Thanksgiving Emergency Strategies
Help, help, I have extra guests coming! My gravy doesn’t look right! What to do? These are some holiday entertaining questions that I have been asked over the years. Whether this is the first time you’ve hosted Thanksgiving dinner or your 20th time there are always things that seem to come up that feel like emergencies. From lumpy gravy to unexpected guests the pressure can just be too great at times. Not to worry, these are some good strategies that have helped me cope and make everything run smoothly.
Dear Victoria: “My turkey is still a bit frozen and my dinner is in a few hours. What should I do?”
Put that bird into a large pot and run tepid water over it for at least an hour. You can butterfly the turkey so that it cooks faster which should take about an hour and a half at 400 degrees. You can then roast it or grill it. In the future you may want to consider purchasing a fresh turkey and not a frozen one.
Dear Victoria:” I called everyone to the table and started carving the turkey to find that parts of it are still raw or undercooked. How embarrassing! What should I do?”
This situation has happened to most of us at one time or another. Don’t skip a beat and just carry on carving off any parts that are cooked, serve those and put the remaining pieces back in the pan, cover with foil, and cook until done. Most likely the breast meat will be done. Your guests can get a bit of turkey along with your delicious sides while waiting for the rest of the turkey to come out of the oven. In the future you may want to consider carving the turkey first and then cooking it.
Dear Victoria: “I always seem to overcook the turkey. I just don’t know how I keep doing this. Please help!”
For the immediate remedy I suggest you have LOTS of gravy on the table to pour over those dried out pieces of turkey. In the future make sure to invest in a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into your cooked turkey through the thickest part of the breast until it hits the breastbone. Remove the turkey from the oven when it reads 160 degrees. Let your turkey rest for about 30 minutes before carving.
Dear Victoria: “I have a small kitchen and don’t have much room in my oven to cook everything. How am I going to get everything done?”
Tiny New York Kitchen knows this situation all too well! First of all there are plenty of things that you can get cooked in advance. Check your menu and see what you can prepare before needing to place your turkey in the oven. If you have an outdoor grill, then by all means grill your bird. Hey, you can play it off as the “hip thing to do.” Let your side dishes cook in the oven while your turkey is grilling out there in the fresh November air!
Dear Victoria: “I made stuffing and it is pretty soggy. How can I make it un-soggy?”
This is a super easy one. Scoop it out of the turkey and/or the baking dish and spread it out on a baking sheet. Place it in the oven and bake it at 350 degrees until it is how you want it. Scoop it back into the serving dish and serve. No one will be the wiser.
Dear Victoria: “Before I call my guests to the table the food starts to get cold. How can I avoid this?”
Cover serving dishes with lids or foil to keep them warm. If a dish actually gets really cold, that is supposed to be hot, then just put it back in the oven for a little bit. Don’t be too concerned, however, as most Thanksgiving dishes are perfectly fine at room temperature.
Dear Victoria: “My side dishes aren’t browned on top? They just don’t look that appetizing. What should I do?”
If a dish is fully cooked, but doesn’t have that delicious looking brown surface (Potatoes, Vegetables, Stuffing, etc.) then simply put them under a hot broiler at least 4 inches away from the heating element. You may want to turn them as needed until browned on top. MAKE SURE that you watch them carefully. You really don’t want them to go from pasty to burned up! Always put the food too far from the broiler rather than too close. If you follow these instructions then you will get a nice browned crust on top of your dishes.
Dear Victoria: “My gravy looks way too lumpy. I can’t serve lumpy gravy! How do I fix it?”
Not to worry. You will just need to put some hard work into it with a good whisk. Whisk those lumps out. It may take a bit of time, but it can be done. If you have really stubborn lumps add just a bit of hot liquid to coax them out while you whisk. If you STILL can’t get them out take a medium weave strainer and set it over a bowl. Pour the grave in and stir. Smooth gravy will flow through the strainer and the lumps will stay behind. For the future make sure you whisk the flour or cornstarch constantly while you are adding the broth or turkey juices to keep lumps from forming.
Dear Victoria: “Help, my gravy is just way to thick. It looks like brown jelly. How do I thin it out?”
This one is super easy. Drizzle in a bit of hot broth or hot water while whisking and then heat up your gravy until it’s piping hot.
