Diners and Waterfalls

CO Trip Day 1 May 6, 2010

Miles traveled: 617

Well, today officially marked the starting point of my 2010 trip out west. Yup, I am heading back to Paonia, Colorado – where I was WWOOFing last fall – and am now returning to Excelsior Orchard as a then WWOOFer and now employee, for the summer harvest season.

I decided this time I wanted to drive, for many reasons really:

1) I have never made a long car trip east to west in this country yet

2) I’d love to have a car out in Colorado this summer to explore the natural playground that will be at my disposal

3) I’d love for Ruthie (my 2004 silver Ford Focus) to get some exercise on the interstates. Owner-Car bonding is important.

The ultimate bonus though? My mom has not done any of the above either, and decided to accompany me for the trek out as my co-pilot. We took off this morning with a trunk full of ‘stuff’, a satchel of homemade snacks, a slew of maps, and a hunger for road.

Which brings me to the first highlight of the day. After properly fueling through the early morning hours with coffees and Morning Glory Muffins (yes, the same ones from ‘The 16^th Batch’ post) our stomachs were grumbling as we approached Buffalo, NY.

Upon my own ideas for goals of the trip, as well as a suggestion from a fellow food-loving friend, I thought it would be neat to see if any of Guy Fieri’s featured spots on his show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives would show up our selected route. It turned out there were indeed a few of them, the first being Sophia’s Diner in Buffalo, NY. Our first trip destination was Niagara Falls, so Sophia’s would fit perfectly in our schedule. I obviously watched the video clip from the show that featured Sophia’s before leaving today, and you can imagine my anticipation and excitement for what awaited us…

…when I pulled on the door only to be resisted by the bolt lock. “Nooooo,” my mom and I both said, turning to each other slowly and wide-eyed from hunger pains and disbelief. The sign said they closed at 3PM everyday. It was 2:50PM. We were confused, lost; like stray puppies looking for a scrap at a usually reliable restaurant dumpster.

Once we got the attention of one of the waitresses, she came around outside to explain they had to close early today for some certain reason. We said we were bummed, but asked more importantly about where another place would be good for us to go grab a bite. And just as she started to explain the directions to another restaurant, the owner, Sam, popped his head out the door and said, “Nah, Stephanie, we can take ‘em. Come on in ladies.”

From that point on I didn’t need to even taste the food to know why it was so good. Good people were behind the menu items at this diner, and that is one of the main reasons why it is such a delicious experience to eat there.

From trucker Mike’s recommendation from the booth behind us (he's a regula), we went for the chicken souvlaki and the roasted pork sandwich (the daily special), with homefries of course. The pictures really speak for themselves with this one. Yes, the deliciously house-roasted pork was sandwiched between their freshly made bread (shown being made on the show clip). Yes, it was covered in their house gravy. Yes, the marinade for the chicken was deliciously Greek with its hint of oregano. And yes, it was moist, and went perfectly with the quality romaine lettuce, feta, tomatoes, olives, and housemade vinaigrette. All enjoyed as the only customers in the whole joint, invited in after the doors were closed a bit too early.

Hated it.

Sam (Owner), Stephanie and Angela (the nicest waitresses you could ask for)

Nerds.

And just to polish it all off, we drove up to Niagara Falls for dessert. What an impressive natural spectacle…we couldn’t stop taking deep breaths of that fresh, misty air! The perfect afternoon sun showed off the thundering falls magnificently, and we slowly pulled away to drive to our final resting point of the day right outside Cleveland, OH. Over and out for Day 1~

The 16th Batch

Just posted on LIS ... its nice to finally share the final recipe with everyone!

Morning Glory Muffins, Made-Over

As an intern at America’s Test Kitchen – and also at its respective magazines Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country, numerous cookbooks, and television series - you are able to see the entire recipe development process unfold right before your eyes. And, in most cases, you are experiencing it with your own hands too. By taking on the role as an intern, you are signed up to assist the test cooks as they tirelessly test every facet of a certain recipe, which often leads to a recipe being made forty, fifty, or even seventy times. This means a lot of ingredients, a lot of prep work, and a lot of tasting. And don’t take the vague descriptor of ‘a lot’ here lightly…I’m talking slicing forty pounds of onions to make ten batches of French onion soup simultaneously…in one afternoon. How else could we know what type of beef broth is best? This was what my days were like during the thirteen week period of my time there.

To enhance our experience in the test kitchen, we (I and the other wonderful group of people interning along with me) were given a project that enabled us to mimic the procedure that a test cook goes through each time they are assigned an official recipe project. This meant that, on our own, we were to pick a recipe out of a given topic, research its background and recipe variation, test the many differing elements of the recipe, create a final ‘best recipe’ from the results of said tests, and write an article describing our testing experience behind the created dish in the style of Cook’s Illustrated magazine.

