Seafood Lemon Risotto

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt

6 cups water or vegetable stock

Olive oil

3 Tbsp butter divided

3/4 cup finely chopped onion (about 1/2 a med onion)

5 cloves of garlic minced

2 cups Arborio rice

1 cup white wine

½ cup of clam juice

1 or 2 lemons, enough for 1 Tbsp of zest, and 3 Tbsp of juice

¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup shaved Parmesan (optional)

1 pound of fresh mussels (cleaned and debearded)

8 fresh medium sized shrimp

4 Large deep sea scallops

4 oz. of whole calamari, body and tentacles. Slice the body of calamari into ½ inch rings. (Fresh if in season or frozen is fine)

METHOD

1 Put 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) of water into a pot. Add 1 level tablespoon of kosher salt (or 2 level teaspoons if you are using table salt). Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to warm, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto. If using stock use a low/no sodium stock. If you don’t have low/no sodium stock, omit adding salt.

2 In a large, wide sauté pan, heat 2 tsp of olive oil and butter on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

3 Add Arborio rice. Stir to coat. Cook, stirring, 5-7 minutes, until the rice just barely begins to brown on some of the grains.

4 Lower the heat to medium low. Start adding the hot stock/water to the rice, one ladleful (about 1/2 cup) at a time. After each addition, stir continuously for a few minutes until the rice has completely absorbed the liquid. Stir enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edge of the pan. Stirring continuously helps extract starch from the rice, to make a creamy sauce for the rice. You’ll end up adding a total of about 4 to 5 cups of water. Continue to add water and stir, until the rice is cooked through and just a tiny bit chewy. If you begin to run out of stock/water it is ok. Just add some more hot water to the pot. The whole process should take about 30 minutes or so. About 10 minutes before risotto is finished, begin cooking seafood.

5 Place a stock pot on med-high heat and add wine, Clam juice, half of parsley and garlic. Once liquid begins to simmer add mussels and put a lid on it. Mussels are cooked once they open up (about 3-5 minutes). Remove mussels into a bowl with slotted spoon. Discard any mussels that have not opened.

6 Add mussel broth to risotto in the same way you would add stock/water.

7 In a large skillet, add about 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter on high heat. Sear scallops and shrimp until shrimp are opaque and scallops are translucent in the center. This should be about 1-1 ½ minutes on each side. Remove shrimp from pan.

8 In the same skillet add 1tsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter. Add calamari. This process should only take about 2 minutes. Be careful calamari goes from tender to rubber super fast.

9 Stir in 2 tbsp of the lemon juice, the lemon zest and black pepper, reserving a little bit of lemon zest and to sprinkle on top upon service. Do a taste test. If the rice needs more seasoning, add more salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice if you want.

10 Portion out risotto and top with seafood parsley and shaved Parmesan.

11 ENJOY!!!!!

Tofu ala king!

2. Meanwhile, add chopped carrots, peas, onions, jalapeños and potatoes to deep sauce pan(2 1/2 quart size) with 2 Tablespoons EVOO and saute on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently

3. Add 3 cups of veg stock, soysauce, herbed poultry seasoning and bring to a boil.

4. Once it starts to boil, turn heat down to low/medium, cover, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

5. Add cooked tofu to sauce pan, and gradually add flour a couple Tablespoons at a time, stirring evenly until flour is dissolved and thickens to a gravy

6. Put lid back on and simmer on low heat for 5 more minutes

7. If it seems too thick, add 1/4 cup water then stir evenly (It should be thick but soupy enough to ladle over biscuits)

Easy Vegan Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon onion powder
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 Teaspoon sea salt
5 Tablespoons cold vegan margarine
2/3 cup unsweetened plain soymilk
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Variations of biscuits: Add a few herbs to them to give them more flavor or to use them for some other tasty meal!

All about Renee:
When I’m not at my day job or serving on the board of directors for a music/art space, I’m conjuring up recipes and executing them as fast as I think of the flavors. Call me a kitchen wizard but if I have the ability, some time, and the willpower to make good food, then I’ll do just that. I’ve been vegan for 8 years and vegetarian 7 months prior. Born and raised in a small town outside of Johnstown, PA, I had to learn how to cook if I was going to pursue a veg lifestyle. In addition, not knowing anyone else who was veg, I had to make my own mistakes and learn as I went along. I’ve lived in Pittsburgh for over 5 years and it’s certainly a livable city, especially for a vegetarian or vegan. It may not have what many other cities have but it’s certainly becoming more and more veg friendly and offers several places to eat or grab a snack as well as plenty of grocery stores to get just about any ingredient you could use. I’ll leave you with this-if there needs to exist something great, we must put it there. My name is Renee and I love food and food loves me.

