Perfect for a cold winter's day: Mexican Hot Chocolate

With the weather still being cold especially in Houston, I was reminiscing about some of my favorite cold weather foods. One of my favorites when I was growing up was hot chocolate.  However, since I grew up in a Mexican household, we would often drink Mexican hot chocolate.  It is very similar to your everyday variety, except that traditional Mexican hot chocolate includes semi-sweet chocolate, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. In Mexico, hot chocolate remains a popular national drink. Besides the instant powder form, hot chocolate of this type is commonly sold in circular or hexagonal tablets which can be dissolved into hot milk, water, or cream, and then blended until the mixture develops a creamy froth. The two most common types of Mexican chocolate sold in tablets are Abuelita and Ibarra.

If you can't find these two brands at your local grocer, you can scour the internet and find a litany of recipes that you can make on your own.  The one common factor amongst all Mexican hot chocolate is that it is chocolate that has been spiced with other things not typically found in most common hot chocolate recipes.

Making hot chocolate from the tablets is really quite simple. All you need is a sauce pan, some milk, the chocolate itself and a whisk.  In Mexico a wooden whisk called a molinillo is used to whip up the froth on the finished chocolate. 

The first step is to heat up your milk. Back in the day hot chocolate used to be made with hot water instead (thus the title of the popular novel Like Water For Chocolate) Usually you need about 2 cups for every half tablet of chocolate.  You want the milk nice and hot, about a simmer.  You definitely don't want to scald the milk or have it boil over as this will give your hot chocolate a less than idle flavor.  When I talked to my mom about how to make the hot chocolate, she said that my grandmother would add a little cold water(just enough to coat the bottom) to the pan as primer to help protect the milk from scalding.

As the milk comes up to temp, you can cut your chocolate into pieces as it will be quicker and easier to dissolve the chocolate in pieces instead of one big chunk.  Once the milk is hot enough, you introduce the chocolate into the milk whisking rapidly to dissolve and incorporate the chocolate.  Always be mindful of the heat of your milk.  You still don't want it to overheat and scald or burn the chocolate.  Once all the chocolate has been introduced, you can cut the heat and just continue to whisk until it completely dissolves and the chocolate begins to froth up.  As soon as that happens, serve and enjoy!

The Breakfast Klub

Let me start by saying that I had not done a review of The Breakfast Klub before due to the fact that I figured everyone who loves good food and live in Houston knows the The Breakfast Klub.  Apparently, I was wrong. Very wrong. And that makes me sad.  Why?  Simply because everyone who lives in Houston and does not know this midtown haven of scrumptious breakfast and soul food is doing themselves and quite frankly their family a disservice.  Am I overstating this a bit?  No, not in the least.  To put it simply, I love the place.  I love the atmosphere, the staff, the service and especially the food.  OH DEAR GOD, THE HEAVENLY FOOD!  But I will get to that later.  The Breakfast Klub is located in midtown right off of the the US-59 exit on Travis St.  It is right across the street of  the somewhat infamous mural of President Obama.  Parking right next to the restaurant is a little troublesome, due to the small lot, but there is plenty of parking just down the street.  The hours of operation are 7 am to 2 pm Mon.-Fri. and 8am to 2pm Sat. and Sun.  A line develops quickly to get in, so the key is to arrive early.  But even if you have to wait in line, it is totally worth it!

The Breakfast Klub is the work of Marcus Davis (also the proprietor of the The Reggae Hut).  After being middle school teacher, Mr. Davis decided he wanted to something else instead.  So he took the experience he had from working for his father's catering business and opened up The Breakfast Klub in 2001.  Since opening, The Breakfast Klub has won numerous awards and well as being mentioned by such media outlets as Good Morning America, USA Today, Esquire and Forbes as "one of the best breakfast restaurants in America".