Dear Victoria: “My gravy is too thin. It looks watery. I’m horrified. Is there a good solution to this hot mess?”
This problem is just a bit trickier. Brown 1 tablespoon for every cup of gravy by stirring it in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until it turns a nice deep golden brown. Have your gravy in a wide pan on the stove over a medium high heat. Whisk the browned flour into your gravy and cook. Make sure to whisk constantly until your gravy thickens. This should do the trick.
Dear Victoria: “The top of my pumpkin pie is all cracked and looks horrible. What happened? How can I serve a cracked pumpkin pie?”
Your pumpkin pie was over baked which is why it is cracked on top. Not a soul needs to know, however, if you dollop on whipped cream and carry it to the table like the prize pie it is! Sometimes cooking is like acting. If you flub a line you just carry on like that is how it is supposed to be.
Dear Victoria: “My sister called and asked if she could bring extra guests. My goodness, what am I going to do? Dinner is in an hour!”
I’ve certainly encountered this situation plenty throughout my dinner party throwing life. I’ve always kept an open door policy because I figure that not everyone has a place to go on the holidays, which can be very sad and lonely. The good news is that most of us make way too much food for Thanksgiving. Having unexpected guests can impact a meal however. First of all, forget any leftovers that you were counting on. Make more mashed potatoes, rice or pasta. These items take 30 minutes or less to make. Slice the turkey thin. Make a quick soup by combining chicken broth, pureed cooked vegetable(s), fresh herbs, salt and pepper. As soon as you get the call immediately put bowls of nuts and snacks out before dinner.
Dear Victoria: “I have quite a large group coming for dinner and I don’t have enough room at the table. What do I do?”
You can set up dinner buffet style or you can set up multiple tables as auxiliary eating areas. Living room coffee tables and game and/or card tables work. You can let everyone sit where they want or you can seat people by age or alphabetically or however you decide to seat people. Thanksgiving is about spending time with friends and family. People will have fun no matter where they are sitting. Relax and enjoy yourself.
Thanksgiving Menu Guide
In the spirit of getting organized here is a Thanksgiving Menu guide that can help you plan according. Print this list out and add your own notes. Remember that the key to a successful Thanksgiving dinner is organization.
Soups & Starters
Italian Wedding Soup (Tiny Meatballs, Tortellini & Escarole)
Creamy Mushroom Soup (Rich Mushroom Broth With Sliced Mushrooms)
Sweet Potato Kale Soup (Sweet Potatoes, Corn & Peppers Simmered in Broth, Topped With Kale)
Butternut Squash Soup (Sweet Butternut Squash Simmered in a Light Vegetable Broth With Ginger & Mace)
Chicken Stock (Chicken Bones & Fresh Vegetables Simmered For Hours)
Wild Mushroom Strudel (Portabello, Shitake & Button Mushrooms Cooked With Garlic & Herbs Finished With a Mix of Goat, Mozzarella, Gruyere & Cream Cheese Wrapped In a Crispy Puff Pastry Shell
Bacon Wrapped Scallops (Sea Scallops Wrapped in Smoked Bacon)
Sides
Garlicky Greens (Steamed Kale & Chard Seasoned with Roasted Garlic)
Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Roasted Brings Out Their Natural Sweetness)
Green Beans With Almonds (Fresh Green Beans With Sliced Crisp Almonds With a Touch of Tarragon)
Creamed Spinach With Roasted Garlic (Spinach Seasoned With Nutmeg & Tossed With Cream & Garlic)
Roasted Corn Pudding (A Savory American Classic)
Roasted Butternut Squash With Dried Cranberries (Squash, Roasted With Onions & Herbs)
Cornbread Stuffing With Sausage & Spinach (Sausage In Rustic Stuffing)
Traditional New England Stuffing (Moist Bread Stuffing With Herbs & Spices)
Classic Mashed Potatoes (Velvety Smooth Made With Cream & Butter)
Maple Bourbon Sweet Potatoes (Mashed Sweet Potatoes Sweetened With a Bourbon Maple Syrup
Home-style Green Beans (Fresh Green Beans With Cherry Tomatoes)
Apple Fennel Slaw (Granny Smith Apples, Horseradish & Fennel)
Green Salad (Mixed Green Salad With Cider Dressing)
Sweet & Sour Cabbage (Red Cabbage Braised in Duck Fat)
Peas With Pearl Onions (3 Types of Peas With Pearl Onions)
