Al Dente

Pop Open a Refreshing Can of....Sandwich

Thanks to Mark One Foods, the dream of one day having a sandwich in a can is now nearly a reality. Hoping to go into production later this year, the president of Mark One Foods says the Candwich has an excellent shelf life, and we can look forward to four delicious flavors: PBJ Strawberry, PBJ Grape, BBQ Chicken, and Pepperoni Pizza. As an added bonus, the two PBJ varieties come with a candy surprise inside the can (?!). Marketed as a convenient and no-refrigeration-needed food, the Candwich website touts the canned sandwiches as "the perfect product for people on the go such as students, construction workers, soccer moms, and outdoor enthusiasts." I'm not sure which to be more wary of--this convoluted canned sandwich, or the new mozzarella-stuffed grilled-cheese sandwich from Denny's...

--AndreaLeigh

Thank You, Air France!

I had three big surprises on my flight to Italy. To start with, on the first leg of my Air France flight to Paris, we in economy class were handed something I haven't seen in years on an airplane: a bona fide paper menu. I found this thoroughly amusing in the best way. A menu. How novel! Even though the main wiggle room for choice was beef or fish and beverage selection, I still felt a sense of empowerment, and maybe even entitlement with that little piece of paper in my hand.

Secondly, on my Paris to Rome flight, through some gaffe, I was seated in first class. At least, I think it was first class. The seats were no bigger than those in the rest of the plane, but a curtain partitioned the rows behind me off from the front of the cabin where I was perched in the fourth row. The flight attendant presented me with a glass of champagne and a dainty looking snack tray of tiny sweet and savory bites. There was one nibblet I couldn't identify, and the pinkish brown hue let me to believe it  was a hunk of cured meat sandwiched between two miniature candied orange slices. Then I took a bite and realized that it was creamy, salty, fatty foie gras. The mixture of savory and sweet notes, and the chewy and creamy textures sent my eyes rolling to the back of my head. A.maz.ing.

Lastly, and by no means least, I slept ten out of the twelve hours of flight time, which for me is nothing short of a miracle. I fell asleep about an hour after take off, and I woke up to the sounds of the French flight attendant shouting "Voilà!" as she passed out the breakfast trays to passengers. How perfect is that?

Thank you Air France for re-injecting a little bit of, well, service, into the in-flight service. I've been missing it.

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

That's a S'more, Eh?

I was in Cortina's market last week with my mom and Auntie Phyllis shopping stocking up for a pizza party, when a handwritten flyer with a recipe suggestion for Italian s'mores caught my aunt's attention. Simple yet brilliant. Wish I would have thought of it myself. I can't wait to try this Italian twist on an American classic.

Cortina's was also touting Nutella imported from Italy in a glass jar over that produced in Canada and packaged in plastic. They claim the stuff in the glass is better. Has anyone done a taste test? Nutella definitely is *not* on my present diet, so I will have to postpone my research to a later date.

Italian S'mores

Ingredients:

8 pizzelle
4 tablespoons Nutella
4 roasted marshmallows, large

Directions:

1. For each s'more, spread nutella on one side of two pizzelle. Place the roasted marshmallow between the two pizzelle. Repeat.

P.S. If you don't want to make your own pizzelle, you can find them pre-made at most Italian grocery stores.

P.P.S. I am thinking some smashed banana might be a nice addition, too.

Photo credit (pizzelle): StellaCadente*

Rome Industries Marshmallow Roasting Fork Set pictured bottom right

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Tomatoes For Breakfast? Yes!

Pan con tomate is a traditional breakfast dish in Spain, and I'm surprised its popularity isn't more widespread. What a great way to start the day, especially for those who are looking for a quick and healthy breakfast option.

Pan con tomate is simple to make. Toast a baguette. Pour a bit of olive oil over it. Then spread some crushed tomato pulp on top. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. What could be easier?

I've also eaten a pan con tomate that was made by rubbing a bit of garlic and then half of a perfectly ripe tomato onto a piece of grilled bread. It's a perfect pick-me-up in the middle of the afternoon.

With tomatoes now at their peak, why not have some fun at your next barbecue? Set out a basket of sliced bread along a bowl of tomatoes, and turn pan con tomate into a DIY appetizer for a group of friends.

If you give it a try, let me know how it goes! 

--Tracy Schneider

Beignets at the Beach and Other Hawker Food

I've been a bit obsessed with doughnuts these last several months, seeking them out in neighborhood cafes or out-of-the-way bakeries just to get my hands on an elusive Italian zeppole, a Portuguese malasada or even some Polish paczki.

If you're on the beach in Biarritz, France, you don't have to seek out your doughnuts at all, they come to you via the beignet hawker who walks up and down the Grande Plage every afternoon.

Beignets, the French word for doughnuts, take many forms in France, but the beignets on the beach in Biarritz begin as soft and puffy deep fried buns that are split in half, slathered with either Nutella or abricot jam, and then dusted with powdered sugar.

I would never have guessed that beignets would make fine beach food, but after an afternoon of bodyboarding, it's just the sustenance you need.

