Of this and thats....

Just a few ramblings for your Saturday morning consideration..

The Rant Continues......

I’m still a little bummed at the explosion of “quick/easy/simple/fast” recipes in almost every magazine you pick up.   As readers will recall, last November, both FOJ’s and their wives joined us at the Inn at Little Washington for one of the best meals of our lives.   Thank goodness Chef O’Connell didn’t use “may substitute low fat chicken broth” for stock, or “reduced fat cream” or “frozen is a good substitute” to produce something like this:

The reason food at this level burns a memory in your brain you never forget is because every ingredient is made the best it can be on its own, stocks simmer for hours, clarified, reduced and refined, you don’t reach for the Swanson’s box.  Maybe that stock is only used to poach something, or goes into the sauce and you never actually eat it, but its mark is there.  You only know the thing you just put in your mouth is heavenly.  So when you use that “dinner for four in thirty minutes” recipe and then say “yeah, this is pretty good”, maybe that’s why.  I know we’re all busy these days but maybe, just maybe, take one night a week or even month and take time to prepare that long recipe with cream, butter, real stock, and locally produced items.  That’s the real “Joy of cooking”.

It's Everywhere

And speaking of our busy modern world, I got a text last night from a good friend who was in St. Louis, to celebrate his wife’s birthday.  They chose a mutual favorite restaurant there, Café Napoli in Clayton, our old home town.  Napoli has been there for years, it’s a pleasant place with tablecloths, appropriately dressed and trained servers, and always puts out good food (maybe why they’ve been there for years!).  Anyway the text informed me that their wine list is now on an iPad.  I am not sure what I think of that.  Well.... yes I am.  I don’t like it.  I guess it gets back to my penchant for harmony and “just right”.  The setting is relatively formal there, I don’t know if the word “traditional” applies like maybe a place on “the Hill”, but somehow the idea of a server handing me an electronic device for the wine list just isn’t right.  I love to browse wine lists, turning this page and that, maybe going back a couple to compare a French to a New World wine, and generally browsing.  The thought of scrolling and not turning just doesn’t strike a balance with me.  He didn’t say whether or not you made your selection with the device which would be another negative to me.  In fairness, my friend said he kind of liked it, and it does offer some advantages to the restaurant and guest.  Presumably with the electronic advantage they can keep it very current, with correct vintages listed and avoid the “oh, I’m sorry sir, our cellar is out of that particular selection”.  Maybe in a sleek modern place it would fit, but I don’t think it does in Café Napoli.  Nothing is forever.

Hmmmm 

I was kind of interested in the “weekend” insert in yesterday’s Enterprise paper.  With the arrival of the new “food writer” the Around Town segment which features various local (thank you for that) restaurants with descriptions (as opposed to a review) has become less than weekly.  This issue featured an interesting restaurant in Mechanicsville, called “Hot Pot”.  The sub headline was “food as art” and featured the ladies holding a couple of plates.  Vegetables were used to create a floral type arrangement that indeed was quite interesting.  A quick thought is that garnish should compliment the main item on the plate, not overpower it.  What’s the focus? But what really caught my eye was a sentence in the second paragraph that read: (the owner and her brother) “are responsible for this artistic culinary revolution in Southern Maryland”.  Really!  A culinary revolution right here in St. Mary’s County.  Well, well.  Perhaps the feeder will make a visit. 

Nothing to do, continues

Lastly, last night MFO and I went down to Woodlawn B&B (in Ridge) for the first of the “off site” River Concerts given by Jeff Silberschlag and his Chesapeake Orchestra.  They have a few kinks to work out (like where the sun will set), but it was a nice night, and Slack Wines were available.  Keep your eye out.  Think they are at National Harbor this weekend as well..

And since it started at seven, you didn’t have to worry about

DFD