Friday, March 4, 2011
The First Person
Some of the things we humans eat, always make me wonder, who was the first person to eat it and what were they thinking. One of the more notable examples is the many (delicious) Mollusks we take for granted. Have you ever seen a fresh raw Steamer Clam? They look like snot from someone with a particularly virulent sinus infection. What on earth would make someone decide to ingest that? Was the first clam eater starving? The natural reaction of any human to something that looks like a shell-less bivalve is revulsion. Who opened that first shell and slurped it down? And then there are the mushrooms, many are poisonous and you would think that after some people had been sickened or killed, that mushrooms would off the menu, and of course there is Fugu, how many people died from the poison before the Japanese figured out how to cut it just right. Human history is full of seemingly absurd and unlikely foodstuffs that have become treasured and even fetishized. Oysters, Tuffles, Sautern Wine (made from moldy grapes) and in what has to be the most extreme, Civet Coffee. A Civet is a Bobcat like mammal who lives places like Java and other coffee cultivating lands. One of the things Civets like to eat is raw coffee beans. The outside of the bean gets completely digested, but the nut (what we make coffee out of) is exposed to the digestive enzymes of the Civet, but emerges intact in the stool of the Civet. People claim that the digestive enzymes of the Civet mellow the coffee like a fine aged wine. Civet coffee sells for about 10-20x the price of regular coffee (someone has to pick it out of the Civet turds after all) . So who was so desperate for a caffeine buzz that they made coffee out of Civet shit?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Do You Have A Pepper Mill In Your Pocket?
One recent trend I simply can't abide is the giant restaurant pepper mill. I dunno what brain surgeon came up with this practice, but for the pepper lover, nothing is more of a PITA than having to wait while some poor waitron grinds on and on, impatiently waiting for you to tell them to stop. The alternatives to this ghastly ritual are crappy pepper packets, preground pepper put into a salt shaker or going without entirely. Well, those last two options are actually the same since pepper won't fit out the smaller holes of the salt shaker. Well, thanks to the internetz, I no longer have to suffer in silence, while looking around for a good source of peppercorns, I found this miniature peppermill over at Pepper Passion - a site dedicated to all things pepper.
So the next time you see me I'll have one of these little numbers in my pocket, though I may also be happy to see you.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The Worlds Best Wine Key - The Pulltex Pulltab
You're probably still using a cheapy corkscrew you picked up at the packy* (either that or that rabbit contraption), either way, you are missing out. It's often the little things that make the difference, and this is one of those little things. Like Mary Poppins and the Rossle garlic press, the Pulltex is practically perfect in every way. The Pulltex our friends had given us many years ago recently went missing and it wasn't 'till I purchased a cheapy replacement that I truly appreciated it. It didn't transform water into wine or anything, it just worked really well without a lot of thought, the way things should, something I cannot say for it's generic replacement. Get one, you won't be sorry, I promise.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Pizza Boss 3000
This handy gadget combines two of my favorite things, pizza and power tools, granted not quite as awesomely as the blender and food processor attachment I am working on for my router, but it's close.
http://www.worldwidefred.com/pizzaboss3000.htm
Friday, November 6, 2009
Quick and Easy Chicken Gyro's
While it's certainly true that the quickest and easiest gyros at the neighborhood Greek joint or "House of Pizza", the vast majority of take out gyros are made with some weird, processed, sausage-like mystery meat. There is no reason you should have to settle for those when really delicious gyros are so easily (and quickly) made at home.
Ingredients:
- Real thick pita bread - Not the sandwich pockets. Real thick and puffy pita bread can sometimes be a bit hard to find, (Costco sells it) but plain Indian naan bread is equally good and more readily available (Whole Foods sells it).
- Tomato and Onion
- Lemon
- Oregano
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- S&P
- Tzatziki (I use a quality pre-made for simplicity, but it's easy to make your own)
- Kalamata Olives
- Chicken (boneless breast or thigh)
- Decent Feta Cheese.
Directions:
- Cut chicken into thin short strips and place in Ziploc freezer bag with; the juice of the lemon, dash of oregano, S&P, a few cloves of minced garlic and olive oil. marinate for 1/2 hour or so.
- While chicken is marinating, coarsely chop tomato and onion and mix
- Pit and chop olives
- Crumble Feta
- If you are making your own tzatziki, make it now.
