comestication

Henry Weinhard's Root Beer

2009-06-01T00:31:00.000-07:00

A smooth, creamy, froth-happy drink that brings a smile to the face of all who drink it. Think of it as a healing potion for the soul.

We recently pitted this against two other fancy root beers, in a competition we called "Root Beer Flights" and it won hands down.

Bottoms up!

Pimm's Cup

2009-05-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

This classic British refresher is a must for spring days (and on into summer, of course!). Served at Wimbledon, there's something regal to it, despite its simple construction.

start with 2-3 oz. Pimm's No. 1 in a high ball or mojito glass half-filled with ice
pour in clear lemon-lime soda, saving an inch at the top of the glass
squeeze in half a lemon or lime
twist a few cucumber slices and drop them in
garnish with lemon or lime and cucumber slice

the cucumbers make the drink. honestly. drink and enjoy. since this has low alcohol content, you can have more than one. they're better with each one...

BEST sandwich

2009-01-21T21:27:00.000-08:00

that's right, i'm declaring the best sandwich in the world (okay, one of the best). it's an extension of the BLT, and it's called the BEST: bacon, egg, spinach, and tomato. and i own that name. nobody else can use it without paying royalties.

as i like to say, "a sandwich is only as good as its weakest tomato." i own that too. seriously :)

of course, you can substitute turkey bacon or tofu or anything else you prefer. spread mayo on one slice of toast made from a tasty bread, preferably one with a nice crust. add the four layers, being sure to salt and pepper the tomato.

enjoy this seriously good sandwich.

and of course use this to your heart's content*.

* your real heart may not like it so much, but that's what exercise is for... to work off your foodie habits.

chocolate covered marshmallows

2009-01-18T08:51:00.000-08:00

kristin made these wonderful treats over the holidays, and then again the other night. they're salty and sweet and my goodness are they tasty.you'll need:

marshmallows
dark chocolate
coarse sea salt
toothpics

melt dark chocolate in a double boil. stick large marshmallows with wooden toothpics and dip them in the chocolate. set out on a sheet of wax paper and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

sorry, no picture... we ate them to fast.

quality: 5/5
price: cheap!

ham and spinach frittata

2008-11-22T12:50:00.000-08:00

made this this morning. tasty as heck, especially opposite a caprese salad.

6 eggs
1/2 to 2/3 cup grated cheese
1 to 1/12 cup of sliced baby spinach
1/4 cup ham, diced and browned
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

preheat the over to 375f. heat the oil in an oven-safe pan. mix all the ingredients in a bowl and pour into the oiled pan. let sit 5-10 minutes until it seems the bottom has browned. then move the pan into the oven for 10 minutes or so until the top appears to be settled. then switch to broil and place the pan in the broiler for 2-3 minutes until brown on top.

cut and serve, just like anything else.

ball drop

2008-11-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

new drink. made tonight. fun.

1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz sweet vermouth (mmm....sweet vermouth)
4-6 oz ginger ale
freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/4 or 1/8 of a lemon)

shake and serve in a martini glass with a maraschino cherry, two if you're feeling cheeky.

tomo

2008-10-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

sushi. very fine sushi. slightly pricey, but filling, which is saying something for sushi. they have this japanese lasagna that will knock you silly. it does contain some cream cheese, so if you're not into that in your rolls, then maybe you should stick to the mt. fuji, the ex-girlfriend, or the eel.

here is the chowhound topic discussing the restaurant, corroborating and elaborating on my story. just about every review i've seen of this restaurant has put it in the top tier of sushi spots in austin, which i have to agree after two visits is spot on. on top of the great food, this place lacks the pretension of other places in town, places like uchi and (tho i like this place) kenobi.

but then again, it is in north austin, the least pretentious (and least expensive!) part of town...

beni di batasiolo bosc dla rei

2008-10-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

this 2006 moscato will knock your dessert wine socks off. what, you say? you don't have dessert wine socks? ya gotta get a pair. slip 'em on then knock 'em off with this sweet wine.

there is nothing subtle about this wine, but with moscato, that's the idea, right? i won't use any winehead terms to talk about bosc; i'll let you find the words once you can get yourself to stop drinking this once you open the bottle. i bet it's empty before you get much of a word out.

next time, i'm gonna try this with some smooth, mellow vanilla ice cream. i'll let you know how it goes.

i think it ran us somewhere around $12. 4/5 stars, if stars are what you're after.

corn pancakes

2008-09-15T01:27:00.001-07:00

finally made these the other day. my ad hoc recipe went something like:

1. cut the corn off its cob on 3 ears of corn.
2. heat some vegetable oil. yeah, we'll be frying these varmits!
3. start a mix of 3/4 cup of corn meal,
4. 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour,
5. 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
6. 2 teaspoons baking powder,
7. salt and pepper,
8. 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.
9. start a mix of 3/4 cup milk,
10. an egg,
11. the corn from 1 above.
12. stir dry into wet, stir well.
13. drop dollups into the frying pan from 2 above.
14. let dry on a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
15. eat before they cool!

sorry, no picture. i ate 'em too fast (see 15 above)!

