Snack Tray: Nashville's Olympics of Pastry, Ham Sushi, and a Different Kind of Mint Condition
Yes, this magnificent phoenix-like structure is made entirely of chocolate and sugar—and Joy Ramirez at Joy of Cooking has other photos just as awe-inspiring behind the scenes at last weekend's Amoretti 2008 World Pastry Team Championship at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center. The competition gathered nine teams of world-class pastry chefs from China to Russia, then judged their spectacular creations on grounds of taste, artistry and procedure. Joy drove the Italian team around town and served as their translator, which means they likely had a great time even if they came in fourth overall. We won't spoil which team won, but I wonder if the winning chef did the Michael Phelps gorilla roar when the results were announced.
• Crema, Rachel Lehman's wonderful new Hermitage Avenue coffee shop, has gotten me hooked on the savory burritos they stock from East Nashville's Sweet 16th Bakery. According to their blog, they're now carrying stout blocks of mac-and-cheese also from Sweet 16th. If they're as good as the cheddar scone I had this morning—subtly cheesy and lightly sweet, with a texture more reminiscent of my grandmother's cheese biscuits than a crumbly scone—maybe I can hit the place on the way home. Watch also for Crema's monthly coffee classes, with "Espresso 101" slated for 3:30 p.m. Sept. 27.
• For your next movie, I strongly recommend adding to your Netflix queue the 1992 Mexican film Food as Metaphor for Life ("Youngest, unmarried sister in family pours all of her energy and passion into cooking, which is so potent that it causes instant paralysis for anyone who eats it"). It is, of course, not to be confused with the 1987 Danish film Food as Metaphor for Life, the 1986 Japanese film Food as Metaphor for Life, or the 1994 Taiwanese variation Food Metaphor Life. Courtesy of the most glorious timesuck I've found in months, the Parallel Universe Film Guide. Hat tip: Miami Steve Haruch.
• Easy, stomach: Newscoma has a post about what passes for Japanese cuisine in her neck of northwest Tennessee: ham sushi rolls. (Like ours is terribly different, Lannae argues in writing about one longtime Nashville institution.) Then again, my mind was just blown by Cleveland Pete's lunchbag sandwich of choice: peanut butter and ham.
• Urban legend, my ass.
Comments
ElZorro, the Parallel Film Guide is about to become your new best friend. I just found the entry for 2002's Go Christ! A FrozenFoods Flick: "Captain Birdseye, Señor Stouffers, Li'l Swansons and all the lovable FrozenFoods characters are in this animated feature that encourages all homosexuals to be sent to 'nutrition camps' and force-fed a nutritious diet of God's love."
Posted 09/05/2008 at 01:56:30 PMnot sure what to say about the above comment. it's more than i can wrap my nyc jew brain around, BUT i did want to say that when i had a part time summer job in 1976 or so on 34th and 5th, the coffee shop across the street had peanut butter and bacon sandwiches on the menu. and they were great. it was not an uncommon sandwich to see around town at your average coffee shop (which meant it was a luncheonette)...
i think ham or bacon in sushi is a bonafide no-no. but i did see bourdain eat spam sushi in hawaii and he said it was "fucking good". and well, tony would know...
Posted 09/05/2008 at 02:30:26 PMI've heard of restaurants serving peanut butter and bacon sandwiches (especially on Elvis-themed menus), but i can't say I've actually wanted to try one...thankyouverymuch.
Spam sushi...good? Tony must've been smoking Maui Wowie.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 02:45:06 PMi shall once again enjoy the internets thanks to thee.
ZZZZ
Posted 09/05/2008 at 02:51:17 PMpink - i think that was fried pb and banana, no?
as for tony... tony is my guy. i believe everything tony says. everything. anything. toooooooony.... i will so eat spam sushi - if only you would feed it to meeeee.........
http://evilchefmom.blogspot.com/2008/09/that-boy-is-mine.html
Posted 09/05/2008 at 03:08:56 PMFrom the Food Network:
The Elvis
Recipe courtesy Peanut Butter & Co.
Show: Sara's Secrets
Episode: All About Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons butter, softened
8 slices white bread
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 large, ripe banana, sliced
1/4 cup honey
12 slices bacon, Sauteed until crispy (optional)
Spread the butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. On the other side of half of the slices spread peanut butter. Place banana slices on top of peanut butter. Drizzle honey over bananas. Place 3 bacon slices on top of the banana, then place the remaining buttered bread slices on top, butter-side-out.
Posted 09/06/2008 at 07:35:44 PMPlace sandwiches on a preheated grill pan or griddle. Flip them over when they become golden brown and crispy. When the sandwiches are browned on both sides, remove to plates. Slice in half and serve immediately.
Fool's Gold Loaf
Posted 09/06/2008 at 08:20:36 PMwow
Posted 09/07/2008 at 12:48:08 AMsounds strangely wonderful...
but it's possible i'll never know