Super Bowl New Jersey!

Believe it or not, not everyone in New Jersey is excited to have the Super Bowl in our backyard. Especially if you live in northern NJ. Which I do. Fifteen minutes away from Met Life Stadium. Can you see the back-up (without any, a-hem, "bridge closures") on the major arteries in/out of the Meadowlands? Can you picture the rest of us average folks trying to go about our daily lives? Get the picture? I thought you would.

Now that we're all on the same page, the Super Bowl is a perfect excuse for a party and it's not too early to start planning. If you're having a house party or going to one, I've got two great recipes for the start and finish of your Super Bowl festivities!

We begin with my award-winning South of the Border Super Bowl Baskets. A few years ago, I entered a ConAgra Super Bowl snack contest and won! These little appetizers are perfect party food - they are easy to make, delicious, and can be held in one hand while balancing a beer or glass of wine in the other (not that I'm advocating drinking during the Super Bowl). Made with spicy chorizo, guacamole, refried beans, and shredded Mexican cheese, they really hit the spot!

When the party starts to wind down, that's your cue to brew some coffee and trot out dessert.  I'm a big fan of coffee cakes. Not only are they delicious, but they invoke a warmth not found in other desserts. And at the end of a long day and night of Super Bowl fun, you want to send your guests home feeling warm and cozy. And this cake does just that!  Epicurious' Pear Streusel Coffee Cake is baked in a 9x13 pan so you'll have enough for a crowd and it can be made a day ahead, which is always a plus. A moist, sour cream cake topped with a delicious streusel full of crunchy pecans, hearty oats, and sweet pears. A great combo! And a nice use of a lovely winter fruit.  It doesn't really need it, but if you want to dress it up a bit, add a dollop of creme fraiche.

So even if your favorite team doesn't win on February 2, your party contributions will definitely split the uprights!

South of the Border Super Bowl Baskets

Pear Streusel Coffee Cake

Philadelphia Weekend, Part Two

Where were we? Oh yes, great meals in Philadelphia!

The Cook's Tour is not in the business of slamming sub-par restaurants so I will not go down that road. Just suffice it to say that our other two dinners in Philly were kind of mediocre so I certainly won't be going back to those restaurants on my next trip down there.

However, lunch at DiNic's was outstanding! Set in the Reading Terminal Market, DiNic's occupies a cozy spot in the middle of the market. We got there about 1pm on Saturday when the entire market was jumping. There is no real organization as to how you order or get a seat, but somehow it works. Basically, you get on the end of the line and inch your way up to the ordering spot. If, by some lucky streak, you happen to be standing behind a seated patron who gets up, bingo, you get a seat!  Well, the food gods must have been with us that day because after only about 10 minutes on line, the people sitting in front of us got up. And we slithered right in.  DiNic's is staffed by some very efficient waitresses who take your order and constantly monitor the action at the counter. The cooking and sandwich building is manned (literally, I didn't see any female cooks) by four or five cooks bustling around a not very large space.

Hubby and I shared the famous "best sandwich in America" (so named by Adam Richman), aka, roast pork with escarole and sharp provolone, on wonderful Italian semolina bread. The sandwich is definitely big enough for two. It's also messy, but in a delicious way. Sublime pork juices drip down your hands; tender, bitter "'scarole" florets escape from the bread, and shards of biting provolone are melting all over! I hate this term, but it really does fit here: it's a beautiful hot mess. I couldn't get enough of this sandwich. I secretly wished my husband wouldn't finish his half so I could scarf it up! Shhhhh!

DiNic's isn't a place you hang around. Once you're done, you move on. Also, counter vultures are circling for your seat!  But that was ok because I had one more stop to make in the market.

True, I was stuffed to the gills after my roast pork, but I wasn't leaving Philadelphia without a cinnamon ice cream cone from Bassetts.  This cinnamon ice cream is the gold standard. Sure, other ice cream purveyors offer this spiced confection, but they are usually too cinnamon-y. I have no idea how Bassetts formulates their recipe, but it is perfection. Now I could leave Philadelphia completely satisfied!

Lest you think all we did was eat, we also took advantage of some of the great art and history in Philly. We spent a good part of one day at The Barnes Foundation. This is an educational art and horticulture foundation established by Dr Albert Barnes in 1922. His vision was to "promote the advancement of education and the appreciation the fine arts and horticulture." He collected some of the greatest works in the world, including the masters of impressionism, post-impressionism, and early modern art. He was also very adept at collecting Pennsylvania German arts, and unique metal arts. We took a tour of the foundation with one of the docents, and it was truly enlightening. I highly recommend visiting the Barnes if you travel to Philly.

