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

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.

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...

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...

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

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?

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...

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?

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...

I am the Cosmos...

I miss Cosmos. There, I said it. Happy?

Despite everything that happened, everything we built, everything we took down... I still miss Cosmos.

I miss the Bees and the Robots. I miss the sac-cookie, and the midnight kitchen raids, and the Top Shelf. There was the residuals and the bagel golf, and exploratory adventures into the abandoned old hotel. How about the night we went swimming through maple syrup? How about the day we realized that customers preferred us over the owner?

Of course, this only makes sense to a privileged few and that's just fine - trust me... And we've all moved on to bigger, and possibly even better, places in or lives. But every so often, it all comes flooding back. Over the Christmas break I had one of those mental "floods".

While in Ashtabula, Kerrie and I, her sister, brother-in-law, and niece, all stopped at a place we all love to go every time we visit: Harbor Perk.

Harbor Perk, which I have commented on before, is a classic coffehouse in the Cosmic style. Even looking at the front of the building is downright eerie in it's familiarity. After taking those first few steps inside, the wafting aroma of coffee hits you. The style overwhelms a little... It's like looking back and seeing what should have been. Or what was.

The coffee is flat out amazing. The largely attractive aspect of their coffee drinks is the consistency, very UN-Cosmic, and the knowledge that you will get what you want, the way you remember it from the last time you got it, every time.








As we walked out, I finally got what Henry Hill was talking about. What it was like to be removed from "that thing of ours". And that's that...

A man has GOT to know his limitations...

As you all know, I don't carry a lot of "home town pride" with me. There are only a handful of place I've been that I hold in high esteem, and Perrysburg isn't one of 'em.

Toledo and Cincinnati don't do a lot for me either, but then again, neither of those places are Ann Arbor or San Diego.

But putting all of that aside, one of the cruel ironies of my life is my insane affection for Calphalon cookware. From the moment my mom handed over a good portion of her collection to me, I knew I was hooked. Hooked, on a company and product which not only originated in Toledo but was based in Perrysburg.

My kitchen is almost entirely made up of Calphalon cookware and knives, with only a few exceptions. I use them mercilessly, subjecting them to the most unholy and brutal tasks, yet they hold up like true champs.

So one night a while back, while AMC was running their Dirty Harry marathon, I came up with another ridiculous idea which ultimately only I find amusing.





If this makes little or no sense at all, try this. Also, if you're reading this through Facebook and the video doesn't show up, go Here...

Enjoy yer afferdable Svedish crap!

This past weekend, I finally met my cousin's daughter Charlotte.

My cousin, Rebecca, and her husband Stephen came to Cincinasty for an Ikea-run, and to show off the most adorable baby I know. (And... probably the only one, now that I think of it.)

We first met up at Uno for lunch. Uno used to have an amazing spot on Ludlow Avenue before it closed up, but now it's a stones throw away from Ikea so I'm torn. Anyways, after devouring one of their amazing flatbread pizzas there was some quality face time with the Cuz, the Huz, and the Baby.








"Boy, those Sweds sure know how to put in almost everything you need."
Fry (Futurama)

Hap Hap Hap Happy Thankgiving!

Thanksgiving has come and gone, signaling the beginning of the Holiday/Catering/Gift Giving Gauntlet.

Thanksgiving was nice. We stayed with my mom, spent time with my brother, and now I'm addicted to the Wii.

Aside from that, what else is there? Oh yeah, the food...

My mom and gramma always do a pretty good spread. They work all day preparing some of the best traditional foods possible, and my family gets to reap the benefits. And not just that day either. Kerrie and I brought back a nice haul of turkey, sausage, sugar cookies, pumpkin roll and more...

And the turkey, I might add, was really good. It was especially good the second time around in a turkey potpie. Potpies, in my opinion, have gotten a bad rap over the past few decades. It's no wonder most people think they're disgusting. Those frozen pieces of shit with the questionable veggies and meat? That's not food people... That's communism.

And that makes me sad. A good potpie is so simple to make, and is a perfect use of leftovers. My potpie: Let me show you it....

To start, you have two basic piece of prep to do before baking one of these babys off. And this is very easy too.

Start by making a pie dough. I make a VERY simple 3-2-1 dough. 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat, 1 part ice water. Once made, chill slightly until ready for rolling.

Next, the filling. The filling is nothing more than a roux cut with stock. Begin by heating 3 cups of chicken stock. Once hot, set aside. Next, in a sauce pan, start a roux by heating 4 T. butter and whisking in 1/4 C of flour. Once the roux has come together, whisk in the stock little by little until full incorporated. Add 1/4 t. Pepper and your ready to go.

Finally, it's all about your assembly. I added some chopped up turkey and veggies to the sauce over medium low heat until thoroughly heated. From there I cut my dough into 4 balls and rolled each out. (2 for the bottoms and 2 for the tops.)
For the last steps, you carefully pour the turkey mix into the pie crusts, top with the remaining dough, crimp, and make a few slits for the steam to escape.

Bake at 400F for 30 to 35 minutes.









