Cukes and tube steak... Did I just type that?

Farmer's market cukes and cherry tomatoes drove the salad. Just a fantastic fresh and crunchy texture was balanced with some grilled chicken apple sausages served with Alexis' (Jess' Moms) homemade and grown pickles/garlic/peppers, and the aforementioned-heisted horseradish moostard . Summer seems to simplify my palette and as it does not make great blog fodder it satisfies the belly in spades.

crunch and smoke

Farm fresh green beans blanched and cooled, perfect cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice and feta, do make Jack a happy boy. Going against my usual overwrought style I let the flavor of the veg sing. Its no wonder this is a friend's recipe. The sandwich on the other hand was vintage Felix: Grilled herbed chix, St. Honore baguette, balsamic mayo, jack cheese, heirloom tomato and baby greens. So good you'll slap your Grandma.

Summer distilled

You survey the contents of the red and white checked tablecloth, you bounce the shitty creamy coleslaw, the botulism laden yellowed potato salad, the overcooked and over looked burger patty, and the horribly greasy bowl 'o' tater chips and you find yourself with all the best parts of a typical summer BBQ... Chicken, corn bread, and the ubiquitous watermelon. Life is too short to follow the formality of useless sides, my vote is eat watcha like and make no apologies for it. The drumsticks were rubbed with Ben's poultry seasoning and cooked super slow so every ounce of skin and fat was rendered into a wafer thin crunchy sheet of flavour. The corn muffin recipe was passed along from my best pal Jiffy. The watermelon was deftly cut by none other than the amazing JW. Don't kid yourself simpler IS better if done well. P.S. Lo siento for the quality of the photography, my phone is not the weapon of choice.

Acres and acres of Hawg!

Saturday morning, nine in the AM and I'm elbow deep in hog, yes you heard it right. My companies annual picnic is Sunday and I have volunteered my time in order to glean whatever deep Alabama BBQ knowledge I can from one Ben Kahn whilst preparing pulled pork for 200+ people. Ben is a Southern gentlemen and the only Jewish BBQ king in existence. The pork butt is trimmed and rubbed down with some highly secretive concoction, then onto a low heat-smoke laden grill. After approximately 9 hours, a nasty grease fire, some stubbies of Sessions, lots of sweating, and a damaged ankle (don't ask), we found ourselves nervous for the results, tired, and not really wanting to hand shred over 60 lbs. of the most unctuous, hot and rich pork I have ever laid my eyes on. But we endeavored still, bent over a table sweat constantly threatening to roll off our noses and into the porcine bounty. We finished around 7 PM with five hotel pans of the best pulled pork in the city. The proof came the following day after another long day of putting on a traditional BBQ picnic for 200 of our employees and their families; the compliments flew fast and furious from all cultures and palettes.

After a weekend of Meat...

The need for some vegetables was of high priority. I fell back on an old fave, the grilled vegetable platter. Portabellas, Red Pepper, Scallions, Asparagi, Yellow and Green squash from the garden, Red Potatoes, and Garlic tossed in EVOO, Balsamic, S&P, and one giant handful of fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme). Grilled hot and fast, served over some wild mushroom pilaf. Beautiful, simple, and legitimately healthy. I've included a picture of the front of our meat freezer just for balance.

Grilled Cheese Grill

Jess was away with the girls, which usually brings about such guilty pleasures as fried chicken, Gatorade, and MMA viewing. Tonight was a touch different, I went and saw The Hangover (side shakingly funny) and dined at the Grilled Cheese Grill! Hah take that! I ordered the Hot Brie (tomatoes, brie, red peppers, spicy mustard atop sourdough) but was mistakenly and luckily given the Babs (Bacon, Blue Cheese, Apples and Swiss perfectly toasted of Rye)... Fuuuuuuuuuck, I'll take 'guilty pleasures for a thousand Alex'! It's just an old Airstream trailer in a vacant lot with a decommissioned school bus painted ala Hog Farm for seating. See sometimes stoners DO have a good concept. Wish you were there?

Clean simple and highly eatable

Jesus loves his little Arugula, all the little Arugulas of the world. So it's Arugula, Granna Padanna, Pine nuts, and a bit of red leaf tossed in the lightest mixture of EVOO, lemon juice, S&P, and fresh Tarragon. Topped with a red wine vinegar marinated chicken breast. Just eat it, be happy, and shut up already!

The attack of Dr. Surf and Mr. Turfenstein

I've been on a utilization kick of late e.g. patrolling the pantry and deep recesses of the fridge and freezer for inspiration. And from the aforementioned loins of said locations sprung a cold smoked salmon and Orzo salad with Feta, Greek olives, Asparagus, capers, red pepper, fresh Oregano and Thyme dressed in a mustard, lemon juice, and black pepper vinaigrette. A simple beef, pepper, and onion kabob marinated in Balsamic, EVOO and Worcestershire. Grilled hard and fast. Fine fine summer fare.

