Weekend Breakfast Treat with Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

It's become Saturday morning tradition that I make breakfast and it's one of my rituals here in Portland that I really enjoy.  Usually craving something carby, and also aiming to perfect my technique for pancakes, I made these lemon/blueberry ones just yesterday.

Using everything I already had in my pantry and fridge, the pancakes came together easily and the best ingredient was the fresh lemon juice and zest that was clearly felt in this dish.  Giving the pancakes a delicious zest and freshness, I also decided to couple it with a sprinkling of frozen blueberries that I warmed up in the microwave for a few seconds.  The natural blueberry juice formed a pretty syrup on top and made the pancakes even moister.

One other thing to note is that instead of using regular flour, I substituted with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour, which did the trick and made these pancakes super light.  If you're on a gluten free diet, I'd highly recommend using this brand of flour, as you really can't tell the difference.

The recipe for these pancakes came from My Name is Snickerdoodle blog - it's really cute and I hope you check it out.

Channeling Elvis at the Morning Rose Cafe

Last week, Dan and I found ourselves back in NY visiting family for various exciting affairs.  It was nice to see everyone, but the weather didn't make it the best welcoming, as we got stuck in the snowstorm for a bit.  No matter though, as we got to enjoy more time with the family and eat delicious food in the process.  One such experience I'd like to touch on here is a fabulous breakfast we had with our sister-in-law, brother-in-law and nieces at a quaint little restaurant called the Morning Rose Cafe.

Atmosphere:
Situated right in the town of Bellmore on the South Shore of Long Island, the Morning Rose Cafe has proven to be quite the popular spot with locals.  We happened to come in on a snowy morning when the place wasn't too crowded but I've been told that on a regular weekend morning there's a line out the door with people waiting to have breakfast.

The decor inside is very simple, yet cozy and friendly.  There's plenty of natural light and the walls are painted in bright colors, which give the place a cheery look.  We were seated at a nice, long table for six and helped right away by the hospitable staff.  Needless to say, we felt right at home.

Food:
Marveling at the extensive breakfast menu, which has everything from Frittatas to French Toast, buttermilk pancakes to Belgian waffles, and more, a decision had to be made.  As soon as I noticed a tantalizing combination of ingredients in the King Cakes, I knew they had to be mine!

King Cakes - By King, we're no doubt talking about Elvis himself and his favorite combination of flavors including peanut butter, bananas and bacon.  Yes - those are the sinful ingredients that made up this pancake dish and looking at the above picture, you can imagine why I couldn't resist.  Loving the fact that the bananas were nestled inside the pancake as well as on top, they made for a perfect combination with the melty peanut butter sandwiched in between the fluffy stack.  Dan tried them as well and vouched for how awesome they were.  Even though I'm eager to try other things on the menu, this item will be tough to pass up next time.

Service and Cost:
As I hinted above, the service at the Morning Rose Cafe matched its hospitable surroundings.  All the servers were smiley and helpful and always there to refill waters and bring us whatever we needed. They were especially lovely to the kids, which says a lot about the restaurant's culture and management - thumbs up all around.

Costs are moderate to slightly expensive for a small local restaurant but definitely worth it for the quality of the food and the excellent service.  We paid a total of $50 for the both of us, including two cups of coffee.

3 Mmmms

Morning Rose Cafe - 317 Bedford Avenue, Bellmore NY 11710
516.221.5010
morningrosecafe.com

Homemade Fluffy Pancakes with Apple Compote

Given that it was a quintessentially rainy Saturday morning in Portland, Dan and I lazed around at home.  Having a strong hankering for homemade pancakes, I succumbed to the craving and made two batches of fluffy pancakes, tailored to each one of our diets (mine being the eat anything diet and Dan's the gluten free).

Using a simple recipe for fluffy pancakes from All Recipes, I substituted the all purpose flour with Bob's Red Mill products that fit our needs.  For my version (first picture above), I used whole wheat flour and for Dan's, I used Bob's gluten free corn flour that actually produced silver dollar corn cakes.

Both versions were tasty and unique in their own right, but I preferred my fluffier rendition, as I found it to be airy and more pancake-like.  

