Back to Brazil

In a little over 11 hours, Daniel and I will be boarding a plane for Brazil. For the next 2 1/2 weeks, we'll be visiting family and friends, relaxing on Rio's beautiful beaches (such as Joatinga, featured above), watching the stunning sunsets on Ipanema (they're so pretty that people regularly clap for them), and of course filling up on all our favorite foods. I'm sure there will even be a few concerts, some samba, and a side trip or two.

We'll be staying at his grandmother's in Rio for most of the time and though she does have a computer, I'm not sure if I'll blog a little, a lot, or not at all. If it's the latter, I hope you'll come back in a few weeks for stories and photos from our trip. I promise there will be lots of them!

My mother-in-law's moqueca

I've been baking since 1pm today. And in a few more hours, I will start filling up little bags with Meyer Lemon Sablés, Chocolate Rads and Chocolate Chip Cookies with Dried Apricot and Espresso, all of which I read about on Orangette of course. Oh and before that, I made those Winter Spiced Molten Chocolate Cakes with Rum-Ginger Ice Cream that I mentioned yesterday. Well, I haven't baked them yet, but nine buttered ramekins filled to the brim with a spicy, chocolatey batter are sitting in my fridge.

I also mentioned my mother-in-law's moqueca yesterday and promised that I'd tell you about it today. I didn't want to leave anyone hanging even though I'm sure none of you plan on making a spicy Brazilian seafood stew in the next few days. But maybe I'm wrong and that's just what you'll be serving for your holiday meal? Either way, I'm sure you're all as crazed as I am with last minute preparations, so I promise to be quick.

I first tasted this traditional seafood stew in Brazil seven years ago. Daniel and I were in Bahia at the time, and it was there that I decided to extend my visit from two weeks to six months. True love aside, I seriously think that all the good food had something to do with it.


Made with white fish (and sometimes shrimp), tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, coconut milk and peppers, moqueca is a colorful, comforting stew that's both sweet and spicy. In Bahia, it's made with dende, a bright red tropical oil that has a strong and intense flavor. In Espirito Santo, the region where Daniel's mom Cristina grew up, olive or soy oil are used instead.


When Cristina arrived last weekend, I relinquished control of my kitchen, and made sure to first put in a special request for moqueca. My friend Mona was coming for dinner Wednesday night and I knew she'd appreciate a good Brazilian meal. Mona had visited me while I was living in Brazil, and she too extended her stay, though I think some Brazilian boys, instead of the food, had something to do with that.

I arrived home on Wednesday to find my smiling sogra sashaying to samba while putting the finishing touches on a three-course meal (of course without a single cookbook to guide her).


I would have been happy with just moqueca but she went ahead and made a special shrimp salad appetizer and for dessert, we had fried bananas with vanilla ice cream. What's even better is that she seriously seems to like doing dishes.

I've never attempted to make a moqueca and am not sure I'll ever have to since both Daniel and Cristina make such good ones. But I still wanted to share the recipe and encourage all of you to give it a try. Or, if you live in New York, sample some at Delicia or Casa, two of our favorite Brazilian restaurants (just be warned that you'll wait at least a few hours for your food at the former).

Cristina tried her best to write down these recipes for me and with the little time I have right now, I tried my best to edit them. She guarantees that all three dishes are simple to make. So what are you waiting for? Go and make a moqueca! And if you're really adventurous, a shrimp salad and fried bananas too. And now it's time for me to take my last batch of Chocolate Rads out of the oven.

Moqueca Capixaba with Shrimp Salad Appetizer
Serves 5
6 white fish steaks (Tilapia works well and if you do not find steaks, use thick filets)
1 big onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 a bunch of cilantro
Olive oil
A pinch of crushed dried red pepper
1 or 2 green jalapeños
1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green pepper sliced
6 plum tomatoes, diced
2 pounds of medium shrimp, shells on
Salt
1 can of coconut milk

First saute a garlic clove in olive oil (use a clay pot if you have one, if not a heavy saucepan will do) and add one pound of the shrimp. Add one sliced tomato in small pieces. Once the shrimp has cooked, remove their shells and reserve the shrimp for a salad. Keep the shrimp sauce as a base for the moqueca.

