Does anyone read the Foobiverse livejournal? It's a complete hoot. It's basically a bunch of people ripping on the For Better or for Worse comic strip. So yesterday the host does something different. She writes about where she was and what she was doing on September 11, 2001 and asks others to write in about their whereabouts and what they are doing now. It's probably the most moving memorial to the events of September 11 I've ever encountered. A lot of people wrote in about the loved ones they lost. A lot talked about how their lives changed even though they had no direct connection to the terrorist attacks. For everyone who posted September 11 was something that happened to them. It changed the fabric of their being in profound ways. One poster wrote, "Before 9-11, I didn't think anyone hated the US as much as al-Qaeda does. Now I'm much more concerned with the view of America abroad, and I don't have the sense of security I once had."
We as a nation experience September 11, 2001 together. We were all fixed to the tv trying to find out what happened. It was what we all talked about for the weeks following. For some it got us in conversations about our country's role in the world. For others it brought up feelings of building more walls and barriers. However we processed it we were all processing about the same event.
So why do we need fiction? I'm not talking about an artistic response to September 11 but FICTION. Made up stories that didn't happen. Dramatizations of real people as if the real people and the real story wasn't powerful enough. I have assiduously avoided any kind of movie, made for tv movie, or mini-series that had to do with September 11. It just feels so stupid to make people PAY MONEY to experience a fictionalized version of the reality we all experienced. Why do people need to put such an immense national tragedy in a box?
Knowing that movies about 9/11 turn my stomach in general, ABC's Path to 9/11 was beyond nauseating. This went beyond interpolating the feelings and experiences of a firefighter or plane passengers, this was making shit up about the policy decisions that affected finding or not finding Osama Bin Laden. That's like making a movie about Franklin Roosevelt calling Emperor Hirohito to ask him to bomb Pearl Harbor because Roosevelt didn't want it getting out he was cheating on Eleanor. Beyond the crass fictionalizing is the fact that this stupid movie was billed as being based on the 9/11 Commission's Report and having advertisement saying crap like "what REALLY happened on 9/11." That part is hilarious since it left out Cheney hiding out in a bunker and Bush reading My Pet Goat for 7 minutes.
September 11, 2001, I had just ended a job and would start another one the following week. It was a gorgeous day and I was looking forward to my week of relaxation. J kissed me goodbye before he went to work and I made myself the big pancake breakfast I couldn't have made myself on a workday. I turned on the tv and saw the big gaping hole in one of the twin towers. I stared at the screen and watched the other tower get hit and both towers collapsing. Like I do in every major event of my life, I called anyone and everyone I could get in touch with. That day I was kind of separated from the rest of the world because going out just felt weird. J came home around 2:00 pm. Downtown was a mess and by that time, DC took it's own hit with the Pentagon being smashed into. Buses were packed but what was overflowing was the milk of human kindness. J was saying that left and right people were beckoning their fellow commuters into their cab. J coming home when he did was the direct result of that kind of kindness. Some friends came over and we watched the continuing coverage together. I spent Tuesday glued to the cable news networks, trying to see if there was anything new. Bill Clinton talking intelligently about terrorism was a balm for me. By the end of Tuesday I had to stop watching the news.
Wednesday I turned on the Food Network. I know it's a day late, but where were you on September 11, 2001?
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
Potpourri of Reviews
It's been a whirlwind of eating for me these past few weeks. Our friend Boy Married is quite the restaurant connoisseur and know his stuff and I've been the beneficiary of being dined (and not wined) by my organization's funder. So here's my reviews of some of the places I've eaten in the past few weeks.
Ten Phenh
The title of this review is "thank god the funder paid for this one." Our major funder took me and my E.D. out for lunch at Ten Phenh last Tuesday to talk a little policy. I will say that I like the decor and how the managed the noise level. Lunch is always crazy for a sit-down meal because of all the chatter. Foodwise the meal was up and down. My biggest beef about Ten Phenh is how rice doesn't necessarily come with your entree and if I wanted rice with mine, I would need to pay $6. For an Asian restaurant that just seems so absurd.
