tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10741783879909105692012-01-21T08:21:41.505-05:00You Gonna Finish That?"<i>"After a good dinner one can forgive </i>anybody<i>, even one's own relatives."</i>" ~ Oscar WildeBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.comBlogger1721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-49183416524942556282011-10-30T22:16:00.000-04:002011-10-30T22:16:08.349-04:00Pineapple Express This is a story about figs, and a dessert that could not be recreated. About five weeks ago I was invited up to Boothbay, Maine by a chef friend of mine, let's call him GwaG (short for Geoff with a G). It was his mother's 70th birthday and the whole family was gathering to mark the occasion with some serious weekend feasting. GwaG and I would be in charge of dessert after the formal birthday Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-49989518713132605532011-10-29T22:07:00.000-04:002011-10-29T22:07:15.519-04:00"I grew up thinking of snow as a luxury you visit." ~ John LandisSaturday, October 29, 2011. It snowed today. It snowed. In October. All day. I was incredulous. All the weathermen forewarned us of the coming storm, but I dismissed them outright as mouthpieces for the insidious and unending stream of propaganda coming out of Washington, probably a ploy to get the Occupy Wall Streeters out of Zuccotti Park. Who's laughing now? Like a boob, I shot off to Target Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-41786661520590821222011-08-21T21:50:00.001-04:002011-08-21T22:02:24.706-04:00You've Been Chopped
After a couple of simply lovely days here on the east coast, we were treated to a spectacular thunderstorm Friday around sundown. I turned off all the lights, opened all the blinds and watched the pyrotechnics - red wine at the ready - well away from any electrical appliances. But with the light show and canon reports came hot & steamy weather that has pressed down us ever since.
As most ofBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-35392458316114899042011-08-14T20:29:00.001-04:002011-08-15T07:16:27.586-04:00Smoky Red Lentil Soup
"Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup?" ~ Miss Manners
Soup in August? Yeah well, we've had two despicably dreary weekend days. Low, slate-gray clouds, a relentless downpour, and heaps & heaps of self-pity. I needed some cheering up, something to take my mind off my pitiful sorrows.
Smoky Red Lentil Soup - A Blog O. Food original
2 Tbsp extra virginBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-52930512305121554992011-08-10T22:30:00.000-04:002011-08-10T22:30:45.957-04:00Fail... kinda.Did someone mention tacos in an earlier post? I think I remember seeing something about them. As you know (if you've been keeping up), the New York Times ran a piece titled The Simple Appeal of Tacos under its City Kitchen column while I just happened to be on the west coast in search of the perfect one (taco, that is). How serendipitous is that? City Kitchen is a reliable source of inspiration Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-41290119952388196462011-08-08T21:20:00.000-04:002011-08-08T21:20:46.047-04:00(Not So) Secret Ingredient I have to give hat tips to the New York Times and the Food Network for the wonderfulness of this dish. Coinciding with my search for the perfect taco in California, NYTimes.com posted a delicious looking entry that could very well win top honors. So when I returned to NYC, I gathered all the ingredients from Trader Joe's and drew up battle plans. The second nod goes out to The Food Porn Network.Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-12628511422427004822011-06-22T20:53:00.000-04:002011-06-22T20:53:24.867-04:00"Woody Guthrie sang about b-e-e-t-s......not b.e.a.t.s." I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts - Jon Doe & Exene Cervenka. Everyone gets a craving now and then, ice cream, pickles, a really good burger, but how many people - besides me and the insane - stop dead in their tracks between loads of laundry and decide they have to have beets for dinner. Don’t answer that, I already know. I hated beets as a kid, but I grew up with those nasty Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-59913747337484144952011-06-18T12:07:00.000-04:002011-06-18T12:07:34.723-04:00Just One More
Omelet - Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown at the Food Network
3 eggs
Salt
1 tsp room temperature butter, plus ½ tsp for finishing omelet
½ teaspoon fresh chopped chives
Crack warm eggs into a mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt, and beat with a fork. Heat a 10" skillet or medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add butter and brush around the surface of the pan. Pour eggs into center of pan and Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-72058951815846518832011-06-16T16:27:00.001-04:002011-06-16T19:44:26.461-04:00So Easy. So Good.I've said it once; I'll say it again, cooking for one sucks. Sometimes it takes every fiber in my being not to chuck it all and put every single local restaurant's phone number on speed dial. Seriously. Luckily though, Melissa Clark of the NY Times came to my rescue just in the nick of time with some easy, fresh and seasonal dishes that fairly scream "loser, party of one." Roasted Asparagus withBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-17689657234987947012011-05-19T19:01:00.003-04:002011-05-23T12:23:05.043-04:00First Pesto
Up to now I've strived not to repeat myself here on You Gonna Finish That? (at least not flagrantly), but I'm just so excited about my first pesto of the season, that I had to share it with you in photos.
Toast pignoli (pine nuts) in a dry skillet until lightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Peal some garlic cloves - how many depends on if you're a real foodie or not - grate Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-11783190252175974392011-05-18T20:33:00.002-04:002011-05-18T22:52:28.828-04:00So Much More Than Baloney So, I was out in San Francisco over the long Easter break and got to dine at one of the City's more popular eateries. People say it's impossible to get a reservation, but nobody told me that before I called a few days before my arrival in town. I got a table for four at 10:30 that magically turned into a 6:30 seating within just a few hours of my booking. nopa thoroughly embraces the "local Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-25974185350369467752011-04-19T20:59:00.003-04:002011-04-19T20:59:00.136-04:00Pasta Fagioli "Oh Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars!"Pasta e fagioli - adapted from La Cucina Italiana1 16-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed2 clove garlic, finely chopped8 oz pancetta, cut into ½" cubes8 oz sweet Italian sausage, casing removed1 medium onion, thinly sliced1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling6 cups vegetable or chicken stock1 lb ruote (cartwheelBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-46176706950141277782011-04-19T16:29:00.001-04:002011-04-19T17:04:39.067-04:00Rotisserie Chicken
Know who doesn't like rotisserie chicken? (Tell 'em, Matty.) Jerks, that's who. But how many of you have a spit in your home? Okay, how many of you live in New York City and have one? I thought so. Well, my muses at Canal House came up with a brilliant solution that works right in the oven. Everyone has an oven, right?
