Did you stand by me?

Many of you know, by now, that I hate useless gadgets. I hate having flash-in-the-pan (no pun intended) utensils and kitchen accessories laying in wait for their specialized use. I have come to not only understand, but firmly believe that all you need is a good Hard Anodized Saute Pan, a really sharp chef's knife, and a few wooden spoons to have a complete kitchen.

But damn if I don't love a good Quesadilla... And I only mention this because Kerrie -and by association: Me- owns a Foreman Grill. Or something very close to the Foreman design. Doesn't really matter. What matters is, I love a good Quesadilla. See where I'm going with this?

In my travels -which haven't been very far- I've developed the perfect Quesadilla recipe and now have the perfect method for cooking it.

This guy I work with- he loves frying tortillas in a pan, adding meat, veggies and cheese, then baking them off for a few minutes in a convection oven. Not very practical when you see all the steps performed and time lost. Plus his ghetto-assed "sauce" sucks.

Moving on, anyone who has gone to college or lived in a college town knows, loves, and hates Taco Bell; scourge of Mexican Inspired cooking. Nonetheless, they have a procedure and they make it work. A lot can be learned from their process, and thus starts us on our little adventure.

The Perfect Quesadilla

Marinade
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1 T Soy Sauce
1 T Molasses
1 T Chopped Cilantro
2 Cloves crushed, minced Garlic
1/2 t ground Cumin
1/2 t Chili Powder
1/2 t Black Pepper
1 t Kosher Salt

Quesadilla Sauce
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
2 t minced Jalapenos
2 t Lime Juice
3/4 t Sugar
1/2 t ground Cumin
1/2 t Chili Powder
1/8 t Cayenne Pepper
1/8 t Garlic Powder
1 Dash Kosher Salt

The Rest of it
6" Tortilla Wraps
Shredded Cheese of your liking
Sliced Rib Eye, Sirloin, Flat Iron or Flank Steak

First, slice the meat into thin strips and set into a 1 Gallon Zip-Loc bag.
Next, combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whip until thoroughly mixed. Pour over meat and seal bag. Marinate in refridgerator overnight.
For the sauce, place all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until completely mixed. (I used a mini processor for this. They are cheap and indispensable items for making small portions.) Pour the sauce into a squirt-bottle and refridgerate overnight. (The flavors develop quite a bit over those 24 hours.)

When ready to make your Quesadilla, fire up your counter-top grill. Once the "grill" is heated, quickly sear off all the meat until it is just cooked through. Place all the meat in a bowl and set aside. Next, spread the quesadilla sauce on one tortilla and lay it on the grill. Put down as much meat, then cheese as you like per portion on the prepared tortilla. Spread more sauce on another tortilla and place, sauce side down, on top of the quesadilla. Put down the lid and grill the Quesadilla just until the cheese is melted and the tortillas have some nice grill marks on them.

---

And that's that. I never thought I would applaud such a device, yet it is extremely useful for making these quesadillas and - I suspect - pannini sandwiches. Hmmph. There ya go.





quesadillagroove:
The Clash - Train in Vain
Screamin' Cheeta Wheelies - Right Place, Wrong Time
Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around
Andrew WK - It's Time To Party

Livin' after midnight, Rockin' till the dawn...

Before I start, I feel like I already owe Jeb an apology.

You see, in the wanning days of the Cosmic Cluster Fuck, Jeb and I used to go to El Zarrape quite frequently for deep fried cheesecakes and Ciclon with Lime.

Yes, it was a ritual. There was, and IS, something hypnotic and intense about combining these two items together. Some people like smack, and others dig weed. I am ALL about the deep fried cheesecake.

As time went on, and I did the appropriate research, I found these little treats were not made "in house" but were a product of a company by the name of Sweet Street Desserts.

Moving forward, I've wanted of those little muhfuhs ever since Kerrie and I got to Cincinnati. Making them seemed impractical until last week when I stumbled blindly onto a recipe that broke it all down for me.

So I made 'em. And then I got a bottle of Ciclon. And some limes too... So, yeah. Sorry Jeb. I had to.




deepfriedlovegroove:
The Donnas - Livin' after Midnight
Lionrock - Fire up the Shoesaw
Musto & Bones - Dangerous on the dancefloor
Screamin' Cheeta Wheelies - Wrong Place, Right Time

If yer gonna be dumb, ya gotta be tough...

One more reason why I no longer answer the phone when the dopey kid calls me.



To quote the prophet Lewis Black: "Don't think about that too long or BLOOD will shoot out of your nose..."

Also, please note that the person who wrote this paper did so in April of 2006, and grad-gee-ated college with a degree in the Culinary Arts 2 months later. I should be weeping with disappointment, but I just can't stop laughing.

Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power?

Making the Take 5 was an amazing experience.

Recently I've been pondering my specialties and my strong points. I mean, I'm good in the kitchen, but where and why are always questions in the back of my head. Right now I love doing the Inventory, as I have a certain affection for numbers.

But every once in a while I get a crazy assed idea in my head and start running with it. Sometimes I run too fast, other times with scissors. This time, I paced myself and the result was worth the work...




(Moses and the Tablets...)



(Ingredients)



(Layering peanuts, caramel, then pretzels.)



(Making the PB filling.)



(Spreading the PB filling.)



(Making the Ganache.)





(Coating the bars with chocolate.)




(My angel...)




(Wrapped and ready to go...)

