All posts by Brian

Episodes, Friends Food Fun

FFF EP-38 DOUBLE THE CHEESE, DOUBLE THE FUN, HOME-MADE PIZZAS

Leave a comment

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wa3x9wohCs

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too).

As you can see from the title of the episode, Brian and I were most happily engaged in making and enjoying our versions of instant pizzas (or, as I ended up calling the on camera, open-faced hot sandwiches). To make the process even simpler, Brian used flatbread as the foundation. As for doubling the fun, we actually quadrupled it, because I thought we should each have the opportunity to build our own, with the decadent influence of two cheeses on each one. After all, what is life if you don’t try to live it to the fullest, even if all that means is doubling the cheese. And sharing. That’s not just a recipe for twice the yum; it’s for yum to the ultimate power.

[nggallery id=8]

Variations:
My only choices were whatever Brian had set out on the counter. But, now, when I think of variations, I’m moving way past any traditional pizza toppings and wonder what the pizzas would have been like if I’d applied some of my indulgences from the previous episode (on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches).

For the base, instead of using a flatbread, other possibilities include foccaccia (especially with rosemary on it), plain or garlic naan or my fave, onion kulcha. Instead of using garlic on top of the brushed-on olive oil, what about onion relish, tomato chutney or red pepper jelly. You’ll note I’m deliberately staying away from often-used tomato or meat sauces here. I really like the idea of being able to create something different that can be enjoyed right out of the oven or after it’s cooled down a bit. That’s also my reasoning for keeping the pizzas vegetarian. If you’re not using an animal product (which releases animal fat during heating), then there won’t be any congealing taking place on the surface of the pizza. [After all, I love pepperoni but cold pepperoni fat = yeeatch. ::pretends to screw up face in revulsion::]

If you want to stay in safe pizza ingredient territory, then you could try either red flame-roasted, raw or lightly blanched multi-coloured pepper strips. There are always artichoke hearts. Or a wide variety of mushrooms, including button ones preserved in oil. You could try sautéeing sliced mushrooms first in oil and draining well before layering on the pizza. What about sliced green, yellow, orange and red tomatoes arranged in an artistic pattern. Or thin slices of barely-ripe avocado, Add some shredded zucchini under the cheese layer(s). Or thinly-sliced pickled jalapeno. Or baby spinach leaves. I think you get the idea.

But, then, if you want to get really creative, reach into the fruit bin. Slice a pear, apple, or nectarine. Don’t forget about fresh, luscious figs. To dessertify (yes, I just made that word up [Editor’s privilege]), go with Mascarpone cheese. Stud some walnut halves under the cheese layer. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg. Does that not spell “decadent” to you? I definitely think it does.

Above all, let your mind wander in directions you’ve never allowed it to [Mine goes into outer space on a regular basis, but I don’t think you really want to know about that, lol.] because, otherwise, you’ll keep getting stuck in an earthly orbit … and the same predictable tastes.

Look at Brian and me. I’m sure half the time we’re scratching our heads (though at least we’re not tearing out our own or each other’s hair) and wondering How. On. Earth did we ever come up with a particular combination. But then we giggle, shake our heads in fond amusement and Go. Do. It. All. Over. Again! So … we dare you to embark on your own voyage of self-discovery. It’s enlightening, entertaining and, most of all, FUN!!!

Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

Friends Food Fun

FFF – EP 37 HAVE-IT-YOUR-WAY GOURMET GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Leave a comment

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYS3QebNIX8

Greetings, Earthlings!

It is I, Helenka, ultimate ruler of the uni— ::reacts to sudden poke from Brian:: What? Oh, sorry. Wrong blog. Let’s try this one more time.

[nggallery id=6]

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

Are you ready to go on another adventure with us? Fabulous. Because Brian decided we’d had so much fun with our decadently divine cheese tasting (Episode #32) that we should do it again by inventing our own grilled cheese sammidges – where I got to play with all the potential ingredients (and I did, I so did).

Now, if this were a typical blog entry, I would talk about what we made during the filmed episode and only later on provide variations. But I can’t do that this time … because the entire episode was one giant variation. And that was exhilarating for me! Come to think of it, I believe that’s one of Brian’s devious devices to get an unscripted and unpredictable reaction from me on camera. ::sighs:: And it works.

As I mentioned during the filming, here was another dish that I had been deprived of while growing up, with the one prominent exception in my adult life. I find it fascinating to see how we can intertwine a food with a memory of a happy occasion. Though it’s been at least 36 years, I can still remember the crisp but sunny day, the meandering walk through Rosedale on my way to my friend’s place, being offered that most humble combination, aka a grilled cheese sandwich, and finally watching The African Queen for the first time. Do you have any significant memories of happy events or important people in your lives that are inextricably meshed with a particular food? See for yourselves how many you can pair together.

