Pumpkin Ramen - Ramen Halu San Jose, CA

It's that time of year again. PUMPKIN EVERYTHING! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! It drives me crazy! I'm not one of those people that enjoy the fall flavors of pumpkin. Actually I can't stand it. Even worse is that everyone just associates pumpkin with actual pumpkin spice. Which is a concoction of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. I also learned that canned pumpkin isn't actually the Jack o' Lantern pumpkin we think it is. It's actually Kabocha squash (Japanese Pumpkin), or a variety of other winter squashes pureed together an canned. My guess is that if you were to see a mixed spice latte or a slice of squash pie on the menu, people wouldn't buy it. It must be a marketing ploy.
 
Well, there is actually one pumpkin indulgence that I crave every Fall season. Ramen Halu of San Jose, CA has a tasty pumpkin ramen that they make every October through Thanksgiving. This twist on traditional ramen keeps my soup cravings going through the year satisfied. Ramen Halu creates this soup in their own way by adding a puree of Kabocha squash to there rich house made pork broth. This adds color and a sweetness to the broth that is already amazing. To top off the soup they add thin sliced fried pieces of Kabocha squash, corn, and finely grated parmesan cheese. Oh, and of coarse the center piece is a perfectly cooked egg.
 
Yes! I said parmesan in Japanese ramen!!! I have never heard of any place topping ramen with it before. To be honest I love to top all my soups at home with parmesan. So why not? Don't hate on it, until you try it...

              
Pictures Courtesy of Richard Park Photography  

Is it doughnut or donut?

According to grammarist.com:  The dictionary-approved spelling for the ring-shaped cake made of dough and fried in fat is doughnut. The shortened donut has been around since the late 1800s, but it wasn’t popularized until the late 20th century, when the successful American doughnut chain Dunkin’ Donuts made it ubiquitous. Today, writers outside the U.S. still favor doughnut by a wide margin. Donut appears about a third of the time in published American writing.  

In that case, I'm sticking with the more easier modern version of donut from now on...

A hot warm delicious donut is pretty much irresistible when handed to me. I find myself enjoying every type of donut. From long and twisted, mini and sprinkled, to even being a hybrid of a croissant. Whatever the type, as long as they are fresh.    

Stan's Donut Shop does nothing fancy to their donuts like many other up and coming shops these days. They just serve good old fashioned donuts. Stan's has been my regular donut spot for the majority of my life. Sometimes eating certain foods brings memories back from my younger days. Stan's hot original glazed donut, fresh out of the fryer does just that.

Pictures Courtesy of Richard Park Photography  

Falafelove... My falafel journey.

Every so often I get cravings for certain foods. For the last 20 years I have been going to Falafel's Drive In, in San Jose, CA to satisfy two of my craving outbursts: A fresh falafel sandwich and a banana milkshake. To me, it doesn't get much better than that. First of all, I'm a sucker for a good banana milkshake. And this milkshake, by any means, isn't the greatest I've ever had...but it definitely hits the spot. Though I have been going here for a majority of my life, it was just recently I found out that this legendary spot was actually called "Falafel's" not "Falafel" Drive In. This just goes to show that my eyes are not on the establishment's sign, but on the food I find.

However, this posting isn't about shakes... it's about the falafel sandwich. I would have to say that the falafel sandwich has been on a steady climb of popularity over the years. While I have journeyed to find other joints with a more satisfying falafel sandwich,  I have failed to find ONE that was worth talking about.

Until now...

Falafel Stop in Sunnyvale, CA is my new 'go-to' spot. It has a more tasteful, layered sandwich. The toppings and pita bread are by far more delicious. To me the actual falafel balls are vastly different from each other, but my palate can appreciate each approach.  For me the difference between the two sandwiches is quite obvious. Falafel's Drive In has a more simple and traditional approach while Falafel Stop creates a more complex savory sandwich.

So after nearly 20 years strong of serious falafel spot hunting, I now have two that I can regularly frequent. Both of them tend to get busy during the regular business peak hours, but have the necessary staff to move customers through the lines swiftly. Recently, I have been going to Falafel Stop more often; mostly because it's closer in proximity to where I work and live. But, whenever I start to savor over that banana milk shake I'm missing out on, I can walk next door to Dairy Belle (which is literally, next door, to Falafel Stop) to complete my falafel experience. 

