Recipe of A Week: Danger's Holiday Red and Green Soup

The holiday season is here. Your deployment orders? Eat, drink, and be merry.

Although the holiday season is many things to many people, one aspect that nobody seems to be able to escape from is the barrage of food, snacks, nibbles, holiday drinks, tasty morsels, family favorites, and ceremonial feasts. Having personally emitted Uncle Danger's Magic Elixir and more than a few Czech Christmas cookies into my local holiday atmosphere, I can understand why so many people want to detox after the holidays.

Restaurant Review: Coco Loco (Santiago, Chile)

Have you ever seen a crazy coconut? Neither have I. That's why I took note of the funny sign sitting above the doorway of a local eatery in the upscale Las Condes district in downtown Santiago, Chile. And on the sign, the bold distinction of specializing in Chilean seafood. With over 4,000 miles of Pacific coastline (6,345 km), that means a lot of opportunities to pull some tasty food out of the ocean in this country. Mmm!

I was en route to a drugstore, and my appetite wasn't quite with me (besides, I had sushi on my mind for dinner), but I vowed to return, and return I did for lunch today.

Restaurant Review: Torta D' Carlos (Mexico City)

Did you think it was called The Danger Zone because we sit around eating at salad bars all day? No, folks, sometimes the call of duty takes us to places where the going really can get tough. But it's a labor of love, and I'll be damned if the tough didn't get going today, all the way to Torta D'Carlos in Mexico City. Home of "Tortas con Calidad!"

Danger's Guide to Hunting for Good Local Eats

Greece, Latin America, the Middle East, Nairobi, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Tokyo*, Texas, Turkey.

Whenever you find yourself in one of the above-listed countries or areas of the world, and you want to find a delicious, non-touristy place to get some tasty local grub, the following rule can be employed to near perfect results:

- Always find a place where local men with mustaches are eating

That's it. You'd be amazed how accurate this is.

*note, the mustaches are a bit thinner and more difficult to see in Tokyo; you need to look carefully.

Recipe of a Week: Mrs. Marlowe's Pure Happiness Pumpkin Bread

Go Lumberjacks! 

In 1998, your humble host stepped onto the NAU Campus for his freshman year in college. A new life was beginning - a new education, a new direction in life, new friends, and new experiences. Among the new friends that would enter, and happily remain to this day in, my life was Mr. Marlowe.

One autumn Sunday, he and the future Mrs. Marlowe introduced me to one amazingly kick-ass carciofi dip whilst preparing for some NFL action, which became The Danger Zone's first guest recipe of a week. Well, my friends, Mrs. Marlowe is back, with her second featured Recipe of A Week, and it's as good as ever!

Recipe of a Week: Danger's Simply Sweet Potatoes

A study of the top ten potato countries shows that spuds are among the most valuable food commodities in international trade.

Rich in carbohydrates, potatoes also contain proteins, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. Boiling potatoes nearly doubles the amount of calcium and substantially increases protein content.

According to CRN India, the worldwide potato crop was around 322 million metric tons in 2005. (For more of this fascinating story, visit here)

Well that's fine and all, but potatoes have got nothing on their cousin-by-name-only the Sweet Potato! Sweet potatoes are healthier, tastier, and can be substituted basically anywhere a potato is called for with amazing success. And since potatoes are such a frequent 'go to' for side dishes, I thought I would share with you a tasty and incredibly simple recipe which originally called for potatoes, but which got the sweet potato make over. 

Recipe of a Week: J. (prounounced 'hay') Kent's Jalapeno Quesadilla Fiesta

Birds of a feather flock together... ever hear that phrase? Indeed it must be true, because so many of my interests are shared by so many of my friends. For example, take my friend J.Kent. I love tasty Czech beer, he loves tasty Czech beer; I live overseas, and can thus only get one NFL game at a time on any given Sunday due to crappy overseas NFL coverage, he lives overseas and suffers the same programming headaches; I love to eat tasty Mexican food, and J.Kent loves to eat tasty Mexican food... but I had no idea that, like me, he also loves to whip up kick-ass, tasty Mexican food!

Well, thank goodness he does, because this week's Recipe of a Week comes courtesy of J.Kent's culinary dabbling, and the below is a verbatim recreation of his Mexicana masterpiece. 

