Cardamom Lemon Coffee (Recipe)

On a cold Sunday morning, I felt like something a little different for my weekend coffee indulgence. Something like this would probably be scoffed at by the coffee purists, but, I guess I'm not a coffee purist. The warm, fragrant spices made me feel cozy and the lemon oil invigorated me. This pleasant effect kept me going and stayed with me for at least a few hours. 



Here's what you'll need:
7 grams freshly ground coffee beans of your choice
4 ounces of water, heated to between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit
3 ounces while milk, warmed in a pot or in the microwave
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1 strip lemon peel

Here's what you'll do:
- Brew coffee beans with a french press, drip method or whichever way you choose.
- Add the milk, sugar and cardamom and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Bend the lemon zest to express the oils over the coffee and drop it in.
- For a frothy, cocktail feel without the booze, add everything to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake until cold and strain over fresh ice in a tall glass.
- Enjoy!

Ashland, Oregon area 2017 (various eateries)

I always look forward to my visits to Ashland, Oregon. They are always pleasant, especially when there are plenty of restaurants that are either new or standbys that are consistently good. My last two trips have yielded tasty meals that were satisfying and delicious.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Hearsay
40 S 1st Street, Ashland OR
This restaurant has taken over the space of an establishment I've enjoyed previously. They offer creative and world-inspired cuisine, which was unexpectedly delicious. The decor had a lot of dark wood and felt casual and upscale at the same time.
http://www.hearsayashland.com/


Gin Shrub. A well-balanced drink made with Seagram's Gin, blueberry and lemon shrub. This was sweet, sour, boozy and thirst quenching.

Maple Leaf Farms Duck Wings. I wished this appetizer came in bucket size; it was so delicious. This dish hit all my favorite flavor senses with a sweet and spicy citrus chili glaze, a cooling and creamy coconut cream, and crunchy toasted sesame seeds. Not to mention the meat was seasoned well and cooked until tender and juicy.

Tequila Prawns. Another excellent small plate that I wished was a big plate. The large prawns were cooked perfectly and draped over crispy fried patatas bravas, roasted garlic buttermilk sauce, and green onions.

Halibut & Chips. A very good version of fish and chips. The Halibut gave it a meatier texture and the light beer batter coated the fish with just enough of that crunchy shell. The Caribbean spiced fries had a nice spice blend with cinnamon and allspice and the coconut slaw and tropical fruit hot sauce balanced the dish with sweet, tart and spicy.

Snake River Farms Pork Short Ribs. An incredibly succulent, carnivorous dish with large pieces of pork cooked until falling apart and braised in a flavorful sauce. Warm potato salad surrounded the meat and it was all topped off with bacon and pomegranate syrup. An excellent dish.

Immortal Spirits
141 S. Central Avenue, Medford, OR
Founded in 2009, this distillery is one of the few that actually distill their own whiskeys, rums, and even absinthe. They are actually so proud of their absinthe (which is not as wormwood heavy) they have cocktails where the absinthe is the star, rather than just a flavor enhancer. The tasting room is small but comfortable, and the staff is knowledgeable but also laid back and welcoming. The drinks and spirits are reliably delicious and the food is quite tasty as well. I would recommend this establishment for a quick tasting or for a longer, lingering lunch with cocktails and conversation.
http://www.immortalspirits.com/


Sazerac. Made with their Single Barrel Whiskey, absinthe, and bitters, this is a spirit forward, good cocktail that always goes down easy.

Whiskey Ginger: A light and refreshing drink made with whiskey, lime juice, and ginger soda.

Walk the Plank. This was fruity and sweet with freshly muddled strawberries, rum, and lemon soda.

Absinthe Mojito. Their take on the Cuban classic with Absinthe as the primary spirit and enhanced with freshly muddled lime and mint, then topped with soda. This was well balanced and easy to drink.

Entombed Pork Pancake. House-made pulled pork filled this beauty. Greek yogurt, scallions, and a house-made whiskey BBQ sauce was the topping. This was a very large pancake that satisfied two people with meaty pork, fluffy pancake with fantastic crispy edges and a tangy and sweet BBQ sauce.

