Weddings and Burgers

Last night I got to carve out a bit of time to take a break from wedding planning and do what I've always loved most, just cook. The Beatles were blasting in the background and our kitchen was so humid and hot from having the stove on but it didn't matter. I was able to tune everything else out and just focus on the task at hand - making a burger. Sounds easy enough but this wasn't just any old burger I was making. 

"Before we get married," said Burger Boy, "I'd like you to make me a burger". It's true, in all of our time together, I've never once made him a burger and I can't blame a guy for wanting to see what he's signing up for before we get married next week (!!). So I took my responsibilities seriously and selected a blend of different cuts to grind myself. I also made the bun myself, attempting a homemade Portuguese bun. Pillowy, yet just substantial enough to hold up from first bite to last, it worked beautifully. I also made a homemade ketchup that was designed to accentuate the burger and be a cross between a ketchup and steak sauce. Cabot Clothbound, intensely rich in cheddar flavor yet still melts well, was my cheese of choice. Crisped Panchetta "Chips" gave an extra bit of saltiness as well as some texture and I, as well as my burger loving companion, was very pleased with the results. Looks like I passed the test and there will be a wedding after all!

It's so very hard for me to believe that in just a couple of days time, I will be a Mrs. I've thought of this day my whole life and it's hard to wrap my head around the fact that this day is right within my reach. Within the next couple of days various family and friends from out of town will be arriving and that will be next phase of making this whirlwind of an experience all the more real. I really can't wait! Once we're married, we are off to Italy and we plan to do nothing but eat, drink and relax (and maybe visit a cultural landmark or two..). We need to unwind and just celebrate the start of our life together. 

To address one last important thing, to be fair, in exchange for making him a burger, he's making me an ultimate pizza tonight. I'm an absolute sucker for a great pie and as I type this, he's hard at work making me the pizza of my dreams. I can't help wondering what toppings he'll put on it. I just hope there's lots of cheese involved :) but pressure's on and tonight he's in the hot seat! And on that note, I temporarily bid you adios. Back to working out some final details. Next time I write my wedding will just be a memory and I'll be a Mrs. who has been to Italy and can't wait to tell you all about it! 

Catching Up: Wedding and Working

If you've been looking for me, I've been buried under a pile of prospective centerpieces, our wedding  invitations, assorted ribbons in varying colors, rubber stamps and am covered from head to toe in embossing powder. Why? Because we're almost exactly two months away from our wedding and we decided that the only way we could pull off all that we wanted for what we had budgeted, was to DIO - Do It Ourselves. I used to have this glorified and romanticized association for the DIY/DIO phrase (thank you very much HGTV) but the reality of it has been a little, well, less than glamorous (see first sentence).  

Our invitations, just before they hit the mail

At least the invitations are out (side note: what's with the line with an "M" already on that response card line? I've never seen a response card without one before so we left it on ours. To me, it's like telling guests, "Here, I know you're probably going to write "Mr. Mrs. or Ms." on that line anyway, why don't I lighten that burden and get you started. Here's an M. Now tell me the rest.."). Now we're just waiting to get the little response card in the mail and I have to admit, it adds an element of excitement to our day as we tear through each envelope in a suspenseful manor, anxious to see who is coming and who isn't. We especially love that some friends have even left us thoughtful or funny notes, or even better yet, have drawn pictures. We're just so excited to have all of the people that we love in one big room, we can't even stand it. We just need to get through all these details first.

Richard's Brunch: Smoked Portabello Mushroom, Canadian Bacon, Poached Egg, Gruyere and English Mushroom Croutons. Finished with a Smoked Mushroom Sauce 

In addition to the wedding, on the work front, we're so proud. We're working on two new very exciting projects that unfortunately I have to be coy and vague about them for now until we firm up some things first. On a day-to-day basis, we've got some really terrific clients that we're working with and we're totally getting into our rhythm with them. Additionally, we've been doing a lot of dinner parties and in-home cooking classes lately and it's been really incredible for us to find friendships in it all and really get to know people. We've just felt so rewarded by the work that we do and the people we've been meeting.

Richard's Brunch Part II: Spiced Yucca Home fries

In between all of these happenings and meetings and just our life as we know it now, it's been imperative for us to remember that we are a couple and take a break. It seems like such a silly thing to have to remind ourselves but with all that's going on, we've made a point to try to etch out some time, even if it's just a bit of time, for ourselves. A couple weekends ago Richard made me brunch and took me out to dinner. It was so nice to set aside time to take a breather. I've also turned to baking and cheese making to relax myself. I made some Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day and since our centerpieces involve milk bottles from Whole Foods, we've had an abundance of milk that we've been trying to get through. It's helped to relax me a bit and keep me grounded with all that's going on.

My St. Patrick's Day Irish Soda Bread

I know that all of this excitement is temporary and in just a couple month's time, it will all be over and I have a love-hate relationship with that. I love that I'll seem to get my life back and I feel like I keep pushing things aside to tackle after the wedding. I'll love that my days won't be ruled by whether or not we should order soup spoons, even though we don't plan to have soup at our wedding. I know a part of me will hate that I will go to our mailbox and response cards won't be there and I'll miss that we won't be having those in depth discussions on soup spoons. It's just the nature of being a bride, I suppose.

