The Cookblog by Brian Cook

UTSAV: Great Indian Food in Vernon, CT

There are a few places in the Greater Hartford area that can scratch the itch when it comes to Indian food. Until recently, the closest was about 20 minutes away. But now, there is UTSAV.

Alternatively translated by Indian friends as “festival” and “procession,” UTSAV heralds the arrival of great Indian food in Vernon, CT, mere minutes from where I live and even closer to my friend Dan. UTSAV only recently replaced a truly shocking Indian restaurant that occupied the same storefront. The bitter taste left in my mouth by this predecessor had me worried about UTSAV as well, but I needn’t have feared. Some good word-of-mouth buzz was enough for me to give it a chance, and I inhaled a generous portion of yummy chicken tikka masala, the dish by which all Indian restaurants in Connecticut and America are judged.

I’ve returned twice since then to sample the delights of the all-you-can-eat weekend buffet. Savory tureens of curry, rice and lentil dishes tempted me back for seconds, thirds and, against my better judgement, fourths. Among the highlights are the lamb and spinach curries, as well as a garlic-infused cauliflower dish described by local food critic Marta Raviele described as “the General Tsao of Indian food.”

Add friendly service and extra touches like a complementary, sizzling griddle of Tandoori chicken, and you’ve got everything you want in an Indian restaurant near Hartford, CT. I will surely be returning, hungry for more.

Fresh Fall Links

The past few days and months have been a whirlwind of activity. I prefer understatement, so I’ll just provide some links that you absolutely shouldn’t miss, and you click on them. Deal?

- My friend Dan wrote a terrific article about canvassing in New Hampshire.

- Dinky won a Fat Cat photo contest, giving me an excuse to meet some interesting people who know a lot about Springfield and Hartford politics.

- I’ve been taking a lot of pictures.

- I’ve gone sailing in Newport.

- I’ve joined a stock club.

- I tried my hand at knitting in Connecticut.

- I’ve been reading a bunch of books.

- I’ve become a regular at my local Manchester pub.

- I’ve been writing in my Field Notes.

- I’ve been meeting a lot of new people and realizing how much all of my older friends mean to me.

My Favorite Grocer: Whole Foods

Shopping is typically a hardship assignment for me. Still, there are a few notable exceptions; books, beer and wine are things I rather enjoy perusing, especially if the shop is somehow rustic or eclectic. Since I’ve discovered Whole Foods, you can go ahead and add groceries to shopping trips that I like.

The yuppie/snobbish/blueblood/stuff white people like reputation of Whole Foods makes no difference to me. Its isles are packed with interesting products, tasty samples and small touches that make Big Y look like the 99 cent store. Foremost among these positives is the care with which the various items for sale seems to have been chosen. Lots of organic goods, rare cheeses, hand-picked medleys of olives and small-distribution BBQ sauces  present themselves instead of the usual suspects of Kellogg, General Mills and Tyson. The selection of local goods is excellent and indicates a personal touch that is absent from most other grocery chains.

Beyond the obvious strengths of Whole Foods is their design sensibility. I’d forgotten to grab a basket when I walked in the door. Just as I realized it, I spotted a stack of them right by my hand in the middle of the produce section. They’d clearly anticipated/observed such a thing happen before, and modified the UI of their store to accommodate for it. That’s a lesson that any store can learn from, and I really appreciated it.

What clinched the deal was the friendliness of the staff. On both my visits, every employee I interacted with went out of their way to inform me that the sample would be ready in 60 seconds, the cheeses could be tasted before they were bought, and some simple cooking instructions for the shrimp that was being hawked. I firmly believe in making sure I’m amicable toward anyone I meet in a business capacity. People work at jobs they don’t necessarily like in order to survive, and making personal exchanges as enjoyable as possible improves the mood and quality of life for everyone. It seems that Whole Foods has taken this to heart.

To close, I’ve decided to rate the mixed marinaded olive package I bought today. I’m no connoisseur, so I’ll leave out whatever names these olives probably have and just include a picture of them along with my comments. Want to mock me? Leave comments of your own. You never know when I might dofollow this blog.

