Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Lure Me Into the Weekend

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Like I ever need any luring into the weekend…

 

However, I was excited for the events of this past weekend.  I’ve recapped the best parts below, including purple basil, watermelon salad, my BFF’s baby’s 1st birthday (remember when he was born?), and dinner at the latest #ATL seafood hot spot.

 

First I want to take a moment to express my condolences to the people of Aurora, CO.  It is beyond me how anyone could do such an evil thing.  Furthermore, I don’t understand why it’s legal to buy those guns.  I know some people consider shooting to be a hobby, but we as a society have proven to ourselves over and over that assault rifles bring nothing but harm.

On to brighter things…

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1. Purple Basil

I found this delicious herb at my local Saturday farmer’s market:

 

 

Purple Basil is not quite as sweet as the green variety, and a bit heartier. Much closer to a romaine lettuce leaf in texture.  I loved it on a P28 Protein Bagel with some Greek yogurt and an heirloom tomato (also from the market).  served with a side of these Indian Roasted Chickpeas – an old recipe, but one I return to often!

 

 

 

2. Baby Jackson Turned 1

My nest friend’s little boy, Jackson, had his 1st birthday this weekend.  I’m sure he won’t remember any of it, but we have a fantastic time celebrating with him!  Doesn’t he look just like his daddy (pic below)?

 

 

We had a some tasty eats compliments of the baby’s grandmother.  I brought a new take on this cotija-watermelon salad that I made for his mamma’s baby shower a little over a year ago.

This new twist contained:

  • Watermelon
  • Cucumber
  • Blueberries
  • Jalapeno
  • Feta cheese
  • Mint
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Light drizzle of olive oil
  • Pepper

 

 

Of course there was cake.  Ever the gentleman, Jackson wasn’t about to face-plant into that baby cake like his Aunt Laura would have.

 

 

3. Dinner at Lure

My friend Keith and I headed to the latest restaurant concept by Fifth Group (an Atlanta restaurant group), Lure.  This group is one of the best in Atlanta, due largely in part to their staff.  The serve and attention to detail is always top-notch, and Lure upholds that tradition.

 

We began the meal with a couple of small plates:

The seared scallop crudo with sugar snap peas and horseradish was a huge win.  I can’t recall ever having a more fresh piece of seafood.  The slightly sweet, crisp snap peas was the perfect light pairing with the scallop, and the dollops of horseradish gave a nice kick to the dish.  This was my favorite dish of the night – love at first bite.

 

The next dish was a plate of French Horn mushrooms with baba ghannouj, chickpeas, and a parsley salad.  I loved the mushrooms, and the bright lemon juice the dressed the parsley.  I found the baba ghannouj to be a bit salty (I’m sensitive to salt, so you may think it’s perfect).

 

For round two, we ordered one more small plate and a main.  We were absorbed in conversation, so we didn’t notice our second dishes were taking a while to come out.  That didn’t stop a manager from coming out to apologize and off us free soup!  I didn’t get a pic of the Tom Yum Shrimp Bisque, but we very much appreciated the gesture.

Our entrees did arrive, and they were beautiful:

The small plate we chose was grilled octopus & pork lettuce wraps with basil, cilantro, red onion, rice noodles, and spicy Vietnamese sauce.  I loved the heat in the sauce.  The octopus was good, not too chewy… but I barely remember the pork.

 

My main was a sautéed black grouper served atop silver queen corn, curry, yogurt sauce, and a spicy lime pickle.  I was surprised at how well the strong flavors worked with the flaky fish.  It was perfectly executed.  The spice from the curry was excellent with the sweetness of the worn and the slightly sour citrus of the lime pickle.  It didn’t top the scallops, but it was close!

 

We were comfortably full… but it was my cheat day… how could I pass up dessert?  After polling everyone via Instagram, I selected the guava and coconut bread pudding.

This deliciousness was served with a creme anglaise and toasted hazelnuts.  We loved the bread – a brioche from the famed H&F Bread Co.  The toasted hazelnuts we like the icing on this cake.  Ever the texture lover, I enjoyed their nutty crunch with the chewy toasted coconut that coated the soft bread pudding.  It was also the perfect size and sweet-level.  Just enough to hit the spot without regrets.

