Foodie Word of the Day

Horchata [hor-CHAH-tah]

Extremely popular in Spain and Mexico, horchata are Drinks made by steeping nuts, grains or chufa in water. Usually sweetened with sugar and sometimes spiced with cinnamon. Horchatas are generally served cold or at room temperature. Horchata de arroz is the most popular in the US made with rice.
Horchata, together with Tamarindo and Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea), are the three typical drink flavors of Mexican aguas frescas.

Some Hispanic bars in Southern California use horchata as a mixer in a cocktail known as a Rice Rocket. The drink is made of 2 parts horchata, 1 part coconut-flavored rum and a dash of Goldschläger over ice.

Foodie Word of the Day

Crème Fraîche [krehm FRESH]

Crème fraîche is a soured cream containing about 28% milk fat. It is slightly soured with bacterial culture, but is less sour, and thicker, than sour cream with a rich and velvety texture. This matured cream has a nutty, slightly sour taste produced by culturing pasteurized cream with a special bacteria.

Crème fraîche can be made at home by adding a small amount of cultured buttermilk or sour cream to normal heavy cream, and allowing it to stand for several hours at room temperature until the bacterial cultures act on the cream.

It is used in both savory and sweet dishes and makes a wonderful topping for fresh berries, cobblers and puddings. It can also be whipped, along with a little sugar, and used in place of whipped heavy cream.

Hilton Foodie Word of the Day

Broccolini [brahk-uh-LEE-nee]

A green vegetable not unlike broccoli with small florets and long, thin stalks. Although often misidentified as young broccoli, it is a cross between broccoli and kai-lan, Chinese broccoli. Broccolini's flavor is sweet, with notes of both broccoli and asparagus. The entire vegetable is consumable, including the occasional yellow flower. Rather delicate, common cooking methods include sautéing, steaming, boiling, and stir frying.

Broccolini is a registered trademark of Mann Packing Company, Inc. Its generic name is baby broccoli and is also known by the names Asparation, Asparations, Bimi, and Tender Stem.

Foodie Word of the Day

Haricot Vert [ah-ree-koh VEHR]

The French term for “Green String Bean” which have long, slender pods with intense color and flavor. They vary from standard green beans as they have no “strings” to remove, so only the ends need trimming when cleaning them.

Campechana [cahmp-uh-CHAWN-uh]

Mexican seafood cocktail usually made of oysters, baby octopus, mussels, shrimp, squid and scallops. The seafood mix is prepared in its broth with vegetable juice, lime juice, ketchup, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, avocado and cilantro.


Try one from our new summer menus!

http://tiny.cc/uFBr3

Foodie Word of the Day

Skordalia [skor-dahl-YAH]

A Greek sauce or dip made with pureed baked potatoes, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, parsley and sometimes bread crumbs or ground nuts. Skordalia is served with various dishes including grilled meats, poultry and fish and as a dip for raw veggies and bread.

Hilton Foodie Word of the Day

Inspired by the last episode of Top Chef Masters, which we at the Hilton are fans:

Sous Vide [soo-VEED]

French for "under vacuum", sous vide is a method of cooking that is intended to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period of time at relatively low temperatures. Some foods may take a little longer to cook sous vide than if you were to merely sauté or roast. Meats will look less done than they really are, but will be very tender and possess an even color throughout. Fruits and vegetables turn a beautiful rich hue and have a silky smooth texture to them. And the flavor? It's concentrated, giving an almost pure unadulterated flavor of the ingredient.

Foodie Word of the Day

Amuse-Bouche [uh-MYOOZ-boosh]

Similar to but not to be confused with hors d'oeuvre. This is a tidbit, often tiny, served as a free extra to keep you happy while you are waiting for your first course to come. It gives you an idea of the chef's approach to cooking and the restaurant's attention to your appetite. The term is French, literally translated to "mouth amuser" [for bouche = mouth; amuser = to amuse, to please].

Hilton Foodie Word of the Day

Michelada [mish-uh-LA-da]

The Michelada is a refreshing cocktail, originally from Mexico, made with beer, lime juice, and hot sauce, served in a salt-rimmed glass over ice. Known in Spanish as cerveza preparada (prepared beer). The drink dates back to the 1940s, when mixing beer with hot sauce or salsa became popular in Mexico. In recent years, the drink has begun to become popular in the United States, and now various ready-made mixes are marketed and sold to US consumers.

Treat your special Dad to one this weekend!

Hilton Foodie Word of the Day:

Tomatillo [tohm-ah-TEE-oh]: This fruit, sometimes called the Mexican tomato, is actually a member of the gooseberry family. The fruit resemble a small green tomato and have a parchment-like papery husk. Peel and discard the husk and rinse to remove the sticky exterior. Their flavors hint of apple, lemon and herbs. Tomatillos are popular in Mexican and Southwest cooking. Tomatillos can be found in larger supermarkets and specialty markets. They can be used raw in salads and salsa or roasted for sauces.

Try our great recipe for

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos or 3 (11-ounce) cans tomatillos

5 fresh serrano chiles

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

Preheat broiler.
If using fresh tomatillos, remove husks and rinse under warm water to remove stickiness. If using canned tomatillos, drain and measure out 2 cups. Broil chiles, garlic, and fresh tomatillos (do not broil canned) on rack of a broiler pan 1 to 2 inches from heat, turning once, until tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, about 7 minutes.
Peel garlic and pull off tops of chiles. Purée all ingredients in a blender.

• Salsa can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.