I had kinda given up on ever being able to make the “linguine ricci di mare” recipe from my Try file because it involves fresh sea-urchin roe (most commonly known by its Japanese name, uni). When its fresh, uni is one of the best things you can put in your mouth on the planet: itContinue reading “ESC #30: Birthday Edition”
Category Archives: blackbird
ESC #29
In which we encounter the only true failure of the ESC series to date…. An Asian theme on this one. The winner for everyone was the dessert. The lumpia were very good as well, and the chive green beans straightforward and flexible. David Chang’s Spicy Pork Sausage Ragu with Rice Cakes was the problem here;Continue reading “ESC #29”
ESCs #27 and #28
[Insert usual apology for the lack of pictures; as is manifestly apparent at this point, I can’t cook and take photos at the same time….] ESC #26 had a Southwest Asian vibe. The fish curry and samosas were the standouts. The cauliflower was fine, and the golden compote, while promising on paper, turned out tooContinue reading “ESCs #27 and #28”
Kimchi Grilled Cheese and Doenjang Tomato Soup
I cannot believe I haven’t posted on this as this has been my go-to easy, quick comfort meal when I’m not feeling good or it’s crummy out, for at least the last 3 years. Maybe it was because I kept messing around with the tomato soup b/c I didn’t feel like I had it dialedContinue reading “Kimchi Grilled Cheese and Doenjang Tomato Soup”
ESC #26
This one had a sort of late-summer-at-an-Argentinian-estancia theme. It was all pretty good, but the lomo al trapo stole the show—as you would expect from a $90 piece of meat that you wrap in a red-wine soaked dish towel and throw into a fire…as long as it comes out right, which it did b/c it’sContinue reading “ESC #26”
Cold Spicy Ramen
I love Shin Ramyeon when I’m exhausted and in the mood for something quick and comforting—but not when it’s in the 90s out. But, hold the phone, did you know you can make cold spicy ramen/ramyeon? Yes, you can. Here I garnished with surimi, a hard-boiled egg, some julienned spicy soy radish pickles and freshContinue reading “Cold Spicy Ramen”
ESC #24
Woo, this one was chef-y; at least the main course. I cannot for the life of me locate the Food & Wine recipe for Grilled Black Cod and Herb Bundles with Elk Spice online anymore, but it’s probably not up your alley unless your alley runs behind a Michelin-starred destination restaurant on an island inContinue reading “ESC #24”
ESC #23: Afternoon Tea Edition
Well, as usual, I didn’t take photos, and that seems particularly unforgivable when you’re stacking lovely little tea goodies on étagères…. But as there’s no going back, I’ll just give you notes on the menu. Personally my favorites were the mini lobster rolls and the scones, the latter of which got a little melty inContinue reading “ESC #23: Afternoon Tea Edition”
Biscuits
I’m not much of a baker, but I make really good biscuits. That’s because they happen to fall right into my wheelhouse as a baker, which sits somewhere near the crossroads of Lazy Efficient St. and Impatient Ln. I can have them ready to go into the oven in the time it takes it toContinue reading “Biscuits”
ESC #22
This one had a rough Moroccan theme. The Bizzy Izzy cocktail was OK, but I got a little loosey-goosey with the substitutions (arrack for bourbon–I know, what was I thinking?) and had to off-road pretty significantly to save it–turned it into a champagne cocktail, because who doesn’t like a champagne cocktail? I can’t give youContinue reading “ESC #22”
The Rookery 