Emeril's Stir-Fried Squid with Chili Sauce

My final recipe from Emeril Lagasse's new cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders is probably the quickest recipe to make from the entire book.  That's not why I chose it though.  While I've eaten calamari and squid salads at many restaurants before, I hadn't ever actually worked with raw squid.  That needed to change.  Emeril's recipe for stir-fried squid with chili sauce seemed intriguing so I decided to see what I could do.  I found everything I needed, including the frozen squid bodies with tentacles, at Calandro's Supermarket.  Once I got home, the time was right to cook something spicy!

The recipe had three main components.  First, the squid itself had to be sliced into rings, dusted with crushed red pepper and then stir-fried.  Second, the chili sauce had to be made with the vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, salt, Sriracha chili sauce and ginger.  The final component included the cabbage, green onion, garlic, jalapenos and chilies.

After all of the prep had been taken care I got the squid in my pan (a wok would have been preferable) to give it a quick fry.  It didn't take long in the canola oil to cook it off, then I set it aside to focus on the rest.  I quickly put the cabbage and accompaniments into the same pan to stir-fry them until soft.  Once the cabbage started to wilt I added the chili sauce and then returned the squid to the wok as well.

The stir fry had a great flavor and I was impressed at what I had been able to accomplish in just about 15 minutes of total time.  The spice ended up being rather intense but not too much for my palate.  The squid had an excellent texture.  I knew the most important part would be to cook it just right to where it wasn't overly chewy.

I really enjoyed my blogging party time with Emeril's new cookbook.  Having made nine of the recipes from the book, I'd definitely recommend it to anybody who is looking for some creative ideas for dishes to make in your own kitchen.  I certainly got to step out of my comfort zone with a few of these dishes and I encourage any chef, foodie, or fan to do the same!

Alabama's White Sand Beaches: Part I

For my birthday weekend I received an invitation to enjoy the white sand beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast and to check out the restaurant scene around Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.  Eric and I made the relatively short drive from Baton Rouge to the beach where we checked into the Phoenix All-Suites West.  The view from our 7th floor room let us know there was no oil in sight as the beaches and water looked as pleasant as ever!

White Sand Beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama

After throwing our luggage down in the hotel room we ventured over to Orange Beach and to our first feasting destination, Live Bait at the Wharf.  We were there as part of the Mamas4Mamas Tweetup, an event to raise money and awareness for the sea turtles that lay their eggs on the Alabama shores.  Eric and I randomly ran into an old friend, Julie Laperouse, who happened to be asking for a table right when we walked in.  Good times!  After checking in at the Tweetup, we grabbed a few Pick Axe Pale Ales from the Tommyknocker Brewery and met the rest of our blogger crowd.

Ericka, Jay, and Shannon at Live Bait at the Wharf on their birthday!

Live Bait at the Wharf served up some grub for all the bloggers to sample.  We started with the Greek seafood nachos and blackened gator bites.  While the gator failed to live up to what we're accustomed to in Louisiana, the Greek seafood nachos were fully loaded and quite good.  They had shrimp and crawfish tails piled up on fried wantons with red onion, olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, scallions, and a creamy spinach cheese sauce.  Interesting, and quite delicious!

Greek Seafood Nachos at Live Bait

Once we sat down at the dinner table we ordered up a couple other appetizers.  This time we selected the fried calamari and baked oysters.  The calamari had a nice golden brown color and tasted about average for a fried calamari.  The oysters were also satisfactory, though they didn't have the size of the oysters we get in Louisiana.  Still, they were topped with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, andouille sausage, Italian bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese, so they most definitely were not bad!

Fried Calamari with Firecracker Sauce

Baked Oysters

I went with the off-menu Chef's Special for my main course.  The Pecan-Crusted Flounder came with a Franjelico-butter cream sauce, mushroom rice, and steamed vegetables.  The rice reminded me of something a college kid would make when desperate in a dorm room.  Unfortunately, it was barely better than pure rubbish.  The vegetables were little more than filler.  They were steamed and lacked anything other than some nutritional value.  The fish, however, came through in the clutch.  The flounder had a nice flaky flesh and the pecan crusting satisfied my appetite.  Combined with the delightful butter sauce, the entrée saved the evening and my dining experience at Live Bait with its crusty exterior and flavorful flounder.

