Brown Cow Cream on Top Greek yogurt review & Giveaway

When is yogurt more than just a culinary staple used in cooking and with cereal and in smoothies? When it's Brown Cow's new Cream on Top Greek yogurt. Brown Cow has been my husband's favorite brand for a long time. It's the cream on top that makes it so decadent. It's not organic, but it's American Humane Certified which means you an be assured that the cows are treated humanely and are never given artificial growth hormones (rBST or rBGH). 

Like all of the Brown Cow yogurt I've tried, it's particularly mild and creamy. Some Greek yogurts can be very tangy, this will not make your mouth pucker. It's also very rich at 240 calories for an 8 ounce serving of plain and about 200 calories or so for the 6 ounce flavored varieties. Personally, this is not what I would necessarily use everyday, but rather as a dessert or as a dessert topping. It's very thick and by no means low fat. But it is yummy! 

Brown Cow Cream Top Greek yogurt is available in 6 ounce cups in blueberry, honey, maple and vanilla. I liked all the flavors, but blueberry was my least favorite because it contains no actual fruit, just a little blueberry juice. The honey and maple flavors were very fresh tasting, and lightly sweetened. I think the maple variety was the first I've ever tried that didn't have any artificial flavoring. Nice. 

Your chance to try this yogurt is tomorrow, August 18, 2012. From what I've been told, there will be free sampling events at every Whole Foods Market in the country. Try a sample of Cream Top Greek for free and get a $1 off coupon! 

Thanks to Brown Cow 4 lucky winners will get a week’s worth of Brown Cow Cream Top Greek yogurt (seven coupons for free 6oz cups). 

To win:

 1. Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite way to enjoy Greek yogurt. 

 2. The contest will end at 10 pm PST on Sunday, August 19th, 2012. 

 3. A winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on Tuesday, August 21st, 2012.

 4. Giveaway is open to US residents or anyone with a US mailing address.

 5. One comment per person, please, and you must include your email address to win (in the registration is fine, you don't need to leave it in the body of the comment).

The winners are Taryn, BTH, Trish and Janet! Thanks for participating.

Disclosure: I received samples of Brown Cow Greek Cream top yogurt and Brown Cow is providing the prize coupons. 

San Francisco Street Food Festival

I hope you have blocked off a good chunk of the next few days to attend some of the fantastic events being put on by La Cocina, namely the San Francisco Street Food Festival. This tremendous event just gets better and better every year. This year there will be a Night Market at Alemany Farmer's Market taking place on Friday evening, plus the festival all day Saturday and on Sunday and Monday, the Food and Entrepreneurship Conference. I'll be volunteering at the festival all afternoon and will get there early so I don't miss a minute!

At a preview event I got to see some of the bright shiny faces of the vendors who will be at the festival this year and taste some of their dishes.

Here are some of my favorites:

Kika of Kika's Treats is serving her Brazilian cheese bread, which is like a chewy version of a gougere. Served warm they are gooey with a little crunch. 

Eji's Ethiopian served a spicy lentil misir wat that seriously woke up my tastebuds. I think she'll be serving something else at the Festival but I'm sure it will be good. 

The lomitas sandwiches from Sabores del Sur were absolutely delicious. Like the best pork sandwich ever with a hint of creamy avocado and spicy aji chiles.

Azalina of Azalina's is at it again with another crazy Malaysian curry bomb. Seriously, these things are the bomb. This time around she added fresh raspberries to shredded chicken on oniony flatbread. Don't miss it.

The girls from To Hyang served a very tasty version of spicy rice noodle cakes

If you haven't had Donna's Love & Hummus, you are in for a treat. Her organic hummus is subtly flavored but ridiculously creamy. Try the roasted lemon and thyme flavor, my favorite.

Constanza of Maite Catering served the best arepas I have ever eaten, hand's down. Crisp on the outside, tender and packed with luscious fillings.

The Main Event! The San Francisco Street Food Festival takes place this Saturday, August 18th, 11am to 7pm
 on Folsom St., between 20th St. & 26th St.
 Admission is free but to make the most of your time and money, purchase a passport before you go. Nothing is more than $8 and many small bites will cost less than $3. Bring extra cash because you'll want to buy a t shirt, right?