And there you have it. Now, watch what has to be one of the best SNL skits in the past 20 years. If you don't laugh at this, you probably have no soul.

Food Safety is for Suckers...

It's probably just a given, but food service workers are at a higher risk of contracting (not just spreading) a foodborne illness. While the average civilian works with a relatively small amount of raw food, chicken for instance, I find myself sticking my hands in leaky 40lb. boxes of raw chicken almost daily.

I wash my hands obsessively while at work, and God only knows how many pairs of latex gloves I use in a week, but sometimes... Well, as Dennis Miller once said: He's a slack-jawed lil' fuckin' rat, and all rat's have gotta suck the pipe Baby...

Thursday, my number was up. It started with the wrenching stomach pain, then went on to dizziness and profuse sweating, leading up to bodily excretions SO profound and disgusting that decorum prohibits listing them here.

Yeah, it was bad. Thankfully a day in bed and Kerrie's attentiveness got me back to a state of up-and-running. I was able to start eating again around 1:00 yesterday afternoon, and by around 8:00 last night I had enough energy to take a shower without collapsing from standing too long. I slept pretty soundly last night despite an overactive kitty tear-assing around the apartment, and today all I've really had to contend with is a dull headache.

But here we are, trying to figure out what went wrong, and what I'll do next. I'm pretty sure my own overambitious culinary prowess is to blame. I made Pasta with Vodka Sauce a few nights ago, and had the leftovers for lunch on Thursday around 12:30. I was really hungry and nibbled on a few pieces of the cold pasta before I got to the microwave. I shouldn't have, but I did. There was a slightly off flavor. Metallic, kinda... But once I had the pasta screaming hot, that "off" flavor was gone and I thought nothing of it. Well, I sure-as-hell was thinking about it Friday morning at 2:35 when so many bad things were coming out of so many open holes.

Yeah, did I mention it was bad?

Thankfully I'm on the mend, and I'm even stable enough to make dinner myself. And what does everyone get when they're sick? Chicken soup baby. Glorious chicken soup...

I have, since my last chicken soup post, evolved the recipe a bit to expand the flavor a tad. Nonetheless, comfort food is comfort food, and sometimes that's just what bitter low-rent chef needs.

This one's on FIRE...

With the Fall weather quickly going from warm to cool to WTF?! IT'S FREEZING OUT!, It's become obvious that it's time for more baked goods and lots of hot cocoa.

This past week I managed to pull together an exceptional batch of biscotti. Not just homemade biscotti, but the kind you want when you go out to some high end rug-joint. The kind that just comes with a cup of coffee because it is so damned good.

What I've found, is that making biscotti is actually pretty easy. All you need is a little time and a steady hand for slicing, and what could possibly be the best biscotti are well within your reach.

And Sunday was, without a doubt, the best possible day for Hot Cocoa and Biscotti. Not just any Cocoa either... Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate Cocoa.



Biscotti
3 oz Butter
4 3/4 oz. Sugar
1/4 t Salt
1 t Vanilla
1 1/2 t Baking Powder
2 Large Eggs
2 Cups Flour

Preheat oven to 350F.
Beat Butter, Sugar, Salt, Vanilla, and Baking Powder until mixture is smooth and creamy.
Beat in Eggs, then add Flour. Work until a sticky dough comes together.
Turn Dough out onto a greased cookie sheet and form into a log, as wide as you like, but only 3/4" thick.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
Reduce oven to 325F.
Use serrated knife to cut log into 1/2" slices.
Place slices, standing up, back on cookie sheet.
Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Note: When you remove the biscotti from the oven the second time, they may feel a little soft. Do not worry, they will continue to dry out after they are placed on a rack to cool.

Other Note: If you want to add sweets like chocolate chips, do so after the dough has come together. Also, don't get crazy adding stuff. Use a little moderation and these will turn out exponentially better.

---

So yeah, Sunday was a perfect chilly day to enjoy some winter treats. There were some snow flurries early on in the day, and a nipping wind that made it feel so good to settle down to a cup of hot chocolate and a freshly baked Italian cookie. Oh, and the Clubhouse for our Apartment complex burned down. Did I not mention that? My bad.








And here we have the money shot:



Never a dull moment for this simple baker, no siree...

Evil Shenanigans...

Kerrie and I found a new place to get coffee today. While my Cafe au Lait was amazing, the whole experience was a bit of a letdown...



The Daily Grind is, without a doubt, one of the best places to get coffee - evar. I had, as I said, a Cafe au Lait and a Glazed Donut. The donut reminded me of the ones Grounds for Thought used to have - which were the best in Bowling Green! The Au Lait, however, was the best I've ever had. The coffee was hot, the foam was thick, and the coffee actually tasted good. I haven't enjoyed a cup of coffee that much in a loooong time. Kerrie had a Chai and a Cherry Danish. She seemed pleased, so the question remains, what was the letdown?



This place is tiny inside. They only have two small tables in a very cramped space, presumably for people to wait for their order - not for dining in. I was looking for more time to lounge around, but Kerrie and I just ate our pastries and left.

