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Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Sweet Potato Pie: The Neglected Cousin of Pumpkin Pie
Sweet potatoes are surging in popularity of late, thanks to sweet potato fries and other sweet potato products becoming more widely available on the food scene. Foodies and average diners alike are always eager to sample something new, especially if it is in-keeping with another popular trend: nutrition. Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, adding to their nutrition appeal (click on the links in the text for more nutrient info!).
Many people mistake sweet potatoes for yams, which is unfortunate, because yams are bland, unrelated vegetables that are not interchangeable with the flavorful, bright sweet potato. In my quest to try new things and to deviate from the norm, I found a recipe for sweet potato pie and decided to try it out.
I bought some individually shrink-wrapped sweet potatoes from the local grocery store. They were a better price, and they were much easier, faster, and neater to cook than naked sweet potatoes; I just had to microwave them for seven minutes in their shrink wrap rather than boiling or baking them for two to four times as long. Next, I blended the softened butter with the cooked, peeled sweet potato using an electric mixer. The recipe calls for one cup of white granulated sugar, but I used 2/3 c. brown sugar and 1/3 c. white sugar because I believe that the brown sugar perfectly complements the sweet flavor of the root vegetable and lends color and a richness to the pie. After adding the sugar to the mixture, I put in the eggs, spices, milk, and flavoring, making sure to sufficiently aerate the batter (for a minute or two), since the pie is essentially a custard. If the eggs are not whipped well enough, the pie will be dense and gelatinous with an uneven flavor rather than fluffy and smooth.
When the batter was finished, I poured it into an unbaked pie crust that I had made approximately a month ago and frozen. I rolled it out and it was still in perfect condition! The pie needs to bake for an hour at 350 degrees. This amount of time may seem excessive, but, trust me, the end product is well worth it! The finished pie is light, sweet, and creamy, with a crisp and chewy crust. I would highly recommend this simple, delicious recipe. Bon appetit!
Many people mistake sweet potatoes for yams, which is unfortunate, because yams are bland, unrelated vegetables that are not interchangeable with the flavorful, bright sweet potato. In my quest to try new things and to deviate from the norm, I found a recipe for sweet potato pie and decided to try it out.
I bought some individually shrink-wrapped sweet potatoes from the local grocery store. They were a better price, and they were much easier, faster, and neater to cook than naked sweet potatoes; I just had to microwave them for seven minutes in their shrink wrap rather than boiling or baking them for two to four times as long. Next, I blended the softened butter with the cooked, peeled sweet potato using an electric mixer. The recipe calls for one cup of white granulated sugar, but I used 2/3 c. brown sugar and 1/3 c. white sugar because I believe that the brown sugar perfectly complements the sweet flavor of the root vegetable and lends color and a richness to the pie. After adding the sugar to the mixture, I put in the eggs, spices, milk, and flavoring, making sure to sufficiently aerate the batter (for a minute or two), since the pie is essentially a custard. If the eggs are not whipped well enough, the pie will be dense and gelatinous with an uneven flavor rather than fluffy and smooth.
When the batter was finished, I poured it into an unbaked pie crust that I had made approximately a month ago and frozen. I rolled it out and it was still in perfect condition! The pie needs to bake for an hour at 350 degrees. This amount of time may seem excessive, but, trust me, the end product is well worth it! The finished pie is light, sweet, and creamy, with a crisp and chewy crust. I would highly recommend this simple, delicious recipe. Bon appetit!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Pho America: Though the Name Suggests Treason, the Food Fulfills the American Pursuit of Happiness
My roommate and I frequent a little Vietnamese restaurant on the corner of PCH and Pacific Avenue in Long Beach, CA that has the best, most reasonably priced pho around, among a nice selection of other dishes. They offer such delectable appetizers as spring rolls, egg rolls, fried tofu, sugar cane shrimp, and wontons. Main dish categories include rice dishes, vermicelli dishes, pho, and vegetarian options.
I almost always go with the beef pho (Pho Chin Nam, or pho with well-done steak and flank), while my roommate selects the chicken pho or the veggie tofu pho. Whichever protein you choose to grace your rice noodle soup with, the broth is always savory and delicious. The pho comes in two sizes; the regular size is plenty of food, but there is also a large option. Oyster sauce, "rooster sauce" (also known as Sriracha, or chili garlic sauce), sambal oelek (chili sauce), chopsticks, soup spoons, utensil roll-ups, and napkins are pre-set on the table. Before the pho comes out (always in an extremely timely manner, usually no more than five minutes), the waiter or waitress places a plate of garnish on the table. This plate contains the basics: a generous bunch of Thai basil, a pile of bean sprouts, a whole, fresh, sliced jalapeno, and at least two large lime wedges.
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As an appetizer, we got the shrimp spring rolls, which come with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce and a bonus dish of fish sauce. A bright mix of vegetables, fresh shrimp, and rice noodles wrapped in rice paper, one is large enough for two people to share. Their Thai iced tea is incredible, and the chrysanthemum tea is refreshing and light. Sometimes I get a large cup of hot green tea, which is complementary. When the bill came, we were each out $12, including tip (that's with a shared appetizer, two bowls of pho, and three drinks). At these prices, we considered dessert, but were fully sated already. Though we didn't have room for dessert this time, the Thai Tropical Fruit Dessert, Mango Madness, and Tri-Colors Dessert caught my eye. Next time, lovelies... next time.
I almost always go with the beef pho (Pho Chin Nam, or pho with well-done steak and flank), while my roommate selects the chicken pho or the veggie tofu pho. Whichever protein you choose to grace your rice noodle soup with, the broth is always savory and delicious. The pho comes in two sizes; the regular size is plenty of food, but there is also a large option. Oyster sauce, "rooster sauce" (also known as Sriracha, or chili garlic sauce), sambal oelek (chili sauce), chopsticks, soup spoons, utensil roll-ups, and napkins are pre-set on the table. Before the pho comes out (always in an extremely timely manner, usually no more than five minutes), the waiter or waitress places a plate of garnish on the table. This plate contains the basics: a generous bunch of Thai basil, a pile of bean sprouts, a whole, fresh, sliced jalapeno, and at least two large lime wedges.
.jpg)
As an appetizer, we got the shrimp spring rolls, which come with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce and a bonus dish of fish sauce. A bright mix of vegetables, fresh shrimp, and rice noodles wrapped in rice paper, one is large enough for two people to share. Their Thai iced tea is incredible, and the chrysanthemum tea is refreshing and light. Sometimes I get a large cup of hot green tea, which is complementary. When the bill came, we were each out $12, including tip (that's with a shared appetizer, two bowls of pho, and three drinks). At these prices, we considered dessert, but were fully sated already. Though we didn't have room for dessert this time, the Thai Tropical Fruit Dessert, Mango Madness, and Tri-Colors Dessert caught my eye. Next time, lovelies... next time.
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