Not Confidential: Two Views... Both Valid on The Man You Might Just Love to Hate

I have a love hate relationship with Anthony Bourdain. If I'm being totally honest, then it has a lot to do with plain ole' jealousy. I mean, why does he get to jet around the globe, hanging out with locals in cool, exotic and sometimes uncharted territories while the rest of us have to pay to go on lame-ass vacations and are lucky if we find that great experience where the food and the people are welcoming and authentic?

Why Does He Get to See This? My Ancestral Homeland (the Azores)

I mean who wouldn't want his life? But it's something else too that makes me cringe... just a little at the sound of his New York hardened, ex-punk rock, former chain smoking, liquor swilling voice. Something that makes me feel like he's trying just a little too hard. Something not altogether authentic. Something false.

Something that those witty guys at Magnet Magazine so deftly illustrated a while back in this really funny article. I've meaning to post this for a while. It cracked me up because I could honestly take both sides.

Anyway, take him for what you will. I live vicariously through his many adventures while I sit at home, working my normal, non-thrill seeking job, taking my sad little one week vacations where try as I might, I inevitably do touristy stuff and have experiences that are hardly authentic. I only wish I could be as false as Tony.

FOTC Video: Tiny, Blurry, Shaky but Funny Nonetheless

We went to see Flight of the Conchords a few weeks back and I just downloaded the sad little videos I took with my point and shoot, and realized that while the visuals leave a lot to be desired, the audio is great so I thought I'd post one in case you love Brett and Jermaine as much as I do. I now wish I had taken a few more but this is the only song I got in it's entirety.

Most Beautiful Girl in the Room



The show was awesome. Lots of witty banter, Boston "jokes" and songs. Pretty much all the songs I wanted to hear. I wish I had gotten more of Business Time on video because that was awesome. They also did a cool version of If You're Into It which I really enjoyed because that might be my favorite song ever.

Anyway, if you get the chance to go see them - do not delay. They'll make you laugh, they'll make you cry... they'll take you on a journey.

Kobayashi Would be Proud of All This Eating: A Weekend of Extreme Shabu, Grill Mastery & Cocktail Shakedowns

We recently tested the limits of our shabu pot by seeing just how many people can eat out of one bubbling cauldron and come out alive. The limit is 10 in case you're wondering and even at 10... it's a little hectic.

Shabu Shenanigans

The problem isn't so much room in the pot. It's losing your food and then fishing out someone else's that isn't quite cooked yet... although room in the pot is tight. We also had the problem of the vegetarians. I don't have a splitter for my shabu pot so unless our two veggies didn't mind cooking their tofu in our meaty, fishy broth, I had to devise another solution.

Fighting for Your Food

My brilliant (if I do say so myself) answer to this problem involved a fondue pot and four cans of sterno. I mean... vegetables don't really need to be "cooked" all that much anyway and I only have one heating element so the Sterno kept the veggie pot hot. Next time I might just bring my camping stove upstairs although I know that's very unsafe.

Prepping the Sterno

Sheryl & Josh Enjoy the Veggie Pot

At this Project SF family dinner - seating was also a bit of an issue. Our booth seats about 6-8 people pretty comfortably but 10 is definitely pushing it. We had people on stools and employed some unorthodox seating options but all in all, things worked out pretty good and we demolished another shabu shabu din-din.

Side Sauce Showdown

I'm a huge fan of shabu and communal dining in general for large parties. It's way more fun than sitting around and eating off your own plate the normal way. It's very interactive and people get into the meal in a way they never would if they were just eating food that was put in front of them. I'd like to get a tabletop grill because I think this would be another fun group thing.

Seafood Platter, Corn & Tofu

The best part about shabu is that cooking for 12 people is a lot of work, but there is almost no prep because all you do is lay out a bunch of raw meat, fish and veggies. Sure, you gotta rinse and cut stuff up but that's nothing compared to the work that goes into making an actual meal. Plus... if you invite Fumika over, she does everything for you! I tell her not to but I just can't make her stop!!!

