omg

I had dinner with my parents at Black & Blue the day after Thanksgiving. It was my second visit to this amazing place, so I went in with a plan. I wanted to repeat my experience from the first magical time, but needed help to do so. I recruited my mother to drop hints to my father about ordering the kobe meatball appetizer. Alas, he said maybe he would get the fondue. I was heartbroken, because I wanted oysters and just a bite of somebody else's meatballs. But, mom came through, offered to split oysters with me, and all at the table wanted those meatballs again. Mission accomplished! So here's what we ate:

Kobe beef meatballs: The last time I enjoyed these, I was facinated because I couldn't quite nail down what made them so amazing. Something about the texture was so deeply satisfying. Mom, once again saving the day, stated that it's the texture of a braised short rib, but it's in ground beef/meatball form. That's it! They were dressed with a perfect garlicy but light cream sauce. I held back and only ate one...think dad snagged an extra one which is not shocking behavior coming from him, but really it should have been divided equally into thirds.

Oysters: Mom and I each ate 2 oysters on the half shell. Don't know much about oysters- she orders them. On both occasions that I have witnessed her do so, it goes like this:
Mom: What kind of oysters do you have today?
Waiter: [lists available types]
Mom: [comments on how geography influences taste & quality. cold water is better. but by the time she has completed her rambling, she has forgotten what types they offer]
Waiter: [again lists types]
Mom: [remains confused about types]
Natalie: [names types]
Mom: [after all that, she asks for the biggest and sweetest ones, regardless of origin, demonstrating with her fingers the size she expects. She's kind of aggressive during this and it's a bit scary to all participants/witnesses]

This process takes a good five minutes, or at least it feels like that long. The result is worth it, though. This evening we were served 4 oysters from Wellfleet, MA. Amazing. The best part is this wasabi roe served as a condiment. So freakin' good. I am beyond articulate description.

Fondue: This turned out to be an amazing choice. It was like a crab/lobster/cheese dip served hot in a miniature skillet, surrounded by some triangular shaped toasts....which I think might have been fried somehow. The dip was very rich, chock full of tasty seafood. We ran out of toasts early on, but made sure to finish the dip with forks. The bus boy commented that he'd never seen a skillet come back that clean. I was at once embarrased and proud.

That had to have been the most amazing bunch of appetizers I've ever enjoyed. I'm sad to say that the main meal, although amazing, paled in comparison. We each ate filet mingon, well seasoned and perfectly cooked. I also drank two of the greatest gin & tonics I've ever consumed. I will fantasize about this food until I get to eat it again!

Too Stuffed to Create Witty Title

Tonight, I went with my neighbor to Augie's in Ballston Spa. She often goes with her family and raves about it every time after. This establishment's hook is "every dish serves 2 or more".

Being a total Saratoga snob, I was expecting kind of a dump. I was quite impressed to walk into a cute place with a marble bar, and a cute guy at the bar. Interior was cozy and obviously going for an Italian motif, but instead of predictable wall hangings like "bottle of wine next to grapes" and "artistic map of Italy", the walls were covered with baseball newspaper articles in nice glass frames.

This place also earns points for their nightly specials. Two nights a week, you get unlimited free beer and wine. That's right. Beer and wine. For free when the table orders an entree for every two people. Sadly, tonight was "free salad and garlic bread" night, but still an amazing deal. Our bill came to just under $30, we ate till we were stuffed and walked out with 3 doggie bags.

Huge portions is an understatement. It's designed that way, but saying the giant bowl of pasta that was delivered to our table is meant to serve 2 people? More like 2 people for 2 days. I saw the people next to us order the chicken parm, and it was totally in a huge casserole dish that would serve a family of 4-5.

I should also mention that the food was very delicious. We decided on penne alfredo with chicken & broccoli. I am not actually a huge alfredo fan- I feel like it's either too heavy or too bland. This sauce was a perfect balance (which is good because I have at least 2 more servings in my fridge). There were other things on the menu that I would have preferred, but my companion is not an adventurous eater. She promised that next time I could pick the main meal. She also said that she'd drive and we could go on free booze night!!!

Self Control? Who knew?

For dinner tonight, Rose and I discussed going to UBurger, our favorite "homemade fast food." UBurger makes everything fresh and homemade. The burgers come with lettuce, ketchup, mustard, pickles and "special sauce" and are delicious.

I was very much looking forward to our trip. But then...this morning there was an email from Rose: "I don't think my wallet or waistline should go to UBurger tonight."

I hated to admit it because I'll usually go out whenever, but I had the EXACT same thought. So we listened to our inner voice and both went home and ate our cans of soup.

Progresso Lentils...pretty darn good.

Disappointing Dinner

I was lucky to dine at Springwater Bistro tonight. It's my favorite restaurant, and I think I can describe each meal I've eaten there. In case you haven't been, it's a casual yet chic spot with an ever changing menu but the same waiters for years. Such good food- very eclectic influences; menu varies daily based on what's fresh and local. I have had some entrees more than once: the veal london broil has been in my belly on two occasions. Imagine the most tender meat ever, perfectly seasoned, surrounded by a delicate sauce, adorned by three perfect onion rings. Another fave is the short rib variation. A "steak mingon" that's so tender, accompanied by an amazing piece of braised short rib so well cooked that you don't even need to use the provided steak knife.

I could go on and on about the deliciousness available in this fine establishment. Tonight's dinner plans were put in place a couple of weeks ago, so I've had ample time to plan. Yet, you can't plan fully due to the ever changing menu thing. I was hoping for the beet carpaccio, which I've enjoyed the past two visits. Thinly sliced beets topped with a handful of mixed greens, amazing balsamic something, and a ball of goat cheese that is not really fried but encrusted in deliciousness, somehow. For an entree, I imagined maybe the veal, maybe the short rib, or perhaps the carne asada I had in June.

