Day 15 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - What Are You Best At Cooking?

Today’s challenge is:What Are You Best At Cooking?For the last few years I’ve been known to make a mean aka really spicy beef chili.

Chili is the perfect winter dish for me. It’s soupy, it’s warm, and it’s hearty. No slurping allowed.

I’ve been making one chili recipe in particular I put the recipe together myself from a basic chili recipe I fount on-line that was super dry.

You can see the recipe below.

As for the beef, I go for grass-fed.

I try to get all of the other ingredients as organic as possible.

I like to make my own tomato sauce and use tomato paste for thickness.

I always (ALWAYS) serve my chili with a side of white rice. Whenever I try chili without rice I’m always highly disappointed.

I’m all about topics too.

I always top my chili with avocado slices and a dollop of sour cream.

I’ve recently started topping my chili with bacon but if I’m in a rush I do not include it.

So the dish I’m best know for making is chili.

If you follow the below recipe let me know (comment below) how it goes and if you decided to top it with bacon or not :)

Day 3 - 30 Day Food Blog Challenge - Favorite Food Memory

Before I reveal my favorite food memory. I have to say that I was blessed to have a mother who knew the importance of exposing their offsprings to other cultures through food. I'm also very lucky to have a father who studied culinary arts. I believe this helped mold me into the foodie that I am today.Back to my favorite food memory. I was about 12 or 13 years old and my mother decided it was time to introduce me to Japanese cuisine because I would always see pretty pictures of sashimi on menus and I would always ask her about it.There was one afternoon after school my mother took me to this cute little Japanese restaurant near Union Square in Manhattan (here in NYC). It wasn't too fancy it was just right for a first experience. Not too stuffy, just right. At that time this was a huge deal for be cause it was time! Time to try the pretty food! I was so excited to try out the chopsticks. I will say I did a good job (you can confirm this with my mama).She started off by ordering California rolls for me. Don't give me side eye reader. I think that was a great introduction for a youngin'.I LOVED every bit of the rolls.Little did I know many years later I would be dining at the hippest Japanese restaurants in New York and Las Vegas.At this time I was "living my best life". I was trying the pretty food and I wanted more. We tried another roll. I can't remember which one but it may have been spicy tuna but I'm not sure about that. But on the second roll before my mother could explain what the wasabi and ginger was for. I plopped the piece of wasabi in my mouth.Allow me to explain.Growing up Caribbean you tend to eat avocados on the regular. The California roll contained a small piece and I don't know why my brain connected this but I figured oh the chef was so nice to put a piece of avocado on the side for maybe a palate cleanser. Boy was I wrong.The fire in my nose and my entire face spoke volumes. Tears were rolling my face. My mother tried to stop me but I was too fast. And my friends reading this, from that day forward I either ask what certain items are or I smell my food before I put it in my mouth.It is my favorite memory because I learned to take it easy when it comes to new foods and it was my first time trying one of my now favorite cuisines.

Get to Know A Foodie | 50 Foodie Questions & Answers

 It's the new year and new blog readers out there. I love lists and I love questionnaires. I think both items give you insights to what people are thinking and what their daily lives are like.With that said I figured I would like to share my life with a 50 question and answer section to start off the new year of TameekaEats so you the reader can get to know me.Sit back and have a read. If something triggers you leave a comment below or send me a tweet: @tameekaeats.1. What name do you go by and why?  

• I now go by the name TameekaEats - On the internet I used to go by the name of "TameekaTime". This was during my lifestyle blogging years. Now that I have a concrete focus and I'm ready to express my love food and my love of eating I decided to combine the two and there the name was born "TameekaEats”.

2. Do you buy more than one kind of butter?

• Yes. Absolutely. I buy whipped butter, clarified butter (for when I'm dieting), and often pick up a tasty Polish butter made of 82% milk: Masło Ekstra. I also buy almond butter and cashew butter. I'm currently in search for recipes to make my own peanut butter and almond butter at home.

3. Where do you go eat for a special meal?

• This I hard to answer because I live in one of the most amazing cities in the country (New York City) so I often go out to eat for special meals but as of recent. My significant other and I have frequented a local restaurant named JADE EATERY. It's located in the town next to ours (Forest Hills). It's very casual with a lounge and restaurant area. We can dress up or come here straight after work and enjoy a fancy meal and cocktail.

