Goodbye... and Hello!

Dear Foodies,

I know it's been forever since I posted, but does that mean I've quit writing? Absolutely not! : )

Actually, I've moved to a new location, specifically The Hungry Toothpick. You can check out my new page there, or you can see my brand new page on Facebook.

I'll look forward to seeing you all over at my new blog!

Suppa'

Dear Foodies,

HEY, HEY, HEY! WHATS GOIN' ON!?!

: )

So, its been a little while since I've posted. Does that mean I haven't been doing anything? No sir! I've been busier that I've ever been before. That's because I've temporarily moved to San Antonio TX, for an internship with an amazing company by the name of www.VisionForum.com! I'm working in customer service, and since we are coming up to the end of the year, things are really hopping. All that to say, I haven't had as much time as I would like to make gourmet meals and stuff.

But.

I made time just this once. : )

So, here is the menu. Pretty simple, but it was tasty!

Menu

Chicken Soup

Baked Butternut Squash

I think I'm losing my cooking touch... : )

Kurtis set the table, and made everything purty.

My Place

Thank you Kurtis for the awesome pictures!

Well, I hope this isn't the only time I post this month, but it just may be... we'll see. Great to see you all!!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Dinner: Beef Stroganoff

Grocery Store Wars

Dear Foodies,

You may have noticed, it's been a little while since I last posted. And I have no excuse this time. (Commence throwing tomatoes here)

But. You also (hopefully) noticed that I have a new design! That would be due to the skills, of one Joe McIntire, owner of Blue Ink Blogs. Joe has been really easy to work with, even when I was a total slacker... Like the time I didn't reply to his email for a month. : )

Thanks so much Joe!!

Make sure to check out his website...

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Requested Recipe...

Mexican Garden Patties or Zucchini Pancakes

8 Small or 4 Large zucchini grated
1 to 1 1/2 lb. Jack Cheese, grated
1 onion, chopped finely
1 can jalapeno chilies, diced
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together, adding breadcrumbs last. cook on a griddle just like pancakes. Serve with sour cream or plain yogurt, salsa and guacamole.

I'm still looking for a side dish that goes well with this. Leave any ideas you have/try in the comments!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

P.S. The cool looking red things on the pancakes are pieces of watermelon. I used a cookie cutter to cut them into the shape of a small pepper. Random I know...

Zucchini Pancakes

Chocolate Mousse Filled Crepes

I'm not dead. Mostly.

Dear Foodies,

No, I was not eaten alive by a Kodiak Bear.

No, I did not burn a sky-scraper down while frying chicken.

No, I am not in Wisconsin again.

I'm just sitting at home on a Monday (my day off), after creating an absolutely amazing, incredible, delicious, delectable dessert, called chocolate mousse. :)

I'm trying to duplicate a pic I saw online...(Here is where I got my inspiration.)

Pics of my attempt will follow.

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Rendevous Cafe and Wine Bar

Dear Foodies,

After the market this last Saturday, I went to check out a new (to me anyway) restaurant called the Rendezvous Cafe.

It would have been a little hard to find if I wasn't following someone who knew how to get there : ) The main entrance to the restaurant was actually on the side, and seemed to only be accessible from the rear of the building.

Food

Overall, the food was good. I really liked the fact that they had suggested wedding pairings with menu items. I wasn't drinking wine (yes I'm still under 21 : ) but it made me feel like I was eating in a really nice little place.

We started with an appetizer of Rendezvous Bruschetta. Absolutely Amazing. Loved it. I would go back just for the bruschetta. : ) They didn't have a menu description, so here is my feeble attempt.

Rendezvous Bruschetta

Toasted crostini spread with fresh goat cheese and topped with house made Rendezvous Bruschetta. Parsley sprinkled on top.

I had the Frenchman sandwich. Here is the menu description.

The Frenchman

Suggested Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon

Tender slow roasted beef with bleu cheese, caramelized onion and herbed mayonnaise on a crispy baguette. Au jus on the side for dipping.

