Dictionary Friday: Filet Mignon

filet mignon
This expensive, boneless cut of beef comes from the small end of the tenderloin. The filet mignon is usually 1 to 2 inches thick and 1 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. It's extremely tender but lacks the flavor of beef with the bone attached. Cook filet mignon quickly by broiling, grilling or sautéing. See also BEEF; SHORT LOIN.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

I'm in Chicago right now, for our friend Sam's wedding. I'll write more about the trip as a whole later, when we're back home, but so far it's been pretty great. Food-wise, last night's rehearsal dinner was amazing. It was held at Smith & Wollensky, which is just across the street from our hotel. For dinner, I had a 14 ounce filet. That's right. Fourteen ounces. And Cooper's prime rib was the size of a large baby.

After dinner last night, I wasn't sure I'd eat again for at least 24 hours but somehow, I'm hungry again.

Dictionary Friday: Cookies

cookie
A cookie can be any of various hand-held, flour-based sweet cakes — either crisp or soft. The word cookie comes from the Dutch koekje , meaning "little cake." The earliest cookie-style cakes are thought to date back to seventh-century Persia, one of the first countries to cultivate sugar. There are six basic cookie styles, any of which can range from tender-crisp to soft. A drop cookie is made by dropping spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet. Bar cookies are created when a batter or soft dough is spooned into a shallow pan, then baked, cooled and cut into bars. Hand-formed (or molded) cookies are made by shaping dough by hand into small balls, logs, crescents and other shapes. Pressed cookies are formed by pressing dough through a COOKIE PRESS (or PASTRY BAG) to form fancy shapes and designs. Refrigerator (or icebox) cookies are made by shaping the dough into a log, which is refrigerated until firm, then sliced and baked. Rolled cookies begin by using a rolling pin to roll the dough out flat; then it is cut into decorative shapes with COOKIE CUTTERS or a pointed knife. Other cookies, such as the German SPRINGERLE, are formed by imprinting designs on the dough, either by rolling a special decoratively carved rolling pin over it or by pressing the dough into a carved COOKIE MOLD. In England, cookies are called biscuits , in Spain they're galletas , Germans call them keks, in Italy they're biscotti and so on.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

I'm getting a late start today, huh? Busy time of year...work and home-wise. Fortunately, I'm about to wrap-up my work for this week, and I'm going to move on to a little cookie baking.

I'll be making some Barefoot Contessa-inspired jam thumbprint cookies, along with these homemade slice-and-bake sugar cookies.

Let's all just cross our fingers that today's baking goes better than the gingerbread house fiasco...

Dictionary Friday: Gift

gift 
1. something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.
2. the act of giving.
3. something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned: Those extra points he got in the game were a total gift.
4. a special ability or capacity; natural endowment; talent: the gift of saying the right thing at the right time. –verb (used with object)
5. to present with as a gift; bestow gifts upon; endow with.
6. to present (someone) with a gift: just the thing to gift the newlyweds.

I've got gifts on my mind lately. For one thing, yesterday, Cooper's mom watched Dixon for the day and I did nearly all of my Christmas shopping - which was a huge relief. It's different to shop when you've got a two year old in the house (Dixon's letter to Santa was pretty hilarious, but he did make Mommy proud by asking for a kitchen and a toolbench.)

On top of that, today's Cooper's birthday. Really, we'll be celebrating all weekend, but we kick off tonight with dinner at Mama's on the Half Shell. We haven't been there in a while, and I've been ready to eat there ever since October, when we used dinner at Mama's as a cover for Bill's surprise 35th birthday party (related: apparently I never wrote about that party? Well, it was fun.)

And finally, I've been busy over at Examiner.com writing a short series about great gifts for foodies. I've got one more to write next week (the "over $100" category) but if you're looking for gifts for...I don't know...me, you could do worse than something on this list or this one.

Also, if you're looking for some cool places to shop, try one of these:

• The MICA Art Market. In the Brown Building - that newish, cool, modern building on Mount Royal. I went to the art market yesterday and bought two gifts for other people and one for me. There's a ton of cool stuff there.
• Gore Dean Antiques. This newish location in the old Smith & Hawken building in Mt. Washington is full of tons of cool stuff. Especially if you have an unlimited budget.
• A Carroll Colonial Christmas at the Mount Clare Mansion. This is this afternoon (2-4) and all day tomorrow (10-4) and kickass local food and design blogger Pigtown Pigout (aka Meg) will be there, selling her wares.
• Also, think about buying some jewelry from theminx. Support your local bloggers!

Dictionary Friday: Volstead

Volstead Act
The Volstead Act, which reinforced the prohibition of alcohol in the United States of America, was popularly named after Andrew Volstead, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which oversaw its passage. However, Volstead served as the legislation's sponsor and facilitator rather than its author. It was the Anti-Saloon League's Wayne Wheeler who conceived and drafted the bill.

The bill was vetoed by President Woodrow Wilson (largely on technical grounds, because it also covered wartime prohibition) but overridden by Congress on the same day, October 28, 1919. The Act specified that "no person shall manufacture, sell, barter, transport, import, export, deliver, furnish or possess any intoxicating liquor except as authorized by this act". It did not specifically prohibit the purchase or use of intoxicating liquors. The act defined intoxicating liquor as any beverage containing over 0.5% alcohol and superseded all existing prohibition laws in effect in states with such legislation. The combination of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the laws passed under its authority became known simply as "Prohibition" and enormously affected United States society in the 1920s (popularly known as the Roaring Twenties).

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition, officially, the Volstead Act. Seems like a good reason to celebrate, no? Also seems like a good day to head to Volstead's in Federal Hill, huh?

Also, how cool is this? It's an article from the April 15, 1921 NYT about a Maryland member of the House of Representatives calling for the repeal of the Volstead Act.

Dictionary Friday: Oysters

oyster
Though 18th-century satirist Jonathan Swift once wrote, "He was a bold man that first ate an oyster," this BIVALVE has been a culinary favorite for thousands of years. The hard, rough, gray shell contains a meat that can vary in color from creamy beige to pale gray, in flavor from salty to bland and in texture from tender to firm. There are both natural and cultivated oyster beds throughout the world.

In the United States, there are three primary species of oysters that are commercially harvested — Pacific (or Japanese), Eastern (or Atlantic) and the Olympia. Each species is sold under different names depending on where they're harvested. OLYMPIA OYSTERS are rarely larger than 1 1/2 inches and hail from Washington's Puget Sound. The PACIFIC OYSTER (or Japanese oyster ) is found along the Pacific seaboard and can reach up to a foot long. Considered culinarily superior to the Pacific oysters are ATLANTIC OYSTERS (or Eastern oysters ), the most well known of which is the BLUEPOINT. Others from the Atlantic seaboard — named for their place of origin — include Apalachicola, Cape Cod, Chincoteague, Indian River, Kent Island, Malpeque and Wellfleet. In Europe, the French are famous for their BELON OYSTERS (which are now also being farmed in the United States) and their green-tinged Marennes oysters; the English have their Colchester, Helford and Whitstable oysters; and the Irish have Galway oysters. Fresh oysters are available year-round.

Today's widespread refrigeration keeps them cool during hot weather, debunking the old myth of not eating them during months spelled without an "r." However, oysters are at their best — particularly for serving raw ON THE HALF SHELL — during fall and winter because they spawn during the summer months and become soft and fatty. Shipping costs generally prohibit movement of oysters far from their beds, limiting the abundant supply to local varieties.

Live oysters are best as fresh as possible and therefore should be purchased from a store with good turnover. Reject those that do not have tightly closed shells or that don't snap shut when tapped. The smaller the oyster is (for its species) the younger and more tender it will be. Fresh, SHUCKED oysters are also available and should be plump, uniform in size, have good color, smell fresh and be packaged in clear, not cloudy oyster LIQUOR.

Live oysters should be covered with a damp towel and refrigerated (larger shell down) up to 3 days. The sooner they're used the better they'll taste. Refrigerate shucked oysters in their liquor and use within 2 days. Oysters are also available canned in water or their own liquor, frozen and smoked.

Oysters in the shell can be served raw, baked, steamed, grilled or in specialty dishes such as OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER. Shucked oysters can be batter-fried, sautéed, grilled, used in soups or stews or in special preparations such as dressings, poultry stuffings or appetizers like ANGELS ON HORSEBACK. Oysters are high in calcium, niacin and iron, as well as a good source of protein. See also SHELLFISH.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Oysters...I love them. Yesterday, sitting on my parents' back patio, I ate a dozen oysters Waskom (which might explain why I was so not hungry when dinner was served. Not that I didn't eat.)

And today, Tom and Erin and Cail and Dixon and I are going to Annapolis for some more oyster-eating.

I love holiday weekends.

Dictionary Friday: Mock Thanksgiving

mock thanksgiving
A holiday (made up by me) the weekend before the real Thanksgiving. Mock Thanksgiving involves inviting your friends over for a Thanksgiving meal and drinks - and that's it. It's fun because it's not stressful and it's very festive.

We're having our annual Mock Thanksgiving party tonight. It's not really a party-party - more like a small gathering - and this year instead of a sit-down meal, Jen and Alicia helped me revise all the traditional dishes into hors d'oeuvres (except for the turkey, which Cooper will fry just like last year).

Also, Erin is coming up for it and Libby (Erin's college friend who shares my obsession with the glamorous world of art) and her husband are coming down from Philadelphia. Dixon woke up early this morning because he's so excited about the party, and it's sort of infectious.

I'm dropping Dixon off to Cooper's mom in about an hour, and then I'll kick into high gear. As I wrote in today's Examiner piece, I'm already pretty awesomely organized, because that's how I am, but I do have a long list of things to cook and clean today.

And that, of course, makes today my absolute favorite kind of day. I so love a made-up holiday.

Dictionary Friday: Fun (aka Kit Writes for the Examiner.com)

fun 
1. something that provides mirth or amusement: A picnic would be fun.
2. enjoyment or playfulness: She's full of fun. –verb (used without object), verb (used with object)
3. Informal. joke; kid.–adjective
4. Informal. of or pertaining to fun, esp. to social fun: a fun thing to do; really a fun person.
5. Informal. whimsical: flamboyant: The fashions this year are definitely on the fun side.

