Hedonia

The Eatsdropper wants lots of fungus

2008-09-06T12:40:13-07:00

Ufa, it's been scorching, stinking hot 'round these parts lately. I don't mind much, though our condo has a tar roof and no air conditioning. The natural air conditioning in the form of fog will return soon enough. But no matter how hot it is, I'll still welcome the virtual whispers in my ear as you send me your overheards to eatsdropper-at-seantimberlake-dot-com or @Hedonia on Twitter.

Coworker: "What type of vodka would you mix in a French 75?"
Anita: "The juniper-infused kind."

- (Self-)Eatsdropped by Anita at work

Four-year-old child: “Mom, where is my quarter?”
Mom: “I don't have a quarter.”
Four-year-old child: “I said WHERE IS MY CHANGE?! Give me your wallet.”

- Eatsdropped by Shannon near the toy machines outside a grocery store

Woman at office: "Can we get a cake made up that says 'Good luck, testees'?"
[Ed: Could this be a Cake Wreck in the making?]

- Eatsdropped by Jen at (her now former!) work

Middle-aged man: "We just had a great meal at P.F. Chang's."
Middle-aged woman: "I keep hearing that. But I don't like Chinese food."
Middle-aged man: "Oh, it's not Chinese. We had steak."

- Eatsdropped by Cranky at the Marin Farmers Market

Bartender: "If you're looking for more interesting wines, you should stop by Cantina."
Middle-aged female patron: "Oh, you mean at Chevy's?"

- Eatsdropped by Anita at Level III

Young brother and sister arguing over which hunk of bleu cheese their dad should purchase:
Boy: "That one has too much fungus."
Girl: "But the fuuuuuunnnnnguuuuusssss is the best part. I want lots of fungus."
Boy: "You're right, the fungus is the best part."

- Eatsdropped by Erin at Gourmet Garage

Tourist, inquiring about radishes directly under the large Capay Organics banner:
"Are they organic?"

- Eatsdropped by yours truly at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

Lobster rolls

2008-09-01T13:53:22-07:00

Happy Labor Day!

I often tell people that my hometown in Upstate New York is a lovely place to be from. I love living in San Francisco, and in California in general, and I have little desire to return back to the Northeast. However, there are a handful of things I do miss.

When I was young, I spent a fair amount of time on and around the New England shores. My father lived in Massachusetts and New Hampshire for most of my life, and my mother and I would often take summer trips to Cape Cod or Rhode Island. I loved those pebbly beaches, the balmy days and, above all else, lobster rolls.

I have been pining for years -- years -- for lobster rolls. There's really nothing all that remarkable about them: Just lobster meat barely dressed, served in a bun with a side of potato chips and a pickle spear. But two things have thwarted me in fulfilling my craving. First, lobster is not particularly common out here, and when it's available it's insanely expensive. But second and more importantly, I could never find the right kind of bun.

You see, lobster rolls are served in hot dog buns, but they must be top-cut buns. That way, you have the most important feature: Sides that have exposed crumb, which you then brush with butter and broil or griddle. Cuz, you know, the lobster and mayonnaise just aren't rich enough. Lo and behold, Whole Foods stocks hot dog buns that have not been sliced in either direction, so at long last I was able to achieve lobster roll nirvana.

The contrast of the warm, toasted sides of the bun and the cool, creamy lobster salad are the perfect taste of summer, and a flash of nostalgia from my childhood. My craving has been sated for at least another year.

Cooking lobsters
There are myriad theories about how to handle lobsters prior to cooking them. Some insist that you can jam a sharp object into their brain, "pithing" them and allegedly killing them before they go into the water. Others say that pithing just paralyzes the lobster, and doesn't reduce their suffering. Some say lobsters can be hypnotized by rubbing their heads or abdomens. Whatever. The only way I've ever cooked them is by putting them in a pot with enough cold water to submerge them completely and bring to a rapid boil. Supposedly, the warming of the water lulls them to sleep. Once the water comes to a boil, cook for about 6-8 minutes, depending on size (here's a more specific time chart). Remove from the water and allow to cool before cracking.

You'd be angry too ...

Reese meets a new friend.

Into the pot with ya

Not so tough now, are you?

Lobster rolls
1-1/2 to 2 lbs tail, claw and knuckle meat, coarsely chopped
Approx. 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
1 small celery stalk, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
4 top-cut hot dog buns
Butter

Combine lobster meat, mayonnaise, mustard, celery, salt and pepper and fold to combine. Cover and keep chilled until ready to serve. Brush the sides of the buns with softened or melted butter, and broil or grill until toasted. Fill the buns with lobster salad and serve with potato chips and a pickle spear.

Note: The Dijon mustard is my addition; traditionally it's just mayonnaise, minimal celery and salt and pepper.