Rooibos Tea

2008-08-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

I first heard of this naturally decaffeinated tea from South Africa a few years ago, but surprisingly haven't written about the delightfully and mellowing slightly nutty flavorful drink. With a tiny amount of honey, this tea becomes a great treat alongside some dark chocolate, cocoa beans, or just on its own. If there's one thing that could break me of my chai addiction, it was this.

Nowadays there are many different brands on the market; even the local HEB has its own homespun brand. It seems people are starting to get the picture that there are many different types of teas out there beyond the celestial seasonings brand...

One day i'd like to open up a tea shop to rival the moral majority of coffee drinkers; maybe it's something that would flourish in Europe, or in the right part of an American town.

Definitely my cup of tea.

an americanized obatzda

2008-04-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

so i tried making a version of obatzda to use as a spread on bread and i think it came out pretty good. certainly not a weight-loss meal, but here ya go:

some amount of camembert cheese (for butteriness)
the same amount of cream or neufatchel cheese (for mellow sweetness)
half that amount of either lindberger or remblochon cheese (for pungence)
a healthy number of shakes of paprika
freshly dry-roasted caraway seeds
a clove of roasted garlic

mince the garlic and mix it all up, lump it into a few ice cream scoops and plate it -- then spread on bread, sausage, whatever.

semmeln

2008-03-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

kristin brought home some kaiser rolls lately that made me think of semmeln. they're close, but not quite there.

semmeln. my favorite bread. a bavarian classic. here's a recipe i found recently that i want to try out one weekend when i gots some spare time. damn i miss the freshly-baked bread on every street corner.

Ingredients for Semmeln

* 2 cups of boiled water
* 1 cake of compressed yeast
* 1 teaspoon of salt
* ¼ cup of lukewarm water
* Between 6 and 7 cups of flour
* About 3/4 cup of flour
* White of 1 egg or less

Instructions

1. Soften the yeast in the lukewarm water, mix thoroughly, then stir in the flour; knead into a ball of dough until it is smooth and elastic.
2. Make a deep cut across the dough in both directions.
3. Have the boiled water cooled to a lukewarm temperature. Into this, put the ball of dough.
4. It will sink to the bottom of the dish, but will gradually rise as it becomes light. In about fifteen minutes, it will float upon the water as it becomes a light, puffy sponge. Into this water and sponge, stir the salt and between six and seven cups of flour.
5. Knead or pound the dough about twenty minutes.
6. Let rise in a temperature of about 70 deg F., until the mass is doubled in bulk.
7. Divide into pieces weighing about three ounces each (there should be about fourteen pieces). Shape these into balls.
8. When all are shaped, use a sharp knife to make five separate pieces.
9. Set the balls into buttered tins, some distance apart and brush over the tops generously with melted butter.
10. Set to bake at once in around 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
11. When nearly baked, brush over with the beaten white of an egg and return to the oven to finish baking.

chocorasp

2007-12-29T00:09:00.000-08:00

this fun little drink is great served at room temperature or even slightly warm for those long winter nights.

1 oz. godiva chocolate liquer
1 oz. chambord

it's that simple, but oh so good. also great over vanilla ice cream, especially when warmed up before drizzled.

it could use a better, more spiffy-sounding name, tho.

dad's chili

2007-11-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

I've been going through a few of my old notebooks and other notes, and stumbled upon this old recipe.

oil pot
add 1 clove garlic
add 1 medium onion
add approx. 1 lb ground beef (since i don't eat much ground beef anymore, ground turkey also works here)
add much chili powder once meat browns
add can of kidney beans
add medium can of tomato paste
add large can of whole tomatoes
add 1 green pepper
add jalepeño

let simmer for moby time.

pomegranate cosmopolitan

2007-09-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

this little treat has a slightly heavier taste than the normal cranberry-based cosmo. we've been on a pomegranate kick, so this seemed right for a sunday afternoon.

1 oz. tito's handmade vodka
1 oz. paula's orange
1/4 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 oz. (or more) pomegranate juice

best with a nice slice of orange and 5-6 ice cubes.

kristin's potatoes and veg

2007-07-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

slightly browned potatoes
add a layer of black beans
add a layer of wilted spinach
drop on some fresh tomatoes
top with a light mexian cheese or some flecks of parmesan
(not the powdery stuff)

enjoy!

very tasty. great for those days where it looked like 8pm at 3pm. can't you tell we're sick of the rain?

taste: 4/5
price: under $8 for two plus leftovers.

orange mojito

2007-07-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

there's probably another name for this, but it came out rather good, so here 'tis:

crush up fresh mint sprigs
1 shot of creole (or even light) rum
1/2 shot of paula's orange liqueur
fill the rest of the glass sprite (to taste)
squeeze a wedge of fresh orange or tangerine juice

pour over ice cubes into a parfait glass and drop in a cross-section of an orange. sip and enjoy!

kristin and steve's chocolate cherry seduction

2007-07-08T23:18:00.000-07:00

this little concoction is a nice creamy treat for summer evenings. pour into 2 glasses and enjoy! best when shared.

