Sunday, December 30, 2007

Sunday. Sunday! SUNDAY!

...or random day of miscellany:

How bored have I been? So bored I've been making my own crackers. Sure, I accidentally left out salt and my first batch tasted like communion wafers, but with a little practice, crackers are pretty easy! Using the basic recipe from Bittman (1 cup flour, 2 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp salt), just pulse in a food processor for a few seconds. I divided the dough into sections and added herbs, black pepper, and poppy seeds. Roll them out flat -- and thin, score with a sharp knife for break points, and bake on a pizza stone at 400 for 12-18 minutes. (You can also cut them out, trim them into squares, or make them fun shapes.)

Champagne on Sale: Couldn't help but notice that the flyer for Kahn's this weekend was loaded with deep discounts on good 'poo (champagne, that is.) If you need to stock up, now is the time to do it. Jim has great prices on Veuve Cliquot Brut (around $30 a bottle), Moet White Star (around $26 a bottle), and even 1999 Dom Perignon (around $100 a bottle). They usually have a good selection of French and American sparklers along with proseccos and cavas as well, especially with New Year's Eve right around the corner. Buy by the case for an even better discount.

Speaking of New Year's Eve: Have you made your dinner reservations yet? New Year's Eve is a great chance to enjoy a fine restaurant and have a truly great meal instead of running around to parties. (Maybe I'm just hanging out with more grown-ups.) Either way, we're going to try L'Explorateur again this year while others I know are planning on Jazz Kitchen with Cynthia Layne, Chanticlair, RBistro and even The Oceanaire.

Whey-Fed Pigs: Did I mention that Trader's Point is feeding their left-over whey to happy porkers for whey-fed pigs? Traditionally prized in Italy as the source for the best prosciutto, I'm hoping at least one local chef will do a taste test for us. (Christopher Eley says it will take 14 months so we can schedule it for Spring 2009.) Can you really tell a difference? I think I'd like to find out!

Quiz Answer: What percentage of alcohol is 120 proof? That quiz was my Christmas gift to you! Remember it as half -- 120 proof is 60 percent pure alcohol. 90% of you got it right.

No comments: