Culture Bitch

America must surely take the cake as the Land of the Infomercial. Aliens from another planet watching American TV for just a short time would believe there were millions of people with a burning need that could ONLY be fulfilled by the latest molded piece of crappy plastic, or cheap metal, or flammable fabric. Disaster will be avoided! Lives saved! Happy homes restored! for only three payments (just three!) of $19.95! All this can be yours!

We know this. We all make fun of it, laugh at the silly commericals showing a perfectly healthy woman incapable of draining her pasta without some flimsy-looking gadget that will undoubtedly scald her hands and then melt in the dishwasher after she makes her final payment. But really, folks, someone must be buying these things, right?

Yet, every now and then, there is a commercial for a product that seems SO ridiculous, so unbelievably inane, you think somehow you stumbled on an SNL episode by accident. There is nobody the world who could possibly be tricked into buying one of these things, you think. The following, I believe, fit this category. Until I came across the following items, it never once, ever, occurred to me that there was a problem that needed fixing. These things make the salad shooter look genius.

Pasta Express - I just had to include this. “Cooks in minutes!” You know what else cooks in minutes? The pasta in the pan on my stove. I’m also absolutely fascinated by how uncoordinated the person making the pasta at the beginning appears to be; why does she pour the pasta down the drain instead of into the colander? And the pasta coming out of that tube even looks nasty on the commercial.

Bump-Its - “From Flat to Tacky Fabulous!” Is everyone going to a prom in Arkansas?

Pajama Jeans - Call me crazy, but aren’t these actually “leggings”?

Perfect Pancake - I didn’t realize flipping a pancake with a spatula was such a difficult task. What happens if you need to make more than one pancake at a time? Oh wait, you can just buy two!

SmoothGroove - For when buying pants that fit just isn’t an option.

This one is going to be quick but I must start my raving about a little B&B in Kennibunkport, ME.  It’s called the Captain Lord Mansion.  My other half and I took a long weekend trip up to Maine to explore the coast, dine, drink, and do a little LL Bean shopping.  It was a wonderful weekend and the best part (besides being away on vacation) was the fantastic B&B we stayed at.  I’m not going to sit here and drag you through all the details of how lovely the rooms were, how the breakfast in the morning would rival any country breakfast table or how accomodating the innkeepers were……..just go to the website:

www.captainlord.com

It was a fantastic vacation and a place we will definitely return to.  For those who are looking for a reprieve from the long work week, do yourself a favor and book a few days up in Kennibunkport……and stop and say hello to the Bush’s.

While I loved the summer weather we had this year (really, I did), by the end of September I was eagerly looking forward to some fall temperatures. Fall – the true, New England fall that we never seem to have anymore – is actually my favorite season, for a few reasons: the crisp, dry leaf smell of the air, the ability to put on jeans and a snuggly sweater and go for a walk on the weekend, and most especially because I can once again start cooking some of my favorite dishes. Which includes pretty much anything in my Dutch oven.

When I cook at home, which is most nights, I generally cook everything from scratch. Part of this is because I want to know the ingredients in my food, but also very much because I truly enjoy it, especially when I have the time to do it right. This week I had Monday off, but Book Bastard did not, so that gave me a whole day to get lots done, including trying a new recipe, making my favorite ragu, and prepping some things for later in the week. Here are some of the highlights.

I came across a recipe for something called Cheese Thins on one of my favorite blogs, Chocolate & Zucchini. I had been looking for an easy cracker recipe, and this totally filled the bill. More like a cheese shortbread than a cracker, the recipe was incredibly easy, and the result was, in a word, addictive. It’s a recipe you could vary with other flavors; I used ancho, cayenne, and paprika as the spices, and they are just mildly spicy but with a pronounced cheese flavor. They are absolutely perfect with a glass of wine as an aperitif.

The majority of Monday was dedicated to making one of my & Book Bastard’s absolute favorite fall/winter dishes: Short Rib Ragu. I came across this Bobby Flay recipe about a year ago…not sure how because I wasn’t looking for it, but it has become a house staple. This requires a weekend day, because, like many good stews, it takes about 4 hours, although most of that time is in the oven for a three-hour braise. It’s more than worth the effort though, because the final result is soooo good. And, it makes enough to tuck some in the freezer for another night. A ragu of this intensity deserves better than box pasta, so I pulled out my pasta rolling machine and made some fresh parsley pappardelle to go under it

The other thing I got done on Monday was an enchilada sauce, used to make chicken enchiladas later in the week. This also makes a double-batch, so one Pyrex went into the freezer for a night I don’t feel like cooking. (The recipe I used is from Mexican Everyday, by Rick Bayless, which is an absolute fantastic cookbook and a must for anyone who likes to cook Mexican food at home.)