Bite #1 "Not bad... but not amazing... this needs more bleu cheese and onions..."

Bite #2 "This really needs more bleu cheese..."

Bite #3 "What is this little bowl on the side? {insert sound of sandwich dipping} Wow! That au jus makes this sandwich!"

The au jus was excellent and really hyped up the flavor of the roast beef. Makes sense when you think about it.

The Frenchman came with several side options. Coleslaw, potato salad, or potato chips. I went with the coleslaw, hoping to be surprised with something wonderful. I wasn't. The coleslaw had a rather sugary taste, with a white dressing. I only had a few bites to make sure I was giving it a fair chance.

I also had a sample of the potato salad, which I liked much more. Celery abounded (I think...) which gave it a nice crunch. It also had a bit of a peppery flavor to it.

I don't know if this should be with the food, but I really liked the dishes! Very nice colors. Presentation was lacking though.

Service

The service was reasonable but not the fastest in the world. It was probably 15 minutes after we ordered that the food arrived. We did have our appetizer first, so in all fairness it was fairly typical service time.

I did like the fact that the waitress was around, but not in the way, if you know what I mean. I'm sure that at least once you have been to a restaurant where the waiter/waitress is as good as standing at your table, which can be rather annoying. Or the opposite extreme, when you only see the waiter when you order, and receive your plates.

These guys had it just right. They were there just enough to make sure things were OK, but not enough to be in the way.

Facility

It was very much as advertised. A cafe and wine bar. It was just what I would imagine a cafe in Europe would be like. The atmosphere was very nice. They had live music in the evenings, which I would have liked to be there for.

There was also another room for small parties, meetings, etc. There was a baby shower going on while I was there.

View Larger Map

Overall, I'd give them 3 stars.

Well, that's it. I'm hoping to go back and give Rendezvous another try in a month or so.

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Unfortunately...

"The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese."

G.K. Chesterton

Ace Wonder Catering Crew

Dear Foodies,

I thought you might enjoy this... it was headed up by some of my friends (and foodies : ) from CO. This was on the set of a new film called Ace Wonder, by John Moore, winner of the SAICFF Jubilee award from a few years ago. Make sure to check it out. : )

BJS,F

P.S. www.acewondermovie.com

Mise en Place

Dear Foodies,

Have you ever had someone say to you, "Prepare that mise en place!" Last night I was introduced to the method.

Mise en Place

The French words meaning literally "everything in place". Pronounced mees/en/plas. ( I know that's probably the wrong way to write it out, but that is what it sounds like... ) Having all the ingredients measured and ready to put together.

I was preparing several things, the first being a Lemon Tart. I mise en place the ingredients for the crust, and put that together in the blender. I put to much water in, but Mr. Bob (who was the man in charge for the evening) saved the crust by adding flour. I have much to learn about crusts... : )

The material for the crust went into the walk-in cooler for about 20 minutes, and while it was cooling I mise en place the filling for the tart.

Now, I'm sure that for all of you foodies, at some point in your life you have zested a lemon. It smells wonderful doesn't it? : ) Well when you are zesting 9 lemons, it loses something... Plus when after you zest those lemons, you know that you still need to juice those lemons by hand plus 6 more lemons beside!

But, the end result was amazing. (Beside the fact that I forgot to put in the butter...)

I think the most fun part of trying something you just made is thinking to yourself, "Self, how could I improve this? How could I garnish this to make it look cool?"

Well foodies, I need to make myself some breakfast. See ya.

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

P.S. I challenge you to use the words mise en place today to confuse someone who doesn't know what they mean... :)

BS,F

P.P.S. I also mise en placed the ingredients for a carrot cake. I'll tell you about it if I get to make it today...

BS,F

Canadian Milk

Think they are feeling a little defensive? I know that there are a couple of Canadians who read the blog. Is this true in your area?

I know that even if the government "certified" the milk, I would still rather buy it directly from a farmer any day.

What do you think?

I can't think of a title... : )

Dear Foodies,

You are probably wondering at the lack of post's. Well there is a reason. The Lord has blessed me with an opportunity to work at The Clarksville Station. I started just a week ago, and it has been a blast!

