My roommate, Ciara, recently came home from an event hosted by her new employer, GenArt.  At the event GenArt had Insomnia Cookies, which is a cookie company started by two UPenn grads who started baking and delivering milk and cookies in college.  The company has grown since then and now offers a service to make late-night deliveries of fresh cookies or brownies and milk to students on college campuses.  The delivery is currently limited to a few college across the nation, but it’s a fantastic idea.  The company now also ships cookies and brownies to people across the U.S.  Ciara kindly brought home oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookies for me to sample.  They were tasty and they’re also highly cost effective.  The cost of a dozen homemade cookies?  $20.  Now, if I could only rationalize going back to school to eat more cookies…

Questions for Chef Rucker:

1)      Why Miller High Life?

2)      Why the love of foie gras?  Don’t get me wrong, I love fat and in foie format (dear lord, that rhymed!), but why foie? For NYC-based foie loving try to check out:

a)      David Burke & Donatella’s PB&J: which a grilled brioche sandwich filled with seared foie gras, macadamia nut spread and strawberry vanilla jam—served with a little salad, making Chef Burke a man after this fat & veggie lover’s heart.

b)      WD-50 Chef Wylie Dufresne’s version with mole lentils and quince yogurt, that damn lentil/caviar/bubble making machine used to make the faux lentils is just so darn cool.

c)      WD-50 offspring, Sam Mason’s Tailor, makes an intriguing foie gras dish with peanut butter, cocoa and pear, albeit a little less tasty than Chef Dufresne’s version.

d)      For a less glamorous and less foie, more pâté de foie gras, try Nicky’s Classic Vietnamese Sandwich, which comes in sandwich format on a toasted mini-baguette and along with the pâté comes marbled Vietnamese ham, ground pork, sweet and sour pickled shredded carrots, cucumber, cilantro and mayonnaise.  (An aside: this little bit prompted me to finally do some research on the differences between foie gras, pâté and terrines.  I *think* I get it.)

e)      Per Se.  Whether it’s in the manipulated terrine format or simply sautéed, Thomas Keller’s (*sigh* his food is dreamy) foie gras is fantastic.  The price tag is not so wallet friendly, so unfriendly I feel fortunate to have tasted it’s wonder once.

f)        For a less costly indulgence, both Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery on the third floor of the Time Warner Center carry Thomas Keller’s Terrine de Foie Gras de Canard, served with a toasted baguette.

g)      Finally, Masa.  I have not eaten at Masa and I’m not entirely sure it’s on my list of must-eat meals, but the shabu-shabu foie gras Chef Masa Takayama gently dips in kombu-dashi sounds pretty amazing…seaweed stock and foie, yum.

3)      This question should be called 2b, because it builds off of the foie gras question, but I think it deserves it’s own number.

a)      What inspired the foie gras ice cream filled profiteroles (AKA: cream puffs, filled choux pastries)?

b)      Why foie gras based/flavored ice cream? (I’m drooling thinking about the delightfully tasty creation.)

c)      I have no right to add my thoughts on an adaptation to the already amazing dessert, but I’m going to share my fantasy St. Honoré cake (a traditional French cake made with cream puffs). My mouth dreams of a St. Honoré Cake made with Le Pigeon’s foie gras ice cream filled profiteroles, the same sea salt and caramel-but maybe a nutty caramel and instead of the traditional pâte brisée crust, using a dense, not too sweet, but flavorful chocolate crust. Sorry, I’ll stop now, besides I should wipe up the pool of drool on my keyboard.

4)      Another dessert question. The cornbread dessert reminds my tastebuds of breakfast, but I wonder what inspired the combination of these flavors and how it all came together into one dessert.

a)      When testing the cornbread recipe was there originally dried apricots in it? If not, then how did the addition of the dried apricots come about? Again, I’m no expert and everyone’s pallete is different, but I think the apricots are wonderful, the tartness balances out the sweetness of the maple ice cream.

b)      The ice cream flavor is called maple, so I’ll admit my ignorace and ask: does that mean the ice cream is flavored with maple syrup? Also, the descrition says there is honey in the dessert, but is there any maple syrup in the dish? Maybe cooked with the bacon? Mmm, I’m getting a hankering for cornbread just thinking about it.

c)      Is the cornbread dessert the most popular dessert? If not, what is? Maybe the cream puffs, er…sorry, the profiteroles. Sorry, I have to tease a restaurant that offers both Miller High Life and profiteroles, it’s charmingly honest.

