tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237834262024-03-14T04:54:30.981-04:00A Lusty Bit of NourishmentLife is too short to eat undelicious food.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger310125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-79464804182222635452013-01-06T12:57:00.003-05:002013-01-06T13:14:03.889-05:00Winnah, Winnah... Clams for DinnahIt's a shame that clams are so expensive, because I really enjoy them. So they are definitely a once-in-a-while pleasure.
This recipe for sake-steamed clams with udon noodles, which we made last night, is fantastic.
We used fewer clams since it was only being made for two. I minced the ginger instead of slicing it and removing it before eating. To me, that just seems silly. But I really Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-42284240038682607342013-01-03T20:46:00.000-05:002013-01-03T20:46:00.456-05:00Bringing Lusty Back... With a Riff on an OldieNot sure if this is a new beginning for this poorly read blog, but seemed easier than posting a recipe to Facebook, about which I still have mixed feelings.
This is a riff on the carrot and leek soup I've been making for a few years now. This version, while a bit more complicated, is far more filling and interesting, and can just be enjoyable to look at before you begin eating.
The Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-73605315084570776172011-05-16T21:53:00.000-04:002011-05-16T21:53:00.991-04:00A Good DinnerHad a single NY strip steak -- grass-fed, from Ron Gargasz farm, via McGinnis Sisters -- and some Point Reyes bleu cheese. So chose to make a steak salad.
It was, I can say with confidence, a good decision -- even if the picture from my Droid doesn't quite live up to that description.
Nothing too fancy about this. Arugula was the green. Thinly sliced some red onion, lightly carmelized. Sauteed Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-75943232591505994322011-05-06T21:09:00.001-04:002011-05-06T21:09:00.219-04:00Who Knew Perez Hilton Could Make SenseI know very little about Perez Hilton. From what I have seen, he seemed a little... off, somebody who desperately wanted to be famous. And he succeeded in garnering some fame. And now, it seems, he's putting it to good use.
A warning, though, some graphic images in this video. It ain't pretty. But then again, that's the point.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-52388849560252037052011-05-03T23:50:00.001-04:002011-05-03T23:50:00.186-04:00Scrapin' Up the Bits... Quicky StyleBusy days, and busy nights, I suppose. Little time for superfluous things, like blogging, but some really interesting items for your consumption:
First, help the fine folks at Legume get a beautiful kitchen. Kick them $5 or $10, eh?
Next, uh, that "fresh tilapia" you just ordered? Yeah, good chance it was previously frozen and came from China (where who knows what they fed the thing). A must Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-61303322194006171252011-04-13T22:14:00.004-04:002011-04-16T09:18:36.099-04:00Dear Wendy's...What are "naturally cut" fries? Are they sliced with organic knives or something?
UPDATE: Well, thanks to Melanie Warner's indispensable "Food Fight" blog, we know now that "natural cut" pretty much means the skins are on. But not too much else is "natural" about these fries.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-5181293198023809122011-04-08T18:52:00.002-04:002011-04-08T18:52:00.082-04:00Doing It Right in the SlaughterhouseI have noticed that a number of local farms from which I get meat use the same processor, Cunningham Meats in Indiana, Pa. One could only hope that Cunningham is anything like Larry's Custom Meats in New York.
This is just an excellent video. More than worth 10 minutes of your time.
CADE (Part 2): The Good Slaughter: A Proud Meat Cutter Shares His Processing Floor from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-28015832551914037062011-04-01T22:55:00.001-04:002011-04-01T22:55:00.128-04:00PrioritiesBack to the political. Mark Bittman talks, very eloquently IMO, about priorities and budget cuts.
I might also add that those who are the most vocal about the need to cut spending and singling out food stamp programs and the like as the means of doing it (while voting against closing tax loopholes for corporations) also allege to be "pro-life."
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-18963042590596715582011-03-30T21:55:00.004-04:002011-03-31T09:44:47.244-04:00Braised Meats and Tater TotsTwo items that revolve around actual cooking -- for a change -- caught my eye.
First, an article in the New York Times by John Willoughby about braising meats and whether searing said meats prior to adding liquid and other bit and pieces to the braising pot is a must for producing "rich flavor."
This searing step, particularly if you're braising a lot of meat, can be time consuming and messy, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-31590767251964309082011-03-29T22:10:00.000-04:002011-03-29T22:10:00.205-04:00In follow up...... to my previous post.
The Daily ShowTags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on FacebookUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-67963072548679601892011-03-25T20:57:00.000-04:002014-07-16T10:28:56.229-04:00Scrapin' Up the Bits... Lots to discuss, read, ingest (intellectually, that is).
No photos, please... or we'll send you to jail. Seriously.
Angered by repeated releases of secretly filmed videos claiming to show the mistreatment of farm animals, Iowa’s agriculture industry is pushing legislation that would make it illegal for animal rights activists to produce and distribute such images.
Agriculture committees Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-55879269286550970482011-03-14T22:16:00.000-04:002011-03-14T22:16:00.205-04:00Best. Cocktail. Evah!Finally made it to Toast Kitchen & Wine Bar this weekend. An enjoyable meal.
The shrimp & grits lived up its billing. My wife's rib eye (really just 3 slices of one) was quite fantastic. Maybe a five-spice based rub? My tempura wild-striped bass was good. Kind of an odd dish, paired with creamed greens, a dilled orzo, and some (delectable) horseradish infused tomato thing I'd liken to a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-43020734028321387152011-03-12T10:59:00.000-05:002011-03-12T10:59:48.532-05:00Bring It On, Fatheads!My phone camera doesn't do it justice.
