Breakfast and 2 dinners.

So, we had a remarkably satisfactory diner type breakfast at this place on Granby St.  As Stephen Fry says as Gordon Gordon Wyatt in Bones "There's something remarkable about the American griddle that it always turns out perfect eggs."  I feel that often diner scrambled eggs just taste, oddly un egg like.  But these were delicious.  The potatoes were also really good.  No Pamela's potatoes, to be sure, but were quite tasty.

So, after that meal we left the oddity that is the South and came home.  I made a late dinner of pasta with cheese sauce.  I must say, that it was my most successful cheese sauce to date.

Here is what I did:

Ingredients:
half onion
half stick butter
quarter cup flour (I did not actually measure this, so use your judgement based on how the roux is looking in the pot!!)
1.5 cups milk
.5 tsp oregano
2-3 oz sharp cheddar
2-3 oz parmesan
2 cloves garlic
I used about a total of a half stick of butter in my roux, but I did it in two parts, because of the onions.

So I took about a quarter of the stick of butter and melted it then sweated the garlic and onion.  Then I added the rest of the butter and whisked in the floor.  Constant whisking is key here.  It will turn into a smooth (well except the onions) white-ish gooey paste.  (I really don't know how to describe a roux.)  Happily, Uel and I had had a Good Eats marathon early this summer so I remembered the different stages of roux.  For this sauce getting a fairly good brown (or brick) roux.  Between a medium brown and a dark brown, I'd say.  As Alton Brown says "Your patience will be rewarded."  While the roux is browning, you should put on water for the pasta.  Once the roux has started to get fairly well on to a darkish brown, you should warm the milk to on the verge of hot.  When the roux is quite brown and the milk is warm, whisk the milk into the roux.  Keep whisking until the milk is well incorporated.  Whisk in the oregano. Then add the cheese whisking until the cheese is melted.  When the pasta is done cooking, mix the sauce with it and enjoy.  Salt and pepper to taste!

Tonight I made a mushroom fake bolognese sauce.  But it is midnight, so I shall post about it tomorrow.

Beki