Restaurant One

This is my first restaurant post! I'm sure it will be verbose and unecessarily long, but I've got to start somewhere right? So here goes...

On Thursday night, after being put-off by a long wait at our desired dining locale, my date and I ended up at a quiet little restaurant in Brookline, per his recommendation. Simply by chance, I'd walked by Lineage earlier that afternoon, and found it to be unremarkable--it was cute enough, but nothing that I hadn't seen before. I'd previously heard nothing of it, but being the food-lover I am, I was up to give it a try.

And thank goodness I did--the food was great.The service was just right--the host was gracious, and the waiter kind and assertive, but never hurried. I got a salmon dish, served over black rice and broccoli rabe, with a butternut squash puree. The salmon was cooked to perfection (exactly as I ordered it--"to perfection"), the rice was al dente, and the normally-bitter broccoli rabe was tender and delicious. The sweet squash puree tied everything together beautifully. For dessert I got the dark chocolate bread pudding, which was ok, but nothing I couldn't do without. For being marketed as a "dark chocolate" dessert, it was certainly lacking in that particular department, and I'd say it could have used another couple minutes in the oven. That being said, it's accompaniments--caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream--made the taste. And the atmosphere wasn't as plain and drab as I had expected. It was quiet inside, and not ever particularly busy, but the place itself is like a clean slate--go with someone special, and you can make it memorable.

Eventually I think I'll develop some sort of rating system, but until then, I can only recommend or recommend against. This time, it's a go--enjoy!

Pretty in Pink

These little beauties are my latest culinary adventure--not exactly difficult, but they're fun to look at. Admittedly I used a packaged cupcake mix from Trader Joes (pretty delish--Madagascar Vanilla cake mix), something I'm ashamed to admit, but I did make the vanilla and chocolate cream cheese frosting's myself, so somehow I think the baking-mix-taboo can be forgotten.

I found this scone recipe a couple of years ago, and it's been a go-to anytime I've wanted a quick, simple, and scrumptious breakfast treat. Part of it's charm is that it's incredibly versatile--I've made them just as the recipe says--cherry vanilla (absolute perfection), but also as raisin walnut, apricot ginger, apple ginger, cranberry, blueberry lemon, glazed, unglazed--the recipe can take just about any shape, and can handle just about any flavors. It's versatility makes it the perfect scone recipe, and it doesn't hurt that it's flaky, moist consistency is exactly the same every time.



Cream Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup dried fruit (optional)
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

For finishing:
1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk for glazing
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar (or turbinado sugar, my favorite)

1.) Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2.) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the currants, if using, tossing until evenly distributed and coated with flour. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two table knives until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of peas.

3.) In a small bowl, stir the cream and egg yolks just to blend. Add this all at once to the flour mixture. Stir with a fork to begin combining the wet and dry ingredients and then use your hands to gently knead the mixture together until all the dry ingredients are absorbed into the dough and it can be gathered into a moist, shaggy ball. Don’t overknead: This dough is sticky but benefits from minimal handling. Set the rough ball in the center of the prepared baking sheet and pat it gently into a round about 1 inch thick and 7 inches in diameter. Don’t be tempted to make the round any flatter.

4.) With a sharp knife or a pastry scraper, cut the round into eight wedges; separate the wedges. Brush the scones with the egg-milk glaze (you won’t need to use all of it) and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake until the scones are deep golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a wedge comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Slide the parchment onto a rack and let the scones cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Banana Bread

Yesterday I was getting something out of the freezer, and spotted an unidentifiable black pile. Upon further inspection, I found the pile to be several long-past bananas, and immediately decided I had to make banana bread--one of the greatest comfort foods in all the world. I scoured the internet, and found perhaps the most simply delicious recipe, which I altered and added to perfection. The recipe follows...

Bangin' Banana Bread

Ingredients:
3-4 ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on preference
Optional: 3/4 cup walnuts or chocolate chips

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and butter a loaf pan.
2.) Mash bananas in a large bowl, then add the sugar, melted butter, beaten egg, and vanilla.
3.) In a small bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, then add to the banana mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated, making sure there are no remaining flour pockets (these don't taste particularly good once baked)
4.) Add nuts and/or chocolate chips, if using. Stir just to incorporate.
5.) Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake in a 350 degree over for 55-60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

My favorite word...

ser⋅en⋅dip⋅i⋅tous

–adjective

lucky in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries

1.	come upon or found by accident; fortuitous: serendipitous scientific discoveries.

2.	of, pertaining to, or suggesting serendipity.

3.	good; beneficial; favorable: serendipitous weather for our vacation.