Foodapalooza - the longest food draft of all time - The beef finally arrives in rounds 51 & 52 (1 Viewer)

[General Malaise]

ROUND 15 - DESSERT - PIE & PASTRY - MARIONBERRY COBBLER - Willamette Valley Pie Co.

From Joe B's recent thread about "The One Food to Try in Every State", Oregon checks in with Marionberry Cobbler and sure, why not?  As an avid berry picker (mostly blackberry, but I suspect I might have found some marionberries in a double secret location) who spends his mid afternoons in late July/early Aug fighting thorns, heat and insects that want to harm me, I can attest to the glory that is a marionberry cobbler.  The marionberry is a hyrbrid blackberry that was developed at Oregon State University.  The sweetness is just rich and incredible knowing it comes from what was an invasive species to the area.  

This company is the benchmark for local pies and really, I don't think you can do any better at home, though I've never even tried.  Blackberries are very delicate and I've made some lime zest blackberry scones in the past that just turn into purple goo if you aren't careful.  You really have to freeze them first to work with them.  
 

 

[General Malaise]

ROUND 15 - DESSERT - PIE & PASTRY - MARIONBERRY COBBLER - Willamette Valley Pie Co.

From Joe B's recent thread about "The One Food to Try in Every State", Oregon checks in with Marionberry Cobbler and sure, why not?  As an avid berry picker (mostly blackberry, but I suspect I might have found some marionberries in a double secret location) who spends his mid afternoons in late July/early Aug fighting thorns, heat and insects that want to harm me, I can attest to the glory that is a marionberry cobbler.  The marionberry is a hyrbrid blackberry that was developed at Oregon State University.  The sweetness is just rich and incredible knowing it comes from what was an invasive species to the area.  

This company is the benchmark for local pies and really, I don't think you can do any better at home, though I've never even tried.  Blackberries are very delicate and I've made some lime zest blackberry scones in the past that just turn into purple goo if you aren't careful.  You really have to freeze them first to work with them.  
 

And for you Tillamook Ice Cream lovers, keep your eyes peeled for the purple tub if your store carries Tillamook products.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Round 17  -  Flounder  -  The Best Fish

My MIL used to know someone who fished in the Gulf, cleaned the fish, and delivered them to her door.  They had been swimming not long before we got to them.  She fried them in cornmeal.  Those filets were fantastic.  When she didn't want to cook turkey for Thanksgiving, we had these instead.  Oh, woe!  The suffering!

Baked, fried, whatever, flouder just tastes wonderful.

 

[Eephus]

The draft sheet is the authoritative source on categories. I haven't updated the first page posts with changes we've made during the draft.

 

[Eephus]

17.xx Cod cakes and baked beans, dinner main course - fish

I cant like fish. My nose, and sense memory, wont let me. For decades i've watched others marvel over the delicate assertions of flaky flesh but me ol' schnozz (plus an allergy to shellfish) will only let me appreciate, never enjoy. Instant Freudian revulsion at the tasting point - cant shake it.

It's down to my upbringing. My entire sense of outrage springs from my youthful indignity that some Roman in a dress wouldnt let me eat meat on Friday. Fast completely? i coulda grokked that, but i simply couldnt co-exist with a construct in which hamburger was unholy. Further congealing my nosehairs each Friday of my youth is that it was the day our downstairs neighbor, Mrs Gelzinis, made her Lithuanian fish preparations - poaching, pickling and otherwise putrifying scaly flesh for the week's consumption. Combine those noxonian corruptions with the limp conspiracy between me Ma and Mrs Paul and i simply cannot partake in roughy trade.

But this, this i love. Couch some reconstituted saltfish with some onion, mash & Old Bay, fry em beyond piscine recognition and pair em on a plate with a four-hour batch of New England baked beans & brown bread, the way God intended, and my fish sense becomes purely yar.

don't get to use this one much

 

[Ilov80s]

  There is a shellfish category now.  By request, Eephus separated the seafood category into two:  one for shellfish and one for fishy fish.

The draft sheet is the authoritative source on categories. I haven't updated the first page posts with changes we've made during the draft.

Sorry, I am an originalist. Anyone could go in and edit the spreadsheet, it can't be trusted. 

