In keeping up with the momentum of posting arbitrary images of my meals without my kids, here are a few leftover Las Vegas pictures and a couple from a holiday party at work. As for the Vegas snaps, the beau and I indulged in an all-you-can-eat sushi dinner capped off with two orders of salmon and tuna tartare and a caterpillar roll. The sushi was only "meh," so I won't post the name of the restaurant. The next day, I nabbed a breakfast sandwich with scrambled egg and bacon en route to McCarran International Airport (nothing to write home about, really, but again, I took a picture of it, so here it is)!
Also, interspersed in these random images are snaps of my work holiday lunch celebration at One Market and my entree of pan-seared flounder with black-eyed peas, grain mustard vinaigrette, and small herb salad, as well as the dessert, a duo of crème brûlée (vanilla and cappuccino) and solid biscotti cookies.
Has it really been three years since my last post on here? In fact, it has been longer, but who's counting? Or who's even reading? (Shout out to my mom, my sole reader! Thanks, Ma!) And no, that is not a typo. (The "typo" I am referring to is not the misspelling of "burger," but my three-year absence from this dead blog.)
Sadly, I don't eat out as often as I would like now that my husband and I are outnumbered by our kids. In fact, this was one of the first times the beau and I sat down for a relatively nice meal sans our children, and lemme tell you, it was pretty darn glorious! (I felt obligated to post these snaps on here, since I posted them on Facebook.) Hey, a post of food pictures on my social network is worthy of a post on this thing.
At my special outing yesterday to Gordon Ramsay's Burger, I opted for the Euro burger with truffle aioli, goat cheese, arugula, and an oven-roasted tomato. The pillowy and crisply-toasted bun was a match in heaven with the peppery wisps of arugula and gamey cheese, but the truffle parmesan fries with truffle aioli were a greasy and over-fried disappointment. Love the ethereal melt-in-your-mouth flakes of parmesan, but I could hardly taste the truffle and, unfortunately, I have had fries done better at fast food establishments. But an outing is an outing, and worthy of a quick note on the good ole' food blog.
Have you tried out this wrinkly and irate chef's dining establishments? I'd love to hear if you did!
Like most people, my "go-to" snack is popcorn. If it is not smothered in butter or margarine, laden with salt, or coated in a hard candy shell, it is a healthy, ethereal, and satisfying alternative to greasy and sugary snacks. And it usually is a staple in everyone's pantry! I usually try to air-pop my popcorn with dried corn kernels and a brown bag. All you need to do is fill a small paper lunch bag with 1/2 a cup of dried corn kernels, tightly fold or crumple it shut, and microwave it on high for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your microwave settings and when the popping sound decreases (just like the directions on the processed kind). Follow those directions, and you will have instant microwaved popcorn. For popcorn, do not resort to the artificially-flavored and carcinogenic popcorn brands of the Orville Redenbacher, Pop Secret, or Act II-persuasion.
However, plain popcorn is monotonous and buttered popcorn quickly gets tedious without something extra special to elevate it into "spectacular" territory.
For me, I love furikake, a slightly sweet and very umami/savory Japanese spice blend made of dried bonito fish flakes, seaweed, and other flavorings. If you are not familiar with furikake, think anchovies or fish sauce, but less salty and in a dried form. For a Japanese or Hawaiian-inspired popcorn snack, just add (1) slivers of nori (dried seaweed), (2) a couple of tablespoons of dried furikake seasoning, (3) several drops of dark sesame oil (very intensely flavored, so act with a judicious hand), and (4) a pinch or two of wasabi powder for the perfect flavor profile. You could also add salted peanuts too!
For a N'Awlins-inspired popcorn, dissolve a teaspoon or so of creole seasoning and a few dashes of Tabasco with a melted tablespoon of butter and quickly toss the mixture in with the popcorn and feast away!
For a South American-inspired popcorn, I usually just add salt, chile powder, and the juice of 1/2 a lime. This combo works with corn on the cob too, and it is divine!
I have also heard of additions of dried oregano, cumin, and parmesan cheese, but I have yet to try those flavor combos. Do you have any "spectacular" popcorn ideas to share? I would love to hear your suggestions!
When I posted about the "In-N-Out and Five Guys taste-off" that we organized eons ago, many commenters remarked that there was "one burger chain to rule them all," and that I gravely failed to mention this burger joint. This place? New York City's Shake Shack. Therefore, when my beau and I visited the East Coast recently, we had to visit the burger joint I have heard as this "second-coming of In-N-Out," but way better.