Lastly, we got a bonus of some fresh veggies–our upstairs neighbor was away and asked us to pick up (and keep) her CSA share. Happy to oblige! In the share this week was celery root, which I had never worked with before. Since it has a similar texture to jicama or apples, I decided to shred it slaw-like, with a couple of the carrots in the basket, dress it with a lemon vinaigrette and use it as a topping for some local lettuce. For the shrimp, I did a quick marinade with some garlic (also local) and sriracha chili sauce (decidedly not local). Pan seared on top of the salad, it was a tasty and light supper. We polished off the cheese thins that night, too

Here’s a link to pictures of some of the yummy goodness.

Our Wine Club headed up to Lake Winnipesaukee this past weekend, for our sixth “couples dinner” and the second at the awesome lake cabins of WC member Julie’s family. The theme for this dinner was “Around the World”, and about a month before names & countries were drawn from a hat to give everyone their assignment: bring a wine from, and make a dish representing, your selected country. As usual, everyone outdid themselves and we not only ended up with a spectacular nine-course meal, but the lake-side setting, perfect weather, and great company made it one of the best couples dinners yet.

I wish I’d been able to get pictures of every course, but as the night wore on it became too dark (and had nothing whatsoever to do with consumption of mucho vino ;). The few I did get still captured a bit of what fun we all had. Kudos to all the guys, too, for helping play waiter for their significant other’s course.

Link to the photos:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2081933&id=1457599397&l=cd6eaa1af1

hors d’oeuvres

assorted cheeses, olives, nuts & bread
several rosés contributed by various folks, including an interesting one from Québec

lemony shrimp with currants and pine nuts
San Simone Il Concerto Prosecco Brut NV

Spain (Steph)

mussels with chorizo, tomatoes & leeks
Viña Sastra Flavus Blanco Ribera del Duero 2008

US (Robin)

corn & lobster chowder
Treana White Central Coast 2008

New Zealand (Sara)

grilled salmon with lime butter with a carrot & scallion salad
Brightwater Vineyards Riesling 2008

France (Joanne)

coq au vin
Georges DuBoeuf Morgon 2007

Argentina (Carol)

grilled flank steak with aji sauce
La Posta Angel Paulucci vineyard Malbec 2008

Morocco (Julie)

lamb tagine with apricots, served with couscous
Thalvin Alain Graillot Syrocco Syrah 2006

dessert

French lemon yogurt cake

***

Julie and Steve were fantastic hosts, as usual, giving us all a place to crash after so much good food & wine…and beer, too, because the guys seemed to be doing their own side-tasting of every pumpkin ale on the market in New England. The recycling bins were overflowing in the morning!

Now we just have to plan our next one…

Which is worse: thinking the normal person talking on the invisible earbud phone is crazy, or not realizing the person next to you on the train is NOT actually having an argument with another person by phone but is, in fact, insane?

How does one know when they have had their best meal?  Is it the meal itself that distinguishes this high honor, the great company, the atmosphere or all of the above?  Recently I was graciously invited to Per Se in the Time Warner building to take an adventure with great friends that would last for over 4 1/2 hours.

For years now I had been “anti tasting menu” after having a few bad experiences that ended up costing me mortgage payments of money.  Was I ready to experience Per Se and all of the high expectations that came with it; YES!

I wore my best suit in the closet and arrived early at the Time Warner building, browsing through the main level mall of high end retail stores.   My guests and I headed upstairs for our 6:15 p.m. reservation.  We were met with the iconic blue door (much like at the French Laundry in California).  Its grand entrance stated quite bluntly how the evening was going to progress.  We were warmly greeted by a hostess as slick as any in NYC.  Her gentle English accent escorted us through the lounge and into the main dining room which overlooked central park.

The table was dorned with heavy  linens, beautiful glassware and flowers that all exuded quality of the highest level.  We were welcomed with great champagne to toast the evening with and thus the menus arrived.  Deciding what to eat at Per Se is really an oxymoron.  There are two menus; one that is vegetarian and one that is not.  As I was parusing the tasting courses I noticed the menus were printing with a “Happy Birthday Carolyn” on the top (a nice personal touch for our table which was celebrating a birthday).  After tossing and turning over whether to have the supplemental foie gras course or not and what to drink for the evening, we let the whistle blow and the games begin.

