Spam singles
February 24th, 2010 by jess · food
I know this blog is normally dedicated to local foods and dining spots, but I ran across something yesterday that was so bizarre and so terrifying, I just had to share it.
Spam. Singles.
I suppose in the world of ultra processed meat product the fact that the consumer had to slice the product before eating was hurting hormel’s bottom line. The answer: pre-sliced spam slabs packaged singly in vacuum sealed envelopes.
I have not tried this stuff, nor will I, but their website offers more on the product:
It is the same wonderful treat with the same tongue-splitting amazing taste as always. But also, a SPAM Single is very different. It can easily fit in a pocket. It is just enough for one person. It has more aerodynamic and perhaps shiner packaging. A SPAM Single is alone, fighting a bland world, shouting “I am but a single slice! I taste good! I am convenient! And I am PRETTY!”
I think the phrase “tongue-splitting” pretty much sums it up. For extra terror, they also have a “turkey” version.
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Terry’s Turf Club
February 19th, 2010 by meg · food
Earlier this week my friend Jen e-mailed me as said, I really want to go here. Yes, she really did send me a link to another blog to tell me she wanted to go to Terry’s Turf Club. You can hit just about every Cincinnati food blog and they will tell you how much they love this burger. So, I am not going to tell you about the burger. I am just going to post a couple of pictures that will probably make you want to eat one…I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Vitor’s
February 17th, 2010 by meg · restaurants
Currently I am sitting in the hospital as we wait for the arrival of the newest foodie in the family. You would think there would be lots of hustle and bustle, but right now everyone is reading, even the expectant mother. I felt this was the perfect time to tell you about our Vitor’s brunch. This brunch was extra special because we were celebrating the last time it would be just the six of us…Mom, if you show this to dad. Congrats on the men now out numbering the women.
On Valentine’s day Jess and I wove our way around the west side to the quaint little house that is home to Vitor’s. When we arrived the place was packed. Since our family was already there we sat down with them and they immediately said they wanted to get the chef’s choice three course. I didn’t even open my menu when I said, sounds good to me.
Our first course was an omelet of bacon and collard greens. As a woman that does not eat as many greens as she should, this was amazing. The crape like eggs were wrapped around the filling like a little gift. The peppery collard greens were layered with the salty bacon. The subtle vinegar flavors rounded out this dish perfectly.
Next we had a thai scramble topped with a jumbo shrimp and fried wantons. The spiciness was calmed by the sweet red peppers that were spotted through out the eggs. The eggs were a mix of textures, soft onions and celery, crunchy cabbage and carrots. The tempura shrimp was crispy and tender, if we could ordered a dozen we would have.
The last course was the french toast that Vitor’s is known for. The texas toast is dredged in frosted flakes which makes the outside crispy, but leaves in the inside soft and chewy. Mine had sliced bananas that were covered in creme brulee and topped with whipped cream. Jess’s was topped with a mocha creme brulee, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. If you are a sweets person this is the dish for you.
I wish that I could recommend a dish off the menu, but of the dozens of times I have been to Vitor’s I don’t ever remember ordering. Maybe it is a sign that I trust the chef. Maybe you will trust him enough to create something special for you too.
FYI: If you like bubbly with brunch you will need to bring your own. I believe there is a small corkage fee.
Homemade Yoghurt – First Try
February 11th, 2010 by jess · food
Over the last few years Meg and I have gradually been replacing the factory processed foods in our pantry and fridge with homemade alternatives. Of course we sometimes still use canned tomato sauce or a box of chicken stock but when reasonable we try to make our own. Our latest two projects have been beans and yoghurt. (Keep an eye out for the post on beans).
For some background on why we attempted to make yoghurt: I eat yoghurt every day for breakfast. Besides supplying calcium in my diet I like the way it tastes. I rarely eat sweets so I prefer plain or greek yogurt to the artificially sweetened flavored yogurts available at the supermarket. The organic yoghurt at the grocery is not locally produced. The only local yoghurt option I’ve been able to find is from Dean’s Mediterranean Imports, a thick, custardy, greek version which is absolutely delicious. Even though we have a local option I still wanted to try to make our own so that we know how and I think this will be the first step toward making our own cheese.
