Blackmarket Bakery is always a fantastic place to go. They are sugar and spice and everything nice twice with some spunk and punk in 'em. Ever since I stumbled into the original bakery in Irvine when it was a wee retail spot doing an open house, I've been a fan and frequent visitor (to the Costa Mesa location). Whenever Yelp decides to do an event at Blackmarket Bakery at The Camp, I'm probably one of the first to put my RSVP in because I love Chef Rachel's goodies. While I didn't get officially in this time around, I did sneak on by as Duc's +1 so managed to nosh on some of the greatest baked goods around again. There were just a handful of guests on the list; that just meant more food for everyone and definitely an easier setting in which to meet others.


One of the things I most enjoy telling people about Blackmarket Bakery is that most of the furniture, structures, and (just about) everything is actually made by Chef Rachel's husband. The installation involves sweat equity from the entire Klemek family and even the artwork is originally painted by the mother-in-law. A family business that encourages family (customer) business! Our Community Manager Ryan had set up lovely areas with Yelp swag that evening, and we mixed and mingled with some fun people.


That night featured both sweet and savory lovely treats. Let's talk about the sweet first though because it's really what people go to a bakery for, right? Blackmarket Bakery emphasizes using real ingredients - that is, real sugar and butter in whatever it is they make. We got treated to some nutter butters (who needs the cheap-y commercial version when you can have it freshly made with in-house ground peanut butter?) and flourless chocolate walnut cookies (so, so good). There were also eyes-rolling-back s'mores made live in front of guests via Chef Rachel's toasting torch. Chocolate-drizzled housemade marshmallows smooshed between housemade gingerbread cookies were a hit with the crowd. I think they should all go back for the Saturday $1 S'mores Nights on Saturdays from 7pm to close...just saying!


Did you know that this bakery also makes very tasty toasted sandwiches? It makes sense after all - they've got a lot of bread on hand! We all snatched morsels of their Handsome Italian (pesto, tomato, mozzarella) and Graceland (peanut butter, bacon, banana) sandwiches as soon as they came out. They were devoured pretty quickly by everyone because they were just that good. The Handsome Italian is an Italian food lover's dream with its fresh flavors, and the Graceland hit all the sweet, salty, and savory notes. Props to Clinton, Master Sandwich Maker over at Blackmarket Bakery for keeping up with the demand!


Everyone seemed to have a great time, especially with free beer and wine in the back corner. Our thanks to Ryan for putting the fun event together, Chef Rachel for letting us clean her food out, and the Blackmarket Bakery staff for giving everyone smiles despite the grabby hands and after-hours work!

Photography by Duc Duong while I fed him and talked to others. More photos on Facebook here.

Oh the heat has us sweating, doesn't it? My Test Kitchen ingredient to use last week was a pineapple balsamic vinegar which seems perfect for something summery. Readers Shari and Petey mentioned watermelon in their suggestions of how to use the tart vinegar, so I ran with the idea and utilized more of Duc's beautiful sweet basil. These babies have been growing strong and long in his indoor herb garden (ask him about it - he'll talk your ear off about his awesome project!) so I have been taking advantage of them. This is definitely a summertime salad with watermelon, feta, red onion, and basil. If you don't have the pineapple balsamic vinegar on hand, you can easily substitute with regular balsamic vinegar and lemon juice; not quite the same but tasty enough.

Step 1: Ingredients (yields 3-4 servings)

• 1/2 small watermelon, 1" cubes
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 20-25 sweet basil leaves, chiffonade
• 4 oz. feta cheese, 1/4" cubes
• 2 tbsps pineapple balsamic vinegar
• freshly ground rainbow peppercorn, to taste
• black lava sea salt, for finishing (optional)

Step 2: Prepping ingredients
Salads are  generally easy peasy. It's just the prepwork that takes a little bit of time. You'll need to slice a small watermelon in half and remove the rind. Cube in approximately 1" pieces. Thinly slice a red onion and add to watermelon. Roll up basil before slicing into ribbons. Slice feta into 1/4" cubes. Gently combine.

Step 3: Finishing
Finish the salad with the balsamic vinegar and freshly ground peppercorn. I used pineapple vinegar for its tartness but you can easily use regular balsamic vinegar with lemon or lime juice. As for the peppercorn, I enjoy the subtle differences in rainbow peppercorn but you can use black if needed. If needing more saltiness, finish with a coarse salt (I opted for a black lava sea salt). It will contribute a great crunch. Enjoy!


This week's Test Kitchen ingredient: thai ginger sea salt
Another salt from what my brother sent me is up for a Test Kitchen post! This time, it's an interesting Thai ginger type. The website for the company that produces this describes it thus: "This all natural sea salt is infused with fresh ginger giving it a crisp, fresh and delightfully spicy finish. No synthetic flavorings or colors added! Coarse grain." It's quite curious. What do you think? Comment when the picture goes up on Facebook!


