didn't get to share.  I'm revisiting those old moments. Hope you will enjoy.

My calling is brunch.  I realize how much I love to feed my friends with this meal.  Here is spring brunch that I prepared for some friends last year...

My favorite...the sticky bun

The savory biscuit

The bacon

The easy over egg

The Asparagus Salad

Here is how this is prepared...

What you need:

-Fresh from the market Asparagus

-Slices of fresh Feta cheese

-Juice of 2 tsp of fresh lemon

-1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

-3 Tbl balsamic vinegar

-2 tsp of mustard

-1 tsp of honey

-1/2 tsp of salt

-1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

-Sprinkle full of fresh chopped chives

-Boil and shock the asparagus and put aside

-Prepare the vinaigrette by putting evoo, vinegar, salt, black pepper, mustard, honey, and chives into a bowl, stir until combined

-Toss the vinaigrette with the asparagus

-Top it with the feta cheese slices, drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and serve.

Apple Tarte Tatin

Apple Tarte Tatin is one of those classic French desserts that never go out of style.  When my friend Hamed and Pascale were opening their new French bistro, I was practicing this dessert for the menu.  

I tried various classic recipes, some using puff pastry, some using sable crust, some with gala apples, fuji apples, granny smith, some with butter in the caramel, some without.  I goofed it a bit the first time by not letting it sit for 5 min before flipping it over, some resting too much and the caramel getting too still.  It was a fun ride.

Here is the version I found best.  I tweaked it from an old Gourmet magazine recipe.

• Frozen puff pastry sheet
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 to 9 Granny Smith Apples (3 to 4 pounds), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored
• 10-inch oven proof skillet
• 
  

Preheat oven to 425°F.

-Roll pastry sheet into a ten 1/2-inch square on a floured work surface with a floured rolling pin. Brush off excess flour and cut out a 10-inch round with a sharp knife, using a plate as a guide. Transfer round to a baking sheet and chill.

-Melt butter in the skillet and pour sugar until melted and amber caramel 

-Arrange as many apples as will fit vertically on sugar, packing them tightly in concentric circles. Apples will stick up above rim of skillet.

-Cook apples over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18 to 25 minutes. 

-Put skillet in middle of oven over a piece of foil to catch any drips. Bake 20 minutes (apples will settle slightly), then remove from oven and lay pastry round over apples.

-Bake tart until pastry is browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer skillet to a rack and cool at least 10 minutes.

-Just before serving, invert a platter with lip over skillet and, using potholders to hold skillet and plate tightly together, invert tart onto platter. 

-Brush any excess caramel from skillet over apples. Serve immediately.

It still needs some work and I need to revisit again. I want to modernize it by topping it with homemade salted caramel sauce and try to make it so that it can be prepared ahead of time and not serve it right away.  I've since tried it with pears and it's lovely. I also saw a recipe in Donna Hay's cookbook using Quinces.  It's truly one that people love and feel special when you serve it.

Odd Fellows Cafe

Odd Fellows Cafe is one of those nice neighborhood spots you can count on for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Food is very rustic and homemade, but in a very urban setting.  In addition, they have a full bar.  It reminds me of a cafe in West Village in NYC but it's in our very own, located in Seattle's Capitol Hill.  Odd Fellows Cafe Website

Here is a pic of the place from their website.

I was introduced to this place by my ex who lived in this neighborhood.  We used to go there to get coffee and pastry, then using their free wifi and work.  I've also been there for brunch with dear friends.  Breakfast and lunch is counter service but dinner is full service.  

Apple Coffee Cake and Bundt Cake

Soy Mocha

Potato Soup

What I love about this place vs. just a coffee or bakery shop is that you can get wonderful pastries but also something savory like a salad, soup, or sandwiches.  Here is one of those work days where I got coffee, a pastry, and soup.  It was a good day to spend time with a dear friend and catch up on work.  I have fond memories...

The Holstee Manifesto

I've been reflecting a bit this week.  It's been a tough week...but it's bringing focus to my life and hoping for some strength and moments to nurture in the future.

I am always so grateful for my family and friends who keep me sane... who love me, care for me, and are there when I need them the most.  I'm so happy with new people who enter my life, share moments, and whom I can share my love and passion for food.  I hope to meet more of those folks.

I ran across this article this week about The Holstee Manifesto.  It's been around a few years but it crossed my path this week... when I needed it most.  

It's brought me the reflection I needed, a clarity to my blurred past year, and a foundation that I want to be part of my life, moving forward.

I believe this...I don't want to have any more regrets and I want to spend the rest of my time using the tools I've been given, the passions I've been tagged with, and the people I've come across.  

This is what my blog means to me...I hope it feeds a moment in your life.

Yurim

http://shop.holstee.com/pages/about

Pasties

Many cultures have some sort of portable baked or fried or steamed hand held dish.  Whether it's Calzone, Empanada, Egg rolls, Pot stickers, Piroski, Perogies, and on and on...it's usually filled with something and has a flour based exterior.

When I went to London a few years ago, I came across these things called a Pasty, it's very similar to a Piroski but has a short crust exterior. They are very lovely and comforting.  They have shops all over like we have coffee shops. It's said they became popular with miners back in the 18th century because they were portable. I had a couple of vegetarian ones filled with potato, curry, mushrooms, and other veggies.  The very traditional are usually beef, potatoes, onions, and salt.  

Last weekend, I made them for the first time for a game night potluck.  I made 2 versions, one with meat and one veggie. I made it with a Australian short crust and I created the filling flavors which were Korean marinade. 