Also: how I think of food. Oh, I guess that probably falls under the first definition (mirth or amusement). I like that they used a food-related activity to illustrate the concept.

Food and fun is also the subject of my new writing project. As of yesterday, I am writing a Baltimore-focused "food fun" blog for Examiner.com. Don't worry (and I know you were), I'm not abandoning Mango & Ginger - I'll still be posting here at least every weekday. But in addition, I'll write about four times a week over at the Examiner.

There might be a couple of shared posts here and there, and I'll probably post links to my Examiner posts on M&G, at least for a while. But for the most part, I'll still be writing about a general combination of food, art and whatever over here, and I'll write more specifically about entertaining and Baltimore over there.

So, good news for everybody who felt like they just didn't get enough Kit Pollard, right? Also, great news for my friends (Mike and Sarah G., I'm looking at you) who complain that they don't get enough column inches. Now I have twice as many places to not mention you enough!

Dictionary Friday: Halloween

Halloween
An international holiday celebrated on the evening of October 31; today it is often celebrated in the morning and afternoon as well. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting haunted attractions, carving jack-o'-lanterns, reading scary stories, and watching horror movies. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century. Halloween is celebrated in several countries of the Western world, most commonly in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, and at times in parts of New Zealand. In Sweden the All Saints' official holiday takes place on the first Saturday of November.

There's more than a little excitement in our house about the holiday. Dixon completely grasps it this year - he's obsessed with all the pumpkins we see, and he's been talking about his costume and going trick-or-treating for at least 10 days straight. It's a triple-exciting day for him: he gets to dress up in a funny outfit PLUS we're going to a party at Mike and Alicia's (he loves parties) PLUS...candy. He's so excited about the candy.

I'm excited, too. Like Dixon, I love parties (especially at Mike and Alicia's house, where Halloween is especially Halloweeny). And this year, since it's Friday, we're all dressing up. I've been working on the costumes for a few weeks now (mostly sourcing materials, all the actual construction happened yesterday) and I feel comfortable saying that the Pollards are going to be the most incredible superheroes ever:Don't we look good?

And this is, actually, about food other than candy. Alicia makes soups and spiced wine and we have Andy Nelson's for Halloween. It's very, very seasonal and festive, and I'll definitely report back fully on Monday.

Dictionary Friday: Soup

soup
Theoretically, a soup can be any combination of vegetables, meat or fish cooked in a liquid. It may be thick (like GUMBO), thin (such as a CONSOMMÉ), smooth (like a BISQUE) or chunky (CHOWDER or BOUILLABAISSE). Though most soups are hot, some like VICHYSSOISE and many FRUIT SOUPS are served cold. Soups are often garnished with flavor enhancers such as CROUTONS, grated or cubed cheese or sour cream. They can be served as a first course or as a meal, in which case they're often accompanied by a sandwich or salad. See also AVGO-LEMONO; BILLY BI; BIRD'S NEST; BORSCHT; BOURRIDE; CALDO VERDE; CALLALOO; CAUDIÈRE; CHLODNIK; COCK-A-LEEKIE; COTRIADE; COULIS; CUSH; DASHI; DUBARRY; FRUIT SOUP; GARBURE; GAZPACHO; MENUDO; MINESTRA; MOCK TURTLE; MULLIGATAWNY; OZONI; PANADA; PEPPER POT; PISTOU; POSOLE; RIBOLLITA; SCOTCH BROTH; SHE-CRAB SOUP; SIZZLING RICE SOUP; WON TON SOUP.
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Also, what we have been eating all week. Monday and Tuesday: onion soup. Last night (and tonight): crab soup. My freezer is full of cauliflower soup and leftover chicken stock. It's been a very autumnal few weeks at the Pollard house.

But speaking of the crab soup, it really is great. I use my mom's recipe, which is adapted from Julia Child's, and basically involves making a simple vegetable soup (with bouillon cubes, even, instead of actual stock) then ramping it up with crab and Old Bay. It's filling and healthy and really tastes great.

Of course, that might be partly because I add six times more Old Bay than Julia recommends.

Dictionary Friday (also Last Night's Dinner): Autumn

autumn
1.the season between summer and winter; fall. In the Northern Hemisphere it is from the September equinox to the December solstice; in the Southern Hemisphere it is from the March equinox to the June solstice.

2.a time of full maturity, esp. the late stages of full maturity or, sometimes, the early stages of decline: to be in the autumn of one's life.

Or, what it finally feels like today. Yesterday, the skies got a little bit gray and the wind knocked a few leaves out of the trees, but so far this fall, it's just been summer extended. I'm not exactly complaining...but I have been ready for sweater-and-squash season for at least a few weeks.

That's why tonight I'll be roasting a chicken and making my first Brussels sprouts of the season. And why last Saturday I put in about five really rewarding hours in the kitchen, making the following:

Cauliflower soup with chorizo breadcrumbs - This was delicious (even Dixon liked it) and had that potato-soup-but-healthier flavor and texture that cauliflower has. The breadcrumbs added a nice crunch and spice. My only complaint is that the recipe made so much. I froze some but still threw a lot out. I should have cut the recipe in thirds.