Rotisserie Chicken - adapted from Canal House Cooking
1 whole roaster Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-8491711153689866292011-04-17T23:17:00.001-04:002011-04-18T07:36:13.238-04:00Slow-cooked Pork TacosSo if we just ignored the fact that I haven't posted a recipe since December 1, 2010, do you think anyone would notice? Yeah, me neither. Winter is grudgingly giving way to spring, but not without a lot of fuss and some chilly nights. Why not chase to the blues away with Nature's comfort food - Mexican. Slow-cooked Pork Tacos - From food52.com2 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp coriander seeds2 tsp Ancho Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-75825144704389103162010-12-01T00:01:00.001-05:002010-12-01T23:48:48.238-05:00Variations on a ThemeThe Lone Ranger and I accepted an invitation to Miami from my old friends GBF & the Sweet Baboo for Thanksgiving. We were assured of balmy weather, golfies, trips to South Beach, and afternoon dips in their inviting swimming pool. Who could refuse, right? Our trip, however, coincided with Homeland Security's crackdown on underwear bombers, and flip flop highjackers. I know this is gonna put Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-80609358346528107862010-11-30T00:01:00.000-05:002010-11-30T20:33:50.056-05:00You Are Now Free to Move About the CabinI have one weakness when I travel, and that's airport newsstands... oh, and seven-dollar beers. Okay, that's two foibles, but I'm gonna write about the former here. I simply can't help it; I'm a sucker for all that shiny paper and artificially lit subject matter, and price is no object. Give me a pretty picture and I'll shell out criminal amounts of cash. But you'll never find me perusing the Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-37255198512977226302010-11-07T00:01:00.005-04:002010-11-09T07:51:42.595-05:00The Lonely KitchenTonto has been flying solo this week, as the Lone Ranger is still off gallivantin' on the west coast. He isn't much of an email writer, or conversationalist on the telephone, but the photos have been coming in fast and furious. He must be like a kid in a candy store out there. I know just how he feels. The Presidio and the Golden Gate Bridge, Lincoln Park Golf Course Palace of the Legion of HonorBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-6702952930089088862010-10-31T00:01:00.002-04:002010-11-05T06:43:15.560-04:00On the Occasion of Little Oblio's First BirthdayMy daydreams waffle between vocations as a baker, a freight train locomotive engineer, and a professional surf/food writer for Condé Nast. All three have distinctive and alluring charms for me. What's more fundamental than reviving yeast with flour & water and producing the staff of life? Who's never harkened to the lonely train whistle's call on some vast plain, two parallel lines seeming alwaysBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-42388539773739843592010-10-28T11:59:00.000-04:002010-10-28T11:59:00.637-04:00Five Trains to Philly It's a multi-train, three-hour commute from my office door to downtown Philadelphia, a trip I look forward to every Friday. I love trains. There are no traffic jams, I can stand up, stretch and move around, I can even take a little snooze without worrying about drifting into oncoming traffic. The minute I catch my first train in the Bronx, I press "shuffle" on my iPod and check out until I exitBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-87780644826522992122010-10-26T21:50:00.007-04:002010-10-26T22:34:51.169-04:00Meat Is Murder...... tasty, tasty murder. I have a confession to make, my gentle readers. I am an obedient little Facebooker, dutifully updating my status in the fevered hopes that someone out there actually gives a damn. Take last Friday for instance: "5:01 Express to Philly and veal piccata." My boy Joe-D "liked" my status, except for the veal part. He's a vegetarian, you see ̶ not because he loves animals, Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-54115738666538930872010-10-15T07:59:00.000-04:002010-10-15T07:59:00.061-04:00Moroccan Chicken With Carrot Purée Just to mix things up a bit, how about a shot of what your next chicken dish is gonna look like at the beginning of this here blog post? If you read through and follow the recipe, you ought to get something closely resembling the serving platter above. Nice, eh! I've slipped comfortably into the routine of sending the Lone Ranger dinner suggestions (or outright demands), along with shopping Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-80572439361251367872010-10-14T22:00:00.003-04:002010-10-14T22:17:16.876-04:00"For what it's worth......I never stole from anybody who would go hungry." Sometimes I suspect there are maybe a dozen truly original dishes out there, and the rest are all just clever knockoffs by talented copycats. That's where this recipe dwells, except the author has the decency to admit to his thievery. I admire that. Pork Ragù al Maialino - lifted from NY Times' Sam Sifton4 lbs pork shoulderKosher salt3 Tbsp Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-17677752916610048242010-10-14T20:00:00.001-04:002010-10-14T20:00:03.421-04:00Dinner Is Served We come from two different worlds, the Lone Ranger and I. He's a professionally trained chef, with an enviable economy of motion and no-nonsense approach to food. His goal is to get product on the table as quickly and expertly as possible. Whereas I -- like all true believers -- try to elevate everything to High Art. It's made for some interesting clashes our first few go-arounds in the kitchen.Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-11063957049047186362010-10-06T23:00:00.003-04:002011-05-20T10:01:08.813-04:00Chocoflan"Cameron, dear friend? And you thought we wouldn't have any fun. Shame on you." Ferris Bueller's Day Off We'll be out of order chronologically here, my gentle readers, as this one's for my girl Belle of Big Ass fame. Belle's prose quite simply makes my heart ache with envy, admiration and empathy. I get completely caught up in her stories and have blubbered openly at many of them, especially Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-33919772264049812822010-09-13T19:19:00.015-04:002010-09-16T19:45:26.175-04:00FerragostoGet an atypical New York street faire experience a mere spittin' distance from my front door at the Belmont Business Improvement District's Ferragosto Festival. NYC is infamous for the same 20 vendors showing up at every summer street fair on the island, hawking the same tired wares to the same tired tourists. Only their (the out-of-towners) names and faces change. Ferragosto has local businessesBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-27701755676906225022010-09-09T07:52:00.021-04:002011-05-20T10:08:11.286-04:00Date Night"Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." `Gilbert K. Chesterton Sunday dawned clear and crisp. By the time I arose, the Lone Ranger had swept away the previous night's detritus and there was very little for me to do except drink my coffee and listen to the birds call. We did have this one meaningful