Postcards from India

Consider the Oyster

Not being in the midst of boisterous family fun this Christmas is making me reflect on holidays past, the most recent being Thanksgiving.

A wonderful meal with friends, and before that, a quiet morning walk among the falling leaves, where we found this:

followed by a gorgeous weekend in Cape Cod

enjoying the cold, clear weather,

walks on the deserted beaches

a cosy fire, a most delicious wine,

and..... oysters.

Today, a month later, I read MFK Fisher’s ‘Consider the Oyster’.

A tiny gem of a book filled with essays contemplating the oyster, it includes recipes and thoughts on various ways to eat this strange sea creature.

While eating them raw on the half-shell is the only way I’ve tried them, it was fascinating to read about the stewed, baked and fried options, including the famous Rockefeller, about which she says, “According to the little black-and-gold booklet published for Antoine’s centennial, Oysters à la Rockefeller contain ‘such rich ingredients that the name of the Multi-Millionaire was borrowed to indicate their value.’ Some gourmets say that any oyster worthy of its species should not be toyed with and adulterated by such skullduggeries as this sauce of herbs and strange liqueurs. Others, more lenient, say that Southern oysters like Mr. Alciatore’s need some such refinement, being as they are languid and soft-tasting to the tongue…. Further north…..they like them cold, straightforward, simple, capable of spirit, but unadorned, like a Low Church service maybe or a Boston romance.”
: )

I do find it hard to choose cooked oysters over the cool, succulent raw ones that taste like the sea, but maybe, maybe…

Another interesting preparation-oysters in turkey stuffing-caught my eye, and I smiled at her description of it: “Oyster stuffing, for turkeys naturally, is as American as corn-on-the-cob or steamed coot, as far as Americans know or care. To many families it is a necessary part of Christmas dinner, so that its omission would at once connotate a sure sign of internal disintegration, as if Ma came to church in her corset-cover or Uncle Jim brought his light-o’-love to the children’s picnic.”

Well, to all those sitting down to Christmas dinner today, and showing signs of ‘internal disintegration’, I say, have a lovely Christmas and bon appétit!

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas

On this eve of Christmas, I wish I was here.

New York with an old, dear friend is lovely too; if only it wasn't missing one Frenchie.

Best French Toast Ever

I've seen challah before (I do live in Brookline after all), but I don't think I've ever tasted it. So, I'd expect you to have doubts when I say this is the best challah in Boston, but don't doubt Marcy. She says it's the last word in chhhhhallah (I swear that's how she taught me how to say it) and after eating it, I will believe everything she ever tells me.

I just dipped it in some eggs and milk and sauteed it in butter. I wish I could take better pictures because this was seriously the best french toast of my life.

Frenchie approved whole heartedly: it reminded him of his favourite brioche. All I can say is ..I never want any other french toast again.

Slightly sweet bread, soft and eggy, unbelievable with a Saturday morning latte and the paper. "Cheryl Ann's of Brookline", said the empty packet when I stared longingly into it. I'm revealing insider info, no doubt, but it's too good a secret to keep to myself : )

T.W. Food

About a month ago, we had the amazing experience of a chef's tasting dinner at T.W. Food. The food was inventive, surprising, and delicious. I won't spoil it for you by divulging what we ate, but I will say that it may be the closest thing Boston offers to eating in France. Did Frenchie agree? Well, he may prefer No. 9 Park, but I think the intimate dining experience and personal service by the owners at TW Food tipped my vote. This is one of only a handful of restaurants (unless it was one where we knew the owners) at which I've truly felt like a dinner guest being looked after by a delightful host.

Checkerboard cookies

Last weekend, Philippa and I spent an afternoon in her lovely kitchen drinking mulled wine, making a mess of ourselves and baking these buttery delicious cookies. These were the first cookies I'd ever baked, so I'm hoping future experiences will be less complex and require only one person!

The recipe is on Philippa's site, and basically involves making chocolate and vanilla dough and combining them together in this over-the-top way after repeated chilling sessions.

She set me up with a training video from YouTube but I think I'm still confused how this all came together.

Brilliant way to spend a wintery afternoon, with some card-making thrown in. The most productive Sunday afternoon ever. I even got to take some pictures with her fancypants camera, which was fun.

This morning, exactly a week later, I took the left-over stacked dough out of the freezer and baked the little guys for 10 mins.

Superb with some hot chai.

Thanks, Philippa!

Five Foods I Hate to Love - Part 3

3. American Chop Suey


("Chop Suey", Edward Hopper, 1929)

At least I spared you the image of this monstrous noodle dish.

How can one love a hot mess of noodles and… ketchup?
Well, maybe you have to be Indian to appreciate this one, but I do love the bed of crispy hot noodles and stir-fried veggies, topped with a tangy, sweet and sour, ketchup and soy sauce mix (and a fried egg!). The sauce softens the noodles directly below creating three distinct noodle textures: the wet, soft, ketchup-y layer, the semi-soft, drier one, and the crispy, crunchy bottom layer. Delicious, I tell you!!

A staple in every Chinese restaurant in India, this can only be a disgraced, third-degree relative of anything in China or even America. The American version served in the painting above presumably contained ground meat, and seems like a different creature altogether.

Chinese food is wildly popular in India, and mostly consists of this more-Indian-than-Chinese variety of dishes that would thoroughly confuse any Chinese or American, or, frankly, anyone who hadn’t grown up with them! Hakka noodles, veg Manchurian, chili paneer and chicken lollipops are some of the names that will bring a nostalgic smile to the face of any Indian who lives abroad. Mmm…. maybe it’s time for an Indian-Chinese potluck?