Photography by Duc Duong because Minerva was too busy "taste-testing" the delicious, delicious salad (quality control is important!).

When I was a kid, Italian food used to be my absolute favorite to have when eating out. Sure, I loved my mom's cooking too which was mainly Chinese and Vietnamese but something about the use of mushrooms, tomatoes, olives, and basil drew me in. As I got older, it was more difficult for me to like Italian food because a lot of mainstream restaurants would go heavy on everything about every dish - sauce, cheese, carbs, etc. Luckily many other cuisines existed out there to feed me. However, I've recently discovered the talents and delights of Little Italy West whom I met during a vendor tasting at The Hood Kitchen. Transplanted from Florida where their restaurant resides, Chefs Donna and Alfredo Cali are trying to reach out to this coast with their handmade pastas and fresh ingredients. That Italian deli has been going strong for 19 years (and still is pleasing customers down there), and the love just had to be shared over here. We absolutely enjoyed the tastes we had from them that one special night and were happy to have been invited to a Little Italy West-only tasting another night.


The night was, of course, marked by enjoyable wine pours and amicable company. Part of the room's set-up allowed for we guests to watch while the chefs and sous chef Adam Bombly prepared and plated the dishes. I love seeing open kitchen areas like this because it makes one feel more involved in the dining process. Our first dish of the night was one of the most memorable. We began with the Ahi Tuna Sicilian Summer Style, a dish inspired by Hawaiian poke and consisting of many familiar flavors. Instead of having crisps to add a crunch to this though, there was watermelon to lend a satisfying bite to the morsels and also to act as a palate cleanser. Each bite refreshed itself from the spiciness in the chili pepper flakes and the strength of sesame seed oil in the ahi. We found plenty to admire about the freshness of the tuna as well, an obvious trait of chefs who only want to use the best ingredients they can (rumored "to a fault" as they won't make a dish with anything less than what they want!)


Watching the husband-wife duo cooking and plating alongside each other was fun as well because guests could easily see their passion for both their food and each other. As aforementioned, they do have a restaurant in Florida; Chef Alfredo will be at the helm there while Chef Donna leads the way in expansion into Orange County. We were very honored to have had him fly in for this night's tasting. A little background on them both: Executive Chef Donna Cali grew up in Calabria, Italy and has been cooking since she was 9 whereas Chef Alfredo grew up in Sicily, Italy and began culinary training at 18 there but moved on to continue it in Switzerland. With more than 180 varieties of handmade infused pastas and 25 varieties of biscotti under her belt, Chef Donna is an expert on authentic Italian cuisine. Chef Alfredo's specialties include handmade fresh Mozzarella and goat cheese, Italian sausages, and custom cakes.

Our second dish was Gnocchi Alla Prugne (potato gnocchi filled with dry prunes and Taleggio sauce), a riff on typical gnocchi that brought the pasta to a completely different level of eating. I think most people are accustomed to having gnocchi as is with the sauce flavoring the dish but Little Italy West likes infusions. These soft pillows of potato dough were sweetened by the prunes and smoothed out in the sauce. A touch of nutmeg made everything nearly dessert-like but we were told that normally they would shave hard Parmesan over to add a salty component. Unfortunately, it was overlooked during the preparation so we sat instead enjoying our warm "desserts," still very good. Now I'm curious about how it is meant to be served!


Next up was an uncommon dish in restaurants hereabouts (as far as I am aware) - Grilled Eggplant Involtini (eggplant filled with sauteed spinach, sundried tomato, pine nuts, rosemary ham and Fontina cheese over a carrettiera tomato sauce). The grilled eggplant had been sliced so thinly and wrapped around its enveloped ingredients that it fooled most people into thinking a thin pasta dough had been used. There was a unique striated beauty about the grill-marked slices though, and I detected its eggplant origin by the moist "meat" of the vegetable and the familiar tingling my lips get when I have it (I have a slight eggplant sensitivity). The innards were cooked with great care to the perfect temperature. Also, take a look at that sauce - chunky, creamy, and overall a savory accompaniment. Not only were we enjoying the food but we were also enjoying the company of Chef Alfredo himself who came out to personally meet and greet all 30 guests (and drink with us too!).



The last savory entree tasting was just about my favorite because I cannot deny the power of mushrooms. Their Ravioli Alla Toscana (fresh made pasta filled with porcini mushroom and ricotta cheese over a Marscapone sauce) may not have looked impressive bathing under the creamy white sauce but that's because it was a hidden powerhouse of flavor. The pasta itself had been infused with a mandarin citrus zest, giving the entire dish a lightness to combat what could be a heavy sauce due to the marscapone. It was subtle enough, however, not to take away from the other ingredients. What I love about freshly handmade pastas is the difference in texture that you feel between your teeth and on your tongue as you bite into everything. The ravioli created brilliant layers of fresh pasta, mushroom, and fresh pasta with every nibble; the mushrooms were supreme. When people say to save the best for last, they must have been talking about finishing an entree tasting with these ravioli.

