The Best Meal I Ever Cooked

December 21, 2011

Those of us who like to cook and eat can remember so many meals we’ve enjoyed, restaurants we’ve visited, tastes we’ve shared, dishes we’ve created. We remember meals with family and loved ones. We remember the roast chicken Barcelona, the cheese steak in Philadelphia, the fish boil in Wisconsin, and the white beans in Florence. We tend to rank these meals: What were my top 10 dishes of the past year? What are my favorite restaurants in the Triangle?

But sometimes, an ordinary meal, something you’ve made or eaten dozens of times can be elevated by the circumstances. That is what happened to me a couple of weeks ago.

My father is 79 years old. He has had two open heart surgeries, suffered from emphysema, and a few years ago, was diagnosed with lung cancer. The effects of the cancer, the emphysema and then the radiation treatment left him with very little lung capacity and is on oxygen 24/7. It tires him out just getting dressed. Singing, the one activity he loved to do, is no longer an option. His vocal chords were damaged during one surgery and he doesn’t have enough breath to get out even a few notes. (And let me tell you, my Dad could flat out sing).

Quite frankly, living is quite difficult for Dad, and one of the other things he loved to do, eating, is also a chore. It tires him out. The flavors aren’t the same. Consequently, he’s lost about 35 pounds in the last six months.  I really don’t know how much longer he’ll be around.

I made it down to Florida a few weeks ago and spent a couple of days with my parents. My Dad’s spirits were pretty good, but he wasn’t eating that much. We went to a local Italian restaurant, and he ate a small slice of pizza. That’s all.

But he asked me the next day, as he always does when we’re together, if I could make some foccacia. He loves that simple flatbread, with some rosemary, olive oil, and sea salt.  I told Dad I’d be happy to make it, and I’d cook him dinner.

I decided on a simple dinner. Filet mignon, baked potato, roasted asparagus. For dessert, a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. I knew that my Dad would appreciate the thought, even if he couldn’t eat it.

Dad ate 3 sizable pieces of foccacia that day. I was very pleased that he enjoyed it and was able to eat so much. But then he ate the filet. And half a potato. And about 8 spears of asparagus. And the entire freakin’ dessert. He ate it all. He ate more in one meal than he had probably eaten in the prior three days. And I made it for him.

I’ve cooked a lot of great meals in my life, but this one tops them all. It wasn’t technically perfect. It wasn’t fancy. But it nourished my Dad. My sick Dad. And, after the meal, he sat back, looked me in the eye, and said, “Delicious. Thank you.”

10 Comments | Cooking, Family and Food | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

My First Garden

April 28, 2011

I’ve never had a garden.  The only thing I’ve been able to grow is children, and the jury is still out on how good a job I’ve done with that.

Back in 2009, my wife gave me a garden for my birthday present, whereby she and a friend would transform a hill behind our house into a small, flat plot that gets enough sun over the course of a day to make a viable garden.  Due to some complexities of life, they didn’t actually build the garden until last fall, but it’s been ready for me this spring.  We have a couple of rain barrels nearby, and I was ready to go. We tilled it twice, adding some nice horse manure to the soil, and I started planting seeds a few weeks ago.

I planted turnips, lettuce, beets, carrots, lettuce and cauliflower.  Last Sunday, I planted 7 different heirloom tomato plants (thanks, Matt and Andrea!), a pepper plant, and from seeds, zucchini, cucumbers, watermelon and cantaloupe.

The first plants are doing remarkably well.  I’m amazed at how bright and beautiful the beet leaves and stems are, and the lacy carrot tops are great.  The turnips are thriving, as is the lettuce.  The cauliflower is coming along slowly, but I’m thinking it will do fine.

The weeds are a royal pain, of course, but I really am loving this process.  I check this garden in the morning.  I check it when I come home for lunch and then when I get home at the end of the day, like there might have been a magical growth spurt in the few hours I was gone.

I’m not much of a turnip eater, but I’m almost counting down the days before those suckers will be ready to pull, as they’ll be the first crop to mature.  I know I’ll get some greens before then for salad, when I thin out the crops, but I want the full vegetable.

I love this garden, and I can’t believe it’s taken me 47 years to get one.

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Heaven is a Place on Earth — Border Springs Farm

December 22, 2010

Seeing your 10-year old daughter hold a one-day old lamb  makes a father’s heart melt.  Watching a border collie gather and herd sheep, driving them from one hilly pasture to another, all at the command of a shepherd’s whistle, causes one to stare in awe.  Witnessing hundreds of lamb, running free on hundreds of acres, nestled against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, brings an inner peace to the observer.  This is the way it should be.  This is the iconic American livestock farm.  This is heaven on earth.  This is Border Springs Farm.

Craig Rogers is one of the most interesting individuals I ever met.  He used to teach engineering at Virginia Tech.  He was once the Dean of the School of Engineering at the University of South Carolina.  He routinely quotes Shakespeare and refers to himself as a shepherd.  And now, he and his wife, Joan, run Border Springs Farm in Patrick County, Virginia, raising Kathadin and Texel sheep, a handful of turkeys, and the coolest dogs in the world.

