Food Baddies Forever

Braised Pork Belly

2010-11-14T18:45:00.001-05:00

Braised Pork Belly, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Tonight we're having one of my favorite meals in the world: Braised Pork Belly, Spaetzel, baby bok choy and pan roasted Parsnips with a Soy Citrus Demi.
This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Breakfast at Graeters

2010-09-04T08:34:00.001-04:00

Breakfast at Graeters, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Gourmet Cinnamon Roll, coffee...

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Lunch at the Root Beer Stand

2010-09-02T08:01:00.001-04:00

Lunch at the Root Beer Stand, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Not great hamburgers, but the Root Beer is epic...

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Applewood Rubbed Ribs

2010-08-23T18:18:00.001-04:00

Applewood Rubbed Ribs, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Applewood spice rubbed ribs, buttered sweet corn, mac & cheese, Guinness Stout.

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Turkish Coffee...

2010-08-08T14:50:00.001-04:00

Turkish Coffee..., originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

I REALLY need a trip to Ann Arbor. Or at the very least a stop by Poco Piatti...
This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Carnitas bitches!

2010-08-06T18:51:00.001-04:00

Carnitas bitches!, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Carnitas from Aucapulco. The restaurant, not the... Uh, city.
This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Fish 'n Chips

2010-07-27T17:58:00.001-04:00

Fish 'n Chips, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Breakfast at the Bluebird

2010-07-17T08:50:00.001-04:00

Breakfast at the Bluebird, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Breakfast at the Bluebird Bakery in Ghlendale. Chocolate Chip Scone and mini Cinnamon Roll.

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Spumoni

2010-07-10T17:27:00.001-04:00

Spumoni, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Spumoni at The Old Spaghetti Factory.

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Chocolate Chiffon Pie

2010-07-08T13:32:00.001-04:00

Chocolate Chiffon Pie, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

And this is why my Co-Ops are awesome. They bring me stuff. Good stuff...

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Mmmm...

2010-06-29T18:31:00.001-04:00

Mmmm..., originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Ah, Guinness my old friend... How nice to see you again, and on my birthday nonetheless!

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Jeremiah Red

2010-06-24T18:21:00.001-04:00

Jeremiah Red, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Jeremiah Red from BJ's Brewhouse. Always good for one or four of these...

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Simple Syrup...

2010-06-19T17:49:00.001-04:00

Simple Syrup..., originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Made a Lemon Basil simple syrup and put it in the coolest empty wine bottle ever... EVER!

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

The Rusty Bucket

2010-06-19T14:08:00.001-04:00

The Rusty Bucket, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Burger, Fries, and a Killians Red at The Rusty Bucket in Rookwood Commons.
This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Gnocchi with Bolognese

2010-06-15T19:05:00.001-04:00

Gnocchi with Bolognese, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Made Potato Gnocchi to go with leftover Bolognese. A little fresh grated parmesan, a bottle of Zinfandel and I'm set...

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Graeters

2010-06-13T21:27:00.001-04:00

Graeters, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Cookies & Cream Milkshake, Chocolate Ice Cream with Hot Fudge.

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Rib City

2010-06-12T14:09:00.001-04:00

Rib City, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Sliced Bar-B-Q Beef from Rib City.

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Mint Lemongrass Martini

2010-06-11T20:10:00.001-04:00

Mint Lemongrass Martini, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Mint Lemongrass Martinis, made with Stolichnaya...

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Breakfast at the Bluebird

2010-05-29T08:29:00.001-04:00

Breakfast at the Bluebird, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Chocolate Chip Scone, Mini Cinnamon Roll, Highlander Grogg Coffee.

This epic moment brought to you by my Blackberry...

Breakfast at the Bluebird.

2010-05-29T07:56:00.001-04:00

Breakfast at the Bluebird., originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Artichoke Pasta

2010-05-01T21:21:00.001-04:00

Artichoke Pasta, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Wise Owl Wine Bar

2010-04-30T19:31:00.001-04:00

Wise Owl Wine Bar, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

PM Porter

2010-04-24T20:37:00.001-04:00

PM Porter, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Faux Nutella on Croissants; French Roast Coffee

2010-04-18T09:08:00.002-04:00

Faux Nutella on Croissants; French Roast Coffee, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Lazy Sunday morning enjoying some rich dark coffee, and a couple of croissants stuffed with Faux Nutella...

Fw:Cafe Bistro at Nordstroms

2010-03-14T09:53:00.001-04:00

Fw:Cafe Bistro at Nordstroms, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Rosemary Chicken Ciabatta with Pommes Frites.

Bacon Cheese Burger

2010-03-02T12:45:00.001-05:00

Bacon Cheese Burger, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

The Commodore brought in his homemade bacon, so I was FORCED to make a Bacon Cheese Burger...

HUH?!?!

2010-02-25T18:17:00.001-05:00

What directly THE FUCK is going on here???

Urge to Kill: RISING...

CORN BREAD!

2010-02-19T08:38:00.001-05:00

CORN BREAD!, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Aint nothin' wrong with that...

PINCHYYYYY!!!

2010-02-18T06:50:00.001-05:00

PINCHYYYYY!!!, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Lunch is gonna be GOOD today...

Spaghetti & Meatballs

2010-02-15T19:21:00.001-05:00

Spaghetti & Meatballs, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Spaghetti & Meatballs, shaved parmesan and a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

TeamO - The First 100 Days

2010-02-02T20:52:00.004-05:00

The first 100 days of married life have come and gone, and things are really good.

Kerrie and I have eaten well, found a few new places to dine, and acquired some nifty kitchen gadgets for making my prep work infinity more interesting.

All things considered, the last 100 days have been most excellent.