The bulk of their business is drive-through I suspect. And there is nothing wrong with that, I was just a little unprepared for the "no-room" aspect of breakfast. I'll go back too. I'll make that very clear right now. I enjoyed the coffee and pastries enough to look past the fact that it would be more comfy to eat in the car. I hope this place is doing well and holds on. It's definitely a good place for some Saturday morning caffeine. Plus, this place is in the same plaza:



If that doesn't make any sense to you, then you've never seen Super Troopers. Here...

Sexual Nightmares and Sleep Crimes...

It seems like forever ago now, but there used to be a time when I would inevitably wind up at Myles Pizza with a variety of Bowling Green's seedier characters after closing at Cosmo's.

There was always something insanely cool about Myles. No windows, old high-back booths, pinball machines, and the heaviest gutbusting pizza on the planet. Personally, I would never try to make pizza the way Myles did/does, but it was something I would crave after a long boring night of ambient downtempo music and cup after cup of Sumatra.

It was always basically the same routine too. I would get a scotch (usually Dewars) and split a Pepperoni pizza with any of the other part-time sociopaths, serial killers in training, or robot makers that would tag along. Some nights the group was bigger than others, and some nights it would just be two or three of us. Either way, this was one of my more comforting routines from back in the day...

Now, as time has passed, there are no more 12:30 Pizza runs. Life has taken on a new shape, and I'm proud to say I make my own pizza from scratch. Frequently I might add... I've spent a lot of time trying to create both the perfect thick and hand tossed pizza crusts, and recently all my hard work finally paid off.

Tonight was Scotch and Pizza night. After a generally good recommendation from the Commodore, I purchased a bottle of The Famous Grouse scotch whiskey and proceeded to create an excellent Meat pizza on a hand tossed crust.



My pizza dough is a merciless quest in excellence. I don't need perfection, I need my dough to be excellent. And the hand tossed dough I made? Fucking excellent.

I chose some good toppings too. You can't go wrong with Pepperoni, but when you add a nice hard salami, some prosciutto, and a little sweet Italian sausage, you're coming close to nirvana.



Hand Tossed Pizza Crust
6 oz. Water
1 T Olive Oil
2 C Flour
1 t Salt
1/2 t Sugar
1/2 t Yeast

Combine all ingredients into pan of breadmaker, set to Dough and allow to run.
Turn dough out onto floured surface, punch down, and stretch to desired size. (12" to 14" is optimal but can be stretched further for a thinner crust.)
---

I use a breadmaker for this because of the extremely important, but often overlooked, steps involving kneading and proofing. It's gotta be done, and this is a crazy-easy way to knock out a great pizza dough fairly quick.

meatpizzagroove:
Gary U.S. Bonds - New Orleans
Prodigy - Smack my bitch up
Breeders - Cannonball
Daft Punk - Digital Love
KMFDM - Naive
Revolting Cocks - Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?

When there is no more room in Hell...

Halloween came and went, with very little fanfare. Kerrie and I were going to be Fry & Leela, but her Gall Bladder surgery made quick work of that.

For Halloween, instead, Kerrie and I played it a little more low-key. I baked some amazing Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, and Kerrie and I went to Bonefish Grill for dinner.

Bonefish, for being a chain, was a bit of a revelation for Kerrie and I. Neither of us are big fans of seafood, but neither of us have had the quality of seafood we had Friday night. To put it another way, We were impressed...

We started with Drinks. I had a Pino Grigio, while Kerrie had a Lemongrass Martini. We started the meal with a plate of Fried Calamari. I love Calamari, and this was damned close to the way I make it. For our entree, Kerrie and I shared a Pairings Plate made up of four separate seafood recipes. First, there was Shrimp and Scallops in a Pan Asian sauce. The second was Salmon with a Lemon Butter, followed by Chilean Sea Bass with a Warm Mango Salsa. The last, and my favorite, was a Grouper with Chimichurri. We finished off the meal with two desserts, Creme Brulee and a Macadamia Nut Brownie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and a Raspberry Puree.

I was slightly disappointed, only because the lighting was too dim for my phone to get any good pictures. The meal, however, completely wowed me. For once I was really into the flavors brought forth by different types of seafood. Salmon, for example, has generally disgusted me in the past. This however, grilled over a wood fire, actually inspired me a little.

To finish off the weekend, Kerrie and I rented some fun horror movies and we'll just lounge around nibbling on whats left of the cookies.



Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
8 oz. Sour Cream
1 1/2 t Vanilla
4 Cups Flour
1 1/2 t Baking Powder
1/4 t Kosher Salt

In a medium size bowl, mix together Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream sugar and softened butter together.
Beat in egg, sour cream, and vanilla.
Gradually add flour mixture to sour cream mixture and mix well.
Chill dough for at least 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
Roll dough to 1/4" thickness, and cut into desired shapes.
Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Allow to set for 1 minute, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
---

My Top 5 Halloween Movies:
(In no general order)
1.) Night of the Living Dead (1968)
2.) Dawn of the Dead (2004)
3.) Pet Semetary
4.) Young Frankenstein
5.) American Psycho
Honorable Mention (Post-Apocalyptic Fun)
1.) The Running Man
2.) Escape from New York