exchange, however: Lone Ranger: What do you want for breakfast?Tonto: Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-59819478930592754542010-09-07T21:58:00.012-04:002010-09-10T04:47:59.034-04:00Just DessertsIf one can go by the responses to the dessert photo in my last post, and a very unscientific poll it would be, readers are just wild about sweets in general, and Key lime pie in particular. You know where I stand on the whole topic, give me a second helping of potatoes and you can have my slice of pie. But then, I've never made any claims to normalcy. Even so, I've picked up the dessert fork moreBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-70179783422541530892010-09-07T19:55:00.015-04:002010-09-10T04:08:38.792-04:00Workers of the World, Unite!Here in the good ol' US of A, we just celebrated the symbolic end of summer with the long Labor Day weekend, a federal holiday hastily enacted in 1894 by a president and congress fearful of labor union unrest after the military and US Marshals killed several railway strikers in Pullman, Illinois. Like all American holidays, this one has been watered down to make it palatable to BBQ aficionados Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-4644412203360866412010-08-28T21:01:00.002-04:002010-08-28T21:24:10.057-04:00Balsamic Honey Glaze......wrote a song about it. Like to hear it? Here it goes. Back in cooking mode, but single in NYC for the weekend. Takeout? A cheese pie from the corner pizza joint? Not on your life! I have to bring my A-game to the table from here on out. So it's practice, practice, practice. Down to the local butcher shop I go for some chicken breasts on the bone and a scavenger hunt through the cupboards. Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-1884044743450368412010-08-26T00:01:00.003-04:002010-09-10T04:59:49.169-04:00Full DisclosureIt's not only vacationing that's kept me from You Gonna Finish That? No, I've gone and met someone. Oh alright, let's come right out and say it. I have a boyfriend, and we'll be referring to him as Peyton on this here bloggy posty thing. And that's all you're gonna get out of me for now. I will add this, he's a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. How's that for serendipity? So, to the Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-58086279220675021182010-08-25T00:01:00.007-04:002010-09-10T04:40:36.378-04:00Where the Boys AreI've had a love/hate relationship with Miami since 1997 when I was employed there for one rocky year. I had an amazing time... some of the time. Day-to-day life was a trial. It took four hours to open a checking account. My cell phone worked at the intersections of Lincoln & Collins, and Alton & 63rd. There was no such thing as service. Wait, that's unfair. There was service alright: glacial. GodBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-9231417685969647282010-08-19T20:08:00.009-04:002010-09-10T04:33:34.065-04:00Where's Waldo?Yeah, yeah... I know. Not peep since Great Chebeague. At least there was no cliff hanger closing out our last episode. It's just that I've been travelling you see, eating out mostly, and playing golf. I think I cooked two meals the entire time I was away. Not much of a track record for a food diarist, but there it is. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming shortly. In the mean time,Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-55355874138935632292010-07-12T15:55:00.000-04:002010-07-12T23:10:55.608-04:00Tangerine Chicken There are couple of island traditions particular to Webb cottage, one being a new jigsaw puzzle set up in a nook off the living room that is the exclusive domain of KT and her dad. The rest of us sort of pick at it in passing, but those two go at it with a vengeance, no looking at the box cover for hints allowed. The other is that every year, rain or shine, Natalie insists on watching either Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-74212241061636045592010-07-12T00:01:00.000-04:002010-07-12T00:01:00.088-04:00The Chebeague Island InnThe Webb Cottage clan has longed to be loyal Chebeague Island Inn devotees for ages. Over the years we've seen owners and managers come and go. There have certainly been high and lowlights during that time. The views from the covered veranda are spectacular, and there's nothing better than sipping a cocktail in one of the comfy wicker chairs, idly watching the boat traffic on Stone Wharf as the Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-24641833643043794662010-07-11T12:01:00.004-04:002010-09-10T04:47:30.722-04:00Hurry French BreadYou'll recall a special loaf of bread that Stacie Webb used to make for her then suitor Toby. It was a quick French-style bread that, while it might not fool a Parisian, persuaded me that I need never settle for spongy Italian bread again. Toby feigned mock indignation when Stacie invited me to come over before the other dinner guests to see how her bread was prepared, and he reminded everyone Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-68487079263926624982010-07-11T05:59:00.002-04:002010-09-10T05:10:43.143-04:00The Leftover ChallengeStacie Webb has been a Chebeaguer for some 30 odd years now. Husband Toby claims she wooed him via his stomach with her quick French bread, and once she had bagged him, never baked another loaf. They're both gracious family hosts and with the building of Webb House just steps away from our cottage, have become nearly year-round residents on the island. Late in our stay this year, Stacie invited Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-27595096048523458592010-07-10T10:24:00.009-04:002010-09-10T05:33:56.742-04:00The Cocktail Hour, RefinedAfter " what's for dinner?", our favorite question is always when do the T's arrive on island. Our neighbors just to the east on Cottage Road have been summering on Chebeague for twelve or so years now, and got sucked in to the Webb vortex when their three sons became fast friends with our island brood at the Rec Center pool. The boys have grown into handsome fellows who'll lead the charge in Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-10009876054957043472010-07-09T15:38:00.013-04:002010-09-10T03:53:37.233-04:00Back to the IslandIf once you have slept on an islandYou'll never be quite the same;You may look as you looked the day beforeAnd go by the same old name,You may bustle about in street and shopYou may sit at home and sew,But you'll see blue water and wheeling gullsWherever your feet may go.You may chat with the neighbors of this and thatAnd close to your fire keep,But you'll hear ship whistle and lighthouse bellAndBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-41800949020585336292010-05-06T20:58:00.006-04:002010-05-06T21:14:22.888-04:00Come in London!Yes, Virginia, Blog O. Food still cooks and breaks into cold sweats when he hasn't posted in a while, but it's Championship Week again, and all other considerations are on the back burner (groan). It's still stewing in its own juices, but I made my own sourdough starter, as I've always wanted to introduce myself with this line: "I am Enzo, the Baker!" (a la The Godfather.) I intend to