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Bay Area Bites

Culinary Rants & Raves from Bay Area Foodies and Professionals

• Airplane Food

  Posted by Denise Santoro Lincoln

  on Sep 06, 2008

  My family and I are flying to the UK this weekend, so in addition to trying to arrange our trip and get a bunch of work done before we go, I'm planning our in-flight menus. I've been a plane picnicker for years, even before most airlines stopped serving in-flight meals. It all started when I was pregnant and just couldn't bear the thought of airplane or airport food. Before a short flight to San Diego, I brought along a prosciutto sandwich from my favorite deli along with a Stewart's root beer (which wouldn't be allowed anymore. No liquids!), and some fried artichoke hearts. As everyone around me munched pretzels, my husband and I split our delightful dinner. There was no going back after that.

  Since that time, I've had to consider my children's food intake in addition to my own. I remember a flight to Washington D.C. where I literally brought an entire grocery bag full of food. As my family and I munched on cobb salads, BLTs, brie, and chocolate, I caught the envious looks of my fellow passengers who were stuck eating Jet Blue potato chips and cookies. I ended up taking pity on a lovely Indian grandmother in a beautiful sari who sat a few seats away. Switching seats with my husband so I could sit next to her, she told me all about living in India, the food her cook would make her there, and how her saddened she was that her daughters didn?t make the same foods in their U.S. homes. It turns out she was a moderately famous singer in her native country, a widow, and extremely funny. I was so glad I had brought along that extra mozzarella and tomato sandwich to share.

  I rarely make anything homemade for our flights. Unlike road trips, I want the food to be packaged and sealed when I make my way through the security lines. No muffins falling out of my carry on, just food from a restaurant or store in its own paper or plastic lining. Maybe it?s my stomach-twisting fear of flying, or the fact that being on a plane is such a dismal experience, but I just can?t cook before I fly. Our standard airplane repertoire is usually freshly-made sandwiches from a local deli, some Petit Ecolier dark chocolate cookies, a few apples and pears, maybe a salad or two in secure plastic containers, some cheese (often brie), and always a bar or two of good chocolate. Anything I can think of to ease the pain of having my legs in one position for hours with some guy?s reading light piercing my right eye as I try to sleep with my jacket over my face.

  The return trip home is often a problem as I?m never as sure where to shop for airplane food while in a strange place, and I sometimes forget to buy food at all. I?m vowing not to let this happen this time around, however, as the last time I flew home from Europe, I was stuck eating a greasy and cardboard-inspired excuse for a piece of pizza in the Toronto airport while running from plane to plane. My goal is to find some nice meat pasties for the trip home, along with some shortbread and a few pieces of fruit. I?m hoping to extend the good feelings of Scotland with some treats for that long and boring plane ride home.

  Does anyone else pack a picnic when they fly? I'd love to hear what you bring.

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• You Could Be the Next Garlicky Cooking Star!

  Posted by Michael Procopio

  on Sep 05, 2008

  Have you ever entertained thoughts of becoming a cooking show personality?

  Chances are, since you're currently reading a food blog, you've thought about it. Perhaps you have a running narrative flowing out of your mouth as you make your lunch, explaining in chatty style to your cat the origins of oil-packed tuna and how to make it shine. Maybe you've always wanted to be as perfect as Martha or, at least, body-check Rachel off camera and show her how it's really done.

  If any of the above sounds familiar and you have a special affinity for garlic, this could be your big, fragrant chance at local stardom.

  KTEH Cooks with Garlic is giving you the opportunity to show the Bay Area what you've got. In December, KTEH will broadcast a live show featuring local viewers preparing their favorite garlic recipes.

  Submissions so far have been encouraging-- and interesting. All types of professional and amateur cooks have already submitted. A local master chef; a Pavarotti-lover who once got him to sign her package of veal in North Beach; a vegetarian Peace Corps volunteer (and ?future film star?) who plans to cook lamb, stating that ?eating is not destroying; everything is merely transferred.? That's one segment I'm going to want to see. I hope she makes it.

  All kinds of recipes have been submitted, too. Lamb dishes, chicken cacciatore, salads, and-- I only offer this as a warning-- a preponderance of soups. No one, so far, has been adventurous enough to submit a garlicky dessert recipe. Perhaps you can be the first.

  No professional experience is required-- just a love of cooking, a bit of enthusiasm, and a knack for teaching. A clever introductory letter is helpful, beginning your letter (as one submitter did) with "I'm not sure I'd make a great tv chef" is not.

  Sound like fun? Good. Just remember to be kind to the little people when you're famous.

  How to apply:

  Step 1: Send them a letter, telling them why you would make a great "TV Chef," and an original recipe that you would like to prepare live on KTEH. The recipe must feature garlic as an ingredient. Submissions must be received by September 15, 2008. (the date was extended from September 1, 2008)

  Send Submission by Email or Postal Mail:

  Email: Garlicrecipe@KTEH.org

  Postal Mail:
  Garlic Recipe
  KTEH
  1585 Schallenberger Rd.
  San Jose, CA 95108

  Step 2: All recipes submitted become the property of KTEH and will be included (with your byline) in our KTEH Cooks with Garlic Cookbook.

  Step 3: KTEH will review the letters and recipes and invite selected viewers to video tape themselves preparing their recipe. These videos will be posted on our website.

