Friday, April 3, 2009
Party Mix Snack Tray: Challah Nirvana, Fail Caesar, and Beans, Beans, Beans
Posted by Jim Ridley on Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Hey, Lee--got any more of that challah you were passing around the office the other day? If so, help a blogger out with a couple of thickish slices for a stab at making Stuffed Caramelized Challah French Toast. The Girl Who Ate Everything downed one of these monsters at Sabrina's Cafe in Philadelphia, but an enterprising glutton could probably MacGyver the cream-cheese filling and try a little home variation. It works so well with cheese steaks, right?
• Fightin' words to Slow Foodies, from Katherine Coble at Just Another Pretty Farce: "Where I think SFM goes off the rails-besides the name, which begs a poop joke-is that it is yet another of these Lefty Plays Po' And Brags On 'Emselves deals that is so freakin' insufferable. I happen to think it is a good thing that we can enjoy tomatoes in November. Free Trade Ends Wars. Free Trade Builds Economies. Tomatoes Are Yummy. I mean, I do see the general upside of not burning the gas and not encouraging what we in this country would consider slave wages. But why is it that the wealthy seem to think it's so cute to play poor?" (Hat tip: Fluffernutter and Kleinheider.)
• Leave it to a Homesick Texan to make me wistful for Austin food with this lime-chipotle black bean recipe. Must be something in the air with all these terrific bean recipes (insert Blazing Saddles joke here). "I reckon you could say it's the grim economy that has me returning to beans so frequently--they are, after all, such a healthy, inexpensive protein," the Texan writes. Cool beans.
• "It's not a dish that shows up frequently on French menus and it's one of my favorite dishes of all time. When it's done right. But pretty much universally--and especially in theoretically 'American' restaurants--it's criminally awful in British restaurants. Anchovies rarely figure in the salad or the dressing. The tomatoes are woody and flavorless. It actually tastes like someone has taken salad cream (i.e. watered down sweet mayonnaise) and added a teaspoon of grated industrial Parmesan per cup of sauce, plopped on some wilted lettuce, added a few dried out bits of bread and the aforementioned tomatoes and--ta-da!" Too Many Chefs, prosecuting the culinary crime of Caesar salad.
• Who's eating where: Eric and Katie of Nashville Restaurants at The Pied Piper Eatery; Christy from Beyond the Fried at Chili's (trying the Guiltless Grill entrees); Joltin' Django at A Man's Gotta Eat flattening Urban Flats and pledging his fealty to the awesome Sir Pizza on Bell Road. Get well soon, Django.
• If I ever find myself alone and hungry in New York, this is what I'm doing.
Comments (8)
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I've had that french toast at Sabrina's. INSANE. Good thing we had walked there—the walk back was the only thing that saved me from a food coma.
And Monk's...love that place.
I miss Philly.
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Thanks for the tip on FFD -- we'll be in NYC in a few weeks. May have to book a tour!
monks. extremely superior to eulogy, no matter how many people try to say otherwise.
sabrinas. far superior to any other brunch spot, ever.
miss philly?
hell, i even miss marathon grill.
Thanks for the French toast shout-out! Although you could make it at home....well, I know I won't. Too lazy. But if you do you can make it even MORE EXTREEEEME.
Pogo -- If you take the FFD trip (and oh, I hope you will, just to sharpen my sense of envy), please come back here and write about it. We'll even run a photo if you send it to us.
Robyn -- Wow, thanks for checking in! Your blog is a wonder. Since I can't be bothered most of the time to make even the simple dredge-Colonial-Bread-in-egg French toast, this is so far beyond my ambition it isn't funny. But between you and Lee Stabert and P.J. Tobia and Marah, you've convinced me Bites should make a pilgrimage to Philly.
I've heard a lot of mixed reviews from Urban Flats. Maybe their lunch is decidedly better that their dinner? I'm sure the prices are better at least. I work across the street and have yet to venture over, but I typically pack my own lunch. Whatever.
Love, Gimmeyummy
Wow, just found my new favorite blog right here. Keep up the good work! I'm so excited about this recipe. These French toast . are wonderful and are so simple! I have to try making these sometime this week Thanks
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