Culinary Adventures with Camilla

I found this information on the website entitled "practically edible." Hmm... Loroco is small green unopened flower buds used as an herb for flavouring in Central America. The closest taste comparison is might be to chard or spinach, or a cross between mild broccoli and squash. It is used in salads, rice dishes, stews and sauces. In El Salvador and in Honduras, it is added to the fillings in "pupusas." The Loroco plant is a woody vine. It grows wild in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and prefers a temperature range between 68 and 90 F (20 and 32 C.) Loroco is not available fresh in the United States because the USDA's Commodity and Biological Risk Analysis team discovered that the plants can bring with them the "Diabrotica adelpha" beetle. But loroco can be bought in jars (brined or pickled in vinegar), or frozen. I wonder if the owners of Cabo Hermoso grow it themselves.

Having read a review that made my mouth water, I pulled out the globe, had the boys locate El Salvador and San Salvador, and loaded everyone in the car to go to Cabo Hermoso for lunch. We ordered pupusas (pork, chicken, beans, and loroco flower - a delicious exotic bloom, native of El Salvador) , platanos fritos, and something whose base seemed to be made of a spiced lentil flour. Everything was served with curtido, a spicy, vinegar-based condiment made from cabbage, carrots and other veggies - much like sauerkraut. And we ended the meal with a mug of Salvadorean hot chocolate. It was delicious and we all but licked the plates clean. I'm going to have to locate some recipes!

Jo wanted a recipe suggestion for langostino tails. Cam says: Langostino typically refers to the tailmeat of the squat lobster which is, surprisingly, neither a lobster nor a prawn which it resembles quite a bit. It's actually more closely related to a porcelain crab or a hermit crab. Still, I use them how I would use shrimp or lobster. A fairly easy, but tasty dish is a lobster potpie. You can make individual pies in small ramekins or a large, family-style pie. Whatever you do, use cookie cutters to create some festive looking crust - hearts for Valentines, stars for Christmas. You get the idea. Cook the langostino tails ahead of time and because they are small, you don't need to chop or shred the meat. Make your usual pie crust, but add some lemon zest for added zing. Make your usual cream sauce, but add some sherry. Stir the cooked langostino tails into the sherry-cream sauce and season with sea salt and pink pepper to taste. Add some rough chopped parsley. Line b...

I love Thai food, especially at Wat Mongkolratanaram, the Thai Buddhist temple in Berkeley. It's not just a brunch, it's an institution. Fabulous food, reasonable prices, and lots of local color make it another of my favorite destinations when we're up there. Pad Thai, Green Papaya Salad, Pumpkin in Yellow Curry, Coconut Gelatin. The only tragedy this weekend was that the little old ladies weren't there making Kanom Krok . When I inquired, I was told, "they're old. They don't come during the winter. They'll be back in the Springtime." Disappointing. But I finally got up the nerve to ask the secret to their Thai iced coffee. Secret? It's no secret she told me. Use sweetened condensed milk. Lots of it.

It's not a successful trip to the East Bay without a stop at Bittersweet Cafe . So, after our Ethiopian dinner, Jacob and I headed to Rockridge for some sweet treats. The chalkboard outside gave me a chuckle, announcing: "Chocolate is love in food form: complex and bittersweet." Inside, the smell of chocolate envelopes you like your favorite sweater and the racks of handcrafted chocolates wrapped in everything from plain brown paper and twine to ornately embossed gilded foil are as stunning as they are tempting. I always try something new; Jacob leans towards a perenial comfort food - chocolate pudding. Since we were still stuffed from dinner, in a rare moment of self-control in the face of chocolate, Jacob offered to share. So I ordered a spicy chocolate and grabbed something I'd never tried much less heard about: rhubarb soda. It was crisp, subtle, and is a new favorite. But that certainly didn't stop me from helping Jacob devour the pudding. We refrained f...

Unlike Harry's quip in When Harry Met Sally... when Jacob and I went to Cafe Colucci, an Ethiopian restaurant, we did not order two empty plates and then leave. We feasted. All the flavors were bold and big. Meat dishes, vegetable dishes. And we washed it all down with Ethiopian beer and honey wine. Normally I wouldn't enjoy a wine that sweet, almost syrupy. But it was the perfect pairing for the meal. I am definitely going to make Ethiopian as one of my month's culinary adventures. Maybe for Fathers' Day. Now I just have to locate a local source for that wine!