While the Breakfast Klub has a great many wonderful dishes, they are best know for the two signature dishes: The Katfish & Grits or The Wings & Waffles.  I have had both and they live up to their top billing as signature dishes.  Of the two though, I have to say that I prefer the Katfish & Grits. 

It comes with your choice of biscuit or toast and of how you would like your eggs prepared.  Needless to say that  no matter how you choose your eggs, they will always come out perfectly. At the very least they will be prepared as close to perfectly as anyone can prepare eggs.  The same can be said of, well, everything else.  The catfish is always fried just right so that the outside is crispy but not burnt and the inside is moist and juicy and full of flavor.  If you are not a fan of grits, the grits from the Breakfast Klub will give you reason to reconsider.  They are always have the just right consistency.  They are soft and pillowy, but not runny. Not only that, but they are always well seasoned.  One of my biggest complaints about grits is that they are usually left unseasoned so you get what amounts to a pile of flavorless ground corn mush.  About the only thing I add to this wonderful dish is hot sauce.  I love hot sauce and I think it compliments the dish perfectly.  It is without question, one of my favorite breakfast dishes.

The other signature dish is The Wings & Waffle.  This is a golden Belgian waffle surrounded by 6 wing pieces and topped with powdered sugar and a strawberry.  This dish, while not my favorite of the two signatures is still very good.  The wings, like the catfish, are fried to perfection.  The waffle is crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  The mixture of sweet and savory is amazing.  I would have never thought that fried chicken wings and a waffle would work together, but they really do.

Official Picture of Wings & Waffle from The Breakfast Klub webpage

There is one more dish that I feel I must share with you.  It is probably my second favorite dish at the Breakfast Klub.  I'm talking about the Pork Chops and Eggs.  You get  two pork chops (fried or grilled) and 2 eggs served with potatoes or grits and choice of toast or biscuit.  If I remember correctly, if you ask nicely, they will even let you order one fried and one grilled.  Either way they are served, the pork chops are wonderful.  They are moist, tender and so full of flavor.  I usually get the biscuit, because to me, nothing beats a great biscuit for breakfast.  Once again the Breakfast Klub delivers.  Biscuits are a good size.  Not too big as to feel you are overwhelmed by it and not so small as if you feel you are being cheated out of your bread.  You can tell the biscuits are homemade as they are firm, but flake easily.  Yum.

Now, when you go to the Breakfast Klub, make sure you go hungry.  This place does not skimp on the portions.  They are all very generous and very filling.  I asked for a side of the sausage gravy (which I could eat as a soup, its soo good) and I got one of the coffee bowls filled halfway with gravy.

  They are also as generous with the coffee which has free refills for all you caffeine addicts.  

Anyway you slice it, The Breakfast Klub is a great venue for eating, people watching and just a generally positive experience.  It is worth going, even if you have to wait in line to get in the doors.  

In Honor of National Chocolate Day, Try Some Mole

Today, December 28, is national chocolate day. That is great for chocoholics everywhere. But what if you don't have a sweet tooth? Well, there is at least one way that I know of to enjoy chocolate on this day that is not sweet. I'm talking about mole. Mole is a traditional Mexican savory sauce that can be used with just about anything. Mole, like Mexican cuisine itself, has a considerable number of variations dependent on region, custom, family tradition, even an individual cook's style. The most "typical" mole people think of is a thick rich dark brown to brick red concoction made of dried chiles, peanuts, other spices, and unsweetened chocolate.

To make truly authentic Mexican mole is a long arduous process involving multiple steps as well as a plethora of ingredients. For this reason mole sauce bases are the easiest way to prepare it. Even in Mexico it is not uncommon to use a premade base. However, those are usually available at the local market and usually prepared by the person selling it. Here in the US, there are many brands you can find at your local supermarket. El Mexicano, Doña Maria, and La Costeña come to mind. They are typically concentrated so you will have to add liquid to it.

If you are willing to and brave enough, you can always try making your own. The internet is filled with recipes for all levels of cooking acumen. In fact, here are some good ones:

Authentic Mole Recipe

Quick Chicken Mole Recipe

Mole Sauce Recipe

Rick Bayless Red Mole Sauce


So there you have it. Mole sauce works well on everything from chicken to shrimp to even eggs. On this national day of chocolate go out and enjoy some chocolate, even without a sweet tooth.

Omelette & Waffle Restaurant

My wife and I first discovered this small, unassuming eatery shortly after it opened a couple of years back. The only problem is that is it so unassuming that we had really forgotten about it until this past Sunday.  If you are looking for a nice little spot for breakfast or brunch, this place is it.  Located in a strip mall and surrounded by various other store fronts, it is easily overlooked.  But if you can get past the outside, you will find an unpretentious "mom and pop" restaurant with quick and friendly service as well as good food.

Omelette & Waffle Restaurant is the epitome of straightforward cafe style food.  I mean, the name alone screams "SIMPLICITY" from the rooftops.  The interior reflects the no nonsense directness of the restaurant.  Always clean and tidy and with little frills, the restaurant has about 5 or 6 tables along with a counter.  We were promptly greeted and seated and handed our menus.

I must note that Omelette & Waffle Restaurant does serve lunch and dinner options, but mainly I go there for breakfast/brunch.  It is close to the house and serves perfectly for that Sunday after a late night or for whenever you just don't feel like dealing with the ordeal of making breakfast.  First thing my wife and I ordered was coffee.  You can't have a proper morning brunch without coffee.  The coffee here was quite good.  It was nice and strong without being overpowering or bitter. It was a pleasant proverbial kick to the senses.  Our waitress was also very keen on keeping our mugs filled.

Now, given that omelette is in the name of the restaurant, you think I would have ordered one, but alas, such is not the case.  I was tempted by something more basic on the menu and something that I truly love for breakfast.  I chose to order on this morning the pancakes with eggs and bacon.  Something a little simple, but I love pancakes so much that I will judge a place on the quality of its pancakes. That being said, let me start with the eggs and bacon.  The eggs and bacon were served on a plate of their own so the pancakes could have a stage all to themselves.  I order the eggs over easy and that is exactly how I got them.  The whites were nice and cooked while the yolk was still soft and runny.  The bacon was nice and crisp without being burnt.  The surprise of this plate was the salsa.  My plate included a small ramekin of homemade salsa and it was great.  You could really tell that someone took care in making this salsa.  It was flavorful with just a little bit of kick.  It played really with with my eggs and bacon.

Next we come to the pancakes.  The pancakes were very nice.  They were served with warmed maple syrup and topped with some sliced strawberries and a dash of powdered sugar.  It was just enough to take notice, but not so much that the pancakes would be confused with a snow topped mountain.  The pancakes themselves were very tasty.  They were, however, a little dense, almost like olde timey flapjacks.  To me this was great.  I liked them like that.  I can see how this could be a detractor for others though.  It all boils down to personal preference.

My wife decided that she wanted to try one of the daily specials.  She ordered the chicken fried steak with eggs, hash browns and a half order of the Belgian waffle.  She also received a ramekin of the homemade salsa.The chicken fried steak came with cream gravy and the eggs were cooked to order.  If I remember correctly she ordered over easy as well.  The eggs were cooked with the same precision as mine, so nothing to note there.  The chicken fried steak was good, but nothing amazing really.  The hash browns were quite good. Golden brown and crispy on the outside while being soft and tender in the middle and nicely seasoned.

Where Omelette & Waffle really shined was with... the waffle.  It was one of the best waffles I have had in a long time.  It was nice and crispy while still being light and fluffy.  The warmed syrup only accentuated the flavor of the waffle.  The waffle was topped with freshly whipped cream and strawberries and bananas. All together they danced and elegant waltz upon my palate I won't soon forget. Tasting the waffle can only lead me to one conclusion: if the waffles are this good, then the omelettes must be amazing as well.  I look forward to coming back and exploring more of the menu.

