Palazzo Della Torre, Allegrini 2008; Verona, Italy

 

Brick served this Italian red with our Christmas prime rib.

Champagne of Beers with an olive

Traditional bottle and label served dirty

Boulevard, San Francisco

Our table at the front for a beautiful meal. Ask for Hunter, he has only worked there 18 years.

Granny's Pecan Pie in her handwriting

Anchor Brewing California Lager

Discovered in San Francisco and available in cans in Houston.

Hashbrown breakfast sandwich; teriyaki beef and onions with cheese at Art's Cafe; 9th and Irving, San Francisco

This is for a "recipe" more than the place.

Hashbrown breakfast sandwich; teriyaki beef and onions with cheese and two fried eggs on the side.

The hashbrowns formed a taco shell for the beef,
onions and cheese.

Bandol, Kay's favorite Rose, France

Big Cans of Sapporo

Retro Cellars, 2010 Petite Sirah, Howell Mountain California

Very fine petite sirah. With dinner at Boulevard in SF.

Napa Smith Brewery Pilsner; (at Cavalier in SF)

Hi Dive

 








Our table in the window.

Viet Huong (three crabs) fish sauce

Maneki Neko

Tri -color, left handed Maneki Neko. Made by Tokoname Porcelain of Okinawa, Japan.

Brings in customers to "business of the night" - bars, restaurants, geisha houses

The Dutchman

Might start
didievertellyouiworkedatstans

The Dutchman
834 Wakefield
Houston, TX 77018

Firemans 4, Real Ale Brewing

Southern Star Bombshell Blonde

Angry Orchard Crisp Apple

Easily over-served

Beemster Graskaas

The voice in my head can't help but read this as BEEF MASTER.

This stuff is good.

Olive & Bacon Dip

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
24 pimiento-stuffed green olives
4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

fresh ground pepper

Combine in a food processor to desired consistency, but don't beat it to death. Let stand for 4 hours in fridge. Take out 30 minutes before serving. Serve with something that can handle it - bagel crisps, crackers.
 

Keeps 3 days in fridge.

Ducato La Luna Rossa

Really good Italian sour at Hay Merchant

Saint Arnold's Lawnmower

In a can baby.

Smoked Tuna Dip

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons prepared horseradish, drained
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
Frank's hot sauce
fresh dill
12 oz smoked tuna

Using the blade attachment combine well the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, horseradish, salt, pepper and Frank's in a food processor.

Add dill and tuna. Don't chop the dill or the tuna. Pulse to combine to keep the right texture of the tuna and dill.

Don't be afraid to smoke the tuna with a flavorful wood like hickory. The smoke flavor needs to be strong to have a presence along with the other ingredients.

Goat Cheese & Rocket Sliders

Slider buns
Goat cheese
Arugula
Honey

Make grilled cheese sandwiches as you would normally.

Hans' Pils

London Homesick Ale

Meatballs and Spaghetti

Meatballs

flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese; grated 
1 tbsp kosher salt

1 lb ground veal

1 lb ground pork
2 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups warm water

2 eggs; beaten
peanut oil

Yields about 40 meatballs

Sauce
flat leaf parsley; chopped
fresh basil; chopped

2 large cans of Italian peeled tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot; chopped 
3 cloves garlic; minced

2 anchovy filets  
single serving bottle red wine

salt
pepper

spaghetti, cooked al dente

For meatballs:

Combine parsley, breadcrumbs, Parm salt in a food processor and set aside.

 

Break apart meat with your hands into a large mixing bowl. Add water; wait 30 seconds; add eggs and breadcrumb mixture, 

Using forks, gently combine. Be careful; over-handling the meat results in dense meatballs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Hand form 33-36 2" balls. 

Pour enough peanut oil to cover the bottom of a dutch oven. Brown 11-12 balls on all sides on medium heat in batches 3-5. About 10 minutes per patch. Don't over crowd. Set aside and let balls drain. Freeze the rest. 

For sauce:

Combine parsley, basil and tomatoes in a food processor until sauce is desired consistency. 

 
In the now well-seasoned dutch oven (if needed add fresh oil), sauté shallot until soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and anchovies, mashing the filets and sauté for another minute. Add wine; increase heat; reduce and scrape up bits until most wine has evaporated. Reduce heat to lowest setting; add tomatoes, parsley and basil; add balls back; salt and pepper to taste. 

Cook covered for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Your call.

Toss sauce with pasta and add a meatball or two. Serves 4. 

Persian Rice with Tadiq

2 cups long grain white rice
1/2 cup melted butter
4 cups lightly salted water
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Place rice in a large bowl and fill with lukewarm water. Stir rice and pour off cloudy water; repeat four times. Cover rice with clean, cold water and allow to soak for 15 minutes.

Start the 4 cups water and salt boiling in large stock pot or dutch oven. Add rice to boiling water, boil about 10 minutes or until rice is about half cooked. Drain rice in colander, reserve.

In stock pot or dutch oven, pour about 1/4 cup melted butter on bottom, tilt to cover 2 inches up sides.

Pour the half-cooked rice into the pot, try to make a nice mound in the middle, and avoid the sides as much as possible. This allows the rice to expand in the dish.

With the end of a wooden spoon, make holes in the mound of rice (5 or 6 places) evenly around.

Pour the remaining melted butter onto the rice, and drizzle 1/4 Cup of the extra water into the holes you made.

Wrap a kitchen towel around underside of pan lid, making sure it is secured on top and away from heat. Steam rice about 40-45 minutes over a very low heat or until the bottom is "golden" crusty.

Remove pan from heat and place bottom inch in cold water for 5 minutes to loosen crust. Uncover pan, place a flat plate on top and invert pan. Ideally, golden crust should come out in one piece. If it does not, use a spatula to lift crust from bottom of pan; place on rice.

Global NI GN-006

Kaffir Lime Tree

My personal stash - I will never have to look for leaves again.