FROM BEHIND THE OPEN TABLE Has Come To Its End

As of midnight tonight, I am going to close this blog. I've found it to be a very useful tool, helping me find my 'writer's voice,' teaching me a lot about editing and helping me evolve as a writer.

I'm going to, instead, spend my time focusing on my book and readying it for presentation to publishers.

Thank you, all, for the much needed support you've given me over the past several months...

-Pat Bradley

My Debut Book

Sometime last year I decided to put my (personal) writing on hold and instead spend a full year reading 'inspired' writings (mainly Capote) and then another year journal keeping. Luckily, I've already begun keeping a journal and found it to be very useful.

Lately though, I've been feeling rather 'dry' and uninspired. I'm still trying to finish In Cold Blood, but the problem is that I'm studying it instead of just reading it--underlining, starring and circling words, lines and grammatical structures every couple of pages. Plus, I've already seen several movies based on the book which I probably shouldn't have done prior to reading it.

But last night seemed to find me a moment of clarity. I woke this morning to write this:

Finally, it hit me: Little Red-Hot Devils Within Me. The title of my new book.

It snowed again last night and I was burning up with fever. Every time the snow has almost completely melted, it snows again--which is great for my dry cleaner because every time I walk to and from work, the dirty, melting snow laps up the back of my one pair of Prada pants which I wear to work, daily, whenever possible...

My fever peaked at a hundred and four and I'd spent half the night on the toilet while trying to watch Julie & Julia with Alvie, who woke me just about every few hours to take my temperature. But between the space heater kicking on and off (for some reason, our heat and hot water were not working) and the snow-to-sleet-to-freezing-rain continually cascading against our window, I couldn't sleep; I was wide awake. So I began thinking about the title of my book.

Unfortunately, I grew up Catholic; although, maybe that’s not as unfortunate as I think. It seems most Catholics do end up “O.K.,” except, of course, those that end up in a nunnery or monastery. Those are the real cases. Back to my point. I’ve heard, at least twice, the story about the devil in the house (in this case, the house being man). The devil enters a house, makes an awful mess and performs all kinds of naughty acts while there. Then one day the man gets ‘redeemed,’ kicking the old devil out and cleaning and sweeping up any and all signs of the devil's ill doing. The devil stays away for a while (he was getting bored with the house anyway), but then comes back one day, just to peek in the window. He sees the house has been all cleaned up and put back in order. Then, he goes out and brings seven more devils, more wicked than himself, to thrash about in the newly gussied up house, wreaking all kinds of naughtiness worse than the time before!

So it seems the moral of the story is to just keep one devil in your house at all times.

Unfortunately, I spent three days in a monastery. I have many red-hot devils within me.

The Danger of Prawns and Ukha Soup

LAST night, David and I watched the 2009 movie, I Am Love, with Tilda Swinton, one of our favorite actors. But what neither of us expected was that food would play such a major role in the film.

Swinton plays Emma, the wife and mother in an ultra-wealthy family, who over time, comes to know her son's best friend more intimately than a mother should. Antonio, her son's friend who also happens to be a chef, invites Emma, her mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law-to-be to his restaurant in Milan for lunch. The young chef sends the ladies dishes of his own choosing which he presents with exquisite meticulousness. When the main course, prawns and ratatouille with sweet and sour sauce, is presented to Emma, the camera bathes her in a singular light as she seems to forget her surroundings for a moment in time. (she enjoys the dish to an orgasmic degree)

This moment in the film presents "food as catalyst" moment number one, setting off a series of events beginning with Emma's pursuit of Antonio.

Soon after her orgasmic luncheon, Emma heads off to Nice, where Antonio spends part of his week growing vegetables on a remote (two hours by car) mountainside. Once there, Emma finds Antonio who takes her to his mountaintop shack where they spend the better part of the afternoon making love. Emma continues her mountaintop rendezvous where she also teaches Antonio how to make Edo's (her son's) favorite ukha soup.

Shortly thereafter, Edo's father plans a dinner party and Edo insists that his good friend Antonio prepare the meal. The first course: ukha soup. Edo had been having suspicions (he found a lock of his mother's recently shorn hair on the mountainside) about the pair, Antonio and Mamma, and seeing the ukha soup--a Russian dish, that in Italy, only his mother would know how to make--only confirmed them.

Moment number two; food as catalyst.

I don't want to give away what happens next, but I found this film so (pleasantly) unusual for allowing food to play such an important role in regards to major turning points within the film.

Seeking: Server Position

SMART, hard-working, young man with 2+ years of front door experience seeks server position, 1-2 days a week, in a moderately fine-dining to fine-dining establishment in order to round out his restaurant experience.
Interested employers, please contact: FBTOTeditor@gmail.com
(yes, it is me)

Weekly Wine Tastings At Wine Spot

Follow De Wine Spot on Twitter or Facebook to keep abreast of their weekly offerings.

ABC K-i-t-c-h-e-n

Since Adam Platt, recently, more or less named ABC Kitchen the city's best restaurant right now, (highly recommending diver scallops and salted caramel ice cream sundae) I decided to give them another try (I'd gone once before to try the clam pizza, but wasn't all that impressed).

