Hanover Tomato Porn

While some people prefer regular people porn, I much prefer tomato porn, Hanover tomato porn to be exact, and I like mine drizzled in olive oil, splashed in cider vinegar and sprinkled with a little salt and pepper. Oh, and the cucumbers put on quite a show as well, so pull up a chair and enjoy this little summer peep show.

 

All photos and text ©2011 Fatback and Foie Gras. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission Pin It Now!

Hawaiian Tuna Poke-- Real Onolicious Grinz

Tuna poke w/Hawaiian kettle chips for crunch

The first time I ever tried Hawaiian poke (pronounced pokē) was in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. We were there because my husband, Tim, had qualified for the Ford Ironman World Championships which, as you can imagine, is a story in and of itself. Much of our first week was spent resting and relaxing before the race since, as some of you may or may not know, Ironman Hawaii is a grueling 2.4 mile ocean swim, followed by a 112-mile bike and finally, a full 26.2 mile marathon. It's an all-day intensely grueling race in unbearable heat and is not for the faint of heart, so anyone who dares to compete in it (a la my hubby) must monitor their diet and rest accordingly (which meant for us, no raw fish goodies).

Tim starting 26.2 miles after 112 mile bike. He so crazy.

After the race was another story. In addition to consuming plenty of Kona Longboards, Tim was free to indulge in plenty of local cuisine (a.k.a local kine), and in addition to gobs of sushi, bulgogi, adobo, Kalua pork, Spam musubi, lau lau, pancit noodles, even the infamous loco moco, a heart-attack inducing combination of two fried eggs, two fried meat patties, resting atop rice and mayonnaisy mac salad that's then smothered in gravy, we ate loads of tuna poke.

Poke is a Hawaiian pupu (or appetizer) consisting of diced raw tuna, shoyu, fresh grated ginger, onions (Maui onions and green onions) and sesame oil. There are numerous variations to this basic theme including the addition of ogo (seaweed), furikake (a seaweed and dried fish combo), kukui nuts, wasabi, masago, mayo...the list goes on and on. Even better, poke can be found anywhere and everywhere, from grocery stores to gas stations, and this ain't half-ass road stop food. The poke we sampled as we drove all over the island was delightfully fresh with a creamy texture that only raw tuna can provide. It was positively addicting, especially when eaten with a bag of salty potato or taro chips.

Naturally, really fresh sushi-grade tuna (preferably yellowfin) is essential since this dish is 100 percent raw, so opt for the best you can find. As far as other ingredients go, you can use your imagination or reference legendary Hawaiian Chef Sam Choy's book simply titled Poke which is chock full of poke recipes, and not just tuna. Chef Choy includes an array of versions, from lobster poke to steak poke.

To really enjoy this Hawaiian delicacy, have yourself a poke party and throw in a couple of tuna maki, spicy tuna and avocado rolls for good measure. It's a light, fun-to-make, summery meal that gets everyone involved. Scroll down for a basic poke recipe and feel free to make it your own with the addition of nuts, seaweed, red chiles, avocado, even chopped Hanover tomato. It's totally up to you.

 Classic Hawaiian Poke

(Serves 2)

1/2 pound sushi-grade tuna, cubed

2 tablespoons soy sauce or shoyu

2 tablespoons green onion, minced

2 tablespoons sweet onion, diced

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

Dash of garlic chile sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame

                                                      Hawaiian red sea salt*, to taste

Mix all ingredients except sea salt in a medium-sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Spoon poke into martini glasses with a sprinkle with sea salt. Garnish with Hawaiian kettle chips or taro chips.

*If you can get your hands on real Hawaiian sea salt, do so. If not, any coarse sea salt will do.

All photos and text ©2011 Fatback and Foie Gras. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission Pin It Now!

Make a 100 Proof West Virginia Hound

My multi-part series featuring West Virginia's whiskey making duo "The Johns" from Smooth Ambler Spirits in Maxwelton, WV continues with an uber-refreshing recipe for a West Virginia Hound made with 100 Proof white whiskey, a little simple syrup, cilantro and cucumber. It's a great summer refresher and is quite potent if you're having a crappy day. Check out the recipe created by mixologist David Ortiz on Marcus Samuelsson's website Food Republic. Pin It Now!

Pretty in Pink: Secco's first-ever Rosé crawl

I believe it was Secco Wine Bar's Master of Ceremonies, Matt Brehony, who said it best, "Rosé is not 'grandma wine,' nor is it sickly sweet, nor will it cause a man to menstruate", so put aside any memories of that jug 'o wine swill your aunt used to drink. The rosé I'm talking about can be delicate and light with just a hint of sweetness, darker and bolder with more of a deep pink hue, effervescent and dry or anywhere in between. This is the wine that will cool you to the core on a hot day while elegantly elevating a simple bowl of vegetable soup or a piece of crostini topped with a dollop of tart 'n soft goat cheese, or as witnessed by last night's festivities, get the summer party started come hell or high water (literally).

