Pizza Night!

Saturday is a natural night for pizza, apparently. In Nashville, my dear friend/relative BookCuz was hunkering down to homemade 'za just as we were preparing for the same here in Seattle - some connections run so deep that you end up sharing experiences from thousands of miles away. I promised her a pictorial review of our dinner, so here goes!

Pizza night begins with a poolish - a long fermented yeast starter, that eventually becomes dough for very fine pizza crust.

It's alive!



The Man of the House used a new recipe, and this one was decidedly more wet and tricky than the ones he's used in the past -




Mise en place ("everything in it's place") for the pies -



We also used this absolutely PERFECT wee tomato - the only one our garden produced:



We made 4 pizzas - first, a classic Margherita, with fresh mozzarella, the aforementioned tomato, fresh basil, and homemade tomato sauce - before:



After:



My favorite is the unlikely-sounding, but utterly scrumptious potato, blue cheese, caramelized onion, bacon, and rosemary - before:



After:



This one was baked with the homemade sauce and fresh mozzarella, and when it came out, we topped it with paper thin slices of prosciutto and some fresh arugula:



Finally, we had a great bacon and egg pizza - the eggs are cooked soft, so you can take the crust and dip it into the yolk-y goodness:



At some point BookCuz and I will be in the same city (we're hoping for the holidays), and we'll finally get a chance to break bread again. When we do, I'm hopeful that she'll eschew her usually healthy and reasonable eating habits so I can make something really good!

Happy Birthday Mum!

My Mum never really wants presents for special occasions, because she'd much rather have a good meal. Whenever I ask her what she wants, she just says "cook".

I love 2500 miles from my folks, so this can be tricky. Happily, the entire family has conspired to fulfill her birthday request this year. If there's anything we enjoy more than eating, it's conspiracy.

Actually, that's not true. There's nothing we enjoy more than eating.

It came to my attention recently that Mum has never had posole, the traditional Mexican pork and hominy stew known for its therapeutic effects (especially by hangover sufferers). Perfect! Mum loves Mexican food! And pork! And drinking!

If all has gone according to plan, a package was delivered, Pop reheated the contents and prepped the garnishes, and birthday dining is in progress. Putting it together made me feel just like Kevin Spacey in Se7en! Only instead of coordinating decapitation and wrath, I sent a delicious savory stew.

ANYWAY.

For the full effect, please follow along with the pictures below, and imagine pithy repartee and endearing cooperation. It'll be just like we were there in your kitchen, only there will be fewer dirty dishes.

Please note for the record that The Man of the House is entirely responsible for the creation of this fantastic posole. He deserves 100% credit for it. I only deserve credit for being clever enough to marry a chef.

Excuses, excuses...

Obviously, there haven't been many posts in the past couple of weeks - but we assure you there's a really good reason for it - - -




We ran off to Vegas to get hitched!

SO, we have some catching up to do, because we ate some really fantastic meals while honeymooning in the desert - stay tuned!

List: Home Cooking

I am from Indiana, and Sunday is Race Day - which is a big, huge deal there. The race in question is the the 93rd running of The Indianapolis 500. I've never been to the track; frankly watching loud cars go in circles for hours, whilst sitting in the hot sun, surrounded by drunk people flashing boobage like it was Mardi Gras holds no allure for me. But all of the coverage in the news made me a touch nostalgic, so I offer you this list:

Home Cooking: Indiana food memories

4 meals and dishes that are most specifically evocative of my hometown


1.) Breaded tenderloin sandwiches at the Triple XXX in West Lafayette
The Triple XXX is a garishly painted (wide orange and black vertical stripes, in honor of Purdue University) institution that has been in operation since 1929. They serve the classic Hoosier sandwich of a thinly pounded pork tenderloin, battered and breaded and fried up crispy, served with yellow mustard and pickles. Utter heaven.

