Maybe this is why Americans are so fat. This is a promo at a Ponderosa in Arkansas. WOW!
June 5, 2008
A Reason for Obesity
Maybe this is why Americans are so fat. This is a promo at a Ponderosa in Arkansas. WOW!
May 31, 2008
Best Ribs: Charles Vergos' Rendezvous in Memphis
As a former vegetarian, I've never had ribs before. One of the reasons I stopped being a vegetarian was specifically for situations like going to Memphis. Sure I can get my fill of collard greens (though they have ham hock in the stock so I wouldn't have eaten them before), black eyed peas, and mac n' cheese, but those are just side dishes to the locals. Meat is king.
Before heading to Memphis, I did all kinds of research on where to get the best ribs. Memphis and ribs is like salad and Berkeley. A few places kept popping up: Central, Payne's, Interstate, Cozy Corner, Gus', and Rendezvous. Once in Memphis I asked a local shop owner near the Lorraine Motel where to get the best ribs. He confirmed Rendezvous whose website says, "Not since Adam has a rib been this famous."
You enter the restaurant from a semi-dark alley in downtown Memphis. The waitstaff has been working there for decades and they don't have time to socialize and butter you up for dinner. You order what you want and it comes to your table in less than ten minutes. You eat it and you like it. The ribs are dry rubbed with their special seasonings, served with a mustard coleslaw which I now prefer to its mayo counterpart.
Before heading to Memphis, I did all kinds of research on where to get the best ribs. Memphis and ribs is like salad and Berkeley. A few places kept popping up: Central, Payne's, Interstate, Cozy Corner, Gus', and Rendezvous. Once in Memphis I asked a local shop owner near the Lorraine Motel where to get the best ribs. He confirmed Rendezvous whose website says, "Not since Adam has a rib been this famous."
You enter the restaurant from a semi-dark alley in downtown Memphis. The waitstaff has been working there for decades and they don't have time to socialize and butter you up for dinner. You order what you want and it comes to your table in less than ten minutes. You eat it and you like it. The ribs are dry rubbed with their special seasonings, served with a mustard coleslaw which I now prefer to its mayo counterpart.
February 12, 2008
Experiment #2: Bohemian Sauerkraut
There are stories in my family of the large bucket of sauerkraut that was a permanent fixture in the basement of my grandparent's house. Being of Czech/Bohemian decent and with a surplus of cabbage from the CSA, I tried to call on the ghosts of the Krasny Family to experiment with the fermenting process.
The first attempt was using Alice Waters' recipe from the Art of Simple Food which called for added caraway seeds. I do not recommend. To me it sweetened the flavor and did not get as sour as I prefer it to be. However, the aforementioned cookbook is well worth the money.
The process is easy: slice the cabbage into very thin strips and put into a mixer with the correct proportion of salt (roughly 1.5 tsp per pound). Mix on low until a lot of water has been released from the cabbage. Place in a glass mason jar, at a weight to the top to keep the cabbage from rising above the water line. You can let it rest at a cool room temperature uncovered for a week, then put into the refrigerator.
THE CARAWAY SEED OPTION
THE STANDARD BOHEMIAN STYLE OPTION
The first attempt was using Alice Waters' recipe from the Art of Simple Food which called for added caraway seeds. I do not recommend. To me it sweetened the flavor and did not get as sour as I prefer it to be. However, the aforementioned cookbook is well worth the money.
The process is easy: slice the cabbage into very thin strips and put into a mixer with the correct proportion of salt (roughly 1.5 tsp per pound). Mix on low until a lot of water has been released from the cabbage. Place in a glass mason jar, at a weight to the top to keep the cabbage from rising above the water line. You can let it rest at a cool room temperature uncovered for a week, then put into the refrigerator.
THE CARAWAY SEED OPTION
THE STANDARD BOHEMIAN STYLE OPTION
January 28, 2008
Easy Dinner w/ CSA Produce
We have quickly gotten into the habit of roasting as much as we can on a Friday night when we are scheduled to receive the box. It provides an excellent, quick n' easy dinner plus ample leftovers for the weekend.
January 27, 2008
January 25, 2008
Experiment #1: The CSA
I'm not sure when I first heard of the CSA movement. It could have been Dr. Skladany's classes at Michigan State or my first eco-job at Urban Options. But I vividly remember visiting my first CSA with my dad and little brothers outside of East Lansing, Michigan.
Today, 7 years later, I got my first box! We are now members of the Tierra Miguel Farm Foundation.
Nate and I are aggressively trying to save money in 2008. That is part of the story. We also are obsessed with cookbooks and often read excerpts aloud together. The box full of surprises seemed like a perfect challenge.
According to Michael Pollan, in The Omnivore's Dilemma, the average distance food has traveled to arrive at the American dinner plate is 1500 miles. It feels great that mine only traveled 100 miles.
Today, 7 years later, I got my first box! We are now members of the Tierra Miguel Farm Foundation.
Nate and I are aggressively trying to save money in 2008. That is part of the story. We also are obsessed with cookbooks and often read excerpts aloud together. The box full of surprises seemed like a perfect challenge.
According to Michael Pollan, in The Omnivore's Dilemma, the average distance food has traveled to arrive at the American dinner plate is 1500 miles. It feels great that mine only traveled 100 miles.
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