Things I Will Miss

I will miss being able to share culinary adventures with my office mates. I will never forget last summer bringing in our haul from the CSA every other week and spreading it out on an office table. While cookies and candy are a regular occurence, we got quite a few stares with our giant heads of cabbage, bright red beets, and kabocha squashes. Nobody seemed to mind it though when we shared our giant watermelon one week. Note to all office managers: nothing will boost office morale like a giant ice cold watermelon in the middle of July.

And so it wasn't completely out of place that Betty and I found ourselves slicing into a whole pineapple, dicing onions and chili peppers, and tearing up cilantro at her desk last week. Ok, it was very out of place. Our office doesn't even have a break room. Also, we had to use a mystery plate we found as a cutting board and a scary knife that's been in our office since the dawn of time. I don't want to know how it got here.

When I decided to organize a potluck for a meeting, chips and dip might come to mind. Well you can imagine I wasn't gonna show up with a bag of tostito's and some french onion dip.

Instead I brought homemade tortilla chips and if you hadn't guessed from above Betty made fresh pineapple salsa. Oh and I almost forgot about my fresh brewed sweet tea with mint. I think I could have a new career as a caterer and considering how many catered events my office alone has it might not be a bad idea. Recipes to follow.

Monday Night Meal at Mémé

I know this is much delayed post so forgive me...

My birthday and mother's day fell pretty close to each other this year so what better way to celebrate than by going out to a restaurant that pays homage to my mom's side of the family tree? I give Fred 100% of the credit for picking the restaurant.

Mémé's at 22nd and Spruce is one of many places that I have wandered past many times, but never had occasion to eat at. It's a testament to the strength of the Philly dining scene that I have lived in the same neighborhood for 3 years and have yet to sample every restaurant within walking distance.

The name itself was enough to intrigue me. I have French Canadian roots on my mother's side (you'll have to ask her for all the details) but we affectionately call my grandmother on my mom's side Mémère. (She is incidentally, a great cook.) I was not surprised to learn, therefore, that the restaurant was named after the chef's Morrocan grandmother.

The French influence isn't terribly strong in the food, and the menu would be best described as American. They get my vote for using many local ingredients. They also have an extensive wine list.

The decor was elegant and surprisingly light and airy. Even though they drew a substantial crowd (and on a Monday night no less) the small space never felt cramped.

So on to the food. Like any special occasion (read: expensive) meal it was something of an event. Again my apologies for not writing sooner as my memory is not that great. I remember that you could choose a 3 course prix fixe meal from the menu. I believe it was $35. I don't, however, know how often they do it.

For a non dessert eater like myself, I am often wary of 3 course meals. Especially if I'm actually eating vegetarian, often I will spend less money picking from the menu. I debated for a while until I saw that one of the dessert choices was cheese. End of debate.

First courses: ravioli and scallops

A perfect and light way to start the meal. It tasted like spring.

A not so light appetizer, but an indulgent bite that will not soon be forgotton. It makes you immediately want to try and replicate it at home.

Second Courses: steelhead trout and porkchop

So here was my only gripe about an otherwise stellar restaurant. I inquired about the catch of the day and how it was prepared. The answer was Steelhead Mackeral and grilled. Not being a picky eater, I decided to try it. A little post meal research revealed that Steelhead is actually trout, but my biggest surprise came when the entire fish was presented head and all. It's time like these that I envy vegetarians. I've never seen a piece of tofu stare back at me with its cold, dead eyes. Ok, so my fault for not assuming that grilled meant whole. Again, not a problem. I just put some potatoes and onions over the eye and went about my business. Not having much experience with whole fish I found it hard to avoid every single bone. Especially when you are given almost no light. I'm all for mood lighting but not when there are potential choking hazards involved. Still, I did manage to eat every delicious bite.

According to Fred, his pork chop was divine. Not that I would know of course...

Third Courses: cheese and strawberry napoleon

I'm not sure you can really screw up cheese. Ok I take that back, you can screw it up by not giving me enough of it.

If you're into this sort of thing... You would enjoy it. It managed to be light and decadent at the same time. And of course incredibly fresh tasting.

