Soft Pretzels

Philly gets kind of a bad rap with food sometimes-- all people think about are soft pretzels and cheesesteaks. While these are fun, quintessential Philly foods, there is so much more to the city than that! But I know I'm preaching to the choir. Still, embracing your city's traditions- whether loved or hated- is a necessity. J and I have been wanting to make homemade soft pretzels for YEARS- literally, we cut out a recipe from Cooking Light when we were still in college. For one reason or another, we've never come around to making them, but with our former-chocolate-truffle-making friend coming to visit, we decided to buck up and make it our weekend morning project.

We began the process before she arrived, since the dough takes some time to come together and rise. We pulled up a trustworthy recipe (thanks, Alton Brown!) and jumped right in. We wanted to make plenty of pretzels to go around, so we doubled the recipe. Super simple, just combine 2 packets of active dry yeast with 3 cups of warm water (about as warm as your tap will go is good), 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 Tbs. kosher salt. In another bowl (a big one!), dump in 9 cups of flour. We used a mix: 2 cups bread flour, 4 cups all-purpose white flour, and 3 cups whole wheat. Go with what you have, or based on your flour preference.



To the flour, add 4 Tbs. melted butter. This will add hardly any moisture to the flour, so don't bother mixing much. After the yeast mixture gets nice and foamy (approx. 5 minutes), add to the flour. If you have a stand mixer, congratulations. Use the dough hook to mix it until all the flour is incorporated. If not, simply begin mixing by hand and slowly kneading in the flour.



J is the resident bread-maker, so she assumed kneading responsibilities, continuing to stretch and fold the dough for about five minutes, until everything was smooth.



Clean and grease your bowl, and then plop your dough ball in, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot (we chose our sunny window). This single rise takes about 50-55 minutes, and the dough should double in size during that time. We began assembling our "special additions" while the dough finished up. You can make these pretzels plain, but we decided to have fun with it and add a variety of toppings, including cinnamon, brown sugar, jalapeno, cheese, and flax.



Just short of an hour later, we checked our dough. My finger poke classified it as finished.



We split up the dough into several large chunks, and each tackled one, adding our mix-ins of choice. It was basically the dough version of Cold Stone. J started with cheese and jalapenos, piling them up onto a stretched out piece of dough and then slowly kneading them in to incorporate. We also made cinnamon-raisin, cinnamon-brown sugar, flax-cheese, and plain variations.





After the additions were completely mixed in, pretzel formation began. At this point, we also got a large pot of water boiling on the stove, and began heating the oven to 450. To make a pretzel, tear off a handful of dough and begin shaping a long rope. The rope should end up being about 3/4 inch in diameter, but its length can vary depending on the size of pretzel you'd like to make. If you want an Auntie Anne sized pretzel, shoot for a 24 inch length. Using Alton's directions, form a pretzel with your rope: "Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U." Place each pretzel onto parchment paper (or a Silpat) when you're done.

An early attempt; slightly lumpy jalapeno pretzel

Working out the technique

Perfect raisin pretzels

Between the three of us, we made a variety of shapes and sizes, ending up with about 24 pretzels total. If you stick to the jumbo size, this recipe should make about 16 pretzels. Next, the boiling step. To your large pot of boiling water, add baking soda. The alkalinized water helps form a better "crust" on the outer edge. Alton suggests 2/3 c. baking soda for each 10 cups of water, but I didn't measure-- just dumped in a good amount into my large pot. Very scientific.

Each pretzel should be boiled for 30 seconds. I began as per direction, one pretzel at a time, but quickly got impatient and threw in 2-3 at a time. Just be cognizant of your different toppings, and perhaps time each addition accordingly (some of the mix-ins will end up in the water, and you may not want a spicy cinnamon-sugar pretzel). Most of the pretzels sunk upon addition, but like gnocchi, rose to the surface after a few seconds. I held a few submerged with a flat spatula, and flipped a few halfway through their cooking time, but I don't think it makes a huge difference.



