Pho much phun in Birmingham
Pho much phun in Birmingham, a set on Flickr.
So C and I were in Birmingham running some fun errands. We went down in the morning but I knew it was going to be lunch time before we could get back to Gadsden so I urbanspooned ( yup I just turned into a verb) Gluten Free – friendly food joints near our route. We had such good luck using this method for finding gluten free dining in Chattanooga that I wasn’t surprised at how it went. We found a nice little noodle shop off of Green Springs Highway. Pho Que Huong Vietnamese
We had a great little date. Plenty of gluten free food and the pho really hit the spot on a cool blustery day. They were out of the item that I ordered but I punted on the fly and ordered a chicken breast pho noodle bowl while C had the Beef version. Both broths were very good and the rice noodles tasty. We also ordered summer rolls, which I normally thin of as spring rolls, but they were nice and tasty as well. The food wasn’t quite as good as our other noodle place Saigon Noodle House but I wasn’t up for the drive over to Hoover.
All in all a killer day with some tasty noodles.
Boy it’s hot out
I went on a crazy hot ride on some pretty roads.
Here’s the thing not on the GPS track -Fresh Cantaloupe, Mozzarella, Ham and Sea Salt sandwich at the halfway point- that is living.
It got beautifully melty in the 97 degree heat against my back. Oh it was a transcendent sandwich. I implore you all: Eat real food when riding the bike, bars are goo and gunk and pellets and gels are convenient, but they don’t taste like real food.
Eat real food and drink water, the end.
A new toy
It’s ridiculous how much joy I can wring from a $15 flat piece of wood. I am of course speaking of my pizza peel. I’ve been working on perfecting my pizza technique for a while. I’ve tried several dough formulations (and I’ve taken a detour with the Gluten Free curst for C.) I’ve figured out what I like in a sauce.
I’ve figured out my preferred method for par baking the crust. I’ve turned up my oven as high as it will go. I’ve experimented with baking surfaces and sticking prevention. I’ve even stuck solidly with the high moisture mozzarella and fresh basil- even go so far as to basically eschew homemade pizza if the last two items are unavailable. The last step (for now at least) was finding a more elegant way of transferring the dough/crust to my now searingly hot baking stone.
My implement is that obvious one that seemingly all pizzerias, from the temporary and multipurpose (our kitchens) to those of authentic verifiable Neapolitan temples to the Margherita pie: the lowly pizza peel.
This weekend I finally got a chance to use my newly acquired peel. It took a little learning and just the right dusting of cornmeal, but it’s a thing of beauty to slide in and scoop up the whole pizza- it takes a special shake- one might call it putting some ‘English,” but it’s clearly Mediterranean. It’s a shimmy of the peel, a tip and a slide and in an instant – “Che bello” you’ve got your pie on the peel.
It’s a beautiful thing. Once the pizza’s on the peel, you might lift it even closer to put that final bubble on the cheese, to give the pepperoni that special crisp and in a flash, it’s out of the oven sitting on it’s peel that will double as a cutting board.
It’s funny how little it takes to live La Dolce Vita
juice
‘Lunch of Champion’.
still tastes surprisingly like vegetables.
I remember when I first started drinking the juice, it came in glass bottles and I would have one for breakfast after a stupidly early pit orchestra rehearsal. I think this is alos when I developed my taste for strong espresso with a bit of sugar
Beer Brats & Beer Tasting
Beer Brats, originally uploaded by erictwright.
Brats simmered in beer and onions, then grilled, then added back into a beer butter reduction gravy.
Aforementioned Beer Gravy, originally uploaded by erictwright.
Gotta get the onions sweating and working
Beers for Tasting , originally uploaded by erictwright.
Gotta have a selection, Belgian, Coloradan, New York(an) Georgian, Delewareian, Kansan and more.
Guest food blog post over at ‘Cantaloupe Pie’
The first of my product testers has come back with a review of McCormick Recipe Inspirations. Eric T. Wright is an award-winning photojournalist who now serves as the online producer for The Gadsden Times and gadsdentimes.com. He also is an accomplished cook — actually, “cook” seems a little pedestrian for his considerable skills.
I was glad he decided to take part in reviewing the product, because I knew he would have high standards. Here is his take on the recipe he chose:
via First review in for new product line – Cantaloupe Pie – Gadsden Times – Gadsden, AL – Archive.
Balsamic-Glazed Pork Chops
from this recipe http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Balsamic-Glazed-Pork-Chops-233982#
So good and so tender. No shallots so I subbed onions. I also used really good balsamic vinegar. Nothing too fancy about the recipe. Put a really good sear on them then sweat the onions and reduce the vinegar- then glaze the chops.
Really great, really fast dinner.
cheese
gorgonzola with toasted walnuts and honey
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