Next, saute two chopped cloves of garlic and one chopped onion in olive oil until the garlic becomes golden. Add the crushed red pepper, one chopped jalapeño, the tomatoes, sliced peppers, and the reserved shrimp sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and add more jalapeños if you want more heat. Once the tomatoes have softened, add the coconut milk and cilantro.

About twenty minutes before you're going to eat, add the fish and the second pound of shrimp. Once they've been added, do not cook the stew much longer -- only until the shrimp turns pink and is fully cooked. Do not stir or mix after adding the fish. Add salt to taste and, if necessary, add a bit more before serving.

Shrimp Salad
Whip a cup of heavy cream until it's thick with stiff peaks. Mix in ketchup, Spanish sherry, dill, salt and black pepper to taste. Place the shrimp you reserved from the moqueca on a small plate with two tablespoons of the sauce. Cut thin tomato slices and fan them out on the plate, together with some black olives and capers. If you'd like, add a bit of dill, parsley or chives and finish off with a few pieces of lettuce.

Fried Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream
Cut a couple bananas crosswise and fry them in a few tablespoons of butter. When they get golden, add cinnamon. Remove them from the stove, add a little bit of rum and flambé. Serve with ice cream, some honey or maple syrup.

A Christmas meme

This week, I took a break from cooking. In fact, the last meal I made was this Red Seasonal Salad and another loaf of Nigel Slater's bread (this time with salt!) on Sunday. My kitchen however, has still been getting a lot of use, thanks to my mother-in-law who arrived last weekend. Since Monday, she's been spoiling me and Daniel with some of our most favorite Brazilian meals. Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you all about her moqueca. Talk about maravilhosa.

I'll soon be back in the kitchen baking a whole bunch of holiday cookies, but right now, I'm going to forget my multiple to-do lists and finally take part in this Christmas meme that Kate tagged me for a few weeks ago.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Hot chocolate, and if possible, Mexican hot chocolate. I recently tried Max Brenner's which is rich without being overly sweet with subtle bursts of spice. It also comes in a cool, odd-shaped mug.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

We wrap presents at our house which particularly pains me because I hate to see all that paper go to waste. Most years, I try to salvage whatever leftover boxes, ribbons and paper we have (I'm so much like my grandmother, it's scary). Maybe this year I'll just try sitting them under the tree.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

When I was really little, we had those fat, funky colored lights, but at some point we switched over to simpler white ones which I've continued to use on my own tree the past few years. My decorations are indoors only, but I love how so many people in Brooklyn get really into their outdoor holiday decorations (Easter and Halloween are particularly popular). It's kind of like Christmas cards. I never send any, but love getting them!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

Nope

5. When do you put your decorations up?

Depends. This year, we put up our tree the first weekend in December since we leave for Brazil the day after Christmas.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

There really isn't one Christmas dish that we serve every year, so I just look forward to the whole meal usually. Thanksgiving is the holiday with the truly craveable dishes that are always on our table year after year.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child:

I have three:
-Opening one present before bed on Christmas Eve
-Singing Christmas carols at midnight mass with my entire family (and this is coming from someone who hasn't been to church in years!)
-Opening my stocking on Christmas morning

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

When I was really young, I went snooping in a closet and found all these wrapped presents. I couldn't really read yet so I thought they said "Love Sarah" (the name of my cousin). When my Mom found me, she assumed I had read what was written and while scolding me said something along the lines of "Well now you know there's no such thing as Santa Claus!" Thanks A LOT, Mom.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Yes, usually. Unless we're in Brazil and then we open all our presents on Christmas Eve.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?

When my Mom moved into the city, she gave me all of the ornaments that we had used when I was a kid. The year Daniel and I got married, we had a tree-trimming party and asked all of our guests to bring an ornament, so our tree is a collection of both old and new. Every year, I subject Daniel to the same stories about two that I made in elementary school (a clothespin reindeer and a framed photo of me and my brother).

11. Snow! Love it or dread it?

Love, love, love it. Especially in New York where snow forces everyone to slow down. Brooklyn is even more beautiful when blanketed in snow. Snow days or at least delayed office openings aren't bad either!

12. Can you ice skate?

Yes, thanks to skating club. Every Friday night (from 4th-8th grade), kids from my hometown's four elementary and middle schools went to Rye Playland to ice skate for a few hours. My favorite part was at the end of the evening when all the boys had to ask a girl to skate couples. We'd skate to a song (Paradise City and When I See You Smile come to mind) and the best couple won a free slice of pizza and a soda.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

A Cabbage Patch kid and one of those Swatch phones

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?

