4.30.2008
4.29.2008
Cheftestant Sighting!!!!
OMG! Guess who i saw on the subway today! Yes! Spike, looking confused as he tried to figure out which train to take. I tried to get a celly pic, but he seemed to be avoiding me and I didn't want to be a stalker. He got on the N train at 14th St. and went up to 34th Street. He exited there while I pretended not to be staring at him and I went on the F to go to work. He looked better in person! Kind of my type with the scruffy facial hair and dirty vans and brooklyn industries shoulder bag. It didn't seem like anyone else recognized him. I wonder how often he gets stopped and asked "hey, aren't you that guy from that show...?" So that's why I didn't ask him for a pic. Seemed rude.
His current bio says that he lives in Williamsburg so maybe I'll run into him some night at Union Pool or something.
His current bio says that he lives in Williamsburg so maybe I'll run into him some night at Union Pool or something.
4.23.2008
Top Chef - Episode 6
I always wait until Wednesday to read David Dust's recap because then I'm fully prepared for the new episode.
Check it out!
4.18.2008
Edible?
Whoa. I found Edible through a very cool blog called Dinosaurs and Robots. Check this out:
Yes, this is coffee made from beans that have been eaten first by a civet. From wiki:
Kopi Luwak, also known as caphe cut chon (fox-dung coffee) in Vietnam and kape alamid in the Philippines, is coffee that is prepared using coffee cherries that have been eaten and partially digested by the Asian Palm Civet, then harvested from its feces.
On their site, Edible also sells scorpion vodka, canned reindeer pate and giant hornet honey.
The site is in the U.K. so I checked out the price of the civet coffee in U.S. dollars - $43.91 for 57 grams or just over 2 ounces. Crazy. There's also a weasel coffee, which doesn't pass through the animal, but is instead regurgitated and then made into coffee. This is a bit cheaper at $27.91 for 2 ounces. I can't imagine what special occasion would call for a cup of weasel processed vomit coffee, but for some reason I find myself hoping one comes up!
Yes, this is coffee made from beans that have been eaten first by a civet. From wiki:
Kopi Luwak, also known as caphe cut chon (fox-dung coffee) in Vietnam and kape alamid in the Philippines, is coffee that is prepared using coffee cherries that have been eaten and partially digested by the Asian Palm Civet, then harvested from its feces.
On their site, Edible also sells scorpion vodka, canned reindeer pate and giant hornet honey.
The site is in the U.K. so I checked out the price of the civet coffee in U.S. dollars - $43.91 for 57 grams or just over 2 ounces. Crazy. There's also a weasel coffee, which doesn't pass through the animal, but is instead regurgitated and then made into coffee. This is a bit cheaper at $27.91 for 2 ounces. I can't imagine what special occasion would call for a cup of weasel processed vomit coffee, but for some reason I find myself hoping one comes up!
4.15.2008
Top Chef Recap - Episode 5
I know, I know, I'm cheating by linking to someone else's blog. But nobody does it like David Dust. Go check it out!!
Coming soon: I ate at Diner! Brooklyn Kitchen Book Club! More cool stuff!
xoxo,
m
4.09.2008
Top Chef Recap - Episode 4
Here's a link to an awesome recap of last week's Top Chef. Just in time for tonight's new episode. I'll be linking to David Dust for these again. Awesome stuff!
(Go Andrew!)
Food Fight
An abridged history of American-centric warfare, from WWII to present day, told through the foods of the countries in conflict. By Stefan Nadelman:
4.03.2008
What's new?
Fat flush update: At last measure (day #33,) I had lost 15 pounds. That night I went to Mercadito Grove in the west village for dinner with a friend visiting from Seattle (and about seven of her closest pals.) I'm pretty sure I ate about 15 pounds of Mexican "small plates." My friend's former manager took good care of us with pitchers of cucumber margaritas and hibiscus blossom margaritas arriving with every course. Some memorable dishes: skirt steak tacos, wild mushroom and three cheese melt with soft white corn tortillas and house made salsa, and a spicy mango guacamole with house fried chips. No, nothing I ate was on plan, but damn, it was good. Besides, I had already decided that I wouldn't worry about the occasional night out to eat. I've avoided the scale for the last few days and I'm back on smoothies and flax oil - yea for omega 3's!
