My Urban Pantry

emeril’s

September 26, 2010Leave a comment

For Z’s birthday we went to Emeril’s namesake restaurant at Universal Orlando City Walk. We had fun trying flavors both fresh and familiar. This still fell during Magical Dining Month so we chose from that menu with a few extras.

Emeril’s elevates itself by bringing an amuse that wakes up your palate – this time it was a tiny bit of rotisserie chicken salad on a crispy wonton floated on a spicy tomato jam. Z reminds me it had pickled cabbage and microbasil on top.

For a starter I had salt roasted yellow beets and local tomatoes with blood orange oil, goat cheese and microgreens and Z had rabbit bolognese on torn pasta. They were both really homey and the flavor of the bolognese was really deep and winey. I am on a hunt for blood orange oil now. We also added a shared plate of andouille sausage with roasted onions, mustard and toasts. The sausage was spicy at the back of the throat.

I had short ribs with white beans and white frisee. It was good but a bit overdone. Z had a half rotisserie chicken with a white cheddar potato cake and bacony collards.

For dessert we each had a bananas foster bread pudding with salted caramel and they brought Z’s with a candle to celebrate.

goat cheese, avocado, celery, walnut pesto, watercress – that’s just on the bread

September 20, 20101 Comment

> ok, that was a little excessive. We are back into Tom Colicchio’s book tonight for dinner and having the goat cheese, avocado, celery, walnut pesto, watercress on fresh bakery brown bread sandwich. You toss the celery and watercress in a brightly acidic lemon vinaigrette that cuts the richness of goat cheese, avocado and walnut pesto. If that wasn’t enough, we are having Nordstom’s Kalamata Aioli and shoestring fries on the side. Totally fresh luxury.

Nordstrom’s Kalamata Aioli Recipe, adapted from Tastebook by Allison Maxwell

3/4 cup Mayo
1/4 cup roasted garlic puree
1 fresh clove garlic
1 to 1/2 cups pitted Kalamata olives

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the top off of a whole head of garlic; drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast for an hour. May be done ahead of time.
Puree the olives and 1 fresh clove of garlic very well in a blender or food processor. Place in a bowl and add garlic puree, lemon juice, and mayonnaise, Mix well with a whisk. Adjust for salt and pepper.

Walnut Pesto

1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Freshly Ground Black Pepper and Salt
Place ingredients in blender or use immersion blender to puree. Try not to lick the bowl.

happy days walty

September 18, 2010Leave a comment

happy birthday walty. Somehow you made it to 1. We got you on Thanksgiving weekend and quickly learned what a lonely kitty does in the night-meowing and waving your arm under the door to be let in. We relented and left the door open and you learned to knock over water glasses. We began to shut our waters in the bathroom as you ran around at night. You quickly became a playful guy and got your own condo made of taped and cut up packing boxes with ribbons hanging off. You ran circles in your litter and flung it around your bathroom. We tried to teach you to stay off the counter. Then Z made you the jingly. A long stick with a string and mouse-bird toy on the end which quickly turned into two little bells that you chase if only someone will drag it for you. You became a lolcat and ‘famus’. Temptations became your favorite treat besides Z’s last spoon of cereal milk. Your favorite toys are mere pieces of trash, a kleenex box with a ball inside, the crunchy shrink wrapping from jars. You sit in the leather chair and watch birds and bees in the trees outside for hours even though you are scared to go out there. Then Z built you the castle which is now your favorite place to perch, play, sleep or watch the world and us pass you by. We love you walty-happy days.

aloha roy’s

September 10, 2010Leave a comment

skype can be a beautiful thing. This afternoon sometime after four but before five I sat down at my desk and asked (via skype) “what should we do tonight” hoping for an answer that wasn’t something like “go home and make dinner…” Z said, “want to go to harmoni?” and I said, “hey, it’s magical dining month” and listed four restaurants he liked the menu on, I made a reservation online and ran out the door at 5 after 5. We made it to Roy’s for a six o’clock reservation. We had teriyaki calimari, vegetable spring rolls, ponzu salmon with amazing pickled cucumbers (rice wine vinegar, jalapeno and a little sugar), incredible savory glazed short ribs and oozing chocolate souffle. I think there was a little soy in the glazing liquid. Not bad for three minutes on skype. I really recommend Magical dining month. It costs a little something ($30 per person) but you get to try things that you would never let yourself any other time. (I also had this martini with some ruby red vodka, lychee liqueur and patron citronge – so smooth!)

In deference to other diners we didn’t use the flash so the photos are kinda grainy.

the ravenal

September 8, 2010Leave a comment

scary.

you can see this bridge from more or less anyplace you drive in Charleston. It has 186 feet of clearance underneath, tall enough to allow a modern aircraft carrier to pass underneath. We didn’t go over but we joked about it. A lot.