Media Credit: Lindsay Paulen | Senior Staff Photographer
Tasty Kabob's chicken and rice platter comes with chickpeas and a side salad.
If you’ve been missing the food trucks that usually line Foggy Bottom’s streets, head to Tasty Kabob in McLean, Virginia.
The campus food truck – known for its generous portions and relatively affordable prices – now has a brick and mortar store located at 1624 Boro Place. The shop is easily accessible from campus via the Metro’s Silver Line.
Tasty Kabob’s menu is simple and mimics the style of many fast-casual restaurants, allowing customers to customize rice plates, salads or gyros for $9. Each meal also includes two flavor-packed side dishes, like spinach, potatoes or chickpeas.
I opted for the chicken and rice platter ($9) with chickpeas and a side salad, which was often my go-to meal in between my busy schedule of classes when Tasty Kabob’s food truck still operated on campus. I’ve had Tasty Kabob dozens of times, but I’m still always pleasantly surprised with how much food I get for less than $10 – a rarity when dining out in the District.
My meal came with heaping scoops of long-grain rice and chicken that was doused in Tasty Kabob’s classic white sauce. Each bite was packed with flavor from the well-seasoned rice to the juicy, slightly spicy chicken to the creamy and tangy white sauce.
I’m usually not the type of person to be overly excited by a restaurant’s side dishes, but that’s not the case at Tasty Kabob. I’m not 100 percent sure what Tasty Kabob puts in its side of chickpeas, but I know it’s absolutely delicious. The chickpeas are served in almost a stew-like sauce that’s slightly salty and tastes great mixed into the chicken and rice.
The side salad comes with a bed of lettuce, thinly sliced red onion, a sprinkling of feta cheese and a squeeze of white sauce. With crunch from the lettuce and red onion, the crunchy side salad balanced out the softer chickpeas, rice and chicken.
I miss the familiarity of ordering Tasty Kabob on campus and waiting patiently for my meal on 22nd Street’s bustling sidewalk. But the food truck’s new location was worth the trip to Virginia and transported me back to pre-coronavirus times on campus.
Circle City Broadcasting’s racial discrimination lawsuit against Dish Network will proceed, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.
That elicited cheers from licensee owner DuJuan McCoy, as he seeks to return his stations offering The CW Network and MyNetwork TV programming to Dish in the Indianapolis DMA.
As the pandemic hopefully begins to wane, the pace of new restaurant openings has increased. Here’s a look at several new projects that have opened this month.
Tabu Shabu, a hot pot restaurant, opened in mid-March in The Square at Bressi Ranch center in Carlsbad. It’s the 9-year-old Orange County chain’s second San Diego County location, following North Park. Named for the Japanese cooking style of shabu-shabu, which translates as “swish-swish,” the restaurant has cooktop tables where diners cook their own meats, seafood and vegetables by swishing them around in a pot of steaming broth. The restaurant is at 2674 Gateway Road, Suite 190, Carlsbad. For details, visit tabushabu.com.
A hot chicken sandwich at newly opened Baba’s Hot Chicken in Hillcrest.
(Courtesy photo)
Baba’s Hot Chicken, a Riverside-born quick-service chain specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken and sides, opened its first San Diego County location in Hillcrest in mid-March. Founder Mahmoud “Mike” Hemood said he has plans for more local locations soon. The Baba’s menu includes hot chicken sandwiches, tenders and sliders as well as loaded fries, mac & cheese and garlic grilled cheese sandwiches. The new location is at 406 University Ave., San Diego. Visit babashotchicken.com.
The Mike Hess fish taco at Quiero Tacos, which opened March 17 in the Mike Hess Brewing tap room at Seaport Village.
(Courtesy photo)
Quiero Tacos, a new full-service Mexican restaurant, debuted March 17 at the Mike Hess Brewing 20-tap tasting room in Seaport Village. The menu includes nachos, burritos, seafood and a wide variety of tacos. It’s at 879 Harbor Drive, Suite 13-E, San Diego. Visit quierotacossd.com.
A lamb pita plate from newly opened Zizikis at Del Mar Highlands center’s Sky Deck.
(Courtesy photo)
Zizikis Street Food, a fast-casual modern Greek restaurant, is the first tenant to open in Del Mar Highlands long-anticipated Sky Deck food hall in Carmel Valley. Located above Jimbo’s, Zizikis features family recipes from owners Costa and Mary Arabatzis, prepared by 20-year-old executive chef James Augustine. It’s now open for delivery and takeout only. The rest of the 13 Sky Deck tenants should open in late spring. It’s at 12841 El Camino Real, Suite 206, San Diego. Visit zizikis.co/.
HottMess WoodFired Pizza, the latest piece of the indoor/outdoor 40,000-square-foot Acre of Awesome restaurant/tasting room/brewery complex in Barrio Logan, will open on April 1. Chef Kenzo Inai’s menu will feature Neapolitan-style pizzas made with a dough using spent grain from the onsite Thorn Brewing Co. The indoor pizzeria joins the all-outdoor Sideyard BBQ by HottMess. It’s located at 1735 National Ave, San Diego. Visit sdhottmess.com.
The redesigned patio at Jeune et Jolie in Carlsbad, which reopened for outdoor dinner service on March 21.
(Devin Castañeda)
Jeune et Jolie wakes up
Carlsbad’s Jeune et Jolie restaurant ended its self-imposed hibernation on March 21 with the return of chef Eric Bost’s five-course tasting menus on its patio.
During its winter hiatus, the restaurant added new permanent outdoor features to its former parking lot, including an enclosure wall, banquette-style seating, more landscaping, an outdoor stove and overhead heaters, tile and stone flooring and new tables and chairs at 2659 State St., Carlsbad. Visit jeune-jolie.com.
Quick bites:
TikTok-type dessert: If you’re a fan of TikTok star Mythical Kitchen’s viral tortilla wrap hack, then head to the Jack in the Box location at 5155 College Ave. in San Diego, which is serving its own twist of the toasted tortilla snack, filled with cheesecake, churros and caramel syrup through April 4 only.
PB crawfish boil: Pacific Beach Fish Shop has revived annual crawfish boils, which were canceled last year due to COVID. The boils begins at 3 p.m. April 27 and May 25 at 1775 Garnet Ave. Visit thefishshops.com.
Farm camps: Coastal Roots Farm in Encinitas is offering a spring break farming camp for children ages 5 to 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 5-9. Cost is $360. Visit coastalrootsfarm.org/farm-camp.
