DIY Pancakes at Staks

Flipping out for your own pancakes?
Try Staks on Poplar.
The new breakfast joint has it going on, a carafe of pancake batter and a do it yourself table top griddle.

I really had a lot of fun making my pancakes and adding in extras. I have to say it was pricey for breakfast but it was fun.

My Grandma ordered some pancakes from the kitchen and she really liked them.
The local banana was good and all the ingredients were fresh just the amounts were small.

I think they should move the coffee from the front to maybe the back or some where and hire a barista - it was off putting to have the girl taking my money making my coffee and when my cup was cracked and dirty she just dumped the coffee into another cup! I did not want to drink it.

The interior was cute and fresh- it felt very fun.
The layout was a bit confusing with the door right next to the cash register.

Overall I had a good time but with our breakfast for three at $40 I am not sure when we will go back.




Love the cabbage Leaf
Logan

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More Sous Vide By PolyScience

After making the best darned smoked chicken, it was time for the pork.

Boneless pork cutlets are notoriously dry and hard to cook perfect. The Sous Vide does the best best job (http://www.polyscienceculinary.com/).

My first boneless chop I wrapped in bacon and tucked onions under the bacon. This was vacuum sealed and put in the bath at 144.F. After 1 hour to 1 hour 30 min, the pork was cooked. I removed it from the bag and pan seared it for a perfect pork chop. The meat was so tender and the bacon browned up. It tasted really good. This was my WORST recipe, but it was pretty darn good.





I took another boneless chop and rubbed it with my own Memphis BBQ Rub and smoked it with my Smoking Gun, and then sealed into the Sous Vide. This gave an almost instant flavor of a slow cooked BBQ - so popular here in Memphis. I pan seared the meat just to give it some brown color.  My Dad loved it and he really hates this kind of meat as it is too dry. He enjoyed the pork with a simple slaw and some pickle beets. If you follow my Blog, you know my Dad is no foodie and he hates dry meat. If you do too, then the Sous Vide should be in your line up.

My last creation with the pork was to take the chop add 1/2 cup of apple butter, salt pepper, and an extra 1/2 Teaspoon of sugar to the bag,   I vacuumed sealed it and cooked it in the same round in my Sous Vide.

 This was the best. I removed it and pan seared it for a bit of color, and served with an easy potato pancake and some red cabbage. It is so good! The apple flavor goes through the meat and it is just sweet enough to be good. This chop was all mine, no sharing. 

I can tell you that it is an amazing tool for things you that usually cook dry. The perfect temperature is so great and watching it in the bath is fun too.

I am glad I have one. And I hope to share more of my Sous vide successes with you in the the future.


Love the Cabbage Leaf,
Logan

PS  Cous Cous cooks like a dream in the Sous Vide.

I Love Love Love it!

Sous Vide By PolySCi Creative by Logan

Sous Vide

If you want to be a true Gastronomist then you need to learn how to Sous Vide (https://www.polyscienceculinary.com/) . I will be honest it has taken me a bit more time than I thought to get consistent good food- but once you understand it, the results will surprise you.

A Sous Vide is a water circular that heats water to a precise temperature- the food needs to be vacuum sealed and the better that seal the better the finished product so make sure you have both before you put the Sous Vide to the back of the kitchen shelf.

Here is what I have learned- fish cooks like a dream, but I can usually nail fish so that really presented no challenge. Poached fruit is by far the best- you can't imagine how good when the Sous Vide tenderly cooks it. AMAZING! 

The problem foods, I wanted to nail- a skinless boneless chicken breast- the blandest, hardest to cook protein and the boneless pork chop. Both of these are death to a so-so home cook and even tougher for a beginner. 

Here is what I did-

BBQ Chicken Breast -

First I coated the breast in some good olive oil generously then I smoked it in the vacuum seal bag in another zip-lock bag with my smoking gun. I went with mesquite wood and coffee grounds for added depth of flavor. I seasoned with salt and pepper and waited for the smoke to do its job to mainly the oil and chicken.

I then sealed the bag and into the Sous Vide at 149 degrees Fahrenheit. for about 1 hour. 

This results in a super tender white chicken breast.

My goal:

BBQ Chicken- Almost no one can make this without the chicken coming out too dry- I mean it is really hard to slow smoke the breast to be moist and that is exactly what the Sous Vide can NAIL.

I then shredded the chicken, topped with a bit of hardy slaw, BBQ sauce (my own recipe) and put it on mini biscuits for a chicken smoked slider.

I had a little of the smokey chicken left added some celery, onions, and mayo for a smoked chicken salad- I don't have a picture - I am afraid the tasters finished it before I could snap one.

Don't be afraid to use this chicken on salad, or bun or whatever, it won't disappoint you! If you want more smoke, I found that another 3 minutes in the bag with the gun knocked up the taste but my tasters were happy either way!

