I am my father's daughter. Ever the bibliophile, this is a man who owns the entire 1911 edition of Encyclopedia Britannica because "It's the best ever, hands down. You can curl up with it in bed!"; has never found an 19th century book on ship-building he didn't like; and owns books about...making books. I can't tease him too hard though, his tomato is my to-mah-to. 1930s etiquette is my 19th century shipbuilding. His Encyclopedia Britanica is my MFK Fisher. He collects flags and military patches, I collect Depression glass and pre-war ceramics. We're weird, but it works.
I love vintage cookbooks because they're as close to a culinary time machine as I'll ever get. The attitudes, the aesthetic, the ingredients, they all paint a specific picture of what goes onto a plate. And I actually cook from them too. Some of the recipes have been divine (baked gnocchi with thyme beschamel anyone?) and others...not (cornmeal hush puppies cooked in bacon fat sound awesome in theory, but not if "Cookbook of the Stars" has anything to do with it), but either way I love attacking them, playing some era appropriate music, and tucking in to a plate of vintage fare.
Today's recipe is actually a take on Welsh Rarebit (which I keep reading as Welsh Rabbit), which apparently my Grandma used to enjoy when she was a happening single lady in the late thirties. I found a recipe for it in a 1935 etiquette book for the "live aloner" (so much better sounding than "single," amirite ladies?) and it was listed as a great last minute party snack or part of a simple dinner. As I read the ingredients, it occurred to me that it was fondue, just switch out the gruyere for American cheese and white wine for beer. I'm not a huge American cheese fan, so I thought cheddar would bring a bit of edge to the whole thing. Paired with a malty, hoppy beer, this is the ultimate guy snack.
It takes about 10 minutes to put together and you can keep it warm in the oven if you don't want to dig in right away. So whether you're a live-aloner looking for a quick meal, or a happening lady making snacks for her guy friends, this recipe is totally aces. 
1 tablespoon butter
8 oz grated cheddar, melted
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1 large pinch cayenne (1/4 tsp if you like is very spicy)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup pale ale
chives
baguette, cut into 1 inch thick slices
Preheat oven to broil.
Melt butter and add the cheese. Add the spices and a pinch of salt and pepper. As the cheese melts, gradually add the pale ale, stirring to combine. Place the sliced baguette on a baking sheet. Spoon on the cheese, coating the toast in the middle and broil on bubbly and browned. Top with chives. Enjoy!
CHEDDAR BEER TOAST WITH CHIVES AKA WELSH RAREBIT
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: SNACKS ON SNACKS
Avocado Toast
Pig Candy
My dad just informed me that it's national bacon day, so I figured I re-post an old favorite that I make EVERY time I have people over. It's just one of those slam dunk dishes that everyone loves. Pig Candy.
Really, what could possibly be better than candy made of pig? Bacon to be precise. Smokey, salty, spicy, sweet: yes please! And the best part is that it is ridiculously easy to make. In 30 minutes you’ll have a bowl of kitsch bar snacks that are just as delicious with a rich red wine as with a spicy ale or sweet and smokey stout. The possibilities are endless and so is my appetite for these little pieces of heaven. In the words of the ad man, bet you can’t have just one.
For 4
8 strips thin cut bacon (hickory smoked bacon was a wonderful maple flavor already within it)
1 cup golden brown sugar
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Turn the oven on to 350 F. Meanwhile, blend the sugar and pepper together in a bowl. Taste it. If it’s too spicy, add more sugar, not spicy enough, add more cayenne. However, the spice does become a little more pronounced after being cooked, so be aware of that. Lay the bacon on a cooling rack placed over a baking pan lined with aluminum foil (these means minimal clean up!). Cover each slice of bacon with the brown sugar mixture. It should be an even layer, thick enough so that you cannot see the bacon through it (about 1/8 or ¼ of an inch). Place the bacon in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the sugar is completely browned, and the bacon has curls at the edges and appears mostly cooked. Remove the bacon from the oven and flip. Cover the bacon with the rest of the brown sugar mixture, and pop back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until the bacon appears how you like it, like crunchy, but not burnt. If the bacon seems underdone, just leave in the oven for a minute or two more.
Let the bacon cool on the rack for at least 15 minutes to let the sugar harden a bit before you start cutting the pieces. I find it’s easiest to use a pair of kitchen scissors and cut the pieces over the serving bowl. Serve it up with the libation of your choice and enjoy!
Smoked Salmon Tartine
I am such a selfish daughter. Have you ever seen that Simpson's episode where Homer gets Marge a bowling ball that has "Homer" engraved on it as a birthday present? Luckily my self interest isn't quite so brazen, but still, this smoked salmon from Russ & Daughters has my finger prints all over it. My father's birthday rolled around last week, and unsure what to get the man who has a very complete collection of military patches and books on clipper ships (or is it schooners? Correct me in the comments, Dad!) the smoked fish I got him last year seemed like a welcome repeat. It just so happens I love it too, sooooo....yeah. Pastrami cured salmon for everyone! To balance out the repeat present, I created a a sandwich recipe (more of a composition, I suppose) and left a plate of them in the fridge. Now it's my favorite thing to snack on; a lovely blend of bright lemon, herbaceous dill, a swipe of cream cheese, sweet and spicy pumpernickel, and of course, some amazing smoked or cured salmon. Light, fresh, and absolutely delish, perfect for lunch or when you're feeling peckish between meals. Happy Birthday, again, Dad!
Ingredients:
OYSTERS, TWO WAYS
My love of this delicious bivalve is pretty well documented, and I couldn't help but return to it. I've been digging through cookbooks from the 30s and 40s, and let me just say, the oyster was a VERY popular bite then. And way not? It was cheap and wonderful to eat every which way. Fried, stewed, baked, grilled, raw, FRIED. I linger on the fried because that's what I tried today: Fried Oysters. Plump, juicy, just crisp and golden brown. YUM yum yum yum yum yummmmmmm.
But enough about fried for a moment. As lovely as they are, raw is really my favorite. That first burst of flavor and shot of icy cold ocean is as exhilarating as it is delicious. With a little lime, cilantro, and serrano chili? Well, it's practically a feast.
Both of these recipes take practically no time to make, and if you're not into the idea of oysters, you can try the fried recipe with shrimp. Enjoy!
Pan Fried Oysters with Salsa Verde
1 dozen oysters, shucked (reserve the bottom shells for presentation)
1 cub french bread, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 egg yolks, lightly whisked
2 cups olive oil
For Salsa Verde
5 tomatillos
1 poblano chili
4 garlic cloves
Hot Sauce
A handful of cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
In a food processor, pulse together the bread, salt, pepper, and cayenne until fine breadcrumbs. Dredge the oysters in the yolk and coat in the bread crumbs. Heat the olive oil over medium heat until just simmering (test it by sprinkling some crumbs into it. It should sizzle and come to the top.) and toss the coated oysters in. Let them fry until golden brown, flip, and fry some more. They should cook for about 1 minute total. Set aside on a paper towel.
Meanwhile, peel and broil the tomatillos for about 5-10 minutes, or until charred and juicy. Char the poblano over an open flame, then scrape off the skin and deseed it. Chop it roughly and pop it, the tomatillos, the garlic, cilantro, and hot sauce in a food processor. Pulse it and taste for season.
Put the each oyster into a shell. Drizzle the oysters with salsa verde and garnish with cilantro.
Oysters with Lime, Serrano, and Cilantro
1 dozen oysters, shucked and on the half-shell
2 limes, juiced
1 serrano chili (or jalapeno), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Combine the lime juice, chili, cilantro, and olive oil with a little salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the oysters and enjoy!