Whether you grill, smoke or do mostly oven roasted goodness, your cutting board always has some form of delectable juices laying about in the trough around the edges. This is where you’ll find lovers of the medium dredging their kill through for extra flavors and textures. It’s prized highly and never lasts long.
Well, at a local gathering on Saturday this nectar of the gods went faster than normal. You see, Cameron of Married … with Dinner was in attendance. I’d never met the guy, or his wife Anita. They’re the kind of people that within about one half of a conversation you realize they’re no slouches in whatever they do. These people know tons of junk and are keen as a razor’s edge. But why was Cameron pouring the meat juices in to a small drinking class, actually 2 glasses?
He disappeared, 1 in each hand. When he returned, a shot of vodka had been added to the slurry. And by slurry I mean, pork, beef, lamb, bacon, goat and andouille. Cameron handed one to me and drank his down. A sip first, then mine followed. Man, it was surely a good meaty, then spiky booze hit, then fatty meat, then booze. It was crazy, it was like gravy, but a booze drink. I dearly loved both the flavors and mixtures and how it finished.
Thank you Cameron, thank you very much.
xo, Biggles
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Pork & Fruit & Pork & Fruit & Pork & Fruit
Well, that was a lot tastier than I thought it was going to be. Okay, so people have been putting fruit with pork since pork began. But you see, I don’t have a sweet tooth, I have a meat tooth. So Fruit & Pork have never crossed my path, until last night.
Team Meathenge “reviews” a Turducken – smoked that is
Can you see the dragon?
It was a few weeks ago when Steve of CajunGrocer.com emailed me and asked if Meathenge would like a turducken. I’m thinkin’, “A turducken for ‘review’? A review copy of a turducken? Sheet yeah I do!”
I have a book and a water filtration system in the wings for a review, but this bird wasn’t going to wait. It was thawing and needed attention and I’m just the caring soul who’s ready and willing. And speaking of willing, let’s talk a moment about shilling. Yup, that’s right. I know many of us non-professional writers/bloggers are pretty cagey when it comes to accepting free stuff. Let’s see what the dictionary has to say about it.
1. To act as a shill for (a deceitful enterprise).
2. To lure (a person) into a swindle.
This my good people, is not what I’m up to. Let’s move on, shall we?
Stone Fruit is in, but gourds are coming.
25 minutes ago these fine specimens were connected to Mother Earth. Are you ready? Are you all set up for this coming Fall?
These are all volunteer pumpkins, we paid for nothing but water and my effort. Neat, eh?
xo
Happy Pretty Sunday Evening to All
Along with a little vegetable garden some citrus and a fair amount of weeds, I planted a sunflower garden. Here we find a nice happy at about 8:25pm tonight. It was handheld, 800 iso, auto everything with a 70-300mm zoom all the way out. Jacked the levels a tad, then hit the contrast even less. I wish you could see the original. The bokeh was fricken amazing with the light on the right.
xo, Biggles
Beautiful Meat & Photograph – Thursday
Here we find a most excellent sirloin of beef roast. The sign said it was grass fed & had a range to roam around in or on. Let the little dear come to room temp first. Wash, dry, install the extra virgin. Fleur de sel straight from Paris. Laura gifted it to me a while back and have been using it sparingly. Anyone know where she went? I hope all is well. Okay, so we have the oil, salt, fresh rosemary & creamy white pepper corns from my good friend Rob over at Salt Traders. He’s got some seriously badass product over there for sure. Carefully lay 3 bacon rosettes on top, I had to use a toothpick to hold in place. The bacon is some of Fatted Calf’s finest and has a nice firm texture, hence the toothpicks.
Introduce your work of art in to a cast iron pan with a trivet below. This goes in a preheated 375 degree oven, on the bottom rack until about 130 degrees internal temp (kinda on the juicy rare side). Check temp at 40 minutes, just to see. Pull, let rest for about 10 minutes, slice as thin or thick as you wish. Mines is about 1/4″, dredge each slice in juices that flow from hunk. Serve with pride!
Oh, and since I only used 3 slices, I decided to cook up the rest to a medium rare.
Serve as Hors D’oeuvres, people will love you.
Ya know, the roast tasted like really good, mild beef. Not all grassy, must have been finished with a little corn, eh. Thank you! Not bad for a little Wednesday meal, eh?
xo, Biggles
Hen Cam !!! Watch chickens in their coop, all day all night.
I stumbled across this a month ago, maybe. I figured I’d watch it a while to see if it was active and going to be around a bit. So far, we’re good. At this exact moment, not much is going on. But the view changes and it’s a pretty interractive site. They’re asking for help to name the chicks, neat. And apparently the chickies have laid 187 eggs so far this year!
I think it’s pretty cool. I have it rolling by while I do other things, such as working.
hencam.co.uk
Biggles
Cazuelas Grill – Richmond, CA
Well, first off I want to thank Dagny for bringing this restaurant to our attention. While its location scares me to an absolute shivery death, the food is most certainly worth the adventure. I had my doubts until the chips & salsa slid ever so carefully on to the table with the red & green. What followed gave my spine carnitas pimples for the next 35 minutes. Yeah, even if we didn’t order carnitas, I knew it was lurking out there to excite.
Is it really that necessary?
Note: The following may contain adult content and/or adult language, be advised. Be very advised.
To whom it may concern,
I’ve grown up with your family of products and remember the thrill as far back as about 1971. Since my bedroom was somewhat below ground, moisture and mold were always a problem. Not with your aerosol fueled disinfectant, it was all good in a matter of seconds.
As I aged, it helped to calm the smoky goodness of the reefer. But that was short lived, just made me hungry and paranoid. I’ve got enough of both, naturally. I spent time talking to and learning from other people who enjoyed the cleaners. It wasn’t long before I had a good supply of the best my local grocery could offer, I had it all.
Beautiful Tomato – They be ready
I like you tomato
won’t you stay and be mine?
Came out of the camera just as you see it, cool eh?
Grilled Garlic & Bacon Too !!!
I’d like to lay down paragraphs all about the photograph that you see perched above us there. But I don’t believe it’s really necessary. However, I do want to make clear that I did slice the top off the bulb so the extra virgin could penetrate. Then, the bacon on top completes it.
Once done, smoosh over toasted, buttered, crusty breadses.
How did the bacon start out on the grill?
The bacon started out with this fine meal up on top of a tritip beef roast & pork loin roast. Once it renders down some, grill directly over a mellow fire. Once the bacon is getting close to how you like it, place on nestled garlic clove.
An evening in the life.
xo, Biggles
Biggles’ Ol’ #46 Dry Rub – A nice Wednesday evening grill fest
There are 2 kinds of grocery shoppers, 1 makes a list and gets what they need. The other (me) makes no list and winds up with a cart full of what he didn’t necessarily expect to buy. This is a lot of fun and I enjoy it each time. The downside is that I forgot to purchase soap for the shower twice now. It’s kinda funny to scrapple through the bathroom cabinet searching for those lost bars of soap that one might get as gifts from 10 years ago. You know the ones, nasty smelling, in the shape of a monkey or cat. Yeah, those. I fight the good fight.
I hadn’t planned on purchasing that little rack of baby pork ribs, I did though. And a day later? I’m sooooo glad I did. I was able to try out a curry based dry rub I’d had in the wings here for quite some time. No really, a long, long, long time.
Come along my pals and we’ll get a glimpse of a nice Wednesday evening meal.
Knife Skills Class – Shuna Fish Lydon
Oh guess what, everyone? Shuna is coming back to town and this coming August 12th she’s hosting one of her famous knife skills classes. This is perfect timing too, just look around you. The markets are absolutely filled with seasonal fruits and happy vegetables. I’m sure you do quite well on your own making your way through those tender little bundles of flavor. But haven’t you always suspected there was a better way? A way to extract just a little more texture, something to make your mouth jingle?
Shuna is here and on the job. She’s taken the time for you all and share her knowledge and passion. And brother, or sister, she’s got both in vast quantities. In fact, her passion is infectious and soon you’ll be on the edge of your chair, with your hand up. It’s so great to have someone this close that can take the time to make sure you get what you came for, and more.
One of my favorite parts is close to the end of the class she does a hands on segment and shows everyone how to properly use a steel. A properly used steel in the kitchen is just as important as the knife is. Without it, your knife is a dull, dangerous thing that only gets in the way of your creations.
Sunday August 12 Knife Skills Class 1 pm – 3:30 pm
North Berkeley, California
$68
Here is the page with all the information to get you started.
Shuna’s School List
Biggles
KNIFE SHARPENING CLASS with Eric E. Weiss
It was only back in June for Mr. Weiss’ last knife sharpening class. Terry Paulding said she could fill another and wanted to hear no sass. So, Eric being the knife sharpening ninja he is, said “You bet I’ll do it. It’s great, I love it!” Off to the calendar they flew, with pens in hand to find out when next would be. They agreed August 6th would be most excellent for that next knife sharpening class. All you lovers of all things sharp, get thine there, en masse!
with Eric E. Weiss
Monday, August 6, 2007
6:30pm – 8:30pm $65.00
Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen
1410 D 62nd St, Emeryville, 94608
You will be taught to hone your knives to perfection by
hand. A sharpening stone and honing oil is included in
the price of this class. Bring your quality chef’s knife and
paring knife plus any others you wish to learn to sharpen.
Should you want Eric to bring your knives back to life,
you may arrange that during class.
Eric’s sharpening experience spans 30 years. Born in
England, raised in Germany, his love affair with all things
sharp began in boyhood, grew with him through military
service to the Queen, and comes to fruition at Bay Area
Farmer’s Markets, restaurants, catering companies, retail
and private homes. During this unique hands-on class
Eric gladly shares his true wealth of historical, cultural,
and scientific knowledge about the blade.
Class details/registration at
Paulding & Co.
510-594-1104
Don’t touch me Mr. Bacon Man !!! I’m a vegetable.
