briar waterman

Yet another reason for me to go out and buy Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home cookbook – he shares his caramel recipe with The Moment and the world.

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Ok, have to head up to Evanston to check out Edzo’s burgers. First read about it in the NY Times Moment blog.

Edzo’s Burger Shop, 1571 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, Ill.; (847) 864-3396

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Found this in the NYTimes a few months ago, and still love making it for dinner, Chickpea Seafood Pancakes. They pick up the flavor of the onion and parsley and if I get the batter just right have a great crisp crunch on the outside.

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 Some things worth checking out:

• Rural Studio is a great project started by the late Sam Mockbee. He build sustainable and affordable housing for one of the poorest areas of the country. Tapping into his students at the university, he creating a summer program that let them live and work there with the people, creating beautiful, affordable homes
• Studio M is an off-shoot that was started after Sam died and gives designers a chance to give back to the world.
•  425,  buyameter.org site lets you help people in Hale county out by raising funds to buy water meters.

Another Southern I had not looked at in a while,  Byrdhouse.

•  Got looking at it today because I was referencing this great white on white business card he created.
•  More about Sam Mockbee from his point of view. 

Couple of quick recipes:

•  This is a great cake. Simple ingredients, rich carmel that is not too sweet. I am not sure if I like it better fresh or the day after, when the caramel and the cake are a bit crusty and dried out on the outside, moist on the inside. Make sure to use cream not just milk or it is too dry. 
• Quick weeknight dinner, Chicken Udon. Gobbled up by everyone.

Been eating and drinking a lot of red things lately:   

• Blood red Whiskey Sours, yes complete with raw egg (for mouthfeel)….makes it like a whiskey smoothie. 
• Spicy Fried Cauliflower. Good Indian Chinese fusion meal….I added tofu and fried it the same as the cauliflower, which was good, made a complete meal out of the dish.
• RareRoast Beef, slow cooked at 225 degrees for 2 hours after salting for 24. Nice and rare. Recipe from Cooks Illustrated.

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Strange trip to Kansas yesterday. Went to pitch some new business, got stranded because of snow in Chicago on the return. We finally took off 4 hours late. Flight attendants were handing out free drinks (multiple), people were thanking the crew over the intercom, we gave a round of applause for the army troops in row 1. I was listening to a bunch of old Flaming Lips, which seemed to be the perfect soundtrack for it all. Thanks weird Southwest crew, thanks drunk passengers. It was good to get home.