Pecan Crusted Flounder with Parmesan-Mushroom Rice and Steamed Veggies

The meal concluded with some cake that April and Lori organized for the birthday group.  It capped off a great night of meeting some new people, randomly running into an old friend, drinking a new beer, and eating some all around decent food.  The first night in Alabama had gone well, and I eagerly anticipated the full schedule we had lined up for Saturday!  More about that on Part II of Alabama's White Sand Beaches.

Erika, Shannon, and I's Birthday/Tweetup Cake!

Things To Do
Orange Beach

Things To Do
Gulf Shores

Tapas at La Tasca Near DC

During my recent trip to Washington DC I for a work related conference I encouraged some of my colleagues to join me in downtown Rockville, MD for dinner and drinks.  While I actually had intentions of finding a Peruvian restaurant, our dining destination easily revealed itself when we saw a Spanish Tapas joint with outdoor dining called La Tasca.  While La Tasca has multiple locations, they are all in the greater DC/Baltimore area so it at least is a regional chain.


Joined by Nadine, Dan, and Jane, we began with a pitcher of Cava Sangria.  This delicious and sweet beverage contained sparkling wine, triple sec, brandy, grape juice, and blueberries.  The drink didn't fit with my sweet tooth all that well, but I still enjoyed it and ate the booze soaked blueberries afterwards.  We also ordered a pitcher of Sangria Rosada.  This mixed wine concoction had rose vino, grape juice, blueberries, and strawberries.  Not quite as sugary as the first sangria, I enjoyed several glasses of this one while tasting the tapas.

Spanish Tapas at La Tasca Plate Number One

Upon looking at the menu we realized that we'd really like to try everything.  Fortunately for us La Tasca has several tapas tastings for us to order.  Each tapas tasting menu is supposed to be about right for two people, so we ordered both the meat and seafood tastings for the four of us to share.  The thing I love most about eating tapas is that the variety is meant to be shared.  It designed to work like a series of appetizers at typical American restaurants.  Everybody shares a whole bunch of food, and then there is no need for individual entrees!  The meat tasting menu featured Buey al Jerez (grilled flank steak with sherry and mushroom sauce), Pollo al Ajillo (chicken breast cooked in white wine and garlic), Albondigas (meatballs served in a vegetable marinara), Chorizo a la Parilla (grilled spicy Spanish sausage links), Solomillo de Cerdo (grilled pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon), Tortilla Española (traditional Spanish potato and onion omelet), Espinacas Salteadas (sauteed spinach with pine nuts and raisins), and Meloso de Ajo (creamy rice with roasted garlic, nuts, and raisins).  By far my favorite dish out of these was the Buey al Jerez.  The beef had a tremendous flavor and the sherry/mushroom sauce was spot on.  I also like the Espinacas Salteadas for the simplicity of it while still serving as a fantastic vegetable dish.  Some of the other dishes were decent, others quite forgettable.  Let's move on to the seafood tasting.

Spanish Tapas at La Tasca Plate Number Two

The dishes arrived at our table mixed and matches, so the pictures of the plates are not necessarily in any order.  Still, with a keen eye, I bet you can identify most of the cuisines.  The seafood tasting menu had Vieiras Cava (grilled scallops in a creamy champagne sauce), Calamares Andaluza (fried calamari with garlic mayonnaise), Salmon a la Plancha (grilled salmon, spinach and fried mussels), Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp sautéed in olive oil and garlic), Paella Valenciana (chicken and mixed seafood paella), Aritos de la Huerta (fried onion, green and red pepper rings), Setas al Ajillo (mushrooms sautéed in garlic and olive oil), and Ensalada de Espinacas (spinach and Cabrales cheese salad).  While the food tasted alright at the time, thinking back it really had been masked by extreme hunger, sweet sangria, and good conversation.  All of the seafood tasting dishes were quite edible, but by no means were they admirable or outstanding.  I never once recall thinking "DAMN!" or "I need to learn how to make this!"  Even the paella was disappointing, and I had been looking forward to it!  In the end, I enjoyed the atmosphere, I enjoyed the idea of tapas, and I enjoyed the company.  The food ended up being an afterthought, and I'm glad that it was because otherwise I would have been terrible disappointed and upset that I fell victim to a fairly useless restaurant.  Tapas are great, but I'd prefer a little more authenticity.  Next time I'm in DC (or Rockville to be exact), I'll make sure to try something else.

