Catatouille

It lives

2011-09-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

It sleeps, for now. SEC football is not her favorite. But soon the terror shall return.

All up in it

2011-06-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

What? These pillows are mine. When the boy lays his head down, I claim that as well.

yawn

2011-05-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

I've decided to postpone my plans for world domination. Micah's bbq was most excellent. Now time for a quick nap. The world will still be there tomorrow.....

grounded

2011-05-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

I'm shocked that he cared that I shed all over his bed. Vengeance will be mine. But for now, the floor is mine.

Catatouille- engaged!

2011-03-09T23:19:00.000-08:00

No, Catatouille is not engaged, nor is it's blogger, but indeed two other people very important to the Catatouille existence are and so we here at Catatouille (Micah + Alfie) feel it is of the upmost importance that we take a moment to commemorate this.

We love D + Z and could not be any happier for them. This is a truly and stunningly beautiful moment in their lives, and we feel blessed to be so close to them (both in location and emotion of course). Now of course Alfie does have her wish to be the kitteh-ring barer or flower kitteh, but we'll figure that out later. For right now, the focus is much more on celebrating this moment, and plotting out an epic bachelor party. Alfie will be sure to have some catnip type treats ready for consumption on said occasion.

And with that, we bid you adieu, and once again send our love and well wishes to the newly engaged couple (Alfie's godmother and godfather to be exact).

Just Peachy

2011-01-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

What will be left unsaid occurred this afternoon, so without needing further explanation I required activities this evening which would take my mind off of the events of the afternoon.

We started with dinner at our favorite local Indian joint, India's Oven. A good deal as always, delicious tikka masala with the right amount of spice, great deals, cheap bottles of wine and entrees, and they love having any business so they let you use and reuse their buy 1 get 1 free entree coupon ,so you can always eat there for essentially half off!. Afterwards I was in the mood for a special cocktail of sorts. Yesterday the dude and I had ventured into the World Market store by the Farmers Market. I found among its numerous fantastic beer selections a number of interesting juices. Something spoke to me about a bottle of sparking georgia peach juice, so thats what I went with. Tonight was the night to do something with it.

Like most recipes I come up with, word association tends to be key, while logic is not necessary. Georgia peach = bourbon = mint julep = mint. Or something like that.

GEORGIA JULEP (this drink is in no way endorsed or associated with or by juleps or the state of Georgia)
- 1 1/2 parts straight bourbon whiskey
- 1 part simple syrup
- mint leafs
- ice
- sparking georgia peach juice
- 3 drops angostura bitters

Place a few mint leafs in a glass and lightly muddle them, gently enough to release the oils and aroma but not to break them apart. Fill the glass with ice. Fill a shaker half way with ice, add bourbon, add syrup, add bitters, and shake vigorously. Pour mix into glass, top off with the sparking peach juice, stir, and enjoy.

Breaking News!

2011-01-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

Sorry, just wanted your attention. Actually I don't, but Alfie does. Not surprisingly after being abandoned in the apt from Weds-Sat, she went crazy upon my return. Not bad behavior mind you, just a kitten that loves people and attention behavior. Thankfully she's asleep for the first time in 24 hours right now, on my chest, so hopefully my typing will not wake the beast.

I had hoped to present some lovely things from my journey home, as it has been more than a few weeks since my last real post, but alas I was too lazy to take pictures of anything worth while during my trip. However, two creations to come in mind that I should share.

BEER STEW
My brother mocks this creation, but my dad, sister, and family dog all enjoyed it, so I must be onto something. This was my 2nd consecutive winter trip home where I made it, and this year was definitely an improvement. If you've got a few simple ingredients lying about, some beer, and it's frickin cold outside, this is your best friend.
-2 bottles of beer
-broth or stock
-veggies of your choosing
-meat of your choosing
-filler of your choosing
-salt and pepper
Really simple. I had vegetarian beef flavored broth on hand, so I made some in a large pot. When the broth was ready, I poured in a bottle of beer and brought it to a boil. I chopped up onions, potatoes, carrots, and a clove of garlic, and browned them in a pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper. When browned and a bit tender, I added the veggies to the liquid in the pot. I then diced some "stir fry" beef into small niblets, seasoned it with salt and pepper, and browned it in a pan. Added the beef to the stew mixture with some additional salt and pepper, and poured in another bottle of beer. I decided it was a bit too brothy and needed more veggies or something, so I went for the classic filler of barley. Added about a cup of barley. Let that cook on the stove for a while longer, and then put it in the oven, covered, for 45 minute at 350. Took it out, let it cool, and with a piece of bread and some oyster crackers, a winter delight. Interestingly, I found that the bitterness of the beer died out over night, so the stew had a distinctly different taste the following day. So, if less beer taste is your thing, refrigerate overnight and reheat the following day (or continue cooking at a super low heat).

