Chouquette...you rocked my breakfast world.

When it comes to breakfast, I’ve always been more of a breakfast burrito girl. A pastry feels like dessert and that just seems like the gateway drug to my eating a Snickers bar with my coffee... and calling it the breakfast of champions. My morning cuisine world was rocked however when I met the humble CHOUQUETTE. It’s the French equivalent of the doughnut hole…except the French have the class not to use the word hole in their pastry of choice. Basically, it’s a flaky, buttery, puff pastry baked to golden perfection with nuggets of course sugar on the outside. Funny how so many delicious things have a simple ingredients list. The CHOUQUETTE boasts little more than flour, butter, salt, sugar, eggs and milk. There is nothing on the inside as not to spoil its simplicity. It’s a delicate, melt in your mouth treat served up in French bakeries in little paper sacks (to make it even more freakin’ cute). The correct pronunciation is Shoo-ket…but I just usually go with the standard classless “Ill have that” while pointing my finger at desired food item. The French also realize that something this good should not be relegated to one specific category such as breakfast. They eat it whenever they want and, as the French baker who introduced me said, “we eat them like you eat popcorn.” I immediately purchased a ticket to France, bought a summer home in the countryside and opened my own bakery…in my head.

I was introduced to the CHOUQUETTE in Portland’s Saint Honore Boulangerie, but they are popular in most French bakeries…and if you are a jet setter…in France. In doing my research, I did find several blogs arguing which bakeries in Paris serve excellent CHOUQUETTES, and which are to be spit upon (the French like to spit). Investigate appropriately as I would be devastated if an imposter ruined the experience for anyone. Also, don’t get the ones in plastic bags,…they’re bad for the environment. Free with purchase of each paper sack of CHOUQUETTES is a visual of yourself in a French café sipping espresso and watching the sun dapple the side of some awe inspiring architectural gem…or… an American tourist in white Reeboks and a fanny pack being berated by a French waiter for ordering the local delicacy, French fries. All beautiful.

Food trucks food trucks, I love you...gyros, pierogi and thai snacks too!

The FOOD TRUCK movement that has exploded onto the culinary scene and taken the country by storm has its roots in both a paradigm shift of entrepreneurial thinking ("think big" is now "think smart") and the economic state of things (our belts are so tight we're wearing corsets).

Once the foray of churro stands and hot dog vendors, parking lots are sprouting FOOD TRUCKS like weeds. They offer a creative environment and the freedom to be your own boss. Everyone from maverick chefs to the housewife with a great recipe repertoire has a shot at the prize...a long line of hungry customers and a writeup in notable food publications. Financially, the yearly permit on a FOOD TRUCK versus a restaurant lease is the difference between tent camping and renting out the Taj Mahal.

What does it mean for foodies? Not only does the food come considerably cheaper from a truck (my gyro from a highly touted truck in Portland cost me $7...smaller overhead = lower price) but the core of cuisine, taste, is the only selling point. The playing field is level. All the other factors that diners pay for are eliminated; ambiance, architecture, table service, posh clientele, singing waiters, location...gone, gone, gone. When 30 trucks line up in a parking lot the only competitive edge is the quality of the food they serve. Only the really tasty can survive when there is nothing to hide behind. And where have you ever seen so many options within one block...Thai, Greek, Polish, Vietnamese, Bosnian, Mexican, French, Korean, vegan, Italian.... No restaurant has to endure that much competition within, literally, a few paces. Keeps everyone at the top of their game.

What do you look for when you see a parking lot of trucks? A line. I look for the locals... construction workers, cops, meter maids...those are the return customers. This very morning in Portland (home to a thriving and fabulous FOOD TRUCK scene) I grabbed a breakfast burrito from a truck where a group of hard-hatters were doing the same. The burrito was awesome. Over 3 days I ate at Portland's FOOD TRUCKS 6 times, always looking for lines... with a 98% success rate.

So find a lot-o-trucks and remember the golden rule...if the garbage guy is there then it's probably worth getting in line...cause he's not there for the chandeliers or to be seen.

Search online for FOOD TRUCKS in your area. Most of them have twitter accounts (weird). Here are two for LA and Portland...

http://www.findlafoodtrucks.com

http://www.foodcartsportland.com

*FOOD TRUCKS also sometimes go by the code name "food carts." Don't let that fool you.

Foie Gras Burger...duck meet cow meet my mouth.

It's widely believed that making a good burger is simple. It's so ubiquitous that one is lulled into the assumption that it's easily perfected… just throw some meat on a grill, flip it over, toss it on a bun with a bunch of extras and viola! However, my little grasshopper, the act that seems so simple is in fact an art form, attempted by many yet perfected by few. I love a good burger...who doesn’t (vegetarians excluded from previous comment), but the truth is that I rarely find a burger that really makes me want to come back. The fact that there is an endless array of possibilities within the simple idea of burgerdom adds to the dilemma. A well made burger can be as simple as meat on bread, yet with the right blend of beef (or sometimes more exotic fare) and skill in preparation, it can stand its ground against any bells and whistles laden competitor. With that said, I am always a fan of chefs going out on a limb to try something new and creative. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't... but the attempt is always appreciated and admired. One such burger that I encountered on a recent visit to Seattle was the FOIE GRAS BURGER with black truffle and artichoke aiioli at Campagne. Like all food, especially of the more exotic variety, it attracts a certain palate…and a certain moral persuasion. I won’t get into the ethics of foie gras, but I will simply state that I find it delicious. If ducks found such great joy in the act of eating my liver, I could hardly blame them for doing so. Anyway, the burger caught my attention immediately. That’s a start, but by no means a guaranteed finger-licker since a jellybean and banana burger would equally catch my eye…and then see me through to the restroom at a determined pace that you can’t mistake for anything other than someone about to be ill. The FOIE GRAS BURGER, however, arrived and delivered. The delicate Wagyu beef complimented the two slices of buttery foie gras in a way that brought out the flavor of both without canceling each other out. I was initially a bit concerned about the marinated onion overpowering the meat but the marinating Gods smiled favorably on these onions and took the whole operation up a notch. I prefer my burgers medium rare, unless the house recommends otherwise, and the FOIE GRAS BURGER was just as moist as it should be without creating a murder scene on my plate. Well done Campagne well done.

http://www.campagnerestaurant.com/camp_menu.html

*This will not be my only burger post as a good burger is always worthy of a writeup.