tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73361464976157261032012-01-26T12:50:47.264-05:00all places and things deliciousLaurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.comBlogger3281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-52098987711816259482011-12-15T11:00:00.000-05:002011-12-15T11:00:00.749-05:00

Honest. Unselfconscious. Maybe a little playful, with a sense of humor. These are great qualities in people, and maybe even better qualities in food. That's why I've never been a fan of vegetarian and vegan dishes that pretend to be something they're not: I'm of the belief that the best vegan food is simply good food that happens not to have any animal products in it. Because of this, I never

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-60789871096881246142011-10-28T11:30:00.000-04:002011-10-28T11:30:02.592-04:00

So I think collectively as a culture, we've gotten over our revulsion to Brussels sprouts. If you haven't, maybe it's because you haven't had them prepared the right way – boiling into oblivion is no way to do this noble cruciferous veggie justice. Roasting allows the sprouts to attain a nice texture that's tender, but not too soft, and preparing these little guys with the right mix of flavors

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-18919895895626232722011-10-24T11:00:00.000-04:002011-10-24T11:00:03.418-04:00

Sure, we tackled the Manhattan here at I'll Eat You with Project Manhattan, but when I learned about a class on the classic cocktail being offered at Tryst (the bar under Le Bec-Fin, formerly Le Bar Lyonnais), I knew it would be a must-visit. I must say my that Jonathan, my partner in whiskey appreciation, and I were not disappointed in the least, and I'd recommend the rest of the classes on

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-48787294548310891602011-10-10T12:37:00.003-04:002011-10-10T15:00:29.590-04:00

So I know it's not super fair to review a place solely on one dish alone, however, this particular dish was so 1) overhyped and 2) disgusting, that it is imperative that I share my dissapointment. Here's the backstory: a few years ago, Oprah Winfrey touted on her show that Delilah's Soul Food (at Philadelphia's own Reading Terminal) made the best macaroni and cheese in the country. Mac and cheese

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-6114118584403536332011-08-26T11:30:00.001-04:002011-09-10T09:33:48.086-04:00

Disclaimer: We dined at Zeppoli with a cousin of chef/owner Joey Baldino, so we were treated to free desserts. So it's over the Walt Whitman to check out the new and much buzzed-about Zeppoli, a Sicilian BYOB helmed by Joey Baldino, who has worked with a roster of culinary greats like Marc Vetri, Alice Waters, and Georges Perrier. What we found was awesome Mediterranean cuisine showing a level

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-52079868935022302882011-08-15T11:00:00.050-04:002011-08-15T11:00:00.222-04:00

I've arrived at the conclusion that making vegan desserts is like being stuck on Gilligan's Island: coconuts will save your ass every time. Thanks to its creamy texture and pleasing flavor, coconut milk makes a great stand-in for dairy, and its tropical nature makes it easy to pair it with a variety of fruits. So the next time the Vegan Harlem Globetrotters drop by for dinner, or you're trying

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-51887930351001922172011-07-16T09:40:00.001-04:002011-07-16T10:10:02.999-04:00

It has recently come to our attention that places other than Philly have food, restaurants, and the like. To investigate, we headed north of the border (inevitably in the slowest customs line) to that little slice of Francophone Europe in North America: Quebec. Montreal, specifically. The only other time I'd been there was in the winter, and unless you like frostbite and getting your tongue stuck

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-56619970956952980972011-06-13T11:00:00.002-04:002011-06-13T11:00:05.579-04:00

As delicious as Greek food sounds, I must admit that I've never been to a Greek place that truly blew me away and made me eager to come back. I was hoping that Hellenic newcomer Opa on Sansom Street would buck this trend. Despite everything being pretty decent, I'm afraid the food ended up not being anything worth smashing plates about. The interior of the place, situated right off the

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-41222849154896286322011-06-07T09:34:00.000-04:002011-06-07T09:34:00.347-04:00

The With Love Beer Garden furnished two beer tickets and a food ticket to this reviewer.In case the throngs of suds-addled folks ambling down the street haven't tipped you off, it's Beer Week here in Philly. The problem I find with Beer Week is that it's all so overwhelming. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a place to take your mind off all this stress, a place where you could, well, relax and

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-91493822467171459352011-06-03T10:28:00.004-04:002011-06-04T20:27:05.639-04:00

UPDATE: Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to make it. But you should still go and check out the event and have a cheesy good time.Attention, fans: we will be participating in this Sunday's Philadelphia edition of the Food Experiments. The theme is cheese, and we have been hard at work in the I'll Eat You kitchens trying to perfect our highly experimental recipe, which attempts to violate

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-46780874612565989142011-05-23T12:22:00.000-04:002011-05-23T12:22:00.507-04:00

Yes, we will freely admit it: we shop at Aldi.Not for everything, but it's a great place to get a very good price on many staple items (like butter, eggs, tomato paste, and some decent oranges). For those who haven't been, Aldi is a deep-discount grocery store with no shelves and scarcely any cashiers. Pretty much everything is a store brand, only cash and debit cards are accepted, and you have

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-65182163468210391742011-05-19T09:15:00.001-04:002011-05-19T09:15:00.189-04:00

Wood, barrels, slate, candles, more wood, jars, stuffed animal heads, benches. Darkness. Walking into The Farmer's Cabinet is almost like entering some kind of pre-industrial dining hall. You check your wallet and find only credit cards – will they even accept these, or are they expecting me to pay for my meal via bartering a gaggle of geese or a fine pelt or two?For all its rustic charm, the

