Brandade de Morue

Today is the greatest day I've ever known. Not really. It's wintermixing. I haven't been feeling well. Some sort of minor irritating bug going around.

Been a little lax on yoga and gym as a result.

So my dad has been diagnosed with cancer. Apparently he did not get the memo about no cancer in 2009. I am in a quandry. Half of me feels that I should move back to Pittsburgh immediately, the other half is more practical and selfish and feels that I should stay here.

I have a job with health insurance here. The chance of that happening there, oh, about nil. I need to take care of my wrists. I don't want to lose prescription coverage, even though I take generics, it's still expensive.

This is what I get for declaring that this is the most stable I've been since I was 7 yrs old.

But I'm worried about my dad, obviously. I'm worried about my mom. She is taking a leave of absence to take care of my dad, the second in 4 years. He almost died in a motorcycle accident 4 or so years ago. While he was still in a coma we had to commit my mom's mom. She was talking to walls and convinced that there were gun fights in the halls of the nursing home. She had quite an elaborate narrative worked out. It was fascinating when you could step back and watch how the narrative worked and how she was using language as she was losing it. Otherwise it was horrifying.

My dad can tough it out. I'm afraid my mom might crack.

My parents don't have friends like I have friends. I don't know who my mom will talk to.

I always figured that when my parents started to fail that I would move back. I didn't expect it to happen so soon.

My dad has been worrying about his throat and esophagus for years now. Funny how your fears can seem prescient.

Am I really the spinster daughter?

This is the second time in those 4 years that my brother will have to try and save my dad's business. My dad is the only engineer. My brother is working toward it, but he's not there yet.

Lordy, what a mess. I am a bit clinically curious to see what foods my dad will be able to stomach during chemo.

He has gone on record in the past as preferring "b" foods: beans, bananas, bread, bacon, beer.

I've been planning to make quinoa and chard and mushrooms, but mostly I feel like eating grilled cheese. Tillamook sliced cheddar on 9-grain with tomato. I like tomato on my grilled cheese. I also like pickles, but I don't have any.

Last night I stayed in bed and read James Beard's Menus for Entertaining and the New York Times Cook Book. I would like an excuse to make brandade:

1 1/2 lbs dried salt cod
1 lb potatoes
2 c. milk
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 whole cloves
1 1/2 T minced garlic
salt and pepper
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne
1 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 c. cream

Place the salt cod in a pan and add cold water to cover. Let soak, changing the water every 3 - 4 hours for 12 hours of so.

When ready to cook, bake the potatoes.

Drain the fish and put it in a casserole. Add cold water to just cover. Add milk, bay leaf, onions and cloves. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 - 4 minutes.

Drain the fish and discard cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle remove the skin and any bones. Flake the fish and add it to the bowl of a food processor. Use only the white flesh.

Scoop out the potatoes and add to the fish. Add garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne.

Heat oil and cream separately to just short of boiling.

Start blending oil and cream, adding each alternately.

Taste, add salt if necessary, serve with toasts and or bread.

...

I've never made this. But I remember the first time I had it. I was extremely excited as I'd read about it. I was working at Work of Art with an amazing chef. Her name was Dina. I learned a tremendous amount from her. But! It was garlicky and rich and delicately fish flavored.

...

D and I went out for dinner and movie on Saturday. We went to a fondue restaurant. It hit the creamy cheesey rich that I've clearly been craving, but it wasn't that good. The cheese had a harsh bite from the wine, and the accompaniments were a sad little bowl of chopped raw cauliflower, baby carrot and celery, a little bowl of too tart for the cheese granny smith apple, and some mediocre bread cubes. But the wine was delicious. Some Cab - Malbec blend. It made my teeth gray.

The movie was Waltz with Bashir. Which was incredible and amazing and beautiful and a total head fuck. There's no relief from the horror, it just keeps going, layer upon beautiful layer of horror. Building to revelation, but with that revelation comes no catharsis.

...

On Sunday, prior to the Emerald City Kennel Club dog show, I made a delicious grilled cheese:

Tillamook Med. Cheddar, bacon left over from saturday breakfast with CV, avocado and tomato on sliced 9 Grain. With a big cup of cheater miso soup.

...

The end. It is Monday morning. I am playing hooky from work this am. On my way to work I will stop at the cheap veggie stand and buy the ingredients for a spinach salad for Vegan Sunday tonight. I am going to cheat on the dressing and use the bottle of Annie's ginger sesame I have already. The weather has been crap it is sapping my will.

hearts out!

