eG Foodblog: Percyn - Food, Wine and Intercourse..(PA that is)

[mrbigjas]

On to making dinner.

The menu tonight features duck 2 ways - Foie Gras with fig reduction and Duck breast salad. (I was going to make it Duck 3 ways by adding a duck leg confit served on lentils, but got all ducked out  ).

holy moly, percy. if it weren't for your posts on the dinner thread, i would think you were fancifyin' things just for the blog. good on ya.

i don't think the duck/fennel thing is all that weird, though. one of the first times i went to studiokitchen he did a star anise scented duck breast, so i learned that the whole duck/licorice thing ain't a bad thing at all...

[Pan]

Wow, what food porn -- nay, porn erotica. A comparison to anything raunchy or sleazy would be totally inapt. Anyone but Percy think I set the bar too high?

[percyn]

Glad I met your expectations Pan

Tomorrow is going to be a long day at work, so I may not be able to post until later, though I will try.

[Abra]

I'll cast all three of my votes for Parsi food.

Percyn, in the "man's room," you didn't actually choose that wall finish and those curtains, right? Or have I got the whole wrong idea about men?

[SeaGal]

Adding fennel to almost anything is never weird, in my opinion. I love fennel and I bet it goes well with the richness of the duck. Lovely pictures--I want to eat it now!

I also vote for parsi, with breakfast second and lunch at an Amish restaurant third.

[tejon]

I am not familiar with that restaurant or to be honest that area in general. However, I found this via a google search. http://www.townehouse.com/

←

Why thanks, I never thought of searching. Duh.

←

Thanks, percyn. I remember that resteraunt well - a friend of mine lived close by and we had many meals there. That and the Lamb Tavern over in Springfield bring back many a happy memory.

[M.X.Hassett]

From another duck and D'Artagnan fan let the food porn start.

[Anna N]

I keep aiming for duck breast that looks like yours but miss every time. Of course, I can't easily obtain such quality duck so I guess I have to cut myself a bit of slack. Nevertheless, duck breast is on the menu for Friday.

[Chufi]

well well.. I don't visit EGullet for one day and here's percyn, already 2 pages into his blog.. I'm looking forward to this! Your dinners always have a very elegant and glamorous feel.. very far removed from my own cooking... but lovely to see.. so keep the truffles coming please..

Oh and it's nice to see where you get all those mushrooms that keep popping up in your scrambled eggs

A variety of mushrooms, which you may see appear in the blog, but unfortunately, they were out of truffles, which I was planning to use in dinner today....oh well, change the menu on the fly..

←

[jackal10]

Thanks Chris.

I served a 2000 Siegerrebe Beerenauslese (German Icewine style) with the foie. I was about to open a Pinot Noir for the duck salad, but decided against it...saving it for tomorrow...

←

Beerenauslese is not Icewine style. Eiswine is icewine, pressed from frozen grapes.

Beerenauslese is botytis affected (like Sauterne) but where the individual bunches of grapes have been selected. Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) is where the individual berries are selected.

Let me decode the label for you:

Rheinhessen is the wine growing area to the west of the Rhein

2000er is the vintage. "Plagued by rain and rot, with outstanding results from a handful of growers. Variable quality; choose carefully"

Bechtolsheimer is the area of the vineyard, near the village of Bechtolsheim

Sonnenberg is the actual vineyard name where the grapes were grown

Siegerebbe The grape variety. A cross between Gewurtztraminer and Madeline Angevine, it can achive high levels or ripeness and richness

Beerenauslese: See above, but indicates sugar level in the must.

Qualitatswine mit Pradikat (QMP). Top German quality designation for wine made in defined areas and, more importantly , from grapes not requiring any additional sugar to achieve the correct alcohol level.

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer (AP Nr). The final two digits give the year in which the wine was approved (not the vintage), and the two digits before that give the running number of wines to be approved from the producer in question. Producer and region are coded in the remaining initial digits. The first digit is the testing station.

