Flashback: Bakesale Betty’s in Oakland
Bakesale Betty’s Chicken Sandwich, Oakland California. Kendra Williams-Valentine.
This month’s Bon Apetit arrived, and behold, emblazoned on the front cover: A crispy chicken sandwich with fresh slaw- I instantly knew that somehow, someway, the Bakesale Betty gospel had reached the east coast, and now the nation for sure.
The Bon Apetit magazine cover that set my memories in motion: Bakesale Betty’s!
It was August 2011 when I visited this lunch-spot supreme. I was in Oakland, working with La Wanda from CocoaDiva for the month of August. She, aware of my culinary sensibilities (read obsession) wanted to take me to the new hot lunch-spot for a “Fried-” I instantly interrupted with a “yes!” eyes wide with anticipation. I regained my composure, apologized, and let her finish with a laugh: “fried chicken sandwich…but really really good, and fresh”. I have to admit, when she said “fresh” I was thinking “fresh out the fryer” so I was not expecting the glory that awaited (Although freshly fried was also true, she was referring to the fresh slaw in the sandwich). So what does two hard working women do on a hot summer afternoon in the middle of prepping for a food event? Ride over to the other side of Oakland to wait in line for a sandwich, that’s what (I’m in Cali baby, what do you want?).
These chocolate chip cookies are so good, I didn’t need chocolate chips!
Chocolate Chip cookies without chocolate chips. These cookies are super tasty, and stay that way even the next day!
Anyone who knows my cooking preferences, knows that I am not big on baking. Especially not using yeast. Not that it’s my achilles heel, it just doesn’t bring me joy to follow someone else’s recipe (or my own for that matter) perfectly… reading and measuring out carefully with very little room for improvisation.
Not my thing.
However, cookies do have a special place in my heart. Why?
1. I usually have all the ingredients on hand.
2. They don’t take forever to prepare or bake.
3. There is NO YEAST involved
and last but not least, they carry memories upon memories of home.
So, about a month or so ago I was having a conversation with my friend about cookies, and she revealed something awfully curious… she loves chocolate chip cookies but not the chocolate chips.
How the hell does that work??? and no don’t tell me its called a damn Snickerdoodle… that’s not the same thing Betty Crocker.
But, the more I thought about it, the more I understood what she meant… and since I live in in the European ‘land of hard to find chocolate chips that cost a ton for very low generic quality’ I began to think maybe that wasn’t a bad idea.
So, I decided to keep that thought in the back of my head, and try to figure out a recipe that could make the “Elusive Chocolate Chip Cookie without Chocolate Chips”.
A couple days ago, the thought of a white chocolate and macadamia nut cookie from Mrs. Fields’ popped into my head. Torture I have grown used to living abroad.
So I decided to look around the interwebs, and do some research online (and procrastinate doing the research I should have been doing). After awhile, I consolidated all the recipes for “Mrs. Fields’ cookies” but anyone who knows anything about cooking at home from scratch verses commercial franchise is: it can not be the same. For one thing, no preservatives that gives it that extra zing you have gotten familiar with as part of the flavor. For better or worse.
BUT! There was one feature that looked really promising… a call for oatmeal (Havregryn in Swedish) powder (Which is taking dried oats and blending it in a food processor until it becomes powder).
AHA!
Faux Pho: easy Vietnamese noodle soup (flashback)
Vietnamese noodle soup: made easy.
It seems I’m on a bit of an Asian kick these days… which is not unheard of since I’ve spent many a day hanging out in Chinatown as a teen. One particular favorite I used to eat at least 3 times per week was Pho or Vietnamese noodle soup. I get cravings for this soup that creep up so quickly its shocking.
Now, I love spending entire Sundays cooking down marrow bones into broth, but this sunday I wanted my Pho- and I wanted it fast. This is what I came up with, and the broth had far more depth then the last take out Pho I attempted in Stockholm- awesome.
