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Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Events Upcoming: Sushi-making and sake tasting
Posted By Kimberly Lawson on Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Visit www.thebetterclass.com for more information.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Three-Course Spiel Simply Delish: Aryn Keogh of Delish Gourmet Cupcakes
Posted By Aviva M. Cantor on Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 2:09 PM
A self-taught baker, 21-year-old Aryn Keogh has taken her sweet tooth to the next level. A graduate of Vance High School, Keogh opened Delish Gourmet Cupcakes last year. Her company’s custom-decorated cupcakes and stands make the perfect treat for birthday parties, holidays, weddings, and other special occasions.
Creative Loafing: What motivated you to start a cupcake company?
Aryn Keogh: I’ve always liked to bake. My mom has never been top chef, so I have always had free reign of the kitchen and baking has always been my favorite form of cooking. When I was in high school, my best friend and I would sell cookies door-to-door. After that, I moved towards cupcakes and was inspired by fondant wedding cakes. It just grew into a business. The neighbors started ordering and it spread around from word of mouth.
What is the most unusual creation you have made?
I decorated five-tier birdcage for a wedding, and each cupcake was topped with a dove. I make any avant garde stand that you can possibly think of, but I can also go traditional. Also, last week I made cupcakes with leopard and zebra print bra and panty decorations for a bachelorette party. I have also used many chocolate orchid decorations. I try to stay away from traditional fondant frostings.
What is your favorite flavor cupcake?
Amaretto— that’s a really good one. I’m on a carrot cake binge, too. Those two tie and they’re also my best selling.
For more information on Delish Gourmet Cupcakes, visit delishgourmetcupcakes.com.
Facebook: Delish Gourmet Cupcakes
Email: info@delishgourmetcupcakes.com
Friday, July 24, 2009
Recipe Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Fri, Jul 24, 2009 at 11:50 AM
I enjoy really thick, chunky chocolate chip cookies with some crispy bits, but still have that soft, chewy texture. I've tried the Toll House recipe many times growing up and liked it, but they just don't cut it anymore. They taste amazing out of the oven, but the next day they harden into rocks.
I made the following recipe for chocolate chip cookies (which is a concoction by moi), which is based on the recipe floating around the Web claiming to be the Doubletree Hotel chocolate chip cookie recipe.
A few brave co-workers volunteered to give these cookies a taste test. Overall, the cookies received 3.6 stars, on a scale of 1 to 5 stars (5 being mind-blowing awesome). Music editor Jeff Hahne apparently is a super taster ... he detected the scant pinch of cinnamon. He said he had "no complaints" with the cookies. I guess this is a good thing.
Movie critic Matt wasn't fond of the crunchy edges, but liked the chewy, soft centers.
Our publisher thought they were a bit on the heavy side, but said they had great flavor. And our listings editor rated them as "yummy."
Try it and let me know what you think!
Chocolate Chip Cookies, the CL way
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups semi-sweet, chocolate chips
Directions:
Grind oats in a food processor or blender until fine. Combine the ground
oats with the flours, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Cream together the butter, shortening, sugars, vanilla, and lemon juice in another
medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Stir
the dry mixture into the wet mixture and blend well. Add the chocolate chips to the dough and mix by hand until ingredients are well blended.
For the best results, chill the dough overnight in the refrigerator before
baking the cookies.
Spoon rounded 1/4 cup portions onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place the
scoops about 2 inches apart. Bake in a 350°F oven for 16-18 minutes or until
cookies are light brown and soft in the middle. Store in a sealed container
when cool to keep soft.
Food News Freeze-dried kimchi?
Posted By Kimberly Lawson on Fri, Jul 24, 2009 at 10:42 AM
You know you've walked into a Korean person's home when a garlicky, almost offensive smell attacks your nostrils. That is the odor of kimchi, the staple dish of my mother's people, "which ranks among odoriferous global foods such as Limburger cheese and China's 'stinky tofu.'"
So it might be good news that a South Korean woman has developed a new kind of freeze-dried pickled cabbage that won't smell.
The ambitious curly-haired woman had already been named by the South Korean Food Ministry in 2007 as the nation's first kimchi master, a designation that honors her mastery of the dish. Working with a team of food experts, she set to work to come up with a new type of freeze-dried pickled cabbage that doesn't smell even after water is added, appealing to both foreigners and the fussiest Korean eaters.Kim [Soon-Ja] says she is the first to create freeze-dried kimchi and has secured a patent.
"When it soaks in water either hot or cold for a few minutes, it will become just like ordinary kimchi," says Kim, the owner of Han Sung Food in suburban Seoul.
Read the rest of this article at LATimes.com.
Events Tie on your bib, it's a Low Country boil
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Fri, Jul 24, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Rock N Lobster and Hollywood's Cycles will be hosting their first annual Low Country Boil Saturday, August 1.
Starve yourself for a week prior because this event is all-you-can-eat. Food will include shrimp, Andouille sausage, corn on the cob, potatoes, and cabbage.
In addition to all-you-can-eat, it's all you-can-drink Coors Light draught too. Dangerous!
Play corn hole, horseshoes, and flip cup as you enjoy the live music which will provided by RaY'coustic and also Hunter & Travis Acoustic.