- Brush pita or naan bread with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Heat Grill or Grill pan and large frying pan over high heat
- Sear chicken in frying pan, letting it get nice and crusty
- Warm naan bread one at a time in grill pan (or grill) until nice and pillowy with nice grill marks slightly charred. It is pretty easy to do this while you are searing chicken if you are quick and pay attention. cover the pita with foil to keep it warm. If you are not doing this step concurrently with chicken, put the cooked chicken in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Deep Fried Hollandaise - A Culinary Thneed
New York Chef Wylie Dufresne managed to make a version of Eggs Benedict (pictured above - I kid you not) with breaded cubes of deep fried Hollandaise Sauce. I have no idea what possessed him, but it's done using a couple a stabilizers from commercially processed food. In Dufresnes defense, these two bites of EB are served as an appetizer, not an entree. I wonder if his next appetizer will be miniature Turduckens made with Cornish Hens, Quayle and Squab.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
DePasquale's Sausage Shop - Yummy Chinese BBQ Sausages For Not A Lot of Wonga
The village of Nonantum is already justifiably famous for being the childhood home of Matt LeBlanc and for it's Big Santa, but the real attraction is the sausages. A friend turned me on to DePasquale's a couple of weeks ago and I had largely forgotten about it until I was penning the post on Ah-So sauce below. How do you go from a sticky sweet "Chinese" sauce to an Italian sausage place? Well, it's not as big a leap as one might think, as DePasquale's is the home of Chinese BBQ flavored pork sausage. I was initially a bit put off by the somewhat dilapidated looking exterior, but around here good things often come in inauspicious packages (see the Dudley Chateau.) and the interior was immaculate. After a brief transaction that had all the charm of a drug deal, I left with a tidy brown bag full of porky goodness. I don't know who came up with the idea of Chinese BBQ sausages, but brothers and sisters, it's lightning in a bottle. I grilled them up so the exterior was nicely caramelized and the result was almost bacon like in it's goodness, especially when paired with Chinese hot mustard. So next time you're down by the Lake (as Nonantum is known as locally) pick up a dozen of these, you won't regret it, I suggest them as party appetizers. On a side note, the Lake is also home to one of the most peculiar local dialects in America. I dunno where this bizarre patois came from (no one seems to) but you can check out some examples here : Lake Talk
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
AH-SO Sauce
Mention this stuff to any current or former Massachusetts resident over 30 and you bound to get a smile. This stuff dates back to the early Chun King dynasty, back when La Choy "Made Chinese Food Swing American" (click to re-live) and was a staple of New England regional cuisine. Basically this stuff tries to approximate the taste of traditional American-Chinese restaurant "spare ribs". Ah-So sauce is especially popular on appetizers like chicken wings, keilbasa slices and of course, pork ribs. Brush a little Ah-So on right before the food is done and pop it on the grill or under the broiler for a bit until the sticky sweet sauce carmelizes a bit. The reason it's just a regional oddity is that Ah-So was originally made in the Garden City of Newton, MA (Now Made In New Jersey)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Fermented Cod Liver Oil - Gah ! In The Name Of All Things Holy - WTF
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Kate's Homemade Butter - I Love This Stuff
Some years ago, Kate's showed up on the shelves of our local Whole Foods. I like to buy locally made food, so I bought a pound and have been buying it ever since. Even though it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, this stuff is really really good. I used to buy Plugra, which while good, isn't as good as Kate's. Today's globe has a nice article about Kate's, which is still being made in the family garage from local cream.
Boston Globe on Kate's Homemade
www.kateshomemadebutter.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Paul and Elizabeth's Natural Foods - Northampton, MA
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
New England Style Hot Dogs
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Rosenfeld's Bagels
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Knotty Pine - Newton, MA
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Dudley Chateau Wayland, MA
On the way back from meeting Martha for lunch, I decided to see
Where everybody knows your name: Dudley Chateau looks to renovate
By Susan L. Wagner
Wed Nov 26, 2008, 10:02 AM EST
WAYLAND - Like any number of ladies of "a certain age," the Dudley Chateau could use a little cosmetic improvement. And like some others, she’s had a colorful past.
