Day 239: I Don't Care What You Think

This steak, served at Izzy's Steaks and Chops, is not attractive.  It may even be downright gross looking.  But you know what?  I don't care.  And that's because it was freaking delicious and made my tummy very happy!!

Beef is notorious difficult to photograph.  Even the Beef Council's ads make beef look more creepy than mouth-watering.  

Like your mother instructed, I beg you not to judge a book by its cover.  This steak should be judged based on how good it is on the inside - not on its outward appearance.  And I'm here to tell you that on the inside, this steak is wonderful.

As always at Izzy's, I ordered this prime rib medium rare with au jus and steamed broccoli.  And I'm proud to say that I ate every bite, less the fatty bits, plus a shrimp cocktail appetizer.  As the Hillshire Farm people say, "Go Meat!!"

Day 238: Something's Fishy (In a Good Way)

Friday nights are for celebrating the end of the work week and I like to do that at one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants with a good bottle of wine.  Tonight we chose Bistro Aix.

I started with the beet and goat cheese salad with baby spinach and orange vinaigrette.  The flavors in this salad come together wonderfully and I order it nearly every time we go to BA.

If you read entry #183 ("Add it to the List of Things I Want to Bathe In"), you know that I also  absolutely adore BA's bouillabaisse, so that's what I had for my entree.  Last time I ate this dish, the wine we brought paired perfectly, so we brought another bottle of the lovely Bartholomew Park 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and once again it was a match made in heaven.

I'd say this was a lovely start to the weekend.  TGIF!

Day 237: Spicy, Simple Sausages

A brief inventory of my fridge, which is always pretty empty towards the end of the week, revealed 2 bell peppers, an onion, and some fresh thyme.  What to do?  Homemade reduced fat sausage and peppers!  All I needed to buy was the meat.

My favorite sausage is Diestel spicy turkey sausage, but I was only willing to visit one store tonight and they didn't have it so I settled for the good old San Francisco fallback, Aidells.  I almost always choose a turkey or chicken sausage since they contain a lot less fat than pork.  Tonight I chose the perfectly spicy chicken with habanero and green chile flavor.

Making sausage and peppers is so easy, making it a great midweek meal, especially if you've purchase pre-cooked sausage.  Pre-heat a pan with olive oil and brown the sausage on all sides.  You can use uncooked sausage if you'd like - just know that you'll have to cook it longer.

Once the sausage is browned, remove it from the pan and set it aside.  Deglaze the pan with either white wine or chicken broth and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Add one thinly sliced yellow onion, two thinly sliced bell peppers (red, yellow, and/or orange), and 3 cloves of minced garlic and saute on medium high heat until soft (7-8 minues).  Reduce heat to medium low, cover the pan, and cook until the veggies are cooked to the desired degree.

Slice the sausages in half lengthwise and add them and whatever juices have collected into the pan.  If you have thyme on hand, throw the leaves from 5-6 sprigs in there as well.  Turn the sausages cut-side down and cover with the pepper and onion mixture.  Cook for another few minutes until the sausage is heated through and serve!

If you try this out with a particular kind of sausage and it turns out great, leave a comment and let me know what flavor I need to try next!

Day 236: Farmer's Market Room Freshener

Take a couple of fennel bulbs, the peel from one orange, a few cloves of minced garlic, and some freshly minced rosemary - throw it all in the oven - and what do you get?  The best smelling house in the neighborhood!

Tonight's dinner was garlic rosemary pork tenderloin with orange roasted fennel and it was as delicious as it was fragrant.

Pork:

I seasoned the tenderloin with salt and pepper and browned it on all sides in a pan with hot olive oil.  Once it was nicely browned, I removed it from the pan and coated it all over with freshly minced garlic (3 large cloves) and rosemary (the leaves from one large sprig).  I then placed it on a roasting rack with some OJ and chicken stock in the pan below and baked it in the oven for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Fennel:

I cut two bulbs into 8ths, being careful to keep the pieces connected at one end, and placed them in a bowl.  Using a paring knife, I removed the skin from an orange in one-inch pieces and added them to the bowl.  These items were tossed with olive oil, S&P, and then laid in a single layer in a glass baking dish.  The dish went into the oven at the same time as the pork and I mixed the fennel and orange around every 10 minutes.

