It’s been about five or so years since I’ve had a delicious plate of fried dough. Fried dough is a treat that’s usually relegated to Something Wicked This Way Comes carnival and/or those creepy run-down seaside boardwalks (most recently experienced in Santa Cruz).
Douse the dough with a little powered sugar and you have yourself a delicious treat.
It’s been about five minutes since I’ve had a delicious piece of French toast. In my opinion French toast is the king of breakfast foods. I think French toast is actually underrated. When you talk to folks about great breakfasts usually you get, “oh, the eggs are the best,” or “that place has the best pancakes!” You even get some buzz around the cup of coffee served. But, generally you don’t get French toast as the headliner.
I think this needs to change.
So, when FoodieChick and I were pointed in the direction of Em Le’s in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA we were actually very excited to try their “famous” French toast.
Having just completed the Big Sur marathon the day before Foodie Chick was primed and ready to eat. We figured out she burned about 4000 calories running the marathon. So, she was ready to start putting those calories back on.
Instead of wasting more written words the best way to describe the strangest French toast you'll ever see is to show you. Here is a little video essay about Em Le’s French toast…enjoy!
I was lucky enough to see FC cross the finish line at the Big Sur International Marathon in Carmel, California on April 26. FC knocked off her first marathon in about 4 hours and 20 minutes. The marathon touts itself as one of the hardest in the world (nice choice for a first marathon, FC! The race’s tag line is, “the best and worst marathon time you’ll ever have!”)
Any other marathon and FC easily breaks the 4-hour mark. Did I mention the headwinds were reported to be 25 knots on race day? Guess that’s what you get for running down a mountainous stretch along the Pacific Coast Highway.
Needless to say we are all very proud of FC. Nice work!

Happy Boston Marathon Monday! I wish every one of you runners good luck in the big race!
While I'm not running with the athletes of the Boston Marathon, I'm always inspired by this amazing event and I can only hope to qualify for it one day. In the meantime, I have been training for a marathon of arguably equal difficulty on the opposite coast. I'll be running the Big Sur Marathon less than one week from now, and I'm already thinking about what to eat before, during and after the race.
I have to admit that training for a marathon has forced me to reign in my usual eating frenzy, which makes for less dining out and a lot more homecooking. It also helps that Foodie Guy has been on a balanced-meal kick. To keep from getting too bored with grilled chicken, we've come up with some creative healthy dinners, and it's paid off. Amazing how much easier it is to run when you weigh even 5 lbs. less!
Of course I still crave hot fudge sundaes and Sal's Sicilian.
All that said, I thought I'd share just a few of my favorite snacks, treats and running fuel foods to get me to, and hopefully through, the big race. As you'll be told in many running blogs and magazines, not everything works the same for everybody, so don't try to switch up foods right before a race.
1. Pasta: Is it any suprise that every marathon has a pre-race pasta party? Hello carbs! Foodie Guy and I are hoping to get into the early bird seating this Saturday.
2. Graham crackers: I'm in the habit of eating a graham cracker or two before a long run, which always occur pre-breakfast. You have to have something in your stomach, and these are just right. I'll have them with me for Big Sur.
3. Orange slices: There's nothing better than receiving an orange slice from someone working your race route. I've received orange slices in several half marathons, and they perked me right up. I'm not sure if it worked more because of the sudden burst of flavor, or the sugar, but it works.
4. Chocolate and vanilla GU: I will never run long distance again without my GU. These 100-calorie packs make it easier to maintain my pace, but more importantly they're something to anticipate. A chocolate GU tastes more like a chocolate truffle at mile 19. Clif Bar makes something similar to GU called Clif Shot -- the difference being that it's organic.
5. Watermelon: I crave watermelon after long runs, and I eat a lot of it. It doesn't replace water and fluids, of course, but it helps me recover and replenish, until I remember to fill the Mets cup with Poland Springs again. I never drink enough water.
After Big Sur, the foodie eating returns again! We'll have plenty to report from our trip west.
Until then, happy dining (and running)!
FC
FoodieChick is a PTP’er making good on a Final Four wager...
Is there a better sporting event out there than the NCAA Tourney? (Foodie Chick insert: Yes, anything to do with baseball.) As much as I love baseball and relish opening day, for my money there is no better three weeks or so of sports than the college basketball tournament.
As the field of 65 is whittled to four, the supposed best college hoops teams rise to the top in a single elimination fight to the finish. This year being no exception,
With my brackets blown up after the second day (thanks a lot WVU and
Game one, food bet: If UConn won I’d be “forced” to eat a sundae from Angora Cafe. Not much of a death sentence, I know, but it would have been a major breech of a small diet I am trying to keep.
If you have not been to Angora Cafe on
Now, what would FoodieChick have to eat if
Just as I was thinking up terms, that catchy Burger King mini-burger commercial comes on. (Here it is if you want to view it.) Now, I won’t say which part of the commercial draws most of my attention, but it did spark my imagination for our basketball bet. If the Spartans won – it was a six pack of BK burger shots for FoodieChick – and they all must be eaten in one sitting.
By the way, how did it take so long for a major chain like BK to figure this one out? Who doesn’t love sliders? I think it’s a game changer for the fast food chains. Don’t be surprised to see the rest of the fast food world latch onto this idea. Brilliant, BK.
Anyway, back to the bet…
I won’t bore you with the gory details of the game, but having watched State mop up the Cardinals of Louisville a game before, I was very confident we’d be heading to BK in short order. And so it was.
Final score, Michigan State 82, UConn 73. A more joyous outcome I could not fathom. As much as I wanted to see Chick eat burgers, it was much nicer to see UConn lose. If you live in
The cliché is a picture speaks a thousand words. So, instead of describing the experience and moaning uttered by FoodieChick, I’ll let the camera do the talking.




Game two: As for that second bet, I took UNC and FoodieChick took Nova. Needless to say FC is scrubbing the toilet as I type.
I don’t foresee any more wagers on college hoops anytime soon…
Happy Dining!
FG
Foodie Chick P.S. Sliders or not, that was gross. All I tasted was the fake cheese (why did I ask for cheese?) and a TON of mustard. BK, why more mustard than ketchup??? Every bite reminded me of a hot dog, which doesn't say much for the burger.


Desserts
As I prepare for our Restaurant Week dinner tonight at La Voile, a restaurant that was transplanted from Cannes to Newbury Street with a dessert menu that includes Le Plateau de Fromage Français "devant vous" (classic French cheese platter), I'm reminded of a late-night dinner spent at Gaslight Brasserie in the South End with ma mere.
Putting my college French lessons to good use in this entry.
My mom flew in late one Friday night from Oregon, and I decided to drive her straight to Gaslight Brasserie for dinner, where there's plenty of free parking even on a Friday night. All I wanted at the time was Escargots de Bourgogne, but I learned that the little garlic and parsley, butter soaked snails tend to sell out early in the evening. (I returned another time to enjoy them, and I can see why they'd be a hit.) Instead, I ordered the Fondue Piemontaise avec saucisson et croutons (see photo) plus the Shaved Beet Root Salade for good measure.
Beets cancel out a skillet of melted cheese, right?
My mom ordered the Roasted Salmon Filet with garlic braised escarole and vinaigrette of lemon confit. And we both tore into the fresh loaf of French bread.
Everything was simple, fresh and delicious, but my favorite by far was the fondue. As a cheese fanatic (my daily snack lately has been a slice or two of ripe tomato and fresh mozzarella), I couldn't resist cleaning the dish. The croutons were the perfect scooping utensil, though the French bread helped us soak up the last bits.
If you haven't been to Gaslight Brasserie yet, head over there for some fine, fun fondue au fromage and other classic French brasserie cuisine. I'll report on La Voile after what I'm sure will be yet another wonderful dinner tonight.
Foodie Chick's Casse-Croûte de Fromage (aka Rolo's Bruschetta)
Want the perfect snack for yourself or a quick appetizer for friends coming to visit?
Here's all you need:
Small block of fresh mozzarella
Loaf of fresh French bread
Three medium ripe plum tomatoes
Fresh basil
Garlic salt
EVOO
Ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease 1 cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Slice and cube fresh mozzarella. Set aside.
3. Slice and cube fresh tomatoes. Set aside.
4. Slice French bread diagonally. Arrange slices on cookie sheet.
5. Drizzle light layer of EVOO and light sprinkle of garlic salt on each slice of bread, then top each with a teaspoonful of your tomatoes then a teaspoonful of your cheese.
6. Top each slice with basil, either whole leaf or shredded as preferred. (You could also use Italian seasoning, though fresh basil is best.)
7. Finish off with a dash of fresh ground pepper.
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted.
9. Serve immediately!
Happy dining!
FC

Don’t get me wrong, I could not be happier living with FoodieChick. Each day is a culinary delight and I am exposed to more new foods and restaurants than I can keep track of. But, like all good things, they must be done in moderation. Eating included.
Here in the harsh climes of Massachusetts, weather events bring mounds of snow and the sharp bite of winter drives many of us to hibernate. Although, when bears hibernate they eat as much as they can to store up fat and nourishment to get them through the long winter.
We humans – well – we sorta just eat our way through it.
Starting with November 2008 in Italy and continuing through last week, I’ve packed on literally dozens of unwanted lbs. It was only the finest meats, buffets, breads and desserts for this guy.
Massive consumption of food coupled with a crippling basketball injury, rendered this usually healthy wannabe-athlete a fat blob. A notion FoodieChick would probably dispute, but nonetheless, it’s a fact.
Over the past few months I’ve scarffed down a dizzying array of “birthday party” foods, including, but not limited to, an egregious amount of pizza, burgers, dogs, ice cream, chips, fries and cake. It’s time the madness stopped. It’s time for FoodieGuy to right the ship with short stint of calorie deprivation.
With that, I wanted to offer up a healthy meal of mine (see photo above and recipe below), plus some tips for making the most of time spent sans birthday party foods. A lot of these tips have been widely reported and I’m sure you’ve heard them all before, but here they are again.
A lot of “experts” say dieting does not work. I tend to agree with them. You really need to change your lifestyle if you want to keep weight off. If you exercise regularly, eat normally and drink a lot of water, you should be fine. Unless eating “normally” is Phelpsian.
For those of you looking for diet foods, here is something I cook up that is delicious, nutritious, filling and can be low calorie if you do it right. Basically, it’s rice and beans. Clearly, this is a lot more than one serving. And this is something every male human can make in 10 minutes.
You’ll need a grill or pan to brown the meat, a sauce pan/small pot and a large pot.
Instructions:
Enjoy!
Optional: Throw in anything else you find that you like. When dieting stay away from the red meats.
Happy dieting, uh, dining!
FG
