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Bacon & Butter

July 30, 2013 by SacFoodies

On a recent weekday a good friend and I met for lunch at this much buzzed about midtown establishment to see if it truly lives up to its name.  We were not disappointed.  Known for long lines at Sunday brunch, the lunch hour was nicely low-key with plentiful seating.  We were in and out with time to spare, a necessary thing for a limited workday lunch break. 

Chef and owner Billy Zoellin has definitely created a dynamic, palate tingling menu.  I would expect nothing less from a chef that has learned from the who’s who of Sacramento restaurateurs – from Biba Caggiano to Randall Selland and Patrick Mulvaney.  If that wasn’t enough, you can also catch him making duck confit club sandwiches and smocked slaw-and-sausage pizza for the Golden Bear on an episode of the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”  Did I mention he’s only 29?
Now, let’s dive into the food. Options abound on this seasonal, locally-sourced and sustainably-focused menu, making our decisions difficult.  Do we go for the delectable sounding chicken and Andouille hash or b.l.t. omelet filled with heirloom tomatoes, bacon steak, watercress and brie?  Or, do we stick to the so-called “lunchish” options of grilled cheese sandwich with five kinds of cheese or the panzanella salad?   After much deliberation I picked the b&b burger and my friend chose the biscuit sandwich.

biscuit sandwich

b&b burger

Let me pause here and wipe the drool off my face.  Ok, I’m back.  I don’t throw accolades easily, but that burger was one of the best I’ve ever had.  Zoellin masterfully builds flavor by combining freshly ground beef with just the right amount of bacon inside and on top.  It’s juicy, perfectly seared, lightly seasoned and wonderfully balanced with the smoked aioli.  Add in some crisp shallot rings and havarti cheese and let the “trip to Flavortown” begin as Guy Fieri would say.  The side of smashed potatoes (masterfully poached, smashed then fried) is rustic yet light and unexpected.  I’ve never had potatoes served like this and I can’t wait to try it at home. 
My friend was equally enamored with her biscuit sandwich.  The housemade biscuit barely holds in the Beeler’s bacon (the Beeler family has been making premium bacon for six generations), cheddar cheese blanket and caramelized onions.  Top it off with an egg and chive mascarpone and you have a hearty breakfast that’s perfect for lunch.  Yum.
Long story short, do not pass Go!, do not collect $200, but head directly to Bacon & Butter for an affordable farm-to-table menu.  You won’t regret it!
Bacon & Butter
1119 21st St., Sacramento
(916) 346-4445
 

Categories // Restaurant, Reviews, Sacramento Area, Uncategorized Tags // Bacon & Butter, Burgers, Restaurant, Sacramento, Sacramento Restaurants

Peppermint White Chocolate Bars

December 21, 2012 by SacFoodies

Looking to add 18 ounces of delicious white chocolate to your life? Look no further than this recipe. White chocolate, vanilla and peppermint combine into a rich, creamy not quite brownie- yet not quite fudge-textured bar. Layered with mini chocolate chips then topped with a powdered sugar creation that includes sour cream (yes, you read that right) and you’ve got a veritable pantheon of delicious decadent flavor.
Peppermint White Chocolate Bars
Ingredients

Bars:
12 ounces white chocolate, chopped
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips

White Chocolate Peppermint Frosting:
6 ounces of white chocolate, chopped
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Garnish:
Crushed peppermint candies
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt white chocolate and butter over a double boiler over simmering water. Take off of the heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Whisk until smooth. Add flour and stir until combined. Pour batter into a 9” x 13” pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Cook for 28 to 30 minutes.
As soon as you take the bars out of the oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cool completely (don’t rush here as your frosting will never set on a hot surface).
To prepare the frosting, melt white chocolate in saucepan over medium heat; set aside to cool. Meanwhile, cream together the butter and powdered sugar (this can get messy until they combine, start on the lowest setting of your mixer). Beat in sour cream, vanilla, peppermint extract and salt. Beat on low until combined. Add the cooled white chocolate and beat until smooth.
Spread white chocolate frosting all over cooled bars. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
Recipe courtesy of Baked Bree

Categories // Uncategorized Tags // Dessert, Peppermint White Chocolate Bars

Berry Smoothie Pie

August 28, 2012 by SacFoodies

I came across this recipe from Taste of Home when searching for a colorful dessert and couldn’t wait to try it.  This pie is a breeze to make and so incredibly refreshing you wouldn’t guess it took you five minutes to create (plus refrigeration time).  Think of it as your favorite Jamba Juice strawberry smoothie on a graham cracker crust.  It’s also a great way to use all those delicious summer strawberries.
When it comes to the ingredient selection, I opted for classic cranberry juice over the reduced-sugar option recommended because I am not a fan of the reduced-sugar taste.  I thought it worked just as well even though it upped the sugar content.  I could also see substituting Greek-style yogurt for the raspberry yogurt to add a little tanginess.  When you serve a slice, don’t forget the whipped topping.  It adds a creamy dimension that takes the pie to the next level.  

Photo credit: Taste of Home

Ingredients
1 package (.3 ounce) sugar-free strawberry gelatin
1/3 cup reduced-calorie, reduced-sugar cranberry juice
3/4 cup (6 ounces) raspberry yogurt
3 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust (8 inches)
Fat-free whipped topping, optional
Directions
In a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cranberry juice; let stand for 1 minute. Microwave on high for 40 seconds; stir. Let stand for 1 minute or until gelatin is completely dissolved.
In a blender, combine the gelatin mixture, yogurt and strawberries; cover and process until blended. Pour into crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Serve with whipped topping if desired.

Categories // Uncategorized Tags // Berries, Dessert, Pie

Festive Frozen Yogurt Popsicles for Fourth of July

June 25, 2012 by SacFoodies

With the oppressive Sacramento summer heat bearing down on us, frozen treats can provide a welcome and cooling relief.  I was inspired by this PARENTS.com recipe for Confetti Yogurt Pops and decided to give this treat a try.  Sure, it is fun for kids but adults can enjoy this simple recipe too!

(Courtesy Parents.com)

Not only is the combination of low-fat yogurt and berries a healthy snack, I love the applications for red, white and blue pops (raspberries, blueberries and vanilla yogurt) during Fourth of July!  If you try it, be sure to cut the fruit pieces into smaller chunks (including the blueberries) because you will find it can be difficult to fit larger fruit chunks into the molds.  I found that I ended up mashing the raspberries more than I would have liked to get them to fit. 
After experimenting with different fruit combinations, I enjoyed the simple combination of blueberries (hello, antioxidants!) and yogurt the most.
What berries would you use for your sweet treat?
Ingredients
•    2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
•    1 cup assorted berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries)
•    5 pretzel rods, halved, or 10 baked snack stick crackers
Directions
1.    In a large bowl gently stir together the yogurt and fruit.
2.    Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups.
3.    Cover molds or cups with foil; use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick.
4.    Freeze until firm.
5.     Remove foil and mold or cup before serving.
Store for up to a month. Makes 6 pops.

Categories // Uncategorized Tags // Fourth of July, Fresh Fruit, Popsicles, Recipes, summer

BBQ Throwdown: A Primer for the Rest of Us on Cooking the Best Ribs “Evah”

May 29, 2012 by SacFoodies

Nothing says Memorial Day weekend like a good old fashioned barbecue competition.  In my neighborhood, our entire block gets together, dusts off our grills and spends all day Sunday concocting competition-worthy ribs.  The payoff?  The winner gets bragging rights and the honor to host the festivities the following year.  

As you can imagine, techniques and sauces vary from one extreme to the other.  We had grillers and smokers.  We had sauces that ranged from sweet to spicy to savory and in one case a sauce that actually included Monster Energy drink (the eventual rib cook-off winner!).

 
Every BBQ enthusiast has an opinion on how best to cook ribs.  In my household it comes down to four basic components: the rub, the sauce, the smoker and time.   We don’t go crazy with custom sauces but find that we get more than satisfactory results by keeping it simple and in some cases, going with store bought.  If you adhere to the following basic rules you too will be able to churn out competition-worthy ribs without breaking a sweat.
Rule #1 –It’s All About the Meat
Think of the meat as your canvass with which you create your masterpiece.  Would Michelangelo paint a gas station ceiling?  I don’t think so.  Meat is everything.  Our choice cut is St. Louis cut ribs (also known as barbecue cut or Kansas City cut).  This cut is essentially a slab of spare ribs without the rib tips.  Spare ribs tend to have more meat between the bones than with baby backs and there is more marbling which helps enhance the flavor.  Typically you’ll find the bones with spare ribs are straighter and flatter than baby backs.  Another bonus, spares are typically cheaper than baby backs.  Meat that won’t break the bank?  Sold.

Rule # 2 – Rub it In
After you’ve prepped your meat (rinsed and removed the membranes), it’s time for the rub.  Here’s a quick pro tip: coat your ribs first with store bought mustard (nothing but the finest French’s for us!).  Adding mustard keeps the rub on the ribs, helps prepare the meat to accept the flavors (thanks to the vinegar in the mustard), and makes a nice crust.  Don’t worry, the mustard flavor will burn off in the cooking process.  Now that you’re ready for the rub, decide which flavor profile you want to impart.  We like a little kick to our ribs to balance out the sweetness of the BBQ sauce so we favor Emeril’s Steak Rub (bam!).

Rule #3 – Timing is Everything
To properly cook ribs, plan on taking your time and plan on cooking low and slow.  This process cannot be rushed.  With a St. Louis cut, allow 5-6 hours at around 225 degrees F.  Because we can’t get enough of that gorgeous pink smoke ring, we use our bullet smoker with a digital thermometer (dial thermometers are unreliable).  Click here for a handy primer on how to properly set up your smoker.

Rule #4 – Get Saucy
It’s true that smoking ribs leaves some leisure time for a beer or two.  In this case, “get saucy” means the actual sauce.  The reality is not all of us have the time or interest to make our own hand-crafted BBQ sauce.  We use store bought and find it delivers excellent results.  Our recent favorite is Jack Daniel’s® Honey Smokehouse.  It adds a nice sweet depth and complements the flavors imparted by the hickory chips we use in our smoker.   Adding the sauce is really the last step in the process.  If you’ve used a smoker up to this point, fire up your grill to get some nice carmelization and seal in the flavor.  

Check out my smoke rings.

The bottom line with ribs is to adhere to these basics and experiment within the confines.  What other tips do you have for the ultimate BBQ ribs?  Leave them in the comments below.  

Categories // Uncategorized Tags // BBQ, Recipes, Ribs, summer

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