Red Chile, Dim Sum, A day in the life

Dan'l the Tiger and I made Red Chile last night. The chiles came from New Mexico and Mexico compliments of Dan'l's brother.

We didn't toast the chiles because we'd been warned of the toxic chile fumes, and the way that my house holds cooking odors...ai. I grew up in a relatively non-chile sort of area, and haven't been that interested in what I understand to be the wide variety.

I think that has all changed. The complexity of the flavor and heat is fascinating. One chile in particular, I think the one from Mexico, add a smoky depth. And while it was tears running down my face hot, it was delicious. The heat was a steady slow burn, that was hottest initially. It took a bit for us to realize this, as we were both bracing ourselves for the sort of heat that initially is, "eh, whatever." and then burns like hell. Mostly asian chiles do this I think.

So it took a few bites before we realized that this was not going to be the case.

Earlier in the day David and I went with Chieu and Scott to Dim Sum and then to the best asian market I've been in, and Chieu showed me all the things she uses in her amazing food.

Dan was in charge of the chile, so I don't have an exact recipe. I used pork butt for the meat, and it came out super juicy and succulent. I am still feeling quite proud of myself for that since I don't cook a lot of meat! I am feeling much more confident about stews now.

Otherwise, here is what I like to think of as Vegan Mac and Cheese, even thought it's not anything remotely like it, except for the comfort factor. And it is extremely comforting.

1 portion soba noodles
1/2 an avocado - or one small
1/4 block of firm tofu (optional)
1/2 carrot, shredded (optional)
Sesame and nori gomaisho
soy sauce
rice wine vinegar
toasted sesame oil

Boil noodles.

Grate carrot, slice avocado and tofu

Drain noodles and toss with veg and tofu. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinger, toasted sesame oil and gomaisho.

Crawl into bed, snuggle your cat and read a good book.

Oatmeal

I've been on this huge oatmeal kick. I like it cooked in water with a banana and raisins and dried apricots and topped with walnuts and almonds.

MMMMMMMMMMM. It's so easy and delicious! Especially at work. Zap it for three minutes and it's done. 1/2 as much oatmeal as water. More or less! The other beauty of it.

And again, I am off the cheese, more or less. My housemate has gone vegan so he doesn't buy cheese, so I don't buy cheese, and all of a sudden no more quesadillas in bed!

I am trying to lose some weight. I hate saying that, because I really want to be ok with my body. But I'm not.

I'm going with the "reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories a day, 1/2 in food, and the other 250 in exercise, lb a week" technique.

The elliptical is my new best friend. It is very pleasant to not think about ONE GODDAMN THING for a 1/2 hour. Be still rabbit brain!

Have been quite consistent with the yoga. And am seeing progress in strength and balance. Nice things both.

Quick and dirty Miso Soup

Put 1 T White Miso in a mug. Fill with boiling water. Voila!

Nice all the time, but especially when you're sick. A squeeze of lemon is nice as well.
Don't boil the miso in the water, it will destroy the happy enzymes. At work I just use the hot water from the water cooler. Cooler/Heater I suppose is more accurate.

Read this blog.

I am going to have some miso now.

Morewood Beans on Cheesy Toast

for Regan:

2 cans chopped tomatoes - store brand
2 cans beans (pinto and little white) - store brand

1 onion
some garlic
dried italian seasoning OR dried basil and oregano

bread
american or mild cheddar cheese (although I think that mozzarella or provolone would be better)

Ok, baby - I've been craving a lot of weird things lately* - and this is the latest.

Chop onion.
Chop garlic.

Saute in olive oil until soft.

Add tomatoes. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes to get rid of the can taste.

Add dried herbs, enough so that you can see that they are definitely There.**

Add beans. Heat through.

While the beans are heating, make cheesy toast.

Put beans on toast.

Be transported back to the days when you could drink coffee all night long and there was always something fun going on.

*Kraft macaroni and cheese. Pizza Hut.***

**I still remember asking Mike Lingo, "How much should I put in?" I was making tomato sauce, but same idea.

***Not pregnant.

mock chicken stock

most successful vegan chicken soup stock yet:

white wine
white miso
tahini
salt, a tiny bit
sugar, a bit
lemon juice

the soup itself was kind of whatever, sorry Amy! cos I just had potatoes, broccoli, and green beans left from the box. And some tomatoes. But the broth kicked ass.

