Hot Diggity Delicious Dog

One day at Serious Eats, we got into a discussion about the food in Utah.  The conversation went something like this.  "And then we'll check out Finn's..."  I interrupt, "Don't bother, they're not that great.  Better ambiance than food.  What you should check out is J Dawgs."  The conversation continued into other arenas - such as the Utah Scone.  Did you know, apparently, that people have heard of the Utah Scone and Sconecutters?  Shudder.  Now, that would be embarrassing.  To have a Serious Eater fly all the way across the country to eat at Sconecutter's? Yikes.

J Dawgs Original Hot Dog Stand

What I'm really trying to say though, is that Utah has their own set of delicious things and a growing food scene.   And one of my favorites of those is J Dawgs.  Jayson Edwards, of J Dawgs fame, came up with the idea after coming home from serving an LDS mission in Toronto.  Hot dog carts were abundant in Toronto and when he returned to Utah, the lack thereof planted the idea of what was to be J Dawgs. 

So, why is J Dawgs so special?  The real winner for me is Jayson's "special sauce," a recipe that was passed down from his grandmother.  Jayson has made a few tweaks of his own, but the sweet barbecue sauce hits the salty dog just perfectly.  It's not terribly thick or gooey but more so an ambrosia glaze that trickles down the cross cuts in the dog.  Which leads me to the dog.  While J Dawgs doesn't create their own dog, they do reinvent the 100% all beef or Polish dogs on the grill.  The difference from a regular dog comes from the cross cutting which allows a bite burst with a little char on the side.  It's wonderfully delicious.  And to catch all that tongue pleasing juice?  Homemade buns from Provo Bakery made fresh every day just for J Dawgs.  They are pillowy, supple, and create the perfect cradle for the perfect innards of a hot dog.

J Dawgs Delicious Secret Sauce Hot Dog

If you want to get crazy, you can add banana peppers, onions, and sauerkraut.  I like to keep it simple.  Which, honestly, don't you want to keep it simple when the key ingredients are that good? 

J Dawg's is a steal at four bucks for a meal.  They have recently expanded from their cute roadside stand (which still operates) to the building aside.  Decor is retro inspired with silver tin lining the tables, barstools, and chairs.  A soda fountain offers supreme choices including beloved apple beer.  It would be interesting to see the level of caffeinated soda sold since this is one of the closest locations to offer caffeinated libations (BYU is a caffeine free campus.  Students have to brown bag it.) 

J Dawg's is like Christmas morning.  Excitement with a side of giddy when it arrives.  Only, your gifts are wrapped in tinfoil and the present inside is supremely biteable and tummy pleasing.  Merry Christmas.

Crave It Giveaway! Burn Cream MD (for your owies)

To Win:  Leave a comment about how you've burned yourself.  And follow me while you're at it.  

After having been in some professional kitchens, it is easy to see why you would keep Burn Cream MD around.  Leaning once on a hot burner taught me to be a bit more careful.  And left a funny ring shaped burn on my palm.  Roasting marshmallows and then plunging my fingers into the sticky, hot mess.  Also, very, very painful.  I pretty much burn myself regularly. 

Let's be honest, freebies rock. Even more so when it's free stuff worth over a buck. (although, honestly, I could get excited about a free chicken burrito from Taco Bell).  In this case it's more in the realm of $29.99.  And Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali both keep it in their kitchens!  Burn Cream MD was developed for use in the kitchen or wherever you might burn yourself.  It has lidocaine to take the sting away.  I could have used this a few times in my past.  Like when the flaming marshmallows would not shake off of my fingers no matter what I did.

Courtesy of Healing Skin, I am giving away your choice of Burn Cream MD in lotion form or handy wipe form.   The New York small world thing?  This awesome cream was developed by my old boss, Dr. Diane Madfes, spokesperson for Garnier Nutritioniste and dermatologist extraordinaire.

    

So, friends, if you would like to win this celebrity endorsed, dermatologist created burn cream, please leave a comment about a kitchen burn (or whatever you want to comment on - let's be honest - we're free flowing here) and become a follower of the blog.  Entries will close at 5:00 pm MST next Monday.  I'll announce the winner soon after.  After all, we all need something to ease the burn of "a case of the Mondays." 

Good Luck!