After 30 minutes, I pulled out the pork and covered it with foil (it's a good idea to allow meat to sit for 5-10 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to settle).  I cranked up the oven temperature to 425 degrees and cooked the fennel for another 5 minutes.  Then, I sliced up the pork, plated everything, and gobbled it all up.

Everything was really good and I had the added benefit of getting a great whiff of tastiness every time I opened the oven.  Who needs Febreze?

Day 235: From Fresh & Fancy to NOT

Last night I had a marvelous seafood dinner out.  Tonight, I had leftover week-old beef barley soup that I made on President's Day.  But then again, that is the beauty of a big pot of homemade soup - multiple easy, accessible, wholesome meals.

I had a work related day trip to LA today and got home around 7:30.  At that point there were three choices for dinner:  go out, order in, or make due with what was already in the house.  I remembered that there was leftover soup so I reheated it, added two shakes of cayenne pepper, paired it with a nice hunk of challah, and voila - dinner!  Gotta love that after a hectic day!

Day 234: Celebrating a Milestone

My car has been approaching the 100,000 miles.  I hardly ever drive, but my husband drives it to/from work each day, so I've missed nearly every other major milestone.  I was determined to watch this one happen!

Based on the distance my husband travels each day, we new that tonight was the night.  We figured that by the time he got home, the car will be just 20 to 25 miles away from the target.  So, we decided to do something that we have never done before - leave the city for dinner on a school night.  We decided to try out the Buckeye Roadhouse, a popular and well regarded restaurant in Marin County.  By our calculations, the roundtrip should be the perfect distance to allow me to witness the big event. 

The Buckeye Roadhouse doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's quite nice and the menu is full of gourmet dishes (with upscale prices - corkage was $25!!).  We shared two appetizers:  the seared tuna with crunchy cabbage, bell peppers, and crispy noodles and the calamari with tomatillo salsa.  Both were excellent.

Next, I had seared scallops with lemon risotto and chanterelle mushrooms.  YUMS!!  I loved every bite, although I didn't quite finish every bite.  That's probably because we also shared a side order of maple mashed yams - so good I could hardly control myself.

After all this great food, we hit the road and it turns out, we timed this night perfectly.  When we were just a mile from home, the odometer made the much awaited spin.  100,000 miles!!  It looks like my little Honda is all grown up!

Day 233: And the Oscar Goes To...

Our friends Hugo & David hosted a really fun Oscar party tonight.  The bad news:  I came in SECOND in the pool.  The good news:  there were lots of good eats!

Most of the food was ordered in:  hummus, artichoke dip, dolmas, spanakopita, fried ravioli, and as you can see - a giant cheese plate.  Other stuff was brought by friends:  spinach pie, fruit, and pie.  Of course, we were in charge of bringing the wine.

The Oscars is one of those things that is much more enjoyable in a group.  We had lots of fun and good laughs - even though I was so close and yet so far from winning the pool!!

Day 232: Tasty Chaos

Lunch was an incredible calorie splurge today - pastrami sandwiches at Moishe's Pippic - so dinner needed to be much lighter, fresher, and healthier. We knew Capannina could deliver.

When we arrived, I had to ask myself..."What recession?" The place was packed and somewhat chaotic. This is my third or fourth entry from Capannina since beginning this blog and never have I seen it like that!

Perhaps everyone was there to sample something from the black truffle menu. There were some tasty sounding offerings there and black truffles are more affordable than white truffles (Capannina had a special menu when the white ones were in season as well).

Given my desire for a dinner that was infinitely lighter than my lunch, I did not order from the truffle menu. I started with a mixed green salad which was served with a bit of shaved parmesan, small chunks of goat cheese, and toasted walnuts (which I passed on to my husband since I don't care for them). Really, there was nothing special about this salad but it got some much needed raw veggies into the system!

Next, I had pan roasted sea bass with lobster sauce (pictured). I adore the light flavor but firm and hefty texture of sea bass. This one was cooked perfectly and the sauteed or roasted veggies served with it were yummy as well.

Strangely, I wasn't quite full enough after that, so my husband and I shared a cheese plate for one and a few biscotti. So I got my wish for a lighter, healthier meal. And then quickly undid that with cheese and cookies. Tomorrow is another day!