7 frozen cherries
1 shot creme de cacao
1 shot kaluha
1 weight watchers cookies and creme bar
1/4 cup milk
8 ice cubes

blend / crush ice
chocolate sauce around the rim of the glass

tiroler schüttelbrot

2007-06-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

this bread can easily be characterized with the following terms: flat, hard, and long-lasting...

however, it's also rather tasty, going great with speck, sausage, gerkins, various cheeses, and lots o' wine, served on a lazy susan in the center of a table. according to our friends, you're supposed to drop it in the cup of your hand and punch it to break it into managable pieces.

and of course, it's best with friends, when catching up after 12 or more years...

gruyere

2007-04-23T19:18:00.000-07:00

mama said knock you out, no this cheese will knock you out!

this mostly hard cheese breaks off in your mouth, leaving you a little thirsty, especially when your teeth bite into the little surprises embedded within. luckily there's extant such a thing as good wine. there are little crunchy bits in this cheese that almost count as their own crackers. they're so tasty, they add another flavor and texture to the mix. i love cheeses that come at you from all angles.

consider my taste buds cordoned off...

i especially like the cave aged variety, which adds another layer of deep taste to this mostly hard cheese. don't melt it! but do put it on spinach salads with a few pine nuts. it'll make ya go nuts.

rating: 5/5 the kind of cheese your mama warned you about.
price: ?? (affordable)

right now i'm having some with an italian red, and it's marvelous. i can taste the farm when the two merge under he direction of my careful mandibles!

goats do roam

2007-04-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

a play on cotes du rhone, this tasty south african red wine from paarl, za is a blend of shiraz, cinsaut, carignan and mourvèdre with a dash of local pinotage. or so i hear. dunno what all that's s'posed to mean, but i can say that this little wine goes well with goat cheese and also with lamb. we had some with our easter dinner, and it sent chills down my spine with it subtle reach. i bet it would go well with mussels too.

i don't usually buy wines over $10, but i think it's time i started. and i'll have to keep my eye out for another bottle of this goat-wine.

taste: 4/5 - one of the better wines i've had in awhile
price: ~$14

steve's classic bountiful omelet

2007-04-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

2 organic eggs
splash of organic milk
small handful of organic baby spinach
20 small diced pieces of red onion
1 slice of honey ham lunchmeat (optional)
1/2 hass avocado
a few diced tops of asparagus from the night before
7 slivers of sottocenere cheese
salt, pepper to taste

inside: onions, spinach, ham, asparagus
on top: avocado, cheese, salt, pepper

there ya go -- to keep the eggs from getting too done, 2/3 of the way through, cut the heat and cover. this finishes the eggs through without overdoing them on the outside, as well as melts the cheese.

belhaven scottish ale

2007-04-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

one of the guys from my linguistics department turned me on to this.

imagine guinness about 1/2 as dark, but just as creamy, with that same layering of taste and texture as the nectar pour into a glass. that same waiting of 3-5 minutes before its settled enough to taste, each second the lips smacking awaiting the honey-colored joy.

imagine not so bitter, twice as sweet. what a lot of schmaltzy beer schnobs would call a malty smell. the taste of fuits and nuts that fades relatively fast, so you gotta drink up!

in summary - to me it's like guinness without all the hype and sweeter than stout.

score: 5/5! perfect!
price: ~$7 for 4 14.5 oz draught cans

sottocenere

2007-04-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

I'll keep this brief, as I'm trying to get work done, but I felt I needed to write this today, as I'm eating some now on me roast beef, and boy is it good.

This aromatic, semi-soft, semi-salty French cheese aims to please, and hits the bullseye! It's got a nice truffle-coating, lending a nice earthy layer of taste.

If you have a local artesian cheesery (fromagier, or somesuch), or one of the many organic stores that Whole Foods has been devouring these past 10 years, go give it a taste. Great on omelets, in salads with walnuts and spinach, and on roast beef sammiches.

Rating: 5/5!
Price: $9.99/lb at Whole Foods.

aster's ethiopian cuisine

2007-04-09T22:56:00.001-07:00

28?? n-ih-35 just north of dean keeton on the southbound frontage road, austin, tx, usa.

visited this place last friday night with a friend from work and his gf. both carnie- and veggie- food that one can easily fill oneself up on with n-1 dishes (1 dish for 2, 2 for 3, &c).

just reopened after a ten-year hiatus where the owner's husband's job took them out to virginia. we're glad they've returned, though we would have preferred they'd opened back in their old digs up on rundberg and parkfield around the corner from our house. as one of the more diverse neighborhoods in austin, it'd be nice to beef (or lamb) up our cultural cache with the caucasian majority with their presence up north, but oh well. closer to campus is better for their business i'm sure.

update: returned last week and sampled a few of their meat dishes, along with a few veg. very much prefer the veg dishes. eating greasy meat with my hands is not so much fun, especially sinec i splattered a drop on my new shirt. waaaaa...

but go, you'll be happy w/the veg!