Matters of Taste

Big Hits from Big Girl Baking Co.

As fantasies go, this one of mine is pretty tame stuff.

It’s cold and rainy outside. I’m in my kitchen surrounded by mountains of Plugra butter, champagne-colored organic sugar, ScharffenBerger chocolate and local eggs. Listening to Krystian Zimerman play Chopin. Drinking PG Tips tea. And flipping through Maida Heatter’s “Book of Great Cookies.”

It’s a recurring fantasy, seemingly destined to be frustrated forever. Because #1 It’s never cold and rainy in San Diego and #2 It seems there’s always some task that needs to get done before I can indulge my craving for big, fat, homemade Double Chocolate Chunk cookies.

That’s why I was thrilled to make the acquaintance recently of Big Girl Baking Co.  Founded in 2004 by three sisters – Jody, Aimee and Regina Milano -- from Yonkers, NY, it’s an intensely personal operation with the focus on fabulous cookies, not flashy packaging or a fancy address. In fact, there is no storefront…cookies are only available on-line and at a few shops and restaurants in Westchester County,  outside New York City.

I love the way the sisters play with sweet and savory flavors, adding a pinch of finishing salt to their elegant Sables du Chocolate, and balancing the bite of ginger with a soupcon of sugar in their Very Gingery Snaps.

There’s no sugar overload here. On the contrary, each bite of each cookie reveals layers of flavor, accentuated by sugar but never overwhelmed.  There’s dried cherry in the Black Forest Chunks; a whiff of rosemary in the Rosemary Corn Shortbreads; semi-sweet chocolate and espresso in the Mocha Chocolate Chips.

The BG’s Sweet Sesame Polenta Biscuits are sensational (as good with a cup of tea as with a cocktail); so are the Lilliputian Brown-ettes that are so packed with nuts and chocolate that one little 1x1-inch nugget delivers total satisfaction.

Clearly I couldn't do any better myself...ScharffenBerger or no ScharffenBerger.

The bakery’s biscotti line is no less impressive. More tender than crisp, they feature interesting flavor profiles that make them as at home at the breakfast table as at the bar. Lemon Pine Nut, Black Pepper Fig, Fennel Cornmeal Raisin, Triple Chocolate – these are biscotti to convert all those folks out there who think biscotti are boring and jaw-breaking.

All Big Girl Baking cookies are made from “all natural and/or organic flours and sugars,” with no preservatives or artificial additives. They’re baked and packaged by hand in simple clear bags with a raffia bow. Most varieties cost about $18 a pound; half pounds are available, as are gift assortments. Shop on-line at Big Girl Baking.

Starbucks Hoping for "Instant" Hit

Over the weekend, I walked by the original Starbucks at Pike Place Market here in Seattle. You would have thought that Madonna was barista-of-the-day…or at the very least that they were giving away free Frappuccinos. The sidewalk was jammed with people waiting to get inside and taking photos of each other like they were at the Statue of Liberty or the White House. 

We all know they weren’t there for the coffee.  Even Starbucks fans acknowledge that it’s not a particularly good cup of coffee…slightly burnt tasting and overall, undistinguished. 

In fact, the folks on Pike Place were there for the history, the hype, the joy of hanging out with the Goliath of the caffeine world.

Part of that hype and history these days is store closings and employee layoffs. Part of it is desperation measures designed to attract new customers and hang onto old customers questioning their pricey latte habit
.
That’s where the VIA instant coffee comes in.  The buck-a-pop VIA instant coffee.

Talk about a “Hail Mary" pass.

I don’t get why any java connoisseur would settle for instant coffee when A. it takes just a couple minutes to crank up a Mr. Coffee two-cupper or B., on the road, there's likely a coffee shop within a couple blocks. Nor do I understand  why any non java connoisseur would shell out  a buck a packet for something that’s not really going to taste that much better to them than what they’re already drinking at McDonald’s?

