My inspiration came from Surly Blog, A blog from the guys at Surly Bikes. They make steel frames and forks that I can personally recommend as some of the best-built frames for the money. (If you are into bikes... If not... suck eggs.)
Speaking of eggs, The Surly boys were in Scotland for the SSWC-07 at the beginning of this month, and blogged about being on the hunt for 'Scottish Eggs'. My interest piqued, I Google'd Scottish (or Scotch eggs as they are properly referred to...) and found a recipe only a drunken bike-riding idiot could love. (Well, we shall see about that.)
Scotch Eggs are a hard-boiled egg, wrapped in sausage meat, breaded and then deep-fried. Sound good? You're on your way to cholesterol heaven.
It starts off easily enough. Hard-boil some eggs, let them cool, then shell them. Mix your ground meat of choice with various spices, etc. I used a mix of 50% pork 50% cow. Mix in some salt, pepper, red chili for pop and a bit of 'Italian seasoning' and you're ready to go. I powdered my eggs with flour before packing them in a meat cocoon. Then stick them in the fridge so they can firm a bit up. After about 15 min, take them out, and cover them well with breadcrumbs. (One recipe says to coat the meat with egg yolk to make them stick better. I did not do this, but can see the advantage of it.)
Heat up a pan with a decent helping of oil and fry them till deep golden brown. Depending on your cocooning you may have to leave them in longer or shorter.
Once finished, you can cut them in half or 3rds and serve hot. A ranch dip is good, or and variation of hot mustard. Make sure your phone has 911 on speed dial.
—Christian
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So Steen tagged me, and in keeping with the sharing theme she mentioned, I will be posting my S.O.H. 4 here, and my other persona will do his bit on Rottenmac.
I am breaking the rules (unless Steen overrules me on this...) I am only posting my facts and then 4 links, but won't FORCE them to do the same.
1) I drink. In fact, there has been more than one time that I drank, and due to someone else's actions/deeds/words I took it upon myself to "go upside their head" as Bender would put it. I have a habit of filling my pockets with beers as I leave a party, and in one case, most of them were thrown at someone who made a girl cry at a party. Big no-no in my book. Something similar happened this past weekend, but I don't want to get into details that are fuzzy.
2) Since moving to 'Old Europe' I have become a better and more frequent cook. this is due to the fact that when I left, I was a student, and subsisted solely on beer, Cheez-its and burritos from El Farolitos on Mission and 24th. Now I can make Pesto from scratch and a schnitzel to die for.
3) I look more clean than I am. Yes, I shower regularly, but I tend to have a filthy mouth; curse like a sailor, and have a few habits that would make a Vegas local blush.
4) I once saw a Le Creuset set in Gilroy and honestly thought about grabbing all that would fit in my Timbuk messenger bag and making a break for it. That stuff is EXPENSIVE.
That's all. I don't have any food links to share, but If you dare to visit my site then you will get non-food related links. (Much to Steen's chagrin, I will not be forcing said people to continue this chain-email-linkage. It is an interesting idea, but well... It's just as bad as the 'Save my baby from the evil bears' spam the we all get from time to time. Not going to contribute. (I really am sorry...and I promise to drop a foodie post ASAP. Promises promise.)
—Christian
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I like to tease Big Jonny about how I can get a really awesome schitzel with country potatoes that would feed an Ethiopian family of 7 for at LEAST a week. He keeps commenting about it, and I keep linking to the pics Steen made while she was here.
Last night I texted Sara about her wishes for dinner. Her reply? "Something greasy."
Off to the store I joyously skipped, thinking of grease, pork and fries. And beer, or course.
Making schnitzel is easy, fast and it tastes damn good. First the ingredients.
Pork, chicken, veal or turkey tenders
2 egg yolks per schnitzel
Flour
Breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil (I prefer sunflower, but use whatcha got.)
Beer.
First pound the meat as flat as you can. In vienna, they make it (no joke...) wafer-thin. So thin, it could be used as paper. But pound it till its as thick as your pinkie or so. Then dust it well with flour. This helps the yolk stick.
