Tag Team eG Foodblog: Light My Fire!

[snowangel]

Wow! Beautiful butts all around! I can't wait for Monday. Someone please hope for some sun and a respite in the rain. I'm going to have to get a combine to mow when it finally dried out, and I'd really like to be able to grill and smoke in relative comfort.

We had a wonderful evening. The dinner was at a bed and breakfast in Western Wisconsin. They owners are not able to use it as a bed and breakfast yet (code issues), but the house is beautiful and the view stunning. We had some shrimp and olives for appetizers. She has a huge garden, and her asparagus was in, so she fixed it the way her mother always did. Blanched (well, a bit beyond blanched -- perfectly done), sliced into about 1" chunks. Then she heat up milk and cream, added the asparagus and voila, just a wonderful starter. Main was veg kabobs and a perfectly done (on the grill) beef roast. Bread and a salad. The dessert sort of put me over the edge. It was a strawberry rhubarb pie that had some almond pie filling in it. Way, way too sweet for my liking.

Then, a 45 minute car ride home. I got car sick. But, I feel much better now! I've never had a problem with car sickness until the last year or two, and if I am full and have a long car ride, well, I'll let you imagine!

[snowangel]

Marlene, did your guests like the butt?

What are both of you planning to do with the leftovers?

[Marlene]

My guests loved the butt. They took some home. The rest has gone into the freezer for another day. I've got three days of grilling left, then a birthday party at the school, and then we are off for a 4 day camping trip, so it won't get eaten in the near future!

[Smithy]

Wow, what feasts! I'm drooling.

It's interesting to see that the butts stall at different temperatures, anywhere from the low 160's into the mid-170's, unless I'm misreading. Does anyone know why this is?

My friends who've taken the cheap route on cedar have just gotten cedar shingles - maybe cedar shakes, I'm fuzzy on the difference. They don't seem to have suffered any from it. Does anyone know of additives to watch out for with cedar roofing materials? I haven't heard of any.

Snowangel, my trick for cleaning burned-on caramel gunk is similar to Anna N's. I put the pot back on the stove with enough water to cover the burned-on gunk, pour in liberal amounts of dishwashing detergent, and bring it all to a simmer and leave it simmering, stirring occasionally and scraping gently at the pot bottom and sides with a spoon. Hours of simmering may be required but should do the trick.

[snowangel]

It's interesting to see that the butts stall at different temperatures, anywhere from the low 160's into the mid-170's, unless I'm misreading.  Does anyone know why this is?

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I'm wondering if it has to do with how much fat and connective tissue is involved, since that's what really changes during the stall. But, I could be wrong.

I'm ignoring the pan until tomorrow or Monday.

[Marlene]

Since I've only smoked two butts in my life, I can't answer that. The first butt I smoked, stalled at 174. but it was bigger and bone in. I have no idea why mine stalled so low this time, but I have to say that this butt was way better than the first butt we smoked.

[snowangel]

As I recall, Arne had one that stalled at something ridiculous like 150. So, no predicting. Maybe a butt expert whill chime in on this one.

[Marlene]

I am shortly off to dreamland. What a great day. Tomorrow is Mother's Day so I'm fully expecting to languish in bed, with coffee and croissants. Perhaps I'll surface around noon or so. Well that was a nice fantasy. The reality is I will be up long before my boys, enjoying the peace and quiet only a Sunday morning can bring. Coffee and newspaper. Birds singing.

The lad will return to his father tomorrow. We'll make a trip to Home Depot for landscape lighting. And then, we'll fire up the grill and make a wonderful Mother's day dinner together.

[snowangel]

So, the last thing I have done today is get my sausage fixing ready for grinding and stuffing tomorrow. I'm using a recipe from the Charcuterie book -- Chicken, Basil and Tomato sausages. I have made them once before, but they weren't as successful as they could have been texture-wise, so I'm making them again.

Before I left tonight, I had boned and cut up yet more chicken thighs. I made sure to save every bit of fat, and then removed the skin from some pork back fat and diced that, too. That chicken is really slippery stuff.

When I got home, I first took care of the casings. I'm using hog casings. They come "dried" -- they are still plyable and packed in salt.

I rinse them off, and then run water through the interior of them, put them in a bowl, cover with water and put in the fridge until tomorrow.

Diced up the other ingredients (basil, sun-dried tomatoes and roma tomatoes). Add salt and pepper, stir.

I'm once again using my big wide Tupperware bowl, which is idea for this. This mixture will go into the freezer tomorrow -- it must be very cold for the grind. I'm debating now whether to use the smaller or bigger-holed grinding disk. Hmmm. Something to dream about.

