What are you eating?

[ChamberNut]

Nice afternoon 'day off' - went to an exhibition at Reynolda House on American Impressionism - small exhibit but done quite well; house is located in my home town, Winston-Salem, North Carolina - was the 'country bungaloo' built by RJ Reynolds (and his wife, Katherine) at the turn of the 20th century; unfortunately, he died w/i a year or so of their moving into the house (he was 30 yrs older that his wife, and left her and four children).

But, then visited our 'mountain bistro' mentioned by me many times before; but tonight, one of their 'specials' was grilled ostrich - a favorite of mine!    This offering was a 'free range' bird from Davie County, NC, right next to our county (Forsyth); so, an ostrich from right down the road - GREAT!  Grillied beautifully medium rare - this meat is actually 'better' than chicken breast relative to calories/fat/cholesterol, so you get a RED meat to go w/ a red wine (I typically order Pinot Noir) - just delicious; came w/ a light baby bok choy sauce & garlic mash potatoes (I subsituted grilled asparagus, but relish the other option!) - loved the aftenoon! 

So Dave, it "looks like beef, but tastes like chicken"? 

[SonicMan46]

So Dave, it "looks like beef, but tastes like chicken"? 

Hi Ray - Ostrich is a great meat - actually the color is red like beef, so I usually order a 'red' wine, such as Pinot Noir; less fat & cholesterol, and fewer calories than chicken, so a healthier meat choice - just need to order it 'medium rare' - the piece that I had last week was grilled perfectly!  We're returning there Sunday night - probably will go w/ venison, again 'medium rare' after my seafood feast in Boston!     Dave

P.S. - Actually looks like a BIG chicken, but tastes like BEEF!  

[toledobass]

I have some roasted pork sitting in the fridge so I pickled some carrots and daikon, picked up a little bit of pate and made myself banh mi.

[Brünnhilde forever]

Love your companion, Allan; - 

- what's the slices of Italian Salami doing in the Vietnamese Sub? 

[Lilas Pastia]

Didn't quite manage to catch up on that beloved thread (had to skip 10 pages), but will join you as of tomorrow. I'm having another Movies, Wine and Food day with my best friend, who proposed the following menu:

– Riccioli al barolo (pâtes du Piémont au vin barolo)

– Légumes variés dans une sauce assaisonnée de fleur de sel au poivre noir et au poivre vert, de l'Afrique du Sud.

– Jambon italien et salami

In short: pasta, veggies and ham. This is the pasta:

The veggies are seasoned with South African fleur de sel seasoned with black and green (Madagascar) pepper. I suppose the salami and ham will be like genoa and prosciutto.

I chose this wine to go with the pasta. Obviously the natural mate would have been a barolo, but we had that a few months ago. We like to experiment .

I'm supposed to bring an aperitif wine. I'll probably opt for a Loupiac or Monbazillac. Generally characterized as dessert wines, they're just as good - even better - when served in mid-afternoon with the appropriate pâté, fois gras, pickles and cheese. I'll bring a Pyrénées, a refreshing, dense and simple sheep cheese from Southern France's high pastures, he'll probably have the usual characterful  Charlevoix specialty. We never have dessert. We end the evening with equitable coffe and dark chocolate.

The whole thing is centered around the movies and the religious-philosophical discussions we crave so much. What better way to end a mind-nourishing day than having an equally satisfying time attending to epicurial pleasures?

[Brünnhilde forever]

when served in mid-afternoon with the appropriate pâté, fois gras,

What do I have to do with you, Mein Liebster Freund André to get you stop contributing to the suffering of those poor geese? Come on now, buy a good brand of Liverwurst and you'll have the same look, texture and taste!

Thank you, and the geese thank you! 

[Lilas Pastia]

Liebling ,  'foie gras' is a very generic term used for liver pâté. It can mean anything (honest). 98% of the time it's either chicken and/or pork liver. I've eaten the 'real' goose foie gras only once. Akin to swallowing a big chunk of butter with a strange taste, very warm and soft texture . 

