Osama Bin Lager

A couple months ago I spent an invigorating few weeks in Australia.  The first stop on the trip led me to Sydney to visit good friends of mine – a Husband and Wife team that had moved home after a bustling stint in New York.

Stouthouse Ale

Always big fans of beer, drinking beer, buying beer, anything beer oriented, I wasn’t that surprised to find out that my friends had started brewing their own.  What blew me away, however, was the fact that they had turned each fermentation into a family art project affair.

First, Connie, the Artist/Former Director of Verbal Identity, works to come up with the Beer’s Identity.  Julian and his brother Jon then brew the beer followed by a meeting to conceptualize a label.  Lastly, Jon (a Product Designer) uses Stencil CAD Software and a Laser Cutting Machine to manufacture a Stencil (inclusive of logo and brew date) to be sprayed on each Brew in white enamel.

Now that’s one ‘Morning After Pils’ I’d gladly take…

Out With The Old…

And In With The New…

How’s that kitchen coming?  Is it done yet?  What’s the word?  What’s going on.  Duuuude, talk to me!

Floating my fingers across the keyboard, I can now bestow a simple, thankful, YES.

While I’m still waiting on one drawer pull and the perfect pair of pendant light fixtures, it’s all minutia about now. The kitchen now stands at 99.999% complete  – the same completeness that I have now restored in myself.  This project, as you may come to find out, took the life out of me.

Of course – any home remodel will disturb a person’s center of balance as it’s the place that is supposed to bring the most genuine amount of comfort.  But, when the disturbance travels beyond the visible disorder of ‘things’ and into a world of fraud and deception, I knew it was gird my loins time.

I’ll keep it top line and just say that All Hell Broke Loose.  Between August and February, my Playboy sock wearing contractor went MIA.  The Concrete Company (Art Of Concrete) he hired to lay down a modern floor was contemptible – leaving me with Concrete Splattered Doors and Toe Kicks (which had to be replaced) along with a gritty, uneven Exterior Patio INSIDE my home using a mixture deemed an irresponsible choice by the top-of-the-line professional Decorative Concrete Contractor hired to ultimately finish the job.

As the flooring moved toward it’s poor completion,  AOC owner, Mr. Laurence, tried to woo me into a pyramid scheme selling ACN Phones.  His plea was akin to throwing me into a cold ocean; I quickly sprung into action – weaving words of litigation into our conversations.  Thousands of dollars worth of damage later, my beloved architect stepped in with some much needed mediation.   Soon thereafter we cemented his departure.

Once Art of Concrete was forcefully removed from my house, I awoke from this bad dream.  I (re)realized the importance of researching, investigating, and being on top of the approval process.  Yes, it’s a pretty instinctive action – or so I though until I fell victim to trusting the one person I hired to guide me smoothly down this Remodel Road.  Just another lesson for the good old memory tank.

I’ll stop there and let the photos speak for themselves.  Even with the mishap, I am still really proud of the project and the accomplishment of it.  I spent countless days/months scouring for new Kitchen Components throughout Southern California and in the depths of the Internet.  Nothing could deter me from finding these specific pieces and in the end, it all paid off.

So, welcome to Kos’ Kitchen.  Welcome to my labor of love.

Art Of Concrete’s Disaster of a Job In Almost “Done” Stage
Top L: Spider Web Cuts  Top R: Tape Lines Bottom: Rough + Uneven Inside Patio

Top L: Lived Like This For 8 Months Top R: Art of Concrete “Done”
Bottom: Art of Concrete Left my cabinets uncovered while working/sanding

Top L:Before Stove photo from Mirror Image Tenant Side Top R: Before Dining Area photo from Mirror Image Tenant Side
Bottom L: After Stove Bottom Right: After Dining Area

L: Open Dish Case  R: Recycling Vs. Trash

Old Double Basin Sink with 80′s Laminate Cream Countertops

New Deep Basin Blanco Sink with Hansgrohe Axor Citterio Faucet and Calacatta Gold Marble Countertops

L: Sink Profile R: Pull-Out Pantry

Subzero 700TC(I) Integrated Fridge

Old Configuration: Cream Franciscan Tile Flooring; Cool Wood Cabinets; Obstructing Overhead Cabinets; Narrow “Work Triangle” Design.

New Layout:  Concrete Poured Flooring; Removal of Overhead Cabinets; Custom Dark Blue Laminate Drawers; Integrated Sub-Zero Fridge with Custom Doors; Widened Kitchen by 3-Feet; Removed “Work Triangle” layout and replaced with a 3-foot wider Galley/Corridor Kitchen.

SOURCES

Cuisine lovers themselves, the Griswolds traditionally pull the 40+ pounds of Citrus each year, preserving the perfume-laden Lemons for use in Tagines (Stews), Salads and various Savory stews/dishes. And after a long weekend dedicated to jars, acid and salt, I sit idly by and wait to receive one of these beautiful tokens of friendship. (This past year’s Jar was shared with many of you as they were used in the Lacinto Kale Salad served at the Friend’s Cook at Canele night).

However, this year, the Griswolds said, “Forget it,” to doing our Preserving (Dirty) Work. They decided enough was enough.  It was time for them to show us how to make our own.  The result – Who knew it could be so simple?

