Januari 2014 ~ Super Food Notes

Italian Sausage Chili – Another Super Bowl

By JOKO Januari 30, 2014

It’s been a while since we posted a chili recipe, and what better time than right before the Super Bowl? When it comes to feeding large groups of hungry sports fans frugally, there’s nothing like a big pot of chili. That’s right, more money for beer. While I’ve added pork to ground beef in chili before, I’ve never tried it with all Italian sausage, and I loved the results....

Bacon Jam – Take That, Fruit!

By JOKO Januari 28, 2014

At the end of the video, I joke that if this bacon jam were the only thing you served at your Super Bowl party, people would still leave raving about the food. That wasn’t a joke. Such is the profound deliciousness of this magical, spreadable bacon. I’ll have to admit that the first time I heard about bacon jam, it didn’t strike me as a very good idea. I loved the part about...

Next Up: Bacon Jam

By JOKO Januari 27, 2014

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Happy National Chocolate Cake Day Eve

By JOKO Januari 25, 2014

Monday is National Chocolate Cake Day, and ever since I posted this Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake last year, the emails have been coming in with one rave review after another. As you’ll see if you check the original post here, I can’t take credit for the recipe, but I am happy to field the compliments. Anyway, if you’re looking for a great chocolate cake with which to celebrate everyone’s favorite chocolate cake-related holiday, then I hope you...

Happy National Chocolate Cake Day Eve

By JOKO Januari 25, 2014

Jerk Chicken Wings – Classic Jamaican Super Bowl Food

By JOKO Januari 24, 2014

I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of this before, but what more perfect marinade and glaze for a Super Bowl hot wing than a Jamaican jerk sauce? These jerk chicken wings were so flavorful, so different, and so additively delicious, that I may have eaten my last Buffalo wing. Okay, I didn’t mean that, but these really are amazing; a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty,...

Happy National Pie Day!

By JOKO Januari 23, 2014

I realize it’s almost over, but I just heard from my friend, and world-famous pie guru, Kate McDermott, that today was National Pie Day. To celebrate, I decided to repost my personal favorite pie video – the strawberry rhubarb custard pie! This sweet/tart pie is ultra-simple to make, and a great way to enjoy rhubarb’s bright, unique flavor. Click here to see the original post and ingredients. Enj...

Happy National Pie Day!

By JOKO Januari 23, 2014

Our 2014 Super Bowl Prediction!

By JOKO Januari 22, 2014

Once again, it’s time I let you in on my magical method for picking the Super Bowl winner, using the ancient gypsy art of Buffalo chicken wing bone reading. I can't tell you how I learned to do this, or why anyone in their right mind would take it seriously, but what I can tell you is this... the Seattle Seahawks will beat the Denver Broncos. Guaranteed. It's a lock. Bet the...

Next Up: 2014 Chicken Wing Bone Super Bowl Prediction

By JOKO Januari 21, 2014

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Shrimp Etouffee – Desperate Times Call for Delicious Measures

By JOKO Januari 19, 2014

I won’t go into the sordid details of how I came into possession of substandard shrimp, but it did afford me the opportunity to demo a few tips in this shrimp etouffee video, just in case you ever find yourself in the same boat. I have absolutely no problem with frozen shrimp, which is a good thing, since that’s the only kind you can buy; but when making recipes like...

Shrimp Etouffee – Desperate Times Call for Delicious Measures

By JOKO Januari 19, 2014

Next Up: Shrimp Etouffee

By JOKO Januari 19, 2014

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Beast Mode Vodka? I’ll Take an Anchor Steam!

By JOKO Januari 17, 2014

My friends at Allrecipes.com created this unique drink to celebrate the Seattle Seahawks, their garish team colors, and their borderline-insane running back’s favorite candy. Seattle is well known for having the loudest, craziest fans in the league, and if this drink catches on, it will certainly prove the later. I live in San Francisco, and will be rooting for the Niner’s, so there won’t be any of this freaky fluorescence flowing at my Super Bowl...

Kentucky Beer Cheese – Love at Third Bite

By JOKO Januari 16, 2014

Very few love Kentucky Beer Cheese at first bite. As you crunch your first taste, the palette quickly identifies a sharp cheddar cheese spread, but then stale beer fills the nose, and you instantly think, “I should have gone clam dip.” But after three or four bites, you stop thinking about your college dorm room carpet, and your palette adjusts to the unusual flavor profile,...

Next Up: Kentucky Beer Cheese

By JOKO Januari 15, 2014

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Chicken & Mushroom Chimichanga – A Thingamajig of Beauty

By JOKO Januari 14, 2014

As legend has it, many years ago in Tucson, AZ, a woman accidentally dropped a burrito into a deep fryer. She started to blurt out a common Spanish swear word, but remembering her kids were in the kitchen, yelled out “chimichanga!” instead. She let it fry golden and crisp, and the rest is culinary history. If you’re wondering, Chimichanga translates to “thingamajig,” which...

Chicken & Mushroom Chimichanga – A Thingamajig of Beauty

By JOKO Januari 14, 2014

Next Up: Chicken Chimichanga

By JOKO Januari 13, 2014

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Celebrating National Peach Melba Day!

By JOKO Januari 12, 2014

According to both reliable sources and food bloggers, Monday, January 13th, is National Peach Melba Day. My first thought was this would make a great excuse to repost our version; but then I had another more disturbing thought...why was a recipe featuring the quintessential summer fruit being celebrated in the middle of winter? Any ideas?Anyway, I've worked at more than one establishment that served this using canned peaches, so don't let that...

Celebrating National Peach Melba Day!

By JOKO Januari 12, 2014

Chicago Italian Beef “Stew Meat Edition” – The Deep Dish Pizza of Sandwiches

By JOKO Januari 10, 2014

I’ve always wondered how stewed beef would work instead of the traditional sliced roast beef for Chicago’s famous Italian Beef Sandwich, which is kind of weird, since I’ve only had the classic version a few times, and never actually made it myself. I figured if you’re going to roast a hunk of beef, then slice it and put it back in the juices, why not just cook the meat...

Potato & Parsnip Gratin – Less Parsnips is More Parsnips

By JOKO Januari 08, 2014

Parsnips are a nutritious, uniquely delicious root vegetable, which we should all be enjoying on a much more regular basis, but I think I know the reason why we don’t. The problem with parsnips is that they taste too much like parsnips. The earthy taste and licorice nose is almost too much when served in their pure form, but when mixed and mellowed in something like this...

Potato & Parsnip Gratin – Less Parsnips is More Parsnips

By JOKO Januari 08, 2014

Next Up: Potato and This Gratin

By JOKO Januari 07, 2014

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Saba Braised Lamb Shanks – A New Find and an Old Rule

By JOKO Januari 06, 2014

This absolutely delicious saba braised lamb shanks recipe will hopefully serve two very important purposes. First, to expose anyone currently unexposed to the wonderful world of saba (seriously, Google it). This thick, sweet, syrupy substance is basically cooked-down wine must (grape juice plus seeds, skins, and stems). It’s very similar to aged balsamic vinegar, and although...

Next Up: Saba Shanks

By JOKO Januari 05, 2014

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Soup Weather

By JOKO Januari 04, 2014

From what I hear, this could be the coldest winter in decades, and although that plush Snuggie does a decent job of keeping you warm (and fashionable), there's nothing like a steaming bowl of soup when it's freezing outside. Here's a small, but comforting collection of my all-time frigid weather favs.Of course, it's absolutely gorgeous today in San Francisco, and isn't even...