Friday, March 31, 2006

BBQ'd Salmon Sandwich & Asian Slaw

Still wanting to "eat clean" this week (before the weekend debauchery that will no doubt ensue after a long working week), I made BBQ'd salmon sandwiches and Asian slaw for dinner last night.

I've had a head of cabbage and one small daikon in my refrigerator for almost a week and didn't want them to go to waste. At first I thought about making a big pot of miso soup with them but it just isn't something you'd eat a big bowl of, like chicken vegetable or something, so that idea got vetoed. On my way home from work I kept thinking of my options. "What would go well with salmon? Should I braise my cabbage? Will I be able to find the shredding device for my mandoline? Should I stop daydreaming about food and pay attention to weaving in and out of LA traffic?"


When I got home I started on the slaw. First I shredded the cabbage and cut thin juliennes of the daikon. Next I made a dressing of rice wine vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce and tossed it in with the veggies. After letting it sit for about 10 minutes, I added some green onions and chopped cilantro to finish. It looked and smelled so fresh and delicious that I couldn't wait to eat it...but I still had the main course to do.


I took the defrosted salmon (Trader Joe's has some very decent frozen fish) out of the fridge and put it into the broiler before basting it with my friend's famous BBQ sauce- the Kelso Q. He's actually ranked in California for his ribs and other smokey edibles and has a yearly BBQ where he grills up everything from whole turkeys to brisket. As a parting gift for coming and eating all of this free food (cos you know, YOU should be THANKED!), you get a bottle of the Kelso Q. Anyway, it makes anything taste better and I love the combination of buttery salmon with the sweet and spicy sauce. After toasting a couple slices of multigrain bread, I built the sandwich with the salmon, sliced onions, lettuce and a touch of Kewpie Mayo.

Here's the finished product- the flavors of the sandwich went really well with the refreshing slaw- I would definitely make this again and it's a great way to use up leftover veggies. This sandwich would be great with some added avocado and a few sprigs of cilantro as well.



Now onto the weekend! Happy Friday.


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Thursday, March 30, 2006

Turkey Larb



Sometimes you just need a little green in your system. After a night of Truffled Mac 'N Cheese, Orecchiette w/ Roasted Fennel, Red Peppers and Burrata, Ceasar Salad, a basket of garlicky shoestring fries, several glasses of wine and several trips through the bread basket (no no- I didn't eat ALL of that alone...four of us shared a bunch of stuff) at Blair's, I felt like eating something light and clean.

Ingredients

I'd found a recipe for Thai Pork Salad with Cilantro and Mint on Epicurious about a month ago and saved it for an occasion such as this. Larb, which is basically what this dish is, is something I order often from Thai restaurants and I've always loved the flavor. I read the user comments and made some adjustments. Instead of pork, I used ground turkey and added ginger since the original recipe didn't call for it. I also substituted chili garlic sauce for the cayenne and rice powder for breadcrumbs (?!). It was quick and easy to put together, and the perfect antidote to the rich meal I'd eaten the night before. The combination of the fresh lime, salty fish sauce, bright mint and cilantro with the lean meat was so delicious- a taste of summer in our relatively cool Los Angeles spring.



I just served it with some steamed snow peas drizzled with a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil, sea salt and sesame seeds- a nice, quick weeknight meal.

Snow peas w/ sesame

I'm looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today....speaking of which, it's time to eat!

Turkey Larb in Lettuce Cups
(adapted from Thai Ground Pork Salad with Mint & Cilantro from Gourmet Magazine, June 1999)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 TBS fresh mint, chopped
2 tsp grated ginger
1 white onion, chopped
1 lb ground turkey
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons of toasted rice- ground
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably naam pla)
2 tsp chili sauce w/ garlic
3 TBS chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Lettuce or cabbage leaves for wrapping.

Note: To get the ground rice- simply take white rice and toast it in a dry pan until the rice gets brown. Put it in a coffee grinder to make a fine powder.

Take the ground turkey and put in a pot with 2 TBS of the lime juice- cover with cold salted water and bring to a simmer- use a fork to break up the meat. Cook until meat is just done- about 3 minutes after it starts to simmer rapidly. Drain well in a sieve.