 

Overall, this 5-day old restaurant impressed me.  As I said, the service was perfect.  The food was solid as well; it has a distinct “Fifth-Group” feel.  In comparison to The Optimist (the other new Atlanta seafood restaurant I wrote up last week), it is different.  The Optimist is more “farm-to-table” seafood; it uses few ingredients and allows the main ingredient to speak for itself.  Lure focuses more on spices and offers many dishes with of an “ethic” twist.  Both good in their own way.

Side note: Lure’s wine list is much better, another signature of this restaurant group.

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I didn’t just eat my way through the entire weekend!  I stuck to my workout plan and was very good about getting in my 7 meals after admitted last Wednesday to not being excited about eating anything.  This week’s workouts were pretty exciting to me – I’m starting to notice bigger gains in my arms.  I was able to do preacher curls with an EZ curl bar that I couldn’t think about curling a month ago!

The real boost happened Saturday at the farmer’s market.  I was walking around, eating free samples (it was cheat day!), and one of the women working looked at me and said “flex.”  I said “excuse me?” and she repeated herself.  I thought she was kidding, but she was serious!  I blushed hard… but obliged.  LOL!  It made my day.  Thank you, free sample lady. 🙂

 

 

Workout Recap (7/16- 7/23):

  • Monday – Back/Triceps, calf raises
  • Tuesday – Shoulders/Glutes, 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, calf raises, 1 mile walk
  • Thursday – Legs (w/ trainer), 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Back/Triceps, calf raises, 100 push-ups, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Shoulders/Glutes, 3 mile walk
  • Sunday – *rest day* … easy 3 mile walk

***

I also cooked a lot this weekend.  I cannot wait to share some new recipes this week, including one reader request! 🙂

What was the best part of your weekend?

What new item have you tried recently?  Have you ever had purple basil?

 

The Optimist

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Birthday dinners are key.

 

Every year I think long and hard about what restaurant to try on my birthday.  It’s a big deal!  You have to start out the next year of your life with a happy stomach.  It sets the stage for the next year’s eats!

This year I was excited to try out a new concept by Chef Ford Fry (of JCT Kitchen and No. 246 fame).  The Optimist (914 Howell Mill Rd,. Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-477-6260) opened just a couple of months ago.  After being reviewed by some of the pissiest critics in Atlanta, I have not seen a bad write-up.  My mom, baby sister, best friend, and her husband all came out to celebrate and eat.

Mom, me and Baby Sis

 

Despite having a broken air conditioner (sorry about my butt sweat on the seat…), the kitchen cranked out some phenomenal food.

To start they bring out what are the BEST dinner rolls I’ve ever eaten.  I normally wouldn’t rave about bread, but these was exceptional.  The fluffy, light rolls were just the right amount of sweet to complement the flaked salt sprinkled on top.  I wish Blais should serve these at The Spence.

 

We also ordered East and West coast oysters (I did not partake, but am told they were delish), tempura-fried long beans with a buttermilk dill sauce, and corn hushpuppies.

The beans were good, especially with the dill sauce.  My best friend’s husband even tried one.  He doesn’t eat vegetables, but gave these a thumbs up.  More proof that anything fried is delicious.

 

The hushpuppies were the favorite of the night.  Done “beignet-style,” these were not your mamma’s heavy puppies.  They doughnut-like balls of sweet, corn-filled bread were sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a side of sweet creamy butter.  The butter proved to be totally unnecessary; these puppies stand alone in their perfection as they melt your mouth.

 

One (minor) complaint – if you don’t eat shell-fish and aren’t a huge fan of fried, there aren’t many starter options beyond a salad.  I’d love to see a couple, lighter easy-to-share items.

Choosing a main dish was difficult for me.  The entrees read like a fine list of food porn.  Eventually I selected the Alaskan Halibut.  The fish was possibly the best quality I’ve experienced.  It was earthy and almost meaty, complimented flawlessly by hen of the woods mushrooms and the rich red wine bordelaise sauce.

 

Mom selected the trout served with marcona almonds and greens.  It was an excellent dish; much lighter in flavor than the halibut, but offered a nice contrast of flavors between the flaky fish and the crunch of the almonds.

 

My friends both selected the skirt steak with romesco sauce and beef jus.  At a seafood restaurant.  I silently judged them until I tried a little bite.  That steak could rival some of the better steak houses in town.  Sadly, my pics didn’t turn out from this point on due to lighting and laziness.

Sides are not included with the entrees.  We ordered an heirloom tomato salad, roasted beets with apple, and lightly roasted carrots with ginger vinaigrette.  Each was alight and refreshing, allowing the farm-fresh flavors to shine.  If you are vegetarian or vegan, you could easily create a satisfying veggie plate from the side selections on the menu.

 

The desserts were surprisingly good as well.  We were treated to a peach cobbler with a rich side of beer cream sauce and a graham cake that was soaked in a fantastic syrupy sauce and topped with a toasted layer of house-made marshmallow creme.  I’d eat bother again.  And again.  Little did I know that I had a bigger surprise coming…

 

My mom and baby sis had baked my grandmother’s carrot cake, then cut out circles of it to form a 29!  It was delicious.  Despite having lapped up too much of the other 2 desserts, I manages to eat my share of this carrot cake.  This is a special cake in my family.  It’s the cake that my dad requested every year for his birthday.  I had an extra few bites for him. 🙂

We left the restaurant comfortably stuffed and a bit sweaty from the sauna A/C-less dining room.

Me, Greg, and Mallory

Our poor server was sweet, but painfully new.  And sweaty.  Service was spotty – cocktails were slow, I had to ask for water on multiple occasions, and we were nearly done with our entrees before she managed to bring out the bottle of wine Mom brought.

While mildly annoying, the service issue won’t stop me from returning.  The new girl will learn, and the food was so good I wasn’t irked enough to complain.  I have a new go-to spot in Atlanta.

 

This has nothing to do with food, but I have to share.  On the way home I paused to take a picture of a parked car:

This dude’s friends are awesome.

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My birthday weekend started out with a session with my trainer.  After he killed my legs, I had a deep tissue massage, which I credit for my ability to wear heels to dinner.  It was exactly how I wanted to spend the day.  Figure competition training is hard, but rewarding.  This week I realized that I’m able to increase the weight I left in my solo sessions, and that my arms are coming along!

I look forward to my daily trek to the gym… in part because I never know what fun sights I’ll see…

Workout Recap (7/9- 7/15):

  • Monday – Chest/Biceps
  • Tuesday – Legs (w/ trainer), 1.65 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Back/Triceps, 1.5 mile walk
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes
  • Friday – Chest/Biceps, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Legs
  • Sunday – 2 softball games, 100 push-ups

***

Thank you all so, so much for your kind words on Friday’s post.  I LOVED hearing about all of the goals you WILL accomplish.  If you haven’t already, click here to check out the post and enter to win The Simply Bar sample pack in my birthday giveaway. 🙂

Is food an important part of celebrations in your family?  Any cake-traditions?

What is the craziest thing you have seen in the gym?

Gratitude and a Simple Giveaway

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I have a confession.

When I added dairy back to my diet, I worried people would be pissed I wasn’t going vegan forever.

When I added seafood last week, I wondered if people would think I sold out.

When I read all of the encouraging comments you left, I felt gratitude.

Pushing myself to the limit in this past month of training has left me feeling a little vulnerable.  I’m feel strong and I am proud of what I’m doing, but I am outside my circle of comfort and that can be unsettling at times.

You reminded me that:

  1. The people who read my blog (yes, YOU) are amazingly supportive
  2. I shouldn’t worry about what others think of my eating habits (you’d think I’d never forget this since I blend spinach into everything)
  3. If you focus on doing what is right for you, and the rest will fall into place.

We’ve all struggled at some point in life with body image – if nothing else, its part of growing up!  What I continue to learn (re-learn?) is that you shouldn’t CARE what others think about you.  Especially when it comes to diet.  Your diet is just that – YOURS.  It’s a personal thing.

Some people are naturally teeny.  Some people have bigger bones.  Some were built to bench 200 lbs.  Some are aerodynamic sprinters.  Some people can eat red meat with no problems.  Some people can’t stomach the thought of eating an animal product.  And that’s fine.  Just don’t wear fur and we can all get along. 😉

Sunday will mark the beginning of the 29th year of my life.  The last year of my 20s.  Sometimes I’m amazed at what I’ve done in that time… and sometimes I panic because I wanted to accomplish more (wasn’t I going to rule the world by 30?).

