Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Recipe

10 Aug 2010

Pasta with Corn, Burrata, Pancetta, and Chilies

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I’m not usually a bossy gal, but you must make this pasta dish. I bookmarked it months ago when I came across it on Local Lemons, but never got around to executing for some reason or another. I was given the reminder that I needed when it was featured on Serious Eats last week. Two gentle nudgings was all it took for me to pick up the necessary ingredients and prepare a double batch.

Let me tell you, this pasta rules! From the basil-infused breadcrumbs to the creamy hunks of burrata to the spicy dash of chilies and sweet summer corn, there are so many amazing flavors and textures in every bowl-full. Each bite is exciting, fresh, and deliciously different. I hope to prepare this pasta several more times before summer fades into fall and fresh corn disappears from the market. I encourage you to do the same.

1/2 pound dried or fresh wide noodles, like pappardelle or fettuccine
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more to garnish
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to season
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
2 dried red chilies, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup Parmigiana Reggiano, shredded
1/4 pound burrata

I purchased all of the ingredients at Trader Joe’s and a local Mexican supermarket. I already had the panko bread crumbs in the pantry.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, stirring often. Drain, reserving a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the breadcrumbs and sauce. For the breadcrumbs, place the panko, basil, and salt in a food processor and grind until small. Drizzle the breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pulse until well incorporated.

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Restaurant Review

09 Aug 2010

Disneyland: Home of the World's Best Corndog

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Banh mi has been synonymous with Disneyland for me for as long as I can remember. Growing up, my mom always purchased a couple of sandwiches from the local deli for my brother and me to eat while visiting the park. Bringing our own lunches was not only economical, but also perfectly delicious for our Vietnamese-trained taste buds.

I’ve continued this tradition as an adult because a parade of junk food can’t compare with a taste of home. Or so I thought… All was well in my brown bagging world up until a few months ago when I heard rumblings that Disneyland was a noteworthy dining destination. From the freshly made corndogs on Main Street U.S.A. to the deep-fried Monte Cristo sandwiches in New Orleans Square, the food at Disneyland suddenly piqued my interest. A full investigation was in order.

It saddened me a little walking into the park without my usual bag of banh mi sandwiches, but one whiff of the Little Red Wagon corndog cart and the matter was completely forgotten. Located just beyond Main Street toward Tomorrow Land, the Little Red Wagon dishes out battered and fried wieners from morning until night. The Astronomer and I made a bee line for the cart as soon as we entered the park.

After enduring a fifteen minute long wait, we were rewarded with the world’s best corndog ($5.79). The exterior was deep-fried to a delectable golden brown, while the hot dog was juicy like you wouldn’t believe. What set this corndog apart was the thick layer of breading hugging the dog that somehow managed to crisp up nicely and yet remain fluffy too. It also had very distinct cornmeal notes that I really liked. Truly, Disney’s creation was heads and shoulders above every corndog I’ve ever eaten. Even the grease dribbling down the stick and onto my fingers didn’t detract from the awesomeness.

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Restaurant Review

06 Aug 2010

Walt Disney World’s EPCOT: A Family Friendly Taste of Morocco, Japan, and Norway

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After growing up on a steady diet of Disney movies, Disney soundtracks, and Disneyland, I was excited like you wouldn’t believe to visit the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. The complex is the size of a small island nation. In addition to dozens of enormous resorts that hold thousands of guests each, it boasts six amusement parks: Magic Kingdom (a Floridian replica of the Anaheim original), Hollywood Studios (Disney’s take on Universal Studios), Animal Kingdom (lions, tigers, and bears), two water parks (Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach), and EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow).

I hope to visit each park someday, but since The Astronomer and I only had one day to pay our respects to the Disney gods, we chose to explore EPCOT. By the way, the park’s “golf ball” centerpiece is called Spaceship Earth and houses a ride that narrates a shortened history of the world.

EPCOT is divided into two sections: Future World and World Showcase. We started our day in Future World, which focuses on “technological advancements, innovation, and wonder.” The Astronomer felt right at home there.

Since nothing works up an appetite quite like using your imagination, we soon headed to World Showcase to grab a bite. Set around a man-made lagoon, World Showcase is comprised of a collection of pavilions representing the cultures and cuisines of Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada.

Each country has a formal, sit-down restaurant that requires advance reservations either by phone or in person at guest services. As soon as we arrived at the park, The Astronomer and I booked a table at the Norwegian restaurant because The Astronomer’s mother recalled enjoying a buffet with an abundance of smoked fishes the last time she dined there.

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