stacey . smoore . the staceyfish . 
Life in a Northern Town: the exploits of an ecstatic Alaskan
Lens: the adventures of a girl and her camera
If you've yet to foray into the world of Indian cuisine, chicken tikka masala is a good guide for first-timers. There are many aspects of it that are familiar and comfortable to a Western palate (like chicken and rice) but with a decidedly Eastern bent. And by Eastern bent, I mean wonderfully aromatic and fragrant rice, and a richly spiced, yet not spicy, warm sauce for the chicken. It's a small wonder that this is the most popular Indian dish in the world, even if it's not, well, strictly authentic Indian.
Another fantastic thing about chicken tikka masala is that it requires no special equipment. It would be nice to have a tandoor, but a broiler make an acceptable stand-in. Now if only I could find a good tandoor substitute when making naan... But that's another story of a less successful foray. For now, stick with the chicken tikka masala and really start using some spices in your cooking!
Click here for the recipe for "Chicken tikka masala with basmati rice pilaf" »
The scene: a beautiful summer's evening. A gathering of friends has come together to feast on grilled halibut, lemon linguine, and flash-cooked veggies. Everything was quite delicious and fresh, and all tummies were singing with joy. But the dessert was yet to be served!
Yours truly decided to serve another dish in the vein of fresh summer fare. I pulled out vanilla ice cream, strawberries, and a good balsamic vinegar and proceeded to combine them. I could tell this had thrown my guests for a loop and no one was particularly looking forward to trying this syrupy brown stuff drizzled all over their perfectly good berries and ice cream. But the moment that combination touched their lips, I could tell that I had a table full of converts.
Should you have a similar reaction to the thought of strawberries and balsamic vinegar, I ask that you recite this eleventh commandment to yourself:
Thou shalt not doubt the culinary creations of your hostess, for lo, she will not lead you astray on the path to yumminess.
This sorbet is in the same spirit of the combination I served last summer. This recipe really doesn't get any easier. Sorbets are usually based on a simple syrup but even that didn't make it onto this three-ingredient list. That's how simple it is! It's really delicious too - strawberries are always good, and when you add a good balsamic to the mix you get something really special. When you add the fact that it's a frozen dessert, well, that just makes it the perfect summer dessert, doesn't it?
Click here for the recipe for "Strawberry-balsamic vinegar sorbet" »
I just so happened to be wandering the aisles of New Sagaya today, lamenting my recent travels and the Martian death flu that resulted in me not cooking in a full two weeks, steadily depleting my frozen stores of homemade soups, breads, and lasagnas, and dreaming of making yet another Margherita pizza, and before I knew it I was in front of the seafood case.
*cue soft-focus light and an angelic choir singing*
It was a beautiful sight that greeted me.
Fresh (fresh!) red salmon! Not frozen, but fresh! And not any red salmon, but Copper River red salmon!
It had been so long since I had seen fresh red salmon, I must have started salivating right there. I quickly ordered a small fillet, kinda glad that someone had neglected to scrawl the price on the glass with a grease pencil.
And let's just say that it's a damn good thing I got paid that economic stimulus free money today. Yessiree, at $25 a pound, I'd better have had some serious cash on hand for that kind of extravagance. But I'm an Alaskan who believes that you've gotta get the seasonal seafood when the getting's good so I was more than happy to shell out.
But here's the real salmon snob coming out in me here: I don't understand the premium placed on Copper River salmon. I know that it's shipped all over the country to be served in fancy-pants restaurants and so the whole law of supply and demand dictates that that particular fish is going to be spendy. Despite that, I honestly think that regular ol' any-river-in-Alaska produces tastier - and more economically priced - sockeyes. But I'm only human and it was the first fresh salmon to be in a seafood case since September and I had a free six hundred bucks in my pocket! Right then, in that moment, I could afford to pay a premium for the first reds of the season.
It was in my oven less than half an hour after being dearly bought and it was in my tummy shortly thereafter. And it was yummy. Salmon season, how I love thee so!
Same recipe as last year, just with a new photo and a good story ยป
I love orzo. It's such a hybrid - it looks like it wants to be rice, but it's got the taste and texture of pasta, and because of its small shape it's perfect in side dishes and salads. This dish that I'm about to share with you is my favorite orzo dish. There's really nothing not to love about it - it has lots of highly flavored elements that manage to not compete with each other, a couple of highly nutritious veggies, and a wonderfully textured sauce that tastes rich and creamy without actually being either of those things.
This recipe also has the bonus factor of minimal stove use, which is key in the summer. You use a stove but it's much more about mixing things together at the end than it is about simmering for hours. I love taking this dish to dinner parties because people tend to expect a typical pasta salad dish - made with mayonnaise and flat-tasting - until they actually try it and realize how much complex and fresh tasting it is than what they were expecting. So give it a try and let it change your ideas of a pasta salad.
Click here for the recipe for "Orzo with cherry tomatoes, capers, and lemon" »
Artisan French dough is an interesting animal. On one hand you have four - count 'em, four - ingredients. Not so hard, right? The thing is, it's not the number of ingredients, it's their proportion to each other. It's a very hydrated dough compared to the multitude of sandwich loaves I've posted here previously, yet many of the requirements are the same.
The tricky requirement here is the kneading. Yes, this dough is a wet, sticky monster. And yes, you have to develop the gluten yourself. You don't get to rely on a ridiculously long autolyze to do the hard work for you like you do in my much-loved no-knead bread (but it's worth it - the pre-ferment makes for a far superior flavor). So how does one get the gluten to develop?
Some of you may quickly point out that KitchenAid stand mixers are proof that a god loves us and wants us to eat good bread. But I'll point out even more quickly that the French have been making this bread before mixers were a twinkle in a baker's eye, so there has to be some way to do it. And being the do-it-yourself-er that I am, I'm going to teach you how.
Like I said, you obviously can't knead in the conventional fashion. Pushing, folding, and rotating translates into smearing, smearing, and smearing in the language of French dough. So instead of using force provided by your body, use the force provided by gravity to stretch, relax, and align those gluten strands and turn that yucky, sticky mess of flour and water into a ball of stretchy, supple, super-soft dough. Here's an illustrated guide for how to do it:
Lay the heels of your hands on the dough, both thumbs pointing to the left (or the right, if you like. Just be consistent). Be sure your hands are positioned so that your thumbs are close to the edge of the dough and there is plenty of dough visible on the other side of your hand. Get your fingers underneath the dough.
Pick up the dough with your thumbs now pointing up instead of to the left. Allow the dough to hang down and let gravity stretch it out.
With a little flip (and without letting go of the top half of the dough), put the dough on the counter so that the side of the dough that was facing you when it was suspended in mid-air is now in contact with the counter. The upper half of the dough will still be in your hands.
With another flip, fold the dough in half and let go. You've just completed on knead. As you become more practiced it will become a more fluid motion. Continue to work the dough until it is smooth, elastic, supple, and less sticky than it was originally.
None of the photos of the fully kneaded dough turned out, but the photo on the right shows it mostly kneaded, becoming smooth on the surface. Notice the huge difference between this and the shaggy unkneaded dough on the left.
During the kneading process, resist the urge to add too much flour to the countertop. The dough will still be a sticky mess and will get all over your hands, but only add more flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough is totally unworkable. Without a very wet dough you can't get the irregular, beautiful open crumb that is the hallmark of a good artisan bread.
After kneading, the dough will rise several times. This is another time when you don't handle the dough in the same way as a sandwich bread. Do not punch it down or deflate it. Instead you will stretch the dough out between your two hands. When you see this in pictures or on video it looks impossible, like no dough should be able to do that, but after a properly kneaded dough has risen for a little while it will be incredibly soft and elastic. It's very easy to stretch the dough out as shown below:
Once the dough is stretched, fold it into thirds like a business letter. Rotate the dough packet 90 degrees and stretch and fold as before. Return the dough to the bowl and continue with the recipe. Best of luck to you!
Many thanks to my Mom for taking these photos while I handled the dough. This tutorial wouldn't have been possible without her help.
For more fantastic information on baking artisan breads, buy the King Arthur Flour Baker's Forum DVD.
It's been a very long time since I've posted. That makes me sad. Because really, if I haven't been posting it means I probably haven't been cooking much.
But at least there is a good reason.
I've barely been home in the last couple of months. Since my swim meet in February, really. But the nice thing about traveling is that you get to try out a bunch of new local flavors. Unsurprisingly, whenever I travel I make an effort to eat at locally owned places. They're always much tastier and I get a warm fuzzy from supporting a local economy. Plus, really, what's the fun of eating the same things everywhere you go?
So without further adieu, here is a list of honorable mentions from my travels. Sadly, I didn't have my camera with me, so this is to be a presentation with visual aids.
State College, PA
Otto's Pub and Brewery - 2105 N. Atherton St., State College, PA
I love brewpubs. I have yet to be disappointed in a local brewpub that makes its own beer and food. Otto's was one of the best I've tried. It was really close to my hotel, so I ended up eating there three - yes, three - times during my short five-day stay. Their burger with goat cheese was delicious, as were the osso bucco and butternut squash ravioli with a sage butter sauce... and the chicken marsala was probably the best I've ever had. They have a seasonal menu which is both good (since the menu will be much tastier, fresher, and, well, in season) but bad because you can't go back and have the same thing as me. Luckily, you can have the same beer, which was the Red Mo Ale, and you can sit down and split three pitchers of fantastic sangria with new friends.
Oahu, HI
Kona Brewing Co - 7192 Kalanianole Highway, Honolulu, HI
You know how I mentioned how much I love brewpubs? This gem in Hawaii is a must-eat-at. Again, Cory and I (yes! We were actually together! In Hawaii!) ate there three times during our two-week stay. This place is on a marina, and you can see the boat that catches their mahi mahi and hebi parked right there. But one of the things I loved most about the place was the bread. They made all of their own breads from the spent grains used in the brewing process, and they were delicious. Not to miss were the guava ginger grilled fish, the pita (yes, again, made from spent grain) and hummus, and the strawberry spinach salad with fresh strawberry vinaigrette (which I tried to get the recipe for but apparently it's guarded like a state secret). Biggest regret - not trying the pizza (with, of course, spent grain crust). The beer was fantastic - my favorite was the Lavaman Red Ale, though the Firerock and Longboard were widely available at restaurants around the island and even in, well, Texas and Alaska. Bonus: it's less than a mile from Hanauma Bay, so it's a fantastic place to sit an bask in the fact that you got to swim with the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a!
Lucy's Bar and Grill - 33 Aulike St, Kailua, HI
We found this in an internet search for a late dinner while we were trying to recover from the sunburns we got an Hanauma Bay. I had absolutely zero interest in eating in Waikiki (which can fall off the island and sink into the ocean as far as I'm concerned) so we decided to venture to the other side of the island. So we zipped across the trans-island under-the-mountains tunnel and ended up in Kailua. This is one of the places that aren't visited by the tourists and it was a total find. I decided on the seared ahi tuna with Okinawan sweet potatoes - something that is not to be missed. Rare, seared ahi is one of the great joys in life, especially when it is as fresh as it is in Hawaii.
Uncle's Fish Market - 1135 N Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu, HI
I found this place in a binder of menus in the office I was working. It was located at one of the piers, so the fish was guaranteed to be super fresh. The ahi poke (Japanese raw seafood salad) was spectacular, as were the broiled mahi mahi and the ahi tacos with mango salsa. It's super casual and super fresh - a great combination.
