The Cookblog by Brian Cook

A Big Lebowski Wedding

My friends know that I enjoy a White Russian as much as the next man, and they also know I enjoy The Big Lebowski. This past weekend’s union of Christy and Tyler Driscoll gave me a chance to combine both enjoyments into a single cathartic moment: “Another Caucasian, Gary.” Props to Dan for thinking up this stunt.

Here are some pictures from the wedding. First, we have Dan and Marta.

Next up is John and Georgia:

Then we have Jesse and Sarah:

Followed by the newlyweds, Tyler and Christy:

And finally, me and the lovely Angelina:

It was a great day spent with friends celebrating a very smart match, if I do say so myself. Congratulations to the Driscolls and a big high five to everyone I saw this weekend.

My 5 Favorite Beers

I didn’t finish my first beer until my sophomore year of college. That success followed a few aborted attempts, and I still remember how distasteful it was to me at that time. This image, courtesy of The Onion, pretty well sums up what happened next:

My appreciation for beer has followed a predictable trajectory. First, it was forced down can by can. Then, it warped my sense of reality when I finished several. Then it was a reward for my prodigious beer pong skill. Now, Angie and I try new brands and varieties whenever we can. The microbreweries in the area are fantastic, from the local John Harvards to our favorite, Willimantic Brewery.

Despite our adventurous spirit in sampling brews, I have a few favorites. They are:

1. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – In my opinion, the best large-market beer available. The flavor of hops and spices is second to none, and it can be gotten anywhere. Always a safe bet, always delicious.
2. Tiger Beer – The national beer of Singapore, I never actually had any when I lived there. Still, it retains a sentimental value and is an excellent pilsner that pairs well with spicy Asian foods.
3. Southampton IPA – A recent discovery, this India Pale Ale is full of hops, the bitterness cutting through the summer heat and humidity with a welcome bite.
4. Blue Moon – A Belgian white ale from Colorado, Blue Moon has a unique, mild flavor that showcases its spices. A good pick for people who typically don’t like beer.
5. Sea Dog Blueberry Ale – A great dessert beer, with a sweet taste like a rich blueberry muffin. Not for every day, but really hits the spot when craving a sweeter brew.

So there it is. Let me know which beers you recommend and I’ll be sure to look for them. Kanpai!

A Passage to Indian Food

As I tucked into my delicious Chicken Tikka Masala at last night’s game session, I once again thanked my lucky stars for my gorgeous, half-Indian girlfriend. Despite going to high school in Singapore, with its dizzying array of paneers, masalas and kormas, I lacked the requisite courage and palate to appreciate the tastegasm that is Indian food.

Fortunately, my better half helped change my mind, and we’ve spent the last few years finding and sampling almost every Indian restaurant of note between Hartford and Storrs. So far, Wing Express, right at the University of Connecticut, is up there with the best. Big portions and big flavor with an affordable price tag is hard to beat. I particularly like their lamb curry. Ambassador of India in Glastonbury has a glowing reputation, and it’s food is quite good as well.

We’ve also made forays into cooking ourselves, thanks to my mate’s knowledge and prowess in the kitchen, and my willingness to chop onions. Frequently, we end up adding coconut milk and coconut cream to our curries, making them more Thai than Indian. However, we also make homemade parathas, she rolling the dough and I frying them up with the maximum amount of butter.

Since I formerly considered Cool Ranch Doritoes to be spicy, I’ve also seen a great increase in my enjoyment of all things hot, particularly when I’ve got a nice cold beer to counteract the heat. In short, Indian food is an absolute gastronomic delight, and everyone should be so lucky to have someone to show them just that.

In-N-Out Burger’s Secret Menu

I may only have had In-N-Out burger once, when I went with my girlfriend and her mother before a flight back to the East coast, but rest assured I’ll be stopping by on my next trip to California. And this time, I’ll be armed with the secret menu. Which is what, you ask? Which is more than just their regular menu, which looks like this:

There’s nothing wrong with the normal menu. They make a few things and make them well. But while the “secret” menu is the worst kept secret in the business, it can still make you feel like an “in”sider. Eh? Ehh?

X x Y
X is the number of meat patties and Y is the number of slices of cheese (so 3 x 3 is 3 meat patties and 3 slices of cheese, while 1 x 4 is 1 meat patty and 4 slices of cheese)

Double Meat
Two meat patties with no cheese.

Triple Meat
Three meat patties with no cheese.

Animal Style
The beef patty is fried with mustard and served with tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, extra spread and grilled onions. You can get any burger (like the veggie or grilled cheeses) made this way.

Flying Dutchman

Two beef patties, two slices of melted cheese. Nothing else.

Protein Style
The burger is wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. You can get any burger (like the veggie and grilled cheeses) made this way.

Veggie Burger (aka Wish Burger)
A burger with no meat or cheese.

Grilled Cheese
Two slices of melted cheese, lettuce, tomato and spread on a bun, with no meat.

Extra Everything
Extra spread, extra tomato, extra lettuce, and extra onions.

Fries “Light”
Nearly raw fries that are cooked for less time.

Fries “Well”
Fries that are cooked extra long so as to be extra crisp.

Cheese Fries
French fries with two slices of melted cheese on top.

Animal Style Fries
French fries with cheese, spread, and grilled onions.

Neapolitan Shake
Strawberry, vanilla and chocolate shake flavors combined in one shake.

Lemon-Up
Half-and-half combo of pink lemonade and 7-Up.

Not too bad, right? I’ve got to say the Protein Style sounds best to me. And it’s lettuce instead of bread, so you know it’s healthy.

My First Dumpster Wine Rack

I enjoy transforming things into wine racks. This first started when I discovered several closet doors in a dumpster in Onset, MA. They were perfectly fine, and as I looked at them, I realized that a few notches in the slats would cradle a wine bottle very nicely.

Those fancy wine racks from Create & Barrel are nice, but I like that I make my own and they work just as well. Plus, it’s fun to reappropriate furniture creatively. You should try it.

Here’s my first wine rack. It holds something like 16 bottles, which is why it’s now gathering dust in a closet (ironic, eh?).

Now, I keep my wine in a wine rack that I made out of an old dresser. It holds about 24 bottles, and is far more sturdy than its predecessor. Plus, there’s a little cubby in the top where I can keep my bottle opener. I’ve also installed some slats on the “ceiling” of the wine rack where I can hang about 6 wine glasses. It’s very convenient.