Eat Beast Update #7 - Mace on Ice

"Mace?" I called out. I got down on all fours and scanned under the couch, illuminating the crevice with the neon blue spectral light on my keychain.

The Eat Beast had been missing for a while, I only noticed due to the overwhelming quiet I had been experiencing for more than four minutes, which is never a good sign. Its a similar silence like being in the center of a hurricane, a temporary lapse of deafening silence and apprehension before everything goes screaming to shit.

"God damn it, Mace..." I checked behind the T.V. and in my closet, both spaces he's not allowed but conquers daily. I moved over to the dining space where I keep his automatic food dispenser, a device I bought to feed him at 4 am (his self-designated feeding time) so that I could sleep in without being meowed at. I preformed my last-ditch-never-fail-siren-kitty-call. I shook it. A sound which always calls the furry bastard.

*shake shake shake*

Nothing. "The hell...?" I was astonished. This had never happened before. The fat little bastard always came for food. I mean Christ, the floor is collapsing in front of the food dispenser where he sits to punish his daily feedings.

*shake shake shake*

Patience.

"Meeeeeeeow" *scratch scratch*

"Mace?"

*scratch scratch*

I turned around, "Mace... Oh my God, please do not tell me..."

"MEEEEOOOOWWWWW!"

The fridge door was slightly ajar.

So I opened it fully. The light had barely a chance to go on and the door to swing open before a fuzzy black bolt shot out, with a quick questionable mrowring-sound of impatience that was soaked with sarcasm saying "About damn time."

I stood aghast for a second and momentarily hurled the most colorful language I could think of at the cat for being so stupid and for me for apparently not noticing his sneaky entrance into what was his apparent chilly nirvana. My mind caught hold for a moment, swinging the fridge door open I looked inside to find a partially eaten package of butter.

I must take a moment to expand on the butter scene, you see he could have only been there for four or five minutes tops. The butter, still in it's aluminum laced packaging had been dismembered. Total carnage. Mace had devastated it like a dairy sucking hurricane. The word hurricane is a accurate choice, for much like a natural disaster, the wreck from the fatty melee was apparent and expansive. Somehow chuncks of butter had escaped THE MAW and been splattered upon the walls and floor of the fridge in gross patterns, like a English muffin had been brutally murdered. The feline machine was not content to simply lick or chew the butter but rather decided to be its gustatory apocalypse.

Apparently, when I had put the unused butter back a short while earlier I didn't close the fridge door all the way. He had pushed his way in and made way for the prize. However the door partially closed, but not sealed, behind him and he hadn't been able to push it back open. Whether this was due to laziness or stupidity, a combination of the two being the most likely, he had gotten stuck.

Seriously... does anyone else have this problem?

Lemongrass Pudding

It's been a long time since I got a cookbook that really inspired me so much. One that I read cover to cover in one sitting with a desire to actually go and cook every single recipe (though I doubt I would have the time to do so, sadly). I decided to pick up The Sweet Spot by Pichet Ong of P*ONG fame superficially because the cover was pretty *pet pet* and thoughtfully after reading about Antia's experiences.

It is a truly fabulous read. Classic dishes given an Asian twist, and classic Asian flavors made approachable. No recipe is too far out to make me think, "Wow, I can't do this."

Rather, it's, "Wow, I can do this."

One recipe that caught my eye was the Pudding Trio, a creation of raspberry, malted chocolate, and matcha puddings. I decided to break down the recipe to it's bare bones and make my own lemongrass pudding. The milk was infused with lemongrass for about an hour, then the milk was simmered on the stove. Overall, the taste is subtle, as lemongrass so often is. Still, the pudding possessed a distinct soft grassy flavor and a slightly citric tingle on the back corners of my tongue. I couldn't quite ever pin it down, which made me want to eat more. Each bite was a chance to find those little flavor notes that kept appearing and then vanishing. It was sweet and playful.