Today, under the direction of Sous Chef Justin, I learned to make Lemon Curd, and Chocolate Mousse. : ) Lots of fun, and very tasty.

Well I need to get to bed, because I have to be up @ 4:30 AM tomorrow morning, so that I can make it to the Farmers Market on time. I'll either see you there, or I'll see you here!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Scones

Dear Foodies,

I made some scones today. I've actually never done it before. And it was awfully simple.

So, without further ado...

Breakfast Scones

Makes 8

Dry Ingredients:

2 Cups flour (I used soft wheat)

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 - 1/4 cup milk (more or less-pour in like you are making a pie crust)

1 egg (optional)

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add any raisins, nuts zest, etc. stir in milk (and egg if using) until just moist, the amount of liquid can vary. Measure in the milk just as you would when making a pie crust. The ideal consistency of the dough is moist but not sticky.

On a floured surface, knead slightly, roll or pat into a circle about 6-8 inches across. Cut in to 8 wedges. If desired, brush with milk or egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake @ 400 for 15 minutes on a cookie sheet or baking stone. Enjoy!

I followed the recipe exactly, except for omitting the egg. The variations I went with were chopped apples, raisins, and cinnamon. And I think they came off well, because there aren't left...

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Supermarket Society

Dear Foodies,

As you know, food is my passion. But not just any food. Real food. Raw food. Local food.

And, food in season.

In my work at the farmers market, I have discovered that most of the shoppers have no clue about seasonality.

(For any of you shoppers before mentioned, seasonality is the simple fact that certain foods are meant to grow in certain seasons. This varies by location.)

I heard some stories from the farmers about shoppers coming to their booths and asking "Where are all the tomatoes?". And it's May.

Now, I can't claim to have all the knowledge of when different foods are in season, but a good way to find out is ask your farmer, "What IS in season right now?". Farmers like people who ask questions. Trust me. : )

Vegan?

Nope.

McGurks Public House

Dear Foodies,

I have two things to tell you.

ONE. I am the Market Master Intern.

TWO. I just checked out a new restaurant.

THREE. I just joined Yelp.

I also took my first try at Tapioca Pudding. But it flopped. It came out much to liquidy (if that is a word...). Any tips?

Now, a quick restaurant review.

I stopped for a quick lunch after the farmers market, with the guys from Vesterbrook Farms at a place that was new to me. McGurks Public House.

I'll just get straight to the food. I ordered the Russel St. Ruben Sandwich w/ chips. The sandwich was composed of shaved corned beef, Swiss cheese, and a very nice rye bread. There was also some type of cheese sauce, which I couldn't quite identify... : ) I really enjoyed the sandwich, although, I wish that instead of serving house-made chips (unsalted), they would have served a nice big bowl of green salad. That would have made it perfect.

Service was OK. We ordered our food and drinks (water : ), and they came quickly. Which was great! But what was particularly annoying to me, was the fact that they never refilled my water.

Other than that it seemed very nice for a quiet lunch. I'll probably have to try it again just to make sure that I have my bases covered.

Overall...

Good Food. OK Service. Nice Ambiance. Nice Music. Not to Expensive. 3 1/2 Stars.

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

P.S. Did you notice that I can't count? :)

Guess where I was this morning!

Right Here.

P.S. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the page... :)

Salt

Dear Foodies,

After a short and unannounced hiatus, I have returned!

Dramatic, wasn't it?

I was made aware this morning via the Washington Post that the FDA is planning to launch a campaign to reduce salt in packaged foods. Now I can agree with the FDA for once that there is to much salt in the typical American diet.

BUT. It is not the place of the FDA to regulate such a thing.

What do YOU think?

Food Rules Winner!

Dear Foodies,

Our very "lucky" winner is Mell!

Mell, send me an email @ benjaminserven@gmail.com, with your address, and I will ship the book right to you! Hope you enjoy!

Now, for all of you who didn't win. You can still buy the book from amazon.com here. I would highly recommend it.

Keep Eating your Veggies!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Last Chance to enter for "Food Rules"! You have until midnight! The winner will be announced tomorrow...

Knives...

Dear Foodies,

I don't know about all of you, but keeping my kitchen knives sharp can be a bit of a challenge at times. Even my special knife gets dull sometimes. :-)

Here is a helpful video I found today. Now I have to get one of those stones...

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Hot Dog!

And this is why we are Omnivores...

Via FB...

"This one really got me thinking! As seen on the storage building near our home. "If vegetarians eat vegetables; then what do humanitarians eat?" My liberal friends might what to think on that one!"

"Double Down"

Dear Foodies,

Can you say yuck? I know I can. Especially after hearing about something like this.

Food Rules

Dear Foodies,

I have a wonderful Mother.

This last week she decided to buy me some books. One being Food Rules.

Michael Pollan is the author of this book. Pollan has written several works on food, including, The Ominvores Dellima, The Omnivores Dillema for Kid's, and In Defense of Food, these being some of his more popular works.

This book is basically exactly what it's title states. Rules for eating.

Rule #1? Eat Food.

Sound easy? Nope.

And because the book is so simple, I can't tell you any more than that. Except for one thing. You can win a copy of the book by leaving a comment on this post. You have until Thursday to enter. Then I'll let you know who won. The Incredible Prize.

Seriously though, even if you don't win the book here, buy it here. It is worth having. Just to review basic facts that should be in the back of your mind every time you take a bite.

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

P.S. I really do have a great Mom.

BJS, F

P.P.S Just for reference, I am not able to send this prize out of the States, unless the winner wants to cover the shipping... :-)

P.P.P.S Tweet it. Get another entry. Facebook it. Get another entry. Buzz it. Get another entry. Share it somehow. Just say what you did in your comment. (All of you who already entered, you can still do this...)

Pies

By Sarah and Allison

Lemon Meringue Pie, Apple Pie (Won Blue Ribbon at County Fair), French Silk Chocolate Pie, and Fruit Salad

"Food Rules" by Michael Pollan

Review Coming Soon!

One of My Favorite Chef's

Manufactured Meat

Dear Foodies,

Here is a disturbing video that just happens to be about the University of Missouri.

Dinner-Grilled Leg of Lamb

Leg of Lamb

Eye C U...

Restaurant Review: Thai Kitchen in Maryland Hights

Dear Foodies,

A few days ago, one of the men from my church took me out for Thai food. To the Thai Kitchen.

(quick note...)

You may not know this yet, but I am a hot food guy. Not hot as in heat, but hot like spicy. Thai food (or at least what I had) is served hot. As in heated. But it is hot as in taste too. And, it's not spicy hot. It's just HOT!

I. Just. Can't. Figure. It. Out. Period. And it's SO good! I love it!

How can they do that?!?

(OK. Here is my review.)

I had Pad Khi Mao. (Otherwise know as Spicy Noodle.) It was composed of a wide rice noodle, with chicken, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and green beans. Now the coolest thing about this dish was the green beans. They were almost completely uncooked. It added this "crunch" to an otherwise soft dish. Really liked that. Then there were all sorts of spices which I couldn't identify.

Mr. H. (incidentally Mrs. H's husband...) had a Grilled Pepper Chicken. He let me try a little. Pretty tasty. I'll have to get that the next time I go in.

The waiters were friendly. And the service was fast. Very fast. We sat down, and ordered. 5 minutes later we were having lunch. Pretty low traffic, although many other reviewers say that it is really hopping sometimes.

OK. Now I have to do the negatives. Not my favorite part.

There was a TV. I was facing the opposite direction, so I didn't have to look at it. But Mr. H did.

Presentation was pretty good, but didn't quite cut it.

Now my IDEAS!

This is a new feature. I was laying in bed last night thinking about this post, when I had an idea. Why not include in my critique ideas on how the restaurant could improve? So here you go. My ideas, and why.