From my perspective, the important thing this to keep your goals in sight and stay focused on the things that mean the most to you – family, career, athletics, crazy food creations, etc.  If you believe you can’t, you won’t.  If you belive you can, you will.

You can do anything you want to if you want to badly enough.  Bring it, world domination!

Thank you all for reminding me to stay true to myself, and that support will follow when you are genuine.  It sounds simple, but sometimes it’s hard to remember.

Speaking of simple…

For my birthday I would like to give you a gift!  The people at Simply Bar have offered to send a sample pack to one Sprint 2 the Table reader!

I first tried the Simply Bar at this spring’s Blend Retreat. The Simply Bars were in our (overflowing) shwag bags, and were there to fuel us through a strenuous hike.

I’m a big fan of anything that is natural, tastes good, is low in sugar, and is high in protein.  Here’s how The Simply Bar fits the bill:

  • 16g of protein from non-GMO soy crisps
  • 3g of sugar means no sugar crash
  • These gluten-free, vegan bars actually taste good too
  • At 160 calories they are filling, but won’t leave you over-stuffed

Their current flavors are: Peanut Butter Chocolate, Lemon Coconut, Caramel Peanut, Cinnamon Pecan, Cocoa Raspberry, and Cocoa Coffee.  I haven’t tried the last 2 flavors, but that Lemon-Coconut is positively addicting.  The texture is great – crunchy with a bit of chew, like a rice crispy treat.

How do you win? Receive up to 4 entries by:

  1. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
  2. Tweet: You could say something like: I’ve entered to win a sample pack from @thesimplybar with @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1rZ  #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow The Simply Bar, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What goal do you believe you can/will accomplish one day?

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST Wednesday night,  July 18th.  The winner will be announced here on Thursday, July 19th!

Open to US Residents only.  If you’d like to try these bars but didn’t win, check out their Store Locations to find a local retailer, or simply order your own sample pack on The Simply Bar website.

***

Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

~Dr. Seuss

Are you a Seuss fan too?

What are you doing for my birthday this weekend?

Planning to Eat Healthy + WIAW

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Eating healthy on the go takes planning.

I’m sure this isn’t news to any of you.  It’s become particularly evident to make lately as I’ve changed my habits to incorporate more protein and begun eating 7 small meals a day.  Serious training goals take serious planning.

For starters, I keep track of my meals in a spreadsheet.  This way I’m never stuck searching for ideas and/or desperate and hangry for food.  By keeping it on Google Docs, I can easily edit and make additions as I get ideas throughout the day.

It also makes for easy grocery shopping – I can make my list in record time now!  (P.S. check out yesterday’s post for a chart to navigate grocery store.) 

Last week I mentioned that I was struggling to find a wider variety of vegetarian protein sources.  The resulting increase in dairy resulted in my skin is breaking out.  Since then I’ve reduced my dairy to 1-2 servings a day, and my skin has magically cleared up!

One way I’ve kept up my protein intake without the dairy is to incorporate fish into my diet.  If you’ve been reading for a bit, you know that I’ve dabbled with being vegetarian and even vegan.  For me, it was about how much better I felt without meat in my diet.

Mom and I learned together how to bake fish in parchment last Friday evening!

While I do intend to keep my diet as plant-based as possible, I am enjoying experimenting with seafood (something I only started to like a few months ago), and haven’t noticed it dragging me down like I did with meats.

July is becoming my favorite months for a few reasons:

  1. It’s my birthday month  (4 more days!)
  2. The fruits and veggies we’ve been getting at local markets have been particularly delicious
  3. Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday theme for July is of “Food, Fun, and Fitness.”  You guys know that’s perfect for me these days!

Check out my latest adventures in protein-loading below; then click here to the WIAW round-up on Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s fitness foods!

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Pre-Game:

I woke up early, but my weights workout isn’t until late tonight since I have a date with my trainer.  I’ve grown accustomed to  moving in the morning, so I decided to jump on the treadmill for a power walk while watching a little GMA.  Not wanting breakfast yet, but needing energy I drank down a glass of my Fitmixer Aminos. mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar (great way to start the day for energy and errr… digestion…).