Related:

Chef Mark visits Nova Scotia to make lobster rolls [video]
Speaking of Nova Scotia, Ruth feasts upon lobster along the Lighthouse Route
Alex at Ideas in Food reminisces about lobster at The Palm
Make French Laundry's "Peas and Carrots" at home

The Omnivore's 100

2008-08-28T17:19:35-07:00

Andrew at Very Good Taste kicked off a meme, listing 100 things every omnivore should try in their life. It's been sweeping through Twitter and the blogosphere. Being rather catholic in my tastes, I decided to put my own palate to the test. The items in italics below are items I have not tried:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (raspberries, cherries, crab apple)
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (that's a day I'll never forget)
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (um, I live in San Francisco!)
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat (though I've had curry and goat independently)
42. Whole insects (Honey ants. Not bad, not great.)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more (Lagavulin Distiller's Reserve ... swoon)
46. Fugu (but someday ...)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads (crisp-fried and floating in squash soup being my favorite way so far)
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian (also on my short list of things to try)
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (all of the above)
68. Haggis (surprisingly good!)
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette (not a fan)
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu (but I have had soju)
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong (my favorite; a friend calls it trashfire tea)
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant (hello, French Laundry)
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa (just regular harissa)
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

By my reckoning, I've sampled 87 of the 100 goods, and I wouldn't turn my nose up at any of the remaining 13 (well, maybe roadkill). What does that say about me? At the least, that I have a broad palate. More likely, it means that I'll eat pretty much anything. Pass the snake, please.

The U.S. takes the gold in synchronized Eatsdroppings

2008-08-24T18:06:41-07:00

In the interest of full transparency, I will confess something that my more regular contributors already know: I keep a backlog of Eatsdroppings. In part that is because they come in faster than I am prepared to post them these days, but also because I like to dole them out in moderately consistent little packets. So, if you've sent me a 'dropping and haven't seen it grace this site yet, have patience.

The name of this post alludes to two pairs of items heard independently of one another by the same person each in a single place. I think they each have a nice little symmetry, and I'd be hard pressed to judge which pair wins the medal. It's as close to an homage to the Olympics as I can muster, and surely not as good as Deb's take on synchro and women's beach volleyball. Enjoy!

Young guy: “Doesn't the BLT have steak in it?”

Youngish girl: “They don't have hummus at a Greek restaurant??”

- Both eatsdropped by Jen at Andrea’s Cafe

Young male diner to the female friend seated next to him, as she tries to empty her glass for the next round of pairings:
"What do you think I am, the garbage disposal of wine?!"

Male diner to a communal table full of fellow diners:
“All I need is a beer and a massage and I'd be Kobe beef.”

- Both eatsdropped by Anita at Piccino

Little girl to mom, waiting for the elevator:
"I know why they called it lemongrass. It stinks. Right?"

- Eatsdropped by Scott at their apartment building

Young woman, weighing packaged berries (and unaware that the packaging has its own weight):
"You know, this is weird. They put way more blackberries in those boxes than the 125 grams it says on the label."

- Eatsdropped by Andie at Merkur in Vienna

Gringa shopper looking at heirloom tomatoes: “How do they get the stripes on there?
Latino farmer: “Is just nature.”

- Eatsdropped by Anita at the Tustin farmers market

Young, fit woman delivering lunch to obese man:
"I was going to bring you Subway, but that lead to a confrontation, so we got you McDonald's. Besides, I know how you like Big Macs.”

- Eatsdropped by Lisa at a doctor's office

My friend Julie, getting iced tea from a drink dispenser:
“Oh, unsweetened … sweet!”

- Eatsdropped by yours truly at Old Port Lobster Shack

Chicken scallopine

2008-08-16T10:58:13-07:00

Emeril has his Essence™. Paul Prudhomme has his Magic™. My mother, too, has her own special seasoning. It's called Saltpeppergarlicsaltoregano™.

It's always the same four ingredients -- salt, pepper, garlic salt, oregano -- recited in the same run-on order, in more or less the same proportions, measured in the palm of the hand, and it works for everything. Sauce? Brown the meat, cook the garlic, add tomatoes and saltpeppergarlicsaltoregano. Salad dressing? Olive oil, red wine vinegar and saltpeppergarlicsaltoregano.

But here's the thing: Each of these things ends up tasting distinct and different. Perhaps there's a little Magic in my mother's seasoning after all.

A greater mystery, perhaps, is understanding why and how the dish called scallopine in my family in no way resembles scallopine as it is served in Italy or anywhere else on the globe. Traditional scallopine is a thin cutlet of meat, usually veal but sometimes chicken, dredged in flour, pan-fried and served with peperonata or some kind of sauce like piccata. In my family, it's cubes of meat, browned and then stewed in tomato puree with sautéed peppers and peas (and, of course, saltpeppergarlicsaltoregano).

What I do know is that it is good, and absolutely must be eaten with a piece or two of good, crusty Italian bread. I have yet to find a bread out here that resembles what was generically referred to as Italian bread in my hometown of Schenectady. It always had a flaky, crisp crust and a light, fluffy crumb. Out here on the west coast, there's a propensity for hardier, more rustic breads. A ciabatta or pugliese will do, but the fluffier the crumb, the better for sopping up all that good stew.

Chicken scallopine, in the Battaglia manner

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced or minced
Several cloves of garlic, minced
One 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
4 green peppers, sliced
1 bag frozen peas
A good slosh of red wine (optional)
Saltpeppergarlicsaltoregano (approx. 1-2 tsp each ingredient, plus to taste)

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, brown the chicken on all sides in a small amount of olive oil. Remove and reserve. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and saltpeppergarlicsaltoregano, and cook until tomatoes have broken down and sauce has thickened.

In a separate pan, fry the peppers until completely soft. Add to the pot, along with the chicken, and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Add the peas and wine, and cook until everything is heated through.

Serve with good, crusty bread.