Why say something nice when you can tell the truth?

I realized, recently, that it's been almost a month since I last posted.

There is no excuse. I used to be able to go to Howard's, get loaded, and spout off some truly inspirational crap. Now? Well, now I get sleepy real early and need to go nighty-night.

That is, without a doubt, pretty freekin' weak.

It's made me realize I miss a lot of things from BG. A night out at Cohen & Cooke, a Brown Jug at Trotters, or a heap of waffle fries from Mr. Spots... One of the things I may never have actually revealed from my former life on the inside, was my love of the French Onion Steak Sandwich from Easy Street.

I miss it so much, I felt compelled to make it for dinner last night. There is nothing quite as comforting as a fuck-huge sammich of Steak and Provolone with some perfectly caramelized onions.




Served up with a simple au jus and a pile of potato chips, this and a bottle of some cheap red wine made for a damn fine meal.

Stoppin' off that the truck-stop "Earth", lookin' for some food to eat...

Kerrie and I officially began our epic BBQ-gauntlet for the summer yesterday.

As previously stated, I want to hit as many different BBQ places this summer as possible. I'm sure plenty of people will be chiming in on the topic of authentic BBQ, but try and take it easy. My goal is simply to eat as much pork and beef as possible.

So, last night Kerrie and I went to Rib City Grill just outside Jungle Jim's.

First off, I was expecting something "else". More of a sports-bar thing, maybe? It was actually a very nice, home-style BBQ restaurant. So right off the bat, I was happy with my surroundings.

The food was amazing. Everything was perfect in a way I wasn't used to in most restaurants. The manager came out and talked to us about their different sauces, the price wasn't outrageous, and the portions were ample. All this, plus the food tasted great.

I had the Rib Tips with Corn, French Fries and Garlic Toast. The tips were smoked and very tender then finished with a brown sugar bbq sauce. I was in heaven...

Kerrie had the BBQ Pork Sandwich which was similar to the pork I had, but she added her own sauce.





All in all, this may not have been the best place for me to start this epic lil' journey at because I really dig this place. Now I'm going to be comparing everyone else to these guys, plus I'll be wanting to go back - often.

Shit.


retrogroove:
Mojo Nixon - UFO's, Big Rigs & BBQ
Spin Doctors - Little Miss Can't Be Wrong
MC Brains - Oochie Coochie
Nazareth - Hair of the Dog
Faith No More - Epic
Ted Nugent - Free for All

Rave On!

Many thanks to the Commodore for his very gracious gift...




A good day to all...

Vietnam Memorial Wall

You used to say that it was so easy...

With May winding down and June right around the corner, I've committed my talents to more warm-weather cooking. For the past few years I usually pull out my copy of Summer Cooking by Elizabeth David sometime in April and flip through it for inspiration and insight, and now that the warm weather seems to have finally arrived I've gotten back into the swing of grilling and roasting and exploring some of those exotic deep-south and South-American flavors.

One of those "flavors" I like a lot comes from a simple Mole sauce. Thinking of Mole, I decided to use a Chocolate Cherry Doctor Pepper and a "beer-can roaster" that my brother and his fiance gave us to make a Chocolate Cherry Chicken Mole. While the flavor was really impressive, I'm just not sure about the technique involved. I did my chicken in the oven and the overall product was good, just not as juicy and chocolate-cherry as I had expected.

Before


After


Plated


I look forward to experimenting with this a little more, in addition to some of the other "summer" foods I already have in my repertoire - especially Grilled Barbecue Flat Irons.

In the meantime, my summer challenge is to hit as many Cincinnati barbecue restaurants as possible. There are quite a few BBQ places of note fairly close, including Symmes Tavern and Burbanks, so I'm hoping Kerrie and I can to a lot of them before September 1'st.

It Begins!

summercookinggrove
Foo Fighters - Baker Street
Matthew Sweet - Sick of Myself
Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground
Tom Petty - American Girl

It's all about that dirty lowdown...

Friday night, in the pouring rain, Kerrie and I went to a classy -but by no means fancy or fine- Italian restaurant called Vincenzo's.

The food was exceptional. I'd like to make that clear right off the bat. The only real problem with the meal was that our waiter -the uber-trendy metrosexual type who loves pointing out all of the flaws potential, present, and departing diners- was a douche. The busboy who brought us our water, bread and finally came around to ask if Kerrie needed a box was cool. He wasn't just cool, he was pleasant and had his shit together.

I'm not going to hammer on about the guy who was begrudgingly waiting on us, because the food was, as stated, exceptional. Kerrie had the Pollo Saltimboca, a chicken based dish with mushrooms and a deliciously sharp marsala wine sauce. I had the Ravioli Bolognese, which was very good. Good to the point where I actually was thinking: How DID they make this?

We finished the meal two pretty obvious desserts. I had the Cannoli and an Espresso, while Kerrie had the Panna Cotta. Both were text-book perfect, in the sense that they weren't being screwed with at their most basic level. They were perfectly portioned and tasted exactly as you would expect a familiar dessert to taste.

Overall, the meal was excellent but the waiter -while being basically competent- was almost enough to reconsider going back.

On the other end of the food scale, Kerrie and I had lunch from the Root Beer Stand today. We took our food to-go and went over to Sharon Woods to eat, and I have to say that I was impressed. I had a basic cheeseburger and a Root Beer, and both were amazing. The root beer had this slightly creamy vanilla-ish sort of flavor. I'm sort of a sucker from the classic car-hop, and I love a good burger. Despite the CASH-ONLY aspect, I know I'll be going back...

Lookin' back for a little green bag...

I don't get why more people don't look forward to Breakfast. Maybe I've actually bought into that goofy notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, or maybe I've seen Reservoir Dogs a few too many times, but I really get into breakfast.

There is something utterly amazing about one of those hefty Bacon & Cheese Omelets from the Corner Grill or a stack of pancakes from First Watch, and there are very few feelings better than a cheap cup of coffee in a heavy ceramic mug.

I am a huge fan of the cheap diner, and God knows that's usually where you find the best meals, but sometimes you just need to do it yourself.

Last Sunday, a perfectly sunny spring morning I might add, Kerrie and I sat down for Sweet Cream Waffles, Maple Smoked Sausage, and Dark Roast Coffee.




---
Sweet Cream Waffles
2 Eggs, separated into two bowls
2 Cups Heavy Cream
2 T Sugar
2 Cups Flour
1 T Baking Powder
1/2 t Salt
1/3 Cup Oil

Begin by preheating waffle maker to high heat.
Beat egg whites to stiff peaks, then set aside.
Combine all ingredients, except egg whites, in second bowl. Mix until smooth.
Gently fold egg whites into batter by hand, paying attention not to lose volume of whites.
Pour appropriate portions onto waffle maker and bake for 3 to 5 minutes.
---

That one night...

For a while now, I've been craving Osso Bucco.

The last time I had it, I'm pretty sure, was at SamB's in Bowling Green when I was hanging out with Baxter. For those of you that aren't counting, that was over 4 years ago.

Osso Bucco is a simple and extremely tasty dish. Unfortunately, Veal Shanks can be very expensive. Not so unfortunate, I happened to spot some on Special at Jungle Jims and -with Kerrie's Blessing- snatched them up.




Paired with a Parmesan Saffron Rissoto and a nice Trebbiano wine, this was a beautiful meal that was long overdo...

---
Osso Bucco
4 8oz Veal Shanks
Salt & Pepper
1 Small Onion
1 Stalk of Celery
1 Carrot
2 Cloves Garlic, smashed
2 T Flour
2 Cups Dry White Wine
2 Cups Veal (or Vegetable) Stock
14.5oz can Tomato Puree
1 T Dried Basil

