Vegas

I'm so behind with my blogging. I've been taking cake decorating classes for the past month and a half and I was out of town three times in the last four weeks.

The bf and I decided to take a short trip to Vegas around Labor Day. We booked a room at one of the new hotels in the new City Center. We were originally looking at Aria but then we found Vdara -- a smoke-free hotel. I'm allergic to cigarette smoke and since we wanted a quiet Vegas trip, it was the perfect retreat from the busy strip.

The hotel does not have a parking garage so we had to valet the car each time we took the car. The other option was to park in the Bellagio parking lot and take the short walk back.

This is a view from the Rio parking lot. Vdara is the shiny, crescent shaped building to the right of the Bellagio.


This is the covered walkway connecting Vdara to Bellagio.

Here's a view from our room of the escalator connecting the walkway to Bellagio.


Here's a view of the Bellagio pools from our room.


View of the Bellagio fountains at night. The fountain shows were as frequent as every 15 minutes at certain times of the day and we could hear the fountains from our room. I sorta like the crazy squiggly lines as a result of my unsteady hands.


Vdara charges a $15 per day resort fee that includes two bottles of water, internet and pool access. The pool area is now considered a dangerous zone. Here's a sample headline: "Vdara Hotel 'Death Rays' burns tourist." Apparently, the crescent shape of the glass hotel concentrates solar rays in the pool area. The media is referring to this as "death rays" while MGM is prefer to call it a "solar convergence phenomenon."


Here's the entrance to the hotel room.

The tiny kitchen is to the right.


Continue walking and you reach the little living area.


A flatscreen in the living area. There's another one just like it on the other side of the panel. I think it's kinda stupid. Who would have both tv on at the same time without a real wall dividing up the room?


Here's the second tv in the bed"room" area.


I really like the simple decor and the dark wood furniture.


The bathroom wasn't huge.


I loved the Aveda products.


This feature is pretty cool. It controlled the shades.


Here's with no shade.


Here's with the sheer shade drawn.


And the "blackout" shades drawn.


I stopped by the Bouchon right outside of the Venetian Theatre after picking up our Phantom tickets.


I think mine tastes a lot better.


The bf has never eaten at a buffet in Vegas before so I purchased a 24 hour buffet pass. We ate at the Planet Hollywood buffet (I think it was called Spices) after watching Phantom. I forgot to take a picture. The buffet is alright. I don't think I will go back. There are better buffets out there.


Breakfast buffet at Paris. The Paris buffet is a joke. I don't know who rated this as one of the top buffets. We had dinner there during one of our trips out to celebrate my future sis in law's graduation from law school. We hated the food and the service was terrible. I decided to give the buffet a second chance. The French are great with breakfast foods right? Wrong. The food was still terrible and the service was just a tad better. We even paid extra to cut the three hour line.


Lunch at the Lago buffet at Caesar's Palace. I think this buffet is one of Harrah's hidden gems. We had lunch at Lago so the selection wasn't extensive but the quality was great. The service was superb and the best part was probably the lack of a crowd. I tried a little bit of everything but my favorite were the corn, the crab legs and the mashed potatoes. Crab legs are served at almost all the buffets but these tasted fresh.


Our last buffet was at the Carnival World Buffet at the Rio hotel. The Carnival buffet was huge. The food area was the size of a football field. The food was not too bad considering the thousand or so items offered.


They have a nice gelato bar. I think this is the coconut gelato.


If you want to eat at a buffet off the strip, I recommend Lao-Thai Kitchen. They are located at:
1000 N Nellis Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89110-5318
(702) 453-9188
I think the lunch buffet was $6.95 and although the selection wasn't vast, the quality of the food was superb. The food was made in very small batches so it was very fresh and it tasted like the cook put a little bit of his/her heart into each dish. I had the pad thai, larb, fried chicken wing, sticky rice, papaya salad, oyster sauce napa cabbage, and tom kha gai soup. The papaya salad was made very gringo style but still had great flavor.


Another favorite off-strip places to eat is at Hue Thai on Spring Mountain Road. I really wanted Lee's Sandwiches but they were still not opened. They were supposed to have their grand opening in the Summer of 2010. Maybe next time. I ordered a grilled chicken banh mi and a pork flower roll plate.


And a random picture taken at the Encore hotel. I love the color combination at Encore.


The two pictures below were taken at the Crab Hut in San Diego.

I promise to post a recipe next time.

Read More

Best Cocoa Brownies and the Quest for the Best Cocoa Powder

How many batches of brownies can I bake over the course of a week? A lot. I've been testing different brands of cocoa powders.

Cocoa powder is something I have in my pantry but rarely give it a second thought. I buy the Ghirardelli because it’s the fanciest-looking cocoa powder on the grocery store shelf. Cocoa is (was) not something I would drive out of my way for.