 Pictures Courtesy of Richard Park Photography

Jackson, Wyoming - The Bird "Old School Bar And Kitchen"

I was lucky enough to go on a 3000 mile road trip this past Summer. On my way back home I stopped through Jackson, Wyoming for the first time. I am now definitely a fan of Jackson, and would like to return one day. Always on the hunt for the good food where ever my travels take me, my crew and I ended up at The Bird. Just a mile or so outside the center of town this spot has just what I like. They call themselves an "Old School Bar & Kitchen". They serve high quality meats and fresh products. The Bird has an array of burgers to choose from all coming on an English muffin bun. The bar is stocked with plenty of booze and good beers. Actually this place encourages you to let loose and get drunk. They say that they are about the only place left in Jackson where just about anything goes. Not only does this place have great food, and a great atmosphere. If you end up having too much to drink, they will drive you back to the center of town in "The Bird Booze Bus". This is a great idea for them to attract more customers. My dinner was enjoyed with friends and family on a huge deck with an amazing view. I couldn't have asked for a better time. See you again soon Jackson, Wyoming!

The Dirty @*&% Burger at The Bird in Jackson, Wyoming

Harmless Harvest Raw Coconut Water

For a little while now coconut water has been gaining some popularity. Rightfully so, it does have some great benefits for your body. With the popularity spark in the U.S. it seems like there are thousands of coconut water companies now. No doubt I have tasted a very small percentage of all the coconut waters out there, but I still know something good when I taste it. 

This 100% organic raw coconut water from Harmless Harvest by far is the best tasting that I have ever had. I'm assuming most of the great taste comes from the small farms they source the young organic coconuts from. Not only do the high quality coconuts give this water it's unique taste, but the technique they use to pasteurize is what keeps the tastes integrity. Most coconut waters we all know are typically heat treated to kill off any food-borne pathogens. Harmless Harvest on the other hand uses a high pressure pasteurization process to kill off all those pathogens. By applying high amounts of pressure instead of heating it, the water ends up still being a raw product. This raw state must be the other reason to why this product tastes so good. Not only does the flavor not get altered with this pressure process, the texture, color and nutrients are not compromised as well. 

Forget Gatorade... Coconut water is all natural and has loads of electrolytes and potassium to help restore and hydrate your body. In all honesty I believe this is one of the greatest hangover cures. It is also great to have before or after a long work out. One of the problems I have with the Harmless Harvest coconut water is that it is highly perishable compared to other coconut waters that are processed differently. Harmless harvest has to be refrigerated at all times and only has a shelf life of a month or so. Other shelf stable coconut waters I can take in my back pack on a hike and drink it hours later. The other problem is the cost. It is half the size, yet twice the price compared to some other coconut waters. I guess you pay for what you get. Harmless Harvest coconut water is available at select retailers in an 8oz. and 16oz. size. 

Pictures Courtesy of Richard Park Photography

Carl's Jr. Strawberry Pop-tart Ice Cream Sandwich

 For starters I am a sucker for ice cream. I also don't mind a cold pop-tart every once in a while. When my friend told me Carl's Jr. had a strawberry pop-tart ice cream sandwich, it made me feel giddy like a kid and I had to try one. It is a simple dessert concept that I am mad at my self for never thinking of before. They cut a strawberry pop-tart in half, and place a "hand-scooped" ball of vanilla ice cream strategically in between. Now I'm not sure if this was actually "hand-scooped" by a human hand or a machine hand, but the marketing term definitely adds some homemade feel to it. Especially after they put it in this simple non-machine sealed plastic wrap with one lone sticker on the front.



