Recently, Kerrie and I have both been tossing around the idea of video-blogging. I've been wanting to do a podcast for ages, but ultimately didn't think a food blog would work in an audio-only format.

With the recent purchase of a very nice digital camera, my M-Audio Quattro, and a copy of Vegas Video (Thanks Tom!) I think we're just about ready to take the next step forward.

With only a few minutes of tinkering with settings and exploring the options available with this program, I threw together a quick-n-dirty video consisting of a shload of pictures already featured in this blog set to Bring us Bullets by the now defunct rock band Rocket from the Crypt.





There you have it Folks. Me cook yummy good. Uh huh.

Sunday night was perfect for a nice long leisurely meal. It was one of those nights where you can break out a bottle of Cheap-Red and just enjoy a meal. No rush, just lots of time... That's actually kind of infrequent nowadays. The idea that I can, could, and should take as much time as possible to just work on any particular dish has given way to much more dubious intentions. I cook at home, much of the time, like I would cook at work: Fast and sleazy.

Not that my cooking is bad, mind you. I've just grown accustomed to working for quantity results rather than savory, tender quality.

So, to get back in touch with my love of slow cooked foods I decided to make Braised Short Ribs. and they were perfect. Soft and fork tender, they were bursting with perfectly savory combination of tomatoes and chianti. If I were to die and not go to Hell, God would be greeting me at the Pearly Gates with a plate of these divine short ribs.




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Chianti Braised Short Ribs

3-4 Lbs Boneless Beef Short Ribs
Salt & Pepper

2 Medium Onions, Diced
4-6 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 Cups Chianti
1 28oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes
3 Cups Beef Broth
2 tsp. Herbs du Provence
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Season Short Ribs liberally with Salt and Pepper

Coat a large saute pan (with a lid) with olive oil and place over medium heat. When Olive Oil has heated, sear rib until they are nicely browned and caramelized. Remove ribs from pan and set side on a plate.

In the same pan, while still hot, add the diced onion and cook until translucent. Next, add garlic and cook until fragrant. (Do not brown!)

Add the Chianti, Beef Broth, and Tomatoes - one at a time. Allow each to come to a boil before the addition of the next. Finally, add the Herbs du Provence and stir in thoroughly.

Return the ribs to the pan, plus any of the juices on the plate, and turn the heat down to Low. Cover and allow to simmer gently for three hours.

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This will, admittedly, leave you with a F-Load of extra sauce. No worries, just pour whatever you don't serve with the ribs into a nice large jar (or three) and use it for pasta or pizza sauce.

Bellissimo!

Being that the summer is now fully upon us, I'm all about the Ice Cream. Perhaps I should elaborate... I love ice cream, especially artisan/marble-slab style ice cream. That being said, there is one thing I love more: Gelato. I love the intense flavor and ultra creamy texture of a good Gelato. Fat and calories be damned!

Alas, I miss those hectic Ann Arbor trips where we almost always wound up at that one Gelato shop near Encore Records and Wizzywig. Every once in a while, when I get nostalgic for those impromptu northbound trips, I like to pull out the ice cream maker and crank out a batch of Gelato.

Gelato, loosely translated, is the generic Italian term for Ice Cream. The major difference between us and them is that they have a lot less air in their frozen treats than we do. None the less, to enjoy a bowl of Gelato is to be in another world. So recently, I made a batch of Coffee Gelato...

To start, I must admit that we were getting rid of a bunch of cans of Starbucks Iced Coffee. I picked up one of the cans of "light coffee" and immediately thought of making Gelato.

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Coffee Gelato
4 Egg Yolks
1 Cup Sugar
1 T Vanilla
1 Cup Whole Milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Canned Iced Coffee

Whisk together Egg Yolks, Sugar and Vanilla until pale and creamy.
Bring Milk, Cream and coffee to a boil, then set aside for 10 Minutes and allow to cool.
Stir the Milk mixture into the Egg mixture, the pour into a double boiler.
Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Allow to cool completely, the refrigerate overnight.
Process mixture in an ice cream maker, then spread into a 1/4 Pan and place in freezer for 2 hours.

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funkygelatogroove
Motorhead - Love me like a reptile
Misfits - Static Age
Rocket from the Crypt - Bring us Bullets
Big Audio Dynamite II - The Globe
Iggy Pop - Success