"I come from a home where gravy is a beverage."---Erma Bombeck
Me? I come from a home where nobody ever made dinner. They made reservations.
We joke that our entire family lacks the genetic ability to boil water but I'm not kidding when I say that, one Thanksgiving, my mother served us boiled turkey and stuffing. My father's idea of cooking can best be summed up by his signature dish, ghetto fried rice. Even the dog won't go near it.
The sad reality is that none of us are very good cooks. However, the ironic part is that we're all obsessed with food. Hence, our family memories surrounding food are quite unusual.
Those wonderful smells that conjure up childhood memories of your mother's homemade pot roast? The mental image of your family gathered around a giant feast whipped up by three generations of your family? The thrill of grandpa cooking up his famous five-alarm chili while grandma bakes homemade apple pies?
Yeah, I got none of that.
Our family's shared memories of food revolve around great meals we've had at restaurants together. Like when we discovered that little restaurant in Harlem that made the best Chinese dumplings. Or when, twenty years ago, we knew Tom Colicchio was destined for future greatness when we tried his braised rabbit. Then, there was that time in Italy when we said "screw the Sistine Chapel" because we found a place that made the world's greatest hot-pressed spinach and mozzarella paninis.
Friends of mine consider our family's dining habits to be weird. However, as a wise man once said, "it ain't weird if it's the only thing you know."
"In Mexico we have a word for sushi: bait."---José Simons
Of all the foods about which I'm passionate, sushi holds a special place in my heart.
I eat it at least 4 times per week. I love the quiet precision required to handle the fish. I love the subtle flavors. I love the artful presentation. And I love sitting at the sushi bar, drinking a few beers, and talking to the chef about his craft.
I've always had this fantasy of quitting my job and opening a tiny sushi restaurant in Manhattan with myself as the chef. The restaurant would only seat 8 people at a time and would allow me to create high-quality sushi in a serene and peaceful setting. It's a dream that I think about all the time.
Unfortunately, there's only one real sushi school in the United States and it's in California. Real sushi chefs apprentice for years in Japan under a master. Top sushi chefs have been known to spend several years learning solely how to properly prepare rice. Many don't even touch a knife until they've been apprenticing for at least five years.
I'm no spring chicken but, at the same time, better late than never. Don't be surprised if someday you come to this site and there's a post saying, "Sayonara! Gone fishing."
"There is no love sincerer than the love of food."---George Bernard Shaw
On the other hand, I know that a passion for food isn't enough. Hell, I've worked my ass off in enough restaurants in Manhattan to know how difficult it is to survive in the restaurant business. That's why I'm always amazed by chefs who are so passionate about their cooking that they couldn't imagine doing anything else.
Living in New York, I've been fortunate to hang out with a lot of these amazing chefs. During the summers, I've barbecued with Rocco DiSpirito at The Doctor's house. I've downed shots with Mario Batali. I've played hoops with Bobby Flay. And I've broken bread with Jean-Georges Vongrichten. They're all normal guys who just tend to be exceptionally passionate about what they do. I always love hearing what they have to say about food.
It's also why I'm hopelessly addicted to food shows on television. Between all the shows on the Food Network, BBC America's "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares," and the Travel Channel's "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations," I find myself watching an enormous number of television shows that revolve around food.
How bad have things gotten for me?
Well, last night, I had a dream that Paula Deen was my best friend; Giada De Laurentiis was my second wife; Bourdain was my drinking buddy; Bobby Flay was my next-door neighbor; and Gordon Ramsay was my personal chef.
Thankfully, in my dreams, I still hated Rachel Ray.
"Life expectancy would grow enormously if vegetables smelled as good as bacon." ---Doug Larson
Two months ago, I had my annual physical. I discovered that I had abnormally high LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides. Now, I generally eat pretty healthily and I work out on a regular basis so it was pretty clear to my doctor that these are genetic traits. However, he's fairly conservative and doesn't like the idea of putting patients on statins (like Lipitor) unless it's a measure of last resort; his rationale is that once you're on them, you're on them for life.