Inspired from a reciped in vegan cooking for students, for a bagel spread - shredded carrots, equal amounts tahini and white miso - which I will make as soon as I have carrots - but, yum.

definitely better than store bought veggie broth and nice and rich.

Other things I've made recently -

a really good carrot and fennel soup - from a blog, actually a Seattle food blog, I think - yes, a Seattle food blog. The name of which escapes me. fennel, carrots, garlic, orange juice, veggie broth. Made when I had just carrots and fennel left from the box.

And the never fail herbed silken tofu dip/spread - made with bean dip fundamentals - cilantro, some tomatillo salsa I made, garlic, lime juice, salt.

I've been making a lot of food lately. Mostly vegan. Which is not to say at all that I am vegan. I ate quite of bit of delicious pork out this week. Wait, that sounds weird and backwards and dirty. and Buffy and I had delicious flank steak with cucumber tomato salad and garlic bread.

I think my favorite thing in the box besides the purple haze carrots are the cucumbers. A vegetable that is generally not one of my favorites. But these cucumbers are just so...cucumbery and delicious.

Sadly purple haze carrot season seems to be over. And although the potatoes have been lovely, there's just something...I don't know. I'm beginning to think that I prefer my potatoes mashed or fried and otherwise, meh.

Oh, or in potato salad. Which we also had with the flank steak (marinade - garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, sriacha. also amazing for tofu.) The potato salad came from the fish store down the street. As did the flank steak. But the potato salad! It is my favorite by far.

The fish there is pretty excellent as well.

so there you have it.

resolve

ok, so I don't do the resolutions, per se. Well, as discussed elsewhere, I do them all the time as part of my ongoing self sabotage, so not usually dedicated to the beginning of a new year. Ah, well.

Because of things like this:

I woke up this morning thinking about breakfast, like I do every morning, coffee and breakfast, and thinking, "oh! I will hard-boil those eggs and have a hard boiled egg and a tsatsuma!" that will be delicious and nutritious and not contribute to the belly...

alas. I found a leftover fried meat pie in the fridge. Left there by my sister who came to visit with her man friend. Special man friend. I apologize.

So while the water is boiling, I eat the meat pie. Not all of it.

But now I feel kind of gross.

HI. Welcome to my world of poor decisions and unending recriminations.

Would you like to hear what I've had to eat while my sis has been in town? I will tell you. Actually, I will go back to oh, Christmas. ok? OK!

Christmas was cheese in everything. Cheesy lasagne with cheesy salad and cheesy mashed potatoes and a cheese plate, of course, followed by insanely rich pot de creme.

A word about the lasagne - which was a little heavy on the cheese and a little light on the veggies for my taste - but Larry used beer instead of veg stock which worked really well with the butternut squash and portobellos and added an interesting bittersweetness...became more prominent in the left overs.

And many christmas cookies - tk's were light and buttery and super crisp, while Carol's were more like a pastry dough. Interesting, doughs, and cookies. And all the odd baking things. Very interesting. tk used a Real Simple recipe, I believe, and Carol used Martha.

Maybe I will bust out a joy recipe, but not just yet. Cookies and chips are things that I cannot have in the house because I am a constant nibbler. It they are there, I will eat them.

So, that was Christmas. The next day, work and leftovers, and then Megs came and Francis made delicious calzones and pizzas. MMMMMM. Oh, wait, prior to the calzones we went to one of the restaurants associated with the one where I work, hereafter referred to as "mine," even though clearly it is not.

I digress. We ate yummy breakfast. I don't understand why everything tastes better at the other restaurants. Well, I do. It's because I'm not working!

Duh. so, yah, delicious with the breakfast meats and grits and oh, yes, the fried meat pie.

Then the Golden Compass. Oh so sad in its hollywood gloss. Oh, Philip Pullman, you have made me so very sad by giving your blessing. Alas.

Such is the way of books to movies. See do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Ok, I digress.

Francis makes delicious calzones and pizzas. We tore that shit up.

The next night I made greens and beans the Girasole way, with red sauce, but with the addition of potatoes, and also Girasole Salad, because it is the best salad ever, and I miss it.

