Fatted Calf’s Sugo Di Carne with 16 oz of fancy ‘maters. I’ve pretty much stopped making my own sketti red sauce since Fatted Calf came to town. The Sugo is that good. We always and I mean, always have some on hand.
This is not a good week to be on a meatless diet. The title says pretty much all you need to know. This is a special week, don’t miss it. The Basque sausage coils are sportin’ piment d’Espelette and garlic and wine. Yup, that’s Basque alright. The pork crepinettes got greens, lemon and pinenuts. Oh man, citrus and pork? A match made in heaven pally boy. Between the crepinettes and the salumi selection, I’m about ready to keel over. Make Biggles proud and make your way in to Berkeley Saturday morning, your reward will be great. I’m sure the veggies and fruit will also be fine. You’ll go for the cherries, you’ll be stayin’ for the meat.
Xo Xo
Author Archives: Biggles
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEATHENGE !!!
Yup, that’s right. Meathenge is another year older, that makes about 2 as I countem’. I have to say it’s been a lot of fun. I remember when I started, not sure what I was supposed to post. You can go see those earlier days, just in case you were wondering. As time rolled by I did some more cooking, but didn’t post the recipes. People started asking what the hell I was putting in my dry rubs and que sauces. I realized it wasn’t really fair to post all the juicy pictures without the ability to at least recreate any of the food. The first 8 months were easy, then I hit a wall. I was at the end of my schtick. I’d run out of my pocket full of ideas and had to actually READ cookbooks to glean information. Reading got easier and I found what I needed. Meathenge really took off and it hasn’t stopped since. There was a little mention in Gourmet Magazine, online articles and recently a huge layout in the San Francisco Chronicle. And if that wasn’t enough, Meathenge has been put to print, Digital Dish. Thanks to everyone for the kind words, input & support. Thank you to my wife who puts up with the tripod and lights during dinner time. Thank you to my boys who have to wait to eat each night. Thank you to my sister for making me look good and thanks to her husband for making the best cornbread on the planet. Thanks to my father, Big D and Joe Bob for the photography backup. Thanks to J. Lee for the support and new finds. Thanks to everyone. It’s been a great 2 years. I hope the next 2 are at least this fun.
Xo Xo
Mesquite Grilled Wild Salmon with crushed White Sarawak Pepper
May 1st marked the beginning of California’s Salmon Season. Usually I’m not a big fishy fan. Mostly because I’m just not familiar with it and it costs too darned much. I could have fed the family for 3 days of pork for what it cost to feed 2 adults once. But OH what a once it was.
High Roast Danish Viking-Smoked Sea Salt Chicken Stuffed with Bacon
Click on the image to get a larger one, now. Check out the juicy porky love puddlin’ below. Come up to the wing there, right there. Golden crunch perfection. Look at the thigh & leg portion, crispy poppy. Hop up on top of the breast portion, see the darker bits? That right there is the Danish Viking-smoked salt. And if move ever so slightly to the right and look carefully you can see the bacon poking out. Do you have any idea what a high roast, viking-smoked salt chicken stuffed with bacon smells like ?!? No? You can you know, all it takes is a little effort and a teaspoon of Danish Viking-Smoked Sea Salt. Oh and a nice chicken and two strips of your favorite bacon. I’m sorry and feel like a bonehead for not keeping this stuff in stock over the last year or two. Never again.
Mexican Oregano – A Native Seeds Product
J. Lee called me an afternoon a while back and said she had a gift for me. A Mexican Oregano (Lippia Graveolens) she’d found and said it was worth the effort. I’m thinkin’, comon man, I got enough Mexican Oregano here to sink a ship several times. Besides, I can get it cheeeap locally. No, this was better. Better? How could that be? Easy.
High Roast Cauliflower v2.0
A few weeks ago I presented a Roasted Curry Cauliflower here on Meathenge. It was good enough for me to want to try some spice and cooking modifications. I was really interested in using some TexMex flavors and using a rack inside the roaster to set the florets on. And I wanted to see what non-organic cauliflower was like (probably not 11 dollars for two heads). I did it all.
The Ever Elusive Custard Class – 5th in a Series by Shuna Lydon
I heard a rumor this class was in the works. Didn’t think it would hit so fast. Shuna has had a busy May already and now she adds in 1 topic that shows up in 2 classes. How cool is THAT? Yeah well, you don’t have tons of time like the last Knife Skills class. This one starts Wednesday May 25th 7-9:30pm or you can join the one on Saturday May 28th 1:30 to 4pm. Either way make time and email shuna directly shunafish at spamfree earthlink.net.
This class will NOT be a place where you’re lost in the crowd only catching a few pointers. Shuna makes a point to make sure everyone understands these fine points and gets their questions answered. You will leave positively charged walking in the Light of Custard.
Further Details
Or
Shuna’s Eggbeater Food Blog
Xo Xo
Lamb Crepinettes, Stuffed Quail & Umbrian Salami – Fatted Calf Newsletter
It looks as though the season is ramping up. I sawr cherries at the farmer’s market last Saturday and I’m hearing good things in the Lamb Department. This week Fatted Calf has presented us some Lamb Crepinettes with white wine, cumin and persian mint. I’ve never had these before and they sound delightful. Suggestion, one would really want to grill these little darlings outside. The caramelization from a real fire just can’t be beat and besides, the weather is picking up. The Special this week are Hoffman Farm Quail stuffed with Morel Mushroom Sausage. I’ve had these before. They’re boneless, brined and stuffed to the wings with wonderful sausage. They don’t take long to cook maybe 50 minutes at the most. One per person is all you need. My favorite part is to cut up the leg and thigh to eat separately, they so tiny. Oh criminy, look! Guinea Hen Terrine, oh man. That right there is the true, the one, the only sweet meat. So many good things and so many reasons to get off yer butt early Saturday morning and get yourself some much deserved treats.
See you there!
Balinese Long Pepper – Salt Traders !
Early last week I decided on a whim to see what Rob at Salt Traders was up to. Almost 2 years ago I was shown the light (thanks J. Lee) and bought a few bottles of their Danish Viking-Smoked Sea Salt. As you can glean from my post, it’s pretty cool stuff. Well, I got myself some more. What I also picked up were some fancy peppercorns, mmmmm pepper. In fact, I got a gaggle of goodies and it’s going to take me more than a few posts to get through them all. I decided to start with the Balinese Long Peppercorns because they were the most intriquing.
Digital Dish has been released! Meathenge hits print!
Oh man, it’s finally here. Over the months a handful of food bloggers from around the world have been working with Owen and his new publishing company, A Press for Change. Owen asked us to join in his first book and submit a handful of our best posts. We did and the book has finally arrived from the printer!
Over the past few years you’ve seen food blogging absolutely explode. I went from a handful of places to visit, to a list so long it takes me several days just to see what’s going on, if not longer. Slowly but surely, over time we got in to magazines, newspapers, online ‘zines and now a real book. That was the easy part (sorry Owen), now we have to all pitch in and make it a success. This means each and everyone one of you needs to buy a copy, at least one. If this first issue can make a go of it, more are sure to follow. It will validate each and everyone of us who’ve worked so hard over the months and years. What do you get for your money? Check out the Intro to the book here.
You go, make Biggles proud.
Domestic (US) Orders: $19.95 plus $5.00 shipping and handling (CA residents add $1.65 sales tax)
International Orders: $19.95 plus $11.00 shipping and handling
Bone-in Pork Loin Roast stuffed with Spring Greens – Fatted Calf News
Butter in Hot Cast Iron brought to you by Sony DSC-W1 point & shoot rig. On tripod, uv flood upper left.
Yay! The holidays are far far away. We’re five months out and it’s time for a some meat roast action. I could feel it in my bones last week, Fatted Calf was due for something such as this fine Bone-in Pork Loin Roast stuffed with Spring Greens. If you’re a fan of the pork loin, you know damned well you want that bone in there. It’s meat, ain’t it? And shouldn’t meat have bones? Bones add flavor pal and flavor is where it’s at. You may want to give them a call to have your name put on one. Cause I’ll bet you dime to dollars there’ll be a line before 10am at the stall this coming Saturday morning. And if you show up at 10:30 you’ll most likely be going home with weeds and a frown.
Hey, what meat goes good with Duck? Pork. My favorite and yours, the Crepinette is sportin’ those two meats along with some nice pistachios. Pick up a package just in case for the following week when you’re strapped for time.
There’s something I haven’t seen before, Umbrian Salami. Sounds Roman to me, I can hardly wait! Well, okay I probably won’t be getting any of the salami, but it does sound like fun. All in all it looks like a good haul this week, read on and see what else you’ll need.
See you Saturday!
Ba Le – Vietnamese Sandwich – El Cerrito CA
All images today taken with little Sony dsc-w1 point & shoot.
Today was the day I was fiercely in need of something good for lunch. Yesterday was a complete bust and my mood showed it. Be in charge of your own mood and get something tasty when you’re feeling down.
Around 10:30 today the image of a crunchy Vietnamese sammich crossed my mind. I knew I had to strike because if you wait until noon, the El Cerrito High Football team shows up and you might as well cross the street to Burgler King. I struck gold today.
The Museum of UnNatural History – Earliest Meat Photograph
A few moments ago my brother inlaw Meathead, brought in a snapshot from approximately 30 years ago. Guessing he found it in one of my sister’s boxes. She must have taken this in the mid 1970s some time. Good shootin’ Sis! Not only did he bring in this picture, but he also brought in the meat rack that is featured. I noticed the shiny aluminum salt shaker on the stove I still have. And I believe I can still find that wooden pepper grinder. This, right here, is Meat History.
Xo Xo
ps – Hey, check out that cool brown stove, eh?
Meathenge’s Vegetarian Mushroom Soup
For many years I’ve had a philosophy about vegetarian food. I haven’t shared it yet because it really never came up before. After reading through a few good vegetarian cook books, it was time to use it. Uh, my philosophy that is. Good vegetarian meals can be excellent, oustanding even. So, I figure. If you have an oustanding vegetarian dish, add sausage and it’s even better. And that’s where this recipe came from. Welcome to Meathenge’s Vegetarian Mushroom Soup – with Sausage.
Meat Jewelry? Just when you thought you’d seen it all.
Early on SparkleWitch was leaving comments here and there on Meathenge. One of those comments she left, she mentioned something about making Meat Jewelry. How could you possibly miss? She was spot on, take a look! Those images on the keychain and bracelet are ones from Meathenge! Very cool.
Over the months I have really enjoyed cooking for Meathenge, so much so I’ve injured my guts. But I have to say, some of the best things have been the people who stop by here. Thank you Sparkle.
Xo Xo
She can be contacted sparklewitch at removethis aol dot com