Now, I need a favor. It has rained and rained and rained and rained. I really need a respite from the rain tomorrow late afternoon for grilling and again on Monday morning so I can at least light the chimney. Could use some finger and toe crossing!

[Susan in FL]

Pulled pork, this pulled very nicely, no chunking.  It really was done

close up pork porn. Some good dark bark, nice pink smoke ring, really nice inside "Miss White"

Tonights dinner. Pulled pork sandwiches on fresh bakery rolls.  Maggie has Swiss cheese and barbecue sauce on hers.  Mine is just pork.  With Herr's jalepeno flavored potato chips.  We had another capiphirina before dinner.  This really has become our favorite springtime drink.  A diet coke with splenda was the beverage at dinner for me tonight.

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Happy Mother's Day to All! Beautiful butt dinners, both! Mike, that was a very nice Mother's Day gift to Maggie. Let us know how they tasted.

I'm still trying to send you our weather, Susan. Honestly, I'm trying hard. I've definitely got my toes and fingers crossed. Today it's another clear and sunny day with low humidity, which I love when fires are not all around us. High of 91. But they are predicting rain for tomorrow and in some parts it's expected to be a significant amount. Let's take that as to mean you will have warm clear skies.

We're looking forward to seeing your Mother's Day celebrations.

[tryingsomethingnew]

Dessert is something else I was really proud of. My blog partner, Mike suggested the butterscotch chocolate mile high pie: (I do have pics of the process of making this, but I figured, enough is enough with the pics!)

Ok.  We're offically full now.

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Marlene,

Please post the step by step process of that incredible pie.......it is just stunning!

[lancastermike]

Good Morning. Millersville continues to do it's Seattle imatation. The middle of May here should be one of the nicest times of our year. Sunny and warm without the summer time humidity. Once again today is cloudy, cool and windy. When I took the dogs out for our morning walk we did not get half way down the block when I returned to swap my gym shorts for jeans.

Happy Mothers Day!!!!

To my mom, Joan. Maggies mom, Mary. Without their love and support for 50 years now, who knows were we would be

And to my darling Maggie. Loving mom to her son Nathan She is very excited this year as he is to be married soon to the very bright and engaging Jamie who she will welcome as a new daughter

And to my blog mates and pals Marlene and Susan. Anyone who has read this blog, or any of their other blogs and postings know how much they love and adore their kids. A lucky bunch of kids they have learning about life and about food from their wonderfully smart and caring moms.

Now on to breakfast,

I fired up the old Gaggia this morning. Maggie like a latte so I usually make her one on Sunday morning. And a tip of the hat here to Owen, majordomo of the EGullet coffee board for coaching me in the operation of this device.

Steaming the milk, note the death grip on the pitcher.

The final result, Maggie's latte sprinkled with cinnamon. My mug of hot, black, strong joe. I love an espresso, but not in the morning. I want my big mug of strong coffee.

Muffins from the bakery, I had the blueberry, maggie the raspberry. As I think is obvious I love their stuff. Their muffins are very, very good.

The boys and I than repaired back to bed with the coffee and muffins and the sunday newspaper. Another weekend tradition. Maggie remains snuggled up reading and I brought the boys down for their breakfast. Arlo is curled up beside me and Gus at my feet as I post.

My nephew Peter's confirmation party is set for this afternoon in my brothers back yard. We will have to see what the weather brings

[christine007]

Thanks for a beautiful blog!

Marlene, your cat is adorable.

Happy Mother's day to all, and I can't wait to see tonight's creations.

Thanks again.

[lancastermike]

Dessert is something else I was really proud of. My blog partner, Mike suggested the butterscotch chocolate mile high pie: (I do have pics of the process of making this, but I figured, enough is enough with the pics!)

Ok.  We're offically full now.

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Marlene,

Please post the step by step process of that incredible pie.......it is just stunning!

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I have made this baby several times. It is one of those things that takes a little time, but is really not complex. They thing about it is, when you present and serve it folks think you are a top notch pastry chef. And you need not be. It really is easy to make and everyone loves it.

[Marlene]

I will post the step by step process in a bit then! Mike is right, it's time consuming, but really easy.

Good morning all! It's a little cooler today, but so far the sun peeks out every now and then. The forecast is still calling for showers later.

Happy Mother's Day everyone. Ryan of course is still in bed, but Don is up early and is emptying the dishwashwer for me before he goes off on his morning run. We want to take the grill apart today to clean it, so hopefully the weather will hold for us to that.

We'll be making a trip to Home Depot as I mentioned and I've got my eye on This for the rig.

Also a trip to Whole Foods is in order to re stock our freezer with dry aged rib eyes!

But first coffee. I'd really like one of those latte's, Mike!

[Marlene]

The making of the Mile High Pie!

A graham cracker crust is used here and baked for 15 minutes. Graham crackers, butter and dark brown sugar.

Then make a ganache to spread over the crust:

Make the butterscotch pudding and pour it over the ganache and crust;

Make a chocolate moussse and spread that on top of the pudding:

Chill this for at least six hours. When you're ready to serve, whip heavy cream and brandy together, spread on top, and dust with chocolate curls. Carefully remove the springform collar!

[Marlene]

A question about countertop convection ovens. Does the bottom get really hot? On a normal granite countertop that might not be a problem but the counters and table in the rig are not exactly hardy construction. I do have a really sturdy resin table that sits just outside the rig under the awning where my toaster lives usually, but I would hate to melt it using the oven!

[snowangel]

Good morning all, and happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers.

I'm having coffee and contemplating breakfast. I got to sleep in today!

Marlene, I'm hopeful that someone here will recognize that the dishwasher needs to be unloaded.

[Marlene]

We do have three cats, but it's really hard to get them to sit still long enough to photograph them! This is our second cat, Miss Muffin, who is, like me, a princess.

So far, I haven't gotten the baby, Shadow, to stand still yet.

We didn't use all the tenderloin last night for carpaccio, so this morning, Don offered to make steak and eggs for breakfast. Originally this was for the two of us, but Ryan woke up and decided he wanted some too.

Not only did Don make breakfast, he is now doing the dishes! What a guy.

[lancastermike]

Marlene, I'm hopeful that someone here will recognize that the dishwasher needs to be unloaded.

I have already unloaded mine. If it was not raining I was going to go get the racks from the WSM and run them on the super cycle that I have yet to use. Just heard some thunder, not looking good for my nephew's party

Edited May 14, 2006 by lancastermike (log)

[Marlene]

Which KA dishwasher to you have Mike? We've been looking at them to replace the rather small Miele we currently have.

[snowangel]

We have had breakfast. Not only did I unload the dishwasher, but I cooked breakfast. The kids did clean up (after a fashion).

A bunch of us have been curing and smoking our own bacon.

This stuff bears absolutely no resemblence to the stuff you get in the supermarket, and bears little resemblence to meat market bacon. There are some of us who would have to be pretty desperate to go to supermarket bacon ever again. It is much meatier. The other advantage is you can add just what you want to the cure, so you can really personalize it.

I cooked the last of the bacon this morning, but not to worry, I've got 12 pounds of belly curing in the fridge, and weather permitting, I'll be smoking it on Tuesday.

I also made scrambled eggs and blueberry muffins.

I tried the recipe from the Gourmet cookbook (the new one) and would probably not make it again. It was too sweet. The batter was also so unbelievably thick that it was really hard to fold in the blueberries, so they were not as light as they should have been.

I'm off to run out and get yet another instant read thermometer (my last one became part of a science project) so I can get to work on my sausages. And, get some flowers for me and my mom.

Diana gave me some of my favorite body lotion. Paul knows me well. He knows I'd rather get myself something, so I think there's an Amazon or ecookbooks order in my future today. I can't believe I still don't own Charcuterie. I've checked it out of the library so many times that will be part of my order.

Chance of rain this afternoon is 60%, and the NWS radar indicates that yes, this prediction will come true.

So, I need some advice on back up about planked salmon in the oven. I'm annoyed. And really discouraged.

[lancastermike]

This one

KA Dishwasher

The one we had before was here when we bought the house. It was real loud and did not clean real well. This one makes things shine and is very quiet. I often start if when we go to bed and the old was so loud i could not sleep. Not so now.

[lancastermike]

Chance of rain this afternoon is 60%, and the NWS radar indicates that yes, this prediction will come true.

I am looking at our radar and it is equally grim. Our forecast calls for a 100% chance of rain and we just had a small thunder shower go by. We are going to my nephews party and to visit our mom's. I'll have to see later about grilling. The soft-shell crabs only take a short time so I can do them in some rain. Would prefer not have to dodge lightning bolts. My boss has been struck by lightning, not once, but twice. To me, it has not proved to be a positive for him.

I have been reading the Charcuterie thread and looking at the wonderfull stuff and and the others are making. So far, i have fought off the urge to get the book and join in. But that bacon, may get me onboard

Edited May 14, 2006 by lancastermike (log)

[snowangel]

Mike, are you amazed at how much more your new dishwasher will hold? This one I have is so much older than the 30-year old KA Hobart I had at my old house.

The rain is mercifully missing us.

So, in honor of Mother's day, I have vacuumed, put clean clothes away, done a load of laundry, and mopped the kitchen floor. My order to Amazon is going to be bigger, I think!