Our next stop was the new National Constitution Center. As stated so eloquently on their site, this is "the first and only non-profit, non-partisan institution devoted to the most powerful vision of freedom ever expressed: the US Constitution." The center offers many rare artifacts and films, and cool interactive exhibits (I enjoyed pretending I was a Supreme Court Justice and offering my "opinion" on famous cases the Justices have heard). One of the most moving parts of the center is a 360-degree theatrical production called "Freedom Rising." Combining film with live actors, this takes you through the story of the US Constitution. The other part of the center that I loved was Signers Hall, with 42 life size bronze statutes of the founding fathers. Here we are chatting up George!

Of course, we couldn't leave without paying our respects to the Liberty Bell. We had seen it many years ago, but now it is housed in a brand new visitors center. What amazed me about this new house, is that the bell is protected by nothing more than a rope; no glass, no walls, separating you from it. It's out there in all its rough glory unprotected; close enough to touch (not recommended though, as the Park Ranger standing close by would be quick to remind you).

I have always felt that Washington, DC should be mandatory for every US citizen; now I'm adding Philadelphia to that mandate.

As I mentioned in part one of this piece, Philly hit all the right marks on our weekend getaway criteria. Can't wait to go back.

Philadelphia Weekend

The day after Christmas we hopped in the car and took ourselves on a little 3-day getaway for eating, drinking, and general touristy stuff.  Our criteria was simple:

• Not more than a three hour drive from north Jersey
• Great restaurants
• Pampering hotels
• Walkable
• Good sightseeing 

Ding, ding!  And the answer is? What is Philadelphia?

An easy drive down the NJ Turnpike and two hours later we were checking in to the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Smack in the heart of Philadelphia’s Center City, the Loews had everything we wanted – affordable rates, prime location, on-site bar (for that all-important pre-dinner cocktail), knowledgeable concierge, and free parking. Besides all that, we were upgraded to a high-level floor with gorgeous views of the City of Brotherly Love. William Penn, perched high atop City Hall, bid me good morning every day, and what a way to start the day!

Of course, I had done my homework re restaurants, museums, history sights, etc. At the top of the list (and for our first night) was Vetri. The restaurant sighted by Mario Batali as “possibly the best Italian restaurant on the East Coast,” and by Alan Richman as “probably the best Italian restaurant in America,” was a must. I managed to get a 6:45pm reservation, and after a brisk walk, we arrived.  Situated in a lovely townhouse, Vetri, headed by chef/owner Marc Vetri, has only one type of dining experience – a tasting menu. I usually veer away from tasting menus because they are expensive and you rarely get enough to eat. But after reading about Vetri’s tasting menu, I was confident this would be different. Yes, it was expensive, but there was so much food, at one point, I considered telling them to not bring the next course.  Then I thought, “are you insane, you will probably never be back here again, bring it on!”  The food was exquisite. As was the service.

Before I begin, you will notice there is only one photo of our dinner at Vetri in this post.  Being an enthusiastic food blogger, I take pictures of almost all my meals (just in case I might write about them). But the atmosphere at Vetri was rarified. Not that it was pretentious or stuffy; on the contrary, it was very warm and welcoming. It was like dining in Chef Vetri’s home (one could only wish for that opportunity!) and taking photos in “his home” just didn’t feel right. I didn’t even feel that it was appropriate to take notes, so most of this is from my delicious memories!

As soon as you are seated, the wait staff offers you Prosecco and a plate of luscious stuzzichini (hors d’oeuvres). This consisted of probably the best olives I’ve ever had, house-cured salami, pastrami-spiced foie gras on toast (killer!), raw vegetables with a balsamic crema, and fabulous bread. Then the parade of courses begins.

As the staff explains, even though this is a tasting menu, each guest at the table receives a different item, this way you can sample more of the chef’s work. The first course is di pesce (fish). We were treated to Bocconcini di Baccala (small bites of delicious cod) and Pappardelle with Cockles and Tardivo. While I loved the luscious pasta in this second dish, the cockles, for my taste, were too salty and fishy. When I didn’t finish the dish, the server graciously offered to bring me a different fish item.

