Pig Roasting: A Photo Essay

Here is the tale of the pig we roasted and ate one week ago today...

Monday afternoon - Cooper goes to pick up the pig at a butcher near Chestertown (yes, almost two hours away from Bethany). It arrives in a smallish box, and wrapped in heavy plastic. We all gather for the initial unveiling:

Using a mojo marinade and the injector recommended by the La Caja China people, Cooper injected the pig for flavor (ultimately, he wasn't thrilled with the flavor and he's working on something of his own for our next pig): Tuesday, mid-day - Cooper and Bill prep the pig for roasting, flattening it out and placing it between the metal grates that come with the box, then laying it on the bottom of the box: The metal top and charcoal tray go on top of the box: After a couple of hours of cooking, during which Cooper added charcoal at 30 minute intervals, Cooper and Mike carefully lifted the top off the box and got rid of the ashes, before flipping the pig and scoring its skin, then letting it cook for another 30 minutes, skin-side down:The final roast: And finally, the pig was ready: Alicia celebrated in her Andy Nelson's sweatshirt (she won it!) while we ate, mostly with our hands:And what did the kids do during all of this? We had to keep them away from the coals, so Alicia sat them on a lawn chair with a "kiddie cocktail":

Even though Cooper wasn't thrilled with the marinade, we all agreed that the texture of the pig was amazing. Plus, the actual cooking process only takes about four hours. My childhood pig roasting memories all involve my dad getting up around 5 am to start cooking, so four hours sounds like nothing to me.

Overall, it was a fun experience. And now we have a Caja China! Which really means that we've just kicked off the Summer of the Pig chez Pollard.

Ideabook Tuesday: Pretending I'm Still at the Beach

It might have rained all last week, but that doesn't matter. I'd like to go back.

Outfitting the Rental

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Baltimore on Bourdain

Finally! The episode premieres Monday, July 27th at 10 p.m.

It feels like it's been forever since he was here, doesn't it?

Trendy Monday: History

Back from vacation and back to regular blogging. Promise.

Maybe it was the years spent in historic Annapolis and Colonial Williamsburg, but I'm kind of a history geek, especially when it comes to food and drink. Much to Cooper's chagrin, the walls of our basement are covered with the dorkiest kind of timeline. It details major events in political, cultural and food history from the beginning of time until about 1940 (the more recent years don't include the food part). It makes people think I'm cool. Just kidding.

Anyway, like most geeks, I get very excited when I hear about others like me. Today's Daily Candy DC email put me in an especially good mood. There's a mixologist in DC named Derek Brown who's giving seminars on "better drinking," including on the cocktails of specific eras ("How to Drink like Mad Men" sounds amazing, right?). He's inspired by history and the cultural aspects of cocktails. Me too!

On top of this, one of F&W's Best New Chefs for 2009, Natalie Pomeroy, gave historical cooking a little love in her profile, when she mentioned her love of food history and old cookbooks, and that she hosts dinners with the Oregon Historical Society.

Based on my reading, I'm not sure I'd be interested in a perfectly reconstructed historic meal - I like modern refrigeration too much for that. But the inspiration is undeniably cool, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Dispatches from the Beach: Photo for a Rainy Morning

Yesterday, I was tired. Today it is raining. But still we're having fun. Tuesday was all about the pig roasting (it was great) and last night we went out for crabs, after taking the kids to the Rehobeth rides for the afternoon.

I'll write in more detail about the pig roasting process next week, but in the meantime, here are a few quick pictures:

Watching Mike and Cooper move the coals to flip the pig:

Flipping the pig:

At the rides (probably the best day of Dixon and Maddy's year):

Crabs at Mickeys:

Tonight: not that much. I think Kyle's going to make some wings (he is from Buffalo, after all) and everyone's going to do some more reading. Right now, Cooper and Mary are watching Twilight - it's the third time it's been on in the past 24 hours (also, we have two copies of every one of the books in the house).

Mostly, we are going to try to keep the kids from destroying the house. And that is a very, very big job.

Dispatches from the Beach: Calm before the Storm

Yesterday started out on the cold and cloudy side, but we went to the beach yesterday, just to let the kids dig. Lucky that we did, too, because around 11:30 the sun broke through the clouds and we ended up with the most beautiful day we've had so far.

Dinner was just leftovers and pizza, but with a visit from Cooper's cousin Gilly and a final visit from Brian and Jack, it was pretty celebratory. Plus, Cooper drove almost back to Chestertown in the afternoon to pick up today's dinner: a 45 pound pig. His arrival back home was pretty exciting and the kids got a nice lesson in where their hot dogs come from. Seriously.

Photos of the pig will come tomorrow, after today's big roasting sesh, but in the meantime, here's a quick, inartful pic of Dixon that also showcases just how many dips we have on offer at any given time. Also, in the background, you can see the Colin Cowie glass drink cooler Mike ordered from HSN one night a month ago, along with five small boxes of cocktail mixes. Not very good cocktail mixes, but at least Mike gets an A for effort:
Today: beach and caja china pig roasting. Tomorrow: babysitter and crabs!

Dispatches from the Beach: It's the Wild Wild West Here

It's that time of year again - we're at the beach with Kyle and Mary and Mike and Alicia and Jen and Bill and Maddy and Will. All of us, eight adults and three kids and one dog, in Kyle's aunt's big house in Bethany, plus some guest appearances by Mary's brother and his girlfriend and our friends Brian and Amy and their son Jack.

Last year, we overdid it a little, scheduling four theme nights during our week. This year, we scaled back, partnering up for our nights. Last night was the first of our two theme nights: Wild Wild West hosted by Kyle and Mary and Mike and Alicia. (Saturday was just a standard cookout.)

As usual, we got into the costumes. It's amazing what you can find at Party City, and in my closet:
And also as usual, we had way too much food. Alicia and Mike cooked four (that's right - FOUR) London broils, plus they made a salad and mac and cheese and Alicia made Mike's mom's amazing shrimp and macaroni salad:

The most labor intensive part of the night, though, were Kyle's ribs. Slow cooked in the oven for a couple of hours, finished on the grill and slathered with BBQ sauce, they were super tender and had fantastic flavor. Also, very smoky:
End result: fantastic food but way too much of it. The leftovers could feed a small country.