I love having lots of time -- not just the usual few hours -- to spend with my family. And the extra days off from work allow me to cook, relax, work out, read and just really enjoy my days. And most years, it means a nice, long trip to Brazil!

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

Cookies, specifically gingersnap and sugar ones

16. What tops your tree?

Either a glass angel that my Mom passed on to me or a stuffed snowman

17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?

Giving, but receiving is definitely a close second!

18. What is your favorite Christmas song?

Little Drummer Boy

19. Candy canes! Yuck or yum?

I've tried to like them many times, but overall, YUCK

20. What do you serve for Christmas dinner?

This is the first Christmas we've ever hosted, but it's going to be semi-potluck. Daniel and his Mom are making a this prime rib roast from Epicurious, my Mom's bringing stuffed tomatoes, a salad, pearl onions and potatoes, and my cousin Brooke is bringing an appetizer. I'm in charge of dessert and still don't know what I'm making. Maybe these or this. Any suggestions?

Since a meme is supposed to be shared, I'm going to tag Anne from Good American Housewife and Andrea from Madison & Mayberry. And to anyone who wants to participate, let me know so I can see your responses.

Happy holidays!

Chocolate and rosemary short ribs

My addiction to short ribs developed about three years ago after a dinner at Amanda and Jeff's. Using an Ina Garten recipe, they made some serious, melt-in-your mouth meat. A few months later, I served the same short ribs at a dinner party and it was one of my most well-received meals ever. Next came Dave Lieberman's Braised Hoisin Beer Short Ribs which were sweet, sticky and also unbelievably tender. When I decided to make this recipe for chocolate and rosemary short ribs a a few weeks ago, I expected it to be the best one yet.

The recipe serves 6 to 8 people, so I knew I could either eat short ribs all week, or invite some friends over for dinner. Daniel suggested Judith (who is a vegetarian) and her husband, Tim. And just like that, I tacked a cauliflower puree, Ina Garten's green beans with shallots and a pumpkin pasta onto the menu.

As much as I like to plan elaborate meals, the actual execution often leaves me overwhelmed. Yet on this particular evening, I managed to make four dishes in four hours and did not drop, break, burn or spill anything in the process. When our guests arrived, I was more calm than usual, with a clean kitchen and a batch of pumpkin butter gooey cakes in the oven to boot.

The cauliflower puree turned out silky smooth, the green beans crisp and buttery, the pumpkin pasta perfect, but the short ribs, sadly, were tough, not tender! The meat was still clinging to the bone and though the sauce's flavor was deep and rich, I had a hard time even tasting any chocolate. The star of the evening, the recipe I expected to be raving about, really fell flat. In my effort to juggle a bunch of recipes at once, I ended up sacrificing the main dish.

Daniel's less dramatic explanation was much more straight-forward than that. He thought that the ribs should have been completely covered while they cooked (not partially for 1 1/2 hours and then uncovered the remainder of the time as the recipe suggested). So, the following night we put the leftovers back in the pot and cooked them, covered, for another hour. Slowly, the meat softened, the flavors deepened and my short ribs were saved.

This is not a recipe I'm rushing to make again, but if I do, I'll cook them longer with the top on, add a little extra chocolate, and serve something nice and simple on the side. Well, I'm not so sure about that last part, but I'll try.

Braised Chocolate and Rosemary Short Ribs
From Bon Appétit
1/4 cup diced pancetta (Italian bacon; about 1 1/2 ounces)
6 pounds bone-in short ribs
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups dry red wine
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups chopped drained canned diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 very large fresh thyme sprig
1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons shaved or grated bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Heat heavy large pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and sauté until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown ribs in drippings in pot over medium-high heat until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate. Add onions and next 4 ingredients to pot. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add wine. Boil uncovered until liquid is reduced by half, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and pancetta. Return ribs to pot, cover partially, and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and simmer until rib meat is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours longer.

Transfer ribs to plate; discard bay leaf. Spoon fat from surface of sauce. Boil sauce until beginning to thicken, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add chocolate, cocoa powder, and rosemary; stir until chocolate melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot. Simmer to rewarm, about 5 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Menu for Hope III

What if $10 could get you a three-hour chocolate tour throughout Paris with pastry chef extraordinaire, David Lebovitz? Or dinner with New York Times food critic Eric Asimov? Or a fancy schmancy lunch delivered to your office by The Amateur Gourmet? And even better, what if that same $10 could help someone less fortunate have a much needed meal? Let me explain.