 As for the flavor, it is pretty self explanatory. For my taste buds it was a little too sweet. Now, I understand and expected it to be sweet, but the strawberry filling with the ice cream was just a bit too much. The one thing this ice cream sandwich has going for it was the texture of everything combined. I was expecting the pop-tart, or even the ice cream to be a little hard. That wasn't the case. They hand it to you at a perfect temperature. I wouldn't recommend letting this dessert sit around too long before eating it. You could end up with a little mess and not enjoy it as much. Some people don't like cold pop-tart's, but as you can tell I do. Carl's Jr. serves these for $1.49 - $1.69 throughout the U.S. for a limited time.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Not all chocolate chip cookies are the same and I've been told by Mikey himself that I make perfect chocolate chip cookies. There are a couple of reasons for that fact.

One, practice makes perfect and I've made so many I don't even use a recipe anymore. However there are a few secrets that I will share with you in making this delicious cookie.



Let's start with the sugar: most recipes call for equal amounts of brown and granulated sugars. I use more brown sugar than granulated, one cup of brown and half a cup of granulated. That gives the cookie a deeper, richer flavor.

Next, don't over-whip your butter and sugar until it's too light and fluffy. The cookie becomes too airy.

Extra, pure vanilla extract is a must; two teaspoons is what I go with. And here's a big secret, a few pinches of cinnamon, approximately a quarter teaspoon, but I've never actually measured. The eggs can be added one at a time.

At this point, dry ingredients should be added, starting with the baking soda, which not only causes a rise in the cookie but also aids in the browning process. Your flour should be unbleached all-purpose and I prefer Trader Joe's over any other. At each step, make sure everything is mixed thoroughly before adding the next ingredient.

I can't stress the importance of a good mixer. My favorite is the Kitchen Aid brand. It will save you tons of labor and has many functions, cookie making being just one. The basic model has three mixing tools and will get you started on years and years of baking as it will last a lifetime.

Now the star of this cookie is, after all, the chocolate chip itself. Don't cheap out on this main ingredient, I only use Ghirardelli 60 percent cacao bittersweet chips. It makes a huge difference in the quality of your cookie. Your chips should be hand mixed in so as not to break them.

Lastly, I mix in the salt by hand. One teaspoon of this is a key ingredient, it brings up and out all the flavors and raises that cookie to the awesome level. This is especially important since we use unsalted butter. For baking I use professional quality sheet pans, no pan coating should be needed, just a good spatula.

Two things to keep in mind as you slide your cookies into the oven:

• under-set your timer and check those cookies regularly
• rotate the sheet pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking

The edges should be browned, the center slightly under set, as it will finish baking when you leave the cookies on the pan for one minute after taking them from the oven. Then, on to the cooling rack.

There you have it, a perfect chocolate chip cookie that your friends and family will rave about. Get used to being the person that everyone wants cookies from. Happy baking!!

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher
1 bag Ghirardelli chocolate chips (11.5 ounce)

2 sticks (half pound) unsalted room temperature butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs

Let's Talk Brown Sugar Cookies

Almost all cookies begin the same way: the creaming of butter and sugar. However, if you want the best brown sugar cookie, leave the creaming to other cookie recipes. To make these brown sugar cookies, the butter must be browned. This takes time, patience, and also complete focus. Second, that extra egg yolk is a must for that chewy texture. Lastly, yes - you do need that pure vanilla extract for that over the top flavor.

For you novice bakers, follow the recipe exactly. After a few times baking these cookies, you'll know what steps can be cut to make it less complicated. When browning the butter, a medium temperature is recommended and once the browning starts, let it get dark brown for a richer, deeper-flavored cookie.

Make sure you get all those pockets of flour mixed in, they hide rather well. Extra dough can be refrigerated for emergency cookie use, as this recipe makes a whole bunch of cookies.

Enjoy!


Ingredients
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cup brown sugar; packed
2 cup unbleached flour; plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


1. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. In shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, until well combined; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.

3. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

4. Divide dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons, rolling between hands into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, toss balls in reserved sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, 12 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but it will take 3 batches.)

5. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone; see photo below), 12 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake.

6. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Rose International Market

A spot where one of my long time friends and I like to go to is Rose International Market. There are two locations. One in Downtown Mt. View, CA off Castro, and the other in Downtown Saratoga, CA off of Big Basin Way. Their menu consists of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. I like to order a variety of things from here, but my favorite is pictured below. I get some chicken and "koobieh" ground beef kabobs along with some grilled vegetables. This is all served on top of some fresh pieces of lavash bread to tear off and pick at your meal with. Even though both restaurants have been around for a while, I tend to like the Mt. View location a little better.

