Prunus Persica Doesn't Begin to Describe It!

"Took a little nap where the roots all twist,
squished a rotten peach in my fist,
and dreamed about you, woman."
--from Peaches by Presidents of the United States

We visited my folks, with the express intent of picking up peaches.  Their slightly-more-than-an-acre property is exquisitely manicured and possesses numerous fruit trees, blackberry and raspberry bushes, and vegetable and flower gardens.  Their trees are incredibly plentiful.  The gardens are bountiful.  The bushes are, well, bushy.  We brought home a bushel and a half of peaches, 9 quarts of canned peaches, and processed 7 pints of pineapple and peach jam.  We brought home a sack of cucumbers and summer squash.  We also brought home a gallon of blackberries my dad and I picked that morning.

Peaches are one of my favorite foods--the flesh and juice seems the perfect accompaniment to a hot summer day.  Eating a ripe peach from the tree refreshes and cools the body without being cloyingly sweet.  Sliced peaches partner with ice cream, on cereal or in rum with a mint garnish.  I am perfectly happy eating the skin having only rinsed it under a little water, but most people prefer to peel it entirely, removing all the fuzz.  If you are in the latter camp, the good news is that you can peel a ripe peach with your fingers.  Or if you have a bunch to peel, drop them in boiling water for 1 minute and then immerse them in an ice water bath.  That will loosen the skins so much that you then gently rub the skins right off.  Easy as can be!

For those of you who like learning things, the name Prunus persica implies that peaches originated in Persia (now Iran).  They didn't, but rather were carried there over the Silk Road from China, where peaches have been seen as symbols of longevity. 

Another true story: My wife an I had a small white flesh peach tree at our house in Santa Fe.  As it was just starting to produce fruit, we each promised the other that we wouldn't have a peach without sharing it with the other person.  After the fruit season ended we each confessed that peaches were eaten without sharing.  And without guilt. 

So as the summer winds down into fall, enjoy the fruits of the season. 

A few recipes to use up a bushel and a half of peaches:

Peach and Cucumber Salad
3 large ripe  Peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges
2 large Cucumbers, peeled and sliced into rounds
1/2 large white Onion, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Mint
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir to combine the flavors. Add enough (about 1/4 - 1/3 cup) of the Maple Dressing (the following recipe), stir again and let rest for at least an hour before serving, to allow the flavors to blend.

Maple Dressing
1/2 cup Olive Oil (use the good stuff here)
1 clove Garlic, pressed
1 clove Shallots
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Honey
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Mix all ingredients in a blender.  This dressing is also good on any greens salad.


Peach Chutney
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 star Anise
3 large ripe Peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges (overly ripe peaches work especially well)
1 medium Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper Corns
1/2 teaspoon Whole Cloves
1/4 teaspoon Coriander Seed
1 tablespoon Hot (New Mexico) Chili Powder
3 tablespoons Vinegar (white or cider)
1 California Bay Leaf

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high and add the star anise.  Stir the star around the skillet for 2 minutes.  Discard the star and add the peaches, onion and garlic.  Sprinkle with salt and saute until the onions start to turn translucent.  Grind the pepper corns, cloves and coriander; stir in to the peaches.  Add the chili powder and vinegar; stir again.  Reduce the temperature to simmer and add the bay leaf. 

Add to chicken, pork or serve with toast points or crackers. 


Pineapple and Peach Jam
(Adapted from: Farm Journal Freezing & Canning Cook Book, ed. by Nell B Nichols, Doubleday & Company Inc, 1973)

12 large ripe Peaches
1 cup crushed Pineapple
the Juice and Zest of 1 large Orange
9 cups Sugar

Peel the peaches, and coarsely chop. Process 2 peaches at a time in a food processor for 5-7 1 second pulses.  (Pieces should be no larger than 1/4 - 1/2 inch.)

Combine all ingredients in a very large pan and cook at medium high heat for 30 minutes or until the jam is at the right consistency.  (It was nearly an hour for us because of the amount of juice in the peaches and our altitude.)

