Here are the 2nd rounds of predictions and thoughts on Top Chef Season 5:
AppeTeaser
Next to go: Ariane (though I have a sneaking suspicion she could squeak by yet again)
Going all the way: Stefan
Love em: Jamie
Hate em: Ariane
ChiliHead
Next to go: Please!
Going all the way: Sticking with
Love em: Really starting to dig Team Euro...
Hate em: &
Bonus, best comment of the night: Padma, "I spit yours out into my napkin..."
Dying to try the
Cupcake
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em: TBD
Deep Throat
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em:
DoubleShot
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em:
Read more!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Could be the best season yet!
Stefan seems to be the one to beat in the new season of . Winning both the Quickfire (peeling apples) way ahead of the pack (at least according to the editing) and the elimination challenge (even though he had immunity to begin with) was a coop. You try his winning recipe for at home. Both Europeans are going to be formidable, but my money is on Gene who pulled Indian out of his a@#. He's self taught which makes him even more genius in my book. As for the two who were eliminated...
really - you made salad for the first bite of food that Tom Colicchio () is going to taste of your food? Interestingly they were classmates at CIA in Hyde Park, NY. When I saw that they had both been eliminated and they were friends, I thought that they had gone to some second rate school. Apparently they don't teach imagination at CIA. Tom actually gives Patrick a bit more credit saying that his technique is right, but that a student just doesn't have enough experience to compete in Top Chef. That, I would agree with.
Read more!
really - you made salad for the first bite of food that Tom Colicchio () is going to taste of your food? Interestingly they were classmates at CIA in Hyde Park, NY. When I saw that they had both been eliminated and they were friends, I thought that they had gone to some second rate school. Apparently they don't teach imagination at CIA. Tom actually gives Patrick a bit more credit saying that his technique is right, but that a student just doesn't have enough experience to compete in Top Chef. That, I would agree with.
Labels:
CIA,
Tom Colicchio,
Top Chef
Top Chef Season 5: Episode 1 (How do you like them apples)
Since many of us over here at DC Food Porn are going through election withdrawals, we decided that Top Chef was the next best thing to 22 months of politicking.
Starting tonight, and each subsequent week, we will offer of our predictions on who will get sent packing on the next episode, and who we predict to win it all (of course we'll tell you who we can't stand too).
Here are the first rounds of predictions and thoughts on Top Chef Season 5:
AppeTeaser
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em: TBD
ChiliHead
Next to go:
Going all the way: (he's international, he's little bit of d***, he has what it takes to go all the way)
Love em:
Hate em: can't say I hate anyone at this point, but and aren't my favorites
Cupcake
Next to go: Going all the way:
Love em: I'm catious with my love - maybe next week.
Hate em: No one yet, but that comment from about looking stuff up in books makes me wonder what she is doing on the show.
Deep Throat
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em:
DoubleShot
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em:
Read more!
Starting tonight, and each subsequent week, we will offer of our predictions on who will get sent packing on the next episode, and who we predict to win it all (of course we'll tell you who we can't stand too).
Here are the first rounds of predictions and thoughts on Top Chef Season 5:
AppeTeaser
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em: TBD
ChiliHead
Next to go:
Going all the way: (he's international, he's little bit of d***, he has what it takes to go all the way)
Love em:
Hate em: can't say I hate anyone at this point, but and aren't my favorites
Cupcake
Next to go: Going all the way:
Love em: I'm catious with my love - maybe next week.
Hate em: No one yet, but that comment from about looking stuff up in books makes me wonder what she is doing on the show.
Deep Throat
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em:
DoubleShot
Next to go:
Going all the way:
Love em:
Hate em:
Read more!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Magical Charleston
I went to in Baltimore last weekend to celebrate my wedding anniversary - 2 years - woo hoo! I highly recommend this special occasion restaurant by , nominated for two .
The food is great and the service is spectacular! The menu is unique in that you choose the number of courses (3,4,5) which you can have in the order of your choosing. Or you can choose the chefs recommendation, "Menu of the Moment". The plates get progressively larger although nothing is huge - the portions are exactly right. And, here's the kicker...if you want to substitute a course, even on the tasting menu, not only are they are fine with that, but they will re-pair the wines for you!
So we both went for the tasting menu which was a Shellfish Bisque, Salad of Baby Arugula, Pan-Roasted Wild Rockfish with Mushroom & Andoille Risotto, Pan-Roasted Virginia Quail, Pecan Stuffing and Whisky Sauce, Uplands Pleasant Ridge Cheese and Almond-Butterscotch Cake with Red Wine Paoched Seckel Pears and Maple-Ginger Ice Cream.
Read more!
The food is great and the service is spectacular! The menu is unique in that you choose the number of courses (3,4,5) which you can have in the order of your choosing. Or you can choose the chefs recommendation, "Menu of the Moment". The plates get progressively larger although nothing is huge - the portions are exactly right. And, here's the kicker...if you want to substitute a course, even on the tasting menu, not only are they are fine with that, but they will re-pair the wines for you!
