The downtown area of Lincoln IL has waited much too long for a coffee shop to open its doors since Einsteins Coffee shut down 2-3 years ago. In this podcast you will hear about how a husband and wife are renovating an upcoming coffee shop/ book store due to open in December. Listen in on the full interview right here at The Owls Roost

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Once again I am asking the question “is this Jewish?” I don’t know. Carrot Cake recipes appear in a number of my Jewish cookbook, but not one of them indicates why its Jewish.  A google search on the origins of carrot cake brings up tons of myths and stories but the only thing people seem to be able to agree on is that the version most of us are familiar with, did not become popularized in the United States until the 1960’s. It may have become a popular Jewish dessert because without frosting it can be made parve. One thing I know for sure is that I love it with cream cheese frosting and Jews definitely know what to do with cream cheese.  I was hosting a Big Game party (Go Bears!) and wanted a dessert that was easy to serve and I could decorate with a little blue and gold, and cupcakes fit the bill.  Not one of the recipes I looked at had baking time for cupcakes so  I had to keep a pretty close eye on the first batch. Overall it was pretty easy and my friends‘ 3 year old daughter said they were beautiful and kept opening the fridge all night to make sure they were still there.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups oil
• 2 cups  sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 6 medium sized carrots finely grated
• 1 cup canned crushed pineapple
• 1 cup nuts walnuts
• 1 cup raisins
• Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line or grease muffin tins.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom in a small bowl.
3. In a medium bowl or mixer combine, eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix well.
4. Mix in carrots pineapple, walnuts and raisins.
5. Spoon mixture to the top of the muffin tins and bake for 35 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Remove from tin, allow to cool and frost the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz or cream cheese at room temperature
• 4 Tbs unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar

1. In the bowl your  mixer combine the cream cheese and butter until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. On low speed, add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat until smooth between each addition.

ryan

the neighborhood butcher. 14 lb free range turkey, check.

rena

the sound of firetrucks at dusk

Das Deli befindet sich im Lagocenter…

Die Schnellbewertung:

• Standort: Ideal
• Location: Cool
• Essen/Trinken: Gut aber Teuer
• Events: Donnerstags Livemusik ist sehr Gut, sonst keine Höhepunkte

Die Fakten zum Deli Konstanz

Ort: Bodanstrasse 1-3, 78462 Konstanz

Telefon: +49(0)7531/363710

Website: deli-konstanz.de

Siehe Standort:

View Larger Map

Erfahrungsbericht:

Ich bin bis jetzt 3-4 mal im Deli gewesen, sowohl nachmittags wie auch zweimal Donnerstagabends zum Livemusikevent. Und ganz vorne weg kann ich sagen, dieses Restaurant kann man empfehlen, sowohl unter der Woche besonders aber am Donnerstag.

Zum Style

Das Deli kommt ziemlich stylisch daher mit einer Designeinrichtung vom aller Feinsten. Alles ist newertig und macht einen echt guten eindruck. Der ziemlich große Raum ist komplett offen, es gibt eine Bar über die gesamte Tiefe des Restaurants und einen ebenso langen Tische. Der restliche Raum ist mit einzelnen Tischen ausgestattet und neben dem Eingang ist ein Loungebereich mit Sesseln und kleinen Tischen. Ähnlich sieht es vor dem Deli aus mitten in der Einkaufspassage, hier wirds während der Einkaufszeiten jedoch schon manchmal etwas hecktisch wenn die Kunden vorbeilaufen. Im Sommer sei noch der Balkon erwähnt, der in Richtung See geht und so immer ein frisches Lüftchen bereithält.

Essen/Getränke

In einem Restaurant spielt, auch wenn Sie das erste ist was man beurteilen kann, nicht das Aussehen die größte Rolle, sondern das Essen und die Getränke und deren Preisleistungsverhältnis. Genaue Preise habe ich jetzt leider nicht vorliegend (werden bei Gelegenheit ergänzt) ich weiß jedoch noch, dass die Preise eher richtung Teuer tendiert haben. Besonders das Essen, was zumindest auf meinen Erfahrungen nur durchschnittlichen Wert hatte (zumindest wenn man den Geschmack und nicht das Aussehen bevorzugt beurteilt). Die Getränke sind ebenfalls nicht fürn Appel und´n  Ei zu haben. Geschmacklich waren zumindest der Kaffee nicht das Beste was ich in meinem Leben getrunken habe. Zusammenfassend würde ich jedoch sagen, dass im Deli Konstanz ein Anständiges Angebot geboten wird, wenn auch etwas teuer.

Service und Events

Die Servicekräfte sind schnell beschrieben. Ich habe bisher durchweg nur gute Erfahrungen gemacht. Das man manchmal einen etwas gestressten Eindruck hat liegt sich im Auge des Betrachters und hängt vom Zufall ab. Durchweg ist es sehr junge  Servicekräfte und auch wenn es manchmal etwas länger dauert ein angenehmes Personal. Donnerstags, wenn das Deli komplett überfüllt ist, kann man nicht erwarten auf zu zeigen und sofort bedient zu werden.

Zu den Events, die jeden Donnerstag im Deli stattfinden (Ab 21.00 Uhr) sei auch nur kurz gesagt. Genial. Es ist eine richtig gute Stimmung in der Bude, oftmals wird getanzt auf einer zugegeben eher kleinen Tanzfläche, die Leute sind fröhlich und man kann einen angenehmen Abend verbringen. Ob einem die Musik gefällt steht natürlich auf einem anderen Blatt. Da es eher eine etwas gestylte und moderne Location ist findet man passend dazu meistens Pop, Jazz, Blues, Hits….

Alles in Allem das Abschließende Fazit:

Deli – JA, da kann man hingehen! (Nur nicht jede Woche)

More fabulous shopping in the Village! Stop in for your fine foods fix or some gift shopping for your special foodies. Deli counter service, sandwiches, salads, sides and deserts are the house specialty.

Grizzly Mountain Gourmet

40728 Village Dr. 909-436-8859

Grizzly Mountain Gourmet

Photo courtesy of Breadsoda

Mary Moon…she’s a vegetarian, Mary Moon, Mary Moon…

Well, I certainly could be after tasting the famous Veggie Burger at Glover Park’s Breadsoda. Usually Veggie Burgers come on a flat, pressed, previously-frozen disk of unidentifiable vegetable…stuff.

Not here. Breadsoda uses a mixture of coarsely-chopped mushrooms, vegetable protein and spices, loosely packed and hand-formed for a delightful full-bodied texture, beating some of the best gourmet meat burgers I’ve ever had.

With lettuce, tomato, and a top-secret sauce on ciabatta bread, I was close to converting. It also comes with a deli pickle, and your choice of chips, potato salad, cole slaw or fruit salad. I opted for the latter–fresh watermelon, strawberries, grapes and cantaloupe.

Breadsoda is a deli too, as well as a pool hall. The narrow space holds three pool tables, shuffleboard, and a long, sleek bar. They also have Nintendo Wii and a couple of large, flat-screen TV’s.

I don’t play billiards. I was more interested in the deviled eggs in the deli case.

Outside is a sunken patio with outdoor seating in warmer months. During the winter, Breadsoda provides patio heaters to keep patrons nice and toasty.

This is a sleek neighborhood bar with friendly service, excellent drinks, great food at fair prices. And entertainment to boot. What more could you ask for?

Shot by Matt Davis & David Pond.  Edited by David Pond

Hands down the Best Jewish Style Deli in SF.  Meaning, it blows doors on Moishe’s Pippic in Hayes Valley, and the less said about David’s on Geary Street, the better.  (It is NOT Kosher, so if you need Kosher, you’re out of luck.)

Not only do they get the food right, but they get the ATTITUDE right, especially during the lunch rush. Plenty of banter between the guys behind the counter and the customers, the way it should be.

VERY GENEROUS PORTIONS for the price.  Your money goes a long way at Miller’s. Huge sandwiches that would easily cost fifteen – sixteen bucks in NYC are only $11 at Miller’s.

If you’ve never been, GO, and if the last time you went was back in 2006, GO BACK and try it again.  They made some management and personnel changes in 2007, and the food has improved dramatically.  I’ll admit, the first time I went there, in 2004, I was not impressed.  But things have changed and now I love it.

Things we didn’t get to show in the video: They have a nice assortment of Deli Style Fish – Lox, Whitefish Salad, Sturgeon, Pickled Herring, etc.  Unfortunately, it does not photograph very well.  But if you’re looking for some quality nautical nosh to top your bagel, they’ve got a nice selection at their deli counter.

Rumor has it they do a good Fried Chicken here as well.  But, I’ve never ordered it, I’m always having too good a time with the deli sandwiches.  If anyone can confirm that the Fried Chicken is good, send me an email.  Thanks!

I can see why a lot of people might find the trek to Langer’s a bit unnerving. It’s just one block from the parking lot to the actual restaurant, but you have to share that one block of sidewalk with a lot of brown people from South America. It’s located in a “shady” area of LA; 7^th and Alvarado, kitty-corner from McArthur Park.  I tried to convince my lunch companions (native Angeleno brown girls themselves) that they were safe by pointing out that even though there wasn’t an immigrant rights march going on at the moment, the LAPD was always near looking and ready for opportunities to beat up or shoot someone.

I have driven past Langer’s many times since I moved to Los Angeles, but it wasn’t until last week that I found out it was a local and international icon. As soon as I saw the classic diner décor of 70’s-brown pleather booths, counter stools, fake wood tables, light fixtures with old beige lamp shades, and crunchy, sticky floor, I knew the food was going to be really good.

We managed to get there before the lunch rush, so we scored a booth. I did not spend too much time reading the menu. I was there for the notorious #19. The #19 is Langer’s best seller and it’s what everyone who isn’t a pastrami sandwich (bread and meat with a dab of mustard) purist orders. The #19 is pastrami on rye with a slice of Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing. When it comes to food, mob mentality rules and I wasn’t there to be a dissident. I ordered the #19 and a cream soda.

What was put in front of me was simply brilliant. There is no better word to describe it. I bit into the deliciously smoked pile of lunch meat, and was immediately transported into a different dimension of Sandwich Nirvana. I was home. Langer’s pastrami is perfectly cooked, sugar cured and peppered, and slightly fattier to give it more good flavor during the smoking and steaming process. The hand-carved, thick pile of meat is encased within a tender rye with a crackling crust that’s easy on the mouth and is accompanied by two pickle halves. Definitely one for the Best Things I Ever Ate file.

Because feeling privileged makes me uncomfortable and sad, I immediately thought about the people out on the street. Here was something utterly delicious, so close to them, but so far from their grasp. The people who work and live in this neighborhood cannot afford to eat much beyond the dollar menu, let alone a $14 sandwich.

Many claim that Langer’s pastrami sandwich is the best in the world. I haven’t been to Katz or any other legendary New York deli, but it’s hard to imagine any other sandwich beating the  #19. I had finally arrived at my pastrami Mecca and it was only 4 miles from my house. I unburied my face from the sandwich and took a moment to tell my companions, “I’ll have this over French Laundry any day.” They gasped. Oh the sacrilege. “Don’t tell that to your sister!” they replied. “It’s ok. She already got miffed at me for liking the Chez Panisse experience better than French.”