It comes without notice, news of its arrival spreads like Paul Revere’s ride and you yourself feel the urge to hop in your car and shout “the McRib is back” throughout your town.

It is here.

There are two kinds of people in this world: people who like the McRib and then there are those who don’t believe in God.  There is no doubt in my mind that there had to be a divine hand in it’s conception.  On the 8th day God produced this culinary masterpiece of  sweet and tangy barbeque sauce slathered on a patty of mystery meat, topped with onions and pickle on a sesame seed bun.  The moment the McRib touches your lips, the only impulses that shoots across the synapses in your brain is “shut the f*** up and dance!”  

Look at that “meat.”

The flavors are perfectly balanced sweet, salty, meaty.  Your eyes tear up, not from the onions but from the experience that can only be summed up in two words – umami ecstasy.  Is it beef? Is it pork? Is it a leather shoe? It IS a party in your mouth and everyone’s invited.  

Like a light shining from heaven.

Never before has there been a more satiating sandwich, sloppily crafted, cooked and warmed only by microwave.  It’s appearance screams “Look at me! I’m a meat sandwich?!” You don’t know whether eat it or just rub it on your face. Either way get it while it lasts.  I’m luvin’ it.

*** We at eatPGH.com see the value in providing the fine folks of Pittsburgh plenty of voices when it comes to reviewing the foodie fare around town. We graciously allow those with equally temperamental taste buds such as ours to post their enthusiastic comments and yes, sometimes-enthusiastic critiques, using eatPGH as their megaphone. We know, we know… how kind of us!  This post was brought to you by Lucky Guest Blogger, Chan Pich. Chan is a nurse by day, and a fake meat enthusiast by night. He is also the father of the world’s greatest baby. Legit. 

We’ve heard a lot about the Steel City Big Pour the last couple of years, but mostly it involved the phrase “sold out.” So, when my wife and I had a chance to attend the 2012 installment, it was game on.

Construction Junction, a mecca for reclaimed building materials and inspiring reuse and sustainability may seem like an unlikely venue for an event like the Big Pour, which boasts 43 craft brewers, 24 food vendors, live music, raffles, crafts, and art. But it makes sense that Big Pour would be their annual fundraiser. Nothing makes a home improvement project easier than a cold beer and a warm snack.

From vegan specialties to meaty adventures, pale ales to pumpkin beers (more on this later), Big Pour requires an open mind, empty stomach, and designated driver.

We walked in to aromas battling for our attention, as the staff bestowed necessary supplies upon us. Lanyards are a popular giveaway at community events, which makes sense because when someone hands me a lanyard I feel the instant urge to give it away. But at the Big Pour, these magical promotional mementos hold the key to happiness: Your tasting glass.

While sampling delicious treats, becoming familiar with craft beers and useful crafts, and running into old friends at every turn, the ability to have “hands-free” beer sampling is a necessary revolution in lanyard technology.

T.R.A.S.H. Home Brewers
Faced with an overwhelming amount of options, we started with a friend’s suggestion to begin at a brew station run by the Three Rivers Alliance for Homebrewing. Four beers were on tap along with a sign that says “we change beers every hour.”  In a panic to not miss out on their take on fall flavors, I requested an autumn-spiced ale. With visible spices floating atop the day’s first taste, it was quickly evident that the earthy flavored and even bodied beverage was created with care and precision.

Piper’s Pub
We frequent Piper’s Pub once a week since it has some of the best fare in the South Side, yet have never tried their Scottish staple: bangers and mash. It’s the ultimate comfort food, creamy mashed red potatoes with a garlic hint that are as good as any grandma has ever made. The bangers are more substantial than most sausages with a hearty flavor and firm casing, all brought together by a house-made gravy full on flavor but doesn’t feel heavy.

Tana Ethiopian Cuisine
Tana, an Ethiopian restaurant in East Liberty, has been one of those restaurants we’ve been meaning to get to. Two generous strips of injera, the crepe-like backdrop that soaks up flavors to maximum capacity, were topped with two types of lentils. The spicy lentil was my favorite, mainly because the heat seemed to be time released, allowing the savory flavors a chance to make themselves known.