Kragenwrites about restaurants for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Email her at pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Circle City Broadcasting’s racial discrimination lawsuit against DISH Network will proceed, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.
Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, the Chief Judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, rejected DISH Network’s motion to dismiss the suit.
Circle City Broadcasting, the parent company of WISH-TV and MyINDY-TV 23 in Indianapolis, sued DISH in 2020, claiming the satellite provider refused to offer fair-market compensation for airing the stations’ news and programming.
DuJuan McCoy, Owner, President, and CEO of Circle City Broadcasting, and one of the nation’s leading Black television station owners, said in court filings that DISH’s decision was racially motivated.
The suit accuses DISH of “maintaining the industry’s decades long policies and practices of discriminating against minority-owned broadcasters by paying the non-minority broadcasters significant fees to rebroadcast their stations and channels while offering practically no fees to the historically disadvantaged broadcaster and programmer for the exact same or superior programming.”
McCoy says the stations saw immediate improvement under his ownership, including expanded news programming, enhanced live local high school and professional sporting events, and adding specialty reporters such as Indiana’s only dedicated Multicultural Reporter.
McCoy alleges DISH did provide compensation to the stations’ former owner, Nexstar Broadcasting, which the suit labels a “large, historically white-owned” publicly traded corporation.
In her ruling, Judge Pratt found that Circle City has submitted “enough in the way of facts to at minimal, present a circumstantial case for intentional discrimination.”
Judge Pratt also wrote that “the Court is persuaded by Circle City’s argument that an extensive comparison of these channels for purposes of determining disparate treatment due to race would require a factual inquiry.”
McCoy and Circle City Broadcasting are joined in the lawsuit by the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters.
Almost every get together — whether it’s family, friends or neighbors — always has one dish that’s the star of the show time after time. It’s usually a staple dish, but that doesn’t always mean it’s the main course.
It can be a side dish that pairs with almost everything else on the table. The kids gobble it up, and the adults ask “Can I have that recipe?”
Side dishes can be some of the most enjoyed foods at every meal. There is a large variety of options and a multitude of possibilities and variations of almost each and every classic side dish.
There are a lot of elements that go into making a stellar side, however. It must have lots of flavor and the seasoning needs to be on point.
Next time you’re looking for a versatile, delicious side dish nearly everyone will love, try these Horseradish Mashed Potatoes. They have a perfect potato texture and are full of creamy goodness with a horseradish kick to savor.
To make these potatoes, start with 2 quarts of water in a large pot. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes then boil 15-20 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of water from the pot.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk 16 ounces of sour cream, 1/4 cup of horseradish, salt and pepper.
Add butter to warm potatoes then mash. Add sour cream mixture, chives and reserved water halfway through mashing.
Once you have the desired consistency, your potatoes are ready to serve with additional butter chives.
Once you sink your spoon into a bowl of these flavor-packed potatoes, you’ll understand why there are never any leftovers. These potatoes can satisfy almost any appetite with a unique flavor combination and appealing aroma.
Find more side dish recipes at Culinary.net.
HORSERADISH MASHED POTATOES
Servings: 4-6
2 quarts water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into 8 slices, divided
16 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup horseradish, prepared and squeezed of moisture
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped chives, plus additional for topping
■ In saucepan, bring water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil. Add potatoes and boil 15-20 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup liquid.
■ Drain potatoes and place in bowl. Add six slices of butter and mash potatoes coarsely.
■ In medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, horseradish, remaining salt, pepper and chives. Add mixture to mashed potatoes. Add reserved water.
■ Mash to combine.
■ Transfer to serving bowl and top with remaining butter pieces and additional chives.
With its classical skep shape and cute little stingless bees, there is perhaps no better cake to celebrate the arrival of spring, a baby shower or Easter than this delightful beehive cake from "Zoë Bakes Cakes" by Zoë François.
In the book — which is filled with dozens of cake recipes and luscious photographs — François prepares it using banana cake and walnut-praline buttercream filling. It's also delicious made with François' yellow cake and almond-praline buttercream.
In addition to the swarm of easy-to-make, whimsical marzipan bees adorning it, this buzz-worthy cake's buttercream frosting gets a sweet sting of flavor from honey rather than refined sugar. By varying the type of honey used, you can control how strong the flavor is; wildflower, buckwheat or heather honey will give the buttercream a strong flavor, while clover, orange blossom, Tupelo honey or a blended version like Fischer's are good bets if a milder flavor is desired.
You'll need two 8-inch round cake pans and an 8-inch, oven-safe metal bowl to form the skep shape of this cake; for frosting and decorating, gather a thermometer, food-safe paint brushes (I used a new eye makeup brush), wooden picks or skewers, cotton swabs, offset spatulas and a rotating cake decorating stand.
1 batch cake batter for a 3-layer cake such as Banana Cream Cake or Yellow Cake (recipes follow)
For the bees:
About 1 ounce marzipan or almond paste
Black gel food coloring
Gold luster dust, optional
Yellow gel food coloring
¼ cup sliced almonds
For the filling and frosting:
2 batches Honey Buttercream (recipe follows)
1 batch Crushed Praline (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Generously grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans and then line with parchment paper. Grease and flour an 8-inch metal bowl.
Divide batter among the prepared pans and bowl, smoothing tops with an offset spatula.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean. The bowl might take several minutes longer to bake than the pans. Let the cakes cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the marzipan bees. Divide the marzipan into 12 pieces. Roll each piece between your fingers to make a ½-inch cylinder. Taper one end slightly to create a bee shape. Using a food-safe paintbrush or wooden pick, paint two or three black stripes around each piece of marzipan. Let the stripes dry and then, using a clean brush or cotton swab, paint yellow food color or luster dust between the stripes. If using food color, let the bees dry before proceeding. Press a sliced almond into the each side of each bee to create wings. Put the finished bees on wooden picks or small skewers and set aside. (I found it easier to brush the luster dust on first and then paint the black stripes.)
Divide the buttercream between two bowls.
In a food processor, pulverize the praline until there are small bits about the size of pine nuts, but not as fine as a powder. Add the crushed praline to one bowl of buttercream and mix well.
Stir a few drops yellow food color into the remaining buttercream and mix well.
Invert one of the cake rounds onto a serving plate or cake stand; place the plate on a spinning cake turner, if desired.
