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Archive: August, 2010
Happy Hour is a place to vent daily frustrations and unwind, a time to reconnect with friends and coworkers you dont mind seeing beyond the boundaries of Cubicle Land. Its is also the ideal time to score a deal on your favorite gustatives and gulpables. For this feature, Team Meal Ticket hops to happy hours across the land and files a report every Tuesday. Lets delve into it at Swift Half.
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| Photo | Rachel Burgos |
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| Photo | Rachel Burgos |
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| Photo | Drew Lazor |
Filed Under: Booze | Food Events
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Why would they hold this event at Village Whiskey? It's already difficult enough to find space in there. Time would have been a more comfortable choice.
Filed Under: Notes from the Weekend
Adam Erace: AE
Drew Lazor: DL
Anthony Sica: AS
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| Photo | Drew Lazor |
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| Photo | Adam Erace |
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| Photo | Drew Lazor |
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| Photo | Drew Lazor |
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| Photo | Adam Erace |
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| Photo | Drew Lazor |
Interestingly enough, I also hit up SNAP for the first time--got very enthused and made a slew of different cocktails, including SNAP/Iced Tea, and SNAP/bourbon/bitters/orange. They paired very nicely with the dry rubbed, beer-braised, BBQ'ed baby back ribs we made, though also left my better half cursing dark liquors and me proclaiming "Oh, Snap!" Other notes: I have come to the conclusion that Stella is by far the tastiest Starr food in the city. Also, I was delighted to discover a diner breakfast place not far from my house, which I shan't reveal in fears that too many others will flock to its deliciously greasy and cheap platters. Does anyone else think that brunch is too energy-intensive whilst recovering from a hangover?
I hate cherry water ice, but I love cherry gelati. Weird.
i went to ellicott city maryland and watched both "when in rome" and "the back up plan" in the same night, thats right, no shame. all while enjoying probably the last burger and corn on the cob of the season. sunday woke up after a few too many glasses of that cupcake white wine? and went to "the house of india" for indian buffet!! i also tried SNAP, it's secretly really strong and tasted like a candle! not in love :(
The salt and pepper squid is good, but what makes it awesome is the accompanying salad. Fried onions, sliced jalapeno, sliced green scallions and mint. After Pho Hoa and John's, but before Oyster House and Noble, spent and hour or two at the Sidecar. I will never stop loving it there and it is without a doubt my favorite neighborhood bar. Go Sidecar!
Thanks Taylor! I won't eat them now...
We wavered with ordering the lobster roll but if you say it is worth it I will give it a gamble.
It does taste like a candle! I tried SNAP on its own and I really wasn't happy about it, but I would give it another chance in a cocktail.
Friday night, a few of us went overboard at Stogie Joes and ordered basically everything. And then we ate basically all of it. Everything was so, so good. An out of towner who was with us compared the pizza to Ellio's pizza which made us all SO incensed but he recovered by swearing up and down that he loves Ellio's and meant it as a compliment. Saturday morning I attempted to recover from the previous evening with copious amounts of Vita Coco. However, my old friend coconut water quickly turned against me. As I walked around the neighborhood that afternoon it sloshed around in my bag and eventually all over my phone. My phone spent the rest of the weekend in a Tupperware container of rice. :( Other notable weekend moments include trying SNAP for the first time (very tasty but my heart still belongs to ROOT) and making awesome sweet potato and black bean tacos. I will eat sweet potatoes and black beans together, in basically any form. Sunday
On Friday, spent the day as Shoobies in Ocean City/Avalon. Hit up Mack & Manco for a slice of white pizza and a birch beer, and was only moderately skeptical that they've got a big sign in the restaurant proclaiming, NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK (INCLUDING WATER BOTTLES). Hmm. Anyway, Friday night we went to The Diving Horse, run by the folks at Pub & Kitchen, for a multi-app-course grubfest. Best bets: Tuna crudo, raw oyster, cheese plate, any of the desserts. Lobster roll was tiny (they should really call it a slider), but still delicious. Saturday evening was a gluttonously awesome send-off for my friend who's moving to Chicago. Started off at home with Tabasco-brand Bloody Marys and gimlets and champagne; then headed to Oyster House (didn't see Drew there, though we figured out we were there at the same time). For drinks: I ordered the French Fox, but the table favorite was the Oyster House Punch, served in a Mason jar. I somehow decided two lobster rolls in one weekend would be a good idea, so ordered their version ($26). IT IS WORTH IT. Srsly. After dinner we moved to the bar for Drew's aforementioned late-night happy hour (which you can only take advantage of at the bar, FYI) and may or may not have had oyster shooters. Afterward we grabbed a drink at the Ranstead Room, which is way swanky and fun, with cute, bespectacled waiters. I ordered the Bartender's Choice (you tell them what type of alcohol/sweetness/booziness you like and let them take it from there) with the simple instruction, "St. Germain, please." They brought me a crazy-good concoction of St. Germain, gin, 7-Up and muddled cucumbers/oranges/limes. A-mazing. We were hung over on Sunday but that did not stop us from brunching at Black & Brew. Thank you, breakfast BLT and iced coffee, for waking me from the dead.