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-73529322355064747732011-05-16T09:30:00.000-04:002011-05-16T09:30:00.352-04:00

Hot on the heels of Mother's Day last week, we had another brunch this Sunday to celebrate my mom's graduation from Penn. To make things a little easier on ourselves, we went with a quiche-heavy menu so that things could be prepared in advance ... but we didn't want to have our guests succumb to Pie Crust fatigue, so we came up with this alterna-tart using a Yukon Gold potato crust. For extra

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-21104374419075541552011-05-09T10:00:00.000-04:002011-05-09T10:00:06.193-04:00

Time for Mother's Day again, always the premier event on our culinary calendar. Here is what we whipped up this year:Corn soup, shrimp/scallop mousseWe did a plated first course this time. The broth in the corn soup was made with the corn cobs, some lemon peel and a chunk of Locatelli. The seafood mousse was wrapped in plastic and steamed. The little pink things are hibiscus-infused jicama, which

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-78626975458414203032011-04-15T22:51:00.005-04:002011-04-15T23:24:52.561-04:00

As mentioned before, Passyunk Avenue is a happenin' place these days. As so often happens when a neighborhood changes, there is a certain sense of sadness at the loss of some of the old traditional businesses that were on the strip, but the good news is that East Passyunk still maintains a lot of its old flavor from when I was a kid: if you're after religious articles, a nice wedge of Provolone,

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-45481883761072807662011-03-28T08:33:00.003-04:002011-03-28T08:37:27.165-04:00

The Walk Against Hunger is once again approaching! Please join us in supporting our area food banks by making a donation, or better yet, come walk with us on Saturday, April 9. It's a very pleasant stroll, and, I can't promise anything, but last year there were free bananas! Thanks for your support!

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-66839318126220055802011-03-23T11:11:00.000-04:002011-03-23T11:11:00.535-04:00

When tasked with coming up with something to bring to a vegan Purim party, my thoughts went immediately to the partial can of coconut milk sitting in the fridge. It enabled a vegan re-imagining of a cauliflower and chickpea salad with yogurt dressing we sometimes make, an idea more or less stolen from one we had at Royal Tavern. The coconut milk inspired a much more Indian take on the dish, and I

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-21860410795041687932011-03-18T13:30:00.000-04:002011-03-18T13:30:02.169-04:00

You know, at this point in human history, we can travel hundreds of miles in an hour and carry gigabytes upon gigabytes of information in our pockets, but there are few things that really feel like "magic". Old-fashioned film photography was one: dipping a piece of paper in some nasty-smelling chemicals and an image suddenly appearing – that was like magic.I humbly submit sourdough starter as

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-79945188158861568842011-03-14T11:13:00.001-04:002011-03-14T11:13:01.002-04:00

Knowing my fondness for the nigh-unbeatable combination of chocolate and orange, for my birthday, Lauren made me this cake from Always Order Dessert. The hook with this recipe is that it uses two pureed oranges, peel, pith and all. The resulting cake had great flavor, but it was D-E-N-S-E ... almost like a pound cake, but with an even tighter structure and less "give" when your fork tries to go

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-3585629126185849892011-03-10T18:32:00.004-05:002011-03-10T18:38:27.811-05:00

Well here we are "reporting" again, but we just took a little walk on the 1600 block of South Street and noticed that the new Indian restaurant, called Indian Restaurant, is having its grand opening this evening. This spot at 1634 South is run by the good people from King of Tandoor up on Callowhill Street, and from initial impressions it looks like the menu and decor are very much in line with

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-82714404506630308702011-02-28T11:00:00.001-05:002011-02-28T11:00:11.585-05:00

Disclosure: I'll Eat You dined at Beck's compliments of the chef/owner.Maybe it was all the hours of watching the likes of Justin Wilson and Emeril when I was growing up, but I've always had a thing for New Orleans cuisine, so I was excited to have the opportunity to sample Chef Bill Beck's spin on the Cajun and Creole genres at his stall in the Reading Terminal. A native New Yorker (but we'll

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-90135556430300022542011-02-21T10:00:00.000-05:002011-02-21T10:00:30.191-05:00

For those who don't know, the "Bobby" in Bobby's Burger Palace is none other than the chipotle-slinging, omnipresent darling of the Food Network, Bobby Flay, who makes Philly a legitimate three-Iron Chef town. Of course Bobby himself wasn't there for our visit, much to the dismay of my visiting mother-in-law, who also mused whether Bobby would show up to challenge himself to a Throwdown. The

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-57056644537414990032011-02-17T11:30:00.000-05:002011-02-17T11:30:01.068-05:00

This is important, so I don't want to wait until later to say it: the front leg of rabbit at JG Domestic is easily one of the top three delicious things I've eaten in the past year. I'm not even entirely sure how it was prepared; it was almost like a confit, but not at all fatty, and it had the most sublimely, delicately crispy crust on the outside of each piece. Sharing a plate with a tiny rack

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-58211015957389563032011-02-09T13:11:00.000-05:002011-02-09T13:11:00.156-05:00

Every time I walk down the street these days, this is all I hear: "Hey! You're the guy from 'I'll Eat That', aren't you? What's the deal with your beer? It's been months since you wrote about it and there haven't been any updates! I hate you." For God's sake, settle down. The beer came out just fine.I chose the name Regulus because of its Christmasy association: Regulus was (supposedly) the star

