Joey Recommends - Sam's Chowder House

Sean wanted to take a little drive in his new wheels so we took a little excursion down to Half Moon Bay to this restaurant that his new co-worker, Marya, recommended. I had no idea where we were going so I was completely in the dark. It wasn't until we pulled into the parking lot did I know our destination was Sam's Chowder House. I just like the look and feel of the place because it just seems so rustic. The parking lot was full, which was a good sign because who would flock to bad food?

There was a choice of sitting outside or inside. Even though there were heat lamps outside we decided to dine within the comforts of the walls and roof. We made it in time to grab the last available table by the window, which offered a great view of the beach and surrounding area.

There were so many selections on the menu that it was very difficult to choose. We decided to order our "go to" items because we normally select them and it would be interesting to compare. So with that said, to start we decided to get oysters on the half shell which were all so fresh and delicious. We selected the: Fanny Bay, Steamboat, Kumamoto and Marin Miyagi. Of the four my favorite was the Kumamoto. It was the most diminutive of the four but it was the best. Next we each had the chowder. I opted for the Manhattan Clam Chowder while Sean selected the classic New England clam chowder. I liked my chowder with its steaming hot broth and chunky pieces of potatoes. By the way, the sourdough bread they provided was so good it was almost as if it were from Boudin's Bakery. Maybe it was?

For our main course we had their well renowned lobster roll. In 2007, NBC's Today Show anointed their lobster roll as one of the "Top Five Sandwiches in America." This sandwich did not disappoint. The lobster itself was presented in big tender pieces that were not drowned in mayonnaise or dresssing. Instead it was treated lightly with melted butter and herbs. It was served on a nice little buttery roll. The chips that came with the sandwich were ok and I've had better coleslaw.

For dessert we shared a soft serve sundae topped with nuts, chocolate, and cherries. I would have liked to try my own dessert but we were so stuffed that there was no possible way we could have more food! I was eyeing their ice cream sandwich and saw that the lady in the next table ordered one and it looked scrumptious. Something to look forward to because we will be back!

Sam's Chowder House
4210 N Cabrillo Hwy
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

(650) 712-0245 | Website | Reservations

Japanese Fried Rice

I recently got back in contact with one of my dearest friends from my Japan days, Dawn-Lee, who lives in Canada. This has brought up a lot of fond memories and naturally my thoughts went to food. I loved Chinese food in Japan. The Japanese had a way of making it less greasy than it is here, especially the rice. For me, nothing can beat Japanese Fried Rice. In San Francisco the best place to get fried rice, in my opinion, is Katanaya near Union Square.  (They also have the best Ramen, by the way.)  I have tried for years to make Japanese Fried Rice and failed miserably until this recipe. As with most of my favorite Japanese recipes, this comes from Let's Cook Japanese Food by Amy Kaneko. As I said before, this is the best cookbook for Japanese home cooking.

So back to the recipe. The first time I tried it it came out perfectly.  The key was to use a really hot pan, put the eggs in before the rice, and use cold rice straight from the refrigerator.  Never make fried rice with freshly-made rice.  It will be soggy.  This is the one time that leftover rice actually tastes good! This is a dish you cook super quickly, so make sure you have yourself organized before you start.

Ingredients

• 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
• 5 green onions, including tenter green tops, minced
• 3 cups cold leftover rice
• 1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed to a powder
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup frozen corn kernels
• Salt
• Ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a frying pan, fry the bacon over medium-high heat until the fat starts to render but the bacon does not start to crisp, about 4 minutes.  
2. Transfer bacon to paper towels and safe the bacon fat for some later date.  (You won't be using it for this recipe.)
3. Heat a wok or a large frying pan over high heat.
4. When the pan is smoking hot, add the sesame and canola oils and swirl the pan to coat the bottom and sides with the oils.
5. Immediately add the eggs and, using a ladle, stir the eggs around in the pan, swirling and moving them until they begin to solidify, about 30 seconds.
6. Add the yellow onion and cook for 1 minute longer, continuing to use the ladle to swirl the mixture around in the pan.  
7. Mix in the green onions.
8. Add all of the rice, placing it on top of the egg mixture.
9. Using the back of the ladle, press the rice into the egg misture an break up any lumps in the rice.
10. Cook, continuing to press the lumps out of the rice, until all the lumps are gone and the eggs and onions are well integrated, about 2 minutes. 
11. Add the bouillon powder and oyster sauce and continue to press the rice and mix well.
12. Add the peas and corn and mix well.  (They will thaw quickly as you cook them.)
13. Add the bacon.
14. Using a large spatula or spoon move the rice around. (Or you can try flipping it, if you are brave.)
15. Season with salt and pepper.
16. Serve immediately.