Well, you know how I feel about In-N-Out. And you know how I feel about Five Guys. In seconds, you are going to find how how I feel about Shake Shack. (I will have to tell you about my favorite burger place in all the world, Umami Burger, real soon!)
Upon entering, my immediate impression was that Shake Shack felt trendier and more appealing to the hipster crowd. We decided to "go big" and order the Shake Stack, which is a classic cheeseburger with an additional veggie patty inserted inside the sandwich, as well. Shake Shack's veggie patty is not your standard salty hockey puck of tasteless and ground-up grains and beans, rather, it is a sliced portobello mushroom stuffed with cheese, breaded, and deep-fried. As you would imagine, the divine mushroom nugget contains a volcanic eruption of oozy, gooey, and stringy melted cheese and meaty mushroom flesh with each bite and is perfectly matched with its best friend, a crunchy, crumbly, and golden-brown breading.
Unfortunately, upon biting into the mammoth burger, it degenerated into a unphotogenic and gloppy mess, so you will only see pre-bite pictures. (Sorry for the blurry pictures, but my free hand can barely wrap around that monster!) As you can see, the Shake Stack typifies what is great about America: truth, justice, and deep-fried cheese.
As for the crinkle-cut fries, they were good, which means they were leaps and bounds better than In-N-Out. The ultimate verdict and my burger-licious impressions? I loved the juicy, greasy, savoryness of each burger and thought although it felt unhealthier, it was a tasty burger just a little more flavorful than In-N-Out. (It might have been the quality of the meat or the meat-to-fat ratio of the ground beef, the fresh house-made pickles, or the luxuriously soft and tissue-like lettuce.) It was definitely better than the squashed and foil-steamed mess that is known as a Five Guys burger. However, in my book, In-N-Out still wins for the easy accessibility (to California residents), the cheap prices, and the reliable quality. Shake Shack is definitely worth repeat visits though!
Have you tried these burger joints? Let me know your thoughts!
Without a doubt, my favorite party food is seven layer dip. With one deft swoop of a wide-brimmed tortilla chip, you can shovel a delectable and flavor-packed bite of seven unique tastes and textures into your open mouth. Also, since there is guacamole and salsa inside, you save on repeated trips to the party table!
Every family has their own version of seven layer dip, so you will definitely see many variations. I have had seven layer dips with both black beans and refried beans, with ground beef or turkey, and with plain chopped tomatoes instead of a piquant salsa. Some people use cilantro instead of scallions as their seventh layer. Others use lettuce, canned green chiles, or Mexican corn as one of the seven ingredients. In addition, you can use whatever proportions of the ingredients that you'd like, as long as no one ingredient eclipses the others.
Although there is room for creativity, it is generally accepted that there are six necessary ingredients that must be included in a seven layer dip. These are: (1) beans, (2) cheese, (3) sour cream, (4) tomatoes, (5) avocado, and (6) olives. (The seventh ingredient can be almost anything you would like. Well, maybe not pasta or chocolate, but you get my drift.)
This is my family's recipe.Seven Layer Dip (Salsa de Siete Capas)1 16oz can of refried beans1 4.25oz can of pre-sliced black olives1 cup of pico de gallo salsa (or 1/4 cup of jarred salsa with 1 large tomato, chopped)1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded1 cup of sour cream (or nonfat Greek yogurt)1 tbsp of cumin (or taco seasoning)2 scallion sprigs, chopped and with the root end removed2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, and roughly smashed4 cloves of garlic, finely mincedtabasco, to taste1 large bag of corn tortilla chips 
Layer a wide transparent bowl with the ingredients, starting with the refried beans (with the cumin and tabasco mixed inside). Follow the bean layer with a layer of sour cream, shredded cheese, smashed avocados and garlic, pico de gallo salsa, black olives, and finally, the chopped scallions. Use the back of a wide spoon or spatula to help you spread the creamy ingredients. Serve the dip with corn tortilla chips and voraciously enjoy the dip in front of the television and with friends.
Also, instead of serving the dip in a large bowl, you can use a plate, individual custard ramekins (if they are transparent glass or plastic), or lowball liquor glasses. If serving individual portions in ramekins or liquor glasses, garnish each portion with a white or blue corn tortilla chip. This way of serving seven layer dip will result in less mess (in the dip itself), but will require the washing of many more dishes! Either way, I hope you enjoy this dip, I know I do!
