Carnage du Jour - 01 April 2014

Here's a blast from the past I just found in my files.
Way back last century, there was a string of interesting memos posted in the building where I worked; purportedly from the maintenance types working there. I thought I'd share one from back in 1993. I think the only comments needed are of the "yuck" or "oog" varieties.

Enjoy! (no, please don't)

The People's Memoe:

An Underground Guide to Happenings in and around the "Wickes Building"

July 9, 1993 Volume 3, No. 8

cc: G. Kerr, J. Child

Mike and I were talking recently about how the weather has altered our eating habits. Both of us have found ourselves eating a greater number of "cold" or "chilled" entrées, due to the fact that our respective wives have found the heat too great to allow for actual "cooking".

In the course of our conversation, I discovered that Mike studied at the famous Cordon Bleu school, and graduated with honors from that venerated institution. Mike informs me that he still does quite a bit of cooking, and I asked him to supply me with some recipes which we could then share with the tenants and leaseholders of the Whelps Building. Mike and I are happy to report that he couldn't have been happier to comply with my request, and here is a sample. For a complete Mike and I cookbook, leave $29.95 in an unmarked envelope on the southeast corner of the Wilkie Memorial Fountain (WMF) along with the address to which the book ought to be shipped. Note - CASH ONLY, please no checks, money orders, or stamps; we don't accept any plastic, either.

Fettuccini Froid avec du Chien Michel

(serves 6-8)

1 lb. Uncooked fettuccini noodles

3qts. salted boiling water

1/4 C. plus 1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 C. minced onion

1/4 t. coarse black pepper

1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese

1/4 C. heavy cream or whipping cream paprika to taste

parsley as garnish

1 4-5 lb poodle with fur removed cut into ±1 inch cubes

Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water, with 1T olive oil, for 8-10 minutes (until al dente);

drain and refrigerate. In a large skillet over medium high heat, sear the poodle chunks on all

six sides. Remove to a plate until later. In the 1/4 C olive oil, cook the onion and garlic until the onions are soft, but not yet browned. Add the poodle chunks and cream, reduce heat to low

and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pepper and parmesan cheese. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Place pasta on serving dish and top with poodle mixture. Sprinkle with paprika for color. Serve immediately, as the contrasting

temperatures of the pasta and the topping is one of the unique aspects of this dish.

If you enjoy this dish, order the Mike And I Cookbook (MAIC); so you don't forget, order before midnight tonight. See you at the Wilkie Memorial Fountain (WMF)!

A "Mike & I" Publication

Where there's smoke ...

there's flavour.

Here's an interesting tidbit for you.
I was slow-roasting a pork butt for pulled pork a couple weeks ago, and thought of that bottle of liquid smoke in the refrigerator. "Why not?" I thought, and so I did.
Under the pork I put a layer of carrots and then a liberal dousing of the liquid smoke (with real hickory goodness! or words to that effect).
After five hours at 250F, the pork was delicious - it fell apart with almost no effort. As an added bonus, though, the carrots had soaked in pork juices and liquid smoke, and were also quite wonderful.

I had always hesitated to use that stuff, but I'll be grabbing the liquid smoke again, that's for sure. Perhaps a smoke-poached bit of something would be nice, eh?
That's what's my current thought. Stay tuned for results.

Cheers!

Coinage du Jour - 27 February 2014

bipolar vortex (n)

A weather pattern originating at one of the poles which causes wild mood swings.

"The bipolar vortex has our kids swinging from Joy over canceled school to Despair over unrelenting winter cold and snow."

that is all