Alouette, gentille Alouette

Praise the French Canadians! Last week Jen and I attended the monthly Newstead Tower Pub beer dinner, aptly named the Dinner du Cochon Rose, or Dinner of the Pink Pig. It featured beer from my favorite Quebecois brewery, Unibroue who specialize in Belgian-style ales, and four courses of pure pork deliciousness care of chef Anthony Devoti and the hogs of Benne's Farm. Some tasting notes and a little inspired film clip for your consumption.

Course Un: Pork cake, current jam, micro greens, and a fried egg. Served with Don de Dieu.

We started off with appetizer more akin to breakfast than dinner. The pork cake (oh, you mean like a crab cake and not a pastry cake? I get it now! Jen laughed at me...) was spicy, nicely balanced with the sweet-tart current jam, and made even more decadent by mixing in bites of farm fresh egg yolk. Don de Dieu is a "we mean business" sort of wheat ale, weighing in at 9% ABV. It was hard to believe that this deliciousness could be topped.

Course Deux: Charcuterie of house-made coppa, prosciutto, and pate with warm whole wheat baguette and stone-ground mustard. Served with Maudite.

The second course was killer... I mean, how can you go wrong with a plate of meat? With two types of a pate (Grandma's, a bit more gamey but still good, and Champagne, with nuts and dried fruit) Jen and I quickly realized that we were going to need more bread. The mustard, while a favorite, was found to be unnecessary and sometimes masked the flavor of the pork. I think my combination of pate, mustard, and topped with prosciutto was the ultimate trifecta. Why yes, I do like pork with my pork! Maudite would be my second choice for a stuck-on-a-desert-island-with-only-one Unibroue beer. Which means it's outstanding. Bonus points for it being on draft at Newstead. As a deep red ale, it paired perfectly.

Course Trois: Pulled pork served on brioche toast, roasted pork loin with horseradish mashed potatoes, "franks and beans"- house-made pork sausage with white bean puree. Served with Chambly Noire.

The main course was a "tasting" of pork prepared three different ways... each a bit of a tongue-and-cheek take (pardon the slight pun) on traditional dishes. The pulled pork tasted similar to the pork cake with the addition of a vinegary sauce and the toasted brioche "bun." The pork loin was tender and tasty, though I'm not sure what in the marinade was for it... maybe mustard seed? The horseradish mashed potatoes were incredible. Creamy and not too over-powering. Finally, buttery, sage-y sausage and white bean puree. Simple and delicious. And something I think I will attempt to make at home. I was new to the Chambly Noire, but I do love a good black beer. This one was similar to many Schwartzbiers (a German style) I've had previously. It was toasty and balanced and subtle and lower alcohol. All of which made the main course more about the flavors of the food... which, I think, is as it should be.

Course Quatre: House-smoked bacon with Stilton blue cheese ice cream, drizzled with black truffle honey. Served with La Fin du Monde.

By this point Jen and I were pleasantly stuffed and I was well on my way to being tipsy. (Jen was driving and therefore giving me the extra pours offered to us by one of the lovely Newstead bartenders, Jessica.) How were we going to finish dessert? I was really excited for this course, as La Fin du Monde is in my top-five-all-time-favorite beers. SO TASTY. If anything was going to motivate me, that was! But the dessert itself was amazing and unlike anything I've tasted. Blue cheese ice cream was creamy and sharp and slightly sweet. When combined with the honey with bits of shaved black truffle floating in it, the sweetness intensified but did not hide the tang of the blue cheese. The salty, crunchy bacon was an outstanding topping, adding another layer of flavor and complexity to the experience. All of this with the best beer ever: a body with fruit, hops, yeast, intense carbonation. I was in heaven. As I've said before it's La Fin du Monde (as we know it), and I feel fine...

As a final treat, I'd like to share a clip that we discussed at length over dinner. Praise the French Canadians... and praise their beer!

The Kids In The Hall - Office Trappers | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

it was 20 years ago today...

Fine, I'll admit it. I've been watching Doogie Howser, MD on Hulu. Mostly just a few episodes from season 1, you know including the one where Doogie takes his gf Wanda's appendix out and has to give her a pelvic exam to diagnosis it. (I obviously was unaware what a pelvic exam was when I was 9 and missed the reference.) Neil Patrick Harris looks like a baby... a baby who has no(?) clue that he will grow up to be an amazingly beautiful gay man. Plus, he's a prime blogging example... well, a pre-Internets example anyway... we all read over his shoulder while he documented his thoughts in a computer journal at the end of every episode.

In addition to reliving some of Steven Bochco's finer television moments, I've been revisiting 1989 in other ways. Well, culturally, anyway. Take Lloyd Dobler. The man who thought kickboxing was the sport of the future and opined the greatest break-up line in history: "I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen." Lloyd Dobler is the man. And while I haven't watched Say Anything in ages, I feel like I am in that place right now... on the edge... looking for that dare to be great situation... You're an inspiration, Lloyd.