To further jazz up this dish, I cut up a delicious Rainier apple into thin slivers and reduced it in butter and sprinkled it with a pinch of cinnamon and brown sugar for about 20 minutes on low heat.  Producing a tender, sweet compote, the pancakes almost didn't even need syrup.  We poured it on top anyway for good measure and I can't say it spoiled this already sweet deal.  Hope you enjoy it too!

Fluffy pancake recipe, as adapted from All Recipes

The Shady Lady Serves Friday Brunch

Like most people, I love me some brunch food and often look for an excuse to have something eggy and delicious.  Getting particularly excited when restaurants serve breakfast/brunch food during non traditional hours, I was tickled to find out about Snowdonia's Monday brunch, which caters to the Theater/stagehand crowd that's common in Astoria.

Image by The Shady Lady

But now we've also got a taker for Friday brunch, which comes by way of The Shady Lady. Serving up brunch each Friday between the hours of 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. you can now enjoy their signature brunch dishes such as:

Country Brekky - Eggs, crispy white cheddar grits, ham, biscuit and gravy...$18
Freakin' Starvin - Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuit and gravy...$18
Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Bacon and caramel syrup...$15
Straight Up French Toast on brioche, with maple syrup and powdered sugar...$16
Jack and Coke French toast with fresh strawberries...$17

And more!

The Shady Lady - 34-19 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.440.9081
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue

Delightful Pancake Brunch at Sanfords

It's literally been years since I've visited Sanfords, and not because I didn't want to, but because it's always so hard to get in.  Well luckily, my friend Jennifer and I seized the opportunity at the right moment, as we went in on a Saturday after 2 p.m. when the brunch crowds were dying down.  We had a hankering for pancakes and made out quite well.

Atmosphere:
Even though I've been here before, Sanfords has gone through a major transformation, so it's worth describing the atmosphere a bit.  While the actual size of the space hasn't changed, the layout has become a lot more modern and open with contemporary furnishings such as leather booths, oversized lamps with muted lighting and a sleek bar.

Despite it being past prime brunch dining hours, the place was still full and buzzing, and we waited about 10 minutes to be seated.  The overall vibe felt very fast paced and almost clubby, as the dim lighting and candlelight gave off the perception that it was much later in the day.  In terms of the clientele, it was mostly a younger 20 and 30 something hip crowd of brunch lovers.

Food:
Jennifer and I were both pretty set on having pancakes and were delighted that we could choose between four different ones.

Pancakes - The minute I spotted peanut butter and banana pancakes on the menu, I couldn't look at anything else.  As you can see here, the portion was generous, but I told myself that I wouldn't totally pig out by eating the whole thing.  That wasn't an easy task, as the pancakes were soft and fluffy and glazed with a thin layer of peanut butter and a little bit of honey as well.  Nestled right into the pancake batter, the bananas were a fun little surprise you got with each bite, and they made the pancakes that much more moist.

I had a bite of Jennifer's Banana Chocolate Chip pancakes as well, and those too delivered.  The texture was as lovely as on my pancakes, and the flavor was more classic since they weren't embellished with anything on top.  I almost liked them better than mine, as they represented something very familiar and comforting.  While it was nice to pour a little maple syrup on top of them, you didn't even need it.

Bloody Mary - Now usually my go-to brunch cocktail, I was curious about how this one would stack up.  I'd say it was standard but nothing too exciting, as the tomato juice was pretty ordinary and the seasoning didn't have much kick.  I'd also recommend a bigger (and crunchier) piece of celery for the garnish.

Service and Cost:
Because they were quite busy, I think the service was just so so.  There wasn't anything particularly wrong with it, but it wasn't overly personal or impressive.  Let's just say that the service isn't what's making me want to come back here.

Costs are moderate but slightly on the higher side for brunch.  We paid about $20 each with tax and tip for pancakes and one drink.

3 Mmmms

Sanfords - 30-13 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106

718.932.9569

N/W Train to Broadway

www.sanfordsnyc.com

Gluten Free Banana Pancakes = Awesome Breakfast

As I'm nearing the end of my gluten free diet, I thought I'd share this easy recipe for gluten free banana pancakes.  I got the idea to make this dish because I was getting bored with eating gluten free cereal each morning, and needed a bit of variety.

