Year: 2008

Jeet jet? — Culinary Adventures in Pittsburgh

Published by Kathy Hunt

  If you have ever lived anywhere near Pittsburgh, you will undoubtedly recognize these magical words:  Jeet jet?  No, j’ou?  I did eat, and quite well, at this year’s annual gathering of childhood friends in Pittsburgh.  From ice cream at Dave and Andy’s in Oakland to french fry-stuffed sandwiches at Primanti Bros. in the Strip District, Ann, Jen, Marilee, Nickie and I gorged ourselves on some of the Steel City’s finest classic foods.       Our culinary tour de force began at Girasole in Shadyside.  Located in a basement level, former coffee house on Copeland Street, this cozy bistro featured Northern Italian cuisine dished out in an intimate, exposed stone-walled dining room.      On this particular Friday evening Girasole was a blur of activity.  A packed house didn’t prevent us from receiving attentive service and delightful meals, though.  Each entree came with a house salad, two words that invariably make me cringe.  At most restaurants “complimentary house salad” translates into limp iceberg lettuce topped with slivers of pink tomatoes and a scattering of carrot confetti.  At Girasole it meant plates brimming with mixed greens, whole cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, crumbles of gorganzola cheese …

Dining with Philly Friends at Aldar and Paloma

Published by Kathy Hunt

Along with the unparalleled pleasures of good company and conversation, dining out with friends allows me to try places that I might otherwise overlook. Such is the case with Al Dar in Bala Cynwyd, Pa.  Had it not been for my friend Scott, who adores this bustling, Lebanese-influenced bistro, I never would have experienced a taste of the Middle East on Philadelphia’s Main Line.  Seated in the main dining room amidst dimly lit, wrought-iron chandeliers, marble-topped tables, rich, gold drapes and padded, leather banquettes, I feel as though I have slipped away to Morocco.  The din of the happy diners furthers this feeling of hanging out in the heart of Marrakech instead of on the edge of Philly.    At Al Dar we invariably start the night with a traditional mezze of hummus and pita and, in my case, a regional beer such as Flying Fish or Brooklyn Lager.  The main course soon follows.  For Scott, it will be one of two favorite entrees — a falafel salad or chicken kebab.  A regular, he sticks with what he loves.  As a relative newcomer to Al Dar, I feel compelled to sample as many dishes as possible.  One week I might opt …

Yes, I Can!

Published by Kathy Hunt

Well, no, actually I don’t.  I did, however, take a hands-on preserving class last week that taught me a bit about canning.  Foremost, I discovered that I won’t be spending my summer afternoons hovering a steaming pressure canner in my equally steamy kitchen.  Why not?  In a word, equipment.  I don’t own a pressure canner, a key tool in canning.  I suspect that I won’t develop a passion for preserving that is worthy of the $70 to $325 investment in one, either. Equally important and, truthfully, the primary reason, I learned just how exacting food preservation must be.  Dole out one under-heated jar of green beans or expired bottle of garlic-infused oil and I’ve served my guests a lovely bowl of botulism.  Thanks to my tainted meal, they can look forward to dry mouth, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, diarrhea and vomiting followed by respiratory failure, paralysis and death.  A to-die-for dinner indeed. In reality the likelihood of me poisoning my friends is quite slim.  As long as I faithfully follow the recipes, which I am rarely wont to do, and keep my pressure canner gauge at 11 pounds, I can safely can.  WooHoo! If I were to …

Swedish Cuisine: More Than Just Meatballs

Published by Kathy Hunt

Before visiting Sweden last year, I didn’t devote much time to the country’s cuisine. Sure, I had thumbed through chef Marcus Samuelsson’s “Aquavit” cookbook and watched his and Andreas Viestad’s food shows on PBS. Yet, I still only had vague notions about Swedish cooking. At best I envisioned smoked salmon, pickled herring, and brilliant red lingonberries. At worst I thought of small meatballs drowned in thick, brown gravy. While Swedes do consume these classics, I learned that they also dine on a plethora of enticing and unique dishes. Featuring ingredients from the forest and the sea, their fare showcases some of the best culinary aspects of the country. Thanks to rugged coastlines and a wealth of seafood, folks here know how to prepare crustaceans and fish. One of the most beloved, crayfish, even has its own seasonal feast. In August outdoor crayfish parties — with colorful paper lanterns, tablecloths, plates, bibs and hats — are all the rage. While crayfish has been a national delicacy since the 16th century, these celebrations didn’t begin until the …

American Cook, Swedish Kitchen

Published by Kathy Hunt

For someone who loves to travel and cook, the prospect of helping my friend Christina, fellow alum of Columbia University’s graduate journalism school and resident of Stockholm, prepare for her 40th birthday party could not have been more tantalizing.  So, while my husband Sean bounced around Europe, attending business meetings, I recently hung out in Stockholm for 9 days, shopping, cooking, and sampling the fruits of our kitchen labors. Because I am accustomed to cheap American food prices, I found grocery shopping in Stockholm shocking.  A quart of milk ran about $4.  A pint of raspberries went for anywhere from $7 to $15.  A single bottle of 3.5% ABV beer, the only kind sold at markets, cost at least $3.  Wine?  I paid twice the amount that I do in NY for a bottle of Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet.  No wonder everyone asks out-of-country guests to pack a healthy stash of alcohol in their suitcases.  Forget that extra sweater. Bring more rum!    Vibrant outdoor markets, such as the one held behind the Hotorgshallen food hall, did offer bargains.  There I stocked up on bundles of fragrant fresh mint for Friday night’s mojitos.  At less than $1 …