Today: beach and probaby pizza (plus leftovers). Tomorrow: la caja china makes its debut. Cooper's leaving this afternoon to pick up the pig. Alicia's breaking out her Andy Nelson's sweatshirt (she won it in a drawing) in celebration.

It's a good thing we all like pork, huh?

Entertaining Friday: What Makes a Good Party

Fifties-style:



To everybody who's ever been to a party at my house, or whoever might come to one: you're welcome for not making you play games.

And with that, I'm off to the beach. Bethany-blogging to begin on Monday. Have a good weekend!

Old School Thursday: Germans and Stoves and Dogs Edition

So what will you be doing to celebrate the Feast of St. Barnabas? He’s the patron saint of farmers, so it would be fitting to visit a farmer’s market, right?

Today is also National German Chocolate Day. I believe I am no longer able to feign surprise at the randomly assigned days of recognition that pop up. Anyway, I like German chocolate cake. Good for the German cake-makers for getting themselves a day.

In other news, today in 1742, Benjamin Franklin invented a stove called, logically enough, the Franklin Stove. Intellectual property sharer that he was, he didn’t patent it, specifically so that others could copy it. A few years later, though, on today in 1793, the first American stove patent was granted, to one Robert Haeterick.

A half-century later, the Germans were busy again. In 1842, Carl Paul Gottfried Linde was born. Linde grew up to become the engineer who invented mechanical refrigeration – certainly a technological advance that’s affected all of our lives. My favorite part of this story, though, is that Linde developed the refrigeration so that beer, which requires low temperatures for brewing, could be brewed year-round. Oh, the creativity that want of a good drink will spark.

Finally, sixty years ago today, FDR served hot dogs to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during a state visit. The visiting royals had, unsurprisingly, never had hot dogs before.

So how to celebrate? Maybe with a haute dog and a bit of the German brew? After that farmer’s market visit, of course.

Here, Piggy Piggy...

La Caja China est arrivee. Let the roasting begin.

Artsy Wednesday: It's Not the Taste, It's the Texture

The July issue of Food & Wine arrived yesterday and with it, so many really approachable recipes, it's almost like Bon Appetit! (Seriously, I prefer F&W overall, especially for the articles, but when it comes to weeknight meals, BA is way more useful.)

The issue isn't all about recipes, though, and there are a couple of great articles. A guide to post-Ramsey London, a fourth of July party with Bobby Flay in the Hamptons, and a ton of fantastic wine-related stuff. Including an article on texture.

In Emily Kaiser's article, "A Sensualist's Guide to Wine Pairings," the author admits something that holds true for me, as well: when she drinks wine, it's not really about the taste. It's the texture.

I actually hadn't ever thought about it until I looked at the article, either. But I knew I had something in common with Kaiser as soon as I read this:

"For me, it's easier to discern a wine's texture than it is to analyze its aromas or flavors. And when I pick a wine for dinner, I often seek a particular texture more than a specific taste - chewy or sharp, fizzy or smooth, or some sensation in between."

Hey, Emily! Me too!

The article goes on to include more detail about the texture of wine, and it includes some food and wine pairings built around mouthfeel. Overall, it's an exciting read for me, in that it makes me feel less like I have an insufficient palate, especially compared to Cooper's "not quite, but nearly, a supertaster" palate, and more like I just experience food and wine in a different way than some people.

Oh - and what's "artsy" about this? Well, every painting is about color, right? But it's not only about color. It's also about texture. Just like every wine is not just about flavor.

Ideabook Tuesday: Spaces that Energize

My house is hot (mostly because I don't want to break down and turn on the AC yet). It's also a mess (mostly because I have a two-year old who thinks it's funny to watch my face when he overturns huge bins full of tiny toys). And I've got a million things to do before we leave for the beach on Friday afternoon.

It's daunting and exhausting all at once. I could use some energy.

Like the kind I'd feel in these spaces:

(Side note: Apparently I really like shocking pink.)

Better than Coffee: Spaces that Energize

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All Top Chef

It's that time again - Top Chef season.

On Wednesday, the premiere of Top Chef Masters airs. With experienced, often famous, chefs as contestants, the show is set up a little differently than the regular seasons. Each episode features four chefs, competing against one another in a traditional Quickfire and regular challenge. The winners of each episode then compete against one another, and so on, until there's only one left. The Top Chef Master, I guess.

The show's format isn't the only thing new about this season. There's also a fabulous new blog. I might be a little biased, as I am one of the bloggers involved, but probably not. All Top Chef is the brainchild of theminx, known for both her highly comical TV commentary and for almost being my neighbor.

So if you're into Top Chef at all, make ATC a regular read. You won't regret it. I promise.

Trendy Monday: Haute Dogs

First it was the $60 Buloud burger. Was there ever any doubt that haute dogs were far behind?

If there ever was, it's all come crashing down over the past few weeks. With Chicago's Hot Doug's all over the Travel Channel, the James Beard Foundation getting in on the action, and the July issue of Bon Appetit bursting at its sausage casing seams (the "Around the World in 80 Dogs" article reads a little bit like a dog-oriented version of Forrest Gump's friend Bubba, with all its "pizzeria dogs and Syrian dogs and Thai dogs"), I feel pretty confident declaring that hot dogs are currently having their moment in the foodie sun.

Plus, over the weekend I was involved in a (joking, gross) conversation about a dirty hot dog martini (a dirty martini using leftover water from boiling hot dogs, with a cocktail weenie garnish). And everyone knows a food's not really hot until it's got its own 'tini, right?

Entertaining Friday: What I've Been Up To

Though this is, ostensibly, a food blog, it's been a while since I've written about food I've recently cooked or eaten. I have been doing a lot of cooking (and eating) lately, and much of it is in the context of entertaining. Here are some of the highlights:

Pasta salad with shrimp, artichoke hearts, basil and tomatoes. I started out with this Serious Eats recipe and kept adding stuff until I felt like stopping. It was great. Over Memorial Day, I made the same salad minus the shrimp and artichokes. It's got a lemon juice sauce, so the flavors are super bright and summery. Highly recommended:

Last Sunday, Cooper was in a cooking mood, so he decided to smoke a pork shoulder. He'd never smoked anything on the grill before, but after an hour or so with his trusty Weber's Big Book of Grilling, he headed out to the grocery store with a rub and a sauce in mind, and five or six hours later, we were enjoying a delicious pork barbecue sandwich:

Jen is busy sunning herself and drinking morning margaritas with her college friends in Florida, so Bill and Maddy and Will came over for dinner last night. It was hectic, except for the quiet 10 minutes when, as it turns out, the kids were emptying all of the baskets in Dixon's room, throwing old burp cloths on the floor. Fortunately, we consoled ourselves with crab cakes (the Annapolis Junior League cookbook recipe with slight modifications) and maybe the prettiest asparagus ever (just boiled with a little lemon juice):

And, finally, some pictures of Dixon. Just because.

Hanging out on the deck, talking on the phone:

In the side yard, "fixing" something, while we're on the front porch:

Old School Thursday: Cheeeeeese Day Edition

Today is one of those food days that’s both random and awesome. It’s Cheese Day. Not National Cheese Day or International Cheese Day or anything like that. Just Cheese Day. Which makes me think that in my house, pretty much every day is Cheese Day. But I digress.

It’s also National Frozen Yogurt Day, suggesting that maybe the fro-yo lobby got to Congress before the cheese guys got themselves out of Wisconsin and Vermont. There’s only so much room for dairy in most diets. Unfortunate, really, since I can’t think of a single bad thing to say about cheese or frozen yogurt (except maybe to complain about the lack of local TCBYs).

And here’s the real celebratory clincher: today marks the Festival of Fufluns, the Etruscan god of wine. Wine. And Fufluns. I challenge anyone to say “Fufluns” a few times without smiling. Especially if there’s wine involved.

Today is a notable date in history, too, not just as a randomly assigned “day.” Most recently, and sadly, today is the anniversary of the deaths of Vincent Sardi, Jr. (2007) of Sardi’s on Broadway and of Earle McAusland (1980), the publisher and editor of Gourmet. Both giants in the American food world in their own right.

Heading back a few more years, today in 1970 a girl named Libby Childress won the National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the word, “croissant.” What’s most interesting to me about this is what it says about how dramatically American culture has changed over the past 40 years. I don’t want to overestimate the spelling skills of kids today, but I can’t imagine that any of today’s spelling champs don’t know how to spell croissant.

For one thing, they’re used to much, much harder words. Just last week, the new Scripps National Spelling Bee winner, Kavya Shivashankar, took the title by correctly spelling “laodicean.” A word that Microsoft Word’s spellcheck doesn’t even recognize.

Today, croissants are simply too mainstream to be unfamiliar, so they'd never make it as a spelling bee word. Over the past few decades, Americans have quickly accepted formerly exotic food items into their food repertoire. Croissants are about as exotic as salsa. That is to say, not at all exotic today, but pretty crazy a generation ago.

Finally, in completely random news, today in 1873, a guy in New York patented a method for making Vaseline. What does that have to do with food, you ask? Nothing, I think, except that the inventor’s name was Robert Chesebrough. Which might be the greatest last name ever – and so appropriate for Cheese Day.

Artsy Wednesday: Glamour Girl Art

Bear with me, while I get a little meta.

I got an email yesterday from Nouveau, which is one of my favorite stores in Baltimore. I love their collection - it's my go-to for gifts and for artwork.

The email - a press release announcing a bunch of new stuff for summer - included a mention of a new line of art, billed as "just in time for the scheduled August 2009 premiere of Season Three of the hit AMC series, 'Mad Men'" and the title of the release bills it as "Mad Men-inspired art."

And it certainly is. The collection is full of early the early '60s glamour that Mad Men so totally captures - all Joans and Bettys and Dons.

So what, then, is so meta about this? Here's the rest of the description:

Nouveau will also display one-of-a-kind, Glamour Girl-inspired art, which recreates the look and feel of the era. Produced by Artfolio, which won Best of Show at the recent Las Vegas Furniture Show, the images from the Saturday Evening Post are printed on canvas and embellished by various artists. Each piece has a certificate of authenticity and the date of the published artwork on the back. Prices range from $325 to $495.

The nod to the era feels genuine because it is genuine - this artwork was created during the era of the show.

And now, it's back in vogue, back on display, and totally saleable thanks to our current fascination with Mad Men. Which is on the air thanks to our interest in all things early '60s. So the "Mad Men-inspired art" is really the art that inspired Mad Men.

Meta, right? But even if it wasn't, the art is great. Especially since it's not just a modern artist's interpretation of the era, it is the era.

Ideabook Tuesday: Vivian of ish and chi

Maybe it's because my house is always such a wreck, thanks to Dixon, but I love looking inside houses that belong to other families with small children. Of course, when I find those pictures online, they're unlikely to include floors covered by legos. (Yesterday, I was attacked by a Taboo buzzer that Dixon hid under part of the basement carpet. That was fun.) But they are inspirational.


Like this Sydney, Australia home, which belongs to ish and chi blogger Vivian and her husband and young son (younger than Dixon, which means there's still hope that this house will end up covered in Play-Doh and walking hazards). I'm a big fan of a lot of the design I see coming out of Australia, including these rooms:

Houzz interview: Vivian’s delightful Sydney home

more home design ideas on houzz

Also, if you click over to houzz.com and comment on this ideabook by 5 pm EST on Sunday June 7th, you'll be entered to win the print in the last photo!

M&G in Baltimore Magazine

The June issue of Baltimore Magazine is on the stands now, touting (as the cover says), "101 Things to Eat, See & do Before You Die." In Baltimore, of course. Blog lovers will be especially interested in number 79. I know I was:

79. Local foodies appreciate Baltimore Snacker, a humorous, often-updated look at food and drink around the city. Also worth a mention are Mango & Ginger and Dining Dish.

I agree -and I am also a big fan of John (Baltimore Snacker) and Dara (Dining Dish). Thanks, Baltimore Mag!

Bloggers Are Cool

LoveFeast Table, which is one of my favorite local (OK, half-local) food blogs, has started doing something so cool I almost can't handle it. They call it "love bombing" and this is how they define it:

It’s the act of making, serving and sharing a meal for unsuspecting people. Especially people not in your typical circle of friends.