waltz into Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-25771578857371008502010-04-26T17:04:00.010-04:002010-09-10T04:36:47.192-04:00Rainy Days and MondaysWe've had so many rainy weekends this spring, conspiracy theorists have started to foam at the mouth. Usually, I love rainy days, their being such a novelty for a SoCal boy. But my day job depends on, if not sunny skies, then dry ones, and I've had to cancel too many softball games already this season. One more rainout and we'll have mutiny on our hands. Our university board of trustees frowns Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-37952027699017335632010-04-22T21:53:00.017-04:002010-12-01T21:06:19.911-05:00Food as Low ArtWhen I was a know-nothing college kid way, WAY back in the day, the Fates put one Mr. McNally in my path. He was the resident manager at a historic inn where I had a part time job as a bellman. Mr. McNally was a true Renaissance Man (a term that makes me cringe). The guy must have known how clueless I was, but he took me under his wing nevertheless, and I got a priceless education on the finer Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-66860377593420267352010-04-20T18:06:00.012-04:002010-09-10T05:33:14.546-04:00One Pot Wonders Ugh... Cooking for one again. I should just eat cereal. Or find a husband. Or join a cult. Or open a restaurant. I dunno, I can't decide. The ingredients:Boneless, skinless chicken thighsWhole tomatoesTomato pastePine nutsBlack and green olivesGarlicVegetable stockSpaghettiCube the chicken and brown it in batches in some peanut oil and a little butter. Season generously with kosher salt and Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-2273026511305300782010-04-06T18:02:00.015-04:002010-09-10T04:42:17.142-04:00Living Large There are no recipes in this blog post. Other than the shot above, you'll find no original photos here. I did no cooking over the Easter weekend, but I ate like a dying man. My 5-day break was a tour de force of New York City dining for me and two visiting friends, Gregg & Jimmy. Gregg's been teaching business journalism in China for the past two years, and poor Jimmy has kept the home fires Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-31222049414237152602010-03-21T22:20:00.013-04:002010-09-10T04:46:28.132-04:00It's the Little Things...It was one of those weekends where even the simplest of pleasures evinced a feeling of contentment. I’m persuaded it had everything to do with the first warm spring weekend, although I'm sure the "urban shaman" featured on NPR's Weekend Edition (cultural elitist alert) would no doubt attribute my sunny disposition to a "balancing" effect brought on by the vernal equinox. Whatever. I'll leave thatBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-72542225405819357182010-03-14T21:27:00.010-04:002010-09-10T05:22:58.526-04:00Blog O. Food and the Blustery Day!Wow, what a weekend. New England and the mid-Atlantic got pummeled by a Nor'easter Friday and Saturday that effectively shut down huge swaths of road and rail. Great sections of the tri-state area were without power and National Guardsmen were issuing hip waders to local residents. I was ready with flashlights, candles and a half-cord of firewood, but my little slice of the Hamptons maintained Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-622629073921184852010-03-08T19:48:00.013-05:002010-03-08T22:19:22.461-05:00Meat & Potatoes, Italian-style!Let's take the "What Am I Gonna Make For Dinner?" Challenge. You know the drill, whatever kind of day you've had, no matter your mood, sometimes you'd rather sit in a dentist's chair, sans Novocain, than think about putting one more meal on the table. Well friend, I'm here to help. Surely you have onion and garlic in the pantry. Maybe some canned tomatoes and dried herbs. If you're a true foodie,Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-26891042078346367762010-03-07T20:00:00.005-05:002010-03-16T09:46:26.126-04:00Mature Audiences OnlyI've been guilty of peeping at food pornography all week. Yeah, the new Williams-Sonoma catalog arrived, stirring me to bouts of self-pleasure. I always stash my credit card in another room while I leaf through the colorful pages. My fiscal reserve is no match for all that stark-white china, polished steel and kitchen gadgetry. In this issue, Bill tried mightily to get me to buy his immersion Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-63994175023418962002010-03-02T12:44:00.004-05:002010-09-10T04:32:59.054-04:00Blog O. Food Makes Salsa“And Then There Was Salsa” from Frito Lay Dips on Vimeo. Olé!!! - Blog O. Food Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-57343956905347978412010-02-28T08:40:00.016-05:002010-03-04T09:26:04.200-05:00La Deuxième de Bœuf BourguignonWith a dish as classic as beef bourguignon, you didn't think we were gonna skimp on the salad and dessert, now did you?Heaven forbid!Miss Muffy joined me at Schmidt's Market where the best produce in town can be found. (They have a very practiced butcher too, by the way.) Anyway, Muff spied some tantalizing, fresh California strawberries and her feverish mind began to whir. As stated in earlier Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-16080669480920275052010-02-27T22:19:00.012-05:002010-09-10T04:31:17.539-04:00Boeuf à la Bourguignonne Sheesh! Writing this post has proved just as daunting as preparing the actual dish. It has been the most time consuming, step-filled undertaking I've assumed on this here blog thingy. The sheer number of photographs alone was enough to shy me away from tackling the job for weeks.I knew going into this that it was gonna be a monumental project. Just shopping for ingredients burned up an entire Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-77073795539784984172010-02-27T15:34:00.011-05:002010-09-10T05:14:50.948-04:00Not a fajita. Not a burrito... ...it's a farrito! There are three markets within easy walking distance of my front door. All three reflect the different ethnic enclaves of the surrounding blocks. There's some overlap in all of them, but you get a good sense of who their customers might be by sleuthing through the produce and meat departments. Coming back from Manhattan last weekend, I ducked into Villa Juana (yeah, sometimes Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-39141382343255048752010-02-10T21:26:00.001-05:002010-02-10T21:27:13.651-05:00Snow DayHe's back!!! February showed up with the ol' 1-2 punch last week. I have to admit to throwing in the towel without putting up much of a fight. I tend to get a little dispirited in the teeth of winter anyway and I had what can only be described as the week from hell at my day job. Not that that should interest you, and besides, it's none of your business, so, one soldiers on. It's a snow day hereBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-77327888715607691262010-02-08T11:20:00.002-05:002010-02-08T11:23:42.462-05:00Almost FamousLiving In Belmont, the Bronx - NYTimes
If you're a loyal reader, you know I write about Belmont all the time. Please enjoy this thoroughly comprehensive piece on my little slice of New York.