Put turkey in a large bowl with the remaining 2 TBS lime juice and all of the herbs, ginger, onion, rice powder, fish sauce, chili sauce and peanuts (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with lettuce cups.



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Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Lemon Chicken

Volcano smoke? No! Cauliflower!

I spend a good deal of my day reading food blogs (er, at home of course...not at work!). I'm constantly inspired by the writings, photos and recipes put out there by fellow bloggers. There are so many recipes and so little time to make and eat them all that at times, it's overwhelming! Every time I spy a gorgeous photo like this one, I print out the recipe, stuff it in my bag and start daydreaming of a fantastic brunch party at my house filled with friends and family just "ooooohing" and "ahhhhhhhing" about the fabulous food. Although I have good intentions to cook things I find on other blogs, lack of time (in general) and organization (mine) usually results in the recipe finding it's way to the bottom of my bag, temporarily forgotten and left to wait for rescue.

I found out the other day that there is hope for me just yet. All bad habits are made to be broken, and I may be well on my way to actually using those beloved recipes instead of just taking them home. You see, the other night we had a nice dinner of the Lemon Chicken I had seen on The Wednesday Chef. After reading about how The Wednesday Chef's beau proclaimed this chicken as the best thing she'd cooked for him EVER (which is quite something if you look at all of the delights that this lady has created) I knew I had to try it for myself. I bought my Costco-sized package of whole chicken legs (because it only came in the gianormous size) and eagerly trotted off to my kitchen to get to work.

Browning the chicken

It really is a simple recipe- season chicken, brown, finish off in oven, deglaze pan with lemon juice, add creme fraiche and drizzle over meat, sprinkle with lemon zest. It was so fresh and lightly creamy- we loved it, as did our house guest who remarked, "ZESTY!" Paired up with sides of mashed cauliflower and sauteed mushrooms, it made a comforting yet elegant meal.

Somewhat unappetizing photo of Lemon Chicken, sauteed mushrooms and mashed cauliflower

One recipe down....150,000 to go!

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Monday, March 27, 2006

Annibirthday dinner at Maison Akira, Pasadena

Since my dad's birthday and my parents' anniversary are a day apart, we pretty much always combine the celebration into one event. This year, my dad chose his favorite, Maison Akira in Pasadena. My parents, sister, husband and I arrived promptly at 6:30 pm on Saturday, giddy with anticipation.

Maison Akira's decor is very old-school, traditionally formal. No minimalist vibe here- there are French-country-inspired printed curtains and yellow walls. We were seated at a round table in very comfortable chairs while the manager warmly greeted my parents (they're "regulars" so to speak).

The first thing you notice about the place is how quiet it is. Although most of the tables were occupied, you could actually HEAR your own dining companions while barely noticing that of the other patrons. I think it actually may be the quietest restaurant in Los Angeles. It was a nice change from the usual construction-level noise at most places these days. We perused the menu and, while my dad and husband opted for the Menu Rabelais prix fixe with wine pairing (4 courses, 2 wines $68.00- a steal), the ladies decided to go a la carte with one appetizer and entree each.

After cracking open a Gary Farrell Pino Noir which we had brought with us, we were presented with the amuse bouche. A slightly seared piece of albacore sprinkled with red sesame seeds accompanied a small slice of terrine made up of soba noodles and a yuzu/dashi gelee. Both were very light and delicious- the perfect way to rev up your appetite.

Next came the men's first course- the Warm House Smoked Salmon on Micro Green and Lentil Salad in a Ponzu Pesto Vinaigrette. Although I failed to take a photo of it, I have to say it was one of the highlights of the night (thanks to my husband who let me have some!). The salmon filet was extremely flavorful with just the right saltiness which combined so well with the creamy white beans and lentils underneath the fish. Being a big fan of both ponzu and pesto, I loved the slightly tart and very refreshing dressing. This was accompanied by a lovely French sauvignon blanc.

The men's second course looked as good as it tasted- the Braised Shiitake Mushroom and Goat Cheese Topped with Crispy Leeks consisted of 2 meaty slices of shiitake held together by a generous serving of tangy goat cheese. The veal demi glace that it was swimming in was delectable and mellowed out the sharpness of the goat cheese. It had a bit too much cheese for my taste, but we simply swiped the excess with the addictive mini baguettes from the bread basket and all was good in the world.