Butternut squash, shiitake and leek turnovers - These were really very, very good and not at all hard to make (thank God for storebought puff pastry). We ate them with a leafy green salad with parmesan and pumpkin seeds. Dixon liked these, too, and I can't even explain how happy I was to watch him pick out the mushrooms because he liked them best. Finally, some vegetables!

However, as good as these were, there was something off about the recipe. I made the filling as recommended, and rolled my pastry out to be a little bigger than the recipe suggested. Following the recipe, I put about 2 tbs. of filling in each turnover. However, I still had WAY too much filling. Also, the recipe recommends 2 tbs. of goat cheese in each turnover, on top of the filling. I reduced this to about 1 tbl. and probably could've gone even lower.

Having the extra filling worked out, though. I sauteed it with some sausage the following night, topped the whole mess with mashed potatoes and baked it for about 30 minutes, and it made a nice fall meat pie sort of meal.

Leek mac and cheese - This recipe caught my eye because it's in the F&W article about using ingredients that usually get tossed. I have thrown out my fair share of leek greens, so I was happy to find a way to use them. Especially in a dish that Dixon would eat (I don't count this as sneakily hiding veggies. It's obvious they're in there; they're just mixed with a bunch of cheese.)

Ultimately, this was probably a bigger hit with the adults than the kids (though the kids ate it). But it was a big hit. It's no orange Kraft, but it's really very good. Oh yeah, and I used a mixture of fontina and a little parmesan instead of manchego. Because I was too lazy to go to the market in addition to Giant.

So it's been fall in my kitchen all week, even though it's been in the 70s and 80s outside. I'm looking forward, now, to a little bit of a chill. At least the weather will finally match my dinner.

Dictionary Friday: Service, the Post-Wedding Story

service
–noun
an act of helpful activity; help; aid: to do someone a service.

So, finally, here's the update from last weekend.

The rehearsal, rehearsal dinner and wedding and reception were all fantastic. The weather was beautiful and really perfect for an outdoor wedding on the water. Thursday night's rehearsal dinner, at Catch 54 in Fenwick Island, was fun and my pork chop with an onion glaze was excellent (although I only ate about a third of it. Talking too much.)

The wedding food was great, too, and everyone knows that's certainly not always the case. The favorite hors d'oeuvres, hands-down, was the mini crab cake that was not really so mini, but nicely flavored and meaty. Dinner itself was simple - a few types of salad, a carving station and a pasta station with a bunch of options. Of course, ultimately the focus was on Missy and Seth and, well, on the DJ. It was a fun wedding and everything went off without a hitch.

There were, however, a couple of hitches on Saturday - the day after the wedding. We all woke up late and after a breakfast full of greasy food and piles of hash browns (that were nothing like french fries, which is what we all really wanted), Cooper and I returned to our room to take a four hour nap. Sarah napped at Gilly's, Mike and Alicia went to the pool then South Moon Under, and Jen and Bill went to the outlets then came back for a nap of their own.

At breakfast, we'd decided to regroup at 4 pm for happy hour. We only have so many opportunities to all hang out with no kids and no other responsibilities, so we were ready to take full advantage.

Except that apparently we weren't really. We were all just so...tired. Apparently the drinking and dancing and post-wedding staying up late at Fagers takes a toll. Also, apparently we're not 23 anymore.

Anyway, we did finally get it together around 5 and we went to Fish Tales for a drink and to decide where to go for dinner. That was our first mistake. We should've just decided to go one place and stay there for drinks and dinner. Maybe then we also would've been dressed coherently. As it turned out, we each dressed for a different night out - ranging from Cooper's jeans, flip flops and polo to Jen's dress and stiletto boots.

When we got to the bar, we were met with the worst kind of up-and-down evaluation looks imaginable. And no waitress. Which was fine - we ordered drinks and appetizers from the bar and settled in to decide where to have dinner.

I'd never been to Fish Tales before, and I really did like it - it's cute and laid back and I wish I'd been in jeans and flip flops and we'd stayed there all night. But as it was, people were looking at us funny and it was getting cold and we didn't have a waitress anyway. So we moved on.

Next stop: Liquid Assets, a wine shop/bar/restaurant on 94th street that I've wanted to try for a long time (their website is down). We looked up the menu on the way and were impressed. It had some range - lighter salads, some nice looking appetizers and several solid and interesting entrees - and we knew we'd be drinking well, too.

Once we arrived, we were all a little surprised by the restaurant. We'd all expected more of a restaurant/bar focus with a wine shop attached, or something like that. Instead, the place feels like a wine shop with some haphazard chairs and sofas, a bar in the center and a room for dining off to the side. The shop is the focus. Oh, and it doesn't feel like the beach at all.

The hostess told us it would be about a 45 minute wait, so we decided to get a drink and wander around. After all, it was only ten to seven.

Unfortunately, that didn't really work out. After about half an hour, we finally figured out HOW go buy a bottle of wine (flag down a waiter) but we couldn't even get the bartender's attention to get beer or a menu. All around us, people were having a great time, nibbling on appetizers that looked amazing and generally enjoying themselves. Unfortunately, we were fading. Getting hungrier by the second, we were also all thirsty and we really needed some seats. We weren't even sure how the hostess would find us if a table did become available. A quick trip back to the hostess didn't cheer us up, either. She told us that our wait at that point - after a 45 minute wait - would be at least another 30 minutes.

