The One with All the Cups and Smoked Salmon Schmear

Welcome to Friends with Food Episode #18! Listen here. Our friend Erin Gould joins us this episode! Erin is a director, writer, actor, musician, videographer, filmmaker among many other things. Born in New York, he grew up in Saudi Arabia, lived in Florida, Los Angeles, New York again and now resides in Alameda. In 2011, back before 'podcast' became a household word, he wrote and directed one of the first full length web-series called CASTERS -- The story of three friends navigating their lives as well as weekly guests for their podcast. Find Erin’s work here!

In this episode we cover Friends Season 5 Episode 18, The One Where Rachel Smokes. This episode originally aired on April 8th, 1999. TLC was topping the charts with the world’s greatest song, No Scrubs. Meanwhile, The Matrix was on top at the box office, fucking all of our minds forever.

Could Rachel be any less cool?

Joey’s “I tanked the audition” bit!

The age-old battle between Tuscan finger food and snocones!

Oh Chandler. Oh no. (#addiction)

smoked salmon schmear

It wouldn’t be a show about NYC without a good schmear! Rachel may pick up smoking in this episode, but I prefer to pick up smoked salmon! Ha!

smoked salmon schmear

8oz cream cheese

4oz hot-smoked salmon

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained well

2 cloves roasted garlic**

1 tablespoon finely chopped dill

1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

zest from half a lemon

freshly ground black pepper

salt, if needed

Let cream cheese come to room temperature (if you have time; it will make things easier to mix). Place the cream cheese and all the rest of the ingredients except the salt in a medium mixing bowl and smash everything together with a fork until it reaches desired consistency (I like it a little chunky). Transfer to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator. Schmear it on a toasted bagel and top with cucumber, tomato, more capers, or whatever else your heart desires.

**Note: to make your own roasted garlic, cut the root end off a full head of garlic so that it can lie flat. Double a piece of aluminum foil and place the garlic bulb in the middle. Drizzle with olive oil, making sure the cut end is coated. Seal the foil around the bulb and place in a 350F oven for 30-40 minutes, until the garlic is soft. Store roasted garlic in a sealed container in the refrigerator.