Pumpkin Pancakes

One of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday morning is to eat a big breakfast with my hubby in our apartment. I live in New York City and there are a million amazing brunch places to eat, but sometimes it's nice to just stay indoors with your pajamas on and avoid the long lines (especially once the temperature starts to dip)! 

After brewing a warm cup of coffee, I scoured the internet for pancake recipes. With the changing season, I think we all get the compulsion to eat all the pumpkin things. Now this can go too far, what with things like pumpkin spice oreos (Disclaimer: I have not actually tried these and they may actually be delicious and probably toxic). But I think we can all agree that nothing says fall like pumpkin pancakes! I don't have a go to recipe, so I did my usual googling for recipes. The words "fluffy" really got my attention in this recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes. It's hard to determine what's going to be a recipe winner and sometimes you've gotta go with your gut and hope that the Internet gods don't screw you. 

This recipe turned out to be a winner indeed. Definitely fluffy (I mean look at that beautiful stack of pancakes)! As for the making of the batter I only have a few tips. First, always remember to melt your butter early on so it can cool adequately. You don't want warm butter curdling your eggs (and no that's not code for something else).  Second, sift your dry ingredients together, it will make for a less lumpy batter. Finally, the hardest part of making pancakes to me is figuring out the right temperature for my skillet. My first one always ends up slightly burnt on top and undercooked inside. I recommend using a little bit of batter to make a tiny, sacrificial, practice pancake. If you screw it up, you can share that one with the trashcan. 

 

After the first sacrificial one, I had some beautifully brown, fluffy pancakes. This recipe makes 12 pancakes, so come to the table hungry or invite some friends. Because what is better than breakfast food, right Leslie Knope?!

The Blue Fig

The Blue Fig - Blue cornmeal waffle with bananas, whipped cream, fig reduction.

One of the joys of moving to San Francisco has been the plethora of restaurants to choose from. Last weekend we went to Yelp in search of a breakfast/coffee place and landed upon The Blue Fig. The Blue Fig opened up in the Mission district a couple of weeks ago. This quaint cafe has some steep competition what with being right next door to Ritual Coffee. But the Blue Fig's emphasis is more on the food than the coffee - serving up waffles, pastries, and sandwiches.

Chai Latte and Soy Latte.

The Blue Fig was hopping when we arrived around 10am on Saturday - with every table taken but one. Not that there are a ton of tables - approximately 12-15 seats in the place, with an extra 4-5 outside. They were a little shortstaffed, with one woman serving as cashier, barista, and waitress all in one. The chef was right behind the counter, making waffles and eggs. He helped out, delivering our food to our table himself.

We ended up choosing the signature "Blue Fig" waffle, bacon waffle, and a soy and chai latte. The lattes were rather standard, reminding me somewhat of Starbucks. Our food took a little longer than usual, but came off hot from the griddle. The Blue Fig is a blue cornmeal waffle served with bananas, whipped cream, banana syrup, and fig reduction. I was expecting more of a bright blue, than the lavendar waffle that appeared. The sundae that was served on top also took me by surprise - there was enough whipped cream for an episode of Double Dare! But I digress, the waffle was rather interesting, with a spongy texture. The fig reduction was incredibly tangy and complex, which worked well with the sweet bananas and whipped cream. I'm not sure I would order it again, as I prefer my figs whole, but it certainly was a different experience.

The bacon waffle was more traditional, but just still unique in its own right. A buttermilk cornmeal waffle is made with bacon inside of it, which is then topped with bacon and scrambled eggs. The salty bacon worked really nicely with the waffle and eggs. Drizzled with maple syrup - this really hit the spot.

I like the vibe of Blue Fig - a neighborhood joint with some decent eats, and friendly staff. On our way out we asked the chef to recommend some good bakeries. He pointed us to Arizmendi's bakery a couple blocks away, which was serving up free goodies that day! Waffles plus baked goods = an excellent start to the weekend.

The Blue Fig

990 Valencia St.

San Francisco, CA

What's for Breakfast?

Steel cut oats with blueberries and maple syrup.

Happy Monday!

