Chicken, Spatchcock style

Summer is by far my favorite of the seasons. The warm weather. The flowers. The warm weather. Summer dresses. Even when it's super duper hot, I'm generally a happier camper than on any given day in the other seasons, winter especially. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. Additionally, summer means that I can spend huge swathes of my day sitting on the deck reading a book. And that I can also be cooking on the grill while sitting on the deck reading a book. On this particular day I decided it was time to spatchcock another chicken. I've found that the cooking goes more quickly and there's less guesswork somehow than when I roast a chicken in the oven. Or perhaps I can be more patient and just let the chicken be due to the fact that I'm happily reading outside on the deck. In any case, this particular chicken turned out pretty good. I should have shifted it a little more than I did at certain points in the process, as it got a little too charred on the underside, but the majority of the bird was perfect. The skin was crispy, the meat tender and moist. I didn't bother brining. Just rubbed some olive oil on the bird and then liberally salt and peppered it.

It was a wonderful evening meal and the leftovers became a few different lunches and dinners.

M. Comes to Town and Modo Mio Ensues

So back in the earliest of 2012, I was hanging out with M. and the gang (that's totally how they would describe themselves), celebrating the new year, editing like a fiend, stuffing my face with pork and other tasty treats, whetting my gullet with fine Italian wine and... Yeah, the usual. The point here being that I once again brought up the fact that I would not rest until M. had tried Modo Mio, and A. too for that matter. The two of them were staying east for a while after the holidays, as M. was going to do fancy theater lighting stuff in New York. It was then loosely decided that M. would come to Philly some time in February in order to realize the Modo Mio dream. And that she did about two weeks ago. She arrived by train and I made the fateful mistake of trying to drive west on Market at 6 PM to pick her up on a Friday (don't do that it will take you 20 minutes to cross the river). Blah blah blah. The real point is that we arrived to Modo Mio in one piece. M. went into the nearby wine/liquor store to pick up some bubbly...I strongly believe that any meal at Modo Mio should start with some kind of sparkling wine. And M. went big on that one, coming out with a bottle of Moet, which we quickly popped once we were seated. Behold, this, a tasty dish. Sweetbreads with a sort of nutmeg flan custard thing, asparagus, crispy porchetta and a sage leaf. And I think perhaps a touch of balsamic reduction? This was no joke. The eggy nutmeg base was of such a silken texture and such an unexpected taste, but (as always) complemented the the saltier and heartier tastes and textures rocking the higher limits of the dish.
M. tried the chicken liver pate (I don't know how to make the little accent) cannoli, which was rich as all get out but, as usual, this place/chef/kitchen has figured out the perfect way to keep that chicken liver-y taste but to soften it a bit or inform it a bit so there's so much more going on. Also? They gave us a taste of the special appetizer of the night: clams! Tasty, tasty clams.
For my pasta I believe I went with the veal and beef cheek ravioli. I think. The one problem with Modo Mio's ever changing menu is that I always forget to write what I had down, and their menu online is totally outdated. Whatever this may have ultimately been, its key characteristic was tasty treatness. M. had the special pasta...buccatini with a cream and pepper sauce. Reminiscent of an al fredo sauce, but a little different.
For my main course I went with the skate with calamari, asparagus and white beans. Or I think that's what it was. This wasn't my favorite entree of theirs ever, but I think that's more just a question of my taste, not their execution.
In addition to the champagne, we also drank a bottle of Chateau Caroline. And for dessert, I chose a profiterole-like option. I forget what M. had. Then we concluded our meal with orangecello and glee.
Afterwards we ended up meeting up with LW for darts in Center City, and though I had every intention of getting LW to take a photo of M. and me together, I totally spaced on that. You'll just have to trust that I went to dinner with M. and that we hung out until late into the night. Trust it.