Autumn Vegetable Ragout With Soft Polenta (Vegetables & Polenta)
Roasted Beets With Orange Vinaigrette (Warm Roasted Beets With Orange Dressing)
Celery Root Salad
Warm Spinach Salad With Goat Cheese & Apples
Sweet Potato & Banana Puree
Apple Bacon Cornbread Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes And Parsnips With Crisp Root Vegetable Strips
Roasted Cauliflower And Shallots With Chard & Dukkah
Brussels Sprouts and Wheat Berry Slaw With Smoked Paprika Dressing
Rich Turkey Gravy (Smooth With Deep Roasted Flavor)
Vegan Wild Mushroom Gravy (Deep, Robust Flavor From Wild Mushrooms and a Splash of White Wine)
Organic Cranberry Orange Relish (Organic Whole Berry Relish With Orange & a Touch of Cinnamon)
Brandied Cranberry Sauce With Pecans (Whole Cranberries Cooked With Pecans, Brandy & Sugar)
Main Attraction
Organic Whole Turkey (Brined or Un-brined)
Roast Turkey With Sage Butter
Cherry Glazed Turkey
Turkey Breast
Orange Pecan Cornish Hens
Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan
Breads
Family Style Cornbread
Parker House Rolls
Boston Brown Bread
Parmesan Garlic Biscuits
Popovers
Desserts
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Blueberry Pie
Cherry Pie
Pecan Pie
Apple Crumb Pie
Carrot Cake
Pumpkin Cake
Maple Bread Pudding
Cranberry Pear Crisp
Black Mission Fig Tart
Assorted Cookies
Make Ahead Items
Many Thanksgiving dishes or parts of dishes can be made in advance which is a big help. After writing out your menu and shopping lists look to see what can be done ahead of time.
Most soups can be made 1 or 2 days before serving.
Most appetizers (or parts of them) can be made 1 day before serving.
Roux for gravy can be made several hours before using. Just mix butter and flour together, reheat and add stock and pan drippings when time to make gravy.
Vegetables can be chopped 1 or 2 days before using.
Grate cheese or spices 1 to 2 days before using.
Wash, dry, and wrap lettuce in paper towels, and store in a ziplock bag. Place in the refrigerator until ready to toss 1 day before serving.
Most salad dressings can be made 1 to 2 days before serving.
Have turkey as prepped as possible (salted, spiced and rubbed with butter, in its pan) and ready to go in the oven.
Stuffing items such as onions, celery, mushrooms, etc can be cooked 1 day before combining with bread and stuffed into the turkey.
Bread for stuffing can be cut up the day ahead and stored in a paper bag. Dried out bread is the best for stuffing.
Desserts or parts of desserts can often be made 1 to 2 days ahead such as sauces, crusts, pie filings or toppings.
10 Steps For Staying Happy Through The Holiday Season
Thanksgiving is almost here which marks the beginning of the holiday season. With so many holiday pressures often times we forget what truly is important. We are busy shopping, cooking and wondering how to deal with some unsettled family business. Over the weekend I came down with a nasty flu, which is in full swing as I write this. To be sick is no fun to say the least, but I do take it as a sign to slow down and reflect. Here are some ideas for staying happy through the holiday season. I hope that you take time to enjoy the holidays.
Do Something Random For The Fun Of It
What have you always wanted to do, but came up with an excuse not to? What made you happy as a kid? Think about things you did, during the holidays, which were fun during the holidays and relieve them as a grown-up. If you have children then introduce your fond activities to your kids. Go ice-skating, go to a hokey play, watch your favorite movie or read a favorite children’s book.
Give Back
Doing something for others is a powerful thing. Volunteer your time or donate money to a favorite cause or something that speaks to your heart is important. It’s a good thing to do and trust me it will make you feel good.
Take Care Of Yourself
It’s important to do things for yourself. Schedule a mani-pedi or a massage. Take a nap, take a day off and read in bed. Do whatever it is that you need to do to recharge.
Commune With Nature
So often we forget to go outside and do something for nature. Pick up garbage, feed the birds, start a compost pile, rake up leaves or whatever needs doing. You will be doing something good for nature and by being outside you will feel better.
Get Active
It may be chilly outside, but go out for a walk or run anyway. We need the vitamin D and to get our blood pumping. Ride your bike, go skiing or sledding. If you can’t get outdoors then go to your local gym and take an exercise class. It’s important to get those endorphins going.
Try Cooking A New Recipe
Choose a recipe that peaks your interest and try making it. If it’s a big success then perhaps you can duplicate it for a holiday dinner. Even if you don’t make it for a holiday dinner you have it in your back pocket of recipes. If it doesn’t turn out then oh well at least you tried it.
Favorite Childhood Food
Everyone has a favorite childhood food. Growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska my mother used to make something called Runzas. Whenever I need a “childhood comfort shot” I will make Runzas (thank goodness my mother left me the recipe). My husband grew up Italian in Castro Valley. During the holidays his aunt would bring an Italian rum cake to the family gatherings. My husband has been searching for this cake for over 40 years, but can’t seem to find it. I’ve tried several times to duplicate it from his description. The point here is, think about what your favorite foods were as a child. Try and duplicate them and share them with the people that you love. Trust me…food and memory are powerful things.
Honor Your Ancestors
Holidays can be emotional. We all have both happy and sad memories of people who have passed away. One way to honor those who have passed away is to make their favorite foods. Another is to watch an ancestor’s favorite movie. My father-in-law’s favorite movies was, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” After he passed away we would take the whole family and go to see, “It’s A Wonderful Life” at the local movie theater. Not one of us walked out of the theater with dry eyes. It was powerful, healing and an important holiday ritual. Take some quiet time to reflect and to be grateful for those people who are gone and were important in your life.
Forgive Friends & Family
Oftentimes living friends and family can be an emotional challenge. Forgive them. Lift the weight off of yourself and simply forgive them. This doesn’t mean that you should get right back into dysfunction (set boundaries and limitations). Deal with conflicts from your highest level of goodness and love.
Make Amends & Forgive Yourself
We have all wronged people that we love. Examine your past emotions and motivations in situations that are nagging your heart. Make amends; tell that person you are sorry. There is no need to go into “yeah but.” Simply “I am sorry I did fill in the blank.” Forgive yourself as well. Most of us are hard on ourselves, which creates stress whether we know it, or not. We all make mistakes. Forgive yourself. At the end of the day, at the end of the holidays the happy memories will not come from presents or material things as much as from genuinely connecting and appreciating your family, friends and yourself.
Roasted Leg of Lamb Roman Style
This is such an easy Sunday meal. For this traditional Roman dinner, purchase 1/4 of a nice fat “abbacchio”. In Rome “abbacchio” is a very young lamb, which has been fed only with milk. I usually purchase my “abbacchio” from a nice butcher in the Arthur Avenue area of the Bronx. If you don’t want to buy 1/4 of a young lamb then just get a decent sized leg of lamb that will accommodate the size of your family (make sure it’s not been previously frozen). Insert cloves of garlic, both lean and fatty ham, chopped stalks of rosemary, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and brush all over with olive oil. Salt again and roast in a medium hot oven (350 degrees) for 1 hour together with lots of raw potatoes either whole (small potatoes) or cut into pieces (larger potatoes). After about half an hour, add 1 glass of dry white wine and turn the lamb over and cook the other side for another half an hour. When the lamb is done roasting, cut into pieces and serve with the potatoes, steamed asparagus and a nice chicory salad.
Note: By the way, if you’ve never been to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx then you’re really missing quite an experience. Forget Little Italy downtown because Arthur Avenue is the real deal although tourists have discovered it as well. A great time to go is during the Christmas season. Often times they have Frank Sinatra piped Christmas songs blaring from loud speakers posted high up on the lampposts. My Arthur Avenue butcher is a total crackup. He’s in a great mood during the Christmas season because according to him it’s the one time of the year that his wife is “nice” to him if you know what I mean and he’s not shy to chirp about it either. My husband is Italian and looks it so much that they say the map of southern Italy is stamped on his face. One time I needed to pick up a few things on a Saturday during the holidays and it was so busy that there was no parking to be found. My husband found a spot, but the meter was broken. There was a “group” of Italian men donned in the “I can’t fit in my clothes” velour track suits (adorned with gold chains carrying either St. Christopher or the Virgin Mary herself) hanging around by the broken metered parking spot. My husband was inspecting the broken meter worrying about a parking ticket when the guys pipe up, “Heeeey don’t worry bout it. We’ll watch to make sure you don’t get a ticket. We’ll take care of it.” Sure enough we get back to the car after about an hour and no ticket even though we could see the NYC parking police patrolling the streets. My husband said a sincere, “thank you” to which he received a sincere “don’t mention it” and we were on our way.
