Adam D. Roberts's Blog, page 54

Should You Go To Cooking School?

Eater has an epic post on the subject; it’s essential reading for anyone thinking about taking the plunge.

The Kingston Negroni

Listen up, Negroni lovers. The other night I was with my parents at Hinoki and the Bird and, on the Negroni section of their drink menu, I spied a drink called The Kingston Negroni. The bartender heartily recommended it and so I gave my nod of approval. “Let’s do this thing,” I said, but not really, I didn’t really say that.

But this drink. This drink! It is so good. It’s a riff on a Negroni, not nearly as bitter, but just as bracing. The best part is you can easily recreate it at home with three ingredients: Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, Gran Classico (a bitter Italian apertif similar to Campari), and Carpano sweet vermouth. Combine them in equal parts, serve over ice, and add some orange peel. Suddenly you’ll be whisked away to Jamaica by way of Italy and your dinner guests will be dazzled at your drink-making prowess. But really all you did was shop for unique liquors and then stir them together. Be careful, though…one too many of these and you may actually wake up in Jamaica.

The Top 5 Dishes I’ve Eaten in My Travels

CNTraveler asked me to pen a piece about the Top 5 Dishes I’ve Eaten In My Travels…so here it is, live on their blog. Lists like these are always arbitrary, though the arbitrary nature of it can still be revealing. Clearly, from this list, I prefer rustic, “real” food to finer, fancier fare. But maybe you knew that already.

Vegans Should Eat Oysters

I agree with L.A. Weekly food critic Besha Rodell who says that vegans should eat oysters. “Oysters,” she writes, “are no more a living, feeling animal than a zucchini. They have no central nervous system, no face, no brain. They are basically a lump of protein–that they are classified as animal rather than vegetable is a matter of science, but I see no difference in the morality of eating one than of eating a carrot.” I concur.

Oven-Broiled Eggplant Dip

Remember that time I made a stovetop-charred eggplant dip (aka baba ganoush)? Really? You don’t remember that? Because that was like a week or two ago. You really ought to have your memory checked.

Anyhoo, I realize that many of you may have been intimidated by the idea of stovetop charring. “Put an eggplant on my stovetop?” said an old granny who reads my blog. “Not in my house!” Here, granny, is a smart alternative.

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The Other Side of Our New Kitchen & A Plant

Chloe, our beloved neighbor back at the old place, pointed out–before I left–that in my “new kitchen” post I only showed one side of the kitchen, not the side with the stove. So here it is: the other side of our kitchen, with a glance into the other room which had some boxes in it still, at that moment, because we hadn’t unpacked. Not to brag, but we have five–count ‘em, five–burners. And I love the white subway tile behind the stove, I think it made the pasta in the red Le Crueset in today’s pasta post really pop.

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The Bologna Formerly Known As

Here’s an entertaining feature from Heavy Table: “What’s in Prince’s Fridge?” Who knew the man who gave us Purple Rain and the Batman soundtrack had such a thing for Dunk-a-roos.

Good Garlic

There was this time, long ago, when I was writing my first book and talking on the phone to Amanda Hesser who I revered and who kindly agreed to give me tips about shopping at the farmer’s market. I was trying to get a grasp on how to know which ingredients were in season, which were good, which were bad, etc. At some point I said, “Well I guess garlic is one of those things that’s always the same no matter where you get it?” No, actually I said: “Well I guess garlic can’t be fresh can it?” And Amanda Hesser set me straight: “Of course garlic can be fresh…”

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The Vain Vegan

Michael Ruhlman’s going vegan “not for ethical reasons, but for reasons of vanity.” I totally get that as I live in Los Angeles and the mailman has more abs than I do. Ruhlman’s goal is to drop 20 pounds; hope he gets further with his veganism than I did with my pescatarianism.

Pasta with Chickpeas, Bacon and Spinach

We did a very smart thing this weekend: we invited friends over for dinner on Sunday night which forced us to finish unpacking and get our new place in order. Worked like a charm. By early Sunday evening, all of our boxes were unpacked, our furniture was properly placed and all of the lights were plugged in. We have our master list of things to get (extra towel hook for the bathroom, drain stopper for the sink) but all in all, we’re pretty remarkably set up for having only moved in a week ago. Only one question remained: what to make for dinner?

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