The sheep are pastured on about 1,000 acres at the base of Bull Mountain, close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Craig is doing his best to raise the tastiest lamb around.  Yes, that’s the reality of a livestock farm — these cute little lambs will be slaughtered.  Their lives are short-lived.  They will end up on our dinner plates.  But I cannot possibly imagine how lamb could live a better, more carefree life than what they do on Border Springs Farm.  And the restaurant industry is taking notice, partly because the lamb is so damn good, partly because of how they are raised, and partly because of the drive of Craig Rogers, who knows the power of face-to-face marketing.  His lamb can be found in Sean Brock’s restaurants in Charleston.  One of his first customers was Bryan Voltaggio of Top Chef fame.  Ashley Christensen of Raleigh is a fan and has served Craig’s lamb in Poole’s Diner.  Rogers personally delivers his lamb up and down the east coast, and more and more chefs are taking notice.  This guy gets it.  He knows what these great chefs want, and he delivers.  Literally.

When I took my 10 year old daughter and 11 year old son to Border Springs a few weeks back, I was pretty sure that the kids would have a fun day.  I had no idea that I was about to create a beautiful memory of a day that will stay with me forever.  I can’t get this place out of my head.  The hills.  The sheep.  The turkeys and horses and even a donkey.  And the dogs, oh, those dogs!

There are two kinds of dogs at Border Springs (not counting the Jack Russell Terrier that lives in the Rogers’ house): Border Collies and the Livestock Guardian Dogs.  Each type is amazing in its own right.  You’ve seen the Border Collies do their thing before, rounding up the stray sheep, driving them through gates from one field to another, responding to the different calls of the master’s whistle.  A long two-toned tweet sending the dog to the farthest point of the flock, running clockwise in a pear-shaped manner, to pull the sheep together.  Several short peeps cause the dog to slow down.  And, of course, the shout of, “That’ll Do,” to let the dog know he’s done well.  Witnessing a Border Collie in action is nothing short of magical, an amazingly orchestrated interaction between dog, master, and sheep.  I couldn’t help but leave my jaw hanging as I watched Jake, a national champion, round up sheep who had no desire to be rounded up.  It was amazing.  It was almost spiritual.

The livestock guard dogs are no less amazing.  These are the big sheep dogs, the Pyrenees, the Wolfhounds.  These are the dogs that live with the sheep, the ones who greet your car as you drive into the farm.  If you remember the old Looney Tunes cartoons with Ralph E. Wolf and Sam Sheepdog — well, these are the sheep dogs.  They’re here to protect the sheep, against coyotes, but more often than not, against neighbors’ dogs.  These are dogs that will immediately kill a coyote or dog attacking the sheep, but they will nuzzle up against a 10 year old girl walking among the lambs.  They’re majestic animals, intimidating on one side yet completing comforting on the other.

The appeal of Border Springs is that it has it all.  The pastoral scenery, the choreography of dog/man/sheep, the story of the Shakespeare-quoting shepherd/engineer.  And, by the way, the lamb is incredible.  I’ve now had leg of lamb smoked over cherry, lamb shanks braised in red wine, and ground lamb burgers, and I’m sold.  I figured the stuff would be great if Sean Brock were using it, and I hope to see more restaurants offering Border Springs lamb.  I’ll certainly enjoy eating it when they do, but I’ll really love having that lamb revive the memories of this special place.

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Ashley Christensen’s Take on Barbecue — With Fullsteam!

November 4, 2010

As I wrote earlier, Ashley Christensen of Poole’s Diner is preparing a very special barbecue dinner to benefit the Lucy Daniels Center.  This won’t be any ordinary barbecue, however.

Ashley cures the pork for 3 days, with a special rub of salt and other herbs and spices.  This turns the pork into the most amazingly succulent swine you’ll ever taste.  But then she slowly smokes that pig over nut wood (typically pecan) for hours and hours, until a nice, crust is formed and the meat is redolent of that sweet smoke.  Of course, she has her own take on sauce.

You know it will be good.  No, you know it will be the best damn barbecue you’ve ever had.

But there will also be beer.  And we’re talking about beer that was created to be served with barbecue: Fullsteam’s Hogwash, which is a hickory-smoked porter.  We’ll also be serving the Fullsteam Carolina Common, a lighter beer for those who prefer it that way.

And as far as side dishes are concerned, you won’t be disappointed.  Don’t expect some limp green beens or dried out corn sticks.  There will even be a special Brunswick Stew.  And banana pudding so good, it’ll make you want to smack someone.  I mean, kiss them.

We will have some of Ashley’s roast chicken for those who don’t eat pork.  And if you’ve had that chicken before, it’s the best.  Anywhere.

But I need you to buy tickets to this dinner.  Yeah, it’s pricey, but it’s for an amazing cause.  The Lucy Daniels Center is the Triangle’s leading non-profit provider of children’s mental health services.  Why is this a big deal?  Because in this economy, with so many people unemployed, it’s harder than ever on children.  And parents don’t have the resources to pay for the help their kids’ needs.  The Lucy Daniels Center provides some sort of financial assistance to 90% of the families who receive care.  A large portion of those families receive care for free.

