Super Market Wars Continue

In what I would believe are retaliatory renovations, both the Hannaford and Price Chopper in Latham are under construction. The Price Chopper is annexing some adjacent space and growing. It's already pretty big and I'm curious to see what they do with the space. A large portion of their parking lot is blocked off for a staging area. Other than some changes to the entrance and the removal of the little flower shop in the corner, the inside of the store is business as usual.

Across the street at Hannaford, they have completely rearranged the aisles. For awhile, I was in this Hannaford fairly regularly and knew my way around. Not so much anymore. The cashier told me they are arranging the aisles the same way tho Wolf Road Hannaford was reorganized. No more healthy foods section - everything is going to be mixed together. So that granola that used to be in the healthy section, that's in with the cereals now. Or the organic frozen broccoli, that's with all the frozen vegetables now. Personally, this is a huge pain in the ass. I used to know where the things I bought were and now I end up walking up and down aisles looking for them. It's the difference between shopping with or without a list. The way the store is set up now, I need a list or something will definitely be forgotten. Ironically, I stopped by the Latham store instead of the on on Wolf Road so I could just grab a few things and go. Instead, I spent at least an extra 20 minutes looking for stuff and got frustrated and picked up some soda at a different store because I was sick of walking in circles. I noticed a few other people in the same boat - roaming around looking at the aisle signs and sighing. I shrugged my shoulders sympathetically at a fellow lost shopper and she said, "They mooooved everything!"

One bright side to the Hannaford remodel, I was told they are not going to re-arrange the checkout like they did on Wolf Road. On Wolf Road you wheel your cart up to a greeter that directs you to a checkout line. Apparently I'm not the only one that really doesn't like that. I'll come back and wander around the Latham Hannaford once they are done, but I think I'm going to give them a little time to sort it all out before my next visit.

Corned Beef

The corned sirloin tip roast came out pretty well. I wold use a dry cure for corned beef again. The beef let off a good amount of liquid. No leaks. For some reason I couldn't get the bag to seal. Rather than try another bag, I just tied it off with a twist-tie. After 9 days (I went a little over the recommended week since this is thicker than a brisket) of daily flipping, here's what I had.

I put the roast in a crock pot filled with water set on low for 6 hours. After the 6 hours is automatically switches to the "keep warm" mode. With the exception of the programmable timer, my slow cooker sucks. the "keep warm" temperature is too low (around 150 def F) and the low setting is too high (around 215 deg F). While the corned beef was in its water bath, I stopped at Nino's - just off Central near the Shop Rite - and picked up a sliced rye. Seemed to have less seeds than normal, but I think it is the best around.

Looks like a corned beef...

The texture was a little different than a brisket but it was still pretty tasty. With the exception of a small gray spot in the middle (not sure how well you can see it below), the cure went through the whole roast during the 9 days and this method is easier than brining.

I like the flavor but it was missing something. Sadly, I think it was the clove that I intentionally skipped because I hate cloves. Want to ruin a ham? Spike it with cloves. I think next time around I might add a clove. Also, this roast probably didn't need the long simmer. Maybe in the smoker next time. I guess that would turn it into pastrami. That's not a bad thing.

L'Artiste

A week or two ago we got a letter from the school letting us know that one of Casey's art projects was going to be put on display at the Legislative offices downtown. Several works of art from around the are had been chosen to be put on display and several politicians were going to be on hand for a meeting on art in schools this week. We couldn't make the meeting, but on the eve of her 7th birthday, we set off to see the display.

I'm not sure which section/building we walked into first, but one thing is certain: the capitol building on is huge. So much bigger than I thought it was from driving by. The friendly guard that searched us like we were getting on a plane (except we got to keep our shoes on and he mostly gave the kids a pass) gave us directions to "The Well" part of the Legislative wing. "The Well" is a pretty impressive space. It would have been more impressive if the fountain was running. Check out the stairs, all stone, all beautifully constructed and symmetric.

 

 

Off to the side, we found the art display.

 

I thought it might take a little effort to find Casey's artwork, but the kids found it in about 20 seconds. It's the bluish one (I'm clearly a connoisseur of the arts) on top.

It's from a project called "Organic Shapes." I like it.

 Got a picture of the artist with her sister Allison.

I'm not the biggest art guy but there was a lot of really impressive stuff on display here. I mean stuff I would consider buying. The kids don't bring home any art during the year. Instead, at the end of the year they bring home a portfolio. Every year there are lots of things worth saving and a few worth framing. I'm not sure what they are going to talk about at their meeting, but I hope it isn't program cuts.

To Tweet or not to Tweet

I have successfully avoided Facebook. The only time I was tempted was when I was invited to friend a chef whose blog I had been following. I hemmed and hawed and waited and eventually completely forgot about my invitation. About a month later, Facebook sent me an email reminding me of the invitation. When I got that, I feared I had completely blown off a chef that had been nothing but friendly to me - a complete stranger that stumbled onto his blog and got his email address. So I sent him an email that basically said, "I decided I wasn't ready to join the Facebook crowd and then quite rudely never mentioned it to you.  I'm sure you spent many sleepless nights wondering if 'Jon in Albany' was going to join you Facebook, and for that I am sorry." He took not being friended by a complete stranger very well and continued replying to my occasional charcuterie question. I've never looked back at ignoring Facebook. Still quite glad I have nothing to do with it. I can waste hours in front of a computer screen without...well, without whatever people do on Facebook.

To date, I have also been resistant to The Twitter. However, with Twitter I am starting to feel like I might be missing something. Pretty sure I would mostly be a follower. A handful of comedians, maybe a few chefs, some local people too. The decision would be easier if I could figure out how to follow a conversation. There's got to be a idiot's guide to using Twitter out there somewhere. I could just wait a few more years and then the kids will teach me how to use it. So far, I am still better at computer stuff then they are. Those days are numbered though. I don't know, Twitter. I'm a definite maybe.

Spice of Life

My favorite area health food store is Dean's Natural Foods in Westgate Plaza. Yes, Honest Weight has pretty much all of the same stuff and I've never really done a price comparison between the two stores. And I like Honest Weight too. I just don't see Honest Weight as a health food store. I still go to Honest Weight every so often but I just like Dean's.

Everyone there is very friendly. There is one woman that works there, I should find out her name, that greets you with a warm hello. When you say, "Hi, how are you?" back to her, the response is, "Reasonable." Wouldn't it be nice if we were all reasonable?

Dean's is where I get most of my spices. They might have a little less space dedicated to seasonings than Honest Weight, but I like the set up at Dean's better. It's more relaxed,  they have little bags with stickers already on them to label the spices, and I think the spice prices are quite fair. Need a tablespoon of allspice, buy just a tablespoon of allspice. It will be cheaper and better than anything you buy in a supermarket. Plus you won't have a spice you use once and throw the rest away in 6 or 7 years. I stopped in earlier today to pick up some spices. 

I picked up some oregano and granulated garlic just to have more of both in the house. The granulated garlic is great. I also picked up some bay leaves, yellow mustard seeds, allspice, and coriander (I already put the granualted garlic in a jar - it is potent stuff). Quick spice buying tip - put the date on the label so you know how old the spices are.

I mixed up some salt, cure#1, and brown sugar in the bowl on the left. Most of the spices I bought today are in the bowl on the right. I rubbed one of the last roasts I have in the freezer with the spices. Not exactly the traditional corned beef, but I think it will work.

It will get tucked away in the fridge for at least a week before it gets cooked. This is the first time I dry rubbed a corned beef. The few other times I've used a brine.

I loosely followed the Serious Eats recipe. Here's the Serious Eats write-up and recipe. We'll see how it goes. At the very least, I hope it comes out reasonable.

First Post-Pizzamaking.com Pizzas

I recently joined the Pizzamaking.com forum. The depth of information available there is astounding. I took some of the flour out of my 50 pound bag (a slight exaggeration - I broken the 50 pound bag down into lots of 4 to 5 pound vacuum sealed bags and one big jar) and made some dough on Monday night and put it in the fridge. The recipe was developed by a guy whose screen name is Glutenboy. How bad could the dough be? Tonight I put the homemade pizza steel in the oven and fired it up.

I don't know if it is the mixing technique (all the yeast and water and half the flour get mixed first) or the high protein flour or some combination of both, but this is the first time I felt like I was able to work with the dough and shape a pizza. I can't tell you how many video's I've watched only to tear the dough. No problems tonight. I even tried to flip the dough between my hands and kind of got the hang of that. I wouldn't have ever tried to do that before because the result would have been more like a donut once my hand went straight through. I used Scalifini crushed tomatoes for the sauce and Trader Joe's mozzarella for the cheese. Once again, the olive pizza is for the kids. I'll eat it, but doubt I would ever pick just a black olive pizza.

I've still got to work on how I use the oven. For the most part, these were baked for 3 minutes at 550 and then broiled for 1 minute. I'm probably more excited than I should be. Hopefully hanging around that website continues to assist in making improved pizza. Progress...

Summer in February

Winters can seem to drag on and seem endless. To get through it, we have an annual Summer in February picnic. It's a summer family barbecue in the middle of winter. Groundhog's Day has nothing on this. You ever have a Thanksgiving style food induced coma on Groundhog's Day? Didn't think so.

The tradition started a few years ago when we gathered at a camp on the Sacandaga for a pot-luck picnic and a bunch of outdoor winter fun. The food kept getting better and the event quickly picked up an alias, Pierogie and Rib Day.

Other than a little of the coordination, my contributions to the meal are the ribs and sausage. I've got a burn barrel for making charcoal. At some point in this barrels history, it was a 55 gallon drum of tomato paste. With a few modifications, this thing has been generating charcoal for barbecue for over 10 years. You cut a small door towards the bottom. This is where you shovel out the coals and control how much air the fire gets. You drill holes so you can make a grate of rebar above the door. My grate is by the lower barrel rib. The grate supports the burning logs and allows coal sized pieces to fall to the bottom. Once you're done cutting and drilling, you basically have a giant charcoal chimney.

Start a fire an you are off to the races. With the door at the bottom open, you can turn this into a jet engine. With is closed, you have a more controlled, slow burn. Although this year, I got smart and used a bunch of coals from the wood stove to heat the pit. Usually, I have to make two fires.

The pit is just a stack of old concrete blocks. In the summer, I just put the colas on the ground. You can't do that in the winter. The coals thaw the frozen ground then water comes out of the once frozen ground and puts out your fire. Ask me how I know. The work around is some bricks and an old cast iron grate just above the ground.

 I cooked two rack of ribs and a few pounds of sausage in there. Instead of the usual rub, I went with one recommended by Mr. Dave. Here's a link to the recipe. As to be expected from a Mr. Dave recommendation, the rub is great. My wife's uncle took the extra rub I had home with him.

Off to one side of the pit was a slope my father-in-law set up for the kids. They had fun with it. Here's my nephew on a sledding run.

Once the food started, it never seemed to stop. There was a big taco dip with chips. On paper, I shouldn't like taco dip, but I love it.

I threw together a Buffalo cheese dip. Not bad. It's one of those things that isn't fantastic but for some reason you can't stop eating it.

 Aunt Carol fried up a ton of pierogi. There are only 9 in the pan...she fried up a lot more than 9.

My mother-in-law makes some seriously good deviled eggs. Her potato salad is great too.

Now that's a lot of pierogi. The ribs came out tender and the combination of smoke with the rub wa delicious.

Here's Round 1 for me.

Hope you left room for dessert. In addition to ice cream, there were lots of cookies - some gluten free thin mints that really tasted a lot like the real thing, chocolate cherry cookies and kissing hands. Plus an apple square and a chocolate rum cake.

After the kids went to bed, there was a loud, highly contested six-handed pinochle game that went until 1 AM. Just like in the summer.