Foodie Couture

Sipping Cocktail Recipes...

To all the specialty drink Aficionados... 

Here are the cocktails that I sipped and fell in love with during my excursion to find the perfect adult beverage.  These recipes are courtesy of the best Mixologists in Vegas and the perfect accompaniment to your next soiree. 

Firebreathing Dragon (Chandelier Bar @ The Cosmopolitan)

1 1/2 oz Bacardi Dragonberry

6-8 muddled raspberries

1 oz thai chili syrup

1 1/2 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz lemongrass syrup

Methodology

Muddle raspberries and syrups, add remainin ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass rimmed in pink peppercorns. Garnish with a freeze dried liquid nitrogen charged raspberry for the smoking "dragon" effect.

   

Verbena (Chandelier Bar @ The Cosmopolitan)

6 fingers of lemon verbena

1 oz ginger syrup

1/2 oz lemongrass syrup

1 1/2 oz yuzu sour

1 1/2 oz Milagro Silver Tequila

Methodology:

Muddle verbena with syrups and add remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain over crushed ice. Garnish with szechuan button and 2 lemon verbena fingers.

  

Lakeside Mojito (Lakeside Grill @ Wynn)

10-12 Mint Leaves

2 oz. Cruzan Light Rum

1 oz. Freshly Squeezed & Strained Lemon Juice

1 oz. Depaz Cane Syrup

1 ½ oz. Lindeman’s Lambic Cassis (float)

Method: Lightly muddle the mint & lemon 3 times with muddler. Add the syrup and rum and fill shaker half full of ice and shake to chill. Drop contents into tall zombie/Collins glass. Add additional ice if needed. Top with cassis lambic which will layer on top of cocktail. Garnish.

Serve.

Garnish: A mint top

 

Pear Margarita (Sinatra @ Encore)

1 ½ oz. Casa Noble Silver Tequila

3/4 oz. Belle Paire Pear Liqueur

1 ¼ oz. Fresh Sweet & Sour (*recipe below)

1/2 oz. Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

1/2 oz. Pear Puree (Perfect Puree of Napa Valley)

1/4 oz. Light Agave Syrup 

Method: Combine the above ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake well to chill. Strain over fresh ice into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish. Serve.

Garnish: A fresh pear slice 

(**Fresh Sweet & Sour Recipe: Combine equal parts of freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice with simple syrup (*see recipe below). Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use. Expires in 7 days).

(*Simple Syrup Recipe: Combine equal parts of fine granulated sugar with bottled water or regular granulated sugar with boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use. Keeps for up to 1 month).

 

Reality Show?

So lately, I've had my reality show "try-out" fix.  It's much tougher than you think to be casted on a show especially when there's $250,000 at stake. I didn't make it but most certainly had a great time trying!  

Lesson learned here is if you get a chance to follow your passion do it... because you never know until you make the attempt.

Food is living art and I am fortunate to be able to express that love in every dish... with friends.. family... and sometimes strangers.  As I forge on, I'll remember this journey and how its developed me as an aspiring home cook and opened my eyes to the infinite possibilities.

Cheers to living, loving and always cooking with passion... 

  

Food Cravings Satisfied.

TOP Restaurants in the Big D according to me…

I have to admit that it‘s a good life when you know what you like to eat and where to find it. Being a self-proclaimed Foodie, people always ask where do you like to eat? The answer is simple based on what you crave. I believe I have found the best of the best in Dallas. (Still looking for a local place to satisfy my Spicy Lobster Bucatini craving from West Palm Beach) What started out as a top 5 list soon became 7 and is increasing exponentially as I write. It’s hard to pick just a handful since we have many great restaurants. Here is what I believe to be some yummy dining options.

Mia’s for Tex-Mex, they have been around for two decades for a reason. Get the brisket tacos, slow braised beef with the gravy just melts in your mouth. If you like spicy, ask for the serrano limon sauce… the condiment is spicy and tart. I add a little to everything, including the skinny margarita, the heat adds the depth that my Thai soul craves.

Pappas Bros for that special something. Not all steaks are created equal and Pappss proves this time and time again. BUT the reason I go isn’t for the beef, it’s for their lobster bisque! I heard the secret ingredient is cognac, whatever it is I can eat a whole vat of it.

Motor and Maple has the best burgers. I challenge anyone to find a greasier burger this side of the Red River. I dream about their burger with grilled jalepanos paired with chili cheese tots (topped with more jalepanos). Do you see a spice trend?

Abacus. I can’t pinpoint one entree I specifically like because I fall in love with something new every time I go there. When I grow up I want to cook like Kent!

Boiling Crab has the best crawfish... If you’re into that type of thing, which I am. It’s head sucking, finger lickin’ good! Go during crawfish season (March – June) and get the Whole Sha-bang XXX-tra spicy…. I usually can’t feel my mouth when leave but that’s the very reason I go. The sauce is a rich butter base seasoned with garlic, celery seed and I think habanero? I don’t know what else would make my so mouth numb?