So I ask you — No, I BEG you — please go to the Lucy Daniels website and buy tickets to the dinner. Or call Patti Wilt at 919.459.1611. You’ll have a great meal.  You’ll enjoy the beer.  And you’ll know you’ve done something very special for families in need.  And there’s nothing better than that feeling.  Not even the banana pudding.

Buy tickets thru PayPal here: http://www.lucydanielscenter.org/page/pooles-diner-to-host-q-for-kids-fundraiser-november-7

Or call Patti Wilt at the Lucy Daniels Center at 919.459.1611

Adults are $75, kids under 14 are $35, and all but $25 is tax deductible.  Sorry, no beer for the kids.

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Southern Pies — The “Must Have” Cookbook

September 30, 2010

We all receive gifts from time to time.  A bottle of wine, a nice piece of pottery, or a cookbook.  On Sunday, my dear friend Nancie McDermott gave me a copy of her newly published “Southern Pies.”  I have all of Nancie’s cookbooks (as she has been so kind to give me copies of them), and through these books she’s taught me a ton about Asian cooking and Southern cakes.  I’ve enjoyed the books, as they’re very accessible and interesting, and all of the recipes have been winners.

But of all these gifts, this one — this book of pies — is different.  This is not only a gift commemorating a birthday, but it’s a gift for everyone.  It’s a gift from Nancie to the cooking world.  Hyperbole?  Judge for yourself, but if you take a serious look at this book, you’ll see what I mean.

Last night after dinner, I finally got a chance to sit down and take a look at Southern Pies, and my first impression is that this may be the first time I’ve had a cookbook that makes me want to make every single recipe in it.  I’m totally serious about this.  Of course, there are the expected chess, lemon and coconut pie variations, but there are a number of very interesting pies of which I’ve never heard: green tomato pie, sliced sweet potato pie, vinegar pie, bean pie, and a plum custard pie.  There are fruit pies that have added substantial amounts of cream to them.  Rhubarb and scuppernong grapes are featured.

I’ve always been a huge pie lover, but I’ve gotten away from baking them in the past year.  That’s all about to change.  I’ll be sure to chronicle my pie baking escapades here, and I suspect my kids are about to learn how to make pie crust.

Thanks again for this wonderful gift, Nancie.  It will be treasured for a long, long time.

2 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Books, Cooking, Family and Food, General, Recipes, Southern food, Southern Food Culture | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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Birthdays and Cakes

September 28, 2010

Our family celebrated two birthdays this past weekend.  My youngest child, Clara, turned 10 on Saturday, and for her birthday dinner party, we had fondue.  She and five of her young friends feasted on cheese fondue with bread and summer sausage, an oil fondue with filet mignon and shrimp, and then chocolate fondue with strawberries, marshmallows, and pound cake.  The girls had a blast, and we loved following up behind them, eating the scraps.

My birthday was on Sunday, and my new tradition is to cook tacos for family and friends (and to serve a lot of tequila).  So I had 5 different types of taco fillings: Braised short rib with morita chiles; Smoked pork shoulder (with a rub of achiote, garlic, cumin, sour orange, salt, Mexican brown sugar, chipotle, and oregano), Braised chicken thigh with mustard greens, tomatillo and jalapeno; Flash fried shrimp; and Eye of Goat beans from Rancho Gordo.  I also made 4 different salsas, some pickled onions, guacamole, and other accompaniments.

It was a great weekend, but the true highlight from a culinary sense were the cakes.  I’m not talking about the amazing coconut cake that my sister-in-law made (thanks, Doro!) or the fantastic one brought by my friends at Crumb, but the two birthday cakes.

My daughter is currently obsessed with the film, “Alice in Wonderland,” and that was the them of her party.  Thus, my wife decided to make Clara an Alice in Wonderland cake.  Clara’s godmother drove up from Augusta to help, and two of our kids (along with one of their friends) all contributed in the final project.  The cake itself was a pound cake, and they used a buttercream icing.  They also made figures with fondant and gum paste.  It took them quite a lot of time, but the end result was quite spectacular.  I particularly love the top of the cake, where you see the legs of Alice as she is falling through the rabbit hole.  Absolem the caterpillar is very cool, as are the Cheshire Cat, the playing cards, and the White Rabbit.  I still can’t believe my family made this.

Clara’s birthday cake was a team effort, but mine was made solely by my 15 year old daughter, Ryan.  She knew I was making tacos for dinner, so she, of course, made me a taco cake.  Look at this thing!  I don’t know how she came up with the idea, but it was truly incredible.  I’m still breaking out into a huge grin when I think about that big ol’ taco.  And it was tasty, too!

These cake-making skills did not come from me.  I am quite competent at baking, including cakes, but I suck at decorating.  I’m happy if I just get the frosting on it evenly.  But my wife has turned into a gifted decorator, and my kids appear to be following in her footsteps.  And I love it.

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Teaching Kids to Cook

September 16, 2010

A food writer friend of mind has been tweeting lately that she’s giving her college-aged daughter a cooking “crash course” as she moves into her first apartment.  And that made me wonder how do people teach their kids to cook?  Do you have them stand beside you on a regular basis, where they observe and take it in?  Do you agree on a dish or two that you will make together?  Do you have them plan meals?  At what age do you let them do their own thing in the kitchen?

I’ve got four children, two boys and two girls.  The girls are 15 and 9 (soon to be 10), and the boys are 16 and 11.  My 9 year old daughter is a baking machine, constantly making cookies, muffins, and the occasional loaf of bread.  She doesn’t do anything overly fancy, but it’s almost always tasty.  She has not, however, done much on the range.

My 16 year old son can make a few things.  He knows how to poach an egg.   He can make a solid, classic alfredo sauce. Oh, and a grilled cheese, too.  But that’s about the extent of his repetoire.

My 15 and 11 year olds, however, don’t cook that much.  My 15 year old daughter can make pasta.  That’s her specialty.  Her only specialty.  My younger son doesn’t really cook at all.

I wonder why my kids don’t cook more often.  Is it because they view me as the cook, where I control the process too much?  Do they have any desire to learn?  Am I too impatient with them?

I want my kids to know how to make some basic dishes by the time they go off to college, and right now, I’ve realized that I haven’t been doing a good job of teaching.  Time for that to change.

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Happy 15th, Ryan

August 25, 2010

I embarrassed my daughter last year somewhat by describing the dinner I was going to cook for her birthday party as a type of father-to-daughter love letter.  I’ll not do that again, but I’m pretty pleased that she asked me to cook for her and her friends again this year.  I’ve got a tentative menu planned, including a couple of Thomas Keller dishes, but she may have me tweak it a bit.  It is her birthday, you know.

Hors D’Ouevres
Gougères (French Cheese Puffs)

Soup
Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Red Beet Chips (Keller)

Salad
Baby Spinach with Avocado and Grapefruit, Poppy Seed Dressing (Thanks, Ann Cashion)

Pasta
Farfalle with Pesto, White Beans, and Local Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Entrée
Sautéed Curry Chicken Breasts with Tarragon Butter Sauce, Pole Bean Ragout (Keller)

Dessert
Raspberry Buttermilk Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache, White Chocolate Ice Cream (Thanks, Crumb!)

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My Kids and Food

August 10, 2010

Many of you might think that my kids eat everything and anything put in front of them.  Not so.  Each of our four children has his or her idiosyncrasies,  things that are loved or loathed.  My oldest loves most food, but he hates legumes of any kind — except for roasted peanuts, perhaps.  He just can’t stand the texture and now the taste.  My older daughter doesn’t like seafood or red meat.  My younger son doesn’t like cooked fruit, except for applesauce.  My younger daughter doesn’t like bananas or fresh peaches or pineapple.  Only one of the kids will eat raw tomatoes and none of them like cilantro.  I sometimes stress out, as my (unrealistic) expectations are that they should like everything.  Yes, that’s a completely ludicrous position, and I’m coming to grips with it.

I recently visited Vin Rouge in Durham, taking my younger two children (they’re 9 and 11).  I’ve known chef Matt Kelly before he started there, but I’ve only eaten his cooking a couple of times.  Vin Rouge has become the place where other chefs eat, primarily because of Kelly’s dedication to the craft of cooking.  He’s one hell of a cook, and if you ever visit on a Sunday night, you’ll find a handful of local chefs eating there on their night off.

Anyhow, shortly after we sat down, a huge charcuterie plate landed on our table, featuring 5 different kinds of pate’, a pork rillette (or was it rabbit?), plus some bacon confiture, salami and other goodies.  The kids tried some of the items on the plate, liking some and saying, “That’s different” with others.  My son later tried and liked my sweetbreads.  The kids ordered hanger steak — rare (although they were torn between that and the mussels).  For dessert they had chocolate mousse and creme brulee.  It was a pretty safe meal, except for the pate’ and the sweetbreads.

Last night I attended a potluck where a number of chefs were in attendance, including Matt Kelly.  I thanked him again for the charcuterie plate and told him that my kids had fun with it.  He responded, “It’s great to serve normal food to kids, as it’s so rare for that to happen.  I get all kinds of crazy requests to accommodate kids.”  I thought about that for a moment, and then realized that Matt’s statement might be the highest complement he could have paid me as a food-loving father.  Suddenly, images of my kids’ food adventures started running through my head.  I took those same two children to Publican in Chicago last month, where they sampled lamb neck, sturgeon, octopus and pork rinds.  They loved the frites with fried eggs on top (someone needs to do that dish around here — are you listening, Ashley Christensen?).  They didn’t think the food was weird at all.

And so, after all these years, I think that I’m finally able to handle the kids’ dislikes.  They’re by no means picky eaters, and I realize that.  They may never have a passion for food the way that I do, but they’ll always understand its importance.  Yup, I’m damn lucky indeed.

