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April 18, 2013

Restaurant Review: Myers + Chang

Enter Myers + Chang and find yourself in a world of bubbly whimsy. Pink and white clusters of Chinese lanterns bobble along one wall of the restaurant’s bright and charming interior. Opposite this wall stands a long bar top where diners sitting in bubble gum pink chairs can look over their food’s preparation. This open kitchen concept allows for a casual yet hip experience. Stainless steel tables and a several high top counters make up the remaining seating options, all of which are set under the watchful eye of a crimson dragon stickered onto the room-length windows.

Opened by Boston famed pasty chef, Joanne Chang and husband Christopher, Myers + Chang has become a friendly, funky, and fiercely scrumptious staple in Bean Town’s south end. Here you’ll find the real kind of Asian food, the kind you can’t just get in a take-out box. The menu is Vietnamese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Thai inspired—even the cocktail menu reflects this eclecticism. The Luckiest Kitty is a spritely and citrusy mixture of sake, St. Germain, and grapefruit. Sake also makes a cameo in the Asian mojito.

As for the food, don’t come in too too hungry as this will turn out much like grocery shopping on an empty stomach. The menu is filled with familiar dishes with unexpected twists. Take the spare rib appetizer—these four meaty bones are tea-smoked and as tender as great duck confit. The smoke makes these spare ribs akin to an excellent jerky for not only the flavor but also the slightly glazed top.

The Beef and Broccoli Chow Fun is one of those dishes to be ordered over and over again. Wide rice noodles are wok-charred and give off the most warming, charcoal grill flavor. Charred and wilted broccoli and onions slither throughout the browned beef and noodles making this bowl hearty and filling.

For a lighter meal or lunch entrée I recommend the Thai Ginger Chicken Salad. Bright flavors of lemongrass make this a refreshing green salad alternative, while the dressing invokes just enough spice to keep this light option interesting. Myers + Chang is also known for their ramen, which is one of the few great noodle bowls of its kind in all of Boston. And every one of their daily specials that I’ve tried have yet to fail my taste buds.

Posted in Restaurants, REVIEWS & CRITIQUES, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

March 8, 2013

Three’s Company

As the creator of Belle’s Best Bites you could probably gather that I treasure tasting and creating that perfect, one bite food wonder. If a dish is well executed, one bite can encapsulate every note and texture of the entire dish conception. The amuse bouche or even a small appetizer is the condensed version of a meal’s best bite. I like experimenting with making small dishes that boast multiple layers of interest—salt, sweet, crunch, acid, etc.

Below are three recipe ideas for creating appetizers or munching foods for your next gathering. Each of the three aims to showcase not one, two, but three different layers of taste and texture.

Peppadew Spread with Toasted Almonds. This sweet, nutty, and creamy dip or spread has the perfect tangy zip to whet your guest’s appetites. Roasted garlic adds a rich depth while toasted almonds sprinkled on top give this bite a needed crunch.

To make: In a food processor combine about 1 ½ cups sweet peppadew peppers, ¼ cup of roasted garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Pulse until minced. Transfer to a bowl and stir in one 4oz package of plain, fresh goat cheese and 1/3 cup full-fat cream cheese. Mix until fully combined. Spread on crackers and top with toasted, sliced almonds.

Maple Bacon Kale Bites. I am one to smother my morning bacon with maple syrup and also one to massage my kale before serving it raw. This recipe combines these two idiosyncrasies. Sweet, acidic, and crunchy are the components that help make this cocktail party bite irresistible.

To make: Remove fibrous rib from leaves of Lacinato kale and place in bowl. Add several tablespoons of both olive oil and balsamic vinegar and massage into leaves of kale. Next, bake bacon in a 375° oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the bacon is cooked through but not too crispy. Remove and brush both sides of bacon with maple syrup. Place strips of kale on top of each piece of bacon, roll, and stick with a toothpick.

Mustard Braised Brussels Sprouts with Melted Parmesan. I lightly braise these Brussels in mustard and cider vinegar to sharpen the flavor of these savory green bulbs. Melted Parm adds a rich creaminess while the topping of red onion brightens the bite. Mix it up by adding apple on top to create a classically flavored sweet/salty snack.

To make: melt a hunk of butter in a sauté pan. Then add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, whisk to combine and turn the stove to low. Cut Brussels sprouts in half and add to the pan, cooking for two minutes on each side. Remove and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper. Assemble sprouts on a baking sheet and top each with a small hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Place under the broiler for several minutes until cheese is melted and bubbley. Serve with several small slices of red onion.

Posted in Dinner, RECIPES, Sides | Leave a comment

February 11, 2013

Take a Nap from Paper Napkins

As a food stylist I can never have too many cute, floral, and colorful dishtowels and napkins to decorate a set. I recently received these Saffron Marigold napkins as a gift and felt I had to share how much I like them.

For just shy of $50 you’ll receive a set of six hand block printed linen napkins from India. More economical and eco-friendly than always buying up paper napkins, these cloth ones will give your table the character it craves.

Patterns range from sweet and springy like these to bold and colorful, Middle Eastern and even French Provençal. They’re machine washable which makes them an accessible accessory for your dinner table. Check out their tablecloths and bed linens too!

Posted in BEST BITE ADVICE, Products, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

November 10, 2012

Informing on the Cranberry

The cranberry is arguably the most American food (other than apple pie, but that’s a whole different story). All varieties of cranberries grow only in the Northern Hemisphere, and the most common eaten variety of them grows primarily in the United States.

If you didn’t know this much, here’s the real catch: most of us don’t even know how they’re grown or how they’re harvested, myself included before I ventured on a cranberry bog tour in Carver, Massachusetts.

We have all seen the goofy guys in the Ocean Spray commercials decked out in waders, speaking in New England tongue while waste deep in a cranberry-laden pond. Naturally, this leads us to believe these small, puckersome berries are grown underwater. Hate to break it to you, but they are not. Rather, cranberries grow on thick, very stubby bushes out in the open. Farmers cultivate the plants on the bottom of a swimming pool-like plot of land, sans water—in other words the bush grows below ground level. During harvest, in the beginning of autumn, farmers quickly flood one bog (or empty swimming pool) at a time. Flooding helps the cranberry naturally release from its parent bush. Because the berries have inherent air pockets within their meat, most float to the water’s surface. Large tilling machines help turn up the cranberries that do not naturally release.

Next, a large floating boom gathers all the fruit into one corner of the flooded bog. From there a truck with a vacuum-like attachment pulls the berries out from the water and transports them to the plant to be processed.

From flood to truck, workers act quickly as the cranberries cannot be “bogged” down with water for too long a time, as spoilage is imminent.

J and I were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this quick process. The cranberries, almost popcorn-like, danced and swayed on the water’s surface creating a like-life, moving pointillism painting showing off every shade of pink, from white to deep crimson.

We dipped our hands in the water to gather snacks along the way. If you’ve never popped a raw, fresh cranberries into your mouth then caution, these things are as tart as a lemon!

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, I deemed it only appropriate to create a recipe suited for the holiday table. I wanted to break the berry from its usual protagonist role in sauce, and give you an original alternative instead. This cranberry dessert is one light enough to keep your full belly grinning, is tart with an almost raw bite to the berry and a tangy whip from plain yogurt, and provides a warmth and winter essence from spices and orange. Did I mention there’s hardly any oven sharing at all? The bonus of this recipe is that only the crust bakes for 15 minutes, leaving your oven open and heated properly for the main events.

Cranberry Yogurt Tart with Cardamom and Orange

2 ½ Cups finely ground ginger snap cookies
6 Tablespoons melted butter
½ Teaspoon ground cardamom
24oz plain Greek or Icelantic style yogurt
1 ½ Cups fresh (or frozen & thawed) cranberries
1 Tablespoon honey
Zest of half an orange

1. Using a food processor, grind ginger snap cookies to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and mix in melted butter. Line tart pan with the cookie mixture to create a ¼ inch crust. Bake in a 350° oven for 15-20 minutes or until toasted.

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix yogurt with ground cardamom until combined. Once tart crust has cooled, pour yogurt mixture into the tart until even with the rim of the pan. Refrigerate to cool.

3. While tart is cooling, add cranberries, honey, and orange zest to a small saucepan. Over medium-low heat, mix until honey beings to melt and coats the cranberries, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Top the tart with the cranberry mixture. Serve immediately or keep in refrigerator until dessert time.

Leftovers make for a perfect breakfast bite. Add whole cardamom pods to your morning coffee to compliment the tart’s warming flavors.

Posted in Baking, Breakfast, RECIPES, Uncategorized | Tagged cardamom, cranberries, cranberry, ginger, holiday, orange, thanksgiving, yogurt | 3 Comments

October 19, 2012

Goat’s Milk Butter, Why Didn’t I Think of That?

