eG Foodblog: melkor

[melkor]

No cappucino this morning?

Happy birthday!

I'm working on the cappa - I didn't have any luck convicing MsMelkor to have one five minutes after our espressos. I think I'll talk her into it before breakfast

Thanks for the bday wishes

[melkor]

Now I seem to have won the cappuccino battle for the morning. This one tastes better than normal, the liquid amber I roasted a couple of days ago is really really good.

[Tam]

As a tea drinker, I am enjoying your obvious devotion to coffee. I like the pride you take in your roasting, brewing and foaming.

I believe that no one should work on their bday. So, if you can help it, only participate in things that give you joy today. Best wishes and blessings on this day, a celebration of your birth.

[melkor]

As a tea drinker, I am enjoying your obvious devotion to coffee.  I like the pride you take in your roasting, brewing and foaming.

I believe that no one should work on their bday.  So, if you can help it, only participate in things that give you joy today.  Best wishes and blessings on this day, a celebration of your birth. 

I really like tea, but there aren't enough things to tinker with when making it. One of my favorite things about drinking coffee is the dozens of variables involved and the endless pursuit of the perfect drink. I wasn't happy with the roasted coffee I could buy, so I bought a hearthware roaster. Eventually I realized I could make better coffee if I roasted the beans more slowly, so I build a drum roaster that fits on the gas grill. Four or five versions of the gas grill roaster later, I'm happy with the roasting setup I've got and can consistantly produce better roasted beans than I can purchase. I've gone through an electric drip coffee maker, a manual drip, a vacume pot, a french press, and now I'm on an espresso machine - I'm finally happy with the brewing method. I've been steaming milk for my cappuccinos/lattes/mochas for about 3 weeks and now 9 out of 10 drinks have really good foam. I'm thrilled with the drinks that come out of the espresso machine, and the whole process involved in making a drink.

I took the day off work today, I've made two coffee drinks for each of us today and gone for a bike ride. One of the best things about moving to CA from NY is that my birthday is now in the spring. To top it all off, the weather is perfect today:

[melkor]

MsMelkor made me breakfast

buttermilk pancakes with blueberries & raspberries, grade b maple syrup.

[bloviatrix]

Those pancakes look fabulous.

The blue sky doesn't look bad either - it's a grey and rainy day in New York City.

[herbacidal]

MsMelkor made me breakfast

buttermilk pancakes with blueberries & raspberries, grade b maple syrup.

]

Happy birthday.

Maple syrup has grades/classifications?

Or is that a funny?

[melkor]

MsMelkor made me breakfast

buttermilk pancakes with blueberries & raspberries, grade b maple syrup.

]

Happy birthday.

Maple syrup has grades/classifications?

Or is that a funny?

Thanks

Maple syrup comes in a bunch of different grades - there's more info on it here. Grade B is the darkest, and tastes the best (to me).

[Rhea_S]

Happy Birthday! MsMelkor made some very nice pancakes. Maybe that's what I'll have for dinner tonight.

[herbacidal]

.

The blue sky doesn't look bad either - it's a grey and rainy day in New York City.

Ditto, except I think it's applicable across the Northeast.

[Pan]

Grade B is by far my favorite grade of maple syrup. For those who haven't tried it: You have missed out on one of the greatest simple oral pleasures in life. Get some!

[melkor]

We had leftovers for lunch - potpie and gratin. A couple of cappuccinos before lunch... I think I should make another now...

[winesonoma]

Happy Birthday. Off to the Cellar Cat Cafe for dinner and some jazz in Glen Ellen

[melkor]

After going hang-gliding this afternoon:

We had dinner at Terra in st helena -

Sopa de Ajo - garlic soup with croutons and a poached egg

Grilled duck breast with a ball of deep fried giblet confit risotto.

A cappuccino that seems to have a giant foamy marshmellow floating on it

Apple almond tarte with caramel ice cream and a caramel sauce (and a candle for good measure)

We brought a bottle of 1988 Salon with us and had it with our apps/entrees. The food at Terra is consistantly excellent - dinner tonight was the perfect way to end my birthday.

[melkor]

Drinking my morning cappuccino and snacking on some almond & cocoa nib biscotti MsMelkor made.

[melkor]

Todays breakfast is brought to you by the number 4 and the letter 'J'

Scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and spinch on a toasted english muffin. Turkey bacon, and a glass of milk.

[Pan]

Todays breakfast is brought to you by the number 4 and the letter 'J'

I haven't heard that in a long time. You're a Sesame Street fan, eh?

[Carolyn Tillie]

Todays breakfast is brought to you by the number 4 and the letter 'J'

I haven't heard that in a long time. You're a Sesame Street fan, eh?

He could be a Rush fan -- all their albums are brought to their fans by different and odd letters!

[tanabutler]

He could be a Rush fan --

Ack, for a second I thought you meant "Limbaugh."

[melkor]

He could be a Rush fan --

Ack, for a second I thought you meant "Limbaugh."

Yick. I'll stick with sesame street - from far too many years ago.

[winesonoma]

I'm Ding-Dong school my self and Howdy Doudy. Sesame street was for the kids I never had. I do like Sponge Bob Though.

[melkor]

Never really had lunch today, we had a snack at Sweetie Pies next to the Napa River Inn (which apparently allows guests to bring their dogs with them).

A simple croissant and jam, though the croissant was a bit heavy - but reasonably good.

Here we have a comparison of the cappuccino I got at Sweetie Pies and the ones I made when I got home...

I think the cappa in the first pic may have rabies...

[bloviatrix]

If I had a choice I'd go with one of your cappas.

And I'm not saying that to get on your good side.

[melkor]

Dinner was at Zuni Cafe in SF - I'll post more about it in the morning, I need to sleep.

Anyone willing to volunteer for next weeks food blog?

[melkor]

I think i need to tag marlena spieler, hopefully she'll accept.

Dinner at Zuni started with french fries, which were mostly eaten by the time I remembered to take a blurry photo of them. We had a bottle of 1999 Hendry block 7 zinfandel with our meal.

We moved on to a bowl of polenta with mascarpone and parmisan cheese - none of us were very impressed with this dish.

Roast quail was the other app for the table (of 3 ppl). Here you see the quail being delivered to the bright spot on the table for a photo

For our entrees we had the chicken (for two) and the duck leg with a winter squash puree. Both were good, though the duck was the better dish.

To end the meal we shared a meyer lemon tarte and a fruit cobbler. I had a cappuccino (and was mocked for drinking a milk drink after dinner), MsMelkor had no coffee, and Pim had the proper espresso to end her meal.

Overall, I think it would be hard to say that Zuni makes outstanding food - but they do make good quality food, using great ingredients. They have a warm and friendly staff, and their space is very comfortable and it's just an enjoyable place to be.