Drew's Smoked Salmon

My Co-worker Drew Flichtbeil just smoked some Salmon and it was pretty damn good. Through some trial and error, he came up with his foolproof way to Smoke Salmon to perfection:





Here's the magic:

First make the Brine:

1/3 cup brown sugar1/4 cup non-iodized salt2 cup soy sauce1 cup water1/2 tsp. onion powder1/2 tsp. pepper1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce1 cup dry white wine

I was a little more generous with the pepper and tabasco. I didn't have any onion powder and didn't feel like going to the store, so I replaced it with garlic powder. Here's the site where I got the recipe.

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,161,151162-247206,00.html


OK, now for the real business:

DAY ONE:
-Make the brine. You'll need a large bowl or preferrably a large pan with a lid. Mix all ingredients well. To test if you have enough salt, use the egg trick. If it floats, you're good to go (Make sure you take the egg out).

-Cut the salmon into chunks or fillets, however you prefer. My fillets were each one pound. Leave the skin on. The skin stays on throughout the smoking process.

-Submerge the fillets in the brine. You'll need to put something (like a plate) in the pan to keep the fish from floating to the top of the brine. They must be fully submerged.

-Then cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cure for at least 8 hours. I let mine cure for almost 24 hrs. last time.

DAY TWO:
-Go to BBQ's Galore to get wood chunks for your fire. http://www.bbqgalore.com/ The reason I suggest this place is because it is the only place I have actually found wood chunks, NOT wood chips. If you know another place, more power to you, but most grocery stores and other places sell wood chips. DO NOT USE WOOD CHIPS!!! They are to small, do not hold enough water, and they burn up to quickly. Salmon suggests using Alder wood, but I used Mesquite last time.

-You'll want to soak the wood chunks in water for at least 8 hrs. Mine soaked for 48 hrs. only because I did not know this process would take so long and I had already put them in the water. Some people just store their wood chunks in a barrel of water until they need them. Note, you will want the wood chunks to sit and dry for at least 2 hrs before using them in the fire. If they are to wet, they will cool the fire to much.

-Take your fish and brine concoction out of the fridge.

-Remove the fillets from the brine and briefly rinse them with water to remove the salt. The fillets should be have a brown tint to them at this point.

-Place them onto a surface that you will use to put into the fridge for drying. Preferrably you'll want to use a wire oven rack to put them on. I used a large bowl shaped strainer that I put into a large pan that it could drip into.

-Cover with aluminum foil and place in the fridge overnight to dry. You'll want to allow at least overnight time to dry, preferrably 24 hrs.

DAY THREE:
-GET TOTALLY PSYCHED UP!!! The fun is near.

-Get your smoker ready. Here's the one I have: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100327576

-Place enough coals in the firebox (lower offset area of the smoker) to burn for about 3-4 hrs. You can always add to the fire later if need be. Note, do not put the wood chunks in yet, but they should be out of the water and drying by now.

-I like to let the coals burn for about 20-30 minutes before I begin cooking allow the fire to stabilize and the fire is not too hot.

-You will also want to place a pan of water on the firebox grill above the fire. Just make sure it does not block to much heat from the fire. I used just a regular stove top cooking skillet/pan.

-Try to get the cooking area to about 140 degrees. This smoker does not come with a tempurature gauge, but it does have a cut-out for one. Generally the center of the grilling area is best. After the lid has been closed allowing it to heat-up, I place my hand on the lid. If I can hold it there for 2-3 seconds, the tempurature is about right. Note, the end near the smoke stack is usually cooler than the end near the firebox.

-Now you're ready to smoke. Put a sheet of aluminum foil large enough for your fillets on the cooking grill of the smoker (larger cooking area of smoker), then place the fillets on the foil. You want the placement to be in an area of the cooking area where you think the temp is around 140 degrees.

-Now after placing the salmon on the grill, close the lid and start adding the wood chunks directly into the fire. Note: Do this after you place the salmon on the grill. If you want smoke in your eyes, put the wood on the fire first, then the salmon on the grill... it's up to you. The only way to do this is by opening the door on the side of the fire box and using tongs to place them into the fire. Start out by only putting 2-3 chunks in. Smoke will start coming out of the smoke stack. When it starts to die down, add 1-2 more chunks at a time trying to keep the smoke coming out fo the stack consistant. You DO NOT too much smoke

-Smoke the salmon for about 2-3 hours periodically checking to make sure it is still soft. Periodically check the water pan above fire. It may boil completely out and you will need to add more water. Watch your eyes when openning any lids on the smoker.

-Note: It is impossible to under smoke salmon, as salmon can be eaten raw. Who knows, there may be others that prefer letting it smoke for only a minute. Just don't smoke it so long that the fish gets tough. It's hard to do, but it people still manage to mess it up, but not me. Mine is 100% perfect... 60% of the time.

-Once cooked, you can immediatly enjoy the magic straight from the grill. Smoked salmon needs little of no time at all to cool because it never gets that hot in the first place.

-Have an orgasm

Go Fish

I just got back from Santa Monica Seafood to pick up some oysters and halibut to have for dinner tonight, we will be pairing it with a Garretson Rousanne. The halibut was a nice size filet, but it cost $25. To me, this seems pretty high. Why is it that seafood has become so damn expensive? Has it always been this way? I looked around online to see what was going on with seafood prices and came across a pretty interesting article. Last week in Tokyo, a Hong Kong sushi restaurant owner paid a record $55,700 for a single bluefin tuna. They say the record price was caused by a sharp decline in world tuna supply and also go on to say that bluefin tuna will most likely be extinct sometime in the next fifty years. What a bleak picture for us sushi lovers! Could it be possible that our generation will be one of the last to enjoy fresh sushi from the ocean? I truly shudder at the thought of a world without sushi, it will inevitably be a an exlusive priveleged only food. I am also concerned that with globalization, countries like China and India will continue to develop and acquire a taste for sushi, seafood, and fine wine. Well, apparently supply is not going up, and as demand increases the prices will start to increase dramatically.

I can tell you one thing... I will happily pay $25 for that piece of Halibut and will eat as much damn sushi as I can this year. Hopefully I won't have to explain to my kids one day how delicious a filet of bluefin sashimi tasted with a splash of say sauce and a glass of sake.

Happy 2008!

New Years Eve at Brandons.

Presidential Donations in my Zip Code

70% of the presidential contributions in my zip code went towards Obama and Clinton. Maybe I won't be putting that Ron Paul bumper sticker on my car after all.

Breakdown by candidate »
12.1% Giuliani
1.5% McCain
4.5% Romney
0.5% Thompson
39.4% Clinton
1.7% Edwards
31.6% Obama
8.1% Others**

See where the money in your neighborhood is going:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-prezcontrib-splash,0,2804905,results.formprofile

Cheapest Days to buy items

I read an interesting article in Smartmoney, it turns out you can find bargains on certain days. I have always heard that but didn't really know what that meant until now. The only thing I knew was to not buy Sushi on Mondays because fish markets are closed on Sundays and they try to use up all the excess fish from the weekend on Mondays, thank BLee.. I still subscribe to that theory. Hope this article helps you make purchasing decisions:

Airplane Tickets
When to Buy: Wednesday morning.
Why: "Most airfare sales are thrown out there on the weekend," says travel expert Peter Greenberg, a.k.a. The Travel Detective. Other airlines then jump into the game, discounting their own fares and prompting further changes by the first airline. The fares reach their lowest prices late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Books
When to Buy: Thursday.
Why: Price compare between major chains Borders and Barnes & Noble. The former releases its weekly sales and coupons on every Thursday; the latter, every Tuesday.

Cars
When to Buy: Monday.
Why: "Car dealers live for the weekend, which is when they make most of their sales," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. "On Mondays, the low foot traffic makes it seem like the weekend will never come." That dealer desperation, paired with fewer consumers on the lot, give you more negotiating power.

