Reading, Writing (and Eating)

I have a lot to do before I head to Clarion West this summer. Aside from all the normal things one does to prepare to leave town for an extended period (catch up on work deadlines, buy plane tickets, finish home improvement projects, spend lots of time with wife and cats), I have been doing a lot of reading and writing as well. 

I love a good story, and have always loved reading, but sometimes it feels like a luxury instead of something "I should be doing." As an aspiring writer, it's ridiculous to consider reading as some frivolous luxury, of course, but sometimes that old Protestant guilt kicks in. Stoopid guilt. 

One convenient consequence of Clarion West coming up is that it gives my brain plenty of ammo to use against Mr. Guilt. "Hey, I'm doing homework, bugger off!" It's working so far, and I'm knee-deep in a best of Locus Awards collection, a book of Michael Bishop's short stories, and Ian McDonald's Desolation Road. I am enjoying them immensely, and have another pile of books to dive into with wild abandon just as soon as I'm done! 

And I've been writing, too. I was well underway on a short story before I got the call about the workshop, but I hit a bit of a narrative snag. Too many characters, I think, and I'm trying to cull out a few to see if the story sags without them. In the meantime, while in the midst of painting a room we're renovating, another story hit me out of the blue, and three hours later, I had a solid draft I felt great about. A week of edits on the new one and I'm still excited. It's very different from the things I've written so far. 

I usually don't indulge those bolts out of the blue -- after all, it's important to finish what you start. I'll just make notes and leap on the new ideas when I'm done with the old ones. But sometimes a story takes you and throws you across the room and you can't ignore that. My winning entry for Clarion West was a bolt-out-of-the-blue story, and you see where that got me!

On the eating front, my wife continues her 52 Cuisines series for her blog, so that means every week we sample some of the great international cuisines that a big city like L.A. has to offer. It's rich material for the mind (and stomach) and fuels my intense desire to learn everything about everything... a good trait for a writer, I think. 

5 Things I Ate in 2009

2009 is coming to a close, so it's naturally time for a little reflection. I thought I'd start by noting some of the most memorable things I ate. No, nothing too exotic like bugs and corn fungus (that was sooo 2008), but still some tasty morsels nonetheless. Another caveat: There were of course many wonderful things to eat in 2009, and this list only scratches the surface.

So, in no particular order....

Foie Gras Loco Moco (Animal Restaurant, Los Angeles, CA)
The classic Hawaiian favorite spiffed up with a quail egg, kobe beef hamburger, and a generous slice of foie gras (oh yeah, and Spam!) Sounds weird, but so very tasty. Everyone looked at me funny when I ordered, but those looks turned jealous when it arrived! Herself blogged a much more detailed account of our meal if you're interested in reading more about it, here. (She's the primary food blogger in the household, after all!)

Pork Belly (Palate Restaurant, Glendale, CA)
I wish I could remember the exact name of the roast pork belly dish we ate at Palate, but my memory of it remains clear: crispy on the outside yet buttery and tender inside. We were there for a special cheese-themed menu, but when one of our dining companions spied the next table enjoying this, he just had to order it. And to think, we were about to start in on the dessert course as it arrived! No worries, I prefer salt to sweet anyway.

Salcisson Alsacienne "Hot dog" (Hot Doug's in Chicago)
Mmmm. Bacon sausage with triple creme brie, creme fraiche, and grilled onions. Oh, and duck fat fries.
It was an artery-hardening experience for the ages, and so very tasty. Hot Doug's was too crowded to eat it there, so we had to carry the dogs back to our friend's apartment before we devoured them. Those fries were still crispy, though!



The dog in the foreground is the "Keira Knightley"-- a spicy polish-style dog. It was good, but didn't measure up to the gooey goodness of the Salcisson Alsacienne.

Bacon Fudge (Herself, our kitchen)

Herself loves developing recipes, and this was one of my favorites this year: a chocolate fudge with walnuts & bacon, plus a little sea salt sprinkled on top. It's seriously good stuff if you can handle the sweet/savory combo. It's not for everyone, but that just means more for me! It's very rich though, so usually one piece is more than enough.

Uzbeki Meal (Charlie Perry cooks in our kitchen)

Charlie Perry, food historian, writer, and regular contributor to the LA Times food section offered to come and cook an Uzbeki meal at our house as part of Herself's "52 Cuisines" series. There was Qowurma Palow (a beef pilaf), Ui Noni (flat bread), Oshqowoq manti (pumpkin dumplings), and the remarkable Anor Wa Piyaz Salatosi, a salad of onion and pomegranate. All of the food was excellent, but the onion salad really stands out not only for its striking appearance but also my surprise at just how tasty raw onions could be!