What hawker food have you found at the beach? I'd love to know!

--Tracy Schneider

Take Back Summer with DeLonghi’s Lemon Gelato

Oh, the loveliness of summer: sunshine, long days, warm weather, and vacations. But it’s a dangerous beauty. Why? Because all these long, hot, sunny days lead to an immense craving for ice cream and its Italian cousin, gelato. Not that eating lots of these chilly treats is a bad thing on its own, but the amount of dollars you’ll spend at your local gelateria or ice cream shoppe (and yes, you should only stop at "ice cream shoppes" and never "ice cream shops") is enough that you’ll spend too much before vacation even starts, or before summer really gets rolling.

Which is why DeLonghi’s newish GM6000 gelato maker is a summertime daydream. Sure, it’s easy to use (just put the ingredients in--sometimes after a little mixing--and it does the rest of the work), and it comes with a handy and tastiness-packed recipe book to get you started, and it’s easy to clean as well, but the real key is how it allows you to serve genuine and genuinely delicious gelato at home. It makes enough in one batch, and makes it quickly enough, that you can have gelato for the whole neighborhood before long, if you want (you’ll need to store some in the freezer, but you’ll enjoy the cool breeze that comes with opening the freezer door). My favorite so far is lemon (after trying it, peach, Mexican chocolate, oatmeal raisin cookie, and plain chocolate), which makes some sense since lemon and pistachio are my favorite gelato flavors normally. To make the lemon even more of a treat, I saved my lemon rinds after juicing some lemons, and put the rinds in the freezer. Then, I stuffed each with lemon gelato and served them up that way--they were a huge hit (see pic below for actual evidence). Here’s the recipe, straight from the above-mentioned recipe book that comes with the gelato maker.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream

Directions:
1. Place the water, sugar, filtered lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a bowl and mix until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Add the cream and milk and pour into the gelato bowl. The gelato will be ready in about 40 minutes and you will obtain 6-to-8 portions.

Gourmet Game Night and Watermelon-Rosé Sangria

Popular legend has it that today’s modern-day sandwich was named after John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, who created his eponymous portable treat because he didn’t want to leave the gambling table (although his biographer said it was really so he didn’t have to leave his desk while working).

Whatever the real story, my friend and fellow Seattle-based cookbook author and food writer Cynthia Nims has bested the Earl in her latest book: Gourmet Game Night: Bite-Sized, Mess-Free Eating for Board-Game Parties, Bridge Clubs, Poker Nights, Book Groups, and More (Ten Speed Press, 2010).

Now Cynthia is no stranger to cooking or the written word, having studied at the legendary La Varenne in Burgundy, France, and assisted owner (and culinary icon) Anne Willan with cookbook projects. Not to mention the dozen books Cynthia has authored or coauthored herself including the popular Seattle and Northwest Best Places and Northwest Homegrown Cookbook series.

But after perusing her latest tome, I detected a truly personal, excitingly exuberant tone that hadn’t come through nearly as strongly in some of her previous work. A quick call to the author herself confirmed my suspicions.

“In many ways I consider this book to be more personal than any I've written to date because it does reflect on memories and values established while I was a kid, and what makes me most happy when work is done and I'm just unwinding with friends and family,” Cynthia says. “When I'm off the clock, I love playing games and enjoying great food. And having a pitcher of martinis in the fridge!”

You’ll enjoy Cynthia’s recipe for Watermelon-Rosé Sangria, the perfect summertime quencher whether playing indoor games or lolling at the pool. She recommends pairing the sangria with Swordfish and Fennel Skewers, another inspired recipe from Gourmet Game Nights and a great reason to pick up a copy of this innovative new book that would make the Earl proud.

Watermelon-Rosé Sangria
Makes 8 sangrias

Cynthia Nims says you can double or triple all the ingredients, refrigerating the extra to refill the pitcher as needed, or halve all the ingredients for a smaller batch. You can also assemble the sangria up to 8 hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ingredients:
3-1⁄2 cups fresh watermelon juice (see Cook’s Note, below)
1 (750 ml) bottle dry rosé wine
1⁄4 cup brandy
1⁄2 orange, halved and cut across into 1⁄4-inch slices
1 lime, halved and cut across into 1⁄4-inch slices
8 (1-inch) cubes watermelon, for serving

Directions:
1. Pour 1-1⁄2 cups of the watermelon juice into an ice cube tray and freeze.

2. Combine the remaining juice with the wine, brandy, orange slices, and lime slices in a large pitcher, stir to mix, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3. To serve, put the watermelon ice cubes in 8 stemless wine glasses or tumblers. Stir the sangria and pour it over the ice cubes, adding a slice or two of the orange and lime to each glass. Skewer the watermelon cubes at the end of small skewers or long cocktail picks and add them to the glasses.

Cook’s Note: To make the watermelon juice, if you have a juicer, make the juice according to manufacturer’s instructions. If not, it’s easy to make nonetheless. For the amount of juice needed in this recipe, start with about 7 cups of coarsely chopped watermelon (roughly half of a small round watermelon). Remove all the seeds you can find. Purée the melon in batches in a food processor or blender until quite juicy, then pour it into a fine sieve set over a bowl and let sit to drain. You can stir the pulp a bit to help drain off the juice, but don’t press on the pulp so the juice will remain as clear as possible.

Reprinted with permission from Gourmet Game Night: Bite-Sized, Mess-Free Eating for Board-Game Parties, Bridge Clubs, Poker Nights, Book Groups, and More by Cynthia Nims, copyright © 2010. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Photo credit: Sheri Giblin © 2010

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon.

Swirl, Sip & Savor (and Snack on Sweet Hot Glazed Hazelnuts)

I’m thrilled to be one of the first journalists to write about Swirl, Sip & Savor: Northwest Wine and Small Plate Pairings a just-released food-and-wine-pairing cookbook/guidebook that showcases Northwest wines and cuisine.

A bit of a disclaimer right up front: I know the key players responsible for this smart, stylish tome. The book’s author, Carol Frieberg, and I are fellow cookbook authors and long-time friends. Both of us have published books with Seattle-based Sasquatch Books, publisher of Swirl, Sip & Savor. And Andy Perdue, the talented writer and wine expert who contributed the book’s wine-pairing and winery-sidebar information, is my long-time editor at Wine Press Northwest and also a dear friend.

But even if I wasn’t already acquainted with the masterminds behind Swirl, Sip & Savor, I would be drawn to this 224-page, four-color book because it so brilliantly showcases simple-to-prepare, yet elegantly gourmet recipes from nearly 100 wineries across Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. AND it tells you what’s best to drink with them.

Take, for example (and who wouldn’t?), Egg and Caviar Pie. This six-ingredient recipe is paired with Long Shadows Vintners Poet’s Leap Riesling, one of the Northwest’s great wines. Produced from Washington grapes, the wine is made in partnership with Armin Diel, one of Germany’s most respected winemakers. Or Flatbread with Caramelized Onions and Butternut Squash paired with Camaraderie Cellars Syrah. The wine is made on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula (moody and mystical home of the “Twilight” series of books) and is described as “a juicy example of what Syrah can be in the state of Washington.”

One of the book’s most beguiling recipes features Oregon hazelnuts and honey, along with sugar, butter, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt in a crunchy, munch-y, nutty, sweet-salty bite that pairs perfectly with a luscious Oregon-produced dessert wine. Yummy-yum!

Sweet and Hot Glazed Hazelnuts

Wine Pairing: Winter’s Hill White Gold Dessert Wine
Winter’s Hill Vineyard: Lafayette, Oregon

This strong and flavorful wine has intense flavors of honey, pears, and apples. An underlying spiciness leads to a crisp and refreshing finish. The nose has floral notes of white narcissus.

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Oregon honey
1 tablespoon butter, melted
11/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shelled unsalted Oregon hazelnuts, skins removed (See  Cook’s Note, below)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the honey, butter, sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir in the hazelnuts until evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet or a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Spread the hazelnuts out evenly.

3. Bake on the center rack in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, jostling the baking sheet frequently, until all the hazelnuts are golden brown.

4. Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and place on a piece of aluminum foil. Let them cool for about 15 minutes, then break apart.

5. Serve right away or store in an airtight container for up to three days. If storing longer than that, reheat in the oven at 300°F for 5 minutes to crisp.

Cook’s Note: To remove hazelnut skins, toast nuts in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes. Remove nuts, wrap them in a tea towel, and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Vigorously rub the nuts against each other to remove most of their skins.

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon.

Fishin' for S'mores

My daughter is a Pepperidge Farm Goldfish fan. I don't know a kid who isn't. She has always preferred the Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar, though she has never had the occasion to view the entire array of goldfish that the company has to offer. And the whole array is a bit overwhelming!

There are seven Flavor Blasted options alone, including Racing Ranch and Slamin' Sour Cream & Onion. And that's in addition to fifteen "classic" flavors that now include pretzel and whole grain, not to mention S'mores Adventures, my latest guilty pleasure.

Last summer I was so keen on Oreo Fun Stix, especially for camp care packages, that I missed the boat when Smore's Adventures set sail in August. Goldfish s'mores are a combination of goldfish shaped chocolate grahams, marshmallows and honey grahams, all in one bag. You can stack and eat them all at once, or mix and match them as you please. The marshmallow goldfish take me back to my Lucky Charms days. I bet they'd be good with milk--or even in milk, but oh what a blast they are just to pop into your mouth. And how much fun they'll be on your next rained out camping trip!

What's your favorite goldfish?

--Tracy Schneider

Calorie-Free Chocolate: Just Inhale

Hmmm. I am not sure what to say about this. Harvard professor David Edwards is the inventor of Le Whif, a calorie-free chocolate that one ingests by inhaling, or "whiffing." Le Whif has now launched a caffeine version, for "the kick without the cup."

Has anyone out there tried either version? I will reserve passing judgment until I, um, whif, but my initial thought is that I will miss the sensual experience of savoring the real thing.

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista