tag:,2009:/5 2009-11-10T14:10:47Z I live in Portland, Maine, where my husband Otis and I alternate between abject food laziness (frozen hippie pizza) and exalted states of cookery (organic pork loin stuffed with gorgonzola and fennel). This will also include random musings on food, restaurants, and other issues that impact my taste buds. Movable Type Commercial 4.24-en AccidentalVegetableshttp://feedburner.google.com tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.173 2009-11-09T20:51:54Z 2009-11-10T14:10:47Z

Otis and I bid a fond farewell to our fiscal year 2009 pig on Sunday, with a delicious sendoff of pork roast barbecued on the grill with a Cuban-style mojo, yellow rice and black beans, tostones, and the richest chocolate...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com tostones, and the richest chocolate pudding in the world for dessert. It really was simply phenomenal. Joe and Jon came over for dinner, and contributed a really large amount of wine and their winning personalities, as always. It was really a wonderful meal. The recipe for the pork came from Cook's Illustrated... the pork was brined overnight and then rubbed, and then cooked on the grill for about 6 hours. I made the tostones, which are super easy, just google any recipe. The most important thing is to make sure the plantains are not ripe... they should taste much more starchy than sweet. Sprinkle with a fair amount of salt; I like to add some hot pepper powder (I used the aleppo pepper we have in the pantry). This upcoming weekend we're picking up our fiscal year 2010 pig from Alder Brook Farm up in Athens. Last year we got 1/8 of a cow and 1/2 of a pig, and discovered that we appreciated the pork so much more than the beef that we're just getting the 1/2 pig. This round will include all sorts of the funny bits so Otis and do his curing and smoking thing... for example he is planning some guanciale with the jowls. Now that we're moving into the later fall (even though it doesn't feel like it-- we're expecting record high temps today, in the mid 60s!), Sunday will probably be our last grilling day. But we have lots of roasting and braising indoors to look forward to... including all of the delicious traditional holiday meals. I love those heritage turkeys, and homemade stuffing, and my mother-in-law's delicious cranberry-horseradish sauce. Mmmm. But for now, I am just going to appreciate the unseasonably warm weather and the anticipation of a freezer newly filled with pork. ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/11/divine_pork_fat.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.172 2009-11-01T12:37:47Z 2009-11-01T13:59:39Z

Wow, it's hard to get back on this horse (or whatever the saying is)... I've been thinking a lot about what to say here. When I was growing up, family meals and food were an important part of our lives....

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com Tassajara Bread Book, and I would stand on a stool and help her knead on the counter. And of course I helped her make her famous quiche (included here), which I made a week or so before she died... I brought her a piece while she was staying in hospice. She didn't have much of an appetite but she wolfed down the whole slice and then told me it had too much garlic in it. Anyway, this is coming out as a whole bunch of babbling, but my point has been, thanks, Mom, for refusing to bring me up on crap fast food and boxed meals. Learning to cook as a kid, and appreciating what really good food is, was an amazing gift. (Also thanks Dad. Especially for bringing your love for Asian flavors to the conversation.) ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/11/getting_back_into_the_blogging.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.171 2009-10-10T11:36:41Z 2009-10-10T11:43:30Z

Hello all. I apologize for my long absence. Over the past month or so my mom, who has been living with cancer for almost five years, got much sicker, and died last week. My mom was a phenomenal woman, whose...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com Hello all. I apologize for my long absence. Over the past month or so my mom, who has been living with cancer for almost five years, got much sicker, and died last week. My mom was a phenomenal woman, whose passion for life provided a great model for me as both a child and an adult. I had mixed feelings about posting this, but I decided I wanted to share with you all why I haven't been writing recently. Hopefully I will be able to get back into it soon. I'm going to try to share some of the experiences I had growing up and learning to cook with my parents, both of whom provided me with a real passion for food and cooking. I will miss her. http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/10/post.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.167 2009-08-18T13:00:59Z 2009-08-18T13:18:06Z

So make a tasty salad... So, summer has arrived in Maine, much belatedly. I personally don't hold with those who complain that it is 90 degrees, but I won't submit too much criticism. One thing I do agree with is...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com this piece in the illustrious Portland Press Herald, I made a pretty tasty light one-meal salad. My main miscalculation was cooking the chicken at the same time I was preparing the dressing and other ingredients. Ideally that should be done while you're in the other room so the heat off the oven doesn't make you feel like you're going to keel over.

Cilantro Lime-Dressed Chicken Salad with Other Stuff

Good title eh? Ingredients 1 1/4 lb boneless chicken breast Chipotle powder Powdered cumin Oil (light olive or veg, or whatever you have is fine) S & P 1 bunch cilantro (washed well) juice of 2 limes Chipotle powder Powdered cumin 1/4 cup mayo 1/2 cup sour cream S & P to taste Corn kernels off 3-4 ears of corn, blanched for 1 minute, drained and rinsed with cold water 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 poblano chile, diced fine (remove the seeds) 5 radishes, sliced into half-rounds (or really whatever size you prefer) Greens from 4-5 scallions, chopped fine [I threw in about 3/4 cup cooked white rice, but only because I had some leftover from Thai takeout earlier in the week. Rice or no rice is fine.] Greens (I used mesclun mix) Grated cheddar cheese Blue corn chips Lime wedges Steps 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2. Place chicken in pan. rub seasoning and oil on it. 3. Bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. 4. Remove from oven; cool and cut into 1/2 size chunks. 5. Place the cilantro in your blender or food processor and chop fine. 6. Add the other ingredients and whirl around until mixed. 7. Place the third group of ingredients, plus the chicken, in a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix well. 8. Chill for 10 minutes. 9. Place chicken salad over bed of greens. 10. Garnish with a pinch of grated cheddar and lime wedge. 11. Surround with corn chips. 12. Eat. ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/08/its_getting_hot_in_here.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.166 2009-08-07T10:43:28Z 2009-08-07T10:57:33Z

Hey all, it's actually been a whole MONTH since I have posted here, which makes me feel a wee bit guilty. The truth is, I have been working so hard on my various jobs, classes, and projects, that's I've barely...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com puttanesca but I use fish sauce instead of anchovies.

Quick "Puttanesca" Sauce

Ingredients Olive oil 1 small/med onion, chopped fine 2 cloves garlic, minced fine 1 cup black olives (I used kalamata), rough chopped 2/3 cup capers, drained and rough chopped Salt & pepper Red pepper flakes, to taste 1 large can crushed tomatoes 1 small can chopped tomatoes (for both I like Muir Glen organic brand) Splash balsamic vinegar Splash fish sauce (I swear!) Make it! 1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan, and add the onion and garlic. Saute until clear and just starting to turn brown. 2. Throw in the olives, capers, salt, and pepper. Saute for about 30 seconds. 3. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes. 4. Add the balsamic and fish sauce. 5. Cook on low heat, stirring and tasting occasionally and adjusting seasoning and flavoring as necessary, for about an hour.]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/08/laaazzzzy_days_of_summer.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.165 2009-07-09T10:38:06Z 2009-07-09T10:49:13Z

There's been a lot of buzz around about our new restaurant, El Rayo. Rave reviews, excitement! Thrills! Well, I can't say I concur, unfortunately. Don't get me wrong-- it was fine. I liked the space, it's nice that they have...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com There's been a lot of buzz around about our new restaurant, El Rayo. Rave reviews, excitement! Thrills! Well, I can't say I concur, unfortunately. Don't get me wrong-- it was fine. I liked the space, it's nice that they have margaritas, and I ate some little fried potato things that were fairly tasty. But honestly, I thought it was a bit overpriced, and you get a lot better of a meal at Loco Pollo on Washington Ave. At El Rayo, a single fish taco was $3.95, and it was not particularly generous in the amount of fish provided. I'm also pretty sure the tortilla was not handmade. The hot sauces were pretty tasty, though. At Loco Pollo, they now serve three tacos for $7, and they're chock full of filling and flavor. The handmade tortillas are authentic and soft. I'll probably go back to El Rayo occasionally, since it's close to my house and decent. But if I want a more filling, tasty, and authentic meal I'll go to Loco Pollo. (And hope the pozole is on the menu. Boy, is that good.) But really what I'll dream about is the beef tacos from the groceria/taqueria across from my apartment when I lived in Wicker Park (Chicago) years ago. Nothing but a tortilla, grilled beef, cilantro, and onion. Hit it with a little lime squeeze and a dash of hot sauce. $1. (I'm not joking when I say I still dream about those tacos, ten years later. They were simply perfect.) Loco Pollo: 52 Washington Ave, 899-4422 El Rayo: 101 York St., 780-TACO http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/07/el_rayo_loco_pollo_and_mexican.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.164 2009-06-24T16:58:33Z 2009-06-24T17:09:47Z

Thanks to all of you who wrote in with suggestions for our anniversary dinner! I'm looking forward to trying some of the places where I've never been, and revisiting some where it's been way too long! We did end up...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com My next favorite dish was the simple and sublime Maine Hamayaki-- Maine lobster, Maine scallops, and Maine crab served on a bed of rice and topped with some sort of mayonnaisy-truffle-oil-yum sauce and then broiled. We also had my two regular favorites: black cod, simply broiled, and the tai ceviche roll, full of light and citrusy flavors. That's not all...we certainly didn't hold back in our ordering-- by the end of the meal we were utterly sated and happy. (Although we did go to Local for a glass of wine and a slice of cake. An anniversary isn't an anniversary without dessert!). It was truly a wonderful meal and a special way to spend our 6th wedding anniversary. The space at Miyake is not fancy, but it is welcoming and friendly and relaxed, which was what we felt we needed after a fairly stressful spring semester at school for me and a busy work season so far this summer for Otis. ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/06/anniversary_at_miyake.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.163 2009-06-16T20:30:21Z 2009-06-16T20:32:09Z

So, it's Otis and my wedding anniversary this weekend, and we're having a difficult time deciding where to go for dinner. So, my loyal readers... where should we go?...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com So, it's Otis and my wedding anniversary this weekend, and we're having a difficult time deciding where to go for dinner. So, my loyal readers... where should we go? http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/06/anniversary_poll.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.162 2009-06-10T11:56:44Z 2009-06-10T14:04:11Z

Inspired by this recipe from Gourmet, we made chipotle cheeseburgers for dinner on Sunday. I forgot to take photos, and then again Otis ate his two (yes, two) in about two seconds flat. I guess I could have done something...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com this recipe from Gourmet, we made chipotle cheeseburgers for dinner on Sunday. I forgot to take photos, and then again Otis ate his two (yes, two) in about two seconds flat. I guess I could have done something timelapse... that would be cool. Anyway, I modified the recipe (slightly). They were very delicious. Ingredients 4 chipotles in adobo 2 T parsley 3 cloves garlic 3 shallots 1 lb ground pork 1/2 T salt 4 slices Hoffman's Super Sharp (get at the deli counter) onion rolls 1/4 cup mayonnaise juice of 1 lime Preparation 1. Chop the chipotles, parsley, garlic, and shallots finely (I used my mini-food processor) 2. Mix with pork and salt in a large bowl. Let sit for an hour or so in the fridge. 3. Form into 4 patties. 4. Grill until cooked through; add cheese and melt on top. 5. Mix the mayo and the lime juice. 6. Toast the rolls. 7. Spread the mayo on the rolls and top bit cheeseburgers. ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/06/chipotle_burger.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.161 2009-06-02T12:34:59Z 2009-06-02T17:40:06Z

OK, so clearly I have not been on the top of my game in the month of May. I vow to be a better blogger in June. So, everyone's talking about El Rayo, it's the thing to do. Otis and...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com michelada (which I was very happy about), so I really don't want to do a full post until I go back and have a burrito. So there. In general, thus far, I concur with Brad. I do want to report, however, on the phenomenal meal we had at Caiola's on Saturday night. It's really always a pleasure to go there-- Lisa (the co-owner who runs the front of the house) is incredibly welcoming, and the staff lovely. When we arrived for our reservation outside on the patio I realized that my special issues (aka extreme coldness) would prevent me from having a pleasant meal there after the sun went down, so we moved inside and sat at the bar. The bartender, Randy, did a great job serving us while balancing the ten trillion other things he apparently had to do, and all the while keeping up a conversation with some other customers about his new dog (a subject that is always interesting to me as well). And our food was, as usual, just really really delicious. It's never overly fancy or precious, just perfectly flavored and balanced and slightly rustic-feeling. The portions are always generous as well (an issue that is always a concern for Otis wherever we go). We started with a terrine of olive tapenade with goat cheese, capers, caperberries, and orange, which was so good I think we devoured it in about two seconds flat. Otis enjoyed a whole black sea bass with chorizo and clams, including a very cool looking razor clam. It came with fiddleheads and some haricots vert. I had one of the menu staples (on a menu where many dishes change daily)-- a hangar steak with red wine reduction. It was served with a tasty little mashed potato cake, some grated carrot, and broccolini. Per usual, the steak was exactly medium rare and tender, and the the red wine reduction complemented its rich meatiness perfectly. Caiola's has been open for four years now, and although it never seems to get the press that many other restaurants in Portland get, I continue to believe that it is one of the best restaurants in our city, especially when you consider the friendly atmosphere and great service. ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/06/a_celebration_of_sorts.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.160 2009-05-14T21:30:19Z 2009-05-15T20:07:00Z