Our topic was fruit muffins. Sounds like a pretty good topic, right? When you think about muffins, they seem so cute. Harmless little palm sized delights, sitting daintily in a dishtowel-lined basket, probably ready for a summer picnic. Let me tell you though, after your 15^th batch of muffins that didn’t turn out the way you wanted them to, you start hallucinating tiny little devil horns growing out of muffin tops. Do I really have to make and taste you, AGAIN?? And the answer is yes, because you want to get it right.

Alright, I may be being overdramatic. There were no devil muffins, although I will say that none of us could even look at a muffin for a good couple of weeks after the project was done. But of course, like many challenges, it was very rewarding at the end to have completed the whole process and have your own original recipe and story laid out in an article format.

Morning Glory Muffins was what I chose as my topic. Since I was so fed up with muffins that were more like cupcakes with an identity crisis, I wanted to create a Morning Glory muffin that was still moist and delicious, without being oil slicked and bombed with refined sugar. Who wants to start their day that way? After playing around with many different ingredients and ratios – how much AP Flour to whole wheat flour? What is the real purpose of the egg yolk vs. the egg white? When and how does ‘moist’ turn the corner to ‘gummy’? - the rising heroes of the recipes proved to be apple butter and honey, each adding excellent flavor and texture profiles to the otherwise ordinary muffin. Although Morning Glories were a bold project choice with all of the different ingredients and recipes that exist, I was able to create at least one more variation to add to the list.

Morning Glory Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

NOTE: Apple butter is a fruit spread made from the low-and-slow cooking of apples, liquid, and in some cases added sugar or spices. We prefer Whole Earth All Natural Tap’nApple Apple Butter Spread which contains only apples and apple cider. Other brands will work as well, but be sure to read the ingredients and/or taste it prior to using as these flavors will affect the final taste of your muffin.

1 cup (5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup (5 ounces) whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup packed (3.5 ounces) light brown sugar

1/2 cup apple butter (see note)

1/4 cup honey

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots (from about 4-5 medium, peeled carrots)

1 medium Granny Smith apple peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4 inch dice (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly spray cups with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Whisk the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, apple butter, honey, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined, set aside.

3. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently fold until the mixture just starts to come together; streaks of flour should still remain. Add the carrots, apples, raisins, walnuts, and stir until evenly combined. Try not over-mix or you will have tough muffins.

4. Divide batter evenly among the 12 cup spaces by scooping into prepared muffin tin. It will seem like a lot of batter but don’t worry: the batter level will stand above the cup line and is stiff enough that it will stay standing. The muffins will spread out as it bakes (but will not over-rise). Bake until muffins tops have slightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs attached, 24-27 minutes. Place tin on wire rack to cool 5 minutes, then remove muffins from tin to wire rack. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. They also freeze beautifully, and may be even better the next day!

Banana Mash

I think about food. A lot. And not only in the sense of "I'm hungry, I want to eat", but in many different facets really.

I see art in food. I see cultural patterns, decisions, potential, history, personality, future, nature, nurture...the list goes on. And I so appreciate food for all of the things it shows us and gives us everyday. How many other things in life can evoke our different senses so intensely at the same time? I guess that's why I've never really met a food that I've truly hated (at least yet...and of course unless its something that is poorly made or cared for). Yeah, I might not like the flavor or texture of a certain food so much (black licorice plays a dangerous edge), but I always follow by saying "but it still does serve its purpose someway somehow!"

Am I worried that I'm hesitant to offend something that cannot think or speak? Hmm, maybe I should be... but oh well, that's me I guess.

The reason I started thinking about the many sides of food, though, was because I was thinking about the next thing I could write about to post here. Sometimes I feel like one of my food thoughts (something I see, make, eat...) is too small or insignificant to write about on here. Does anyone else really care? I always wonder. This morning however, as I was making my oatmeal, I realized that this is such a silly sentiment. In reality, it never hurts to share a thought or idea. You never know what it will mean for someone else, or, what it will mean to you as it changes through someone else's perspective.

So today, as my oatmeal cooked on the stove, I made my favorite bowl-accompaniment of banana with some sort of nut butter (sometimes peanut, sometimes almond, sometimes a mixture of the two, plus some chopped walnuts... if I'm feeling sassy). But instead of just slicing the former and scooping in the later; you take your banana, mash it with a fork, add a spoonful or two of nutbutter, and mash away until its all mixed.