It would be pointless for me to talk about every single course (approximately twenty of them) and describe each dish.  What I would like to share is how beautiful this meal progressed from the very first item; a cornet of salmon tartare with creme fraiche all the way to the final mignardise at dessert.  I’ve never experienced a more flowing evening of food that progressed like a piece of classical music.  Chilled corn soup poured tableside into miniature soup bowls designed specifically for this purpose made us all wonder how corn could taste this sweet and decadent.  Greatest hits dishes that are popular at both Per Se and the French Laundry made their way onto the menu this evening.  ”Oysters and Pearls,” a combination of Island Creek oysters and a rich “Sabayon” with Sturgeon Caviar was as luxe as one could imagine while drinking vintage Pierre Gimmonet Champagne.  Torchon of foie gras paired with a 1996 Sauternes and orange blossom honey made me want to ask for a second round.  As the meal progressed and the meat courses of lamb saddle and duck breast arrived one after the other we all began to see how magical this restaurant was.

Yes, the little details such as a second round of brioche while you are eating your foie gras so not a single bite has to be subjected to cold brioche is a gesture beyond words.  Smiling faces as they approach your table make you wonder if they are genetically breeding these people to all be the same.  They seem to be wholesome like whole wheat.

As the sun set over central park we noticed the rock fireplace ignite in the front of the dining room.  How a space could make you feel cozy like that with the use of a modern style fireplace in the middle of July was a great feat.  Nothing is ever perfect though, and the staff at Per Se are in fact real humans the make mistakes.  A meat course of Liberty Farms Pekin Duck breast made it to everyones place setting except one, sliding out of the waiters hands and bouncing onto the table.  None of us seemed to care at all, but were more concerned with the fate of the waiter that had simply made an honest mistake.  A moment later the fourth plate of duck was whisked to the table and flatware began piecing apart the course just like the last in gastronomic pleasure.  It was nice to know that these people who seemed perfect are in fact human.  It made the experience so genuine.

There is no wine pairing here at Per Se so we decided to go the traditional route of drink whatever the hell we wanted.  A great bottle of vintage champage, premier cru chablis and delicous red burgundy.  As I took my last sip of wine I could feel the gears switch into what I would now describe as sweet tooth overload.

Part of the tasting menu was in fact a plated dessert course.  Half the table chose the chocolate option which was too complex to even describe.  The other half selected the plated dessert that showcased strawberries in ways one could not have ever imagined.  At this point I was very happy, but the end was not near.  An army of petit fours, mignardies and macaroons paraded their way to the table.  A lovely lady with a glass tray of handmade chocolates approached the table spending over ten minutes just describing the twenty something different offerings.  I felt like I was in La Maison Du Chocolat and I could have anything I wanted.

Great coffee, and the warm lighting of the candle at our table rounded out the laughs and great conversation about life, love and the future.  Surprisingly our conversation that night had very little to do with food.  We all acknowledged that each course we had been presented with was superb on many levels.  As I returned to the table from heading to the restroom, I laughed to myself and took note on how wonderful the hand soap was.  It left a gentle aroma lingering on your hands that made you realize that these guys hadn’t overlooked a single detail.

So what does a great meal comprise of?  Exactly what I described and that is why I consider it my best meal ever.  It was filled with wonderful food that was higher than any level I had previously expected, warm service but most of all, great conversation.  Isn’t that what eating is about?  It is a social activity.  Going to a place like Per Se or any other restaurant for that matter and simply eating the food is not enough.  It must be enjoyed and appreciated.  I walked out of Per Se with my friends and hopped on the escalator down to the bustle of Columbus circle.  I couldn’t wait to make another reservation to come back and do it all over again.

One of our favorite local spots, The Independent, hosted a beer dinner recently sponsored by Ommegang brewery. Book Bastard loves his beer, and we both love this restaurant, and as the dinner was five courses, with beer pairing for $40/pp, how could we resist?

Now, a cynic might be tempted to think, “Only forty dollars for five courses WITH beer? I bet the portions will be tiny and it will be thimblefuls of beer.”

