Incanto

I celebrated my 30th here with the whole pig and Incanto did not disappoint -- the food was amazing, the service attentive and the staff really made the evening memorable for us. I arrived a little early before the 6:30 reservation to look over the wine list. The list is extensive with spirits from the different regions of Italy. For 17 of us, we got 3 bottles of prosecco, 2 bottles of white, 2 bottles of red and a bottle of sparkling red. The recommendations from the sommelier were spot on and the wine really lubricated the night.

To start, we got two heaping platters dripping with meaty goodness. The mixed boccalone antipasto platter consisted of sliced ham, mortadella, salumi, headcheese and a pate; also on the plate were braised petite onions, pickles and an entire baked garlic. My favorite of the night was the headcheese, but everything were wonderful. The meats were flavorful but not overpowering nor overtly salty and they all melted in your mouth. The bread basket was also a huge hit. The focaccia was out of this world good. It was way better than any bread that I had while in Italy. A good start to the evening!

M-E-A-T!! Meat meat meat!!

Real Food, the Italian Way

I decided to take advantage of the bountiful fresh local produce in Florence and prepared a meal during my recent trip to Italy. I learned the joy of cooking simply and trusting the ingredients. I haven't tasted produce that tasted so flavorful in a long time, so why mess with a good thing? I restrained myself by not throwing the kitchen sink into every dish and let each element sing. I made a simple caprese salad as the appetizer, a speck and leeks pasta as the first course, and finally, a hearty chicken and cannelloni beans stew as the secondo. Alas, no dessert for us that night, just a big bottle of prosecco.

Recipe
Caprese Salad:
1 pound fresh mozzarella
2 large ripe tomatoes
10 large basil leaves
good EVOO
salt and pepper to taste


Pasta:
1 pound pasta (Gimelli is a good choice)
1/4 pound speck
1 large stalk of leek
1 small tomato
1/2 cup grated pecorino or parmesan 
a little oil to coat the bottom of the pan
salt and pepper to taste


Chicken stew:
2 large chicken thighs
1 pound dried cannelloni beans (soaked overnight)
1 medium onion
2 large red bell peppers
1/4 pound speck
2 large ripe tomatoes
1 stalk of sage leaves
3 cups dry wine wine
oil for browning the chicken
salt and pepper to taste

Beans to Go With Your Frank

I'm always on the lookout for an easy, healthy side that has mass appeal and can be made ahead of time. I think I've hit the jackpot with this haricots verts (no, that's not French for genital herpes, but green beans) recipe. Make it for a crunchy and appetizing side for any dinner party and the dish will be a sure hit!

Recipe
2 pounds green beans
1 medium red onion
5 cloves of garlic
2 lemons
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

A Birthday Cake for Little Tree

My near and dear bestie Nahal is celebrating her first birthday in the States. I've decided to make my first ever fully frosted cake to mark the occasion. The last time I made chocolate cupcake, a friend told me the cake is a bit on the dry side because I tried to make it healthier (using cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips). This time, I'm not messing around -- I'm going straight to my WDM recipe for the cake case: the red velvet cake. I'm going to modify the recipe by adding more cocoa powder to punch up the chocolate content and pair it with hazelnut buttercream frosting. 

Recipe
For the cake base:
1 cut butter (room temperature)
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon distilled vinegar


For the frosting:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup hazelnut syrup
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


For decoration:
10 Ferrero Rocher candies

He Didn't Know What Hit Him Braised Short Ribs

Short ribs have always been a bit of a hoity toity ingredient. It was the first thing that I tackled when I got my ceramic dutch oven. Lo and behold, not only was it just as easy to make as chicken, it was equally fool proof!! When I thought the dating thing with my boyfriend might go somewhere, I made braised short ribs as the first meal that I cooked for him. Boy oh boy, after the first bite, I think he saw a halo of our unborn children running around my head. He was utterly defenseless against my nuclear option! I'm experimenting with a new version of the dish for my bestie Nahal's birthday. Remember boys and girls, save the short ribs for the special someones in your life!

Recipe
3 pounds beef short ribs
1 bottle red wine
1 cup balsamic vinegar 
1 medium onion
2 medium carrots
3 ribs of celery
1 heads of garlic
10 sprigs thyme
10 sprigs rosemary
10 sprigs oregano
5 bay leaves
1 bunch Italian parsley
10 prunes
salt and pepper to taste
oil for browning the ribs

Three Berries Walk into a Bar of Cream Cheese

I made strawberry cheesecake cupcakes for a friend's housewarming and they were a hit. I decided to walk on the wild side and turn the recipe into a cake. To be honest, it was less for the sake of innovation and more just old fashioned laziness that drove me to tinker with the recipe. This is also the first time that I've decorated a cake. Altogether, I must say that it was a rather ambitious project. The cake consists of 4 components: the graham cracker crust, the cake, the whirled-in cream cheese and the frosting. The process is a bit intricate, but I assure you that the results are well worth the effort.

Recipe
For the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups blackberries
pinch of salt


For the cheesecake filling:
8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon strawberry jam


For the raspberry butter cream frosting:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup raspberry syrup
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar


For crust and decoration:
1/3 box graham crackers (11 sheets, crumbed)
3 sheets of graham cracker broken up into 4 pieces each


Special equipment:
12 inch spring form cake pan

Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton

I would rank my dinner at the Dining Room at the Ritz as the best dining experience of my life. We came here for the boyfriend's big 3-0 and everything, from the food, to the service and ambiance, were pretty close to perfection. Such a memorable experience!!

We arrived a bit early for our 7:30 reservation but the maître d' seated us right away. It's so rare to see white table clothes these days and it definitely lends a touch of elegance. The table was round so we got to sit next to each other, which I preferred. 

The waiter brought us an amuse-bouche of chicken stuffed empanada. The pastry was light and buttery without being oily; definitely wetted our appetite. A few minutes later, the kitchen presented us with the first of two hors d'oeuvres, a fried crab ball topping a mango and jalapeno sauce. They could have used less breading for because the crab was so delicate, but the flavors were en pointe. The second canapé was a boneless chicken wing with a light coriander and peach broth. The chicken skin was so crispy yet moist. It turned out to be Orin's favorite of the night. 

Crab Puff

Chicken Wing

We decided on the tasting menu and share a wine pairing. The boy got himself a Makers on the rocks and our meal awaits. Even the butter was richer and creamier than the run of the mills stuff at grocery stores. The only draw back was that the bread was not freshly baked and a bit stale. It was probably for the best or else I would fill up on starch.