Have you ever had one of those food Duh! Moments? When you wonder how in the heck you could have traveled so far down your gourmand path without coming across something so simple yet remarkable? Well, I had one of those the other day. While roaming around the likes of fresh pastas, imported anchovies, and English mustard in a tube in a new favorite Boston food shop, Dave’s, I came face to face with a shop sample: Goat’s milk butter on toasts. The butter was glistening as it just barely melted with the heat of the bustling store. It tasted buttery, goaty, and creamy all at once. Duh! How had I never had or thought up the idea to find such a simple sounding ingredient? I’ve been to farms all over the globe, but yet right here at home I tasted for the very first time a butter made from tangy goat’s milk.

I wouldn’t per se substitute goat’s milk butter in normal butter’s usual place in baked goods. No, I thought, this farmy, almost potent ingredient deserves to star among the company of savory foods. To find out if this hunch proved correct, I came up with a simple snack to put the goat butter to the test. Beets and goat cheese are a classic, almost hackneyed, combo, so beets and goat’s milk butter must surely like hanging out.

It turns out goat’s milk butter slathered on thick toast topped with lightly steamed then thinly sliced beets, cracked pepper and salt makes for a goat to have snack. Bad pun. Great bite.

Posted in Food Markets, Lunch, Products, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

October 11, 2012

Chocolate Pear Mini Pies

Autumn in New England penetrates the air at an ideal rate. Each day the mean temperature drops by roughly one degree, so that by the time mid-October rolls around we are all well acclimated to brisk and rosy-cheek inducing temperatures of around 55˚. As a person and eater moved by the seasons I call this phase-into-fall period the “hunker down and beef up” time of year.

This is a time when I know my bathing suit has un-reluctantly migrated to the bottom of the drawer and with that so dissipates the upkeep to actually look good in it. I begin to feel less satisfied by a light salad and summer fruits and veggies during this transition into fall, and conversely begin craving meatier, heartier meals by instinct.

The cold of winter calls for more insulation and thus I won’t deny the temptation to fatten up for a long winters nap (or rather for the coming months of skiing the brutally frigid Northeast mountains). I find the two best-suited ingredients to achieve such an essential goal are butter and chocolate.

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust:
2 Sticks of butter, very cold or frozen
2 2/3 Cup flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ Cup ice water

For the Filling:
4 Seckle pears or 2 Bosch pears
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 Tablespoon flour
2-3 oz quality dark chocolate (I used 70% cacao), broken into small pieces

For the Thyme Mascarpone:
½ Cup Mascarpone
2 Springs of thyme, removed from stem and minced

To make the Crust: In a food processor combine butter, flour, and sugar. Pulse until butter is about the size of peas. Slowly and gradually pour ice water into the mixture while continuing to pulse. Continue to pulse until the mixture comes together into a ball, or becomes a dough consistency. Empty dough onto a lightly floured surface. Handling the dough as little as possible, form two equal-sized disks, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Dough can also be saved in the fridge for up to two weeks.

While the dough is cooling, slice the pears into ¾ inch slices, removing core. (I cut the seckle pears into eighths). Toss in a bowl with nutmeg, flour, and sugar.

Preheat oven to 425˚

Once dough is chilled, place one disk on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using your ramekin as a guide, cut out a circle of dough that is 1 inch larger on all sides than the ramekin’s width. (I used a 4-inch ramekin, so my circle was 6 inches in width). Make a slice in the dough from the center to the edge of the circle (this will help you line the ramekin with your dough). Line the inside of the ramekin with the dough; there should be about 1 inch of dough folding over the lip.

Alternating layers of chocolate and the pear mixture, fill the ramekin until you have used half of the pear mixture. Cut another circle from the dough large enough to cover the top of your pie. Place this circle on top of your pear mixture, and seal the edges of the dough by pinching both layers together all the way around the circumference of the pie’s edge. Make slits on the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Repeat this process for your second pie.

Place both pies in the oven and set the timer for 45 minutes. After 15 minutes, loosely cover the tops of pies with a piece of aluminum foil. Cook for 5 minutes. Reduce oven to 375˚. Bake for the remaining time. Remove, cool, and serve with thyme mascarpone.

For the Thyme Mascarpone: In a small bowl, stir the minced thyme into the mascarpone until combined. Refrigerate until use.

Posted in Baking, Desserts, RECIPES | Leave a comment

September 24, 2012

Apple Ginny

As I welcome the change into winter with open, fleece-covered arms, I realize that most are reluctant to see the summer is being set aside to cool. As autumn does creep in, this spritely drink will help you hold onto the last bits of summer. Apple-inspired but far from pie, this cocktail involves infusing your favorite gin with fresh-picked, fall apples.

I added one sliced Macoun apple to a mason jar, filled the jar to the brim with an extra dry gin. Lid on, I popped the jar in the fridge to let the apple infuse for several hours. I strained out the then browned apples and chilled the remaining gin in the freezer while I prepared the rest of the drink.

