Customized Bagel c/o Shelsky's Smoked Fish

As often happens when I visit L. and Fat T. (though didn't on Saturday morning), I woke up a bit earlier than my host and hostess on Sunday. So I determined that that Sunday was going to be the day that I finally checked out Shelsky's Smoked Fish. They're not too far from L. and T.'s abode and in my multiple visits over the last year, I always found the storefront looking welcoming, and more often than not there were at least a few folks sitting on the bench outside digging into some pretty good looking grub. Because I am a crazy obsessive food person who takes pleasure in reading menus on the internet, I already had a game plan about what I'd like to eat upon my arrival. And oh what a game plan it was.  I could have just chosen a bagel and a house made cream cheese, but they also had these more designer sandwiches. I was taken with the majority of the ingredients of ''The Tribute,' which were Horseradish Cream Cheese, Smoked Whitefish Salad, and Wasabi Tobiko. Well, I think it was mainly the addition of wasabi tobiko on a sandwich that really got me going. But I wasn't as interested in the smoked whitefish element. Once I got to the establishment I took advantage of the make-it-yourself iced coffee station and stood in line, waiting for my moment to specialize this already promising sandwich. And here is what I asked for: 'The Tribute' on a toasted everything bagel, but hold the whitefish salad and add the David Burke Pastrami Salmon. The look the dude taking my order gave me was absolutely one of skepticism. I felt a little sheepish but I held fast in the face of his amused incredulity and doubt.

After a bit more of a wait (it was pretty crowded but understandably so for a Sunday morning) the same man who took my order called my name and rang me up. This was certainly not a bargain bagel as far as cost. He basically chuckled at me as he ran up the order. He really seemed totally flummoxed about the one change I made. As I was leaving he said that I should let them know how it was...and that if it was any good maybe they'd name a sandwich after me. Which leads me to penning this quick note:

Dear Dude at Shelsky's,
I thoroughly enjoyed the bagel. The pop and bit of of heat of the tobiko worked quite well with the savory quality of the salmon. One final customization I would probably make would be to replace the horseradish cream cheese with scallion cream cheese. If you would like to name that sandwich after me I would be forever pleased, as I have long wanted something, anything, to be named after me.

Because here's the thing folks. It was a really tasty combination. I did feel like I would have preferred a bit of scallion over the horseradish, but even so I was not complaining. I ate the first half at L. and Fat T.'s dining room table and saved the other half for my Philadelphia return. Bagels don't usually hold up all that well on drives/eat delay, but I must say the second half was just as happy-making. Perhaps moreso because it felt like a rarity due to the distance between where it was made and where it was ultimately consumed.

There were definitely other things I wanted to try out at Shelsky's and I look forward to getting back there during my next BK sojourn.

Porcsalt Dinner c/o McCrossens

L. suggested that she and I take part in a special dinner McCrossens was hosting at some point last month, and after looking at the menu I agreed that it would be worth my while. Simultaneously I was making plans to meet up with A.S, Mr. Ass ad two of his friends for oysters. Unfortunately I completely confused my days and ended up scheduling the two things on the same day. Whoops. Once I realized this mistake, I asked Mr. Ass if they might not want to join in on the special 'one day only' McCrossens option. They agreed. So we all met up and took part. The dinner was conceived and executed by Matthew Ridgway of Bucks County's Porcsalt. In addition to the three course meal they also had a few special starters. I went with the salmon roe on toast with some sort of something that I completely forget. To be frank, I didn't love it. The toast was so brittle that it was hard to actually take a full bite without everything crumbling before a taste got to my mouth. That said, I do love salmon roe.
For the first course we had the option of either Winter Beer Soup with Bacon-Bread Dumplings or Parma Wrapped Rabbit Terrine with Castelvetrano Olives, Celery and orange. I went with the terrine. The lighting at McCrossens is not easy for photography, so pardon these extremely moody images. The terrine was to my liking on the whole; decadent and fatty but smooth. Oh yeah. Now you totally know what it was like. I tried a spoon full of the soup, which Mr. Ass seemed to greatly enjoy but I don't think it was for me...that or I should have taken a second spoon.
The options for the second course were Crispy Heritage Pork Belly with Pickled Prunes and Sherry Gastric or Marinated Beet Salad with Toasted Challah and a Honey Dressing. I went with the beet salad, which was nothing like I expected. The beets were almost pureed they were diced so small. It was more like a beet spread on the challah. And then there was the dollop of unexpectedness. It kind of tasted like uni, though it could have been some blend of salmon eggs and something else. Either way, it drowned out the honey dressing and was a bit at odds with the sweetness of the beets. I tried a bite of L.'s pork belly and it was fatty in a great way.
For the main course we had the choice of either Grilled Pheasant on Pike with Baked Apple, Mashers and a Foie Gras Sauce or Lamb Porterhouse with Sweetbreads and Quark Spatzle. I went with the lamb, which I liked very much. I could look up what quark spatzle is, but I'm not going to...all I know is that it was sooooo heavy on the butter and cream that it was both delicious and overly rich. I liked the sweetbreads' preparation, crispier than I have had them in the past.
There was also dessert, but I was too full to really enjoy it. A.S., Mr. Ass and his two friends set off soon after dessert. I lingered for a Mad Elf beer while L. took photographs of the restaurant for them, then I headed on home.

