Friday, November 28, 2008

ThanksGiving day supper

This is one of my Favorite holidays. for 2 reasons first I cook the meal in my moms nice kitchen. Second i get to see me brother and sister. whom i don't see that often.

The turkey was a heritage, organic, locally framed bird. We stoked it in a brine of salt, sugar, whole pepper corns, all spice berries, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme chicken broth and ice water. you start buy dissolving the salt and sugar in the chicken broth. once it simmers you add the spices, and pore it over the ice in a cooler. once it is cool you add the turkey and soak over night.

As sides you had sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole, cranberries sauce, turkey gravy, squash rolls.

the sweet potatoes were baked cooled, pealed and cut up. then the chunks were covered in a layer of brown sugar, butter and bourbon, and baked off. 20 min before you serve them cover with marsh mellows.

the mashed potatoes were just straight up nothing fancy so was the dressing and the green bean casserole.

the cranberries sauce was fresh cranberries, bourbon, orange juice, pomegranate juice, sugar and vanilla. you simmer the cranberries, sugar, and the juices together then add the bourbon and vanilla. once the cranberries have broken down you cool and serve.

The rolls are made with fresh squash that my wife made form scratch. all i know is that she cooked the squash and ran it thought the blender, and they are good.

she made a pumpkin pie form scratch as well and my sister made a punpkin cheese cake.

all and all it was a great thanks giving

Domo lunch

For the best traditional Japanese food there is none better then Domo. Domo is traditional all around form the thatched roof and large stone tables. To the great food, there is no soy sauce on the tables because the chef seasons it as it should be.

Lunch is the best value. you can get a great meal for $10. Dinner is more pricey but it is so worth it. Both are served with sides of pickled veggies. that are great. I took my mom there for her birthday lunch this last time.

I had the Toji Donburi witch is Choice of meat or seafoods with vegetables smothered in cooked eggs . I got the Salmon and it was so good. The Donburi is Served in a bowl with three country side dishes and the miso soup of the day. Your choice of brown rice or white rice with barley.

Try to get down there if you but if you go call a head for setting. I was a Tuesday afternoon and it was packed. so i would call if you go at any time.

check them out Domo

It will be worth it

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Toast... big breakfast

We went to Toast and we have been there before. It is always good. I had the the Big Breakfast this time. It comes with 3 eggs, 2 sausage links, 2 pieces of bacon, home stile potatoes and your choice of pancakes or french toast. It is a lot of food and very good. The sausage are fresh and good and bacon is apple smoked. The potatoes are served with peppers and onions.

the bottom line is that Toast is great and one of the best breakfast paces around

Monday, November 3, 2008

Saigon Bowl... #83

We went to the Saigon Bowl with my Grandma for the first time a few weeks ago. I liked it but Rachel didn't so much but she didn't have a noodle bowl.

This last time I went for lunch, I had the #83. It was egg noodles, duck and dumpling's, served with bean sprouts and herbs. It was quite good and the service was good as well. There are other things on the menu but I haven't tried them. I stick with a big bowl of soup, there menu is big. Every time you go you could go something new and it would take you a wile to try them all.

so for a quick lunch or dinner that's cheep and good, Saigon Bowl is a good choice if your in the aria. \

Saigon Bowl

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Good and Bad

Well I cooked a couple of things that I thought I would share.

First thing I made was pumpkin pancakes. It was easier then I thought. I used the Sandra Lee recipe from food network. I don't really care for her show but this recipe was really good. I did add some more spices in it and some vanilla.

Pumpkin Pancakes recipe

Second thing I tried to make a salt cured Lox ( smoked or salt cured salmon.) I found some recipes on line and it looked easy. Basically all you do is cover your salmon with sea salt and pepper. sandwich Dill in between the 2 pieces of salmon and press in the fridge of 3 to 4 days. Well sounds good and easy. but mine was not good. I think that I should have had the salmon skinned and I used too much dill. It juts didnt work out so good. well next time I'm smoking it.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Beatrice & Woodsley... Brunch

Its my third time at Beatrice & Woodsley, this time for brunch. Coming in I had high hopes to eat a full meal there. I'm constantly amazed at the inside decor of B&W, it is just so amazing. The Photos on their website you do get a feel for the place.

The Brunch plates are regular size portions, you get plenty. I started with the hole less doughnuts and the turtle soup. The "Hole less" doughnuts where really just doughnut holes. There were 6 in a serving 2 filed with banana cream, 2 filed with peanut butter, and 2 covered in supper dark chocolate. They all were so good, denser then a regular doughnut and filed with just enough moose for flavor. Then we got the soup it was not what I expected but very good.

The soup is a rich cream broth, with mushrooms and turtle, served with and egg yolk. The Turtle was shredded, it wasn't fishy or tough. It had a slightly salty taste but the texture was sorta like a dark meat turkey leg. The strongest flavor in the soup was the wild mushrooms and the red onion. The veggies were just cook and still had some tooth to them. The egg yolk was raw and you stirred it in to the soup to finish it. The yolk added a richness to the dish that was the think that tied it all together.

Finley for the main course I got the Buffalo Sausage Gravy and Biscuits. I love a good biscuits and gravy but they are hard to find. I do say I do make a good gravy my self. But this particular biscuits and gravy was really good. It was served with 2 poached eggs and chives. As good as the gravy was (it is really good) the biscuits are what was the best thing on the plate . They are made with corn meal, flaky and light and made in house. I would eat just a bunch of there biscuits plane. No butter, jam or any thing to get in the way of the biscuit, yes they are that good.

The Brunch at Beatrice & Wooodsly is great. If you feel that the smal plates at B&W are to high priced (they are worth it) Go for brunch if you feel like you need to get more for your money. If you like an interesting menu and a great atmosphere and food on a weekend go to B&W for Brunch.

check my links for there website

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Beatrice & Woodsley... SPICY BRAISED LAMB BREAST

I met some friends for dirnks and a small plate. I had the Tellagraph cocktale, it was good. Made with rye and ginger ale.

I ordered the Spicy Braised Lamb Breast served with Pearl cous-cous, smoked paprika oil. It was served with greens, a yorget sause and mini Naan. it was fantastic, the lamb was tender and the cous-cous was well cooked and smoked paprika oil just added a nice heat.

it was my first dish there but surtanaly not my last.

Beatrice and Woodsley