Investing in Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free pancake mix, putting it together was a total cinch.  The outcome was a hearty plate of thick pancakes, which had bananas both inside the batter and on the outside too.  A little bit of natural maple syrup and some apricot preserves made this dish complete for me, and it sustained me for a good part of the day.  Here's the simple recipe:

Gluten Free Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pancake Mix
1 large egg
3/4 cup of milk
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 tbsp of butter
1 whole banana, sliced
Maple syrup and/or your favorite preserves to put on top

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together except for the bananas.  The batter can still be a little lumpy.  Add the bananas and mix gently until incorporated.

Heat a non-stick skillet (or griddle if you have one) until super hot and coat with a 1 1/2 tsp of butter.

Scoop batter onto the hot skillet (or griddle) with a 1/4 measuring cup.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the top bubbles up.  Flip over to the other side and cook for about another minute or until the other side is golden brown.

Serve with sliced bananas on top, and some marmalade and syrup.  Enjoy this tasty gluten free treat!

The Foxy Brown – Brunch of the Illest

I know it’s cheesy, but I just had to make the reference to the female rap icon who shares this restaurant’s name. Not sure if they’re in any way related, but I found the name kind of funny and random.

We trotted (again, sorry for the bad reference) upon this place while vacationing in Fort Lauderdale with our friends Matt and Kate who live there. They’ve been there on a number of occasions and are big fans. Particularly praising the brunch, we looked forward to trying this “little hidden gem,” as Kate called it.

Atmosphere:
Set at the edge of Downtown Fort Lauderdale and Victoria Park, a residential neighborhood, the Foxy Brown is easy to miss. I imagine Matt and Kate stumbled upon it, when driving through their neighborhood, or others may know it through its sister location, Coconuts, right by the beach.

Foxy’s interior is warm and inviting, with a brown and red color scheme, and its signature cartoon fox that adorns the walls. When we walked in at just before 11 a.m. it was already buzzing with brunch-goers, who for the most part were young thirty-somethings.

There’s a cute little outdoor garden in the back, which is where we sat, and it was nice and quiet. Although it didn’t exemplify the energy of the interior, it was relaxing and a nice way to enjoy a leisurely Sunday brunch.

Food:
The brunch menu was impressive and boasted a variety of pancakes and waffles, egg dishes, bigger entrees, salads, sandwiches and some inventive appetizers. The morning cocktails were exciting as well and we just had to get a little bit of everything.

BLT Sake Mary – This sounded too good to pass up, and three out of the four people in our party ordered it. It came with a big piece of bacon that also served as the stirrer, which was perfectly crispy and smoky. The most interesting part of the drink was the green celery/lettuce ice cubes that not only made the drink look beautiful, but that gave it a hint of earthiness.

Southwestern Pancake – The day’s special pancake was also intriguing, and I didn’t regret my decision to get it. Boasting a beautiful soft texture, the pancake was on the savory side, as it was made of cornmeal, which was further studded with pieces of chorizo. Further topped with some mild cotija cheese, guacamole, pickled onions and a runny egg, it was an inventive spin on a Mexican brunch entrée. I appreciated how whimsical it was, making it clear that the chefs had a lot of fun coming up with it.

Philly Pretzel Bread – Being a huge fan of pretzel bread, Dan chose this as something to share with our friends. We were impressed to see that the pretzel bread came out piping hot and was accompanied by a variety of interesting spreads such as a beer cheese and a smoked whitefish spread. There were some cornichons too, which paired nicely with the saltiness of the pretzel bread, and the whole thing reminded me of something one would have at a German beer hall.

Other Brunchies – While I didn’t try it all, everyone ordered something different and they all seemed to enjoy it. I had a bite of Dan’s savory waffle, which was marbled with ham and then topped with some melty cheese and an egg. The ingredients were simple, but the preparation was once again interesting and unexpected. Matt and Kate both got egg-based dishes, including the Short Rib Benedict and the bangers and eggs, which they devoured. Kate mentioned that the short rib dish is something they’re known for here, and I just may have to get it next time.

