Spatchcock, I love you

Saturday was a beautiful wonderful burny day. The weather was perfect. The sun shone, and a friend of mine had just given me his smoker as he had recently upgraded. I had spent years in my neighborhood jealously sniffing the wind, praying for an invitation to partake in the smoky glory that could only be achieved through hours of battle with flame and charcoal, airflow and rub...We had become friends with the neighbors across the street who would blatantly smoke in their front yard, teasing us, until we finally won our way into their hearts with beer and touch football games with their three boys. Golly it was good. Smoky. Flavorful. Messy. Unfortunately they had moved.

And now it was my turn. Upon my friend's advice I decided to smoke chickens since they are the cheapest meat to smoke, and if I ruined them it wouldn't be a 20$ pork loin, just $10 worth of chickens. I decided to use a cajun style rub, and I spatchcocked my chickens to help them cook more evenly. Spatchcocking is basically ripping out the spine, spreading the chicken and smashing it so it lays flat. I let the chicks rest in the fridge while I prepped the smoker. I learned quickly, or rather slowly, that you need to really get the fire hot when you are trying to get it up to temp (225)...I wasted about an hour with my semi hot fire, and had to resort to calling my friend, admitting I was already drunk, and that I hadn't gotten the fire up yet. With his advice I managed to stoke it up and had the smoke box up to temp in about a half hour. Now I had to check the fire every hour for abut 4 hours...

What to do? I drank some more beer of course and listened to a Prince album. Then I did my gardening. I checked and stoked the fire. Then I drank another beer and listened to an Eagles album. I played ball with the dogs. Then I passed out on the chaise lounge to Neil Young's "Trans". I had bizarre dreams involving cumin and robots. Then I woke up, stoked the fire and went inside and fell asleep in bed. When I woke up again, it was about an hour to go time. I had regained my strength and prepped some carrots from the garden and the potato salad I had made the night before. I checked the fire and settled into a couple episodes of "Cops". I knew when Cops was over I would be charged with creating too delicious food. And boy was I right.

I had spent all day being teased by the smoke curling proudly out of MY smoker. I even checked out how it looked from the street. "Yep, she's a bit rusty, but boy howdy she can smoke." I practiced this in my head to say to any neighbors passing by, but alas everyone was already in their own yards also smoking. I had napped outdoors with smoke surrounding me. It had followed me into my house and into my dreams. This morning, the boy commented that we smelled like smoke. And it was true.
I think smoking is not just food, its an experience. One I enjoyed thoroughly. However the food itself...It was spicy, juicy, smoky...It was perfect. When I ripped a hunk off a leg this afternoon for a snack, it was even better. I can't wait to smoke more. To invite friends to sit all day and drink. To enjoy the outdoors, the fall air.

Overall smoking is a metaphor for how want to live: Slow. Hot. Juicy. And worth all the hard work.

We drank a mixed case of JW Dundees, which is one of our favorites, then the boy stocked up for Sunday football with Bavaria and a little treat of "Jack's Pumpkin spiced ale" Which was really quite good. I think I will make some pumpkin soup and buy some more to drink with it. With dinner we had a grenache/syrah blend from Penfolds. It went pretty well with it.

Mmm. I am grateful for smoke and sky.

Just FAB

Celebration for a good friend's birthday began with a few very well made martinis at Manuel's Tavern (Yes, martinis at Manuels!). And then off to FAB - French American Brasserie. It is the new incarnation of Brasserie le Coze which formerly resided at Lenox Mall. The boy and I are fond of the old version, and I was looking forward to the new location downtown and revisiting some french favorites.

We had:

First course

Ahi tuna carpaccio (ABOVE - actually a carpaccio whereas too frequently it is called this on menus but you are actually served a tartare or just slices of sushi grade tuna)

Escargots a la bourguignonne (RIGHT - I love these; their preperation was parfait!)

Fois gras au torchon, brioche croute, pickled bing cherries and vanilla scened gastrique (sigh. It's fois gras, so it's awesome, but with the cherries especially, and a lovely glass of sauternes the waiter brought...it was just beautiful.)

Main course
10 oz Mishimi Wagyu Flank Steak with Frites

10 oz Mishimi Wagyu Flank Steak Perigueux with seared fois gras, asparagus, truffle whipped potatoes, black truffles, and Madeira sauce ( the steaks were perfectly cooked and melt in your mouth - the frites sinfully crisp and rich, the truffle whipped potatoes disgustingly good...I almost licked my friends bowl clean...)

Flounder and Manila clams, jerusalem artichoke, pancetta ragout and Pernod Broth with garlic frites on the side (I never order the humble flounder or clams for that matter, but I adore pancetta and J artichoke, and quite frankly was intrigued by the combination of such earthy flavors with fishies and a pernod borth...my curiosity was rewarded with a complexity, tenderness and nouveau preperation...I enjoyed it wholeheartedly)

With the meal we had a bottle of Bourgogne Faiveley 2004. Good. Perfect with our meal.

Dessert was a creme brulee, pistachio profiteroles, cafe au lait, cappucino and a glass of port.

The service was outstanding. The decor charming and very french bistro...supercool black and white movies played at a small set at the bar. We were itnrigued. The ladies room was strangely located on the fourth floor, but it was lovely and we really look forward to when the rooftop bar opens...we shall be back.

OOOOOhhhh! So nice and happy. Didn't even want a night cap afterwards...went home and straight to bed to rub my belly and contemplate its contents.****

Pilau et Bordeaux

When I was in college the first time in Chicago, I was also working full time at the local Dunkin Donuts. I became very good friends with my co-worker, a young Pakistani woman named Rubina. One year she honored me by inviting me to spend the day and night at her house for her birthday.

I remember the party fondly. I was the only non-pakistani, and the only one over 5'5 (I am 5'10). They were very honored to have me. We sang songs, danced and ate. My goodness, the food. It was the first time I had proper pilau rice. (And I grew up with Indian friends, but their parents always made us American food) I remember seeing and smelling it as her mother pulled it out of the oven, an enormous amount of rice baked in what appeared to be a roasting pan. The whole house was filled with the lovely smell of that golden rice studded with cloves and little magic stars. It is such a delicate an ethereal dish. Not overpowering, not intense like curries, but the most perfect, gentle accompaniment...to anything.

To this day, I am transported by pilau. And there are a million and one ways to make it. I favor easier ones and you can pretty much alter this general recipe to taste or to what you have in the pantry, but the general idea is:

Saute 1-2 chopped onions in olive oil or butter
Add 3-4 cardamon pods cracked slightly
a stick of cinnamon
5-8 whole cloves
3-4 star anise
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
Saute the spices with the onions for about 2 minutes, don't let them burn.
Add 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice (though normal rice is fine too)
Saute for about 1- 2 minutes till rice is opaque
Add two cups water or broth and bring to boil
Turn down heat to 1-2 and simmer with lid on for 20 minutes
Remove from heat and let sit with lid on till ready with the rest of your meal
**Pick spices off top of rice before scooping or stirring...otherwise you will have the unpleasant experience of biting into a cardamon or whole clove!***
If you want add 1 tb of butter for richness

The flavor is so light, so transporting...I don't even use the butter I like it so much. Thank you Rubina for sharing with me.

Tonight we had pilau with dal (though I doubled garlic and ginger and added tomatoes...mmmm), smashed avocado, and wheat tortilla crisps ( Just cut up a wheat tortilla, brush with olive oil or fat free cookspray, sprinkle with fave seasoning and broil under low broil. Keep an eye on it and flip when brown to brown the other side . Literally takes 1-3 minutes. 1 tortilla per person is more than enough.)

The boy had a job at Watershed today and ended up bringing home a delightfully different bordeaux, Chateau Gaillard Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2003. This wine is not normally in our price range, but was not terribly expensive at $25. It had almost no fruit in it, so didn't pare well with our spicy vegetarian food which could have used fat plums or raspberry to land on, but it was remarkable nonetheless. A truly masculine wine consisting of mostly cigar, woody, smoky notes. It immediately conjured thick smoky steaks. I longed for a proper cheese or a piece of dark chocolate. The boy settled for snickers. I settled for another glass solo. A lovely surprise.

On the stereo:Beatles "Sgt. Peppers", Jimi Hendrix "Axis:Bold as love" and Bowie "Heathen."

One of our dogs, Heidi, likes pilau too.

We were grateful for: The boy was grateful for the wine, I was grateful for the food and the memories conjured.

Garden Party for One

Okay. I am a dork. I love my garden. I was lamenting earlier this month about how growing season is over, blah blah. But I spent a while in the garden this weekend (had to catch up cause I missed last weekend) and was pleasantly surprised to see all sorts of pretty babies in my little plot.

Let me first do a shout out to my boy's dad who introduced me to the concept of "Square foot gardening." The general concept is very tidy small gardens with an emphasis on variety and vertical growth. It worked perfectly for me. And the way it is laid out makes it easier to tend. I have unhappy knees which can make it impossible to crouch for long periods of time. With this style garden I could "scoot scoot scoot" on rear end and tend to my green haired gal's frequently changing needs with ease.

So I am scooting around in the mid day sun, the mosquitoes are ravaging me, and I am happily picking this and staking up that. I am blissful. Sun drenched. Surrounded by green happy. The air is gorgeous and about a sunny hour in, the sweet boy brings me an unsolicited beer (reading over my shoulder now he notes that it was "The LAST" beer in the fridge) and then runs back inside away from the mosquitoes. I take stock of my now fall garden where I have growing: sweet potatoes, nasturtiums, jalapenos, bell peppers, TONS of eggplants, arugala, radishes, basil, parsley, oregano, thyme and carrots. I have so many danged eggplants that I decide to pull some stuff and give to my girlfriend who is treating us to beer-can chicken tonight. I put it in my hat to make it look cool. Not sure if I succeeded. Maybe.

I finish in the garden and go to repot one plant when "huzzah!" I spot red on black. I run inside breathless to get the boy "It's red! That's bad right!?!?" I am jumping up and down like a five year old. He goes
outside with me and mutters "I hate those @#$-ers. It's a black widow." Wow...I have never seen one in real life...it really is kinda bizarre, quite large, and that red spot! I've seen brown recluses but never black widows. Yikes. I let him kill it while I looked out the kitchen window at him. I have determined I have gardened out back enough for the day and move to the front to mow the lawn.

Of course, there I meet the Latter Day Saints, and they patiently wait for me to turn the mower off when I can I fill the bag no more. I smile and learn I can reach heaven if only I read this pamphlet. Not to make too much fun of course. They only mean well.

God bless nature and all of our religions!

A Dang Hippie

A few tips from this morning's cooking. Now, I hate waste. We recycle everything and compost our vegetable trash. I feel like I am becoming a dang hippie, but really I am just trying to do my part. And it works.

We have to take out the one trash can maybe once every three weeks! My garden used NO fertilizer this year, just compost and grew like crazy, even in the drought. Anyhoo, on the weekend we eat leftovers from the week, and usually, if there are any vegetables or fruits that didn't get used, I will try to use them up, versus letting them go bad and throwing them away.

This morning we had five apples. So I peeled, cored and chopped them. Sauteed in a little olive oil (butter would be richer, but I didn't have any) I put half in my pancake batter. The other half I mixed with a little brown sugar and threw back in the pan and then served it on top of the pancakes with a little honey.

Other observations:
Soymilk makes a fluffier pancake that regular milk. I even used chocolate soymilk today. No it didn't affect the taste at all.

My girlfriend gave me a mortar and pestle for my b-day a year or two ago, and everyone always makes fun of me claiming it a rather decadent kitchen tool. Well, I actually use it alot. This morning I wanted to use some dark brown sugar in the pancakes and the apples, but of course it was hard as a rock. Mortar fixed that in a second. Thank you mortar, and you too pestle.

As a segue, a good tip if you need a "mash" or "paste" but have neither mortar/pestle, blender or cuisinart, I used to put items to be squished in a ziploc and either smash it with the bottom of a beer bottle or wine bottle, or step on it. Take to remove air bubbles though as you will explode food all over.

A final tip with my "end of the week vegetables" is that you can always make a soup. I just look at what I have to use and then type it in google with "recipe" and something will come up. Who knew there were zucchini and apple soups? Now I do! Eat half and freeze the other half for a night when you are too tired to cook.

Greener, Cheesier Pastures

I couldn't stop thinking about the cheese from Trois the other night, so i searched for it, and found it fairly easily, and very very well priced. Its a Georgia dairy, Sweetgrass, made cheese! Ah, god bless the new age artisan cheese movement. Even better, they have it in town at Star Provisions, Alon's and other good excuses to blow money there. I want to go now!!!! I keep thinking about its creamy buttery flavor...I always thought cambazola was my favorite ever...now I'm not sure, but I must have more to find out!

Must...stay...away...till...birthday...Save...money...

The Four P's

This past weekend was spent quietly and quaintly in the GA mountains, just the boy and I. I won't give you a play by play as we were pretty laid back on food prep...but a few highlights from the weekend include:

Green Herb Risotto
This was pretty good, though kinda long in prep...I was more interested in drinking wine and watching ultimate fighting from the hot tub. But it was pretty decadent (though not high in fat) for a veggie dish. (Yes we even have veggie night on vacations...of course they are often followed by what comes next...)

Hot Dog Steamed in Beer
Care of Frank's Place, Ducktown, TN, a little bar on the edge of GA/SC/TN. Drank PBRS, ate hot dogs steamed in beer and really good chili cheese fries. The chili was spicy and flavorful, the cheese deliciously processed and melty. I am of the opinion that "real" cheese does not belong on cheese or chili cheese fries as it quickly becomes plastic like in texture as it cools, and frequently is NOT creamy or melty...These were good.

Agnello con Salsa di Uovo
No matter how you say it...lamb is good. I have had this recipe on file for a while, but it too was a little lengthy in preparation. Though this time I didn't mind as we were playing scrabble with a game that was missing about 16 letters, so our turns took a little longer than normal. So while one of us tried to come up with a word, the other would take the next step of the lamb. It was rich, and lemony...the perfect light tasting, yet deeply flavored, hearty braised meat to segue into fall and winter with. Went well with smashed potatoes, no need for butter or milk, the rich egg sauce was all you needed. If you want this recipe email me and I will send it to you, but it's too long to type!

The coup de grace was The four p's: Pancetta, Parmigian, Pepper and Popcorn. Our first football snack of the year. (Okay, I admit we ate a bag of cheetos first! - our first homemade snack of the season.) Yes, I made popcorn in pancetta renderings. When I brought the snack down to the boy he looked at the popcorn and said "Oh my god did you just make popcorn with bacon fat?" I smiled sweetly at him and nodded. "God I love you," he replied.

We were grateful for: a quiet weekend, the boy's straight A's, our happy little pups, the sweet and friendly Blue ridge folk.

So long soleil...

Tonight was a sentimental "end of summer" meal. It started when I got home at 7:30 and had to rush straight to the garden to pick before the sun went down. What the heck? It's dark at 7:30 already? It was dark at 6 this morning too. The garden, even here in the south, is going woody. Last planting for early fall today as I quickly tore out a final salad from some plots and threw in some sprouts, accompanied only by the mosquitoes who obviously have not gotten the memo about summer ending.

I had picked tomatoes, green peppers, arugula, mesclun and radish laves for a salad, a bit of fresh oregano for a dressing, but I ended up with one of those super simple salads that are a sign of the freshest, most delicate lettuces which highlight their subtle flavors and really need little more them, olive oil, a splash of fresh lemon juice and of course some nice salt and pepper. I topped the greens alone with some smoked tuna, which came from a can and was remarkable in flavor and texture compared to traditional tuna in a can, and even the whole ahi steaks I buy frozen...nothing compares to fresh, but dang this smoked stuff was WONDERFUL. Definitely a buy again. A tiny bit of freshly grated Parmesan on top, et voila.

We also had a soup which was very bizarre, intriguing, cooling and delicate. It was pretty simple to make, just yellow squash and leeks sauteed with coriander seeds in olive oil, simmered in broth and pureed. Let chill over night and then whisk in creme fraiche or sour cream and some freshly grated lemon peel. Salt and pepper to taste. I used veggie broth and no-fat sr cream, and it was insanely rich and creamy just the same. I swear: leeks + vegetables = magic as far as richness goes. The boy thought it was a banana or fruit chilled soup it was so light and delicate, like a custard. I did determine though that I wished I had (a) removed the coriander seeds prior to serving, even though they were scant, they were a little disconcerting to absentmindedly bite down on in the midst of a light citrus bliss and (b) I wish I had either a food mill to make the soup even finer/smoother, or that I had strained it. It's sunny disposition deserved a smoother mouth feel.

We felt like it was the end of the summer. And it is. And while I welcome with open mouth: soups with beans and bacon, rich roasts and potatoes a thousand ways, chocolate that is drinkable and football food in all its forms, I will always have a place in my heart, and my two sizes smaller summer clothes, for the light delights of the warmer months.

More than Trois stars

It's restaurant week in Midtown, and we ventured out to Trois, the third of Concentric's restaurants in Atlanta. We had a party of four and early reservations. The space is beautiful. The service was pretty good, if not perfect. They had "crumbers" ( a little metal tool to scrape the crumbs off your tablecloths and keep you tidy) which I adore for some reason, perhaps because they are rare these days. Not too sure how I feel about the poor waitstaff wearing white, and of course wearing obvious stains within an hour of service...but enough about mundane details.

The food was spectacular. All of it. I will definitely be back. We usually enjoy ourselves, and we have eaten at quite a few restaurants where the food is wonderful, but this was spectacular. The delicacy of the flavors. The balance between sweet, tangy, rich, light. Every course was just perfect. And you never know during restaurant week if you are going to receive (a) the quick and easy since it is prix fixe, or (b) a restaurant will try to impress the folks who chose to come out on this week, but might be lured back...This was b for sure. The menu was very tempting, and we had to veer off the Prix fixe because we just couldn't stand it. And so we began with.. ****

Pre dinner cocktail: the Trois green tea cocktail

Amuse bouche: Watermelon puree

1st course: Cheese
Goat Georgia pecan chevre (firm, unique)
Cow Green Hill (like f#$@ing butter, I will track this down and buy it)
Sheep Roquefort (loved by all, even the non-stinky foot cheese eaters)

2nd Amuse bouche: Curried carrot puree

Wine with dinner: Perrin & Fils Gigondas La Gille Rhone 2004

2nd course:
Beef Hanger Skewer with duck fat potatoes, Bearnaise (tender, luxe)
Heirloom Tomatoes with tiny basil, goat cheese, aged balsamic (so flavorful, the balsamic, almost syrupy rich)
"Toad in a hole" tuna tartar, brioche, brown egg and wasabi caviar (GOOD LORD THIS WAS HEAVEN - SO LUXURIOUS - THE STUFF FANTASIES ARE MADE OF. We HAVE TO STOP AND GROAN FOR A MINUTE OR TWO JUST THINKING ABOUT IT IT.)

3rd course:
Flounder Parisian cauliflower, capers, lemons, fine herbs (surprisingly flavorful)
Duck "sous-vide" breast, confit brick, green papaya salad (tender and sweet)
Suckling Pig, fried chickpea, morning radish, baby vegetables (crispy, succulent, rich, the stuff you dream about having on ribs...)

Dessert:
Cheese Plate (Yes another)
Goat Cheve Affin'e (Too mild for us)
Cow Green Hill (AGAIN, butter...like butta)
Sheep Brinata pecorino fresco (sharp, creamy)

Warm chocolate "clafoutis" with mint chip ice cream (aiight)

Ramos pinto ruby port (Good for the cheapest port on the menu)

**We are still fantasising about the toad in the hole...