The Great Gatsby coming to a Sunday Brunch near you!

I've been toying with many ideas for the second meeting of the Astoria Book and Supper Club.  Should I do Patchett's Bel Canto?  I've always liked the idea of small fusion plates, a play on the book's international spectrum of characters forced to live together in a confined area.  I will do this for a future meeting, but it just didn't feel right for right now.  There's also Steven King's latest book about going back in time to stop JFK's assassination, 11-22-63, a fun, nostalgic and suspenseful read.  There was lot's of late 50s/early 60s era food I wanted to cook while reading the book.  I decided that I should hold off until November on that.  I finally and happily settled on The Great Gatsby, which I have been wanting to reread for a long time.  I think it's the perfect book for late spring, early summer, whichever way you look at late May (which is when the meeting will be held).  I'm thinking a long, lazy Sunday brunch filled with decadent foods, jazz and cocktails.  It would be lot's of fun to capture/recreate the feeling of that era, at least for one afternoon.  So dust off your old copy, and join me!

Meeting #1: Game of Thrones Dinner

On Friday night I began my cooking for the first meeting of the Astoria Book & Supper Club.  I knew I needed a head start on what I considered the main event of the supper: the Beouf Bourguignion meets Meat Pie.  The Beouf (3 beautifuly marbleized pounds of chuck) is prepared the Julia Child way.  While it simmered in the oven (2 1/2 hours) I got to work on the glazed pearl onions and mushrooms sauteed in butter that is added once the beef is cooked.  I also worked on the marinade/crust for the baby backs.  I had been drying some sage, rosemary and thyme all week, and I ground it up with some garlic, a lot of sea salt and olive oil.  It smelled great, and I poured it into a jar and stuck it in the fridge.  I spent the remainder of my time prepping myself for the next day, finalizing recipes and the cooking/serving schedule.  When the beef was ready, I did some degreasing, and added the pearl onions and mushrooms.  This is the type of dish that just builds more flavor while it hangs out with itself, so I thought it was well on it's way to being a decadent and yummy meat pie filling.

The next morning I took one last trip to the grocery store for some fresh produce and perishables, and got home and rolled my sleeves up.  I had a few hours until Liza got there, and I wanted to be prepared and ready to share the kitchen!  I made the dough for the meat pie and the lemon tarts, and stuck the ribs in the oven.  To cook the ribs: take them out, and in a baking pan at least one inch deep, place the ribs that have been rubbed in the herb and garlic marinade, add some black pepper or whole peppercorns, a little more salt, and some white wine vinegar to the bottom of the pan.  Cover it well with tin foil and cook on low (250-275) for 2 1/2-3 hours.  Use your judgment, you just want them to be falling off the bone and moist.  Baby backs usually don't disappoint.  Before serving, you just want to brush some balsamic glaze that has been mixed with some of the liquid in the pan all over the ribs and broil them (unless you have access to a grill, by all means, throw those suckers on the grill!)

The ribs before a trip to the oven

Liza got to my place around 3, ready and willing to help.  A word about Liza: starts with a word about Lisa:  I have never been one who asks for or likes help, ESPECIALLY in the kitchen.  I knew that to do something like this, I would need someone to help me.  I could not be happier with my choice.  I feel extremely lucky to have met her (in culinary class) and so lucky that she wants to help me!  She cooked, she cleaned, she tasted and advised, and she didn't walk out the door when I threatened her life!  The whole day was so smooth, and I really couldn't have done it without her. 

Back to cooking: Liza meticulously worked on rolling out the dough and lining 8 pie tins and 8 tart tins.  I ran around doing odd jobs: the marinade for the ground lamb, degreasing and preparing the beef for the pie, preparing the spinach salad and making the honey butter.  MAKE HONEY BUTTER: honey, softened insalted butter, salt and vanilla extract, roll it up in saran a la compound butter, and let refrigerate for at least an hour.  Seriously, make it!  We blind baked the tarts and pies, Liza prepared the lemon curd, we poured it into the tarts and refrigerated them, we filled and baked the meat pies, ate our share of the meat pie, which tasted damn good, a big confidence booster.

So, we had an hour before people were about to show, to quote myself, an hour earlier,  I said: "We have an hour before we have an hour".  Liza lightly fried (perfectly) the rashers of double smoked bacon I purchased at Muncan foods while I cut the cheese (yeah hahahaha) and black bread for the starter and set the table.  We cleaned up a bit, discussed our game plan, and then it was 8:00.  All the guests had arrived and were seated by 8:15, and the dance was about to start.

The table is set

I must say, the guests were great.  They were excited and jovial and social, almost to the point that it got annoying, because seriously, it was time for them to start paying attention to ME!  I just wanted to welcome them to the dinner, and talk about the first course and present the beer and ale flight. "That's all I wanted"-Vicerys Targarian

The menu was given to each guest, and also included questions about the book between each course

The starter

From top center clockwise: Russian black bread, bacon, cheddar, manchengo, kefalograviera and the honey butter. Of course, right after I took the picture was when I decided to smash down the butter into the ramekin, much more visually pleasing.  Everyone began slathering the honey butter onto the black bread, and someone said, "she can just serve this and I think we would all be happy".  I thought of all the food that still was to come, and all the effort Liza and I put in, and part of me was like, yeah, WE WOULD all be happy!  In all seriousness, it was a great compliment.  Everyone was enjoying the starter, and I had to really force them to look at me when I would present each ale.  I was bothered for about a second, when I said to myself, hey, they're all deep in conversation and eating, this is what I wanted!  I realized the book and supper club was working, and I became happy and calm. 

Finishing up the ale flight and starters, everyone is getting to know each other and their favorite characters from the book.

