babyluck

I haven't seen Men with Guns -- I'll check it out. Until then, do you have another example? Maybe I should turn my idea around: if you begin with a conclusion and set out to prove it with no room for evolution, you create propaganda, not art. Of course there are many in-between points inhabited by artists who are political but are not completely constrained by their presuppositions. My friends and I are starting to work on a documentary and we have had discussions related to this issue about Michael Moore's work and whether it is propaganda. I don't know if I consider documentary (or cooking for that matter) an art form, but the question is whether it is ethical and/or creative. That's a tough one. I tend to think that it is propaganda but that I'm blind to any faults in his creative process because I agree wholeheartedly with his agenda. That's natural. So it is with loyal Alice followers. What is "pure" food? And what is pure politics in the context of food? Tofurkey? Seriously, I'm trying to get my mind around the concept -- I take it to mean that pure food is on the artistic or mystical end of the spectrum, and politics is on the concrete, propagandist end. So pure food = art and not sustenance? There are a million ways I could take this, including speculating on the existence of a higher power, so I'll just let you clarify your statement first!

Bagged salad is the kind that comes in a bag at the grocery store. I'm sure it's an egullet no-no, but hell, for those of us who work late, it's either that or no salad sometimes. And buying a whole head or bunch of each kind of green doesn't work for two people -- it goes bad before we finish it. Personally, I am very thankful for its existence. I forgot to mention that I did incorporate lemon into the dressing per mixmaster. It needed something so I tried some lemon zest -- perfect. And the baguette, pâté and goat Gouda were great alongside. There were croutons (plain) suggested with the recipe but I didn't bother. Pumpernickel or limpa croutons would be delicious too.

Hell, no. When you wrote this thread I was still at work, manically putting together Fedexes that I had put off doing all day while perusing egullet. You can't leave earlier than 6 in my workplace; it's considered strange. Actually, most of the time I'm swamped until 7:30; it's just a slow stretch. Mr. Babyluck is the same way. He rolls his eyes at my rich but balanced meals, and ends up eating chips and salsa all night. Right now he is on the couch eating Tomato Pretz. He loved the meal, though. I made a red wine vinaigrette with wasabi just like you suggested, with EVOO (misplaced the walnut oil -- how could that happen? Did I put it in the freezer, or maybe the medicine cabinet? You never know.). Over "Parisian" bagged salad with slivered black figs and the candied pecans. Wow. Take note of that salad. Mr. Babyluck said "you could make real money with that salad." I did get a Pinot Noir from Oregon -- Patricia Green 2001. The selection was a little bare and obviously everyone dug the 88 pointer for $10 less than the one I bought. I think it should have been earthier but it was delicious and paired pretty well with everything. The soup was really good. I think it could have been mellower and richer. Should have let the veggies brown more. The morels added a wonderful aroma -- it was orgasmic smelling the soaking liquid reduce -- but they had very little flavor on their own. Makes me think I'm really missing something having dried. My bio teacher in West Virginia invited me to go morel hunting with him, but then he touched my leg. If he hadn't done that I would have gone in a second. Some of my classmates went to a barbecue at his house and he speared fish right in front of them in the stream running through his backyard, then cooked them on the grill. Thank you for the great salad suggestion -- it really made the meal.

Perhaps. Perhaps not. Sounds like you might have a conclusion yourself. Definitely. We all have to come to conclusions now and then to make sense out of things. But please, tell us more about the "perhaps not." My conclusions aren't set in stone.

Exactly. I just read the article (stolen from the lobby in my building -- lucky, that) and I actually came away from it liking Alice more. Maybe because I expected the worst. I loved the candid tone of the writing and I thought she came out pretty favorably. My assessment was that it was a ridiculous situation, although the making-do with the outdoor grill sounds like lots of fun -- as a guest of the Slow Food conference, I would have felt gypped by the meal, even if it tasted good. There was nothing slow about it -- rushed is more like it. I'm still wondering when she and the chefs got to taste the donated Tuscan wines they were (I guess) forced to serve in lieu of the wine made in the castle where they cooked and held the banquet. It made me realize that my philosophy of writing & art extends to food as well -- when politics becomes the main focus and purpose behind what you're doing, you are doomed to fall short of greatness. That theory got me a lot of heat among the activist types at college, but I say if you do that, you are starting with a conclusion that you have to prove, instead of learning and growing as you go. She makes edible propaganda.

