# 1 food blog

Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

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Looks  like the devil is trying hard to get me off my sensible eating habits again.
Since I decided (once again) not to eat anymore sweets, (or at least just the tiniest amounts), the cravings to do so are getting stronger and stronger 😦
The only way for me to fight this is to actually prepare a sweet dish, set a tiny piece aside for Bella and I and get the rest of it off to the neighbor as quick as possible.
So far this works, hopefully for some time to come.
Yesterday, I had to fight the demons again………
I had some apples, ricotta and cashews at hand and in the back of my mind I was playing with different dessert-options, until they finally crystallized into this delicious pie/cake. And, to appease my conscience, I added some “healthy” elements by serving it with a bit of tart Greek yogurt and crunchy pomegranate seeds.
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Final Score –  Myself: Happy; Bella: Happy; Neighbor: Happiest !
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !

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Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

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Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

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Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

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Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

Ricotta Cheese Cake With Apples And Cashews, Served With Greek Yogurt And Pomegranate Seeds

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Preparation :
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East Meets West – Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce
East Meets West - Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce

East Meets West – Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce

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I could  have named this dish “Chinese Beef Stir Fry With Vegetables”, and it would also be absolutely correct.
However, I named it  “Sautéed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoi Sin Sauce”, because I wanted to emphasize the fact that naming a dish that one creates, even if similar recipes exist, leaves one free to use words that best describe the methods and ingredients so that one knows what to expect when reading about it or ordering it in a restaurant.
This is usually not necessary when preparing/serving well established dishes, such as Spaghetti Bolognese, Midnight Lake Soup, Sweet& Sour Chicken, Consomme Celestine, Veal Chop Milanese, Chicken Kiev, Chinese Pepper steak, etc, etc, etc.
However, when changing the ingredients or methods of a well established dish, we should explain it in the name in order to respect the original ! and to avoid confusion or even disappointment when the altered dish arrives.
(And yes, there are a few exceptions to that rule, such as when the “original” is not well known or not popular in it’s original version. After all, restaurants are businesses and we must sell whats popular in the particular market we try exist in and to prosper.) 🙂
Change and improvement is sometimes good and commendable, as long as the change from the original/classic is well documented.
I remember not too long ago to read a post of a very popular lady-cook who has a rather popular TV cooking show and published a bunch of cookbooks, who told her readers about a “smart “risotto recipe where one does not have to stir the rice and liquid constantly. It sounded really good and tasty, but that is NOT ! a risotto.
Or to be served a pesto with cilantro and walnuts which, incidentally, I love and make frequently at home. Nothing wrong with it – as long as you don’t just label it “Pesto”, which let’s one expect the classic version. Just name it what it is : “Walnut And Cilantro Pesto” and we are square. Or, as in this recipe, when both the French “sauteing” and the Chinese/Asian “Stir Frying” cooking method is the correct description of the cooking method used – choose one that fits the location, clientele or whatever seems correct and/or appropriate.
As for the potatoes, I had them in a Chinese dish for the first time when I worked in Singapore back in the early 80’s. After a long day at work, I usually told the night-cook to send me something tasty to my apartment at around 1.oo am. More often than not, he sent me a stir fried seafood dish with either noodles, potatoes or both, thinking that since I am German, the potatoes would comfort me (they did) 🙂
But besides that, Yunnan province and other areas of China, (mainly in the north-east), feature plenty of dishes containing potatoes. My absolute favorite and probably the best (only?) known in the West is probably :  酸辣土豆 / suān là tǔdòu (hot & sour shredded potatoes) or, with added pork juliennes: 土豆肉丝 (tǔdòu rou si)
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So there you have it, my own philosophy (the short version) of naming dishes I create or modify to my taste, availability, affordability and/or popularity with my guests, be it at home or in a commercial environment.
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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P.S.
This dish had more sauce than usual, because I wanted to have the leftovers the following day over pasta or rice ……
Also, it is one of the most delicious dishes I have prepared in the past few months, perfect in taste, quality and looks and very affordable and easy to prepare 🙂
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Click here to see the most popular  Chinese Potato Dish
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Click her to see “Beef Stroganoff: (NOT?)  on  ChefsOpinion
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Click here to read more about :
“Can A Classic Dish Be Altered If The Name Clearly Indicates That The Dish Is  In The Style Of……….“  on  ChefsOpinion
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East Meets West - Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce

East Meets West – Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce

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East Meets West - Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce

East Meets West – Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce

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East Meets West - Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce

East Meets West – Sauteed Beef With Bok Choy, Onions And Potatoes In Hoisin Sauce

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Preparation :
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“Dish At The Bottom Of This Page” 
Guess who got the beef and who got some of the raw bok choy 🙂
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Potato And Onion Pierogi With Grape Tomatoes And Cracked Black Pepper In Beurre Noisette


