Restaurant Widow

Things to Do in Columbus::October 17th Edition

Updated Friday Morning, new events at end of list.

Is anyone else beginning to wonder if the leaves are going to change?  I did hear earlier in the year that due to our lack of rain this summer, there wouldn't not be a lot of color, but I was sitting on our third floor yesterday, looking out over the rooftops, and there were green treetops as far as the eye could see.  But it's still time for the Circleville Pumpkin Festival!  And, of course, there are lots and lots of Halloween events going on this time of year, including some which are quite educational and take place at great spots around the city, so take advantage of them.

As always, leave any additional events in the comments!

• So, first up is the Circleville Pumpkin Festival.  The pumpkin festival celebrates all things pumpkin - baked goods, burgers, the largest pumpkin weigh-in - and runs today through Sunday, 10am - 11pm daily.
• BalletMet will perform their (seemingly) annual Dracula, for only one week this year.  Performances are today through Sunday at varying times (including a Sunday matinee).  Click to their website for exact times and ticket prices.
• This week it's Halloween at the Longaberger factory.  There will mazes and other spooooky events.  And who doesn't want to see the world's largest basket dressed up for Halloween? 
• Through October 29th, it's Boo at the Zoo!  For regular Zoo admission, you can smash pumpkins and meet Spiderman.
• The Columbus Landmarks Foundation has several haunted tours going on this season - some are walking tours, and there is even a Dead End bus tour.  Ticket prices and event time vary, so visit their website for more information.
• The Vienna Boys Choir will preform this Sunday at the Palace.  Visit CAPA for more information.
• This weekend, Alexander Kobrin will preform Rachmaninoff (and others) with the Colunbus Symphony Orchestra.  The performances include a Sunday matinee.  Visit the CSO website for further details.
• Of course, this weekend is the Columbus Marathon.  I have a few crazy friends who are running.  Have fun, kitties!  I'll be sitting on the couch thinking of you.  However, if you would like to be more supportive, Columbus Independent has some tips for being a good spectator.
• This week's cooking classes at Sur la Table are as follows:  Sushi 101 with Yokiko Bates (Thurs, 10/18 $75); Pasta Master Class with Sheri Lisak (Fri, 10/19); Cooking Meat with Tom Johnson (Tues 10/23); The Japanese Kitchen with Yokiko Bates (next Thurs, 10/25).  All classes take place at 6:30pm and cost $65 unless otherwise noted.  Click to the calender for more information.
• This Week at Whole Foods, you can learn how to make healthier family meals with registered dietician Susan Patton - Thursday, 10/18.
• Sunday is the Troma Film Festival at Studio 35.  See 4 independent films (from Troma Films), one of which was directed & produced by local resident and Bexley mayoral hopeful, Travis Irvine.  Admission is a mere $10.  Sunday, noon - 6.

Bay Scallops Rockefeller - or Something

I am such a sucker for packaging.  Seriously.  It's pathetic.  A few years ago, the wine snob world was scandalized when a report came out suggesting people remembered a specific wine much better if there were a picture of an animal on the label, or if the name of the wine contained an animal (this isn't the original article, but talks about a similar theme.  I have to admit: I am that person.  It's not just animals, mind you, but whenever Husband says "you've had that wine," and I can't remember, I ask what is pictured on the label.  I just love a whimsical picture such as a bird in hand (Finca Sandoval) - it's worth twice as much as a bird in - oh, never mind.  And just for the record, a cute name goes a long way, too.  The other day, a wine rep had visited Husband and left a printout of all the wines they had tasted.  One was called Lady Bug.  "How was the Lady Bug?!  Did you order it?"  So, I'll admit it: I'm a self-loathing packaging whooer.  Ah well.  Now all of you wine reps know how to get to Husband (or at least try.  It doesn't really work that well; he just rolls his eyes at me).  I will say that, knowing this about myself, I usually do steer clear of these cutesy labels, I know they're almost always going to be bad.  I remember at a portfolio tasting a few years ago, the people from Barefoot Cellars poured me a taste of their sparkling wine, and I nearly did a spit-take in their faces, it was so horridly undrinkable.  And yet, peopler buy it, because it has a footprint on the label.

And so it is that I found myself in Weiland's today, standing at the fish counter, when I knew we had a perfectly good skirt steak at home for dinner, drooling over bay scallops, still in the shell:

Seriously, who could resist these guys?  Now, these are bay scallops - tiny little guys.  For this reason, I would only recommend buying them in the shells if you are planning to serve them on the shell.  If you are going to, say, make scallop ceviche or something, then by all means, buy them out of the shell.  But if you're feeling adventurous, are having a dinner party, or, like me, are simply seduced by pretty things, then buy them in the shell.  While I'm at it, please visit a reputable fishmonger, and ask questions.  I aked a few questions about these scallops and the guy at Weiland's happily showed me how to shuck them and gave me some ideas about how to cook them.  He did the same thing for the woman in line after me.  Any good fishmonger should happily do the same.