The Night Market is a special fundraiser for La Cocina an incubator that helps low-income food entrepreneurs to formalize and grow their businesses. At the event there will be food available from many La Cocina supported businesses, but also nibbles from Fifth Floor, Jaridinere, Locanda and Ken Ken Ramen. Get a sneak peek at the vendors and their dishes.

The conference is mostly sold out, but a few sessions are still available. I'll be on a panel speaking about food writing on Monday, please do say hello if you attend.

On Julia Child's 100 Birthday

Today marks what would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday. She's a bit like America's culinary mother, the woman who encouraged and cajoled us into the kitchen to be become better cooks, with her humor and her can do attitude. I wish I had a great personal Julia Child story, but alas, I don't.  I can only share that like so many others, I have collected her cookbooks, cooked many of her recipes and thoroughly enjoyed watching her on TV.

Right now I am in the midst of reading Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child, the most comprehensive biography of Julia Child, written by Bob Spitz, someone who not only knew her, but admits to having had a crush on her. It's over 500 pages long and includes lots of anecdotes but it's really her character that shines through in the book and makes it such a good read. You can read an excerpt online.  

Also on my nightstand is a children's book that features Julia Child. Minette's Feast has illustrations that are somewhat reminiscent of Maurice Sendak. The book is short, perfect for bedtime reading. It incorporates tidbits and quotes from Julia Child, but it's really just the backdrop for a fictional story about her cat. It's light and fluffy (kind of like the cat!), and it will definitely please very young children more than adults, unlike Bon Appetit: The Delicious Life of Julia Child, a children's book for slightly older kids, that I believe all Julia Child fans will relish. 


Julia Child has been the focus of many of my blog posts over the years, both before her death and afterwards. Feel free to peruse them: 

Julia Child's Ratatouille recipe  and a review of Bon Appetit: The Delicious Life of Julia Child Julia 

Child Panel Discussion with great personal stories from those who knew her 

Julie & Julia, the movie an inside look at the making of the movie and the food scenes

Happy Birthday Julia!  includes her crepe recipe

Julia Child's Clafouti recipe

Thank you, Julia Child my personal tribute to Julia Child, a day after she passed away

and don't miss Jacques Pepin's charming recollection of Julia Child, it was published in the New York Times, yesterday.

Duck and Mango Soba Salad

Duck and Mango Soba Salad is a big bowl of deliciousness--slithery noodles, succulent roast duck, juicy mango slices and vibrant green herbs. The dressing relies on just a few pantry staples. Asian pantry staples that is. I recommend you keep on hand six basic items--Chinese chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, miso and coconut milk. You can expand that list as you see fit. I always have various types of soy sauce and Chinese vinegars, oyster sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, Mirin, Chinese sesame paste, shelf stable packages of tofu, Asian noodles and some Thai curry pastes. A few pantry staples, a stop to pick up a duck at a Chinese deli and a swing through a produce market and you're on your way to making Duck and Mango Soba Salad!

I shop on Clement Street frequently because there are lots of produce markets with a variety of fruit and vegetables I can't find elsewhere (such as Chinese greens and fresh lychees) shops where I can find dim sum to-go and Chinese delis. I know some people like rotisserie chickens, but I prefer Chinese roast duck. Where I live in San Francisco they cost about $12 for a whole and $7 for a half duck. Roast duck is about as versatile as rotisserie chicken but so much tastier and not expensive.

This week I bought some firm green mangoes for a dollar a piece. You don't have to wait until a mango is soft to use it. In fact, some dishes are better if you use a firmer, less ripe mango. This is one of those recipes. If your mango gets very soft, scoop the flesh from the skin and pit, and freeze the pulp. It's great in smoothies, ice cream and baked goods.

Note: Test the noodles before the package instructions indicate they are done.

Duck and Mango Soba Salad 
Serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese chili garlic sauce (please tell me you have this, if not, you need it)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 7 - 8 oz package buckwheat or cha green tea soba noodles
1 cup Chinese roast duck sliced
1 large firm mango, sliced into matchsticks
4 green onions, slivered
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped or more to taste

Instructions

Whisk the first five ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.

Cook the soba noodles al dente according to package directions. Do not overcook! Once cooked, drain, rinse, and place in a large mixing or serving bowl.

