Local is the way to go!

The Lexington Farmer's Market is in full swing, and the products are in abundance. This morning I ventured on down to get a couple things for Mother's Day dinner...mixed greens, cilantro, bone-in chicken breasts, bacon, potatoes, asparagus, milk, etc...ALL right from the fields of the Bluegrass.

So for lunch I thought a KY Proud BLT was in order...

Bacon!!

1 pound of bacon - $6.50

mix salad - $4

tomatoes - $3

helping your local farmers - priceless (and DELICIOUS)

Saturday Lunch

So get up, get dressed, and support our local farmers!

Lexington Farmer's Market

Cheapside Park - Saturday from 7am-3pm

Southerland Drive - Sunday from 10am-2pm

South Broadway/Maxwell - Tuesday/Thursdays from 7am-4pm

OH let's not forget the amazing Chocolate Noir Sorbet....

Never too early in the morning for sorbet :)

Ad Hoc at Home

One of my Chefs at school suggested one (well ALL) books by Thomas Keller. For those of you not engrossed in the Culinary World, Thomas Keller is an American Award-winning Chef, whose restaurant in Napa Valley (The French Laundry) has become a culinary landmark. He is a big promoter of using local products and cooking/eating seasonally.


Ad Hoc at Home is one of his books which displays his own family-style recipes. Not only does it contain delicious (and simple) recipes, but it is very much a teacher of culinary arts. I suggest purchasing both Ad Hoc at Home and The French Laundry for those at all interested in food. The pictures are breathtaking and the knowledge is priceless. And hell, if you don't want it for a cook book, they would make excellent coffee table books!

written by Thomas Keller

Any who! I found another yummy culinary sauce at the Mouse Trap the other day and have been looking for the perfect dessert to try it on. As I was flipping through Ad Hoc at Home, I came across a Rum Pineapple Upside Cake, and thought "Caribbean Banana Caramel" would go amazingly on that!

Wonderful Culinary Sauces

I fiddled with the recipe a bit...using Bacardi Rum and a little more of it :) 


Rum Pineapple Upside Down Cake (from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home)


Pan Schmear


8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1 tsp dark rum (*used 1 tbsp-1 1/2 tbsp Barcardi Rum)
1 cup brown sugar (*used dark brown)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
kosher salt


1 pineapple


Cake


1 1/2 cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (*I used 2 tsp)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp milk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 degrees in convection oven**). Prepare the pan schmear using a paddle on a stand mixer. Spread the pan schmear in a 9 inch cake pan. Cut pineapple into slices and lay over pan schmear. 

Pan Schmear and Pineapple slices

Mix batter and spread evenly over the lay of pineapple.

Cover with Cake batter

Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate and cook another 20-25 minutes.

Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before cutting around the edge and inverting the cake.

SLICE

Drizzle with your sauce of choice, OR the Caribbean Banana Caramel....

YUM!

AND ENJOY! Very quick, simple, and delicious!




Check out Thomas Keller, his restaurants and publications!


Restaurants:
Ad Hoc - Yountville, California (North of Napa)
The French Laundry - Napa Valley
Per Se - New York City
Bouchon - Beverly Hills and Yountville, California and Las Vegas
Bouchon Bakery - Beverly Hills/Yountville, California; The Venetian in Las Vegas; Rockefeller Centre and Time Warner Centre, New York City


Books:
The French Laundry Cookbook
Ad Hoc at Home
Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide
Bouchon


*all can be found on Amazon (just click on the book and it'll take you right to it!)


AND don't forget to check out Earth & Vines.... Several products can be found at The Mouse Trap located on 3323 Tates Creek Rd in the Lansdowne Shopping Center.

Le Matin French Bakery

So for lunch yesterday I thought I would treat myself to a delicious little spot located at 890 East High Street... a little French bakery my the name of Le Matin. This little gem has been family-owned since 1981, and it known for their "from scratch" baking.

For lunch they have sandwiches, soups, and beautiful desserts, as well as a nice selection of croissants, danishes, and coffee drinks (espresso, cappuccino, latte, etc). In addition to food, they have a wine cellar in the adjoining room. You really cannot go wrong at this place!

Turkey with Cranberry and Pave de Caramel (which means rectangle of caramel = YUM)

I enjoyed a Turkey with Cranberry and Pave de Caramel (which means a little rectangle of caramel).... Tastebud HEAVEN!!

