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
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment