Food Pairing 101: What Goes Well With Chicken Fried Seitan?

On the surface, Lamesa may seem like just another hole-in-the-wall county seat in Texas. It is home to about 10,000 residents, boosts an economy driven by cattle and cotton and houses a prison named after a former Texas governor. But taking a spade and slamming it just a little deeper into the dirt causes one to find out that Lamesa is about much more than just cotton, cattle and prisons. That much more is chicken fried steak.


According to the town (and echoed by H.C.R 134 which was signed into law by the Texas House of Representatives in April 2011) two kids, one dressed as a clown and one wearing pink cowboy boots, somehow played a role in creating Lamesa’s legendary flour battered steak. I don’t know how it all fits together, mostly because the author of the original story has come out and declared it a yarn, but thank god it does.

A few weeks back, on a rainy day, I decided to skip a trip to the pool and hang in my kitchen to pay tribute to Lamesa. I battered a bunch of seitan, smothered it in gravy, and repeatedly said that “Everything is bigger and better in Texas.” I followed the amazing trail that was forged by Vegan Aide over at the Weekly Vegan Menu, who has since relocated to Zsu's Vegan Pantry. My only complaint was that the trail she forged was just a little too creamy for my taste. I know, I know, that is the authentic Lamesa way but for me it wasn’t the best. I would’ve enjoyed the dish much better had I gone with this vegan gravy (which I was in the process of doing before I ran out of nutritional yeast).

So what does one pair this little taste of Texas history with? How about a band whose name just screams Texas, a state that acts as the final frontier between the US and Mexico. That would be hotly tipped Hull newcomers FRONTEERS. This foursome, collectively, has just 76 years to their name. But what they lack in experience they make up for in fun. The four joined forces after bonding over girls, music and soccer near the tail end of 2014. The time for the debut has now arrived. It's the aptly titled "Youth":

 

(The food portion of this post was originally written on September 9, 2011. An updated version with music was written today.)

Food Flavored Song of the Day: Tug by The History of Apple Pie

(photo by Jamie Walters Smith)

It started something like this:

"Tak gode Applys and gode Spryeis and Figys and reyfons and Perys and wan they are wel ybrayed co- lourd wyth Safron wel and do yt in a cofyn and do yt forth to bake well" (from The Forme of Cury by Samuel Pegge).

At the time of this recipe, sugar was scarce and the coffin (pastry) was not eaten. Since then the apple pie has crawled through many forms and faces, each of them adding a little something special to the history of the apple pie.

Which brings us to an English pop band with one of the sweetest (literally) band names, The History of Apple Pie. In a strange bit of irony I was introduced to these guys a few weeks back by the twitter feed of Yuck. The band's song "Tug" is pretty even-keeled but it always seems to be on the verge of something more, like a car poised at the edge of a precipice teetering back and forth. Be on the lookout for their new release which should be coming shortly via Roundtable.

The History of Apple Pie-Tug

Food Fights: Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Cherry Buttercream Frosting and Marnie Stern, Marcellus Hall and Class Actress

(AP image taken by Matt Rourke)

Whoopie Pies are born in controversy. This blog, though trying to remain above the fray, has been no different to these whoopie wars. First there was the disparaging remarks about my eye sight at something I wrote about a whoopie pie shop. Then, the shipped batch that had to settle a bet. Now, in a story that has gone viral the last few days and has been picked up by news outlets such as USA Today, the Associated Press and the Huffington Post, these desserts are fueling a state war of words.

Both Pennsylvania and Maine have staked claim to the origination whoopie pies. This has gone on for as long as I can remember. The two sides have always lived in peace thinking Maine has theirs, we have ours (being an original Pennsylvanian I use we). Then in March of 2009 an article appeared in the New York Times about whoopies. It cited food historians as suggesting that the dessert probably originated in Pennsylvania. This upset many people in Maine including State Representative, Paul Davis, who remembered eating the desserts in his childhood. He began looking into the Times claim and the more he researched (talked to people), the more he felt something needed to be done to acknowledge Maine's claim. So in January, one year and ten months after the article was published, Davis introduced a bill to make the Whoopie Pie Maine's official treat. When news got to the Pennsylvania Amish, they were not happy. Rallies occurred, websites were created, videos made and Maine was told to "stick to lobster." This thing seems far from over.

News of this situation was brought to my attention by high school classmate and fellow food blogger and writer Erin. She suggested we have a "Save our Whoopie" bake day on Thursday to celebrate Pennsylvania's claim to whoopies. She baked a Mini Chocolate Whoopie Pie with Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream Filling. I went with a Chocolate Whoopie Pie with Cherry Buttercream Frosting.

As I baked up these Whoopies I enjoyed the sounds of three artists whose lyrics describe the Maine/Pennsylvania situation to a t. There's Marnie Stern with "Every Single Line Means Something," Marcellus Hall who is "Laughing with You" and Class Actress who suggests we be "Careful What You Say."