Overall, a simple and tasty pudding.
Lemongrass Pudding
Serves 4

What You'll Need...
1 1/2 cups of whole milk
1/4 cup of sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
large pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of gelatin, softened in 2 tablespoons of water
two stalks of lemongrass, well chopped
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

What You'll Do...
Place the milk, sugar, salt, and lemongrass in the saucepan over medium heat until bubbles show around the edge. Add the gelatin and whisk. Let the mixture come to room temperature.

Whisk in the lemon juice and pour into teacups or demitasse cups. Chill, uncovered, for three hours in the fridge. Serve.

Chipotle-Tomatillo Salsa

So we had a little salsa contest at work to see who could make the best salsa. Sadly, I did not win, I lost out to a Brazilian style ceviche (and does that count as a slasa, really?). Anywhose, I made a delicious Chipotle-Tomatillo Salsa based on a recipe by Rick Bayless. It's fruity, has a nice heat, and a nice smokiness to it. Hope you enjoy!

Chipotle-Tomatillo Salsa
Makes 2 cups of salsa

What You'll Need...
1 pound of tomatillos, husked and washed
6 cloves of garlic, still in their skins
1 1/2 teaspoons of chipotle chili powder
salt to taste

What You'll Do...
1) Set the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut the tomatillos in half and place them on the baking sheet. Place them under the broiler for about 8 minutes, turning them after the first four. They should be browned and have some charred spots. Allow to cool.

2) Place the garlic cloves in a dry skilled and toast them over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Afterwards, peel the garlic. Allow to cool.

3) Place all the ingredients in a blender or processor and pulse. Pour in a bowl and serve.

Spring Edible Sacramento

The new issue of Edible Sacramento is out!!!

Be sure to check it out. There's an interview with the good people at Kru Sushi by Ryan Donahue. And fellow food bloggers and writers Holly, Hank, and Ann all throw in their pieces discussing sausage and biodiversity (respectively). We even have a delightfully thoughtful piece on farming by author Mike Madison of The Blithe Tomato. As for me, you'll find a great piece on our favorite local chocolatier, Ginger.

Remember to Eat Local, and Read Local.

Big Fat Greek Party!!!

Hank and Holly recently held a Big Fat Greek Party. How Big, Fat, and Greek was it?

Well, let me give some back story first.... I dragged Rob and my two friends, Jill and Alan, with me to the bacchanalian event with promises of delicious food and good company. Acquiescing to my argument (I promised food to students, it wasn't pulling teeth) they agreed.
Upon arriving we were greeted by Hank, adorned in his grilling attire, and Holly, a.k.a. Hera. We were poured each an Octopini and gestured to the table.

Now Hank pretty much prepared, grew, of killed every single speck of food at this event. He grilled the octopus (and pickled them for the Octopinis), made all the salads, cured all the olives, seasoned and grilled the quail, killed the antelope for the sausages (plural, as in many kinds of salami and sausages), butchered the lamb - of which there were chops, flanks, sausages, and two legs that had smoked and cured for two days. (You can find many of the recipes on Hank's site.)

My god, it was an event. I can honestly say I have not eaten that well in a long time.

I did have a small contribution, I brought my famous baklava. It seemed to go over quite well, though it was a bit soggy as I was working in a new kitchen and my timing got all off. Still, it was tasty and I altered the recipe by adding some vanilla bean, Meyer lemon, and whole cardamom pods. YUM!All and all, a wonderful event! Thanks Hank and Holly! Can't wait till next year and the next bottle of Ouzo!

Ginger Cupcakes with Rhubarb Filling and Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

From the Cupcake Archives...

I still had quite a bit of rhubarb left after the last cupcake because I bought a crazy amount of it. I think you're starting to get just how much I truly love the stuff. Rhubarb is versatile, unique, has an interesting history, and if you don't know what you're doing could kill ya'. I want to pair it with blood orange some time, or maybe contrast it with mango or kiwi and see if something tropical would act as a good counterpoint to it.

However this cupcake was focused on some more traditional flavors. Rhubarb and ginger is a popular combo in England and for a while it dropped out of use, but it's starting to really make a comeback as chefs and restaurants are utilizing it for more and more for savory and sweet dishes (to any British readers, I'm just passing on what my friend in London told me). The spice of ginger pairs well with the tartness of the proud stalks, and when made into a blushing sweet compote creates a taste that's almost candy-like.