I decided to make these in a Rockefeller style - I bought arugula and bacon yesterday and the market, afterall, so it seemed only natural.  Why the strikeout?  Well, I thought it was in the Rockefeller style, but after googling the Rockefeller recipe, I realize the two aren't even close.  So we'll just call these, Scallops Waitress.  Working class scallops - they don't have any butter, so they aren't "rich enough for a Rockefeller."  Sound good to me.

Scallops Waitress - for 8 bay scallops

8 bay scallops in the shell
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 strips bacon, cut into very small cubes
1 medium shallot, cut into small dice
2 cloves garlic, smushed with garlic press
1 large handful arugula
salt & pepper
two slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks, and processed into fine crumbs in food processor (or 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs)
olive oil
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, about 1/2 cup

Cook the bacon in a large, nonstick pan over medium heat until crisp, then remove to paper towels.  Drain most of the fat off the pan and add the shallots; sweat for about 5 minutes, or until soft, then add the garlic and turn the heat to low.  Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the garlic smells sweet.  Add the arugula, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss everything as it wilts.  Add the bacon back into the pan, and add about a third of the Parmesan, just to help bind the mixture, and stir as it melts.   Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.  Wipe the pan with a paper towel and heat it over medium heat; add about 1 tbsp olive oil, and then add the bread crumbs.  Sprinkle with salt and give everything a good stir, to be sure all crumbs are evenly coated in olive oil.  Toss the pan continuously as the crumbs brown - this takes about 4 minutes.  Once they begin to brown, they can go from golden to burnt in a flash, so keep the pan moving.  This also ensures even browning.  When the crumbs are toasted, remove them from the pan and set aside.

Scrub the scallops with a potato brush under cold running water.  Then, take each scallop and pry off the top shell with a thin paring knife or an oyster knife (I couldn't find our oyster knife for the life of me).  Scallops, it turns out, aren't nearly as difficult to pry open as oysters.  They pretty much pop right open.  Clean the scallop by carefully removing the nuggest of scallop from the liver sac.  Rinse with water, and rinse the shell with water.  Pat both dry and set aside as you continue with the rest of the scallops.  Squeeze lemon juice over each scallop and set aside.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes.  The lemon juice serves 2 purposes: it gives the entire snack a little acidity to match the richness of the cheese, bacon and scallop, and it helps denature the proteins in the scallop (aka, cooks the scallop).  This is good because the scallop spends so little time under the broiler that it doesn't really cook all the way by heat alone.  If you are really scared of eating a medium-rare scallop, toss the scallops in a little olive oil in a saute pan for no more than one minute, and then assemble as follows.

Preheat your broiler (if you don't have a broiler, you could use a blowtorch).  Arrange each scallop shell and scallop on a baking sheet and top with about 1 tbsp of the arugula mixture, then top each with a pinch of Parmesan and press bread crumbs over to cover.  Add a pinch more Parmesan (which will help hold the whole thing together).  Place under the broiler for about 2 minutes, rotate the pan, and broil for one more minute - keep the door open and a watchful eye on the scallops, because they will burn in a hearbeat.  Remove when they are nice and golden on top.  Serve immediately.

Sausage and Butter Bean Soup, with a Variety of Greens

I love this time of year.  I love my first batch of sausage/bean/green whatever for the autumn.  Of course, as the weeks progress, the greens will get better and better after hard frosts and everything, but I can never wait that long.  As soon as I see lovely greens, I have to snatch them up. 

I received some Japanese mustard in my CSA box, along with a nice little bundle of fennel fronds.  After I stopped at Toad Hill Organics and saw the amazing red mustard greens and tender, young purple kale, a recipe was beginning to form.  A quick stop to Sommerset Herbs for their delicious sweet paprika peppers, a stop at Blues Creek for sweet Italian sausage, and I was in business.  You could make this recipe even better by using some of North Market Poultry and Game's gelatinous chicken stock.

This soup is great for the beginning of Autumn - actually, for the rest of the winter.  I make something similar to this at least once a year, and more frequently as we get into great greens season.  As the fall progresses and the greens become tougher, I'll substitute a ham hock for the sausage, and cook the greens for hours, but this time of year, you can bring this soup together in under an hour - even shorter, but I like to let things simmer after everything is ready, just to concentrate the flavors.  This soup was a winner at Chez Widow - maybe even my best sausage/bean/green recipe yet - Husband and I consumed the entire pot (8 bowls) over the course of a lazy Sunday, where it served as lunch, dinner, and snack.  Fortunately, it's pretty good for you, what with all the beans and greens.  Greens are really, really good for you, so you should eat some today.  Being covered in porky goodness makes everything edible, so if you're scared, this is a good starter recipe.  Because you are going to add salted pasta water to the soup, use restraint with seasoning.  I didn't salt until the very end.