They actually started doing it last fall, but the linked post is to a recent expedition. The experience is amazing to read about and I bet it's even better in real life.

Trendy Monday: Breakfast for Dessert

Bacon. It's not just for floss anymore.

This James Beard Foundation article chronicles the rise in the appearance of breakfast flavors and items on dessert menus. Not terribly surprising, as the article tells it, considering the popularity of the sweet-savory combo and, well, the popularity of bacon. Considering that the savory dessert has also seen quite a bit of play in recent years, it doesn't surprise me at all to see bacon make an appearance at the close of the meal.

On top of this, if the behaviors of my Facebook friends are any indication, breakfast is still the most popular meal of the day, especially when it's served for dinner. So why not dessert? Makes perfect sense.

Entertaining Friday: Kelly Family Burger Throwdown

Every year for Memorial Day weekend, Mike and Alicia head up to Alicia's family's Keuka Lake house to hang out with the Kelly clan. This year, in addition to the usual sunset cruises, camper of the year trash-talking and general frivolity, the whole family did it up Bobby Flay-style, with a Friday night burger throwdown.

Everyone was invited to join and the whole group voted on which burgers tasted best. (SPOILER ALERT) Alicia won. But the contest isn't over quite yet. The Kellys asked everyone's favorite food blogger (that's me, in case you were wondering) to crown winners in two additional categories: ingredients and appearance.

The contestants:

Aunt Martha's Sa'Lotta Burger

Ground beef mixed with crumbled bleu cheese and worcheshire sauce

Topped with grilled sliced mushrooms, yellow, orange, and roasted red peppers done on the grill and topped with Meunster cheese

Aunt Kelly's Mexican Burger

Taco seasoning, corn and black beans mixed into the ground beef, topped with salsa and Mexican fancy shredded cheese

Mr. Kelly's Italian Stallion

Ground Beef mixed with grilled onion marinated in balsamic vinegar, Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Basil, Rosemary, and Sage

Topped with twice roasted red peppers grilled proscuito and Asiago cheese, Garlic toasted rolls

Mrs. Kelly's Hot Hawaiian (aka the Boogie Burger)

Ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper

Topped with grilled pineapple slices and sliced jalapeno peppers and topped with jalepeno jack cheese

Barger's Benedict Burger

Seasoned ground beef topped with a grilled slice of Canadian bacon, a fried egg, and Havarti cheese and hollandaise sauce on the bun

Alicia, her winning burger, The Insider, and her matching t-shirt

Unsurprisingly, a simple ingredient list wasn't enough for everyone's favorite Camper of the Year ("boys AND girls!"). She provided a full-on, menu-style description:

"The Insider: A departure from the original bacon cheeseburger.One bite into the molton, "baconny" lava and you will never be the same. The innovation of the classic toppings is what makes this burger a winner. Two very thin burger patties with sliced American cheese and crumbled bacon placed on one patty and then covered with the other and sealed tightly creates a pocket of melted cheese. The ground beef was seasoned with a variety of spices including garlic, cracked ground pepper, salt, etc. The burgers were topped with cajin seasoned and fried Vidalia onion slices."

And my verdicts? After much careful deliberation (really, I got all of these descriptions and photos days ago), the winners are...drumroll please...

Appearance: Mrs. Kelly's Hot Hawaiian

Ingredients: Barger's Benedict Burger

It was a tough call on both counts. Everyone obviously did a great job and the entries were both creative and well-executed (then again, I know the Kellys and I expected nothing less).

On appearance, it really came down to the accessories and the humor. Mrs. Kelly went the extra mile with her plating and that kind of effort deserves a win. Plus, everyone loves a hula girl.

Judging ingredients was tougher. Here, I thought in terms of creativity and how good the burger sounded. I asked myself, would I order this? For that alone, I almost chose the Sa'Lotta burger. I'd order that in a heartbeat. And I like the incorporation of different ethnic and regional flavors into the burger, as well - that's the kind of thing that often works out well for Top Chef contestants, and there's a reason why.

In the end, though, Barger and his Benedict edged out the competition because his concept takes something mainstream - the fried egg-burger combo - and builds on that in a creative way. While I'm very sure I could never actually finish a Benedict burger, I think it's really not a bad idea.

Plus, hollandaise. Man, do I love hollandaise.

You know, this is not the first throwdown I've judged. I'm beginning to feel like something of an expert. Anybody else out there in a cook-off kind of mood? I'm available for parties and awfully cheap. You can totally pay me in drinks.

Old School Thursday: Classics Edition

Woohoo – it’s National Hamburger Day! That is both seasonally appropriate and all-American. A day I can get behind without any mockery whatsoever.

In more of a tribute to Americana, today is the 112th anniversary of the introduction of Jell-O. What’s more American than Jell-O salad? Or Jell-O pudding pops, for that matter? Everybody loves a little Cosby.

Finally, today is the 10th anniversary of the return to public display of DaVinci’s Last Supper fresco. It underwent 22 years of restoration – necessary, as frescoes are pretty much always a deteriorating mess, but also controversial, as restoration (the recreation of history) often is.

That last thing really hits me in all the right spots. Food, history, art. What a great movie that would be for me, and probably no one else, to watch.

Artsy Wednesday: Family Photos

I was at my parents' house over the weekend, digging through old photos (mostly in search of prom photos for Deep Glamour, but that's another story). I only looked through two albums, but I found plenty of evidence that I'm not the first one in my family to enjoy a nice party. I knew that, of course, but it's always entertaining to see the evidence.

These photos are all from 1967, the year my mom graduated from high school:

That's my grandmother at the head of the table and my uncle to her left. I'm sure my grandfather took the picture. My mom immediately knew everybody in the photo - Army friends of my grandparents. I, of course, just can't get over the cigarette at the table. Not exactly something you'd see today.

This is my grandfather, making a cocktail. I actually have his old cocktail set - it's what we use to make drinks. He and my grandmother both always drank simple drinks - scotch and water for him, bourbon and water for her. Now she drinks either white wine or MGD, but it's been a long time since I've seen her drink an actual cocktail. I'm continually surprised by their generation's ability to drink liquor - even with meals - for years and years.

