don't worry,
i have not gone on a diet
or anything crazy like that!
my love of pork and fat is still going strong!
i haven't posted in a while
because i am in the middle of a complicated move.
living in a hotel means not a lot of cooking
and a lot of affordable, mediocre eating out.
we will be traveling and cooking in june though,
so stayed tuned for more delicious details.
if any of the followers would like to share
their own photographic culinary stories,
please email me and i will happily feature your work!
sarahcbaron@gmail.com
Showing posts with label photographs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photographs. Show all posts
25 May 2012
01 March 2012
o bacon! my bacon!
... our fun-filled trip is done!
bob & sarah's first fresh bacon experiment is complete
and we have deemed it a success!
sunday, despite a drop in temperature, we brought our cured and rinsed pork belly
out back to our favorite weber grill for an infusion of smokey goodness.
bob is the grill master at our house and smokes using the kettle grill regularly.
to keep the temperature low and indirect, he uses only a few coals and concentrates them
on the far side of the grill in a little half moon container that came with it.
the meat goes on a piece of foil on the opposite side of the grill.
added to the coals are a few hands full of wood to create the smoke.
this time, bob went with a combination of hickory and cherry.
he smoked it for about three hours and kept the temperature between 150 and 200 degrees.
smoking this way requires a bit of attention to ensure that the temperature doesn't get too high.
bob checks the grill every fifteen minutes or so to make sure it keeps smoking.
the bacon came out so good!
it is smoky and herby and takes like what bacon should taste like.
check it out...
bob & sarah's first fresh bacon experiment is complete
and we have deemed it a success!
sunday, despite a drop in temperature, we brought our cured and rinsed pork belly
out back to our favorite weber grill for an infusion of smokey goodness.
bob is the grill master at our house and smokes using the kettle grill regularly.
to keep the temperature low and indirect, he uses only a few coals and concentrates them
on the far side of the grill in a little half moon container that came with it.
the meat goes on a piece of foil on the opposite side of the grill.
added to the coals are a few hands full of wood to create the smoke.
this time, bob went with a combination of hickory and cherry.
he smoked it for about three hours and kept the temperature between 150 and 200 degrees.
smoking this way requires a bit of attention to ensure that the temperature doesn't get too high.
bob checks the grill every fifteen minutes or so to make sure it keeps smoking.
the bacon came out so good!
it is smoky and herby and takes like what bacon should taste like.
check it out...
 |
| getting the grill smoker to a good temperature... image by sarah c baron |
 |
| we pick up our wood chips and chunks at the local lowes. this time we are using a combination of hickory & cherry. image by sarah c baron |
 |
| heat... check. smoke... check. cured pork belly... check! image by sarah c baron |
 |
| bob stokes the smoke & checks the bacon image by sarah c baron |
 |
| it looks like real bacon... (this is an end slice, so it is a little more smoky & salty than the rest) image by sarah c baron |
 |
| it cooks like real bacon... image by sarah c baron |
 |
| it tastes like real bacon! this is a little endive, irish blue cheese & bacon salad... we had fish this night, so i had to come up with some way to incorporate our bacon :) image by sarah c baron |
22 February 2012
fresh bacon update: day 5
ooh, now it is getting good!!
the meat is firmer and the rind has begun to stiffen & change texture.
it is feeling more bacony!
the scent that drifted up when i opened the container was very garlicky.
in order to fortify the herbaceous undertone we are going for,
i added a few more bay leaves. bay is subtle and just smells so delicious!
we will flip this baby one more time on friday
and, if we are lucky, sunday will be the day we smoke it!
the meat is firmer and the rind has begun to stiffen & change texture.
it is feeling more bacony!
the scent that drifted up when i opened the container was very garlicky.
in order to fortify the herbaceous undertone we are going for,
i added a few more bay leaves. bay is subtle and just smells so delicious!
we will flip this baby one more time on friday
and, if we are lucky, sunday will be the day we smoke it!
 |
| bob & sarah's bacon, day 5 this is the fat side image by sarah c baron |
 |
| bob & sarah's bacon, day 5 this is the meat side image by sarah c baron |
 |
| bob & sarah's bacon, day 5 fortified with a little more bay image by sarah c baron |
20 February 2012
fresh bacon update: day 3
today we got to flip our bacon-in-progress for the first time!
it is only the third day of curing and already we can see some changes!