Preheat oven to 350F.
Season Veal Shanks with Salt and Pepper, set aside.
Dice Carrot, Celery, and Onion and hold in bowl to the side.
Smash garlic with the side of a Chef's Knife and set aside.
Heat a Dutch Oven or a Saute Pan with a lid over medium high heat. When hot, sear Veal Shanks on both sides. When nicely carmalized, remove shanks from pan and set on a plate.
Add Carrot, Onion, and Celery to pan and saute quickly for 3 minutes. Add Flour and stir continually until all the vegetables are coated. Add Garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add wine and reduce by half.
Add Stock and bring to a boil.
Add Tomatoes and basil. Bring to boil.
Return shanks and any juices on plate to pan.
Put pan in oven, covered, and braise for 2 hours.
* - Be very careful removing the shanks from the pan after the 2 hours. They will be VERY soft and falling apart.
---

Also, who else saw The Office this week? Brilliant, no?

Poco Piatti

Toledo is not known for it's culinary scene. There are a few gems here and there, but let's face it: Toledo is Franchise Heaven. Burger King's and Outback's as far as the eye can see...

But all is not lost for the Glass City.

There is one place, an island of amazing delicacies in a sea of diarrhea inducing mass production, which I long for every time I return to Toledo.

Poco Piatti.

Poco Piatti is a simple tapas restaurant with some of the best food I've ever eaten. They have THE best grilled lamb chops ever. Their Turkish Coffee is amazing, and the dessert menu is always excellent.

There is something extremely desirable about Poco Piatti to me. It drives Kerrie crazy, because it's gone from a basic love of the food to a full blown lustful zealotry. Yes, I think I'm lusting after a restaurant.

But before you go judging me just remember: If you think I'm a bad person, my personal policy is that I Hate You.










tapasfunkygroove:
Propellerheads - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Orbital - Sad But True
The Who - My Generation
George Harrison - What is Life
Gene Chandler - Groovy Situation

Most of the time...

Kerrie and I have actually started eating better. Kinda.

We're eating more pasta and MUCH fewer fried dishes. Every week I make sure there is at least one entree size Salad, and I'm forcing us into a semi-regular seafood routine.

But on Easter I decided to piss all over that healthy eating concept and go for something truly rich.

New York Strip Steaks, Crab, Green Beans & Bearnaise



I paired the dish with Au Gratin Potatoes, sparkling lemon water, and fairly safe and uneventful Zinfandel. It was... Exceptional. It was the kind of overly indulgent meal where you have heavy, labored breathing afterwards. You gotta love that...



Eastergroove:
Bob Dylan - Most of the Time
St. Germain - Sure Thing
Donovan - Catch the Wind
Peter Gabriel - It is Accomplished

I'm shipping up to Boston...

Over the last few years I've gotten into the habit of preparing a Corned Beef brisket for each St. Patrick's Day. It started a while back as an excuse for friends to come over and drink, but it turned into a true labor of love. And, not to brag, I make a killer corned beef.

The downside to making my own corned beef and liking it so much is that I pretty much refuse to eat corned beef anywhere else.

Sure, I'm being a little conceited here, but I really like my Corned Beef. Perfect balance of flavors -not too salty or ham-esque- and fork tender. Not a lot of fat and perfectly colored. This is one of those few recipes that I look forward to making each year, and recently realized I oughta be making it a lot more often.

Guinness Braised Corned Beef

2-3 lb Beef Brisket

1 Orange
Whole Cloves

1 14.9oz can Guinness Stout
8 Cups water
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 t Thyme
1 t Caraway Seeds
1 t Ground Mustard

Baby Carrots
5 small Red Potatoes, cut in half

---

In a medium stock pot combine Stout, water, brown sugar, thyme, caraway, and mustard and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Wash brisket and set aside.

Stud orange with cloves.

Place brisket then the orange into the pot and cover. Allow to simmer over moderately low heat for 4 hours. If the orange collapses during the braising, remove and discard.

At the 4 hour mark, add the carrots and the potatoes and simmer over low heat for 1 hour longer.

---






Kerrie and I finished the evening off with some Cheesecake and Irish Cream on the rocks. About as perfect of a meal as anyone could ask for...




