Food in the time of a pandemic

[heidih]

13 minutes ago, chefmd said:

We ate dinner at Seven Reasons in Washington DC.  It’s our first time eating out in months.  Things are awkward.  Gloves, masks, sanitizers.  A completely empty beautifully set tables inside the restaurant.  Food was delicious.  Ingredients were less luxurious. Their previous version of steak tartar was served with truffles.  Now it is served with plantain bread.   I want to make plantain bread, it’s so good.  Can’t help but wonder how many restaurants are going to make it...  Boarded windows and coast guard blocking the streets in DC made me very sad.  

https://www.sevenreasonsdc.com

 

crispy octopus and cauliflower were incredible

 

 

Octopus looks great. How was the cauliflower prepared? Can you elaborate on plantain bread - I do not know it.  Also I think you meant National Guard maybe.

[chefmd]

2 minutes ago, heidih said:

 

Octopus looks great. How was the cauliflower prepared? Can you elaborate on plantain bread - I do not know it.  Also I think you meant National Guard maybe.

National Guard, yes.  No idea about plantain bread, it is new to me too.  It tasted as more savory version of banana bread.  I will have to research it.  

 

Cauliflower looked like it was deep fried.  There were crispy bits on top of it that were listed as tortilla crumble on the menu.  The darker sauce was made with calamata olives and was silky smooth and added just the right dose of saltines.

[gfweb]

Plenty of pork and chicken in the markets, but beef you'd want to eat is scarce. Fortunately,  I have a half full freezer yet.

 

Costco halved the size of its meat display. Only crummy cuts of beef unless prime and then crazy expensive. And the line to check out went to the back of the store.

[heidih]

49 minutes ago, chefmd said:

National Guard, yes.  No idea about plantain bread, it is new to me too.  It tasted as more savory version of banana bread.  I will have to research it.  

 

Cauliflower looked like it was deep fried.  There were crispy bits on top of it that were listed as tortilla crumble on the menu.  The darker sauce was made with calamata olives and was silky smooth and added just the right dose of saltines.

 

Plantain bread as a savory relative of banana bread makes sense. Thanks. Love fried cauliflower but for one person rarely a thing. Oh and buzzing olives for a smoother integrated sauce makes sense. I need to use up my nasturtium "capers" so that is a technique I will employ. This year's seedpod crop is approaching.

Edited June 8, 2020 by heidih (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Made crepes.  More fun than suspenders.

 

[Kim Shook]

7 hours ago, lemniscate said:

 

I had some very disappointing berries a while back and decided to try roasting them.   That method made them very tasty as a topping or a dessert just by themselves with some creme fraiche.

I do a roasted strawberry cheesecake that is fantastic.  Roasting does amazing things to less than perfect berries.

 

[MetsFan5]

I don’t know that I’d be comfortable in a restaurant with masks and gloves and all that. I’ll probably be getting delivery or pick up for a while. 
  But reservations are impossible to get in my town after reopening outdoor dining space that’s super positive imo.  

[rotuts]

@chefmd 

 

Im pleased your dinner was delicious 

 

however , those several Schmears 

 

were far from appealing .

 

trying to be polite here .

 

 

[chefmd]

6 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

I don’t know that I’d be comfortable in a restaurant with masks and gloves and all that. I’ll probably be getting delivery or pick up for a while. 
  But reservations are impossible to get in my town after reopening outdoor dining space that’s super positive imo.  

I did not feel uncomfortable.  It just did not feel indulgent or celebratory.  It will probably be a while until I do it again.  

[weinoo]

48 minutes ago, chefmd said:

I did not feel uncomfortable.  It just did not feel indulgent or celebratory.  It will probably be a while until I do it again.  

Yes - restaurants are supposed to be (or were) for having a good time; if they feel like going to the doctor's office, not so much.

[weinoo]

15 hours ago, lemniscate said:

 

I had some very disappointing berries a while back and decided to try roasting them.   That method made them very tasty as a topping or a dessert just by themselves with some creme fraiche.

I was hoping to make a nice gelato, and roasting or cooking the berries just changes the finished product too much. Might have to live with sorbet.

[BeeZee]

There is probably only one restaurant near us that we will go to, the Blue Point Grill (Princeton) as they always had a nice outdoor dining area and so the overall experience wouldn’t be significantly different. I am not anxious to eat out just yet, and I know those outdoor seats which are limited in number will be hard to reserve.

[kayb]

15 hours ago, Shelby said:

Between my mouth surgery, being so sick in January and this pandemic I've lost weight.  While cooking the other night my shorts fell down.  I left them where they landed and carried on.   Luckily I was wearing a long t-shirt.

 

I have found what you have lost. I'd be happy to bring it back to you.

[weinoo]

This wasn't for dinner, but because deliveries were on the way and needed to make room...

 

 

So Poule au Pot it was. An interesting method - forget the skin via this method, but it yields lovely, moist meat. With the breast was made chicken salad; the back, skin and bones made stock and the leg thigh meat will undoubtedly be used in a chicken noodle soup/ramen/udon thing. Stove top, super low heat.

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by weinoo (log)

[Shelby]

20 minutes ago, kayb said:

 

I have found what you have lost. I'd be happy to bring it back to you.

I promise, I'll find it again around here sooner than later 🤣

[ElsieD]

11 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

I do a roasted strawberry cheesecake that is fantastic.  Roasting does amazing things to less than perfect berries.

 

 

That looks fantastic.  I wonder if you made them as minis, if they would freeze?  I have one of those mini cheesecake pans.

[chefmd]

7 hours ago, weinoo said:

This wasn't for dinner, but because deliveries were on the way and needed to make room...

 

 

So Poule au Pot it was. An interesting method - forget the skin via this method, but it yields lovely, moist meat. With the breast was made chicken salad; the back, skin and bones made stock and the leg thigh meat will undoubtedly be used in a chicken noodle soup/ramen/udon thing. Stove top, super low heat.

 

 

What is the method?  It looks partially cooked and and about to be cooked again with veg?

[Smithy]

Score in the store today! First time I've seen any KA flour around here in weeks, much less their beloved bread flour.

 

 

I resisted the"hoard" impulse, and bought only one bag.

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, chefmd said:

What is the method?  It looks partially cooked and and about to be cooked again with veg?

Ahhh, salt and pepper inside out, then browned well or as well as one can brown a whole bird in a Dutch oven. I used ramp butter and olive oil.

A little onion/celery and a few cloves of garlic go in to soften when I flipped the bird to brown the back. Bay leaf/sprig of rosemary. Covered tightly (the Staub works beautifully) and cooked on very low heat on the stove top, in it's own juices...no added liquid. Can also be done in a slow (like 250) oven till done. Yields super moist meat.

[kayb]

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

Score in the store today! First time I've seen any KA flour around here in weeks, much less their beloved bread flour.

 

 

I resisted the"hoard" impulse, and bought only one bag.

 

God bless you. I am still bitter at those hoarding antibacterial wipes. I did score one can last week.

 

[Kim Shook]

11 hours ago, ElsieD said:

 

That looks fantastic.  I wonder if you made them as minis, if they would freeze?  I have one of those mini cheesecake pans.

I'm sure that you could.  I've frozen the large one.  I usually try to make cheesecakes far enough ahead of time so that I can freeze them.  I prefer to cut when slightly frozen.

[Shelby]

Went to the store that has the pharmacy that we use.  Very disappointing.  Only myself and one other customer wearing masks.  No wipes to wipe carts down.  I brought my own in my purse.  Meat section was ok.  No signs limiting purchases.  Saw lots of pork and chicken.  Very little beef.  TP isle was super bare.  Only a few packs of off brand...like 5-10 left.  Cleaning isle still bare.  No yeast STILL.  I don't need any, it's just something I spot check every time I'm there.

[weinoo]

Been getting these different spring broccolis lately...

 

 

Left is known as spigarello; on the right, raab.

 

The spigarello really would've benefited from blanching, which I'll def do to the raab...

 

[Shelby]

I forgot to add..and don't faint....

 

I was out of heavy cream.  I use it quite often.  

 

O M G the price.

 

$9.55 for a quart.

[ElsieD]

11 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I forgot to add..and don't faint....

 

I was out of heavy cream.  I use it quite often.  

 

O M G the price.

 

$9.55 for a quart.

 

Wowzie!