The Monte Cristo sandwich, topped with a drizzle of maple syrup, just might be the perfect way to start a weekend morning. It’s a killer combination of sweet and savory with layers of ham, turkey, and cheddar wedged between battered dipped challah bread, griddled up french-toast style.
My introduction to the Monte Cristo was at brunch a couple of weekends ago at Prune (NYC), a cozy, casual chef-owned restaurant in the East Village. Prune’s brunch menu ranges from unique European inspired offerings such as an “appetizing plate” of smoked fish and garnishes and a “youth hostel breakfast” of sliced liverwurst, fish pastes, and german bread, to more traditional brunch items like eggs benedict and huevos rancheros. It’s the kind of brunch menu that satisfies both the food adventurists who like to try new things and the more traditional egg and toast types.
On the final leg of my cross country trip I started off a great meal at Lolita (Cleveland, OH) with a roasted beet, fresh ricotta, and honey salad, it was delicious. I knew I wanted to give this salad a try when I got home and when I saw a colorful variety of beets at the Montpelier Farmer’s Market, it was a go.
What I enjoyed most about this salad is that the beets were lightly roasted so they still had a bit of a bite to them. Ricotta and honey are always a decadent match, but I was surprised at how well they worked with the beets, coating them with a rich, creamy texture. The lightly dressed arugula is a great contrast to the beets and ricotta; it offers a peppery and slighty bitter bite. The only thing this salad was missing was a bit of crunch, so the next time I make this I am going to add a toasted pine nut garnish. [click to continue…]
When it comes to traveling, I am a planner. I like to know way ahead of time where I am going to stay, what I am going to do, and where I am going to eat. Some might say that this takes the fun and excitement out of traveling, that I miss out on those serendipitous experiences of stumbling upon a gem bed and breakfast, or discovering the best brisket ever. But to me, not planning is like playing the slots, where you pursue an elusive jackpot with the odds stacked against you.
Most of my friends and family spend some time planning their trips, usually booking the hotels and activities ahead of time. But they tend to go the gambling route when it comes to food and dining. When I am planning a trip I like to do a little bit of research and put together an eating itinerary, which helps take away stress during traveling, heightens my overall experience, and ensures that I get good value for my dining dollars.
planning for feelgood eating on the road
My first stop when planning an eating itinerary is Chowhound, which in my opinion is the most helpful restaurant resource on the web. The reviews on Chowhound are generally fair and the Chowhound members seem to really know their stuff. With an emphasis on narrative and description, Chowhound avoids rating systems that aren’t very helpful (if it is three stars for you, does that mean it is three stars for me?).
The rule of thumb with Chowhound is to search before you pose a new question/start a new thread - sometimes the hounds get aggravated with repeat requests. If you can’t find what you need through a search, then start a new post and be as specific as possible (not “heading to San Francisco-where should I eat?”). It’s considered good chowhound courtesy to follow the thread and thank those who respond. [click to continue…]
I was lucky enough to enjoy not one but two rockin’ dinners out last week, and while they are located on opposite sides of the country, they are both serving upscale pub food in a casual atmosphere and have been quite successful. The foodie term that has been used to label these concepts are gastropubs, and they are both chef-driven operations that source high quality, local and organic ingredients. [click to continue…]
Memorial Day weekend has always been one of my favorite holidays, and I actually prefer it to the hectic nature of the Fourth of July. It marks the beginning of the summer season for me, which means longer days, warmer nights and outside grilling. In my family it is usually more of a working weekend when we head up to our camp on a lake in the Adirondacks and get ready for the summer ahead. Living out in California, I haven’t gotten back for the family work weekend in a couple of years (sorry, Mom & Dad!), but I do keep the tradition by using this weekend to clean up the grills, tidy up the outdoor furniture and get the backyard ready for summer fun. [click to continue…]
After a fun and exciting trip to Vermont, it feels good to be back home. I have spent the last couple of days getting life organized and nursing a cold that I picked up during my travels. Now that I am unpacked and my body is beginning to revive, I am looking forward to getting out to the farmer’s markets and back in the kitchen.
Even with a few sniffles I managed to throw together a nice dinner last night that was inspired by a dish my friend Kerri enjoyed at The Kitchen Table Bistro in Richmond, Vermont. The Kitchen Table Bistro is a chef-owned restaurant run by a husband and wife team who met while training at the New England Culinary Institute. Their experiences working in some of the best restaurants in San Francisco and Napa inspired them to open an upscale but casual restaurant with an emphasis on the use of seasonal and local ingredients. [click to continue…]
This week I am lucky enough to get away for a bit and travel through Vermont, and while I don’t have a new recipe to share (boo!), I do have a neat restaurant review with a great story (yeah!). As you may have guessed from the picture above, the name of the restaurant is The Farmers Diner and it is located in Quechee, Vermont.
Quechee is a small town located on the well traveled Route 4 that connects the I-89 to the ski region of central Vermont. It is impossible to visit the area without checking out Quechee’s claim to fame, the Quechee Gorge, or Vermont’s little grand canyon. Becoming equally famous is the Farmers Diner, with reviews in USA Today, The New York Times, NPR, and Grist Magazine. For a restaurant garnering so much praise and notoriety you would think it was something fancy, but the Farmers Diner menu offers typical diner fare with an important twist: the majority of the ingredients are local, seasonal and natural. [click to continue…]
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