Monthly Archives: May 2011

Memorial Meat

Posted on May 27, 2011 by David

Last weekend’s meat CSA share seemed specifically designed for grilling on Memorial Day weekend. Instead of a whole chicken I got a bone-in whole breast and some leg quarters, for beef there was a sirloin steak and two six-ounce burgers, and … Continue reading →

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Duck Variations: Rillettes

Posted on May 25, 2011 by David

I had a brief moment of panic on the morning of the day I was serving the Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner for She Who Must Be Obeyed. What would I serve early arriving guests before the meal began? I couldn’t put … Continue reading →

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Taking Stock, Revisited

Posted on May 23, 2011 by David

I have a short list of classic cooking techniques that I feel obligated to attempt, if for no other reason than to be able to say “I know how to do that.” Until a few weeks ago the technique at … Continue reading →

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Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner: Chocolate, Peanut

Posted on May 20, 2011 by David

Having successfully manipulated our guests’ expectations with the orange and beet jellies, I wanted to end the meal with a playful dessert, something less formal that what I have served in the past. This recipe – a “grown-up” version of a … Continue reading →

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Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner: Orange and Beet Jellies

Posted on May 18, 2011 by David

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I honeymooned in Italy, a ten-day package tour that began in Rome and ended in Venice at the Hotel des Bains, one of the shooting locations for the 1971 film adaptation of Death in … Continue reading →

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Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner: Apple Pie & Cheddar Cheese

Posted on May 16, 2011 by David

I have a friend who was born and raised in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Even after he moved away, he made a point of returning every September to visit his parents and attend the Franklin County Fair. We joined him for almost … Continue reading →

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Paella with Chorizo and Chicken

Posted on May 15, 2011 by David

As I have mentioned previously, The New York Times 60-MInute Gourmet was my go-to cookbook for years. In my recently rediscovered copy, on a heavily stained page 170, is a recipe for paella, a dish I had never tasted before … Continue reading →

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Charcutepalooza Challenge 5: Cold-Smoked Chorizo

Posted on May 15, 2011 by David

If the Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner (the reporting on which will continue this week) wasn’t enough to keep me busy in the kitchen, I had the May Charcutepalooza challenge to complete as well. I had already figured out meat grinding … Continue reading →

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Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner: Braised Short Rib with Crispy Beef and Shallot Salad with Sweet, Sour, and Savory Glaze

Posted on May 13, 2011 by David

I knew that I wanted the main course for this dinner to be short rib, which I haven’t served since the first annual dinner’s “pot au feu” from the French Laundry Cookbook, but I hadn’t expected to tackle a recipe … Continue reading →

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Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner: Roasted Scallop with Celery Root Puree & Iwa Nori

Posted on May 11, 2011 by David

I‘ve had my eye on this recipe from Momofuku for a while and figured the dinner would be a good showcase, since it is both a seafood dish and uses Asian flavors that would compliment the next course. Unfortunately, due … Continue reading →

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