Immortal Tacos. Another delicious pulled pork item. These mighty tacos were filled with the tasty meat, a spicy Sriracha slaw, smoked paprika, tangy lime aioli, and fresh cilantro. This was savory, tangy, spicy, crunchy and fresh all at once.

Drunken Goat. Fluffy, buttery buns were filled with grass-fed Black Angus beef from lucky cows that fed on their spent grains from whiskey making! Bacon, creamy goat cheese, red wine-glazed onions, black pepper and fresh greens fulfill this burgers destiny to be amazing. This was juicy, perfectly cooked and served with a tasty side of red potato salad.

Quickdraw. For the meat lover, this burger had the same fantastic beef, plus double the bacon, crispy fried onions, Colby cheese, whiskey BBQ sauce and added pulled pork that I requested. A really fulfilling burger that hit all the umami sensors.

I don't have plans to visit Oregon in the next few months, but I look forward to my next visit. I'm confident that the food will be just as good and there may even be a few new places for me to try.

Sama Uyghur--Union City (Uyghur cuisine)

The Uyghur ('weh gur') people are an ethnic group from the countries of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. Their food is a delicious mix of all of these cultures combined.

After my first taste, my reaction was one of comfort from the Chinese influences, mixed with wonder and awe at the fantastic flavors of the middle east. This restaurant has not been open for very long, but I hope it stays in business for a very long time. Located at 1719 Decoto Road, the small but friendly space is adorned with colorful carpets and other decorations exemplifying the colorful array of food offerings.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

https://samacuisine.com/



Samsa. Small pockets of pastry filled with ground lamb, sprinkled with black sesame seeds and baked until golden. These were fun little appetizers packed with savory meat.

Bean Jelly. A familiar Chinese side dish, this is gelatin made from mung beans. After firming up in the fridge, it is sliced and tossed with black vinegar, chili oil, sesame seeds, peanuts and fresh cilantro. The texture is firmer than your typical American dessert gelatin, and the tang and spice of this dish is an excellent palate cleanser between courses.

Marinated Potato Salad. There is no mayo in this potato salad. These potatoes were cut into matchstick size, perfectly cooked until tender with a bit of chew, and then tossed in a tangy dressing of vinegar, chili oil, red peppers and cilantro.

Komilek Chop Qorimisi. These were pearl-sized wheat noodles, pan fried with lamb, celery, red and green bell peppers, onions, black fungus and a savory and spicy soy-based sauce. This had a delicious flavor that was easy to eat with a spoon.

Qurghaq Chop Qorimisi. Similar to the hand-cut noodles above, except the sauce was a bit thicker which gave it a gravy-like consistency and the chives gave it a very fresh vegetal taste. Very comforting and satisfying.

Toho Qorimisi. Sauted spicy chicken with potatoes, red and green bell peppers, chilies, and stewed in one of the most succulent and umami-packed sauces I've ever tasted. This was fantastic and I could not get enough hand-pulled, wide wheat noodles to soak it all up.

One of my greatest pleasures in life is experiencing different cultures and food, which is why I love to travel. But if I can't get to a particular country to try their regional cuisine, I'm very thankful to have restaurants like this, where I can get a taste of a different culture close to home.

Farmhouse Kitchen--San Francisco, CA (Thai cuisine)

Located at 710 Florida Street, Farmhouse Kitchen is an eclectic and interesting exploration into the culture, the people and the food of Thailand. This is a very busy restaurant with their regular dining service as well as scheduled cultural events; reservations are encouraged. The street food vibe is very present with off-menu items carried around the tables via bamboo sticks with hanging straw baskets serving street treats like meatballs, fried taro and even grasshoppers. The menu also offers other items than the usual Thai dishes one might see at conventional Thai restaurants. All this makes for an interesting and very pleasurable dining experience.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://farmhousesf.com/



Fried Taro and Banana (off-menu street food). These had a dense batter that made a crunchy exterior shell, while maintaining a soft interior. The taro was nutty and the banana (closer to a Plantain) was soft and sweet. The fried onions, black sesame seeds in the batter and sweet glaze over the top added to the complexity of this snack.