PRESERVED MEYER LEMONS RECIPE

Ingredients + Notes

• While I preserve Meyer Lemons sans fixings – feel free to experiment.
Cinnamon Sticks; Dried Chilis; Dried Bay Leaf; Star Anise; Clove; Pepper Corn; Whole Coriander are all welcomed additions.
• 16 Ounce Ball Jars *You can also use 32oz jars – just double the recipe*
• 4 Lemons per Jar + additional Lemon for juice = 5 Meyer Lemons Total per Jar *You may need more or less lemons depending on their size.  Just think – you want as little oxygen as possible in the jar to avoid the possibility of spoilage*
•  Box of Kosher Salt
•  A Sharpie to scribe the date on top of the lid.
•  A Pestle/Bat Shaped Stick

Directions

•  Step 1:  Begin by sterilizing your jars.  Rinse well and arrange jars open side up on a deep tray.  Do not let the sides of the jars touch the tray.  Place tray in preheated 175F degree oven for 25 minutes.

•  Step 2:  Make sure that all of your lemons have had their skins sufficiently scrubbed clean.

•  Step 3:  Take the fifth lemon and squeeze it for juice.  Place liquid in a container preferably with pourable lip.  Set aside.

•  Step 4:  Take one jar and line the base with a 1/4 inch of Kosher Salt.

•  Step 5:  Important Take the first lemon and slice it 3/4 of the way from “nip” (the pointy end) to “bum” (the flatter end).

••Step 6 +7••

•  Step 6:  Holding the lemon with one hand at it’s base with your thumb in one side of the cut (see photo above), use your other hand to pour a hefty amount of salt in the lemon’s crevices.

•  Step 7:  Place lemon (nip side down) in the open face of the jar.  Using the Pestle, slowly push the lemon into the jar.  Some of the lemons are wider than others – but slow force will eventually get the lemon in there.  Once it’s in the jar, use pressure to compress the lemon further.

•  Step 8:  Repeat step 5 – 8 with the remaining 3 lemons.  By this time, the lemons should be close to where the top of the jar ends (and the screw top part of the jar begins).  If you are using smaller Meyer Lemons, you may need to add an extra one – similar to the 4 before it.

•  Step 9:  Use the set aside Lemon Juice and add a 1/4″ of lemon juice to top it off.

•  Step 10:  Place the lid on the Jar — Tighten it –and shake!

•  Step 11:  With your Sharpie, write the date.  While David Lebovitz says they’re ready in a month, I find them to be a bit mild – and enjoy their more powerful flavor after they’ve been preserving for 2 months.

•  Step 12  For the next 5 days, shake 2 to three times a day to disperse the salt throughout.  After the 5-day period, the liquid should appear cloudy; The Lemon skins should appear relax; And the salt granules should have melded into the liquid.

•  Step 13:  After the 5 days, you can leave the Jars on a shelf or in a cool place.  There’s no need to refrigerate.

•  Step 14:  After 1-2 months, they’re ready!  Remove a piece of the lemon (removing the skins) and use as directed.

•  Step 15:  Once you open the jar, place it in the refrigerator for safekeeping/future use.  If you think you’ll slowly use the Lemons – or will not use them for some time – add a layer of Olive Oil to the top of the Preserved Lemons.  This will act as an added barrier between the air and your delicious product.

Enjoy!

I was trying to write 1/10/2010….Yeah I know.

As soon as I laid eyes on my guest, a dashing gent (as) fresh (as one can be) off a 14+ hour flight from Melbourne, I knew his three-week stint in Los Angeles would be way too short.  And while this Politico/Music loving Journo would be looking to soak in all the Sunny Southern California News and Local Music Venue rays, I had some luminous objectives of my own.  If it wasn’t obvious enough, the mission was simple; To shower him with the best Eats (and Homecookin’) that LA has to offer.  In return, he’d  pamper me with feedback – A proper Outsider’s perspective into Eating In LA.

(Top L) Wat Dong Moon Lek - Shrimp & Rambutan Salad/Coconut Shake/Signature Soup/Spicy Crispy Pork Belly
(Top R) Din Tai Fung’s Pork and Crab Soup Dumplings
(Lower L) Elf Cafe‘s Tahini Avocado Dip
(Lower R) Somosa House‘ Combo Meal: Here with Jackfruit Curry, Aloo Chole, Malai Kofta, Brown Rice, Roti

Various factors (Money/Timing/The Holidays/Location) got in the way of experiencing some of my beloved destinations (The Adored Urasawa, Tubs, [Sunday Supper at] Lucques, Chung King, Breed Street, Marisco Chente, Sapp Coffee Shop, La Estrella, The Verdugo Bar, The Trails), but after running around Southern California, from Malibu to the Salton Sea; Idllywild to Sunset and Vine, our final list of culinary establishments was 1part  Best Dishes shaken with 2 parts accomplishment – all served in a tall glass of Lardo gluttony.

As a seeker of all things cuisine related, I find satisfaction in being able to recommend culinary establishments.  We all look for places that speak to us – whether it’s because they are meaningful creatively/provide a unique example of ‘place’/have honed their extraordinary craft/etc.  So, the easy part of the trip was traversing the culinary landscape of my choosing.  But, would this Fish And Chips eating, Long-Black drinking, Aussie feel the same?  Not always.

Thinking back, divulge two Memorable Bites.