The theme of the lunch was competent but unimaginative food. The limeade actually tasted a notch down from the fresh and tart limeade I'm used to at a Vietnamese dive. We all got an assortment of appetizer. I got the generous servings of lumpia the size of Cuban cigars and tasted the Peking duck rolls. The lumpia were competently made with three different sauces - a sweet chili, a hot remoulade, and a spicy soy. As with most of the meal I was befuddled about how they could spend so much time on decor and buzz and have food that was on par with a Duangrat's or a Sala Thai. Obviously the presentation and ambiance reflected the fact the same elegance of Ceiba which is owned by the same group. The food just didn't keep up. Their duck rolls tasted strong of hoisin but the sauce overpowered any flavor of the duck meat. I got the whole fried catfish where the lack of rice was really irksome. The fish was perfectly cooked and served with a nuoc cham dipping sauce (a sweet nuoc mam) and an Asian cucumber salad. But the strong flavor of the sauce was screaming for rice that I wasn't willing to make my funder pay for. The serving was more than generous and I didn't order dessert.
Woodland
On the almost opposite end of the spectrum is woodland in Hyattsville. I have to thank Married Boy for this find. It was our boys night out as our friends were throwing a friend a girls-only bachelorette party. Nestled in an ethnic strip mall that reflected the Latino, South Asian, and Vietnamese character of that part f Hyattsville, the decor and ambiance of Woodland was befuddling. Giant murals of some form of sign language adorned the walls along with woodland creatures and Indian princesses. Even more interesting was the fact that a tourist bus full of South Asians took over half the restaurant. They were led by a petite Chinese woman who would try and lead them in a cheer. The waitstaff served this party as if they were family, just slopping huge servings of curries onto the tourists' plates. Because Married Boy lived in Virginia and didn't get out to this part of Maryland often, we both ordered a curry AND a dohlsa, a crispy Indian crepe. I ordered the vegetable makhani curry with the masala dohlsa, the crepe with potato. Boy Engaged ordered the paneer curry and the onion dohlsa. Both were incredible. One top of our two GINORMOUS entrees, we split the appetizer sampler. Along with the usual samosas and pakoras (which were excellent) were savory coconut dougnuts. For TWO entrees and an appetizer sampler, we ended up paying $40. I had to suppress a giggle at the price.
Rustico
The final part of my eating out experience was going to Rustico in Alexandria for dinner last night. We had to drop off Married Boy's bag he left the previous night and he recommended that we go to Rustico. With it's high ceilings, open kitchen, and modern and eclectic decor, Rustico promised interesting food. This time, the food didn't disappoint. Considering we came at 9:00 pm, the services was prompt and friendly. We started with their BBQ pulled pork mini-sandwiches and their garlic knots. The BBC sandwiches were served on an excellent cheddar-herb biscuit with sweet potato chips. The pork was competent but the biscuit it was served on was out of this world. Light and savory the biscuit could have been served on their own. The sweet potato chips were light and crisp. The garlic knots were pieces of friend bread dough rolled in garlic, herbs and a little lemon and served with a marinara dipping sauce. Rustico knows it's deep fat fryer because the knots were light and delicious. The lemon flavor cut through the greasiness of the knots. It would be hard to top the appetizer, but the entrees lived up to the innovative decor. J ordered the seared tune with fingerling potatoes and green beans with a sun-dried tomato tapenade. I ordered the mac and cheese alfredo with assorted mushrooms, peas, pancetta, and sausage. I would say both dishes were highly salted but not so much that it distracted from the flavors of the entrees. I loved the mac and cheese with its sauce that was strong enough to cling to the pasta but not so gooey thick that I couldn't eat it. Each ingredient - mushrooms, peas, pancetta, sausage - all had their moment in the sun and worked well together. The seared tuna was a true delight, moist, flaky and perfectly seared. There was a caper egg sauce that complimented the tuna perfectly. It gave variety to the tapenade that also accompanied the tuna. The serving were healthy enough for us not to order dessert. This was a perfect date restaurant along with a great after work spot.
