Food and Fellowship.

Being a part of Bible Study Fellowship has provided the opportunity for me to grow in spirit and in truth. Last night our BSF group joined together for dinner. We enjoyed brisket tacos, rice, and beans. The food was flavorful for the fact that when people gather together for food, even the humblest meals, their lives intersect and their conversation takes them into a truly remarkable moment.

Thai Soon.

Nestled in a tiny location on Coit and Beltline, Thai Soon offers fresh Thai cuisine in a quaint atmosphere. Emily and I have enjoyed a couple delightful meals here and somewhere between the charming staff, the sweet and tangy peanut sauce, and the perfect presentation of the satays we have decided to claim this as one of our neighborhood restaurants. My choice of starters is the classic spring roll that has the right balance of chewy wrapper, sweet basil, and crisp cabbage, when you submerge the roll in their peanuty sweet sauce you receive the perfect taste of Southern Asia. You said satays?... Chicken, Shrimp, and Tofu come out hot and glazed with sweet gingery goodness. The curries are precise, the soup is full of fresh vegetbles, and the wide noodles provide a wonderful alternative to a rice dish. I have had my eye on the Thai Donuts with peanut creme, but have not taken the plunge for dessert. Join us and enjoy the taste of Thai Soon.

Learning through Relationships.

El Centro has been a wonderful place to learn about food. Now compared to a CIA or French Culinary Institute we are looking at apples and oranges. You see the wonderful nature of El Centro is in the people. In any given class you have 20 individuals of different nationalities, ages, socio-economic levels, and food experiences. When we all come together to learn, cook, and eat there is a magic that happens in the classroom. We not only master the dishes of the day, but we learn to grow as culinarians. Where is a better place that we can support conversations with diverse people...the answer is at the table.

Bon Appetit!

Korea House.

The Korea House represents 3 decades of Dallas ethnic dining, sitting on the corner of Royal and Harry Hines you find this restaurant will not dissapoint. Last night my friend Young and I enjoyed dinner at this Dallas landmark. We started with banchan which is an assortment of marinated, pickeled, and seasoned vegetables. There were two different seaweeds, a chili marinated napa cabbage, pickeled daikon radish, and Marianted Soy sprouts. We had chilled soup with cucumber and buck wheat noodles and then my favorite Kai beef (rib meat marinated in pineapple, soy, and sugar) then grilled, WOW. We ended with a sweet rice broth.

Weekend Wonders.

Weekends are fundamental to a well lived life. Emily and I enjoyed a beautiful weekend around the table.

Friday night we dined at Cafe Madrid in Dallas. Roasted Piquantes with Goat Cheese, Grilled Pork Loin with chimichurri, Potato Tortilla with Garlic and Parsley Aioli, and Sauteed Spinach with Pine Nuts, were fabulous. And when you combine these great taste with the relaxed European feel of Cafe Madrid and a glass of wine the weekend kicks off to a great start.

Saturday Emily fixed our ritual oatmeal pancakes with maple syrup and fruit, we shopped for plants to put in our garden out back, and then enjoyed the evening with our friends Jon and Mandy. We had great Italian wine, Margarita Pizza with Pesto, Prosciutto Pizza with parsley from my garden, and plenty of Antipasto. The outdoor meal ended with my devils foods dark chocolate cake topped with honey cream.

Sunday we had our Bible Class over for an old fashion pot luck of Brisket, potatoes, Salad, Broccoli, and Strawberry Trifle. What a blessing it is when Christians gather to share a meal.
We finished the weekend planting our new babies in our garden. Come by this summer for heirloom tomatoes, green beans, peppers, and bountiful herbs.

Have a tasteful day.

Food Philosophy.

Ever thought about what you eat? Think about it.

Triple Play.

A casual weeknight with friends is a great time for sandwiches, soup, and salad. The triple play works for any time, but when each gets jazzed with fresh ingredients, tender love, and passion; the menu sparks interest:

Sandwich:
Sliced Grilled Chicken Thighs, Crusty Wheat Bread, Aioli, Avocado, Sliced Tomatoes, Salt and Pepper (Served Warm)

Soup:
Corn Chowder, Golden Potatoes, Carrots, and Turnips. (Nice Spring Soup)

Salad:
Mesclun Mix, Endive, Asparagus, Bacon, Herbed Yogurt Dressing.

Have a wonderful day...Bon Appetit

Sockeye Salmon

Salmon is all over menus. It comes raw, poached, grilled, sauteed, baked, and sashimied. It is hard to know the quality of the salmon unless the grade is specified. More often than not t comes from a farm in South America where it is fed a restricted diet, has color added to it, and then is shipped half way around the globe in order for to buy it at the grocery store. Last night we had the opportunity to enjoy some US caught Sockeye Salmon: The color is unbelievable, the taste is fresh, and the fat is perfectly marbled. I placed some herbs from my garden on the ruby skin, drizzled it with my best olive oil, and threw it into an oven on 400 for 7-9 minutes...after a little salt and pepper! Ummm.

Bon Appetit.

King's Noodles

King's Noodle is on the corner of Polk and Greenville in Richardson. Last night we enjoyed shrimp fried rice and chicken lo mein. The restuarant is clean, the service is quick, and the food is hot from the wok. If you have not explored any of Richardson's Asian Restaurants, King's Noodles, is a great place to begin. The prices range from 2.50 to 6.00 for an entree...what a great deal! On Saturdays you will find a crowd of people lining up for King's fabulous Lo Mein.
See you there...Bon Appetit!

Quick Snack.

The Perfect Cheese Board...Pear, Proscuitto, Aged Irish Cheddar, Flax Flatbread....Need I say more.

Dinner.

Last night was a zesty event where Emily prepared one of her favorite childhood dishes: "Chile Relleno" it is an adaptation of the Mexican classic. The dish uses whole chiles, organic refried beans, ground turkey, sweet onions, crusty eggy topping, and sharp cheddar! We enjoyed Sangria and an avocado salad with tangy yogurt dressing.

Bon Appetit!