Ned Ludd vs. St, John's McMenamins

Two nights without cooking brought two radically different culinary experiences. Wednesday was the thoughtful and eclectic menu of Ned Ludd, as you follow the link you'll see that the hook comes in the form of a completely wood fired menu. Wonderful surroundings replete with a giant stack of wood center stage fueling the fire in a brick open faced wood burning oven. Funky, tasty, simple and well done with the only exception being a truly unimaginative version of a smore for dessert. You'll find the menu HERE. In stark contrast came Thursday night, Jess and I hot and tired and completely uninterested in standing over a range, caved in to not finding a real dining experience and shuffled over to the local McMenamins Theater and Pub in our little burg of St. Johns. You'll find the menu HERE. They have mastered the art of "just good enough". Always a cool interior as long as you block out the knowledge that there are over 60 of these 'unique' concepts all across Oregon. Long story short: a mediocre burger, tater tots and a bland beer. Jess and I ended the evening as we ALWAYS do, by stealing the bottle of FANTASTIC house made mustard, (their one saving

grace).

Turkey is as Turkey Does

Alright alright! Enough with the turkey already! But alas there was still a hunk of that lean protein challenging me from the fridge to find a completely unique application for a two day old chunk of meat. Soooo it got diced, seasoned with NM red chile powder, cumin, S&P, and a hunk of diced garlic. Into the pan with EVOO to crisp up the edges and create that on the fly al pastor richness. Then on to the homemade tortillas (dig the crazy orange hue) spiked liberally with black pepper and more NM red chile loving. Asked the Jess to create simply put, the best recipe for guac ever... No seriously ever... started the whole show off with the turkey, topped generously with guac, queso fresco, and finished with fresh cilantro. Really really fine, No! like F'reels Bro fine!

Utilization is key

So I found myself with a whole grilled turkey breast left over from last night, so atop a salad it went. Arugula, frisee, candied walnuts, pear, and Gorgonzola crumbles, tossed with a dijon balsamic. Rich, meaty, fake-healthy, ultimately delicious.

The other other other white meat

Tonight brought a fire grilled boneless skinless turkey breast that was marinated in thyme, sage, lemon, salt and pepper. Kept the grill on low but not before putting a good char on the thing. Made a quick pan sauce with juice of one lemon , a knob of butter, a handful of parsley, and a pinch of garlic, and a good amount of capers. Green salad from our garden held up the healthy end.

More Beans Sheriff Taggert?

This past weekend was spent camping on Mt. Hood the menu follows: Grass fed beef burgers (from Jessica's folks cows) served with super sharp white cheddar, and Alexis' (Jessica's Mom) garlic pickles, mustard, ketchup, onion bun. Baked beans rounded out the meal. Next mornings breakfast brought habanero spiked beer brats from Edelweiss butcher and scrambled eggs! Ahhh camping when you allow yourself to eat as you like.

Flank is my Friend

Flank vacu-sealed and marinated for two days in wine, way too much garlic, S&P, EVOO, Worcestershire, Balsamic. Cranked the grill as hot as I could get it (somewhere around 550) 3 minutes to aside then let it rest for 10 min. I usually serve it sliced over some lightly lemon dressed arugula with a dry blue cheese crumbled on top, this go round it went atop some baby spinach with pine nuts red onion and feta. Wicked good! plus leftovers.

Dinner @ Noah and Emma's

Super good simple summer meal. Citrus (lemon and lime juice) marinated chicken breast grilled over charcoal, Farfalle tossed with Ricotta, Parmesan, EVOO, S+P, halved artichokes steamed then grilled served with hummus (Bomb), green salad ala Pizzicato. Capped with a viewing of Slumdog Millionaire on the 8 ft. screen. Very nice.

Summer picnic

The credit for this one goes to Ben Kahn, Took drumsticks tossed em in canola and then Ben's rub, which he refuses to divulge any ingredient except one, which I wont post out of respect. Vacu-sealed then froze for a week or so. A one day thaw and then on the grill with a full hickory smoke box over indirect heat. Seemed to get an almost fried crispiness to the skin whilst retaining considerable moisture, I believe keeping the back burner on high in order to keep the smoke rolling while the front burner completely off is the key. Finished with a light slather of Stubb's spicy (my store bought of choice). Served with baked beans reduced slowly with a bit of catsup, and a fresh fruit salad composed of: kiwi, mango, strawberry, bartlett pear, banana, salt, pepper, lime juice, and honey. Retarded good. Jess and I have had some variation of this meal weekly for at least a month.

Poor Man's Marsala

Sauteed shallot, garlic and crimini mushrooms until lightly caramelized. Pounded out a boneless chop into four paillards. Seasoned well with S&P dredged in flour, crisped up in EVOO. Reduced Marsala in veg mixture, added two knobs of butter and fresh sage, thyme and oregano, added pork back in and coated with pan juice. Served with a basic green salad utilizing the first fruits of our garden. Thought it was a bit sweet and lacking in a good caramelization flavor. Probably gets a 7 of 10