What's the {Zuppa di Fagioli} Soup?

There are only a (small) handful of things that I actually like about winter. For starters, I actually do like snow but it's a conditional love affair in that I only like it when it's falling, swirling around giving everything, especially trees, a crisp, white glow. This condition is furthered by the fact that I only like it when I'm inside and can admire it's beauty, preferably with mass amounts of candles lit and a glass of red in hand. If I have to be out in the snow or it spoils my plans, all bets are off. Next on my short list of wintertime likes is a big bowl of a hearty, stick-to-your gut kind of soup, something that you just can't enjoy in those warmer months. My list rounds out with other heavier fare, braises, chilies and stews, etc. but to me, a hearty bowl of soup is tops.

Still new to the South End dining scene, Cinquecento (which literally translates to "500" in Italian, which is the restaurants address on Harrison Street) is sleek to say the least. With its bold red awning and painted brick walkway, both proudly bearing the "Cinquecento" name, the attention to detail, from the catchy marketing, by way of vibrantly printed glossy menus and slim matchbooks, to the restaurant's grand staircase and uniquely shaped metal hostess stand, there's a certain chicness and sexiness to it all. The restaurant is dimly lit to "allow couples to escape for an intimate second, yet still remain part of the greater environment", boasts this eatery's website. Once we made our way to our table, a simple tea light candle and tiny terracotta ramekin filled with salt were there to greet us, along with crusty Italian bread and some good, sharp Olive Oil for dipping. 

Since the focus of the evening's visit was to sample the soup and report back for the folks at What's the Soup, I ordered the Zuppa di Fagioli ($7.50), which is a combination of Borlotti Beans, Smoked Ham and Kale. The soup arrived hot and I dug right in, dipping bits of bread into the the soup's rich and smoky broth. There was an abundance of beans and torn pieces of Kale. The soup was incredibly filling and perfectly satisfying for a chilly, winter night. Overall, I totally dug the atmosphere at Cinquecento and would happily return for a cocktail or a bite. 

Warm Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

I made this Cheeseburger dip a couple weeks ago, per the request of you-know-who. He had been asking me to make him something with a cheeseburgery theme to it and it took me a little while to finalize this recipe, because it seemed like there were so many directions to go in. I made this for a Superbowl party that we hosted and I'm just now getting around to writing it because it's been a crazier than normal couple of weeks. We're now in the thick of our wedding planning and reaching the midpoint. Tomorrow marks our 100 day countdown until we say our "I do's" and I get to be Mrs. Burger Boy! In between one of the busiest couple of months The Skinny Beet has had to date, we are finalizing the band, creating centerpieces and selecting invitations and with each detail, our wedding becomes more real. 

This past weekend, the real icing on the proverbial Wedding Cake (or in our case, French Macaroon) was the fact that I had my bridal shower. Expertly hosted by my lovely Sister, Mom (and even Dad had a hand in it) some of my nearest and dearest brunched with me, sipped mimosas and watched me unwrap toasters, new towels and wine glasses. The whole day was surreal and it hit me, I'm getting married! In talking more about my upcoming nuptuals to my burger-lover for life, it only seems fitting to provide a recipe for Cheeseburger Dip. 

When I set out to make this, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Obviously the point was to mimic a burger but make it into an ooey-gooey cheesy and scoopable form. I started by making a simple roux (butter and flour mixture) then added sharp cheddar cheese and a little Worcestershire, Ketchup and Mustard, which give it that "burger" taste. Already browned ground beef get added to the mix before some briny pickles are mixed in. You could, of course top the whole thing off with lettuce and tomatoes (or whatever other burger fixin's you fancy) or just leave it as is. Serve with Sesame Rounds (sliced and toasted sesame bread) or tortillas, Pita Chips, etc. Surprise the burger-lover in your life with this fun dip or just make it for yourself :) 

Warm Bacon Cheeseburger Dip 

- Olive Oil for the pan

- 3/4 pound ground beef

- 1/2 Onion, cut into half-moon sized slivers

- 1/2 stick butter

- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 cup whole milk (more if needed)

- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

- 3-4 slices of American Cheese

- A couple splashes of Worcestershire Sauce

- 1 TBS Keptchup (a little more if desired)

- 1/2 TBS Mustard (a little more if desired)

- 1/2 cup Kosher Dill Pickles, divided

- 2-3 pieces cooked, crumbled bacon 

- Salt, to taste

- Sesame Rounds, Pita Chips or Tortilla Chips for dipping

In a medium, cast iron skillet (or regular skillet), heat just enough olive oil to coat the skillet. Add the ground beef and brown. Once meat is browned, remove from skillet and set aside. Drain skillet of any excess fat. Add the onions and heat on medium-low heat until they are caramelized and very soft. Add the butter and flour, stirring to combine. Heat for a minute or two until the roux starts to smell nutty. Add the milk and stir to combine. Add the cheese and heat until it's melted. You should be left with a thick sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more milk. Add the ground beef to the skillet along with the Worcestershire, Ketchup and Mustard. Finally, add half of the pickles and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with remaining pickles and bacon. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

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