The Autumn Blahs

I hate the Fall.

There, I said it.

I think most people up here would say that fall is their favorite season, what with all the beautiful colors and mild weather, and I concede them the point, but there is one thing that trumps all others when talking about autumn. I get sick. All the time. And I hate it.

This fall has been no exception. I've battled the occasional cold, a wicked bad sinus infection, and a bout with some intestinal bug. Add the facts that a). I'm also dealing with my continual back issues, and b). Kelly has also been sick this fall and you have the makings of one crappy season.

With the two of us battling our illnesses, stresses at home and work, and my physical limitations, it's been hard to do a lot of good cooking. There has been too many trips to Chipotle, pizza ordering, and nights where we just "fend for ourselves" which usually just ends up with me eating a bowl of Count Chocula for dinner.

The few times were we have put together a nice meal, we have gone the route of comfort food, and lately that has meant soups and sandwiches. Thanks to HWG friend Jessica, we got a fantastic recipe for a nice butternut squash soup...


< shameless self-promotion >be sure to check it out and add your own recipes on our Facebook page under the "discussions" tab  < /shameless self-promotion>


...that we paired with sandwiches of prosciutto and goat cheese with arugula and fig jam on ciabatta rolls (yes, they were as awesome as they sound).

Now that we are mostly on the mend, we have some pretty hearty meals in the works for the colder weather to come. Be on the look out for more posts with stick-to-your-ribs recipes to help you through the winter months!

Duck Tales (woo-ooo!)

The Alton Brown educational experiment continues.

Chapter 1: Searing

I am completely loving Brown's I Just Came Here for the Food because I am learning a lot, but also gaining a healthy dose of confidence (which I am finding is a critical ingredient to this whole cooking thing). Chapter 1 of the book is about searing, which, being a meat lover, I feel that I know a good deal about. Heck, before Kel and I moved into our home and got a grill my favorite way to cook a steak was a quick sear on the stove top and finish it in the oven for that perfect medium rare. I was almost to the point of skipping on to Chapter 2 (yes, I was overly cocky) until a recipe that caught my eye: Cast-iron seared duck.

I figured that it was time to challenge myself, time to take the bull by the horns (the duck by the feathers?) and try something I have 1. never cooked and 2. never eaten before. Let's do this!

So off to the West Side Market we go. 90 minutes later we leave with duck breasts, acorn squash, and some apple cider (along with other WSM essentials like a beautiful skirt steak and some Chinese Five Spice). The feeling I had leaving the market was sublime- I can't remember the last time I was so excited to cook something that was new to me. I knew that this was step one of my culinary education and I couldn't wait to get it started.

I was ready to cook. I had read the recipe for the duck and the side dish (apple cider roasted acorn squash) about 100 times so I knew them both backwards and forwards. Kelly has always told me that this was essential, but it wasn't until I read it in Alton's book that I took it to heart (sorry about the Kel). I figured out the timing of the dishes so they would both be done around the same time, I made sure the mise en plas was done before I started any cooking, and I checked the recipes one more time to make sure there would be no curve balls. I had never been so prepared for a meal in my life and that showed in the and product. Sure the squash cooked a little faster than what the recipe said, sure the hot skillet shot even hotter oil on my hand, and maybe a doubted myself for a brief moment before Kelly cut into the duck- but I never lost composure and I never once thought that we would be ordering pizza that night.

In the end we had a lovely meal - local duck, local squash (recipe found here), even the wine we drank was from a local winery. I thoroughly enjoyed the duck - oh my god is that crispy skin the best - and can't wait to make it again.

Maybe this halfway gourmet is taking a step closer to not-so-halfway. Only time, and a few more cooking adventures, will tell.

Confession time

Remember that part in Fight Club when the yet unnamed main character confronts Marla in his head? He berates her by calling her a "faker" and "tourist" and admonished her to leave.

Well my friends, in this world of cooking, baking, and all things culinary, I am Marla.

Maybe I'm being a little harsh on myself, but I feel that I am still only a novice in the kitchen. I can follow a recipe, sure, but can I riff off of it and make something that I feel is truly my own? No. Can I look in the cupboards, see what we have available, and create a meal from scratch? Nope. Can I keep my cool when something seems to be going wrong while I am cooking. Not even close.

