Archive: December 11, 2005 - December 17, 2005
A Virtual Feast
The next few weeks are a glutton's paradise. The feasts are endless, the snacking ongoing, the imbibing like an intravenous tube. . .You don't even have to go to the store anymore if you'd like to keep yourself in a culinary coma. Simply waddle over to the computer and prepare a sumptuous holiday spread with just a few keystrokes. The choices for online food sources are not only plentiful, but the quality of vittles is top shelf and getting better all the time. Here's a taste of how gourmet the Web can be....
By kimodo | December 15, 2005; 12:36 PM ET | Comments (2)
You Asked For It...
Greetings from Chicago, where it's snowing lightly. Nothing like the forecasters promised, but my friends' kids are begging me to take them sledding after school nonetheless. In Chicago, it seems like there is always enough snow for sledding. Phase One of the Gingerbread House Project will commence this afternoon, with the purchase of supplies and preparation of stencils. I'll keep you posted this week; apparently, the two cats, Lolo and Soda Pop, have volunteered to supervise the construction site. Photos to come as well. In yesterday's edition of What's Cooking, I promised to follow up on a few holiday items that required some legwork. After receiving a question from a reader in Capitol Hill about pre-shucking oysters for a party, I emailed my pal Jon Rowley, a former fisherman and oyster guru, based in Seattle. His thoughts on the briny matter: "Pre-shucked oysters are okay but are much better if...
By kimodo | December 14, 2005; 11:49 AM ET | Comments (6)
Sugar High
I want CAN-DEE! Don't we all at this time of year? There's something about the season that makes us swoon for sugar, especially when it's cooked and hardened into shapes and sizes that take us back to our kiddie days. For the past few years, I've tried my hand at making my very own confections, and I gotta say, it's a helluva good time. Call me a geek, but I get a big kick out of transforming plain ol' sugar into sweet lickable, in-your-teeth-able treats....
By kimodo | December 13, 2005; 10:15 AM ET | Comments (9)
Entertaining Calisthenics
I cooked for 30 on Friday night. It was a hired gig - a holiday party in the neighborhood. The hosts wanted an upscale but informal lineup, buffet style. Here's what I put together:For spreading or dipping onto crackers or bread-like items, smoked trout rillettes and a white bean-red pepper puree, flavored with rosemary and garlic; homemade cheddar-pepper crackers; tenderloin of beef marinated in a hoisin/black bean/garlic/curry paste marinade; Szechuan-style green beans, plus baguette-topped apple salsa and brie. For dessert, there was upside-down pear-gingerbread cake and chocolate bark, with dried cherries, walnuts and crystallized ginger. With the exception of two dishes, I had experience preparing the menu, which made life manageable and kept Kim's hair looking good. To keep costs down, I bought all the produce at Han ah Reum, the mega Korean grocery store in Merrifield, Va. Sweets were made on Thursday night, plus the meat went into...
By kimodo | December 12, 2005; 12:35 PM ET | Comments (3)