Things To Do
Washington DC

Scotch Tasting at Churchill's

"What is better than a Scotch tasting?", you might ask.  Well the answer is pretty simple: a FREE Scotch tasting!  Yes folks, free.  Churchill's in Baton Rouge recently hosted a tasting of 12 unique Scotches from two different distributors.  I invited Eusebio and Eric to join me for the tasting because I knew they would appreciate the good time.  Among the crowd were a 10-year-old and a Distiller's Edition from Talisker, a Balvenie 17-year-old, a 16-year-old by The Glenlivet, a 15-year-old from The Macallen, and my personal favorite, a 12-year-old from Highland Park.

Talisker's Distiller's Edition from the Isle of Skye

I'm really glad that I tried the Distiller's Edition from Talisker.  As it turns out, I'm actually preferential to their 10-year version that we deemed "The Marksalot".  You can look here for a few more details about it from an earlier post of mine at The Chimes.

Highland Park 12 Year

This Highland Park Scotch was full-flavored and smoky at the start and the finish.  It was dry, succulent, and delicious and left me wanting more after each swallow even though it left a tingle in the back of my throat. The peat flavor was strong from Highland Park, which happens to be the northernmost distillery in Scotland and it dates back to 1798.  For a more in-depth look at all the Scotch we sampled, check out Eric's post from his Beer, Boo!ze, Baseball, and Other B.S. blog.

After the Scotch tasting we were a little tipsy and a lot hungry, so we crossed the street from Churchill's over to Bonefish Grill for a bite to eat at the bar.  I've already submitted a post about Bonefish Grill, so I'll just highlight this visit's food.

Fried Calamari and Crab Cakes... both very tasty, but Calamari was the winner.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops and Seared Tuna, Tuna won by a landslide.

The Main Course: Shrimp Scampi Topped Filet Mignon, Cooked Medium Rare, with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus

I'm not usually one to order a filet.  I typically leave that to the lady folks.  However, this particular steak, topped with shrimp scampi, was absolutely magical.  The meat was tender and flavorful throughout the entire filet while the scampi sauce with shrimp added a little something extra that paired very well with the beef.  I'm certain that I will order this again during a future visit to Bonefish because it was just that good!

All in all it was a great night of hanging out, trying some new Scotch whisky, and filling my belly with fantastic food.  My life is so difficult, I know!

San Francisco Part IV: Foodbuzz Awards Dinner

Saturday night in San Francisco brought me and Eusebio to the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival Outstanding in the Field Dinner and Awards Ceremony. By the time we arrived at Hotel Vitale, a mob of food bloggers had already formed in the lobby waiting for the buses to take us to the Greenleaf Produce warehouse. Still being thirsty and needing to drink our LSU sorrows away, we made the easy decision to go to the hotel lobby's bar rather than hang out in a crowded lobby.  Alison joined us for a round of beers, although I really don't remember what we drank (we tried two beers from some San Franciscan brewery, but the name escapes me).  Oh well, I guess I should have taken better notes!

The Grill on Wheels at the Greenleaf Produce Warehouse

We arrived at the Greenleaf Produce warehouse after a brief tour around San Francisco because our bus driver was momentarily lost.  The entrance to the warehouse proved the building to be exactly what it claims, a sustainably conscious, environmentally concerned produce distribution company.  One of the first things I noticed, after figuring out where the wine was located and snagging a glass, was the grill on wheels pictured above.  Since I enjoy outdoor cooking so much, I was excited to see a roller-grill such as this one on-site to prepare some of our food.  I stood around the grill for a little bit and spoke with the founder and CEO of Foodbuzz, Ben Dehen, about the Monstrosity and the Bacon Explosion!  Good times.  I needed more wine.

Bonny Doon 2008 Ca’ del Solo Albarino

Thanks to Brittany at Eating Bird Food for this picture of the Bonny Doon 2008 Ca’ del Solo Albarino that we drank while mingling with all the other food bloggers in attendance.  The vino had to have been one of the better white wines in my tasting history, as I'm a red drinker all the way, because I sure drank the Hell out if it!  While we were walking around they served bite size portions of "ahi tonnato on pain de mie with gochukaru and parsley". It was basically a tuna spread with Korean red pepper on a crusty slice of bread. To me the tuna tasted more like it was out of a can than fresh out of the sea. No worries though, I drank more wine!  I think I got three or four, maybe five refills before we finally sat down for our dinner.