Dinner c/o J. and J.

Once I was back in Philly for real, she-J. and I made a date for me to come to their place. As always he-J. made a spread not to be messed with. Truffle cheese, salmon roe and some other kind of caviar, baked I-Forget-Fish with asparagus and sun dried tomatoes and wild rice lattkes with apple sauce or sour cream.
I liked putting caviar on top of sour cream on top of a lattke and then stuffing it in my face. It was really just my style.

It was the fourth night of Channukah, so there were presents. S. got two pairs of pajamas that he soon insisted on wearing...at the same time.
J. gave me a birthday-Channukah present that I'll need to take photographs of. It's very magic.
I look huge faced and drunk in this photograph. I like to think my face isn't quite so wide, but I certainly enjoyed the 2009 Beaujolais.
And limoncello. Bless he-J. and his limoncello. I did my nails just for this moment. That is not true.
Someone must have already done a study on what draws people to linger in kitchens. The work that needs to get done? Studies.
Niko just realized that he forgot to take the trash out.

It was another lovely evening at the S. household. Thank you for the great meal and company!

Caviar and Catan, The Only Way To Be

Panda, M. and A.'s dog, was not at her best that weekend either. She had played too hard with the other dogs and pulled a muscle. So, for the most part, her job was to be on painkillers and lie down. She did quite well at this...she also slept with me on my second night in the house. Zul sleeps with me, but a cat's mass (even one as fat as Zul) is not quite the same as that of a dog. Or, put another way, a dog's heft is more person-like. It has been a long time since I have regularly shared a bed with another. There is certainly a give and a take. Panda's take preference is to claim about as much space as possible, leaving me with a fair chance of falling out of bed. My take preference was not falling out of bed, so I authoritatively asked her to please move over (ie: nudged her a lot). The plus was, of course, the warmth and solidity of another living thing nearby. Hm. I have no point. Just thinking about sleeping with living things is all.
For dinner we feasted on smoked salmon, and two types of caviar...and pate. Because that's how we do and that's how we roll(ed that night).
We also had a truly excellent Pouilly Fuisse white wine. Mmmmm. Oh, and what do you see in that photograph? Yep, that's what I like to call Catan. Mainly because that's what the game is.

I brought Catan with me to Brooklyn on the off chance that stars would align and C. and I might end up playing. Alas, that was not to be...but I was pretty certain that A. and M. were totally going to be Catan people. Unfortunately it's been nine million years since I last played the game and I forgot the diagram that shows the proper beginners' board...so I approximated. It worked. At first M. and A. were entirely non-plussed. I did a shoddy job explaining it and I could tell they weren't getting the glory. But something happened mid-way and A., especially, really jumped on board...which when I think about it I think getting on board with Catan is almost synonymous with 'acting like an asshole and trying to trade one wood for five ore'. I was very pleased. Especially when, after the first game, it was suggested that we play again...immediately. I wish A. and M. lived in Philadelphia. I also wish they weren't moving to Seattle. Whatever.
It probably goes without saying that I won the games we played. While I'd like to say this was because of my awesome-ness, I think it was more about M. being new to the game, tired and sad and A. being new to the game and sad. I can't wait to play with them again.

Thanksgiving Dinner c/o 10 Arts

The last few years my parents have come to me for the my birthday/Thanksgiving holidays, and I have (with a lot of assistance) made Thanksgiving dinner for us. Of course we were stronger in numbers in Chicago, and, well, yeah....so I didn't make Thanksgiving dinner this year. Instead we went to 10 Arts for their Thanksgiving monster of a buffet. It turns out that the meal was not served in the main dining room. But complimentary champagne did welcome us.
And all sorts of 'stations'. There was the omelet/eggs Benedict station, and the meat station (turkey, lamb chops, sea bass and beef tenderloin), a salad station, a potatoes hot veggies station, a dessert station and....
A seafood station.
Smoked salmon, caviar, shrimp crab claws, sushi and oysters were all in attendance (heh, it was a seafood party!).

I don't even want to talk about it.
It was good. We took it slow, taking nice pauses between plates. Well, slight pauses.
Oh and a cheese/fruit station.
There was also a dessert station but I never quite made it there since they brought me a little trio of desserts from its shores (I don't know what's going on with my language skills) in honor of my birthday of the day before.
We were properly stuffed when we left. My father, upon arriving home, took a nap or read a book while my mother and I took a bit of a stroll around the neighborhood. A good and quiet Thanksgiving. The two events (my b-day and Thxgiving) were pretty subdued this year. It felt like a birthday and less like Thanksgiving than it has in a long while, or ever. This wasn't necessarily bad but it certainly was different.

Fun With Stuff

Little fancy plate I made for myself yesterday with smoked salmon, capers, boiled egg, red onion and caviar. The whole existence of caviar is due to the fact that my parents had it in the fridge and it was a smidge past its best by date. So I figured better to used it just a smidge after than a landslide of time after...