None of these things were one the menu. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there were no proper replacements; nothing new. From the starter menu I chose fried calamari. Very good- nice crispy fry; topped with a sweet and sour sauce. Not a fried calamari dish you'd get in the many other places that serve it, so I felt that it provided the Springwater signature twist. There was a beet salad available, but it was not my beloved carpaccio. Goat cheese nugget was replaced with a poached egg and asparagus, which is not my favorite vegetable, as noted in my last entry. My dinner companion, BioDad, got the beet salad though and I was jealous. The calamari was delicious but too filling.

I, for the past few visits, have been angry at Springwater for stooping to the "Wedge of Iceberg" salad, which was included in tonight's salad options. However, last time I went, my companion (Mak-daddy..she'd be a good one to invite to the blog) explained that the iceburg was "simply a vehicle for the warm bleu cheese". So I forgive Springwater because although I'm not a fan of bleu cheese, I get the whole vehicle thing. (Sometimes I eat something just because sour cream comes with).

Anyways, the entree menu was terribly sparse. 1)Seared diver scallops 2)Rainbow trout 3)Some type of rack of lamb 4)Something pork-choppy 5) Duck breast. Notice the sad lack of Cow!!!??!! That is so terribly wrong. I was tempted by the scallops as they were accompanied by good sides, but went for the duck. The duck is a frequent flier on the menu- have often seen it but always been swayed by another option, so now was certainly my chance. BioDad got the duck, also. So, Duck Breast with 7 spices, served with "extremely wild" rice, garlicky sauteed greens, and balsamic cherries.

Good dinner, but the least memorable. Duck was fine. Definately did not taste 7 seasonings; but cooked well. Ignored the cherries. "Extremely wild" rice kind of tasted like tea; garlicky saute was good but kind of bitter.

We didn't get dessert either- too full. Also no option (out of the meager 4 offerings) was enticing enough.

I will certainly go to Springwater again, and in fact already have a plan to go there with my ex-boss. We treat ourselves to dinner there together in December each year instead of buying eachother presents. But it was not at all packed, which was worrisome for a Friday night. We arrived at 6:30 and were only the second party there- they open at 5:30. Tons of tables not turning once=a bad Friday night!! Plus, they no longer serve an unsolicited amuse bouche, and the limited menu options makes me wonder if they are in financial trouble. That would be sad.

Also what made me sad is that BioDad answered his cell phone at the dinner table and didn't put his napkin in his lap until the entree arrived. Thank Buddha I inherited table manners from my mother.

Chain chain chain

I have recently been obsessed with various chain restaurants. Don't know why...think it has something to do with being "in the know". Maybe wanting to be a city girl. Anyways.

Just had the most amazing lunch at the popular chain eatery The Cheesecake Factory. My companion and I started with the fried calamari- very good, and bonus points for two dipping sauces. I hate when they make you choose between cocktail or tartar. I like to alternate. The tartar sauce was very garlicky and fabulous. The cocktail sauce looked very much like ketchup, which is not a good quality for cocktail sauce, but I found it very enjoyable and with pleasant kick.

The main memory of the meal, however, was the "french country salad". Mixed greens, goat cheese, beets, candied pecans, asparagas, and an amazing viniagrette. It was the kind of salad that makes you happy, and you are glad that you are burping up the dressing all day because it is a good burp; not indigestion, but rather a gift throughout the rest of the day. Is that too gross? I could have done without the asparagas. I am not a fan and don't generally eat it, so I don't know what it is supposed to taste like. I tasted a smoky flavor that reminded me of an old man. I do not want to taste an old mad.

Clearly, the asparagas did not ruin my perception of the salad, because I am still thinking about it. And it's pretty amazing that my favorite part of the meal was the salad, when the salad is competing with a fried item and a cheesecake item (which I got "to go" but ate immediately upon arriving home).

Maybe the good thing about a chain is that you can brag to your far away friends about what you had for lunch, but it's not like rubbing it in, because they can go to the same place at a convenient location near them?

Unlike the Roma's I had yesterday....you'd tote be jealous.

Sunday Brunch

Today Meggers, Rose and I had brunch in Somerville at Highland Kitchen. I have never been there before but it's been on my list of places to try. I was pleased when Meggers suggested it for our brunch date (dinner looks a bit pricey to me for their menu, to be honest) because I would finally be able to give it a whirl.

I immediately liked the restaurant. First, it was empty when we got there. Bonus for a hungry Sunday morning. The decor was nice and it just felt like a nice neighborhood spot.

I had heard that the pancakes were especially yummy. I didn't completely understand because ya know, they are just pancakes. I debated between the pancakes and the veggie omelet but decided to go with what was recommended so I ordered pancakes with a side of sausage (Rose got the bacon and I know how much she doesn't like to order the same things as others at the table). So actually in the end all three of us got the pancakes. However, Meggers did not order any kind of breakfast meat. No, I don't understand that kind of decision at all....

The pancakes arrived with a little bit of butter (maybe flavored in someway?) syrup and with some strawberries and blueberries. There were three pancakes total and they were not the usual huge diner sized pancakes. Each pancake was golder brown with those nice pancake "grill" marks. I appropriately buttered and syruped my pancakes and took my first bite. These were no regular pancakes! They were a bit toasty on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and they didn't do that thing that pancakes can sometimes do when you eat them - lay in your tummy like a rock. I do not know what made these pancakes so special. We of course sat around and discussed our food trying to identify what made them so good - was it extra salt? ricotta? the size? How did they get them to be crisp, fluffy and light all at the same time?

