Daily Loaf

I’ve said it so many times when I cook: Simple is always better. Sure, sometimes I get mired down in complex recipes, but a handful of great ingredients with just the right touch of care always bring the greatest rewards. That couldn’t be truer than in this duck and scallop dish.

I found this gem on a menu in Stonington Borough, Connecticut — a charming little seaside village.  Water Street Café is a quaint, eclectic restaurant that is always busy, even in the dog days of winter. The fare is remarkably fresh and creative. Every meal I’ve eaten there (and I’ve had many) has been terrific.

Particularly, I’ve been fond of a very simple preparation of duck and scallops they serve. Read the rest of this entry »

I stayed just 2 days in Bangkok, and I am now in Na Harn, a relatively sleepy beach town on the southern end of Phuket.  Phuket itself is an island off the southern coast of Thailand.  Yes, it is a tropical paradise, and so is the food.  If I were not training Thai boxing I’d be plumper than a Jenny Craig-dropout in a Krispy Kreme.

The cuisine is straight Thai food, however the heavy European tourism influence means that restaurants here always have two menus: one Thai and one Euro/Western.  This can make for a interesting breakfast, but more on that later.

On my first day here, I visited the famous MBK mall.  They have a huge food court that sells Thai food, and I did not see any chains I recognized.  All the food is cooked to order in front of you. I had chicken with flat noodles, and a coconut (top chopped off) so I could drink the coconut water. Its an interesting feeling when your palate tells you you’re at a Thai restaurant and your senses remind you that you’re in a food court.  Their entire approach to food and food service is different. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you refrain from eating foie gras due to ethical concerns? Understandable, even if I personally overcome that ethical dilemma thanks to the fuindamental deliciousness of those fatted duck and goose livers. One of the biggest problems most folk have with the production of foie gras — besides the industrialized nature of almost every livestock operation — is gavage, or force-feeding.

Well, you might not have to forego this tasty delicacy any longer. Read the rest of this entry »