All of the eating and drinking began to make us feel creative, this is great news at Big Pour because art and crafting stations are situated throughout.  We stopped at an outdoor tent to make coasters out of plaster tiles and old library books, magazines and comics. How perfect! Where else will put these souvenir-tasting glasses? Sponsored and operated by the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, we got a crash course in DIY decorating, perfect for us newcomers to home décor.

Weyerbacher Microbrewery
Pumpkin is an essential fall flavor, and the one style of beer I wanted to be sure to find. Weyerbacher’s Imperial Pumpkin Ale evoked piles of fallen leaves, hoodies, and early sunsets with their version of pumpkin ale. By far my favorite beer of the day, the pumpkin is prominent without being too sweet, and to top it off, its 8% alcohol.

BRGR
We chose the Fire-in-the-Hole burger, layered with jalapenos and the world’s greatest condiment: Sricha. Although served as a half, this juicy burger is a two-hands situation, that lanyard glass caddy was earning its keep.

Point Brugge
Strategically located close to the BRGR station was Point Brugge, serving its signature Brugge Frites. I’ve always thought that Point Brugge has accidentally committed a Pittsburgh faux pas – serving a fry that did not require ketchup. But these delicious twice baked potato creations with a refined salt and the perfect amount of crisp required no such distraction.

Cure
I picked up an unsuspecting crostini, before hearing the description from the Cure attendants, who eloquently described the crispy starch topped with a tangy mustard and a pate made of liver and heart. I cued my inner Andrew Zimmern and gave it a go for my first taste of heart, trying to suppress thoughts of how this story played out in Season 2 of True Blood. The organ meat had a distinct taste of iron, something that is probably an acquired taste, but fits with the day’s theme of using all available parts.

Copper Kettle Brewing Company
If the other brews we tasted throughout the day were punctuation points, the Cucumber Wheat was an exclamation. Copper Kettle’s cuc-creation tied for the winner of “Best of the Fest” for day 1 and I can see why. Cucumber isn’t a flavor typically involved in craft beer, but maybe it should be, the cucumber taste was a refreshing accent to its light hoppy-ness.

Big Pour is a Zero Waste event, with teams of responsible recyclers at the ready, and I have to say it felt like zero of our time was wasted either. Most of the tastes were spot on, and there were tons of opportunities to broaden your food, brew, or even artistic horizons.

So if you appreciate what Construction Junction does, and want to enjoy 3 hours of having the city’s best restaurants and regional breweries within walking distance of one another, then don’t miss next year’s Big Pour, it will sell out.

Tom: “Arggghhh”

Kim: “Do you want to go for breakfast?”

Tom, racing upstairs zipping my hoodie: “I’M READY!”

A Thursday morning couldn’t have started any better than this enticing offer.  I was easily convinced to get breakfast out this morning by my roomie, Kim; and what a good choice, as if there was one to make.  I’ll take this moment to tell all the businesses out there that if you’ve ever questioned the monetary return on that investment in advertising a small one by two inch coupon in the Pennysaver, it works!

We headed out to The Original Pancake House, easily confused with IHOP, but different in a less international more original way.  It almost demands saying the whole name because one, OPH is awkward, and two, flashbacks of Naughty by Nature, you down? roll into my mind.  I know this blog is all about promoting the local culture and standing up for the small one-of-a-kind places, but… I feel like there’s a lot to appreciate in any dining experience, chain or local.  So there’s my validation, everyone who works there probably lives in Pittsburgh and our server, Frank, was no less than awesome! (Ask for him, he offers compliments to pretty ladies)  They have two locations in Pittsburgh one on McKnight Road and the other, where we ended up, in Scott Township on Swallow Hill Road.

Tom: “Whoa, do these people not know how to exit a parking lot?”

Kim: “Calm down, we’ll…oh $h!t!”

Tom: “It’s cool,” as I drive over the curb to ensure a sweet front row spot to the bacon show.

The menu is simple and complex: simple as in written in English and has anything you could want, complex, though, in the decision making.  As he dropped off our coffees Frank joked, “I bowled a three hundred and one last night!”  Kim looked on in amazement, while I donned a puzzled woke-up-20 minutes-ago face.  Smiling, he finished, “Did you ever bowl a 300 and lose?”  We asked Frank to help us choose and he immediately asked if we’ve ever been here.  As we were answering “No” he was already pointing to the bright yellow box in the top left corner of the menu.  “This is a must if you’ve never been here: the apple pancake.”

