BON APPÉTIT! What Are You Eating?

[Strider]

I have just cracked open a ripe coconut. The water is sweet and the flesh delicious. I will be grating the nut to go in a Rendang I may make at the weekend

Did you use the Keith Richards method?

Thick and juicy New York Strip steak, grilled to a perfect medium-rare. Two eggs, sunny-side up, like golden breasts staring up at me. Hash browns cooked to a golden crisp in a cast-iron skillet. Freshly squeezed orange juice. Water in a tall glass filled with ice. Coffee, hot and strong. The morning newspaper by my side to catch up on the weekend news and sporting events.

If there has to be a Monday, by jove let it start like this.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Strider
To reshape my gibberish in some coherent form of english.

[chillumpuffer]

Did you use the Keith Richards method?

 

 Good old Keith. Where would we be without his excesses?

Just a plain old hammer and screwdriver method for the nut. I told Mrs CP to expect bits of coconut to be found all over the kitchen in the coming days. I have another to do today so maybe I'll do it outside ?

Edited November 10, 2015 by chillumpuffer

[Strider]

Donuts!

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

Well, it was Diwali yesterday and my folks and I, invited a few friends and neighbours over to feast upon a variety of sweets and savouries, that were predominantly Southern Indian. 

The Savoury Diwali Platter consisted of Seedai, Ribbon Pakoda, Thenkuzhal Murukku, Thatai and Spicy Southern Indian Mixture:

The Sweet Diwali Platter consisted of Bombay Halwa, Chocolate Burfi, Apple Rasgulla, Doodh Peda, Mysore Pak and Badusha:

Also, a lovely gentleman going by the name Jack, stopped by to contribute to the festivities!  

 

Edited November 12, 2015 by Kiwi_Zep_Fan87

[chillumpuffer]

That all looks fab Kiwi. I hope your day went great. I think I have been in India for Diwali. Is it the festival of light? Or is it when henna is throw at everyone? What Masalas did you have or was it just nibbles?

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

^^^Thank you, CP!  Yeah, it was a wonderful day of bonding with family, friends and neighbours!  My mom and I had a rather early start, what with her special Gulab Jamun and Thayir Vadai to prepare, apart from the Chana Masala meal that we had planned for our Diwali lunch! The evening was spent on the terrace of my apartment building with friends and neighbours, marveling at the mini-fireworks display (it did become excessively noisy at one point, due to the use of certain firecrackers! Damn kids!) and of course, drinking whisky / beer and feasting on various snacks from the sweet and savoury platters!  

My mom does exercise a bit of caution, while using spices in the food, as the poor dear suffers from a horrific case of mouth ulcers as a result of eating excessively spicy food. My spice tolerance on the other hand, is practically off the charts! I can even gorge on Tabasco sauce, without breaking into a sweat!  

Diwali is indeed known as 'the festival of light' (a festival to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, etc.). Holi on the other hand, is a festival in which, people 'throw colours' on each other (in the form of Henna)  

Edited November 12, 2015 by Kiwi_Zep_Fan87
Spelling Error

[Disco Duck]

Sausage and fennel pizza from my favorite pizzeria.

[SuperDave]

Had a good meal tonight.  Didn't get home until late after doing shopping but had a nice cooked meal.

Salad greens (Olivia's).  Main course being pork scallopini.  Floured it and imbedded one side with some sage leaves.  Flour had mix of s/p and dredged pork in the mix.  In pan was combo of evoo/butter.  2-3 minutes per side until a bit golden brown.  After, covered on warm dish with foil.  Salad was just evoo and balsamic.  Just basic.

 

Now the sauce for the pork.  Wiped the pan clean and drained the oil from cooking.  Butter on medium heat until bubbling reduces.  Add white wine, lemon juice, capers, herbes de Provence (French and strange tonight with the horrific news abroad) and some garlic powder.  The sauce and pork came out great and sage really adds something to this meal.  A good one!  Could have some this with veal scallopini, but at over $20 per lb, pork was much less. 

