RECIPE: Midnight Icy, Hot & Cool

Perhaps providing a recipe of warm buttered-rum wasn’t such a logical choice – we do sincerely apologize for that (though during rainy days it might be a welcome drink). So we’ve decided to make up with a double-dip feature recipe, courtesy of Bon Appetit and Food & Wine. One is a refreshing drink  that bodes well after a long day of work – with a bit of a kick, of course. The other’s just a little salad to go along with it, conceived by our favorite Francophile Jacques Pepin. Not exactly something to help the snooze, but we presume you probably want to properly unwind first.

White Zinfandel Sangria

Ingredients

• 1 750-ml bottle of chilled white Zinfandel
• 1/2 cup peach schnapps
• 2 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 peach, sliced into wedges
• 1 10-ounce bottle of chilled club soda
• Ice cubes

Preparation

• Mix first 8 ingredients in tall pitcher. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Mix in club soda. Fill 6 wineglasses with ice cubes. Pour sangria over ice and serve

Recipe courtesy Anthony Dias Blue

Watermelon Salad w/ Feta & Mint

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• One 8-pound seedless watermelon, scooped into balls with a melon baller or cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (10 cups), chilled
• 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled (2 cups)
• 1 1/4 cups pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped (optional)
• 1 small sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, salt, Tabasco and pepper. Add the watermelon, feta, olives and onion and toss gently. Garnish with the mint and serve.

Recipe courtesy Jacques Pepin

 

 

PINT OF MILK: DINNER TABLE SOCIOLOGY (Part 1 – Q&A)

 

Excited?  It’s the first official chapter of our Dinner Sociology series, so you darn well should be. (Having said that, if you haven’t read our introduction which contains important bits of information, do so now before attempting to read on).

Now the format will be simple. There will be a quiz, which will act as a revealing mechanism as well as a guide that will indicate where you stand on the class-placement level. Don’t be nervous and answer these questions truthfully, as it is only to your benefit, because not only are these quiz questions a test, but also a guide that will mold your beliefs and groom you into a more polished dinner conversationalist. Don’t worry – eventually you’ll be worthy enough to dine on vichyssoise and caviar blinis at socialite dinners. Secondly, there will be an explanation paragraph that will explain your results in depth. Don’t forget to add up your points as you go.

This quiz puts you in the hot seat of the one being surrounded by curious and annoying nosey personalities. You’ll answer the questions, not ask them. Until you are adept at this art will you be able to cunningly throw answers and belittle newbies. Good luck!

The Situation

Let’s start simple. You’re not at your future mother-in-law’s glitzy Park Avenue townhouse, nor are you at the Astor Bar at the St. Regis. Let’s just say it’s almost 10:30 pm (not exactly midnight, but it’s late for dinner nonetheless), and after going out to see Madame Butterfly at the Opera house with some random but deceptively wealthy people you met through your mutual friend (George – no, not that one), you all decide to finish off with a healthy post-dinner binge at Blue Ribbon Sushi. You’d fired off your orders of chopped toro on rice and a clear soup (whatever the circumstances, please do not be caught dead ordering “salmon sushi” or “California roll”) and now these rando’s finally get the chance to spill their load on you. PLEASE NOTE that honesty is absolutely crucial – that is, your answers may not necessarily be the truth (is it always?) but you will likely answer in that fashion.

1)      “So Jorge (not your real name – chill there is no racism implied here), we’re absolutely dying to know. What did you think of that opera?”

1. Stunning, absolutely stunning. The lyrical qualities in her voice is just magical. (+5 pts)
2. Swell! Cannot wait for a sequel! Do they have like a Mr. Butterfly or something? (-5 pts)
3. This is the first time I’ve watched an opera, and honestly I don’t like it. I did like ABBA’s Dancing Queen when they were on Broadway, though (-15 pts)
4. Um, I thought it was fairly decent (+0 pts)
5. I found the singer a bit lacking in her vocal ability. Preferred her in Carmen, to be honest. Also, the costume design there is like Marie Antoinette meets Batman, in a horribly twisted  way (+15 pts)

2)      “That is agreed – we feel the same way. One of these days we should probably go see a ballet, perhaps after pre-theater dinner at Café Boulud.”

