December 2005 Archives

Oh where oh where can our Biggles be? Oh where oh where can he be?

I would be inside, that's where. I think by now everyone has noticed that it's dark far earlier, can get kinda nippy at times and for the last few days in the SF Bay Area? It's been flooding (that'd be rain). Today some parts will see thunder & lightening along with some 60+ mile per hour winds. I emailed Cookiecrumb from I'm Mad and I Eat, she's been under her comforter during the nasties. That's where I'm headed in a moment, too.

There's a reason I posted an image of our detached garage there, on the right. See, that's where my computer is, where the images get resized and where I can sit quietly and make Meathenge bend to my evil ways. This building is fine during the warmer parts of the year. However, right now those 59 year old garage doors are just about out of usefulness. There's a 1" to 2" gap around each of them and they don't hold still. Back & forth, back and forth in the wind and rain. The concrete floor is glossy with moisture and I have to say, being out here can really suck, especially in the dark. This, and the holidays have left Meathenge high and dry. Sure I'm still hosting meals, roasting world-class leg of lambs and carrying on, but it ain't getting posted, that's for sure.

Luckily we got a break in the weather for a little bit and I ran to the garage to reseat the burlap coffee bags rolled up under and around the doors, nail a few things in to place and make this post.
Wanna see the Canadian Bacon that Chilebrown made and dropped off a few days ago?

All is semi-evening out here at the labs. On Saturday we hosted a Tourtiere meal, mMmMm Pie. Mama really pulled out the stops and worked through some body pain that caused her grief. I was in charge of grinding the 3 pounds of pork and I completely screwed it up. We've got the Kitchen Aid with the grinder attachment, you bet. I nearly froze the pork, first in a large hunk. This didn't work, so I pieced it up and froze those so they cut like an onion. I also froze the grinder attachment. All it did was turn the meat to a puree, nasty to say the least. So I minced it up using a knife and then the food processor to make it resemble something ground. Tasted fine in the pie for sure.

Sunday was of course, Christmas and we hosted a traditional roasted turkey meal. Other than using water instead of milk in the mashed taters, everything went nearly okay. Yeah yeah, I know. But you see, we eat mashed potatoes a lot here. So, to cut down on the fat I'll use water instead of milk or cream. And this bad habit carried over to a holiday meal, sigh. That being said, gravy came to the rescue and took care of the wateryness.
Listen up, when you're planning to host a meal and are expecting most stores to be closed, there are a few things you need to take note of. Sure you make a list for the store of all the ingredients you'll need for the meal. This is easy and straightforward, all you need is a pencil and paper. But what can make or break you are the staples in your kitchen. Such as flour, garbage bags & broth! Man, try to make your traditional turkey gravy without flour. Luckily Sister was willing to make a quick trip home (she and Meathead live close) for her container of flour. So, Biggles suggests you do an inventory of your kitchen to see what else you'll be needin'.
Here we find ourselves on the Tuesday, looks as though it's about to rain too. Today marks #3 in a series of hosted dinner parties for Meathenge Labs. I'll be picking up a leg of lamb roast that's had the leg bone cut free and replaced. This way when I get home I can untie the lamb, toast the corriander seeds, mince up the garlic & cilantro. Zest me a few lemons and spread over the salt & pepper. Reinsert the bone, tie up & toss in to a 375 oven and we're SET. Phew !!!
What's next? New Years you say? Keeripes, we'll see how that goes. I'm feeling a need for fried chicken.

Hugs

It's with tears in my eyes that I sit down to write this little letter to you. Fatted Calf will not be attending the Berkeley Farmer's market this coming Saturday. If you want to try Devil's Gulch Rabbit Boudin you will have to travel the San Francisco Ferry Plaza market to buy. I have no idea what it is or what it tastes like, hopefully on January 14th they'll have it again. Taylor? Are you listening to me? Hellooo?
The menu is packed absolutely to overflowing with wonderful goodies this week. Such as the insanely rich Pork Sausage with Black Truffles or the Pork Crepinettes with Black Trumpet Mushrooms. I cannot have them, nope. I will watch from afar as they pass from maker to consumer to mouth. Oh wow, take a look down the menu a bit to the Guinea Hen Rillettes with Black Truffles, what's that all about? Clearly Taylor has no troubles with truffles, fancy.
I leave you now in the caring arms of Kim O'Neill and her fancy Fatted Calf Newsletter.

Please place your Order Now to make sure you get what you require!