4. Do you drink wine?

• I do. I really do. I actually love drinking wine. I'm a big fan of reds. I really live Merlots. My favorite type of wine is Cabernet Franc. And I can always go for a glass of cabernet sauvignon.

5. Do you prefer vegetables raw or cooked?

• I can go either way. I love a good crunchy carrot or a crisp celery stick. I also enjoy carrots roasted in the oven and topped with honey and a little salt and pepper.

6. Do you watch any food TV?

• Yes! My favorite cooking/food tv show is “Chopped”. I love the fact that the contestents are timed. I’m often heard screaming at the tv while this show is on. I also really like: The Great Food Truck Race and Bizarre Food with Andrew Zimmern.

7. Chinese? Thai? Japanese? Cambodian? Vietnamese? No preference? 

• I actually love all types of asian foods. I’m a huge fan of Japanese cuisine. I can probably eat Japanese food every day and not get sick of it. I will hopefully plan a trip to Asia at some point in my life.

8. Have you ever made a recipe from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking?

• Unfortunately no I have not but I just ordered Mastering the Art of French Cooking and plan on getting my Julia Childs on with in the next few months. From the movies I’ve watched I really admire Julia’s passion. It’s something we all can appreciate.

9. Discuss your thoughts and experiences about specialty salts.

• I think specialty salts are necessary. I especially think Himalayan salts, sea salts, and truffle salts are important. Salts are made to bring out the flavor in foods. It’s a science. It’s not just hearsay. "Salt is used as a universal flavor improver because at low concentrations it will reduce bitterness, but increase sweet, sour and umami, which is desirable for sweet recipes. But at higher concentrations it suppresses sweetness and enhances umami, which is good for savory things.” {Source: Science Focus: http://www.sciencefocus.com/qa/why-does-salt-enhance-flavour }

10. How do you store your leftovers?

• Yes. I know many people who are not fans of leftovers but I LOVE leftovers. For some reason when I cook meals I feel like the next day the food tastes even better once re-heated. Sometimes I’ll bake chicken thighs, don’t eat them right away, put them in the refrigerator and reheat it the next day and I’m in chicken heaven.

11. Where do you tend to get your new ideas for cooking at home?

• I get my new cooking ideas from Pinterest, Facebook, other food blogs, twitter, basically most visual social media platforms.

12. How often do you eat out?

• Within a month I’d say about 3-4 times. For the past month I've been receiving orders from Blue Apron and I'm really enjoying the variety.

13. When you do eat out, what kind of place do you like?

• I typically eat out during the week, and it’s usually different places. I frequent websites like Groupon, Pulsd, and LivingSocial for dinner deals and usually go during the week and the weekends are usually spent at home with family relaxing and cooking. If I had to choose one "type" of place I go to a lot I would say foods with asian flair.

14. Have you ever eaten on a train?

• I just laughed after reading this question, I will confirm yes. I have eaten snacks on the train. Being from New York City you will see everything on the train and one thing you will see (no matter if it's Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall) is something chomping down of a full bowl of food. I am not a fan of this because there are lots of foods that do not smell well.

15. Do you buy any food magazines?

• Yes, in 2016 I had a 1-year subscription to Cooking Light. I have not renewed because I'm on the look out for a new food magazine line to subscribe it. It's always refreshing to have an actual recipe in hand and photos to flip through.

16. Have you even been/eaten abroad?

• Yes, and I have to say one of the best places I've gone to eat is in the Montreal, Canada.

17. What are your thoughts about eggs?

• I love love love eggs. I think they are a great source of protein. I can eat them morning, noon or night. My favorite style of eggs are hard scrambled and hard boiled.

18. Miracle Whip or real mayonnaise?

• Real mayonnaise. 100%. I can not tell you the last time I've had Miracle Whip, it was probably when I was a teenager.

19. Do you buy organic foods? 

• Yes. In my household we do our best to eat organic as much as possible. Our meats (chicken and fish) are usually purchased organically.

20. Do you buy local foods?

• Occasionally we do. And by locally I mean in my household we tend to get our groceries from Polish family owned markets in Greenpoint Brooklyn.

21. Do you shop at a farmers market?

• Yes! I adore farmer markets. The market that I frequent is located in Manhattan in the union square area. It's one of the best farmers markets in the city.

22. Do your vacation pictures ever include food?

• Absolutely! I take a lot of photos and I'm generous at sharing them on various social media platforms. The key with getting good photos on vacation is to set a time for photos and then set a down time where your cameras are back at the hotel or your phone is turned off so you can actually enjoy the vacation.

23. Are you a radish eater? Have you ever cooked radishes or used the greens? 

• I am now a radish eater. I did not radishes until a few months ago when my significant other made me a radish salad. It contained: raw radishes, diced onions, sour cream, sugar, dill, salt and pepper. Once this was set in the refrigerator for a half this side dish was delicious. I have never cooked radishes our used the greens. Maybe this will be in my near cooking future.

24. Rice: basmati, jasmine, sticky, sushi, long, arborio, brown, wild?

• If you know, you know that I LOVE rice. It's one of my comfort foods. Growing up I grew up eating rice having a Caribbean background. Now if I have to pick from the above options, I would go with jasmine rice. The aroma alone makes my mouth water.

25. Crème fraiche? Sour Cream? Crema? 

• Sour Cream for sure. I like that it is a base that can be mixed with sugar or salt and pepper and still taste yummy. It's a staple in my household. It may not be the healthiest option but it damn sure is tasty.

26. Do you cook ahead?

• I started cooking ahead starting last year when I tried the Whole 30 diet. It was a great experience and it makes you really think about what goes into foods at restaurants and makes you wonder if the ingredients are fresh, local, or even good for you to consume so a long story short it's always best to cook ahead. Cook for the week.

27. What are your holiday food favorites?

• Some of my favorite holiday foods are: candies yams and cranberry sauce. Those are the 2 dishes that I do not eat on a regular and whenever I eat it during the holidays it feels like a treat!

28. What’s your favorite berry?

• Strawberries. They are hands down my favorite of the berries.

29. Recommend a good wine for a newbie.

• I prefer reds over whites so I would personally recommend: William Hill Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

30. Have you ever eaten bugs (on purpose)?

• Actually I have. I dined at a Mexican restaurant named Serenata in the Chelsea area of New York City and the appetizer I chose included roasted grasshoppers. The dish was called ENSALADA DEL DESIERTO and it was quite delicious. It reminded me of eating sunflower seeds (maybe because it was roasted but I did not complain).

31. Do you like liverworst? 

• I wouldn't say that I like it, I would say I've eaten it and I have not complained.

32. Have you ever made sausage?

• No. But, I have watched the process in person and on screen and it's usually something I do not enjoy watching because it's usually kind of gross but I will eat sausage until the cows come home.

33. Do you like to try local specialities when you travel?

• Yes. 100% before I travel I do a bit of research based on where I am going so I can try the national dish of that place. It gives you a feel of the location and connects you to what the people there value when it comes to food.

34. Ever made your own beer or wine or spirits?

• I've assisted in making beer at an editorial house I worked for years ago. The ingredients were simple to get but the process itself included a few specialty items and the final process take several weeks to complete.

35. What are your favorite vegetables?

• My favorite vegetables are: carrots, beets, baby kale, sorrel, spinach and cabbage.

36. Fruit crisps – with or without oatmeal?

• With oatmeal. And also with ice-cream on top!

37. Have you ever met a cheese you didn’t like?

• I have indeed! I enjoy cheese like the next person but when it is way too smelly I have a hard time eating it. I can not remember the brand but I was at an event and was served a camembert. Once I touched the tiny tasting block I just couldn't bring it up to my mouth to eat it. I'm find with non-smelly cheeses and I understand the smellier the cheese the better the taste but not in my  book!

38. Do you like coffee?

• I do like coffee. Out of the types of coffee, I really enjoy cappuccinos. As I do enjoy coffee, I only drink it when I'm tired. I actually love tea a lot more and can drink tea all day.

