ACHS drop out

Austin Chronicle High School, that is. And boy, am I happy.

Eat me!

Based on my posts, it looks like all I ever do is eat and take pictures of what I eat.

Hmmm.

Anyway, it really does appear that all I've been doing is working and going to school because I haven't taken any new pictures and therefore have nothing new to share. I did, however, find a couple pics of BREAD.

Still can't find a sandwich shop that even comes close to Fino's in Memphis, so occasionally we have to fashion a Faux-no's sammich. Mind you, we don't always eat sandwiches piled mile-high with meat and cheese, so this is not indicative of our diets. I think there was capicola, ham, provolone, tomatoes and onions marinated in a vinaigrette...maybe mayo? It was our homage to the South Philly.

And a piece of bread that's happy to be eaten! We had a baguette and I cut it on a bias so we could sop up whatever used to be in the bowl. Lo and behold, that little bugger was smiling at me!

Not exactly the Virgin Mary on my French toast, but I'll take it.

veggies

We were fixin' to be at the Union Square Farmers' Market the Wednesday that we were in New York.

Another day....

...another dolla. There's a new rap station in town which plays the same seven damn songs over and over. How I miss Sole Studio and all the good rap stations in Memphrica.

I have a sweet toof every so often, but never before has anything sated that craving like Milk Bar.



Candy bar pie: like a peanut butter cup, chocolate covered pretzels, a snickers bar, butter. Oh wait, butter isn't a candy bar.


Ronni bonni eating strawberry softserve.


The bag that the compost cookies came in. So buttery and warm!


The aforementioned compost cookies.

Good Eats

More food and other goodies from the New Jersey/New York trip.

We went to Beard Papa's one of the first nights we were in the city and ate some yummy cream puffs. 

Green tea at the top and vanilla at the bottom. They were just a little smaller than a softball. Yummmmy.

There's Ronni.

I like this picture; you can see Ronni on the left taking a picture, me in the middle taking a picture, and Rosanena sitting down looking at her camera. I don't know what Clinton's doing, but let's just assume he's taking a picture too.

The next day, we went to Aamchi Pao, an Indian restaurant with street food style food.

There's the inside of the restaurant and cousin Joe.

Cauliflower. Deep fried and in a sweet and spicy sauce. That's my kind of vegetable.

I think this was a spinach and lentil vada pao. The bun was buttery and the patty was filling. Looks like ketchup is on it but it was some sort of sweet chili sauce they had as condiments.

per se

Clinton and I anticipated this dinner for weeks, and the only word I can use to describe it is perfect.

The restaurant is on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Building, and we sat at a table by the window overlooking Columbus Circle and the southwest corner of Central Park. I had delusions of taking a walk in the park after dinner, but my food coma kicked that day dream out the window.

I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the very first amuse we had, but it was two goat cheese gougeres, like little creme puffs.

Second amuse: CORNETS - Salmon Tartare with Sweet Red Onion Creme Fraiche

"OYSTERS AND PEARLS" - "Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Sterling White Sturgeon Caviar

Two kinds of butter that they put out with a few different breads that I didn't bother taking pictures of. 

TORCHON OF ELEVAGES PERIGORD MOULARD DUCK FOIE GRAS - Oregon Huckleberries, French Breakfast Radishes, Red Endive Leaves and Balsamic Reduction with Toasted Brioche.

..and proof that I ate every bite. Except for that crust.

"SUCCOTASH" - Sauteed Fillet of Atlantic Halibut, Hobbs Shore's Applewood Smoked Bacon, Okra, Lady Peas, and Sweet Corn Kernels with Red Pepper Syrup

"CAESAR SALAD" - Butter Poached Nova Scotia Lobster, Roasted Heart of Romaine Lettuce, Sweet Garlic Crouton, and Bottarga Emulsion 

(I finally remembered a close-up setting on my camera, so the pictures from the lobster on are much better than the previous ones, which is a shame because all of the dishes were so pretty. I wish I remembered...stupid me!)

