I'll Be Gone In The Dark: Reviewed

I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara

After the recent capture of the Golden State Killer, it didn't take much convincing to dive into Michelle McNamara's obsessively researched true crime novel. Her passionate prose and ferocious search for the killer make I'll Be Gone In the Dark a spell-binding read. It took less than 48 hours to finish this book, I spent the next 48 going through every online article about the suspect. While this book is not credited for the apprehension of this criminal, it seems highly suspect that McNamara had no impact on the case. If only she had lived to see justice prevail.

Milwaukee Joe's Ice Cream

Spontaneity struck last night around 9:15 when my fiancé and I decided to venture out for ice cream. One of the fabulous things about not having legitimate responsibilities beyond a job is the ability to get out of bed, put on a mildly respectable pair of pants, and take a drive to procure a late night snack.

For us, the closest Milwaukee Joes location is about 15 miles from the apartment. With the deadline of arriving before 10pm, we grabbed the dog and hit the car, wheels screeching toward frozen dessert heaven.  My fiancé recently introduced me to what he claimed was the best ice cream in the world at Milwaukee Joes last week.  It turns out, he may in fact be right.  A new flavor is featured each week on top of regular flavors like Dr. Pepper, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, Andes Mint Chocolate, and 4Berry Truffle Sorbet, which are made in house each day.  Obviously, Andes Mint Chocolate is my preferred choice, we ate ice cream on the patio with the puppy in tow and headed home with a pint of Cinnamon to go, because, why not?

As far as ice cream establishments go, this is quickly rising to the top of list as far as freshness, quality and consistency. On top of which, the employees are friendly, the prices are affordable and ice cream is a gift from the dessert gods.  The next time you crave a late night dairy delight, think of Milwaukee Joes.. hopefully there is one close to you.

Tanoshii Ramen

Mushroom Ramen at Tanoshii in Dallas, Texas.

In my culinary adventures, my friend Janet continually pushes my food limits when it comes to tasting different cultural staples - she takes me to places where I would most likely not venture out on my own. One of the recent foodie fads is ramen, a Japanese noodle soup dish - I concede, I am a little tardy to the party.  The stereotypical college food turned foodie phenomenon struck me as unimaginative and an excuse for restaurants to create and sell cheaply made food to the unassuming masses for high prices. That opinion was before Tanoshii.  My wonderful friend Janet opened my eyes to the depth of flavor potential in this unassuming dish.  We arrived at the restaurant ravenous for food - any food would suffice at this point as the evening had grown late and the gym was only a distant memory.  Janet took the lead and immediately ordered veggie dumplings, pan seared, and braised shitake mushroom sticky buns to start, followed by two bowls of mushroom ramen topped with a soft boiled egg.  The lack of pictures for the first two items indicates the level of hunger - we gobbled these starters up immediately.  Dumplings are by far one of my absolute favorite dishes, sticky buns are a concept still somewhat alien to me, so these were fine by my standards, as I have only in the past few months began to appreciate these delightful buns.  By the time our ramen dishes had arrived, our stomachs were less loud and angry, allowing me time to fully appreciate the depth of flavor in the mushroom broth.   As you can see from the picture above, the amount of ingredients found in this soup dish impresses the eyes.  The moment the soup arrived, we knew this dish would be special - the picture does not give the dish the applause it rightfully deserves.  People often talk about food being made with love - this dish is one of those which feels like a hug from the inside out.  Words cannot express the feelings evoked by this dish.  I felt like the food critic in Ratatoie when he is transported back in time to his childhood - except not back to my childhood per se as I did not grow up in Japan. I will be back again for more ramen - and also, more dumplings as well.

