JeffB wrote:I love the DR and eat mangu (mostly for breakfast)

Jeff,

I was at Sam's this morning picking up supplies (Bourbon) for an upcoming BBQ weekend in Michigan It was pretty early, Sam's opens at 8am and, while checking out, I commented add a couple of eggs and you have the perfect breakfast.

This turned the conversation to breakfast and the cashier, Melly, commented that in the Dominican Republic, where she was from, mangu topped with eggs and sauteed red onions is popular.

Melly was a bit surprised I knew what mangu was and, seeing she had a fellow food enthusiast, started giving me mangu preparation tips. She likes to simmer the maugu, drain, add butter then cold milk to keep the plantain from "sticking."

Maybe most interesting she said one of her favorite breakfasts was mangu topped with pan fried cheese. When I asked what type of cheese, she could not remember, but said they carried it 'here' and, literally, ran to get a pack to show me. Turns out it was one of Antonious's favorite cheeses, Halloumi, G. & J. Keses brand, which I also bought.

Talk about an international breakfast, Dominican Republic mangu topped with pan fried cheese from Cyprus. I just love conversing with people who get enthused about all things food. Melly said she makes a killer beans and rice, I might have to go back to Sam's tomorrow for the recipe.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gary,

What a small world. I have spoken to the Dominican lady (or ladies, as I think there are a couple of Dominicanas there) at Sam's a few times when buying Dominican things such as Presidente and Brugal. I think that the Dominican population in Chicago is expanding somewhat, as I run into more and more and I saw several DR flags around the time of the Puerto Rican parade.

PS, there is a significant Middle Eastern, or more properly Syrio-Lebanese, population in the DR (as in Brazil, Mexico and probably other areas of Latin America). Thus, "quipe" (kibbeh) as a popular street food. (Query whether there is a connection between the Afro-Brazilian acaraje' and kibbeh. More on acaraje and where to get it in Chicago later.) While I have not seen much Greek/Cypriot influence in my travels and relations, I'd venture a guess that the halloumi connection starts there.

Enjoy

JeffB wrote:PS, there is a significant Middle Eastern, or more properly Syrio-Lebanese, population in the DR (as in Brazil, Mexico and probably other areas of Latin America). Thus, "quipe" (kibbeh) as a popular street food. (Query whether there is a connection between the Afro-Brazilian acaraje' and kibbeh. More on acaraje and where to get it in Chicago later.) While I have not seen much Greek/Cypriot influence in my travels and relations, I'd venture a guess that the halloumi connection starts there.

Definitely... Halloumi is, so far as I can tell, quite popular in the Levant and some of the cheeses from Cyprus are clearly marketed to an Arabic-speaking audience...

A

(Ya tengo ganas de comer un taco árabe.)

JeffB,

I'd be interested if you could find a connection between kibbe and acaraje. They are so dissimilar, other than being fried ovoid shaped things.

If you can find a place to get acaraje in Chicago, let me know. I make them occasionally, and they're a real pain in the a--, if you've got a little bit of obsessive compulsive in you (I do) which means I must get ALL the little bean skins off.

When I make mine, since I've already gone to so much trouble, I also make the molho with dried shrimp that's so good with them.

A friend who spent a couple years in West Africa knew them completely by another name. Of course he gets invited when I make them. There, as in Bahia, they use an ungodly amount of dende oil for them. In the interests of health, I do not.

In a fairly recent food mag about street food, they had marinated grilled haloumi as a Brasilian street food. Probably the Levantine population.

Annie, I guess similarity is in the eye of the beholder. Both are deep-fired ovoid things, for sure. Maybe there could be a closer connection between acaraje' and falafel, both deep fried bean fritters. But deep fired cakey things are pretty generic, and the connection might be strictly between Africa and Brazil.

As to availability, I need to taste the acaraje' that I am told are available, and then I'll let you know. (I don't mean to be mysterious, but I want to do some leg work before posting.)

I think that all of Food network has dumbed down over the past five or so years. Their job is to sell advertising. When they were a 'cooking channel", I found what they did to be far more interesting than what they do now. However, they couldn't sustain a revenue base appealing to folks like me.

That said, there is still entertainment to be found on the Food Network. Here are a couple of things to watch for:

1. Paula Deen's ubiquitous references to her sex life on her show.

2. Sandra Lee's destruction of the English language and guffaw inducing stupidity on Semi-Homemade. y favorite was the time she built her own barbeque pit in the front yard. I was waiting for that thing to blow sky high when she lit the fire because th cement hadn't dried.

3. The sheer wonder of comparing the disproportionate size of Giada's head to the rest of her body as well as that really creepy clawing thing she does with her hands when she's talking about something she likes.