Next up, Di Verdure (vegetables). A Sweet Onion Crepe with Truffle Fondue was otherworldly. Delicious onions sautéed and enveloped in tender crepes with a delicate truffle sauce. Our second vegetable dish was the Ricotta Ravioli with Wild Pecan. One of the many things Vetri is known for is their pasta. I can’t begin to tell you how good these ravioli were. Which, for a food blogger, is not exactly a positive thing (LOL!).  These little pillows of fragrant ravioli filled with wild pecan were heavenly.

Di Terra (from the earth) was the next course. The famous Vetri Tortellini Pie, which is a distant relative of the timpano or timballo (see the movie “Big Night” for an in-depth course on timballo), is a fabulous little package of pastry-wrapped tiny “polpette” (pork, veal, and beef meatballs) with a “mortedella mousse Bolognese” topped with a velvety béchamel sauce. And if it couldn’t possibly get any better, it’s served with a 25-year old balsamic from Modena.  Follow this link to see Vetri Chef de Cuisine, Adam Leonti, making it. This was my favorite dish at Vetri.  The other earth course was Chestnut Fettuccine with Wild Boar Ragu. I must admit that before my dinner at Vetri, I had never tasted wild boar. This is a dish based on Chef Vetri’s days in Tuscany. He adds a bit of cocoa powder to cut the gaminess and enhance the flavor of the chestnut fettuccine.  One word, succulent!

Vetri’s sommelier will pair wines for each course, but we opted for a bottle of a delicious 2011 Barbera d’Alba that went beautifully with each course.

And, finally, Dolce (dessert). But Vetri doesn’t just bring your designated desserts. No, first there is “pre-dessert.” At this point, I couldn’t stand it any longer and had to take a picture! 

I would have been good with our little plate of luscious chocolates and cookies, but we were treated to a delicious Chocolate Polenta Souffle and a delicate Pistachio Flan with Milk Chocolate Gelato.

When you finally must leave this lovely cocoon of fine dining, the staff gives you a small bag with samples of Vetri’s wonderful coffee cake to savor with your next morning’s coffee. OK, they had me at “hello,” but that was the icing on the cake (so to speak).

Our meal at Vetri ranks in my top all-time meals. The first being Steirereck, in Vienna, the second, Alice Waters’ legendary Chez Panisse in California. And now, Vetri, is added to that list. If you have the chance, go. It is not to be missed. Mario Batali and Alan Richman were right.

Part two of our Philly trip next week, where I will tell you about the second best meal of the trip – DiNic’s roast pork sandwich.

Vetri Ristorante

1312 Spruce Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

215-732-3478

Loews Philadelphia Hotel

1200 Market Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

215-627-1200

Up Close and Personal with the Cows of Cornell

In early November, I was invited to travel to the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York, as part of a weekend hosted by the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council.  We were treated to a behind the scenes look at Cornell University’s state of the art dairy processing center and their food science center.

While I knew that Cornell had a world-class restaurant and hospitality program, I didn’t know they also had a long-standing relationship with agriculture.  Founded in 1865 as a state-sponsored land-grant college, it carried a mandate to make agricultural studies a key part of the curriculum. In 2012, the school’s new Teaching Dairy Barn opened, with “cow comfort” as its number one priority.  And from everything I saw, the residents seem quite happy.  As the professors and grad students who work at the dairy barn like to say, “a happy cow is a productive cow!”

The dairy barn houses 185 happy Holsteins and seeing them up close was one of the highlights of our weekend. Let me tell you, as a city girl growing up 20 minutes west of NYC, these cows are BIG!

And they are treated like princesses – they can eat when and however much they like (their feed consists of a moist, fermented fodder made from corn, mixed with alfalfa, soy, canola oil, and grains). No straw beds for these girls; they bed down on sand, a much more comfortable cow mattress (being inorganic, it does not foster the growth of bacteria). The cows are never tied in place and when they get an itch, they mosey on over to the electronic back-scratching device (I kid you not). These are large, rounded nylon brush heads, and when a cow roams over to the machine, the brushes automatically start up and rub their back and flanks.

Automatic Cow Scratcher

So just how happy are these cows?  Well, I thought you’d never ask. Each cow produces an average of 95 pounds of milk per day! The dairy at Cornell is in the top 95^th percentile of milk production. Nice, but what does that really mean?  The Cornell cows give so much milk that they are milked three times daily. To put this in perspective, most farms milk twice a day.

