Carl Time

A baseball rant from Carl.  He rips on Lincecum for looking like a girl and ends up picking the Yankees to win it all in 2011.  I guess Carl is a Yankee fan.  Are most NY Giants fans also Yankees fans?  Does that mean Mets fans are usually Jets fans?  I know that James does not fit that rule.  He is also a Rangers fan...I am just starting to ramble here.  Time to go to bed.

Awkward Television Moments

This week's television featured a few very awkward moments.  To the point that I was sick to my stomach or laughing my ass off.

Boardwalk Empire
The creepy government agent looking at Mrs. Schroeder's photo became very creepy.  He lays out the towel, pushes his wife's picture down so she can not "look" at him, and then gets out the belt.  I naturally assume he will partake in a little autoerotic asphyxiation.  Am I the only one who thought that?  Screw you guys.  Instead he punishes himself for having impure thoughts.  Stupid religion.



Worth masturbating to, not worth beating yourself with a belt...
Aside from that the episode was pretty awesome.  Jimmy hatches a plan to get back at the Irish.  And then Al insults him at a party, but Jimmy rolls with it and throws out his own insults.  Apparently Al Capone does not like that too much (I wonder how historical some of this is?).

Sons of Anarchy
SAMCRO heads to Ireland to get Jax's son back.  First though they have to get drunk and party with SAMBEL.  Jax meets Trinity and there are some instant sparks.  Jax does a bare-knuckle fight with Liam.  Trinity wants to wrap his hands and she is definitely giving him the fuck-me eyes.  After the fight she leads him to a shower, where someone makes the joke that she needs to scrub his back.  Normally this would just be another normal day for someone in the club, except in this instance, Trinity is Jax's half-sister.

Fortunately, Father Kellan came to the rescue.  He wanted to talk to Jax about his son.  Crisis averted.  Score one point for religion.






Always Sunny

Obviously this one was just meant to be funny.  The whole episode was hilarious, as the gang tries to recreate what happened at the Halloween party that ended up with Dee getting pregnant by one of them.  After everything is settled, they think it was actually Dennis who slept with Dee, which causes Dennis to vomit.  Dee then reveals that it was none of them and she just said it to screw with them and prove that they did care who the father was.  The gang then insults her and leaves without waiting to hear who the daddy actually is.  

Philly Cheese Crepe

What in the world is a Philly Cheese Crepe? As you might expect, it begins with the classic Philly Cheese Steak, and takes off from there.


Moving from the south, where the previous two recipe posts found their origins, we now move to the American northeast, where few foods are as beloved – and taken as personally – as the Philly Cheese Steak. Its popularity extends far beyond its native Philadelphia. On Food Network, Michael Symon even featured competing versions on a recent episode of Food Feuds.


For anyone not familiar with it, a Philly Cheese Steak is a few simple ingredients - sliced grilled steak, grilled peppers (and sometimes onions), and cheese (usually provolone) on a long roll (“hoagie roll” to Philadelphia locals) – that somehow come together in a truly glorious way. Made properly, it’s enough to make the haughtiest sophisticate pump a raised fist and say, “yo!”



Today we look at a fun take on this classic culinary institution that I call the "Philly Cheese Crepe." Since authenticity is key to making a proper Philly Cheese Steak, you should begin by putting on the traditional cooking ensemble.


First, the crepe itself:


While crepes can be made right when you need them, they refrigerate or freeze well, so much time can be saved doing them beforehand. The all-purpose crepe I posted a few weeks ago will work for the cheese steak, but I tend to use it for fruit fillings and prefer a more savory version for the heartier cheese steak filling. You can make it using the all-purpose recipe, but with the following changes:


Instead of one cup of all-purpose flour, use ½ cup of all-purpose flour and ½ cup of wheat flour.


Add about two tablespoons of dried parsley and, if you like, two tablespoons of wheat germ to the batter.


Add additional water, a little at a time, to offset the added dry ingredients (parsley and wheat germ). This is best done by the texture of the batter (which should be like that of heavy cream), rather than by adding a pre-determined amount of extra water.


