eG Foodblog: Verjuice - Red, Green or Christmas?

[MarketStEl]

Re: your Scrabble addiction: Watch your PMs for a link to crack for Scrabbleheads.

Margo got the architecture question answered with an assist from you, and you answered my coffee question in your reply to mizducky, but there was another food question too in my last post; I'm guessing you missed it:

I actually don't mind the texture of the rice so much, but it's definitely something to get used to. One way of looking at it is to consider dishes that are equally rich and heavy in the Occidental arsenal, such as cassoulet,  spaghetti alla carbonara, mac and cheese etc. I think that what makes machbous seem more difficult to warm to in concept is the fact that it is served in such hot, humid weather, and also that it is most often cooked with mutton, which has a very strong flavor (though I suppose it's no stronger than stilton or guanciale!). It''s a very rustic, bland dish, made with inexpensive cuts of meat. The fat in the rice is intended to make the meal stretch in order to feed a lot of people.

Funny, I usually associate hot climes with spicy foods, not rich, heavy dishes. How did this linkage manage to bypass the Arabian peninsula?

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I'll just assume that the resemblance between the Emirates and industrial New Jersey was purely coincidental.

Edited to add a comment I forgot: A $58 Kobe beef burger with the works? Not quite a $100 cheesesteak, but it's pretty darned close. (I don't know if this sucker-bait sandwich is still on the menu at Barclay Prime.)

Edited December 28, 2007 by MarketStEl (log)

[Verjuice]

Re: your Scrabble addiction:  Watch your PMs for a link to crack for Scrabbleheads.

Margo got the architecture question answered with an assist from you, and you answered my coffee question in your reply to mizducky, but there was another food question too in my last post; I'm guessing you missed it:

I actually don't mind the texture of the rice so much, but it's definitely something to get used to. One way of looking at it is to consider dishes that are equally rich and heavy in the Occidental arsenal, such as cassoulet,  spaghetti alla carbonara, mac and cheese etc. I think that what makes machbous seem more difficult to warm to in concept is the fact that it is served in such hot, humid weather, and also that it is most often cooked with mutton, which has a very strong flavor (though I suppose it's no stronger than stilton or guanciale!). It''s a very rustic, bland dish, made with inexpensive cuts of meat. The fat in the rice is intended to make the meal stretch in order to feed a lot of people.

Funny, I usually associate hot climes with spicy foods, not rich, heavy dishes. How did this linkage manage to bypass the Arabian peninsula?

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I'll just assume that the resemblance between the Emirates and industrial New Jersey was purely coincidental.

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Oh, Sandy, Sandy, Sandy... you kindly and mistakenly assume that I am not yet a bona fide Scrabble crack user. I play daily on ISC (Internet Scrabble Club). I worry that after I check your PM, I may never leave my house-- or my study-- again. Except to visit the kitchen, of course.

I didn't forget any of your questions, but I was trying to amass all of my replies before responding. I am still waiting for a call back from Loretto Chapel to get the name of the architect, for starters.

Food in the U.A.E. is spicy with cloves and cardamom, but not heat. Bottles of hot sauce are standard accompaniments to local meals.

[blue_dolphin]

I cook for a couple that lives out past Las Campanas, so I drive out there a few nights a week.

Did I miss it or are we going to hear more about this?

I visited Santa Fe in Feb 2001, for a business meeting. It was cold and gray. A fair bit of snow, but frozen into icy gray mounds. I promised myself that I'd come back in another season and now realize that I have yet to do so.

Thank you for blogging. Like the blogs that that drew me to eGullet, you have brought to this one your own special sense of time and place.

[Verjuice]

I cook for a couple that lives out past Las Campanas, so I drive out there a few nights a week.

Did I miss it or are we going to hear more about this?

I visited Santa Fe in Feb 2001, for a business meeting. It was cold and gray. A fair bit of snow, but frozen into icy gray mounds. I promised myself that I'd come back in another season and now realize that I have yet to do so.

Thank you for blogging. Like the blogs that that drew me to eGullet, you have brought to this one your own special sense of time and place.

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No worries-- I'm cooking for them this afternoon!

I've actually cooked for them a couple times since the blog began, but I didn't take pictures.

Bad, bad blogger.

[Abra]

Me too, I wanna hear about your personal chef gig! It's amazing that Armandino's charcuterie has made it to NM. Too bad they can't spell charcuterie right on the menu, but you can't have everything.

[Verjuice]

It's so beautiful outside today:

I'll leave you with one final comment about last night before I head out for a few hours:

DON'T!!!!!

[Jamie Lee]

Is that right that that Glenlivit is over 59% alcohol? Yowzer... thats 120 Proof!