“I guess I’m a sucker for spicy comfort food, so anything simple and wholesome with lashings of condiments stands out. With that in mind, The Best Fish Taco In Ensenada, the first place I ate in LA, was a standout. You can’t go wrong with tender fish bites, deep fried while-you-wait, with at least four different salsas at the ready. Best to stick with fish, rather than the shrimp, and wash it all down with an enormous cup of sugary horchata.”

[Ed. Notes – Australia is quite covetous with their condiments.  It’s rare to purchase a Meat Pie (let’s say) and have unlimited access to Tomato Sauce (Their version of Ketchup).  Instead, you’ll receive a squint-enducing 14g package of the condiment, with each additional costing around 50cents.  When he realized that there was a wall dedicated to DIY, unlimited condiments, his eyes glistened with apparent elation.  Endearing I must say.  And much sweeter than witnessing my reaction in Australia upon grasping the opposition notion…]

Hot Pot City’s Flavor-Filled Chengdu

“Hot Pot City was the other revelation. Although way out in the Valley, the spicy broth option, bubbling with all sorts of root flavourings and massive chilles, was a midnight meal worth negotiating four interchanges for. The broth was so good that it didn’t really matter which of the hundreds of veggies and animal parts options I decided to dunk. Forced to choose, I’d nominate the thinly sliced marbled beef, requiring about 15 seconds cooking time, which literally melted on my tongue in a bath of sweaty cleansing goodness.”

John Baldassari-esque homage to eating rituals at Taco Zone Truck

“Special mention: Taco Zone chorizo [Mulas - a griddled two corn tortilla meat and cheese sandwich]. Worth getting drunk on cheap lager to taste the 1am goodness amid a never-ending queue of asymmetrical haircuts.”

Give me Mulas, Baby

[Ed. Note: Or, more like fist-pumping two beers to taste 10:30pm goodness...The night started early, OK?  But so did the asymmetrical Do's - it's Echo Park so we're certain to amass no matter the hour.  When in 'The Zone' don't fight it.  Embrace it - with your arteries pried open.  The (Suadero + Chorizo) Mulas' are delicious, tender, and not to be missed - just note that it is bit of a grease lagoon (Not dissimilar to our local, Echo Lake).]

What places would you like not to remember…?

“Brite Spot diner on Sunset. We ate here on New Year’s Day, and while the kitchen was probably stressed by a lack of staff, my Louisiana hot links with poached eggs could have been cooked by a 12-year-old. The food arrived after a wait of over an hour in a mysterious coupe bowl swimming in cloudy water. The sausage, although reasonably moist, arrived unaccompanied save for some random under-fried potato cubes. Coffee was weak.”

[Ed. Note: With Whiskey-filled heads, we peeled ourselves from the house and met up with friends at the communicated location.  The Vacationer speaks the truth:  Our eggs swam in an unidentifiable liquid while the sausages easily could have been grilled Pine Tree branches. The food actually accentuated the hangover.]

A Wurstkuche Hotdog and Fries cost around $15 – 45 minutes of our lives

“Wurstkuche, The much-hyped Downtown concept barn did a reasonable job grilling the snags but the night was dampened by a dining room heaving with almost double the optimal number of patrons. Tellingly, the proprietors of this place truck in all their produce and prepare it for the masses on demand. Partially saved by the excellent beer selection with the option of massive 1 litre steins for gluttons.”

[Ed. Note: We waited an absurd 45 minutes to place our order.  In retrospect, lines of that size are preserved solely for possibilities of a free reward; Not sheckeling out for dinner.  And once the order was placed, there was the additional obligation to eye-grovel and ask alms from self-entitled seat holders for a 5" space of bench.  I'm not doubting the food standards: fries are good – the curry ketchup, flavorsome – their hot dogs (made elsewhere) are varied and enjoyable – with a decent beer selection, but sadly, during this experience, The Scales Of Justice were leaning in great opposition to Wurstkuche.]

Any Coffee Standouts?

“Coffee purists appear to have a hard time in LA with menus dominated by milky brews that would cause palpitations if they were offered on the Continent or anywhere in Melbourne’s inner north. My least favourite coffee wasn’t the notorious filter drip at most restaurants (that was at least predictable) but the specialist places, that while clearly trying to break the Starbucks mould, still retain strong traces of that chain’s cookie cutter approach. LA Mill and Intelligentsia tried hard but I never really found an acceptable straight, simple long-ish black. In most cases, visitors might do better to bring their own stove top espresso machine.”

Think you can taste the difference?
(L) 9th Street Espresso’s Latte. Chelsea Market, New York.
(R) Gunshop Cafe’s Flat White. Brisbane, AU

[Ed. Note: Melbourne is Rug Burn serious about their coffee/espresso.  The visitor’s “Milky Brew” comment stems from having one too many face-sized Lattes.  Australia’s version of the Latte, called a ‘Flat White,’ is typically served in a small 150-160ml mug allowing for a greater ratio of espresso to milk.

Additionally, Australians predominant, without-milk-not-straight-espresso, choice is the Long-Black.  The Long Black is water first (through the Espresso Machine)/Espresso Second (retaining the structure of the crema) while an Americano is the opposite - with added injury of hot water through the Tea Tap.  Like Red Riding Hood in search of the perfect porridge, the only thing this gent wished for was a stellar Long Black.  He begrudgingly went with the Americano and deemed it too weak.  Upping his game to Espresso shots left him eyelid-pried - heart palpitating.  It would seem that the only "just right" coffee was not surprisingly, in Australia.

