eating habits

over at wine me, dine me there was some talk about the clean plate club recently. i am a card carrying member, solely because of the influence of my grandpa bob (different grandpa than previously mentioned). at a tender age, my grandpa bob told my sister and i that before we are allowed into heaven after we die, we have to eat all the food we left on our plates during life. this is the danger of having catholic grandparents raised during the depression. michelle and i debated over the years if the food would appear as we had left it, lukewarm and unappealing, or if it would age as we aged, and we would have to slurp up moldy brown goo before st. peter welcomed us with open arms. my persisting image of purgatory is miss havisham's wedding table; complete with cobwebbed candelabras, dusty lamb shanks, and a decrepit, decaying wedding cake.

after church on sundays we would go out to breakfast. once, at perkins, i begged and begged to be allowed to get pankcakes and promptly ate just 2 bites. my grandfather insisted they be wrapped up. they were kept in my grandparents' freezer FOR YEARS. whenever i visited them, grandpa would ask me if i wanted pancakes. i think they were finally thrown away when he passed on.

be careful what you say to children. they're listening.

law and order

tonight on law and order svu, robin williams plays a locavore who prank calls fast food chains and manipulates employees to perform illegal activities. he's not very nice.

early bird special

brian and i went to diane's for dinner tonight. around 4:30. we were both hungry. for those westsiders who aren't familiar with diane's location, it's in the same plaza with the pirate's den. i know this is not quite the landmark is used to be since it no longer resembles an actual pirate ship, but generally everyone knows where it is.
diane's reminds me of eating dinner at my grandparents'. the potatoes are from a box, the green beans from a can, and there's rainbow sherbet for dessert. (my grandmother stopped cooking sometime in the 70's, and my poor grandpa does the best he can.) this cooking style is prevalent at several westside independents, and it seems to be popular. even though it was only 4:30, many of the tables were occupied. granted, we were the youngest people there by about 40 years.
i wonder why more fresh ingredients aren't employed. maybe it's economics - the canned and boxed products probably are less expensive, and that allows prices to remain very reasonable (our dinners totalled $24). maybe it's that tastebuds become accustomed to convenience foods. maybe it's for speed of service. i'm not saying it's bad food, but it's not necessarily good either.

maybe it's just comforting for people to eat something familiar.

food crisis

bbc america news had an interesting piece tonight on the rising prices of food and the hunger it is causing in nations around the world. additionally, countries like china are talking about leasing fields in australia to make up for land lost to urban development. president bush says only 15% of the rise in prices is related to corn diverted for biofuel. eating is getting so complicated and political.

stephen colbert also touched on the subject, commenting that "ethanol solves the energy crisis...is there any problem alcohol can't solve?" he also offered the equation, rivaling e=mc2 for applicability, corn + magic = gas. check out his commentary, kernel of truth.

i am glad such influential media outlets are tackling the subject.

this friday

Another entry point to the local food movement is the Central Ohio Valley River Local Foods Guide, which is slated for May 19 release at Findlay Market. You can get an copy of the book early at a panel discussion on becoming a locavore that includes area growers and producers. $10 (or sliding scale fee, including a vegetarian dinner). 6 p.m. May 2. Imago Earth Center, 700 Enright Ave., Price Hill, 513-921-8455.

jean-ro

OH MY GOD. saturday night i had the immense pleasure of dinner by jean-robert at pigall's. 6 courses. wine pairings. sweetbreads. i have no words to describe the delicacy and decadence of this incredible meal. the best thing about eating such fine food is that it makes everything about life seem wonderful and perfect (the wine probably doesn't hurt, either). and the food is so pretty, a harmony of colors and textures. i really wanted to take a photo of each course, but i felt kind of ridiculous whipping out my camera at such a classy establishment to photograph what i was eating. kind of like photographing a monet at the musee d'orsay.

the cocktail: plush pear martini

the menu:
duck confit and salmon with radish salad

cape scallops with avocado, celery root, pineapple and sorrel
-2006 verget chardonnay

braised sable fish with julienne vegetables, balsamic vinegar and tomato cream sauce (my favorite course)
-2006 las eymeries white bordeaux

sweetbreads with veal breast, petit basque, arugula, and dijon demiglace
-2004 domaine rocheville cotes du rhone

beef tenderloin (very rare) with creamy spinach, shiitake mushrooms, fingerling potatoes and bordelaise
-2005 chateau clos bourbon bordeaux

assortment of cheeses (with berry compote)
-taylor fladgate 10 year tawny port

assortment of pastries (a ginger cake with chocolate glaze/frosting)
-2005 domaine de barrubio muscat sec (my favorite wine)

like flying business elite, i now have been spoiled and may never enjoy regular food again...

although maybe not, because late that evening we made a stop at the wc steakhouse...

we will take over the world

one of my ever-vigilant friends pointed out chicago is finally getting some decent restaurants - check out cinners.