Gourmet Glee

Moving Gourmet Glee to WordPress

2010-09-14T13:21:00.004-06:00

I'm moving on ... to WordPress that is. Check out the new and improved (and heavy on the craft beer) Gourmet Glee blog at www.gourmetglee.wordpress.com. Thanks for all the love, criticism and feedback - I hope you continue to enjoy reading my blog as much as I adore writing it!

Denver Burger Battle

2010-08-29T22:08:00.015-06:00

Gourmet burgers are all the crave now. But I've known the best of the best and a recent burger event in Denver brought me back to my days of the Jucy Lucy. Note the absence of an "i" in Jucy, this means that I'm a Matt's Bar fan over the other dive, 5-8 Club, that also claims to have invented this molten burger. (Best reporting ever to give you insight on the Minneapolis-burger's following: "A Tribe Called Lucy".)

Now, Denver has yet to do the juicy lucy (it's got an "i" when I'm writing about the genre of burger, I decided, so there). But much has to be said for the competitors that warm Colorado evening at the Denver Burger Battle. It was an occasion pitting 10 restaurants against one another vying for the grand prize at this1st annual event: pride and notoriety as the judge's choice.

Of the many grills and flat tops, I favored Deluxe Burger and Steuben's. Neither of which received the judge's nods nor "People's Choice." Both burgers were wet with beef juice, covered in item after item of toppings and came with accompaniments.

Deluxe used buns from a local bakery, 100-percent Angus beef, Port reduction, balsamic onions, aged Stilton and roasted garlic aioli. Steuben's “Green Chili Cheeseburger” with Udi’s Challah Bun, RiverRanch Beef, Don Rickle’s Secret Spice Rub and green chili.

What's cool is that both had fresh, four-wheel kitchens with cool pop-art colors and real food comin' out of them. It's an up-and-coming trend nationwide, food trucks taking to the streets to feed the premier palates of we, the people.

What I loved about these two booths at the Denver Burger Battle was their offering the burger's trusty companion: french fries. Deluxe's pile of potatoes grabbed me at first sniff...garlic! Yes!

I came back for thirds, and that says a lot in midst of a 2.5 burger consumption and 2.5 beer evening.

Steuben's were of the shoestring variety with truffle oil and herbs. In addition to their fries, the folks riding the retro-looking truck served up their signature Steubie's Snacks: braised pork shoulder, deep-fried, then dredged in powdered sugar. They're pictured in the photo at right. (My husband ganked a napkin full and stuffed them in his cargo shorts (Napoleon Dynamite style) and brought them home for later. No joke!)

You could tell there were some geniuses behind the driver's wheel that evening!

Another impressively innovative part to the night was the plastic plates with a cup holder. Wow, smart-thinking! Now where can I get em for my next BBQ?

Palate Expansion: Wine to Craft Beer

2010-08-04T15:08:00.004-06:00

Gary Vaynerchuk (finally) talks craft beer in the latest episode #899 of Wine Library TV. I met Gary at his book reading in Denver last fall. "Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash in on your Passion" is just as energetic of a book title as this fast-talking, wine guy. The book shows (not tells) people how to grab a hold of social media to capitalize on their brand.

In this half-hour show (episode #899), beer aficionado Mike Schneider joins Gary to talk about peoples' migration from wine to beer and how craft beer is fast becoming the new culinary pairing.

Gary is on Twitter at @Garyvee and Wine Library TV is at tv.winelibrary.com.

Make the Drive to Creekside Cellars

2010-07-23T10:01:00.002-06:00

I'm sharing a blog entry by D Vine Girl, Amanda, who recently interviewed winemaker Michelle Cleveland of Evergreen's Creekside Cellars.

Nearly every time we entertain out-of-town guests, we take the drive up to Evergreen and stop at Creekside. the wine is innovative, especially for Colorado grapes, and food is truly amazing. I'm a disciple of flourless chocolate tortes and Creekside has a fabulous dessert called Chocolate Pâté. Swirling a nibble of the chocolate in your mouth with a sip of the winery's robusto, tempranillo or cab franc is totally worth the gas money to get up there! I recently tried their gewürztraminer on a hot, sunny afternoon: Sweet, effervescent and refreshing!