LIBERTY FARM'S PEKIN DUCK BREAST - Poached Bing Cherries, Hakurei Turnips, Pea Tendrils, and "Creme de Navet" with Foie Gras "Migonnette"

SNAKE RIVER FARMS' "CALOTTE DE BOEUF GRILLEE" - Crispy Bone Marrow, Hen-of-the-Woods Mushroom, Wilted Arrowleaf Spinach, and Caramelized Cipollini Onion with Hollandaise "Mousseline"

Another angle...

COBB HILL FARM'S "ASCUTNEY MOUNTAIN" - per se Coleslaw, Mustard "Pain Perdu", and Mustard Cress with Violet Mustard

GOOSEBERRY SORBET - Sour Cream "Panna Cotta", Crystallized Gooseberries, and Vanilla "Genoise"

Me forking it. Teehee.

"MUD PIE" - Dark Chocolate Mud Cake, Liquid Caramel, Chocolate "Cremeux," and Caramel Parfait with Sassafras Ice Cream

Another angle...

"LEMON MERINGUE" - Baked Lemon Custard, Victoria Sponge Cake, Macerated Raspberries, and Lemon Jelly with Lemon-Basil Ice Cream

COFFEE & DONUTS - cappuccino semifreddo with Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts, per se's "congrats on your engagement" present to us.

And we knew dinner was over, but didn't expect all the other goodies to come out under the umbrella term "Mignardises." Creme brulee and pot au creme with strawberry jam.

It was getting dark so the pictures didn't turn out as clear. We were served an assortment of chocolates (the pink peppercorn/white chocolate was the best), chocolate covered hazelnuts, and hand-pulled candies that were about the size of a flattened out pencil eraser. So tiny!

Finally there was a triple tiered container of sweets: caramel, peanut nougat, and three types of truffles.

Hooch

Clinton decided to infuse pure grain alcohol to make some home brew...or hooch. Mohawk PGA, distilled water, and lots of peels and spices later...

Grapefruit and juniper...

Lemonpeel...

Kumquat and coriander...

Lime peel, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass stalks...

And an aerial shot of 'em all...

My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder

Yaz brought me a special release dvd set, Jeff Buckley Grace Around the World, and listening to it throws me back to the good ol' days of Memphis. Mornings at Otherlands after working at Raleigh Professional, getting a latte to go and an everything bagel with cheddar and green olive cream cheese for here.

Sitting facing the doorway.

Eventually running into my own sister getting her morning started. McCadden asking "Do you like Jeff Buckley?" Mornings at Rhodes, sitting through the classes I actually enjoyed. Driving down North Parkway in the Memphis autumn, when sometimes I'd be the only car in sight. Oh, Memphis I do miss you. Jeff Buckley always makes me want to cry and smile and reminisce and daydream about the future, all at the same time.

Clinton's work had a "retreat" of sorts yesterday at the Hyatt Lost Pines out in Bastrop. We spent half the afternoon drinking too much alcohol in too much sun with too much clothing on. Maybe next year I'll buy a swimsuit....or maybe not. So many tattoos! I wonder what those parents were thinking when they sidled up to the swimming pool, only to be welcomed by an unruly group of drunk, smoking, inked cooks and waiters. Sucks for them! Dinner was at Oaxacan Tamaleo which was pretty darned good. Those tamales were deceptively filling. I had a pork tamale, chicken mole, barbacoa (goat? lamb? pork? I don't know what it was exactly but it was tender and delicious), black beans, and rice. I don't know if I'd drive out there for just me and Clinton, but if a group of people wanted to go I'd definitely make the drive again.

WTF do I want to do for our wedding? No church wedding in the near future, but I definitely want to have a ceremony with family and close friends. I don't even know where it would be.

Laguna Gloria at AMOA?

Waaaay too expensive.

Parkside's upstairs, downtown?

Maybe a little too close to "work" for Clinton.

Part I: snackies, simple cocktails, general niceties. Part II: ceremony, succinct yet sweet, romantic but suited to our personalities (c'mon, when was the last time we held hands in public?). Part III: food, drinks, debauchery. Early enough to have dinner at a normal hour, late enough so Clinton's friends can attend the reception after work. Early enough so people can have their own post-Clinton-and-Christina's-wedding plans, late enough so people can drink and chill out into the wee hours of the morning. Oy vey.