Friday, June 15, 2007

Take a Picture: Pork Chops with Apples

Today is the official launch date of my new food blog, although you wouldn't know it by looking at the posts. I figured it would be nice to start out with a small catalog of recipes so for the last week or so I've been pulling material from my other blog, "Here's the Thing", doing some edits, loading and giving the posts their original time stamps. There is more to come but I'm satisfied with the foundation.

On Wednesday, suffering from what amounts to a minor disappointment, but seemed major at the time, I had a long conversation with my bestie, JP. He helped me decided on a blog title, something I'd been over-thinking for days. Then we started talking about a visual concept, as he'd already agreed to make a banner for me. A picture sprang into my head but unfortunately, I am unable to draw anything but mice. So I decided to email my very creative friend, The Hat, told her the vision and begged her to make it happen.

Yesterday was a big day.

The Hat and I talked and about 15 minutes later she emailed me some art. I was back on the phone with her before the ink dried, so to speak, to tell her how utterly perfect it was. It was even better than what I was thinking and trust me, I was thinking something pretty great. A couple of minor changes and voila! there was my perfect little dishy lady (who I plan to name), all ready for her debut.

The art was immediately emailed to JP, who'd nonchalantly figured he'd putter with the banner over the weekend. But once he saw the dishy little gal he couldn't wait to get started.

Last night, as I began preparing dinner, he and I were on the phone, discussing the merits of various type faces, tweaking colors, fussing with the side bar. It's been long established that he and I share a brain, so this was a very delightful process. I mentioned that it seemed appropriate that we were puttering with my food blog while I was cooking.

"Take a picture," he said. (He's quite insistent that all the recipes include pictures so that he will be able to tell if he cooked a dish correctly. And besides, who doesn't love pictures of food?)

By the time the family sat down to table, I knew that this blog would launch a lot sooner than expected. It was time to get the dishy little woman out into Blogopia. It was all very exciting. But I had to wait until today. First, I had to eat my pork chops.

Pork Chops with Apples

For the chops:
4 boneless, center-cut, pork loin chops, patted dry
1 T. fresh thyme leaves
1/3 c. dry white wine
2 t. balsamic vinegar
1 t. unsalted butter
salt & pepper
olive oil for cooking

For the apples:
3 firm apples, cored and sliced
1 c. brown sugar
2 T. unsalted butter

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Lightly season the chops with salt and pepper and cook a couple minutes, turning to brown both sides.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring to bring up the browned bits. Sprinkle chops with thyme leaves and balsamic vinegar. Cover skillet and reduce heat to medium. Don't let the sauce boil away.

While pork chops are cooking, melt 2 T. butter in another skillet.

Put brown sugar on a plate and press both sides of the apple slices into the sugar. Place apples in melted butter and cook on medium high heat, turning after about 3 minutes. Cook the apples another 2-3 minutes, just so they get a little brown, and remove to a platter.

Arrange pork on platter with the apples. Scrape the butter-sugar sauce from the apple skillet into the pork juices, stirring to combine and finish the sauce with one teaspoon of butter. Pour sauce over the pork and serve.

24 comments:

Seattle Coffee Girl said...

HOLY COW, this is awesome!! LT, this is utterly, deliciously fantastic. I love this site! Congratulations!

SNAPS to JP and Hat, you're superfantastic.

I am hungry, must find food. This site is going to put at least ten virtual pounds on me if I'm not careful. :)

Anonymous said...

It's perfect! I am tickled pink (not trying to pull puns, but what other color would tickle be?) to have been of assistance.

Anonymous said...

Oh and hello!? You organized the posts into recipe files? Genius. Sheer and utter.

Unknown said...

Hat, you are an AMAZING artist! And JP, what can I say? You are the banner king!!! Lorraine, my friend, this blog is long overdue. We all know you are the cook extraordinaire!!! Can't wait to start trying your dishes... see, you did it...'member when you offered to send me menu ideas? Now you're doing it - and for me and a gazillion others too! Yayayayayay!!!!

Unknown said...

Oh yeah, and I love the tiara...so apropos! And Lorraine - your "middle" name is Fraser... you ARE familiar with Claire and Jamie Fraser of Voyager, Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, etc. fame, are you not? I think you're related... you DO kind of remind me of Claire, only taller, and not British.

TWISI said...

I love it!!!!!! Congratulations and thanks now I know where I will go this weekend when trying to decide what to cook.

The site looks FAMULUS!

k

Lorraine said...

SCG - I'm so glad you love it, dear. And remember, a) virtual pounds don't require a new dress size and 2) you are eating for two.

Hat - thanks again, a million applesauce cakes for your help. You, my dear, are the bee's knees (cooked in custard and slapped into a pie).

Gina - thanks, doll, and I hope lots of happy eating comes your way from my humble attempts at yumminess.

The Fraser thing...it's my mom's maiden name, the side of the family wot writes. I fancy using it in a nom de plumey way.

Thanks, Kendall, and just know that there are some things on here that do not require butter. Or, uh, there will be. But then, a little pat of butter now and then never hurt anyone.

Anonymous said...

The Hat came through indeed. What she came up with could not have been more perfect.

I've been looking at the site all morning, like a kid looking at the still-wrapped presents beneath the Christmas tree.

And I will now admit publicly what I admitted to Lorraine in private this morning: "Here's the Dish" is 1000 times better than "Here's the Food." I don't know what I was thinking.

Lorraine said...

And you came through, too, Poodle. Your help was invaluable. Shut up, it was, too.

Have some more cake.

rosemary said...

E.X.T.R.A.O.R.D.I.N.A.R.Y!!!
F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.!!!
A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!!!

Great job Lorriane, JP and Hat.

May I have one porkchop and a few apple slices, please?

Lorraine said...

Aw, thanks, Rosie. Would you like a little sauce on that?

Renee said...

I love it.
Now you just need to find a way to fedex these meals to your readers and so I can stop drooling all over the screen.
I'd pay.

Lorraine said...

Thanks, Renee. Drooling is not good...you could short out your computer. As soon as I open a Swiss bank account for deposits, I'll let you know.

Sling said...

I can see all the hallmarks of a Hat,JP,and lorraine collaboration.
You guys did an awesome job!

more cowbell said...

You look mahvelous, dahling! This is the bomb, you guys really pulled it out!

L: It's clean, simple, and appealing. Loving the brown and pink and white -- nice! Really nice! I've never been excited about a food site, but you may have just pulled me in.

My good Hat, the vintage pinkery is perfect!

JP the look and feel is really pro.

Red: And the name -- if it couldn't be Eat Me, well it had to be Here's the Dish. Goes perfect with the art, and the subtle play on words ties it all in.

Fun! Great collaboration! Maybe I'll even try to cook something ... [backing out of room]

Lorraine said...

Thanks, Sling...and would you please stop bogarting the cake?

Cowbell, shucks, m'am. And you have to pinky (tee) swear promise to tell should you ever cook anything from the site. Especially if it turns out.

Anonymous said...

I too am filled with disdain for having offered up Here's The Food. hmpf!
Here's The Dish sounds like an invitation to enjoy, whereas Here's The Food sounds like some hairy chinned Mel slopping creamed corn on a divided cafeteria tray.

Lorraine said...

"Here's Your Piping Hot Gruel, You Little Bastids" was rejected for similar reasons, Hat.

Red Seven said...

... and look what happens when I disappear for a few days! Congrats, Lorraine -- this is GAWCHUSS, and many props to JP and the Hat as well!

Red Seven said...

... oh, and Like Water for Chocolate should be seriously considered for your lists of foodie books and/or movies -- tho' I'd favor the book (by Laura Esquivel) because each chapter begins with a recipe.

Rick Rockhill said...

nice post...love the food pics!

Lorraine said...

Thanks for stopping by, Savant.

Lorraine said...

Thanks, Red. And yes, I like that book...though I was disappointed in the movie. I shall add it to the list forthwith.

Anonymous said...

Here is a great foodie book:
"The Sea, the Sea" by Iris Murdoch.
I live and have lived for quite some time, alone. This is a great book about eating for one. And the character of Charles Arrowby is my dream man. Which has nothing to do with food but there you are.