To recap, here were my two exquisite creations:
#1
Danish Blue cheese
Saint André cream cheese
Stone baked Rosemary Ham
Asian Pear
#2
Balderson 6-year old Cheddar cheese
Mont Gleason cheese
Bacon
Caramelized Onions
Fuji Apple
Honey Dijon Mustard

Anyway, back to the important lesson from this episode. Even if you did grow up with the standard version of a grilled cheese sandwich (two slices of bread spread with butter or marge with a slice of cheddar in between), there is absolutely NO reason for you not to create your own unique masterpieces!

Variations:
If you’re stumped for ideas, just think about some of the cold sandwiches you’ve eaten of which cheese is a part … and translate them into a grilled version.
Like:
-Rare roast beef and Brie
-Reuben (corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss)

Or, if you want to, you can think of a grilled cheese sandwich as an unusual type of pocket pizza. Any traditional (or weird) combo will work beautifully.
Try:
-Hawaiian (ham, pineapple and mozzarella)
-Vegetarian (mushroom, roasted red pepper and asiago)

Don’t be afraid to mix two cheeses (or go on a spree with three!). Get out the tomato or onion relishes that you normally use only during hot dog/hamburger season. See what other condiments are lurking at the back of your cupboard. Mix fruit with veggies. We did it with our salads before, so why not with this comfort food.

Or turn this into a simple yet decadent breakfast or dessert sandwich. You heard me wishing we’d had fresh figs. That’s only one possibility. There are so many other firm-fleshed fruits (peaches or nectarines, apricots, strawberries) that would be sensational with goat cheese. Cut the sandwich into four pretty triangles, sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and drizzle with maple syrup and … ohhhhh … um … where was I?

Any of the ideas we’ve presented for the French toast or pancake episodes could be adapted for use here as well, as long as the fruit is fairly sturdy. And just remember that the cheese needs to have body as well. That’s why I would not recommend a deli-style cream cheese alone, as its consistency would be too thin to withstand the heat of the oven unless paired with a firmer cheese.

So, please remember that, just because a grilled cheese sandwich used to be a fairly boring and traditional staple, you can play with it to your heart’s content. Because playing with your food is one of those unexpected (and often whispered) privileges of being a grownup. And more people, other than Teppan chefs who juggle food for entertainment, should be able to do so. Cheers to that!

Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

Friends Food Fun

FFF EP – 36 OH MY, PAD THAI!!

Leave a comment

EPISODE 36: OH MY, PAD THAI!!

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWI43dpMyyg

Hey, Foodies,

Look at us in our new digs!

It was one year ago when I started publishing a blog on http://brianupward.com
Even though Helenka and I started filming in January, I wanted to ensure we were ahead of the game so I didn’t start publishing until March 2010.

Now, one year later, we are kicking it up a notch with a brand new website (same great content). We’ve picked a new theme that matches our personalities (“We Love Playing With Our Food”) plus are throwing in some … umm … “special” characters.

I’m keeping my name as a site as well, though I will be transforming it soon into something else and it will be used to showcase some of my photos and other adventures I’ve been on.

Helenka will be taking on a bigger role in the writing ‘cause that is what she does best (besides editing my blurbs [Helenka gloats quietly: Yay, I have the power!] ). I’ll be spending more time on the other “creative” aspects of running the blog, including the video editing, shopping, cooking, etc. [Helenka figures that means exclusive use of sharp implements too.]

For this episode, I tried my hand at making a version of Pad Thai. Lucky for me, the box of noodles I bought just happened to have a packet of sauce included (okay, for my first time, I thought I should be able to get away with a ready-made sauce 😛 ).

I’ll leave the rest to Helenka to describe (take it away, me dear!).

Have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)
PS. If you are a science fiction fan, the title is a play on the words that George Takei is famous for and the way he says them.

[nggallery id=4]

Helenka’s Notes:

Hello, everybody!
Are you excited?
I’m overwhelmed because we moved and I didn’t even have to pack a thing.

So, with our brand new … uh … brand comes a brand new maturity. NOT! Nope, ‘cuz I even went younger with my new Shirley Temple curly locks (with giggles to match). And Brian was equally silly, too (despite trying to maintain a chefly (chefish? chefesque??) decorum.

For this episode, as I was positive there were no old boxes or jars hanging around our shiny studio kitchen, Brian went out and bought something interesting. It was a kit for Original Pad Thai containing stir-fry rice noodles with sauce (Thai Kitchen brand). We’ve both eaten lots of Pad Thai at various Thai restaurants around Toronto and elsewhere, so this was not a new experience for us.

However, as we’ve learned during the cooking of other dishes, it’s fun to experiment by adding or substituting ingredients to make it ours. For this recipe, we had the latitude to include shrimp or chicken or tofu with our choice of veggies. Actually, according to the box, the veggies were also in the “OR” category, but I’m glad Brian didn’t pay any attention to that exclusion! From the tags (and watching the episode), you’ll see the veggies that were used and that meant that Brian could omit one ingredient that was on the box recipe, namely bean sprouts. That was just as well, as bean sprouts – in my opinion – have to be purchased and used on the spot … a bit difficult to do when mixing a working day with filming later. I’m thrilled though that he did include cilantro and lime wedges (listed as optional garnishes along with fresh chilies). And crushed walnuts stood in for peanuts.