This whole thing was a little time consuming to be honest. We got the project started on a Tuesday and barely got it done by the time Sue and Claire showed up on Saturday.

Giant Take 5
* - The only special items required to make this "pimp" are 3'rd Pans and a lot of refridgerator space.
Chopped Peanuts
Caramel Sauce
Mini Pretzels
Peanut Butter
Powdered Sugar
Semi Sweet Chocolate
Heavy Whipping Cream
European Candy Coating
(I'm not putting measurements in because I used standard formulas instead.)

Start by lining the 3'rd Pans with plastic wrap.
Next, sprinkle (generously) chopped peanuts across the bottom of the pan then gently pour caramel sauce on until peanuts are completely topped.
Lay pretzels (again, generously) on top of caramel, then place pans in refridgerator to firm up a tad.
To make the peanut butter filling, mix together 1/2 cup PB, 3 T melted butter, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. (This formula can be scaled up to fit the needs of the project. Let's just say, I used a lot...) Remove the pans from the fridge and gently spread the PB over the pretzels so as not to disturb the basic shape of the candy bar. Place the pans back in the fridge and chill overnight.
The next day, make the ganache in a heavy stock pot. I made a medium ganache which is a basic ratio of 1:1, meaning: for every pound of chocolate you plan to use, you will need 8 oz. of heavy whipping cream. I used 5 pounds of chocolate, 40 oz. of whipping cream and my trusty Calphalon stock pot. To make the ganache, start by chopping the chocolate, then simply bring the cream to a boil, remove from the stove, and add the chocolate to the pot. At this point, just keep stirring the chocolate into the cream until you have a smooth glossy liquid ganache. You will need to let the ganache cool for a while so it's cool enough to pour over the PB without melting it. Once cool enough to pour, fill the 3'rd Pans with ganache, then place in the freezer overnight.
Once frozen solid, melt enough of European Candy Coating in a double boiler to coat the bottoms of the candy bar. (The part with the ganache showing.)
Quickly pour on the coating, spread evenly to all ends of the pan, then place in the refridgerator to harden. Once the coating is sufficiently hard, turn the candy bars out onto a clean working space. (I used two wire cooling racks covered with wax paper.)
Melt enough chocolate coating to cover the bars with a thin but full cover. Place in the fridge to harden. At this point you may notice a bit of the caramel seeping out from tiny holes; Don't Panic. Once the first coating of chocolate is hardened, melt more chocolate coating for a second more generous covering.
Finally, trim the edges and you are done... (Making the wrapper was simple. We used Gold Wrapping paper for the letters and red wrapping paper for the outer wrapper.)

And there you have it. What happens when you cross a professional, an artist, and a mad scientist? A giant f*%&ing Take 5, That's what...

Take5groove:
Tenacious D - Wonderboy
The Sonics - Have Love, Will Travel
Arctic Monkeys - I bet that you look good on the dancefloor
Roger Allen Wade - If yer Gonna Be Dumb
The Minutemen - Corona

Call ME!

In the past I've told you about the "dopey" kid that I used to work with, well... now, via Audioblogger, you too can experience the magic of what it's like to get a call from him late at night...

Also, FBF is now running an RSS feed. Maybe thats good, maybe not. Check it, yo.

dopeyformercoworkergroove:
Blondie - Call Me
Cracker - Get off this
Nilsson - Without You
Cake - Nugget

Peer into the drain, as the water goes down...

I received the latest issue of Food Arts yesterday and it's somewhat disheartening to see that they are already gearing up for "Fall" cooking. I love cooking according to the different seasons, but C'mon... August isn't even here yet!

Yesterday, Kerrie and I had barbecued Chicken and fresh cut French Fries for dinner last night. There is something undeniably wonderful about the tearing through a piece of chicken with the sticky sauces oozing all over the place, then washing it down with a hefty glass of Cutty Sark.





Later in the evening I made Kerrie's lunch which was a fruit salad that consisted of Honeydew Melon, Clementines, Apricots, Kiwi, and Strawberry's tossed with Rose Water.






Yeah, I chose this path...

USFOODSsuckywebappgroove:
Dream Warriors - Wash Your Face in my Sink
Blondie - One way or another
The Smiths - Panic
BT - Godspeed

You don't know how you move me...

I have a love\hate relationship with my home town of Toledo, Ohio. Well, maybe not so much of a love\hate scenario but more like a "I love to hate Toledo" thing.

Toledo, the town which I am forever tethered, is where my family resides. They like it there because it is all they want. And that's fine... They're "comfy" there, but I need a little more.

I love Cincinnati. I love the access I have to the more exotic foods, and the selection of restaurants to chose from is more than ample. But, and there is always a "but", I sometimes find myself diving headfirst into a wading pool of nostalgia longing for a few of the old times.

Just recently, I tried coming up with a list of all the good things in Toledo and realized I was running very low on ideas. None the less, there are a few undeniably good places that forever changed my outlook on food and eating.

Charlie's Restaurant & Coney
Troy (AKA - Carnage) probably also looks back fondly on the days of us all piling into the Bucket and going to Charlie's in Perrysburg and in the Southwyck Mall looking for greasy burgers, gyros, chicken tenders and fries. Charlie's is basically a dumpy dive of a diner, but one of those places that NEVER lets you run out of a cup of coffee.

