New for me: Medium Rare-Cooked Duck

So, it may not be particularly new in the culinary world, but for me, having duck prepared medium rare is something quite novel. Being Chinese, I am used to the roast duck that hangs in the butcher window at Chinese restaurants and Asian food markets -- a sight to see as the ducks hang by their necks (head still attached), dripping with oil, and glistening with their reddish brown skin The succulent dark meat is moist and tender and roasted to perfection. I also enjoy Peking duck with its crispy skin and wrapped in warm, round tortilla-like flat bread with a smear of hoisin sauce and fresh, julineed scallions... Mmmm... makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

But I digress. I'm here to talk about duck cooked medium rare. At first this seems quite intimidating as we all know we should cook poultry, especially chicken, well done as to avoid salmonella poisoning, which I can tell you first hand is EXCRUCIATING gastronomic torture! But I suppose that duck is different. Its meat is quite dark for a bird, so it's a bit like game, really.

I first had medium rare-cooked duck at the famous Talula restaurant in Miami. Talula has received rave reviews all around, so I finally decided to go there and check it out for myself. I was extremely pleased with Talula. The food was fantastic, and our waiter was a trip (he'd come over often and ask "Delicious for you?"). I actually had the lamb, but my significant other ordered the duck, and it was a nice surprise. The duck had lots of flavor, and the meat was fleshy; the consistency was almost like a cross between fresh tuna and a very tender piece of rare steak. Being so used to duck cooked well done, I was a little put off at first, but then I came to appreciate its more delicate texture.
The duck dish @ Talula

The next time I had rare duck was at Brosia -- a hip Miami eatery in the Wynwood art district. Even though I had experienced medium rare duck and came out alive, I still like my duck a bit more cooked, so I had it prepared medium. I think I liked this a little better. You still get the tender fleshy center in the duck breast meat, but the outside is a little more browned, which I think enhances the flavor of the duck.

So overall, my experience with medium-rare cooked duck is a good one. I would have it again, but I may not enjoy it completely the whole meal through. But then again, I'm a medium to medium well kind of girl when it comes to meat. I like a little heat with my meat =)

More on Brosia: www.brosiamiami.com
163 NE 39th Street, Miami, FL 33137
The duck dish at Brosia is AmAzInG! I would definitely recommend it. Although the breast meat is tender and delicious, it's actually the leg portion that is, for lack of better words, the BOMB! The skin was so crisp and the meat was moist and juicy. I would drive an hour out of my way just to go there again for the duck. Brosia also has a great cocktail menu and other tasty fare on the dining menu. They also serve hummus and pita chips as their complementary starter, which is a nice change from your standard chips and salsa. If you're looking for a trendy but tasty place for late-night dining in the Miami art district, this is definitely the place to go.

More on Talula: www.talulaonline.com
210 23rd Street, Miami, FL 33139
An upscale yet laid back restaurant, Talula offers flavorful dishes with a flair. The complementary white bean dip is so smooth and tasty and the scallop appetizer is lightly seared, sweet and succulent with that fresh ocean (but not fishy) taste. My only complaint, I wish the scallop appetizer was bigger! (It only came with 2 large scallops). Talula has almost a homey feel along with a quaint back patio. It's a great place for special occasions or a romantic evening with great food.

A Taste of Jamaica

Being a food lover, I love to watch the Food Network and other food /traveling shows like "No Reservations" with my man Anthony Bordain. I noticed both on his show and on an episode of a Food Network show where Paula Deen went to the Carribean that they had this delicious "wrap" called roti. I was pleasantly surprised to find that across the street from the Asian market I go to in South Florida (off of Commercial and Hwy 441) that there was a roti shop.

Being the curious and adventurous foodie that I am, I decided to check it out one day. The roti shop was a hole in the wall, but the owners, a father and son, are super friendly. We walk in and there is a list of different types of roti you can get, including beef, chicken, goat, shrimp, fish, and maybe a few others. There was also a few other Jamaican treats there like doubles, aloo pie, and peas and rice. Also, the drink cooler had some fun and exotic drinks like coconut water, ginger beer, and banana soda.

So I found out that roti is basically some stewed curry, which includes potatoes, peas, (maybe carrots), and your choice of meat wrapped in a large, thin, flat bread made of chickpeas, I believe. So it's kind of like a large tortilla. You could also get your roti another way in which you have a plate of curry and you use your roti bread to pick up the curry -- similar to how you eat Ethiopean food. Doubles are common street food you can find in Jamaica, and it consist of two round pieces of flat fry bread with a slightly sweet stewed mixture of chickpeas and other spices slathered in between. The aloo pie is also a type of fried bread stuffed with cooked potatoes and a drizzle of a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce.



All I know is that it was all SUPER delicious and full of flavor, especially the roti! My boyfriend had the beef roti and I had the shrimp roti, and both were EXCELLENT! The beef was tender, and the shrimp was cooked well. It was also very filling. I barely had room for the order of doubles and aloo pie that we also had, but somehow I managed ;-)

So if you're in South Florida and want a little taste of Jamaica, go to Commercial and Hwy 441 and then go south for about 1/2 a mile on 441. There's a little shopping center which appears to be a "little Jamaica" - it includes the roti shop, a Jamaican bakery, an herb shop, and a meat and fish market where you will find fresh cuts of meat and exotic spices, sauces, and other groceries and veggies.