Using an offset spatula, spread half of the praline buttercream over the cake, making sure you spread it all the way to the edge. Place the second round on top and spread with the remaining praline buttercream. Remove the round cake baked in the bowl — trim the flat side if necessary — and place it round side up on top.
Transfer about 1 cup of the yellow-tinted buttercream to a small bowl. Use it to do a crumb coat on the cake. Spread it in a very thin and even layer over the sides and top of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Using the remaining yellow-tinted buttercream, spread a thick layer all over the cake. Using a small icing spatula, starting at the top of the cake, create a spiral by slowly spinning the cake turner and moving the spatula downward.
Decorate the cake as desired using the marzipan bees.
Cake will keep, covered, at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Makes about 16 servings.
■ ■ ■
Banana Cream Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2 ¼ cups baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 large)
¾ cup mild flavored oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, oil, vanilla and eggs.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
In a third bowl, whip cream to medium peaks.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the batter. Fold in nuts, if using.
Divide batter among the prepared pan(s), smoothing tops with an offset spatula.
Bake at 350-degrees for 30 to 45 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean.
Makes enough batter for 3 (8-inch) layers or 1 (9-by-13-inch) sheet cake.
■ ■ ■
Yellow Cake
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
½ cup mild-flavored vegetable oil
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, at room temperature
5 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt (a bit less if using salted butter)
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth. Decrease speed to medium; add the oil, sugar and vanilla extract and beat until mixture is light in color and about doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. On medium-low speed, one at a time, add the eggs and the egg yolks, mixing until incorporated and scraping the bowl between each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a spouted measure, combine the milk and sour cream.
Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and add half the milk mixture, mixing until combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk mixture, finishing with the final third of flour, scraping the bowl and paddle after each addition.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until a tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes for 8-inch round pans or 45 minutes for a sheet pan.
Makes enough batter for 3 (8-inch) layers or 1 (9-by-13-inch) sheet cake.
A thick layer of buttercream mixed with Crushed Praline is sandwiched between the cakes. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
This frosting is a variation on Swiss meringue buttercream, which has a reputation for being finicky. But a basic understanding of its requirements makes it much easier to work with. The key — something I learned from another excellent baker and food writer, Stella Parks — is making sure it's the right temperature. If the buttercream is too cold, it will taste greasy. If it's too warm, it'll be loose and slippery. The ideal temperature is 72 degrees. To correct the temperature, either return the mixing bowl to the double boiler to warm it slightly, or place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes and then get back to whipping. For details, visit arkansasonline.com/331swissbuttercream/
I prepared the double batch in one go without any problems, but if this is your first time making a Swiss meringue buttercream, I recommend making two separate batches.
Honey Buttercream
¾ cup honey
½ cup egg whites (from 3 or 4 eggs)
1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks), at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the honey and the egg whites.
In a saucepan large enough to accommodate the stand mixer bowl, add enough water to fill 1 inch. Bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Place the bowl with the egg white and honey over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not come in contact with the water, and stir with a rubber spatula until the mixture reaches 140 degrees.
Place the bowl on the stand mixer, fit with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high until the mixture is light, fluffy and glossy. The mixture will cool as it beats. When the bowl feels about room temperature, begin adding the butter. With the mixer on medium, add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until incorporated. (After you've added about half of the butter, the mixture may look runny and curdled. This is normal; keep adding the remaining butter.) Once you've added all of the butter, continue beating for 1 minute or so until the mixture is creamy and glossy again. Turn the speed to low and add the vanilla and salt. Mix until well blended. (Honey Buttercream will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bring it to room temperature and whip before using.)
Makes enough to cover 1 (8-inch) three layer cake or 2 (9-by-13-inch) sheet cakes.
Praline made with almonds (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Crushed Praline
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon corn syrup
½ cup chopped nuts such as walnuts or almonds
Pinch sea salt
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If using parchment paper, lightly grease the paper.
To a medium saucepan over high heat, add the sugar, water and corn syrup and cook, without stirring, until mixture comes to a boil and the sugar begins to turn golden. (You can now stir or swirl without risk of crystalization.) Continue cooking the mixture until it turns deep amber; then remove from heat and stir in the nuts and salt. Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Once cool, break it into pieces and then transfer to a food processor and pulse to crush. The praline will keep in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Makes about 1 cup.
Recipes adapted from "Zoë Bakes Cakes" by Zoë François (Ten Speed Press, $30)
With its classical skep shape and cute little stingless bees, there is perhaps no better cake to celebrate the arrival of spring, a baby shower or Easter than this delightful beehive cake from "Zoë Bakes Cakes" by Zoë François.
In the book — which is filled with dozens of cake recipes and luscious photographs — François prepares it using banana cake and walnut-praline buttercream filling. It's also delicious made with François' yellow cake and almond-praline buttercream.
In addition to the swarm of easy-to-make, whimsical marzipan bees adorning it, this buzz-worthy cake's buttercream frosting gets a sweet sting of flavor from honey rather than refined sugar. By varying the type of honey used, you can control how strong the flavor is; wildflower, buckwheat or heather honey will give the buttercream a strong flavor, while clover, orange blossom, Tupelo honey or a blended version like Fischer's are good bets if a milder flavor is desired.
You'll need two 8-inch round cake pans and an 8-inch, oven-safe metal bowl to form the skep shape of this cake; for frosting and decorating, gather a thermometer, food-safe paint brushes (I used a new eye makeup brush), wooden picks or skewers, cotton swabs, offset spatulas and a rotating cake decorating stand.
1 batch cake batter for a 3-layer cake such as Banana Cream Cake or Yellow Cake (recipes follow)
For the bees:
About 1 ounce marzipan or almond paste
Black gel food coloring
Gold luster dust, optional
Yellow gel food coloring
¼ cup sliced almonds
For the filling and frosting:
2 batches Honey Buttercream (recipe follows)
1 batch Crushed Praline (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Generously grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans and then line with parchment paper. Grease and flour an 8-inch metal bowl.
Divide batter among the prepared pans and bowl, smoothing tops with an offset spatula.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean. The bowl might take several minutes longer to bake than the pans. Let the cakes cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the marzipan bees. Divide the marzipan into 12 pieces. Roll each piece between your fingers to make a ½-inch cylinder. Taper one end slightly to create a bee shape. Using a food-safe paintbrush or wooden pick, paint two or three black stripes around each piece of marzipan. Let the stripes dry and then, using a clean brush or cotton swab, paint yellow food color or luster dust between the stripes. If using food color, let the bees dry before proceeding. Press a sliced almond into the each side of each bee to create wings. Put the finished bees on wooden picks or small skewers and set aside. (I found it easier to brush the luster dust on first and then paint the black stripes.)
Divide the buttercream between two bowls.
In a food processor, pulverize the praline until there are small bits about the size of pine nuts, but not as fine as a powder. Add the crushed praline to one bowl of buttercream and mix well.
Stir a few drops yellow food color into the remaining buttercream and mix well.
Invert one of the cake rounds onto a serving plate or cake stand; place the plate on a spinning cake turner, if desired.
Using an offset spatula, spread half of the praline buttercream over the cake, making sure you spread it all the way to the edge. Place the second round on top and spread with the remaining praline buttercream. Remove the round cake baked in the bowl — trim the flat side if necessary — and place it round side up on top.
Transfer about 1 cup of the yellow-tinted buttercream to a small bowl. Use it to do a crumb coat on the cake. Spread it in a very thin and even layer over the sides and top of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Using the remaining yellow-tinted buttercream, spread a thick layer all over the cake. Using a small icing spatula, starting at the top of the cake, create a spiral by slowly spinning the cake turner and moving the spatula downward.
Decorate the cake as desired using the marzipan bees.
Cake will keep, covered, at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Makes about 16 servings.
■ ■ ■
Banana Cream Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2 ¼ cups baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 large)
¾ cup mild flavored oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, oil, vanilla and eggs.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
In a third bowl, whip cream to medium peaks.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the batter. Fold in nuts, if using.
Divide batter among the prepared pan(s), smoothing tops with an offset spatula.
Bake at 350-degrees for 30 to 45 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean.
Makes enough batter for 3 (8-inch) layers or 1 (9-by-13-inch) sheet cake.
■ ■ ■
Yellow Cake
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
½ cup mild-flavored vegetable oil
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, at room temperature
5 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt (a bit less if using salted butter)
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth. Decrease speed to medium; add the oil, sugar and vanilla extract and beat until mixture is light in color and about doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. On medium-low speed, one at a time, add the eggs and the egg yolks, mixing until incorporated and scraping the bowl between each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a spouted measure, combine the milk and sour cream.
Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and add half the milk mixture, mixing until combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk mixture, finishing with the final third of flour, scraping the bowl and paddle after each addition.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until a tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes for 8-inch round pans or 45 minutes for a sheet pan.
Makes enough batter for 3 (8-inch) layers or 1 (9-by-13-inch) sheet cake.
A thick layer of buttercream mixed with Crushed Praline is sandwiched between the cakes. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
This frosting is a variation on Swiss meringue buttercream, which has a reputation for being finicky. But a basic understanding of its requirements makes it much easier to work with. The key — something I learned from another excellent baker and food writer, Stella Parks — is making sure it's the right temperature. If the buttercream is too cold, it will taste greasy. If it's too warm, it'll be loose and slippery. The ideal temperature is 72 degrees. To correct the temperature, either return the mixing bowl to the double boiler to warm it slightly, or place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes and then get back to whipping. For details, visit arkansasonline.com/331swissbuttercream/
I prepared the double batch in one go without any problems, but if this is your first time making a Swiss meringue buttercream, I recommend making two separate batches.
Honey Buttercream
¾ cup honey
½ cup egg whites (from 3 or 4 eggs)
1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks), at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the honey and the egg whites.
In a saucepan large enough to accommodate the stand mixer bowl, add enough water to fill 1 inch. Bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Place the bowl with the egg white and honey over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not come in contact with the water, and stir with a rubber spatula until the mixture reaches 140 degrees.
Place the bowl on the stand mixer, fit with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high until the mixture is light, fluffy and glossy. The mixture will cool as it beats. When the bowl feels about room temperature, begin adding the butter. With the mixer on medium, add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until incorporated. (After you've added about half of the butter, the mixture may look runny and curdled. This is normal; keep adding the remaining butter.) Once you've added all of the butter, continue beating for 1 minute or so until the mixture is creamy and glossy again. Turn the speed to low and add the vanilla and salt. Mix until well blended. (Honey Buttercream will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bring it to room temperature and whip before using.)
Makes enough to cover 1 (8-inch) three layer cake or 2 (9-by-13-inch) sheet cakes.
Praline made with almonds (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Crushed Praline
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon corn syrup
½ cup chopped nuts such as walnuts or almonds
Pinch sea salt
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If using parchment paper, lightly grease the paper.
To a medium saucepan over high heat, add the sugar, water and corn syrup and cook, without stirring, until mixture comes to a boil and the sugar begins to turn golden. (You can now stir or swirl without risk of crystalization.) Continue cooking the mixture until it turns deep amber; then remove from heat and stir in the nuts and salt. Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Once cool, break it into pieces and then transfer to a food processor and pulse to crush. The praline will keep in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Makes about 1 cup.
Recipes adapted from "Zoë Bakes Cakes" by Zoë François (Ten Speed Press, $30)
After months of questions and speculation, Don Hall's has announced plans for Triangle Park.
The Trier Road restaurant closed at the start of the pandemic. While other restaurants in the Hall's group expanded hours and resumed regular service, Triangle Park has remained closed. The group's Guesthouse was permanently closed last year.
In a social media post, Don Hall's announced that Triangle Park Bar and Grille will return as a venue for private events. The restaurant will not be open daily. Rather, it will work with Don Hall's catering to book the dining room and patio for banquets, parties and other events.
The post adds that the group is working “with hopes to be fully open later this year.”
Downtown, Don Hall's is preparing for The Deck's opening. The popular outdoor spot, adjacent to The Gas House, is hiring for the season.
Easter specials
The Oyster Bar, 1830 S. Calhoun St., will be open for brunch Sunday. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a special menu offering breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Reservations are recommended; call 744-9490.
Owner Steve Gard is hopeful the front patio will be open for Easter brunch. He also has submitted plans to the city to expand the outdoor dining options. A back patio, with fencing and tent material, would seat about 32. Gard says he thinks there would be room for eight tables, spaced 6 feet apart.
Klemm's Candlelight Cafe, 1207 E. State Blvd., will have a carryout Easter meal, which can be picked up from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. The dinner includes spiral sliced ham, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, dinner rolls and carrot cake. The cost is $29.99 for a family of four and $39.99 for a family of six. Orders must be placed by 2 p.m. Saturday; call 471-6828 or 750-9191.
