Twice As Rice

For a food blogger, I am a ridiculously picky eater. I don't think I dislike more foods than other people do, just that the ones I can't stand are probably some of the most common in American cuisine. Give me a warm plate of foie gras with fig compote and brioche toast points and I will relish it--actual relish however? Ugh, I hate pickles. And mustard. And I cannot describe the absolute loathing disgust I feel towards tomatoes. As you can imagine, my cheeseburgers are pretty boring.

You probably also remember that I may have possibly said at one point that I hate rice pudding. Cold, mushy, bland and with a texture that's just...eeww. I mean, what's to like? I remember going to a school sleep away camp in junior high where the dessert at dinnertime was rice pudding every night. Even ravenous teenagers that had been drug through the woods for three days would not eat this stuff.

So why the change? I have no idea. I simply woke up one morning in February craving the stuff. And not just any old stovetop or refrigerator rice pudding but warm, thick, delicious rice pudding spiked with--you guessed it--cardamom. At the Washington Cooking & Entertaining Show way back in November, I happened to try an eensy, weensy, safely tiny portion of rice pudding offered by a Thai food stand and remember being intrigued by their use of coconut milk. Maybe this was the subconscious beginning of my rice pudding craze.

I say craze because I have a feeling this is only the first of many rice pudding attempts. Even though I was pretty content with this batch, I know I could do better. While I liked the custardy feeling of the baked pudding, I think I might actually prefer more of the creaminess you can get from a stovetop pudding. Also, this time I was timid with the coconut milk, afraid to go overboard with the modern twists on this traditional dish. But next time I'm hoping to do the basmati rice justice with a healthy dose of coconut milk and maybe even some chopped mangoes.

Of course, you can always make this dish with regular milk and short-grain rice, so don't feel like you have to get too fancy. Or, like me, if you're just easing into a dish you previously detested with the passion of a thousand suns, you may want to take it slow. Who knows, maybe this time next year I'll be singing the praises of Caprese salad. But I wouldn't count on it.

Anyone out there have any similar experiences with a food they used to hate?

Baked Spiced Rice Pudding
3 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 tsp each cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl combine eggs, milk, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla and spices. Beat until combined but not foamy. Stir in rice and raisins. Pour egg mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

2. Place casserole dish in a 2 quart square baking dish or pan on an oven rack. Pour boiling water into baking dish around casserole to a depth of 1 inch.

3. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, stirring after 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

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Cardamom Panna Cotta

I have only recently come to realize how completely in love with cardamom I am. If you're not already intimately familiar with this sweet, permeating, Indian spice, it may sound intimidating, but a small dash of this amazing powder will put your cinnamon to shame.

I still remember my first encounter with cardamom during a spectacular Restaurant Week lunch at Rasika: the meal closed with a tiny gulab jamen--sort of like an Indian donut soaked in honey and spiked with--you guessed it--cardamom. New to the whole Indian spice game, I walked away from the meal determined to discover what had made the dish so distinctive. Cardamom is a member of the ginger family and comes in black and green varieties. And don't worry if you only have cardamom pods on hand, you can grind or crush them yourself, with 10 pods equalling about 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cardamom--just remember to strain out the pods after infusing into whatever dish you're making.

Ever since my Rasika experience (an absolute MUST try for Washingtonians also for their one-of-a-kind palak chaat if not for their exquisite use of cardamom), I've been on the lookout for cardamom-centered dishes to put my newly acquired jar to good use (I've said it a million times people--Spices. World Market. $2.99. Do it.) I've also been on a panna cotta kick lately (conveniently, so it seems, are most DC restaurants) so after some searching I sort of fused Alice Medrich and David Lebovitz's recipes for panna cotta for this delicious cardamom version. Also feel free to add orange or rose essence or top with chopped pistachios.

Cardamom Panna Cotta
3 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cardamom or 5 cardamom pods
1 cup whole milk
2 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin

1. In a small saucepan, heat the cream, sugar and salt until steaming, stirring from time to time. Remove pan from the heat and add cardamom. Cover and allow to steep for 25 minutes (or less if using ground cardamom).

2. Meanwhile, pour the milk into a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Set aside, without stirring, for 5-10 minutes to allow the gelatin to soften.

3. Add the milk and gelatin mixture to the cream and reheat to steaming, stirring well to dissolve the gelatin. If using cardamom pods, strain the mixture and discard the pods.

4. Pour the panna cotta into custard cups or serving dishes. Refrigerate for 4-12 hours, unmold and serve topped with ground cinnamon, orange zest or chopped pistachios, if desired.

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Bakeries in the Big Apple

I think that one of the best ways to learn things about oneself is to plan a trip. Are you spontaneous, taking off on a whim with no plan and no suitcase, throwing caution to the wind? Or are you relentlessly calculated, planning each stop, meal, visit and mode of transport down to the dollar and the minute? I think most of us probably fall somewhere in between, romanced by the thrill of spontaneity but reassured by the safety of tickets and reservations. Travel also reveals much about ourselves because it forces us to prioritize. Given only a brief window to experience everything new and exciting about our destination, what gets top billing on our list of to-do's? Deciding to plan a last minute day trip from DC to New York City for this past Saturday is perhaps how I came to realize that I've officially crossed over into the world of "The Foodie."

