Guess who's coming to Dinner?

We are now the number one search hit for 'Pickled Yam' on Google! That's right, we're in the big leagues, everybody! If you go to Google.com, search for 'Pickled Yam', the very first link you'll get will be our website! All right!

Seriously though, I feel a little guilty about this. While it took some work, some posts, some spreading around of the link to our website, we've now surpassed an actual recipe for Pickled Yam. And really, that's just not fair.

How frustrating is it, when someone is trying to make a dinner, does a search for something delicious and comes across a website that doesn't even pertain to what you're looking for?! We were just trying to be funny with the name- The Pickled Yam- since Josh is Jewish (Pickles) and I'm African (Yams)...but now the joke has gone too far. ;) In order to redeem ourselves, I've decided to post an actual recipe for Pickled Yam, here, on our website- so that no search is in vain (I also wanted to write a post with the words 'Pickled Yam' in it, several times, to secure our top seat.) - ;)

Hope all is well with everyone, and enjoy the Yam.

Pickled Yam

Ingredients

Suran / Yam – a small piece
Red Chillies – 5
Tamarind – a small ball
Coconut – 3 tsps (if desired)
Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Take a small piece of suren & cut it into thin strips, about 1/2" long. Apply salt & let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then squeeze these & deep fry them till nice & crispy.

2. In the same oil deep fry the chillies till they turn slightly brown.

3. Now put the chillies & tamarind in a mixer & grind to a fine paste. Add water as required. Use as less water as possible.

4. At this stage you can add the coconut & grind in too or leave it. It does not matter. Adding coconut means you have to finish of this pickle in a weeks time. Minus the coconut it stays longer. Coconut just brings in a thickness to the pickle. I added some to the one I made.

5. Now transfer the ground paste to a bowl, add required salt & fried suran.If u want u can season with oil & mustard seeds.
Let it stay for a day before u can eat it, as all the chillies & salt will blend well & the suran wil get to soak well in this spicy mixture.

You can have this with idlis & dosas.. Yes, its spicy, add a drop of coconut oil on top & its heavenly!! Or just simply enjoy it with curd rice.. its delicious!!!!!!!!

gross.

The Boat that Rocked

What a beautiful weekend! Josh and I attempted to make the most of it by getting outside! We had a picnic on the lake yesterday- it was fantastic! Most people aren't aware that Baltimore (Towson, MD actually)- has great hidden spots like this. The spot is called the 'Loch Raven Fishing Center'- and you can rent a motor boat for $25 bucks, for the day. The boats are launched on the Baltimore County Reservoir (a huge 11 miles wide lake)- and there are lots of great little islands where you can dock, and picnic. It's a great time, everytime!







I hope everyone is enjoying this fantastic weather!

Anchorman

Josh and I were on the news last night! We stopped at our local Blockbuster to rent a video game, and were asked to be interviewed for a spot on Video Game Addiction (they couldn't have picked a better couple- Josh LOVES video games!). Here's a link to the clip:

http://wjz.com/video/?id=54242@wjz.dayport.com

Hope everyone is doing well, enjoying the nice weather- and Happy Earth Day!!!

Flight of the Conchords!

Last evening, Joshua and I went to see one of our favorite bands play- Flight of the Conchords. They're a Humor/Folk/Pop group, with their own show on HBO. It was quite a task trying to make it from Baltimore to D.C. in 30 minutes- and we failed miserably (crazy of us to think we could make it to downtown D.C. in half an hour!). We missed an hour of the show. Fortunately, these guys are so awesome, that the hour and a half that we did catch more than made up for it! It was a great time and we had a blast!





Pictures from our travels- gotta love The D.C. Metro System- Can't get downtown without it!










Hope everyone is well and enjoying the updates!

Philadelphia

Josh and I recently went to Philadelphia to celebrate Passover with his Aunt Ellen and Uncle Buzzy (more on that in a later Josh entry). While there we stopped and visited with my good friend, from JHU, Theodore. He's at UPenn Medical School, studying to How to Make a Million Trillion Dollars. We arrive around lunchtime, so we decided to go out and get...CHEESESTEAKS!!!! (according to Josh, 'Cheesesteak' doesn't have the word 'bread' in it- so it's Kosher for Passover) delicious.