2.) Johnny Marzetti for lunch at school
I've written about this little gem before, so just click HERE if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

3.) Chicken velvet soup at the L. S. Ayres Tea Room
Generations of kids (myself included), have warm, sweet memories of annual trips to the L.S. Ayres flagship store in downtown Indianapolis, home of the Ayres Tea Room. Most beloved were the Chicken Velvet Soup, and the children's Hobo Meal (served tied up in a bandana - the mere mention of which is enough to make my dear friend Bapho's eyes mist over). The store has been gone since 1992, but the Tea Room has been lovingly recreated at the Indiana State Museum.

4.) Summer farm stand produce
This is the taste of summer: Green beans, fresh corn (like, an hour off the stalk fresh) and wee red potatoes simmered in a pot with something porky; served with sliced garden tomatoes still warm from the sun, and a salad of cucumbers, onions, and more tomatoes dressed in a sharp vinegar dressing.

The Dinner Table

The Dinner Table was conceived by my beloved Cuz and his co-conspirator, WorldlyGrrl. It is very, very dear to me, and I really hope that you all read it online, and purchase a copy (for only $10, here).

The wacky yet brilliant idea is to gather together 10 strangers for a meal, then document what happens with photos and transcriptions of the conversations. The inspiration was my Cuz's memory of the spirited conversations and great food at my parents' house while we were growing up. Their first stop was the kitchen table at my Mum & Pop's house - next stop: Malawi.

I can't wait until they visit Seattle.

Sheesh!

The previous post (Make Up Artist) seemed to really touch a nerve with people. Though there are only a few comments here on the site, we both got more in-person and via The Facebook.

Some folks were worried - to them, it seemed that we must be doomed as a couple for one of us to write in a public forum about the need to make up after a slightly grumpy evening. Others took it as an opportunity to reflect on how shared meals are an important daily rite in their families; some gossiped, some tried making a new dish for their partners, some felt superior because they live a life completely free of normal adult disagreements.

We really had no idea people were reading us (hey, thanks!) and actually paying attention. The update on the whole goofy thing is that the meal was lovely, and we were both completely over it well before the salad was served.

I write about loads of everyday stuff here, from my ill-behaved French Bulldog to my kooky Mum. I've also written about how proud I am that my better half is an awesome guy. It's all tied back to the food, and none of it is terribly dramatic.

So thanks for reading, and please leave comments as often as you like (it'll help us establish that we have enough readership to gun for a book deal in a few years). And make a nice meal for a loved one soon, not as an apology, but just because.

And then there's Mod

If you work in downtown Seattle and need a quick, nummy lunch, I highly recommend Mod Pizza (at 6th & University).



They truly are super-fast, and really fresh. My fave is the Salad Pizza (greens, veggies, chicken, and asiago on one of their thin, flame-kissed crusts). I'm of the opinion that a crust can never be too crisp or too thin, so these cracker-like flatbreads suit me fine. I will note though, that many of my co-workers prefer a more middleweight crust, and they really don't dig this one. One of these will set you back $5.54 (a screaming deal), and only about 5 minutes. Incidentally, you can order from the adorably-named menu of choices, or build your own for the same, standard $5.54 price.

They make hand-spun milkshakes, too. The real deal - actual ice-cream, whizzed up to order (a little thick for my personal taste, but good).

The best part is the cake stand next to the cash register, piled high with a pyramid of foil-wrapped Ding Dongs. I clearly remember mourning when the slick plastic film wrappers replaced my treasured thin foil. My beloved Grandmother kept a special kitchen drawer stocked with these shiny, forbidden treats, and I've never quite lost my taste for them. When I visit Mod for lunch, I always get one and think of her.

Bragging Rights

People always ooh and ahh when they find out that my significant other is a chef - "It must be fantastic, " they say, jealous of the perks. There's no question that the perks are incredible (He MADE me bacon once - FROM SCRATCH! Brined it, smoked it, the whole shebang!).

But please indulge me and let me tell you why it's fantastic to be with My Chef.

A person cannot work the line - even in the finest restaurants - for long. The hours and conditions are abysmal. You are surrounded by insane people (many of them criminals). Everyone is armed with heavy objects, sharp instruments, and fire.