Sausage & Butter Bean Soup with Greens and Pasta - makes 8 servings

6 ounces small, "soup" pasta, such as tubetti, or these little rings I picked up at Trader Joe's recently
olive oil
one pound bulk sweet Italian sausage, or 4 links
one medium red onion, cut into medium dice
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 sweet paprika peppers, cut into 1/2" chunks, or 2 red bell peppers
red pepper flakes
pepper
three large bunches greens - I like a variety - for this recipe, tender purple kale, red mustard (a delightfully hot variety), and Japanese mustard, any thick stems removed, large leaves torn in half, washed
2 19 ounce cans butter beans, drained
4 cups good quality chicken stock
4 cups pasta water
chunk of Parmesan rind (optional - I have a lot of these in my freezer, but if you don't have any, it's okay.  But you might think about starting to collect them)
One small bunch fennel fronds (optional), roughly chopped
salt
Parmesan for grating

Cook the pasta in well-salted water for 3 minutes less than recommended on the package and drain, reserving 4 cups of the water for using later (this provides a nice viscosity to the soup; if you are making this recipe with pasta, add the beans with their liquid, which will do the same thing).  Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat and drizzle in a little olive oil.  Add the sausage and brown.  When the sausage is brown, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add the onions to the pan, turning the heat down a little, and sweat the onions until they are soft, about 7 minutes, and then add the sliced garlic and the red peppers - turn the heat down if necessary to avoid burning the garlic.  Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the garlic is soft.  If the pan becomes dry, add a little sausage back in.  When the garlic is soft, add all of the sausage back in, coat with a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper about about 1 tbsp red pepper flakes and stir.  Add the greens and stir as they wilt.  Now, I used some kale, which takes longer to cook, so I added it to the pan, stirred everything around, put the lid on and turned the heat to low, and then allowed everything to steam for 10 minutes, and then added the rest of the greens and repeated.  If you are only using one variety of greens, or if all of your greens are tender, add them all at once - they will wilt significantly - stir, cover, turn the heat to low, and steam for 10 minutes.  Remove the lid and add the beans.  Stir to coat everything in the sausage juices.

Add the stock and Parmesan rinds and water and turn the heat to high.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium or slightly over, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced by a few cups.  Add the fennel fronds, remove the Parm rinds and taste to correct seasoning.  Ladle into bowls and serve with black pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  YUM.

Dinner in Philadelphia, Part II::Alma de Cuba

I was really charmed by Philly, I have to admit.  I've been before - in high school for the usual tourist spots, in college to visit friends at Drexel, but this time we pretty much stuck to downtown.  Husband had to laugh when we were driving our gas-a-saurus into the city and crested a hill - "There's Independence Hall!  Just sitting there!"  (We don't have that sort of history in Columbus, and if we do, we take it for granted.)  I suppose it's similar to going to DC for the first time and realizing that indeed, all of those monuments are clustered together and huge, just like in the Catastrophic-End-of-World movies. 

Driving around Rittenhouse Square and the surrounding neighborhoods, we were impressed by the number of dogs!  Everyone had a dog, it seemed, and we had fun pointing out the cutest and the wieneriest.  Philly was also a pedestrian-heavy city, which again, is pretty cool coming from a place like Columbus, where we will drive from one neighborhood to another less than a mile away and then drive around cursing the lack of parking.  (Just in case you were wondering, we were actually staying in King of Prussia, which is why we were driving.)

The best thing about Philly was the bustling downtown, after work.  Again, for those of you who don't live in Columbus - we have a rather lackluster set of options after hours in downtown Columbus.  Everything pretty much happens slightly south (Brewery District), slightly northwest (Arena District), slightly north (Short North Arts District) and north (University District, which the locals call "campus," but I started with the districts and thought I'd just keep going).  I'm just letting non-locals know, in case you're thinking about coming to Cbus for a visit.

What am I discussing here?  Oh!  Of course, our second dinner.

Friday, our last night in Philly, we stopped first at Monks for our disappointing mussel & frites experience, and, based upon our stellar dinner at Amada, we thought we'd try their Basque sister restaurant, Tinto.  Now, Husband and I are restaurant folk, which means we are never in the position to be trying to eat in a restaurant at 7:30pm on a Friday night.  As we were walking over, I said "you know, we might not be able to eat without a reservation."  Sure enough, our only option was waiting until 10pm.  We hoped to be heading back to the hotel by that point, so we decided to take a reader suggestion and visit Alma de Cuba, which we had walked past earlier. 