 

[Eephus]

17.  Unagi no Kabayaki (Grilled Eel)

In the traditional preparation, Japanese fresh-water eel is grilled over a direct flame after being dipped in a thick sweet “Tare” sauce made from dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. Most of the unagi you get in sushi bars is broiled instead of grilled.

I've loved unagi since my grandma used to send us cans of it in her Japanese care packages from LA.  It's an auto-order when we have sushi and I always save my last piece of unagi nigiri for the final final of the meal.  My favorite place to get eel is at a robatayaki but my favorite one in Japantown closed a few years ago.

 

[Ilov80s]

Rd 17 Fish: Spicy Tuna Roll

Can't go wrong with this sushi classic

 

[Eephus]

Sorry, I am an originalist. Anyone could go in and edit the spreadsheet, it can't be trusted. 

anybody could edit it but very few people do.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

Someone did say we needed some drama in this draft. I might draft some Long John Silver just out of spite for their not being a seafood category for shellfish.

child please.

 

[Frostillicus]

Round 17  -  Flounder  -  The Best Fish

My MIL used to know someone who fished in the Gulf, cleaned the fish, and delivered them to her door.  They had been swimming not long before we got to them.  She fried them in cornmeal.  Those filets were fantastic.  When she didn't want to cook turkey for Thanksgiving, we had these instead.  Oh, woe!  The suffering!

Baked, fried, whatever, flouder just tastes wonderful.

The first time I ever went deep sea fishing in Florida I was 15. We caught a few flounder, which the guides fileted for us right on the dock. My mom asked how to cook them best and the guide said to roll them in orange juice, then milk, then flour and pan fry for about 2 minutes on each side. So we did. And thus was born a former fish snubber's life long love affair with seafood. 

Love this pick. 

 

[ProstheticRGK]

17.  Unagi no Kabayaki (Grilled Eel)

In the traditional preparation, Japanese fresh-water eel is grilled over a direct flame after being dipped in a thick sweet “Tare” sauce made from dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. Most of the unagi you get in sushi bars is broiled instead of grilled.

I've loved unagi since my grandma used to send us cans of it in her Japanese care packages from LA.  It's an auto-order when we have sushi and I always save my last piece of unagi nigiri for the final final of the meal.  My favorite place to get eel is at a robatayaki but my favorite one in Japantown closed a few years ago.

I already loved your post, but my love for unagi knows no bounds. Definite last meal territory for me.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

17.  Unagi no Kabayaki (Grilled Eel)

In the traditional preparation, Japanese fresh-water eel is grilled over a direct flame after being dipped in a thick sweet “Tare” sauce made from dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. Most of the unagi you get in sushi bars is broiled instead of grilled.

I've loved unagi since my grandma used to send us cans of it in her Japanese care packages from LA.  It's an auto-order when we have sushi and I always save my last piece of unagi nigiri for the final final of the meal.  My favorite place to get eel is at a robatayaki but my favorite one in Japantown closed a few years ago.

I like smoked eel on toast as an hors d'oeuvre.  It's too rich for me to eat much of, but it sure is tasty.

 

[Frostillicus]

I'm winning. 

 

[General Malaise]

Round 16 or 17 - Fish - sockeye Salmon - Blackened on my grill

I have a handful of recipes down pat now, refined over the years with trial, error and feedback from family and friends who dine at our house frequently (with 5 kids, we have hosted almost every holiday dinner, birthday gathering, Super Bowl party etc since 2015) and this is one that is loved by all.

Sockeye salmon is the best bang for your buck wild caught salmon available fresh to us nearly year round.  I buy a big filet, keep the skin on, rub both sides with OO then apply a liberal amount of my own Forresto's Feisty Fish RubTM to the meaty portion of the fish.  

Grill skin side down @ 375 for 3.5 minutes, flip and grill another 3.5, flip one more time for 3ish and take it off!  Serve up over baked rice, with peppers/onions/asparagus/pineapple in a grill basket, some warm bread and man, this is swell living folks.

 

[General Malaise]

I might have missed a round

 

[BeTheMatch]

Round 16 or 17 - Fish - sockeye Salmon - Blackened on my grill

I have a handful of recipes down pat now, refined over the years with trial, error and feedback from family and friends who dine at our house frequently (with 5 kids, we have hosted almost every holiday dinner, birthday gathering, Super Bowl party etc since 2015) and this is one that is loved by all.

