Wednesday, February 17, 2010

New Home for This Blog!

If you want to read new posts to this blog, please go to its new permanent home: www.allthoughtsconsidered.com.

Thanks!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Pigs and Figs and Truffles, Oh My!

Washington Post Food Critic Tom Sietsema recently wrote a review of Glenelg's Bistro Blanc that was so compelling that I had to make the trip West on Route 32 into Howard County to check it out. While he gave it only two stars, his descriptions of the dishes emerging from former Iron Bridge chef Marc Dixon's kitchen sounded too imaginative to pass up. An hour after walking out of the restaurant, I have some very strong opinions.

First, the positives.

Mr. Sietsema is absolutely right about the food. It is worth the trip and I would make the drive again tomorrow for another plate of Pig & Fig. The tender citrus-braised pork shoulder is served atop perfectly toasted brioche, with black mission figs and vanilla muscato froth. The combination of flavors and textures rivals some of the best dishes I have ever had locally (Cindy Wolf's Charleston in Baltimore) and beyond (David Kinch' Manresa in Los Gatos, California). This is one signature starter that should never leave the menu.

Our esteemed critic also hits the nail on the head with his description of the roasted butternut squash risotto topped with lightly seared scallops and served with toasted pistachios, parmigiano reggiano, truffle oil and fresh sage. This dish is incredibly rich and luxurious, thanks to what I can only imagine is an obscene amount of butter and a generous splash of truffle oil.

But you know what? Sometimes you have to indulge.

And you know what else? Sometimes you have to have fries on the side. Especially when they are roasted garlic, Parmesan and rosemary fries. And it's New Year's Eve Eve.

Mark, my partner in crime, made a wise choice with the Delmonico "Filet," served with smoked "Moody Bleus" polenta, lemon-caper-thyme butter, balsamic-glazed cipolini onions in a red wine glace. I managed to steal a nibble of the filet and enjoyed the crisp crust set against the tender beef. Here gain, Chef Dixon masters the art of contrasting textures and complementary flavors.

Our meal was so good I don't remember anything about the wine. I'm fairly certain I had a Pinot Noir with the Pig & Fig and a Gruner Vetliner with the risotto, but for once in my life, I didn't give a flying fig (hee hee) about what I was drinking. Which was something of a shame, because Bistro Blanc features one of the greatest inventions of all time, the Enomatic wine preservation system, which allows patrons to enjoy glasses of very good wine while enabling the restaurant to make a few bucks on said wine while not opening (and then throwing away) higher end bottles.

Which brings me to the negatives.

Our server, who seemed either distracted or just plain lazy, didn't bother to mention the Enomatic - practically the centerpiece of the dining room and one of the restaurant's differentiating features -- until after I asked about it (and after I heard at least one other server explain the system to two other tables). I inquired about the wine options available in the Enomatic, which were not included on the wine list, and he invited me to "take a field trip" to find out for myself.

Gee, thanks.

He may have been stretched thin because the restaurant seemed short-staffed, but I overheard other tables receiving much better service than we did. Call me difficult, but I only accept that excuse to a certain degree.

I also feel as though the length of time we waited (and waited and waited) between sitting down and placing our order, and receiving our starter and finally being served our entrees, was excessive. The wait was particularly excruciating at the beginning of the meal, because Bistro Blanc does not provide bread for the table, and we were forced to make due with water for an extended period. I understand that complimentary bread costs restaurants a lot of money, but if the kitchen takes its time with food preparation, diners really should be offered something while they wait.

Nitpicks aside, the atmosphere is very comfortable, the food exceeds expectations, and I would highly recommend Bistro Blanc to anyone who enjoys food, doesn't mind a few extra calories and isn't in a hurry. I can't wait to go back. Hopefully the service will be more attentive and we won't have to wait as long to enjoy Chef Dixon's fantastic creations. But even if our next visit to Bistro Blanc is exactly like tonight's, I will walk away well-fed and happy.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Helping Reporters Out…In a Different Way

If you look in the archives of this blog, you'll see that most of the posts are meaningless missives about new recipes, overseas trips or random thoughts of the day. This post is different and, I hope, the first of many more pieces that will be both useful and interesting to those who want to know about more than how to roast a tasty chicken. (But seriously - you've got to try that chicken recipe.)

This post is for journalists, a group of folks very near and dear to my heart. Over the past year or so, several reporter friends have reached out to me for career advice. Talented journalists who only ever wanted to be journalists are examining their options outside the field because the opportunities available to them in the industry they love so much are disappearing. Those who are fortunate enough to still have jobs are having to do more with less while living with the ever-present fear of the next round of layoffs, buyouts or bureau closures. Those who have fallen victim to staff reductions are leaving journalism altogether and facing tough competition for jobs outside the industry.

