Rhode White & Blue

July 7, 2011 Stephanie Leave a comment

My in-laws visited last weekend and we crammed as much sun, ocean, and seafood as possible into four days. This is almost the perfect Rhode Island holiday weekend, so I had to share our itinierary.

Saturday

Sailing lesson in the morning (just J & I, it was our first)
Wine tasting at Newport Vineyards
Polo (our picnic of choice is antipasto from Federal Hill)
Walk for an ice cream cone

Sunday

Beach day! First to Scarborough. Swam in the ocean.
Lunch at Matunuk Oyster Bar
More beach time at Matunuk beach.

Monday

Eggs benedict at home
Bike ride to the nation’s oldest 4th parade in Bristol (40mi round trip)
Sushi
A drink at the neighborhood bar
Watched Providence fireworks from the comfort of our street

Tuesday

Dunkin’ Donuts breakfast (a Rhode Island tradition, ha)
Tennis at the Intl Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, a historic building with grass courts
Lunch between matches at The Mooring, where we were drawn in by the seafood donuts on the menu. They were as good as they sounded – Bag of Doughnuts: Lobster, crab & shrimp fritters with chipotle-maple aïoli

Do you have a favorite Rhode Island (or local to you) 4th of July tradition?

cooks, salads, vegetables

Healthy Rye Berry Salad

June 28, 2011 Stephanie Leave a comment

I’m always on the lookout for easy summer lunches that transport well and don’t need to be heated. This salad was imagined to use up some odds and ends. I didn’t have high expectations but it came out so well, with pleasing textures and flavors.

This is my first time cooking with tempeh, and I’m honestly unsure what motivated me to buy it. I had my doubts when I tried a piece raw – it tasted horrible! But marinated and fried, it adds a good flavor and some protein to the salad.

Most of the other ingredients came from Rhode Island growers: the rye berries from Schartner Farms, the broccoli and garlic scapes from Pak Express. The broccoli was so good that I ate most of the bag instead of putting it in the salad…even the stems were tender.

Ingredients

1 package tempeh (I used an 8oz package of LightLife 3 grain)
1 cup dried rye berries
a handful garlic scapes (scallions would work too)
1/2 head broccoli (I also used the leaves)
orange juice
soy sauce
olive oil
cider vinegar

Directions

Chop the tempeh into 1/2 in cubes and marinate in a mixture of soy sauce and orange juice, just enough to cover. I used about 2 parts OJ to 1 part soy sauce.
Prepare the rye berries: rinse with cool water and drain. Bring 2.5 cups water to a boil, add rye berries, turn down the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. If the rye berries are tender but with a bit of chewiness, they’re done.
While the rye berries are cooking, chop the garlic scapes into small (1/8 in) rounds and the broccoli into 1/4 in pieces (or larger if you’d prefer).
In a large bowl, prepare about a half cup of vinaigrette with some cider vinegar, olive oil, and pepper to taste. It can be a bit on the sharp/sour side because we will add some sweetness – and saltiness – later.
When the rye berries are finished cooking, drain and toss with the vinaigrette, broccoli and scapes. The warm rye berries will soak up the dressing nicely.
Drain the tempeh, reserving the marinade. Fry in a skillet with a bit of olive oil, browning on all sides, about 5 minutes. Pour the reserved marinade into the skillet, allowing it to cook down by about half. If you used a lot of soy sauce, you might not want to use all the marinade so your salad does not end up too salty. Mix the tempeh and cooked marinade into your salad, and season to taste if necessary.

eats, rhode island, uncategorized

Block Island

June 6, 2011 Stephanie Leave a comment

After almost 9 years of living in Rhode Island, I finally made it to Block Island. We took an early ferry over on Sunday with our bikes. The ferry tickets were a surprise gift for surviving the GRE exam on Saturday – I have an amazing husband!

The Taste of Block Island promotion was on, and we benefited with 2-for-1 lobster rolls at the Poor People’s Pub and a giant sundae at Aldo’s Bakery.