Scrolling down the dinner menu, the first dish to catch my interest was the chicken liver toast ($9).

chicken liver toast at ABC kitchen

The smallish toast, cut into four pieces was deliciously tasty! I also ordered two special dishes they were serving that night: sweetbreads, over fusili and date pizza. Even though I had ordered both the chicken liver toast and the sweetbreads (served hot) as my appetizers, kindly, the sweetbreads were brought out after I'd finished my toast. The second appetizer was also absolutely delicious, served with cheese and Chinese broccoli. Next was the date pizza. Large enough, I was able to share it with my dining partner and it, too, was quite pleasing on the palate. Finally, following Mr. Platt's recommendation, I ordered the sundae with salted caramel ice cream, candied peanuts & popcorn, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Sadly, the sundae was less than I'd expected. But nonetheless, none of it went to waste.

Overall, I did enjoy ABC Kitchen and must say that the star dish of the evening was, surely, the simple chicken liver toast.

ABC Kitchen, 35 East 18th Street, Flat Iron

Better than a Birkin!

If this bag had not just been released at thufri.com, I would have gotten one for all my friends (and two for me) last Christmas! It's the most adorable reusable tote I've seen to hit the city yet and God knows, they are aplenty. But the best part is that the website is selling these cheeky totes for a mere $35 a pop! Move on over Ms. Birkin, there's a new (cost-conscious) girl in town!

Also available in brown

Back to Class!

Last night's wine class was Robust Reds and Stinky Cheeses! Even though the class was originally sold out, I was able to squeeze in due to a last minute cancellation--it was the most packed class I'd been to yet! At around 7:05 we all poured into to ICE's wine tasting room and naturally, I selected my usual seat in which I had sat all throughout "Wine Essentials." Before me was the handout for the evening's class. We were to taste nine wines and ten cheeses. Once everyone had selected their seats, Kati, Professor Vayda's assistant, handed out the (wine and cheese) description packets.

After a brief introduction and bio, Prof. Vayda briefly ran down the wine list, giving a few details about each. We would be tasting a variety of reds that evening including: Châteauneuf-du-Pape; Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon; and lastly, a Porto--"... something warm to send you on your way." On to the cheeses, there was a variety from: soft-ripened to blue, England to Italy. After professor briefly described each cheese, he went on to describe the process of cheese-making.

In the U.S., all cheeses are categorized into four categories: soft, semi-soft, semi-hard and hard. But in Europe, there are seven. 

1. Fresh
2. Chèvre / goat
3. Soft-ripened
4. Wash rind
5. Semi-hard / hard
6. Blue
7. Processed

After we were formally introduced to the process of cheese-making, we moved on to tasting some of the wines. The first wine to impress me was the Valpolicella Classico Superiore (Ripasso), 'Campo San Vito,' Villa Monteleone 2004. As valpolicella wines are made using the corvina grape, a valpolicella ripasso (meaning "repassed") wine is passed through the "pomace" (leftover grape skins) from amarone, a "rich, dry Italian red wine made from the partially dried grapes of the corvina, rondinella, and molinara varieties." As the valpolicella is passed through the pomace it absorbs some of the richness and flavor. So, it's almost like getting a 'valpolicella-amarone blend,' without the cost of buying amarone.

Naturally, I was interested in the valpolicella because it's one of my favorite red wines to buy--simply for its 'ease of drinking.' But this valpolicella was much more impressive than my usual bottle. It lingers in your mouth much longer and you might even notice some hints of wood as well. $24.

My favorite wine of the night (before moving onto 'sweet wines') was Stellenbosch, 'Fusion V,' De Toren 2007, made using all five Bordeaux grapes (hence the name, "Fusion V"). On the nose: a smoky scent; and for the feel: length on the tongue and a hint of acid. $44.

My final two wines of the night found noteworthy are: Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Joseph Phelps 2006 and Toscana I.G.T., 'Nanerone,' Piandibugnano 2006. The napa cab was sweet and smoky ($47) and the toscana nanerone had a sweet, "jammy" taste to it, similar to that of "wild country berries." ($32 for a half bottle)

don't they look sweet?

My favorite cheeses for the night were:

Soft-ripened

Pico (France)

Crottin de Chavignol (France)

Wash rind

Taleggio (Italy)

Semi-hard / hard

Raw milk, cellar aged Comté

Blue

Shropshire Blue (England)

Queso de Valdeón (Spain)

As we tasted the cheeses, I also picked up a few interesting tips from Prof. Vayda. One: with soft-ripened cheese, pierce into and poke the center to see if it's ready (ripe). If it gives, it's ready; "there's nothing worse than biting into a chalky piece of Brie."

The pico (made from goat's milk) was nice, with a touch of white [good] mold flowering on its rind. And the crottin (also made from goat's milk), completely soft, could even be left to harden and grated over pasta. (another tip)

The firmer tallegio (cow's milk) was tangy; and even firmer: the cellar aged comté was nice too--somewhat hearty, and a few milk crystals.

