Babette Gets Chinese Food

Ah, how lovely. I've been craving Chinese food. In fact, I've been craving a lot of different ethnic foods...and last night my most wonderful SIL M took me to Ka Mei in Squirrel Hill,  a neighborhood just outside of Pittsburgh.

Ka Mei serves Hong Kong-style Chinese.
Cravings Satisfied. Behold:

:

And now is the time for me to admit I go so into the food that I didn't get photos of the eggplant in garlic sauce, which I almost couldn't stop eating, and the tofu with spicy sauce...Top to bottom I did get photos of the baby bok choy, the chow fun with brisket (who doesn't like pasta: come ON...) and the last, which was totally new to me, daikon and brisket in a rich brown gravy sauce flavored with star anise...that was awesome.

Sadly, I'm not where the leftovers are tonight.

NYC: Maialino

Oooh, who wouldn't want to go to NYC's Maialino just on Gramercy Park? This is the latest (I think) of the Danny Meyer USC Hospitality Group's openings...pretty spot on.

The space is gorgeous--comfy, modern but still homey--neat trick that, making the space modern but cozy and old-worldy (oh yes I am making that word up) at the same time.

Perfect place for a solo dinner

We went on a Saturday afternoon, fearing it might be all eggs and branchy--but no. Although there were plenty of brunch dishes available, there were also pastas, sandwiches, entrees and side dishes.

Let's start with the side dish we ordered. Potato skins. Fried potato skins. But if you are thinking fried skins filled with heart-stopping ingredients like sour cream, bacon and cheddar, the likes of which were pretty popular in more than a few spots a couple of decades back, erase that memory. These are the peelings (hmm. What Italian nana wouldn't be proud of this lack of waste?!), fried and tossed with salt, pepper and parmesan.

Best. Snack. Ever.

fried potato skins Maialino style

Then it was pasta almost all around. My sister, the black pepper queen, couldn't resist the cacio e pepe--pasta with pepper and cheese. Oh, and probably butter. Definitely butter.

I see carbonara and I have to have it...this was made with crispy guanciale...rich and satisfying.

In both dishes, the pasta was absolutely perfectly cooked.

If you're curious, there was also wine, fish, dessert..who could resist?? We shared a sampling of sorbets and gelato. There was a cheese sampler as well, and ...a cake, a tart? I can't remember, it was all so good...

Carbonara: bacon and egg pasta--brunch after all?

Finally: Prune

Ever since I read Blood, Bones and Butter, I have wanted to do two things:

1. Go back to work in a kitchen and maybe, just maybe after all, own and run a restaurant.
2. Go to eat at Prune, the restaurant owned and run by the author.

Of the two, that second item was far more likely to happen, and I knew that if I ever made it into Manhattan, I would make a beeline for Prune. That day happened last week. I dropped my daughter off to dance class in the city and found myself with about four hours to kill.

And guess what? It was lunchtime. One look at the subway map and I realized I was at the stop for a train that would take me to within two blocks of Prune. It was kismet. A trip to Prune for lunch was meant to be.

So it's probably okay to admit to a little bit of hero worship now for Gabrielle Hamilton. She's done what--twenty five years ago (coff coff)--I thought I would do. She's opened this tiny little space in a funky neighborhood with food that is just spot on. It's comfortable. It is definitely cozy in the Manhattan meaning of cozy (tiny, that is)...and for me it was just right for the food.

Food like my lunch: a crisp, cold glass of rose on a hot hot day.
A "kerchief" of pasta covering a perfectly poached egg and a salty-sweet-tender slice of ham, lean and melting. The whole dish then "sauced" with brown butter, toatsty-crunchy pine nuts and generous shavings of parmesan.

For a side dish, I couldn't resist the peas with a bit of honeycomb melting on the top. Just because.

Then also just because? Dessert--mascarpone ice cream with salted caramel sauce and brioche croutons.
Yes please.

It was all fabulous and low key and great food and relaxed and comfortable. Gabrielle was there, and even though I wanted to gush I didn't...I thought maybe she would be too cool for a gushing fan, but I did exchange a few words with her, saying how awesome the pasta was and that anything with a poached egg is heaven in my book.

And that was it. I went back out into the heat, had a few photos in my camera and wished I lived in NYC again.

Introducing Guest Blogger, Van Waffle

Part of the Blogathon from last month was the guest blog. One of the bloggers I approached was Van Waffle, a freelance writer based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He blogs about urban nature at Speed River Journal: www.vanwaffle.com

In May, he had already committed to writing a post for someone else...but in our exchange he suggested we swap posts sometime down the line. Now is the time--he posted a post about edible finds in Bermuda that I wrote..and now I've got this bit of adventure (or misadventure, as he calls it--you know how I love a misadventure in the kitchen!) from him for Babette Feasts.

Foraging Nettles: A Bitter Misadventure

by Van Waffle

Stinging nettles are remarkably nutritious, but their bite may be worse than their sting. I learned the hard way. This is a basic foraging lesson: sample every wild plant cautiously before throwing a bunch in any recipe.

Do not be discouraged from getting to know this unfriendly plant. Urtica dioica is an excellent source of nutrients such as magnesium, calcium and vitamins A, B, C, D and K. It contains more protein than other leafy green vegetables. The plant is distributed widely through Europe, Asia and North America. Handily, it favors inhabited areas. In Guelph, Ontario, where I live, nettles flourish along overgrown banks of the Eramosa and Speed Rivers.

Nettles can be delicious. Supposedly they substitute nicely in any recipe calling for spinach. I like them with butter and a dash of lemon juice. Last month I followed a traditional Italian method for Pesto d’urtica. It was delicious.After that success, I wanted to try an entrée: mushroom nettle lasagna. Onecool afternoon my partner and I returned to the Eramosa River. It drifted past banks dappled with pink and purple flowers of dame’s rocket. There I found what I wanted.