The boiling process makes each pretzel puff up considerably. They look a little water-logged, but don't fear- they'll bake up just fine. Remove them carefully from the pot and place them on a fresh lined or greased baking sheet.





Alton suggests brushing each pretzel with an egg wash (produces a shinier product), but we skipped this step and just sprinkled kosher salt and/or additional cinnamon to each before baking. Since we had so many pretzels, we tried to coordinate boiling/baking efficiently, and began pulling finished product out in no time. Make sure you don't overcrowd your baking sheet or oven; adjust cook time depending on how brown you like your bread. Ours baked for approximately 12-14 minutes, but we did stick a few of the larger ones in for a few extra minutes to finish them up.



Remove to a wire rack to cool.



We also constructed a few jalepeno-cheese "pretzel rolls" simply by leaving minimal space between each part of the folded rope.



Wishing to take advantage of the beautiful spring weather, we used these rolls to make sandwiches- cheddar, turkey, spinach, and tomato on this dense, chewy roll produced one of the best sandwiches I've had in awhile.



Wrapped up, it made a portable little picnic lunch, and alongside fresh chopped veggies and dip and assorted fruit, was quick and easy to haul over to Rittenhouse.



After distributing the rest of the pretzels to friends and family, we ended up with a half dozen various types for ourselves, which we froze and are slowly enjoying one by one. Homemade soft pretzels would be the perfect item to bring to a summer barbecue, and they are pretty much foolproof. Grab a friend or family member and it's even easier (and more fun)!

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Ms. Tootsie's RBL

Last month we picked up a Living Social deal for the soul food restaurant on South Street- Ms. Tootsie's. Although this place is not new to us- we've been with several different groups of friends over the past few years- they have expanded and upgraded since our last visit. The new(ish) space is simply but elegantly decorated. Since they don't offer reservations for parties less than eight we expected to wait, but thankfully there were a few open tables for two. Larger parties can wait upstairs in the bar/lounge area, where you're able to order appetizers- another way to experience Ms. Tootsie's if that is more your style.



Yelp reviews aren't exactly positive, mostly complaining about the service. Thankfully, we were blessed with the sweetest waitress- even though the meal was paced slowly, her great attitude and consistent checking in made it very pleasant. She took her time going over the menu with us, and brought out fresh cornbread while we made our decisions. Super sweet and moist with that good gritty cornmeal texture, the warm bread (or more of a muffin, rather) was great to snack on. We were also served a new addition to the gratis starter- strawberry butter with strawberry jam. Creamy butter + chunks of preserved strawberry = perfection.





Our waitress raved about one appetizer in particular, which made our choice easy. The crab mac&cheese balls ($8) are flash fried, giving a thin, crispy, greaseless coating that helps them keep a perfectly round shape. Breaking through the crust reveals several bites of macaroni mixed with a generous amount of finely shredded crab meat and only a tiny bit of cheese (if any?). Definitely more of a macaroni salad than a mac&cheese, which is great because I can imagine cheddar would completely overpower the mild flavor of crab. Three of these guys sit atop a few leaves of mixed greens and are drizzled with what seemed like a Thousand Island dressing- interesting choice, but it didn't add or detract to the dish.




I ordered the usual- the Southern Fried Chicken ($14), served as a attached duo of breast and leg. The fried chicken at Ms. Tootsie's has never failed me- crispy, peppery skin encasing perfectly cooked meat. Trust me, they know what they're doing. Nothing is soggy, but nothing is dry either, and you get that big sheet of fried salt and fat that pulls back from the breast to expose an expanse of juicy white meat. The meal comes with two sides from a list of Southern staples- I chose the cabbage with pepper medley as well as the caramelized candied yams. The cabbage was cut into thick strips and slow cooked with other greens and what seemed like a turkey based broth. There was still a subtle crunch to the cabbage which gave me a little hit of fresh veggies (yes, fresh vegetables are like drugs to me). The candied yams are just that- syrupy sweet- I'm sure many would say "too sweet," but I know of no such thing. This could easily serve as dessert. The overpowering sweetness made the salty fried chicken that much more savory.



