DISCLAIMER: You will not enjoy my blog if you are diet conscious. I use lots of butter. And wine. And salt. And lard. It's a lifestyle choice.

First post of what I hope will be a few...I'm terrible about sticking with these things but I've really ramped up my time in the kitchen lately so figured I'd give the blog another go!

A little about me...I'm a military brat who spent the last five years abroad. I've hopped around the world and have developed quite a taste for fine food. There's three things I really love: food, people, and spending time combining the two.

Anyhow, less about me and more about food. Like I said, I love sharing my food with people, so I figured a blog could be a fun way to do this (and what better time to do so on a snow day!!!)

So I guess I'll start with what I made last night in preparation for snowmaggedon. I love mussels and Belgian food. Probably one of the best restaurants I've ever been to is this little, hole-in-the-wall mussels place in Philadelphia called Monk's. Best selection of Belgian beers this side of the Atlantic I've ever seen, and REALLY good pots of mussels.



So I decided to give 'em a try myself. I went with a real basic white wine and garlic option. I browned garlic, shallots, and a leek 4 tablespoons of butter in a large, cast-iron pot. I then placed 2 pounds of mussels into the pot, making sure that every shell was still sealed shut (if shells have opened before cooking then the mussel has died). I then poured in an entire bottle of cheap chardonnay (but not too cheap...remember it will still retain its flavor) and a bunch of parsley. Seasoned with salt and pepper and covered to steam for 10 minutes over HIGH heat. When the mussels were steamed, I uncovered the pot to let the wine reduce slightly. Then VOILA! I fried sliced baguette in oil and served with the mussels which I spooned into a bowl and then poured extra sauce over the top. Delicious, and so easy. Next time I think I'll add a little cream to thicken the sauce and to make it a little richer.




On a more technical side note: I am VERY picky about the fish I buy. As a result, and due to the lack of access to a fresh fishmonger in the area, I only buy it at Whole Foods because they keep such high quality seafood. When I bought my mussels, the fishmonger picked the individual shells out of an ice box making sure that each was still alive, and then advised me to leave the bag open (not to seal it) to prevent suffocating them. As I checked out, I finally tied it shut, but was great to know to leave it open as long as possible. It's expensive, but I am willing to dish out a little extra for high quality, as it makes SUCH a huge difference.