The winery also boasts bountiful antipasto plates, served on gorgeous wooden platters. It's a small joint but you're welcome to grab a glass and stand at the pouring counter or sit at a table in the front. You'll see in Amanda's interview that the gold star seating is in the back on a deck overlooking the creek.

Take a trip up to Creekside, and even consider going in the winter!

Click here for D Vine Girl's Video Blog interview at Creekside Cellars

How to Snag a Shark in your Kitchen

2010-07-20T20:23:00.016-06:00

The greatest thing about watching grocery store ads is that I can meld a meal by piecing together food on sale. It's, at times, inspiring. I feel like a cornball saying that, but as a dedicated deal seeker I pay attention to essentials that I can save on.

Recently, Sunflower Farmers Market at 38th & Wolff in Denver advertised thresher shark. I had tasted shark once before and remembered its sharpness and steakiness. Much like a swordfish.

Thresher shark is a hearty, meaty fish that is extremely versatile and can be seasoned to anyone's taste. Great if you want a taste of the wild.

Another item that Sunflower featured in its Wednesday ad was mango. I had never bought a mango, cut into a mango nor craved a mango. All this has changed and since this dinner I've sought out, peeled and blended mangoes to my heart's delight.

To maximize the thresher shark's tenderness, I chose to pair it with coconut-ginger rice and mango salsa. I borrowed the rice recipe from a fellow blogger, Recipe Girl, and combined a mess of sweet and savory ingredients for the mango salsa. Mix in homemade mojitos and great friends and a menu is made!

Thresher Shark
Marinate 1 lbs. in:

1/4 cup lime juice
2 T. Tequila (or n/a orange juice)
1 clove garlic, minced

Place in fridge for about half hour. Watch the time because if you let it sit too long you may end up with ceviche, as the citric acid literally "cooks" the fish.

Have you ever handled a jicama?

It is very similar to a water chestnut in texture. Try it in stir fry, I did with some left-over shark the next night.

Mango Salsa

Jalapeno pepper(s), seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups mango, chopped and squared
1/2 cup jicama, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, dried and chopped
Juice of 2-3 limes
Marinate about a half hour for best results

Tips for salsa:

Mangoes have rectangle pits?! What the ...
Rounder limes end up juicing better. Roll it around the counter a few times to get the liquid loosened.
I reserved a small portion without jalapeno, for those who can't stand the heat.

Voila!

Grill the shark for about 5 minutes each side.

Muddle the mojitos while cooking and serve.

"Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo."
Health and love and time to enjoy them.

An Unlikely Bisque

2010-07-05T21:40:00.005-06:00

At a recent Wynkoop Brewery beer dinner I had one of the coolest and tastiest soups. The meal was centered around Stone Brewery beers from Escondido, CA, and Stone co-founder Greg Koch was the entertainment. He's a really funny, honest and REAL guy. Kind of a craft beer celebrity of sorts. And his beers are just as awesome.

Our pairings began with Pear & Brie Soup. It was neither overly-creamy nor chunky. Toasted almonds floating in the star anise crème fraiche brought a smokey crunch to the smoothness of the bisque. I'm not very fond of brie and actually expected there to be crumbles of cheese bobbing in the soup. Luckily, the pear and brie are melted , blended and stirred to become a bisque. With only six ingredients and fairly easy prep, this could definitely become a mainstay for holiday dinners or a dish to one-up my foodie friends.

Pear & Brie Soup
From Wynkoop Brewery Denver, CO

2 large Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
8 oz. brie cheese, rind cut off, diced
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch ground clove
Handful sliced almonds (flat, not slivered)

Combine sliced pears and chicken broth in 2-quart pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until pears are soft (approximately 10-15 minutes). Transfer broth and pears to blender and puree until totally smooth. Return mixture to pan over medium heat, add nutmeg and clove. Add brie a little at a time constantly stirring. The soup should be creamy and smooth. In separate pan, add almonds. No need for oil or butter. Toast almonds by moving around every 20 seconds or so, until light brown. When serving soup, top with almonds.

