birddog's Profile
Cherry Street East
I'm also happy to see CSE reopen, and I echo the positive reviews so far. Had the Vermonster the other night (cheddar, bacon, english muffin), nice and medium rare, good fries. Inside of the place looks right about the same, with slightly more seating at the bar, I think. Possible that more efficient use of space inside resulted in more seating? Glad to have them back.
McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt?
That's not a bad idea. What else are you planning to taste?
McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt?
It's been rated pretty well, compared to Lagavulin, won some recent accolades (2004, 2006)... Any scotch drinkers care to weigh in on how it is? I'm curious.
Rogue/Anchor Spirits
Anyone tried the McCarthy's Oregon "scotch" yet? It's been rated well, so I'm curious.
Frozen Pot Stickers?
TJ's are back. They're different, of course, and so far I've only seen Shrimp and Vegetable. Curious to hear other tasters notes. My initial reaction is positive. Re: new vegetable ones: They're "fresher," with more cabbage, carrot, and real vegetables (maybe bamboo shoots). The wrapper is more translucent, but still crisps nicely in the pan. I miss the pork ones.
Dry rub recipes for pork?
My mistake. In my response to OP (from the New Best Recipe), I did mean "chile powder." I usually use ground Ancho or Chimayo as my chile of choice in this rub. It's interesting, though, that on my container of Penzey's ground Ancho, it says, "Ancho Chili Pepper."
Dry rub recipes for pork?
I like the New Best Recipe generic barbecue rub. It's great on ribs and chicken. I imagine it would also be great on a pork shoulder or brisket. Substitute to taste, of course.
3T sweet paprika
2T chili powder
2T ground cumin
2T dk br sugar
2T salt
1T dried oregano
1T sugar
1T black pepper
1T white pepper
1-2 tsp cayenne or chipotle
Give it up for the cheap bourbon
Beyond bourbon, but within the "bang for the buck" in the whiskey category, if you can find a bottle of Rittenhouse Rye - Bottled in Bond (100 proof I think), buy it. Around $14-15, and it's a steal. Tastes right up there with the $30-40 bourbon crowd. Plus, you owe it to yourself to have a good rye in your cabinet, if you don't have one already.
What Santa Brought the Chowhounds for Christmas...
Yep. Grandma reluctantly gave me a chef's knife several years ago, but gave it to me with a penny and explained the practice.
What if you buy a knife with a gift certificate?? Should you go back and give a nickel? Or does the bad-luck-transfer end with the gift of currency, being free of knife associations?
You are banished to an island...
well, a modified eggs benedict, of course. assuming that I'd be there for a while, I was allowing for development of secondary ingredients (milk, butter, cheese, bacon, eggs...) -- is it cheating to wait around for the chicken (or hen) to lay eggs? I was building off of my second (unofficial) request for animals, potatoes, and red wine. the hollandaise might be tricky though. Is there enough vitamin C in red wine to stave off scurvy??
You are banished to an island...
I'm with spades on the pork.
1) one never-ending, magical PIG
2) potatoes
3) spinach
4) mango
5) red wine
black pepper
(I was tempted to ask for a pig, a chicken, and a cow, potatoes, and red wine. forget the vegetables. that's my second choice then. never ending ingredients suggest that I'd be there for a while, and just think of how cool it would be to have an au poivre steak with frites there on your own island, right on the beach, then eggs benedict for breakfast (sans muffin)...
What Santa Brought the Chowhounds for Christmas...
The Zuni Cafe, and Slow Mediterranean cookbooks. So I think I'm all set for January (and maybe February?) cookbook of the month threads.
AND I got a whisk shaped like a squid!! The plastic handle is the body of the squid, with big bulging eyes, and the tentacles are the wire whisker-things. It's the coolest.
Help! I've Got a Ham for Christmas!
Cut off a piece and try it. You should be able to tell if you need to cook it or not.
does it look like this? http://sausagenyc.com/products.html
350 for a half an hour or so, covered, so it doesn't dry out. Gut feeling says that you should just need to reheat it, but as mentioned above, it could be served room temperature as well. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and saurkraut. Baked or sauteed apples might be nice too. Something green...
New Xmas All-Clad 12" copper-core fry skillet!! But now what???
fried chick peas with cumin.
get the pan good and hot, add olive oil (Tbs or so), and put in a can of rinsed chick peas. they should pop and crackle. just shake them every once in a while, add some sea salt/kosher salt and cumin. cayenne to taste optional. brown them. you can serve them warm, or wait until they're at room temperature and eat with your fingers. you'll need a napkin, but they shouldn't be too soggy or oily, just browned.
enjoy the pan. i'm jealous of the copper core!
ISO :: THE BEST HAM AND BACON IN THE WORLD
see today's NY Times Dining In section "Fanfare for the City Ham." Good information and sources, and Kurowycky gets a nice mention, and a photo on the front of the section.
Please help -- what does polenta mean?
Jamie Oliver has a recipe for Orange Polenta cookies (he calls Bicuits) that he serves with Chocolate Pots. I ran into the same question with his recipe, and I've tried it both ways. Dry polenta or yellow grits worked best. They turn out to be "Nilla wafer" sized cookies with a great crunch. They're attractive, tasty, and a nice complement to the decadent chocolate pots (that he serves in little espresso cups). A big hit.
ISO :: THE BEST HAM AND BACON IN THE WORLD
No, I didn't find it salty. That's what converted my family. If you're in NY, I think you should go and try some; ask for a taste. As I mentioned to Fleur, below, it's neither watery nor salty. I think Kurowycky is a no-brainer. I don't live in the city, and I would drive in just to pick one up, an hour drive each way. I've done it before, and I'll do it again!
ISO :: THE BEST HAM AND BACON IN THE WORLD
I'm not sure what a city ham is. But it still has the skin and fat. Yes, they sell a half ham, either butt or shank end (is that the proper terminology?). Details on the cooking process and price on their website. 1/2 ham about $40.
http://sausagenyc.com/products.html
ISO :: THE BEST HAM AND BACON IN THE WORLD
It's in a class of its own, really. It's the polar opposite of any watery or salty smoked ham you've ever had. I can honestly say that it was superlative. I can take-or-leave a ham and cheese sandwich, and I don't like the baked ham with pineapple and maraschino cherry. nor did my family. This ham converted them all. The reason it lasted so long in our house a few christmases ago was because it happened to share the table with a 20 lb turkey. The positive result was that the ham found its way into breakfast with eggs, sliced into steaks, homemade hash, sandwiches with mustard, and eventually a killer pot of pea soup. Although I've been tempted to try an upscale grocery ham, I've resisted. I've been spoiled by Kurowycky. Did I mention that their kielbasa is also really good?
ISO :: THE BEST HAM AND BACON IN THE WORLD
it's worth the trip! wait til you smell that store. just put in on your list for the next time you're in NY...
ISO :: THE BEST HAM AND BACON IN THE WORLD
My favorite smoked ham ever was from Kurowycky Meat Products, 124 1st Ave, NY.
http://sausagenyc.com/
The best. I heard once that Glenn Close gives these as Christmas gifts. Don't know if that's true. But they're gooood, like stand around the kitchen and carve off pieces for nibbling good.
You Know You're a "Home Cooking Chowhound" when...
i've also been meaning t to buy two sets of spring-loaded tongs, to leave in both sets of parent kitchens. i can't really cook without them, and I'm amazed that they don't have their own -- they're both good cooks!
Does anyone else travel with a sharpening steel? mom's knife (from a couple Christmases ago) needs a little love every once in a while.
Star Chef Cookbooks
Just think, the thread polluted by non-star chef recs! or worse, star non-chef recs!
Ah, semantics... Your point is well taken though, dippedberry, and I like your use of "food personality" above. That term certainly includes the majority of the food network circle of cooks, whether they have interesting books or not.
It should be noted that the original post did place "star chef" in quotes, perhaps looking for a broader interpretation of the title in the search for a few good cookbooks. But I shouldn't speculate on Ora's intent. Sorry, Ora. When it comes down to it, I don't really care who they are if I like their book and it helps me make better food than I would on my own. But you're right, and "Cookbooks by People I've Heard Of" would be a different post.
That much said, I will check out Sunday Suppers on your recommendation, and I'll also take a look at Chef, Interrupted. Thanks
Star Chef Cookbooks
Yeah, I've have limited success with Trotter's book. I think his suggestions on sample menus in his Cooks at Home book are helpful - good for ideas, for sure, as he has some interesting combinations of flavors.
NB - on Bourdain: Ora, flip to and read recipe for cote de boeuf on p 134. If this is a cookbook for you, you'll know. If not, there's always the barefoot contessa...
Star Chef Cookbooks
I second Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook. In addition to the old school french recipes, It's a great read, and he focus on the process of making real food -- browning, pan sauces, depth of flavor, transforming of lowly cuts into the sublime... He loves that stuff.
It comes along with his irreverant narrative, of course, and his unabashed love of food comes through loud and clear. It's not Food-Lite, South Beach, or California cuisine, and it's certainly not vegetarian. There's a reason that his food tastes so good -- butter, shallots, demi glace, and wine! And he loves the pig.
My favorites from inside:
scallops saint-jacques with champagne -- simple, delicious, very nice romantic dinner
veal tenderloin with wild mushrooms -- rich, luxurious...
roasted veal short ribs -- real deep flavor
stuffed pork tenderloins (mignons de porc a l'ail) -- the sauce on this is glorious. i don't know which frenchman decided to stuff pig with bacon and roasted garlic, but it was brilliant!
braised pork shoulder (palette de porc a la biere) -- had this last night, simple recipe, hard to mess up, crowd pleaser with garlic mashed potatoes. another great sauce.
I've given this book as a gift to father in law, drinking/cooking buddy, brother, future brother-in-law... all carnivores and home cooking chowhounds to varying degrees. Definitely worth a look.
Japanese in SONO, CT
Pleasantly surprised. Perhaps a little overpriced, but I think that goes with the area. I was also doubtful, came in with the low expectaions of a new restaurant on a corner with such high turnover. But we came out very happy with our meal. Overall quality of food and taste was very good to excellent. Service was relaxed, but we weren't in any rush. We ordered to share, so I was happy to sample a variety of flavors. This was several weeks ago, but what I remember: the fried dumplings were excellent, crispy, fresh. The vegetarian dumplings were not as crisp (in a spinach dough wrapper), but good, for vegetable dumplings. I preferred the pork. The ceviche-style appetizer (with tuna, salmon, and yellowtail) was also very tasty; a nice balance of zesty citrus and spring onions and cilantro. The fried rock shrimp had a little kick to it. I didn't try the miso soup, but heard it was good. Spicy tuna roll and several other specialty rolls were well presented, also very nice. Worth giving a try. Curious to hear what other folks think, but I would go back.
You Know You're a "Home Cooking Chowhound" when...
When your mother-in-law buys you a pizza stone, but it's not to take home. It stays there, you know, for away games. As in, "Honey, Mom wants to know if we can come over for dinner on Sunday... and she wants to know if you'll make your pizza!" It's really much easier when everyone has their own stone, isn't it? And hey, when they put out the cheese and and the olives and the wine, everybody's happy!
Looking for good Breakfast Place in Portland
Bayou Kitchen on Deering Ave has the best corned beef hash, period. Plus andouille sausage, jalapeno cheddar corn bread, that kind of thing. I'd go just for the hash.
Frozen Pot Stickers?
For one stop shopping, I get the Trader Joe's peanut sauce with my Trader Joe's potstickers (the pork ones are my favorite). The sauce is simple and tasty and great for dipping.