Roasted pork tenderloin, mozzarella, arugula, roasted red pepper mayo, on ciabatta. Seriously good sandwich and one of the best use of leftovers I've ever come up with.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-6578350783754413652011-03-11T21:05:00.005-05:002011-03-12T11:01:14.258-05:00Drugs in the Farm Animals, Collapsing Bees, and a Sad ArrestShort and sweet, but very important items to highlight here.
First, a writer who is doing amazing work at the moment is Maryn McKenna, whose book Superbug I hope to read fairly soon. McKenna has a great post on Wired about the link between antibiotic use in farm animals meant for human consumption and antibiotic resistance in humans. It's about a study showing that....
Chickens, chicken meat Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-1356099886267832082011-03-09T21:50:00.004-05:002011-03-10T09:07:04.466-05:00Costco Hearts Fish, the OceansWell, that might be overstepping things a bit, but good to see Costco taking positive steps on what is really an extremely important issue, one that most people know little about: the depleting ocean stocks of a growing number of fish.
Under pressure from environmentalists, the retail giant Costco has said it would immediately halt the sale of a dozen fish species widely considered to be Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-30390649343214534272011-03-09T21:10:00.005-05:002011-03-10T08:54:47.668-05:00A Return, With Eggs... and More!Yes, another mini-siesta from food blogging comes to an end. Life, it's busy, you know. And I'm actually trying to finish an actual fiction book, which is no small feat these days!
In any case, to the (partial) subject of the post: Eggs. In particular, eggs for dinner, which is a weekly occurrence in our house. While occasionally it's an omelet, or in the spring and summer often a frittataUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-63007830247651370932011-02-24T23:39:00.000-05:002011-02-24T23:39:29.302-05:00Dear Miller Marketing StaffHi, there...
Just a quick comment on your ever-present "man up" series of commercials. I've seen some really stupid beer gimmicks in my day. The "sour beer face," the bottle that changes color when it's at its optimal temperature (whatever the f@#$ that is!), the vortex bottle (oh, wait, isn't that yours too?).
But this "man up" thing is just, well, really really really ... moronic. In no way, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-39360247552014537442011-02-05T07:55:00.000-05:002011-02-05T07:55:33.595-05:00Pork & Ricotta MeatballsLove this recipe for pork & ricotta meatballs. Made it last night -- using 2 lbs of ground pork from Heilman's Hogwash Farm, the best pork around -- for dinner tonight. The recipe is fairly straightforward and I generally follow it.
A few recommendations, though, to make the process easier.
First, if you have a convection oven, I'd recommend using the convection setting for these. On our Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-16925275986170798142011-02-04T17:15:00.000-05:002011-02-04T17:15:00.933-05:00Some Video to End the WeekWQED gives a little love (heck, practically a commercial!) to Salt of the Earth on a recent episode of "Pittsburgh 360." The segment starts around the 17:15 mark. That Chris Fenimore dude must be a regular at Salt, as it appears regulars prefer to call it, because the one time I was there, so was he.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-62327033101098227842011-02-03T18:12:00.000-05:002011-02-03T18:12:00.655-05:00Scrapin' Up the Bits... Too.Much.Information StyleI have so many food-related things to blog about that I don't even know where to begin. Guess that's what happens when you don't post for a while. It's the kind of situation that's just begging for a digest.
Off we go:
For those who are into food policy and other food industry type stuff, the Food Fight blog on bnet.com is a must read. Just discovered it a few weeks ago and have really been Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-49432380223061808962011-01-10T18:57:00.000-05:002011-01-10T18:57:12.813-05:00Giggle, GiggleThat's what these minions make me do (h/t Jhon)...
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-11018685196765638272011-01-04T17:38:00.001-05:002011-01-04T17:38:00.387-05:00Colors!Just thought this was too darned perty not to snap a photo! Gotta love those purple potatoes. These particular ingredients are destined for a frittata with some prosciutto.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-59626217411639108942010-12-22T22:15:00.000-05:002010-12-22T22:15:00.458-05:00Scrapin' Up the Bits... Important and Not SoThis may be my last post of the year. I know all tens of my readers will be terribly disappointed. And it's a digest, but an excellent one, I assure you. It's broken down into two categories. The first is...
Things that really matter
The first being, the food safety bill, which, somehow -- despite the fact that it does not involve giving very rich people more ways to pay less taxes and over the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-63131900066524022982010-12-17T21:53:00.001-05:002010-12-17T21:53:00.071-05:00Hunters Are AwesomeThis is just really, really cool.
Deer hunters in Pennsylvania are expected to donate about 100,000 pounds of venison to help meet the surging demand from the state's food banks.
Hunters will shoot about 300,000 deer during the two-week hunting season that began on November 29. Some of their haul will be given to Hunters Sharing the Harvest, a program run by the state's agriculture Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23783426.post-32590874614930294542010-12-15T22:03:00.000-05:002010-12-15T22:03:00.255-05:00Hunger in America? Bah-HumbugReturning once again to politics and policy. This time: hunger in America. It's a serious concern and a growing problem, including in our own area:
Almost 100,000 more Pennsylvania households were receiving supplemental nutrition assistance, or food stamps, this October than last October, from 698,678 to 795,554, said Michael Race, spokesman for the state Department of Public Welfare.
In Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1