Anna Friedman Herlihy

Yes, in the back of my mind I was thinking of adding a tripe soup, but that depends on whether I can source good quality tripe in the next couple days. But the broth with liver dumplings sounds like a great idea too! In fact I can just cut the liver paté from the charcuterie plate (or make it smaller--or stretch it by whipping it into a mousse--even better), and have plenty of liver for pork liver dumplings and there are plenty of pork bones in the freezer to make a nice porky consommé. Thanks much. Great suggestion. In fact two of my dinner guests particularly love the liver dumpling soup at this German restaurant we've been to together. Plus that gives me another country of origin for the cuisines.

Thanks for the pig's ear idea. Sounds like it ends up much crispier than Henderson's. So I will try that for sure. Have plenty of both duck and pork fat on hand (in fact rendering lard as we speak). I've done faggots for some of these folks before--one of the ways I've gotten people to eat liver that hadn't eaten it before. They are great (but such an unfortunate name in this day and age...).

Okay, So here is my working menu. This should make it a bit easier for any thoughts, suggestions, comments, etc. As one can see--much influence from Henderson and Fearnly-Whittingstall. Keep in mind these are SMALL plates! Offal is rich. Like one small piece of marrow bone per person rather than the three or four one gets at St. John. I will be cooking for a maximum of eight people (all my kitchen and my selection of dishes and cutlery can handle). Charcuterie Tower: Pork Headcheese (melange of recipes), Rolled Goat's Spleen (using Henderson's pig spleen), Pickled Cow and Pork Tongue (my recipe), Poached Goat Brains (using Henderson's Cold Lamb's Brains), Pork Liver Paté (my recipe), Smoked Goat's Liver (Fearnly-Whittingstall); usual accompaniments Sautéed Chicken Gizzards with Pomegranate Sauce (from Bsisu's Arab Table cookbook--one of the most interesting recipes for gizzards I found); looking for something to plate this with--grilled fruit? a starch? Roasted Marrow Bones with Parsley Salad (McLagan via Henderson) Paprikash of Goat Offal (Fearnly-Whittinstall) with Parsnip Galette (my recipe) Ox Heart with Orange Cognac Gastrique (recipe I'm creating); Watercress and Mandarin Salad with Crispy Pig's Ear (a melange of recipes) Deep Fried Pork Liver with Sweet Habenero Bacon Dipping Sauce (recipe I'm creating) Duo of Spicy Asian Chicken Feet (my recipe, well, really a melange of recipes) and Chinese-Style Pig's Trotters (Fearnly-Whittingstall); looking for a veggie/starch to plate this with--was thinking that I could use my square plates with each protein on opposite corners and something complimentary down the middle Pied de Cochon Ste. Menehould (Fearnly-Whittingstall); mustard sauce, rutabaga purée, kale (this is taken off the bone and baked with a crispy breadcrumb coating for those not familiar) Braised Goat Head and Neck with Anchovies (take on McLagan's agnello all'acciuga), Fingerling Potatoes My main question would be is the Asian-influenced selection too odd? I do love both fatty/cartilage-y pork and chicken feet that way (and in fact, have never eaten or made chicken feet any other way). I tried to lead into it and away from it in a way that made sense. Also how's the general flow. The one thing I'm not happy about is the two pig's feet in a row, but couldn't think of how to rearrange that to still flow well. I'd like to end with the goat's head, both for dramatic effect and also because of the complex flavors. Also as you will notice, I'm drawing blanks on some of the accompanying starches and veggies, and am open to suggestions for others when I have already specified something. Nothing is set in stone at this point (other than the proteins in the freezer that need to be used). If anyone's interested in specific citations for which recipe I'm using for what, just let me know and I will post. Would be interested in opinions on which headcheese recipe is better--Henderson's, Fearnly-Whittingstall's, Ruhlman/Polcyn's? (All quite similar, though--I will probably just use all three as guidelines.) As for dessert, with all the plates I will need to serve the above, I have only cereal bowls and things like martini glasses, highballs, coffee cups, etc. to use for dessert. So I think I will have to do some sort of custard, cobbler, mousse, or other similar dessert. Actually maybe my lemon-celery mousse recipe would work nice for dessert. But I'm especially interested in thoughts for that course. Thanks again for any input! Will be sure to take pictures.

Yes the Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad is definitely on the menu (although I find that the recipe in the Bones cookbook comes out better--the soaking the bones step is a good one--although I've never actually tried it with veal bones, only beef bones). In total agreement about the textures--I definitely don't want to make all terrines, or all braised dishes....but I do need to do a decent amount in advance, so I will have to have a number of things like that (although heart and tongue when braised have entirely different textures). In fact, if anyone has any good ideas for crispy/crunchy preparations, I would much appreciate. I was thinking of battering and deep frying pieces of liver and serving with a sweet/spicy/bacon-y dipping sauce, but have never deep fried liver before. I was also thinking of separating the ears off the pig's head and doing the crispy pig's ear recipe. Should be able to post some more concrete thoughts/ideas later today and would love some feedback.

Dear all, I'm finally planning a dinner party that I've been wanting to have for several months now--the Variety Meats Dinner! I've been stockpiling various parts in the freezer for the past couple months, and I now have a critical mass for tasting portions for about 10 people. My goal is to get more people in the world to appreciate the "nasty bits". I've won over quite a few converts to liver, so now it's time to push the envelope further. I'm just now starting to work on the menu (just got back from being out of town for the past three weeks), with plans to have the dinner on Sunday. I haven't figured out anything definitive yet, and I'd love to hear any suggestions you all might have. As for the parts, this is what I have: One pig's head (with brain inside) One goat's head (minus brain--see below) About two pounds of sliced pork liver A goat liver A cow heart, pig heart, and goat heart A cow tongue, pig tongue, and goat tongue A goat brain A goat spleen Four pig's feet About two dozen chicken feet A large bag of chicken gizzards Some beef marrow bones Two pig kidneys (I know you're not supposed to freeze them, but I was overwhelmed with kidneys, so I thought I would see what happened) I think that's it; though there may be more to post when I dig everything out of the freezers downstairs. Plus duck fat and lard. I also have four venison shanks that I might add to the mix for something a bit less adventurous. I'm also thinking of picking up some tripe to make a soup course. For sure I'm going to do some Fergus Henderson recipes (especially the marrow bones, and maybe the pig's head) and I just got the Fearnly-Whittingstall Meat book, so I'm sure there are some good ones in there. Also have several charcuterie books for patés and the like. Unfortunately I had meant to order the Fifth Quarter, but didn't get around to it, so I will have to leave recipes from that book for another party. I make good Chinese-style chicken feet, but don't know if that strong flavoring will go with the rest of the menu (which presumably will take on more of a continental flavor), so other thoughts for those would be great. I'd like to try to make as much as possible in advance, so terrines, pates, things that can be braised and reheated, etc. would be great. As for equipment, in addition to all the usuals, I have a charcoal grill, wood-fired smoker, vacuum sealer for doing sous-vide (thought maybe that might work nice to tenderize the heart muscles?), sausage casings and stuffer, meat grinder. I'm also really interested in thoughts for dessert. My inclination would be to make something very light, like a zabaglione with berries or some such, to counteract all the heavy tastes and fat, but would entertain other ideas. Also thoughts about wine or cocktail pairings. I personally love a nice medium-dry sherry with liver. Thanks in advance for any thoughts! As I go through my cookbooks for ideas in the next couple days, I will post more.

We ended up going to Rasika for the birthday dinner which was lots of fun and very tasty! The atmosphere was good for a large birthday group, as we could be plenty boisterous without disturbing anyone given that it is quite a loud restaurant. My brother and I did eat at Komi on Tuesday and that was a truly fabulous, memorable eating experience. We got the big tasting menu and while everything was superb, the roasted goat shoulder that comprised the main was among the best pieces of meat I have eaten anywhere ever. Also ate at Central Michel Richard and Brasserie Beck on other nights, the former quite excellent, but huge portions; the latter had some problems (mainly with inconsistent service--foh not telling their servers what tableware should go with the various food items--and a very overcooked steak that was supposed to be as rare as possible), but a friend of my uncle's had commissioned the dessert chef there to make a birthday cake that was really quite spectacular. If anyone's interested in my brother's music, you can hear some of it on his myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/jeffersonfriedman, and the string quartet #2 is available through Naxos (and iTunes). Next major performances are in Chicago (CSO) in June and New York (a chamber music festival) in April (I think). Thanks everyone for suggestions for restaurants! The pages some of you linked to were also very helpful.

Since this thread has morphed into a "name the bugs you and your loved ones have eaten", I just have to chime in. I actually really like most of the insects I've eaten. I've found they're actually best done "medium-rare" so you still have some squishy inside to contrast with the crunchy outside. (I know this will really gross out a lot of people.) Although the only bugs I've cooked myself have been cicadas that I dug up in my garden this summer (Chicago had a big periodical cicada emergence this year). The nymph stage is supposed to be the most delicate, which is why I dug them out of the soil, rather than wait to catch them as they just emerged from the ground. Gently fried in butter, with a bit of s and p, they were sooooo good. Tasted like earthy cashews with a crispy coating and melted center. Couldn't get hubby to try even one though. I'd actually like to try my hand at more insect recipes. I've had quite a few "overcooked" bugs, especially from street stalls in places like Thailand. At some point, after having been in the deep fryer for a while, they just turn into crumbly dry crunchy things. Kinda like spicy potato chips, but better when they're not cooked and seasoned into oblivion. Also have eaten live termites on a number of occasions. I kinda like how they crawl around in your mouth before you crunch them. But then again I like the sushi they kill for you right there and then so that it's still moving a bit in your mouth when you eat it. Anyway, insects are a fab source of protein, very little or no fat (although they're usually deep fried or sauteed, so that eliminates that benefit). And they are indeed related to crustaceans, so what really is the difference between sea bugs and land bugs?

It's next weekend's concert (the 4th, 5th, 6th); my brother is, of course, not Beethoven, but the other guy on the program If you have tickets for that concert, I think you will find the piece very interesting! The birthday dinner will be on the 3rd (Wednesday), so no conflicts with the concerts. And, yes, a bit last minute, but I figure mid-week we shouldn't have much of a problem if I make a reservation in the next couple days...(well, here in Chicago we wouldn't have a problem, but I guess I don't know about DC). We've all been too busy to figure something out until now (I write this while on a research trip). Again thanks for any other suggestions. We're all completely clueless about the DC dining scene.

Ah, unfortunately, we won't have a car (from their website, it didn't seem like they were near any public transport). We're all going to be in town for a piece of my brother's that's being played by the NSO, and coincidentally just after his birthday. So suggestions would be greatly appreciated for places that are Metro accessible or a reasonable cab ride.

Really, we're lovers of most foods, but particularly something honest, not too fussy, prides good ingredients over showmanship... Thanks in advance for any thoughts... Anna

Hi all, Just tried to get a reservation for 5 at Komi for my brother's birthday. But no luck, because they will not seat parties larger than 4--what's with that anyway? Tiny space? Anyway, had wanted to try that restaurant after reading about it in Food and Wine best new chef's issue, but it seems we will need to make other arrangements (can't make the birthday party any smaller). (BTW--is the restaurant really as good as it sounds? Like worth going to if we have a night there with a smaller party?) Does anyone have any thoughts on a great restaurant in DC that would seat a party of 5? Price is not really an object. Thanks! Anna

I always make hash a day or so after a corned beef (well, that is if my husband hasn't scarfed up the leftovers before I get to them). Everything diced. I use a bigger dice than 1/2" (maybe 3/4"?--not as big as an inch though). Fried in lard (or oil if no lard is available--I personally don't think butter tastes right for hash). And definitely low and slow. I start the potatoes and onions first, and when they are about halfway done, add the meat (I find the meat dries out too much if you put it in at the beginning). In my opinion, if the meat is properly seasoned, all it needs is a bit of salt and pepper on the potatoes and onions before adding the meat. As for your earlier question re: freezing. I did do some experiments with this, hoping to have better corned beef hash at hand than the canned stuff. I haven't had a ton of luck with this, but a home version of IQF works fairly okay, with par-boiled potatoes. But it's not really worth the effort. I find the meat itself freezes fine if vacuum sealed. So I guess if I had a bunch of leftover (rarity in this house), I'd just cut up the meat and freeze it, and then make it with fresh potatoes and onions. The red flannel version is perhaps my favorite breakfast food!

Dougal, Thanks for doing those calculations. Very interesting results! I love that I'm learning more chemistry than I ever did in school from my various cooking-related hobbies (in addition to the relatively new love of charcuterie making, that includes wine-making and organic gardening--both very chemistry-intensive). I did go with the bag method (gotta love those XXL ziplocs). The ham's got a date with the smoker and the oven for a party this coming Saturday!

Ah yes, a bag. Funny, I use bags for smaller cuts (and for whole animals), but hadn't thought of it for the ham, since it does fit in a pot, if imperfectly. Too bad we just used up the last of our XXL ziplocs at Burning Man. Will have to run to the store. Still curious about the chipped enamel pot--if anyone knows the answer, please weigh in. I have another ham and a bunch of hocks I'll be brine curing in the future. And curious about how adding more brine "slightly" changes things--i.e. within an okay margin of error for something large like a ham? Or not? Thanks much dougal and jmolinari for weighing so so promptly!

Hi all, Need some help with a ham.... Currently in the middle of making the brining step in the "Charcuterie" recipe for American-style baked ham. Problem is, there's not enough brine to cover the ham (part of the side pokes out). I think it would cover if I could lay the ham flat on it's cut end, but I don't have a proper pot big enough for it to lay that way. Well, I do have one, but I don't think it's a good pot for brining. (Maybe someone could weigh in on that too). If I add more liquid: Should I make more brine following the same proportions? (I'd need about half again as much, I think.) Should I just top it off with more water? (But I imagine that would change the chemistry of the brine too much). The bigger pot's problem: It's one of those old enameled iron pots, but it has a few chips in the enamel inside. So I'm worried about an iron taste leaching into the brine and/or discoloring the meat. Anyone know if this would happen with such a pot? If not, I can just use the bigger pot. Any input from you charcuterie experts out there would be much appreciated! Anna

I love eating alone, especially at fine dining restaurants. I travel a fair bit, and it's a great way to start chatting with people. Probably my weirdest conversation that got struck up was at St. John in London--guy at the adjoining table (dining with a co-worker) asked me how my marrow bones were since his were up next, heard my American accent and said he'd always wanted to get to DC because he loved DC hardcore bands from the 90s like Fugazi. Well, I spent many hours listening to those same bands in my early adult years--and my brother even toured with Shudder to Think once. This guy was from the middle of nowhere England, in London on business, never been to the States. I love those types of synchronicities. And yes, as a woman you do get hit on a fair bit, but personally I find it endlessly amusing to screw with the heads of those who can't take a hint that you're not in the market for a one night stand. Also many times I've had a drink or two or even my whole meal paid for by whomever I ended up chatting with even when it was clear that I was not available (gotta love people with big expense accounts). As for table vs. bar, I tend to be a bar person (easier to strike up conversations), but I also like tables if I'm in a reading mood instead of a chatting mood. Also--eating alone is great because you sometimes get taken for a writer/critic which leads to impeccable service, especially if you take notes or write in your travel diary while dining.

We had some snails in French Polynesia once that were so good we took the shells back to the hotel, cleaned them out, and brought them home as a remembrance! Still have them too. I believe they were land snails, not sea snails, but don't really know how to tell the difference. As far as I can tell, they were just steamed over wine.

Does anyone else have a lot more respect for Sara now? I'm impressed. Both with her knife skills and with her ability to supervise in the kitchen. Come to think of it, the editing treatment they've been giving her is kind of like what they did with Elia last season--not much to speak of until the restaurant wars episode. Then all of a sudden we find out that Elia's fellow chefs thought she was an awesome cook, and from then on she rocked.

Be sure to buy/obtain plenty of crushed ice! I do plateaux de fruits de mer for dinner parties on occasions (basically a tiered raw bar), and the first time I did so, thought I could just crush up the ice myself (we have one of those sno-cone makers). Too time consuming. The next (and all subsequent) times, I just get plenty of extra ice (for free) from the wholesale to the public place where I get the seafood. Ice companies will also sell you bags of crushed ice, if your seafood supplier is not as generous as mine. Keep the crushed ice in a cooler or in the fridge--not the freezer or it will freeze solid and be unuseable (speaking from experience here)--easy enough to drain off the extra water before use. I use high-sided metal serving trays (about 2" sides) with clean bar towels underneath the ice to soak up the melting water (otherwise you will spill a lot of water when you try to remove the trays). If you are planning on doing lots of oysters and clams, be sure to enlist help if you're not an expert in shucking them (very time consuming!). And best to buy one of those kevlar gloves to prevent injury (although my husband, who's pretty good at the shucking, just uses a dishtowel and has never impaled himself). I also second having a few cooked items for variety (and for those who won't eat raw). In addition to shrimp, I usually do some steamed mussels, and if going very fancy, some lobster tails.

Is anyone else shuddering to think about the possibility that one of Bravo's upcoming new shows might feature both Madonna's brother and the Strong Buzz lady? That could be why those folks were featured. Maybe a restaurant review show? One to review food and one to review decor. (Perhaps with Steven to review wine? Although poor Steven if that's the case--I do like him.) Just a thought.

Always bread or rolls with holiday meals and "special" meals (like birthdays, company, etc.). Often at other times, especially if it made sense (with pasta, stews, etc. to scoop up the extra sauce) and even sometimes when it didn't (both my folks spent some time living in France, and my dad went to grad school in Switzerland (Geneva), so baguettes in particular were a frequent fixture on our dinner table). I rarely serve it now, unless it really makes sense (e.g. a charcuterie or cheese plate or a brothy stew), with the grand exception of holiday meals when I always make homemade rolls (one of the few times during the year I make bread--wish I did it more often though).

Alex, I was thinking the same thing and a couple months ago was able to purchase a good-sized (it's about 3 1/2 feet tall) used wine fridge off of Craig's list for $100 specifically to turn into a curing chamber. Still haven't gotten it up and running for charcuterie, but it does hold temp at 55-60 degrees perfectly (been keeping beer in there as of late--don't like my beer super cold). Seemed easier to me than modifying a dorm fridge or some other to keep the proper temp. Although keep in mind if it has a glass door (like ours do--we also have one for wine), you will need to cover it with something to keep the light out (apparently light is bad for fat). I'm planning on making a curtain, so I can pull it aside and check on things without opening the door, but I'm sure some heavy paper (like poster board) taped over the glass would work too.

I love this cookbook (and his restaurants). I've made a number of the recipes ("made" being a relative term, as I never follow recipes exactly, but rather use them as general guidelines). I was also inspired to grow kohlrabi in my garden this year--a veggie I'm now quite fond of--after seeing them in one of the recipes in the book and also seeing them on the menu (and eating them) in his restaurants. So, let's see, book in hand, what recipes have I tried: Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad (at home every bit as good as what I had in the restaurant, and very easy--although I did soak the bones as per the recipe in the Bones cookbook) Lamb and Barley Stew (quite good, but very gentle) Deviled Kidneys (done with pork and goat kidneys, so far, not the lamb kidneys as specified) Braised Front Leg and Shoulder of Venison (this was awesome--just did a shoulder though) I have a pig's head in the freezer which I'm planning to use for either his Brawn or Warm Pig's Head recipe (the whole pig we bbqd for the 4th was a bit too big for the apparatus, so I had to cut off the head--waste not, want not--figured the freezer would be the best option for future, simmered use). Other recipes I'm planning to try in the near future: Dried Salted Pig Liver Pig's Trotter Stuffed with Potato (got some feet in the freezer too) Some of the lamb's brains recipes, if I can get the brain with my next whole lamb (last time they wouldn't give it to me, so I think I'm going to see if the farmers can use a different slaughterhouse). Also some of the other lamb offal recipes when I get my next lamb (in November, probably--hoping to arrange to get all the extra offal that the other customers don't want) And come to think of it, I've got two rabbits in the freezer that I was planning on cooking soon, so maybe I will try one of his rabbit recipes instead of my usual prep. All in all, I find it to be a very inspirational read--I skim though it quite often for fun.

I just cooked lamb ribs for the first time about a month ago--I just did them as I would pork ribs. Basic spice rub (with a bit of brown sugar) put on a couple hours before cooking, smoked low 'n' slow with a wood fire over a water pan at about 225 until the meat was shrinking back from the bones and they were about to fall apart. Sauced for the last 10 minutes (with my homemade apricot nectarine habenero bbq sauce). They came out awesome! Not too fatty at all. I also have a recipe that calls for starting them in the oven and finishing on the grill, but my opinion was why bother with the oven step--I'd rather have more smoke flavor. I've also cooked goat ribs the same way essentially (as part of a whole goat), and they also came out great. It's pretty hard to go wrong with ribs, as far as I'm concerned, as long as you know the basic technique (rub, low heat, water pan, don't sauce 'til the end). The only other thing I thought about doing (and may try next time), is basting with a vinegar mop. Not sure if it's necessary though. Oh, be sure to score the membrane between the bones so as to get plenty of rub flavor into the meat on that side of the slab. Enjoy your ribs!

Make veal sausage. Yum!