It all started with Kerrie and I getting married and heading to Trotters Tavern, in full Wedding Garb, for a couple of celebratory Brown Jugs. With Jeb and his wife, Edwards, and Harr in tow, we sat around drinking and enjoying what is, as I have stated before, the most perfect steak ever.

The next day, we met with our parents for breakfast at the Perrysburg IHOP and headed for Niagara Falls. When we finally got there, we checked into our hotel, got dressed and went to Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse for dinner. I have to say, I was unprepared for a meal like that. I was hungry, but I wasn't coordinated for such an event. In effect, I wound up trying my favorite dish, the Beef Rump Steak with Garlic, last. We did try a very nice, albeit over priced, 2004 Malbec. I was so impressed with the scale of the meal and the quality of service for a Sunday night. Kerrie and I were, for all they knew, the newlywed pikers who were there because it was the easy choice. They sold me. I really did fall in love with the concept of the Brazilian Steakhouse, and I'm really looking forward to going back.

The rest of the trip was a blur of touristy fun, Tim Hortons (Yeah, it's Canada folks. They're EVERYWHERE...) and one really cool retro diner called The Famous. The Famous had great burgers, but their milkshakes were pretty fucking amazing. I had this John Travolta-esque moment where I took that first sip and realized I was wasting a ridiculous sum of money on a diner-style meal, but damn was that a good 'shake.

There were other places, like Falls and Firkin, that we went for meals but that just weren't as mind-numbingly pleasing and Brasa and The Famous.

Eventually we made it back to Ohio. We quickly assimilated back into polite society, but I found that we had a bunch of new kitchen toys to play with, like the Stovetop Smoker and the Kitchen Aid Food Grinder...

TeamO - The First 100 Days (To Be Continued)

Barley's Brewing Co.

2009-11-21T22:29:00.001-05:00

Barley's Brewing Co., originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Porter from Barley's.

Crispy Pork Belly

2009-11-14T08:44:00.001-05:00

Crispy Pork Belly, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Crispy Pork Belly with Parsnip Puree and smoked mushrooms at Mecklenburg Gardens.

WHATS IN THE BOX???

2009-11-04T18:00:00.001-05:00

You just can't go wrong with Campus Pagliai's....

Cuba, eh? Take 'er down Smithers!

2009-10-26T19:28:00.003-04:00

Being that it has been such a great day, I made a point of enjoying a nice glass of the Laphroaig with a recently purchased cigar.

Look, we just came back from Canada. You do the math.

Stupid embargo...

Presti's Bakery

2009-10-22T12:49:00.001-04:00

Presti's Bakery, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Mocha and Chocolate Chip Cannoli at Presti's in Little Italy.

Breakfast at Grand Caffe

2009-10-19T09:58:00.001-04:00

Breakfast at Grand Caffe, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Good Morning Niagara...

2009-10-19T09:14:00.001-04:00

Good Morning Niagara..., originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Baked Brie en Croute

2009-10-07T15:59:00.001-04:00

Baked Brie en Croute, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Laphroaig

2009-09-18T20:26:00.001-04:00

Laphroaig, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

My boss is THE most awesome boss ever. EVER...

You tell me it's the institution...

2009-09-14T20:45:00.003-04:00

You know what I know love about Steaks au Poivre? Absolutely every fricken' thing possible.

There is something about fork tender beef, f**kloads of fresh cracked peppercorns, a healthy dollop of butter and cognac.

The first time I ever tried a Steaks au Poivre was at SamB's in BG, and it was the only dish I ever ordered until those pricks took it off the menu. Actually I recall going there less after that too...

Anyways, I was immediately captivated by this dish. Outside of the Brown Jug at Trotters, there is no better way to serve a steak. Yeah, that is a bold claim. But I stand by it. Whenever I go to a restaurant which prepares steaks, I always look for an au poivre option. Most places, however, don't. The Grand Finale in Glendale is the only place I know of around here but Kerrie and I only make it out there once, maybe twice, a year.

So you can imagine my excitement, my pure bliss, in scoring a few filets of beef - perfect for steaks au poivre and a nice bottle of burgundy.

To make a good au poivre, only a few essential items are necessary. A heavy pan, some beef filets, heavy cream and cognac. Butter, Sea Salt, Olive Oil, and Peppercorns should be part of your on-hand inventory.

Peppercorns, are the key ingredient in this dish. They form an amazing crust, not entirely spicy. On top of that, they balance with the creamy cognac sauce.

The other dirty secret about steaks au poivre is that is stupid-easy to make. If you know the rules, and have your prep ready, this dish comes together in mere minutes.

Steaks au Poivre

1 T Olive Oil
1 T Butter
2 Beef Filets
Sea Salt
Crushed peppercorns (enough to coat both sides of the beef generously)
1/3 cup Cognac
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 T Butter

Start by bringing your beef to room temp, about 1 hour.
Lightly rub the beef with a small amount of Sea Salt on both sides.
Press the peppercorns into the filets on both sides. Don't be stingy.
Over medium heat, melt 1 T of butter into the olive oil in a pan big enough to hold both filets.
Sear the filets for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare.
Set steaks aside and remove pan from heat.
Quickly, but carefully, pour the cognac into the pan and scrape up all the fond that is stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Return pan to heat and add the cream.
Reduce the sauce, stirring constantly, until thickened - about 5 minutes.
Finish the sauce with 1 T butter and divide between the two filets.

---

The French serve this dish with fries. I'm partial to garlic mashed potatoes and field greens. Either way, you really can't go wrong with a dish like this. You just can't...

2009-09-14T18:08:00.003-04:00

At Steak 'n' Shake and can't figure out if the bracelet the waitress is wearing is from The Office 'rabies' episode or not.