Ladle the jam into 1/2 pint jars (or if you are like us and don't have enough 1/2 pint, use pint jars) leaving 1/4 inch space at the top.  Clean the tops of the jars with a hot damp paper towel.  Seal with canning lids and tighten the rings to finger tight.  Place into the boiling water in a caner and process for 10 minutes. 

Remove the jars from the caner and place on a towel on a flat surface.  Let them cool and rest for 24 hours before jostling them around a lot (like driving with them in the backseat of my car from Canyon City to Denver.  Damn.)

Data Mining, or The Defense of Facebook and The Joys of Coupons

Before you get into this blog, go to a new window and Google "Data Mining."  Go ahead.  I'll be here when you get back. 

So you noticed that there are a couple of companies that have bought space at the top to tell other companies that there is real gold in your virtual identities.  Next, you probably noticed that there was some basic info on what data mining is and how it works.  Then there are literally millions of links for and against it, and companies who do it.  At one extreme, Madison Avenue is clamoring to know who you are, what you do, where you shop, why you do what you're doing,  and most importantly, are you reliable enough to do it again?  At the other extreme are the conspiracy theorists who believe that any information you give exposes you to corporate and government moles who burrow deep into your psyche and control your mind.  My conclusion?  Both are right and maybe it's not all bad.

Think of your Facebook profile and what information it offers.  Mine says what company I work for, where I went to school, many of my interests, political and religious views, and what movies and television shows I watch.  For example, I watch Family Guy.  This provides a wealth of info for advertisers which will then allow them to advertise to me.  Besides having the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy, I am most likely male, age 20-45, college educated, earn between $50k and $125k, own my home, have a mortgage and am also likely to play MMORPGs (think: World of Warcraft).  This data is crosschecked through other surveys that people like me may have taken and then verified through other websites I visit. Commercials that appear on Family Guy (on television) use the info they've collected to customize their message to me.  Too bad for them, I also have TiVo.  But the ads on the sidebar of Facebook also use the info collected.  So I have offers recommending products like what I would see if I watched the TV commercials.  Facebook will also advertise to me what my friends have indicated that they like, too.  If I like you and you like that company X's product, I may like it, too.

"But this is a food blog," you say.  "You are rambling." 

I'll bring it on home now.  Have you ever been offered a customer loyalty card at your local supermarket?  If you swipe your card, you get a discount off of many products.  But guess what else they're doing: Yep.  Data mining.  They know how you shop and what you're likely going to buy in the future.  King Soopers will print out coupons tailored to my shopping interests.  As a matter of fact, my savvy and fiscally responsible wife saved 20% off of our last grocery bill ($35 from $175).  Suddenly, eating well isn't nearly so expensive!  The downside, however, is they also know when we're most like to go to the store.  If people like us most often go shopping once a week on a Saturday, and people like us regularly buy meat, cheese, eggs, milk, veggies and fruit, and toilet paper, we may have coupons for some of these things but an additional advertised sale may only run Monday through Friday.  (Click here for more information on how you could be sorted.)

So I am one of the willing masses who recognizes the trade offs between giving advertisers what they want in exchange for giving me what I want.  But if you fall into another camp of cocooning and insulation, please be aware: your smart phone, your credit and debit cards, your shopping habits, your GPS, your internet, Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, and even your address and phone number already give away many of your secrets.  There is little refuge for the wary.  Having said that, and having confessed my willingness to be exploited, I leave you with this caution: "Understand and be aware."  And, "When in doubt, follow the money trail."

Our coupon-saved cuisine tonight:

BBQ Pork Ribs
3 lbs rack of Pork Ribs (or Pork Shoulder Ribs, sliced by the butcher)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
BBQ Sauce (see the recipe, below)

Sprinkle salt on the ribs and let rest while you build the two-level fire in your grill.  Cook the ribs on high heat, rotating every 2-3 minutes until each side has the right amount of sear.  Move the ribs to the cool side, season with pepper and continue to cook at a low heat for another 40 minutes.  (Add cherrywood to the coals for a good smokey flavor at this stage.)