"I may not know a lot about God, but we sure did build a nice cage for him..."
- Homer Simpson

Snow Day 2: Electric Boogaloo

This weekend we had a blizzard here in Cincinasty. What started out as 3-to-5 inches of snow turned into 10-to-15 inches of snow with 40mph winds blowing it all over the place. (hehehe... "blowing it"...)

What's odd for me is that this is the first blizzard I can actually remember witnessing. I was around for '78 but I wasn't even 3 yet. This storm, aside from the drive home from work, was not that bad. It didn't seem that bad. In fact, Kerrie pointed out that it felt like a regular heavy snow from Bowling Green.




Nonetheless, we took advantage of being home and just enjoyed doing nothing. Well, not nothing exactly. We played video games, watched episodes of Men Behaving Badly, and ate the good stuff.





On Friday we had Rib Eye Steaks with Straw Fries with a nice bottle of Merlot for dinner. After a romp in the snow and a rousing snowball fight on Saturday, Kerrie and I came back to the apartment for some Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa. For dinner I baked Bread Bowls and made some classic Cosmo's-esque Tomato Basil Soup.

Now that it's all winding down, I have to go out and clean off the cars and think about replenishing the grocery supply. Being outside yesterday, though, brought back a slew of good feelings from the past. Back when a huge snowfall was something fun... Now when it snows, I have to navigate 19 miles of idiots and highway. I don't get to really enjoy the fresh white blanket of snow that everyone else is out playing in. But, as I've said before, this is why I love the winter. Snow leads to a fire in the fireplace, plenty of wine in the glass, and all that great cold-weather food I neglect during the scorching Summer months. Nope, it's really not that bad...

There she goes again...

Kerrie is sick. And not sick like me, like when I laugh at movies like Marathon Man, but really sick.

In hopes of making her feel a little better, I whipped up a pot of Chicken Soup. Chicken soup is one of those "traditional" home remedies that has yet to be conclusively proven to be beneficial to someone who is ill. Studies indicate that Chicken soup does go to work on the white blood cells, slowing inflammation.

Personally, I love chicken soup regardless of my current state of wellness. It's a soothing, flavorful comfort food with chopped bits of animal flesh.




---

Chicken Soup w/ Spaghetti

1 lb. Chicken Thighs
2 Onions
1 whole head of Garlic
2 Ribs celery, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
1 stalk each: Thyme, Oregano, Basil
1 t. Whole Peppercorns
1 t. Old Bay
1 T. Kosher Salt

4 oz. Spaghetti per person
Fresh chopped Parsley

In a stock pot, bring 12 cups water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the whole head of garlic. (Don't peel it, chop it, play with it: Nothing.)
In the meantime, heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Take the onions and cut off the ends. Peel the onions and rub with a small amount of olive oil. Place on the grill pan (whole) and grill for about one minute per side or until nicely "marked".
Take the onions and put them on a cutting board, cut them in half, then return to the grill pan and mark the flat sides. Toss the onions into the pot along with the Celery, Carrot, Herbs and Peppercorns.
While the grill pan is still hot, sear off the chicken thighs. The chicken should be nicely caramelized, but it is okay if you see a little pink. Add them to the broth along with the Old Bay and the Kosher Salt and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, strain the soup of ALL solids but make sure you save the chicken. Return the strained broth to the stock pot and lower heat.
At this point, cook spaghetti according to product specific instructions. When ready, drain and divide among bowls.
Chop reserved chicken and divide among bowls.
Add broth to each bowl and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

---


chickensoupforthedouchebagsoulGroove:
The LA's - There She Goes
Jim Carroll Band - People Who Died
Tom Petty - American Girl
Breeders - Cannonball
Portishead - Sour Times


Is it safe? - Ha Ha Ha, I'm laughing just thinking about it...

HEY! Pistolero!

Recently, this list of "seven facts" has been making the rounds and Sue tagged me. Generally I don't get involved with these things, but I have a few things to say...

a. list seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself
b. tag seven people to do the same
c. do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag "whoever wants to do it"

1.) I refuse to eat Cock-a-leekie. You KNOW why...

