Biotech

I'm going to give it a shot this weekend coming up when I'm out in Vienna. The location is usually a death wish for any business. It's been at least 4 different places in as many years. It's a really a small space, with limited parking. That also reminds me that the Le Canard place turned over a few months back into another kind of modern American joint too. I haven't been there either, but their menu didn't initially grab me.

So after a couple of months after my first visit (which if you read above was less than stellar), and an online evisceration because of my review, I recently gave them another shot. They certainly worked out the bugs in terms of service and timing. We ordered a couple of draft Arrogant Bastards, which came out quickly. Per our request, the onion rings were delivered before the sandwiches and were hot. I'm not sure I love the onion rings, but it's a personal preference that has nothing to do with the kitchen or service. We ordered two flatbread sandwiches which came out shortly after we finished the rings. Both were hot as were the accompanying fries. Our second round of bastards were delivered quickly as well. We decided to linger for awhile (first date) and they had no problem letting us enjoy our beers slowly even though it was a Saturday night (we didn't hog the table, just didn't chug the beers). I've gone back for carry-out a couple of times, opting to call ahead since I live literally upstairs. Their beer selection has also improved in terms not of variety, but whether or not they actually have it in stock. There were some stocking issues early on, but it seems to have cleared up. So, it's a good addition. This beats the hell out of the Subway across the street.

See, I thought I was the only one with a problem this year. I grew two determinates in pots on my balcony on the 7th floor. One has had no problems, but has been pretty low in yield. The roma tomatoes were going great guns, but I had to dispose of all the fruits until about a week ago when i was able to harvest my first. The rest had the end rot that starts as a blemish on the fruit that turned into rot on the vine within days. An old lady gardner friend said to use powdered milk for the calcium (um, okay), and to back off on the watering since her theory is that the massive amounts of rain we had in the spring doomed the plants (I'm not sure how much of this I believe or not). I ended up doing the milk thing, and all of the new blossoms turned into successful tomatoes. I may not have a huge yield this year, but what I do have is very good and not getting tossed before they ripen.

Hart to explain. I'd give it a shot. It's porky and salty. I take it, make cuts in the edges so it doesn't curl up and fry it until slightly brown. Basically it's like any other processed breakfast pork product but it has some lactic acid in it which gives it a very subtle tang.

Made the Jersey Egg McMuffin - Taylor Pork roll and poached eggs on a kaiser roll for two on the balcony. Love the pig, so many options for breakfast.

I have a foodsaver (the slightly better model than the base). I really like it and it works well packaging up stuff like when I purchase meat and parse it out (buying a whole pork loin and turning it into boneless chops and roast is very economical). I also make sausage and usually make up to 20 pounds at a time. I can seal the smoked stuff like kielbasa in them and they keep very well. I've also sealed up beans and legumes like lentils. I find the material to make bags is expensive at stores like bed bath and beyond, but extremely economical at Costco.

Stopped by the CP market yesterday morning and picked up a ton of good stuff including scapes for tonight's stir fry. There are probably only 4 big vegetable vendors there each week, but the variety and quality of the produce is excellent. Peaches are rolling in and they are delicious. I also like this one bread / pastry vendor. Bought 2 huge and super tasty almond croissants to enjoy with a certain someone on my balcony with a cup of coffee. I love that I'm across the street and can do that. Other vendors included Cibola farms for buffalo and pork, another ridiculously overpriced organic meat vendor, honey guy, salsa woman, dairy vendor, and some craft people. It's not a destination market by any stretch of the imagination, but a great neighborhood FM.

I live across the street from the FM and go every Sunday I can. They are starting to get more and more variety of produce as the season progresses. I like the fact it is pretty small and the vendors are pretty chatty.

I have the Fagor 8 quart and love it. I have used it to make curries, bean soups, and braised meats. It was only $80 and is big enough to pressure can small jars as well. It's a very safe model with lock, quick release, and a feature that does not allow it to be unlocked until the pressure has released (either naturally or manually). The only trick I've found with it is to apply some pressure to the lid when turning it and locking it. I've had a few minor problems building up pressure until I tried this trick.

When I took an Indian cooking class, the instructor advised to soak the chickpeas overnight even though she was using a pressure cooker to cook them.

Wow. I don't think it was a "rant" and I did not expect to be comped. I was planning on chalking it up to a live and learn, don't go the first week kind of experience. I was simply stating what was not a great experience. I guess this is why I find myself posting less and less these days. Too many people "in the business."

I would suggest waiting for a few weeks before going to the new location. My two kids and I had a very unfortunate experience there tonight. I will give props to the owners who comped us for our entire meal (what actually came out in bits and pieces cold and hot). But waiting an hour and 15 minutes for a sub and two not so great pizzas was a bit disappointing. I would also add that the fries and onion rings were stone cold when they hit the table. As was my first sub. They were very stressed about making sure they refired everything, but there were a lot of excuses about it raining a lot, the fact their kitchen is understaffed, and they didn't expect so many people to show up. Still, if I come in, I expect a basic level of service. That didn't happen from the kitchen nor did it happen from the front of house who didn't even deliver napkins or cutlery to the table. Quite a disappointment from what should be a good go to in my neighborhood. If they can work it out, I think they may have something good. I just know it will take awhile before I go back.

I grew up near the Jersey shore and there were many ways to get the little guys to sleep before plunging the harshells into boiling water without them giving you a fight. The refrigerator can work, but by putting them in the freezer, or on ice, you are as stated above, anesthetizing them a bit. You don't want them to freeze solid, you are just trying to get them to the dormant state referenced above. 15 minutes in the freezer max should do it. 10 is more like it. Anytime you are preparing the crab yourself, there will be some barbarism involved. Thus chilling them to comatose is preferred. The pale green material is known as "mustard" up in NJ and is really, basically, crap. The only time I've had some second thoughts of preparing seafood was when I was running late for a dinner party and didn't have the time to chill down my lobsters before executing 4 lobsters with a chef's knife. There is a process to do it quickly, but the buggers are so primitive that they still flip around. I also remember my grandmother preparing eel when I was a kid. Live eel, even when skinned, gutted, and chopped to pieces, still twitches. I believe she did it this way as it was, in her words, "self breading."

The chicken place is called La Cabana. It was excellent and a good value. half a chicken, side of fried plaintains, and a salad was under $7. I was talking to our night concierge last night and she says that the Irish pub is on its way to being completed later this summer. The other side of the building will house the Arlington Free Clinic. I desperately want a decent watering hole here. The LA Bar and Grill scares me. I saw it and haven't stopped in. I've spent weekends at the Salsa club down the street, but a low key place is what the area needs.

So I live in that building now, and it is no longer condos. It's now luxury apartments and I am psyched about the Lost Dog opening. There is also some sort of upscale Irish pub rumored to be opening there too. Right now I'm eating a lot at Bangkok 54, but I'm going to try the peruvian chicken joint tonight.

I've been using Propane Taxi for over a year with great success. It's cheaper than home depot or a gas station and they deliver the tank right to your house for free twice a week. They routinely run specials that drop the price below $20 per tank each time.

Rocks - I've found Hacker=Pschorr O'fest at Whole Foods and Norms Beer and Wine in Vienna. Both sell for under $12. IIRC, Norms is around $9 per six. They also have Hoff-Brau which is pretty good this year, too.

Thus the reason I'm only making 10 pounds this weekend. Actually, we made it on Superbowl Sunday, starting damn early and finishing up the shrink wrapping at kickoff time. We have three links left, so that's why we need to make more. We throw it on the grill, or simply give the gift of meat to the neighbors. 10 pounds should get us through the fall. We always make fresh for Christmas (Polish tradition). Looking forward to the breakfast links. I just got my sheep casings in the mail yesterday, so all systems go for Sunday.

Quiche work very well as a make ahead meal. We just made two types on Sunday and stuck them in the freezer. Take them out and thaw in the fridge the day before you want them and then either serve cool or warm them up in the oven. That and a salad make an extremely easy make ahead meal

Three hours to stuff 20 pounds of kielbasa with the KA versus 20 minutes with the stuffer.

After two runs on the Kitchenaid, I bailed and got this from Amazon. It's actually a 7 pound model despite the fact it says 5 pounds. It is very well constructed and all metal (including gears).

Ah. That's good to know. I needed to order sheep casings (22mm-24mm) for the breakfast links. The standard ones are fine for what you mention above, standard size sausage in the 34mm-36mm range. The big casings are hog and beef middles, or unfortunately enoug, beef bungs. They are not really edible and are used to contain the product until it has been smoked and/or steamed. There are also a wide array of synthetic ones available too for pepporoni and the like and as such, must be removed prior to consumption as well. Sausage making is not for the faint of heart.

That's a good tip on the casings. I just placed an order this morning and received a free upgrade on my shipping to "priority mail" so it looks like I will get them in time. I'll need to see what size casings Union Meats carries for future reference. I'm thinking about doing a couple of large sausages like mortadella and ring bologna and these require a specific size casing.

I did not strain. I'm the only one in my house who is bothered by the seeds, and I don't have a food mill to make it easier to remove them. This is a good tip. I will need to try this next round. I can tell you that both batches of preserves had the same amount of pectin and the blackberry is a jam while the peach is liquid. I may try the reduction method you suggest next year.

Looks like I'm going to have a, pardon the expression, "sausage fest" this weekend. I picked up 13 pounds of boneless pork shoulder at Costco yesterday and have another 9 pounds of trimmings and the dark bit of pork loins sitting in the freezer. Looks like I'll make 10 #'s of smoked kielbasa, 5 #'s of smoked andouille, and 5 #'s of fresh breakfast sausage. Mayber I'll put the sausage in casings if they arrive by then, or else I'll just make patties. Now that I have my commercial grade stuffer, making sausage is a total snap. I can knock out 20 pounds in 20 minutes before linking.