To the soba noodles add the duck, mango, green onions, and cilantro. Add dressing and toss again before serving.

Enjoy!

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

Coffee is a social drink, whether you are ordering an expresso from a crowded bar in Naples or sipping coffee from a saucer in Sweden, as Marcus Samuelsson's grandfather did. But the coffee ceremony from Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee is something very moving. I got to experience it over the weekend, at an event hosted by Ethiopian born Chef Marcus Samuelsson and illy that was held at Espressamente, the illy cafe in San Francisco.

The coffee ritual occurs when you entertain guests at home in Ethiopia. Marcus Samuelsson explained it's a way of getting together, of celebrating. What I experienced was a form of hospitality that truly envelops all your senses. The coffee is prepared by a woman, sitting on the ground, but fresh flowers and greenery are used to beautify the space. Green coffee beans are roasted, and at first there is only the scent of incense used to begin the ceremony but slowly as the beans toast in a pan over the course of 40 minutes to an hour, the aroma becomes stronger and stronger. The scent is intoxicating!  It fills the space and if coffee is invigorating, the aroma is somehow relaxing and soothing. 

After just 8 minutes the beans begin to pop. When roasted, the beans are transferred to a basket and allowed to cool. Deciding when the beans are ready to grind is crucial. The basket is ingenious, it folds up and forms a funnel to slip the beans into a mortar and pestle where the beans are ground by hand. The grinds are boiled with water in a a jebena, a type of burnished clay pot. The coffee is served in small cups and we drink it black, in some parts of Ethiopia they might add salt or butter. The coffee is fragrant with floral and citrus notes and Samuelsson tells me later that Ethiopian coffee such as illly's MonoArabica blend from Ethiopia is best served this way without anything to detract from it's delicacy. The hints of jasmine and lavender are heady. Served with the coffee is a mixture of toasted grains and seeds, in this case crunchy barley and sunflower seeds that accent the toasty, nutty flavors of the coffee. It's an ancient ritual but everyone in the room is enchanted by it and the gracious East Bay based Ethiopian women who guide us through it. 

To experience some Ethiopian hospitality, please visit Brundo for coffee and spices and Cafe Colucci for a wide variety of Ethiopian food.

 Another post on the Ethiopian coffee ceremony:

Bay Area Bites

My thanks to illy for inviting me to experience the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Please note, while I worked with illy during SF Chefs, this is not a sponsored post. 

Interview with Marcus Samuelsson

Chef Marcus Samuelsson is one of the guests coming from out of town for SF Chefs. He'll be here with illy cafe. And I'll be one of the illy cafe social media correspondents, sharing details of SF Chefs on Saturday night and all day Sunday. Follow me on Twitter and check out my posts on Instagram (@cookingwithamy)

Coffee and coffee culture is so important in both Ethiopia and Sweden, where you were born and where you were raised, respectively. Can you share what significance it has for you personally?  
Coffee culture in Ethiopia and Sweden couldn’t be farther apart in the actual rituals but for me I always associate it with family memories and the bringing together of friends and loved ones. Obviously as coffee is grown in Ethiopia it so much part of everyone’s life and diet. How you drink your coffee can vary depending on which tribe you’re from some have it with butter, or with salt or with barley they all celebrate it differently.

What memories do you have drinking coffee in Sweden?  
I always remember my Grandmother getting out her finest coffee cups for afternoon coffee and serving coffee with 7 different types of cookies which is a big Scandinavian tradition. My Grandfather was old school and loved drinking it from a saucer which used to annoy my grandmother so much but brings back very happy, vivid memories for me!

I'm excited to attend the sold out Ethiopian coffee ceremony at SF Chefs this Sunday. When did you first experience it? What was it like?  
I remember them preparing it in the pots and roasting the green beans and that wonderful aroma

How did the relationship between you and illy begin?

I am a coffee lover and a longstanding fan of illy. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and mine too. The creation of illy’s first ever single origin coffee presented the deal opportunity to partner with illy. The unparalleled commitment to sustainability and quality shown by illy is something I look forward to becoming a part of over the upcoming year.