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-13378511378268320202011-02-07T00:00:00.001-05:002011-02-07T00:00:02.311-05:00

Hey everyone, I'm back with a dose of something sweet. The Whoopie Pie. Whoopie pies appear to be a bit of regional specialty (at least I never saw them in California) but I see them branching out from the world of the Amish farm stand these days. The outer layer of the whoopie pie, for those unfamiliar to this treat, is like a cake-cookie hybrid: soft and pillowy, but with a bit more

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-59877869513113724432011-02-03T00:00:00.000-05:002011-02-03T00:00:05.449-05:00

Having previously tackled bagels, the next breakfast breadstuff we set our sights on was English muffins. Before we got nookin' and crannyin', we had to pick a recipe, so we went with the time-honored "just use the first one that comes up in Google" technique. This just so happens to turn up with this recipe at allrecipes.com. After parsing it out, it was clear there were some efficiency

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-61127200677679724552011-01-31T10:00:00.000-05:002011-01-31T10:00:00.973-05:00

Here at I'll Eat You, we (rather generously, I think) acknowledge the right of vegans to exist. And we firmly believe that no person who is dairy-averse, whether through personal conviction or lactose intolerance, should be denied the glories of pizza. That's where Blackbird Pizzeria comes in, and at the urging of my lactose-intolerant and almost-vegan sister, we recently dialed up for some

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-8826278543237773042011-01-28T09:45:00.000-05:002011-01-28T09:45:00.247-05:00

Under the guidance of superstar producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the Philadelphia Chutney Company ignited the late-70s soul scene with a string of hits, including "Masala Child" and "(You're My) Mango Lassi (Shake It Up)". Flying high on success, things took a sharp turn when ...Wait, that's not right.Philadelphia Chutney Company is actually a quick-serve Indian spot that opened up on Sansom

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-58158111581387535662011-01-24T09:40:00.000-05:002011-01-24T09:40:00.126-05:00

In his continuing quest to recreate EPCOT's World Showcase pavilions in Center City, Stephen Starr has opened The Dandelion at 18th and Sansom. Now Parc, his simulacrum of a Parisian brasserie, has a British pub counterpart just a few blocks away – no Chunnel ride required between the two.I'll confess I've never been to an actual pub in Great Britain, so I can't speak first-hand about the space's

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-26944374381644012762011-01-19T00:00:00.003-05:002011-01-19T00:00:05.293-05:00

Located on Liberties Walk in Northern Liberties, A Full Plate Cafe is a friendly place for a meal. I ventured out for brunch with a vegan friend and found A Full Plate to have a menu full of options to please us both. The cafe is colorful with chalkboard paint on some walls and pillars so that the decor is ever-evolving. They played funky throwback music which compelled my friend and I to have

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-89942648597629965342011-01-17T00:00:00.001-05:002011-01-17T08:29:04.130-05:00

My best pal, Jen, took a vacation from work last fall to take a pastry class – so cool, right? She lives in Oakland, CA, and I was frankly too jealous to remember where she took the class, but she has been posting photo after photo of drool-worthy tarts on her Facebook page ever since. This is one of the recipes from her class, and it is dead easy. You mix sugar, cream, liquor, and nuts, and

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-54361221595091424712011-01-11T20:11:00.008-05:002011-01-17T12:19:49.176-05:00

Normally we're not newshounds here at I'll Eat You, but today I stumbled into a scoop. So, Item! The Philadelphia outpost of Le Pain Quotidien, the Belgian chain of ritzy bakeries, is slated to open next Monday, January 17. Pictured above is a pain au raisin that was scored by popping in during the training sessions that are currently happening in the spot on Walnut between Broad and 15th. We

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-82967550981708516562010-12-22T00:00:00.000-05:002010-12-22T00:00:03.327-05:00

This is, hands down, my favorite christmas cookie. I remember when I was little, my grandma (who lived in New York) would send our family (in California) a tin of her cookies, and this cookie was always in it. I can remember rummaging around in the tin looking for one of these little guys. The insides are sandy and crumbly, but, because they are rolled in powdered sugar while still hot, there

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-28122457427460134502010-12-20T09:00:00.002-05:002010-12-20T09:00:00.297-05:00

Everyone's heard of pizzelle and biscotti, but I'm betting that these intriguing little fried pastries are new to even some die-hard Italian cookie aficionados. As a kid, I remember them popping up at my grandmom's house around the Christmas season, and I can't say they were always my favorite – the combination of cinnamon and citrus zest flavors with chocolate, along with the somewhat unusual

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-78484177467501230412010-12-17T00:00:00.000-05:002010-12-17T00:00:00.927-05:00

Paul loves these crackley cookies, so I make sure to make them every year. They have a dark cake-y center and sweet crunchy outside that makes for a delicious combination. These have the added depth of espresso powder, but we have made them without coffee, and they are just as delicious. The dough freezes well, which helps those of us who bake in quantity and have to plan ahead. Cookie Baker's

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-29733589063699398432010-12-15T00:00:00.000-05:002010-12-15T00:00:00.066-05:00

This recipe is from Paul's family, from his father's side. Apparently, tassies are popular cookies that can feature a variety of fillings, but I had never had them before moving to Pennsylvania. These are like mini pecan pies. What is not to love about mini pecan pies?? really, people. Pecan Tassies (with thanks to Grace Cozzubbo)Preheat oven to 350Crust:cream together:6 ox cream cheese1/2 lb