Ten Phenh
The title of this review is "thank god the funder paid for this one." Our major funder took me and my E.D. out for lunch at Ten Phenh last Tuesday to talk a little policy. I will say that I like the decor and how the managed the noise level. Lunch is always crazy for a sit-down meal because of all the chatter. Foodwise the meal was up and down. My biggest beef about Ten Phenh is how rice doesn't necessarily come with your entree and if I wanted rice with mine, I would need to pay $6. For an Asian restaurant that just seems so absurd.
The theme of the lunch was competent but unimaginative food. The limeade actually tasted a notch down from the fresh and tart limeade I'm used to at a Vietnamese dive. We all got an assortment of appetizer. I got the generous servings of lumpia the size of Cuban cigars and tasted the Peking duck rolls. The lumpia were competently made with three different sauces - a sweet chili, a hot remoulade, and a spicy soy. As with most of the meal I was befuddled about how they could spend so much time on decor and buzz and have food that was on par with a Duangrat's or a Sala Thai. Obviously the presentation and ambiance reflected the fact the same elegance of Ceiba which is owned by the same group. The food just didn't keep up. Their duck rolls tasted strong of hoisin but the sauce overpowered any flavor of the duck meat. I got the whole fried catfish where the lack of rice was really irksome. The fish was perfectly cooked and served with a nuoc cham dipping sauce (a sweet nuoc mam) and an Asian cucumber salad. But the strong flavor of the sauce was screaming for rice that I wasn't willing to make my funder pay for. The serving was more than generous and I didn't order dessert.
Woodland
On the almost opposite end of the spectrum is woodland in Hyattsville. I have to thank Married Boy for this find. It was our boys night out as our friends were throwing a friend a girls-only bachelorette party. Nestled in an ethnic strip mall that reflected the Latino, South Asian, and Vietnamese character of that part f Hyattsville, the decor and ambiance of Woodland was befuddling. Giant murals of some form of sign language adorned the walls along with woodland creatures and Indian princesses. Even more interesting was the fact that a tourist bus full of South Asians took over half the restaurant. They were led by a petite Chinese woman who would try and lead them in a cheer. The waitstaff served this party as if they were family, just slopping huge servings of curries onto the tourists' plates. Because Married Boy lived in Virginia and didn't get out to this part of Maryland often, we both ordered a curry AND a dohlsa, a crispy Indian crepe. I ordered the vegetable makhani curry with the masala dohlsa, the crepe with potato. Boy Engaged ordered the paneer curry and the onion dohlsa. Both were incredible. One top of our two GINORMOUS entrees, we split the appetizer sampler. Along with the usual samosas and pakoras (which were excellent) were savory coconut dougnuts. For TWO entrees and an appetizer sampler, we ended up paying $40. I had to suppress a giggle at the price.