#1

Tasty, almost buttery with a nice firm texture.
B+

#2

Delicious! Smokey taste and a softer, fleshier texture.
A

#3

Odd. Quite bitter and not particular enjoyable. Tastes like what i imagine makeup would taste like.
D

#4

Wonderfully complimented by the herbs. Tastes like pizza.
A-

#5

Lots of good flesh and a sharp, almost alcoholic taste.
B+

#6

Small, hard and good. VERY buttery.
B+

#7

Almost nothing except the pit, but a lot of interesting flavor.
B

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

There’s a large package store near my apartment by the name of Manchester Wine & Liquors. You can usually find me there once every week or two, walking along the two huge walls that feature beer from most countries on the planet. Every time I visit, I nearly always try something new. One result is that I’ve narrowed down pretty well what I like, to the point where I’m quite discerning about the qualities of my favorite style: the IPA, or India Pale Ale. Another result is that I find it difficult to remember what I have and haven’t tried, and if I did try it, what I thought about it. Thus I avoided the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA out of faulty memory and prejudice (it’s not particularly rare). This weekend, I rectified my mistake.

While spending the weekend at one of the best Boston bed and breakfast places, I cooled the mixed six-pack of beer we’d brought by putting it out on the window sill. With the fireplace crackling, a classic Seinfeld episode on TV and a nice dinner out to prepare for, my mate and I decided to open up the Dogfish Head 90 Minute India Pale Ale. As mentioned before, we had seen it many times without it ever striking our fancy, so we weren’t expecting anything spectacular. But that’s exactly what we got. The dense hoppiness, the citrusy, floral taste, the warming __ opaqueness of it… it was truly a special beer.

It’s worth mentioning that we had previously tried and dismissed the 60-minute and 120-minute versions of the same brew (the minutes referring to the time spent hopping the beer). At 60 minutes, it lacked the requisite flavor and depth that we look for in an IPA, while at 120 minutes, it was altogether too overpowering. Like Goldilocks, we found the happy medium and a true legend in the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. Crack one open today and see for yourself.

My Top 5 For 2007

After seeing numerous end-of-year lists around the web, I thought it fitting to sum up my Top 5 in each category of The Cookblog. And so, without further ado, here they are:

Art

These are the best web sites and artists that I discovered during the past year.

1. Edward Gorey – I’ve posted about him before, but the maestro of macabre was my #1 artistic discovery of the past year. Meticulous pen sketches combined with a wickedly dark sense of humor make him my favorite by a country mile.
2. Rockwell Kent – Moby Dick is a terrific book (at least the first few chapters), and these illustrations are great. They capture the majesty of the ocean, the madness of Captain Ahab and the calm of an evening anchorage in attractive woodcut style.
3. Chema Madoz - There’s something about black& white photography that is just cool. The pictures on these sites juxtapose and re-imagine common elements in interesting ways, like a match set against a plank so that the grain of the wood looks like smoke. Check it out.
4. BibliOdyssey – A really fascinating site packed with high-res illustrations of esoteric old books. The quality of the images and care with which they’re chosen really sets the site apart.
   
5. OldBookIllustrations – I love old books and I love the types of illustrations on this site. On top of that, most are in the public domain, so I definitely plan on returning if I need fodder for any graphic design projects.

Food & Drink

These rate as the best beers I’ve discovered during 2007.

1. 840 IPA – An absolute classic, this well-balanced but beautifully-hopped India Pale Ale is the standard by which I now measure all others.
2. Ten Penny Ale – The perfect counterpoint to the hoppiness of an IPA, the malty, smoky Ten Penny is made in East Hartford and finds its way into the refrigerator more than any other beer.
3. Chocolate Stout – A great beer for a change of pace, this goes particularly well mixed with Saranac’s Carmel Lager or Guinness.
4. Racer 5 IPA – A tasty brew offered on tap at The Library, a bar near my brother’s apartment in Los Angeles. Nice and floral.
5. Southampton IPA – A random discovery at the local package store, this IPA with an orange label is thoroughly drinkable and always welcome.

Games

I’ve played a lot of games this year, but only a few stack up against my high standards. They are:

1. Carcassonne – Board games don’t get more classic than this. Every game is different and the social aspect makes it perfect for beginners
2. Tichu – A favorite at work and probably the best card game in the world, combining bluffing, anticipation and cooperation. It’s only $7. Get it.
3. Caylus – The opposite of Carcassonne, involving almost zero luck and total diplomacy, Caylus would be the chess of board games if chess wasn’t a board game.
4. Foosball – The only non-board game here, there have been some epic shots and games over the past few months with my work colleagues. The laws of physics bow down before our deft control and puma-like reflexes, but we’re still easily beaten by the slow roller.
5. Ticket to Ride: Europe – The chosen game at home, it’s good for two players and conjures up images of actually riding a train from Edinburgh to Athena. Also, my girlfriend and I can usual overcome our rage at losing after only a few minutes.

Literature

I haven’t had a chance to read as much as I would have liked, but these are the books that I enjoyed at least part of this past year.

1. Morbo – Phil Ball has a wonderful turn of phrase and the intensely interesting subject of Spanish soccer comes alive with his words.
2. Selected Verses of Ogden Nash – Perfect for reading to that special someone, the quirk and wit of Ogden Nash never fails to bring a smile to my face.
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – That’s right, I’m a Harry Potter fan.
4. The Stories of Paul Bowles – Imagine my delight when I found one of my favorite books at a library book sale for 1/4 cover price.
5. The Devil Drives – A biography of Sir Richard Burton, it’s a gripping account of a man who lived in constant adventure, from India to Mecca to Ethiopia.

Music

There was some great music this year, and though I usually prefer individual tracks to full albums, these were great the whole way through.

1. Radiohead – In Rainbows – One again, Radiohead has delivered a phenomenal album packed with electronic hooks and human feeling. By far the most played this year.
   Reckoner
2. Feist – The Reminder – A great discovery, Feist has since come to prominence for her role in an iPod commercial, but the rest of the songs on her album are equally bouncy and catchy.
   I Feel It All
   
3. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – Vintage Spoon and no complaints from me. This is piano rock at its best.
   The Ghost of You Lingers
4. The National – Boxer – One of the most genuine bands around today, The National’s “Fake Empire” is one of the songs of the year.
   Fake Empire
5. Peter Bjorn and John – Writer’s Block – According to the Wikipedia, this was a 2006 album, but Rolling Stone put it in their best of 2007 list, so I am, too.
   Up Against the Wall

Soccer

I like to think I have a talent for spotting quality when it comes to soccer players, not that it’s difficult to tell that these five footballers are several cuts above the rest.

1. Kaka – The Brazilian is the Zidane of this generation. His seemingly-effortless skill has been winning match after match for AC Milan, including the World Club Cup and the Champions League trophy
2. Lionel Messi – The only player that can rival Kaka, Messi has been carrying one of the biggest and proudest clubs in the world on his shoulders. That he’s already made Ronaldinho dispensable is an indication of his importance to Barcelona.
3. Christiano Ronaldo – Like the two players above him, he has dragged his team to victory even when they haven’t deserved it. If he can deliver European success to Manchester United, he’ll move higher up the list.
4. Didier Drogba – His questionable temperament doesn’t take away from his qualities as a player. Powerful and intelligent on the field, he takes his team into a different class when he plays and is worth far more to Chelsea than the rubles they paid for him.
5. Daniel Alves – A marauding right fullback who has been the impetus behind Sevilla’s recent success, Alves will surely earn a move to a major club soon, where he should establish himself as the best wingback in the world.

Travel

I haven’t taken too many exotic trips this year, but these places have been welcome breaks from the usual routine at home.

1. Boston – An awesome trip up to watch the Red Sox earn a spot in the World Series still rates as one of the best days this year.
2. Los Angeles, CA – A great visit with the family for Thanksgiving was the perfect way to spend those vacation days.
3. Onset – Having returned there for every year since I was born, it’s impossible to underestimate its importance in my life.
4. Danbury – Always a relaxing and comfortable place to visit, you never know who or what you’ll find at the casa de Angela, Kathleen and Connor, but it’s always a good time.
5. New York – A weekend in NYC with John, Georgia and Co. was a ton of fun. My only regret is that it was the only one.

Web

I’ve seen a lot of websites in my 25 years on this planet, but these deserve special mention.

1. Slightly Shady SEO – The best blog about SEO in my opinion. Gives away secrets that are worth plenty, which makes me wonder how much more he knows.
2. Asobrain Games – A great place to play Carcassonne with no frills, no fuss and no fees.
3. Strange Maps – Since maps are something of a hobby for me, this site is always full of interesting things.
4. Coudal Partners – I’m still not sure what they do there, but their features, including Photoshop Layer Tennis and the Museum of Online Museums are worth regularly checking out.
5. Smashing Magazine – With their fingers firmly on the pulse of web design, this site displays great examples for study and inspiration.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my picks and I hope that 2008 has as much good material to see, read, hear and blog about. If you’ve got something to say about any of my choices, go for it!