I decided two weeks is long enough a wait to eat another #19. I won’t even have to park and walk along 7^th. Langer’s has curbside service and I’ve already saved their number in my cell phone contacts.

• 6260 W. 95th Street
• Oak Lawn, IL 60435
• (708) 233-0368
• Website
• Menu

I always think it’s funny when friends rave about chain restaurants.  Especially when they’re not one of the big national chains.  Still, even though I may laugh, it always peaks my interest.  A friend of mine on Facebook is constantly talking about a deli that only has one location in the whole state of Iowa, but it happens to be near her house.  There’s also one near J’s parents in Oak Lawn, IL, so when J and I needed a quick-lunch, but didn’t want burgers, she called in an order to Jason’s Deli.

The Oak Lawn location of Jason’s Deli is on 95th Street and Mobile Avenue in a new, small strip mall.  It sits quite a ways off the road on the other side or a large surface parking lot which is a newer thing in downtown Oak Lawn.  A lot of the old buildings are more traditional store fronts that butt up to the road and having parking in back, but this center, as well as a few other new ones, break that tradition.

The chain, which got its start in Beaumont, TX in the late 70’s,  prides itself on the fact that none of their food (other than soft drinks) contain High Fructose Corn Syrup or trans fat.  Their signature sandwiches include Po’boys and muffalettas and every restaurant has a salad bar and daily soup selection.  There are approximately 200 stores in 25 states.

I really don’t know how the deli works.  They call it a deli restaurant and when you walk in, the order area says “To-Go Ordering,” so I guess that means you would sit down and a waitress would take care  of you if you were dining in?  Not sure.  Didn’t have to worry about it because J had already called in an order. The space reminds me of Panera Bread.  There’s an order counter that is stacked with impulse buys and the kitchen is open so you can watch your sandwich being made. When I got there, my order was already done.  I gave them my name and they handed me a bag with our lunches.  I was also handed a cup for J’s sweet tea.  I paid the $16 for a sandwich, a salad, and a drink.  It was then up to me to get J’s tea.  Since I don’t drink tea, I’m a little ignorant.  I guess you’re supposed to put ice in sweet tea?  I just filled the glass and headed home.  When J picked it up, she remarked about it being hot and complained they forgot to put ice in it.  I could have just played along, but I fessed up and said I did it and didn’t know any better.  She laughed at me. 

For lunch, I ordered the Bird to the Wise sandwich.  I was just expecting a flat sandwich with a few slices of meat, but this was done in a style more reminiscent of a New York style deli.  The sandwich was loaded up with turkey, pastrami and swiss cheese.  It was served on an onion roll with choice of mustard or mayo.  I, of course, chose mustard.  It was one of those sandwiches that I didn’t really know how to eat.  It didnt’ all fit in my mouth, so I did my best to nibble away until I got something more manageable.  The onion roll, which is usually a turn off, didn’t affect the taste of the sandwich too much, so I can’t complain.  I didn’t really pay attention to bread when I ordered, so it was my bad.  The sandwich was served with chips and a pickle.  I finished off both and it did a pretty good job of holding me over until dinner. 

J ordered the Nutty Mixed Up salad.  Organic field greens come topped with grapes, feta cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, raisin’s and organic apples.  The dressing is Leo’s balsamic vinaigrette.  She loved the salad except for the apples.  They were too big to really eat as part of the salad and had to be picked up and eaten separately by hand.  Other than that, she was really impressed with the combination of toppings and is a little remorseful that we had never eaten at Jason’s in the past. 

Overall, much better than I would have expected.  I was thinking it was going to be something like Panera, but it was more Panera crossed with a New York Deli.  The sandwich was delicious and there’s about a dozen more on the menu that I’d like to get my hands on.  There are no Jason’s Deli locations in Michigan.  This store in Oak Lawn is probably the closest to Kalamazoo

Nutty Mixed Up Salad

A Bird to the Wise

Nothing was going to get me down yesterday. Nothing.

Driving with the windows open in mid November? Belting out the tunes? (My sincere apologies to anyone who may have heard—what can I say? Freedom of speech hurts sometimes, beatches! Yeah!)

Never mind the oddly temperate day with winter knocking on my door (Do you forget how cranky winter makes me? Please see …..It’s October. I have the heat on. Tell me again why I live here?….for your friendly reminder.) Sure, that alone would put a spring in my Borns. But my husband and I had just gotten over a vicious twenty four hour bug—and I was free from the bug that bound me!

(By the way, I’ll say only this and I’ll speak of it never again….if you want a glimpse into what hell looks like, try taking care of three little kids when both parents are down and out. At one point, it was every man for himself around here, and I stood convinced the inmates would be running the asylum by dinner time. With unlimited access to tv and party snacks, things looked dicey. Fruit rolls ups for breakfast? Vitamin C! Slices of cheese for lunch? Gotta get your calci-yum. But when the baby picked up the phone and tried to order out for pizza, I knew it was time to rally before DSS came a calling.)

So when I was sprung from this joint to forage for food at the crazier than crowded grocery store on a 60 degree mid November day, nothing was gonna get me down. When I walked up to the deli counter, and pulled a “91” from the ticket thingy and glanced up to see “Now serving….68”, I didn’t even flinch. I skipped away to grab some provisions and came back when they were closer to 91.

I should add I frequent this deli counter (where it is apparently roughly the same wait for a pound of cheese as it is to score playoff tickets), so I’m familiar with the usual suspects who work there. And apparently? They know me too.