Sailing to the Islands of Sweden

Published by Kathy Hunt

After several days spent in a foreign city I am always itching to sneak out and explore the countryside. There, I believe, is where the “real” heart of a land exists. Don’t get me wrong. I love urban life but with McDonald’s everywhere from Marrakech to Bucharest and streets teeming with tourists who look and sound a lot like me, I feel as though most cities have become too globalized to provide a true glimpse at a country. With 24,000 islands in the Stockholm archipelago I don’t have to go far for a different taste of Sweden.  I just hop a ferry and in less than an hour or two I could be on “the beach,” in the forest or wandering through the wooded, pedestrian-only island of Grinda. Rimmed by sandy beaches as well as rocky shorelines, Grinda provides a range of pursuits.  Hike the rolling hills, kayak on the sea, camp out or just sit at the sole waterfront cafe and drink beer, read a book, or catch up with old friends. A sucker for animals, I get a kick …

Sundry Sites of Stockholm

Published by Kathy Hunt

  With so many extraordinary places in the world to explore, I try not to visit any spot more than once.  There are the exceptions.  A passionate Anglophile, I’ll never say “no” to a trip to the UK or Ireland, no matter how many times I’ve tromped the streets of London, Dublin and the like.  France, too, has a certain repeat appeal.  All that wine, history, culture and food!  The Scandinavian country of Sweden joins the list of rare places to which I will happily travel again and again.  Below are a few highlights of May in Stockholm, when the sun rises at 4 a.m. and sets after 10 p.m. and life is both more relaxing and invigorating.     Comprised of 14 islands on Lake Malaren and the Baltic Sea, Stockholm has a multitude of pretty waterfront scenes.       The view from the ‘skinny bridge’ to Skeppsholmen.  This small island contains several museums, including my favorite, the Moderna Museet.   One of the most popular attractions in Stockholm, the Vasamuseet houses the massive, 1628 Swedish warship, the Vasa.  The ornate ship sank on its maiden voyage and was …

Kitchen Gadgets Redux

Published by Kathy Hunt

Gadget girl is back, with another glimpse at some of her favorite quirky kitchen tools.  While none are essential, they all make time spent at the stove a little easier and fun.              Mezzaluna – After watching Nigella Lawson swish the curved blade of her mezzaluna over a mound of fresh herbs, chopping them to bits in seconds, I knew that I had to have one.  My 10-inch, single blade knife was a souvenir from Italy but you can find them in various sizes, number of blades and types of handles pretty much anywhere.  Along with herbs, the mezzaluna also makes quick work of nuts and chocolate.  Just rock it across the intended target and in seconds it is chopped.  Nice, gentle workout for the arms, too.     http://fantes.com/mezzaluna.html Rectangular measuring spoons – Rectangular instead of round, these measuring spoons slide into the smallest of spice jars.  http://www.kitchenkapers.com/10152.html   Garlic Card – Invented by a Swedish chef, this plastic card grates garlic into a fine pulp.  Unlike when I use a metal-toothed grater, half of the garlic isn’t left clinging to the teeth.  Brilliant! http://www.garliccard.com/garliccard.html Hot Spot Silicon Trivet …

Fun Things to Do in Vegas

Published by Kathy Hunt

  Las Vegas is not an obvious vacation choice for me.  Don’t gamble.  Don’t adore adult contemporary music.  Certainly don’t relish baking in the desert sun.  Yet, I had agreed to spend 4 days on the Vegas strip with my friends Marilee and Tim.  What was I thinking? As it turns out, there are things to do in Vegas besides feeding dollars into slot machines.  Not that I didn’t end up gambling.  How could I not?  Slot machines greeted me at the airport and in every hotel lobby.  It’s a wonder they weren’t in the bathrooms!    Besides parting with a few dollars at the casinos, I browsed in a lot of shopping malls.  You name it.  I could buy it on Las Vegas Boulevard.  Reproduction furniture from the Victorian era.  Crystal goblets.  Diamond bracelets.  Clothes for any occasion.  The only things that I didn’t find were book and cookware shops, which are, of course, my favorite kinds of stores.    On my third day in Vegas Tim, who now lives there, provided some respite from the rampant consumerism with …

Elvis Has Left the City

Published by Kathy Hunt

In the days leading up to my flight to Las Vegas I thought incessantly of two songs — Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas” and Mojo Nixon’s “Elvis is Everywhere.”  For me Vegas was the land of Elvis or, more accurately, Elvis impersonators.  Imagine my disappointment when I didn’t see a single pompadoured, glittery jumpsuit-wearing, middle-aged man anywhere.  Where were the Elvis wannabes? Where was the campy Vegas that I had imagined?  Twelve years ago, on my first and only other trip there, I hadn’t seen any signs of him then, either.  Had Mr. Presley left the city?  And, if so, who or what had replaced him?   Temples of consumption.  That’s what has usurped the King. Immense, themed hotels filled not only with gaming tables but also with toney restaurants, high end stores, and extremely pricey shows. Anyone who has picked up a magazine or newspaper or turned on his TV in the past 10 years knows of Vegas’s amazing rebirth. And, yet, I still expected to see some hint of the old, cheesy fun. The Imperial Palace was the closest that I got to this. It was, however, more tacky than fun. I stayed there with my friend Marilee, …