Category: Food and Drink

San Diego’s Little Italy, Ballast Point Brewing, and A Lovely Afternoon

What to do on a Sunday afternoon when you have a bit of time and many options… it’s a little too warm and humid for the beach or hiking (IMHO only, I am sure), we don’t feel like watching a show or game on TV…

IMG_8100How about hitting Ballast Point in Little Italy for a snack and, true to this year’s challenge, try a different drink? Well, don’t mind if I do!

IMG_8137
“Piper Down Scottish Ale- Sweetly complex, with roasted toffee flavor, roasted pumpkin, and a subtle addition of spice.”

I shouldn’t be surprised, but still was- they have a fall beer brewed with pumpkin and spices. Of course they do. The entire nation goes crazy for (my favorite) warm spices associated with (also my favorite) pumpkin pie this time of year. So I had to try it, don’t you know. This Scottish ale does have a very, very subtle hint of spice and pumpkin, which I think goes nicely with a usual caramel-y taste of a darker brew. Not enough to scare off traditional ale drinkers, but different enough if you want a taste outside the ordinary.

As The Husband and I enjoyed our brews and snacks, we had to ask- why don’t we get to places like this more often with friends? The patio at this Ballast Point has several covered cabanas with their own fire pits and can be reserved. No excuse. This is on our To Do with Friends Soon list. Bonus: the music isn’t too loud and you get to watch the planes coming in to land at Lindbergh, making this a great meeting place for people of all ages.

Spanish Caprese Salad and PBJ Wings (Peanuts, Blackberry jam and Jalapeno glazed)
Spanish Caprese Salad and PBJ Wings (Peanuts, Blackberry jam and Jalapeno glazed)
Looks like a fun event!!
Looks like a fun event!!
I can NEVER get tired of watching the planes land at San Diego's Limburg Airport
I can NEVER get tired of watching the planes land at San Diego’s Lindbergh Airport

A Hoppy Beer that I Did Not Hate!

This is a Russian River Pliny the Elder. A double IPA. The Husband’s drink, not mine.

I’ve been told on numerous occasions that this is one of the finest beers ever crafted.

As usual, I asked for a taste, knowing full well that I would not like it. I never like his beer.

As usual, I enjoyed the smell of an IPA- but, if it is so great, why can’t it taste as nice as it smells?

And finally, for once, an IPA- this particular IPA- wasn’t bad at all! I really liked it, for the first time ever.

The well-known and most beloved aspects of hoppiness came through with grapefruit and floral flavors meeting right there on your tongue, just as your nose promised. Just as all you hop-heads have been raving about.

I guess I only like The Best of The Best!

Best Sangria EVER

Thursday night was a “Favorite Things” party for my Moms Club. I brought a bottle of Sophia’s Rosé by Francic Coppola to share and came home with another friend’s favorite scented bath salts. What a great idea for a party, huh? All attendees came armed with a gift wrapped favorite thing in the price range of $10-15, attached a number to the gift, and drew a random number. Last year I brought a Pineapple and Sake Teriyake sauce made by Vine and Branch, and Sweet and Spicy Garlic Mustard from Garlic Festival.  But the best thing I found last night was my drink. Stop your search, I have found it- The Best Sangria ever to be served. Get to one of the two locations for the San Diego area seafood restaurant, “The Brigatine.”

The not-so-secret ingredient would seem to be the blackberry brandy to the usual line up of sangria stuff. Remember that! Add blackberry brandy to a sangria… Got it?

I’ve never been to The Brigatine, but will return. Often. And I guarantee, I will be thirsty.

Will It Really Work? Fast Garlic Peeling by Shaking the Begeezers out of It

I thought I would try this trick for peeling garlic that I have seen demonstrated online a lot lately:

The Jar...
The Jar…
...the garlic.
…the garlic.
Into the jar with the cloves.
Into the jar with the cloves.
...after 30 seconds...
…after 30 seconds…
...one minute later, and...
…one minute later, and…
...oh my gosh, it worked!
…oh my gosh, it worked!
All but two little cloves, perfectly peeled!
All but two little cloves, perfectly peeled!

Scroll down to see the results!

The only problem is that the garlic juice and some peels are now stuck inside the jar…

I find it more efficient with no more dirty dishes to just whack the clove with the flat of my kitchen knife- the peels slide right off the cloves, and your garlic is also on it’s way to being chopped up.

Homemade Ricotta? Sounds too Good to be True… Take #1

SeriousEats.com is one of my go-to web sites for anything in the food and cooking world. I love, Love, LOVE their test recipes, food tourism articles, product reviews… love it all.

Photo from, and links to, SeriousEats.com Fresh Ricotta Recipe
Photo from, and links to, SeriousEats.com Fresh Ricotta Recipe

One of my favorite contributors is J. Kenji López-Alt and his “Food Lab” articles are kitchen chemistry at its best… my favorite type of food reading. Tonight I tried a recipe he worked on in detail five years ago- “Fresh Ricotta in 5 minutes or Less.”

Maybe doubling the recipe put things out of whack? Might the larger volume of milk thrown off how long the milk should have been brought up to the specified 165 degrees? All I know is, more than double the microwaving time wasn’t the only issue. The milk initially started coagulating just fine, but then the mass of curds just fell apart.

From four cups of whole milk I netted about half a cup of ricotta curds. And a kitchen that smelled distinctly of baby barf. You fellow parents know exactly what I mean.

P.U.

One big, stinky mess.
One big, stinky mess.
Here's the haul! About a half cup of ricotta after about an hour of fussing with micro-curds
Here’s the haul! 1/2 c. ricotta from 1 hour of fussing with micro-curds

I am not finished with you, oh Great Stinky Experiment, if Kenji says I can do this, then, by gosh, I CAN! I will repeat this soon… very soon.