Showing posts with label Sweets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sweets. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Bacon + Ice Cream = Food heaven




About this time last year, a group of friends were over for a late summer get together. Plenty of wine was poured, much food was served, and for dessert, something that combines the best of both worlds of bacon and ice cream. As one would expect, awesomeness ensues.

I learned about this recipe while watching Gourmet Magazine's excellent
Diary of a Foodie show. In it Ruth Reichl made it and I was memorized. During this episode they even featured Heston Blumenthal's take on it. After watching the ep, I knew I had to give this recipe a try.

The thought of combining ingredients that are so polar to each other could be a head scratcher. On one hand you have the smoky, salty, savory
perfection of bacon. On the other is the cool, creamy, sweet, decadence of ice cream. Distinct flavors indeed. But if you take a step back, you can see how they go well together. It's the salty, sweet balance that so many people love. It's why so many people like kettle corn.

At the party, some of my friends were skeptical of the melding of breakfast and dessert, but everyone gave it a shot. It wasn't for everyone, but what I loved most is that everyone at least tried it. That's one of the things that I love about food and would like for most people to do; to experiment, stepping outside your comfort zone. I'd qualify having bacon ice cream as pretty adventurous eating.



Photos By Ricky Carioti -- The Washington Post

Sunday, July 27, 2008

C is for Cookie



Much like the Cookie Monster, I too, have an insatiable appetite for cookies. And the recent chocolate chip cookie article that my friend Ana posted from the New York Times made me revisit some old recipes and think of cookies in a new light.

The article mentioned all sorts of great tips on how to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie. From size, to resting the dough, to sprinkling sea salt, and what type of chocolate, I knew I had to make some with these things in mind.

There are tons of great recipes out there and our friends at Accidental Hedonist have one that is super easy which I'll use on occasion. I've also grown to really like this one from Paula Deen. I figure if anyone knows how to make a truly decadent and tasty cookie it would be Paula. And she delivers.

If you don't have time to bake your own, luckily in Seattle we have two places that make some awesome chocolate chip cookies. Cow Chip and Il Fornaio. But why stop at just Seattle? Il Fornaio's are everywhere and Cow Chip will ship!

In the immortal words of the Cookie Monster; "Me want cookie!"