I see his Los Angeles Coffee experience partially mired by the inability to speak our Coffee Language.  Ordering "strong espresso" in LA means, “I like strong espresso.  Please make me an espresso that is strong.”  However, in Australia,  ‘strong espresso' means, “I’d like an add shot.”  Perhaps it is best to bring the stove top contraption next time...]

Who doesn’t love Tiki Ti?!

Favorite LA Bars?

“Tiki Ti and the Good Luck, close to each other on Sunset [Silverlake], are both essential, especially if you can get a seat at either bar. Tiki’s “no beer” policy focuses the palette on Actual Hard Liquor while the Good Luck signature cocktails result in serious late night rambling. Drink two and your night’s over! The good thing about LA bars though, compared to the pubs scattered across Melbourne, is the cosy sensation you get entering the usually heavy-curtained entrance into a dimly lit shrine to boozyness and sketchy pick up lines. The opposite of screeching footy fans in a loud Sunday afternoon beer garden.”

Sydney Pub – The famous watering-hole, Hollywood Hotel

[Ed. Notes – Australia bars are direct descendants of the English Public House with the majority of ‘Pubs’ landing on the first floor of a multi-functional hotel.  There are exceptions, but it is indeed much easier to find a cozy bar to retreat to than in Melbourne.]

Just another day at Joe Jost‘s

Do any of the places outside of LA conjure positive memories?

“Joe Jost’s: the perfect place to sit around shooting the shit while watching the NFL. Excellent combination of no-nonsense sandwiches, pickled eggs, and ice cold lager. Makes life as a permanent barfly seem like a solid option. Also, Hank Williams on the jukebox.”

Joe Jost’s Pickled Eggs + Coherts
Photo courtesy of Durbanator

[Ed Note: Joe Jost’s is an institution.  If an Aussie recognizes this, you will too.  Go...immediately.]

Wat Dong Moon Lek’s Signature Soup
Photo courtesy of Anjali at deliciouscoma.com

Any meals Melbourne?

“The [signature] soup at Wat Dong Moon Lek reminded me of the pho at Melbourne’s excellent Vietnamese restaurants — with the addition of lashings of sliced chilli it got close to topping Pho Chu The in Footscray — no mean feat.”

……………………………….
THE MEAL MAP

View The Foreigner Ate/Drank His Way Through LA in a larger map
……………………………….
So, an Australian came, ate, and had opinions about it all. What’s the point?

Like Conde Naste’s hiring of the Gourmet-folding Consultants, McKinsey, we, too, sometimes need an Outsiders’ perspective to help develop our comprehensive understanding of what’s in question (In this case, our local culinary culture).

And we’re not always going to agree…and most of the time we’ll strongly disagree. But, at least we can be sure of one thing; We’re bound to be full…of opinions.

So it’s been a while.  I know it – and all I’m going to say is that I’ll be better to you, EatSipChew, and I hope you know that it’s been unintentional.  A Kitchen that required my undivided attention in order to reach completion (and to avoid Litigation…tragic tale coming) has left my Virtual Culinary Ramblings a bit lonely.

And while  2009 on EatSipChew did in fact end with a phenomenal Ricotta Recipe handed down from an Awarded US Cheesemaker, 2010 will start with one of my own recipes; A sweet treat that, while simple in guise, actually took a great deal of trial and error to achieve its crisp sugar-coated perfection.  Thankfully, I had an AH-HA moment – that I can’t believe I didn’t think of that Arms to the sky instant – and The Pistachio and Fig Double Caramel Corn mystery was officially solved.

So, here it is.  Ah-Ha Moment in tow (Think Hard Ball Stage) the determined Baker (me) with Restaurateur aspirations and an unwavering Sweet Tooth welcomes you back to the kitchen with a recipe requested by handful of purchasers (I shyly thank you) at the Eat My Blog Charity Bake Sale.

Perhaps try this out for your next Movie Night (Maybe a JERSEY SHORE Viewing Party?!) or just place in snack bowls at a festivity and watch it disappear.  Healthy?  Probably not.  But Healthy Compliments you shall receive.

““`Pistachio and Fig Double Caramel Corn Recipe““`

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS*:

* There’s a number of caramel corn recipes out there and strangely most forget to tell you a VERY IMPORTANT THING.  And that is – to make caramel, you have to get the mixture to the temperature at which caramel is made.  And in the case of Caramel Corn we’re looking to make Caramel by bringing the ingredients to a Hard Ball Stage.

Why?  According to Wikipedia’s Caramel Entry, “Caramelization is the removal of water from a sugar, proceeding to isomerization and polymerization of the sugars into various high-weight compounds.”  And, since caramelization for Soft (Milk included) Carmel Candy happens at the ‘Firm Ball Stage‘ (around 250 degrees) and Tooth-Breaking Butterscotch happens at the Soft-Crack Stage (270-290 degrees) we need a caramel that is in between to two.  Hence, Caramel Popcorn succeeds with a Caramel derived at the Hard Ball Stage (in this case somewhere between 255 and 260 degrees).