What are you looking forward to the most about coming to San Francisco? Will you have any time to hang out with favorite chefs or at restaurants?
I love the farmer’s markets especially the Ferry Building and in general SF always inspires or teaches me something new – I know people always say there’s a rivalry between SF and NY chefs but I am so excited to go there – the palette of the SF people is very high so its a very inspiring place to be and eat

I'm sorry to be missing your illy Explorigins MonoArabica cooking demo with Chris Cosentino on Saturday at SF Chefs. Can you tell us what you will be cooking as the main course?
I will be cooking a coffee-cured duck salad with peach vinaigrette using illy’s Ethiopian MonoArabica Single Origin*.

Any tips for cooking with coffee? Using it as an ingredient? 
I love to add a little espresso with the sauce to accompany Gravlax – its very big in Sweden. Also freshly ground beans can be incorporated into a rub especially great with steak like a good rib eye. Obviously its great with the Tiramisu and Pana Cotta. I love making a white coffee drink which is a little coffee mixed with Coconut milk and cinnamon – delicious

*Ethiopian MonoArabica Single Origin is part of illy's introduction of the first single origin coffees, representing the best of their original famous illy blend. MonoArabica features the highest-quality examples of 100% sustainably grown Arabica coffee from three countries – Brazil (intense and full bodied), Guatemala (complex and medium bodied) and Ethiopia (delicate and aromatic)  You can sample MonoArabica at espressamente illy, 123 Battery Street. San Francisco.

You can see Marcus Samuelsson at SF Chefs this weekend

Saturday August 4
 - Tickets are still available for illy Explorigins: MonoArabica Coffee Cooking with Chefs Marcus Samuelsson (Red Rooster Harlem) and Chris Cosentino (Incanto)  10:00–11:30 am at the Westin St. Francis

Sunday August 5 (in the Tasting Tent)

 - Chef interviews by Marcus Samuelsson from 12:30-1:30 pm in the illy Lounge

 - Giorgio Milos, illy's Master Barista and Marcus Samuelsson will do a cooking demo at 2:10 at the Dacor demo stage

 - Marcus Samuelsson will be signing copies of his new book, Yes, Chef and offering tastes of MonoArabica with illy's Master Barista Giorgio Milos from 3-4 pm in the illy Lounge.

Please note: This is not a sponsored post!  I am being compensated in my role as social media correspondent, but I am NOT compensated to post about illy or any other brand. If I do so, it is only because I sincerely find it interesting and of value. I hope you do too.

Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad Recipe

This recipe for Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad is brought to you by the fresh corn, leftover cotija cheese and a can of beans. And that lazy feeling that strikes during the Summer for something delicious yet easy. Like most everyone, I love fresh corn. Eight ears for 2 dollars? Sold! When corn is sweet it's a cinch to prepare. In addition to adding it to a salad, my other favorite ways to prepare it are making corn chowder (I make a different version just about very time) and on the cob, slathered with mayo and dredged in crumbled cheese served with a wedge of lime.

While corn should be cooked soon after picking or purchasing, cotija cheese is the exact opposite. I bought cotija for some recipe or another and found the leftover cheese lasted and lasted. Like other Mexican cheeses, it's inexpensive, and easy to use. Cotija is a crumbly cheese, less salty than feta, but a little goes a long way. The beans in this recipe make the salad feel hearty and substantial. I suppose you could make it with canned or frozen corn all year round, but it really feels like a Summer dish to me. 

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad makes the perfect side dish to go with barbecue chicken, steak, pork chops, you name it. It's a very flexible recipe, you can leave out the cilantro if you like, add more green onions or use red onions instead. Add more tomato or less. Add as much or as little hot sauce as you like. If you don't like spicy food, start with a teaspoon, taste, then add more. I hope you will make this recipe your own! 

Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 ears of corn

1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tomato diced, include the juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 green onions, chopped

1 Tablespoon Habanero Pepper Tabasco Sauce

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1/2 cup crumbled Mexican cotija cheese (or feta)

Salt

Instructions

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Strip the corn from the cobs, into the skillet and

cook, stirring, until beginning to brown in spots, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in black beans, tomato and juice, cilantro, green onions, Habanero sauce and lime juice. Fold in the cotija cheese. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed. 

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I created this recipe on behalf of Tabasco and I was compensated for it. The choice to post it here, was my own.