Remove from the grill, spoon on the hot BBQ sauce, and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

BBQ Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 large Onion, diced
1 large clove Garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup (packed) Dark Brown Sugar
8oz Beer
1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons Cider Vinegar
1 Bay Leaf

In a small sauce pan over medium high heat, melt the butter and saute the onions and garlic until they become translucent. 
Sprinkle in the salt.  Add the rest of the ingredients, stirring constantly and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to low and continue to let it bubble gently.  Keep stirring as it reduces.  As the liquid slowly evaporates out of it, the flavors concentrate and become much deeper. 

The sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed contained for up to a couple of months.

Corn Bread
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon of your best Fat (I'm using Lard or a combination of Bacon Drippings and Vegetable Shortening)
3/4 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
3 tablespoons White Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Egg, beaten
1 cup Milk

In a heavy, oven-proof skillet (cast iron works great!) add the fat and put it in the oven.  Set the oven to 400 degrees. 

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  When the oven reaches 400 degrees, add the milk and egg to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Swirl the fat around in the skillet, coating the sides and bottom completely.  Dump the rest into the batter and stir to combine.  Pour the batter into the skillet, giving it a shake (to get the air bubbles out and settle in the pan) and put the skillet back in the oven for 20-25 minutes. 

Remove it from the oven but slice it and and let it rest in the pan.  Serve hot with butter and honey.

Grills of Summer

Our caveman ancestors had nothing on us.  Oh sure, they created some pretty cool art, they invented tools at an alarming rate, they could defend themselves against oversized beasties, and they started astronomy and agriculture.  Heck, they practically invented "roughing it" while camping out under the stars or seeking refuge in tiny caves, but they didn't have marshmallows.  Nothing compares to finishing a hard day of relaxing in the wilds of Colorado like sitting around the campfire and eating fire-roasted marshmallows off of a stick.

And that got me thinking, "fire cook food good."  (Something about fire makes me speak like a cartoon caveman.  Please bear with me.)  As a continuation of Boys and Grills, I offer another handful of recipes that perfectly celebrate summer evenings, rituals as old as time, good friends and the opportunity to play with matches. 

Corn on the Cob
When buying ripe corn still in the husk, don't be afraid to peel the husks and silk back to look at the kernels.  You want big, fat, juicy kernels that aren't damaged by bugs or mold.  Resist the temptation to completely shuck the corn, though.

When you get the corn home, gently peel the green outer husks and the yellow-white inner husks all the way back (but not off!) exposing the corn silk.  Completely remove the corn silk.  Gently, but firmly recover the corn with the husks, completely covering ALL of the kernels.  Tie the ends of the husks with some butchers twine if they don't want to stay closed.  (If the outer husks are overly dry and brittle, soak the ears in a bucket of cool water for 5 minutes.)

When the coals of your fire (or grill) are hot and ready and no longer throwing flames, lay the ears up against the outside edges of the coals.  Cook for 5 minutes on a side--the outer husks should start to blacken after 3-4 min.  If they blacken too fast, scoot the corn back from the heat an inch or two.  Take your time with this one.  Don't rush.  When they are evenly cooked, remove and lay on a platter to cool for a couple of minutes before peeling.  Serve with whipped, herbed butter.

Potato Pockets
This has nearly the same dry heat/steaming cooking technique as the corn on the cob, but we use tinfoil instead of corn husks. 

1 large Russet Potato per person
1 large Onion
2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary
3 tablespoons Butter
Salt & Pepper (Lowry's Seasoned Salt is pretty darn good, too)

Wash potatoes, and slice into 1/4 inch rounds.  (You can use whatever potato you like, but I like the starchiness of the Russets.)  Slice the onions into 1/2 rings.