For this unlikely bisque, Stone paired its Cali-Belgique IPA. This hazy, caramel-colored brew has tropical fruit notes that complemented the soup great. Doesn't hurt (or maybe it will the next day) that it's seven percent alcohol.

"We're not trying to sell anything to you in the world of craft beer, we're trying to please you," Greg said.

The beer's definitely something I recommend to friends just getting their palates whet with craft beer. I'll absolutely pick some up this summer.

Follow the goings-on at Wynkoop by checking out their new website: www.wynkoop.com/happenings.

Cheers (from Dane, Greg and me)!

Passing the Pestle

2010-06-12T21:09:00.005-06:00

My biggest foodie fan and an admirable cook left this world on Feb. 21, 2010. He was my best friend, a curious soul and one of my favorite beings on earth.

He would have scolded me for being away so long from my blogging. Living on the opposite side of the globe, this space was a place he could check up on what I was indulging in. He would comment, send me links after reading my posts and encourage me to try something new next time. Most often something daring and scary, but worth it.

That's where I'm headed now. Back in this cooking, writing and sharing it with others—all without him.

With his trusty mortar and pestle providing me confidence—now in my kitchen as a gift from his mother—I feel he's with me at every drop of an herb, swirl of the whisk and sprinkle of salt. (Although he swore I ate more salt than anyone he ever knew.)

Armed with my apron and a hungry husband, I'm returning to find my "Gourmet Glee" in honor of you, my friend. Rest in peace, with hands full of amazing food.

Love Me Tender(loin)

2010-01-20T16:28:00.006-07:00

In honor of the National Stock Show here in Denver, I'm paying homage to my favorite fare: BEEF!

Did you know that:

Sixty-two percent of Americans profess their love for steak as their most desired Valentine’s Day meal (according to a recent survey conducted by Pelegrin Gray for The Beef Checkoff Program).

Nothing says love like beef and backrubs: Forty-three percent of Americans said they would choose a steak meal to kick off a romantic evening of hot tub time, back rubs and champagne.

They call me Dr. Love: Americans associate steak as a “best match” for love (44%), romance (42%) and passion (41%)—more so than chicken, pork or fish.

Let’s meat: Beef (36%) is more often associated with “magnetism” than fish (22%), pork (21%) or chicken (21%).

50 percent of Americans associate beef with celebrations, compared to chicken (18%), pork (17%) or fish (15%).

An Impressive Selection: Sixty-two percent serve a beef dish if they are hoping for their partner to express gratitude or appreciation for their efforts.

The Perfect Pick: When choosing a meal for a significant other, 61 percent say they would order beef at a restaurant to express how much they care.

Thanks to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association for the meaty statistics. For more news on beef and recipes galore, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

Coooooooool Whippppppp

2009-12-19T16:09:00.008-07:00

salad with marshmallows? snickers?

This Thanksgiving we were lucky enough to be included as "family" at our good friend's house. They would do the turkey, potatoes, gravy, stuffing and some other traditional sides. We would bring our own family traditions to the table as well.

Not necessarily on every American's dinner table at this food-centric holiday is the salad/dessert we call "Fluffy Green." I encountered the delicacy a few years ago when I celebrated my first Thanksgiving with my boyfriend's (now husband) extended family. I was a bit wary of the green goo but went for it with an aggressive spoonful. Oh. Wow.

Fluffy Green
Two 8 oz. containers Cool Whip
One pack mini marshmallows
Two boxes (1 oz. ea.) pistachio Jell-O instant pudding
One can mandarin oranges (drained)
One can pineapple tidbits (drained)
One jar maraschino cherries (stemless)
Two bananas (sliced)

Mix Jell-O into Cool Whip, add everything except the bananas (be sure to drain fruit). Add bananas just before serving.