5)      What started the use of unconventional ingredients to create accessible dishes?

a)       Le Pigeon’s Bone Marrow Gnocchi is a great example of the acessibility of the flavors, despite an unusual ingredient. Everyone loves gnocchi, but the addition of bone marrow adds intrigue-not an, “eww,” factor. So, I’m curious how the use of an ingredient like marrow came about. My guess is that most diners would shy away from dishes including those ingredients, but this doesn’t seem to be the case at Le Pigeon. When creating a new dish, does is the adventerousness of diners factor into the ingredients used?

b)      How did you come up with the idea to incorporate bone marrow into a gnocchi dish? Is marrow used for it’s flavor?

c)      Even though I want to, I won’t bring up foie again. Instead I will continue to ask about the use of marrow and blood in dishes. I hope I’m not stepping on Sarah’s toes by talking about her experience… One Saturday in September (the 29th, but who’s keeping track?) Sarah made her way to the William-Sonoma store at Washington Square Mall in Tigard, Oregon where Chef Rucker was doing a cooking demonstration and created Blood Noodles and Squash Sausage. I was not there, but from what Sarah texted me before, during and after the demonstration, I got the impression the dish was very good. How did you first come to use blood and marrow in your food? The two examples I’ve seen of your creations are in pasta format, is that because it is the best way to incorporate them? (An aside: I’m suddenly reminded of a Korean dish called soondae *순대* or pig’s blood sausage. I loved it as a kid, until at age six I discovered it was made of blood and was turned off the idea of eating blood. I’ve evidently gotten over that. Ooh, I found an interesting blog in the process of looking for a photo of soondae.)

d)      Has there ever been a flavor combination that just didn’t work? Would you mind sharing an example?

3)   My last question, well at least for this dinner at Le Pigeon. Wow, look at me getting demanding! I saw the people seated next to Sarah and I enjoying the Strawberry Mountain Farms Burger.

a)   The menu seems to always include the burger as an entree, which makes me think there must be a reason to include a burger on Le Pigeon’s small, constantly changing menu. What inspired you to put a burger on the menu? If the burger is always on the menu, I’m plesantly surprised to see a standard entree being offered and am truly tempted to order it next time I eat at Le Pigeon, but the trouble with sticking to a decision like that is the changing menu will never allow me to run out of new things to try.

b)   I feel a little silly asking questions that could easily be answered by simply ordering the burger, but I will: What is on the burger? Do the toppings ever change? Do the preparation of the potatoes and salad change? Do you let diners select the way they’d like the beef cooked? If yes, then how well done do you like the meat? Are there any options diners have when ordering the burger? Is it a brioche bun or something else?  Is the bun made in-house?

If my mind had been a little clearer, these are the questions I would have asked. However, with or without talking to Gabriel Rucker, it was a great meal and Le Pigeon delivers interesting and tasty food.

After dinner at Pho Van with Sarah, my Mom and I headed home to finish packing for my midnight flight back to New York City from Portland.  I was full and tired, not ready to go back.  After a little online research to discover my JetBlue flight had been delayed, my Mom and I stopped by a Burgerville, to satisfy a sweet potato fry craving I’d been having since I saw the giant Burgerville billboards on the freeway.  We stopped at the Burgerville in beautiful downtown Vancouver, Washington to get my fix.  The place was deserted and the girl at the window looked at my like I was a little crazy for having a hankering for sweet potato fries at 11 PM on a Monday night.  They fried them right then and there—I took them back to the car and we drove home on our merry way.  These fries had a crisp crust and a had a warm, soft center.  They weren’t too greasy and were hearty.  Essentially, they were good, which is what food should be about.  Being me, I couldn’t help but take pictures.  If you’re near a Burgerville, you should go eat and be merry.  Mmm.

 

Note: all entries tagged “photo” require the password, “beccab.”

During Thanksgiving Sarah and I got together to celebrate the holiday with food, drink and family.  We started on Thursday afternoon with Thanksgiving dinner at Sarah’s parents’ home, sharing the meal with The Church’s, my Mom, Sarah’s friend Neil and I.  There was a lot of very yummy food, you can take a peek at the pictures if you’d like.  We started with a couple glasses of champagne; my mouth is watering at the thought of the tasty Veuve-Clicquot.  There was a juicy baked organic, free-range turkey; brussel sprouts with parmesan cheese; roasted fall vegetables (my Mom’s contribution!); mashed potatoes; candied yams with marshmallows; stuffing/dressing; mushroom gravy; pumpkin pie; pecan pie; cranberry filled chocolates (Neil’s contribution!).  The food was delicious, a big thank you to Patty and I suspect Sarah and Bill too—for a wonderful meal.  Everything was great!  I was partial to that bottle of Domain Drouhin.  *insert giggling.*  Thank you to The Church’s for sharing their home, the holiday and food.

 

*Note: all entries tagged, “photos,” require the password: beccab

I don’t actually really know what the hell gnudi is, but it sounds so damn delicious, plus it stimulates my perverted mind by being pronounced like nude-y.  I missed the fully clothed, lobster stock based gnudi at The Spotted Pig and have yet to try the über-popular gnudi at Falai.  I’ve heard good things about Mario Batali’s gnudi at Del Posto too.  This makes me want to go on a fully-clothed gnudi food mission.  Adam Platt at New York magazine describes gnudi as, “dumplings that look like slightly overgrown gnocchi,” which of course makes my mouth water.

Speaking of gnocchi, I’m no expert, but my current favorite gnocchi are at Peasant in NoLita.  Correct me if I’m wrong Sarah, but she has described the gnocchi con funghi di stagione as chicken pot pie Italian style, but for me it’s about the texture of the chewy, oversized lumps of ricotta based dough.  Yum.  My family friends’ grandmother has tempted me with promises of a gnocchi making lesson if I make the trip up to see her in the Bronx.  There is nothing I love more than other people’s Nona’s and cooking lessons, so…go Yankees and get me up to grandma’s house.

Yes, that’s right.  We actually have been eating on the west coast – okay the Northwest.  We’ve checked out some really great places and our ratings will be up soon (see West Coast Food).

PORTLAND AREA

Le Pigeon

Sarah:****1/2

Becca:****1/2

Paley’s Place

Sarah:**** 

Pok pok 

Sarah:

Becca:

Portland City Grill

Sarah:*** 

Simpatica Dining Hall

Sarah:****

Becca:****

Three Degrees

Sarah: ***

SEATTLE AREA

Dahlia Lounge

Sarah: ****

Etta’s Seafood

Sarah:****

Becca: ****

The Inn at Langley

Sarah:****

Becca:*****

S and I have both been doing a lot of independent eating (independent of each other).  It’s the end of summer and it’s a little bit hectic in our lives right now…well, her life.  Just teasing!  We will need a little time to gather our thoughts and photos before we will be able to update.  Your patience is appreciated!  Thank you for visiting.  Really!

As a tribute to our food and drink adventures together in New York, and before we officially become East-West foodies, we will be doing a day long Best Of round up.  This will take place on Thursday July 19th with the following tentative schedule:

Think! - Cold Brewed Iced Coffee 

Bouchon Bakery – Cherry Cheese Danish, Cashew Butter and Apricot Jam Sandwich, Madelines, Vanilla Bean Berry Loaf and Pecan Sticky Bun

Inoteca – Antipasti Plate, Glass of n/v Prosecco Mionetto and Italian Chocolate Mousse/Pudding

Tia Pol – Churizo and Chocolate and Green Peppers

Babbo – Glass of Prosecco di Valdobbiadene NV Drusian Veneto, Grilled Octopus with “Borlotti Marinati” and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette, Goat Cheese Tortelloni with Dried Orange and Wild Fennel Pollen, and Olive Oil Meyer Lemon Cake with Olive Oil Ice Cream

Peasant – House Bread with Fresh Ricotta, Gnocchi Con Funghi di Stagione, Glass of Sardegna Cannonau Reserva, Sella & Mosca 2002

The Tasting Room – Salty Dog (Grapefruit, Sugar, Salt, Monopolowa Vodka), Moscow Mule (Ginger, Lime, Monopolowa Vodka), Dark and Stormy (Lime, Ginger, Goslings Dark Rum). 

Moto – Date Cake with Toffee Sauce and Fresh Whipped Cream, Lentil Salad and Prosecco

Death and Company – Nina’s Moan and Mother’s Ruin Punch

What we have so far is just a rough draft of what we hope the final product will resemble.  We’re still under construction, we need to add our personal commentary.  We feel very strongly about some of these restaurants, but have yet to include the circumstances in which they should be patronized.  Enjoy what we have so far!  We hope you’ll check back once we’ve done more to upgrade the findings!