Instead, he proposed that I work with a nutritionist and together we would conduct a three-month experiment to determine whether a change in diet could significantly improve my blood health.
I'm currently subsisting on a diet of egg whites, spinach salads, fish, almonds, whole-grain bread, flax seed, and steamed vegetables. I'm allowed to cheat off the diet for one meal a week. I know this sounds limiting but my cheat meal last week was General Tso's chicken wrapped in two slices of pizza.
In all seriousness, I feel great. Without even trying, I've lost 10 pounds. I've never crapped so well in my entire life. And I've discovered that jogging 5 miles while watching the Food Network doesn't make me want to kill myself.
My blood is getting tested again in two weeks but I don't know if I can hold out any longer. Today on the subway, I almost licked someone's face because she smelled like butter. Yesterday, I saw a short guy in the elevator wearing all brown and I thought he looked like the cutest piece of foie gras I'd ever seen.
I know this diet is healthier for me but this is really no way to live. In the grand scheme of things, I drive way too fucking fast to be worrying about my cholesterol.
"How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?"---Charles De Gaulle
Despite my love of food, I'm no food snob.
The French? Those cheese-eating surrender monkeys are food snobs. Every time I go to Paris, I end up getting in an argument over my belief that the only new contributions of French cuisine in the past 50 years have been Au Bon Pain and the Croissanwich.
Screw them!
As much as I love food, I hate eating pretentious food that has no personality behind it. Give me good old-fashioned American road food any day of the week. Serve me some ribs from Dreamland BBQ or The Salt Lick. Throw me a couple of lobster rolls from Red's Eats. Order me buffalo wings from The Anchor Bar. Or what about cheesesteaks from Gino's? Pizza from Grimaldis? Burgers from the Shake Shack? The curry chicken puffs from Yank Sing? The chili dogs from Pink's? The fried chicken from The Horny Toad?
Good Lord, is it any wonder my cholesterol is through the roof? Damn!
"We are the only culture that can stand in front of a microwave with a burrito in it and scream 'FASTER! FASTER!'"---Ross Brown.
Since BossLady works longer hours than I do, I pick the Peanut up from daycare every day. When it's warm out, we'll go to the playground for a few hours. Otherwise, we'll come home and read or play imaginary games together.
One activity that we like to do is make dinner together. When she was younger, I'd let her nuke things in the microwave. She would put some mac-and-cheese in the oven and I'd lift her up so she could press all the buttons. While it cooked, she would squeal with delight.
Now that she's almost 3.5-years-old and has a little more patience, I've been teaching her how to cook. We started off making some homemade tomato sauce. Then, we moved on to making sandwiches together. Now she even knows how to cook fish and steam vegetables.
However, I think I've created a monster.
Last week in daycare, the teachers cooked pasta with the class. My little 3-foot gourmand was so shocked that she felt compelled to tell the teachers that they were doing it all wrong! When I asked her what her teachers were doing wrong, the Peanut gave me a look of disgust and said, "Daddy, they put Ketchup on their noodles! Isn't that gross?"
Ladies and gentlemen, I now bring you the first in a recurring new series of videos called "How To Cook Like a Three-Year-Old." Today's lesson is "Pasta"
Cooking Pasta with the Peanut from Pierre Kim on Vimeo.
THE LAST SUPPER
Recently, I've been reading a slew of food-related books. In the past few weeks, I've finished Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential," Bill Buford's "Heat," and Michael Pollard's "In Defense of Food." Lately, I've just started reading "My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals."
It's fascinating to read what 50 of the world's greatest living chefs would want to eat for their final meal on the planet. Laurent Tourondel wants nothing more than a BLT sandwich made in his own kitchen. Alain Ducasse would have a simple roasted quail in Madiran wine sauce, then smooth celeriac puree with nutmeg, and a finish with apple slices. Thomas Keller says he would begin with half a kilo of osetra caviar, followed by some otoro, a quesadilla and a roast chicken, Brie with truffles, and for dessert either profiteroles or a lemon tart.
Some chefs pick the food of their youth, the simple dishes that remind them not only of home but also of why they became chefs in the first place. Others are less sentimental and simply pick their favorite dishes from their favorite chefs. Everyone has a choice and it seems to verify the old adage that you can tell a lot about a person from what they eat.