SUPER CIDER
Hot apple cider is very popular right now. I've enjoyed it for years, but only this year did I find it a staple at every party I went to over the past 2 months. This is certainly not a bad thing, as the joys of a hot cider should be available to everyone. While back in Boston with the family my liquor collection was a bit different from what I normally have on it, but I made do with the ingredients, and a very simple and delicious cider was born. Most people I know will use mulling spices or simply the contents of orange tea bags etc, and add rum before drinking. I had neither mulling spices nor rum, but I did have-
-Apple cider
-Cinnamon Sugar
-Amaretto
-Brandy
Super easy and delicious. Heat the cider (microwave if your in a rush, but if you have the time bring it to a light boil on a stove top in a pot). Add about 3 spoonfulls of cinnamon sugar, but less if you aren't using much cider. Wait a few minutes for the spices to dissolve. Add in as much amaretto and brandy as you like (I tend to go with 1.5 oz of each per normal sized glass. Stir, and enjoy. Yum.

Ok thats it. This was clearly a reasonably uninspired post, but the first rule of blogging is blog or die, so here we are. Btw, Alfie is still asleep on my chest. Amazing + precious. Goodnight and Happy New Year.

The 10 Best Christmas movies according to Catatouille

2010-12-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

Collider.com top 10 alternative Christmas film list and Collider.com top 10 Christmas films

Somewhat bored this morning, with a serious lack of food in the pantry, none of my sports teams in action, and nothing interesting to read (script wise). I did however find the above lists on Collider which definitely spoke to me. Although there are probably a few dozen major beliefs about films that I disagree with, one of the foremost is that A Christmas Story is a great film and the best Christmas film ever. I've seen it a few times, it's always spoken about, Christians seem to love it, but I completely don't understand it. I'm apparently just a cold hearted Jew who doesn't know the joy of wanting a pop gun and finding one waiting for me under a tree. Hmm.

But I what I do know, even as a Jew, is that there are dozens of great holiday film (primarily 4 quadrant films) that are around every Christmas, and there are more than a few that I love to watch every single year. Now it's time for the top 10 Christmas Movies according to Catatouille (part Jew, part Kitten)

1) DIE HARD

2) ELF

3) HOME ALONE

4) GREMLINS

5) OCEANS 11

6) DIE HARD 2 : DIE HARDER

7) TRADING PLACES

8) LETHAL WEAPON

9) SCROOGED

10) THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Close to making the list but missed the cut: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Bad Santa, The World is Not Enough. A Muppets Christmas Carol, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

Happy food day

2010-11-25T22:58:00.000-08:00

So tired. Drank too much. Ate heavy food. Spent too much on a cozy couch a few feet from a TV. All these things lead to one other thing. Tired. So tired. But how did I get here? Let's recount, quickly, before I pass out.

Turkey and Sweet Potato curry over rice

A pretty simple play on themes is what led to this. Thanksgiving is about the Pilgrims and Indians. Turkey is the key traditional food item. I made an Indian turkey, except its the wrong Indians. I'm not sure that Turkey meat is the best for this, but it was ok. The potatoes were great though, might try it with them and a different meat at another time.

Cranberry ginger collins

A pretty simple Thanksgiving themed Tom Collins. Gin, cranberry juice, lime juice shaken over ice. Poured over ice into a collins glass. Top with ginger ale, stir. Light, refreshing, everyone enjoyed this.

Micah's special egg nog, pumpkin pie

As a native of the cold nether region known as New England, I'm a huge fan of warm drinks. Additionally, I only learned in recent years that my long standing love affair with the beverage known as egg nog was rather unusual. I guess my parents kept it in stock more than others did. Either way, there is nothing better than warm egg nog, especially when its spiked with something a bit stronger. I decided to make my nog essentially a tasty history lesson. I put in coffee liquor and almond liquor just for taste, but the brandy, rum, and bourbon represent the three primary alcohols which historically were blended with egg nog. Brandy at first, rum when it spread to the colonies, and bourbon once rum became less popular and more expensive for the masses. Long story short, this will keep you warm and make you sleep, two things I like very much. Btw, I recommend sprinkling some cinnamon and nutmeg on top for show.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Give a kitten a home

2010-11-21T20:32:00.000-08:00

Nothing too exciting to report, which is why the blog has been barren recently. I got bored and made a berry, brandy, and chocolate crisp the other night (BBC) but thats not really anything special to discuss.

The current focus of life is on getting Alfie a home. Well, I don't want to stress you out. I'm not giving Alfie away, but due to unfortunate circumstances the roomies and I need to find a new apartment by mid December, meaning I'll be soon living in my 5th apartment since 2007. Yay. Of course Alfie is a big part of this move as well, so cat friendly places are a must. If you know of anything (2 bed 2 bath, cat friendly) let me know. To sweeten the deal, I present the following cute cat pictures of the weekend:

what'chou doing underneath that rug, Alfie?

Rockband 3...appropriate for kittens for all ages

Weekend report

2010-11-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

This hasn't been the most eventful of weekends, so this is more a stream of consciousness post than anything else. For one, this has been a terrifying sports weekend. My mood over the weekend is often shaped by the fate of my teams (Red Sox, Pats, B's, C's, and Tottenham Hotspur). So far this weekend I consider us to be 0-4. Red Sox look likely to lose both V Ram and Beltre to free agency, Pats were embarrassed by the Mangenius, B's lost Krejci and the game to the Blues in OT, and Spurs came down from the massive high against Inter to a pitiful low at the Reebok against Bolton. Suffice to say, that even should the C's destroy the Durantula and Thunder tonight, the sports weekend was a waste.

Luckily for me, there have been other things to take my mind off this sadness. For one, I finally got back out to my favorite mixology heaven last night....Tar Pit Bar. First, none other than owner and head chef Mark Peel was present, mixing it up with the locals. While I didn't exactly lick him, I stared longingly at his white coat for hours, and he even stood right behind me for a good 20 minutes, so I had to make certain that even in my drunken state I didn't say anything bad about the place, which isn't tough cause I frickin love it. I do have 1 complaint though. The half price drink from 11-12:30am on Friday and Saturday is fantastic, but now they've really limited the happy hour selection, and the options aren't nearly as good as whats on the regular menu, so it's really only a half decent gesture towards their customers. Irregardless, I dug right in and ordered two things I've been dreaming of for weeks. Unfortunately they had just taken "In the Pines" off the menu, so my next option was the aptly named "Bad Brains". Easily one of the biggest crowd pleasures they offer, and something which will absolutely wreck you, this is a mix of Over proof Rum, Dark Rum, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino, Housemade Ginger Beer,Grapefruit Juice, Velvet Falernum, Cholula, Angostura Bitter served over ice in a tiki head glass. Customers are limited to 2 of these per visit, as the drink is just that deadly. Suffice it to say, I loved this. You definitely have to be a fan of rum, and I'm talking good rum (the stuff that immediately brings you to Barbados, with tastes of coconut, molasses, and island flair) and luckily I am. My 2nd drink was the adorably named "Peep show", comprised of Genever, Orgeat, Amaro, Crème De Violette, Lime Juice, Bitters. Definitely not as much of a standount as the brains were, but still decent. I can't quite figure out where the name came from though, as it's not very showy, it's not a clear drink so you can't really peep it, and it doesn't remind me in the least of anything related to an actual peep show, so altogether it was decent but not great and a bit confusing. I guess I ought to ask Danielle Crouch about it next time I'm there; However, I also hope before Thanksgiving to have a full on meal there, followed by one of their sumptuous looking post prandial libations. But until then....

It's time for some Alfie news. She has been in QUITE the mood lately, not ill tempered mind you, but simply uncontrollable. There is something I just will never quite get used to in a kitten slapping me across the face at 5am because she want's me to play with her. As always, ,it's Alfie's world, we just live in it. The other day I was getting ready for work and she simply didn't want me to go without her, so I present to the world- bag cat- ah if only there were a "take your kitten to work day".

Geeking out on horror

2010-10-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this post is more me than Alfie, sue me. Only cat flick I can think of is Sleepwalkers, and well we won't discuss why I've seen that film more times than I can count. Anyway, I will unabashedly geek out for crappy horror films, particularly those from the 70s, 80s, and 90s (as these were more than likely the films that at 10 years of age while my parents were busy doing something else I would catch on TV late on a Saturday night, both scaring and instilling a love in me for such things). That reminds me of the first time I saw ALIENS, one of my all time favorites. I couldn't have been much more than 8-10 years old, parents were away, babysitter was watching me and was clearly a bad baby sitter cause this came on TV and she let me watch it. Thank god for bad baby sitters. Anyway, this weekend, that of Halloween, has been full of Horror flicks, both of the good good and good bad variety. Of this weekends batch, here what I watched, as well as what I wish came on (note that my memory is shoddy from too much trick or treating, so I might have forgotten a viewing or two).

WHAT I WATCHED

1) Dawn of the dead

A fun movie with great pacing and action, but more of a zombie video game than a tense, scary, thematically complex flick

2) Cursed

Good bad werewolf flick. I personally like something about teen heart throbs (Ricci, Jackson, Mya, Shannon Elizabeth, etc) in a basic wolf flick

3) The Lost Boys

Does it get any better than this? Definitely an all time favorite of mine. It has a little bit of everything ,and is just so much damn fun

4) John Carpenter's Vampires

Meh, I don't actually like this at all but it was on. Bad plot, mediocre action, not scary, horrible casting.

5) 28 days later

Um, fantastic? So cool, stylish, well paced, wonderfully acted. More of a thriller in some ways, not straight up horror scary. Great either way.

6) Jeepers Creepers 2

Another meh choice. I like monster movies but the key distraction here is that the monster gets more screen time than most of the victims. Cause we see the creeper so much, it becomes boring, and not scary.

7) Halloween H20

Not really any better or worse than Halloween # 3-6. Basic Michael Myers walking about and stabbing people. Nothing special.

8) Red: Werewolf Hunter

I try to support ICM clients work, but this was a waste of my time, sorry. What was I expecting anyway? Pretty similar production value to Sharktopus etc.

9) Beetlejuice

King of horror comedy. So stylish, very funny moments, and Keaton is fangstastic.

10) Edward Scissorhands

Not a horror movie, I think whatever network that showed this was a little confused. Still, great flick. I really only love 3 Burton directed flicks, this, the movie listed above, and Batman. So um yay.

11) The Hills Have Eyes

Pretty decent to be honest. Not wholly original, but detractors say its torture porn, which is so far from the truth you wonder if they even saw this. I really like the core plot of the mutated family hating normal families and the normal family, destroyed by the mutants, becoming incredibly violent and aggressive thanks to their predicament (sorta like the mutants already are)

WHAT I WISH CAME ON

1) Fright Night

Campy horror comedy at its best.

2) The Nightmare Before Christmas

Gorgeous, fun for the whole family, just so damn memorable

3) Subspecies

C+ horror films at their best. Love the crappy stop motion vampire minions. Once again, thank god for baby sitters and parents not paying attention to what kids watch.

4) Land of the Dead

Probably my favorite Romero zombie flick after the first two Deads.

5) The Night Flyer

One of the better King flicks. I like the plot.

6) Salem's Lot

Another King vampire flick, classic and somewhat scary. When else have we seen a whole town turned to Vamps? Goood stuff.

7) Ghost Busters

Do I even need to explain my love for this?

8) Bram Stokers Dracula

Not scary, but I kind of like the big production value and high drama of this classic tale

9) A werewolf in London

Best wolf flick? Like its actually a really decent film imho.

10) The Thing

Isolated tough guys + alien doppleganger creature = along with Halloween and The Fog, best Carpenter flicks, easily.

