He Who Made Cooking Cool

We did it!! Holly and I made the pilgrimage to Atlanta to see the great hero of all culinary minded nerds. Alton was the same delight in person that he is on television.



When contemplating a new cooking show, AB sought to combine Monty Python, Julia Child and Mr. Wizard. Ten years and a packed theater later, it has proved a winning formula. The night was a rambling medley of favorite recipes, puppets, costumes, and guest appearances while Alton reminisced about the last decade. There was some good natured poking of other Food Network personalities: Rachael and her sammies and Giada and her...'characters'. Yes, you know what I'm talking about.
The best story had to be The Tale of the Haggis. Clad in their manly skirts, Alton and his assistant were supposedly rockin it true "Scottish style" and had the misfortune to build their little camp over a hornets' nest. He also admitted that his performance was one of the worst accents in not only Good Eats but possibly television history. All the more hilarious.



For one of the night's highlights, Alton was challenged to transform the kitchen's only UniTasker. The fire extinguisher, a water cooler and a tennis racket were employed to create a literal explosion of freeze-dried fruit. Whatever bits weren't sprayed all over the stage and the poncho-clad audience went for a spin in the blender and the resulting umm....smoothie?...was consumed by a triumphant AB.



For a splendid finale, beloved "sister" Marsha produced a 20 foot stack of pancakes which were blasted with glow in the dark icing by AB and Ted Allen with devices akin to flame throwers. The summit was set aflame to create a gigantic birthday candle. I'm afraid samples were not available. We did get an autographed postcard however, and I finally got to see my best Food Network buddy. I can't wait for the 20th anniversary special!



What fun would any of this be without having great friends to share it with? Thanks Holly!

Why I am the Scrapple King

I was watching "Guilty Witness" on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” a week or two back and to my delight one of the characters was served a plate of scrapple, one of my all-time favorite foods (my mom’s homemade cheese blintzes and my wife’s home-made split pea soup are right up there at the top of the list too). It reminded me that I needed to fulfill a promise to foodie blogger extraordinaire Jessica Porter, to explain my rather elegant title of “The Scrapple King” to this blog’s readers.

I know that the countless readers of this excellent blog wonder why I chose that moniker rather than, say the “Meister of Meatloaf” or "Baron of Bacon" (both of which, by the way, I wouldn’t mind owning as well). I chose “The Scrapple King” because it best describes my love for this wonderfully unique Pennsylvania Dutch meat product. It is a royal designation that admittedly I have bestowed upon myself, although my paternal grandmother was descended from the original Pennsylvania Dutch settlers who made a new life in Southeastern Pennsylvania over two hundred years ago. Perhaps my claim to a royal title is not that far-fetched, is it?

A couple of years back I had the joy of sharing my love for scrapple with the readers of Every Day With Rachael Ray. With such an iconic figure of modern cooking recognizing my love of scrapple it serves only as an endorsement, at least in my mind, that I do deserve the title of “The Scrapple King.” So I will wear the badge with honor as I go about the world extolling the virtues of this creative, affordable and ultimately delicious food.

If there is a true royal name in the world of scrapple it is Habbersett. This Pennsylvania-based company makes the best scrapple in the civilized world. I was born in Philadelphia but spent most of my childhood in nearby Bucks County, not too far from Chester County, the true seat of scrapple’s origins. While my grandmother’s ancestors no doubt made home-made scrapple as was the practice in the 1800’s, I truly believe I inherited the genetic predisposition to love and adore this food, but not the desire to make it myself. To me Habbersett, going strong since 1863, is the epitome of scrapple production so there is no need to compete with it. If one can’t locate Habbersett in your nearest grocery store, Jones Dairy Farm out of Wisconsin makes a passable substitute but it is well worth the effort to track down the red, white and blue packaging of Habbersett. Here is an order form to get it directly from Habbersett.