Quite the opposite, my friend. In fact, by the time we were done we could barely sample the dessert. If there was one downside to this whole meal, it was that there was too much food - to the point that I felt embarrassed with how much of each course I wasn’t eating. By course # 3, I was really full. Each course came with a full, twelve-ounce glass of beer, too. Here’s what was on the menu:

Welcome Beer: Tripel Perfection

Aged Robusto cheese, crusty Iggy’s bread, house-made pickles & chutneys

First Course: Witte

Fried Rhode Island razor clams with a cider-tarragon mignonette, and Fines Herbes herb aioli

Second Course: Hennepin

Sweet star anise charred pig sandwich, with summer slaw & spicy sesame bbq sauce

Third Course: Biere de Mars

House cured bacon, sharp local cheddar, pickled green tomato & red onion salad

Dessert: Three Philosophers Quad

Salty pretzel brittle sundae with Christina’s vanilla ice cream & sour cherry sauce

****

Overall, it was a nice meal. Each course was very tasty, and paired well with the beer - though I have to admit the Ommegang beers are not generally my preferred style. The one exception to that was the Biere de Mars. I love love love wild fermented, sour ales. While this was not as sour as I prefer - my current favorite is the Duchesse de Bourgogne - it was a delicious beer, and I managed to finish the whole glass.

A favorite of the night, food-wise, was the opener. The “robusto” cheese was absolutely delicious, and I must find it at the cheese shop. The pulled pork sandwich (for that’s a better description of what it was) was also very good - like a North Carolina style bbq, which tends toward the vinegar taste I love.

I could have done with some type of spicy dipping sauce for the razor clams. Those are so rich, and although cooked nicely, the mignonette just wasn’t doing it for me.

The pickled green tomato was delicious; it appeared on both the “welcome” dish as well as the third course, which was not a problem in my view.

Book Bastard was well pleased to see the Three Philosophers make an appearance. It’s one of his favorite “special” beers - certainly something you don’t have more than one (or possibly two) glasses of in a sitting. The pairing with the sour cherry sauce on the ice cream was perfect. We managed to struggle down a spoonful or two before we burst.

All in all, though, a fun evening, and I’d definitely recommend checking out any food & beer (or wine) pairing that The Independent does. We went to one on Valentines day earlier this year that was fantastic. Don’t wait for a special event, though, The Independent is good anytime: great atmos, pleasant staff, and really good food. Oh, and the beverage selection is phenomenal!

Today I noticed a new sign on our vending machine.  Apparently there is a campaign called “Vitalities” that is trying to help you choose a better snack food.  There are four categories: Low Fat, Lower Carb, Lower Calorie, High Energy.  I’m happy to report that Mike & Ikes are in the Low Fat category…so they must be good for you, right?  I mean they are low fat, in fact, they have 0 fat so they must be incredibly healthy.  Nevermind the 140 calories most of which undoubtedly come from the 26grams of sugar.  A whole 12% of daily carbohydrates all in 23 little pieces.

Seriously, these vending people must laugh all the way to the bank.  Now all the sugary candy can be good for you.  I’d like to meet the assholes in the sugar lobby - there must be a lot of them - and punch them in the nose.

I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while now, ever since Book Bastard and I returned from Morocco, really. But there’s so many details to it and every time I start, I get interrupted and, well, you know how it is. As a co-blogger noted recently, the day job really interferes with getting a blog out. In any case, I’m finally getting around to it.

Should you find yourself in Morocco - and I highly recommend you make every effort to do so - the hammam is an experience not to be missed. I must confess, the hammam Book Bastard and I visited was not a true locals-only place, in which men and women are segregated. Those places are everywhere in the medina, nondescript doors in alleyways with the Arabic and (sometimes) English for ‘men’ or ‘women’ above the door. No, Les Bains de Marrakech is a lovely spa retreat which accommodated couples, definitely designed for travelers but where more modern Moroccans go as well (Book Bastard spoke with someone in the waiting room who was from Morocco and said he and his girlfriend came there frequently together).

We knew what to expect, yet the experience surprised and delighted us with how unusual, and then thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing it turned out to be.

We were first taken to separate changing areas, given a big fluffy white robe and slippers, and told to remove all clothing but underwear bottoms. The changing area was luxurious, with long leather couches, wooden lockers for your things, marble showers. We were then returned to a relaxing room smelling of incense where we waited, on leather lounge chairs, to be brought together to our personal steam room.

That’s when the hammam starts - and where all modesty ends. We were led to a small room that was completely marble, with two long benches covered in a cushion. Robes left outside, our attendant instructed us (in French; none of the attendants spoke English) to sit on opposite benches and then proceeded to douse us in buckets (gently) of perfectly warm water. She told us to lay face down, then she closed the door and left.

The room was hot. Incredibly hot. The goal, of course, is to steam and sweat out all the impurities. And there comes a moment when you think you’re not going to be able to stand it much longer, and right when you think you’re going to need to open the door for some cold air, in comes the attendant for the next ‘phase’…the black soap scrubdown.