2.) When working in the kitchen, nothing motivates me like the song "Jump into the fire" by Harry Nilsson. (The long version with the cool drum solo...)

3.) I Love Calimari.

4.) I Hate Cabbage.

5.) I first realized that I wanted to cook after watching the movie Goodfellas.

6.) My favorite dessert is Deep Fried Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce, a shot of Ciclon and a wedge of lime.

7.) Fact: Chefs who are above you do not like to be called Chefrey Dahmer.

8.) BONUS: I tag NO ONE!!!


"THAT'S IT, I'M DONE!"
- Ben Affleck, Boiler Room

WE WANT FUN...

I love the Super bowl. I love it because of all the Weapons Grade Idiots who make empty New Years resolutions to eat better and work out, then gorge themselves on the most obscenely awful food known to man, disbanding all hope of ever getting into shape.

Saddly, I am one of those idiots. Well, kinda... I consider Christmas-to-Superbowl an eating season of it's own. And lets be honest, who wants to miss out on all of the fatty, salty, fryee, junky, yummy goodness that legally stretches from about December 1'st through the day of the Super bowl? (If you really wanna get crazy you could throw Valentines in as the end-all, be-all of gluttony)

I consider my self to be an idiot because I made that same goal of better health, but I consider myself a forward thinker because I knew there was no way in hell that I was going to start on any of it till after "the Feast".

Today, I began my new exercise routine and I started eating better at work. Those are the two main things I have to commit to. I have to because of last night...






It was mind bending how badly we eat last night, and how much we loved it. Fried Chicken Drums, Celery and 3 Cheese Ranch Dressing, Queso & Chips, Waffle Fries, Onion Rings and Jalapeño Poppers, and because Kerrie is on antibiotics and can't drink: Chocolate Stout Cake.




Very possibly the softest and moistest cake ever baked, it was so rich I couldn't finish my piece.

God, what an amazing meal.


---

Chocolate Stout Cake

1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Guinness Stout
6 oz. Raisins, soaked overnight in Creme de Cacao
3 1/2 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/4 Cups Flour
1/4 t Baking Soda
1/4 t Kosher Salt
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup packed Brown Sugar
1 t Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare appropriate baking pans.

Drain Raisins, and puree to a fine paste.

Bring beer to a boil in a small sauce pan then add raisin paste. Set aside.

In another sauce pan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium size bowl.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla until thick. Add chocolate mixture and continue to beat until just combined. Add flour mixture and continue to beat until just combined. Finally, add beer/raisin mixture until just combined.

Divide batter into two pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

---


no,thepatsDIDN'Twingroove
Andrew WK - We Want Fun
She is Beautiful
Party Hard
Chris Classic - Unleashed
Cake - Short Skirt, Long Jacket
Crystal Method - Born too slow

With nuthin' in yer gut, ya better keep ya mouth shut...

Breaded Tilapia with French Fries





"What did they do to this fish? Batter it to death?"

"Fish and chips, mate. National dish."

"More like a fuckin' natural disaster."

-- Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle in "Formula 51"

I wanna be haunted by the ghost...

Is there really any animal more deliciously evil than a Pig?

There is something so gratifyingly sin-filled about preparing, cooking, and devouring the cloven hoofed beast...

Okay, maybe I'm getting a little crazy there. But you have to love an animal with so many useful -not to mention utterly delicious- parts. The French figured it out a long time ago, and dammit all if I'm not going to follow their proud culinary traditions.

Point being, last night Kerrie and I had Cassoulet for dinner. A traditional slow-cooked dish of beans, duck, and various parts of pig.

And it was excellent...

Cassoulet recipes are a dime-a-dozen, but I used Anthony Bourdains. It was something where the prep had to be stretched over one weeks time, but it was worth it. It was SO worth it...




Pork, Pork, Pork - Suck it Born Again Yippies...


hoofedbeastgroove:
U2 & BB King - When Love Comes to Town
Edwin Starr - 25 Miles
Donovan - Season of the Witch
Joan Jett - Bad Reputation
The Pogues - Haunted