Honest, I don't know what's with caviar and foie gras, but they're definitely not my cup of tea. What we call 'pâté' is usually game meat mixed with liver, but "pâté de foie" is always made with chicken/duck/pork liver + eggs, etc.  Ever since I was young we used to call it 'foie gras', but I guess it's only a remnant of an ancient culinary culture.

Goose is still not a standard staple here (although it's traditional Weihnachts fare). I don't think the real 'foie gras' culture will ever catch on. Brigitte Bardot has been very busy alerting the world to the seals' fate, but I can't recall having ever seen her going to the barricades for the geese.

[Brünnhilde forever]

Thank you, Danke schön, Mille gracie, mein Schnuckerl! Now I love you even more than I ever did! Why didn't you say right away the stuff you are eating with your friend is nothing but glorified Braunschweiger? Now I an stop campaigning against the real thing.

At least caviar does not involve torturing the poor fish but I still don't like it, tastes like overly salted fish close to spoilage.

Do have a lively and happy day with your friend tomorrow! 

[karlhenning]

At least caviar does not involve torturing the poor fish but I still don't like it, tastes like overly salted fish close to spoilage.

Oh, it wasn't fresh, then. 

I like fresh caviar, but then, the first time I had black caviar, I was in Moscow, and the fellow had this half-gallon tub of the roe taken from a fish in the Volga the day before.

[toledobass]

Love your companion, Allan; - 

- what's the slices of Italian Salami doing in the Vietnamese Sub? 

Ha!!! Good catch.  It was the last 2 slices left in the package and I figured what the hell.  I also have to admit that it was teewurst that I used in place of the pate, I think you'll appreciate that though.   I have a friend who makes these sandwiches with left over meat loaf!!!!

Allan

[Brünnhilde forever]

Yes Allan, I do appreciate the substitution! 

Cold meatloaf sandwich is one of my favourites. A generous amount of Dulcet Madras Curry spread on both sides of the pancetta plus chopped fresh parsley from my garden. Yum! 

[Harpo]

Oh, it wasn't fresh, then. 

I like fresh caviar, but then, the first time I had black caviar, I was in Moscow, and the fellow had this half-gallon tub of the roe taken from a fish in the Volga the day before.

A half-gallon sounds like caviar overkill. How much of it did you eat? 
I agree that fresh caviar (malossol) is not that salty, more like grainy sushi. I no longer put onions and cream cheese on it, just scrape it off a piece of toast with my teeth (makes flossing more fun).
Fresh caviar is not available where I live, but I can get it online ($$$). I have stopped getting the Caspian variety, since it may not be authentic, and have switched to American caviar--not quite as good, but still good; I think I like paddlefish the best.

[Brünnhilde forever]

My first attempt at Marsala Pork. I should have fixed it long time ago and repeatedly. Of course now that I have an open bottle in the cupboard I'll have to scout for more Marsala dishes. Nope, I don't think I want to drink it straight, potent stuff, it's fortified!

I had the pork with one bread dumpling - yeah, from a Pfanni package  - but the purple asparagus are fresh, also a first for me. I think they are more sweet than the green ones.

After my fiasco with the Moldova wine, I returned to my old faithful: Kiona Lemberger!

[SonicMan46]

My first attempt at Marsala Pork. I should have fixed it long time ago and repeatedly. Of course now that I have an open bottle in the cupboard I'll have to scout for more Marsala dishes. Nope, I don't think I want to drink it straight, potent stuff, it's fortified!.............

Hi Lis - your pork dish looks quite good to me!   

Not to worry about the Marsala wine - these are not only fortified, but many are pretty much 'oxidized' (hence, the brown color) - other examples are some of the sherries & wines from Madeira; your partially filled bottle should last a while, if concerned, you can pour into a smaller bottle (to avoid the air) and/or refrigerate!  Lookin' forward to seeing some more Marsala dishes - Dave 

[Brünnhilde forever]

Thank you, Dave, tasted great too but I forgot the obligatory pat of butter on the asparagus! 

