Chloe Dao | LA Fashion Week | Fashion Star | Sandwich King

Welcome to the new blog of Taste Magazine covering food and fashion!

Introducing Houston's own:  Designer - Chloe Dao
(photo from Chloe's Facebook profile)

Chloe Dao was born in Laos. Her family fled Laos and ended up here in Houston, TX where she still resides today.    Chloe won the second season of Project Runway in 2006. She opened her Boutique Lot 8 in 2000. Lot 8 has been rebranded and renamed DAO Chloe DAO. It is located at: 6127 Kirby Drive Houston, TX 77005.  Below is a picture of store:

(photo from Lot 8 Facebook page)

Chloe also designs laptop bags and other accessories--which I love, love, love!!

(photo from Geeksugar.com)

Chloe released a Spring 2012 collection full of mod prints and bright colors at New York's Fashion Week.  Here is a picture of some of the designs:

(photo from Metrovelvet.com)

We just love that Chloe is right here in Houston!

LA Fashion Week is this week!

It runs from March 9 - March 16.  Focusing on Fall 2012 looks. 

There will be a full week of runway shows from designers such as:

 Henry Duarte, Mike Vensel, Bryan Hearns, Nuvula, S&G, Chambers, Thai Nuygen, Curly V, Belle N. Matisse, Laili Lau, NAMI, Jen Awad, Stop Staring!, Ina Soltani, XCVI, Skingraft,  L’une Collection by Anh Volcek, Betsey Johnson, Vilorija by Jelena Vujanovic, Sarahi House of Fashion, and Ashlee Brooks.

Here are some pictures from Betey Johnson's fall line:

(photo from Fashionista.com)

FASHION STAR-- premieres Tuesday March 13th at 8:30 central on NBC

(Photo from www.facebook.com/fashionstar)

Ok, I know what you are saying--another fashion reality show, another Project Runway copycat---not quite--this one seems to have some new fun twists.

The show is hosted by Elle Macpherson along with celebrity mentors Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos. 

Here are the twists:  The show begins with a fashion show!  No waiting and watching them sew.

                                 The winner of that weeks challenge will have their clothes avaiable for sale the following day at retailers: Saks Fifth Avenue, H&M and Macy's.

                   

There are twelve designers competing and one will be eliminated each week.  It is definitely worth checking out. 

Our blog will recap each week!

Sandwich King Season 2  is Sundays on Food Network!

Look for it Sundays at 10:00AM Central

Jeff Mauro won the last installment of The Next Food Network Star.  His show The Sandwich King just started it's second season a few weeks ago.  He did dessert sandwiches on Sunday.  Yum!  I look forward to watching and will keep you updated. 

Here are some recipes from previous shows:

Turtle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
Recipe courtesy of Jeff Mauro

Ingredients

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups salted and toasted pecans, lightly crushed
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
• Fudge sauce, store-bought, microwaved for 10 to 20 seconds
• Caramel sauce, store-bought, microwaved for 10 to 20 seconds
• 1 quart butter pecan ice cream
• Chocolate sprinkles, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and place the racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Have 2 parchment lined baking sheets.

In a bowl, cream the sugars and butter, either by hand or with a hand-held mixer, until smooth and incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg, yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated. Add in the flour, salt and baking soda and mix until incorporated. Fold in the pecans and chocolate chunks.

Scoop out 1/4 cup of the dough and roll into a ball (or if you have a large ice cream scoop, use that). Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, 4 per sheet, and using your hands, press down to flatten. Bake until the edges are slightly golden and the middles are set but still soft, 15 to 18 minutes.

Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes. Then flip them over and coat the bottom of half of the cookies with fudge sauce. Then coat the other cookie bottoms with the caramel sauce.

Place a generous scoop of ice cream on each of the fudge-lined cookies and top with a caramel-lined cookie, lightly pressing together. Repeat with the remaining cookies and ice cream. Roll in chocolate sprinkles. Eat immediately or freeze for later.

Cook's Note: If you freeze the cookies to eat later, just be aware that the cookies get hard. I always like to build 'em fresh if possible so the cookies stay nice and soft.


Chicken Vesuvio Sandwich
Recipe courtesy of Jeff Mauro

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8 ounces each), butterflied
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Chicken Jus:

• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Peas and Mushrooms:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound fresh button mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound frozen green peas, thawed

Sandwich Build:

• Four 6-inch French hinged rolls
• Mayo
• 8 slices provolone
• Roasted Potato Wedges, recipe follows
• Hot giardiniera

Directions

For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Set a wire rack inside a baking sheet.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess. Fry the chicken in the oil until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes a side. Set aside on the prepared baking sheet. Keep warm in the oven. Slice the chicken in half before assembling the sandwiches.
For the chicken jus: Add the oil into the same skillet from the chicken and saute the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, garlic and shallots until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with the white wine and bring to a simmer until the alcohol smell is diminished, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and bring to a simmer again, about 10 minutes until the flavor intensifies. Keep warm for sandwich build.
For the peas and mushrooms: Heat half the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet and saute the mushrooms without overcrowding or creating layers. You may have to do this in batches. Give the mushrooms one stir and let caramelize. Once one side is golden brown, season with salt and pepper, stir once and let cook until all sides are soft but golden. Remove to a plate. To the same skillet, add the remaining oil and the peas. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until warm but still very bright. Mix with the mushrooms and set aside.
For the sandwich build: On a nice fresh piece of split but hinged French roll, place a squirt of good mayo, 2 slices provolone, 2 Roasted Potato Wedges, 1 chicken breast, some mushroom and peas and top with hot giardiniera. Take the entire sandwich and either dunk in hot chicken jus or ladle on. Hold with one or two hands and bite hard.

Roasted Potato Wedges:

• 2 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 8 long wedges
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Toss the potato wedges with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Lay the potatoes on a baking sheet and cook until golden brown on each side, flipping halfway through, about 12 minutes per side. When both sides are golden and the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork, the taters are done.

Have a great Tasteful Day!

Wendy