Monday, April 29, 2013

The people are never wrong

pretty celadon plates by my momma
Per your unanimous instructions, I made the Momofuku bo ssam for book group on Friday and it was a huge hit. I detected mild shock when the blistered 10-pound chunk of meat appeared on the table because, well,
Ugly. But mild shock soon gave way to professions of gratitude. Everyone ate the salty, sugary, fatty bo ssam, everyone said nice things, everyone drank lots of water, everyone drank wine, everyone who had read Nothing to Envy loved Nothing to Envy and I went to bed happy, so happy. Thank you.

Three lessons from Friday night:

1. Fussbudgets make a lot of noise, but most people just like good food and if you serve it to them they will eat it.

2. Strangers read my blog, but no one in book group does.

3. Book club spent more time talking about these gluten-free pecan cookies than we usually spend talking about a book. The cookies look like brown lumps and are dense, intense, and chewy. I was pleased with how they turned out, but the ecstatic reception, which included one woman suggesting I supply a gluten-free bakery, surprised me. Was this because gluten-free cookies are ordinarily awful? Because everyone was drunk? Because these cookies are in fact the best cookies in the whole history of humankind, maybe even the best dessert? I don't know. I do know they're easy and delicious and I will make them again.

Next month we're reading Lean In. How would one plan a theme dinner around that? Not my problem!

20 comments:

  1. Awesome! I also enjoyed Nothing to Envy. Do you know there are tours that Americans can take to North Korea...? Probably suspended right now.

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  2. I don't doubt the cookies tasted good, they are basically melted brown sugar dotted with pecans. Yes, gluten free cookies can taste like dog biscuits, if you're not careful. I want me a big slab of
    bo ssam now.

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    Replies
    1. I am so glad it went well, but we knew it would. You doubt yourself too much, but I imagine that is from the challenges of cooking for those in your own home, i.e. a husband who is not adventurous in eating and two kids. Most women are thrilled to eat good food that they did not have to cook - the miracle of other people's cooking. I am going to have to try these cookies. Please report next month on the discussion of Lean In. That is, in my mind, a loaded discussion group! Stand down, Jennifer, another success.

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  3. For Lean In, order in, but of course.

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  4. I am glad the food was appreciated. And it's interesting that with all the fuss there was only one non-carnivore in the group. Still the question floated about women and food is hugely of interest. Why is the fuss necessary? I just saw When Harry Met Sally for the first time and there was Sally making a food fuss all the way back in 1989. Hope to hear more from you on the subject.
    For Lean In - either the husband or the cook or the personal assistant will take care of the meal, natch.

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  5. The pecan cookie recipe says that if you overbeat the pecans will ruin the recipe. Why wouldn't you just add the pecans at the end? I only have a hand held mixer and the only speed is fast and faster.

    Wish I could create an opportunity for the ham. It looks great!

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    Replies
    1. That's a good question about the cookies and I can't answer it. Maybe you want some of the oil out of the pecans but not too much?


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    2. Sorry to butt in (since this is not my blog), but the pecans form the body of the cookie. There's no flour, so breaking up the pecans is essential. I'd bet you could make it in a food processor if you were very careful to only pulse it a very few times.

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  6. Ugly? it looks delicious and juicy. But hey, I'm from the Balkans...

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  7. I love your comment that strangers read your blog, but no one in your book group does! My husband reads my blog erratically. My parents and brother never do, nor do my in-laws. But I know that strangers do and I will sometimes get comments at work that make it clear that people I don't even work closely with a regular readers... The most exciting thing is that I do a lot of book reviews and often hear from authors. That's cool.

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