Le Canard, Le Canard, l'Oie....

Duck, Duck, Goose...

So as some of you may know my favorite food in the whole world is foie gras ...

Foie Gras - (pronounced /fwaːˈgraː/ in English; French for "fat liver") is the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fed. Foie gras is a popular and well-known delicacy in French cuisine. Its flavour is described as rich, buttery, and delicate, unlike that of a regular duck or goose liver. Foie gras is sold whole, or is prepared into mousse, parfait, or pâté (the lowest quality), and may also be served as an accompaniment to another food item, such as steak or salad. In fact, French law states that "Foie gras belongs to the protected cultural and gastronomical heritage of France."

As you all may also know during my last trip to Surfas in Culver City I acquired 3 slices of foie gras. Though it's my favorite I've never had it anywhere but in restaurants. So this was my chance to create my favorite dish at home!!!!!

TIME TO COOK!

Challenges:
foie gras is super temperamental, you can freeze it and it will keep but, when you start to handle it the meat becomes weak. Think about butter, the more you handle it, the more it melts; which is what happens with foie gras. The parallel continues when you add heat, foie gras melts super fast...

1st attempt 1/26/10
So my first attempt didn't go very well. I blame it on me being so excited. I forgot to salt and pepper my medallion of foie gras before i threw it in the pan, it's a simple gesture but so important. My pan was definitely hot enough for a sear but i think that the medallion had been sitting at room temperature too long. As soon as the piece hit the pan it melted down to a very small piece. One recipe said to add butter if this happened but that really didn't help...Fail!
Once i got it out of the pan the foie gras had a bitter taste due to burning and just not being seasoned....Fail....soo sad!

2nd attempt 1/27/10
This time I focused on the searing. I'm convinced its the key to cooking such a delicate piece of meat. I made sure to generously salt and pepper the medallion as well as score the top and bottom so the heat could penetrate and caramelize in to nice crust on the surface. I made sure the pan was extremely hot but this time I turned the actual burner off during cooking. 50 seconds on both sides then 10 and 10 and..................... SUCCESS!!!
Though it wasn't the all time best foi gras it was so good because I made it! It had that smooth buttery taste that only foie gras can have... the true experience of umami.... I'm totally in my happy place!

Other culinary highs of the day:

I stopped by the Empanada's Place and picked up 2 yummy empandadas. At $2.99 each these little argentinian pies are such a yummy treat. They have 16+ different options, I tried the Spicy Cheesey Beef & Lemon Herb Beef! Sooo good ... When ever you want a yummy snack check it out!

My co-worker Jordan (waves at Jordan) is a foodie...and what does a foodie do when they are bored? They either watch a food show on tv, eat (of course), or cook something! And Jordan chose to cook his famous Carrot Cake Cookie Pies!!! THEY ARE SO GOOD!!!

They are very addictive and I suggest everyone try them next time you are bored!

• 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup coarsely grated carrots (2 medium)
• 1 scant cup walnuts (3 ounces), chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins (2 1/2 ounces) -Can be left out!
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup honey
  

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 2 baking sheets.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins at low speed, then add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 12 to 16 minutes total. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese and honey in a food processor until smooth.

Sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling in between.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT DINE LA!!!!There is alot of yummy food out there, so get to eating!!!

http://discoverlosangeles.com/play/dining/restaurantweek/aapart2010.jsp

<3

NomNom

J'veux ton amour Et je veux ton nourriture J'veux ton amour

J'veux ton amour Et je veux ton nourriture ...
I want your love and I want your food!!!

Last night I embarked on one of the best night I've had in a long time and it started out with, of course, AMAZING FOOD! I went with one of my good friends and his roommate to one of my all time favorites: Creme De La Crepe

Drink:They have a great wine selection but because we were going to a bar later we opted for water and I got one of their amazing Latte

What we ate:
Marine Crepe- fresh scallops and shrimps prepared in a white wine clam's sauce - DIVINE! Soo yummy the wine sauce has just the right amount of wine to complement the seafood.

