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rockhopper

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Posts posted by rockhopper

  1. Almost forgot about spaghetti carbonara - so simple, fast, and comforting. And not a lot of prep or cooking involved either!

    I particularly like Nigella Lawson's version of carbonara. Her recipe calls for a glug of white vermouth or white wine added to the bacon/pancetta, simmered down till it's syrupy, add pasta. Then mix it all together with egg, parm, s&p, chopped parsley.

    Too much. The original is fine by itself with a few simple ingredients. celebchefs are motivated to make things "their own".

    Boil water for the spaghetti.

    While it is coming to temp sautee with olive oil

    option 1) diced salt pork. this is the "original."

    option 2) a diced slice of bacon without "smoke" flavor. this is easiest in the US.

    option 3) guanciale or pancetta. You are solidly in foodier-than-thou territory now.

    Drain the spaghetti and place into a warmed bowl. Add a raw egg, the pork, fresh ground black pepper q.b., and pecorino.

  2. There's a "new" hot dog at Citizen's Bank Park - the "south philly".

    http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/90165317.html

    From what I can tell it's the same crappy Hatfield dog with Roast Pork toppings. Personally I think upgrading the dog would have been a better idea. And you'd think they might have thought of getting real hot dog eaters in on the tasting panels - like Mr. Fox or Mr. Eats (that is Holly's last name right?)

  3. On saturday we had a couple fairly authentic belgian waffles from La Bonte on 17th south of Sansom. The photo is one with pecans inside.

    IMG_0136.jpg

    The sesame seed looking things are belgian sugar. It's not pearl sugar that you will find in some places in belgium but the cook said it was another kind of belgian sugar.

    In belgium you get these handed to you in a little paper condom like a small fry from McNausea. It was a bit hard to cut with a knife and fork so I just picked it up in my impeccably clean fingers. They are made from a yeast dough and not a batter so the texture is not what Americans expect when you say waffle - sort of like that thing in Chicago that resembles my cat's litter box is not what I expect a pizza to be.

    The waffle is crispy and chewy. You don't need syrup. They have various things to work into the waffle. We also had a dark chocolate and strawberry waffle. (you see chunks of each in the waffle).

    I was hungry and one of them did it for me.

    ps

    I've seen reviews about awful service here. The guy with the beard who was at the counter and made our waffles was as nice as he could be. I had no complaints about the service.

  4. Your "trip over the bridge" really can just be a 15 minute ride on PATCO.

    Fuji is 1/4 mile from the station. (make a left, when you get to the Corner Beastro you are across the

    street from Fuji)

    I take PATCO from Haddonfield (I'm lucky to have Fuji right around the corner from me) to CC at night frequently so I wouldn't worry too much about whatever it is you might worry about.

  5. A couple of Philly sandwich-related links.

    First, Serious Eats gives a shout-out to the Philly Surf n' Turf, the beloved hot dog/fish cake combo.  They argue it's a kosher inspiration.  Click.

    And the good news: Playboy has named a cheesesteak as one of its best sandwiches in America.  The bad news: it's the cheesesteak from Pat's.  I'm sorry, but no amount of implants and airbrushing will bring that sorry sandwich into the winner's circle.  Probably NSFW link below:

    I read it for the articles

    Playboy also doesn't know from pastrami. The article says Katz's makes pastrami from brisket! Corned beef, yes. But pastrami is from navel! The writer probably ordered his on white bread with mayo.

    So what's your take on the "pastrami cheesesteak?"

  6. The tide of media opinion is apparently turning towards those who argue that the roast pork Italian is -- or ought to be -- the signature sandwich of Philadelphia.

    The issue was joined this morning in this Inquirer article.

    It's not the first time someone has raised the issue in the Inky's pages: columnist Karen Heller argued for the cheesesteak's replacement last summer.

    But she's since been joined in print -- and on the plate -- by others, including out-of-town judges, several of whom are cited here.

    It's now only a matter of time, folks, before Tony Luke's becomes a tourist trap too.

    OK - now I know for sure that no one listens to me. I've been saying this for far longer than Ms. Heller. Check my back posts. Go ahead. I've never been impressed by nor been a big proponent of the cheesesteak. It's been Roast Pork Italiano for me from the get go.

    But no one listens to little 'ol me. :rolleyes:

    Of course you're right that it's a terrific sandwich - and KH is right to praise it in the inky.

    Driving in to work I had WIP on the radio since I've had my fill of Michael Smegma's ego trips on 1210. They were going on about KH's article. It's not the first time they talked about something they are clueless about.

    Cataldi was doing his usual Zio Tommaso shuckin' 'n jivin' and apparently he never heard of an RPI. They sent an intern to John's Roast Pork (I don't think that's a bad choice) to get some cheesesteaks and pork to bring back to the office so the WIP experts could pass judgment. Bad move because I don't think either sandwich travels as well as a hoagie. They also had interns doing a man-on-the-street thing where they asked passersby which is better: cs or pork. No one said pork. But they didn't ask if they ever had one either.

    Cataldi said the pork had "no flavor". Yikes. The guy with the whiny voice kept going on about pulled pork - which is a different product . (and also a very good one. "our" pork is also shoulder but is prepared quite differently). They didn't like the roll either and started praising Amoroso's squishy cotton product. They hated just the idea of greens on a sandwich; not manly enough.

    So, any chance of the terrific roast pork sandwich replacing the sometimes terrific - but more commonly mediocre - cheesesteak as Philadelphia's #1 sandwich is slim.

    Personally I could eat an RPI several times a week. My viscera will allow me a cheesesteak maybe twice a month.

  7. Thank you for the suggestions. My wife just started a job near City Hall so Good Dog was between Kimmel and her workplace. Unfortunately for us they had a special happy hour when we walked in and the place was packed. So no go. (but will in the future without time restraints).

    My wife suggested the Indian place you mentioned but to be blunt, I think the orchestra should be the only thing making sound during the concert and not my digestive tract. We'll try that place another time. So we ended up at the Afghan kebab place on Sansom. Its not as good as the Afghan place near the Ritz in Voorhees but it was just right. Aushak is good, the pilau and the kebabs were also good. The server was very nice and since we were the only ones in there it was quiet. And my stomach was quiet during the concert...

    A bit off topic: The concert was the best of the year. Simon Rattle and the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philadelphia Singers are a terrific combination. The Berlioz is tough to pull off and they did it very well. We should be proud of our home town orchestra which earns its position in the top 5 every year.

  8. They are in the process of finishing the building of a Capital Grille in front of (or on the side of depending on where you're looking :) ) the Cherry Hill Maul. Near the new Nordstroms. I was wondering what it was about.

    Mind giving us details on your meal that you liked so much?

  9. Edison? Looks like they have a chain going. There is a Penang with the same lettering and dishes in Cherry Hill, Philadelphia and that Strip Maul across from Quakerbridge in Lawrenceville on Rt 1.

    Agree about the quality of the food. Don't hesitate to try it.

    Some dishes were very similar to what I ate in Kuala Lumpur.

  10. I was excited to find out that a frankfurter from a Pork Store in my town of Union, N.J. was awarded 2008 Reserve Grand Champion by the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) at the annual American Cured Meat Championship held in Cincinnati July 26th. This distinction went to the German style frank produced by Lutz Pork Store on Stuyvesant Ave. in Union.

    Way to go Lutz!

    Only one question. Why didn't ESPN televise this competition :)

  11. There's always Rajbhog in Cherry Hill, in the Springdale shopping plaza.  It has all the ambiance of a bus station, but the food is good.  Service is sketchy at best, and the language barrier (and I'm not really certain they don't speak English as well as the next person) can lead to confusion on your bill at times.  YMMV.

    Exactly right.

    And they will make you a fresh dosa. Bring an appetite.

    Subzi Mandi just off 295 exit 32 towards vorhees has a smaller chaat shop. It's attached to a large grocery.

  12. Philadelphia Inquirer reports Tony Luke's plans to roll out a whole line of his products nationwide including steaks, roast pork, broccoli rabe and rolls into supermarkets, home shopping TV and an online store.

    I'm not too sure how a frozen roast pork will be but I guess if I couldn't easily get the real thing, I'd try one. He's working with Rastelli Foods on the launch.

    The article goes on to mention his plans for more shops including a new one in NYC to replace the one that apparently failed.

    There is a new TL on route 33 near Robbinsville NJ.

    Don't know about frozen rpi. Like frozen white castle sliders I think it would be an inferior experience from the original.

  13. The last time I went to my dentist he took a look at my plate and

    said "Ugh! what have you been eating?". I'd been overdosing on Hollandaise

    so that tipped him off. He suggested I get a chrome plate instead. I asked "Why chrome?"

    He replied "There's no plate like chrome for the Hollandaise"

  14. the infamous Giambott omelet-on-a-roll, etc.

    I've not had this sandwich but am a bit confused.

    Giambotta is a pot of simmered summer vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant etc) .

    Do they make an omelet and pile it on top or mixed in?

    Or is it something else like a misnamed "bruschetta cheesesteak" at John's roast pork?

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