Service and Cost:
Given that it was Sunday morning and a holiday weekend to boot, the service was impressively on-point. Our waitress was more than attentive and totally on the ball with everything. She was pretty communicative with us, and I appreciated her honesty in letting us know when our respective dishes would come out.

Even though the food here is great, I think the costs are quite expensive, especially since you have to order everything a la carte. The entire brunch set us back about $30/person including tax and tip. Costs aside, it was so yummy, that I’d definitely go back in a heartbeat. 

3 Mmmms

The Foxy Brown – 724 East Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
754.200.4236
www.thefoxybrown.com

Pea Scallion Pancakes Offer a New Take on the Flapjack

Since I love me some pancakes, I was totally intrigued to learn about a new take on this dish, incorporating a savory twist.  The recipe came from the April issue of Bon Appetit, the pancakes looking gorgeous and vibrant.  I liked that the ingredients were super simple, and also included a generous helping of cottage cheese, that seemed to moisten the texture of these babies. 

It was fun to lace them with the beautiful peas and fresh scallions too for some bite.  While the recipe called for a rich butter sauce on top, I omitted that and instead made a generous helping of side salad with a vinegar based dressing.  The whole thing was unique, refreshing and comforting too.  We had an easy time polishing off nearly all of the pancakes, and I can happily say that this is a recipe I'll gladly repeat.  See what you think when you try it too.  Here's the recipe for Pea Pancakes.

Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes

While Thanksgiving may be over, you can still find pumpkins and butternut squash out there to cook with (well at least for a little longer).  And although this recipe doesn't use fresh pumpkin, but instead canned organic pumpkin puree, you can absolutely substitute with fresh pureed pumpkin too.

I decided to make these pancakes on Thanksgiving morning actually to kick off our day of indulgence the proper way.  Making my own pancake mix, which was easy enough (see simple recipe), and then eyeballing the pumpkin puree at about a 1/3 of a cup for 2 servings.  It was jut enough too, as it didn't overpower the pancakes with pumpkin flavor, but still gave them that fall, comforting feel.  I sprinkled the top with a dash of cinnamon, also helping to decorate the plate, and then finally dressed it with a modest helping of Canadian maple syrup.  You can also use chunky preserves or a fruit compote on top such as an apple or pear.

The whole thing was wonderful to enjoy with a big mug of coffee and your loved one.
Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes recipe, courtesy of the Food Network

Ribfest VII - Justice Was Served!

Not only does the start of summer symbolize for me countless days and nights with friends and family, cooking outside and enjoying amazing eats, it's always marked by a major food shin-dig that really kicks things off.  This event is no other than the annual Meyers' Ribfest, now in its 7th glorious year.  

Even though it's stellar every year, our good friends, The Meyers never settle for anything less than perfect, and up the ante with each consecutive year.  It's really exciting to see the progression of this event, and I enjoy looking back at the pictures of past times and remembering just how far along Ribfest has come.  This year proved to be yet another unbelievable spectacle, as the competition got fiercer, the ribs got saucier and the guests came even hungrier.

To recap a bit about the format of this event, here's some background:

The Competition:
Each year it's nice to see that Ribfest sees more and more competitors, especially in the ribs category.  Since the event's inception, the battle has evolved to also include a sides and a dessert throwdown.  While the prize for best ribs is no doubt the most prestigious, even the king or queen of sides and dessert gets legitimate street cred.

Everyone's ribs are judged on three important criteria, including appearance, flavor and tenderness from a scale of 1-5, 5 being the highest.  For the sides and the dessert, the judging is a bit more interpretive, as you rate the dishes from a more holistic perspective.

Being a judge this year, along with four other talented food connoisseurs, we tried to be discerning but also fair.  The results, I'm proud to say reflected true greatness, and I genuinely feel that the creme de la creme got what they deserved.  Congratulations to the winners of course, but really to everyone for participating in this spectacular carnivorous battle.

Competitors:
We had 9 worthy competitors for the ribs, seven for the sides and three for dessert.  In the rib competition specifically, we had veterans such as Adam, Tom, Uncle Bobby and Chris, while also a few rib newbies like the Silverman Brothers, Randi, Jessica and Henry.  I loved the dynamic between the rookies and the veterans, since the former really upped the competitive spirit of things, and I was especially excited to see more ladies enter this usually male dominated throwdown.

