CHEZ MOI, OU دار Z
At دار Zero last night we grilled subprime steaks with Cajun seasoning, and ate them with cous cous and spinach sautéed with garlic. This garlic was from my garlic fields and the lime juice we squeezed on everything was from key limes just picked from my tree. Both were far better than any one can acquire in a store. In fact, they hardly seem to be the same bulb, or the same fruit.
Lunch today was a casserole of organic chicken, egg noodles, carrots, and leeks with a garlic and miso background. Dinner tonight is roasted vegetable lasagne. All of the vegetables came from our friendly local vegetable stand. It is much cheaper than any store, and it also sells fig preserves.
When I buy meat now, I get it from Acadiana because as the billboard says, “you can’t beat Cajun meat.” I have not cooked this well, or had time to shop economically for high quality ingredients, since graduate school. I am only going to get more extreme. People say I am glowing with health and I say it is all the vitamins.
AILLEURS
I am on a restaurant moratorium until September for financial reasons, but I do not mind because so few restaurants cook as well as I can. Tourists, new faculty, and even some locals all love certain restaurants, but I do not.
Sins of even rather expensive restaurants include, but are not limited to irregularly fresh fish, overly heavy or overly sweet sauces, “spiciness” that is just vinegar and habanero pepper, “seasoning” made of MSG and cayenne, and fried things that the oil has sunk into. I am tired of diner-style service in “fine dining” establishments, and I am not impressed with large or free desserts.
Please, therefore, send in suggestions for this fall. In New Orleans I am recommending Patois (and Petunia’s, and the Bangkok Thai by the levee). I am hoping for commentary on restaurants statewide.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
Would I love to eat at your place! I envy the garlic. It does not grow here. The last time I had really excellent garlic was when we bought a braided bunch in Spain. It was sweet and full of flavor.
oh, you’ve made me so hungry now! I made some great roasted chicken last week, and stubbornly ate it every day for seven days. I need to learn to freeze!
H, how odd the garlic won’t grow! J, I am against freezing. Roast chickens, one does something else with the second half. Then one makes kraasesuppe.
It’s really really good, no joking. Here’s a recipe in Spanish: http://www.recetasmil.com/internacional/dinamarca/sopa_de_menudillos_con_bunuelos_kraasesuppe_melboller.htm
It’s supposed to be with giblets but you can use a meaty carcass instead (and the skin). I often do it without the dumplings and add extra leeks, carrots, apples and prunes … and make sure to put in a lot of vinegar.
But by the way, you see what a good recession food it is: essentially gizzards and dumplings, cheap.
Ah how I daydream and digress.