Whole wheat toast with homemade cherry jam and a free-range fried egg.

Good Morning! I am going to be posting pictures of things I eat. Sometimes I may post every meal, other days I may just post one picture.

Today's breakfast is a classic. I love toast with jam. The crispy, warm bread really makes my morning. AJ also made me a fried egg. What a great way to start the morning.

"They're Magically Delicious!"

General Mills Variety Pack: Lucky Charms, Trix, Golden Grahams, Cheerios, Honey-nut Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch

I don't know about you, but I love cereal. I loved it as a kid, eating a big bowl on a Saturday morning while watching cartoons. I loved it in college - I practically lived off the stuff when my food budget was low. In the past couple of years I have been eating less cereal. I don't know exactly how it began, but it may have involved the transportation issues of bringing milk and cereal into the office. I also found it difficult to finish a half gallon of milk by myself before it spoiled.

This morning, however, I was just craving some cereal. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted, but I wanted something nostalgic. Perhaps Lucky Charms, with their deliciously crunchy marshmallows? Or maybe some Cinnamon Toast Crunch, that sugar-cinnamon milk left in the bowl is reason enough. Decisions, decisions. I ended up going home with the General Mills Variety pack!

The variety pack was a thing of beauty - 8 different kinds of cereal to choose from! Due to the exhorbitant pricing, my mom would rarely allow us to indulge in the variety pack. Her decision may also have been influenced by the high sugar content, and the battle among her children for the coveted box of Lucky Charms. Well now that I'm on my own, I can buy what I want.

I selected the Golden Grahams this morning, adding in some sliced bananas (now it's a balanced breakfast!) AJ went for the combo of frosted and honey-nut cheerios. Mm sugary goodness.

So tell me, how do you feel about cereal? What's your favorite kind?

"You can make me banana pancakes(or blueberry), pretend like it's the weekend...

Blueberry Buttermilk Whole Wheat Pancakes with Maple Syrup.

There is nothing like eating pancakes on the weekend. A sit-down breakfast with friends in the comfort of you own home is the perfect way to start a Saturday morning. I had just purchased some blueberries from the Farmer's Market, and I knew those would be great in some whole wheat pancakes. I used my friend the Gastronomer's recipe for buttermilk whole wheat pancakes, using white whole wheat flour.

Start by sifting the flour with the dry ingredients.

This recipe comes together in a cinch. Make sure you have all your ingredients lined up - like the buttermilk and eggs so you're not scrambling around in the morning. I didn't have buttermilk. But you can make your own! Just add two tablespoons of lemon juice and let it sit for 10 minutes or so. Then you can proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Wake up Justin it's time for pancakes!

When the batter comes to together, turn the oven on to 200 degrees. Grab a sheet pan and place it in the oven. This will provide a place to keep those pancakes warm. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Spread a dab of butter in the pan. I used a 1/4 cup to pour the batter forming about 5 in pancakes. The trick to adding the blueberries is to wait a minute until the batter has cooked on the bottom. Then you can sprinkle the blueberries on top and they won't roll away!

Batter is ready! Heat up that griddle!

I cooked my pancakes for 2-2.5 minutes on one side and then 1.5-2 minutes on the other side. You may have to adjust your heat depending on your stovetop. Keep an eye on those bubbles, this means its time to flip! When the pancakes is cooked through place it in the oven until you have made the whole batch.

I poured my batter in and after a minute or so of cooking, I added the blueberries on top.

I ended up with 6 pancakes - which was perfect for the three of us. These pancakes were light and fluffy, with a nice tartness from the blueberries. A little maple syrup adds the perfect touch of sweetness. We also served up some fresh strawberries on the side. Now that is my kind of breakfast.

Big Bites!

The Pork Store - San Francisco

Walking down Haight St.

After a night out in San Francisco, I was ready for a hearty breakfast to reenergize the batteries. We walked past Magnolia Pub and Brewery down Haight St in search of a good spot. Ed recommended the Pork Store, calling it a Haight St. "institution". His strong words piqued my interest. We entered the restaurant a little before 10am. On weekends, a line begins to form soon after 10am.