"Eat More Kale"

In effort to balance my not so good eating habits, I have been trying to eat things that are nutritionally better for me more often. Kale is one of those magical things that when you eat it by itself, it takes more calories to burn it off  than it actually has in itself. Kale has been getting a lot of hype lately for some reason. Lately, being in the news for the "Eat More Kale" logo printed on shirts going against the Chick-fil-A Corporation trying to take down a small time shirt seller. Anyways.. this in all I guess is a good thing, except for the T-shirt man. I have been only eating kale now for the past 7 years. More and more each year. I have been finding new ways to enjoy kale by talking about it with friends, and sharing ideas. So I guess the slogan is right... Everyone should eat more kale. It is one of the best things you can eat. Having the most nutrients per calorie than anything else. Kale is very rich in calcium, vitamin c, vitamin k, and is known to have anti- cancer fighting properties in it.

Although eating it raw is the best way to consume kale. It can be tough for some peoples pallets. I believe consuming as much as possible in any form can't hurt. If you have never had kale before, try stripping it from it's stock and rinsing it. Then chop it up to smaller pieces and throw it into a hot soup when it is finished. It almost replicates spinach in a way.

I also enjoy eating kale chips. They are dehydrated kale leaves, with a sauce pasted on them before they are dried crispy. The only problem is these things are on the expensive side, and I only get them once in a while. I hope to one day make my own!

Kale inA Krunch - Habanero Ranch Kale Chips

Roli Roti

With all the food truck craze sweeping the nation, I decided to showcase my favorite food truck. ROLI ROTI! What does that stand for you ask? Rolling Rotisserie. YES! It is a rotisserie only food truck serving up succulent slow cooked meats. Roli Roti is considered the "Grandfather of Gourmet Street Food". Owner Thomas Odermatt is son to a Swiss master butcher that learned the importance of choice cut meats and poultry. Blended with his mothers cooking techniques and a masters degree in organic farming make him a master foodie in my eyes. Making his journey to America and witnessing all the speedy dry cooking techniques of meat probably made him go crazy. So the idea of showcasing his slow cooked succulent rotisserie meats on a food truck, spread out amongst one of the most diverse food cultures in the world couldn't possibly ever fail, right? I will let you be the judge.

If you ever have the pleasure of wrapping your mouth around a Roli Roti Porchetta Sandwich, you will then only know how I say it is one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. It all starts off with the fresh localy baked Acme roll. They then add slices of the slow rotisserie herbed pork loin that was wrapped in a skin on pork belly. They top this all off with onion marmalade, arugula micro greens and a pinch of rosemary salt. This sandwich is the total package.  A soft roll stuffed with sweet, savory, salty, peppery, and surprise crunchy morsels. One bite and you will be hooked!

Roli Roti Truck/ Rotisserie Pork Knuckles and Porchetta

Porchetta Sandwich

 Pictures Courtesy of Richard Park Photography

You can learn more about Roli Roti by visiting their website - http://www.roliroti.com/

Squeeze Inn

Another hamburger posting! Hmmm... Maybe the all American burger is one of my many needed cravings. Well this burger is one of the most ridiculous cravings around. What sets this burger apart from others is the bubbling cheese skirt. They pretty much put as much cheese as bun. The handful of shredded cheese is piled on top of  a 1/3 pound beef patty then covered and steamed with chunks of ice on the flat top. The result is a crispy cheese skirt that completely overtakes everything called a "Squeeze With Cheese".  Squeeze Inn has four locations surrounding the greater Sacramento area, and has been growing steadily over the past few years since their appearance on Diners Drive-ins and Dives. The name Squeeze Inn comes from the original restaurant that was so small and popular, everyone had to squeeze in to fit. Please try with caution!!

Squeeze with Cheese

Cheese Skirt

Squeeze Inn website

Cheers!

