One-Armed Breakfast - Eggs on Eggs

Since my shoulder surgery in late December, I'm not allowed to do much with my right arm; oh - it's out of the sling it was confined to for 2 weeks, but as my doc said: "Don't pick up anything heavier than a coffee cup!"

Which sucks, because if you've ever tried to cook with one arm, it's not exactly fun or easy.  I mean, taking a pot or a pan off a high shelf is basically not happening.  Fortunately, Significant Eater stayed home with me for 2 weeks after the surgery, so that helped a lot.  I even managed to sneak in a new appliance during that time; our god-knows-how-old toaster oven was on its last legs, so I decided to get a new one, and after reading some favorable reviews, decided  it should be this one, which was unpacked and placed in its new home with relatively little complaint from Sig Eater...

It's the new Cuisinart Combo Steam and Convection Oven, and though it can't "core a apple," it toasts nicely and reheats beautifully. (By the way, a real combi oven, one that's used by many caterers and restaurants, is an awesome cooking machine - they also tend to cost thousands of dollars, often need their own plumbing and electrical supply, etc.; this is but a mere consumer appliance). In any event, with one arm I was able to use some leftovers from Cafe Katja and make these delicious shirred eggs over duck confit and blood sausage hash...

There'll be more experiments with that combo oven, but now I'm back on my own and "cooking" with one arm and I wanted something other than cereal for breakfast.  Since I had visited Russ & Daughters recently, I just happened to have a little smoked Gaspe nova in the fridge. as well as a bit of salmon roe. So I put them both to use, in an easy-to-make one-armed scramble of eggs and nova, topped with salmon roe...

Now, if I can just get someone to clean up after me...

Back to Alder

I've missed my regular rotation at Alder (hadn't been in 2 months), but we were back last night for a quick bite and a drink or two before my wife headed off to see a show with a friend of ours.  So 4 of the 5 plates we shared were new to me.

The new-to-me fall/winter cocktails are very nice. "Dock Ellis" (we all remember him, right?) showcases applejack, while the "Burnt Reynolds" is a bit of a riff on the 1794, with rye, smoked vermouth and Campari. Tasty, those.

And the new plates?  Really, really good.  I think the French Onion Soup Rings have been on the menu for a while, but I hadn't had them before, and they were well worth the wait; the gravy and perfect frying technique elevates these rings way above standard "pub" food.  Same can be said about the Jalapeño Poppers, though I'd guess the uni cream cheese stuffing and trout roe also add to the equation.

Shrimps on Shrimps was a nice, light break from those two items; sweet Maine shrimp green papaya salad, with a good jolt of heat, served on top of a shrimp cracker, beats the pants off the stuff served at your local Thai joint. Or even a good Thai joint.

I was a bit worried about Scotch Quail Eggs, because I'm not a big Scotch egg fan.  But I shouldn't have been, as these are perfectly bite-sized, and maybe that's the problem with Scotch chicken eggs - they're practically a meal, whereas these just make you want to have another. 

PIABs are still alive and well, and still good.  

We didn't get around to the duck breast or hangar steak or new foie iteration, and it was mentioned to me that a bunch of new menu items are in the works, so I plan on getting Alder back in my regular rotation soon.  And I know it's a busy week, but they were slammed last night at 7; there wasn't a seat to be had, and we were lucky enough to ensconce ourselves opposite the bar, standing room only.

COMP DISCLOSURE:  A dish from the kitchen, and some drinks.

Shoulder Fix

Having a little shoulder surgery to repair my biceps today.

Back soon...