Cheese Board Galore

What could be better on a lazy Saturday afternoon than enjoying a lovely cheese board, scrumptious accompaniments, bold wine and the company of a loved one? The only way this scenario could be better would be to add pjs, a comfy couch and an extra few bills in your wallet.  After a disappointing couple of cheese boards, my fiancé and I decided to take it upon ourselves to explore building our own cheese board with the cheeses we know we enjoy along with a few of our favorite accompaniments including ham, jalapeno pickles, spicy mustard, homemade pesto, a freshly baked baguette and of course, honey.  Recently, a trip to the Magnolia Cheese Company in Fort Worth left me disheartened with the array of cheeses selected.  It felt a little like we had been fed the scraps from the other patron's tables. While I cannot pretend to understand the nuances of running a small business, I do understand high quality cheese and the cost associated with supplying and selling the product to eager cheese consumers.  Instead of trying again at the Magnolia Cheese Company we decided to create our own, with the cheeses that we tasted and purchased. In a few weeks, we will be taking a Cheese 101 class at the best cheese store in Dallas, Scardello! After which I assume to become an expert in all things cheese and pairings so that I can better prepare cheese boards and antipasto platters like a pro!  As for the board, we used an aged Texas cheddar and a younger gouda along with the aforementioned accompaniments (at home no one will judge me for the excessive amount of pickles I require).  In the coming month, I will be conducting an experiment on food by planning out (almost) every single meal we consume in an effort to not only increase the savings in our bank accounts, but also to improve on our eating habits. Mi Cocina is far to close in proximity to the apartment and those Sunset Chicken Fajitas with queso, fried onions and all you can eat chips call our names incessantly.  My plan is to only make one trip to the grocery store each week - with a list from which I can only buy items listed before I enter the store.  Resisting the sale and cheese items will be my greatest struggle. Stay tuned for more!

 

Bijoux - A French Eatery Worth Missing

My boyfriend and I decided to venture out to this supposedly delicious French restaurant last weekend. Upon arrival, we were ignored, it took the hostess several minutes to seat us. After taking our seats, it was another five minutes before anyone come up to us and ask if we would like water. Hoping for the best, we decided to order our food and had to flag down someone to take our order. At this point, we should have taken the hints and walked out the door. I ordered the butternut squash soup and the sweet potato gnocchi with lamb leg, my boyfriend ordered the truffled risotto (when we finally caught the attention of a passing waiter.) I would like to point out that the restaurant is quite small and throughout the duration of our meal, there were never more than 6 tables of people (including our party of two). The service was slow and inconsistent, we didn't even seem to have a waiter or waitress actually assigned to our table.


As for the food...

The butternut squash soup was creamy, but nothing out of the ordinary as far as taste goes. Presentation was by far the highlight of our evening. My gnocchi came out fine, but the lamb on top was so salty, I could not even finish the dish. I tasted the risotto and it had clearly been microwaved, the outside was warm, but the center was cold.
Upon leaving, we expressed our unhappiness with the service we received and the food, but the manager only said he was sorry that we felt that way. I would like to emphasize that we are not complainers, especially at restaurants, things happen, but to disrespect us and treat us as if we didn't matter simply because we weren't as old as some of the other patrons is inexcusable. We will not be dining at Bijoux again, I hope you take this advice for you and your wallet's sake.

3 Minute Salsa

Next to ketchup, salsa currently tops the charts as America’s favorite condiment. Not only is salsa versatile, adding spice and freshness to dishes ranging from eggs to pizza, but provides a serving of vegetables as well. Up until this weekend I probably purchased at least a jar of salsa every week, it’s that good, and I eat it that much. I knew recipes existed for salsa I could make myself, but it was just expensive to purchase tomatoes for $2.99 a pound when I could buy a jar of salsa for that price. A friend introduced me to salsa made from canned tomatoes and Rotel this weekend. The great thing about this recipe is that it is a semi-homemade recipe, which according to Sandra Lee, is 50% fresh ingredients combined with canned ingredients to create something completely delicious and super easy. Last night I made this salsa and with the end results, I will probably never be buying a jar of salsa again – it is that easy and tastes so much better. In an effort to eat healthier, less processed foods, I am cooking meals ahead of time and packing them up to avoid running through the drive thru or picking up lean cuisines in bulk. The best thing about making this from scratch is that it has no chemicals or added sugars, plus you can regulate the level of heat so it is accessible to everyone. Try this recipe and I guarantee you won’t be eating the stuff from the supermarket anymore.

3 Minute Salsa

Ingredients:
1 jalapeno, seeded or not, depending on heat level you desire
½ small onion, diced
1 or 2 garlic cloves
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
Dice small onion, jalapeno and garlic clove, add to blender. Add remaining ingredients to blender. Pulse until smooth consistency is reached. Pour into party dish and enjoy with chips, tortillas or any other tasty thing you like to go with salsa.