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Why I Blog

May 18, 2010

Last night, I had the honor to eat at Herons where a handful of local chefs put together a great meal to support a super cause.  I was in attendance because I’m the chair-elect of the charity benefiting from the dinner, the Lucy Daniels Center.  Before the dinner I was invited back into the kitchen to talk to the chefs, all of whom I knew pretty well except for one.  As the dinner started, I was given the opportunity to talk about the Center to the guests, and then I sat down to enjoy the splendid food and wine.  Over the course of the evening, two or three folks introduced themselves to me, saying that they read my blog.  My initial reaction in those situations is typically, “Really?  Why?”  I’m always surprised to meet one of my readers, as I just don’t think about that side of the blogging equation.  And when I’m asked, “Why do you blog?” my answer is almost always the same: “For me.”

To me, there is no creation of human beings greater than food (other than other human beings, of course).  We must eat to survive, of course, but it’s far more complex than that.  Societies and cultures are defined in great part by food, by the rituals surrounding the dining table.  We celebrate with food and drink.  The most intimate way to welcome guests from abroad is to cook for them.  When I think of France or Italy or Morocco or India or Mexico, my first thoughts are about the food and cuisine of those nations.

I write about food because it is important to me and my family, and quite honestly, I want to keep a journal of my life with food.  I want to help preserve the memories of my 9 year old daughter’s passion for baking, or the time when my older daughter wanted me to cook a multi-course dinner for her birthday party.  I want to remember when my 10 year old son and I bellied up to the bar in DC or when my then 15 year old son went to Herons on a night I was working in the kitchen.  I also want to remember what I cooked a couple of weeks ago, or when I first tried a livermush sandwich.

I like to write about my friends, and that’s why you’ll rarely see me writing negative things in this blog.  Heck, any blog post here about restaurants is typically about a friend’s place, so why on earth would I ever write bad things about them.  I’m not a journalist, I’m an advocate for the local food community.

I rarely write about events that I know nothing about.  I get a handful of press releases each week about this event or the next.  I sometimes even get a very nicely written email about a particular event, but if I don’t know anyone involved, I typically write back explaining that I have chosen not to write about such events.  I do break from that rule now and then, but not very often.

I have also learned that writing about food does in fact give me some credibility in the food world and some access that I might not otherwise have.  I got to work in the kitchen at Herons and the Globe because of this blog, in part.  Some of my best friends are chefs and food writers, but I have learned that those friendships did not evolve because I blog.  It’s because food is nearly as important to me as it is to them.  Folks in the food industry love to “talk shop” more than any other industry I know.  We health care lawyers really don’t want to what we do or health care reform.  We want to talk about music or sports or, of course, food.  When I’m with a group of chefs and food writers, the only thing they talk about is food.  It’s not just their business, it’s their life.  And because I share that similar passion, they’re happy to talk to me about it to.

I do not blog for economic gain, that’s for sure.  You’ll note the lack of advertising here, as I’ve chosen not to commercialize VarmintBites, even though several offers came my way.  First of all, there’s hardly any money in it, unless you become a huge entity with multiple writers and hundreds of thousands of daily visitors.  Second, you have to write every day, several times a day, and you have to write well.  I have a blog with hundreds of daily visitors and on a busy week, I might have 3 posts, each of which I wrote over a course of 10 minutes, with no re-writes or much proof-reading.  And I can also go two weeks with only one post.  It’s my party and I can write when I want to .

In the end, I write for my memories, for my passion, and yes, for my ego.  I am flattered when someone does tell me they read the blog.  I have my insecurities, too, wondering whether anyone really cares.  It sort of reminds me of some of my chef friends, when I tell them how much I loved a particular dish, and they respond, “Really?  You’re just not saying that?”  It’s pretty funny, those folks who work to feed us.  They’re not rock stars or ego-driven maniacs.  They’re just plain folks, like you and me, who happen to love food and have made it their career.  I don’t have the skills or the stamina to do what they do.  But I’m glad I get to be in their world from time to time.

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A Cupcake Nursery

January 19, 2010

A family friend recently had a baby, and my youngest daughter decided she needed to make some special cupcakes for them.   With the aid of her brother and sister and my wife, this is what they made.  Pretty impressive!

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Christmas Cheese

December 22, 2009

My wife’s family has a longstanding tradition for breakfast Christmas morning that is, well, rather disgusting.  All it is is melted cheddar cheese, but we bake cubes of sharp cheddar until the oil starts separating from the cheese solids and a crust forms along the top and edges.  This crust, called “frust” for some reason by my family, is the most desired part of the dish.  We serve the cheese with freshly baked buttermilk biscuits and preserves (fig is the first choice).  I generally serve some scrambled eggs, too, but it’s a simple breakfast where the frust is the star.

It’s funny how such a simple thing can be so special, when you serve it only once a year.  May you have a little frust in your world this Christmas.

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Tacos for a Crowd

September 23, 2009

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It’s my birthday on Saturday, and rather than going out to dinner, I decided to do what I enjoy the most: cook for others.  I suspected it might be a sizable crowd, so I decided to just serve tacos, which are easy, can be eaten while standing up, and are still incredibly tasty.

So last weekend, I smoked a beef brisket and two pork shoulders (thanks for the use of the Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker, Chad).  The brisket was too lean and is consequently a bit dry, so I’ll be sure to toss it with some sort of sauce before serving, maybe a roasted tomato chipotle salsa.  Any suggestions.