We haven't figured out the mystery yet, but thank you Highland Kitchen for a delicious breakfast!

pairings, please

Am planning to make meggers' chicken pot pie this weekend for my dear little brother who is coming over for dinner. Is kind of an all day process, the pot pie, at least for those of us (i.e. me) who are slow cookers because we don't cook that much. Just don't have the knife skills. Anyways, what is a good side dish to chicken pot pie? It pretty much covers all the food groups on its own. A salad is really all it should take, right? Or perhaps a cheese/cracker orderve (yeah, i don't spell it right on principle) type situation??

And beverages? White wine? I'd go with beer, myself, but brother wants to bring wine. I suspect other relatives have gone to vineyards and purchased wine, so he's just going to grab some on his way out the door as a "hostess gift". Which I'm sure he's never heard of a hostess gift before, but am proud for his thinking of it nonetheless.

Whatever feedback, I always look for an excuse to make the chicken pot pie!!! Who else from Birch D has experienced the pot pie?

quack is whack!!

I feel it would be negligent of me to not write about my other favorite meal of the wedding weekend...my duck sandwich at Parish Cafe.

Unfortunately, nobody was able to join me, but that almost worked out okay. I was able to enjoy my time alone with the sandwich, without any distractions. I feel that my solo hike from Columbus Ave to Boylston Street, made possible by Rose's great directions, is a testament to my love of this wonderful creation. I was a small town girl in the big city. A small town girl with a dream.

The waiter seemed surprised that I had no need to study the menu. All I needed was a glance to see those four letters in bold type...SDLT. I remember the visit to Parish where I learned this menu item was seasonal. Bad day. Anyways, it is a fall/winter menu item and so I was in luck.

The SDLT (Smoked Duck, Lettuce, Tomato) is understated yet unique. First component is very toasty bread chock full of caraway. It makes you wonder what other rye bread manufacturers are thinking....just a few caraway seeds per capita compared to Parish's caraway filled slices. The dressing is a caper mayo. I couldn't pick this out of a condiment line up, but feel this shows just how perfect a choice it is- a team player who while humbly avoids stealing the show, proudly fulfilling its supporting role.

Finally, the duck. Everyone should try duck at least once. If you are a chicken/turkey eater, then really there's no reason for an aversion to this delicious bird. I have eaten duck exactly four times, each experience a memorable one. How can I verbalize this amazing meat? I'd say if you are a fan of salty meats, you will not be disappointed by the dense flavor. I'd also say that texture is an important selling point- more solid and meaty than other poultry; more delicate than beef. Thirdly, it is neither greasy nor the least bit dry. Not at all watery like many sad sandwich meats. The perfect balance. I feel that this sandwich doesn't need that many ingredients, as the duck is such a solid foundation. Little fanfare is required to make this sandwich a wholly satisfying experience.

I'm sure it's clear that I enjoyed my sandwich. Until we meet again, dear duck.....

Salty Meats, Wedding Edition

I am going to write a separate post about the wedding and the wedding food from Schmat instead of using the comments option because I think we all have a lot to say.


First, let me say the wedding itself was very lovely and I felt it represented our friends and who they are. It was classy, fun, elegant and simple all at the same time. And our bride was beautiful. I can honestly say, I don't think I've ever seen her happier.

Onto the food! (and booze!) The food. Well I for one would just like to quote Rose here "A secret stash of cheese!" that is what awaited us in the bridal room at The State Room. It was delic. And it was even more delic when we went into the room to bussel the wedding dress and we needed some extra energy to achieve that task. Yes secret stash of cheese!

We entered the cocktail hour (white wine only - to keep us from 1) spilling and 2) staining our teeth red before photos) anxiously awaiting the brie en croute. I was staring at the table - where are you oh melted cheesy goodness? Sadly, it was not yet ready for me. From there I moved on to prosciutto wrapped around melon balls. One of my favorite snacks. And the fresh mozz and tomatoes that Schmat described. I agree with Schmat here, the presentation was amazing. It was not only lovely but very easy to eat! I did not have the shrimp glasses, but people (the boys) seemed pretty excited about them during photos. I also did not get the kobe beef things that Schmat was immediately raving about. I am sad about that, I am not going to lie.

Following photos, the brie and I saw each other across the room. Our eyes met and we moved rapidly towards one another. It was amazing. Perfectly melted and scooped up with our wonderful crackers. The conversation at our cocktail table stopped as we all dug into the two plates in front of us and chowed down. We were then called into dinner.

Dinner was fabulous. I loved the fact that it was a buffet (also b/c I got to go through the line first! Yeah Bridal Party!). Why did I love buffet? Let me tell you why - it kept folks moving, talking and honestly didn't take forever to wait for food for plates to be cleared etc. I am officially a fan.

The actual food - delicious. The asian stand was my favorite. I had the tuna - amazing - with a ginger soy dressing, , fresh veggie rolls, pork shumai. I skipped the pasta entirely but had some salad from that stand and some veggies, which were amazing. Then I saw my other love - lamb. I beelined for it. My dress had a poofy skirt which I am extremely grateful for b/c it meant I could eat whatever I wanted and no one would see Olivia sticking out! (And it had pockets! But this blog is about food, not about fashion.) The lamb and au jus were great. Perfectly medium rare. Yummy. I can still taste it.

Drinks wise...I think the bartender hated us a little, but that's cool. Whatevs. The bar by the band did not get much action - but the other guy seemed okay and supported my vodka cranberries (or as Nicole liked to say "JE's drink of choice!"). For some reason the cranberry leaves me feeling less like shit the morning after - which is more than I can say for some of our other friends. I also loved the enormous glasses the drinks were served in - less trips to the bar, more time to shake my booty with some of the greatest dancers EVER. Thumbs up, State Room!