Take5

2009-09-12T15:09:00.001-04:00

Take5, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

1/4 Pound Angus Burger with Saratoga Chips from Take5 grill.

2009-09-12T14:52:00.001-04:00

Kinda bummed out. Take5 no longer has a Cajun Chicken sandwich. Meh. I'll try a burger...

Labor Day

2009-09-07T14:04:00.001-04:00

Labor Day, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Packo's Hot Dogs and homemade Saratoga Chips.

Graeters Mini Scoops

2009-09-02T20:23:00.001-04:00

Graeters Mini Scoops, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Vanilla with the Bean, Caramel, Toffee Chip.

Who says that's not the way it should be?

2009-08-10T20:09:00.006-04:00

Every year I get together with a former co-worker and we work a festival at St. Joe's Parish in Kentucky. I can finally say "every year" seeing as this was number 3 and we're already confirmed to come back next year.

Erik, or BigE as he is sometimes called, and I always meet up at the University around 9:00am on whatever Sunday we're needed and trek down to Crescent Springs. It's weird, because Erik and I only see each other this one Sunday out of the year (despite the numerous phone calls between us) yet it instinctively all comes together.

Immediately we start on our prep. There will be hundreds of people stretching for what seems like miles waiting for Fried Chicken and Roast Beef in a just a few hours. Erik's first task is to slice 30 pounds of beef and get it rolled, placed in hotel pans and covered with au ju. Right away I start knocking out the green beans and getting the endless stock pots of water up to a boil for potatoes.

We both make pan after pan of gravy, adding bits of fried chicken breading, and do a constant rotation on dishes so they (and WE) don't get behind. Our only goal is to have EVERYTHING ready at all times. I think we congratulated ourselves a few too many times yesterday, but I also realize that we knocked that sumbitch out of the park. Seriously, most of our day was standing at attention waiting for what was needed next. And the second we took out one pan we were refilling a backup.

For some reason, BigE and I share a minor celebrity status when it comes to doing this. People go out of their way to greet us and make it clear how high up on the chain they are and how happy they are that we came back. It's strange to take this all in, but we manage.

The day, admittedly, is a long one. Or at least it feels long. 9:00am till 9:00pm. It's not like a regular job with breaks and all that OSHA bullshit. It's a do-or-die, get IT done, no-fail scenario. Make food, be praised for it, get paid.

By the end of the day, my back and legs are stiff and I'm grimy. I'm covered in a thick film of mashed potatoes and dirty dishwater. I'm way too sober and I'm singing Kung Fu Fighting while I'm scrubbing my work table. And yes, I did the white-guy Karate moves... Everything feels good.

Finally, we say goodbye to Jane and she makes it clear she'll be calling in April for NEXT years festival. We thank her and she thanks us. It becomes a battle of who's more grateful, but we let her win. We WANT to come back. Despite being tired, hot, and dirty, we love this gig. As I drive back home to meet up with Kerrie for dinner at Steak-n-Shake (our yearly tradition) I contemplate how much I love doing this. I crank up the AC and put on some Massive Attack, and while heading up the highway I realize that THIS is why I got into this messed up life-consuming career in the first place. And I loved every minute of it...

Festival

2009-08-09T11:55:00.001-04:00

Festival, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Why the hell is it so hot in here?!?

Dinner

2009-08-08T19:11:00.003-04:00

Dinner, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Skirt steak tacos.

Dinner

2009-08-08T19:11:00.001-04:00

Dinner, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Lime and Black Pepper Skirt Steak.

Dinner Prep

2009-08-08T18:52:00.001-04:00

Dinner Prep, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Mojito, lime, fresh cilantro.

Dinner

2009-08-06T18:49:00.001-04:00

Dinner, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Sliders with wedge cut fries. (Chipotle, Montgomery Inn BBQ, Ketchup & Stout Dijon)

Dinner

2009-08-02T18:49:00.001-04:00

Dinner, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Chocolate Cherry Chicken Mole.

Lunch

2009-08-01T14:24:00.001-04:00

Lunch, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Grilled Cajun Chicken sammiches. I miss Junction...

2009-07-30T12:26:00.001-04:00

Roasted Rosemary Pork Loin for lunch. Moist, tender and slightly salty: All the things I love about pork...

Dinner

2009-07-29T19:17:00.001-04:00

Dinner, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Whole wheat spaghetti with Zinfandel Marinara.

Pepperoni Stuffed Crust Pizza

2009-07-25T23:12:00.001-04:00

Pepperoni Stuffed Crust Pizza, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Homemade stuffed crust pizza...

You know the thing about chaos? It's fair...

2009-07-24T20:22:00.004-04:00

Give the phenomenal success last summer of The Dark Knight, I feel less dorky writing out this little blurb...

When I was a kid, my mom was pretty vigilant about making a proper breakfast for my brother and I. Not just a quick cereal or pop-tart type thing, but an actual hot meal made from scratch. One of my favorite breakfast meals, and one that was frequently requested, was from the uber-campy D.C. Super Heroes Super Healthy Cookbook.

The Invisible Bat Banana French Toast was, and I recently realized still is, one of my favorite and utterly simple childhood recipes. I remember when my mom would make, that I always thought of it as some laborious chore. Something complicated and time consuming? But hey, it was mom and mom had it all under control.

Okay, let's skip the fact that Robin (with a huge grin on his face) just suggested putting the "banana" IN The Batman, and jump forward to the summer of 2009. For my birthday my mom got me a Calphalon Double Burner Grill/Griddle. Immediately I was thinking of things like fajitas or shawarma, but I was struck with a fond memory of the Banana French Toast so I had to make it.

Banana French Toast
2 Eggs
2 Bananas, cut into chunks
1 t Vanilla
1/4 cup Milk

Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth. Batter with be thick.
Soak bread slices briefly in batter to coat, cook on griddle over medium heat until golden.

