Diddakoi Walt Whitman
Take me home...St Emilion  kay@diddakoi.com

Updated: 01/10/06



Other places to visit

The Bleat
Vodkapundit
Tightly Wound
Waiter Rant
Netflix
Epicurious
Free The Grapes


What's on the nightstand

"Mommy Knows Worst"
by James Lileks

start packing

postage


Tuesday, 10 January, 2006

SAVE YOUR CORKS!!

[Only 8,472 more needed for our wine cellar wall.]

Now that the Eagles have lost their last game for the season, and are trying to look forward to building next year's team, I think I've found the perfect player to fill the shoes of our beloved (and dearly departed) Terrell Owens:

RICHMOND, Va. -- Former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick, kicked off the team last week for his behavior on and off the field, was charged Monday with pulling a gun on three teenagers during an altercation in a restaurant parking lot.

This is the younger brother of Atlantic Falcons quarterback, Michael Vick. Let's review what he's been up to recently:

- In 2004, suspended from the team for "several legal problems."
- Dec 17, 2005 - Received a speeding ticket and a ticket for driving with a suspended license in Hampton while under a "zero tolerance" policy from Virginia Tech.
- Jan 2, 2006 - Led Virginia Tech to a win in the Gator Bowl against Louisville.
- Jan 6, 2006 - Kicked off the Virginia Tech team, "citing the cumulative effects of numerous legal problems and his unsportsmanlike conduct in the Gator Bowl, where he was caught on tape stomping on the left calf of Louisville All-American Elvis Dumervil."
- Jan 7, 2006 - Announced his decision to turn pro.
- Jan 8, 2006 - Pulled a gun on some teenagers.

What a shame he's a quarterback. But maybe we can get him as our back-up, since Mike McMahon didn't do much to salvage the season after Donovan McNabb went out. Or maybe he'll end up on the same team as T.O. - I hear T.O.'s agent is being allowed to discuss a trade with other teams, including Tampa Bay and the Jets.

[Clash of the Titan Egos.]

Suki really liked one of the presents that Santa-Mom gave me: A little cheese-wedge shaped box filled with chocolates. She managed to knock it down and open it so that yesterday when we got home we were greeted with half a dozen chocolate mice scattered all over the floor.

[I'm sure there are worse things she could scatter.]

It was my turn to cook last night. Actually it was my turn to cook Sunday but Gary wouldn't let me because I was sick. So to make up for it, I made one of Vodkapundit's recipes that had been on my "to do" list for a while. I can tell that the basis was a recipe in Gourmet magazine, but his interpretation adds such a nice zing. I have modified it slightly to reflect the way that I prepared it.

VEAL TOURNEDOS IN CREAM SAUCE

12 ounces of Gruyère
4 slices of Canadian bacon (or more)
2 or three slices of veal scaloppini (or a whole bunch of smaller pieces - about a pound)
A tablespoon of butter
½ cup crème fraîche
A glug* or two of Marsala

* “Glug” is the sound liquid makes when poured out of a mostly full bottle. Tip the bottle, and when you hear the first glug, stop pouring -- that's one glug. Here at the VodkaPundit School of Quick and Dirty Cookery, we aim for accuracy.

Preheat the oven to 450. (Line a jelly roll pan with aluminium foil if all the veal will not fit into your skillet at one time.)

Slice the Gruyère thin and set aside. A cheese planer works great if you have one. (my local cheese shop works even better.)

In a cast iron skillet (you’ll need cast iron or some other oven-proof pan) on medium-high heat, brown the Canadian bacon. Should take a minute or two. Then set aside.

In the same skillet, brown the veal. Usually, a good thin scaloppini takes about a minute or so on each side. But as we learned the hard way last year, you’ll want to under cook the veal, since it’s going to see some time in the oven later. Do about 45 seconds on each side, adding a glug of Marsala before and after you flip them. (Kay: remove veal slices to the jelly roll pan BEFORE the Marsala glugging and then glug away to deglaze the pan. Either return veal to skillet or keep on jelly roll pan and pour pan liquids over the meat.)

Take the skillet off the heat and add a two slices of bacon on top of each piece of veal. Then arrange the cheese slices on top and cover the whole mess with the crème fraîche. Throw the skillet in the preheated oven and let it roast for about ten minutes.

While you’re waiting for the main dish to finish, quickly steam some asparagus. You’ll love having the extra sauce on them.

When everything is done roasting, take the little stacks of heaven out of the skillet and place one stack on each plate. Stir up the sauce and pour it over the stacks and the asparagus. Add some fresh cracked pepper on top and serve quickly.

We drank a lovely Coppola Merlot with ours last night, but you might want to try a Pinot Noir, instead.

Serves two people who really don’t give a damn about their cholesterol.

[Two thumbs up from Gary.]

Update on the UPS shipment from yesterday: it arrived this afternoon. Same address as before.

[I'm actually surprised.]

Quote du jour:

"Always mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy if possible."

Stonewall Jackson (1824 - 1863) US confederate army general

previous ~ home ~ next