Sold. -Our famous one of a kind specialty that everyone loves!  With fresh Granny Smith apples, oven baked and bubbling with goodness, with pure Sinkiang cinnamon glaze- Attentive to the extra cooking time, he left to place that order while we decided on something else for our traditional “halfsies” meal.

Carbs and loads of sugar, check; let’s get something eggy.  Six-egg soufflé style omelettes with choices like Greek, Polish, Steak, Western, Vegetarian, Feta Spinach & Sundried Tomato; there’s something for everyone.  I’m feeling Polish, I thought (I feel that way a lot, thanks Pap).  Kielbasa, green peppers and mushrooms: score!

Frank’s back to get the other half of the order, but not before another quick one. ”I had a dream I was a muffler last night.”

Tom: “Oh yeah…”

Frank: “I’m pretty exhausted today!”

ba-dump-bump fizzle.

Kim also ordered an OJ and we found out it was freshly squeezed.  Where are we… Heaven?

Pretty much everything comes with a side of buttermilk pancakes, but, BUT, I recommend dropping the extra $ and subbing in one of their specialty pancakes.  Swedish, Bacon, Coconut, Pecan, Cinnamon Peach, they even have pancakes wrapped around sausage links!  Umm, so if you don’t know me you wouldn’t be able to see time slow down and my eyes glaze over when I caught wind of the bacon pancakes.  This is tricky, it could be Bacon Bits in the batter or it could be done up right with some real deal pork belly. (It’s the latter, so start your engines and get over there)

An-tici-pa-tion.  Here it comes, all three giant plates and two more to divvy up the goods.  My mantra, “So what if people stare, it’s gonna taste amazing.”  And so the eating began, I’ve got to say everything was prepared perfectly and timing was impeccable.  I felt like it was my birthday and they were going to sing and clap when that apple pancake came to the table!  B-T-dubs, get it with French Vanilla Ice Cream when you’ve got dessert on the mind, that cinnamon sauce just oozed on the plate and would be stellar on top.  Although it was “called” a pancake, it was way more cake than pan.  Oh, and those bacon pancakes, I’ve just found a replacement for that death-row last meal of my Mom’s turkey, mashed potatoes, and filling sans celery!

If you go, they are open seven days a week from 7AM to 3PM at both locations.  Portions are pretty large so come hungry; we did end up taking a reasonable third portion home with us and Frank’s last joke…

“A husband and wife woke up to a phone call late at night.

He answered and responded, ‘How should I know I’m hundreds of miles away?’ then hung up the phone.

As he was laying down she asked, ‘Hunny, who was that?’

The husband responded, ‘No idea, he wanted to know if the coast was clear.’”

*** We at eatPGH.com see the value in providing the fine folks of Pittsburgh plenty of voices when it comes to reviewing the foodie fare around town. We graciously allow those with equally temperamental taste buds such as ours to post their enthusiastic comments and yes, sometimes-enthusiastic critiques, using eatPGH as their megaphone. We know, we know… how kind of us!  This post was brought to you by Lucky Guest Blogger, Tom McGraw.  He’s been chillin’ in PGH for about 6 years and is not afraid to drive quite a distance for good food.  Tom loves bacon and other breakfast meats.  Follow his inconsistent tweets @brunchmunchies for some helpful hints on brunch hot spots in Pittsburgh and recipes and photos of brunch related stuff & things.

J’eet is a little spot on Penn near Brillobox that takes its name from a common combination of words in Pittsburgh (did you eat?).  The style of the restaurant is contemporary, the employees and pleasant locals, and the menu is no-nonsense.  J’eet has salads, sandwiches, and crepes stuffed with good things.  Given its location up the hill from Lawrenceville (hipster central), J’eet utilizes delicious combinations of vegetables and light meats to create plenty of options for the brunch time period.

Although I surmised that crepes might be the best option because they’re not typical on every menu, I was really in the mood for a good sandwich.  The combos on their menu made me feel like I couldn’t go wrong with some of their sandwich selections.  For example, the De Medici combines prosciutto, fig jam, and blue cheese on a baguette.  Or maybe you’d dig their twist on grilled cheese (Cheese Panini) with smoked cheddar and gouda, baby swiss, caramelized onion, and tomato on ciabatta.  Fantastic choices!