This photo, which my mom insists is a joke, is two of my mother's cousins (the one on the right made my wedding cake, actually). They're at a baby shower for another cousin. I grabbed it mostly because I love the dresses and the matching headband. But also, the one smoking is maybe 15. Probably younger. Again, my mom insists that this was taken as a joke. But even then, it was my mom's cigarette. She was 17. And they're inside. At a baby shower. Times certainly have changed quickly.

Ideabook Tuesday: Summer

I had a nice weekend. It started with a crowded and hot, but really fun, Belvedere happy hour on Friday night. Saturday, with Dixon at my parents' house, Cooper and Jen and Bill and I headed up into the northern part of Baltimore County to the Prigel Farm Fest, a fundraiser for the Prigel family's legal defense fund (it's a long story), where we sat outside on the farm, drinking rose and watching the sun set. Once night hit, we did a little bar-hopping and live band-watching and had an unexpectedly fun night.

Sunday, with Dixon back home, we spent most of the day sitting in the backyard swinging chairs, enjoying the weather.

Of course, we're not enjoying the weather nearly as much today, and all the rain is making the mosquito bites I got on Sunday even more annoying. But that doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to more weekend afternoons on the swinging chairs, and on our friends' decks. And that is the inspiration behind this:

Deck Days

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Entertaining Friday: The Morning After

When we're having overnight guests, I usually head to Trader Joe's to stock up on breakfast breads. 'Round these parts, we like a nice crumpet.

I'm feeling kind of slack now, though. Clearly, all along I should've been providing my guests with their own floss. Bacon floss. Because...just because. Bacon.

Vino by the Litre

Everybody knows I love, love, love a cool map. So you can imagine how excited I was to come across a website called Strange Maps, devoted to nothing but, well, strange maps (via Manolo). Not even halfway down the first page, I came across this gorgeous piece of statistical representation:

My favorite maps, or graphs, or charts, or whatever you want to call them, are like this - they take dry statistics and convey them in a completely visually compelling manner. On Strange Maps, each map comes with a couple of paragraphs of analysis and discussion, making it a really valuable resource.

And as for this map, I would put it in my kitchen in a heartbeat (or the wine cellar). My favorite finding is that the US drinks wine at roughly the same rate as Finland. So random, so interesting. Surprising? I'm not sure.

Old School Thursday: Waiter Rant Edition

Today is National Waitstaff Day, which is somehow fitting, since today is also the 86th anniversary of the closing of famed NYC restaurant Delmonico’s. Once the epitome of fine dining in the city, the restaurant suffered insurmountable setbacks after the passing of Prohibition. The night before the restaurant closed, they threw one last enormous dinner for their longstanding regular customers. Going out with a bang.

Prohibition, of course, lasted for another nine years, and the closing of Delmonico’s (and other fine dining restaurants) was just one of its unintended consequences. A boost to the candy industry was another and, most famously, the rise in organized crime. Not to mention a very healthy expatriate scene in more booze-friendly countries.

Oh, and today is also National Strawberries and Cream Day. Dessert for your waiter?

Artsy Wednesday: Twenty Years of Provence

Last night, in search of something to read (I go through books way too quickly for my budget), I pulled Peter Mayle's book, A Year in Provence, out of our stacks.

It's a classic, all sun and pastis and windy winters and long lunches, and even just reading the first couple of chapters, I remembered immediately how much I loved it on my first read, which was sometime during the late '90s.

At that point, I flipped to the front of the book, curious about when it was originally published. What I found surprised me - 1989! Twenty years ago!

Even though it's about a part of the world that's charming specifically because it's not thoroughly modern (though I've heard it's modernized in some unfortunate ways since the book's publication), something about it feels very contemporary - even still. Maybe that's because the world described is so unmodern. My enjoyment of the book isn't hampered by having to imagine everyone in crazy '80s clothes or talking about '80s TV or anything like that.

No matter why, it's a book that's held up very well. So congratulations, Provence!

Ideabook Tuesday: Interview with Desire to Inspire's Kim Johnson

In the past, I've only posted ideabooks that I actually created myself. Not for any particular reason - I like a lot of the ideabooks on houzz. Today, I'm breaking that tradition thanks to a particularly great ideabook. It's an interview with Kim Johnson, one of the bloggers behind design blog desire to inspire.

Her recently renovated and redecorated Vancouver house is absolutely amazing. Bright colors and an eclectic style combine to make a fun, really livable space. I love every room:

Houzz interview: Kim Johnson’s eclectic home

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Wow

Esquire recently published a list of the best bars in America. It's a long list and unsurprisingly heavy in the NYC and California areas. I have only been to one bar on the entire list, but guess what? It's the most highly rated bar in the entire country. And guess what else? It's Brewer's Art.

Good call, Esquire, good call. It is a great bar. And congratulations, Brewer's Art.

Trendy Monday: Freebies

This will come as a surprise to no one, but apparently the word "free" drives up internet traffic.

I don't employ it much myself - ever, really, until just now - but I have heard more than a little anecdotal evidence from other bloggers (especially Examiner writers) about the magical power of "free." These are often complaints, and I understand them. While it's easy to get caught up in writing stuff that will drive traffic, I know that I certainly don't get excited to read blog posts that are nothing more than ads for free ice cream cones or whatever.

But here's something I do find interesting: the restaurant trend towards offering free food to bring customers in the door. It's a lower end promotion - Denny's is most notable - but somewhat similar to higher end promotions like half-price wine nights and two-for-one entrees.

By early accounts, it's working, too. So it'll be interesting to see how that plays out as the economy improves and if customers' expectations will shift over time.

Entertaining Friday: Belvedere Square

It's Preakness week and for me, that's less about horse racing and infield porta-potties and more about the opening of Belvedere Square. I am not kidding when I say I've been excited about the return of Belvedere happy hour since last September, and the end of the 2008 season.

Tonight, provided it doesn't rain, is going to be especially fun, with lots of our local friends heading to the Square, plus our friends Brian and Amy and their son Jack heading down from Philadelphia just for the night.

I am so excited about this evening, in fact, that I guest-posted about it over on Suzanne Loudermilk's Baltimore Magazine "In Good Taste" blog. Suzanne's been recovering from surgery, and while she's out she allowed a bunch of guest-posters to take over her blog. It's been a good mix, from blogging regulars like Jessica and Dara to some new (to me) voices that were fun to read.