Finally, they shout, “Nine-teee oneeee!” And I get all Horseshack in the sea of carnivores (Seriously. Did being a vegetarian ever look so good? Never seen a crowd like this around the tofu….) So the deli guy looks at me and says, “Whoa! You’re not looking too good today. Are you feeling okay?” Listen Garcon, more ham slicing and less editorializing. If you stopped trying to be Sam the butcher from Brady Bunch and stuck to the slicing and dicing, the line wouldn’t be 20 deep! Oy. Good help is so hard to find.

Why do I keep coming back here? First they call me ma’am, and then they say I don’t look good! (Please refer to….Would it kill you to card me? And for the love of God, stop calling me ma’am.) So what if they’ve been right both times—so not the point! Not the point. Not the point I said!

Down but not out, I grabbed my sliced meats and cheeses and split. I drove home with the windows open, grinning like I won the lottery and pulled up to the house to find my kids playing outside with my husband. I thought, “This is what it’s all about! Carpe diem and all that!”

But…I should have known….I DID win the lottery…..the virus lottery. How did I not think my kids would soon suffer a similar fate to their parents? (They looked so happy and rosy cheeked during my fall fun day yesterday, I refused to face the ugly truth it could “get” them.)

As I sit bleary eyed with my two sick kids after almost pulling an all nighter (It looked a helluva lot better on me at 20. And let’s face it, we can bank on it being three sick kids any minute now….I have one hold out and God love him for staying strong…but this thing is so bigger than him!), I can only look out the window and hope a day like yesterday will soon come again.

Yo, mother nature, are you listening? I faced down that deli line and I’m not afraid to go toe to toe with you either, missy!

Gerçekte var olmayan biri var(dı).

Artık yok.

__________________________________________________

şimdi bütün bu parmaklarla ne yapacağız biz?

The perfect location for a cafe, bagel shop, or deli, 558 Fulton Street sits in a busy Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood. The 600 square foot space plus basement is neighbored by Crunch gym, Urban heritage boutique, and large chains like Payless Shoes, Subway, Golden Krust, and Sleepy’s. The area also boasts an artsy side, with Brooklyn Academy of Music (with a theater just down the block) and the Mark Morris Dance Group.

A neighborhood is not complete without great eateries, and not far from 558 Fulton is the Thomas Beisl Viennese Restaurant, Brooklyn Pizza, No. 1 Chinese, the Fulton Grill, and Flatbush Gourmet. Think you could complete the street? Call us at 212-213-6480 for leasing information.

-Caitlin

Alles über den Koch Tim Mälzer findet man hier tim-maelzer.de – umfassende Informationen zum Lebenslauf und Ausbildung erfährt man hier aus erster Hand.

In der Bullerei kann man erleben, was Tim Mälzer so besonders macht:
Motto: ein Restaurant samt Café/Deli für jeden Geschmack, jede Tageszeit und jede Lebenslage.

Restaurant & Deli Bullerei in Hamburg by Tim Mälzer

Bullerei Hamburg

Mit der Bullerei gewann man 2009 die Goldene Palme des Leaders Club aus dem Stand heraus.

http://www.bullerei.com

Bullerei
Lagerstrasse 32
20357 Hamburg

Tischreservierungen: 040 / 33 44  21 10

Video TLV wisely convened at the Dancing Camel last night. They understand that people are always more lively and interested when there is good alcohol about. I was excited to get out in the middle of the week to a nice evening of video trends and good brews, but the food pretty much blew me away.

Nestled in the heart of Tel Aviv in an old grain storage facility built in the 1930’s, the Dancing Camel is Israel’s first Micro brewery. Having met and the owner on numerous occasions, David Cohen, he consistently puts out superior products because he loves what he does. So when he started the new menu I was intrigued.  Between me and my husband we ordered a foot long and the Ibn Givrol sandwich (corn beef on gibbeta). When the food arrived, I had realized we order too much, the sandwiches were huge (we trying to diet although this was not our night for lower calorie consumption).

The hot dog was big and meaty, but I must admit  the corn beef over shadowed the hotdog and  was just a dream. First the bread was fresh and lightly toasted, you wouldn’t believe how many restaurants forget the bread is there not only as a place holder. The meat was lightly toasted making it melt in your mouth soft and there was a tantalizing smoky flavor permeating the meat.

After we had dived in to the food, the cook came up and asked us how we liked it. We of course gushed to him how great the food was. And his reply with a big smile on his face was “of course it is I made it myself.”  There was such pride in his statement, he knew he had put out good food and was happy that we were enjoying his work. I believe this kind of attitude stems from the David, who makes all of his products with a passion for greatness.  I had a wonderful night punctuated with great beer, food and atmosphere.

Happy Tuesday, friends! How’s the week treating ya’ll? I’m still pretty disappointed with the weather we’ve been having here in town; this week’s fog and humidity certainly make for some uninspiring days. But (!), we hope to brighten those rather muggy afternoons with some sandwich love here on the blog.

I’m happy to get back on the regular ‘local faves’ schedule today and share an interview with an awesome local authority on everything food-related in town.

Photo Credit: Austin360

If you live in Austin and consider yourself a foodie, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Addie Broyles. A writer for Austin360 and The Austin American-Statesman, Addie covers anything and everything food-related. Though she isn’t the Statesman’s food critic, Addie covers food trends, home cooking, grocers, recipes and anything else that makes Austin’s food scene unique.

Addie and I met up for sandwiches (of course) at Fricano’s in Hyde Park yesterday to talk about food writing, blogging and what its like to work in the news media today.