A ordered the smothered pork chops ($15), something that neither of us had tried here before. We thought that they were way overcooked- tough and chewy, but A seemed to think they were deliberately cooked that way. A thin brown gravy added back some juiciness and seasoning, but I prefer my pork a nice medium. Her two sides were collard greens and string beans, both cooked with smoked turkey- similar in flavor profile to the cabbage. The collards had that subtle bitterness and were massively salty, but really, that's what these greens need to become consumable. I preferred the string beans, which soaked up a good bit of smoky, meaty flavor. Some of the beans were a little more snappy than others, pleasing those who like fresh string beans as well as those who prefer the canned variety. A even won the jackpot with a turkey vertebrae in her bowl (am I the only one who thinks vertebrae are by far the coolest bone in the body?)




At this point in the evening it was getting crazy- lots of big parties coming in and vying for limited space. The lights were dimmed and the music was cranked up, adding to the frantic feel to the atmosphere. Even though we were pretty full (and yes, the majority of people leave here with boxes of leftovers but... we were hungry?) we forged on and opted to view the dessert tray. A few options stood out- namely the sweet potato cheesecake and the lemon butter pound cake- but we went for the coconut pineapple cake ($5). Four layers of extremely moist vanilla cake are glued together with a thick sugary pineapple reduction (they use fresh pineapple) full of chunks of fruit and shreds of coconut. This really infiltrated into the cake, spreading the flavor and syrupy stickiness into each bite. A thin layer of coconut encrusted frosting adds another punch of sugar. We appreciated the fact that this ridiculously rich treat was served chilled, giving the slice a solidity that allowed for small bites to be forked off and savored.



Although most of the food here is served fried, our waitress pointed out that they also do salmon and shrimp if you're trying to stay a bit healthier (but really... don't bother). The prices are great and even though this isn't Gourmet Central, the chefs at Ms. Tootsie's have a solid repertoire of standard Southern favorites, and they provide plenty of reasons to indulge. And of note... soul food isn't limited to the African American population- hello white people, you're missing out on some seriously delish offerings. Check it out- you won't be disappointed.

Helpful hints: Go early to beat the crowds. Cut back on your salt intake a few days before. The signature sweet tea may seem steep at $5 but every single patron orders it (therefore it must be good). And it is unlimited.

Ms. Tootsie's Restaurant Bar & Lounge
1312 South Street

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Sweetgreen at home

We very recently made a trip Sweetgreen, the newest location of an up and coming salad/wrap/froyo chain in the DC and Philadephia areas. We enjoyed the healthy alternative to campus junk food as well as the creative salad combinations offered on the menu. However, at $8-10 per salad and with somewhat of a wait, it's not the best option for our noontime meal.

A has been busy this week at school, staying late and eating dinner on campus. She didn't want me to have to cook full-scale dinners for one every night, so she put together some simple, stress-free meals. One of these was a rendition of the salad she had enjoyed at Sweetgreen- the chic p.



Sweetgreen describes this vegan salad as such: "mesclun & baby spinach with baked falafel, chickpeas, cucumbers, fresh peppers, pita chips; topped with a lemon hummus tahini dressing." I started out with a base of three different types of salad greens that we had on hand: spinach, romaine, and red leaf lettuce. My salad at Sweetgreen, the curry gold, was entirely based on spinach, which definitely got old after awhile. A good mix of greens keeps every bite interesting.



Cucumbers and chickpeas are super easy salad toppers, providing lots of crunch and textural interest. We decided to go with halved grape tomatoes instead of fresh peppers- significantly cheaper and adding in a less acidic sweetness.



