Eatventful Weekend

It's quite evident that all I know & love is anything + everything related to food. And why not? Food is our common ground, a universal experience. There probably are not enough words in our vocabulary for me to formulate into a series of sentences to even begin to reiterate my passion of fulfilling my epicurean fantasies.

Lady, oh lady, if I had a silver dollar for every, "What do you like to eat?" , "Where do you like to eat?", "Where'd you get that?", I'd have a nice little chunk of change (or, most likely, in my case, find the closest eatery and have a grub fest. Don't judge me.) My reply: I like simple food made well w/ subtle hints of complexity. You can just imagine the bewildered, puzzling expressions.

Any and all free time I utilize chasing the thrill of where I'd like my next meal to be from as if it were my Last Supper. Oh, I know. I like living on the edge. May it be a food truck...a new eatery..standard fare.. but, on this edition of weekend pimpin' consisted of: two pop-up restaurants & one of my current guilty pleasures.

Get your napkins ready as I get my Bourdain on.

Arnold Palmer sippin' & late-afternoon brunchin' from Baton Rouge's best burger + housemade links meals on wheels, Curbside Truck popping up on the backstreets of NOLA.Going with the obvious choice, behold, the Naq Attaque (gruyere / swiss / pancetta / caramelized sweet red onions in a thyme infused beef broth) paired in a combo with parm, truffle frites, of course. I sure did order dos!

Off to Saturday evening adventures en route to Root for apéritifs and light bites.

(dress: asos, statement bauble: Fifteen22 Boutique , handmade clutch: Rachel Elizabeth Style)

(Amuse bouche compliments of the chef: grilled peaches & blueberries w/ pickled sweet pepper gelee)

Ménage à Foie
(Foie gras prepared three ways: dippin' dots w/ pineapples w/ chilled coconut, lychee compote/ cotton candy w/ foie center dusted w/ watermelon Pop-Rocks + seared w/ rye bread bacon. Dies.)

Feed your soul.

Sundays are made for the lazy pants & fam bam style meals. 

In addition to the  ongoing pattern  of speakeasy-esque eateries, a late afternoon walk through the streets of the Bywater/ Marigny 'hood when finally sashaying through the aromatic doors of much buzzed about Filipino pop up, Milkfish.

The fragrant trails of garlic & savory perfume down the block encaptures your sense of smell will hold you hostage. Ahhh! The sights & tastes close to my Filipino roots.

Nostalgia in one one sitting.

Milkfish takes place every Sunday at Marie's on  the corner of Burgundy & St. Roch.

(much-coveted maxi skirt: Fifteen22Boutique, crop top: XXI, random clutch for $25!)

Holy housemade longanisa sliders!

 (by Chef Adolfo Garcia)

Sig sig

Though, Milkfish's menu covers the standard Filipino fare inluding lumpia, spam fried rice, halo-halo, and kare-kare (all exceptional, mind you). These sliders and spicy,citrus-packed stew are beyond stellar!

Masarap! Thanks Chef Christina & crew for an out-of-this-world service!

From the backstreets...to the cobblestones of downtown...the uprising walks of new life in the Bywater/Marigny 'hood...all the way down to the bayou as I hail my canoe, I bid you adieu. Ya know how we do!

Cake Stacker: Gorgonzola Cheese Pancakes w/ Blueberry Compote and Candied Walnuts

“Samantha: So, how were they? Carrie: The pancakes? Delicious, exactly what I wanted. I couldn't get enough. Samantha: No, I was referring to the moves. Carrie: Delicious, exactly what I wanted. I couldn't get enough.”  - Sex and the City

Rarely do I ever get a chance to really just lay about and enjoy reruns of my all time faves series these days.

 And no, I don't ever tired of watching nor contain myself  from chucklingat all the humorous debacle this fashionable bunch seem to encounter. Parallel universe? Perhaps? I'm sure of it. But, on a lazy Sunday like today, as the heavy showers keep pouring; coincidentally an episode about expectaions and pancakes play across my television screen, it hit me. I. WANT. BRUNCH.

Scrounging through my fridge, I manage to conceptualize a savory stack that will surely fulfill (oh, heck yeah, mine was) those cravings utilizing some seasonal ingredients. Pancakes included.

Prep time: 15 mins, Cook time: 30 mins.

Recipe yields 2 servings of triple stacks

Pancakes:

• 1 cup pancake mix (Bisquick should be fine)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg   
• 1/4 creamy gorgonazola at room temperature (any type of soft cheese should work, mascarpone or goat cheese would be great options, also)                                                                                                                       

Blueberry Compote:

• 1 cup fresh blueberries (frozen is fine, fresh preffered)
• 2 tbs. of water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice                                                                                                                    

Candied Walnuts:

• 1/2 cup raw walnuts
• 1/4 brown sugar
• 1/4 honey   
• 1 tsp. butter                                                                                                                                 



1. Preheat two small sauce pans on stovetop on low heat. Place berries w/ ingredients to make compote. Mix walnuts, butter and sugar w/ honey in other.

2. Carefully monitor the berries until it gets to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 10 mintues. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. All the while, melt butter in other pan and add walnuts. Slowly combine brown sugar. Continously stir mixture carefully until sugar has melted and evenly distributed. Proceed with pouring honey on walnuts while simultaneously mixing. Pour on baking pan covered with an aluminum foil sheet to cool.

4. Incorporate pancake mix into a large mixing bowl with milk and egg. Blend until lump-free.

5. Fold creamy gorgonzola into batter until well blended.

6. On your heated, nonstick flat griddle or skillet, slowly pour batter into 6 inch diameter circles.

7. When batter starts bubbling on outside, 'tis time to flip. Should be a good 2 mins on each side.

8. Assemble pancakes into stacks, pour cooled compote mixture on top along with crumbled candied walnuts, and BOOM.

Pile on several strips of crisp pancetta for a twofer meal. The textures and contrast of the flavors are outta this world!

Pow! Pow! You have officially been dubbed, "Cake Stacker".

Be proud.