Alma de Cuba, despite its rather unassuming facade as a three-story townhouse, is an enormous, rambling, maze-like structure (to get to the bathroom - two flights up, down a hallway, and down another wrap-around, catwalk-like set of narrow stairs: don't ADA laws apply in Philly?).  Alma de Cuba was happy to accommodate us at one of their last tables, in the lounge.  The restaurant is meant to feel light and airy, like a bar in Havana, where one might be dining with a man in a seersucker suit.  No seersucker for us, alas.  The lounge did feel Havana-like (I'm guessing here, of course, because I have not yet had the pleasure of traveling to Cuba), but the effect would have worked better if it weren't so dark.  Can I really be getting that old?  It was so dark there wasn't a hope of a picture turning out with my little camera. 

We decided to go with a selection of appetizers and salads, and with the generous portions, we didn't even need the black beans and rice I thought we needed to sample.

We started off with a caipirinha - a cocktail made from cachaca, a sugarcane-based liquor, which is muddled with lime and sugar.  Too sweet for me, but it matched the decor.  Then it was all about the food.  Our server encouraged us to try the ceviche, which was very wise, but I'll get that later.

The bread at Alma de Cuba was amazing: sweet little crumbly rolls.  I don't know how they make those, but I'm going to try to find out.

First up, dueling empanadas.  The first was filled with veal cheeks (powerless to resist veal cheeks), which were rich (veal cheeks are incredibly marbled, which equals tasty, and rich) and delicious.  My only complaint was the misplaced hit of truffle oil.  Not only did it seem completely un-Cuban, it was totally superfluous in the face of the rich veal.  I might have actually hit it with lemon juice or another acidic component.  All things considered, though, it was really good.  I was glad we started with it and moved on to the lighter ceviche.  Our second empanada was filled with smoked tuna and peas.  It was my first experience with smoked tuna, although smoking tuna makes perfect sense.  The empanada was presented on a bed of tuna tartare, which made a lovely juxtaposition, although the flavor of the raw tuna was a little lost behind the rich hot empanada.  A pea shoot salad also garnished the dish, and I thought it was a neat touch - the hot smoked tuna and peas, and the cold tuna and pea shoot salad.  Overall, a clear winner.

And then it was on to the ceviche.  We chose a trio of tastings, which came on a big, ice-filled boat.  It was super cool, and I had to at least try to take a picture of it, but it didn't turn out at all: all apologies.  The ceviche was definitely solid.  We chose an Ecuadorian ceviche of shrimp with roasted tomatoes and corn nuts, which provided a surprising textural component.  Next was a big-eye tuna Tiradito with oranges, wasabi espuma (foam), avocados, and soy.  This was the only one I wasn't crazy about - there was a lot of sesame oil-laden wakame (seaweed), and the flavors were too overpowering for the tuna.  The hands-down favorite was the lobster and crab coconut ceviche, which was amazing.  Large chunks of sweet lobster and crab were bathed in chiles and coconut milk.  It was really great.  A little bit of ginger and lime sorbet accompanied, actually serving the purpose of adding extra tang and acidity.  Too often, when served with savory dishes, sorbet is added for some sort of weird wow factor, and doesn't actually play a part.

We also had an interesting "sarsa salad," peppery arugula and watercress were served with queso frito (fried bits of fresh cheese) and peanut dressing.  I loved the queso frito but I was getting really full by this time.  A side of black beans and rice was properly executed, but I couldn't eat another bite.  Fortunately Husband is a bean man and pretty much took care of those. 

The Alma de Cuba space, as I mentioned before, is huge - it must seat 300 people or more.  There are about 4 different dining rooms on three floors, including a loft-like space which, with a little fireplace, seemed as though you were eating in someone's home.  It added a coziness which could have been lost in the vastness.  An interesting design touch in the lounge was the bright red pressed tin ceiling peeking from under the false ceiling of wooden panels - made to look like a tobacco-drying barn.  At first, I was scandalized that they would cover up such a treasure (I'm a total sucker for a pressed-tin ceiling), but I grew to love it, just that hint of red around the edges of the room.  Service was well-polished, helpful, and knowledgeable.  In addition to our server, we had a foodrunner who stayed at the table to announce and describe each dish as it was presented - no mean feat on a busy Friday night.  One interesting note, all of the staff members were listed on the menu, along with their position in the restaurant.  There is certainly no shortage of proper training, a refreshing change of pace.

And that's it for our dining in Philly experiences, but we'll be back - I didn't get to go to the Mutter museum or the Reading Terminal Market this time around, so I have to go back.  Not to mention, Philly is only a $58, 1.25 hour flight away (on Southwest, anyway); it's also a really charming city - it's not the dirty Philly I remember (well, the drive from the airport is like driving into Cleveland to the 5th degree); it was relatively clean and walkable.  The Walnut street area is full of shops, restaurants and people.  Our fair city could learn a thing or two from Philly.  We can only hope.

