Roasted Red Pepper Crostini

As a dinner or brunch host, there are times when you are pressed for food preparation time. That's where crostini comes in handy. A quick and simple appetizer, the saltiness and spice of various cheese and toppings satisfy the taste buds, while the bites of bread keep the tummy satiated until the full enchilada main entree is ready to be served. They're basically like tiny french bread pizzas! Roasted red pepper crostini with pancetta is my favorite combination out of the array of possibilities with the dish. For some reason pancetta seems to make everything taste better.

Roasted Red Pepper Crostini

• French baguette, sliced
• Roasted red pepper spread*
• Shredded gruyere
• Shredded cheddar
• Pancetta, fried

*I make prep time easier by purchasing Trader Joe's delicious version. You can find it next to the sauces and dressings. But, if you can't find a pre-made spread, this recipe works just as well. 

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. After frying a small amount of pancetta, and slicing your baguette, spread the red pepper goodness on the baguettes.

2. Top with shredded cheese and the fried pancetta

3. Bake till cheese is melted, about 2 - 3 minutes

4. Enjoy as an appetizer, snack, or even a breakfast side!

- Shortcake

The Pleasures of Chocolate: Four Weeks, Four Films

I'm not a chef.  I mix foods together in odd proportions just to see how they taste, but I don't always follow recipes to the letter or experiment as often with dishes as other people.  Sure, I'll watch a show on Food Network now and again to try something new (or simply to admire darling Giada), but most often, I stick with what I know.  Whilst Shortcake and Sandwich may often have posts showing their newest culinary creations, you'll have to settle for simple satisfaction from Sonic (alliteration FTW!).  Unlike Joey from "Friends," I will share my food.  But I would also like to look at cinematic cuisine: films specifically about or featuring food in important roles.  More importantly, the role that chocolate plays in specific films.  Throughout the month of August, I'll look at chocolate from the following perspectives:


Food as Comfort - How does food affect us - the viewer and the character - in an emotional or mental situation?  How do we react towards food in such situations?  There are plenty of films that address this, but one particular (if brief) moment in 2004's A Very Long Engagement really touches on the importance of food (namely a cup of hot chocolate) as comfort.


Food as Metaphor - Often times, films may take a story that appears to be about food, when it's in truth an allegory for something else.  In 1987's The Chocolate War, we'll see how selling chocolate bars is synonymous with the social ladder of a private school.


Food as Macguffin - The Macguffin is a well-known plot element coined by Alfred Hitchcock, essentially being a plot device that drives the story and characters, despite not always being important in and of itself.  And what's a better Macguffin than the golden ticket hidden inside a Wonka Bar?  I'll look at how both film adaptations, 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory utilize the golden ticket and what it represents.


In addition, we'll look at one more film - to be disclosed at a later date, although given the topic, I'm sure you know what it will be - that encompasses all three of the above perspectives of food.


- Sonic

Trilogy of Flavors: Pretzel

The Linden Sandwich

This is the Linden! A special grilled cheese sandwich made at the Pop Shop. It's a Philly cheesesteak housed in a Philly Pretzel Braid, topped with cheddar cheese and fried onions. It's the best Philly foods rolled into one sandwich...with a pickle! - Sandwich

Pepperoni Cheese Logs

Amish and Italian are fused together in this concoction found at the Williamstown Amish Farmer's Market. Traditional Amish pretzel is rolled and stuffed with gooey, fresh mozarella and spicy pepperoni. Microwaveable pizza rolls have zilch on this! - Sonic

Traditional Amish Pretzel

The crunchy, butter laden exterior, soft and delicate interior, and large salt crystals are qualities of a top notch, traditional amish pretzel. Sorry mall varieties, but no one does it better. I love to dip it in mustard, cheeze whiz, or nutella depending on my taste bud cravings. - Shortcake

Hot Mess: It's Melting!

Before the wave of heat

After driving for 5 minutes in a semi hot car. =(

Currently Craving: Gelati

This is what frozen indulgence looks like

The Midwest and East Coast have been experiencing a heck of a heat wave this week and it makes me thankful that Mother Nature has been ever so kind with the glorious 90F SoCal weather. So, if the summer sun is prickling your skin with the intensity of a blow torch, and you happen to be in Disneyland's Downtown Disney, follow me and skip on to Naples to find what I'm currently craving: cool and creamy Gelati.

While the chocolate was sinfully indulgent, and the berry refreshing, the vanilla was what stood out for me; it's not often I encounter a vanilla ice cream that delights me the way this did.