39. What pasta do you favor, and with what sauce?

• I am a big fan of penne. And I can always go for a nice vodka sauce on top.

40. Do you eat beets, and if so how do you like them prepared?

• I do eat beets. I liked them juiced. I like them oven roasted. I can eat them raw in salads. During the holidays I eat a Polish beet soup. Recently I learned to shred them and pan fry them. I can eat anyway!

41. Have you ever eaten flowers?

• Yes. I have eaten roses before in cupcakes. I've also had various teas containing flowers. Lot's of people do not realize they are drinking dried flowers in certain teas.

42. Do you like to read cookbooks?

• No I do not like to read cookbooks, I usually skip the stories and go straight to the recipes.

43. Do you like to shop in foreign speciality grocery stores?

• Yes. I mentioned earlier my house hold is half Polish so we shop at speciality polish markets and speciality Caribbean markets.

44. Does fancy dress enhance a special meal, or make it uncomfortable?

• I would say yes. When you have to dress up for a meal it makes you feel special which in turn makes the meal feel special and when we usually dress up for meals it is for a special occasion.

45. Are good knives important?

• Yes and no. For years I've used standard knives and I've been fine. I've managed to make perfectly delicious meals. Recently my significant other dropped quite a pretty penny on knives for Christmas and I will say these expensive knives cut everything so perfectly. I am grateful for them when I'm preparing meats and chopping vegetables because it does make a difference but for the last 15 years I've been okay with out them. So if you can obtain expensive knives do so.

46. What is your favorite kitchen tool (feel free to list more than one)?

• This may sound weird but my tongs. I have at least 5 different sized tongs in my kitchen. No matter what I'm cooking, I seem to always use my tongs to pick something up or put something hot down. I don't know how I operated in my kitchen before having them.

47. Have you ever tried kitchen scissors?

• Yes. They come in handy with cutting vegetables and tricky packaging.

48. Do you ever save up to splurge on an exceptional meal?

• I have not saved for an exceptional meal but I have budgeted my month around an opportunity to eat at (2) of New York City's most famous steak houses in one week: Peter Luger and Strip House.

49. If you had $200 which you could only spend on food, what would you get?

• If I had to spend $200 on food it would be a mixture of steak and lobster.

50. Have you ever thrown a dinner party?

• Yes. I love dinner parties. I think they are great. Last year I threw a party at my apartment, it was called Tameeka's Birthday Pizza Pokeno and Pierogies. It was a lot of fun.

BONUS: Please share a recipe.

• Here is one of my favorite and most used recipes: Tameeka's Beef Chili

Many thanks to the questionnaire post on Swap-Bot for providing the above questions.