Though this wasn't a planned stop, the line winding up the block made up stop to look. And we are so glad that we did. Ici in Berkeley's Elmwood area was an foodie's ice cream dream come true. First, they make everything there in the kitchen and work with local, organic farmers to get the freshest and in-season ingredients. Second, all of their packaging and servingware is compostable: the ice cream cups and bowls are made from baggase which is derived from sugar cane; spudware spoons are made from potato starch and soy oil; and their clear plastic cups - for the free sparkling water - is made from a corn by-product. And then there's the ice cream itself...amazingly unique concoctions that were as tasty as they were lovely. Voluptuous mounds of ice cream in delicate shades whose subtle flavors inspired moans of appreciation from everyone in the family. Wow. I chose a scoop of pink peppercorn with a scoop of candied blood orange. Dylan opted for a chocolate-mint sorbet....

I am only half-joking when I say that I plan our weekend get-aways around food. I don't JUST plan our itineraries to surround good food, but I certainly incorporate as much good food as I can. So, for our Valentines' weekend trek to the Bay Area, I made sure to include some exciting eating experiences. Because our first stop was the Cal Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, I typed "local favorite Golden Gate Park" into Google and came up with a list of spots. After reading a bunch of reviews on Yelp - and remembering that noodles for Chinese New Year are traditional - I settled on San Tung Noodle House in the Inner Sunset. Watching Dylan devour his noodles reminded me of a Federico Fellini quotation, at least it’s attributed to him – “live life spherically and with childish enthusiasm and things will come your way.” Childish enthusiasm, indeed. Riley was definitely not as enthused by the jellyfish salad that had intrigued him on the menu. I'm pretty sure that...

For my love, a few reminders to always keep it spicy! Jacob's goodie basket includes (1) table water crackers with cracked pepper - and a note that we'll pick something up at the Cheeseboard to spread on them; (2) dark chocolate bars infused with spices, one with chipotle, the other with chili and lime; (3) a spicy apple mustard, (4) rainbow peppercorns; (5) a box of organic candied ginger for a sweet and spicy treat; (6) chocolate-covered cinnamon sticks; (7) heart-shaped pasta with a note that I'll whip up some pasta arrabiata for him.

Riley's basket is centered around tea and includes: (1) a ceramic mug; (2) a tea infuser; (3) a pewter tea-themed bookmark with recycled glass beads; (4) a bag of loose leaf tea; (5) a tea-infused chocolate bar; (6) Devonshire cream and orange blossom honey with a note that I will make him homemade, heart-shaped scones.

The Valentine basket I put together for Dylan contains: (1) a tube of marzipan with a note that I will make any shaped goodies he would like. I've made mushrooms and bugs for him before. We'll see what he comes up with this time. (2) Sesame almonds from Trader Joe's (3) orange-honey almonds from the Stackhouse Bros. from the farmers' market (4) Dutch butter-almond cookies. And (5) a dark chocolate and hazelnut bar. I'm Nuts about Dylan!

I decided to make cinnamon rolls to use up the leftover marscarpone cream from the whole wheat Twinkies! Yes, in case you're wondering, the cinnamon rolls are whole wheat, too. 1 teaspoon raw sugar 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup raw sugar 1/4 cup butter 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs, beaten 4 cups white whole wheat flour 3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans, divided 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup melted butter Directions In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and salt; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, milk mixture, eggs and 1 1/2 cup flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each a...

The idea of ingesting something that could theoretically survive a nuclear winter is a little unnerving, but when a friend requested 'homemade Twinkies' for his birthday cake, I had to do it. Probably should not have used whole wheat flour. But then we wouldn't have laughed as hard as we did. The mascarpone cream was tasty. Ingredients Cake 6 eggs 3/4 C organic granulated sugar 1-3/4 C white whole wheat flour 1/2 t salt Also needed: spray oil, mini loaf pans, simple syrup Filling 1-1/2 sticks butter, softened 2 T pure vanilla extract 3-1/2 C organic powdered sugar, sifted 1/4 C organic heavy whipping cream 1/2 C mascarpone cream Procedure Cake Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 6 mini loaf pans with pan spray. Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk it continuously until the eggs are warmed and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and continue whisking until thick, foamy and pale yellow. Sif...

Palauan food, at least the dishes I selected, were a blend of spicy and sticky and in need a cooling counterpart. Fresh coconut chutney was the perfect foil. 2 cups freshly grated coconut 1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 3 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger sea salt to taste Method: Combine ingredients and keep in fridge until ready to serve. Will keep for 1-2 weeks. Lentil and Potato Curry 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, chopped ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp mustard seeds ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds 1 cinnamon stick 6 cloves 4 cardamom 4 cloves of garlic, minced 3 small chillies, minced 1 tsp freshly grated ginger 2 tsp curry powder 1 cup dry lentils 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped salt to taste 1 tomato, chopped 3 cups water Directions In a medium size pot, heat the olive oil then add the onions, cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Cook over medium heat, stirring for one minute. Add the minced garlic, tumeric, chillies, ginger and curry ...

