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In November, I fell in love - with short ribs - specifically, the Bourbon Blue's Braised Short Ribs.
However, I couldn't necessarily stalk pester their chef for the recipe so this gal had to improvise. And by improvise, I mean review every little recipe I could get my hands on that might be *the one*.
Well, my friends, I think I found one that is striking similar and, even better, I was able to finally use that lovely crock pot that only sees the counter every few months when I have to make those fabulous meatballs for a soiree.
Trust me when I say that while it make take some time, the end result is WELL worth it. I served it over some Asiago polenta (the cupboard was sans Parmesan - I KNOW - bad, Lys, bad!) and the leftovers were even better the next day. I halved the recipe because, unless I was feeding my friends for a week, this wouldn't work and I'd have short ribs for breakfast lunch and dinner. Now that I think about it - really, what's so bad about that...
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Williams-Sonoma Braised Short Ribs
Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma
Ingredients:
Directions:
Serves 6.
Labels: Entree, Recipe, Tried and True, Williams-Sonoma
Here's a new product alert - Stonewall Kitchen has just added PINK HOT CHOCOLATE to their fab collection of products. Not only do you get the frothy hot chocolate but also marshmallows and the mugs to go with. Now that's something to surprise your sweetie this Valentines day or whenever you want to brighten your day with a bit of pink.Labels: Beverages, Gift Ideas, New Products
In my quest on eating healthier this year, I made a commitment to actually USE the produce I buy. The cooler was crazy full with a plethora of organic goodies. I felt like a kid on Christmas going "Iron Chef - Ingredient - I dunno!" If anything it spurred the creativity in me and I have some interesting things on the agenda this week.
Now, please excuse me while I am off to learn about all things Winter Squash...
Labels: Fab Companies, Organic, Orlando
Labels: AeroGarden, Herbs, Spices
So, for this edition of Cookin' 'Round The Web, I spotlight some posts that can help you channel your inner frugalista while playing in the kitchen...
Obviously, a well stocked pantry is KEY to any perfect meal. The Kitchn spotlighted an article from the New York Times where Mark Bittman gave his suggestions about what is needed in a pantry. Sure, it’s a bit of an investment at first but when you think about it, once it’s stocked, you have less of a headache.Labels: Cookin' Round The Web, Great Blogs
Labels: Food Network, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Soup, Tried and True
I'm not a firm believer in "resolutions" as I detailed over at Just Because... However, I am a fan of "Goals" and decided that, in addition to making my "2009 Life Goals", I was going to add some culinary goals to the mix. Of course, you know you'll have a front row seat if I pass or fail. So, without further adieu, may I present some of my 2009 Culinary Goals...
What’s on your culinary agenda for 2009?
Labels: Blog, Culinary Goals, Pets, Shopping
I rarely, RARELY, ever speak ill of what I regard as my cooking Mecca - that being Sur La Table. However, after what I went through last night, Sur La Table and I are breaking up.
I've disclosed before that when I get their catalogs, I pore over it like it’s the latest issue of Vogue. I bought my Global knives there. I first fell in love with (and later took home) my Caribbean Le Creuset pieces via Sur La Table. Sur La Table has been my "online go to spots" for research here for Cooking in Stilettos. Not to mention, the price difference between here and Williams Sonoma is astronomical. Sadly, the nearest Sur La Table is 3 hours away. They haven't built one in Orlando yet (and, last I heard, it will be QUITE some time). And, when I travel, I always research where Sur La Table is and if I have time to go, often leaving room in the suitcase to store the goodies I find. The Sur La Table in New Jersey knows me well.
I placed a substantial order on their site yesterday, namely being the Lotus Sanitizing System that I've talked about here before, a marble pastry board that I needed this weekend, a donut cutter that Diana @ The Chic Life recommended some great deals on baking sheets and the apron I've been lusting after. I would have added more but I thought "eeeh - I still have the remainder of the gift card that I need to use at WS. I'll perhaps use it on the Breville Cordless Blender I've been eyeing."
The key factor to this drama is that I needed the pastry board for this weekend. See, the Marble Pastry board at Williams Sonoma is $129.00. I was hesitant to buy it but figured I had to. You can't find a good marble pastry board here in OTown at a decent price. At Sur La Table it was on sale for $32. That's a HUGE difference. So, knowing that, I figured I'd upgrade to overnight shipping and have it sent to the 9to5. It was an extra $25 but I felt it was worth it with what I would have spent at Williams Sonoma. I couldn't ship it to my house because we're having problems at our apartment complex with deliveries - namely UPS leaves the stuff on the truck, marks it delivered and we don't get it until 2 - 3 days after. We've complained and UPS gives everyone the same excuse, "We're sorry - it got mixed up with the Disney packages". I'd rather not have ANYTHING shipped there if I can avoid it.
My gut instinct, however, kept bugging me last night and I called Sur La Table to check on the status of the order. I normally would get a tracking number by evening. Williams Sonoma does it. Barnes & Noble does it. Other retailers do it. It was now around 8 and I had received nada, nil, nothing.
By chance, I encountered Charmaine in the call center. All started off okay until she told me "Well, it should be shipped tomorrow.” Wait a minute - overnight means OVERNIGHT! Then she tells me that their overnight is, technically, two days. Well considering that my shipping is about $50, we need to rectify that mess quickly - as in cancel. She told me she couldn't do ANYTHING and that I'd have to do it at 8:00 but there was the chance that the order could be filled and shipped by that time. To make the situation every worse, I found that the woman was rude, condescending and just pissed me the hell off.