Cheeses of Italy
While in Rome last week I had a cheese course after dinner nearly every night. Like in France (where I had the cheese course after dinner the week before) the waiter brought out beautiful trays of cheeses. Some of the cheeses were mild and some were rather stinky, but all were delicious. Here is a bit about some of the various cheeses of Italy.
Asiago: Named for the plateau at the foot of the Dolomites to the north of Vicenza in the Vento region, is a pale cow’s milk cheese with a slightly sweet taste; aged and hardened it can be grated. It is made in several versions, from a hard, half-fat cheese to a soft, full-fat version.
Britto: From the Sondrio province of Lombardia (the Valtellina) is made of cow’s milk and ten percent goat’s milk.
Caciocavallo: Comes from Southern Italy, where it is stretched and shaped by hand, like mozzarella and provolone. Made with cow’s milk, caciocavallo when it is young has a firm, smooth texture and a mildly salty flavor that grows more pungent as it is aged. It is often made into a gourd shape, and smoked versions are available.
Fior di Latte: Is a soft, fresh cheese from cow’s milk, which literally means, “flower of milk.”
Fontina: Is an unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese, the most authentic and delicious examples of which come from the slopes of the Valle d’Aosta. With its delicate, buttery, nutty flavor, fontina is a favorite for cooking, as it melts beautifully.
Gorgonzola: Is Italy’s most famous blue cheese. It was born in Lombardia, but almost all of it today is produced in Piemonte. Made of cow’s milk, most Gorgonzolas are aged from three to six months. The mildest, sweetest versions (aged for the minimum) are called Gorgonzola dolce; the most pungent, Gorgonzola picante.
Grana: Is a general term for a hard, grainy-textured cheese often used for grating. The original recipes here often called simply for grana, the expectation being that one would use the grana of that recipe’s region. Since these local grana cheeses are not widely available outside Italy.
Montasio: Is a firm cow’s milk cheese similar to Asiago, available aged or fresh. It comes from Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Mozzarella: Is one of the most famous and widely available cheeses in Italy, though southern versions are considered the best. Mozzarella di bufala is made from buffalo milk rather than cow’s milk, as is most common today. Buffalo milk is creamier than cow’s and imparts a more velvety texture and tangier fragrance.
Parmigiano-Reggiano: Is a hard cheese made from partly skimmed cow’s milk by a centuries-old method in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna in Emilia-Romagna and Mantova in Lombardia.
Pecorino: Refers to any Italian sheep’s milk cheese (pecora is Italian for “sheep”); of the dozens of varieties of pecorino cheeses, the most famous version is pecorino Romano, which has a sharp and pungent flavor that makes it mainly appropriate for cooking or for grating like Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pecorino dolce is a young and fresh pecorino with a notable sweetness and softer texture.
Provolone: Is a sharp and tangy, firm-textured cow’s milk cheese that originated in the Basilicata region of southern Italy; like gorgonzola, it has lighter-flavored versions referred to as dolce, and stronger-flavored, aged versions referred to as picante. Both versions can also be smoked and are good for cooking.
Ricotta: In Italian means, “Re-cooked,” and refers to a soft, milk creamy-white cheese traditionally made from the whey remaining after making pecorino. Today, most ricotta is made from cow’s milk. It has a very mild, lightly tart flavor and slightly grainy texture. It is also often used in desserts and baking. Ricotta salata refers to ricotta to which salt has been added as a preservative, making it less moist and a preservative, making it less moist and more pungent in flavor than fresh ricotta. Robiola is a goat’s milk cheese that often contains cow’s and sheep’s milk. It has a creamy texture and is not aged beyond three weeks.
Scamorza: From Abruzzo and Molise, is a pasta filate (“pulled or spun dough”) cheese that is shaped by hand, like provolone or mozzarella. A cow’s milk cheese with a mild, creamy flavor similar to mozzarella, it is sometimes smoked.