Not having had a chocolate covered banana before, I had no idea that they were supposed to be frozen or that they had cute little sprinkles on them. So, when Jacob asked for a chocolate-covered banana for dessert, I melted some dark chocolate in a double boiler, peeled a banana from the fruit bowl, skewered it, and rolled it in the chocolate. Mine weren't this pretty, but Jacob said it hit the spot. That's all that matters, right?

I know people like different things on their burgers. For instance, Jacob loves bacon and bleu cheese on his; Dylan likes ketchup and mustard while Riley slathers on the relish. I like to think that I'm fairly open-minded and culinarily adventurous - hence the name of my blog. And there are very few things I've eaten that I wouldn't eat again. But today I had an Aussie-style burger that I really did not enjoy. Oddly, when I came home to read more about beets on burgers, I stumbled across articles about Aussies and Kiwis topping their burgers with beets, grilled pineapple rings, AND a fried egg. Wow. I love burgers and am passionate about beets. But beets on my burger...I won't be repeating that anytime soon. For all you carnivores, how do you like your burger?!?

Nothing says 'cozy' like homemade soup on a winter evening. Tonight I made a tomato-brown rice soup with garlicky croutons, fresh oregano, and feta cheese. SUPER SIMPLE TOMATO SOUP chicken boullion tomato sauce (I always have tetras of Pomi on hand for mid-week dinners when I don't have time to make a fresh sauce) fresh oregano sea salt Add cooked brown rice to the soup, bring to a simmer, and serve with homemade croutons and a sprinkling of cheese.

And while we're on the subject of foodie flicks, movies about wine also top my list of favorites. While I thoroughly enjoyed the novel Sideways , the movie left much to be desired. But I loved Bottle Shock ! Based on a true story, the film depicts 1976's "Judgment of Paris," the cataclysmic upset that changed the world of wine world forever; a Napa-based vintner beats out his French counterparts in a historic blind taste test. Cin Cin, baby! What are your favorite films about wine?

"The spaghetti doesn't come with meatballs?!" "No, sometimes spaghetti likes to be alone." It probably comes as no surprise that I love foodie flicks. Tonight, after everyone fell asleep, I popped Big Night into the DVD player. An Italian restaurant whose food is too authentic, Stanley Tucci, and Tony Shalhoub. Need I say more? Other favorites: Woman on Top , Chocolat , Like Water for Chocolate. What's your favorite foodie flick?

Had I not been roped into making homemade Twinkies for the birthday boy this weekend, I had planned to make a chocolate-Guinness concoction. Then I had to go and ask him for his favorite cake... 2 cups Guinness 2 cups butter 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder 4 cups white whole wheat flour 4 cups raw sugar 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 4 large eggs 1 1/3 cups sour cream Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely...

Speaking of Frangelico, I make a spiked chocolate mousse that is absolutely decadent. INGREDIENTS: 1 ½ pounds semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate ½ C espresso ½ C Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur from Italy) 4 egg yolks 1 C heavy cream ¼ C sugar 8 egg whites pinch of salt PROCEDURE: Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or bain marie over low heat. Stir in the espresso and liqueur. Cool to room temperature. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Whip the cream until thick. Gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the cream. Fold the egg white-whipped cream mixture into the chocolate mixture. Pour into individual serving glasses and refrigerate for – at least – 2 hours before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Maybe it was those years working as a florist, but I used to truly despise Valentines' Day. Red roses made me cringe. And before I was pregnant with Riley, I never ate chocolate. So, a holiday whose trademarks were things I deplored wasn't big in my books. I still maintain that people need to tell each other how much they love one another EVERY day, not just on the 14th of February, but I have forged some fun traditions for my three favorite Valentines. And, naturally, it's centered around food. I still don't like red roses. Each year, I create a food-themed basket for each of my boys. Last year I made a "Bananas 'Bout You" basket for my littlest monkey, that included plantain chips, dried bananas, banana bread, and more; for Riley, it was a "You're the Apple of My Eye" basket full of fresh apples, apple rings, and apple cider. Jacob received a "We're quite a Pear!" with chocolate-pear-infused truffles, dried pears, and a hard ...