Rehearsal Dinner. Rehearsal Dinner food was also delic. It featured some amazing salty meats! I like salty meats if you can't tell. We started with a lovely antipasto plate with salty meats, asparagus and artichokes. Three of my favorite things. They were delicious and fresh.

We then were served butternut squash ravioli, veal/chick parm and mini tiramisu. There was more food there but I may need some help from my co-bloggers to remember it all. Overall though it was great - not too much and not too little. Service was great and "my favorite man" (the waiter) kept filling my red wine glass. God bless him.

Here's to the lovely couple, good food, good drinks and amazing friends!

wedding wonderland

So many memories, so many emotions. Of course, I am talking about our dear friend's wedding. Thankfully, this is a place where we talk with our mouths full, so I am relieved from discussing all of the amazing mixed feeling that come along with such a big event, and I can limit myself to discussing perhaps the best wedding food ever.

My highlights (in no particular order):
1. butternut squash ravioli from rehearsal dinner. i hate squash, yet continue to think about these little nibbles.
2. kobe beef thingies at reception cocktail hour. yum. i feel that i demonstrated amazing self-control, as it did not steal the tray from the server and run out of the room to devour them all in privacy. i looked it up on the reception place website- it was a fried wonton, topped with a little slice of kobe beef carpaccio, topped with scallion creme fraiche. i think that this is my answer to the question "if you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?"
3. tuna tartare at reception "asian pagoda station".
4. chocolate ganache filled cream puff things
5. "shrimp in a glass" passed items at cocktail hour. i can't even remember exactly what they were- shrimp somehow stuffed? corn salsa at bottom of glass? they get major points for presentation. also very tasty.
6. caprese salad amuse bouche- not really an original item as this flavor profile has been en vogue for the past several years. they get mad points, however, for presentation and for translating a standby into a perfect single bite: cherry tomato layered as follows on amazing stiff blade of grass type skewer: tomato half, basil leaf, fresh mozz slice that is same diameter as tomato, other tomato half.
7. although wedding food was delicious, feel that rehearsal dinner edges it out for the best overall meal of the weekend. several courses, perfect pacing...i was perfectly satisfied but not overstuffed. and of course, am still very proud of-----
8. the time i wrapped salami around a piece of fresh mozz from the antipasto plate at rehearsal dinner. sheer genius.

Cheese & Bread...and wine.

This weekend (and really most of last week too) I ate my favorite things very often - cheese and bread. It was kicked off with a little cheese and bread themed bday outing (thanks rose!). Then wrapped up at my favorite little restaurant in NYC. A place that seriously can bring tears to my eyes I love it so much.

On Sunday I had essentially the greatest grilled cheese ever. It's three cheeses and truffle oil. Truffle oil is god's gift to food. It makes even the most simple things amazing. I encourage you to rush out and order something with truffle oil immediately.

Oh and don't forget the bottle(s) of wine - which also make Sunday afternoons much more enjoyable!

Tofutti Pfui

Typically I like full dairy treats. Love ice cream. Love yogurt, cheese. Enjoy milk and cereal or milk and cookies. One of my friends is intolerent of the lactose, so every once in awhile I purchase a non-dairy treat for her enjoyment, but also for mine because they are actually quite good. I like the tofutti cuties best.

But THIS time i failed BIG time. I got Vanilla Almond Bark flavored tofutti. I imagined vanilla base, almonds, chocolate. But it tasted like chocolate covered cherries. Somewhat of a disappointment but I managed to choke it down nonetheless with some hershey's chocolate syrup.

MY Homemade Tacos

I, too, love the homemade Taco. I think my love for them emerged out of the Taco Bell visits during crew trips sophomore year. Always the double decker taco supreme for me. It's the refried beans on the soft shell wrapped around the hard shell that makes me swoon. I think i ate this concoction practically every day for lunch from the taco bar at the Skidmore dining hall.

here is what i do now...
Ingredients:
some black beans sauteed with some onion, garlic, tomato and hot pepper
reheated refried beans
avocado
plain greek yogurt (i like greek yogurt because it is *like* sour cream yet i could eat it with fruit should i so desire. multi-purpose.)
cheese
hard shells
taco size soft shells

Assembly:
schmear refried beans on a soft shell
wrap the soft shell around the hard shell so the beans stick to the hard shell
put the black bean mixture in the hard shell
sprinkle with cheese
add avocado
add greek yogurt

Homemade Tacos

In my effort to not eat out and actually cook I bought all the fixins for some tacos. I love tacos.
However, I must say that I didn't make amazing tacos. The key issues with my tacos were:
1) I got soft shell instead of hard shells
2) I didn't have salsa
3) I didn't have iceberg lettuce

I bought sirloin instead of regular ground beef because it's healthier (South Beach Diet told me so). The sirloin was fine - didn't hold the grease that I believe holds the taco flavor as well.

Normally, I would get some hard shells because I love the crunch. However, since I usually have more hard shells than I need and don't use the leftovers I opted for tortillas. (I use the tortillas for cheese/bean quesadillas or egg/cheese quesadilla breakfast). The soft tortillas were good but I missed the crunch and crack of those hard taco shells.

I then got fresh tomatos in lieu of salsa and that was mostly a good choice since I always choose salsa fresca as opposed to anything from a jar. However, a little zip from the salsa would have added more to the taco.

Lettuce - I did not get lettuce. And I believe that shredded iceberg lettuce is the best choice for tacos. I like the coolness of the lettuce with the warm spicy taco filling. Forgetting the lettuce was a bummer, but then what the heck do I do with all that iceberg since I hardly ever make salads?!