Girasole Salad

Mixed baby field greens
garbanzo beans
shredded carrots
sunflower seeds, roasted and salted
red onion
gorgonzola
cherry berry tomatoes

and the Dressing. Which is really the crowning glory. Although my mom dresses it with lemon, and agrumato. lemon infused olive oil. Because she is "allergic" to vinegar.

The dressing I cannot remember, despite the fact that I spent two months making gallons and gallons of it. A variety of vinegars.

A word about salad dressing. I hate to make salad dressing. But I hate bottled salad dressing more than I hate to make it. Usually I just use lemon juice and olive oil. See above parental vinegar aversion.

Liss makes a wicked good honey mustard that has a gazillion ingredients, and that she should post in the comments...LISS.

What else? Fran made curry and stir fry last night that was divine and a nice counterpoint to the NYE dinner - mac cheese - delicious, but lordy. He was going for a one to one ratio with the pasta and the cheeses. He succeeded. NYE also included some delicious apps by Sam - stuffed mushrooms and onion dip, of the hot and cheesy variety, more Girasole salad, and Eric (or was it Paul?) made pecan pie, as good as my mom's. My mom makes some good pie. And custard pie which is usually not something I like, but it was super good. The custard had nice flavor, not overwhelmingly eggy and wasn't all hard and curdled.

Earlier NYE day Dan and I went to Vashon for a look around and to see if we could see any orcas from the ferry. No orcas. But the car ferry is fun! One of my favorite things about Seattle is the ferries crossing back and forth all the time - there is something so civilized and connected about them. Plus they're pretty, especially at night. They make it seem like a very water based part of the world. Which it is. Seattle is stuck between Lake Washington and the Sound, and the islands are all out there in the sound, and there's what narrows and other little bays and it's all a part of the Salish Sea? I think?

It seems more watery that the Bay Area. Probably because there are islands and shit. No, Alcatraz does not count. Nor does Treasure Island. People have farms on these islands. With llamas, and ponies, and sheeps and goats - oh yes, there are a lot of farm animals out there on Vashon. And one that was selling kiwis, squash and chestnuts.

But! the coolest thing! Were the abandoned green houses. The company moved operations to Colombia some time in the seventies or so, but the green houses are still standing. Or the frames are. Most of the glass has been broken out, what with the trees growing through the roof panels and ferns and of course, the infernal blackberry everywhere. We found a hole in the fence and went poking about. I didn't have my camera, but if he floats some pics my way I'll post them. It was amazingly cool.

We had lunch at the Homegrown Cafe. It was, eh. Well, it was good. The tomatoes on the salad tasted like they'd been chopped several days before. But I am a sucker for lemon-tahini dressing. And the tofu on my tofu reuben hadn't been marinated and smoked as promised on the menu, but rather was a slab of tofu that had been griddled and just stuck on the sandwich. I've come to believe that all you really need for a reuben is the saurkraut, 1000 Island and swiss and rye.

And so that is my story.

It's all going to be about brown rice and dark leafy greens from here on out.

vegetable soup

that tastes just like Campbell's. Only better.

veggie stock - I had Pacific. this is a totally cheating recipe, by the way.
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 potato
1/2 yellow onion
3/4 bag frozen veggies - snap peas, baby carrots, peas and corn
3/4 can cannellini beans

saute the onion in olive oil. add the potato. then the stock and tomatoes. boil it up for a bit, get the potato soft. add veggies and beans. simmer until yr potatoes are done. eat for a week.
if you wanted you could cook off some alphabets and add them with the veggies. I cook soup pasta seperately cos if I don't it gets all starchy and feh. We all have our fetishes.

I've been trying to lay off the cheese and wheat again. yah, yah, yah, Pizza Hut personal pan drive thru not withstanding - desperate times, desperate measures - and I really do notice a difference in the guts. It's a giant pain in the ass though when you work at a restaurant that doesn't share you leanings and isn't super receptive to accomodating them. BUT

1 package frozen spinach
1 can artichokes
1 can chick peas
2 cloves of garlic sauteed in some olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

saute the garlic, throw everything in the food processor. you'll still miss cheese, but not as much.

ok, I love you. pk.

Is a variety of prepared condiments the answer?

I've been having this problem with food lately - I don't eat and I don't eat because even though I'm hungry, the thought of the chewing and swallowing and tasting makes me kind of ill. Eventually I eat whatever it is that is around because I am so hungry that I can't think straight.

