Well, come to think of it….so am I…with HIM. Hey Tony – I could be your stalker! Wait, that’s too much work. I’d rather just sit back on Monday night and watch you on the Travel Channel.
In this week’s No Reservations, Tony is going to meet up with a bunch of obsessed guys and talk about their passion for all things FOOD. I hear that there may even be some ….. BLOGGERS (eeek) that he talks to.
Obsession #1: La Frieda’s Black Label Burger
– Meat, beef, cow – As Tony and Josh Ozersky visit the Minetta Tavern in NYC, over what could just be the BEST burger around. Oh, this is no ORDINARY burger. This burger is so good that “it floods your head with meaty goodness”. Hey at $26 for a slab patty of chopped up beef, it had BETTER be good – DAMN good! Now, I like burgers as well as the next person (as a matter of fact the burgers in the restaurant that we used to own in Providence – 3 Steeple Street got the award for “BEST BURGER” in Rhode Island), but this one MIGHT just be BETTER. I’m supposing there’s NO relation between this burger and the one’s they serve at Micky D’s.
Obsession #2: Blackmore Wagyu Beef
– Still on the trail for MORE beef, Tony and David Blackmore explore what is commonly known as Kobe beef (or Wagyu beef). Talk about EXPENSIVE. Did you know that this wonderfully marbled meat sells for well over $1,000 per sirloin strip in New York? WHOLESALE! Tony and David visit David’s farm in the Yarra Valley, 2 hours north of Melbourne. I wonder if the cows wear Gucci loafers and Tiffany earrings? Just sayin…
– Now we’re talking MY language. BREAD! Personally, I judge EVERY place by the bread that it serves and every bakery by the simplest mixtures of yeast, water and flour. Jim Lahey (THE bread guy), according to Tony is obsessed with yeast and fungus. Using a simpler method of allowing the yeast to rise for 24 hours, rather than kneading, he’s created a perfect dough (oh and a perfect pizza crust as well).
Obsession #4: Mescal – The Ur-tequila
– The first time that I drank Mescal was in Mexico at one of those tacky bars that surrounds the port where the cruise ships come in. I’m guessing that other than the worm in the bottom of the bottle, that it in no way resembled REAL Mescal. Ron Cooper is an artist who turns to Mexico for inspiration for his art project that involved creating 50 blue bottles and filling them with prime mescal – the Ur-tequila. I can’t wait to check out Del Maguey’s mescals, which are produced slowly, naturally and in small quantities.
– Next Tony hangs out with ONE OF US! YES, a blogger – Jason Perlow of OffTheBroiler.com to check out White Manna burgers and talk about blogger arguments over culinary minutia. Next it’s on to some banter with Steve Plotnicki, founder of the food blog – Opinionated About Dining at Txikito, and last but not least Tony meets up with Steven Shaw, publisher of Fat-Guy.com and co-founder of eGullet., where they check out the Cambodian restaurant, Kampuchea.
Obsession #6: Artisanal Cheese
– Tony visits with Chef Terrance Brennan This guy REALLY knows his cheese!
Obsession #7: Fish
– Dining on a just-caught halibut from the Pacific and flown in JUST in time for dinner, or a wonderful striped bass caught by Dave Pasternack of ESCA (on Long Island Sound), Tony is in for some of the FRESHEST fish around.
Obsession #8: Tony’s Obsession
– Hmmmm…….(do I hear squealing or oinking?)
My Obsession?
– Sorry Tony, you’ll have to find yourself another stalker. My obsession is … Good food, great friends and mixing the two together for a great time.
You can catch No Reservations on Monday night at 10 PM!