Cheese and Wine Pairing Extravaganza c/o McCrossen's

McCrossen's is a versatile place. One night you can be drinking beer and throwing darts, the next you can dress up and sit in the dining room and enjoy a cheese/wine/food pairing crazy fest. This is, of course, exactly what I did last week. This was my third opportunity to attend this event (see #1 and #2). While we waited for the event to start in earnest, complimentary glasses of a Moscat that I didn't hate were given...usually it's just so overwhelmingly sweet, but this had a certain fizzy quality to it and a little bite that didn't make it unpalatable (to me). The first course featured: Xarel-lo "Calcari," Pares Balta wine, which I remember liking. I may have to start taking notes to be able to say anything worthwhile about the wines. The cheese was Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam from Petaluman, California. If you love double or triple cream cheeses, then you will love this (and we should probably be friends). This was not only creamy, it had a little more going on as far as flavor. Ugh. So delicious. LW and I, along with BMo and his wife, all were a little miffed that instead of being given a little plate for our cheeses, we were given napkins. This caused some concern when the creaminess of the cheese started wanting to mind meld with the napkin. There was also a moment where everyone at the table except me had gotten the cheese and I had a moment of fear, as both servers continued on their way, that I would be cheese-less....which is the equivalent of spinsterhood for me. That makes no sense. Let's move on.
The food element of this dish were the most darling scallops ever, served with pork belly, sauerkraut and mustard. Tender, tiny, lovely little things they were. And while I didn't 100% pick up on the belly, the sauerkraut was a nice (and surprising) accompaniment.
Next up was a wine: Tokaji Furmint Sec, Kralyuduar. This was a wine from Hungary and it fit the theme of the wines for that evening: funky, esoteric, unlikely to be had by the likes of me ever before. And I mean that in the best way. I'd never had it and it was funky, but in a way that would lead to my wanting a second glass. The cheese element was Twin Maple Farms Hudson Red. This was some of the table's fave. It had a serious rind and wasn't messing around.
Speaking of not messing around. T. T. was not messing around. My god. This Rabbit "Porchetta" with speck, swiss chard, PX and lavendar. Ugh. At the end of the evening I told T. something like I was angry at him over the rabbit. But I meant that I was angry at him for making something so good. And I wasn't actually angry at all. The lavender presence was unexpected but just perfect. The rabbit wrapped in speck. I have no words other than 'disgusting' (as in disgustingly amazing). My plate was completely clean after this course.
Next up were two reds, the first was Zweigelst, Zum Martin Sepp. I gotta say that the table as a whole wasn't all that enamored of this wine. Though after the GM, L., came around and told us a bit more about it we at least understood it a bit better. The cheese, on the other hand, was another hit for me. A Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, it was like no cheddar I've ever had. Bmo likened it to parmesan, while I almost thought of it more like an aged gouda. Like a super aged gouda. De-licious. And the rind had that earthy/grassy thing going on that I so enjoy.
T. did a very close repeat to one of our fave dishes from the last time around with a few minor changes: Duck Confit Orrecchiette with geiser, caramelized onions, green peppercorns and breadcrumbs). Or maybe no changes. I hadn't recalled the green peppercorns the last time around, but I liked the slight kick they gave my mouth when I got one in a bite.
The last round featured an Italian Gaglioppo, Statti, which also didn't make me fall in love, though it was a nice pairing for a quirky cheese. The cheese was Rogue Creamery's Smokey Blue. I've had smoked cheeses in my life, but this cheese was smoky in a whole new ways and looked like a whale.
The final food portion was Beef Cheeks "Diable" with celery root and truffle sauces? Or maybe the white one was celery-y and the brown is more the juice of the cheek? This was so freaking tender, you could have eaten it with a spoon. I'm generally not a big fan of celery except as a straw for bloody mary's, but the celery element here lightened the overall richness of the beef in a great way.

Perfection c/o Hunan Sczehuan

I think I've finally found my go-to dish from my go-to place. I've struggled with this, as far as Chinese food is concerned. I generally like some sort of tofu and... dish in some garlicky/brown sauce, but there's always something off with the tofu. Not fried, too dry, sparse, etc. But on this particular day I ordered the string bean and tofu in garlic sauce dish and I loved it. Loved it I tell you. Is it really fancy and sustainably made? No and probably not. Did it have texture and flavor and satiate my very soul? Indeed it did. Was this the day after darts and was I in desperate need of hearty, filling food? Yes I was. Does this lessen anything I've said above? I'll leave that one to the historians...who will clearly slobber over this blog as an anthroplogical marvel of what it once meant to be a 24-etc year old white woman in the United States in the early 2000s. Is my self-importance overblown. Well, I'll be the judge of that.
The dragon couldn't help but jump right into the dish, it was so clearly delicious.