Oh, and just for the record, our trip was a success - Husband passed his second Master Sommelier test! so, you can feel free to buy him drinks and pat him on the back.  And when he takes the third one next year, I'll be sure to keep you posted on wherever we eat on that trip, too.

info: Alma de Cuba 1623 Walnut St.  Philadelphia, PA (downtown)  215.988.1799

related posts:  MMMMMussels, Dinner in Philadelphia Part 1::Amada, Call for Suggestions.

Weekend Cat Blogging

It's been awhile since I posted a cat picture; I walked into the kitchen this morning and saw the line for water from the fridge and had to share:

CSA & Columbus Farm Market Report for October 13th

A nice chilly morning for marketing this morning.  I could see my breath as I left the house at 8am.  The best part about this week's market was that, hundreds and hundreds of dollars and weeks later, I finally have my car back.  I celebrated by buying lots of heavy squash.  Thanks to all of you who have offered rides and cars.  I really appreciate it.  Trying to shop without a car was a really eye-opening experience.  Growing up in the country, and then continuing to live in Central Ohio (where we love our cars), living without a car isn't something I am used to.  Husband and I share a car, and while we do take the bus and walk whenever we need to, it's nice to have a car if the the urge to buy 15 flats of soda at Costco strikes.  Busses are very few and far between on Saturdays, and only having 40 minutes at the Market was stressful.  I like to shop leisurely, take things to the car if the load gets too heavy (especially this time of year), and not be chained to the clock. 

On the plus side, I did get a lot of walking in - on some days, I walked as many as 14 miles!

All of that to say, I am thankful to have my car back, and I empathize with anyone who has to negotiate public transportation with 15 pounds of winter squash and a box of cat litter.

Okay, and now on to this week's market!  This week's CSA box included eggs, potatoes, the last of this year's tomatoes, fennel, lettuce, and mustard greens. 

As sparse as the markets are this time of year, I love it.  I love the squash and the potatoes; I love how you can buy things and not use them all this week - how the squash can languish in last week's market bag and still be perfectly find come mid-November.  I love how everything this time of year goes really, really well with pork products.

I suplemented this week's CSA with a variety of greens from Toad Hill Organics: mizuna, red mustard, tender young purple kale, and augula, along with a variety of potatoes.  I bought my weekly ration of shitake mushrooms from Toby Run (who won't be at the market next week); I bought some onion and red bell peppers, and some kabocha squashes from Wishwell Farms.

I hit the inside of the market for some skirt steak, sausage and bacon from Blues Creek Farms. 

And what did you get?

Start Thinking about Your Local Thanksgiving

In the next few weeks, I'll be posting resources for keeping things local throughout the holidays and the wintertime.  It seemed timely that I just received this email from the Wayward Seed Farm regarding their Thanksgiving CSA.  They will be pairing with my CSA farm, Elizabeth Telling, to bring you everything you need for your holiday feast (even the turkey!)  Stop by their booth at the North Market this Saturday for further details, as space is limited.

Along with the holiday theme, Saturday November 10th, the North Market will host their first annual Holiday Food Festival.  Vendors will be giving tutorials and letting you know about their holiday offerings, there will be cooking demonstrations, and even a gingerbread house constest!  Learn how to brine and roast a turkey, pair wine with holiday foods, and more. Festivities kick off at 9am. 

Amada - Dinner in Philadelphia, part One

Last Thursday we arrived in Philly to rent our reasonably-sized Taurus (or similar), only to be told we would be "upgraded" to a Land Rover or some such nonsense.  I don't keep track of SUVs, so I can't tell you exactly what kind of gas guzzler it was, only that when we did get lost later on, going 96 miles out of our way used up a full third of the gas tank.  Which is probably 3 times the size of our Civic.  Yikes.  That, and it made negotiating the narrow, crowded streets of Philadelphia a challenge.  But I'm here to write about food!

We found a rare metered spot on Chestnut and headed off to our destination, Amada, but on the way, we were sidetracked by a sign in a window boasting "Chimay - on draft."  (we are easily distracted by beer) Now, I personally can't really drink Chimay without losing a ton of brain cells, but still.  Any bar with Chimay on tap is a place I want to be.  Eulogy Belgian bar's imposing list of 200+ beers (really, really great beers) is made less so by being very neatly arranged alphabetically.  Each beer is described and listed next to its alcohol content (this is necessary when drinking these sorts of beer, because if you're used to Bud Light and order a Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA, you might find yourself falling over after 2 pints, owing to its 20% alcohol content) and price.  I tried a very fine Flemish Sour ale whose name has, of course, completely escaped me.  We did share this nice organic Saison:


Would that Columbus would have an interesting bar.  Eulogy was really kind of a divey, quite frankly, which made it all the better. 