OK. I'm in love with the wasabi idea. I'll just dip a pecan in the dressing to test the weirdness factor. It could be really good, who knows! I will try the hazelnuts, too. I would definitely add crispy fried onion and turnip in the future but not tonight -- I plan to put the morels in to soak, play some Playstation2, and then make the salad while the liquid is reducing. Besides, Mr. Babyluck, who is on a d**t, complains that I always have to caramelize, candy or deepfry my salad garnishes. Some oniony component is called for in the salad, I know -- I'll have to think on that. I usually add minced shallot to the dressing because I don't eat raw sliced onion (I am sounding really picky here but at this point you know 2 out of the 3 things I don't care for: 1-walnuts, 2-raw onion, and #3 is mayo). I agree about the bread & cheese. I would estimate that at least 35% of the food I've consumed in my life falls into one of those 2 groups. Come to think of it, the cheddar might work in a different way with the turnips, but the porter-laced stuff is a disappointment, though visually the most beautiful cheese I've ever seen. For the wine, all signs point to an Oregon Pinot Noir. Any objections? Specific recommendations?

I made my first soup from this book (which is a joy to read) this weekend -- Potage Crecy. Very good. Also got to make my favorite, Celery Root Bisque from an old Bon Appetit -- not on epicurious but it's posted in the forum there. My signature soup. I love fall! Jon: Right. I thought the pâté would match well, but as you guessed it comes out of the fridge every day when I get home anyway, till it's gone. mixmaster: No fresh herbs today. Lemon is good, though. Jane: Yes! I was hoping to work in the figs somehow. Should I just halve them, or do something fancier? They are nice ripe black ones. The wasabi idea is interesting playing off the turnips. I don't really like walnuts -- how about hazelnuts? Or almonds, pine nuts, pecans? I have some leftover candied pecans from the Harvey Wallbanger salad I invented last weekend, but I think that might be bizarre, especially if I go for the wasabi. P.S. I keep thinking Gruyere for the cheese or my favorite Etivaz, or a different goat cheese (the goat gouda is a little blah) but I've got so much cheese in the house I can't rationalize getting more. Either help me rationalize or tell me that one of my cheeses will work -- maybe the blahness of the goat cheese would be good against other strong flavors? Wine?

I made the base for the soup this weekend (from Soup of the Day by Lydie Marshall) -- just braised white turnips, potato & onion cooked in chicken broth & pureed. Will be finished tonight with chopped morels and a reduction of their soaking liquid. I've never to my knowledge tasted a morel before. I can guess what it will taste like, but I'm still having trouble coming up with a good salad to go with it. It's just a simple weeknight meal -- soup, bread/cheese/spreads, and salad. I will most likely use what I have in the house: lots of salad vegetables, nearly any kind of vinegar, a good selection of oils, all manner of citrus fruits, figs, a tomato, leftover steak, pâté de foie gras, hard salami w/ black pepper, a baguette, porter-laced cheddar, regular extra sharp cheddar, goat gouda... Any ideas? And to drink? I could always pop into the liquor store on the way home -- they have some gourmet items and a nice cheese selection, in case my larder isn't up to snuff, but I won't have time for the grocery store -- my morels still have to soak.

Another example of egullet serendipity. The thread on sticky rice w/ mango really "stuck" in my head after browsing through it a few weeks ago. This weekend, I found myself with the results of a rice-pudding-in-the-slow-cooker experiment (too little liquid -- ended up pretty solid with a nice brown crust) and some perfectly ripe but bruised peaches. I made a ring of peach slices in a bowl and put a scoop of rice stuff in the middle, then sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar since the rice was also under-sweetened, and to give it that traditional diner rice pudding taste that I crave almost daily. Scrumptious. It was juicy enough with the perfect peaches, but I wanted to drizzle something over it -- coconut milk would have been a good idea. Something vanilla/rummy would be good too. And how about toasted coconut on top?