Gelati, or gelato if you want to go singular, is what most people dub as Italian ice cream. The semi frozen gelato's slightly higher serving temperature and lower air content account for its famously creamy texture. The reason most find the taste and flavors more explosive and incredible than "regular" ice cream is because gelato contains no eggs and very rarely, any cream. The base recipe calls for simply whole milk and sugar; so the absence of cream, eggs, or butter allows for a more indulgent flavor to dance on your sweltering tongue.

Stay cool this weekend!

-Shortcake

Happy 100th Show!

Today we'd like to wish our good friend (and the guy who came up with the name of our blog), Brent Dodge, CONGRATULATIONS for reaching the milestone of 100 consecutive shows tonight!

His entertaining, Disney themed web show, the W.E.D.nesday Show, is a staple in the Trio households as well as others' around the world. You can watch tonight's epic 100th show live, at 9:30pm est, at From Screen to Theme dot com.

- Shortcake, Sonic, and Sandwich

Trilogy of Flavors: Apple

Apple Streusel Cake

Photo from Joy of Baking

A friend of mine passed along this Joy of Baking recipe when he found out Apple Streusel is my favorite way to have apples for dessert. The addition of hazelnuts to the cinnamon and sugar streusel makes it an ultimate toppings party on an already delicious apple cake. - Shortcake

Sliced Apples with PB

Photo from TransformationTrainer

Sometimes the simplest of dishes create the most powerful experiences. I've been craving old-fashioned apple slies and peanut butter for awhile now. Every time I eat them, I get a sudden wave of nostalgia and remember every detail of my kindergarten classroom. 
- Sonic

Jewish Apple Cake

We made these miniature Jewish Apple Cakes for a Seder meal for a Jewish group visiting my culinary school's restaurant. For presentation, we used up a random bag of dried apple rings, deep fried them, and finished with a drizzle of cinnamon syrup we had on hand. - Sandwich

Chocolate Frogs

"Aw rotten luck. They've only got one good jump in them to begin with." - Ron Weasley

I guess the spell loses its effectiveness in our world because once I lifted the cover to the ornately decorated, pentagon box, the frog remained content to stay inside. Just as the movie scene implies, these frogs are made of pure chocolate, milk or dark, depending on your preference. Unlike the quintessential, hollow chocolate bunnies found in Easter baskets, these chocolate molded frogs are solid chocolate through and through. Hence why the box itself feels pretty hefty when you first pick it up off the shelf, and why a sturdy knife is required to break apart the torso.

The milk chocolate is unlike any recipe used in super market aisle, run-of-the-mill chocolate bars. My palette is more accustomed to the bitter sweetness dark chocolate offers, so I was surprised when the milk chocolate didn't make me want to run away from over indulgence of sugar. For me, this flavor resides one tiny notch above the semi sweet morsels often encountered in chocolate chip cookies.

The best part for many kids is the wizard card that nestles underneath the chocolate frog. Unlike the movie, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter only offers four different wizard cards, the founders and namesakes of the Hogwarts houses: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. I must be fated to be in the house of Rowena Ravenclaw, since this card isn't the first time I've been deemed Ravenclaw material .
- Shortcake

Photo Diary: A Bit More Wizard

In anticipation for this summer's biggest midnight premiere, that every muggle and their moms will be attending, let's hop onto the Hogwarts Express and briefly relive the sweet-tooth portion of Shortcake and Sandwich's adventures at the Wizarding World of Harrry Potter. For those that want to remain spoiler-free, hakuna matata; we only included a few close ups of the places/food we encountered so that your first trip will be as magically awesome as ours.

Clink!

Joined by our awesome friend, Amanda, we happily skipped into wizard territory and immediately set our sights for the infamous, magically buttery beverage known as Butter-Beer.

Can you imagine what would happen if it all spilled out onto the cobblestone paths?

Wizards make barrels upon barrels of this stuff for good reason. With a name that describes its exact taste, it's hard to resist second or third helpings of the cold beverage. Hence why we have the urge to attempt a homemade Butter-Beer recipe tonight.

It's like the tastes of Autumnn in a bottle!

Standing in line for Butter-Beer, other beverages stared at us, begging to be bought. While most were traditional muggle carbonated beverages, the wizard-beloved Pumpkin Juice waited patiently for pumpkin pie lovers to gulp them down.

21 and over crowd, this Scottish ale is a must try for you.