The Ribs:
As each competitor approached the judges' table with their own prized possession, they informed us of the ingredients that made up their ribs and the style of preparation they chose.  We then each took a rib, gnawed on it with gusto and exchanged our collective commentary.  Here are the ones that stood out to me:

Adam's Thai Ribs - Getting an automatic 5 in appearance, these ribs were absolutely gorgeous, and you can see them here, embellished with beautiful fresh Thai peppers grown in Adam and Jessica's backyard.  The glaze was slightly sweet at first bite but sharp and spicy at the finish, ending each note with an exclamation mark.  Even though some of the judges weren't wild about the texture of these ribs, I thought they were lovely, and separated nicely from the bone.

Chris - A close second when it came to all the judging criteria, Chris' ribs were done in a "red muddy" style, sporting a gorgeous smoke ring, which indicated right from the start that they'd be stellar.  The flavors were really nice, and also fiery like Adam's but definitely not as intense.  Their overall taste was more subdued but the actual texture was 100% perfect, the meat separating beautifully upon contact, and making your job of licking the bone clean very easy.

Jessica - I need to give kudos to the ladies here, especially Jessica who did an awesome job with saucing her ribs.  Not sure about everything that was in her glaze, but she had a nice sweet, smoky combination going on, and I think there was some honey used, which is always a plus in my book.  In terms of the texture, it needed a little work, but I tip my hat to you Jess for giving the boys a run for their money!

The Sides:
Sometimes for me, the sides are the most interesting, as that's where you can really let your creativity shine.  While some folks went with traditional BBQ accompaniments like mac 'n cheese and grits, everyone elevated their dishes with non-traditional ingredients or innovative cooking methods.  Here are my shining stars:

Thea's Mac 'n Cheese Pancakes - While some folks didn't really get this interesting spin on a classic comfort food, I really dug it.  Pancakes, literally stuffed with gooey macaroni and cheese, it was a perfect cross-over dish that went nicely with a modest helping of maple syrup.  While its ingredients were super rich, each pancake overall was light and fluffy and didn't feel the least bit heavy.

Jason's Jalapeno Cheddar Grits - A huge standout for me, given that I'm a sucker for smooth, creamy grits, Jason's version delivered and then some.  A major reason why a lot of folks including me were crazy about it, was because Jason wasn't shy to showcase the spice, leaving a sharp bite on your tongue after each spoonful.  I also enjoyed the really velvety texture, which was too porridge like for some, but I personally really liked it.

Chris's Kale - It was nice to actually throw some veggies into the mix, and I think Chris made a bold choice with the kale, as this leafy green isn't always a crowd pleaser.  He really did wonders to it though, as the kale lost its bitterness completely, containing really lovely acid and some smoky flavor from the sausage that was used.  Overall, a really stellar execution and everyone agreed that this was one sexy super food.

Dessert:
Going for quality over quantity, this is the category that really put me over the edge, as there were some stellar entries.  Between the birthday cake popcorn, the peanut butter-banana pudding and the maple bacon cupcakes, I didn't know what I liked best.

Thea's Maple Bacon Cupcakes - Seeing these beauties in their full glory, with a generous piece of bacon buried in the frosting, I was really excited.  The buttercream frosting was expertly executed, as it was perfectly creamy and piped beautifully onto the cupcake.  Loving the actual cupcake too, it had little pieces of bacon inside and a slightly nutty maple flavor. Check out Thea's other goodies on her Facebook page - you can even hire her to make dessert for a special event.

Birthday Cake Popcorn - I loved the idea behind this dessert, which combined white chocolate, yellow cake batter, sprinkles and mini M&Ms.  It was presented to us with a little candle stuck in the middle to get a true birthday cake effect.  Overall, a really tasty and new spin on popcorn - well done!