Calvino's
Calvino's is a place I often think back on when I make my own marinara or Neapolitan ragu. Calvino's is one of the few places you can go and get tomato sauce with fennel in it. They have amazingly good fresh baked bread and the atmosphere is intimate and cool. Still, the memories of driving to Calvino's in the pouring rain while listening to "Don't Fear the Reaper" probably still haunts Tom to this day.

Maxwell's Brew
Back around 1995, a great little coffeehouse opened up right off the campus of UT and they had one of THE best French Dip sandwiches I have ever tasted. Their coffee and desserts are so-so, but that sandwich paired with a heaping plate of perfect golden crisp french fries is to die for.

Poco Piatti
Poco Piatti serves as a compass when it comes to eating good food for me. Recently, after gushing over their grilled baby lamb chops, Kerrie asked me -point blank- why I like Poco Piatti so much. I froze for a moment and realized I had no acceptable answer except that the food is SO good. Grilled Pulpo, Kibbe Aras, Saganaki Kasseri, the aforementioned Grilled Baby Lamb Chops, sangria, and the list goes on and on... Never have I had a bad meal there, and more importantly, NEVER have I left unsatisfied. Poco Piatti serves as one of the few true dining experiences I've ever had.

And then what? A few places here and there, but nothing I long for. Many of the good places shriveled up and died (Carly Cheena's, Dominic's) long ago. Everything else is just There. Chains and crappy momandpops places that aren't NEARLY worth the capital it took to get them opened. What else can I say? (The Mango Tree was alright but not nearly the experience I had hoped it would be...)


On a side note, my Take 5 came out with spec-fucking-tacular results. Kerrie's sister Sue came to town with her daughter Claire just in time for the unveiling. It was, in my most humble opinion, well worth the effort. (Pics comings soon)




foodiegroove:
Matthew Sweet - Sick of myself
Butthole Surfers - Pepper
The Roots - The Seed 2.0
Ugly Kid joe - I hate everything about you

This ain't no love-in, this ain't no happenin'...

Tonight I make one of my cheesecakes so as to "wow" my boss. Trite? Absolutely. But there is a good chance you've never had one of my cheesecakes. I'm not prone to bragging about much, but I make a fucktasticly good cheesecake.

Also, my Take5 is coming along nicely. It's in the final stages now, so I'm hoping all goes well as Kerrie and I finish it.

Tonight, while there is a break is the craptacular weather here in Cincinnati, I'm going to grill steaks for dinner. Not much to say there, but a good flat-iron done bourbon style speaks for itself.

Finally, Paul Oakenfold's new stuff is rocking my world.

Oh yeah, I said it...

chocolateganachegroove:
Misfits - Night of the living dead
Paul Oakenfold - Faster Kill Pussycat
Blondie - Hangin' on the Telephone
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Cities in Dust

You can touch it, smell it, taste it so sweet...

Tonight I begin a new food "pimp".

Tonight begins a process of confectionery lunacy. An undertaking so crazy and time consuming and ultimately pointless that it surely make people say: Yup, Jay's definitely behind this one...




GIANTtake5groove
Faith No More - Epic
Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
Musto & Bones - Dangerous on the Dancefloor
MC 900 Foot Jesus - If I only had a brain
Misfits - Come Back

16 Tons, and what do you get?

Another year in the bag folks....

Yesterday I turned 31 and, to quote Ice Cube, it was a good day. I was a little bit flustered because I had to stay late at work (which I almost NEVER have to do) but it was all worth it in the end.

Kerrie had gone out of her way to bake me a birfday cake and got me a copy of Anthony Bourdain's latest epic The Nasty Bits. The book, so far, is classic Bourdain. Rants and scathing bitterness toward all the left and rightwing fucktards that make dining more of a trauma than a pleasure. My cake, and let me be clear on this matter, was excellent: Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting. I LOVE yellow cake with chocolate frosting. I only ask for it and get it once a year, which is on my birfday. There is something so intense and satisfying for me about a slice of what is undeniably the cheapest, quickest, plainest cake ever. It's a thing, people, you don't need to understand it.

Dinner last night was equally exceptional. Again, I went with Flat Iron steaks with garlic smashed potatoes and julienned snow peas. Garnished with a modest sprinkle of Hawaiian Red Salt, this is one of my favorite meals.







On the topic of desserts, I really outdid myself this past week...

A few weeks ago I saw a recipe for Creme Fraiche ice cream. This really got me thinking about an idea I had a while back. The process took a few days, but the end result was worth it...

First off I made the Creme Fraiche which took 24 hours to sit and then another 24 hours to set. On the third day I baked off my crust and made the base for the ice cream. Again, 24 hours. The fourth day though, that was the money shot. And it goes a litte something like this:

Creme Fraiche Ice Cream In All Spice Graham Cracker Crust
Creme Fraiche -
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/4 Buttermilk
Ice Cream -
1 Cup Whole Milk
2 Ounces plus 1 T Sugar
4 Egg Yolks
8 Ounces Creme Fraiche
Crust -
1 pack of graham crackers from box
1/2 Stick of Butter (Cold)
1 t All Spice
1/4 Cup Sugar

Start by making the Creme Fraiche. In a glass measuring cup, combine the heavy cream and the buttermilk. Cover with a clean towel to the mix can breath and set out on the counter at room temp for 24 hours. After this initial period of sitting, whip the Creme Fraiche lightly for no more than 5 to 10 seconds, the place in a airtight container and refridgerate for 24 hours. In the end you will have a classic "sour cream" that is FAR superior to anything you can buy in the grocery store. This process can get a little weird for people, but.. you know, c'mon folks. Don't be a pansy.
Next, make the ice cream base. Start by combining the egg yolks and the 1 T of sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl. Next, mix the Milk and the 2 Ounces of Sugar in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a light boil. Now, temper the egg mix slowly with the hot milk. Finally, add the Creme Fraiche and return to the sauce pan. Continually cook over low heat until the mix thickens slightly. Place mix in a a glass mixing bowl and refridgerat for 24 hours.
Finally, make the crusts. In a food processor, combine all the crust ingredients until you have a soft crumbs mix. Press the crumbs into a small springform pan lined with aluminum foil, reserving some for a topping. (1 to 3 Tablespoons.) Bake the crust at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool completely before filling with ice cream.
For the assembly, put on some BT or The Clash and get focused. Start by freezing the ice cream base in a ice cream maker. Once the base is frozen, scoop into the crust and freeze until set; 2 to 6 hours. Finally, use your reserved crumb mix to evenly top the ice cream. At this point, use a torch to lightly toast the crumbs on top. Carefully release the springform and unfold the foil. Slide onto a plate and the rest is up to you.








I garnished my dessert with Strawberries macerated in Triple Sec and a Pirouline cookie, and the plate with some crumbs and chocolate sauce.

In the end, a good with the possibilites for work and life mounting.

"If I had my time again, I'd do it all the same..."
- B.A.D II

birfdaygroove:
16 Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
Rush - Big Audio Dynamite II
Global Underground Ibiza: Disc 2 - Sasha (REALLY good stuff...)

How many people wanna kick some ass?

I could tell you that I've been busy, but why bother. I've just gone lazy... And I've been busy.

Work has been crazy. And not Jackass crazy where we all have a good laugh at the end of the day but more like I'd like to talk to you about The Lord crazy. Our exec is off for an undetermined amount of time. Then there are the eminent cuts being made to the staff for the summer months. And of course, no commercial kitchen is complete without a needy, clingy, dopey fat kid who just graduated with a culinary degree but isn't quite sure how many quarts make up a gallon.

The foodservice director is a super nice guy though. I was really not sure of him at first, but now I feel that he's an alright guy.

Now, with the summer in full swing, things are changing 'round these parts. Kerrie and I are exercising more and swimming a lot, our apartment is more of a home than a place to live, and the food around here is fucking phenomenal.

Example...

Last week I made an amazing salad of Avocados and Napolitos. Baby cactus leaves aren't something people are always too keen on, but they taste amazing. This week I made a really great Mango salad with Balsamic Vinegar. This Friday I plan to do Bourbon Style Sirloins with Fried Polenta, Mixed Greens, & Shocked String Beans.

Having such amazing access to any type of food-stuff I want can be dangerous. I get crazy with some of my ideas and I'm not always sure if Kerrie will be digging on the stuff I kick out. None the less, I keep moving forward and am thankfully not stuck in a rut. I crave the craziness of the nouvelle menu, but am a sucker for some good old fashioned comfort food. (Black & Bleu Burgers are a repeating favorite of mine...)

Tonight I plan on making Coriander Rubbed Pork Chops with a Peach Relish for dinner, and Chocolate covered caramels with Sea Salt for dessert. White wine for dinner and maybe one of the vintage ports I've been hoarding for dessert.

So yeah. In addition to the cooking, I'm still working on the Podcasting gig (I need to finish my first four essays before I can start recording) plus I'd like to get into the habit of one blog post per week. I'm also working on some new music with Jeb and a DJ mix that I want out by October. Of course, this all comes smashed up with work, exercise, and the general distraction of video games. Lots of video games...

Till next time...

guiltypleasuremusic:
Stroke 9 - Kick Some Ass
Toy Dolls - Livin' La Vida Loca
Chris Classic & Nazareth - Unleashed
The Smiths - Panic
Faith No More - Falling to Pieces

The "faith" is being kept...

Last night I made Cocoa Creme Brulee...

I love Creme Brulee. It's one of those ever-so-simple desserts that always seems to impress me. I love the flavor of a vanilla-infused custard and the crackle of carmalized sugar. It's a "sensory" thing with me. Whenever I'm treated to a Creme Brulee -be it at home or in a restaurant- I'm taken back to that first time I tried it and how amazing I thought it was.

Cocoa Creme Brulee (001)
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
3/4 Cup Milk (Your choice)
2 T Creme de Cacoa
5 Egg Yolks, slightly beaten
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 t Vanilla
1/8 t Kosher Salt

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

Oven @ 325F

Start by mixing the 1/2 Cup of Gran\Sugar and the 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar together until thoroughly combined. Place in an airtight container and set aside. (This is your "Brulee Sugar" and will be used to top the custards. This makes enough for three or four trips down Brulee Lane...)

In a small sauce pan, heat the heavy whipping cream, the milk and the cacoa over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer.

Meanwhile, beat egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla and salt until just combined. Temper the eggs slowly by adding small portions of the hot cream while whisking vigorously. Once all the cream has been added, pour the cream\egg mix into 4 or 6 ramekins that are resting in a baking dish. Pour enough boiling water into the pan so as to come halfway up the ramekins. (I can't stress enough how important a water bath is here. It's, literally, the difference between creamy and curdled.)

Bake for 35 minutes. Once done baking, allow to cool completely then chill in the refridgerator overnight.

