Korean BBQ at Kim’s Restaurant in North Philly- Guest Post
You know how happy I am to hear from my grown up kids.
They’re busy with their lives (and families of their own) but when the little ding sounds on the phone, I am like Pavlov’s dog and I salivate with expectation to see what tasty morsel they have sent over the net. I love the updates, the communication, the pics.
When Mark was on business in Philadelphia last week, he met up with his high school friend, Prem, and the two of them enjoyed an authentic Korean BBQ at Kim’s. Mark said it was delicious.
Here is what he sent over the phone.
I enjoyed seeing what they are eating and I like the one he took of himself and his friend at the table.
Peda in the Indian Grocery Case
Peda, White
Took this photograph when I was in NYC on Spring Break and my sister was shopping in the Indian Grocery shop.
Here is a recipe for the sweet peda. Flavored with cardamon. It is made with khoya - ”semi-solid thickened milk” One post said it is similar to ricotta cheese texture but I haven’t made it and would like to know and the recipe says to “grate the khoya” so that doesn’t possible if it is similar to ricotta. Not enough research but hope someone will comment and fill in the gaps. I was attracted to it in the case and I shot through the glass.
General Grant’s 190th Birthday Party
We have interesting friends. Here’s a creative celebration Steve and I went to on Saturday night. What a fun event. Here are a few of the details. Hardtack crackers and dried black-eyed peas. The sheet music for Tenting Tonight on the piano. Photographs and books bearing the General’s likeness. A willingness to celebrate and have fun. A Prantl’s cake with five candles for his rank. I made Rice Pudding after reading that it was a favorite on the Presidents’ Food Timeline. Thanks Tim and Bernadette for being such welcoming hosts. We had a wonderful time!
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Breakfast in Louisville, Guest Blog
It always feels good to receive communication from your grown up children. The little ding on the iPhone and it’s a photo message from my son. It wasn’t quite like having breakfast together but I enjoyed receiving this before the start of the school day Thursday morning.
Mark was on business in Louisville and took this shot his breakfast at the Anchorage Cafe. I read about this Farm to Table place and Mark said it is worthy of endorsement, “Mom, they make all of their own stuff from local sources.” When I asked him if I could blog his breakfast shot, he heartily agreed. “The Rwandan medium roast coffee was French pressed to perfection.” he told me. “And the chef makes the scrambled eggs sprinkled with fresh ground pepper, topped with two strips of Benton’s Smoked Bacon. The BEST bacon in the universe.” I asked for more info on the bacon.
He said,” it tastes like smoky smoked smoke”. Hmmmm. Hickory. I liked how he sent me the details on the food items. And how he appreciated the chef’s efforts.
Hearing from him makes for a happy day.
What I Found on the Sidewalk by School
I walked on by-
nearly passed it up-
even thought it caught my eye.
It’s a rush and a hike between schools.
Time’s always short.
But after I stepped past, I turned around
got down on one knee and shot this little gift
to me- hard boiled yolk, a bit dried,
rolled in sandy crumbs,
abandoned on a sidewalk, fell from a lunch bag
or on the way to the nearby dumpster, missed.
Easter is over.
Didn’t make it to the egg salad bowl.
I drove by after school, to see if it was smashed
maybe rolled an inch, more dry, but still there
all those hours later, just not in as good a light!
Joe’s Dairy on Sullivan Street, New York City
Shot last week -Spring Break in NYC. My sister walked us by and it was open.
They couldn’t be nicer. People behind counters are captive. I ask for permission after a bit of conversation. Sometimes you get “I’d rather not.” but here I got a “Sure!”.
Thanks, Rose.
If you want to read more about Joe’s Dairy on Sullivan Street click here. Everyone talks about their smoked mozzarella!
(And if you want to make your own cheese go here and click on the Cheesy Stuff page)
Meet Rose Pianoforte. I know, her apron says Angela.
She was really nice and helpful. And gracious to allow me to photograph her.
Those are olives stuffed with cheese on the counter.
Easter Weekend
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You want to shoot a photograph with some life in it!