So that's my taco night. And, it lasted for two whole meals.

Finally - I would like to say Bye Bye to Beijing. I will say that my Olympics watching decreased after swimming and gymnastics were over, but I loved the Olympics this year. And just when I thought I could finally catch up on my sleep, the freakin Democratic Convention starts. Sigh.
Obama-Biden 2008!

Pale food, pale people

I went with my family to the Ukranian festival last weekend (prior to the "cheeburger incident"). I am traditionally not a fan of eastern European food. But, I've been thinking about the meal I had there all week, because it was freaking delicious.

I usually don't like "golumpkies". I am totally spelling that wrong- I don't know how to spell it in the first place, plus I would like to discuss the Ukranian version when I am used to eating the Polish version, and am sure they are spelled differently. Anyways, the golumpkies I know are a large pile of pale ground beef and onion wrapped in a pale sheet of cabbage, topped with tomato sauce. Totally gross. The much better columpkies I ate at the Ukie fest were smaller- pale meat of some kind with onion wrapped in a smaller sheet of white cabbage. Totally delicious. Am a bit worried that I can't identify the meat, but good none the less.

Other things on the plate were pierogi, sausage, rye with butter, and kraut. I didn't eat the kraut (no me gusta). Sausage was perfect flavor and size, and not greasy. Not one bit of hearburn or burping. Pierogi were, alas, pale, but perfect. Potato and cheese in a giant pasta shell- like a giant ravioli with a side of sour cream. I think the Polish must know that their food is unappetizingly monochrome, but after all these years they don't care- it's still delicious, and served with healthy side portions of beer, dancing, and gambling.

Yet it's not the beer, dancing, or gambling I remember- it's the pale pale food. So perfectly filling but not overstuffing. My mother has yet to pass on the recipes to me (don't know what she's waiting for...) but someday if Birch D were in my mother's kitchen eating golumkies, that would be a happy day. Or at least pierogies- perfect drunk food!!! Potato, cheese, Pasta, and sour cream!!

lobster roll part 3 (with a side of oysters)

I went to the Summer Shack last night (Jasper White's Summer Shack is the full name I believe). There's also one downtown somewhere, but we went to the one near Alewife. It's such a random spot for a restaurant but there it is and it's an easy stop off point after swimming at Walden.

I have recently taken a liking to oysters, so we got some Wellfleets. Jasper's has a pretty wide selection of oysters. I used to be intimidated by the whole oyster thing, but they are really quite tasty. Salty poison goodness. Refreshing. NOT chewy as one might expect. And they shouldn't taste like fish, but instead like a nice mouth of sea with a dash of cocktail sauce or hot sauce (whichever you prefer).

The point of this post is that I also got a lobster roll and I must say that even though the atmosphere of the Summer Shack is kinda campy, their seafood is pretty great. THEIR lobster roll came on a foot long bun, unlike the one Reena and I had. It also did NOT have chunks of losbster that were bigger than my mouth but bit-size chunks. The roll was lightly toasted. Good amounts of mayo and some celery. Also more expensive than the prior lobster roll, but perhaps this is a case of "you get what you pay for". I really do love lobster roll season. There is nothing quite like a hot summer day and having fresh seafood with a cold beverage after a relaxing swim.

drunk cheeseburger blog

i am now writig about a cheeseburger i ate yesterday. when i was not drunk . but now i am.

this cheeseburger sucked. it was ata a chain erstaurant called "cheeburger cheeburger" (which i made sure to type correctly).

it sucked because it was on a soft roll. the roll had no personality. and teh waitress talked to me like i was retarded. not that there's anythonig wrong with thtat, (being retarted) but helo, i can rfead a menu about chesburghers. your enu is not htat special. i thought about ordreing the potobello burger, but then ended up getting what i would make for myslef (see thing i wrote before about my eviolving relationship wiht hamburgers) just so i could see if they could make my specialty better than i could. and they couldn't. they didn't have meunster. so i got cheddar. but it was one slice of half-ripe tomato, not enought bacone, pale tomato.

honeslty, if the roll was not a crayypy grocery store roll, bit could have been okay. i wouldn't have noticed that they overcooked the burger, and that it was iceburg lettuce,k and i hate the wateress/. also, no side dish!!!! hello!! we got a "large side of fries and onion rings" but my father hogs everythign so i only got a few of each. witch actually worked otu okay.

okay.

the end. sorry fo this.

Fro Yo v. Real Ice Cream; The Olympics

So I was just strolling around the neighborhood with Rose and her roommate enjoying the nice (and finally dry) weather. Rose and Roomie wanted to get frozen yogurt + mixins at the cafe across from my house. This little shop serves frozen yogurt and freshly mixes in anything you could want - m&ms, coffee, heath bar, crunch, chocolate chips, whathaveyou. It's a good summer time snack and it tastes real good. When I go I like to get vanilla fro yo + chocolate chips. Rose likes chocolate with coffee and heath bar...I think, she'll correct me if I am wrong. Roomie likes vanilla plus two scoops of M&Ms.

The last couple of times Rose and Roomie have gone, I have walked with them but not ordered the fro yo. Tonight they questioned me. "Why? Why no mix-in?!" They seem to think it's because I am trying to be healthy. Tonight it was because I needed dinner so I needed to get some pizza. But usually it's been because I have a half gallon of chocolate haagan daz in my freezer and to be quite honest nothing beats real creamy, chocolate ice cream. I love a good mix-in (I mean, come on, it's a blizzard for the most part and I am from MN so I love anything from DQ). But ice cream is ice cream and when it's good, it's real good and fro yo cannot compete. For the last couple of weeks I've been having scoops of ice cream or making myself chocolate shakes - my favorite summer treat.

