Episode 7 Podcast Companion: The 5-Up, 5-Down Ingredient Game (Part 1)

 Hi all,

So the seventh episode of the podcast is up.  In this one, after several lengthy digressions in which we goofed on a lot of silly stuff that happens in the back of the house, we finally got down to business, and started our 5 Up, 5 Down game.

Inspired by a music game invented by Jesse's departed co-worker ('Iron' Ryan Crawford, ALL VALHALLA CHANTS HIS NAME), where they would pick several songs by a given band they could listen to every day for the rest of time, versus a few songs by them where if they never heard it again, it would be too soon.  

So anyway, Nate and I decided to do that with ingredients.  We each picked 5 ingredients each we were really, really behind, and then 5 ingredients each that we would like to ban from our kitchens forever.  

Here are the time stamps:

1:45 Nate’s Jesse’s Lack of Might Story

5:28 The Restaurant Week Triathlon (Bonus Story)

8:30 The Philosophical Question (Another Bonus Story)

12:51 Listener Questions

18:42 Ingredients- The 5 Up 5 Down  Concept

23:36 Colatura di Alici

29:00 Anchovies

35:07 Kewpie

38:10 Cane Syrup

41:30 Kombu

49:08 Bycatch

53:56 Chinese 5-Spice

58:35 Wondra 

1:03:20 Fresh Bay Leaves

1:05:56 Pig Skin

Links: 

We mentioned a couple of books.  Notably The River Cottage Meat Book, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (which we only, ever, just call 'Meat'), and The Meat We Eat, by Romans, et al, which is an eBay link that will probably die soon, but we didn't want to use the Amazon link, because they wanted to charge $432 dollars, when eBay wanted just $29.  It happens that way, with books that go out of print.  Amazon gets down to a few copies, and then just pumps the price.  I guess that's pretty understandable.  I mean, if it works, it works, and if not, it keeps a book in the bin as a placeholder.   But it seems pretty cynical to me.  Pro-tip: if you're ever looking on Amazon for an older book, and it's a LOT more expensive than it should be, check over on eBay, you might find a deal.

 We also wanted to share the link to Manicaretti Italian Importers, who are a great source for a lot of the ingredients we talked about, including Agrumato citrus olive oil, Colatura, fine anchovies, and so on, but are also a GREAT source for all those high-end pastas we were advocating for in the pasta episode.  Their polenta is also no joke, check em out.  Warning, they are a wholesaler, so it's clunky to order from them, but they do have a directory of places that carry their stuff, nationwide.  And pro's, get in there, but beware, it's a dangerous habit.

We also wanted to link to Nate's beloved Spicehouse, in Chicago, IL.  They are the source for whole spices in the US.  Their range gets pretty exotic, and it grows all the time.  They are great for when you have that recipe that calls for something real weird, like Balinese long pepper.  Plus, they are the best spice blenders we know.  Their Maharaja curry powder is outstanding.  Their Chinese 5-spice is mind-bending.  And unlike Manicaretti, they do mail order.  If they have it, get some of their candied ginger.

Lastly, we wanted to send a shout-out to 2Amy's Pizza, the pizzeria in Washington, DC, where Jesse and Nate learned the trick of anchovies, bread, and butter.  

Recipes: 

Nate's got a couple recipes to contribute, as well, so we are going to Arial font!

Kombu Water: For a single batch, start with 900g of water and 15g shredded kombu.  (That's 1.7% kombu to 100% water.)  The best extraction happens at 65C for 1 hour (that's 149F).  You can accomplish that in a water bath with a circulator, or just watching a pot very, very carefully.  (A few degrees of fluctuation won't ruin anything, that time/temp is made for optimum extraction, so keep it close and you'll be okay.  

If you don't want to mess with that, you can just place the kombu in cold water, take it to a simmer, and turn it off.  For that extra, Nate Whiting touch, be sure to use low-calcium mineral water.  Also, just a reminder, shop for authentic ma-kombu from Hokkaido, it's the best!

Olive Oil Oatmeal, Featuring Chinese 5-Spice

Olive Oil Oatmeal

1000g (1 qt.) Milk, Water or any combination of the two

178g (3/4 C.) Stone Ground or steel Cut  Oats

95g (1/3 C.) Extra Virgin Olive Oil

as needed Salt

as needed Agave Nectar or Honey

as needed Frank's Red hot

1 leaf         Sage

Garnish:          Whipped Ricotta, Smoked Honey, Granola, Chinese 5-Spice

1. Heat milk and sage in a pot to approximately 180ºF (Just below a boil)

2. Remove sage

3. Add Extra Virgin olive oil

4. Whisk in Oats, turn heat to medium and cook until tender

5. Season with agave, salt, Frank's

6. Can adjust consistency with water or milk as needed

7. Top with the garnishes

8. Serve Warm

(For the whipped ricotta, we actually foamed it in an ISI cream charger, but whipping it in the Kitchen-aid until it's fluffy works fine. For the smoked honey, we used the hickory smoked honey from the fine folks at Holy Smoke Olive Oil. We'd make the granola in house, maybe we'll talk about that recipe someday. And for the Chinese 5-Spice, remember, it's Spicehouse or nothing!)