by Ravinder Kingra Apologies, fellow cocktail devotees, for the lack of postings from yours truly. I trust no one's been standing empty-handed and parched-mouthed at the bar waiting for a new recipe lo these many months. I've waited to put...

Ravinder mailto:ravinder@ravinderkingra.com Ravinder Kingra Apologies, fellow cocktail devotees, for the lack of postings from yours truly. I trust no one's been standing empty-handed and parched-mouthed at the bar waiting for a new recipe lo these many months. I've waited to put pen to p. until I could be certain that we wouldn't wake up to find ourselves under a blanket of late season snow. Hopefully I'm not welcoming the wrath of Mother Nature (or Gaia, if one is so inclined) by taunting her like this but I think we're safely in the throws of Spring. So, now that the Sorels and snowsuits are safely stashed in the attic one can concentrate on adding some spring to one's cocktail menu steps, as it were. Nothing says spring like rhubarb. So that's where it all began; well, there and also with a tipple I'd had at 555 as inspiration. Infusing gin with rhubarb imparts the former with the slightly bitter, astringent, herbal and, not to put too fine a point on it, pink qualities of the latter. The red wine gastrique adds tartness and acidity that balances the sweetness of the simple syrup. The black pepper adds spice and warmth; and the walnut oil contributes a luscious mouth feel and appearance in the form of glistening droplets of oil on the surface of the drink. I'll insert a disclaimer here for those of you eager to shake up a pitcher tout de suite. The main ingredient requires some planning, namely a one to two week steeping of gin and rhubarb. If you must, simply must have a drink right away, you can muddle a few slices of rhubarb in the shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients. You might need to increase the amount of simple syrup if you follow this route, since the bitterness will be slightly harsh (or forward, in today's wine enthusiast parlance.) So let us celebrate the thawing of frozen soil, the budding buds on the trees, the tweet and/or twitter of song birds, and so on and so forth, with the Resurrection. Thus, it is risen. THE RESURRECTION 4 oz. rhubarb-infused gin* 2½ oz. fresh lemon juice 1½ oz. red wine gastrique 1 oz. black pepper simple syrup (or plain simple syrup and a few grinds of pepper) ⅛ teaspoon (a dash) walnut oil freshly ground black pepper (optional) sugar (optional) If using, combine sugar and black pepper in a shallow dish. Rim two martini (or other cocktaily) glasses with the mixture and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for 20 seconds. Strain into prepared glasses. Serve. Yields two cocktails. * To make rhubarb-infused gin add two cleaned stalks of rhubarb, diced, to a 750mL bottle of your favorite gin. Let it sit in a cool, dark place for a week or two. Strain rhubarb out of gin and return gin to bottle. Use in your favorite gin recipes, not just in the Resurrection. Note: If you don't have rhubarb-infused gin or the time to make it, muddle three of for slices of rhubarb in the cocktail shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients. You may need to increase the amount of simple syrup by a teaspoon or two since muddling the rhubarb will bring out more bitterness.]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/05/spring_sprang_and_indeed_sprun.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.159 2009-05-11T18:36:57Z 2009-05-11T19:04:18Z

So, I'm still in the depths of finals (urgh! argh!) so I am going to be brief, but I wanted to relate a couple of experiences I've had lately that have led me to do a lot of pondering about...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com Hot Suppa for breakfast. it's a restaurant I go to periodically, and I am always pleased with the food-- it's nothing fancy, but it's always cooked well, and menu features creative touches like fried green tomato Benedict and a bacon-of-the-week. The service is always quite friendly and prompt; again, nothing fancy but the staff are always thoughtful. Anyhoo, on the day I met Joe there I was feeling a bit more lunchy than breakfasty, and they had a sandwich special that sounded delicious. It came with tomatoes on it. Now, I have nothing against the tomato, but raw March sliced tomatoes are usually mealy and unappealing, in my opinion, so I asked for the sandwich without the tomatoes. "I'm sorry," the waiter said. "The kitchen won't allow us to do substitutions." So, whatever.... I didn't really care-- how hard is it to take the tomato off of a sandwich? Not at all, clearly. So I said fine, got the sandwich, took the tomatoes off, and went on my merry way. (It was a very tasty sandwich, for the record.) But ... there was just something about that response, and such a fixed policy, that just sat wrong with me. I couldn't quite figure out why it bugged me so much, though. It came into focus a couple of weeks ago. A friend was visiting Portland in preparation for her move up here, and doing some househunting. She's a vegan, and although we had made plans to brunch during her visit, I was a bit anxious about finding her an adequate vegan meal. It's not like Portland, Oregon-- when I lived there very single breakfast place kept tofu in stock for tofu scrambles. Anyway, I wasn't sure where to go, and I asked a few people, and heard a few different options, none of which seemed absolutely perfect. So, I figured that because Local 188 has so many salads on the menu for its brunch, it would be a good spot just in case nothing else worked. (Also, in general, their brunch is one of my favorites in town. The huevos rancheros es muy delicioso! But that is not the point of this story. And I do not speak Spanish.) We met and sat at the bar. Of course, any vegan worth her salt is used to having complicated food-related conversations with servers about what the restaurant can and can't provide-- so I must admit, I was probably more anxious than she was about whether she'd find something that she could eat. And it was so easy! Nathaniel, the bartender, once he heard that my friend was vegan, was happy (excited even!) to go check with the chefs and see what they could rustle up. They ended up making a beautiful-looking veggie stir-fry with garlic, and potatoes on the side, and some slices of French bread. It never seemed like anyone in the restaurant felt put out in any way-- in fact, they all seemed thrilled to have an opportunity to figure out how to serve the customer in the best way, and make her happy. Quite a contrast to a policy that the kitchen can't leave a slice of tomato off a sandwich, I thought. I don't want to be overly harsh on Hot Suppa-- I know they have a small kitchen, with probably limited staff, and as I said I've always had tasty meals and good service there. But the experience at Local 188 was so pleasant, and lovely, that it reinforced to me how important it is from the customer's perspective to feel like the goal of the restaurant is to provide you with a meal that you enjoy. It's not that complicated, and it truly makes a difference in you emotional connection to the restaurant, and how much time you want to spend there. ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/05/a_tale_of_two_meals.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.158 2009-05-05T12:11:31Z 2009-05-05T12:14:12Z

Rob Evans from Hugo's was named the Best Chef in the Northeast at last night's James Beard Awards....

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com Hugo's was named the Best Chef in the Northeast at last night's James Beard Awards. ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/05/congrats_to_rob_evans_from_hug.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.157 2009-05-01T11:20:22Z 2009-05-01T11:22:17Z

Hey all. My commentary here's going to be minimal for a while, since I am deeply and fully swamped with studying for finals. In the meantime, here's a funny little vignette for all you Top Chef fans....

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com funny little vignette for all you Top Chef fans. ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/05/top_chef_flashback.php tag:www.accidentalveg.com,2009://5.156 2009-04-24T11:18:47Z 2009-04-24T13:25:38Z

As promised, here's a more complete rundown of the most recent Deathmatch Experience. The theme: what would you eat (and drink) for your last meal? It was definitely one of the best Deathmatches yet, in my opinion, both because the...