Does it taste like kerosene?

BTW, I'm really enjoying your blog, thanks for your herculean effort!

Edited December 29, 2007 by Jamie Lee (log)

[Verjuice]

Is that right that that Glenlivit is over 59% alcohol?  Yowzer... thats 120 Proof!

Does it taste like kerosene?

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It's extremely hot. I woke up with a headache, and I've never been hungover in my life.

[Verjuice]

I needed a wee something to tide me over before heading out to my cooking gig, so I swung by Cloud Cliff Bakery to pick up a croissant and a cup of joe. Cloud Cliff is owned by a notable local character by the name of Willem Malten. From his bio on the Cloud Cliff website:

As long term board member of the Santa Fe Farmers Market and manager of Cloud Cliff, Willem Malten was instrumental in setting up the Northern New Mexico Organic Wheat Project, a rural revitalization program for small family farmers aimed at preserving genetic diversity and fertile farmlands. It started in 1994 and is still very active.

I just noticed that the Aroma coffee slogan is "Coffee with an altitude". Haha. Groan.

In the same little lot of studios is Tara's Organic Ice Cream. Tara's ice cream is available at Whole Foods and other markets in town, and I've tried about a dozen flavors since I moved back. This was my first time visiting the tiny factory/ retail store, which is where all the magic happens. Check out these flavors!

Edited December 29, 2007 by Verjuice (log)

[Verjuice]

Behind Tara's is The Chocolatesmith. I love this place, but they use E. Guittard 72% for all of their chocolates (with the exception of a couple that incorporate the use of white chocolate), so if you're a milk devotee, forget about it. Their use of red and green chile is so on the money that it never seems gimmicky, like it sometimes can elsewhere:

They are also known for their "pates", which are sold around town, and are reminiscent of the popular Babybel cheese things with the red wax rind (but much prettier).

Edited December 29, 2007 by Verjuice (log)

[Verjuice]

And if anyone can guess the "secret" ingredients that adorn the discs of Peppermint Crunch and Cinnamon Drops, you get major props.

[rooftop1000]

Yukon Cornelius says its Silver and Gold

tracey

[Verjuice]

As I mentioned in my introduction to this blog, I recently decided to go for the jugular and begin pursuing, in baby steps, career moves in what I love best: food and cooking. I ended up getting a job cooking in the evenings for a fascinating couple from New York who have retired on a 25 acre plot of land out past Las Campanas. They were both once excellent cooks but for various reasons need someone else in the kitchen right now.

One of the requirements for the position was a background in macrobiotics. The couple I cook for had been macrobiotic for many years, and are now weaning themselves onto a more moderate diet. Their only absolute no-no is dairy, so butter and cheese are out.

When I was 21, I unexpectedly became very ill, and nursed myself back to health with the help of a macrobiotic diet, which I adhered to for the following year. For this reason, I am reasonably familiar with macrobiotic cooking.

Today was very interesting. I usually speak wth my clients in the early morning on the days that I cook in order to determine a menu and shopping list for the day. Today, they wanted me to pass on shopping in favor of using a combination of leftovers and random things from the fridge that needed to be used. I always bring a tool kit of my own spices, oils, vinegars, and other odds and ends, so I was confident that I'd be able to come up with something.

First, the kitchen:

I always hit my head --hard-- on the kitchen hood. Every darned time. One of the disadvantages of being quite tall.

Can you imagine a more beautiful place to grill? I grilled lamp chops out here last week. Brr.

Okay, I have to dash to Maria's for dinner now. Will finish posting upon my return.

[Kim Shook]

But I'm already imagining thin lenthwise slices of the stuff lubed up with olive oil

Eeek, mizducky! I think I've just found another contribution to the thread about words/phrases that should never be used regarding food!

Kim

[Verjuice]

Here were the items that they wanted me to use up. Parsnips, spinach, a couple of petrale sole fillets, and some lentil and carrot dish that they made last night and weren't thrilled with.

They requested a crunchy, breaded preparation for the fish, so it got pan-fried after being dredged in beaten egg, parmesan, paprika and panko. It came out well but I don't have any photos of the finished product, as I needed to remove the soup plates and serve the fish the moment it was done.

Also not photographed: Israeli couscous

I decided to puree the lentils and add extra seasonings, coconut milk and chicken stock.

I was transporting some black truffle butter from Point A to point B in my tool kit, and would have added some in lieu of the coconut milk if I were cooking for myself... it's so pretty.

Maple-rpast parsnips:

Sephardic-style spinach with pine nuts, raisins, olive oil and Meyer lemon:

I was in and out in two hours, including clean-up of course.