The above recipe makes eight to 10 crepes. Set aside the ones you need for the cheese steaks, and store the rest to enjoy at a future meal. They’re a great item to keep on hand.


To make filling for four crepes, prepare three-quarter pounds of thin steak as follows. (I like top round thin steak, the kind used for brasciole, but any thin steak will do.) First, as with any steak, dry the outside of the meat using paper towels to make it easier to brown. Apply mustard to each side as a rub to season and tenderize the steaks, then lightly rub each side with olive oil. Now you can cook the steaks using your favorite method – a grille pan is my weapon of choice, but if you’re more comfortable cooking the steaks another way, that’s fine too. Once each side is cooked – and, since they’re thin steaks, they’ll cook quickly, around three minutes per side on the grille pan – let them rest before slicing (as with any steak or roast) while you prepare the peppers and onion mixture.


Toss a couple of julienned peppers, a couple of chopped or julienned onions, and three or so minced fresh garlic cloves with enough olive oil to coat and a little salt and fresh ground black pepper. Cook them in the grille pan (if that’s what you used for the steaks, otherwise use any appropriate pan) until the peppers are tender and the onions are nicely caramelized. Then slice the rested steaks into thin strips and toss them well in a bowl with the cooked onions and peppers.
 Now to construct the crepes:
Lay the crepes out on the counter and, along the center-line of each, put a slice of reduced-fat provolone that you’ve cut in half, placing the two halves end-to-end. Add some steak-pepper-onion mixture on top of the cheese, then put another slice of cheese (cut in half and placed end-to-end as with the first slice) on top of that. Fold each side of the crepe over, wrap it in foil, and let it heat in a 200 degree oven for ten to fifteen minutes.


Now serve it with some salad or fresh slaw, open up a Yuengling, and enjoy a lunch or dinner that’s easy to make, tastes great and is just a little unusual.
As always, for a notebook-ready, cookbook style copy of this recipe, just let me know and I’ll send it along.
 
Hope you enjoy this tasty twist on a great American tradition. Till next week, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)

Happy Halloween Weekend!

I love Halloween in London, there is always so much to do. A couple of years ago I went along to one of the many ghost walks around town, which scared me poo-less! Now, I scare easily... but when masked ghouls started jumping out of trees in St.James Park, even the man freaked out! Great fun! 
Think I am going to stick to the traditional party this year. I'm planning on buying one of the fab cakes from the worlds first over 18's cake shop, 'Eat your heart out & the Pretex potion' in Shoreditch. This is a pop up shop from the brains behind The Mad Artists Tea Party (remember their pop up in Covent Garden two months ago?). The cakes look awesome fun and after tasting their goodies before, I know they will be very yummy! Click here for even more scary goings on in London this weekend....


Thought this would be a good opportunity to post these pumpkin pictures!

AHHHH

Hey folks, sorry I have not been around this week.  Let me just say that moving is hard, plus going into work everyday.  Do not worry though, I will be back next week to keep you entertained for the three minutes it takes to read my idiocy. 

Since I spend so much time at The Place That Shall Not Be Named, I figure Sarah Marince should be my GOTW.  And no, I will explain what that means.

Rainbow Bright

After coming across the colourful stairs in Benetton a few weeks ago, I have been drawn to all things rainbow. Here are some of my favourites...


 





Topshop's flagship fitting rooms

Lanvin 4 H&M

The countdown is on...the Lanvin collaboration with H&M is due to launch on November 23rd. The collection will include both menswear and womenswear and will be sold in around 200 stores worldwide. Here is a little taster of what to expect... 



Image via H&M website


I have never been so excited about a launch before and expect huge crowds at their Oxford Circus store on the day - I am going to need a game plan!! H&M are due to release a teaser film next week (I will be sure to post about it), but in the meantime, check out their fab site, for even more info and some gorgeous film clips of the wonderful Alber Elbaz.

Milk Bottle ceiling in Brick Lane boutique

This comfy cat was going nowhere!

