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by Emily

Foie Gras Coffee? Apparently, Yes.

This photo might not look like much, but it’s one of the craziest things I’ve ever eaten (or drank, really). This was the second course at an ultra gorgeous, lavish Mexican wedding I attended last week. It’s a black bean cappuccino with foie gras. As in, it’s a coffee drink/soup blended with black beans, studded with chunks of seared foie and served with a crunchy meat and bread twist. It’s savory, velvety, and downright luxurious. I Googled around for any sort of recipe resembling what we enjoyed, but I couldn’t find anything very close. If you have anything, please feel free to enlighten us all in the comments.

But let me just say this… If loving a damn foie gras cappuccino is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

by BS

Can You Juice Beet Greens?

It’s all hot in the food world now to use every part of the plant and not waste anything — and beets are one of those farmers market treats that always seem so wasteful. The roots are delicious, but I mean, the leaves and the stalks are like 90% of the plant. I know that you can fry up beet greens and they taste — well, let’s leave it at “OK” — so I was on the hunt for a new way to use them up. With a new juicer sitting on my counter, I wondered: can you juice beet greens? Answer below.

Kolaches: A Love Letter to Texas Breakfast

Back in Feburary 2013 I wrote about Texas’ obsession with kolaches and breakfast hot dogs. The novelty of the kolache has worn off at this point, not in a bad way, but I definitely wouldn’t say I’m surprised by them anymore. Sausage in a sweet bun? Been there, done (eaten) that. (And don’t read too much double entendre into that, please.) I guess after almost three years in this state, nothing surprises me anymore, especially where meat is involved.

Well, I guess almost nothing. I heard that one of my favorite restaurants in Austin, Foreign & Domestic, was hosting a kolache pop-up a couple Sundays ago. I’ve been to their previous bake sales and knew firsthand how legit delicious they are, so obviously I couldn’t pass up this one. While F&D was hosting the event, the kolaches themselves were from Rebecca Masson of Houston’s Fluff Bake Bar (but made fresh that morning in the F&D kitchen).

These were no run-of-the-mill kolaches. We sampled sweet: peach & bourbon caramel, apple & miso butterscotch, coconut lemongrass; and savory: local sausage, Cubano (ham, swiss cheese, and pickle – crazy good) and everything bagel. Weirdly, that last everything bagel flavor turned out to be my favorite, full of cream cheese, onion, and poppyseed flavor.

I guess all I’m saying is, don’t take your city’s local favorites for granted, because the best chefs and restaurants will always find ways to surprise and delight you. Also, next time you’re in Texas, hit up Foreign & Domestic or Fluff Bake Bar.

in Breakfast / Personal 0 comments

by Emily

Endless Road Trip Marfa: Padre’s Bar & Grill

If you haven’t heard of Marfa, Texas, I can’t blame you. I didn’t know much about it until I moved to Austin a couple years back, but then I learned quickly enough: Marfa is a little town in the West Texas desert which has turned into an art enclave in the past few decades. It has some glimmers of weirdness because it was the setting of an old James Dean movie way back in the day, and it’s also home to the Marfa Lights, a mysterious phenomenon in the sky… basically, if you are looking for a scenic, artsy, and perhaps slightly creepy wild west desert roadtrip, West Texas (and specifically Marfa) is the place for YOU!

And the place for ME. I loved our trip so much. It’s funny because Marfa really is a teensy town, but I felt like there was way too much to do in the short amount of time we spent in the town (2 days out of the 4 we were in West TX). And by “do” I mean “eat” obviously, because Marfa actually has a great (albeit small, I mean come on, it’s like a 4-street town) food scene! So many cute food trucks and hole-in-the-wall spots only open for breakfast or lunch. There are like three “fancy”-ish restaurants and three bars as well. At least five days’ worth of solid eating and drinking, is what I’m saying.

Looking for Love in Gut-Bomb City

(Illustration by Anna Haifisch for Narratively)

Have you ever waited in line for the bathroom behind six drag queens, two unicorns, a seahorse princess and an evil monkey on stilts after downing a bowl of spicy hot gumbo? Have you ever tried to remove a fake fur coat, leotard and tights in a tiny dirty bar stall even when you’re not on mushrooms? Have you ever fantasized about installing a flatscreen TV in your bathroom?

