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

[bergerka]

Heck Kathleen, my cooking mistakes are plastered all over the place for people to laugh at.     What are some of your favourite things to eat?  So we can help suggest maybe some things for you to try! 

You go girl.

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Some of my favorite things to eat...hmmm. Well, in truth, I've discovered I like almost anything fresh and well prepared, with the exception of things like eggplant, ew...it's easiest, I think, to tell you what I DON'T like.

Fruits and Vegetables: I really, really, really don't like eggplant or okra (no, not even deep fried). I don't like pickles, except for cornichons and the super-crunchy half-sours one can find in the best delicatessens. I can think of no fruit I dislike, although I have not tried durian and don't intend to. I adore brussels sprouts and intend to make some on Saturday, as I recently saw them being prepared in a way that intrigued me (and tasted REALLY GOOD).

I don't generally like salmon (although recently I DID sort of overcome my aversion to lox), or crab, although I like most other kinds of fish (I am most fond of the white-fleshed, mild-flavored ones like arctic char, but I also enjoy tuna and Sam and I had a swordfish dish not long ago that I liked a lot) and shellfish (especially mussels - I have just found a recipe for them steamed in beer that I'm seriously considering doing this week. Think I can do it without killing myself? I've never cooked them before).

In terms of regular cuts of meat, I like damn near anything...in the realm of organ meats, I would prefer to avoid tripe, brains, tongue (I just can't get past its being tongue, although it tastes rather good, and duck tongues make me gag), intestines or kidneys. I WILL eat liver, sweetbreads and chicken hearts (yes, chicken hearts. Probably at Churrascaria Tropical). I will NOT eat chicken feet, I don't care how good they are.

And oh my god, I love cheese in any form. The stinkier the better. The more it smells like feet, the more I want it.

I love spicy food, no matter where it's from.

does that help? If you pm me, I'll fill you in on some of the things I'm considering cooking this week.

K

Edited November 2, 2005 by bergerka (log)

[Chufi]

well except for the fact that I like eggplant, I think you are me

I eat salmon sometimes but I'm always sorry when I do.

I've been thinking about doing mussels with beer this week! I'd be very interested to see your recipe, so please make those!

[rjwong]

I'm amazed that you're doing this operatic foodblog without a rehearsal pianist, ehh hem.

Now, I can enjoy food & music on eGullet this week while listening to my favorite classical music radio station.

You're doing just fine. Are you using any cookbooks? Or do you prefer having someone teach you one-on-one? Will you be singing while you're cooking?

[Megan Blocker]

I couldn't decide.

At the end of this particular foodblog, will we, or will we not, consider it a happy ending if a fat lady sings?

SB (knows lots more about food than opera)

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Can we just call it the "lady who's gained more than 10 pounds in the last year?"

...although, funnily enough, since slk's been gone I've lost three pounds.

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You're pining!!!

What the heck can I have for dinner on the run

Cheese, bread and chocolate. Yum. You could probably thrown an apple in for good measure, I guess.

Edited November 2, 2005 by Megan Blocker (log)

[Genny]

Well, I would think that for a beginner cook a couple of options to learn METHOD would be 1) braise something and 2) poach something and 3) maybe a lasagne since it's always an easy entertaining item for a crowd.

For the braise, I love osso bucco. Big bang for the effort! Served with a creamy risotto and green salad, and of course, a beautiful chianti.

For the poaching, I think your white fish would be super easy and delicious. Perhaps with roasted asparagus?

Lasagna could be with a bechamel on top so you get the sauce making component in there as well. Not so hard.

(By the way, on the stinky cheese....oh yeah.... that's what I'm talking about!)

Can't wait to see what you choose. Just remember you have tons of virtual helpers here just waiting for you to holla for help! (boy, I hope there aren't too many cooks in the kitchen spoiling the pot!)

[Priscilla]

Mussels seem like a great idea -- both simple and gratifying to cook, a good combination. Plus, Chufi was going to too, this week.

But, will you have to wash your own dishes?! Don't seem right, somehow.

Blog on!

[Radio7]

I would like to suggest a lovely Garlicky Caesar Salad. I haven't seen one of those on a blog for a while.

mmmm Garlic!!

[Chris Amirault]

And oh my god, I love cheese in any form.  The stinkier the better.  The more it smells like feet, the more I want it.

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Outstanding! Who needs to cook when you've got that positive attitude? Let's see some rich, stinky, runny perfection!

[bergerka]

Braising: definitely in the works. The Caesar salad (also one of my favorites) is a possibility too - and yeah, I think one night will have to go to mussels. It may be early next week, though, the way things are shaping up. If I do it and mistake a bad mussel for a good one and die, though, will you all come clean my kitchen?

Speaking of which, after we made the arroz al frango, Charlie the coolest roommate cleaned the kitchen. I'm actually such a fan of "clean as you go," though, that by the time I'm done cooking all that's left to do, usually, is the main pots, the serving pieces, and the dishes and glassware. And silverware. That's EASY.

I THINK I've decided what to eat tonight, but it involves my running like mad to get there and get to the opera in time...we'll see if I make it.

you know what's funny? One of the best ways to eat stinky cheese? Um...on your bagel, Sunday morning, brunch...the really stinky stuff goes GREAT with a bagel.

I'll be here for another 30 minutes or so, then I'll be offline till later tonight, when I'll post pictures and tell you what I ended up doing for dinner. Tomorrow's workday is not NEARLY as long as this.

K

[Jake]

Mussels are super, super easy Kathleen, I'm sure you'll have no problem. Just remember to beard (clean) them before steaming. If you want more explanation, just ask.

Good bread and stinky cheese would be a nice end to the mussels. mmmm.

[bergerka]

What do you do if you only have 45 minutes between the time you leave work, one block from Grand Central Station, and the time you need to arrive at Lincoln Center?

Well, if you're completely insane, which is to say...if you're me, you decide to haul ass onto the downtown 6 train to 23rd street and have Shake Shack for dinner.

...I only arrived eight minutes after I was supposed to, I'll have you know, and it was WORTH it. At lunchtime, this would've been completely impossible, but I know that at 6:45 on a weekday evening, the Shack is nearly deserted. I was in & out of there in ten minutes flat, from ordering to chowing down to heading to the subway. In fact, the only reason I was late AT ALL was that the stupid 1 train took 25 minutes to go three stops.

Here's the Shack, see how pretty it looks at night?

Here's my Shack Burger and Arnold Palmer (half lemonade, half iced tea - just what I need to sit through 2.5 hours of an opera written in the 1960's ):

The opera wasn't bad. It had nothing to do with food, although it did have to do with ghosts that travel around giving people the Black Plague.

That's it for me for the day, folks...I am wiped out. I'm going to put some black beans on to soak (you'll just have to wait and see what that's for!). Before I do, though, here's your obligatory FERRET PORN! The guys are chowing down on some deliiiiiiicious raw chicken that their daddy ground up for them and very kindly froze in individual portions before he left. The pink stuff you see is crinkly paper from a recent Victoria's Secret purchase - the ferrets like it when I fill a huge paper sack with it and dump them all in, it makes COOL NIFTY NOISE! And yes, that black thing is the toe of my boot. Get over it, I'm a soprano, not a photographer.

See you all way too early in the morning!

[Megan Blocker]

Stupid N-R train! Great photo of the Shack - what a nice night to be out and about!

[Pan]

For those who don't frequent the area around the United Nations headquarters, Dag Hammarskjold Plaza is on 47th St. between 1st and 2nd Avs.

K, you don't talk too much. The way you talk (and write) is part of what makes you so charming and funny (in a good way). Enjoy!

[jhlurie]

SarahD and I went to the green market at Dag Hammarskjold plaza.  I got two things from "Not just rugelach," one magically delicious potato/cheddar/broccoli knish, which I'm currently noshing on, and 1/2 pound of the most incredible chocolate hazelnut rugelach ever (NO, I didn't eat the entire half pound for lunch, only one).