Things That Make Me Happy

This:


Thanks to Randall at Deep Glamour for finding this for me!

Post-College Drinking

A new study finds that kids just out of college, a demo/psychographic called "Cyber Millenials," are drinking more than current college kids. They're also working out more, so they're healthier in that regard.

At first glance, this finding didn't surprise me at all. My memories of the years just after college - from 20 to 25, really - are pretty hazy. Especially that last year, when I was 25 and I'd just moved to Canton, taking up a pretty much permanent spot at the Claddagh's upstairs bar.

But then I started thinking a little more about the kind of drinking I did in college vs. in those years after - and there was a difference. The study, which relies on self-reported numbers, vaguely suggests that this post-college crew is drinking better, but is just as heavy on the hard stuff, as the college kids. I wonder if that's the case, though.

Better, I believe. It would be hard to drink cheaper than most kids in college (1995 cost of a case of Milwaukee's Best Light in Virginia = $6.99). But based on my outdated sample of one, the type of drinking changes. It has to. There's a difference between getting up to throw on sweats (or, in my case, a white t-shirt, denim button down and short plaid skirt) for a 10 am class and making it to work, presentably, by 8:30 or 9.

So while in college my five drinks might have been two beers and three shots of bourbon, five post-college drinks probably meant five Miller Lites. Maybe a gin and tonic and four MLs.

So, yes, it's true that post-college kids keep on drinking. But the study's quantitative focus neglects a very qualitative, but important, question: drinking what?

Old School Thursday: Chicken Dance to Foie Gras Edition

Today is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day and National Dance Like a Chicken Day. Somehow, they seem related to me. Probably because sometime around 1990, I was friends with this girl Melissa who loved a song called, “Buttermilk Biscuits.” I haven’t heard it since then and it might have been the single worst rap song ever recorded. But somehow it fits with the chicken dance.

But let me back up. The chicken dance has a day? Every week, I am surprised by who has a lobby. I’m just glad I’m not jaded.

In other news, today’s a sort of mix of anniversaries, mostly somehow celebrating processed or genetically modified food. Today in 1853, Gail Borden applied for a patent for condensed milk. For that I am thankful, because without it, there would be no tres leches cake.

Decades later, in 1919, Henry John Heinz, the founder of the HJ Heinz Company, died. His brand, obviously, lived on. And speaking of strong brands, today in 1985, the very first McDonald’s, located in Des Plains, Illinois, became a fast food museum, aka Morgan Spurlock’s own personal hell.

In more recent fast food news, today in 1991, the world’s largest burrito was created. Weighing in at 1,126 pounds, I’m sure it was nothing short of delicious. Not quite as delicious? Three years later, the FDA deemed the “Flavr Savr” tomato – a food developed through biotechnology – safe. Yes, I know this is a great advance in terms of solving hunger problems. But I also blame genetic modification on my years of disliking tomatoes. I had no idea.Finally, in a break from all that is processed, and an enormous gain for foodies everywhere (but a giant blow to PETA), one year ago today, the Chicago City Council repealed its ban on foie gras.

So today, as you do your chicken dance, you have your choice. McDonald’s (with ketchup and tomatoes) or foie. Hmm. Tough one.

Supporting Local Businesses: The 3/50 Project

Not to get mushy or political, but supporting small business is something that's near and dear to my heart. So I was very pleased to come across this initiative (via Mrs. Blandings, who found it on Miss Gracious Living).

If you're spending the money anyway, wouldn't you rather see it go to somebody local?

Artsy Wednesday: Pastry at Sotto Sopra

In several years of "artsy" posts, I've mostly written about the way food is injected into traditional art forms - music, paintings, books, architecture. Even movies. Sometimes I write about food as art in a literal sense, like in this Matisse poster. Once I wrote about food - fried eggplant, to be specific - as performance art.

It's rare, though, for me to write about food taking on the cultural characteristics we usually ascribe to art. But something I ate last night makes me want to do just that.

Let me back up a bit. Last week, Dining Dish Dara invited me, along with a handful of other foodie writer types, to dinner at Sotto Sopra. Our meal was prepared by native Sardinian chef Daniela Useli, who has the kind of cooking resume that makes me cry with jealousy (she learned to cook after being given a book of family recipes, by her grandmother, for her eighth birthday). Everything was wonderful, but my interest was most piqued by the final course, a dessert called sebadas.

Sebadas is a traditional Sardinian dessert, pecorino-filled dough lightly fried until it's crispy then drizzled with honey. At first scent, it's a little bit boardwalk (think funnel cake) plus a touch baklava (all that honey). But after a bite, it's clear that it's something else entirely. After hearing the description, I expected the dessert to taste something like a gussied-up cheese danish. I underestimated it (although, a gussied-up cheese danish doesn't sound so bad, either). The pecorino was rich and salty and a perfect counterpoint to the sweet stickiness of the honey. And the real key, I think, was that the pastry was so lightly fried, adding a little airiness to the whole dish. The taste was entirely new to me, and really exciting.

So the "artsy," then. Certainly anybody who can create something like this dessert is an artist. It takes creativity and skill and care. But my thinking goes a little beyond that. Despite assurances from Daniela and her husband that this dish is a traditional Sardinian dessert, it feels new and fresh to an American palate. We see that in the art world, too. Certain injections of even a familiar foreign culture - Slumdog Millionaire, anyone? - are irresistable to most US culture-seekers.

This dessert did that for me. Totally foreign, but just familiar enough, it hit that sweet spot between new and comfortable. Plus, cheese + honey + fried dough? That ALWAYS = amazing.

Ideabook Tuesday: Bubbles

Rooms that remind me of champagne. Celebratory, right?

Bubbly: Decorating with Fizz

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Now THIS Is Food Porn

Somebody really likes their cilantro.

(Thanks to Sarah for the link. Also, NSFW language. But with food!)

Trendy Monday: The Oak Backlash-Backlash

Not a long Trendy Monday post today, just a quick observation: I think (and don't ask me why I think this) oak is about to regain a little respect. For years, some winemakers overoaked their grapes, in an effort to "give the people what they want." They went too far, resulting in a lot of anti-chardonnay and anti-oak sentiment.

