Joy’s birthday was last week and I wanted to give her something special. Joy got that something special, me. No, not like that, I proposed to her. Ring and all. In typical Gourmeted fashion, I made her a cake [Possibly posted later] with the question written on it. After a long pause and a ‘Are you Serious?,’ She said yes.

The dinner of her birthday was something to be special as well. She had hinted on T Cook’s of the Royal Palms here in Phoenix.  She said she heard about it from a few websites and friends that it is one of the more romantic dining spots in the Valley.  That’s a high standard to hold and I wanted her to remember her birthday forever.

Continue Reading

HI! It’s Me, Teddy! Remember me? It’s been a long time since I’ve posted, huh? Teddy was busy with being a Teddy for my Mommy and Daddy and not really doing much cooking. The need to cook struck me last week and I decided to break back in with making breakfast when he went back to work for the first time in almost a month! (Get it? Break back? Breakfast?? hmm???) Wanna see??? You know you want to!

Continue Reading

[Alternate Titles for This Post: How To Recycle An Old Favorite or How To Coax Your Boyfriend To Eat What He Doesn't Like]

We absolutely loved this simple dessert of Apples in Honey and Pine Nut Caramel and have made it on more than one occasion. So one morning, with one too many apples forgotten, I finally used them with the a variation of the recipe to top off the breakfast oatmeal. I skipped the cream and pine nuts (because we didn’t have either, honestly) and decided to stick to just butter and honey. Mmmm.

I cooked old fashioned organic oatmeal in whole milk. God I love that. I made sure not to overcook it.

This was a winning combination. Yumm.

You might be wondering about the second alternate title. Well, Dan dislikes oatmeal. It’s one of those things on his long Will Not Eat list. This does not sit too well with me as I’m pretty open to all kinds of food and when I travel, I try as much local fare as I can. Food, as in life, is an experience — and for me, you’re missing out if you don’t at least try new things or revisit old ‘ew’ stuff labeled from the days you couldn’t even spell your name.

So slowly, I’ve began to lead him into a new chapter in his Foodie life and have him retry food that he ‘hates’. He cringes when you mention “oatmeal”, “mushrooms”, “cabbage”, or “bananas” as if he was going to be sick at that instant. From the mere mention of the food. I told him that if he tries it again and still hates it, then fine. But to completely shun them would be a shame. There’s a whole world out there outside of steak, pasta, and potatoes. Come to think of it, it’s like training a child to eat veggies, really. Haha.

One thing about food aversion is that most of the time, it’s just the way it’s been prepared that brings out certain detestable qualities. Other times, you went to the wrong restaurant. When it comes to oatmeal, I found out that Dan doesn’t like the ‘mushiness’ of it, just like how bananas are mushy. And I completely understand that because I hate both mushy oatmeal and bananas. However, that only comes out when you overcook oatmeal and if you use the the instant ones. Even I find it gross. So I remedied that and cooked it my way — not overdone, and with whole grains to munch on. He really liked it! Plus he finished his bowl of cereal with fruit.  Bingo!

I’d say I have a feeding success rate of 80% when it comes to something “different”. So for those who are challenged by their boyfriends, husbands, or even little ones, I’ll share you with a few tips.

What I learned about feeding the (well-loved) ultra-picky eater:

Continue Reading

I was thinking while shopping for dinner on Sunday, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye that was not there the last time I was there: Panko Bread Crumbs. I was squealing with my inside voice. Making Chicken Katsu would be fun! But there inlies my issues. The meat for the week I picked up was beef. Thick cut steaks, to be more specific. When I arrived home with my panko booty, I checked online for any panko beef recipes.

They did not exist. Oh, sure, people made SOMETHING with it, but as of the day I have been writing this article, I have never seen a public recipe involving it. I devised one of my own.

