Food anyone?

[giradman]

Thanks for the post, I'd never realized just how small quail were.

Below is a quote from the description of the Pharaoh Quail which we had last night (Source); the box contained 4 birds each weighting about 4.5 ounces - not a whole lot of meat considering the bones and other non-edible parts. According to the link, a 'Jumbo' variety exists that can be as large as 16 ounces - but I've been eating quail since the early '70s and most have been this size. Dave

Japanese Quail: Also known more commonly as Coturnix Quail, Pharoah Quail and Jumbo Coturnix Quail. Adult Japanese Quail females are generally larger than the males and weigh in the range of 120 - 160 grams. (4.5 to 6 ounces). The male slightly smaller weighing in around 100 to 140 grams. (4 - 5 ounces). With a selective breeding program, a larger bird can be produced. Coturnix can be sexed as early as 3 to 4 weeks of age based on feather patterns. Males will have a rusty orange breast and throat. The females will have more of a whitish breast with a speckled breast. They are generally sexually mature by 7 to 9 weeks of age. Average life expectancy of these birds is 2-5 years of age, depending on their health and how they are kept.

 

[giradman]

Susan & I just discovered the Full Moon Oyster Bar in Clemmons, North Carolina, a smaller town next to Winston-Salem, but just 10-15 minutes from our house - for some reason w/ our love for oysters, we delayed trying the place maybe because of the bar design w/o tables? - BUT tonight went early & had a great dinner - shared a dozen oysters from the Gulf Coast (i.e. like the ones offered in New Orleans) - two were the LARGEST oysters we ever ate (really at least double the size of the usual ones served!) - fresh & delicious (the pic below is from the restaurant).

Main course for me was a blackened Mahi fish w/ asparagus & wild rice - the fish was mildly hot (my preference these days) and excellent; the sides were just OK; Susan had the Shrimp Boil (like New England style) w/ probably a dozen good sized shrimp, potatoes, sausage, & a piece of corn on the cob - well seasoned and tasty - she was happy! Thursday night is their King Crab special - a favorite of mine, so we may return in a few days for more oysters and some crab! Dave
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[giradman]

Well, has been nearly 2 weeks w/o oysters! So, we went to a movie at our small independent downtown theater (the new Michael Moore documentary shown below - quite funny & recommended!) - just down the block, a new 'raw bar' had just opened (a subsidiary of an adjacent restaurant called Hutch & Harris) named H & H Side Bar - we started w/ small Caesar salads and then shared a dozen oysters on the half shell (Virginia & Connecticut blue points), steamed clams, and a platter of smoked fishes (mackerel, salmon, & trout) w/ boursin cheese, lemon, and ciabatta toast. Susan had a cocktail and I started w/ a draft IPA beer followed by a glass of La Crema chardonnay.

Good oysters are a new experience for us in Winston-Salem and now in just two weeks, we've found several places that meet our expectations - these were as good as on the coast! We'll be returning soon - Dave
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[giradman]

OH MY! No post here for 6 months - must all be on a diet! And the last entry from me - hard to believe in such an important human activity, i.e. eating food -

Recently, I've been reading the book below Real Food/Fake Food by Larry Olmsted - purchased via iBooks, so both Susan & I are reading together - just into the 3rd chapter on 'Olive Oil' - the 2nd chapter on 'Fish' is just shocking, e.g. 90% of seafood consumed in America is imported and half of that is FAKE! If you are wondering what you buy at the local markets, then a must read depending on where you live, I guess.

SO, we decided to do more online ordering of both meats, seafood, and olive oils (yes the latter is an entire chapter - SO much is a fraud!). Today, we received an overnight package from Broken Arrow Ranch which included venison, antelope, and quail (semi-boneless; the latter were from Diamond H Ranch), all in Texas - Susan decided to sautée the quail w/ her usual recipe (onions, seasonings, dry sherry, etc.) - these birds were 'bigger' than our usual quail and tender - two each was enough served w/ some peas and fresh tomatoes from a friend's garden.

We have a number of 'real' Italian cheeses & olive oils coming from a recommended place in Ann Arbor, MI (where I went to school) and also a LOT of seafood from a place in Alaska - we want to make sure that the food we are eating is REAL! Should have done this years ago - NOW, this approach is more expensive, but you may want to spend the extra money after reading this book - BTW, I listened to the author on the Diane Rehm NPR radio show - Dave
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[scifan57]

Sounds like you had a very good meal.

 

[giradman]

Sounds like you had a very good meal.

The birds were Bandera Quails, and were slightly larger than those we have bought locally, and quite delicious.