Is it because I lack confidence in this part of my life? Abso-feaking-lutely. But I really think the answer lies in my main culinary fault...my lack of knowledge of technique. Sure I can follow that recipe, but if I actually was knowledgeable of cooking techniques I wouldn't even need it, right?

Enter Alton Brown.

I bought Alton's book I'm Just Here for the Food years ago with full intentions of, you know, actually reading it. I figure now is the time. It's a great little book that blends both technique and recipes in a way that is fun and scientific. I feel that reading this book cover-to-cover will better me in so many ways and help me with my confidence in the kitchen.

It'll be like a poor man's Julie and Julia.

It turns out that Chris Rock was right.

I put a call out to my friends through my personal fb page, asking for suggestions for recipes to make in my new (old) cast iron skillet. The overwhelming majority of folks responded with much enthusiasm "CORNBREAD!" And so it came to be.
Aaron Piotro had this to say:

"You're from the south, but live in the north. I'm from the north, but live in the south. Why am I giving you this recipe?


1 cup of cornmeal

1 cup of reg. flour

1 cup of milk

1 egg (beaten)

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup oil or butter

couple pinches of salt, pepper (optional) and sugar to taste with a heavy hand.

Grease that pan, bake for 15-20 min at 450.

As usual, I read the recipe a few times, found a few more online to compare, and riffed in my own way. I used the measurements from above BUT I:

Heated the skillet with 2 tablespoons of veg oil in the oven while it was preheating

Soaked the cornmeal in the milk that was called for in the recipe, but used Buttermilk instead of regular milk AND let it sit for about 15 minutes while things preheated and I measured the dry ingredients.
 
I used about 1/4 cup sugar instead of pinches to taste (but I would cut back on this in the future--maybe use 1/8 cup instead so the corny goodness can shine through).
 
I mixed the wet ingredients into the cornmeal and milk mixture, and then added the dry, along with a small can of corn which I drained.
 
I mixed and then poured the batter into the hot cast iron pan and baked for about 15 minutes. So light, tender, and delicate...
 
Cornbread...ain't nothing wrong with that!

No Reservations with Reservations

Anthony Bourdain. Callous, crass, kinda looks like a burnout. However, somehow he's, I don't know, is "likable" a word you would use for Bourdain? Well, there it is.

I actually like the guy (despite the Cleveland episode of "No Reservations" that made us Clevelanders looks like a bunch of pork-obsessed crazies). He takes a mature and seasoned view of food that his status and celebrity allows him, which I think is pretty cool. There is no doubt that he is honest or at least speaks his mind (I mean, come on, the dude doesn't seem to have a filter at all) and I for one would love to sit and have a beer with the guy, though he undoubtedly would drink me under the table.

So I see his face staring right back at mine at a recent visit to Whistlestop Bookshop and decide to take our relationship to a whole new level; I'm going to buy his book. I only started diving in to Medium Raw a few days ago, but I find myself at odds with the author on one thing that he is so passionate about, namely his hatred of everything Food Network.

He refers to the shows as "dumbed down" and "ridiculous" (admittedly there are some ridiculous shows...don't even get me started on Semi Homemade). He actually seems to detest that these shows are actually entertaining and the chefs and/or cooks are friendly and relatable.

While I did laugh (out loud) as I was reading those pages, I just had so much trouble with Bourdain's point of view. Why is it so bad to have "dumbed down" shows about food if it makes people actually get off their asses and cook? Why is it bad that people get excited about food that is readily available in their neighborhood grocery stores? I mean, I love watching him go all over the world and eat some pretty incredible foods, but I'm not rushing out to get some cow brains any time soon.

I guess what I am trying to say is that there is a place in this world for both points of view - neither of which are mutually exclusive. I'm entertained by both. I learn from both. And I genuinely like both.

There is something about Food Network that Tony and I do agree on, though.

That Sandra Lee is a freaking train wreck.

There's almost too much going on...kinda like Ikea.

There's really no better thing for a foodie to do on a Saturday morning than going to a good farmers market. The vibrant colors. The smells of fresh produce. And the people watching (oh the people watching!).