Making yoghurt is actually quite simple. In a nutshell you:
- Heat milk in a double boiler (to prevent scorching) to 185 degrees
- While milk is heating, bring 2-4 tablespoons of plain yoghurt to room temperature
- Cool the milk to 110 degrees
- Stir in room temp yoghurt
- Pour into storage containers and maintain temp between 100 and 110 degrees for 5-7 hours (The longer it stays at temp, the thicker the yoghurt will be)
- Store containers in the fridge, this should keep for up to 2 weeks
The idea is to kill any bad bacteria in the milk, add the good bacteria (yoghurt), and maintain the temp the bacteria needs in order to turn milk into yoghurt. There several methods for maintaining the temp like heating pads or an oven with a pilot light. I filled a cooler with water at 115 degrees and placed the containers inside.
The result is delicious. The character of the milk stands out far beyond any supermarket yoghurt I’ve had. The first batch was thinner than normal, probably because the cooler method for maintaining temp is not the best choice for our drafty home in the wintertime. I plan on trying to make yoghurt every couple of weeks, we’ll see how it goes. For any recipe that requires milk or cream there is no substitute for Snowville Creamery’s wonderful organic milk. Whether we’re making butter, ice cream, alfredo or yoghurt this is the only milk we use in our kitchen.
If you’d like some additional detail on yoghurt making, these are the two recipes I used for inspiration:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Yogurt
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/giftinajar/homemade-yogurt.shtml
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Braised Lamb Shanks
February 10th, 2010 by meg · food
In the past two weeks we’ve made braised lamb twice. Once, because I wanted to share the recipe with all my lovely readers. Twice, because it is perfect for company. I don’t know about you, but I like to let people think that I slaved over a dish and made it perfect just for them. In reality, I like to throw a bunch of stuff together and go.
Braised Lamb Shanks:
special equipment: dutch oven with a lid
4 lamb shanks
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine
1-2 cups veal or chicken stock (more may be needed)
2 bay leaves
2 springs of rosemary
4 sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil as needed for browning
- preheat oven to 250 (F)
- heat about a table spoon of olive oil over med-hi heat
- generously salt and pepper shanks
- Brown lamb on all sides and set aside on a plate
- if there is any oil left in the pan, pour it out (it is a bit used at this point)
- add fresh oil and saute carrots, onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, onions will start to release their liquid (scrape up the brown bits while you are at it)
- pour in wine and make sure that you really get up all the brown bits
- return lamb and any accumulated juices back into your pan
- pour in stock until it just covers the lamb
- with kitchen twine tie together your bay leaf, rosemary and thyme and submerge in the liquid
- put on your lid and put in the oven for 5 hours (check and see if it is fork tender, if not check again in 30 minutes)
- remove from oven and pull out shanks
- strain liquid into a fat separator (a liquid measuring cup will work too) and let sit until fat raises to the top, dispose of fat
- return liquid to pan and reduce to desired constancy
At this point it is time to plate. We have lots of options to choose from.
The most rustic and homey would be to shred the meat, then mix it back in with the sauce and the veggies. Serve over egg noodles (pictured above).
For a more refined dish, place whole shank on a bed a polenta. drizzle sauce around the plate. followed by a drizzle of truffle oil. You could also place some sauted mushrooms around the plate or some brussel sprouts.
I really could go on and on about mashed potatoes, white bean puree or maybe making a sandwich out of it. How do you think you want to serve it?
Lavomatic: Brunch
February 9th, 2010 by meg · food
This past weekend some friends of ours were in town from Louisville. As we e-mailed back and forth Jess and I decided that Lavomatic would be the perfect place to meet up for brunch. The restaurant is light and airy. The atmosphere is chill. What really sealed our fate is that a group of nine needs reservation and not all brunch places take them. As the 9 of us piled around our long table we settled into what we hoped would be a fantastic brunch.
Jess order us a bottle of cremant as the rest of the group poured as much cream and sugar into what I heard was very strong coffee . As the waitress brought the bottle to our table I noticed that the cage had already been removed and the cork was starting to come out. She was fiddling with something when all of a sudden it blew. The cork hit the wall behind Jess’s head. Ricocheted off the wall in to the head of one of our guests. Then bounced into the back of another guest. Finally finding its resting place on the floor. As the bottle is overflowing the waitress for a moment decides to set the bottle on the table in front of Jess. Realizing how bad of an idea that was she starts pouring it into a glass, but not before at least a glass of the bubbly ended up on the floor.
