A Few Fave Flavored Teas For Fall

Because I'm an alliteration addict, but I digress...

Now that the weather's finally cooling down, I can regularly embrace steeping teas on a regular basis. And although I do enjoy a clean cup of sencha or a robust Darjeeling, lately I have been exploring flavored teas. No, I'm not talking about something that smells like a Bath & Body Works (I'm looking at you, Teavana!) but ones that are more nuanced and delicate, working with the tea leaves natural aromas & flavors rather than trying to mask it.

And here are a few of my favorites for varying moods & occasions:

Something fruity: Thé des Alizés from Palais des Thes'

This Parisian tea company was the one that began my intrigue (& eventual embrace) of flavored teas, back when they were used for Jin Patisserie's afternoon tea service. While it's hard to pick a favorite flavored tea from this company, I'm particularly enamored with this one because the lush, juicy notes of peaches, kiwi & watermelon plays so nicely with the delicately sweet-grassy notes of the green tea. And it's great one to have year-round, since it works amazingly well as an iced tea too!

Something floral: La Vie en Rose from American Tea Room

Recipe: Lemon-Raspberry Sour Cream Cake

For me, chilly winter weather (OK, as chilly as Southern California gets) means time to fire up the oven so I can flood my home with that wondrous freshly-baked aromas & a blast of comforting warmth.

All this was made even better when I entered Hodgson Mill's "Have a Grain Holiday" recipe contest, since I get to be creative in crafting a recipe and get a batch of their lovely baking products too. (Actually, you can get a chance at their baked goods too by entering their sweepstakes, and if you missed out on that - here's a $1 off coupon for you to use through the end of Feb.)

And for my blog readers, here's an extra giveaway opportunity for their baking products.

And while I know winter usually call for baked goods that are hearty, robust and spicy (fruitcakes, gingerbreads and the like,) I think it's a refreshing change of pace to have some bright and sunny too -- thus my lemon-raspberry sour cream cake. It's light in texture, tender in mouthfeel with the mildest crunch from a sugar topping, and the perfect fruity tang to balance its sweetness.

Slices of this cake can pass off as a breakfast pastry. Or if you're feeling more indulgent, top it with a fruity dessert sauce, light frosting or scoop of sorbet for a simple yet elegant dessert dish.

Lemon-Raspberry Sour Cream Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour (I used Hodgson Mill's White Whole Wheat Flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• zest of 2 lemons (approx. 2 tablespoons)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 tablespoon raw/turbinado sugar

1. Preheat oven to 425 F and line the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a larger mixing bowl, toss the granulated sugar and lemon zest together; add butter then cream until smooth. (You can also use the butter paper to grease the sides of the cake tin.)
4. Add sour cream, vanilla and egg and combine until smooth. Then add flour mixture in 2-4 batches, stirring until well-combined each time.
5. Gently add the frozen raspberries and stir until they are well distributed throughout the batter.
6. Pour batter into the cake pan and smooth out with a spatula or clean hands until it's even throughout (the batter is on the thicker side.)
7. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top and put in oven's middle rack.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, testing for doneness as needed (a toothpick inserted in center of cake should come out clean.)
9. Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then serve. 

Disclosure: Hodgson Mill had provided the flour used in this recipe.

Recipe: Crispy Mustard-Herb Roasted Potatoes with Pancetta & Cider-Mustard Sauce

 

The recipe for this dish came about rather serendipitously . . . I had just read J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's (a.k.a. SeriousEats' Food Lab) tips & tricks for ultra-crispy oven-roasted potatoes and was waiting for an occasion to give it a try (as well as my own flavor twist to his recipe.) Around the same time, I got picked to participate in a Mystery Ingredient Blogger Showcase to craft a recipe using their secret ingredient, which turned out to be Colman's Mustard. So I basically blended the techniques of the former and the flavors of the latter for my Crispy Mustard-Herb Roasted Potatoes with Pancetta & Cider-Mustard Sauce.

The result from that marriage was nothing short of awesome. Thanks to the par-boil & high temperature roasting with generous—but not frightening—amounts of oil, the potatoes were amazingly crispy on the outside with a wonderfully creamy and fluffy interior. And the aromatic bite of the mustard (used in both powdered & paste forms) was an elegant balance to those baked taters, the cider cream sauce's rich, fruity sweetness and the smoky-salty bits of pancetta.

And like most of my other recipes, this one is a cinch to make. And because the potatoes stay crispy for a while (and is even delicious cold) you can make this show-stopper side ahead of time, just save the sauce for drizzling right before serving for that dramatic & flavorful finish.

