Endless Simmer - A Food Blog

A few months back, we had a lively discussion on ES about the importance of freezing bread. Here’s an instructional excerpt from Tim:

…thin bread from the freezer is so easy to butter before you toast, broil, or fry it. Mmm.
Bread in the fridge, however, will keep longer but will affect the quality and texture and will taste stale. Help educate your friends to stop bread refrigeration.

I’ve been trying to follow this advice. However, I still think there’s nothing better than fresh bread - bagels, baguettes, whatever - fresh beats frozen by a mile. So now when I buy any kind of bread, I try to make an exact calculation of how long it will last and keep just the right amount unfrozen. For example, I’ll buy a loaf of bread, keep six slices in the breadbox for the next three or four days and freeze the rest immediately. (The breadbox is metaphorical, I don’t really have one, who does anymore?)

In general, this works out well, but with this crazy modern life you never do know what’s gonna pop up at the last minute, and from time to time I estimate incorrectly and end up with that one rock hard stale bagel or slice of bread that I really should have just frozen in the first place.

My point is, life is pretty difficult these days. But my better point is, ya gotta have some recipes for stale bread.

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Who could say no to the Hollandaise sauce for Steak?! Yes, Bernaise is a sister to our egg-stra special friend Hollandaise, both made with whisked egg yolk and clarified butter. Bernaise, however, adds a savory mix of vinegar, shallots, tarragon, and chervil (a pretty little spice I hadn’t heard of prior to my first attempt cooking up this sauce) and forgoes the lemon found in Hollandaise. As you may or may not be able to see in the photo, I added chopped up baby bellas to my bernaise. It added a nice, complementary flavor and allowed me to feel like I was eating “more healthy” (despite the beef and bernaise, of course).

More after the jump…

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I wanted Christian Siriano to win. The clothes, the ingenious asymmetrical haircut and the adorable arrogance all in a 4 foot tall perfect package. I was cheering for him all through the Project Runway finale as he bopped around with threads, winked at the camera and snapped at his own fierceness….until he told a size -1 model “don’t eat!” after fittings. My mouth hung open at this comment (not attractive considering it was full of cheesy lasagna) and it got me thinking. Not about how women don’t need to be stick thin to be beautiful. That argument’s been done a thousand times and reiterated by Tyra Banks ten thousand times more. Christian’s quip about food rejection simply made me hungry, even after digging into my second helping of lasagna. His comment made me think about…sandwiches. I do love a good sandwich. For the rest of the finale, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat debating who will rule the runway. I was thinking: If these finalist were a sandwich, what kind of sandwich would they be?

Let’s start with Chris. Now, I actually didn’t mind human hair on clothes, but I do mind them in my sandwiches. Thankfully, at Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh, I never found one. These sandwiches are extravagant, layered, grandiose goodness….and more importantly, as burly as the PR finalist himself. Pounds of Italian ham, Swiss cheese, coleslaw. All topped off with fries IN the sandwich. A little much for most people, but so was that fugly jacket that got Chris kicked off in the first place so there you go. Chris, I honor you with the roast beef sandwich at Primanti brothers.

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Gansie is, for once, embarrassed about promoting herself. So in this edition of Hott Links, we bring you her latest contributions to the Express paper, as published last Thursday:

The Language of Food: Napoleon

Taste the Tropics: Cafe Trope

Bargain Mediterranean: Cafe 8

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OK, there’s no punchline, just three fancy cheeses I am lovin’ on lately and think you guys should know about…

Like most Americans, the first 23 or so years of my life were dominated by cheese made from cows. Namely, cheddar, Swiss, American, and String.

Back before the snobby days of food blogs, I thought provolone and havarti were pretty damn fancy, and had no idea that cows were only the beginning. I was amazed to learn that sheep could produce something as phenomenal as pecornio romano, and I was dumbfounded when told that fresh mozzarella doesn’t come from cows at all, but from water buffalo.

Then, at some glorious point in my early post-collegiate life, I stumbled into a fancy-shmancy dinner party and discovered the wondrous beauty that is spun from the teat of a female goat. My life has not been the same since, as there is literally an entire world of soft, creamy, goat’s milk cheeses to be tasted. Here are three that have recently blown my mind, and my palate.

Boucheron - This French goat’s milk cheese comes in a waxy rind that I have to say I’m not crazy about, but it surrounds a soft white middle that is rich, creamy and just a little bit sharp. Most importantly, this is a goat cheese that crumbles in your mouth, not in your hands. Unlike other crumbly goat cheeses and fetas, Boucheron isn’t just for salad - it can be easily spread on a cracker or just sliced and eaten solo.