Just purchased:
I actually bought the Mark Bittman book a long time ago, but decided to exchange it for Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe. I've heard so many good things about HTCE that once it hit paperback I couldn't resist. I'm glad to have another general purpose cookbook around though, because as much as I love CI, sometimes I just need to hear another voice.
Listening to:
The Splendid Table
NPR Food
Hidden Kitchens
So entertaining AND educational, what else would you expect from public radio?
Watching:
Top Chef Season 4
(good lord, I almost blew it - getting the link for this I suddenly realized that I haven't watched last night's episode yet and had to jump off the page for fear of a spoiler!)
Cooking:
Red Wine Braised Beef
Olive oil (or spray)
2 lb boneless beef roast (I think I used a shoulder cut - purchased at Trader Joe's)
1 onion, sliced
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
4-5 med garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
So easy! Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add oil (or spray away from heat.) Pat meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper - I'm not using either while I'm on my fat flush plan, but I didn't even miss it!
When oil is hot, add beef and brown on all sides, turning every 4 minutes or so. Remove beef to a platter. Reduce the heat to medium and add onions, mushrooms and garlic to the pot. Add a splash of stock if necessary, stirring to loosen brown bits from the bottom, and cook until onions start to soften. Add all remaining ingredients and stir. Return beef and any accumulated juices from the platter to the pot. Liquid should come about half way up the side of the roast. Cover and cook, turning every 45 minutes or so, until meat is tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (A paring knife should slide in and back out easily.) Remove roast and tent with foil. Scoop up about half of the mushrooms and onions and blend until smooth in a blender or food processor. Add back to the liquid in the pot to make a nice thick gravy. If it's still too watery, reduce by boiling it for a few minutes or blending more of the veggies. Carve and serve with lots of gravy and mushrooms. Yum.
Just purchased:
I actually bought the Mark Bittman book a long time ago, but decided to exchange it for Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe. I've heard so many good things about HTCE that once it hit paperback I couldn't resist. I'm glad to have another general purpose cookbook around though, because as much as I love CI, sometimes I just need to hear another voice.
Listening to:
The Splendid Table
NPR Food
Hidden Kitchens
So entertaining AND educational, what else would you expect from public radio?
Watching:
Top Chef Season 4
(good lord, I almost blew it - getting the link for this I suddenly realized that I haven't watched last night's episode yet and had to jump off the page for fear of a spoiler!)
Cooking:
Red Wine Braised Beef
Olive oil (or spray)
2 lb boneless beef roast (I think I used a shoulder cut - purchased at Trader Joe's)
1 onion, sliced
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
4-5 med garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
So easy! Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add oil (or spray away from heat.) Pat meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper - I'm not using either while I'm on my fat flush plan, but I didn't even miss it!
When oil is hot, add beef and brown on all sides, turning every 4 minutes or so. Remove beef to a platter. Reduce the heat to medium and add onions, mushrooms and garlic to the pot. Add a splash of stock if necessary, stirring to loosen brown bits from the bottom, and cook until onions start to soften. Add all remaining ingredients and stir. Return beef and any accumulated juices from the platter to the pot. Liquid should come about half way up the side of the roast. Cover and cook, turning every 45 minutes or so, until meat is tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (A paring knife should slide in and back out easily.) Remove roast and tent with foil. Scoop up about half of the mushrooms and onions and blend until smooth in a blender or food processor. Add back to the liquid in the pot to make a nice thick gravy. If it's still too watery, reduce by boiling it for a few minutes or blending more of the veggies. Carve and serve with lots of gravy and mushrooms. Yum.
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