Personally, I think my last meal on this planet would be a Peter Luger's porterhouse steak with sides of creamed spinach, bacon, and German-style potatoes. I'd finish with some Junior's cheesecake. And I'd wash it all down with a bottle of first-growth Bordeaux. I'm not quite sure what that says about me.
What about you? What would be your last meal on the planet? Give me all the juicy details.
My last meal would be Popeyes fried chicken, Cajun rice, cole slaw, corn, and biscuits. Washed all down with a 6-pack of Heineken.
Hmm---I wonder what that says about me?
Posted by: brian j. | March 13, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Favorite meal? A whole box of Hostess Ho-Hos.
Posted by: Rachel E. | March 13, 2008 at 11:32 AM
I can't believe you mentioned the fried chicken from the Horny Toad!
My parents retired to Scottsdale years ago. Every Christmas, we pack up the kids and drive there from L.A. My husband used to hate going to AZ. However, a few years ago, he discovered the fried chicken from the Horny Toad. Now he actually looks forward to driving to AZ 'cause he knows that the first thing he's going to do is eat the whole fried chicken from the Horny Toad!
Posted by: jas | March 13, 2008 at 12:59 PM
For my last meal? I grew up with a Mom Who Can COOK, so I would request a huge meal of my favorite dishes from my mom.
Posted by: Jen | March 13, 2008 at 01:14 PM
Aha she's so dam cute.
My last meal would be ribs with my mom's homemade BBQ sause, fried rice from Beni Hauna's, a spicy tuna roll, some steamed aspargus and for dessert a slice of Sarah J's (a bakery in LA) chocolate rasberry to die for cake.
Then I'd die from stomach overload, but I'd die happy.
Posted by: Phoenix | March 13, 2008 at 02:07 PM
Death row dinner:
Lake Superior whitefish, cooked on a wooden plank. I don't need the Duchess potatoes that are commonly served with it; wild ice pilaf will do. This is just the best fish that swims. I'd also have asparagus steamed and served with brown butter. For a little palate cleanser I'd have the freshest, reddest strawberries. For dessert, I'd have chocolate mousse.
There you have it, my favorite fish, starch, veggie, fruit, and sinful dessert. I'd skip the booze so as to really savor it.
Posted by: Celeste | March 13, 2008 at 02:51 PM
Spicy sliced fish from the late, great Moon Palace, 113th & Bway or a mixed Grill from the Famous Dairy Restaurant, 72nd btw WE and Bway (also defunct).
Posted by: JJ Daddy-O | March 13, 2008 at 02:53 PM
The Mio Fratello calzone from Vitos in L.A. A bottle of Screaming Eagle Cabernet. My grandma's strawberry shortcake.
Posted by: p.grant | March 13, 2008 at 02:59 PM
wow. i'm shocked by all those who'd like fast food for their last meal!
my my last meal, i'd probably go korean. some kind of soup like kimchi soup, or fish egg soup.. tons of various ban chan and fresh fruit for dessert.
Posted by: mary | March 13, 2008 at 03:01 PM
The Peanut is adorable! I love how she's chomping on french fries as she recites her "recipe." Too cute.
For my last meal, I think I would want some comfort food. I'm going to go with Chinese hot pot and soup dumplings. All made at home with my mother.
Posted by: Patricia | March 13, 2008 at 04:19 PM
I agree with that Peanut. Ketchup on anything but fries is disgusting.
I'm kind of sad that my son is going to grow up thinking that dinner appears in 30 minutes with a 'ding-dong'. I have tried to get it together, but just can't cook. My husband is a pretty good cook, but never has time and is OBSESSED with food and is hyperventilating with excitement over the new season of Top Chef.
Last meal? Oysters and Pearls from Per Se.
Posted by: momomax | March 13, 2008 at 04:24 PM
I love to cook and I enjoy cooking fancy meals on weekends. And I love the Food Network.