"What is scrapple?"you may be asking. Well, don’t ask. Be content in knowing that scrapple is a pork-based product that efficiently leaves no parts of pork wasted. Just as the early colonial settlers were conscious of making every penny stretch, we should, in these challenging economic times, also be conscious of making our food budget stretch as well. Scrapple is an affordable and tasty way to feed family and friends without making much of a dent in your wallet. Be satisfied in knowing that scrapple is a wonderful mixture of meat and spices that make it an excellent breakfast meat, although I could eat it at any time of the day or night (and have been known to do so).

Scrapple is a very easy product to make. It comes in one pound bricks that take but a few minutes to prepare and eat. The brick should be sliced while it is cool but not too cold. With a sharp kitchen knife the brick should be sliced into thin pieces roughly ½ inches thick. Too thin and the slice will probably break apart. Too thick and you will find it difficult to adequately ensure that the center of the slice will be properly heated without burning the outside. Once cut, coat the slices with plain white flour and place on a preheated frying pan at medium temperatures. Non-stick pans do not need any prior treatment but skillets or other non-treated pans would benefit from a light coating of PAM cooking spray or shortening (this to keep the slices from sticking when flipped.)

Scrapple should be fried for several minutes on each side. The best way to know when to flip the slice over is when the flour coating the top of the slice appears melted or translucent. A quick flip is required because scrapple has been known to break-up if the flip is done too slowly. An equal amount of heating on the second side and the scrapple is ready to be served. I prefer it dipped in ketchup, my mom and wife prefer it with a side home-made Pennsylvania Dutch chili sauce, once lovingly prepared by my late-grandfather, now fashioned by my Uncle Joe (perhaps if I get enough requests for his recipe, Uncle Joe will share it with me and I with you). Some prefer it plain. No matter how you eat it the key is to savor each delicious, spicy bite. Before you know it the one pound brick will be gone and you’ll be rushing back to the store for more. To avoid this scenario purchase several bricks at once. Trust me, all you scrapple-newbies, your life will be forever changed once you have savored your first bite of Habbersett’s well-earned slogan: “Philadelphia’s Favorite.”

A new day in Food

Well, with various job and family obligations, obviously it's been ages since Adventures in Food was updated. I would like to apologize for that. I haven't given up a passion for fine or funky cuisine, just never seemed to have time to write about it. However, His Royal Majesty Greg and the ever marvelous Alton Brown have inspired me to start afresh. A new foodie friend (say hi to Holly everybody!) and I are traveling to Atlanta later this month to be a part of history - Alton's 10th anniversary Good Eats live episode. It's the kind of thing you dream about..or at least I do.

We've been promised cast members, props, puppets and a "Good Eats musical interlude." I can't wait.
Naturally we'll be sampling the local cuisine. So far on the testing list is the funky Flying Biscuit Cafe. http://www.flyingbiscuit.com A small chain apparently, but with a name like that, who can resist?
And short of the Bonnie Blue flag, what could be more regionally appropriate than Sautéed Shrimp & Scallops over creamy stone-ground grits with garlic gravy or Buttermilk Fried Chicken and buttermilk whipped potatoes overflowing with bourbon gravy. South City Kitchen sounds like a definite stop. http://www.southcitykitchen.com/midtown/
Also, I think we'll try to spend some time at the Dekalb Farmer's Market (there is a bakery, yay!). Any Atlanta natives or frequent visitors have any culinary suggestions for us?
Oh Atlanta! I hear you calling...I'm coming back to you one fine day...

The Food, Glorious Food of My Youth

By Greg Giordano, The Scrapple King

I just heated up a can of Spaghetti-O's for lunch. I know that this sort of food would be something that my kids like to eat, but for a parent of three who is getting a little gray around the temples? Nah. But, I confess, I still eat the little pasta rings with meatballs, although I do like the ones with sliced franks as well. When I share the fact that I like Spaghetti-O's for breakfast I usually get "uugh" sounds and faces contorted into grimaces from my peers. Most also dismiss my enjoyment of cold pizza as my morning meal as "weird."

