Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Jo-An Chan













Kenyon launches his CD

October 22

I was right! It’s not a universally acceptable act just to plow into people, no matter how crowded a place is or how drunk the people there are, without acknowledging that you’ve made uninvited physical contact.
This was clear last Saturday at the Mercury Lounge, when a sold-out crowd showed up to celebrate the launch of “Like a Bitch," the debut album of my friend Kenyon Phillips’ band Unisex Salon. The place was packed, and Kenyon was obviously thrilled, but even though the doors opened at around 11:30 p.m. and this was unlikely to be the first stop of most of the people there, the crowd was cordial, used the hand-on-the-back gesture when trying to get past people, and in general behaved like they were raised as something other than caged animals.
I drank Sierra Nevada and was delighted by Kenyon’s new sound. I’ve always liked his music, but the album has a harder-rock quality than his previous stuff, which Kenyon says is due to the influence of his brother Stephen Phillips, a longtime studio musician.
“My brother brings a real hard rock influence. And my sensibilities keep it poppy, I suppose,” he told me.
He also told me that his lyrics, which generally sound like they have to do with romantic conflict, are often written by him to himself. Narcissistic, perhaps, but also quite dark.
I shared the CD with my colleague, Elissa Elan, who said it was “interesting” assessed it thus: “Dense instrumentalism and a little bit of a Kinks sound but kind of alt at the same time.”
That dense instrumentalism and Kinksyness would be Stephen’s influence, the alt would be Kenyon, a longtime Brian Eno fan.
I guess the album’s single would be a number called "Don't Look Down," for which Kenyon has even made a video, but my favorite song is the tenth track, ”Feels So Good,” which you can find here if you click through the music.
The after party for the disk launch was at a club called Don Hill’s, a place that I’d never heard of but when I got there it struck me as a gay club for straight people — lots of overt sexual innuendo, a hot-body contest, people walking around in their underwear, others pole-dancing, bad beer selection.
Yesterday at lunch, a native New Yorker told me that Don Hill’s was, in fact, once a gay bar that had been infiltrated by others.
That was at the Peninsula Hotel, which was holding a press lunch featuring Curtis Duffy, an Alinea alumnus who is now the chef of Avenues, the restaurant at the Peninsula in Chicago.
Actually, Curtis had been working for Alinea executive chef Grant Achatz even before that restaurant opened, when Grant was the chef at Trio, in Evanston, Ill. His hometown is Columbus, Ohio.
I bet you were wondering how I was going to get the restaurant world into this blog entry, weren’t you?

What we ate and drank at the Peninsula:

White truffle, tapioca, Parmesan sable, chive
Do Ferreiro Albariño Cepas Vellas, (Rias Baixas, Spain)

Golden trout, Semmillion verjus, honshimeji mushrooms, spruce
Qupe Roussane Bien Nacido Hillside Estate (Santa Inez Valley, Calif.)

Hato Mugi (a type of Japanese grain), red wine, manchego broth and sorrel
P. Manzoni, Pinonero (Langhe, Piedmont, Italy)

Wagyu (actual wagyu, from Japan), smoked coconut, white shoyu (leftover shards from the process of making soy sauce, in fact), African blue basil
Artadi Pagos Viejos (Rioja, Spain)

Carbonated Cabernet verjus, with various aromatic flower petals and fruits

Chocolate, Chambord, malt, anise hyssop
Yalumba Museum Reserve Antique Tawny (Australia)

Freekeh - الفريكة


Freekeh is grilled or roasted wheat, harvested at early stages, dried and grilled and it has a green color. It is very healthy and it is used and cooked like rice and pasta. It is very famous all over the arab world and nowadays considered one of the healthiest cereals. Freekeh can be cooked in so many ways, and used in soups too. I decided to make it with chicken,. It can be prepared with both chicken and beef at the same time (or lamb), some people like to add bulgur to it too. But this is a simple and tasty recipe that I decided to make.

Serves 4-5
2 cups of Freekeh (found in middle eastern stores or online)
3 cups of chicken stock
1 medium onion chopped
1 whole chicken or any part of the chicken you like
2 cups of mixed raw nuts (pistachios, almonds, pine nuts, almonds, pecans)
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of allspice (or 7 spices)

For cooking the chicken:
1 carrot, 1 small onion, 1 cinnamon stick, some herbs ( I chose fresh thyme), 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 bay leaves, water to cover it.