1. Oh yes that would be very nice (+0 pts)
2. Cool beans! How much is dinner and the tickets to the ballet? I think I received a free coupon for a ballet a year ago and it is still valid. Oh wait, nevermind, that was a AMC coupon for Black Swan (-10 pts)
3. Yes, please! Please have dinner at my place – I’ll make fried chicken and burritos. And then we can go to my little sister’s ballet recital. In fact I can get you all tickets! They’re free. (-20 pts)
4. Café Boulud does not offer pre-theater menus. You must be talking about his other restaurant, DB Bistro Moderne. It serves a mean foie-gras and wagyu burger. Not Romeo and Juliet though, let’s do Giselle. I heard’ they’re bringing in serious talent for that one (+15 pts)

3)      “Your chopped toro on rice looks splendid”

1. It’s mine! Don’t even think about it *slather saliva all over surface* (-20 pts)
2. It’s the most expensive item on the menu. And that equates to goodness. (-5 pts)
3. Chef Kikkoman could have rendered the fat a bit more though; nonetheless, it’s still quite something.  Would you like to try a little? (+15 pts)
4. *Polite smile* it does, doesen’t it? (+0 pts)
5. Yeah I picked this because they give you free rice refills for only this dish. Next time I’m coming with my family and we’re just going to eat of this with 5 refills. The pickles that come with are free anyway (-10 pts)

Read on for more!

Raw Milk And Why We Ought To Care

You may have heard of the recent crackdowns on…. farmers selling raw milk.  No, these haven’t been raids for drug production or harboring illegal immigrants­—these were raids on those selling raw milk.  We’re talking about innocent, Amish farmers being stormed by armed FDA agents and law enforcement officials searching and tramping over private property looking for raw milk products.  Let’s not talk about the Constitutionality of this (ahem Commerce Clause), because after all, this is a blog about food, not the Constitution.

Despite the fact that many of the raw milk products sold are completely safe, the FDA insists that raw milk is dangerous.  Click here for some really cool facts about the nutritional benefits of raw milk.  And here’s a fun fact: over the past 12 years, an average of 66 people (in a country of 308 million) get sick from consuming raw milk/cheese products.  But no, these farmers must be licensed for the sake of “public safety.”

But let’s forget this for a second and think about the larger implications of far-reaching government oversight in the food industry (in this case, raw milk).  These are wholesome, artisan products, and nothing more–cheese, milk, and other dairy goods made from grass-fed cows.   Do we no longer have the right to choose what to eat and drink? Selling and buying raw milk is a mutual exchange between a buyer and a seller.  In this case, the buyers are well informed and educated about the risks (and benefits) of their purchase.

So, when did food become illegal?

One final thing to add… the FDA has written regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act (of course, with the support of the Obama administration) that gives the agency far-reaching powers to detain foods on farms.  These detentions are not only unconstitutional, but are nothing more than big government’s overreach into the lives of private individuals.  We deserve better than this.  We ought to have the freedom to choose what we can eat and drink.  We say, let’s keep food legal, and let’s wag our fingers in disgust at the FDA.

Let us know what you think by commenting!  What are your thoughts on artisan food products and raw milk?

-SY

FREE GIVEAWAY: $25 Whole Foods Gift Cards (for limited time only)

Christmas comes early! We’ve just started our blog, and we’d like to reward faithful readers who share the same passion we do at MidnightMeal. So we have decided to hold a contest. From now till Aug 1st, 5 lucky winners will win a $25 online gift-card that can be used in all Whole Foods stores in the US. Don’t live in the US? We will find a suitable alternatives — don’t worry. We are paying for these personally.

ANYONE who “LIKES” our Facebook Fan Page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Midnight-Meal/204866399559385)-AND- who subscribes to our blog is eligible to win a gift card. If you have done both already, great! This offer is only valid from now till Aug 1st.  The drawing process will be made public through a video on our Youtube channel.  We will select the five winners on that date as well as announce them publicly on Facebook.  Comment if you have a question or anything else!

