Ad Hoc

Jealous. That's what we were when we heard our foodie friend, who will be known on this blog as The Cast Iron Chef (he's working on his Iron Chef status, you see) and his girlfriend spent a few foodie-filled days in Napa. One of the highlights? Dinner at Ad Hoc, which he's shared with us here. Allez cuisine!

My girlfriend and I recently had the opportunity to eat at Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc in the Napa valley. According to our waiter, Ad Hoc was originally intended to temporarily fill a space he'd intended for another restaurant concept. But what started off as an experiment turned into a full on restaurant. They offer a single menu daily, so you order just that. Though the waiter did ask if we had any dietary restrictions, so I suspect they could accommodate diners to some extent.

The first course was a rock shrimp and mushroom fritter, with fried artichokes and a lemon aioli, accompanied by a salad of local lettuces. The fritter had plenty of shrimp - the chef did not skimp here. The aioli had just a hint of heat, and complimented the fritter well. The salad was also very nice. It was composed of locally grown lettuces, including one that had a pattern similar to tiger stripes. I wish I'd taken better note of what it was called.

The second course was a beef skirt steak cooked sous vide, with cippolini onions and baby carrots, and polenta with a slow cooked egg. Sous vide cooking involves cooking in a vacuum sealed bag, immersed in water maintained at a relatively low temperature. The portion was larger than I expected. When I cut into the steak, it was very tender, and cooked expertly to a medium rare. Polenta was served on the side, with a slow cooked egg on top. The egg resembled a poached egg, and added a nice richness and flavor.

We weren't expecting much from the third course. After all, it was a cheese course, with spiced nuts and apples. We were wrong. The cheese was Roncal, a sheep's milk cheese from Spain. While it had the consistency of a medium hard cheese, the flavor reminded me of a cross between Parmesan and Swiss cheeses. This worked well with the locally grown Fuji apples and the nuts, which had a slight spiciness to them. When a cheese course impresses you, you know the meal is something special.

Dessert consisted of beignets, a type of French donut. This was served with two sauces, a creme anglaise, and a dark chocolate sauce. As if this wasn't enough, there was also a small dish of house made strawberry sorbet. This truly was a great way to end a stellar dinner. The beignets were hot and fluffy, and the sauces contrasted each other well. The sorbet was just as good.

All in all, it was one of the best meals we've had in a long time. The food was fantastic, and we found the service attentive, but not overbearing. The staff explained each dish as it was presented, then left us to enjoy the meal. In addition to the quality, we left there feeling very full and satisfied. I've recommended Ad Hoc to friends, and plan on eating there again.

CAST IRON CHEF'S TASTE RATING

Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

This post is dedicated to Angela, a great friend, fun travel companion and new Mom. No matter what happens in our lives, we'll always have Paris! Je chérirai toujours notre amitié.

makes 6

recipe adapted from Mark Bittman (NY Times)

prep time: 25 min / cook time: 30 min

INGREDIENTS

2 c heavy or light cream, or half-and-half

* I used heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 tsp vanilla extract

5 egg yolks

* I used 6 egg yolks

1/2 c sugar

2 tbsp turbinado sugar (also known as raw sugar)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 325˚F.

• In a saucepan, combine cream and vanilla bean (split and scraped) and cook over low heat just until hot. Let sit for a few minutes, then discard vanilla bean.

* If using vanilla extract, add it now.

• In a bowl, beat yolks and sugar together until light.

• Stir about a quarter of the cream into the mixture, then pour sugar-egg mixture into cream and stir.

• Pour into six ramekins and place them into a baking dish; fill dish/pan; fill dish/pan with boiling water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

• Bake for 30 minutes, or until centers are barely set.

• Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.

* The ramekins will be very hot when removed from the oven, so let them sit in the water bath for about 10 minutes before removing.

• Wrap ramekins tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

SERVING METHOD

• When ready to serve, top each custard with about a teaspoon of turbinado sugar in a thin layer.

• Using a blowtorch, holding it about 2 inches away from the top, caramelize sugar.

OR

• If you do not have a blowtorch, place ramekins in a broiler 2 to 3 inches from heat source. Turn on broiler.

• Cook until sugar melts and browns or even blackens a bit, about 5 minutes.

Un-torched crème brûlée can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, but I doubt they will last that long!

** ADDIECAKES' NOTES **

• If there is condensation on the tops of the crème brûlée after removing them from the refrigerator, gently blot the tops with a paper towel.

• If you do not have turbinado sugar on hand, you can use regular sugar. The only difference is the caramelized crust won't be as hard. You might want to torch a few layers. I tested both sugars and didn't see a huge difference in color, but the hardness of the crust was noticeably different.

• I torched two layers of turbinado sugar to get a nice "crack" when digging into the crème brûlée.