Three years ago, Pim started a fundraising campaign called Menu for Hope with fellow food bloggers. Last year, they raised $17,000 to help UNICEF. This year, they’re raising money to support the UN Food World Programme which provides hunger relief for needy people worldwide.

For every $10 you donate, you may claim one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. The campaign is running until Friday, December 22 and the winners will be announced January 15 on Chez Pim.

The list of prizes is impressive and one that I mentioned above has me crossing my fingers very tightly. Others include a dinner for four with wines at Iggy’s in Singapore, coffee with Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame, homemade macaroons from Orangette and much, much more. You can find the full list of prizes here.

Since I’m still a fairly new food blogger, I only heard about the fundraiser a few days ago. I had an edible prize that I wanted to add to the list but, unfortunately, I missed the deadline. Oh well, there's always next year!

Here's how to donate:
1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from the Menu for Hope.
2. Go to the donation site and make a donation.
3. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code—for example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 for EU02. (Please use the double-digits, not EU1, but EU01.).
4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so your corporate match can be claimed.
5. Make sure you allow your email address to be seen so you can be contacted if you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone. (If you happen to forget to do that like I did, you can also go back to the site and type in your email address in the personal message space).

So stop what you're doing, start spreading the word and don't forget to donate! Just don't bid on David Lebovitz's Paris pastry tour or I might have to wrestle you for it.

My Mom's other award-winning recipe

When it comes to ground beef, a mound of meatballs tucked into a nest of fettucine couldn't make me happier. Cheeseburger cravings come every month or so, and for those there's Shake Shack in the summer and Corner Bistro year-round. Pasta bolognese is another favorite and lately I've been making this lighter one from Emeril Lagasse or I'll go to Frank, Max or Poetessa to get my fix.

Then, there's meatloaf. My Mom never made it for me as a kid and I didn't mind one bit. Brown, bland and rubbery, a cake made of beef never really got my stomach growling.

But when I was 15, she saw an ad for The Great American Meatloaf Contest in The New York Times, and though she didn't have a family recipe to flaunt, she went right ahead and created one.

It might seem like my Mom's a recipe contest regular when in fact, she's only entered three in her life. The second you know about, and the third, she did not win. Which is really surprising because her stuffed tomatoes are goooood.

But for her first recipe contest ever, she won second place. And I met a meatloaf I could finally like.

First, she sauteed mushrooms with shallots, garlic, fresh thyme and sage before slathering them, along with some goat cheese, atop a dressed up mixture of ground veal and beef.

Unlike those meat cakes that other mothers slapped into pans that I usually used for brownies, she carefully rolled hers into a log and baked it like a loaf of bread. Each slice was thick and juicy with a melty mushroom and goat cheese center.

I still think when it comes to ground beef, I'll lean toward meatballs, a burger or a big bowl of bolognese first. But at least once a year, I'll get a sudden craving for meatloaf, and this is the only one you'll find me making.

My Mom's Goat Cheese and Mushroom Meatloaf
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 pound fresh mushrooms, stems removed, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground beef round
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic, shallots and thyme, stirring once or twice, until tender, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and stir in the mushrooms. Cover and cook until mushrooms soften, stirring once, about 4 minutes. Remove cover, add sage, salt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cook, stirring until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside and prepare the meat.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the beef and veal. Stir in the eggs, bread crumbs, grated cheese, ketchup, mustard, parsley, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Mix well. spread the meat mixture onto a sheet of waxed paper to approximately 9 inches by 16 inches, so when rolled it will fit nicely into a loaf pan. Spread the softened goat cheese over the meatloaf mixture, and spread the mushrooms evenly over the goat cheese. Carefully lift the waxed paper from the shorter side and using it as a guide, roll up the meat like a jelly roll pressing gently and peeling the paper off as you roll. Place the rolled meatloaf into a 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan with the seam of the meatloaf on the bottom.

