"The Sandwich"

To finally actually answer the poll that I posted so long ago and that didn't have a clear winner, here it is. "The Sandwich"is the name we affectionately call a concoction that we have been eating for years now. The inspiration for this sandwich, I'm not ashamed to say, comes from Martha Stewart. She may have gone to jail and to many of the more hardcore Foodies she might be the Antichrist, but she does occasionally come up with some tasty meals/treats. 

  

This sandwich has become a bit of comfort food for us and has never lost it's appeal. Everyone we have shared this will agree this is a delicious 'sammie'. The ingredients may vary and there is no set amount or combination, so here is the basic outline of "The Sandwich".

What's in It:

• 1 Loaf Ciabatta Bread (the Fresher the better)
• Approx. 1/4 lb Prosciutto (Paper Thin)
• Sm. Jar Artichokes in Olive Oil
• Couple Handfuls of Arugula or 'Spring Mix'
• Handful Roasted Peppers (Slices)
• 3 Med-Large Balls of Fresh Mozzarella (Sliced) Buffalo is possible
• 1/2 Sm. Red Onion (thinly Sliced)
• 2 Med Vine-Ripened Tomato (sliced)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar (good stuff if you got it)
• Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper

What to do with It:

1. Slice the bread and sprinkle Olive Oil on the bottom half, Balsamic on the top
2. Layer on the Prosciutto, then the Artichokes and Pepper, then Tomatoes 
3. Season with S & P, then add onion and a splash of Olive Oil
4. Add on the greens then the Mozzarella, season again
5. Place top half of Ciabatta
6. Cover with towel and then put something heavy on top - this mushes all the goodness together and combines the flavors along with making the sandwich thin enough to fit in your mouth

Enjoy!! I know you will!!

Stavanger: A Culinary Destination (Who would have known)

It's been a while since I've written (bad me), but here is a post that I had meant to finish up shortly after the trip was taken. Not to long ago my fiance Shira had a business trip to Stavanger, Norway. I decided to meet up with here near the end of the work week so we could spend the weekend there. I didn't know much about Norway or Stavanger outside of it being called the "Land of the Midnight Sun", due to the ridiculously long days in the summer. Unfortunately it wasn't summer time so the weather was a bit cold and wet. Regardless f that I can definitely see the charm of this little city and can image it as the great base for the outdoor adventure that's at it's doorstep. 

  

My biggest surprise and the reason for this write up is the culinary scene. The Norwegians, much like the British aren't renown for the traditional culinary prowess of their culture. Fresh fish and a huge repertoire of pickled items is about the extent of what most people think of when Norway comes to mind. Surprisingly there was a huge range of dining options to choose from for our weekend in Stavanger soI did a fair amount of research on restaurants before the trip (as any true 'Foodie' would) and was excited at the prospects.

   

Our First dinner was a local fish restaurant, Sjohuset Skagen located just off the water (the Vagen). The cuisine was fairly traditional Norwegian and I must say that it was really tasty. No flair but honest food prepared expertly. The first Cod of the season was on special so "When in Rome", of course we had the Cod special. I first started with a Gravlax which was the best that I've ever had and of course some regional brew. Following that was the main course of Cod, fresh veggies (some of them pickled), and of course the starch of choice thereabouts, Potatoes. Everything was simply done but very tasty, kudos to Norwegian cuisine.

   

Also while we there we had some very flavorful burgers (actually some of the best that I have tasted since moving away from the states) for lunch at a small restaurant in the city center called Soleado. Mornings consisted of aromatic coffee and pastries at a french style cafe. Another tasty dinner was at a Tapas restaurant (they seem to be everywhere in Europe) called Emilio's Tapas Bar. We were pleasantly surprised at how good the Tapas were at this place. Very authentic dishes, all the classics that you would expect - Jamon Ham, Manchego Cheese, Olives, Bacon wrapped Dated, Octopus and many, many more. A great treat!

The last place of mention is Craigs Kjokken(Kitchen). This was a restaurant that was recommended on many websites and also by some coworkers of Shira. This was a quite posh place whose food could be best described as modern Norwegian. They have only one set menu of 6 courses (you can choose how many and which courses you want) and it changes daily, all depending on what is available. If I remember correctly they try to use a lot of local ingredients in their menus. Unfortunately I can't completely recall all the plates that we had (went for 5 course, skipping the cheese course) but there was a starter, soup, 1st, 2nd, and dessert course. If there is some interest in what we actually had please let me know and I will confer with my Foodie Fiance and we'll try to recall our meal in detail. Craig's does offer wine pairing for each of the courses and has a pretty extensive wine list. So in a nutshell the whole meal was fantastic, the portions were just right and all the dishes were a nice blend of Norwegian staples with a twist or at least regionally inspired. I would definitely recommend this place for a visit.

Well I hope you are as surprised as I am to all the tastiness that can be found in Stavanger, Norway and if you do get a chance to visit, check some of these places out. Cheers!