For instance, the other night, after a visit to Easy Street Records (snowpony! brainiac! kristin hersh!) I mosied across the street to the Metropolitan Market and wandered around picking things up and putting them down. And picking them up, and putting them down. Looking at all the hot soups, and then looking at all eight of them again.

Because the other part of this not eating is that I am so tired that I can't be bothered to cook. And believe me, I know that there is no excuse for this - I know that it takes just as much energy to cook up some pasta and saute some veggies as it does to purchase nutritionally less significant food. But christ. Do you know how tired I am of pasta?

I am so tired of pasta that I don't even eat it at work and it's free. And fresh and housemade and absolutely delicious. Can. Not. Do. It.

so I end up eating things like chicken curry soup and a samosa and grocery store sushi. And a really nice peach.

The peach was happy and local and tasted delicious. Texturally, it was a little bit strange. The skin was thick. I honestly can't remember if this is a feature of peaches and perhaps one of the many reasons that I prefer nectarines.

And the other night, what I like to think of as "Katrin's dinner," as per our telephone conversation -

Katrin's Dinner

Goat Cheese (dizzyingly delicious Cypress Grove)
Crackers (melba toast, sesame)
Wine, usually white (chateau st michelle sauv. blanc)

I added an apple because I am kind of a freak about fruits and vegetables. Although she probably had a fruit as well, if I know Regan and food. And I like to fancy that I rather do. I am going to guess grapes.

and while this is a perfectly lovely dinner it is not a dinner that warms the soul and salves the brain. Like say, stuffed eggplants and a nice rice pilaf and a little salad. mmmm. that sounds delightful, actually. Maybe someday I will feel the desire to cook again.

Which brings me to the header of this here post - so, even assuming that I get it together to cook something that will require no effort to prepare for consumption at a later date - I can say without a doubt that no matter how lovely, I will be bored with the flavor. And thus, totally uninterested in eating it, and it will just go bad. Which will make me sad and feel like a bad human being.

And if I make condiments - they go bad before I finish them. So, do I buy a variety of prepared condiments and slop whatever strikes my fancy on my roasted veggies?

Or my turkey sandwhich or whatever. Here is a problem I run into at the grocery store - I feel guilty buying meat. But I have no problem, say, buying a turkey sandwich.

This is a problem that extends its octopus arms into all areas of my life.

Good luck today to Lionel and Katrin. Much love.

seattle

hiya. long time no talk. it's nothing personal you know. it's just the instant gratification of the crackspace. I'm taking a break from over there. And I've been thinking about logging everything I eat. for kicks. Like right now? Pesto rigatoni from work with Pyramid Broken Rake ale. Seasonal Ale. the fall, it does seem to have descended all sudden like. And earlier? ciabatta pizza with TJ's marinara, spinach, mushrooms, feta and cheddar. and for breakfast? a choclate bar (hershey almond!) and an apple. some coffee. the end. hm. yesterday? uh, hm. a roast beef and cheddar sandwhich from the qfc, with tim's cascade chips and a chocolate bar. just guess. and, uh, hm. some cheese ravioli with mushroom marsala sauce.

the sauce made me think of crepes. like, I think I made crepes for timmy with mushroom marsala sauce, but maybe not...too much with the cheese ravioli.

and earlier in the week? more veal than I've eaten in the past 4 years.

It's all about the sherry.

Hi! Long time no post! Today I am going to extol the tremendous virtues of Sherry. Dry. Which I actually like to drink as well. (what don’t I like to drink?) (I mean seriously, I enjoy vermouth!)


But it is Sherry that has made my mountain dishes have that depth of flavor that, let’s face it, is sometimes hard to achieve without chicken broth.

OK

Beet soup.

A carrot, a celery stalk, 1/2 and onion dice/slice sauté in a little olive oil, when soft toss some sherry in there and let it cook off then

A qt of veg stock, 2 small bay leaves and three cloves and three diced previously roasted and skinned beets and some salt and pepper

Let it simmer a while

I left it in the fridge overnight and then the next day I added some chopped orange peel and the juice of one orange, fished out the bay and cloves (which really make a difference) put it in the blender and added some brown rice I had lying about.

MMMMMM.

