Ich Liebe Schnitzel!!!

Mmmmm, I had planned on inviting my friend to dinner and this dish was on the menu, as well as my favorite German dessert, Plum Kuchen. I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to host this dinner, so I didn't want my ingredients to go bad. So, I recreated a German/Austrian classic!

Schnitzel!!!

To keep it traditional, I made German potato salad. A warm potato salad that has the tangy flavor and none of the mayo that American potato salad has.

My friend, Robert, is from Austria. Recently I talked him into hosting a dinner party where I invited friends that he'd met and some he hadn't yet. He is a great cook, so I wanted to try his food anyway. ;p Perfect excuse to get someone to cook for me. He gladly cooked Schnitzel, which he said he's known for. It's very, very, easy to make. He used chicken breasts also, for cost and ability to stay moist as he cooked the batch, better than veal which can become dry.

There really are only a handful of ingredients for Schnitzel: Chicken breasts, sliced thin (or you can get the pre-cut ones), bread crumbs (plain), flour, eggs (for dredging), and unsalted butter. The key to preparing Schnitzel is making sure the butter does not burn as you cook the meat in it. Keeping the temperature even so that it is nicely browned when done.

The German potato salad also had a few ingredients. Yukon (yellow/gold potatoes), red onions, parsley, and apple cider vinegar. Some recipes call for bacon, but since it was an Austrian who was making this, I am thinking this was added later. Of course seasonings of salt and pepper were added to enhance these titillating flavors.

Robert showed us how we should eat Schnitzel, or how Austrians eat their Schnitzel. The lemon and Lingenberry jelly are accompaniments that add to the flavor of the chicken which has a great flavor because of the butter. The Lingenberry jelly is also good on pork and veal. I tried it on toast, not to tasty. It has a tart flavor to it that makes it great with the sour of the lemon when squeezed on the schnitzel. The flavors aren't strong, but very addictive. I think I ate two helpings and wished I could have eaten more. This replica that I made, in my normal small plate, was more than enough. My children looooved the chicken, so I've added another menu item to our monthly dinners!

Danke, Robert!

The Huckleberry Bar, Brooklyn

The Huckleberry Bar is set right off of Lorimer on Grand Ave in Brooklyn, New York. Smack dab in the Williamsburg area where several bars and small eateries line the streets. Williamsburg is what many in NYC have labeled "where the "hipsters" mingle". Yes, that is most likely true. I parked on a side street where apartments and houses sat closely together on this quiet Sunday afternoon and for the moment thought it a nice place to inhabit, if I was in my twenties and still in college.

Huckleberry is a well stocked bar, with the presence of class, yet comfort. Inside is nicely set up, with lots of seating in the front, at the bar, and along the wall, then as you go down the steps is an area with cushioned sofa's on either side, leaving a nice space that leads you to a outdoor area with additional seating and tables. Greenery that makes for a relaxing Spring or Summer afternoon with a cocktail or even a date. The colors of deep stained wood brown and dark red keep the look in with the name of the bar. The bartenders were helpful and with a lot of people, and only two of them, they managed well.

Initially you would not think such a place would exist when you mention Brooklyn, but I have since found that Brooklyn has it own "spots" that are waiting to be discovered.

The reason I had this opportunity is because of DailySession.com's music website that hosts DJs in the NYC area and around. They knock out the best music created throughout the decades. These DJs are talented and will show you music that you have yet to hear.

The BBQ was hosted at Huckleberry Bar and along with free Maker's Mark (in picture above), a mix of special brand whiskey (called Maker's Mark actually) and the bars signature Huckleberry juice, shaken, they served BBQ grilled hamburgers with potato salad. It gave me the idea of adding Fontina cheese on my burgers though. It was delicious with that juicy meat. I would have used a different roll instead of the plain one they offered. I'm sure that their regular menu is much more classier, so I want to eventually go back and check it out on a more personal night.

I enjoyed some fantastic, groovy music, met some more potential friends, and chilled for three hours. It was a great way to spend my Sunday afternoon. Can't wait for DailySession's next event!

Okonomiyaki and Beer! Mmmm...

I'm attempting to perfect my Okonomiyaki recipe so that I get something similar to Miwa's. This batch i made little Okonomiyaki's as I tampered with the mix. I ran out of white flour, so I wound up mixing some wheat in with the white, it didn't take away from the flavor, but wheat requires more liquid, so I didn't add too much. My batter wasn't as pancakey, it needed a bit more flour. Dashi, egg, cabbage mix, small amount of red and green onion, Worcestershire sauce, and soy. I didn't add salt, but added more soy because it still didn't give enough back for me. I used bacon, because my other meats were still frozen. I made a small batter since I'm the only one who will chow down on this. It's very filling because of the wheat flour and it looks more brown, that's the wheat flour too. I thought it would be more salty because of all the soy, sauce, and bacon, but the cabbage and flour take away a lot, so it's not salty at all. Even the bonito flakes gave it more flavor.

Actually, I want to eat a good Okonomiyaki without the Okonomiyaki sauce and mayo...(yeah, no nori flakes either...)

Oishii Desu!!!

A Lasagna Craving!

This is what happens when you get an insane craving as you're grocery shopping! I added some pepperoni to this classic. Used fresh flat lasagna noodles and mozzarella (ohhh, fresh mozzarella is heaven, there is a huge difference between it and the shredded processed brand). I have no comment after this. If you don't know how to make Lasagna, it's on the box!

Godere!

Oooo, Hamburger....

Yes, I made a hamburger today. Except I decided to use almost none of the normal hamburger additions. Of course it is full of good flavor, but I'll see how a tomato will change it next time. I'm sure it will be just as good if not better with the added acidity of it.

I seasoned a hamburger patty with Lawry's and pepper. Sautéed Portobello mushrooms with onions, then cooked a few slices of smoked bacon. Topped the hamburger with mozzarella cheese, but I wish I had provolone or swiss. The mozzarella is a very light cheese and the other flavors over shadowed it. Crispy Green leaf lettuce, avocado in place of my tomato, and forewent the mayo and ketchup. All of this on a potato bread. I will use another cheese and add my tomato next time. Should be good...altho, my homemade burgers are much better than the pre-made ones...

Bon Appetite!