Undercover Gourmet

Hungry for European fare but a few airmiles short of a ticket? Bistro Praha has you covered within city limits. After returning to Bistro Praha from a 3 year hiatus it is always good to know the consistency is there and the flavours are as vivid as you remembered. The meals so sinfully delicious when they relocated, due to a fire, they had to be closer to a church.

The roasted duck (or goose when available) is amazing as always, coming out picture perfect and served on a warmed plate. When you bring your utensils down on your meal the browned skin speckled with fennel seeds and spice breaks away revealing tender meat beneath that beads with its own juices in anticipation. There is no need to really “cut” into the meat as it can just as easily be pulled away in succulent threads. With a bit of the warm seasoned skin to go along with your first bite and enjoy. Now even though the roasted duck plays by itself nicely the two supporting sides makes this a complete dish. Sauerkraut with bits of smoked pork cooked together to create the perfect acidity to enhance the flavours of the meat. The bread dumplings, I believe are steamed, reminded me of Chinese “mantou” buns. Though softer and less sweet than their Chinese counterpart, are equally delicious as they are drizzled with jus from the roasted duck which absorb and retain the savouriness in its fluffy pockets. Creating bites with equal parts of all three items on your plate can be quite the challenge but becomes exceptionally rewarding when achieved. This dish does come in a half order but why would anyone deny themselves this pleasure?

Please enjoy responsibly with the Lobkowicz Baron beer which is a medium bodied dark lager with caramel and chocolate qualities.

This post is written by Jason Fong

Bistro Praha
10117 101 Street
Edmonton, AB
780-424-4218

I’ve never been to Spain, but if I were to close my eyes and imagine, it would be exactly like the magical adventure that I experienced with this Jamon. Let me start from the beginning…

One day my food-partner-in-crime Jason sent me a Costco link. The link advertised a gorgeously aged, imported from Spain, Jamon Iberico. The price tag, $1000. What is so special about this ham you say? Well for starters it’s imported from Spain, and even the spaniards consider this meat a delicacy. The pig itself is a special breed. Black hoofed, feeding mostly on acorns, and only raised in certain areas of the peninsula, this pig once cured, develops the most mouth watering flavorful ham ever.

After a quick discussion with my fellow family members, it was agreed upon that the holiday of 2012 would be the perfect occasion to splurge for this ham. Plus, with Costco, it most likely would not be available for much longer. The final decision was of course, to splurge how much? The $1000 Jamon was aged a lengthy 39 months. Having had some smidgen of common sense left in our consciousness, my dad agreed to make-due with the $550 one which was aged 24 months. He calls this our “practice ham”. For the record my mom, brother and husband all thought we were crazy for spending this kind of money, but I hope the real culinary coinassours out there will disagree. The order was placed, and we all patiently wait.

New Years Eve arrives, and the package is delivered at noon, right on schedule. What emerges from the box is not only a tantalizing Jamon, but is a masterpiece waiting to be assembled. Ham, wooden stand, and carving knife, all conveniently dropped off by the UPS truck. The Jamon itself weighs a hefty 12.5 kg. What percentage of that is pure meat is still to be determined. The assembly begins with a little online video tutorial. www.tienda.com has a great clip on how to care for, carve, and store your ham. We are advised to let the meat rest at room temperature for 1-2 days, but with my brother and girlfriend leaving back to Calgary that day, we had no choice but to dive right in (I know… even after he called us crazy). With the hoof end of the leg securely clamped in place, we were ready to carve! According to the tutorial, there were multiple parts of the leg to carve from, each with there own unique flavors and ratios of meat and fat. We decide to tackle the babilla, which is the rump end of the ham, or the top section when the leg is positioned with the hoof facing down. We start by slicing away large portions of skin and fat, putting them aside as we were instructed to save it for re-covering the ham afterwards. As we take turns carving and getting to know the pressure required and motion of the knife, slowly, perfect paper thin slices of beautiful ham were laid upon a snow white plate. Maybe it was the anticipation. Maybe it was the build-up of excitement. Or maybe, it was just that damn good. This was the greatest slice of cured meat I have ever had. The flavor was distinctly pig, the saltiness was of a perfect amount, and the texture was almost silky. The ratio of meat to fat was such a wonderful combination, it melted in your mouth. Between bites of Jamon and sips of sherry, one could almost believe, almost, that my mom’s messy kitchen was the beautiful countrysides of Spain.