It's time, though, for the tables to turn. Though I can't actually find any of them, I think I've read a number of pro-oak statements lately, and I've definitely been privy to some pro-oak commentary (though at least some of that is from my parents, who have always been among the wood's biggest cheerleaders).

Hopefully this time around, both winemakers and wine drinkers will find oak's golden mean. Though, if not, I can think of worse pursuits.

Mother's Day Chez Pollard

Snacks:

And hard work:

This, BTW, is the "grownup swingset," where the swinging chairs hang. Cooper found some tin roofing on Craig's List, from a guy in Howard County who's dismantling an old barn and selling the pieces. He's almost finished putting it all on:

That's What She Said

In yesterday's Well's wine newsletter:

Michael-Scott Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2005 Reg. Price $29.99 Sale Price $22.99

There’s a new brand at Wells, Michael-Scott. And I’m not talking about the paper company. Rooted in Napa Valley, grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced from vineyards between St. Helena and Calistoga. Showing a ruby/crimson color, the wine offers a bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, cassis, leather, spicy oak, and a touch of mineral. The palate is medium-full-bodied, elegant and complex offering blackberry, black cherry, oak spice, and earthy flavors. The tannins are well-integrated to allow the flavors to really shine through. Not flashy, but with excellent length on the finish, this offering is a very nice, elegant example of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Entertaining Friday: Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a big brunch holiday, but I prefer to keep it as quiet as possible. On most days, I'm as social as possible, but for some reason, on Mother's Day, all I want to do is to make dinner at home with Dixon and Cooper. And work. For whatever reason, I always find myself working on Mother's Day.

And without a better segue, go check out my Deep Glamour post on the evolution of the glamorous mom. I managed to incorporate Mad Men and India Hicks. If only I'd been able to wedge in pomegranate and prosecco cocktails, it would be the Kit Loves It trifecta.

Old School Thursday: Home Brewin', Lamb Roastin' Edition

Last week was an embarrassment of riches, food history-wise, with the Earl of Sandwich and ice cream cones and Mr. Potato Head. This week, not so much. Oh, today is National Roast Leg of Lamb Day and it’s also National Home Brewer’s Day, begging the natural question, what beer best pairs with lamb?

Plus, today in 1953, the largest swordfish ever caught was landed in Chile. It was 1,182 pounds. Which really is pretty large (says the girl who can barely reel in a line with nothing but a weight on it).

But…that’s it for today. No iconic food or iconic toys. But at least we have the beer and the lamb.

Artsy Wednesday: the Many Talents of Patrick Kelly

Let's talk, for a minute, about the Kelly family. I know them through Alicia, who's a Kelly by birth (and a Barger by choice). Alicia's mom is stylish and funny and her dad is, well, he's a lot of things, including a champion of air guitar. But this post, really, is about Alicia's brother, Patrick.

In his little studio in Mount Vernon, which is perpetually hidden by scaffolding and a not-so-fine layer of dust, Patrick paints crazy and fabulous comic-inspired women. He also paints awesome animals and other characters, several of which watch over Dixon while he sleeps. We've know for a while that Patrick's a talented artist. We've also known that he's got more patience than most, which is a good thing, since his day job is working with the kids at the Maryland School for the Blind (Alicia works there, too).

What I didn't know, though, until recently, is that not only is Patrick talented with a paintbrush, he's got skills with a microphone, as well.

This past weekend, though, we got a glimpse of the other Patrick, the one who's not afraid to sing a little Elvis, with his band, Sound Storm. The venue, the Parkville VFW, might not exactly be Wembly Stadium, but he and the band certainly did command the attention of the crowd. The set list was mostly oldies and Motown, and mid-set, the band called their moms up to the stage for a Mother's Day tribute (including corsages). It was sweet in the very best way, and so much fun. Especially, of course, since in addition to his other talents, Mr. Kelly is quite a dancer.

Plus, as the tickets clearly stated, the event was BYO Snacks. And everybody loves snacks, right?

Ideabook Tuesday: Gray

Last week it was the beach. But this week it is so not. All I can muster is...eh.

Rainy Day Gray

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Trendy Monday: Tiffin Tins

A few months ago - longer, maybe even - Anthony Bourdain visited India. One little corner of the episode touched on the lunchbox hardware used by people across the country - the tiffin tin. Often metal, these stackable tins are really pretty ideal for carrying a meal around. They're practical and environmentally concscious and cute in the very best way.

And while they're not new, even in America, they are having an awfully big week at my house. First, the June Bon Appetit arrived, with a lovely shot of stacked stainless tins. Not 24 hours later, a Crate and Barrel sale catalog showed up in my mailbox, including the bright yellow plastic tiffin box shown in the picture. While this one doesn't have the authentic vibe of battered steel, it is awfully sunny.

And two sightings in two days? I'm pretty sure that qualifies as trendy.

Entertaining Friday: Start 'Em Young

I woke up late today and I have a lot to do, so I will just leave you with this photo:


Tiny drink umbrellas in sippy cups. At 7 a.m. last Sunday morning. Because that's just how we roll.

Old School Thursday: Icons Edition

Today is National Oatmeal Cookie Day and, you know, that’s actually a food that I think deserves a day. I don’t eat enough oatmeal cookies, but I like them a lot. They’re iconic, yet understated. I like that in a cookie.

In other news, well, there is a lot of other news today. Today in 1792, John Montague, the fourth Earl of Sandwich died. As he gave his name to both the islands and the, well, sandwich, history remembers him fondly. He’s a bit of an icon-maker himself.

More than a century later, in 1904, the St. Louis World’s Fair (aka the Louisiana Purchase Exposition) opened in St. Louis. Not only did the fair produce the Gateway Arch, it is also the place where a) the ice cream cone was invented, b) the hot dog was popularized and c) iced tea also gained popularity. Talk about iconic American foods.

And finally, today in 1952, iconic and food-related toy Mr. Potato Head was introduced. Here’s some trivia, too: Mr. Potato Head was the first toy to be advertised on TV. But certainly not the last.