Frozen Perch Fillets with brown rice

Make some brown rice. Or whatever whole grain you’ve got around. Sautee a1/2 an onion and a diced carrot in olive oil, again sherry it when they’re soft, cook off and let carmelize a bit

Meanwhile

Dice up some tomatoes and some marinated artichokes, lightly grease a baking apparatus, put in your THAWED perch fillets* cover with chopped tomatoes and artichokes, a squeeze of lemon, a little s and p and bake at whatever the bag says – 400 or so, until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Ok, while your fishes they are baking,

Toss an appropriate amount of rice in with the carrots and onions, and add say, an also appropriate amount of chick peas and toss it around over high heat, until you know, it’s hot and some of the rice is a little crispy.

Plop your fillets on top of your rice and delicious!
* I bought Wholey’s frozen perch fillets because they were wild caught, and all the “fresh” fish at the counter was farmed and frankly looked like shit. I know that the politics of eating fish are very complicated right now, what with the over fishing and the ickyness of farming – but whatever. I always take supposedly wild over farmed, even if it’s been frozen. This much thought about the politics of fish production and health concerns from a woman who eats wendy’s.

And perhaps the most successful stir fry I’ve ever made:

1/2 an onion, a carrot, a stalk of celery, a clove of garlic, and some fresh ginger if you have it. I didn’t.

heat up a pan real hot, swirl in some oil (peanut or canola) add garlic sauté for just a little bit, to flavor the oil and remove garlic (if you were doing the spicy dried chili thing you would do that here now in the same way)


add onion, carrot and celery, sliced fine, to the oil, stir it up! When starting to soften add some, wait for it, Sherry!* And cook it off, add a little water. I had cooked off some kale, so add that, or whatever greens you like.

Add a little water and soy sauce boil off the water

Add brown rice and cubed tofu and sesame seeds, hot it all up and add soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to taste.

MMMMMMMMMM.


*dry sherry is very integral to asian home cooking in the states. I don’t know why. Maybe because rice wine was difficult to get for a long time – I don’t know – but I suppose that you could use Mirin instead of Sherry in this one.

And as a side note – it is snowing big flakes and the sun is sort of diffused and glowing everything and I feel like I’m in the little house in the snow globe. The little house on the mountain with the bare trees and rolling fields and whirl pool bathtub…!

Lots of loving!

too much vodka beet salad

ok so, I went to the organice farmers's market in the strip on saturday and got a little bunch of beets, and some little carrots, and a few little zuchini - yum!

and this is what happened to the beets, to purify my slightly toxic system:

Beet greens washed and sauteed in peanut oil with some mirin

Beets boiled until soft. (I was not going to turn on the oven for roasting)

extra firm tofu cubed (1/2 a block)

all tossed together with toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and rice wine vinegar - served over white rice with goma shio. which I have also seen as one word, but it's two on the jar. Black sesame seeds with salt and sugar. and soy sauce. the japanese kind. the name of which is escaping my seive brain at the moment, and I finished it, so the bottle is gone...

mmmmmm. happy happy.

I adore goma shio. especially with avocado and shredded carrots with soba noodles and tofu in a miso-rice wine vinegar-aforementioned japanese soy sauce* - sauce. more mmmmmm.

The desire to cook things is overwhelming today and even though it is about 90 degrees with 90% humidity - blueberry muffins will be baked and lime syrup will be made. It's the sadness and existential lonliness - makes me want to nest and nourish.

*tamari. ai. the memory, it has these blank bits sometimes.

I just looked it up and actually, it is shoyu. to paraphrase the new Joy of Cooking - tamari is a Japanese term misapplied to japanese soy sauces of varying qualities. True tamari is brewed without wheat and is rare in Japan. It is dark and recalls the ancient ways of making soy sauce learned from the chinese.

who knew? anyway, it is less salty and a little sweeter than chinese soy sauce.

and on another note - to reference the vodka - Why is it, that there is this game, the wait until the bar is closing game? Is everyone that coy? Do people not like to sleep? I do not like to go to bed at 4am as I prefer to get up around 6:30am. Anyway. One of the mysteries of the world. Thank god the bars don't stay open until 4am.

I do not like to start drinking these days because I am the sort of drinker that doesn't stop with one. So, I haven't been at all. But it was a strange night at the bar - and I guess sometimes these excesses are necessary for further other causes.

cheers!

From here to there, to here.