Cat 'o' lantern

2010-10-30T18:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween. I'm a sucker for holidays, probably because of my families focus on holy days.
1) I have to see fireworks and eat bbq on the 4th of July
2) be around snow, a roaring fireplace, drinking something warm, and watching Elf on x-mas
3) Wear pink and eat candy on Valentines day
4) Watch football and eat turkey and apple pie on Thanksgiving

Now of course it's Halloween. I'm actually not one to ever dress up, so that's not part of the day for me. But the important things are candy, scary movies, and most importantly -- Jack 'o' lanterns. I love them. Silly orange gourds emptied of their pulp and seeds, given unique carvings, and filled with a lit candle for all to see. Can't explain why but its not Halloween without them, and I love them to pieces. Last week 12 bottle Bar had a lovely folk story about the origins of these things, only made it more fun for me. It's also worth mentioning that I haven't carved my own pumpkin since I was a child, and more importantly - it's Alfie's first Halloween!

To commemorate this occasion, Catatouille proudly presents The Cat 'o' Lantern. Believe you me, I will only do better next year, but for a first try and with little preparation ,I think we did reasonably well.

See the likeness?

Poltergeist....kitten style

2010-10-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

Now that it's practically Halloween time, I thought it was only right to show you how scary Aflie can be. While posting a video of her blood lust seemed a good choice, I suddenly opted for her eerie communications with the spirits that inhabit my apartment. Don't believe me? First off, I have multiple times found strange marks on the walls of my apartment, like someone drew a piece of chalk across the wall, but neither I nor my roommates did it, then who? Secondly, animals are said to have a sixth sense. And lastly, look at the video! Weeeeeeird. Or maybe she just wanted the food on the other side of the door. I dunno. Either way, she makes for a great ghost detector.

Weird Science

2010-10-23T23:32:00.000-07:00

Great film. Terribly weird, but great. Anyway, while watching this tonight we had a very special drink in honor of all things weird, sciency, and especially Halloweeny. I'd been meaning to make some Halloween cocktails for the best part of this month actually, but I find an issue with spooky cocktails quality. Sure, ala 12 Bottle Bar, you could make a really tasty Vampire or Satan's whiskers, but those aren't COOL or SPOOKY looking. To me, they are spooky names, taste great, but just don't get the desired audience reaction. So, we have to stick with strange ingredients and mixes and odd tasting drinks which look cool and spooky. Tonight that's what we did. I didn't love the taste, its way too sweet, not complex at all, but it does look cool. Cool Halloween drink, I dub thee ECHTOPLASM:

ECHTOPLASM
1 part vodka
1 part sour apple schnapps
sour gummy worms
strawberry milk
lemon lime soda
ice

Shake the vodka and schnapps over ice. Put a few gummy worms into a goblet, and then strain the alcohol mix over it. Top off with a bit of soda, and then using a dropper, a straw, or perhaps even your finger, put a few strategically placed droplets of the strawberry milk into the mix.

The vodka, schnapps, and soda all work well together, although the schnapps is way overpowering as a scent, and the whole thing is muy sweet. The desired color is a bright neon green, which is a crowd pleasure in a dark room for a Halloween party. The brightly colored worms are a nice accessory, and the droplets of milk create pink strands in the liquid that make it look very creepy and cool. Obviously you can get creative with the droplets, make a spiral, add more or less, etc.

I apologize for not giving a picture, but honestly my camera did not do the look of the drink justice. I just think the lighting is so important and my camera is a pos. Sorry.

it's frickin hot outside

2010-09-27T22:19:00.000-07:00

Quick update. Record temperatures today, not that I noticed cause I'm inside without any natural light for 12 hours a day. Nevertheless, people tell me it was very hot. Alfie unfortunately was home alone in a hot apartment all day. Now in case anyone were to accuse me of neglect, she did have a full, cool bowl of water when I left this morning, and the AC was on all night so the apartment was reasonably cool for the most of the day, at least compared to the temperatures outside. Still, it was hot. So of course, I get home around the same time as the roomies tonight and we open the fridge to make dinner, and in goes Alfie. Not into the dinner, but the fridge. Hey, it's frickin hot outside people.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream

2010-09-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

Ginger Raspberry ice cream, nom nom

Today is September 26th. We are in week 3 of NFL action, week 4 of college football, 2 weeks away from NHL, and 5 weeks from NBA (and maybe 6 or 7 from college bball I think). I live for things like Pumpkin Spiced Latte at S'bucks and Octoberfest on tap around this time of year, and naturally I expect to break out the occasional light sweater even though I do live on the West Coast. Today it was 99 degrees. Forecast for the remainder of the week, every day above 85 and at least 3 days around 99. Damn.

Well, while planet Earth heats up and the future of mankind resembles an Emmerich flick, I thankfully have a lovely Cuisinart ice cream maker that I've been dying to play with. Last week we enjoyed some Thai Ice cream, but it was less ice cream than fruity, tangy, frozen coconut stuff, so this week I opted for something interesting but still more orthodox in its ingredients.

-1 cup skim milk

-2 cups heavy cream

-1/4 cup granulated sugar

-2 egg whites

-pinch of salt

-dash of vanilla extract

-fresh raspberries (1 container)

-candied ginger

-fresh ginger root

-1 cup of water

First I brought the berries to a boil with the water, and after mincing the ginger (more candied than fresh, but still a bit of both for varieties sake) I tossed those in as well. I muddled the mixture a bit, and gave it a thorough mixing. A good amount of the ginger seemed to have melted into the sauce, which was my intention, but I was not opposed to some small bits remaining. In a separate bowl I mixed the milk, cream, egg whites, salt, and vanilla. Then I slowly stirred in the ginger berry mixture, which turned everything a lovely pink hue. Then dumped it into the ice cream maker ,and voila. Yummy.

On a separate note, unfortunately there were no kitten related matters to share this wkend. After being a real menace for the most part of last week, the heat seems to have knocked some sense into Alfie, although I'd like to explain to her how sleeping on my head in such heat even with the AC on is less than pleasant for one of us. Alas, the cat does what she wants.

Pirates booty is delicious

2010-09-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

Today was national talk like a pirate day. As I'm the type who never even dresses up for a theme party, the chances of me dressing or speaking like a pirate for the day were never too great.....but eat like a pirate.....well I can certainly manage that. At first thought the only food that comes to mind for a pirate is the luscious kernels found in the bags of Roberts American Gourmet Pirates Booty, which is always in stock back at my families home, but today something a tad more awesome was needed. What we ended up with was a culinary trip to the far east, clearly inspired by my recent viewing of the TOP CHEF season finale, but with some pirate like concepts smuggled in for good measure. The afternoon started with 2 types of Bulbo, one the classic rum, water, sugar, lime juice, cinnamon, nutmeg recipe; The other using mango flavored rum, triple sec, water, bitters, cinnamon, nutmeg, and assorted berries. Both were enjoyable, my preference was for the more tart and refreshing original, but D always likes sweet, fruity things. Nevertheless, my appetite was whet for more adventures.

Drunken noodle stir fry with red snapper

If a pirate were in the far east it's conceivable he could have eaten this, but even if thats a silly notion, this was easy to make and good eats.
-assorted chopped veggies (bok choy, peppers, carrots, squash)
-freshly chopped ginger
-eggs
-soy sauce
-fish sauce
-vegetable oil
-red snapper filet, cut into bite size cubes
-red pepper flakes
-sesame seeds
-serrano chili's, diced
-fresh stir fry noodles
-limes, halved
All steps are pretty straightforward. Heat oil, scramble egg, add veggies and sauces, add fish, cook till tender and flaky, put everything into a separate pot, cook noodles for 2 minute in water and oil, add everything, garnish with sesame seeds, red pepper flakes.Squirt some of the lime juice and toss the limes in for fun. Good stuff.

Citrus Rum cooler

-mango rum

-white rum

-water

-sugar

-cinnamon

-nutmeg

-limes, halved

-ice

-orange juice

-lemon lime soda

Muddle the limes with the spices, fill shaker half way with ice, add 2 parts of each rum to 1 part water, add 2 parts OJ, shake, pour over ice, top off the glass with the soda. Delish and refreshing.