The feedback was mixed.  The meat version needed to be more saucy.  I thought the crusts were too heavy handed.  Overall they were good but there is some more testing and tweaks to do so no recipe but here are some pics.  The next day, I tried the veggie filling with store bought puff pastry and I found that texture to be lighter and more savory. So will keep trying.  I really love them though!

Chocolate Madeleines

I've come to love the little cakes that are shaped like a scallop shells and portable like a cookie.  They are moist, soft, and have texture.  Great with coffee or tea.  I usually buy them where I see them at coffee shops.  

I bought my madeleine tins years ago but it was just one of those things that I never got around to trying to make.  A couple of weeks ago, we had a week of snow and couldn't go anywhere. I was sooooo craving some chocolate so pulled out my Donna Hay cookbook and found this simple recipe.

It's super easy to make and easy to eat.  :)  Next time, I'm going to dip them in dark chocolate.

2 Large Eggs
1/3 C Caster Sugar
1/3 AP Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbl Dutch Process Cocoa Powder ( I added an extra spoon because I wanted strong chocolate flavor, so use 3 Tbl if you like chocolate)
2oz or 1/2 stick Unsalted Butter, melted
 
Preheat oven to 350 degree.  

Grease your madeleine pans with butter or a spray.

Place eggs and caster sugar in a bowl and whisk.

Sift flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder together.

Spoon sifted flour over egg mixture and fold through with melted butter.

Spoon mixture into greased Madeleine tin or Silicon Mold until almost to the rim.

Bake for 10 minutes or until Madeleine spring back when lightly press.

Sunday at Honore Bakery

What to do on a day anticipating snow?  Go to the nearest bakery...I am lucky that one of my favorite bakery Honore is only about 7 blocks away.  

Went there this morning for some coffee and the line was almost out the door but I waited out and picked up enough pastries for the day. I picked up 2 Gougeres since I've not had any of theirs since before Christmas, a Huckleberry Vanilla Bean Tart, and Cheddar & Green Onion Scone.  

Gougeres
Now that I've made my own, I can say...mine are just as good. :0) Correction from my previous write, their price is 1.50 each...it's their macrons that are 1.90 each.

Huckleberry Vanilla Bean Tart
I love this tart. It's very flakey and creamy pastry cream line the bottom.  The fruit is a nice nice and tart to balance the rich pastry. My favorite is their blueberry.  They change it up with seasonal fruit.

Lastly, one of my staples of savory pastry for breakfast...the scone.  I've always found these to be a little bit too much butter and not as crumbly for a scone, but still wonderful.

Gougères!

I seem to get obsessed with certain foods and keep making them until I move unto something else. Since last fall...my current obsession has been gougères aka..cheese puffs.  


The base dough is pâte à choux, the same base as the sweet pastries like eclairs, profiteroles, and the lovely cream puffs you get for free at the Than Brother's Pho place.

It sounds fancy and seem hard to make, but the opposite is true. I was a bit afraid and resisted for a long time, but once I made my first batch...realized that it's so easy and soooo savory good.  


I made some for Thanksgiving and my mom went crazy for them. She even wrapped the leftovers and froze them before anyone could eat seconds.  I've never seen her like something I bake "that much" so today I decided to make a huge batch for her to take home and freeze.


The first time I had a great gougères was when I was in San Francisco at the Tartine's bakery.  They make theirs like a big giant roll size, and it was amazing.  I didn't think about these again until my October issue of Bon Appetit.  They had a recipe for Gruyere, assagio, and thyme version. This was the version I made for Thanksgiving.  Around the same time my staple, neighborhood bakery, Honoure has been making a similar version.  A 2 inch size for a $1.90 each.  I can eat like six of them so it's an expensive habit.  They also top with a little too much salt for my liking, but still I've been eating them weekly ever since.


Today I tried the Tartine's recipe and it even better than the Bon Appetit recipe.  The end result is very similar to the one eaten at their bakery. One of the main difference was using milk vs. water and adding an additional egg.  


Mom and I ate them out of the oven...and ooooohh my god. Heaven!  She took about 50 home and I kept 10. I'm going to make some more with different cheeses like english cheddar and parm.

Here is the Tartine's recipe:  

Choux Pastry

1 1/4 c nonfat milk or water
10 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 cup flour
5 large eggs
3/4 Gruyère cheese, grated
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced

Topping
1 large egg
pinch salt
grated Gruyère for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a baking sheet or use parchment paper.

Choux Pastry
Combine, milk or water with butter and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Let the mixture come to a boil. Turn off heat. Add flour all at once. Stir vigorously until it becomes a nice mush ball.

Transfer dough to a stand mixer. Add paddle attachment. Add egg one by one at medium speed. Make sure to incorporate egg before adding the next. After all the eggs have been added, mixture should be thick, smooth, and shiny.  Remove the bowl from stand mixer.

Add Gruyère, pepper and thyme by hand using a rubber spatula.

Transfer all contents to a pastry bag with 1/2 inch plain tip (no.6 or 7). Or put in large ziplock bag and cut 1/2 inch off a corner.  Pipe one inch mounds onto the baking sheet. Leave 1 inch between each puff.

To make topping, whisk 1 egg with pinch of salt and brush over each pastry. I brushed the outer bottom half since top will be covered with cheese.  Lightly sprinkle each pastry with a little cheese and additional thyme or herb.
Picture Place in the oven immediately and bake until are are puffed and browned  Recipe says 25 minutes but I had better success at 30 min.  Also if you are baking 2 trays, switch from top and bottom rack after 15 min so they bake evenly.


Serve hot or warm. Or let cool completely and place in an airtight container. You can freeze them and recrisp the puffs at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. 

My next party, I'm making these for you dear friends...