Crunchy Baked Garbanzo Beans

May has certainly brought about a lot of changes for me. All of them are great things, but I have to admit it's a bit overwhelming.  I don't even like to change my knick-knacks around, much less my entire life. However, life is all about change and so I am embracing it.

One thing that has not changed is my making Joey's snacks for the week.  I still like printing out those affirmations and finding something salty and something sweet to keep him happy during the work day. However, I was getting tired of my options on the salty front. I really wanted to make something by hand, but nothing was jumping out at me then I remembered a Rachel Ray episode where she made baked garbanzo beans. At the time I thought they sounded delicious, but just forgot about them until recently. Well, they are delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I have made them three weeks in a row!  These crunchy little things are addictive and the seasoning is perfect. The cayenne pepper gives just the right kick. The only drawback to this recipe is that I have discovered that it's much better if you skin the beans which is a fiddly task. I have not found a clever way to do that. The first time you make these I would skip the skinning part and just see if you like them. I can almsot guarantee that you will!

Ingredients

• Two 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans)— drained, rinsed, skined and patted dry
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Place the chickpeas in a medium bowl.
3. Toss with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, cumin and cayenne until evenly coated.
4. Spread the chickpeas on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 25 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and quickly stir in the thyme.
6. Bake until crunchy, about 10 minutes more.
7. Let cool and serve at room temperature.

Happy Anniversary Joey!

Six years ago my life was very different.  I had just turned 40, I was single and I had no hope of finding a relationship.  "I Hate Boys Nights" were a weekly staple for Karolyn and me and consisted of pizza, mozzarella sticks and lots of wine.  We usually spent these nights wondering how two such fabulous people could still be single and why boys were such...well, weenies.  Tiring of our situation, though not each other, we decided to take action.  One drunken night Karolyn decided to join eHarmony and proceeded to fill out their lengthy questionnaire while I watched not two, but three episodes of "Will & Grace".  After that ordeal I was rather thankful they didn't accept people of my persuasion. However, not wanting to be left behind I decided to join Match.com at Karolyn's urging. Honestly, it couldn't be worse than my current options of Gay.com where I was working or ManHunt which was much more of a place for PNP than LTR. I was pleased that Match.com did lend itself more towards relationships and, honestly I had nothing to lose.

The very first profile that caught my eye was of this little thug "Lord of da Bling." My goodness he was the cutest thing I had ever seen, but I could not fathom that he would be interested in someone who's current schedule consisted of Knitting Class each Thursday.  Being too afraid to contact him, I bookmarked him for a time when I would get up the nerve to "wink." A couple of weeks went by and I finally decided to dive in and do the dreaded wink.  To my surprise I not only got a wink back but an email.  Hey, this guy is pretty smart and he seems to like me! A phone call followed shortly there after and I have to say, I was hooked. We talked for hours and I felt like I had known him forever.  We decided to meet in a couple of days at a bar near my house.  As luck would have it my ex and his exceedingly annoying new boyfriend also planned to be at the same bar that night, but you know what?  I didn't even notice they were there.  I only had eyes for one man that night and it was Joey.  That was six years ago today and I still only have eyes for that one man.

Joey, you make me so very happy.  I'm so glad you came into my life.

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

I can't imagine my life without the influence of Mexican heritage. When I was growing up Cinco de Mayo was one of my favorite times in elementary school.  The music, the dancing and most of all the food.  If I had to pick my favorite food it would be Mexican food hands down.  Give me some home-made tortillas, frijoles and cheese and I am a happy man. When I was five my mom actually taught me how to make flour tortillas and this was a skill that came in handy when I moved to Japan and buying tortilla at the marketing was certainly not an option.