Rustico
The final part of my eating out experience was going to Rustico in Alexandria for dinner last night. We had to drop off Married Boy's bag he left the previous night and he recommended that we go to Rustico. With it's high ceilings, open kitchen, and modern and eclectic decor, Rustico promised interesting food. This time, the food didn't disappoint. Considering we came at 9:00 pm, the services was prompt and friendly. We started with their BBQ pulled pork mini-sandwiches and their garlic knots. The BBC sandwiches were served on an excellent cheddar-herb biscuit with sweet potato chips. The pork was competent but the biscuit it was served on was out of this world. Light and savory the biscuit could have been served on their own. The sweet potato chips were light and crisp. The garlic knots were pieces of friend bread dough rolled in garlic, herbs and a little lemon and served with a marinara dipping sauce. Rustico knows it's deep fat fryer because the knots were light and delicious. The lemon flavor cut through the greasiness of the knots. It would be hard to top the appetizer, but the entrees lived up to the innovative decor. J ordered the seared tune with fingerling potatoes and green beans with a sun-dried tomato tapenade. I ordered the mac and cheese alfredo with assorted mushrooms, peas, pancetta, and sausage. I would say both dishes were highly salted but not so much that it distracted from the flavors of the entrees. I loved the mac and cheese with its sauce that was strong enough to cling to the pasta but not so gooey thick that I couldn't eat it. Each ingredient - mushrooms, peas, pancetta, sausage - all had their moment in the sun and worked well together. The seared tuna was a true delight, moist, flaky and perfectly seared. There was a caper egg sauce that complimented the tuna perfectly. It gave variety to the tapenade that also accompanied the tuna. The serving were healthy enough for us not to order dessert. This was a perfect date restaurant along with a great after work spot.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Pho 88 (Beltsville)
Once upon a time, two soup loving boys lived just outside Washington, DC in a little cottage, in a tiny forest where they often had dreams of the perfect Vietnamese meal.
They had explored the grand land of Eden, enjoyed many adventures with the Pho 75 villagers, and tasted more hoisin and siracha soaked porridges than Goldilocks who now eats only steak and tamales.
One day, on a cold and bitter-winded morning, and after feeling a bit tummy sick and tired, the two headed out of their little cottage in the tiny forest for a bowl of spice and sustenance.
They had dreamed for days of healing, salty broths and perfectly cook meat. Visions of noodles and piles of sprouts, mint, limes, and jalapenos danced in their heads. There was a lot riding on this adventure.
After a brief search for Viet Deli in the Hyattsville section of the forest, the boys landed at Pho 88, in the land of Beltsville and the village of Stripmallia just past Ikeaville.
And they soon realized the soup of their dreams had been here all along. Yes, here in the land of Beltsville, in the village of Stripmallia and just past Ikeaville was a heaping, beautifully spiced bowl of pho that came out piping hot with a sweet, beefy, fragrance. The noodles were just cooked enough and finished their softening in the broth.
One had the chicken (pho ga) with the light and delicious broth. A bit more flavorful than most and definitely the best he has had. The chicken was just a bit more moist than others he had tried, and more flavorful without being overwhelming.
The other had the combination pho with a few types of beef. It's flavor was distinctively different than that of the pho ga. Think beef, but the dreams of this one later will recall its anise and clove hints as well.
The fresh squeezed lemonade was a perfect compliment to the flawless pho, that almost brought both boys back to reality.
What a great place!"
They had explored the grand land of Eden, enjoyed many adventures with the Pho 75 villagers, and tasted more hoisin and siracha soaked porridges than Goldilocks who now eats only steak and tamales.
One day, on a cold and bitter-winded morning, and after feeling a bit tummy sick and tired, the two headed out of their little cottage in the tiny forest for a bowl of spice and sustenance.
They had dreamed for days of healing, salty broths and perfectly cook meat. Visions of noodles and piles of sprouts, mint, limes, and jalapenos danced in their heads. There was a lot riding on this adventure.
After a brief search for Viet Deli in the Hyattsville section of the forest, the boys landed at Pho 88, in the land of Beltsville and the village of Stripmallia just past Ikeaville.
And they soon realized the soup of their dreams had been here all along. Yes, here in the land of Beltsville, in the village of Stripmallia and just past Ikeaville was a heaping, beautifully spiced bowl of pho that came out piping hot with a sweet, beefy, fragrance. The noodles were just cooked enough and finished their softening in the broth.
One had the chicken (pho ga) with the light and delicious broth. A bit more flavorful than most and definitely the best he has had. The chicken was just a bit more moist than others he had tried, and more flavorful without being overwhelming.
The other had the combination pho with a few types of beef. It's flavor was distinctively different than that of the pho ga. Think beef, but the dreams of this one later will recall its anise and clove hints as well.
