a splash of blog, a dash of sarcasm
do you have a taste for great food? you should come see what’s cooking at the roaming fork.
as a self-proclaimed foodie, i was initially tempted to turn my nose up at the mobile food truck movement . . . until i tried this bistro on wheels. consider having your next meal out of a sleek trailer retrofitted with a fully capable kitchen.
i recently had a good friend and blog fan mention that she loves reading the candid cook for the pictures of food and the nerdy brand of humor. when i asked her if she had tried any of the recipes, she quickly exclaimed, “oh no! they’re way too complicated, and they look like they take forever! i just like to look at your pictures and make a mental list of what you should cook for us next time!”
chalk it up to being demi-asian. i adore food from this part of the world. japanese, chinese, thai, vietnamese, korean, malaysian, manchurian, etc. there are marked, yet subtle, differences in each country’s cuisine, and i’ve had a helluva time exploring each and every one of them.
whenever i visit texas with my good friend tabbi, we always eat at kasra persian grill so that i can have one of my favorite meals ever: a big plate of tahdeeg (the crispy rice and/or potato layer on the bottom of the rice pot) piled high with ghemeh and ghormeh sabzi. ghemeh’s lentil-laced tomato goodness and the tang of the greens in ghormeh sabzi are complimented by the buttery basmati, which is fried to crispy perfection.
needless to say, the flavor combination is insanely good. since i’ve already touched on ghemeh in a prior post, it’s only fair that i now share the recipe for ghormeh sabzi.
urban dictionary defines “comfort food” as “food that gives emotional comfort to the one eating it; tends to be favorite foods of childhood, or linked to a person, place or time with which the food has a positive association.”
for me, tagine provides its own positive association. the first time i ever tasted its savory goodness atop a pile of steaming cous cous and buttery pine nuts, i was in love. whether it be a chilly winter night or a balmy summer afternoon, the scent of the simmering spices stirs my soul and tantalizes my taste buds. give yourself some time to let it stew on the stove or cook in its traditional vessel, also known as a “tagine”, and let the aroma do its magic.
harper’s reminds me of a kid who consistently gets “A’s”, isn’t flashy, never causes any problems, and yet, doesn’t get the recognition he or she deserves. over the 14 years i’ve lived in charlotte, i’ve probably been to harper’s 15-20 times – that averages about 1-2 dinners a year. how is that possible? how have i not chosen this restaurant over others that aren’t as consistent, well-priced, and just plain good. i’ve never had anything but great food and service at harper’s, and they might just have the best chicken fingers in town.
toasted gnocchi earned a spot in my “top five revelations” category last year. i don’t know why it took me so long to find out about it, but i can tell you it took a helluva lot less time for me to attempt the dish at home. the crispy exterior and its soft, potato-y goodness of an interior provide a base that goes with almost any flavor your culinary heart could envision.
i had quite an interesting experience on my first visit to phat burrito. one soggy monday night, we decided to grab takeout from someplace nearby. since it was getting very close to 9pm, we knew our decision needed to be made swiftly. i’d heard from several people about how great phat burrito’s food was, so i decided to place an order around 8:30pm that night.
the dude who answered the phone was definitely a character. i ordered a chicken quesadilla, a steak burrito, a steak tortilla salad, and some extra guac. he asked multiple times if i would make it there by 9, OR ELSE. amused, i assured him we would be there right away.
risotto had a bad rep with me for a long time. it takes FOREVER to cook, and it demands a kind of patience not many at-home cooks can muster (i certainly couldn’t). cook it too long, and all of your hard work is wasted . . . fail to cook it enough and walk away with a crunchy disaster worthy of elitist mockery. can you sense the bitterness? 
ah, i remember the good ole days when i was able to walk in to the cowfish sans reservation and get seated in a reasonable amount of time.
if last thursday night is any indication, it looks like that kind of a lark won’t be happening again soon. when a joint demands weekday reservations, you know it’s hit it big.
my name is renee. i love to cook. i love to write. welcome to my amalgamation of the two. on this blog, i will post some of my favorite ethnic food recipes and experiences in a way that i hope will be easy, delicious, and fun! thanks for cooking with me!
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