I know a lot of us know the flavor or banana and peanut butter together -- nothing new there. But for some reason, the first time I made this I tasted it and was blown away and pleasantly surprised by what I was tasting. The two flavors were so much more married in this mashed state, as opposed to its chunkier, disconnected, non-mashed predecessor. The natural sugars of the banana break down and mingle right next to the salty, hearty ground nuts, and they are introduced seamlessly together to the tongue with their now wetter, glossier texture. This is why its best to do this with just ripe and older bananas - keep the greener youngsters for a snack or cereal.

I love it in oatmeal, I love it on toast, I love it straight up. I call it Banana Mash.
Because it's as simple as its name suggests, and that counts.

¡HOLA! Granola

Another article posted on Local In Season...check it out here or there!

First, there’s the growling stomach. It starts at a whisper and gains volume with every minute it’s ignored. Then, the lethargy hits. Time’s slower, you’re slower, sitting is a chore. Finally, the world turns against you. Somehow, someway, everyone and everything has acquired the same ultimate goal: to annoy you mercilessly. The symptoms are classic. Hunger strikes again, and it will stop for nothing until its satisfied.

Low blood-sugar episodes are no fun, and it is one of my main priorities to avoid them at all costs. This is why in almost every purse, backpack, and even jacket pocket of mine, you’ll find some sort of snack tucked away. I call it my emergency stash. Some people carry around Epipens, I carry granola. I guess we all have our issues…

Although some sort of store bought version is always safely stored away in my cabinets (can you tell I like to be prepared?) you will most likely find me making a batch of granola every Sunday to get me through the week ahead. Quite frankly, I like to say that my granola recipe got me through college. On those marathon days of ungodly amounts of hours straight in the library, bringing a bag of my granola with me would be just as important as bringing my textbooks. While everyone rushed to the vending machines for caffeinated cans of who-knows-what, I knew my concoction of oats and nuts would fuel me right through any paper or study session. As my friends and classmates slowly caught on to my routine, they started asking me when I was going to start selling it around campus. I never quite got to that point since finishing my degree overruled starting full-time granola production, but I figured my creation at least deserved an official name. So, since more often than not what I was studying while munching was somehow Spanish related due to my major, ¡Hola! Granola was born.

The recipe below is the backbone of every batch I make. It is certainly tasty enough on its own, but other versions often appear from whatever is in my reach within my cabinets that particular week. Some days I add coconut, others wheat germ, and a few different spices have been known to make an appearance as well. It’s a recipe that is completely open to variation, so feel free to experiment with your favorite tastes. With warmer weather coming our way too (finally!), it is a perfect companion for any hike or outdoor activity to keep you energized. Now you can finally combat those painful hunger spells and say ¡Hola! to satisfaction with your own stash of granola.

Ingredients

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

· ½ cup slivered almonds

· ½ cup chopped walnuts

· ½ cup 100% pure maple syrup

· ¼ cup honey

· 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

· ½ teaspoon cinnamon

· ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

· ¼ teaspoon salt

· ¾ cup dried fruit (I usually do a mixture of raisins, cranberries, and cherries)

Method

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spray a sided sheet pan liberally with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine the oats, almonds, and walnuts in a medium bowl, set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Mix with a fork or whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour the syrup mixture over the oat mixture and stir to evenly coat the oats and nuts.

Pour the oat mixture on to the pan and spread into an even layer using a spatula, packing it down to create a flat surface. Bake until golden brown and smelling nutty, about 27-30 minutes. Sprinkle the dried fruit over the top of the warm granola, and let cool completely in the pan. Break off the granola in large chunks or crumble with your hands to create more of a loose granola great for yogurt or milk.

Sunny Day Salad

Today was a day where my two loves of sunny, warm weather and good food collided. Whenever these two things happen simultaneously, I have a hard time expressing my happiness and excitement of what is occurring in the moment. I'm either so engrossed in the moment that I can't speak, or you can't shut me up since I keep repeating how amazing the weather is and how delicious the food tastes. My mantra usually consists of phrases like "I live for this..." or "Where else would you rather be?" or "Could you ask for anything more right now? No!" over and over again. My friends have learned to smile and nod, but I have to say most of the time they agree.

Today was one of the warmest days we've had recently, and it convinced me that spring, even summer!, is truly on the horizon. The morning was cloudy, but the afternoon sun came out just in time for lunch. I crouched down and stuck my hand in the fridge hoping to scrummage around for something decent enough to call lunch. An almost empty bag of spinach...the last of a bunch of kale...a red pepper...some grated carrots...oh! watercress! Things were looking up.

