Patric Chocolate

There are chocolatiers and there are chocolate makers. In COMO, we have a chocolate maker. His name is Alan McClure. What makes him a chocolate maker? Well, he takes the chocolate from bean to bar (although, technically, it's not a bean) instead of just melting it with some sugar and milk over caramel or peanuts or whatever. Alan is a true artisan in the chocolate world.

Anyway, R and I have befriended Alan and his chocolate over the past several months. We met at a beer tasting and Alan is a foodie that would make us all proud. He hunts down the best meats and produce all over the Show-Me state, not to mention the lengths he goes to (including trips to Madagascar) to bring people the best chocolate.

I realize that V-day is over, but it's not too late to support a true food lover like Alan. Go to his website, buy a bar or three. He also sells hot chocolate discs and cocoa nibs. You can thank me later.

Early Turkey Planning

Here is a preliminary menu for the big day...

Starters:

• Assorted Cheeses from World Harvest
• Bubble & Squeak (because Ashley's dying to try it - vegetarian)

Dinner:

• Cornbread dressing (not vegetarian)
• Smoked turkey (not vegetarian)
• Sweet potato casserole (non-marshmallow variety)
• Spanish smashed potatoes with kale (veg)
• Vegetarian dressing
• Vegetarian gravy
• Collard / mustard greens (cooked with vegetarian Vietnamese broth, ghee, and Ethiopian spices)
• Roast root vegetables
• Groundnut harvest stew

Dessert:

• Sweet potato pie with spicy dark chocolate
• Possibly some other pies, cakes, etc.

Drinks:

• Single malt scotch (Lagavulin?)
• Bourbon (Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve?)
• Żubrówka with apple juice (as always)
• Achel Trappist Extra
• Schlafly Reserve Imperial Stout
• Schlafly Reserve Barley Wine Style Ale
• +Some seasonal stuff and IPA's
• Wine? (It depends on what everyone brings. We may go here for some supplies as well.)

Did I miss anything? I may start a wiki and then everyone can contribute without searching their Gmail for the discussion.

Update: I have now created the wiki. If I missed anyone or if any regular DV posters want in on the recipe action, let me know. You will need to respond to the invite in order to access the wiki. Again, if you want in on the action, send me an email at my Gmail account. (My blogger username is the same as my Gmail account.)

Bell's Makes Misery Tolerable

I lazy and didn't want to post this twice, but R and I attended a beer dinner last night. Check my post at living in misery for all the details.

Still Here

Just thought I'd let you all know that we are still here in Misery.

Also, I wanted to start a discussion on Thanksgiving. I know that several of you are planning on attending the whatever annual Native American genocide day or whatever we're calling it now. Maybe we could all post ideas for food items, recipes, and drinks for this little shindig.

We will smoke a turkey as is our usual contribution. I will also provide my sweet potato casserole (which we actually had tonight for dinner). I'm sure there will be more to add to the menu as the event draws nearer.

As far as the drinks, I have a start on that already. I have been aging some special beers from Schlafly Brewing out of STL. They made a limited edition Stout (brewed in bourbon barrels) and barley wine that actually improve with age. Also, I'm sure there will be some bourbon and scotch floating around the Dingo-Early household come November.

So, start posting menu ideas and recipes for the big event. Even if you are not able to attend, I'd like to hear what people are planning for the second-best meal of the year. (R's Polish feasts on Christmas Eve are decadent.)

Dolsot Bibim Bap!

Since Abby has awakened the sleeping beast know as Digital Vittles, I thought I'd add my two cents.

COMO finally got a Korean restaurant. It doesn't sound as if it's as good as Oxford's new Indian joint, but it's something.

The dolsat bibim bap was adequate in filling that gaping void in my stomach left from the absence of good ethnic food in Misery. We didn't have to think long about our order. R and I have longed for a sizzling bowl of rice, vegetables, beef, rooster sauce, and fried egg ever since leaving our beloved Columbus.

The really funny part is that in researching the new restaurant, I found this blog. A quick read will demonstrate why we are so starved for fine cuisine. The bloggers actually seemed scared to try much on the menu of the new restaurant. How can you be a foodie and fear ethnic food?

Oh, and our waitress looked like Sun from Lost. R noticed, not me. So, that releases me from any guilt over my racism.

Sorry. No pictures of the eats.

Stuff Ben and Ashley Should Consider Consuming When They Visit Misery

(In no particular order...)

1. Booches - Greatest burgers you've never eaten. This is what God would want White Castle burgers to taste like. They're cooked on a 100-year-old grill and served on wax paper. Washing down with a Boulevard Wheat or Pale Ale is preferred.

2. Flat Branch Beer - The food at this brewery is not that great, but the beer is decent. I particularly like the KT Trail Pale Ale (although, it's no Columbus PA). We can even take a growler home, if it pleases our guests.

3. Chartruese - I recently stumbled upon the Blue Fugue and figured that Ben and Ashley would love this place. The Fugue features a mysterious shot of happy called the Chartreuse that's spiced by some French monks.

4. BBQ - There are plenty of places to get some BBQ in Misery. My local favorite is the Buckingham. Smoked, dry-rubbed meat is their speciality, but I love me some smoked sweet potato.

5. Thai by the River - Down by the muddy banks of the mighty Missouri, there's a little stand that serves fresh doses of the most authentic Thai in COMO (which actually isn't saying much). Cooper's Landing is at the end of a long dirt road that features its own Thai kitchen and beers by the bottle.

6. Ragtag - Although the Ragtag isn't known for its food, the flicks are good and indie. I do enjoy sucking on a spicy dog and sipping a Bells during the intermission while the Ragtag staff change the movie reel. If we're lucky, we might get to see this guy sing old-timey before the showing.

There's more to our new home than these six highlights, but I thought everyone would want to know what their missing this weekend.

Ice Cream in Misery

R's new colleague made some great chocolate ice cream the other day...and he blogs.

In other Misery news...

I hope you all appreciate the fried-food-on-a-stick-heaven that is the Ohio State Fair. The Misery Fair had very little to offer. It was so disappointing that we opted to eat dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Sedalia(!) instead.

R is on her way to Detroit, and I will join her soon, hopefully with something to report back to you all.