3. Bake the meatloaf for 1 hour and 15 minutes. It's best to put the loaf pan on top of a baking sheet to catch any juices that might run over. Let the meatloaf stand, covered lightly, for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Yield: 6 servings

Cookies that are good for you

First, let me start by saying I usually don't like low-fat desserts. There was a time when my cabinets were stocked with Snackwell's chocolate chip cookies, and thankfully, those days are so over. Now when I have dessert, I say bring on the butter. Well, usually.

At Ben & Jerry's, I find the chocolate fudge brownie or cookie dough yogurts just as satsifying as their fuller-fat versions, and when I make tarte Tatin, I top my slice with a scoop of creamy, Greek yogurt instead of vanilla ice cream. And on the nights when my local cookie store has closed and I've had dessert every day for the past, oh, three weeks, but still really need something sweet, these are the cookies you'll find me making.

Cookies -- usually chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip, or gingersnaps, though not always in that order -- are by far my favorite sweet to snack on. Problem is, once I have one, I need another and another. Cupcakes have a similar effect. Which is why I was willing to try this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eating Well magazine.

For the most part, the ingredients are pretty similar to your standard cookie recipe, with a healthy twist. You'll need flour (whole wheat and all-purpose), butter (only 1/2 a stick), sugar (light brown and granulated -- Eating Well also suggests Splenda which in my opinion is just gross), chocolate chips (1 cup), and oatmeal (2 cups). So what's the secret ingredient, you ask? Tahini! Yes, the stuff that's mixed with chickpeas to make hummus. A paste that's made by grinding sesame seeds. Believe me, I was very skeptical too.

Then I tried one of these rustic, silver-dollar size treats that have a faint nutty flavor and are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle, and they were really good. Ok, so not City Bakery, one pound of butter per cookie good, but a different good. A more sophisticated good.

Packed full of oats and flecked with just a few chips per cookie, you really do feel like you're eating something that's sort of healthy. Like a granola bar -- with benefits. Eating Well would probably recommend 1 or 2 per person, but I don't feel guilty at all for my usual 4 or 5.

To find tahini, try an organic supermarket. I bought mine in a jar and it was on the same shelf as peanut butter. Since one batch only calls for 1/2 of a cup, you can also try spreading it on toast for breakfast, or if you're like me, just save it for monthly batches of these cookies.


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Eating Well
Makes about 45 cookies*
2 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon**
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup tahini
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk oats, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat tahini and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended into a paste. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; continue beating until well combined -- the mixture will still be a little grainy. Beat in egg, then egg white, then vanilla. Stir in the oat mixture with a wooden spoon until just moistened. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
3. With damp hands, roll 1 tablespoon of the batter into a ball, place it on a prepared baking sheet and flatten it until squat, but don't let the sides crack. Continue with the remaining batter, spacing the flattened balls 2 inches apart.
4. Bake the cookies until golden brown, about 16 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Cool on the pans for 2 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Let the pans cool for a few minutes before baking another batch.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per cookie: 101 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 45 mg sodium

*I've made these cookies a number of times and have never ended up with 45 (and I roll them into fairly small little balls). I'd say 35 is more accurate.

**For some reason, I don't like cinnamon in my chocolate chip cookies, so I usually leave it out when making these. I also think the tahini adds a nice, nutty flavor, so I don't think the walnuts are necessary.

This Little Piglet's Recipe Index

To make it easier to find recipes I've referred to and written about, I've created this index. For easy access, a link to it has now been added to the archive section on the right side of my blog. Enjoy!

Appetizers
Cheddar Crisps
Warm Queso Dip
Guacamole

Beverages
Pink Grapefruit Margarita
Real Margaritas

Breads
Nigel Slater's Bread
No-Knead Bread

Breakfast
Croque Madames
Cranberry-Cornmeal Pancakes
Chocolate-Almond Whirligig Buns

Dessert
Pumpkin Butter Gooey Cakes
Vanilla Ice Cream
Tarte Tatin
Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp
Grandma's Crumb Cake
Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
Grasshopper Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
Tres Leches Cake
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Strawberry Shortcake
Rhubarb ''Big Crumb" Coffeecake
Mini Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cookie Sandwiches
Chocolate-Almond Whirligig Buns
Gramercy Tavern's Gingerbread Cake
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Meat
Chicken Chili
Daniel's Duck
Bobotie
Grilled Red Chile Steak Fajitas
My Mom's Goat Cheese and Mushroom Meatloaf
Chocolate and Rosemary Short Ribs
Daniel's Coq au Vin

