HungryChris

We do break out the reds from time to time, but it's usually on a special occasion. I managed a restaurant for a few years and the sight of those "rose wood handled " steak knives after they have been through the dishwasher several times a night still puts me off. HC

Last night was steak night. An abundance of fresh cut chives mixed with sour cream, made the baked potato a costar. HC

Some years ago, after watching a documentary about the Dabbawala lunch delivery system, I happened to spot this at a yard sale and, like Anna, had to have it. We use it for cold salads for picnic lunches at the Brimfield, Ma. flea market / antique show. Not real practical, but fun . HC

Scrapple, like beef tongue and head cheese were things I was introduced to at a very early age, before I developed any of the taboos that stalk many of us in life, and I am grateful to this day for that, but I do have a thing about herring that allows me to relate. The first time I tried to cook fresh sardines, I was so overpowered by them in the cleaning process, that they ended up buried in the garden. I was able to pull it off the second time around and now fresh sardines are something I seek out so change is not impossible. HC

I took my little trailer to a local farm that sells composted cow manure on Saturday mornings. I got 2 yards and spread it on the garden and shrubs. When it get a little drier I will till it in. It worked wonders on the garden last season. HC

If eggs and toast are classmates, scrapple and hot salsa are serious lovers that turn the hot sauce into mere bystanders. While I'm on the subject of scrapple, I have taken the liberty of documenting my current approach. In the past, I would buy it frozen and thaw it out and then be forced to consume the lot rapid fire. Now I thaw it, freeze it and repackage it in IQF fashion. HC

Fresh local sea scallops, Shelby fries (thanks again for the great method, @Shelby) Maytag blue cheese slaw, leftover potato and cucumber salads. I made a small batch of hot salsa tartar sauce for myself, but Deb, the purist, went with ketchup. HC

It looks a bit like a Mumbai lunch box that would be delivered by a Dabbawala. HC

Spatchcock chicken, Dijon mustard, Italian dressing, copious amounts of garlic powder, salt and pepper. This was grilled at 375 over indirect heat for 1 1/2 half hour. A cucumber salad was the only side. Anything else would have just been leftovers. HC

Chef salads last night. HC

We observed the fried clam season opener today. If I had driven up to Ipswich or Essex, MA and had these, I would have been disappointed, but these were passable in Moodus, CT. ....And yes, @rotuts, WBC! HC

Snow crab! These were not huge, but they were nice and clean and sweet as could be. HC

Bruschetta pomodoro e basilico on wispy thin homemade bread crostini. I do not like the way crispy crusted bread goes soft when you bag it, but neither do I like the way the sliced surface of the bread dries out, so I slice off that thin crust before using the bread and discovered that those slices make excellent crostini when toasted. HC

Stuffed cabbage and butter and sugar corn, both from the freezer. HC

Deb's BIL's chickens are back in egg laying mode. Over easy with homemade no knead toast. I just planted zucchini in the cold frame, so I thought it was about time for a refresher course of fried zucchini. HC

I have been watching my marinated mushrooms disappear with some dismay, lately, so when I happened to see fresh mushrooms on sale at Aldi yesterday, it all came together. Three and a half pounds along with a thinly sliced medium onion is just about the right amount for a 2 quart jar that lasts me a few months. HC

Shrimp fra diavolo. This time I made an effort to have my mise en place, in place, because the last time I tried this, I left out a bunch of stuff and it was good, but not great. This time it was much better! HC

I put the last few slices of a corned beef into a toastie that was pretty good. HC

Here are some ramps that I bought last year at the Union Sq Green Market and planted. Here are some that I planted some ten years ago. HC

I worked outside all day yesterday and was so tired I could not eat much at dinner (linguine with clam sauce). I woke up this morning and was ravenous. Can you tell?

Quite often, I will ask Deb what she intends to make for dinner tonight, which I did yesterday morning. "Hot dogs" was her reply. Deb will make a big pot of great spaghetti sauce on occasion, but that is the extent of her interests in the kitchen. So what she was really saying is "How about we have hot dogs?" I accepted the challenge. She asked for onions and cheese on both of hers. I opted for one with chili, cheese and onions and one with sauerkraut, mustard and onions. I decided to celebrate the first fresh chives of the season atop some homemade potato salad. It turned out to be a pretty good meal that we both enjoyed. HC

It was so long ago that I cannot remember the details about the food truck, but it is what it is. I am just reporting the facts. I thought it was an unlikely combination, but a great sandwich, nonetheless. I am not asking for your permission, or your approval, just stating the facts and after eating my own recreation, from my memory, I have not a single apology about the ingredients. It was, after all, an effort to recreate an old experience, which I found quite successful. HC

There was a sandwich from a food truck many careers ago that I greatly enjoyed. It was fried fish on a roll with American cheese and tartar sauce. Yesterday, while I was buying haddock for last nights fish and chips, I bought a little extra with this sandwich in mind. I crisped up the roll in a hot oven, while I fried the fish. It was better than I remembered! HC

Fresh haddock fish & chips with spicy kimchi tartar sauce. HC

Sesame seared ahi tuna and hickory smoked salmon. I like to first work on the tuna , dipping it into the kicked up soy and sesame oil. Then I go after the more aggressively flavored, but equally good, smoked salmon, using the marinated onions and mushrooms as a pallet cleanser between bites. The cold local IPA, Already Taken, goes well with everything. HC