Meals On Wheels: Manayunk StrEAT Festival

April 17, 2013

Food Trucks: One of the Greatest Contributions to Mankind

This past Sunday The Manayunk StrEAT Festival hosted many food trucks in the area. Visitors could try everything from crepes to pulled pork.
My gastronomic gang met up at Lucky’s Last Stand to pre-game with a fine beer. First I tried a Merry Monk, which was tasty as all get out. 
 
Merry Monk Weyerbacher Beer

MINE! Enjoying a Merry Monk Weyerbacher Beer.

 
By the way, one bad thing about meeting friends at a bar before you head out to eat is that the impossibility of everyone finishing their beer at the same time. When someone heads to the bathroom or answers their cell phone, my companions and I had to order another beer.

Let’s Eat at the Trucks! Who Would Have Thought That Would be a Thing?

So awhile later with a belly full of beer, we headed out to Main Street to check out the food trucks. I zeroed in on  Say Cheese a grilled cheese-themed food truck, and my friends tried other that only sold ice cream, cupcakes, and more! No matter what you had a craving for it could be found in Manayunk that day.
I settled on Sum Pig and ordered Al Pastor. It was a paper bowl of marinated smoked pork loin with strawberry, pineapple, and cilantro salsa on a grilled corn tortilla.
 

Dining on Sum Pig

 

 
I’m sad to say that I feel deprived that I can’t feast at Sum Pig every day. On the other hand, I’m sure my blood pressure and waistline appreciates it.
The meat was tender and juicy. Although the salsa sounds more on the sweet side, it benefited the smoky flavors of the pork. The tortilla had a bit more flavor because it was on the bland side. It seems slightly dampened by the other flavors of the meal.
I wish it was a little bit spicier. I know everyone doesn’t like or appreciate a kick in their pork, but a side condiment of Tabasco or Sriracha would have put it over the top easily.
Here’s my friend’s Buffalo Chicken Nachos. She feasted on handmade corn chips topped with cheese, spicy buffalo chick and a bit of blue cheese. It took willpower for me not to stand in line and buy my own. It’s illegal to drink on the city street, but those nachos deserved a high-end beer to go along with it.

 

buffalo chicken nachos

Tunisia dines on Buffalo Chicken Nachos

If you visit the bi-annual Manayunk StrEAT Festival be prepared to wait in long lines and have cash ready. No matter what you are craving for you’ll find it and then some.

Make It Work

March 23, 2013

I hear baking is hard from folks all the time. Usually, I pooh-pooh the sentiment and say it’s actually quite easy with practice. Although there are some things I just can’t get the hang of like French macaroons.
Other times the problem does not lie with the baker’s skill; the issue is the recipe.
I have bookmarks to so many cooking sites and written recipes that I have traded to other cooks like kids used to trade Pokémon cards. Some of them are phenomenal at the first attempt, others are “meh,” and there are some that are “now I know what nightmares taste like.”
The recipes that are worth saving, I work on what can be done to save it or make it better.
In this case…red velvet donuts.
One of my favorite bakeries sold red velvet donuts for a brief time. Apparently, I was the only person eating them. Since I worked there, I ate them for free. Obviously, they were not moneymakers so they were soon discontinued.
I have never forgotten my love of those red velvet donuts. Oddly there is a big red velvet trend when it comes to celebratory cakes and cupcakes, but marketing other items out of red velvet like brownies, cookies, et cetera, hasn’t caught on like the bacon trend. Dunkin’ Donuts sells them seasonally, but come on. …
So I decided to make my own donuts to feed my gluttony. The recipe I found online was okay, but I think donuts should taste like an indulgence and do more than satisfy a craving. Since it seemed to be a problem with the moistness, I added plain yogurt to kick up the fattiness.
A quarter of a cup did not do much at all and a full cup gave me a mess. A third of a cup did the trick. One little change to the recipe made all of the difference.
I think another thing with baking that frightens people (I’m looking at you, hot side!) that they think there are stringent rules to stick to. I don’t think Marie-Antonin Carême will rise from his grave to give you the side eye if you doctor a recipe to suit your tastes.
So you are okay.

Bitter Words, But Oh So Sweet: Anti-Valentine’s Day Cookies

February 14, 2013

My three faithful blog readers know that I’ve always been a dating idiot. I’m not very versed in “The Game.” As men always complain that women want the “bad boys,” I can make the same argument regarding them. I don’t know what men I’m attracted to want, but it’s certainly not me. Anti-Valentine’s Day cookies are needed for constant singletons like me.

Continue Reading…

An Traditional Favorite Gets A Remarkable Twist

December 18, 2012

To find someone who dislikes ice cream (or any frozen confectionery) would be an arduous task. Everyone has their favorite treats and it seems once in a while someone tries to make something old into a new and improved item.

The newest kid on the block takes the form of Foam Floaterie. This ice cream float shop offers handmade ice creams, sodas, popsicles, and ice cream sandwiches. There are flavors that everyone is familiar with like vanilla, but your taste buds will be taken to a new plane of existence with treats like bourbon sweet potato, root beer, and peanut butter and jam ice creams.

Unlike mass-produced ice cream, Owner Tish Smith makes every batch by hand without chemicals or preservatives. The custom-made frozen custard desserts is a re-creation of a high-end restaurant plated dessert. You don’t have to dig into your closets for your fanciest duds to try a scoop (or two) of ice cream in any combination or in the form of an ice cream float!

During my visited, I tried every flavor but was drawn to the sweet potato and mole chocolate. The sweet potato was like a scoop of pie sans crust, but of course, colder and creamer.

The mole chocolate was listed as “not for the faint of heart.” Personally, I’m up for any flavor challenge. Rich and creamy as well, this ice cream is a rich darker chocolate. It’s after you savor the flavor after the first swallow you’ll notice a slight the Mexican spiciness mole is known for. This ice cream seems was specially made to battle of the chill of winter.

I had a scoop of each flavor topped with a shot of espresso the Foam Floaterie calls Affogato. The mix of the ice creams complemented the strength of the Italian coffee.

Along with ice creams, Foam offers sodas made hand-crafted, flavored syrups. You will find ginger ale, apple cider, and tangerine, but the difference with these sodas from ones you find bottled is that, again like everything else, they’re made with natural and organic ingredients.

Ice cream isn’t just for the warmer months or to be found in a musical truck. Not a fan of soda? Bring in your own beer and make a truly adult float. Imaging a Guinness with a scoop for your favorite ice cream.

Parking: Metered and pay parking lots
Recommendation: A new take on frozen treats

Sugar-Free (Not Flavor Free) Apple Pie

February 26, 2012

My Sugar-Free Apple Pie. Not the crust may also raise blood sugar levels.
Sugar-Free Apple Pie

Another way I’m going to renew my passion for pastry is directing my attention to the people who cannot or prefer not to eat sweets.

I have diabetics in my family and among my friends. I want to dazzle them with my skills as a pastry chef, but unfortunately they have to sit on the sidelines and appreciate the appearance and scent without indulging.

By the way, in my experience as a pastry chef I have noticed that the staff always turned their nose up and stated that they don’t like desserts, but when there were extra scrapes you better watch your fingers!

What I’m trying to say … most people do like desserts whether they want to admit it or not.

My dad is an apple pie aficionado. [Insert Preferred Higher Power] help you of you give him a slice with a nasty crust and hard apples. He takes his pie very seriously.

So I tried my hand at it. Voilà! I survived another day.

This apple pie recipe isn’t completely sugar free. The organic apple juice and fresh apples both contain fructose.  Also, the carbs from the crust is known to raise sugar levels. My dad checked his sugar levels and said his reading was no higher than usual after he eats a meal.

This pie isn’t as sweet as a “regular” pie, but it does satisfy your sweet tooth. Also if you do have an insatiable sweet tooth pair it with some vanilla ice cream. You will be happy without going into sugar shock.

This recipe was taken from Taste of Home Sugar-Free Apple Pie. The only things I changed were the apples. I used red delicious instead because it’s my favorite when using apple pie. The sweetener used is xylitol.

The xylitol did not leave an after taste that I’ve found in aspartame or saccharine. I don’t know why saccharine is still on the market … it tastes like hate!

 

High Tea at the Rittenhouse Hotel

March 28, 2011

Granted I’m more of bawdy broad than a lady, but since it’s the same gender I think it’s close enough.

I always wanted to try a real high tea and fortunately I have several friends to join me for this new experience. High tea is a traditionally from Britain that takes a person from the lunch to dinner. Think of it as light brunch in the late afternoon.

I chose The Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia for our event. The hotel hosts the tea seven days a week from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Dress is casual, but Dexter and I chose to glam it up since we don’t do these sort of things very often. Trust me I was thinking of buying a parasol and lace gloves for the event.

We were sat in the Mary Casset dining room where a table set with cheerful china were waiting for us. The room was bright and sunny on this chilly March day. We can see the soon-to-be blooming gardens from where we sat. I mentally made note that we must try this again in May when everything will be warm and colorful outdoors.

Our menu allowed us several options: A commemorative menu for the marriage of Prince William of Wales, which consisted of a pot of tea, finger sandwiches, delicate pastries, and petit fours. The Kate Middleton’s selection was comprised of tea, pastries, and petit fours. Lastly the a la carte included either pastries, finger sandwiches, petit fours, or special selections.

 

Three of us chose Prince William and my other friend chose the a la carte. You clearly cannot go wrong in whatever you choose.

The Rittenhouse made provisions for the vegetarians in the group. I, on the other hand, have no problems eating most things. The sandwiches delivered were smoked salmon, cucumber, cantaloupe, with minted mascarpone cheese on pumpernickel, traditional egg salad on a firm white bread, chicken salad-caesar style on a mini croissant.

The sweets included were chocolate dipped strawberries (what’s not to like about that unless you don’t like chocolate or strawberries, and if so, more for me!); lemon pyramids – a lemon custard on a butter cookie base; chocolate madeleines with a creamy raspberry filling; and profiteroles (cream puffs to the commoner).

Lastly we were given currant scones with lemon curd, devonshire cream, and fruit preserves all served on a three tiered tray.

 

The best part is the selection of teas. The menu included a tea for every taste. I chose the tropical green tea. Not too light or too heavy and with the hint of berries and mango intermingling with green tea. Served our own pot which was good because we all chose a different selection. I think none of us were interested in sharing.

It was a lovely but brisk Sunday to have an out-of-normal experience for a middle-class American. The food was fulfilling, but you did not leave filling stuffed. The Rittenhouse Hotel will make gluten-free and vegetarian selections if given enough notice. They welcome parties from 1 to 20.

It’s a lovely tradition that isn’t stifled in pomp and circumstance. I’m looking forward to attending my next high tea.

The Rittenhouse Hotel
210 W. Rittenhouse Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19103
T. 800-635-1042 or 215-546-9000
F. 215-732-3364

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