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I love the rugelach from "Not Just Rugelach". It's so good it kind of makes the name seem silly, since it very much IS the main reason to patronize them. They often operate out of Bowling Green park, so I've had it from there a few times when working downtown. The chocolate hazelnut is my favorite too.

[handmc]

Heck of a start. You made a sick guy feel not so lousy.

This is going to be a fun week. I enjoy your writing.

[mizducky]

Opera, food, and more cute critters--what more does a blog need?

[bergerka]

Good morning! I'm much more perky today than yesterday - amazing what almost eight hours of sleep will do. These occasional long days at work are kicking my ass.

Breakfast this morning was a cappuccino, of course (I had taken to calling them Sammaccinos...are they still that if he's out of town? Are they now Kathaccinos? Too many complicated questions for this hour), a honeycrisp apple, and some Smuckers Natural Chunky Peanut Butter.

The beans have come out of the soaking water and gone into the fridge for use later tonight. The lazy, lazy ferrets are still sound asleep - they had a much later night than I, I think, they were still chasing each other around the room when I dropped off.

I'm off to dry my hair and get to the office by 9:30. One of the nice things about being a floater is the occasional desk where there's just no work to do - I'm hoping for one today, as I have some - ahem - singing business stuff to get done; for example, I need to send off a couple of resume/photo packages with letters saying "give me an audition...you know you want to." I'm also in charge of coordinating several holiday caroling quartets and trios - it's dorky, but caroling is one of the things I really love about this time of year. It's also extremely lucrative. Not that I'm trying to make a living at this or anything.

K

[srhcb]

Opera, food, and more cute critters--what more does a blog need?

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Sex and Violence!

Oh, I guess the opera can provide that?

SB (knows just a little about opera)

[ludja]

...  I'm also in charge of coordinating several holiday caroling quartets and trios - it's dorky, but caroling is one of the things I really love about this time of year.  It's also extremely lucrative. 

...

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As much figgy pudding and cider as you can eat and drink???

[Megan Blocker]

...it's dorky, but caroling is one of the things I really love about this time of year.  It's also extremely lucrative.  Not that I'm trying to make a living at this or anything.

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Caroling is definitely the best thing about the Christmas season...music in general, in my opinion, is the best thing about the whole ridiculous holiday. I go to church around Christmas (Lessons and Carols, anyone?) not because I feel guilty if I don't, but because it's the best free concert in town!

Where do you send these carolers? Do they do private parties? Sing at department stores? I'm curious!

Good luck getting your stuff out of the way today!

Edited November 3, 2005 by Megan Blocker (log)

[Milagai]

If you still looking to experiment with a technique,

you can't get much easier than stir fry...

Plus all the sizzling and arm waving should be pretty operatic?

Can't get easier if you start with a bag of frozen stir fry veggies

and go from there....

Milagai

[Genny]

"Sammaccinos"! I love it, very sweet.

Black beans....soup? or as a side to a cubano sandwich? or maybe with braised pork? hmmmmm, can you give us a hint?

(Don't ferretts running around all night impede sleep?)

[jsolomon]

If you still looking to experiment with a technique,

you can't get much easier than stir fry...

Plus all the sizzling and arm waving should be pretty operatic?

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Gosh, and here I was thinking that bubble and squeak was the most musical dish. At least in the cooking arena.

Of course, there is a post-eating arena topic, too.

[bergerka]

Yum...cider (or WASSAIL) and figgy pudding...

We have a list of companies and organizations that hire the carolers every year, and I'm also being aggressive and approaching some companies where I have connections.

handmc, I'm sorry to hear you're sick. Chicken soup?

Sex and violence, hmm, let's see. Cutting up a chicken is violent. No sex, though, although some think cooking is inherently sexy (Nigella much?).

It is only 11:00 am. I DO. NOT. NEED. CHOCOLATE.

(you sensing a pattern here?)

[Genny]

Well, how is work going?

Ummmm, whats for lunch?