Vacation Food

I spent this past weekend at Seaside (in Oregon) on a mini-vacation and I thought I'd share some photos of the yummy (and meh) food I had.

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First the meh.

Now we have a Pig'n Pancake in Portland but this was the ORIGINAL :)

My "poached" eggs were more like soft boiled.... how hard is it to poach an egg!?

Overall it was just "meh" and not that impressive - same as the one in Portland.

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Now for the "not too shabby".

Camp 18 is out on Hwy 26 - it's a restaurant and logging memorial -
went once before and the food wasn't too bad. Mostly though you go for the fun atmosphere

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Now for the yummy.

We originally had plans to go to a Southern place - but it apparently closed (for good)
the previous weekend, so this was one of the restaurants recommended
to us by the woman at our hotel front lobby.

As soon as we saw "Fried Artichoke Hearts" on the menu I was hooked -
they were garlic covered and so yummy.
You almost didn't need the garlic lemon ailoi dipping sauce

I ordered a Huckleberry Mojito before my dinner - only part of the meal I regretted. It was a tad too sweet (too much Huckleberry syrup) and left me burping tasting Huckleberry all night.

Mom ordered the Cod fish and chips

I ordered the 1/2 order of Baby Back Ribs...and we swapped 1/2 way through the dinner
...just so we got a taste of everything, not because we weren't enjoying the food

 

 

At the end of our meal we thought we'd take a dessert back to our hotel room to share later that evening. We asked to see a dessert menu....a few minutes later our waitress comes out with a tray of desserts! No menu just a visual display. They all looked yummy but we went with a chocolate layered cake. Can't go wrong with chocolate can you?

The vacation was refreshing and fun and the food was yummy. What else could I ask for?

Pass a bib please?

"Some foods you eat to stay alive, others you eat because not to would be a crime. Here are those foods worth traveling the world to gorge on."

I was sent to CNN to find the World's 50 Most Delicious Foods.... and I'm not talking just anyone's grandma's chicken soup. They have specific dishes from specific countries/regions. Some look/sound more scrumptious then I can wrap my head around. I haven't put the entire article below just the countdown and what I consider the highlights (one's I've tried I've made red, if I've eaten it in/from the country listed I've bolded it as well).

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50. Buttered Popcorn: United States

49. Masala dosa: India ("A crispy, rice-batter crepe encases a spicy mix of mashed potato, which is then dipped in coconut chutney, pickles, tomato-and-lentil-based sauces and other condiments.")

48. Potato chips: United States

47. Seafood paella: Spain (Paella is a saffron-flavored Spanish dish made with varying combinations of rice, vegetables, meat, chicken, and seafood.)

46. Som tam: Thailand ("Variations include those made with crab (som tam boo) and fermented fish sauce (som tam plah lah), but none matches the flavor and simple beauty of the original.")

Poutine

45. Chicken rice: Singapore (The national dish of Singapore)

44. Poutine: Canada ("French fries smothered in cheese curds and brown gravy...Our Canadian friends insist it’s best enjoyed at 3 a.m. after “several” beers.")

43. Tacos: Mexico

42. Buttered toast with Marmite: Britain (Marmite is dark brown-colored savory spread made from the yeast that is a by- product of the brewing industry.)

41. Stinky Tofu: Southeast Asia

40. Marzipan: Germany

39. Ketchup: United States

38. French Toast: Hong Kong (You got it. Not France. Not the USA. Hong Kong. "Unlike its more restrained Sunday brunch counterpart, Hong Kong-style French toast is like a deep-fried hug. Two pieces of toast are slathered with peanut butter or kaya jam, soaked in egg batter, fried in butter and served with still more butter and lots of syrup.")

37. Chicken Parm: Australia

36. Texas BBQ Pork: United States

35. Chili Crab: Singapore ("Spicy chili-tomato gravy tends to splatter, which is why you need to mop everything up with mini mantou buns.")

Fish and Chips

34. Maple Syrup: Canada

33. Fish'n'Chips: Britain

32. Ankimo: Japan (Monkfish liver)

31. Parma ham: Italy ("You see it folded around melon, wrapped around grissini, placed over pizza, heaped over salad.")

30. Goi cuon: Vietnam (Goi cuon is also called a Summer Roll "This snack made from pork, shrimp, herbs, rice vermicelli and other ingredients wrapped in rice paper is served at room temperature.")

29. Ohmi-gyu beef steak: Japan

28. Pho: Vietnam

27. Montreal style smoked meat: Canada (The meat is cured for 10 days)

26. Fajitas: Mexico

25. Butter garlic crab: India

24. Champ: Ireland (An Irish national dish of "mashed potato with spring onions, butter, salt and pepper, champ is the perfect side with any meat or fish.")

Croissants

23. Lasagna: Italy

22. Brownie and Vanilla Ice Cream: Global

21. Croissant: France

20. Arepas: Venezuela

19. Nam tok moo: Thailand ("Grilled pork combined with lemon juice, green onions, chili, mint sprigs, fish sauce and toasted rice.")

18. Kebab: Iran

17. Lobster: Global

16. Egg Tart: Hong Kong ("Like many classic dishes, the Hong Kong egg tart marries two contrasting textures: crusty, flaky pastry and jiggly, trembling custard. It’s sweet, it’s delicious and it’s best eaten hot from the oven on the street while queuing up to get just one more.")

15. Kalua Pig: United States

14. Donuts: United States

13. Corn on the cob: Global

12. Shepherd's Pie: Britain

11. Rendang: Indonesia ("Beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilies, then left to stew for a few hours.")

10. Chicken muamba: Gabon ("chicken, hot chili, garlic, tomato, pepper, salt, okra and palm butter.")

Tom Yum soup

09. Ice cream: United States

08. Tom yum: Thailand

07. Penang assam laksa: Malaysia ("Poached, flaked mackerel, tamarind, chili, mint, lemongrass, onion, and pineapple.")

06. Hamburger: Germany

05. Peking duck: China

04. Sushi: Japan

03. Chocolate: Mexico

02. Neopolitan Pizza: Italy

01. Massaman curry: Thailand ("Emphatically the king of curries....Spicy, coconutty, sweet and savory, its combination of flavors has more personality than a Thai election.")

Ban on Shark Fin

Read this article in the Asian Reporter this afternoon.
What are your thoughts? Discrimination or preservation?

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Proposed shark fin ban makes waves in San Francisco
From The Asian Reporter, V21, #10 (May 16, 2011), page 8.

By Robin Hindery

SAN FRANCISCO — A California proposal to outlaw the title ingredient in shark fin soup, a traditional Chinese delicacy, has turned into a recipe for controversy in San Francisco, a city that is nearly one-third Asian and home to the nation’s oldest Chinatown.

A bill moving through the state legislature would ban the sale, distribution, and possession of shark fins. State and federal laws prohibit shark finning in U.S. waters, but do not address the importation of fins from other countries.

Supporters say shark finning is inhumane and a threat to the ocean ecosystem. They say an estimated 73 million sharks are slaughtered each year, mainly for shark fin soup, which can sell for more than $80 a bowl and is often served at weddings and banquets.

"The collapse of shark populations because of overfishing is a conservation issue of global concern, and the demand for fins drives overfishing of sharks," said Mike Sutton, director of the Center for the Future of the Oceans at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, located about 115 miles south of San Francisco.

Alex Ong, chef at the Pan-Asian restaurant Betelnut in San Francisco’s Marina district, said the broth in shark fin soup is what provides most of the flavor, and the fins themselves can be easily substituted by other seafood or even creatively disguised starch.

Ong said when he saw video footage of fisherman slicing off sharks’ fins and tossing the animals back into the ocean to die, the images hit him "right in the gut" and he vowed to work to stop the practice.

But critics of the proposed ban say the consumption of shark fins is a cherished cultural tradition.

"This is traditional for us. When you say no to shark fin, that’s profiling," said Henry Cheung, president of Charlie Seafood Inc., a San Francisco-based wholesaler and importer. "The law doesn’t ban shark meat or a handbag made with shark skin — just fins. I myself believe it’s unfair."

Cheung also questioned the need for a ban on a product he says is already losing popularity, particularly among young people. He said his business stopped importing shark fins years ago due to declining demand.

In a statement issued February 14, the day the legislation was introduced, state senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), called the measure "an unfair attack on Asian culture and cuisine."