Logan's restaurants will also offer Easter specials, available Friday through Sunday. There are three options available – a feast, family dinner or just the main dish. Each feast comes with a large garden salad, two family-size side dishes, a dozen rolls and Mississippi Brownie. Family dinners come with two sides and a dozen rolls. The main dish also comes with a dozen rolls.
Main dish options include prime rib, grilled meatloaf, pulled pork, ribs, pork chops and roasted turkey. For family sides, choose from macaroni and cheese, cinnamon apples, steamed broccoli, rice pilaf, corn, green beans, house-made mashed potatoes or potato chips.
Logan's Easter specials, which serve six to eight people, can be preordered through Saturday; 24-hour advance notice is required. Go to LogansRoadhouse.com or call the local restaurants – Jefferson Pointe (434-0459) and 6617 Lima Road (487-9944).
Around town
• Salvatori's has opened its fourth location on the city's north side. Occupying the former Richards restaurant at 717 W. Washington Center Road, the restaurant will feature the Italian chain's full menu. Options include pizza, pasta, sandwiches and weekend brunch. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
• The patio at Summit City Brewerks, 1501 E. Berry St., is reopening Thursday with full service. Pets are welcome.
• The 1980s-themed Rusty's Ice Cream Shop has opened at 9171 Lima Road in White Swan Plaza.
The Dish features restaurant news and food events and appears Wednesdays. Fax news items to 461-8893, email kdupps@jg.net or call 461-8304 at least two weeks before event or desired publication.
Our Wine of the Week, Bella Grace Vineyards, 2020 Amador County Vermentino ($27), is graceful, beguiling and unexpected. The wine is pale, cool and almost clear in the glass, but the first impression it makes on the palate is one of sweet, fruity warmth, a result of its generous fruit.
You’ll notice ripe apricot, white pineapple, pomelo and Key lime right up front, followed by a mid-palate plushness that resolves into a long, lingering finish suggestive of coconut. This quality, of both fresh and dried coconut, is key to both the wine’s character and its best matches. Mild coconut-based curries let this wine soar into its full self.
For Easter, you’ll enjoy this wine with baked ham, especially with a glaze of apricot jam and garlic. It also resonates beautifully with scalloped potatoes, sautéed snow peas and roasted asparagus spritzed with lemon.
Some of this vermentino’s best companions are from the sea. Sea scallops, razor clams, Dungeness crab with melted butter and small sweet oysters flatter the wine. Sautéed flat fish, such as sand dabs, make beautiful matches, too.
For today’s recipe, I’m edging into Southeast Asian territory, with a simple coconut milk pan sauce tying the wine to petrale sole in a seductive way. This dish is more delicate than a full-on curry, and it allows the wine to blossom without interference from spicy heat that could turn it a bit bitter.
Petrale Soul with Coconut Pan Sauce and Jasmine Rice
Makes 2 servings
Steamed jasmine rice, hot
½ cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Black pepper in a mill
2 fillets of petrale sole, rex sole or flounder
2 tablespoons coconut oil, clarified butter or ghee, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons lime juice, from 2 or 3 limes
½ cup white wine
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
½ cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons granulated sugar, as needed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
If you have not already done so, prepare the jasmine rice, using your preferred method or consulting package directions. When the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat and, without lifting the lid, let it rest while you prepare the fish.
Put the flour onto a plate and season it generously with salt and pepper. Press the fish fillets into the mixture, coating them all over and then patting off the excess. Set on a clean work surface.
Warm two dinner plates.
Set a large heavy sauté pan over high heat, add the fat and let it melt; if the pan is particularly big, you may need to add a bit more fat to fully coat it. When it is hot, add the fillets and cook for 3½ to 4 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent burning. Turn to the other side and carefully add a tablespoon of the lime juice, pouring it close to the fish and tilting the pan so it surrounds it. Cook for 4 minutes more and a little longer if the fillets are thicker than usual.
Working quickly, add 2 generous scoops of rice to both plates and drape a fillet partially over the rice.
Return the pan to the heat, pour in the wine and swirl the pan to pick up cooking juices. Simmer until nearly completely reduced. Press the ginger through a small tea strainer into the simmering wine and stir in the coconut milk and fish sauce. Stir and simmer for a minute or two, until heated through and beginning to thicken.
Quickly taste the sauce and if it is a tad flat, add the sugar and a shake more of fish sauce.
Spoon the sauce over the fish and the rice, scatter cilantro on top and enjoy right away.
Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date, including “San Francisco Seafood.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.
Good cooks pride themselves on being able to turn pantry staples into creative dishes. The members of our Taster’s Choice food panel consider themselves to be pretty adept when it comes to whipping up something clever with what they have on hand. So we are beginning our newest endeavor, Taster’s Challenge.
Our panelists will create recipes building on one or two key ingredients issued in the “challenges.”
Fittingly, for the Easter season, we are starting the series with eggs. We asked a few panelists to come up with some interesting ways to cook with eggs, rather than just boiling, scrambling or poaching.
This would have been the 17th year our Taster’s Choice panelists had been meeting to taste a variety of grocery store foods. We set out to help shoppers navigate the many brands on store shelves by sampling the options and sharing the top three of our tasters’ picks for each product. Through the years, we have tasted hot dogs, cheeses, frozen lasagna and more bottled salad dressings than we care to remember. We usually gathered one morning a month to taste a number of food items.
Then the pandemic hit and we could no longer gather. So the panelists have risen to a new monthly challenge.
The first three recipes are from me and two of our original tasters, Julie Overton Newland and Kay Hodnett. I met Julie and Kay in cooking school nearly 20 years ago. Not surprisingly, they were at the top of the class. Fearing his cooking skills wouldn’t stand up to the competition, panelist Jeff Jensen volunteered his mother, Nan Jensen (no relation to our other original panelist, dietitian Nan Jensen), to take on the challenge in his place. She prepared a delicious egg and cheese casserole, which she said is the ideal last-minute dish or perfect casserole to serve guests. Jensen first enjoyed the dish in the 1970s during a pregame brunch before a Notre Dame football game in Indiana. She has modified the recipe through the years.
“It looks like you fussed,” she said. “But it’s easy to make with most of the items already on hand.”
I made an egg and cheese souffle that has a similar wow factor with little effort. It’s always a crowd-pleaser.
Our cooking class stars didn’t disappoint. They prepared showstoppers that would dress up any holiday buffet.