The rhubarb compote is rather strong so ginger was utilized in the cake, the frosting, and with presentation through candied ginger. The flavor was intensely gingery with that distinct pungent spice, perfectly counterbalanced by the sweet-tart colorful compote. I think ginger is a matter of taste though as I kind of wanted even more ginger flavor to come through and Rob wanted less. Play with it and see how you feel, the frosting is easy to alter in flavor so have fun with it. It's a refined cupcake for sure, I don't know if many children will like it; not that they'll dislike it, I think they would just cock their head to the side after a bite like a dog befuddled by a strange sound. All adults and hardcore food lovers out there will absolutely fall in love with this deliciously springtime pastry.

It's simple to make, easy on the pocket book, and fun to eat. Like most cupcakes, they taste better the nest day when flavors have a chance to marry. I look forward to future experiments with rhubarb. By the by, a special shout out to Elise for lending me that pastry kit and bags so I could practice my piping. (Update: Sorry, I just got the e-mails, the comments are enabled, my bad!)

Rhubarb Compote
What You'll Need...
2 1/2 cups of chopped rhubarb
3/4 cup of sugar

What You'll Do...
1) Mix the two together in a saucepan and let sit for about 15 minutes. Place on medium heat and stir occasionally, until the mixture is soft and the rhubarb has broken down a bit and has a soft pink color. Set aside to cool.
2) Drain the excess liquids before filling cupcakes, otherwise it will soak the cake.


Ginger Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes / 350 degree oven

What You'll Need...
1/4 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup of flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of milk
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger

What You'll Do...
1) Beat the butter for about 2 minutes until well creamed. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
2) Add the eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds each. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
3) Mix in the grated ginger.
4) Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and ground ginger and sift together. Add some of the flour mixture, then some of the milk, alternating between dry-wet-dry and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix together until just combined.
5) Scoop into cupcake papers.
6) Bake for about 15-18 minutes. Cupcakes will be dense, heavy, and moist. A toothpick should still come out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
7) Cut out a small cone out of the top of the cupcake and spoon in some of the rhubarb compote. Cut the cakey part of the cone off and pace the cap back on. Or eat the whole thing. Go with what moves ya'.


Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
What You'll Need...
1/4 cup of butter (1/2 a stick), room temperature
4 oz of Philly cream cheese (1/2 package), room temperature
2 cups of powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons ground ginger (taste as you go)
1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
candied ginger (optional)

What You'll Do...
1) Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Scraped down the sides and bottom.
2) Slowly add the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla to taste. Spread on cooled cupcakes. Decorated with chopped candied ginger.

Coffee with a Sign of Douche

When I worked at the coffee shop back in college, I became quite popular with the local deaf community. The main reason being I could speak better than average sign language. I picked up A.S.L. (American Sign Language) with ease because I'm simply a visual learner, and anyone who knows me can tell you I already talk with my hands so this was the next logical step. My Spanish however is awful. Anywhose, I'm not so great now and a bit out of practice but I still fill in at work as a rough translator now and again.

Eventually, I became somewhat known in Davis. After word got out, I started being requested on the floor and in the cafe often since I could communicate with ease, and there wasn't any frustration of having to write things down or lip read. Still, my one weakness in Sign was fingerspelling. Fingerspelling is when you spell out a word using signs for each letter. There are a few tricks like, R-E-F for refrigerator and so on, but some words, say like, prestidigitation, are just hard. Second, some native speakers fingerspell hyper-fucking fast, so fast it's just a blur and my brain just immediately short circuits for a few minutes and I forget how to speak in either English or Sign.

So one day at the coffee shop, an adorable couple came up and asked for the signing coffee person they heard worked there. I told them that I was that person, and asked how I could help them. They signed for a small regular coffee, and a large mocha with whipped cream. I punched in their orders and ask if they want anything else.