Crispy Roasted Mustard-Herb Potatoes with Pancetta & Cider-Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds baby potatoes, washed and cut in half lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 10 thyme sprigs
• 7 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons Colman's mustard powder
• 12 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 ounces diced pancetta
• 4 ounces hard cider
• 1 tablespoon Colman's prepared mustard
• 2.5 ounces heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 500 F; line a 8 x 12 sheet pan with aluminum foil and put it in the oven while it's preheating
2. In a large enough saucepot, put potatoes in with enough water to cover it along with the table salt and rice vinegar. Bring it to boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to a simmer and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes (it should just start to yield when poked with a knife.
3. While potatoes are simmering, combine the leaves from 5 thyme sprigs, kosher salt, mustard powder, and 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large bowl and whisk with a fork until well blended.
4. Drain the simmered potatoes, then toss them in the oil mixture until they are well coated; remove the heated sheet pan from the oven and generously coat with the remaining oil. Carefully lay the potatoes cut side down on the pan, and place in oven's middle rack to heat for 25 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and turn the potatoes cut side up - carefully adding garlic cloves in the gaps between the potatoes. Put back in oven to heat for another 20-25 minutes (when the skin starts to char and the cut-side flesh is a deep golden brown.)
6. While the potatoes are heating the 2nd time around, heat up the pancetta in a skillet on the stove at high heat. When it browns and crisps, remove them and set aside, leaving the rendered grease in the skillet.
7. Turn heat to medium and pour in hard cider to deglaze, using a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape any pancetta bits stuck to the skillet.
8. After the initial bubbles dissipate, add cream, English mustard, and cornstarch. Whisk vigorously, breaking up any lumps that may form.
9. Let the sauce simmer for 1-2 minutes until it starts to thicken, then turn heat off and set aside.
10. When the potatoes are ready, scoop onto a plate and sprinkle on the crisped pancetta; garnish with remaining thyme sprigs and drizzle on sauce just before serving.

Beer Tasting: Abita's Andygator

Since I'm in Southern California, beers from Abita Brewery (from the other LA) are fairly uncommon to come by. And when their beers do make an appearance, it is usually the Purple Haze (their lager brewed with raspberries) or Turbodog (their rich, almost chocolaty dark ale) that gets most recognition. While I do enjoy both beers, for me -- my favorite of their line up is the Andygator (with their Pecan Harvest Ale being a close runner-up, though I haven't seen, let alone tasted, that one in a LONG time...)

What I love about the Andygator is its balance of flavors, aromas and body. It's got a bit of tropical fruitiness and caramel-toffee sweetness on the initial nose & palate, but far from being a fruit and sugar bomb. That's followed by slightly toasty maltiness and just enough hops to make it satisfyingly rich and refreshingly light at the same time (and fear not, bitterphobes - this beer only clocks in at a mild 25 IBUs.) All this makes for a brew that's approachable for many but with enough complex nuances for a beer enthusiast to appreciate.

But where this Andygator really snaps is with its ABV, it clocks in at 8% but tastes considerably lighter -- and one can easily quaff a bomber-sized bottle only to feel its bite a few minutes later (as I did.) Thus, I'm super stoked they just started selling them in more manageable six-packs of 12 ounce bottles (with a giveaway to commemorate the occasion, with one lucky winner getting a 2 nights hotel stay, VIP brewery tour & a swamp safari).

But until they make their way to the West Coast, or me seeing it on tap at local bar, I guess I'll have to wrangle a drinking buddy to share this 22 ounce of potent deliciousness. All the while hoping for more of Abita's seasonal & specialty brews to make landfall in "the other LA" out here.

Healthy Snacking: Krave's Basil Citrus Turkey Jerky

I've never been much of a jerky lover as a kid—having been fed those over-dried leathery strips that smell funny and tastes even weirder—and it's recently that I discovered actually like them. Well, at least the actually tasty ones like the ones made by Krave.

I first came by Krave about a year ago when Woot! offered a deal on their sampler pack, and I was curious about their unique flavors (way different than the usual varieties of "original", smoked, spicy, barbecue, and teriyaki.) While I enjoyed all of them, the basil citrus turkey jerky became my favorite upon, a surprise even to me since I expected that to be extra-dry and gummy as hell, except that it's anything but.

This was like tasting jerky in technicolor, with a fiesta of flavors from the tang of the lemon, the fruity sweetness of apples and honey and the intoxicating bouquet of basil. And it has a nice chewiness without going to leather-tough territory.

