This Little Piggy Went to Market

A chance discovery at the Mt.P farmers market last weekend has me dreaming of the myriad uses for pork fat. On the hunt for ingredients for a traditional Italian dinner we discovered that Truck Patch Farm carries guanciale. (This being territory south of the Mason-Dixon line they call it smoked pork jowl, not guanciale, but same same.) It’s opened up some exciting territory for future meals.

Last weekend was all about Italia. FG was in town visiting. Per usual we started the weekend with wine and cheese. That progressed to delicious homemade muffins with KF and her charming mother. Saturday afternoon rounded things out with a tart fall salad via IAG. But that was all just a warm-up for dinner. Inspired by the guanciale discovery on a trip to the market between muffins and salad, FG made bucatini all’amatriciana.

It never ceases to amaze me how much flavor pork imparts to things it’s cooked with. Had a chat today actually about the flavor possibilities of pork vs. chicken vs. beef. Consensus found chicken to be somewhat lacking. And I had to plug the grassfed beef as being particularly flavorful. Plus I’m a sucker for slow cooked beef as well. And veal. Ok, clearly the girl from the dairy state digs her cows. But I have to admit that pork is rapidly gaining some ground for me as a cook.

Speaking of pigs, the pork shoulder that MN graciously smoked for us over Halloween was every bit as good as you think it was. Awesome. And remarkable to me what depth of flavor wood smoke imparts to food. I have serious smoker envy now. MN’s Is a thing of beauty to behold. Seriously. I’m looking for pictures so you can appreciate, and not having much luck. You’ll have to trust me. It’s gorgeous. And that pork. Oh. My. God. If he’s not careful we might make him smoke everything.

Anyway, back to the pork-tastic meal from last weekend. Truck Patch was also the source of some delicious Italian sausage which was broiled with cheese on crostini. Also finally found the perfect perch for some awesome sardines that JH brought me from Portugal earlier this year atop a baguette with butter. We were almost too full for the bucatini all’amatriciana. Almost.

It was a perfect, mostly local, and almost entirely pig and carb based meal. It was perfect.

If I was feeling more honest I would go back and revise my “Turkey Turkey Pig Turkey” post. It should probably read Turkey, Pig, Pig, Pig, Turkey. Not only was last weekend pork-centric, but we’ve dropped one turkey meal from the lineup. Not from any lack of interest in turkey per se, but more because I clearly have been distracted by other meals. Plus Thanksgiving needs my full attention this year—IAG and I just started planning what looks to be a lovely menu. Very, very excited. Stay tuned.

Ciao

There’s been much written about the demise of Gourmet. How it was an institution, how it was such a strong brand, how it changed the way we eat and helped people realize that eating is an inherently political act. And I agree with all those stances. In blog years the folding of the magazine was eons ago so I won’t retread what others have said, I just can’t move forward without at least a small perfunctory nod to my erstwhile favorite food mag.

In keeping with the theme of this blog I think what I’ll miss most about Gourmet (aside from the regular venue it gave Ruth Reichl) will be its invaluable expansion of what we consider “fit for human consumption.” And by “fit” I don’t just mean edible or delicious. I think Gourmet was one of a number of national platforms that helped people start to think about what their food choices mean, how food really does touch on every aspect of our lives from the purely superficial to the deep and meaningful. I believe that thinking about those things is very important, even in light of all the self-righteousness that has arisen around some sectors of the food industry (I’m looking at you vegan activists and militant locavores). There’s so much about food that has a larger context, and whether I agree with all sides of the issue or not, I do think the dialog itself was important.

So here’s my final toast to Gourmet, in all its glossy, pretty, fanciful food presentations, its top notch travel features, and some of its more serious endeavors. Thanks for helping us really figure out what’s “fit” to consume. You will be missed.

Turkey, Turkey, Pig, Turkey.

There was plenty of food consumed in the two (three??) months since I last posted. Meals made. Friends gathered. Menus planned. Plenty of ideas marinated as well. But nothing to compare with the next month. Not only are we in the thick of my favorite time of year-culinarily (yes i know that’s not a real word but clearly it should be so I’m using it anyway) and otherwise—but Hobart Street has been/is/will be the site of a considerable amount of edible riffing on fall themes in the next few weeks.

By the time December rolls around the capacious dining room tables at my house will have supported no fewer than three Turkeys. And dozens of friends will have gathered to give thanks for whatever it is they give thanks for, which with this crowd probably mostly means for the food, wine and good company.

We kicked things off with a lovely Canadian Thanksgiving celebration courtesy of Chef Jen B. Canadian Thanksgiving, it turns out, looks much like American Thanksgiving with the addition of some new-to-me desserts including a butter tart that is every bit as decadent and rich as it sounds.

We’re interjecting a Halloween open house into the Turkey Day line-up this weekend. Slow cooked pork will elbow aside the ungainly turkey for one night. As a total aside, don’t you just love the complexity you get when you slow cook things? It’s the ultimate example of patience rewarded. The supporting case for our pig, courtesy of neighbor Mike, will be a full barrage of comfort foods to fortify the neighborhood adults for the onslaught of marauding pint-sized trick-or-treaters that descend on the street. The flip side of living in a locale that closely resembles the friendly feel of Sesame St. or Mr. Roger’s neighborhood is that it attracts the same fans those shows did. Don’t get me wrong, Halloween is my favorite holiday on Hobart but I don’t think I was prepared for the sheer volume of hopped-up-on-sugar-kids we saw last year. This year I know better and we have a very VERY large pile of refined sugar products waiting to be distributed.

Once the costumed kids and the neighbors’ annual Halloween show have passed we’re into November. And November means Practice Thanksgiving. I view it as a dinner which let’s me experiment with more untraditional dishes that might not be ready to incorporate fully into the actual Turkey Day menu yet. But turkey number two takes its bow at this party.

Our final bird will mark Thanksgiving itself. Due to a number of factors—namely a family wedding and bit of travel fatigue—I’m opting to stay in Washington for Thanksgiving. I was calling it “Orphans Thanksgiving” for awhile, implying that we were picking up any strays who couldn’t or weren’t inclined to head out of town. But so many folks have opted to stay on purpose (myself included) that it really feels like a deliberate destination. Not so much a meal for orphans and strays as it is a pretty exciting gathering of some of my favorite folks. I’m more than a little bit excited. And not just because it gives me a chance to try out a few recipes before tackling a high pressure Christmas dinner for 35 in December (more on that mess at a later date).

I’ll try to take some good pics of the rest of our trio of fowl and the lone swine.

The Other Side of the Beloved Burger

After all of the Rah-Rahs for Burgers on this blog, I feel like it's only fair to include a link to this article, decidedly not Fit For Human Consumption.

Taking Pastry Seriously

You could call me a Japanese Fanboy. My interest in Japanese history and culture started my senior year of high school, followed by a degree in Asian History and my current 9 year stint as a Sushi Chef. I'm just letting my bias be known before I gush here about the recently opened Mahoroba Bakery in Sacramento.

An aspect of Japanese culture I really admire is their attention to detail and drive for perfection. The Tea Ceremony is one example of this. About a thousand years ago they developed the absolute best way to make tea. And then they stuck with it. Kikkoman Soy Sauce, one the bigger soy sauce makers in the world, has been around since the mid 1600s. That's a serious company history. In the sushi bar, many people are surprised to learn that in Japan, Sushi and Tempura are (beyond the tourist areas) not available at the same restaurant. It would be un-Japanese to specialize in two things, therefore specializing in neither. It is this cultural trait that puts them on top of the electronics and car industries. They take it seriously, whatever "it" is.

In this case, it's pastry. Pastry and bread in Japan is, like their beer, a relatively (in the last hundred years) new phenomenon. Their word for bread "Pan", is the same as the Spanish word, not out of some cosmic coincidence but because bread was brought to Japan by Portuguese and Spanish trading vessels in the late 1600s. They took it and ran with it, apparently all the way to Freeport Blvd in Sacramento, California.

This is usually the section where the writer divulges the secrets of the Japanese baking process, the special techniques, ingredients etc. that you could use at home to recreate the kind of pleasure you get from eating a pastry from Mahoroba. But the truth is I have no idea how the pastries they offer transcend the Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kremes of this country, but they do. To write a true review I really should have just sat there and sampled all the varieties (20-30) but I didn't want to put my health on the line for this article.

I can tell you that the white chocolate ones, soft, rich bread, surrounding a creamy white chocolate center, may have been made by an angel. If you're not into sweets Mahoroba offers Chicken Terryaki mini pizzas which are also excellent. My favorite (and pictured here) are the Red Bean Paste, Strawberries and Cream. The term "Red Bean Paste" conjures images of Mexican food stuffed into a donut, but I assure you it is very different. Sweet and smooth, it adds a heartiness to the pastry that gives the eater a sense that maybe they are getting some health benefits from this piece of Japanese Pastry Genius after all.

Regardless of what they fill their pastries with, I'll be back, again and again. And as far as a true understanding for you my readers, well you're just going to have to go there.

Lentils du Puy

I have an odd food shopping....let's call it a quirk. I'm prone to purchasing new ingredients after an interesting recipe gets me all fired up. And I'm particularly intrigued by bulk bins. Unfortunately my follow through doesn't always match my initial enthusiasm. I've made it my unofficial project the last week to try and use up some of the myriad grains, legumes and various sundry other pantry items I've collected.

It's lead to some surprisingly satisfying meals. And further experimentation is definitely warranted. Quinoa was a bit of a revelation. Clearly I have not been a vegetarian...well ever, but somehow I missed out on some of the staple grains. The "kitchen sink" style quinoa salad I made on Sunday needed some tweaks, but it was surprisingly easy and tasty for something so healthy.

But tonight's project topped it. In one shopping fit I purchased multiple lentil varieties. And aside from a decent side for fish one night I haven't touched them since. I move the pretty multi-colored mason jar housing them almost daily to get at other items in the cabinet, but haven't felt inspired. Tonight I finally managed to make use of some of the contents in a lovely, easy meal made up of a mash-up of a few different recipes.

Lentils du Puy are small dark lentils, they're often described as green but I honestly think they're more indigo or purple. From what I gather they are traditionally from the Auvergne region in France. The provenance of mine was by way of Whole Foods, so I can't vouch for the authenticity of their native land. Tonight's dinner was inspired in part by a vegetarian take on another recipe and in part by a blog I read about one woman's favorite lunch from a Paris bistro.

Essentially it's lentils cooked in white wine with eggs. So simple, but SO delicious. I'm continually amazed at the complex flavors that wine and fresh herbs give the most basic dishes. I add wine to a lot of things, it's probably what drew me to this recipe. I tend to add a splash to any cooking broth or sauce. Even a recent attempt to make pesto for a pasta salad with limited kitchen tools was remedied with a splash of wine--with decent results I must say.

Regardless, here's the basics of tonight's foray into the Great Cabinet Purge. There are pictures, but cooked lentils aren't particularly photogenic. You'll have to trust me, it was very pretty. Enjoy.

(Guide to my abbreviations: C=cup; T=tablespoon, as opposed to t=teaspoon)

Lentils du Puy Cooked in Wine, w/ Eggs

1/2 C lentils
1 bay leaf
1/2 C wine
1/2 C broth
1 med onion or 2 shallots, chopped fine
1 T flour
1/4 C parsley


-boil the lentils and bay leaf in water until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and set aside.
-saute the onion/shallot in oil until tender.
-add wine, broth, flour and the cooked lentils.
-bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
-add parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
-fry two eggs in oil/butter, leaving yolk runny
-serve eggs over lentils with a side of greens
(note: I added some shredded aged gruyere, just because, but I don't think it's necessary)

Lazy Hazy Summer

The dog days of summer have hit with a vengeance. A week’s vacation, followed by the requisite crazy week at work that almost (but not quite) makes you regret the time off, coupled with the first dismally hot spell of a D.C. summer have sapped me of the will to do anything productive. The blog is clearly suffering as a result. Cooking and eating have, however, continued unabated. So here, in lazy list form is a synopsis of recently test driven recipes and food other people fed me since my last substantial blog post.

• Grilled pork loin with pineapple basil salsa. The basil really really made this one. I’ve tried it a few different ways, really it’s the salsa that makes this worth trying. Simple. Delicious. Repeatable. And has officially replaced mango salsa as my fruit based condiment of choice.
• Plums cooked with rosemary, sugar and juice over any kind of cream based goodness. It’s equally awesome with a dollop of mascarpone, sour cream or whipped cream. I think it’d be equally phenomenal paired with Greek yogurt, ice cream or quark.
• Fresh tomato sauce with capers and olives over penne. Needs some tweaking, but I’m developing a mild obsession with capers. I plan to revisit this one.
• Raw oysters and clams on the half shell eaten on the dock, with a steamed crab follow up. Clearly this was not a cooking episode, but to the cousin who kindly shucked them all for us: my thanks. Yum.
• Quinoa salad with grilled veggies and a champagne vinaigrette. I’ve been intending to try cooking quinoa for months. Finally did it. And surprisingly loved it! The specifics of the recipe aren’t as important, it was a definite kitchen sink approach, but glad to find a new grain to play with.
• JH made some seared tuna steaks after our fish market trip (more on that later) that were outrageous. She served them with some soy, ginger, sesame, wasabi sauciness… Awesome. Plus an Asian cole slaw on the side that might have changed my opinion about cole slaw forever. Seriously.
• Cod steamed on the grill with capers, dill and lemon, also procured at the fish market, see above. Never ceases to amaze me how buttery cod can be without the slightest bit of actual butter added. Awesome. And another caper-obsession fueled dinner.
• Have had bbq ribs (cooked by others) twice in the last two weeks. I’d forgotten how awesome they can be. Messy and a bit carnal, but delicious. One set was wet, one dry. I know bbq purists tend to favor one over the other depending on their personal style, but I have to say I love both. The dry rub on the most recent set was amazing, and even better the next day. And the ribs done with sauce were also great.
• IAG rolled fresh picked peaches and goat cheese in chicken. And grilled it. Enough said.
• Got my fill of Country Market pies on vacation with the whole fam at the beach. They’re an institution in our family. Strawberry rhubarb, peach, berry. If I could make a pie crust half this good I’d be a very happy girl.