I went with the Turkey Fig because I had recently encountered fig jam and loved it.  Roasted turkey, avocado, smoked gouda, granny smith apples, and fig jam on artisan bread with mixed greens on the side.  The portion of greens on the side was perfect, along with the balsamic dressing.  The sandwich was dynamite.  The combination was fantastic, especially with the avocado and fig jam spread on alternate slices of bread.  All of this was for under ten bucks, which is solid for a nice lunch.

The atmosphere was neat.  The décor was simple and chic and everyone was polite.  We were asked to share our table to conserve space, which was cool with us.  I liked the fact that the staff was interested in combining tables and encouraging a mixing of people.

Overall, great experience.  The food was tasty and I could tell that a lot of other things on the menu would be, as well.  I’d definitely frequent J’eet for lunch if I worked nearby, but will probably try to anyways!

**** We at eatPGH.com see the value in providing the fine folks of Pittsburgh plenty of voices when it comes to reviewing the foodie fare around town. We graciously allow those with equally temperamental taste buds such as ours to post their enthusiastic comments and yes, sometimes-enthusiastic critiques, using eatPGH as their megaphone. We know, we know… how kind of us! This post was brought to you by Lucky Guest Blogger Jake. As mentioned above (get your read on people!), Jake lives on the border of Bloomfield and enjoys a quality meal. You can find introspective Jake thoughts on his bloggity blog.

Spak Brothers

Garfield, 5107 Penn Ave. – 412.362.SPAK

On my first visit, I wasn’t sure if these guys were even brothers (turns out, they are), but regardless, since my first taste, they’re my new heroes. Vegan and vegetarian-friendly options are scattered all over their menu: seitan cheesesteaks, soy pizzas, and sweet potato fries. Throw in these two magic words for Pittsburgh fare: homemade pierogies – and it’s a hit for everyone’s lazy (read: hungover) Saturday. Their only flaw is being closed on Sundays, so yinz have to find your gameday snacks elsewhere.

My go-to: veggie roll with soy cheese (and just as good heated up as leftovers).

Abay

East Liberty, 130 S. Highland Ave. – 412.661.9736

Vegan, vegetarian or not, Abay is an experience to be had by all. Aside from the food being great, it’s perfectly acceptable to both have no idea what you’re doing and make a mess. Ethiopian cuisine ditches utensils and encourages family-style eating – so you know you’re in for an adventure. I split a combination platter with two other veggies, and we left full with leftovers. My favorite discovery was the Ingunday Wat. Oh, and did I mention they’re BYOB?

Oh Yeah!

Shadyside, 232 S. Highland Ave. – 412. 200.5574

Ice cream has been one of my favorite foods for as long as I can remember. Cutting out dairy throws a real wrench into that. Enter Oh Yeah!, Pittsburgh’s most unique sweet treat destination. Who else encourages you to eat ice cream and (vegan) waffles for breakfast!? And don’t forget they roast their own coffees. With the ultimate mix-and-match of ice cream flavors (regular and soy!) and mix-ins (almost 100), this place may startle the indecisive… but eventually, everyone leaves happy.

My go-to mix: soy vanilla ice cream with bananas, Nilla wafers and white chocolate chips.

Double Wide Grill

Southside, 2339 E. Carson St. – 412.390.1111

Since we’re being honest, some Sundays I wake up feening for Double Wide’s breakfast burrito – so let’s give it up for Brunch. I was first drawn to Double Wide for their dog-friendly patio (love that!), and was pleasantly surprised at how veggie-friendly their menu is. Yes, I know Bloody Marys are always meat-free, but once you try their (homemade) veggie sausage, you’re hooked. And with their own slew of burgers, wings, salads and snacks to curb anyone’s fix, this place is an all-around winner.

Juicebox Café

Shadyside, 735 Copeland Ave. – 412.802.7070

This place is the cure for the winter blues, ‘nuff said. Their bright walls will wake you up, and their paninis and salads are a fresh surprise on everyone’s palate. What knocks Juicebox out of the park for me is their fresh smoothie and juice bar (I recommend the Carrot Top) – the biggest and most affordable I’ve found in the city. I think these kids are on to something (and exactly the kind of thing Dahntahn could use, if you ask me).

Honorable mentions go to EatUnique in North Oakland and all of Big Burrito’s locations.