the salt cure is starting to draw the moisture from the meat.
its starting to get exciting, kids!
it is only the third day of curing and already we can see some changes!
the salt cure is starting to draw the moisture from the meat.
the texture is noticeably firmer than it was saturday afternoon,
even the colors are intensifying,
and this lovely piece of pork belly is now surrounded by a slurry of liquid, salt and spices.its starting to get exciting, kids!
 |
| bob & sarah make bacon : day 3 the fat side is on the left and the meat side is on the right images by sarah c baron |
19 February 2012
bob & sarah make bacon
nope, we aren't cooking bacon,
we are making bacon!!
saturday afternoon, we visited our favorite local butcher here in rva,
the belmont butchery, and asked tanya and the guys for two pounds of
delicious uncured, un-smoked, antibiotic-free pork belly!!
they were also kind enough to toss in some pink salt for us
since, as usual, bob & sarah cook on the fly and are often unprepared!
pink salt is a combination of table salt and sodium nitrite
which is what makes bacon taste like bacon and not like ham.
our resource for this information is mark ruhlman's book
charcuterie: the craft of salting, smoking, and curing.
it is both informative and lovely,
and you all know how i enjoy a really pretty book!
so... we took this beautiful piece of pork belly home where we rubbed it with a mixture of
salt, pink curing salt, sugar, peppercorn, crushed garlic, bay leaf & some other random dried herbs.
we popped it into an airtight container, also known as our brownie pan with a lid,
and into the refrigerator, where it will take a seven day nap.
every two days, the pork belly gets flipped over to keep redistributing the curing mixture.
so stay tuned, blog friends, for the results of this amazing experiment in bacon awesomeness!
it is bound to be incredible and possibly, eventually, disastrous for the health of bob & sarah!
we are making bacon!!
saturday afternoon, we visited our favorite local butcher here in rva,
the belmont butchery, and asked tanya and the guys for two pounds of
delicious uncured, un-smoked, antibiotic-free pork belly!!
they were also kind enough to toss in some pink salt for us
since, as usual, bob & sarah cook on the fly and are often unprepared!
pink salt is a combination of table salt and sodium nitrite
which is what makes bacon taste like bacon and not like ham.
our resource for this information is mark ruhlman's book
charcuterie: the craft of salting, smoking, and curing.
it is both informative and lovely,
and you all know how i enjoy a really pretty book!
so... we took this beautiful piece of pork belly home where we rubbed it with a mixture of
salt, pink curing salt, sugar, peppercorn, crushed garlic, bay leaf & some other random dried herbs.
we popped it into an airtight container, also known as our brownie pan with a lid,
and into the refrigerator, where it will take a seven day nap.
every two days, the pork belly gets flipped over to keep redistributing the curing mixture.
so stay tuned, blog friends, for the results of this amazing experiment in bacon awesomeness!
it is bound to be incredible and possibly, eventually, disastrous for the health of bob & sarah!
 |
| bob & sarah make bacon: day 1 image by sarah c baron |
18 January 2012
another place for the list... the blue goat
mlk day was a great monday, because bob was actually not working on weekday!
and he had a hankering for a fancy lunch...
i love a fancy lunch!
so we hit up urbanspoon in an attempt to find something nice & new to us.
bob found the blue goat, located in the lovely libbie-grove area in richmond.
bob gets big props for this find because lunch was fabulous!
the restaurant is clean, trendy, well-decorated and comfortable...
like a farmhouse,
if the farm was in greenwich village!
it is clear that every detail was considered
so make sure to check out the bathrooms when you visit!
the blue goat has a very modern take on pub food
with its farm-to-table, nose-to-tail approach of creating a menu.
and, yes, they actually offer meals made from goat!
bob ordered the sausage sandwich.
we aren't talking johnsonville brats here people!
the blue goat serves a house-made smoked venison, pork & duck prosciutto sausage
with sauteed peppers and stout mustard!
what? yes! it was heavenly!
i ordered the pizza of the day which was a deliciously simple blend
of fennel & basil olive oil, house made ricotta and fresh herbs.
i would definitely try any pizza of the day that they might offer.
with the great food, service and atmosphere,
we are stoked about returning to sample the family style dinner and brunch menus!
if you are up for a great beer & interesting food made from local ingredients in a comfortable setting,
then check out the blue goat.
maybe we will see you there because i am considering moving in!
