GASTRONORMOUS

They might look like Ore-Ida steak fries (oh, who am I kidding), but in fact they are panisses, or chick pea flour fries. They look breathtakingly delicious. To add insult to injury, while we are sitting at our computers, David Lebovitz is eating these delicious morsels only when taking a break from frolicking in the ocean on the Cote d’Azur. C’est la vie! [photo from davidlebovitz.com]

The Kitchn has a great post on a topic close to my heart: cheap but good wine.

You know when you are on a long-distance flight and a few hours in you smell fresh cookies baking and you get really excited for a moment and then you realize that you are in coach, so you aren’t getting one? Well, the Amateur Gourmet makes his guests feel like they are in first class by preparing cookie dough before guests arrive and baking the cookies only after dinner is finished. Half (well, okay, maybe a quarter) of the enjoyment of a cookie is the aroma during baking, so this is a simple but ingenious way to offer dinner guests a memorable end to a meal.

Ruhlman has a post with a number of intersting food-related book reviews. I never thought I would be tempted to buy a book about knives, but An Edge in the Kitchen sounds informative to the point of being essential reading for food enthusiasts.

Wow. There is no introduction I can provide that can do justice to the sheer ambition and, well, let’s just say it, balls it takes to start a blog that consists of reviews of beef jerky, and nothing but reviews of beef jerky.

THURSDAY’s lunch–Katzenberg’s Deli, Greenwich, CT
Mixed Greens salad with brocolli, carrots, chick peas, kidney beans, cheddar, dried cranberries.

Yes, another salad!

If you want a big salad, with tons of add-ins, Katzenbergs is the place for you. It is sort of a mess, as you can see. It is not what you would call a composed salad. It is actually so big, with such a large volume of fixin’s added onto the top that it is impossible to toss. This means that I must excavate from the top down and by the time I eat the upper strata, I am full. That is okay because the leftover lettuce usually ends up being a salad for the Hubs and I to share at home for dinner, that is, after I have washed and picked out the bad lettuce. Yes, Katzenbergs also has the issue with wilted or worse lettuce. They must get it form the same supplier as Gourmet Galley.

Anyway, not the worse lunch I have ever had, but, I assure you, quite far from the best.

Today we ordered from Bruckners, an establishment that I am happy to report breaks the Greenwich bad-lunch rule. Their dishes are thoughtful and the quality of their ingredients is pretty high. Not everything here is a winner (I think their sandwiches are more successful than their salads, for instance), but for the most part I can count on them for a satisfying and healthy meal.

Today we order from one of my favorite lunch places in Greenwich, called Bruckners. Their dishes are thoughtful and the quality of their ingredients is pretty high. Not everything here is a winner (I think
WEDNESDAY’s lunch–from Bruckners, Greenwich, CT
Cheese and Vegetable Sandwich

This vegetable sandwich is mostly vegetables, with a bit of cheese, piled high on good quality multi-grain bread, with some mustard and a dash cayenne, which is a nice touch. Vegetables include lettuce, sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, cabbage, and red onions. There are other restaurants in town that put an inch-high stack of cheese on a sandwich, which, though I love cheese, is way too much. Bruckners uses just the right amount. For some reason, today they put mayo on it too–and a bit too much of it–which takes away a bit from the sandwich. But overall, I can’t complain. This was a yummy lunch. Bruckners makes great soups, too. I wish our office ordered from here every day!

TUESDAY’s lunch–from Gourmet Galley, Greenwich, CT
Green salad with broccoli, carrots, feta, hard-boiled egg, chick peas, croutons.

Today’s salad was okay by Gourmet Galley standards. They gave me just the egg white, rather than the entire boiled egg, and about a quarter of the lettuce was wilted or worse, but that is to be expected here, unfortunately. Usually, when I order a mixed green salad from this establishment, they send romaine. It is this type of carelessness that is endemic among lunch places in the area of Greenwich, for some fathomless reason. I can forgive a restaurant that under-salts something, or just gets a combination of flavors not quite right, but I am hard pressed to find an excuse for serving rotten lettuce, or just delivering a completely different item than what one ordered (which happens frequently).

The one stand-out good thing about this salad was the croutons. They are homemade and really garlicky. Everything else is pre-prepped or from a can, and so pretty hard to mess up, unless you fail to pick out the wilted and rotting lettuce, that is. Sigh!

I am beginning to think positing about these lunches was a bad idea. It is pretty depressing (well, as depressing as a free lunch can get, I suppose). I am holding out for something good tomorrow!

To make amends for the unhealthy lunch from yesterday, last night I made a simple salad with a vinaigrette I threw together using some unusual components.

I put into the salad an array of vegetables I had on hand: greens, scallions, peppadews, some beautiful, lumpy radishes from the farmers market, and a bit of parmesan.