Omelette & Waffle Restaurant is a fine neighborhood eatery.  The problem might be that its reach might not extend past that.  So if you ever find yourself in this neck of the wood, do yourself and favor and check out this place. 

Rustika Cafe & Bakery

   This little taste of breakfast heaven is found at  in a little strip mall next to US-59.  My wife and I have been coming here pretty much since the place opened and we have never been let down.  Rustika's menu includes lunch and breakfast as well as a wide variety of baked goods.  That being said, my wife and I love to go there for breakfast or brunch.  On numerous occasions we have taken guests or out of towners.  The breakfast menu is quite varied and borrows influences from Latin America as well as Europe.  In fact you will probably recognize a couple of Mexican breakfast classics such as migas or huevos rancheros. 

   Before I start talking about the food I also want to point out that Rustika is indeed a bakery.  It is not just in the name for show.  Chef Francis is quite the baker.  Her creations just look exquisite. She has a number of catalogs to show off her cakes. The store itself has cases to display cookies, already prepared cakes and pastries.  The savory empanadas are especially tasty, my favorite being the chicken mole.

 

 

  

   So, onto the food.  Choosing what to eat here is never easy.  Just when I think I have narrowed it down to a couple of choices, something else catches my eye.  And to complicate things, Rustika usually has some kind of special.  In fact two of my favorites started off as specials before being added permanently to the menu. The two items in question were the BP omelet and the Ike omelet.  The BP omelet was named after the BP oil spill in the gulf.  It encompasses scrambled eggs topped with hash browns and mole.   The Ike omelet is named after Hurricane Ike and it is all the omelet ingredients scrambled together in a big mess.

   On this occasion both my wife and I stepped out of comfort zones, so to speak.  We both ordered something new.  My wife ordered the Nutella and strawberry crepes.  I ordered the chilaquiles, which were a special menu item.    

   The Nutella crepes my wife order were very luscious.  They had a great flavor.  The crepes were light, fluffy and thin.  The strawberries were fresh, crisp, with just the right amount of tang.  My wife's only objection was that the crepes were almost a bit too rich, having gone over on the Nutella just a bit.  But hey, if you love the Nutella, you will love these crepes.

  The chilaquiles I ordered were superb.  I ordered them with the green salsa instead of the red.  They also included a side of black beans and I ordered an additional side of scrambled eggs.  The eggs were great.  They were seasoned well and had a pillowy, almost gossamer, texture to them.  The black beans were cooked to perfection.  They were soft, not mushy, yet firm, not hard, and were seasoned just right.  The chilaquiles were amazing.  They had a nice tangy flavor as is to be expected form a green sauce.  It had some nice spiciness to it that was not all that immediate. It sort of built up on your tongue and palate lingering with a pleasant heat. Another great quality about the chilaquiles was that they did not end up as one big clump of tortilla.  You see, when cooking chilaquiles, you take your tortillas that have been cut and fried and saute them in the sauce.  This usually lends to the chilaquiles ending up as one big mass.  These were layered and you could separate the individual tortilla pieces.  The whole thing was topped with a dollop of sour cream, fresh diced onion, and some queso fresco.

   To round out our breakfast, my wife and I both ordered coffee.  The coffee at Rustika is self served.  They usually have three or four varieties to choose from and you can fix the coffee however you'd like.  If you don't want to make your own coffee, I would recommend ordering the Cafe Cubano.  It is a little more expensive and you don't get a free refill, but it is worth it.  The coffee on this morning however was a bit of a let down however.  The reason why is because the coffee itself was a little on the cool side.  I suspect the coffee had not be heavily rotated since we had gone on a weekday when it was not quite so busy.  Other than that. the coffee was just fine.

  So if you ever find yourself looking for a place for breakfast or brunch, I would recommend Rustika Cafe and Bakery.