All the things I love about farmers markets are also what are ultimately my downfall. The sights, smells, & people all give me a very specific type of ADD (FMADD?) that all drive me just a little crazy. I never know where to start or what I should be looking for and Kelly and I are never on the same page. She's always looking for fresh, beautiful produce, and, being the carnivore that I am, I want nothing more than some good farm-raised, grass-fed beef/pork/buffalo/meat-type-product. Oh, and cheese. I'm a sucker for cheese.

{side note: Kelly likes to joke that we are the only 2 people in world who can go to a farmer's market and not buy any vegetables. It's true. It happens on many occasions}

This past weekend we went to the North Union Farmers Market (in it's 16th year! way to go!) and we got some really great stuff. I picked up some grass-fed beef and some homemade pork brats and Kel got some really beautiful peppers (which I then grilled and put over the brats). All in all it was a successful outing (much more successful than our subsequent garage sale-ing- which is probably a different topic for a different blog) that ended up providing us with wonderfully delicious dinners (the burgers I made with the beef tonight were A-MAY-ZING).

There I go again. Ramble, ramble, ramble. I guess when I catch myself rambling it's a good time to sign off. Kelly and I are off to Pennsylvania for Labor Day (Memorial Day? I always get those confused) to spend time with the Patten-Alwine clan and I am sure that more food adventures await.

Until then...Buon appetito!

Some like it hot

Salsa be damned!

Even though salsa is America's favorite condiment I have always been a sucker for hot sauce. Even before I met my Southern wife who opened my eyes to the wonderful world of Tabasco, I was dousing everything in sight in that glorious spicy liquid. I would even smother things that in normal circumstances should never have hot sauce near them. I remember very clearly in my sophomore year at Carroll that I used to make instant StoveTop Stuffing in the microwave and then drown it in cheap "Louisiana HotSauce" (I'm sure if I tried that now I would probably gag).

So my love affair with hot sauce has been alive and kicking for quite a while, but I never even considered making my own. That is until one of my younger brothers gave me the idea. You see, Jeff started cooking a lot earlier than most kids I know. I remember him being very young making eggs and mixing them with ranch dressing and loving every bite of them. Anyway, Jeff and I were talking sometime last year and he mentioned that he was going to try to make his own hot sauce and I thought, "Duh, why didn't I think of that before?"

So, to make a long story only slightly less long than it already is, I've had three different hot sauce making adventures, and I think I finally made one that I would make again. Give it a shot if you are so inclined. 

**Important note** Making hot sauce is EASY and fun. Don't be intimidated and feel free to riff here and there. Make it your own...that's what creating in the kitchen is all about, isn't it?

Kevin's Poblano Hot Sauce

3 large poblano peppers 

1 medium white onion - diced

1 garlic clove- diced 

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 cup water

1/2 cup white vinegar

1tsp sugar

salt & pepper to taste

1. Broil the peppers in the oven until they turn quite dark. Skin, de-seed, and chop them once you take them out.
2. Saute peppers, onion, and garlic in a little oil until soft. Let cool.
3. And softened veggies to blender with water, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar. Blend, baby, blend!
4. Add salt & pepper to taste.

The secret here is to strain the liquid a few times. I try to get a good blend going then force it through a strainer into a large measuring cup and then pour the strained liquid back into the blender for some more blending action. It's really up to you to get it to a consistency that you like. Mine is thicker than Tabasco which makes it great for dipping chips into or even drizzling over Triskets for a snack. I've had this on tacos, pizza, eggs, you name it!

Buon appetito (or maybe in this case I should say buen provecho)!

The simpler the better

I used to think that good cooking required fancy techniques and ingredients that I could hardly pronounce let alone cook with (what the hell is xanthum gum and what would I even do withit?). As I've become a better more seasoned cook, I've found that keeping it simple usually garners the results that I am looking for and produces better, tastier food.

Case in point: the great polenta debacle of aught nine. I had found a recipe that I thought was going to be amazing - a red wine and mushroom polenta - that was going to blow Kelly away and make me some culinary hero for months to come. As is turns out this experiment was a disaster before it began- a multi-step, complicated recipe using a main ingredient I have never used before. If you have never used polenta, it's one of those things that you really can't walk away from. It requires constant attention and monitoring; or maybe I shouldn't have dumped it all in the water at once (probably a little of both). To make a long and frustrating story shorter and with kid-friendly language (I assure I was using none of that in the kitchen

that day), what I was left with was a purple clump of inedible mash. It was horrifying. Of course, Kelly, the saint that she is, took a few polite bites before excusing herself to make some peanut butter toast. A culinary hero, I was not.