Info: Eulogy Belgian Tavern, aka Beer Heaven 136 Chestnut Street (Old City) 215.413.1918

And then we were off to Amada.  Now, none of my readers had recommended Amada, but a friend told me he had been to a really great tapas place in Philly, but couldn't remember the name.  Google gave me Amada, and Amada gave me a great meal.  Our bartender at Eulogy cautioned us against going there, saying it was too touristy, and didn't we want to go where the locals go?  He very kindly wrote down some suggestions, including a vegetarian place he said was "amazing."  But we have arguably one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the country in our fair city, and I've only been there twice in 7 years (despite having had great meals both times), so the chances I'm going to go vegetarian are pretty slim.  Especially when Amada promised hand-shaved, whisper thin slices of Serrano.  And furthermore, we were tourists, so we felt we would be in place, fresh off the plane as we were.  (By the way, I am not the best flyer, although I am working on it, so thanks to Southwest for the prompt and smooth flights.  I'll review Skybus when we head to Napa in a few weeks).

Amada's space is charming - long and dark (too dark, to be frank), full of wood and candles.  There is a large kitchen, open on three sides, and a bar where I would be inclined to sit and watch the cooking if I were ever to revisit.  Behind the bar are wooden kegs of house wine, the bar itself was long, cool marble.  My only complaint is this: the restaurant was really, really dark, which is why my pictures are so terrible.  The menu, despite being very large physically, is printed with teeny tiny red type.  We had such a hard time reading the menu we both felt like that 90 year old woman we've all waited on who's constantly calling for a lighted magnifying glass.

Amada's menu is mostly traditional tapas.  There are some larger plates - if you have at least 3 friends, you can even call ahead for a whole roasted suckling pig!  The menu is divided into cured meats, cheeses, salads, grilled items, etc.  We sampled nearly half the menu.  Tapas-style eating is a favorite of mine, because I get very bored eating the same thing over and over, so this was perfect for me. 

We ordered at a leisurely pace, and the food came at a leisurely pace - sometimes 2 dishes at a time, sometimes one, it was very relaxed - timing was perfect, we never felt rushed, never waited for anything, and just kept ordering until we finally decided we could take no more.

The bread service at Amada consists of a good - if crumbly - flatbread, served with something akin to tuna mayo - mayo mixed with tuna and capers:

First up, the aforementioned hand-shaved Serrano ham, served with bread and a cute little divided plate of cornichons, caperberries, and mustard.  The ham was lightly drizzled with olive oil, and was so silky it simply melted on the palate.  The accoutrements were tasty but unnecessary.  You didn't want anything to get between you and the lovely, lovely ham:

Husband and I are completely powerless when confronted with bacalao (salt cod), so we had to order the bacalao fritters, which were light and fluffy compared with many, and were topped with a little scoop of paddlefish roe (again, note the cute plate.  I'm such a sucker for packaging.):

Oysters!  Yes, please!  Malpeque Oysters were served along with a little shot glass of Cava (Spanish sparkling wine), which I thought was a great idea.  Husband thought the Cava was too sweet to pair with the oysters, but agreed it was a stoke of genius.  The oysters were also topped with a little dose of paddlefish roe:

One of my favorite dishes of the evening, and one I hope to recreate at home very soon, was the clams with chorizo.  Perfectly cooked clams were paired with zesty chorizo, making a broth that had both of us practically drinking from the bowl.  We also had a lovely warm salad of fava and Lima beans, tossed with roasted red peppers and red onions, in a simple vinaigrette, topped with shaved Manchego:

There was a really, really great dish of mushrooms a la plancha (grilled).  These were seasoned very simply, although probably were soaked in butter (it's vacation!  Bring on the butter!)  Again, it was so dark that it was difficult to identify just what varieties of mushrooms we had.  We had a very simple plate of baby squids a la plancha, which were straightforward, seasoned with restraint, tender and simple.  We had more baby seafood creatures, this time baby anchovies, fried and topped with a fried egg yolk, and served with romesco sauce.  Although properly fried and adorable, these suffered from being overseasoned with paprika.  The subtle flavor of fresh anchovies wasn't allowed to shine through.  Strangely enough, these tasted better after cooling off to room temperature, when the flavors didn't seem to be competing:

Service (we sat at the bar, of course) was great.  Our bartender had very solid wine knowledge and even played along when I covertly asked him to set Husband up with a blind tasting of two wines.  I don't care if Amada is touristy.  It was great.  I would love to say it was authentic, but alas, I haven't yet made it to the motherland of tapas, so I can't say for sure.

Info: Amada 217-219 Chestnut St. (Old City) in Philadelphia 215.625.2450

Things to do in Columbus::October 10th Edition

We're finally out of the record-breaking weather, so all of you girls I've laughed at for wearing scarves when it's 90+ degrees out can don them again now without shame.  Well, it's really still too warm out for a scarf, but I know you just bought it and you're dying to show it off.  At any rate, we might not be in for the most beautiful fall foliage this year (thanks to not having any rain), but it's still worth a drive to the countryside to see what the state has to offer (Discover Ohio is a good resource for this.)

It's the time of year when CATCO, the Columbus Symphony, BalletMet, and Opera Columbus have returned, so get out there and get some culture!!

This week, I've decided to go back to the long format.  I figure, at least until February and there are no events to write about, at least I can write about what I do have.  As always, I am sure there are some great events I've forgotten.  Please leave them in the comments.

• First up, please go see David Sedaris this Friday so that I might live vicariously through you, being that I have to work.  I have seen him on a few occasions and can vouch that it is always worth every cent.  And the crowd is always among the coolest around - young NPR listeners with a good sense of dark humor.  Okay, maybe I really am a total nerd.  At any rate, Mr. Sedaris will preform his "funniest work" at the Palace Theatre Friday at 8pm.  Tickets are $32.50 - $42.50.  The best part is, there is always a Q&A at the end.  Will someone please ask the question I've always wanted to ask?  How it is that he and his boyfriend discovered they both had a penchant for collecting taxidermy, skeletons, and ancient medical models?  Is there a "loves antiquing for baby skeletons and stuffed foxes" section in the SGM seeks same column?  Just curious.  Click above for more information.
• Fans of 1984 and the like might be interested in CATCO's performance of the Pillowman, in which a writer living in a totalitarian state is interrogated for his work.  By the way, did you know about the 11 @ 11?  A selection of play will show Wednesdays at 11am for only $11.  Great for people like me in the hospitality business, who can rarely swing a weekend off.  Click here for more details.
• Continue your culturification (I have an English degree, which enables me to make up words.  I have to have something to show for it) at the Columbus Museum of Art and quit whining that we never get any good exhibitions.  In Monet's Garden: The Lure of Giverny, features a collection of works which are part of the CMA's permanent collection, and some which are part of the collection of the Musee Marmottan Monet, Paris, home to the largest collection of Monet's works.  Not only does the exhibit include 10 works by Monet, it also examines his influence on contemporary artists with 20 works from 10 modern artists.  The exhibit continues through January 20th, and tickets are $20.  Click on the link above for detailed information.
• Thursday is Taste of Gahanna (6-9p) at the Aladdin Shrine Temple (3850 Stelzer Road).  Sample foods from the great restaurants of Gahanna.  Tickets are $25 and up, click for more details.
• It's opening weekend for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.  Friday (7pm) will feature Beethoven's 9th for Chorus, and will appropriately feature the CSO chorus.  Saturday (8pm) and Sunday afternoon (3pm), come here pianist Christopher O'Riley play Mozart and Berlioz.  Both events will be directed by CSO conductor Junichi Hirokami.  Click to the CSO website for further details and ticket information.
• In more musical news, it's the opening weekend for ProMusica at the Southern Theater, one of the greatest places in the city for live music.  Join them Sunday evening for a celebration of musical prodigies.  13-year-old Conrad Tao will preform his own piano concerto, in addition to works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Schubert.  There are a wide range of ticket prices, so click to their website for more details.  In addition to this event, there will be Happy with ProMusica this Friday, also at the Southern.  Food will be provided by Tasi (this might be your first opportunity to taste it), which is the new venue being opened by the Risbys, in the former Pistachio spot.  More info (PDF will open).
• Entomology fans rejoice!  It's Insect Fair this weekend at the Zoo!  More info.
• This weekend is Agora III at Junctionville Studios in Grandview.  There's art, music and more.  I haven't had a chance to go yet, but I hear it's a great time. 
• This week's cooking classes at Sur la Table are: Cooking Basics 3, Grilling, Roasting & Frying with Sheri Lisak (Thurs, 10/11); Date Night: Pizza Party with Laura Finley (Fri, 10/12); Essential Knife Skills with Bryan Loveless (Sat, 10/13, 10:30am); Global Kitchen India with Tom Johnson (Tues, 10/16); Cozy Fall Dinner with Dena Logan (Wed, 10/17) and Sushi 101 with Yokiko Bates (Thurs, 10/18, $75).  Unless otherwise noted, classes are $65 and take place at 6:30pm.  Click to their calender for more information.
• Next Tuesday, the 16th, you can learn about Indian cooking at Whole Foods with Portland, Oregon Whole Foods teacher Leena Ezekiel.  Classes are $40 and take place at 6:30pm.  Click through to the Whole Foods Dublin calender for a full schedule.
• This week's cooking class at Williams Sonoma Easton is "An  Autumn Dinner Party," which will feature squash, pork, and pecan pie.  Call the store (614.476.2957) for more information.  The class is $38.