Yes, I flipped into cable cop mode whereby I told her to let me speak and then I'll let her speak. Do. Not. Interrupt. Me. She goes 'Well you interrupted me!' Wait another flippin' minute - I paused, recounted the conversation in my head, could not not recall one interruption, refused to put up with her attitude and shut. her. down. The next thing she heard was “Charmaine, I want to speak to your Supervisor - NOW".
Her supervisor, Theresa, and I had a "Come to Jesus" talk. It was more than the shipping confusion (a normal definition of overnight vs. their definition) or the need for this pastry board. The reason for the "The Break Up" is and forever will be the crappy customer service exhibited by Charmaine. Theresa assured me that she would address Charmaine's issues immediately and that she would do what she could to cancel my order. However, to be safe, I should call Customer Service in the morning. She did everything she could on her end to try to help the situation which, thanks to Charmaine, escalated well beyond what should have been done. She was beyond pleasant - DID NOT INTERRUPT ME and understood that I seriously was seeing red. While I can get cranky, this was worse than when I shut someone's cable off and they called me the "C" word. (They were stealing cable - where does that make me the bad guy for doing my job, right?)
This morning, I had a quick break from the daily duties where I could give Sur La Table a quick call to make sure the order was cancelled. I wanted that money refunded stat. I resigned myself to the fact that instead of using that Williams Sonoma gift card for a portion of the Breville blender or the Emile Henry Pie Plate or other goodies I wanted, I HAD to spend it on that pastry board and then take a hit for an additional $100.
Well, Sur La Table's rep, Jessica, answered the phone and I told her to cancel the order. She told me I'd receive it on Monday and I told her "No. Just cancel the order." She talked to her supervisor and again asked what she should do. Again, I had to tell her to CANCEL IT! She told me that if it had been placed at 1:00 EST it would have been sent but I placed it around 3:00 EST. OK - where does it say that on the website? It doesn't. While I admit that I am blond, I do tend to notice these things and, if I had seen it, I wouldn't have placed the order. Plain and simple and Sur La Table and I would have been fine. The continued lack of following a clear and explicit command was astounding. What part of CANCEL THE ORDER does Sur La Table not get? No part of explanation by a CSR on their part can override Charmaine's actions. That's the main issue.
Long story short, due to Charmaine's actions, I just can't support Sur La Table anymore. So, it's my decision that until further notice, I'm not going to recommend them, feature their products here on Cooking in Stilettos, give them any link love on either of my sites and their catalogs will go unopened. The two new Sur La Table cookbooks I was planning to buy will not be purchased. I will buy only from other online retailers i.e. Fantes, Cooking.com, Chefs, Jacobs Kitchen, Dean & Deluca, etc. I will purchase that Lotus System through Chefs. I will send customers locally to Le Gourmet Chef, the Premier Outlets, Crate & Barrel and Williams-Sonoma. What was Sur La Table's loss is now other culinary retailers' gain.
Sur La Table not only lost a substantial sale, but a long time fan and customer. Quite simply, I am heartbroken because they truly were my favorite store.
Labels: Guilty of Idiocy, Rant, Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma
Labels: Food Network, Italian, Rachael Ray, Recipe, Tried and True
One of my favorite chefs is Jose Garces. I've heard rave reviews about his restaurants. His cookbook, Latin Evolution, is like art. And, to boot, the man spanked Bobby Flay HARD on Iron Chef America. So I knew that during my trip to Philly last month, I'd have to go to his restaurant, Amada. Amada is a Spanish tapas restaurant in Olde City, Philadelphia which was just a hop, skip and a jump from my hotel at Penn's Landing.
I have to say, Amada lived up to their buzz - the restaurant was all that and then some. The ambiance was intimate and rustic. From the moment you enter through the flowing draperies at the front door, staff greets you like an old friend welcoming you to dinner. Now, while I love Italian cooking, I'm also fond of Spanish cooking. After all, one of my signature dishes is Arroz Con Pollo.
Now, let's get to the fun stuff - the food. After much contemplation, the menu items selected were:
Of course I had to have some Merlot but Julie, the fab bartender, also suggested that I try their homemade sangria. If I had thought about it, I would have ordered that instead of the merlot. They have three sangrias - a white, a red and a seasonal. The seasonal selection was a spiced apple sangria which was insanely good. While Julie and I were talking, I mentioned the Foodbuzz New Years Eve 24, 24, 24 event that I was hosting and, with thanks to her, she gave me some wonderful suggestions which turned out perfect.
Sadly, I did not take any pictures of my visit there but I will be sure to take them on the next trip as this has hit my list of "Absolute Fave Restaurants" and I will be going back. However, the Ultimate Epicure reviewed the restaurant and took some AMAZING photos which you must see HERE.
Much thanks to everyone at Amada. It was a meal to remember...
Labels: Amada, Bobby Flay, Great Blogs, Jose Garces, Philly, Restaurant Review
You ever flip through a catalog or magazine and go "One Day" when you see something that just makes you go "WOW". Well, this is on my mental "Vision Board" and, if I apply the laws of the Secret, perhaps, one day, it will be installed in the home. Labels: Appliances, Dream Item
Preppin' for the initial rub
Labels: Barefoot Contessa, Holiday, Recipe, Tried and True
Have a wonderful weekend!
Labels: Colin Cowie, Cookin' Round The Web, Great Blogs, Link Love, Michael Chiarello
Labels: 24 24 24, Entertaining, FoodBuzz, Friends, Giada de Laurentiis, Holiday, Jose Garces, Michael Chiarello