Marnie Stern-Every Single Line Means Something

Marcellus Hall-Laughing with You

Class Actress-Careful What You Say


You Might Also Enjoy:
Jacqueline at Tinned Tomatoes made them this week as well
My Pumpkin Whoopie Exchange for Christmas
Sweet Jane's

Oatmeal Cream Pies softened by Nenna Yvonne

Little Debbie products have been in existence since 1960 when O.D. McKee decided to package and sell his Oatmeal Cream Pies. Looking for a catchy brand he decided to name his snack cake line after his four year old granddaughter, Debbie. Her parents had no idea until after the first cartons were printed that their daughters name and image were being used.

Little Debbies are nowhere near my favorite shrink wrapped snack brand (that would be Tastykake). But every once in a while I get a hankering for an oatmeal cream pie. That urge hit me the other night at Datz. Usually I ignore the desire, let's face it snack wrapped desserts aren't the healthiest thing in the world. But seeing as Datz version looked bigger and fresher than the Little Debbie version I gave it a whirl. The first bite was fine but as I got closer to the middle I noticed something was amiss. There were cranberries in it. I finished the cream pie but didn't enjoy it as much as I should've. So I set off to make my own. Thanks to the blog Back to the Cutting Board I was able to achieve success. In a strange twist of irony, as I bit into my version I thought 'Hmm...wouldn't raisins go well with this?'

Oatmeal Cream Pies (adapted slightly from Back to the Cutting Board Blog)

(printable version)

For the pies:

-2 sticks of butter

-1/2 cup brown sugar

-1/2 cup sugar

-1 Tbsp molasses

-1 tsp vanilla

-2 eggs

-1 3/4 cups flour

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp baking soda

-1/4 tsp cinnamon

-1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

For the Filling:

-2 tsp very hot water

-1/4 tsp salt

-7 oz jar marshmallow cream

-1/2 cup vegan shortening

-1/3 cup powdered sugar

-1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix well.

2. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugars. One at a time, add the eggs, mixing after each one. Mix in the molasses and vanilla.

3. With the mixer still running, add the flour mixture to the liquid and beat until blended. Add the oats and continue mixing until well combined.

4. Using a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets. Leave plenty of space between as the dough will spread out. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 minutes. The cookies will look moist, don't worry about this you just want to make sure the edges are beginning to brown. Remove from the cookie sheet and cool on wire racks. Continue until all the batter has been used (make sure you have an even number to assemble the cream pies).

5. Dissolve the salt in the very hot water. Set aside and allow to cool.

6. Combine remaining icing ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix on high until fluffy (3-4 minutes). Add the salt and water to the mixture and mix well.

7. Assemble the cream pies by putting icing on one cookie and placing another on top.

*This recipe was not super sweet and I liked it that way. The original recipe calls for more sugar and if you like things super sweet you may want to go with that one. Also, as I mentioned, raisins might go well in these.

As I baked up my oatmeal cream pies I moved around the kitchen to the sounds of Nenna Yvonne. Nenna is an unsigned artist hailing from Nigeria who currently resides in New York. She has a very Lady Gaga feel to her stuff (especially Don't Know Me). She has been making headways this year, being one of the finalists for a Myspace record deal in a competition sponsored by Toyota and fender and releasing her first EP, Model Citizen. "Some Girls" and "Don't Know Me" are from that EP. You can buy a special autographed version (only 100 physical copies) from her bandcamp page.

Love Potion Mix: Airship, Dreamboat Money, Barton Carroll, Dum Dum Girls, The Jezabels, Blair, Lemonade, Curtis Plum, Golden Girls, Fyfe Dangerfield

The Ancient Egyptian god of chaos, Seth, was very sexually potent. His secret? Lettuce.

19th Century French Bridegrooms were fed three courses of Asparagus at their prenuptial dinner so when it came time to seal the deal, they didn't disappoint.

Chinese herbalists tinker with ginkgo nuts to fuel erotic desires.

Aphrodisiacs, foods that are said to increase sexual performance, are a part of every culture. Foods ranging from almonds to coffee, avocados to bananas, chocolate to basil have at some time or another been said to possess these powers. With February being the month of love these foods have a special place in my kitchen. That's what this playlist is all about. Love, love making and the foods that enable. I call it the Love Potion mix:

Track Listing:

Airship-Kids
Dreamboat Money-I can't wait to come home
Barton Carroll-The poor boy can't dance
Dum Dum Girls-Jail La La
Port-Royal-The Photoshopped Prince
Fyfe Dangerfield-When You Walk in the Room
The Delta Mirror-He was worse than the needle he gave you
Golden Girls-Amateur Teen Sex Antics (demo)
The Jezabels-Hurt Me
Exposed by Observers-In my skin
Curtis Plum-Indie Rocker
The Ambience Affair-Devil in the Detail
the Octagon-Cross Tops
Lemonade-Lifted
Blair-Candy in the Kitchen


Download Playlist Here

Download BTreotch/Comerfield Remix Here

The recipe pictured at the top is a pasta from the newest edition of Vegetarian Times. It part of a special section on recipes that contain aphrodisiacs (in this case asparagus). The recipe is located here. I modified it slightly by adding a tablespoon of pasta, a pound and a half of asparagus (if I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go all out) and veggie stock instead of the wine.

