#003

SH*T ON A SHINGLE...


WHEN I WAS YOUNG, MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD MAKE A DISH SHE CALLED, "SH*T ON A SHINGLE." (A.K.A "CHIPPED BEEF ON TOAST.") I BASICALLY ENJOYED IT FOR THE SAKE OF CALLING IT BY NAME. YESTERDAY, I WAS VISITING A BAR AND THE MAN TO MY LEFT ORDERED BISCUITS & GRAVY. I SAID TO MYSELF, "AHHHHH, SH*T ON A SHINGLE." THE MAN WENT ON TO TELL ME A FEW JOKES AND I SPENT AN HOUR OR SO, WRAPPED IN THE NOSTALGIA OF MY GRANDMOTHER'S HUMBLE COUNTRY COOKING.


THIS MORNING, I WOKE UP WITH THAT EPISODE FRESH IN MY MIND. SO, I CONSULTED MY GOOD FRIEND, JAMES BEARD'S, "AMERICAN COOKERY." HERE IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT DRIED, A.K.A "CHIPPED" BEEF.


DRIED (CHIPPED) BEEF
"FOR AMERICANS OF AN EARLIER ERA, WHAT SALT PORK WAS TO THE HOG SO DRIED BEEF WAS TO THE STEER. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT EITHER THE GERMANS FROM BAVARIA OR THE SWISS BROUGHT THE IDEA OF CURING AND AIR-DRYING BEEF AS A MEANS OF PRESERVATION, FOR IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE VIANDE DE GRISONS OR BUNDERFLEISCH FOUND IN SWITZERLAND AND SOME PARTS OF GERMANY. THE SWISS USE IT AS THEY WOULD HAM, FOR AN HORS D'OUEVRE, OR SERVED PAPER THIN WITH FRESH ASPARAGUS, A MOST AGREEABLE UNION OF FLAVORS AND TEXTURES. IN THIS COUNTRY, ALTHOUGH DRIED BEEF IS OCCASIONALLY USED FOR COCKTAIL SNACKS, IT IS MAINLY SERVED CREAMED OR WITH EGGS."


ALL THIS AND MUCH MORE AT JAMES BEARD'S "AMERICAN COOKERY."


CHEERS.
-PETE