Next we tackled the La Maza, the underside of the leg. With the leg rotated 180 degrees, hoof facing upwards, we discovered a whole new taste. To our surprise, the meat had almost an entirely new flavor. It was more mellow on this side of the leg, and had a much more pleasant aftertaste. There was distinctly more fat, which in turn, gave the paper thin slices of meat an almost surreal texture. This was by far a more superior side. This side also housed more meat, holding up to several more slicing sessions. Reminiscing on the ham from the La Maza section instinctually causes my mouth to water. The way the flavor of the Jamon bursts into your mouth upon contact causes my eyes to widen and my consciousness to go into a momentary state of bliss. I would do anything for a slice right now…

La Punta was the last section, located on the opposite of the hoof. Sadly we did not get to experience this side as my mom had harvested the meat one afternoon, most likely out of boredom. According to her, it was a bit tough and not as pleasant. I guess we’ll have to wait for the next ham to verify that opinion.

Looking back, I must say that this was one of the best food experience I’ve ever had. Yes it may have cost $550, but for the experience it gave us, I could almost say it was priceless. It allowed us as a family to spend hours together, talking, laughing, bonding, sipping sherry. We were able to satisfying our curiosity for Spanish culture, giving us a taste of what delicacy that country can offer. Would I do it again? I wouldn’t even have to think twice about that answer. I guess we had better start saving up for next Christmas.

Reality food blogging has begun. To see the latest meals, follow me on Instagram (undercovergourmet), Twitter (@UndrcovrGourmt), or Flickr.

The average person eats 1095 meals per year. 3 meals a day, some people less, some people more, 7 days a week, 52 weeks in a year. That’s a lot of meals!

Starting January 1st, join me as I document each and every meal consumed in 2013. Not every meal will be elaborate, nor will it always be a pretty picture, but it will be a real meal-by-meal representation of a true foodie. When we blog, we only write about things that really move us, restaurants that really piss us off, or recipes in which we are successful at. But what happens on the days we don’t feel like cooking, or when we sneak in that Big Mac from McDonalds?

Why am I doing this?
#1 Memories. I can barely remember what I ate 2 days ago, let alone what I ate a few months ago! This will be a great experience to reflect on. Especially meals consumed on vacation.
#2 Document what we really eat. I’ve come across blogs where the writer challenges themselves to be free of processed foods for a certain amount of time, or cooking all the recipes from a well known cookbook, or post a food related blog everyday, but these are not from a normal routine. The purpose of this is to share with everyone what happens in real life. Let’s calls it “reality food blogging”.
#3 I always love a challenge. “You’re not going to keep it up” my husband says. I say, “challenge accepted”.

Some ground rules to share:
Don’t expect a colorful essay on each meal because let’s face it, that is not realistic. Don’t even expect a paragraph. It will be a simple format, a picture with the following caption: name/brief description – meal/time of day – location.

There are some things I eat or drink everyday, so I’m not going to bother to post those. On a work day, the routine is a yogurt followed by a coffee. Not particularly exciting either so we’ll nix that unless its a fancy coffee or I’m having a coffee binge day. Same with water, tea, and juice. Definitely not ground breaking news.

I snack a lot. Like multiple times a day. If I put up photos of my day-long snacking, I may be fired from my regular job, so we’ll also leave that out unless it’s something noteworthy other than chips or candy.

Finally, if you have read up to this point then I’ve somewhat intrigued you! All photos will be loaded into a couple of different places. There will be a rolling gallery located on the side bar of this blog showing the most recent meals. You can also view the entire photo collection on Flickr or on Instagram (undercovergourmet).

Happy ‘Reality Food Blog’ following!

One of my fondest food memories of Hong Kong during my childhood took place in the winter months, smelling the enticing aroma of roasted chestnuts. As my dad and I walked along the chilly winter streets of Mongkok’s bustling walkway near the MTR station entrance, the smoky cloud of hot coals and rustling of rolling chestnuts would throw us off course.

A paper bag weighing about 700g will cost you next to nothing, and the joy of cracking open each and every emanating chestnut will occupy you for about an hour. As you bite to break the shell, allow the steam to escape, and pop the piping hot fleshy nut into your mouth, for a moment you believe that the cold chilly weather is miles away.

What sparked this trip down memory lane were the chestnuts that are currently on sale at the west end location of T&T Supermarket. At $3.28/kg, recreating this heart-warming feeling is incredibly plausible.

Ingredients
Chestnuts

Procedure
1) Preheat oven to 400°F.
2) Rub off the excess dirt on the chestnuts, and make a tiny slit in the shell.
3) Place nuts in a baking pan and cover tightly with tin foil.
3) Roast for 30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.
4) Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

Serve warm.

The challenge that I was presented with on my most recent short road trip to Vancouver was to eat as many meals as I could, in the little time that I had. 7 meals in one day was the expectation, but sadly, only 5 were experienced. Before my trip I was bombarded with numerous names, addresses, menus and fond memories of Vancouver’s best offerings. Therefore narrowing the choices down was already a challenge in itself.

Day 1 (quarter day) – Tojo’s
It’s hard to pass up Tojo’s whenever I visit Vancouver. The 5 course omakase plus dessert was an easy decision as the 11 hour drive had shortened my ability to focus.

Course #1
Cubes of tuna sashimi marinated in soy and Tojo’s special sauce. Good start. The cut of tuna was good, no tough bits were to be found, flavor was a mix of salty with a mildly sweet teriyaki like glaze.

Course #2
Octopus salad. My favorite of the 5 courses. Almost paper thin octopus was shaved onto a bed of organic salad greens. What was most unique about the octopus was the direction it was cut. Not vertically down the tentacle as one would expect, rather lengthwise, creating a very balanced texture. The vinaigrette was of a balsamic base. Overall harmoniously put together.

Course #3
Cooked hamachi with creamy sauce. This was another favorite dish. The fish was so tender it felt like it melted the moment it hit my tongue. The sauce was a creamy rich miso based sauce. Sitting on a bed of pickled vegetables, this dish was also well put together.

Course #4
Deep fried tuna roll. A mediocre dish which comprised of a few tuna maki rolls fried briefly in a light tempura batter. Nothing particularly special. It felt more like a filler than anything.

Course #5
Assorted maki rolls. A fabulous one bite tasting of Tojo’s best rolls and sushis. Starting clockwise from the top left: sweet shrimp sushi; spicy tuna roll; king crab roll; red snapper sushi; Tojo roll; great pacific roll. The king crab roll was the star of the bunch, and if I wasn’t so full, would have ordered an additional full roll.

Dessert (technically course #6)
Black sesame panna cotta with sesame cookie. A nice blend of Asian ingredients and Italian technique. The panna cotta was smooth with a mild and certainly not overpowering taste of black sesame. Good way to end the meal.

Day 2 (full day) – Breakfast, Santouka Ramen, Japadog, Rodney’s Oyster House, Food Court in H Mart

Breakfast
Nothing special for breakfast. A ham, egg, and cheese croissant from a little cafe along the Canada Place pier, lightly pressed on the panini grill, with a latte. Goes perfect with the morning sun facing the ocean.

Santouka Ramen
After a 3 hour stroll along Stanley Park, a nice hot bowl of shio ramen hit the spot. Best bowl of ramen I’ve had so far! The soup base was nice and creamy, the noodles were al dente, and although the bowl initially looked small, it was rather filling. The side order of simmered pork jowl was absolutely mouth watering. The meat was pull-apart tender, and the flavor can only be described as umami. We also had perfect timing as 15 past 11:00am rolled around, and a line-up was quickly forming out the front door.

Japadog
Although not quite digested from ramen, we could not pass up the Japadog store-front at the other end of Robson Street. We shared a terimayo, a teriyaki sauce, mayo and seaweed topped hot dog with a side aonori, dried ground seaweed, shaked fries. The hot dog was an interesting conglomeration of east meets west. Tasty, but not that tasty, it was highly overrated. And the shaked fries were reminiscent of Hong Kong’s “shake shake fries” from McDonalds. I only wish the seaweed stuck on a little better.

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Rodney’s Oyster House
Several hours later we arrive at Rodney’s for happy hour, disappointed to find out that there were no low tide oysters that day. Nevertheless, we take the opportunity to try an array of oysters that they had on hand. 3 rounds later, we had 16 oysters each, having a taste of Black Pearl, Lighthouse, Shigoku, South Lake, Sawmill Bay, and Kusshi. Mildly distinctive in flavor and texture, all were delicious with the Black Pearl imbedded in my memory as one of the favorites.

H Mart
Night time rolls around and there is room for one more meal! The Korean grocery store H Mart also serves some very delicious Korean fare upstairs. Sitting in a food court style area, we order a seafood pancake (haemul pajeon) and cold chewy noodles (naenmyeon) and wait patiently for the cashier to call our ticket number. The noodles, fabulous. Again, one of the best I’ve had. The noodles itself had a fairly chewy texture, which I quite enjoyed, and the sauce was a good level of spiciness. Enough to give it a kick, but not lingering enough to make you take a break from eating. The seafood pancake was also enjoyable. Heavy with starch, it was a filling entree but very tasty. Too bad there was more pancake then there was seafood.