Chocolate chip pancakes.

This little hole-in-the-wall seats approximately 15-20 people. We were lucky enough to grab a table with only a five-minute wait. It pays to get here early. The service was pretty good, with our waitress refilling our cups frequently and little wait for our food. The coffee exceeded my expectations. It was smooth enough to drink black (I usually prefer a little half-and-half and sugar).

Veggie scramble with biscuits and hashbrowns.

AJ ordered the chocolate chip pancakes. To our surprise there were no chocolate chips in the batter! They were just sprinkled on top. These pancakes were nice and fluffy, however, I would have appreciated some chips in the batter. While the pork store certainly doesn't cater to vegetarians, I opted for the vegetarian scramble - filled with peppers, onions, and spinach with some zesty salsa. I really enjoyed the spicy kick that was delivered with the eggs. The hasbrowns were well prepared - nice and crisp with a good potato flavor. Most entrees come with a choice of biscuits or toast. I couldn't resist ordering the biscuits, and I wasn't disappointed. These were warm, buttery, and fluffy. I added a dab of butter and some strawberry jam - yum!

Bottom Line: If you're hankering for some comfort food and a super casual atmosphere, look no further than the Pork Store. From pork chops, to eggs, to pancakes they have your breakfast needs covered.

Hello from San Francisco!

AJ and I did some sight-seeing and couldn't resist this photo opportunity. Here's wishing you some tasty travels in San Francisco!

The Pork Store

Haight St

San Francisco, CA

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes with Organic Vanilla Ice Cream.

So I have definitely been in the baking mood. One thing I used to love as a child was breakfast for dinner. You mean we can have pancakes for dinner?! Oh the excitement. I wanted to recreate that joy with some whole wheat pumpkin pancakes.

I came across a recipe on the blog "We Are Not Martha" for pumpkin pancakes. They used Trader Joe's pumpkin puree, which is what I had in my pantry! I figured that was a sign. I followed the instructions to a T. The batter was quite thick, and the pancakes were a little denser than I would have liked. The pumpkin flavor could definitely have been amped up. I served mine with vanilla bean organic ice cream and some pumpkin butter to boost the flavor.

While not my favorite pumpkin pancakes, they were still tasty. I think I'll keep looking for that perfect pancake recipe.

Smiles for pumpkin pancakes and eggs!

1.5 out of 3 JAMs

Post Party Brunch - Revisiting Metro 29 Diner

Delicious homemade challah french toast!

After a fabulous party of dancing and celebrating late into the night with my favorite people, I was ready for a nice breakfast to recharge my batteries. When we found out the wait at the Original House of Pancakes was going to be over an hour we headed to Metro 29 diner. I was a little skeptical that the wait would be better, but they run a tight ship over there and are good at getting people in quickly (paying for the bill was another story).

Malia and I had eaten dinner at Metro 29 a month or so ago, and while we enjoyed our meal, we felt that breakfast would probably have been better. My friend Michael had recently told me about their amazing french toast, so I knew what I would be ordering. Our food came to the table a little slowly, but it was worth the wait. Two huge slices of challah are dipped in egg and cooked on the griddle. While, this would have been better with maple syrup (they had corn syrup), it was still toasty and fluffy with a nice sweetness. Mmm, everyone agreed this french toast is done to perfection.

Bacon, egg, and swiss on whole wheat.

Chowin' down.

AJ, Mike, Sunny, and Bird opted for the breakfast sandwiches. AJ is always in search of a good breakfast sandwich. A lot of places don't use real eggs (which he hates) or they make them real greasy. These sandwiches met both of these tests. His only complaint was that it would have been better on a nice roll.

A little hasbrown with your ketchup?

Sunny and Mike both ordered up some hashbrowns. They were crisp yet tender and a little salty. These sides were definitely meant to be shared, so go in on these with a friend.

While the restaurant does a good job with getting people seating and serving its patrons, paying for the check was a disaster. We needed to split the bill and the cashier seemed to have no idea what she was doing - staring at the screen for long periods at a time. She mischarged several of my friends, and just generally halted the payment process for all the patrons. Some people behind us were grumbling about walking out without paying. We felt bad, but really she should know how to split a bill.

