Sunday Feast № 9 | Oscars' Night Smørrebrød Improv

	Tomorrow night, freshly minted golden statutes, each called Oscar, will be given new owners and homes.    That's right, it's that night of the year when movie buffs, critics, couch potatoes, snobs, enthusiast and consumers do the dance that either divides them or makes them "ooh" and "aah" in unison, for the 88th time. Pure tango.    Not having a reference at hand, I will construe the origin. Here were these shows, and their makers were playing The Game to make it all BUSINESS, and were wanting to get awards no one was giving them and to have the clout in the part of the city they called home and beyond. Complicated matter, but you gotta start somewhere. Business is Business and it has little patience for procrastination of real or feigned Art unless Art makes money, provides promise of glory and riches, or occasionally sublimes beyond all of that.
	sublime verb | sub·lime | \sə-ˈblīm\ sub·limed sub·lim·ing transitive verb 1: to cause to pass directly from the solid to the vapor state and condense back to solid form 2 [French sublimer, from Latin sublimare] a (1): to elevate or exalt especially in dignity or honor (2): to render finer (as in purity or excellence) b: to convert (something inferior) into something of higher worth intransitive verb : to pass directly from the solid to the vapor state
	Simplistic and cynical, I know, especially since that very Business has created many a dream, fostered technical advances and tattletales for our pure enjoyment, brought us glamour, exposed us to realities we would rather forget or not step into but have to know about, and created jobs that span beyond its lots as long as the economy is good.    Depending on your inclination vis-à-vis this Film and Show Business, you can either watch 88th Academy Awards ceremony, watch "There's No Business Like Show Business" or "Chicago", or opt for a spot of theater. Either way, keep the evening meal light in the spirit of the red carpet, but not minute. Minute is for starving artistes and those that want to or need to look just so since the lens adds pounds and ... and I am trying hard not to go down that pathway of analysis, commentary, issues, and views. I'd rather eat.    Improvised smørrebrød will do just fine. Grab buttered rye bread and stack on your toppings (smoked salmon or lox, marinated herrings, cold cuts, lettuce, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, etc.) and wash it all down with cold beer - more filling than canapés and more grounding than champagne. It will be Sunday night, and most of us have to clock in early on Monday morning to non-Film and non-Show Business jobs, at least till we get that part we were made for.

Sunday Feast № 8 | Polish Comfort

Kotlet schabowy. I am strongly attracted to the breaded pork cutlet. You can have your Viennese schnitzel, I rather opt for the familiar comfort and the memories of the whole cultural shebang.      You see, I always liked when Mum made it and I put up with her predilection to heavily sprinkle the kotlet, and potatoes it was inevitably paired with, with parsley whenever parsley was on hand, which seemed to be most of the time, and how every time I lamented "Enough!" she retorted in a matter of fact fashion with "But it's good for you", parsley that is. Fussing about, or worse still rejection of, what was put in front of you was not the done thing. This was where Dad occasionally interjected with a reminder that "You will eat what you're given." So ultimately, that parsley and those potatoes were dues to be paid while enjoying the kotlet I was given.      The whole "You will eat what you're given" was as much a parenting technique and about respecting the cook as a reflection of the place and time. Food shortages, restrictions, or whatever it really was, prevalent back in the days of Poland under Communist rule meant that if the food arrived in the shop most often there wasn't enough to go around. It was a case of either being "first in [the queue/line], best [fed]" or having the right connections. When you got it, you didn't waste it. Pounding of those cutlets was a surefire indication to the next door neighbors living in the same klatka schodowa w bloku (that is the stairwell in one of those hideous buildings constructed all across Soviet Bloc countries during the second half of the 20th century, that beyond Soviet Bloc would find siblings in U.S. housing projects and someone's idea of modern affordable high density housing in 1970s) that you got some. Which led itself to comedic scenarios in movies, and maybe even real life, where the cook of the house would pound the kitchen counter in imitation of to get under the skin of the neighbors - a "keeping up with the Joneses" twist.      Nowadays I will take that kotlet with any sides especially if Mum's cooking. Although typically herbs such as rosemary, dill or sage would not be added to the breadcrumb mixture, the recipe from "The Food and Cooking of Poland" by Ewa Michalik has these three in the mix (rosemary and sage are really the odd ones here but cuisine moves with access and times). Make as many as you like since they reheat well, and serve with mashed potatoes or boiled red potatoes, sauerkraut or red cabbage (with or without apple), cauliflower po polsku, okra, green beans, brussel sprouts with bacon and balsamic, or anything you like with breaded pork cutlets.

Fun on the side and after Watch "Sex and the City" marathon starting when Carrie meets the Russian "Shameless" anytime, any season "Dark Star: HR Giger's World" "Homeland" Season 5 Drink Vodka, what else!

Sunday Feast № 7 | "Like you'd cook for Picasso in his seventies. Like it's a matter of love and death."

Oh my, it's that day tomorrow, the one that either wakes a crazy ravenous romantic or utterly world weary cynic in you. Either way, you gotta eat! Might as well make a multi-course feast of it, because it is good for your soul and your body. Puurrrfect!      And what better source than "The Cosmic Feast: Divine Inspiration For Earthly Pleasures" by David McKay, Anna Johnson and Kirsten McKay (a threesome of authors? well lookie here and how about that *snicker* ... I totally digress - blame tomorrow) - "a spell book for the modern chef" toying with the dictates of Western horoscopic astrology. Utterly silly secret pleasure? Well, why thank you!      Whether for tomorrow or any other Sunday when a three course feast is called for (no dessert yet, have to work up my way to that slowly, then again - here I digress once more), the chilled red pepper and tomato soup with fresh prawns can be made the day before and sit pretty in the fridge, the squid stuffed with rice will test your skill and patience during stuffing but it is totally worth the suggestively "naughty" fun and the taste once ready, while Pablo's chicken, although maybe not truly Picasso's dish (then again who knows, too busy entertaining to research), warms and grounds towards olé!      Now that sounds like delicious fun *wink*

Fun on the side and after Music Pandora Flamenco Channels Movie "Pulp Fiction" & "Under the Skin" Drink Hoegaarden with squid & Vinos de Arganza "Flavium" Premium Bierzo 2011 with chicken

Sunday Feast № 6 | Going Light with Japanese

As far as feasting goes there comes a time when a certain sentiment arises: cannot do "La Grande Bouffe" / "The Great Feast" kind of thing anymore, need a "Lost in Translation" kind of thing instead. Let me explain somewhat by highlighting parts of a dialog from the latter. Lydia Harris: [over the phone] Is this a bad time? Bob: [pauses] No, it's always a good time. Lydia Harris: The burgundy carpet is out of stock: it's going to take twelve weeks. Did you like any of the other colors? Bob: Whatever you like - I'm just completely lost. Lydia Harris: It's just carpet. Bob: That's not what I'm talking about. Lydia Harris: What are you talking about? Bob: I don't know. I just want to... get healthy. I would like to start taking better care of myself. I'd like to start eating healthier - I don't want all that pasta. I would like to start eating like Japanese food. Lydia Harris: [icily] Well, why don't you just stay there and you can have it every day? Bob: [biting his tongue] How are the kids doing? Lydia Harris: They're fine. They miss their father. [pause] Lydia Harris: Do I need to worry about you, Bob? Bob: Only if you want to. So here it is, a light Japanese-style lunch or dinner which is easy and quick, with overnight pickling. Some dashi, tsukemono and a seafood salad.      Recipes are from the back of kombu packet and “Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking” by Harumi Kurihara, with few of my alterations.

Fun on the side and after Drink Hitachino Nest Beer White Ale Movie "Sakuran"

Sunday Feast № 5 | Burmese Vegetarian

As it goes in some sort of succession, it's time for warm vegetarian food as a center piece. The coconut rice is very rich - take note that it might be quite a few servings from what might look like a small volume - and the vegetable curry is a gentle tummy hugging soul warmer - that might disappear faster than intended. The latter is a great "left over" recipe from my days when I gave vegetarianism a go purely as a way to explore vegetables as a center piece of a meal rather than a side. It's an experiment that I would highly recommend to anyone, especially to those of you who will comeback to animal products. Vegetables will look like a serious contender that does not bore.      Recipes are from “Community Aid Abroad Vegetarian Cookbook”, with few of my alternatives.

