So much to update! As some of you may have heard, I lost my wallet (with years and years worth of irreplaceable things amongst the cash, credit cards and gift cards). I am trying to cope, but it is really hard to think all of that is gone.
But in better news: a BIG congratulations to Alice and Matt who got married this past weekend. I ate terribly and terribly well. Thursday, Tom and I drove down at 5:30am to get to Bowling Green, KY by 9pm their time. Kind of amazing and it was all Tom. The nice thing about driving on interstates is that you kind of HAVE to eat fast food since it's really all they offer. So naturally we got Wendy's. On Friday we got breakfast at Cracker Barrel. FINALLY. I've heard things from my southern folk and just the smell of Yankee candles in the "General Store" got me excited. I decided to go all out and get the southern fried chicken with grits, eggs, biscuits and lotsa gravy. I couldn't even finish my 2nd biscuit! Tom opted for the "healthier" option (yogurt, eggs, bran muffin) which was actually pretty delicious as well.
Then I finally got to see my best and oldest friend Alice at her then-fiance's family's home which was gorgeous. They had a 168 lb (gutted) pig roasting and Alice's adorable parents were busy burying delicious sweet potatoes underground. Seriously too spoiled. Saturday, we joined them at 8:30am for a yoga session in the backyard. Gorgeous day. Had breakfast there and then Tom and I got lunch at Sonic Burger- the drive-IN spot. I always saw the commercials and never really though much about them eating in their car. Little did I know that eating in your car was their schtick!
Love it. I got a cheeseburger and onion rings and an iced tea that was not what I ordered (the pains of ordering via intercom, I guess). The cheeseburger and onion rings were divine though. The batter for the onions was reminscent of zeppoles so if you can only imagine!
Saturday night was the wedding; a beautiful one at that. I got a little teary eyed when I finally hugged them post-vows. They are a cute couple and his family is so much fun and great hosts! Dinner included Korean beef (they forgot to serve our table but my grumbling stomach was not going to let us miss out on it). The servers also handed us a spring roll with peanut sauce. My only complaint was that it was actually a summer roll with fish sauce. Nevertheless, it was good... as was the perfectly-cooked medium rare steak.
Before our long drive home Sunday morning, we got breakfast at Waffle House- a dingy little place with a delicious Apple Oat Cinnamon waffle (Apparently we caught the first day of "National Waffle Week") and hashbrowns. Yay. We got Wendy's for lunch/dinner. Mmm Chili.
Because of my lack of funds now, I need to get creative with what I have in the pantry which is mostly carbs (rice and pasta) but I suppose that is better than nothing. Next post will be about the healthy attempts at eating my coworker and I are experimenting with!
Showing posts with label pork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pork. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Aliseo Osteria del Borgo
Tom had been wanting to go to, what he kept calling "Aiello", which is actually Aliseo Osteria del Borgo in Prospect Heights for awhile now, and I am glad we finally got to get dinner there last night.
It is a cute albeit rustic brick-walled restaurant with empty wine bottles lining the wall. A charming old black & white photo of what I assumed was a family of 100 and pig figurines adorned the mantle of the (faux?) fire place next to our table.
It was a modest menu, but the items were listed in Italian with English descriptions beneath, and actually to my disappointment- a few items were not available, but there were still several left for us to choose from.
To start, we were served a bowl of Ricotta and olive oil with warm and soft foccacia and very thin melba toast-like pieces of bread that were addicting speckled with coarse salt around the edges.
We ended up sharing an appetizer (mini sesame seed-crusted meatballs served over a line of very basil-y pesto sauce and an orange-colored sauce that has yet to be determined (apricot-based? peach? I couldn't tell as the sesame seeds overpowered most of the flavors, but the meatballs tasted like meat.)
Then we shared a pasta and meat dish. I started with the homemade fettucini with beef ragu. and he started with the pork loin in a red cherry reduction with apples. The meat was cooked perfectly and tender and the fruit was a great addition to the saltiness of the pork- which can be attributed to what Tom calls, "An Italian Pinch of Salt". The pasta definitely had that pinch, but luckily we like salt.
For dessert, he ordered a chocolate tart that was very reminiscent of the chocolate ganache i've made that went wrong (but this was made right). I really liked the crust.