Recipe of a Week: Danger's REAL Roman Carbonara

... Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M. get the money, dollar, dollar bill, ya'll.... Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M. get the money, dollar, dollar bill ya'll....

Sorry, Wu-Tang, but today there will be NO cream. And do you know why? Because unlike the bastard (no relation to Ol' Dirty...) versions of carbonara most people have run into outside of Italy, true carbonara does not use any milk or cream. How do they achieve that amazing, creamy sauce then you ask? By following this deliciously simple recipe below for true spaghetti carbonara.

Recipe of a Week: Danger's Wicked-Tasty Mediterranean Pumpkin Soup

Trick or treat? Well, I assure you, this is certainly no trick - now that Fall is upon us, pumpkins are showing up everywhere, and this tasty concoction is an amazing version of the seasonal soup favorite. I can only get fresh pumpkins a few autumn months per year, which means I'll be making a lot of pumpkin dishes in the near future.

Danger's How To: Oven Roasted Bell Peppers

Roasted bell peppers are most often purchased in a jar when a recipe calls for them. Fine, but you are missing out on an amazing experience by not making them yourself. The smell and taste of freshly roasted peppers is amazing, and it takes so little effort.

Since some upcoming recipes will include roasted peppers, here's a quick how-to for doing it yourself in your oven.

Recipe of A Week: Sage's Delicious Czech Treats

Cedar City, Utah, a quaint main street town in southern Utah,  population 28,667 (as of July 2008), tends to not be on too many people's radar. And that's the charm of it. A quaint and quiet community where peaceful living can happen, and which may perhaps be best known for it's annual Shakespearean Festival, and Rehkop's Barber Shop - home of the best damn hand shave outside of Turkey.

Well, this community was recently rocked by an event of epic proportions.

Recipe of A Week: Danger's adaptation of "Aunt Tammy's Tasty Thai Salad"

Thailand has given many things to the world - Thai massage, countless Buddhist temples, cool ping pong games, and most recently, red shirt protests. Certainly at the top of the list though belong Thai food and the friendly and lovable Thai king. I shall concentrate on the former with today's recipe.

Restaurant Review: Sushi Bar Ginsen (Tokyo, Japan)

Alright, so let me run through for you a little conversation I had while I was in Tokyo a few weeks ago:

Danger: Wouldn't a fly swatter be easier?
Japanese Man: Man who catch fly with chopstick accomplish anything.
Danger: Ever catch one?
Japanese Man: Not yet.

Okay, fine. I didn't have this conversation. I would have loved it if I had, but this is actually a conversation from the Karate Kid. But, if you had come face to face with this guy, you'd forgive me for 'going there' and throwing the Miyagi association together.

New! Danger's gonna tell you what you should, and should not buy....

What would you do, if I sang out of key, would you stand up and walk out on me?

I hope not, because we could all use a little help from our friends from time to time. And that's why, in addition to tasty recipes, and occasional restaurant reviews, this fella's gonna share his insight on handy kitchen gadgets and other 'endorsed' products which may make your kitchen life easier, sexier... or both!

Stay tuned!

Recipe of a Week: Danger's Favorite Cinnam(b)on Rolls

For those of you who have ever visited an American shopping mall, the words "greatest cinnamon rolls in the world" and "Cinnabon" are synonymous. There is no other. All others are inferior. All others suck. Yes, that's right, because there literally is not a better cinnamon roll than those giant, sticky, gooey, cinnamony cinnamon rolls that Cinnabon faithfully doles out to the shopping public in food courts from Houlton to Honolulu to keep their blood sugar levels sustained for intense American-style capitalistic shopping adventures.

Well, my friends, through means which I am not at liberty to disclose, I have come upon the original recipe for Cinnabon cinnamon rolls. This closely guarded secret could sell for thousands, or tens of thousands, but I am revealing all to my faithful readers at a low, low introductory rate of: FREE! And best of all, this is a deliciously healthy recipe*.

So get your apron on and your rolling pin out, and let's make some cinnamon rolls!

Restaurant Review: Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch Frankfurt - Stranded Traveler's Buffet

Even the greatest and most admired among us make mistakes. People are not perfect, things go wrong sometimes, and the true test about how we measure up as people and as societies is how we adapt to the curveballs which life occasionally throws our way.