Check out the texture of that reduced red wine pan sauce, perfection +10.

Hi Everyone,

Been kinda slow here on Meathenge lately, just wanted to let you know we haven't stopped eating. Just not doing much worth posting is all. This time of year I'm too busy to take on new recipes and my normal meanderings throughout town. So, I rely on basic day to day foods to get us by, such as this 3 week aged beef tri-tip roast you see above you. This and lamb and spam sushi await you!

You did? Excellent! That is good news. Thank you for supporting everyone involved, we all put in a lot of time and effort. Especially Owen and his publishing company, A Press for Change. This is his first publication and only needs to sell another 4 or 5 hundred copies to break even!
However, if you haven't purchased your copy yet? Shame on you! Show your support for Biggles, Meathenge and Owen by buying 2 copies right now! The holidays are upon us and you could always use a few items to give as gifts.
I believe the Buy Now buttons below are linked to Paypal. If you aren't savy with the paypal, please contact Owen at A Press for Change directly and make arrangements some other way.

You go, make Biggles proud.

Domestic (US) Orders: $19.95 plus $5.00 shipping and handling (CA residents add $1.65 sales tax)

When I pulled Sherlock off the shelf for this shoot, I had no idea there was a little mystery going on. You see, a little over a month ago I got an email from Chilebrown about a deal where if you pay the shipping, you get a free bottle of some new hot sauce. It's name was and is, Tabanero. Back then, right above the name, was the word Tobasco's. I figured it made sense, Tobasco has been branching out over the years. Even if the label didn't have the branding, it said Tobasco's on it. Having a habanero hot sauce made sense to me, so I ordered my bottle. It finally arrived the other night and I was quite pleased. It doesn't have any vinegar in it, but still gives you a nice beginning tang with a nice warm finish. This would be your "go to" sauce for anything you'd want to add spring to. Such as, pretty much anything in your pantry or refrigerator.
Uh, wait a minute there Sherlock. The label seems to be lacking the name Tobasco's on it and those aren't habaneros, they're Selected Red Peppers. Seems as though maybe the Tobasco company had something to say about Tabanero's use of their tradename. Nick at HotSauceBlog also took a whack at the sauce and felt it was quite close to Marie Sharp’s Fiery Hot. Maybe initially, but Tabanero falls off VERY quickly in the heat department. Tabanero is what the little words on the label say it is, Authentic Salsa Picante Mexicana. It is good, but for me has been quite misleading. Even if my mind did translate Tabanero to something containing Habanero.
In any case, I hope the creators can do well after the label fiasco. I'll enjoy the bottle until it's empty.

Biggles

Hey Everbody! Just wanted to take a moment out and take a breather and talk about a few things. The conversation has come up a few times over the years and I can understand why. I'd just like to set the record straight, lay it down as it were. I am not, nor have I ever been on the payroll of the Fatted Calf (I'd be honored if I was, that's for sure). Not only that, I've never made one dime in any shape or form from any food related job or item. I'm just overly enthusiastic and really enjoy what I'm doing here and in my kitchen. While I do buy and get cool food related products given to me, only the best make to Meathenge directly. I'm just a dumb hillbilly with a meat riddled mind having fun from time to time, nothing more. That being said, when the Fatted Calf's newsletter rolled in yesterday, and I (and Abram) saw the Hoffman Farm Quail stuffed with Black Truffle Sausage, it was love at first imginary bite. I'd love to say I'll get a few quails, but I dunno. I'm still chewing down my meat from last weekend!
The holidays are afoot and FC's menu shows it, please read on to Kim O'Neill's Fatted Calf Newsletter.

This last Saturday was absolutely amazing, meat surprises all morning, all afternoon. Late last week the Fatted Calf newsletter rolled in and there was a new sausage listed, Organic Beef Hot Links. The damned secret/unknown meat left me dreaming for two days about what it was like. Was it creamy like a standard hot link? Or would it be a fine grind sausage? Would I be firing up the smoker, or would the grill be the way to go. I'd just have to wait for Saturday morning to find out.

Notice: Adult Language & Content Included (from me and the movie)

This movie has been on my list to review for far too long, it's time to lay this bitch down before it's too late. The title of this film is what grabs you first, whether you read it or hear it. I ordered my copy immediately from LastGasp and Chilebrown ordered the first film by Tina Tankdog, Hot Chick Stoner BBQ. It was hard waiting by the door each day for the maillady to come, peering through the curtains as the sun set each day. Within the week, there she was with my package. Given the content I had to wait until the kids were asleep. Shower, jammies, bed & it was time. In it went ...