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-61969941713048155582010-12-13T00:00:00.001-05:002010-12-13T08:57:50.812-05:00

These cookies, an addition from Tuesdays with Dorie, found a comfortable home in my holiday repertoire due to my love of nut-based cookies and any excuse to use jam. They're only a teensy bit more complicated than a sugar cookie, and the finished product has a great sandy, crumbly texture. These cookies look elegant, too, thanks to the snow-like dusting of confectioner's sugar at the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-79451920814078843202010-12-09T00:00:00.000-05:002010-12-09T00:00:02.971-05:00

I tried these cookies, from Martha Stewart, last year because their picture looked irresistible. They have a delicate, almost melt in your mouth flavor, and remind me of the incredibly thin, crispy ginger cookies you can buy at ikea, but jazzed up with nuts (call me lame but I am a sucker for all things ikea). Again, I only have pictures of the rejects (when baking 13 types of christmas cookies

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-45999231542748242402010-12-07T14:32:00.004-05:002010-12-09T08:03:18.593-05:00

This weekend Paul threw me a wonderful surprise party for my 30th birthday. My family was there, my friends were there, but do you want to know what the best part was? My cake. A Harry Potter themed cake featuring the Hogwarts seal, a fondant me flying on a broom and a 3 headed dog that resembled our own pups, Clementine and Oliver. Underneath the fondant fun was a vanilla cake with raspberry

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-55418633886651398192010-12-06T00:00:00.000-05:002010-12-06T00:00:02.695-05:00

I saw these cookies last year on Smitten Kitchen and it brought up instant memories of boxes full of italian bakery cookies. The recipe is a bit more complicated and labor intensive then your usual christmas cookie, but it's well worth the extra effort. They were by far the crowd favorite amongst the many cookies I baked and distributed last year. This pic is of one of the rejects, so I

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-54524534203416626372010-12-02T00:00:00.000-05:002010-12-02T00:00:07.237-05:00

The instant I saw the recipe for these cookies in Dorie Greenspan's book Baking, from my home to yours, I knew they were a must try: crunchy, crumbly thins with a deep cocoa flavor flecked with salt. The perfect match for my sweet/salty obsession. Their name, world peace cookies, make them the perfect gift this time of year, (or really any, since we really could do with a little world peace.)

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-75953826875331196152010-11-30T20:57:00.002-05:002010-11-30T21:24:55.518-05:00

I hate letting food go to waste, so when presented with the opportunity to give a good home to the turkey carcass offered by my mom on our way out the door following a delightful Thanksgiving dinner, I couldn't say no. So while a large portion of America was standing in line for low-priced LCD TVs this Black Friday morning, I was standing over my dearly departed poultry friend, slowly simmering

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-34694762765404339212010-11-26T10:46:00.005-05:002010-11-26T11:04:47.140-05:00

Well, technically it's not winter yet, but we were surprised by some random snow flurries falling outside while we prepared this tasty and refreshing fruit salad to bring to Thanksgiving. It's pretty simple, but the interplay of flavors, all tied together by some spearmint, gave it a real sophisticated taste, and the layered presentation in a trifle bowl sure was elegant. Here's how we did it:3

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-24442727161478060712010-11-23T00:00:00.000-05:002010-11-23T00:00:01.269-05:00

The first time we went to Fish was on a whim. It's only a few blocks from where we live, so we took a walk over without a reservation and sat at the bar, where they serve the full menu. On the strength of that first experience, we've been back twice, and never been disappointed.It's a bit shocking the first time you go in if you'd ever been to Astral Plane, the stuck-in-the-70s bar and restaurant

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-32824850923487767602010-11-20T09:19:00.004-05:002010-11-20T11:29:58.459-05:00

Unlike the majority of our restaurant reviews, the following reflects a tasting that was provided free of charge (to myself and number of other Philly food bloggers). Grateful as I was for the opportunity, I will attempt to prevent the special nature of this meal from coloring my critique.Amuse is located in the lobby of the recently opened Le Méridien Hotel, located just north of City Hall on

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-90185286511698418782010-11-15T10:00:00.000-05:002010-11-15T10:00:03.600-05:00

So lately it's been Pizza Fridays around Casa I'll Eat You. And why get delivery when you can make your own?I used to have a very good response to that. The homemade pizzas I remember from my youth were frankly a little disappointing (but this was before we really knew what we were doing). Besides, any decent pizza place has equipment and expertise beyond what is probably available to you at home

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-56869781974042033532010-11-10T15:15:00.000-05:002010-11-10T15:15:00.307-05:00

Growing up in South Philly, I was always intrigued by the neon sign for the Bomb Bomb Bar-B-Q Grill on Wolf Street. For those who haven't seen it, well, it's two bombs, of the Wile E. Coyote/it's-1989-and-your-Mac-has-crashed variety, stacked on top of each other, with the word "BOMB" inside each one. Not until recently did I learn that the name derives from actual explosive events in the

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-39391759982498539112010-11-08T16:00:00.004-05:002010-11-09T20:42:49.875-05:00

Long-time fans may already know that we here at I'll Eat You engage in the production of adult beverages from time to time. Lately, with the aid of a beermaking kit from our good friend J (who was behind Project Manhattan), I've been trying to make a habit of brewing my own beer.For those who don't know much about the practice, making beer at home is really quite easy if you have good directions

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-10552353139137770712010-06-30T09:50:00.002-04:002010-06-30T11:03:07.941-04:00

Thanks to some quick action on Lauren's part, we were able to score an opening-night reservation for the three night only Talula's Table "pop-up" event. Orchestrated by restaurant behemoth Stephen Starr, this is the first in a proposed series of events that would bring experimental and new-to-Philly chefs into the underutilized space that was once Washington Square. The lure of being able to

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-73766624653140000422010-06-05T22:40:00.007-04:002010-06-10T20:11:58.791-04:00

OK, so we haven't posted in a while, and it's now closer to Father's Day than it is to Mother's Day. In any event, here's the belated report on what we made for our annual culinary extravaganza.Gravlax with whole-wheat bliniNot too much new here; it's the same simple gravlax recipe from last year, plus some tasty little whole-wheat blini to serve them on.Torte d'omeletteThis idea came from

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-56173857471253770292010-03-12T09:28:00.003-05:002010-03-12T09:46:41.349-05:00

Time out for a little PSA: sad to say, while we're here sharing recipes or nitpicking a new fancy restaurant to death, a staggering number of people face the prospect of simply not having enough food at all. In a place as rich as ours, it's a crime that anyone should have to go hungry, so please join us in supporting the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger with their Walk Against Hunger

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA 19019, USA39.965741 -75.18092439.949295 -75.21010650000001 39.982187 -75.1517415tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-22458698637232198462010-03-05T13:15:00.004-05:002010-03-05T13:51:11.174-05:00

Emeril. It seems as though the man has come under a good deal of ridicule over the years – the catch phrases, the live show with the fawning audience who responded in Pavlovian fashion at the very mention of "pork fat" and "gaaaaaaaaaaalic", and of course the very, very ill-advised NBC sitcom. But I'm not ashamed to admit that I learned a hell of a lot about cooking from the man.Back in the early

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-72159836266931141822010-03-01T00:00:00.000-05:002010-03-01T00:00:00.498-05:00

So after the much-lauded Vetri and Osteria, here's Marc Vetri's third restaurant in town, Amis, located a little off the beaten path on 13th Street near Pine. The concept this time is Roman small plates, served in an atmosphere that is rather more raucous and industrial than Vetri's other two joints. It's a welcome idea, and Vetri is just the guy to pull it off, but we left just a bit

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-80480652663614831652010-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:002010-01-11T00:00:00.188-05:00

Here at I'll Eat You, we're not too proud to shamelessly rip off a delicious dish we've had elsewhere. So when we had the sweet potato tacos at Honest Tom's Taco Shop (when their mobile taqueria rolled into our neighborhood for Blocktoberfest a few months ago), we knew we had to recreate these cheap and cheerful morsels at home.Really, they couldn't be easier. Get yourself a few sweet potatoes.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-86487491989640438632009-12-04T20:40:00.005-05:002010-11-21T16:24:35.476-05:00

In the interest of full disclosure, let us inform you that we were invited to dine as guests of Bistrot La Minette by the restaurant's PR agency, Breslow Partners. This differs from our usual practice of picking up the check ourselves, or at least mooching off of relatives, so be advised that the following is not to be read as one of our typical reviews.Back in July, our attempt to dine at

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-75052629727666626972009-12-03T00:00:00.000-05:002009-12-03T00:00:05.132-05:00

We jumped on the donut making bandwagon right after Halloween. After reading about apple cider donuts on food blogs everywhere, I scoured the city looking for them. Our planned apple picking excursion would have been a great place to find them; alas it was rained out until apple season ended. The Reading Terminal Harvest festival seemed like a sure bet: there was an amish stand selling fresh

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-77850171894353359172009-12-01T00:00:00.002-05:002009-12-01T00:00:03.672-05:00

It's my week to choose the recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie! I hope everyone who baked along with me this week liked the results as much as we did! I picked this recipe for the pretty picture and the chance to make poached pears. After I got started though, I realized this was a pretty detailed recipe, so double props to those who stuck out the whole tart even after all that thanksgiving desert.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-76486929255868748922009-11-30T00:00:00.002-05:002009-12-08T19:19:39.707-05:00

Why is it that Germans have this reputation of being cold, unfriendly, and warlike?[Watches the History Channel for 5 minutes.]Oh. Well, there's all that. But everyone I talk to who's been to Germany raves about the warmth and good spirit of the people they encounter. Some say Germans even actually like to have fun! To investigate, we went to Philly's own outpost of all things Teutonic, the

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-5853715646977169102009-11-18T00:00:00.000-05:002009-11-18T00:00:02.134-05:00

At the beginning of November, we attended the First Annual Food Blogger Festival in San Francisco, hosted by Foodbuzz. Foodbuzz planned a great weekend for us and 248 of our fellow bloggers, starting with a cocktail party overlooking the city on Friday night. We were happy to sip cocktails and meet up with fellow Philly bloggers E from Foodaphilia and Jess from Fries With That Shake. Everyone

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-11254636670711437702009-11-11T00:00:00.000-05:002009-11-11T00:00:00.681-05:00

My aversion to brunch has been well documented, so I'm not going to go into another thought-provoking, erudite and entertaining rant here. But no review of Honey's Stand 'n Wait Honey's Sit 'n Eat would be complete without a mention of the fact that our party of four spent somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour (including a trip to Silk City to see if the wait was any shorter) waiting for a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-16148485419836002922009-11-06T00:00:00.000-05:002009-11-06T00:00:14.464-05:00