Overall, a very satisfying breakfast. I would say that if you are heading to Metro 29, opt for the breakfast items over the dinner options. Oh, and you might want to bring cash.

1.5 out of 3 JAMs

Adventures in Northern California

Capitola Beach - surf competition.

AJ and I were lucky enough to take a trip to Northern California to visit his Uncle in Los Gatos (about an hour south of San Francisco). I could not have been happier with the weather, 70 degrees and sunny, a nice respite from the frigid East Coast. We took in the sights - surfing, mountain views, and sun.

75 degrees and sunny - could life be better?

DAY 1

Our first night in California we had the pleasure of watching the Golden State Warriors play from the 8th row back. (Thanks Uncle Peter!) These seats were perfect and we got to watch them win a game (a rarity this season). We headed toward the stadium early in order to avoid traffic, and decided to stop in Oakland/Berkley boarder for a bite to eat before the game. The downtown area is very cute, lots of restaurants and shops. We ended up eating at a chain, Pasta Pomodoro. For an italian chain restaurant we were very pleased with the quality and creativity of our dishes.

Pesto dipping sauce and foccacia bread.

Our server was very friendly and immediately brought us out some pesto and olive oil for our complimentary foccacia bread. The pesto was full of bright basil flavors. The bread was soft, but a little cold. But better than one would expect from this type of restaurant.

Farro and grilled vegetables with parmesan.

I ordered the farro with grilled vegetables and parmesan, while AJ ordered the pesto with whole wheat capatelli. I only vaguely remembered that farro was some sort of whole grain, and decided to order it out of curiosity.

Butternut squash ravioli with fried sage, crushed amaretti cookies, and parmesan.

Before our entrees arrived AJ and I split the butternut squash ravioli. This was definitely the hightlight of the meal. The ravioli were filled with sweet creamy squash and topped with fried sage, crushed amaretti cookies, and parmesan cheese. For those of you who think sage is too overpowering, this is the best way to eat it - the frying process mellows out the flavors and makes for a lovely crunchy topping. The amaretti adds to the liquorice flavors and the saltiness of the cheese cuts the sweetness of the squash. These raviolis could put some gourmet versions to shame.

DAY 2

We woke up bright and early the second day of our trip, and ended up visiting the charming "historic downtown" Campbell. Did you ever notice that "historic downtown" is a requirement on all signs even if a town was established 30 years ago? The "downtown" area only lasted a couple blocks, but there was a huge crowd swarming around one restaurant in particular - Stacks. It appears this is the place to eat breakfast on the weekends. Stacks offers all your breakfast favorites - omelettes, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, and their signature "stacks".

Coconut macademia banana pancakes.

After debating whether or not to get the lumberjack pancakes, a combination of wheat germ, blueberries, raisins, walnuts, and bananas, I decided to go with the more tropical themed coconut macademia banana pancakes. A full stack is listed as three pancakes, the short is two. AJ wanted to try some, so I went with the full stack. They initially brought out just one, which as is turns out would have been enough for me. These pancakes are the size of a plate. Surprisingly not too sweet, the coconut and nuts provided a nice crunch and texture. The warm sweet bananas were delightful. These pancakes are best served with a little butter and warm syrup.

Where ya at, where ya at? (AJ is excited for breakfast)

AJ got the manly "Stacks breakfast sandwich" - scambled eggs, ham, bacon, cheese, tomato and avocado all piled high on an english muffin. Piping hot, this sandwich is more than filling. I enjoyed my first bite - the sweet tomato and avocado livened up this protein feast. A couple more bites and reality set in. There are a just a few too many flavors going on here. The english muffin was dry and bland. I would have prefered this on a toasted bagel or multigrain toast. Unfortunately, Stacks doesn't bake its own bread.

Stack's Big Breakfast sandwich - ham, bacon, tomato, avocado, eggs, and cheese.

