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Give a boy some matches, raw protein, a hunger to char and this is what you get: Rosemary Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Quinoa Goosefoot with a Vermouth Cream Sauce.
I love burning stuff. I think it started when I set fire to a large swath of North Texas. The 1980’s were a heady time and my Parole Officer has advised me against talking about it. Nowadays I stick to igniting things in the comfort of my own backyard. I refer to them as ‘controlled burns.’
You know the feeling. Sometimes meat doesn’t catch fire fast enough. So, what I do is tie dry, oily sticks to it. In this case, Rosemary. It leaves a nice char and a pleasant flavor.
What’s funner than winning free stuff? Answer: Winning free stuff that has to do with Pizza! Let’s call this the ‘Back to Pizza School’ giveaway. Two seats for the September 11th Serious Pizza Class. (Don’t worry, you’ll be home in time for the UT game at 6pm.)
The workshop is chock full of knowledge. Let me break it down like a fraction for ya: Long and Short Fermented Dough Techniques, Saucing and Topping Variations, Dough Handling and Baking, Tasting Comparisons and more.
Entries accepted starting today through noon, Sept. 5th, 2010. I’ll use www.random.org to select the winner. Only one entry per person. As usual, void where prohibited, blah, blah, blah (insert legal mumbo jumbo here). Your email address will remain private. I just need it to find you when you win.
America in the Summertime. Everyone should be eating burgers. Big, meaty burgers. Unless you don’t eat red meat, then a Tuna burger. Unless you’re Vegan, then some dust and twigs while you wipe your mouth with the American flag.
The masterpiece burger I created this weekend I have named ‘American Patriot Freedom Burger.’ It’s core is ground Bison (American buffalo), which were abundant during our forefathers time before they senselessly exterminated them for their skins, leaving the rest of the animal behind to decay. USA! USA! USA!
Who said the Seventies were for not. I’m Rock’n it old school with Iceberg lettuce. It’s almost not a vegetable. I think it’s more closely related to Funyuns. But I am not hearing any of that. Wonder if this would grow around here? I should try planting some in my Lego garden. (Attention Lego: I thought of it first. If you ever make a Lego garden, I get 16.4% of all sales.)
I have three basic rules for cooking a hamburger: don’t over mix, do over season and don’t poke at it. The first and third rules are similar. The more you mess with it, the more chance you have of something going wrong. Kind of like your hair. The second rule means ’salt and pepper are our friends.’ And, like any friend, you should use them till you can’t stand to be around them anymore. (I can’t believe no one has approached me to write a cookbook.)
Splashy. That was the first word to come to mind entering the San Antonio Farmers’ Market at the Pearl Brewery. Originally built in 1883 on the East bank of the San Antonio River, the site has a colorful history:
July 4th, 1887 – “City Pearl” beer, named after its refreshing bubbles.
1899 – Otto Koehler becomes Brewery president.
1914 – Otto Koehler is murdered by former mistress Hedda Bergemeister.
January 16, 1920 – Prohibition begins. Pearl manufactures near-beer, soda water, dairy products and ice.
September 15, 1933, at 12:01 a.m. – Prohibition ends. Everybody gets drunk.
June 2001 – Facility ceases production of Pearl, Lone Star, Pabst. Hipsters everywhere shudder.
Fast forward to the new foodie complex with restaurants and other food related businesses. Glass, steel, old bricks and farmers setup in a side parking lot. I don’t get it. Is that the best place they could have put the farmers? The facility has a large, open-air structure, crushed gravel winding pathways with hundred year old buildings. I can understand the convenience of vendors setting up on asphalt, but it doesn’t do much for me the customer. I know what you are saying, “Hey Christian, you’re an idiot.” (And, you are probably right.) Austin has it’s share of parking lot farmers’ markets. But, do you also remember this past Spring, walking into Republic park for the fist time to get your veg on. Felt more appropriate, didn’t it? I think so.
That being said, Pearl market has a deep vendor list (CKC Farm cheese, Kitchen Pride mushrooms, Oak Hill Farms, Shape Ranch bison, et all), and is well attended by the public. Bottom line: any farmers’ market is a good farmers’ market.
Culinary Institute of America has just opened a campus at Pearl. The most revered cooking school in the country putting down stakes in San Antonio? How did this happen? Not that I’m bitching about it. (Everyone is probably asking the same question about Austin’s Formula One track.) It’s the CIA’s third location behind Hyde Park, NY and Napa, CA. Pretty good company to be in. A 30 week Certificate Program is offered to aspiring Chefs to learn the basics. Credits can be transferred to the CIA in Hyde Park, NY, where students may earn bachelors and associate degrees in culinary arts. They also offer “foodie” classes for the renegade home cook and win the prize for the coolest frying pan chandelier I have yet to encounter.
Pearl Farmers’ Market : Saturdays, 9:00am – 1:00pm (Rain or Shine)
Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio : Grand Opening Event October, 9th 2010
I agree with my wife on everything. She told me I had to. But, last night I went to the mat over salad. So we did it two ways. (I’m going to regret this, right?)
It all started with Iceberg. I haven’t bought a ball of it in years. Watery, crunchy, single serving size. Does it even come in organic? My idea was this: Chopped Iceberg Salad with Handsome Bacon, Avocado, Shaved Red Onion and Parmesan Vinaigrette. Tangy, Smoky, Crunchy.
My wife hears the word Iceberg and she thinks old school (probably Sizzler): Wedge Salad, Diced Avocado, Crumbled Handsome Bacon, Diced Red Onion and Creamy Oka’s Miso Dressing. Break out the steak knife. It’s the leafy green equivalent to the chicken breast.
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