Restaurant: Cowboy Ciao

Its fall and foodies everywhere begin to crave all kinds of slow foods, home-style dishes and basically anything baked, stewed, braised...so thankfully there is Cowboy Ciao, a downtown Scottsdale restaurant that excels at providing these 'cravings'.

Things do have a southwestern flare (it is in AZ), but with a slight contemporary twist and year-round it is heavy in fall/winter cooking style techniques (aka, braising, stewing).

Even though I am not a fan of southwestern flare decor (I know, it is AZ) or the smell of stale beer (it has a real nightlife!), it has been added to my will-eat-at-list when in the Valley of the Sun.

Truffled Braised Beef Short Rib Risotto

Fried Macaroni & Cheese
with Veggie Chili Dipping Sauce

Braised Beef (Short Rib Reuben Style)  Sandwich with Au Jus &
Homemade Potato Chips

EXTENDED ENTRY GOES HERE

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.

Travel: Texas BBQ

My husband and I have been known to travel for food. Be it flying to Barcelona for the weekend to eat at El Bulli or stopping in London (on the way home from China) to eat at the Fat Duck.

So in September, we will head to Texas for a long weekend to taste some fantasic BBQ. Currently our list contains 9 locations, each noted from our research (from friends, websites, etc.) for a meal that is sure to be special. We'll only have 48 hours, so we may have to stop eating several days before we go!

This is only our first part of our BBQ tasting trips. We do plan on visiting Kansas and Tennessee separately. If you have a suggestion for any of these areas, please let me know. And of course, I will post lots of pictures after our trip.

Our current San Antonio-Austin Area, Texas BBQ restaurant list (and the minimum we'll be tasting there!):

• Kruez Market (lean brisket)
• Gonzales Food Market ('candy-coated' brisket, sausage that perfectly 'snaps')
• Novosad's Market (spare ribs)
• Franklin BBQ (brisket, pork ribs)
• Louis Mueller (beef ribs)
• Fargo's Pit (perfect smoke and seasoning combo, meat regularly has 'sugar cookies')
• Smitty's Market (sausage)
• Black Barbecue (smoked turkey breast)
• Luling City Market (the 'bark' on the brisket and ribs)

Products: Sausage

Just so you know, the previous posts pictures were from King Ludwigs, one of the many restaurants serving German dishes in Leavenworth, WA.

Each restaurant in Leavenworth serves the same fare, but each restaurant has its own special sausage (Ludwigs is a spicy sausage), so you can go from restaurant to restaurant trying the different kinds (and eating at all the restaurants!)

Although the story around town is...that each restaurant in Leavenworth gets their 'house' sausage 'out of house' - shipped directly from a small, family-owned deli in Selah, WA (my hometown) at Jahrs European Sausage (sorry, no website, it is Selah you know) where is it made to order for the restaurant and then shipped back to them in Leavenworth.

Travel: Leavenworth Octoberfest

Leavenworth is a little town near the Wenatchee National Forest in Washington state that celebrates its German hertiage. Last weekend I participated in their annual Octoberfest race, running in the Leavenworth Half Marathon.

So what does one do in a German inspired town during the month of October with 800 calories to make-up?

Well....by eating way too much goulash, sausage, cabbage, veal, spatzle and roast pork with family of course!

Travel: Chiang Rai Tea Room Treats

While in Chiang Rai we visited a tea house where we tasted about dozen local teas, brewed in the Chinese tradition. They served us several treats to enjoy while tasting - some dried, vinegar infused or candied fruits and nuts...and then there were some deep fried caterpillers sauteed in clarified butter right in front of us.

I am (most always) willing to try new things, which is quite unusual for a traveling through american (according to the locals). These are a delicacy and were quite good. I even thought of bringing some home to my brother (he has received chocolate covered grasshoppers before) until they told me the price.

On a Pho (not faux) Mission

I totally admit that I have never liked pho. With most peoples food preferences, it stems back to my first experience that wasn't positive. It was in a dirty place in reston, eating flavorless soup, being young in my food eating experience I was confused over the process and if to use chopsticks or the spoon. Add to that the bad company I had the soup with and it is no surprise, years later, I wince when my husband asks me to lunch and suggests pho.

A few months ago, in my Asia travels, I spent some time in Vietnam. I learned that what I had years ago was more like faux then pho. I ate pho for every meal and enjoyed all the different add-ons you could enjoy at your table.

Now I am back in VA, when my husband suggests pho, I smile...but make him try a new pho place everytime in search of the elusive flavor and interesting add-ons I had in Vietnam. When I find a place, I'll post and let you know.

Here is a video showing one meal my husband and I had in a restaurant in the Saigon neighborhood of Ho Chi Minh City.

Pho Video