EATIN' "BIG EASY"-STYLE IN ... BERKELEY?!

Memorial Day weekend is the special three-day weekend that unofficially kicks-off the summer. Each year the grills around the country become ablaze with heat, and heaps of burgers, steaks, hot dogs, and other grill-able edibles are cooked much to everyone's delight. Sizzling burgers seem to go perfectly with ice-cold brews, and the added sounds of friendly chatter among people from all sorts of places only adds to the holiday weekend's allure. While we honor those who've lost their lives in defense of our country on this special weekend, we also take the time to relish in great memories with family and friends.

I must say, however, that being in San Francisco this past holiday weekend was a little less summery, and more blustery at best. At times I felt like I was traipsing along 5th Avenue in NYC, as opposed to San Fran's Union Square. The visions of people in coats, scarves, hats, and gloves screamed "London in winter" more so than it did "San Francisco." Wait, it was still May this past weekend, right? (Or was it March?! I kid.)

Being the acclimated Angelino, I took to the streets of San Francisco sans a coat or jacket. And despite the fact that I've traveled to San Fran many-many times, and each time I have accepted the fact that I'll never catch a 'warm' break there, I still failed to pack a jacket in my suit case. I did come close to purchasing a hot jacket by CoSTUME NATIONAL, but the $1,000+ price tag scared me off. Oh well. I was destined to brave the cold... and that is exactly what I did.

As usual, the San Fran trip was food-filled. But the highlight of this culinary experience wasn't found within the city's 7x7-miles. This time around, I got a down-home "NoLa" meal in the heart of -- wouldn't you know - Berkeley.

You heard me right, Sherlock.

Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen is a little spot tucked away along busy Shattuck Avenue, which is dotted by everything from banks and ATMs to bars, cafes, and coffee houses. In a most unassuming way, Angeline's skillfully brings a taste of New Orleans to the cornflake-ish suburb of Berkeley; a perfect addition to a busy promenade that features a full array of ethnic tastes and flavors. With the aroma of pad thai, samosas, and freshly brewed java filling the air, you probably wouldn't even realize that this gem is out there for all to see and experience.

We entered to place to find it packed. UC-Berkeley did have graduation ceremonies earlier in the day, so that surely added to the bustling pace of the neighborhood. We had to wait for about 20 minutes to be seated, which was fine. I was told that the wait would be well worth it.

New Orleans-Cajun standards are the big draw at Angeline's: po' boy sandwiches, etouffee, jambalaya, and gumbo --just to name a few. Hush Puppies are served with sweet butter, and Brussell Sprouts are caramelized and spiced to perfection. If you want catfish, then catfish you'll get. If you want crawfish... voila, it's yours. Creole/Cajun fans will surely enjoy this place. It's a "no frills" kind of joint, but meticulously clean and inviting. The waitstaff is super-friendly, and knowledgable. And the food - flavorful.

I actually stuck to a standard: fried oyster po' boy. The oysters were seasoned, breaded and fried to perfection; the bun nicely toasted, but still soft to bite. My side of cajun potato salad was a nice compliment to the sandwich, providing balance to my meal. While I didn't try the gumbo or jambalaya, which could easily make or break the credibility of a true NoLa-style restaurant, their po' boy was on-the-mark. If I could bottle it and take it with me wherever I go, I would. My Godsister enjoyed the Crawfish Etouffee, and her hubz went to town with the boneless fried chicken. Angeline does the "fried" thing uncanningly well. The only thing missing from the menu -- anything with "debris." Now you know a real NoLa restaurant will serve a good pulled-pork dish with debris... But hey, "A" for effort here regardless; debris or not.

Angeline's Fried Oyster Po' Boy

The experience ended with a shared order of warm beignets. And as soon as that was devoured, we were sent packing with food coma on our minds. If I could, I would've asked for a pillow and blanket right there, and called it a day.

Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen is a nice "get-away" in the little ol' town of Berkeley. It's a great addition to the area's food-scope, and is surely a place to "pass by, f'sure!"
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Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen, 2261 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, 510.548.6900

RED VELVET: FROM CAKE TO COOKIE

Red Velvet Cake.

It is easily the Grand Dame among cakes, especially in and around the Southern U.S. It is rich, heavy, and delectably sweet; virtually a heart-attack straight from the oven (especially if Paula Deen makes it... but hey, we all love us some Paula Deen!). You either love it, or hate it.

