Matt @ SEA

Brewing Beer-IPA, a set on Flickr.Brewing my first batch of beer

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:09:36 -0400

Brewing Beer-IPA, a set on Flickr.

Brewing my first batch of beer

first beer batch

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:09:02 -0400

first beer batch

"Does anyone know when Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was first released?"

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:58:13 -0400

“Does anyone know when Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was first released?”

- @grapengrain

Beer Advocate Review

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:50:00 -0400

Beer Advocate Review:

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Karaoke fun with josh

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:04:45 -0400

Karaoke fun with josh

Julia’s first ferry ride

Sat, 21 May 2011 22:09:15 -0400

Julia’s first ferry ride

Time for a field trip.

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 14:00:12 -0400

Time for a field trip.

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 13:43:43 -0400

Time for a field trip.

Julia’s reaction to hearing The Who for the first time.

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 10:42:02 -0400

[Flash 10 is required to watch video.]

Julia’s reaction to hearing The Who for the first time.

Home cured lox

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:57:40 -0400

Here’s my recipe for lox. It’s so so simple.
Get a piece of salmon approximately 1.5 inches thick. This recipe is for one about 2-3 lbs. Adjust amount for larger/smaller piece.

Mix this in a bowl:

4oz sugar (1/2cup)
6oz light brown sugar(1packed cup)
6oz kosher salt (3/4 cup)

Toast this in a pan and crack:

2tbl black pepper corns
2tbl coriander

Do this:

Get a non-reactive pan that nicely fits the salmon (I use a glass baking pan) and sprinkle half the mixture on the bottom of it.
Put the salmon on top of that mixture.
Spread the pepper/coriander over the salmon.
Cover it with the rest of the salt sugar mixture….you basically won’t be able to see the salmon… it will be buried

Then do this:

Find a way to weigh down the salmon. I put plastic wrap over it and then another glass baking pan on top with some cans of beans. I guess you could use cans of tomatoes if you want. But not cans of peas….if you eat canned peas you’re kinda gross.

This is what will happen:

The weight is going to press out the liquid and mix with all the salt/sugar and create a brine which will do all sorts of incredible things to the fish at a cellular level which would blow your mind if I knew how to explain it. Ask my friend Howard, he is way geekier about this stuff.

Kill time:

Put this in the fridge for 2 days and spend your time contemplating how the curing of fish and meat in large quantities of salt preserves protein for long periods of time without the need of a fridge. I mean, this is pretty awesome. If you take a pork shoulder and stick in in your backpack for a hike, it is going to smell like death by dinner time. However, put it in a barrel of salt and you can carve off some of that piece by piece and go on a boat ride to Plymouth Rock eating prosciutto the whole way.

So really, all these “artisan” meat plates you get as appetizers on a board with some stinky cheeses while you wait for your deconstructed chicken pot pie are just leftover recipes from the to-go bags of our ancestor explorers who needed loads of energy to conquer new lands and establish new societies that eventually will chug Monster Energy Drink to facilitate all night World of Warcraft sessions.

Finishing up

But I digress, After the salmon sits for two days, see if it feels firm to the touch in the thickest part. If not, give it another day. Once it’s done, rinse everything off the salmon with cold water, pat it dry and BAM!!! you have a cured salmon. It will keep in your fridge (the FDA requires me to tell you this) for a few weeks.

Slice it thin. Don’t use the knives at ZAAZ if you want to do that.

Tastes good on some crackers with a mixture of Crème fraiche and chives with sliced red onions.

Home cured lox for passover themed lunch club at ZAAZ tomorrow.

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:32:37 -0400

Home cured lox for passover themed lunch club at ZAAZ tomorrow.

Paul simon tonight at the showbox was incredible. Wow.

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:41:09 -0400

Paul simon tonight at the showbox was incredible. Wow.

What’s the prognosis, doc?

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:15:24 -0400

What’s the prognosis, doc?

San Marzano starts.

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:38:19 -0400

San Marzano starts.

My cat ripped apart my mouse and brought it downstairs to show...

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:18:45 -0400

My cat ripped apart my mouse and brought it downstairs to show me.

Proof that bacon is good for people

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:43:25 -0400

Last night at my work’s Red Cross benefit, I auctioned off 10 lbs of home cured bacon for $200. Then, I got a last minute request from some co-workers at a conference in Vegas that they would throw in $300 for another 10lbs. With matching funds, bacon is sending $1000 to Japan!

It seems as though my body is jealous of all the time I have been spending with Julia while...

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:56:47 -0400

It seems as though my body is jealous of all the time I have been spending with Julia while she’s been sick and has decided that my back is too good for me. All day today, I’ve been hobbling around like I have a sunburn on my ass.

On the bright side, my work is holding a fundraiser for the Red Cross in Japan and I’m donating 10 lbs of my home cured bacon for the silent auction.

On an even brighter side, I have some pain meds now.

Sunday shopping.

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:53:10 -0400

Sunday shopping.

Centering Pregancy Reunion-23 (by atonal)

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:37:38 -0400

Centering Pregancy Reunion-23 (by atonal)

"It gets better. Or at least a less traumatic kinda bad."

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 23:59:00 -0400

“It gets better. Or at least a less traumatic kinda bad.”

- My project manager, Jason. (In reference to dealing with my baby’s first serious illness:)