Day 231: Savor Every Moment

I received some extraordinarily sad news today.  A wonderful friend of mine from high school died of breast cancer at 37 years old.

Friends were a little more precious today.  Time spent with my husband was more valued.  And food, no matter what it was, was just a touch tastier.

It would mean a lot if instead of spending a minute or two reading tonight's entry, you visit the breast cancer page of the American Cancer Society website and take a moment to reflect upon the women in your life and how much they mean to you.

Day 230: The Sauce That Just Keeps on Giving

The Moroccan Chicken recipe I made earlier this week just keeps on giving.  We had the original delicious dish on Monday and tonight we used the leftover sauce for the second time. 

I rubbed a pork tenderloin with Chinese 5 Spice Powder and browned it in a  pan.  Then, I moved it to a roasting pan and cooked it in the oven for another 22-25 minutes at 375 degrees. 

After moving the pork to the oven, I deglazed the pan with chicken broth, added the leftover Moroccan Chicken sauce, and cooked the broccoli in it over low heat for about 10 minutes.

I also tried pureed cauliflower for the first time tonight and found that it's a wonderful substitute for mashed potatoes - similar texture and a whole lot more healthful.

Ingredients (serves 2):

Florets from 1/2 head of cauliflower

Olive oil 

S&P

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat cauliflower with olive oil and S&P and spread out evenly on a baking sheet.

Roast for 15 minutes, stir, and roast for another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Place cauliflower and 1/4 cup skim milk to food processor and mix until pureed.  Add more milk if necessary.

Transfer cauliflower to a small non-stick saucepan and add 1/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, gouda, parmesan, mozzarella, - whatever you like).  Heat over low flame, stirring frequently.  Taste and add more cheese if necessary.

This is a great little trick, especially if you love mashed potatoes but are trying to limit your carb intake.  Do you have other suggestions for healthier alternatives for carby favorites?  Do tell!

Day 229: Everything Old is New Again

Tonight, I took four leftover components of Monday night's dinner + lots of new fresh veggies and voila!  Dinner was served!

You may recall that on Monday, I made delicious Moroccan chicken with quinoa and a side of glazed carrots.  

Tonight, I reheated the leftover sauce from the chicken.  Then, I added fresh cauliflower florets, and green beans that I had cut in half.  I allowed this to cook for about 10 minutes, then added a small zucchini cut into rounds and a yellow bell pepper that I had cut into fairly large pieces.  

While the mixture cooked for another 5 minutes, I took the leftover chicken parts, removed the skin, and pulled the meat from the bone.  I also took the leftover glazed carrots and cut them into large pieces.  

I added the chicken to the pot and cooked it for about 5 minutes to heat it through.  Then I added the carrots for just another minute or so.  Finally, I scooped leftover quinoa into our bowls and then spooned the chicken, veggie, and sauce mixture over the top.  

This dish is SO good.  We did find that the dark meat pieces worked much better than the breast meat and so from now on, I will make this dish with chicken thighs.  They add a lot more flavor and they're cheaper, too!  This is definitely one of my favorite new recipes - give it a try and let me know what you think!

Day 228: Soup & Salad

It's been raining for days here in SF and that kind of weather always makes me crave soup.  

On Sunday, I made some beef barley soup with mushrooms, intending to eat it later in the week.  Soup, chili, and stew are always better when they've had a chance to sit for a day or two.

Tonight we paired a bowl of that soup with ahi tuna salad, which I quickly whipped up when I got home tonight.  For the recipe, check out entry #158 (Pretty Enough for Christmas?).

To be honest, the soup was okay, but not great.  I used a recipe from an old Food & Wine cookbook that had provided lots of great recipes to me over the years.  Here it is, with my suggestions for enhancing it:

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

1 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb shitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps chopped

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup red wine

6 cups low sodium beef broth (cookbook recipe calls for water)

1.5 tsp salt

1/2 cup barley

1 tsp (not packed) freshly chopped rosemary

1 jalapeno, scored 3-4 times from top to bottom (cookbook recipe doesn't include this)

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the meat and brown well (approx. 8 minutes).  Remove meat and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add onions, celery, and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Increase heat to medium, add mushrooms and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the wine and simmer 2 minutes.

