FOODIE WEEKEND

Not by any planning, L and I had a real foodie weekend. First, on Saturday we went to the Jewels (as they say in the old neighborhood). Since I was along there was significant impulse buying. More later, but we got a bunch of finger bananas. These are outstanding. They are sweeter and creamier than regular Cavendish bananas. L thinks they taste like banana nut muffins. They are excellent, and make me want to try other bananas, like apple and red bananas.

Anyway, Saturday we had a pretty typical all-American holiday meal. We grilled brats and hot dogs and ate them with the usual sides of slaw, p-salad, etc. That was not so foodie, but it tasted gooood. For dessert L soaked some pineapple in rum, which we put on skewers and grilled. We then dumped the grilled pineapple on coconut/pineapple ice cream with chocolate sauce. Boozy. Sweet. Good.

Sunday we were sitting around, doing domestic stuff when K called. He was at work because he was about to get slammed in a case he is working on and was trying to catch up. That meant that D and the kids were out of town. Apparently the waters parted and extension came through. Suddenly K was in the city on the weekend without his fam in town. Naturally he called L and me. We met him at Hopleaf, which is a Belgian-influenced bar/restaurant. L and I both had the Steak Frites, while K had the Lamb Stew. We shared the Belgian style mussels for two. God they're good. I enjoyed a few Vichtenaars, which was quite nice. By the way, I don't buy all of the Beer Advocate crap about Vichtenaar, or any other beer for that matter. What a bunch of snooty a-holes. Anyway, L and I headed back to Lincoln Square and decided to try the Cold Stone Creamery that just opened. Admittedly, the chain ice cream joint isn't very foodie, but I am just being complete, alright?

As part of the impulsebuyingpalooza that L was forced to endure with me, we bought two salmon steaks, some dill, some mini carrots, and a package of small potatoes, including Yukon Golds, Purple Potatoes, and others. We decided to try to grill again, but didn't have a recipe. So, here is a useful recipe:

Step 1, get a sheet of foil.
Step 2, lay thick (3/16) slices of citrus (we used lemons, but limes might be good) down as a base on the foil, in the middle.
Step 3, lay one salmon steak on top of the citrus bed and season with salt and pepper.
Step 4, lay dill across salmon.
Step 5, cut potatoes, carrots, onions, and whatever else you want on and around the salmon, season lightly.
Step 6, break a pat of butter up and put pieces around and on the salmon and veggies.
Step 7, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the mixture.
Step 8, close the foil up so that it is an airtight seal around the food.
Step 9, rewrap in another layer of foil to prevent ripping.
Step 10, put the foil packet over hot coals for 1/2 hour.
Step 11, carefully open and enjoy.

You're welcome.