Lay out a long sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil (if you're British you just said that weird. Ha Ha!) and grease it down by rubbing a teaspoon of butter all over it.  (Start in the middle and work outward, stopping an inch or so from the edges.)  Layer the potatoes and onion and seasonings over the foil.  This should make about 2 layers.  Grease up another sheet of aluminum foil.  Add the remaining butter over the potatoes and onions. Cover with the foil and crimp the edges well shut.

I like to double wrap the foil, so I usually repeat the pocketing without greasing this layer.  This helps insulate against burning and tearing.

Throw the pocket into the hot coals.  Cook for 15 minutes, then flip over and cook for another 5. Serve hot!

Wisconsin Bratwurst
There is WAY too much misinformation and just plain bad cooking out there when it comes to Brats.  This is easy and delicious. 

[Johnsonville] Original Bratwurst (Johnsonville is the original American Bratwurst, but other companies make a good brat.  But so help me, God, if I hear that you're using the cheese filled, or spicy, or some other abomination of brats, I will personally come over and take away your Good Taste card.  Stop it.  Do it right or don't do it at all.)
2 tablespoons Butter for the pan, plus more for the buns
1 large Onion, sliced into 1/2 rings
1 can of Cheap Beer (break out the PBR!)
Kaiser Rolls (yes the round ones.  It's weird, but it's right--I'll explain later)
Sauerkraut (optional)

While the coals of the grill are heating up, soak the brats in an icewater bath. This tightens the skins.

Sautee the onions in the butter in a medium sized sauce pan until they are translucent.  Pour in the beer.  Bring to a simmer, but DO NOT boil.

When the coals are ashed over, lay the brats on the hottest part of the grill, 1/2 inch apart.  Cook for 5 min, or until they start to char.  WHEN you have a flare up--and you will, move the brat off the flames and close the lid.  DO NOT stab at your brats with a fork, but rather move them with your BBQ tongs. Rotate and flip them over.  Get them slightly blackened on all sides.  When they are well cooked, lay them in the beer and onion bath.  Keep them on the stove until the buns are ready.

Slice open and butter the inside of your kaiser rolls. Kaisers are best because they have a good crusty outside and round shape that is much larger than the brat it's going to hold. It can stand up to all the juicy goodness and sloppiness that's about to take place without spilling it's contents all over your lap and disintegrating into goo.  Place the rolls, butter-side down on the grill and toast until they get golden brown in the middle and darkened at the edges.  Assemble your brats with one--or if you're daring, two--brats in a bun, mustard and/or ketchup, sauerkraut, and onions.That's it.

Some common bratwurst mistakes: 
1) Soaking the brats in beer first.  This does nothing but waste a cheap beer.  It adds nothing to the flavor (it burns off) and can make an already smokey grill a flaming grill.  Not helpful.

2) Over garnish.  Brats are a joy to themselves: simple, harmonious.  Don't add things like mayo or pickle relish.  Have a side of potato salad and a pickle if you need these things.

3) Ignor the warm bath afterwards.  Brats and beer are meant for each other.  The warm beer, butter and onions infuses the sausage with extra deliciousness.  But if you must sin, this is one you may pass on.

Grill-smoked Crab Legs

These are awesome and simple. 

1 lb Snow Crab Legs, per person (here in Colorado, usually sold pre-cooked and then frozen)

Build a two-layer fire in your grill.  When the coals have ashed over, add a layer of cherrywood branches or chips on top of the coals.  Stack the crab legs on the cool part of the grill and close the lid.  The smoke will be pouring out of the grill so sit up wind.

Let these continue to cook until the smoke has nearly subsided, about 30-45 minutes.

Serve with melted butter and or lemon if you want to.  But we mostly ate them plain!

For dessert, go ahead: grill some marshmallows on a stick. 