I always complain that there's no good Thai food in the city but Erawan was totally delicious. I don't remember the name of what I ate but it involved shrimp and glass noodles so I was happy. Also, Sandy's on 24th and Locust has some of my fave homefries ever.
Does anyone else think that brunch is too energy-intensive whilst recovering from a hangover? You're speaking my language. Bring me eggs, I'm too still-drunk to move
Yes, there is a horticulturist in the house! Berries are very pretty, but don't go eating them unless you're sure what they are. It's hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like you've found a species of Viburnum, which are NOT edible. Viburnums have opposite leaves, which the plant in the picture appears to have, while Blueberries (perhaps you've mistaken this shrub for a blueberry) have alternate leaves. These berries are also missing the distinct flared crown of a blueberry. This weekend, I didn't eat a single berry. Only bananas and pluots. Also apples, pears and oranges in sangria.
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| hitachinonest.com |
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| And now that we have your attention ... |
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Hazelnut-crusted Cornish Hen with blue corn grits, bacon-fried peaches and sherry syrup
Go Get This: ...for the hen 1 1-lb. Cornish game hen 1 cup raw hazelnuts 1 tbsp. smoked black peppercorns 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 cup sherry vinegar ...for the grits 1/2 cup blue corn grits 1 cup whole milk 1 cup water 1 pat butter 1 garlic clove, crushed 1/2 cup smoked cheddar cheese, grated 1/2 lb. slab bacon 1 peach, peeled and cut into eighths Salt and pepper, to taste Now Do This: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then get the hazelnut crumbs working by toasting the nuts and peppercorns in over medium heat in a dry skillet until fragrant, 5 minutes. Once toasted and slightly cooled, transfer the hazels to the dish towel, fold in half and rub gently, which helps remove most of the papery skins. Put the nuts in the food processor or spice mill with the peppercorns regulars OK, but smoked is worth seeking out for this recipe and kosher salt and buzz into a fine powder. Sprinkle the hazelnut crumbs liberally over the hen and press in firmly to create a crust around the bird. Shake off excess and place hen on pan fitted with a roasting rack. (If you dont have a roasting rack, put the hen directly in an ovenproof pan; just make sure you oil it first.) When the oven comes to temp, bake the hen. Mine weighed just over a pound, and 50 minutes cooked the bird through without drying it out. Were I making this for my living-in-fear-of-salmonella parents, Id probably take it another 10 minutes, but it was perfect for me. Make sure you let it rest 10 minutes before eating. As the hen cooks, make sherry syrup by adding the sherry vinegar to a saucepan, reducing by half and whisking in a touch of butter off the heat. Reserve. Then cut the bacon into lardons and fry them up in a skillet. Remove the bacon but leave the fat in the pan, lower the heat and add the sliced, peeled peaches. Ideally, you want to use firm peaches, but mine were ripe and they turned out swell. They only need 5 minutes per side to caramelize. Remove them from the pan and use the mingled bacon fat and peach juices to baste the hen half an hour into cooking. Get the grits going by combining them with water, milk, butter and garlic in a pan. My fave grits come from Anson Mills in South Carolina, but white or yellow Quaker work just as well in a pinch, and you can use any combos or ratios of liquid to cook them in. (Chicken stocks nice.) Bring the mix to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer, stirring every few minutes as the grits thicken. Theyll come together in 20, but give them another 20, adding liquid if you needed. After 40 minutes, fish out the garlic clove and stir in the cheese and lardons. To plate, lay down some grits and place the rested hen on top. Ring with the bacon-fried peaches and garnish with a drizzle with sherry syrup and crushed hazelnuts. |
| "I'm sure you get this all the time, Chris, but the episode where Fred Savage was the sociopath serial rapist? TO DIE!" |
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| Jason Merritt/Getty images | cbsnews.com |
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| "We're completely screwed now that Strasburg's out, so I say we just stay up here and eat fusion empanadas or whatever the fuck these are until the bottom of the seventh." |
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Though I can't speak for Season 6 (trying to remember boobs...), Gail's knockers did have a HUGE role in Season 5. I like Tiffany too but I think Angelo is going to take it all home.