Fried Grasshoppers (off-menu street food). My first time eating grasshoppers and it was a great experience. Marinated in soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and maybe a few other ingredients, these were fried until shatteringly crisp on the outside with a mushroom-like flavor on the inside. The texture was similar to eating fried shrimp with the shell on. A whole bag of these would be great with some beer and a movie. Great finger food.

Herbal Rice Salad. A Bangkok-style salad was composed of their blue rice, toasted coconut, peanuts, shredded green mango, crispy shallots, lemongrass, sliced long beans, chili, kaffir lime, dried shrimp and tamarind dressing. This had all the multi-dimensional flavor and texture components of a well-rounded dish. One my new favorites.

Panang Neua. This enormous piece of succulent, tender, bone-in short rib was smothered in a thick, rich panang curry sauce and served with broccolini, blue rice, bell peppers, onions and fried basil. This was big enough to be a meal for two and brought out the primal, meat-tearing hunger out of me. The panang curry was reduced until the flavors were concentrated but not overpowering. Full of umami and phenomenal.

Vacation. An exceptional dessert. All of my favorite foods were encased in a hollowed out coconut. It was filled until spilling over with coconut ice cream, coconut meat, toasted coconut, toasted macadamia nut and sesame seeds. Not overly sweet and definitely satisfied my need for coconut.

This was a fun, lively and delicious place to eat and hang out. I look forward to my next visit.

Spicy Rice Noodle Salad (Recipe)

During the last heat wave, I was forced to get my creative juices flowing to come up with a recipe that did not require any stove or oven cooking, but was still hearty enough for dinner. This turned out to be a hit in my household, with my co-workers and also satisfied my personal need for savory, sweet, crunchy and spicy food. This can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a pot luck or dinner party.


Here's what you'll need:
3 tbsp. chili paste (more or less to taste)
3 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 persian cucumbers (or 1/2 English cucumber)
4-5 leaves of romaine lettuce
1 package firm tofu
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro
1 handful fresh mint leaves
1 package fresh rice noodle (I normally purchase this fresh and pre-cooked from the Asian market)

Optional ingredients or toppings:
Edamame
Tomatoes
Pickled or fresh carrots
Pickled or fresh daikon radish
Pickled or fresh ginger
Meat (cooked chicken, shrimp, pork, etc.)
Chopped green onion
Toasted sesame seeds
Toasted peanuts

Here's what you'll do:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the chili paste, honey, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Roughly chop, as large or small as you like, the cucumbers, romaine lettuce, tofu, cilantro (with stems), mint leaves (without stems), and rice noodle.
- Toss everything together with the dressing until well coated.
- Serve at room temperature or cold.
- Enjoy!

Michael Warring--Vallejo, CA (molecular gastronomy)

A special treat came in the form of a very upscale dinner, but in a comfortable, small, casual but elegant space, run by two very talented restaurateurs. One is the chef (or artist really) and the other runs the house. This dynamic duo does everything from taking reservations, to serving, to creating the menu and much much more. I was in awe at how seamlessly everything came together during dinner service. Located at 8300 Bennington Drive, I would not expect such a scenic, quiet, farm-land area to have this gem of a restaurant within a tiny strip mall. I look forward to my next birthday or anniversary or any other special occasion as an excuse to have this experience again.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://www.michaelwarring.com


Einstok Arctic Pale Ale. From Iceland, this pale ale is light enough to pair with any food but still full of flavor. The bit of malt, some fruity notes and a bit of hops keeps the palate interested and refreshed.

Trebbiano, Lazzari 'Fausto'. From Capriano del Colle in Italy. This was a full-bodied and flavorful white that did not have a lot of tongue-coating tannins or too much tang. It was subtle initially, rounded and a bit sweet in the middle with a nice, cool finish. A very nice white.