So it was with great sadness that we marched out of Liquid Assets, leaving their interesting menu and cute couches behind us (but only after another 15 minutes of searching for the waiter to pay for our wine). Next time.

At that point, we found ourselves back at the hotel, parking the cars and walking over to Fagers (their website is also down. What's wrong with Ocean City?). We walked in and a very nice older man sat us at a table just in front of the stage in the downstairs dining room. We were all excited to sit and to - finally - get something to eat.

Then we sat. And sat. And sat. After about 10 minutes, we asked the nice man for menus. He apologized profusely, brought us menus and (we think) went to shake down the waitress who was supposed to come to our table. To occupy ourselves, we watched the tables around us, who'd sat later, receive their drinks and even some appetizers.

Another five or 10 minutes later, a waitress came to our table, starting her spiel with "Please don't blame me - this was supposed to be someone else's table but she couldn't handle it." (We have mixed opinions on that intro. I actually appreciated the information.)

At that point, we went ahead and ordered everything. Drinks, apps, entrees. Drinks came, followed by "island fries", crab dip, and two types of wings. Everything was very good...except the crab dip. It was really pretty horrendous. Overly soupy and without much seasoning at all.

But from then on, dinner was good. Most of us ordered burgers of one kind or another, and they were universally delicious (it probably didn't hurt that we'd been hungry for three hours). Drinks ran out, and the band started tuning up as we finished, but these are minor compared to the Odyssean trek we'd endured earlier in the night.

Unfortunately, after dinner, we were all so wiped out from the dinner fiasco that we didn't have much energy left to continue the festivities. We went back to our room for drinks, but that didn't last long - we were all just too tired. In bed by 11:30.

I think we all had our energy back sometime around Wednesday. Finally.

So, the big lessons? Don't expect city service at the beach. Embrace island time. Pick one place and stay there. Wear jeans and flip flops.

Dictionary Friday: Miso

miso
Also called bean paste, this Japanese culinary mainstay has the consistency of peanut butter and comes in a wide variety of flavors and colors. This fermented soybean paste has three basic categories — barley miso, rice miso and soybean miso — all of which are developed by injecting cooked soybeans with a mold (koji ) cultivated in either a barley, rice or soybean base.

Additionally, the miso's color, flavor and texture are affected by the amounts of soybeans, koji and salt used. It's further influenced by the length of time it is aged, which can range from 6 months to 3 years.

Miso is a basic flavoring in much of Japanese cooking. The lighter-colored versions are used in more delicate soups and sauces, and the darker colored in heavier dishes. There are also low-salt varieties available. Shinshu miso is a golden yellow, all-purpose variety with a mellow flavor and rather high salt content.

There are regional favorites such as sendai miso, a fragrant, reddish-brown variety found in northern Japan, and the dark brown hatcho miso, popular in central Japan. Miso is used in sauces, soups, marinades, dips, main dishes, salad dressings and as a table condiment. It's easily digested and extremely nutritious, having rich amounts of B vitamins and protein. Miso can be found in Japanese markets and health-food stores. It should be refrigerated in an airtight container.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

The new Food & Wine arrived a couple of days ago, and I got a chance to flip through it last night. This issue includes TC4 superstar Stephanie Izard's profile and a couple of recipes she developed to pair with Gewurtztraminer (a wine I pretty much never drink because I worry that I'll accidentally buy one that's off-dry).

I loved Stephanie during the season. Partly because she's good natured, professional and she consistently delivered. But also partly because she's really creative, but never gimmicky. (Sorry, Blais. I loved you, too, but sometimes your creative thinking did cross the line into gimmick. Ah...banana scallops.)

The F&W recipe that most intrigues me is for a seared duck breast topped with miso-almond butter. It sounds delicious and it's a complete departure from our usual weeknight dinners, but it also doesn't sound terribly difficult.

It did get me thinking, though. So many young chefs exhibit at least a bit of Asian influence. While I love Asian food, something about it intimidates me - I think I'm just unfamiliar with the base flavors, so I'm not able to confidently combine them.

So I'm going to make a pointof experimenting more with Asian flavors, and I'm going to start with miso. It seems like a good thing to have around anyway.

Of course, all of this is after this weekend. We're throwing an engagement party for Missy and Seth tomorrow night, and today I will be finishing as much prep work as possible. I'll have a whole day in the kitchen, and I'm looking forward to it.

Just hoping for no rain!

Dictionary Friday: Potato

Such a long definition for such a simple food item.

I've been thinking about potatoes a lot lately. I'm working on a little food history sort of project (it mostly involves me highlighting things and making timelines - I'm still not sure where it's going yet) and I've become fascinated with the way the potato demonstrates cultural norms and what shapes them.

In continental Europe, it generally took a combination of hardcore famine and purposeful, public acceptance by the nobility before the rank and file were willing to eat potatoes. This story varies a bit from culture to culture, of course, but the core pieces are the same. Economics and social and class structure drive everything else.