After our breakfast we walked around Campbell and then to downtown Los Gatos to check out some shops. After burning off our breakfast we stopped into Icing on the Cake to fulfill our sugar cravings. AJ's uncle likes to say that he will never move from Los Gatos because of this bakery. He is that in love with their cake. We decided on a caramel cupcake and a chocolate chunk brownie cookie. We headed to Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company to compliment our goodies with a coffee.

Los Gatos Coffee Brewing Co. - Amaretto latte and mexican mocha.

The coffee was the perfect compliment to our sweet treats. The mexican mocha had a very strong espresso flavor with a subtle chocolate flavor. If you love a strong coffee with a hint of cocoa, this is the drink for you. AJ and I preferred the amaretto latte, with a hint of sweet almonds.

Caramel cupcake from Icing on the Cake!

The cupcake was the winner of this afternoon snack. The frosting was buttery, light, and full of rich caramel flavor. The chocolate chip cookie was cloyingly sweet. The chunks of brownie tasted too much like chocolate chips.

Chocolate chunk brownie cookie.

Buttery caramel cupcake.

That evening we met up with some old friends in Mountain View for some ramen noodles. I had never been to a noodle bar before, and the novelty was quite fun. The seating is communal style, around a U-shaped bar. You may have to wait a little while to be seated if your party is larger than 2. Our friend Austin has some experience visiting Japan, so we deferred to him to interpret the menu. All of the bowls come with a flavored broth and similar accoutrements - hard boiled egg, pork, seaweed, and scallions (FYI: you can order more vegetables or meat at an extra cost). At Austin's recommendation AJ and I ordered the sesame broth.

Ryowa Ramen - sesame broth with pork, egg, noodles, scallions, and seaweed.

The broth was extremely salty, full of pork flavor. I couldn't taste much sesame flavor, and to be honest couldn't tell the difference between this broth and the miso. The noodles were of good quality. I added hot chili paste to the broth, and that really made all the difference. If you're in the mood for some spicy noodles, this should do the trick. The noodles cost around $6, but could definitely fill you up for two meals. We also ordered some potstickers. These were crispy on the outside with a nice pork and scallion filling. These were my favorite of the evening.

We ended up in Palo Alto at Red Mango for dessert. For those of you who haven't experienced the yogurt craze sweeping the nation, jump on the bandwagon already. The yogurt is tangy and not too sweet. I highly recommend the tart pomegranate flavor loaded with fresh raspberries and blueberries.

DAY 3

The Big Sur.

AJ loves pizza. He could probably eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And while I don't quite share the same affinity, I cannot resist a chewy crust piled with cheese. Pizzza My Heart is a chain located in Northern California. They offer a number of award-winning pizzas. We ordered a slice of the hawaiian and the Big Sur. The Big sur is piled high with sausage, pepperoni, roasted garlic, portabellos, scallions, mozarella. The roasted garlic makes this pizza - it is sweet but still retains a nice bite.

After lunch, we hit up the Farmer's market in Los Gatos. I have been deprived of a good farmer's market this winter, so it was nice to see sweet strawberries, oranges, and dates in season.

I can't wait to head back to Northern California, and not just for the weather.

Pasta Pomodoro

5500 College Ave

Oakland, CA

Stacks Restaurant

139 E Campbell Ave

Campbell, CA

Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co

101 W Main St

Los Gatos, CA

Icing on the Cake

50 W Main St

Los Gatos, CA

Ryowa Ramen House

859 Villa St

Mountain View, CA

Pizza My Heart

1390 Lincoln Ave

San Jose, CA

Where's the JAM?

As I walked into the restaurant I was greeted by a waitress in golden cotton pajamas, as I turned to my left a family of four was being waited on by a younger man in red button down pajamas with sushi patterns all over them. Was this a weird dream? No way, I was just eating brunch at Tremont 647 in the South End.

Breakfast Burger, now that's something I could get used to.

AJ and his friends have been raving about this place since they first went there for brunch a couple months ago. The atmosphere is very relaxed and playful. The kitchen is in open view in the middle of the restaurant, allowing one to watch the preparation of each dish. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays and all the staff don their pajamas. Don't let those pajamas fool you, the wait staff is very alert, bringing by a fresh pot of coffee to those needing a little caffeine in the morning. Tremont 647 also offers a variety of teas, presented in cute ceramic pots.

Winter Vegetable Salad - beets, pears, turnips, and butternut squash with pecans

As I mentioned in my previous post, I can probably count the number of times I have eaten beets on one hand. However, in an attempt to take advantage of enjoying some winter produce in season, I opted for the winter salad. The presentation of this salad was just gorgeous - a towering rainbow of butternut squash, turnips, feta cheese, pears, beets, and candied pecans. The plate was drizzled with a creamy lemon dressing and sprinkled with chives. All of the items mimicked eachother in size and texture, except for the feta and pecans which provided a nice contrast of sweet crunch, and creamy tang to the mellowed roasted vegetables.

AJ chose a Tremont 647 signature brunch item - the breakfast burger. This beef patty is served on a toasted wheat bun, and topped with vermont cheddar, bacon, avocado, and a fried egg. This dish will definitely satisfy your hunger. While this might sound like sensory overload, the avocado and egg serve as a nice creamy complement to the crispy bacon, and juicy meat. The fries served with this dish were crisp and salty. The chef certainly knows how to have fun with the menu, and the burger is not the only dish that gets creative - a homemade poptart is offered at brunch hours. AJ had raved about the pumpkin poptart he had devoured on his last trip. I was eager to try out the new flavor - apricot. The pastry dough was warm and flaky, putting those pop tarts of my youth to shame. However, as I finished my first bite, I was left wondering where is the jam? The frosting and dough completely overpowered any semblance of apricot filling. I finished off my half regardless, as the dough was that good, but kept hoping each bite would spring forth a tangy stream of apricot jam.

Homemade poptarts - so cute!

The wait staff was very responsive to our small complaint about the pop tart. Our waiter said that the kitchen is open to customer requests, and that our pumpkin pop tart might make a reappearance should we whisper that as we walked by the kitchen. With such friendly staff and delicious food, I think a second trip might be warranted.


1.5 out of 3 JAMs

Tremont 647
647 Tremont
Boston, MA

Sunday Brunch at Spring St

While I'm not normally interested at eating at healthy places, (I am a big fan of butter and full-fat foods), Travis and I were starving a few weekends ago while finishing up Christmas shopping in Soho and decided to try out Spring Street Natural Restaurant for brunch. Despite being a natural restaurant, the brunch menu looked delicious AND there were tons of people there at 2pm on a freezing wintery Sunday.

First off, we ordered and then they brought us a yummy basket of tomato rosemary bread- it was a pretty pink color and surprisingly sweet. Delicious.

Shortly after, our food arrived! I order Eggs Florentine, which were perfectly cooked. The yolks of the poached eggs practically melted into the fresh baby spinach and lightly toasted English muffin underneath. The hollandaise sauce was not as heavy nor thick as other ones I'd had, but was just a nice mellow, buttery addition to the savory, salty egg yolk and spinach combo. Also, there wasn't a lake of hollandaise, but a nice splash.

The fries were somewhat crisp (inconsistent here with some more crunchy than others) and salty, and tasted like they had been cooked in peanut oil, so they were on the greasier side but were a little bit nutty. The homemade ketchup was sweeter and thinner than Heinz ketchup, but it went well with my eggs.

Travis' food, though, was another story. He ordered the frittata, which came with brie, shitake mushrooms, zucchini, and red peppers. Unlike other frittatas I've eaten, this one was dry, with minimal moisture, and was very thin. The eggs were far too cooked for my liking, and the brie distribution wasn't consistent - some bites had way too much brie and others not enough, leaving Travis to semi-deconstruct his meal in order to have veggies, cheese, and eggs in each bite. Not something either of us would ever order again.

His fries, of course, just as good as mine.

All in all, if it was just based off of what I ate, I'd happily give this place a solid 2 out of 3 JAMs, as my eggs and fries were delicious, the bread basket was really unexpectedly good, and the service and price (my meal was about $20 including tax and tip and a hot apple cider) decent.

With Travis' terrible frittata though, I give this place a cautionary 1 1/2 JAMs. We will have to go in once more for additional sampling to determine if it should really be a 1.