Next heat up the pan with a generous bit of oil. Youre frying these babies. We want grease, people. When it is sufficiently hot, dunk the meat in the yolk, covering it well, then into the breadcrumbs. The more evenly covered the better, but don't get your knickers in a twist if it's not. Also, your fingers will be well-covered in the yolk-breadcrumb goo, so wash liberally. TIP: After yolking and breading, leave them resting on the breadcrumbs. Saves you a bit of hassle, and you want that oil to be really hot, so the crispy outer doesn't fall off.
Fry it till golden brown. You can cut one to see if it's still pink inside, or you can 'go cajun' like me. I prefer a bit more black, that way I know it's well done inside. Don't forget a lemon wedge for drizzling like I did.
Serve with fries or country potatoes, and a nice cold beer. Any leftovers make a great cold sammich for the morning after a long night of drinkin as well.
—Christian
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Tomatoes inspire that love/hate feeling in me. I grew up with home-grown orbs bursting with juiciness and that divine tomato flavor. After I moved out on my own, my love began to dwindle to the point where I started ordering food without tomatoes. There's just no point in eating those mass-produced wanna-bes that were bred for durability instead of flavor.When I bought my house in 1999, I was faced with a backyard that consisted of hard-packed dirt, a concrete slab (with an old car left by the previous owner), and a whole lot of mess. It took a few years to clear it out and start from scratch, but now I'm blessed with greenery and the sound of chirping birds.
It wasn't long after that I began planting tomatoes, and it's become something that I look forward to every year. In fact, I kind of go overboard. I'm obsessed with heirloom varieties and varieties of heirlooms. I end up planting way more than I can consume, and the end of every summer finds me hunting down my friends and begging them to take tomatoes off my hands.
This year will prove no different, I'm sure, but I'm making plans in advance in the hopes of using more of my yield. Some time ago, I purchased The Tomato Festival Cookbook at one of LA's great bookstores, The Cook's Library. I've been spending my evenings reading through the book, salivating over the numerous recipes, and fantasizing about when I'll finally be able to start my harvest. It's coming soon. Another month, perhaps. I snoozed and forgot to mark my calendar with planting dates, so I'm left to guessing.
I've got a dozen pots going with all kinds of plants, cherries, beefsteaks, paste tomatoes, salad tomatoes, and my favorites, Green Zebras. In years past, I purchased my seedlings at Tomato Mania, but somehow I missed it this year. If you're a fan of tomatoes and have time and space in your garden, you MUST attend Tomato Mania next year. They bring hundreds of varieties and thousands of plants and it's just tomato seedling overload! I'm sad I didn't plan correctly this year, but I know I'll still be pleased with what I have growing.
I was just wandering around outside and saw the tangle of growth and thought I'd share. I look forward to all of the tomato-related posts I'll be making in the months to come....
-steen
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When Steen came to visit, we ate local and it was great. She was all excited to have a real döner from the Turkish place near our old apartment. We ate Bavarian (lots of pork and gravy with a side of 2 dumplings.) Many things we tried, yes we did.
One of the most interesting things I learned to love was Leberkäs. (Literally translated it means Liver-cheese.) the name is in no way appealing when you translate it but by no means don't let that stop you from trying it.
We were out sightseeing and wandering the city in general, when we both got a bit 'peckish'. I pulled her over to Vinzenzmurr, the local butcher shop that is a bit more than just a butcher shop. Always good for a kaiser roll filled with something tasty, we opted for one Schnitzel and one 'meatloaf' semmel. (I can't seem to recall the name right now. Damn Germans...)
As we were sharing our rolls, someone walked by with a Leberkäs semmel, and Steen said "What's THAT?!!?!"
"Huh?... Oh, that's a Leberkäs. Its like a fried bologna sandwich."
Her look of disbelief and sad puppy-dog eyes said everything.
"We can get one next time. Promise."
Well, we never did, as far as I can remember. I saw this in my local grocers and decided to have at it.
It doesn't smell really, but yes, it looks like liquid meat. I'm not a fan of spreadable meats in general, so off to the oven right away with this bad boy.
