Haggis not included

Here is the link to my article on birds of a feather. Its basically my tasting notes on the scotch and irish whiskey I had there. As always I tried to make it interesting. There is nothing more boring to me than tasting notes from someone who is just trying to be waaaay too serious about their palate. Dude, we get it, it tastes strongly of dark fruit. But I digress....

http://baltimore.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs/photogallery/drinking-at-birds-of/1121903/content

Hope you dig it!

BTW, in your fucking face Brian!

Wow....just wow

I just got the craziest assignment so far in my young career in food writing. I just got the green light to find the best strip club food in Baltimore. My editors wanted a piece on strip clubs and this came to mind for me immediately. I have a friend who only has one rule in life and that is to never eat at a strip club. Its a pretty specific rule considering that it leaves his life open to mass murder and smoking umbilical cords, but who am I to judge. So I mentioned the idea to my editor and he thought it was a good idea. Now I think I will just need to update my shots (hep A, B, C) as well as get those pills they give you before going to eat in a foreign country and I'll be ready to go. I'll let you know when its out.

Tomorrow I have a piece on Birds of a Feather Scotch and Whiskey Bar in Fell Point going up. I'll link it tomorrow when its up.

The 3rd installment of SYWN series will be up in a couple of days.

Ta Ta for now (get it... tata...)
Johnny

Books

I'm constantly reading but there are certain authors that when one of their books drop, I lose interest in everything I'm reading until I check out their newest offer. Well I was not disappointed with the newest book from Michael Ruhlman. Its called ratios and it is a fucking miracle that no one has written this book earlier. This is the genius of this book, it is original as well as unbelievably helpful. Coming in at only 229 pages, it is jammed up with things that a lot of chefs (or professional cooks) already know. Most cooking can be broken down into basic ratios that are usually a constant as you increase the size of the recipe. For a home cook this book can be the key to another world, the door that opens to Oz, the first time you play a guitar chord and it makes sense. It is that profound for a home cook. In culinary school we are taught some of these ratios (Cookie Dough-1 part sugar: 2 parts fat: 3 parts flour, Pasta- 3 parts flour,: 2 parts egg, or Vinaigrette- 3 parts oil: 1 part vinegar), but this book takes it to a new level. Doughs, cake batters, sausage mixes, stocks, sauces, and custards are covered with each heading encompassing multiple basic recipe ratios as well as secondary recipes so you can learn to start and improvise on the basics. Its fucking brillant.

Ok, enough overview and ass kissing.

Well, maybe a little more ass kissing....

The book is without a doubt a must have for anyone who cooks. It's an educational mind fuck as well as an insight into the way food professionals think in terms of the basic fundamentals of their craft. On top of those superlatives, it's just a good read. Ruhlman, as always, makes food and cooking processes accessible for the home cook.

Get it and be astounded.

I'm back nerds!
Johnny

New Top Chef show and other random cough syrup induced ramblings

I'm heavily whacked out on cough syrup at the moment so please forgive my digressions (if there are any).

I am currently working on a third part to the "shit you will need" series. It will deal with appliances. It will be done by Monday (I hope). I have been hearing good things about the first two "SYWN" pieces, so I hope this one will not disappoint.

I have also been hearing from a number of people asking why I haven't posted any recipes as of yet. Well my friends, I just don't think you are ready yet. That's right grasshopper, you are not ready. I don't feel comfortable putting up any recipes yet without laying a decent foundation for you wonderful readers to build on. They will be coming soon though, within the next month I would say. It will be worth the wait.

On a totally unrelated note, Bravo has announced that they will start a spin off to their popular Top Chef series. It will be called Top Chef:Masters. With the regular cast of characters off for the summer (Padma, Tom, Gail), there are new judges, a new host, and the contestants are some of the greatest culinary minds in the country. It should be interesting to watch Wylie Dufresne go up against Huber Keller, John Besh, and Rick Bayless. They will fight it out in groups of four and then bracket it down until, like the highlander, there will only be one. I think its great that Gael Green will be one of the judges. It starts On June 10th and will be hosted by Kelly Choi of Eat out NY fame. It will also have guests such as Zooey Deschanel and Neil Patrick Harris (did I just fucking write that?). It should be entertaining at least to watch the chefs cook, the judges and guests could be a train wreck.

And before I go I would just like to say the following: monkey, spackle, lock jaw, rock salt, Joshua.

Gotta love cold medicine.
Later
John

On a side note, if you want a great book to read, check out Insatiable: Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess by Gael green. It is probably one of the most openly hedonistic books I have ever read. If you want to know what it was like to dine at some of the best places in the world (Le Bernardin, La Maison Troisgros, Le Cirque) as well as what its like to sleep with some really famous dudes (Elvis, Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, Jean Troisgros). It is a study in excess and unrestraint unlike any food based, non-fiction book I've read. It would give the Motley Crue bio book a run for its money.

Mekong Delta

I just had an article go up on Baltimore Metromix's website. Check it out and let me know what you think. Remember to click on all of the pictures.

http://baltimore.metromix.com/restaurants/restaurant_review/get-served-mekong-delta/1080583/content

Rock!
Johnny