Impoverished Gourmet

Michelada

November 22nd, 2007

MicheladaMichelada

Michelada

  1. Juice from half a lime
  2. Coarse salt
  3. A dash Tabasco
  4. A dash Worcestershire Sauce
  5. Ice
  6. Negro Modelo

Rim a highball glass or tumbler with lime and salt. Squeeze lime into the bottom of the glass, then add Tabasco and Worcestershire; mix. Fill glass with ice. Carefully pour in beer — it’ll want to foam over. Enjoy, topping off the beer as necessary.

Fermented Cacao

November 18th, 2007

In Tyler’s post about the origins of chocolate, he wonders about the nature of fermenting cacao. The comments resulted in some salivation over Dagoba Xocolatl. Now, the New Yorker’s food impressario Bill Buford tell us about both. Ostensibly a profile of Dagoba’s founder Frederick Schilling, the his article leads the reader through expositions, alchemistry, assassinations, plantations, sex, mythology, history, and finally into a steaming vat of steaming cacao:

“Badaró then removed his clothes. He landed with an awkward splash. Three of us were in a trough that might comfortable accommodate an adult pig, and the fermenting cacao was up to our necks. Badaró had taken to invoking some god, humming in his deep voice. “We must immerse ourselves and connect to the Aztec gods,” he said. He disappeared, sinking below the surface.

Unfortunately for the eager reader, Extreme Chocolate: the quest for the perfect bean, from the October 29th magazine is not available online; and those unable to find this work of gonzo gastronomy in print must content themselves with NPR’s interview with Buford and a few pictures.