Normandie Crepe- goat cheese spinach, proscuitto, grilled onions and sour cream - This wasn't my meal so I'm not to sure and I've never actually ordered it but I know that his plate was completely clean when we left *wink*

Escargots - MY ALL TIME FAVORITE! Sauteed in EVOO, tons of garlic, a lil parsley, and lemon. It's served with crusty bread to soak up the amazing infused olive oil! MUST TRY!

Though we didn't have dessert Creme (what the regulars call it) is an amzing place to get something sweet! Their Zidane - fresh strawberries, bananas, melted nutella and vanilla ice cream is awesome and my fav the Creme De La Crepe - bananas, nutella, coconut, "flambée" with grand marnier is fun to get because they pour the fire at your table.




After dinner we headed to West Hollywood to see the SHOWGIRLS Drag Show at Mickey's. Everyone should check it out they have awesome margaritas, martinis, and mojitos for $7.oo!!! And the show is honestly one of the best I've ever seen. You'll laugh, you cry, and you'll love each girl as they lip sync and perform to Whitney Huston, Lady Gaga and even Susan Boyle!!!

ALSO FOR YOU ALL OF MY FOODIE FOLLOWERS!!! DON'T FORGET ABOUT DINE LA!!!!There is alot of yummy food out there, so get to eating!!!

http://discoverlosangeles.com/play/dining/restaurantweek/aapart2010.jsp

<3 NomNom

Indulge yourself... Don't mind if I do

For those of you out there who were lucky enough to have a 3 day weekend like me; I hope you enjoyed your work-free Monday! Mine was full of lil indulgences that in the end put a lil dent in my paycheck but sooo worth while!!!! :)

It actually started off Sunday night! Dinner at Truxton's American Bistro for the reliably delicious Ancho Honey Glazed Shrimp with Wonton Pepita Slaw - soo good!

And then it was off to Creme De La Crepe for lattes, crepes, and vanilla ice cream covered in Bailey's - Perfect night cap let me tell you.
Everyone should really just go out and get a huge tub of their favorite vanilla ice cream and some Bailey's and enjoy the amazingness, it also makes an amazing milkshake combo (definitely will bring all the boys to the yard)

Today (Happy Birthday MLK) we headed to every foodie's playground: SURFAS

Located in Culver City this place is way better than Sur La Table or any other cooking "store", The Surfas warehouse is full of exciting things for foodies to play with. They have available the best of imported and domestic food items, high quality ingredients, commercial cookware, equipment, cutlery, specialty tools, china and glass ware, table top, packaging for food products, bakeware and plenty of ideas for using all of these items.

When you first walk in your eyes go straight to their Cheese and meats counter where you can find yummy stinky cheese and spicy coppa salami. From traditional blood sausage, fresh truffles (not the chocolate kind) and caviar to fresh Madagascar vanilla pods this place has everything at your finger tips.

My Purchases:

• 3 medallions of Foie Gras - (duck liver) I can't wait to sear it up and try some of the recipes I have ($28.00) not badly prices compared to some prices I've seen.
• Krinos Taramasalata - often called the "common man's caviar this Greek spread is a combination of tarama ( cod roe), lemon juice, and olive oil definitely an acquired taste you probably won't like it you don't like fish but otherwise sooo yummy!
• Mediterranean Sea Salt Crackers

After our Surfas adventure we headed to India Sweets & Spices on Venice where we looked around at the amazing assortment of Sweets and Indian food, this places awesome especially if you work in the area their Hot Food is quick easy and amazingly delicious I would recommend it if you love Indian food and are looking for a good bang for your buck.

Finally ready to EAT we headed to Backstage for their amazing Mac n' Cheese - Seriously the best Mac n' Cheese I've ever had. All three of us got it and every time we do its always a game to figure out what they put in it that makes it soo good. Creamy, cheesy, garlicky, and just all around to die for! YOU MUST TRY THIS MAC N' CHEESE!

