July 2008
JulyJul 30 Wednesday 08
Sour and Sweet
The production of Lambic style beers is both a wonder of science and a labor of love. Once relegated to farmhouse production amongst southern Belgium's paupers, the practice basically involves brewing beer and letting it grow mold. Unlike the pious Monks' …
JulyJul 22 Tuesday 08
National Bitterness
Amidst the telling signs of economic collapse, the craft beer world has been suffering similar ravages. Aside from the "F" word, those that head the frontlines of the small batch brewery face the rising costs of the few elements of their mana: grain and …
JulyJul 15 Tuesday 08
Wedding Memories
The Spencer-Wing wedding... Dang. We can't exactly remember how our involvement came about, whether we were asked or we volunteered our services (come to think of it, hopefully we didn't drunkenly interject ourselves into their happy day). But catering these …
JulyJul 12 Saturday 08
Fennel on Fennel
After laboriously harvesting well over an ounce of fennel pollen we focused on a dish that would highlight the flavor of the famed pixie dust without overpowering its delicate vibe. Fortuitously enough, tomato season really starts to hit at the same time the …
JulyJul 8 Tuesday 08
Urban Foraging
Until last week, wild fennel was a great frustration to us. In the early summer months the stuff sprouts all around us; glorious fragrant fennel, but with no bulb worth braising. After much discussion and consternation we realized the answer to our woe was …
JulyJul 5 Saturday 08
The Sticky Icky
The Summer of the Can continues. You remember that metal vessel that for most kids' high school years was the definitive method of putting beer in one's body? Whether "shotgunning" in someone's backyard using a car key to punch an air hole to chug in seconds, …
JulyJul 3 Thursday 08
Days of Our Knives Part II
If you couldn't tell by now we're a little into cutlery. And although we share steel like some people swap spit, we definitely have different preferences in the Cut Department. Here's a rundown of the three most used blades in Alex's kitchen...
JulyJul 2 Wednesday 08
Our Knives Part I
In the next installment of our introspective equipment analysis, we're detailing the knives that make both of us tick, because we believe the easiest first step to good cooking is sharp knives. If you're weary of shiny, sharpened steel, believe this: You will …