So whether you’re sticking to resolutions or channeling Alicia Silverstone, the Burgh has stepped up its options for veggie fare. And as a bonus, there’s plenty of room for your friends.

***** We at eatPGH.com see the value in providing the fine folks of Pittsburgh plenty of voices when it comes to reviewing the foodie fare around town. We graciously allow those with equally temperamental taste buds such as ours to post their enthusiastic comments and yes, sometimes-enthusiastic critiques using eatPGH as their megaphone. We know, we know… how kind of us! This post was brought to you by Lucky Guest Blogger Emily.  Emily is currently freelancing in public relations and events. She likes spicy foods, farmers markets, and wine. For more quips on these things (and everything), find her on Twitter @EBsays.

I experienced Salt’s culinary magic for the very first time with the people I work with at Plumb Media.

The space is energetic and warm–we were greeted right away by a friendly hostess. (The Plumb Media crew approved of their use of an iPad to keep their reservations in order.)

I’ll step you through the rest of our evening with the help of the following photos:

The main dining room at Salt. The next time I go, I would like to dine at the bar or the communal dining space. Obviously, this is where you get to experience all of the action.

Chef Kevin Sousa and Team. It’s so amazing how speedy yet precise they are.

I thought the juxtaposition of modern art and historic architecture was quite nice.

The Plumb Media crew enjoyed the upstairs dining room, complete with interesting metal chairs.

Flower arrangements by Thommy Conroy were stunning. I loved how they connect.

Here I am posing by the dramatically lit menu. The chalkboard style fits the aesthetic and can be quickly changed. We saw at least two menu items morph into new ones throughout the course of our dinner.

And now for some food highlights. This beet dish with frisee and poached egg was one of my favorites of the night. I think I was especially enamored with the delicious truffle oil flavor and smell. Mmm.

I think the venison tartare wins for more most beautiful presentation and creative food combinations. It was paired with a white chocolate sauce.

Here we have snails with crispy chicken skins and merlot bubbles. So delicious.

This was my first time sampling sweetbreads, and I must say I was very impressed. They are incredibly flavorful and comforting in a way (it was almost as if my Grandma Showalter had made the dish herself). The baby bok choy was a great complement.

Nik ordered the pork loin with red cabbage. It was the perfect combination of savory and sweet.

I ordered the monk fish and I was not disappointed. Those happy little noodle/dumplings are called spaetzle. (A first for me, I loved them! They made me want to do back flips — they are soo good. Maybe it’s my German heritage…) And the french beans and soy/creme fraiche sauces were a nice touch. I have been dreaming about this dish ever since. It was completely magnificent.

Amanda ordered the beef with soba noodles. The flavors were so rich and wonderful. It was the perfect antidote for a cold, snowy evening.

***

Can you believe I forgot to take photos of the dessert? Sorry, folks, I was too distracted by the incredibly rich and decadent chocolate pudding and chocolate curry streusel. Yes, I said curry, and it was delicious.

Dining at Salt of the Earth was one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in a long time. Yes, the food is fabulous and the service top-notch. Many thanks to our incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating server, Joanne Richardson! But it was even more special sharing the dinner with great company. ( And now with YOU!)

So, gather some good friends and make a date at Salt of the Earth soon. And be prepared for those holiday socks to be knocked right off.

***** We at eatPGH.com see the value in providing the fine folks of Pittsburgh plenty of voices when it comes to reviewing the foodie fare around town. We graciously allow those with equally temperamental taste buds such as ours to post their enthusiastic comments and yes, sometimes-enthusiastic critiques using eatPGH as their megaphone. We know, we know… how kind of us! This post was brought to you by Lucky Guest Blogger, Kate Showalter. Kate  is on a mission to interview 100 Pittsburghers on her blog, Yinzpiration. She works as the Marketing Manager at  Plumb Media and lives in Stanton Heights with her husband, Nik and her cat, Sgt. Pepper.

The first time I baked (and wrote about) this doubly decadent cookie was two days after the onset of the Lenten season.  Since timing has never been a strength of mine, I marched into my office the next day and proudly announced to everyone via email that there were chocolate cookies for grabs.  “The best you’ve ever had!”  To which many replied, “Thanks, Katy, but I gave up sweets/chocolate/junk food for Lent.”  Gulp.  All I could do was offer up my most sincere apologies, promise to make them again at a later date, and enjoy the loot myself.

