Passing Thought

I think I have realized what makes good food good: ingredients a poor person could afford prepared with the palette of the relentlessly classy in mind (not the pretentious goat-cheese-eaters of our day). In the 1950’s, when American housewives made everything with marshmallows or into jello salad, my mom’s working-class friends were eating sweetbreads in their sandwiches. Nowadays it’s on gourmet menus. Huh. No wonder the newspaper columnist in Dublin, who wrote an article reviewing the American reception of Julia Child, assumed that most of us have the palette of a chicken-tender-addicted six-year-old. I read this over a breakfast of black pudding, tomatoes and rashers and when I complained rather irately to the Johnstons, they told me I ought to write the fellow a letter and set him straight. Instead I miffed about in silence and visited an abbey. Now I wish I had, so I am doing the next best thing.

The Refectory

In a flight of holiday fancy, we decided to head down to Columbus the weekend after Thanksgiving to visit my friends Alexis and Kari and their husbands, do some Christmas shopping, and yes, eat. Always eager, I poked around on Open Table’s Columbus page and found The Refectory, which has gotten some excellent reviews, including several that name it “Columbus’ best French restaurant”. Well then! I booked us a table and am excited to try it for several reasons, one being the obvious lack of decent French restaurants in Cleveland (Chez Francois excluded as I have yet to try it) and the other being that I have not had French food since we all went to Chez Max back in Dublin (the third reason being related to the recent Julia Child craze, which I admit did not help, especially given the fact that I used to pretend to be her when I was a nine-year-old up to her elbows in flower baking swedish flatbread – the only thing Mom would allow me to make unattended). With the likes of lobster timbale, confit of pheasant w/ savoy cabbage, sturgeon loin in purple mustard, sweetbread lasagna, ostrich w/ plum Bordelaise, and Cajun duck breast with chestnut confit to choose from, it appears I will have my work cut out for me. I only hope that I can decide on something by then. :) Reports of glee – I hope – to follow!

The Velvet Tango Room

VTR, VTR…  It warms the cockles of my heart to see you in your standing-room-only glory two weekends in a row. Col took me there for our anniversary and while I can’t quite bring myself to diverge from my Sidecar rut, I did try something new to eat: the rather oddly-but-aptly named “Diva Plate,” a lush arrangement of 6 (or was it 8?) truffles alongside a dark chocolate-almond-raspberry bark, which truly stole the show. Also noteworthy was the marzipan, which I could have indulged in highly, given the opportunity, but which Col says comes nowhere close to his Mum’s at Christmas. :) Regardless, when you can’t have your marzipan beside the fire with a little Christmas pudding and RTE on mute in the background, why not stop in at VTR and enjoy it state-side with a little jazz accompaniment? So see you next week? I think I shall.

Tautoga Onitis, or My Fish Adventure

On Saturday I was trying to come up with an alternative to cod for yet another Avoca Cafe recipe and one of the fishmongers at Kate’s Fish  recommended their new shipment of Tautogs. Tautogs, or tautoga onitis, are increasing in popularity as a sporting fish and make a fine substitute for dishes calling for an animal with medium-firm flesh. The meat is bright white, somewhat slimy in texture when raw, and flakes a bit when cooked, but not to the extent of salmon. The taste is not overly fishy, but it is not as mild as monkfish or as sweet as a mollusk (think comparable to cod or orange roughy, hence my being able to use it as a suitable substitute). Kate’s had a long line so while I waited for them to fillet my tautog, I bought some dried dill weed and parsley, as well as a savoy cabbage. When I returned, I got to watch them as they were just finishing my fish, which weighed in at around 4 pounds, or $23. I ended up with four hefty portions filleted, probably about 2 pounds in total.

Heading home, I made my own version of the Avoca recipe, which called for fresh herbs and cod. Start by combining some seasoned breadcrumbs with smashed-up garlic, salt, and about 1 tbsp each of the dried herbs, then dip the fillets into the mixture, after you have seasoned them and brushed them with olive oil. I baked them for about 15 minutes (the fillets were a tad thick and since this was a new fish for us, we wanted to make sure it was cooked through) at 400F (I think).

Meanwhile, the savoy was finely sliced, blanched and drained. I added a little lemon pepper and vegan butter spread (Earth Balance – highly recommend!). Soon the house was filled with a heavenly herby aroma and once it was done, we set to work eating it right away. The reason I am going to this much trouble to explain a simple fish dish is because our little tautog was a prime example of how a high-quality ingredient can make a simple recipe absolutely wonderful. Colin said it was the best he’d tasted all year and I’d pretty much have to agree with him (Julia Child’s pork tenderloin being a close second). The beautiful thing about this dish is also that it was so light and simple, quick and easy, was complemented perfectly by the cabbage, and seemed like it took far more work than it did. I don’t know how much longer Kate’s will be getting tautogs in, but for as long as they are, I will surely be visiting them. My only regret right now is that I didn’t ask to keep the head because it would undoubtedly have made a mean stock. Ah well, next time…

Next week: rabbit braised in Colin’s birthday beer with fennel and carrots; Shepherd’s Pie (I hope).

19th Century Cook-Bookery, otherwise entitled “In Praise of Turnips”

My publishing professor was telling me last week that he is – apart from the currently hush-hush edition our class is working on – researching notes for a 19th century cookbook  he somehow got his hands on. Oh the envy! Ancient cook-bookery you say? Sorry for the phrase thievery, but do tell! Since academic integrity currently forbids me, I will only say that I have also stumbled upon some very interesting archival New York Times articles “In Praise of the Tomato” plus a corresponding catsup recipe and method for deterring chicken hawks. It’s interesting to note that people had to be told to eat their vegetables even then. :) I’d apparently erroneously thought that was all they could get their hands on!

If I were to write an article of a similar theme on a likewise deserving-but-underappreciated vegetable, it would be that of the turnip. Actually, it would be on root vegetables in general, and for many reasons: they possess all the heft and textural properties of a potato but none of the starchiness. Their flavors can be enhanced ten fold with the addition of a vinaigrette, by roasting, seasoning, or when accompanied by a complementary cheese. Moreover, the colors are so stunning and, well, autumny that they’re the perfect component to everything from a soup supper with a little baguette and BBC to the Thanksgiving Buffet.

Last weekend I made a wonderful salad from the Avoca Cafe cookbook that Col bought for me over his summer holidays home. It was a Greek yogurt, slivered almond and pickled beetroot salad. It took about 20 seconds to make and tasted wonderfully of yogurtish creaminess and tang with just a little crunch. The week before I made a chicken provencal stew in my slow cooker, for Luiz and Patricia. Luiz doesn’t take kindly to carrots so I made a puree with the immersion blender using carrots, parsnip, turnip, and a little potato. Just boil, blend, and throw in a little butter, milk, seasoning, and voila! The final effect is a marbled and earthier variation on a potato mash, but with a bittery carrot kick that was offset remarkably well by the typically salty provencal accoutrements (aka olives, tomato, basil, and falling-off-the-bone chicken).

Needless to say I had to visit Epicurious and pounced upon all the Thanksgiving recipes with root veg that I could find (there are around 37). I can’t wait to try my hand at fennel and parsnip gratin and autumn roasted root vegetable medley with sage. I’ll be headed to the market (they have the best quality and selection of root veg this time of year) where I will undoubtedly get my money’s worth!