Now, it doesn't look amazing, or even sound like something gourmet. And it's not. But it's tradition and tasty, and on Thanksgiving you can't ask for more. In my searching for other people who share this meal on Thanksgiving I came across many opinions. Some balked at the idea of a "marshmallow salad" and others said their grandparents introduced it into the family during the Depression.

To our hosts, we were honored with surprising them with how great it tastes! Even the 11-year-old finicky child took multiple servings.

Another great Cool Whip salad often served in wintertime in the Midwest is the Snickers salad. Snickers AND salad, you ask? Trust your taste buds. Trust me.

Snickers Salad
Cool Whip
Granny Smith apples
Frozen Snickers candy bars
Vanilla pudding mix

Mix Cool Whip and pudding mix. Add chopped snickers (about a 1/2 inch thick each) and chopped apples. Mix and serve chilled. Kids love this one, too!

Dear Stomach,

2009-10-21T16:24:00.004-06:00

keeping a food diary

I've tried to record every spoonful and nibble of my consumption before, and every time I fail to keep up with myself. The "Whole Story" blog by grocer Whole Foods this week shared some tips on how to manage your food diary. If you don;t subscribe already, sign up for The Whole Deal e-newsletter.

By Alana Sugar
(Reprinted from the "Whole Story" Blog)

Plenty of experts agree that keeping a food diary is a great way to help you lose weight. But did you know that it can also give you incredible insight into your cravings, moods, snacking habits, and even help you determine if you have a food allergy or sensitivity?

Here are the many reasons I suggest keeping a daily food diary, at least until you gain some insight, make some new habits, and meet your goals:

Helps with weight loss or weight gain
Keeps track of how much water (pure water!) you drink
Helps you determine if you are allergic or sensitive to a particular food
Shows you what you are craving and when you are craving it
Helps you figure out your personal connection between food and mood
Helps you get a grip on excess snacking
Helps you meet your goals for getting in those veggies, whole grains, and other important foods
Keeps you accountable (to yourself) – a food diary can be a real eye-opener!

Putting it all down on paper keeps it smack-dab in front of your face! And this can be the first step you need to make healthy changes. To get started, all you need is a notebook and a pen, computer or a PDA. Just make it something that you can keep with you throughout the day so you can remember to write down the pertinent stuff.

Here’s a simple step-by step guide to make a food diary:

Write down the day and date at the top. This will help you track different patterns depending on whether it’s a weekday or weekend.
Record the times you eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and all snacks.
List the foods you eat and your serving sizes. Serving sizes are important if you want to lose or gain weight, or if portion control is an issue for you. Check out the serving size info later in this post.
Note where you are eating: at home, work, fast-food, restaurant, friend’s house, etc.?
Wrote what is your reason for eating? Are you hungry, bored, foggy-brained, tired, upset about something, craving something?
List your beverages as well. How much water? Soda? Coffee? Tea?
Write down your mood and/or how you feel about an hour or two after a meal. This can help you figure out if you are eating foods that may not agree with you or did not work best for your body.

Once you’ve got your food diary in front of you, now you can look for patterns. If you have a suspicion about a certain food not working for you, try a different food. For example if you notice you don’t feel well after eating wheat or rye and you suspect you may be sensitive to gluten, try a gluten-free grain such as brown rice or quinoa. Check to see where you can make improvements. And be aware of your eating habits and patterns. Depending on what you find, you may want to consider consulting with a qualified health care professional. Many doctors these days are paying greater attention to nutrition, and some are incorporating more holistic ways of healing into their practice.

I am a big believer that not everybody needs to eat the same way; what’s right for one may not be right for another. I’ll use myself as an example: Many years ago, it was my daily habit to eat 2 slices of whole grain toast with butter and a little fresh fruit for breakfast. As I would go through my morning, I noticed I wanted to go to sleep or at least close my eyes, and I felt hungry about 2 hours after I ate. I also noticed that I was craving something sweet about 4:00 in the afternoon. I began to journal my food. I learned that when I ate bread or bagels in the morning, I didn’t feel well. What I quickly discovered about myself was that I needed protein such as eggs in the morning to feel my best. This gives me good energy, focus, and clarity.