As we discuss the subject of munchies I must, of course, reveal that I still like Cap'N Crunch cereal and Froot Loops for breakfast. Although I admit I do try to eat more Shredded Wheat and Raisin Bran in recognition of the fact that those foods do serve a more practical purpose for one of advancing years (I have not conceded the need to eat Grape Nuts, though, and probably never will). Speaking of breakfast cereals, does anyone remember Quisp? I have found but one person in my age group who recalls this unique spaceship-shaped delight from the early 1970's. Please let me know. Perhaps we can start a fan club.

Moving on to snacks, I like Oreo's and Nutter Butter cookies, yet another joy from my childhood. I still like Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers, especially the pizza flavored ones. One thing that I have not been able to stomach, however, is Gummi Bears nor their various incarnations such as Gummi Worms. My kids have a taste for those delicacies so I suppose that will help to perpetuate their existence into the next generation.

Having just laid out for all the world to see what sort of culinary delights I enjoy I can only hope my children will make better diet choices than I. One only knows how much my wife has tried to introduce me to more healthy foods, which I usually rebel against (I really do like Spam). Not all is lost, however. I eat more fresh vegetables than ever before. I love no-fat Snyder's pretzels and could dine on sushi every day of the week if I could afford to do so.

I expect there will always be a place in my life for the not-so-good foods of my youth. If nothing else they remind me of a simpler time before worries of cholesterol levels and body fat ratios were in mind. Boy, all this talk of food has made me hungry again. I think I'll pop open another can of those round little pastas and start munching!

Thanks to http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinprick/ for the photo / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

CDB's Pizza & Italian Cuisine

Joe found this great little place right next to USF and even more importantly, Starbucks. Pizza is their self-proclaimed speciality, so we got the "AT-FM" edition. It had artichokes, tomatos, and mushrooms so we were at a loss at to where the "F" came in, but apparently that is their assurance that if nothing else, at least the mushrooms, or "M", is fresh. Do the other ingredients carry that guarantee? We don't know, but it was an excellent pizza two days in a row. Joe let me have the leftovers - what a guy! I love it.
The staff is also extremely helpful - a wink and a joke from Joe later, and our waitress was patrolling the restaurant's perimeter, reporting back to us wide-eyed about every appearance of any professor who we may have been discussing.
CBD has been in business since 1974 and apparently, my mother went here back in the day! Who'd thunk it?


www.cdbspizza.com
5104 E Fowler Ave
Between 51st and 52nd St.
Tampa, FL 33617
(813) 985-1336

Today in Food History

According to foodreference.com, today is National Baked Scallops Day. So let us give that noble bi-valve its proper due on this historic occasion.

Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant

The latest meeting of the Food Club was a smashing success with JackieP's suggestion of Ceviche. Apparently I'm the last person in the world to know about this hot spot in Hyde Park, but I'm glad to finally join the rest of society in admiration of it.

Ceviche is ideally suited to a group like ours which likes ordering alot of different things and sampling everyone else's food. Between the 5 of us, we ordered 9 tapas and 4 desserts. The Ceviche de Atun blew my mind. Sushi-grade tuna was marinated in lemon and lime juice, cilantro, onion and jalapeno served on a bed of fresh lettuce in a martini glass. It was sweet yet tart, full of flavor yet allowing the delicate freshness of the fish to shine through. Yeah, I pretty much hogged all that. All the mushrooms and cheese dishes were rousing successes - definitely check out the queso de cabra - baked goat cheese with tomatoes and basil. I liked the crabcake and chorizo dishes less, but they were still good.

Desserts are huge - plan to share. The chocolate cake was phenonmenal, the coconut ice cream great, the mousse was tiny but tasty, and even the almond pastry rose above my mediocre expectations.

Chowhound commented on the prices and given the price of each item, I was expecting an uncomfortable bill or an empty stomach. However, the 5 of us couldn't even eat all that we had ordered, though we made a pretty good showing. Everyone was full and each person's share came to less than $25. For the variety and quality we got, it was amazing. I think the key is going in a group. They are very accomodating - Our group expanded unexpectedly and the staff soon found us a new table. Definitely find some friends, or just invite me and check it out!

Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant
www.ceviche.com
(813) 250-0134
2109 Bayshore Blvd
Tampa, FL
5 forks!!
$$-$$$