My love for chocolate ice cream and chocolate shakes started when I finished college. Probably because my one roommate always wanted chocolate shakes - and we lived 6 blocks from Ben and Jerry's. So it just stuck withe me and now I want them all the time.

So Rose, I am sorry to disappoint you by not eating enough Fro Yo Mix Ins. I hope you can forgive me some day!

Now onto my August obsession - the Olympics. Schmat and I have been having some amazing email exchanges about Summer Olympics 2008. Specifically, we are obsessed with women's gymnastics. The women got silver last night which is very exciting, although it was sad to see some mistakes for them. You think to yourself - they've been working their whole lives - given up being regular kids and teens for this one moment... So when they don't perform as well as they have in the past, you can just imagine it must be devastating for them.

I am also really into swimming. I love to watch it and just see the team (and not just Michael Phelps) haul ass. I've even given up my 8 hours of sleep a night to watch the Olympics this week.
If you have not tuned in, I highly suggest it. You could then also yell at the tv, grab a pillow because the race is too close or the uneven bars are too far apart just like me!

P.S. There is something pretty funny about sitting on your couch for 5 hours watching these athletes defy all the odds and push their bodies...meanwhile, I just lift the spoon of ice cream into my mouth.

Combo confession

I have eaten Combos for dinner the past two nights. It is something I've been actually doing a lot lately. I ate Combos for lunch nearly every day of high school senior year, and then went without Combos, or even thinking of Combos, until recently. Then one day a month or 2 ago, I just had to have some. I indulged this craving, because it was so random. Then I had to have Combos like 3 nights in a row. Every night after work, stop at CVS, buy a bag of Combos, and eat it with a Coke Zero. This lasted for like 3 nights. Uncontrollable need for Combos. Then it went away. I thought, "Wow. Weird." But wasn't concerned until I had another Combo issue a few weeks later, lasting only 2 nights. And now it is back for the second or third time. Last night was night 2....I think I can resist tonight.

I only like the original kind- pretzel and cheddar cheese. The name "cheddar" is used loosely here, because it in no way resembles the texture of real cheese. Or fake cheese for that matter. I bet there is not one natural ingredient in these things. Perhaps that's why I'm strangely addicted. It is not related to period cravings. But it could be related to quitting smoking? Is there nicotine in Combos? Maybe that's it- I started smoking towards the end of senior year in high school....when I stopped eating Combos daily!!!!! Coincidence? I think not.

Skinny bitches

Am I right to believe that DJB and Trizay don't eat!?! Obviously, they are not eating, otherwise they'd be posting hilarious blogs. Maybe we need to have an intervention or two!?!

Mmmmm...meat!

Can anyone believe that I eat red meat again!?! Even I can't believe it sometimes. Not only did I eat a hamburger last night, but I had it smothered in cheese, bacon, and bbq sauce....a real carnivore's dream. I can't wait for my cholesterol test at this year's annual exam. I used to pride myself on my less than 100 cholesterol count (both hdl and ldl, combined) but since Uburger came into my life and Julie McCoy moved down the street, I not only dream about burgers, but I also consume them just as regularly.

Sunday Burgers in Boston

It's funny that Schmat should write about burgers today because I just came from having burgers with Rose, another co-contrubutor. While Schmat chose homemade goodness, we chose diner burgers from the wonderful Victoria's Diner. We decided to go to the diner because it's yet another rainy summer day here in Massachusetts and neither Rose, her roommate, or myself had any food to eat for dinner.

I agree with Schmat that it can be great to make your own burger - having it your way. But when you lack food going out is another great option. I love burgers. Since I moved back to Boston from NYC, I have been sad because of my inability to find a really good burger. Nothing compares to the amazing cheeseburgers at Hi-Life in New York. However, tonight at Victoria's, I found a pretty good substitute. I was quite happy with my burger. Like Schmat, it included a key ingredient - bacon. I had a bacon cheddar burger, prepared medium with fries.

My toppings included ketchup, yellow mustard (in this case I prefer yellow to Grey Poupon) and lettuce (iceberg) and tomato. I like to put my lettuce and tomato beneath the patty. This keeps the vegetables from getting in the way of the condiments meeting the burger. I love the way the ketchup and mustard mix together. It's one of my favorite things about summer cookouts - on hamburgers or hot dogs.

I will say the fries were not that great, but they were good. I think Rose made the right choice by going with sweet potato fries. These fries seemed a little too "airy" to me and less potato-y, if you know what I mean - and lacked some seasoning.

I do envy Schmat's toasted bun - nothing is better than a toasted bun in my opinion.

Tonight's burger was enjoyable and the diner made for a nice Sunday outing. I can now get back to my August obsession - the Olympics. (Yes, apparently me and Schmat live the exact same life, just in different places.)

My evolving relationship with hamburgers

As a singleton, it is sometimes necessary to commit to one type of food for more than one meal. For example, I wanted to make myself a hamburger this weekend, which meant all I would eat was hamburgers for 2 days. I certainly could have gone out for a hamburger, and thus only would have to eat one. Growing up, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this, I exclusively liked McDonald's. Hamburgers prepared by anyone or anywhere else were too...meaty. Too intimidating. And I wasn't really a red meat person until a couple of years ago.



Now that my appreciation for freshly prepared food has greatly increased with my age, I have many more options for carryout. PJ's barbeque is a great one during the summer- bacon, a nice char smell, and amazing crispy onion bits make this one a stand out.