Yee, who officially kicked off his campaign for mayor of San Francisco this month, said efforts should be focused on strengthening conservation efforts and increasing penalties for illegally killing sharks.

In addition to local chefs and politicians, a few celebrities have jumped into the debate.

Chinese basketball star Yao Ming is loaning his celebrity to the anti-finning movement, appearing on city busses and billboards urging residents in Chinese and English to "Join me, say no to shark fin soup." The Houston Rockets center came to town to film a public service announcement for the international conservation group WildAid.

Shark fins also may prove an unexpected ingredient in this year’s mayoral race, which includes three prominent Asian-American candidates: Yee, board of supervisors president David Chiu, and assessor-recorder Phil Ting.

San Francisco is home to the largest percentage of Asian Americans of any county in the continental U.S. Political observers expect voter turnout from that community to be high in November, following the momentum generated earlier this year by the appointment of Edwin Lee as interim mayor — the city’s first Asian-American leader.

Chiu and Ting appeared at a news conference organized by WildAid and expressed their support for a shark fin ban.

Afterward, Ting said the legislation presented an "important opportunity to talk about the importance of sustainability," but that he didn’t think it was among Asian-American voters’ top concerns.

"The economy, jobs, the city budget — Chinese-American voters are focused on those issues," he said.

A poll released May 6 by the Monterey Bay Aquarium indicated strong support of a fin ban among Californians. More than three-quarters of the 600 registered voters surveyed said they support the bill. Of the 218 respondents who were Chinese American, 70 percent said they support it.

"There’s an attempt to portray this debate as an east-versus-west cultural thing," said Peter Knights, executive director of WildAid. "The reality is this is east and west versus a small minority of people."

The measure is awaiting a hearing by the state assembly. Hawaii has already adopted a ban, and similar legislation is advancing in Oregon and Washington state.

CONTROVERSIAL CUISINE. National Basketball Association player Yao Ming (left) sits near an inflatable shark during a break from filming a public service announcement about banning shark fin soup in Chinatown in San Francisco. A California proposal to outlaw the title ingredient in shark fin soup, a traditional Chinese delicacy, has turned into a recipe for controversy in the city, home to the nation’s oldest Chinatown. A bill moving through the state legislature would ban the sale, distribution, and possession of shark fins. Supporters say shark finning is inhumane and a threat to the ocean ecosystem, but critics say the consumption of shark fins is a cherished part of Chinese culture. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Bravo Blais

I'm definitely a Richard Blais fan. I wanted him to win his first season of Top Chef and was very happy when he won the All-Star Season. I also am a fan of fruity-vodka drinks and the one at the end of this article looks very yummy. 

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The Chef With the Dragon Fruit
By George Gene Gustines
Photographs by Rob Loud

Alaskan Halibut with fava beans, browned butter foam and picked glassworts,
one of the dishes prepared by Richard Blais.

Move over, pomegranate. And please give a warm welcome to dragon fruit, fiery red and spiky — and the newest poster child for fruit with health benefits.

The fruit first came to my attention earlier this month when it had to be used as an ingredient during a challenge on the opening episode of this season’s “Top Chef: Masters.” Then there was an April 14 Business Week article, “Enter the Dragon Fruit,” about how it was seeping into “America’s consciousness — and the economy.” Last night, the twin forces of alcohol and reality television came together, and the result wasn’t someone getting kicked off “The Real World” but the unveiling of Skyy Vodka’s newest infused flavor. If you guessed dragon fruit, you’ve been paying attention!

The coming-out party for Skyy Infusions Dragon Fruit featured six cocktails mixed with the new flavor and paired with a dinner menu prepared by Richard Blais, who won the all-star edition of “Top Chef” last month. The event began with appetizers and a trio of cocktails: the Blaisin’ Dragon, the Red Dragon and the Dragon Fruit Sparkling Seduction. The winner was the Blaisin’ Dragon, with a slice of seared pineapple, which was the perfect refreshing spring drink.