Plus he enjoyed his glasses of wine so overall rating? A+
It is a cute albeit rustic brick-walled restaurant with empty wine bottles lining the wall. A charming old black & white photo of what I assumed was a family of 100 and pig figurines adorned the mantle of the (faux?) fire place next to our table.
It was a modest menu, but the items were listed in Italian with English descriptions beneath, and actually to my disappointment- a few items were not available, but there were still several left for us to choose from.
To start, we were served a bowl of Ricotta and olive oil with warm and soft foccacia and very thin melba toast-like pieces of bread that were addicting speckled with coarse salt around the edges.
We ended up sharing an appetizer (mini sesame seed-crusted meatballs served over a line of very basil-y pesto sauce and an orange-colored sauce that has yet to be determined (apricot-based? peach? I couldn't tell as the sesame seeds overpowered most of the flavors, but the meatballs tasted like meat.)
Then we shared a pasta and meat dish. I started with the homemade fettucini with beef ragu. and he started with the pork loin in a red cherry reduction with apples. The meat was cooked perfectly and tender and the fruit was a great addition to the saltiness of the pork- which can be attributed to what Tom calls, "An Italian Pinch of Salt". The pasta definitely had that pinch, but luckily we like salt.
For dessert, he ordered a chocolate tart that was very reminiscent of the chocolate ganache i've made that went wrong (but this was made right). I really liked the crust.
Plus he enjoyed his glasses of wine so overall rating? A+
Monday, March 30, 2009
the perfect bite
As I was eating my Greek Salad today (chopped Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, olives, feta drizzled with Olive Oil, a dash of Vinegar, some Lemon Pepper and anchovies- which was a last minute decision/bad idea because now I feel sick), I noticed how i was piling on the ingredients onto my fork: two leaves of lettuce, a grape tomato, feta and a green or black olive which makes it "The Perfect Bite".
I first heard this term in The Mirror Has Two Faces when Barbara Streisand is explaining to Jeff Bridges how she makes the perfect bite. Something must be said for this scene to stick with me after 13 years, not even remembering what the movie was about. It has also stuck with my mom and to this day we joke about making "the perfect bite."
Lucky for us, we have Google and the ability to search and find quotes:
Rose: You're not eating.
Gregory: No, I'm watching your ritual. I just about got your sequence now.
You start by rotating the plate counterclockwise ...
...cut on the diagonal ... remove unwanted elements ...
And now comes my favourite part: The loading of the fork.
It's fascinating, the percentages you use of different vegetables, -
Rose: -to create that one harmoniously-balanced, perfect bite.
Apparently a lot of people do it, including my friend Jared- whom I got a late lunch with at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Thái So'n. I got my usual... Bun Cha Gio Thit Nuong (Spring Rolls & Grilled Pork W. Lettuce On Rice Vermicelli) which was delicious, but Jared got the dish I had thought about trying and chickened out. He ordered the Pho Xe Lua (Combination Extra Big Bowl. Rice Noodles Beef Soup Six Differences Brisket, Navel, Frank, Omosa Tendon & Eye of Round.)
I watched in awe as he tore mint into his bowl, ladled soup with his spoon, added some beef, noodles, and topped it off with some drops of Sriracha and Hoisin Sauce. He repeated this step making each one the Perfect Bite. We discussed it a little further; I agreed with him that any dish with more than 3 ingredients had to be eaten in that way for the full tasting experience.
Here, Jared uses a Big Spoon
I would also like to add how amazing/annoying the service was this time around. I've been going to Thái So'n since High School and introduced friends and family to this restaurant because the food is good, cheap and the service usually speedy/attentive. There used to be a waiter who had a crush on me, and whenever I dined there, he would stare at me and try to talk to me. (You may think I am really full of myself, but I have witnesses; the rest of the table noticed how blatant he was about it too.) Unfortunately he no longer works there, though I did get many 'hellos' as I was waiting for Jared outside. But I digress. Once he arrived, they seated us immediately, as it was only half-full at 3:45pm.
About 45 seconds passed and a man brought us over some tea and asked if we were ready to order. Jared asked for some water and I said we needed some more time as we had JUST sat down. I don't think our menus were even open at that point. I kid you not, in the following 2 minutes, two more waiters came up to us with a pad and pen asking if we knew what we wanted. It was kind of ridiculous; because like I mentioned, it's not like they had to rush us out of there to seat more people. Also, Jared's soup came out about 5 minutes after he ordered. Mine took a little longer but it was still impressive to say the least.