A young newsie herself, Addie pointed out how easy it is to write about what we eat. “Everyone loves to talk about food,” she noted and I think this is an idea we can all agree upon. Ever since we started blogging here at aes, many of us have been surprised at how comfortable a topic food can be. Even when you set out to discuss something completely different, having an interview over a quick meal or talking about a favorite recipe is one of my fool-proof icebreakers.

Before I get to the interview though, I’ll share a few thoughts on the sandwiches. Fricano’s, crowned by readers as Austin Chronicle’s Best Kept Secret in 2008, is indeed just that. The only thing better than the food is the service and the team behind the counter of this hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop make up the nicest restaurant staff I’ve ever met in Austin. Addie had a Reuben while I checked out the Turkey Special (I added pesto – highly recommended). Both of us were very, very impressed with the sandwiches and the freshness of the ingredients. There was just enough avocado and pesto on my sandwich and the bread was grilled to perfection. The interior of the restaurant is small with only four two-top tables and a small counter plus an additional two tables outside on the patio but chances are that won’t stop you from coming back.

Now, back to Addie.

The 2005 graduate of The University of Missouri started as a part-time nightly copy editor at the Statesman. After a few years and one brief appearance on What Not to Wear (yes, the TLC show with Stacy and Clinton), Addie was soon taking over an open spot at Austin360 as the paper’s food writer. She credits both her eagerness to embrace new media and her makeover with helping land the new gig.

“It’s crazy how serious people start taking you when you dress up for work,” she remembered.

When interviewing for the post, Addie pitched the idea of a regular food blog, consistent use of Twitter and embracing and engaging the Austin food blogging community should she take over the vacant position.

Today, Addie tweets , maintains her blog, Relish Austin, and is featured regularly as a columnist in the Statesman’s print edition. A certified expert on all things food in Austin, Addie offered the professional’s perspective on where to enjoy a sandwich or a great night out around town:

What’s your favorite sandwich shop in Austin?

I’m going to have to say Fricano’s. This is the first time I’ve been here but I would say it’s one of the best. Nice people, books and games [to play with]. The veggie burger at Bouldin Creek is supremely overlooked though.

Describe your perfect sandwich.

Avocado and sprouts are key – and some element of vinegar. I’m not a big fan of lettuce and tomato – they usually take up space. Crispy bread, or a hot sandwich too. If you have bad bread, don’t even bother.

What do you pair your favorite sandwich with?

Crunchy, salty chips. Even vinegar chips and I never thought I’d be into them. Oh, and soup. Tomato soup, like Campbell’s with a grilled cheese. I’m really into dipping my sandwiches.

What’s your favorite place to enjoy a meal outside in Austin?

Freddie’s on South First – but not for the food. They have big oak trees, beautiful lights, strong drinks. There’s a stage and an area for the kids. You can sit outside, have a drink and watch your kids play. The food’s ok – definitely try the hand battered onion rings.

Addie’s effervescent personality shines through as she optimistically muses about the future of papers and the media profession in general:

“There’s never been a better time to be an innovative, creative professional.”

And I couldn’t agree more.

My first ferment - a nice sauerkraut with purple cabbage

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a seminar entitled, “Yes We Can (and Pickle).” In addition to the fairly funny title, the event, put on by Avodah and AJWS, was devoted to food awareness. One of the workshops I went to was, not surprisingly, about pickling. I did not realize how much I didn’t know.

So let’s start with the basis. Pickling is a process used to preserve foods, such a cucumbers, by removing “bad” bacteria that rot food. It has been used for centuries to preserve food reaped in the warm months (before the times of refrigerators). Most cultures have their own variety  using different food (kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut, for example). Many pickles are made via “quick fermenting,” during which vinegar is added. The vinegar kills all the bacteria. However, there are good bacteria, which aid in the digestion process, making them preferable to keep. The better way, in my humble opinion, is to use just water and salt, which accomplishes the same thing. Here, the yeast in the air ferments the sugars and kills off only the “bad bacteria,” leaving the good stuff

I spent last week in New York City. New York is known for many things, but pizza and delis are for sure on the top of the list. I definitely did not leave being deprived in either category. But when I was walking in the streets, I was reminded also of the pickle’s Lower East Side historical roots, as I was found stands with dozens of different types of pickles. Possibly a hallmark of Jewish delis, the kosher dill arose during the 1800s. Everyone around the U.S. knows the kosher dill, and I have even seen them in supermarkets in the deep South. Today, ironically, kosher dills are not necessarily kosher, but rather only refer to the particular recipe with the generous amount of garlic in the brine, though the historical name still remains.

So why bother pickling? Here are three reasons: (1) It is really fun – it’s sort of like a science experiment. (2) They are tasty. (3) The bacteria in fermented pickles (ie, not the ones with vinegar) have probiotics, which are good for you.

So here’s the recipe…

Well, I am not going to give you a recipe, per se. It is so easy, and there is so much creativity that can go into it, I don’t want to restrict you. But here are a few basics that you’ll need.

• a good container, preferably one with straight sides, though anything will do
• whatever you are fermenting
• sea salt (don’t cut corners and use other salts)
• water

Basic Steps:

1. Cut the veggie into whatever size and shape you like. The larger the pieces, the crunchier they will be.
2. Place all of it in a bowl, and salt. Taste a bit and see how it is. The salting will bring out the water, which is critical.
3. In about 1 inch layers, start packing the veggie into the container, using your fist to really get it in there. Make sure to include all of the water at the bottom of the bowl.
4. Do this for about half of it, and then wait a few minutes. The salt will begin to draw out the water, making it denser.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 until complete.
6. Wait about 12 hours. If not all of the veggies are below water, add a little bit of salt water.
7. Place something over the container, to ensure that everything stays below water (critical step). Do not place a lid or anything like that on top though.
8. In 7 days, taste. If you like it, put it in the frig, which will stop the fermenting process. If not sour enough, let it go some more… There is a decent chance that the top of the ferment will start to rot because it is exposed to the air (you will see a sharp change in color). This is fine, but just be sure to discard this before you start eating.