Meal 1:

Anytime I have an appointment with my trainer, I try to eat a little heartier throughout the day.  Not stuffing myself, but I want to be sure I have adequate energy because he pushes me to the limit and then some.

I don’t repeat many meals, but last week’s Blueberry Protein Tart was so delicious that I couldn’t wait to eat it again.

Same tart base and peanut butter icing, but I this time used peaches rather than blueberries and sprinkled the top with ground flax and cinnamon.

Meal 2:

Did you know eggs can be cooked in the microwave?  It sounded weird to me at first, but it worked out perfectly.

I microwaved 3/4 C egg whites mixed with black pepper and ~1T water (to make them fluffier) for 2 mins.  Then I stirred it up with some tomato and basil before popping it back in for 15 secs.

 

Topped with pumpkin seeds and red pepper flakes.  I’m positive the work microwaves have never been used for such a creation. 🙂

Meal 3:

Lunch was last night’s leftovers.  Here’s where the fish comes in.  I baked a halibut in parchment with rainbow chard, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese 5-Spice, and a little coconut oil.  It was pretty tasty.  Even though my boss said it smelled… that is a problem with seafood.

Enjoyed with some sesame Wasa crackers. 

Meal 4:

Here’s my serving of dairy – a mixture of no salt added cottage cheese, peanut flour (a.k.a.: my crack), and a bit of liquid Stevia.  Side of cucumber sticks.  This is literally the tastiest cucumber I’ve ever had.  Unbelievable amount of flavor. 

Meal 5:

Remember yesterday’s vegan Protein-Packed Ancho Bean Burgers?  I took one to work for dinner!  Yup – I ate dinner at work.  My trainer appointment was at 9p and I had a Genius Bar appointment at 7p… no point in going home.

All wrapped up in a giant piece of chard with artichoke spread and radishes.

Meal 6:

This was a post-workout shake to cure my leg shakes.

I received a couple of protein powder samples from JBT Labs.  This was a chocolate flavor.  My first reaction was that it was ok… I decided to add chocolate extract to the mix, as well as some Stevia.  There was also 1/2 a zucchini, spinach, and ice in the mix.

At first I was worried because the blender made it frothy. Some people like that… I prefer creamy.

I stored it in the freezer most of the day, but it thawed a good bit between my errand and the workout.  Lo and behold, after it had sat all day the mix and de-frothed and was DELICIOUS.  It seems obvious now, but when faced with frothier powders I will let the mixture have time to rest and settle post-blend.

Meal 7:

Last meal = dessert.  I almost didn’t eat this one because I was so tired from the gym.  But… I knew my muscles would thank me.  Especially when I have an early morning workout planned.

Mashed up strawberries, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, and almond milk.  Let chill in fridge for 30 mins or so.  Devour.  Go to bed.

***

This day of eats contained 6 different protein sources, and I managed 157g of protein.

Do you bring seafood for lunch?  How do you deal with the fishy smell?

How do you keep track of your weekly meals?

Eating with a Top Chef

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OK, maybe not with…

 

 

I did eat AT Richard Blais’ new Atlanta restaurant, The Spence.  God bless cheat day.  Chef Blais was the runner-up in season 4 of Top Chef, and then went on to win Top Chef All-Star season 8.  He’s famous for his use of molecular gastronomy and ambitious flavor combinations.

His fearless approach to food was evident throughout The Spence’s menu:

 

Even the Parker rolls were presented with pizzaz (good thing, because I’ve always found their taste to be blah).

Dinner Rolls with a schemer of butter sprinkled with sea salt

 

For my appetizer, I couldn’t resist the gazpacho.  It was listed on the menu as “Canned Soup of Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho.”  I’d take this over Campbell’s any day.  It was served atop radishes, smoky-toasted croutons, and what I think was a horseradish granita.

The presentation alone was worth the choice:

 

My friend and dining mate, Kathleen, chose the beet salad.  It was a mix of roasted and raw beets, blue cheese, soft-boiled egg, and wasabi.  The textures were perfection, though I could have gone for more heat… but you guys know how I am about fire.

 

On the to main event.  I need to preface this by saying there are dishes the menu that were much more ambitious that what we ordered.  The menu needs some explanation and – oddly enough – our server wasn’t recommending the more unusual items, even when asked.  Did she not trust our pedestrian palates?