But, this weekend I wanted it my way. I got into the habit of making my own burgers when I started ordering from Omaha steaks. Individually wrapped frozen patties are easy to thaw on a whim for near instant burger gratification. But even if you only have to thaw one burger, you still need to purchase the other ingredients fresh....thus a weekend of burgers or blatant wastefulness. I ran out of my Omaha steaks burgers a while ago, so bought 4 fresh patties and the essential accessories:

1. Buns- A nice Kaiser roll from the bakery section is wonderful. However, this weekend I chose Pepperidge farm whole grain white as they are better for me and a decent substitute.

2. Tomato- I went with Vermont hydroponic. Perfect size, nice and red. The on-the-vines that i usually buy looked like they reached their tomato potential a couple days ago.

3. Bacon- precooked, because it's easy.

4. Lettuce- spring mix was on sale. Also, it's small bits that neither overwhelm the burger nor fall out of the burger on the first bite. I do not allow iceburg lettuce near any sandwiches made in my home.

5. Red onion. Sliced very thin...I hate a too thick slice of onion.

5. Muenster cheese.

6. Ketchup, mustard, AND mayonaisse. I sometimes get funny looks from waitstaff in restaurants when I request all three condiments. I don't understand why.



Coking techniques I employ include grilling the bun in my panini pan. It's an amazingly satisfying meal. And with lean beef, lowfat toppings (mayo, buns), and fresh veggies, the only kind of bad part is the bacon, which I generally refuse to go without it. I like feeling in control of the ingredients, and I don't feel all gross like after a restaurant burger. Only a short lived burger coma ensues, which is fine by me on a rainy August day with nothing to do but watch the Olympics. Ahhhh.

Naanwich vs. Burrito

In reading Megger's ideas on the Naanwich, I would like to offer an alternative that I love for similar reasons... Anna's Burritos.
1. It's made with soft flour tortillas and your choice of a wide variety of fillings. Need I say more?

2) It's warm.

3) Guacamole

4) A welcome alternative to a typical American lunch: deli-meats, tuna salad, pb&j

5) Wallet-friendly.

6) It comes wrapped in wax paper/foil so although it can be slightly messy with the yogurt sauce, it is a good bite to eat on the run.

Lobster Rolls

I hate lobster rolls. The end.

Naanwich

There's this great place to get a Naanwich in Arlington Center. What's a Naanwich you ask? It's a piece of delicious Naan wrapped around chicken or lamb with some veggies and a yogurt sauce. Basically, if you like kabobs or gyros, you will like the Naanwich. The place my co-workers and I frequent is called Punjab Market/Chai Cafe. It's a small Indian market that sells lots of reasonably priced spices, lentils, prepared foods and the like. In the back is a small take-out counter specializing in sweet and savory Indian delights (lassis, samosas, and also the naanwich). Punjab, the full-service restaurant across the street, is also a highly-recommended destination for those wanting a bigger sit-down meal. They also have the Naanwich and other tasty lunch specials and dinner entrees.



Here are a few reasons why I love the Naanwich:

1) it's made with Naan. need I say more?

2) it's warm. a warm sandwich is always better than a cold one.

3) the yogurt sauce.

4) a welcome alternative to a typical American lunch: deli-meats, tuna salad, pb&j

5) wallet-friendly.

6) it comes wrapped in wax paper/foil so although it can be slightly messy with the yogurt sauce, it is a good bite to eat on the run.

The Worst Lobster Roll Ever

I dont' want to become the negative one of the bunch, but with all this talk of proper lobster rolls, I feel the need to share a sad tale of woe.

Once upon a time, in upstate New York, a land far far away from good seafood, there was a girl named Schmat who had a bad day at work. She decided that a lobster roll would be the perfect pick me up, so she headed to the only seafood restaurant in town, The Weathervane (yeah, I'm naming names). She ordered a lobster roll to go, and sat in the poorly decorated, poorly ventilated bar area to wait for her food. While she waited, she enjoyed a half-decent margarita, and pondered how this restaurant remains open, as surely it is the most pathetic restaurant in the land, and indeed the butthole of the Weathervane franchise.

Upon sighting the carry out bag coming towards her, she gulped the last of her cocktail and enthusiastically thanked the 17 year-old hostess. Schmat carefully shuttled her precious cargo home, contemplating the most efficient way to turn on the tv, change in to pajamas, and quickly settle in to enjoy the perfect meal. Alas, Schmat was terribly disappointed. Instead of meaty, firm chunks of lobster, it was a sandy and grainy texture, no doubt due to improper cooking. The bun, although it was appropriately "New England" style, was soggy. And if Shmat ever finds out which Weathervane employee neglected to include the french fries with the lobster roll, that person will surely meet a grim end.

So, glad tidings to ye who are on the coast, where delicious lobster is plentiful, and they can probably put together a decent lobster roll even at McDonald's....where they'd never forget the fries!!

Lobster Roll, part deux

So I am getting ready to head back to lovely Boston and leave the "beach house" after four wonderful and peaceful days. But since this is about food I won't talk about the amazing views, the beautiful beaches and the warm water (I know! Who knew there could be warm ocean water in New England?).

Yesterday, Meggers, my co-contributor, joined me up here to see the town and eat a lobster roll. We went back to the same seaside shack (in the rain) that I went to the other night. I will say the Saturday Lobster Roll was better than the Thursday Lobster Roll. It stayed together better and Meggers pointed out the little cardboard carton it came in (to keep it upright) didn't have an end which meant you could eat while still in the cardboard holder. Technology, folks...it's amazing.

That did make it easier to eat and less drippy. But I do think today's batch was just less drippy than Thursdays. We also got lemonade (I will let Meggers talk about it), fried clam strips and fries. I will say the fries were not as good today but the clam strips....yummy. I mean, they were fried so you can't go wrong.

We finished our dinner off with a lovely mini-blueberry pie that Meggers bought at a farmer's market earlier in the day. It was very good. The crust was just buttery enough and the blueberries were just sweet enough.