Taleggio: Is made in the Taleggio Valley north of Bergamo as well as in other centers in Lombardia and in Treviso in the Veneto. Made in square forms, it is a semisoft cow’s milk cheese with a delicate creamy taste but a pungent aroma.
Toma: Toma is also known as tuma and can mean different kinds of cheeses. The first is a smooth, firm, cow’s milk cheese from Lombardia and Piemonte, traditionally aged between three and eighteen months. In Sicilia, toma refers to fresh ewe’s milk curds molded in a basket. In the north, tuma refers to an unsalted goat’s milk cheese.
Culinary Adventures Part II
We finally get to Paris and have to pick up our luggage. If you know me at all I do NOT travel light. Just one of my many shortcomings. Mr. G. is never really too happy about having to pick up my heavy bags all of the time, but as I’ve said before he’s a really good boy. We make our way through Charles de Gaulle airport trying to fight the hoards through to immigration and to the baggage pick-up. It’s hotter than hades and we are both sweating like pigs. Beads of sweat are trickling down my back and into my poor Jimmy Choo boots (that have seen better days anyway).
It’s taking way too long to get to immigration and to baggage, my feet hurt, and I’m tired as heck. We finally get to immigration and we go through with just a snarl and a stamp. Next on to baggage pick-up and we end up having to wait for the bags so grab a free cart. Oh yeah, I remember I’m in the land of free where the government pays for everything. At the moment I’m happy about not having to pull out a credit card and fight a broken cart out of the tethered cart pile. Mr. G. spots our bags and rushes to get them. He picks up all three heavy bags and piles them high on top of the cart – along with our carry-on bags. Two good scores! Bags made it and no immigration problems. Hot dog.
We find the Hertz car rental and thank God it’s on site at the airport. We’re feeling pretty good about things so far, which was our big mistake. Getting to the Hertz car rental desk Mr. G says, “My name is NOT up on the board which is NOT a good sign.” I feel Mr. G’s agitation begin to mount. He parks me at the bolted down hard plastic chairs to watch the bags and walks up to the desk. He says to the clerk, in English, “I have a reservation, but I don’t see my name up on the board.” The clerk takes his time to muddle through paperwork and says, “I don’t see you here.” Mr. G., “But I have a reservation and reserved a Mercedes.” Clerk, “We have no more Mercedes left. We gave away the last one.” Mr. G, “I have a reservation though. See here is my paperwork that shows I have a reservation.” The next thing I hear is Mr. G yelling for me to come over to help deal with this problem like Ozzy Osbourne calling for SHARON! I come over to find out what is going on and to my surprise I access the most embarrassing and foul French that has been lying in language purgatory for over 20 years.
CENSORED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After two hours we drive away in a Mercedes and are off to a little suburban town, called Palaiseau, outside of Paris to get a quick bite and spend the night before heading to Brest the next morning. We get to our hotel in Palaiseau and I can tell right away that it’s one of those strange French hotels. We try to find a place to park and the gravel parking lot is totally full and it’s been raining. There is no way to pull up in front of the hotel to unload our bags even. It’s late and we’re tired from a long journey marred by our wonderful Hertz experience. We finally find a place to squeeze into in the pothole gravel parking lot. We decide to leave the bags in the car and go check in and then grab a bit in the hotel restaurant first. We walk through the parking lot and through strange walkways filled with weird props like an actual Swiss ski gondola and a life-size carved wooden Vespa. Out front they have grass hut type umbrella tables. This hotel seems confused and is pretending to be some sort of ski chalet crossed with a tiki hut.
We try to find the hotel front desk, but there doesn’t seem to be one. I finally walk into the busy restaurant and find the little front desk in there amongst people drinking at the bar. What looks like the head waitress comes up to us and I tell her that we need to check in. She checks us in quickly and I ask if there is a porter to help us with the bags. She says that there is not, but she can help us later. Sigh…. We are shown to our room, which is up three flights of narrow stairs. Mr. G is NOT going to be happy about getting these bags up these stairs. I get that “I told you not to pack so much” look.
