From Uruguay With Love

Dinnertime in the Belly of the Beast

Meatballs via camera-phone.

Smells Like Prague...

5am camera-phone.

I Get It, You Live in Florida...

... and it's not supposed to be this cold and blah blah whine cry me a river. Maybe this will shut you up. Potato and Chorizo Frittata. I decided to make this week's Sunday brunch a little low key, as going out to do major grocery shopping before noon, in 26 degree weather, with a ripping hangover, is not my idea of fun. Hey Florida, here's a picture from the blizzard of 2009. Do you still want your mommy to wrap you up in a widdle bwankie?

Southern-Style Eggs Benedict

I'll apologize in advance for the absence of a picture. This one looked and smelled so good I completely neglected to document it. This was a take on a classic. A fried annatto and smoked cheddar grit cake replaced the English muffin, pulled pork took over for Canadian bacon, the standard poached egg was far too classy to tamper with, but the hollandaise was dressed up with a little chipotle puree. On the side; Asparagus, a salad consisting of red-leaf lettuce, apples, and walnuts with a blood orange vinaigrette, and enough mimosas and bloody marys to intoxicate an army at noon. Thanks to Christina and Sashley for field testing a recipe I hope to perfect. All the snow and sub-freezing weather in the world can't keep a good brunch down.

Nice Rack

This New Year's Eve Jose and I wanted to do something a little special with our menu. We figured if you charge someone one hundred hard-earned, American dollars and promise them food all night long they would like something a little nicer that some bullshit panino. Alas, the powers that be thought otherwise. The plug was pulled on duck quesadillas, oysters with champagne granita, lobster macaroni and cheese on parmesan wafers, etc. We did however slip one curveball past while the boss-man was in Florida by accepting delivery of fifty pounds of lamb. Take that food cost! Such adorable baby racks, shown here marinating in rosemary, garlic, and olive oil, then seared, roasted, and finished with ginger-mint preserves. We marinated our livers in margaritas from 9PM until 4AM. Thanks to the cheesiest DJ ever for getting the party totally hyped on New York City, and really just partying in general. And a special thanks to the trashed and clumsy Asian girl that busted ass in front of everyone while unsuccessfully trying to get me to dance on the bar with her. Little lady you absolutely made 2009 for me. In light of these and other life-affirming events I have decided to change my resolution from "grow the hell up" to simply "eat more lamb." I think I can manage that.