Throwback Thursday's | Montreal, Canada

 This week's throwback Thursday is extra special to me. This throwback took place 2 years ago almost to the day, which happens to be not too far away from my  birthday.In November of 2014 I turned 30! The big 3-0! And what other way should a foodie celebrate her birthday but to number one: Travel and number two: Travel to a city that's on her bucket list!My significant other and I rented an apartment using the website TripAdvisor (it's very similar to AirBnB) but with a better insurance policy. Plus the pricing worked out a lot better than the available AirBnB's and hotels in the area I wanted to stay in. I also, wanted to stay in an apartment so I could get a feel of what it's like to live in this city (even if it's just for a week).I'm going to back up a bit for those who do not know where Montreal is, it is the most English and French populated city in Quebec Canada. Montreal has been ranked as one of the top food destinations in the world. With that said, you can tell how excited I was at planning this trip and how excited I was to try French cuisine without traveling to Europe.My first stop once in Montreal was to our apartment rental which was in Park Avenue (Avenue Du Parc). This area is considered one of the most elegant residential areas in Montreal.We did a bit of walking around the area and noticed just a few steps away from our flat there was a cozy little Middle Eastern restaurant named Kazamaza. Before I talk about how delicious the food was, there is one thing I will mention about this beautiful city for those planning on visiting. Many restaurants do not stay open all day. Some open in the mornings (9/10am), stay open for a few hours (until about 1/2pm) close for a few hours then reopen for dinner around (5/6pm). We discovered this around 3pm when we tried to grab food and Kazamaza was closed and setting up for the dinner crowd. I think this a great concept for workers in the food industry. You have more time to relax and the ability to take solid breaks and actually enjoy your profession instead of busting your butt all day long. Now that we got the lay of the restaurant land, we planned accordingly for future food outings. Here's what we had at Kazamaza (I will say everything we tasted here was extremely fresh, perfect temperature, the staff was amazingly helpful and treated us with so much hospitality even though we did not speak French):Photos below: (1) Fattet Mawzat : A warm lovely dish layered with lamb, eggplant, pine nuts, tomato sauce, and mind blowing spices. (2) Labneh (3) grilled chicken. We also tried some amazing beer named Boréale. I would have never thought my first meal in this French city would be Middle Eastern and I loved every bite.The drive from Queens to Montreal was a long one so we called it a night (after dinner) and got a goodnights sleep. The next day, we woke up early to get some bagels. Before I headed to Montreal there was talk in my office of me trying "amazing" bagels on my trip. When I heard this from a co-worker I was a little taken aback by this statement because I'm a New Yorker. Born and raised in Brooklyn and in my opinion New York City produces the best bagels hands down. I know my previous statement is controversial but I did not expect to hear that bagels are one of the "must tries" foods in Montreal. And, because I love a challenge and I love to prove people wrong I woke up extra early (as instructed) and headed down to St-Viateur Bagel (La Maison du Bagel).My first thoughts were (as I approached the store) "oh this is small". I was under the impression this is a sit down diner like how in New York City, you can grab a bagel, sit and have a cup of coffee. Nope. This place was a legit hand rolled bagel shop. It was spectacular to see this happening before my eyes. I had to let a few locals go ahead of me before I could decide on which bagels I wanted to try. But I ended up getting 4 different bagels and I will admit they were pretty good. Very warm, soft, not airy, not too chewy and not too crunchy but sort of the perfect bagel consistency. If you are reading this and plan on heading to Montreal I highly recommend stopping at St-Viateur Bagel shop and at the least watch the bagel making process, it's pretty great to see first hand. Luckily we did not live too far from here so we grabbed the 4 bagels and headed back to our flat to make coffee and enjoy our bagels.After we stuffed our faces with yummy bagels we bundled up (because it was about 17degrees at the time) and headed to Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal. It's truly amazing. My photos can not do the real thing justice. If you have a chance to go to Montreal please visit the basilica just to experience it's structural beauty.We also took some time to visit the Jardin Botanique de Montréal, Parc olympique de Montréal, and Biodôme de Montréal. Both the Botanique Jardin and Parc olympique even in the winter were majestic, and the Biodome was so much fun. I love visiting habitats so this was right up my alley. I had a blast! The penguin exhibit was my favorite.As many of you travelers know, lots of walking, visiting shops, and site-seeing can make a person hungry.And oh boy did I continue to eat on this trip.Here are a few of my favorite food stops leading up to my big 5-course birthday dinner (more on that later).Café Local: Here we tried delicious buttery pasta with chorizo and fish St-Hubert Express: Duck Poutine For those who are not aware of what poutine is, it's Canada's famous dish consisting of French fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy. It's a Canadian staple. I decided to try the Duck Poutine because every dish in Montreal could possibly contain duck, it's like what chicken in for America. We stopped for cappuccino's before heading to China Town. I will have to say it seems like any coffee shop you go to in Montreal, the people are friendly and the cappuccinos are divine.Soup Dumplings in Montreal's China Town: pork and leak We called it a night after an eventful day. Had a bit of whiskey and these unique dill pickle chips only sold in Canada by the fireplace.The next day breakfast was a bit American at a cute boutique diner named Beautys Luncheonette (this was also walking distance from our flat). I tried my best to order a french dish but everyone around me kept ordering pancakes so that's what I got :) and the decision was light fluffy and came with LOTS of bacon.Since this was now my actual birthday I got a chance to relax, and do a bit of shopping in our part of town. The supermarkets in Montreal and stocked very similar to what we have in the US but I feel like they cater to the healthier side of products more than the chemical based products. I also absolutely loved the fact that ducks and duck meat were readily available as you would see chicken or beer here in the US. I hardly see duck sold in a local Whole Foods or a Gristedes.Speaking of duck, I will now explain my birthday dinner. A dear co-worker who lives and works in Montreal was a huge help when I told her I would be spending time in Montreal. I asked her for a restaurant that would feed my foodie hunger but not break the bank. My co-worker recommended a wonderful restaurant that offered a 5-course dinner for around $54-55. When I looked up reviews on this place it became an absolute must! The restaurant is named French Connection.Here are a few pictures of what I ate, there was liver, duck legs, fish, beef tartar, bread-pudding (which i LOVE) and lot's of wine. I recommend dining here if you are looking for a lovely atmosphere full of locals and lots of superb French cuisine.I could not have asked for a better 30th birthday! I loved every single bite of my meal. Every single course :)The next day was one of our last days in Montreal and on the way out of this majestic city we stopped at Mount Royal (which gave a stunning overlook of the city then drove) - photo's below (1), grabbed some English Pub food at the Burgundy Lion for lunch (photos 2,3)  and The Old Port of Montreal (photo 4,5).After lunch we made our way to Marché Jean-Talon because we were told we could not leave Montreal with trying the oysters at Marché Jean-Talon. I think that was one of the beset suggestions we received on the entire trip. Marché Jean-Talon is a gigantic market full of fresh seafood, vegetables, sweets, meats and restaurants. Have a look at the photos I took and check out the food I managed to stuffed my face with as we began our journey back to Queens (NYC).Thank you reader for joining me and taking a look back at one of the best foodie trips I've had to date.Leave a comment below if you have any questions about the dishes or locations mentioned above.