and he had a hankering for a fancy lunch...
i love a fancy lunch!
so we hit up urbanspoon in an attempt to find something nice & new to us.
bob found the blue goat, located in the lovely libbie-grove area in richmond.
bob gets big props for this find because lunch was fabulous!
the restaurant is clean, trendy, well-decorated and comfortable...
like a farmhouse,
if the farm was in greenwich village!
it is clear that every detail was considered
so make sure to check out the bathrooms when you visit!
the blue goat has a very modern take on pub food
with its farm-to-table, nose-to-tail approach of creating a menu.
and, yes, they actually offer meals made from goat!
bob ordered the sausage sandwich.
we aren't talking johnsonville brats here people!
the blue goat serves a house-made smoked venison, pork & duck prosciutto sausage
with sauteed peppers and stout mustard!
what? yes! it was heavenly!
 |
| house-made, smoked venison, pork & duck prosciutto sausage from the blue goat image by bob stanier |
i ordered the pizza of the day which was a deliciously simple blend
of fennel & basil olive oil, house made ricotta and fresh herbs.
i would definitely try any pizza of the day that they might offer.
 |
| pizza of the day: house-made ricotta and fresh herbs from the blue goat image by sarah c baron |
with the great food, service and atmosphere,
we are stoked about returning to sample the family style dinner and brunch menus!
if you are up for a great beer & interesting food made from local ingredients in a comfortable setting,
then check out the blue goat.
maybe we will see you there because i am considering moving in!
13 January 2012
top five favorite places to eat in richmond!
one of the things we liked most about moving to richmond,
was that there are some pretty good options for eating.
we do like to dine out and have discovered some amazing restaurants,
most of which are within walking distance from our house!
here is a list of the top five places where i like to eat in town:
5. ginger thai
it is located on cary street in the carytown area of richmond.
the place is really small and a little pricey for the atmosphere,
but the food is tasty and spicy, if that is how you want it!
4. secco wine bar
is also in carytown.
it is yet another quaint little restaurant where you sit close to your neighbors.
the place is modern and clean with a unique small plate menu,
a great ever-changing beer selection and, of course, a large wine list.
we went for richmond restaurant week. it was great and i had beef cheeks for the first time! yum!
on another occasion, we stopped by in the afternoon with a hankering for cheese.
there was no cheese plate on the lunch menu, but they made one for us anyway!
3. garnett's cafe
is located in the quiet, residential fan neighborhood.
they have amazing sandwiches and soups.
everything seems homemade, right down to the pickles!
it too is tiny with a small counter bar and only a handful of tables.
there are always colorful neighborhood folks in attendance!
2. 8 1/2
can be found on pretty strawberry street in the fan.
this place is take out only,
but the pizza, oh the pizza is so delicious!
it reminds me of lombardi's in new york city;
the sauce is flavorful and the ingredients are quality... mmm, pepperoni!
they don't have a website, but you can find them on yelp & urbanspoon.
1. mekong
this is our #1 go to restaurant in town. the only one on the list we have to drive to.
its not much to look at,
located in a shopping center on broad street amongst mattress stores and latino markets.
it can get extremely crowded, especially on a friday or saturday night, but any wait is worth it!
the pho is amazing, curries are delicious and, my favorite, make-your-own spring roll is fun and yum.
the craziest part, however, is the beer list.
mekong has the largest selection of belgian beers in richmond
and those tart and rich brews counter the spice and flavor of vietnamese food so well!
there are a number of other places that we like a lot, but don't go to quite as much;
like la grotta in shockoe slip, strawberry street cafe down the road from 8 1/2,
the cellar door tucked in the basement of an apartment building on monument avenue,
can can on cary and balliceaux on lombardy in the fan.
if you live in richmond or come to visit, check some of these places out!
was that there are some pretty good options for eating.
we do like to dine out and have discovered some amazing restaurants,
most of which are within walking distance from our house!
here is a list of the top five places where i like to eat in town:
5. ginger thai
it is located on cary street in the carytown area of richmond.
the place is really small and a little pricey for the atmosphere,
but the food is tasty and spicy, if that is how you want it!
4. secco wine bar
is also in carytown.
it is yet another quaint little restaurant where you sit close to your neighbors.
the place is modern and clean with a unique small plate menu,
a great ever-changing beer selection and, of course, a large wine list.
we went for richmond restaurant week. it was great and i had beef cheeks for the first time! yum!
on another occasion, we stopped by in the afternoon with a hankering for cheese.
there was no cheese plate on the lunch menu, but they made one for us anyway!
3. garnett's cafe
is located in the quiet, residential fan neighborhood.
they have amazing sandwiches and soups.
everything seems homemade, right down to the pickles!
it too is tiny with a small counter bar and only a handful of tables.
there are always colorful neighborhood folks in attendance!
2. 8 1/2
can be found on pretty strawberry street in the fan.
this place is take out only,
but the pizza, oh the pizza is so delicious!
it reminds me of lombardi's in new york city;
the sauce is flavorful and the ingredients are quality... mmm, pepperoni!
they don't have a website, but you can find them on yelp & urbanspoon.
1. mekong
this is our #1 go to restaurant in town. the only one on the list we have to drive to.
its not much to look at,
located in a shopping center on broad street amongst mattress stores and latino markets.
it can get extremely crowded, especially on a friday or saturday night, but any wait is worth it!
the pho is amazing, curries are delicious and, my favorite, make-your-own spring roll is fun and yum.
the craziest part, however, is the beer list.
mekong has the largest selection of belgian beers in richmond
and those tart and rich brews counter the spice and flavor of vietnamese food so well!
there are a number of other places that we like a lot, but don't go to quite as much;
like la grotta in shockoe slip, strawberry street cafe down the road from 8 1/2,
the cellar door tucked in the basement of an apartment building on monument avenue,
can can on cary and balliceaux on lombardy in the fan.
if you live in richmond or come to visit, check some of these places out!
 |
| our custom cheese plate from secco wine bar image by sarah c baron |
 |
| the cute garnett's cafe. no food photos because i eat too fast! image by sarah c baron |
 |
| pizza from 8 1/2 image by sarah c baron |
 |
| bob modeling a delicious winter brew at mekong image by sarah c baron |
 |
| mekong pho with chicken & accoutrements image by sarah c baron |
04 January 2012
our not-so-secret recipe: homemade bacon vodka & bloody mary mix
i just love a spicy, smokey bloody mary on a sunday morning!
what began as an attempt to court through food
has evolved into the search for bloody mary perfection.
for the passed few years, we have been concocting and tasting and reworking
both the vodka and the mix for this holy grail of breakfast cocktails.
it has been a difficult task, but, as they say, someone has to do it!
here are our secret recipes that we willing share with anyone who cares...
bob's spicy bloody mary mix (not for the timid!):
1 bottle of quality tomato juice
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup pickle juice
1/4 teaspoon moore's hickory
2 tablespoons sriracha
1 teaspoon tabasco
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
3 teaspoons horseradish
1 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon old bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper (or a rich chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (or a small handful of fresh chopped)
shake well, chill & season to taste after a day or so.
mix with bacon vodka and serve garnished with pickle, bacon slice, celery & lime!
what began as an attempt to court through food
has evolved into the search for bloody mary perfection.
for the passed few years, we have been concocting and tasting and reworking
both the vodka and the mix for this holy grail of breakfast cocktails.
it has been a difficult task, but, as they say, someone has to do it!
here are our secret recipes that we willing share with anyone who cares...
sarah's bacon vodka (not for the vegetarian!):
fully cook one pound of bacon
submerge bacon in one bottle of quality vodka (use a large jar with an airtight lid and save the bottle)
place in a cool dry place for 3 to 5 weeks
remove and discard bacon
freeze vodka overnight
remove large chunks of fat and leftover bacon by pouring through cheesecloth
freeze vodka overnight
slowly pour through coffee filters
repeat two or three times until you are confident that the majority or the fat has been removed
(the resulting liquor might be a little yellow or it might be a lot yellow, it depends on the bacon)
use a funnel and pour back in to bottle making sure to label it!
bob's spicy bloody mary mix (not for the timid!):
1 bottle of quality tomato juice
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup pickle juice
1/4 teaspoon moore's hickory
2 tablespoons sriracha
1 teaspoon tabasco
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
3 teaspoons horseradish
1 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon old bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper (or a rich chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (or a small handful of fresh chopped)
shake well, chill & season to taste after a day or so.
mix with bacon vodka and serve garnished with pickle, bacon slice, celery & lime!
 |
| bob & sarah's smokey bacon bloody mary garnished with vodka cured jalapenos image by sarah c baron |
03 January 2012
holiday eating
i love the holidays because it means food, food & more food!
this season i spent a bit of time traveling, which always means tasty meal options...
pittsburgh, washington dc, richmond & southport, nc
offered us some delicious items to put in our mouths!
here is a visual recap with web links!