- Jon & Stanton

TOP FIVE #1: Foods that Help You Fall Asleep (Pt. 2)

NOTE: Make sure you’ve seen the first part of this feature! And don’t be afraid to mix-and-match.

6) TEA

- Obviously we’re not talking about those that you take in the morning. Caffeine-free tea is the way to go; the warm milk substitute for the sophisticated adult. That is, if your tea is organically sourced and ever so fragrant, and that needn’t be anything too exotic like like Imperial Lapschang, which smells a little like smoked turd. Look instead at more common varieties: Camomile with a hint of ginger, lavender, or maybe even decaf Green Tea. Just don’t binge on that stuff.

7) CHERRIES

- More than just something you might pop at night, cherries are, oddly enough, a sleep-aid known for boosting melatonin levels in one’s body. We’re not talking about the synthetic red stuff you see on sundaes (I tend to avoid eating them at all costs), but those plump, juicy, and slighty tart ones that can be consumed in juice (ready-bought or freshly squeezed), on yoghurt (another sleep aid – see previous post), plainly consumed, or if you are feeling sinful, baked in a pie. With a generous side of green-tea frozen yoghurt.

8 ) Pretzels, Crackers 

- Yes, they make you fat, but they’re not meant to be consumed by the kilogram. These babies rank high on the glycemic index (75-80) on a 1-100 scale. The higher the index, the faster time it takes for one to fall asleep. No need to get fancy here, unless you like your pretzels hand-twisted and baked in the oven with a sprinkling of Madagascar sea-salt.

9) WATERMELON

- If they’re not spiked with vodka, then watermelons make fine sleep-aids, being highly-ranked on the glycemic index (72) while being a decent thirst quencher. While it is indeed a fruit, and hence the nutrition, it holds a lot of water, so that might contribute to increased trips to the bathroom (or bedwetting, if you’re prone to those sort of incidents). Avoid yellow watermelons, because they aren’t as sweet. Did I mention that watermelons are also aphrodisiacs? If sleeping does not turn out well, then at least these fruits will turn you on.

10) HONEY

- Honey is basically sugar, but it won’t send you on a sugar high, especially if you buy the right kinds. New-Zealand produced Manuka honey, besides being prodigiously expensive, is known for its unique healing properties and its great flavour. We’re not expecting you to eat it straight from the bottle, but to use it as a spread on breads, crackers or to naturally sweeten sugar-free yoghurt.

Jacques Pépin: Fast Food My Way–More Eggs, Clams, Cod, Broccoli

Why aren’t there homey cooking shows like this anymore?! Forget Masterchef and Hell’s Kitchen; let’s bring back Charlie Trotter and Jacques Pépin.

By the way.. a couple cool techniques to note:

• Check out the way he “cleans up” his knife at around 6:35 after chopping up the garlic.
• Using water as a “carrier” to cook the broccoli.
• Cutting mangos along the pit.

Summary:

• Easy egg dish
• Clams Madison
• Cod with Olive-Tomato Crust
• Broccoli bits
• Mango in Nutella Sauce

Enjoy!

Courtesy KQEDondemand

RECIPE: Hot Buttered Apple Cider with Rum

Admit it. You need a bit of a kick right before bedtime – the true beginnings of late-night unwinding. These heavy lil’ cocktails are not too alcoholic and they’re comforting enough. Who said that midnight snacking is only about eating healthy. Live a little. Recipe courtesy Saveur.com and Once Upon A Chef.

Ingredients
For Spiced Butter:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

• Half-gallon (64 ounces) all natural apple cider
• Spiced Butter
• cinnamon sticks (optional)
• rum or apple brandy (optional)

Directions

• Make spiced butter by combining butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a small bowl. Use a plastic spatula to transfer butter mixture to the middle of a 12″ x 12″ piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic wrap over butter mixture and shape into a log, twisting ends to seal closed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Bring apple cider to a simmer over medium heat in a large pot, then turn heat to low. Remove spiced butter from plastic wrap and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add to hot cider and stir continuously until all butter is melted.
• Ladle buttered cider into mug, garnish with cinnamon stick and top with a shot of rum or apple brandy if desired. Serve hot.