Dare I mention it?

Valentine's Day, that is.  Err...I guess I just chose to mention it.


Valentine's Day is a funny holiday.  Few holidays simultaneously elicit such fervent hatred and such gooey adoration.  And every time it rolls around, it's all anyone can talk about it.  Which is why I apologize for bringing it up in the first place.


This year I'm living in a co-op, and yesterday evening, we had an all co-op potluck at one of the other co-ops on campus.  (I promise, this story has a point).  There was music, dancing, a campfire, and lots of delicious food.  As we were sitting around the fire, this guy, who was obviously interested in my friend, asked her what she thought about Valentine's Day.  She immediately assumed a slight look of exasperation on her face--but she didn't respond with a standard, stereotypical answer. Instead, she put it simply:  "What's there to say?  I could tell you it's great, or I could tell you it's stupid.  We've all heard it before.  Frankly, who cares?"  


Touché.


So in honor of that sentiment, I'm going to post a recipe that certainly could have something to do with Valentine's Day, if that's what you want (it's dense and rich and packed with an entire pound of chocolate).  But it could just as easily be something you make for no other reason than, well, the fact that it has an entire pound of chocolate.  Because, really: if you're going to eat dessert, it better be chocolate.  And if you're going to eat chocolate, you might as well go all out.  


San Francisco Fudge Foggies 
(These Foggies won Chocolatier magazine's Great Chocolate Challenge some twenty-odd years ago.  The judges described them as "more than a brownie and beyond fudge."  You'll have to make them to see.  I promise you won't be disappointed)

Makes 16 foggies

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1/3 cup strong brewed coffee

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

8 ounces (about 2 cups) walnut halves, coarsely chopped

Position a rack in the center of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a double thickness of aluminum foil so foil extends 2 inches beyond sides of pan. Butter bottom and sides of foil-lined pan.

In top of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering water, melt chocolate, butter and dissolved coffee, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove pan from the heat. Cool mixture, stirring it occasionally for 10 minutes.

In large bowl, using a hand-held mixer set at high speed, beat eggs 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat 2 minutes, or until mixture is light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in chocolate mixture until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour. Stir in walnuts. Do not over-beat. Transfer batter to pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes, or until Foggies are just set around the edges. They will remain moist in the center.

Cool the Foggies in a pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours. Remove top foil and run a sharp knife around edge of Foggies. Using two ends of foil as handles, lift Foggies onto a plate and peel off foil. Invert them again onto a smooth surface and cut into 16 rectangles.

In Praise of the Egg.

I love eggs.


So imagine my delight when I made my way over to Epicurious this morning and saw this post by Regina Schrambling.  In case you don't have the energy to click on that link, I'll summarize: the USDA released a report on Tuesday stating that "eggs are lower in cholesterol and higher in vitamin D than previously thought" (link here).


So here's the thing.  I've always been a firm believer that eggs are healthy and delicious, particularly farm-fresh eggs laid by free-range hens (just one prime example of where supporting local farmers, the environment, and the humane treatment of animals coincides with better-tasting and healthier food!).  Eggs are satisfying, packed with nutrients (most of which are actually found in that often-demonized yolk), and a great source of vegetarian protein.  And they can be eaten so many ways.


Poached, scrambled, fried, or baked.  Eaten for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner.  I mean, really: what other food can claim that much versatility? Eggs truly are a miracle food.


I really don't need any convincing by the USDA to eat my eggs.  I gladly eat them every day.  But in honor of this newest study (and in case you need just a little bit more prodding to eat your eggs), here's one of my favorite egg recipes.  It's simple, it's quick, it's healthy, and it tastes great.  Enjoy!




SOFT SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH RICOTTA AND CHIVES
Adapted slightly from Bon Appétit.  You can find the original recipe here. 
Serves 1.
2 large eggs + 1 extra egg white*
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives (use more or less, depending on your personal affinity for chives)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1/8 cup fresh ricotta cheese**
salt + pepper to taste
Multi-grain toast


In a medium metal bowl, whisk eggs + egg white, chopped chives, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well blended.  Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.  When butter foam subsides, add eggs and gently stir, pushing in the outside edges of the eggs with a heatproof silicone spatula.  Tilt skillet slightly to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath.  When eggs are almost cooked but still runny in parts, turn off heat and add ricotta cheese.  Stir until just incorporated; you will still see visible clumps of ricotta, and the eggs should retain their soft appearance.


Arrange on two slices of toasted bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper.


*Original recipe calls for 2 eggs.  I like to add an extra egg white.  (Also, if possible, buy fresh, free-range eggs.  They really do taste better!)
**The fresher and better-quality your ricotta cheese, the better the dish will taste! (That being said, I often just use Precious brand, which you should be able to find in any supermarket.)  It's totally up to you if you want to use full-fat or reduced-fat ricotta (though I usually go for the low-fat).  Just steer clear of the nonfat--at the end of the day, you're not saving that many calories, and it's not worth the sacrifice in flavor.  Plus a little fat makes the dish more satisfying and will keep you fuller for longer!

Am I really doing this?

Well, I guess the answer is yes.

For anyone who knows me, I love food. I love cooking it, I love eating it, and I love talking about it. At times (read: most of the time) I talk about it enough to drive my friends and family crazy. So that's where this blog comes in. I've been thinking about starting a food blog for some time now, but I was worried there were already too many food blogs out there (which there are), that no one would want to read mine (which is entirely possible), and that, well, I just wouldn't know what to call it.

But I finally cast aside my fears and decided on a name: The Flexitarian Eater. According to About.com, " 'Flexitarian' is a term recently coined to describe those who eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat." Some do it "for health reasons, while others, for environmental reasons, only eat free-range or organic animals and animal products." Sums up my own eating habits pretty well; the only thing I would add is an "and" rather than an "or"-- that is, I eat "flexitarian" both for health and for environmental (as well as moral and ethical) reasons.

But don't worry: this blog is not meant to proselytize. I'm not trying to convert you to any specific way of life. In fact, I think that's the beauty of flexitarianism. It doesn't mean the same thing for anyone, and you can bend and mold and shape it however you see fit. At the risk of making a very bad pun, it's, well, flexible. Hence the name.

So what will you find on this blog? You're going to find food that tastes good great. Most of the time that great-tasting food is also going to be healthy, but sometimes that food is going to be a triple-chocolate brownie cheesecake. My goal is to show you that healthy food can and should taste great; that even the most die-hard meat-eaters can find vegetarian dishes they enjoy; and that when it comes to dessert, I usually believe in going all out.

So on that note, Bon Appétit!

(And yes, recipes will follow shortly)