OK, that part is starting to make sense to me. Here's what the Catholic encyclopedia has to say on the biblical context of the herb. There's another account of the hyssop/za'atar story here, which has thrown another level of confusion into the matter. Is it possible that hyssopus officinalis is neither the hyssop mentioned in the Bible, nor the hyssop used in the Middle East today, nor the hyssop that grows in Provence? Am I barking up the wrong tree? Now, back to what I'm going to do with it. Using it as a bedding for fish or meat sounds like a good idea, considering the amount I have. It is pretty bland in its dry form anyway -- the thing it reminds me of the most is the smell of the alfalfa hay bales, with a hint of mint to it. So far I have only used it with other complementary herbs, so I don't know how much it contributes to a dish.

That's a good question. It's definitely not anise hyssop. Probably hyssopus officinalis. It wasn't labeled with anything other than "hyssop." It is minty like anise hyssop but somewhat bitter.

I just had to have it a few months ago while going through a Middle Eastern cooking phase. The only place I found it was americanspice.com, and the only size was 16 oz. I had no idea how much hyssop that would be. A bag the size of a decent throw pillow. I have given some away to the only friend who is likely to use it and she now has enough to last a lifetime and I've barely made a dent in my stash. I originally purchased it with a few recipes in mind like hummus w/ hyssop and Lebanese cucumber salad. I've also read that it pairs well with apricot, cranberry, and goat cheese. It is said to make fatty fish and meat easier to digest. It is used for a cold remedy as an infusion but there are some weird warnings about pregnancy and feeding to "nervous people, children and the elderly" from the homeopathic folks. It is one of the herbs in Chartreuse and is used in Provencale cooking. Apparently, it is more available in Europe than the Middle East currently because it has become a protected plant. I guess that explains why I couldn't find it in my local Middle Eastern deli. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it seems that za'atar is the Arabic word for hyssop, but since it has become unavailable, a substitute herb mixture is now sold under the same name. Also very confusing because the mixture I bought locally has 2 ingredients -- thyme and sesame seeds -- and tastes nothing like hyssop. Anyway, back to my original question -- what to do with it? To be specific, what I have are dried hyssop leaves, in abundance. Any ideas to use up a lot of it before it fades into flavorless sawdust?

at the route 17 chefs central? Sorry to keep you in suspense -- yes, that's the one. They sell a small, crappy selection of hard liquor.

Correction: it was a splash of walnut oil, not EVOO. Very key.

I've always thought her dim since I read her quote in Culinary Artistry when she was asked to summarize Japanese cooking. She said something like "all those little deep fried things, and those cute little dipping sauces." I've been waiting for her to redeem herself and I still am.

Finally. Everything comes together. We've been trying to get down the shore to see my parents' new sailboat. They recently got a propane grill for the boat. We had a batch of slush in the freezer. They call me the night before & tell me they're making ribs and could I bring a salad? Man oh man, what could be better than country-style ribs and pork chops with Daddy's bbq sauce and The Slush on a beautiful September day on the bay? I also created the "Harvey Wallbanger" salad for the occasion -- red-leaf greens with caramelized black grapes, candied pecans, and lightly pickled julienned unripe peach, dressed with a brilliant if-I-do-say-so-myself dressing of fresh OJ, Galliano, shallot, rice & sherry vinegars, and a splash of EVOO. The only thing lacking was a bit more contrast (and vodka to live up to its namesake) -- tried to achieve it with the pickled peach, but it wasn't enough. Too sweet. Bourbon. Citrus. Pig. Wind in the sails and family all around. Almost heaven. P.S.: I think I'll leave out the sugar or cut it down next time (in the Slush). Always thought I had a sweet tooth but I guess I'm finally growing up.

...quoting myself from my review of the Chickenbone Café:

Hell in a handbasket.