The fresh squeezed lemonade was a perfect compliment to the flawless pho, that almost brought both boys back to reality.
What a great place!"
Impromptu Dinner
For most of the weekend, J has been hounding me to write this entry. Last Thursday we had the Marrieds over for an impromptu dinner. Boy Married watched tennis with me and Girl Married read trashy magazines with J. I made my satay vegetarian meatballs for an appetizer (which ended up being a main course) and the Marrieds brought over some fresh vegetables from their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). We marinated the vegatables in some garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and grilled them on the grill pan. BTW it's been the entire summer and we haven't used our outdoor grill once. However we've used the grill pan at least 10 times. What does that say about us? TO go with the grilled veggies, I put together a pasta salad with a roasted pepper sauce. This is seriously about cleaning out our fridge because we have six red peppers on the verge of going bad. It was a hit with everyone and J wanted me to write down the "recipe." As a perfect ending to the meal Boy Married went to the 7-11 and got ice cream sandwiches for all of us.
I'm going to write this in narrative form because a recipe seems so hard a fast for this pasta dish. I first roasted three red bell peppers in the toaster oven at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes until the skin got charred and started to separate from the flesh. Then I put them in a bowl covered in plastic wrap to steam. After a half an hour I peel the skin off, put them in a food processor with four peppadews that were in the fridge, three cloves of roasted garlic (I put them in with the peppers halfway through the broiling process), a few dashes of the balsamic, about 1/4 cup of olive oil and some red pepper flakes and S&P. Whirl until its a saucelike consistency and toss with pasta. I used tri-color rotini. I also added some peas and a healthy does of grated pecorino romano. This sauce is also great as a dip if you mix in a block of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup of sour cream.
I'm going to write this in narrative form because a recipe seems so hard a fast for this pasta dish. I first roasted three red bell peppers in the toaster oven at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes until the skin got charred and started to separate from the flesh. Then I put them in a bowl covered in plastic wrap to steam. After a half an hour I peel the skin off, put them in a food processor with four peppadews that were in the fridge, three cloves of roasted garlic (I put them in with the peppers halfway through the broiling process), a few dashes of the balsamic, about 1/4 cup of olive oil and some red pepper flakes and S&P. Whirl until its a saucelike consistency and toss with pasta. I used tri-color rotini. I also added some peas and a healthy does of grated pecorino romano. This sauce is also great as a dip if you mix in a block of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup of sour cream.
Friday, September 01, 2006
10 Things I Learned From ... Julia Child
I suppose this is another 10 Things that's long overdue. Between nasty Chinese meals and work I haven't had a chance to think of a proper 10 Things until now. Julia Child is the Ur-Mother of all television cookery and her good natured love of cooking and food is infectious. I think her school marmish accent led folks to think that the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, would be hoity toity. But if you read the book, the recipes are completely straightfoward and easy to master. She was such a great television presence because on paper, she would be such a horrible television presence - big boned, squinty, with kind of crazy hair.
Ten Things I Learned From Julia Child
1. How to make cream puffs. This was one of the first things I made from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. What seems like a elegant dessert really just requires some vigorous stirring.
2. Additionally, how to make pastry cream that goes into the cream puffs.
3. Don't be afraid of butter. While the woman doesn't reach Paula Deen levels of butter love, she uses quite a bit of butter. Rather than reduce the level of butter in a dish, she just recommended eating that dish less.
4. Always have a catchphrase. I loved how she always ended her shows with a cheery, "Bon Appetit." I think there was a week I would try and start every meal with that same cheery "Bon Appetit." Sadly I didn't have the gravitas to pull off the Frugal Gourmet's "I Bid You Peace."
5. Free to be...you and me. Julia was seriously the first grownup in my life who didn't have children or wasn't planning on having children. For a little Asian kid, that was mindblowing.