For the vinaigrette, I used mandarin-flavored olive oil, a freebie a received when I bought some other items at O & Co. last week. I wisked it with some of the sweet-spicy brine from the aforemetioned peppadews, some white balsamic, a small dab of red pepper paste, salt, and pepper. When I tasted it, the dressing was a bit too orangey, so I added in some plain olive oil to tone it town a bit.

The dressing with the touch of orange was really delicious and refreshing on the salad–perfect for a light summer meal. This vinaigrette would work really well on a spinach-orange-avocado salad, too. The mandarin oil is really versatile; It would be delicious in many chicken dishes, and I look forward to using it in a dessert. Maybe a mandarin olive oil pound cake? ideas, anyone?

This is a special week at gastronormous: I am calling it Working Through Lunch Week. Let me explain.

One of the perks of my day job is that we get a free lunch delivered to our office every day. One of the drawbacks of my job is that these lunches come from restaurants located in and around Greenwich, CT (yes, I live in Brooklyn and work in Greenwich!). My workplace is rather isolated, so running across the street to the Quizno’s for a sammy isn’t an option. Lunch must be brought in or delivered.

You would think that one would eat quite well in the city populated by the most millionaires per capita* than any other city, but you would think wrong. These real estate moguls and investment bankers must eat out in New York City or have their own private chefs cook according to their whim, for I can’t imagine them enjoying a meal out at most of the places that frequently serve us lunch. There are some notable exceptions to the bad-lunch rule, let’s just hope one or two of them pops up this week!

MONDAY’s lunch–form the Olive Branch, Greenwich, CT
Grilled Portobello Sandwich and a slice of “spumoni” cheesecake.

Yes, this shroom-juice-stained, shriveled, bready blob is in fact a sandwich. Of sorts. In the past, the mushrooms have seemed canned or marinated or something. Today they actually seem like they are fresh-grilled. But still, look at this mess. (Mixed in with the mushrooms are grilled peppers, provolone cheese, and some sort of sauce.) I must admit it does taste a tiny bit better than it looks. If you sort of squeeze your eyes tightly shut and let reflexes guide the sandwich to your mouth, it isn’t really terrible. But is it a well crafted sandwich? Let me just tell you that Tom Colicchio would not approve.

And the Spumoni cheesecake? I don’t normally get dessert at lunch. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I did. But the description of this special sweet treat for today was too intriguing to pass up. It was described as a 3-layer cheesecake with vanilla, rum, and amaretto layers, topped with whipped cream, pistachios, and cherries. Sounded decadent. It turns out that I really shouldn’t have. I mean, I really, really shouldn’t have.

It in fact ended up being pistachio, cherry, and some liquor-flavored layers, topped with candied gummy red things and almonds. I don’t like cherry-flavored just about anything. It was overly sweet and flavors tasted terribly artificial. I ate two bites and threw it out. What a waste of my dear old friend cream cheese!

Tune in tomorrow for Tuesday’s lunch!

*A totally made up statistic. But it could be true.

Salmonella can’t survive being boiled for an hour, so why not make tomato jam? [Gothamist food].

In making-environmentally-informed-choices-more-confusing-news: a new scientific report is released that seems to show that eating local isn’t necessarily better for the environment. (Accidental Hedonist)

A related story from Mark Bittman about how eating less meat may help the environment. Check out this incredible graph.

Speaking of Samuel Beckett and faux-hawks (weren’t you just?), Grub Street once again proves they are the place for fans of Top Chef to go for the best coverage of the series, which just aired its season finale this week. Some highlights: An interview with Lisa almost makes her seem…human. A particularly tense scene from a recent episode is compared to a Beckett play—Beckett, while he certainly appreciated the absurd, must be whirring in his grave. A discussion of the importance of faux hawks with Tom Colicchio takes a rather blue turn.

And you thought creationism was bunk: Behold the banana. Everything about the fruit’s design makes it easy for humans to eat it–therefore God created it for us. Of course the design also makes it the perfect food for monkeys…. Oh, nevermind. [Serious Eats]

I can tell you that I am no Paula Deen. I am not really into mayonnaise. I so rarely use it that when a recipe calls for it I usually find myself frustrated because the little jar of mayo I find in the back of my fridge has expired. For the most part, I like my coleslaw or potato salad with a vinegarette, rather than a mayonnaise-based dressing (the potato salad from the BBQ discussed below being an exception!).

Last night was one of those hot and humid evenings in which nothing but a nice, big, and above all cold salad sounds appetizing for dinner. The problem is I came home to find no fresh vegetables in the fridge save some mixed lettuce greens and a couple scallions, and I did not have the will to go out into the terrible heat to procure more. Greens and scallions are a nice start for a salad, but not a meal in itself.

I opened my cupboards to see what I could use to make this a no-cook meal. A couple cans of legumes and a jar of artichokes ended up being my saviors. When I decided upon the lentils, I immediately thought of curry, which I think pairs well with them. And that is what brought me to the mayonnaise. I suppose you can make a curry vinegarette, but the creaminess of mayonnaise carries the flavor of the curry without masking it as the sharp acidity of too much vinegar can. I came up with this recipe on the spot, and if I do say so myself, it was a winner—and might just make Paula Deen proud.