---

Paired with maple sausage patties from Jungle Jim's, enjoying this breakfast was something so very comforting. It made me miss a time I had almost forgotten and it made me REALLY wish Heath Ledger hadn't Darwined himself.

	Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard - Why So Serious

	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Rib City

2009-07-24T18:23:00.001-04:00

Rib City, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Riblets, corn, garlic toast and french fries at Rib City. Excellent BBQ...

Ragu Sammich

2009-07-22T19:20:00.001-04:00

Ragu Sammich, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Ragu Sammich on Ciabatta.

2009-07-22T13:32:00.001-04:00

Just had a piece of Lime Cheesecake. Perfect balance: not too tart, not too acidic...

Sammy's

2009-07-22T11:02:00.001-04:00

Sammy's, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Cheeseburger ' Fries at Sammy's in Blue Ash. Great burger, a tad pricey though...

2009-07-22T08:30:00.001-04:00

Blueberry Muffin and a cup of coffee? Perfect... Blueberry FLAVORED coffee? Not so much...

2009-07-21T13:13:00.001-04:00

Sudden craving for Chocolate covered Caramels with Sea Salt. Possibly with a nice Brandy? Or Pino Noir?

Fondant

2009-07-11T15:11:00.001-04:00

Fondant, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Making Rolled Fondant...

BBQ

2009-07-05T13:56:00.001-04:00

BBQ, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Smoked Chickens at my brothers place...

Toledo Botanical Gardens

2009-07-03T11:08:00.001-04:00

Toledo Botanical Gardens, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Foie Gras in its natural element.

Toledo Botanical Gardens

2009-07-03T10:49:00.001-04:00

Toledo Botanical Gardens, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

I really need my own private vineyard...

Trotters Tavern

2009-07-03T08:25:00.001-04:00

Trotters Tavern, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

The Brown Jug. THE best steak ever. I'm starting to miss BG more and more...

Grounds for Thought

2009-07-02T17:18:00.001-04:00

Grounds for Thought, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Coffee at Grounds for Thought. It has been FAR too long...

New Message

2009-06-29T19:04:00.003-04:00

New Message, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

New Message

2009-06-29T19:04:00.001-04:00

New Message, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

New Message

2009-06-29T18:43:00.001-04:00

New Message, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

New Message

2009-06-29T18:42:00.001-04:00

New Message, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Birffday Dinna!

2009-06-29T18:38:00.001-04:00

Birffday Dinna!, originally uploaded by johnnytao2000.

Dinner at BJs Brewhouse - PM Porter in hand...

The Galaxy is at Peace...

2009-06-27T18:23:00.004-04:00

Kerrie thinks I'm obsessed. And yeah, she's probably right.

All things considered, no other video game franchise has captured my attention so completely. Further more, no other video game franchise has entertained me so completely. I'm speaking, of course, of Metroid.

Metroid, released almost 22 years ago, was one of the few games for the original NES that I was truly fascinated with. It was expansive, exploratory game play and I loved the story: Space Bounty Hunter out to destroy a big creepy brain and her life-sucking pets.

Many years later, while on the clock at Cosmo's, I devoted a shload of time to defeating Metroid: Fusion. Then came Metroid: Zero Mission. Then I backtracked a little. I got a nifty emulator and worked on Super Metroid. I've even been trying to crack the Prime series, though not with much luck.

So yeah, you can imagine the geek-orgasm I had when I saw the previews for next year's Metroid: Other M. Being the geek I am, the only logical thing to do was bake cupcakes.

	Stemage - Metroid Metal - The Theme

	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Guinness Stout Mustard...

2009-06-23T19:58:00.003-04:00

Recently, I decided to make my own mustard.

It sounds like one of those things that normally I rail against, my thinking being that I shouldn't be making it because I can BUY a jar of mustard dirt cheap.

I felt like taking a chance on a recipe I saw in Plate magazine. Mustard is mustard, but Mustard made with Guinness? That sounded intriguing...

Making your own mustard is a small project. Not a lot of involvement, rather an investment of time. It takes 9 days; 2 days to soak the mustard seeds in the Guinness and 7 days for the finished product to develop.

I took some to work for the Commodore, and it was enjoyed by many people along with some delicious Calamari and Onion Straws. Of course, the big test for me was at home enjoying this mustard on grilled Metts. With Porter. Lots of Porter...

Credit where credit is due, this recipe was printed in Plate magazine and comes from EC Jamie Lauren of Absinthe in San Fransisco.

HFS!

2009-06-21T13:11:00.001-04:00

HFS!
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

We got a Jimmy John's in Tri-County!

Montgomery Inn

2009-06-20T21:55:00.001-04:00

Montgomery Inn
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Chips 'n Straws.

Lunch...

2009-06-18T12:45:00.001-04:00

Lunch...
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Calamari, Onion Straws, and Stout Mustard.

Mah Nah Mah Nah...

2009-06-04T21:25:00.001-04:00

Mah Nah Mah Nah...
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Skyy Vodka with Rosemary Syrup.

2009-05-20T20:20:00.004-04:00

When I was in high school, 17 years ago, I was a drummer. Or something like that anyways... I used to hit things with sticks to make rhythm. That was me...

Back then one of my favorite places to go was the Toledo Music Instrument Exchange, which has long since closed I think. It was a big warehouse-like place with all sorts of new and used gear stacked up ALL over the place. One of my favorite memories of TMIE was to dig through buckets of drum sticks, looking for mix-n-match deals. Sometimes you could get away with top-name stuff for dirt cheap. Sometimes not so much...

For drummers, Vic Firth is a big name. Kinda. Like anyone in the biz I'm sure there are as many haters as there are lovers. I was a lover, as the guy knows rhythm. But time passed and drumming became no priority whatsoever. And then one day I realized I was some sort of cook. WTF?!?

Friday night, however, things sort of came full circle. While preparing for this weekends Wedding Cake Test, Kerrie spotted a wooden rolling pin at Jungle Jims. That rolling pin? A Vic Firth. No, I am not kidding. Not only does the guy put his name on some quality sticks, but he's ventured into the culinary world.

So skipping forward to today, everything was in place. I had made my two layers of Chocolate Stout cake, and gathered all the appropriate ingredients and tools. I spread my crumb coating onto the cake, and with my Vic Firth I began rolling out the Fondant. The end result was impressive and easy. While I need a little more practice, this is definitely doable. There were a few small "first time" issues that came up, but the overall process came together very easily...

I know the cake is good, as I've made it before. All I really need to work on is my smoothing technique for the fondant, and keeping a steady hand when I put on any royal icing. And here we... go!

The New F***ing Citibank - watch more funny videos

Smithers... Give him THE PLAGUE!

2009-05-17T07:19:00.001-04:00

A lot happened this week, making life a little bit frantic. Nonetheless, Kerrie and I moved further ahead in our planning the wedding and got some serious work done.

I helped with two very large caterings this week, which kept me at work later than normal. I also found out that the "people" I wanted to bake the wedding cake are unavailable for our October date. This lead to various schemes, which resulted in a big ole "fuck it!" and the declaration that I will take care of the cake myself.

Let's face it folks. I've said that I would rather not be catering my own reception, but I know that the only way it will get done right is if I'm the one doing it.

The rest of the week disappeared in a blur of work and running and shopping for detail items and finally just coming home to relax. For all the chaos, the weekend produced some excellent results. In all actuality, some things just turned out better than our original ideas. Sometimes things work out better when "the plan" just goes all to hell.

---

Friday, after work, Kerrie and I went to BJ's Brewhouse for dinner. I enjoyed a PM Porter and Kerrie had the Nutty Brunette, a brown ale. One thing I noticed was the amazing aroma of Butter and Milk Chocolate coming from my porter. I was thoroughly impressed with life from that point on, seeing as my pallet is finally coming around to the wonders of Stouts and Porters...

Kerrie's parents were in a few weeks ago, and of course I wanted to do something special for dinner and dessert. One dish I love to make is Balsamic Glazed Chicken. You generally can not go wrong with a dish that rich. The dessert, however, was well received but not quite right in my estimation.

I made Chocolate Bouchons. After finding the right kind of pan to make these little angels, I searched online for Thomas Keller's fabled recipe. The recipe is well published, but if you look a little closer you'll see that there is some force working against these things in some form or another. Some people complain of them being too salty, while I found them to be too buttery. Actually, I found them to be greasy. There are various forums providing answers to the salt/sugar issue (a misprinted recipe?) but I felt that the texture issue was a wholly unique one to my own baking. Of course, I've never been to Napa either. Maybe Keller's pastry chef makes them exactly like this, so who knows? I think a second try may be in order will a few minor adjustments. We'll see...

---

Which Horrible Affliction are you?
A Rum and Monkey disease.

Mmmm...

2009-05-15T12:29:00.001-04:00

Mmmm...
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Makin' Frosting!

Dinner...

2009-05-09T19:56:00.001-04:00

Dinner...
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya and a pint...

Light in your head and dead on your feet...

2009-05-04T22:18:00.000-04:00

Last week was not awful, it really wasn't.

I just get aggravated easily. It's my thing, I'm good at it.

After the whole ER visit drama Friday night, and the breadmaker dieing in the middle of me making dough for cinnamon rolls, I found myself in a less than stellar mood.

But then again, a good cookie can totally change my overall mood. A good cookie can do a lot for me, so much so that I can count the "good" cookies I love on one hand. Yeah, I take it that seriously.

Plus a good cookie helps me think. Case in point: Tonight, while munching on a perfect Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookie, I had a "moment". You see, when it comes to the music of Gerry Rafferty I realized that Baker Street is superior in technical form to Stuck in the middle with you, but Stuck in the middle with you was used in the film Reservoir Dogs and Baker Street was in Police Academy 2. So you can see the quandary...

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 Cup Flour
3 oz. Cocoa Powder
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/4 t salt

1/2 cup Corn Syrup
1 Egg White
1 t Vanilla

1/3 cup Sugar (Plus extra for coating)
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
6 oz melted Butter

4 oz. Mini Chocolate Chips

---

Start by sifting Flour, Cocoa, Baking Soda and Salt together. Set aside.

In a second bowl, whisk Corn Syrup, Egg White, and Vanilla.

In a third larger bowl, using a hand mixer, mix together Sugar, Brown Sugar, and melted Butter until fluffy. Add Corn Syrup mixture and mix until fully incorporated.

Using a wooden spoon, mix in Flour mixture and Chocolate Chips and stir until dough comes together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Portion dough into desired size, roll into balls, and coat lightly with extra Sugar.

Bake at 375F for 11 minutes.

---

2X Chocolate Malt

2009-05-04T20:06:00.001-04:00

2X Chocolate Malt
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Double Chocolate Malt at Graeters...

$10 Cooking Challenge

2009-04-21T21:16:00.005-04:00

The last several weeks have gone by in a blur. Between Work, traveling for Easter, and now being in full gear working on the wedding, time just keeps slipping by faster and faster.

Thankfully, There is always something good to eat in this whole crazy mess. Not only is there always something good to make, but recently Troy (of Crowz Nest fame) proposed the $10 Cooking Challenge.

The premise was simple, cook an entire meal for $10 or less.