Fast forward to Thursday's dinner. Ingredient list:

• Chicken.
• Home-made spice rub.
• Fresh sweet corn at the peak of its season from a farm we could have driven to.
• A compound butter made from the spices in our cabinet.
• A hot grill.
• A beautiful summer night.
• An adorable wife

Simple, easy, and delicious. In a word, "perfect." It's not to say that I won't try polenta again (I am both stubborn and Italian) but I now know that sometimes keeping it simple is the much more satisfying route.

HWG Redux

{insert witty comment about not posting in six eight months}

So, it's been a while. A long while. And I start asking myself "why?"

I could give you excuses about not eating well (partially true) or being just too busy (not true in the slightest), but if you are reading this you can probably see right through one of my lies so I best not even chance it. The reason there has been no posts here is because I've been in quite a funk. Have you ever been in one of those lost, directionless funks that last for way too long? The kind that have you searching for meaning or at least searching for something to do so you aren't so bored? That's been my reality, especially of late. So I've decided to start my baby back up again. The blog I conceptualized last year and then let sit fallow for far too long. It's time for a fresh start.

New to Halfway Gourmet? Let me tell you what it's all about.

HWG is about food. It's not just about sharing recipes and the triumphs in the kitchen, it's about real people and the real food we eat. Sure, sometime we'll have a nice risotto for dinner but sometimes we'll be too tired to cook and order out from Sun Luck Garden or Rascal House.

Sometimes it'll be about the flub-ups (most likely when I am in the kitchen) like when I used up all the dijon mustard yesterday to make a marinade for the flank steak and leaving none for Kelly to use on her glaze for the salmon- thus forcing her to use the honey dijon mustard which was, well, slightly less successful.

No matter what, it'll always be real and hopefully educational or at least entertaining. I'll be taking the lead here, but from time to time Kelly will take a break from her insanely popular project 'Bama on the Brain and grace us with her presence.

If I haven't scared you away, check back for more soon. Getting back into blogging's going to be a bumpy ride but it should be a fun one.

You've been wondering...

I know you've been wondering where we've been.  Apparently, someone forgot that this was supposed to be a collaborative effort.  We just got back from a trip to Puerto Rico and had some really great meals and food adventures.  BUT he wanted to blog about the food and I refuse to steal his thunder.  So you'll just have to wait...and suffer...and tell Kevin about how much hate waiting and suffering.

Get the maple syrup...NOW!

If you're like me, you probably don't just have buttermilk hanging out in your fridge.  Am I right?  After this morning, I may just change my mind.  Here's how the story goes:

Sunday mornings, especially in the winter, are lazy mornings.  We get out of bed, stumble down stairs, make some coffee, and contemplate breakfast options.  I love having a late, substantial breakfast.  This morning, it was calling to me.  Pancakes.  Sweet, sweet pancakes.

I'm a big fan of Bisquick--specifically the heart healthy variety.  Usually, I make the standard pancakes from the directions on the side of the box.  This morning, I happened to have some buttermilk left over from another recipe earlier in the week.  A few minutes spent googling buttermilk pancakes and I was ready to go. 

2 Cups of Bisquick
1 egg
1 tsp Baking Soda
1-3/4 Cups of buttermilk

Mix together and drop by 1/3 cup fulls onto a hot griddle/non-stick pan/etc., of your choice. 

These pancakes rise so high, are so fluffy, and so friggin delicious.  I may never go out for pancakes again.

You, too, can cook Risotto without burning the house down!

Today was a typical Monday here in Cleveland. It was grey, cold, and started to snow which was quite pretty as it fell in fat flakes. Anyhow, I was feeling bold, daring, and more than anything I was feeling like comfort food. Now, I know there are people out there who hate Rachael Ray. Admittedly, she isn't my favorite. But gosh darn it if she wasn't making Butternut Squash Risotto on a recent episode and it got me thinking!

I've always been intimidated by Risotto. All that stirring and waiting and whatnot. But it was warm, creamy, and delicately seasoned (if I do say so myself). Mostly, though, it was E.A.S.Y. And something you my friend can totally do. I promise it's worth it.

