October, 2011 -

by Miss K

Half-Cheating: Frozen Dumpling Soup

I love dumplings. Potstickers, ravioli, pierogies, anything of the like. When I studied in Ecuador, one of the first things our adviser warned against was eating street food. That admonition lasted exactly as long as the time it took for me to discover that a freshly made roadside cheese empanada cost 25 cents. In college, while others were eating grilled cheese, Ramen noodles (not the good kind) or worse, my roommate Renee and I were dipping strawberry pierogies in sour cream mixed with sugar. A first-generation American, Renee (aka Renata) had grown up on this particular brand of awesomeness, with her Polish mother expending her culinary energy on to-die-for breaded porkchops.

Considering my love of filled foods, I was quite excited to see a sampling of CJ Foods dumplings on my porch upon arriving home one day. A few days later, upon spying my new treasures in the freezer, my husband decided to cook up a bag. Like me, he’s not really one for reading directions, and he dumped the contents of the bag into a pot of boiling water. Please don’t try this at home. I say this not for your sake, but for the sake of the dumplings. Or if you do, don’t then boil the dumplings for 8 minutes. The whole point of these is that they are already cooked.

The result of letting my husband take the reins was quite un-dumpling-like. Imagine wontons without filling, disintegrating meatballs and, upon cooling, one giant sticky mess. Posting a picture of this madness seemed unfair considering that it was our fault, not the dumplings’. Fortunately, we had another flavor to try, so don’t worry, this near Friday-you-know-what has a happy ending.

The Endless Road Trip: Philadelphia’s Top 10 Eats 7. Love on the Run

As a life-long Philly guy, I think I speak from experience when I say that this city isn’t usually on the cutting edge of the latest trends and fashions. For all of its charms, this place can be bit more traditional…parochial, even, when it comes to new ways of doing things. So it’s no surprise that the food truck phenomenon arrived a little bit later in Philly than other cities like New York. That said, Philadelphia has been working hard to narrow the gap a bit with some inspired new mobile options, a few of which go beyond the everyday taco truck.

Oh, sure, we have those, too. And not just any taco truck. An Iron Chef taco truck: Guapos Tacos is run by Jose Garces’ local restaurant empire and serves some tasty fish tacos. But what if I told you that there is also a Mexican-Thai fusion truck that makes creative use of a favorite kids’ breakfast cereal? How about a truck dedicated to Trinidadian food? That’s not something you see every day.

Imagine There’s No Pizza

Mr. and Mrs. O still get points for all their D.C. burger eating adventures, but Herman Cain just took a BIG lead in the race for the coveted Endless Simmer presidential endorsement.

in Politics 0 comments

by Emily

100 Ways to Cook Hazelnuts

Ah, the hazelnut, also known as the filbert or cob nut (please, don’t call it a cob nut, that’s weird). Some may think, “Oh, hazelnuts? You mean Nutella?” Yes, the Italian chocolate-hazelnut spread is undeniably delicious, but no, hazelnuts weren’t born in a jar. Here at Endless Simmer we are determined to open your minds (and mouths!) The noble hazelnut is a delightful component of many of our favorite fall recipes, both sweet and savory. From pasta to salad to pastry, to hazelnut pizza and hazelnut-crusted fried brie, hazelnuts can do it all!

Click on the photos for full recipes.

More: 100 Ways to Cook Everything from Blueberries to Bacon

in 100 Ways / Featured / Lists 1 comments

by gansie

The Endless Road Trip: Philadelphia’s Top 10 Eats 6. A Stand-Up Slice

Very few truths remain intact through adulthood. Televised wrestling proved to be acting, although my across-the-street neighbor Anthony always told me so, but I never believed him.

I also thought a slice of NY/NJ cheese pizza beat any other type of pizza. While that is mostly still true, throw an egg on a pie and the story changes.

A sunny side up egg frequents plenty of pizzas these days, as well as many other unusual ingredients. In fact, I’d say most “gourmet” pies become overloaded, creating soggy crusts and a dreaded fork-and-knife induced experience. Complicated pizzas rarely work.

Philadelphia’s Barbuzzo selected the right mix of flavors and textures to create a simple and addictive pie: Brussels sprout leaves scattered across a cheesy, truffle-oiled disk, dotted with guanciale. Diced pig jowl posed as garnish, a modern and effective way to use the most out of a moderate amount of meat.

The yolk arrived already nicked, ensuring that the egg ran all over the pizza. This oft-overlooked detail—hellloooo 8 out of 10 of my last Eggs Benedict orders—is much appreciated. And in a balancing feat, the crust stays stiff, letting the utensils sit this course out.

It’s enough to make me believe in the tooth fairy.

The Endless Road Trip: Philadelphia

1. There Will Be Blood…and Beets
2. Soup Dumpling Surprise
3. Cheesesteaks Gone Wild!
4. Duck in a Pot
5. Pretzels, Pretzels Everywhere
6. A Stand-Up Slice
7. Love on the Run
8. A Plate of Cheese and a Pail of Grapes
9. The New Cupcakes
10. Tastykake Taste Test

in Cheese / Eggs / Pig / Restaurants 1 comments

by BS

P is for Pig Poppers

Earlier this fall, we told you about the newest deep-fried wonders at this year’s state fairs.

Now that the fried-iest of fried food festivals is well under way, Kat Robinson at Tie Dye Travels has put together a pretty amazing Guide to Texas State Fair Food, from A-Z.

D is for Deep Fried Biscuits and Gravy, S is for Sweet Jalapeno Shrimp Corn Dogs, etc…Basically, this one’s a can’t-miss for proud American eaters.

Check it out in all its glory: Guide to the Texas State Fair Food, from A-Z

in Food Travel / Lists 3 comments

by Borracho

The Endless Road Trip: Philadelphia’s Top 10 Eats 5. Pretzels, Pretzels Everywhere

New York can have its bagels, Chicago its hot dogs, LA its churros and I will even spot NOLA its delectable beignets. For me, Philly’s signature on-the-go edible blows them all out of the water. I’m not talking about cheesesteaks or even wudder ice, but pretzels. You can find Philly soft pretzels on just about every corner in the city and everyone has their favorite place to pick them up. The city even has a park named after the doughy treats!

Like any signature city snack, there’s significant debate about which variety is the very best. There are a few different styles you can find, so here’s a crash course for next time you’re in town.

1. Philly Soft Pretzel

This is the traditional version. A slab of pretzels shaped in figure 8s, baked and sold in multiples of twos. Fresh, soft and chewy, there is just the right amount of coarse salt. Walk on by the ones that look moist, as they have been sitting around too long, but just try to resist a batch of these fresh out of the oven. All these beauties need is a squirt of yellow mustard (forget about Grey Poupon). To this day, I am convinced these pretzels actually taste better when they are bought and then wrapped in a brown paper bag, which many mom-and-pop shops provide.

October 2011