For my quick, 8 hour trip to Manhattan last Saturday I knew that I wanted to see as many famous sites as I could in such a short timeframe, but my very first priority without question was, Where am I going to eat? And not in a basic human need kind of way, but in a sugarlust-fueled, must try new bakeries kind of excitement. I'd even picked out Bombay Talkie in Chelsea as my dinner locale before I'd purchased my bus tickets (courtesy of a great tip from Juli B). If you're a fan of Indian cuisine this hotspot puts a chic spin on traditional Indian roadside fare. The malai kofta and Toofan cocktail I had were delicious. When it came to bakeries, the number of amazing choices in NYC are simply overwhelming so I put out a call on Twitter for suggestions from those more knowledgeable. Thanks to Tweeps TanyaBrothen and FrenchTwistDC I got great recommendations for bakeries both classically famous and freshly unique.

After a three hour open bus tour, you can bet that I was ready to beat the rush of the big city with a cupcake timeout, and my first stop was to Magnolia Bakery. While Magnolia is arguably The Bakery That Started It All, pioneering the cupcake craze in New York 10 years ago, you may also know them as Those Cupcakes From Sex & The City. Magnolia now has several bakeries throughout the city and I stopped by their Midtown location, which I'd be willing to bet has the most expensive rent of any bakery in the country. On the same block as Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall and just a block from shopping mecca 5th Avenue and the Diamond District...you can imagine that these cupcakes are doing pretty well for themselves. So, you may be surprised that I visited this epicenter of all things cupcake and did NOT have a cupcake. That's right. I wasn't able to get to the shop until late in the afternoon, by which point the place was jam-packed and the only cakes left were chocolate and vanilla. Call me a cupcake snob, but I feel like anyone can crank out a chocolate or vanilla cake and call it a day so I wanted something truly spectacular to remember Magnolia by. I saw it the minute I walked through the door. Red velvet cheesecake. I've never even heard of such a thing, let alone even imagined its existence. It. Was. Glorious. The flavor of red velvet--so difficult to even describe--was captured perfectly in this individual serving of cake. Paired with a chocolate crumb crust and plain whipped cream, I can honestly say that this is the best dessert I have ever eaten. It is worth the trip to NY, I don't care where you live.

My next stop was just three blocks away at Kyotofu. I know what you're thinking, Tofu? Bakery? But stick with me here. Kyotofu is actually a unique concept that fuses Japanese flavors and French culinary techniques into what is essentially a dessert restaurant. Opened in 2006 and already voted New York's best cupcake in 2007 by New York Magazine and one of the Best Worldwide Meals of 2008 by USA Today, you can bet that these people are on to something. Unfortunately, I was short on time so I was only able to grab a selection of Okara Soybean Cookies to go in flavors like matcha green tea and black sesame ($3.25 for 5 mini cookies) but if you have a chance you MUST take a seat in the back dining room. Sleek and sophisticated, the ambiance perfectly frames the elegant dessert selections. Though the sweet tofu has garnered rave reviews, for those not ready to take the plunge Kyotofu offers plenty of other delectable, less tofu-heavy options like miso chocolate cake, chocolate soufflé cupcakes or a seasonal selection. If you drop by for bruch, some of their savory options even include a complimentary cocktail! I wanted to include a photo of my cookies here but somehow they managed to get smushed either during the 27 block hike from Kyotofu to Bombay Talkie or the mad dash at 6:48pm to catch my 7:00pm bus back to DC. Such is the life of the traveling baker...

Some other fun places I passed:

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Reading the tea leaves

I am officially a chai fiend. Lately, I just cannot get enough of that sweet/spicy mix of cinnamon, cardamom, pepper and vanilla in my tea. I think that chai is one of those things that a person either loves or hates. I know that I am a “lover” because I can even stomach the Starbucks variety which tastes, basically, as if Christmas has exploded in your mouth. Sipping possibly my fourth cup of the day, I started to wonder if there was a way to effectively steep these chai flavors into a baked good without it coming out tasting essentially like gingerbread. After a bit of research I also came to find out, lo and behold, that January is National Hot Tea Month! Holy tea leaves, Batman! And, while I would just about die for a chai latte cupcake, I figured it’s about time to lay off of the cupcake posts for now and branch out a little. So, I give you: Chai Spice Biscotti, courtesy of MyRecipes.com (from Cooking Light, November 2000). Enjoy the last week of Hot Tea Month!

Chai Spice Biscotti

Makes 2 ½ dozen

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon loose Chai spice tea or orange spice tea (about 3 tea bags)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur) or orange juice
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through allspice) in a large bowl. Combine the oil, liqueur, and eggs, and add to the flour mixture, stirring until well-blended (the dough will be dry and crumbly). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 7 or 8 times. Divide the dough in half. Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove the rolls from baking sheet; cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 15 (1/2-inch) slices. Place the slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°; bake 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (the cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

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