This here is some mustard seeds, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Set over a low heat until they get 'fragrant'. They didn't really do that before they started toasting unless you got your face right up in it. I figured toasted was fragrant enough.
This here is when you add some water, brown sugar, kosher salt to those toasted little earth nuggets. Stir it until the sugar and salt are dissolved and then remove from heat and let it cool.
This here is what it looks like when you throw a bacon blanket over it and add the brine (shown above) and some onions and a few bottles of Guinness to it. The actual bird is breast side down cuz you want that part submerged in the brine. You'd probably actually want the entire bird submerged but I didn't have a pot big enough for that nonsense. So we gave it a bacon security blanket. Don't worry, there's bacon on the underside, too. This will sit in the fridge for 24hrs.
This here's what that precious bird looked like when we pulled it out of the oven after it'd been roasting for about 3 hrs. I cooked it for about 1.5hrs with a bacon blanket on top of it, removed that for the last hour of cooking to make sure it got that lovely golden brown. The drippings and debris left in the pot made a delectable gravy.
I see you, Turkey. You did a good job & I apprecicate the tough life you had so we could eat you.
This here's what Matt looked like when he carved up that delicious bird.
I've been hearing about all the yummy wonderfulness going on in this place from some foodie friends for quite a while now - same with Ravenous Pig.
We tried to get a res for the Pig while Matt's folks were in town over Thanksgiving. They were full. The restaurant, not his folks.
I thought we might get a spot at Cask. They were full, too, but we ended up finding a spot at the oven bar and watched them make stuff while we were waiting to figure out what we were going to order.
Right away, I saw 'Holiday Cookie' on the microbrew list and had to try that.
It was lovely and gingerbreadspicy. It also had the highest alcohol content. Well played, me.
Everything looked amazing on the menu, but I decided on the chicken & biscuits. Matt had the ham board which has 3 different shaved country hams. I think his folks had the same thing and my mom had the mac & cheese.
The biscuits are....(see below)
If they had an entree that was just biscuits, Matt & I woulda been completely happy.
I took a picture of my chicken and biscuits when it arrived & immediately dropped my phone into the gravy. For a couple days the volume button was effed up.
Since the menu was a damn fine one and my girls were getting together, I threw it out there as an option, and we went earlier this week.
I love going to places twice in one week when I hadn't been there at all previously. Its like a Karen spamming.
This visit I had a WP Mule while Jess and I waited for a couple other lovely ladies.
I loooooove ginger drinks and this one was de-lish.
When everyone was there, Jess & Martha slurped on oysters while Sarah and I watched.
Then the waffle fries came in. This one's a must when you go. We damn near cleaned the plate and it was a good sized portion.
I ordered the duck since I'd been eyeballing when we were there the first time.
Jess had shrimp and grits. Martha had the cobia. Sarah had boudin....cuz she's a sweet sweet Louisiana girl.
Everything was holy hell good and I'd gotten maybe two bites into my duck when our server came out to tell me, "Chef thinks that duck breast is too small and has another one roasting for you. Do you want it brought out or boxed up?"
I fainted in my head and when I came to, I chose boxed.
DUCK FOR BREAKFAST!!
That chantilly you'll see on the menu if you're following along, is like a cheesey, buttery, grits/polenta sorta thing.
We wrapped up with a cute little chocolate silk pie, apple cobbler, and a sweet treats tray.
And I had a most excellent porter to go with it.
The pie was really good (candied orange zest is my new fave), and the cookies on the sweet treats plate were freakin' delightful. Jess rightfully hogged all the cobbler for herself. ;)
Highly recommended....I'd give it 5 out of 5 food babies.
Everything was AMAZING!
Thank you for existing, Cask & Larder. You do excellent work.
One of these days soon, I'll make it into The Ravenous Pig since I believe we're the only Central Floridians who haven't been yet.
I have a list of things I want to write about and share with you - places we've been, restaurants we've eaten in, movies we've seen....
I'm so behind, I don't really know where to start.
So, I'll start here.
About a month or so ago, I got involved in this Americana art show at Peacock.
I made some shelves to use for display. They were made out of cheap garden fencing.
I'd do before and after pictures here, but suddenly I have to upgrade my blogger account, so you can watch this video I made after we went to the show. See if you can pick them out.
*change the quality setting to 720p, please and thank you.
To Brian Stokes Mitchell for appearing out of, seemingly, nowhere on 9/23 just off Times Sq. while Willie and I were walking off our Shake Shack and after I'd been watching clips on youtube of and listening to the soundtrack for Ragtime all week leading up to that trip. It was truly a magical moment. And you didn't even know it happened.
To all you turds that 'liked' & commented on the Little Orphan Annie photo that Willie posted on facebook: when I was a kid, my mother used to have my BFF's mom perm my hair. It would end up looking like a little old lady's do (haha I made you yodel). I'm naturally strawberry blonde. A ginger. People called me Annie. I hated Annie...with her stupid hair and empty blank eyes and ugly dress and dumb song.
The sun will come out tomorrow, you can bet your bottom fuckin' dollar.
To the kid at the food place that giggled with me when I ordered a medium #2.
To the radio station for playing Dirty Deeds immediately after I'd heard it...twice, I think...in the living room. The living room version was pretty damn good, I gotta say. I don't even like that song. But then, I don't like AC/DC either.
To Brian for making me retune my banjo. That's a good thing to practice.
To John for giving me a flashback to 1995 when I heard the AOL "Goodbye".
To Sugar Ray for making me realize how difficult it is to get someone to go with you to Epcot on a rainy Weds night to try and catch 1 of 3 performances on the last night of your trip.
I knew they wouldn't play my favorite song anyway.
And to Pannacakes, who uttered a great sentence today, "He had two arms when I was growing up." when we were talking about Def Leppard. I just looked it up and he lost his arm NYE 1984/85. You're not that old, darlin'.
I was traveling for work earlier this week and found myself sitting outside the office of a rowdy boss-type fella. Here are a few snippets I joyfully overheard that made me feel comfy in new surroundings:
Him: No, its NOT a great day. Its a fuckin' Tuesday and I'm in fuckin' New York when I could be home in Connecticut.
Him: No one wants to hear your fuckin' whining. I have my own fuckin' whining to do.
Him to me: Excuse me. Are you planning on getting a lot done today?
Me: No.
Him: Good. We're going to be stirrin' things up. It'll probably get out of hand.
Me: You're comforting me, actually.
Him: Do you come from a miserable troubled childhood?
Me laughing: Yeah, something like that.
Him singing: Its a long way to Tipperary. Does it bother you guys when I sing?
Dudes in his office: Not yet.
Him: Good, cuz I was gonna tell you to go fuck yourselves.
He's got a really nice singing voice. Reminds me of my father-in-law.