Now when signing, it's not uncommon for other people to look for a moment out of curiosity and try to see if they can see what we're saying, rarely it seems did people ever outright stare. One or two people in line looked for a second but then went back to their own conversations or back to browsing the menu. The couple in front then pointed to some small pre-packaged snack and asked me what the ingredients were. Or should I say, they fingerspelled the word "ingredients" in about 1/4 of a freaking second, causing my brain to break.

At this point I'm screwed, I asked them to sign it again only slower, after a few times I finally get the hint and explain to them that no the product is not vegan when suddenly...

"Excuse me, if you're done chatting, could you hurry up?" a gentleman in his forties asks. I'll give it to him, we've taken a short while so I'm cool and apologize.

"Just a moment Sir, I'm just answering a few questions, I'll be happy to help you in a just a minute. Just a small loss of translation for a second!" signing as I speak. I go back to the couple and punch in their order and apologize profusely, we all have a giggle and they tell me not to worry.

"HEY! Are you talking about me?"

"I'm sorry?" We all three look at him.

"Didn't your parents teach you it's rude! I just want to order my coffee!"

"We aren't talking about you, Sir."

My female deaf customer chimes in having read his lips, "We were just laughing about our conversation."

"Yeah, right. Don't lie to me! I just want to order my coffee. I didn't come here for this."

"Sir..." I was literally lost about this conversation, I stumbled for words. This wasn't a regular case of The Stupids, this is just... well, no, it is, but just a very unusual case of it. "We weren't talking about you," my face looking slightly confused.

"I'm going to find your manager!"

And so he stormed off. The three of us remaining looked puzzled. The people in line look puzzled. I signed that he was a total douche.

If he's going to insist that I made fun of him, I might as well, right? That way he's not a liar. Just a paranoid douche. I laughed. The couple laughed. My manager laughed. I never saw him again.

Good times.

Dining Out For Life

If You Love to Dine Out…How about Dining Out For Life?

On April 24th, 2008 CARES will bring Dining Out For Life to Sacramento. This National Fundraising project has raised millions of dollars nationwide for HIV/AIDS services.

The magic of this project is that your participation is simple: On April 24th, 2008, just dine out as you normally would. Choose one of the participating establishments and a portion of your bill will go to support programs and services at CARES. Participating restaurants will donate the proceeds to CARES. You don’t have to bring in a flyer or even mention our name.

Go out for dinner and enjoy yourself!

Dine Out For Life…you will feel better about all those calories!

See Participating Restaurants

Taro's - Not So Much a Review as an Overall Critique on Trendy Sushi

I have taken a long time going over this review and written it a few different ways. The reason being is I can't seem to say what I want to say in the way I want to say it, at least not without getting off track. So this won't be so much a review as a critique, and not of Taro's but of sushi.

I won't go over the food dish by dish, trying to creatively lay out each handcrafted, colorful roll and describing their dizzying list of ingredients or the elegant simplicity of the miso soup. Taro's does a fine job on all fronts. The staff are polite and knowledgeable. Quite on the spot in fact. The decor is edgy and trendy, a magnet for that hip twenty-something crowd, yet relaxed enough for the everyday diner. The amount of Mikuni paraphernalia is a bit inundated with bobble heads and t-shirts, but nothing that borders on the level of a tourist trap.

In fact there is nothing really wrong. The food is delicious. The rolls and over the top and creative, with a laundry list of mayos, salsas (indeed), cream cheeses, teriyaki, tempura and every species of fish and are for the most part quite yummy. The menu offers a varied selection of bento box options that should please anyone, and some traditional Japanese fare if you want to try something new.

Still, Taro's cannot really offer anything unique. It is simply another in the Sushi Trend. Cool, hip, jaunty places with hard metal, smooth lines, and dedicated to the x-treme sushi experience. Some rolls are delicious, others are just odd like the Ceviche Roll, "An inside out roll filled with Fresh white fish, cilantro, lemon zest, and avocado, topped with our famous orange salsa."

The Ceviche Roll is crazy spicy and is something that frustrates every sushi enthusiast. It's too fbig. So big you can't eat it in one bite. It falls apart on your plate making it a chopstick nightmare. There is a limit to sushi. Cramming in so much and being so hyper trendy and cool that the food begins to suffer, but the in-style renegade rolls keep sucking us in. And they may be tasty, but something seems lost to me.