My mom and I both ordered the Chilled Maine Lobster Salad with American Caviar in a Lemon Mirin Vinaigrette and neither one of us were blown away. It came on a bed of cha soba (green tea soba noodles) which were overcooked. The lobster was on the bland side and even the generous dollops of caviar on each piece did not liven up the dish at all. My sister's Brandy Flamed Maine Lobster Bisque was also a disappointment- it was just "eh" and again needed more flavor. Since my dad makes The Best Lobster Bisque Of All Time, we have quite high LB standards and this one, as pretty as it was, just wasn't cuttin' it!


Onto the main courses. My husband chose the Grilled Miso Marinated Chilean Sea Bass in a Honey Lemon Jus on Roasted Provençal Vegetables which is Chef Akira's signature dish- and it didn't disappoint. The fish literally melts in your mouth - just delicious. My dad's Sautéed Rib-Eye Steak in a Green Peppercorn and Béarnaise Sauce with Vegetable Printaniér was also good, but having only had a small bite I can't really describe it well. Both men enjoyed the accompanying wines. Mom chose the Sansyo Pepper Dusted Tuna Served Rare in a Plum Wine Ginger Sauce with Wasabi Potato Mousseline which was excellent- especially the mashed potatoes. The greenest mashed pots you've ever seen, they are filled with the flavor of wasabi while lacking the extreme heat which would be overbearing. The Sautéed Canadian Scallops with Braised Endives & Chasoba Pasta in Lobster Jus that my sister ordered was good, but again- I thought the chasoba was overcooked. I have to say that my Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb in a Rosemary Sauce with Potato Mousseline & Seasonal Vegetables was absolutely DELECTABLE. The meat can only be described as succulently tender and juicy- I mean gnaw-on-the-bone-may-I-please-have-another succulent. I thought about keeping a bone as a keepsake but hey- it's a nice place so I probably shouldn't sneak scraps off the table. Truly the best lamb I have had in ages. The accompanying mashed potatoes and vegetables were nice but nothing compared to the star. The glass of Echelon Pino Noir that I ordered was a nice accompaniment.
Luscious Lamb!


Since it was my parents' anniversary/dad's birthday, the waitress brought out their signature dessert- a butter cookie basket filled with vanilla ice cream and fruit, topped with a pulled sugar dome. My husband had his choice of the dessert menu, which is a nice surprise since many prix fixe menus have a predetermined one. He chose the sheep's milk cheese with jam....I can't recall if it was boysenberry or blueberry but wow- the combo of the slightly hard manchego with the sweetness of that delicious jam was positively addictive. It comes with a tiny glass of fruity dessert wine (sorry- I failed to write this down!!). My sister's flourless chocolate cake looked beautiful but she thought it lacked the richness that is usually associated with that dessert.

Even though not every single dish was a homerun, I have to say we had such a wonderful time. Don't get me wrong- the food is outstanding for the most part. The service is impeccable without being stuffy, and the ambience makes it so easy to relax and really get comfortable. I haven't been there for lunch and look forward to going or getting one of their celebrated bento boxes to go. All in all, highly recommended for a special occasion.


Also- I'd like to take this opportunity to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dad and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my parents- without whom I would never have developed such a love of food and cooking.

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Thursday, March 23, 2006

Mick Jagger!

No no, I didn't meet the swaggering front man of The Rolling Stones. But I did eat him for dinner. Well, not really but let me explain.........

There is a very popular Japanese comfort food that consists of braised potatoes, thinly sliced beef, onions and sometimes green peas. It's called Niku Jaga. "Niku" means meat and "jaga" is short for "jagaimo" which is potato. The easy way to remember that is to say "Mick Jagger" with a Japanese accent which would sound like "Miku Jaga" which in turn, when said fast, sounds like Niku Jaga. See? You're well on your way to being a Japanese-speaking master! Other examples of faking Japanese based on English are "Doitashimashite" (You're welcome) which can be faked by saying "Don't touch my moustache" quickly. One that I learned from my coworkers at Tower Records Japan was "Kastura ga nai" (I don't have a wig) which sounds like the title of the Bryan Adams' hit "Cuts Like a Knife" if you say it swiftly and with a slight Japanese accent. I mean, how handy is that phrase going to be in your everyday life? Haven't we all needed to tell someone that we don't have a wig? Anyway, this concludes "Fake Japanese 101" for now. Or maybe it concludes the "Oyaji Jokes 101" for now. Take your pick.
Mick.....er, Niku Jaga