The dressing was our own take on "lemon hummus tahini"- instead of more chickpea flavor, why not go with another creamy dressing base- avocado! I mashed one small avocado with the juice of a lemon, a heaping tablespoon of tahini, two heaping tablespoons of goat's milk yogurt, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. I also added a splash of water to thin out the mixture into more of a dressing than a guac. The yogurt adds an interesting tart element to the flavor and an extra level of creaminess.




While I certainly could have made my own falafel (we do a crumbly oven baked version), A decreased the difficulty factor by purchasing some pre-made falafel from our favorite store- Trader Joe's. I popped out two servings of falafel and microwaved them for a minute and a half. Though they do have 19g of fat per serving and a few additives in the ingredients list, you can't beat that for ease. These falafel have a good crust, crumbly interior, and lots of flavor.




I assembled my salad, snapped a few pics, and dug in. This was a veritable salad beast. Everything was super fresh- I'm loving that we're about to get into full swing lettuce season. The avocado serves up plenty of healthy fats while the two versions of chickpeas (plain + falafel) kick in some necessary protein. I had enough dressing and falafel left over to pack A a delicious lunch for the following day. Overall I actually liked our version of this salad more than the original, but that is just the joy of eating from your own kitchen.

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Ocean City

Dim sum is an experience that you know you shouldn't repeat often, yet sometimes you just can't resist. J and I first tried this practically-all-you-can-eat-Chinese-food-delight last year, and loved the lively atmosphere, the sharing of plates among many people brought together for a common, delicious goal, and of course, the food. When a friend suggested we gorge ourselves the day before the annual 10-mile Broad Street Run, I signed right up.

Last year, we went to Ocean Harbor. This time, the organizer of the event insisted that Ocean City (directly adjacent to Sang Kee, not the town in New Jersey) was actually superior- I think it might be one of those "Pat's vs. Geno's" arguments. However, upon arriving I did notice some key differences- Ocean City is much brighter and cleaner than Ocean Harbor, there are constantly new carts of food circulating, the restrooms are well marked (and clean), and the staff is friendly and accommodating. You can deduce what you will from that on my memories of Ocean Harbor.

Source

As we waited for the rest of our party to arrive, the waiters brought out pitchers of water (absolutely a requirement at this salt-fest, and a no-no at other dim sum spots) as well as large kettles filled with chrysanthemum tea. The tea was bitter with a definite floral flavor, but with the addition of a few pieces of "rock candy" (crystallized sugar cubes), it was a perfect comforting drink that I kept returning to throughout the meal. We also selected a few items from the trolling food carts that we knew would be great served hot or cold. And so the eating began.. and basically didn't stop for over an hour. Many of the food items were practically identical to those we ate at Ocean Harbor, so indulging was both a gustatory pleasure and a replay of fond food memories.

We started with what may be the sweetest, most dessert-like item: the red-bean filled sesame balls (also known as matuan): rich, sweet, and still my favorite traditional dim sum item. The waitress was kind enough to slice each in half, and I snagged a half to split with my "sharing partner" (usually known as my boyfriend). Dim sum is meant for sharing, and since we had a large group and a huge number of items, it was easier to split one piece of each item with him.



Then came a long stream of dumpling type dishes- basically, several renditions of "take a food item, wrap it in dough, and steam/fry/bake it." I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong with this formula, especially when each bite is smeared through a mix of soy sauce and chili oil.

Shrimp Shumai

Pork Shumai

Shrimp Dumplings

These three were fairly generic, but were still those types of foods that you could eat a million of and still enjoy. They were also super easy to split into two with a fork (yep, those were provided too, with no dirty looks), and still provide a substantial bite.

Two of my favorite dishes from our first dim sum trip were up next: the bao buns and the lotus leaf rice. The barbecue bao bun at Ocean City is thick and doughy, but slightly dry, and the meager portion of barbecued pork did little to provide necessary moisture. I'm not sure if our batch had been sitting around for a while before we dug in, but it didn't live up to its potential.