When ready for service, use a Tablespoon of the Brulee Sugar to cover the custard and then torch them sum bitches.















Also, I'm completely convinced that Waiting is one of the most brilliant movies ever made. For as exaggerated as it is, there is NOTHING fake or unbelievable about it. God Bless Rob McKittrick...

bakerytapegroove:
De La Soul - Keeping the Faith
Big Star - In the Street
Peter Gabriel - That Voice again
The Misfits - Saturday Night
The Posies - Song of the Baker

Do you remember that sunny day?

Every once in a great while, I hear a song that absolutely makes me want to be in the kitchen. That one type of song that just makes you focus and unlocks the creative powers of natural talent you may have stored away...

Today when I got home from work I pulled out my vinyl copy of Sid & Nancy and put it on Side A. As I was sitting there checking e-mail, browsing journals and looking at the general collection of food-porn thats out there, I was hit by the song Haunted by the Pogues. I've heard this song a million times, but it just hit me this time how great it is.

I transferred the song to my midi-disc player and got to work...

I started by heating 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a small saute pan. I went and mixed up 1/3 Cup of breadcrumbs with 1/2 teaspoon of Herbs du Provence, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. I minced 2 cloves of garlic and slid them off my chefs knife into the oil. I lightly sauted them for about 45 seconds then added the crumbs. I mixed it all together and toasted the crumbs a little.

I put the crumbs in a bowl then went and quartered a few red skinned potatoes and threw them in a pot of water. I then de-boned two fat pork loin chops. I fired up another pan and seared the chops for about 4 minutes on both sides. I deglazed the pan with some white wine and threw it in the oven to roast the pork.

While the chops were cooking, I chopped up some mangos and apples and let them macerate in tequila for dessert.

About half way through the pan roasting, I slapped a little Dijon mustard on the top of the pork, then a generous portion of my bread crumbs. More roasting...

Finally I mashed the potatoes, plating them with the pork and a pile of mixed greens. Dinner was good...

That's one of the best things about being with Kerrie, too. She appreciates good cooking. When I sent out those plates, she dug right in. Her face lit up a little. It was, as always, a great feeling to cook and to eat.

"I want to be haunted by the ghost of your precious love..."
- Pogues

I'm a believer...

This has been a good week, so far...

I have to work Sunday, and I'm not too impressed with that. I've settled into a nice rut and I don't like it when things get shaken up. Nonetheless, money is money and doing a good job secures more money. Yes, that is EXACTLY how I see it...

This week has been good for the food-stuff. Last night I made some Bourbon Street Country Ribs with French Fried Sweet Potatoes to go with the taped episodes of House, M.D. Kerrie and I needed to catch up on, and tonight we had Ricotta Stuffed Ravioli with a Creamy Sun Dried Tomato & Rosemary Sauce. I love Sun Dried Tomatoes, it's just a shame I don't use them more often. I keep a jar of them on hand at all times though for various reasons...

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato & Rosemary Sauce
5 or 6 Slices of Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped fine
1 Sprig Rosemary, chopped fine
1 Shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Cup dry white wine
2/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Start by heating some olive oil in a 8-inch skillet over med-low heat. Add garlic, shallot, and rosemary and cook until fragrant. (DO NOT BURN!) Add wine and Sun Dried Tomatoes and cook until reduced by 75%. Add heavy cream and cook until just thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Goes well with just about any pasta.

Tomorrow I'll be making Flat Iron Steaks with a Parsnip Puree and Lightly Sauted String Beans, so I'm looking forward to that. Speaking of things I'm looking forward to... Anthony Bourdain's new book, The Nasty Bits will be out on the 16'th of May. Also, season 3 of Scrubs will be out on the 9'th of May. So May holds a lot of media-goodness for me.

Now although I don't ever deviate from my normal food-related content, I feel it is extremely important for Jeb and Edwards to see THIS. Watch it at home boys, and laugh, and... just... yeah.


"Something that smells that good should not come from a kitchen that small..."
- Kerrie's Mom

spiritoftruthgroove
BT - Believer
Misfits - You Belong To Me
Andrew WK - She is Beautiful
Crystal Method - Community Service II

With nothing in your gut, you better keep your mouth shut...

I feel, right now, like a junkie on a really good high....

See, this weekend was good for me. Food-wise, this might have been the best I've done since the incident at St. Marks so many years ago.

Friday night, Kerrie's family came to Cinci for the Easter Holiday. We started off with a run to Ci-Ci's Pizza for dinner, then over to Jungle Jim's for a quick culinary shopping spree. I found some really good gourmet salts, which I plan to make chocolate covered caramel truffles with. After Jungle Jim's we went back to our apartment just ahead of some crappy weather. Severe Weather didn't stop us from enjoying my Lavender infused Creme Brulee with Candied Lemongrass. (I think next time I might try it with Flan though.) Boo Yaa...



Saturday was the money shot though. Kerrie and I got up early and went to Panera for Bagels and Coffee, then we went to the hotel her family was staying at to enjoy a little pool time. I, personally, just wanted to relax in the hot tub and that is precisely what I did. At 10:30am I came home and started my prep work for our 1:00pm lunch. My morning consisted of loud punk rock, hip hop and kitchen appliances; and I loved every second of it.

At 1:00pm everyone sat down for a meal that went like this...

