Endless Simmer - A Food Blog

Jalapeno Cucumber Margarita
What’s that you say
Jalapeno and tequila
Together in a drink
The best of Mexican food and Mexican drink.

My friends and I were having a beverage at one of our regular watering holes the other day and we were discussing our favourite drinks. We had the usuals: vodka red bull; gin and tonic; bloody mary; and yes, even a beer. We then got to thinking about alternate drinks and the lifestyle that we lead. Our conversation turned to drinks that we deserved, a drink worthy of our existence. Have you not met me? Yes, my friends and I are that pretentious.

There are some restaurants in DC that provide some fun excuses of a drink. There is Domku with its Lemon Grass & Ginger Aquavits and the Aloe Sojutini at Mandu, but we wanted one to make at home on a Friday night. We pre-game high end, not just your average six pack.

A friend had recently returned from some Southern state trip, not sure where, but he had heard of a margarita with jalapeno and cucumber. As most of us are huge Mexican boys food fans we figured it would be a great drink to try. And it was.

The fresh taste of the cucumber combined with the heat of the jalepeno was a great combination; the fusion of the two created a unique blend of spice and freshness. For people who are not a fan of chilies this is something totally acceptable. I’m sure if stronger chilies were used it would change the taste but the main flavour properties would still be present.

Disclaimer: Two glasses of these will get you pretty drunk, or even very drunk!

Check it out after jump.

• Continue reading or Comments (5)

Like I said in my first Passover post, I wouldn’t be getting any timely recipes to you. And as the holiday ended yesterday I’m just getting you a little something.

Now I have to say, this wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever eaten. But the below video will surely excite you.

The fairly common Matzah Brie (fried matzah) is like our answer to french toast. The matzah is torn in to pieces, soaked in water to soften, then the water is drained out as much as possible. Next, mix the matzah with eggs and milk. A lot of people make this sweet like french toast and add cinnamon and nutmeg and once fried, cover in *kosher for Passover* syrup. But I like my breakfast on the savory side: I seasoned it with salt and freshly ground black pepper and when it was fried, I topped it with cream cheese, raw onion and lox. I based it on this recipe.

The tricky part though, is flipping this creation so the top side is equally cooked and browned.

Check out DAD GANSIE as he flips the shit out of our matzah brie. This is best watched with volume.

Camera Works: gansie

• Comments (3)

Back when there wasn’t a *boy crisis* it used to just be “Take Your Daughters to Work Day.” (”Sons” is now added in there, and as I try to promote equality in all aspects of gender, I do like this updated model.)

On this special day (no school!) I’d switch between my mom’s nursery school class and DAD GANSIE’s own business in Philly every other year. And as much as I loved playing with the three year olds, helping them with crafts, taking them to the bathroom and feeding them snacks (graham crackers!) I felt mighty important at DAD GANSIE’s office.

They would find an empty desk for me, fitted with pens and—sometimes—a typewriter. I would usually draw notes to my mom, then go over to the copier, play with the darkness and lightness, and make about 5 copies for her. I’d also run around, lay on the couch and basically disrupt my dad and his dad while “doing business” on the phone. And in my lovely, I’m the oldest, I’m the best mantra, I would figure out how many pictures on my the wall there were of me versus how many pictures there were of my brother and sister.

But the real highlight of the day was our lunch date at McDonalds.

Growing up, we only were treated to McDonalds on the weekends, and then only once in a while. So a random weekday Mickey Ds lunch totally made the day. I think, and DAD GANSIE correct me if I’m wrong, I would order a plain hamburger, fries and a Coke. Today, if I do go to McD (which I can proudly say that I haven’t been in the year 2008) I would get a Happy Meal with the 4-piece chicken tenders, fries and Coke.

The lovely people at McCormick & Schmick’s let me remember all of these special days when I received their PR push: kids get a free “business meal” when their parents lunch with them at the restaurant. Now I know kids are different these days (Holy shit - did I just say that! How old am I?!?!) but I still bet that a McDonalds meal would beat a shrimp cocktail in their book any day.

Official McCormick & Schmick’s presser after the jump.

• Continue reading or Comments (1)

As most of you know, Passover is the time of year when Jews celebrate the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. Our ancestors had no time to leaven their bread before fleeing Egypt, so in their honor we forgo fluffy dinner rolls in favor of dry and flat matzah.

Now here’s what I don’t get - I love me some baguettes and brioches, but unleavened bread can be fantastic in its own right. Tortillas, flatbreads, crackers - none of these things need to rise, yet they are all way more delicious than simplistic and flour-heavy matzah. So yeah, I can handle unleavened bread, but why can’t we go with a more exciting variety? Naan? Roti? Ritz crackers? Wheat Thins? One of Rachael Ray’s crazy triscuit concoctions? What about pita? That one’s even Jewish. OK, so maybe I’m no rabbinical student, but as far as I can tell, each of these types of unleavened bread would make for an infinitely more exciting Seder table than matzah, without technically breaking the rules.

Many people claim to love matzah, but it’s more likely they really just love whatever tasty topping they put on matzah to cover up its meh flavor. Because it tastes like nothing, you can really put anything on it. There’s the grade-school-nostalgic peanut-butter-and-jelly matzah, the bagel-imitating everything matzah, even fancy-pants smothered-in-nutella matzah. In an attempt to unite my Irish and Jewish heritage, sometimes I spread an ample serving of Kerrygold over matzah. It’s delicious, but of course it’s really just the butter I love. There’s even a Passover game where the adults hide the matzah throughout the house and the kids spend the evening searching for it. Honestly, I think everyone’s hoping it never gets found.

Seriously people, if we ever want to be as big as the Christian holidays, we’re gonna have to come up with more than this second-rate Easter egg hunt. I mean, these people have Cadbury’s creme eggs for Christ’s sake - we can’t compete with that! I’m not trying to offend anyone, but it’s been a few thousand years now, and we really need to come up with a more exciting matzah.

Wait, wait, wait. Hold the phone. Forget everything I just said. I’m getting word that matzah can be made into candy. A-mazing.

Explanation after the jump.

• Continue reading or Comments (9)

By now, you’ve totally heard us *kvetch* that we’re waiting for the day when ES makes it BIG. And when that happens, you’ll surely get recipes that you can use ahead of time, instead of hearing about them after the fact.

Example: I’m going home for Passover this weekend. Not really sure what I’m going to make yet, so unfortunately, I can’t give you great, original ES dishes to try at your family seder. But I will be able to report back, and hopefully give you some inspiration on what kosher food to make for the following days.

So far though, my mom has requested twice-baked potatoes, and I’m thinking I’ll spike mine, SAG’s and DAD GANSIE’s with some wasabi powder. (My mom is the plainest eater in the world, no wasabi for her. Actually, I say she has a “delicate pallet” because that’s the nicest way I can think of to say she won’t eat shit.) I’ve also requested steak for dinner, because it’ll only be the four of us for the first night.

When my aunt’s family comes over for the second seder, we’ll see what group-style meal we come up with - probably turkey or brisket. DAD GANSIE’s a huge proponent of the bird year round. I’ve been asking him to post his turkey soup for a long time now (hint, hint).

Oh, and clearly we’re making matzah ball soup.

Here, though, are some interesting kosher-for-passover recipes:

Fruited Quinoa Salad [Atlanta Journal-Constitution] (via 80P’s Mom)

Matzoh Lasagna [A Mighty Appetite]

Mediterranean Fish Cakes [Culinate, Zena Chew Collection]

———
And please, totally send me your Passover suggestions

Photo: Charleston Heston as Moses

• Comments (2)

I think we all remember the scene from Steel Magnolias when Tom Skerrit is carving out an armadillo wedding cake. What’s that you say, you don’t remember? Let me refresh your memory… OK, that wasn’t the cake but a lame ass attempt at me trying to get a clip of the movie in the posting. My apologies. To the point. Every Sunday night my friends and I get together for dinner, we don’t dine out but instead cook for each other. We rarely have time for a dessert as we are always behind schedule on the cooking so it gets rather late for the sweet goodness. However, every now and then our good friend Gerard likes to surprise us with one of his baked creations. This past Sunday Gerard baked something worthy of a write up. If you are squeamish then be forewarned, its not a pretty site… Just kidding - or am I? Check out the recipe after the jump.

• Continue reading or Comments (2)

When holidays come around, the ES mailbag tends to fill up with letters from worried readers unsure how to properly prepare for the coming celebratory feasts. Since it is almost St. Patrick’s Day - one of our most exciting holidays, at least in terms of ingestion - we’re taking this opportunity to address some of these questions publicly. Hence, our newest feature: Ask ES.

Send your comments, concerns and food-related dilemmas to info@endlesssimmer.com

The Feast of St. Patrick:

Dear ES,

March is upon us and I find myself thinking… what would St. Patrick eat? Naturally, green, white and gold must figure somewhere, but aside from pistachio muffins and my own bland tri-colour risotto, I’m at a loss.

So, I challenge ES to concoct something appropriately coloured and tasty… Extra points for incorporating Guinness. Or vodka, just coz I like vodka.

Ailbhe

• Continue reading or Comments (7)

Happy Day Off!! (and President’s Day)

Oh, and since Gansie told me that this post had to tie-in with food, I am celebrating our future president with a fatty breakfast sandwich from Dunkin’ Donuts.

• Comments (2)

Happy President’s Day!

You might be wondering what the above photo has to do with POTUS Day, and if you are, blame it on your nursery school teacher. My mom manages 17 three year olds on a daily basis. And when I say manage I mean she sings with them, ties their shoes, leads circle time, helps them with crafts, feeds them snacks (NO PEANUTS!), and of course, teaches them. AKA - comes home with a headache every day.

Nursery school lessons are boiled down to the basics. (I won’t even get into the way they teach Thanksgiving.) Anyway, here is the tasty treat that the kiddies made to commemorate our very noble, very honest, very judicious country leaders.

And one note, every year dad gansie comes to my mom’s classroom to help out with this messiest and yummiest of crafts. I guess the children think my dad is the original G-Dubs.

Lincoln’s Log Cabin Republicans

Place a shoe box open side down and cover with aluminum foil.

(dad gansie and unidentified pre-schooler)

With a plastic knife spread vanilla icing on all sides of a pretzel log. Stick on shoe box.

Bonus points: create windows and doors with broken pieces of pretzel.

• Comments (9)