Pickle Martini and Rockfish c/o Fin's

I am a creature of habit, and I like returning to the same places each year. And so where we went for dinner on Saturday wasn't really up for discussion. To Fin's we went! This was where my crazy time thing came into play - the place doesn't take reservations, so if you get there too late in the evening the wait can be an hour or longer....and I really do hate waiting, especially when their bar area is so small that if you're in a party of more than two the chances of being able to properly speak to one another or sit down are pretty unlikely. So I insisted we be a little senior citizen-y about the time we left for the restaurant (closer to 5:30 than anything else). And still we had a 45 minute wait. It didn't feel like 45 minutes though. I had only just purchased my pickle martini (!) when we were called up to the main dining room. Pickle martini was pretty good. Not quite as salty as a dirty martini, but with an different taste to it - duh, because olives and pickles are not the same.
C.P. and I split a dozen oysters - half Hurricane Harbor and half Taunton Bay I think. These were some of C.P.'s first oysters, and I made a good choice of the two different kinds. The Hurricane Harbors were far milder than the Taunton Bays, giving C.P. the opportunity to really compare and contrast how different two oysters can be.
Cheers!
C.P. also went with a whole lobster for the first time in her life. This is her with a 'and exactly what do I do with this' face on. I talked her through some of the tricky parts, but the girl's from Baltimore and does know her way around a crab and lobsters are like more satisfying crabs. In terms of being able to access the meat. Is what I mean.

Though I had expected that I would order the tuna, since it was so delicious the last time, I ended up thinking that I should branch out and try new things. So I did. I went with the rockfish with shallot cream sauce, with a side of mac and cheese and apple sauce.
Guess what my new favorite fish is? Rockfish! You're right! This was such a nice piece of fish. The sauce was good too, but it really was just the flakiness and taste of the fish that wowed me the most. I was pleased. Let me see if I can remember what others had. K. had the fried oyster dinner, I think. J. had the shrimp and grits. Eek, but what did K.H. and C.P. have? Fish I think? Something with saffron sauce? Fin's did not disappoint and the likelihood of a return trip for my second faux b-day weekend is pretty much a certainty.

Onion Bialy c/o Tivoli Bread and Baking

While you might think that this would be the end of what seems like a neverending vacation, you'd be quite wrong. Though this certainly was the last part of my New York adventures. As I headed out of town. Well, that's not accurate, I drove out of my way to go here so it was more 'before I got on the road.' Let's start again. Before I got on the road, I drove to Tivoli to get coffee and some magic treat from M.'s Tivoli Bread and Baking wonderfest. The place has a tiny front and most of the space is dedicated to the baking of tasty treats. M. seems to encourage a very convivial and familiar atmosphere in the shop, or maybe I only feel that way because he almost always invites me into the baking part of the establishment and shows me his newest treats and answers my dumb questions about baking. In this instance he showcased his onion bialies (bialys?), which were a new addition to the roster of baked goods he serves up. While we talked he was rolling out croissants while his assistants were adding chocolate chips to things and prepping yet other things. I ended up asking for a cherry scone, but M. insisted that I also try one of the bialies. I wasn't sure that it would really be my thing, but I don't say no to the maker of things that are tasty ... unless they have bananas in them. So I had a bialy as well. See above. He was right to insist. What seemed like just a dusting of now-crunchy onions was in fact a deep well of sweet caramelized onions. It was magic in every bite, I tell you what. I gnoshed on it as I drove out of Tivoli, passing many, many memories and locations along the way.

The Main Event c/o Au Pied de Cochon

As soon as our dates and hotel were locked down, I quickly called Au Pied de Cochon to schedule a reservation. I had hoped for an 8 o'clock seating on either Thursday or Friday, but in the end the best they could do was a 5 o'clock seating on Friday. I forget the exact source that first brought me to this restaurant's menu, but I can tell you that I've been wanting to go for well over a year, so even though we were like super duper special senior citizens - walking into the place only minutes after they unlocked their doors, the fact remained that the food really wasn't going to be any different or better if the sun was lower in the sky. Or at least I hope not. M. and I did a fair amount of prep work for this meal. Between our walks to and from Old City and our calisthenics in the hotel room, we hoped our stomachs were properly stretched and up to the challenge of so many possible bites of wonder. Seriously, we did crunches before the meal. M. wanted to try the fried zucchini blossom appetizer, which she did. I took one bite and I do declare it the most tasty of zucchini blossoms I've ever had. I think part of it was that they were still attached to their stalk, giving them a little more fortitude than some I've seen in the past.
There was no way we were going to eat at this restaurant without trying at least one foie gras centric dish, as they have at least ten. In the end we went with the foie gras tout nu...simply seared with a balsamic reduction. If I were to go back, which I hope one day to do, I would have to delve further into the wonders of their foie gras choices.
This was no joke wonderful. Melty. Salty. Rich. Creamy. If you've never had foie gras then it's hard for me to explain what makes it such a magical treat. So hard in fact, I don't think I can try. But I do recommend you go out to a place with a good reputation and try the stuff. It could potentially change your life.
We asked our waitress for a wine suggestion that wouldn't totally break the bank and she came back with Monardiere Vacqueyras. I'll have to look up more information about it, but this was a highly drinkable wine and I liked it very much.
M. thought at first that she would have the steak tartar entree, but gauged that her belly might do better with the appetizer. Our server explained that the appetizer was a take on a sushi hand roll, with a quail egg on top that you would then spread over the whole roll before taking a bite. You'll see how M. felt about the dish a little later on.
I went with the happy pork chop. And what a pork chop it was. Tender, well flavored and delicious. There's an art to making a pork chop not seem very 1950s to me, and this place nailed it. The onion and mushroom accompaniment and subsequent 'jus' added just the right amount of flair to the already quality meat.
M. losing her mind over how much the tartar is rocking her world.