And isn't that always the case?

potato
The ancient Incas were cultivating this humble tuber thousands of years ago. The potato was not readily accepted in Europe, however, because it was known to be a member of the nightshade family (as are the tomato and eggplant) and therefore thought to be poisonous.

In the 16th century, Sir Walter Raleigh was instrumental in debunking the poisonous potato superstition when he planted them on property he owned in Ireland. The Irish knew a good thing when they saw it and a hundred years later were growing and consuming the potato in great quantities.

Today, hundreds of varieties of this popular vegetable are grown around the world. In America, the potato can be divided into four basic categories: russet, long white, round white and round red. The russet Burbank potato (also simply called russet and Idaho ) is long, slightly rounded and has a brown, rough skin and numerous eyes. Its low moisture and high starch content not only give it superior baking qualities but also make it excellent for FRENCH FRIES. The russet Burbank was named for its developer, horticulturalist Luther Burbank of Idaho. Although grown throughout the Midwest, the russet is also commonly called IDAHO POTATO (whether or not it's grown there). Long white potatoes have a similar shape as the russet but they have thin, pale gray-brown skins with almost imperceptible eyes. They're sometimes called white rose or California long whites , after the state in which they were developed. Long whites can be baked, boiled or fried. The thumb-sized baby long whites are called finger potatoes. The medium-size round white and round red potatoes are also commonly referred to as boiling potatoes . They're almost identical except that the round white has a freckled brown skin and the round red a reddish-brown coat. They both have a waxy flesh that contains less starch and more moisture than the russet and long white. This makes them better suited for boiling (they're both commonly used to make mashed potatoes) than for baking. They're also good for roasting and frying. The round white is grown mainly in the Northeast where it's sometimes referred to by one of its variety names, Katahdin . The round red is cultivated mainly in the Northwest. Yukon gold potatoes have a skin and flesh that ranges from buttery yellow to golden. These boiling potatoes have a moist, almost succulent texture and make excellent mashed potatoes.

There are a variety of relatively new potatoes in the marketplace, most of which aren't new at all but rather heritage vegetables that date back centuries. Among the more distinctive examples are the all blue potatoes, which range in color from bluish purple to purple-black. These small potatoes have a dense texture and are good for boiling. Other purple potatoes have skin colors that range from lavender to dark blue and flesh that can be from white to beige with purple streaking. Among the red-fleshed potatoes are the huckleberry (red skin and flesh) and the blossom (pinkish-red skin and flesh). New potatoes are simply young potatoes (any variety). They haven't had time to convert their sugar fully into starch and consequently have a crisp, waxy texture and thin, undeveloped wispy skins. New potatoes are small enough to cook whole and are excellent boiled or pan-roasted. Because they retain their shape after being cooked and cut, new potatoes are particularly suited for use in potato salad.

The season for new potatoes is spring to early summer. Potatoes of one variety or another are available year-round. Choose potatoes that are suitable for the desired method of cooking. All potatoes should be firm, well-shaped (for their type) and blemish-free. New potatoes may be missing some of their feathery skin but other types should not have any bald spots. Avoid potatoes that are wrinkled, sprouted or cracked. A green tinge — indicative of prolonged light exposure — is caused by the alkaloid solanine, which can be toxic if eaten in quantity. This bitter green portion can be cut or scraped off and the potato used in the normal fashion.

Store potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place for up to 2 weeks. New potatoes should be used within 3 days of purchase. Refrigerating potatoes causes them to become quite sweet and to turn dark when cooked. Warm temperatures encourage sprouting and shriveling.

Potatoes are probably the most versatile vegetable in the world and can be cooked in any way imaginable. They're available in a wide selection of commercial products including POTATO CHIPS, instant mashed potatoes (dehydrated cooked potatoes), canned new potatoes and a plethora of frozen products including HASH BROWNS, FRENCH FRIES and stuffed baked potatoes. Potatoes are not at all hard on the waistline (a 6-ounce potato contains only about 120 calories) and pack a nutritional punch. They're low in sodium, high in potassium and an important source of complex carbohydrates and vitamins C and B-6, as well as a storehouse of minerals. Neither SWEET POTATOES nor YAMS are botanically related to the potato.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Dictionary Friday: Glamour

glamour
1. the quality of fascinating, alluring, or attracting, esp. by a combination of charm and good looks.
2. excitement, adventure, and unusual activity: the glamour of being an explorer.
3. magic or enchantment; spell; witchery.

On Wednesday, I posted a link to a new blog, Deep Glamour. Looks like that's going to be a regular thing. Unsurprisingly, given the people involved, Deep Glamour's totally intellectual approach to glamour solidly connects philosophy and frivolity.

Today, one post includes a chapter of Forgotten Fashion, a dark faux history book by Kate Hahn. It's more than entertaining...and food is involved (in fact, kitchen appliances play a starring role). Highly recommended.

I have a feeling I'll be saying that a lot with respect to Deep Glamour.