(That said, I did find the Italian Roast Extra Bold pretty tasty and will keep a pack in my glove compartment for the very rare occasion that A. or B. is not applicable.)

Last year, when Starbucks’ former chief executive  Howard Schultz re-took the reins, there seemed to be a lot of talk about going back to the basics. I figured that meant focusing on the product that got them into the party…namely coffee.

Instead, a peek into the cases at a Seattle Starbucks this morning revealed an entire menu of breakfast sandwiches, ciabatta “panini,” egg McMuffin-like numbers, even an eggy “wrap” forpetessake.  And oatmeal? Don’t get me wrong. It’s a great alternative to the artery-clogging fast food that’s out there. (OK. So it’s not Irish steel-cut or Bob’s Red Mill Organic. It’s nutritious and, with dried fruit and nuts, very satisfying.)  But is it a fast train out of the doldrums for the Starbucks brand? I doubt it.

I wish Starbucks well. And I will continue to contribute to their bottom line whenever I’m traveling. The presence of Starbucks counters in airports and along the I-70 in Utah and Colorado has brightened up many a travel day for me.

But while I’m in Seattle this week, I’ll luxuriate in the finest espresso and espresso drinks, intoxicatingly fragrant, richly flavored and supremely satisfying… at two of my favorite haunts:

Caffe Umbria on Occidental Avenue near Pioneer Square. An atmospheric café where serious coffee lovers relax and contemplate the picture-perfect latte in front of them. Umbria sells its beans throughout the Northwest. 

And Caffe Migliore on downtown’s Fourth Avenue, a tiny, bright café in a modern office building, where a charming team treats each customer and each drink with great care. "Migliore" is Italian for "best," and that's what I'd call the mocha (made with unsweetened chocolate) and artfully swirled latte that I'm drinking each morning.

Big Whoop!

In the proverbial blast from the past, the homely little brown, cream-filled Whoopie Pie was splashed all over the cover of the New York Time’s Dining section yesterday.

It seems that this low-brow staple of the 50’s and 60’s lunchbox is now showing up in upscale bakeries and restaurants across the country. The NYT article suggests that the “snacks invoke a more homespun era that seems to provide some comfort amid the economic gloom.”

The traditional Whoopie Pie is sort of cookie, sort of cake, sort of pie. NYT reporter Micheline Maynard describes it:

“The filling is generally of one of two types: a thick, sweet frosting made from Crisco shortening combined with confectioners’ sugar, or, more conveniently, a dollop of Marshmallow Fluff.

“The cake itself is typically not especially sweet, and is often on the dry side, since the frosting lends plenty of sugar and a gooey consistency, said Sandra Oliver, a food historian and columnist in Islesboro, Me.”

Maynard also chats with Amy Emberling of Zingerman’s Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan about the origins of the no-nonsense nosh.

“Food historians believe whoopie pies originated in Pennsylvania, where they were baked by Amish women and put in farmers’ lunchboxes. Tired from a morning’s work, the farmers purportedly would shout “Whoopie!” if they discovered one of the desserts in their lunch pails, Ms. Emberling said.”

I’m sure that yesterday’s tantalizing photo and vivid descriptions of pumpkin Whoopie Pies at Kim’s Kitchen in Evanston Illinois (pictured here) and buttercream delights at Zingerman’s will turn on a lot of  people around the country…and give a boost to the resurgence of the plebian Pie.

 But here in Seattle, where I’m parked for a while helping my son get over ACL surgery, all credit for the Whoopie Pie’s popularity goes directly to Quinn’s Pub, a new gastro-pub from Scott Staples, the genius behind Restaurant Zoë.

This is a Whoopie Pie to devour, with gooey fingers, and a good friend – it’s wrapped in aluminum foil and cut in half.

According to Quinn’s Chef de Cuisine Sam Crannell, the cake is made with lots of cocoa, a magical blend of whipped butter and Crisco, and just a little sugar. The stuffing is a fragrant vanilla buttercream.