Tameeka Eats Food Facts: Apples ??

This week I'd been thinking a lot about apples. I've been craving them which I do not normally do but they seem to be everywhere: in supermarket displays (right when you walk in), on television, in technology (Apple products), all over  bars with seasonal ciders, they are just everywhere this fall! Earlier today I was walking my dog and saw this (I had to stop myself for buying a bunch of the update jonagold's.              Is anyone else like me out there? For some reason, every single time I eat an apple the old saying comes to mind: "An Apple A Day Will Keep The Doctor Away" which I'm guessing can have some truth in the sense of we should all eat a piece of fruit instead of snacking on potato chips or candy ?.My all time favorite apple is the granny smith. Granny Smith apples are simply beautiful to look at and have the most addictive tartness I've ever tasted. Plus once you have a ripe granny smith you can crunch down on it and experience juicy crispness. Did you know it's an apple that originated in Australia in the 1800s, also did you know it's one of the most popular apples to cook with? One of my favorite lunches includes a turkey sandwich with brie, honey, slices of green apple and whole wheat bread! Yum. Yum. Ok wait!  I can go on and on about one of my favorite fruits but I'm going to stop and get it together and give 5 facts about this delicious fruit instead.??FACT #1 - Apples are said to have been growing wild in Central Asia around either 2 or 10 million years ago. That's a long long tie ago.??FACT #2 - A steady diet of apples are noted to reduce cholesterol. I guess there is some truth to that old saying.??FACT #3 - Apples are one of the most diverse food items around. You can create savory dishes, sweet pies, alcoholic beverages, and make a soup out them. You can puree them, bake them, grill them, blend them, feed them to your dog, infuse them with booze and add them to almost any dish you make. So be careful of putting apples in the refrigerator because they stay fresher longer. ??FACT #4 - Eating too many apple seeds can kill you. I'm being a bit dramatic but I figured this was important to mention. The apple seeds are poisonous if you eat about 200 of them. The small seeds contain a substance called amygdalin. Amygdalin releases cyanide (a chemical compound) when it comes into contact with the human digestive enzymes. ??FACT #5 - Apples can be used as a clarifying facial mask. Believe it or not adding an apple with honey, lemon, and flower can make for a natural facial mask.I hope you enjoyed this post and learned a little bit about one of the healthiest fruits you can eat! If you have any apple facts you'd like to share or even let me know what your favorite apple is feel free to leave a comment below. Now go and have an apple, it'll do you some good :)