The gift giving time of the year is here and some of you are looking for a gift for someone, special or not. Maybe someone who enjoys grilling and/or smoking? A cookbook maybe? But not those cute little books with white wine reduction sauces, not the ones that extoll the use of one grill over another. You're looking for that special cookbook that differs from the others, one that you keep for years due to it's solid content. The receiver of your gift is someone who enjoys cooking outdoors and wants to learn more. Or someone who would like to find out what it's like to compete in the national BBQ circuit. Yeah well, Dr. BBQ (Ray Lampe) a long time professional pitmaster, has stepped up and written a book.
Finally, this overbearing, highly opinionated Master of BBQ has put his knowledge down so those of you who are interested can enlarge your skill set. Read on good friend ...

This week's special is the Porchetta (porketta) style pork loin roast with fennel, garlic, lemon and rosemary. We've been down this road a few times and if you haven't reserved yourself one, you're a fool or you don't live close enough to deal. The Porchetta is still one of my all time favorites, a must try. But that's not what I want to draw your attention to. Nope, it's the Organic Beef Hot Links! YEAH !!! I ain't seen these listed before, no sir or ma'am. Just last week I was in our local grocery store eyeing the commodity grade hot links, thinking how nice it would be to nestle that link in a good bun and slather it with some mustards. I passed, thinking I had plenty of goodies waiting for me at home. I left with a hole in my heart, a hot link hole. But guess who pulls us up and out of our cold wintery dump?!? YEAH !!! Fatted Calf stands up and delivers us an organic beef hot link. I'm reserving myself a package right now, no screwing around. I'm also a big fan of the rabbit boudin, so creamy. I don't think Americans eat enough rabbit and goat, not nearly enough. Do your part and give the beasts a try. Remember, if you don't buy and eat the animals, the ranchers won't raise them and if they don't raise them, they'll go extinct. Or something to that tune. So, support animal's futures and eat them and smile knowing you're doing your part for the planet.
Don't forget to reserve your meat today. They've also got some fancy Holiday Specials Available December 17 & 24, MmMmMmm.
Please continue on to read Kim O'Neill's Fatted Calf Newsletter and read about all the goodies I didn't mention, there's a lot going on this week, read closely.

First off I want to apologize to Dr. Wallach, he stressed a low sodium diet and this ain't within those boundries. Then, I would like to apologize to all of you, sort of, but not really. You see, when Emil handed me this ad for a Chili Cheese Fries Burrito from Wienerschnitzel I just couldn't resist. I wouldn't have gone for a corn dog, I wouldn't have gone for the Chili Cheese Meal Deal that includes a chili cheese dog, a chili cheese burger and chili cheese fries. Nope, I steer clear. But a chili cheese fries burrito? For 99 cent? I was so there.
If you feel strong of heart, click on to read the rest of the story.

See the image above? This is all that's left of my summer. It's cold and we're in the middle of an absolute downpour. While I believe some people enjoy the seasons with the rattle of autumn leaves on the sidewalk and the brisk air that invades your nasal cavity, I'm not convinced, yet. Yeah, yeah I know. We don't have real winter here (no snow). But I don't like being caged in the house. I like my doors and windows open 24/7. I enjoy meandering through the garden wearing my cutoffs & t-shirt. And I've promptly been removed of the solace of firing up the pit and grilling some tasty treats. At least I have my memories of summer and I have Fatted Calf to give me hope of a brighter (warmer) season.
They've got a good lineup this week filled with savory goodness. One of which being the Duck Sausage, I'll be getting another package of those. Luckily the crepinettes this week have red wine soaked figs and hazelnuts, yumbo. To finish it up, nothing pulls me from my funk like a nice salumi product of some kind. I usually get the Petit Sec Aux Herbs for breakfast at the market, it's a little herby meat stick.
I can hardly wait for Saturday morning! YAY !!! See, I'm feeling better already. And as a parting thought I can hardly wait to see what Meat Technology Taylor & Toponia & Friends brought back from Paris last week. It won't show up at this coming weekend's market, but soon. I'll just have to chew on a hunk of Pate Maison until it hits.
If you'd like to reserve your goodies please use their Order Form. Ya'll take care and hope to see you at the market, rain or shine.
Please continue on to read Kim O'Neill's Fatted Calf Newsletter, The Original.