  Step 4: If you are selected, start your video camera and prepare your recipe as you would if you were on television. Then upload your video to their website (instructions to come) or send it to KTEH and they'll upload it for you.

  Step 5: KTEH viewers will be invited to vote for the video they like best.

  Step 6: Videos with the most votes will be reviewed by KTEH producers who will invite their favorite "chefs" to prepare their garlic recipe on their live special, KTEH Cooks with Garlic, December 3, 2008.

  Step 7: If selected, you will be asked to provide all the ingredients for your recipe and a completed version of the dish. If your recipe is made in stages, you will need to provide a version in each stage-- just like Martha!

  Step 8: The show! Chefs will be assigned a time slot and have 10 minutes to prepare their recipe.

  Step 9: Each TV Chef appearing on the show will receive a KTEH Cooks with Garlic Cookbook and a DVD of their appearance on the show.

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• Figs Glorious Figs

  Posted by Kim Laidlaw

  on Sep 04, 2008

  

  Every year, I look forward to the real fig season--figs have two seasons: the first, in early summer, is fleeting and generally unremarkable; the second one takes place late in the summer. And yes, folks, it's that time of year again. Late summer. My favorite moment in food time, when tomatoes and basil and zucchini and cucumbers and peppers and stone fruit and even berries are still prolific in the farmers' market, and each week, there are more shell beans and succulent delicious figs on display. But it's the figs that send me into squeals of joy, and when I bite into a perfectly ripe fig, perfect bliss.

  If you?ve never tried a fig, then put aside your pre-conceived notions, and take a bite. Seriously. Now is your chance! Figs are at their peak from now until the end of the month. Longer if we are lucky. Kind of like a honeyed, sweet strawberry or raspberry but with a much more subtle flavor and less tang, figs are perfect when served with tangy cheese, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, or wrapped in salty cured meat.

  How to choose the perfect fig
  Unlike most other fruits, the best figs are often the ?ugliest,? at least until you know what to look out for. Once picked, figs no longer ripen, and you?ll never get the succulent figgy perfection if you choose underripe fruit. So back away from that perfectly smooth, unblemished, firm fig, it?s underripe!

  Look for fruits that are soft (but not mushy) with cracks in the skin. They should feel heavy and plump, and maybe slightly wrinkled, but make sure to smell them to be sure they haven?t sat for too long and started to ferment.

  Because figs must be picked when ripe, they have a very short shelf life. You should plan to use them within a day or two once purchased. Not that I?ve ever been able to hold back once I?ve snagged a bag of fresh juicy delicious figs. It?s best to store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator, unless you are using them the same day you purchase them.

  Some figgy ideas
  Not only are figs amazing out of hand, they are super versatile, and pair really well with salty, tangy, herbaceous flavors. Trim the stems off, slice them lengthwise in half or quarters, and then serve them:

  • Sprinkled with fresh goats' cheese
  • Alongside a wedge of tangy blue cheese
  • Topped with thin slices of prosciutto or jamon serrano
  • Drizzled with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with chopped fresh basil
  • In a salad of chopped toasted almonds, wild arugula, and fresh goats' cheese
  • Drizzled with honey and crème fraiche

  You can also cook them whole, for example:

  • Wrapped with a thin slice of pancetta and then grilled until crisp on the outside
  • Roasted in the oven with a drizzle of honey, and served with whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted almonds

  And if you want to go all out, then impress your friends (and co-workers) and make a very simple, but very gorgeous, fig tart.

  

  Fresh Fig and Mascarpone Tart

  Makes: 8?12 servings

  Ingredients:
  One 10-inch tart pan lined with flaky pie dough (use 1/2 recipe of my Flaky Pie Dough recipe below or use your favorite tart dough)
  8oz excellent quality mascarpone
  1/2 cup whipping cream
  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  2 tablespoons golden brown sugar
  Pinch of salt
  About 10?16 figs, depending on how many figs you like
  Honey, for drizzling

  Preparation:
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line the tart pan with the dough, then line the dough with foil. Fill with ceramic pie weights or beans or rice. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake until it starts to dry out, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until golden brown, about 5?10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, cream, vanilla, brown sugar, and salt until soft peaks form. Be careful, especially if you are using an electric mixer, because the mixture will thicken very quickly.

  3. Carefully spread the mascarpone cream evenly onto the bottom of the tart shell.

  4. Trim the stems off the figs and slice in half or quarters, lengthwise. Place them evenly on top of the mascarpone cream, overlapping so they all fit. Drizzle the figs with honey.

  5. Cut into thin wedges and serve. Mmmmmmm. You can store this in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2?3 days.

  Flaky Pie or Tart Dough

  Makes: Enough for two 10-inch tarts

  Ingredients:
  2 cups all-purpose flour
  1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  12 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  1/3 cup ice water + 1 tablespoon

  Preparation:
  1. To make the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, stir together the flour, and salt. Sprinkle the butter over the top and process for a few seconds, or just until the butter is slightly broken up into the flour but still in visible pieces. Sprinkle the water over the flour mixture evenly, then process until the mixture just starts to come together.

  2. Dump the mixture out of the bowl onto 2 large sheets of plastic wrap. Press the dough together into a mound and then wrap with plastic and press into a flat disk. Refrigerate the dough until chilled, about 30 minutes or up to 1 day, or freeze for up to 1 month.

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