Artsy Wednesday: Life Magazine Photos

Kirk Douglas and Sophia Loren, eatin' some spaghetti in NYC (1958)

Life magazine, in its most recognizable form, was published from 1936 until 2000, with a six year hiatus between 1972 to 1978. First it was a weekly then, after 1978, a monthly, and it always had an emphasis on photojournalism. The actual title goes back to 1883, but it was originally more of a general interest and humor mag.

Many of the magazine's classic photos - along with new images - are now available for viewing (and purchase) on life.com.

Of course, there are zillions of photos available someplace or other online. But this archive is actually special, mostly thanks to its depth. Today's editor's picks, for example, include slideshows from JFK's first hundred days and from the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic.

But of course, it's the food and the entertaining shots that I love the most - like the one above, which shows Kirk Douglas dining with Sophia Loren and another lady (unnamed) in 1958. It's part of a slideshow all about spaghetti. Totally cool - this shot especially. I love the little details - the little details - Loren's necklace, the padded banquette, the pepper grinder, the white (!) wine - that point to the era. The rest of the slideshow is just as riveting.

A warning, though: don't visit the site unless you've got some time to kill. I could get lost there for hours.

So Much Awesome

Is Don Draper coming to Baltimore? Please?

Ideabook Tuesday: Harbour Island Here I Come

I kind of want to be India Hicks. And can you blame me? Look at her:

Photo courtesy of Habitually Chic

No matter how hard I try, I'm just not going to be able to rock my H&M maxidress that way. Plus, I don't have a ridiculous estate in the Bahamas. Oh yeah, and my dad's not David Hicks.

Anyway, my Hicks love is what inspired this ideabook...which seems awfully appropriate, considering the totally tropical weather we're dealing with right now:

Living the Island Life

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Trendy Monday: Secret Supper Clubs

I had a nice weekend - good weather, drinks on our brand new backyard swinging chairs (aka the "grownup swingset") and Alicia Barger's guacamole. I kicked it off, too, with a quiet Friday night that involved the new issue of Garden & Gun arriving in the mail. For a magazine with a name that's mostly a punch line (this far north, anyway), it is one nicely written and edited piece of work.

This month's issue includes a feature on some of the South's secret supper clubs - those really, really huge dinner parties often hosted by chefs or young, cool farmers. The kind that I'd love to attend and that I've also been thinking about trying to host (I'm not sure I've got the space, though).

Secret suppers aren't an entirely new phenomenon. In fact, they've been around forever, and I even wrote about Portland's Michael Hebberoy and his various adventures (including an underground supper club) back in January of 2006.

While secret suppers might not be trendy in the truest sense of the word, they are receiving some decent ink lately, including a whole book dedicated to shedding light on some of the country's more impressive suppers.

The question is, then, when does the backlash begin? After all, part of these meals' allure is that they are, you know, secret. But if everybody knows about them, and starts clamoring for invitations, won't the chefs just hang up their toques? Isn't part of the draw that you have insider knowledge?

Of course, as I say that, I'm also thinking: if you know of any in Baltimore, I know one blogger who wouldn't mind an invite...

Art Geek Cool

David Stork uses computers to create 3-D depictions of famous paintings.

I'll have more once I actually read the article, which will happen sometime between now and Monday. But for now, just: cool.

Entertaining Friday: Baby Showers

Despite the fact that babies are born year-round, it seems to me like most baby showers take place during the spring and summer. Maybe I'm just projecting, since that's when mine were.

At any rate, last weekend was my friend Mandy's baby shower, at my house, hosted by a kind of mish-mash of friends and relatives. Since it was at my house, though, I got to do the fun part - the menu planning (although Mandy's sister, Jennifer, insists that she got to do the fun part - the invitations).

Mandy has a special love for little things, so we decided that we'd focus on tiny food for the shower. Plus, it started at 2 p.m. - that post-lunch, pre-dinner time that's perfect for finger foods.

The menu included, among other things:

• Basil cups with goat cheese (a serious Kit's house staple)
• Mini-vegetable frittatas, courtesy of Ms. Martha Stewart
• Finger sandwiches (cucumber, radish and fig + blue cheese)
• Cupcakes (obviously)
• And a lot of other stuff

If you're having a

daytime party this summer, I can't recommend the basil cups highly enough. They are so cute.And now...pictures (some courtesy of Jennifer):

Tea Sandwiches

Basil Cups with Goat Cheese

Mandy and Dixon (who totally, unsurprisingly, thought it was his party)

My High School (Girl) Friends

Old School Thursday: High Culture Meets Low Edition

Today is huge – for real. Well, today does carry on the “random lobby gets its day” tradition - it’s National Cherry Cheesecake Day. But today is also St. George’s Day – he’s the patron saint of farmers. And that’s just getting things started.

Today Bermuda celebrates the Peppercorn Ceremony, a big pompy and circumstancey parade during which the Mayor and Governor of the island collect a symbolic rent of one peppercorn from the inhabitants of the Masonic Lodge. By all accounts, it’s a pretty entertaining exhibition.

In less symbolic news, today is Shakespeare’s birthday (1564) and the anniversary of his death (1616). I’ve written before about Shakespeare here.

Much, much later, and important in a different way, today in 1985, Coca-Cola announced that it was changing its secret formula (at the time, 99 years old). We all know how the New Coke experiment turned out.

More successfully on the big brand front, today in 1992, McDonald’s opened its first location in Beijing. Seventeen years later, China’s still not a democracy, but it is arguably more open than it used to be. Thanks, Ronald.So today, to celebrate? Shakespeare and pepper and Coke and Big Macs? That runs the gamut, huh?

Artsy Wednesday: Laura Letinsky

We have a lot of parties. Not surprisingly, then, I spend a lot of Saturday and Sunday mornings wading cleaning up the remnants of the night before, wishing I'd thought to put the cheese away earlier and wondering how, exactly, 10 people managed to use 30 glasses.

Those mornings must be why I'm so drawn to Laura Letinsky's still life photographs of post-meal, post-party tables. They beautifully capture that feeling of post-party stillness and muted sadness, of drama passed. But they're pretty, too, with careful color and delicate detail.

Though not really right for my house (and out of my price range anyway), I love the idea of hanging a Letinsky photograph in a highly trafficked spot in an open kitchen. Perfect party centerpiece.