My Chef left the line several years back. He's designed kitchens and menus for pretty much every hipster joint on Capitol Hill (you've probably eaten his food and not known it). He worked as a research chef, developing new products for food manufacturers. He's even been a Corporate Executive Chef and a Private Chef.

And now he is the Food Service Director at a non-profit assisted living facility for underprivileged people. It's not glamorous, and there are no molecular gastronomy experiments or edgy New American dishes going down in this kitchen. But he is "feeding the people" - a phrase that he has intoned since we were in our 20's.

Before he joined this facility, the residents were provided with the proper nutrition, but in classic institutional style, with little regard for flavor, variety, or attention to detail. These poor folks were often given chicken twice a day, several times per week.

But My Chef can work miracles. He doesn't need a big budget to provide a healthful mix of interesting fare (god knows he works that magic at home too - we both work for non-profits). Now, instead of chicken twice a day, the residents are treated to gumbo and red beans & rice on Fat Tuesday and senior-friendly Chinese food for the Lunar New Year; they get oxtail stew, pork carnitas, and sugar-free blueberry pies.

Shortly after he started working there, a resident in her 90's took him aside to tearfully tell him "I haven't had collard greens like that since my Daddy made them for me when I was a little girl".

It was a real-life example of the Ratatouille flashback:



My Chef brings the love. You can taste it in every bite of food he makes.

That is the real perk of living with a chef.

Roast Beast

The Family Holiday Meal, in pictures:

Roasted lamb (rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil)
Apple/mint chutney
Roasted veggies (carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, brussels sprouts)
Green salad (with greens, tomatoes, lardons, celery, croutons cooked in bacon fat)

Keeping Mum

This is the comment my beloved Mum left on my previous entry:

I have only tried 73! Obviously we eat at different places. I do not have a clue about a number of items on the list, but have not tried #26 b/c am not stupid; not tried # 30 b/c would think it is a body part; #65-YUCK!; #75-YUCK! YUCK!; #83 sounds like a sport

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN EATING?

Luv,
Mum

OK Mum, you definitely need to plan another trip, so you and Pop can catch up. And regarding your comment - - -



#26: Raw Scotch Bonnet Pepper
True, they rate between 100,000 - 350,000 Scoville Units (jalapenos average between 2500 - 8000)






#30: Bagna Cauda
Mum, this is delicious, and it's super easy to make (the picture above illustrates a great recipe from Saveur)
Here is the definition from the Food Dictionary page of Epicurious -

bagna cauda [BAHN-yah KOW-dah]
This specialty of Piedmont, Italy, is a sauce made of olive oil, butter, garlic and anchovies. It's served warm as an appetizer with raw vegetables for dipping. The term comes from bagno caldo , Italian for "hot bath."

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.






#65: Durian
Yes, yuck. I have heard it described as something like eating custard in a latrine. I see them at Uwajimaya, but I'm never brave enough to buy one to try.





#75: Roadkill
Double yuck is right. The fact that Amazon has a whole page of roadkill cookbooks is especially disturbing.





#83
Pocky
Mum! You've HAD Pocky! They are little Japanese sticks that come in a myriad of flavors (both sweet and savory) - we got some when I took you to Uwajimaya! My favorite are the Men's Pocky (covered in dark chocolate).


The last time my folks visited, I got to introduce them to bubble tea, uni, poutine, pho, and probably a few others that I'm forgetting. It was a good start, but we have work to do!

Happy Mother's Day

My Mum is the best.

She's adorable, whip-smart, and kinda scary.

She wears black Chuck Taylor hi-tops like a rocker, swears like a sailor, kicks ass in court, and can hypnotize the fussiest babies into peaceful slumber.

And she loves food. She taught me to love food, and she (along with many others) taught me how to cook - for which I will be eternally grateful.

In honour of her, here are my Top 10 Moments in Mom Food

1. Roast Chicken
Crispy, salty skin is essential, as is plenty of citrus in the cavity. She taught me how to replicate her perfect version, and it is a staple in my home today.

2. Chicken Soup
Nothing comforts like your own Mother's chicken soup. Hers is simple, straightforward, and relies on the heavy addition of lemon juice to spike it up. (If I'm in a pinch, and heat up a can of soup, I squeeze plenty of lemon into it so that it tastes "right")

3. Burned Black Bean Soup
In fairness, Mum was feverishly studying for the Bar Exam at the time, but... She once put on a stock pot for black bean soup and utterly forgot about it. The smell was horrible, the taste, worse. My beloved Pop, ever loyal, ate it like a trooper.
He is a strong, brave man.


4. Snack'N Cakes
I tried & tried to find a picture of this fabulous product, which is sadly no longer available. The Betty Crocker Snackin' Cake was a perfect petite cake that was mixed ( "just add egg, oil, & water!"), baked, and eaten directly from its own wee paperboard/foil pan. I still remember folding back the edges of the pan (not sure why, but it seemed to be important).

5. Small Glass Bottle Cokes
Always the small ones. Always glass. Because they tasted better.

6. Un-pitted, Unsweetened Cherry Pie
Mum is not a baker. Seriously. She once took cherries from a rather dodgy tree in our back yard, and by all appearances, threw them directly into a pie crust and called it dessert. She neglected to add sugar (big mistake), and somehow forgot to pit them (bigger mistake). This cruel confection was served to my Father, myself, and my then boyfriend, Jason. Jason was so very sweet - or perhaps terrified of Mum - that he ate a whole slice without complaint. That act of sucking up has kept him in her good graces for approximately two decades.


7. Oyster Dressing
Made only on holidays in cold weather. I love it even when it turns out soupy, dry, or otherwise imperfect to others. To me, it is always perfect.


8. Tapioca/Brown Sugar/Canned Peaches
This dessert has no name, possibly because a name would not do justice. It was always served in pale green Depression Glass goblets, which made it very fancy. The tapioca was warm, the slices of canned peaches places on top with generous spoonfuls of plain brown sugar. The sugar melted a bit in the heat, making it sort of caramel-y, and the peaches provided a different - but still soft - texture. Eating this is identical to climbing into a time machine that transports me to my happy dinner table in 1974.


9. Dove Bars
There are always Dove Bars in my parents' freezer. ALWAYS. If there are not, then the nearest member of our brood (read: Pop or myself) is commanded to go immediately to fetch some. We always (ALWAYS) do this, because she can become...cranky...without her nightly Dove Bar.

10. Lobster Rolls in Maine
The woman once ate so many of these on a vacation that she broke out in a rash. I admire that kind of commitment to overindulgence.


My Mum is the best. Happy Mother's Day!

Serendipitous Union (not as dirty as it sounds...)

We never intended to go to Union. We started out the evening with Maneki, the oldest Japanese restaurant in the city, in our sights. Sadly, we had no reservation, and though we arrived just after they opened, the wait for our underprepared gai-jin asses was going to be 2 hours. We drove aimlessly, heard the new Amy Winehouse song on the radio (before it was ironic), and pondered the options.

Traffic is always awful in Seattle, and the bulk of one's time is spent at a dead stop. During one of these prolonged standstills, Michael noticed that we were almost directly in front of Union, a restaurant that had long been on our list to try. Miraculously, he also noticed a parking spot almost directly in front of Union (traffic in Seattle is awful, but parking is worse). Obviously a sign from above.

We were sat immediately, and enjoyed a fabulous meal with attentive service. Oysters with a meyer lemon granita (amazing, and worth the brain freeze), crispy pork belly (porky goodness at its finest), a sous vide New York steak with lentils and foie gras (forgettable meat, but memorably delicious legumes), and some fantastic Oregon wine (A-Z Pinot Noir).

The whole evening was completely spontaneous and delightful.


Events like this always make me think of my maternal grandmother, Eva Ruth.



Her two favorite words were “serendipity” and “adventure”. I can think of no better way to celebrate that spirit than randomly stumbling upon one of the nicest dinners of 2007.