Marya http://www.accidentalveg.com Zack Bowen, and a few others taken by Katie Selva-- both of the photographers did a great job with the shots), their answers to Joe's "what would you eat at your last meal" questionnaire, and the complete song list for the party, submitted by the guests, who could each choose three songs. So, because of the time pressures of my trip to France, Joe's trip to Argentina, and Zack's very busy schedule, the turnaround time on the book was literally three days. Have I mentioned I am in my second year of law school, and coming up to finals? I had the book, two papers, and the beginning of studying for finals to do, and at points I felt like I was losing my mind. However, amazingly I managed to lay out and have the "client" (aka Joe and Dietz) proof the whole thing in three days. We went to press on Monday the 13th, and thanks to the incredible speediness of my friend Kirk and his team at Creative Imaging Group, we had very good quality books, printed on a digital press with great color, by Friday afternoon. (For those who care about these things, we had them perfect bound as well, and they looked great.) Anyway. Nobody really cares about the books if they haven't seen them, I imagine. Sorry, I got a little off track. Let's get to the food. That's a photo of Gerry enjoying Leslie's homemade tagliatelle with Broadturn Farm butter, sea salt, and white truffle. That was one of my favorite dishes, along with Leslie's fonduta-- essentially melted cheese with truffles, and crostini to dip in it. Both dishes were incredibly homey and comforting, as if Leslie were my Italian grandmother making me a meal after a long plane ride. Sadly, I completely missed some of the dishes. It was a particularly chaotic evening-- there was a tent (and the bar) set up outside, but it became colder and colder as the night wore on, so some people were inside, some outside, and the serving of the dishes ranged from someone walking around with a tray, to people lining up outside the (very small) kitchen (with broken plumbing-- that's another story) waiting to be served. So if I miss mentioning a dish that's why. Everything I had was really quite incredible. 1. Erik from Evangeline did a very simple caviar service of American caviar on a potato chip with a dollop of creme fraiche. Lovely, simple, the perfect way to start the meal. 2. Joe Ricchio, one of our hosts with the most, made a tortilla soup. I seriously think he would make a fortune if he started a soup-making business. His soups are uniformly fantastic. Perfect balance of spice, smoke (from the smoked peppers), and acidity. 3. Jamon iberico de bellota. I mentioned this in my previous post. Dietz (most host #2), like Leslie, pretended he was my grandmother. In this case Spanish. 4. Peruvian ceviche, by Joel. Two styles of ceviche-- the first with a more traditional (to us) lime base, and the second with a coconut milk base, which was new to me, but according to Joel very common in Peru. Fresh fish, great flavors. ... I missed quite a few courses here ... 5. Leslie's dish... discussed above... 6. Nolan made a maple candied pulled pork and a popover. It was kind of like a little sandwich of pork. Num num, and the perfect size. Too much more and the sweetness would have overwhelmed, but the size and the contrast between the popover and the pork balanced it. 7. Feijoda finale + caipirinhas, by Johnny D. and John Myers, respectively. There seems to be a theme here-- Johnny D. was also channeling a grandmotherly comfort food, in this case a stew from Brazil. 8. Deconstructed BLT with hot mayonnaise in your mouth. Josh and Kate from One Fifty Ate (one of my favorite places in the city, which I keep meaning to write about) did this one. If you take a look at one of the other bloggers' recaps of this meal you will learn more about this dish. I don't really like mayonnaise, at least in any sort of large amount, and was worried that if I sat down and had a naughty schoolgirl squirt mayo in my mouth a) someone would take a picture of me, which would be used as evidence of unfitness to join the bar, and b) I would throw up. So, um... no. The process was quite amusing to watch though. 9. Shortrib pot pie by Stephen and Merry. This was hands down my favorite dish. These were teensy little pot pies with a perfectly flaky crust, and just the right amount of rich filling with shredded beef and tiny little cubes of carrot. Just impeccable. I could have eaten 5 in a row. (I want Merry to come over and school me in crust-making.) 