Hog's Head is your quintessential pub - albeit Harry Potter style -  but it's definitely a pub nonetheless. The mighty bar delves out a variety of domestic and imported beers on tap which you can enjoy in the relaxed, outdoor seating if the low lit, indoor tables are a bit crowded by family toting muggles. 

You can bet we'll return to try the strawberry-peanut butter ice cream, even if we are lactose intolerant.

Along the cobblestones, and attached next door, Madam Rosmerta's Three Broomsticks boasts a hearty menu of traditional British dishes, like Shepherd's Pie and Fish and Chips. Seeing as we were full from all the Butter-Beer and awe of being in Hogsmeade, we settled for a group photo. Plus, we wanted to check out everything else asap. Especially this place...

Best candy store experience ever! (As if you didn't already realize that)

Right next door to Zonko's, the humble sized, saccharine-filled Honeydukes is even more vibrant and candy-land-ish than what we imagined while reading the novels. We spent a good deal of time feasting our eyes on the detailed decor and the plethora of sweets. Even though Shortcake only walked away with a few chocolate frogs, she definitely wanted to purchase the entire shop.

Are you brave enough to try every flavor?

As soon as we spotted the "Every Flavour Beans" canisters on the opposite side of this sign, Sandwich asked a little too loudly if vomit was indeed a flavor available for purchasing. Meanwhile, Amanda and Shortcake wanted to open the tens of chocolate frogs just to see what the different wizard-cards were.

You know you're in a candy store when a candy-filled staircase is the first thing you lay your eyes on.

Man, even just a few glimpses and peeks into HP-World made us crave Butter-Beers, candy floss, and Hogsmeade Brew all over again. It's a good thing midnight is only a few hours away.

 - Shortcake and Sandwich

Whips Trips: Coming Soon to a Placemat Near You

The term "NJ Trio" is a bit of a misnomer these days, what with the three of us spread out among three different states for the time being.  However, it also gives us a rare opportunity to be able to compare and contrast the qualities of food from similar restaurants.  Granted, a McNugget will likely taste the same no matter where you are, but occasionally there are foods and beverages that provide a wholly different experience on your palate when in different parts of the globe.


A well-known example is pizza.  The recipe seems simple enough: dough, sauce, cheese.  But the execution of that recipe is often unique when you consider where you are.  New York's thin crust, Chicago's deep dish, California's...whatever.  That's the joy of food, and with Whips Trips, the NJ Trio will examine how similar foods are unique in our three states.  Tune in soon as we check out our states' Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries. Until then, happy eating!


- Shortcake, Sonic, and Sandwich

Trilogy of Flavors: Cinnamon

Snicker-doodle Cupcake

Another scrumptious concoction from My Delight Cupcakery, this dessert combines my favorite childhood flavors of cinnamon and sugar in a wonderful cookie-cupcake hybrid, complete with fluffy, cinnamon infused cream filling. - Shortcake

Cinnamon-Glazed Almonds

In 2005 and 2006, I worked often at Magic Kingdom's Adventureland nut wagon, becoming a master chef with cinnamon-glazed almonds. Since then, they've become one of my favorite snacks to eat when I roam a Disney theme park. - Sonic

Cinnamon-Stewed Chicken with Orzo

Served at Cat Cora's Kouzzina at Disney's Boardwalk, this dish of select, tender cutlet of chicken breast on a bed of orzo is covered in cheesy, chunky, cinnamon-tomato sauce. The use of cinnamon amazes me as it's such an uncommon (at least in my experience) spice for savory cuisine. - Sandwich

Celebrate America with this European Treat

Happy belated Independence Day to all our American readers out there!  And Happy belated Canada Day to our readers from the great white North!

For this year's 4th of July, there were no family barbecues or local 4th of July fireworks shows for me to attend.  I was scheduled to work that evening, so I missed out; but on the bright side I had the great fortune of celebrating our nation's Independence at the American Adventure in Epcot at Walt Disney World.  I don't know why guests flock to Magic Kingdom on this day, you can't get more patriotic than the American Adventure!  We were treated to story telling by Betsy Ross, Meet and Greets with Benjamin Franklin (he told me Amos was resting at home when I looked at the brim of his hat), and a special concert by Epcot's incredible acappella group the Voices of Liberty.