When I was working on my icing for black and white cookies, the recipe specified Dutch processed cocoa. Interesting. That’s the Hershey’s stuff that I used to buy, right? I haven’t bought Hershey’s cocoa in ages but I remember it being Dutch processed. I found it strange when I saw a post on a cooking discussion board asking about where to buy Dutch processed cocoa. I thought Dutch processed was the common stuff.

After stopping by my local spice shop, to pick up some black onyx cocoa, I walked over to the grocery store to read the Hershey’s label. It was not Dutch processed! When did Hershey’s switch from Dutched to natural? I did find a Special Dark version next to the regular version. The Special Dark is a blend of natural and Dutched cocoas. I haven’t tried it but I hear it’s terrible.

So is natural better than Dutched? Some people seem to think so but in a blind taste test conducted by Cooks Illustrated, Dutched won in every single category. I found this pretty interesting. Apparently, by Dutch processing the cocoa, the cocoa tastes more “chocolatey.” The process neutralizes some acidic flavor notes and also produces a darker cocoa.

So in the taste test, Dutching was good but over-Dutching was bad. I read this after using the super-Dutched cocoa for my icing. I was very disappointed. I don’t know how to describe the flavor. It was flat, stale and burnt. I loved the color so my plan was to mix the black onyx with some Dutched cocoa. I bought a few different brands to test out.

I tested the cocoas using a cocoa brownie recipe by Alice Medrich.

Read More

Pho Fusion Restaurant in San Diego

I flew back to San Diego a few weeks ago to see a friend's new baby girl. I co-hosted the baby shower back in February.

We all met up for lunch at Pho Fusion. The restaurant was very busy so my friend ended up going back to the kitchen to help cook. (It's her family's restaurant so she ends up helping out a lot.) I love the food at Pho Fusion. The restaurant started off as a hip boba cafe. (If I recall correctly, Fusion opened its doors around 2002. Prior to opening Fusion, the yummy food was served at the original Linda Vista Food To Go.) The menu was recently expanded to include pho. I didn't order the pho. My favorite items are the barbecued chicken and the barbecued chicken sandwiches (banh mi).

Read More

Challah French Toast Casserole with Macerated Berries

If you read my blog, you may (or may not) notice my love of French Toast. I have posted several variations of French Toast. (And most variations involve challah.)

This variation was inspired by one of the brunch dishes served at one the many baby showers I hosted. One of the other hostesses was in charge of the menu and she made a dish she called “French Toast Casserole.” We briefly discussed the dish and I asked if she used maple syrup. To my surprise, she said the dish did not contain a drop of maple syrup. The syrup was made with brown sugar and corn syrup.

I forgot about getting the recipe from her so I tried to recreate it from memory. I know she mentioned that she used challah and I recall the challah was cubed. (I’m not sure if she removed the crust. I ended up leaving the crust.) She also mentioned Grand Marnier so I stuck with the Grand Marnier. I think Cointreau, Curaçao or regular old triple sec will work.

This version of French Toast is very good. It is reminiscent of a good bread pudding. Since I was in testing phase, I decided to start with a smaller quantity. The amount was perfect for the two of us. (It was actually enough for breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday.) I’m sure it can be doubled and baked in a 2.5 quart baking dish instead of the 1.25 quart dish I used.

I worked backwards when I made this. I cubed the bread and placed it in the baking dish until it was almost full. I then transferred the cubed bread into a large measuring cup. (That’s how I discovered the baking dish held just over 4 cups (1 quart). I wanted about a cup and half of liquid so I started with ¾ cup of half and half. Each egg is approximately 2 ounces or ¼ cup. The other ingredients’ volumes were negligible.

The macerated berries side was a last minute decision. I like fresh fruit with my breakfast so I picked up some strawberries and blueberries. I discovered that the strawberries were tasteless on their own. (I realize it is not strawberry season.) Out of desperation, I had to find a way to rescue them. I decided to macerate them and booze them up. The berry-boozy syrup is heavenly with the French Toast.

Challah French Toast Casserole with Macerated Berries

¼ cup (half stick) unsalted butter
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
4 cups challah bread, cubed
3 large eggs
¾ cup half and half or heavy cream
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (Cointreau, Curaçao or Triple Sec)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
freshly grated nutmeg (about a pinch)
pinch of salt

1. Combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave about 30 to 90 seconds to melt sugar. Stir to combine and allow to slightly cool and then pour in a 10.5" x 7" x 2" (1.25 quart) rectangular pan. (I measured my pan and my measurements were 9" x 7" but the manufacturer lists 10.5" x 7". Who am I to argue?)
2. Place bread cubes in baking dish.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and Grand Marnier. Pour mixture over bread cubes. Let stand until oven is preheated.
5. Bake about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden.

Macerated Berries:

- 1 pound berries (I used 1 pound of strawberries and a half pint of blueberries)
- ¼ to ½ cup sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries)
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Wash, hull and slice strawberries. Mix everything together and allow to sit while the French Toast is baking. The berries are ready when the sugar turns syrupy. (Some people like their berries to sit a while longer but I don’t like mushy berries.)