In the bottom of a glass I muddled several slices of fresh ginger with a blob of clover honey. I added ice and then two parts tonic water (or soda water) with one part apple-infused gin. The result—a perfect sunny afternoon cocktail breeding just a hint of apple flavor yet a full sensation of its crispness.

Add a splash of apple or sparkling apple juice to deepen the apple-y flavor. Try infusing apples into vodka or even a whiskey for a real winter warmer.

Posted in Drinks, RECIPES, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

September 14, 2012

Grown-Up Brunch

Brunch in a timeless Sunday treasure. As a kid I stood on a stool by my father’s side, smashing the bananas whose destiny would be that moisturizing foil in our pancakes. Even now, come Friday nights I dream about and brew ideas for the meal that is a weekend’s present. (Hopefully) having matured in both age and palate, brunch often goes beyond fluffy hotcakes, syrup, and fresh orange juice to sweet and savory concoctions–herb, cheese, and meat-filled treats, and more often than not, an accompanying cocktail.

The recipes to follow are ideas for your next adult brunch. The weekends aren’t just for dinner parties, entertain your friends in the light of day, be lazy, eat well, and have a sip or two of a pre-happy hour accepted beverage.

I followed my own advice that brunch should be a social event and had some friends join me for this photo-shoot. Three photography students and friends of mine deserve the credit for these drool-inducing pics: Liz Osaki, Michelle Muñoz, and Jay Lublang. I thank them for their help and advice in further honing my photography hobby. More importantly they also helped eat the set…

Baked Eggs in an Heirloom Tomato Nest

This late summer-inspired pleaser can be a full meal on its own for a solo breakfast, or a pungently savory component to a large brunch. This recipe is easily expandable—just add a ramekin for each guest!

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat ramekins with olive oil, then crack two eggs into each. Place several slices of garlic and heirloom tomatoes on top of the eggs. Season with salt & pepper. Bake for 15 minutes (soft yolk) to 20 minutes (hard yolk). Sprinkle shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh chive on top.

Rustic Corn and Basil Cream Pudding

This creamy, bread pudding-like dish is made bright by the light and sweet flavors of sweet corn and basil. By soaking the corn and basil in the milk, these flavors become even more saturated into to this hearty dish.

In a bowl wisk 1 egg with 1 cup of whole milk. Soak two ears of corn off the cob and several tablespoons of freshly sliced basil in the milk and egg mixture. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Coat a baking dish or oven-safe pan with olive oil. Line the bottom of your pan with slices of rustic, grainy/seedy bread. Pour milk and corn mixture over bread, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle more olive oil on top and place in the oven for 45minutes, uncovered. Serve with more freshly sliced basil on top.

Hericot Vert and Prosciutto Salad with Warm Poblano Crème Fraiche Vinaigrette

I love how the spicy poblano plays with the cooling crème fraiche and sweet honey in this salad’s vinaigrette. You will most likely have leftover vinaigrette that I found goes perfectly over thick slices of heirloom tomatoes and basil.

For the dressing:

Roast one poblano directly over stove flame or under broiler until blacked on all sides. Once blackened, place pepper in a brown paper bag, seal tightly and let stand for 15 minutes. Peel blackened skin from pepper, rinse with water if necessary. Roughly chop the pobalano, remove stem and seeds.

In a food processor or blender combine the chopped pepper, 2 tablespoons crème fraiche, 1 tablespoon honey, 3 tablespoons red and/or white wine vinegar, and a 1/3 to ½ cup olive oil. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

For the salad:

Steam or boil hericot verts (small green beans) until they just turn bright green. Remove from heat and let soak in ice water for several minutes. This process will help keep the beans crisp and colorful. Place the beans in a serving bowl and top with sliced prosciutto and the poblano vinaigrette.

Not-Too-Sweet Tropical Mimi

Mimosas, or Mimi’s as I call them, are a classic brunch libation, but for something just as refreshing but flavored with a twist on the original, try using guava juice. You can find pure guava juice at most well-stocked liquor stores and foreign food stores.

Mix sparkling wine or Champagne with a splash of pure guava juice. Float fresh raspberries.

Posted in Breakfast, Drinks, Eggs, Lunch, RECIPES | 1 Comment

August 9, 2012

Picking to Picnic

What better way to bid a hot summer day adieu than by having a picnic dinner? The objective: simple and seasonal. The reasoning: just because.

Last night B and I packed up a brown paper bag of curry chicken and tomato sandwiches, potato pea and onion salad, cherries, and chilled white wine.

