VAAAAAT? (version numero uno)

This article is about the most common reaction to exotic food, "WHAT?, WTF, VAAAT, DAMMN GURL YOU CRAZY"... and all of those other ghett-o sayings. So here it is folks... a frightening list of horrifying foods that people eat... VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED

BLACK CHICKEN 

Cooking on the Dark Side

Darth Vader: Chicken, I am your master. Now listen, I have to make a very hard decision. You see it's either turn you into a BLACK CHICKEN or remove this stinky mask from my face. 

Chicken: Well, Sir Darth Vader, what's the verdict...

Darth Vader: After the judges deliberated, we have reached a decision. I'm sorry, but you are not in the running to be the Next White Chicken. You are now a BLACK CHICKEN. 

I love Star wars and America's Next Top Model mash-ups (at least it made sense in my mind.)

Black Chicken, it's such a scary thought. What most chefs recommend is to keep it simple. It may look like an intimidating piece o' poultry to work with, but pairing it with simple, rustic ingredients is really the way to go. I found a pretty good recipe (if you're daring) that will satisfy your black chicken needs...

http://www.food.com/recipe/black-chicken-ginseng-soup-280444

Here's the link, tell me how it is....if you dare. 

As always, 

TMFC

My regrets to Gmail

Hello foody followers,

I'm sorry to say that I'm a waste to Gmail. In all honesty, I set up this account ONLY to have a blog. So to all of those Gmail lovers who I offended, my apologies, for I haven't written a post in nearly two whole months. I have misused the Gmail system, and I shall forever have a debt of gratitude for all its done to me and my food critiquing career...NOT.
So, I am back with a batch of new ideas and posts, so catch me on the other side of the weekend and you will see a REALLY fantastic article. I promise, from now on I will not let Gmail down.

TMFC

The Best Place to have a Birthday Dinner

H, H-A, H-A-P-P-Y, Happy Birthday, uh huh, Happy Birthday, oh yeah.

Birthday dinners are always so special. It is a really nice time to celebrate and eat some good grub. So here, foodys, I have created a list of the top 3 restaurants to go to for someone's special day.

3. Fogo de Chao- Beverly Hills, CA
http://www.fogodechao.com/

Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian steak house that is so scrumptious you won't want to stop eating. Although I have never been there personally the stories people tell me about the restaurant is so thrilling (thank you Senor Peixoto.) It is an endless buffet of the best Brazilian meats. The servers keep giving you more until you are so full you are about to burst. Not only do you eat fantastic food, the restaurant itself is beautiful and it is really fun to people watch. Perfect choice for an amazing birthday dinner.

2. Chart House- Malibu, CA
http://www.chart-house.com

Chart House Restaurant is a yummy restaurant that serves comforting food that will fill you up. The one thing I love about the food there is that it is so simple but so delicious. Each dish is packed with flavors that makes you want to lick your plate, even though it is as simple as steak and potatoes. The scenery is so pretty. When you walk inside, it is beautifully decorated with welcoming booths, nice staff and a view of the ocean. Once you are finished with your dinner, just step outside and stick your feet in the water. It is an amazing place to celebrate your special day.

1. Benihana
www.benihana.com

Benihana is so much fun. It is very closed off, but the inside of the restaurant is phenomenal. You sit at a table intact with a grill and watch the chefs cook for you. You can watch them catch the tails of the shrimp in their hats or make a volcano out of the onions. It is a very interactive meal that is fun to watch, but also delicious to eat. One of the best things is the green tea ice cream, complimentary on your birthday!

So, it's up to you to decide which restaurant is your "birthday restaurant", but I have just given some fantastic suggestions that will make your birthday a real treat!

TMFC

Check In

Howdy,

I haven't been writing lately so I just wanted to check in, say my "hellos". The creativity/food part of my brain has been a little dry lately, but expect something good soon. I think that it is a good idea to write some ideas down in this post and then you guys can comment and tell me which post you want to see. So here are some ideas

1. Exploration of food from different parts of the world
2. "Chopped" Recipe (using ingredients that don't usually go together and make them into something delicious, this will probably be a video)
3. Decomposing... I mean deconstructing dishes (ie a Cobb Salad, Pizza)

Please comment (or not!)

Ta ta for now,

The Moody Foody Critic

Doofy or Foody

As inspired by the brilliant critics at "Go Fug Yourself", I have created a new column for my blog. Instead of doing "Fab or Fug" I have created....dum, dum, dum, "Doofy or Foody". The "doofs" in this instance are those celebrity chefs who don't come across as very food-intellectual. The "foodys" are those who really are inspired by food and pursue their love by creating fantastic dishes. This week we have two people, one is a doof and the other is a foody....

MICHAEL SYMON vs. BOBBY FLAY

Michael Symon: Iron Chef Participant

Symon is a proclaimed chef who won an Iron Chef spot in 2007. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and now owns multiple restaurants, one of which is named "The B Spot" which is a nifty burger and bratwurst joint. So, is he foody or doofy? In my honest opinion, and the opinion of my younger sister who is co-writing this post, he is doofy. His food seems too normal and he acts sort of cocky and goofy on television. And for your information Michael, getting a tattoo of your favorite meat (pork) on your chest isn't attractive, (refer to the picture below... enough said.)