Now, just using salt water is a bit boring. I suggest that you add a bit of flavoring. This can be added a little bit at a time, after each layer that you do. Here are some ideas:

• Cabbage (sauerkraut) – onions, chili, caraway seed, garlic, peppercorns, allspice berries, cloves, anise
• Cucumbers – garlic, onions, allspice, dill, rosemary, mustard, ginger, anise, coriander seeds
• Beets – (beets need to be cooked prior to pickling) cinnamon, allspice, herbs, nutmeg, chilis, cloves
• Other veggies… mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomatoes, or anything else that you can eat raw

September 30th, 2009

They say you should never meet your heroes.

Sound advice.

Unless they happen to be firemen.

To be honest, I never actually thought it was a given. And anyway I know from experience it’s not; because <brag alert> Joe Strummer was the perfect gent.

Anyway, last weekend I found myself at a gig I’d been looking forward to all year – Gang Of Four at The Forum in KentishTown. The reason it was so anticipated was that I had been promised to be put on the door months ago, as my girlfriend is mates with the manager / promoter there (thanks Dan, I owe you several beers at this stage).

Dan had already sorted me and Naomi with a couple of really cool festival tickets over the summer, but I’d not yet been to The Forum this year (I did see Living Color there about eight years ago).

I had been eyeballing the Gang Of Four show since about March; and the fact it was the 30^th anniversary of their debut Entertainment! (stone cold classic – GET IT NOW), I was excited to say the least.

Just to put in context how much this band (who released their first album the same year I was born, bear in mind) means to me, here’s a little rock and roll history.

Obviously I wasn’t around for the original release; but for a band of their time, they’re probably the single biggest influence on the group who’s album became the reason I picked up a bass in the first place.

That reason was Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

That album blew my head open. It introduced me not just to the force of nature that is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but also to Rick Rubin’s career-high producing Midas touch (which still continues to this day) and the sublime talents of engineer / mixer Brendan O’Brien – another superlative producer in his own right.

The songs, the incredible performances and personalities coupled with the Zeppelin-esque recording process, all resulted in my favourite album of all time and a determination that I wanted to play music until I die.

“How does this relate to Gang Of Four?” I hear you yawn.

Well, Flea in particular, has said the original sound of the Chili Peppers was primarily influenced by Leeds’ punk-funk rogues. So much so that they got Gang Of Four axe-man, Andy Gill, to produce their first album.

Without wanting to put too fine a point on it – he made a bollocks of that album.

To be fair, it was never going to be Blood Sugar Sex Magik; but it could have easily been an underground classic.

There were a few factors involved also – last minute line up changes, the band’s inexperience, personality clashes etc.

Gill’s assertion that he “didn’t know what (he) was doing” on the Gang Of Four’s earlier albums probably didn’t lift the bands confidence either. One story, that the band left a pizza box (with a shit in it) on the mixing desk, speaks volumes.

“Typical.” was Gill’s only response to the incident, apparently.

So, based on this evidence, I have only myself to blame that I did not heed to the potential perils of hero contact.

The fact that the hero I approached on this occasion was also Andy Gill, gives me the distinct impression that I have all the foresight of a Darwin Award winner.

The after show exchange went something like this….

“Hey Andy. Sorry to bother you. Amazing gig. Thanks so much.”

“Are you Jurgen?”

“Erm, no…”

“What’s your name?”

“Niall.”

“Sorry, what?  Jurgen..?”

“Uh, no, it’s Niall.”

What followed was Gill (the man whom I called a legend, from the crowd, not half an hour previous) silently turning his back and offering me the limpest, lamest, reverse reach-around handshake in the history of uncomfortablism.

Maybe if I had introduced myself by my nickname (“Disko..? Really..?”), or indeed pretended to be this Jurgen individual, my interaction may have lasted more than five seconds.

Or maybe Andy Gill is just an uppity rude fuckwit.

Naomi and my now deflated self  left soon after – but not before I launched into an expletive ridden tirade as to why the original rhythm section were absent from the current line-up (my reasoning mostly centered around Andy Gill’s fuckwit credentials, as I’m sure you can imagine).

God bless Naomi and her powers of rant absorption.

And thank god I hadn’t directed it at Gill himself.

To be honest, as I (soberly) write this, it’s not really as soul crushing as I had worked it up to be on the night. I think what stung was the sudden gear shift from elated post-gig booze brain to an abrupt, uninterested dismissing.

In fact, I now feel a little guilty about the Mark Chapman death-stare (and wink for some reason, according to Naomi) I threw him as I left the place.

Andy, if you’re reading this – don’t worry; I still love ya, soda pop.

But you’re no Joe Strummer, buddy.

Disko

X

Epilogue :

The next morning I found myself (still pissed) in the Italian deli next door to Naomi’s place.

She had very considerately woken me at half nine to go get a couple of paninis.

As I swayed bleary-eyed at the counter, I turned around and saw Channel Four News’ Jon Snow enter for a Sunday morning coffee with his paper (presumably just to make sure  other journalists are still not as badass as himself).

Thoughts of the universe balancing out the bad karma visited upon me the night before swam round my brain; vying for position amongst slightly less  celestial concerns about whether to get a Milka Bar on the way home.

“If there’s anyone in the world who’d love a slurred declaration of admiration at a quarter to ten on a Sunday morning -  it’s TV’s Jon Snow!”, I reasoned to myself.