Randi's Peanut Butter-Banana Pudding - Her own take on Magnolia's famous banana pudding with nilla wafers, Randi is great at making the traditional version, but now came out with something even more special, mixing in creamy peanut butter.  Simply decadent and absolutely delectable, it was light and fluffy and tasted sweetly nostalgic.  It was easy to see why this dessert impressed the judges and all the other guests alike.
 
The BIG Winners:
King of Ribs - Adam!
Side dish Prince - Chris
Dessert Diva - Randi

Congratulations to everyone and I can't wait to do it all again in 2013. Long live the rib!

Snow Day Breakfast - Chocolate Chip Bacon Pancakes

Today's first real snowstorm of the season provided a nice break from reality, as I stayed in most of the day and cooked up some tasty eats.  It all started with breakfast, as I took it as an opportunity to finally make the Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancakes I've been meaning to make for Dan and me for over a month.  You may remember me telling you about the bodacious hot chocolate I recently had at Vosges.  Well while perusing the store, I also bought the aforementioned pancake mix that completely intrigued me upon first sight. 

While I normally wouldn't make something from a mix unless I was in a real bind, this was totally different, as it contained really excellent ingredients, and not to mention the to-die-for bacon chocolate Vosges is so well known for.  Although I'm not a skilled pancake maker and end up mangling their shape most of the time (and again today!), the flavor was absolutely delicious and the chocolate bacon chips I nestled into each pancake melted beautifully, producing the most amazing sweet and smoky flavor.  Paired with really good quality natural maple syrup, Dan and I were on cloud nine while eating them rather quickly.

I truly enjoyed this treat and saved enough of the mix and chocolate chips for another day, but I may experiment with my own version of it in the future too.  If you'd like to buy the mix, it's well worth it and available at the Vosges boutique on Spring street, or you can simply buy it online.  Salivating yet?

Vosges - 132 Spring Street, New York NY 10012
212.625.2929
6 Train to Spring Street
www.vosgeschocolate.com 

BareBurger Breakfast of Champions

We got up early this weekend to brunch with good friends Moses and Sonya.  Moses' recent move to Oregon has left us missing our friends, so even though this meal was way early in the morning, Dan and I looked forward to it for many reasons, the food being just one of them.

I was amused to see that when we walked into BareBurger, we were its first customers.  It was a cool feeling actually, as this place is anything but mellow during core business hours.  We settled in the extended dining room and scored a comfortable booth, which I always prefer.

Although I've brunched here before, the menu changed a bit since then, and all four of us tried something we haven't yet had.

Carrot Cake French Toast - I always wanted to try either carrot cake pancakes or French toast, so here was my chance.  Not sure if it would be a bread-like texture with shredded carrots inside, or actual carrot cake, I took my chances.  What arrived was the latter - a large, thick slice of carrot cake that was battered in egg and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  It was dense, moist and so very decadent.  Although delicious, it was difficult to finish the whole thing, as it got a bit too rich for my taste.  Dan helped me clean my plate, but in the meantime, I dived into the side of fresh bananas and apples, which were scrumptious.  The home fries that sat in the middle of the plate were also tasty and wonderfully crunchy, but I couldn't see them making much sense with the French Toast, as they were too savory.  It was a rather curious combo.

Chicken and Waffles -Dan was on the fence about this dish and in the end, he chose it still  with some hesitation.  As a result, he was disappointed, as he said the waffle wasn't soft enough and that the chicken was too fatty.  I had a bite of it but didn't agree at all, so it may have been simply a matter of preference.  The chicken meat wasn't all white, which I like but Dan found it off-putting.

Buttermilk Pancakes - Both Moses and Sonya ordered these, and while I didn't try them, they looked fluffy and decadent.  They were a huge hit, as our friends didn't have any complaints and nearly finished the generous portion.  The most amazing part of this dish was the gorgeous Nutella cream served on the side, raising the bar from ordinary pancakes, which these were not.  

Service and Cost:
While our waitress was quirky and a little odd, I really liked her honesty and dedication to our every need.  She checked on us often, and even offered to change Dan's order after his Chicken & Waffles wishy-washiness.  

Costs are moderate and set us back about $19/person with tax and tip.  This included coffee, soft drinks and a beer too.

2.5 Mmmms

BareBurger - 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.777.7011
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bareburger.com