Continue Reading

(Pictures taken with a LG9400 camera-phone)

Last week, my parents had a guest from Chicago who brought with him a care package of Portillo’s food. This has turned into a tradition for the past few years for us in Phoenix. I recently introduced Joy to the pleasure of this food as well and she is hooked now. I have always wanted to return to Chicago to do the simple things and in this post, I hope to hit on the big ones. Being born and raised in Chicago, there are a few things I need to require a vistor to do:

1) Visit a Cubs game (even if you are not a fan)

2) Visit downtown for the museums and Sears Tower

3) Eat a Deep Dish pizza (Either Lou Malnati’s or Pizzeria Uno’s, NOT the chain places outside of Chicago.)

4) Eat an Italian Beef. This one is a little tricky to some because it is essentially served like a French Dip sandwich but do not get it confused. The difference being an Italian beef is rubbed with spices, peppers, and you heat the beef in the au jus that you serve with it.

And last but not least, 5) Eat a Vienna Beef hot dog.

Oh, sure, the last one is probably common in your area by now, but have you noticed that is expensive? You are paying for the shipping from Chicago, really. Another thing to note. Do not read the nutritional label. You are getting this hot dog on a need-to-have basis. Besides, you are not in a diet if you do not allow yourself to cheat. You’re in the Second City, enjoy the flavor!

I have recently learned there are a few rules about eating a Chicago style hot dog:

1. -When making the dog in “The Works” fashion, the order and selection of your toppings is extremely important.
   Taken from Chicago HotDog.com:
   -Yellow Mustard
   -Bright Green Relish
   -Fresh Chopped Onions
   -Two Tomato Wedges
   -A Pickle Spear or Slice
   -Two Sport Peppers
   -A Dash of Celery Salt
2. Your bun will have poppy seeds and is steamed. Not fried, grilled, or cold. Steamed. So it is soft. If you can get it, I recommend S. Rosen’s for your hot dog holder. A quick Google search will have several outfits selling the packages online.
3. Any stand will do. Do not be afraid if the place you pick is a little ratty. It is supposed to be that way. I would at least recommend getting your dog at a restaurant and not a street vendor so you can pick up some fries and a drink as a combo.
4. While the above website says microwaving your hot dog is okay, I will add this to the rules of NOT doing. The optimal way would be a steam bath (Not boiling water!), followed by a good grilling. Leave the microwave for those Oscar Myer hot dogs.
5. This one is i m p o r t a n t! Did I stress that enough? good.
   In this image, I have performed a cardinal sin of the Chicago dog:Yes. There is not supposed to be ketchup (catsup, tomato paste, etc.) on your Chicago dog.

If you follow these simple rules, you will have enjoyed the finest hot dog in the US. The Chicago dog is often imitated but never replicated. I hope that this has enticed you to travel abroad and experience the joy that is the Vienna Beef Hot Dog.

There’s a new place in North Phoenix for healthy eating. It is tucked away off Camelback and 16th Street but don’t let the strip mall location scare you from trying this place. It’s Zoe’s Kitchen. It’s a quaint cafe-like place that serves up amazing dishes that are full of flavor and eye-appeal but are prepared without deep frying.

I visited this place using a free coupon that was given to the office and no one claimed it. They missed out on a great deal because this place did not disappoint on anything. This place offers a great vast array of great dishes, sandwiches, and salads. My coupon got me a platter of quesadillas. These were out of this world! It was not your usual quesadilla at all.

Chicken, spinach, scallions, and feta melted slightly between tortillas with a scoop of rice pilaf. I saw some of you drooling at the sound of that combination. It tastes just as divine as it it sounds. I wish I had a camera so I could share the awesome appearance of the quesadilla for you all. Even Joy, who says she doesn’t like wraps, said she would devour this dish from Zoe’s.

There’s locations in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Give this healthy alternative to the ordinary a try if you have one in your area! Enjoy!

You have heard us comment about the place, now it is time for me to review the place that we have referenced about: Sauce! It’s the pizza and wine restaurant concept from Fox Restaurants (No relation to the Rupert Murdoch corporation) that offers a variety of specialty flat-bread pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and pastas.

Continue Reading

Over the weekend, Joy and I had our share of visiting friends. When I was waiting for her at the local outlet mall, I decided to pick up a digital kitchen scale. If it were not for Alton Brown and his several episodes about weights and volume and the flour test, I would have been none the wiser to the value of this contraption. My brother-in-Law’s brother uses his scale to measure out his meal portions and he says he’s sticking to it. So I picked one up and then I realized what the first meal prepared with this scale would be. Breakfast.