Vietnam (on Bryan St and Peak) has the best hangover food hands down or should I say UP? I start with the savory Banh Xeo (Egg crepe made with coconut milk) then proceed to the hang-over curing pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) and end it all with a glass of café sueda (espresso with condense milk). It’s my recipe for a quick recovery.

Tei Tei’s for their crispy cornflake prawns with spicy aioli. The food is awesome and the bar scene is the icing on the cake. The bar manager, Perry is the bomb! He makes the quintessential cosmo. I usually don’t like the girly, pink drink but he makes it more tart than sweet which creates a symphony on my tastebuds.

R&D Kitchen. Understated brilliance. I always get the pan fried fish that is fried with clarified butter (that makes a huge difference) and it’s accompanied with a cabbage mash potato, the textural contrast is an unexpected surprise.

Tillman’s Roadhouse for the southern comfort fix. I look forward to the truffle popcorn starter, transition to their trio of fries (parmesan black pepper is da best) and I always save room for the table side s’mores… Everything is homemade including the orange, maple and coffee flavored marshmallow. The fun is licking the gooey goodness from your fingers.

Eno’s Pizza is around the corner from Tillman’s, it’s a cozy hang-out with distinctive thin crust, wood oven tasten’ pies. (I think the dough may have a little corn meal in it, whatever it is, I dig it a lot!) My favorite is the “South Hill.” It’s a white pizza with arugula, basil, chicken and truffle oil. Truffle makes everything better.

Craft at Victory Park, last but certainly not least. The Chef is the talented Jeff Harris so our group opted for the Chef’s tasting menu. It was a wonderful opportunity to try a little of everything. My favorite was the butternut squash ravioli with black truffle. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sweet squash filling was to die for. And to top it all off, each guest recieved a cranberry muffin to take home for breakfast the next morning. That’s what I call being proactive.

So many restaurants and so little time... This list quickly got out of control so I’ll stop at lucky 11 even though there is many more I could share.  I hope you try one or all of them.

Cheers to living, loving and eating with passion!

Experimenting with Spices...

I love playing with my food and my new favorite place to explore is the Spice and Tea Exchange in West Village!  It was like being a kid in a candy store and now that I'm all grown up I guess it's... a "Foodie" in a Spice Shop.  They had flavored sugars, exotic blends and specialty salts. (The spices were between $4 -$7 each)

I was so excited I grabbed a little bit of everything... (Grilled Fish Blend, Vic's Garlic Fix, California Blend, Espresso Steak Rub, Thai Coconut Rub, Coconut Sugar and Black Truffle Salt) hoping that inspiration would soon follow. When I got home, I quickly riffled through my fridge and pantry searching for that little glimmer of creativity.  The first thing that stood out was POPCORN, so I microwaved a bag and then gave every kernel a little black truffle salt lovin'.  MMMMmmmm, the smell permeated the kitchen!  A little bit went a long way, I'm convinced that this bag of magic would be good on anything... chips, mac and cheese, steak... the options are endless.

The next day I marinaded a NY Strip steak with with the Espresso Steak Rub, tossed some of the California Mix on my new potatoes that were roasted in the oven and combined the Vic's Garlic Fix with butter. Viola dinner was made!  The garlic compound butter was drizzled on everything... it was potent so use with caution on date night.

The dish my mom would be most proud of is the spicy coconut soup that was made with the Grilled Fish Blend and Thai Coconut Rub.  It was a modernized and simplified version of the Tom Khai soup I grew up with.

I can't wait to discover or re-discover new dishes the next time I visit the Spice and Tea Exchange in West Village.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Cheers to playing with your food.

Our Big D Chefs... Raising Big Money! Rebirth of Star Canyon?

By David Morris
   

Last Saturday night was a busy one in LA.  Several Dallas chefs (Sara Johannes – Five-Sixty; Stephen Pyles; and Dean Fearing) headed west for the 28th Annual Food and Wine Festival; for one of the country’s largest gatherings of culinary talent.  The annual event was held on the Universal Studios Backlot and played host to nearly 3,000 foodies and raised close to $1 million for Meals on Wheels.  We caught up many of our favorite Dallas Chefs.

Sara served a trio of dim sum that is very reminiscent of Wolfgang’s offerings at his white hot LA hotspot WP24 at LA Live.
  
 
Stephen offered a sampling of his refined Texas fare- including a perfectly prepared perch with a cheesy tamale.  He also hinted that a rebirth of his original Star Canyon is in the works and that it will bring a more refined/pure offering of Southwest fare to the metroplex.


Dean also brought his traditional Texas flare with grilled quail.

  
The highlight of the event however, was a preview of Vegas’ new Cosmopolitan Resort’s restaurant portfolio.  Many are particularly excited to see what Jose Andres does with his Vegas outpost of Jaleo and new China Poblano Asian-Latin concept.  I  think that Costas Spiliadis fames Estiatorio Milos may give the current Vegas seafood king Paul Bartolotta (Wynn) a run for his money!  Unfortunately, none of these epic chefs have plans for a Dallas expansion anytime soon.

 
Across town, the W Hollywood played host to an event that would certainly do Dallas’ own Nancy Brinker proud.  The Sixth Annual Pink Party at Drai’s helped bring the events contributions for breast cancer research to over $5 million.  We ran into Victor Drai’s new partner Jason Pollock who was tight-lipped on their plans to redevelop Bill’s Gambling Hall as premiere nightlife/daylife destination.

