July 2009

Heaven in the Catskills

[Hey, this is Adam The Amateur Gourmet. I’m on vacation in Barcelona, Spain and while I’m gone I’ve asked some awesome people to fill in for me. Today we continue theater legend day with one of the coolest theater folk around, Mr. Kenny Mellman. I still remember the day I discovered that Kenny–who’s appeared on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall as the Herb half of “Kiki & Herb”–was a reader of my blog. It still boggles my mind and humbles me and I’m so flattered he wrote this guest post. So take it away, Kenny!]

For the last several years my partner Brendan and I have gone upstate for the 4th of July. We were actually upstate trying to use the the tinyist amount of Wi-Fi we could find, when I got the email from Adam asking me to write a guest post. I was very excited as I’ve been a fan of this here blog for a long time. But where would inspiration strike? What delicious culinary treat would inspire a whole blog post?

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Food and Gays and Bears… Oh My!

[Hey, this is Adam The Amateur Gourmet. I’m on vacation in Barcelona, Spain and while I’m gone I’ve asked some awesome people to fill in for me. Today is theater legend day and our first post comes from one of my absolute heros, Mr. Hunter Bell, Tony-nominated book writer for the hit Broadway show, [title of show]. Last year, Hunter told us what Broadway stars eat backstage, and this year Hunter takes us on a cruise with Rosie O’Donnell. Except Rosie wasn’t on the boat with him, but we’ll let that go. Take it away, Hunter!]

Hello food nerds or f’nerds. Hunter Bell here and I am honored to be a guest blogger. A year ago I guest blogged about pre-Broadway show eatin’

[See here!]

Well now, my [title of show] peeps and I have taken the show on the road, or on the water rather. We had the good fortune to write and perform a new show we debuted on the most excellent r family cruise.

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Raw Milk; Or Diana Experiments with a Controlled Substance

[Hey, this is Adam The Amateur Gourmet. I’m on vacation in Barcelona, Spain and while I’m gone I’ve asked some awesome people to fill in for me. Now you all know my friend Diana Fithian, don’t you? She’s such a popular fixture of this blog, she deserves her own sub-category. Diana is currently working on a play, but if I say anything more, she’ll break my legs. Take it away, Diana!]

Last week my fiancé Mark and I went upstate to Kingston, New York for a quick summer getaway. Where we stayed was beautiful but pretty rustic, with no internet or cell phone service, and at first we were afraid that after a few days we’d start re-enacting scenes from “The Shining.”

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Herb Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables

[Hey, this is Adam The Amateur Gourmet. I’m on vacation in Barcelona, Spain and while I’m gone I’ve asked some awesome people to fill in for me. Earlier this year, I joined Craig for a trip to the Florida Film Festival, mostly so we could go to Disney World. On the day of the awards, we sat at a table with filmmaker Matt Morris. Then something extraordinary happened: the MC called his name and his documentary, “Pickin’ & Trimmin'” won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary Short. Here Matt wins my grand jury prize for a dish I want to eat RIGHT NOW. Take it away, Matt!]

Adam and I met at the Florida Film Festival. Craig’s movie True Adolescents was playing there, as was my (ahem, award-winning) documentary short film, Pickin’ & Trimmin&#8217. It was only later, through the brilliance of Facebook, that I found out Adam was a food writer and blogger.

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A Dessert Party at Ina Garten’s House? How Bad Can That Be?

[Hey, this is Adam The Amateur Gourmet. I’m on vacation in Barcelona, Spain and while I’m gone I’ve asked some awesome people to fill in for me. I first met Jacob Strauss, the Food Network Addict, at the Miami Food & Wine Festival when I was hosting The FN Dish. Jacob’s a great guy and his blog is really sharp and funny. Here Jacob gives an account of every gay food lover’s dream–meeting Ina Garten. Take it away, Jacob!]

I still have a hard time believing it really happened. Last year I appeared on a Food Network special called Dear Food Network that was filmed at Ina Garten’s ~~massive plantation~~ cozy estate in East Hampton, New York. Yes, the Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa herself.

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Acquiring a Taste for “Top Chef Masters” (or, Corn Dogs as Metaphors)

[Hey, this is Adam The Amateur Gourmet. I’m on vacation in Barcelona, Spain and while I’m gone I’ve asked some awesome people to fill in for me. This post comes from one of the smartest people I know, a master of the written word and lover of pop culture, Mr. Mark Blankenship. Mark’s blog, The Critical Condition, is a playful, thoughtful, and insightful look at all things pop. When he’s not blogging, Mark writes features in the arts section of The New York Times. Take it away, Mark!]

Thanks to Adam for having me back. It’s a pleasure to be here!

So… let me acknowledge this up front: “Top Chef Masters” will never be “Top Chef.” Kelly Choi lacks that Padma Pizzazz, and though strangely-hatted food critic Gael Greene could have her own show, her fellow judges Jay Rayner and James Oseland are just… icky. Do you know what I mean? They’re perceptive and articulate, sure, but they seem so satisfied with themselves. It’s like, dude: The joke you made about the pig’s ear wasn’t funny, so stop chuckling about it. I’ve written that OTC (Original “Top Chef”) takes itself too seriously, but watching those smug smuggers strain to be lighthearted is even more irritating.

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Pickle Spiced Ice

[Hey, this is Adam The Amateur Gourmet. I’m on vacation in Barcelona, Spain and while I’m gone I’ve asked some awesome people to fill in for me. Today we continue talented female filmmaker day with another talented female filmmaker, Ms. Dara Bratt. (Check out her film, “In Vivid Detail.”) Dara isn’t just a talented filmmaker, she’s also an excellent cook–see here–but this post, I have to confess, has me a little worried. Take it away, Dara!]

What I’m about to share may shock you, some will be repulsed, others curious or even amused. Nothing beats a hot summer day like frozen pickle juice.

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Butterflies and Mushrooms

[Hey, this is Adam The Amateur Gourmet. I’m on vacation in Barcelona, Spain and while I’m gone I’ve asked some awesome people to fill in for me. Today is talented female filmmaker day, with our first post from the incredibly accomplished, incredibly gifted writer/director Kim Spurlock. This post is an amazing guide to New York’s best movie theater butterflies and mushrooms. I’ll let Kim explain. Take it away, Kim!]

It occurs to me that the title of this entry might lead you to believe that I will be frying up some funky fungi. Nothing doing. For one thing, psilocybin is illegal. Besides, no amount of butter or salt or good intentions is going to make those magic mushrooms melt in your mouth. Or at least that’s what I hear. Luckily, the same can’t be said for popcorn!

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