I learned in a workshop, photography can be exasperating. And one thing I know-
Sometimes you are an observer and sometimes you are a participant.
You can’t capture the sound of bells ringing in the sanctuary and bell tower simultaneously, a Gregorian chant, the trumpet, everyone holding a candle in the darkness and as the lights are turned up in the dark city church, late Saturday night, you long to capture the spirit, the glow .
You can’t whip out a camera and show the three out of four grandchildren racked out in the pew, or the smell of candle wax or incense or the feel of freshly blessed sprinklings. A good place to think. Mechanical limitations. The intrusion of the moment.
You are’t on assignment from a newspaper, illustrating the occasion. The grandparents have to head back home for work early Monday so we drove downtown for the Easter Vigil. It’s an early dinner at noon. Then we’ll load the cars and drive back east and south.
The thoughts of Easters growing up, the new suits, shoes and hats. Remembering those you love and who loved you the best and have gone on before. i said to my friend, “vacation flies by’ and she said
“just like life.”
I think of unconditional love. Thanks Matthew. Missed you.
Vincenzo Displays Easter Breads in Preparation for Sunday
Pasticceria Rocco. 243 Bleecker Street. When Mary and I had our hot cross buns and cappuccino, this nice young man gave me a detailed tour of the pastries in all the glass cases. He knew I was from out of town. When we returned the next evening he was there and I asked if I might take his photo. He reached for the loaves (Egg Bread and Panettone) and was an enthusiastic subject. Friday, the devout are fasting and not considering eating the delicious breads until Sunday but you should have seen the Egg Cookies being wrapped up in white boxes and tied with string, flying out of the place! The Struffoli looked enticing, too.
Easter Egg Cookies, not the Egg Bread.
Breakfast, Snack, Dinner in NYC
Forgot to photograph lunch- apple slices, Irish cheddar, tomato soup, matzoh and LiLac dark chocolate egg
This starts with dessert and goes in reverse order, Still learning how to blog from the phone.
People at Work- Butcher at Schwartz’s Market (now closed)
The market closed a year ago after being open for 83 years! Photo taken 2009
Shitake Logs Explained* (Lentinula edodes)
At the 6th Annual Farm to Table Conference I was fascinated by the Shitake Logs Display. Quiet Creek Herb Farm and School of Country Living was doing a brisk business with just one Shitake Log left to sell. There were quite a few with SOLD tags on the logs, propped up against a table. I was shooting unobserved and then noticed and that is how the pose came to be. Got a good laugh and was granted to permission to blog it anyway. He said, “You didn’t get that did you?” and I said “Yes, I did.” He didn’t think I was that quick.
And here is the explanation how to to choose a log, choose spawn,inoculate,soak and thump(thumping triggers fruiting), stack, incubate, and harvest. I will count on Rufus- Shitake and Garlic Scapes and Chicago John’s Dad’s Puffballs (not Shitake) to tell you how best to use them in recipes. Shitake - Lentinula edodes- are originally from Japan.
*(Obviously I don’t really know how to explain Shitake Logs but the kind people at quiet creek(at)windstream(dot)net know everything about the process and will be happy to assist you with all your Shitake questions in addition to herbs, soaps, salves and bags of Worm Wonder for all your worm composting needs.
How to Revive a Slice of Cake
Place in a bowl and pour some cool fresh milk over it. Eat with a silver spoon. My father used to do this and I'd turn my nose up. Boy, was I wrong about this practice! Delicious
Carmela Baked All These Breads for St. Joseph Feast Day
Tuesday afternoon I met a friend for dinner. We used to teach in the same school but are in different schools across the city now. It was good to catch up. When we walked into the restaurant,La Tavola Italiana, I could not believe what I saw in front of me! A St. Joseph Feast spread from the day before. Later Carmela came out to speak with us about how we were enjoying our dinners and she was taking photos with her iPad to send to her family. She uses the iPad to keep the restaurant calendar for parties and other aspects of her business.
I asked if she made the St. Joseph Cavazunes filled with the chick peas and she said, “NO, they are Calabrese.” She is Sicilian and she makes Zeppoles.