You would think that there was no where to go but up, unfortunately that was not the case. Both the omelet of the day and the soup of the day were the same as our previous visit (2 weeks before). Since the cream of mushroom soup was good on that trip I decided that I would start there. The soup is smooth, creamy and earthy. This picture is from our first visit. On the most recent visit there was no parmesean, shaved truffle or minced chives. It would have been nice to have that bright freshness that the chives would have added. 
Jess decided to have the steak and eggs for the second time. He loved it the first time. The steak was cooked the way he liked. The eggs were over easy. The second go round was not nearly as good. One egg was sunny side up and the other one had a brokencooked yolk. On top of that the steak was cold.
Picture on the left is from trip 1, Picture on the right is from trip 2
I decided to go with the special, shrimp and grits. When the plate was set in front of me, it looked delectable. After taking a bite of the grits I was hugely disappointed with how cold they were. I can stand some things, but cold grits is not one of them. I politely explained the situation to our waitress and sent the dish back. As I waited for my dish to come back, our guest (that was hit in the head with the cork) also waited. Apparently they forgot her dish all together.
When my shrimp and grits finally returned to the table I was shocked. They had reheated the entire dish. The shrimp were rubbery. There was burnt bits scattered around the plate. All the pretty green oil was now grey and sizzling so much I was a afraid I was going to burn myself. The worst part is that the dish could have been perfection. The seasoning on the shrimp was so good, spicy and smokey.
hitting my head on the table for not taking a picture after the reheat!
When our guest finally got her boursin, scallion and goetta omelet it once again was subpar. The omelet should have been hot with goey bits of melted cheese inside. Instead she has a warm mass of egg with some cheese and goetta thrown inside. The cheese wasn’t even melted. To top it all off when I had this omelet it was cold. I thought it was a fluke, but I don’t think so. There is just an issue getting hot plates to the table. As for the flavor, I feel like a broken record, but it could have been good. The herby boursin mixed with the salty goetta was lovely, the thought even makes my mouth water.
You can probably imagine how I was feeling at this point in time. I was frustrated, annoyed, embarrassed. I actually felt bad for the chef when he came to the table. We listen to him explain why things went bad, how 9 dishes are hard to serve at one time. I think it is admirable for him to show up to the table, but it didn’t make us feel any better. The two desserts that he sent over were good, the toasted oatmeal creme brulee was probably the best thing on the table all morning. Unfortunately nothing could have made the meal worth what we paid.
A couple more things to note about the meal. A manager never once came to our table. When our waitress was asking what she could do to make it better, Jess had to ask her to replace the glass of wine she spilled on the floor. I have also been wondering why the chef’s jacket was labeled Savor. Is it possible that he is just being shuffled around the restaurant group?
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Pasta Bake
February 4th, 2010 by meg · food
In our house we have a couple go to week night meals. Things that are easy and relatively healthy. Something that is even more of a bonus is if it is easy to change up. Pasta Bake used to be something we would make one night and eat for three. I don’t know why we stopped making it, maybe it was a burn out, but it is slowly making it’s way back up in standing. Another thing that adds to its popularity, it freezes surprisingly well. I made a batch over the weekend for my sister and brother in law. I have a feeling it will be much appreciated after the new addition to their family arrives.
Pasta Bake
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 zucchini, diced
1 summer squashed, diced
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloved, minced
2- 32 oz cans of tomato sauce
1-2 Tbs fresh basil, minced
1 -2Tbs fresh oregano, minced
1 box of penne (cooked to box directions)
Shredded mozzarella (use how ever much you feel like)
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
pre heat oven to 350, heat a saute pan over medium high heat
brown sausage completely and set aside on a paper towel lined plate
Add a small amount of olive oil to the pan, about 2 teaspoons. saute your onions until they start to sweat (3 minutes). scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan as the onions release moisture. Next add the mushrooms and garlic, saute 3 more minutes. Throw in the squash, zucchini, and red pepper. cook an additional 3 – 5 minutes.