Winter Squash Risotto

Ingredients:
1 box of frozen Winter Squash, defrosted and drained of excess water
1/2 a medium white/yellow onion, chopped finely
2 T butter
1-1/2 C Arborio Rice
1/2 C White Wine (we used Mirassou Savignon Blanc--a new favorite)
6 C (roughly measured) Chicken Stock/Broth, heated in a pot on the stove
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
1/2 T Chopped fresh Sage

1. Set the Chicken Stock/Broth to heat in a pot on the stove.  While that's heating, chop half the onion finely.
2. In a separate pot, melt the butter.  Add onions and a pinch of salt and sweat onions until translucent.
3. When onions are translucent, add the 1-1/2 C rice to the butter and onion mixture. Mix to coat the rice and "toast" for a minute or so on medium heat.
4. Add the wine and stir.  Let the wine absorb into the grains of rice, which are pearly and shiny in the buttery goodness.
5. Begin to ladle in the chicken stock/broth a couple of ladle fulls at a time, stirring inbetween and letting it full absorb before adding more liquid.
6. When the rice is tender, let the last of the liquid absorb. Add the thawed winter squash and stir in to warm the mixture. 
7. Add cheese and sage, mix.
8. Serve in low shallow bowls and enjoy!

I'm telling you, you will NOT be disappointed.  And it took me less than 1/2 an hour to make it. Sure, there was stirring involved, but if you were cooking a more involved meal (and why would you?) you'd be stuck in the kitchen anyhow chopping, and slicing, grating, etc.  All you have to do is stir, my friend.  Stir!

The curse of the defined palette (or Ignorance is Bliss)

Damn you good quality food!

I never thought it would come to this, but it seems that my palette has changed. For the better? You tell me.

I went through most of my years on this planet with a very limited culinary view. Orange juice comes from a can. You can add anything to ground beef, throw it on a bun, and it will be delicious. Seasoning? What seasoning? And what the hell is a Yorkshire pudding anyway? I didn't know, I didn't care, and I was fine with it. But now everything is different and it took a quick dinner fix a few weeks ago to remind me of that fact.

My little brothers are sophomores at John Carroll and since it's only half a mile away from our house, we like to have them over from time to time. This time they wanted to bring over their PS3 and play some video games with me (an activity I will never turn down), so I decided to have them over for dinner as well. Not only would I make dinner, but it would be a dinner that we all grew up with and absolutely loved...the famous Souper Burger. It is a simple recipe: brown some ground beef with onion, add a can of cream of mushroom soup, squirt in a little yellow mustard, throw it all on a bun and you are good to go.

Jeff, Jon, and I were all ridiculously excited since we hadn't eaten Souper Burger for years, but Kelly was much more suspicious. As it turns out, Kelly was right. It looked and tasted exactly like my mom's Souper Burger so why did I have such a problem with it? Probably because the taste was nothing to write home about and the texture was like I mixed a pound of ground beef with a bowl full of snot.

This actually made me really sad. It was one of those moments where you realize that sometimes the simple things just don't make you as happy as they used to; another reminder that you are an adult.

But that still didn't stop me from eating two servings.

A Very Halfway Gourmet Thanksgiving

Is there any food holiday better than Thanksgiving? I think not. In fact, I am certain that Thanksgiving was created for the sole purpose of the leftovers that it provides. There is just something about putting turkey and stuffing in between two pieces of bread that makes me happy.

But I am getting ahead of myself here. Before you have leftovers you have to have the meal...and what a meal it was. Now, I must preface this my saying that this Thanksgiving was different than any either Kelly or myself has ever had. Kim, Todd, and Hannah were supposed to drive in from PA to share in the festivities (much like they did last year), but we found out on Tuesday that Hannah had come home sick from school with a fever and a stomach ache that turned into something much worse over the course of the next three days (poor girl). Needless to say, they were unable to make the trip so it was just me and Kel for Thanksgiving. The issue is that we bought enough food to feed all of us not only for Thanksgiving, but also for Friday brunch when my folks and little brothers were coming over. So, we had LOTS and LOTS of food for just the two of us.