Carl on Illegal Hits

I am pretty sick of hearing about these hits.  That is all any of the sports talk shows I listened to this week talked about.  I don't want to see anyone get hurt, but how the hell are you going to control 200 lb guys running at almost 20 mph and trying to slam their body into another 20 mph moving object?  "Uh, hey guys, please angle your head so you do not hit each other with your helmets.  Umm, thanks."

Pineapple Pudding Pie in a Graham Cracker Crust

Another great recipe from my wife’s grandmother’s notebook is for a delicious homemade pineapple pudding. That recipe called for the pudding to be used on top of angel food cake, but my first thought was that it would also make a pineapple pudding pie that’s tasty and just a bit unusual. For another extra special touch, I used a graham cracker crust instead of a pastry pie crust. Happy to say, the experiment – pudding and crust - was a success I'm happy to share with you here.


If you’ve never made a pudding before, it’s easier than you might at first think. It does call for a double-boiler, but if you don't have one, don't worry. Ours got loaned to my sons when they went off to college, so to make the pudding I improvised one with a metal mixing bowl that fit nicely into a saucepan. If necessary, give that a try. As for the graham cracker pie shell, there aren’t too many things more fun to make. (It’s a lot like shaping modeling clay when you were a child, except the graham cracker crust ends up tasting a lot better.) If you don’t use graham cracker crusts already, I hope this recipe will persuade you to try. You’ll find the flavor complements many refrigerator pies filled with puddings, creams, etc.


A minor disclaimer about the whipped cream that is used both in the pudding itself and as a topping once it’s done. I make it a point to use as many reduced-fat substitutes as I can – egg substitutes, butter substitutes, etc. – but, for making whipped cream, nothing except heavy cream has worked for me. If anyone knows how to make a low-fat whipped cream, please let us know!


To make a 9” graham cracker pie shell, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, combine 1-1/2 cups low-fat graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 5 tablespoons butter substitute, melted and warm, and mix well. Spread the mixture into a 9” pie pan and press down using fingers or the bottom of a drinking glass. Then bake for 10 – 12 minutes until light brown. (The shell may seem soft when you first remove it from the oven. It will firm up when it cools.)


To make the filling, begin by draining a 20 ounce can of pineapple well, retaining the juice. When the pineapple is drained, dissolve 1-1/2 packets of unflavored gelatin (Knox or similar) in in the juice.


In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add 4 egg substitute eggs and a splash of milk (from a 2 cup total amount of milk) to mix. Heat the remaining milk (2 cups less the splash you already added) in a double-boiler. When the milk is hot, add the egg mixture to it, stirring constantly until just a little thick to form a custard.


Pour the custard into a large bowl, add the gelatin mixture, and let cool thoroughly.


While the custard mixture is cooling, make whipped cream by combining one cup of heavy cream and ¼ cup sugar, and beating until firm peaks form. Keep the whipped cream refrigerated until ready to use.


When the custard mixture has cooled, add the pineapple and gently fold in the whipped cream to make the pie filling. Pour the filling into the graham cracker pie shell, and refrigerate for several hours (overnight is best) until the filling is firm.


When you’re ready to serve, use another 1 cup of heavy cream and ¼ cup of sugar as described above to make additional whipped cream for serving. Top with more graham cracker crumbs and you’ve got a seriously delicious dessert!


As an alternative to topping with whipped cream, while the filling is still hot prepare a meringue using your favorite recipe and spread it over the filling to make a “Pineapple Meringue Pie.” Bake it at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the meringue has light brown highlights. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate as above.
As always, if you’d like a cookbook-style, notebook ready version of this recipe (the filling, the pie shell, or both), just let me know and it will be on its way.


I hope to see you next week! Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)

London Wallpaper

I love this wallpaper in the new JOY shop on Wardour Street. Apparently it was designed by an Australian artist, just for this store. It captures all the iconic elements of the surrounding area including China Town, Sex Shops and the Eros fountain. Would love to see this created for other London areas...