The food fest starts at 1 pm in Rock N Lobster's parking lot. Advance tickets are $20, and tickets will be available at the door for $25.
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1514 East Blvd Charlotte, NC 28203-5820 - (704) 348-1717 |
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Mix it up for MDA @ Carrabba's
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Enjoy food and cocktails while raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association at Carrabba's Italian Grill's “Mix it Up for MDA” event on July 30.
For $15 admission, guests can sample food items from the new Mr. C’s Bar Menu and one of three signature cocktails (Blackberry Lemonade, the Italian Lemon Drop or Blackberry Fields Martini) or another drink on the Mr. C’s list. Proceeds will be donated to MDA.
And after the event, be sure be visit again and drink up because Carrabba’s will also donate $1 to MDA for each of the three signature drinks sold from July 30 – August 6.
Here are the signature drinks Charlotte Voisey, one of the nation’s top 12 mixologists, will be shaking up for you:
1 ½ oz Stolichnaya
1 ¾ oz Sweet and Sour
½ oz Monin Blackberry Sangria
4 mint leaves
Combine ingredients and shake well.
Serve in a martini glass.
Garnish with a blackberry and mint leaf on a cocktail pick.
1 oz Stolichnaya
1 oz Sweet and Sour
¾ oz Monin Blackberry Sangria
Splash of soda.
Build in a highball glass.
Stir and garnish with a blackberry and lemon wedge on a cocktail pick.
1 oz Stolichnaya
1 oz Limoncello
¾ oz Cointreau
1 ¼ oz Sweet and Sour
Combine ingredients and shake well.
Serve in a martini glass.
Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Um, they all sound amazing. I can't pick ... I'll have to take one of each. Party starts at 5 pm and goes until close. See you there!
1520 South Blvd.,
Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 377-2458
Click here to find a Carrabba's near you.
Food News Polka Dot Bake Shop's new savory item
Posted By Tricia Childress on Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Polka Dot Bake Shop, 1730 E. Woodlawn Road, has introduced a savory item: “CrispiThins” gour met crackers. CrispiThins are the first cracker made with sweet potatoes and are available in four flavors: Original, Cracked Black Pepper, Rosemary and Smoked Chipotle. CrispiThins made their debut at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City in late June. A four pack of all flavors is $23 and can be shipped. Individual packages are available as well.
Three-Course Spiel The Therapyst: Jason Stone
Posted By Kate Robinson on Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Jason Stone is a tall, lanky, home-grown Charlottean and the owner of Therapy Café in the heart of Uptown. It’s his organic farm, though, that is his therapy, not to mention a great asset to his café. After the café’s recent renovation, Therapy is now a full-fledged restaurant, as well as café and the home of the famous half-price martini Wednesdays. The produce from his farm supplies the restaurant with most of its fresh fruits and vegetables. As if this isn’t enough, he also runs seven produce stands at various markets.
Decorated in cool blues and greens, Therapy has a quirky, friendly atmosphere. I sit at the bar and Stone perches himself on the stool next to mine, his alert blue eyes take in everything that goes on around us as we talk. With his knowledge of gardening and locally grown foods, he is committed to providing a relaxing and reenergizing experience to his guests, be it for coffee at 7 a.m., a double “I Need It” (their signature martini) at 2 a.m., or any of the freshly prepared meals they offer in between.
Creative Loafing: Have you always been a gardener?
Jason Stone: My dad was a gardener, but never on a big scale. He died two years ago and has been a big inspiration to me. Gardening is my therapy. When I’m in my garden, I’m not worrying about bills and stress and the market.
Therapy is a unique name for a restaurant, where did it come from?
My business partner Tim Lowe just sort of came up with it years ago. The concept is to create an environment where people can leave their issues at the door, get a great value for their money, and make them happy when they come in and when they leave. That’s why we really concentrate on friendly, helpful service when we train our staff.
Did you ever think you would get into the restaurant business?
No. Absolutely not. Not in a million years. I double majored in English and Philosophy at UNCC. The original plan was to open a coffee shop. We did that and it has evolved in the last 10 years into a full scale restaurant serving locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Therapy is located at 410 N. Tryon St. 704-333-1353
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Events Join Andrew Blair's Bourbon Club
Posted By Kimberly Lawson on Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 11:17 AM
From Rockhouse Events:
Get your first peek into the brand-new Andrew Blair’s Bourbon Club by coming out and sampling some fantastic bourbons this Thursday, July 23. Cost is only $20 and includes four bourbons, light appetizers, and everyone gets a raffle ticket with great prizes. There is limited space available for this event so please RSVP HERE to reserve your spot.
Andrew Blair’s is located at 1600 Montford Drive next to Angry Ale’s.
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Recipe: Rose Water Tea Cookies 1
Cookies, tea and shouting. In that order. Ascending order.
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Photos: Mint Museum's Allure of Flowers After Hours
A peek into a fancy foodie fundraising event that incorporated flowers into, well, everything.
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Dish on this: Charlotte-based chefs join ACF Culinary Team USA 2016
As fall approaches, local chefs prepare for a culinary battle in Germany.
