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Archive for ThanksGavin 2019

Salty Saturday 2019

Jan24

Salty Saturday is the traditional family bagel and lox brunch we do on the Saturday after ThanksGavin.

For the last couple of years it’s been hosted at my cousin Matt’s house. This year (2019), it’s a touch more subdued than usual due to cooking fatigue.

7U1A2180

Prep work in the kitchen.

In his sunny dining room.

Across the way is the kids table.

And a look at the spread.

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As usual matt whips up a couple frittatas.
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Olives to start.
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Gratuitous zoom.
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Several kinds of cream-cheese.
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Whitefish salad — my salt favorite.
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Pickled herring.
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Veggies and leftover muhammara.
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Onions, I guess, are feeling left out.

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And here is my plate — delicious but it did induce ridicule for including 4 full bagel halves!

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My mom’s chocolate chip banana bread.

To combat the salt, I also tried a strategy of pounding a cold press coffee, which seemed to work (a bit). Then we got in the car and drove off to New York!

See here for more ThanksGavin posts.

Related posts:

  1. Salty Saturday 2018
  2. Salty Saturday 2017
  3. ThanksGavin 2011 – Salty Saturday
  4. Salty Saturday 2014
  5. Salty Saturday
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Bagels, Deli, Lox, salt, Salty Saturday, ThanksGavin, ThanksGavin 2019, Whitefish

Eastern Heat – DJ Kitchen

Jan22

Restaurant: DJ Kitchen

Location: 4040 City Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131. (215) 586-8888

Date: November 29, 2019

Cuisine: Szechuan Chinese

Rating: Surprisingly good

_

For “Fat Friday” — the official Friday dinner after Thanksgiving, we broke with the tradition of another house meal and headed partially into center Philadelphia to:
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DJ Kitchen — a surprisingly authentic Szechuan place.
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Typical modern interior of the newer more casual Chinese joints.
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Part of our giant 20 person table.
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The kid corner.
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The auspiciously colored menu.
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From my cellar: 2006 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon. AG 94+. The 2006 Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is powerful, intense and also classically austere in its make up. Crushed flowers, mint, red berries and cranberries are all finely sketched. The 2006 finishes with striking mineral-driven precision, and while it doesn’t have the opulence or exuberance of the 2002, it is still a very pretty and appealing Champagne. The Elisabeth Salmon is 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay, with about 8% still Pinot Noir. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. (Drink between 2018-2031)
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Scallion pancakes for the kids. Certain adults, even certain adults who are supposed to be avoiding carbs, felt compelled to gobble these as well.
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Spicy crispy cucumber. Solid (and garlicky) version of the classic cucumber opening.
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Chicken in chili oil. Classic Szechuan appetizer of cold chicken in chili sauce. Not a bad version.
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More bubbly.
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Cumin fries (again mostly for the kids).
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Pan fried pork dumplings. Pretty generic.
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Dan Dan Noodle.
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Mixed up. Not bad, but lacked the complex nutty flavor I like in great dan dan.
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Dumplings in chili oil. These were delicious.
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Vegetarian Spring Rolls with sweet sauce.
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XLB (Xiao Long Bao). Always great little steamed pockets of delicate dough filled with pork.
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From my cellar: 2017 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese. 92 points. Orange, pineapple, graphite and earth. Step up in weight here on the palate but has superb acidity that cuts through and drives onward. Great length and detailed layers give this excellent palate presence.
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Homemade egg with tomato for the vegetarians. We had too many people with dietary restrictions tonight — always a touch difficult at real Chinese food.
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Chinese cabbage with dried pepper. I love this dish. Really nice texture. Somehow makes cabbage delicious.
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Mapo Tofu. Pretty good rendition — and one of my favorites.
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Kung Pao Shrimp. Okay, but not a fan of the bell peppers (too Chinese American).
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Tea Smoked Duck with hoisin and buns. More like Cantonese roast duck.
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Dry pepper Chicken. Always a super delicious pile of crunchy fried chicken. This particular one was very spicy. Often it isn’t.
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Not bad for 20+ people!