Takeout menus. Usually they're for another interchangeable wings-steaks-pizza-or-Chinese place, and they're destined for a one-way trip to the recycle bin. But when the menu for Circles, a "contemporary Asian" restaurant down near 15th & Tasker in South Philly, arrived unsolicited in our mailbox, something made me give it a second look. First off, it didn't fit into the usual takeout genre, the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-32702160520936138532009-11-03T00:00:00.001-05:002009-11-03T00:00:04.817-05:00

A week or so back, I was sitting at my desk eating pretzels and m and m's so I could get hit of that perfect combo of sweet and salty that is the chocolate covered pretzel. As I was munching away I had a brainstorm that this would be perfect as a cookie, so I ran home to whip some up. My mom was visiting me and I asked her to get me some pretzels while she was out and about- she brought back

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-87264021646610902422009-11-01T00:00:00.003-04:002009-11-01T00:00:00.965-04:00

Back on the R2R train in time for this months challenge- Soupe a L'Oignon, or French Onion Soup. You've probably had it before- a deep, meaty broth made sweet by silky caramelized onions topped with cruton of crusty bread. All this goodness sits beneath an crunchy, oozey blanket of melted cheese. When made right, it is absolute heaven. This month's host, Sara from I'm a Food Blog picked a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-74620883165450764382009-10-29T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-29T00:00:07.166-04:00

When I was in elementary school, I remember each December we would dutifully save an empty milk carton from lunch and use a mess of frosting, graham crackers, and candies to turn it into a "gingerbread house" as we celebrated Christmas. Last halloween, my co-workers and I adopted this concept and created frightfully sweet "haunted houses" with the children in our program. The kids had an awesome

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-82148579052287271652009-10-27T00:00:00.005-04:002009-10-27T00:00:05.457-04:00

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.If you've been to a fancy schmancy bakery, especially one in Europe, you've seen macarons of every size, color, and flavor. They have an easily adaptable recipe that, despite it simplicity, requires exacting

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-45028595475880775242009-10-26T00:00:00.000-04:002009-10-26T00:01:31.274-04:00

With Halloween just around the corner, I'm resurrecting this project from last year for all those in search of ideas for a spooky treat! Sure, your grocery store is full of orange and brown frosted cupcakes, but why not make your favorite cupcake and dress it up? These marshmallow eyeballs from the dollar store turned tasty-but-plain chocolate cupcakes into something fun and festive! Best of

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-11759179396429875222009-10-24T00:00:00.000-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.957-05:00

Because the Opera Company had the good fortune to call me after I had had a few glasses of wine with dinner, we're opera subscribers! We needed somewhere close to the Academy of Music for pre-show dining, so we decided to try out Girasole, recently moved into the new Symphony House.Step through the doors of Girasole on Pine Street and you find yourself living out the old trope "a man walks into a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-66149289838530250272009-10-22T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-22T08:49:04.924-04:00

My mother-in-law had a birthday recently, and the whole family came over to celebrate. She requested "any kind of chocolate cake" and I wanted to try something that would be new but familiar. I saw this recipe in the cookbook Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and decided to give it a try (after approval from Paul). My first attempts at baking from this book were met with lackluster enthusiasm (

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-14638833092649062392009-10-20T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-20T07:50:03.911-04:00

So, after an extended break, I'm back on the TWD train. I was really excited for this recipe- i love all things sweet potato! But I have to say I jinxed myself on this one. While getting ready to bake them, I told my husband and my mom that I hadn't had a recipe that really turned out bad from Dorie's cookbook. Until now (actually I take that back, the arborio rice pudding was also a clunker)

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-13090344456429561432009-10-17T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-17T00:00:01.102-04:00

I've been waiting to make this dish and I finally got off my butt and made it, spurred on by the attempts of my friends at Recipies to Rival, who made this for the September challenge (people- I am gonna try to be on the stick this month, I promise). Hands down, one of the best things I have ever made, and surprisingly easy if you plan ahead. It takes just a little active/prep time up front,

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-85865851576576181112009-10-14T00:00:00.000-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.958-05:00

So what were we to make of Village Whiskey? Well, the "whiskey" in the place's name already gives it points in my book. And Jose Garces is Philly's reigning culinary hero – but I still found Chifa underwhelming, and with Village Whiskey's concept lying outside Garces's usual Latin area of expertise, one might wonder if our possible Next Iron Chef is fancying himself more of a Stephen Starr figure

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-77777828765335116752009-10-12T00:00:00.002-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.121-04:00

As part of the giant surprise anniversary/birthday party for my parents, we decided to make focaccia as an hors d'oeuvre. Piece of cake, I figured; I'll make our usual pizza dough and just not roll it out as thick. Good thing we had a consultation with Martha Stewart and her Baking Handbook, because focaccia is in fact a whole different animal: a sticky, messy, hard-to-work animal, but an

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-72985246237033453242009-10-07T00:00:00.000-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.959-05:00

The supper club ladies and I hit up Kong in September. I had been so excited to try this place- the idea of Hong Kong style street food was so alluring. Overall, this was an incredible disappointment. Our first course of dumplings were cold and a bit salty. Actually, almost everything we ordered was cold. We reported this after the 1st course came out, they comped an order of dumplings but

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-8475288298810767242009-10-05T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-05T00:00:03.979-04:00