If you have not graced Le Matin with your presence, perhaps you should. You will not be disappointed!!

Le Matin French Bakery

Le Matin French Bakery/Wine Cellar

890 East High Street (to the left of Rite Aid and across from Billy's BBQ)
Open Tuesday-Saturaday 8am - 7pm
(859) 269-1511

You can find them on Facebook as well!

And a New Love Affair begins....

During my week-long break from school back in March, I ventured down to Charleston, South Carolina, for a little taste bud therapy and to scout for possible internship sites. 

While sipping a beautiful tasting of Italian wines, we enjoyed a charcuterie plate of Speck and Braselo with house made mozzarella.

Charcuterie Plate and House-made Mozzarella at Social Wine Bar & Restaurant

I won't bore you with a long narration of my ventures, instead I'll let the photographs tell their own story...

Irish Car Bombs for St. Paddy's Day at The Drop-In in Folly Beach

Breakfast at Heart Woodfire Kitchen - Mushroom, Ham, and Fontina Frittata with delicious Focaccia bread

Lunch at Folly Beach's Lost Dog Cafe: turkey with sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and mozzarella

Another delicious charcuterie plate from High Cotton

Brandy Alexander from Kaminsky's - amazing!!!

Kaminsky's Kentucky Pie

Champagne in a prohibition-style bar...hidden treasure!

One of the many beautiful street views...

Belgian Gelato

a stolen flower :)

Happy Hour at Social: Chicken Sate with Red Curry Cream and Basil. The Thai Shrimp
spring rolls were so delicious I didn't get a picture...

Delicious arugula pizza that Bethany concocted...Social should
definitely put this one on the menu!!

My first oyster shooter from Pearlz Oyster Bar

My last breakfast before hitting the road... Hominy Grill..

Hominy Grill's warm banana bread...oh my goodness!!

I am literally counting the days (32) until I return to this amazing city. AND it's looking more and more that I will be moving there in September!!! I may actually have to start working out...there is so much delicious food everywhere. 

Thank goodness my good friend (and host of my last trip) Bethany Bubenzer is a yoga instructor at Charleston Power Yoga. If you live in the area, or even if you're there for vacation, you should stop in for a work out. It kicked my ass, but it was definitely worth it!

Happy Eating!!

Be sure to check out these spots if you are ever in the Charleston area!!

Social Wine Bar and Restaurant

188 East Bay Street Charleston, SC 29401 (843) 577-5665

The Drop-In Bar & Deli

32 B Center Street

Folly Beach, SC

(843) 633-0234

Heart Woodfire Kitchen 

1622 Highland Avenue

James Island, SC

(843) 718-1539

Lost Dog Cafe

106 West Huron Avenue

Folly Beach, SC

(843) 588-9669

High Cotton

199 East Bay Street

Charleston, SC

(843) 724-3815

Kaminsky's

78 N. Market Street

Charleston, SC

(843) 853-8270

Belgian Gelato

6 Vendue Range St

Charleston, SC

(843( 743-5043

Pearlz Oyster Bar

153 East Bay Street

Charleston, SC

(843) 577-5755

Hominy Grill

207 Rutledge Avenue

Charleston, SC

(843) 937-0930

Charleston Power Yoga

557 King Street

Charleston, SC

(843) 513-3400

Cheater's Guide to...

Guilty!


Growing up, we are taught that cheating is bad. Some incidences such as cards are minor versus some that are not easily, if ever forgiven.  Well folks, I have found an exception. I know I'm in culinary school, and good food usually comes from many hours of preparation and execution, BUT sometimes you can cheat and it is simply delicious. 


When I went down to New Orleans, I discovered bleu cheese stuffed apricots at a little hole-in-the-wall spot. I have been craving those little treats for some time now. I'll be honest, I have never really been a fan of apricots, but there is something about the combination of the bleu cheese, prosciutto, and balsamic that is too good to pass up.


So here is my secret to cheating...

Bleu-Cheese Stuffed Apricots - Cheaters Guide

It's scary how easy it is! 


1. Slice the apricot almost in half, leaving attached on one side to create a little pocket
2. Stuff with bleu cheese crumbles
3. Cut prosciutto into strips and wrap each apricot
4. Throw into a hot sauté pan just to get a little crisp on the outside
5. Drizzle with Balsamic 
6. Eat your heart out!

Once you start, it'll be hard to stop...

It is sure to be a sinful little bite your tastebuds will lust over! Enjoy!