“My sous-chef (Michael Robert Shaw) grew up on the East Coast and his Grandma made these all the time,” said Crannell. “It’s a childhood delight that we brought back and started playing with. It’s become a really big hit for us.”

The Whoopie Pie isn’t the only reason to head to this atmospheric spot in the Pike-Pine neighborhood. The foie gras mousse, served in a weensy Mason jar with buttery triangles of brioche toast, is extraordinary: light and elegant, smooth and exploding with flavor. The tiny Painted Hills meatballs are savory and nestled into creamy polenta. Homemade sausages are delicious and creatively garnished. And the Molasses Brined Carlton Farms Pork Loin with a Port wine glaze and buttery Brussels sprouts hash that I ate on St. Patrick’s Day (before the Whoopie Pie!) is a shoo-in for my Best Foods of 2009 list.

As if that’s not enough of a lure, Quinn’s is a particularly inviting pub,  that “hits the sweet spot between hangout and full-on restaurant” (according to Seattle Weekly), with what The Seattle Times called “a ramshackle chic décor.”

Oh, yeah. The prices. Snacks and small plates go for $3 to about $10 for the wild boar sloppy Joe with crispy sage leaves. “Large Plates” average 15 bucks.

Whoopie!

Going for the Gold....Cougar Gold

“WSU”  

Quick. What’s the first thing that comes to mind? Basketball, probably. Especially today, as the surging Cougars head to the Pac-10 Tournament.

But that wouldn’t be my first response. I’d say cheese.

Cheese, as in Cougar Gold, a creamy, nutty, aged white cheddar that the students of the Washington State University Creamery have been cranking out since the 1930s.

It was news to me, too,  last week when a family friend from Walla Walla brought us a can of the stuff.

Yes, that’s can, as in old-fashioned can, requiring a can opener, no less.

I must admit I had my doubts about a cheese made on a college campus and packaged in a tin can. I mean, this is, after all, the age of voluptuous mascarpone tortas from Milan’s Peck and fancy-schmancy triple crèmes from France.  Cougar Gold is Pullman, folks, not Piemonte.

But I was blown away by the rich flavor and moist creaminess of the WSU cheese, which is aged a minimum of one year.  Unlike ordinary American cheddars, this one has complexity and an enduring tang.  I’m sure it would make a great grilled cheese sandwich. A terrific hot cheddar dip, too.  And one Washington state newspaper  I happened upon on-line touted a recipe for Cougar Gold soup that involved onions and potatoes and sounded delicious.

But I doubt that I’ll ever get pass the crumbly, fresh-out-of-the-can snack. It’s just too good.

The Washington State University Creamery is run by students in the School of Food Science who learn how to manufacture and market cheese (and ice cream), sometimes earning internship credits for their work. In addition to the competitive wages and valuable work experience created by the program, a portion of the Creamery’s profits goes to the educational support of Food Science students.

The 30-ounce can of regular Cougar Gold costs $18; a special, sharper, aged-three-years Gold is $25.  The Creamery also offers several different flavors of cheddar including Smoked, Dill Garlic, and Crimson Fire, which is flecked with jalapenos and cayenne pepper. (Because of its intense flavors, Crimson Fire is made with about 33 percent less fat than the other types of cheddar.)

There’s also a “Cheese of the Month” program.

You can buy the product on-line at  the WSU Creamery Web site  or call 800-457-5442 or
509-335-4014. It's also available at NormThompson.com (above photo is from Web site).

A New Look at "Red Hots"

The whiskey and bourbon purists out there are going to howl…but I’m here to tell you that the wacky-sounding “Red Hot” cocktail on the very cool Web site “Playing With Fire And Water” is deee-licious.

First you grind a handful of red hot cinnamon candies in a coffee or spice grinder and spread the crumbs on a large plate. (You can use a food processor but I found that the smaller grinders made a finer “dust.”)