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Pierogi  or  Vareniki   are half circular dumplings of unleavened dough, stuffed (singularly or in various combinations) with mashed potatoes, cheese, farmer’s cheese, bryndza, cabbage, sauerkraut, meat, mushrooms, or other ingredients depending on the cook’s personal preferences. Dessert versions of the dumpling can be stuffed with a fresh fruit filling, such as cherry, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, or apple; stoned prunes are sometimes used.
Mashed potatoes mixed with farmer’s cheese and fried onions is a popular filling in Poland and Ukraine. In Poland this variety is called Ruskie pierogi. A popular filling for pierogi in Canada is mashed potatoes mixed with grated cheddar cheese .
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for more info on  Pierogi,  Vareniki  and  Pelmeni
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Click here for a link to the above pictured   Pierogi  on  ChefsOpinion
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Click here for  Beurre Noisette
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P.S.
If the tiny black spots in the butter bother you, strain the beurre noisette after browning through a cheese cloth,  then  saute the veggies and the pierogies.
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Ingredients :

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Method :

Saute onion in butter until translucent.
Stir into the mashed potatoes, add grated cheese and yogurt,
season with salt and cayenne pepper, mix well.To make the dough, beat together the eggs and sour cream until smooth.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder; stir into the sour cream mixture,
mix well and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until firm and smooth.
Divide the dough in half, then roll out one half to 1/8 inch thickness.
Cut into 3 inch rounds using a cutter or drinking glass.Place a small spoonful of the mashed potato filling into the center of each round.
Moisten the edges with water, fold over, and press together with a fork to seal.
Repeat procedure with the remaining dough and filling.Cook in boiling saltwater until dough is done, about 4 to 5 minutes,
depending on the thickest part of the dough. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain.
Saute in butter, duck fat, chicken or pork schmaltz to your liking – soft without color, lightly browned or browned and crisp.
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Preparation :
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Black Pudding And Potato Salad Turnovers…..(Schwäbishe Teigtaschen Mit Blutwurst, Kartoffelsalat Und Röstzwiebeln)

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These  pretty babies are a happy concoction of some of my beloved food items :
Blutwurst ( black pudding/blood pudding/morcilla), Swabian potato salad (schwäbisher kartoffel salad), röstzwiebeln (smothered or fried onions), good quality mustard, fiery chilies, and thin sheets of dough to wrap it all and bake to crispy goodness. 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for  Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat (Swabian Potato Salad)
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Click here for a very different kind of  Potato Salad  on  ChefsOpinion
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P.S.
For this dish I have used  Argentinian style morcilla, which is widely available here in South Florida. A better fit would be  Schwäbishe  blutwurst, which melts when heated and spreads out better within the crispy wrap. But taste-wise, the morcilla I used is about the same.
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P.P.S.
I love to serve this with hot chilies to cut through the richness of the filling. If this is too spicy for you, serve the turnovers with a side of green salad.
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Blood Pudding And Potato Salad Turnovers.....(Schwäbishe Teigtaschen Mit Blutwurst, Kartoffelsalat Und Röstzwiebeln)

Blood Pudding And Potato Salad Turnovers…..(Schwäbishe Teigtaschen Mit Blutwurst, Kartoffelsalat Und Röstzwiebeln)

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Blood Pudding And Potato Salad Turnovers.....(Schwäbishe Teigtaschen Mit Blutwurst, Kartoffelsalat Und Röstzwiebeln)

Blood Pudding And Potato Salad Turnovers…..(Schwäbishe Teigtaschen Mit Blutwurst, Kartoffelsalat Und Röstzwiebeln)

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Blood Pudding And Potato Salad Turnovers.....(Schwäbishe Teigtaschen Mit Blutwurst, Kartoffelsalat Und Röstzwiebeln)

Blood Pudding And Potato Salad Turnovers…..(Schwäbishe Teigtaschen Mit Blutwurst, Kartoffelsalat Und Röstzwiebeln)

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Preparation :
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OOPS-My Doc Gave Me An A**-Whooping……….(Caramelized Apple-Cobbler With Twice baked Chocolate Cookie Crumble)

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So  this morning I went to my doctor for my quarterly check-up. I knew I was in for some bad news, but boy oh boy did she let me have it. (Can you say verbal a**whooping !)
During the past couple of months, life had taken a bit of a downturn for me. Since I gave up drinking and smoking, the only way to make me feel better and help forget the daily crap has been eating – usually far too much quantities of sugar and starches.
As a result, my average sugar level has been way above my usual, decent levels. Therefore, the following dish will be the last of sugar-laden food I’ll eat. Any sweets I will prepare from here on will be strictly (mostly?) for visitors. As for starches, I will prepare and post the same as usual, although I will have to eat MUCH smaller portions again 😦 (also more salads and veggies) 🙂
And there you have it – let’s try to live a bit longer by eating healthier !
(See also   ” HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” ).
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Bon Appétit !   Life is  Good  Tough !
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Caramelized Appe Cobbler With Twice Baked Chocolate Cookie Crumble