If I go back, I’m throwing caution to the wind and ordering the pork belly.  It is brought to the table under a glass dome of rich smoke and unleashed for your viewing (and smelling) pleasure.  The people next to us were over-the-moon about this dish.  It smelled so good I almost jumped into the guy’s lap when they removed his lid.

 

I selected the Cobia (a mild white fish).  It was cooked to perfection – done sous-vide and finished on the grill to give it a nice crust. It was topped with a salsa of kaffir lime, pineapple, capers, and crisp green beans.  Even better was the pine nut cream – it was like dinner-appropriate nutty whipped cream.

 

Kathleen ordered the Spatchcock chicken with asparagus and sea beans.  The chicken itself was ho-hum (again, we should have ordered better), but the sea beans and a peanut dust served alongside the chicken were fantastic.

 

Last but not least: dessert.  I had been looking forward to the carrot cake and peas, but it wasn’t available that evening (they change the menu weekly).

No matter, one bite into my selection and I forget the cake. I chose the Burnt Banana Ice Cream served with chocolate mousse mixed with lightly candied peanuts and drizzled with caramel.  I could have licked the plate.  The ice cream was just as good as it sounds, and the mousse was thick yet not too sweet.  The well-balanced dessert that left me feeling satisfied rather than gluttonous.

 

Kathleen was craving cheesecake.  She ordered what was listed on the menu as “Ricotta Cheesecake, Blackberry, and Graham.”  This looked NOTHING like a cheesecake, but was impressive, nonetheless. It was incredibly light and was easily the most creative cheesecake interpretation I’ve seen.

 

The bill was presented with an old-fashioned key resembling the restaurant’s logo.  I wonder how long before all of those are stolen?

It was quite pricey, but you will leave with a smile on your face once you eat the gift from the kitchen – a tiny creme-filled spiced cookie sandwich.

 

You’ll leave with an even bigger smile if you man-up boldly interrupt Chef in the middle of dinner service for a quick photo-op.  In all seriousness he was very gracious, stopping to chat with several tables and patiently posing for photographs.

 

He asked if I was a “good blogger or a bad blogger.”

I think I’m good… I’m certainly not mean.  Most of the time.

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I almost forgot the workout recap time!   Figure competition training is still ON and I am loving it.  It is taking a massive amount of discipline, but I know the reward will be well-worth it.  Ever try doing barbell squats with a heinous sunburn on your shoulders?  I don’t recommend it.

I think there are a few noticeable changes in muscle-size.  Or at lease that what my mom and my BFF tell me.

 

Workout Recap (7/2- 7/8):

  • Monday – Back/Triceps, 2 mile walk
  • Tuesday – Shoulders/Glutes (w/ trainer), 3 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, 3 mile walk, jet-skiing
  • Thursday – Legs, 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Back/Triceps
  • Saturday – Shoulders/Glutes, 2 mi walk
  • Sunday – 15 min bike ride, 2 softball games

***

Thanks to everyone for their positive thoughts, comments, messages, and tweets after Friday’s post.  It was a tough day, but you all put a smile on my face. 🙂

Have you ever eaten at a “celebrity” chef’s restaurant?  Did it live up to expectations?

What was the best thing you ate this weekend?

 

A Meal and Wine Pairing From France

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It appears S2theT is turning Japanese into an International wine/spirits blog.

I kid.  However, today I am honored to have a International food/wine post from my friend Holly @ Je Mange Toute la France.  She has been living in France for the past few years.  Yes, I am green with envy.

Her experiences and recipes inspire me everyday – since I’m traveling abroad (different country, but whatever), I thought it was perfect timing to ask her to guest post here.  I was so excited that she agreed.  This is something of a milestone for this blog – it is the FIRST seafood recipe to ever be posted here.  I’ve only recently started eating the stuff… but it’s not half bad! 🙂  Thanks Holly, for helping me to further expand my palate.

A little background on my ex-pat friend:

Holly has been living in Provence since 2009 and every day she discovers something new about food.  Just the other day she had cade for the first time and it was entirely different from its socca cousin.  She likes to ramble on about food, wine, writing and the discoveries she makes about this often crazy region of France.