Nevat - Holy cow goat. This Catalaunian cheese, whose name is Spanish for ’snowy,’ dares to be different. Nevat goes for the rich and creamy thing without bothering with the crumbles. The consistency is closer to Brie than most goat cheeses, but it still captures that tangy goat cheese thing with just a little bit of sweet thrown in.

Humboldt Fog - I have no idea where California stands in the global cheese pantheon, but if this bad boy is any indication, the Golden State should be getting some serious cheese-loving props. Cypress Grove Chevre, the NoCal company that specializes in goat’s milk cheeses, sums up their signature offering as how: “an elegant, soft, surface ripened cheese. The texture is creamy and luscious with a subtle tangy flavor.” All true, but what they aren’t telling you is that this mofo is some stinky cheese. Seriously. As in hold your nose, put a bag over your head, and don’t inhale, stinky cheese. It’s also a smooth, buttery thing of beauty that should not be missed. (Props to Alison for the recommendation.)

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Fried chicken, cheeseburger, Casear salad? That is what DC’s premier chef, Michel Richard, the knives behind acclaimed Citronelle, dares to offer in his new bistro, Central? Well, he knows exactly what he’s doing. Bread crumbs lay delicately over two moist pieces of chicken, more a sprinkling of rain than a slather of sleet; it’s even better when dipped in creamy mustard sauce and scooped into the same bite with pulverized garlic mashers. Ground chuck has never been so French in a burger that’s as rich as brie, served with fries and mayo. And the Casear salad, tossed with goat cheese and diced tomatoes, surprises with taste and convenience: the lettuce is cut into bite-sized forkfuls. For dessert, inhale the adult version of a Kit Kat bar to complete a prized meal.
For: A French chef’s take on Americanized French food
Entrees: $16-$29. 202-626-0015. 1001 Pennsylvania Ave

Originally in the Onion / DC local edition

Photo: LA Times

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Editors Note: This is the restaurant where 80 Proof and I ate before the whole appendix debacle went down. We thought his stomach ache was from their sausage, not from an internal body malfunction. We will always have fond memories of this place.

Amid the rough-and-tumble neighborhood bar scene, L’Enfant Cafe aims to be an escape to a quaint Parisian eatery. Forget French bistro staples such as steak frites and mussels; instead L’Enfant Cafe features a light menu of crepes, sandwiches, and salads. Crepes here swing both ways, with savory options such as goat cheese, spicy sausage, and roasted red pepper sauce, and sweet choices such as Nutella and banana. Beers are Belgian, and expensive, but the selection is impressive. The small patio outside lends itself to relaxing people-watching and inside is equally cozy, with only a few tables and a dark wood bar.
For: Your ABCs—Adams Morgan, beer, and crepes.

Entress: $7-$15. 202- 319-1800. 2000 18th St, NW

Originally in the Onion / DC local edition /October 11, 2007

Photo: L’Enfant Cafe

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Beef, it’s what’s for dinner…

At least usually when I’m cooking. I am a red meat monger and I sometimes wonder if I might be suffering from some kind of Iron deficiency. Anyway, had a tasty steak night this week. We used our newest favorite way to prep steaks that are going on the grill—olive oil and coarse sea salt. Type of steak—boneless short ribs, mmmmm. Sort of fattier than other cuts, but all the more juicy. Medium rare, of course. Along side the meat we grilled zucchini and yellow squash, sautéed up some red chard, and served it all with a side of rice. Isn’t it beautiful!

The power of coarse sea salt is really amazing, actually. While at the beach I used it on two 2lb tri-tips. Normally I rub the oil and salt on maybe 10 to 15 minutes before the meat hits the heat, but this time I did it an hour or so beforehand. The result—succulent but salty beef. But hey, I also love salty foods. We skewered yellow squash, zucchini, and baby bellas to go with. It was quick, easy, and tasty.

The “surf” portion after the jump.

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As many of you know, I’ve recently been transitioning from the world of office life to the land of freelancing, which means my lunchtime agenda has moved from overpriced salads at Cosi to scavenging through whatever I’ve got in my kitchen. This means a good once or twice a week I have a quesadilla, my favorite among all the fantastic ways to consume the glory that is melted cheese (I’m sorry grilled cheese! You’ll always be my first.)

Now, I know some people are purists about using only mozz. or maybe a monterey jack or other Mexican cheese in their goddamn quesadillas, but I like to experiment. Of course, some cheeses just don’t cut it. Cheddar is a bit too sharp, smoked cheeses taste a little off when melted, and Gorgonzola just doesn’t melt right at all. But I have found a secret that kicks any quesadilla up a good few notches: Brie. Seriously. It melts really well, and most importantly, it plays well with others - blending in nicely with your other cheeses and extra add-ins.

7 minutes to heaven after the jump.

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