Dictionary Friday: Watermelon

watermelon
Native to Africa, the watermelon is one of two broad categories of melon, the other being MUSKMELON. It's considered the less sophisticated of the two because it lacks flavor complexity and has a watery texture. But there are those who wouldn't trade a slice of watermelon on a hot summer day for anything. There are an untold number of watermelon varieties but America's most popular is the large, elongated-oval shape with a variegated or striped, two-tone green or gray-green rind. It averages 15 to 35 pounds but may be much smaller or larger, depending on the variety. There are even relatively tiny varieties about the size of a medium cantaloupe. An abundance of shiny, black seeds dot the sweet, red, refreshingly moist flesh. Other watermelon varieties have flesh that ranges in color from white to yellow to pink. The seeds may be speckled or solid and variously colored — black, brown, green, red or white. Seedless watermelons actually do, more often than not, have a few scattered seeds. What seeds there are, however, are small, soft and edible. All parts of the watermelon can be used. Asians love the roasted seeds, and the pickled rind is a favorite in many parts of the world.

Watermelons are available May to September, though they're at their peak from mid-June to late August. They're sold whole as well as in halves, quarters or by the slice. Look for symmetrical melons without any flat sides. Depending on the variety, the shape can be round or an oblong oval. Slap the side of the watermelon — if it resounds with a hollow thump, it's a good indicator that the melon is ripe. The rind should be dull (not shiny) and just barely yield to pressure. Never take home a melon with soft spots, gashes or other blemishes on the rind. Cut watermelons should display a brightly colored flesh. An abundance of small, white seeds means the melon is immature. Avoid cut melons with a grainy or dry-looking flesh. Store whole watermelon in the refrigerator if at all possible and keep no more than a week. If it's too large for your unit, keep in a cool, dark place. Cut watermelon should always be tightly wrapped, refrigerated and used within a day or so. It should be served cold, either in wedges or made into balls and served as part of a fruit cup or salad. Watermelon contains a fair amount of vitamins A and C. See also MELON.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

It's watermelon season and I brought one home from my CSA on Tuesday. Tomorrow Cooper is going over to Mike's (or Bill's) for a guys' night/poker game, so Dixon and I will be entertaining the ladies and children. I guess I could just cut up the watermelon for the kids...but instead I'm going to make this Chowhound recipe for drunken watermelon pops.

We'll just have to figure something else out for the kids.

Dictionary Friday (also Restaurant Review): Sustainable Agriculture aka Lunch at The Dogwood

sustainable agriculture
Farming philosophy that advocates producing food in an ecologically considerate and humane manner. An all-encompassing ethos, sustainable agriculture involves both a moral dimension (the fair and equitable treatment of farm workers, ensuring that farming endures as a viable profession) and a rigorous commitment to self-sufficiency through the incorporation of natural biological cycles and controls - e.g., letting fields lie fallow so their soil can "recover" from a previous growing season, and rotating animals and crops from one parcel of land to the next so that the chickens manicure the pastureland vacated by the cows, and the strawberries blossom through the soil fertilized by the chickens, etc. Despite its inherently upbeat mission, sustainable agriculture has become a rallying cry for dour Issue Snobs looking for something to be shrill and strident about. "Goddamnit, we have got to get our school districts to buy milk from dairy co-ops that support sustainable agriculture!"

(from The Food Snob's Dictionary)

On Wednesday, Alicia and I met for lunch to celebrate her last day before she had to be back at school (I know, where did the summer go?). We were both anxious to go to The Dogwood in Hampden, recently named Best Sustainable Restaurant by Baltimore Mag and winner of the hotly coveted "Cooper's parents current favorite restaurant" award. Besides that we'd both heard great things about the food, The Dogwood is the most prominent Baltimore restaurant that adopts the Jamie Oliver approach to service and kitchen staff. From their website:

The Dogwood restaurant is a training school for the Dogwood Gourmet Institute, a cutting edge, scholarship-only, culinary and hospitality institute for those recovering from addiction, homelessness, and incarceration.

I'm a huge fan of this approach to social problems. I just think it smacks of effectivness...plus the end result is great food. Who can complain about that?

And at The Dogwood, the school really does translate into great food. The place is very cute on it's own. There's a carry out deli at the street level, and the actual restaurant is in sort of the back basement of an old building on West 36th Street (a street that is, by the way, way too cute these days. John Waters must be a little sad that Hampden's become such a yuppie-ish haven. I, however, am not complaining.)

The interior of the restaurant doesn't feel basementy, even though that's where it's located. The walls are bright pastels and covered in artwork and behind the bar, a huge layered mirror is edgy enough to keep the wall colors from feeling saccharine. Alicia and I settled into the cute space and started talking, so of course we barely looked at the menu for the first 10 minutes. We had some iced tea that was laced notes of something (cinnamon?) that made it just a little different without being cloying.

Our waitress did a great job of anticipating our pacing, too - and that's something I don't expect in most restaurants, let alone one that's a training ground. But she did.

When we eventually ordered, we both went simple, with sandwiches. Alicia had the turkey Rachel - fresh roasted turkey, swiss, cranberry mustard and fennel slaw (that she got on the side). I ordered the a chicken, apple and brie sandwich with apple-yam butter on sourdough. Both came just a little bit warm (but not overly melty), with painfully addictive potato chips and a crispy pickle. We demolished them.

I'd really like to go back, now, for dinner. The sandwiches were great, mostly because the chef didn't get in the way of the ingredients. The rest of the menu reads like it would be the same - fresh and seasonal ingredients that are simply combined to show off the food itself, not the ego of the people behind the grill.

Unfortunately, the lunch also marked the end of what I'm thinking of as "summer". Oh, we still have a few more days of swimming at my parents' beach, and we'll go to Fenwick for Labor Day, but for all intents and purposes, it's fall. The weather's been a little cooler and the student athletes are back in Towson and at Loyola. Our friends who work for various schools are all back in school mode.

So now it's onward. We have a busy fall, with Cooper's sister getting married, among other things, and I have a lot to do (and a lot to cook).

Oh, and verdict on The Dogwood: everyone should go, and we will definitely go back.

Dictionary Friday: Sriracha

Sriracha (Thai: ซอสศรีราชา)
The generic name for a hot sauce from Thailand. It is named after the seaside city of Si Racha, where it was first produced as a local product (currently licensed by "Sriracha Panich"). It is made from sun-ripened chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. Sriracha is a common condiment found in many Asian restaurants.

(via Wikipedia)

Also known as the red stuff in the bottle with the white writing and green top...or what I put on my tempura soft crabs at Belvedere Square happy hours. It's delicious.

And brought on today by that issue of Food & Wine that I'm obsessing about. One of the coolest features in the mag is a "crash course" in the past 30 years of food history, compiled by Bryan Miller. The section includes a bunch of short-lists, like the 5 foolproof vintages and 5 "all-star American restaurateurs," alongside quick descriptions of how tastes have evolved since 1978. Here's where Sriracha comes in:

Spicy Cravings
Every few years, a fiery flavor becomes trendy at American tables. In the mid-'80s, it was pink peppercorns, the Brazilian berries that hit the US in the final years of nouvelle cuisine. In the '90s, hot sauces got so popular that stores dedicated to them popped up. Lately, the incendiary sauce of choice has been Sriracha, the Thai condiment made with sun-ripened chiles.

Miller's totally right, too. Sriracha wriggled its way into my consciousness without my even realizing it. Glad it did, though. Especially with respect to those softshells. Amazing. I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.

Dictionary Friday (also Artsy): Graffiti

graf·fi·ti
1. pl. of graffito.
2. (used with a plural verb) markings, as initials, slogans, or drawings, written, spray-painted, or sketched on a sidewalk, wall of a building or public restroom, or the like: These graffiti are evidence of the neighborhood's decline.
3. (used with a singular verb) such markings as a whole or as constituting a particular group: Not much graffiti appears around here these days.

Ann Althouse is in LA this week, posting tons of pictures. Last night, she juxtaposed some pictures of Venice Beach graffiti with pictures she took in NYC last semester. She asks what the differences in style say about the differences between the two cities. As one of the commenters points out, it's not entirely a fair comparison, as the Venice Beach graffiti was legal, so the artists had more time to complete it and polish it up than NYC artists (vandals?) would. That said, the differences between the two are so obvious and totally reinforce the perceptions I have of both cities: NYC is edgy and harsh and actually cutting edge, while LA is all about polish and style and is generally bright and optimistic.

Of course, based on those descriptions, I should prefer LA to New York. But I don't. At all.

Anyway, the post got me thinking: are there stylistic differences in the food cultures within the two cities? Beyond, say, LA tacquerias vs. NYC hot dogs or whatever.

I haven't spent enough time in either city's restaurants to be able to answer that question, I don't think. Even though I've read a lot about both cities' food scenes, I've never really been paying attention to differences and similarities. I might start now, though.

Added artsy thought: a graffit-themed dinner party would be kind of cool, wouldn't it? I'm pretty sure it would justify some squeeze-bottle sauces.

Quotable Tuesday: More on Confit

In French confit refers to preserving food by a variety of methods. Confit de canard, or duck confit, is perhaps the most often seen. According to my English dictionary, confit refers only to preserving a meat in it's own fat. So the meaning in English is narrower.

This comes from the comments section of last Friday's "confit" post, where debate ran strong regarding the actual definition of confit vs. confiture. As it turns out, seems that there's a difference in English, but not in French. Interesting.

The author of the quote, Kim, writes a blog called Easy French Food, which is pretty much as advertised. I like her blog, and definitely appreciated the clarification in the comment, so I thought I'd front-page it.

Dictionary Friday: Confit

confit
This specialty of Gascony, France, is derived from an ancient method of preserving meat (usually goose, duck or pork) whereby it is salted and slowly cooked in its own fat. The cooked meat is then packed into a crock or pot and covered with its cooking fat, which acts as a seal and preservative. Confit can be refrigerated up to 6 months. Confit d'oie and confit de canard are preserved goose and preserved duck, respectively.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Hmm. I didn't realize that confit was specifically meat-related, mostly because I have made (and purchased) onion confit and just last night, I made this fig and rosemary confit.

I made the fig confit during fig season last year, too, and it's really great, especially with brie and proscuitto, as the recipe suggests. Of course, not everyone in my house agrees. Cooper likes it (even though he doesn't love figs), but yesterday when Dixon helped me puree the confit, I let him taste it.

His evaluation? "Dirt."

I chose to translate that as, "Tastes very earthy, Mommy." I'm pretty sure I'm right.