A Little Wedge of Heaven

This past week, I took a friend (and prospective client--he says, with hope in his heart) to one of the most charming little restaurants in Longmont, which, curiously, is not at all known for being a restaurant.  Cheese Importers in Longmont, Colorado is the "Home Depot of Cheese," comparable for the vastness of its refrigerated warehouse (customers are offered complimentary, in-store parkas for their cheesing pleasure).  Linda and two of her children, Clara and Samm, provide impeccable customer service, patiently answering questions, managing the charm of the Market Europa, communicating with restaurants and stores across five states for their wholesale business, and importing an extraordinary selection of cheese and other merchandise.  I'll circle back around to Linda and Cheese Importers in a moment, but first a few thoughts on cheese.

Cheese is too large a topic for me to cover in one sitting, but I hope to provide a few general concepts to make your cheese exploration more enjoyable. First, ignore the high-brow jargon.  Like wine, cigars and perfumes, cheese making is steeped in rich tradition and pretension.  Start learning for yourself, and develop your own senses according to what you enjoy.  Think of texture, color, smell and taste.  Do you a prefer mild, neutral essence that melts easily and blends with other flavors, or do you want a hard cheese that slaps your taste buds out of their stupor?  Or maybe you'd like to try a sweeter, crumbly cheese veined with pungent blue-green mold that can stand on its own--and sometimes has to because of the smell?  Get to know what you prefer.  Soon, you'll be noticing commonalities between cheeses you like. 

Next, don't be afraid to ask for help.  Not sure what rinds can be eaten and which should be removed?  (I'm still not always sure--so don't feel bad!)  Ask.  Not sure if the sudden bloom of fine white hairs on your cheese is a sign of future gastro-regret?  Just ask.  Does this cheese work well in a grilled cheese sandwich?  What wine would pair well with this?  What crackers, cured meats, olives or fruit would accompany that cheese?  Ask away! 

Once you've got a handle on where your tastes run, begin to branch out.  Start looking at the names of the cheese and their region of origin.  Look at the ingredients and consider how and how long it's been aged.  And then pass your love and experience on to others.

While you can probably get some assistance from the deli counter or cheese island at the local supermarket, the staff at Cheese Importers is adept at providing you with much of the help needed to become a budding connoisseur.  Besides being able to answer nearly every cheese-related question thrown at them, they also have samples to taste, and the little restaurant portion of Market Europa uses their own product.  (I had a artichoke heart and fontina panini and a cup of gazpacho.)  They can tell their story better than I can, so if you're in the area, please give them a visit.  If you aren't, visit their website.  I think you'll agree that there is something unique in what they do.

Tonight for dinner, try one of these cheese-inspired dishes.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

4-6 slices (4"x1"x1/8") of Fontina Cheese

2 slices of Sandwich Bread (a small crumb, with the crusts not too crusty)

Butter, at room temperature

Get a heavy, well seasoned skillet heated to medium hot.  Butter the two slices of bread.  Drop a pat of butter into the skillet; the butter should melt in about 10 seconds and should start to brown in 40 seconds.  Swirl the skillet to evenly distribute the fats across the bottom of the skillet.  Gently lay the bread, butter side DOWN into the skillet.  Reduce the heat to medium, and lay the cheese on the open face of the bread.  Place the other slice of bread on top of the cheese, butter side UP.

Cook for 2 minutes or until the bread toasts to the color you like.  Then flip the sandwich over.  Cook for 2 minutes more.  Serve.


Three Cheeses and Macaroni
3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3 tablespoons Flour
1 1/2 cups Milk
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 lb Goulda, shredded (or other mild cheese, like a mild white cheddar)
1/2 lb Fontina, shredded
1/4 lb Asiago, shredded
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 lb (uncooked weight) of large Shell Pasta (Conchiglie), cooked and drained

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter on medium high heat.  Sprinkle in the flour and whisk together until it makes a paste or roux.  Cook for a few minutes more, until the roux starts to get some color.  Add in the milk, and continue to whisk until the roux is completely dissolved.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook and stir until the milk thickens and becomes bubbly. 