Bobby Flay: Iron Chef Participant, Owner of Mesa Grill, "Throwdown with Bobby Flay"

Flay is an accomplished chef who creates unique southwestern flavors at a gourmet level. His resume is complete with TV shows, successful restaurants and most importantly an Iron Chef position. He competes against tough competitors such as Marcus Samuelsson (winner of Top Chef Masters) and serves for a panel of judges whose collective calliber could reach the moon. And for those who watch Iron Chef notice that most of the time Flay gets chosen over every other Iron Chef, including Symon, and wins. 

Isn't he just adorable. 

Given the facts about each chef, I think we now know who is DOOFY and who is FOODY

The DOOFY award goes to...Michael Symon

and the FOODY award goes to...Bobby Flay (congrats)

Be Fearless to Food

Nowadays, people have mixed feelings about trying new food. Some people love exploring the culinary world and try new food whenever they can... however many people stick to the usual (mac n' cheese, meat and potatoes, hamburgers and hotdogs). But don't worry, the Moody Foody Critic is here to help scared people explore the fantastic world of FEARFUL FOODS (man, that was a mouthful...no pun intended). Our first fearful food is....drumroll please... GOAT CHEESE!!!

Many people are unfamiliar with the amazing cheese of the goat. Goat cheese is refreshing, but somewhat peculiar. Many are scared of its look, and most importantly its taste. Goat cheese has a tangy tartness that some people think is scrumptious, others think is atrocious. Have no fear goat cheese non-believers, I have given you some tips and recipes on toning down goat cheese. But first a story...

The Goat Cheese Dilemma

A Story by the Moody Foody Critic

Once upon a time, a man milked a goat. He thought to himself 'what could I possibly do with this delicious milk?' One day, while out in the fields, an idea popped into his mind... 'I shall make CHEESE out of this delicious MILK!' So he worked all day and all night to concoct the perfect cheese. What he finally got was his very own invention...GOAT CHEESE. He brought it into town to sell at the market. He tried and tried and tried, but no one would by his cheese. After several hours of sulking in the corner, an entrepreneur approached the cheese farmer. He tried a bit of the cheese, and LOVED it. 'Why, this is the most delicious cheese I have ever tasted! But, it needs to be toned down a bit.' After hours of thinking, the entrepreneur created a recipe that toned down the taste of goat cheese and blew everyone's mind...the end...not really.

Here is his recipe...

Goat Cheese Pizza (easy to make)

Ingredients

1 package of already made pizza dough (from Trader Joe's)

1 can of Trader Joe's pizza sauce 

shredded mozzarella cheese

goat cheese (either herb encrusted, with garlic or plain old goat cheese)

basil

suggested toppings: fresh arugula, roasted peppers, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Take out dough and let it rise for 20 minutes (sprinkle some flour on it). After it has risen, separate into two balls. 
3. Roll each ball out into pizza crusts. Don't make it too thin or too thick.
4. Put on the pizza sauce, the mozzarella cheese and then sprinkle chunks of goat cheese (use as much as you like, but putting to much or too little on might ruin the pizza.)
5. **At this point you can either put on the basil now to crunch it up in the oven, or put it on after the pizza is done cooking to add a nice freshness to it.
6. Put on your toppings. On my pizza, I like putting on mushrooms because it balances the flavor of the cheese really well.
7. Put the pizza in the oven for 18-20 minutes. When the crust is a light brown and when the cheese is bubbling, you know your pizza is done.
8. Let the pizza cool for 5-7 minutes. At this point, you can put on some more goat cheese (so you get the real goat cheese taste), basil or arugula. 
9. After it's done cooling, slice the pizza and eat it up!!

Goat cheese pizza is really delicious, put calms down the flavor. So be fearless and try this amazing pizza!

Piz(za)-out

The Moody Foody Critic

TOP CHEF

TOP CHEF... ahh what to say about it. It's inventive, creative and the food they make is spectacular. Once you watch, you're hooked (sort of like a Lay's Potato Chip... but not really). Although it's amazing to watch the food be made, I've always had a life-long dream  of making my own food like the Top Chefs. WAIT... 

IDEA!!!!

What if... you could do Top Chef at home. Wow, I can't believe I thought of that on the spot. All you need are your basic kitchen appliances and a couple of your closest foody friends and you're set! So stop reading this blog RIGHT THIS SECOND, go and have your own Top Chef competition in your own house... here are some tips

Tips on How to be a Master Top Chef in Your Own Home

By the Master Foody Doofus herself....

1. Always invite some friends over- It will be more fun to have a couple of people who are really into food participate. 

2. Get ingredients that aren't difficult to work with- Getting food like frog legs and cow tongue can be EXTREMELY difficult (trust me... I know), especially with inexperienced chefs. Try getting simpler ingredients like chicken, broccoli, pasta... things that can be cooked easily 

3. Don't burn the house down- Enough said

AND FINALLY

4. Don't get TOO competitive- I know it seems like fun on TV to really get into the competition, but getting too competitive can turn people away from you... and you don't want that in the kitchen.

So go along, shoo, doofy food lovers... go have your own fun and participate in the Top Chef experience

MAN(I-gotta)GO! Tata for now

The Moody Foody Critic