TongoRad
-
Posts
658 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Store
Help Articles
Posts posted by TongoRad
-
-
Raw oysters with stout- simultaneously- an absolute classic!
-
At the risk of sounding like a bit of a caveman- that oyster appetizer looks amazing, but did you eat it with a spoon? I don't think I could resist picking up the glass myself...
Excellent photos- and I do have an anniversary coming up...
-
I really don't like the raw garlic flavor in babaghanous either, so that's a really intriguing solution.
My own method is a bit different. I have found that, to get the seriously smoky flavor that I prefer, the best way to char the eggplant is to do it directly on the gas burner. This, obviously, does a number on the skin so I finish the cooking process in the oven. The problem is that near the end of the charring process the skin cracks and juices start to make a mess on the burner- if the skin had been pierced from the beginning it would be a whole lot messier.
With my garlic, I roast some individual cloves, paper still on, in a dry pan on low heat until soft. The skin starts to burn a bit and gives some smoky character to the garlic as well. When done I remove the paper and mash them up into some olive oil, which gets added to the rest of the ingredients.
-
I popped open a Le Coq Imperial Stout last night, the 1999 vintage:
This was given a very vigorous pour- the bottle was at least 8" above the rim of the glass- and still only managed to give about 1/4" of a dark tan head. Color is a dark inky-looking brown/black. The head quickly disappears but is resurrected easily with some swirling.
Aroma is quite strong. There is a lot going on here- the dominant characteristic is 'leathery', but there is also an equally prominent barnyard quality. Then there's some sweet malt, coffee, spiciness (particularly anise), butterscotch, ash and alcohol. It is a very distinctive bouquet, to say the least.
Flavor is definitely 'not subdued'; it is perhaps even a bit coarse, but overall it is balanced in its own way. The mouthfeel hits you first- very full and bordering on oily. Then the roasty/leathery characteristics come on, merging nicely with a good quantity of bitterness. All of the other flavors- barnyard, spices, fruit, butter- come on late and linger a long time in the finish. The alcohol is there as a warming presence only, and not at all out of place.
Everything about this beer screams 'concentrated' and 'saturated' and probably takes some getting used to, but there is nothing else like it. I really do like this beer, though there definitely have been problems with consistency from the very beginning (my club split a few cases at the time). In general it lives and dies with how carbonated each particular sample is- the flat ones tend to be harsh and overbearing. This particular sample wasn't the best I've had, but it was up there.
-
But it looks like they got rid of the dank! The dank!!!!Flabby’s is a neighborhood beer-and-fried-food joint down the corner from my house. They’re known most for their “Flabby’s Famous Fried Chicken”. People even venture out of the ‘burbs on occasion in search of Flabby’s chicken – it has that much of a reputation. You can pick them out right away – they always have that sort of deer in the headlights look, because Flabby’s is always populated by hard-core regulars. It reminds me of Moe’s (the bar on The Simpsons) in more ways than one.Just kidding- I really do appreciate that photo, it's just hard to resist a Simpsons shout-out. Those Flabby's folks are definitely doing something right, that's for sure. They've been there a loooong time.
I gotta get back to work now, but excellent job on the blog so far!
-
Marsha- Re: the watermelon
At the risk of coming across all Monday morning quarterback, if your kitchen doesn't have a food mill you should look into getting one for just this sort of thing. On the other hand, it looks like you did admirably well under the circumstances. And the sorbet sounds tasty too.
I'm sure that some Maker's Mark will drown out that evil smell too
-
well, i got a registered letter from New Jersey Countryside saying my recipe was selected as the winner in the tomato category.
they also say i need to set up an appointment to be photographed, interviewed and bring all my recipe ingredients and the completed dish. hell, if i had known this i wouldn't have even entered. i don't want to be photographed and don't particularly want to go somewhere in in central jersey(i am assuming) schlepping my ingredients and a finished product. i wouldn't even make this dish at this time of the year.... anyone want to pretend they are me?
FWIW, I've been there before and I think I can relate a bit to how you're feeling. The thing is- in time you'll feel less self-conscious and nitpicky about how you look in print and eventually you'll come to see what a nice keepsake you and your family have. And congratulations! I also look forward to seeing the recipe.
-
For whatever reason I can only get the Victory Hop Devil and Golden Monkey by me, and I do like them both. Fortunately for me, my sister lives in Bethlehem, PA- so I called her up last week and asked her to bring a case of the Prima Pils to our Kentucky Derby party, which of course she said would be no problem. I don't know what took me so long to tap that resourse but, hey, at least now I'll finally get to try the Prima
Last night I had Redhook IPA (Ballard Bitter)- it was OK, nothing special- and Sierra Nevada Porter- still great, this beer has not lost a step at all.
-
Another idea that I thought might be worth considering is to make a late night foray to 5 Star Punjabi for some butter chicken. The place is ostensibly a popular hangout for Indian taxi drivers in the off hours. I've only pulled an all-nighter in the nabe one time, but I definitely made a point to go there and found the vibe to be pretty cool. I've also been during the day numerous times and found the butter chicken to be reliably very good. It's located on the Queens side of the 59th Street Bridge, just off of 21st.
-
I live in a part of town known at “Schnitzelburg” – it was originally settled by German immigrants. There’s a neighborhood bar on just about every other corner.
Doggone it, Marsha- that nostalgic feeling that I mentioned earlier has just been kicked into high gear. That's my mom's old neighborhood, and a great one at that! My dad used to hang out at Flabby's. We got out butter kuchens ( the bestest coffee cake in the world, with a gooey butter topping) at Heitzman's, just down the street from Check's Cafe if I remember correctly. Geez- I hope that they still make them.
Out of curiosity- have you ever run into the Louisville way of serving chili (which is essentially the same as Cincinnati style with the spaghetti and all, except there's no Greek slant to the spicing)? I think it's one of those regional things that isn't really known outside of its region. Or it could be a family thing, but I don't think so.
Your desserts do look fabulous, btw. (I'll just pretend I didn't see the wind tunnel muffins
- but, hey- it's all in the taste, anyway). Now I have two places to get cakes and pastries the next time I'm in town. -
In the local Kroger on I-45 on the way to Galveston, going to the beach, picking up some picnic supplies. Young couple in front of us has 6 cans of Redi-Whip and a bunch of bananas. Giggling starts. Giggling infects the checker. The whole check-out line dissolves into a useless pile of hysterically laughing humanity. The manager appears and tries to sort this out. No one can explain.
This really happened.
Bwah! It's funny 'cause it's true...
That reminds me of a bit from the Simpsons- where Marge is emptying a bag of groceries that Homer bought that included: a porno magazine, a box of condoms, a bottle of whiskey, panty shields, fireworks, and two disposable enemas- and remarked "Gee, I don't know what you've got planned for tonight, Homer, but count me out!"
Not that I've even considered doing anything of the sort...
Anyway, giddy anticipation is a wonderful and contagious thing
-
The poor mint julep gets abused all the time - even at Churchill Downs, they make a hideous bastardized quickie version to serve to the masses.
My first, and last one (btw), was one of those. This year marks the 20th anniversary, actually
I think I'm ready for another try. How's this Saturday sound? I look forward to your recipe and promise to do it justice. I'm not so sure about the silver cups, though.I don't know anything about Ascot, but it sounds exactly like Derby. The hats and the outfits and all.I seem to recall a certain 'lack of outfits', myself. Maybe I got caught up with the wrong crowd
-
I'm going to have to guess burgoo- I don't have any recent experience with eating it myself, but I've heard that they substitute more common types of meat in it nowadays.
I'm loving this blog, BTW! It's getting me all nostalgic. My mom is from Louisville and, even though I grew up in the NYC area, I spent a lot of my childhood summers down there. Oooh, what I'd give for a proper Butter Kuchen right now...
-
Thanks - any one in paricular that you recommend, and by chance would you have an address - the food sounds great - thanks!Tall order, that is...
I'm sure you will get a ton of responses that you will have to sift through and organize, but I'll get it started with this:
Try to hit one of the Caribbean Roti Shops of in the South Jamaica and Ozone Park area. You can eat very well for $3 to $4. 'Doubles' are curried chickpea sandwiches, made with two small round fried breads, dressed with a scotch bonnet pepper sauce. Very cheap, very good. 'Rotis' are larger flat breads, like a soft wrap, which are stuffed with curried potatoes, chickpeas, and either chicken, goat, etc. The price depends on the meat.
I frequent two of them, both quite good. Annie's Roti Shop is at 123-28 Rockaway Blvd. The other one is Island Cuisine Roti Shop, which is at the corner of Lefferts Blvd. and Rockaway, under 1/2 mile west of Annie's. I have also heard good things about Singh's, on Liberty Ave just west of the Van Wyck, though haven't been there yet.
-
Last night I encountered some strange bedfellows- Reissdorf Kolsch and Stone IPA. I found both to be excellent, but for different reasons. The Reissdorf was elegant and subtle while the Stone was powerful yet balanced. They both represented their respective styles well while displaying a certain personality.
Tonight started with some 'old reliables'- Saranac Adirondac Amber and IPA from a trail mix pack. Then I took a bit of a quantum leap to a Westvleteren 12. With this one I chose to take no notes, just to bask in its glory. But I do have another. All I can say right now is that the word 'magnificent' may be an understatement in describing this beer...
-
Of course, you're right about steinbiers vs. rauchbiers. Forgive me - my comment came out of my beer-addled brain.
I think we've all got beer-addled brains, I know I do. It's a giddy feeling, mostly...
-
Tall order, that is...
I'm sure you will get a ton of responses that you will have to sift through and organize, but I'll get it started with this:
Try to hit one of the Caribbean Roti Shops of in the South Jamaica and Ozone Park area. You can eat very well for $3 to $4. 'Doubles' are curried chickpea sandwiches, made with two small round fried breads, dressed with a scotch bonnet pepper sauce. Very cheap, very good. 'Rotis' are larger flat breads, like a soft wrap, which are stuffed with curried potatoes, chickpeas, and either chicken, goat, etc. The price depends on the meat.
-
Monica- do you make your own yogurt at home, or do you have a favorite brand that you purchase?
And, I think it is unanimous, your son certainly is adorable!
-
What about smoking it? One of the best beers I have ever had was a german stout that was somehow smoked, I think it was called a 'Rauschbier' or something like that (not sure on the spelling).
I believe (and I could be wrong) rauschbiers were traditionaly made by putting hot rocks into the wort. It's a good suggestion, but I won't be doing that. However, based on other threads, I was thinking of adding oatmeal to the stout ... maybe I'll smoke some oatmeal tonight.
Hey- don't bogart that oatmeal, man!
The beer made with the hot rocks is called a Steinbier. It is based on an old method of boiling the wort in wooden vessels ( no direct heat). The stones would acquire caramelized sugars during the boiling process and then be added back to the fermenting beer. Steinbiers have a slightly smoky, and richly caramelized, flavor.
Rauchbiers, on the other hand, utilize malted barley which has been dried over a wood fire. They are remarkably smoky. Some rauchmalt, i.e.Weyermann, is available to the homebrewer. You can even get Scottish peat smoked malt from Hugh Baird.
NulloModo- I haven't seen a smoked stout, but there are commercial smoked porters available. Alaskan Smoked Porter is justifiably famous, and worth picking up if you ever run into it. Unfortunately, I don't think it'll ever be available on the east coast.
-
My only concern would be if it is a good or a bad thing for eGullet itself to have a whole boatload of topics with a few replies in each, as opposed to having all of the tasting notes concentrated in groupings. Then again, I must ultimately plead ignorance on the subject. As a poster, I'm fine either way.
-
Making a starter of Wyeast 1028 right now ...
Excellent choice.
Share some of the heinous ways you are considering...
-
I'll vote for Chicken Tikka Makhani as well, but only because I just got a bunch of fenugreek leaves for another recipe and I'll probably dry the rest.
Self centered motivations aside, I'll look forward to either one though.
-
Monica -
When you buy the big box of curry leaves, are they dried or fresh? I can only seem to find the fresh ones at the Indian grocery store which I frequent, and for some reason I never end up making the dish I bought them for that night, and then it turns into a week, and the darn things have gone bad before I get a chance to use them... I'm sure they will taste wonderful if I can ever get my timing together...
People swear by frozen leaves. I just prefer to use them fresh. I think time it such that you can use it.. they are inexpensive now. The other thing is to spend five bucks and get a tiny curry plant. That way you have them when you need them. ANd they are always fresh. Heck even I can grow a curry plant.. trust me.. I kill silk flowers. So if I can do it, anyone can
I do use frozen leaves as well, but that is usually my extra stock when I buy a fresh packet and don't use them all. I just take the leaves out of the freezer about 10 minutes before I want to use them. Not bad, but fresh is always better. I'm definitely interested in getting a plant now, though. Would you recommend I look online for a seedling to purchase, or in a nursery? I grow a lot of herbs, but I don't think I've ever seen one. Would an Indian market sell this sort of thing?
-
nr706-
I'm with Susan then. American Stouts always make for excellent drinking.
Food & Beer Pairings
in Beer
Posted
Re: the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot paired with something sweet-
The other night I was snacking on some black pepper papadum with loads of date/tamarind chutney and decided to give the ol'Bigfoot a try. Surprisingly it was a completely neutral pairing, like the immovable object versus the immovable object, lots of strong flavors and sensations but nothing budging. Obviously one can always do a whole lot worse than a neutral pairing, but this one did not reach the levels that I had hoped.
And I have another one from the 'obvious file'-
Porterhouse steak with, well..., porter (Fuller's London Porter, preferably).