• This recipe is very rich, but delicious. I would recommend using 4 oz oval ramekins.

• I ate one at room temperature without the caramelized crust, just as delicious if you ask me.

ADDIECAKES' DIFFICULTY RATING

ADDIECAKES' TASTE RATING

Milo's Birthday

Hello, blog readers. It's Samiwich's dog Milo (foodie name: Chili Pup-per) here. Food (and chasing squirrels) is one of my passions, and while it's true that I will eat almost anything, things that are tough or dry really turn me off.

Like Milkbones, for example.

So when I recently celebrated my 6ish birthday (no one knows my exact age, since I was a "rescue" pup) my family went to great lengths to find me the perfect birthday cake. The winner? A moist, delicious and even people-friendly carrot cake with carob frosting from Nice Doggie dog bakery.

Not everyone knows that chocolate (and onions too, for that matter) are potentially toxic to me and my friends. So I truly appreciated this creation, which was frosted with carob, a nice alternative to chocolate. The cake itself - which was made with ground carrots, whole wheat flour, soy flour and cottage cheese was tender, moist and delicious. I gobbled it up in seconds!

I can't wait to try the other goodies on the menu, like cupcakes that come in great flavors like chicken and bacon. All their treats are handmade to order with all-natural ingredients that even my family can eat too. Not that there was anything left! It was a special birthday, indeed.

MILO'S TASTE RATING

Lemony Lemon Curd Macarons

makes 2 dozen macarons
macaron recipe adapated from David Lebovitz
prep time: 35 min / cook time: 10-12 min

MACARON INGREDIENTS
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 c almond powder/meal
zest from 1 lemon
2 large egg whites, room temperature
5 tbsp granulated sugar
yellow food coloring, 5 drops
1 c lemon curd

* I used Trader Joe's lemon curd

MACARON INSTRUCTIONS
• Preheat oven to 350˚F.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2 inch) ready.
* I used Ateco Plain Tip #806.
• In a blender or food processor, grind together the powdered sugar, almond powder/meal and lemon zest so there are no lumps.
• Add yellow food coloring to the sugar and mix until combined.
* The yellow in the macaron will not be as bright as the sugar, so if you want a brighter yellow you will need to add more food coloring.
• In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape.
• While whipping, beat in the dyed granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula.
• When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg whites, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag.
* Standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you're alone.
• Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1 inch circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced 1 inch apart.
* I piped out my macarons into 1 1/2 inch circles.
• Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

ASSEMBLY
• Pair up macarons that are the same size.
• Spread lemon curd on one side of the macaron and then sandwich them together.
* You can pipe out the filling if you prefer.

** ADDIECAKES' NOTES **

• To help keep your macarons a consistent size, you can create a template on the computer and slip it under the parchment paper or draw out circles on the underside of the parchment in pencil.
• This recipe did not use aged egg whites like most macaron recipes.
• I stacked two baking sheets when baking the macarons.
• If the macarons stick to the parchment paper after they have cooled, put a little bit of water between the baking sheet and parchment paper to help them come off more easily.
• Let macarons come to room temperature before serving. This doesn't take long, about 5 minutes.

Macarons can be stored up to 5 days in an airtight container.

ADDIECAKES' DIFFICULTY RATING

ADDIECAKES' TASTE RATING

Momofuku / David Chang's Chap Chae

We have NPR to thank. Ever since NPR named David Chang's Momofuku Cookbook one of the best cookbooks of the year, both MFM and I have been obsessed with all things David Chang, the irreverent and genius chef/owner of Momofuku and other NY restaurants. That includes this recipe for chap chae (stir-fried Korean noodles) which makes a crunchy, slippery, garlicky, peppery, sesame-laced, veggie-studded bowl of crowd-pleasing goodness.

The best part is that it's relatively easy (for me) and that it involves yet another potentially dangerous kitchen gadget (for MFM, whose name again, we can't print here but to give you a hint, it's David Chang-inspired). And this recipe? It's an all-around win.

MOMOFUKU / DAVID CHANG'S CHAP CHAE

serves 4-6 as a side dish

adapted from New York Magazine

total cooking & prep time: 45 min

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. sweet potato starch noodles

* You can also use glass or bean thread noodles

3 tbsp grapeseed oil

1 1/2 red peppers, sliced thinly

1 1/2 red onions, sliced thinly

1 large carrot, julienned

8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, diced

2 1/2 bunches of green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

5 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped

1/2 c mirin (Japanese rice wine)

1/2 c soy sauce

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

* Look for Soo Boc brand at Korean markets - it has great, intense flavor

3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

salt & pepper

TOOLS

Beriner food slicer or mandolin

INSTRUCTIONS

• Add noodles to a large pot of boiling water, cook until tender.