After a lot of thinking and planning, I came to the simple conclusion that $10 for one meal is pretty easy. I started thinking less about the monetary value I had to work with and started thinking more along the lines of "why?"...

I finally settled on making Pizza. I know there are people out there who don't like pizza, but I've certainly never met them. And the simple fact is that a LOT of people DO like pizza. As I was thinking about the shear volume of pizzas sold in this country (somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 Billion a year) I started thinking about what the average household must spend on Pizza every year. To order a pizza, most likely for two to four people, it will run you anywhere from $8.00 to $20.00 depending on what type of eaters you're dealing with. Many people order pizza often too.

I've always found pizza to be the perfect comfort food. And for a long time, especially when I was single, it was my fallback. Was it late? Was I tired? WasI just too lazy to make my own dinner? Order a pizza!

Looking back, I've probably spent more than I'd like to admit on pizza, especially from places that are probably a little embarrassing to admit.

Thankfully, there came a point where I was determined to make my own pizzas. From scratch, with no bitching or whining. I wanted a simplified process that could work in my dinky-assed kitchen in my craptacular electric oven with GOOD results. With a little time and experimenting, I eventually conquered that beast. To be honest, I really took it for granted. It's become so easy to make my own pizza that I just do it... When I'm feeling tired or lazy, I just make pizza.

So when Troy proposed to $10 Challenge, this struck me as a great topic. Not just because of the financial restraint of only using $10, but because of the overall idea of how much money I probably save every year.

It breaks down like this:

Cheese $1.66
LaRosas Sauce $1.69
Yeast $1.99
Pepperoni $1.25

One major flaw in this whole challenge is that I already had flour and sugar on hand. Most people do too, but to buy a 5# bag of each will probably run you around $5.00. Still, The average bag of flour has about 17-19 cups, enough to make at least 5pizzas at home bringing the per-meal cost down significantly.

The same goes with the cheese and sauce. I only used half of the 8oz bag of cheese and maybe a 1/3 cup of the sauce, thus stretching those items out further. Same with the yeast. Yeast, generally, comes in a strip-pack with three pouches, of witch you use less than one per pizza.

To go with the pizza, I made a fresh salad of organic greens with a lemon pepper vinaigrette. That broke down like this:

Lemon $0.33
Organic Spring Mix 3oz @ $3.99lb - $0.75

Fresh vegetables are at almost criminally low prices sometimes. Plus, making the vinaigrette that was delectably reminiscent of Stino's in Cleveland was a huge plus.

In the end, I spent $7.69 to make two 8" Foccacia Pizzas and two generous salad portions with one of my favorite dressings evar!

Robot Chicken - "He-Man's Murder" (S02E05) - watch more funny videos

Snackers at Olga's Kitchen.

2009-04-11T13:15:00.001-04:00

Snackers at Olga's Kitchen.
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Heaven on a plate!

Lunch @ Roosters

2009-04-04T13:28:00.001-04:00

Lunch @ Roosters
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Lunch!

2009-04-03T18:35:00.001-04:00

Lunch!
Originally uploaded by johnnytao2000

Shrimp sammich with fried parmesan potatoes...

Rick's Tavern

2009-03-30T19:32:00.004-04:00

When Kerrie and I first moved to Cincinasty, we went to this dumpy shithole called Bargo's. Bargo's was a serious defeat for me, as I was looking for a dive bar to call "home" and this place was just awful.

The food was bad and the people in there just put off some bad vibes. I wasn't necessarily looking for a new Howard's H, but I had an idea of what I wanted and this place was a serious letdown.

Jumping ahead, 4 years later...

Kerrie and I found Rick's Tavern, only because we like going to Acapulco. Every time we would eat at Acapulco, we inevitably would discuss trying Rick's. We, of course, always managed to procrastinate and put it off or just plain forget it existed. But then it happened. We managed to get our act together enough to go in and have dinner, which, admittedly, I wasn't all that into. But Kerrie liked it so we went back. And just because I was looking for something simple, I ordered a burger.

And this is where I start to gush...

Rick's has one of the best burgers I have ever tasted. It may just be better than the Friendly Stop or Sonic. Their burgers, so they say, are fresh/not frozen. I believe it too. Maybe I've been in this business too long, but I recognize frozen vs fresh - especially after my stint at the Corner Grill. Another thing I find impressive is their french fries. Although they serve (ahem) Crinkle Cut Fries, they are really good. They're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. It's a sad state of affairs when I'm impressed by the fact that some guy working a fryer can actually do his job properly.

Okay, I'm going all over the place here, so to summarize:
Rick's Tavern.
One of the 5 best burgers I have ever eaten.
Awesome fries, even though they are crinkle cut.
Very nice atmosphere, very good feeling place to eat.

I think what's most gratifying is that Kerrie and I finally found a place we can go to regularly. It's our place...

via videosift.com

Here's a little revenge... IRISH STYLE!

2009-03-16T21:05:00.009-04:00

The past few weeks have seen some great food. Kerrie and I have made stops to La Pinata (Excellent fajitas) and the Friendly Stop (Excellent burgers). Plus we dropped by Rick's Tavern and even made a Sonic run last week.

Plus I've thrown together some excellent meals at home, including Pan Seared Tenderloin with a Balsamic Glaze over Linguine with Gorgonzola Alfredo sauce. (Made possible by a very generous gift from the Commodore.)

But really, the best over all has been the annual St. Patty's Day feast I've become very fond of preparing.

Being that St. Patrick's Day was on a Tuesday this year, I made Guinness Braised Corned Beef on Sunday, with Leftovers for sammiches today. I served the Corned Beef with braised carrots, Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, and quick sauted Brussels Sprouts.

Of course, no St. Patty's Day would be complete without Black & Tan's and one of my favorite desserts - The Chocolate Stout Cake.

