I had decided to allow myself an enforced break from work now that the summer is winding down and the busiest time of the year is about to start. You would think that I would be ready for this, that my brain would want to let go for a little bit and sink into a state of stupefaction in front of a television, or at least with one of those summer novels that people like to read on the beach. Instead, I am plagued with ideas for papers, with thinking about upcoming conferences, with the possibilities for this or that article...and the list goes on and on. I can't. Stop. Thinking. And the result is that I end up here, sitting in front of a computer and remembering the statistics concerning the relative ages of people who have psychotic breaks (turns out, its about my age).
Maybe you reach a certain point where the brain doesn't want to take breaks anymore? Where it just wants to run down all the stray ideas? I don't know. Maybe it means I should be writing that paper now? Trying to publish that article? All I know is that I can't watch any more Law and Order, and for God's sake lets get the semester started already!
Anyway, my insanity aside, I have finally been eating some delicious food. I did promise that I would slow down enough to do that, and Restaurant Week came at the end of the summer like a shining beacon of light in a field of food despair.
But before I get into that, let me say that the tomatoes this year have been unbelievably beautiful. I went to the farmers market and bought heirloom tomatoes, the kind you practically never find at the store because of small-minded agribusiness. Go to the market now and get some! There are so many varieties and so many different flavors and colors to choose from. I also bought some fresh burratta, which is essentially fresh mozzarella stuffed with cream and other delicious things. In this case, it was stuffed with sweet roasted garlic and onion. Add in a baguette, and you have a feast for one worthy of the summer. You don't really need anything else, except perhaps a glass of wine.
That same evening, I made burgers for a few friends who stopped by. I used free-range ground beef that I had gotten at the same market. Instead of buns, I favored a fresh baguette from When Pigs Fly in Davis Square, an excellent bakery. I made the burgers by hand with Sweet Vidalias and just a touch of breadcrumb to keep them moist. I topped the burgers with fresh Mozzarella, some more of the heirloom tomatoes, and a pesto dressing using fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. I also used a technique that I've been employing more and more to cook meat: starting off on the stovetop to get that nice sear, and then finishing in the oven. This works especially well for the cheese, which for the mozzarella meant that it got melty and lightly browned on top. You want a pretty hot oven for this, probably around 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
For the side, I made onion rings. This is super simple, and incredibly rewarding. Season some flour with your favorite seasonings (I used salt, pepper, cumin, and a little chili powder) and place in a bowl. Place 1-2 cans of evaporated milk in another bowl. You want to use large onions to make sizable rings. Now, dip the rings into the milk, and then into the flour: Repeat. You want to double dip them so that you get a nice crust on your rings. Make sure your oil is hot enough (but not too hot!), and drop the rings in a few at a time so as not to crowd the pan. When they float up to the top golden brown, they're done! I served them with a dip that was a mixture of chili sauce and sour cream. Salt them a little more right after they come out of the pan. This is also something you can get guests to help you do when they get to your house. It keeps them involved in the cooking process!
I also tried my hand at blueberry cobbler recently. I love blueberries, and I found some great ones at the market. I used a recipe I found online, and it worked out pretty well. I'm in favor of the biscuit-like topping it makes, and the blueberries couldn't have gotten any fresher unless I had picked them myself.
Now, with all the farmer's market goodness drawing towards a close, I'm wondering if there are any CSA's I can join over the Fall/Winter months that would help me feed myself through the busy times in the semester? If anyone has any ideas/suggestions, please post them in the comments. I'm interested mostly in winter vegetables (squash, potatoes, onions, winter greens) rather than meat/fish.
And speaking of local food, I had a lovely (and entirely local) meal at Henrietta's Table two nights ago. Crabcakes with a delicious relish, duck with blackberries and a port wine reduction, Taza Chocolate mud pie (all proceeds donated to help Taza rebuild after a flood). Basically, this is comfort food, served at tables that feel like they might have been taken from your mother's kitchen. The atmosphere and service were pleasantly informal, and the menu was precisely what was needed for a rainy day. The Restaurant Week menu was the normal menu (always a pleasant surprise), and the wine list was robust and affordable. All in all, I recommend it highly. These folks, like Craigie-on-Main, are serious about local and sustainable product. That's pretty important in my book.
That's all for now, I think.
I bid you peace.
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