Add in the cheese, a handful at a time, and stir until completely melted before adding the next handful.  When the last of the cheese has been added and melted, stir in the cream and cayenne pepper. 

Cook and drain the pasta and pour the cheese sauce over the hot shells. 

Serve in bowls--gooey and delicious!


Parmesan Crisps
4 oz block of Parmesan, grated on the fine holes of a box grater
Ground Black Pepper

Heat oven to 300 degrees. 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Measure lightly heaping tablespoons of cheese and place in individual mounds on the parchment.  Flatten the mounds to about 1/8 inch, leaving a few inches between cheese mounds.  Sprinkle lightly with pepper. 

Bake on the center rack for 5-6 minutes.  Let cool, then remove to a plate for serving. 

Mmmmmm ...... Milk Jello

Some desserts deserve more recognition than they receive.  Panna cotta is one of those under-recognized, overlooked, and often neglected delectable treats. 

While we stayed in Stresa Italy, a little village on Lake Maggiore in the Piemonte region at the base of the Italian Alps, H and I fell in love with the local cuisine: fresh homemade gnocchi,  delicious cured meats, soft and hard cheeses and local wines.  (Note: wine is often cheaper than water for table service!)  And, as it turns out, Piemonte is also the likely birthplace of panna cotta, or "cooked cream." 

Panna cotta shares certain similarities with custards: a sweetened and congealed milk base.  The milk and cream are simmered lightly allowing the fats to begin to tighten into twisting bonds (like what happens when cream curdles in your coffee-- but without the sour milk flavor, and less chunky).  Unlike custard, however, there are no eggs and we don't continue to bake the fats in the oven.  Panna cotta, is therefore lighter, more ethereal, and frankly far less complicated to make.  Its flavor stands up well by itself, rich and creamy, but panna cotta most often provides a sumptuous background for fruits, sauces and other flavors. 

Without all the heat and the eggs of a custard, panna cotta uses gelatin as the structural agent.  In spite of popular rumor, gelatin is NOT made of horses' hooves, but is an animal byproduct.  For a really good time, read all about what it is and how it works, here.  The original jelling agent was most likely boiled fish bones, but fortunately for us, powdered gelatin is much easier to use and without flavor.

Surprise your friends and family.  For dessert tonight, try:

Panna Cotta

1 cup Whole Milk

2 3/4 teaspoons Unflavored Gelatin

3 cups Heavy Cream

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

6 tablespoons Sugar

pinch of Salt

Pour the milk into a medium sauce pan and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface of the milk.  Let stand for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to hydrate.  Get the rest of your ingredients ready and also fill a very large mixing bowl 1/2 way with ice and add enough water to let the ice cubes float off the bottom.  Get another bowl ready that is small enough to fit inside the large bowl, and large enough to hold about 6-8 cups of liquid.  Also set out the ramekins or cups you will use for chilling.

Heat the milk and gelatin on medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the temperature reaches 135 degrees on an instant read thermometer.  Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved.

Pour the milk mixture, the heavy cream and the vanilla into the smaller of the two bowls and place that bowl into the ice water bath.  Stirring constantly, chill the mixture to 50 degrees. 

Pour the finished mixture into the cups, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. 

To serve, dip the cup into hot water for 15-20 seconds, making sure not to let any water spill into the panna cotta.  Wet your finger and gently run it around  the edge of the cup loosening the panna cotta's hold.  Turn out onto a serving plate and top with your favorite syrup, sauce, fruit, nuts, etc.  (In the finished picture, H made a Sangria Syrup!)

Let Them Eat Cake

I am lucky for many reasons, not the least of which is my birthday.  It's July 3rd.  Not on the 4th.  That means I have 2 full days of celebration, and if I make the mistake of too much exuberance on my birthday, I have the nation's birthday to recover.  But I try hard not to overdo it.  (anymore . . . )

Although not everyone I wanted to attend my birthday party could be there, we still had a great time.  In lieu of gifts, people donated money to charity.  And we sat and laughed and told stories and met new people and got to catch up with old friends.  And we ate.  And for this year's birthday, we also wore mustaches. 