Bar Photo Shoot W/ Richard Park Photography

Blue Moon with Frozen Blueberries

When I was in Boston's North End a few years ago I went to a bar where they served up this amazing beverage. Simply put frozen blueberries in the bottom of a frosty pint glass. Then pour in a cold Blue Moon and garnish with an orange wedge. The flavors work great together because of the natural hints of both blueberry and orange in the beer. But the best part about this concoction is the beer soaked blueberries that burst in your mouth!

Picture courtesy of Richard Park Photography

Leifheit Cherry Pitter

This is my favorite time of year for fruit. Stone fruits galore! 

I came across this little contraption a couple months ago and thought it might be nice to share it. This ingenious tool is made by Leifheit. Reviews on this kitchen tool on the web are mixed. Everyone who writes negative about it is complaining that it's messy and doesn't work like it should. Well, first of all pitting cherries is no fun clean task. Second, I found this tool relatively fast for pitting compared to individual pitters that I am used to. To be honest, the cherries don't automatically feed very well like you think they would. Actually... they don't feed at all. I had to feed them with my hand. I think that is the main issue some people may have with this tool. But once I got a rhythm to my madness, the pitting was moving quite swiftly. One great thing about this tool is that it completely comes apart to clean, and also has replacement parts that can be ordered of the Leifheit website. So overall, my thoughts are that this is a great tool if you have tens of pounds of cherries to pit every year. If not stick with a hand pitter. 

Now what to make with the cherries...

Here's a link to find Leifheit USA for this and more ingenious home tools.

Pictures courtesy of Richard Park Photography

Bacon Wrapped Fig

Slit open the side of a fig. Stuff it with some goat cheese. Wrap the stuffed fig with a slice of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Place them on a baking pan right side up, and throw them in the oven on high broil. Cook until the fig is tender and the bacon is to your liking. Should take about 8-11 minutes. Enjoy!

Pictures courtesy of Richard Park Photography

Food Pic Fun! 2

Ben Frank's in Redwood City

Many say it's hard to get a good hot dog in the Bay Area. Though they are right, there are a few places around that got what I'm craving in a hot dog. Other than tasty toppings, I need that snap and bite in my dog. Even though I'm bias to the ultimate taste and bite of my Uncle's hot dog at his stand in El Dorado County,  this unusual shaped shack next to the railroad track has what I need. Ben Franks has been serving up decent dogs to Redwood City locals for years. Definitely satisfies my caving every once in a while!

Ben Frank's- 491 El Camino Real Redwood City corner of Whipple Ave.

Photos courtesy of Richard Park Photography

Cast Iron Cooking Memories

Recently I was lucky enough to receive a cast iron skillet. Unfortunately it was because a relative passed, but I decided to turn this into something positive.

I put this old skillet back to work! I'm very familiar with cast iron because my grandmother cooked exclusively with it. Hers was passed down, well seasoned, and everything that was cooked in it tasted better. She taught me the proper way to care for cast iron so it will last more than a lifetime.

One of my favorite food memories from childhood was waking up to the smell of bacon frying. That could mean only one thing at my grandma's house: biscuits and gravy!!! Of all the foods I've eaten, from all over the world, this basic food is my very favorite. Our particular family recipe has been passed down for many generations, and if you couldn't master the gravy you would never live it down. The actual recipe has never been written down; it has to be shown and taught to you by your mother, as in my grandmothers case or by your grandmother as in my case (she had no daughters).

The first meal I prepared in my brother's old cast iron skillet was biscuits and gravy. This time it came out exactly the way it's suppose to, just like my grandma's. I'm sure it was the cast iron skillet.

So if you're looking to purchase new cookware, don't rule out cast iron. While it may take a little extra care to maintain, its versatility is endless. It goes from stove top to oven with ease and is as non-stick as the best Teflon as it becomes more seasoned. For those of you who don't want to take the time to season it, pre-seasoned skillets are available.

And who knows? After you've used it for years it can be given to your offspring, along with all the cooking memories that go with it.

Peter Petrie Egg Separator

For some people this ceramic beauty may never grace their kitchen counters. But for me, this is the most gruesome kitchen tool around, and I love it! This device is pretty straight forward. Simply crack an egg into the separator, tilt it forward over a bowl, and the whites will ooze out of the nostrils. Happy egg separating!