Food of the Gods and Cheese aka Fennel Au Gratin delivered with Campo-Formio and Portastatic

Fennel has provided the world with knowledge and fire (see Prometheus), the marathon (see Pheidippides), the ability to aid in the recovery from poisonous snake bites and scorpion stings (see Chinese) and warding off evil spirits (see Midsummer's Night-Spain). None of these were on my mind as I began my first cooking experience with fennel yesterday. The only thing I could think was black licorice. The pungent odor of fennel evokes black licorice in my mind, thus the hesitancy to use this plant in cooking in the past. Thankfully the taste is anything but black (or licorice for that matter).

Fennel Au Gratin
(printable version)

For the Fennel:
-olive oil
-4 heads of fennel cut into thin wedges (fronds kept)
-2 garlic cloves
-1-28 oz can of diced tomatoes (partially drained)

For the topping
-3/4 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
-3 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
-handful of fennel fronds
-13 black olives, pitted

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add fennel wedges, cover, and cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes.

2. Add the garlic to the fennel and continue cooking for another twenty minutes or until the fennel is soft (may need less time based on how thick you cut the fennel). Add partially drained tomatoes and simmer for ten more minutes.

3. Meanwhile combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, fennel fronds and black olives in a food processor. Pulse until the topping has the desired consistency (I like mine completely crumbed).

4. Put fennel into a shallow gratin dish or baking pan. Top with crumbs. Drizzle more olive oil over the top and bake for twenty minutes.

*When I made my dish I did not remove any liquid from the tomatoes and it came out a little watery. That is why I would advise draining at least some of the liquid from the tomatoes.

While I made this dish I listened to "El Joke" by Puerto Rico's Campo-Formio. Reviewers have compared them to Sonic Youth, Captain Beefheart, Julian Casablancas and The Raveonettes. Campo-Formio just spent the last week frolicking through through New York and Philly. Hopefully these guys can get back in the near future for a more extensive visit.



The band's first EP is available for free here.

"Foam Hands" by Portastatic was also playing during the making of this meal. Mac McCaughan, founder of Merge Records and lead singer of Portastatic, got his band together to celebrate the labels 20th anniversary by putting out a new album entitled Make it Sound in Tune. The album features all covers of Merge artists. This song is a cover of Destroyer.

Portastic-Foam Hands

Fried Chickpea Patties on a Mediterranean Bed held together with Sidewalk Driver, Blastoids and Hot Chip

Chickpeas pale in comparison to Tetrapods. A recent discovery in Poland suggests that these four-legged vertebrates crawled out of the water 18 million years earlier than previously thought (dating them about 17,993,500 years older than chickpeas). As far as vegetables go though, chickpeas are one of the earliest cultivated ones.

A recent crop of chickpeas found their way into my kitchen and I decided to try my hand at frying them. This is no small task for me because when it comes to frying I usually wind up running out of the apartment with a burning pan and fire alarms burning. Thankfully it turned out well this time. Well enough for my recipe of the week:

Fried Chickpea Patties on a Mediterranean Bed
(printable version)

-1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained
-1/2 cup dried parsley
-1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
-1 garlic clove
-2 Tbs. flour
-olive oil
-1 package of mixed greens
-1 pt grape tomatoes
-3 oz feta cheese
-hand full of garlic pretzel chips (I used this brand)

1. In a food processor, combine the parsley, cumin, garlic, and chickpeas. Pulse until mixture binds together when gently squeezed. Form into patties and coat with flour. Remove excess flour by tapping the patties.

2. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet. When the oil is hot drop the patties into it and cook until brown (about three minutes a side). Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.

3. In a serving bowl combine mixed greens, tomatoes, and feta cheese. Top salad with chickpea patties and garlic pretzel chips.

*I resorted to garlic pretzel chips after the dressing I made turned out horrific. The pretzel chips gave it a crunch and a strong garlic taste.

As I pattied up the beans I danced around my place to the sounds of Boston's Sidewalk Driver. When I first heard the unsigned bands song "Jenny Don't Really Like the Boys" (via Indie Rock Cafe) I didn't think much of it. But after a few listens I grew to appreciate the energy they put into their sounds. You can download the bands album For all the boys and girls for whatever price you name. Just follow this link.

Sidewalk Driver-Jenny Don't Really Like the Boys

Murfreesboro, Tennessee's finest band (I think?), the Blastoids released an album in September that features the track "Whonose." Great song. What makes the song (and album) even greater is the fact that you can download it for free via the Blastoids Myspace page. Thanks to I guess I'm Floating for getting my attention with this one.

Blastoids-Whonose

I also enjoyed the sounds of "I feel better" the auto-tuned single off of Hot Chip's upcoming album "One Life Stand." Even though the album isn't set for release until February 1st it has already been leaked via various sites.