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Professional Candy Thermometer
• Large Stock Pot  (to pop popcorn and for the caramel.  The caramel will expand 3x its volume when the Baking Soda is added.)
• Wooden Spoon
• 2  Butter Greased Lasagna Glass Pans – or better – a Disposable Turkey Drip Pan!

NOTES:

• Wear Long Sleeves (Caramel may splatter and, well, it’s hot and painful if it hits skin)
• Put an Ice Bath Nearby in the event that Caramel splatters on you and submerge the area quickly.

INGREDIENTS (Around 13-15 Cups of Popcorn)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
• 2/3 cup corn kernels
• 6 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 cups unsalted raw pistachio nuts (or other nuts)
• 1 cup of thinly cut Dried Mission Figs (or other fruit)
• 2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 Tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Butter 2 baking sheets; set aside.
2. Follow this Simpy Recipes Perfect Popcorn Recipe (Multiplied Times 2).  It’s the best and most sure-proof method I’ve found.  Follow the instructions on Simply Recipes through Step 5.  Please do not do their butter/salt additions.
3. Place Popcorn and Pistachio Nuts into a Very Large Bowl or the Turkey Drip Pan if you have one.  Set aside.
   
4. In a medium saucepan (or the same – yet cleaned – stockpot you used to make the popcorn), combine sugar, butter, and corn syrup over medium-high heat; stir to dissolve sugar and melt butter. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it reaches 255 -258 degrees on the candy thermometer.
5. Remove pan from heat; stir in extract, salt, and baking soda.  It will double/triple in volume so watch out!  Working quickly, pour over popcorn and Pistachios; use wooden spoon/spatula (Spray Baking Spray onto the instrument so that the spoon does not stick to the cooling caramel) and mix thoroughly.  When completely coated, divide evenly between prepared baking dishes. Bake, stirring every 20 minutes, for 1 hour and 20 minutes.  Remove popcorn and stir in Dried Figs.  Popcorn will crisp when cooled.
6. Enjoy!
   

Inside this 5’4″ frame lives a Woman by the name of MOM. And as a Mom’s love for her children is unconditional I, similarly, cannot hold back from giving unconstrained praise to the friends in my life. You’re a talent; The Tops; There’s no one like you; You ARE special.

But, when it comes to Brian, I’m conflicted. Do I tell him the obvious? What kind of compliments do I give the man who’s both a U.S. Champion Cheesemaker and has dedicated part of his life to working on an Alpine Dairy Farm tirelessly leading herds into the mountains near the Italian and Swiss borders…!?  Rogue River Blue is just another notch on his belt and he’s spent the last 3 years making some of the finest Ricotta my mouth has ever curved its lips around. Ladies, take a number.

See my problem? How is he to grow if I tell him what everyone else has already said.  So, forget that.  Instead, it was time for him to flourish as an educator.  I took the course, passed with flying colors, and now I can MOM him all day with new and genuine approbations for his benevolent Ricotta-Sharing Nature.  What a guy.

*Recipe Next!*

Happiness.

But Before The Recipe…What are the Homemade Ricotta Cliffnotes?!

• It’s straightforward. When you know what to look for.

• It’s inexpensive to make.  Just White Vinegar; A Quart of Organic Milk; and some good looking BTU’s (energy/flame!).

• It’s highly perishable.  Since it’s A) Fresh B) Low in Fat (66% vs. 73% in Brie) C) High in moisture, homemade Ricotta has a short Refrigeration life. 5-7 Days.

Let’s admit it.  There’s not much tastier than Ricotta and Squash filled Lunes or Ricotta Cheesecake or just Ricotta on Toast lathered with Honey and freshly microplaned Nutmeg.  Seriously, go eat these things immediately.  I love them so.

But I’ve always been blown away by the extravagant cost of this ‘Fresh Cheese‘.  Making it myself was the solution, but the results were varying in reward.  But now, I’ve found the equation to success:  Mr. Buon Formai’s Course in Ricotta Making +  Pulling techniques from various sources = Infinitely Fool Proof Ricotta.  And now for the recipe…

Shhh…The Ricotta is resting!

`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`RICOTTA: A RECIPE`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

Ricotta Baskets + Tins

Time: 30 Minutes

Tools:
*Cheese Cloth (Lining a Pasta Strainer)
*Or Ricotta Basket w/ tin can w/ Drainage holes
* A thermometer (I use a glass Candy Thermometer)
*2QT pot with Lid

Ingredients:
1 Quart Whole Organic Milk (About 1.5 Cups of Ricotta should result)
1.5 Tablespoons of White Vinegar Diluted in 3 T of H20
*Optional: 1/8 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Steps:

1.  Pour Milk into a 2QT pot.

It’s Getting There!

2.  Turn heat onto Medium-Low and let the Milk heat up to 200°F (12-15 Minutes)

* TIP: While the Milk is heating up, plug your sink and transform it into an ice bath.  Once the Vinegar is added to the Milk, you want to try to reduce the temperature as quickly as you can.

* TIP: Also, place the h20 and vinegar into a small bowl.  Combine and set aside.

3.  When the Milk hits 200°F, turn off the temperature and let the milk cool down to 190° (Between 190°-195° is fine)

Whites Bond.  Clear Studs.  Success is imminent.

4.  Add the Vinegar Solution to the Milk and with a wooden spoon, make 2-3 Figure 8 passes to combine

* TIP: If done correctly, you should notice the whites bonding together and a new yellowish-clear liquid studded throughout.  (This means that the Heat was high enough and the Acidiuate solution was distributed evenly throughout the liquid to effectively fuse the Whey Proteins).