6. Things go wrong in a kitchen. One of the things she always asked her guests was if X went wrong with their dish, how would you fix it. Coming from a long line of excellent cooks who made things from memory and therefore things that were foolproof for them, I didn't know things went wrong in the kitchen.
7. There are some things too complicated to make. She had one lady who made crosissants. There were twelve million steps.
8. Sole en papaiotte. Sooo good. Soooo moist.
9. Keeping the ingredients cold when making pastry. She said it first on tv.
10. Chill the heck out. What was wonderful about Cooking with Julia was that things went wrong in her kitchen. THings fell off the cutting board and onto the floor. That didn't get in the way of Julia's good time and she took every disaster with good cheer.
Ten Things I Learned From Julia Child
1. How to make cream puffs. This was one of the first things I made from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. What seems like a elegant dessert really just requires some vigorous stirring.
2. Additionally, how to make pastry cream that goes into the cream puffs.
3. Don't be afraid of butter. While the woman doesn't reach Paula Deen levels of butter love, she uses quite a bit of butter. Rather than reduce the level of butter in a dish, she just recommended eating that dish less.
4. Always have a catchphrase. I loved how she always ended her shows with a cheery, "Bon Appetit." I think there was a week I would try and start every meal with that same cheery "Bon Appetit." Sadly I didn't have the gravitas to pull off the Frugal Gourmet's "I Bid You Peace."
5. Free to be...you and me. Julia was seriously the first grownup in my life who didn't have children or wasn't planning on having children. For a little Asian kid, that was mindblowing.
6. Things go wrong in a kitchen. One of the things she always asked her guests was if X went wrong with their dish, how would you fix it. Coming from a long line of excellent cooks who made things from memory and therefore things that were foolproof for them, I didn't know things went wrong in the kitchen.
7. There are some things too complicated to make. She had one lady who made crosissants. There were twelve million steps.
8. Sole en papaiotte. Sooo good. Soooo moist.
9. Keeping the ingredients cold when making pastry. She said it first on tv.
10. Chill the heck out. What was wonderful about Cooking with Julia was that things went wrong in her kitchen. THings fell off the cutting board and onto the floor. That didn't get in the way of Julia's good time and she took every disaster with good cheer.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Uncle Brutha's: Trust The Hype
Back in the day, a wandering Texan crossed paths with the burrito cart at 15th and K. James and Patti Tui would hook me up with a bad-ass burrito a few times a week. It was always worth the wait. I loved the burritos but I had a deep personal need for their huge selection of hot sauces.
One day, James offered up some Arizona Gunslinger, a sauce I hadn't heard of before. The Gunslinger and I became fast friends. I was so dedicated that I bought a key ring with a trial-sized bottle connected on the thin metal ring. Arizona and I wanted to be close in a way Arizona the state And I never could be. My Arizona was off for Martin Luther King Day. My Arizona was hot but not too hot. I even sought out the company's website and bought a 32oz bottle (http://www.arizonagunslinger.com).
I was very excited while walking to Eastern Market to finally open the door to Uncle Brutha's Hot Sauce Emporium and see the Arizona Gunslinger right there inside the door on the bottom shelf.
Looking around, there were hundreds of sauces of all shades, spices, and flavors. Prices varied but for around five bucks you can grab most of them.
That would have been enough for me, a reunion with an old friend and a new place for sauce and gifts, but my co-worker said I should grab a bottle of Uncle Brutha's #9 green sauce. She's got great taste, so I thought I should go for it.
Oh my, what a wonderful, wonderful decision that was. This was two weeks ago and I have gone through the entire thing. I've used it on nachos, burritos, sandwiches, and gelato. I love it. I hate to say it, but I even had an evening when Arizona and Gunslinger and I were having a chat and the #9 called me from the kitchen and yelled "Flip my lid!"