Thai ice cream
-coconut milk
-frozen lime ade
-sugar
-five spice powder
-diced fruit (pineapple, pears, kiwi)
This is my take on Angelo Sosa's TOP CHEF finale desert dish. His was much more complex, I just wanted some fun tasting ice cream. Pretty simple, through use of our lovely new ice cream maker. Just lightly simmered the milk with the five spice powder, then mixed it in a blender with the frozen limeade and diced fruit. Poured the mix into the ice cream maker, and 20 minutes later, voila. I liked it alot, though some may feel the lime flavor is a bit too strong. It's most reminiscent of a lemon sorbet I think, but I liked the bits of other fruits and creaminess of the coconut milk. I will definitely be messing with this recipe and trying it another time.

hanging around

2010-09-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today was Yom Kippur, so unfortunately there were no kitchen activities to report. I am plotting something special before the end of the wkend though, so stay tuned; However, as I rested and refrained from eating and drinking, do you know who wasn't resting? That's right, Spider Cat, in your face y'all!

Spider Cat...Spider Cat..does whatever a Spider Cat does...

Can she swing from a web? No she can't cause she's a cat

WATCH OUT! Here comes Spider Cat...

Eat your heart out....Art Smith

2010-09-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

Last week at the Taste of Beverly Hills event I stood in the back of a tent and watched Art Smith discuss the problems of obesity and diabetes in America. Apparently a kindly trainer felt bad for him, forced Art to let him live with him, and it changed Art's life. Art also used to be Oprah's personal chef I think, and has cooked fried chicken around the world. He also has a clear affinity for funny looking dogs. Anyway, after his story, he got to the meal, which was a "healthy" fried chicken, which was basically a baked chicken breaded with whole grain cereal. Not withstanding, my friends and I left the tent very quickly.

Friday night is often chicken night in my life, and tonight was no different. I for one enjoy a thoroughly unhealthy meal from time to time, and I can afford this since anyone who's met me doubts I weight more than 130 lbs and am anything more than a stick figure. What can I say, God loves me. Tonights chicken dish was to be a twist on Art's dish, and a variation of a dish I had done with deep frying before, but never with baking.

Dorito baked chicken
-chicken (I used chicken thighs, bone in and with skin)
-doritos (use any flavor you want, I had stadium nacho on hand)
-salt
-ground black pepper
-garlic powder
-onion powder
-ground cayenne pepper
-the juice of 1 lime
-shredded cheese (once again your choice, I have assortment "Mexican" shredded cheese on hand for tacos etc)
-butter
-paprika
-cilantro

Mix all of the spices together in a bowl, and get a good spice rub onto the chicken. Put the chicken in a bag or a bowl with the lime juice, and put it in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour. When done marinating, melt enough butter to coat the chicken with, and then give the chicken a bath in it Take a handful of doritos and crush them into very small pieces, but not quite powder fine as you do want some texture and crunch. Cover the chicken with the doritos, and the breading should stick fairly well following the butter bath. I like to sprinkle a bit of paprika and cilantro on top of the chicken at this point, for some extra visual and culinary bang. Put it in a bake safe dish and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. 5 minutes before taking it out, toss some of the cheese on top. And your done.

I like to eat my chicken with a side of hot sauce. All things considered, I feel considerably less healthy right now, and it was a tasty meal. A job well done.

Also, in order to make this an Alfie approved blog post (all she really did while I cooked was try to climb into the cabinets), I present SPIDER CAT!

Cider house rules

2010-09-09T23:30:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one day and a new blog, lucky you.

Cider is basically fermented apples. It's a classic fall treat, and a personal favorite. Spending my formative years outside Boston, a few blocks from a farm that's been making its own cider and donuts since the 1700s, it was a necessary treat every year come fall.

Bored, home alone, taking the day off from work thanks to the Jewish New Year, observing the day enough that I wasn't willing to go to trivia night with the guys, I decided to put another apple based cocktail together. While Alfie nipped at my shins (a favorite kitten past time) what I ended up making reminded me of cider, but was certainly a bit different. A bit herbal, still a tad sweet, the multitude of ingredients definitely gave it some depth. Altogether it was tasty, warming, aromatic, and definitely related to apple cider. I name thee Sour apples.

