eG Foodblog: bergerka - An opera about cooking, with pictures

[rjwong]

Au contraire, suzilightning. Like a good rehearsal pianist , Eric has done an excellent job keeping Kathleen on the straight and narrow. Kathleen, how many pieces of chocolate have you had during this foodblog? How many would you normally have?

As I mourn the end of the world, I mean Kathleen's foodblog, I've really enjoyed this week. Great opera, great food, from a great person (That's you, Kathleen!!).

Don't stop the music. Don't stop the cooking either.

[bergerka]

I'm shocked - SHOCKED - that Eric would say such a thing. He's a delicate flower, you know.

It was mussels for five, Eric_Malson, SarahD, special guest michaeldauphinais, in town from AZ, Charlie the coolest roommate, and me.

I realized that there had been not one stinky cheese incident in this whole blog. This had to be remedied. So while I was at Fairway, buying the mussels and being laughed at by the fish guys, I picked up some St. Andre (not stinky, but buttery rich) and some ripe, smelly Le Fournols, which is supposedly what Chaumes was like before it was factory made. I would not know.

SarahD had brought some baguettes from the Silver Moon Bakery over to have with the mussels, so we used some of one for the cheese.

While the mussels were rinsing, waiting to be scrubbed, I made some Twentieth Century cocktails. The consensus recipe was 1.5 gin to .5 each of lemon juice, lillet blanc and white creme de cacao, so that's what we went with. Mmmmm...just right.

I scrubbed all the mussels with a scotch-brite pad, yanked out the beards, and put them in a colander to drain.

Then, in a big copper pan, I put about 16 oz of Hoegaarden, five or six whole cloves, 1 teaspoon of mustard seed - I had to skip the coriander called for in the recipe, as - oops - we didn't have it. I bought mustard seed, but um...we already had plenty of that - some red pepper flakes, some salt, 2 bay leaves and 2 lemon wedges.

I brought the liquid to a boil and let it boil, partially covered, for two minutes.

Then I dumped in the mussels, stirred them around and covered the pan. At this point it occurred to me that this is the first time I have ever personally killed my food.

After about six minutes (there were a lot of mussels), they had all opened and were smelling delicious. I chopped up some parsley and sprinkled it on.

Then I brought over the pan to the table and we all dug in! Here's my plate, complete with baguette for the dipping liquid and a glass of Hoegaarden.

They were very good - I would have liked the beer and the spices to permeate the ones at the top a little more, but now that I know how freakin' easy these are, I'll be making them much more often.

That's my blog! Thanks so much, all - your encouragement, support and great suggestions have left me feeling much more confident about just diving in and cookin' away. I'll be checking in for as long as this thread is open.

The ferrets and I wish you all a great and good night!

[Megan Blocker]

SarahD had brought some baguettes from the Silver Moon Bakery over to have with the mussels, so we used some of one for the cheese.

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Sigh...I miss Silver Moon! It seems a world away from my current abode on the UES.

Fabulous blog, Kathleen! And talk about going out with a bang - the mussels look excellent. Well done! Say g'night to the ferrets for us.

[*Deborah*]

Sigh, is it over already?

It's been swell! Thanks!

And I think the ferrets make a much cuter accessory than the mink stole they resemble in that pic

[Pan]

Such a cute picture, K!

So, now that you realize you can cook well, are you going to be fighting Sam for the stove?

[Mooshmouse]

Girl, for someone who claims that she can't cooked, you've cooked up a mighty fine week's worth of food, most of it while entertaining to boot!

I've loved your blog.... your casual, witty writing style as well as your three lovely boys who are oh, so cute. Thanks so much for sharing your week with us. And I hope you've been a little less lonely in Sam's absence with all of us crowding your kitchen!

[Genny]

The curtain has closed on our leading soprano's lovely aria and the audience is on their feet in a sign of respect for her talents. A standing ovation for sure Kathleen! Bravissima! @}--,-'----- (a rose)

Will there be an encore? Dinner tomorrow? Ah, likely not soon, as we must move on to our next talented kitchen maven.

Thanks again K!!!

[KatieLoeb]

Brava, to our lovely soprano and hostess for a week's worth of fine cooking, outings and reports. Well done Kathleen! That "I can't cook" stuff is a nice cover story, but we all know the truth now. You've availed yourself admirably.

And the ferrets are just so cute! Hugs to the weasel babies. They make me miss my former pets very much.

[Abra]

Great blog, and great to see "the real you", as opposed to "headshot you." If you sing as well as you cook and write, you have a great future ahead of you!

[slkinsey]

I would just like to point out that while Kathleen has been making drinks with my booze and cooking delicious food, I've had to content myself with a bowl of cereal after rehearsal.

[jsolomon]

Sometimes you're the hot skillet, sometimes you're the hash, Sam.

[appreciator]

Just wanted to add that I've very much enjoyed this blog......

Kathleen.... you surely can cook!

[Rebecca263]

Thank you, Kathleen! Sam's blessed to have you, in his life, drinking his booze. We've all thoroughly enjoyed your blog, even us lurkers (me and kiddle). Brava!

[Chufi]

kathleen, I so enjoyed your blog..

I'm glad the musseladventure went well!

And what a lovely picture of you smothered in ferrets. So cute.

Please keep on cooking and sharing your experiences with the rest of us, somewhere on EGullet!

Edited November 9, 2005 by Chufi (log)

[Susan in FL]

Great blog! I was quietly enjoying it all week, catching up when I had chances, but nevertheless enjoying it very much. Thank you, Kathleen!

[bergerka]

I would just like to point out that while Kathleen has been making drinks with my booze and cooking delicious food, I've had to content myself with a bowl of cereal after rehearsal.

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Hey sweetie? If you start the bean soup in the crock pot in the morning, it'll be done by the time you get home. Just cook them till they're done...

*ducks and runs* :raz:

Don't worry, Sam - after cramming a month's worth of eating into one week, I'll be joining you in the cereal for dinner choice! Well, I HAD lost four pounds...

K

[handmc]

Thanks for a great blog! We all had a great time watching you flex your cooking muscles.

[BarbaraY]

Thanks for a great blog. I enjoyed every bit of it and your babies are adorable.

[johnnyd]

Great blog, Kathleen. Damn, I miss New York...

Thank you for confirming for those not in the know, that "assload" is indeed a measurement.

[jsolomon]

Great blog, Kathleen. Damn, I miss New York...

Thank you for confirming for those not in the know, that "assload" is indeed a measurement.

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Of course it is. It is a unit of volume about as large as your largest individual poop... which as we all know is the corpse of previous meals--so this is still food-related

[jsolomon]

Even though I noticed that dumplings were conspicuously missing, you performed fabulously. Your inner Diva has shown through, yet again, Kathleen.

Thanks for your ferreting out food, entertainment, and more beer for me to try.

[EllenC]

Excellent blog! I really enjoyed your writing style and food and ferrets. Thank you.