July 4 2007 Jar-B-Que

Wine:

Flying Cloud Syrah Rose 2006 Paso Robles
L’Hortus Rose de Saignee Coteaux du Languedoc 2006
Arietta On the White Keys 2005
Charles B. Mitchell Grand Reserve Vintage Cuvee Estate Fair Play 2005
Batic Pinot Gris Reserve Vipava (Slovenia) 2004

Cliff / Cathy
Billy / Kevin
Ty / James

We invited our mah jong playing friends Billy and Kevin over for to watch fireworks and have dinner on our deck. We also invited James to join us. At the last minute we found out our neighbor Ty was home so we invited him also.

Our deck looks out over the City of Los Angeles and we can see fireworks all over. It is a great place to watch the July 4th madness. It had been very warm so we knew we would be eating outside on the deck.

Everyone brought great wine so it was a very good night for drinking!

Figs were still in season so we started with Figs and Prosciutto (from The Cheese Store of Silverlake) and Pistachios. Usually we have margaritas and guacamole but the figs were so good this year we decided to go with them.

For a first course we made Asian Noodles. This is a favorite of mine. It was one of those dishes that have a very high ratio of great taste to effort put in to make it. It is very easy to make. It is from Barbara Tropp’s great cookbook: The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking. The recipe is called Orchid’s Tangy Cool Noodles! Yum! Although the recipe reads complicated, it isn’t! Barbara just has a way with words!

We served Pork Chops that we had marinated like they do at Jar Restaurant. It is a great recipe! We made Japanese Style Rice as a side dish.

For desert we made a White Nectarine Crisp. The nectarines are at their peak of sweetness. We love crisps, even more than pies. We topped it with Vanilla Ice Cream.

The fire works were fun to watch and we stayed on the deck talking, drinking the great wine and watching fireworks till 12:30 or so. How did such a great start of a country wind up with George Bush as president? Maybe we should suspend the holiday till he is out of office.




Orchid’s Tangy Cool Noodles

This is the quintessential Chinese cold noodle dish, a tangy northern-style blend of sweet, tart, and spicy tastes that has an astonishing popularity. It was the first Chinese dish I ever made, at a time when I had one tin pot in which to boil and store the noodles, and nothing big enough to toss them in but the kitchen sink. * For economy, portability, and adaptability to any number of people or settings, "Orchid's" cannot be surpassed. Make them in advance. The flavors merge and enlarge as the noodles sit.




TECHNIQUE NOTES:
Serves 6-8 as a luncheon'style dish with assorted "Little Dishes," 10-15 as part of a large buffet or multicourse meal.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound long, 1/16-inch thin Chinese egg noodles, fresh or frozen
Seasonings:
3 ½ tablespoons Chinese or Japanese sesame oil
3 ½ tablespoons black soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons well-aged Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar (we use balsamic)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
½ - 1 tablespoon hot chili oil
4 heaping tablespoons thin-cut green and white scallion rings
To garnish:
freshly cut scallion rings

Cooking the noodles:

Fluff fresh or defrosted noodles in a Colander to release any tangles. (Take care not to tear them. Long noodles in China are a metaphor for long life, and it is great fun to eat them that way.)

Bring a generous amount of unsalted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the noodles and swish with chopsticks to separate the strands. Put the colander in the sink. Cook the noodles until cooked but pleasantly firm to the bite, about 2-3 minutes for fresh store-bought noodles. Drain immediately in the colander and chill thoroughly under cold running water. Shake off excess water, then return the noodles to the clean dry pot or to a large bowl.

Saucing the noodles:

Blend the seasonings in a small bowl. Pour the sauce evenly over the noodles, using a handful of noodles to wipe the bowl clean so you don't lose any of the sugar. Toss gently with your hands to separate the noodles and distribute the sauce, then add the scallion rings and toss again to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary to achieve a tangy blend of sweet and hot flavors. Remember that the chili will grow more pronounced within a few hours, so err on the cautious side if you are not eating the noodles immediately.

For best flavor, cover and put aside for several hours at room temperature or store
overnight in the refrigerator. Toss before eating to redistribute the seasonings. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled, heaped in a bowl and garnished with a fresh sprinkling of scallion rings.

Orchid's lasts 4-5 days, sealed airtight and refrigerated. Flavor peaks in spiciness on the second day.