Best Bites of 2011 #6-10

I should preface this post by saying that my "Best Bites" idea was inspired by a Todd Kliman article in the Washingtonian called "Top 10 Food Memories of 2011."  So there you have it.

In hindsight, I wish I could have devoted entire posts to some of these memories.  If only time had been more generous and TV shows less addicting.

So prepare yourself for another session of information overload :)  Here is the second half of my...

BEST BITES OF 2011 (Cont'd)  

A Baptism and some Barbecue.  In July of 2011, "cuteness" materialized in the form of a sweet little bundle named Claire, and in early September, Patrick and I were given the privilege of becoming her godparents.  

I shared some details of the ceremony in my post The Joys of Godparenthood.  But what I did not elaborate on was the celebratory feast later that night.  Of course Kansas City (where the baptism took place) is well-known as one of the top four places in the country for BBQ along with Memphis, the Carolinas, and Texas.  These distinct BBQ styles differ in terms of types of meat, sauces (vinegary, sweet, spicy, tomato-based, etc.), rubs, and cooking methods (smoked, grilled, braised, baked, etc.)  

Kansas City BBQ.  Photo from here.

According to Wikipedia, Kansas City BBQ dates back to the early 1900's and is unique for its liberal use of a sweet and spicy tomato and molasses based sauce.  It is generally slow-smoked over a variety of woods (mostly hickory) and is characterized by its use of several kinds of meat (since there are apparently a lot of different packing houses in Kansas City due to its proximity to railroads).

We ended up eating a smorgasbord of different meats and side dishes ordered from Fiorella's Jack Stack BBQ.  This place is definitely among the most well-known of Kansas City BBQ, boasting a Zagat rating for #1 BBQ house in the country.  It has also been featured on the Food Network and the History Channel's "Modern Marvels."

Suffice it to say the food was delicious, as was the company.  It was a sweet ending in celebration of one sweet girl.

10-Minute Miracle.   Many a night in 2011, I returned home after 7PM, too exhausted from a long day of work to even contemplate what to have for dinner.  Sound familiar?

Enter "Dumpling Soup."  This was our go-to meal of 2011 when we didn't want to spend the money on fast food or the calories on grilled cheese and mac-n-cheese.  In my humble opinion, it gets high marks for ease, affordability, wellness, and taste.  

Chicken dumplings, chicken stock, spinach

Dumpling soup basically consists of two ingredients that I make a point to always keep on hand:  frozen dumplings and low-sodium stock (chicken, vegetable, or beef).  I like using Trader Joe's potstickers because they don't contain MSG.  

The meal is as simple as throwing the frozen dumplings into the stock and boiling it for 5-10 minutes until the dumplings are heated through.  At this point, feel free to add whatever you have in your fridge or pantry - frozen corn, shredded carrots, garlic, red pepper flakes, chili oil, onion, spinach, eggs, scallions, etc.  I usually add a healthy splash of soy sauce and aji-mirin to give it an "Asian" flavor.  And if we're feeling particularly wild, we sometimes add a package of ramen noodles (just the noodles, not the spice pack) or some buckwheat noodles for a heartier soup.

Now you know my secret to a 10-minute meal :)

Foie Gras & Truffles.  There are meals like the aforementioned "Dumpling Soup" that can be praised for their convenience and affordability.  On the other side of the spectrum, there are foods like Foie Gras and Truffles, which are celebrated because of their rareness, priciness, and are reserved for only special occasions.

On the last day of Phase 2, right before entering our externships, we were treated to a meal of Foie Gras and Truffles, which we ate with a sparkling glass of Champagne.

These truffles were not the sweet chocolate ganache confections coated in powdered sugar or cocoa powder.  The truffles we dined on were the rare mushroom specimens found underground that can cost hundreds of dollars.  Known as the "diamond in the kitchen," these are highly prized earthy gems, considered a great delicacy throughout history and modern times.

Black Truffles.  Photo from here.

Interesting fact about truffles:  Finding truffles in the wilderness can be tricky and traditionally requires a specially trained female pig to locate them.  Apparently there is something in the truffle similar to a sex pheromone found in boar saliva that attracts the pig (yum).  The problem is that the pig has a tendency to eat the truffle once found, so nowadays dogs can also be trained to hunt them. 

Truffles are usually served in small amounts, grated over a dish to finish it or used to infuse sauces and oils.  In class we were given a precious pile of shavings, which was plenty as they are very potent.

The second part of our meal, Foie Gras, was much more bittersweet (figuratively speaking).  Foie Gras is the enlarged liver of a duck or goose.  It is produced by force-feeding corn mash to the animal through a tube over a span of 12-18 days until its liver grows to be 6-10 times its ordinary size, lending an intensely rich, buttery, fatty flavor.

Seared Foie Gras.  Photo from here.

Of course there is a raging moral debate worldwide over whether or not this is ethical, and this delicacy has been banned in places like California (taking effect this year) and at one point was banned in Chicago (which only lasted 2 years).

The chefs at our school insisted that this process was natural and did not harm the animals - the ducks naturally have expansive throats that allow them to store large amounts of food and digest it later for winter migration.  And suppliers insist on being "humane" in their methods.  Personally I don't agree with this method, but, then again, I also don't really agree with a lot of the ways animals are treated before they make it to our plates.

Still, I was grateful for the opportunity to try this dish.  I think as an aspiring chef, you have to be open-minded and try everything that's out there and understand where it comes from.  At the same time, I think this may have been my first and last taste of foie gras, though it will always be remembered in a special, celebratory way.

Pan de Maiz.  The latter half of 2011 was spent at my externship, where I still currently work.  The one thing I will recall from my experience here will be the mountains of cornbread muffins (our complimentary bread) that are made on a daily basis, which are always labeled "Pan de Maiz" thanks to all my amigos and amigas I work with.  

Source

It must be an amusing sight watching me make these muffins at work as it involves combining large quantities of flour, sugar, and cornmeal in a giant mixer in the corner of the prep room... you know it was me who made the cornbread that day as I somehow always manage to leave a trail of flour and sugar throughout the room.  The most challenging part is when the batter is finished and I have to carry (or rather drag, since we don't have carts) the giant mixer bowl to the center of the room and heave it onto a table to be poured into storage containers.  You should really see my guns these days...

There is no real secret ingredient involved in making these muffins... just a magical combination of flour, sugar, corn meal, corn flour, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and oil.  My parents got to try these out when they came to visit in December.  And over Christmas I made a batch for the in-laws.  I've also made them on a number of occasions for parties and they always seem to be a hit.  It's just not a party anymore without Pan de Maiz.

And for the final food highlight of 2011, I present to you... 


The McRIB. 

 Totally just kidding.  


Though I did eat my first McRib this year, it falls into an entirely different category of "meals of 2011 I wish to forget."  OK it wasn't that bad.  (But, really, it wasn't great). 


The final food memory I'm going to end on is...  

The Inn at Little Washington.  Last year Patrick and I celebrated our 2-year wedding anniversary with a meal at The Inn at Little Washington, a cozy award-winning restaurant tucked into a tiny nearby town known as Washington, VA (called "Little Washington" because of its close proximity to Washington D.C.).  This restaurant has some serious accolades behind its name, and after our experience there, I can see why.  

You can read more details on our meal in my post Two Down, A Lifetime to Go.

While I loved the scallops, the veal cheeks, and the dark chocolate soufflé, my favorite was probably the truffle popcorn.  I've always loved upscale takes on down-home comfort foods and this one definitely satisfied that.

Truffle Popcorn, 

after I ate all the truffle shavings off the top

Popcorn box with the Inn at Little Washington logo

Plus, Patrick and I both love popcorn and ate a lot of it last year, so it was only appropriate that we celebrate our anniversary by eating something we often eat together, but with a lavish twist.


Even though Benjamin Franklin crashed our party with several guest appearances after our meal ended, the experience really was priceless and helped set the standard for upcoming anniversaries (right Patrick?).  Can't wait to see what 2012, aka Anniversary #3 has in store! :)

oo,