Though his version of "No soup for you" would undoubtedly contain a few choice words unfit for prime-time, Kenny Shopsin, proprietor of the legendary New York diner which bears his name (and which imposes a strict set of rules on its diners), does bear more than a few similarities to Seinfeld's classic Soup Nazi character. Then again, it's tough to imagine Larry Thomas' severe television personality confessing that he used to believe that only path to change was through Freudian analysis, or to extend his ongoing battle with the flies in his kitchen to a metaphor for the war in the middle east and, in fact, the entirety of human conflict. Indeed, the central figure in Matt Mahurin's documentary I Like Killing Flies is about as complex and interesting as a subject as a film could hope for.
The loose story arc of the film, which follows the Shopsin family's forced relocation, due to a rent hike, from the corner location that they'd occupied for 30 years, could have easily been milked for all sorts of juicy big-picture documentary moralizing about the sadly changing ways of the world, but the filmmaker is wise enough to know that the real story here is Shopsin himself, whose string of seeming contradictions gradually begin to make a certain odd sense the longer you sit with them. The restaurant itself is certainly unique enough, offering a 10 page, 900 item menu with idiosyncratic menu items such as mac and cheese pancakes (born when a customer who always ordered one of the two titular components one day couldn't decide between the two), post modern pancakes (pancakes, cooked up, torn up, added back to the batter, and cooked again.) and Indomalekian Sunrise Stew (a traditional dish of a country invented by Shopin and one of his sons). But the restaurant, like the film, would be just another in a long line of perfectly palatable variations on a theme without the charismatic character that drives it. With him, however, both are unmissable experiences.
Think for a minute about those cold wintry weekend mornings, when all you want to do is stay in bed...or once you do happen to get up, drink coffee and read the newspaper in front of a roaring fire. That’s the kind of warm good time feeling we get from Pork & Sons, an authentic, beautifully rustic and eccentric French cookbook by chef and restaurateur Stéphane Reynaud. The 150 recipes are inspired by three generations of pork devotees, beginning with the patriarch village butcher. With its quirky pink crosshatch cover and piglet illustrations throughout, this cookbook in not lacking in whimsy and aesthetic delight. It’s the kind of cookbook you can look at over and over, each time finding new inspiration. Its an invitation to Reynaud's family dinner table, from heirloom recipes to annual pig roasts. Yes, the recipes! Although heavily influenced by Reynaud's native France, the collection manages to traverse the world through the medium of pork (always local, from farms or in the wild). You’ll find treasures ranging from wild boar and dried fruit terrine to curries, street food and Grandmother’s bourguignon. Being the grandson of a village butcher on the Ardech plateau in France and owner of Villa9trois in Montreuil near Paris, it's pretty obvious Reynaud knows his stuff.
When you're looking to adorn the walls of a humble house in the hopes of transforming it into a genuine home, the spectrum of possibilities from the thumbtacked poster of John Belushi making quick work of a bottle of Jack Daniels ($8.49 on Amazon), to a somewhat more sophisticated selection such as Picasso's Dora Maar au Chat ($100 million at Sotheby's), is a wide one indeed. Fortunately, this is the future, and we have the many-splendored thing that is the internet. The great democratizer. And this fact has not gone overlooked by the many fine curators of an ever-increasing number of online galleries dedicated to distributing great art at affordable prices. 20x200, for one, deftly navigates the chasm between mass-produced schlock and inaccessible artifacts by offering high-quality prints of carefully curated pieces in small editions for a song. Or, as they put it: (limited editions x low prices) + the internet = art for everyone. But part of the warm feeling that comes with owning a piece of a limited edition means that not everyone gets to have one. And on the internet things can happen in an awful hurry. New editions at 20x200 go online every Tuesday and Wednesday at 2pm EST, and on occasion will sell out in a matter of minutes. And once they're gone, they're gone for good. Here are few highlights, some of which are probably even still available.
Although snatched up by an early 90’s VW ad campaign and countless t-shirt designs since (somebody made out like a bandit), the German word Farhvergnugnen is the perfect expression for the joy of driving. It encompasses that abandon we've all felt at some point in our lives, whether it was that first cross-country road trip or the freedom of a lonely desert highway. Sometimes it just feels good to drive. That’s why we had to share this article from Budget Travel featuring 7 Great Coastal Drives. Although it was published last fall, it rings true right now. When temperatures are chilly and rain keeps us inside, a beautiful coastal drive cannot be beat...coffee in hand, soothing tunes, and a breathtaking view. It's really a perfect time of year to escape: the ocean on one side, the air damp with oxygen and the smell of the sea, and the restrained hum of the engine as it careens around a corner. For added vergnugen, rent the Benz.