Finished baking after 45 min. Smells great and the crunchy crust is awesome.
There are many ways to enjoy this delicacy, but I usually go for either a slab on a roll with sweet mustard. There is also a 'traditional' breakfast that consists of a slab with a fried egg on top and a side of Brez'n or maybe german potato salad. If you get to Munich, you gotta try one. It took me 3 years before I did, and now I need one a week to satisfy my soul.
—Christian
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I love cheese! I can nibble away at ungodly amounts of cheese- let's just say I'm contributing to the bovine methane emissions problem one cow at a time. Yesterday, I got a vampire-like craving for cheese so I head over to Trader Joe's. They have a great selection, but I was on the prowl for "English Coastal Cheddar" and thank GOD they had some or my whole day would have been ruined. It's a white cheddar from the Dorset Coast of England that's aged for a minimum of 15 months.
It's probably one of my favourite cheeses.. Well, next to a well-aged Parmigiano Reggiano. The texture of the coastal cheddar is firm yet creamy. To top it off, each nibble is peppered with little crunchy bits of bursting flavour crystals that are typical of a harder, well-aged cheese. It has a subtle, nutty, smooth taste that totally coats your palate in that creamy cheesy goodness sorta way. I usually slice and platter it because it's sooo good just eating out of hand, but it works well in anything a sharp cheddar would compliment. The subtle sharpness is balanced well with the creaminess of it.
Currently it's selling for $6.99 a pound at TJ's. I think it pairs really well with wines that are on the lighter, fruitier side. Something light and crisp enough to cleanse the palate because this cheese just melts on your tongue like Belgian chocolate. A Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer or even a CA sparkling wine like Mumm's Cuvee M pair quite well with this cheese.
My newest *find* at Trader Joe's is yet another otherworldly white English cheddar with caramelized onions in it!! Oh my god, tell me that's not crying to be an ingredient in garlic roasted mashed potatoes or a warm spinach artichoke dip. It has one of the most interesting mouth feels of any cheese I've had in a long time. It's not nearly as firm as the coastal cheddar and it's darker in colour slightly.
Currently it is selling for $8.99 a pound at TJ's.
If I had to put my finger on it, I would say once you take a bite of it, you'll notice it has more of a slighty firmer than stiff cream cheese bite to it. It's really hard to describe it, but it's very good, and it doesn't coat the palate as much as the English Coastal Cheddar. As soon as you wrestle off the protective covering, you immediately get a whiff of this sweet caramelized onion smell. I just wanted to chew through the cellophane.
I envision a leisurely Sunday of sparkling wine, amazing cheese, hard salami, a box of Carr's assorted table crackers and crapload of Brothers Quay flicks.
Aaah.. the cheesy life is good on a lazy Los Feliz Sunday afternoon.
-tara
tags: eating, cheese, cheddar, Trader+Joe's
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Ah! One of my favorite classic food clips from "The Groove Tube"
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Love him or find him the fool, one of the best things ever was and still is the George Foreman grill. I got a knock-off a while back, and only occasionally use it. Let me tell you, it is nice to be able to grill a chicken breast at home and get those cool stripes on your own. Not to mention grilled cheese sammiches. I know one can just as easily make it with a pan, but again, My contraption comes with a sandwich option, where it grills it, AND makes into little triangles all by itself!
Anyhow, I wasn't in the mood to really cook anything, but at the same time I didn't want to just order a crappy pizza and be done with it. The old lady offered up a platter of tomatoes and mozzarella, and another 'to be announced' item. I mulled it over, and said."You know... I cold really go for a bike sammich."
"Ooooh... that does sound good."
I ran to the store to get the parma, some baguette and rucola and we were red-to-go.
A little background. Across from the cinema where we rarely go to see films, there is a place called Pinnochhio. run by a group of Italians, it has some great gelato, wood-oven pizzas and a few pannini. Always friendly, we usually hit it after buying tickets before the show. (You can reserve tickets, and pick them up when you get there. Ain't the internets wonderful?) I go for the bike sammich 98% of the time, and the others I get the King. (A tasty but boring tomato/mozzerella affair. Does the trick, but it just doesn't >pop<.) We were waiting this summer when the world cup was on TV and of course, we had to order while Italy was playing. Not the final against France. That would have been murderous, and I would bet they were closed. the wait took a bit longr than usual, but it was still hot and tasty. Perfect to top you off before seeing some Hollywood tripe.