Sockeye salmon is the best bang for your buck wild caught salmon available fresh to us nearly year round.  I buy a big filet, keep the skin on, rub both sides with OO then apply a liberal amount of my own Forresto's Feisty Fish RubTM to the meaty portion of the fish.  

Grill skin side down @ 375 for 3.5 minutes, flip and grill another 3.5, flip one more time for 3ish and take it off!  Serve up over baked rice, with peppers/onions/asparagus/pineapple in a grill basket, some warm bread and man, this is swell living folks.

I've never gotten into salmon, but that sounds pretty, pretty good

 

[shuke]

  There is a shellfish category now.  By request, Eephus separated the seafood category into two:  one for shellfish and one for fishy fish.

I obviously have no idea what's going on.  Someone tell me what to do. Delete my pick?

 

[Binky The Doormat]

I obviously have no idea what's going on.  Someone tell me what to do. Delete my pick?

I don't think anyone is too tore up about it, but it doesn't currently match the category for that round.  

 

[Eephus]

I obviously have no idea what's going on.  Someone tell me what to do. Delete my pick?

One fish
Two fish
Red fish
Blue fish.
Black fish
Blue fish
Old fish
New fish.
This one has a little star.
This one has a little car.
Say! What a lot
Of fish there are.

 

[Frostillicus]

Cheater shuke. Wish I could say I’m surprised. 

 

[General Malaise]

I've never gotten into salmon, but that sounds pretty, pretty good

Now that you're local, we should exchange goods and services! 

 

[General Malaise]

Oh, and blackened salmon over a nice salad is also a big pleasure of mine as I age and try to eat a little better. 

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

I don't think anyone is too tore up about it, but it doesn't currently match the category for that round.  

Speak for yourself.  I'm appalled that shuke would be so shellfish.

 

[wikkidpissah]

18.xx Route 66 Bus Tamales, fast food.

Albuquerque's main thoroughfare, Central Ave, is actually a stretch of the now little-used Rt 66. From the West Mesa to the old pueblo, downtown, Hospital Row (a string of the former tuberculosis sanitariums that originally made the city a destination,, now all major health institutions), UNM, Nob Hill, Bicycle Hooker Alley, State Fairgrounds, Kirkland AFB (and Sandia Labs), Breaking Bad country, Four Hills and, finally the Sandia Mts, it cuts a 25 mile swath thru the town. And, between 11am & 2pm, the same family has hopped every 66 bus with heart-transplant coolers filled with the most delectable red pork tamales wrapped in tin foil. Rode my 1st 66 bus in the 70s and my last in the teens, so i have bought them from probably four generations of the family. Tamales are like wings - whether i eat 2 or 20, i always want one more. Que sabroso!

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

18.x -- Black Cod from Rasika

Coach Beard mentioned Rasika before.  It's been called the best Indian restaurant in the US. It's certainly the best in DC.  But it's not your typical Indian restaurant experience (for that got its sister restaurant Bombay Club and have your tikka masala in style).  

In any case, Rasika is one of my very favorite restaurants.  The sight of countless birthday lunches and often my choice for "not another ####### steakhouse" when they used to ask me to take summer associates to lunch.  And this recipe was my go to recommendation for those summer associates who were a little leery of Indian food.  

This is probably one of the two "signature dishes" that have been written about the most at the restaurant (the other is the palak chaat).  And it definitely lives up to the hype.  The fish is marinated in honey, dill, and star anise.  Which is a unique but delicious flavor combination.  Much like the similar signature dish at Nobu (which is marinated in miso/mirin), the marinade and relatively hot cooking temperature give some browning and roasted notes on the top surface of the fish while preserving silky, flaky flesh underneath (black cod is apparently relatively oily and thus hard to overcook, but it doesn't have a taste at all like a typical "oily" fish like mackerel).

In any case, its a signature dish for a reason.  Absolutely delicious.

 

[krista4]

Dammit!!  I was going to take black cod, though from Shiro's.  He put it on the menu and was written up in 1988 in the NY Times for it, and he still has the same dish and same prep (now at Sushi Kashiba) to this day.  Shiro was the apprentice in the documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."  