Today, we received another box of Alaskan seafood - king crab legs, salmon of different types, halibut (both steaks & cheeks), and some large shrimp - looking forward to all! Dave

 

[giradman]

Well, no one posting in the food thread for another week - we've been feasting on our Alaskan seafood arrivals - tonight, Susan defrosted one of our bags of Halibut Cheeks - see pic below as to where this meat is on the fish, YES, the cheek! The taste is delicate but has a texture similar to crab/lobster - plenty of different preparation options.

Tonight, she decided to simply sauté the cheeks w/ a fresh dill lemon beurre blanc sauce - had a salad w/ fresh locally grown tomatoes - I had a chardonnay from Washington State (Ch. Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells) - delicious - NOW, how to decide on cooking our second bag of these Alaskan delights? Dave
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[scifan57]

Well, no one posting in the food thread for another week - we've been feasting on our Alaskan seafood arrivals - tonight, Susan defrosted one of our bags of Halibut Cheeks - see pic below as to where this meat is on the fish, YES, the cheek! The taste is delicate but has a texture similar to crab/lobster - plenty of different preparation options.

Tonight, she decided to simply sauté the cheeks w/ a fresh dill lemon beurre blanc sauce - had a salad w/ fresh locally grown tomatoes - I had a chardonnay from Washington State (Ch. Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells) - delicious - NOW, how to decide on cooking our second bag of these Alaskan delights? Dave
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View attachment 73399 View attachment 73400

I was wondering how big halibut cheeks were until I found this photo.

 

[giradman]

I was wondering how big halibut cheeks were until I found this photo.
View attachment 73401

Yep - that fish can come in at hundreds of pounds - I love the halibut fillets (and we have a number of frozen packages, so will be some more great eating) - the cheeks are kind of like the size of veal but thicker - will be awaiting how Susan decides to cook our next batch - Dave

 

[twerppoet]

I was wondering how big halibut cheeks were until I found this photo.
View attachment 73401

Even bigger than that; but the best meat comes from the 40 to 80 pounders (about half that size). Looking at giradman's photo, I'd say the halibut those came from were in the 40 pound range. The cheeks have a texture similar to crab; combined with the non-fishy taste of halibut they are very good.

 

[giradman]

Even bigger than that; but the best meat comes from the 40 to 80 pounders (about half that size). Looking at giradman's photo, I'd say the halibut those came from were in the 40 pound range. The cheeks have a texture similar to crab; combined with the non-fishy taste of halibut they are very good.

Hi TP - cannot say how big the halibuts were who gave up their cheek muscles to us, but a treat and I completely agree about the texture resembling crab/lobster meat - an enjoyable combination - looking forward to our next preparation! Not available locally in my area so shipping frozen from Alaska is a little costly but worth an occasional meal - Dave

 

[giradman]

BOY - no one eating these days - Last post by me nearly a half year ago!

Today, Jan 21 is Susan's Birthday - we just returned from a 2-night stay at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham, NC (described in my travelogue of the area, if interested) - but tonight we had a 'snack dinner' in the den - first pic below - smoked salmon & trout (w/ dill sauce & cream cheese), English cheddar cheese w/ crackers, and a crab dip - our drink was a Mumm Napa sparkling wine - Susan likes a little orange juice (i.e. like a Mimosa) - pic below - as eating we streamed a few episodes of the Anthony Bourdain 'Parts Unknown' series (up to seasons 7/8) - lovely evening for some 'senior citizens' - Dave
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[scifan57]

BOY - no one eating these days - Last post by me nearly a half year ago!

Today, Jan 21 is Susan's Birthday - we just returned from a 2-night stay at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham, NC (described in my travelogue of the area, if interested) - but tonight we had a 'snack dinner' in the den - first pic below - smoked salmon & trout (w/ dill sauce & cream cheese), English cheddar cheese w/ crackers, and a crab dip - our drink was a Mumm Napa sparkling wine - Susan likes a little orange juice (i.e. like a Mimosa) - pic below - as eating we streamed a few episodes of the Anthony Bourdain 'Parts Unknown' series (up to seasons 7/8) - lovely evening for some 'senior citizens' - Dave
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Remember to tell Susan that she's not getting older, she's getting better.

 

[giradman]

Last night we watch two episodes of Anthony Bourdain's series Parts Unknown, i.e. the last episode in Season 7 and first in Season 8 - the latter was a trip to Vietnam, mainly Hanoi - a surprise guest was President Obama (take a look HERE, if interested) - Susan & I are going to miss the guy! Dave
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[Thomas1977]

This is really good its my late grandma's recipie its chocolate steamed pudding this picture is only the cake part though it gets like a white sauce over it.