Wednesday, May 23, 2012

South by Southwest Cuban!

Pardon the punctuation: One of my Facebook fans told me to check out an amazing Cuban food truck while I was in Austin, Texas. Upon checking on google maps it was located just two blocks from my hotel.  My friends all know that I'm always on the hunt for good Cuban food and never did I think I would find it in the middle of Texas. Miguel's The Cubano is right on the corner of Trinity and 6th street was an unassuming little white trailer with pork that smelled so good that I was set adrift into the blissful memories of my childhood in Miami.  When I walked up to the window I was greeted by, "Alejandro" who runs the joint and is friendly as hell. That's just how we Cubans roll. After shooting the shit for a minute and discussing our Cubanness, he told me I have to try their Media Noche.  I had that aroma of pork on the brain and asked Alejandro if he could make me a traditional Cuban pork sandwich called a ,"Pan con Lechon" instead. He obliged and I was in heaven. Nothing cures homesickness like a taste or smell from home. The pork was juicy and full of flavor while the sweet roll was baked fresh and perfect.  This was washed down with a Materva and finished with some arroz con leche which is the Cuban version of rice pudding.  Miguel's the Cubano has TheYumYumFoodie's seal of approval. I only wish they were open on Sundays.  If you're in this neck of the woods give Miguel's a show and make sure you bring some friends. That way you can taste more of the awesome things on the menu.
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Friday, May 18, 2012

Austin Cafe Josie

Porcini Cannellini Bean Soup

 Pardon the punctuation: Night one in Austin and I hit up Cafe Josie.  This was my only night in town where I could have an Austin experience in 'Fine Dining." Started with the soup special which was a Porcini Cannellini Bean soup with a Blue Crab Caesar Crostini. This soup is officially yumyummed. I've never had a soup with such a smokey rich taste and that crostini was the perfect compliment. Two other must haves for starters are the Brussel Sprouts and the Crispy Gulf Oysters. Both were rockin.  Main course was the Beef Tenderloin with garlic grill butter, eclipse, manchego frites, and chipotle aioli. That piece of meat was riddled with the flavor of the mesquite grill. Cooked to the perfection of medium rare and so tender you could eat it with a butter knife. Yum Yum Yummed. For dessert my server recommended a Venezuelan Chocolate Truffle with praline pecan sauce and a chocolate ganache. It was like a brick of rich delicious chocolate. If you're not a fan of rich desserts avoid this like the plague. If you're like me and chocolate is like crack to you, then order this with a smile on your face knowing that you will be in chocolate bliss in just a few minutes. That truffle was so good that I dug into it before I remembered to take a picture of it. If you have an questions feel free to contact me
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Beef Tenderloin

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

How to Make a Cuban Latte or Cafe Con Leche

Pardon the punctuation...being the child of Cuban parents pretty much means that I've been smelling the sweet aroma of espresso since I was in the womb. Some of the fondest memories from my childhood can be conjured up from the slightest hint of Cafe La Llave. That being said, living away from my home town of Miami is sometimes hard on the soul. One thing that can bring me back home no matter how far away I am is a good old fashioned Cafe con leche or Cortadito.  Here's a little secret, evaporated milk is the key to having the authentic  cafe con leche that any Cuban grandmother would make. You don't need a fancy schmancy professional barista machine to make one at home. All you is:
  1. Stove Top Espresso Maker
  2. Evaporated Milk
  3. Cuban Coffee
  4. Sugar
  5. If you want to get fancy a basic Milk Frother
The next step is making your perfect Cuban Coffee. Hope you enjoyed that little video. Last but not least lets crack open that can of evaporated milk. Grab your basic saucepan and put it on the stove at low heat. Then pour how ever much evaporated milk you want into the saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Using your milk frother, froth the hell out if it and enjoy! If you have any questions feel free to email, tweet or facebook message me.

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Foodie detox day

Today is the first day back from New Orleans. National detox day for me. New content will be up this weekend!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

A street car named "Stella!"

Pardon the punctuation: First off let me thank me dear foodie friend Cathleen for this wonderful suggestion. All day I had been thinking about what I was going to eat tonight. Kids have visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads while I had visions Fois Gras dancing in mine. "Stella!" is where I ended up eating tonight. The food was so amazing that when I die I don't want Saint Peter waiting for me at the pearly gates. I want Chef/Owner Scott Boswell  at the gates of foodie heaven waiting for me with one of his creations.  Here's what' currently in my belly:

  1. Chef Starter- Ahi Tuna with a Wasabi air
  2. Appetizer- Foie Gras "BLT" with Duck Pate, Try Truffle Mayonnaise, Spiced Pear Chutney, Brulee Pears and Bianchetto Spring Truffles
  3. Entree- Bone Marrow Crusted Prime Beef Tenderloin Sous-Vide with Hickory Smoked Fingerling Potatoes, Grilled Ramps, Seared Cherry Tomatoes and Porcini Bordelaise Sauce
  4. Fois Gras "BLT"
  5. Dessert- Bananas Foster French Toast with Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Spicy Candied Walnuts and Crisp Plantains
Beef Tenderloin
Before we move on I'd like to acknowledge my two servers Elizabeth and Rhett. My hats off to you both for helping me have such an amazing experience. Any good meal starts with an good wine. Two glasses of R. Lopez De Heredia 2000 Rioja was my weapon of choice. At $16 a glass this was a steal of a deal for a restaurant of this caliber. To start they brought me a lovely little bowl of Ahi Tuna with Wasabi air. It was YumYum,  nuff said. The Foie Gras "BLT" was my next item to tackle. What a wonderful interpretation on a classic American dish. The truffle mayonnaise is the flavor that lingered in my mouth and left me wanting more. The Sous-Vide beef tenderloin was the best I have ever had. For those of you intimidated by French terminology on a menu, don't be!!!!!!! This french technique will give you a piece of beef that will literally melt in your mouth. Bone marrow crust and hickory smoked fingerling potatoes were the perfect compliment for this tender piece of beef. Those hickory smoked potatoes are something I can't wait to try at home for a dinner party and attempt to take full credit for coming up with it on my own.    I found myself cutting the last pieces of steak smaller and smaller as I tried to make this dish last as long as possible on my plate. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and in that end came my Bananas Foster French toast dessert. For those of you who follow my facebook page this item will be in my "Best thing I ever Ate" photo folder. If my wife would have been with me I would have ordered two of them and hoped that she didn't finish all of hers. This is one of the top five desserts I've had in my whole life. They should figure out a way to put this in a frozen shipping container and send them around the world. The US Military should drop crates of these things into war zones to distract the enemy and put them in a food coma. I've said enough....get a plane ticket to NOLA and have one yourself.

Bananas Foster French Toast

Per Elizabeth's recommendation tomorrow I'll be going to "Stella!" sister restaurant named "Stanley." I know I know the theater geek inside me smiles a the names of these New Orleans restaurant. Tennessee Williams would be proud.

Round 2 at the Butcher

I obviously can't get enough of a good thing. Today I made my second trip to Cochon Butcher and loved it just as much as the first. Lets get right to the point. What did I eat?
Pulled Pork
  1. Pulled Pork Sandwich
  2. House made Chocolate Chip Cookie
The pork was slow roasted and quite spicy. Not too spicy but spicy enough to surprise me after the first bite. On the side was probably the best potato salad ever to rest on my tongue. As far as the cookie was concerned, it was fine. Not the greatest thing ever but it was OK. The PB and J cookie will be on my plate next time I head on over. I can't emphasize enough how much I recommend this place for anyone close to the convention center in New Orleans.

Monday, May 7, 2012

When the HerbSaint come marching in and an Emeril night cap.




The Chicken Gumbo
Pork Belly
Per the recommendation of the hostess at Stella I made my way over to HERBSAINT restaurant just a few lovely blocks from the Loews hotel where I'm staying. Had a cocktail and waited for a bar seat to open. This place had an amazing vibe. A great mix of locals and foodies all gathering in a mecca of sorts on this quiet New Orleans street. I started with the chicken gumbo and it is by far the best gumbo I've ever had. Smokey and rich with just enough spice to make you smile it was perfect an one of the best dishes ever.  For the main course I ordered something that I always have to try when it's on a menu: Mr Pork Belly If I were ever a crackhead my crack would involve pork belly in some shape or form.  The belly came resting on a bed of a toasted lotus leaf on sticky rice. On top we had some tomatoes, cucumbers and a few chopped mint leaves.  The mint made all of the difference on this dish. It complimented the melt in your mouth pork in a ballet of flavors. Every bite would make my taste buds  explode with the fresh sea salt and then the hint of mint would bring me back to earth.


Like any true foodie I went to a different place for dessert: Emeril's New Orleans. Every food or cooking show on the planet has mentioned Emeril's banana cream pie and stressed the amazingness of it. They were not lying. Holy Sh******************t that was good. When I saw the waitress bringing the plate I could have sworn she brought a banana cream Flatiron Building . Nevertheless, I dug into the trenches and fought my way against this Leviathan. Twas a long fought bottle but @TheYumYumFoodie came out as the champion. That pie is a "Must Have" when you make your way to NOLA. Now time for bed and my food coma.
Banana Cream Pie