Next UP the boneless Pork Chop !!!

Love the Cabbage Leaf,

Logan

Twisted Root Burger Co. a Big D Must, Before MasterChef Junior Auditions

For the MasterChef Junior Season 2 Audition, we pulled into Dallas the first thing we had to do was grab something delicious. I asked Siri for the best burger and she said Twisted Root Burger Co. It was close so we went.

It is a rustic kind of place with a great sense of humor. They have 2 of my most favorite things Root Beer and Pickles. It was love at first bite.

I ordered a burger and then I realized my Mom's burger was better so I ate hers. It happens frequently, sorry Mom! I get too adventurous and she saves me by choosing my favorites. This burger was huge and juicy and perfectly cooked. I loved that they made their own ketchup. They also make the pickles and the unique root beer. It is the BOMB. 

The fries were crispy and delish. I loved the place! The bathroom was devoted entirely to Chuck Norris! How cool is that?


I would say Siri did hit the best burger in Dallas, maybe....it is a big city and I am one hungry boy.

Love the Cabbage, Leaf
Logan


Twisted Root Burger Company

Taste The Love at Alcenia's

On a warm July afternoon what is better than Tasting the Love??? Nothing.. Alcenia's is tucked into the north end in a small little building. My Mom thought she had a Groupon for them but she got it wrong so there we were at lunch time. I have to say I was skeptical- I mean the place looked festive with all kinds of colors and chairs but it was a bit empty and I felt almost like I was in someones home. 

We ordered the food and it really took awhile to come out of the kitchen but when it did- Wow was it good. Everything was served on picnicware but the portions were pretty generous and after the first bite I was not complaining. The fried chicken was fresh fried for me and tender. It has some nice spices, The yams were sliced fresh and cooked with some karo syrup cinnamon in and butter. The black eyed peas, one of my favorites were spicy, fresh, flavorful and perfectly cooked. They had some little something in them I have not had before perhaps hominy or ... I just don't know. 

The chicken wings had

a karo syrup hot sauce with some nice herbs and hot peppers mixed in. They were not too hot or too vinegar. The lovely lady there said she hoped I tasted the Love and I did! So if you need a bit of love in your day go fill the place up. 

 Love the Cabbage Leaf, Logan



 

July + Memphis= Jerry's Sno Cones

Jerry's Sno-Cones, an awesome Memphis treasure, is tucked away down some random street off Summer Ave. 

This place is a dive, painted pink and green with a polar bear and a line around the block that looks permanent. WAIT! Don't be discouraged by that line, it goes fast.

I don't love sweets, I really don't even eat them, but add a hot Memphis day and icy sno-cone sounds wonderful.

I ordered a watermelon supreme - it was just ok. The ice cream (soft serve) is layered in the cup. The soft serve is good. You know normal sno-cones are all crystally, well, Jerry's are actual snow with an outstanding texture. The watermelon flavor was just ok. My Mom had wedding cake and OMG was it good. I had sno-cone envy. Same sno and same food coloring which was red and a bit shocking. The flavor was unique and unbelievable. 

Jerry's has managed to take a mundane food like a sno-cone and elevate it too extreme heights. I really thought it was impossible to take a sno-cone too.  

Now here is where I NEED you! There are no descriptions on some of those flavors, so YOU have to post me descriptions! I need to know what Ninja Turtle, Elvis, Napoleon Dynamite, toxic, and Spiderman are...come on people help a boy out!

Love the Cabbage Leaf,

Logan

Jerry's Sno Cone

Babalu a new view!

Overton Square is a trendy happening place. New, fun, exciting and pricey restaurants are popping up all over.
I just went to Babalu. It is a Mexican fusion place on the square. It looks kind of retro and feels open and fresh.
I got to try the guacamole - it is the house specialty and is made table side. I think that that is really awesome, just as cool as watching the hibachi steak guys, well, almost. They use fresh avocado, salt, lime juice, sun dried tomato paste, onions and salt and pepper. It can be as chunky or creamy as you like. For me chunky is better. I like a bit more pow in my guac but it was good.


The family shared some small plates. I picked the calamari. I asked for some of the wasabi mayo on the side. The squid was fresh and crispy. It was ok, good but not great.  I also tried the lamb taco. It was like a lamb gyro, the meat was pulled and the blue corn tortilla was the best part of the dish. It complimented the lamb in a surprising way. My Dad chose steak on a stick, it sounds like my Dad would love. Steak on a stick what could be manlier? The portion was small, and it had a sweet reduction on it and some potato hash on the side. Dad said he would not get it again.

Babalu is a cool place to go but I would go with friends and when you are not starving!

Love the cabbage, Leaf
Logan

https://www.facebook.com/babalumemphis
http://babalutacos.com/

Babalu Tacos & Tapas