Thankfully, at this point my inner Lilac Milka Cow looked up wearily from its grazing and mooed :

“Go back to bed, gobshite.”
Soundtrack : Grand Pappy Du Plenty – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Happy Tuesday, friends! How’s the week treating ya’ll? I’m still pretty disappointed with the weather we’re having here in town; this week’s fog and humidity certainly make for some uninspiring days. But(!), we hope to brighten your rather muggy afternoons with some sandwich love here on the blog.

I’m happy to get back on the regular ‘local faves’ schedule today and share an interview with an awesome local authority on everything food-related in town.

Photo Credit: Austin360

If you live in Austin and consider yourself a foodie, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Addie Broyles. A writer for Austin360 and The Austin American-Statesman, Addie covers anything and everything food-related. Though she isn’t the Statesman’s food critic, Addie covers food trends, home cooking, grocers, recipes and anything else that makes Austin’s food scene unique.

Addie and I met up for sandwiches (of course) at Fricano’s in Hyde Park yesterday to talk about food writing, blogging and what its like to work in the news media today.

A young newsie herself, Addie pointed out how easy it is to write about what we eat. “Everyone loves to talk about food,” she noted and I think this is an idea we can all agree upon. Ever since we started blogging here at aes, many of us have been surprised at how comfortable a topic food can be. Even when you set out to discuss something completely different, having an interview over a quick meal or talking about a favorite recipe is one of my fool-proof icebreakers.

Before I get to the interview though, I’ll share a few thoughts on the sandwiches. Fricano’s, crowned by readers as Austin Chronicle’s Best Kept Secret in 2008, is indeed just that. The only thing better than the food is the service and the team behind the counter of this whole-in-the-wall sandwich shop make up the nicest restaurant staff I’ve ever met in Austin. Addie had a Reuben while I checked out the Turkey Special (I added pesto – highly recommended). Both of us were very, very impressed with the sandwiches and the freshness of the ingredients. There was just enough avocado and pesto on my sandwich and the bread was grilled to perfection. The interior of the restaurant is small with only four two-top tables and a small counter plus an additional two tables outside on the patio but chances are that won’t stop you from coming back.

Now, back to Addie.

The 2005 graduate of The University of Missouri started as a part-time nightly copy editor at the Statesman. After a few years and one brief appearance on What Not to Wear (yes, the TLC show with Stacy and Clinton), Addie was soon taking over an open spot at Austin360 as the paper’s food writer. She credits both her eagerness to embrace new media and her makeover with helping land the new gig.

“It’s crazy how serious people start taking you when you dress up for work,” she remembered.

When interviewing for the post, Addie pitched the idea of a regular food blog, consistent use of Twitter and embracing and engaging the Austin food blogging community should she take over the vacant position.

Today, Addie tweets , maintains her blog, Relish Austin, and is featured regularly as a columnist in the Statesman’s print edition. A certified expert on all things food in Austin, Addie offered the professional’s perspective on where to enjoy a sandwich or a great night out around town:

What’s your favorite sandwich shop in Austin?

I’m going to have to say Fricano’s. This is the first time I’ve been here but I would say it’s one of the best. Nice people, books and games [to play with]. The veggie burger at Bouldin Creek is supremely overlooked though.

Describe your perfect sandwich.

Avocado and sprouts are key – and some element of vinegar. I’m not a big fan of lettuce and tomato – they usually take up space. Crispy bread, or a hot sandwich too. If you have bad bread, don’t even bother.

What do you pair your favorite sandwich with?

Crunchy, salty chips. Even vinegar chips and I never though I’d be into them. Oh, and soup. Tomato soup, like Campbell’s with a grilled cheese. I’m really into dipping my sandwiches.

What’s your favorite place to enjoy a meal outside in Austin?

Freddie’s on South First – but not for the food. They have big oak trees, beautiful lights, strong drinks. There’s a stage and an area for the kids. You can sit outside, have a drink and watch your kids play. The food’s ok – definitely try the hand battered onion rings.

Addie’s effervescent personality shines through as she optimistically muses about the future of papers and the media profession in general:

“There’s never been a better time to be an innovative, creative professional.”

And I couldn’t agree more.

• 6425 S. Westnedge Avenue
• Portage, MI 49002
• (269) 329-2993
• Website
• Menu

Oh, happy day at SW Michigan Dining World Headquarters. We finally got a new computer!  We kept saying, we’d get a new couch and a new computer after the wedding.  A monkey wrench was thrown into those plans when J was transferred to Kalamazoo.  Now, we had unexpected moving expenses.  We got the couch, but I was still holding out on the computer.

This past weekend, our old laptop finally kicked the bucket.  We had problems with it turning off on it’s own and it picked a bad time to do so.  I was right in the middle of connecting to a new network and McAfee was processing the info.  It corrupted the disk and now I can’t get it to start.  I don’t have a recovery disk anymore, so until I can borrow one to pull a couple files, that computer is completely dead.

I had been pricing computers on Dell.com, HP.com, etc., and wasn’t happy with the prices.  Yesterday, we were at Walmart and found a Dell for $600 that I priced for almost $900.  I almost picked it up, but ended up waiting.  We went home and J scoured the Sunday ads and found an HP at Best Buy for $430.  It had what I wanted, so we put the order in and picked it up today.

After taking care of that, we figured we’d just stop for lunch since we were already out.  We really wanted to get home and break open the box with our computer, so fast food it was.  I had been eating junk all weekend, so when J noticed a Subway, I was more than happy to oblige. 