The Butcher had all my answers for lunch

Walking around New Orleans you run into so many amazing places to eat that it's sometimes hard to decide. What helps me is to look for a place that seems to have the most locals eating there. Today that place was Cochon Butcher . The food Gods blessed me today and had me walk down the right street to run into this amazing foodie haven. There are so many things on the menu that I want to try. This place will be on my lunch list at least two more times during my stay.  My knowledgable hipster cashier steered me in the direction of the Muffaletta . The amazing cold cut sandwich that originated in New Orleans via it's Sicilian Immigrants.  All of the meats on this beast are made in house and served with fresh chips and the yummiest pickles I've ever tried and I'm not a pickle fan. I could have eaten a whole jar of these sweet green suckers. That hipster cashier also mentioned that though he had worked at Cochon Butcher for a year, that the ,"Peanut butter and jelly cookies still amaze me to this day. They're just like awesome dude." Normally trusting the stoner types when it comes to food is not my thing, but I figured what the hell. A little PB and J in a cookie was worth trying. Thank you Mr. hipster, stoner, cashier guy. Your obvious multiple cases of the munchies led you to tell me about these amazing cookies. My friends, even if you don't go in for a sandwich just swing by and grab one of these spectacular guilty pleasure cookies.  This place is officially YumYummed.

When in doubt, "Cafe Du Monde" it out


It's six a.m. and you're wide awake in New Orleans. Where d you go? I made my way this morning to the famous NOLA staple Cafe Du Monde. It was well worth my ten minute walk to this twenty-four hour french coffee stand. Of course I went with the traditional Cafe Au Lait and Beignets . They are worth the trip over there not just for the delicious french yummies but also the people watching. If coffee and crazies is something you don't mind, then cruise on over to Cafe Du Monde and rock out this touristy gem.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

The "Big Easy" and my first night in the French Quarter

Sunday night and a few blocks from the french quarter. Where do I go? Through a recommendation from a dear friend I walk my butt over to Stella restaurant and of course they are completely booked. Of course I did the smart thing and make a reservation there for later this week. Stellaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! If only Tennessee Williams could here me now. Like any hungry foodie, I wandered around the french quarter and looked for the restaurant that seemed to have the most clients. This led to me stumbling into "Cafe Pontalba". A Cajun restaurant slash dive bar. My severe hunger pushed me in the direction of a rum concoction called "Voodoo Juice" and a "Cajun Combo" platter that came with gumbo, red beans 'n rice, and some yummy jambalaya. I know this pictures doesn't look appealing but it was delicious. Specially the red beans 'n rice. Just the right amount of heat to keep me happy.  Going to bed early so i can hit up "Cafe du Monde" first thing in the morning. Can't wait!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Best Groupon this year!

Last night I took my wife to "The Farm of Beverly Hills" where we used a lovely Groupon that I bought about a month before. The Groupon was  $20 for $40 so this was a win win situation right off the bat and I called ahead to check on their corkage fee which was only $10. Can't go wrong with this one. We brought a bottle of 1998 Raymond Vineyards Generations which retails for about $80 but of course for anyone that knows me knows that I never pay full price. This bottle was scooped up in December for the price of $53 for two bottles on one of my favorite discount wine websites WTSO . That said the night was heading in the right direction before we got there. OpenTable took care of the reservations and we were all set to go.



We'll start with our server Linda. She was great. Friendly, knowledgeable, and the British accent didn't hurt much either. They start you off with some yummy cornbread muffins. These muffins were rockin good and you could eat about a hundred of them. The kind of muffins I'd normally shove in my wife's purse and pretend we never got them so we could get more.

Next came our appetizer.  We went with something fresh. The Heirloom Tomato and Buratta topped with crushed pepper, sea salt and a balsamic reduction. Not the best I've ever had but it was really good and complimented our wine and main course perfectly.

Medium Rare Goodness 
For our piece de resistance Linda guided us to the 20oz cowboy steak for two and they are not lying. This thing was huge and came with two sides. Truffle mac 'n cheese and garlic mash had to be our choices to accompany this monster hunk of beef. Folks this was certified humane Meyer natural angus beef and it was delicious. The only bump on the road was that we ordered it medium rare and it came medium. Linda was more than happy to take it back for us and have a new steak brought out.  It was the best Ribeye I've had in a long time and that truffle mac 'n cheese was amazing.  Lets face it, you could put truffle oil on almost anything and it will probably taste good. I have a feeling I might be ordering steaks from Meyer in the near future. 

Though we were stuffed we asked Linda if there was a dessert we had to have and before we finished our sentence she said,"The Farm brownie sundae." Done and done. It was to die for. It smelled so go I almost forgot to take a picture of it before digging in. Absolutely one of the bet brownies I've ever had and I pride myself in being a chocoholic. 

The Farm has TheYumYumFoodie seal of approval and will definitely be a place I recommend in the future. Good service and fresh food served piping hot. Lets email Groupon and make sure they put one out for this place every week. Would I go back and pay full price? Yes and it would be worth every penny.

The Farm of Beverly Hills you have been YumYummed!


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

TheYumYumFoodie: Yum Yum Foodie day #1

TheYumYumFoodie: Yum Yum Foodie day #1: Hellooooooooooo Foodie world! Here I will be documenting my travels in the world of food, wine, and of course where to rest your head after after a long day of eating and drinking.