I disagree that Gail isn't the reason Top Chef won an Emmy. Didn't we all agree that last season, Gail's breasts were comparatively larger/shown more prominently than previous seasons? And isn't this the first year Top Chef has broken The Amazing Race's seven-time, Best Reality show winning streak? Ergo: The Emmy should have gone to Gail's knockers. Also, Tiffany is going to win this thing. Word.
don't count kevin out yet. true, he's made a few mistakes but the man's got talent!
I don't think I've ever been relieved to see someone go home. I think this top 5 is ok, and although I hate to say it, local Kev has to be the weakest link left, yeah? It would be an upset if he makes the final. I was hoping you were watching the Emmys when they won. I liked Gail freaking out on stage as the producers were talking. As my wife cracked, "settle down, Gail, they're not giving this because of you." I think this is the first time since they started handing out Emmys for reality shows that a Jerry Bruckheimer-produced show has NOT won, so thank god! Also, Chris Meloni owns. He does a funny DeNiro/TaxiDriver-esque type character in Wet Hot American Summer.
Oh my god. If SVU and Top Chef joined forces, I would quit my job and never leave my couch again. Best picture ever.
That top picture rules! when guitar hero & rock band came out, my band was always called "stablers rage" in honor of a one-time weekend marathon on USA titled that, featuring episodes of SVU with well, stabler being angry.
I'm glad Amanda went home, she was totally the bratty little sister type but who looked liked a loon as she ran around the kitchen. I hate saying it but I have a bad feeling about tonight and I think either Kevin or Kelly will be sent home.
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The PB, cheddar and pickle sandwich was oddly delicious
I wanted to offer this review of helpful advice: They really need to just streamline the whole deal, although it has a lot of potential. I noticed they have free wifi, so that's a step in the right direction, but besides that it just feels like a bunch of kids got tired of the lemonade stand and so, set up a peanut butter shop. Although, business was very good when I was there- mostly moms and their kids, but still, they were making money. It's all very rudimentary right now, however. They need to make it look more professional and as I said- streamline it. I mean, I ordered Ants on a Log and had to turn my head away to keep from laughing as the poor guy held a celery stick between two (ungloved) fingers, placing the raisins one by one. I felt like I should have jumped back behind the counter and helped them make my food. Take Subway for example- even if the prep process is pretty much the same, there's just a pizazz to seeing the long buffet of a toppings-filled silver steel banquet behind the counter. PB&U literally has store-bought jars of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff scattered behind a glass window, butter knives poking out of them at odd angles. It looked like my kitchen. They also need to be a bit more creative. I mean sure, Peanut Butter Fondue sounds like a cup of peanut butter that you dip odds and ends into.....But that doesn't mean it really should be a cup of peanut butter that you dip odds and ends into. Even Cheese Fondue isn't just......Cheese. It's cheese and beer and cream and spices. They could at least warm the PB and mix it with chocolate or nutella or cream and add cinnamon or ginger or cayenne pepper or.....all of the above. I dunno.... Even the atmosphere needs some revving up. Sure, the wallpapered jumbo FedEx Kinkos printouts of various PB-themed snack foods is cute, but really? That's it? It reminded me of this Rice Pudding place in NYC, only lacking something...There's not much to that place either, but somehow it still manages to have a vibe. This place needs a vibe. They should make it more like a Gryphon place with art, or Silver Spoon Cafe with its European feel...I don't know, it just seems very hurried. It's a great start, but they really need to MOVE IN, you know? Maybe pull a Milkboy Cafe and have live music sometimes...I don't know.... I want it to last, but they need to up their game a bit- though they are off to a good start, don't get me wrong. The novelty of the place is awesome enough, breaking up an otherwise colorless and mundace stretch of road known as "downtown Wayne." Here's to routing for the underdog!
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Filed Under: Food Events
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