And tonight was just as good as Sunday. With what was left of the Corned Beef I made sandwiches on Marble Rye with Swiss cheese, plus we had what was left of the Parmesan Roasted potatoes and I enjoyed an Edmund Fitzgerald porter. (Oh yes, I enjoyed it...) I actually never thought I would get to a point in my life where I would be drinking beer, but I really do enjoy a nice porter. Huh.

As the weather gets better and warmth returns to Ohio, I'm already looking forward to grilling and BBQ. Sitting on the porch with a Mojito while watching chicken or ribs slowly achieve perfection is very exciting to me. Mostly because I'm sick of the cold, but mostly because I loves me some Mojitos!

You've never eaten blueberries and pepperoni together for very good reasons.

2009-03-05T21:21:00.002-05:00

I've done some pretty stupid shit in my life. (Anyone remember the giant Take5?)

Somethings I've done are gross and some things I've done are so epic I'm saving them for my tell-all book.

These guys took one of the funniest SNL skits in the last 20 years and brought it to life. It's like a bus load of nuns getting slammed by a train going 80 miles per hour... You just can't stop looking.

(Make sure you watch the video first...)

TACO TOWN!!!

I don't know weather I'm envious or just plain disgusted. Either way, these guys just made my "Heros" list.

I reflect and elect to reject...

2009-02-23T21:19:00.005-05:00

I don't care what the haters say, I've become a huge fan of Molecular Gastronomy.

It's become fashionable to hate on MG, much the way the grunge kids denied the existence of "alternative" music back in the early 90's. Hell, even my hero -the cranky yet utterly pragmatic Anthony Bourdain- has made a few snarky comments on the subject.

To my thinking though, this is a fascinating, if not entirely practical, subject.

Recently, while watching a couple of episode of No Reservations, I was captivated by Anthony Bourdain's trips to Washington and Spain. Seeing Jose Andres twitching with culinary ecstasy while AB tried all his whimsical creations was inspiring. And, much like Sam Mason, Albert Adria is a pastry chef I must meet before I die. His seemingly effortless use of mystical and fantastic contraptions in the kitchen at el Bulli is mesmerizing.

I want to go to there...

So now, here I am... My own mind running in a hundred different directions trying to wrap my head around several of these concepts. Some are trivial, some are impractical, and some are simply out of the reach of anyone who is not a Food Scientist.

But then there are the "other" concepts. Like deconstruction... I'm not personally a fan of deconstruction when it comes to food, but it is an interesting exercise in experiencing taste. In fact, I can't help but think of my dessert Margarita in this particular instance: Different flavors and textures all colliding at once, showing how ALL the senses can be stimulated.

I want to do that. I don't want fame or notoriety, I only want to sever someone a dish and for them to have an epiphany. I want someone to regret not trying something different in the past. They don't have to weep, but I won't be upset if they do...

Kerrie and I will, soon I think, be have some people over for dinner. My goal is not to focus on food science, but to offer some unique textures and flavor combinations. To throw a few curve balls, and hit a home run at the same time.

el Bulli

Minibar

The Fat Duck

WD-50

Will Powder

Overseer - Slayed

overseer - slayed songs
Free Music | free Mp3

10 Thoughts...

2009-02-14T11:57:00.002-05:00

There have been a lot of people on facebook doing the "25 Things" thing. While I just didn't have the patience to deal with coming up with 25 random things, I was intrigued by Restaurant Hospitality magazine's "10 Thoughts".

Every issue spotlights an up-and-coming chef by asking ten simple questions which make up a vague pseudo-psychological profile...

And here we go...

1.) One thing you don't know about me is I like getting revenge.

2.) I'm most proud of my work habits, both good and bad.

3.) One of my most memorable meals was at Cafe Felix in Ann Arbor. (Bistec la Pincho!)

4.) If there was no coffee, I'd have no reason to live.

5.) My go-to drink is Cutty & Soda with a lime wedge.

6.) If I were on Death Row, my last meal would be Filet of Beef with Rosemary Demi Glace, Scampi, fresh baked bread, a "nice" Cabernet, a Caramel Creme Brulee and a pot of Turkish Coffee.

7.) Thing I hate most about this business is chefs who despise bloggers for criticizing them. Guess what tough guy? The days of appeasing ONE critic to get a good review are long gone. If you can't treat EVERY customer like they're a food critic with your rep on the line, it's time to pack it up. Otherwise STFU and GBTW.

8.) If I could change one thing about me it would be my desire to break someones hands, a-la-Casino, when they piss me off.

9.) My idea of a perfect day is sleeping in, having a nice relaxing breakfast followed by a leisurely trip to Jungle Jims and an afternoon of something slowly cooking on the stove. (Ragu? Braised Chuck Tenders?)

10.) If I wasn't in the food service, I'd probably be in Organized Crime.

Snow Day

2009-01-27T20:40:00.004-05:00

About once a year we get one good blast of winter weather. Not quite as good as the North Western Ohio winter blasts, but hey... throw in some hills and a bunch of idiots and a 1/2" of snow can shut down most of the city.

Last night, today, and probably a good chunk of tomorrow has us experiencing a pretty hefty winter storm. To look at the national map is pretty uninspiring. This thing stretches from Texas up to northern Maine.

Nonetheless, there is something pretty nifty about a snow day. Maybe there is still a little bit of my childhood left that loves a good old fashioned snow day. Waiting in anticipation while watching the news and double checking the website to see if I can sleep in gives me a little jolt of the "feel-goods". Plus it's always a bonus if work is called off BEFORE I leave the house.

And today was a good day. I slept in just past 9:00am, made a great pancake breakfast, knocked out some amazing Roasted Chicken Soup with White Truffle Oil, and of course... I made cupcakes.