- (2) Cans Beef consomme
- plus (3) cans water
- (1) Large cube beef bouillon
- (2) Medium sticks of Cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon Allspice or Star of Anise
- (1) Parsnip peeled and sliced in half
- (4) thin slices of yellow onion
- 200g or (1) medium sized steak (I like entrecote/ribeye)
- 200g Vermicelli/Glass noodles
- Garnish (lots):
- Bean sprouts
- Corriander
- Spring onion
- Lime
- (2) Large bowls for serving
- optional:
- Sweet chili sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Place steak in the freezer. (This will make it easier to slice paper thin later).
- Boil the first (6) ingredients together for 30mins. Taste, and add more water if needed.
- Once taste is right, strain out the broth, and discard solids (parsnip, cinnamon,etc.). Bring broth back on the burner and let simmer.
- In another pot of boiling water, submerge vermicelli. Take off heat and let cook about 1 min. Drain noodles and rinse well with cold water to stop cooking. If they are not soft enough, don’t worry, the soup will cook it further when serving.
- Take steak out of freezer, and slice into paper thin strips.
- Now get your bowls ready:
- Place about half noodles in each bowl, and top with sliced raw beef. (Don’t worry, the broth will cook the meat)
- Bring your broth to a boil, and the spoon broth over the noodles and beef until everything is covered with broth. (You might have to adjust serving size if your bowls are not large enough). Make sure the noodles only fill about ¼ of the bowl, as vermicelli noodles grow and absorb the broth.
- Top each bowl with a handful or bean sprouts, coriander, and spring onion.
- Enjoy.
- Tip: If you happen to have a beef bone cooked or raw, throw it in the pot with broth boil!
Starbucks in Stockholm?!?
Look what I found in Stockholm!
This morning, I was woken up with a phone call: “You’re not going to believe it, there’s a pop up store of one of your favorite places…. Starbucks! Right next to the castle!(Literal castle, this is Stockholm)” Me: “No way… no way, oh snap! Merry Christmas to me!”
So, I gathered up my snow gear and went over to check out the situation, and indeed found a contingent of Starbucks ‘workers’ next to the castle, however it wasn’t the unimaginable portable Starbucks cafe complete with pastries I like to look at but never buy, I had tried to imagine… it was a promotion. A promotion for a cold latte product for sale in stores.
My free sample of the retail product: Starbucks Discoveries Latte
That’s right, cold Starbucks for a cold winter day… funny, funny. But who am I kidding, I indulged, after all it was free. I didn’t earn my Starbucks Gold Card from passing up on the goods.
Howard Schultz, if you get this: Please save me airfare by opening a real Starbucks in Stockholm. Me love you long time.
A happy Starbucks promotion worker: I think she would be happier inside a real warm Starbucks 
Glögg Mat: Cooking with mulled wine- Pork Tenderloin
Here is the Glögg or spiced mulled wine that I used in my cooking.
Its Christmas time, and in Scandinavia that means time for cups of warm Glögg (mulled spiced wine) at parties. Last year, I had a lot left over from the holidays, so I decided this year the holiday drink should pull double duty and I should think of a couple of ways to use it in my cooking.
The first great opportunity came last Weekend, I was making a pork tenderloin. I crusted the tenderloin with freshly coarse ground peppercorns and allspice. As we all know, pork goes well with a bit of sweet and spice, so I instantly though of using some leftover Glögg for a sauce. You can tweak the flavors any way you like, but using the things I had on hand I made a reduction using:
Pan drippings from tenderloin
Glögg
Dijon mustard
Apple cider vinegar (tiny splash)
Ginger ale
Agave syrup (or honey)
A dash of salt
I started with the Glögg on high heat to scrape pan drippings from the pan and then turned the heat to medium high. I added the rest of the ingredients, in about the same order as listed, allowing each one to blend into the sauce before adding the next. Just use a bit of each ingredient, keeping ratios about the same (except the vinegar, just a small splash and the Gløgg should be double the amount of the other ingredients combined) You can always taste as you go, and tweak the ingredients to your taste. To finish, I reduced the liquid down, cooking until I had a few spoonfuls of a glossy sauce. Done.
