So for the sixth time in nine or so years, I’m moving again. Cross-country. Again. For like the fourth time. I’ve spent the past three years in Hamilton, Mass with my thumb in my ass and it’s time for a change. Just as it starts getting cold. Thank Shiva!
Vegas is the destination. This will be my third tour of duty in Vegas. Not sure if I want to totally anchor down there for good, but it’s exciting to head back there for a while. I have a lot of plans for the future. Personally, professionally, spiritually and creatively.
One of the first things I need to do is start cooking more. I’ve been way too busy up here over the past couple years for cooking it seems. It’s not like I never had time. it’s more like I never made time.
I’m in the middle of packing up my gear right now and needed a quick internet break before the FiOS get’s shut off.
I had a great time in Boston and met some of the most awesome and interesting people ever. I’ll miss them as much as they’ll miss me.
Have to run. Never forget … Yankees suck!
J.Ho … out!
Get a load of this … someone out there is calling their site the Pleasure Cooker. Seriously. I know, I was shocked too. Check out her site here. Imitation is the best form of flattery. So they say. Her site looks clean, simple and has some decent content. She’s pretty cute too.
As smitten as I am with this impostor, I must protect my trademark. The chief of corporate security here at pleasurecooker.com™ insists on this being investigated. He’s former Mossad, so I tend to listen to him.
Peace out! Yankees suck!
Reader Amanda writes in and asks how to make ceviche. I’m not a fan. That’s me. Anyway, she says she’s intimidated to make it. I say don’t ever be intimidated to make anything in the kitchen. Don’t ever be intimidated by anything in life. Your decisions are half chance. So are everyone else’s.
Click here for a brief overview of ceviche.
Yankees suck!
As I continue on my quest for the perfect fried chicken recipe I come across this one at Simply Recipes. It’s pretty damn good. I tweaked things around a bit, but not by much. I used parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme for the fresh herbs in the buttermilk marinade and I added paprika to the coating flour as well. and a tad more cayenne pepper.
Simply Recipes is a wonderful site and an excellent source for a variety of recipes. Enjoy!
Yankees suck!
I’ve posted this recipe in the past, but I just found some pictures I took the last time I prepared it for some friends. So I figured it would be a good thing to update. Don’t let the bacon, butter and cream fool you. This dish is much lighter than it appears.
This is a simple country-style French dish that is hearty, nourishing and wicked, wicked good! It’s origins are in the French province of Brittany. One of the six Celtic nations, Brittany is gastronomically revered for producing some of France’s best beers, white wines, crêpes and seafood.
1 large onion, sliced
4 oz butter
8 oz bacon slices
1 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled & thinly sliced
1 ½ pounds fresh cod fillets (any medium to firm textured white fish such as haddock, roughy or halibut may be substituted)
1 cup heavy cream
Heat oven to 350°. Sauté the sliced onion in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Prepare in a greased casserole dish which is an appropriate size to pack in all the ingredients firmly. Cover the bottom of the oven dish with a layer of bacon slices, then half of the onion, then half of the potato slices. Layering it all like a sandwich.
Cut the fish into medium sized pieces and place on top of the potatoes. Season well with salt & freshly ground black pepper. Reversely, cover the fish with the rest of the potatoes, then the onions and then the bacon. Season well with salt & freshly ground black pepper again. Pour over the cream. Dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake in the oven for about an hour. It will be done when the top is well browned and the cream is bubbling vigorously.
With the potatoes integrated within the dish, all you need is a side green vegetables. I’d suggest roasted asparagus.
Yankees suck!
In December I wrote a rant on some of the worst appetizers in Beverly restaurants. Read it again here. Progress has been made, people. Two of the appetizers I mentioned have been stricken from their menus. And both are at SOMA.
Is it a coincidence these two appetizers disappeared after my posting? Probably. Maybe they were just removed during seasonal revamps of the menu. Maybe public outcry had a hand in it. Maybe they realized how much they sucked. Maybe it really was my literary influence. How cool would that be? One thing is for sure, according to my handy-dandy web stats log, that posting is one of the most viewed articles on this site.
I definitely know of one place where my opinion matters. The Ryal Side Café on Bridge Street in Beverly. I was having a cocktail a week or so ago with the owner of the café and I suggested she add kielbasa to their breakfast menu. I cruised by there for breakfast today and guess what was on the menu as a special … KIELBASA!! She said it was my influence which partially drove her to add it to the specials menu. I know, it’s really not a big deal to suggest a small restaurant offer grilled kielbasa, but I’m flattered anyway! To top it off she says it’s selling so well, they will make it permanent on the menu. Hot dog!
I haven’t written anything up on the Ryal Side Café, but I will soon. I love the Ryal Side Café and it’s very, very pretty owner.
Yankees suck!
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