Caramelized Apple Cobbler With Twice Baked Chocolate Cookie Crumble

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Caramelized Appe Cobbler With Twice Baked Chocolate Cookie Crumble

Caramelized Apple Cobbler With Twice Baked Chocolate Cookie Crumble

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Caramelized Appe Cobbler With Twice Baked Chocolate Cookie Crumble

Caramelized Apple Cobbler With Twice Baked Chocolate Cookie Crumble

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Preparation :
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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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This  dish is one of my  “go to”  dishes when contemplating endlessly without resolve in my mind what I will cook for the next meal.
Although I am a sucker for real curry, pasta sautéed in curry powder and “stuff” is something I can eat happily any time of the day, as often as twice a week.
Usually the basic ingredients are items I have always stocked in my fridge, freezer or cupboard:
Pasta, beef, shrimp or chicken, any type of vegetables, curry powder, a bit of kecap manis, chili paste, soy sauce or maggi seasoning, onion or scallion, eggs and herbs.
An added bonus to this dish is that it reheat’s wonderfully. (Some say it’s even better when re-heated) 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for more  Pasta  on  ChefsOpinion
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Click here for more  Curry  on  ChefsOpinion
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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg (Sunshine On A Plate)

Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg (Sunshine On A Plate)

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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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Preparation :
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Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?)

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This  morning for breakfast I had leftover pasta from last night, which required a much lighter lunch and no dinner (Maybe a bit of ice cream though 🙂
So, at around noon, off to the fishmonger down the road to get some fresh shrimp and to the supermarket to see what’s available that would be appealing to my desire for a tasty salad. Red pears, chicorée frisée (endive, curly endive, or frisée) and fresh lime for the salad and its dressing, and a small amount of sun-dried tomatoes and it was on. Twenty minutes after I got home, Bella and I were feasting on this superb creation, wrapped in flour tortillas and accompanied by peach ice tea. Bella ate about half the shrimp and a bit of the tortillas and graciously allowed me to enjoy the rest. Life is Good !
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Bon Appétit !  Thanks Bella, for your Generosity 🙂 
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Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?)

Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?)

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Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?)

Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?)

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Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?))

Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?))

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Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?)

Salad Of Chili Shrimp, Chicorée Frisée, Pear And Sun-Dried Tomato (Or Is It A Taco ?)

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Preparation :
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Potato Soup With Smoked Pork Shanks, Fried Shallots And BBQ’d Corn

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Am  I the only one who wishes dishes like this would widely be available in restaurants??
I am getting so very tired of seeing the same, mostly mediocre food on most restaurant menus. Of course there are a few exceptions, but these are mostly very high-end and not within reach of most of us on a regular basis. Then there are the ethnic restaurants, but most of them serve the same, “Westernized or Americanized fare. Same steaks, same salads, same sandwiches, same pasta dishes, same stews, etc, etc, etc.
I long for “the good old times” of food service, when restaurants had personality and the menu was a mirror of the chef’s ideas, passion, culinary abilities and standards, as well as the seasons and regions offerings and the owners personal and professional pride.
Going to a new restaurant used to be about discovering new dishes, new ingredients, new pairings, new preparations, new presentations. Most of all, it was about food – how it looked, smelled, tasted. People used to eat not one monster-sized dish, but a menu consisting of dishes of different textures, colors, fragrance, taste and presentation, harmoniously presented in logical order and appreciated for the effort that went into it to be as perfect a meal as possible. Most of all, one was able to identify the food that was presented, by its looks, aroma and taste. Customers appreciated any food that was prepared to a high standard, no matter how expensive and rare or how simple and ordinary the raw ingredients were. What counted was the mastery with which raw ingredients were transformed into food that could be enjoyed for its own sake.
My point, you ask?
A few days ago I was invited to one of the most famous, most expensive, most “in” restaurants in Miami, situated in one of the very  fancy and famous hotels down by the beach.
The surroundings were breathtakingly beautiful, the service excellent, the menu sounded exciting and alluring.
There were eight of us, mostly hospitality professionals and the host of our party who has traveled the world and is a food-fanatic. We ordered twelve appetizers,three different soups, twelve main courses, a variety of desserts and cheeses, all to be tasted and shared between us. Most folks had wine, a couple had beers and I had water. We had apéritif’s (OJ for me) and coffee.
The bill was $2330.00, plus tip.
While this seems reasonable for the location, the amount of food and the good wine, the quality of the food would have warranted a total bill of maybe $800.00 😦
While some of the dishes were complete misses, most of what we ate was decent and some of it was actually good, NONE of it was very good, let alone outstanding. Halfway through the meal we started talking longingly about really good food  we had in other restaurants, cities and countries (none of it in Miami).
I have read numerous reviews about this place, some good, some bad, some so so. But my own experience at this place has once more convinced me that the main reason we have so many mediocre restaurants around here is because most of the clientele at such “modern, popular dining establishments” are not handicapped by good taste, experience or common sense but rather solely interested to see and to be seen by like-minded folks for which the quality of the food is secondary. Therefore so many “Chefs” who are less than qualified to be at the helm of a great restaurant are heading a bunch of restaurants who exist only because of huge sums of money spend on PR instead of being spend on talent in the service and the kitchen.
Well folks, I had to vent a bit here……….
So, back down to earth and to the dish at hand, which I and most of my fellow diners in our group would have gladly exchanged for the offerings we received at said restaurant 🙂
And there you have it.
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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P.S.
Please note that I am aware that there are many excellent restaurants to be found in this country (very few in Miami)
However, it usually takes a good amount of luck, insider knowledge and/or money to find and enjoy them.
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Click here for more  Soup  on  ChefsOpinion
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Potato Soup With Smoked Pork Shanks, Fried Shallots And BBQ'd Corn