The Dinner Tables at the Greenleaf Produce Warehouse for the Foodbuzz Awards Dinner

Our dining tables stretched from end to end of the produce warehouse, splitting off and joining each other as they went around the curves and the stacks of boxed organic vegetables.  The place settings were fantastic, and I was ready to feast.  Thanks again to Eating Bird Food for the picture of the dining tables.  I took a seat with Eusebio, Alison, and several members of the Foodbuzz web design team at the far end of the facility.  Apparently we were too concerned with mingling and drinking to mark our territory so we ended up with some of the last seats in the house after we had to pull up some tables and chairs to make room!

Overall, I recall being slightly disappointed with the food, though I don't remember quite why.  It must have started with the tuna and then I don't think it ever really caught back up with expectations.  I think the dinner was probably exceptional in all reality, but being drunk and hungry and having extremely high expectations, I think I was a little let down for the first time all weekend.  That being said, I imagine that just a few courses disappointed me because I do remember several of the items standing out and being fantastic.

Mushroom Dashi (Japanese Soup Stock) with Maitake, Shimeji, and Enoki Mushrooms

I know I ate this soup.  I don't remember much about it.  I'm sure it was pretty good, but not good enough or bad enough for me to really remember it or write anything down.  I do love mushrooms though!

Grilled Monterey Calamari in a Browned Butter Ponzu Reduction, Cucumber, Kaiware, Frisee and Yellow Pear Tomato with Chojang and Sesame Vinaigrette Served Over Udon Noodles

As great as all of that might sound, I actually found this dish to be rather bland for my alcohol-saturated taste buds.  I'm a big calamari fan, but this dish didn't quite do it for me.  Don't get me wrong, it was not bad.  I'm really just saying that I've had better calamari in Baton Rouge.  I expected that with oysters, but not with squid!

Sea Trout Baked with Dashikombu, Fried Garlic, and Japanese Curry Powder

Now we're getting good!  While not Cajun spiced like I'm used to, the fish tasted de-lish!  Curry always spices things up a little bit and the fried garlic featured strong enough flavors for my inebriated palate to notice!

Mushroom Risotto with Koshihikari Rice and Crispy Maitake Mushrooms

The risotto was certainly memorable enough for me to write something about it.  I enjoyed the rice dish as mushrooms made another appearance in our meal.  It was quite good and something that is hard to find in the south, although Marcello's wild mushroom risotto is pretty good too!  I'm pretty sure I ate Eusebio's share because he was passed out at this point in the dinner.  You see, what had happened was, we had been drinking.

2005 Le Cigare Volant from Bonny Doon Vineyard

Before our final two dishes came out, master wine maker Randall Grahm from the Bonny Doon Vineyard came around and introduced us to one of his most critically acclaimed wines, the 2005 Le Cigare Volant.  This red wine had earthy tones and captivating character.  From the first sniff of the nose to the last drop down the throat, this wine left me thirsty for more.  Unfortunately they don't ship to Louisiana, but maybe I could send some to my mom's house in Texas!  Once again, thanks to Eating Bird Food for the beautiful picture that I was clearly too smashed like a grape to remember to take!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ponzu Fried Garlic, Guanciale, and Bonito Flakes

These were unquestionably the best brussels sprouts I've ever had in my life.  Their flavor became magnified by the roasting process to create a truly unique and unquestionably dynamic dish.  The brussels sprouts presented the kind of flavor I had been looking for... something I've never had before!

Soy Braised Beef Cheeks and Oxtails with Baby Carrots and Fingerling Potatoes and a OB Beer and Denjang Demi

The final course of the sit-down dinner impressed me the most.  We had soy braised beef cheeks that were absolutely sensational.  The meat melted in my mouth as the flavor burst from every morsel of bovine heaven.  The carrots and potatoes soaked up the flavor of the beef and the sauce and at this point in the night I couldn't be happier... except that they were trying to escort Eusebio out of the warehouse because he was still "taking a nap" on the dinner table.  Don't worry though, he is resilient man. 

After dinner Foodbuzz presented their Outstanding in the Field awards for the best food blogs in existence.  To see a list of all the winners click here.  They served a dessert wine which tasted too sweet for me at this point in the night as well as a koshihikari rice pudding with cookie crumble and warren pear for dessert.  I didn't like it at all.  I took two bites just to make sure, and then put the rest down and labeled it unfit for consumption.  I don't know what was wrong with it, but I really was not a fan.  The pears were good on their own, so I guess it must have been the rice pudding that I don't have a taste for!