Return meat to the pot with any juice that has accumulated.  Add broth and salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat and cook at a bare simmer for 30 minutes.

Add barley, rosemary, and jalapeno and cover pot.  Cook until barley is tender, about 1 hour longer and then stir in pepper.

This soup is easy and healthy but I wouldn't say it's the tastiest thing I've ever made.  Any thoughts for improvement?  Please share!

Day 227: Yay! I Remember How to Cook!!

It's been over two weeks since I put on an apron, turned on the stove, or washed a pot or pan.  Fortunately (for me AND my husband), I remembered how to do all of those things and I made a really good dinner tonight!

The inspiration for our meal were the baby carrots we purchased at the farmer's market this weekend.  I knew I wanted to prepare them in a way that would bring out their sweetness - so what to pair that side dish with?  I went with something on the spicy side, knowing that the sweetness and spiciness would enhance and balance each other out.

The carrot side dish I went with was based on a recipe from Epicurious.com but I scaled it back significantly:

 

Ingredients:

1 lb of fresh baby carrots from the farmer's market, whole and unpeeled

2 T olive oil

1/2 T unsalted butter

1/2 T honey

1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar

I followed the recipe's instructions otherwise.

I chose another recipe from Epicurious.com for our entree:  Moroccan Chicken.  I followed the recipe other than these tweaks:

- I purchased a cut up whole chicken, disposing of the neck and the organs

- Instead of 4 cups of water, I used one 14 oz can of chicken broth

- I substituted parsley for the cilantro (read my entrees from Costa Rica for my thoughts on cilantro!)

- I made my own harissa, as I couldn't find it pre-made at the grocery store

I went to two grocery stores, in fact, looking for a jar of harissa.  I panicked at first when I couldn't find it, but then I remembered that several years ago, I took a Moroccan cooking class at NYC's Institute of Culinary Education and we were taught how to make harissa.  The instructor of that class was Myra Kornfeld and this is her recipe:

Harissa:

3/4 ounce dried hot red chili peppers

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/4 tsp salt

1 T water

4 T olive oil

Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers.  Place the peppers and tomatoes in a small pot covered with water.  Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and let the chiles and tomatoes soften for about 20 minutes (I covered the pot).

Meanwhile, grind the seeds in a spice mill.  Drain peppers/tomatoes and placed all ingredients into a food processor.  Blend until you have a thick paste.  This paste may be refrigerated for months.

All of this came together wonderfully and deliciously.  It was one of the best dinners I've made in awhile.  I made some quinoa to soak up all of the yummy sauce and it was perfect - but you could make couscous or rice instead if you prefer.

Happy cooking!!

Day 226: Slimy and Snot-Like

I really want to like oysters but their slimy snot-like consistency really grosses me out.  But I really want to like them!!

Fortunately, many restaurants offer oyster preparations that are more agreeable to oyster newbies like me - baked, fried, or even in a shot of liquor!  Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen offers such a dish, called Oysters Pablo, which was our appetizer tonight (unfortunately, I forgot to take the picture until after they were gone!).  These oysters are baked with spinach, garlic, and I believe, cheese and they are savory, tasty, and not the least bit snot-like!

If you have any suggestions that will help get me on the road towards loving raw oysters, please leave a comment!

My entree tonight was duck from Cindy's wood oven and wild rice that had been mixed with dried cherries and other fruit.  As always, I left full and very happy.  I started this blog at Cindy's 226 days ago and I'm always happy when I get to write another entry talking about the delicious food here.

Day 225: A Day for Sweets and Sweethearts

I do not go gaga for Valentine's Day.  I do like to spend it with my hubby but we do not exchange gifts or make any sort of a big deal about it.  

We like to eat out that night, but carefully avoid restaurants with a special Valentine's Day menus, as they are usually tremendous rip-offs.  This year, we wound up at Salt House.

My appetizer was my favorite part of the meal.  I had a salad of smoked trout, raw fennel, little gem lettuce, and sections of orange and grapefruit.  All of the flavors and textures married perfectly, creating a refreshing dish.  I loved it.