"The Chat" (pronounced "Shat"), as it’s commonly known among its regulars, has been standing on the eastern shore of Dudley Pond since the early 1920s. According to Arlene Gatto, who is currently the bar and restaurant manager, it was originally a private fishing lodge. During Prohibition, it became a speakeasy, complete with a little peek hole in the door. After that, it was a men’s drinking club (both Ted Williams, who was an avid sports fisherman, and Babe Ruth are reported to have been regulars). Then, it became "The Chat," featuring good food and drink and spectacular sunset views across the pond.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Chow Mein Sangmidges
Boucher, David
to me| Logo | |
Connect me to: Sample Issue | Chow Mein Sandwiches by Imogene Lim Food: Meat, Poultry, and FishSummer Volume: 1999 Issue: 6(2) On occasion, you come across a food that seems a total curiosity. The Chow Mein Sandwich is such an item. What is it, you ask and where do you find this Chinese American sandwich? Try New England. Specifically go to Fall River Massachusetts for this food specialty. Local neighborhood Chinese restaurants where both Chinese and American foods are served will, no doubt, still have it on their menus. Although the popularity of the Chow Mein Sandwich peaked some 40 to 50 years ago, it is still a favorite menu item in Fall River Chinese restaurants and as far southwest as Providence Rhode Island. One restaurant in East Providence reputedly sells between nine to ten dozen a day, perhaps a mere trifle compared to the largest Chinese restaurant in Fall River that sold more than two million during its 40 year existence. To many Fall River natives, the Chow Mein Sandwich is associated with their youth. Rather than stopping at a fast food drive in during the 1930's and thereafter, when hungry they would drop by the local Chinese restaurant for a sit down meal of a Chow Mein Sandwich, French Fries, and an Orange Soda. In the early 1990's in Fall River, the Chow Mein Sandwich was still popular. So much so that it remained a part of the school lunch menu. The question then is "What is a Chow Mein Sandwich?" The chow mein part is easy enough to describe. It is a mixture of minced meat (pork), celery, onions, and bean sprouts in gravy over deep fried noodles. This combination or blend of ingredients is more like a thick sauce or a stew. It is placed between a hamburger bun or between two slices of white bread. For the latter, brown gravy is ladled over the works. As with any category of chow mein, there are variations. In addition to pork (the standard), there are other choices such as chicken, beef, or shrimp. For those who do not like noodles, the Chop Suey Sandwich (with the same variations) is available, and even a Chow Mein/Chop Suey Sandwich can be had by an indecisive diner. Portability and inexpensive price were factors in its popularity. This was during a time before there were McDonald's, Burger King, and every other kind of fast food establishment. For a mere five cents (the original cost), you would be waited on and served in a booth! Many an older person has recalled that for a dime a Chow Mein Sandwich and a soda were preferred over an ice cream and soda that would have to be consumed standing up. Dining out made the individual, if young, feel grown up. Back then, and even today, the Chow Mein Sandwich provided an economical and filling meal. Although this sandwich is no longer as popular, it still has an avid following in southeastern New England. For many individuals, this sandwich is like the Madeleine of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past evoking specific memories of life in America. If you discover the Chow Mein Sandwich at your local eatery, please let the editor know because we are keeping tabs on where else one finds it. We know that Nathan's in Coney Island once served it; where else was or is it found? In the meantime, Happy Eating! If you want to try the Chow Mein Sandwich (a la Fall River), purchase one package (8 ounces) of "Original Hoo Mee Chow Mein Mix." Then prepare your chow mein according to directions. Place a hearty scoop of the chow mein mixture between a hamburger bun or between slices of white bread (square loaf required, to be authentic). When using white bread, also prepare the Chow Mein (brown gravy) Mix and ladle the resulting gravy over the sandwich as one would for a hot turkey sandwich. "Original Hoo Mee Chow Mein Mix" is available in southeastern New England supermarkets, or it can be ordered directly from: Oriental Chow Mein Company, 42 Eighth Street, Fall River MA 02720. When you prepare your own chow mein mix, or use the proper local product, another key to authenticity is in the noodles. They should be flat deep fried noodles. The sauce (which can be equal parts chopped onion and sliced celery cooked in stock, with if desired the addition of pork, beef, or chicken) is poured over the noodles immediately before serving. There should be some crunch to the textural mix. Imogene Lim, an anthropologist teaching at Malaspina University College in Canada, researches food culture and ethnicity. Research on the chow mein sandwich was done while a Rockefeller Humanities Post Doctoral Fellow. |