Finally, and likely the most macabre piece of this flashback, I've Netflix-ed Twin Peaks. While I remember being quite aware of this show (I mean, "who killed Laura Palmer?" is another pop culture phrase of my generation) and of David Lynch (did I ever tell you that I LOVED Dune around this age... yes, I know I'm weird) I didn't watch it. So seeing it now is quite the experience. First of all, I find it hard to comprehend that this was on network television during the Cosby-era?! The complexities of the characters alone... not to mention fetishes and call girls and transvestites. Oh, and lots of coffee and gratuitous shots of donuts. And while I'm not sure how this ties into my story, being neither a prom queen nor an FBI agent... it feels appropriate to be watching this at age 29. Whether it's the mystery or the flux, there's something about Twin Peaks that's drawn me in.

it's a nice day for a...

Two of my dearest StL friends were married today. Here's the toast I gave them:

When you make new friends in your mid-to-late 20s, you often meet people as part of a couple… where two individuals come prepackaged as one unit, like a pair of snack cakes or something. I moved to Saint Louis for graduate school in 2004 and almost immediately starting hanging out with Alissa, who was then a second year in my neuroscience program. Beyond school and science were knitting and riding bikes and the occasional show. I also got to know her boyfriend, Eric, who may not be aware that I vividly remember him from my interview weekend… when he showed up at Llweyln’s in the Central West End to meet Alissa, stuck graciously entertaining us recruits. At the time I thought, wow, what a nice guy.

I am lucky enough to have been friends with both of them for close to 5 years now. Through a move to South City, the purchasing of their house on Cherokee, 2 Masters degrees (and 3 more to follow), many more bike rides, dinners, art openings, music, long conversations about gardening and food, politics and public health. Through the ups and downs that ALL of us have had. Our friendships have supported each other. I am so thankful that they are both in my life and I hope that having me in theirs has brought them as much happiness and comfort.

This moment is to celebrate Alissa and Eric as a couple. But what I think about is how amazing each of them is as a person, as my friend. They are both so unique and talented and fun to be around. Alissa and Eric, the couple, are not like the pre-packaged snack cakes. First of all, I could hardly imagine either of them being full of preservatives. They are too awesomely independent to be lumped together and sealed in plastic, left sitting on convenience store shelves. Rather, I see Alissa and Eric, the couple, as the combination of two comic book heroes paired to battle some massive foe (except without the tights), or a rocknroll supergroup. They each maintain their own identity and power, but together, totally kick even more ass.

To Alissa. To Eric. To you both. All the best as you continue your lives and your life together. Cheers.

this tornado loves you

My friends may have noticed of late that I have been even more of a whirling dervish of obligations. Plans must be made far in advance if you would like me to attend whatever thing you've got going. What with work, training for my first triathlon, attempts at spring cleaning and gardening at the house, knitting, art openings, yoga, beer, music, weddings, and umpteen other social commitments I sometimes wonder when I sleep let alone find time to write on this blog.

So, first, an apology. To you. I do want to hang out with all of you, really. And then an apology to me. Exponentially growing lists of commitments should not be an excuse for not taking time for myself and my thoughts. While I have been having a blast as per usual, it's nice just to sit and get a few things down. Ironically, this post will consist of upcoming shows that I am psyched to check out... (you can reprimand the RnR girl for her lifestyle but you can't take the RnR lifestyle away from the girl)

Growing list of commitments #123 - Late Spring Music in the StL

1. Thao and the Get Down Stay Down - May 8th at Off Broadway
   This is Thao's second trip into town since her 2008 release of "We brave beestings and all". I caught her first show whilst sipping O'Fallon Wheach in a near-empty Off Broadway last summer. Good stuff. I hope that there are more kids there to dance their hearts out this time.


2. Midwest Mayhem - May 14th at the City Museum
   How can you not love 10 local bands, burlesque, beer, and climbing all over creation at the City Museum? MJS and I braved bruised knees last year to rock out at the Mayhem. Definitely up for a repeat performace.


3. The Decemberists - May 31st at the Pageant
   Lead singer Colin Malloy did creative writing at U of Montana in Missoula. I think that makes me love him even more. Come for the story-telling, stay for the sing-alongs...


4. Twangfest - June 10th - 13th, featuring...


5. Alejandro Escavedo - June 10th at the Pageant
   "The Boxing Mirror" was one of my favorite albums of 2006. Hoping to catch this guy live for the first time.


6. Jenny Lewis - June 14th at the Pageant
   Yes, I remember seeing "The Wizard" (aka Nintendo's big screen commercial) in the theater back in 1989. And yes, like Fred Savage, I wanted to get with Jenny Lewis even then. Absolutely CANNOT WAIT for this show.