4. The hilarious pairing of Jeffery Garten, Michael Chiarello and their friends with beards for the "dinner parties" on their show. My favorite was Chiarello's "Wine Party" episode a couple of years ago where, after six wine tastings, all of the men at the party were ignoring their beards and eyeing each other up for a little action after the cameras stopped rolling.

5. The embarrassingly crappy tips that Rachel Ray leaves on $40 A day as well as the anticipation of her saying, "wow, this really isn't even worth a buck fifty" about some crap she's served in a Northwoods themed dining room in Kenosha.

6. The general hilarity of Emeril burning the onions in his sautee pan, then declaring them, "Cahmulized. That's what you're lookin' for right there".

YourPalWill wrote:3. The sheer wonder of comparing the disproportionate size of Giada's head to the rest of her body as well as that really creepy clawing thing she does with her hands when she's talking about something she likes.

Excellent list, Will...

About Giada: Is she sort of doing that thing cats do with their poop or with food they might want to hide for later?

Antonius

It's the same motion you would make if it was acceptable in our society to just walk up and double pump a random set of boobs, except Little Big Head uses more finger nails to emphasize her masochistic pleasure with her culinary creation. She's kind of doing it here:

YourPalWill wrote:That said, there is still entertainment to be found on the Food Network. Here are a couple of things to watch for:

1. Paula Deen's ubiquitous references to her sex life on her show.

2. Sandra Lee's destruction of the English language and guffaw inducing stupidity on Semi-Homemade. y favorite was the time she built her own barbeque pit in the front yard. I was waiting for that thing to blow sky high when she lit the fire because th cement hadn't dried.

3. The sheer wonder of comparing the disproportionate size of Giada's head to the rest of her body as well as that really creepy clawing thing she does with her hands when she's talking about something she likes.

4. The hilarious pairing of Jeffery Garten, Michael Chiarello and their friends with beards for the "dinner parties" on their show. My favorite was Chiarello's "Wine Party" episode a couple of years ago where, after six wine tastings, all of the men at the party were ignoring their beards and eyeing each other up for a little action after the cameras stopped rolling.

5. The embarrassingly crappy tips that Rachel Ray leaves on $40 A day as well as the anticipation of her saying, "wow, this really isn't even worth a buck fifty" about some crap she's served in a Northwoods themed dining room in Kenosha.

6. The general hilarity of Emeril burning the onions in his sautee pan, then declaring them, "Cahmulized. That's what you're lookin' for right there".

Can I point out what a great drinking game you've come up with, Will? The biggest challenge might be having enough liquor on hand to keep up.

Sunday mornings would never be the same at my house.

but...um...Chiarello's "married"...right?

Television Without Pity Is My Second Favorite Place on the Internet.

MC is the only guy I know of who'd invite the neighborhood boys over for a poker night and serve lemon zingers.

Enjoy. This will have you in tears of laughter:

http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com ... 9728&st=60

Thanks for posting the link. It's not so much MC's slippery identity as the ingratiations of his get-togethers. He seems so out of tune with his guests. Overall, I enjoy watching him cook, but if he makes his family's hot peppers one more time...urf. I also get the impression that Food Network might attempt a spin-off "competition" series what with the near constant presence of the Nawlins/SF chef. What is it with FN and ubiquitous goofy accents/artificial colloquialisms?

Christopher Gordon wrote:but...um...Chiarello's "married"...right?

yup. not being familiar with the show, i assumed he was batting for the other team until he made some mention of his wife. then mind did this: ? !


and i have pretty good gaydar. so much so that one of my gay friends asks me what i think of someone when he's not sure himself.

Apparently she's in Chicago, doing Boystown on $40 a day. A little more in this Gapers' Block story.

Ann Fisher wrote:doing Boystown on $40 a day.

Ann Fisher wrote:Apparently she's in Chicago, doing Boystown on $40 a day. A little more in this Gapers' Block story.

LOL, late night drinks at the Closet? OK, whenever this episode airs my TiVo will be ready because I really have to see the spin she puts on that outing.

I imagine this is a surreptitious aggrandizement of The Hearty Boys. Alas, I'm a cynic.

You read my mind, CD. I cannot imagine where else she can eat in that neighborhood for $40. Maybe mark's Chop Suey? Or will she eat all three meals and leave three crappy tips at Hearty Boys?

Article in today's NY Times on Rachael Ray

"Being Rachel Ray: How Cool Is That?"

ugh .... a talkshow ? Ugh.

"hee hee ... you've got a movie out ... how cool is THAT !"