Clothing
When to Buy: Thursday evening.
Why: That's the day when stores stock their shelves for the weekend, and when many retailers — including Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Express — start their weekend promotions, says Kathryn Finney, author of "How to Be a Budget Fashionista." You'll find great prices and the best selection. "It's an effort to get people to shop in the middle of the week," she says.

Department-Store Wares
When to Buy: Saturday evening.
Why: Department stores have a lot to mark down for their Sunday circulars, so they frequently start the process on Saturday evenings before store closing, says Finney. "They're preparing for the big rush," she says. Bonus: Even if the markdowns haven't been made, many employees will honor the sale price if you ask. Print out the circular preview from the store's web site, and bring it with you when you head to the mall.

Dinner Out
When to Buy: Tuesday.
Why: Most restaurants do not receive food deliveries over the weekend. "Sunday is the garbage-can day of the week," says Kate Krader, senior editor at Food & Wine magazine. "No doubt, they're cleaning out their fridges. Tuesdays, they're starting fresh." Dining out on that day offers the best odds you'll get a meal worth paying for, no matter your price point, she says.

Entertainment
When to Buy: Wednesday.
Why: Plenty of movie theaters, amusement parks and museums offer extra discounts to consumers who visit midweek. Six Flags theme parks offer a $12 discount to AAA members — three times its usual discount of $4. AMC Theatres offers members in its free AMC Movie Watcher reward program a free small popcorn on Wednesdays. (This summer, it's also the day select theaters offer free Summer Movie Camp screenings.)

Gas
When to Buy: Thursday, before 10 a.m.
Why: The price of oil isn't the only factor influencing costs at your local pump. Consumer usage plays a role, too — and weekend demand is high, says Jason Toews, co-founder of GasBuddy.com, a price-monitoring site. Prices usually swing upward on Thursdays as travelers fuel up to head out the following day. By hitting the pump before 10 a.m. (when many station owners change their prices), you'll beat the rush and the price jump.

Groceries
When to Buy: Sunday — or Tuesday.
Why: Maximize savings by combining store sales, which run from Wednesday to Tuesday, with the latest round of coupons from your Sunday paper, says Mary Hunt, publisher of Debt-Proof Living, a money-saving newsletter. "It's a smart idea to wait until you have those in hand to match up with the week's sale items," she says. To snag savings on items you don't need just yet, shop on Tuesday, advises Hunt. Chances are, the store will have run out of the sale items. "That means you can pick up rain checks, which allow you to buy those items later when you need them, and at the sale price," she says.

Hotel Rooms
When to Buy: Sunday.
Why: There are two kinds of hotel managers, and the kind that won't give you a discount on your room rate has Sundays off, says Greenberg. Call the hotel directly, and ask to speak with the manager on duty or the director of sales. These employees are open to negotiation, he says. They'd rather have a booked room at a discounted rate than an empty room. (The rest of the week, your call would get you a so-called revenue manager, who monitors profits — and is rarely willing to lower rates.)

Still Waiting...

LA Times came out with an article regarding home price changes in August. As luck would have the areas in Green are the areas that I would like to own a home/condo/ whatever. Those happen to be the areas that have increased in this turbulent housing market. So the waiting game continues...

I got a craving...

The hot summer days are here and one of the best things other than a cold margarita to cool down is an ice cream sandwich. The problem is that I can't find the ice cream sandwich I fell in love with in High School... It's It. That's the name... it's it. It is vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two amazing oatmeal cookies and covered with dark chocolate. My high school cafeteria used to sell them and I got hooked at an early age. These delectibles are one of the few things from the Bay area that I can actually tolerate. I have checked every local liquor and grocery store and can not find the quintessential summer treat. It seem's that the Nestle ice cream cookie sandwich people have partnered with the Mafia because they are everywhere, taking up precious ice cream cooler space. If anyone in LA knows where to find It's It, please I am calling on you to help me. I am sure there are some SFO expats that are in the know. I am begging you.

Time to kick the Bums out.

Maybe we need a new plague. Perhaps a month of rain? Or maybe we need to see some law enforcement for once. As you may know I live in Santa Monica. There is so much to love about this city, the weather, beaches, culture, dining, etc. For that reason I am willing to pay a much higher cost of living, tolerate traffic, and deal with the scarcity of parking. The single biggest problem facing this city is the Homeless problem. I am a tolerant person by nature, what I am not tolerant of are shouting at people minding their business, accosting shoppers for money, making idiotic comments as I jog by on the palisade, breathing foul order as they make lewd comments towards my girlfriend or female friends, pissing in my garage, invading the park I live near (Reed) so I can never enjoy a picninc there without smelling alcohol and weed, etc.


This is NOT a political liberal vs. conservative issue. This is a police department and City Hall that fails miserably to do their job. God forbid you smoke outside in Santa Monica or have a car that emit's carbon dioxide... but it is okay to infect visitors and residents with social decay. It's quite a paradox that we have here. I came to SM thinking that it was one of the most progressive cities in the Nation, I was wrong. I would hate to leave, but I can not raise children around here if I don't even feel comfortable with my girlfriend walking to the grocery store midday. This needs to be resolved. We need our pier, palisade, and promenade returned to glory.

Los Angeles - A year in retrospect

So, it's been a year now. 365 days since I decided to make the pilgrimage from the peaceful beach town (bubble) of Newport Beach to move to Santa Monica with the woman I love and leave the safety net of one of our nations largest companies (MetLife) to join a little known start up in hopes of making it big. I had such visions of grandeur.





















I am an optimist but not a fool, I knew it would be hard work having three major changes occur in my life all at once. Moving to LA, joining a start-up, and moving in with my serious girlfriend Kristina. If you know me, you would know that this has been a radical year... to say that at times I move at a snails pace would be an understatement. It has actually been a great year, I love living with K, and couldn't imagine life without it. The start-up is still... well... starting up, but things are looking positive and I have had three pay raises, higher blood pressure, about 5 extra pounds, and more excitement for a career than I have ever experienced. We aren't out of the woods yet, but I have gained a lot of experience and am past the point of any type of regret. While we still go to Newport a lot to see family and friends, we have experienced a lot of great things in LA and I am far from ready to leave. We are slowly coming out of our docile shelles. It also helps that BLee moved up here (and Grubb I guess). The restaurants are great, the culture is amazing, the people are rude as hell, I guess I am in paradise per se.

Let's revisit in another year. Who knows where we will be.

This Years Culinary Goal

I have always wanted to go to French Laundry in Yountville, and this year I am making it a point to go there for my birthday in August. I have heard great things about Thomas Keller, and I can say with resolution that I will have him feed me into my 29th year of life. If you would like to join me let me know and we will coordinate the reservation.



Top Ten Rated Restaurants in the World (Restaurant Magazine)

1. El Bulli, Montjoi, Spain - World's Best Restaurant, Best in Europe
2. The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire, UK
3. Pierre Gagnaire, Paris, France - Chef's Choice (voted for by last year's 50 Best)
4. French Laundry, Yountville, California, USA - Best Restaurant in the Americas
5. Tetsuya's, Sydney, Australia - Best Restaurant in Australasia
6. Bras, Laguiole, France
7. Restaurant Le Louis XV, Monaco
8. Per Se, New York, New York, USA
9. Restaurante Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain
10. Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain - Highest New Entrant

Big Sur - Paso Robles Trip

Greetings... we just got back from an amazing trip to our favorite vino destination, Paso Robles and decided to sacrifice a day of wine tasting to hit up nearby Big Sur. Kristina nor I have ever been through Big Sur, so aside from checking it out on the internet, we really didn't know what to expect. Growing up in Southern California as I have, one gets a jaded perception of what coastline should look like and what effect it can have on you. Needless to say, I was thouroughly impressed by the majesty of Big Sur. Obviously, I didn't expect to find young women tanning or Bro's riding around drunk on beach cruisers, but I also did not expect to become so instantly entranced by it. Well, thats enough of that. As you can see in our pictures, there were beautiful waterfalls that went out to the beach, huge rocky cliffs that hugged the coastline, etc. We wrapped up the day at Nepenthe, probably the best view of any restaurant I have ever been to. I highly reccomend it to anyone making the trip. Oh yeah, Paso was awesome too. As usual, we hit up all of our favorite wineries, made new friends and had some awesome dinners. New restaurant in Paso that is worth mentioning is Artisan. Amazing fish dishes and a great wine list.

Halloween 06 at Boo-dega

I know Halloween was on a Tuesday this year, but there was no way we weren't going out. It is one of the funnest holidays... hands down. We hit up Bodega, a local Enoteca. And it did not dissapoint, although I am probably biased due to the fact there were two awesome costumes; Zoolander and Mugatu. The guys probably thought I was gay after they saw how stoked I was on their costumes. I went as Magnum P.I. and K was a Geisha. We rolled out with some of her co-workers. I thought about what the best costumes our group had over the years and compiled a little list (top 5):

5. Brandon as David Beckham (actually it was probably the laziest costume of all time)
4. Collins and Bokow as Mormons (so un p.c.)
3. Jake as a Priest (irony?)
2. Crutchfield as a box of Franzia (Genius)
1. The Tennenbaums (Blee, Bell, and myself)

Beard Papas

I let the Krispy Kreme craze fly right by. Beard Papa's however pulled me in with it's tractor beam, if you are not familiar with Beard Papa's I will fill you in. It's a cream puff. Not just any cream puff, but a cream puff that just arrived her in LA (sawtelle to be exact). It hails from Japan, and if you are lucky enough to snag one before they sell out, you will be hooked on them and will soon fiend them at the most random times. It is the Japanese version of the Krispy Kreme and I can see why. It has a light egg-y, croissant-textured shell with a cream custard filling and is sprinkled with powdered sugar. If you take my advice and seek out this deliciousness give me a call, I will ride shotgun.

Karrens Wedding

Kristina, BLee, and I had the honor of attending my good college friend Karrens wedding last weekend. There was a lot to take in. First of all, the ceremony was in Armenian (my second Armenian wedding in a year) but it was very interesting. We didn't know when to sit or stand unless we followed the lead of everyone else. I grew up Catholic, and I thought our ceremonies were long. But when you attend an entire ceremony in a foreign language, it tends to magnify the length of the wedding quite a bit. His wife, Ani, looked amazing and I have never seen Karren so stoked. Congratulations Buddy! The reception was great, there was an amazing array of different types of foods... very good. I am a huge Zankou fan, but alas, there was no Tarna to be had. Karren's cousin Fred Kazakyhan whom we were also fraternity brothers with in college looks as though he put on some lbs, but is doing good for himself. The best surprise of the night was the music and dancing, apparently Karren and his cousins have been taking Armenian dancing lessons since they were children growing up in Glendale. I was a bit surprised to say the least... let's just say I had never seen Karren dance like that when we were bumping Dr. Dre at the Pike house in IV. I am sure Karren and Ani will be together for a long time. One more note... sorry Raffi, but the Torosyans can bust some great moves on the dance floor.... not to take anything away from the Zerounians.

Welcome to a glimpse of my world

So let me start off by saying, I have never been the type to keep a diary or any of that type of nonsense. My aim for starting a blog is to let my friends, family, and fellow apes share in my lifes adventures or lack thereof at times. I have always benefited from reading the blogs of others with suggestions on places to eat, things to see, and other types of life experiences that I can draw from. I guess this would also aim to give back to the web society that has enriched me at times. If you know me and are reading this, you will already know that I grew up in So Cal all my life and I attended UCSB, which was pretty much were my adult life began; made my current friends, learned what a freak I really am, and most importantly met the love of my life.... Kristina. Hi Babe. Let's have some fun with this. Check back for updates people. And may the Apes run wild like salmon of Capistrano.