As a featured publisher of Foodbuzz, Foodbuzz often sends me emails about their "Tastemaker Program," where they send free food samples to bloggers in exchange for honest feedback (and a blog post or two). Since I was trying to get back on the blog wagon and increase the frequency of my posts, I excitedly signed up for products from three companies: (1) Ghiradelli, (2) Kikkoman, and (3) Sargento. I actually purchase products from this companies on a regular basis (especially Kikkoman), so I was pretty confident I knew what I was dealing with. I enlisted my mother-in-law to be my wing-man (or wing-woman) and partner-in-crime (or partner-in-tasting). We tasted five products: (1) extra dark chocolate, (2) chocolate squares with roasted almonds and sea salt, (3) ginger-soy karage coating for fried poultry or fish, (4) muenster cheese, and (5) swiss cheese.
First, as to the chocolates, both my mother-in-law and I shared the same sentiments. The bitter extra dark chocolate had a rich and potent cacao bean flavor. Because we prefer milk chocolate, we enjoyed the lighter and milkier chocolate squares with the ethereal flecks sea salt and mini shards of almond. The salt intensified the richness of the chocolate, and the crunch from the almonds gave the creamy candies nice texture.
We will definitely purchase the sea salt-flavored Ghiradelli squares in the future, when this stash runs out. (The stash may or may not have already run out. Okay, who am I kidding, the stash already ran out the day I received it!)
Unfortunately, the disappointment of bunch was the Kikkoman karaage coating. Throughout my life, the only soy sauce product my family has used is Kikkoman. I honestly believe their soy sauce is the best Asian sauce on American shelves. It is dark, slightly transparent, and rich in luscious umami flavor. The burnt caramel-colored and liquid ebony sauce is painstakingly distilled and beautiful to behold. Therefore, based on my experience with their soy sauce, I was expecting the same for the karaage coating.
To its merit, this karaage mix makes cooking fried karaage chicken very easy. The box says it is ready in five minutes, and it truly is. All you need to do is empty the seasoned flour in your own bag (no bag is provided) and dredge some chicken or fish pieces in it. The coating did an awesome job of keeping the chicken juicy, ultra-moist, and flavorful on its own. However, I was really-really-really put off by the taste. They overdid it with the ginger flavor, so much that it reminded me of Pine Sol or household cleaning chemicals.
My mother-in-law agreed with my assessment.
Finally, as for the Sargento cheese, Foodbuzz asked us to compare sliced Sargento natural cheese
with processed cheese. So I purchased my favorite brand of processed cheese and Sargento's muenster and swiss.
I toasted a few "everything" bagels (with onions, rye seeds, sesame seeds, and more), placed a slice of each kind of cheese on the bagels, and then microwaved the cheese for 30 seconds in the microwave. I wanted to see whether the cheese could stand up to the powerful flavors of the bagel.
My mom-in-law and I were pleasantly surprised. We thought the cheese was "delicioso" on the bagels (I also fried some eggs for the bagels) and particularly liked the sharp twang from the swiss. It goes without saying that Sargento's natural cheese beat out the radioactive orange, high sodium processed cheese (although I do admit that I love that salty and perfectly meltable orange stuff, just as I love cheese in can and cheez whiz).
All in all, I'd say my mother-in-law and I had a pretty fun time bonding over our opinions about these new products, and would now buy a few of those products for ourselves on a regular basis. Have you tried these items? What do you think of them? And yes, you can now call me a "sell out."
There are several things I love about San Diego. First, is Kirk from Mmm-Yoso!! He is classy, friendly, very sweet, and the best "O.G." food blogger of the blogosphere.
And a very distant second San Diego love for me, are the fish tacos. I believe that San Diego is the type of city that you could go anywhere and get an awesome fish taco. A fancy restaurant? Guaranteed. A food truck? Absolutely. A gas station? Okay, yes, even that too. Honestly, you could look in a random bucket on the street and find a delicious fish taco just waiting to be eaten.
Several years ago, I passed through San Diego while on a business trip. (Although I did say I was behind on posting, I am hoping you didn't notice the "several years ago" part.) Since Kirk was out of town on a vacation to Southeast Asia, I decided to spend some time with my second fiddle in San Diego, the San Diego fish taco, and hit up a place featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives ("Triple D"), the Blue Water Seafood Market and Grille. (Side Note: Although a lot of people think Guy is obnoxious middle-aged douche bag desperately trying to act young and cool, he reminds me a lot of my high school English teacher, so I actually find him quite endearing. Hey, give him points for trying!)
Since a meal in San Diego without a fish taco is like a game of checkers without the black (and red) pieces, I had to order the fish tacos, which, as Triple D indicated, came with a grilled fillet of fish dressed with a marinade of canned chipotle peppers, garlic, butter, and oregano. The grilled tortilla base was spackled with melted cheddar cheese, and loaded with the fish, an ample mound of shredded cabbage, chopped tomatoes, minced red onions, scallion ringlets, and a squiggle of sour cream. I had ordered the "halibut" version of the taco, and true to the claims of Triple D, the fish was firm, flaky, and fresh ("Triple F").
While the fish taco at Blue Water wasn't necessary the best I have had, it was fresh. Indeed, you could tell that it would be fresh when you entered the restaurant/market to see a seafood case stocked with fish (caught just that day) being displayed on crushed ice. If I am ever back in San Diego, the Blue Water is definitely worth a repeat visit, but this time, with Kirk!
Also, as a big side note, my in-laws (my husband's family) have just started up a food blog! Go visit! It is Piqqy Piggy!
My friend recently got married, and as one of her bridesmaids, I had the pleasure of helping to organize her bridal shower. The maid of honor, the other bridesmaids, and I primarily derived inspiration for the bridal shower from a blog post on an Alice In Wonderland themed shower (by a food blogger who went to school with my husband) and the Queen of Tea Parties, Wandering Chopsticks.
During our hunt for decorations, the maid of honor found an incredible set of matching invitations and "Eat Me" and "Drink Me" party labels on Etsy and a pack of Alice In Wonderland playing cards, and we went to town on using these items to make the tablescape come alive. We downloaded images from Lewis Carroll's books and slid them into apothecary jars filled with candy, and peppered the table with candies and paper daisies. Check out the tea sandwich recipes and more party pictures below!
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
2 8oz pkgs of cream cheese, softened
1 bundle of fresh dill
2 tsp salt (or salt to taste)
1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced (with peel and seeds intact)
1 loaf of white bread, sliced and with crusts removed
Using the sharp blade of a knife, scratch off/separate the soft dill fronds from the woody stems, and finely mince the fronds. Whip the dill and salt into the cream cheese, and combine thoroughly. Taste and adjust salt accordingly. Spread each slice of white bread with a thin coat of the cream cheese spread and a layer the bread with the cucumber slices. Assemble the sandwiches, making sure that both the upper and lower slices of bread have a thin coat of the spread. Slice the sandwiches into quarters, diagonally. Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper until time to serve, to keep the bread soft.
Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
1 dozen of boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 cup of spicy mustard
1/4 cup of sweet pickle relish
1 tsp of black pepper
1 loaf of white bread, sliced and with crusts removed
Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, relish, and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Generously spread each slice of white bread with a heaping layer the egg salad mixture and assemble the sandwiches by topping the sandwich with another slice of white bread. Slice the sandwiches into quarters, diagonally. Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper until time to serve, to keep the bread soft.
At tea parties, it is important to provide guests with a varied selection of teas. If you keep your pantry stocked with classic teas (such as black tea, green tea, chai tea, and other spiced teas) you should be in good shape. If you are looking to purchase some additional teas and are adventurous, try some great loose-leaf Asian teas (such as jasmine, tung ting, pouchong, and ti kuan yin), and robustly flavored teas such as rooibos and roses, cream Earl Grey, and ginseng. If these tea options sound too overwhelming, do not worry, just do what we did and pick up a variety pack of Bigelow (Celestial Seasonings, or Twinings) teas and you should be good to go for your tea party. (I used to totally shun Bigelow teas, but since we have them at work, I have taken quite a "liking" to some of their flavors.)
Also, another great party time-saver is preparing a crudite platter. I used to prepare all of the vegetables on my own (by washing, peeling, and cutting up carrot and celery sticks), but my husband taught me the error of my ways by showing me how easy it is to open a bag of baby carrots and grape tomatoes and pouring them onto a platter. Take it from me, it is well worth the time and money to take this shortcut.
And there you have it! I hope the pictures gave you some ideas for a tea party or shower you will be holding in the near future!
Ever since I married a DC-native, he and his family have attempted to convince me to move to the East Coast and also, convert me to love all things East Coast. Sometimes, I can see his point, but sometimes, we simply have to agree to disagree.
For instance, he vehemently lauds the merits of burgers from the up and coming chain, Five Guys. He believes they serve the juiciest, meatiest, and the overall best burger in America. So when I went to visit his family, I made huge effort to try these so-called "Best Burgers in America." Unfortunately, as I posted before, I failed to understand the hype. Yes, Five Guys have a huge variety of free toppings (like hot sauce, grilled mushrooms, and grilled onions), but the toppings are not unlimited and bountiful like Fuddruckers. Also, I like that they serve the burger with a sesame seed bun and in foil, but the foil made the burger bun mushy and squished. Finally, the burgers are a little too pricey (for my taste) for a standard hamburger chain.
As a West Coast native myself, I have always adhered to the adage that In-N-Out burgers are superior to all other burgers. First off, they are cheap. Second, they taste pretty darn good and hit the spot when you are hungry.
Top and bottom left pictures courtesy of M.P. and J.P.My husband and I have talked to our friends and acquaintances, and have discovered that East Coast transplants love the juicy (and, in my mind, "grease-soaked") burgers from Five Guys (and the Cajun seasoned fries, free peanuts, and copious topping options), while West Coast natives love the simplicity of In-N-Out burgers and fries. So my husband and I decided to settle our dispute once and for all, and planned a "taste off" or "throwdown," just like those taste tests in the 1980s between Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
Indeed, as we were planning our "taste off," Zagat published its findings on hamburger chains, and crowned Five Guys to be the victor as the best hamburger chain in America. Given that there are many more Five Guys restaurants in America than In-N-Out restaurants, I was not going down without a fight. I wanted to test for myself which burger reigns supreme--by polling the taste buds of my trusted friends. (However, I agree that In-N-Out's bland-o-rama fries taste like Styrofoam or cardboard, so I conceded the fries category in advance.)
Me, my husband, and a large group of our friends decided to meet in Fremont, California, where they just opened a new Five Guys within walking distance of In-N-Out. My husband and I picked up the In-N-Out burgers (with some "animal style," some regular) and met our friends at the outdoor seating area of Five Guys, where we ordered our custom burgers and toppings.
As a part of the "taste off," we asked the participants to complete written surveys rating the appearance of the burgers, the quality of the meat, the texture of the bun, the freshness of the toppings, and their overall impression. I will be honest, since we asked many D.C. natives to participate, I really thought Five Guys would emerge as the winner. But I was pleasantly surprised when we tallied the votes! The best part, is that some random guy stopped at our table and threw in his vote as well (for In-N-Out) and the owner of Five Guys came out (to check why we brought In-N-Out burgers to his restaurant) and said he was interested in the results.
Memorable comments from the Burger Showdown survey:
Comments for Five Guys
- "Meatylicious"
- "Five Guys all the way!"
- "Best EVER!!"
- "Tastes like a backyard burger, nothing memorable"
In response to survey question regarding "presentation," a participant responded:
- "foil wrap makes it warm but because [it is] soggy, [it] looks like BK Whopper"
Comments for In-N-Out
- "More balanced, suited to a more sophisticated palate."
- "I like the extra sauces [at Five Guys] BUT... I *CRAVE* In-N-Out"
- "IN N OUT ALL THE WAY"
In response to survey question regarding "feeling in stomach afterwards?"
- In-N-Out feels "like butterflies in stomach"
Verbal comment: "In N Out is etched in my memory"
ULTIMATE TALLY:
Five Guys = 6 Votes
In-N-Out = 11 Votes (+ 1 vote from a random guy who decided to tell us he liked In-N-Out better while carrying a Five Guys as take-out)
Undecided/Tie = 1 Vote
So there you have it! The results of our little democratic experiment illustrates that In-N-Out really does have the best burger in America! Please comment and let me know your vote!
P.S. To distinguish between which burger is from In-N-Out and which burger is from Five Guys, the burgers with the sesame buns are from Five Guys.
When I lived in New Orleans, I was enthralled by that wonderful city. One of my favorite things to do every weekend, was to visit the famed Café Du Monde in the French Quarter for golden-brown beignets dusted with powdered sugar and a café au lait with milk and chicory. I also greatly enjoyed riding the streetcar into the Uptown area for a satisfying seafood brunch. Whatever breakfast I enjoyed, I would always have the opportunity to listen to the live jazz music in the background. Just as in many other parts of the country, in New Orleans, breakfast is the most important meal of the day--even though other meals are also important!
