Bloofington & kuzi16 suggest that Vince and a couple others (besides myself) could open a food forum. So, what do you smell when you close your eyes and imagine your olfactory senses caressed by the culinary arts? Is it a juicy porterhouse over a bed of charcoal with a few chunks of hickory thrown on for taste? Or a rich bearnaise sauce simmering for the veggies and roast that are cooking in the oven? Maybe it’s just a bratwurst simmering in a lager with sliced onion? A couple shrimp on the bar-b?
And why not? What goes better with a good cigar or a pipe than food and/or drink?
I love to cook. Have numerous recipes. My wife is an excellent cook as well. (pictures of me will show the truth of this fact, as I should be about 25 pounds lighter than I am to meet the *high* end of the range for my height.)
So, should we start a new thread? One about food and cigars? How about what drink with which cigar/pipe tobacco? Or, a recipe exchange?
Here, let me give the menu for my sons' favorite meal - seafood alfredo - Dad's recipe.
Take shrimp, scallops, and fake crab meat and put them in a shallow broiling pan. Drizzle melted butter over them, so they are lightly coated. Sprinkle generously, granulated garlic over them - and then lightly, some cayenne pepper. Finally, smother them with finely grated Parmesan cheese. (these you will broil till they slightly brown)
Cook up some Fettuccini (one whole box). Add a little olive oil in the water as it helps to make sure it doesn’t stick.
Then, for the Alfredo sauce. Do not skimp, do not go light, it is the richness that does this up right. Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat. Add one bulb (yes, a whole bulb) of roasted garlic (I roast my own -it is easy) and mash it while stirring into the butter till the chunks are gone. As it is basically a thick buttery consistency from the roasting, this is easy.
Add fresh ground black and white pepper (depending on your taste), I do about a ½ tablespoon of each.
Add one cup heavy cream 3 cups of grated Romano & Parmesan cheese that will melt - stirring regularly.
As the cheese is all melted, check consistency. If it is too runny, add more cheese. If it is too thick, add a little more cream.
Timing here is the key. You want sauce finished, seafood broiled, and the Fettuccini cooked all at the same time. DON’T ask me for times, I just do it. When the noodles are read, pour into colander and strain. Do not oil the noodles. Quickly put them back in the pan and pour the Alfredo Sauce over the noodles and then toss them with a spaghetti spoon till they are all coated.
Serve simply by putting noodles on the plate and covering them with the broiled seafood. I add more cheese and pepper on my plate. A little Cayenne gives it a wonderful kick.
We like steamed broccoli on the side with this.
Oh, as your arteries harden, a nice Pinot Grigio seems to go well with this.
Following supper, you need to think toward a lighter bodied cigar. I personally find that a Moore & Bode Flamboyan Salvadore or North Greenway goes well here. Or, if you want a pipe, I like a Virginia blend that is light on the Perique.
As a drink to go with it, more Pino Grigio seems to do just fine. Or, maybe kick it up a notch and have some homemade Sangria - the red helps in digesting all that rich cheese and such.
OK, so now **I'm** hungry.
It is amazing that my sons (now 10 & 12) will ask for this meal. And, it is my wife who has to say no. She's watching my waistline for me.
Todd
And why not? What goes better with a good cigar or a pipe than food and/or drink?
I love to cook. Have numerous recipes. My wife is an excellent cook as well. (pictures of me will show the truth of this fact, as I should be about 25 pounds lighter than I am to meet the *high* end of the range for my height.)
So, should we start a new thread? One about food and cigars? How about what drink with which cigar/pipe tobacco? Or, a recipe exchange?
Here, let me give the menu for my sons' favorite meal - seafood alfredo - Dad's recipe.
Take shrimp, scallops, and fake crab meat and put them in a shallow broiling pan. Drizzle melted butter over them, so they are lightly coated. Sprinkle generously, granulated garlic over them - and then lightly, some cayenne pepper. Finally, smother them with finely grated Parmesan cheese. (these you will broil till they slightly brown)
Cook up some Fettuccini (one whole box). Add a little olive oil in the water as it helps to make sure it doesn’t stick.
Then, for the Alfredo sauce. Do not skimp, do not go light, it is the richness that does this up right. Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat. Add one bulb (yes, a whole bulb) of roasted garlic (I roast my own -it is easy) and mash it while stirring into the butter till the chunks are gone. As it is basically a thick buttery consistency from the roasting, this is easy.
Add fresh ground black and white pepper (depending on your taste), I do about a ½ tablespoon of each.
Add one cup heavy cream 3 cups of grated Romano & Parmesan cheese that will melt - stirring regularly.
As the cheese is all melted, check consistency. If it is too runny, add more cheese. If it is too thick, add a little more cream.
Timing here is the key. You want sauce finished, seafood broiled, and the Fettuccini cooked all at the same time.
DON’T ask me for times, I just do it. When the noodles are read, pour into colander and strain. Do not oil the noodles. Quickly put them back in the pan and pour the Alfredo Sauce over the noodles and then toss them with a spaghetti spoon till they are all coated. Serve simply by putting noodles on the plate and covering them with the broiled seafood. I add more cheese and pepper on my plate. A little Cayenne gives it a wonderful kick.
We like steamed broccoli on the side with this.
Oh, as your arteries harden, a nice Pinot Grigio seems to go well with this.
Following supper, you need to think toward a lighter bodied cigar. I personally find that a Moore & Bode Flamboyan Salvadore or North Greenway goes well here. Or, if you want a pipe, I like a Virginia blend that is light on the Perique.
As a drink to go with it, more Pino Grigio seems to do just fine. Or, maybe kick it up a notch and have some homemade Sangria - the red helps in digesting all that rich cheese and such.
OK, so now **I'm** hungry.
It is amazing that my sons (now 10 & 12) will ask for this meal. And, it is my wife who has to say no. She's watching my waistline for me.
Todd