The Pineapple Room - 1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI
We ate here the last night we were in Hawaii. I had yet to try the kalua pig, so that's what I ordered here. It was yummy for pork and the ahi poke was exemplary, but the thing that really made the restaurant stand out was the dessert, an indulgent bittersweet chocolate pudding pie dome. Seriously, it was a dome. Of chocolate. Filled with more chocolate. And drizzled with chocolate. Good chocolate. How can you lose?
Champa Thai - 98-199 Kamehameha Hwy # C2, Aiea, HI (among other locations)
Unfortunately I didn't get to actually sit down and eat at the place, but we ordered takeout while we were in the middle of a twelve-hour graveyard shift. Nothing is more welcome than some super-fresh lemongrass mahi mahi in the middle of a shift were your other prospects are either a fast food Korean or a crappy sandwich made from bread and turkey bought at the commissary (nothing makes me miss my own kitchen and the bread and roasted chicken which pour forth from said kitchen like business trips). The vegetable curry was also lip-smacking good. I wish I had had time to sit down and actually order something from their kitchen!
The Hale Koa - 2055 Kalia Rd, Honolulu, HI
Admittedly, I didn't eat here. But it did have the best Mai Tais on the island and some great beachfront patios on which to watch the sunset with your hubby. (This is a military lodge, so sorry, no Mai Tais for you civilians!)
Northern California
ZuZu - 829 Main St, Napa, CA
Cory and I followed our trip to Hawaii with some leave in California to celebrate our anniversary. We returned to the scene of the crime, as it were, by staying in the same hotel in St. Helena. The night before The Night we decided to branch out and try something new, which is hard for us when we have such favorites in the area, we tend to get stuck in ruts. Yummy ruts, but ruts nonetheless. We chose ZuZu in the nearby town of Napa. This is a yummy tapas and wine restaurant where you can sit down with a nice glass of vino and order small plate after small plate. Each one was delicious - especially the paella - and gave us an awesome opportunity to try all sorts of new yummy foods. The decor was awesome too. It will be hard to not get into a rut by going to this place over and over!
Pizzeria Tra Vigne - 1016 Main St, St Helena, CA
We had dined at the main Tra Vigne for our rehearsal dinner but weren't going to have the opportunity to go back, and besides, we were trying to stay out of a rut! We were in the mood for something smaller so we followed the big red tomato next the the winery we tried that morning and shared some calamari and a margherita pizza. It had a nice thin crust just the way I like it and the calamari had deep-fried lemon slices with peel and everything. This is a great place to grab a lunch.
CIA Greystone Wine Spectator
CIA Greystone is, well, y'know, Mecca. I don't dream about going to fancy grad schools to pick up a nice shiny math or astrophysics Masters (or two), I dream about the Culinary Institute of America. I actually met a former instructor on a trip to Korea once, and trust me, hearing him describe the rigors did nothing to slake my lust of the place. So when Cory said that we had reservations to the restaurant there for our anniversary dinner, he got major points. This place tends to get bad reviews but I can't fathom why. The interior was warm and cozy with an awesome open kitchen and dessert station. Of course the food was great, made from fresh local ingredients (what else?). So contrary to what reviewers tend to say, it's definitely worth dining here.
Taylor's Automatic Refresher - 933 Main Street, St. Helena, CA
This place is a total dive - greasy burgers, fries, and shakes. But of course it's in the Napa Valley, so it's like a fancy dive. If you drive by at any time, you'll see that the lines are long. But rarely do long lines lie, and this place is no exception. You guys know me, I wouldn't be raving about burgers, fries, and shakes unless they were special, and these are. Ahi burgers, sweet potato fries, and espresso shakes were what found their way onto my plate that day. The ahi burger was rare - just the way it should be - the sweet potato fries were spiced just right, and the espresso shake was almost as good as the ones from Mozart's (more on that later). Plus, there's a wine list. A wine list at a burger joint. It's a pretty tasty place if you're in the mood for a burger and fries. Even if you're in the Napa Valley.
Crepes A-Go-Go - 1432 N Main St, Walnut Creek, CA
I don't think it counts as a rut if you're a regular. Cory and I discovered this place on New Year's day last year and he's gone there every week since. Of course, whenever I'm in town I join him to get my fill of sweet or savory crepes.
Silk Road
Mmmm, flatbread and hummus perfection. Pomegranate chicken? Gyros? Tabbouleh? Yumyumyum. This place not only has great food, they get the whole customer service thing too. When I spilled my iced tea (clumsiness is my strong suit) they promptly moved us to a new table and brought us new flatbread even though the old one sustained no damage. It was an appreciated gesture. Delicious Mediterranean food at its best!
Breads of India - 1358 N Main St,
Walnut Creek, CA
This is another place that Cory and I go all the time. They have a daily menu that sources local organic produce and meat and they make bread pairing recommendations much like one would with a wine. We have yet to try a bread twice. Or see a dish on a menu twice, for that matter.
The Mountain Room
This restaurant in Yosemite National Park had food that just about matched the scenery. We started off with a pear and brie tart with a port and fig sauce (port + fig = best combination ever), moved into a delicious baked trout dish with butternut squash risotto, and finished off with apple pie a la mode. The entree was a little overly salty but the fish was fantastically fresh and flavorful. The interior was decorated with breathtaking photography, which tied the whole experience into something really special.
Austin, TX
Chuy's - 1728 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX (among another locations, including other cities)
I don't miss much about Texas. I prettymuch hate the state. But there are a couple of things that can only be found there, and good Tex-Mex is one of them. It's unsophisticated, it's bad for you, but still, it's comfort food, y'know? I ate at Chuy's all. the. time. in college and really, it's one of the first things I thought of when I found out I'd be heading to Texas. It's not the food to eat when you're competing in a swim meet and supposed to be fueling your body and all that jazz, but still, I couldn't resist those chicken enchiladas in blue corn tortillas topped with tomatillo sauce. And the gaudy atmosphere? You just can't find that type of quality decorating in restaurants outside of Texas.
Zax - 312 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX
Our last night in Austin, we were searching for a brewpub throughout throughout the city and simply couldn't find one. We thought we had found one when we were driving to Chuy's earlier that day but it turned out to be not what we had thought. We happened to drive by Zax and originally gave pause because it looked fancy and we were dressed pretty scrubbily. But we went in and were totally surprised by what we found. My parents and I all ordered drastically different food and it was all outstanding. My Dad's burger tasted like lean grass-fed beef, my Mom had a yummy artichoke, spinach and goat cheeze pizza, and I had the fish special - a pumpkin seed-crusted mahi mahi with saffron rice and blanched snow peas, which speaks for itself, really. The place wasn't very crowded which makes us hope that the place is doing ok, so if you're in Austin, eat at Zax and help keep the restaurant open!
Baby Acapulco - 5610 N I-35, Austin, TX
Driving though Austin in college, I had always wondered what the place with the pink elephant was. Well, when we checked into our hotel it seemed like we were in a sea of chain restaurants so we asked the clerk at the desk what was good, nearby, and locally owned. He recommended Baby A's and so I finally got to find out what the pink elephant was all about. Did I mention "Tex-Mex" and "gaudy" in the same sentence before? This was just like Chuy's, just without Elvis. Again, the food was fanstatic - the shrimp enchiladas, veggie fajitas, and tortillas were just like they should have been. Hooray for comfort food!
Mozart's - 3826 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, TX
In college, friends and I used to drive to Austin on Sunday night to get away from San Antonio, drink some great coffee, and get some serious studying done. Did I mention it's on a lake? And often has live music? And desserts that are to die for? So I was super excited to go back there when I was in Austin. We went after the first day of swimming and I had to be all good and get a skinny cappuccino and some sorbet, but man, I was jonesin' for an espresso shake or some chocolate mousse. But I was good since I still had two days of competition left, but man, when the meet was over, we went straight back so I could get that espresso shake. It was everything I had dreamed of over the last several years.