Stone Fruit. This was a fantastic fresh fruit starter made with fresh nectarines, Sabayon foam, oatmeal streusel, and wood sorrel. The vinaigrette delicately coated each piece of fruit and had the perfect amount of acid. Each component reminded me that food should be well balanced and satisfy not just the taste buds, but also the texture component. This was sweet, savory, tangy, crunchy and vegetal all in one bite.

Albacore. Raw fish might be something one thinks about with Japanese or Latin cuisine. This was neither, very imaginative and exceptionally crafted. Beautifully plated with sweet fig, wonderfully-complex aged balsamic, thai basil, radish, turnip, silky smooth foie gras, and topped with salty bottarga. This was probably the best few bites of food I've had all year. I was very impressed with this dish.

Agnolotti. I've always wondered how I could get more runny egg yolk in my life. Now I know I can line the bottom of a dish with it and top it with delicious pasta filled with polenta, then top that with black truffle, squash blossoms and popcorn emulsion. I'm not a big popcorn fan, but the essence of popcorn over this dish was very interesting.

Bavette of Beef. A perfectly medium rare cube of beef was seared in butter, topped with savory chanterelle mushrooms, brown butter powder, jus and red dandelion. I don't eat a lot of red meat, but this was just right.

Cheese Cart. The best thing about aged cheeses is how intense the flavors become. To have it with toasted brioche and apricot preserve puts it over the top. The aged goat cheese (on top) was my favorite. It was sharp, crumbly on the plate but creamy on the tongue. I don't remember what the other cheeses were, but the one in the middle was a softer, brie-like cheese and the bottom was a firm, nutty cheese. All were very good.

Aerated Olive Oil Cake. This was a very light and fluffy piece of incredibly moist cake. I love that I could see the specks of vanilla in the anglaise. The lemon balm and rich chocolate ganache rounded out the dish very nicely and the fried herbs added a nice texture in an otherwise, very soft dish.

German Chocolate Cake truffle. Another bite of food might have been too much at this point, but who can resist a truffle? This exquisitely-made chocolate closed out the evening very elegantly.

I did not expect to spend two hours for dinner, but the pacing of the courses actually made it possible to enjoy every morsel on every plate. The entertainment value of chatting with nearby folks and watching the cooking happening right in front of me, while sitting at the counter, also made for a very nice evening. I will save my nickles while I look forward to my next visit.

Nom Burger--Sunnyvale, CA (High-end Burger joint)

There is finally a place that puts together a well-crafted, interesting burger. For many years I was put off from ordering burgers because each time I did, the meat would be overcooked, dry, stringy and/or under seasoned. Located at 251 West Washington Avenue, this is a specialty burger joint that makes really good burgers.

Using only the finest, locally sourced, antibiotic/hormone-free, sustainable meat, this place grinds their meat fresh every day on site. When it comes to having pride in something, the key is in the details. Details like baking their own brioche buns using preservative-free dough and using organic, local cream for their milkshakes. I appreciate the extra effort and it definitely shows in the presentation and the flavor of their food.


Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

https://nom-burger.com/



Fully Loaded Tater Tots. Everyone's favorite type of potato was fried until crispy, then topped with bacon, smoked white cheddar, extra sharp cheddar, sour cream and chopped green onions. This was excellent food to share and pair with beer and a burger.

#DATEGGDOE. This might be one of their most Instagram-worthy burgers. Their all-natural beef patty was topped with an egg cooked with parmesan cheese until crisp along the edges while still maintaining that highly-prized and sought-after runny yolk. All of this was topped with pickled jalapenos, pancetta, green onions and garlic aioli. Very eye catching and tasty.

Burger of the Month (July): Red, White & Blue. Their perfectly prepared all-natural beef patty was topped with a Maryland crabcake, and served with Cypress Grove Midnight Moon goat cheese, fresh red bell pepper, lettuce and a housemade remoulade sauce. This was a very well thought out burger that satisfied all my cravings for beef, seafood, cheese and crunchy fresh veggies.

The sides, milkshakes and burgers of the month make Nom Burger a destination to treat yourself (at least once a month). I look forward to returning and trying their other offerings.