It was 12:05 on Sunday afternoon, so you know what that means; its breakfast time! Please join me and my assistant Teddy in making this breakfast perfect.
Continue Reading

Feel loved, feel special, and single or not, enjoy the day and give yourself a treat. We all deserve it.

So what’s cooking tonight? Where are you having dinner?

Addendum: Duh, I forgot. Here are some ideas for homemade dinner tonight if you haven’t decided on the menu yet:

• Spinach Pancetta Salad with Pine Nuts with Gorgonzola Vinaigrette
• Spinach Salad with Orange and Avocado

• Herb Crusted Flat Iron Steak
• Hasselback Potatoes
• Green Beans with Pancetta

• Apple in Pine Nut and Honey Caramel
• Chocolate Crinkles
• Chocolate Souffle
• Food For the Gods [or Goddesses!]
• Churros Con Chocolate

• Bejeweled Cranberry Vodka
• Hot Chocolate with Marshmallow [for a night cap]

Here at Chez Gourmeted we skipped the long line for dinner reservations and opted to prepare a nice meal at home: salad, cheese, seared scallops, steak, chocolate-y desserts, and wine. I’ve prepped my homemade strawberry marshmallow-filled ice cream cones that I’m going to dip in chocolate later. I was hoping the marshmallow goo would stay up so it would actually look like ice cream swirl peaks, but alas, it wont to be. I guess I’ll just have to find a way to make it work later. ;-)

Not much going on here, unless you think I should celebrate because at one year short of 30, I finally drove by myself last night. [Oh wait, I will.] Dan expects me to drive in the middle of Phoenix’s rush hour tomorrow as I drop him off at work, proceed to the the nearby mall’s cafe and do my own work, and then meet him later in the afternoon to head straight to beautiful Sedona for the weekend. Can’t wait!

We’re busy with that and Valentine’s so instead of giving you some picture-filled recipe I’m posting a photo of one of the chocolates I had at the Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress last year in Victoria, B.C. Have you ever been there? It’s so very lovely. If you are within the vicinity and you haven’t been or haven’t considered going, you are missing out. Right in front of the harbor, in the middle of the tourist bustle that surrounds Victoria all year long, is a place of perfect harmony and pampering with tea fit for a queen. I never thought having afternoon tea served, and whose ritual is explained, by such dignified, polite, and well-mannered people, dining with ornate chairs and tables, and on fine china could be so…relaxing. It was such a nice ‘distraction’ from the fast paced life…

Here’s to you and I, and our S.O.’s: I hope we all enjoy a nice and relaxing distraction from our daily lives today. Happy Valentine’s Day!

If you want to eat something that is not the usual, in Phoenix it is not that hard to do. Once you go outside city limits it becomes less and less likely you will find something unique. Tea Light Cafe has been around the Valley for almost a year now in North Scottsdale and we enjoyed our dining experience there every time.

You may think we are nuts, but Tea Light Cafe is another restaurant in the North Scottsdale 101 shopping center. (We have a few more places to review in this place, the rest are just fast food places.) What makes this place different is that it is Vietnamese dishes. We tried to find a website before this post, but it did not happen. They have none. A simple Google search will give many other site reviews. I think I will add one more to that list now.

Unique is a great name to describe this little cafe off the beaten path. They have a cute little setup for seating a few families only because of the small space they have for sitting. Don’t let the small place fool you, however, Tea Light Cafe is full of flavors. Pho, Chicken, brisket, and more.

Don’t let the Pho scare you. Simply speaking, it a giant bowl of beef and noodle soup. There are obviously other flavors in the bowl, but I recommend you try it out! When we visited on Friday, I tried the chicken sandwich. An unbelievable change of pace that was perfect for a night out. I wish I knew what it was about the chicken’s flavor and the dressing because it was neither bland or mayo.

Come on over to this North Scottsdale location for lunch or dinner. You will not be disappointed. I hope to see you there soon. Enjoy!