 

[Drunken knight]

fish: Mahi-mahi “Mai Tai” + lemongrass rice + lilikoi beurre + kabayaki + pineapple

i've had this with opakapaka...much better

from Pacific'o in Lahaina

 

[Ilov80s]

Rd 18 Fish: Pasta e alici

Most of the Italian people I grew up with around Dearborn were Calabrese and this was a dish I had several times at their homes. If I had known alici meant anchovies, I’m not sure I would have ate it. Such a deliciously simple meal. 

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Dammit!!  I was going to take black cod, though from Shiro's.  He put it on the menu and was written up in 1988 in the NY Times for it, and he still has the same dish and same prep (now at Sushi Kashiba) to this day.  Shiro was the apprentice in the documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."  

Salmon's been taken twice.  If it's a different preparation, go for it, I say.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Rd 18 Fish: Pasta e alici

Most of the Italian people I grew up with around Dearborn were Calabrese and this was a dish I had several times at their homes. If I had known alici meant anchovies, I’m not sure I would have ate it. Such a deliciously simple meal. 

Absurdly delicious.

 

[Mister CIA]

Round 17: Caesar's Salad, dinner, fish

Make my own dressing by mixing all the following together:

6 anchovies, crushed/mashed

1 clove of garlic

2 egg yolks

2 T lemon juice

3/4 tsp Dijon mustard

5 T olive oil

3 T grated parm (the cheap stuff)

Pinch of kosher salt

Chill and then toss with romaine lettuce and grilled chicken, and top with shredded parm (the good stuff). A little shave Shallot is good too.

Oh, and croutons of course. I usually make my own.

 

[Ilov80s]

Anchovy run

 

[krista4]

Rd 18 Fish: Pasta e alici

Most of the Italian people I grew up with around Dearborn were Calabrese and this was a dish I had several times at their homes. If I had known alici meant anchovies, I’m not sure I would have ate it. Such a deliciously simple meal. 

I've never had this, and it looks wonderful.

Salmon's been taken twice.  If it's a different preparation, go for it, I say.

  Round 18 - Sake kasu black cod - wherever Shiro is cooking it, currently Sushi Kashiba

 

[shuke]

Looks like I need to repick for last round.

17. Fried Smelt

When I lived in Indiana for a handful of years, there was a bar in a nearby town that did these fresh for a weekend when they were "in season".  It initially took some getting used to eating the scales, tail, and bones, but it eventually grew on me and became a yearly tradition.

I'm picking this more for originality, not because I think it's the best.  

 

[Binky The Doormat]

RD 18: DINNER/FISH - HOMEMADE GRAVLAX

I posted about this a few years back. We eat grilled/baked salmon at least twice a month. We're lucky that our local Fresh Market grocery store chain carries pretty decent salmon and typically has it on sale each Sunday. 

But at Christmas time I buy a couple of 3 lb. salmon fillets (skin off) and do my own gravlax (I don't use dill - which is probably frowned upon). I soak them for about 12 hours in a bourbon/szechuan pepper mixture before coating them in a 2/3 brown sugar, 1/3 kosher salt mixture.  

pics

You wrap them good with saran wrap and use bricks to press them to help squeeze the moisture out. They get flipped and drained twice a day. They can be eaten in 24 hours - but we like them best after 3 - 4 days. In some places it's kind of like candy - with a tiny bit of "tooth".  

This stuff doesn't need anything else - though we do make a whipped cream cheese with cumin and honey for cocktail rye bread, etc. but mostly we just slice a big plate and eat it.  

 

[Frostillicus]

18 - dinner main course - fish - Fried Sunfish (not Filets), scaled, with tails.

Similar to Shuke's smelt pick this has a heavy nostalgia factor built in. Growing up we spent a week each summer renting a cabin on a lake with my dad's family (the inspiration for the frozen snickers pick comes from here as well). There were so many of us we actually rented all 6 cabins at this resort and tradition was we would have a fish fry with everyone together the Friday before we left. 

Everyone would bring a side dish and their own drinks, but the main course was already taken care of during the week - fried sunfish. Throughout the week you kept every sunfish you caught, size mattered not, and the older ladies would fry them up. And by that I mean chop off the heads, pour out the guts, coat them in flour and cornmeal and some sort of delicious seasonings and toss them in the fryer. 