Overton Newland prepared Mediterranean deviled eggs. She served them on a bed or roasted red peppers, pitted black olives, pearl onions, rolled and chopped anchovies, capers, caper berries, scallions, lemon slices and fresh herbs, including dill and parsley. She dressed the platter with olive oil. The presentation is beautiful and the flavors combine for mouthwatering bites. “It’s something a little bit different and a twist on the traditional deviled eggs,” she said.
That said, I am declaring Hodnett the winner of this challenge with her gorgeous pavlova. She took the egg challenge to a new level, whipping egg whites and sugar into delicate bundles and topping the meringues with fresh berries, raspberry jam and mint leaves. They were as light as Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, for whom the dessert is named, and as crisp and dainty as her tutu, credited for the shape of the willowy bases.
Hodnett started with a basic recipe from chef Ina Garten and modified it a bit with the berries and sauce. She heated raspberry jam with a bit of Chambord and then cooled the mixture in the refrigerator before finishing the pavlova. She added homemade whipped cream to the center of the meringues and added a tablespoon or so of the jam mixture before topping each serving with berries and fresh mint leaves.
Because of the fresh berries, these pavlova treats should be eaten promptly, within a few hours of assembly. Hodnett recommends prepping the ingredients and building the pavlova just prior to serving.
Recipes
Egg and Cheese Souffle
¼ cup butter, plus extra to coat dish
¼ cup flour
1 ¼ cups milk
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar, pepper jack or Gruyere cheese
6 large eggs, separated
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Generously butter a 2-quart souffle dish. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt ¼ cup butter. Add flour and stir until smooth and bubbling. Add in milk, cayenne and salt, stirring until sauce boils and thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add cheese and stir until melted. Add egg yolks and stir until blended and smooth.
In a bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat egg whites (use whisk attachment if available) with cream of tartar until short, stiff, moist peaks form. With a flexible spatula, fold a third of the cheese sauce into the whites until well blended. Add remaining sauce and gently fold in just until blended.
Scrape the batter into the prepared dish until it is about three-fourths full. With the tip of a knife, draw a circle on the surface of the batter about 1 inch from the rim to create a crown during baking.
Bake in a 375-degree oven until the top is golden brown and cracks look fairly dry, about 25 or 30 minutes. Scoop portions with large spoon and serve immediately.
Mediterranean Egg Platter With Classic Deviled Eggs
12 large eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon relish
1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of paprika
Place 12 eggs in a wide pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Drain the eggs and run under cold water to cool slightly. Peel and halve each egg lengthwise.
Scoop out the yolks and mash them with mayonnaise, relish, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the egg whites. Dust with paprika.
To create the platter, place eggs on a bed of jarred, roasted red peppers, add fresh herbs, pitted olives, anchovies, pearl onions, capers, caper berries, scallions and lemon slices. Drizzle dressed platter with olive oil.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan and outline circles using plates or cups for desired sizes. Turn paper upside down so that you can still see the circles, but won’t get marks on the meringue.
Make the raspberry sauce: Warm raspberry jam with a few splashes of Chambord liqueur on the stovetop. Cool in the refrigerator before assembling dessert.
Place egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. Slowly add the sugar and continue to beat on high speed until it makes firm, shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.
Remove the bowl and sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla and fold lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile or pipe the meringue into the circles drawn on the parchment paper. Bake for 1 ½ hours. Turn off the oven but keep the door closed. Allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about an hour. They should be crisp on the outside and soft like a marshmallow inside.
Make the whipped cream: Pour heavy cream into a mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla and confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until well blended. Do not overbeat.
Place the meringue discs onto plates and fill the centers with whipped cream.
Top each meringue with a tablespoon of the raspberry sauce and fresh berries. Garnish with mint leaves.
Combine first five ingredients in a saucepan until melted. Pour into buttered casserole dish. Break raw eggs into the hot sauce. Butter bread and stand slices around the edge of the dish. Bake for 20 minutes in a 350-degree oven. To serve, layer bread slices on a plate and top with eggs and cheese sauce.
HOUSTON – Dish Society customers in Katy can look forward to expanded seating after its Cinco Ranch location moves to a new space less than 500 feet away.
In a news release, the original location, opened in 2015 acquired the space formerly occupied by “The Blue Fish” will have more patio space and greenery with families in mind so parents can enjoy the outdoors while their kids play.
The space expanded from 2,600 square feet to 4,100 square feet, with the capacity to seat 100 patrons indoors, 20 at the expanded bar, and 80 outside at the patio, which will be open year-round equipped with heaters and fans.
Customers can continue to expect the same farm-to-table service while meeting increased demand. Hours and service will remain the same, including to-go orders and curbside pickup, the release said. The restaurant opened its doors March 18.
Dish Society in LaCenterra/Cinco Ranch is located at 2643 Commercial Center Blvd., Suite B350, in Katy.
This cake doesn’t just look pretty, it tastes amazing too! Our Strawberry-Lemonade Cake is a great cake for the warmer months, when we crave lighter and brighter flavors. Plus, it starts out with a box of cake mix, so you know it’s going to be easy. We’re sure you’re going to love it!
Authors: F. Grings, M. Franco, M.G. Spagnuolo, M.A. Janssen, R. Lorenz
First Author’s Institution: Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (UBA-CONICET), Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Status: Published in Icarus [closed access]
Ingredients for understanding Titan
Even after theCassinimissionspent 13 years orbiting Saturn and performing dozens of flybys of its largest moon,Titan, many questions remain. Part of the reason Titan has been reluctant to share its secrets is the great thickness of its atmosphere, which blocks most wavelengths of light that the human eye can see. Fortunately,Cassiniwas equipped with aradar instrumentspecifically to deal with this issue! The longer wavelengths transmitted and received by this device pierced Titan’sdeep hazeand revealed dramatic landforms not unlike those on Earth:mountains,lakes,river valleys,dunes, andvast plains—all likely composed of various ices, liquid hydrocarbons, and exotic organic compounds liketholins, kept at a crisp 95 Kelvin (-289 °F or -187 °C).
Despite radar’s great capabilities for observing Titan, making a precise interpretation of the data is often challenging. At themicrowave wavelengthsof theCassiniradar instrument (λ ~ 2.2 cm), the measured intensity is a function of many attributes that include both the angle of the radar beam relative to the ground as well as thedielectricandgeometricproperties of the surface. Thedielectricconstant of a material is essentially its reflectivity at microwave wavelengths, which is dependent on the composition.Geometricproperties include the roughness of the surface relative to the imaging wavelength, so a surface on Titan that is very rough at ~2 cm (covered in cobbles and pebbles, perhaps) will return greater microwave intensity than a smoother surface (like a sandy beach).