Enough about that though, you're here because of the food!  I knew I had to eat something totally American for 4th of July, and once I saw the kiosk, I knew I had to get one.  Epcot makes sure to give each guest the complete immersive cultural experience when visiting each country, especially when it comes to food.  America is no exception, so in addition to burgers, hot dogs, and fries, there is a little stand nestled by the pathway from American Adventure to the Japan pavillion.  The little stand/kiosk serves up everyone's favorite festival/carnival/ball park fried dough, powdered sugary confection: Funnel Cake.

The classic Funnel Cake.  Epcot also serves it with chocolate sauce or ice cream!

Funnel Cake is actually not American...it came from the Dutch, who settled in Pennsylvania.  They sold the delicious treat at State Fairs and Festivals.  It is unknown when this treat arrived in America, but the dawn of its nationwide popularity can be traced to the Mid-20th century.  According to funnelcake.com, Emma Miller from Germany brought her recipe over and sold it at the Kutztown Folk Festival in the 1940s and 50s where it became a huge hit, eventually gaining national attention on the Today show.

Funnel Cake is essentially a doughnut, though rather than deep frying a ball of dough, the batter is looser and is poured into the oil through a funnel and made into circular designs with random, lattice like patterns.  The goal is to create a crunchy and soft treat rather than funnel globules.  I once made globular funnel cakes in Home Economics class in middle school and my teacher said they were turning into fritters and not funnel cakes.  Sometimes you get a globule if you don't keep your batter moving around the oil.

Funnel Cake is very easy to make and is enjoyed by nearly everyone that tries it.  For most, it brings back memories of strolling through the traveling carnival or county fair on a warm summer's evening.  The smell wafting on the winds is enough to activate even the tiniest traces of thoughts of festivals and fairs. So why not bring summer fun to your own kitchen with the following funnel cake recipe!  Also, here are some tips for perfecting your funnel cake:

- Use a squeeze bottle like the red and yellow ketchup and mustard bottles you see at diners.  Chefs use these types of tools for plating sauces, so you can easily find them in kitchen supply stores.  I found mine at the local Bed Bath and Beyond.
- If you don't have a squeeze bottle, use a pitcher with a spout so you can pour the batter in a concentrated stream.  You won't get as fine a line as a squeeze bottle, but it serves the same purpose.
-As with all cooking and baking, the temperature of your medium needs to be right to get the product you want.  Though funnel cake does not bake at a specific temperature, don't let the oil get too hot.  The batter should make some noise when it hits the oil but it should not be exploding.  If your oil is steaming you are too hot!

- Sandwich

Food Network's Alton Brown gives this terrific recipe:
Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 stick butter (6 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup eggs, about 4 large eggs and 2 whites
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Powdered sugar, for topping

Directions

Boil water, butter, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan. Add flour and work it in until it is all incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes. With mixer lowest speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. Once all eggs have been added and mixture is smooth, put dough in a piping bag fitted with a number 12 tip. Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a heavy pan. Pipe dough into oil, making a free-form lattice pattern; cook until browned, flipping once. Remove cake from oil, drain on paper towels, and top with powdered sugar. Continue until all of the batter is used.

Elvis Wishes His Sandwich Was This Good

As I am sitting here writing today's Whip, I can't help but be jealous of last-week-Sonic.  He had a great dinner at Lamill Coffee, and I for one would not mind trading places with him in order to have that dinner again.  Last week, Sonic had a sandwich, chips, and some milk.  But it wasn't just any old sandwich, and certainly not Sandwich of the Trio.  "That is called cannibalism, my dear children," Willy Wonka would say.  "And is, in fact, frowned upon in most societies."

No, this sandwich was better, and definitely acceptable in most societies.  Actually, acceptable is a huge understatement.  This was a monumental, earth-shattering, mind-blowing, weak-at-the-knees, politics-changing, taste-exploding sandwich.

I could try and spend time trying to find words to describe this decadent creation.  But this sandwich was such an experience that mere words simply could not do it justice.  How can I describe the peanut butter without using such predictable words like "perfect consistency"?  How do I talk about peanut butter at all without suddenly flashing back to my five-year-old self, watching "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" and eating peanut butter with a spoon?

And the chocolate?  Look at it.  Deliciously rich and milky Valrhona chocolate, direct from Tain-l'Hermitage, France.  What more is there to say?  Dare I talk about how its sweetness blended perfectly with the peanut butter?  Or how both of their meltedness provided a delightful contrast to the soft and chewy banana?  And that banana!  What can you say about a banana that hasn't already been said?