Last month, Paul and I faced a huge culinary challenge: we held a surprise party for my in-laws to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary and both their 60th birthdays, which fall this year. We hosted nearly 40 family members and friends in our new house, and we catered it ourselves. My shining contribution was my first half-sheet cake- a delicious 3 layer sponge filled with chocolate and

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-5188215999105248892009-10-04T10:12:00.005-04:002010-11-21T18:53:21.369-05:00

The fall off the blogging wagon had been long and hard, but we've climbed back up to bring you more delicious dispatches! A brief rundown of what we've found delicious lately:From around town:Village WhiskeyCircles Chinese CuisineSweet Endings Frozen YogurtBabbo in NYC (ok not much "around town")From our kitchen:Baked ApplesSweet and Salty Chocolate CakeEggplant and Goat Cheese PaniniThese and

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-79373310366404960402009-07-21T00:00:00.001-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.960-05:00

Anniversary time again! And for this one, we were in agreement: we'd finally try Bistrot La Minette, the French place that we had heard so many good things about. I made a reservation, but then disaster struck: an apologetic voicemail from the manager explaining that they were closed for a private party on our anniversary, so our reservation would be cancelled. Since we thought it might be

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-35022069083149557302009-07-19T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.122-04:00

OK, I'm an idiot. (This is Paul writing, not Lauren.) For some reason, for a while now, I've been wanting to make scallops with a "beurre noisette" sauce. I didn't take French for 12 years like Lauren did, but I do know that beurre = butter and noisette = hazelnut. Simple, eh?So I get some nice dry sea scallops, sear them, crush up some hazelnuts, toast them briefly in the hot be-scalloped pan,

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-29396145032182487852009-07-17T00:00:00.000-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.961-05:00

Last week, I had the wonderful company of 5 lovely ladies as we embarked on a new culinary adventure: The Supper Club. This is to be a monthly meeting to catch up, dress up, and more importantly, eat and drink up. Half price margaritas at the bar made everyone happy, followed by a sampling of some of the house's special tequila cocktails. Once we were seated, we quickly decided on the five

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-91312005558055460202009-07-14T00:00:00.001-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.962-05:00

When we were in college, my friend Marni and I decided to spend the summer studying in Florence, Italy. I can write a whole essay about the awesomeness of that trip, but the long and short of it is that while I was there I learned enough Italian to speak to a small dog, and ate gelato pretty much every single day. On the, perhaps 2 days we didn't eat gelato (and maybe on some days when we did),

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-49158231576437467952009-07-11T00:00:00.000-04:002009-10-15T20:48:18.626-04:00

The folks at See's Candies contacted me a while back asking if I wanted to create a dish inspired by one of their chocolate confections. I jumped at the chance- not only because it meant free candy, but because it meant See's Candy. I grew up in San Francisco, and remeber their stores from my childhood. I would go into their store on Irving St with my friend Teresa. They gave free samples,

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-31633217392471742802009-07-07T00:00:00.000-04:002009-07-09T01:49:09.503-04:00

That's right kids, I'll Eat You is taking its restaurant reviews on the road! We found ourselves in Salem, Massachusetts, the Witchiest Place on Earth, for a wedding recently. Not impressed with the local dining options, we decided to take advantage of our proximity to Boston by visiting the Elephant Walk, renowned for its hard-to-come-by-in-Philadelphia Cambodian cuisine.For those unfamiliar

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-87900682721123886902009-07-03T00:00:00.002-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.963-05:00

One of my colleagues is getting married and moving to Dubai, so as a congratulations/farewell, we decided to take her out to the Greek/Cyprusese Cyprusian Cypriot restaurant Kanella at 10th & Spruce. Luckily, there was room for our unannounced party of eight in the sunny dining room, where the smooth, white stuccoed walls put you in a Mediterranean mindset, even if you've never been to Cyprus or

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-7729650840943638562009-07-02T00:00:00.000-04:002009-07-02T16:14:00.605-04:00

Despite the name "breakfast cookies" you may find yourself eating these cookies at any time of day. For breakfast, yes. For an afternoon snack. And for dessert. They should be renamed "any time cookies." Works for me. I love how Ellie Kreiger designed this recipe- to contain tons of whole grains, healthy fats, and a ton of flavor. I had been thinking about cooking with baby food for a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-6967610526296173882009-07-01T00:00:00.002-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.123-04:00

All I can say is that this dish is amazing! It cooks easily and perfectly, and the duxelles are an excellent accompaniment to the beef! We had homemade puff pastry in the freezer, so we used it, but I imagine this dish to be quite simple if you use pre-made pastry. We served this on Father's Day and it was deee-lish-us.Beef Wellingtonfrom Gordon Ramsay3 pints (1 1/2 pounds) white button

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-11424965391677536462009-06-28T19:17:00.004-04:002009-10-15T20:48:18.627-04:00

A day late, but better late then never . . . The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England. I remember thumbing by a recipe like this in one of Nigella's cookbooks and not

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-70396294611385957932009-06-10T00:00:00.000-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.964-05:00

I know what you're thinking – oh, great, another Italian BYOB review. That's what I'm thinking too. Porcini has been around for quite some time; six years, at the very least, because that's the last time Lauren and I visited it. But now that we're within walking distance and with Lauren's visiting friend Sara offering to take us out, we gave it another go.Claustrophobes might be advised to stay

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-59862421726914708022009-06-07T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-15T20:48:18.628-04:00

