Via Matta

This semester, I'm taking Beginner Italian as one of my courses because next spring I will be going abroad to Italy. We were all just assigned a final project and it was to go to an Italian restaurant and experience the food, the atmosphere, and then do a presentation on it. I paired up with one of my friends and we didn't know the area well so we decided to ask my professor about a restaurant he recommended. He told us that he went to a restaurant called Via Matta in Back Bay of Boston and it was delicious. That friday, my friend and I decide to take a subway into Boston and go eat there.
Let me just say that Via Matta was the single most amazing restaurant I had ever gone to in my entire life, and I go to a lot of nice restaurants. Everything from start to finish was delicious and the staff treated us as if we were royalty. I had earlier emailed them saying that we had to come in for a project for school and I wondered if I could meet the chef. Not only did that happen, but we got two complimentary dishes and gave us permission to do what we had to, to make sure our project was completed. From the homemade ricotta appetizer to the flourless chocolate cake with vanilla gelato and caramel drizzle, I've never been so happy eating a meal before. After we ate we got to go downstairs to the kitchen where I met the pastry chef and the executive chef who were both amazing and full of energy. The pastry chef gave us more free food, at that point we were stuffed but we made sure that it went down. Before leaving, the chef told me to email him my resume and that if I wanted an internship for my semester long internship during senior year or any year, I could absolutely work there. So not only did I get free food, nice staff, and an A on my project, but I also gained an internship at one of the hottest places to eat in Boston. That night was a night that I will never forget. I was taken.

Crumbs!!! <3

Being a sophomore in college, I am required to complete a 120 hour, 3 week internship every year for my major, which is Hospitality. Last year I interned for my aunt who has her own organic make up line as well as runs her own spa in Ohio. This year, I was planning on trying to get an internship in a small bakery of some sort since I want to own my very own cupcake shop in Italy once I graduate. About a month ago, I decided to email Crumbs, a very famous cupcake shop in NYC and see if they would accept an intern in January, thinking that nothing would come of it. I got an email a couple of weeks later from them asking for my resume and that they would consider me, I sent it and got no response, thinking I wouldn't get to work there for my internship.
However! Yesterday at 8:40PM I recieve a phone call which I didn't recognize the number and so I ignored it. I then recieved a voicemail and it was the Manager of Crumbs! She said that if I was still looking they would LOVE to take me for my internship. I felt so accomplished in a sense that, on a whim, by myself, I landed a spot at Crumbs for my internship, the one place I was dying to work. Their cupcakes are the most delicious pastry you will ever have in New York City.
Look for yourself! :)
www.crumbs.com

Well I wasn't taken by today, but I was definitely, without a doubt, Taken by (Yes)terday. <3

On November 17th, John Mayer released his fourth album Battle Studies, with it's number one song "Half of My Heart" featuring Taylor Swift. Being a huge fan of John Mayer, I went out it bought the cd immediately. My thoughts? I loved it, I thought all the songs were very catchy. But still, despite how good it is, I'm still a bigger fan of his older music. I am still in love with Room for Squares.

There is one song on Battle Studies that I love called Perfectly Lonely.

Check it out: :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UPEkkbVjZk

Mozzerella Salad

Face it, everyone loves anything that involves cheese, or at least Mozzerella! While working at my job in a country club, I learned this very simple salad that's great for parties and so simple to make. All you need is:

Tiny Mozerrella balls (or any type as long as it's cut up into small pieces)
cherry tomatoes
green olives
red onion.
salt&pepper
olive oil
dried or fresh oregano

The whole procedure should take from five to ten minutes. just throw the mozerella in a bowl with the tomatoes cut in half, thinly slice the olives and throw those in, and for the onion, also cut it into thin strips. If you don't know how just follow the instructions. To cut the onions, all you have you do is cut it in half then lay then face down with the round edge facing up and then cut very thinly and you should get strips. Once all that is in the bowl, throw in a little bit of olive oil, unless you like more. and then season it lightly with salt and pepper and put in a lot of the oregano, which gives the salad an amazing flavor. Switch the bowl over and it's ready to serve!

***TIP: This salad can be done in a variety of ways. You can add different ingredients such as cucumber or peppers. For the seasoning, you don't have to do oregano, you can add other fresh herbs such as basil or thyme. It's all up to you! Make it your own!! :D

Penang Red Curry Chicken

Last week I went to Massachusetts and I decided to cook for my friends. I found this recipe for Penang Curry and I thought I should try it out. Everyone loved it. Although it was time consuming, it's very delicious and you will definitely have leftovers. This recipe probably feeds around 6 or 7 people:



Ingredients:
1 small chicken cut up into pieces (i would recommend buying 3 breasts and cutting them up)
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1-2 red bell or sweet peppers, sliced

CURRY SAUCE:
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 small onion, quarterd
1 thumb-sized ginger peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce (if you don't have, you can always add salt in it's replacement)
1 tsp shrimp paste (I didn't use it and it made no difference in the taste)
1 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp chili powder (if you want it spicy, I would add more)
1/2 Tbsp ground coriander
1 red chili or 1tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinammon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 can coconut milk
juice of 1/2 of lime (or 1 tbsp zest)
optional: 1 extra can of coconut milk

Preparation
1. To make the sauce, place all ingredients in a food processor. (I used a blender) Mix well. If you want more sauce add the optional can of coconut milk. (Make sure to put the lid on the blender, I forgot and made quite the mess)
2.Pour sauce into a cassarole dish and add the chicken pieces raw. Mix well.
3. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes
4. Remove from oven and add the tomatoes and peppers. Mix well then put it back in for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
5. Do a taste test: if too spicy add more coconut milk or a little yogurt. If too salty, add more lime juice.

I did mine over a bed of jasmine rice. If you want to do a grain, make it when you put in the sauce in the oven for the last 15-20 minutes. Then it will be done at the same time.

ENJOY!!!

Time to Cook!

So recently I've decided to start this blog because I realized that I have a love for flavors and creativity when it comes to food. Monday, on my birthday, I went to Perilla in the Village, run by the Top Chef Season 1 winner, Harold. I got to meet him and talk to him and it made me realize that if I put more heart into my food, I can really start to enjoy it. That is when I decided to do this blog. I'm going to start cooking different recipes, anywhere from fish to cupcakes and write about the preparation of it, the taste, and what I personally thought if it in all. I want to own a cupcake shop when I get older in Italy but I'm doing this to try out new things while I'm still in school and at home. I can't wait to get started!!!! :D