Read More

Happy Easter! Our Easter Dinner for Two

We actually had dim sum planned for today but plans were canceled so the bf and I decided on an impromptu Easter dinner. I picked up a ten pound ham. (Hey the bone has got to weigh at least four or five pounds!)

I didn't want to go overboard so I asked the bf what were some of his Easter must-haves. His only request was deviled eggs.

Our Easter Menu:

- Smithfield Country Ham
- Deviled Eggs
- Gratin Dauphinois (aka Scalloped Potatoes)
- Green Beans
- Pomelo and Shrimp Salad
- Bread (I had french baguette and the bf had sourdough.)

It was a no fuss dinner.

Gratin Dauphinois, Au Gratin Potatoes or Scalloped Potatoes

The first time I had Gratin Dauphinois, I thought I was eating really special potatoes fit for a future king. I assumed it was a dish made in honor of one of dauphins of France. It reminded me of Pommes Duchesse and Pommes Anna. I don’t know details of the history behind these dishes. I remember reading about these potato dishes, with fancy sounding names, in Larousse Gastronomique and Escoffier.

I don’t have a recipe for this dish. It is one of those things that I just eyeball because it all depends on how much potatoes I have to work with. My three potatoes may be four of yours. This is what I do.

I take a couple potatoes, wash them, peel them and then slice them thinly. (Do not rinse the sliced potatoes because you want to retain the starch.) I put the sliced potatoes in a pan and eyeball the milk, half and half, or cream. (I like to use a mix of milk and half and half because heavy cream is a bit too decadent.) I then grate just a bit of nutmeg into the pot and then season with salt and pepper. I cook it on the stovetop for a few minutes to get them started. (Stir them frequently so that they don’t burn.) The milk/cream will thicken up with the help of the potato starch.

Then I prepare a baking dish. (My au gratin dishes are usually too small for the quantity I am accustomed to cooking.) I take a clove of garlic, cut it and rub the cut sides all over the baking dish and then coat the dish with butter. Pour the simmered potatoes in the baking dish and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until it is all bubbly and golden on top.

True Gratin Dauphinois does not include onions or cheese but you can add it if you are feeling it. I sometimes like caramelized onions with my potatoes. Layer and top with gruyere cheese (or even parmesan or cheddar) if you like. If you do choose to stray and add onions or cheese, be prepared to call your dish au gratin potatoes or scalloped potatoes. I decided to keep it simple and authentic today so I can call mine Gratin Dauphinois. Try it without the cheese. I promise you won't miss it. The potatoes are creamy and rich enough on its own.

Thai Pomelo Shrimp Salad

I bought a really delicious pomelo last week so I went out and bought 8 more. I love pomelos but I hate grapefruit. If you are like me and hate the taste of grapefruit, you should give pomelos and try. The taste is similar to a grapefruit but without the bitterness or acidity. I usually eat my pomelos plain but I was reading a few of my favorite food blogs (rasa malaysia and wandering chopsticks) and both blogs have posts for pomelo salad. The one of rasa malaysia was a guest post by the author of the shesimmers blog. I have to admit that I've never tried pomelo salad before so I didn't know what to expect.

I couldn't decide on the Thai or the Vietnamese version of the salad. I love both Thai and Vietnamese food. Initially I was planning on doing the Vietnamese version found on Wandering Chopsticks blog but I didn't have any Vietnamese coriander so I went with the version found on rasa malaysia. I have to admit that I was a little lazy with the prep. I cheated quite a bit. I skipped the coconut milk because I didn't want to open a can of coconut milk. I used fried shallots from a jar and I poached the shrimp in the microwave. (I feel I must apologize to the author of the recipe.) Fortunately, I did have some raw peanuts that I toasted a few weeks ago.

These pomelos were on the smaller side. I usually get volleyball-size pomelos at the Asian grocery store. I scored the pomelo to make peeling easier. I then used kitchen sheers to help cut the pith and then carefully remove the segments.

If you take prescription drugs, you may notice the grapefruit and grapefruit juice warning label on your prescription bottle. Grapefruit contains a compound that interacts with certain prescription drugs. (There's a long list of prescription drugs affected and they range from allergy meds to cholesterol-lowering meds.) The compound inhibits an enzyme called CYP3A that breaks down the drug, resulting in more of the drug being absorbed by your body. Controlled Release, Sustained Release and Extended Release drugs are also affected by the compound - causing the entire dose to be absorbed at once. Does this mean a possible overdose? I'm not sure. Pomelos are not as popular or as widely available as grapefruits. (Although they are gaining in popularity and several of my local groceries are now carrying them.) There's not much information about pomelos and prescription drugs. I'm sure many pharmacists and doctors have never even heard of a pomelo and when you say "similar to a grapefruit," the advice would probably be to err on the safe side.

Read More