Now, the only thing that remains is whether or not I'll have to battle the elements in the morning on Wednesday. I'm hoping not, because it's freezing rain of top of snow with more snow on the way. A couple of snifters of brandy oughta take care of that though...

That's right, Mr. Green. Tell Mr. Doyle all about yourself, will you?

2009-01-25T09:55:00.003-05:00

Recently, Kerrie made the point that I don't make enough cheesecakes.

Although baking a cheesecake is my specialty, my A#1-Duke-of-New-York, ass kicker... I just haven't made as many as I used to.

They have become, unfortunately, something of a special-occasion treat. Something I make only upon request. Look, folks, that's gotta change.

After being prompted by Kerrie last week,to make a cheesecake, I complied, and I was overwhelmed by my own laziness. There really has been no good excuse for not banging out one of these at least once a month. The fluffy rich texture followed by the perfect tangy sweet flavor has always been one of my favorite food experiences, and when you throw in a healthy portion of balsamic roasted strawberries and a nice Late Vintage Port, there really are few things that are much -if at all- better.

Fun Fact: When someone won't stop talking to me, I turn up the mental-media-player in my head and blast the theme from "The Taking of Pelham 123".

(Facebook users go to Stickam or FBF to see the video.)

Hell's half acre...

2009-01-17T19:03:00.015-05:00

So we started our Saturday with a basic task of finding a Wii Fit, a task thinly veiled as a list of necessary chores we routinely do every week.

It started with breakfast at Panera. For being a chain, the do have a kick-ass cinnamon crunch bagel and every once in a great while, I must have one. A cinnamon crunch bagel with a shload of cream cheese and a hazelnut coffee, that's what I had been craving for several days. Kerrie had a hot cocoa and a chocolate chip bagel, and to make things just about perfect, we scored a table next to the fireplace. The day had officially begun...

We made our way to Target, and guess what? No Wii Fits.

Out next stop was Jungle Jims for the weekly ritual of shopping for groceries. Kerrie and I have it down to a science, so even in the worst of crowds we can tear right through without breaking a sweat.

After stopping at home to drop off groceries and squeeze in a few rounds of Tetris, we made out way to Bridgewater Falls. We stopped at La Pinata for lunch, which has quickly become a new favorite for weekend lunches. I particularly like their chips and salsa. More specifically, I love their salsa. I love the fact that there are huge leaves of cilantro floating around in the salsa but that it has an amazingly balanced flavor. I almost forgot that I had Fajitas coming... And at $7.50 for a spectacularly large portion, their lunch menu is a steal.

We left La Pinata and headed over to Best Buy. No Wii Fits, but a copy of Bender's Game left with us so it wasn't a total loss. Our final stop was the "other" Target. The Target with a Starbucks and a lot more space to cover. No Wii Fits at that moment, but I was told to come back on Sunday morning when there would be 36 of 'em.

Kerrie and I left unsure, but we formulated a basic plan. One that wouldn't leave us disappointed if walked away empty handed. Clearly viewing this as a maybe/maybe-not/off-to-church scenario, we shook hands and headed home.

After an afternoon of lounging and being lazy, I knocked dinner out: Herb Fried Chicken with Buttered Corn and Guinness Biscuits. I love meals like this because they are so simple. Prep the biscuits, set aside. Fry the chicken in the fryer for about 5 minutes, them put both the Chicken and the Biscuits in the oven and walk away for about a half hour. The corn is just corn, so that gets done in the last five minutes before we sit down to eat. I wish all meals came together this easily...

We woke up Sunday morning at 7:15am. Not a particularly good time to be up, but hey... We were on a mission. It was a dreary morning too. It was still mostly dark out and there was a thin sheet of ice covering everything. The idea of being out for any reason was becoming less and less appealing.

Kerrie and I stopped at BK for coffee and breakfast, then went over to Target. When we got there, there were already people mingling out in front of the store. Thankfully it was 7:50am and there were only about 12-15 people waiting. Kerrie and I sat in the warm car, eating and waiting. I had the nagging feeling like I should be in line, but I just waited, sipping my coffee and trying to shovel in my sammich before the store opened. Suddenly, the group of people pushed through the front door to the store. I quickly got out of the car and ran for the entrance. I made my way to the back of the store and got in line, only to realize that my wallet was still in the car. After muttering several obscenities, not necessarily under my breath, I ran back to the car. My wet shoes squeaked mercilessly on the floor as I ran back and forth, echoing through out the mostly empty store. Again, I made it to the back of the store and I got in line. I then realized there were only a few people waiting and that I was going to get one.

Moments later, I walked out with a Wii Fit. It was simple. Too simple if you want my honest opinion... Nonetheless, after weeks of looking, our first real attempt to acquire one of these bad boys was a success. I don't know what the hell everyone else has been whining about. This was easy.

And to celebrate our success, I made some fantabulous meatball subs with provolone for lunch. I quickly realized the irony of eating something like that after spending the day trying out the yoga positions and doing ski jumps, but hey... It's like they say: The fit is go!

Wait, shit! That's not right...

wiifitgroove:
George Harrison - What is Life
Bif Naked - We're Not Gonna Take It
Andrew WK - She is Beautiful
Jane's Addiction - Been Caught Stealin'
Badfinger - No Matter What
Propellerheads - Crash!

Brilliance?

2009-01-06T22:31:00.000-05:00

You would think my co-worker (The Sackhead) and I would have to be drunk, high, or both for this kind of conversation but no... totally lucid. Go figure.

Sackhead: What's the difference between wings and drums?
Scarecrow: I dunno. What's the difference between your arms and legs?
Sackhead: They're still attached to my body?
Scarecrow: Yeah, plus we're probably not going to deep fry them...