I've had German Chocolate Cake on the brain lately. I don't know why, I've only had it a handful of times in my life. I think I might be getting bored with plain old chocolate cake, which I've been making A LOT lately. When Paul volunteered me to make a birtday cake for our friend Frank, I heard a little "wuh wah" in my head when he asked for chocolate. I forced Paul back to him to see if he

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-14185561575271197002009-06-05T00:00:00.000-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.965-05:00

Lauren was out of town for a few days last week, which meant the time was right for some good-natured gentlemanly mischief. So I rounded up some of the boys from work, and we set out in search of a nice piece of meat. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but two of my colleagues had, apparently inspired by an episode of "Scrubs" I never saw, started a Steak Night tradition several months

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-53787674946540572272009-06-04T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.124-04:00

White Gazpacho has been on my must-make list since January, just waiting for a nice summer day to come around. I was very excited to see the recipe in Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave, and when I was asked to pick the recipe for the first week of June, I had no problems going right to it.  This was great- very substantial and filling for a soup, due to the bread.  Paul thought the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-11785990091522454972009-06-02T00:00:00.001-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.966-05:00

I read about Varga Bar on Phoodie the week that it opened, but it was by chance that I landed in there the first time. Lauren's friend's boyfriend Karl and I were walking to meet the girls at a wedding rehearsal dinner and found ourselves in need of refreshment, so we ducked into Tria, only to find it too packed. Two blocks of walking later, we stumbled into beer Valhalla.About twenty beers on

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-31552588731642356142009-06-01T12:04:00.005-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.125-04:00

I find that falafel can be a very divisive food.  Where do you fall in the falafel universe?  Baked or fried?  Chickpea or fava?  Stuffed in a pita pocket or rolled up in the pita?  My go-to falafel is fried, fava based ball in a pita pocket.  Paul likes his rolled in the pita, for, according to him, maximum ingredient distribution.  We haven't made falafel in forever, so I was excited to see

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-1026031851984810272009-05-28T10:28:00.005-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.126-04:00

There are just some things that you shouldn't compromise.  If you want fish sticks, have deep fried, crispy delicious fish sticks.  Live with the calories, make room for it in your diet.  Sacrifice elsewhere.   Healthy, low calorie food can be delicious, but I don't think it works as well when it's trying to be something it's not.  Breaded, baked fish fingers masquerading as fish sticks just

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-25407951336460163382009-05-27T00:00:00.002-04:002009-05-27T13:16:27.109-04:00

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.This month you are going to see a lot of strudels from the Daring Bakers.  You are going to see some very inventive fillings, some beautiful

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-73005296832935806202009-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:002009-05-22T00:00:00.382-04:00

I'll Eat You turns one today!  Thanks to everyone who has read and supported this blog. I wanted this post to be a bit more spectacular, but I am away and have limited internet access.    I'll be back in a few days to announce the final proceeds of the bake sale, and which lucky blogger has won my fun prize package!Have a great day, and eat something delicious!Lauren

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-20997405055495890522009-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.126-04:00

After our Mother's Day feast, we had quite a bit of leftover Ratatouille, for which I was glad.  This is such a simple, tasty dish that focuses on the essence of the roasted vegetables.  The slow, oven roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the tomato, squash, peppers, and eggplants.Inspiration struck when thumbing through my Elie Krieger cookbook, The Food You Crave. She makes a cornmeal

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-23119662979334094032009-05-19T00:00:00.001-04:002009-05-19T07:28:48.990-04:00

I've really been exploiting my cake decorating skills the past few weeks, what with all these birthdays in the family. Last weekend I made not one but three cakes (one was inedible- damn untested vegan recipes).  This is the best of them, a berry and whipped cream layer cake for my sister-in-law's boyfriend.  This was my first time making a cake for this many people, and my first attempt at "

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-38533797898479192012009-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.127-04:00

For our annual Mother's Day brunch extravaganza, we wanted to highlight some springtimey vegetables, and what says "I love you, Mom" better than peas? Fresh peas, of course.The shells for these little numbers are made of standard pâte à choux with a little herbes de provence thrown in. The filling is made mostly of goat cheese, with half the peas cooked soft and whirled in, and the other half

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-28497788731387413152009-05-16T00:00:00.000-04:002009-11-01T09:21:04.967-05:00

After failing at securing last-minute reservations for Pumpkin, just a mere four blocks from our new house where my in-laws were visiting, we decided to give Italian BYO Branzino a shot. Situated just north of Spruce on 17th Street, right across the street from the lamentably forgettable La Fotnana della Città, Branzino's one of those places I've walked by hundreds of times but never considered

conkyfilmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00689040689489681485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-78127143403563725302009-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.128-04:00

Here's something you should have done a long time ago, if you haven't already. All you need is a filet of salmon, a few tablespoons of salt and sugar, a fistful of dill, and patience. You will be rewarded for your relatively little work and laziness with a seafood experience like no other: fresh, homemade gravlax.You may have walked by it in the IKEA cafeteria, or gotten it confused with lox (

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336146497615726103.post-53978617853585232612009-05-14T00:00:00.001-04:002009-10-15T20:47:04.129-04:00

This week's healthy recipe was an adventure in Caribbean cooking.  Not having much of a reference point, I wasn't sure what to expect.  My only reference, in fact, is a song by my favorie muppet, Kermit the Frog:I know a tropical island Where the Mango moon and Banana sun shine And on this tropical island There lives a cousin of mine Sometimes he lives in the water Sometimes he lives on the land 

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08908228644256583490noreply@blogger.com8