Since we're talking about birthday's, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss cake.  Birthday cake seems to be a very old tradition.  Ancient Grecians would bake small honey cakes in the shape of crescent moons as offerings to the temples of Artemis.  Romans seemed to like the idea of cakes and used them to celebrate certain holidays including the birthdays of important people.  Apparently this caught on in the proletariat, because after a number of generations and the spread of Christianity, common folk would bake cakes for the Baby Jesus at Christmas.  And from there, it was probably a small step to start celebrating all birthdays with cakes.  They are relatively cheap to make, can be shared by many people, and can be customized for the honoree.  I recognize that this is a very Western Europen cum American sensibility, but that's who I am. 

We don't all celebrate with cake.  The earliest documented birthday parties come to us from ancient Persia.  The Greek historian Herodotus wrote of the people of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, "Of all the days in the year, the one which they celebrate most is their birthday. It is customary to have the board furnished on that day with an ampler supply than common... They eat little solid food but an abundance of dessert, which is set on table a few dishes at a time... They are very fond of wine."  In China, guests bring colored eggs to be displayed before being eaten by the birthday partiers. Throughout Mexico and some other Latino areas, breaking open piñatas marks the focal point of any good birthday fiesta (and has foddered countless clips to be aired on Americas Funniest Home Videos).

For those of us who do celebrate birthdays with cake, we don't associate cake with ALL birthdays.  In the U.S., we've left off cake for Christmas and replaced it with cookies and candy.  Perhaps with the broad availability of different foods in America, it's easy for us to stray from our Western historic roots.  Or maybe we have incorporated so many other cultures into ours that we have created something quintessentially American.  As American as apple pie.  We don't think of cake for the Independence Day celebrations--we go for pie.  Hhmmm.  Interesting.  And some people I know don't really like cake at all.  I can't really understand that myself, but to each their own. 

Today, because it's my birthday and my blog, instead of giving you a recipie or two, I ask you for a gift:  Please offer all of us a brief story about how you celebrate your birthday, and if you have a celebration cake (or pie, or seaweed soup, or whatever) please post it in the comments! 

Happy 41st Birthday to me and Happy 234th Birthday, America!

Boys and Grills

This is Father's Day weekend.  I hope you all called your Dads and and expressed your hearts' true feelings. 

And I know as I write that, not everyone has had such an idyllic life as I have.  I can say such compassionate things only because my Dad and I are close--friends, even.  But regardless of your relationship with your Dad, there is someone out there close to you who represents your ideal of fatherhood.  Go with that for the rest of the day and tell those people what they mean to you.

This is my blog and my Dad, however, so allow me to regale you with my experiences and impressions of my mind.  Whereas my Mom is regarded by the greatness (quantity and quality) of her food in the kitchen, my Dad is known for his grill work.  Like the cliched greeting cards you will find at the supermarket, he has prepared the meat of nearly every kind of animal--fish or fowl, beef, buffalo or game.  Steaks, fillets, roasts, whole, spit, or racked.  Even oysters in the shell (see below). 

So I was thinking, as an homage to my Dad, a man I love and admire, how can I pass on his grilling acumen?  Here's some of what I have picked up over the years:

1) Know your fire.  Every grill has hot and cold spots.  Use these.  My Dad switched years ago to a gas grill, built into the back patio.  I use charcoal.  Dad's grill has spots that stay 10-20 degrees cooler than other parts; I have to stack coals to one side or another to create a cold zone.  The hot parts of the grill are good for searing meat but bad for sustained cooking.  The cooler parts will be good to slowly raise the temperature of the food. 

2) Take the food's temperature.  Undercooked is generally better for flavor and texture than overcooked.  The best way is an instant-read thermometer on a long probe.  (Although my Dad would always operate by instinct, then cut into the center of the steak seconds before declaring it done.)  Remember, most foods will continue to cook for 5-10 minutes after removing it from heat. 