My Favorite Drinks... Recreated Foodie Couture style...

From my travels to South Beach and West Palm Beach... i've discovered and recreated my favorite drinks... 

 
Imagine sitting on a beach, taking in the scenery... sand between your toes and sipping on either of these thirst quenching cocktails. Even if the beach isn't the backdrop of this occasion it's still a great summer time beverage to share or not.... :) 

Live, love, eat and drink with passion... -u

Strawberry Jalapeno Mojito

Ingredients:
Muddled Mixture
2 tsp agave nectar or simple syrup
3 sliced strawberries
2-3 lime wedge
8 mint leaves
2 slices of fresh jalapeno

1 cup of crushed ice
1.5 oz light rum (flavored rums add a nice depth of flavor to this drink)
2 oz of club soda or Sprite if you like a sweeter variation

Instructions:Muddle agave nectar, strawberries, lime, mint and jalapeno in a tall collins glass to release the flavors. Add the crushed ice, rum and soda. Pour into a mixing cup and back into the original cup. Garnish with skewered mint, jalapeno and strawberry slice. 


The Ginger Blossom

Ingredients:
Muddled Mixture
2 tsp agave nectar
1 inch of thinly sliced ginger
3 lime wedge

1 cup of crushed ice
1.5 oz vodka
2 oz of club soda or Sprite/Ginger Ale for a sweeter variation

Instructions:Muddle agave nectar, ginger and lime wedge in a tall collins glass to release the flavors. Add the crushed ice, vodka and soda. Pour into a mixing cup and back into the original cup. 

Optional: Garnish with a skewered lime wedge and candied ginger. 

Bon Appetit!

Love Food... Tim Love Coming to Dallas?

This past weekend my good friend, David Morris, caught up with one of the metroplexes most notable chefs, Tim Love of the Lonesome Dove Restaurant and Love Shack and got some exclusive scoop!

Growing up in Fort Worth, Lonesome Dove was one of the most popular restaurants in town.  It was a special occasion kind of place.  Chef Love then opened up The Love Shack, which has my favorite burger, the ‘Dirty Love Burger’ which features a fried quail egg. Yummm!!!  I knew our local chef was recognized for his culinary brilliance when he defeated the original Iron Chef, Marimoto. (Among other achievements, I just happen to be a Food Network junkie.)

 

This past weekend Love was participating as a judge in the LG Taste of Something Better at the newly launched Taste of Beverly Hills sponsored by Food and Wine Magazine.  Love said he was excited to have a say in which of three amateur chefs will represent the United States in the worldwide finals in Seoul, South Korea later this year.  He also conceded that he intends to open a second location of his Love Shack burger concept in Denton this fall and is on the lookout for potential locations to expand in Dallas.  I can’t wait, it’s almost as awesome as ‘In and Out Burger’ coming to town.  Though tightlipped about national franchising, rumor has it that Chef Love has been eyeing potential sites in Newport Beach, Ca for a west coast Love Shack outpost.

–David Morris & Uno Immanivong

Photo Credit: Charley Gallay, Wire Image

Foodie Couture Serves the Chefs of Savor Dallas...

In an event honoring chefs of the 2010 Savor Dallas soiree we were able to serve the culinary artist in our community.

Our delectable menu included:

• Beef Tenderloin Bruschetta with Carmelized Onions and a Blue Cheese Drizzle
• Medjool Dates Stuffed with Cocoa Dusted Almonds
• Crisp Ahi Tuna Cups with Micro greens and a Spicy Aioli Dollop
• Spicy Papaya and Mango Spring Roll with Creamy Peanut Sauce
• Savory Tomato Soup Shooter with a Cheese Crisp
• Apricot and Pulled Chicken Sliders
• Petite Banana Eggrolls with Bailey's Ganache and toasted almonds and coconuts
• Dede's Famous Twisted Rolo

http://www.youplusdallas.com/stories/youdallas-chef-party

Cheers to living, loving and cooking with passion. 

Our first Foodie Couture promo video... it captures the essence of what we do and what an awesome time we have at our parties. Cooking is art and what we create is an extension of who we are.

Cheers to living, loving and cooking with passion. -u

Foodie Couture in Boquete, Panama.... Tapas Party!

We can't be confined to just Dallas!  Dede and her wonderful husband, Byron hosted a food demonstration in Boquete, Panama with some amazing tapas.  See what the critics had to say, http://www.boquetegourmet.com/how-to-throw-a-tapas-party.html

 

Succulent Clams and Sweet Shrimp...

We made this for dinner the other night... a new Foodie Couture favorite!  Clams, shrimp, white wine, ginger, garlic, red crushed pepper, lemon zest, shallots, butter and crispy pancetta... YUMmmm!  Who needs spoons when you have roasted garlic iced on buttery french bread for dipping?   

The perfect beverage to wash it down with was a prosecco, pomegrante cocktail with a splash of lime.....  It's so much fun to play our with our food.

Cheers to living, loving and cooking with passion.