829 Southdrive

829 Southdrive

A New Jersey state of mind



Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mothers' Day




The only reservations I had about Mothers' Day were trying
to get reservations on Mothers' Day.  Shhhhhhhh............,
between you and me, today, Valentine's Day, and New Year's
Eve are the three most amateur dining events on the culinary 
calendar. You're better off going out one or two days before any
 of these dates; reservations are easier to get, it won't be quite as 
busy, and you probably won't get roped into a prix fixe menu 
where you all have to pay the same price for a menu you're 
not necessarily interested in.  But hey, you wanted to go out on one 
of these days.  We're happy to see you.  We just need your credit 
card number for a guarantee. We'll get the money whether you 
show up or not...............  Stay home. Between you and me. 


Get some cured olives and Epoisses Berthaut and a baguette.
Then let that Epoisses sit out a couple of hours until its sides start
to bulge out.  Frost two champagne glasses and fill with chilled 
Champagne.  Go out to the patio and sit back.  The rest I don't
need to tell you.  I know you both well enough by now.





Get some Ro Dylin King Crab legs, and with an herb snipper,
cut the length of the shells and remove the meat, placing it in a
saucepan with melted butter.  Then snip some chives over that 
meat and put heat on low.  You can cover the pan to keep the 
moisture in until you're ready to serve.  





Grill some marinated, butterflied leg of lamb over some applewood
chips, let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices stop boiling inside, so 
when you slice the meat, all the flavorful juices don't flow out onto 
and over the edge of the cutting board.  Place your perfectly boiled 
asparagus and impeccably roasted weird-shaped fingerling 
potatoes on the plate, then fan your rosy-pink lamb slices and drizzle 
pesto you bought at Wegman's around and over.  
Hey, sometimes you need a little help.

Happy Mothers' Day to my lovely wife and mother of our two lovely
daughters.  You're the best friend I ever had, and I can't imagine 
living one day without you. 


17 comments:

  1. B'Dog, Relay this message to your wife.

    Happy Mothers Day Mrs Baydog! From all of mine to all of yours!!

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  2. Good job, Baydog.

    Less work for mother.

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  3. PS - should've done a Foodie Friday again - I tried softshell crabs for the first time, my friend Mandy & I went to Ed's Lobster Bar and we split a lobster roll and a crab plate. Problem was that they were battered and fried (the crabs, I mean, not the lobster roll, that was fine) and the batter was delicious but too flavorful for the crabs - I've eaten one now but I still don't know what they taste like.

    Will have to try again sometime. My friend Steve, the "Paddling Chef", wants to do a Bigelow's run sometime while they've got fresh softshells - if we end up planning something I'll let you know!

    Have to try again sometime.

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    Replies
    1. Wait. Soft shell crabs and clams and fish are supposed to taste of something other than batter? I never knew.

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  4. Did I read that last comment too fast?

    Bonnie went to some bar for softshells but still doesn't know what they taste like because she was battered and fried?

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  5. Half the time I don't know what the hell the O-Docker is talking about...

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  6. I think simply dredging the softies in flour and sauteeing them gives you the truest flavor. I'd save the batter for onion rings and fish and chips.

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  7. That's what I was thinking. I got a hint of a flavor that I think I like in the body but the legs were all crunchy beer batter taste.

    Of course there are worse tastes in the world!

    Oh, and as far as getting fried? I did have a drink that I think could make an alcoholic out of me if I had sixty bucks a day to spend on drinks and any inclination at all to become an alcoholic - a Blueberry Gimlet. And I won't bite anyone for saying that's a girly drink, but oooh, yum!

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    Replies
    1. Cocktails made with blueberries are high in anti-oxidants and therefore very good for you.

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    2. Funny, I was just thinking I should go back & see how their blowfish tails were. We couldn't try everything.

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    3. No blowfish in Jersey yet. I've checked. We get them from Maryland when they're pulled up in the crab pots. Or we can fish for them ourselves here. Seems like it's a mid to late summer treat. I'll wait. And maybe I'll beer-batter some this summer! Thanks, now you've got me craving blowfish!

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    4. "Blueberry Gimlet"? I'm looking that one up!

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  8. what a lucky woman. you're the best chef/husband/dad ever

    love you

    ps. jealous i missed this meal...

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