Oondah Goes in for the Kill; Katie Gets Noodley

People always want to know about the shabu meat. You can get it at most Asian grocery stores. I like Ming's in the South End (thank you to Jeremy for introducing me to this mecca of all things Asian), but Super 88 (not my favorite) has it, as does Cmart and there's a new one at the end of Washington in the South End that has a pretty decent selection of stuff. The *BEST* place I have ever gotten shabu meat is a Korean grocer (go figure) in Waltham. Nice and thin and not too fatty.

The Bountiful Shabu Table

For veggies, I like cabbage sectioned into leaves, organic watercress, corn on the cob and baby bok choy. We also did some broccoli this time. I always go to a fish market or whole foods after a suspect encounter with seafood purchased from the Asian grocery store. I like to do some salmon and white fish (cod works), shrimp, scallops and squid. I also do tofu.

Anyway, shabu for 12 while highly ambitious, was a lot of fun and we'll definitely do it again.


The day after our shabu showdown, we headed South to enjoy the first truly beautiful weekend on the Cape with our neighbors A&B who have been MIA for the past few months. It was a pretty monumental two days of cocktails, food and lounging if I do say so myself.

View from the Deck

My Contribution: A Mojito

Adam and Beth have been living down on the Cape while their loft is being renovated and we took this opportunity to flex our bar tending and grill tending skills.

A Snack Before Dinner; Peep the Gouda I Brought Back from Amsterdam

With bottles of gin, vodka, bourbon and only fresh lemons and limes - we set out to make every cocktail we could think of or had the ingredients for, which included: mojitos, martinis, Bourbon smashes, Tom Collins (my new favorite) gin & tonic, vodka gimlets... and many, many more.

Gettin Goofy w/ Kabobs

Ready for the Grill

Grill Meisters

A Glorious Grill


MANY MEATS

Shrimp & Veggies

We also grilled enough meat (& shrimp, veggies, swordfish and potatoes) to feed an army and Beth invented the BEST new campfire dessert the world has ever seen. Originally dubbed the PB S'more, this amazing concoction involves peanut butter spread on a graham cracker and then topped with chocolate and a molten, toasted marshmallow, sandwiched between another graham cracker.

History in the Making

Just like the original only so much better. We later ditched the family friendly product name in favor of the more compelling and far more illustrative "S'morgasm"... I mean, I really think that says it all, don't you?

S'morgasm Ingredients

The peanut butter not only makes the s'more so much more complex and delicious than it's inadequate half cousin by marriage, but it also serves to keep that chocolate in place so there is no slippage. It's a thing of beauty and I fully expect General Mills to steal the idea and package it up for the masses. No bother - everyone should experience. I for one, will never eat a normal s'more again.

Adam Mixes Something Special

We consumed and imbibed freely for a full 12-15 hours and when we were done - we rested. The next day, we assessed the leftovers, and did what any normal, responsible person would do. We turned them into breakfast.

Leftover Scramble

Cakes a'Cookin

A crazy egg scramble of veggies with a side of steak and some really amazing corn meal pancakes definitely hit the spot after we had finished playing Tom Cruise in Cocktail for several hours.

Corn Cakes

Breakfast of Champions

Of course, we still had a lot of booze left and there was a Celtics playoff game on so a round of Tom Collins (how do you make that plural) was in order... and that is when I discovered my new favorite drink! What a refreshing and delicious specimen.

My Friend Tom (Collins)

I may have to say goodbye to my reliable gimlet for the summer and say hello to my good friend Tom. Where have you been all my life???

Anyway, that's all I got. A lotta eating. A lotta laughing. The way food should be. Shared with friends, enjoyed over communal pots and rounds of terrible jokes, or warm, languishing spring afternoons on Cape Cod. If only life could always be so sweet and simple.

Did Somebody Say Arepas?

Just a quickie on some truly awesome taste sensations that found their way into my mouth last weekend while we were in NYC.

Cheese Dusted Sweet Fried Plantains

Our friend Marion was insistent that we get dinner at Caracas Arepa Bar in Brooklyn cause I guess she's a big fan of the other location in the city and wanted to try the new outpost, and of course I never argue with someone who wants to force some meat filled corn pockets on me. Man this place rocks. Everything we had was really phenomenal and would have only been better if accompanied by beer.

