Konstandinidis Bakery in Athens Greece

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In a recent visit to Greece, I stopped by a local bakery in Athens called Konstandinidi's or at least that what I think the name it in English. Their website takes forever to load, so be patient if you click through. It is one of those old fashioned bakeries that still make everything they did when the family first started. The bakery was wonderful. The shop had the most incredible aroma that it was impossible not to buy something.  

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Gazing over trays and trays of cookies I was gaga. One of the bakers let me taste these white powdered sugar cookies, which were like the "butter ball" cookies my grandmother used to bake. They were so delicious that i bought 2 pounds...or should i say 1 kilogram size box of them.

You only have to look at this photo to see what I mean. It was a veritable feast for the eyes. Drizzles of chocolate, swirls of honey, sprinklings of sliced almonds, it was all so delicious. Baked goods are my kryptonite. Cakes, cookies, breads, pastries, that is the secret weapon to disarm me in seconds flat. Or at least get me to part with my Euros. Needless to say that it was one of the best bakeries I have ever visited. So if you are ever in Athens, Greece, stop by. I can't even tell you the website because it is all in Greek! 

If you can read Greek, maybe this will help you identify the bakery!

Cupcake Quest: Dulce Cupcakery

The Cupcake Quest continues yet again. I recently discovered Dulce Cupcakery, based here in the Coachella Valley. They are quickly becoming a popular provider of positively palatable cupcakes. (Dulce is the Spanish word for sweet, and is pronounced "dool-say"). In this photo above left, is a variety of mini-cupcakes, they are packaged so nicely here in this box, don't you think? I placed the box on the passenger seat as I drove home. As I stopped at one of the traffic lights on the way home I reached over, picked up the box of Dulce cupcakes and stared though the window pane. My mind ran away for a moment as I dreamed about their flavor...HONK!! HONK!! blared the car from behind. The light had turned green. I carefully placed the box down again and continued driving. I could hardly wait to get home and dig in. Using my hand-free heads set, I called home and reported that I had the cupcakes in my possession. "Don't eat any before you get home" John scolded me. I told him there was no way I would do that anyway, as I still had to take photos of them for the blog. Welcome to my world of nonsense. Anyway, here are a few close-ups of these wonderful mini-cupcakes from Dulce:

above: As soon as I got home I put a few on a serving plate so I could savor them. They all looked delicious. I first had one of the chocolate ones, which was quite good.

above: then I had a "Dulce Corazon" which was a vanilla cupcake with raspberry filling and butter cream frosting. It was really delicious, especially considering I am a chocolate fiend.

above: I went to the Dulce website to look around. Check out this Mermaid Cupcake they have on their website, now doesn't that look fun? As always, this is not a paid post, but I should thank Loretta from Dulce for letting me taste her delicious cupcakes. It was hard to decide which ones I liked best. If you live in the Southern California, particularly the Palm Springs area, Los Angeles or San Diego, Loretta told me she can deliver her delectable cupcakes to your home or event. I was so impressed with the variety of cupcakes Dulce makes, I went to their website and copied their menu so I could share it with you. Call Loretta if you live locally and want to order some. All photos and descriptions below are from the Dulce website:
Dulce Cupcakery Menu:

cupcake traditionales:

• la crema -vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting

• muy chocolat! -chocolate cake with lots of chocolate chips & buttercream frosting

• el coco-nut -coconut cupcake with coconut buttercream frosting topped with coconut flakes

• citron - orange cupcake with cream cheese frosting topped with white chocolate

• chocolate pretzel – a little salt & sweet twist on a chocolate cake

• polka dots – this cupcake has both chocolate and vanilla chips!

• dulce’s red velvet –we don’t want to be like everybody else, so we add chocolate chips to our red velvet! Just want to make sure these are extra rich!

cupcake especiales:

• the maya -chocolate and chipotle - sweet and spicy! dulce’s signature cupcake!

• el bon bon - chocolate cupcake filled with a creamy chocolate center, topped with buttercream frosting

• cola & chip – cupcakes for a movie night in! Real coca cola baked right into the cake and topped with a chocolate covered potato chip!

• dulce corazon - chocolate or vanilla cupcake filled with a cherry or rasberry center & buttercream frosting

• pb no j -yes, that would stand for peanut butter - no jelly :-) (unless you reeeeeally want it, we can add it just for you!). topped with peanut butter buttercream!

• chocolate orange -chocolate cake, mini chocolate chips and and an orange stick smack dab in the center. orange butter cream topped with an orange stick chunk - (are you kidding me?!!!) we would never kid you about chocolate! It is the bomb!!

• the bada bing – rich chocolate cake with a bing chocolate covered cherry on in the center and on top!

• moon pie - this one is oooey, gooey and oh so good! Chocolate cupcake, marshmallow in the center, covered in more chocolate and topped with more mini marshmallows, a moon pie!

• whopper crunch - bite into this cupcake and crunch right into that ol' candy favorite, a whopper! It’s in the center and on top too!

• banana cream pie – heavenly! banana flavor galore and topped with a chocolate covered banana chip!

• the betsy (as in ross!) – simple and sweet; white cake, chocolate dipped blueberry and strawberry slice on top. dulce’s red, white & blue! this sweet thing is seasonal~

the breakfast collection:

• coffee espresso - perfect for breakfast! coffee and chocolate baked together and topped with a chocolate espresso bean!

• captain crunch -remember that?!! captain crunch with crunchberries! a saturday morning cereal type of cupcake.

• bacon & chocolate -if you luv salt & sweet, this is your cupcake! rich chocolate cupcake baked with bacon bits and topped with a nice bite size bacon piece that has been dipped in chocolate on one side. Makes my mouth water!

SUPER especiales:

• cupcake sandwiches "a cupwich" - yes that's right, a sandwich! pick a flavor of cake and we shmear the center with buttercream filling and dip it in chocolate - yyyyyyum!
• cupcake pops, "popcakes" -the dessert on a stick! mini's made into a pop or "paletas" in spanish, dipped in chocolate! A HUGE hit with the kids :-)

Food For Thought With Dear Friends

Enjoying a good meal with friends is one of my favorite hobbies. I'm especially fortunate to have some dear friends who share my passion for food. I generally like most types of cuisine, although I readily admit I am somewhat of a traditionalist- French, Italian, Chinese & "California-cuisine" (whatever that is) are among my favorites. Whether dining out or cooking at home, sharing a meal together is a wonderful experience. In this photo above, I enjoyed a meal with some dear friends at Chef Lidia Bastianich's Becco in New York. According to their website, the name Becco is from the Italian verb "beccare", which means to "peck, nibble or savor something in a discriminating way". The restaurant was very understated, but the food was delicious and the servers were very friendly.

above: look at this incredible Pork Chop. Wow.

above: Fresh pasta with shaved Truffles, and a truffle oil sauce. It was life-changing good food.

above: A really nice serving of veal parmagiana.
A few other fun dining experiences this past week...

above: Chefs at the Waldorf bring more desserts to the buffet table

above: this buffet included a wonderful chocolate fountain. I really need one of those at home.

above: fresh made crepes, cupcakes, strawberries and a piece of pound cake dipped in chocolate!

above: more little pastries from the buffet...and some fresh berries, for something healthy!

above: the dining room at Le Perigord, a wonderful French restaurant in New York.

above: an incredible Boeuf Bourguignon, a wonderful French Beef stew of sorts.

above: Le Perigord's fabulous chocolate souffle, with creme anglaise.

above: "Floating Islands", which are Meringue floating in a pool of Creme Anglaise. Oh My Gosh so good.

above: And finally, a slice of heaven. I mean five-layer chocolate cake. Such wonderful creations. I should have been a chef instead of a pet food guru.
-Rick Rockhill

Macaroni & Cheese: Comfort Food Series Part II

This week brings part two in my series on comfort food. This week is on Macaroni and Cheese!

Quite honestly, I grew up thinking that mac-n-cheese was junk food. All I knew was that it came out of a box from Kraft, and other than cereal, most boxed/prepared foods were never available at home. So it wasn't until adulthood that I branched out and tried mac-n-cheese at an overpriced steakhouse as a side dish. AND I LOVED IT. I never knew the pleasures of this warm, gooey and delicious dish. I confess, I have still never made it from a box. I buy fresh, organic cheddar cheese, and organic pasta elbows. Sometimes I throw in other cheeses for more flavor, but cheddar is my favorite.

So go ahead, treat yourself to some Macaroni and Cheese this week for dinner. And think of me, the Palm Springs Savant as you savor the warm goodness on a cold winter night. Even if you make the boxed kind from Kraft, its still comfort food to me!

And now, for a limited time, I am pleased to include a FREE RECIPE for you to make Mac-n-Cheese right in your own home!


ORGANIC MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE
2 cups uncooked elbow organic macaroni
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) organic butter
2 1/2 cups organic Cheddar cheese
2 large free range eggs
1/2 cup organic milk
paprika, for the top

PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
Cook macaroni in boiling salted water, following package directions. Drain well; return to pot.
Shred the Cheddar Cheese and set aside.

Add butter and stir until melted. Add 2 cups of the shredded cheese.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with the milk.
Add the milk mixture to the macaroni. Stir until well combined. Spoon into the greased pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned and casserole is cooked through.Serves 4 to 6.
-Rick Rockhill

Cinnamon Buns...Comfort Food Series Part 1

Today is the beginning of new series of postings on Comfort Foods. My first installment is on:
Cinnamon Buns...mmmm
There is nothing quite like warm cinnamon buns to make everything alright.


Pure comfort food. Easy to make, easy to eat. Great with coffee, tea, hot cocoa or even a Bloody Mary. Whether you buy them at the store, open up a Pillsbury roll, or bake them from scratch, they never disappoint.

Make them in your Easy Bake...or in a Viking Oven...they will come out delicious and warm.

ABSOLUTELY FREE RECIPE!! money back guaranteed
Courtesy of Gourmet magazine:

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.Traditional cinnamon buns are made with yeast, but our biscuit-dough buns are faster to make and just as delicious.

Yield: 4 buns, 2 servings
3 tablespoons granulated sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter1 large egg1/4 cup milk3 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl stir together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cinnamon. Into a large bowl sift together flour, remaining tablespoon granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. In another small bowl whisk together egg and 3 tablespoons milk and add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

Transfer mixture to a lightly floured surface and gently knead, 3 or 4 times, until it forms a dough. Pat dough into a 10- by 6-inch rectangle (about an inch thick). Brush dough with some remaining milk and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar. Beginning with a short side, roll up rectangle to form a 6-inch log and cut crosswise into 4 pieces. Arrange pieces on a baking sheet, cut sides up, with seams touching. Bake buns in middle of oven until pale golden and cooked through, about 18 minutes.
In another small bowl stir together confectioners' sugar and water until smooth and drizzle over warm buns. Copyright Gourmet Magazine

Stay tuned for my continuing series on Comfort Foods each week.
-Rick Rockhill