Bottom Line: Add this to your special occasion repertoire.

Mémé Restaurant
2201 Spruce Street
215-735-4900

Tastebuds

Having lived in various locations around Fitler Square for several years, I have wandered past Tastebuds Market many times. I've been curious and maybe poked my head in once or twice, but like nearby Bacchus I just assume it's a place for those who can afford expensive pre-cooked meals and who don't have the time or desire to cook for themselves. While I do splurge on food, it's usually on expensive ingredients I cook at home or on a nice restaurant meal. I guess the concept of paying $8.99 per pound for eggplant parm that you then eat at home is a bit strange to me.

But curiosity and a Groupon got the better of me and so it was that I ended up there recently sampling the aforementioned eggplant parm. I like the homey, friendly feel and the fact that everything looked really fresh and delicious. If I could afford it (which most people in this neighborhood can I'm sure) and I was pressed for time I could see the appeal. I will say the prices aren't completely outrageous and they offer catering and gift baskets that look reasonable.

I had high hopes for the beautiful looking eggplant parm. Let's just say that I'll stick with my homemade version from now on. Not that it was terrible, I just think the texture of eggplant parm is best straight out of the oven. The flavor was also more lasagna than eggplant. Not necessarily the worst thing, just not what I was looking for.

The Asian marinated vegetables, however, were delicious. Perfect texture and seasonings. They were a much better value, and I even had leftovers to mix with some tofu and rice the next day. I might actually consider them the next time I'm looking to treat myself. Of course we're also entering the high season for local and seasonal veggies so I might as well just try and replicate the Asian marinade myself. I know it included a lot of sesame oil.
So maybe this wasn't the most helpful of reviews. I'm still not entirely sure how I felt about the place either, other than to say it's not the kind of place I frequent.
Tastebuds Market and Catering
24th and Lombard Streets
215-546-6900

It's All Coming to an End (Part 3)

Third Course: Coconut Shrimp

I had much more sucess, and experience making my next dish. The first time was an experiment that went very right. I would make it more often if not for the high price of shrimp and the fact that most shrimp is not sustainably harvested. When the occasion calls for it though, you have to live a little. And given the current state of affairs maybe we should all be stocking up on seafood while we still can.

Ingredients

Raw shrimp* (1/4 per person)

Coconut flakes

Panko

Eggs (2 is enough for 4 servings)

Canola oil

*Go to a reputable fish market (Reading Terminal is the best place in Philly) where you will likely find unpeeled and undeveined shrimp for a decent price. It's worth it to peel and devein them yourself, or enlist some helping hands to do it. Oh, and don't be tempted to get the cooked variety at the supermarket, they just won't do.

Once your shrimp are all cleaned up, set up your breading station. Eggs go in one bowl and the coconut and panko go in another. The coconut and panko should be equal parts, and if your coconut came in large flakes like mine did you may have to crush them slightly. They should be about the same size and texture of the panko. Season this lightly with salt.

Coat the shrimp first in egg, then in panko/coconut and lay out on a baking sheet lined with foil. It makes for easier cleanup.

Drizzle carefully and lightly with some canola oil.

Pop in a 350 degree oven. These cook quickly, about 12 minutes. As soon as the coating gets a little browned you should pull them.

Dipping sauces are in order. Please ask Betty for the recipe she used this time. I have experimented with the sweet/sour/spicy combo before with good results.

It's All Coming to an End (Part 2)

Second Course: Pineapple Fried RiceAnd frankly, no recipe available either. I blame it on the aforementioned tropical drinks and also on my poor planning, but don't trust me on this dish folks. I forgot to buy long grain rice so in the end had to use the sushi rice I had which would have been ok if not ideal. But... I also overcooked it. A quick google search will serve you better unless you are in the mood for some pineapple gruel. Maybe if you work in a nursing home? Or are recovering from jaw surgery?

It's All Coming to an End (Part 1)

I've already started to say my goodbyes. To the people and places that have made my time in Philly so special, but more (ok maybe not more) importantly to the greatest television show of my generation.

