Fun Food Stuff

"The cow is of the bovine ilk; One end is moo, the other milk."- Ogden Nash

This just kind of explains itself. Just go to this Amazon.com link Tuscan Whole Milk, 1 Gallon, 128 fl oz"and read the reviews. They are a hoot of literary imitations!

Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan!

Food Quote of the Week

It isn't often that the Sunday morning shows we watch have food references, but in the past year, Bill Moyers has had at least two. He interviewed Michael Pollan, and this gem came from a discussion about Global Warming and the possibility of ending up in a world as depicted in Richard Fleischer's Soylent Green.

The quote: "I don't want to spoil the ending, but Food and Nutrition labels have been dramatically relaxed."

It's people. Soylent Green is made out of people. They're making our food out of people.

Cole Porter

Anything goes in, anything goes out, fish, bananas, old pyjamas, mutton, beef and trout - The Other Cole Porter

Or, as Jesse Jackson might say "If you love to eat, you'll have to excrete". This is a Public Service Announcement. When you hit 50, get the colonoscopy. It took me almost 2 years despite friends and family assuring me that it wasn't that bad. Chad Ward, author of the wonderful "An Edge in the Kitchen" - perhaps the best book on how to deal with knives available - took the time to remind me of Dave Barry's famous column on the topic. Read it again.

It really wasn't that bad. In fact for me it was better than some of those who told me it wasn't that bad. I think it helped that flatulence is second nature to me. Look, as Barry say you either have cancer or pre-cancer, or you don't. If you do early treatment can be a lifesaver. If you don't, you will sleep better.

I know. I'm clean. Plenty of meals left to prepare and eat.

'Nuff said!

Wings

There is no such thing as a Buffalo Wing. Buffalo (Bison bison) are mammals. They don't have wings.

There are just Wings.

They are neither baked, broiled, broasted or roasted. They are not breaded. They are not cajun nor teriyaki nor BBQ. They are not boneless.

There are many legitimate other uses for the chicken wing, but they are not Wings.

Considered to have been created at the Anchor Bar, a mere 20 minutes from here, Wings are Deep Fried and tossed in a sauce of butter and Frank's hot sauce (No Tabasco or Crystal or Texas Pete, etc. allowed. A bit of ketchup may be added - the corn syrup helps the sauce stick.

They are served with celery and or carrot sticks. And Blue Cheese dressing (Ken's was the standard). The best wings were served at Rooties, but it is now gone, with only a satellite in KY remaining. (OK, aside from the fact that I REALLY loved the wings while at UB, it was our regular hangout after we closed down DACC's. And the bartender then was smokingly hot!)

So for the best wings in town, you have to come here -on the one or two days a year I make them!

West Side Story

Today, all day I had the feeling
A miracle would happen
I know now I was right. - Tonight

Well I finally made it to the West Side Market in Cleveland over New Years and it was everything I hoped for and more. I have already written of my hopes for a return of the central market. But I don't see it happening soon.

Aside from seafood, it trumps my beloved Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia (OK it's a seaport - I know).

The variety of offerings was overwhelming. Really. And because I was unprepared, I bought little. But it does prove that a real City market can exist, and the gives me hope.

But, Susan and Brian also introduced me to the existence of Charlie's Gourmet Garlic, right around the corner from them. My supplies include German White, Music and Sussanna Soft Neck. What a hoot! I have just started playing with it!

Cleveland is good for food!

Learning Curve

One of those days on the cooking front. Anyone who cooks has made mistakes. My devotion to cooking began with a mistake over soup. Today all girls learned important lessons.

Alison received her first Chef Stripes, and learned that hot ovens need to be respected.

Ellie learned that Baking Soda and Baking Powder are not interchangeable, and we are doing a second batch of cookie dough.

Trish learned that it is OK to dry dishes when the stovetop is on, but don't put plastic things near the back!

I learned that it's better sometimes to just watch Dr. Zhivago . . .

Julie and Julia

I finally saw the movie Saturday night. I had been afraid to, fearing disappointment. It wasn't the casting. Certainly not with Meryl's Julia. Even before hearing her spot-on Julia, I knew she could pull it off. Heck, If Meryl (and I call her Meryl because I went to High School with her cousin Amy) announced she was playing the title role in a remake of Conan the Barbarian I'd believe she could pull it off!

Amy Adams was wonderful in Enchanted, and she's a redhead. I have a thing for redheads. I started to cook because of a redhead.

Jane Lynch? My sister didn't know her. Sorry Yinnie, if you don't know Jane Lynch you are watching the wrong movies. She is great.

Then there is Stanley Tucci. If there is a cook out there who doesn't revere him and Tony Shalhoub for Big Night, I will show them how to break down a carcass on their carcasses.

No, my worry was trying to parallel Julie and Julia with My Life in France. Look, I loved lurking at Julie's blog (I still do) and enjoyed Julie and Julia, but the comparison of the two stories seemed like comparing Mastering the Art of French Cooking to the Rochester Hadassah Cookbook. Both are inportant to my culinary life, but not equal in their impact.

I was wrong.

The movie was delightful, the acting and script. What got to me was the penultimate scene, the one pictured above, where Julie Powell leaves a pound of butter at the Julia's Kitchen display at the Smithsonian. I giggled when I read it. I cried when I watched it.

I suddenly realized what I had missed before in the Julie/Julia story. I remembered the importance of Julia to my cooking, and realized that Julie basically served as a representative of all the lives Julia touched! A pound of butter left on the altar of Saint Julia.

Thank you Julia.

And thank you Julie.

Bon Appetit!