Add to the pan the browned sausage, the cooked pasta, the tomato sauce, the fresh herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
To truly complete the dish top with mozzarella, put the lid on your pan and pop it in the oven until the cheese is melted and gooey (about 30 minutes)
If you are like me and are freezing it for later, divide among disposable pans (4 deep dish pie pans), cover tightly with aluminum foil and let cool to room temp. Then pop them in the freezer for later use. To bake defrost, top with cheese and bake until heated through and cheese is melted (will probably take 45 minutes to and hour).
Notes: Chicken sausage will work very well in this recipe, just add a little olive oil before you start to cook it to prevent it from sticking to the pan . If you don’t like my vegetable selection, it is not a big deal. Change it up to your taste! As for the sauce, if you don’t want to deal with the herbs and cans, use your favorite jarred sauce.
Update on the Cheese and Wine Tasting
February 1st, 2010 by meg · food
I have heard back from manager friend of the Anderson Kroger. Here is an excerpt of what she had to say
I’m so glad that you were able to meet Liz Thorpe and attend my wine and cheese tasting! As for tastings at Kroger, they (for the most part) are store specific. Most stores offer a wine tasting which is usually on a Friday. Some stores, such as Marketplace Stores, will offer tastings on weekends as well. I plan all the wine tastings at my store and have developed monthly wine dinners which include chef prepared meals and wine vendor participation in presenting the wines. All of my wine tastings have a different food paired with the wine, it is not always cheese, and the food is planned and prepared by one of my chefs. In general, Kroger shoppers seem to be loyal to one or two kroger stores that are convenient for them, therefore my advertising is in store. But I am developing a bulk email list in which I plan on sending out a newsletter to those who have already attended my tastings or dinners with future events at Anderson Kroger. Please let me know if you have anyone that would like to be included on that email list.
If you would be interested in getting on the event mailing list leave a comment, but please don’t put your e-mail in the comment. I will send it to her privately. If I get more information about other locations I will let you know too…Is it weird that I am curious about the wine dinners? I might just have to check one of those out too.
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Murray’s Cheese, Cheese Tasting
January 28th, 2010 by meg · food
While the ladies and I were sipping wine and getting to know each other night at our wine group the conversation naturally turned to cheese. One of the women said she should run to her car and get her cheese book. I was like, what cheese book do you have in your car? As I pulled out The Cheese Chronicles from my purse. She started laughing and said, I have that book. Then she told me I need to come get it signed. What, get my book signed!
On a very dreary Thursday evening Jess and I tracked to the one place what we don’t go very often, the suburbs. As we shook the rain off of us as we pull up a stool at the Anderson Kroger’s very nice tasting bar. There standing behind the bar was, Liz Thorpe. I was so freakin’ excited, but I played cool. The girl from wine club saw me and came over and introduced us. Apparently she had already heard about me carrying my book in my purse. I will admit that I was slightly embarrassed, but if I didn’t carry it in my purse, I would never have knows about the cheese and wine tasting…or got this
- I wanted her to write Molly gives great presents, but this is what she wrote
Lets get down to business of the cheese and wine tasting. Overall we don’t keep updated on what is going on at the different grocery stores. If it wasn’t for reading The Cheese Chronicles, I wouldn’t have known that Murray’s Cheese had contracted with Kroger to begin with.
The tastes were $.50 each up to 4 tasting. I know that Ohio has some weird law about paying for tastings. I don’t know what was up with the only 4 tastes. 4 whites and 3 reds were offered. They made suggestions on the order, but nothing was set in stone. There were 4 cheese and all but one paired with the red wine, which was a score for us. The selection of cheeses were fun, but still familiar. It is always nice seeing what flavors work well with other flavors. The value of the tasting was spot on, but if you go to a lot of wine tastings there is a good chance you would have tasted most of the wines. Overall though I was presently surprised buy how nice the tasting was. It made me wonder if other grocery store tasting are like this.
As and FYI: I have an e-mail out to my manager friend about learning more about the tastings. I have search the Kroger website, but have found nothing so far about when tasting happens. I recieve a flyer when I got to the store, but I am thinking that can’t be their only advertising. Plus, I would never learn about them
As for Murray’s, the selection of cheese is amazing. My new favorite is the lemon stilton, you should give it a try. The staff is very knowledgeable if you have any questions. If you like to just browse freely, the descriptions are spot on. I even took a picture of one because I thought it was so good (it is a little hard to read tough).