• Drain noodles and then "shock" noodles by placing in ice water, then drain.

• Cut noodles into smaller pieces using kitchen scissors, then transfer to a large bowl.

• Season vegetables with salt and lots of black pepper.

• Heat grapeseed oil in large saute pan, add the onions and peppers and cook until onions are soft, about 6-8 minutes.

• Add the carrots, mushrooms, green onions and garlic and cook for another 8-10 minutes.

• Deglaze the pan with mirin, and add the vegetables to the noodles.

• Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and sesame seeds, and season to taste with salt & pepper.

• Mix the noodles and vegetables together.

• Serve warm or at room temperature.

SAMIWICH'S DIFFICULTY RATING

SAMIWICH'S TASTE RATING

Red Velvet Wedding Bliss

makes one 9" cake (recipe does not include fondant or sugar-paste tutorial)

cake recipe adapted from cooks.com

frosting recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

prep time: 45 min / cook time: 40-45 min

WALDORF ASTORIA RED VELVET CAKE

1/2 c shortening

* I used 1/2 c of salted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 c sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 oz. red food coloring (two 1 oz. bottles)

1 tsp cocoa

* I used 1 tbsp unsweetened dutch processed cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp salt

* I omitted the salt

1 tsp vinegar

1 c buttermilk

SHINY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

6 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature

3 c confectioners' sugar

* I used 2 cups

CAKE INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350˚F degrees. Set aside.

• Grease two 9" pans.

• Cream sugar, eggs and shortening.

• Make a paste of food coloring and cocoa.

• Add to mixture; add flour with salt alternately with buttermilk.

• Add vanilla.

• Fold in vinegar and baking soda mixture.

• Bake for 30 minutes.

FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS

• In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium-low speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

• Add butter, and cream until smooth, about 2 minutes.

• Add confectioners' sugar on low speed and mix until completely combined.

• Beat frosting on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.

• Transfer to an airtight container and chill until firm, 3 hours or overnight.

ASSEMBLING

• Level cake layers and brush off crumbs.

• Place frosting between layers of cake. Push cake down lightly to release extra frosting.

• Cover cake and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

* Covering the cake will help it not dry out.

• Remove the cake from the refrigerator and add a thin layer of frosting around the cake.

• Refrigerate for an hour and add final layer of frosting.

A special thank you to Dave P. for helping me with this beautiful wedding cake.

** ADDIECAKES' NOTE **

• Using good cocoa helps elevate the taste of the cake. I used Pernigotti unsweetened cocoa powder. It's a bit more expensive than other cocoa powders, but makes a world of difference in the taste.

ADDIECAKES' DIFFICULTY RATING

ADDIECAKES' TASTE RATING

St. George's Spirits / Hangar One Vodka

I work with a lot of cool, interesting people. On Fridays, the inevitable what-are-you-doing-this-weekend conversation arises and most of the time, I listen silently amid the I'm going to Burning Man/an underground Farmer's Market/trapeze class/to Miami types of activities. (Many of my weekend outings involve places like Costco, Target and the public library). But thanks to my friend Ms. Gorgongzola's creative planning and thoughtful invite, I finally had something cool to say. "I'm going to drink absinthe in the East Bay" I added.

We had plans to tour and do a tasting at Alameda distillery St. George Spirits/Hangar One Vodka. This place can also fall into the "wow, I never knew a place like this existed in the Bay Area" category. Located in an actual airplane hangar on an old navy base, driving to Hangar One feels special, very Top Gun. And here you can see some of the most spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline I have ever seen.

For $10 you can do a tasting of 10 different spirits made on the premises including seasonal eau de vie (distilled fruit brandy), various Hangar One vodkas (including one made from the unique citrusy Buddha's Hand fruit pictured in the jar), their St. George's single malt whisky, and an of array tea and fruit liquers. It sounds like a lot of booze, but they say it's the equilavent to only a cocktail and a half. For $5 more you can also taste their Absinthe Verte, which is signified by the special skull-and-crossbones glass (which you also get to take home with you).

You also get a great education by one of their bartenders who passionately take you through each sip. It doesn't feel sales pitchy at all, more like an invitation to a truly artisan experience.The first distillery in the US to legally make and sell the once-maligned absinthe, their creation is a mix of wormwood, star anise and fennel and is infused with herbs. It's served with a single ice cube, which activates the botanicals and produces a milky/cloudy appearance. The result? Herb-y. Licorice-y. And mouth-numbing. Cool, right?

After the tasting we planned to take their free distillery tour, which is offered on weekends only. But for me, this is when things start to get fuzzy (lightweight that I am) and I have to sit down and take a time out. However, both MFM and Ms. Gorgongzola assure me the hour-long tour, which takes you from distilling to aging to bottling, was both informative and engaging.