March Madness

March is my favorite month, probably because it's my birth month and because my name is Erin, I believe I have some connection to the Emerald Isle (I am not Irish by any means). Sadly, I have not made it there, but I will one day!


March is another important month for those basketball fans...March Madness, in all it's glory is in full swing. The Kentucky Wildcats are now officially in the Final Four and headed for New Orleans...


Friday night was spent with old friends and good food. I was in charge of dessert, and after a recent taste of a Chocolate Cabernet Cupcake at work (Nick Ryan's Saloon), I decided I would give it a try. With the help of Stella Parks, and her Red (Wine) Velvet recipe, I successfully made a delicious dessert.

PromisQuous Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue

Here is the recipe - I'd at least half it or you'll be making cupcakes for days!

12 ounces all purpose flour

2 ounces natural cocoa

16 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature 

2 ounces canola oil

18 ounces dark brown sugar

1 tsp salt

2 1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

scrapings of 2 vanilla beans

6 eggs

12 ounces of red wine (I used Promisqous)

1 1/2 ounces vanilla extract

YES, I weighed everything! I got a digital scale for Christmas and LOVE it. 


I used a convection oven set on 325, but a conventional oven at 350 works too. Sift the flour and cocoa together. With a paddle, combine butter, oil, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, and vanilla scrapings. Turn the mixer to medium low and add eggs one at a time, until incorporated. Don't rush it, let the mixture come together. Then turn the mixer on low before adding the flour/cocoa mixture. You will end up with a dusting if you aren't careful! Adding the flour/cocoa mixture along with the red wine in 3 or 4 additions. Lastly add your vanilla extract. 


Stella's recipe is for a 3-layer cake. I decided on cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake 20 minutes. A toothpick will come out clean when done. 


For the icing, I decided to try a Swiss Meringue after I saw a recipe on Stella's website. As I raided the pantry for some kind of flavoring to add to the swiss meringue, I happened across some Strawberry preserves. The meringue recipe is super simple. I would probably quarter the recipe, as the egg whites do increase in volume once the air has been fully incorporated. Again weighing the ingredients is crucial.

2.5 ounces egg whites

2.5 ounces sugar

pinch of salt

scrapings from 1/4 of a vanilla bean

*you can add a flavored extract of any kind if it so turns you on, as well as any fruit or nuts for texture...

In a double boiler, heat the egg whites and sugar until it reaches a temp of 140 degrees whisking occasionally as to not let the egg whites cook. Remove from the heat, and transfer into a mixing bowl. With a whisk, add the salt and whip the egg whites until light and fluffy. This may take some time. Lastly add the vanilla bean scrapings and the strawberry preserves.

Make sure the cupcakes have cooled before icing, and enjoy! A big thanks to Stella Parks for sharing her delicious recipes. AND Good Luck to Kentucky Basketball team...GO CATS!

Dreamy Dessert

It is not uncommon for me to glance over the dessert menu when I'm out before I decide what I will be eating...

So for dessert week we were required to make a custard. I decided on a pot de creme, with Kahlua, vanilla whipped cream, and a homemade milano cookie with a chocolate coffee filling. I found the Milano cookie recipe on Stella Park's BraveTart. If you are not familiar with her fabulous desserts at Lexington's very own Table 310, perhaps you read about her being named one of five Best New Pastry Chefs in Food & Wine Magazine! Do yourself a favor and check her out at Table310, I promise you will not be disapointed!!

Kahlua Pot de Crème

1 ½ cups heavy cream

¼ Kahlua

1 tsp vanilla

6 oz. milk chocolate

6 egg yolks

 1 tbsp sugar

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven 325 degree. Heat cream and salt in saucepan, until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate whisking until smooth. Once it cools, add the Kahlua and vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk eggs yolks and sugar until blended. Slowly add the warm chocolate mixture stirring often. Strain through sieve and allow to cool.

Divide into 6 ramekins or coffee cups. Cover each with foil and place in baking pan. Fill pan with how water so the cups are half-immersed in water.

Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until set (but middle moves slightly when jiggled). Allow to cool, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

You can find the Milano Cookie recipe here at BraveTart. And for the Chocolate Coffee Ganache simply melt 4 oz dark chocolate with 2 oz cream and 2 tbsp of coffee (or more if you want it strong). Pipe the filling onto one side of the cookie, apply the other half and allow to set. 


Enjoy!