Sunday Feast № 4 | Broiled Salmon with Sautéed Bok Choy and Broccoli

Memory can be quite random. One week big packets of ramen noodles are bought at a Korean hypermarket. The label at the back gives instructions to cook them for 3 min in boiling water and then eat with favorite dipping sauce, e.g. hoisin. Few weeks later, in a different market, I am looking at Asian sauces, just because. "Shall I? Which one to choose?" I wonder. "How about hoisin? Yeah, let's try that one." A week later, "I feel like fish," not as in I-am-a-fish, but as in I-want-to-eat-fish, and "How about testing that broiler function in my oven?" which I read use instructions for at some point in all those weeks. Rice is always on hand, and cooked well courtesy of a trusty rice cooker. Now just add a vegetable side, and all's good to eat.      Recipes are from “Everyday Food: Great Food Fast” by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, with few of my alternatives.

Sunday Feast № 3 | Beef Braised in Red Wine

I do not believe in frying prosciutto.      Why? It is perfect as is, so why mess with it. However, I have no such qualms about frying pancetta or bacon. So ultimately, my belief makes little sense, and I wanted to try this recipe. Frying prosciutto around a chunk of beef and braising it in red wine is perfection! This does not mean I will be substituting fried bacon with fried prosciutto, as a pair to fried or scrambled eggs or for a sandwich, any time soon, but bending my rules was delicious!      The recipe is from “The Food of Italy: A Journey for Food Lovers” with alternatives I use.

Fun on the side and after Music Missy Elliott "The Cookbook" Drink Damilano Barbera d'Asti 2015 Movie "Locke"

Sunday Feast № 2 | Chicken Cacciatore

“Shhh. Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits.” Elmer J. Fudd might, me – not so much. Not that I have anything against eating one, but I am no cacciatore, that’s “hunter” in Italian, and my hunting, if one can even refer to it as such, is relegated to local supermarkets. So no coniglio alla cacciatora, rabbit hunter-style, here. But pollo alla cacciatora I can do!      As far as any hunter-style dishes go, there are regional variations and every household’s tastes different. There are typical ingredients that go into chicken cacciatore, chicken (of course), onion, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, wine, but I was fascinated how often the internet provides images of the dish that are red red red, more so than mine ever come out. Then I stumbled onto this in Wikipedia, not that stumbling onto anything in Wikipedia can be called stumbling: “In the United States, cacciatore dishes may be prepared with marinara sauce” according to Diane Phillips in her “Perfect Party Food” book. That explains the red look!      For now I will stick to how I do, and not forget the mushrooms – that always spells hunter-style to me.      The recipe is from “The Food of Italy: A Journey for Food Lovers” with alternatives I use based on what I have successfully “hunted” down.

Fun on the side and after Music Pandora Italian Cooking Channel Drink Alamos Malbec 2013

Sunday Feast № 1 | Eggs in Pots

Happy New Year, and if your December was full of boozy festivities or you topped it all off with a New Year’s Eve celebration that carried into the weekend, by this Sunday morning hangover and you may be well acquainted frenemies. It’s time for breakfast, to end that relationship and to ease into New Year, provided you can get up, stand up, and hold your food.       This is usually when I hear of cravings for greasy anything and “hair of the dog” remedy, and maybe there is credence to both, but personally I subscribe to a steady trickle of water and toast with honey, followed by an indulgence that will not weigh down my already suffering innards. No thanks to running, dripping grease fest, but eggs are good. Very good. Hello œufs en cocotte! Yes, you will challenge yourself a tad beyond quick frying or scrambling, treat that as part of the recovery process, but at a leisurely speed, which you will appreciate while you are hydrating, while that toast with honey is making you sweeter (oh, angel you!), and while your loved ones are asking for attention you literally do not possess this morning. Focus. You can stumble through it. If you have an oven with a glass door and a light, treat it like TV – just like the real thing, staring is welcome, in fact encouraged, as you get to know the water temperature and the time it takes to set the eggs to taste, so you can repeat not as a hangover breakfast but as part of weekend feast to start the day. The cream with eggs will hug your tummy just right.       The recipe is adapted for one egg from “The Little Paris Kitchen” by Rachel Khoo, so you can multiply it as needed and, just like Rachel, if you do not have ramekins, use ceramic cups instead.