The synthetic aperture radar mode onCassini’s radar instrument pinged the surface to produce images measuring theradar backscatter, and the passive radiometry mode collected microwave light emitted from the surface. The resulting values, the backscattering coefficient (σ0) and the microwave emissivity (ε), are linked byKirchhoff’s Law of thermal radiation—essentially, “good emitters are good absorbers,” (and good absorbers are bad reflectors!). By studying both properties in tandem, one can better constrain the information they suggest about Titan’s surface. Such a tactic is helpful, considering Titan has given us some rather anomalous radar data.
A new recipe to explain Titan radar
Several studies have incorporated various scattering models to explain the very high radar backscatter from Titan while maintaining the low dielectric constant expected for Titan’s icy, organic-rich surface. The authors of today’s bite argue that whereas previous models include inconsistent assumptions about the surface that aren’t based in reality, their proposed model is physically consistent while incorporating both radar backscatter and emissivity to maximize accuracy. Subsurface scattering has typically been invoked to explain the unusually bright radar backscatter from Titan, and is incorporated into the proposed model in a relatively simple way. Since radar tends to reflect from interfaces where there is a change in the dielectric properties (e.g., air vs ground, sea vs seafloor, etc.), the model uses two layers (seeFigure 1) so that microwaves can bounce between these subsurface layers multiple times (AKA volume scatter) before finally shooting back to the radar instrument. In the model, σ0 and ε are dependent on the angle of the radar beam hitting the surface and a handful surface properties like the roughness, dielectric properties, and thickness of the layers. If they can find the right combination of model inputs that produce outputs matching theCassiniobservations, they can say with some probability what the properties of the surface there are.
Figure 1 – Diagram illustrating the two-layer model utilized by today’s paper. The dielectric constants ε0, ε1, and ε2 represent that of the air, upper surface layer, and lower subsurface layer, respectively. The thickness of the upper surface layer is represented by D. Inbound/outbound radar beams and their reflection angles are represented by E and θ, respectively. The function z(x,y) describes the roughness of the interfaces at the top of the surface layer and between the surface and subsurface layers. Figure 5 from today’s paper.
The authors selected a region on Titan where they could study different types of terrain across multiple overlapping datasets. Incorporating a set of emissivity data with criss-crossing images of radar backscatter from three different Titan flybys allowed them to see how the terrains scatter light at various angles, a behavior that can suggest specific dielectric and geometric properties. In essentially a small-scale version ofprevious Titan mapping efforts, four different terrain units (seeFigure 2) were mapped. Each terrain has a different combination of radar backscatter and microwave emissivity that the model needs to be able to explain based on reasonable surface properties.
Figure 2 – Maps of the study region on Titan showing the four different terrain units in a combined radar image (left) and with the mapped units colorized for clarity (right). The terrain units are hummocky (HU), variable-featured plains (VP), dunes (DU), and dark irregular plains (DP). The background in each map is an RGB combination of the three radar swaths where each is assigned either the color red, green, or blue so that where they overlap the highest radar backscatter if bright white and lowest is dark black. From Figures 2 and 3 in today’s paper.
The observed mean radar backscatter and emissivity for each unit across the variously-angled radar images can be seen inFigure 3. Employing their model to match these observed values, the authors first tested the sensitivity of the expected radar signal to changes in various surface properties and found the expected trends of higher σ0 with rougher surfaces and so on. Interestingly, increasing the layer thickness D will alternate between increasing and decreasing σ0, due to constructive and deconstructive interference as the bouncing radar waves go in and out of sync. By adjusting such parameters, the model found reasonable surface properties that for the first time can simultaneously explain the anomalous radar backscatter and emissivity values recorded byCassini.
Figure 3 – The plot on the left shows the observed radar backscatter (σ0) and emissivity (ε) values for different terrain units across in each radar image. Different subunits are plotted in slightly different colors but depict hummocky units (HU) in red, dune units (DU) in green, dark irregular plains units (DP) in blue and variable-featured plains (VP) in purple. Note the apparent “trade-off” between σ0 and ε as expected from Kirchhoff’s Law. The plot on the right depicts these same observed values in a light gray for reference, but also plots one iteration of the model that illustrates how different surface layer thicknesses (D) change the output while all other values are held constant. Modified from Figures 4 and 6 in today’s paper.
The icing on top (with ice on the bottom!)
Reassuringly, the modeled surface properties are consistent with previous work, and can even more tightly constrain some relatively uncertain parameters. The modeled results for most units indicate a smooth upper layer of material with low dielectric constant, a couple feet or less thick, atop material of higher dielectric constant. For example, the dune units may represent an upper layer of tholin-like organics deposited from the atmosphere, on top of a lower layer that is a more ice-rich, rougher mixture of materials. Roughnesses from the model are generally low overall, but may be consistent with the size and distribution of low, wind-made ripples of sand (~1 mm tall with ~10 cm spacing), whereas previous studies disagree on whether such forms could actually develop on Titan.
Innovative models such as that in today’s paper inherently involve a fair amount of error due to the necessary assumptions, unknowns, and non-unique solutions. However, each iteration can bring us closer to developing an understanding of the reality of Titan’s surface. This two-layer model incorporates volume scattering to account for Titan’s radar backscatter and emissivity in a realistic manner. Future models will be able to build on this work to study the influence of even more detailed properties of the surface and subsurface to continue developing a better understanding of Titan and whatfuture surface missionsto this world can expect to encounter.
Top Chef recently packed its knives and headed to Portland, Oregon, and two Colorado chefs joined host Padma Lakshmi and judges Tom Colicchioand Gail Simmons for season 18 of the popular television cooking competition. Carrie Baird (The Ginger Pig), who made it to the final four as a contestant on the Colorado-based 15th season of the show, joins the judging panel for multiple episodes, while Byron Gomez, executive chef at Aspen’s 7908 restaurant, will vie for the title of Top Chef as a cheftestant. We talked with both about their experiences filming the show ahead of its Bravo premiere on April 1.
Carrie Baird, season 18 judge
5280: When Top Chef asked you to come back, did you hesitate?
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Carrie Baird: I was instantly in. I love Top Chef and I loved my experience. It’s all very positive for me, but of course I had to ask my partner and business partner, “Do you mind if I disappear during COVID?”
