Recipes & Food-Related Ramblings
Okay, so I totally get why these Ginger Tofu Fresh Rolls probably made you raise an eyebrow. I will admit they are a strange dish to kick-off December with. Most blogs are currently flooded with holiday cookies, cocktails, and gourmet host gifts but not this one. Oh no. Instead, this weirdo blog is posting a recipe that would be right at home in the middle of August. A recipe that would offer welcome relief from a raging heatwave. There is a reason for this bizarre content strategy. I promise.
Deconstructed. The word makes me wince. Think of how many Deconstructed Somethings you’ve seen floating around Pinterest and Instagram. Many of them are designed to side-step technical difficulty (re: Sushi Bowls), which I don’t have a problem with. Not everyone has the deft hand or equipment required to recreate a favorite dish at home. No, what I have a problem with is the deconstructed dishes that act like they’re moving the ball forward. The ones that come with the snobbishness of supposed innovation. Ugh! Get over yo’self!
Today’s Eggplant Parm Grilled Cheese should only be attempted on a rainy, miserable day. You know, a day when you simply can’t weather the weather (Ugh! I’m terrible). I mean, smooshing fried goodness into a gooey cheese-riddle sandwich is not the kind of behavior you can justify on a daily basis. No, this sandwich should be reserved for smash-the-glass style emergencies. It should be applied when the sky looks set to destroy you, your pant legs are soaked, and your mood is so low it’s in your shoes. This sandwich has the ability to restore your faith in humanity. It has the power to make you enjoy the sting in your frosty cheeks and fingers. It has the capacity to make you love inclement weather just because it feels so good to escape it. Yes, this Eggplant Parm Grilled Cheese is *that* powerful, so it’s best to respect it.
I have a very unfoodie-like confession to make: I’m over Neopolitan-style pizza. I know, I know. It’s the fancy pizza, the authentic pizza, the “real” pizza. But I’m sick of it. Please understand that I rode the Neopolitan bandwagon for the past five years but enough is enough. It seems like every pizza joint in my neighborhood serves the stuff. I can’t even fault them for it. There is something alluring about the words “00 flour” and “900º wood-burning oven”. Fancy flour and screaming hot ovens wreak of authenticity and respectability. It gets people through their doors and there’s no shame in that. But am I the only one left in Toronto that prefers New York or Chicago style? I need that crisp, bready stuff. So, in retaliation, I made this Sicilian-Style Pizza with Roasted Brussels Sprouts. It’s pretty much a pan of bread with some toppings.