We've since become a two-sauce family and all is well, but for one night, #9 ruled the roost. It's Serrano peppers, garlic, ginger, and deep brothy flavors will be a new staple in our cupboard. I visited again recently and learned that they are working on producing some larger bottles. Thank goodness. I'd love to share with guests, but the current bottle is just a bit small.
*OK, I didn't make gelato. Just checking to see if you're playing along. And the burrito cart is still there, but it's called Pedro and Vinny's. Rumor on the street is that it's stil mighty fine. If you can, hook them up with some Uncle Brutha's #9!
One day, James offered up some Arizona Gunslinger, a sauce I hadn't heard of before. The Gunslinger and I became fast friends. I was so dedicated that I bought a key ring with a trial-sized bottle connected on the thin metal ring. Arizona and I wanted to be close in a way Arizona the state And I never could be. My Arizona was off for Martin Luther King Day. My Arizona was hot but not too hot. I even sought out the company's website and bought a 32oz bottle (http://www.arizonagunslinger.com).
I was very excited while walking to Eastern Market to finally open the door to Uncle Brutha's Hot Sauce Emporium and see the Arizona Gunslinger right there inside the door on the bottom shelf.
Looking around, there were hundreds of sauces of all shades, spices, and flavors. Prices varied but for around five bucks you can grab most of them.
That would have been enough for me, a reunion with an old friend and a new place for sauce and gifts, but my co-worker said I should grab a bottle of Uncle Brutha's #9 green sauce. She's got great taste, so I thought I should go for it.
Oh my, what a wonderful, wonderful decision that was. This was two weeks ago and I have gone through the entire thing. I've used it on nachos, burritos, sandwiches, and gelato. I love it. I hate to say it, but I even had an evening when Arizona and Gunslinger and I were having a chat and the #9 called me from the kitchen and yelled "Flip my lid!"
We've since become a two-sauce family and all is well, but for one night, #9 ruled the roost. It's Serrano peppers, garlic, ginger, and deep brothy flavors will be a new staple in our cupboard. I visited again recently and learned that they are working on producing some larger bottles. Thank goodness. I'd love to share with guests, but the current bottle is just a bit small.
*OK, I didn't make gelato. Just checking to see if you're playing along. And the burrito cart is still there, but it's called Pedro and Vinny's. Rumor on the street is that it's stil mighty fine. If you can, hook them up with some Uncle Brutha's #9!
1 Star Around the Moon, Not 7
Seven Seas in College Park this evening was an unsettling disappointment with fried food tasting more of oil than meat, vegetables in too-gloopy lukewarm starchpools, and unkind flavors dominating multi-ingredient dishes.
After reading some good reviews, we dropped in at dinner time expecting some delicious Chinese food. The menu was standard Chinese fare with a sushi menu on the side.
We kept trying to find a way to enjoy the wonton soup. It's thick wonton was bland pork in a leather jacket as thick as Danny Zuko's. It lacked both the pleasant, slippery mouthfeel I expect from wontons in my soup and the broth was as thin and flavorless as Ann Coulter's last good idea.
Egg rolls were large and packed with pork bits and cabbage but all parts tasted vaguely salty and of pepper and MSG. Clearly, the meat had not been cooked in any spice, broth or marinade.
We ordered a dish called Seven Stars Around The Moon. Fish, chicken and shrimp for two. I kept thinking how positive we like to be about food and dining, but we looked at the dish and, like waching a John Hughes movie's opening sequence, had a pretty good idea where this was going.
Chicken was fried tempura style and served with a traffic-cone orange bowl of sauce. The chicken was bland and dry.
Shrimp was overcooked with little differentiation in texture between its heavy batter and the shrimp itself. Each piece tasted more of grease than batter or seafood. I wanted to set the shrimp free to enjoy them on their own, but no.
Fish was decent with a light clear sauce. By the time we made it to the fish, we decided to cut our losses, pay the check, and go.
I thought of running down to Ikea for a lingonberry soda or driving across to the Taco Bell to squeeze sauce packets in my mouth. I wanted flavor so very much.