For those of you who did not forego chocolate for 40 days just yet, I present to you the chocolate cousin of this cookie.  The chocolate chocolate cookie is oversized, chewy, and bursting with flavor.  The chocolate flavor of the cookie comes from a combination of melted milk chocolate and cocoa powder.  My number one professional taster, who is a not a fan of chocolate (self-professed), actually said it tasted like chocolate ice cream and he even wanted another one.  Gasp!  And then, of course, there are the chunks of milk chocolate stirred into the dough at the end.  And the cookie is so thin and chewy.  The key with this cookie is that it uses milk chocolate, a sweeter chocolate, instead of just straight unsweetened cocoa powder or super dark chocolate.

Really want a chocolate fix?  Try adding some white chocolate chips to the batter along with the milk chocolate chunks.  Or, to really put this over the top, melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler (or microwave) and put the melted chocolate into a resealable sandwich bag, snip off the corner, and drizzle chocolate stripes over finished cookies.  Oh my gosh… can I make the cookies again, please?  Okay, fine, you want the recipe.  I get it.

Double Chocolate Cookies
(adapted, slightly, from here)
-makes roughly 3 dozen large cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (8 oz.) good milk chocolate, 4 oz. chopped to melt, 4 oz. cut into 3/8- to 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, and set aside.  Melt 4 ounces of chopped chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave (30 seconds at a time, stir, repeat).  Let cool slightly.

In large bowl of an electric mixer, put melted chocolate/butter mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Mix on medium speed until combined.  Add half of the cocoa flour mixture, mix on low, add remaining flour mixture, and mix until no flour streaks remain.  With spatula, stir in chocolate chunks.

Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, drop 1 1/2″ balls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart (these cookies spread!).  Bake until cookies are flat and the surfaces begin to crack, about 15 minutes.  (Don’t worry, the cookies will still be soft but will harden slightly as they cool.)  Using a spatula, remove cookies from baking sheet and cool completely on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Oh, and when you eat this cookie, it’s mandatory that you stop whatever you are doing, close your eyes, and enjoy that cookie like it’s the last you’ll ever eat.  Until you get up, go to the kitchen, and get another, of course.

***** We at eatPGH.com see the value in providing the fine folks of Pittsburgh plenty of voices when it comes to reviewing the foodie fare around town. We graciously allow those with equally temperamental taste buds such as ours to post their enthusiastic comments and yes, sometimes-enthusiastic critiques using eatPGH as their megaphone. We know, we know… how kind of us! This post was brought to you by Lucky Guest Blogger, Katy Kemp, who provides plenty of tasty recipes on her blog Baking, Domesticity, and All Things Mini! *****

About an hour north of downtown Pittsburgh, just off 376 in Fallston, lies one of the greatest dining gems in all of Western Pennsylvania – The Back Door Tavern. Before you chuckle, it isn’t a gay bar. It is, however, one of the greatest establishments in all of Beaver County. They offer dozens if not hundreds of microbrews, imports and domestic beers as well as some of the most delicious bar food I have ever eaten.

Before I dive into describing my unhealthy lust for the main course, let me first tell you about quite possibly the best appetizer of all time – beer battered fried pickles – pickles covered in breading and deep fried and served with a side of horseradish. I could, and would eat them as a meal, if the Back Door Burger didn’t exist…

The Back Door Burger is hands down the greatest hamburger I have ever had. Ten ounces of juicy ground beef, bacon, AND ham, mushrooms, Swiss cheese and whatever condiments you desire, all somehow managed to be contained within one heck of a burger bun. UGGHHH! A sandwich this magnificent could only have been inspired by God! It is so delicious! The size of it is intimidating at first, but after you take a bite and realize how scrumptious it is, there is no chance you could let any go to waste.

I have tried other so-called “best burgers in Pittsburgh” but I have yet to find one that compares. If you are up for the drive, grab one of your buddies and come in the Back Door, I assure you that once you try it, you’ll come back.

***** We at eatPGH.com see the value in providing the fine folks of Pittsburgh plenty of voices when it comes to reviewing the foodie fare around town. We graciously allow those with equally temperamental taste buds such as ours to post their enthusiastic comments and yes, sometimes-enthusiastic critiques using eatPGH as their megaphone. We know, we know… how kind of us! This post was brought to you by Lucky Guest Blogger, Jesse Wisinski. *****