Blog O. FoodBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-30100503853724079052010-01-29T06:01:00.003-05:002010-01-29T08:40:53.806-05:00Details at 11:00If you're even the most casual of food blog readers, you've no doubt heard of Columbia Pictures' film "Julie & Julia" (hated it). Well, Blogger Dot Com Pictures proudly presents, for this weekend only, a Blog O. Food Production: Jamie & Julia. Friday's showing:Shell Pasta with Creamy Smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce - by Jamie OliverSeating begins at 7:30 PM. Saturday's showing:Boeuf à la BourguignonneBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-51065604913817159292010-01-27T20:37:00.013-05:002010-09-10T04:50:05.681-04:00An Exercise in Far Eastern SensibilitiesI almost broke down and ordered Chinese food tonight. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's not as if I'm on some sort of deprivation kick (although I freely admit to being a colossal food snob), it's just that it kills me to spend good money on bad take out. Even when I'm in absolutely no mood to cook, digging into the junk draw for the menus piled at the bottom of all the detritus we Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-19053223790025861222010-01-25T20:03:00.004-05:002010-01-26T10:33:47.829-05:00You... You Bean Eater, You! On the whole, I'd have to say that a career built around the academic calendar is a good thing. Lots of 3-day weekends, plenty of holiday breaks and flexible summer hours. If it weren't for the students, universities would be ideal working environments. (I kid, I kid!)After returning to New York from Pop O'Food's desert pleasure palace, I had an extra week between Christmas and New Year before Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-24868013543294442832010-01-21T06:01:00.003-05:002010-09-10T04:12:05.753-04:00Leftover Delivery SystemYou just knew that with all that great food, there was bound to be something left over the next morning. Miss Muffy, being the frugal sort, simply couldn't allow good food to go to waste. She's a cook after my own heart. So what better way to get leftovers from the fridge to the table in a tasty and eye-catching package? Why, the incredible, edible egg of course! Root vegetable Frittata - a MuffyBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-7608930550831104642010-01-20T14:40:00.010-05:002010-09-10T04:27:52.409-04:00Cookin' With GasIs it a Man thing, or does everyone get an insatiable craving for red meat every now and again? An itch they just can't scratch? Whatever. Since Muffy brought her second-oldest son with her, there was no avoiding it. Beef, medium-rare, would be on the menu. Jaime's eyes lit up like Roman candles when he heard the word porterhouse. Another satisfied customer in the offing! This night's dishes cameBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-36311284641793924132010-01-17T22:27:00.020-05:002010-09-10T05:11:41.979-04:00Don't Let The Name Fool YouYou Gonna Finish That? champion Muffy was heading eastward to the Island for the weekend, and in my fevered mind, everything had to be perfect. I spent hours staring at my computer monitor, combing the Food Network and Epicurious Dot Com for ideas. I ransacked my own library seeking inspiration. Cookbooks are still scattered about the apartment. But I caught the train to Southampton Thursday Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-75089665890222785732010-01-10T20:18:00.009-05:002010-01-10T23:44:25.477-05:00Housebound in the HamptonsI am a contra-snowbird. Instead of Florida or Arizona, I motor out to eastern Long Island every weekend. Not the Winter of My Discontent exactly, more like High Solitude. Nothing but me, a cord of firewood, book-lined walls in room after room, a studio grand piano and about 10,000 Canada geese for an audience. What more could one ask for? If everything goes according to plan, I usually sneak out Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-54862625418211673422010-01-05T22:18:00.015-05:002010-09-10T04:55:32.690-04:00Beef StewComplaining about the weather is like complaining about taxes. When you're finished grousing, both are still there. But really, negative wind chill temps? No thanks. These days, I'm online a good part of the morning looking for jobs in California. There, the winters are insanely harsh. One wears long-sleeve tee shirts, or maybe a hoody on the coldest mornings. Buried deep in a box somewhere is a Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-3417486607355441412010-01-03T09:15:00.004-05:002010-09-10T05:26:53.877-04:00Traditions in ExcessNew Year's Day dawned cold and gray, but the warmth from the previous night still enveloped the house. As usual, I was the first one out of bed, affording me a chance to quietly get the kitchen back in some kind of working order. The coffee was hot and strong, and the oven pre-heated by the time any other soul stirred. Egg dishes have become something of an unintended ritual after these winter Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-8312526436501949702010-01-02T14:35:00.028-05:002010-09-10T04:07:44.600-04:00Hendiatris Clues* Eight o'clock, Thursday morning, December 31. Through the wide bank of plate glass doors in the kitchen, I could see snow beginning to fall gently on the broad expanse of lawn. "How pretty," I thought. "If this keeps up, we'll have an amazing scene to view by the time everyone arrives." Two hours and two inches later I'm in a state of high anxiety worrying that folks won't take to the roads in Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-6019920011357542642009-12-31T00:01:00.008-05:002010-09-10T04:05:44.222-04:00Here Comes Another One, Just Like The Other One A few years ago, after one failed attempt after another, my crew and I decided to stop trying so hard to have fun on New Year's Eve. That first subsequent party consisted of six of us, rotisserie chicken and veggie wraps bought at Safeway, about 6000 cds, playing cards, cigars, and a mixed case of really excellent champagne. We stayed up until dawn blasting the stereo and playing røvhul. No one Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-9404416004612535022009-12-30T00:03:00.012-05:002010-09-10T05:12:47.968-04:00What, This Old Thing? It's Just Something I Threw OnIt ain't all fun and games out here in Blogtown. While tantalizing your eye and whetting your appetite with my photos and prose, a blogger's still gotta eat. Thus tonight's dinner ended up here on You Gonna Finish That? Having plenty of source material for the next few days, I wasn't even looking for a topic, but merely something to stave off the hunger pangs. Being otherwise occupied on my Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-64006283038224747792009-12-29T21:00:00.009-05:002010-09-10T05:32:21.429-04:00Thoroughly Mexican? Not So Much.At some point during any stay with Pops O'Food, usually on one's last morning, you will be treated to the sound of bacon sizzling in a skillet and the smell of biscuits baking in the oven. You are in store for an original: POF's biscuits and gravy. After just one bite, folks cease their search for The Best. They've found them right in my father's kitchen. I stopped ordering them off of menus Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-90873530120575946962009-12-28T17:49:00.016-05:002010-09-10T04:30:37.764-04:00Mexican Through and ThroughFor all you infrequent readers out there (and you know who you are), visits with Pops O'Food revolve around twin suns: food, obviously, and golf. Pops has a regular group of local and snow bird cronies who accompany him on the course several times a week. I am permitted to join them whenever I'm in town. The only reason I took up the game in the first place was to have something to do with my Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-75049618570354261802009-12-27T17:54:00.013-05:002010-09-10T05:15:59.113-04:00Feliz NavidadMy father, Pops O'Food, is a prodigious cook. Usually, and without heed to any pleas for moderation, the output from his kitchen will resemble something akin to Ford's Detroit production line. Every year, I invariably gain five pounds and have a reputation around town as being - shall we say - an ambitious eater. But it's only because he keeps putting food in front of me! So before traveling to Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-5232930297219346282009-12-10T20:13:00.004-05:002009-12-10T20:18:08.342-05:00'Cause Baby, It's Cold OutsideIt's not officially winter yet, nor really, really cold, but the temps have dropped appreciably (or unappreciated-ly) over the last week. It's dark when I wake up in the morning and dark when I walk home from work in the afternoon, and Blog O. Food's nesting instincts are kicking in. That means fewer trips into Manhattan, wooly socks and sweat pants for lounging around the apartment at night, andBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-12762141733311232762009-12-07T18:24:00.017-05:002010-09-10T04:03:08.044-04:00Sorry, but THAT'S a Spicy Meatball!Every family has its own traditions around the holidays. Some folks open presents on Christmas Eve, some fly off to the capitals of Europe for the duration, yet others have restaurant wait staffs serve them their turkey and stuffing. Everybody is different in that respect, and that's okay. Where I come from chili was always the de facto meal the night before Christmas or Thanksgiving, Secretary'sBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-3712538248509055942009-12-03T15:49:00.012-05:002010-09-10T05:19:06.431-04:00At's a Spicy Meatball! Sometimes it's hard being a California Irish-Mexican living in a New York Italian neighborhood. California being such a godless land of fruits & nuts, one forgets that the Sabbath is taken seriously in other, more pious parts of the world. So it is that on Sundays I can usually be overheard cursing the Church under my breath when Arthur Avenue virtually shuts down to trade. Granted, the bakery Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-74756831303736605492009-12-01T22:50:00.013-05:002009-12-01T23:35:20.293-05:00A Milestone of Sorts And on the 7th Day... was my 100th blog post. My one year anniversary went by un-noticed while I was abroad in August. No candle, no cake, no funny hat. But who remembers their first birthday anyway? I'll cut my teeth this year, and on my second anniversary - my terrible twos - we'll do it up right. But a hundred posts! Whodda thunk it? Thanks to my small gaggle of loyal followers and to the Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-83241015747113378832009-11-29T22:09:00.022-05:002010-09-10T04:58:04.292-04:00And on the 7th Day... ... they ate. What is it about Thanksgiving and excess? What provokes a usually judicious nature to fits of reckless extravagance, of sheer profligacy? Conspiracy theorists point a twitchy finger to the great cookbook publishing houses. I blame Julia Child. One can draw an unbroken line from her to Martha Stewart, to Rachel Ray, to the Food Network. She was a spook, after all. Before Julia (B.J.Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-5986286927250911572009-11-23T22:15:00.015-05:002010-09-10T04:22:10.227-04:00W.T.F.So, things were supposed to slow down considerably after the last championship final on Thursday, but reality bears little resemblance to my hopes in that regard. It continues to be non-stop at the office and here on the home front as well. So, starving once again and faced with the still-empty larder, that Mother of Invention suckled this food diarist. Couscous Salad - a Blog O. Food original4 Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-90573925475825025792009-11-18T21:18:00.013-05:002010-09-10T05:24:11.781-04:001. 2. 3.Five championships down, four to go. It's been kinda fun coming up with something quick to eat and worthy of a blog post all at the same time. If not for You Gonna Finish That?, I'd be eating cereal or PB&Js, and who wants to read about that? But here's something I found in a British food magazine while abroad this summer. More of a brunch item, or an h'or d'oeuvre, but it falls into the Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-24346172759787055922009-11-16T08:14:00.029-05:002010-12-02T08:23:09.204-05:00Da KineBrea, California, circa 1965. Aunt Donnie sorts soup beans on my grandmother's linoleum kitchen table. After separating out tiny clods of dirt, she sweeps the beans into the chipped, white enameled colander that I love so well. They get a good thorough rinsing before going into a big pot of water to soak. As I sorted my own pinto beans this morning, sights, smells and sounds whisked me back to Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-36930078940680582342009-11-12T19:26:00.017-05:002010-09-10T04:29:52.387-04:00Breakfast Served All Day It's Championship Week at school, and I'm finally called upon to justify the wildly extravagant salary I pull in annually. Meaning lots and lots of extended hours on our athletic fields and a very narrow window for dinner. If I rush, I can whip up something quickly and still have time to put my feet up for a few minutes before getting back to campus. As organized as I pride myself on being at Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-42378881715042191222009-11-08T20:33:00.013-05:002010-09-10T05:25:27.974-04:00We Call It Maize So, during the aforementioned conversation with my boy Matty, I had already decided on centering a main dish around polenta and was mulling over what to do with all the inevitable leftovers the next day. We must have been talking about our favorite topic, bacon, because what I came up with set both our mouths to watering and our eyes to tearing: Huevos rancheros on polenta - a recipe by Blog O. Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-70632879134481240482009-11-08T11:09:00.018-05:002010-09-10T05:09:20.677-04:00Grilled polenta It took B.O.F. bff and new papa, Matty O'Food, to lure me back to Blogspot Dot Com. I've been in an extended funk since returning from Europe. I didn't realize it, but after so many great meals shared with friends, I just couldn't face cooking for one again. Where's the inspiration in that? But Matty's foodie IMs stirred the sleeping muses and I am once again looking with fondness at my kitchen.Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-36758565255230904702009-09-23T06:21:00.007-04:002009-10-14T23:48:36.394-04:00FynJust because you take to the sea and cross the world, it doesn’t guarantee that you will come by treasure.Danes hate the phrase “good night”, so the birthday party went on until all hours and included a late night skinny-dip in the Lillebælt - bottle of snaps and shot glasses in hand. Heaven knows when we finally stumbled into bunks and tents, but plenty of overnight guests made for quick work ofBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-48763358164303050292009-09-13T19:33:00.010-04:002009-09-23T06:41:59.621-04:00Strib"...but if everybody would stay content with what is his own and let others enjoy the same rights, then no law would be needed." - Code of Jutland (1241, preamble) To me, Denmark is the rational embodiment of the "live and let live" sensibility. Danes respect privacy and the rights of property. As long as you're not hurting anybody, pretty much anything goes. You see evidence of this in their Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-13900431443274635972009-09-08T18:42:00.017-04:002009-09-23T06:37:42.325-04:00SorgenfriDespite the city's being surrounded on all sides by water, all roads in Denmark lead to Copenhagen. Denmark's capital is still its hub and gateway. I arrived by night train from Paris on a Monday morning. Whogus and his greeting party put me right to work. A tour of Pusher Street in Christiana (no photos, please) and then a forced march to the top of the gold and copper spire at Vor Frelsers Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-53270345801549056362009-09-04T07:42:00.018-04:002009-09-23T14:34:16.783-04:00Once a Dane...If, as they say, the third time's the charm, how does one characterize a fourth visit to Denmark? Twenty years ago, I was at the tail end of a 4-month long trek through Europe; backpack, Eurail pass and the obligatory bible, Let's Go in hand. I had already more or less retraced the footsteps of David Lowery's "Eurotrash Girl", except my movements preceded his by five years. Perhaps I was his Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-62004150067201010072009-09-01T18:50:00.024-04:002010-09-10T05:00:25.877-04:00The Nut TreeBut hush - Earth's valleys sweet in leisure lie;And I among them wandering up and downWill taste their berries, like the bird or fly,And of their gleanings make both feast and crown.Harvest - Edmund BlundenWith a mix of unintended but welcome British artists and eclectic groups from the States, the drive to Oxfordshire can only be described as restful. Sensitive to J-Mac's mellower predilections,Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-80579167840979726722009-08-31T17:44:00.014-04:002010-09-10T04:32:23.108-04:00This Other Eden. This Sceptred Isle. This England!“Bread, milk and butter are of venerable antiquity. They taste of the morning of the world.” - Leigh Hunt, The SeerOn Friday, J-Mac took a day off from being a Master of the Universe (I think he called in well). He had planned an itinerary visiting the English countryside in Oxfordshire, where he wanted to introduce me to an associate of his, and there was some vague talk of a pub meal of some Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-37427440921323441752009-08-30T15:50:00.008-04:002010-09-10T05:03:26.051-04:00"One cannot trust people whose cuisine is so bad." - Jacques Chirac"I'll bet what motivated the British to colonize so much of the world is that they were just looking for a decent meal." - Martha Harrison."Before the Sunday roast is placed in the oven the vegetables are put on to boil." - AnonymousHow long have British food jokes been around? Since the first World War? That's nearly a 100 years. It's no wonder the fallacy is so hard to dispel. But I'm happy to Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-83345193477327419292009-08-28T16:52:00.009-04:002010-09-10T05:05:08.302-04:00Tom Colicchio On Rites, Rights, and Cooking Right.Top Chef host, Tom Colicchio stands up for marriage equality. Not a special right for homosexuals, but for "equal protection under the law". Tom Colicchio: bear icon, and now, unsung gay activist. Shared via AddThis Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-26597913900030182772009-08-26T11:32:00.030-04:002010-09-10T04:38:26.376-04:00In France They Kiss on Main StreetI have never made a secret of my love affair with France. On the contrary, I'm a bit of a snob about it. I have no idea from where this affectation springs. I'm Mexican & Irish. I grew up in southern California, southern Ohio, and then southern California again. What did I know of French? As a kid, I used to daydream about being the Prince of Wales, or the newly dubbed Crown Prince of Bavaria andBlog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-16447212726762676712009-08-23T14:00:00.004-04:002010-09-10T05:22:26.449-04:00NY Times Op-EdFood For the Soul - Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times, August 23, 2009
Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-56196973457879376212009-08-22T11:06:00.015-04:002009-12-10T21:38:29.419-05:00Europe 2009"I fooled her," I thought. On the Eurostar from Paris to London, I was in the bar car ordering a snack when the attendant asked me to repeat my order. "Le Rapide, si vous plais," I repeated more clearly, emphasizing the hard "d". She started rattling away in French and my mind immediately froze. In a now halting voice, all trace of accent gone, I feebly asked that she speak more slowly. "Oh, Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-45614247556188081322009-07-23T10:16:00.011-04:002010-09-10T04:13:40.312-04:00A.W.O.L. I have alluded to a trip to Europe this summer. My boy Whogus celebrates his 50th birthday this August, and just like his 30th and 40th, he's throwing himself a three-day party at his family's summer cottage in Strib, on the island of Fyn in Denmark, the sight of some very festive soirées. I have every confidence the old boy will out do himself this time around. After all, he's not getting any Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-39059745645506957422009-07-22T20:39:00.014-04:002009-12-10T21:46:41.542-05:00Hard Rock KnocksBack when I was a struggling crew coach, money was always an issue. In the off season, I invariably had to find a job to support my bad habits. One summer I landed what I thought was gonna be a sweet gig cooking the books for an Italian stone importer (actually, I just paid the bills). He had a smokin' hot French associate who could be heard swearing in her native tongue over the telephone to Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-19174154820938267832009-07-19T16:14:00.007-04:002010-09-10T05:04:12.234-04:00This Is Not Yo Cheese!Most days I can be counted upon to stick my nose up in the air at processed foods. I can whip up something healthier, better tasting, and cheaper at home. However, if you ever see me at a ballpark or stadium, that snooty attitude goes the way of the Dodo, only faster. Suddenly, my darker nature kicks in, and I'm shoveling hotdogs and soft pretzels down my gullet with alarming speed and deadly Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-18184246940411838472009-07-14T08:10:00.009-04:002010-09-10T04:35:04.806-04:00My Favorite ThingsAs you know, I am a simple sort of man. Every weekday morning, I rise early, put on a pot of coffee, peruse the headlines online and listen to NPR. An hour later, I make some breakfast, shower, dress and head out the door. Routines like this will help me when aggressive senility ultimate takes me down. In the mean time, they're comforting. They comfort me.The only time the stove gets lit before Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-12436541949225320002009-07-14T08:09:00.006-04:002009-11-13T08:24:47.589-05:00Keeping It RealMore cooking by way of the new and improved BOF credo: Keep It Fresh, Stupid! Farm stand basil and more heirloom tomatoes shine in another version of my Pasta Salad. Intense Cherry tomatoes replace the sundried variety while they're in season. The basil crop is going gangbusters now that the sun is out. Freshly grated parm from the Retail Market and lots and lots of extra virgin olive oil. Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-86659975706317411032009-07-12T21:30:00.013-04:002010-12-02T08:29:05.551-05:00Migliorelli FarmIt was back to the Farmers Market this weekend. I missed a couple weeks while on holiday, so it was nice to see familiar, friendly faces behind counters and stalls. The summer growing season marches on as evidenced by what crops are popping up. Berries of all kinds are in full, if short, production. The cherries are small, but remarkably sweet and the blueberries just won't end. I've had them in Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-43905795876089263792009-07-09T16:43:00.010-04:002010-09-10T04:15:36.290-04:00When the World Gives You Lemons...If you though the weather was bad in NYC those first few weeks of June, I've got news for you, Maine was experiencing rain of biblical proportions. On Chebeague, the ground was completely saturated. I played a round of golf in six inches of mud. God knows why they even opened up the course; it's now ruined for the season. The Webb Cottage kids were about 24 hours away from total bat-shit crazy. Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-73629578646674599022009-07-08T18:32:00.007-04:002010-09-09T20:44:38.435-04:00As Close to Flan...... as one gets on an island. Let's all just assume you read my Enchilada Casserole post and make nice about it. I brought the recipe with me on my first visit to Maine seven years ago. You should have seen the looks of utter skepticism on the faces of the younger Webb Cottage denizens as I chopped black olives and prepared the chili sauce. They'd never seen anything more alien. Had there been a Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-69401081264670539632009-07-08T07:59:00.005-04:002010-09-10T05:27:28.435-04:00Wherein the Brits Get Into the Act The TPS reports had the wrong cover sheets again, so nobody got the memo: it was Popoverpalooza on Great Chebeague this year. Our dear friend JMac arrived on island from London at about midnight Tuesday night slash Wednesday morning with a British food magazine under one arm. His return was much anticipated. J was a college classmate of Muffy's husband at Lake Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074178387990910569.post-31801734644006227042009-07-07T17:36:00.010-04:002010-09-09T20:46:01.611-04:00A Very Maine Sandwich For my money, there's only one reason to trap and boil a poor defenseless lobster, and it's not for the very un-PETA reason you might think. No, it's all about the also very un-PETA lobster rolls the next day. I am one of the few people who doesn't find the taste of plain lobster meat appetizing. It has always had on "off" taste to me. I know, I know. I go to Blog O. Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08080651477355841394noreply@blogger.com0