As everything was getting cleaned up, Chef Alfredo burst out into song and was joined by another guest. Comical banter between the two during breaks from romancing operatic songs was an addition to the menu no one was expecting. Another guest that evening even came up to sing something for the chefs in appreciation of their culinary art! We listened, sang along, and cheered to the entertainment while dessert in the form of Pesce Al Forno con Amaretti was brought out. Stuffed with brown sugar-ridden dough, the baked peaches were sweet and welcome finishers for the night. As we scraped our plates clean and got ready to settle down for the night after much good food, good company, and good fun, the generous chefs imparted small take-away boxes of fresh curry-infused pasta upon each guest.


If there is one thing I miss about my own travels to Italy, it's the life philosophy. Chefs Alfredo and Donna embodied that passionate love for life that you see bubbling in everyone from the food-loving country; they show it in their seemingly unending happiness, their relationships with everyone, and their careful craft. When they say they infuse their pastas with ingredients, I really think they just mean that they infuse it with love and the flavor of life itself. As Chef Alfredo said that night, "Without love, what is life?" Our greatest thanks to them for having us. We are looking so forward to when they finally open shop in Orange County. There is no doubt that it will be one of the most welcome restaurants you'll be able to eat at.

Photography by Duc Duong who had a hard time waiting to eat his food. More photos available on Facebook here.

When my friends and I decide to have a dinner, we get serious. Awesome foods are tried out and made. This time around, we had a "Double Pi Day" for June 28th and so, I tried my hand at making pies. Because of my self-challenge to make stuff from scratch, I ended up making pie crust. Sleuthing online gave me some insight into putting this post and dish together. Below is the recipe for the tasty and amazing crust that got eaten so quickly, it was ridiculous!

Step 1: Ingredients (yields two 9-inch pie crusts)

• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, ice cold
• 8 tbsps water, ice cold
• 1 egg, beaten (optional - may use cream instead)

Step 2: Prepping the ingredients
To make the butter easier to deal with, slice it into manageable sized chunks first but be careful to maintain its temperature. This is very important in ensuring the crust is flaky as the cold butter will create pockets as it melts during baking. Combine flour, salt, and butter until crumbly. Then add in water one tablespoon at a time until it resembles wet sand. Halve full amount and wrap in plastic wrap to chill at least 30 minutes in the fridge.


Step 3: Forming the crust
A rolling pin will be your friend here. Roll out evenly with one on a floured surface, making sure not to handle the dough directly very much with your bare hands. The body temperature may cause the butter lumps to melt and not make your crust flaky. Roll out into rounds. Press one of the crusts tightly into bottom of pie plate/bakeware and along the sides. I also baked mine during the preheating period of the oven just so it crisped up a little bit.


Step 4: Finishing
Connect the top and bottom crust layers after you've filled it with your filling of choice. Pictured above is when I used mine for chicken pot pie. Crimp the edges or, if you're short on time like me, use the tines of a fork to design the edge. Beat egg in a small bowl with a little water OR pour in diluted heavy cream. Brush with mixture to make the crust golden brown after baking, and bake your pie accordingly!


Photography by Minerva Thai and Duc Duong.

32441 Golden Lantern, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Pricing - $$/$$$ | Dining - Dressy Casual, Casual | Cuisine - Steakhouse, American
http://savannahchophouse.net/

We have been meaning to come down to Savannah Chop House for the longest time now. The first time we had heard of the place was because of the Golden Foodie Awards where they received a few nominations. It looks like they're up for more again this year so we'll see how that goes. Because we were doing pretty much a day trip in more southern areas of California that day (had driven to Carlsbad in the morning), I suggested that we finally pay this acclaimed place a visit. An early dinner was in order.


There are definitely different types of ambiance you can choose from. The moment you walk into the restaurant, you enter a dimly lit "steakhouse" feel with an expansive center bar. We were encouraged to sit outside in the patio with a view of the water - excellent choice. It was cool outside and with plenty of lighting for great pictures. We started off with some bread and light butter before an amuse bouche came out (not typical). This was just one scallop from their regular menu item Day Boat Scallops Brulee ($25.95 - U10, potatoes corn hash, basil emulsion), and it was the perfect starter. I wouldn't have thought myself to brulee a scallop but when you really think about it, the natural sweetness of the seafood makes sense with some crunchy burnt sugar on top. The sweet potato corn hash brought it over onto another level of goodness too. For drinks, we opted for Skinny Cocktails ($10) of Grapefruit Zero (Finlandia grapefruit vodka, fresh squeezed ruby red grapefruit, agave nectar, and a splash of 7-Up) and Asian Mojito (Snow Maiden sake, fresh mint, splash of lime, splash of lemon, and splash of orange), both of which were very delightful and packed heavy citrus flavors.