The other variation of the steamed bao bun served was filled with little bits of wilted cabbage, veggies, and pork, and was far superior. The bun itself was thinner, and the bun-to-innards ratio was much more enjoyable.



This item was served again later in the meal, with very similar flavors and fillings, but pan-fried instead of steamed. This cooking technique gave each bun a crispy outer edge and helped alleviate the dry, fluffy feeling of the dough. The pan-fried, vegetable version was my favorite of all the baos.



The lotus leaf, however, was overall one of the best savory items of the meal. A pile of rice mixed with vegetables and bits of meat is steamed within a gigantic leaf, and upon unwrapping the leaf, looks like an innocent brick of rice.



Upon scooping out a few forkfuls chopstick-fuls, the bounty within is revealed. The rice is super sticky and easy to navigate with the chopsticks, and delivers the flavor of the meat and sauce within, as well as the slightly earthly flavor of the leaf itself. It's kind of like a perfectly portioned, portable meal.



The next few dishes to arrive began to vary from the "food item wrapped in dough" theme. We sampled a couple of protein-heavy, ball shaped items, one made from ground pork/beef and one made from ground shrimp. The beef meatballs looked semi-unappetizing, but tasted familiar- somewhat of a combination of your neighborhood Chinese take-out and your Italian grandmother's famous meatballs. When my boyfriend asked what they were, he mistook my answer for "meatwad" and now I may never think of them the same. It was an adequate accidental nickname.

Meatballs

The shrimp balls were different as they were dipped in a thin batter and deep-fried. The extremely generous portion of shrimp gave it a chewy texture and a mild flavor, but I felt a little greasy afterwards. I would have preferred a steamed or pan-fried version.



The final few dishes were all unique compared to our last dim sum trip, and I had mixed feelings about them as a whole. The clear winner was pan-fried dumplings filled with perfectly steamed leeks, one of the few glimpses of vegetables I had throughout the meal. The crispy, phyllo-like shell was a nice little cradle for the fresh, flavorful greens. I actually stole an entire extra of these dumplings all for myself (guilty!).



A few members of the party were quite excited to have the next dish arrive at the table, and so my expectations were high. Deemed "Chinese manicotti," squishy, wet noodles were wrapped around different fillings- we sampled both shrimp (two whole shrimp per tube) or pork (a more solid filling of ground meat). Each order was topped with a sweet sauce before being placed on the table. These were probably the most difficult to move, split, and eat, and most of our attempts ended up with the noodle and the filling completely torn apart. Maybe I was too full at this point or my taste buds were shot, but they didn't excite me.



As the meal began to wrap up, and everyone at the table began to slow down, my friend insisted I try one final dish: the turnip cake. Similar to the taro cake we enjoyed at Ocean Harbor, the turnip cake is actually made from shredded daikon radish and rice flour (there aren't any turnips, sadly). After a heavy steam bath, the cake becomes somewhat gelatinous and is able to be sliced into large chunks. Its flavor and texture reminded me of a combination of polenta and mashed potatoes- simple comfort food that I highly enjoyed (especially with that chili oil I was adding to everything).



The restaurant still wasn't too crowded at this point, but a trip to the restroom allowed me to survey the other diners-- we were the only non-Asian-American's in the entire restaurant, and we were also in the minority for having ordered dim sum. Many of the diners had ordered large dishes off the regular menu, all of which looked interesting and delicious. The waiters let us leisurely scrape up the remaining bites of food and slowly pay our bill (which came to $12 per person with tax and tip- an absolute steal considering all the dishes we tried!). Just a few words in closing: I would highly, highly recommend attending your first few dim sum trips with an experienced dim-summer, and if you can snag one that speaks Mandarin and/or Cantonese, you'll be even more well-off!

Ocean City Restaurant
234 N. 9th Street

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