What have we always said is the most important thing?

[fresh herb omelet]

 
After talking with the other two happy eaters, it turns out we all had the same thing on our minds this week: Breakfast.
 
Katie and Laura have the sweet stuff covered, but I've got a savory tooth that would only be satisfied by something salty, eggy and sans a lot of carbs. Enter: the omelet. Or, as Jacques Pepin and the rest of ze French call it, ze omelette.
 
Omelets are super easy. And super easy to screw up. I was inspired to learn how to make the perfect omelet after I saw Wolfgang Puck instruct the latest contestants on Top Chef how he makes an omelet- and then they were to replicate it. My husband and I watched as the contestants struggled, for various reasons, to replicate his simple recipe with their own added twist. After the verdicts were handed down, my husband and I were silent for a long time. I knew what he was thinking. After what seemed like forever, he finally asked me the question I was dreading, "Do you know how to make an omelet?" I'm sure I defensively replied, "Pshyeah! Do you?!" I'm also sure I stayed away from making him eggs of any type for a couple of weeks (a difficult task for us- we go through about a dozen a week). I couldn't admit that I just wasn't sure.

As it turns out my omelet-how-to knowledge was hovering at around 60%, if you want to try to quantify it. Which I do. I was overstuffing. I was cooking it at too high a temperature. I was just letting it sit there. I was using Pam instead of butter. I was ashamed. Ashamed, I tell you. But then I watched a short video tutorial and gave it a go. And it was good.

Here are some easy, basic tips I took away from Jacques Pepin's video:
 

• Eggs, salt and pepper. That's it for the base.
• Make sure you've beaten your eggs enough so that you don't have pieces of egg whites in your pan.
• Use a non-stick pan and just a little bit of butter (1/2 tbsp) to coat.
• Pour your eggs into a low-medium hot pan. You don't want to cook your eggs too quickly.
• Add your fillings as soon as you put your eggs in the pan.  
• When your eggs start to cook (coagulate) around the edges, use your fork or a spatula to gently drag the cooked eggs towards the center (but don't scramble them). Then, let a 'crust' begin to form again. Repeat this process again. And again, if necessary.
• Gently fold your omelet in half while it is still fairly wet in the center. This keeps it from getting too cooked and breaking in half. I did this slowly using a spatula- a fork tends to tear.
• Let your omelet brown on one side and then flip it onto the plate (browned side up).

 
For my omelet, I wanted to do something simple, light and flavorful, so I went with what I had on hand: fresh basil, parsley, chives and thyme (about 1 1/2 tbsp chopped) with some grape tomatoes to garnish. I used 3 eggs, a little salt and pepper, butter in the pan and that's it.
 
 

[aww, look how those pre-birds are nestled in those fresh herbs]

 
 

[eggs, salt, pepper, fresh herbs]
 



[almost ready to flip]


*At this point I thought I was going to switch to a post about scrambled eggs with fresh herbs. But have faith in yourself and in Jacques Pepin. He won't lead you astray.   
 




[perfect]

 Until next time...




Wishing it was Saturday morning again

Happy Monday, Eaters! 

Has your day been as weird as mine? I find myself just wanting to go back to Saturday morning again... mainly because I made French Toast and it was awesome. 




You should totally try this next weekend (or tomorrow if you allow yourself more time for breakfast than I do in the morning). 

This makes 4 slices of French toast. Adjust accordingly...

1 large egg
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 
zest of 1 orange (I was too hungry to waste time zesting... it doesn't make or break the recipe, but I have a feeling I'd be happier with the amount of orange-ness if I had zested.) 
4 thick slices of bread
2 tablespoons butter

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, milk, orange juice, and orange zest. Pour onto a rimmed plate.

Soak each slice of bread in the milk mixture for 30 seconds per side. Don't leave them in too long or they'll fall apart. Yes, this happened.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium low heat. Fry the soaked slices in the melted butter until golden.  

Serve warm, topped with whatever your heart desires. For me, that meant strawberries and syrup. Yum. 

5&10 and 26

First and foremost I must wish one of my partners in crime a happy birthday! Twenty-five years ago today a sweet, naive, beautiful, sophisticated newborn baby was born in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm so,so glad our paths crossed. Happy Birthday, Katie!

Now, Katie and I are almost birthday twins(ies). And last weekend my husband and I celebrated my 26th birthday with an amazing dinner at 5&10 in Athens, GA. Chef Hugh Acheson is known for, among other things, his unibrow, his affectionate but biting wit as a judge on Bravo's Top Chef and his modern take on traditional Southern cuisine- all things that have made me eager to dine at his restaurants for quite some time now. Acheson won the James Beard award for Best Chef Southeast for his work at 5&10 last year, and this year 5&10 is nominated for its outstanding wine program. He's also the owner of The National in Athens and Empire State South in Atlanta.

[Bubbly]

My dining experience began with a bottle of champagne at our table and a first course- a perfect Caesar salad with Nueske bacon. I know, I know- a Caesar salad. There were so many beautiful looking first courses, but I have several unfortunate (but not life-stopping!) food allergies- nuts, mostly- that drove me towards that delicious Caesar salad. I am also a bit of a purist and don't like requesting that nuts be left off a dish. It just wouldn't be the dish it was supposed to be without that ingredient. Besides, did I mention it was perfect? I could and would eat it every day.

In between our first and second courses, the executive chef, Kyle, came out to our table to introduce himself and brought additional appetizers- foraged mushrooms with a fried quail egg on top of a slice of brioche with balsamic. Delightful. As it turns out, Kyle works with my husband's boss (hence the awesome, totally lucky, I'll-claim-it-as-a-birthday-miracle special treatment) at which point I couldn't help but think..



[you doooo? you know the ownerrrr?]
 

I digress. What I enjoyed most about 5&10 was that it was down to earth and inviting while still being creative and surprising. Obviously this is important and intentional- the decor, the service, the menu- all make you feel at home and excited to be there. If I could sum it up in a word it would be accessible... Understated. Classic. Delicious. Cozy. Unpretentious... You know what? Why do we impose so many rules on ourselves?  I'll use as many words as I'd like. Scrumptralescent.

I digress again. Acheson's desire to make good, updated Southern cuisine prominent and accessible extends beyond his restaurants and into his cookbook and to online magazines, where he gladly shares recipes for some of his menu's staple entrees like his Frogmore Stew, a take on the traditional low country boil. This is what I chose for my entree at 5&10 and I was delighted to later find this recipe on Food and Wine's website. I happily recreated it last night...

[ingredients, obviously]

I halved the recipe and my only substitutions were cherry tomatoes for plum (ahem- Dekalb Farmer's Market) and vegetable stock for fish stock. This was the biggest difference I noticed in taste- the absence of that briney, sea fishiness. However, fish stock and I don't mix thaaaaaaaat well. Vegetable stock it is.

[stewing away, almost done]
 

My re-creation and what I was served at 5&10 were very similar but not identical. As I mentioned earlier, mine was missing that extra flavor from the fish stock, but they were both extremely bright with a big hit of acidity from the tomatoes and the fresh lemons that simmer in the stew for the last five minutes. Neither had the strong cajun flavor I was expecting from a low country boil. The version I was served at 5&10 was served in a 'tomato and leek broth,' and what I made last night definitely had the consistency of a stew rather than a broth. I would love to make this again in the summer when corn is in season and sweeter- I think that would make a huge difference. All in all, it was pretty close and the recipe was not only easy to follow, but only took about 30 minutes. It doesn't get much better than that.

[Frogmore Stew]
 

Until next time...