Next, I had the pork loin entree.  The dish was separated in half.  In one half was the sliced tenderloin, laid across a bed of braised red cabbage.  On the other was braised pork belly, sitting on fruit puree with slices of cooked pear.  The two pork elements had totally different textures and flavors - interesting, but it didn't blow my mind.

The dessert, on the other hand, was totally mind blowing.  Unfortunately, I had to share it with my hubby!  It was composed of 3 mini ice cream sandwiches - peppermint ice cream sat between flower shaped chocolate cookies.  Dark chocolate and raspberry puree decorated the dish.  It was a delicious, edible work of art!

I hope you had a sweet Valentine's Day!

Day 224: All Good Things Must Come to an End

After nearly two weeks of traveling around Costa Rica and Panama, it's time to go home.  You know what that means...  Another tasty in-flight meal!!

Actually, as much as I appreciate the fact that Continental is one of the few airlines that still serves meals, I purchased a chicken caesar salad at Wendy's prior to the flight and had that instead of the cheese burger provided.  You'll note that I did eat the little Hershey's bar from the in-flight meal box and paired the meal with a mini-bottle of vodka mixed with club soda.  That helped take the edge off of the end of vacation!!

Day 223: Big Night Out in Panama

We've been laying low most nights this week while visiting my parents in Panama.  Long days filled with lying on the beach, swimming in the pool, and zip-lining have made us tired and happy to have dinner in.

Tonight being our last night here, my parents took us out to one of their favorite restaurants, La Carreta Steakhouse in Coronado.  Interestingly, none of us got steak!

I started with citrusy, refreshing shrimp ceviche and then had ribs.  The ribs were meaty and had the perfect amount of sauce.  I gobbled them all!

During dinner, there was a little show with horses.  The restaurant is part of an equestrian club, so 6 different breeds of horses were brought out and an announcer talked about their origin and special skills.  Good food and an educational show.  Now that's a big night out!!  Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Day 222: Lending a Helping Hand (and Mouth)

My parents are leaving their Panama house in a few days and are madly trying to finish up the food from the fridge and cabinets, so tonight was leftover night.  We were happy to oblige because, as you know if you've been reading this blog for awhile, I love leftovers!

My favorite part of the meal, though wasn't the leftover burger, BBQ chicken, or veggies.  The rice my dad made was SO good.  I have become a rice eating fool since coming to Central America.  It's a staple here and I am loving it!  My dad sauteed some onion, garlic, and tomatoes, then added white rice, sauteed it all a bit longer, and then added water and a cube of chicken bullion.  I gobbled up my share plus some, doing my best to help clear out those cabinets.

You can always count on me!

Day 221: More Home Cooking on Vacation

We had an utterly exhausting day today lounging on the beach.  Life is tough.

Thanks goodness my dad made dinner easy once again.  Tonight he grilled hamburgers, chorizo sausages, and peppers and onions.  We also sampled some potato chips we found in the grocery store earlier today in Coronado, Panama.  They said they were "limon" flavor, but the picture on the bag was of a lime - intrigued, I bought a bag to taste them for myself (they were lime).

A big part of travel for me is trying out the local food, but it's also been wonderful to have a home cooked dinner these past couple of nights.  Thanks, Dad!

Day 220: Birthday Week #2!

The initial reason why we decided to travel to Central America on vacation this year was that my parents would be renting a house in Panama for several weeks.  After a week in Costa Rica and a night in Panama City, we finally made our way to them today.

Since my bday had occurred recently, they had a cake for me after dinner tonight.  It was a yellow cake with colored coconut on the outside - very pretty and festive like confetti.

Back to dinner...  My dad cooked tonight - BBQ chicken from the grill, baked beans, and green plantains.  It was really good and very nice to be with family - especially in a new and tropical place!  I can't wait to explore the sites and the food in Panama!

Day 219: When in Panama City...

We had just one night in Panama City and so you know we wanted to make the most of it by having a really good meal there. I had read about Manolo Caracol, supposedly one of the most well known restaurants in PC, and we had our hearts set on eating there but learned on our way out of the hotel that it is closed on Sundays.

Without a back-up plan, we asked the consierge for a recommendation. We said we wanted something local where we could enjoy true Panamanian cuisine. He recommended El Traphiche, but followed (several times) with a cautionary note that it was "nothing fancy". This was no problem at all for us, especially once he assured us that he eats there often.