Here’s that serving size info I mentioned earlier.

One Vegetable Serving Equals: 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables; 1 medium-sized carrot, 1/2 cup vegetable juice, 1 cup raw leafy salad greens
One Fruit Serving Equals: 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked fruits; 1 medium-sized apple, orange, pear, banana or kiwi fruit; 1/2 cup fruit juice, 1/4 cup dried fruit
One Whole Grain Serving Equals: 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta, 1/2 cup cooked cereal

Keeping a food diary will give you the insight you need to make changes. And remember: If something doesn’t work for you, change it around until you find what works best for you. Try to remember that no macronutrient food group (proteins, carbs, or fats) are bad. We just need them in different amounts. We are a melting pot of different ancestry. We are at different phases in our lives, we live in different climates, and we are all of different ages and stages of health; as such our dietary needs can vary greatly.

If you have some ideas for keeping a food diary, or you are already doing it, I would love to hear how it works it for you!

Tweeting With Glee

2009-10-12T19:14:00.007-06:00

did you know i’m on twitter?

@GourmetGlee is my new handle on Twitter. I really am getting addicted to how connected I can be with food writers, cooking magazines, recipe Web sites and people who adore food/beer/wine/flourless chocolate torte with raspberry coulis! Recent intriguing tweets from around the cyber-sphere:

From Denver.org: Denver foodies speak out about their fav spots
5280 Magazine's Amanda Faison highlights Root Down, Elway's chef highlights Vesta Dipping Grill and Panzano's lead kitchen hand taps Osteria Marco. Each of these three spots exemplify why Denver's food scene is cutting edge without without being presumptuous.

Food & Wine’s blog “Tasting Room” on Dogfish Head's Peruvian Chicha Brew
Dane and I tried this at the Great American Beer Festival last month. Talk about a redefining brewski! Would you be willing to drink a beer knowing that someone spit in it?

Cafe Society Blog: Anthony 'No Reservations' Bourdain lectures in Denver Nov. 18
Anthony Bourdain comes to Denver for a lecture on Wednesday, November 18 at the Temple Buell Theatre. Tickets start at $35 each and are on sale now.

Martha Stewart made Giant Cheese Popovers this past weekend…who knew?
Which reminds me, I need a popover pan. I love, love, love these eggy delicacies that my family often served at Thanksgiving! Here's her recipe.

Gourmet Magazine is well-done. Literally.
Leaving a long legacy as a personable and creative editor is Ruth Reichl — also the former New York Times restaurant critic. She has been pretty honest via Twitter recently with how hard the news is hitting her: Gourmet Magazine is ceasing publication. At the airport this morning I had to buy the last-ever issue. Sad and shocking for the foodie world.

Related Gourmet news: Reichl is doing “Gourmet TV” and the question “What does the closing of Gourmet mean for the food scene?” is addressed.

More related TV food news: "Fine Living Network" will become the "Cooking Channel" in 2010.

Other notable people/entities to follow on Twitter:

@newbelgium
@draftmag
@CafeWestword
@dogfishbeer
@hotdishblog

Lastly, a worthy "tweet" to share from Denveater:

Finally opened that jar of pickles that've been sitting in gin for 2 mos. The gin-flavored pickle's foul, but the pickle-flavored gin's AOK.

GABF: Thursday Night

2009-09-25T15:55:00.004-06:00

Volunteering in the Brew Crew: One for you, one for me.

Dane & I were stationed with Diamond Knot Brewing Company. I loved their blonde ale, Dane dug the Shipwreck XXXIPA. Here he's with co-owner and founder Brian Sollenberger.

Madison, WI's Great Dane Brewing Company got a visit from the greatest Dane there is!

A pilgrimage to Dogfish Head. You shoulda saw the line of people
waiting to taste their outta-the-box beers and of course, shake Sam's hand.

Dogfish Head taps.

The reason why we came here: Sam and his awesome beers! (Dane's hero!)