When I received an email that Foodbuzz was donating the proceeds of this month's "24 X 24" competition to help the people in the Gulf affected by the oil spill, I decided to emerge from my hiatus from blogging to celebrate their generosity. I planned a quick New Orleans-themed breakfast for a small group of friends. I wanted them to appreciate the food from the Gulf Coast, and thus, perhaps gain an awareness of how the oil spill is affecting the people and culture in the area.
Breakfast Menu
Creole Omelets
Bananas Foster French Toast
Golden-Brown Beignets
Buttery Grits
Corn Muffins
Café Du Monde Coffee
Mimomas
For breakfast parties, I always try to take as many shortcuts as possible. You do not want to have to wake up at 5:00am in the morning for a party! So the day before, I made as many things as I could in advance, including corn muffins from a package. I also peeled the shrimp and precooked the shrimp, Creole-style. I also took the easy route for the "buttery grits with Gulf shrimp," and purchased instant buttery grits, so the day of, I would not have to slave over a hot stove top making sure there were no lumps!
Another time-saver, was purchasing premade beignets from the store and coating them with powdered sugar. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to easily purchase authentic beignets in San Francisco because of my tight schedule, so I did the unthinkable--I bought plain donut holes instead. Thankfully, my guests did not openly express any disdain towards me at the table.
Immediately before the guests arrived, I brewed the coffee and poured the mimosas, so that they could quench their thirst as they began to mingle.
For the breakfast party, I selected two relatively easy dishes to make: Creole Omelets and Bananas Foster French Toast. I began making both items about 2 hours before my guests arrived. The recipes are as follows:
Creole Omelets
10 extra-large chicken eggs, beaten
2 red bell peppers, de-seeded, cored, and diced
1 yellow onion, minced
2 Louisiana hot link sausages, diced
1/2 lb cooked Creole Shrimp
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
6 tbsp vegetable oilTabasco sauce, to taste
Zatarain's Creole Seasoning, to taste
Heat a non-stick pan to high heat, and swirl 1 tbsp of oil in the pan. Sautee the onions, bell peppers, and sausages until the onions are translucent and red from the bell peppers. Set aside.
In another small non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp of the oil until shimmering. Put about 1/5 of the beaten eggs inside the pan, and swirl the egg so that it coats the bottom of the pan and begins to solidify. When the egg begins to set, carefully flip the egg pancake over in the pan, being careful not to break the pancake. Then, place about 2-3 tbsp of the mixture and several shrimps on 1/2 of the egg pancake. Sprinkle the shrimp with shredded cheese.
After a few minutes, when the egg begins to fully set and brown, quickly fold the egg pancake over the topping and onto a plate.
Also, French toast is a crowd-pleaser, and very easy to make. Not only is "French" toast a popular dish in the French-influenced Louisiana area, but for an even more New Orleans-centric twist, enjoy your French toast with Bananas Foster, rather than maple syrup!
Bananas Foster French Toast
5 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup of milk
10-12 slices of whole wheat bread
5 tbsp of vegetable oil
4 large bananas, quartered
1 stick of butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
1/4 cup rum
vanilla ice cream
Beat the eggs together with the milk. Meanwhile, heat one tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan. Working quickly, dunk the bread into the egg mixture and fry it in the pan, turning when the side touching the pan begins to brown. Add more of the oil as you work in batches. When all of the French toast is cooked, plate it on a platter and set it aside.
Next, heat the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a pan on low heat. Quickly place the bananas in the pan (you can also leave the bananas uncooked and pour the mixture over the pan, but that is not traditional) and then the alcohol. If you feel comfortable, use a long-necked lighter or torch to quickly light the alcohol in the pan and let it burn off. Or, you can just let the mixture cook for a while, letting the alcohol evaporate without the flames.
When finished, serve the French toast with vanilla ice cream, and spoon the mixture and bananas over the toast and ice cream.
As my guests and I conversed, we discussed how New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Region is known for its unique culture, cuisine, and generous people. Now more than ever, we need to applaud and recognize this culture and continue to assist the people living in the area by supporting their economy. After Hurricane Katrina and now the oil spill, the people there have been hit by tragedy after tragedy. Many of my friends and family from the area are closing their business after the spill. Please continue to support and help the Gulf community in anyway you can in light of the oil spill. I hope my breakfast party somehow inspired you regarding Louisiana cuisine and the beauty of Louisiana people.