And finally, our blue cheeses: shropshire blue (a blue cheddar) was very good and the queso de valdeón (wrapped in leaves; made from goat, cows and ewes' milk) was good also, yet gentler than the shropshire. (I think the valdeón was definitely the prettier of the two; the shropshire blue was quite arresting [and a bit odd-looking] with it's bright orange color and bits of blue running through it)

All cheeses sourced from Garden of Eden Marketplace.

Polaroid to release 'camera glasses'--a food blogger's dream come true!

Read the International Business Times full story by clicking here!

Small Plates on Mercer

Last night, after work, I stopped off at Lure for a late-night, post-work snack. I pulled up a barstool near the far end of the bar (my favorite, "regular," seat across from coat check was taken) while Jenny readied me with a glass of their house sparkling, Franciacorta. I pored over the menu, attempting to reach a conclusion... I did not want to order a burger (post-holiday paunch), yet there was nothing catching my eye--until I read the listings under "soups & salads."

Right away, I recognized the beet salad, which I'd considered ordering once before. I thought the beet salad, with a little bread on the side, along with my glass of Franciacorta, would be the perfect meal. (as Mireille Guiliano says, "Wine is food.") I'd finished half of my (first) glass of Franciacorta while Jeff laid my dish before me.

my 'mobile upload'

The beets tasted delicious and fresh and the two slices of goat cheese, which were sliced thinner than you'd expect, were, admirably, not the dish's main attraction. For me, however, the real highlight of the dish was the generous scattering of whole hazelnuts, which I admit to never having had before (in such an unaltered state). Equally as delicious were the soft rolls with whipped butter, which were brought out upon my request. (actually, I had asked for "some bread or toasts, on the side"; kindly, they brought both)

Another of my favorite 'small dish meals,' on Mercer Street, is at The Mercer Kitchen, right across the street from Lure. My favorite dishes at 'Mercer' often tend to be their smaller dishes: personal brick oven pizzas, a delicious sea bass carpaccio and a handful of salads that I'm also fond of. On a recent Tuesday night at Beige, I was chatting up a young fellow who'd recently dined at Mercer Kitchen. I'd asked him what he'd had there, to which he replied: black truffle pizza and shaved fennel salad. I'd told him that that was the most perfect combination at Mercer Kitchen--along with some sparkling, of course.

Happy... New Year?

A new year is upon us and even though I'll quote myself saying at Thanksgiving: 'I'm looking forward to 2011!' --it seems that some of us are still a bit apprehensive... David, on the eve of the new year, stated via his Facebook status update:

best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy 2011-- here's hoping it beats the pants off 2010!!!!

And tonight, after David and I finished watching a couple of tv shows (which we rarely do), I read on my friend, "K. P. G."'s blog the 'sad yet compelling' post: As It Happens. (it's my favorite of hers since I began reading the blog)

Alas, it's been a tough year for many. And I'm extremely fortunate to say that I am just now beginning to feel the effects of the recession. So, one of my New Year's resolutions is to save $20 every week for the entire year. I know, it doesn't add up to much, only $1,040, but I'll at least be in the habit of saving more regularly. (Additionally, I'd started an 'end of the year resolution,' back in December, to save $100 every month. So, I'll actually be saving $180 every month, grossing $2,160 by the end of 2011.)

Another one of my New Year's plans is to (finally) continue with my wine studies at ICE. It's been quite a while since I'd had my last class, not due to any unwillingness on my part, but due to the fact that the last few classes I had registered for were canceled due to low enrollment. With all the time I'd spent planning my calendar around these classes, I decided to put my wine studies 'on hold' until my schedule freed up again... On January 2nd, I sent this e-mail to a few friends and family:

Hello Friends and Family!

I hope the beginning of 2011 has found you happy and well!

I'm proud to say I've had an exciting year with my blog, FROM BEHIND THE OPEN TABLE, having reached over 8,000 readers since its inception back in December of 2009! And as you know, I've also had the opportunity (and privilege) of taking wine studies courses at the Institute of Culinary Education in Chelsea. With the start of a new year, I've added to my resolutions, plans on continuing my wine studies in anticipation of ICE's "Grand Cru" wine certificate.

Last August, I was the proud bearer of their "Premier Cru" certificate and now, I've decided that the natural decision is to continue my wine studies in anticipation of receiving their Grand Cru certificate--ICE's top level wine degree.

In order for this, I'd have to partake in a 4 week wine course, "Advanced Wine Essentials," beginning in March and in addition, attend 2 elective wine classes before receiving the Grand Cru degree. The total cost, for the three courses, would be $485.00.

Therefore, I am reaching out to you: my family, friends and dedicated followers of my blog to ask for contributions. Anything, even as little as $1 would be greatly appreciated and my wine knowledge will be forever indebted to you! (read: I will bring you a really nice bottle of wine to dinner one day!) You can make a donation, in any amount, through the PayPal donation button I've inserted on the right-hand side of my blog.

And Thank You Again for always supporting me in all my "adventurous" endeavors--here's to a bright and happy 2011!

Sincerely,

Pat Bradley

I've raised $85.00 so far. Four hundred more to go.