We're headed back for more this Saturday. The plan: weiss, wheat and totally-out-there brews. And handing out the GourmetGlee business card!

Fishing for Dogfish at the GABF

2009-09-24T12:44:00.012-06:00

let the craft beer revolution commence

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) begins tonight at 5:30 p.m. and I'm getting there at 4:45 p.m. Am I VIP? Did I receive a special invitation from Coors? Do I have "Beer Geek" tattooed across my forehead?

Nope, just good ol' American volunteerism! The hubby and I are finally making our way to the GABF and what better entry than pouring beer for 5.5 hours, schmoozing with the brewers and getting a comp ticket to enjoy the revelry of Saturday night! In addition to our "brew crew" pouring duties tonight we volunteered to distribute event posters around Denver about a month ago (don't ask about the liquor store heist on West Colfax).

Our goal of the whole event is to stop by the Dogfish Head Brewery post and meet Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head's founder and President), who happens to be a major beer hero/entrepreneur mentor to the husband. It doesn't hurt either that he's a hunk. Sam recently co-wrote a book about beer pairings, too. Watch the clip on The Today Show (wow, great publicity!).

We discovered Dogfish after seeing the documentary "Beer Wars" which pitted the craft brewers' small business plight against the corporate brewers
- such as Anheuser Busch and Coors. A kind of David vs. Goliath story. It really sparked our interest in craft beers outside of Colorado and Minnesota and introduced us to high alcohol content suds like Dogfish 90 Minute IPA and Arrogant Bastard Ale, two favorites.

The GABF brings America's best brews to Denver and I couldn't be more excited and intimidated at the same time. We've got the pretzel necklaces made, maps marked up with must-stop booths and our palates prepped. Watch for updates following tonight's volunteering and then our attending on Saturday.

Cheers!

Za, My Way

2009-09-13T19:34:00.015-06:00

I love a good za. Pizza that is. And what a great time in history it is for the pie-lover!

The gourmet pizza revolution is up and swinging. In Minneapolis, Punch, Pizza Luce and the stand-by Red's Savoy are among the favorites branching out to several locations. Here in Denver Lala's not only has great go-to za, but I must say one of the best Caesar salads I've had in years--garlicky dressing, white anchovies and a "small" the size of most lobster platters. Among the other pizza joints we get our fill from are Basil Doc's, Two Fisted Mario’s Pizza, Proto’s and Denver Pizza Company, the last being my next stop.

Recently though our pizza and its fixins have been coming from the menu of my mind. With Pillsbury dough on sale, I picked up a couple rolls and set out for a homemade pizza pie.

Pizza #1

Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust dough (salted and peppered)
Homemade pesto (basil leaves—about 15-20, one handful raw pine nuts, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, olive oil, Parmesan and squeeze of half lemon)
2 cut-up already cooked artichoke hearts*
10 cherry tomatoes (sliced)
¼ of Columbus Salame (cut into strips)
5 cloves roasted garlic (peel back white skin, cut ¼ of an inch of top, put in tin foil and douse tops with olive oil, tighten tin foil and roast 30 minutes at 400 degrees)
¼ cup shredded Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheese mix
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Few springs of rosemary (chopped and sprinkled on 1st layer of cheese)

* We love, love, love artichokes. So we ate the leaves as an appetizer. My mom's recipe: chop bottom of artichoke stem and about 1/2 inch off the top, wrap in plastic wrap, microwave 7-8 minutes, remove from microwave and melt 2 tablespoons butter per person, serve hot and peel, dip and scrape off the flesh. Save bottom, or the heart, for your pizza.