Je Mange Toute la France started as a collection of things she liked to eat and places she enjoyed so that she could remember them and has blossomed into an actual “food blog.”  Holly is a published author with dreams of finishing her second novel and sometimes blogs about the trials of that too.  She’s also got an obsession with cookies. (Editor’s note: join the club, my friend.)

In parts of Provence, Sunday lunch is still a big deal. Families and friends sit down at the table together with only a meal to dominate their thoughts. This is followed by a long, quiet sieste lasting into mid-afternoon. In my apartment building there’s even a restriction on making noise after 12pm on Sundays. Sundays are serious. You eat, you rest. Anything more strenuous is blasphemy.

The menus themselves are varied and can be in many courses or just one big plate. Though it’s usually two of us, Sunday lunches are meals I always look forward to each week to explore new recipes and old favorites.

This week, I made aioli. Perhaps you’ve heard of it; the garlicky mayonnaise that is traditional to Provence. You may be surprised however, to know that there is a whole meal dedicated to this dipping sauce and is a favorite of brasseries, restaurants, and family meals.

The plate itself is colorful, fresh, and surprisingly cheap. It starts with fresh or boiled vegetables: carrots, beets, cauliflower, radish. Regular and sweet potatoes and a hard boiled egg.

And poached morue: a type of cod popular in the south of France. This cod was purchased for only 4 Euros at the local fish market. I asked the seller for a filet of cod for aioli for two people and he gave me this huge piece. I don’t know how much fish he thought two people could eat, but we had plenty left over.

Mussels are another traditional fish that is served with the aioli plate. But alas, I’m allergic to shellfish and crustaceans.

Aioli gets it’s name from the word ail – garlic in French. I’d never made my own mayonnaise before, but everyone told me how easy it is. Nevertheless, I was still nervous.

I read the directions from the bible: Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking over and over again, showing the recipe to the husband in disbelief at the amount of olive oil for one egg.

Like many things cooking, aioli or any mayo is not difficult if you have three hands and a lot of elbow grease. The most important thing is to keep whisking.

Lay out your plate with a dollop of the ailoi in the center, just a tablespoon to dip your vegetables, fish, and egg in, but always keep plenty in a bowl on the side. There are simple flavors here, everything to compliment the heavy, thick and very garlic-flavored aioli.

To drink, rosé is a must. Though Provence is home to the famous town and wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Editor’s note: my favorite French wine!) as well as several good Côtes du Rhone, it’s the rosé that the region is known for.

This rosé is from a vineyard near Aix-en-Provence and includes Grenache (the grape of Chateauneuf), Syrah, and Cabernet. It is light and fruity and I think what makes rosé so popular in Provence is that it’s refreshing, easy to drink and goes well with almost every summer plate. Aioli and rosé are no exception.

Lunch doesn’t stop there. Petit-fours must be served with espresso. This is a very well-loved Sunday tradition. The rest of the week operas, meillfeuiles, tarts, cream filled cakes are rare or at least in smaller numbers at your local bakery. On Sunday and Saturday they are out in force, lined up along side one another, inviting you to indulge your sweet tooth.

What I love about these cakes is that they are never overpoweringly sweet. Where there is light, fluffy butter cream, there is less sugar and so you don’t find yourself drowning in richness and instead can take the time to enjoy each bite down to the last crumb.

One last word about the aioli mayonnaise. Though traditionally, the recipe calls for only olive oil to be used, this can often leave the sauce with a very powerful and unpleasant flavor. The trick many people use is to combine the olive oil with something milder in taste like vegetable or canola oil. Ratio of about 2:1.

Traditional Aioli:

For the platter:

  • Radishes

  • Carrots

  • Beets

  • Sweet Potato

  • Regular Potato

  • Cauliflower (or any vegetable of your choice)

  • 2 Eggs

  • Cod (about 250 grams for two)

For the aioli

  • 4-8 cloves garlic (I used 6)

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • pinch of salt

  • ¾ cup olive oil*

  • 3 tbsp lemon

*or two parts olive oil, one part vegetable oil

First, if the cod is fresh it needs to be desalted. This should be done the night before. Fill up a large bowl with water and place the cod inside to soak. Before going to bed, dump out and replace the water. Do it again when you wake up the next morning and then once more before you actually prepare the cod. Keep the fish in the refrigerator while soaking so that it doesn’t spoil.