10. Sweet & sour balsamic braised short ribs, salt & vinegar fries, by Jason. Also a delicious treatment. At this point I started getting really, really full and missed a couple of dishes. I took a break, drank some wine, and danced like an idiot, which was quite fun. Eventually it was time for dessert, which included ginger pudding with chocolate sauce by Jodi, croquembouche by Krista of Bresca (which I tragically missed, I don't know what happened!), pound cake from Samantha (of Rabelais), and heaven and hell chocolates from Meg. All were amazing (I am SURE that was the case with the croquembouche...wipes tear from eye), but I have to say, keeping with the grandmother theme, that Sam's pound cake, served simply with whipped cream, was the perfect dessert to my last meal. Actually, I ended the evening standing in the kitchen sticking pieces of pound cake end in the whipped cream bowl. Mmm. So, yeah. Pretty phenomenal dinner. I'd really suggest checking out Zack's photos. Mine ended up being kind of sparse because there was such a crush in the kitchen that I had trouble grabbing shots of the food. And, to wrap up... here's the drink list: The Wine: (More than 92 bottles worth if you do the math!) 12 x Broadbent, Vinho Verde N/V Bellenda, Brut Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene "San Fermo", 1.5l Bellavista, Brut Franciacorta Cuvée, 1.5l Perrier-Jouët, Brut Champagne Cuvée Belle Epoque "Fleur de Champagne" 1990, 3.0l (Jeroboam) 6 x Lustau, Amontillado Jerez Puerto de Santa Maria "Almacenista Jose Luis Gonzalez Obregon" N/V Georg Breuer, Riesling QbA Rheingau Rüdesheim Berg Schlossberg 2004, 3.0l (1 of 30 Produced) Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Spätlese Trocken Pfalz Forster Kirchenstück 1997, 1.5l St. Michael-Eppan, Sauvignon Alto Adige "Sanct Valentin" 2004 6 x Bodegas Aragonesas, Campo de Borja "Coto de Hayas" Rosado 2007 Estancia, Meritage Alexander Valley 1989, 1.5l Tramonti, Chianti Classico 2004, 3.0l Nicolis, Veronese IGT "Testal" 2001, 1.5l Poggio Amorelli, Toscana IGT "Oracolo" 2003, 3.0l Domaine Henri Perrot-Minot, Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes 1999, 1.5l Domaine Jean Chauvenet, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Rue de Chaux 2001, 1.5l Louis Bernard, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1999, 1.5l Domaine de Vieux Télégraphe, Châteauneuf-du-Pape "La Crau" 1997, 1.5l Château Lamartine, Cahors Cuvée Particulière 2004 Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez Tinto Pesquera, Ribera del Duero "Janus" Gran Reserva 1995 Château Musar, Bekaa Valley 1999 Hanzell, Pinot Noir Sonoma Valley 1990, 1.5l (Signed by Bob Sessions) Marchesi di Barolo, Barolo "Grande Annata" Riserva 1988 William Hill Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 1990, 5.0l (Imperial) Librandi, Val di Neto IGT "Gravello" 2003 Tenuta Il Poggione, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1997 Ridge, "Geyserville" Sonoma County 1999, 1.5l Fauchon, Sauternes "Réserve" 1995, 375ml Foreau, Vouvray Moelleux Domaine du Clos Naudin 1995 Wegeler-Deinhard, Riesling Spätlese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 1990 Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium, Riesling Beerenauslese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Trittenheimer Apotheke 1989 Fonseca, Reserve Porto "Terra Bella" N/V Château de Montpezat, Coteaux du Languedoc "Palombières" 2003 Condado de Haza, Ribera del Duero 2001 Mt. Difficulty, Pinot Noir Central Otago 2004, 1.5l Etude, Pinot Noir Carneros 2004 2 x John Duval Wines, Shiraz Barossa Valley "Entity" 2005 Niebaum-Coppola, Zinfandel Napa Valley "Edizione Pennino" 1999 (Signed by Francis Ford Coppola) Masciarelli, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo "Villa Gemma" Riserva 2000 Marchesi di Barolo, Barolo Cannubi 2004 Jean-Luc Colombo, Cornas Les Ruchets 1998 Bollinger, Brut Champagne "La Grande Année" 1999 The Beer: G. Schneider & Sohn, "Wiesen Edel-Weisse" Hefeweizen, Kelheim, Germany, 20l (1/6 Barrel) St. Bernardus, "Abt 12" Quadrupel, Watou, Belgium, 20l (1/6 Barrel) Harviestoun, "Ola Dubh Special Reserve 12" Old Ale, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, 40l (Cask) Castle Eggenberg, "Samichlaus Bier" Doppelbock, Eggenberg, Austria, 3.0l 24 x Geary's, "Wee Heavy" Scottish Ale, Portland, Maine, 12 oz. bottles 24 x Geary's, Imperial IPA, Portland, Maine, 12 oz. bottles 12 x Anheuser-Busch, "Bud Light Lime" Beer, 12 oz. bottles (F'n Spider) 6 x Falstaff Brewing Company, "Ballantine XXX" Ale, 16 oz. cans (F'n Gerry) Lots x Pabst Brewing Company, "Pabst Blue Ribbon" Beer, 12 oz. bottles, 12 & 16 oz. cans The Hooch: Lillet, Apéritif Blanc, France Cointreau, Triple Sec Liqueur, France Cock-Russell & Co., "Boodles British Gin" London Dry Gin, England Lucid, Absinthe "Supérieure", France Leblon, Cachaça, Brasil Herredura, Tequila "Silver", Mexico Don Julio, Tequila "Reserva de Don Julio" Blanco, Mexico (John Myers made Corpse Revivers and Caipirinhas). ]]> http://www.accidentalveg.com/2009/04/back_to_deathmatch_last_meal.php