The lobster rolls were great- we shared one warm with butter, one cold with mayo. The spicy fried oysters, which were enormous, were also a must-have. Ice cream is a great way to recover from biking all the hills. I chose rum raisin and maple walnut topped with the usual, plus raisinettes.

Between the Dramamine (which I probably didn’t need) and the bike riding, I was exhausted and asleep embarrassingly early. But I was dreaming about the beautiful shores and beach-rose scented sea air…

cooks, grills

Grilled Oysters

June 1, 2011 Stephanie Leave a comment

I love raw oysters, so I was skeptical the first time I heard of grilled oysters. Then I tried them at the Acme Oyster House in New Orleans, and I was more than willing to change my mind.

Last weekend, we tried grilling our own, following Emeril’s recipe. The oysters are shucked, topped with a compound butter (with garlic, parsley, chives, lemon juice, cayenne, hot sauce), and grilled (we have a special rack to make sure they don’t tilt and lose those delicious juices, which are divine when soaked up with some crusty bread). They were almost perfect – next time we will add an extra sprinkling of Parmesan for that crispy texture.

As J was shucking the oysters he made an interesting discovery – an Oyster Crab! They’re tiny (1/2″ or less) crabs that live inside oysters. I did exactly what you’d expect me to do: I took a picture of it, Googled it, then fried and ate it.

cooks, sides, small bites

Mediterranean Relish

May 13, 2011 Stephanie Leave a comment

Last month, we bought a grill and entered a whole new world of outdoor cooking. While searching our chest freezer for grillable items, I came across lamb hot dogs and lamb kielbasa from a family friend with a farm. It seemed a shame to top lamb sausage with the usual ball-game ketchup and yellow mustard combo, so I sorted through the jars in our fridge and threw together a condiment with a little class. It went with the sausage so well, I’ve already made it a few times.

Mediterranean Relish

Black dry-cured olives
Red onion
Capers
Roasted red peppers – I used jalapenos, but a less spicy alternative might be better
Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)

Dice the olives, onion, and red peppers into approximately 1/4 inch pieces. Mix with the capers and add lemon juice to taste if desired. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the sausage.

I think mint or basil would make a tasty addition – what would you add?

makes

Vacation Planning with Google Maps

May 4, 2011 Stephanie Leave a comment

I have a confession: I have a type A personality when it comes to vacation planning. Luckily, once I’m at my destination, I relax, have fun, and am open to spontaneity. But from the time I book a vacation until I’m on the plane, I take great pleasure in obsessively researching my destination and collecting places to go.

My favorite tool for vacation planning is the “My Maps” feature in Google Maps. Here’s how I use it:

I create a map for each vacation.
Every time I read about a place I’d like to visit, I add it to the map.
I choose appropriate icons for each location (like a bed for the hotel, cutlery for restaurants) so they’re easy to spot on the map.
If I have additional information about a location, like hours, I add it to the description.
I share it with J in case he wants to add to it or view it on the road.

If you’ve never created a map in My Maps, these instructions will get you started. But you may not need instructions – it’s pretty easy: if you ever find somewhere you’d like to go on Google Maps, you can simply click the place marker and choose Save To Map. To find your maps, click the My Maps link under the Google Maps logo.

Here’s the map I created for last weekend’s DC trip:

View Washington DC in a larger map

Before I joined the smartphone world, I’d simply print the maps. I even survived a few days of driving around Memphis, mostly alone, based on a 1-page printout.

Now that I have an Android phone it’s even easier, because I can view my map on my phone’s Maps app, which means it integrates with the GPS features. This is done in the Layers section of Google Mobile Maps (the default Maps app for Android, but also available on other phones).

How do you keep track of must-visit vacation spots?

eats, washington dc

DC: Mitsitam Cafe

May 3, 2011 Stephanie 1 Comment

Thanks to Katy for telling me about the Mitsitam Cafe, a cafeteria-style dining spot in the National Museum of the American Indian. I’m glad I previewed the menu on their website – the food service area, which is divided by region, can be overwhelming to the indecisive. The regions represented are Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso America and the Great Plains.