Wash and peel and trim all vegetables. In a large pot boil the potatoes until they are soft enough to pierce with a fork – about 10-15 minutes depending on the size. Hardboil your eggs.

For the cod, you will wash it off once more and then poach it. Make sure the water is just under boiling point otherwise the fish will be rubbery. This takes about 15 minutes or until the fish is flaky and falling apart.

As for the vegetables, some people (like the husband) like them boiled. I prefer mine raw. It’s up to you. Traditionally, everything is boiled together in one large pot.

For the aioli:

In a large bowl crush your garlic with a pestle until it’s a fine paste. You can do this while you are cooking everything else, but I recommend making the actual sauce after everything else has finished so that you can concentrate on whisking – once you start DONT stop.

Add the egg yolk and a pinch of salt to the garlic and whisk until the yolk has thickened. The very, very slowly begin to add the oil. Keep whisking vigerously all the while and if the egg and oil are going to make a mayo you’ll see it start to expand and combine almost immediately. Once you see the sauce start to come together, add 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Go back to the oil, slowly add more. Remember to ALWAYS be whisking. Add another tbsp lemon juice. Add oil. Always whisk.

You may not need to use all the oil. It depends on how much mayonnaise you actually want. For two people I ended up using just over ½ a cup.

Plate everything. Serve. Enjoy. Take a sieste after. I did.

***

I’m crashing Holly’s place in France on my next international trip!  Who’s with me? 😉

Have you ever made your own mayo/aioli?  How about a VEGAN version?

What is your favorite French dish?

Memorable Memorial Day Weekend

By

Does blogging count as working over a holiday weekend?

I couldn’t wait to share a few highlights!  In case it does count as working, I’ll play it safe and keep this one short.  Literally.

1. Just when you thought it couldn’t get shorter…

I got my hair cut again.

I HAD to do it to prepare for Argentina. 🙂

Karen  @ Lava Hair Studio rocks my world.  She’s my longest relationship – we’ve been together nearly 5 years.

2. My sister isn’t the only artist in the family.

Sort of.

Heather invited me to one of those drink-and-paint places.  I was skeptical (I’m NOT artistic), but it was SO much fun!  If you have one in your area, I’d recommend trying it out for a fun girls night.

Thank you so much for a great evening Just for Giggles!

3. There was a first:

I ordered a seafood entrée for the first time in a restaurant.

One of my best friends and I met for dinner at a local spot called Haven.  It was a great meal!  We split some apps and a seafood entrée: a white grouper with zucchini, pole beans, cranberry beans, and a carrot-fennel salad.

4. Quality pool time.

Complete with a Todd-jito: strawberries, mint, vodka, limoncello, and a bit of powdered sugar and ice.  Tasty.

Check out the bottom pic.  Doesn’t the water fountain thing make it look like the guy is peeing?!  Yes, I’m that mature.

5. Best.  Yogurt.  Ever.

The Yogurt Tap in Decatur, GA is the BEST fro-yo.

I’d tap that.

It’s local, made fresh in the store from in-season fruits, and they are now offering a dairy-free almond butter flavor.  If you’re in ATL and haven’t tried it… you don’t know what you’re missing.

A holiday weekend and an ACL tear doesn’t mean I’m taking a holiday from working out!

Yesterday began with a soon-to-be disclosed workout designed especially for this blog by Lindsay.  It’s going up as a guest post during my travels next week.

Post-Linsday butt kicking

Workout Recap (5/14 – 5/27):

  • Monday – Quick Cardio Circuit, Back/Biceps w/ plyo, 100 push-ups
  • Tuesday – P90X Plyo
  • Wednesday – 5-4-3-2-1 workout (2x), Wednesday workout, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – 100 push-ups, REST
  • Friday – Shoulders w/ plyo, 100 push-ups
  • Saturday – Tris/Chest w/ plyo, 2 mi jog
  • Sunday –  Lindsay’s workout, Ab Ripper X, 2.75 mi run/walk, 100 push-ups

***

I’m going to state the obvious: I vote every weekend be 3 days long.

How has your long weekend been?  Did you workout?

Do you still laugh at juvenile things?  I don’t think I’m growing out of it.

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