I said that I’d photographed all the bread and would send her the photos but would she like to pose with all her handiwork and she did! I didn’t notice she put the iPad down onto the cloth in front until I saw it on the computer. She was gracious to allow me to photograph her. NEXT year we have to go to actual feast! It sounded like a terrific party.
And speaking of party? Click to hear Chicago John’s Italian Song Selection
Pyrex Fruit Bowl Levitation in Afternoon Light
When I get home from school I put the kettle on and make a cup of tea. Or a cuppa as some friends say. Unwind.
And I sit at the kitchen table, wait for the water to boil. I saw the fruit bowl reflected in the diner print.
I am sure it has been there before but today I saw it.
J Sets a Colorful Table for a Spring Supper
Mexican Chicken Stew, Spring Mix Salad with Cucumbers and Feta, Greek Salad dressing made with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice, Bread and Amish Butter
and Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Espresso Frosting
Everything was delicious!
Yes, That’s Crabmeat on the Asparagus- La Cucina Flegrea
V and I went La Cucina Flegrea on Murray Avenue for a decade and then it closed. We had missed going there for the Spaghetti Arugula and Rigatoni in Vodka Sauce. J and I took a cooking class there, you might remember that post click here
Well, Chef Anna is back and she was glad to see us. Our first visit to the new place. She opened last November but it was Laura’s wedding and all. It was my friend R who told me about this new location. Here is the website for the new one, complete with menu-La Cucina Flegrea to downtown’s Market Square. We were celebrating V’s birthday. Happy birthday V!
We started with the 5 Fagioli soup and then because we ordered the Baccalá with Sweet Onion and Shrimp Sauce, a Mozzarella Wagon with Fresh Tomato sauce came as an appetizer- 4 balls of mozzarella breaded and fried and accompanied by a delicious sauce. Here’s a shot of the Asparagus with all the lovely, succulent crab meat on it.
Dessert was Baba au Ruhm. Whipped cream and raspberries, a rum sugar sauce. And a cup of hot tea.
It was a happy birthday dinner and we were glad to eat at La Cucina Flegrea again. Everything was delicious.
The La Cucina FLegrea entrance is the Pumpkin colored awning
Where’s Noah in the Plateful of Paleo Supper?
The phone rang after six. My eldest son was on business and saw a sign that said Pittsburgh 35 miles, so he cancelled his hotel reservation and drove to the city. (So that is why his wife called earlier to see what I was doing)YIKES! I was boiling a pot of water for some Spinach Ravioli but Mark is on the Paleolithic diet these days. No grain! The tiredness I felt from a school day dissipated as I got in the car and drove the two miles to the Whole Foods Market where I bought some Grass Fed Beef, Organic Garnet Yams, (I had two zucchini at home and a jar of coconut oil which I hadn’t even tried yet) and got back home to fire up the broiler, pronto! Got out the cast iron skillet for the zucchini slices, chopped up some romaine I had already washed and drained. Pulled it together in no time at all. As I set the dining room table he said he would rather eat in the kitchen so we did.And there we were eating in the kitchen and the house came alive again. We used his iPad and Face Time to talk with the kids before they went to bed and we had a happy time together.
VOILA- a quick Paleo approved meal- this is the son who baked the Carrot Cake, Paleo Style.
For dessert we had coconut milk frozen Mint Chip with No Sugar Added.
From the Paleo Food website gluten-free, grain-free, bean-free, potato-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. (they are eating some dairy still)
Ingredients used: meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruit, berries, mushrooms, herbs and spice seeds. Oh yes,after dinner he showed me the you tube of Derek Redmond and his father from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Tears rolling down my cheeks. Mark said he wants to be that kind of father. And he also played me a couple of Seekers songs as he remembers my cassette tape of them singing Someday, One Day, Right now he is sleeping in the room across the hall, to get up at 5 AM to get to somewhere in Ohio, early. I feel fortunate.Elegant and Delicious: Spoon
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A classy restaurant we’ve driven by on a daily basis but never stopped to dine.
Celebrating 19 years- our unanniversary- a solid friendship and steadfast companionship, not sure where all that time has gone but there we were in East Liberty and we headed to SPOON.
