New York bagel: Theories abound for why New York bagels are the best in the world. Is it the water, the air, the attitude? I don't know. But for damn sure the bagels in the Pacific NW are nothing like what a proper bagel should be-- a soft, chewy interior surrounded by a hard, crisp outer shell. I worked at a bagel bakery for years when I was in junior/high school (hard to believe I used to get to work at 7 AM every weekend, even in the summer!) and enjoyed making "sampler" bagels-- a little bit of a bunch of different spreads, each in its own section-- with a salt bagel fresh from the oven. Just stay away from Noah's so-called "New York" bagels. For all their "shmear" and "nosh" lingo, their bagels just ain't right-- and their employees look at you like you're crazy if you ask if they boil their bagels. Hint: it's the essential step just prior to baking.
injera bread: This is somewhat of a cheat, because injera bread-- the spongy, rubbery Ethiopian flatbread-- doesn't have much flavor on its own. But you never eat it alone, anyway-- you eat it with an Ethiopian meal, using it to pick up your food and to soak up the flavors of the various sauces. Injera's spongelike qualities are marvelous, and when used to line a serving platter it becomes a delicious way to finish off the meal.
deviled eggs: Cholestericious. Hold the pickle relish, extra paprika. Piped with a star-point pastry tip for bonus points.
quiche Lorraine: A dear family friend made spectacular quiches once upon a time, and I haven't lost the taste for them. The outer crust must be flaky-tender, and the inner filling cheesy and fluffy. Real Men can have their pork rinds, I'll take the quiche.
macaroni and cheese: Steuffer's frozen? Yes. Kraft's blue box? Absolutely not. Homemade with quality cheddar and oven-baked? Ooooooh, baby. Textbook definition of comfort food.
Atlantic Street Garlic Gulch pizza: They don't call themselves Atlantic Street anymore, but this Seattle pizzaria still makes the best thick-crust pie around. The sourdough crust is actually worth devouring, and the artichoke and sundried tomato topping is smothered with a layer of fresh pesto, all permeated with garlic. The finished pie needs a forklift to transport and just 2 slices (well, 3 for me) is a meal.
Star Tavern sausage pizza: This dive near my New Jersey hometown is always crazy busy with families packed in to savor their extremely thin-crust pizzas with sauce and cheese all the way to the edge. In a world gone crazy with toppings, thicker crusts, and gourmet trappings, Star's back-to-basics approach yields amazing results. They serve sausage the way God intended it-- crumbled onto the pie, not sliced or in pellets. Details matter, people, and Star Tavern gets them all right. Every year when I return home for Thanksgiving, Star Tavern is the one must-go invariant.
garlic bread: It's hard to go wrong with garlic and butter. Add some melted parmesan and you're even less wrong.
Cougar Gold cheese: I debated putting this on the list at all, because it's rare that I eat cheese as a food unto itself. But in that category, Cougar Gold from the Washington State University Creamery is in a class by itself. A white, sharp cheddar cheese with a dry, crumbly texture and nutty flavor, Cougar Gold gets even better as it ages in its vacuum-sealed can (as one of mine in the back of the fridge has been doing for about five years now. Mmmmmm). And if you want a killer cheddar cheese soup or mac and cheese, this is the stuff.
Posted by Peter at December 30, 2005 11:16 AM