Homesteading, back to land, old school hippies and Mongolians may have a thing or two in common...and yurts are surely among them. The tent-like circular fabric structured with wooden lattice frames are not just all rage on the steppes of Ulan Bator. They can be found (and rented) in some of the most beautiful places on earth. The great thing about these low impact buildings is that they are inexpensive to set up, and a cross between camping and going on a posh safari. What we like most is that you’re connected to the outside environment in a way that you would never be in a hotel. One of our favorite places to experience yurt life is at Treebones Resort, located just outside Big Sur, CA. Yeah, it’s hard to beat Big Sur, and Treebones is practically seconds from the ocean. The 16 yurts for rent have plush, comfortable queen beds with linens, cozy comforters and colorful quilts. There is a small table and chairs, reading lights, and plenty of hooks for hanging your gear. You have to walk 2 - 3 minutes to restroom and shower facilities at the lodge, but hey, you’re in the middle of the nowhere. We're not complaining. The yurts have generous redwood view decks with Adirondack chairs facing the ocean. Cell phone reception? Don’t count on it. We highly recommend this as a mini getaway, especially in the off season.
Is your palate is dirty? Kidding. In all seriousness, picture the scene. You and your sweetie decide it would be fun to attend a local wine tasting and try over 100 different wines in one evening. Aside from purple stained lips and a buzz, what do you remember tasting? Even the best palates in the world get something called palate fatigue, when your poor olfactory and gustatory nerves are shot. That's when you stop really tasting what's going down the hatch. We stumbled onto one company seeking a remedy that very problem. Over the course of an epic tasting, take a break, write some notes, and consider sipping some SanTásti. Try it out, and let us what you think. It's definitely an interesting concept. Started by Cal Poly Enology Program alums Andrew Macaluso and Nicole Chamberlain, SanTásti is specially designed to cleanse the palate and restore balance by moderating acidity, sweetness and astringency. We want to know how it works, but I guess that's a trade secret.
As with our Pathfinders, the Chef finalists made it amply clear why they had made it so far in the competition. All three showed a level of enthusiasm and spirit beyond what we could have possibly hoped for, in addition to first class culinary skills. Fortunately for us, the incredibly difficult decision was in the hands of the judges with this one, and we did not envy their having to decide between three such remarkable competitors.
We wanted to take a moment to again thank our two runners-up, Tim Kirker and Scott Beale, for the incredible enthusiasm and skill they brought to the cookoff. Here are some short videos we put together of these amazing chefs in action.
Chef Tim Kirker When Tim arrived in Solvang on that beautiful Central Californian Sunday, he was all smiles. Whether thrilled that the contest was finally upon us, or just excited to be off the plane and out of the 31-degrees-below-freezing Chicago winter, Chef Kirker's delight at being there was on full display. Once we arrived at the market, however, it was game time. And while his countenance clearly conveyed a focused intensity, the frequent reemergence of that warm smile and understated laugh was a subtle reminder that while the chef was certainly not taking the challenge lightly, he was undoubtedly enjoying every moment of it. In watching him explain the difference between a chive and a green onion to an El Rancho Market employee, or demonstrate the proper sizzle of a quinoa pancake in his role as patient mentor to his Pathfinder prep-chef Kim, Tim's deep passion for food was quite evident. His trail cooking experience was also clear from the cilantro-filled frisbees adorning his prep table and his intent to factor in the cool waters of the Rio Urubamba into his meal prep plan. We're extremely grateful to have had the chance to watch this passionate chef at work and sample his exquisite cuisine. Thanks Tim.
Chef Scott Beale
While Chef Scott Beale's infectious enthusiasm was clearly evident from the get-go, his gusto only amplified as the proceedings unfolded. A modest posse in tow, Scott took to the aisles of El Rancho Market like a man on a mission, methodically dispatching his accomplices to price-check mayo and procure armfuls of baguettes, yet never going long between jokes about the availability of hair-care products on the Inca Trail, or devising innovative methods of kicking things up a notch. This zeal didn't flag once the grills were fired up, and all that was needed to see Scott's eyes light up was to pose a question about those curiously flexible nonstick baking molds he employed. In fact, without those perpetually slick surfaces, Scott would likely not have even been present at the proceedings, as it was his development of this technology that led him from a career as a marine biologist, preventing zebra mussels from sticking to underwater pipelines, to his current calling as a chef, keeping filets from sticking to the grill. We'd like to take this moment to thank zebra mussels everywhere for their part in allowing this remarkable man to join us at the cookoff. And, of course, thank you Scott.
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