Cayman Islands 2011, Day 3

Once again I was greeted by my school fight song at 6am. This time, instead of getting out of bed, I reset the alarm for 6:30am. Mental note Jon: don't blog so stinkin' late! Oh well; two cups of coffee later, and my gear was packed and I was ready to go. Today's dive destination: The north side!


We met up with James at the yacht club. Today's contingent was the same group as yesterday, plus the son and daughter of the couple from Minneapolis joined us. Over the past two years I have been lucky to meet them as well, so if anything the group got better. Now, with a full boat, the lines were singled up, and we headed out through the north sound to the dive sites.


Our first dive site was Chris' Wall, with planned parameters of 100 feet for 25 minutes. After donning the gear, I rolled over the side and immediately made my way to the bottom, around 60 feet. Once the entire troop was at the bottom, James led us through a groove in the coral to about 100 feet of water. From there we swam along the wall, with the azure of the Caribbean to our backs.


For those of you who are divers, and have dove a wall before, you know exactly what I am describing. It's a shear cliff of coral that starts at roughly 60 feet, and drops to 3,000 feet after roughly 20 feet or so of lateral distance out from the edge of the wall. And along this wall is growing an amazing assortment of corals and sponges. This is then contrasted with the unending blue of open water, which is this murky haze that appears to go out forever. A chilling' yet interesting dichotomy!


During the dive, we saw a crab, lion fish, various jacks, and grunts - larger fish that tend to feed in the deeper corals. Then, for the icing on the cake, we saw an eagle ray swim towards the shallows while a sea turtle swam right past us to deeper water. It's moments like that where I wish I had a camera!


So that concluded our first dive. Once aboard the boat, we drove for 10 minutes to the second dive site - The Fishermen's. Our surface interval was close to 50 minutes' so we could off-gas some of the nitrogen. For the second dive, we did 30 minutes at 60 feet of water. Upon descending to the bottom, roughly 50 feet, we swam along the the wall observing various corals and schools of fish. Highlights include a school of Amber Jacks swimming in open water, and a lime-tipped anemone. 


With diving finished for the day, we headed back to port, and then to the condo. We had lunch at Sunset House, located just south of Georgetown. The group split an order of both marinated conch and conch fritters, and I had the Cajun dolphin (mahi mahi) burger. The burger was cooked perfectly, and the fries came with their special jerk mayo.


The rest of the afternoon was relatively low key. Uncle Bill and I went for a "vice" run, where we picked up Cuban cigars, gin and fillet for dinner. I then was able to get some more sun and work on my Clive Cussler book (Mediterranean Caper - the first Dirk Pitt novel). Then, before sunset, I lit up my first stogie of the trip.


Today's cigar was a Punch Churchill. It had pretty good construction, but wasn't very oily. Once I got it lit, it exhibited an excellent white ash, with a smooth draw. Flavors include notes of cedar, pepper, and coffee. It definitely mellowed out during the finish, exhibiting notes of butter and cocoa. Overall, a nice medium bodied smoke that I would rate an 87 out of 100.

We cooked dinner here at the condo, right after sunset. Mom made a shrimp cucumber vichyssoise, followed up with a fillet mignon grilled to a nice medium rare. The meal was outstanding, and that says something given I dislike cucumbers!


After dinner came the cards, and once again Bill and I schooled Mom and Nancy two games to nil. We won the first game 10 to 1, and the second game I shot the moon on a right-left-king-10 of clubs, with a king of hearts as my fifth card (Bill, thank the Lord, had the ace of hearts buried in his hand). Such a righteous victory deserved an equally satisfying desert, so we had rum cake a la mode. Mmmmmmmh rum + sponge cake = bliss!


More to come tomorrow. Ciao!

Cayman Islands 2011, Day 2

The MSU fight song woke me up at the very unpleasant hour of 6am. Of course I was the first one up, so I ran downstairs, opened all the windows, and got the coffee going. Breakfast consisted of an egg, ham and cheese sandwich, ate outside while viewing a beautiful double rainbow. I then packed up my dive bag, changed into my trunks, and next thing I know I can see James 50 yards of the beach, preparing to beach his dive boat.


James Ebanks is the son of Clinton Ebanks, one of a few professional divers who designated the hundreds of dive sites that surround the island back in the 1960s. He founded Ebanks divers, and along with his two sons (the other being CJ), used to run two dive boats. Sadly, hurricane Ivan destroyed their larger boat. CJ, now married, also moved to Trinidad as his wife goes through med school. And finally, Clinton passed away a few years ago. All of this boils down to James taking over the family business, and running the second smaller boat for groups of up to 12 people.


A bit of trivia: Abanks dive lodge, seen in the movie The Firm, is based on this business. CJ can even be seen in the movie dancing during the Cayman outdoor nightclub scene. And the dive site, Trinity Caves, which is mentioned by the actor in the film, is a real dive site!


Enough random stuff; Bill, Nancy and I board the boat, and we head down 7 mile beach to collect two other couples who we would be diving with. I knew both couples from previous trips, so it was kind of fun to catch up. We arrived at the deep dive site - Trinity Caves - 20 minutes or so after we collected the last couple. It is located about 300 yards off the shore, around a half a mile north of the condo. The temperature was sunny, 78 degrees and rising, with a decent breeze creating slight wave action. Most importantly, the water was as warm as the air. Perfect diving conditions!


I donned my equipment, linked my dive computer with the transmitter attached to my first stage, and rolled backwards into the water. Visibility was at over a hundred feet, so I could see with vivid clarity what lied on the bottom as I descended to roughly 60 feet of water. Soon, James was down with us, and we all followed him for the remainder of the dive.


James took us through a series of coral arches along the wall, reaching a max depth of 120 feet. Aside from the various corals and reef fish, we happened to catch a sea turtle swimming about. They are so cool, almost adorable; like you just want to grab them and get a little tow. We also saw a school of giant tarpon - some of the oldest fish in the world - hanging in the coral arches. Definitely a successful first dive!


After 20 minutes of bottom time, we all headed up to the surface, got into the boat, and headed to the second (shallow) dive site - Mary's reef. We cruised for roughly half an hour, and when we arrived, relaxed another thirty minutes. For non-divers, this is to allow the diver to respirate a portion of the nitrogen that has been breathed in during the previous dive.


Soon, we were back in the water for our second dive, this time planned for 40 minutes at a max depth of 50 feet. When we first got down to the bottom, we were greeted with a gorgeous eagle ray gliding through the water right past us. They really do look like they are flying! Other unusual sightings include a large green moray eel curled up under a coral ledge, and a huge crab chillin' under another one as well. I also enjoyed watching two huge French Angelfish feed on some coral. Their colors are truly stunning!

French Angelfish; such beautiful colors!

After 40 minutes, I surfaced and soon we were heading back to the condo. A quick rinse of the gear in fresh water, and our gear was set out to dry. I showered, relaxed, and then headed to the Ritz Carlton for brunch. This brunch buffet really had everything! Stone crab, sushi, caviar, dim sum, lamb chops, jerk pork tenderloin, prime rib, etc. After a few trips, I ended the meal with pineapple rum flambé. Outstanding!


The rest of the day consisted of laying out, listening to classical music, and reading my kindle. I was able to catch VCU defeat Kansas; what a great game! Dinner was light, due to the glutton-fest that was lunch, and the day ended with a few games of Euchre (Bill and I defeated Mom and Nancy two games to nil).


Here's to hoping tomorrow is as good of a day as today - perhaps even better! Ciao!

Cayman Islands 2011, Day 1

The first day of this trip actually started in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Having to work till 9pm that Friday, by the time I was able to to finish packing my scuba gear (which I had to pick up by 7pm!), it was encroaching on midnight. Still, with my gear packed and the stress of the work week beginning to subside, I drove to the airport Hilton and Caymans 2011 officially began.


Fast forward through the 4 hours of sleep that I was afforded at the hotel. Checking luggage was uneventful - thankfully my dive bag was under the 50lbs! - and I even had some time to grab a coffee from bean and leaf. Then my day took a nice turn for the better, and my upgrade went through. Soon, I was sitting in first class on my way south to the paradise.


Just my luck, my upgraded seat put me right next to one of the cuter gals. Once the crew had told us all to put away electronic devices, I decide to be bold and chat with her. Turns out she is from Midland, and a junior in high school (damn!). She is big into volleyball, and really wants to play for Air Force (as well as become a pilot). Just a neat little story, and it gets better! 


Next thing I know, 2 of her friends came up to chat (both attractive as well I might add). Turns out one wants to go to Michigan, while the other (the more attractive of course) wants to attend MSU! Combine this with a few rum and diets, and next thing you know Havana is at our six, and we are landing into sunny Georgetown, Grand Cayman.


Zipped through immigration with a breeze, and after collecting our luggage, we headed to Dollar rent-a-car. Our hoopty for the week is a "spacious" Toyota Corolla. At least it was a right-side drive vehicle. Speaking of driving on the right side of the road; I really do enjoy driving like the British. I also like navigating traffic circles! I think the key is to not get intimidated. Anyways, I took driving duty and soon pulled up to the condo. Home (away from home) at last!


Mom and I are actually splitting the condo with her cousin Bill, and his wife Nancy. They have actually been coming down here for 23 years, and usually come down the week before to stay two weeks. They are also both divers, and have dove around the world, yet found the Caymans to be worth coming back to. They certainly got Mom hooked on this place, and me into diving.