I found the Chinotto at Bartolomeo's deli in Palisades Park today. $4.99 for a 6-pack of 200 ml bottles. That's $4/liter vs. the $1 Jason paid a few miles away. Ouch! I handed her a five and she gave me a one back. I thought she gave me back too little (of course they weren't marked) but then she took the one back and handed me a penny. Nothing but pennies and receipts in my wallet now so it better be good. I've got one chilling in the fridge right now. It's funny, my whole life I have probably walked past Bitter Lemon in countless soda aisles but I never noticed it until this past weekend at Stop & Shop in Westfield. Mr. Babyluck had never noticed it before either and we were both intrigued, but kind of tacitly decided to save it for another time. Funny how we savor simple treats like that, and funnier still that this thread popped up 2 days later. I'm thankin' my lucky stars for TJs right about now -- those 6-packs of 11-oz. Aranciata & Limonata are a steal in comparison. They taste like backpacking in Europe to us. No matter what country you're in, you can always find some nice orange or lemon soda to go with your bread & cheese, and it always hits the spot. Still does.

Aquavit.

Fuck that, what about pigturducken? Or is that another thread? This led me to, of all places, an anime blog with something to say about the subject: Ha! Sounds like she's read the Satyricon. Also reminds me of a Glorious Food party I heard about...

One doesn't go on Murder Mystery Cruises for the food. Was the mystery at least interesting? Bruce I quite agree. I wasn't expecting such an utterly strange meal, though. I wouldn't say that the mystery was all that interesting, but the experience was. I've done a lot of the packaged mysteries -- we do one every year on our Adirondack vacation -- and even wrote one myself one year because I couldn't stand the bad writing and logic of the boxed ones. This one was somewhere in between. It was too hot to stay inside and there were too many of us to fit on one outer deck at once, so communication was a problem, and with that and the average intelligence of our sales force, I knew there was no point in actually trying to play the game for real. I was fried and plus, they didn't give me a starring role, dammit, so I was happy just to kick back with a gin & tonic, and so were the bartender, the waiter, the hostesses, and the captain. Again, it made me very glad that I'm not an event planner any more. The boat had seen better days, the head was filthy and the door didn't close. Doesn't bother this tough gal, but my old bosses would have had my head if I booked it for $140 (a head). But like I told our new event planner when I got home, for a bonding experience the more that goes wrong and the more ludicrous and rustic things get, the better it is -- as long as you don't run out of alchohol. Actually, my darling sales force drank the boat dry of Chardonnay. They were panicking until the server offered them Pinot Grigio. "EVEN BETTER!" they yelled. We started talking about wine and one of them was dissing White Zin. I told them my mom drinks it -- with ice cubes. They all thought it was really funny. Then the server shows up with the bottle -- and a glass full of ice. "Sorry, it's not chilled..." Without missing a beat, they all filled their glasses with ice. One of them -- a woman -- even took the bottle from the server and opened it with her own corkscrew. What really got me is that some of them ordered Chardonnay at the bowling alley the following night. As you can see, the murder mystery was secondary. We never would have found out who did it at all because it got too dark outside to read and the deck light went out if I hadn't thought to borrow a flashlight from the captain. He gave me his entire supply. "You don't, like, need one just in case? Like, in case of emergency?" He laughed and took a drink. Ended the night with a double Scotch talking survivalist philosophy with hostess #2 and the other staff members hunkered down around the bar, totally ignoring the rest of the guests. She recommended the movie 25th Hour, which I rented last weekend. It was good. Interesting, yes.

Yeah, there are worse things than growing up with Stewart's and the Walpack Inn. Two of my favorite places in the world. Even my snotty French boss loved the Walpack. And Suzi, I think there are one or two Stewart's still open on 206 -- one near Newton & one near Branchville, am I right?

Any Campton Place fans out there? I had a perfect, unforgettable meal there a few years ago.

Use thick rubber gloves (I have the fancy European blue cloth-lined ones that don't smell or make you itch). If the pork's right, it should be absolutely effortless. There's enough grip to grab the meaty bits and let the fat slide through. Don't worry about being called a pussy -- all the BBQ heavyweights are wearing 'em, didn't you see 'em on A Cook's Tour last week?