The pork is nice and unctuous, with lots of fatty parts throughout.  I may cut it up into cubes and through it in a hot cast iron skillet to give it some more brown bits — a quick style carnitas, of sorts.  I’m thinking a green chili salsa would work with that.  Or I could do a quick “pastor” style dish with some roasted pineapple.

I’ve got a bunch of boneless chicken thighs that I want to cook, but I haven’t figured out what to do with them.  Any ideas, folks?

My friend Phoebe is getting me freshly made corn tortillas from Taqueria La Vaquita in Durham.

The only side I’ll make is a big pot of Rancho Gordo beans that can be served in cups.  It will be vegetarian, so there will be something for my non-carnivorous friends.

Other than that, we’ll have some queso fresco, cilantro, lime, onions and avocado.  Am I missing anything?

Oh, tequila and cerveza, of course.  I picked up 5 bottles of tequila and 2 bottles of Cointreau.  That’s a good start.

For dessert, we’ll have Mexican chocolate sandwich cookies (filled with dulce de leche), Mexican wedding cookies, cinnamon pound cake, and vanilla pound cake.

It should be a lot of fun, and I’ve already done most of the work, except for the chicken and the salsas.  This way I can just put out food at a casual pace and not worry too much.  I may not know much about Mexican cooking, but that’s not gonna stop me.  Now where did I put that shot glass??

I really don’t know what I’m doing, just winging it as I go along.

19 Comments | Family and Food, General | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

A Birthday Letter to My Daughter

August 27, 2009

Ryan

Dear Ryan-

It’s really hard to believe that you turn fourteen on Saturday.  I still can’t help but think of you in your blue soccer uniform,  dribbling down the field to score another goal for the Diamonds.  Now you’re the captain of your team.  I remember sending you off to kindergarten at Olds Elementary, worried about you.  You’re now a freshman at Broughton, taking classes with upperclassmen without even worrying about it.  I remember when you taught your younger brother how to read when he was 3.  Now you help a young couple take care of their infant triplets.  You’ve gone from that cute chubby toddler (oops, I shouldn’t have written that) to the beautiful young lady you are today.  I’m so proud of you.  And I am so pleased that you asked me to cook for you and your friends on Saturday.

I know you don’t care for red meat and really dislike seafood, but that’s not a problem.  It’s your birthday, and I’m going to serve you what you like.  We talked about the menu last night, and I think it’s coming along quite nicely, a nice balance between sophistication and familiarity.  Yes, there will be a lot of courses, but it won’t be a problem.  I’ll keep them small.  And no, you can’t have any wine with your dinner.

I promise I won’t try to embarrass you or try to act extra-goofy, I’ll just try to get out some good food and make your guests have a great time.  There’s going to be 12 of them, right?  Wow, that’s a lot of dishes!  And I really can’t believe that we don’t have a single soccer game on Saturday — what are the odds?

Anyhow, this is our menu, but let me know if you need me to make any changes.

Hors D’oeuvres: Foccacia with rosemary, olive oil and sea salt.

Amuse:  Fried bocconcini (mozzarella balls)

Soup:  Summer minestrone

Salad:  Watermelon, mint and goat cheese with aged balsamic vinegar

Pasta:  Fresh ricotta raviolo with vodka sauce

Main course:  Grilled chicken thighs with pomegranate vinaigrette and sweet corn/orzo

Dessert:  Cherry chocolate cake with dark chocolate ice cream

Don’t worry, the portions will be pretty  small, so hopefully no one will be too full after the soup course.

Fourteen.  Wow!  Happy birthday, Ryan.  I’m really, truly touched that you want me to cook for you and your friends.

I love you.

Daddy

8 Comments | Family and Food, General | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Cooking Camp for Kids

July 6, 2009

Cooking CampI try to teach my kids how to cook and to make it fun.  I’m not always as patient as I should be, but for the most part, each of my four children love to eat, they’re happy and relaxed in the kitchen, and they know how to make a lot of the basics.  They can make a bechamel and how to poach an egg.  They appreciate homemade pasta and freshly ground meat for burgers.  But my youngest, the 8 year-old, is the one with the greatest passion for cooking.  If you follow my Twitter feed, you know how frequently I come home to muffins or cookies or bread.  Clara makes those all the time, and her favorite book right now is the Fannie Farmer Baking Book (she actually reads it before she goes to bed).  She also loves baking books by Dorie Greenspan, Karen Barker, and Nancie McDermott.  Yes, the child likes to cook, but she really loves to bake.

Well, last week she spent her days at a cooking camp: Classy Kids Cook! in Cary.  When I read about this place, quite frankly, I wanted to gag a bit.  The website seems so over the top in the “touchy-feely” category.  And when I heard that the instructors all had to be called “Chef,” I really rolled my eyes.  But then Clara started to go to this camp and come home describing what she did that day.  She made pesto and pasta from scratch.  She learned the proper way to set a formal table.  She worked in a professional kitchen with a full walk-in fridge and learned not to be a slave to recipes.  And most importantly, she had fun.