Sour Apples
-apples
-apple juice
-whiskey
-angostura bitters
-dry vermouth
-triple sec
-lemon lime soda
-ground nutmeg
-ground cinnamon

Soak sliced apples ( I had granny smiths on hand) in boiling water til soft. Place in shaker with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon, and muddle the shizz out of it. Fill shaker halfway with ice. Add 1 part apple juice, 1 part whiskey, 1 part triple sec, 1 part vermouth, and a drop of bitters. Shake it like you meant it. Strain it into a glass, top it off with the soda, and garnish with another slice of apple. This ain't your momma's cider, and it probably won't make you wanna slap your momma either, but good stuff either way.

new design, same Alfie

2010-09-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

Having had a couple of days to digest this blog, I came back wanting something a bit different. Gone into the inter webs nether regions is Bloody Good Times. Vampires suck anyway. Now we welcome Catatouille to our lives. It's more centered on food, drink, and cats, which is important, and I freakin love that movie. I'll probably mess with the design a bit more as well, but I think the concept and title might be here to stay.

With that said, I had previously been perusing the gourmet creations of cake and heels, and my friend AW is here for the holy day and asked for some grilled cheese. Inspired, I discovered the pantry was lacking, but we had a few fun things. Namely pita bread, fresh granny smith apples, grape tomatoes, and an assortment of add ons.

MK's grilled cheese
-pita bread
-granny smith apples
-garlic and herb goat cheese
-unknown cheese (I think it was some sort of gruyere)
-balsamic vinegar

AW's grilled cheese
-Pita bread
-EVOO
-grape tomatoes
-chedder cheese

To a sweet New Year

2010-09-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

What a night....I conceive the concept of the blog, I make the blog, I make my first ever blog post, I get inspired to mess around with the apartment liquor collection, and now my second ever blog post and first alcohol inspired one. A day that will live in infamy.

I'll call this a Rosh Hashanah, cause honestly that's what inspired it. For those of you unfamiliar with the ways of my tribe, RH is the Jewish New Year. My emotions, memories, and feelings relating to it are similar to that of Thanksgiving. Sweetness, warmth, family, autumn colors. The two ingredients that represent this the best are the ever present apple and honey. I had hoped to do something really cool with the apples, but unfortunately my imagination was lacking, and the wise Lars advised that the best I could hope for was a piece of fruit at the bottom of my glass soaking up alcohol....hardly an inspiring notion for a drink. So, I did the next best thing and grabbed a bottle of apple juice. Now what to mix with...vodka, tequila, gin, rum, something else altogether? The answer was clear once I saw it, whiskey was best. Oh, but something else struck my eye, Amaretto- the delightfully sweet, golden colored Italian almond liquor. Fully inspired and with a concept developing in my mind, I laced the bottom of my shaker with a teaspoon of honey, then added 1 part whiskey and 1 part amaretto, followed by 2 parts apple juice. Wanting something aromatic and interesting, I added a dash of nutmeg, and shook vigorously. Being a fan of simple, sweet, and attractive things, I dipped the rim of my glass in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Poured the mix into the glass, took a whiff, then a sip, and I was in heaven. It's not the manliest nor most original of all drinks, but it was easy and fun to make, is absolutely gorgeous, and best of all it smells and tastes like fresh baked apple pie. Who doesn't want to get sloppy on liquid pie? Did I mention my favorite happy hour of the past month took place at Marie Callenders over some Octoberfest and a slice of pumpkin pie? Thats another story. For now, the story is Rosh Hashanah.

Here's to a happy and sweet new year to all my friends, take a moment and add to the experience with a memorable cocktail.

The dawn of a new era....sorta

2010-09-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Bloody Good Times. The concept for this blog was initially to be a place to share ridiculous stories about my cat Alfie, but as comfortable with my masculinity as I am after a few minutes that seemed like a poor decision. I then decided to make this blog a celebration of all things..things I care to celebrate. Food, drink, travel, sports, parties, and yes...kitty cats. The title also nicely fits my interest of all things British, and it might even have the added bonus of confusing a handful of tweens searching for Twatlight or vampire related silliness on the inter web. Also, please note that the original name of the blog was to be Spider Cat, but that wasn't original enough, and later it was to be There Will Be Blood, as a celebration of Alfie's blood lust and the many puncture marks her claws have left on my body, but for obvious reasons that was not available.

Now, with the explanation and introduction out of the way, on to the blogging.

Aw, how cute. Alfie climbed her scratching post. Wait, she's suddenly not near her post, and she has an urge to climb. Now there's a cat climbing up my torso, great. Also, ouch.