We decided to order some sangria and the Panamanian Fiesta, a combination plate that promised a range of Panamanian delights.  It included fried yucca, fried plantains, a sweet corn cake, rice, shredded beef in El Trapiche's house sauce, a small bowl of something saucy with chicken, and for lack of a better description, a log of mashed potatoes that had been stuffed with ground meat of some kind.  The platter also came with a bowl of sancocho soup, which I had discovered and enjoyed in CR a day earlier. We also ordered a sandwich (the name escapes me at the moment) that came on something between bread and a tortilla, stuffed with different meats and cheese - it was delish!  We finished up with a giant bowl of ice cream and our entire bill, including tip, was less than $30!  Gotta love that!

I've done a couple of quick searches and it seems that El Trapiche isn't exactly a well guarded secret.  I found a NY Times review of the place and saw that it was listed on Wikitravel in the "Eat" section of the "Panama City" entry.

This was a great experience and we left totally stuffed.  Remember, when you travel, always ask the locals where to eat!

Day 218: Last Night in Costa Rica

We've had a tremendous time in CR and I am really sad to be leaving tomorrow. But, I'm also looking forward to the next leg of our trip - Panama!

To begin to get myself integrated into that new culture, I started tonight's dinner with sancocho, described on the menu as a traditional Panamanian soup. It was so simple but so YUM!! Basically, it is chicken soup with chunks of chicken and potato. The broth was so rich and flavorful, though - much tastier than most chicken soups. I think they must cook it long and slow with potato and corn, with the starches from those veggies adding the richness.

Next, I had some grilled shrimp marinated in garlic. They were good, but not great. Or maybe the super delicious soup just ruined me for anything that followed. Although, to be honest, I splurged and had dessert tonight - traditional Costa Rican rice pudding (which was relatively undistinguishable from US rice pudding) that was very yummy.

I should mention that this meal took place at the restaurant at the lovely Villa Blanco Cloudforest Hotel and Spa where we spent our final night in CR. Unfortunately, we only had one day to spend here and the rainy weather continued, preventing us from fully enjoying the cloudforest itself, but the hotel experience was really nice and we definitely plan to return for a longer period of time one day, hopefully in the near future.

Meanwhile, tomorrow we move on to Panama. What tasty treats await us there, I wonder?

Day 217: Rain, Rain, STILL Hasn't Gone Away!

After last night's less than stellar meal at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, we decided to that despite the ongoing crappy rainy weather, we'd explore the area and see what the neighboring town of La Fortuna had to offer by way of food. In fact, we wound up having lunch AND dinner there at restaurants recommended by the Lonely Planet guidebook.

For dinner we checked out Nene's, a warm and welcoming place with a large, pretty mural featuring all of the birds of Costa Rica. The guidebook mentioned that Nene's is known for their ceviche, so we had to try that as our appetizer (pictured). It was good, but those homemade tortilla chips were the best part. As far as the pink sauce - no idea what that was. It tasted vaguely mayonnaisey - we didn't eat it as the ceviche was delicious on it's own (with those tasty chips!).

I asked our waiter what his favorite entrees are and the one he mentioned that sounded the best to me was steak with jalapenos. It really did not photograph well, which is one reason why I am using our appetizer as the photo tonight, but it was absolutely delicious. I think the fact that I'd been stuck in the rain for two full days made it even better - a good piece of beef gives me a warm, comfort food kind of a feeling.

My husband's dinner is definitely worth mentioning as well. It was the evening special, surf & turf. When it arrived, it was on a huge metal tray, which had been lit on fire. The tray was so large that I assumed that it held both of our entrees, but nope! The entire tray was used for his meal: an enormous steak, 3 long kebabs of grilled shrimp and veggies, a side of sauteed veggies, and some sort of sauce (oil oregano, garlic). It was quite a sight.

Boo to all the rain, but yay for La Fortuna!

Day 216: Rain Rain Go Away!!

Our Costa Rica adventure continues. This morning we left the fantastic Tiskita Jungle Lodge in the southernmost part of the country and traveled north to Arenal. Theoretically, we are here to see the Arenal volcano, but it is pouring rain and can't see much beyond the trees in front of our room.

