What are all you ESers dressing as for Halloween this year? Need some inspiration? Check out our compilations of the very best in food halloween costumes.
top 10 cute food halloween costumes
top 10 weird food halloween costumes
Memorial Day. Check. Fourth of July. Check. Labor Day. Check. Columbus Day. Eh, Check.
But fucking National Soft Serve Ice Cream Day! Really?!?! In the last few weeks I’ve been hit with a barrage of days, including yesterday’s soft serve. (Coincidentally, I did enjoy salted caramel custard at Dairy Godmother.)
Earlier this month, August 7th to be exact, the PR folks behind Grey Poupon told me to honor National Mustard Day. And, whoa!, it’s been 30 years since the original snobbery that starts with “Pardon Me…”
But I’m not sure either of these very special days can compare to, get this.
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Editors’ Note: Our newly relocated friend Westcoast, has, as you can guess, finally moved to the West Coast. San Fransisco to be exact. In his first month out there he’s already been tasked with an Endless Simmer assignment. Grueling. Miserable. Terrible. Assignment. Party for Pride. Here’s his story, turned into a drinking game.
Disclaimer: If you are looking for a drinking game (since drinking has become muy popular on ES this summer) you’re in for a Pride 2010 treat! Drink each time you find a gay-themed word (some are sexual, some not and some are disguised as other words, but spelled the same as their naughty cousins).
Second Disclaimer: I am writing this from my new home in San Francisco and you might find some of the content offensive. That sucks for you. [Drink.]
Ok. So San Francisco Pride is kind of a big deal. For a gay, err, queer (have to use the new left coast lingo) young man like myself, coming to San Francisco Pride is like being welcomed home to the mothership. Two years ago Lady Gaga headlined the festival before we even knew what a poker face was or meant. This year the Backstreet Boys are the headlining act. Next year maybe we’ll have Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat (obligatory use of scat complete). Because sometimes moving forward in time is like moving backward in time, to a time you don’t really miss that much (two steps forward…two steps backstreet boys).
Supperclub San Francisco once again invited ES to experience one of its amazing events. If you have never been to a Supperclub (Los Angeles opens soon), I strongly encourage you to consider. It is truly an experience you won’t regret. All of your senses are dazzled at Supperclub…there’s amazing food and drink, a DJ spinning funky thump lounge, a VJ opening up your brain to dramatic, yet artistic visuals and live performance art throughout the night, all culminating in a huge dance party. Oh, and we had a spectacular hostess extraordinaire, Miss Vee, who poured sparkling wine all over herself during a dance number.
This event was billed as an official San Francisco Pride Event and birthday bash for all Geminis. It just so happens that my best friend, who just turned 30 himself, is a Gemini and likes to paint live performers with paint brushes in front of an audience (we all have our fetishes). His arm also makes a nice prop for pictures. Though we weren’t ever completely sure that we were at a pride event, we certainly had a blast. On tap for the night was a surprise four-course dinner created by Executive Chef Daan Jetten and event-specific, yummy drinks. Here’s where the review begins and the blow-by-blow of the food, since we all like to eat out.
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Yay for holidays with little actual significance and much boozy celebrating!
If you’re still looking for ideas on how to celebrate Mexican St. Patrick’s Day, don’t forget Britannia’s spicy/drunky jalapeno cucumber margarita.
With only two more meals left for Passover 2010, there’s the urge to never eat matzoh again, yet still use it all before its time is up. Matzoh as a cracker isn’t terrible, as I slathered on smoked whitefish salad and pushed raw onion and raw broccoli into the creamy mixture, simply topped with freshly ground black pepper. Matzoh is also tolerable as a base for melted cheese and salsa, as my sister discovered.
But I think matzoh is best when you can barely taste it at all. So, for you, the lonely observant Jews, for when every one else has longed reincorporated pizza and pasta into their diets, you have fought through the carb cravings and lasted until this eighth and final day. Here is a way to hide your matzoh.
Matzoh and Swiss Omelet
A few weeks ago at the farmers’ market I bought these long, slender greens that basically looked like grass. At the ends there was some barely leafy parts, but it mostly just looked like grass. And I totally can’t remember the name.
Nonetheless, I sliced it to about the size of my pinkie nail (currently painted in Essie’s Mint Candy Apple) and quickly softened it in a pan with butter. I then added in broken up matzoh bits, letting the matzoh also soften.
In a bowl I beat two eggs and threw in raw garlic. I poured the egg mixture over the greens and matzoh and tried to swipe around the sides to let the uncooked eggs start to cook. I seasoned the eggs with salt and pepper and then flipped the egg mixture over once the bottom started to firm up. I lowered the heat then tore up two slices of swiss and placed a lid over the pan. After about 2 minutes, the cheese still hadn’t melted and the eggs were starting to brown on the bottom.
I decided to flip it again, letting the cheese directly hit the pan. I was nervous that the cheese would burn, or stick. or the whole thing would get messed up. But I guess the cheese and butter had enough fat that the cheese slid around in the pan and was able to melt, but then also easily move to the plate.
Enjoy, especially not tasting the matzoh, which really only gives the open faced omelet some body and texture, but not that gross matzoh stale taste.
And now you can start thinking (if you haven’t already) how you’re going to break Passover.
The Jewish calendar is lunar and therefore Passover can land anywhere between the end of March to the end of April. My birthday is at the end of March, my mom’s birthday is at the beginning of April and my sister’s birthday is at the end of April so it’s a always a hold your breath moment to find out who’s birthday will take place during this dreaded no-bread, no-cake, no-ice cream, no-soft pretzel eight day stretch.
This year it’s so early that this spring themed holiday can’t feature the season’s produce. We usually serve asparagus, but this year we still had to rely on winter’s hold overs. I’m a bit tired of winter squash, as is the rest of the Northeast, I’m sure.
With Passover, though, I wanted to think of something slightly new. Maybe not in flavor, but in form.
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Once again, I am home for Passover. When I was younger I never understood why so many foods were off limits. Sure, bread is bad. No toast, bagels, challah. I get it. But gum? Peanut butter? Mustard? I knew that corn syrup was off limits, whatever the hell corn syrup was. No one, however, could really tell me why some of the other foods were off limits.
I guess it’s kinda like religion in general. It can’t all be explained.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t look for special holiday recipes. Or get excited to cook dishes for the first time. I’d never contributed to the sedar plate before. But with only 20 minutes til the sedar, I jumped on the chance to make this traditional dish my own.
Apple Two Way Charoset
I diced two apples, let my cinnamon obsessed sister sprinkle some of the sweet brown powder over top, then stirred it around with fresh lemon juice and just a pinch of salt.
Boring. And wrong.
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