Al Dente

Lose Weight, Get Paid in Cold Inedible Cash

I’m not going to lie to you--I could stand to lose a couple pounds. But it’s hard, even though I exercise, and try to resist the delicious amount of snacks around the Al Dente HQ. I mean, doughnuts taste good. Milkshakes taste good. Doughnuts dunked in a milkshake taste really good. If I was paid to lose those pounds though, would that be enough incentive? In the United Kingdom, some politicians think it will be. According to an article in the Times Online, “obese and overweight adults in England could be paid to lose weight under plans being considered by the Government.” It’s part of a larger 375 million (pounds that is) program to help cut the amount of obese and overweight in the UK (other parts of the program include advertising, classes, and the creation of “healthy towns”). I dunno if, when that scrumptious doughnut’s right there in front of me (or, the scrumptious milkshake, or chocolate truffle, or large hunk of cake, depending of your preference), I would be able to say no, even if I knew I’d get a check down the road. Would you? And how much is enjoying yourself a little less worth?

--A.J. Rathbun

Midweek Happy Hour: Grey Goose Ginger Peartini

Recently, I've rediscovered an old flame in downtown Seattle--Cutter's Smoked Salmon chowder. While this chowder is rich, creamy, and warms me to my toes on cold days, I have to admit that it's not their chowder alone that brings me into Cutter's--it's their Grey Goose Ginger Peartini.

A few weekends back, Head-Chef and I went to celebrate a special event with some close friends. Despite my desire to save a couple bucks and go with the happy hour scratch margarita, I just couldn't resist Cutter's peartini. Smooth, spicy, and sweet all is one sip! Here's how to make this one at home...

Ingredients:
2 parts Grey Goose La Poire
1/2 part ginger, muddled and mashed
1/4 part triple sec
1/4 part fresh lime juice

Directions:
Fill a martini shaker with ingredients above and shake gently. Stain and serve with a shaving of ice, straight up in a martini glass.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Here Come the Troops

Tagalongs®,Thin Mints, and Samoas®--oh my! It's that time of the year when the troops hit the streets--or their parents hit up their colleagues at work--in support of the 95-year old Girl Scout Organization.

The Girl Scout cookies have become an annual indulgence in many households across the country. I remember growing up with a Samoas obsession. Then, they partnered with Dreyer's (Edy's for those of you out east) to make Girl Scouts® Samoas® Cookie Ice Cream --yum!

In case you haven't been hit up yet to purchase your annual supply of cookies, go to this website and enter your zip code to see where you can get your fix.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News to Go

And It Didn't Come from Seattle!: The $20,000 cup of coffee has landed in the United States. A San Francisco coffee shop imported the only halogen-powered siphon bar from Japan for "the perfect espresso machine."

Tequila!: It's tequila! tequila! everywhere as Betty Hallock takes a look at the popularity of LA tequila bars and breaks down what's hip to sip.

The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming!: In The Chicago Tribune, Trine Tsouderos chronicles the continuing popularity of British celebrity chefs in the States sharing their country's "culinary renaissance."

And That's the Truth, Ruth: Time Out New York talks with Ruth Reichl about Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie.

Beyond Coupons: With news of a looming Recession everywhere, the Dallas Morning News offers tips to extend your food budget and save on groceries.

That's No Moon... It's a Meatball: Serious Eats shines the sandwich spotlight on Seattle's very own Zagi's and their "king of the meatball sandwiches."

Pulp Friction: The Amateur Gourmet draws a line in the glass when it comes to myriad pulp options in over-the-counter OJ.

Bruni Beat: Restaurant critic Frank Bruni stops by Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill and takes a star with him, leaving them with one ("good"). ("During one dinner the three slivers of chicken in the appetizer tacos were among the most shriveled, desiccated pieces of meat I’ve seen outside a bodega buffet at 3 a.m.")

--BTP

Crazy for Cupcakes

If you're like me and find yourself daydreaming of cupcakes all too often, you'll get a kick out of hello_naomi's collection of awesome cupcakes. Videogames + cupcakes = coolest snack ever! Got a favorite cupcake I gotta see? Leave a link and let me know!

--AndreaLeigh

Reader Question: What Are Steak Stones?

Al Dente reader Frank recently wrote:

Years ago while in Nimes, France our USN P-3 crew went out for dinner.  Since most of us didn't read (let alone speak) French, one who had apparently done pretty well with high school French handled the basic translations for ordering.  After a couple glasses of wine, then salad, dinner began arriving.  First up were thick steaks for all....rare ("What the hell did you order for us knucklehead?!?")....soon followed by thick slabs (~7"x7"x1") of very HOT stone mounted in steel frames.  It was then revealed that you cooked your own steak on your very own "hot rock" to your desired degree of "done-ness" while slicing and dining until finished. 

What are these "hot rocks" in steel frames known as, and where can I find them?  Many thanks if you have any other info on this type of table-top cooking.  They were delicious!

Cooking with Stone
These "hot rocks" are made of either soapstone or lava stone and are used in various forms of cookware. Many restaurants in the states offer the form of dining you described. I went to one in Fort Myers, Florida named Tetley's Steak & Stone. Essentially they give you a raw steak, sides, dipping sauces, and a really hot stone to grill the steak on. It's like a fancy version of Cousin Eddie's chicken cookout in Vegas Vacation.

You can purchase soapstone and lava stone cookware from various websites. Here are a few:
- Bucks County Soapstone
- Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop
- The Steak on the Stone Co.
- Hot Rock

Frank, I hope this was helpful and that you invite the Al Dente crew over for dinner.

--Spanno

What to Do with Extra Peppermint Bark

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I have too much peppermint bark. You see, I usually make 12-14 pounds of it every holiday season to give away as gifts, and this year I was so busy that I didn't get to make all my gifting rounds. So, now I've got at least a pound of it at home, and I've been trying to figure out what to do with it. Here's what I've come up with so far:

• Make peppermint bark ice cream: Mix crumbled bark into a vanilla ice cream base as it processes in the ice cream machine (maybe even add a bit of peppermint extract to give it some extra punch).
• Bake it into brownies: Stir it into the batter, plus sprinkle it on top.
• Frost a cake with it: Bake up a chocolate or vanilla layer cake, frost with vanilla icing, and then press crushed bark into it--very festive!
• Use it as an ice cream topping: Maybe melt it with some cream in a double boiler and pour it over vanilla ice cream--not sure how well it would work, but it's probably worth a try.
• Dress up fudge with it: Press shards into homemade fudge before it cools. (Chocolate overload, yahoo!)

Anyone have other suggestions? Add a comment and let me know. It would be a shame for all this delicious peppermint bark to go to waste...

--KitchenMaus

Yet Another Reason We Should Be Able to Drink at Work

A recent article reports that German researchers just announced that drinking beer promotes good health. How could this lovely dream be possible? They say that, “preliminary studies indicate xanthohumol, a compound found in hops, inhibits a family of enzymes which trigger cancer, as well as help the body detoxify carcinogens.” While I can’t pronounce “xanthohumol” even after a number of drinks, I’m happy to hear about this latest news on how healthy consuming a few cold ones is (along with the known benefits of wine, cocktails, and highballs, this means it’s probably pretty unhealthy not to drink). They do also say that the current amount of hops in most beer means you might need to drink about 60 to get the benefits of one of their extra-hoppy xanthohumol-rich beers (they also say they’re working on getting the xanthohumol-levels bumped up in beers). The end result of this study--in my Thursday-morning opinion? If not allowed to have a few beers at the end of a long work day, tell your boss that they’re endangering your health. And then meet me at the bar.

--A.J. Rathbun

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News To Go

...In Bed: New York Times reporter Jennifer 8. Lee attempts to solve the riddle of the origins of the fortune cookie (hint: it isn't China). You can read about fortune cookies, chop suey, take-out containers, the dangers of being a bicycle delivery man in New York City, and much more in her book, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food (available March 3).

When Life Gives You Lemons...: The LA Times ticks off 100 Things to Do with a Meyer Lemon--lemon curd, gremolata, pizza, and 97 other great ideas.

Attack of the Clones: The FDA says it's OK to sell food and dairy products from cloned animals.

Gourmet 2.0: Gourmet Magazine relaunched their website today, and now includes access to archival material dating back to 1941. Recipes are still featured on Epicurious.com, but you can watch a video of Marco Pierre White, read a Q&A with Michael Pollan, and revisit the wonderful Edna Lewis essay from the January issue.

But When Will They Take Reservations?: The Seattle Times' Nancy Leson offers up some details on when, where, and what to expect from the "coming soon" Seattle restaurant from famed chef Jerry Traunfeld, who, after 17 years, is leaving The Herbfarm.

Bruni Beat: New York Times food critic Frank Bruni gives two stars ("very good") to the Columbus Circle outpost of Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill.

--BTP

Reader Question: French Cheeses Available Stateside?

Al Dente reader Glendon recently wrote:

I found your great website via an Instapundit link late last year sometime. I read it quite often and figured you may have an answer to a question I have. I'll spare you the fluttered details (I was living in France and now the missus and myself are in the Detroit area...yeah I know...psshht, nevertheless, she's French, I'm American...her family, my family, yada yada yada, etc...), but I'm looking for an American (no, I should say able to purchase Stateside) readily available substitute for the Tomme cheese of the Auvergne region of France. By chance do any of you know? I'm looking to make an "Aligot" or a "Truffade" if that helps at all.

I'm not a chef but adore cooking, therefore I have to say that I have no formal training in these things at all. Especially cheeses. I mean perhaps I could just use an Emmentaller but to be honest, I just don't know. I've looked around a little bit, but all the good recipes I find call for Tomme or Cantal. I'm just not down with paying $130 for cheese to make a traditional peasant dish, d'yaknowwhatimean? I have a feeling I would wince while everybody is taking their first bite! And every bite thereafter for that matter!

A Brief Tome on Tomme
The name "tomme" refers to a variety of small cheeses produced in the French Alps. They are usually named by their place of origin--for example, one of the most popular varieties is Tomme de Savoie which is made in, you guessed it, Savoie. Typically produced during the summer months, tomme cheeses are made from skimmed cow's milk which remains after the cream has been separated to make richer cheeses or butter--this makes them naturally low in fat. Cantal is one of the oldest French cheeses and, like many tomme cheeses, it features a rich and tangy flavor. Fortunately for Glendon and everyone else, you can find several varieties on-line for about $10-15 per pound, such as:

• Tomme de Savoie
• Cantal (aka French cheddar)
• Tomme Ailine Vignes
• and another Tomme de Savoie

Glendon, we hope this information was helpful and that you enjoy every last bite of Aligot without a single wince.

--Broadstone