Peppercorn & Allspice crusted Pork Tenderloin with Glögg Agave reduction
Fika Friday: Svensk Bullar! (Swedish Buns)
Tis’ the season… to bake! I helped out making a massive amount of Cardamon buns for an office Friday Fika. Thank goodness for the Assistent mixer, kneading dough would take far too long.
For my non- Swedish friends, ‘Fika’ is a both an event and verb for a long coffee break people take, where they eat sweets, chat, and drink coffee… Apparently this can happen multiple times per day, because every time I call Claes at work, he is about to have Fika. Hard work this Swedish life.
Ready to roll! Literally.
Svensk Kardamumma Bullar (Swedish Cardamon Buns)
Svensk Kardamumma Bullar (Swedish Cardamon Buns), Kendra Williams-Valentine
Prague: meat sweats may be a real thing
Chilli Sausages
No side plate, so I had to beast it.
That’s right, Czech Republic. The quintessential European city.
Czech food is the grandmother of good old ‘meat and potatoes’ cuisine, and you get great value for your dollar. You truly don’t need to worry about budgeting for a good meal.
Prague is a MEAT LOVERS PARADISE (Vegetarians, this is not your culinary city) however, heaven can quickly turn into hell (read: meat night sweats by day 3 and dreaming about a salad to cool.) Of course you can find more then just Czech food to get a bit more variation, I spotted a couple Vietnamese places in the Vinorady district… but I couldn’t help myself and indulged in Czech fare exclusively. Just remember: that Pork knuckle you are ordering is a dish, of a huge pork knuckle (with perhaps a bit of horseradish and mustard on side) you will need to scour the menu (and even then I would just ask to see if they have any sides, that isn’t a potato)
Nakládaný hermelín (pickled cheese)
You know your neck deep in a beer culture when all the starters,even at a restaurant, pairs well with (you guessed it): BEER. It would be great to have some of these bad boys to start making an appearance on the local pub menu… or gastro pub for that matter (hint hint all you cool bar owners out west). I must say, I do enjoy a good sausage, and this city rules this specialty. However, there’s lots more then sausages, I’d try the Nakládaný hermelín (pickled cheese)
LOKAL: I like this place
Lokal is a beer hall restaurant not far from old town square, and my meal here really made my whole trip. Not just the food, but also the atmosphere. It is more of a beer hall, with long communal tables, bustling with life (and a bit of smoke in the front section). I am still thinking about the tripe soup (from bar buffet) … it was so tasty, I wanted to go back for more the next day. True to Czech fashion, there was only tripe in it- but between that and the broth I really didn’t need anything else. On the menu they state “no flavorings added” and Maggie (a seasoning salt) on request with goulash. This lack of confidence must only be as far as the goulash because all I needed was a spoon for that tripe soup… I don’t even want to talk about it anymore.
The schnitzel w potato salad didn’t look like much coming out, but cut a piece and its buttery crisp in all the right places. Very well done. Don’t let it get cold while you take pictures, eat it fresh out the pan or not at all. I don’t claim to be a schnitzel aficionado; do but I know a damn thing or two about fried food… hats off. Well played.
Blue Bottle Coffee, and the difference between the Entrepreneur and Auteur
I have been away, working on developing a new food product… yes, yes I am. But this is not an undertaking that has spontaneously arisen from thinking I’m a brown Rachael Ray because I write a blog… nope it’s been a long time coming, and let’s just say, Rachael Ray isn’t my steeze.
It actually started 1.5 years ago at the same time as I was introduced to the topic of this little write up: During an immersive entrepreneurship program funded by the Swedish government (A strong public sector is socialist perk!), that took me to San Francisco to study food culture, entrepreneurial endeavors, etc, etc. Many of the other students in the group were all about Silicon Valley… I just wanted to see, be seen, and eat.
I ended up attending a panel discussion; I think it was on marketing your food product. I was helping a lady with a business in the Mission district, so we went together. This event was put on by the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, a wonderful resource for the community. It was very nice for these successful bay area entrepreneurs to give their time: one of which was James Freeman, the Founder of Blue Bottle Coffee.
After the panel, the image from his at times ‘soliloquy’ styled presentation, which was intended as advice, stuck with me.