Overall, while not as good as a place like Sichuan Impression, pretty real Szechuan Chinese. About as good as a second rate SGV place — and for a city like Philadelphia that’s excellent. I enjoyed my meal a lot. The kids and vegetarians maybe a bit less so!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Century City Heat
  2. Eating Beijing – Country Kitchen
  3. Chicken Crawl – Savoy Kitchen
  4. Eastern Promises – Holly’s
  5. Valley Heat
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Chinese Food, Fat Friday, Philadelphia, Sichuan, Szechuan cuisine, ThanksGavin, ThanksGavin 2019

ThanksGavin 2019

Jan20

This year, after a brief California hiatus in 2016, ThanksGavin returned to Philadelphia in 2017 — and continues through 2019 at my cousin Matt and his wife Andrea’s place.

7U1A2883 Matt is in the back starting his kitchen prep. 7U1A2892 Then outside lighting up the big green egg! 7U1A2882 Buster supervises. 7U1A2895 But the OG crew, shown here, consisting of my mom and aunt are still on turkey duty! 7U1A3020 From my cellar: 2007 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. AG 96. Taittinger’s 2007 Comtes de Champagne will be nearly impossible to resist upon release. Soaring aromatics, mid-weight structure and soft contours give the 2007 its alluring personality. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, chamomile and green pear add brightness and freshness throughout, with a persistent, clean finish that makes it impossible to resist a second taste. Today, the 2007 comes across as a slightly more open version of the 2004, with freshness that makes that wine so appealing, and a touch of textural richness that recalls the 2002. Although the 2007 does not have the explosive energy or verticality of the profound 2006, it will drink better earlier. The 2007 has been positively brilliant on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. (Drink between 2018-2047)7U1A3022  More sparkling. 7U1A3021 From my cellar: 1995 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. 92 points. Opulent but balanced, dignified without slathered oak or exagerrated maloloactic fermentation. Good show. 7U1A2901 My mom brings out the snacks. 7U1A2897 Muhumarah. Homemade spicy middle eastern walnut and pepper dip. 7U1A2899 Crisps. 7U1A2906 Olives.   7U1A2885 From my cellar: 2002 Gros Frère et Sœur Grands-Echezeaux. RJ 95. Big, ripe, vanilla, chlorine nose; tasty, elegant fruit, lovely and sexy; long finish 95+ pts. 7U1A2884 From my cellar: 1999 Maison Roche de Bellene Latricières-Chambertin Collection Bellenum. 91 points. Sleek and full-bodied with dark fruits and good balancing acidity. Very minerally flavor profile with a smooth texture and a long, modestly complex finish. 7U1A2887 From my cellar: 2004 Château Palmer. AG 92. Deep red. Rich aromas of plum, redcurrant, chocolate and smoke. Sweet, lush and smooth, with a wonderfully fine-grained texture for the year. Highly expressive flavors of currant, cedar, chocolate and tobacco. The wine’s subtle sweetness, suave tannins and sneaky persistence convey an impression of very regular ripeness. 7U1A2889 More red. 7U1A2961 The savory spread. 7U1A2902 Turkey #1. BBQed in the Big Green Egg. And Turkey #2 was Done in the webber over charcoal. 7U1A2940 Turkey! 7U1A2933 Stuffing. 7U1A2958 Stuffing baked into a casserole. 7U1A2956 Gravy. 7U1A2923 Shallots. 7U1A2908 Simple Arugula salad. 7U1A2931 Brussels with walnuts. 7U1A2910 My mom’s cranberry chutney with a bit of citrus and cayenne — probably my favorite. 7U1A2916 Raw cranberry salsa — my least favorite but some love it. 7U1A2937 Cranberry jelly. 7U1A2912 Doubling down on the red are the roasted beets. 7U1A2926 Sweet potatoes. 7U1A2948 Bread. 7U1A2980 My official plate for 2019! 7U1A3019 From my cellar: 1965 Taylor (Fladgate) Very Old Single Harvest Port Limited Edition. 96 points. Brown and nutty in color, awesome! 7U1A3013 The dessert spread. 7U1A2998 Tower of sweets including the every popular Jagielky candy’s. 7U1A2999 Apple pie. 7U1A3001 Grandmom’s (recipe) brownies and blondies. 7U1A3002 Butternut squash pie (tastes just like pumpkin). 7U1A3004 My mom’s famous pecan pie, made totally from scratch. 7U1A3005 Cookies. 7U1A3000 Whipped cream I “whipped up.” 7U1A3008 And some super decadent butterscotch sauce I also whipped up — given that I’m not the master of anything that belongs with gelato. 7U1A3014 Here is my pancreas busting plate. 7U1A2997 Overall, the best ThanksGavin food yet, even beating out the awesome 2017 and 2018! It usually is, as the standards keep going up and up! To see a list of all ThanksGavin meals over the here, click here.