5.  Pull the pot off the stove, cover it with the lid and place it in the Ice Bath for 15 Minutes.

6.  After 15 minutes, gently use a slotted spoon (or slowly pour) to retrieve the Curds and place into the Ricotta Basket or Cheesecloth.  Let the Curds drain for 10 minutes before adding the optional salt.  Place in fridge in basket/Cheesecloth with a tin or plate underneath to catch the liquid.  Eat.  Eat. Eat.

* TIP: This will last for 5-7 days in the fridge.  If it’s been 4/5 days, and you’re just not sure if it’s good to eat…smell it.  It’s pretty apparent when it’s gone off!

Guest Doodle!  James and I then submitted it to the Granny Choe Kimchi Art Contest…and WON!

It’s Guest Doodler time!  From constructing graphics and animating Lenka Music Videos, to illustrating the new Encyclopedia of once common things, Obsolete, to designing the Brick Chair that was featured in July’s Australian Vogue – James Gulliver Hancock’s work is whimsical, fresh, and reeking of talent. And not JUST the Kimchi kind of reeking, but the unperceived with the nose kind as well.

So, when I asked James to draw what first came to mind when he heard the word Kimchi, I had no idea that his mind would think of the dish as a mathematical equation with the sum equaling 100 Parts Stinky.  Actually, I was sure that he loved the picked cabbage, but it turns out he was just being a great friend.  So thank you, James.  For being a Pal and letting me know that you will not be eating any of my Kimchi anytime soon.

Speaking of KIMCHI -There’s no better Doodle he could do than for my current culinary love – The Korean Pickled Cabbage. In the past week, I’ve had a trifecta of factual, palpable, and fantastical Kimchi revelations. In reading Wild Fermentation, I’ve been convinced of the consumption of Live-Culture Foods (Like anyone really needs convincing?!); Tony C’s audacity to put Kimchi on the BBQ at Don Dae Gam left me blissfully speechless; and the claim by Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon that Kimchi can cure Swine Flu offered some hours of humorous conversation among friends.

And so, it’s time to share my Kimchi Recipe. This Recipe is adapted from Oghee Choe’s of Granny Choe Kimchi Co., which she provided to us at the Machine Project Krautfest 09′ event. The resulting Kimchi was good, but it was quite salty and spicy; Missing were my friends acid and sugar (which I’ve become accustom to with the addition of Red Bell Pepper). I’ve tinkered with Oghee’s recipe a bit (I hope she doesn’t mind!), and the updated dish is a bit more balanced in its flavor profile.  Best of all it’s incredibly easy to make. Never spend $9 for a small jar…ever again!

Photo courtesy of Deliciouscoma.com

**Flavor-Filled Kimchi**

TOOLS:
Very large bowl (or other container to mix kimchi in)
Cutting board
Knife
Peeler (To Peel the Ginger)
Optional Garlic press
Microplane
Wide-mouth 1/2 Gallon Jar with Screw Top Lid

PREP TIME:
15 Minutes + 8 Hours (Cabbage Must Brine Overnight)
+ 3 days (Kimchi Mixture must sit outside fridge prior to putting it in the fridge)
+ Overnight in Fridge
= Ready To Eat! (Feel free, however, to taste as the Kimchi progresses. It’s fine to open the top every now and again – just know that Kimchi is like Soup – its flavors evolve over time)

Kimchi Mixture: Photo courtesy of Deliciouscoma.com

INGREDIENTS
1 large head of Napa Cabbage (salted per instructions below)
1/2 large Red Bell Pepper (1/4″ thick Julianned/Inside removed and thrown away)
1 small Daikon radish, shredded
8 Cloves of Garlic, peeled + roughly chopped
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled + grated w/ Microplane
1 bunch (5-7) Green Onions, finely chopped (You could also use Puchu – the Korean Chive if you find it!)
½ bunch mustard greens (AKA: gat), finely chopped* ~Found at your local Asian Market~
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp white rice, cooked
1 cup Korean Red Chili Pepper Powder (Kochukaru) ~Found at your local Asian Market~
1 cup filtered H20

Directions For Salting Cabbage (Night Prior to Making Kimchi Mixture):
1. Peel the outer leaves off the head of cabbage and toss away.
2. Peel the remaining leaves off the head of the cabbage for use.
3. Dissolve ½ cup salt into 1 gallon of water in a very large bowl.
4. Place the cabbage leaves in the salt water, submerging as much as possible.
5. After an hour or two, flip the pile of leaves so that the bottom ones are on top. Let sit overnight.
6. In the morning, rinse and drain the cabbage.

Adding H20 Prior to mixing ingredients together: Photo courtesy of Deliciouscoma.com

Directions For Making Kimchi Mixture:
1. Set Cabbage aside in a large bowl.
2. **NOTE** please wear restaurant handling gloves** Add the following to the bowl and mix to combine: Julianned Daikon; Chopped Red Bell Pepper; Peel and finely chop Garlic (or use garlic press); Peel and microplane the ginger; thinly sliced Green Onion; thinly chopped Mustard Greens; sugar; salt; sugar; rice; and Korean Red Chili Pepper Powder.
3. Add the cup of Filtered H20. Mix To Combine.
4. Stuff Kimchi Mixture into the 1/2 Gallon Glass Jar to the brim. Screw top to shut.
5. Put Jar in a dark cool place (A cabinet perhaps) for 3 days and forget about it.
6. After 3 days, put the jar into the fridge overnight.
7. The Kimchi will be ready to eat when you rise and shine!