1. All of the wait staff could wear traditional Thai clothing.

This would make the atmosphere so much cooler. I mean, imagine going out to a totally authentic restaurant. Not just authentic food, but authentic everything! You could do tables on the floor, and sit on little cushions. All of that stuff.

2. Move the kitchen to the center of the room.

This is so powerful. When you move the kitchen to the center of the restaurant, the guest change from customers, to an audience.

3. Get rid of the TV.

Maybe I'm just a luddite, but having a TV in a restaurant just doesn't feel right. (Wow. That almost rhymes...) I would rather have a conversation, or even just focus on the food. (Novel thought for me : )

Alright there you have it. Hope some of you foodies will be able to check out this place sometime.

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Eggs on End

Crepes

Dear Foodies,

I am the Breakfast Chef. Which means, every morning I have to come up with breakfast to feed anywhere from 6-8 people.

In this never-ending-effort-to-be-creative...

Crepes happened.

Crepes

Makes about 20 7 inch crepes

Prep time 5 minutes

Total time 30 minutes plus 2 hours resting time for the batter

For larger crepes, follow the same cooking process using a 10-inch skillet and a full 1/4 cup of batter. Don't worry if the first two or three crepes aren't perfect; it takes a few to get the heat of the pan just right.

1 cup whole milk

1 cup all=purpose flour

2 large eggs

6 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus extra for the pan

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Blend all of the ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth, about 4 seconds. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate the batter for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

2. Gently stir the batter to combine if it appears separated. Heat and 8-inch skillet (or crepe pan) over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Brush the pan bottom and sides very lightly with butter (it should sizzle when it it hits the pan). When the butter stops sizzling, remove the pan from the heat, tilt the pan slightly, and, following the photo's * pour 2 1/2 tablespoons of the batter (you can fill a 1/4 cup measuring cup a little past the halfway mark) into the pan. As the batter is poured, rotate the pan to swirl the batter evenly over the face of the pan before returning it to the heat. Cook until the first side is spotty golden brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Following the photos*, use a thin spatula to flip the crepe and continue to cook until the second side is spotty golden brown, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer the crepe to a paper towel lined plate and let cool. Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the pan with butter as needed after cooking several crepes.

Excerpted from the America's Test Kitchen Family Cook Book

*Of course to see the pictures you have to buy the book...

My Notes

This was an incredibly easy recipe to make. I decided that I would make it the night before, and I ended up putting it together, and refrigerating it overnight. My first 4 or 5 didn't come out particularly well, but after that I got the hang of it. I did use a nonstick pan. I know. Shame on me. : )

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

FDA Warns Against Drinking Raw Milk

Dear Foodies,

As you well know, I am very strongly in favor of drinking raw milk. It seem as though the FDA disagrees with me. Again. : )

Here is an article that appeared on Forbes.com just a few days ago. I would like you to follow the link, read the article, and then come back here.

____________________________

OK. Now that you are back, I want you to remember some of the things you just read.

The agency says there were a total of 1,614 reported illnesses, 187 hospitalizations and two deaths from consumption of raw milk between 1998 and 2008.

AAHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 PEOPLE GOT SICK AND DIED FROM DRINKING RAW MILK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Sorry. Just had to get that out of my system.)

So, do you know how many people the flu just in one year?

According to the CDC, 36,000. Of course that figure is from 1990, when people were much less concerned about their health but...

Do you think that that number dropped to any less than 2 in the last 20 years? I mean, the only number less that 2, is 1 right? (Of course you could argue that 0 is a number but whatever... : )

Now, remember, the figures from the CDC about the flu were from a span of 10 years.

The numbers from the FDA about raw milk were also from a span of 10 years.

So now what?

"This is about raw milk, not the flu, bozo!"

Can't you see? All of these government agencies are trying to scare you into believing that raw milk is bad for you. The reason they are doing this?

Control. Control. Control.

And what we need is self control. Not government control.

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

P.S. You don't mind if I call myself names, do you?

Happy Toast

"happy toast"

by Rebecca Loomis

The Death Star?

Update: I found another one... :)