So- yes, I made Niku Jaga for dinner the other night- my first try- and it was everything that you'd want from a meat-and-potatoes dish. The braising liquid of dashi, soy sauce, sugar and mirin is almost completely soaked up by the meat and potatoes which results in deep, luscious flavor and melt-in-your-mouth potatoes. I had some of the renkon no hasami age filling leftover so I made some impromptu triangular gyoza, stir fried some broccollini and added a green salad to make the meal complete.
Impromptu triangular gyoza

Next time you're in the mood for this comforting dish, just remember- ask for Mick Jagger and you'll probably get what you want.

The whole spread

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Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Food Porn!

Last night I made cupcakes for one of my coworkers since today is his last day. I had seen Nic's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes and had vowed to make them someday. Here was my chance!
Waiting for frosting and a kiss!

Both the cake and the frosting were easy to make, and wow- they were delicious. I doubled the frosting recipe since I wanted to pipe it onto each cupcake but I ended up having a bit leftover. I finished making them last night at around 10:00 PM and covered them with foil. They kept beautifully and were a huge hit with everyone today. The cake was moist and very chocolatey - even though I used plain old Hershey's cocoa since I had some left and had ran out of my Scharffen Berger. The batter was almost like chocolate pudding. I did use French butter (Plugrá) and free range eggs that I buy every week at Mistuwa market. The yolks are so bright and orange...they must make some difference, no? The frosting was peanut buttery but not overpowering. Anyone who loves Reese's Peanut Butter Cups will love these.

What's the food porn, you ask? Well, seeing that the color of the frosting is not unlike skin color, it just sort of struck me that they look like, well......you see.

Cupcakes all in a row

Oh- I topped each with the new peanut butter filled Hershey's kisses to keep with the theme.

Enjoy!



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Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Arsenic for dinner?
Can you pick out the arsenic on the plate?


No no, this isn't a line from some bad V.C. Andrews book (which I will completely admit to reading when I was a teenager). It's actually possible that I consumed some for dinner the other night. So did my husband and my sister.

WTF, you ask? Well, there is a type of seaweed called hijiki which is one of my favorites. It's short, thin, black and very tender when cooked. It's usually served as a tiny side dish in an obento. A popular dish is Hijiki No Nimono, which is basically seaweed mixed with carrots, konnyaku, abura age and simmered in soy sauce, fish stock, sugar and mirin. It's also common to add chicken to this which is what I did the other night. It was soooo good, and I actually ate some more today since I had leftovers.

Well, here are the pros of hijiki:

- It is high in fiber and necessary minerals
- It aids in the growth of thick, black hair (probably IF you actually have black hair to begin with! I doubt Jessica Simpson would sprout black hair if she started eating hijiki...although it would be cool)
- It aids in overall health and beauty

Here is the con:

- Consumption of only a small amount of hijiki seaweed could result in an intake of inorganic arsenic that exceeds the tolerable daily intake for this substance.

And what does arsenic do? It's been linked to anemia, cancer, liver damage....yikes. New Zealand, Canada, The U.K. and Hong Kong have all issued warnings on consuming hijiki because of this.

Hmmm.....beautiful hair or LIVER FAILURE? How about some ANEMIA to go with those essential minerals?

Ok, I'm being dramatic and obviously wouldn't consume it if I was that worried...but when I was eating it at lunch today, I was thinking that wow...this is the second time this week that I've had this....maybe I'm getting too much arsenic for the week (I mean, can you ever have too LITTLE ARSENIC?). I mean, there are so many things in today's world that are bad for you that I don't want to be one of those paranoid people that won't eat this or that, but this does concern me a bit. I think I'll keep my hijiki consumption to once a month from now on.