The bus ride back to the hotel featured entertainment for everyone else as Eusebio and I were pretty lit up and in the mood for some kind of trouble.  Well, not really too much trouble.  We were very civil, and after arriving back at Hotel Vitale we decided our best plan would be to get on a trolley and head back to Union Square and our hotel where we were expecting to hear the drum beats of the ongoing strike outside the lobby entrance.  Instead, we walked up Stockton Street to a flood of water pouring down the hill.  Taking a look up the street, we noticed a giant fountain of water erupting from the sidewalk.  A fire hydrant had gotten busted right outside our hotel and there was a crowd of people gathered around to watch the geyser.  Eusebio didn't feel like watching though.  Instead, being influenced by the plethora of picture taking tourists, he decided the timing was right for a shower!  The photographs speak for themselves.

Eusebio and the Broken Fire Hydrant Outside Our Hotel

The entire day went by in such a hurry but we undoubtedly enjoyed a great time throughout.  While every single course may not have impressed me at the dinner, the wine, sea trout, risotto, more wine, brussels sprouts, and beef cheeks sure did!  Sadly, the day had come to an end and all that was left to do was fight a hangover and be ready for the Sunday Farewell Brunch, some ice cream at the Bi-Rite Creamery, and our flight "home".  You can read about all of that in San Francisco Post V.  Until then, happy eating, and drink like you mean it!

Things To Do
San Francisco

Chelsea's Cafe

Chelsea's Cafe is one of Baton Rouge's favorite establishments, and for good reason.  The new version of Chelsea's opened after the original was closed down due to the demolition of the shopping center that it was in at the North Gates of LSU.  Now situated underneath the Perkins Road overpass, Chelsea's has brought new life to the food and entertainment scene in the area.  Chelsea's is known for their food, live music, good drinks, and relaxed atmosphere in a setting that is unique, original, and locally owned.  It is a place that is 100% Baton Rouge, and towards the top of places to go to for any visitor coming to town.

Today I found myself at Chelsea's for lunch.  I met the two lovely ladies from the Voodoo BBQ post, Natalie and Laura, as well as my brother Eric, CMac, and Corey.  The six of us got situated at a booth and ordered a couple of apps for us to munch on as we chatted about life, work, and our LSU Tigers.

Hummus at Chelsea's Cafe

Spinach and Artichoke Dip at Chelsea's Cafe

The hummus at Chelsea's Cafe continues to be some of my favorite hummus in town.  There are a plethora of Greek and Mediterranean restaurants around town that do an excellent hummus, but Chelsea's is really something special.  They take the crushed chick peas and oil and place it on a plate with fresh, ripe Roma tomatoes, a large wedge of fantastic feta cheese, and finish it off with some great Greek olives and garnish.  The hot pita bread that is served with hummus is also delicious and is another one of those perfect vehicles for delivering a quality dip to your mouth.

Our other appetizer was the spinach and artichoke dip.  Served with same pita bread as the hummus, this dip was equally as tasty.  Chelsea's uses large pieces of fresh artichoke in their dip, which sets it apart from some of the other SpinArt dips in town.  It has that great balance of spinach, artichoke, cream, and cheese which makes spinach and artichoke dip a wonderful dish.  My only complaint is that the pita bread, while just as good, does not accompany the spinach and artichoke dip like it does for the hummus.  I would prefer a different dipping and eating method such as a homemade crispy chip or toasted crouton.  I feel like a little crunch would go a long way in making this one of the better appetizers on the menu.

For my main lunch course I ordered one of my favorite sandwiches in town, the Fried Calamari and Parmesan Poboy.

         

The Calamari Poboy is simple and delightful.  It contains golden brown calamari and parmesan cheese served on a soft, chewy, buttery poboy bread.  It is served with french fries and a side of Chelsea's famous spicy tomato basil soup.  The poboy itself was great.  The calamari had the right proportion of chewiness and crunchiness and the bread was wonderfully baked.  The tomato basil soup was as good as always and certainly towards the top of my list of best soups in town, but you do have to like a little kick.  The french fries were average at best.  They were a little soggy, but still tasted fine with a little Heinz.

The trip to Chelsea's was a great way to spend my lunch break on a Friday afternoon.  We had a great group of friends, good conversation, delicious food, and all for an affordable price!  Chelsea's used to be one of my more frequented hang outs.  I'm not sure why that stopped because the food and the atmosphere are still as good as always.