I could have bought thin chops and thinned them out myself by tenderizing with saran wrap, but this saved me time and as I got home late.  Still only cost me only about $3 for my portion tonight.  The pork was fairly tender, but probably could have used more from me, but will do next time.  The butter/caper sauce was incredible and added so much flavor to the dish!  I do a good job with these!  Perhaps, I have a knack for this?

 

Sending "All My Love" to those in Paris and France and those involved and affected by today's senseless. despicable and cowardly attacks by muslim extremists!  Most likely by those who just crossed the French border with ease over the last few months with the changes there regarding this.

 

Things need to change there and all of Europe regarding this and especially with all the Syrians!  Best for another thread on this, so lets keep this to good food!

[chillumpuffer]

Dinner this evening:

Moules Mariniere with a crisp Sauvignion Blanc

Lamb Shanks in red wine and root vegetables. Potato Gratin: New Zealand Pinot Noir from the Otago Region

Vanilla Cheesecake

Cheeses: A Blue from France, Goats from Somerset and a Cheese with Rioja which is magnificent. An Orange Muscat from Australia

Green from my own grow

[jimmie ray]

^ Did you cook all that? Sounds awesome! Just made rack of lamb, with garlic and sherry, on the grill. Came out great, but the meat really stank before it was cooked. Maybe because it was vacuum packed?

[SuperDave]

Dinner tonight was with some old friends that I've known from my school days.  Great to get together at least once a year.  Went to a great Italian eatery in my area.  Noted as one of the best for Italian food in the region.  Reservations are tough and long waits are standard on the weekend.  Everyone waits with their glasses of wine while a table opens up for them.  We had a res so no problem. 

We shared some apps being bruschetta. fried calamari with marinara sauce and eggplant rollatini.  Basic Italian fare but all so good.  There was also bread and small bowls of canneloni beans falvored with evoo, garlic and spices.  Loved this!  We had some good wines of Chianti and Sangiovese variety.  Most in our party of 7 had a salad for their next course but I opted for something different.  I had thin sliced porchetta with lemon juice and olive oil with basil.  So good!

For my entree it was veal bracchiole stuffed with broccoli rabe and mozzarella with a marsala wine sauce along with mushrooms. potatoes and aspargus.  Really good and a big portion with enough for my dinner Sunday!  We were all stuffed plus plenty of good wine as well.  No one opted for dessert but most of us had coffee.  I had a double espresso and one of the best I've had.  Glad they had sugar in the raw, which is my fave!

All in all a great evening with such great food and even better company!  Well enjoyed.  Below is the link to the restaurant!

http://www.cafesilviumct.com/

 

 

[Strider]

Victory steak and Grgich Hills 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon.

[chillumpuffer]

^ Did you cook all that? Sounds awesome! Just made rack of lamb, with garlic and sherry, on the grill. Came out great, but the meat really stank before it was cooked. Maybe because it was vacuum packed?

Yep, except for the cheesecake and the cheeses and I can't produce wine due to geographical location.

Dinner this evening: Beef brisket, Yorkshire Pud, Sprouts and Roast Parsnips. Red Rioja and green grass

[Strider]

Yep, except for the cheesecake and the cheeses and I can't produce wine due to geographical location.

Dinner this evening: Beef brisket, Yorkshire Pud, Sprouts and Roast Parsnips. Red Rioja and green grass

Move out of the sticks, man.  ??

Hey Ddladner! I just tried some of those belVita bars you and Sath were discussing a while back. I had the mixed berry belVita Bites. Sorry to say, I wasn't impressed...the overwhelming flavour was a mouthful of flour. Dry and not very much berry flavour.

Fortunately I had some yogurt on hand and was able to dip the bar in the yogurt. I don't think I will try belVita again. I'd rather just have a bowl of oatmeal or grits with fresh blueberries or strawberries.

[Ddladner]

Move out of the sticks, man.  ??

Hey Ddladner! I just tried some of those belVita bars you and Sath were discussing a while back. I had the mixed berry belVita Bites. Sorry to say, I wasn't impressed...the overwhelming flavour was a mouthful of flour. Dry and not very much berry flavour.