Erzeugerabfullung Estate bottled

9.0% alcohol by volume; 375ml (half bottle)

Weingut Ernst Bretz. The producer, Ernst Bretz is a family owned and run winery in Bechtholsheim founded in 1721, hnce the gold crest.

I'd expect to pay between $10 and $15 for this retail.

Sweet, botrytis and peachy fruit, but fairly simple. It would keep at least 20 years, drying a little.

Edited September 28, 2005 by jackal10 (log)

[Mooshmouse]

So far, so great Percy!

You're certainly living up to the gold standard that you've set in your Dinner! and Breakfast! posts. I can't wait to see how the rest of your week unfolds.

Keep up the fantastic blogging.

[Abra]

Wow, since I don't frequent either the dinner or the breakfast threads (why not, I wonder) I had no idea how gorgeous your food would be. That fabulous duck dinner looked like you were cooking for one - did you actually do all that just for yourself? I bow to you.

[johnnyd]

Right then!

I'll join Anna in posting Duck (w/fennel) for Friday night. That looked just awesome. Gotta have that. And Maggie tipped the balance towards Parsi feasting for me.

blog on PA.. .

[Susan in FL]

Oh my that Wegman's! I can only imagine what it's like to have an all-that-in-one store such as that. Where is the green with envy emoticon? I would love to have D'Artagnan goods without making a mail order online. The postage & handling makes it unaffordable to order on a regular basis. And truffles, where you shop! Wow.

Thanks, percyn. I remember that resteraunt well - a friend of mine lived close by and we had many meals there. That and the Lamb Tavern over in Springfield bring back many a happy memory. 

←

It is so nice to hear that it brought back happy memories. I see on the web site that the name is still the same. We had dinners there when I was a kid and we were visiting "Babe" or other Media and/or Swarthmore relatives. That was many years ago... talk about a walk down memory lane....

Wow, since I don't frequent either the dinner or the breakfast threads (why not, I wonder).....

←

I wonder, too! Please do start visiting; both threads are beauties to behold and great for getting menu ideas.

[lancastermike]

The Downingtown Wegman's is a wonderful place. I am awaiting your tour of the Amish land and may add a comment or two about my experience with the Amish living and having grown up here in Lancaster County.

And please do tour the Reading Terminal Market if you can. What a marvelous place it is.

[percyn]

This morning, for breakfast I had...

Unpasturized, fresh squeezed orange juice, half a bagel and cream cheese.

For lunch, tomato soup with grilled cheese with tomatoes, pruscitto and munster cheese on focaccia

Dinner tonight will not be cooked at home, as we will be dining at Majolica Restaurant

If you see a dish you would like me to try, post it here before 5:30pm EST (feels like the Truman show).

[Susan in FL]

Percy, I just thought of something. It wasn't among your listed choices, so I'll make it a write-in vote..... Could you/ would you stop into Victory's brew pub some day this week for a Hop Devil on tap and take a picture of it, pretty please?

[percyn]

Percy, I just thought of something.  It wasn't among your listed choices, so I'll make it a write-in vote.....  Could you/ would you stop into Victory's brew pub some day this week for a Hop Devil on tap and take a picture of it, pretty please? 

←

It was going to be a surprise...but OK

[little ms foodie]

Speaking of family, there are 3 of us, my wife, myself and our cat Peanut, aka "little miss foodie" (she prefers foie gras and caviar over almost anything else). Wendy, you may have that alias on eGullet, but in this household, it is already taken   

Percy

←

LOL Percy!!

I'm just back from vacation and happy to see you blogging, it's about time!

[Genny]

Mmmmm, duck. What a beautiful meal. I thought my local high-end market (AJ's) was good until I saw your store. Now I know mine is no where near the top. They don't carry truffles even! And the mushroom selection alone is amazing. This is why I love to go to grocery stores whenever I travel!

Your wine cabinet is beautiful! Does it have zone controls or is it all one temperature? What temp(s) do you keep it at? We are planning on a kitchen remodel next year so I'm paying very close attention to appliances

For dinner tonight, if I were choosing from the menu and had just had that fabulous duck meal last night I would have:

Starter: Crisp Veal Sweetbreads w/ Apple salad

Main:Porcini dusted Halibut

Cheese course

Dessert: Roasted black figs with honey ice cream. (I know you just had them but I'm supposing you didn't get enough of them!)

Have fun tonight! Thanks again for sharing your week with us! (And Peanut too!)

[Susan in FL]

Percy, I just thought of something.  It wasn't among your listed choices, so I'll make it a write-in vote.....  Could you/ would you stop into Victory's brew pub some day this week for a Hop Devil on tap and take a picture of it, pretty please? 

←

It was going to be a surprise...but OK

←

Awwwwww.......... Sweet!

[LindaK]

Wow. I've just resolved to start frequenting the dinner and breakfast threads, if you're a regular, Percyn. Thanks a lot, there goes the last of my free time.

It would be great to learn more about Parsi, especially some advice on how a neophyte like me could learn to play with new spices and ingredients that you probably take for granted.

[percyn]

Before I left home yesterday morning, I pack out wine tote. This tote holds 3 bottles, which is great for elaborate dinners or when you are not sure what you are going to order and need pairing options. It is unfortunately almost becoming my trademark since I show up for most eGullet dinners with it and I suspect some restaurant Matre de's recognize the tote more than me . Yesterday I loaded it up with a 2003 Laboure-Roi Vallon d’Or Pouilly Fuisse, an Arrowood Syrah and a Buena Vista Carneros Pinot Noir.

For dinner, my wife and I met Philadining (an eG member who runs http://www.philadining.com/) and Chuck (philadining's friend who is also becoming a regular Dining Companion).

Note: Some of these pictures are not that great due to the lighting.

Amuse Bosche

White Corn Soup, Fried CherrystoneClams

Frisee, Organic Egg, Lardon, Fried Potato

Crisp Veal Sweetbreads, Apple Salad, Hazelnut Oil - These were good, but about the level of crispyness I achieve at home in a pan. I have had these before at Majolica, and they were super crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

My wife skipped an appetizer as none caught her fancy and decided to turn the lobster appetizer into an entre.

Chilled Lobster Salad, Haricot Vert, Preserved Lemon Aioli

Rabbit Confit, Fingerling Potato Salad, Grain Mustard - While the rabit was tender, we agreed that it would have benefited from a bit more assertive seasoning.

Porcini Dusted Halibut, Grilled White Asparagus, Parsley Emulsion - The halibut was cooked to perfection and the perfume of the porcini was enticing.

Atlantic Salmon, Celery, Brioche Crouton, Truffle Nage

The wines we consumed were a Riesling that Jeff brought, the Pouilly Fuisse and the Pinot Noir.

The desserts looked tempting, but we were full and it was getting late, so we settled on a french press pot of locally roasted Kimberton Coffee.

It was good to see a Jeff and Chuck again and I will be meeting a few more eGers later in the week.

Cheers

Percy

Edited September 30, 2005 by percyn (log)

[percyn]

Just made breakfast, which consisted of mushroom and spring onion scrambled eggs.

Chop up some spring onions, oyster mushrooms and mitake mushrooms (or any others you may have. I like Mitake with eggs, as it has a very woodsy flavor).

Sautee the spring onions and mushrooms for a few minutes. Remove 1/2 of the mixture. Add 2 tbsp 1/2 and 1/2 (or light cream) to the same pan along with some cream cheese (learnt this tip on eG). Whip up 2 farm fresh eggs and scramble to desired consistency (I recommend not making it too firm). Top with 1/2 of the mushroom and onion mixture previously set side.

Accompanied with my favorite orange juice.

[percyn]

Plan for the day:

Originally I planned to spend today in Philly, showing you the sights and eats. Unfortunately, I got a call last night that my Aunty was taken to the Intensive Care Unit, so I need to go visit her today and if I can, swing by a couple Philly spots as well.

Off I go....(you may not hear from me until later tonight).