Anyway, I also made something I'd been wanting to eat but had never cooked before- Renkon no Hasami Age. It's basically a meat mixture sandwiched between two slices of lotus root and deep fried. It's a common dish at many izakayas in Japan and I really missed it. After asking a few people for a recipe, I just combined what I'd heard and winged it. I mixed some ground pork and minced shrimp with chopped green onions, a bit of ginger and some garlic. I carefully spread about a tablespoon onto a slice of lotus root and enclosed it with another. Then I dredged it in cornstarch and deep fried. Success! You'd think that you would dip this type of food in soy sauce but no no no- at the izakayas, it is usually served with ketchup. I mixed some good 'ol Heniz with some Sriracha hot sauce and it was the perfect match for the crunchy renkon. Trust me- it's great!

Other dinner items:

Hiyayakko (cold tofu with ginger, scallions, shoyu & bonito flakes)

Pea shoot salad with miso dressing

Aforementioned arsenic...er...hijiki no nimono

Aspargus w/ dashi seasoning and sesame

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Thursday, March 16, 2006

Another post about food from the past........

since I'm not really cooking that much this week. I did go out for drinks at the new Bowery Bar and then for appetizers at the neighboring Magnolia last night, but of course failed to take any food photos (blame it on the pino noir!). Even though our onion rings, calamari and crab & artichoke quesedilla were all tasty, I was more focused on the conversation and didn't really retain the details necessary to blog about the meal. I've been eating hard boiled eggs for breakfast and leftovers for lunch & dinner which are hardly blog-worthy. So- you're once again stuck reading about my pre-Tuna Toast foodie adventures. I promise to get back in the kitchen next week!

I used to bake a lot more - I went through a pastry obsessed period where I made tarts, cakes, cupcakes, bread...pretty much anything in the carb family. I felt so creative and alive decorating the desserts or kneading bread. Note to self- get baking again! I would spend most nights pouring over Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice and Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible, daydreaming about the beautiful and deeelish things I would make.

Alas, that phase has faded out a bit lately but I know I just need to crack open one of those books and inspiration will hit.

Until then, here are some blasts from the past:

French chocolate butter cake
It looks plain, but it was sooo rich and chocolately while retaining it's cakeness. It wasn't a heavy gooey brownie-like thing. The perfect example of simple decadence.

Lime and mango tart with a macadamia crust
Very tropical dessert. If you look closely, you can see a thin layer of pink on top of the tart. That is the 1 Tablespoon of fruit that I extracted from 2 GUAVAs (did I say passion fruit before? Ugh!) that I randomly purchased at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market on a whim. In my tropical-fruit-ignorance, I had NO idea that there was so little "fruit" in a guava. Now I know the true meaning of the phrase "it's like trying to get blood out of a turnip." I get it.

Ciabatta
My very first attempt at ciabatta looked great and was pretty good, although it lacked the trademark gaping holes inside.

Lemon cheesecake with a rhubarb glaze
I've made this several times and it is one of my favorites. I added the strawberries for decoration- and notice the cute champagne bottle candle?

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Nice is nice............

Since I am flying solo this week and probably won't do much cooking (like I stated yesterday) I wanted to use this as an opportunity to post about some culinary adventures I had before Tuna Toast was even a twinkle in my eye. Unfortunately a good camera was also not even a twinkle in my eye at the time so please forgive the fuzzy photos of said culinary adventures.

Last summer we spent one, glorious week in the French Riviera. We had planned to stay in Paris for 5 days and go to Nice for 2, but quickly reversed the plans when we discovered the absolute lusciousness of the coastal town. Not that Paris is anything to shake a stick at, but during the summer it is hot, humid and empty of the Parisians who have all flocked to....well, the south!

When the plane started it's descent onto the landing strip of the Nice airport, we both just stared in awe at the beautiful blue coastline from above. I think our mouths were still agape during the short (but VERY expensive) taxi ride (yes, we got ripped off) to the hotel. It was just what a summer vacation spot should be- bright sun, blue water, beautiful people, daily farmer's markets, gelato stands and bustling streets full of people wearing shorts and sandals. I seriously fell in love. In fact, just typing about it now makes me sad to think I am no longer there. Ah Nice, you are my dream come true. Why must you break my heart?

