February 27, 2012

MENU FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 27, 2012

Have you ever noticed how perverse eggs are? Try and make a perfect fried egg over easy and the damn yolk breaks.  But crack a couple of eggs into a bowl with milk in as for a custard and those suckers will avoid the whisk and float around whole until I stab them with a fork – out of sheer frustration.

You will be noticing a lot of foods from our freezers in the next few weeks. They are both overloaded and need to be emptied out a bit.  I really do think things breed in there – I don’t know how else they could have gotten to be so full… After all, we are only two people, and of course, the cat.

It is snowing here today. Right on the edge between snow and freezing rain. Treacherous. Although I suppose we can’t complain.  After the big snow in October, it has been relatively mild this winter.

We’ve had any number of days recently in the 50s. I can take a lot of that. I categorize “snow” as a four letter word.  Very pretty on picture post cards from someplace else. I don’t like the cold and never did, so this aversion is not the byproduct of creeping old age. Even as a kid I loathed the otherwise popular winter sports. Don’t see the logic of paying a great deal on money to freeze one’s butt off.

Mon. AM             Steak and Eggs

Mon.  MP             Potato, Sausage and Kale Gratin

                             Tossed Salad
                             Rosemount Shiraz

Tues. PM              Roast Chicken revisited
                             Rosemount Chardonnay

Weds .AM            Pancakes with Chicken Gravy

 Weds .PM            Pork Chops in Dried Cherry Sauce BA 3/98

                             Potatoes Savoyard JCI
                                     Peter Lehman Shiraz 

Thurs AM            Turkey Soup Revisited

Thurs . PM           Turkey Pot Pie with Wild Mushrooms and Potatoes FW11 98 184

                             Tossed Salad
                             Rosemount Chardonnay

Fri. AM                Potato Sausage Gratin Revisited

Fri. PM                 Pork Chops Revisited
                             Rosemount Shiraz

Sat. AM               Scotch Broth f/I

Sat. PM                Shrimp Pancakes FWS

                             Fredda’s Pot Roast f/i

                             Mashed Potatoes

                             Sautéed Carrots
                               Peter Lehman Shiraz 

Sun.  AM            Gumbo over rice

Sun. PM               Chinese Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

                             Jacques Pepin’s Navarin of Lamb ECWJP 117

                             Tossed Salad

                             French Bread
                              Rosemount Cabernet

February 20, 2012

MENU FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20, 2012

Last week was our anniversary – which is why there was no entry for Thursday . We celebrated by going to Xavier’s in Piermont.  We had a shaky start with the car service from hell – Prestige in Haverstraw.  He couldn’t find the house, he  couldn’t find the highway, he didn’t know how to operate a GPS , had and no idea of even where the village was.  We ended up in Jersey and called the restaurant whose Maître de patiently guided us back to God’s country.  And oh yes, he drove off the road twice. I don’t think I’ve ever been so grateful to get out of a moving vehicle in my life.

That being said, the rest of the evening was extraordinarily up hill.  We did the 10 course tasting menu which was unbelievable.  Ten very different plates where the flavor and the quality of the product were the stars.  Clear crisp dishes and sauces.  Something as seemingly mundane as a cauliflower bisque just soared.  And the oysters poached in sake…Warner had to prevent me from licking the shells.  I have never tasted anything like it.  Asian style dumplings stuffed with  duck, wild sea bass,  a fois gras platter, White Striped Bass, Nantucket Sea Scallops and on and on. Each accompanied by a superb, appropriate wine. When I die, I want my ashes to be strewn over Peter Kelly’s kitchen s….

In the meantime, it is back to reality and back to the gym. And for lunch egg salad sandwiches.

Very good ones from David Lebowitz, but egg salad sandwiches just the same.

Mon. AM   Gumbo over rice

Mon. PM    Halibut with Red Pepper Green Olive Relish BA 2/03

                   Steamed Orzo, Sautéed Turnips
                   Rosemount Chardonnay 

Tues. AM   David Lebowitz’ Open Faced Egg Salad Sandwiches on Multi Grain Bread

 Tues. PM    Key  West Pork Chops Revisited
                    Wolf Blass Cabernet

Weds. AM  Tuscan Minestrone TGC Soup 117

Weds. PM   Jacques Pepin’s Chicken Bouillabaisse with Fennel,  

                   Lemon, Herbs de Provence White Wine, Yukon Gold 

                   Kielbasa, Saffron and Peas

                   Salad, Peasant Bread
                   Wolf Blass Shiraz

Thurs.         Salmon with Mustard Sauce LCDL

                   Lemon Pasta

                   Sauteed Radishes
                   Rosemount Chardonnay 

Fri. AM      Tuscan Minestrone Revisited
                   [Didn't get pictures, but this is what it looks like outside]

Fri. PM       Bouillabaisse revisited
                     Wolf Blass Shiraz

Sat. AM      Pasta with White Clam Sauce CCI

Sat. PM      Beet Tartar JG

                   Fillet of Beef au Poivre B IP

                   Sautéed Potatoes IHC

                   Pear Salad
                   Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz

Sun. AM     Minestrone 

Sun.  PM    Headcheese Vinaigrette CWPFCC

                   Roast Chicken
                   Red Pepper stuffing
                   Rice
                   Asparagus
                    Rosemount Chardonnay