Empanada

An arepa is a Venezuelan delicacy made of corn-flour and resembling a pupusa in many ways. They are small and round and come stuffed with a delicious assortment of vegetables, meats and cheeses or can be eaten plain. They are sliced down the middle, almost like a pita pocket so the fillings can be added and the result is a savory, little snack that's filling enough to serve as a meal. Corn-flour gives arepas a nice gritty texture and hearty flavor that makes them taste particularly wholesome.

Chicken & Chorizo Arepa

My chicken, chorizo, avocado and chimi-churri number was bursting with meaty, juicy goodness and our starters of empanadas (including de cazon - small Caribbean shark) and fried plantains sprinkled with cheese rounded out the meal so that one arepa was plenty.

This Might Be the Same Thing...

It was an awesome and cost effective meal at around $20 for more than enough food and variety. Check it out if you're in the area... but drink a few beers before you go.

The Scene at the Show

I should probably add that we were in town for a show that Dana and Kenji had a piece in at the Artbreak Gallery in Williamsburg (The Great Out Doors) so before we went to the gallery we stopped at a bar that was having a happy hour special. That's right folks... two for one drink specials. What's wrong with this puritanical city that we can't lure people into bars with free booze? It makes those special afternoon stops at your local watering hole feel like vacation! Don't we all deserve a little vacation??? Boston is so backwards in some ways.

Dana & Kenji's Piece

Anyway, I had a gimlet as I have been known to do and got a round of T.C.'s for the group but switched after my first drink cause that bubbly and refreshing mix of gin, lime and sugar is so hard to pass up... hello summer.

Obligatory Gimlet Shot

A Handsome Crowd at Artbreak Gallery

Another very NY phenomenon is the french fry option with breakfast. I like this alternative and don't know why more people don't offer it. As a matter of course, a lot of restaurants will ask if you want to sub your home fries for french fries and in my opinion - why the hell wouldn't you???

We ate breakfast so late on Sunday that only a cheeseburger and Guniness would do... for strength of course. It was pretty delicious.

Breakfast Burger

Kenji's Eggs Bene w/ FRIES!!!

Anyway... I always like visiting NYC. We get to see so many people in a short amount of time and it's fun to run around and stay up until dawn but I am always so happy to see the Boston skyline as we cruise through the Allston/Brighton tolls on the Mass Pike. It's like coming home... oh wait, it is coming home. And I'm gettin too old to stay up till dawn. I end up needing to sleep till 6pm which starts a viscous and confusing sleep cycle.

Cause I'm Slackin... Some Bar Snacks to Tide You Over

It's not that I haven't been eating. I have. A lot. I've also been real busy. New job. Travel. Effervescing social life. Insane NBA Playoffs, NHL Championships... my unbelievably awesome fantasy baseball team. It's hard to get on here and be witty. Forget about uploading tons of photos.

Anyway, I have a bunch of good stuff on deck and I promise to tell you all about it soon but in the meantime I thought I'd get fast and loose with the update and share some fun little smackerels of yummy goodness.

So this just CRACKS me up. I gotta give Dana credit for this one. He sent it to me. It's a site called scanwiches on which some supremely awesome human scans his sandwich each day and posts the image along with a description of its contents. BRILLIANT.

A SCANWICH From April 24

I picked this one cause of a large amount of what I thought were pickles but apparently the sandwich in question is called the Crosby Connection: Virginia Ham, Smoked Gouda, Green Apples, Honey Mustard, On a hero. Sounds good, eh?

What I really want to know is... where is he getting these sandwiches cause they look amazing and what the hell does his scanner look like? I mean, does he ever need to use it for scanning documents? Like... oh, sorry boss. That's just a little mayo from yesterday's scan. Let me wipe that up for you before you scan the legal brief.

Bananas!

This was something else I liked this week but who the hell doesn't like it when their name ends up on a beer label??? Big ups to Alyssa for sending this my way. Not only is it the Elle beer from their Cyclone Series, it's also from Newport Storm and being that I'm from that really large cult also known as people from Rhode Island, it was pretty thrilling.

My Namesake

I like these Newport Storm beers. You can't get them everywhere but within the great state of R.I. they're usually available and sometimes in parts of Mass as well.

Anyway, that's all I got. We're headed to NYC this weekend so I'm sure we'll get some good footage there and I have some great stuff of 12 people around a single shabu pot and a weekend of intense eating on the Cape. All in good time my friends. Pace yourselves. You don't want to get full.