NOTES:
*Kimchi ripens as it’s stored in a refrigerator. As time goes on, lactic acid accumulates and it becomes more sour.  Kimchi is constantly evolving so as you continue to eat your creation you will begin to determine when the Kimchi tastes the best to you.
*Kimchi will remain crisp for a couple of weeks. If you want it to remain Crisp for a longer amount of time, go buy yourself a $2k Kimchi Refrigerator….!  For now, I’ll stick to my Jar.

I’m not an expert, but I’ve heard the stories.  Stories about Weddings – There’s all this preparation for that one, big, gratifying Lovefest and then in a flash it’s over.  Nostalgia and reminiscing follow (Oh, Hunny, let’s look at the Photo Album again) and then the question is…”Well, What’s Next?!”  Time for Baby?!

Instead of “Wedding,” just insert “Friends Cook At Canele,” and it’s my sentiments exactly.  For weeks, I’d been honing recipes;  Planning produce pickups from Farmers and Friends;  Photo Shopping a Canele-esque looking Menu (Invite); Sending out “Invitations” and promoting the idea/essence of the night to LA Weekly/Eating LA/Eater [Also a big THANK YOU to Tony C. is in order for posting the menu on his site, Yelp and getting it into Grubstreet]; Still Kitchen-less; and have a job I’d like to keep.  All for just one (1) day back in the Kitchen.  It’s Crazy, Really.  And it suited me perfectly.

It all started in July when my friend Anjali sent me an article about the Friends Cook Night featuring Amy Seidenwurm from Backwards Beekeepers.  The subject of her email said, “I read this and thought of you.”  I contemplated – then realized that she was right.  All this jibber-jabber about working in a kitchen and missing it.  All those nights of Jon or PT coming home and finding me (again) in the kitchen.  It was no substitution…It was finally time to put my food in your mouths.  Right where it (hopefully) belongs.

Then I panicked.  I couldn’t find a way to email Corina Weibel (Canele owner).  Canele’s website does not have an email address.  So, I turned to the next, best, only semi-creepy thing.  I turned to Facebook.  The letter would have scared any sane person away.  Because the letter…well, it was more of a Novel.  I described the inspiration for a Super Locally Sourced Dinner – and delved into how in moving to Los Angeles a year ago, I’d become fascinated by the 92 Farmers Markets that occur in the LA area each week.  When I lived in New York, the Farmer’s Markets became such sad events around November.  Meat; Cabbage; Potatoes; Onions; Butternut Squash.  I might as well have been in Mother Russia.  Having such beautiful produce at our fingertips year round (and the extensive number of markets) is a privilege.  And I wanted to celebrate it!

Lili Bih’s Mushroom 3-Pack!

Additionally, in visiting the markets and talking with the vendors, I’ve become captivated with a number of Farmers that have made it their life’s work to grow beautiful organic produce.  Every week Lili Bih Shan is at the Long Beach and Cerritos Farmer’s Markets selling 3-types of Mushrooms she cultivates in Riverside.  The price she charges is so reasonable I wonder how she makes a living.  Finely Farms comes to the Culver and Hollywood Farmers Markets and their produce never fails to amaze me.  It’s a young Husband and Wife operation and they grow over 50 varieties of produce – all 100% organic.  These are the unsung heroes of any meal.  And therefore, I wanted this dinner to honor local ingredients and the farmers/urban farmers that have dedicated themselves to their crafts.

Corina reveled in the Menu’s premise – and when we finally met in person I learned that the majority (if not all) of Canele’s produce comes from the 3 Farmer’s Markets that Canele visits a week.  Who knew!?  Fortunately, she loved the dishes proposed (I knew I was in the nook when I got the slight 2-inch chin nod when I confirmed I’d be making all the 2oz portions of Poppyseed Pappardelle) and an additional “This Will Be A Challenge” leer when she agreed to Made To Order Desserts (It would be a first at Canele).  Our discussions quickly swirled around preparation and plating. We swiftly discovered that our cooking styles and aesthetics were spot on.  It was a pretty exciting revelation let me tell you.

Food For Eggs!

Jump ahead to the weekend prior to the Friends Cook Night.  There was a bit of produce pick-up (October 10^th:  Picked up Mushrooms from Lili Bih Shan/Preserved Meyer Lemons from the Griswalds/Eggs from Silverlake’s John Whitton and Erin Burrell) and by October 12^th the Pumpkin Seed Brittle was crafted, then crushed, and Pasta Making Commenced in my PJs.  I wasn’t trying to win style points.

Poppy Seed Pappardelle

October 13^th, I took a 1am – 3am nap break.  Then, back to pasta rolling until I packed my knives, pasta, produce, eggs, and body into my car, with Canele as the final destination. 2pm: Doors open – Straight to work.  That Ragu; It needed to get into the oven immediately.  With the smell of 10+ lbs of Lamb Shoulder browning on the stove, I turned my attention to the Chocolate Cakes and quickly realized that the only piping bag I brought (to pipe the mix into the Ramekins) had an open tip.  Time was lost carefully adding the mixture into the ramekins.