| Flavor and Fortune is a magazine of: The mein event Family business in Fall River has supplied Asian ingredients for more than half-century By Brian J. Lowney, Standard-Times correspondent Photos by JOHN SLADEWSKI/The Standard-Times Barbara Wong and her son Fred are the owners and operators of the Oriental Chow Mein Company in Fall River. Mrs. Wong said her business is the only producer of fried chow mein noodles in the United States. If you ask any transplanted SouthCoast native what he misses most about the area, he might tell you that he yearns for a good chow mein sandwich. "I have customers in Florida, Arizona, Texas and California," notes Barbara Wong, the delightful and energetic owner of the Oriental Chow Mein Company, a family-operated business that has been supplying Southern New England's Asian restaurants and retail customers with chow mein noodles and other Asian food products for more than 50 years. Area retailers report that chow mein noodles and gravy mix, along with coffee syrup, frozen lemonade mix, meat pies, chourico and linguica are the most popular food products purchased by relatives seeking to send a touch of home to loved ones now living in other states. According to Mrs. Wong, a native of Canton, China, the well-known Fall River establishment is the only producer of fried chow mein noodles in the United States. "This is strictly a Fall River product," she continues, adding that chow mein noodles served in other parts of this country and in Asia vary in taste and texture. In China, for example, chow mein noodles are soft when brought to the table. According to Mrs. Wong's brother-in-law and plant manager Alfred Wong, the plan to produce fried noodles was conceived by his late father Frederick, operator of the popular Hong Kong Restaurant, a city landmark located in the then-bustling downtown section for almost 20 years, before it closed in the early 1950s. The noodle business was developed as a sideline, and eventually expanded. Today the company sells more than 10,000 pounds of fried chow mein noodles a week, in addition to two varieties of lo mein noodles, egg roll wrappers and gravy mix. The company also sells bean sprouts, which are grown from seeds planted in a computer-driven hot house, which was designed by Mrs. Wong's late husband Alfred, an MIT-trained engineer. The sprouts are not only popular with cooks of Asian cuisine, but also with vegetarians and those who are trying to develop healthier menus. According to Mrs. Wong, producing the chow mein noodles is a very labor intensive operation. Flour, salt and water are first combined in a large mixer. The dough is then rolled out into large sheets before it's placed in a noodle cutting machine. The noodles are then cut, fried, cooled and then boxed or bagged. The company employs 12 workers and operates a fleet of four trucks. Three of Mrs. Wong's children are involved in operating the small company: son Frederick helps to oversee the plant's operation, daughter Margaret serves as the bookkeeper, and son Nelson works as a driver, delivering Oriental Chow Mein products to Asian restaurants and supermarkets throughout Southern New England. When pressed for a recipe or two using her company's products, Mrs. Wong graciously defers to customer Jo Anne De Medeiros of Westport, who has enjoyed chow mein sandwiches for decades. "I've been coming here since I was big enough to hold the money," the inventive cook reminisces, adding that the fried noodles and gravy mix, sold in supermarkets under the Hoo Mee brand, are staples in her kitchen. "I make chow mein sandwiches for a quick meal, or I make smothered hamburgers by adding some Gravy Master, a little hot sauce and some fried onions to the gravy mix and simmering the patties in the gravy." Noting the gravy mix's versatility, the talented cook says that she uses the mix to make gravy for chicken, pork and meat loaf. She adds different seasonings depending on the dish she's creating and the taste buds of those being served. "My husband likes things hot and he's a great eater," she quips. For another quick meal, Mrs. De Medeiros makes egg rolls by using filling wrappers with sliced chicken breast or other meats, bean sprouts, chopped lettuce and other vegetables. "It's a great way to use leftovers," she observes. "All I do is roll them up and fry them." Both ladies agree that every cook has his own recipe for chow mein. Some cooks add shrimp, crabmeat, lobster, diced chicken, pork or marinated beef strips. Mrs. De Medeiros usually adds peapods, bean sprouts, cooked hamburger and a can of water chestnuts. "I've even used turkey after Thanksgiving," she adds proudly. "Sometimes you just don't know what to do with all that turkey after the holidays." While Mrs. Wong admits to being a traditional cook, she laughs when she tells about one customer, an elderly man who has been visiting the retail shop for more than 30 years, who has a big bowl of chow mein noodles with milk and sugar every morning instead of cereal. "Everyone has their own way of using the products," she concludes, offering the following recipe for a delicious sweet snack made with chow mein noodles | |