Day 3 (quarter day) – Lido, Dae Bak Bon Ga

Lido
A hearty Chinese breakfast fuels us up for a short trip to the Seattle Premium Outlets. Very similar to your typical tea house found in Hong Kong, this Richmond restaurant had all the typical characteristics. Random pieces of paper with specials taped everywhere, small booths, quick impersonal service and true Hong Kong style food. Free range chicken congee was my breakfast choice, with a side of pan-fried radish cake and strong Hong Kong style tea. After observing the other patrons in the restaurant, we followed suit and ordered a pineapple bun to go. It was delicious. Light, airy, and fresh.

Dae Bak Bon Ga
After and full day of shopping, driving, and stopping at the border crossing, we return to Vancouver at 10pm. The original plan was to stop for a quick bite at Cafe D’Lite, but sadly it was not open. After parking the car back at the hotel, we wander down Robson for something tasty to eat, and stumble upon a late night Korean restaurant/karaoke bar near the western end of Robson. Too lazy to cook our own food on the grill, we order some galbi, beef short ribs, and a side of dukkbokgi, spicy rice cake with hot sauce. The sizzling short ribs arrived on a hot plate which created a delicious aroma, accompanied with a bowl of rice and 4 side dishes. Although we were starving, the ribs were only mediocre, lacking in flavor. The same went for the side dishes of kim chi, mung bean sprouts, potatoes, and seaweed. The rice cake was decent. It had a good level of spiciness it, just enough to give off some heat, but not enough to leave that burning sensation in your mouth. The meal also came with some very off-key drunken singing.

Day 4 (half day) – Pho Thai Hoa, Cafe D’Lite

Pho Thai Hoa
Nothing beats having a bowl of pho for breakfast. One of, and possibly the only Vietnamese restaurant in vancouver that opened its doors at 8:00 in the morning, it was also a great choice to stop at. The soup base was clear and flavorful, the rice noodles were perfectly cooked, even the bean sprouts were so fresh and crisp that it felt as if they were just picked from their own garden.

Cafe D’Lite
Last meal in Vancouver ended with a quick stop for Hainese chicken. The boneless chicken made it very convenient to eat, and the dish was quickly devoured. The chicken itself was good, but did not have the same level of flavor as Tropika. The ying yang colored sauces, ginger and chili, were a great condiment to both chicken and rice. It was a nice way to end the eating extravaganza inVancouver.

A couple years ago I raved about the U.S. popcorn company Garrett Popcorn. Since then I have tried to conveniently plan out my travels so that I can one day taste this magical mix of sweet and salty popcorn again. This included a layover in Chicago O’hare airport on route to Minneapolis for Black Friday shopping, but unfortunately a miscalculation in terminal connections cost me a few bags of mouth watering jewels.

Costco has once again become my shining star of hope. Tucked away in the chip section of Costco, sits a white and light blue bag made by G.H. Cretors. This impressive mix of buttery caramel and cheddar cheese popcorn so closely resembled the real thing from Garrett’s, that it was hard to believe it came off of a grocery shelf. The caramel coating is light yet holds a sturdy brown sugar candy crunch, the cheddar cheese pieces are crisp and not the least bit soggy. The combination of flavors not only satisfies the craving for both taste senses, but also brings back delicious memories of the east coast. Instructions even come printed on the top of the bag advising that “caramel corn may settle. Shake it! Chicago mix it!” After a quick shake of the bag, I found the proportion of caramel to cheddar was too much, but I suppose the preferred ratio lies within each individual’s preferences, a minor detail which does not diminish the sheer glory which lies within this bag of popcorn.

Now, for those familiar with the stock rotation at Costco, I need not remind you that what may be available in stores one week, may not be there the next. Never the less, for Chicago mix lovers everywhere, I hope that a bag is sitting on a Costco shelf near you

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Asiago, Parmesan and Garlic, Bruschetta

I must take a moment out of my busy day to rave about the new Twistos snack bites. It all started when I bought my first box in December from Costco. 3 boxes (that’s 2 X 280g per box, because of course Costco never sells in regular people quantities) later and I’m still hooked on these crispy bite sized snacks.