Then, rub the rim of a martini glass with a cut piece of  fresh ginger root. (Or you can squeeze some juice from a chunk of ginger and dip the glass in that.) Dip the glass rim into the pulverized red hot candies.

In a shaker, shake your favorite bourbon (Maker’s Mark, Bulleit, Pappy Van Winkle, whatever) with ice and strain into the glass.

It’s amazing how the flavors play together, and how the ginger and cinnamon bring out the best in the bourbon.

But Playing With Fire and Water doesn’t stop there.

The site also includes a recipe for Ginger Bread Bourbon that involves soaking a hunk of brioche in a glass jar with bourbon, cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and slices of fresh ginger root.  You let the concoction sit for about three days, then strain it.

Fans of playing with fire (as well as fans of “shots” of all flavors) then proceed to step 2. Rub the rim of a shot glass with a piece of peeled ginger. Dip the rim into the crushed Red Hots.

“Gently warm Ginger Bread Bourbon. Pour into shot glass. Ignite. Don't do anything silly like try to drink it while its on fire.”

With all the freezing temperatures and record snowfalls barreling across the country, I think  these cocktails are just what the weatherman ordered.

Class-Act Carpaccio

Legend has it that carpaccio, that famed Italian production of paper-thin beef slices daubed with a bit of lemony dressing, was born at Harry’s Bar in Venice. Or at least that’s the legend propagated by the Cipriani family, owners of said Harry’s Bar and other revered restaurants on multiple continents.

 Family members claim that the dish was named carpaccio by Giuseppe Cipriani, an owner of Harry’s, in reference to the Early Venetian Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio (left), because the colors of the dish reminded him of paintings by Carpaccio.

Of course, carpaccio today is just as likely to resemble a painting by Rubens or Rauschenberg. Since the ‘90s, it’s become a darling of contemporary cuisine, with chefs riffing on carpaccio using tuna, scallops, beets, sunchokes and even pineapple.

I’ve never been a big fan of beef carpaccio. But I tasted one version recently that would blow the Harry’s Bar Cipriani clan right out of the water….or, to be more geographically accurate, right out of their canals.

For Suite & Tender, the barely two-month-old restaurant in the Sè San Diego Hotel, chef Christopher Lee created the spectacularly beautiful and equally delicious carpaccio pictured here. (The James Beard Award-winning Lee is the “consulting chef” who designed the Suite & Tender menu but now cooks in New York City at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole.)

The slices of Wagyu beef are thinner than paper-thin, almost translucent…they literally melt on your tongue but not before delivering their rich, mellow flavor.  A bit of extra virgin olive oil is drizzled on top, along with finishing salt, freshly ground pepper, snipped chives and wispy slivers of Parmigiano Reggiano. The ciabatta “toasts” must have been made by the same mandoline-maestro that sliced the meat….there’s isn’t a thinner, cracklier piece of toast out there. This is carpaccio with class.

Suite & Tender is being hyped as a “softer, more sophisticated take on a steak house.”  In keeping with that goal, the menu offers “Ocean,” “Land,” and “Suite & Tender” sections. The latter is supposed to be a contemporary take on the old-fashioned “surf and turf.”

The Sè San Diego Hotel is a very hip-looking boutique hotel (184 rooms) in downtown San Diego. Press materials say it’s located in "downtown’s financial district.” And, yes, there are office buildings nearby that house businesses, banks and law offices. But the Sè is next door to the House of Blues on what I would, charitably, call a “scruffy” block set in a sea of scruffy blocks.

Nonetheless, step inside the spacious, sleekly modern lobby and you’re in a world of beautiful young people who are partying like it’s 1999 in both the very cool bar on the first floor and at Suite & Tender which is suspended over the bar on the second floor, connected by a cascading curtain of “organic” shells.

In addition to the stellar carpaccio, the menu features Japanese Kobe beef steaks, grilled salmon, braised pork belly and diver scallops.  But, given the kitchen’s magic touch with raw Wagyu, on my next visit I’m going straight for the Wagyu Beef Sliders.