My last meal: Dominican Salcocho*, Shrimp Mofongo*, Mangu with fried cheese, red onions and fried eggs*. I would have to have some spicy Indian food and sweet beans* (habichuelas con dulce) to finish it off. And after eating so much food then I would certainly die.
*All childhood comfort foods.
Posted by: katherine | March 13, 2008 at 05:54 PM
Peanut has great hair.
Posted by: shin | March 13, 2008 at 07:30 PM
appetizer: himachi sashimi and raw oysters eaten off of george clooney's thighs with a bottle of nice cool daiginjyo
intercourse (yeah, just wanted to say that): prosciutto with asparagus and hearts of palm with a bottle of dom while being massaged and fed by matthew mcConaughey
main course: a grilled Maine lobster tail with lemon and drawn butter, a giant bowl of pho tai with all the fixings, a 2" thick filet mignon cooked medium rare (closer to rare) in lots of garlic and butter with sauteed mushrooms, a huge bottle of pinot noir, all eaten and drank while having a lengthy conversation with bono and paul mccartney
dessert: this one's tough. but i'm going with dutch apple crumb pie fresh out of the oven from mom's in julian, california with cinnamon ice cream, a big cup of home-roasted coffee, and a bottle of well-aged port.
then an all-night orgy with all the men I just spent the meal with.
Posted by: SD92131 | March 13, 2008 at 07:47 PM
My last meal would be at one of those seaside restaurants in Greece where they bring the fish straight off the boat to the restaurant. Top it off with some grilled octopus and a bottle of ouzo.
Posted by: marybelle | March 13, 2008 at 09:02 PM
omg this is torture for a pregnant lady stuck on the couch with no good food in the house! next time you're in queens by stjohnsuniv. go down the road to sushizone- sounds cheezy but the sweetest japanese couple with a teeny little sushi shop of your dreams. mmm...i think that's what we'll be having tomorrow!
on your last post- we saw the beasties last time they came through town (3-4 years ago?) in a large venue and we agreed it was a weird cross-section of the population in attendance. would have loooooved to have seen them last week- glad you did!
last meal- i know the place, the italian place on the cliffs of the west coast of tortola, bvi. retired italian couple from brooklyn set up a small place down there and we had the best goddamned fettucine alfredo with garlic bread in our lives- and we both had italian grandmas- oh, this is torture!!
Posted by: pnuts mama | March 13, 2008 at 09:20 PM
i'm not sure what my last meal would be, love the idea of a backyard kegger/que surrounded by family & friends.
however, the funniest line i've read to date?: "In the grand scheme of things, I drive way too fucking fast to be worrying about my cholesterol." brilliant.
Posted by: ann (fchen) | March 13, 2008 at 09:26 PM
your blog always makes me smile. . . .
as to my last meal, i think it would have to be day old kimchee chigae w/a few slices of wonder bread(kimchee sandwiches are awesome!), some kick-ass foie gras and a chopstick full of japanese ramen with a side of ikura and rice.
i just bought some omega-3 supplements to help 'adjust' my cholesterol
Posted by: grace | March 14, 2008 at 07:33 AM
my last meal: a traditional maldivian feast.
garudhiya with rice , and rihaakuru and perhaps fried leaves. and oh dear. this is harder describing than i thought. ...
Posted by: bulhaa | March 14, 2008 at 08:35 AM
I too am a foodie.
For the record, Geno's DOES NOT havehe best cheesesteak in Philly. Holla at me when you come throughand I will send you a list of places to try.
My last meal would be a Fried Bake and Shark sandwich eaten a Maracas Beach on he island of my birth...Trinidad, with a bottle of Carib beer.
(Andrew Zimmerman just featured Trinidad on his show and this meal was in his top five EVER eaten).
Posted by: 1969 | March 14, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Loved your post! And you listed all my favorite chefs (except Bobby Flay - let's just say I always root for whomever is challenging him on "Iron Chef"). Love Anthony Bourdain, mein Gott. I watch him faithfully every Monday night. And he was just in Jamaica, hooray!
But what of Jamie Oliver? I adore the dude!
My last meal - all comfort foods from growing up in Jamaica: my mom's stewed chicken with rice and peas, my best friend's mom's roti and curried chicken (they were this huge extended Indian family), white flour dumplings, escovitched fish (fried fish topped with pickled carrots, onions, scotch bonnet peppers and allspice berries). This would be washed down with Jamaican-style carrot juice (fresh squeezed carrots with condensed milk and nutmeg, yum!). Dessert would be that sinfully rich cake soaked in Red Label Wine that is made only at Christmas time.
Ah, my mouth is watering... so glad I'm going home in June. My mom better get ready to cook up a storm, ha! It'll be funny to watch my lily-white Texas husband trying to work his way through all that spiciness too.
Posted by: Fiona | March 14, 2008 at 04:37 PM
It's so cool that you have so many readers from different countries talking about their favorite foods. I've never heard of half the dishes some people have been mentioning in the comments. Now, I have to go look them up online so I can try out all the recipes at home!
Posted by: marsha m. | March 14, 2008 at 04:54 PM
For me, my last meal would be breakfast.
Eggs Benedict with hollandaise sauce. Belgian waffles with fresh fruit, butter, and maple syrup. Blueberry pancakes. Pork belly bacon. Smoked apple sausage. Krispy Kreme donuts. Buttermilk biscuits.
Posted by: ana | March 14, 2008 at 05:08 PM
Holla! for The Salt Lick... 20 minutes from our doorsteps, seconds to heaven.
Posted by: tpon | March 14, 2008 at 05:52 PM
Thanks for this post!
Posted by: Sal | March 14, 2008 at 08:07 PM
No doubt about it: a steamy HUGE plate of Pozole!
Posted by: Sal | March 14, 2008 at 08:08 PM
I used to say I wanted Peking Duck for my last meal since according to all the menus I see it takes 24 hrs to prepare.Lol. Buy myself an extra day. I go from one extreme to the other, one day I want a filet mignon wrapped in bacon from a place in Rumson NJ called the Fromagerie. Or I want a sort of fast food tour of the world: a bean burrito from Taco Bell, a Big Mac, a Filet O' Fish, a Whopper, and a Big Bacon Classic from Wendys. Like I can eat all that. Fries from McD's, O-rings from BK (how weird is it they are all the exact same size - fried onion paste...LOL)to top it all off - a bowl of sugar corn pops. all I can say is when the electricity hits be somewhere else LOL
take care all
Posted by: Annie | March 14, 2008 at 08:21 PM
OK, I know it's lame to post multiple times, but I cannot live without posting "pulpos a la gallega" (octopus Galicia style) from my friend's mom in Madrid.
Posted by: Sal | March 14, 2008 at 10:34 PM
I'm pretty much with you on a nice big rare steak rubbed with salt and pepper, but I think with sides of new potatoes and green beans or asparagus. Wine might be a bit fuller bodied. We've had some nice Baco Noir around the house last year, or maybe a cabernet. If I was feeling for something lighter, I must admit the Shiraz/Syrah trend has had me happy for some time now. For dessert I might go creme brulee, I might go flourless chocolate cake, depending on my mood. And some nice warming liquid to finish with the dessert, maybe cognac or Grand Marnier, just to wrap things off nicely.
Posted by: kittenpie | March 15, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Cutest peanut :)
Last dinner - my mother's Christmas dinner - scalloped potatoes, red cabbage and chestnuts, bread/nut/mushroom stuffing.
And a toss up between her birthday cake or cheesecake.
I cook it all, now she's not here but it was better when she did :)
Have you read Alex Kapranos' Sound Bites? Nice food writing, especially the bit about pheasant.
Posted by: Jo | March 15, 2008 at 02:32 PM
I don't get your dislike for french cuisine when you talk also about butter and foie gras (or are you just being pretentious -- or perhaps even ignorant?). you just want to avoid being labeled a food snob and you are doing that by inventing fictitious food snobs and placing them in france because making fun of the french and equating them with being "pretentious" makes you feel less poseur-ish and more authentic. There could not be anything less pretentious than cheese (and bread and wine) in France - it's everyday food that is inexpensive and enjoyable and in fact enjoyed by everyone - snob or not, pretentious or not. cheese is pretentious in the U.S. only because good stuff is so hard to get here (unless you go to a restaurant like Artisanal - now there is a pretentious place full of culinary frauds and ignorant snobs -- and I am talking about the staff there, not necessarily the clients)
citing Grimaldi and Shake Shack as a way of showing that you are not a food snob? Those are food snob favorites! If you prefer your random corner pizza by slice joint over Grimaldi's, then you might have an argument. But you'll never admit that, since that will make you feel like you have no taste.