Crabcake Frittata

Crabcake Frittata Serves 6-8

    4-6 crabcakes depending on size
    2-3 Tbls unsalted butter

    10-12 Large eggs

    1 cup shredded Mont. Jack or Cheddar

    Salt and pepper

    1 Avocado

    Hot Sauce (Optional)

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Break and whisk eggs, seasoning with salt and pepper and hot sauce if desired. Heat large saute pan over medium high heat and add butter. Heat until foamy. Crumble crabcakes into pan and heat through or until just golden brown. Pour eggs over eggs evenly over crabcakes and slowly incorporate stirring from the center out. Add cheese and avocado and continue stirring until eggs are slightly set. Place in oven and allow to bake for about 10 min. or until golden and puffy. Serve with hot sauce.

    I made this recipe at work and it was marvelous. This is definitely not a light breakfast. The crabcakes bring a richness and body to the fritatta that would not be there with just crab meat. The crab meat itself is a great addition to the eggs as it tends to combine well with the fluffy eggs. The avocado give the frittata pockets of creaminess lodged in the matrix of egg and crabcakes. The cheese just nicely rounds out the flavors and the hot sauce really ties it all together.

Frittata Frenzy

So what is a frittata, you say. It sounds exotic, you say. Surely I can't make it, you say. Well, I am here to dispel these myths. Just call me a culinary mythbuster.

    To start with, what is a frittata? Well, essentially a frittata is nothing more than an Italian baked omelet. There are many differences between the frittata and its more well known French cousin, the rolled omelet. First of all, the omelet is baked to finish instead of being fried then rolled. Secondly, the ingredients that specify the type of frittata are added to the pan first and then the eggs added in stead of being incorporated into the omelet when it is being folded. And lastly, the frittat is often cut into wedges instead of being served whole or in halves. Following a few simple steps, you can make beautiful frittatas of your own.

    Lets start with the eggs. The amount of eggs depends on several factors such as how big your pan is or how many people you want to feed. For an 8-inch pan feeding about four people you will need about 6-8 large eggs. What you want to do is in a large bowl, crack your eggs then whisk them throughly. You can season your eggs with a little salt and pepper. If you feel adventurous, add a little hot sauce or some milk. It is important to whisk your eggs because that helps them puff up when you bake them.

    After you have your eggs ready, you need to start thinking of what you want to put in your fritatta. It can be as simple as ham or as crazy as sausage and corn. In this case you can think of it as you would an omelet. Add veggies or meat or just about whatever your heart desires. Now, it is important to note, that some ingredients can be added after the eggs have been introduced to the pan. however, these are more often closer to toppings that integrated ingredients. Cheese is best introduced as a topping.

    So, back to the stuff in the frittata. First thing you want to do is heat your pan. Make sure this is a pan you can transfer from the stove top to the oven without any problems. After your pan is hot add the fat, whether it is butter or oil. Once your fat is hot, introduce your ingredients and cook them throughly making sure things like raw veggies are nice and tender and no longer raw.

    Once the ingredients are cooked, pour in your eggs. It is important to note that the eggs should not stick to the bottom of the pan so make sure to scrape if possible. That being said let the eggs set a little before scraping and scrape from the center out. Another tip is to lift the edges slightly with the spatula and let the eggs run back. After the eggs are set and right before you put the frittata in the oven add your toppings.

    Now, slip the pan into the oven. It should be preheated to a toasty 400 degrees. Leave the frittata in the oven until it is golden and puffy. Time will vary according to the oven and the eggs themselves, but it should run about 8-15 min. Obviously, the larger the frittata the longer it will take. Another tip is make sure that the center of the frittata is done. Just because the edges are does not mean the center is.

    When you take the frittata out of the oven, let is rest for a couple of min. Afterwards, using a spatula to help if need be, slide your frittata out of the pan and cut it into wedges and serve hot.

    Hopefully these tips will lead you to fantastic frittata making.