And we concluded with espresso. Just delightful. Really and truly. I wish I could go there again and again. Some of their specials sounded so good, and there really were so many other mysterious and compelling options on the menu. Ugh. Why must food be so great? And why must I feel almost no shame in spending all my money consuming it? These are the great questions of my life.

Cheese, Yoga, Crab Races and Pork Shoulder

L. brought a delightful selection of cheeses: Avonlea, Midnight Moon, Truffle Tremor and I think Taleggio? While we waited the pork's ultimate moment of readiness, we heartily dug into the cheese while sitting outside.
At some point L. did one of those things, a bridge-like yoga kind of pose. Fatty tried, but he was too fat.
Then L. did a head stand.
Then L. and I had a crab race.
I won by knocking her over and pretending I was done...and then crabbing to the wall. Heh. I am a cheater.
Then we ran around for a while. I forget why, but know that it was a great time and that we were both disappointed when we realized that Fat T. had been taking photos on manual focus.


And then the moment for the pork commenced. It was, if I do say so myself, quite a success.

Cheese & Wine Pairing c/o McCrossen's

So McCrossen's has started having monthly cheese/wine tastings. A guy who works at DiBruno Bros. picks the cheeses, the restaurant's new manager pairs them with wine and in this instance we also tried many small portions of the new menu. The event began with Pouilly-Fume "Les Crogloups," Domanaine Chaveau '09. I love almost all wines with "Pouilly" in the title, so that was exciting.
Paired with the wine was a Goat's cheese, the Selles-Sur-Cher. It was not your average grocery store goat. So much better.
And the menu treat was the asparagus and escargot risotto with roasted garlic, sorrel and vermouth. The escargots were nice and tender and the asparagus was mmmm.
Next up was the Zamo Bianco, Le Vigne Di Zamo. I wasn't as big a fan. Something in the finish of the wine was a little too. Erm. Something.
The cheese was a Robiola Bosina. Almost brie-like in its creaminess. I wanted to eat it all the time. All the time I tell you.
And then the smoked pork pastrami flatbread with red peppers, baked onion and crema.
L. noticed that there was really nice light going on outside during a lull between courses, so she went out and took a few photos. Then I did. Heh.
I am so glad that it's warm again. Have I mentioned that?
Next up was perhaps my favorite course. The wine was a Merlot from Lockwood in Monterey California. I liked it on my first sip, but when it was paired with the cheese and menu sample....magical things happened.
So pretty.
This cheese and I may become best friends. It was the Vacherin Fribourgeouis. Oh man. Earthy in the best possible way.
So T., the executive chef, is shaking up the menu. Adding new and exciting things and, sadly for me, raising prices. I was very glad to try a little bit of the 21 day dry aged black angus ribeye with potato gratin and truffles. So good. So very good. Really something. Maybe one day I'll splurge and actually spend the $28 to have a full plate. Until then this will have to do.
The last course started with a Cava Rose Brute by Juve Y Camps, NV. None of the photographs were worth sharing, but I do like bubbly, yes indeed. I actually ordered a second glass once everything was concluded.
The Cava was paired with La Beola cheese, which also didn't photograph terribly well. And the menu sample was the Berkshire pork cheeks with roots, snow pea leaves and black cardamom jus. Oh yeah.
As you probably know if you read the blog with any regularity, I go to McCrossen's with some frequency. And I like it there. I like the staff and I like the french fries and I generally like at least two of their beers on tap. So what I"m trying to say is that I'm already a fan of the place, but I didn't 100% expect awesomeness from the event. I was wrong not to have expected it. Rocco, the cheese guy, was good at telling us about each cheese and what made it special. L. the GM was great at conveying her excitement about the wines. And T., the chef, was properly laid back and pleased with himself.
L. took photos with her camera, thank goodness. Here is a photo of us and the Cava. I wore my new strappy sandal wedges. You can't see them, but they're cute.
After the event we continued to drink wine. Mmmm. That merlot. And a Pinot Noir was also particularly nice. G. swung by after doing his thing out in the world and hung out a bit.
Then we left and I had a Michael Jordan moment. Still can't see my shoes.