My suggestion - just admit that you are a pretentious snob and move on.
Posted by: | March 15, 2008 at 02:50 PM
Hey Metrodad, Try fish oil capsules(3000mg-5000mg Spectrum brand is tested for too much mercury) for your triglycerides at least and garlic tablet for your cholesterol.I had really great results. I'm a nurse in California who didn't want to take statins. And if you take statins, take coq10.
Posted by: Melissa | March 15, 2008 at 04:20 PM
Hey Metrodad, Try fish oil capsules(3000mg-5000mg Spectrum brand is tested for too much mercury) for your triglycerides at least and garlic tablet for your cholesterol.I had really great results. I'm a nurse in California who didn't want to take statins. And if you take statins, take coq10.
Posted by: Melissa | March 15, 2008 at 04:21 PM
That kid is an angel.
Posted by: Liz | March 15, 2008 at 06:11 PM
On my last day of earth, I would like one bite of the following:
My halmuni's kimchi
My mom's panjun & jigae
curry rice w/chicken
tonkatsu
My friend Jen's chili
grilled ribeye steak, medium please
my version of bulgogi
pork adovada from Los Dos Molinos
Everything @ Wong's Place in Tempe, AZ
miso ramen from my fave little dive around Shinjuku station in Tokyo
#6 from Lee's Sandwichs(hold the cilantro)
Anything from my friends' kitchen in Santa Cruz County
Bacon, not under done, but not crispy burnt either.
Assorted banchan
a nice mixed green salad w/ fresh mozzerella and balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and lemon
The ham, brie, and apple open faced sandwich on pumpernickel @ House of Tricks and their raspberry iced tea
Spinach florentine & Belgain waffle with berries and REAL grade B amber maple syrup from US Egg
Ben & Jerry's butter pecan, oatmeal cookie chunk, Fudge brownie, and cherry garcia ice cream
vanilla bean and super dark chocolate gelato from Angel Sweet
dark choco brownies
strawberry shortcake
a vanilla malt from Sonic
fresh strawberries, raspberries and Queen Anne cherries
Peet's Downy Jasmine Pearl Tea
A thai iced tea w/boba
creme brulee
a vodka tonic w/Grey goose or Belvedere.
Posted by: Swan | March 15, 2008 at 06:43 PM
Heh, your kid is quie the charmer, man. Anyway, I'm not a foodie, but I do like lobster and especially steak. I'd probably have steak for a last meal with nice mashed potatoes and flourless chocolate cake for desert.
Posted by: Jenny | March 15, 2008 at 07:47 PM
My last meal?
Gotta be prefectly cooked Foie gras!
Posted by: huihui | March 16, 2008 at 01:14 AM
I'd like to think my last meal would be some amazing thing like the meal I had on my honeymoon in Paris...but I'd probably settle for some Natural Ruffles and a coke. And since I'm almost dead, not diet coke this time.
Posted by: J | March 16, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Last meal....Antonio Banderas....all in one bite. Heh.
Everything served at a traditional Churrascaria in Brasil.
Loved the post.
Posted by: Robin | March 16, 2008 at 01:01 PM
Gotta be mountains of BBQ with plentiful sides of sweet corn, baked beans, potato salad, and cornbread.
Posted by: helene | March 16, 2008 at 01:03 PM
My last meal? Smoked salmon and beluga caviar as hors d'ouevres, with vintage champagne. Roasted filet mignon with roasted new potatoes, with a great cabernet. Asparagus with hollandaise sauce. And Opera cake with espresso for dessert.
I wish someone would make that meal for me now.