That's why I was rather forgiving towards Lufthansa for the debacle which resulted in delays, canceled flights, and, ultimately, Dangerbelle's and my overnight stranding in Frankfurt on our way to Milan last week. This usually impeccable airline had a bad day, and such is life. The good thing about being stranded in a European airport, though, is that they are required by EU law to compensate you with a hotel and meals during your stranding (and 250 Euros cash for the canceled flight!). There are no huddled masses of people sleeping on backpacks and coats like you'll find in O'Hare or JFK. If that's socialism, sign me up!

Recipe of a Week: Easier than you ever would have expected Chocolate Fondant

Creme brule, tiramisu, cheesecake, and.... chocolate fondant! These are the favorites which always catch my eye on a restaurant's dessert menu, and although each one of them are delicious favorites in their own way, it's not often that I come across one that is done incredibly well. Creme brule without a crunchy top, tiramisu with too soggy of angel fingers, cheesecake which is too gelatinous...

Chocolate fondant is probably the one that seemed the hardest to get right of the lot ("How do they get the hot, liquidy, chocolate center into the middle of the cake? Do they inject it like a jelly donut?"). So I knew that undertaking this difficult treat would be hit or miss.... until I realized it's not difficult at all. In fact, this seemingly impossible French dessert is so simple, the French probably would prefer that I don't tell you how to do it. But who cares what the French think, right?

Recipe of a Week: Mags Magoo's Magnificent Muesli

Rolled oats, Sugar, Sultans, Raisins, Dried Cranberry Pieces, Dried Apple Pieces, Salt, Natural Flavoring (unspecified), Lecithin Stabilizer, Vegetable Oil...

These are the ingredients of a basic box of store bought muesli. Dried fruit like raisins and cranberries are not the culprit, but sugar as a number 2 ingredient is a complete insult to the natural sweetness of these nature's delights! Muesli is a healthy and happy snack, and a perfect breakfast with some yogurt or milk. That is why learning Mags Magoo's recipe for homemade muesli has kick-started my days in a way the store bought crap never could have dreamed of.

Restaurant Review: Taverna Romana (Roma, Italy)

Et tu, Brute?

These are famously referred to as the last words spoken by the Roman military and political leader, Julius Caesar, as he he was murdered by Senators and colleagues on March 15, 44 B.C. in the Theatre of Pompey (Teatro di Pompeo).

Why do I bring this up? Well, because the Teatro di Pompey is exactly 1.5 km, or 19 mins by foot, from Taverna Romana, which stands in my mind as one of the most important sites the city of Rome has to offer. While only in business for a mere 200 years, and thus 1,853 years younger than Mr. Caeser's fateful Ides of March date, it has quickly (all things are relative here, people) made a name for itself, at least in the opinion of this humble reviewer, as one of the best restaurants the city of Roma has to offer. But you won't find it in any guide books, and the owners want it that way.

Recipe of a Week: The Godfather of all Meatballs

..... To multiplex cinemas!!!



That's right... I'm over the multiplex. Overpriced, overly synthesized movie experiences. One is the same as the next, and none any better than the other. And, best of all, not only do the local guys show a ton of the new movies (but usually only the GOOD ones), they also hit you with classics which you may never have had the chance to see in a movie house. My decision to check out my local 'kino' this week led me to a very pleasant surprise... The Godfather at Kino Svetozor!

Where the hell have YOU been?....

Well, it's been 9 months and 27 days since the Danger Zone's faithful were treated to a review, recipe, or otherwise had their taste buds tantalized. For that, we apologize. But, it wasn't for sheer lack of time, energy, or ingredients.

Your humble host Danger was busy doing just that... hosting. In the months that this blog has been on hiatus, Cooking with Damen, the most action packed cooking DVD to date, has hit your store shelves. And by store shelves, we mean the hands or mail boxes of those lucky enough to receive a copy!

In the coming weeks and months, Cooking with Damen will be presented bit by bit here, and with it the Recipe of A Week will return, restaurant reviews from around the world, and otherwise food and/or drink related news will grace the computer screens of The Danger Zone's loyal.