Ginger Peach Iced Tea
Cosmo's Style Lemonade with Limes

Mixed Spring & Dandelion Greens with Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette
Sourdough Boule With Oven Roasted Garlic

Skewers of Grilled Sirloin & Chicken with Pan Roasted Squash & Zucchini, Crisp Potatoes and Rosemary Demi-Glace

Orange Rosewater Ice Cream

When all was said and done, everything came out perfect. Normally I have something that goes wrong. Something that I have to compromise on. SOMETHING... This meal was perfect. Nothing about it was lacking in style or flavor. I was amazed and fulfilled all at once...

The weekend came to a close all too quickly, but the feel of working and creating and enjoying an experience like that sticks with you for a lifetime...

-
Quote of the Day:
Matt: I'm gonna put you in the weeds now...
Eric: He doesn't look like he's behind at all Matt.
Jay: That's 'cuz I use weed-killer on my lawn motherfucker...
-

eastergroove:
Sex Pistols - New York
Rob D - Clubbed to Death
Overseer - Slayed
X-ecutioners - (Even) More Human than Human

If I had "my time" again...

My clogs finally died this past week. It was sad to say goodbye, but they were in seriously bad shape. The staples we coming out of the sides and the soles were cracking and falling apart. So long lil' buddies...



This coming week will be a short one at work, being Spring Break and all. Kerrie's parents will be coming down so I'll need to come up with something spec-fucking-tacular for an Easter dinner. I was thinking of Grilled Flat Iron Steaks atop roasted slices of Eggplant with a TBD-flavor Demi-Glace. My mind is all over the place on this, so I guess I'll just whip out the Escoffier Cookbook and do a little reading. Maybe something good will pop out at me...

Tonight it's raining but I'm still going to do some grilling for dinner. I'm doing Balsamic Lavender Steaks with Straw Fries tonight, and tomorrow (when we're supposed to have some sort of sever weather roll through) I'm planning on doing Pork Chops With Lemongrass & Kosher Salt. Neither rain, nor snow, nor...

I made three Mini-Disc mixes this week. I revisited The Bakery Tape, and got my two Prep mixes going. (One for daily and one for the Weeds). There is something that gets me warm inside about making a mix of digital music but having something physical to hold. If I have time later on, I'll throw up my playlists...



Easterdinnergroove:
B.A.D. II - Rush
The Cult - Love Removal Machine
Sex Pistols - New York
L7 - Pretend We're Dead
Soul Asylum - Somebody to Shove

Looking back it was easy...

Another week, another few dollars...

I decided, recently, to discard my idea for making a "Kit-Kat" dessert. Instead, I plan to make a "Take 5" style frozen dish. Essentially, it will break down like this:

1.) Crushed Pretzels
2.) Peanut Butter Ice Cream
3.) Peanuts
4.) Caramel Sauce
5.) Frozen Chocolate Mousse

Today I put together the base for my Peanut Butter Ice Cream and tomorrow I'll make the mousse and freeze the ice cream. Should be good...

I'm also going to make Peach Clafoutis this week. For those who don't know, I'm a big fan of peaches. I really like making my own peach cobbler, and whenever I make Sangria I always try to slip one in. Anyways, this is a dessert that is traditionally made with cherries. I'm not big on cherries, and I'm less fond of pitting the little fuckers so...



Jungle Jim's is now carrying a great new wine that Kerrie and I are becoming very fond of. (Baxter, are you paying attention?) The wines are by Lost Vineyards of the World and they really are pretty good. Good for those of us who like value, and enjoy a good "table wine" to go with a meal. Kristy and Tom, I'm sure, can appreciate a wine like this because it's a lot like the 2-Buck-Chuck but a bit better tasting. At $2.99 a bottle, this stuff is a steal. My personal choice right now is the Argentina Red Table Wine. Check it...

London Broil was on sale this week, so I'm excited about making that except I think I left my broiler pan in BG. Nevertheless, a nice LB with a rosemary demi-glace and some roasted root veggies will be a nice treat this week. Word...

Till later: Eat sumptin, drink sumptin, get rich...

winegroove:
Groove Armada - Easy
BT - Believer
Jim Carrol Band - People Who Died
Misfits - Saturday Night
Jungle Brothers - Brain (Natural Born Chillers Remix)

The Big Wheel... Keeps on turning...

I had a crappy day today. Everyone I work with is either a junkie convict or a retard or both... I now find it so obvious as to why the last guy that had my job was a complete drunk.

But the day is done, and the work week is half-over...

Tonight I made a nice 4-cheese pizza with a Basil, Pepper and White Truffle crust. Later I had this great idea for a frozen style dessert. As crazy as it sounds, I really wanted a Kit Kat earlier and came up with this concept. It would\will be three layers with chocolate mousse, something crunchy. We'll see...

kitkatgroove:
Massive Attack - Hymn of the Big Wheel
Dido - Here With Me (Chillin' Mix)
Royksopp - Eple
Bent - Swollen

You got me sick as a dog...

Foodborne Illnesses suck.

I know, because I just spent the last 48 hours in the most miserable pain known to man. Simply put, I made a nice pan roasted chicken for dinner Thursday night and within an hour of eating - it had all come back up.

As I think back to all the events of the day, I've pegged a few variables down that might have contributed to my sickness. Nonetheless, I'm convinced it was the chicken...

For starters,I had to run up to the Day Care center with food for the brats. Those little mutants ALWAYS have some sort of sickness rolling around.

Next, the burger and fries I ate for lunch was slightly suspect. At least in retrospect they were. As I was vomiting uncontrollably Thursday night I noticed many chunks of undigested French Fries.