Insert groan *here* because I'm talking about Lost. Well, I won't actually talk about it here, I'll leave that to the rest of the geeks out there on the internet. I will however, talk about the finale feast cooked up by the WVE crew.

The First Course: Teriyaki Fish Tacos With Chipotle Lime Slaw

Ingredients

Firm white fish fillets (1/4 lb per person)

Teriyaki sauce or marinade

Optional fresh chile peppers

Tortillas, both flour and corn

Head of green or napa cabbage (1/2 head will be more than enough for 4 people)

A large carrot or 2

Scallion

Mayonaise

Small jar of chipotle peppers in adobo

Fresh Limes

Make sure that your fish fillets are completely bone free. Place in a baking dish and cover with teriyaki. You don't want it swimming in it, just enough to coat. You can add slices of chili if you want, seeds and all. Cover and place in the fridge. This should marinate for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, cut your cabbage into large chunks and place in a large bowl. Cover with water and a large handful of salt. Swish around to make sure that the water gets into the crevices of the cabbage. This step is designed to clean any debri from the cabbage if it's straight from the farm and the salt acts to ensure maximum crunch in the final product. I learned this from making kimchi. The cabbage should sit in there for at least a half hour. Remove from the water and rinse under cold running water and dry thoroughly. Pat with a paper towel if need be.

Using your largest and sharpest knife, slice the cabbage into thin shreds. I kept mine somewhat wide, mostly out of laziness. I also like a nice bite of cabbage as opposed to the weird shred you sometimes see in prepared slaw. Place in your serving bowl.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the outer layer of carrot and discard. The peeler will then come in handy to peel nice juliennes of carrot right on top of your cabbage.

Slice some scallion on top as well.

In a small bowl, start with a small scoop of mayo. It will probably take less than you think to coat your slaw and it's best to err on the side of caution rather than go overboard. Pour in some of the adobo sauce from the chipotles. This is potent so be careful. Take a few chipotles out and dice before adding to the mayo. Add a squeeze of fresh lime. Taste and adjust as needed. Add to the cabbage mixture and toss. Set aside in the fridge for a while so the flavors can marry.

Your fish should be marinated by this time so pop it in a 350 degree oven, uncovered. I left the teriyaki right in the baking dish because I hadn't added a ton to begin with. Remove any chilis you may have added.

The fish should take about 20 minutes to cook all the way through. It should be completely opaque and flake with a fork when you poke it.

Right before serving, heat up your tortillas breifly in the oven or in the microwave. I would recommend seeking out a Mexican grocer for dirt cheap but high quality tortillas. They can easily be found at Reading Terminal, which of course also happens to be the best place to buy the fish. Keep the tortillas covered so they stay warm. Prepare your table setting with the tortillas, lime wedges, and slaw.

Best consumed with a cold tropical beverage.

So I Turned 25 Recently... (Part 2)

I pretty much did nothing but eat for 3 days straight which is exactly how I wanted to spend my birthday weekend. The Part 1 meal was my parents doing. You can see where I get my meat eating ways from. It's not often that I get homecooked (and not by me), fall off the bone tender ribs so no complaints here. My dad's ribs are about as good as it gets so I'm hoping he will share his method.

I did, however, want to have one meal that represented the way that I cook and took full of advantage of my parents grill. I came prepared with my own ingredients, all local and seasonal. My sous-chefs and I created a simple but delicious meal that satisfied both vegetarians and carnivores alike. We improvised, so sorry that there are no detailed recipes.

I started out with some local, organic ground beef. I was shocked at how expensive steak is. No worries, burgers are just fine by me. Especially on nice fresh, locally made ciabatta.

We raided my parent's fridge for marinade ingredients for some portabello mushroom caps. I'm pretty sure soy sauce and teriyaki sauce were involved.

A whole bunch of veggies went on the grill, all seasoned simply with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Maybe my favorite part of the meal was Betty's special blackberry reduction. I never would have thought to combine blackberries and balsamic vinegar and reduce it into a thick sauce. She better share the recipe before I leave! It elevated everything from the grilled chicken to the asparagus to new heights.

Here it is on the grill...

And on the table...

Thanks Betty and Fred for cooking and taking some great pics!