Thịt Nướng – Vietnamese Grilled Pork

Made from an aromatic mix of shallots, garlic, lemongrass, honey, fish sauce, and sesame oil, the marinade mingled with the meat overnight to ensure that every bit of pork was permeated.  The next day, I fired up the grill, loaded up the “meat cage,” and cooked everything up in several batches. With four pounds of pork to plow through, The Astronomer and I were each treated to half a dozen bowls of bún (vermicelli rice noodles), as well as several loaves of bánh mì for the better part of a week. Thịt nướng is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

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Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread is an indulgent marriage of sticky buns and doughnut holes. Served hot out of the oven, it’s a gooey, golden, and unabashedly sweet affair. While it may be civilized to eat it with a fork and knife, I prefer to monkey around with my fingers, pulling each nub apart, slowly and deliberately. Monkey Bread is the ultimate brunch time centerpiece.

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Scott Conant’s Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil

Published in New York Magazine in 2003, this recipe is originally from the kitchen of L’Impero, where Chef Scott Conant cooked before opening Scarpetta. Due to the straightforward nature of the ingredients and instructions, I was skeptical that it would be able to recreate the true majesty of the original dish. I remained a skeptic up until the moment when the sauce began to come together. As I crushed the fresh tomatoes, melding them with the scorching olive oil, the smells and flavors wafting in the air were wholly familiar. Once I added in the basil, butter, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and saw how tightly the chunky sauce clung to the strands of spaghetti, I knew for certain that the recipe had not led me astray.

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I lost my sweet tooth about a month ago. It was the strangest thing ending meals on a savory note and feeling perfectly content with things. While my waistline was thankful for the breather, I missed the heart-pumping pleasure of sinking my teeth into something awesomely sweet. After a few weeks of pining for my sweet tooth, it finally returned to its proper owner. I was seriously getting worried there—whew!

Now that I’m back to my old dessert-loving self, it brings me great excitement to present the ten best sweets of 2011…

Nana Puddin’ from Dreamland BBQ in Birmingham, AL

A feast at Dreamland isn’t complete without a small dish of nana puddin’ to finish. The layers of ripe bananas, wilted ‘Nila wafers, sweet vanilla pudding, and rich whipped cream married together harmoniously. Hands down, this is my favorite dessert in all of Birmingham.

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Salted Caramel Bar from Huckleberry in Los Angeles, CA

The absolute highlight of my meal at Huckleberry was the salted caramel bar.  Biting through its buttery shortbread crust and silky, salt-flecked caramel, I was seriously in heaven. Move over butterscotch budino, I’ve found a new favorite.

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A sure sign that I ate ridiculously well in 2011—a dish of toro tartare and caviar made by Chef Masa Takayama didn’t even crack this year’s top ten. As another year comes to close, it’s become tradition to reflect upon where I’ve been and what I’ve eaten. It was a daunting task choosing my favorite savory dishes of the year, but after careful consideration and conferring with The Astronomer, I finally managed to whittle down the candidates. Without further ado, here are the ten best savory dishes that I ate this year…

Duck for Two from Eleven Madison Park in New York City, NY

Dry-aged for two weeks and roasted with honey and lavender, the Muscovy duck arrived at the table looking positively glorious. I’d never laid eyes on a more beautiful bird. The duck was served with a celery and rhubarb compote and a rhubarb puree. The meat was perfectly tender with a succulent ring of fat, while the skin was caramelized and crisp.

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Smoked Meat from Schwartz’s Montréal Hebrew Delicatessen in Montréal, Canada

The hand-sliced meat was stacked tall between two slices of light rye bread with a bit of yellow mustard. The seemingly simple sandwich packed an impressive punch. The meat was flavorful, moist, and tender, while the bread was soft but sturdy enough to keep the meat in its proper place. Mustard, coleslaw, and pickles were just the tangy accompaniments needed to punctuate the wonderful smoked meat.

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