What does Cornell do with all that milk?  Half the milk stays on campus when school is in session and the rest goes to a regional dairy co-op.  But with all that good production, surely they must produce something besides milk, no?  Yes, indeed. We spent half of our visit in the Food Science lab (part of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences), learning how they partner with corporations like Chobani, Yancey’s Fancy, Murray’s Cheese, and others, training them on basic dairy sanitation, fluid milk production, yogurt and fermented products, and cheese production. 

Dairy Plant

Fresh Yogurt

The Dairy Plant is a 12,000 square foot facility equipped with the latest in automated dairy processing technology. Companies can partner with food science specialists to develop products in smaller, limited-run quantities. From an observational balcony, we had a bird’s-eye view of the path raw milk takes as it is transformed into ice cream, pasteurized milk, and yogurt. The dairy produces 1.5 million pounds of raw milk into fluid milk, yogurt, pudding, and 20,000 gallons of ice cream annually. 

Just-made Black Raspberry Ice Cream

In addition to producing fluid milk, yogurt, and ice cream products sold on the Cornell Ithaca campus, the Dairy Plant serves as a training facility for Cornell students, NY State Department of Agriculture and Dairy Inspectors, FDA Dairy Specialists, and NY State dairy plant managers. 

We got the opportunity to sample freshly made ice cream, yogurt, and the university’s pride and joy, Cornell Big Red Cheddar.  We also learned from Cornell’s yogurt gurus, the difference between good and bad yogurt (there’s more to this than you might think), and the five types of yogurt – cup set, stirred (Swiss style), drinking, frozen, and Greek.  Before this weekend, I had never sampled freshly made yogurt. I’ve eaten my share of high-end supermarket Greek yogurt, but this was a revelation. Full of just-milked flavor, smooth, and delicious, if I lived near Cornell, this is where I’d be getting my yogurt. Not to mention, my cheddar supply.

As our tour was ending, I ran to the campus store to buy a wheel of Big Red (I was not leaving without it!).  This is what cheddar cheese should taste like. Alas, it is only sold on campus, so I am hoarding my wheel, sharing it with a few cheese-worthy friends.

Speaking of cheese, Cornell has partnered with Wegmans to highlight and import NY State and US cheeses for their stores. With Cornell’s guidance, Wegmans is building its first affinage (cheese cave) facility in Rochester – a 10,000 SF facility to age its own cheeses. In addition, Wegmans hired an affineur to manage the caves. This is a prime example of the kind of partnerships Cornell’s Agriculture school is focused on. They are working with Wegmans to create a cheese-making curriculum focused on both basic and advanced skills as well as developing standard operating procedures to ensure the highest level of food safety and quality assurance.  Participating in the first-phase of the pilot program are Keeley’s Cheese Co., Danascara Artisan Cheese, Sprout Creek Farm, Goats & Gourmets, and Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. Cornell is looking for 3-5 more cheese artisans to meet with Wegmans for the next phase of the program.

Dairy farms in New Jersey are doing some pretty progressive things, too.  One example is the Fulper Family Farmstead in Lambertville. A fifth generation family farm, they are paving the way for greener dairy farm practices, including renewable solar energy, soil conservation methods, and nutrient recycling to ensure they are producing a sustainable product.

The family recently began producing Greek yogurt and mozzarella that they sell to restaurants and offer for pickup or at local farmer's markets.  The Lambertville area is a great destination for a road trip, and the Fulper Farm offers a variety of agritourism options, such as farm tours and summer camp.

 

Seneca Lake

Our base camp for the weekend was the beautiful Geneva on the Lake resort. The hotel, built in 1914, was based on villas in Florence, Italy. It sits on acres of rolling lawns and English style gardens overlooking Seneca Lake. We were there just past harvest, but this area is on my list for next September/October to enjoy the fall foliage and the vineyards up and down Rt 14. Many vineyards in the area specialize in Riesling, one of my favorites.

The weekend in the Finger Lakes was a fascinating peek into the “cow to consumer” process. Cornell is leading the pack by helping dairy farmers produce a better product, developing higher food safety standards, and most of all, putting cow comfort and health at the forefront of everything they do. Sounds like a win-win for everybody.  Think about it the next time you stand in front of the dairy case at your local market.