Photo from Feb. 13, 2008-post by Mary Audet on Blisstree.com

Red Velvet takes its name from the distinct color of the cake: usually a dark to bright red, or a reddish-brown. It is usually made of cocoa powder, flour, buttermilk, and tons of butter. Sometimes, the reddish tint is made from the use of food coloring or beets. Cream cheese butter-cream frosting is normally paired with the cake, but it is most popular with a butter-roux icing. (Is your mouth watering yet?)

In cupcakeries across the country, the Red Velvet cupcake tends to be a 'best seller.' This is probably due in part to the resurgence of the cake's popularity after it was featured in both Oprah Winfrey's show and O Magazine back in '06/'07. Since then, the cake has made its rounds as the celebrity cake of choice, showing up at birthday celebrations, weddings, and other special events.

One of Sprinkles' best: Red Velvet (Photo by Janelle Albino from the Mar. 11, 2008-post on "What I Ate Today")

In pop culture, the cake itself has made quite a name for itself. Much in the same fashion as the fabled Nieman-Marcus cookie story, there is an urban legend about a woman who ordered the cake while dining at NYC's Waldorf=Astoria Hotel. Because she was enamored by the dessert, she asked for the recipe. Subsequently she was billed heftily for the recipe alone. As a result, she spread the recipe far and wide via chain letter. Fact, or fiction?!

The Red Velvet craze, while infamous in its cake form, is also making its mark as a cookie. Check out this recipe from recipezaar.com:

SINFUL RED VELVET COOKIES
(Based on a Paula Deen recipe)

17 minutes | 5 minutes prep.
Serves 5-7; 24-30 cookies per batch

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) brick cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick, at room temperature)
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (18 oz) box red velvet cake mix
confectioners' sugar (for dusting)

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth (with an electric mixer)
2) Beat in the egg
3) Beat in the vanilla extract
4) Beat in the cake mix
5) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls
6) After batter is chilled, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF
7) Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon-sized balls, and then roll them in confectioners' sugar
8) Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2-inches apart
9) Bake 12 minutes; cookies should remain soft and gooey
10) Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar (if desired)
11) Top with cream cheese frosting to make even more rich, or serve as is

An interpretation of Red Velvet Cookies (Photo from Mar. 7, 2009-post on heidibella.com)

It's been said that this cookie takes the cake. Give it a try, and you be the judge!

FOODZIE FOR ME, FOODZIE FOR YOU!

Being the somewhat 'food-obsessed' person that I am, I always find myself stumbling upon stuff on the web that touches on anything from new recipes to the latest restaurant openings. Lately, I've been frequenting Foodzie, an online marketplace that specializes in products from "small passionate food producers and growers." Essentially, it's like an online Farmer's Market. One of the site's missions is "...to help the small food producers across the country find customers and grow their business," which - to me - is a noble effort.

Having spent over four years in the Los Angeles area, I have come to love the idea of the Farmer's Market. In L.A. alone there are markets in almost every enclave and neighborhood around. Within driving distance to my apartment, there are at least four or five weekend Farmer's Markets that thrive with the help of local businesses and food growers.

And it's not that I'm against corporate grocers. I am in love with Ralph's, and Vons, Trader Joe's, and all their friends. But there's really something special about small-scale artisan growers and producers. Like a Farmer's Market, Foodzie brings the community together... just on the world wide web.

Foodzie's vendors are from all corners of the U.S.: Tucson Tamale Company from Arizona, Wayne's Fine Foods from Illinois, Michele's Granola from Maryland, and Sunchowder's Emporia Jams from Florida are just a few. The site always features a special product (this month they highlight PavoneSonoma Sage Vinegar), a special producer (this month: Allstar Organics from Nicasio, CA), and a blog with interesting interviews with different vendors, features from media outlets and television, and lots of other cool stuff.

The site offers valuable info on how to become one of their "producers," as they are a perfect outlet for companies that tend to have limited distribution. By engaging in their online business, these companies are given the opportunity to share their products with a wider consumer base. And generally, their main draw is 'food.' Foodzie is not the place to go to if you're looking for the perfect kitchen tool. But if you're in Forks, WA, and are in the hunt for a bottle of McRae's Foods' Sweet n Sassy Mama's Backwoods BBQ Sauce from Huntsville, AL ... then Foodzie.com is home.

Afterall, home is where the heart (and food) is.