If you’re curious as to what was in the packet of sauce, the primary ingredients were (in decreasing order): sugar, water, rice vinegar, preserved radish, tomato paste, anchovy fish sauce, chives, soy oil, red chili, tamarind paste, salt, garlic, shallot and, finally, paprika (for colour). When Brian gets around to making his own the next time (for surely there must be a next time), we’ll be sure to see what variations there were from the commercially available kind.

Okay, so I’ve mentioned how much fun we had not only with our food but also just with our normal (for us) banter. But … ::wonders out loud:: what else am I going to write about???

+++brain gets a flash of inspiration+++
Okay, I’m going to indulge in a wee bit of nostalgia about growing up in Toronto and how lucky I consider myself to be living in what has been identified more than once as the most diverse city in the world.

You already know about Brian’s past … growing up on The Rock and mine in a Polish neighbourhood in TO. When I was young, I didn’t know what pasta was, except for having the occasional broad egg noodles or fine nests, usually in a broth. But pasta, that was what Italian families ate … in the next neighbourhood to the north. I don’t even think I ever ate any at my school cafeteria (where the norm was chicken or beef (fish on Fridays), a scoop of mashed potato, veggies, buttered bread, dessert and milk). Yes, that was a very long time ago when school lunches managed to override and even out our unique ethnic backgrounds.

So … where am I going with this? Right here. I never considered that noodles could be made from anything other than wheat. Rice? Really? Well, it’s not unrealistic to think of how limited my world view was, especially knowing how important and prominent wheat is as a crop on the Canadian prairies. But now, being older (and I hope wiser), I can understand how people around the world would use ingredients at hand (so … Asian rice fields) to create noodles. And then I think of what I read in high school, namely the popular interpretation that it was Marco Polo who introduced spaghetti into Italy from China. Made with hard wheat. Which I’ve just read was available in Asia, as well as rice flour.

To further confuse me, I’ve just discovered where my fave noodles (called glass or cellophane) come from. They’re a product of … starch (as in mung bean starch, yam, potato starch, cassava or canna starch) and water. Doesn’t sound so glamorous, does it … but I love the taste and look of these translucent noodles (and can usually get a dish from a Korean take-out counter downtown … and occasionally Thai restaurants as well).

My meandering point is that sometimes, because of limitations of geography and cultural homogeneity, we can miss out on spectacular tastes from around the world. Despite my (slightly idiosyncratic but well-fed) Polish childhood, I’m so glad I grew up into being eager to try new taste sensations, no matter what their origin. [Though, shhhh. It’ll be our little secret that I will never learn to appreciate natto, aka fermented Japanese soybeans!]

I’m even tempted to opine that food was one of the instrumental factors in bringing people from different backgrounds together to live in harmony in Toronto. Though I do remember being made to feel like an outsider once or twice (and recall having to reassure a nervous restaurant owner that, yes, I knew exactly what “variety” meat was (and trotted out a very specific list, lol), but that was many years ago. Since then, it’s been my experience that most people living here believe there’s no point in regulating strict food boundaries that correspond to specific neighbourhoods, as if to indicate that nobody anywhere without a heritage other than theirs could possibly appreciate their cuisine as a whole or discern its finer nuances. And I believe it means a lot to see one’s food respected by those who didn’t grow up eating it only because it was what was placed before them. And, for newcomers to international cuisine, imagine getting closer to people even if you can’t speak a word of their language. Except that food itself is a language that doesn’t require an interpreter, merely the willingness to share in the experience.

I’ve just thought about another cultural relic from my past. Toronto used to have a yearly food/culture festival called “Caravan”. Its purpose was to provide opportunities for exposure to food and other integral activities even beyond the wealth of what was already available in so many diverse communities (so, yes, I’ll admit to beer drinking at the Tranzac Club – a home away from home for Australians and New Zealanders living in TO). Many of Caravan’s “pavilions” were housed in religious, cultural and community halls around the city and provided an easily accessible and affordable way to fill one’s “passport”. The idea has spread to and been successful in other cities near Toronto. ::cheers:: Now I don’t want people to come to the conclusion that Toronto is the perfect city ::pouts off camera:: but I really do believe that our diverse neighbourhoods and their food, not to mention an open curiosity within our population, has made us the urban and urbane centre we are today. Okay, I guess that’s enough geopolitical introspection into Toronto and its food.

But, before you go to sleep tonight, think about something you’ve read about or seen but never eaten. And resolve to go ::giggles:: where no one has gone before (oh, I just had to use that line). And may your own food discoveries bring you much satisfaction and joy!What about this one?