Leftovers

Don’t call it what it isn’t.

NEVER EVER! Serve a person that knows their Cajun and Creole cooking red beans and rice made with canned beans.

Some would argue (and rightfully) that there should be no can opening for red beans period. The recipe varies from cook to cook and family to family. Some with tomato products, some not so much. To open the beans though is just beyond lazy. Exactly how much exertion does it take to cover dried beans with water and stick them in the fridge over night? I have to believe that the can o’bean user also does that boil in bag rice. Wow, white starchy rodent droppings. Just whets my appetite.

While I am on my tirade of wrong names, (I am not sure if it is really cooking anyway) I will address Graham Elliot’s version of “Texas Style Chili”. I don’t care if he has 4 stars or not. There are NO BEANS in Texas Chili. It is a rule. No corn, no rice, no potato, no turnips (yeah, I saw that one time), no hominy, or macaroni. EVER! Seriously, if he had served that in an official Texas Chili Cook Off, it would have been disqualified or lynched.

Chef Elliot can call it Chicago Style, Memphis Style, New England Style or even California Style but not Texas Style. I have enjoyed many a bowl of chili with the above stuff (not so much the turnip) and they were just fine. They just were not Texas Chili.

It is all regional I know. Try to tell people that New England, Manhattan, and Boston Clam chowders are all the same. They are very unique and the rules are different for each. Mixing them together does not mean a bad product but it just has to be Clam Chowder and not specific.

Leftovers

Learning curves

About 4 times a year this comes up. How to eat ice cream. Let first say I am not a big sweets eater. Never have been. Second, my ice cream brand choices are Amy’s and Blue Bell. Both fine Texas brands. Amy’s has twice the fat but it sure is good. Blue Bell does offer a double churn which is just a marketing thing. It means more air.

Moving along, eating said item. It is usually sold in several sizes and is appropriate for several service sizes for women.

The scoop: I just wanted to have vanilla

The ½ pint: I am a little hormonal.

The pint: More hormones.

Applicartions for the above sizes

The scoop: Milk chocolate

The ½ pint of chocolate with chocolate jimmies aka sprinkles: He is a jerk.

The pint of milk chocolate with dark, extra dark, white chocolate chips and chocolate syrup: Pity party.

To properly enjoy the ice cream, there is a dress code.  A sloppy t-shirt (not his for the pint or larger size) and flannel pants.

Equipment and service pieces. A spoon and a damp wash cloth (not tissues used during the ½ pint or above tears).

How many servings are in each container? This totally depends on if the lady is watching a chick flick, texting the ex and sitting next to her commiserating BFF. If a BFF is present, each lady should have her own spoon, container, tissues, attire and aloe infused tissues.

Guys just don’t know the etiquitte of eating ice cream. I have tried to educate.

What Would Chef Do?

Use ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em

Cooked some corn in husk on the grill the other day.  Saved the husks and have been letting them dry.  I have fine ground some corn meal.  I have lard.  I didn’t render the fat for the lard.  My bad.

Today, I am smoking a chicken.   Gonna bone it out and use some for tarts.  The bones will still have some flavor to give so they go into a stock pot in the a.m., the rest of the meat?  Tamales.

Leftovers

Oh, my mind just works that way

I have come up with a new acronym.  V.I.N.O..  Vegetarian in name only.  Can’t say how many times I have cooked a meal and the customer has been a VINO.  These are actual experiences of mine in the kitchen.  FOH has to note on the ticket specific dietary requirements.

Examples:  I am a vegan,  I’ll have the Caesar salad with extra dressing and parm.  I want the porta shroom with extra mayo.  It is along those lines.  I just makes me giggle.  Funny by far?  The lady that could not eat eggs or cheese,  but ordered the whites only omelette with American cheese.  Does the VINO really think that they are impressing their friends?  Do they honestly believe their friends are that daft?

Recipes I have used in the some restaurants & at home.

Pork Sausage

Basic Sausage

1 1/2 lbs pork shoulder cubed (leave some fat on)
3 T salt
2 T Rubbed sage
2 T ground pepper
2 T red pepper flakes
1 T rosemary
1 T Marjoram
1 T Oregano
4 Ice cubes

Mix all seasonings with cubed pork and into the fridge over night.   Mince meat in food processor (pulsing) with the ice cubes.  Form patties.  Bake on parchment lined sheet pan at 350 for 20 minutes.

To make it Italian style, add 2 T each of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and thyme.

Uncategorized

Where was it?

How far did what you eat have to travel before it got to your plate?  Two days?  Two weeks?  I am one of those that believes it should not be over two hours.  Certainly there are exceptions.  Not many.

Supporting the locals only helps the community.  Why buy gassed tomatoes from Cali if the guy down your street grows vine ripe organic?  Nothing against California.  Just an example.

Better yet, grow your own.

Oh, I know that perhaps protein might be tricky to raise on the back patio.  Bet there is is a rancher or farmer up the road.  Take a moment (less time than it takes to nuke popcorn) and find local!  It tastes better anyway.

I am lucky.  Texas affords a great variety of animal, vegetable and mineral.  We have some of the best beef, game and seafood.  Our climate allows us to grow just about anything we want.  True, we don’t do very well with Concord grapes.  We can leave that crop to Concord.  They need something.  Cranberries do pretty good.  I was surprised on that one.

If you don’t live in Texas, please come visit us.  We enjoy your tourist dollars.  Don’t plan on moving here though.  Sure we have room but at some point we just gotta say no more.