Pizza #2

Pillsbury Thin Pizza Crust dough (salted and peppered)
Homemade pesto (basil leaves—about 15-20, two handfuls raw pine nuts, 3 cloves roasted garlic, olive oil, Parmesan and squeeze of half lemon)**
10 cherry tomatoes (sliced)
1 Russet potato (sliced, tossed in olive oil, seasoned with fresh rosemary, kosher salt and cracked pepper, roast in oven 30 minutes at 400 degrees)
Few springs of rosemary (for potato slices, chopped and sprinkled on)
¼ of Columbus Salame (cut into strips)
10 cloves roasted garlic (peel back white skin, cut ¼ of an inch of top, put in tin foil and douse tops with olive oil, tighten tin foil and roast 30 minutes at 400 degrees)
¼ cup shredded Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheese mix
1 cup mozzarella cheese

** Our pesto the second time around was much heartier. You may want to roast the pine nuts to add more flavor. The added basil and pine nuts this time around created a nice base with some nutty crunch.

Toppings tip: Cook anything you are going to put on before you top the pizza. Make sure your toppings are dry. Anything from a jar should be well drained. Anything frozen, should be thawed. When it comes to what you put on, go wild with the toppings. It's hard to mess up a pizza.

When Life Gives You Lemon

2009-08-10T14:14:00.011-06:00

I cook with lemons on a regular basis. We love roasting our asparagus in the oven then squeezing fresh lemon juice and lemon zest on top. Most of my fish and chicken dishes have a dash of lemon in the marinade or sauce. And you can't beat fresh pulpy lemon juice in a summery cocktail!

As I was cleaning through my piles of torn-out magazine recipes, I saw Martha Stewart's magazine Everyday Food's recipe for Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad and a side dish of Lemon and Pine-Nut Rice. Sounded like the perfect fresh, light Sunday dinner!

Martha's Chicken Milanese recipe and the Lemon and Pine-Nut Rice ( a variation of Sesame-Lime Rice)

Though it calls for arugula as the main greens for the salad, we used our remaining (and massive!) spinach leaves from the farmer's market. We also utilized the small red onions picked up from the produce stand last Sunday from the Market at Belmar (our version of downtown Lakewood). We also skipped making our own breadcrumbs and chose the store-bought Italian breadcrumbs.

The Result: Tart-laced spinach with the cut of red onions, layered on top crunchy, seasoned chicken breast and a zesty mixture of toasty pine nuts, long grain rice and lemon kick!

Fondue Al Fresco

2009-08-07T10:05:00.022-06:00

We recently spent a bug-free (yay for Colorado!) evening of dining al fresco with our good friends Erik & Emily. Without a real reason to celebrate, we decided a beautiful evening of beef fondue, wine and friends was reason enough!

Our Dinner Menu

Sirloin beef, ask your butcher to cut it into half-inch cubes, I did!
Canola oil
Baked russet potatoes
Sauteed zucchini
Mixed greens salad with caramelized walnuts and orange-flavored craisins (Dane & my new favorite salad sweetener)
Cabernet & Sauvignon Blanc (some red, some white)
Beer in cozies (come on, backyard dinner!)
GOOD FRIENDS!

Fondue tip: Heat the oil in a stockpot on the stove until a small chunk of bread sizzles in the oil. Transfer CAREFULLY to fondue pot. Also, I'm a big fan of the electric fondues rather than the ceramic. It just maintains heat better.

Fondue meat tip: Be sure to trim off most of the fat before plunging into the fondue oil. That's one mistake we made.

Becoming Julia Child

2009-07-08T22:24:00.018-06:00

food in film!

This evening I saw an advance screening of "Julie & Julia", the film based on Julie Powell's book with the same title. I haven't read the book and I don't know much about Julia Child. But the thesis is this: Food is Happiness. (A la my "Gourmet Glee.")

Meryl Streep is Julia Child and Amy Adams is Julie Powell. Writer-director Nora Ephron may be familiar to those romantic-comedy watchers as she penned "When Harry Met Sally", "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle" among others. So combining the two stories of these women was bound to have that warm, comforting feeling, like a Mom's hotdish.

Learning about Julia Child and her carefree, "eat what I want" attitude was inspiring! When she asked her husband what hobby she should take up he responded "Well, what do you enjoy?" To which she said, "Eating! Look at me, I'm growing in front of you." This wasn't followed by a scowl or reaffirmation, instead they giggled and shared in her passion for relishing the food. And Julie, the down-trodden New Yorker who hates her job but loves coming home to cook. Her self-disciplined quest is to cook 524 recipes in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in a year's time.

I'm part of the generation that learned about cooking from Home Ec 101 and the Food Network. BAM! and Emeril, right? As my interest in cooking increased my Mom noticed and one Christmas I received three paperback cookbooks: "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," a Pillsbury baking book and something else. Through the several moves and downgrading of materials I've seemed the keep one of those cookbooks, Julia's.

Though I haven't done the in-depth job that Julie Powell did, and the closest I am to that is having done maybe 20 out of hundreds of Rachel Ray's recipes, I am LOVING food blogging. Like Julie, and hopefully some day Julia, I will follow my way through volumes of gourmet recipes to feed my family, feed my cooking bug and find my own style in the kitchen.

See the movie, it's out Aug. 7 and seriously made the entire theater laugh out loud at least 10 times!

Goodness on Top of Goodness

2009-06-24T22:21:00.009-06:00

dedicated to lisa

One day during college some roommates decided to bake a cake. But they also wanted to eat some cookies, too. What a dilemma! AND SHAZAM! Cookie Cake was born!

Recipe for Cookie Cake

Ingredients:

1 cake mix
1 cookie bag mix
1 (or 2) cans of frosting
2 9x13 cake pans

Instructions:

Mix cookie mix according to package.
Spray a 9x13 cake pan and spread cookie mix into cake pan. Bake according to cookie package.
Let cookie pan cool.
Mix cake mix according to package.
Spray a 9x13 cake pan and spread cake mix into cake pan. Bake according to cake package.
After cookie pan is cool, spread frosting over cookie.
After cake is cool, tip upside down and place on top of frosted cookie.
Frost the cake.
Cut and enjoy!

Thank you Lisa & Ben for the most delicious wedding gift anyone has ever received!

Food in Film: "Simply Irresistible"

2009-06-23T21:09:00.012-06:00

gourmet food + love = magic

In addition to playing with food in the kitchen, I'm a big fan of watching chef movies and food-themed flicks. One such movie is the 1999 romantic comedy "Simply Irresistible".

Although it is incredibly predictable and at the same time confusing where the story line comes from, I love watching the passionate cooking and that the main theme is gourmet food + love = magic.

Hint: Don't expect the husband to sit through the whole movie without eye-rolling and groaning at the corny situations and phrases, "This food is the perfect poem I never wrote".

One of my favorite parts of the movie is when Sarah Michelle Gellar's character goes on a riff of words to describe "delicious".

My other favorite foodie movies: "Woman on Top", "Chocolat", "Spanglish" and "Ratatouille". The TV series "Kitchen Confidential" with Bradley Cooper is also awesome! (Available here on Hulu.com.)

And some notable films with fun food phrases and motifs: the song 'Be Our Guest' from "Beauty and the Beast", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", the prison garlic cutting in "Goodfellas ", it's a bundt cake in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", "French Kiss" as Meg Ryan yells out 'Lactose intolerant!' and another Meg Ryan one, "When Harry Met Sally" with the Pastrami sandwich orgasm and pecan pie playfulness.

I'm definitely going to see "Julie & Julia" this August when it comes out in theaters, too! In the trailer the guy says, "Well, write a blog about cooking." ABSOLUTELY!

What's your favorite food-related flick?

What to name my food blog?

2009-06-17T22:45:00.012-06:00

For awhile now I've planned to put my passion for food and cooking into writing and onto cyberspace. As an educated journalist and poet, picking a name for the blog has been the daunting task.

Among other brainstorms, these were several blog title options:

Fashion for Taste Buds
The Often Eatery
Pulp Perfection
From Roots
My Humble Kitchen
Bacon Anything
Midwest Caviar
Filet & Hotdish

Ultimately I chose Gourmet Glee to reflect what I feel when cooking: it's a rush of happiness and release with a yearning to really get my hands dirty in an attempt to go gourmet. You'll see photos of my dinners, a few made-up and improv recipes and links, stories, opinions of the food world. Thanks for reading!

Cheers, Micki