Finally, there was the chicken. Fryer Quarters, thawed in the refridgerator and roasted for an hour and a half. I must have washed my hands 10 or 15 times while I was working on the meal, but it only takes one time to screw things up.

I've had this once before, as I'm sure Troy might recall, and this felt exactly the same. The give away, in my opinion, is the repeated vomiting even after your system has been entirely cleaned out. (About once an hour...)

So yeah. The last few days have sucked. Today I had eggs and toast and managed to keep it all down, and last night Kerrie made me some soup that stuck with me, so I'm on the mend. Unfortunately, I'm still extremely tired and very sore from all the heaving. (sigh) Food Baddies can't win 'em all, eh?

Leave my curl alone...

Yesterday I made Fajita Steak Salads for dinner.

Nothing fancy, really. A bed of chopped Romain and Cilantro on a lightly warmed tortilla with a marinated flat iron steak. Simple.

What struck me as really amazing was the taste of the steak. The steak was perfect. For anyone who's ever been to El Zarrape in Bowling Green, or Acapulco here in Cinci, the taste was damned near dead-on for their fajitas. The weird part of all of this was that I was looking for a good -(ahem) SIMPLE- marinade recipe for these two steaks I had and just happened to stumble across it in a side-bar on some web page. Trust me on this folks, you can NOT go wrong with this recipe.

Enjoy!

---
Lime Marinade for Fajitas
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1 T Soy Sauce
1 T Molasses
1 T Chopped Cilantro Leaves
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1/2 t Cumin
1/2 t Chili Powder
1/2 t Black Pepper
1 t Salt
---

6000fajitasgroove
Hi-C - Leave my Curl Alone
Prodigy - Baby's got a Temper
P.O.D. - BOOM (Crystal Method Remix)
Cast Recording - So Long and Thanks for all the fish (Hitchhikers Guide)
Dream Club 4.0

Made with Bacon...

For those who thought my scathing bitterness had gone completely dormant...

You can steal my sunshine...

Finally, today, I did something cool in the kitchen. I've been making the same type of things over and over for almost a month now with no real inspiration coming down the pipeline. I've been listening to a lot of Barry White, Crystal Method, and Piss Artists lately just to keep me motivated to actually cook once I get home from work. It's what we in the "Walking-Upright" world like to call: A Rut.

Today, however, I made something new and interesting. Today, I made the base for Serendipity's infamous Frozen Hot Chocolate. Although trendy and obvious, it was still a great feeling to be standing over the stove melting chocolate and preparing this base. Plus, it reminded me why I want to be a pastry chef.

So much work to do, and so very little time. Thankfully, today was a productive day. I got my FHC started, baked a loaf of White Truffle\Peppered Foccacia, and made Salami, Pepperoni & Provolone stuffed calzones. All in all, a pretty good day...

Finally, I wish I had the balls -when I was in BG- to do this: Speakeasy Cuisine

freeezeegroove:
Len - Steal My Sunshine
Piss Artists - I Want You back
Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe

I want You... To want... ME!

Last week my PC died a catastrophic death. After a week of shaking like a fricken junkie over loss of computing functions, things have returned to normal. All I will say is God Bless Micro Center! Now let us never speak of the last 7 days ever again...

Saturday, Kerrie and I went out and had a day for ourselves. We went shopping with all the various gift cards we have acquired over the last month and got some good stuff. Kerrie got a new floor lamp, I got a stylin' new Mandoline slicer, and We got a new MB and processor.

The point, and here's my point Dude... I've always wanted a Mandoline. Mandoline slicers are an amazing, yet slightly expensive tool. With a Mandoline, you can make all sorts of things like Waffle Fries, Julian Strips, and paper thin slices of whatever you want. Today, being my day off, I decided to make Dried Pear & Apple Slices. Let me tell you, after using my mandoline, I felt good... I have used them several times in various settings and situations, but never for anything I wanted to make. Today was different. Today was allll me baby.



I started by making a simple syrup, then sliced my fruits, and now they are crisping away in the oven. Glorious...

Tonight I'll be making Jumbalya. There's something very comfy about Chicken and Okra that I really like. Served up with some Cuban Bread and a bottle of Scotch, tonight promises to be a phenomenal dining experience.

Dried Pear & Apple Slices
---
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 t Lemon Juice
1 t Rose Water
1 Pear (firm)
1 Apple (firm)

Pre-Heat oven to 200F.
Combine Water and Sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is just dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in Lemon juice and Rose Water.
Slice pear and apple using 1/8 setting on Mandolin Slicer.
Dip slices into syrup and shake of excess then place on sheet pans lined with parchment paper.
Bake in oven for 2 1/2 hours, rotating sheet pans ever half-hour or so.
---


"Damn it... NEVER trust my instincts..."
- John Cusack, Grosse Point Blank

Im'a set it straight, this Watergate...

2005 has come and gone...

The general consensus is that people are glad to be done with '05, but today and all the days to follow are nothing more than a NEW '05. Like the song sez, Nothing changes on New Years Day...

That said, 2005 was an epic set of Up's & Down's. Lots of good food, lots of interesting adventures, and lot's of new ideas.

First off, I miss everyone. Jeb and Kristen, Kristy and Tom, Troy and Rose... Baxter. But that was unavoidable... We're all were we belong now. I love Cinci, but there is no one for Kerrie and I to eat with. Most of my Co-Workers are ex-convicts and/or generally shady people I don't want anything to do with. The one guy I do actually get along with is working on getting through his culinary training for the third time. That doesn't inspire too much hope in me...