Standouts for me were a special edition Firelit coffee liqueur (made with Blue Bottle coffee) which our bartender included specially with our tasting, and their Framboise (raspberry) Perfecta Liqueur, both of which were purchased at the store on the premises. I can't wait to try the Firelit liqueur over ice cream, and the Framboise drizzled on pancakes or waffles. Just as I couldn't wait to get to work that Monday, and tell all my co-workers all about that cool thing I did over the weekend.

SAMIWICH'S TASTING / TOUR RATING

Sweet Coconut Cream Thai Tea Macarons

makes 2 dozen macarons
macaron recipe adapated from David Lebovitz
prep time: 35 min / cook time: 10-12 min

MACARON INGREDIENTS
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 c almond powder/meal
3 tbsp thai tea powder
* I used 1 package of instant thai tea mix (you can this at Asian grocery stores)
2 large egg whites, room temperature
5 tbsp granulated sugar
red food coloring, 4 drops
yellow food coloring, 5 drops

SWEET COCONUT CREAM FILLING
1/3 c butter, softened

1 c confectioners' sugar

3 tbsp coconut milk

2 tbsp shredded coconut

MACARON INSTRUCTIONS
• Preheat oven to 350˚F.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2 inch) ready.
* I used Ateco Plain Tip #806.
• In a blender or food processor, grind together the powdered sugar, almond powder/meal and thai tea mix so there are no lumps.
• Add red and yellow food coloring to the sugar and mix until combined.
* The orange in the macaron will not be as bright as the sugar, so if you want a brighter orange you will need to add more food coloring.
• In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape.
• While whipping, beat in the dyed granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula.
• When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg whites, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag.
* Standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you're alone.
• Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1 inch circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced 1 inch apart.
* I piped out my macarons into 1 1/2 inch circles.
• Sprinkle shredded coconut on top of each macaron.
• Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

FILLING INSTRUCTIONS

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy.

• Slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.

• Slowly add coconut milk and continue beating on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.

• With a spatula, fold in the shredded coconut.

ASSEMBLY
• Pair up macarons that are the same size.
• Spread sweet coconut cream on one side of the macaron and then sandwich them together.
* You can pipe out the filling if you prefer.

** ADDIECAKES' NOTES **

• To help keep your macarons a consistent size, you can create a template on the computer and slip it under the parchment paper or draw out circles on the underside of the parchment in pencil.
• This recipe did not use aged egg whites like most macaron recipes.
• I stacked two baking sheets when baking the macarons.
• If the macarons stick to the parchment paper after they have cooled, put a little bit of water between the baking sheet and parchment paper to help them come off more easily.
• Let macarons come to room temperature before serving. This doesn't take long, about 5 minutes.

Macarons can be stored up to 5 days in an airtight container.

ADDIECAKES' DIFFICULTY RATING

ADDIECAKES' TASTE RATING

Sam Wo's Sam Jup Wonton

I think my love of food comes from my Mom. She’s my absolute favorite person to dine with. Not only is she really enthusiastic about food (she's been fist-pumping for her favorites, like corn dogs and lemon meringue pie, long before The Jersey Shore came about), but she’s also introduced me to a bunch of wonderful dishes that she remembers enjoying back in the day - back when you could buy a Coke for 3 cents and taking the bus was only a nickel.

Dishes like the "Sam Jup wonton mein" pictured here, which is unfortunately teetering on the brink of extinction.

Back in her day, Sam Jup wonton mein could be found (for 30 cents) at a number of Chinese establishments in Chinatown and even on its outskirts. These days, it’s down to just one place (that I know of), the San Francisco institution Sam Wo on Washington Street.

And it’s not even on the menu.

“Sam Jup” literally means “three sauces” in Chinese, and the three flavors here are ketchup, curry and soy sauce. I'm sure there's some funny story behind it being created completely by accident, with surprisingly tasty results.

Though a bit sweet and tangy from the ketchup, the soup gets it a good chunk of flavor from the soy sauce, and a nice kick from the curry. The meaty wontons, slivers of barbecued pork and crunchy scallions all chime in nicely too. And Sam Wo’s soft, melt in your mouth mein/noodles should be a blog post unto themselves. (That and the fact they are the only restaurant I know of that still has a dumbwaiter).

This dish might not be for everyone’s taste. For those people I’d say Sam Wo’s rice noodle rolls, beef stew, fish salad, and dry fried beef chow fun are really, really delicious. But for today it’s all about Sam Jup wonton mein, and the dish that takes my Mom back. Back to when you could get a Coke for 3 cents, and taking the bus was only a nickel.

SAMIWICH'S TASTE RATING