Richard Blais creating pearls of vodka in liquid nitrogen for an oyster appetizer

As the cocktails were sampled, Blais worked the room, overseeing volunteers from the Culinary Institute of America, his alma mater, and demonstrating one of his favorite tools of the trade: liquid nitrogen. The cryogenic fluid, with its waft of mist, looked even more like something out of a mad scientist’s lab in person than it does on TV. Blais explained that because it is so cold, you should never put your fingers in it (and he did) or place it on your hair (and he did). Perhaps that’s the grooming secret behind his signature spiky coif, which, he confessed, was vaguely reminiscent of the dragon fruit itself and, maybe, why Skyy offered him the job. He then demonstrated how he used the fluid to make “vodka pearls” for an oyster appetizer that was one of the hits of the night for its clean and citrusy taste and its presentation. (The shell sat on a small, circular transparent dish on a bed of sand and next to a miniature starfish, which may or may not have been edible.).

The event was reminiscent of a “Top Chef” challenge: Blais had to use dragon fruit as an ingredient in each drink and course. The first dish was hamachi (tender) splashed with the flavored vodka (subtle), fried clams (a tad too crunchy) and smoked mayonnaise (delicious). It came with a drink called the Muddled Dragon. The next course was Alaskan halibut with fava beans, browned butter foam and pickled glassworts; the fellow diners I spoke to could easily have had seconds or thirds. This was paired with a cocktail called the Dragon’s Cup.

For the final course, the cocktail was the Magic Dragon, which included fresh lime juice, orange curacao, kaffir lime leaves and vanilla bean. And the crowning moment was dessert: a wonderful corn bread with candied dragon fruit and pistachio ice cream. Bravo, Mr. Blais!

BLAISIN’ DRAGON

2 ounces Skyy Infusions Dragon Fruit vodka
1/2 fresh squeezed lime
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
Splash of orange juice
Fresh pineapple
1 grilled pineapple ring.

Slice and sear pineapple ring on a grill, remove and cool. (Place a few wedges in the freezer for garnish.)

Muddle fresh pineapple with lemon juice and lime juice and orange juice in a shaker. Pour ice in shaker and add vodka. Shake vigorously. Rim chilled martini glass with coarse sugar in the raw. Pour cocktail into glass and garnish with a frozen grilled pineapple wedge and enjoy.

Tsunami Alters Sushi Markets

By Florence Fabricant
NYTimes

Seafood supplies in northern Japan were devastated by the tsunami that destroyed the region’s fishing fleets and aquaculture farms as well as the ports themselves. The Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun reported on Tuesday that fishermen in the area are living in shelters, transportation to the famous Tsukiji market in Tokyo is not possible, and there is no ice to keep fish fresh.

So far, this grim picture is not causing serious shortages in American sushi bars, but how the situation will evolve remains to be seen.

“It has definitely affected the market,” said Jack Lamb, an owner of Jewel Bako in the East Village, where most of the fish is imported from Japan. But he said that the restaurant had made adjustments and was now buying fish from Kyushu Island in the south, far from the affected area, and was obtaining mackerel and octopus from sources in the United States.

Nobuyoshi Kuraoka, the owner of Nippon, a restaurant in Midtown, wrote by e-mail from Tokyo, where he was on business, that the “striped jack, yellowtail, sniper fish, sea eels and others are coming from Fukuoka on Kyushu Island through Korean airlines.”

Tadashi Ono, the chef and a partner at Matsuri in Chelsea, also said he is buying from Kyushu, as well as from Australian and New York waters. “Today fish comes from all over the world, so we’re O.K.,” he said.

There have been reports that restaurants and hotels in Asia and elsewhere have canceled all shipments of fresh produce from Japan after radiation turned up in products like milk and spinach.

But restaurateurs in New York said they import almost no fresh produce from Japan. They have also said that their customers do not seem worried. At Sushi Yasuda in Midtown, Scott Rosenberg, an owner, said that just a few customers have asked where the fish was from and whether it was safe. As for produce, he said that occasionally the chefs bring in highly specialized seasonal items, but it’s not the season now.

“We have great microgreens and all those things growing here,” said Richie Notar, a partner in the Nobu chain. “We don’t need to buy from Japan. We have California.” But he is keeping an eye on the supply of imported dry goods, including rice, nori and bonito flakes. “We’re starting to develop other sources, like South Korea, for some of these,” he said. “Our wholesalers have warehouses that are stocked, but who knows what the situation will be in six months in terms of availability or even safety from radiation?”

Reika Alexander, the owner of En Japanese Brasserie in the West Village, said: “We must keep buying what we can from Japan. We need to support Japan now.”