Curried Lentil and Chick Pea Salad

1 heaping T. of prepared mayonnaise
2 tsp. good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
a few grinds of black pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 15 oz. can of lentils, drained
1 15 oz. can of chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 6.5 oz. jar of marinated artichokes, drained
2 scallions, sliced
more salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
mixed greens

Wisk together in a large bowl first six ingredients (mayo through salt). Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add the beans, artichokes, and 3/4 of the scallions to the dressing and fold mixture together. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for AT LEAST a half hour, to overnight. This is a very important step!

Just before serving, taste again and adjust if necessary, then toss with the greens. Alternatively, serve individual servings over beds of greens. Garnish with remaining 1/4 scallions.

Serves 4.

Note: This would be good with some cold rice mixed in as well–and that would make a complete protein.

No, the title does not refer to a hip new restaurant, but backyard barbeque I attended in Maplewood, NJ last weekend. The food and company were wonderful. Some highlights included: these amazing veggie/tofu kabobs. I have no idea how they got the tofu to stay on the skewers, but I am so glad they did because it was amazing. The kabobs had a wonderful flavor that I was surprised to learn was supplied by a jar of marinade from Trader Joes(!). I didn’t imagine a jarred marinade could taste this good.

Also featured were the hostess’ family recipe chicken wings, barbeque chicken, bison burgers, chicken sausages, veggie sausages, New Mexican layered dip and chips, about the best potato salad I have ever had, tasty cucumber salad, and desserts galore, including some to-die-for blondies. Besides the sangria I brought and copious soda, beer, and wine, there was also a delish bourbon slush (supplied by the Predicate).

Thanks Suz and Jen!!! Here are the pics:

This white sangria I made for a bar-b-que I attended last weekend was inspired by a recipe my husband brought back from a long ago trip to Spain. He stayed in a seaside town called Gijón where they made sangria using cheap red village wine, fruit, and orange soda. Yes, I am talkin’ Fanta. Elsewhere in Spain called tinto con naranja, it was served with fruit and called sangria in Gijón.

Red wine and Fanta sounds unsophisticated, or maybe even unpleasant, but incorporated into sangria it is a surprisingly tasty concoction (I can’t say the same for another popular drink in spain: calimocho, or red wine and coca-cola). We served it at a party once–everybody loved it and you can’t imagine their surprise when told the constituents of the beverage!

I don’t use Fanta in this white sangria recipe, but never fear, it is lowbrow-fabulous, or, shall we say, Rustic.

The trick to bringing sangria to a hot-weather event (it was in the 90′s Saturday). Is to cut up and freeze all the fruit the night before, and then mix the sangria right before leaving. The fruit acts to chill the sangria without watering it down. I served this in a 4 liter plastic pitcher with a spout at the bottom for easy pouring. I brought along a ladle to scoop fruit of the top.

“Rustic” White Sangria

about 8 cups of fruit.
(I used: 1 large orange, 1 bunch seedless red grapes, 1 bunch seedless white grapes, 1 peach, 1 nectarine, 1 pear, 1 apple.)
Plus: 2 limes
2.5 liters of cheap white wine
1 cup triple sec (or other orange liquor)
.5 liters seltzer or club soda

The night before: Cut all the fruit into small wedges. DO NOT PEEL THE FRUIT–even the citrus! Throw it all into a big ziploc bag. If using apples and/or pears, save those for last so that when you throw them in the bag the acid from the other fruits will prevent them from browning. Cut 1.5 limes into wedges and add to bag. Squeeze the juice out of the remaining half of lime over the fruit. Seal bag, then manipulate it to the mix the fruit around inside. Put the bag in the coldest part of the freezer.

The day of: dump the frozen fruit into the pitcher or other container you are using. Pour the other ingredients over it. Give it a taste and adjust as necessary. Now, go put on some sunblock and get out the door!

Notes:

• Bring extra wine and soda with you if you can. There will likely be a lot of fruit left in the container when you have gone through the liquid. I promise you your guests will appreciate a refill. Alternatively: enjoy a drunken fruit salad when all the liquid is gone!
• If you use a super dry wine, this might be good (and more true to its Español inspiration) with a clear flavored soda, like white grape soda.
• You could use some liquor other than orange. Peach schnapps might work, though the resultant flavor might induce a Bartles & Jaymes flashback. This may or may not be a good thing.
• Full disclosure: I used a 5 liter box of Almaden white wine for this recipe! A box! Not anything I would dream of serving straight up, to guests or even just myself. Sounds crazy, but look at it from the flip side: do you really want to violate a good bottle of wine with fruit and soda? ¡Claro que no!

Here the white sangria is served in the familiar red plastic SOLO cup. How rustic.

7/4/08 Postscript: See my spectacular new 4th of July, red, white, and blue sangria recipe here.