Despite her heartache over not seeing her sister, Kelly put her heart and soul into this meal. Seriously, it was astounding. The turkey was the most moist I have ever had (with a nice, crispy skin to boot), the asparagus were cooked to perfection and the mustard and caper sauce that covered them was bright and lovely, the cranberry and apple compote was the perfect combination of sweet and tart.

And then there was the stuffing. Oh the stuffing! The cornbread and Italian sausage stuffing (that I am still smiling about) was, in my opinion, the star of the show. This should surprise none of my family though as I am a notorious stuffing eater, but this was seriously some of the best stuffing I have ever tasted. The only miss on the day was the crockpot sweet potatoes that I was in charge of. Those will never be mentioned again.

I was planning on also telling you about the Black Friday Brunch that Kelly put together, but I've already written way too much. Another post for another day perhaps. Plus, after writing all of this I am STARVING.

Off to the fridge!

It's Butternut Squash time

...and do I have a recipe for you!

I know, I've been totally bad and you probably forgot all about you. Rest assured, I would not forget about you. It was Kevin's turn to blog but if you've been keeping up at all with the Hatgases (or Hatgai as some like to say) you know we've had our fair share of crazy lately.

But there's something about fall, and these crisp days with sun and dramatic clouds that has been getting me thinking about cooking. And with the mother of all cooking holidays within reach, it's about damn time.

Anyhow, I was feeling really fall-ish and found this recipe that I'd clipped from a magazine, but never made before. It's de.lish.us. Trust me.

Butternut Squash with Cumin Couscous

1 2lb butternut squash, peeled, and cubed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1T chopped garlic (mine comes from a jar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
2 tsp cumin, divided
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used a mix of cherries and apricots but raisins are fine too)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 box of stock/broth (veggie or chicken is acceptable)
Salt
Pepper
1 1/2 C Couscous (or a small box)
1 1/2 C boiling water
1/8 C sliced almonds, toasted

Ok, now for the down and dirty--In a pot or dutch oven (I love mine, it's an enamel cast iron from Target...got it for $40 and have used it a ton. WELL worth it! But I digress...) heat a couple of tablespoons of Olive Oil and add the onion. Sweat the onions on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cayenne, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, and 1 tsp of cumin and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, squash, fruit and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes and then remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes until the squash is soft. You can use a potato masher and bash it about it a bit if you want but you want it big and chunky so don't go crazy. While all the butternut squash stuff is going, boil some water and cook some couscous (according to package directions), adding a 1 tsp of cumin and 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 a tsp of salt. Fluff with a fork and add almonds. Serve couscous as a base for the stew. Enjoy!

Top 3: Tuesday Edition

I know. I know. It's been ridiculously long. Right now, I'm noshing on ridiculous amounts of candy corn after gorging myself on sesame chicken, pork fried rice, and an egg roll. Don't judge.

Anyhow, I figured you'd probably want to know what we've been eating besides peanut butter you have to stir (oh, wonderous natural peanut butter).

Top 3 homemade meals we've eaten in the last 30 days:
1. Super-stuffed sweet potatoes with spinach, onion, and cream cheese. If you love the sides at thanksgiving, this one is for you!
2. Pot Roast in the crock pot. Season the roast and sear in screaming hot pan on all sides. Put into the the crockpot with half a bag of frozen pearl onions, some small potatoes (or larger potatoes cut up), and some baby carrots. While the pan is still hot from searing the beef, pour in a can of 98% Fat Free/Low Sodium cream of mushroom soup with another half can or so of water and whisk to "melt" the soup, incorporate the water, and get any remaining beefy bits off the bottom of the pan. Season with a little bit of grill seasoning (or whatever you like), and pour the soup over the roast. Cook low for 8 hours until the meat is super tender and falling apart.
3. Pecan Waffles. Made by the husband while I was still sleeping. Oh, and a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. Heaven.

Top 3 meals we've eaten that did not involve home cooking of any kind:
1) Curried Butternut Squash Dumpling Soup. If you are in the Cleveland area and reading this, go to Sun Luck Garden on Taylor Road. Order this soup. When you're well, order this soup. When you are sick, order this soup. You will be healed of all that ails you. Swear.
2) Chicken Noodle Soup from Whole Payche--I mean, Foods. Whole Foods. Delicious chicken broth, tender chicken, kluski noodles, chunky veggies. Also amazingly healing. With the weather cooling down, and cold season kicking up, we've been eating lots of soup lately.
3) Zucchini Fries courtesy of O'Reilly's on Cedar Road. With horseradish dipping sauce. And a hard cider. Oh.Yes.