We are staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, which is at the end of a road that is 9 kilometers of nonstop potholes. We arrived at around 5pm and so rather than brave that road again and the rain, we decided to eat at the lodge's restaurant. This was, by far, our most disappointing meal so far on this trip.

I started with a bowl of beef soup, which was a special appetizer and quite tasty and satisfying on this cold and rainy night. My entree, however, was neither tasty nor satisfying and thus, it went uneaten. On our drive to the lodge, we had seen signs everywhere for tilapia and so I assumed this must be a local specialty. I really enjoy tilapia and so thought I was in luck and hardly thought twice about ordering it for dinner. What arrived was inedible (although all of the accompaniments - veggies, rice, etc were good).

Rain or no rain - potholes be damned - we will not be eating at the lodge tomorrow night!

Day 215: Adios, Monkeys!!

Tonight is our last night at the Tiskita Jungle Lodge in Costa Rica and while I eagerly anticipate experiences elsewhere in this country, I will miss the delicious home cooking here.

As always, dinner tonight started with soup (squash) and then included a fresh salad (check out all those bright green bits of cilantro!). The main course was chicken that tasted as if it had been cooked slowly with fresh tomatoes. It was juicy and super flavorful and as you can see, accompanied by steamed broccoli and rice.

If you are planning to travel to CR, I really recommend you consider staying at Tiskita. It's not easy to get to, but the food is plentiful and tasty and the opportunity to see wildlife (monkeys, sloths, tucans, butterflies, and lots of other creatures) is unmatched. We have had an amazing time here!

Day 214: Pesky Cilantro - It's Back!!

We are still at Tiskita Jungle Lodge, so here we are at 6:30 having dinner with the other guests. Last night's entry explains the mealtime drill at the lodge.

Our meal was a surprising one tonight, as I hadn't expected to have lasagne while in Costa Rica. Like last night, our dinner started with a bowl of soup - this one was tomato based. Fresh tomatoes had been used, crushed and mixed with other finely minced veggies and lots of cilantro (see last night's entry for my feelings about that ingredient!).

Then, we had a salad of chopped tomatoes, celery, carrots, hearts of palm, and - wait for it - cilantro!!! I madly love hearts of palm and so gobbled up the salad despite that pesky herb. The lasagna was vegetarian, with large chunks of broccoli and other tasty fresh veggies and a pretty strong but delicious cheese melted on top. This was the first dish served at Tiskita that did not include cilantro, so I warmly welcomed and devoured every bite!

Day 213: Welcome to Tiskita Jungle Lodge

Day 1 of vacation and we are in paradise!! We are staying at the Tiskita Jungle Lodge in the southern part of Costa Rica, almost to the Panamanian border. It's a rather remote area, so all meals during this leg of our trip will take place at the lodge.

All meals are served family style, which means that everyone eats at the same pre-set time (6:30 pm). Yes, it seems early - but the day starts early here (breakfast at 7:30) and after a day of hiking, horseback riding, and photographing monkeys, one is really quite hungry at 6:30.

Tonight was our first dinner at Tiskita and it was delicious. It started with a bowl of leek soup and then, as you should expect in CR, our main course included rice (but no beans!). The rice was mixed with tiny shrimp, diced veggies, and of course - cilantro. I have always had a distaste for this herb. I used to find it rendered any food it touched totally inedible, I now I can at least get it down. I'm hoping that this taste evolution will continue to the point where I learn to actually like cilantro.

Our side dishes were a fresh salad (chock full of cilantro - yay!) and some fried yucca or bread fruit chips. We're looking forward to seeing what Tiskita cooks up next! No doubt, it'll contain more cilantro!!

Day 212: Feliz Cumpleanos a Mi!!

As a foodie, I like to celebrate my birthday somewhere very special each year (2008: Chez Panisse, 2007: Gary Danko, 2006: Babbo). This year's bday dinner on a Continental airplane, however, was a lot less gourmet, but there were no complaints from me, as we were en route to Costa Rica for vacation!

More on that as the week goes on.

Tonight's dinner, as you can see, was a salad, a chicken cutlet sandwich, and a brownie thingy with NO candle poking out of it.