On to the food. Although we did have one very French, 3-course meal, we spent most of the days noshing on thin crust pizzas, pan bagnat, yogurt flavored gelato (INSANELY GOOD- anyone who has tried Japanese yogurt would love this), croissants and seafood salads all washed down with copious amounts of rosé. For some reason, those foods just matched perfectly the mood of the sun soaked, ocean scented days of summer in Nice- one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Pizza with egg...........yum

Say cheese.......

Sweets........

Foie gras

Olives

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Monday, March 13, 2006

Cooking for one isn't so fun........

but cooking for 45? Heart-attack inducing, stress-filled nights featuring dreams of talking lentil beans and buckets of unpeeled garlic smirking at me. Huh? Ok, that doesn't make sense. Let's get on with this post.....

I haven't really cooked yet this week since I was out of town all weekend (and forgot my camera so I couldn't document the mediocre meal I had at Guayma's anyway) and am now solo for a week while my husband is off recording. It's hard to cook for just one, so my dinners will probably consist of canned soup that really needs to be eaten already (does it ever go bad?) and tuna fish sandwiches. Even though I'm sure you're all heartbroken that you'll be missing out on commentary and photos of those two exciting foods, I've decided to use this week to blog about things I made or foods I ate before I started this blog.

Late last year, I decided to throw my husband a big 'ol birthday party since he'd never really had one since we've been together. We usually just go out to dinner on birthdays, but this time we made a list of invitees and started planning.

I wanted to cook everything (I'm sort of a control freak that way....which sometimes kicks me in the butt!) and just asked people to bring alcohol and chips. It took me a few days to plan the menu, make the shopping list and write out the schedule of when I would do everything. The final menu looked like this:

Appetizers

Salmon tartar w/ wonton crisps
Cheese plate/crackers/fruit
Asian babaganoush w/ pita chips (vegan)

Main

Grilled flank steak w/ chimichurri sauce served w/ grilled red onions, cabrales blue cheese and whole wheat pita
Grilled teriyaki chicken thighs
Grilled portabello sandwiches on focaccia w/ vegan cheese, tomatoes and herbed vegan aioli (vegan)
Grilled curried potato, mushroom and red onion (vegan)


Sides

Warm lentil salad (vegan)
Whole wheat couscous salad w/ fresh cut corn, black beans, tomatoes and cilantro vinaigrette (vegan)
Cold soba salad w/ julienned carrots, cucumbers, green onions and peanut/soy/ginger dressing (vegan)
Jasmine rice w/ green peas (vegan)


Dessert

Neapolitan cupcakes w/ cream cheese frosting
Tofu Chocolate Silk Pie x 2(vegan)



The birthday bbq party was scheduled on Saturday so I started the prep on Tuesday. I'd go to work, come home and scarf down dinner, and then start the chopping, mixing, storing, etc. By Thursday night I was exhausted, and by Friday I was downright mad.....at myself, of course! Why didn't I just stick to making a few main things and let people bring their favorite potluck dishes? I guess part of the reason is because most of my husband's friends are musicians. Not to stereotype, but musician's aren't usually known for their cooking since being on the road means eating out all the time. You get the idea. Anyway, between the vegan needs of about 20% of the guests and trying to make everything myself, I was exhausted.

How'd it all come out? Pretty great, actually. We had so many people show up that our backyard and house were practically popping at the seams. The food was a big hit- especially with the vegan crowd- since I suspect that many of them live on nuts and twigs (c'mon, I can joke, can't I?). The only thing that didn't really turn out for me was the Neapolitan cupcakes- they looked so adorable on Nic's fabulous blog but mine didn't come out so whimsical. They tasted fine, but I was disappointed that they layers weren't visible. I also have to thank Nic and Alton Brown for the Chocolate Silk Pie recipe- the vegans and non-vegans ate it like it was the last thing on earth.

I have to say, all of the work was TOTALLY worth it in the end. Seeing people scarf down your food with big smiles on their faces is one of the best things ever.....besides the leftovers, of course;).

From top: Lentil salad, Couscous salad, Soba salad, Salmon tartar w/ wonton crisps, chips and guacamole

Grilled curried potato, mushroom and red onion

Close-up of soba noodle salad

Flank steak w/ grilled onions, pita, chimichurri and blue cheese

Neapolitan cupcakes w/ cream cheese frosting and Tofu Chocolate Silk Pie

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