Sense a pattern? 4 out of 5 of these dishes contain pig (I'm counting the Spam in the Loco Moco regardless of how much pig it may or may not contain).  I'm a sucker for the oink. I've had incredible beef, wonderful duck (a whole blog in and of itself), but pork is my go-to buddy when I'm in a carnivorous mode.

So i guess 2009 was the Year of the Pig.

(as will 2010 be, no doubt!)

Honorable Mentions (ie, I remembered them too late for this list)
nduja: a spreadable Calabrian Salami, Epoisses from Epicure Imports, and Jasper Hill Farms Winnemere cheese. 


I'd better stop before this list becomes 5-0 things i ate... 

Martini Shot

A nice way to wrap up the weekend.

The Filmograph

I've developed quite a passion for a good cocktail these days, thanks largely to our friends Chuck and Wes, who not only are regulars on the LA cocktail scene, but also print their own menus for drinks at their house.

I'm always on the lookout for a new ambrosial nectar to sip, and I've found my favorite of the moment: The Filmograph.

I spied this in Ted Haigh's Vintage Cocktails over Christmastime, when we were back in Memphis with the family. Dad, in particular, was intrigued by the combination of ingredients, and as I'd offered* to play bartender for the duration of our visit, I was obligated** to mix him one.

*(by offered, I mean insisted on...)
** (by obligated, I mean insisted on...)

Here's Haigh's recipe for the Filmograph, a cocktail that as he says, evokes the "silent film stars":

The Filmograph
2oz. Brandy
3/4oz. lemon syrup* (i.e. sirop de citron)
1/2oz. kola tonic

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
*Ted suggests using fresh lemon juice, as the syrup can be cloyingly sweet

There was one small problem. Memphis is a veritable wasteland as far as exotic ingredients go. And Kola Tonic is seemingly as exotic as they get. Rose's is the only outfit left that makes it (as far as I can tell), and pretty much the only people who regularly drink it are the South Africans, apparently. Faced with flavorless mixes and daunting Blue laws, I was nonetheless determined to make that cocktail.

Here's my Christmas recipe for the Filmograph. Since Haigh invoked the silent film era, I think I'll call it:

Burnt Nitrate
2oz. Brandy (preferably a bottle opened 15 years ago)
3/4oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed with plenty of pulp
1/2oz. reduced cane sugar cola.

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Scoop out floaties. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Wait. Don't put anymore lemon in it. Trust me. Put the lemon down...

Yeah, it was as bad as it sounds. Using pure lemon juice instead of the sirop de citron was a good start, but ultimately an assault on my tonsils (sorry, Ted. Sorry, Dad). The brandy was of questionable lineage and age, and my attempt to reduce the cola and make my own "tonic" just left the drink tasting like a flat co-cola with a whole lemon floating in it. Ugh. A disaster.

Well, on a recent trip to a grocery in "Little India" down in Artesia, I found a whole shelf of international syrups and cordials and much to my joy, they carried Rose's Kola Tonic. Finally!



I was tempted to buy every bottle they had, but that would have been overkill (you know, sometimes it's just the thrill of the hunt). I took two home, one for me, and one to give to my friends, just in case they had not acquired a bottle for themselves.

On its own, Kola Tonic does indeed taste a little like a flat cola, though with a nice herbal depth that the sody-pop giants definitely lack. I could see mixing this with a little soda water, lemon, and ice and having yourself a fine drink. But this is about the Filmograph cocktail, so on with the show.

The Filmograph (House Mix)
2oz. brandy (we used E&J)
1/4oz. lemon juice, fresh
1/2oz. simple syrup
1/2oz. kola tonic

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Somewhere between the gloopy sweetness of sirop de citron and pure lemon juice, Herself found that a little simple syrup added to a small quantity of fresh lemon juice worked perfectly (for our tastes, at least.) The resulting drink is light, crisp, and not too sweet. I've had one every night this last week -- it's a great transition drink from our winter Widow's Kisses to our summer Gin Gimlets. I guess that would make it a great drink for spring -- but we'll likely enjoy them all year long!



Herself served this one up in a short glass since we don't have any coupes and our martini glasses were all dirty. We didn't slosh nearly so much, but we did get a little sloshed after a couple of them...)

A TALE OF TWO SOUPS: Part One (Tortilla Soup)

When I'm feeling puny, soup is one of my go-to comfort foods, and as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't get much more comforting than tortilla soup. It is the perfect lip-smacking blend of salt and spice, broth and crunch as you're likely to find this side of consciousness. Okay, maybe I overstate its restorative properties, but this is my blog, so I'm entitled.

