Cape Cod: Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar

When we arrived in Cape Cod, my cousin Paula told us about a crab shack she had seen on TV and was arguably the best on The Cape. The next day we stopped for lunch at Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar to verify this claim for ourselves. With a full parking lot and a line out the door, we wondered if the wait would be worth it. The line was moving quickly, though, so we decided to try this popular crab shack.

Arnold’s has an extensive menu with seafood rolls and fried seafood baskets comprising the majority of choices. Sam and I decided to go for the best of both worlds and split a lobster roll and fried clam basket.

We didn’t order the “Ginormous” lobster roll, but nonetheless the lobster roll we did order had huge pieces of lobster meat. The lobster meat was couched in a piece of lettuce and a white roll and had very little mayonnaise, which I was glad about. A side of tangy coleslaw was a great complement — I think the New Englanders have their menus down.

When we were choosing our fried basket, my cousin Leslie alerted us to the two different kinds of clam baskets we could order: clam strips and whole clams with bellies. Apparently the juicy clam belly is removed on the clam strips because some people don’t care for the texture of clam bellies even though the bellies impart a greater clam flavor. We wanted whole-clam-goodness, so we  ordered the clam belly basket. Crisp on the outside and just chewy enough on the inside, the clams were a great treat.

My aunt also ordered a basket of onion rings for us to share. The onion flavor was so intense and the thin, crispy texture  of the onions so perfect that my standard of onion rings has been raised by these onion rings.

For her main dish, my aunt ordered fried scallops, which were very tasty but very rich.

Arnold’s also had a Raw Bar inside, where Sam tried an oyster. How’d it taste? Good, but not much different than California oysters.

When we arrived at Arnold’s we planned to get ice cream at the ice cream bar attached to the back, but after such a heavy meal I couldn’t bear to look in that direction. That was ok, though, because  ice cream shacks abound on the Cape.

And our meal had made us happy as clams.

 

Cape Cod: The Griswold Inn

On our drive from New York to Cape Cod, my Aunt Linda, Sam and I stopped at The Griswold Inn for lunch. Located in the charming town of Essex, Connecticut, “The Gris” is one of the oldest continuously operated inns in the country and has welcomed visitors to its doors since 1776.

Walking into the Griswold Inn Restaurant, I immediately felt like I was walking into the hold of a ship. The dark wood floors, paneling and furniture evoked an atmosphere of age, which was further enhanced by the memorabilia covering the walls. From rifles to lithographs to framed captain’s orders 150 years old, the Inn’s homage to our American heritage was undeniable. The Gris’ Tap Room has also been named the most handsome bar room in America.

As this was our first stop in New England, Sam and Aunt Linda ordered bowls of clam chowder to get into the New England seafood spirit.

For my seafood fix, I ordered The Griswold Inn’s Saturday special: a crab cake melt, which is a crab cake, topped with tomato and cheese served on an English muffin. I like the idea of a crab cake melt, but the crab cake had too mayonnaise for my taste.

On this trip, I was struck by how untraditionally New England the menus at the Griswold Inn and other restaurants were. As a visitor, I had determined to temporarily relinquish my California fresh cuisine and eat as much traditional New England seafood as possible. Quite frankly, there weren’t many seafood choices on the menu, which is why Sam ordered a panini and Aunt Linda ordered a mozzarella and roasted vegetable sandwich. I have a theory, though, that those who live in New England are tired of traditional New England food and want updated menus. This desire for new flavors is understandable; it just makes getting traditional New England fare a little trickier.

After lunch we took a walk down the main street. The yards were vibrant and lush with greenery and grass, and the houses were pristinely preserved. Stunning hydrangeas were in every yard, and I especially loved these pale green hydrangeas.

For a piece of American history and a walk down main street, I would definitely recommend The Griswold Inn. Though they didn’t have the seafood I was hankering for, that was ok because this was only the first day of our trip and we hadn’t even made it to Cape Cod. There were many more seafood excursions to come.

 

Cape Cod: An Introduction

Though it’s been weeks since I’ve posted, I recently gathered much fodder for future blog posts on a vacation I took to Cape Cod. From the lobster rolls and fried clams at the local crab shack to the decidedly New England ice cream (purple cow, anyone?), the trip was a delightful exploration of seaside cuisine and lifestyle. Stray not far, readers, more posts to come!

 

Grilled Trout

Fish can be very difficult to grill: it can stick to the grill and often flakes or falls apart when you try to flip it. When Sam and I were looking at the seafood case in Whole Foods a couple weeks ago, Sam was eying the trout, but we weren’t sure if it would be tricky to grill. The fishmonger, though, cleared any doubts we had about grilling trout. He assured us that trout was in fact a really easy fish to grill, especially whole, butterflied trout.

Here’s what we did:

1. Heat the grill and clean the grill racks really well. Fish sticks to the grill because it touches food residue from previous cookings. If you clean the racks, the fish will not stick.

2. Drizzle the flesh side of the butterflied trout with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Place trout on grill, flesh side down. Grill for 8-10 minutes until fish is done. Don’t open the grill or peek under the trout more than necessary or you will disturb its cooking.

4. Serve with a lemon wedge. Grilled asparagus and green salad make wonderful accompaniments.

 

Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Arugula, Capers & Olives

Spaghetti with tomato sauce is a classic go-to dish for busy weeknights. If you’re getting tired of jarred tomato sauce, consider using fresh tomatoes, peppery arugula and briney capers and Kalamata olives to switch things up a bit. This recipe doesn’t even require you to cook the sauce; simply mix together the sauce ingredients, let sit for 30 minutes and add hot spaghetti noodles.

While the dish was simple to make and very flavorful, I wish there was more cohesiveness between the tomatoes and the pasta. I saved out some of the pasta cooking water to try to meld the tomatoes and the noodles when I mixed them together, but it still was not as cohesive as I would have liked. Perhaps this is simply the nature of a pasta dish that uses raw rather than cooked tomatoes. Any thoughts or solutions?

Serves four.

Ingredients
6 plum tomatoes, halved, juiced, seeded, chopped
⅓ cup halved pitted Kalamata olives
⅓ cup (packed) chopped arugula
⅓ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons capers, drained
3 garlic cloves, pressed
¾ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3 anchovies, chopped (optional)

1 pound spaghetti (I used capellini)

Mix first eight ingredients (tomatoes through anchovies) in a large bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature for flavors to develop.

Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return pasta to pot; add tomato mixture and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl.

From The Bon Appetit Fast, Easy, Fresh Cookbook

 

Va de Vi

Whether it’s lunchtime or dinnertime, Walnut Creek’s Va de Vi Bistro and Wine Bar is always bustling like the downtown in which it is located. For Sam and me,  Va de Vi has come to signify a special occasion restaurant where we’ve celebrated Sam’s birthday, our engagement and, most recently, his return from a three-week trip to Pakistan.

Every time we dine at Va de Vi we are thrilled with the creativeness of the chef and outstanding quality of the food.The menu follows the small plates concept, so nibbling and sharing is the name of the game. I really like the small plates concept because the focus is on the taste of the food rather than shoveling down a plate of food that could serve two or three people.

When Sam and I last went to Va de Vi,  we ordered two entrees and a vegetable: beef carpaccio, rosemary lamb kebabs and sauteed summer squash with tomatoes.

As Va de Vi is also a wine bar, they have a diverse selection of wines from all over the world. Even if you know what wine you want to order, take a minute to read the humorous wine list. Sam and I enjoy a sparkling rose, whose  varietal, vintner and region I have unfortunately forgotten (I could point to it on the list though!).

When it comes to dessert, there is no need to pick just one item: the dessert tasting for two features four different sweet nibbles such as creme brulee, profiteroles, bread pudding and chocolate souffle. A cup of Va de Vi’s strong, piping hot coffee completes a fabulous meal.

 

Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Fresh Herbs and Lemon

If you are looking for a delicious dinner that takes little time to prepare and uses fresh ingredients, this recipe is for you. Unlike many white fishes, Chilean Sea Bass has a firm, meaty texture, which is very satisfying. Serve with grilled asparagus and red bell peppers, mashed potatoes and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) pieces sea bass fillet with skin (1 inch thick)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2/3 cup loosely packed mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill and chives, chopped

Preparation

Using tweezers or needle-nose pliers, remove any bones from sea bass. Pat fillets dry. With a sharp knife, cut parallel slashes just through skin of each fillet in four places. Cut each fillet diagonally in half and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add fish skin side down and sear until skin is golden, about 3 minutes. Turn fish over and cook until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to four plates.

Add wine to skillet and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, herbs, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until butter is incorporated. Spoon sauce over fish.

from The Gourmet Cookbook.