7. The Avett Brothers - June 25th at the Pageant
   Missed these guys at the Sheldon last May during the massive music weekend (see 5 days, 3 shows, 1200 miles)... Won't be making that mistake again.


8. Whitaker Music Festival at MOBOT - Wednesdays starting June 3rd
   Gotta love walking across the street into the Gardens... carrying a sixer or a bottle of wine and some snacks... and walking home afterward. Friends are definitely encouraged to make this a routine visit with me!


9. ...

So... anyone wanna see a show? :)

Mono... doh!

As you can probably tell, I'm really excited about President Obama's strategic plan for a high-speed rail system. Woot.

driving south on 57: an unexpected economic microcosm...

I made a quick jaunt to Nashvegas last Saturday under the pretense of seeking tax advice. Really it was an excuse to see the fam and vacate my RNR lifestyle in the Lou for ~24 hrs. Driving my 11 YO standard transmission with no cruise control, tape deck, or functional windshield wipers may not sound like a joy ride to you, but I love a chance to unplug for a few hours. It's quality contemplation time.

There's one spot on the drive in Illinois, where the highway acts as a divider between worlds: to the east, a minimum security prison. To the west, a junior college. Maybe it was the fact that I was thinking about my W2s. Or the recent spate of worries about what the heck I'm going to do with my house when I defend my thesis come December. But for whatever reason, on this occasion I was really struck by the scene. Are these really the two choices that people face in our society: education or criminalization? They seem to be exquisitely linked. Looking at the demographics of the current unemployment numbers (at the highest levels since 1983! Whee!) one sees that minorities with less education are more affected. Does that leave these individuals more "at risk" for our massively costly criminal justice system? It's likely. But in today's economy, is one that much worse off than the other? What with lawyers being laid off in droves, professional degrees, let alone 2 year-trained semi-truck mechanics, seem to be not worth much weight. So is this the choice of today's working class youth? Community college vs. being locked up... Fans of season 4 of the Wire would recognize that both of these are "systems" in which individuals learn the rules to engage in that particular world. Think Namond Brice.

Given that it's a good year for the GWB's of the world to get into college, we have a ways to go before there is economic parity in education. And if education level dictates economic standing, especially in hard times, there's a good chance that without a massive change in how we teach (or another choice besides the east or west side of I-57) this will continue to be a never-ending cycle.

local feasts

Since reading Barbara Kingsolver's book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" last fall, I have become even more fascinated by food. This is not to say that I haven't always been an admirer of food. Especially when the time came that I was the one making everything for myself. The joy of waking up early on a Saturday, reading the Baltimore Sun in bed, and heading over to the Waverly farmer's market with the sounds of Click and Clack emanating from the car radio. Eating the morning's pastries taken from large cardboard boxes that were shielded from the elements with cheesecloth, not quite opaque so to allow passersby a peak at the goods. Drinking half and half (iced tea and lemonade to the uninitiated) while cruising for fruits and veggies. Freshly shelled peas scooped from coolers in spring, heirloom tomatoes of summer, and countless apple varieties were the staple of autumn.

In Kingsolver's account of her family's year of eating only what they can grow, raise, or purchase locally (with a few minor exceptions) she speaks about the especially lean months of late winter, before the early harvests of the new season. And while times may be tight until the final chances of frost have passed in late April (or Dogwood Winter as my grandfather calls it), I have found that as cold warms to spring I enjoy and take pride in my locavore status even more. Last summer I joined my first CSA or community supported agriculture group. Fair Shares is a little bit different than your typical farm share in that it's a "combined" CSA, meaning that I get locally raised meat, cheese, butter, eggs, pasta, breads, grains, salsa, honey, roasted coffee, etc. in addition to produce. It is absolutely fantastic and I can't rave about it enough. So rather than go on and on, I thought I would share some photos and descriptions of meals I've made during these lean times.

Beet Pasta with Sauteed Garlic and Kale in a Walnut Cream Sauce

Beet pasta? What do you do with beet pasta? Luckily I found some kale at Local Harvest. I had cream leftover from making sherbet for my birthday and a bag of chopped MO black walnuts. I sauteed the kale with garlic in some olive oil. Then added the cream and the walnuts and reduced it to a sauce. Over the pasta and done! Ta dah... instant deliciousness.

Goat Cheese and Spinach Lasagna with Mushroom Marinara

Homemade marinara in winter? Really? With the help of some jarred, pealed local tomatoes and local mushrooms, I made a yummy sauce that tasted just like summer. This was poured over layers of Mangia pasta sheets schmeered with fresh goat cheese and spinach. Topped with more local cheese (Heartland Creamery's Legacy, a personal fave) and baked until bubbling. I may not be Italian, but this was a hearty, local lasagna to die for.