Moving on, the rest of the day consisted of unpacking, enjoying the beach, and relaxing. Temperatures were in the mid-to-high 80s, sunny, with a wafting breeze. The day seemed to fly by - probably because I was working on 4 hours of sleep - and next thing I am heading up for bed. James, our dive master, is going to pick us up at the beach at 8am. Since I hate diving groggy, I set my alarm for 6am. And on that note, time for bed. Ciao!

Last Night at Chez Bart: Meatballs with Pappardelle

*Note: my camera battery died while cooking, so I don't have any pictures =[

Following up my previous post, I decided last night that I was going to cook this dish from Tom Keller's ad Hoc at Home cookbook: Meatballs with Pappardelle. This dish just begged me to make it. Beef/pork/veal meatballs topped with oven roasted tomato sauce, and paired with fresh pappardelle tossed with butter, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. Delish!

One point I would like to make with regards to this dish, is that it necessitates 2 sub-recipes: oven roasted tomato sauce and homemade bread crumbs. Though tonight I followed the letter of the recipe, and made the sauce and breadcrumbs from scratch, I don't think I would do it every time. I believe a canned tomato sauce (either pre-seasoned or crushed canned tomatoes with whatever herb blend you prefer) can easily fit the bill. Progresso breadcrumbs can also work as well for making the meatballs.

I guess what I am saying is that one can make this dish as fancy and complex as he or she wants. It's up to you!

Prep Notes: From an ingredients standpoint, there are a few things in which you will need to obtain specifically for this dish. The meatballs require ground beef, pork, and veal; so if your butcher does not normally stock ground pork or veal, you might need to call ahead. From a vegetable standpoint, fennel (anise) and leeks are required, as well as a ton of onion and garlic. Also, in order to make the sachet for the sauce, you will need cheese cloth and butcher's twine.

From an equipment standpoint, if you are going to make the sauce from scratch, you will need a food processor. To cook the meatballs, you will need a cooling rack and a sturdy baking sheet (that doesn't warp at higher temps).

Cooking Notes: Ahead of time, you can make the breadcrumbs. Just remove the crust off a loaf of bread, break it up into small pieces, and then place on a cookie sheet to bake. Remove from the oven once to toss and redistribute. Once the crumbs are nice and crispy, remove and store in an airtight container.

Also ahead of time, you can make the sauce. In a small dutch oven, place the fennel, leeks, and onion with some oil. Roast them in the oven until a nice caramelization occurs, stirring ever so often. Then, add in some red wine vinegar and brown sugar and place back into the oven until the liquid incorporates. Make sure you stir often. Finally, add in the tomatoes and the sachet, and place back into the oven for 90 minutes, stirring every 30. Remove, and let cool to room temperature, before storing.

And now for the meatballs. In a sauté pan, sauté onion and garlic until nice and soft. Then, in a large bowl, add the various ground meats, onion/garlic mixture, egg, breadcrumbs, and parsley. Mix to incorporate the various ingredients, and then seperate into a dozen or so meatballs.

Next, cut the mozarella into as many pieces as you have meatballs. Press into each meatball to create a little well, and place a piece of mozarella into that well. Work the meatballs in order to cover the cheese, and to make it nice and round. To cook, place a drying rack over a cookie sheet, and place the meatballs on the drying rack. This is to allow the fat to drip from the meat. Finally, place the meatballs into a 450 degree oven for 15 or so minutes.

Remove the meatballs, and allow them to rest for a 10 minutes or so. Cover with the sauce, and serve with a side of noodles. Bon appetit!

Tasting Notes: The great thing about this dish is that it takes some classical Italian-American staples: pasta and meatballs; and really ups the ante. The meatballs have various falvors, from the buttery notes of the ground chuck, to the savory notes of the pork and creamy notes of the veal. The onion and garlic offer savory notes, while the breadcrumbs provide a nice crunchy texture. And then you have the pièce de résistance: with every bite, one is greated with the warm, goey, creamy goodness of the mozarella. Things don't get much better than that!

The creamy-buttery goodness of the meatballs are perfectly counterbalanced with the bold roasted vegetable flavors from the tomato sauce. The fennel really gives it a savory kick, while the carmelized onions offer both sweet and tangy notes. Being prepared in the oven, it is nothing like I have ever had before, and is well worth the effort and time.

And finally, you have the noodles. They are prepared in a super-simple fashion: tossed with parsley, lemon, and butter. It is the simplicity that pairs it so well with the the complexity of the other components on the plate.

Libation Notes: This dish really deserves a full bodied wine; something that can really go tow to tow with the roasty notes of the sauce. Given this is Italian, I am immediately thinking of a nice Barolo, Barbaresco, or Brunello. Something bold, not too dry, and with a good amount of fruit.