Finely Farms Cavolo Nero Salad with Windsor Farms Fingerling Potatoes and Griswald’s Preserved Meyer Lemons

Back to the kitchen, the Ragu made its way to the oven, but the salad components needed to be prepped (Roast Potatoes /thinly cut Kale/Radish Sliced and sitting in h20/Meyer Lemons ready).  Like an album’s first song, which is most likely one of the best on the album, I felt that the salad had to have a similar effect:  “Hello.  You Taste That?  It’s good, right?!  Get ready for a Culinary Ride, Buddy.”

At the same time, making a Kale-centric introductory dish was daring for sure.  For one, there is something called “Bitter Blindness” – Genetically, there are people called “Tasters” and these “Tasters” are predisposed to HATE Kale.  Then there’s others who just don’t like it.  I’ve always fallen for the things others don’t tend to enjoy (Perhaps that explains my fascination with Curling…) and so Kale Salad you ate.

Yours Truly.

With (most) of the salad prepped and the cakes ready (But not tested) It was a mad-dash to the 5:30pm.  3 Parties of 2 immediately entered and ordered Friends Meals.  These amazing Friends turned into the Guinea Pigs for the night…and they are surprisingly still talking to me.  Ellen.  Adam.  Will.  Louise.  John.  Kelly.  Thank you for eating Salads with perhaps a tinge too much Preserved Meyer Lemon; Ragu that had just finished braising; and withstanding the wait for dessert as we figured out the best way to approach firing and baking the Chocolate Cakes.

Handmade Poppy Seed Pappardelle with a Neiman Ranch Lamb Ragu made with Ballast Point Porter

The rest of the night…wow.  It.  Was.  Incredible.  Before I knew it, the kitchen was in fluid motion at full steam ahead.  The dining room was absolutely packed.  It seemed like everyone was having a good time…and enjoying their food, no?  A line formed out the door, and then I got wind of an hour-long wait.  At some point (thanks to a great, nameless group of friends) a Chant of “Jessica” erupted and I even saw Jane of Canele screaming.  David, the chef next to me, said, “Hey, what about me?!”  And he was right…I couldn’t have done it without him.  I couldn’t have done it without all of them…Megan, Greg, David and I were a band, orchestrating the food for the evening – with a tasty creshendo of Pappardelle Ragu and Warm Cakes sounding the dinner tables.  They’re bad-asses and it was a great team effort by all.  And just think, they do this almost every night.  So, thank you.  Those chants were for all of us.

Burrell and Whitton Eggs used in the Valhrona 66% Dark Torino with Vanilla Bean Thyme Ice Cream and Pumpkin Seed Brittle

At 11pm I finally sat wearily next to some of my good friends.  Almost 100 meals, 63 Friends Pre-Fix Orders.  That makes it one of (if not) the busiest nights after the honorable Nancy Silverton.  Pretty satisfying.  And then I took my first bit of the evening.  The Kale Salad – it was really good.  “Take my Tastebuds for a ride,” I said out loud.  No one seemed to mind…

And Finally…Lessons Learned:
1. TIME. TIME. TIME.
If you think the dish will take 3 hours to finish – give yourself 4…or 5. It’s easy to forgot all the intricacies that go into making a dish. In the case of the Ragu (Will post recipe), the meat had to brown, the veggies had to soften, the liquids had to be added/reduce, the whole dish had to braise for 2.5 hours, once removed the meat had to be fork shredded, then the entire dish had to go back on the stove to reduce further. All PRIOR to serving. By the end of the night, the consistency of the ragu was right where it was supposed to be.

2. Ovens Have Their Own Personalities
The Dark Chocolate Torino is a recipe handed down from Carla Tomasko, the amazingly talented chef at Bacchanalia. When we made this cake at the restaurant, it took 5 minutes to cook in a convection oven at 366degrees. However, The Ovens at Canele read like the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears – one oven was way too hot, the other was too cold – and finally we got one to be Juuust right. But, we had to tack on an additional 5 minutes to the cooking time.

3. Work With What You Have
When you forget your tools (my offset or close tipped pipping bags) get creative. Use a Butter knife. Make your own piping bag out of Parchment Paper.  ‘Make It Work.’

4. Taste Test As Much As You Can
It can be challenging, but it really helps to taste test a bit of the food prior to sending it out.  That way you know if it needs more salt – or if you need to work to bring the salt down (more difficult). 

5. Use the palm of your hand when using a Mandoline
You save your precious fingers that way!

6.  Design A Meal That Speaks To Who You Are
Was I nervous?  Of course!  But when you create a meal (or anything for that matter) that speaks to who you are as an individual and as a Chef, it seems much easier to work the line and produce good food.  And I believe I accomplished that.  I am a walking, breathing Poppy Seed Pappardelle.  And I couldn’t be happier.

Looking forward to sharing a lovely night with y’all!

Eat Sip Chew has been a little quiet as of late.  I’ve ping-ponged around 7 states in a little over 7 days.  It’s been a whirlwind of City and Country; Eating Dishes directly off the farm and conversely consuming some finely prepped meals ‘city’ (there can only be one).   Sleep is a rare luxury; An Empty Stomach – a sin.

‘Regular Programming’  will return next week.  Did you hear that, Kanye?!