On top of being delicious, this is a snack I can nosh on with very little guilt. Each 1 oz. serving has only 80 calories. Even if I chomp down on the whole bag (and I have been tempted to on several occasions,) it'll only clock in at 260 calories—which isn't bad at all. And with each serving packing in 9g of protein (it is mostly turkey breast, afterall) it's great before or after a strength workout to help those muscles repair, or as a filling snack to bring along.

As for me, I can't wait to stock up on a few more bags for hikes, trips... or a party; maybe I'll even be bold enough to do one of their suggested drink pairings too!

Pantry Perennials: Pepperoni

Yes, it's the ubiquitous pizza meat, which I find funny since 1) I don't make pizzas at home and 2) I hardly order pepperoni on my pizzas (meatwise, I'd much rather have my pies topped with sausages, bacon and ground beef, and the occasional ham/Canadian bacon if I'm feeling "Hawaiian".)

But I keep sliced pepperoni around because it's such a versatile, multi-tasking ingredient, since it contributes:

• Oil: Instead of vegetable oil or butter, I sometimes begin my stir-frys and sautés by throwing a few snipped slices of pepperoni on the skillet and wait for that brilliantly orange-red, spice-infused oil to leach out within a minute. I then take the pepperoni out and have vibrantly-flavorful cooking oil to start with.
• Seasoning: for similar reasons to the oil, I will regularly add pepperoni at the end of cooking a dish to do double duty of adding saltiness & spiciness at once. And just like extracting the oil, it doesn't take long for the dish to be boosted with the meat's flavors.
• Texture: pepperoni slices crisps up quickly and wonderfully, and it makes for a delightful change of pace from other crunchy toppings (breadcrumbs, frizzled onions, and heaven forbid-- Bac-O Bits, which I just found out don't even contain any animal products.)

While I can go on and on about my uses for pepperoni -- currently, my favorite is to crisp up pepperoni slices on the skillet & crumble it and using the spicy oil for a vinaigrette, making for a fantastic dressing & topper for a salad. Or, when I want a near-instant snack, crisp up the pepperoni and use the oil to grill a slice of bread and eat both with some olives or pickles.

Although I do rotate between a few brands, Fresh & Easy's is one of my regular go-tos. The flavor is great (just salty, spicy & complex enough), and I appreciate its lack of nitrates & unnecessary chemical gnarlyness. I also like its larger-than-norm slices (which I can snip down if I need to), and at 60 calories per 1 oz serving & priced at $3.49 - it's not a bad deal for the wallet or waistline either.

Dr. Chocolate Appointment: Godiva's "Mooncake" Collection

As far as mooncakes go, I am a through-and-through traditionalist. Ok, I might not like that gritty-as-hell fruitcake-adjacent five-kernel filling, but I definitely appreciate it more than those contemporary "mooncakes" made with gelatinous/mochi skins and filled with ice creams, custards and other faddish shenanigans (I half-expect to see cronut versions injected with cold-pressed juices this year.) I'll take mine with white lotus seed paste & two yolks, to be polished one-quarter at a time, thank you very much.

So when Godiva invited me to try their Mid-Autumn Festival collection of mooncake-shaped bonbons, I disclosed to them my bias towards the classics before they even sent along the box. Nonetheless, I was intrigued by the eclectic flavor offerings in these truffles, which according to their press release is already a hit throughout Asia and making their U.S. debut this year.

When I saw the spec sheet was in the box, I can't help but chuckle at how upbranded these chocolates were. There were mentions of single-origin chocolates and ingredients from seemingly fascinating locales (e.g. Turkish hazelnuts, Australian macadamia praline,) even the box itself is made to be a work of art (and actually, after I finished tasting these with my friends -- one of them took the box home to use as a tray to hold keys and assorted bric-a-bracs.)

As for the chocolates themselves? They were actually quite delicious, definitely tastier & more exotic than the Godivas I've tried years ago. While I did find the fillings formulaic (in general, each bonbon's top layer is a tangy fruit ganache & bottom layer some form of nutty crisp,) I was able to parse out some of the nuances in each truffle. The white mini mooncake did have the faintly pleasant fraise des bois fragrance, and the dark mini mooncake did ring true with the tropical tartness of passionfruit and mango.

For photo purposes, I'm also thrilled none of these are caramel-filled, which would've turned into a runny-sticky mess when I cut them open for the interior shot.

My favorite of the set was actually large mooncake, with its dark chocolate shell encasing a rather sublime combination of pear, redcurrants and citrus. I actually give them props for not going overboard with last one, a common pitfall of many citrus-infused chocolate (even today, I'm very wary of bars, truffles and desserts that have chocolate and orange in the same line.) Having said that, it would be great if future Mid-Autumn collections were more Asian-centric in flavor choices, to pay homage to cultures that actually celebrate this holiday.