So, here's the deal. I promise to post more as time goes on. And pictures!

But there's oil in my peanut butter

For years when I was little, my mother always bought natural peanut butter. It was gross, lacked flavor, and you had to stir in the oil before you could spread it on anything. My brothers and I begged and pleaded for "real" peanut butter and my mother finally caved and started buying Jiff. It was probably one of the greatest victories that that Hatgas boys ever won over Mom.

You see, we were the type of family that never (and I mean NEVER) had sugar cereals. We ate Wheaties and Chex and on occasion we were surprised with a box of Kix (which never lasted more than a day). More often than not my mother bought generics so we really didn't eat "Chex" it was more like "Corn Flavored Lattice Squares," but that's besides the point. What I am trying to get at was our breakfast options were pretty limited so I would usually default to peanut butter toast; but that natural stuff was just so nasty.

It's possible that my palate has matured (it's probably more possible that I am just not as lazy to think that the extra step of stirring my peanut butter was worth it), but I really love natural peanut butter now. When I opened up my cupboard this morning to look for a morning meal that natural peanut butter was staring me right in the face. It's funny how things come full circle sometimes.

Thanks Mom.

Umami? Really?

Have you seen those annoying commercials for Kikoman Soy Sauce? Umami the sexy female voice whispers. The fifth taste.

Excuse me?

Then, during some of our favorite food-related shows the so-called food experts made mention of Umami.

This dish has a wonderful Umami finish that is really nice on the palate.

This is getting a little ridiculous, don't you think? I mean, I'm ALL about the avant garde, I love hearing about haute cusine, which is pretty much elaborate preparations and presentations. But what is this damn Umami suddently everyone is talking (or whispering sexily--and yes, sexily is a word) about?

Well, first I found a wikipedia post that described Umami as something having to do with the presence of glutamic acid. Like you, I wondered exactly what glutamic acid was and why I would want it in my food. And why I would refer to it with some weird Japanese based word? I needed to dig deeper.

Did you know that there is a whole website dedicated to Umami? Yes, there is! And thanks to umamiinformationcenter.com, I was able to provide this diagram. Does this clear it up for you?



Yeah, me neither. Did someone actually spend time putting this graph together?

Finally, I found this and it helped clear things up. Apparently Umami is neither salty, sweet, sour, or bitter. It's meat. It's cheese. It's certain vegetables and combinations of flavor. Basically, umami can be translated to "yummy". Really, we need a super snooty word not only to sell soy sauce (which already has a claim on one of the 4, now 5, tastes--SALTY), but also for super snooty intellectual people who call themselves foodies to make us regular eaters feel inferior when they say things like "wonderful umami quality"?

So again, I say that I'm glad to be halfway gourmet if it means I get to say yummy instead of disecting the very act of eating into glutamic acids, glutamates, and taste receptors. As Ina would say "How fun is that?" Not fun at all, Ina. Not fun at all.

Halfway gourmet...

...but completely lazy.

Kel and I have definitely hit some sort of culinary (and otherwise) funk. Which explains why Kelly is off at the store right now looking for a frozen pizza to eat.

Things get tough for us at this time of year. Both of our jobs are at the beginning of the busy season (it never really stops, but still) and my fall classes just started up again so Kelly is on her own for two nights a week. I know we really have no excuses with no kids or anything like that, but sometimes it's just so easy to, well, want to do nothing when you get home from work. We'll get back to it soon, and we'll have more posts for ya'll to read, but tonight it's all about a frozen pizza, a little True Blood, and the Browns game.

Ciao

I have a crush...

...on Brian Boitano? I know, weird. But I'm sitting here watching his new cooking show on the food network called "What would Brian Boitano make?" and laughing my ass off. I guess if I was a full out gourmet, I wouldn't consider watching a cooking show by an ex-olympic cancer surviving figure skater. But I'm not full out gourmet, I'm only halfway. So there. So go set your DVR and watch Brian Boitano's show. You will be amused.