Yes, I said scrubdown. Two attendants came in this time, one for each of us, and rubbed black soap (made from Moroccan clay) over every inch of our bodies. If there was any modesty left after the water dousing, it’s really gone now. Now, we are instructed to lie on our backs and rest. Door closes, we’re steaming in black soap, and truly enjoying it. Laying there, in this foreign place having such an unusual experience, and looking at each other covered in black soap, at first you feel a bit silly. But once you relax and just let go, it’s unbelievably soothing.

Next phase: the attendants come back, and proceed to exfoliate every inch of what was covered in black soap (except your face - which did get the soap treatment). It’s a rough scrub, but not unpleasant. It’s amazing how quickly you get used to someone washing you.

Finally, it’s rinsing-off time, for which there is a handy rainfall shower in the corner. We take turns. The attendant (just one now) is quick to assist with helping you rinse every bit of soap off (that was a bit weird). She helps us into our robes, and then a different person led us to a relaxation area - a long, high-ceilinged room, with low cushioned lounge chairs, and sheer fabric curtains draped between every few chairs for privacy. She returns with small glasses of tea - the sweet, mint tea Morocco is famous for. We rest there for a while, wrapped in our fluffy robes and sipping hot tea. I have never been more relaxed in my life. Other couples are in this large room as well, but the chairs are spaced well apart.

After about ten minutes or so we are collected and led upstairs to our massage. We are together in a room for this as well, each with a masseuse. The massage was fantastic; if you’ve had one you know how good a good massage can be, and this did not disappoint. The room was nice and warm, with a sheer curtain partially separating the two tables, Moroccan rugs on the floor and very soothing music. One difference we noted from massages we’ve had here in the US, is that they’re not all puritanical about keeping you covered up, tucking sheets around every limb while they massage it and then stuffing it back under the covers when they’re done. You are loosely draped with a sheet, which they freely fold up or down as needed to uncover roughly half your body at a time. I’m not sure if this is a Moroccan thing, or a European thing, but it was rather refreshing and definitely relaxing.

The entire experience was so relaxing, in fact, that we booked a second full hammam/massage treatment for the day before we left Morocco. Indulgent, I know, but then again we were on vacation in the most exotic place we’ve ever been so far. And I can certainly tell you, the next time we go to Marrakech, we will definitely be going for more.

This winter I got really into making mac & cheese from scratch. I’ve tried a few different recipes from various cookbooks, and some are OK, some just mediocre, but the best one yet is in Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Cooking, upon which this recipe is based. One weekend as I was craving this dish, I happened on a cooking show where someone (most likely Rachel Ray) added chipotles into a cheese sauce…and voila, the idea for my Chipotle Chicken Mac & Cheese was born. I’ve tweaked it little by little until I found the perfect one-pot dish for a cold, rainy winter (or, in the case of our recent weather, May) night.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

canned chipotles in adobo (amount will depend how spicy you like it)

3 T butter

3 T flour

3 cups milk

8 oz shredded cheese (I use a half/half combo of cheddar & either jack or fontina)

1 box of pasta (a small shape, like cavatappi, elbows, or shells)

about a cup of frozen peas, defrosted

toasted breadcrumbs (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken breasts on a small pan, drizzle with oil, salt & pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Shred or slice into bite-size pieces and set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.*

Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta.

Remove chilies from can, with some of the adobo sauce, and chop into fairly small pieces. I use 4-5, which makes a pretty spicy dish. Set these aside while you prepare the sauce.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. When foam subsides, add flour and whisk frequently for about 3 minutes; roux should bubble gently. Very slowly add in the milk, whisking constantly. Raise heat to medium and keep whisking until it begins to simmer and is the consistency of heavy cream. Reduce heat to low, switch to a wooden spoon and cook another 10 minutes or so, stirring frequently to make sure it’s not sticking to the pan.

While sauce is cooking, add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve.

When sauce is ready, take off heat and add in cheese(s), stirring until everything melts together. Stir the chipotles into the sauce to combine thoroughly. Add in the chicken, peas, and pasta, and stir gently to coat evenly with the sauce.

Pour mixture into a buttered casserole or pyrex dish (about 13×9 size; or two smaller ones). Top with toasted breadcrumbs if desired, and bake in a preheated 400 oven for about 15-20 minutes until everything is bubbly.

Enjoy!

*My method for ensuring the chicken stays super-moist is to roast it on a foil-lined pan; once out of the oven I wrap up the foil loosely around it, and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Once it’s cooled enough to handle (but still warm), I shred or slice it, and put it back in the foil - which now has a fair amount of clear juices sitting in the bottom - and wrap it all back up to reabsorb the juices and stay warm while I finish the rest of the components. This works really well when making chicken for salads, too.