For journalists (or soon-to-be former journalists) looking to launch new careers, the field of public relations is a logical place to begin. Having made the transition from television to PR 10 years ago, I can confirm that there is a great deal of cross-over between the two industries and that a journalist’s skills translate very nicely into PR. We’re all storytellers – we just happen to be on different sides of the curtain.

Through my work in public relations and my membership in the National Press Club, I’m fortunate to know many wonderful reporters. Sadly, some have been or are about to be relieved of their journalism duties and are asking for advice on how to enter the public relations arena. The same questions are on everyone’s minds – what exactly do PR people do and how does media experience apply to the work? In the hopes of providing some clarity, I offer the following suggestions (and a few cautionary notes) for reporters positioning themselves for a job in public relations.

Blinding Flash of the Obvious – You Know the Media
A big part of public relations is media relations. One reason we (PR firms) want you (journalists) working for us is that you have the inside scoop on the media we spend years trying to understand. You know how reporters prefer to be approached. You know how their days are structured, when to call them and what to say. You know what they look for in a source and you know better than anyone what makes a story newsworthy. You have instant credibility. You probably also have a fairly robust Rolodex full of fellow reporters and other useful contacts. As you can imagine, all this is extremely attractive to PR firms.

Cautionary note: Because you know the media so well, and because you have undoubtedly been on the receiving end of bad PR pitches, if you get a job in the field, you may have a difficult time talking to reporters about stories that you don’t feel are newsworthy. It is important to remember that, while your perspective is incredibly valuable, if the client says pitch, you have to pitch. You can fix this, though, by helping to craft a better story to pitch to the right people.

You Know the Anatomy of an Interview
You probably already are aware of this, but it’s worth mentioning: Good PR firms put their clients through some form of preparation before every media encounter. We examine the reporter’s background and previous coverage, review key messages, discuss questions the reporter might ask and talk about how to work around potentially sensitive issues. You are in the extraordinary position of having been on the other side of the interviewer/interviewee equation. You know how reporters prepare for interviews, what they want from their sources and how they might try to trip up a spokesperson. Here again, your insider’s perspective is both valuable and credible. We want you in those interview prep sessions and our clients do too.

Cautionary note: You may feel as if you are somehow betraying your former brothers and sisters in journalism by teaching sources how to maneuver through interviews. You’re not. Helping your client understand how best to operate during a media encounter is helping your client do his or her job. You did your job as a journalist, and the reporter will do the same during the interview.

You Know How to Sell an Idea
If you do make the move to PR you most likely will, at some point, be required to contribute to your firm’s new business development efforts. When an agency pursues a new client, it puts a great deal of effort into understanding that company’s position in the marketplace, identifying its communications challenges and articulating recommendations in a written proposal. Not unlike researching and writing a news story. As a former journalist, you have the ability to examine an issue or situation, gather all the relevant information, identify the key pieces, lay them out in a meaningful structure and write everything down in a way that makes sense. Perhaps even more important, you have likely had to pitch your story ideas to an editor just as a firm has to pitch itself to a new prospect. All of these skills are critically important for the business development process and, believe it or not, many PR folks don’t have them.

Cautionary note: Journalists are trained to be objective, and the sales process is anything but that. You will have to develop your persuasion skills.

Many of the journalists who have asked about making the switch to public relations either haven’t thought of these things, but more than likely, are uncomfortable saying them out loud.

Reporters should not be shy about promoting themselves as valuable additions to a PR firm. The agencies you talk to already know that you bring something special to the table. It never hurts to remind them.

Does anyone have other thoughts/suggestions/warnings for journalists making the move to PR? Share them, please!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Great Go-To Roasted Chicken Recipe

One of the most comforting foods during cold weather like this is a great roasted chicken. Flexible and easy to prepare, a braised chicken will make your house smell fantastic and will likely yield enough meat and vegetables for 2 full meals. There is one cooking in my oven right now and I just had to share the recipe, which is based on the Poulet Provencal recipe from the March 2008 issue of Gourmet magazine. The combination of tomatoes and olives lends a lovely richness to the dish, but for even more body, you can take my suggestion and throw in a few potatoes. As you can see, and as you will note in future posts, most of the recipe lists ingredients without measurements. That's just how I roll!