Very important: Freekeh needs to be well cleaned by spreading it on a flat surface (like a tray and going through the grains with your fingers, in case there are any little stones, then soak it warm water for 15 to 30 mnts and wash several times using a strainer then let it drain)

In a pot, add the chicken and the herbs and vegetables and water and let it cook until done, removing the white foam whenever it comes up.
- In another pot, add 1 tbsp of butter, chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste, cook for a minute then add the freekeh and the allspice, mix all until the freekeh absorbs the butter, then add the 3 cups of chicken stock of your choice ( I like to remove the cooked chicken and use the water or stock that I prepared), once it comes to a boil, let it simmer until it absorbs the water and cook (just like rice).
- In a pan, add 1 tbsp of butter and the raw nuts and roast until brown.
Serve the freekeh with nuts and chicken on top. It's good with any salad.

Ok, I'm back to say that Summer posted freekeh few days ago and I just noticed it, so hers is really good too for those who didn't check it before (haha like me few minutes ago!).

Wanted: New York sous chef

Glenn Harris over at The Smith (55 Third Avenue, between 10th and 11th Streets, 212-420-9800) is looking for a sous chef to start immediately. Thought you might want to know.

Updates and excuses and tasty bread.

Some of you may be aware of a discernable dip in output of late, certainly in comparison to the voracity with which I was churning out culinary tales over the summer months. This is not due to a waning interest in matters gastronomic nor a declining desire to write. On the contrary, it is precisely for this reason that I’ve had a little less time to craft the various food stories that grace these electronic pages.

As much as I adore welcoming you into my metaphorical bosom and telling tales of pheasants, pigs’ ears, delis and other such delights, the remuneration package is not particularly attractive. I dare say that I might be able to earn more money stitching Nike footballs in a Singaporean sweatshop.

As a result I’ve had to partake in a little moonlighting. Not only have I started tutoring again but I’ve also had my head down working on a collection of short stories as well as making a start on a novel and, sadly, I only have so many hours in my day. The short stories should be finished within the next couple of months, the novel will take considerably longer but they will come. And you wonderful people will be the first to know.



I have been cooking, I promise. There is a beef, onion and porcini pie baking in the oven and two fresh loaves cooling temptingly in the kitchen as I write these very words (pictorial proof supplied above). I’m off to meet some pig farmers and spend a couple of hours on a turkey farm tomorrow and with a (hopefully) crisp autumn and winter ahead of us there should be plenty of opportunity to both eat and write about some hearty comfort food.

But in the mean time, please bear with me whilst I get my head down, adopt the saddened tone and gaunt features of an impoverished writer and try, desperately, to make this work so that we can afford to heat the house this winter (cue violins).

Solo Con Tu Pareja


Last night my officemate Gabby asked me if I really love watching Spanish films because he saw me catching Pelikula in Greenbelt 3 two saturdays ago. He surprised me today because he brought me a DVD and lent it so I can watch the film. He told me that this film is very nice and it's a romantic comedy. Well let me find out after watching it over the weekend.

This movie is from the director of Y Tu Mama Tambien, Alfonso Cuaron. This delightful, frank look at sex and manners among Mexico's middle class follows a suave Casanova named Tomas Tomas (Daniel Gimenez Cacho), who seduces one gorgeous woman after another, never allowing himself to become entangled with any of them. A Don Juan-ish type of story in short.

Exciting weekend is coming. Especially now that I have this Eureka moment. I wish I felt this already months ago.

Not For Children,Chocolate Whiskey Cake Just for Halloween

Chocolate Whiskey Cake Just for Halloween
No oven needed




This recipe comes from my Mum
  • Chocolate I used half dark chocolate and half milk cooking chocolate. (I got them in Kim's Club)
  • One and a half sticks of butter
  • Some golden brown syrup
  • One or two packets of biscuits(called cookies in the US)
whiskey or brandy essence (I found some at Homeplus once )
Soak the smashed biscuits in whiskey.
Melt butter chocolate and syrup over a bain marie
Mix with biscuits and let set over night.
Make sure your cake tin is lined with grease proof paper or butter.


For chocolate frosting.
Butter
Powder sugar(I found some in Kim's Club)
Coco powder.
Vanilla essence
Blend together.


The white chocolate is from a tube . I bought it in one of the "Birthday stores " on one of the many chocolate days here in Korea. They have great chocolate making kits with these chocolate
pens . My very strange spider creature is a marshmallow and some chocolate chips as well as some food coloring, I found on sale in Homeplus.
I was in a 1000 won store and found my new toy, a cake decorating set.

I had first made this cake for Kids until my boyfriend pointed out the amount of whiskey I had put it in, it's really good with whiskey (but then I am Irish and I do love whiskey ). But, I think it might be good with out. I grew up eating this as a treat . Well, all except the frosting. I have to say it a really nice cake to eat with a nice cup of milky tea..