Twenty Restaurants, Twelve Hours

Oh Twitter, I've grown to love you.  I judged you once, as many do, to be superficial and spacey.  I was wrong.  Well, mostly.  You satisfy the ADD in me better than just about anything out there...what?  Oh, well, almost.  Sometimes, you're still kinda slow.  But you also bring me wonderful news.  A week and a half ago a saw a little something on Twitter that made my heart happy.  Carey Jones, of Serious Eats fame, had let the possibility of a stop in Salt Lake City slip.

I was delighted.

Emails were exchanged, flights confirmed, and a restaurant list compiled.   And the day arrived.  Stretchy pants were worn.  My heart and stomach squealed with excitement and terror with each new edible encounter.  It was a fantastic day.  I was elated that I got to hang out with Carey for the day and assist in Serious Eats' success.  They are the best work family a girl/guy could ask for.  I'm providing the list of eateries we frequented that day.  Descriptions for each would result in an online novel so I'll spare you for now.  I will do you the honor of marking my top five* of the day.

Bon Apetit!

(Disclaimer: We ate at places that fit the chapters going into the Serious Eats book.  So don't be saddened that some of Salt Laker's favorite places are left out.  Also, we only had one day and we each only one one stomach.  A few bites or more at each place times 20 - you do the math.  10,000 calories?)

1. Banbury Cross
2. Les Madeleines*
3. The Park Cafe
4. Finn's
5. Eggs in the City
6. Tulie Bakery*
7. Tony Caputo's Market & Deli
8. Bruges Waffles & Frites*
9. Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana
10. Capo Gelateria
11. Chow Truck
12. Dolcetti Gelato*
13. The Back Door Deli
14. Cows
15. Maxwell's East Coast Eatery
16. Cafe Rio
17. The Cotton Bottom Inn
18. Busy Bee
19. The Copper Onion*
20. Nielsen's Custard

Shiny New Product Review: New Oreo Fudge Cremes

Curse you impulse buying!  I've done it yet again.  Well, truth be told, this was my husband, yet again.  He's a sucker for Oreos.

I fortunately am not as obsessive as I once was with my sweets eating.  I used to go through a full 1/2 gallon carton of ice cream in one sitting.  On a regular basis.  But age has seemingly toned down my sweet tooth.  However, I was willing to revisit my old haunting grounds in order to try a "new" product.

They weren't quite as expected.

Don't ask me why.  I apparently just don't pay attention.  But why am I paying more per box and per Oreo for half of an Oreo?

Here's your after bite shot:

They are horrible.  The chocolate is waxy, even by American standards.  And regardless of whether you are an Oreo creme lover or cookie lover of the Oreo you will be disappointed.  The box has sat around our house uneaten for the last two weeks.  I finally threw it away.  And in my house where we are cheap and engage in mindless eating - that is saying something.  So save yourself a couple bucks and buy something quality - like a lovely Cup o'Noodles.

Scorching Symon: An impromptu interview with Michael Symon

When you think of an Iron Chef, do you picture a grown man that still fears his petite 4'11" mother?  If you do, you've got Michael Symon in mind.

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Michael, of The Next Iron Chef, Iron Chef America, Cook Like an Iron Chef and soon to be Food Feuds, this week.  I can truly say that of the big fish in the food world that I have been fortunate enough to interact with, he is a favorite.  Michael is totally down to earth and charming.  I adore his passion for cooking and the culinary creations that result from it.

So here's the actual interview for your viewing/listening pleasure.  The duration is approximately ten minutes so I've placed time markers below for your convenience.  The new season of The Next Iron Chef airs this coming Sunday, October 3rd, at 9 pm/8 pm CST.  Food Feuds will follow on Thursday, October 14th.



1:00:  Any feared ingredients for Iron Chef America?

1:57:  How have your family's dishes have affected your own? (Spoiler: the man loves goat.  Also, how to say shut up in Greek)

4:24:  Have you ever been out to Salt Lake and do you have a dining memory?

4:41:  Michael asks me if we have a food feud they could feature on Food Feuds. 

5:46:  Any food feuds from your hometown of Cleveland?

6:39:  Does all the eating you have to do ever get difficult?

7:38:  With Food Feuds, have you had to deal with any bias you might have had with a restaurant?

8:50:  When you're on Iron Chef, how much advance notice do you get on your secret ingredients?

Scorching Symon: Interview to Come with Iron Chef Michael Symon

Exciting news!

I was contacted by Michael Symon's (Iron Chef extraordinaire, chef/owner of Lola and Lolita, and Food Network star) PR agency to see if I would be interested in an interview with him.  Um, yeah.  I would be stupid to say no.  Not only is he an incredible chef but he is one of the most down to earth, friendly, and entertaining ones out there!  Being cute doesn't hurt either.