Better than any panfish filets, there was a salty yumminess to these that's hard to match and eating around the bones was half the fun. But the very best part was the tails. If you fry up a sunfish tail it basically becomes the world's best potato chip. 

I suspect I may be alone on this one in this draft, but this is a nice write/up recipe that captures the feeling.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Round 18  -  Red Snapper Ponchartrain from Pappadeaux

Topped with lump crab meat and brown butter sauce.  So good.  Conveniently, someone put the recipe online.  Would fight for my fish.

 

[Frostillicus]

Round 10:  Smoked Ham Sandwich from Robertson's in Baird, TX, sandwich

I'm not wild about ham, but this stuff is other-worldy good. Their ham sandwich consists of two slices of white bread, maybe a thin layer of butter (it's been a while), and a thick stack of razor-thin smoke ham - and it's near impossible to improve.

https://www.realbeefjerky.com/  I see they sell online these days.  Get behind me, Satan - sincerely, my credit card

Jerky has arrived and it is wonderful. 

 

[Eephus]

Looks like I need to repick for last round.

17. Fried Smelt

When I lived in Indiana for a handful of years, there was a bar in a nearby town that did these fresh for a weekend when they were "in season".  It initially took some getting used to eating the scales, tail, and bones, but it eventually grew on me and became a yearly tradition.

I'm picking this more for originality, not because I think it's the best.  

Sniped me

 

[Binky The Doormat]

17. Fried Smelt

When I lived in Indiana for a handful of years, there was a bar in a nearby town that did these fresh for a weekend when they were "in season".  It initially took some getting used to eating the scales, tail, and bones, but it eventually grew on me and became a yearly tradition.

I'm picking this more for originality, not because I think it's the best.  
Expand  

Sniped me

he who "smelt it" 

dealt it.

boom.

 

[Eephus]

18.  Deep-fried Whole Pompano with Sweet Chili Sauce

One of my favorite things to order when I'm with a group at a Thai restaurant. Deep-frying a whole fish is something I'd never do at home because who wants to deal with a smelly house, a lot of frying oil and a fish carcass. 

 

[Eephus]

Rounds 19 and 20

Breakfast cold
Beverage - liquor neat
Fast food - LAST CHANCE
 
 

2d11, rolled once.

Roll set 1
Die rolls: 2, 3
Roll subtotal: 5
Roll total: 5

1d17, rolled once.

Roll set 1
Die rolls: 4
Roll subtotal: 4
Roll total: 4

 

[Eephus]

I'm not sure what I was thinking with cold breakfast

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I'm not sure what I was thinking with cold breakfast

I am sure.

 

[shuke]

Not sure if noodle category will ever come up, so taking this now in fast food.

18. Skyline chili

I can't wait to hear the groans about this post.  I don't care.  I love this stuff.  And I know it's not "real" chili.  And if more people could get past that and look at it for what it is, basically a Greek pasta sauce, I think more people would like it. 

My go to is a 4-way onion (spaghetti, chili, onion, cheese), and of course a couple coneys to go along with it.

This is my "home" skyline, the Clifton location near University of Cincinnati.  I can't tell you how many times I've been here.  Actually just went a few weeks ago after a basketball game.  This location was featured on the Simpsons.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

18. Skyline chili

in.  love it.  

 

[Mister CIA]

Jerky has arrived and it is wonderful. 

Glad to hear.  I have their bacon and jalapeño sausage on my to-do list.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Cold breakfast sounds delightful, thanks.

19.x -- The Royal Palm (Everything Bagel with lox, cream cheese, capers, tomatoes, and cucumbers, hold the red onion) from Call Your Mother

DC isn't a great bagel town. .  Call Your Mother has changed that.  And hey Haim even played a concert there.

Raw onion is likely to be my pick in the food you just don't like category, but the rest is great.  I don't know if it's a New York caliber everything bagel.  But it's significantly better than a typical DC caliber everything bagel.  The salmon has a nice smoke on it.  The capers add some briny pop.  And the cool stuff complements the salmon well.  

And while there are probably a good handful of breakfast cereals with cartoon mascots that I'll happily destroy, this is my first choice for a cold breakfast.

 

[Eephus]

Toasted bread is permitted in the cold breakfast category. 

We are not barbarians.