Now Mexican food is not really known for being figure-friendly and when I found this recipe in my Weight Watcher's Take-Out Tonight cookbook I was skeptical.  How could one take the fat out of my favorite food and still have it be delicious?!  Well, this really does the trick.  While it is not authentic Mexican food, it has all the flavor and reminds me of a culture my life wouldn't be the same without.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground skinless turkey breast
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 (10-ounce) cans enchilada sauce
• 1 (4 1/2 ounce can) mild green chiles
• 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, halved
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 375° F. Spray a 7x11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 1 teaspoon of the oli., then add the turkey, half of the onions, half of the garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
3. Cook breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon until browned, about 8 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat.  Swirl in the the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, then add the remaining onions, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the oregano, and cumin.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well softened, about 8 minutes.
6. Stir in the enchilada sauce, chiles, and vinegar and bring to a boil.  
7. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until the flavors are blended.  About 10 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
9. Arrange on-third of the tortilla halves in an overlapping layer on the bottom of the dish.
10. Spoon one-third of the turkey misture over the top; top with one-third of the sauce and sprinkle one-third of the cheddar.  
11. Repeat the layering twice.
12. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
13. Remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes longer or until the cheese in bubbly.
14. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Joey Recommends - Poc-Chuc

Poc-Chuc is a little hole-in-the-wall gem! I've never had Mayan fusion food so I was extremely excited to see what it was all about. Walking in I was taken aback by how the decor was really bare-bones but in reality it demonstrated how this experience would be the real deal without all the flash.

For starters we shared the "appetizer sampler" which was amazing. Of the five items on the plate my favorites were the empanada and the salbute. The tortillas are obviously freshly made because it truly makes a difference. And thank goodness they provided a small stack of tortillas and refried beans on the side. I couldn't get enough!

For my main entree I ordered the seared duck breast topped with orange-honey sauce & served with sauted Napa cabbage and mashed potatoes. I'm a big duck fan and this particular duck was seared to perfection, leaving an extremely moist breast meat. And the cabbage was also prepared excellently.

I heard that the slow braised chicken thigh is a crowd pleaser so we'll definitely be back for more! Also they do not have a liquor license so you can bring your own wine and there is no corkage fee! Great deal, huh? You can bring a bottle of two buck chuck or a fine pinot noir of your choice. Poc Chuc is definitely a repeat in my book!

Poc-Chuc

2886 16th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103-3634

(415) 558-1583 | website

Mango Mousse

I live right up the street from Castro and make it down there almost every day whether to pick up some groceries or hop on the train to go downtown. Recently there has been a young man on the corner selling fruit. A few weeks ago I bought a huge box of the most delicious strawberries I have ever tasted and last Friday it was a big box of mangos. I figured that I could surely find some sort of recipe to use them in. Well, easier said than done. I found a few, but they just didn't look appealing to me. I searched and searched and was beginning to have buyer's remorse. What was I going to do with all these mangos? Finally I found one on BigOven.com.

This particular recipe uses Splenda instead of sugar so it's diabetic-friendly, which was perfect since I wanted to share this dessert with Joey's mom. I also have a huge bag of Splenda that I have been curious to use.  I followed the recipe to the letter.  The result was amazing.  It's a really creamy dessert with just the right mix of sweet and tangy.  It's also very light and fluffy so it's perfect for this time of year.  The time involved is a bit long since mangos are not fun to peal at all, but it's well worth the effort.

Ingredients

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups mango puree (2-3 mangos)
• 1/3 cup Splenda
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
• 1 cup heavy cream - well-chilled

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water, let it soften for 1 minute, and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved.
2. In a blender blend together the mango puree, the sugar, and the vanilla, add the gelatin mixture, and blend the mixture well. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the yogurt.
3. In a chilled bowl beat the cream until it holds stiff peaks, fold it into the mango mixture gently but thoroughly, and divide the mousse among 6 dessert glasses or ramekins. 
4. Chill the mousse for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Garnish the mousses with mango slices, mint leaves, or a small chocolate wafer.