Be careful handling nettles. Stems and undersides of leaves are armed with tiny hairs that inject some noxious brew of acid and histamine. Once stung, you will never forget. It is not dangerous, just painful for a few hours. Some people eat nettles raw to show off their prowess. In case you are not a masochist, I recommend a long-sleeved shirt and pair of surgical gloves or ordinary gardening gloves. Use strong scissors or shears to cut the sturdy stems.

Harvest nettles in spring or early summer. As long as they have only a few leaf pairs, the entire shoot will be tender enough to eat. Mature plants are supposed to be edible, too, but I cannot vouch for their flavour. The stems and lower leaves become tough, so just take the top two or three leaf pairs. Simply steam the shoots. Once limp, they lose their sting and can be safely handled or eaten.

I could hardly wait to make the lasagna. At farmers’ market the same day we bought white and shiitake mushrooms from a Mennonite farm, local goat feta, and mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Rather than steaming the nettles, I added them directly (using gloves) to the tomato sauce along with mushrooms, onions and new garlic and simmered a few minutes before assembling the lasagna. We were salivating by the time it came out of the oven.

At first bite I almost cried. It was impossibly bitter. This could not be masked with garlic or salt. Each of us sadly choked back one small piece. At least it did not make us sick. I hoped the taste would mellow overnight, but next morning the smell of that lasagna made us both gag. I had to throw it out. I experimented to see whether steaming or boiling the nettles would render them edible, but to no avail.

It is always wise to carefully sample unfamiliar foods, but I had thought the pesto experiment was adequate. Gustatory adventures sometimes end in disappointment; that is the price of discovering something new and wonderful. I recommend tasting steamed nettles before including them in any recipe. Their bitterness might have been caused by an unusually long stretch of dry weather in May. Whatever the reason, I must wait until next year’s crop to try again. Here is the recipe that worked:

Pesto d’urtica

Enough fresh nettles to fill a bamboo steamer
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic or more
1/4 cup olive oil

Steam the nettles until just wilted, about 4 minutes, then allow to cool slightly. Pulse nettles, pine nuts, cheese and garlic together in a food processor until finely chopped and combined. Add olive oil while blending until desired consistency is reached. Serve with fresh pasta.

I Finish With Songs that Make Me Smile...

So just to wrap the month (I fully intend to blog more frequently from here on out...), I wanted to leave you with songs that make me smile...maybe you will add them to your play list and think of me when you hear them...

And please-what songs make you smile, jump out of your seat and dance or just bring you some joy? I want to know...

My favorite tango song--just melts me and makes me think of being on the tango floor with a smile on my face...It is Corazon de Ora, a "vals" (waltz)--it's hard to find even just a clip, but here's one using the song...


I always go back to this song, Stand by Me by Playing for Change...I just love the song anyway and this version is touching.


Marc Broussard's Home--this gets me moving..

9 Things I've Learned from Blogathon

Yesterday's post about the most popular posts for me this month led some to comment on the random, rather wide-reaching subject matter of the popular posts. This is true, which may mean I need to refocus the blog itself...I think the 31 days of blogging lets me wander a bit off track with subject matter and that's fine, but if I want you to "feast with me," I really should be blogging about...food.

Things I've Learned:

1. I need to focus more.
2. I need to really write a lot to get a little of great. Essays require craft and honing and editing. I need to write more and edit more to get a few good posts a week, in hopes that I'll end up with a few great posts every year.
3. I love reading compilations. I learn a lot when someone takes the time to show me what they've been reading. I think I will keep this feature, but focus more on the food world.
4. I need to set firmer hours for work. True, the freelance life is about flexibility, but there have been days when I've flexed myself right out of any work at all. Not a good way to be a successful freelancer.
5. I need to give myself permission to read more during those work hours. Reading about what's going in in the food world is part of my job. I think I sometimes feel almost guilty about "just" reading...but that's crazy.
6. There is always room for improvement. My goal for the next year is to really hone the craft of writing. Focus on craft and focus on business. Because in the end I really do like to write.
7. Sometimes a photo is enough.
8. Even *I* can write a haiku, one that might make someone smile or tug at your heart a bit.
9. Wordle is always fun.

What have you learned?

What Makes a Popular Post?

We are on the downward slope of the blogathon!! As usual, I've enjoyed it. I like thinking about it, coming up with ideas, really keeping tabs on the thoughts I have as I go through life just so I can sit down and write a few words about one thought or another.


I have enjoyed sharing watercolors and photos with my blog readers..

That said, I'm always curious what posts prove most popular--If you are wondering, too, here are the top five Babette Feasts posts of the month:

1. Rules to Break in the Kitchen. This post was top post when I wrote it before--it was a re-blogged post..does this mean we are all kitchen rebels?

2. Guest Poster Charmian Christie--she's fun, funny and has a following of her own at Christie's Corner, so she brought readers. Note to self: have more guest posters.

3. Second Act: Barb, Triathlete. I think this resonated with other women AND it was picked up as a link on Second Act's own page. Again, broadening the audience, linking to other spots and having others link back is always a good idea.

4. Calendar Watch. This post marked the one-year anniversary of my brother's death. For better or for worse, the blogathon, if held in May, will always mark the anniversary of his death. I think it is for better, as I can share the good memories and remind myself to bake some bread or make some homemade pizza, as I did this year. I think, again, this post just touched a lot of readers.

5. Five New Things--this is about great things I found to eat or to use in the kitchen. Again--a list, useful info, and a little bit of fun.

What were your top-read posts? Why do you think they were popular?

Editing to add that Jackie Dishner, a.k.a. The Bike Lady took today to look at blog stats, too...great minds and all that...