All of this with good company and a Project Runway marathon made for a great Saturday night.
Don't worry we obviously discussed our food while we ate it. I am looking forward to Meggers post for a little compare/contrast.

As I wrap this up and wrap up my weekend, it seems the clouds (and thunder) are rolling in and that the rain is coming. I guess that means it's time to pack up from my "staycation" and head back to the city and the real world. Sigh....

Lobster Rolls

There are few things that I love more in the summer than getting some kind of fried fish meal or lobster from one of the great shacks in New England. Tonight I am lucky enough to be staying near the water and even luckier to be 10 minutes from a great shack with a big ice cream menu and all kinds of delicious seafood options.

It is important to note that I am not a seafood lover. My list of edible seafood is short. But tops on this list is lobster and that includes a good ol' lobster roll. Tonight I had a delicious lobster roll served in the appropriate hot dog bun. Now, this lobster roll was very good but it did not compare to the the lobster roll I had on Cape Cod earlier this summer. That lobster roll was perfect. Lobster was busting out of the roll and it did not have too much mayo.

Tonight's roll had lots of lobster and a good amount of mayo, however it was quite messy and dripped everywhere. I blame the fact that there was a large lettuce leaf between the bun and the lobster meat. I also blame the fact that we drove 10 minutes back to the house before we ate. (I take some responsibility!)

I would also like to say that the french fries were delicious and so was the lemonade. The meal was capped off by sitting outside with good friends looking out over the ocean.

All in all an amazing summer meal on a lovely summer evening.

I'll be here all weekend so be on the lookout for commentary about the ice cream...the flavors looked pretty darn good.

Rose's Breakfast

Wow, Meggers, your breakfast breakdown seems so complicated. Since I am a delicate flower, I rarely partake in a sit-down breakfast. On work days, it is way too early to eat. I usually get by with a protein bar and coffee from my Senseo pod machine (French Vanilla with the Mocha Mix-In) after being at work for about 2 hours. On the weekends, I have yogurt, strawberries, and Go-Lean Crunch parfait. If I'm lucky, someone will go to a greasy diner with me, where I will always get French toast, some sort of pork breakfast meat, and coffee. I don't enjoy breakfast, except on greasy diner days. All other days I merely eat breakfast because I know I have to. I take my multi-vitamin at night, because I once read that most of us eat enough vitamins and minerals throughout the day to sustain us, but we need additional vitamins at night for our bodies to repair themselves. Food for thought.

Dinner is my favorite meal...but that's something we can discuss further at a later date.

breakfast breakdown

I make it a point to have breakfast most days. Before work. Or before meeting up with others and starting weekend activities. I do eat brunch out on occassion but for the most part, I eat breakfast at home or at the office.

During the week at home
I like to eat my breakfast while reading articles from the Sunday Boston Globe that I didn't read on Sunday:
cold cereal with skim milk and berries (usually blueberries)
cup of coffee
cup of grapefruit juice
daily vitamin

I eat the cold cereal because I like to have the fruit. Sometimes I have a mixture of different kinds if there are multiple kinds available. It's usually something like cheerios or puffins. One combination that I really like is grapenuts and cheerios. It reminds me of my Nana. The fruit is a must in order to fulfill that rediculous quantity of fruits and veggies we are supposed to consume in a day. Plus it just tastes good. I use skim milk because I like it. It's usually the organic cow of vermont or stonyfield farms. Did you know that the organic milk usually lasts longer? It's rare I throw away a container of milk. Just saying. I program the coffee maker to make my cup of coffee at 7 am so I don't have to make it when I get up. I am dark roast all the way. No milk. No sugar. Black. BLACK. I like to buy my beans from Capone's in Union Square. They also have a location near Davis and Porter Squares. Their house blend is really good. If I can't make it over there, any other french or dark roast will do. I'm not really that picky. I MUST have a little juice. Grapefruit is best because I think the others are too sweet and I have the impression that it helps with the nasty morning mouth film. Perhaps I just want to give myself an ulcer with all the acid I am drinking in the morning. I take a one-a-day essentials daily vitamin. I like the small pills because the horse pills make me want to vomit. But I can only get the small ones at drugstore.com. If you can't get something you really like at your local drugstore or grocery store, there's a chance it is discontinued. But it's worth it to see if any of the online vendors still sell it.

At the Office
Sometimes I don't have time to eat at home because I need to be at work at the crack:
packet of instant oatmeal
americano

The oatmeal is a very good office meal. It doesn't go bad. The variety pack allows you to choose the flavor for your mood. And it doesn't require lots of extra utensils and ingredients. All you need is:
oatmeal
bowl
spoon
microwave or water cooler with hot water option

My office recently got an espresso maker and it has changed my life. The pods, though they fulfill the coffee-need purpose, don't really make anyone happy about what they are drinking. Then came the espresso maker. We get our espresso from Starbucks down the street and all pitch in about a dollar a week or so. I make my americano by doing two shots of espresso from the maker and then adding hot water from the water cooler. Instant bliss.

Weekends
One would think that the weekends would offer me a chance to branch out, but no. Only slight modifications. While reading the paper, watching the Sunday Morning show or listening to the Money Show on wtkk I eat:

instant oatmeal (see above)
grapefruit juice (see above)
french press
daily vitamin (see above)

I guess you may have guessed by now that I like coffee in different forms. I like to master the taste and differences and nuances that make coffee vs. espresso something you would like to injest. I have a 12 oz french press which is perfect for one. I start the kettle and prepare the instant oatmeal while the water is boiling. The french press is very similar to the americano with the exception that the french press coffee is a little bit thicker. Again no milk, no sugar. Just the coffee please.