B whipped up the curry chicken sandies by first baking chicken strips basted in olive oil and curry powder. Once cooled, he chopped and swirled the chicken in a big bowl with spicy dijon, creamy mayo, and chopped peppery arugula. The mixture was layered liberally on toast and studded with ripe, august tomatoes. Meanwhile, while sipping a Brooklyn Brewery Pilsner to help seduce my sweat to cool, I butter and olive oil sauteed some fingerling potatoes in my beloved, blue Le Creuset pot. Once fully cooked through, I sprinkled in fresh peas, sliced red onion, a dash of cream, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. We gathered some Rainier cherries and red Solo cups and were out the door.

Larz Anderson park of Brookline (Massachusetts) is among one of the best urban green plots I have come across in the city. Rolling green hills, ancient trees and a fountain pond all help make this place a romantic dream of a picnic spot. While kiters flew kites and as the sun slowly snuggled beneath the tree tops, B and I noshed on our summer fixings.

Why you should picnic too: the prep was no longer nor shorter than a normal mid-week supper, it’s a great excuse to split a bottle of wine on a wednesday, dishes to do are fewer, and you just may go to sleep a little happier.

Posted in Dinner, FOOD CHRONICLES, Lunch, Poultry, Sides | 2 Comments

May 15, 2012

Ramp & Apple Bacon Jam

Being known to have a few pieces of bacon as my sole sustenance for a meal, one could say I am one of millions (or billions) of bacon dedicatees out there. Even though bacon has hit the trend radar and has been featured in its many forms in restaurants across the nation…I’m talking bacon ice cream, pork belly or fat back this and that, bacon vinaigrette, brittle, and the like, don’t think that you need to seek new, meaty frontiers. Trends are sore subjects for early adopters and/or lifelong users and even addicts, but a nationwide bacon trend is one I can’t seem to turn my nose up to.

In the past year or so I’ve heard the two words “bacon” and “jam” compounded, which has turned another facial feature upwards. With eyebrows raised and a watering mouth, a bacon fanatic can’t help but want to see this seemingly original mixture in play.

Creating a bacon jam is simple, with just one pot you can whip up this sweet, smoky, and vivaciously viscous concoction. To a bacon base add rich sweetness, tangy vinegar, and whatever else can piggyback on.

In light of spring I decided to highlight ramps rather than the typical onion/garlic/shallot players in the bacon jam game. With a standard base of brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and coffee, I added apples for a second flare and VOILA, Ramp Apple Bacon Jam!

Scroll all the way down for two recipes utilizing this magnificent brew. Use these recipes more as inspiration to create other dishes incorporating your jam.

Ramp and Apple Bacon Jam
1 lb. Bacon
3 bunches ramps, remove leaves and ends and coarsely chop white parts
1 apple (I used Braeburn), cut unto small chunks.
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon grainy mustard
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup brewed coffee
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Slice bacon into 1-inch strips and cook in a skillet or Dutch oven until cooked through, about 10minutes. Remove cooked bacon and set aside. Leave 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet.

Over medium-low heat, add ramps, brown sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring consistently until ramps are translucent. Add apples, mustard, and coarse ground pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add vinegar, and using a wooden spoon, scrape bottom of pan to deglaze. Add coffee, syrup, more black pepper, and cooked bacon. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook for 1-½ hours.

Let cool for 20 minutes and skim off any excess fat that rises to the top. Once cooled, transfer bacon jam into a jar, seal tightly and place in refrigerator. Will last 1-2 weeks.

How To Use Bacon Jam: Play on Bacon and Eggs

Bacon Jam Deviled Eggs

Place eggs in a small saucepot and add cold water until the eggs are just submerged. Place pot on high heat and bring water to a boil. Once the water is at a rolling boil time 6 minutes before removing the saucepot and placing in sink. Run cold water over the eggs for 3 minutes.

Peel the eggs, cut in half lengthwise, and remove yolk with a spoon. Place the yolks of your eggs into a small bowl. Use the ratio of 2 parts egg yolk to 1 part bacon jam. Add in Dijon mustard to create a smoother, creamier texture. Season with salt and pepper and stir mixture with a fork until smooth. Place yolk mixture back into egg whites and serve with a basil garnish for a licorice-y bite.

Not Your Typical Bacon Egg & Cheese Sandwich

For this one, be creative! I made a sandwich using a toasted butter roll topped with melted Oregon smoky blue cheese. I layered creamy Dijon mustard, fresh garden spinach, a fried egg, and of coarse the Ramp & Apple Bacon jam.

Add thinly sliced red onion for extra brightness or a slice of apple for extra crunch.

Posted in Breakfast, Condiments, Eggs, Lunch, RECIPES, Sides | Leave a comment