3) Know when to poke your meat.  The best time to put holes into your meat (if you must) is BEFORE it goes on the grill, and is usually only to let in certain flavors.  For example, little slices of garlic and sprigs of rosemary stuffed into tiny holes all around a leg of lamb offers a deep infusion of flavor.  For thick steaks, you may use a fork to poke holes before adding a marinade. 

4) Leave your meat alone.  Give it time to rest.  Most meat benefits by sitting on a slightly heated plate and covered with tinfoil for 10 minutes after taking it off of the grill.  This allows the juices to return to the muscle structure.  Cut into the meat when the temperature is too high, the juices have too much kinetic energy to be bound by the heated cell walls of the meat.  (Yes, I'm using physics and biology!  Isn't science cool?)

5) Know your marinades, rubs and sauces.  Marinades add flavor and if they use salt, sugar or oil, also aid in the browning of the grilled offering.  Rubs provide a good surface flavoring, and can caramelize on the surface adding a crispiness (especially good for some fish!)  Sauces are served afterward and compliment cooked food.  One can make a sauce from the marinade but reserve the liquid before touching it to raw meat.  This avoids cross-contamination.

6) Apologize for it being under/over done before anyone has any on their plates.  Set the audience's expectations low and dazzle them anyway.  Under promise and over deliver. 

To Dads everywhere: Thank you for all the wisdom you have imparted.  Thank you for (trying to) teach us the little lessons that we should know before life kicks sand in our face.  Thank you for inspiring us to reach higher, think better and do gooder (yes, I like saying that) than we would ever have imagined for ourselves.  We love you. 

Tonight for dinner, try:

Grilled Oysters
2-3 live Oysters per person (I prefer large Pacific species)
Hot Sauce
Lemon wedges

Line the oysters (live, in the shell) on a hot grill.  Watch them closely.  After about 2 minutes, the shells will open.  Remove from the heat, being careful not to spill the liquid from the shells. 

Let the guests open their own oysters (fingers are fine--no need for an oyster shucking knife.)  Add a dash of hot sauce and a squirt of lemon, then shoot the oyster, liquid and all.  This is the most flavorful way of eating these guys!

Sugar Steak
1 12 oz Ribeye Steak per person (1 1/2 inch cut)
Soy Sauce
ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon Red Chili Powder
1/4 teaspoon Cumin Powder


Lay the steaks out flat.  Sprinkle on enough soy sauce to coat each side of all of the steaks.  Add a light dusting of black pepper (to taste).  Cover and let them come to room temperature.


In a bowl, mix the sugar, salt, chili and cumin powder.


Make a two tiered fire in your grill, or for gas, get one side very hot and the other warm.  When the grill is hot, pack the sugar rub evenly onto each side of the steak.  Place on the hot part of the grill, at least 1 inch between steaks and leave the lid up.  Leave it alone for 3 minutes and then flip over.  Cook that side for 2 minutes more, then move to the cooler part of the grill.  Cover the grill and let cook until rare or medium rare (120-125 degrees.  Remember the steak will continue to cook for 5 minutes when you take it off the heat.)

Remove from the grill and cover for 10 minutes. 

Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
1 bunch of Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar (the good stuff--aged)
2 tablespoons Sugar

Cut the white, woody ends off the asparagus spears and discard.  Rinse them well and lay out on a paper towel.  Pat them dry. 

In a saucepan, heat the vinegar until until simmering.  Continue to simmer and add the sugar, stirring until dissolved.  Continue to heat slowly, stirring occasionally until the volume has been reduced by 1/2. 

Place asparagus in a bowl or baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Toss to cover each spear and place the spears directly on the hot part of the grill.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes.  Turn them over.  Some charring will occur, but you don't want them too blackened.  Cook for another minute of two then return to the baking dish. 

Sprinkle with pepper, to taste and drizzle with the vinegar deduction.