Like that pair of dime store jeans you bedazzeled the hell out of back in the 80's, there is only so much artificial flare you can give sushi.

Nigiri is the epitome of sushi to me, and to a lesser and more pedantic but equally appreciated effect, the California Roll. Straightforward and pronounced flavor. Direct. Pleasing. As sushi should be. Not a mosh pit of ingredients competing to see who gets to beat their flavor into you.

Then there is the seeming sense of production. Each roll has a set schematic. A blueprint. Like the mass developed houses of any burgeoning suburbia, they are cookie cutter. Lacking what seem to be real personality. Lines of sushi chefs producing as instructed.

Where did the love go, that time honored secret ingredient?

Taro's. Dragonfly. Kru. Each are delicious and I am more than happy to dine at them at the drop of the hat. I admit, I adore some of these crazy sushi creations! But it's the places that are unique. Small. Where the care and compassion, the delicate detail that isn't simply trained into the sushi chef for the next whatever x-roll but is rather honed and given attention to each and every delicate sliver of fish.

This sense of the individual. This spirit of flavor for its grand purpose of pleasure, of actually being able to appreciate the fish and not hunt for it under it's chili aioli is gone.

And I want it back.

(Note: The picture above is not of Taro's sushi, it was too dark to get a descent picture. That roll comes from Moshi Moshi, my favorite sushi place in Davis.)

Cheese Profile - Point Reyes Original Blue

The first time I tried this fabulous cheese was when Ashley and Pam sent me some for Christmas. It was a bluevination (my word); one of the best blues I had ever had. For me, Point Reyes Original Blue is the perfectly balanced blue cheese.

Crafted by the Giacomini family in Point Reyes since 2000, they've become famous for their delicious Original Blue. The milk comes from a closed herd of Holstein cows that nibble on organic pastures on Tomales Bay, that combined with "coastal fog... and salty Pacific breezes" make for a delicious cheese.

Type: Cow (Holstein), organic

Taste: Tangy and smooth. Unlike many blue cheeses, this one's bite has just the right amount of salt, zing and zip to make it just right. It's a blue cheese that I actually find myself snacking bits of when it's out. It's also, I dunno, beach-y. As it's developed in Point Reyes, it gets a nice kiss of salt water air that just sort of gives it a taste that helps you reminisce of bonfires on the shore with friends and summer picnics with the family. Very delish.

Serve With: I love it by itself, but serving it with a bit of radicchio or walnuts would be fabulous. A simple port or sweet dessert wine would also be a fine pairing for this cheese.

Crumbled into a blue cheese burger or in a salad fine are ideas if you plan to cook with it. Other delicious dishes to add it too might include mashed potatoes in winter or a German potato salad in Spring and Summer.
Photo by Elise Bauer

My New Kitchen and Settling In

So I have a good substantial post coming up, just haven't much time to write the past few days. Anywhose, this is the kitchen. More cabinet space that I could possibly use, but thats a good thing. New marble tile back splash and floor. New oak cabinetry. New fridge coming in a few days.
Dining space gets a lot of great light, though the yard out there has zero grass so it needs a bit of work. I also plan to re-upholster the chairs to my dining table as soon as I locate a staple gun I can borrow. Only downside here is the electric stove and lack of dishwasher, but I've lived fine without both, it's just hard adapting back to things one has gotten used to.

Overall, I guess I am getting used to the place. It isn't quite hell, and it actually somewhat charming. Still the the area isn't exactly picturesque suburbia, far from it in fact, but a step up from the Rosemont area of Sacramento where I was. I am feeling a bit more at home, and the duplex itself is charming. The bathroom a bit inky dinky, but I'll live. I think the shock of moving just really hit me hard.Anyways with the kitchen I need to add some art in here at the far wall to give it some more color and life. Maybe put some fruit in that bowl. Any ideas, suggestions, or links to great resources are always welcome in the comments! My taste for design isn't exactly spot on so I always appreciate any advice.

QUESTION: What Are These Delicious Little Cookies?