Potato Soup With Smoked Pork Shanks, Fried Shallots And BBQ’d Corn

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Potato Soup With Smoked Pork Shanks, Fried Shallots And BBQ'd Corn

Potato Soup With Smoked Pork Shanks, Fried Shallots And BBQ’d Corn

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Potato Soup With Smoked Pork Shanks, Fried Shallots And BBQ'd Corn

Potato Soup With Smoked Pork Shanks, Fried Shallots And BBQ’d Corn

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Preparation :
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One For The Kids # 4 – “Spaghetti Bolognese” (Spaghetti Eis)

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When  I posted  “Eiskaffee” a few days ago, one of my linkedin readers mentioned “Spaghetti Eis”, which reminded me of this, another childhood favorite of mine (of every kid?)
When I was very little, on special occasions my parents used to take my brother and I to the  “Eisdiele” (Ice Cream Parlor).
A few times, just when we were ready to order one of the ice cream wonders,  my dad dampened the excitement by declaring that because we did not yet have lunch, instead of ice cream he would have to order the only main course available, spaghetti.
This caused a short moment of bitter disappointment, only to be replaced with euphoric jubilation when THIS dish arrived. (Because I was so young, they were able to pull this off more than once 🙂
So there you have it, another happy childhood food-memory 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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One For The Kids # 4 - "Spaghetti Bolognese" (Spaghetti Eis)

One For The Kids # 4 – “Spaghetti Bolognese” (Spaghetti Eis)

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One For The Kids # 4 - "Spaghetti Bolognese" (Spaghetti Eis)

One For The Kids # 4 – “Spaghetti Bolognese” (Spaghetti Eis)

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Preparation :
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Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Spicy Cucumber Pickles

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Going  shopping at the grocery store involves ever bigger monetary transactions 😦 .
I used to enjoy shopping for food, usually buying way too much food and therefore giving away much of it in order to avoid waste.
Well, those times are nothing but happy memories. Whereas spending $200 a week was usually plenty enough to buy enough perishables, groceries and general household supplies for our family of 3 humans and 3 dogs just a few short years ago, the same amount now hardly covers the basic needs just for myself and Bella.
(Hearing the politicians in power tell the story, America is doing better all the time ???? – I wonder who really still believes this crap ?! )
Real income for the masses has actually decreased during the past decade, while cost of living has increased at an alarming rate, and a large part of the population can’t afford the basics anymore, such as good nutrition, healthcare, proper clothing, proper housing, transport etc. MANY people have to make a choice which essentials they will enjoy and which one’s to forgo, because a combination all of them together is out of their reach.
And now for the good news:
Cornish Hens are still one of the most affordable proteins, at around $ 4.00 a pop in most big city supermarkets 🙂  Even secondary cuts of other proteins usually cost at least the same or more. In this context it is great that most folks are not so familiar with cornish hens, which results in less demand and therefore keeps the price at an affordable level.
So, there you have it: A great quality protein at an affordable price 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for more  Cornish Hen  on  ChefsOpinion
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Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Cucumber Pickles

Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Spicy Cucumber Pickles

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Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Cucumber Pickles

Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Spicy Cucumber Pickles

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Preparation :
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