Related posts:

  1. ThanksGavin 2019 – Keep
  2. ThanksGavin 2018
  3. ThanksGavin 2017
  4. ThanksGavin 2015
  5. ThanksGavin 2012
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: holiday, Philadelphia, ThanksGavin, ThanksGavin 2019, turkey, Wine

ThanksGavin 2019 – Keep

Jan17

Restaurant: Keep

Location: 417 York Rd, Jenkintown, PA 19046. (215) 277-7947

Date: November 27, 2019

Cuisine: New American

Rating: solid New American

_

The first official event of ThanksGavin 2019 is Wed night, and this year my cousin (the reigning TG Poobah) chose:
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Keep, a casual bistro-style New American in Jenkintown PA.
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Cute little interior.
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And our gang table of 20 or so.
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Our special menu for the night.
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From my cellar: NV Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée de Réserve. RJ 92. Light yellow color with abundant, steady, tiny bubbles; autolytic, almond cream nose; tasty, autolytic, almond cream, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points
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Pickles. Really zesty and delicious.
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Olives. Awesome olives actually, with great EVOO and a bit of zest. I ate about 2 containers of these.
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From my cellar: 2014 Jean-Claude Ramonet Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly. BH 90. A soft trace of wood frames pretty and cool but ripe yeast, apple and pear scents that slide gracefully into the nicely detail, rich and relatively generously proportioned middle weight flavors that possess a lovely salinity that surfaces on the focused and persistent finale where a touch of bitter lemon appears. This is already sufficiently forward that it could be enjoyed now but I would be inclined to allow it at least 2 to 3 years of cellar time and 5 will probably prove to be ideal. (Drink starting 2019)
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Brussels Sprouts with hummus and Parmesan.
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Cassoulet. Gusty!
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Lentil Fritters. Third appetizer filled with gas inducing carbohydrates!

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From my cellar: 1999 Dominique Laurent Mazis-Chambertin. RJ 93+. Medium red violet color; smoky, earthy, mushroom, barbecue sauce nose; lovely, complex, sous bois, shitake mushroom, mineral, raspberry, baked cherry palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.
7U1A2836
Pelmeni. Shrimp dumpling, dill beurre blanc, creme fraiche, vmochanka. Sweet, and very Russian tasting.
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Chickpea Tofu. Roasted eggplant, broccoli rabe, caponata, crispy garlic.

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Salmon. Jail island Salmon, potato tart, bacon-celery escabeche, horseradish cream.
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Big red for those who can’t handle the good stuff.
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The burger. Beef patty, caramelized onions, egg yolk jam, fried fingerlings.
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Shortrib Steak. 6oz shortrib steak, potato soubise, pearl onion, charred red onion, beef salt, jus.
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More big red for the white haters.
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Pastel Melodia. Orange scented cake, poached pear, membrillo, chantilly.
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Chocolate tart, dark chocolate, cherry, creme fraiche.

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Lemon sorbet.

Overall, not a bad dinner at all — particularly given our party size. They are very nice and have a good — if not particularly groundbreaking — kitchen.

For more Philly dining reviews click here.

More ThanksGavin events here.

Related posts:

  1. ThanksGavin 2016
  2. ThanksGavin 2015 – Fat Friday
  3. ThanksGavin 2013
  4. ThanksGavin 2017
  5. ThanksGavin 2014
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Keep, ThanksGavin, ThanksGavin 2019, Wine
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