Al_Dente

Sorry, didn't go into work yet again today cuz of this damn back of mine. Oy. Since a trip to the grocery store is out of the question, I'll be ordering up a pizza. Have any favorite combinations? For both types of pizza-- you know what I mean. I don't have a delivery place that can bring me prosciutto with fontina and portobellas. So I think I'll go with my standby "regular ol delivery pizza" combination of pepperoni and black olives.

Thanks Nick! Yes, many people have admired my butt. I guess I'm just blessed.

Sorry Tom. You're by no means out of the running. I just wanted to open it up to a democratic vote of sorts. Of course, I could be swayed. I need a vacation. What perks could be provided to me down in Australia if I were to go there for a trip? Just kiddin.... It seems to me there was a recent Aussie on the blog. Am I right?

Hard to say. I've had a number of requests for repeat performances-- this vietnamese beef dish, puttanesca sauce on homemade pasta, timpano, various roasted/grilled whole chicken dishes, I'm all over the place. Plus, I have many requests for my butt: My big weak areas are baking, and classic sauces. Otherwise, I ain't exactly chopped liver if I do say so myself.

I fell in love with food much earlier than with cooking. I was lucky enough as a child to travel a bit and we ate in higher end restaurants quite often. I had my first lobster at 6, my first oysters at 8 (steamed, didn't try raw until 10). This was unusual in your typical WASP family not living on the coast. My mother cooked the usual meat and veg, and the most daring ethnic dish was spaghetti! But I loved eating in restaurants. She began to teach me the basics of cooking when I was about 8 or so because I was interested in the food. I began to cook in my teens and that was when I realized that a recipe wasn't always right, that I could trust myself to recreate a taste. Very few complained, and it snowballed from there. I began to recreate dishes I had eaten elsewhere, usually without a recipe. There were some horrid errors until I learned some tricks about combining herbs and spices! I had my first "dinner party" (4 courses) at 17 and haven't stopped since. A friend of mine became a chef and tutored me at home, with friends and eventually in his restaurants. It became my creative outlet, a way to enjoy time with friends and family, and sure made my SO's happy over the years. Many times I thought people were just being kind about my abilities, until I received multiple requests for recipes, to cook, or to help them cook when in their homes! The highest compliment I have ever received was from the chef friend (on a couple different occasions) that he "couldn't have done it any better, and wouldn't have done anything different"! Perhaps he just likes someone cooking for him! My apologies if this story was longer than intended! Looking forward to the blog Al/Mike! Great stuff. Thanks for that! Similar experience here with getting to travel a bit and try "exotic" stuff. At least at the time.

My fellow DCer. I shopped at Whole Foods. They had some great short ribs, and it's also where I got the anchovy paste and the fire roasted tomatoes. I recommend getting at least those ingredients there. Let me know how it goes! I've been seraching for a recipe with tomato paste. Picked up a tube at Rodman's over the holiday. I shall report back The tubes are the way to go. The cans suck-- you usually only need a tablespoon or two, and the rest is then wasted. I also think the quality tends to be better. But maybe that's my imagination/pain killer addled mind.

Oooh, also a side of sauteed swiss chard, done simply with EVOO S&P, was nice along side. Also served up some piccoline (sp?) olives for a kind of garnish.

My fellow DCer. I shopped at Whole Foods. They had some great short ribs, and it's also where I got the anchovy paste and the fire roasted tomatoes. I recommend getting at least those ingredients there. Let me know how it goes!

I was winging it, but let's see if I can give you an idea (I'm not much of a measurer): Brown 10 or 12 nice sized short ribs in olive oil. Do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan. Really get that heat high and get a good crust. Remove beef, and then saute a large white onion, 3 or 4 carrots, and a couple of big stalks of celery, all coarsely chopped in the same pot with some more olive oil. Once they're beginning to soften, add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste and optionally a tablespoon of anchovy paste (adds some body and saltiness). Also throw in some minced garlic-- maybe a tablespoon or two. Then return the beef to the pot, and add a cup and half of good red wine (I used a decent Cotes du Rhone), and the same amount of beef broth. Reduce heat to simmer, and let her rip for about 3 hours. Take out a rib, and sample for tenderness and flavor-- ideally with a glass of wine. Drink another glass of wine. If necessary, yet another. Drain the stew in a colander and remove the bones-- at this point that should be very easy. Strain broth for excessive fat. Return broth and strained ingredients to the pot. Then add some tomatoes. I used a can of diced "fire roasted" tomatoes. Really added a nice flavor and extra dimension to the dish. Just before you're ready to serve, add about 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley. Serve that thang up, garnish with some more parlsey, and dig in!

depending on the cut, you could make something similar to the braised short ribs i made this weekend. wow, it was damn good if i do say so my own self.

Ah, another kitchen impaired eGulleter. I don't feel so self conscious now. I've had one outside the U.S. volunteer for the next blog. A newbie from down under. I'm interested, but (and no offense to our Aussie friend), but how bout someone in Italy? Spain? My plans this week-- dinner at some point somewhere worth reporting about. Any local eGullet types up for such a thing? Ms Uptown? Since you're to blame. I will cook at least one meal this week, and I'll try to fit in a few good lunches at work. I work in Silver Spring which is quite the culinary wasteland. But, on the good news front, I'll be heading to NYC this weekend. I hope to make it to a few good restaurants, and a trip to Arthur Ave would be cool. I'll be there from Friday night until Monday afternoon. I'm going to write my food biography in the next day or so. Kinda let you in on the role food has played in my life and how I got interested in cooking. If I can write it down eloquently, it shouldn't be without its charms. So, Uptown did a great topic with food memories. My query is similar. When did you realize you had an interest in food? When did you know you had a certain flair for cooking (if applicable)? Has anyone raved about a dish you made? If so, whom? And why? Were you at all suspicious they were just being kind (I know I have)? Well, have a great night, and I hope you had a delicious dinner tonight. Al

Didn't Rick James write that tune?

You could get some shackles and chains anchored to a slab of concrete. Make the chains just long enough to go from the sink to the dishwasher.

chili... chili... chili chili chili

Confederacy of Dunces. If you've never read this, check it out. One of the funniest novels I've ever read. Takes place in New Orleans. Did he ever sell a hot dog out of his cart? Seems like he ate them all. Oh, my pyloric valve...

I'm off to the chiro soon. On my way back I'm gonna stop to pick up some lunch. A while back there was a thread on Chipotle-- seems people either love it or hate it. I love it, so I'm picking one of these babies up: I like it with the Niman Ranch pork (carnitas) with the hot salsa: This might be my only meal today. What with the 27,000 calories and all.....

Portnoy's Complaint. Liver...

Ha! You mock me. Your soon to be old kitchen isn't without its charms. Speaking of Mr Varmint, if you ever get a chance to make it to an event at Chez Varmint, do so. I've been to two fabulous feasts there so far-- the big pig pickin and a Mexican dinner party. He has a pastafest coming up soon-- be there!

Had some pretty good carry out at a friend's place up near Cleveland Park in DC. Delhi Daba (sp?) ain't bad. Vegetable samosas in a deliciously flaky crust, a bit too sweet chicken tikka masala, an assortment of pickles (the kind that takes the enamel off your teeth), and an onion chulcha. Breakfast this morning? My usual, coffee and cigs. Told you I have some bad habits. I don't think I'll make it into the office today-- I have sciatica that kicks in every once in a while. I think it may have started after carrying my Le Creuset dutch oven into my friend's place to make that short rib dish. Anyway, I can barely stand or walk. Nothing makes you feel older than having a bad back. Gotta get in to see the chiro for a torture session.

What do I do for a living? Good question, I'm not so sure. They tell me I'm a Client Relations Manager for a company that provides electronic payment processing (read: credit cards) services to the hospitality industry. Basically we have a help desk that supports the software on point of sale systems and a network by which the transactions go from those systems to the various banks. I know, it's some pretty exciting and glamorous stuff. I do get a fair number of invites to cook. I really enjoy heading over to someone's place and cooking. Provided their kitchen is bigger than mine. Given the square inchage of my kitchen, it isn't hard to find someone with some decent counter space. The only thing I don't like about cooking in a strange kitchen is figuring out where everything is and using an unfamiliar stove and/or oven. I often cook at my best friend's place, my brother's house, and when I head home to visit my dad and stepmother. That last kitchen reminds me of something. They have a beautiful kitchen with great appliances, plenty of counterspace, and a good sink area. But, they have horrible pots, pans, and knives. I usually bring my own. My stepmother, and my dad to some degree, are both pretty decent cooks. The problem though, is that my stepmother is an excellent baker-- all kinds of homemade breads, sticky buns, quiches, pastries, the whole shebang. The one area of cooking I've never tried out very much is baking. So the kitchen is a baker's kitchen-- it just doesn't work for me. Does anyone else have any "impossible kitchen" stories?

I promise. No DCers. How bout someone outside the US? If you qualify, and you're interested. Send me a PM. More tomorrow, Al

My fellow eGulleters... Hello there, my real name is Mike, I live just outside of Washington DC, and Uptown tagged me. We'll see how this makes my week a lot different food-wise. I have some bad dining habits mixed in with my own pretty-good-for-an-amateur cooking along with some meals from some excellent, or at least reliable, restaurants in the DC area. Can I start with last night? It's been so cooooold. And for whatever reason, braising seems to be the way to go when it's chilly. So, I went to visit my best friend, his wife, and my twin Godsons, armed with a bunch of short ribs, carrots, onions, celery, beef broth, red wine (lots of it), garlic, parsley, tomato paste, anchovy paste, and a can of fire roasted tomatoes. A delicious meal ensued. More details later as this PC at my friend's place is misbehaving, and the Indian carryout just arrived.

Dave knows what's lurking behind those hallways. For the uninitiated, the lower part of the illustration beyond the walls is outdoors, on the left side is a hallway to the bedrooms and bathrooms (including the one with a tub suitable for brining swine), to the upper left is a living room with tv, stereo, and leather couch suitable for sleeping off a tequila hangover until the lil varmints wake up, to the upper right is a dining area with a large table suitable for excellent dinner parties, and to the right is a sort of lounging tv room with suitably cushiony places to crash.

Ah, good question...

Don't know for sure, but I bet the building is torn down and an apt building is put in. Finally made it to Parkway Deli for the first time today. Loved it. Had a chopped liver platter. I've only ever had chopped liver 3 or 4 times, but I think this was the best I've had. Question: What is the traditional bread to eat chopped liver with?