And like regular mooncakes -- this collection will cost a pretty penny ($50). But if you know Mid-Autumn celebrating folks who shudder at the thought of lotus & jujube pastes and not really into borderline slimy "ice skins", or are just chocoholics (like me!) in general, this collection may be the classy way to go. Just don't forget a get a paper lantern too!

Godiva's Limited Edition Mid-Autumn Festival Collection is available for sale online & at its California stores through Sept. 19.

Other stories about this collection:
L.A. Times
Mochi Mag
That Food Cray

Dr. Chocolate Appointment: Chuao's Firecracker Bar

I make no excuses for my daily Dr. Chocolate ritual (cheaper than actual therapy - I'd say!) or for my eccentric tastes in chocolate. One of my recurring unusual obsessions are chili-infused dark chocolate bars; I absolutely love the way that intense bittersweet chocolate gives way to chili's heat. Depending on the bar, sometimes it's a warming tingle, other times - a flash of fire. Either way, I love it!

And while I do enjoy many kinds of dark chocolate-chili bars—my regular rotation include Vosges' Red Fire, Moonstruck's Chile Variado and Cost Plus World Market's Chili Lime—my current favorite definitely has to be Chuao's Firecracker Bar (though their Spicy Maya is really good too!) Actually, 'current' makes it sound like some flighty fling when it's really been a years-long affair, ever since I discovered them in truffle form at one of their stores.

What really elevates this one above the other chocolate-chili bars is the inclusion of sea salt and, more notably, mini pop rock candies embedded right in the bar. You can let the bar melt on your tongue for a gentle fizzle, or chew it down for a loud ringing pop (I half-expect to see actual fireworks in my mouth, as if I'm biting into a wintergreen candy). Either way, that release of CO2 is not only fun, but briefly amps up the spice factor of the chipotle chili.

I've since moved onto to try other Chuao bars and flavors, and as tasty as they were (particularly Maple Bacon, Honey Comb and Pop Corn Pop - the last of which also features popping candy) the Firecracker Bar's uniquely delightful & delicious experience definitely has a special place on my tastebuds. Likewise for its more luxurious truffle, which I always make room for when I pick out a bonbon box during my San Diego excursions.

Other reviews of Chuao's Firecracker Bar:

LA Times

YumSugar

Junk Food Guy

Candy Addict

District Chocoholic

Scott Roberts

Photo courtesy of Chuao Chocolatier

Pantry Perennials: Trader Joe's Garlic Flavored Oil

While I do collect flavored salts & sugars without abandon, I do draw the line at flavored oils -- primarily because I so sparingly use them that they'll likely go rancid before I can finish the bottle.

The single exception I make to that rule is garlic-flavored oil, particularly Trader Joe's Organic Garlic Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I know, it's not that hard to freshly mince/grate a clove or two into a neutral oil while it's heating up, and there are plenty of times when I've done just that, but there are also moments when I'm too lazy for it but still crave an instant hit of allium (usually when I'm trying to cook breakfast without having had that glorious, life-breathing first cup of coffee beforehand.) 

And it's also great for adding a hint of garlic fragrance & flavor without having to worry about getting a big ole punch of pungency, like when I'm making a salad dressing or just a finishing spoonful in a soupy noodle dish. Or making melted garlic butter on the fly for this past weekend's clambake. 

Of course, I can always go the DIY route and batch up my own garlic oil, but at $3.99 for 250mL -- I'm perfectly fine with the TJ route and save myself some greasy cookware, and smelly fingers, to clean up too.

Photo courtesy of Trader Joe's.

Beer Tasting: Hangar 24's Essence

I have always loved Hangar 24's Local Fields series of beers, which utilizes locally harvested fruits (and in the case of their delicious winter Warmer, spruce from nearby mountain forests.) The summer Essence is no exception. A substantial IPA that clocks in with over 8% ABV & 75 IBUs, I loved how its distinct hoppiness is balanced by the bright, refreshing aroma of citrus (from Redlands-grown grapefruits, blood and navel oranges.)

However, don't mistake this for squeezing a wedge of orange into the likes of Shock Tops and Blue Moons, Essence is rather dry with a bracing bitterness and a heftier-than-norm body. Think of it as a more masculine cousin of their year-round and ever-popular Orange Wheat (another great warm weather beer that's approachable and worth trying, particularly for those used to the "orange in my Belgian-style wit" crowd.)

So get it while summer's still around. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to its autumnal Gourdgeous.