Gwendolyn Knapp has done all of those things. As the editor of Eater New Orleans and a longtime sufferer of IBS, Gwendolyn finds herself in the unique position of living in the fattiest, saltiest, most deep-fried and delicious city in the world…while dealing with a chronic condition that has her constantly battling the outcome of said deliciousness.

Her hilarious essay about living and dating with IBS in NOLA is up on Narratively today:

Looking for Love in Gut-Bomb City.

in Food Travel / Personal 0 comments

by Miss K

Friday Fuck-Up: Two Steps is Clearly Too Many

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a Friday Fuck-up around here. It’s not that I haven’t blown it in the kitchen lately. I cook dinner nearly every night of the week, so naturally, things don’t always go as planned. However, my flubs have been rather run of the mill: soupy lasagna, over/undercooked rice, spills, etc. But then, the bread happened, and it was just too epic not to share.

Let me just say, before I get into the details, that I blame my children. If not for their constant shenanigans, particularly in the middle of the night, I might have two brain cells left to rub together. They bring great joy to my life, and all I have to give them in return is ten of my IQ points. Not a bad deal, but it can lead to problems. Like the one you see above.

On Saturday, my husband took the kids to the park. He has gotten in the habit of making bread using a book (more on that soon), and all I needed to do was take off the plastic bags resting on top of the loaves and put them in the oven. Apparently I have not yet reached the developmental milestone of following two-step directions because I failed to remove the plastic from one of the loaves before putting it in the oven. Yes, that’s right. The lovely glaze in the photo above is a melted Ziplock bag. The green squiggle next to it? That would be the melted zipper.

Fortunately (and illogically), I only screwed up one of the two loaves, and the odor of burnt plastic only lasted a few hours. And in exchange, I have this lovely post to share with you. You are welcome.

in Personal 4 comments

by Emily

Top 5 Super Bowl Recipes for Seahawks Fans

OKAY. This Sunday is the Super Bowl to end all Super Bowls. Seahawks vs. Broncos. If we had a Denver writer on our staff, things might have turned out differently here on Endless Simmer today. But we don’t, we have ME, a ride-or-die West Coaster for 25/27 years of her life, most of those in Washington. This means we’re going to talk about Seattle-themed Superbowl recipes today, and you’re going to read it and you’re going to cook it and most importantly, you’re going to LIKE IT. Even if you aren’t a Seattle person, unless you’re a die-hard Broncos fan, your NFL team of choice is already out of the running so you might as well take this opportunity to embrace the glory of the Seahawks and just enjoy the ride.

Besides, Seattle has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to signature regional delicacies: salmon, shellfish, cherries, apples, craft beers, fine wines… need I go on?

For your Super Bowl XLVIII party, represent the great state of Washington with one (or all!) of these crowd-pleasing recipes, each showcasing one of the state’s beloved flavors. Even if you and your friends aren’t Seahawks fans, you’ll be fans of these snacks.

5. Duke’s Clam Chowder from Smashed Garlic (& originally from Duke’s, of course)

I know lots of people think that the East Coast runs the show when it comes to chowder, but I guarantee you the Pacific Northwest can give it a run for its money. Washington clam chowder is thick, creamy, and chock full of fresh clams. The two most well-known and beloved recipes are from Ivar’s and Duke’s chowderhouses. If you’re an Ivar’s fan, you can find their recipe online, too.

Anyway, most of the country is still cold and miserable, so a bowl of piping hot clam chowder (maybe even in a bread bowl?!) is sure to keep your party guests warm and happy.

4. Washington Apple Martinis from Santa Barbara Chic

Do people in other parts of the country know about the Washington Apple? When I moved to Austin, I was shocked to learn that most of my Texan friends had never heard of it. This was a staple of my college years—of course, back in those days, we drank it as a shot, not a cute little cocktail like this one. (I completely condone imbibing in either fashion!) While this boozy beverage isn’t exactly the same as a fresh, organic Honeycrisp apple plucked from a Washington orchard, it gets you much more drunk. And that’s important when watching sports.

3. Chipotle Cherry Chicken Wings from The Foodie Couple

Why this recipe? The reasons are threefold: 1. Wings are a quintessential sports-watchin’ food. Everyone can agree on a good wing. 2. Cherries are one of Washington’s top crops – have you ever had a Rainier cherry? Delicious. 3. There are lots of cherry BBQ wings recipes out there, but this one is from a blogging couple in Tacoma, and you KNOW these people are rooting for the Hawks on Sunday. Credit where credit is due.