Fortunately I had some yogurt on hand and was able to dip the bar in the yogurt. I don't think I will try belVita again. I'd rather just have a bowl of oatmeal or grits with fresh blueberries or strawberries.

For me, there is something very addictive about Belvita, but only the Golden Oat flavor, which is actually pretty neutral.  If I don't have Golden Oat Belvita, a banana, and a cup of coffee (Folgers Black Silk) early in the morning, it's usually not going to be a good day.  It's strange, even to me, but that's the way it is.  

[Walter]

Using an old family bbq recipe tonight on a chicken fryer, in the oven.  Meat is falling off the bone and skin is extra crispy!  Waiting out the rain delay in Phoenix...

[Charles J. White]

For dinner this evening, a gluten free toasted avocado and tomato sandwich.

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

Been experiencing some incredibly eccentric weather, for the past one week. On the one hand, I am greeted by beautiful sunshine and on the other hand, just when I am beginning to enjoy it, out goes the sun and in comes the rain, before I can even say 'Led Zeppelin'!  It is absolutely maddening! I am so fed up, that the only thing I'm inclined to do at this point, is to sit down quietly in a corner with a good book and enjoy a few shots of one of my favourite brands of Scotch whisky. A few shots of some good whisky, coupled with an interesting book, sure helps keep the blues away!  

Edited to add: Out of sheer irritation, I even wrote a pissed off ode to the sun and it goes something like this:  

My Pissed Off Ode To The Sun

Your Hurt and Abuse, Spreading All Your Lies,

Come Now Sweet Baby, Are You Up There, In The Sky?

Sit Down! Sit Down! Now, Don't You Run Away!

Sweet Little Baby, I Want You Again! 

 

Edited November 18, 2015 by Kiwi_Zep_Fan87

[Disco Duck]

Leftover Italian wedding soup
Garlic bread
a Golden Delicious apple for dessert

 

[Ddladner]

Leftover Italian wedding soup
Garlic bread
a Golden Delicious apple for dessert

 

I have been wanting to make Italian wedding soup, looks very yummy, especially as the weather is getting colder.  Golden Delicious apples have been my first choice for many, many years, but I have recently discovered Gala apples, and oh my, they are good!!  Crisp and sweet, perfect.

[Strider]

Holly Crap Strider are those from Kettle Glazed over on Franklin?  You lucky bastard!

You know you are going to cause me to drive out there, but I can't decide if I want a Kettle Glazed cronut first and then a dog at Pinks for desert or visa-versa.

Decisions, decisions.

You bet. But if you're hankering for a cronut, I think the cronuts at DK's in Santa Monica (Santa Monica Blvd. & 14th St.) are superior...and they have a much bigger variety to choose from. Including a Japanese purple yam one that is beguiling.

Celebrating a day off with a breakfast of steak and eggs...

Edited November 19, 2015 by Strider

[Strider]

Donuts, grilled red animal protein, fried chicken embryos, fried potatoes...

I like the "carbon footprint" of your meal choices.

 

Planet Earth will do fine. It will brush us off just like it did the dinosaurs and keep on keepin' on.

[Bong-Man]

The woman is doing the grandchildren's play at school, so it's Bell's Two Hearted Ale and some medium wings at BWW tonite.  Medium is as hot as I go...my bald-spot starts to sweat profusely.

[ebk]

The woman is doing the grandchildren's play at school, so it's Bell's Two Hearted Ale and some medium wings at BWW tonite.  Medium is as hot as I go...my bald-spot starts to sweat profusely.

That's a damn-near perfect dinner!

[Disco Duck]

I didn't feel like cooking this evening so I stopped at a local vegetarian restaurant and ordered a lentil burger, roasted carrot & beet salad and truffle fries.  The lentil burger is tasty but the truffle fries are to die for; delicious spears of Yukon Gold potatoes oven roasted with garlic, Parmesan cheese and a splash of truffle oil.