A few weeks ago, I was feeling a bit off, with not much of an appetite in the bargain. As soon as the ick started to wear off, my stomach impatiently reminded me it needed filling, and I began to cast about for something to satisfy its reawakened cravings. It just so happened that the commissary at work offered up their version of tortilla soup at lunch that week. It's good stuff, if a little salty, and I immediately decided I needed to try and make some myself.

Fortunately that week, I also discovered the wonderful mattbites, and while trolling his archives, found his recipe for tortilla soup. That sealed the deal. There was going to be tortilla soup in my weekend plans!

(Roasting Veggies is fun!)

I informed Herself that I would be cooking dinner Saturday night, and was going to finally treat her for once! (Okay, in case you're thinking that sounds a little sexist, Herself makes dinner often because she's an accomplished cook and a trained chef. While I've gladly served as her sous-chef on many occasions, I've been, well, a little intimidated to cook for her! I didn't want to let her down. Silly Gorilla.)

(Frying the tortillas. They were the white corn kind.)

Well, I can honestly say it turned out... well, okay. No fault of the recipe, it was all me. I forgot to strain the puree, which gave it the wrong mouth feel, I think. I decided to add chicken breast as well, but I didn't really have enough, so it tasted like eating an afterthought. You know...kind of bland and empty and never as satisfying as the real thing. I think I could have used a little less salt, too. It's so difficult to get a good taste while it's still simmering, and very easy to over-salt.

Now that being said -- I had a blast making it! Herself cleared out and left me to my own devices, and despite a few mishaps, I timed everything right. I juggled all the steps perfectly and plated it all at once. It's just soup. Big whoop, I know.

But a big step for me!

(Soups on! I also made some guacamole & opened a bottle of Pinot Grigio. You can see we'd already started on the guac!)

We ate on it for a few days, and added some more leftovers each day. A little rice, a little more chicken. Some extra cayenne. All that post-cooking alchemy gave me a few ideas, and a week or so later, I decided to try again.

Coming Soon -- Part Two: More Soup! (or: Enter the Mhutney)

Cheese FAIL!

I've become quite a cheese addict -- and have devoted a large part of the last year or so learning everything I can about my favorite food. Admittedly, I have a lot yet to learn.

Last night, we had dinner with some friends. They were kind enough to prepare a meal for us (Herself has been way too busy prepping for an Oscar party to cook this time). We offered to bring some wine, and I of course, sprang at the opportunity to bring along some cheese as well. We packed some walnuts and dried apricots, and I was looking forward to our cheese course post-dinner.

The cheese in question was a Camembert, of a pedigree I can't precisely recall, but purchased in a fit of cheese-buying the last time our favorite French food importers opened their doors to the public. We ate our way through a couple of buttons of unctuous Epoisses, eventually devoured a mellow wheel of Brillat-Savarin, and scarfed down at least two small discs of Langres. The 'routine'-seeming Camembert remained in our wine fridge, untouched and ripening.

But last night, as I reached for the knife to serve our hosts the first wedge, I noticed something was wrong. That wonderful white bloom common to soft-ripened cheeses was dulled with striations of red and gold. The surface of the cheese cracked as the knife pierced it. and the paste was dark and runny. Not immediate disaster but...

...the faint ammonia whiff of cheese-past-its-prime wafted up from the serving board. Oh no.

I am not afraid of stinky cheese. I am not afraid of cheese that has aged to the color of old parchment and is more goo than solid. I am not unused to the mild ammonia odors that a really fragrant cheese like Banon or an aged Blue can contain. But alas, we'd let this Camembert ripen far too long.

I was mortified, as we'd been telling our hosts how much we loved cheese, and had they had, in turn, regaled us with their wonderful cheese experiences on a recent trip to Argentina. But here I was about to serve them something I wasn't sure was fit to eat. I gamely cut everyone a wedge, and sprinkled some of the walnuts and apricots alongside. The paste was truly lovely to look at, and on my first bite, my fears that it had become inedible were eased. But the second bite, not so much.

Our hosts were very gracious and we moved on with our evening, the cheese barely a speed bump. While I was embarrassed that I hadn't checked the Camembert before serving it to friends, I was also fascinated by the natural processes that had claimed our cheese. First hand, I'd witnessed how a soft-ripened cheese ages, and now have a better idea of what to expect next time.

If the label says "best by mid-January", it does not mean "still okay by mid-February." The education continues...