But the real kicker, the cherry on top of the sundae, the happy ending, was the milk.  This isn't your average in-the-fridge milk.  You dare not pour this milk over cereal, then toss it in the sink afterwards because it's gotten warm and cerealified.  No, this milk must be drunken, in tiny but effectively satisfying sips.  Too much and you're mouth will be spoiled and hate regular milk forever afterwards.  Too little, and your mouth will hate you for teasing it so.  This milk, this Madagascar Vanilla Milk, is why I am so so grateful that I am not lactose intolerant.  And even if I were, I'd suffer the stomachache later simply to be satisfied now.

Honestly, I can't find words to describe this meal.  Everything above only conveys my surface emotions.  There's more than meets the eye.  This meal changed my life.  It changed my beliefs.  It made me want to live.

Or, it's just all that chocolate and peanut butter and banana and milk messin' with my brain.  Put four fond comfort foods together in a meal like this and you're bound to go a little nuts.


- Sonic  

Trilogy of Flavors: Pineapple

Mix up Asian, Tropics, and French cuisine with pineapple, honey, and ginger infused crepes.

(Photo by Alan Richardson)

The wonderful meld of exotic flavors makes for a lovely breakfast when you're tired of the stand by toast or cold cereal. - Shortcake

Enjoy some of Sonic's favorite Hawaiian bbq, now with pineapple salsa at your next picnic.

(Photo by Bobby of BlogChef.net)

One day, we're eating Hawaiian Barbecue and I bite into a piece that's sweeter and slightly stringier than the rest.  I ask my dad why it tastes weird, and he tells me I bit into a piece of pineapple!  True story.  The actual recipe doesn't call for pineapple, but you can easily pine it up with the salsa recipe I linked to. - Sonic

Top off a favorite family barbeque essential with a citrus surprise in Red Robin's Banzai Burger.  

(Photo from flikr by mooshee85)

I love burgers, I love pineapple, put them together and you get the most amazing burger you've ever sunk your teeth into.  The sweet, citrus acid of pineapple helps "cut the fat" from the cheeses and hamburger patty, providing the perfect balance, making you want to shout out banzai! - Sandwich

Say Quiche!

For those that know me, the immensity of my fondness for brunch, cheese, and pastries is no surprise. So what happens when all three of those things marry to form one exquisite dish? I devour it, of course. Well, maybe not devour, but I do have a plan of attack that greatly satisfies my little tummy. What's more important is that I created a personal favorite recipe for said dish, my own version of the delectable Quiche Lorraine.

The traditional ingredients of this French, open (sans crust top) pie are: a pastry crust, eggs, and cream. A conglomerate of cheeses, vegetables, and meats are thrown in to the cream mixture as well, usually based on personal preference and taste. What makes a quiche "lorraine" is the addition of bacon. How can you go wrong with bacon, right? In addition to the myriad combinations of salty cheese and fresh veggies that are possible with quiche, the fact that the dish can be served at any meal - breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, even dessert if you're so inclined - adds to the recipe's convenience. 

There are numerous reasons for why quiche is so delicious. The foundation of a flaky, buttery crust; the silky, light texture of the baked egg/cream/cheese combo; the complimentary accents of salty meat and tender vegetables - when you have the perfect blend of ingredients, it's difficult to reserve quiche consumption to a mere one slice. Especially if you're like me and prefer an extra cheesy, rather than "egg-y," type of quiche. And the best type of cheese to use? Gruyere, of course!

Since I don't exactly share my quiche recipe with many people, I will share the basic recipe that I adapted from various cookbooks to use as a foundation.Quiche is all about experimentation, so feel free to change things up.

Traditional Quiche Lorraine

• 1 deep dish pastry crust (Marie Callander's is my personal favorite)
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups half and half
• Pinches of salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (I include other seasonings, so feel free to experiment)
• 1 cup Gruyere, shredded (I usually use more cheese than this and include other varieties)
• 6 strips bacon, fried and chopped (Smoked provides a lot flavor)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup vegetables, optional (I always add various chopped veggies for color and crunch)

1. After you've shredded the cheese, chopped the veggies, and fried the bacon, preheat the oven to 375F

2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs and lightly whisk in the half and half and seasonings. Try no to over beat the mixture.

3. Line the crust with the crumbled bacon and veggies. Throw in the shredded Gruyere as well.

4. Slowly pour the egg mixture on top, making sure not to have it overflow.

5. Bake on flat baking sheet for 30 -35 minutes, until golden. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

6. Try to take a picture of a slice before devouring (The one step I always forget to do)
- Shortcake