The room is just as bizarre as the rest of the hotel. There is a dollhouse size sauna that smells like B.O. and the room looks like a ski lodge room. We quickly close the room door and head down to the restaurant. We are both starving. We’re shown to a table in the front and I keep wondering what that smell is. I ask Mr. G if he smells something and he thinks for a moment. He says, “yes, it smells like someone has boiled disgusting vinegar for hours.” Yup, that’s the smell alright. This place served mostly crepes and quite frankly I just wasn’t in the mood for crepes. Mr. G and I ordered steak, salad and Lyonnais style potatoes. The only thing edible was the potatoes. We “finished” and had “World Class” touted ice creams that were just ok.
After finishing dinner we still needed to get or bags out of the car. Poor Mr. G was super tired so we both make the trek out to the gravel parking lot. We got the bags out of the car and I began to wheel mine on the gravel, which didn’t work too well and started to annoy tired Mr. G. He said, “let me just carry them one by one.” He managed to get one into the hotel and wrestled it up the stairs. By this time the waitress was done with customers and was smoking under one of the tiki huts. She was super nice to get up and help with the rest of the bags. Finally all of the bags were in the room.
Next important thing to do was to make sure the Internet connection worked. I think that you can guess that it didn’t work at all. No surprise there. Oh well. The next thing to do was to take a quick bath because I just felt plain gross. After getting out of the bath I was not going into the stinky toy sauna so just dried myself with the tiny bath towel. Tried to dry my hair and remembered how bad France’s hair dryers are. Threw my pajamas on and fell into bed. Slept ok, woke up and drank some instant coffee that was provided in the room along with an electric kettle. Actually, the coffee wasn’t too bad.
Got the bags back into the car and left the bizarre hotel. Headed toward Chartres, on the way to Brest, looking for a proper cup of coffee and a pain au chocolate.
Culinary Adventures Part I
Got to JFK at about 8:30pm and checked in. My husband forces the BA agent to check our bags all the way to Paris. With some resistance they do it as they realize that they really don’t want to deal with an angry Mr. G. We make our way to the First Class lounge and get served a decent little dinner. We move over to the sofa area where I see a very large man with 2 young Asian women with him. My husband is busy dealing with some tech issue with his phone. I point out the big guy, with the young women trailing behind him, who keeps getting up and grabbing numerous bags of chips. They follow him back and forth to the chip area giggling. My husband looks up and says, “looks like H.W.’s (biggest Hollywood producer) brother.” I point out that H.W. does indeed have a brother…duh. We chuckle and go about hanging out. We pre-board the plane and get situated in our respective pods. First leg of the trip is to London. Oh yeah here comes the big guy and his “friends.” I just realize that it actually IS H.W. I elbow my husband and we both make a mutual ewwww face at one another.
I'm reading the BA magazine and I see this little thing about palm surgery in Japan. Hmmmm….this must be a joke! We are served various snacks and drinks and H.W. is practically eating the First Class cabin out of house and home. Time to go to sleep so a crew member makes up my bed. I get a few hours of sleep and then wake up to being super parched. I get up and toddle to the WC when I see that H.W. has moved to the pod behind me and is sleeping soundly. His t-shirt must have shrunk because it didn’t come close to covering his severely overdue gestation. Oy….what an unwanted sight.
We finally land at Heathrow and have to take a tram to our gate where we sit in another First Class lounge for Air France and various other airlines. I haven’t seen this many full burkas in one place since being in Indonesia last October. I venture out and find the nearest Boots so I can get my illicit allotment of Day and Night Nurse which I think is the BEST cold medicine ever made. Every time I travel to or through London I make a point to load up on these meds and then hoard them like they are fine wine back in New York. If my husband is on a business trip through London I make him get the limit to bring back as well. Sometimes I even force him to purchase eyelash dye for my good friend Leslie who lives in Greenwich. Poor Mr. G. He’s a good boy.
Time to pre-board the Air France flight to Paris. We find our seats and mon dieu there is so much cologne walking down the isle that it’s hard to take. My husband and I look at one another and crack up. Everyone finally takes his or her seat and the guy behind me, who keeps kicking my seat, must have spilled the entire bottle of cologne on him while the guy in front of me hasn’t had a shower for about a week. I don’t know which is worse. Too much cologne or body odor of the ripest kind. This is First Class for goodness sake. What the heck?!
We get our petite snack delivered to our tray tables and I poke at mine. Hmmmm…. Interesting assortment. I steal the plastic wine glasses for later road trip picnics, which I am known for. To be honest I don’t think stealing is quite the right word as I’m sure they just go into the trash.
Tiny New York Kitchen Is Away On A French And Italian Culinary Adventure! I will be checking in from time to time sharing photos and adventures from Brittany, Normandy and Rome.
Tacos Your Way!
There are many ways to make tacos depending on your taste and mood. From fish tacos to pork spare-rib tacos the possibilities are endless. I have to say that I was certainly spoiled with outstanding Mexican food while living on the West Coast for many years. More and more I am finding better Mexican food here in the Northeast, but as you know I like to cook up my own food more often than not. Here are some ways to stuff your tacos (hard or soft) and by all means experiment yourself. The bonus is that making tacos can also be a great way to use up those leftovers staring at you when you open the fridge.
Cod Tacos: Baked or Sautéed Cod, Grated Red Cabbage & Salsa
Smoked Salmon Tacos: Smoked Salmon, Grated Red Cabbage & Salsa
Catfish Tacos: Sautéed Catfish, Romaine Lettuce, Salsa & Sour Cream
Fried Oyster Tacos: Fried Oysters, Romaine Lettuce & Salsa
Marlin Tacos: Sautéed or Baked Marlin, Mangos & Salsa
Lobster Tacos: Lobster, Mangos, Jalapenos & Guacamole
Fried Chicken Tacos: Shredded Fried Chicken Breasts, Jalapenos, Lime Juice & Shredded Lettuce
BBQ Carnitas Tacos: Smoked or Roasted Pork, Barbeque Sauce, Sautéed Onions & Fried Pickles
Indian Tacos: Shredded Buffalo, Seared Green Chiles & Salsa
Brisket Tacos: Shredded Brisket, Jalapenos, Shredded Green Cabbage, Lime Juice & Salsa
Lamb Cooked 3 Ways
Cooked low and slow, lamb shanks become rich with complex flavors. Lamb shoulder is also a great choice for slow cooking. Good value cuts are: Shoulder Chops, Stew Meat, Ground Lamb, and Leg Steak.
The USDA recommends cooking all whole muscle cuts of lamb to at least these temperatures to ensure that potentially harmful bacteria are destroyed. Some people may choose to cook their meat to lower temperatures, depending on preference. Ground lamb should be cooked to 160 degrees.
Desired Doneness:
Medium – Target Temperature 145 Degrees, Texture Warm/Firm, Center Color Pink
Medium Well – Target Temperature 155 Degrees, Texture Very Warm/Firm, Center Color Gray – Tinged With Pink
Well Done – Target Temperature 165 Degrees, Texture Hot/Dense/Hard, Center Color Gray
Best Cooking Methods For Lamb
Shoulder Blade Chops (Shoulder): Braise, Broil, Grill, Roast, Pan-Fry, And Stew
Rib Chops (Loin): Broil, Grill, Roast, Pan-Fry, And Sauté
Loin Chops (Loin): Broil, Grill, Roast, Pan-Fry, And Sauté
Whole Leg (Leg): Braise
Leg – Boned, Rolled, Tied (Leg): Grill, And Roast
Rack of Lamb (Loin): Broil, Grill, And Roast
Crown Roast (Loin): Roast
Top Round Roast (Leg): Braise, Roast, And Stew
Stew Meat (Various): Braise, And Stew
Sausages (Various): Braise, Grill, Roast, Pan-Fry, And Sauté
Shanks (Leg): Braise, And Stew
Lamb Chops 2 Ways
Classic Broiled: Preheat broiler. Arrange chops on broiler pan and season with kosher salt and pepper. Broil 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until target temperature. Remove pan from broiler, cover with foil and allow chops to rest 10 minutes before serving.
Rosemary Garlic: Puree 6 garlic cloves with 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary. Add 1/2 cup olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Marinate chops 30 minutes or overnight. Grill over medium-high heat, or broil according to above directions.
Roast Leg of Lamb With Mint Jelly: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 2 Tablespoons kosher salt, 1 Tablespoon black pepper, 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary and 1/3 cup olive oil. Rub mixture all over roast. Make a few dozen small slits in lamb and insert garlic slivers. Place lamb in roasting pan and roast 10 minutes, reduce temperature to 325 degrees and roast until target temperature, about 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and let rest 15 minutes. Serve with mint jelly.