How was filming different because of COVID?
CB: It’s pretty wild and cool how they did it with COVID and the restrictions; it was very creative and smart and safe at the same time. The whole crew was in one hotel…nobody in and nobody out. It was like the honor system—don’t be stupid, don’t do anything that jeopardizes everyone. We got tested every other day. If anyone tested positive, they would have shut it [production] down. The only places we ever went was to stage [where many of the challenges and judging take place], or to one of the shooting sites, where we did a challenge. That’s all we did; we just hung out with each other. It was actually pretty fun.
How was your experience in Portland different from being a contestant yourself?
CB: It was much less stressful and way more fun. This was different—I had my phone, I had my computer, I could watch TV. When you’re a contestant, you’re just there. You only do Top Chef.
Are you more comfortable judging other people’s food, or making it yourself?
CB: It was kind of a double-edged sword. It was hard not to be too critical, because you can think, ‘I would have done it like this!’ But the other side of your brain is saying, ‘Be nice, you know what they’re going through. This is stressful.’ Half of you wants to hold them and tell them it will be over with soon.
Any surprises seeing the show from the judges’ side?
CB: Being on the other side, everybody always asks, how true is Top Chef? I always believed it’s so real—they don’t put time on the clock, they don’t give you lines. Now that I’ve seen it, I was right. It’s real, they don’t pad it. Even if there was a clear winner, we still went through the motions of the ups and downs, the highs and lows. Everyone got an equal shot. That was pretty cool, and I’m glad I got to see that part.
Byron Gomez
5280: Why did you want to be on Top Chef?
Byron Gomez: Out of all the shows, all the cooking competitions worldwide, Top Chef definitely has the most weight behind it. Eighteen seasons on it—that speaks volumes. It had to do with the respect and caliber of the contestants and judges. It was something that for many years was on the back burner, and I didn’t feel equipped enough professionally to say I had the caliber to compete here. Personality-wise, I’m a bubbly, positive person, so I think that fit with what they were looking for. It was the right timing.
What were you most surprised about being on the show versus watching on TV?
BG: I’m an athletic guy, I’m pretty fit, but the physical part of it, I didn’t realize how straining that would be. Filming takes about 16 to 18 hours sometimes, and it can weigh on you a little bit. I didn’t realize the physicality and stop and go from everything. And the mental part of it also plays a big role. It challenges you outside and inside.
What was the biggest challenge you faced being on the show?
BG: The element of surprise, not knowing what every day would be like. Seeing your competition and knowing you’re in it, and it’s real life. That was very challenging. It’s nerve-racking. You’re on set, you’re meeting Padma and she’s beautiful. You’re like, ‘Oh, my God I’m here, someone pinch me’ type of thing.
How did you prepare for the experience?
BG: I worked at very prestigious restaurants in New York City—one-, two-, and three-star Michelin restaurants, working for Eleven Madison Park, the number one restaurant in the world. Being in that environment, growing up and coming up the ranks in those different restaurants, it’s very cutthroat and competitive, so that was second nature to me. You wouldn’t be able to tell from my personality that I’m competitive and hardcore, but when I’m in the kitchen, it’s a passion thing. Also, my immigrant status. [Gomez is from Costa Rica.] I’m a DACA recipient. I was always told ‘No, you can’t do this,’ and I always found a way to better myself. All those traits and characteristics got me ready for the show.
How does the stress of the show compare to a busy Saturday night at the restaurant?
BG: The stress of the show is a little bit different. The adrenaline is pumped way faster than on a Saturday night. Literally once Padma says ‘Your time starts now,’ your mind is racing. Do I go to the pantry and risk not having pots and pans, or do I grab equipment and risk not having ingredients to cook? You go back to your table and you’re sweating, your heart is racing. On a Saturday night, it builds up. On the show, it’s more adrenaline being pumped through your body instantly. But all your senses wake up and blossom, and it’s like being on a drug.
Would you do it again?
BG: Yes, in a heartbeat. It was the most humbling, fulfilling, nerve-racking, crazy, rewarding experience of my life, for sure…This experience gave me a lot of confidence—professionally, personally, as a man, as a friend, as a chef—and it’s something that, at 32 years old, I’m very blessed to have been given this opportunity.
Season 18 of Top Chef begins at TK p.m. MT on April 1 on Bravo.
A homemade, vegetarian carrot cake made with cinnamon, pecans, all-purpose flour, buttermilk, coarsely shredded carrots and topped with a cream cheese frosting, Wednesday, April 10, 2019, in Ben Avon. (Jessie Wardarski/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)
“Rabbit food” doesn’t excite me all that much — unless we’re talking carrot cake.
This longtime birthday favorite also is perfect for Easter, particularly on years when my special day has coincided with the holiday.
Maybe my natural inclination for fruit-flavored sweets over chocolate primed my palate at an early age for carrot cake. Or maybe I was just a product of the health-conscious 1970s, when the cake saw new popularity.
The most significant selling point of carrot cake, in my mind, continues to be the cream cheese frosting. Simply put, it’s not a proper carrot cake without that rich but tangy topping. Happily, this recipe, courtesy of Tribune New Service, delivers.
Carrot cake as a two-layer dessert makes this chunky, nutty batter a bit more sophisticated. It’s easier, of course, to make a sheet cake that’s still delicious with less fuss.
Classic Carrot Cake
For cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup pecans (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
Unsalted butter, for greasing pan
For frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
16 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter paper and flour pans.
Spread pecans on baking sheet and toast in oven for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool, then finely chop pecans.
In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 cups flour with the baking powder and soda, the cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, buttermilk and vanilla. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the eggs and sugar at high speed until pale, for about 5 minutes.
Beat in the liquid ingredients, then beat in dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in the carrots and pecans.
Divide batter between two prepared pans and bake cakes in preheated oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until springy and golden. Let cakes cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely.
For frosting, use a hand mixer in a large bowl to beat the butter and cream cheese at high speed until light, for about 5 minutes.
Beat in the vanilla, then confectioners’ sugar. Beat at low speed until incorporated, then increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, for about 3 minutes.
Peel off parchment paper and invert cake layer onto plate. Spread with a slightly rounded cup of frosting.
Top with second cake layer, right side up. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting and refrigerate until chilled, for about 1 hour. Slice and serve.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
— Recipe from “Desserts: More than 140 of Our Most Beloved Recipes” by the Editors of Food & Wine (Oxmoor House, 2017, $35).
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