I first heard this term in The Mirror Has Two Faces when Barbara Streisand is explaining to Jeff Bridges how she makes the perfect bite. Something must be said for this scene to stick with me after 13 years, not even remembering what the movie was about. It has also stuck with my mom and to this day we joke about making "the perfect bite."
Lucky for us, we have Google and the ability to search and find quotes:
Rose: You're not eating.
Gregory: No, I'm watching your ritual. I just about got your sequence now.
You start by rotating the plate counterclockwise ...
...cut on the diagonal ... remove unwanted elements ...
And now comes my favourite part: The loading of the fork.
It's fascinating, the percentages you use of different vegetables, -
Rose: -to create that one harmoniously-balanced, perfect bite.
Apparently a lot of people do it, including my friend Jared- whom I got a late lunch with at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Thái So'n. I got my usual... Bun Cha Gio Thit Nuong (Spring Rolls & Grilled Pork W. Lettuce On Rice Vermicelli) which was delicious, but Jared got the dish I had thought about trying and chickened out. He ordered the Pho Xe Lua (Combination Extra Big Bowl. Rice Noodles Beef Soup Six Differences Brisket, Navel, Frank, Omosa Tendon & Eye of Round.)
I watched in awe as he tore mint into his bowl, ladled soup with his spoon, added some beef, noodles, and topped it off with some drops of Sriracha and Hoisin Sauce. He repeated this step making each one the Perfect Bite. We discussed it a little further; I agreed with him that any dish with more than 3 ingredients had to be eaten in that way for the full tasting experience.
I would also like to add how amazing/annoying the service was this time around. I've been going to Thái So'n since High School and introduced friends and family to this restaurant because the food is good, cheap and the service usually speedy/attentive. There used to be a waiter who had a crush on me, and whenever I dined there, he would stare at me and try to talk to me. (You may think I am really full of myself, but I have witnesses; the rest of the table noticed how blatant he was about it too.) Unfortunately he no longer works there, though I did get many 'hellos' as I was waiting for Jared outside. But I digress. Once he arrived, they seated us immediately, as it was only half-full at 3:45pm.
About 45 seconds passed and a man brought us over some tea and asked if we were ready to order. Jared asked for some water and I said we needed some more time as we had JUST sat down. I don't think our menus were even open at that point. I kid you not, in the following 2 minutes, two more waiters came up to us with a pad and pen asking if we knew what we wanted. It was kind of ridiculous; because like I mentioned, it's not like they had to rush us out of there to seat more people. Also, Jared's soup came out about 5 minutes after he ordered. Mine took a little longer but it was still impressive to say the least.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Get 'Em While It's Hot and I'm Single!
I made a dozen more mini apple pies and brought them into the office. They were a huge hit!
I was going to swear off baking because several times I've baked goodies, my "significant other" and I broke up soon after. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I'm unattached, so baked goods for everyone!
Also made this little guy with the dough leftover for myself. but the fruit flies got to it that night :(
Oh well, for the best.
****
So for dinner tonight, I made my own version of my favorite dish at Saint's Alp Teahouse. Jaclyn and I order this every single time we go (and it's been many). However, she has been studying in Dublin this semester so I decided to try to recreate it at home. I made it, and realized I forgot the most important and delicious part. the "Braised Succulent Pork Chop". Oh well. I will leave it to the experts.
Here's my version:
-brown rice
-minced pork
-red pepper
-jalapeno
-onion
-egg
-hot sauce (Sriracha)
-hoisin sauce
I was going to swear off baking because several times I've baked goodies, my "significant other" and I broke up soon after. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I'm unattached, so baked goods for everyone!
Also made this little guy with the dough leftover for myself. but the fruit flies got to it that night :(
Oh well, for the best.
****
So for dinner tonight, I made my own version of my favorite dish at Saint's Alp Teahouse. Jaclyn and I order this every single time we go (and it's been many). However, she has been studying in Dublin this semester so I decided to try to recreate it at home. I made it, and realized I forgot the most important and delicious part. the "Braised Succulent Pork Chop". Oh well. I will leave it to the experts.
Here's my version:
-brown rice
-minced pork
-red pepper
-jalapeno
-onion
-egg
-hot sauce (Sriracha)
-hoisin sauce
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