Poulet Russo (based on Gourmet magazine's Poulet Provencal)

- Take one regular sized roaster chicken (I like Bell & Evans), rinse and pat dry
- Rub with a mixture of herbs de provence, crushed garlic and olive oil
- Place in a large dutch oven

Mix togehter:
- 5 tomatoes (this time of year I use tomatoes on the vine), quartered
- 1/2 large yellow onion, cut into wedges (you can add more if you like onions)
- several small potatoes (I like organic buttercream potatoes) cut into quarters
- a handful or two of pitted kalamata olives
- sliced garlic to taste
- more herbs de provence (I like LOTS)
- olive oil, salt and pepper

Arrange vegetable mixture around the chicken. Roast at 425 until the chicken is done (I keep the lid on the dutch oven). The chicken I used took exactly one hour and 15 minutes to cook. It turned out really juicy and the vegetables were done perfectly.

Remove the chicken and the vegetables from the dutch oven, leaving the juice in the pan. Skim off the fat or use a fat separator, then simmer the juice for a few minutes until it reduces. Remove from heat and whisk in a tablespoon of butter. If you want to go really crazy and make me fall in love with you, use white truffle butter. Either way, you're done!

The nice thing about this recipe is that it can serve as the basis for any combination of herbs and vegetables. Carrots, parsnips, potatoes and fresh thyme and sage would probably be good. Maybe throw in some fresh green beans near the end.

Do you have a veg/herb combo to suggest? Speak up!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

New Shrimp Recipe

While I love to cook, and adore seafood, I rarely prepare fish or shellfish at home. Last night, however, I experimented with some beautiful shrimp from Shoreline Seafood and came up with quite a nice little dish. It's not complicated or time consuming but it is absolutely delicious. Here's the method:

- Peel and devein 1 pound of shrimp (I like the very large ones).
- Sautee 1 finely diced shallot and 2 cloves of minced garlic in about 2 tablespoons butter
- Toss in red pepper flakes to taste
- When the shallots are nice and soft, pour about a cup of white wine in the pan and let that cook for a minute
- Throw in the shrimp and put a lid on the pan to let them steam
- When the shrimp are cooked, pull them out of the pan and cover to keep warm
- Turn the heat up and add half a cup of chicken broth to the pan if the wine has cooked down too much. You want to have enough sauce to pour on the shrimp.
- Cook that down a bit, turn off the heat, and whisk in about a tablespoon of unsalted butter to thicken the sauce
- When the butter is incorporated and the sauce is creamy, jack the heat back up and throw the shrimp in to warm them. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon over the shrimp and sauce when you plate the dish.
- We served the shrimp with saffron risotto, and of course, some bread to sop up the sauce.

If you don't want to take the time to make risotto, these shrimp would be delicious with angel hair pasta tossed with the sauce and a bit of the pasta water to help everything stick together. Fresh herbs, such as rosemary, parsley or basil also would be good.

I'm looking forward to tinkering with this dish. Any suggestions?

Monday, December 29, 2008

Our Favorite Place on Earth

Hi, everyone! We've gone a couple of days without blogging because of difficulty connecting to the Three Chimneys' network. Figures that we're finally on and it's our last night here.



Our stay on the Isle of Skye has been remarkable. The weather actually is better than it was when we were here in July '06 -- it's a lot like home, actually. Frosty in the mornings, cool in the daytime and crisp in the evenings. We haven't been outside a whole heck of a lot, between sleeping in, reading, napping and eating, but we have managed to venture out at least once a day and it hasn't been bad at all.

The food here is...um...out of this world. The seafood is incredibly fresh (prawns, scallops, turbot, langostines (sp?) and John Dory) and the beef (which Mark has had every night) is unmatched. For breakfast each morning, we've had fresh biscuits, honey, home-made granola with local yogurt and peat-smoked local salmon. Because we are in Scotland and they are ever so proper here, we've had tea every day at 3:30, which includes more biscuits, homemade cookies and little tiny pies. It's amazing that we still fit into our clothes. We've managed to keep a log of our dinners each night, although after a few pre-dinner cocktails, some of the spelling is questionable (for those keeping score, Mark spells the word "oatcakes" with a "k" at the beginning of "cakes," sort of like TASTYKAKES. Quite hilarious.

Anyhoo, here are a few pictures from our time in Skye. We're headed back to Glasgow in the morning, and off to Edinburgh for dinner. Can't wait to see you all when we get back! Love you!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Off to Skye!

Hi everyone! We just woke up and turned on the computer to check the Caps score from last night (we won!) and thought we'd drop a quick note before getting in the car and heading to Skye. It should take us about 5 or 6 hours to get there, and hopefully along the way we will find a shop with a 3-pronged adapter for this computer, otherwise we won't be posting much! The battery has about 1/4 battery left so we're working on it.

Actually slept well last night and had a nice little breakfast delivered to the room this morning, so we'll hopefully have the energy we need to make the journey to northwestern Scotland. The weather is clear, but Henri tells us it should get dark around 3 p.m. so we're anxious to get going to make sure we get there while it's still light.

Should be posting pictures later! Love you all.