This isn't the Faust you're looking for. Move along.

That was...disappointing. The sets were kinda neat (though note to the Met: I'm getting a little tired of your crazy techno-modern-twisty-non-traditional sets. I can't possibly the only one who just wants to see a fake French/Italian/German house/town/tavern and some pretty 17th century clothes when I go to the opera. I choose traditional operas for a number of reasons, and that's one of them. But I digress.), and that's about the nicest thing I can say about it. I left at intermission, so it is possible that things improved in the second act, but I doubt it.

The music was eh--this was the Berlioz Faust, not the Gounod that I was really looking forward to (based on the write up in my cheater book, Forman's A Night at the Opera, which I highly recommend because it's pretty damn funny and also very informative. End digression the second.). Must learn to pay attention to composers when I buy my series next year. So I wasn't thrilled with the music, but that happens. Usually, it's offset by the gorgeous singing you tend to find at the Met. Not so much this time. For one thing, I'm used to operas with LOTS of singing, little bit of instrumental interludes. This was just the opposite. Secondly, the gentleman who played Faust (a rather important part, as you might guess from the title of the opera) had a rather weak voice. I thought it might just be that he was overwhelmed by the music--that happened a couple of times during Tristan und Isolde last year--but when Mephistopheles came out, he was just fine, as were the soldiers in the chorus.

Stew

I threw together a stew in the crockpot this afternoon based loosely on a recipe for a Basque Stew that I found in this book, which my mom gave me when I moved into my first apartment. I give you my modified version here, mostly so that I don't forget it (if it sucks, I'll let you know -- I've made it before but did some more improvising today ETA: It came out alright, but not great. I couldn't find the chili powder, and I think it really needs about a 1/2 tsp. Also, forgot to note that I like to serve this over saffron rice -- I buy the instant stuff at the grocery store -- and I just tried it over mashed potatoes and it's pretty awesome that way. If you're going to make it without pork and increase the other meats, I'd do more beef than chicken, or I might substitute lamb.):

1 packet of those tiny little baby carrots
1 jar mushrooms (I prefer buttons, but could only get sliced this time.)
6 small or 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-1.5 pounds each cubed chicken, pork (I used pork chops), beef (I used stew beef)
2 tsp flour
Kosher salt
2 cups red wine
1 can Guinness (Kit, I stole a can of your Guinness. Sorry.)
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, shaved
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Spices to taste (I used cinnamon, onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt, oregano)

Put vegetables and meat into crockpot with the veggies on the bottom and the beef on top. Sprinkle the flour across the top of the beef, then sprinkle kosher salt across the top as well. Mix wine, Guinness, chocolate, sugar, and spices in measuring cup, then pour over meat and veggies. Cook 4 hours on high.

posted by Laura Y. @ 11:32 AM