I started adding things to a large salad bowl, looking forward to the fresh tastes in my future. I knew though that I would need something more to really round out the meal, and remembered that there were some leftover roasted veggies from last night's dinner still in the fridge. Baby yukon and red potatoes, parsnips, and carrots, all roasted to crisp-on-the-outside-soft-and-smooth-on-the-inside perfection with hints of fresh thyme and rosemary. After a quick reheat in the toaster-oven they were tossed in the bowl as well, with their heat slightly wilting the greens.

I could barely resist eating the whole thing at the counter with my fingers. I restrained myself though, knowing that a salad of this stature deserved a worthy vinaigrette. I quickly whisked together my favorite dressing to make, mustard based of course, and perked it up with freshly chopped thyme - again, left over from the night before. It always fascinates me how oddly satisfying it is to efficiently use leftovers.

One final toss in the bowl after the vinaigrette drizzle and I hustled to the patio. I sat down and felt the warm sun on my shoulders. Ahh, oh so nice. For some reason I always close my eyes when warm sun first hits me...maybe my body's convinced that it feels even warmer that way. When I opened my eyes I looked down to my lunch and the same sunlight was perfectly highlighting every bursting color in my bowl. I'm pretty sure I started talking to the bowl at this point..."You are stunning!" I of course ran back into the house to grab my camera. Looking back, maybe it was a good thing I was alone.

My first few bites were even more satisfying than I anticipated. Flavors were pronounced and mingling perfectly; the spiciness of the dijon in the background of the dressing against the peppery watercress, the woodsy thyme with the hearty greens, the raw refreshment of the peppers and carrots balancing the savory cooked root veggies. This is the only way to enjoy food, I thought. No distractions, no rushing, a peaceful setting where you are actually able to taste every part of what youre eating, and realize why it tastes the way it does and why youre enjoying it so much. Of course, we all don't have sunny patios available for us at every meal we eat. But, I do believe making a moment free of 'world static' dedicated to enjoying your food makes a world of a difference. We all have to eat, so why not give food the same attention we give to other life essentials? After all, if you respect your food, it will respect you back.

Here is the recipe for the vinaigrette, so you can enjoy a similar experience on your next sunny lunch.

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk all ingredients except oil together in a bowl. Then slowly pour the oil into the bowl, vigorously whisking at the same time so the vinaigrette emulsifies and combines evenly.

Roasted Red Peppers

I recently wrote this article for the website Local In Season. It's a great organization that I will be continuing to write for, so be sure to check it out! My first write up for them, 'The Good Cheese', is also on there too.

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Roasted Red Peppers

An unexpected gathering; a stormy New England day; the looming question of ‘What’s for dinner?’ after a long day at work; a sudden surge of hunger that cannot be ignored...we’ve all been there. We’ve all had those days when we need to whip up something fast without major planning or a trip to the grocery store. Although these situations can quickly turn into culinary nightmares, the solution starts within the walls of your kitchen. If I’ve learned anything about managing my own kitchen at home, one resurfacing truth has always been this: a well stocked pantry means a well prepared cook. No matter the source of pressure, it is aways comforting to know that our favorite backbone ingredients will be there for us upon opening the cabinet doors in times of need.

I can tell you a few of my own pantry staples that I know are sitting there right at this moment: chicken stock, canned tomatoes, black beans, bread crumbs, jarred salsa...the eclectic list could go on. When I’m pressed for time, they pull through tremendously, and I am very thankful for that. But for the sake of time and convenience, flavor and quality are often sacrificed.The other afternoon this pantry characteristic came to my attention upon opening a jar of roasted red peppers. Being a lover of the uniquely sweet flavor of red bell peppers, I was disappointed by the bitter, preservative aftertaste with every bite. Even the peppers themselves seem ashamed of their lackluster and subpar qualities with their limp texture and color. I reluctantly added them to my sandwich.

Sure, they did fine in a pinch, but was this really the best I was going to get every time I wanted a roasted red pepper at home without paying an arm and a leg for them at a store or restaurant? I certainly hoped not! That’s when I learned the art of roasting peppers at home, and boy I will tell you, it’s hard to ever go back. The texture is fantastic, the flavor unbeatable, and they are without a doubt worth the extra ‘effort’ in the kitchen. I say effort loosely here, since roasting your own peppers at home is as easy as turning on your broiler. And, in my opinion, any recipe that asks you to deeply char your food is not something to pass up. With this newfound culinary technique, you will be able to call upon it for future peppers and beyond, just as you call upon your pantry to find your go-to, reliable ingredients. Because a well prepared cook doesn’t always just have her staple ingredients at her back, but her best culinary tricks too.

