9.15.2010

Event: FREE dessert day!

Photo from my culinary school days
at L'Academie de Cuisine
Today only! Book your reservation through opentable at any of these participating restaurants and you'll receive a FREE Dessert! (with just a minimum purchase of 1 entree).

9.13.2010

Event: Cooking Class at Ceiba

Ceiba Restaurant (one of my favorites!) is having a cooking class on Saturday, September 25th from 11am to 1pm ($75/pp). I've been to their classes before and they are great...entertaining, interesting dishes and they do all the work, so you can just sit back and enjoy their delicious dishes and their wine.

The Menu
Crab Meat Causa Rellena
Tiradito de Pescado
Aroz Con Pato
Picarones
(Includes Wine Pairing)
Can't attend? No worries, this time around they'll be featuring this menu during dinner service from September 25th to October 2nd.

To reserve your spot, contact Jillian Zins at 202.408.0201 or via email at jillian@passionfoodhospitality.com

9.11.2010

Recipe: Yakima Valley Featured Product

What a surprise to get this e-recipe, via vegetarian times that pays a little homage to my homeland, the Yakima Valley. The recipe is from Cafe Flora, a vegetarian restaurant in Seattle that features this cherry-polenta dish, crafted from ingredients provided by a Yakima farmer, Merv Dykstra.

I don't know Merv, but it sounds like he's been doing pretty well for a while now, supplying ingredients to many Seattle area restaurants.

The recipe is great...sweet, savory...good for an appetizer, an unusual dessert or an interesting substitute for a cheese course. When I prepared it for myself, I even bought the cherries from the Old Town Alexandria Whole Foods, which are from Selah, my hometown in the Yakima Valley.

9.09.2010

Urban Myth: Airline Food is Bad

A recent CNN article brings to light the amazing fare of fine-dining dishes that are available to you in first class. It got me thinking about all the wonderful airline meals (yes...I said AIRLINE!) I've enjoyed in the last few years.

Myth: Everyone uses plastic sporks.

Each airline has its own china style set and sets your table (aka, tray) one passenger at a time. (US domestic flights first class carriers excluded.) Photo from the Tahiti based airline, Air Tahiti Nui.


Myth: Food isn't Good

If I am on an Asian Airline, 9 times out of 10, I will get the Asian menu option. This is still the best, most flavorful and well prepared Bim Bam Bop I have ever had! Photo from South Korean based airline, Asiana.

Myth: Will it be Chicken or Fish for your entree?

Another Asian meal option selection, where I got to enjoy tons of things that I could never possibly find in an any Asian resturant in the DC metro area. Pictured beginning from left and going clockwise: steamed rice, shark fin pudding, marinated beef and veggie stir fry, pickled veggies, etc., miso soup (in the black covered container) and braised seafood and veggies. And this was just my main course, from a 5 course dinner. Photo from Japanese based airline, All Nippon Airlines.


Myth: The only difference between first class and couch, is that the seat is bigger.

I never buy caviar. I fully admit it is the cost vs. joy. Plus everytime we fly internationally (on a non-domestic carrier) I eat so much caviar, I cannot stomach more for about 6 months. Can you see the amount of caviar on the plate? Insane! And sometimes I ask (and always get if I request) seconds. Photo from German based airline, Lufthansa Airlines.

Myth: If you don't want to go hungry, always bring some snacks for your flight.

People that don't fly internationally or on non-domestic carriers are generally surprised when I tell them I never go hungry on a plane. I always tell them they really should save up their airline miles, because a 5+ multi-course on board dinner, that doesn't include the welcome on board snack (pictured here), the snack menu or the 2nd meal service (usually a mere 3 courses) really ROCKS for foodies like me. Photo from Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airlines.