For Liz and my 5th anniversary, we decided to do something a little different. I’ve had a taste for mussels lately and seeing that we are in what I consider a “safe month” for eating seafood (away from the coasts), I went to our local fishmonger and bought a few pounds of mussels. You know you are at a good seafood store when it doesn’t “smell like fish”. What’s even better, is when you bring your purchase home and your house isn’t smelling like fish.

I never made mussels before, but after reading some recipes in some of our cookbooks, I was reassured that in only 3 steps, I would have a restaurant-quality meal… Guess what? It worked! In all honesty (and here I go patting my own back), this may have been one of the most delicious meals that has ever been cooked in our kitchen. The crazy part is that it may have also been the easiest…

Mussels (my way):

- Melt a good hunk of butter with a generous “glug” of olive oil in a large stockpot/dutchoven

- Saute two finely sliced shallots until they begin to go slightly translucent

- Add one can of chopped Italian tomatoes

- Add two cups of good white wine and bring to boil

- Dump all of your clean/de-bearded mussels (approximately one pound per person ~ remember it’s all shell weight!) in the pot *

- Give things a quick shake/stir and put a tight-fitting lid on things

- Patiently wait 10 minutes while your kitchen smells amazing

- Remove the lid to make sure the shells have opened up

- Flip another little pad of butter into the pot (remember you’re not eating this daily, go for it!) and give things a stir/shake/flip and throw in a handful of chopped parsley

- Pour all of the goodness into a very large bowl

- Place on table and devour with loved ones (oh, and don’t forget the baguette for dipping!)

The above recipe is a hybrid of one of Anthony Bourdain’s and my imagination. Next time, we’re going to try cooking them in Guinness…

* – I’m assuming you know how to tell the “good mussels” from the “bad mussels”

I have officially started my quest for the perfect (Mexican-style) taco.

I’m talking a straight-up steak taco with cilantro, onions and maybe a lime wedge or two.

There will be no lettuce.
There will be no cheese.
There will be no asking me, “hard or soft”. <wink>(at least while at the taqueria… I’m so funny!)</wink> ;)

Recommendations in the Chicago-ish area? Please leave a comment here and share…

Yes, I was Mario with a red wig/beard and my orange Crocs. Liz was there but I can’t remember who she was. Ina Garten was represented (stil the sexiest woman on the channel in my opinion) and I’m sure Rachel Ray was somewhere to be found. By the way, Honald, you pulled off a pretty good Bobby Flay. :)

The best was that my friend Geno was there dressed as Jan Birnbaum who makes the occasional guest stop on Michael Chiarello‘s show “Easy Entertaining”. Leave it to Geno to pull off someone who doesn’t even have their own show but is an occasional guest…

What does this have to do with anything? I guess it was a fun idea if you are friends with a lot of foodie-type of people. Also, I think this proves that I watch way too much Food Network before I go to bed…

The more I think about it, the more I think that this party will have to come to life at some point. :)

“The afternoon steak is the workhorse steak, the backbone of the day. It’s the steak that gets you around the city, ensures a successful nap, steers you into the bar and (most importantly) gives you the mental clarity to choose the right cut of meat in the restaurant that night. Misorder the first steak and you will either find yourself losing steam by eight o’clock, when no restaurant is open, or scampering to find an awkward third bridge steak, to tide you over until dinner.”

via Kottke (although, it was really David Jacobs who found this link)

I have been drinking so much sparkling water lately that I can actually differentiate brands.

San Pellegrino is simply the best.

(and “no”, I was not paid to endorse)