I’ve attended a number of cooking classes, and quite honestly, they’re usually a waste of time for me.  Yeah, I’m snooty and feel like I know more than the instructor, but that’s because the type of class offered is rarely focused on advanced technique, like learn butchery or esoteric Asian cooking.  Most classes focus on cooking from recipes without giving proper attention to technique.  They’re geared to the home cook who isn’t all that comfortable in the kitchen.  And more often than not, the instructors take themselves WAY too seriously.  After hearing about Classy Kids Cook!, I certainly thought that this camp would fall victim to the “too serious” approach.

I was wrong.

Yes, Classy Kids Cook! does take itself seriously, but they don’t take the fun out of it.  They teach kids to respect the food and how to prepare it.  They properly teach basic technique.  But throughout the process, they engage the children.  The kids don’t learn to cook purely by recipes, they learn to think about what they’re doing and how to improvise.  And most importantly, they also make the kids laugh.  The camp ends with an “Iron Chef” type of competition, with three separate teams each making 3 dishes, all judged by the parents (we don’t know which child was on which team, so it’s pretty fair).  Clara’s team didn’t win (although I gave them highest marks even though I didn’t know it was her team), but she still got a kick out of it and loved explaining how they made their three dishes.

In the end, Clara had a blast and is ready to do another session — Spain, perhaps??  And I look forward to getting home this evening to see what she whipped up today.

1 Comment | Cary, Family and Food, General | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

The Best Burger?

June 20, 2009

burger

I might have had the best burger in the Triangle tonight.  It was served very rare, with melted Swiss cheese and some amazingly meaty bacon.  The meat in the burger was coursely ground, perfectly seasoned, and extraordinarily beefy-flavored.  The burger had a nice crust on it, and I really don’t know how anyone could surpass it.

And I made it.

I took some skirt steak from Whole Foods, cut it up into chunks, sprinkled it with sea salt, and put it through the meat grinder — using the course plate.  I lightly patted it out into two patties, added some pepper, and put into a red-hot iron skillet.  After a couple of minutes I flipped the burgers, added the cheese, and put on a toasted bun.  Topped with some house-cured bacon from Poole’s Diner (check out the updated website), it was nirvana.  The only thing that could possible improve the experience was the beer, and the Hogwash (hickory-smoked brown porter) from Fullsteam came through in the clutch.

I’m not sure that skirt steak is the best cut of beef for burgers, but it had the right amount of fat content and its flavor was incredible.  I ate a fair amount of it raw, and I could have eaten several ounces more.  It was that good.  Let me know if there’s a better cut of beef for burger and tell me why.

A burger is a dietary splurge, and these days, I might as well just eat the best possible version available.  And I did.

8 Comments | Family and Food, General | Tagged: , , | Permalink
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Gastronomic Items at a Musical Event

April 27, 2009

band-together

As my readers know, this blog is about food, and it is incredibly rare when I post something that isn’t about food.  I also try to avoid the politics of food, because I want my blog to be about fun.  Today’s entry certainly has some food-related aspects about it, but it’s not the primary purpose behind my post.  But I assure you that today’s topic is all about fun.  And doing the right thing.

I’m looking for items to be donated for a silent auction.  I’m looking for experiences to be donated, too.  Here’s the deal:  As I’ve written before, I’m the Vice Chair of the Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood, and that has nothing to do with food.  It has everything to do with young children getting help for mental health problems, and with the economy the way it is, more kids need the help and fewer families are able to pay for it.

Band Together is a Triangle-based nonprofit organization that has nothing to do with food, either.  Each year, they choose a local charity and hold a huge, kick-ass concert, with the net proceeds going to the charity.  Last year, the designated charity received $109,000.  This year, the designated charity is the Lucy Daniels Center.  The concert is on June 6 in downtown Raleigh, outside the Lincoln Theatre.  This should be a very fun concert, featuring Rusted Root, the Rosebuds, Chatham County Line, and an indoor after-party with Hobex.   General admission tickets are 20 bucks in advance and 25 at the door.  It might cost you a few more bucks to get into the after-party with Hobex.

Still nothing about food, right?  Well, let me fix that right now.  VIP tickets to the show will cost you $125, but that added cost has some tangible benefits.  For example, you’ll get all the beer and wine you want to drink (within reason, of course), and you’ll get to eat the great food provided by the chefs of the Urban Food Group restaurants.  Yup, Coquette, Vivace, Frazier’s and Porter’swill be providing all that food.  Oh, and you’ll get air conditioned bathrooms, some comfy seats, and elevated viewing area.

But wait, there’s more food information.  There will be a silent auction at the event, and we will have a number of food-related auction items.  How about Fullsteam Brewery making a beer just for you, customized to your personal tastes, and then delivering 5 gallons of it to you with a unique label and 10 t-shirts with that label?  Or an in-home knife skills class by Chad Ward, the author of An Edge in the Kitchen?  Or an in-restaurant cooking class with a well-known local chef?  That’s just the beginning.

And I want more items for the silent auction!!! Please let me know if you would be interested in donating something to our auction.  Gift certificates are welcome, but we’d really love experiences.  I mean, there has to be a chef out there who would let someone work in their kitchen on a slow night?  And if you’re not in the food business, we’re happy to accept other items and experiences (ever wanted to ride on the Zamboni at a Hurricanes’ game?  You can if you’re the winning bidder).