So we both went for the tasting menu which was a Shellfish Bisque, Salad of Baby Arugula, Pan-Roasted Wild Rockfish with Mushroom & Andoille Risotto, Pan-Roasted Virginia Quail, Pecan Stuffing and Whisky Sauce, Uplands Pleasant Ridge Cheese and Almond-Butterscotch Cake with Red Wine Paoched Seckel Pears and Maple-Ginger Ice Cream.
I subbed the Oyster Stew special for the Shellfish Bisque. The oysters were plump and juicy. They tasted as if they had been placed into the stew after it was removed from the heat so that they were barely cooked. Yummy! I also got a Pan Seared Foie Gras with Duck Breast instead of the Quail. The Foie Gras was like a pillow of duck liver gently seared - rich and delicious!
An excellent choice for a special night out, but get a room in Baltimore - with a glass of wine paired with each course, you'll be glad not to drive. And with food this sensuous, you'll need a room.
Read more!
Labels:
Anniversary,
Baltimore,
Charleston,
Cindy Wolf,
James Beard
Marvin - How Sweet It (Sometimes) Is
Had my second Marvin experience this weekend and while I love the food, it is not without it's faults. You have to put up with a lot for some of the best scallops I have ever had. I made reservations a for 7pm Sunday for 5 people and was seated at 7:30. Now this is not so unusual for a DC restaurant, but not great. Our waiter was inattentive and judging by the smell, as pointed out by my daughter, he was spending more time out back smoking than he was serving. Luckily the busboy kept us in water
It is amazing to me that wait staff don't realize how much more they can sell if they return to the table a couple of times - we would have ordered more beer and wine and he would have had a bigger tip.
It is amazing to me that wait staff don't realize how much more they can sell if they return to the table a couple of times - we would have ordered more beer and wine and he would have had a bigger tip.
Enough with the complaining... I had the scallops appetizer and the frisee salad. Both were excellent. The scallops are large and exceptionally sweet and rich. Served on a bed of seared leeks with a very light buerre rouge, it is a perfect starter or accompanied by a salad, light meal. I also had the Apple Bacon Frisee Salad with Watercress and Roquefort. Overall it had great flavor although they should cut back on the cheese by about half. And that from a cheese-lover!
Others ordered the halibut, burger, chicken livers, and ribs and there were accolades on the food all-around. Perhaps the finest item on the menu that evening however, was the Salted Caramel Icecream. I am not a big dessert person, but I was wowed. The creamy texture and delightful salty sweetness had us all swooning. The banana bread pudding that came with it wasn't up to the task. We also ordered the chocolate icecream which was equally as good.
So sooth your service woes with a big bowl of homemade icecream. Mercy, Mercy Me.
Read more!Monday, November 10, 2008
Recipe: Vegetable Risotto Paella
I have finally been able to start cooking again, and my first venture back into the kitchen was pretty tasty. I made a variation of the on , but instead of couscous, I used risotto. It took a little bit of adjusting to the recipe, but it was a big hit. Full recipe is below the jump.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups canned vegetable broth
3 large plum tomatoes (about 10 ounces), seeded, coarsely chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup drained canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups (about 9 1/2 ounces) risotto
2 cups canned vegetable broth
3 tbs butter
3 tbs olive oil
½ onion
6 canned artichoke hearts, quartered
Sliced red bell pepper rings
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
Chopped fresh parsley
Preparation:
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and chopped bell peppers; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and paprika and sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and next 6 ingredients. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Take the pot off the heat and drain the vegetables in a strainer over a pot, retaining all the cooking liquid. Add additional vegetable stock until there is a total of 4 cups of liquid. In a separate pot sauté 1/2 onion in 3tbs olive oil, 3tbs butter for about 3 minutes until the onions are just about translucent. Next add, 1 1/2 cups risotto, sauté for 2 minutes. Then slowly add one cup a time of the vegetable cooking liquid, stirring and cooking constantly until the liquid has been absorbed. When you are down to the last half cup, integrate all the vegetables into the risotto, then add the last cup of liquid, stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Arrange artichoke hearts, red bell pepper rings and lemon wedges atop paella. Sprinkle parsley over and serve.
Read more!
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups canned vegetable broth
3 large plum tomatoes (about 10 ounces), seeded, coarsely chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup drained canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups (about 9 1/2 ounces) risotto
2 cups canned vegetable broth
3 tbs butter
3 tbs olive oil
½ onion
6 canned artichoke hearts, quartered
Sliced red bell pepper rings
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
Chopped fresh parsley
Preparation:
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and chopped bell peppers; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and paprika and sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and next 6 ingredients. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Take the pot off the heat and drain the vegetables in a strainer over a pot, retaining all the cooking liquid. Add additional vegetable stock until there is a total of 4 cups of liquid. In a separate pot sauté 1/2 onion in 3tbs olive oil, 3tbs butter for about 3 minutes until the onions are just about translucent. Next add, 1 1/2 cups risotto, sauté for 2 minutes. Then slowly add one cup a time of the vegetable cooking liquid, stirring and cooking constantly until the liquid has been absorbed. When you are down to the last half cup, integrate all the vegetables into the risotto, then add the last cup of liquid, stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Arrange artichoke hearts, red bell pepper rings and lemon wedges atop paella. Sprinkle parsley over and serve.
Read more!
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