And thanks for the advise on the treatment for the open bottle of Marsala; I remembered the most delicious desert at the Albergo Miralago in Cernobbio, whipped up by their cook Natale: Zabaglione! I searched for the recipe and discovered two opinions on the genuine ingredients. There are the cooks folding in whipped cream and others don't. I don't remember cream.

You Italian cooks at GMG: Which is it: With or without? I know the main ingredients is egg yolks, sugar and Marsala. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Mrs. Rock, enjoying a three-day weekend, made her great tandoori chicken on May Day: I love saffron 



Deglazing turned the pan juices into something remarkable. Possibly the best "gravy" I've ever had.


Sarge

[toledobass]

Thank you, Dave, tasted great too but I forgot the obligatory pat of butter on the asparagus! 

And thanks for the advise on the treatment for the open bottle of Marsala; I remembered the most delicious desert at the Albergo Miralago in Cernobbio, whipped up by their cook Natale: Zabaglione! I searched for the recipe and discovered two opinions on the genuine ingredients. There are the cooks folding in whipped cream and others don't. I don't remember cream.

You Italian cooks at GMG: Which is it: With or without? I know the main ingredients is egg yolks, sugar and Marsala. 

I've never heard of cream in a zabaglione or a sabayon....I say without!!!

[SonicMan46]

Well, late in the afternoon, we visited our local Greek Taverna, Athena - menu HERE:

We shared a Greek salad (usual but good) & the Kalamari Skaras (char-grilled  squid with lemon), the latter was just delicious!

I had the Gyro Pita w/ fries (crisp & excellent; shared w/ Susan) - this gyro meat is lean and flavored wonderfully - I know more of a 'lunch' option, but once a month, I have a yearning!  Susan had a 'new' dish to her, i.e. Vegetarian Plate (i.e. spanakopita, dolmathakia and tzatziki) - i.e. grape leaves stuffed w/ a mint-flavored rice & the typical pastry spinach dish (but w/ light pastry & plenty of stuffing, and not greasy).

This place brings in a lot of unique Greek varietal wines, which I'm exploring - tonight I had a couple of glasses of the Robola (see description quote below), a white varietal - light, fruity, and refreshing - quite good and inexpensive! 

Robola (a/k/a Rompola) is a traditional cultivar of the Ionian Islands. A naturally low-yield grape, it is expensive to vinify. It is thought to have been in production in the Ionian Isles for close to 700 years and produces wines of considerable variation, depending on location and elevation. Until genetic analysis proved otherwise, it was assumed to have been a transplant or clone of Ribolla Gaia of Friuli (a/k/a Malvasia of Venice) from neighboring Italy. Likely it is a Greek cultivar with an Italian name received during the Venetian occupation of the Islands. At its best, the variety produces wines of healthy acidity and notable citrus. It is a component grape, with Goustolídi, Pávlos and Skiadópoulo, of the traditional Ionian blend known as Verdéa, which, in keeping with a theme, is the Italian name for a style traditional to both Italy and Greece, likely having ancient Greek roots.

[toledobass]

sunny egg and asparagus on top of toast...

[SonicMan46]

Chicken Matzo Ball Soup - one of Susan's specialties (note that pic below is not of her soup, but pretty much looks the same) - she 'auctions' off this soup for the Unitarian Fellowship in town and usually a number of people buy it!  So, last night she was making up a pot for one of the auction winners and usually will just make two w/ one for us; considered a treat by all, esp. when eaten w/ some fresh crusty rye bread!  A lot of compliments over the years, but one of the best from a older 'crusty' Jewish friend from the church, actually a New Yorker & former Reynolds executive - 'better than my grandmother's soup!' - now, I don't know if his grandmother was a good cook, but he buys the soup every year -