There are many Subways in Portage, but the first one we saw was on the corner of Westnedge and Gladys.  It’s an older building with the older yellow awning out front.  Unlike most Subway restaurants, this is a stand-alone store.  It doesn’t share space and it’s not part of a strip mall. 

We were pulling in at lunch time and in the past, at different Subway’s, that’s always been a bad move.  Even though this is a stand-alone building, it’s not very big.  When you walk in, there’s only a few feet between the order counter and the wall.  There’s enough room for two two-tops shoved in the corner.  There are a few more tables on the other side of the counter, but there’s still not many.

There were only a few people in front of us in line, but again, many times that can take much longer than it should.  Not at this location.  They had a system going and it actually worked.  Three competent people behind the counter make all the difference.

J ordered first and she went with her usual.  A six-inch veggie delight on wheat.  She went with double pepperjack cheese, lettuce, peppers, and banana peppers with a little bit of the Chipotle dressing.  She added on a bag of baked chips and an iced tea to her order.

I got the Spicy Italian on Italian herbs and cheese.  I also got pepperjack cheese and the meats are Genoa salami and pepperoni.  I added on both jalapenos and banana peppers then topped it off with oil and vinegar.  I did not make my sandwich a meal.  Since we were going home, I’d rather drink my own Pepsi than a Coke. 

We were not in the store all that long and that’s unusual for us with Subway.  We always seem to have bad luck.  As soon as we got out of the store, that was the first thing J said to me. 

When we got home, we sat down and ate our lunch before digging into the computer.  For a long time, I loathed Subway, but as I opened up to more veggies, I’ve started to really enjoy the place and actually prefer it over most of its competition.  Really, at this point, you can put jalapenos on almost anything and I’m going to like it. 

Like I say with all chains, you know what to expect and as long as you meal meets those expectations, it’s a good day.  Food wise, this Subway location met those expectations.  Service wise, they exceeded.   

Veggie Delight on Wheat

Spicy Italian on Italian Herbs & Cheese

Kappie and I went for lunch the other week. I ordered the chicken mayo sandwich with avo. No tomato. I remember specifically requesting no tomato because I made some joke about it and we all laughed, or at least pretended to laugh.

Then Kappie comes along with his one chicken burger (but with no relish, hold the gherkins, add a slice of cheese and a crispy bun, not the brown seed one and only a half portion of lettuce) order. Blowing my request, right out of the water!

So of course, our meals arrive; Kappie’s is to perfection. Mine however, the understated yet classic  chicken mayo, had tomato.

Now, I’m not one to complain. Ultimately I can just pick the tomato off, no harm no foul. And in the end, I don’t blame the deli; I blame Kappie – with his perplexing, picky, order…confusing people everywhere in the world, all day, every day.

I said as much to him. He didn’t care as he munched away on his idyllic sandwich, smirking as I picked off each tomato slice, almost as if he had calculated it all to go down this way.

As I finished the sandwich, all that was left on the plate was one lettuce leaf (the garnish on the plate vibe) and the 4 massive slices of tomato.

Now, for some reason, I felt bad. The deli guy is lovely and when he comes to take the plates away he’s going to see all the tomato and remember that I asked for no tomato, which will make him feel bad. So I began attempting to hide all the tomato underneath the lettuce leaf. At this point Kappie queried what in world I was doing (although he did say, “world”).

I explained my reasoning to which he counter-argued. He felt that if I left the tomato on the plate but didn’t say anything, they’d see they made the error but think; “How nice is LT that she didn’t say anything. There goes an upstanding citizen.”

Interesting. 

To hide the tomato or not to hide the tomato.

For those still reading this, I’ve decided to wrap this up as I’m really going nowhere… So, after much debate, I ended up hiding half and leaving half.

Not too sure what statement that made.

Just putting it out there. Which one would have done?

My beef with restaurants that don’t take reservations is that it doesn’t make sense to the customer (me, at least) to stand around and wait when I know where and when I want to eat. But what if it makes sense for the restaurant? If you could be outrageously successful working 20 hours a week, wouldn’t you do it?

I sure would, which is why I was trying to be patient with Salumi.

The charcuterie shop in Pioneer Square is the retirement project of Mario Batali’s father, Armandino Batali, and for a while I tried to pretend that its popularity was celebrity-induced. But then Owen took a roadtrip for the express purpose of eating the specialty cured meat and it moved to the top of the list.

The trouble is that even at the top of the list, it took me months and 3 trips to Seattle to actually get there. Did I mention they are only open 20 hours a week? 20 weekday hours. This is great for people who work in Pioneer Square and want an awesome lunch. It’s less helpful for the rest of us and after I made it to the door a couple of times – getting there early enough to stare longingly at the greasy fingerprints still on the window, but too late to make any myself – I started to sulk. I had all but given up when my last trip took me down midday to an office only a couple of blocks away. I was twitching with excitement, then worry as meetings went longer and got delayed and when my client asked if there was anything else we needed to do in Seattle, I managed to yell I HAVE TO GET SOME SALAMI before running out the door.

There was no line, which was worrisome, because from all reports there is always a line. But no, it was open and I managed to order a sample platter of select meats. I thought about ordering one of everything, but visions of chucking cured meat out the window in the border line forced restraint.

And so you know how sometimes food tastes amazing only because you’ve waited a long time for it? I sometimes think that’s the strategy of restaurants with long lines, but that was not the case here at all. Greasy good salami, in all different sizes and flavours and all were amazing; hot soppressata, fennel and even chocolate! I ate them all happily from the tinfoil with my fingers. I can’t even imagine how good the soups, sandwiches and pasta dishes must be. Maybe next year I’ll be able to sample something else.

Salumi is in Pioneer Square, 309 3rd Avenue South, in Seattle.