So, stay tuned.  I'll be interviewing him this afternoon.  His next food ventures will be on "The Next Iron Chef" and "Food Feuds."  The Next Iron Chef premiers on Sunday, October 3, at 9 pm and Food Feuds premieres Thursday, October 14th at 10pm ET/PT.

Can't Stop Thinking About Them Carnitas

Problems I have:  Diet Coke, Travel Channel, Peanut Sauce.

New problem.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  Kenji, from Serious Eats, posted a recipe for "No-Waste Tacos de Carnitas with Salsa Verde."  Someone in the SE office mentioned that Kenji was bringing the leftovers by (which he often does since he is constantly cooking).  I began to salivate immediately.  Pretty much anything Kenji makes is tastebud gold.  However, when Kenji stopped by, there were no carnitas in tow.  My heart was heavy.  My stomach empty.  (Okay, the last bit wasn't true - I was at the SE office - my stomach was never empty or even half empty)


So, when I got back to my lovely little kitchen in Salt Lake, the first thing I did was purchase the ingredients for my own carnitas.  


What you will need:

• 2 medium onions
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 pounds boneless pork butt (shoulder), rind removed, cut into 2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• 1 medium orange
• 6 cloves garlic, split in half
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into three or four pieces
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 medium tomatillos (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and split in half
• 2 jalapeño peppers, split in half lengthwise, stem removed
• 3 limes, cut into wedges
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta
• 24 corn tortillas

They didn't have boneless pork butt (shoulder) at my local grocery store.  Don't ask me why it didn't occur to me to ask the butcher for the cut.  No, I bought bone-in pork shoulder.  Yeah, it was an experience.  A good one to have but not really one I feel the need to repeat.  Save yourself the effort and if you don't see it already packaged, then don't be shy.  Ask your friendly butcher man or lady to do you a solid.  

Now that you have your lovely hunk o'pork.  Cut the rind off (the white gross skin).  Pretty sure you don't want to eat it.  Cut the pork into big ol' chunks about 2 inches.  I guess you should probably have a hot place to put it so turn the oven on at 275F.  Get a 9X13 casserole dish ready to dump your goodies in.  Season the pork chunks with 1 tbsp salt and throw in your 9X13.  Arrange so there are no spaces.

Split orange into quarters.  Squeeze juice over meat and then nestle remains amongst the meat.  Add one onion split into quarters, 4 cloves of garlic, bay leaves and cinnamon stick to casserole (you can cheat and add ground cinnamon in a pinch).   

Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Cook until pork is fork tender, about 3 1/2 hours.

While your little piggy is cooking, cut one onion into a fine dice and combine with cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to use.  

Set large fine-meshed strainer 1 quart liquid measure or bowl. Using tongs, remove orange peel, onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves from pork. Transfer pork and liquid to strainer. Let drain for 10 minutes. Transfer pork back to casserole. You should end up with about 1/2 cup liquid and 1/2 cup fat. Using a flat spoon or de-fatter, skim fat from surface and add back to pork. Shred pork into large chunks with fingers or two forks. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Transfer remaining liquid to medium saucepot.

To serve: Place casserole dish with pork 4-inches under a high broiler and broil until brown and crisp on surface, about 6 minutes. Remove pork, stir with a spoon to expose new bits to heat, and broil again for 6 more minutes until crisp. Tent with foil to keep warm.

To eat, stack two tortillas on top of each other. Add two to three tablespoons carnitas mixture to center. Top with salsa verde, chopped onions and cilantro, and queso fresco. Serve with lime wedges.

If you're not lazy like me, then you can make the tomatillo sauce instead of leaving the ingredients to rot in your fridge.  Just add these directions before the serving ones.  Add tomatillos, remaining 2 onion quarters, remaining 2 garlic cloves, and jalapeños to saucepot with strained pork liquid. Add water until it is about 1-inch below the top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until all vegetables are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Blend salsa with hand blender or in a stand-up blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Allow to cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

You can also heat the tortillas.  Preheat an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Working one tortilla at a time, dip tortilla in bowl filled with water. Transfer to hot skillet and cook until water evaporates from first side and tortilla is browned in spots, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook until dry, about 15 seconds longer. Transfer tortilla to a tortilla warmer, or wrap in a clean dish towel. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Yeah, they're pretty much to die for.  I've been obsessed ever since.  I dream about carnitas and corn tortillas now.  It's a sickness.  But one I thoroughly hope to be infected for life with.