A product from the Frito Lay company, these miniature sliced baguette looking crackers are as crispy as they are tasty. The Parmesan & Garlic flavored ones, the flavor that originally reeled me in, have a strong garlic taste which I love. I’m a huge fan of garlic and parmesan, and as the package states, they are “seasoned so that they are irresistibly delicious right out of the bag”, these is no holding out of either flavor. The bag does not lie. There is no dip or spread required. I first served these at a family Christmas dinner, with a 3 onion dip, and noticed that at the end of the night all the Twistos were gone and the dip barely had a dent in it. The garlic after taste may seem a little strong for those who don’t fancy garlic. But for those are a fan, you won’t be able to stop after one piece. Twistos can now be spotted at grocery stores such as Walmart and Superstore, with other flavors including Asiago and Bruschetta, which Costco did not have displayed. The Asiago flavor has strong hints of cheese flavor, and would probably entice those with anti-garlic taste buds. Very similar in taste sans the garlic, the two flavors, Asiago and Parmesan & Garlic, are slightly difficult to separate and distinguish. The Bruschetta flavor however, surprisingly tastes like Bruschetta! There is a lovely basil flavor along with a tiny pang of sweet tomato. A pretty impressive attempt to capture all the flavors of Bruschetta in a small cracker.

A nutritionist I am not, but I do know that for per every 17 crackers there is 120-130mg of salt (depending on the flavor), which definitely won’t damage your diet too badly. A label on the package advertises that Twistos are made with all natural flavors, although the last ingredient on the list just says “colour”, and I also noticed corn maltodextrin as one of the seasoning ingredients. But really, in the end, that doesn’t bother me enough to ask questions.

Bottom line is, these are some of the best snacks I’ve tasted in a while. Much more exciting that a plain ol’ cracker, and also offers the same amount of crisp and crunch as a chip. Try them, I hope you will find them as addicting as I do!

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Excusez-moi, j’ai faim et que vous voulez le repas parfait (for all you English speaking folk, that’s “Excuse me, I’m hungry and want the perfect meal”).

Indeed some of Edmonton’s most talented restaurants are hidden in small neighbourhoods and solemn alleyways, but this restaurant is neither. La Persaud is located just off the eastern end of 82nd Avenue along 91st Street. Camouflaged within the complex of Conceil Scoliaire Centre-Nord, the small restaurant can barely be seen from a moving vehicle. I’ve passed that area many times en route to the Bulgolgi House, but was never aware of La Persaud until recommended by my dear friend Lindsay (who is also a professional chef and going to be famous one day!). A large board is stationed outside the door of a strip mall, directing you into a building reminiscent of a medical center. However down a short flight of stairs, turn left through a plain looking door and you step into an entirely new world.
Where do I start with La Persaud besides mentioning it is one of the very few restaurants in Edmonton where everything was astounding? All 7 dishes were tried and tasted, all 7 were amazing (well ok, 6 ½ were amazing… don’t worry I will elaborate on my odd grading scale). An amuse-bouche of scallop ceviche and we are ready for appetizers! 3 appetizers were shared amongst 2 people due to the result of indecisiveness. Fois gras, steak tartar, and pork belly. The Fois Gras was good. Presented on a clean white plate with grilled apples rings and pine nut puree, it was an iconic French dish where the presence of fois gras itself says it all. The steak tartar was tastier. Moulded into a square topped with a plump quail egg, the steak had the perfectly balanced amount of spice, onion, and vinegar flavours. Served with a bed of freshly fried potato crisps, it was good enough to rival Continental Treat, my current favourite place for steak tartar in the city. The best dish out of the trio is the pork belly. This tender tower of pork with a top layer of silky fat was so savoury my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Alternating with perfectly cooked scallops like a checker-board, this plate was by far our favorite.

Onto the mains, potato crusted halibut and green pea risotto. The halibut was perfectly cooked, flakey, moist, and tender, with a fried paper thin potato crust that was crisp to the bite. Now I’m not one to normally order risotto at such a restaurant (this privilege is typically reserved for the Italians), nor am I one to order a vegetarian dish, but for this rare decision I am grateful. It was one of the most flavourful vegetarian risotto’s I have tasted. This petite looking, but very filling, bowl of rice was absolutely amazing. Strings of cheese stretched as my spoon travelled from bowl to mouth, enveloping pieces of tender asparagus, chopped tomatoes and artichoke hearts. So tasty, even the leftovers the day after were delicious. That and the pork belly were by far the highlights of the evening.
This is not to say that desert was a disappointment. The choices were narrowed down to lemon custard tart and Pavlova. The lemon custard was definitely made with fresh lemon juice, so fresh in fact that something less tart was needed to break up the acidity between bites (the half point lost on my scoring system). The Pavlova was a first for me, not just at La Persaud, but a first time ever. Even though I had nothing to compare it to, the meringue was crispy, light, and delicious (it also aided in balancing out the lemon tart!). Maybe not as picturesque as the Donna Hay version on Australia Masterchef, but never-the-less, still delectable.

7 dishes between 2 people, needless to say it was a great dinner. Aside from the rather acidic lemon tart, all dishes were close to perfection, and I would eat each and every one all over again.

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