The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company
is a must for meats & cheeses. They do mail order!
Primanti Brothers,
because fries taste great on sandwiches!
Yacht Basin Eatery
has amazing Italian food in an unexpected location. Check it out if you are in Southport, NC.
this season i spent a bit of time traveling, which always means tasty meal options...
pittsburgh, washington dc, richmond & southport, nc
offered us some delicious items to put in our mouths!
here is a visual recap with web links!
The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company
is a must for meats & cheeses. They do mail order!
Primanti Brothers,
because fries taste great on sandwiches!
Yacht Basin Eatery
has amazing Italian food in an unexpected location. Check it out if you are in Southport, NC.
 |
| tollhouse cookies from scratch made by yours truly. bob helped! image by sarah c baron |
 |
| primanti brothers salami & cheese in pittsburgh, pa. if the lines are too long, consider going for breakfast. everyone loves a french fry sandwich for breakfast! image by sarah c baron |
 |
| experimenting with the fryer: fried skins stuffed with roasted garlic mashed potatoes & all of the trimmings image by sarah c baron |
 |
| a lovely cappuccino and croissant from le pain quotidien in old town alexandria, va image by sarah c baron |
 |
| the final filtering of my homemade bacon vodka it sounds and looks pretty gross, but it tastes oh, so good! image by sarah c baron |
 |
| new year's eve party snacks! fried bacon wrapped dates with pistachios & bleu cheese courtesy of doug hetrick image by sarah c baron |
 |
| bob stanier created a scrumptious meat & cheese platter from penn mac in pittsburgh bresaola, calabrese, prosciutto, maytag bleu, black diamond cheddar, gruyere & a sheep's brie image by sarah c baron |
 |
| an exquisite & authentic new jersey italian meal at the yacht basin eatery in southport, nc the napolitano pizza with prosciutto & balsamic reduction was to-die-for! image by sarah c baron |
 |
| pierogies from penn mac with turkey kielbasa tossed together in the kitchen after a late day at the office image by sarah c baron |
 |
| a slow cooked white bean & chard soup taking advantage of those frozen parmesan rinds & the le creuset cookware image by sarah c baron |
01 January 2012
i like food
it would be an understatement to say that, when i was a child, i was a picky eater.
my grandmother could often be overheard whispering,
"give her a cookie. at least she'll be eating something".
i really like cookies!
food back then wasn't quite what it is today.
i knew only of canned vegetables; corn, green beans and carrots.
i only had white starches; potatoes, macaroni and rice.
i experienced just the standard proteins; chicken, pork and beef.
with all respect to my family and their cooking,
i will admit that these dishes were ofter overcooked or bland.
it seems to me that this was just the way of the new england home cook in the seventies and eighties.
as i have gone out on my own, met knew people and visited new places,
my palette has expanded and my bravery for trying new foods has become more bold.
i am still getting over old phobias and experiencing new flavors for the first time to this day.
in 2011, i learned to enjoy grouper, thai & indian curries, brussel sprouts,
vietnamese pho and the once dreaded mushroom!
in 2012, i plan to keep exploring my eating options, but i still won't eat broccoli!
my grandmother could often be overheard whispering,
"give her a cookie. at least she'll be eating something".
i really like cookies!
food back then wasn't quite what it is today.
i knew only of canned vegetables; corn, green beans and carrots.
i only had white starches; potatoes, macaroni and rice.
i experienced just the standard proteins; chicken, pork and beef.
with all respect to my family and their cooking,
i will admit that these dishes were ofter overcooked or bland.
it seems to me that this was just the way of the new england home cook in the seventies and eighties.
as i have gone out on my own, met knew people and visited new places,
my palette has expanded and my bravery for trying new foods has become more bold.
i am still getting over old phobias and experiencing new flavors for the first time to this day.
in 2011, i learned to enjoy grouper, thai & indian curries, brussel sprouts,
vietnamese pho and the once dreaded mushroom!
in 2012, i plan to keep exploring my eating options, but i still won't eat broccoli!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)