February 2011


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Feed Us Back: Comments of the Week

– You ESers has a field day with our favorite new unitasker, the bananza. debbie koenig:

I love that it’s a “hand-held” banana slicer. Obvs so much more convenient than those bulky room-sized ones.

Britannia, however, is not making fun:

I kinda want one, don’t judge.

– And kitchen geek stands up for parsley as a garnish:

Used to be right there with you on the parsley garnish; but I’ve mellowed a bit. I’m anti curly-parsley and bad parsley but I think fresh flat leaf has its place. Garnish breaks down just like ingredients in the recipe, complementing or contrasting. Your current recipe and Rocco’s example go with the complementing camp. I often use parsley and/or cilantro in dishes that have neither to provide a fresh herb contrast to whatever dish I’m serving. Think about osso bucco and tell me gremolata is out of place as a garnish cutting the richness of the dish.

Finally, flickr user arenamontanas deserves a huge round of applause for somehow providing the perfect photo for this post.

Thanks for simmering with us — see ya next week!

in Photos 1 comments
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Top Chef All-Stars Exit Interview: Episode 9

I don’t care if Jimmy Fallon is some douchey talk show host now. I will always love him for always breaking character on Saturday Night Live.  Fallon celebrated his birthday Top Chef style by tasting and judging dishes from our beloved crew of All-Stars.

Be ready to wipe your tears. A true character packed their knives this week.

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in TV 2 comments
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Some Creme for Your Valentine

I have a confession to make that may cause me to forfeit all my ES street cred……… I am not a huge fan of  desserts.  I admit I  have found myself tempted to join the dark (chocolate) side after some of the recent recipes our new contributor Sweet Fiend provided, but typically the interest is just passing. Cakes, cookies, brownies etc… they just don’t do it for me. Some pears and honey or a digestif are much more my style. I also have never really had much interest in baking, with its need for precise measurements and specific recipes. These problems put me in a tough situation last week but my loss may be your gain as Valentine’s Day nears.

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in Desserts / Recipe 1 comments
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Resist the Jerky at Seattle Farmers’ Markets

If you want to understand a new city don’t go on that dumb duck tour. Instead, find a farmers’ market.

Ask questions of the vendors. Sample local food, it’s better than any other breakfast.

A cheese made in the temperate Pacific Northwest will taste different than a cheese made from cows raised in searing heat. Each state has different rules on selling alcohol, so wine, cider and mead sips can be found at Seattle markets.

You can even find alcohol (although not as much as NyQuil) in the ancient Asian tea, Kombucha.

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in Cheese / Fish / Photos / Veggie 2 comments
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Kuri Squash Soup

It’s that time of year when all of us farmers’ market junkies are literally begging the growers to show up with something besides squash and potatoes. Keep heart, folks — another month and we’ll be in the clear. In the meantime, why not make it a winter cooking mission to try using every type of squash they have at the far mar? One in particular I’ve always passed up is the kuri squash — those round, orangey-red ones that look something like a mini-pumpkin with gross, rough edges.

Chef David Bazrigan, who just recently took over the kitchen at San Francisco’s Fifth Floor restaurant, sent over this suprisingly simple recipe for turning those ugly little buggers into a beautiful kuri squash soup. Full recipe — and a bonus photo gallery of Chef Bazrigan’s food — after the jump.

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in Featured / Photos / Recipe / Restaurants / Veggie 7 comments
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Come Hither, Sweet Vosges Truffle

I am kind of a chocolate freak.
I think a truffle a day keeps the doctor away.
Because truffles are more delicious than apples.
Life is not like a bowl of apples, it is like a box of chocolates.
You really never quite know what you’re going to get.

As is the case from exotic chocolate maker Vosges, which produces things like bacon chocolate, oyster infused cream truffles, and enchanted mushroom chocolate bars.

The Vosges Luxe Sweet Coquette Truffle Collection is more of an experience than a box of chocolates. My sampling included instructions on how to eat them:

be present, see, touch, smell, snap, taste, linger and ponder your next move.

Okay, I like it. I rarely follow instructions, but these seemed to be well thought out and cover most of the senses. In fact, I’m gonna have to tell you about each one of these babies:

Kumamoto Truffle: kumamoto oysters, champagne, 36% cocoa butter white chocolate, pearl dust.

Oysters and chocolate? Don’t ask questions, just do it. Beyond the creamy, dreamy white chocolate goodness, the taste inspired visions of the sea. Not the sea as in a ferry to Ellis Island, but the sea as in that Cialis commercial where the couple is relaxing in clawfoot bath tubs overlooking the ocean. There is a hint of oyster cream that will probably make your lady rip her clothes off.

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in Holiday 2 comments
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50 Ways to Feed Your Lover

Here at ES we know it’s not always just about what you eat — it’s how you eat it, too. And never is that more important than on Valentine’s Day. So we’re embracing our inner love child and suggesting 50 ways (some naughty, some nice) to feed your lover this V-Day.

From breakfast in bed to beer in your bosom, enjoy our most loving countdown to date — and click on the photos for fuller explanations.

50. Giant Gummy Bear on a Stick
Practicing your oral skills has never been so sweet.

49. Electric Cookie Press
With one-hand operation and consistent flow of icing every time, the possibilities are endless.

48. Bialetti Pizza Chopper
Works great for slicing thin crust, deep dish, or unfaithful lovers. “Simply grasp the handle at opposite ends and rock the blade back and forth to create portions in the desired size.”

47. Hillary Clinton Nutcracker
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is busting more than balls in Washington these days. See what she can do with a pecan.

46. Jigsaw Cookie Cutter
Sometimes love is complicated, but isn’t it great when it feels like a perfect fit?

45. Musical Cake Slice
Dream of being serenaded by your loved one? You can have your cake and eat it, too, while listening to an electronic version of “The Wedding March” or other tunes.

44. Rooster Apron
This not-so-subtle kitchen frock is sure to send the message of what’s for dessert.

43. Nun Salt & Pepper Shakers
Don’t let that Catholic guilt get you down. Shake out your sexual repression at your next meal.

42. The Ex – Unique Knife Holder
Re-enact Fatal Attraction in the comfort of your own home.

41. Rainbow Kitchen Utensils
We love our gays more than the U.S. military, and what better way to represent pride than with rainbow kitchen utensils?

40. Flask Bra
For the girl on the go.

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in Bacon / Holiday / Pig 3 comments
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