[Verjuice]

Dinner was at Maria's tonight. It was packed again, but we had a table reserved.

Salsa :

Guacamole (they brought out the guacamole salad by accident rather than the guacamole starter, hence the random accompaniments like croutons and cherry tomatoes. It wasn't as good as it usually is. Way too mushy.

Red chile barbecue ribs:

The tequila and mezcal menuL

The margarita menu; I know it's illegible but I wanted to show it here-- this thing is double-sided, mind you!

Edited December 29, 2007 by Verjuice (log)

[Verjuice]

Mezcal flight. 112, 113, and 114.

A Silver Spur:

Taco plate (beef):

And my usual; the vegetarian combo plate, Christmas. The veggie plate consists of a relleno, a blue corn enchilada, a bean taco and a corn tamale. Rice and beans on the side.

Sopaipilla, honey:

[Verjuice]

Yukon Cornelius says its Silver and Gold

tracey

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Bzzz. Guess again!

[prasantrin]

And if anyone can guess the "secret" ingredients that adorn the discs of Peppermint Crunch and Cinnamon Drops, you get major props.

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Vermints?

I think I need some Red Chile Pistachio Bark. I'm going to have to make my own, though, since chile hasn't quite found its way into chocolate in Japan (although I did find some chile infused chocolate-covered almonds once, and they were excellent, but they appear to be off the market )

And when my mother and I finally make it to NM, we're eating at that Rio place!

[Tepee]

I'm not Verjuice, but...Dates!  The ones from Bateel stuffed with almonds or pistachio paste!  And the spicy cashews from Lulu's (supermarket).  They were gooooooood!

I just did a search and they have Bateel in KL, so maybe you don't need the dates...but the spicy cashews from Lulu's are still highly recommended!

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Thanks, Rona. And noting Verjuice's recommendation that supermarket dates can be just as good, if not better.

Hi Tepee! 

I always bring back Lebanese sweets. There's a huge Lebanese population in the Emirates, and they keep the bar quite high:

1) Baqlawa (baclava) .........

2) Nammoura and basbousa .........

3) Dates. .............

....... jewelry. Small pieces or otherwise. Dubai has become obscenely expensive, but there are a few places in the Free Zone where I know excellent, honest dealers of gold and gemstones, with prices that cannot be matched anywhere.

Thanks! The sweets are just up my alley!

[christine007]

Dear Lord, I have nothing to say except everytime I visit this damn blog, the song, "Party like a rock star" instantly comes on in my head.

[Verjuice]

And if anyone can guess the "secret" ingredients that adorn the discs of Peppermint Crunch and Cinnamon Drops, you get major props.

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Vermints?

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I am going to accept Vermints as close enough, though the answer is Altoids! Bravo.

[Verjuice]

I'm so disappointed!

I wanted to take you all to the Santa Fe Farmer's Market this morning, but when I got there I found an empty lot and a lone flyer stating the the market was cancelled for the holidays and will resume normal hours next week.

The Farmer's Market here is superb; it's been around since the 60's and there are quite a few well-known chefs that live in Santa Fe and create a lot of positive buzz around the both the market and Slow Food Santa Fe (Deborah Madison, Bill Jamison and Cheryl Alters Jamison...). I've been to a couple of Slow Food Santa Fe events that were a lot of fun. I also really like and admire Kate Manchester, who is the publisher of Edible Santa Fe and a great source of information for current local events.

To cheer myself up afterwards, I went to Counter Culture for pastries and coffee.

The cinnamon rolls at Counter Culture are absolutely amazing. I am not a fan of frosting and usually remove it from cake, but the rolls are smothered in a salty, buttery glaze that immediately melts in your mouth on contact. It's not too sweet, and smells so strongly of vanilla that it makes me teeth ache just thinking about it. It's the only icing in the world that I do not tire of.

The rolls have the added virtue of inexplicably being just as moist on the outside as the soft little dough baby within. How do they do it?

The texture is amazing; flaky like a croissant and appreciably tender.

I've decided that eating a cinnamon roll is a story that should be told in chapters:

I have converted many a sugar teetotaler with these, but I am still the only person I know who will glady eat a whole one in a single sitting.

Edited December 29, 2007 by Verjuice (log)

[Verjuice]

I also got piece of the wonderful sour cream coffee cake, which I like just as much. As you can see, it's made with the same icing and dizzying quantities of cinnamon as the rolls.

I will finish it before the day is out, guaranteed.

[Abra]

Wow, your picturs are sensational. Tell us more about your camera and its settings. It's really hard to do what you're doing, those extreme close ups. I'm way impressed. And the Tara's menu is thrilling.