Overall: Definitely hit a home run with this one. Lots of different flavors and textures here. And you can even dial down the "home made" elements in order to accomodate your schedule. Another winner to add to my repertoire.

The Happenings at Chez Bart

So today one of my objectives was to purchase a new cookbook for the Chez Bart library. Lately, I have been either grabbing recipes from Food Network, or using ones from my two Italian cookbooks by Giada de Laurentiis. I probably spent over an hour perusing the cookbooks at my local Barnes & Noble. In fact, it is really the only reason why I go to brick and mortar bookstores. It is very nice being able to actually look at the recipes, thereby making a judgement whether there are enough to satisfy the price of the book.

So there I was, flipping through cookbooks by many different authors. I spent considerable time leafing through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa line of cookbooks; just to name a few. In the end, I settled on Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home. 

I found ad Hoc to be the best fit for Chez Bart. It provided not just excellent - not to mention realistic (more on that later) - recipes, but also has sections devoted to teaching culinary techniques and skills. The recipes are also realistic for someone like me: 26 year old single male living in a decent-at-best apartment equipped with crap appliances and lame Cuisinart cookware. 

Thus, I don't want a cookbook whose recipes feature relatively hard to find ingredients, employ very sophisticated cooking and preparation techniques; and I don't want every end product to be something so fancy that I have to start dishing out Michelin stars to my apartment door. Usually, these are the "Restaurant" Cookbooks: Keller's French Laundry & Bouchon, Mario Battali's Babbo, Michael Chiarello's Bottega; and are full of recipes that require truffles and squid in its own ink. No thanks.

Contrast this with Ad Hoc: the first recipe I flipped to was crab cakes. There is a recipe for Beef Stroganoff. Hamburgers! There are also pages on how to properly deep fry, trussing and cutting a chicken, proper cooking utensils, etc. It just seemed so perfect!

So get ready for a few new dishes down the pike here at Chez Bart!

Last Night at Chez Bart: Grilled Salmon Sandwiches

The last two nights have been spent clearing out the 'fridge of all the leftovers from my previous weekend culinary odyssey. Today, with a clean fridge, I fretted about trying to think of what I wanted to make. Knowing I would probably have to work late, it had to be snappy. And since I hate bad food, it had to sound good. Finally - after much perusing - I settled on this little gem: Barefoot Contessa's Grilled Salmon Sandwiches.


Store Notes: The salmon will cost you a penny; I spent $30 on the 2lbs that I bought. I am not going to lie though: it was beautiful salmon. Otherwise, make sure you remember to pick up the capers, white wine vinegar, and Mesclun mix. Holiday Market didn't have the Mesclun, so I just went with baby romaine. Also, the sauce calls for 3/4 of a cup of fresh dill, which is a ton of dill. When I made this, I bought a package and it wasn't enough!


For gadgets, a food processor makes preparing the sauce much easier.

Ingredients of the sauce about to
get processed

Prep Notes: One can make the sauce well in advance. Just place all the prescribed ingredients into the food processor and flick the switch. You might have to stop it once or twice and, using a spatula, force the sauce that collects on the sides of the bowl down so it can be mixed. Once the sauce is well-mixed, add the capers and pulse a few times. Voi la! Now either place in the 'fridge for use later, or set aside.

Finished sauce, ready for the sandwiches!

Pre-heat the grill so it is nice and hot, or in my case, heat up a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Cook Notes: Baste one side of the salmon with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill, then baste and season the other side. Cook for 5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 5 minutes. Once the salmon is cooked almost all the way through, remove from the grill and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Salmon on the grill

To serve, cut the bun in half. Layer some of the greens on the bottom, while spreading a generous portion of the sauce on the top half of the bun. Place the fillet on top of the greens, and you are good to go!
 

Tasting Notes: This is a simple, yet elegant Salmon preparation. One essentially has a triumvirate of flavors: the bitterness of the greens, savoriness of the salmon, and the sweetness of the sauce; that compliments itself beautifully on one's palette. The salt and pepper really brings out the buttery flesh of the salmon, while the dill and scallions in the sauce adds some savory notes. Also, the white wine vinegar not only adds some zest to the sauce, but cuts the heaviness of the mayonnaise as well.

Libation Notes:  This dish is really meant for the summer time, so a nice cold lager would go very nice. Hofbräu München Original, Spaten Premium Lager, Löwenbräu Original, Weihenstephaner Original Bayrisch Mild, Augistiner Bräu Lagerbier Hell, and Hacker-Pschorr Münchner Helles are all good choices.

Finished product: Grilled Salmon Sandwiches. Yummi!

Overall: This was just the meal I needed. Quick, easy, and tons of flavor. I am going to keep this one on my short list for the warmer summer days ahead!