Moussaka or Something Like It
I’ve been wanting to make moussaka since way back at Greekfest, but have been avoiding it due to the unending sauna-like weather of the past few months.
Now, I’m not tryin to say I eat only light and airy foods all summer (see: fetuccini alfredo at the beach), but it just hasn’t seemed right to make this very meat-y, very chees-ey warming dish in this kind of heat.
Still, I absolutely love the idea of layering meat with eggplant - it’s just not fair that vegetarians get to have all the eggplant-fun - us meatlovers should be able to get in on the act too.
Exploding Balls
Maybe this is what I get for not practicing my religion any more.
Yup, that’s right - totally exploded matzah balls. I used the recipe featured right here on ES, but, for some unknown reason, my balls totally erupted in the soup.
I tweaked the soup recipe just a bit - sauteed onion, celery and carrots, with some evoo, salt, pepper and maggi seasoning and once that got fragrant, I added the broth and 2 bay leaves.
I followed the ball recipe - exactly. But I just couldn’t get the balls to stay together, so I added another egg, and that did help (thanks, Dad, for the recommendation.) They still felt a little disjointed, but I dropped them in carefully, anyway. I walked away for a few minutes and returned to a god damn mess of matzah.
Bourdain Not Just a Food Snob
Because he’s been endorsed as one of your favorites, we’re putting in an effort here at ES to follow the life of Mr. Anthony Bourdain at least 1/10 as closely as we follow the magical adventures of Ms. Lakshmi.
T-bo has an unexpected essay in this week’s SPIN, in which he reminisces about being a 70’s punk rock chef (that’s him on the left). Not surprisingly, Tony has strong feelings about music as well as food, and also not surprisingly, most of those feelings are negative.
Among the acts on Bourdain’s shit list are Jethro Tull, the Sex Pistols (who he compares to N’Sync) and (try to control yourself, star ES contributor), Liza.
Photo: SPIN
Two Sticky Thumbs Up
I take my job as a food blogger super seriously. I will travel to far away lands (711) to try the craziest of all foods (ice cream) just so I can report it back to YOU!
Exhibit A: Totally kick ass new flavor from our boys Ben and Jerry:
Cinnamon Buns—Caramel Ice Cream with Cinnamon Bun Dough & a Caramel Streusel Swirl
It’s the perfect combination of flavors with enough mini-buns to satisfy. Bonus: Pairs well with white wine.
Photo: DC Snacks
Top Chef Recap: The Finale - But Not Really
The “finale” of Top Chef aired last night (actually the second-to-last episode) and the cheftestants have made it to Aspen, Colorado, presumably for the Food and Wine Classic, but clearly just an excuse to unleash Cowgirl Padma.
For the Quickfire, the nervous chefs were given fresh-caught trout and had to gut and prepare the fish themselves, and cook a meal on a campfire stove for Eric Ripert of Le Bernadine. Kinda boring challenge - they all screwed up, and Casey won again.
Catering Exploration
Nervous.
Very, very nervous.
I’ve been asked by 30 Minute Abs and his roommate, Britannia, to cater their apartment warming party this Saturday. This will be the first time I’m preparing food at such a posh event. I whipped up some dips and such for my brother’s college graduation party, but this will be a whole new level of cooking and presentation.
The assignment is to make some light (re: semi-healthy) appetizers that don’t require plates/forks.
Please send any food (and how to figure out quantity) suggestions. Bonus points if you can find something on ES that I’ve already made and can just recreate.
Thanks—Gansie
PS—Don’t worry, I will not be attempting anything that looks like the picture above.
Photo: Prague Hotel Extol Inn
My Low-Fat Tofu Chai Latte Brings All the Boys to the Yard
Sure, we’re all obsessed with food here at ES, but I’m not sure we’ve taken it to the extremes of soul mate finding.
As the MSM struggles to find its “hip” bone, Newsweek online brought us the touching and tragic story of vegans and vegetarians trying, against all things beef, to find love — with each other.
Yes, apparently a vegan and a veggie is not a match made in the garden of eden. As vegetarians still eat animal by-products, they can be deemed “murderous” by their supposed vegan allies. Love is not blinded by a gorgeous leather jacket from Florence, apparently, but that’s another story.
Although, I have to admit, I’ve previously threatened 80 Proof with breaking our lease - to no avail - if he doesn’t at least try one of the heirloom tomatoes I brought back from the market.
Maybe it’s food that conquers all?
Photo: UNC
Bananas en Fuego
Although the old adage is to only serve dinner guests something you’ve made before, I tend to NEVER follow that advice. For me, entertaining opens up the possibility to try a new dish, a new technique, a new ingredient…anything to keep things interesting. And so for my dinner with recent San Fran transplant, Laura, I decided to light something on fire.
Maybe trying this with a bottle of wine in me wasn’t the best idea, but it worked out wonderfully (to both our surprise, especially since I had her screaming out directions from the other room, clearly acknowledging I had never attempted this before) and was surely a great way to end dinner…and start the rest of the night.
Hott Links: Puff the Magic Pastry
Washington Post food blogger Kim O’Donnell made the exact same kitchen faux pax that I did. I think we must be cooking soul mates. Don’t worry, Kim – one day we’ll meet in a flaky, phyllo heaven.
Celebrity hot sauces are so hot right now. [Stereogum]
Hidden between fluff pieces on General Petraeus and President Ahmenidijad, the New York Times Week in Review offers an in-depth analysis of the cupcake trend, asking such soul-wrenching questions as:
- Should cupcakes be banned from school bake sales? (No!)
- Can the cupcake loyalist support the sale of a chocolate Guinness cupcake with green-tea cream cheese frosting? (Bring it!)
- Has the cupcake been stolen from the people by the baking aristocracy (are you fucking kidding me?)
Photo: Stereogum