 

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Corn and Avocado

This is a perfect salad for a hot summer day when you don’t want to turn on the oven or stove — the shrimp, corn, onions and avocado are all grilled. Simply brush them with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and smoked paprika and grill. The avocados add a lovely creamy contrast to the smoky grilled shrimp, corn and onions, and the citrus-based dressing provides a fresh, clean zing to the salad. While peeling and skewering the shrimp and scraping the corn kernels off the cob is labor-intensive, the rest of the salad comes together in a snap.

Ingredients
For Dressing
6 tablespoons orange juice
3 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated orange peel
¼ cup olive oil
½  teaspoon truffle oil (optional)

For Salad
2 medium red onions, sliced into ½ -inch thick slices
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
3 large ears of corn, husked
1 ciabatta bread or pain rustique, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
Olive oil
2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika (Pimentn de la Vera)**
12 cups mâche (about 7 ounces)
2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, cut into ¾ -inch cubes

Preparation
Make the dressing:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Whisk in olive oil, then truffle oil, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the salad:
Prepare grill (medium heat). Thread onions onto skewers; thread shrimp onto separate skewers. Place onion skewers, shrimp skewers, corn, and bread slices on two large rimmed baking sheets. Brush onions, shrimp, corn, and bread with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle smoked paprika on both sides of the shrimp. Grill onions and corn until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side; grill bread slices until browned; and grill shrimp until cooked through, about 2 ½ minutes per side.

Transfer vegetables, shrimp, and bread to work surface. Cut corn kernels off cobs; place corn kernels in very large bowl. Remove shrimp and onions from skewers and add to bowl. Add mâche and avocados to bowl. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer salad to large rimmed platter and serve with bread.

From The Bon Appetit Cookbook: Fast Easy Fresh

 

Design*Sponge: Not Your Average Mess

photo from Design*Sponge

Who doesn’t love Fridays? They are the wrapping up of the work week and the gateway to the weekend, those two blissful days free from work.

There are, however, reasons unrelated to the work week as to why I love Fridays.

Let me explain: These days, instead of wasting time on Facebook to fill my already-full free time, I’ve taken to the much more constructive pursuit of reading blogs. Food blogs, design blogs, personal blogs — they are all quite interesting reads.

Inevitably every Friday afternoon I find myself on the blog Design*Sponge and suddenly remember that every Friday they post a blog called “In the Kitchen With.” These posts feature a recipe and fabulous photos from some sort of designer. Three great things are rolled into one blog post: a new recipe, inspiring photos and a peek into the life of a designer.

Last Friday Design Sponge featured “In the Kitchen with Eunice Moyle” of Hello!Lucky. Eunice shared a recipe called Eton Mess, which is very similar to the pavlova I made a couple weeks ago. You’ll have to read the actual post to learn why the recipe is called Eton Mess, but having eaten this while I was in England, I can attest that it is a good kind of mess — a mess even your mother will like.

 

Mmm mmm Muesli

The other day I was standing in the cereal aisle contemplating the many boxes of cereal. This was, after all, a rather important decision: partly because I’m a longtime breakfast-believer and want to give this most important meal of the day its fair chance and partly because, well, I’m not a morning person. If I’m going to get up in the morning, my breakfast cereal better be worth it.

The commercial boxes of cereal had too much added sugar (and is it true they spray-paint on all those extra vitamins?) and the healthier made-by-the-local-gourmet cereals seemed overpriced. I wanted whole grains, seeds, dried fruit and minimal added sugar. What’s a girl to do? Make her own cereal.

Purchasing only a couple extra ingredients at the store, I was able to pull from my cupboards most of the makings for a satisfying Muesli. I started by mixing two different whole grain cereals from Trader Joe’s, the regular rolled oats and the rolled oats, barley and rye (about 6 cups total). Then I added sliced almonds. I would have to sacrifice the sweet, crispy clumps found in granola because I wasn’t willing to add that much butter or sugar to my cereal. Instead, I added just enough cinnamon, melted butter and warmed honey to cover the oats (about 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons honey). Spreading the oat mixture out on a rimmed cookie sheet, I baked it in a 350º oven for 15 minutes when it was beginning to turn golden brown. Next I added the fun stuff: dried cranberries; raw, hulled pumpkin seeds; sunflower seeds; ground flaxseed; and sesame seeds.

How did it turn out? Toasting the oats with a little bit of honey softened the oats’ raw edge and added a hint of sweetness. The nuts and seeds provided crunch, while the cranberries added a tart, sweet element. As for the flaxseed, I was just happy there was something else good for me in the cereal. Now, I just have to figure out what I want to put in my next batch of Muesli.