Second, my Mom came real close to being worm food. When she first went in, it looked pretty hopeless and then a month later she's back in her Game. Huh...

Third, I love Cinci. You can still smoke here, you can still buy and eat Foie Gras here, and liquor is dirt cheap. I love this town...

All in all, 2005 was alright for me. A lot of change went into making 2005 what it was, but it was a "good" type of change. I've cooked a lot of amazing food since we got here, and the food-stuff now available to me is equally amazing. I never have to worry about ordering anything, if I want something - I can just go and get it. That means a LOT to me...

For now, the adventure continues without restraint. Last night there was pan roasted chicken with caramelized shallots, and tonight I might make a nice Pasta Bolognese. Next week I'll be making Flat Iron steaks and last week I made a Garlic Herb Roast. I won't stop until there is nothing left to eat, and there will ALWAYS be something to eat...


"When a five-year-old tells you you're fat, it's because it's true..."
- Weight Loss Commercial
"We eat the pig, and together we burn! BURN!!!"
- Wes Allen
"I may be a Giant Ass with a Territorial Ego, or maybe a Territorial Ego with a Giant Ass. Please, stop me..."
- Jay Mohr, Scrubs

I can't do this all on my own...

The last month has been crazy.

My mom is doing good. She was released from the hospital about a week ago, and a wave of relief washed over me. Her thyroid is starting to work again, and she is down to 154lb from 225lb. The doctors took care of the fluid problem, stabilized her blood pressure, and determined that the mass that was found was not cancerous.

Groovy.

Now it's back to the food.

Things have been tight, but that really doesn't matter. Good food does NOT need to have a huge price tag attached to it. (STRONG!) Case in point, I make a great roast. Most people cringe when they hear the word "roast" and that's just sad. A good roast can be something of joyous beauty. A good roast has flavor and lots of juice and the perfect color! When I make the roast in question for Kerrie and I, I like to do up some pan-roasted rosemary potatoes and a small portion of Demi-Glace. I top it all off with some green beans tossed with a little olive oil and... TA DA!




Roast with Herbs de Provence, Five Peppercorns and Chopped Garlic
---
1 T Olive Oil
2-3 T White Truffle Oil
1 T Herbs de Provence
4 Cloves Chopped Garlic
1 t Coarse Sea Salt
1/2 T Peppercorn Mix, crushed
1 - 2 lb Beef for roasting (I use Chuck Tenders)
---
To start, pre-heat oven to 450F then pour 1 T Olive Oil into a oven-proof skillet or saute pan and rub around to coat bottom of pan.
Next, Mix together WTO, HdP, Chopped Garlic, Sea Salt and Peppercorns in a small bowl to make a thick paste.
Make 4 to 6 small slits on the top of the beef and rub ALL of the paste only on the top of the beef and into the slits.
Carefully place roast in the pan and set it in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350F and continue to cook for 15 to 25 minutes more.
(Depending on how rare you like your meat.)
---

There are very few things so sad as a person who needs to validate their dining experience with a huge bill. (After all this time it STILL gets on my nerves...) Would the real Food Baddies please stand up?

Good luck to Nick, recently of CG fame who appears to moving on to Cohen & Cooke. Shweet dude...


grooveroast:
Lazlo Bane - Superman
Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies
Jeff Mills - Late Night

Gone For Good, Part 2.

My mom is... okay...

She is suffering from Hypothyroidism right now, and they're working diligently to get her fluid situation under control. As for The Mass, well... The Doctor is pretty sure it isn't malignant. All in all, things are not great, but they are looking good.

One thing that bothers my about the ICU is that there is a laptop stationed outside every patients room for diagnostics and controls of whatever situation a person might be dealing with... Now, maybe it's just me, but I don't really feel comfy entrusting my mom's INTENSIVE FUCKING CARE to a laptop running Windows XP. I mean, while we're at it, why don't we just blindfold Harr, give him a scalpel, and spin him around like you do when you're gonna crack open a piñata!

Just my feelings on the subject...

You're gone for good...

My mom is in the hospital right now.

This is a very frustrating time for me. I'm constantly trying to keep work, the home life, and contact with my mom and brother in a somewhat balanced proportion. Everyday my brother and I talk about what's going on and it scares the crap outta me...

She has an extremely high white-count right now, massive fluid retention -especially around her heart and in her lungs, a "mass" of some sort in her pelvic region, and some silly thyroid problem.

So far, things are coming around. They used a needle to take out a lot of fluid, and they have started her on a medication for the thyroid problem. What worries me is the mass they found. Although there is no definite answer yet, it could very well be cancer. It could also be due to an infection related to the heart\lung\fluid issue. Either way, this is what I get to look forward to for Christmas.

As life moves on, so do we. I guess that's sort of redundant seeing as we ARE life. Sometimes, though, it feels like life is the things that are happening around us - not with us. Not because of us...

Tomorrow Kerrie and I get to make another trip to Toledo to see my mom. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of ICU's. I'm not a fan of any of this shit...

groove:
Morphine - Gone for Good
Massive Attack - Safe From Harm
Sineade O'Conner - Make me a channel of your peace
New Order - Regret
David Bowie - Golden Years
Gilber O'Sullivan - Alone Again, Naturally