Recipe: The Homeless

The breakfast taco... This is what put me on the map!   Literally.

The classic that I made for many o'family on our walk and I made it this morning and I almost forgot how damn tasty it is.  And simple to make.

Fry up four slices of bacon.  Slather one side of tortilla with cream cheese.  Add a layer of refried beans on top seasoned with my own Mexican blend, CBD 17. 

Then diced green chiles and cheese.  I prefer pepper Jack for a little heat or a blend. Stuff it with the bacon, fold over like a taco and fry it in the grease.  Once it's nice and golden on both sides, top it with sour cream, more cheese, and salsa.  

Hell yeah, that's The Homeless.  

Yah?

Yah, you betcha.!

I'm in the land of 10,000 lakes and although the purpose of my presence here is primarily philanthropic for our foundation, I try to take a few tics on our travels to savor the local culture, fare and flavor. 

The first thing that I couldn't help but notice about Minneapolis is the almost absolute absence of fast food franchises.  We've been here since, what, Wednesday, and only seen two, and while I'd normally be a big fan of that - the nearest Dunkin Donuts is five and a half hours away in Wisconsin and that makes me a little cranky and suspicious.  

Indeed it's a strange yet curious place.  (I mean, other than the fact that they had a rassler for governor and stuart smalley as a senator).  

But there's some seriously good food here.  

Bacio, a giant of a restaurant in Minnetonka, has an excellent stater menu.  It's pretty much policy now when I'm at a new and unfamiliar restaurant to just sample the little bites because if they can't do that right, no need to move on to the entree.  

And there's was spot on.  The parmesan crusted shrimp and tuna crisps both delightful but the two other dishes I sampled deserve their own spotlight.  First is their heirloom grain salad, which is just about one of the best damn salads I've ever had - brilliantly constructed, fresh and surprising.   

And finally the crab cakes, pictured nearby, an experience I've never had before and I've eaten them just about everywhere.  The odd motley of ingredients are what drew me to it: avocado drizzled with EVOO, vanilla bean puree, and sweet and sour chili sauce. Individually, they all have singular distinctness but good god, man, mash them together and it becomes a melody.  

Nevermind that the cake isn't even fried.  IT'S BAKED.    I didn't ask if the crab was dungeness or blue but baby, it was lumpy and luscious. 

On Lovers and Sliders

I maintain a profound respect for chefs that make me re-think dishes but this city makes me re-think reality.  The twin cities are replete with five star restaurants but the hottest, most exclusive place to take your lover on a valentine date is..... White Castle.  Wait what?  

Yer Dern Tootin'.  Apparently, the one day out of the year that the fast food joint reverse transmogrifies into a high class restaurant where the waitstaff wears tuxes. And get this, there's a two year wait list.  

God Bless El Guapo

He's a puppet, he's been on a promotional tour for six months.  Who can blame him?

Long Wharf New Haven

Yesterday we spent the early afternoon sampling the predominately Spanish influenced cuisine at the Long Wharf food trucks. 

I've oft griped of the paucity of authentic Tex-Mex-ish food in the Northeast but apparently, I was looking in the wrong place.  

But you can't blame me.  Who would've thought that the home to Yale University could also be home to anything real and unpretentious?  But since I walked through New Haven, it now makes sense.  

Beyond and beneath the ivy walls, it's a predominately blue collar, salt-of-the-earth port town, not unlike so many on the old Boston Post Road in Connecticut. Full of color, flavor, and people who, if they only have $10 to spend on food, demand that it's down and outright authentic.  

I found that in a row of food trucks along Long Wharf CT.  When I posted this photo on my FB page, someone remarked that they passed by it for 16 years and never stopped for reasons which elude me.  

Look, I'm a foodie and an anti-foodie all rolled up in a Big Dog bun but for Christsakes - support your local culinary community.  And if a sense of social responsibility doesn't convince you, take a gander at that gigantic torta mexican styled cuban sammich.    

And the carnitas, and the alambre with cactus taco, too.  

Noah's

"When I ain't cookin.  I'm a eatin." 

As a cook and eater of extraordinary extent, it seems incumbent on me to celebrate the culinary creations of other chefs. And I'll chronicle those exploits here.  

In route to NYC to fund a cancer study, the fuzzybutts and I pitched tent at a North Fork campsite in Greenport Long Island.  Late in the day, long in our travels, and after wine sampling at a few of the vineyards, I just wanted a tasting menu and for the first time, Yelp took us to that place.  

Chef Noah gets that little bites are the trend, perhaps the future of the dining experience.  The tired old equation of appetizer + entree + dessert just doesn't add up anymore.  

Noah's is a destination place and not only for foodies.  Deviled eggs are a new inspiration for me.  Thanks, Chef.

Chef Lucky: Clinton350

Clinton 350.  Wow. What a great event.  So proud of the people in my hometown for coming out and celebrating the birthday of our great town.  And boy, did they come out!!

I do believe the Ladies of Clinton enjoyed watching Chef Big Dog sing, dance and shake the maracas each time a "Booty" Tattie was ordered.  We kept people smiling all day long.  Our tent was the most festive looking and the most fun!  The queue, the feedback and repeat customers proved that our Tatties were the best food there.

Thanks to all the Clinton folks who came out, the Food trucks who kept feeding us, and my favorite neighboring concession, John at the Bartenders Express, who kept the Magic Margaritas appearing on our freezer.

Lastly, and most importantly, thanks to the Chef for the amazing job he did frying and entertaining.  You make me proud!

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CBD's Notes 1: It was a great day indeed and I filmed a few hours of the historic occasion for what comes next. 

CBD's Notes 2: It's now the 'Shake Murphy's Booty Tattie' accompanied with the Maracas!

CBD's Notes 3:  Thanks for making me do this festival Chef Lucky

Magic Margaritas

Yesterday, at the Clinton 350, was the first time I truly felt like a Chef.  Yes, I've been cooking my heart and soul out since I started this culinary adventure in April, concocting new recipes and concepts to keep us on the cut, and at the Connecticut Wine Festival and the Celtic Rock, the customers loved, loved our tatties.  

But Clinton 350 was an entirely new experience I just wasn't prepared for.

First of all, I freely admit I was less than enthused about going.  The competition was fierce for a small town festival, from BBQ to burgers, French fries, lobster rolls, pizza, and grilled cheese in giant food trucks I suspected we'd get lost since after all, we're just 2 guys with a fryer and a crazy, Tequila drinking Mexican marionette.  

But I got schooled!

I can't recall the exact inflection point in my perspective Saturday but everyone there was so receptive to our culinary concept and we were warmly and well received early on in the day.  So we started frying up tatties for our fellow chefs to share the love, love we have for food and they reciprocated in sharing their wicked good wares.  

The first was The Cheese Truck out of New Haven.  If you're anywhere within a 100 mile radius, their Avocado Bacon grilled cheese sammich is so frikkin good and it has this mustard seed relish that ties the whole dish together like the Dude's rug to his living room.  

Next up was Fryborg whose concept is the age old French fry with a side of some serious freakiness.  We sampled their fried egg fries with Sriracha Mayo and it was all kinds of good.  

It was great to be in the presence of fellow chefs, Chef Jonathan with Fryborg, Chef Jason the Cheeseman, Chef Benjamin with Cowabunga, who are all trying to create a wholly unique and new culinary experience.  And to get their feedback on our Tex-Mex Tatties.  

The pursuit of and path to greatness in whatever your life endeavor, is paved with self doubt and uncertainty but for the first time I felt like I was part of a community and, although still small and new to it, that I have earned a seat at the table.   

And a drink! 

We also fried up some tatties for the lovely ladies with Bartenders Express and towards the end of service, two Margaritas magically appeared on top of our freezer.  And they kept coming!  

We suspect that the proprietor, John, was the clandestine culprit.  Maybe he wanted to keep us hydrated  or maybe he fancied Chef Lucky - I'll post her version of yesterday's festivities in the next blog.   

But that figuratively and literally topped off the evening and the end to a great event and season for Tex-Mex Tatties by Chef Big Dog.  Thanks to everyone for a successful and enlightening day. 

My duties as a philanthropist kick in next week as the Executive Director of 2 Million Dogs, Ginger Morgan, comes up to New England and we have some cancer studies to fund.  After that, we're traveling to the Twin Cities for VCS and then on to Chicago for their Puppy Up! Walk.   

But I'll be cooking and creating throughout our travels.  Stay tuned for what comes next from Chef Big Dog!

It'll be magic