I've had average Chinese for years in DC and enjoyed it. It sounds odd, but we're pretty open to enjoying a meal as a casual social encounter where food is more sustenance than inspiration.
Sadly, our trip to Seven Seas offered neither.
After reading some good reviews, we dropped in at dinner time expecting some delicious Chinese food. The menu was standard Chinese fare with a sushi menu on the side.
We kept trying to find a way to enjoy the wonton soup. It's thick wonton was bland pork in a leather jacket as thick as Danny Zuko's. It lacked both the pleasant, slippery mouthfeel I expect from wontons in my soup and the broth was as thin and flavorless as Ann Coulter's last good idea.
Egg rolls were large and packed with pork bits and cabbage but all parts tasted vaguely salty and of pepper and MSG. Clearly, the meat had not been cooked in any spice, broth or marinade.
We ordered a dish called Seven Stars Around The Moon. Fish, chicken and shrimp for two. I kept thinking how positive we like to be about food and dining, but we looked at the dish and, like waching a John Hughes movie's opening sequence, had a pretty good idea where this was going.
Chicken was fried tempura style and served with a traffic-cone orange bowl of sauce. The chicken was bland and dry.
Shrimp was overcooked with little differentiation in texture between its heavy batter and the shrimp itself. Each piece tasted more of grease than batter or seafood. I wanted to set the shrimp free to enjoy them on their own, but no.
Fish was decent with a light clear sauce. By the time we made it to the fish, we decided to cut our losses, pay the check, and go.
I thought of running down to Ikea for a lingonberry soda or driving across to the Taco Bell to squeeze sauce packets in my mouth. I wanted flavor so very much.
I've had average Chinese for years in DC and enjoyed it. It sounds odd, but we're pretty open to enjoying a meal as a casual social encounter where food is more sustenance than inspiration.
Sadly, our trip to Seven Seas offered neither.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Failure
I think in the spirit of full disclosure I want to report on the total failure that was my attempt at fig jam. It was pretty fricking vile. I’m not sure if the recipe sucked or the figs sucked but the jam was so not right. I used the fig jam recipe from epicurious. It seemed to get high reviews and the sugar content was low for jam (1 ¼ cups). The only thing I did differently was to cut the amount of sugar (by ¼ of a cup) and use calimyra figs instead of mission. I had such high hopes for this too. Imagine making your own fig jam? Throw in some Pipe Dreams goat cheese and that’s heaven on toast. But it wasn’t meant to be.
What was wrong with the jam? It tasted like metallic sugar syrup. It was heavy, heavy heavy and just tasted leaden. The freshness from the lemon was gone and any inkling of fig was just beaten out of it. I was only halfway done with the cooking but if gentle simmering is supposed to intensifying the flavors of a dish, I did not want intense tasting ass. I hated to do that to 2 pounds of fresh figs but down the garbage disposal they went.
On the plus side, J made some great cookies (chocolate chip with cranberries) and he discsovered my seekrit love of pickle loaf.
What was wrong with the jam? It tasted like metallic sugar syrup. It was heavy, heavy heavy and just tasted leaden. The freshness from the lemon was gone and any inkling of fig was just beaten out of it. I was only halfway done with the cooking but if gentle simmering is supposed to intensifying the flavors of a dish, I did not want intense tasting ass. I hated to do that to 2 pounds of fresh figs but down the garbage disposal they went.
On the plus side, J made some great cookies (chocolate chip with cranberries) and he discsovered my seekrit love of pickle loaf.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Huh?
To the 200 plus people who came to the site looking for the dirt on Brooke Deen or TR Pescod, why don't you come on over and sit for a spell? I looked at my site stats yesterday and saw that over 75% of the hits we get are referrals from google searches looking for Brooke Deen and TR Pescod. If any of you readers wants to send me to the Hamptons or Savannah to root through TR or Brooke's trash, I'd be happy to do it.
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