Answer: Palmiers! A delicious little flaky cookie that can now be found over at Simply Recipes!

Curried Chicken Salad and Teaching the New Roomie to Boil Water

So breaking in the new kitchen with the new roommate has been interesting. The boy is apparently helpless when it comes to feeding himself. How bad is it, you may ask?

Well... "Hey Garrett, how do you hard boil an egg?"

*insert long and awkward pause*

So we've slowly started his education. I gave him my ancient Four Ingredient Cookbook, and told him to pick out a few recipes that he wanted to do. We would cook them together and slowly go over the basics. He has also been assigned homework in the form of watching a lot of the cooking programs on Food Network.

How do people go through life without these basic skills? I mean this was someone lost on how to BOIL WATER.

Heaven help us...

Anyways, I did start him out with something easy using a few ingredients we had lying about the house. Now, I don't really have a recipe for this per se', just feel it out. It's a simple chicken salad, but much healthier than than the average chicken salad. Pumped with grapes and almonds, using fresh yogurt instead of mayo, and with a Hindu kick of curry and cumin it's a satisfying lunch to be sure.

I used the leftovers of a rotisserie chicken I picked up at the store. I love those things, they're zero work and you always have tasty leftovers for simples meals like this.

Curried Chicken Salad
What You'll Need...
About 3 cups of torn-up, bite sized pieces of a roast chicken
2 cups of red seedless grapes
3/4 cup of slivered almonds
3/4 cup of yogurt
1/2 tablespoon of curry powder
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
salt and pepper

What You'll Do...
Combine in a bowl. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve and enjoy. Should serve 2 as a large meal, four as a side dish.

Many Thanks

Many thanks to all of you who e-mailed me and left comments of your sympathies in my moving woes. It was beyond touching. Really. I cannot thank you all enough.

It amazes me how such a simple little blog can connect you to so many people.

The Gateway to Hell is becoming less so. I think it was all the drama and shock involved with the move. It's safer than I thought, though still, I look forward to moving to a nicer part of town. And plus, a tiny little closet bathroom for two gays? I see a civil war a-brewing. Still, the kitchen rocks, and the place would be cozy if I could pick it up and move it to a nice part of East Sac.

For anyone concerned, as many of you were, Rob and I are still together. I just haven't mentioned him recently because he is now reading the blog and finding out about that I poke fun at him regularly here. Not that that will stop me. In fact, it encourages me to do it more.

I still have no internet at home, and will be bringing you another post later today once I get to the school campus. A little story, culinary training, and an awesome recipe for a curried yogurt chicken salad.

Again, thank you all for your love, thoughts, well wishes, and mafia hit offers (the last I would like to save for a rainy day).

hearts to you all,
Garrett

Moving Update - Or - I'm Boned

Writing this at Borders Cafe. No internet until the 8th. And that's at best. I will try to update if I can, but the move had some issues so it may be longer than that. I'll try to find some way to put something new up in a few days.

Moving went horribly. I planned perfectly for everything that was expected. Everything was packed, loaded, and moved well. It was all the unexpected that went horribly, horribly, horribly wrong. Like, shit motherfucker fuck shit stab me in the eye wrong. Like, will cost me much money to fix. I for sure am not getting my deposit back. In fact, I'll owe my old apartment money 10-1. May explain it more in a later post.

Also, I like to call my new neighborhood Lil' Oakland, or the Gateway to Hell; but on the brighter side I guess I'm your man if you need to find a place where you can locate a good hookup for coke. May kill roommate for forcing me to have to sign a lease as he kept canceling on other appointments at other places and left it so we pretty much had to sign something at the last minute or go homeless. If you see in the news, "Food Blogger Murders Roommate," it's me.

Generally, I do not adapt well to change. But for certain reasons, this one has also been extremely hard for me. So I'm generally not handling it well.

Any and all prayers, magic, good wishes, and offers for mafia hits welcome.

P.S. On a plus side, the apartment kitchen has cabinetry up the wazoo. Seriously. I can store a second kitchen in the cabinets here. Yay for that. Plus new fridge. Yay. Electric stove. Boo.