What we ate- the service was excellent and even though we weren’t ordering up the Foie Gras or the Tasting Menu or a Magnum of Champagne, they treated us hospitably and did not make us feel out of place as we were “walk-ins” and didn’t have reservations which would be a good idea for future visits.
Breadbasket: warm cream cheese chive biscuits/baguette and warm muffins
garden vegetable baby mix green salad: Golden Harvest Farm baby mix greens, fresh garden vegetables, champagne vinaigrette
Spoon burger: 8 oz. Kobe beef, aged white cheddar cheese, parmesan + herb fries, challah bun
Too full for the desserts but they sounded wonderful.
Ray Ray’s Hog Pit – Clintonville, OH
In Laura and James’ neighborhood, I see a lot of people lined up at this food truck whenever it is open- Ray Ray’s Hog Pit in Clintonville. I read that on Sunday they feature a special of grass fed beef brisket. Laura and James are veg so we’ve eaten at the Whole World Natural Restaurant & Bakery across the street or at their home. But one of these visits I am going to get in this line and see why everyone is willing to wait in the chill air, order up and eat! It must be really good. In fact, I think one weekend I should make a tour of Columbus Food Trucks Here is one review
Mismatch Day and Green Eggs on a Spork
T
The ham was eaten but the green eggs disposed in the trash by this student
Here I am celebrating by wearing the Cat in the Hat Costume. Click to see post
Especially for Rufus
After school on Wednesday, I went down to Annex Cookery and the Tin Front Cafe. I was in the market for a new espresso maker. I ordered a lunch portion of their four cheese macaroni and a mixed greens salad with balsamic and asiago cheese shavings on top. And what do you know? As I sat there, I saw the infused vodka on the glass shelf and thought of Blogger Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide. (AKA Greg) and here is the wild part- his post today is about Pepper Infused VODKA!
Horseradish Vodka? (they use it for Bloody Marys) Ellie explained how they make it.
I knew he would not care for the Apple Raisin Infused Rum (he detests raisins as I’ve read his wife Katherine’s writings about that topic) but I just thought the line of glass bottles filled with colored spirits and the labels would be of special interest to him.
300-500 Pounds of Potatoes on a Weekend Day – Station Street Hot Dogs and Union Pig and Chicken
Another post for indulge perhaps-
Saturday Steve and I ventured to the “new” hot dog shop just a mile from the house. It had been empty and abandoned for the longest time. The shop was built in the 60′s and the tile inside is almost Harvest Gold, Avocado Green and Burnt Orange. Saturday it was sparkling clean. Chef Kevin Sousa has opened not one, not two, but THREE new places to eat in the neighborhood! A trifecta, all winners for sure.
You can read about them in the review right here
Station Street offers French Fries fried in DUCK FAT. Wash it all down with a Mexican Coca-Cola (with cane sugar). We had the New York Dog with sauerkraut and grainy mustard and shared an order of fries.The hot dog had a good flavor and a nice bite to the casing. The music playing was the Temptations and you felt like you were in another decade but with new and fresh food.
See the countertop with the talking hot dogs. Even the rest rooms have a hot dog on the door who look like they can walk and talk.
I drove by Union Pig and Chicken the other night on the way home and took a shot from the car but have to try the food. They just opened up for business. The menu looks inviting so watch for a post in the near future highlighting the fare. And number three is Salt of the Earth which has an incredible menu on their link.
Count the baskets of French Fries ready to fry!
You can read a review here
Weekly Photo Challenge: Indulge
Dictionary Reference Indulge-to yield to an inclination or desire; allow oneself to follow one’s will
Isn’t that where we get into trouble?
I thought of fancy chocolates or an ice cream sundae mentioned in so many definitions for indulge. What photo to post? But after school, Friday Mr. K called a Mental Health and Wellness Meeting at the Double-Wide Grill on the South Side. Of course, this post could be for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Regret. What you feel after you eat too many of them. Fortunately, they were shared.
Fellow bloggers varied responses to the weekly photo challenge: indulge are linked here.
Onion Rings and a Draft Beer
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