There isn't much to a proper Philly Cheesesteak- ingredients-wise, but don't tell a native Philadelphian that, they would say it's a fine science (and honestly, if it is a science, the guys/gals at Jimmy's Steaks have it down!) Here's a simple recipe to recreate the delicious experience we had at Jimmy's. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 pound Rib Eye, frozen, then cut very thin
1 Onion
Mushrooms
Provolone Cheese or Cheese Whiz
4 Hoagie Rolls

Meat Make friends with your butcher. You need him to partially freeze a hunk of Rib Eye, and then slice it very thin. You want it sliced thin even though common sense tells us that thick is better. You can buy the hunk of rib eye and freeze and slice it yourself, but the butcher generally does a better job than I do. I can only get it about 1/8" thick and he does less

Bread This is the hard part. If you aren't in the Tristate area, and can't get AMOROSOS rolls (the only thing that is REALLY good on a cheesesteak) then you have to find a substitute. Squishy sub rolls will NOT do. They do not hold together under pressure. Refrain from buying those "hero" rolls too. A good hoagie roll is almost rubbery in texture, but quite soft. The best substitute I have found is a loaf of French bread. Not as good as the real thing, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.

Toppings: All of this is personal choice. I like fried onions and mushrooms myself. Cheeses used vary - I hate to admit it but I think cheese whiz tastes the best. Provolone is awesome too and that's what I would use if I was afraid of the plastic orange stuff called whiz. Cooking the steak: In a cast iron frying pan, or a grill pan heat some oil. Saute toppings until pliable - make them however you like them. Remove them from pan and set aside. Pour some more oil in the pan (I use olive oil, but if you have access to the stuff they use in restaurants on grills it would taste even better) on medium high heat. Place 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of meat in the pan, lying the pieces flat and overlapping to form a shape that will fit nicely in a bun. When the meat turns gray with doneness, flip it over and if you are using cheese slices now is the time to lie them on top of the meat. Add the other toppings back into the pan next to the meat and allow to reheat. Cover the pan to allow the cheese to melt. This should take 1-2 minutes. If the meat looks overcooked, that's OK - it should be GRAY.

This is the time to toast the bread if you so wish. I don't like mine toasted at all. Warmed is OK. If you are using cheese whiz, warm it in the microwave. Pick up meat and melted cheese with a spatula and deposit on the roll. IF using cheese whiz, use a butter knife or chopstick to smear whiz next to the meat.

Push the meat on one side of the roll and deposit the toppings next to it. This is important because if you put the toppings ON the meat, they will not be in the bottom of the sandwich, which really sucks. You should get meat, toppings and cheese in every bite.


YUM!

The Wedding Planner

Yes...?
By Joshua Walters

My Cheshire Love
My Playmate, My Joy
My Perfect Partner
The Girl to My Boy
I waited so long
now you have arrived
sleepwalking for years
but now I'm alive
I can't let you go
Our time cannot end
Inevitably
on knee I will bend
Please accept this ring
End uncertainty
And now let me know...
Will You Marry Me?

Yes.

(April 4th, 2009 @ 8pm!- Federal Hill Park, Baltimore MD)

American Pie

Josh started his new job, yesterday- and we decided to celebrate with a great big slice of pie. For this particular pie-outing, we decided to stop by Baltimore's famous Pie Shop:

Proprietor: Rodney Henry est. 2003

We drove over (its walking distance, but its so cold outside)- and got in the door, just a bit before closing time. The owner, Rodney Henry, was right at the register, taking an Apple pie out of the oven behind him (He was baking the entire time we were there!)

As a die-hard cake lover, I have to admit, the smell was intoxicating as a wafted from the pie display case and oven, through the door. I couldn't wait to sample the buttery crust, of a bubbling hot pie.

I ordered a slice of hot apple pie, and a glass of whole milk (I'm a skim milk drinker, but it seems like there's only one way to eat apple pie). I forgot to take a picture of the pie slice, until after I ate it- but I assure you, it was great looking and delicious.


Definitely one of Josh and I's new favorite places on "The Avenue" (West 36th Street in Baltimore, MD).