Oh, it rained, and rained and rained. View from Secco

As an honest-to-goodness rosé junkie, I was all over the idea of a point to point Richmond wine crawl from the get-go. First off, I love how Julia Battaglini et. al. are thinking out of the box when it comes to events like these, and judging from the crowds at each our stops, I figure the popularity of future wine crawls will only increase. Even better, concentrating an entire evening on a single wine is a great way for folks like myself to really delve into one specific style of wine making. Who knew that rosés are made by leaving the grape skins intact for just a few days versus the usual two weeks or that, while France is still the leading producer of rosé (think Loire Valley, Languedoc or Bergerac regions), Spain, Italy and the U.S. are making some pretty darned good juice?

Our first stop was Amici Ristorante where generous glasses of a lovely Mottura Negroamaro Salento from the Puglia region of Italy were poured to get the evening started. Slightly dry with hints of fruit (cherry and strawberries?) it was an excellent aperitif.

Line 'em up. The gang at Amici

Next stop was Amour Wine Bistro where a handful of rosés were offered up with a few snack options for purchase. There, we opted for the Atmosphere Vin de Pays du Var (Provence) which was a super light, refreshing, crisp and fruity.

My husband, Tim, definitely enjoyed it

Next up was to be a stop at Can Can to sample a 2010 Domaine de Mirail, Cote de Gascone, but we unfortunately couldn't get in the door because it was so packed, so off to Secco we went and not a moment too soon since this happened....

Then, this happened...

Power is out at Secco, but the party is just getting started

We literally arrived at Secco a hair's breadth ahead of one heck of a thunderstorm complete with cloud to ground lightening and flooding in Carytown, but never fear, there was plenty of wine to be had by candlelight. We started with a glass of Cote de Provence Manon which was super light and lovely with just a hint of peachiness followed by a glass of Il Baladin, a Italian beer from the Piemonte region of Italy (on tap).

Tim and photographer extraordinaire Steven Salpukas w/ glasses in hand

The scene at Secco was raucous and lively, clearly demonstrating that any lack of air conditioning, snacks or even a shortage of wine glasses would not dampen this evening. It was a fantastic time, and a terrific way to support Richmond's local restaurants while getting a serious wine primer firsthand. Keep an eye out for the next one. Pin It Now!

An Evening at Lemaire with John Mariani

Chefs Bundy, Schroeder, Ayyash with John Mariani and my table mate who wasn't too fond of being the center of attention but was a great sport

About a month ago, one of my husband's buddies tipped us off to an upcoming wine dinner at one of Richmond's award-winning restaurants Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel featuring an evening of classic Italian cooking (as well as Lemaire's signature seasonally-inspired cuisine) hosted by Esquire magazine's food, wine and travel expert, John Mariani, who was also there to promote his latest book, "How Italian Food Conquered the World".

It took us all of about 8 seconds to buy our tickets.

Last night, as the wine flowed (served up as a crisp San Pietro Pinot Grigio and a 2008 Seghesio Dolcetto D'Alba Chiesa), guests were treated to a menu described as a "synergy of three driving forces" involving the infiltration of Italian ingredients and culinary methods in America along with Virginia's own meats and produce, all of which that was to blend seamlessly with the season.

In addition to culling from Jefferson's own urban garden, Bundy Farms, welcome appearances came from OLLI Salumeria (in the form of a pungent and simply outstanding pancetta nestled into a big pile of ricotta gnocchi topped with Dave and Dee's grated eggs) as well as a local rabbit pate (served atop a classic bruschetta) that hailed from Jamerson Farms. A very seasonal Chesapeake Bay soft-shell crab was dusted in cornmeal (a welcome change from simply flouring) and a fall-off-the-bone tender braised pork cheek rested atop Charleston Gold Rice from Anson Mills. However, I have to say, the star of the show was Pastry Chef Sara Ayyash's beautifully executed Semifreddo al 'Torrone accented with salted caramel, which arrived just as it should, half-frozen and just a little melty around the edges.

Here's a brief pictorial with a few delectable highlights. Apologies in advance for the lack of lighting, but setting off a flash during date night is a faux pax I just don't do.

Trio of Bruschetta with Jamerson Farms rabbit, puree of favas and Hanover tomato caponata

Chesapeake Bay soft shell crab w/ three bean salad & pickled okra

Ricotta gnocchi w/ OLLI pancetta, grated farm eggs and Parmesan

Chef James Schroeder's Emilia-Romagna inspired fall-apart braised pork cheek w/ gold rice and cabbage

Pastry Chef Sarah Ayyash's rendition of a semifreddo made with Torrone and salted caramel.

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