Pasta
Pumpkin Ravioli with a Sage Butter Brown Sauce
Arugula Pesto and Sausage Lasagna
Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Lasagne
Pasta with Roasted Summer Vegetables and Basil 
Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Figs, and Mint
Ricotta Gnocchi with Contessa Sauce

Pizza
Ina Garten's White Pizzas with Arugula

Salads
Jicama and Watercress Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Seafood
Whole Grilled Branzino
Crab Cakes
Remoulade (for Crab Cakes)
Chipotle Shrimp Fajitas
My Mother-in-Law's Muqueca
Felix's Island Clams
Cider-Glazed Salmon

Soups
Escarole and Orzo Soup with Turkey-Parmesan Meatballs
Gazpacho

Tarts
Mustard Greens, Kale and Saffron Tart

Vegetables
Butternut Squash Puree
Braised Red Cabbage
Pearl Onions Roasted in Duck Fat
Roasted Baby Pears with Herbed Goat Cheese
Olivia's Tomato Tart

Vegetarian
Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Not one, but two tables at El Bulli

During the four years I've worked at Food Network, Daniel's Dad has asked me more than once to help him get a table at El Bulli. I'd heard about the renowned restaurant and its chef/owner Ferran Adrià five or six years ago and though I too had always dreamed about some day visiting, I knew securing a table was next to impossible -- no matter where you work.

When my Mom and I took a trip together throughout Spain a few years ago, she called months in advance and still couldn't get a reservation. So we did the next best thing and booked tables at some of the country's other renowned restaurants (Comerç 24 was my favorite). Since so many well-known Spanish chefs have trained under Adrià (or are completely inspired by him), this gave us a glimpse of his far-out, experimental cooking.

Then Clotilde wrote about her recent El Bulli experience and was kind enough to share some tips on how to get a table. Suddenly, a visit didn't feel so far-fetched.

I read about her extrordinary dinner in August, then promptly set a task reminder on my computer to send El Bulli a reservation request in mid-October. I instructed Daniel, my Mom and his Dad to do the same. We all wrote that our dates were flexible and that we'd take any day available during the five months that they are open every year. I was the first one to get rejected a few weeks later.

Apreciados Señores,
We regret not to be able to full fill more reservation requests. Our limited capacity has been surpassed at the first moment due the extraordinary demand. We apologize to you.

It is impossible for us to have a waiting list but we will be at your disposal to revise if cancellations are produced when we confirm all the reservations a week in advance.

E-mail: bulli@elbulli.com Fax: +34 972 15 07 17 Tel. +34 972 15 04 57 – (during the season, after 3.00 p.m.). Thank you for all your interest.

I wasn't too surprised or disappointed, so I forwarded the response to my Mom and Daniel and didn't think much more about it after that. A week later, Daniel forwarded us the email that he received:

We can offer you a reservation option for 5 people.

Ferran Adrià will prepare a personalized tasting menu. You will try many different elaborations and it means many different products. It is very important for his confection to know in advance if some problem exists, like allergies or any other product that we could not include for anyone of you.

I wait your news to fix the option and also with regard to this question to fix all the details at your reservation. I also ask you to give us a direct contact phone number during your time in our area.

Immediately, emails began flying as Daniel, my Mom and his Dad began figuring out if we really should hightail it to Spain in the middle of May for a single dinner. Less than two days later, my Mom received her response and she too was offered a reservation the very same week. Two tables at El Bulli? This was insane!

The best part is that Daniel's Dad, the one who has been talking the most about El Bulli for all these years never even sent in his request! I think he, like me, actually enjoyed thinking and dreaming about it but never really thought we'd get a table, let alone two in the same week. And then of course there is the flight, the cost of dinner and all those other logistical obstacles to consider.

So now, here I am, planning a sudden trip to Spain to eat at what many have claimed is the world's best restaurant. It feels exciting, adventurous and ultra spontaneous. You only live once, so I think we're going to do it. At the same time, I can't help but wonder, is it really worth it?

If you've been to El Bulli, I'd love to hear what you thought and if you recommend the experience. If you're like me and have always dreamed of going, what would you do?

Oh, and about that extra table. A lot of people have already tried to stake their claim, but I might be willing to make a deal, in exchange for, say, a round-trip ticket to Spain?

ElBulli
Cala Montjoi - 17480 Roses
Tel. +34 972 15 04 57
www.elbulli.com