So help me out.  Buy tickets to the Band Together show.  Or better yet, buy VIP tickets. And if your business is looking for a way to give back to the community, consider a sponsorship.  Finally, of course, we’d love for you to donate items to the silent auction.

And they don’t have to be food-related, unlike this blog.

——-

Band Together for the Lucy Daniels Center

bandtogethernc.org

June 6, 2009

Featuring Rusted Root, the Rosebuds, Chatham County Line and after-party by Hobex

Downtown Raleigh at the Lincoln Theatre

8 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Events, Family and Food, Raleigh, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Good Causes, Good Food, Good Wine

April 14, 2009

Two worthy organizations are having food-related fund-raisers in the coming days, and I hope you might support them while enjoying some good stuff to eat and drink.

Hidden Voices is a non-profit organization that explores who we are as a society through the voice — whether through stories or oral histories or individual performances.  Over the years, Hidden Voices has explored life in prison, the paths of Latino immigrants, and the pain of domestic violence, among others.  This Friday, Hidden Voices is hosting A Taste of Home, a fundraiser to tell the story of the meal from different perspective — from the homeless person’s park bench to the dining room in a child’s foster  home, or the cafeteria tray in a shelter.  The appetizers and desserts will be provided by 30 or so local chefs, including Karen Barker, Amy Tornquist, Drew Brown, and Mel Melton.  Tickets are $50 for an individual or $75 for two.  Students can get in for $25 each by contacting me for details.

SAFEchild is a Raleigh-based charity focusing on the prevention of child abuse.  Since its founding in 1992, SAFEchild has worked with more than 7,500 parents and has reached some 70,000 children.   On Wednesday, April 22, SAFEchild and the Fresh Market will be hosting their Fine Wine Gala, where over 50 wines from over the world will be paired with prime rib, shrimp, and other  hors d’oeuvres, along with cheeses and desserts.  The event will be held from 7-9 and tickets are $25 per person or $40 per couple.

We all need to eat, and instead of spending 40 or 50 bucks to hit your favorite restaurant, why don’t you go to one of these events instead?  Charities are really hurting right now, at a time when the services they provide are more important than ever.  So please think of attending one or both of these worthy events.

3 Comments | Events, Family and Food, General | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Bacon Popcorn Perfected

March 24, 2009

popcorn

This past weekend I ran some tests.  First, I used duck fat to pop some popcorn.  It was a noble experiment, with the duck fat adding a barely noticeable flavor to the corn, but it wasn’t life-altering (which was disappointing, as I currently have 8 pounds of duck fat in my fridge).

So then I tried popping the corn in some bacon grease that I had rendered from that morning’s breakfast.  Again, the grease added a very subtle bacon flavor to the popcorn, but it wasn’t enough for me.

And then the proverbial light bulb went off.  I melted some more of the bacon grease.  I then ground up a slice of crispy bacon into a powder (a spice mill or coffee grinder works well here).  I put the popcorn in a paper bag, poured the bacon fat over it, and shook it vigorously in the bag.  I then added the bacon powder, shook it again, and ended up with exactly what I was seeking: popcorn that wasn’t soggy or heavy, but with a fair amount of bacon flavor.  You could taste corn and bacon, which was the balance I was seeking, and I’ve now found a new snack for the Varmint household.

I’m not going to give you a recipe for this, as anybody knows how to make popcorn.  But here are some tips.

First, render the bacon fat over low heat, and then strain it through a paper towel to get rid of the sediment that can burn.

Then be sure to cook your bacon until it is very crisp.  I’ve heard that freezing the bacon can facilitate turning it into powder form.

Pop about a half cup of popcorn in 3-4 Tbsp. of filtered bacon grease.  Don’t use high heat, as bacon fat has a fairly low smoke point.

Put the popcorn in a large paper grocery bag.  Drizzle about 2-3 Tbsp. of melted, filtered bacon grease over the popcorn and shake vigorously to distribute the grease.  Add the bacon powder and shake some more.

Eat.  With lots of beer.

15 Comments | Cooking, Family and Food, General, Recipes | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Help Me Grow a Garden

March 10, 2009

gardenI want to grow a garden.

I have never grown anything edible in my life.

I need your help.

Here’s the deal.  I am looking for volunteers to help me grow some vegetables and maybe some fruit.  I don’t have great land next to my house, and I’m not sure it gets enough sun.  The soil might be complete crap.  But I want to grow something.  Anything.  I’ve got 4 workers who happen to be my children, and they can help with the weeding and watering duties.

I need your help because I’m a complete ignoramus when it comes to growing things.  I don’t know how to fertilize or till or plant.  I don’t know what should be started as seeds in the house versus in the ground.  I don’t know what items require lots of sun and what can tolerate shade.  I’m clueless about watering.  And I won’t even begin to pretend that I have any idea about organic methods.  Be serious, people.

We can come up with a weekend day that we can commit to the Varmint Garden.  So, anyone willing to help me out???

24 Comments | Family and Food, Farms, General | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

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