Thank you, colony of swine!

We were in the mountains this weekend with a bevy of friends and relatives. We ate at least a full pig between the bacon, sausage, ham and this pork shoulder:

Crock Pot Smoky Braised Pork Shoulder

4 t. smoked or kosher salt
2 t. smoked paprika
1 t. ground cumin seeds
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. black pepper
1 5-6lb. bone-in pork shoulder
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 T. canola oil
2 onions, chopped
7 cloves garlic, smashed
2 c. orange juice
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
4-6 c. low sodium chicken broth
3 oz. 62-65% cacao dark chocolate
Italian parsley, snipped

1. Heat Crock Pot on high with water.
2. Combine smoked salt, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, pepper.
3. Rub pork with spice mixture, then rub with 2 T. cocoa powder.
4. Heat oil over medium heat... add onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Brown pork on all sides.
5. Add orange juice, 3/4 c. cocoa powder and 4 c. stock. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Place pork in Crock Pot (cut, if necessary). Spoon sauce over pork until 75% covered.
7. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 10 hours.
8. Remove to serving platter, and reserve juices in Crock Pot... shave chocolate on pork and sprinkle with parsley.
9. Serve, with reserved juices.

Mmmm... good.

victory chili

The boy and I went to a football game of all places on Saturday evening, an ACC match up between my alma mater and his (soon-to-be). My school were major underdogs, but pulled out a phenomenal upset! It went down to the wire... the best football game I've seen in a long time. When we got home, we had wonderful, hot, steamy chili waiting for us in the crock pot.

Pumpkin Chipotle Chili

2 T olive oil
1 small-medium onion, chopped
1-2 red bell peppers, chopped
2-3 chilli peppers, chopped (or 1 can diced chillis added with canned ingredients)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 canned chipotles in adobo, chopped fine (remove seeds for less heat)
1 lb ground turkey (or frozen veggie crumbles)
2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (with juice) or 1 big can (highly recommend Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted)
1 can 100% pumpkin
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can red kidney beans or black beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz frozen corn kernels
0-1 T chilli powder (to your spiciness preference...and to balance your chilli peppers)
1 t ground cumin
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, peppers and garlic; cook, stirring frequently until tender (7ish minutes). Stir in chipotle. Add turkey (or frozen crumbles) and cook until browned.

Add rest of ingredients to crock pot, stir in meat mixture. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6. You can't really cook it for too long.

Makes 6 generous servings. Leftovers get spicier as the flavors meld, and your team may upset the favorite, so watch out!

Top Flr is Tops

Wow I felt not hip here. Well, maybe I am just being hormonal, or maybe because it is hard to pretend to be young and sexy when you look like a big pregnant blimp. This place was totally cute and hot. Read about it in Bon Appetit, and my girlfriend had told me it was to die for, so four of us came out for a little dinner.

I love the decor. Totally my style. I wish I had not been so busy hiding my gut and stealing lewd glances at hot twenty-ish boys and had taken pix of the interior. Loved the use of wallpaper, and the graphic elements contrasting with clean sparse spaces. The style of the place was mirrored in food presentation, and I dug it.

And the food was totally amazing. And the prices were totally amazing. And the bartender was very nice as well.I will start with him.

We were waiting for our two other friends to arrive and I sidled up to the bar and realized sadly I could not really have a drink, so I ordered an Angostura and soda which is rather refreshing (and helps settle a tummy), and my pal had a vodka tonic which looked more refreshing. He kindly asked if I was queasy, and I said no, just pregnant. He congratulated me and gave me a big smile. I gulped down my drink, and to my surprise, at some point...he refilled it! That is a kind bartender. He knew I wasn't going to order more drinks or rack up a huge tab, or even eat there, but he went ahead and gave me a refill, unasked for. I was honestly startled. How nice.

Then we went upstairs to a meal of:

Lamb skewers w/daikon taziki, and cauliflower couscous
Tender, sexy lamb, creamy taziki -mmm good

Tuna tartare flatbreadI wasn't allowed to eat this, but my friends hushedly discussed how heavenly it was MORE THAN ONCE during the meal when they thought I couldn't hear.

Duck Confit Pizza
Goodness this was rich and ducky. Had to take some home for the duck fiend husband.Mixed greens with figs, chevre, pistachio and honey-lavender dressing.This is my top favorite of the evening. It was ethereal - and it was just a salad! I felt like I was eating some sort of aphrodisiac. My one friend said to me "Can you figure out the dressing for me" and I was totally racing though ideas in my head already about how to duplicate it. Food for the gods. It was...ambrosial.

In an effort to shorten this review, the entrees:
Grilled hangar steak with shallot demi-glace
Roasted salmon with house made gnocchi
Pork tenderloin
Grouper with succotash
andTop Flr Mac and Cheese

were also perfect. "I'm so happy" was the oft repeated catch phrase of the evening. And even though it seems like alot of food - no one felt stuffed - just pleasantly sated.

Two more highlights: A super well priced Easton Zinfindel was lovely and though they only had one dessert to offer, it was wonderful - a chevre cheesecake - rich, creamy, only the slightest bit sweet. I could do without the pomegrante seeds on it and the olive biscuit, which just tasted like shortbread, but still - the cheesecake was a perfect ending.

The only thing I disliked was that I could barely hear my fellow diners in the tiny dining room upstairs. It was very loud and very filled with loud giddy semi-drunk fabulous emo-kids with expensive haircuts. Okay...again, maybe just being a jealous hormonal freak. But I really couldn't hear. And service was good, but not great. They forgot a few things and failed to bring the requested port menu, but I think I will be back, to dine at the bar, in about seven months...when I look a little less blimpy and can wear something a little more skimpy. :)