The Magnificent Cupcake

If you have ever been to the Village in New York City, you probably know about Magnolia Bakery. And if you know about Magnolia Bakery, you know about AMAZING cupcakes! I first had these cupcakes about 4 years ago, and I still dream about them. Those of you in-the-know know why; for those of you who don't, let me share. The cupcakes, the vanilla ones in particular, at Magnolia Bakery are just divine... They're moist and the icing is sweet and perfect. I usually hate your standard sugary icing, but this one is different. I think it's the touch of milk in the icing. But whatever it is, it's a little bit of happiness with every bite. And these cupcakes are so simple, too -- just a vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream, with a touch of food coloring to make oh-so-pretty pastel icing, and a few sprinkles. No fancy shmancy flavors or additives -- just pure goodness.

And for those of you who can't make it out to Magnolia Bakery on a regular, or even semi-regular, basis, I have just the solution for you. I have the recipe! It's actually pretty easy to find nowadays on the internet. But when I first found this recipe a few years back, I was elated. I have only made them three times, most recently a few days back for a friend's going away party, but that isn't to say I don't crave them more often. They're such a special treat (and loaded with butter and sugar) that I only reserve having them when I go to NYC or if I have a special occasion to make them. By the way, when I made these cupcakes for that party, they were ALL the rage! Why shouldn't they be?! Everyone had extremely positive exclamaitons of joy when eating them, including "These are THE best cupcakes ever! Hands down! HANDS DOWN!" and "This makes me happy." =)

So, without further ado, here is the recipe for these magnificent cupcakes. I KNOW you will enjoy them as much as I do!

The Magnificent Cupcakes - Made by ME!

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes (depending on the size of your cupcake papers and muffin tins)

CUPCAKES:
· 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
· 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
· 2 cups sugar
· 4 large eggs, at room temperature
· 1 cup milk
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ICING: Vanilla Buttercream (Recipe Follows)
· 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
· 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
· 1/2 cup milk (room temperature)
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

*Note: If you would like to make a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake the layers for 30-40 minutes.

Icing:
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

*Note: If you are icing a 3-layer cake, use the following recipe proportions: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter 8 to 10 cups confectioners’ sugar 3/4 cup milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

*** I suggest ussing all 8 cups of confectioners sugar for the icing in order for it to be thick enough to sit atop the cupcakes without running down the sides. Also, you may want to whip the icing more than you think you should, and then let it sit a few minutes before spreading on cupcakes so that the icing is stiff enough to not run down the cupcake.****

Icing Goodness

This recipe can be found in "The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old Fashioned Recipes from New York's Sweetest Bakery" by Jennifer Appelt and Allysa Torey

My Review of KitchenAid Green Apple 9-Speed Hand Mixer

Originally submitted at SmartBargains.com

This KitchenAid mixer handles it all with ease.

KitchenAid Green Apple 9-Speed Hand Mixer

Awesome Mixer!

By Maureen with a food passion from Boca Raton, FL on 4/17/2008

 

5out of 5

Pros: High quality, Good construction, Feels Smoth, Easy to clean, Intuitive controls

Cons: None

Best Uses: Everything, Elaborate Meals, Simple Meals, Large Kitchens, Small Kitchens

Describe Yourself: Avid Cook

I LOVE this mixer! I've only owned cheap hand-mixers before, but you can really tell the quality of this product. I love the electronic buttons for speed control. I also love that the speed starts out slow so that you don't have to deal with splashing/splattering. (My old mixer started out at warp speed and I always had to run for cover when it would start up!) This is a great mixer to have when you don't want to use a big stand-up mixer or if you live in an apartment (like I do). The mixer is NOT noisy and it feels really smooth and easy to handle - quite a noticeable difference from my old one. The color (apple green) looks fantastic, and the mixer is really light-weight and easy to store. I HIGHLY recommend this product!

(legalese)

Humble Beginnings

My Mother looking at the fresh produce in the Seychelles

Like many people who love to cook, my love began in the kitchen alongside my mother. She is one of the greatest cooks I know and has taught me so much. She was born in China and then moved with her family to the Seychelles Islands, where she met and married my father. There, they had 3 beautiful daughters -- my two older sisters and myself. One could see how my mom got her influences in the kitchen -- the rich and flavorful tastes of Cantonese cooking mixed with the fresh, tropical flavors of the Seychelles Islands. These are the roots of her cooking, which bore the roots of my cooking style.

At the Seychelles Market in Victoria

My family moved to the United States in 1983, and my mother took with her all of her knowledge of food and it kept evolving, incorporating an even greater range of style including American, Mexican, and Italian. My father had also lived in Great Britain for a while, and he brought English flavors to the table. So as a result, my mother developed a class of cooking style all of her own, much of which she has passed down to me. I have taken what I have learned from her and made it my own, and now my style has taken its own shape and includes an international flair -- everything from Thai and Vietnamese to Mediterranian to Cuban to Polish and so on... Never forgetting my roots, I have maintained the same sense of flavor and ingenuity that my mother showed me, and I have developed my own sense of style and creativity which builds my passion for food every day.

Welcome to my food blog!

Hello World! I'm very excited to be starting this food blog! I am a big foodie and I've been wanting to share my passion for food online for a long time, and I'm finally doing it. I'm just a regular girl who loves to cook and loves to eat, but my dream is to one day be in the biz somehow -- a food expert if you will. There's so much I want to share -- cooking tips, my own personal restaurant reviews, and just tips and ideas about food in general. I love everything about food, and if you share that same passion, I hope you will join me on this online adventure and not only learn new things, but share your own ideas, too. I'm really looking forward to this new project of mine! So stay tuned for more postings about ALL THINGS FOOD!