Hot Chocolate

I have always loved hot chocolate.  It has been my favorite version of a chocolate fix.  As a kid, I would occasionally treat myself to a Hostess Ho-Ho.  I had a Twix and Three Musketeer phase.  A mint chocolate chip ice cream lark.  But nothing's lasted as long as my love for hot chocolate.

Growing up, my go-to hot chocolate was the Swiss Miss variety.  In college, I found some different packets of the powdered stuff...Land O Lakes, that had flavors like mint or raspberry or caramel.  On cold, dark nights in southeastern Ohio, a cup of that with some hot water courtesy of the hot plate was heaven.

When I first started to date G, it was winter time in Michigan.  I remember being at his apartment and craving a warm beverage.

"You wouldn't have any hot chocolate, would you?"

"Sure," he said.  "It's up in the cupboard.  Help yourself."

I looked for the familiar light blue cardboard box with the Swiss Miss on it, but couldn't find it.

Then I realized that his hot chocolate came in a container with a lid, marked Ghirardelli.  What was this magical elixir?  I started to read the directions and reached for the tea kettle to boil water.

"What are you doing?, " G asked.  "You use milk.  Just warm up some milk in the microwave."

Milk?  Fancy hot chocolate AND milk?  What was this decadence?  I followed his instructions and proceeded to have the tastiest mug of hot chocolate I'd ever experienced.

To this day, if I crave a hot chocolate fix, I go for the container of Ghirardelli that we always have in the pantry.

 I've never laid eyes on that Swiss Miss again.

For Dad

Four years ago today, I lost my Dad.  Shortly after that, I started culinary school and I can't help but think that he would have loved hearing about my adventures there.  No doubt he would've loved tasting my kitchen experiments.

As a culinary student, I traveled to Italy and France and my Dad would have been beyond thrilled for me.  I always wanted to have a passport and be a world traveler and he shared that dream with me.  Who knew that food would be my ticket to the life I always wanted for myself?

One of the things that Dad and I always did together was eat.  Back when I still lived in Cleveland, he would drive to my apartment on Sundays and we'd go to a favorite restaurant or a new place we wanted to try, have lunch, and then go to the movies.  When I moved away, he would visit and we'd still incorporate movies and eats into our time together.  That was our thing.

In honor of my dad, I'd like to dedicate this meal to him.  If he were still here with me, I'd make this meal for him and afterwards we'd probably go to see Source Code.

First of all, I'd fire up the grill, a must.  I'd place a basket of homemade tortilla chips on the table accompanied by fresh salsa from my foodie friend Mary's garden.  One of our rules?  Always have some food to eat while you're waiting to eat your meal.

I'd grill some poblano peppers along with some jalapeno and serrano for some heat.  Then I'd process them up with onions and oregano, garlic, some water, salt and pepper.  I'd melt some provolone on top of the burgers and then smother them with the green chile sauce. 

Oh, and I couldn't forget the bun.  Dad loved great bread.  I would run to Zingerman's Bakehouse and pick up a kaiser bun or just a superbly made old school sesame seed bun.  Toast them on the grill, of course, before assembly.

Alongside the burgers, I'd grill some corn on the cob and serve the cobs with softened butter seasoned with salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro.

Finally, we'd have thick-cut sweet potato fries, sliced up in my kitchen, deep fried, and tossed with salt and a pinch of chili powder.

Chilled Coronas with lime in hand, The Mavericks blasting from the speakers, we'd happily stuff ourselves.

TV Alert!

Tonight is the finale of Top Chef All-Stars on Bravo (10 P.M., EST). 

This All-Stars season (#8, if you're keeping track) has been one of my favorites.  Top Chef won the 2010 Emmy Award for Best Reality program and its recipe for success continues to challenge the "cheftestants" and entertain the TV audience.

The current season began with eighteen former competitors who all came close to winning the title of Top Chef. The last two competitors standing are D.C. based chef Mike Isabella and whiz-kid Richard Blais from Atlanta, GA.  They'll go head-to-head tonight after a season of fierce challenges, including fishing and diving for their main course, cooking for Muppets(!), and making stuffing without the use of cutlery and kitchen utensils.

I have become such a fan of this show.  I watch it not for the sometimes immature and ridiculous antics of the competitors (hello, it IS a reality show), but for the creativity of the chefs' dishes, the rare flashes of brilliance. I've also become a big fan of Head Judge Tom Colicchio and love seeing rotating guest judges such as Ming Tsai, Jimmy Fallon (obviously a huge fan of the show), and Anthony Bourdain, whose razor-wit always make me laugh out loud at judges' table.

Tonight's finale features one of my favorite star chefs, Art Smith, formerly Oprah's private chef.  I love his Southern dishes and long to visit his restaurants, Table Fifty-Two in Chicago and Art and Soul in D.C.

Already a bit sad that the season is over, I discovered with glee that a new Top Chef Masters season is about to start on April 6 (Bravo, 10 P.M., EST).  Instead of a cast of unknowns, seasoned chefs compete for the title.  Previous winners include Rick Bayless and Marcus Samuelsson.  Australian chef Curtis Stone (who is everywhere nowadays), Saveur magazine editor-in-chief James Oseland, and former Gourmet magazine editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl are the judges.

The list of cheftestants is here.

(Go Blais!)