Once you get a hang of the technique, make sure to try bell peppers of all colors. Red, yellow, orange, green...even poblano or anaheim peppers too!

Ingredients

2-4 Red Bell Peppers

Method

Move your oven rack to the highest position, with enough room left between it and the top of the oven to fit a sheet pan covered in bell peppers. Preheat the broiler to high.

Wash the peppers and completely dry them with paper towels. Slice each pepper in half lengthwise. Remove the stem, core, and any white ribs inside.

Place each pepper-half cut-side down on a sheet pan lined with tin foil. Place the pan in the

oven on set rack and broil for anywhere from 8-12 minutes (depending on the strength of your broiler), or until the peppers’ skins are deeply charred and blistered. You may need to rotate the pan half way through to promote even charring.

Take the sheet pan out from under the broiler. Carefully remove the hot, blackened pepper halves from the pan and place in them in a large bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap (make sure the seal is secure) and let steam, undisturbed, for at least 15 minutes. (Alternatively, you can use a ziploc bag with a sturdy, fully sealable zip-top to steam the peppers) Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl. Peel off and discard the charred skins from each pepper half. The skin should separate from the flesh with ease.

They will be ready for you to slice, add to a recipe, or just plain eat, right then and there! Add to salads and sandwiches, homemade hummus or quesadillas, or wow your guests by adding them to an antipasto platter. The sky’s the limit.

Love, Loss, and What I Ate

A few weekends ago, seven McCarron women (3 aunties and 2 cousins by car, 1 cousin by train, and 1 surprise cousin by plane!) took a road trip to the Big Apple, where another cousin - the sole male - awaited us in the heart of Queens. Once in the car with the trip officially underway, the already coined phrase surfaced describing whenever a group of McCarron women were all gathered in once place: "Hold on to your hats!" But, as Gigi was informing (warning?) Johnny of our ETA, a newly coined, next generation version of the phrase manifested: "Hold on to your hats! ...And maybe pop some valium..."

Needless to say we were excited and enthusiastic about our weekend ahead, full of fun, laughs, sightseeing, and...of course...eating.

On the first night there we all went to see a show called "Love, Loss, and What I Wore". It was a unique portrayal of a woman's life narrated by 5 actresses seated in chairs at the front of the stage. Very simple, yet very effective. The storyline revolved around the protagonist's life trials and tribulations of being a woman. Each story was associated with some article of clothing she had owned, and the memories and feelings that surfaced when she thought about such clothes.

As I was sitting there hearing these narratives, I thought about how I would write my own story if I was up there at center stage. Hmm...uhh... My mind strained to crank through my memory files. Being one of the more lackluster 'fashionistas' I know, I could only recall a handful of memories that were sparked by references to clothes. My ballet costume when I hit my head on the bar during the recital? The green corduroys that split right down the seam between the butt pockets during a classroom play in kindergarten? (I was dressed as a bottle of ginger ale). Although classics, clothes memories like these were few and far between.

Then I thought of the pages in my journal. If someone were to ever come upon it wanting to uncover juicy details about my life, relationships, deep dark secrets...theyd be in no such luck. All of the juiciness they would really get would be about moist roasted pork. The relationships would be about attachment with vats of peach jam, and the deep dark secrets would reveal ingredients and methods of recipes I would only share with a piece of paper.

The same theory could be applied to my camera. You can scroll through a series of photos of a trip to Italy expecting to see monuments and art pieces from thousands of years ago, only to be presented with photos of carts of fruits and vegetables and plates of antipasti. That's when I realized, sitting there in my chair in the audience of a broadway theater, that my life story wouldnt be told through what hung in my closet, but what was served on my plate.

So here are a few of the many photos taken during our three wonderful days in NYC. Perfect weather, great walks, and delicious bites. ( And no valium necessary :c) )

Cheese walrus.

Cupcakes at 10:30AM are that much more tasty.

Bologna disguised as salami...Balami.

Mmm with grainy mustard who cares whats in the inside of your sandwich.

Honey roasted peanuts and fresh pretzels in Central Park. Important fuel for power walking.

A second trip to Billy's was a must.

My barbie cake to Tori was almost identical...ha!

All cake and frosting, I swear.

For Molly. (I'll be cookie monster)

Overwhelmed by smells and choices.

The BEST blue cheese from Chelsea Market.

Cornmeal, golden raisins, fennel seed...amazing flavor combination all rolled into a fresh loaf.

Pumpernickel baguette, why dont you exist more often?

A spreadable treat and a handy 15 lb dumbbell all in one. Thanks Nutella!