Our beautiful starters were a specially made Beet & Heirloom Tomato Salad and the Dungeness Crab Cakes ($13.50 - with organic poblano-caper remoulade). The salad had beets, heirloom tomatoes, a sweet balsamic reduction, smoked paprika olive oil, edible flowers, basil in chiffonade form, thinly sliced shallots, and overall tangy but savory flavor. We both really enjoyed this, and the combination of the vinegar with oil was good enough for me to sop my bread in it. The crab cakes were generous in the amount of actual crab in them which I don't always see in restaurants. These came alongside a succotash combo of sorts that provoked a comfort food feel while remaining fresh and bright on the tongue.


The entrees were calling out to us ever so loudly by then because the starters were just teasing at the main attraction. He opted for the Blackened Ahi Tuna ($25.95 - with saffron risotto cake and ginger shiitake gravy) and I for the Filet Stroganoff ($19.50 - with filet tips, mushrooms, papardelle pasta, and a brandy dijon sauce). The presentation of the tuna was actually almost a turn-off because the tuna looked as if sliced against the grain; the spinach was also unattractive in look. However, you can't judge a dish by its appearance which held true in this case because the tuna plate was delicious. The tuna was just perfectly soft and ahi-tangy, easily slicing off in pieces as our forks penetrated the flesh. The risotto cake was a very excellent touch especially by managing to stay crunchy on the outside but gooey on the inside. The gravy was also very thick and strong in umami. As for the stroganoff, papardelle is my favorite pasta, and this was noticeably housemade. Love at first bite eh? The filet tips were tender and doused in a palette-opening dijon that maintained the balance between creamy-heavy and mustard-light. We declared that we absolutely had to return.


Both on our ways in and out, we ran into and talked at length with Executive Chef Chris Tzorin whom we've met on several occasions. He was so excited to show us his kitchen and staff that we were led around and around, snapping shots where we could. How else could he show us his pride in the kitchen? By letting me be a part of it for the briefest of moments. At the pace of a kitchen during a Friday night dinner rush (yeah, we just have the BEST timing huh?), Chef Chris showed me how to fire up the creme brulee they serve, top it, powder it, and go on my merry way with it. Throughout the entire interaction, he could not stop from talking about Savannah Chop House with the greatest of passions in his voice. My hats off to the crew there for their hard work, and I hope that they all do extremely well in the years to come, especially with their focus on sustainable, local, and organic produce!


Photography by Duc Duong while Minerva burned stuff in the kitchen.

I'm going to say that due to the fact that the Test Kitchen ingredient last week had a provocative picture taken of it, we saw a lot of recipe suggestions for yucca root. It also seemed like frying the waxy root was the main method of choice among the readers. Just because it's yucca doesn't mean it needs to be fried! One suggestion (by Guillermo D.) caught my eye - yuca al mojo. I had no idea what it was but upon looking it up, it seemed simple and enjoyable enough. It also had a few variations depending on preference and claims of authenticity. My guess is that it's a homestyle-type of dish so recipes will change from household to household. I went with a variation that was a culmination of the recipes I saw. The result was this strangely addictive starchy dish that had crunch and sweetness from onions, citrus sourness from lime, and a soft bite from the yucca. Interesting indeed.

Step 1: Ingredients (yields 2 servings)

• 1 yucca root, peeled
• olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 lime, juice only
• parsley, for garnishing

Step 2: Prepping the ingredients
The ingredients may be very simple for this dish but the wait time is a little long when it comes to the yucca root. It is quite the hardy thing so you do have to boil it into edible softness. This involves approximately 30 minutes of boiled saltwater. Peel your root and place in boiling water for half an hour; it's ready when it is fork tender. While that is boiling, thinly slice onion and garlic. Remove yucca from boiling water when done and let cool until you are able to handle it.


Step 3: Cooking the mojo
In a large skillet, spread out enough olive oil to coat the bottom generously. Add in thinly sliced onion for one minute; then add in garlic. Stir around until the onion just starts to turn translucent. Turn off and remove from heat to allow crunchiness to remain. Mix in salt and pepper.


Step 4: Finishing
Chop up yucca into thick strips. Squeeze lime juice over yucca before topping with the onion mixture. Finish with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and enjoy.


This week's Test Kitchen ingredient: pineapple balsamic vinegar
It is what it is. If you were wondering what a more citrusy and tart balsamic would taste like, here's pineapple balsamic vinegar from you. We snagged this bottle from 41 Olive at Irvine Spectrum and are curious as to what we can do with it. Share your thoughts on Facebook when you see the picture go up!


Photography by Minerva Thai and Duc Duong, whoever wasn't stirring.