The star of our meal was the Native Woodlands Mixed Grill, which consisted of two delectable appetizers:

Cast Iron Seared Breast of Pheasant, Dried Cherry Pemmican
Grilled Hardwood Smoked Venison, Wild Rice Pudding, Red Wine Cherry Reduction

This was up my alley – game is always tempting, I love the idea of wild rice pudding and I’m a fan of dried cherries. Both dishes had a good balance of flavors, and the meats were perfectly cooked. This would be an inspirational addition to a game dinner menu.

Next, we shared a 5 Region Sampler Platter with two extra sides.

Grilled buffalo strip loin
Cedar planked salmon
Hearts of palm salad
Wild rice and watercress salad
Black beans
Side of seaweed and musrooms
Three sisters salad (not pictured – giant beans, corn, squash)

Even though we were ravenous after a 5+ mile morning walk, this was a lot of food – maybe we should have just gotten the buffalo with a couple of sides. The variety of dishes was irresistible, though. I’ll be inspired to recreate some of these at home – I didn’t pick up a copy of the Mitsitam Cafe Cookbook during my visit because I was traveling light, but it’ll surely be a part of my next Amazon order.

travels, washington dc

Weekend in Washington DC

May 2, 2011 Stephanie 2 Comments

We took a whirlwind weekend trip to DC. The timing was perfect – leave at 6am on Friday, return late Sunday night. The price was also perfect at $98 round trip! It’s such a short flight from Providence, just a little over an hour.

Fairy Duster flower at the Botanical Gardens, lights at Birch & Barley (fantastic brunch)
Chinatown gate, The Silk Rainforest by Sheila Hicks at the Renwick Gallery

We walked at least 12-15 miles a day, visited every museum we could find, and ate some memorable meals (I promise you’ll see another post or two about those…)

eats, providence, rhode island

The Whiskey Republic

April 23, 2011 Stephanie Leave a comment

The Whiskey Republic is a new addition to Providence’s bar roster. Opened by Ken Casey, bass player and vocalist for the Dropkick Murphys, the bar “blends Irish roots with rock and roll style.” I’ve had a soft spot for the band ever since I was lucky enough to catch them at a tiny American Legion hall in New Jersey twelve years ago – it was one of the most energetic shows I’ve seen.

We finally made it to The Whiskey Republic for a beer and a bite. The menu can best be described as creative bar food. Instead of the usual buffalo sauce, their wings have a BBQ whiskey sauce. I had a flavorful pulled pork sandwich with a spicy cumin kick, and J tried the chicken schnitzel sandwich, which was topped with a sunny side up egg. Tasty food, nice water views, and of course a great playlist.

breakfast, cooks

Poached Egg Dishes

April 20, 2011 Stephanie 2 Comments

A poached egg is like a choice piece of jewelry; it has the ability to make a normal dish luxurious. The contrast between ethereal white and thick orange yolk is sensual. (But if you’ve had one, you already know that.)

L: Smoked salmon eggs benedict

R: Fall veggie hash (sweet potatoes, acorn squash, onions, leeks, garlic, sage) topped with an egg

If you enjoy poached eggs but have never made one, try. The first few may not be perfect, but after a bit of practice, you’ll be ready to host a top-notch brunch (maybe for mother’s day?) Speaking of mothers, mine can poach eggs very well. I’m sure I called her a few times trying to remember her tricks – but now I’m confident enough to make 6-8 at a time. After coffee.

L: Winter vegetables (romanesco cauliflower, napa cabbage, carrots, garlic, chili) in a lightly seasoned broth, topped with a poached egg. Inspired by a breakfast at Nick’s on Broadway, a great place for egg-spiration.

R: Fall vegetables (delicata squash, onions, garlic, carrots, mild radishes, peppers, tomato) with sriracha hollandaise

There are step-by-step instructions for egg poaching on Simply Recipes. My method is similar. I don’t time my eggs, instead testing the egg with a very timid poke, and I err on the early side when removing the eggs, especially if they are headed for a warmed dish in the oven. I use a large skimmer from Ikea to remove each egg and gently shake off excess water.

Don’t forget that poached eggs can be great for dinner as well: on a hearty salad, bean stew, warm lentil salad… How do you like yours?