We also go sliders (also yummy) and because it was Happy Hour the drinks and food were so cheap. Two Gin & Tonics and one Mac n' Cheese was around $11.00 without tip! This bar is awesome and everyone should really check it out! With a laid back atmosphere and great staff Backstage is the perfect place to go and watch the game after work or stretch your vocal cords when they have karaoke at 9pm!



We finished the night heading to Baskin Robins for a small Hot Fudge Sundae!!! God I love indulging :) Don't you?

<3 NOM NOM

Eat my words...

"I should be a food critic."

The words are out of my mouth in between my peach cocktail and my michelada... But its true, no reason to blame it on the alcohol, I really should be a food critic. Why? well because I love food!
I'm not one of those girls who loved shopping, shoes don't do it for me and though I have a weird obsession for all thing that glitter and shimmer I don't do "retail therapy" BUT I will drop my paycheck on seared foie gras and lavender creme brulee!

And I'm not the only one. I've found in my different circles of friends that there is a new crowd so to speak. Young, professional, fresh out the gate foodies! In the age range of 21-35, boys and girls, straight and gay.... foodies! And there are alot of us.

We work all week and we go home and flip on the food network or we google how to cook the fresh produce we picked up at the farmer's market! We are the new generation of Julia Childs and Martin Yans! We know what zesting is, we love when food is infused and innovative, and we go out looking for culinary enlightenment!

For example tonight accompanied by my fellow nommers a.k.a "foodies" we descended on West Hollywood gastropub "The Village Idiot" A pleasant mix of local bistro and British pub, the place was packed on a Saturday night and continued to fill up late into the night. Our mission: the restaurant's dark chocolate brownie with marshmallow layer!

Drink-wise we all had something different: We had 1 Hef, 1chardonnay, 1 cappuccino, 1 peach cocktail and 1michelada

Starters:
Chorizo stuffed bacon wrapped dates with a roasted red pepper sauce - yummy but nothing to phone home about I've made better but yummy just the same if you want something small and savory

Entrees:
Oak grilled hanger steak, fingerling potatoes, bloomsdale spinach, and horseradish cream - AMAZING - it was actually ordered as an alternate because they had run out of mussels, but it was extremely well cooked and perfectly paired with the sides and amazing sauce

Catfish with a pigeon peas and tomatoes - Ordered by our southern food specialist the catfish was cooked well but was overshadowed by the vegetables on the plate that were very aromatic and tasty

Warm goat cheese tart with frisee and citrus salad - Surprisingly fresh and bright tasting even though it was a warm cheese tart. Strong citrus flavor but not in a unpleasant or overpowering way. Wonderful choice if you want something light but fulfilling

Pan roasted maitake mushrooms on grilled ciabatta with a creme fraiche sauce - Amazingly savory and melt in your mouth good. Awesome small plate dish plus unlike most mushroom dishes you get a good helping of Mushrooms

Crispy pork belly on wilted greens with pickled apple - Kind of lack luster! The pork belly was perfectly good, it was really like any other pork belly I've had but the star of the plate turned out to be the thinly sliced pickled apple. Everyone at the table tried a piece and loved it! I would have just paid for a small plate of the pickled apple!!! LOL

Dessert:
Chocolate cinnamon bread pudding with Almond Gealto - Simply divine! The bread pudding was smooth and creamy, there were no weird crusty bits or ugly raisins just pure goodness topped off my an amazingly tasty gelato

Dark Chocolate walnut brownie with a burnt marshmallow top and Carmel - Obviously one of the stars of the show this was extremely decadent and every chocolate lovers dream

Overall a wonderful night out with friends and even though we came for dessert I think we all left really loving the middle of the meal! So my fellow foodies... EAT EAT EAT!!!
<3 Nom Nom