MMMM Mussels

We are back from Philadelphia!  Thanks for all of your suggestions and helpful hints, and yes, there are two reviews coming, but first, a recipe.  Well, kind of a review and a recipe.  It all started a few years ago, when our friend Scot the Art Professor moved to Columbus from New York.  He lamented the lack of cheap eats in Columbus, and the lack of mussel & fry joints.  He had lived in Philly, too, and was want to wax poetic about the buckets of mussels and fries at the Belgian restaurants sprinkled about the city.  I had never heard of such a thing, but it sounded glorious.  I had sort of forgotten about it until a very nice reader told me to go to Monks whilst in Philly.

We decided to stop by for some Flemish sour ale and a bucket of mussels before continuing on to dinner at another reader-recommended spot.

All in all, a less than stellar experience.  The fries weren't crisp (although served with a tasty, spicy bourbon mayo), the steaming liquid left a little to be desired, and about half of the mussels were sandy and poorly cleaned. 

All of that left me desirous of good mussels.  Mussels are easy as pie, delicious, and best of all, cheap.  Well, compared to other types of seafood.  I bought these mussels for $4 a pound at Weiland's, and the fish counter boy was nice enough to take out all the dead guys.  I only had to discard 3 mussels out of two pounds when I was cleaning them.  Mussels, along with their aromatic steaming liquid, become much more than the sum of their parts when well treated.  There is something so insanely delicious about the leftover liquid, so be sure to have croutons or toast on hand for sopping up.  Under no circumstance should you discard the leftover liquid.  Freeze it, along with any mussels removed from their shells, for a reason which I will share in another post.

Mussels are quite good for you; like most shellfish, they are high in protein and low in fat.  Mussels can be pretty easily sustainably farmed; indeed, they practically farm themselves by clinging to ropes hung below the ocean's surface.  Mussels have low contamination, making them safe for frequent eating, and are considered an "eco best" fish by Oceans Alive.

Okay, so.  You decide you'd like to have mussels for dinner.  As with all seafood, purchase them from a reputable fishmonger (the Fish Guys, Weiland's, Whole Foods come to mind) with high turnover.  Purchase mussels the day you intend to eat them.  When you get them home, pour the mussels into a colander and clean them.  I like to scrub each mussels individually with a potato brush under cold running water, because I think the cleaner the outside of the mussels, the less likely you will get grit and other yucky substances in the finished product.  As you begin scrubbing and rinsing the mussels, they should close.  If they don't close, squeeze them a little, or give them a little tap on the counter.  If they don't close, discard them.  Mussels have bristly "beards" which they use to attach themselves to other mussels, rocks, and farming ropes.  The beard is usually removed before sale, but inevitably there are leftover bits which you can just pull off; I find it's usually helpful to use a towel to help me grip.  Simply pull firmly and the beard will come off. If you aren't going to use them right away, they can spend a few hours in the fridge covered with damp paper towels - but not longer than 4 hours or so!

I served these mussels with toast spread with roasted garlic, and croutons.  I like to use the toast early, and then when most of the mussels are gone, toss a few croutons into the broth at a time and let them soak up the mussely, garlicky goodness.  If you don't wish to use alcohol, use tomato juice, vegetable stock with a pinch of lemon juice, or other flavorful liquid, not just water.  So, after our Monk's experience, we finally had some very tasty, proper mussels.  Not a single gritty mussel in the bunch.  So, Art Professor Friend, consider this an open invitation for some good mussels.  I might even be convinced to make some frites to go along.

Mussels - serves 2-4, depending on how hungry everyone is.

olive oil
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, divided
2 large shallots, chopped into small dice
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1/8th" half-moons
salt and pepper
4-6 cloves garlic, or more - depending on your love of garlic
1 375ml bottle dry vermouth

Place a large stock pot over medium heat and add a little olive oil - 2 tbsp or so.  Add the shallots and leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the leeks are soft enough to chew through.  Add 1 tbsp of butter and the garlic, cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is soft and the garlic is cooked.  Turn the heat down a little, if necessary, to avoid burning the garlic.  Because burnt garlic is no good.  Add the dry vermouth and turn the heat up to high.  Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce very slightly - a minute or so.  Tumble the mussels in - I love the sound of mussels crashing together - sprinkle with salt and pepper and place the lid on the pot and steam for 3 minutes.  Remove the lid and add the remaining butter; shake the pan a little bit to incorporate the butter, give everything a good stir for one more minute (for a total cooking time of 4-5 minutes).  The mussels are done when they open - do not overcook them!  They hate that!

Spoon desired amounts of mussels into bowls and ladle some of that yummy liquid over.  Serve with toast and croutons.  Slurp and enjoy.  Yum!