desserts!

after searching through all my posted recipes, i composed a video slideshow of my favorites!
watch it here:



yumm.

clio: a 14+course chef's tasting extravaganza

exactly one month ago on 30 march 2011, two very exciting things happened ... neither of which i was aware of. the first, was a planned trip to boston where my boyfriend planned a surprise dinner, presumably for my birthday the week before. however, unbeknownst me to he was planning on proposing. he proposed while we were sippin' hot chocolate and eating sweet treats we bought from flour as we were enjoying the view of the harbor and i said yes! (it was really much more romantic than i'm making it seem but. i'll spare the intimate details)

the second was we went for a surprise - celebratory - dinner at clio in located in boston's back bay district.

1. sicilian olive and pistachio financiers with quince with a selection of house made sodas “inspired by nature”: a rhubarb with micro-rosemary and an elderflower
2. tomato water martini: with a pickled mini eggplant and tomato icepop.
3. sashimi of kampachi with yellow chive vinaigrette, lily bulb and negi


4. hay-smoked quail egg with osetra caviar and greek yogurt sauce: soft-poached, rolled in panko and deepfried, then placed under a wine glass filled with hay-smoke
5. foie gras terrine with rhubarb verjus and anise hysop


6. medley of carrot with goat butter and pine dashi consommé


7. celery root flan with morcilla, white salsify and black tahini


8. burnt bread soup with amaretto and tête du cochon
9. escargots with yuzu, black garlic and lemon zest


10. sweet butter basted maine lobster with red miso, chanterelle mushroom and vin jaune d’arbois.
11. pine ash rubbed venison loin with chestnut, rapini and squid ink sable


12. cheese selection: a sheep’s milk cheese with rhubarb jam and a “french cheddar” with bacon jam.
13. lychee sorbet


14. bisquit coulant with coconut and cocoa nib crumble
15. a miso dark chocolate cremeux with golden miso, banana ice cream and cashew butter 

      + 15 ½.  a second, congratulatory, lychee sorbet platter

after reading that, i know you'll probably wondering what half of those things are and to be honest, so am i. as a self-proclaimed "foodie" i don't pretend to know all there is to know about food or am in any way pretentious about food and technique, etc. i am a foodie in the sense that i love food and love to try new things and expand my culinary understanding.

every course at clio was absolutely flawless. i ate a number of things i've never had before and loved! ... the first course, for example, of sicilian olive and pistachio financiers was SO delicious. the petite amuse-bouche was not enough for me and i am not typically a fan of olive. the quail egg, escargots and burnt soup were also superb. my absolute favorite though, by far, was the lobster course.

photo courtesy of clio

i also learned a few fundamental things about my palette during this 14+ course tasting: i still hate anything gelatin or gelantin-esque (aka: flan) and i am not a fan of foie gras. i am a texture eater and these textures do nothing for me.

this meal was definitely in no way, shape, or form 'affordable' - especially for two college students.  and isn't something we will do again for awhile but hey. an engagement calls for celebration! 

april is national grilled cheese month!

check out these 10 grilled cheese recipes courtesy of serious eats.

affoodability grilled cheese making tip? - make sure the bread is at room temperature and lightly coat the bread with mayonnaise instead of butter. i KNOW it sounds gross. i, too, was skeptical at first. but. if you're a grilled cheese fan you have to try this! ... mayonnaise spreads easier and evenly and toasts the bread a delicious crisp.

is sugar toxic?

as an amateur baker the mere thought of sugar being toxic is alarming. the article: "is sugar toxic?" posted today on ny times discusses Robert Lustig's 2009 lecture: "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" posted on YouTube.  Lustig refers to sugar (and high-frutose corn syrup) as "poison" and "evil" ... i have to admit, between the article and lecture i'm a little freaked out. what do you think?

starbucks petites

these tiny treats caught my eye a while ago but i didn't try one until this week. i had the rocky road cake pop. it was delicious! chocolate cake and icing dipped in a dark chocolate coating with mini marshmallows and roasted almonds. the cake was surprisingly moist and the marshmallows and almonds added the perfect amount of crunch. oh. and it was only $1.50!

image from starbucks

all of these tiny treats are less than $2.00 and 200calories ...  yet another reason to love starbucks!