Finished product.
Cut the baguette in half, lay on the mozzarella (or mortadella if you want...) throw on the parma and some rucola. Salt and pepper and throw it in the grill. (If you are unfortunate enough NOT to have one, just grill it in the pan. Squishing it is essential, as is the melting of the cheese.) Get on this easy and cheap sammich while you can. A warm meal is almost the best thing since sliced bread when its cold out.
—Christian
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Those of us that have spent any amount of time watching Food Network shows have undoubtedly grown weary of Emmeril's Bams and his various other cliches. Like, "It's a food of love thing". (But, we forgive him because we remember the good old days when he was just this funny little hairy guy stumbling along with a fledgling network.)
I can't help but think of that catch-phrase, though, when I look back at this month's posts and realise that I haven't added anything to the site in nearly two weeks. <sigh>
Well, folks, here's the skinny. Bob's a musician, like Willy, and he's been on tour. A USO tour to be exact. He left January 4th and my interest in cooking and food has slowly declined with each day's passing. Despite a steady stream of houseguests, I just don't seem to be in the mood for food. You could chalk it up to solidarity (Bob's been reporting back to me about all of the horrible meals he's had on military bases throughout the Pacific Rim) but I don't think that's the case.
The reality is that though I adore cooking and grazing upon deliciousness, my taste buds are firmly affixed to my heart. Would it be silly to call Bob my muse? Perhaps not, since it seems I can barely muster the will to cook anything at all, and it's getting worse from one day to the next. As I think back on my life, I can definitely identify a pattern. When I'm alone, I eat very simply. Cooking and dining are an extension of my love, and when love's on tour, my motivation goes into hibernation.
So, I decided to force the issue. A couple days ago, I started some yogurt cheese, letting it drain overnight in the fridge. Today I toasted sesame seeds and chopped Morrocan olives, added it to the "cheese", seasoned with salt and pepper, even took a couple of photos of the process. Then, I went in search of the crackers I'd bought to accompany the dip and found that my current houseguest had eaten all but five of them. Now I'm in a funk. It's not rational, but who cares?
Bob returns this weekend (HALLELUJAH!!) and after at least a week of complete isolation from the rest of the world, we'll both emerge to eat again. Food of love, indeed.
-steen
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I really do. I eat pasta most often of all the dishes I make at home. When it is really cold and gross out I will make Maultaschen soup with garlic bread, but its been unusually warm here, so that hasn't happened yet.
In any case, I whipped up this quick and tasty pasta dish last night and will share it with you today.
Pasta with Pancetta and butter sauce.
Here is what you will need.
I have (clockwise from top) A tupperware with pre-grated Grana Padano, a nice Rioja from 2005, Pasta (your choice...) fresh Grana Padano, Pancetta and butter.
First, slice the Pancetta into strips or make nice smallish bits of it. I made this dish first with fresh homemade pasta from my pasta machine. (I told you I love pasta. I made some Tagliatelle and the pancetta strips went perfectly with the fresh pasta. Fresh isn't necessary, but boy does it make a difference.)
Melt the butter on medium heat, and add in the pancetta. DON'T CRISP THE PANCETTA! You can theoretically use thick-cut bacon, Serrano or whatever, but we are not going for crispy, just cooked and a bit firm.
Cook the pasta as per required, and drain. Add in the Pancetta and butter, tossing well. You wont need salt, as the pancetta is plenty salty. Grind some fresh perrer and top with fresh grated Padano, reggiano or parmesean.
Voilá!
I added the pre-grated padano to the pancetta/butter, but it just made it more clumpy, not so creamy. It is a trick I use when making alfredo sauce, but here it did not turn out as I wanted. You will need to add a bit more butter than in the second photo as well, what I had was not enough for a half-package, so I added another bit near the end. you can butter as needed.
—Christian
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