On to the meat pie!  It was a real crowd pleaser, I was very proud of them.  I would say the process of making these was 8 hours.  If you want to cut corners, use store bought pie crust, but this is a recipe you should try, it definitely makes people happy.

The Meat Pies right out of the oven

In the plate, careful, they're hot!

 Next course: those lovely ribs.  For the next three meat courses, we kept the spinach salad and buttered turnips at the table, for the guests to eat at their own pace family style.

Buttered Turnips by Liza

Spinach Salad with plums and crushed toasted nuts

Herb and Garlic crusted ribs with a balsamic glaze

The next two meats were a roasted sausage wheel and grilled lamb skewers a la Daenyris, a character from the book.  To the ground lamb I added some sauteed carrots and raisins and shallots that were cooked in port wine and seasoned with cumin and parsley.  The sausage, from Muncan food corp was really delicious, and seasoned really well.  Everyone was really stuffed, and I must say, I know this meal was very heavy, but I was just going by the book.  I don't think I would ever create such a heavy meal again, unless I do a sequel!

Lamb Skewers

Roasted Sausage Wheel

 The dessert was kind of light and refreshing, the perfect way to end such a heavy meal.  My favorite part was that Liza and I got to sit with the guests and enjoy our Lemon Tarts (recipe link), because we were done, and I know I needed a glass of wine!  I got this recipe off line, and it's a winner.  Again, to cut corners, if pressed for time use store bought crust, but let me tell you, use her lemon curd recipe, it is DIVINE! 

Lemon Tarts and Blueberries

I just want to say thank you so much to my guests, and of course to Liza.  You guys were so great, and it was so great watching you enjoy yourselves.  It was just as much fun as I hoped it would be, and can't wait to have another!

Dinner Is Coming...

So it's the day before the big feast, and I just have a couple more stops to make before the meal is ready to be cooked!  The past three days have included shopping at some really unique markets and food shops that in my opinion, make NYC the truly amazing place that it is.

My first stop on Wednesday afternoon was the Union Square farmer's market.   I wasn't really sure what I could possibly get produce wise, since hey, it hasn't felt like winter, but it technically has been winter.  I knew I should at the very least score some honey and cheese.  I ended up buying some Hawthorn Valley cheddar, and two kinds of NYC roof top honey-Andrew's and Berkshire Berries.  After Union Square I got on a Q and headed back to Astoria and over to the EuroMarket on 31st Street Between 30th & 31st Avenue.  The man at the cheese counter was extremely helpful, and let me taste test everything, until I decided on the Kefalograviera (the cheese in Saganaki) and some Manchengo (can't resist it).  They also have a great international and craft beer selection, and I totally lucked out and was able to get four beers/ales that not only will pair really well with my starters, they had catchy/dorky Game of Thrones punny names! Score!  There are plenty of other international items, all really well priced, I might add, so if you haven't, check out the Euro Market, fellow Astorians, it's worth a look!

Andrew's Honey, and Berkshire Berries "NYC Roof-top" Honey from the Union Square Farmer's Market

Manchengo and Kefalograviera from the EuroMarket in Astoria

The four Ales and Beer from the Euro Market

Yesterday, I finally got over to Muncan Food Corp on Broadway and 44th Street.  I've been wanting to go for a while, and it was exactly what I expected.  They were very helpful, and their sausages/bacon/other smoked meats were almost overwhelming-in the sense that I wanted to try everything!  I finally settled on a wheel of sausage that I plan to roast and some double smoked bacon I will serve as part of the starter.   Later on, I headed over to Berry Fresh Farms on 45th street off of 23rd ave, for the bulk of my groceries.  This is my favorite grocery store in Astoria.  The people who work there are very friendly and helpful, the prices are unbeatable, and they have a great butcher shop and fish market.  They are expanding right now, and I can't wait to see the final new store.

Some amazing smoked bacon from Muncan Food Corp. in Astoria.  Quite possibly the best bacon I've ever had

After work today, I'm off to Orwasher's bakery on E 78th Street in Manhattan, I've ordered three loaves of Russian black bread, and I cannot wait to give it a try!  I think I just need one more stop at Berry Fresh and to pop in at my local liquor store for a bottle of red wine for the boeuf bourguignon, and I'm all set!

The bread was great, the shop smelled AMAZING.  They have a peanut butter stuffed donut, I'm gonna drop some LB's and stop back in one of these days!

Shopping and preparing has been fun and educational.   It's really a great feeling to go into new and old places with a high regard for giving their customers authentic and  high quality foods.  On to cooking!

Game of Thrones: The Menu

 To Start: 

Rashers of bacon, hard cheeses, black bread and honey butter
Game of Thrones Inspired Beer & Ale Flight

Soup: 

Beef Stew meets Meat Pie

(what happens when you cross boeuf bourguignon with a pot pie)

Entree:

Trenchers of bread (ie: your dinner plate) served with:

• Garlic and herb crusted ribs finished off with a balsamic glaze
• Assorted roasted sausages
• Grilled Meats and Vegetables on Skewers

Salad:

Spinach, plum and toasted nuts

Side:

Buttered Turnips

Dessert:

Lemon cakes and fresh fruit

Since the meal is BYOB, I would recommend some red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon, a Burgundy, Pinot Noir or Cotes du Rhone.  Off course, they like their beer and ale in Game of Thrones, but that may get a little filling, and there's lots of food to be eaten!

Again, the dinner is on March 24th, 2012, come by anytime after 7:30, the meal is @ 8:00 PM

Meal Donation: $40
Contact me to reserve your seat to the feast!
 Leeya448@gmail.com