Text 18367, 119 rader
Skriven 2007-07-31 17:14:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: Saturday 909
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Saturday was pretty much an all-day eat-orgy, which was fine
with me, except that I discover that I gained 4 lb over the
weekend, most of it this day.

Carol and I arrived earlyish lunchtime, and I started out by
scavenging for stuff to eat, as breakfast was over and dinner
not a-cookin' yet. Among other things I found a leftover fried
chicken bosom from the Sacerdotes' trip up, so I scarfed up
most of that (the resident Eat also had a bite, as I recall)
and a few confectionery things. Then I started making the
arborio saffron risotto that I'd promised. Opened the airtight
bag and got a whiff of not quite fresh rice - not bad enough
to toss but not good enough for me to be enthusiastic about.
Sauteed it in butter, used a few pinches of Gail's saffron
(I had forgotten mine along with my demagnetizer) and some
vegetable broth (because Bryan, the only true vegetarian in
the lot, was going to make it after all), and sooner or later
we had a decent facsimile of a risotto.

Glen pulled out the Cleggett Shalistin White Cabernet Sauvignon 06
- this is a rarity; apparently a winery in Langhorne Creek
discovered some mutations in its vineyards: a Cabernet Sauvignon
vine that produced white grapes and another that produced brown
grapes. Some generations of selective breeding produced enough
plants to make a batch each of true white Cab and true bronze Cab.
The white was not unpleasant, peachy, citrusy, rather like a
civilized Sauvignon Blanc. It was made slightly off dry and so did
not have the urinary aspect of that wine. A moderate success.

The ultimate Eat came up to bat with My Stuff, which turned out
to be pretty good. Cafeteria food, you might say, but a cafeteria
you might be happy to go back to. He served Barefoot Zin with this,
a decent pairing. I suggested putting a dollop of sour cream to
make a nice hamburger Stroganoff, but Burt protested that that
would make him a Cook rather than an Eat. Several of us pointed
out that he was doing quite well as a Cook anyhow.

Other things offered and eaten:

Six bean salad (Bryan) - chickpeas, white and red snap beans,
red kidneys, and a couple others. I found it a touch sweet, but it
at least got me to eat my vegetables. I noticed that it went
pretty rapidly.

Lundberg wild blend rice (Hafflys) - this went well with the
leftover My Stuff; it's a mixture of several rices including
the purple stuff - kind of interesting in texture and with a
nutty taste. The Hafflys made a giant rice cooker's worth of it,
so there was plenty left for next day.

I made crabcakes out of the $66 worth of crabmeat (as it turns out
flash pasteurized and nonnative, but pretty good), a few slices
of bread, about 8 eggs, and some mustard and Old Bay. Broiled up
enough so everybody got one and had enough for a second batch for
the next day. People liked them pretty well. I thought them better
than those of most restaurants (fewer crunchies and less filler,
also not too salty) at a fraction of the price. The two batches
totaled about 35 cakes, with a little crab left over so the cost
was a little less than $2 each. Try getting a crabcake sandwich
at a restaurant for $2.

Helen, whom many remembered from the 1995 Echo Picnic, brought
potato salad and devilled eggs. These were much appreciated.

Two kinds of smoked pork: some brined by the Shipps and some
dry-rubbed by Dirty Dave. Both were excellent. I must point out
that expertise and care in the smoking count for more than the
pre-preparation of the meat: Dale and both Daves provided these
in abundance, and the product was as good as I've had at the
most famous pork parlors in the country.

As there was a nonpork contingent here, the Shipps brought out
smoked chicken, which was moist and tender and very toothsome.

Sauces for the pork:

Bone Suckin' Sauce, extra hot - medium hot, a bit sweet for my
taste, good flavor though. There was also regular, which I
didn't bother to try.

Smokin' Chipotle, regular, and Habanero sauces (Dirty) - good
thickish sauces; the Chipotle had a pleasant natural smokiness.
Regular was too regular for me; the Habbie sauce had both the
pluses and minuses of the fruit - smelly rotten apricot aroma
and taste, but once you get past that, a nice heat.

Trabi himmelblau mittelscharf Senf - this means "Broken-down
East German automobile brand sky-blue medium-hot mustard."
There's not much else to say about it: it was a perfectly
ordinary mustard.

Wegman's Asian and Memphis BBQ sauces (I suspect Joan brought
these) - I found both of them well made but too sweet. The
Asian reminded me of one of the Bull-Dog sauces, with its
peculiar dry finish.

Arthur Bryant's - too ketchupy and sweet.

Fat Boy's Haugwash - not for me, likewise.

Gates Extra Hot - (there was also the regular on offer) -
thick with coriander and other spices, this was the one that
I used, very sparingly, on my meat.

Dale and Gail also made Cajun meatballs with "very hot" and "super
hot" sauces. The balls were very tasty, made from a Louisiana
meatloaf recipe (Paul Prudhomme, I think, but maybe Emeril or
Justaing Weelsong) but formed into balls for ease of service. I
preferred them without sauce - the very hot I and the other
chileheads found mild as mild; the super hot had its spice but
just enough to distract from the excellence of the meatballs and
not enough to add any real piquancy - the Daves and I rated it as
medium minus. Oh, also, both had a bit more Jalapenoish greenness
than I prefer; many, those who love vegetables, might find this
a plus rather than a minus, though.

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