Posted by: Alice | March 16, 2008 at 04:52 PM
great post, MD. 10 lbs? day-m. is that with or without scotch?
Next time, bypass Yank Sing--too expensive. Try Koi Palace down the road in Daly City--best dim sum on the planet. and if you stick with the steamed gows, su mai and fung zhou its practically health food.
Posted by: R2Dad | March 17, 2008 at 01:58 AM
The Peanut is so adorable, MD. I love how she's munching on french fries as she recites her pasta recipe. Too Cute!
Posted by: mickey | March 17, 2008 at 09:07 AM
Off the top of my head, I would want to recreate and enjoy my favorite meal of all time. It was Pan Roasted Halibut with Dungeness Crab Orzo at a place called 900 West in Vancouver, BC. I still remember every bite despite it being 6500 meals ago (6 years or so).
But if push came to shove, I may revert back to a big thick Filet cooked medium with sauce Bernaise, roasted shallots, mashed potatoes. Jesus I'm hungry...
Posted by: Jeff | March 18, 2008 at 12:59 PM
I don't know what inspired it, but I've recently developed a real love for cooking. Nothing all that complex yet, but I'm already itching to try out more complex stuff. Except the house we're renting right now has a tee-niny kitchen. We're moving into a new place in the fall that has a fantastic kitchen and I can't fucking wait.
When I finally manage to make a trip to NYC, I'm gonna have to remember to email you to get the lowdown on where to eat.
Posted by: Holmes | March 18, 2008 at 04:57 PM
Big time props for name-checking the Salt Lick. Yummy 'cue. However, my last meal might have to be the brisket from Smitty's or Kreuz Market, two fine bbq establishments that are both in Lockhart, TX and sit either end of a family feud in that town. But they both smoke a mean brisket.
Posted by: GFR | March 18, 2008 at 08:52 PM
I loved everything about this post. Well done! But it must be said: you will be laughed out of the Anchor Bar or any respectable wing joint in Buffalo if you order "buffalo wings". Its just wings here. Cheers!
Posted by: Suz | March 19, 2008 at 02:46 PM
So late to post this, but I had to chime in for my last meal. I'd have to go with the foods I'd miss most on this planet.
My last dinner: a lobster roll, Yuengling, perfectly cooked french fries with lots of ketchup, and raspberry pie topped with cinnamon ice cream. Eaten in Montauk, preferably.
Posted by: Genevieve | March 19, 2008 at 03:50 PM
Peanut is too cute. How does she feel about toasted bread crumbs on that pasta and cheese? Yes? No? Sacrilegious?
For my last meal it's hard to say. If my stomach capacity didn't have its current limitations I'd probably stuff it with everything from pho to crab to kielbasa. I'd probably be satisfied and really happy though, if I could just get to eat a few ears of that fresh roasted sweet sweet corn I had on the side of a Vietnamese dirt road when I was 14, sprinkled with a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. No butter necessary, it was so juicy, sweet, and creamy. I had an epiphany eating that corn. It taught me that the most euphoric taste experiences can often be the simplest and in the most humble of circumstances. My parents bought me that corn on our first trip back to the old country from a small woman who had this wide smile knowing how good her product was. It was awesome. If I could have that same taste experience again before I die whether it be from something as simple as roast corn or as extravagent as a raspberry white chocolate cheesecake, I'd die happy.
Other taste relevations in my life: fresh off the boat and steamed langoustines, fresh mangosteens and jackfruit, and butternut squash ravioli (seriously).
Posted by: honglien123 | March 19, 2008 at 03:58 PM
I commend you on teaching the Peanut how to cook! I am at the tail end of a French Pastry Program and my 3 year old (Small Fry) has developed a distinguished palette for finer chocolate. Hershey dare not enter the house or it will be deemed, "Yucky!" She is a wonderful sous chef and can actually retrieve ingredients from the pantry with astounding accuracy. If she had her preference though everything would be used to create pink cakes, pink cookies and pink cupcakes and if wearing a tutu and rain boots with her Cinderella wig were appropriate chefwear she would be set.
Bon Appetite!
Posted by: Adrienne | March 21, 2008 at 09:28 AM