These be the collected posts from the previous bowl of water.

see, I couldn't hold out forever! Super tart. For the tartlettes I ended up whipping a 1/2 pint of cream and folding about 1/2 of that in.

in a medium stainless steelor enamel saucepan, whisk together until light in color:
3 large eggs
1/3 c sugar
grated zest of one lemon

add

add 1/2 c strained lemon juice
6 T unsalted butter cut into pieces

cook, whisking over medium heat until the butter is melter. Then whisk constanly until the mixture is thickened and simmer gently for a few seconds. Using a spatula, scrape the filling into a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl and strain the filling into the bowl.

Stir in 1/2 t vanilla

let cool cover and refrigerate to thicken. Keeps for about a week.

Reduced fat lemon cud

prepare as above except decrease the eggs to 2 and increasing the sugar to 3/4 c and lemon juice to 2/3 cup. Omit butter or add just a couple tablespoons to mellow tartness.

from the exciting new Joy of Cooking

must eat dinner right now. don't ask. ok, well, I'll tell you: uh, canned Cento soup with greens added and grilled cheese. mozz on that nice friendship farms seedy french. I am so excited.

today-ugh, see now I'm posting and I'm so hungry...

today R and I went to the TicToc Room. This is a place of childhood fancy, sort of, dining, located in a local department store. (Kaufmann's)

I used to get the "Tea Plate" as a child, yes, a variety of tea sandwiches, including housemade date and nut bread with cream cheese. And what do these sandwhiches surround? ohhhh yeahhhhh...

A little individual red jello mold with fruit. Whipped Cream optional. I declined. Sitting on a lettuce leaf.

Ah it was lovely. The surroundings were less swank than I remembered and more mauvey - or was it tan? ugly anyway, lunch counter sort of place...

but the tea plate? brilliant.

R had the most awesome veggie comfort food plate with potatoes au gratin that were like mac cheese made with potatoes, fried eggplant slices (quite greasy, not much eggplant but totally delicious) and green beans and carrots. And a salad.

yummy.

will post lemon curd recipe next time.

in the meantime check this awesomeness out! I want to do this.

Unlike the site's author I am omnivorous, but have been briefly vegan. (While avoiding dairy for a much longer period.) (Cheeseburgers do me in everytime.) (But I am a mean vegan cook!)

And also, while I grew up in the suburbs it was in the seventies and my mama shopped at Tom's Butcher Block (he always gave me cherries, and started my lifelong love of Torrone Nougat), and at Moio's bakery, and at the farmer's markets. As well as at the grocery store, she did after all have three kids. (But until my younger siblings were born she made all of the household bread)

Tom's is gone, but we still go to Moio's. And still prefer to go to the small local shops. But the fact that fuckcorporategroceries lists shops is outstanding and something that I will attempt to do maybe over there in the side bar.
Because everyone should know that the sandwiches and potato salad at the Shadyside Market are out of this world.

oh and across from the parking garage there was a place called "DOGMA" - hotdogs and juices? and wireless internet???
I am so there.

anyway! I am really really going to eat dinner now.


dukka

3/4 c blanched almonds
3/4 c hazelnuts
1/2 c coriander seeds
1/4 c cumin seeds
6 T sesame seeds

toast, process - serve with bread and olive oil.

found in spice book...


most delicious pie crust ever. EVER.

I got a bee in my bonnet the other morning for CRAB QUICHE. Oh yes oh yes. And although Ms. tk tried to persuade me to make tomahto and goat's cheese quiche instead...oh no. It was crab or nothing. And it was delicious. I used the pie crust recipe from the New Basics, and also modified their quiche lorraine recipe. Both worked out well, but the baking time was significantly longer that specified. My oven is the prime suspect for the discrepancy. I should get an oven thermometer. It makes this bad whoosh! whoosh! noise too, when it has been on for awhile.

To accompany the crab we had spinach salad from Sheila Lukins Around The World. I was relying heavily on the Silver Palate tuesday. The recipe called for spinach, hardboiled eggs, and mung bean sprouts. I went to 5 places looking for mung bean sprouts. At first I thought, well, maybe they are out of season. But then I thought, "They're Sprouts! Sprouts have no season!" But they were nowhere to be found in the purported produce section of town. Even at the big Asian store.*

When I bemoaned this fact telephonically to my father his response was, "I bet one of those Big Giant Eagles would have them." I know he was trying to be helpful, but I ALREADY THOUGHT OF THAT. Who spends more time in grocery stores? Huh? HUH? Uh Huh, that's right!

So, la and la and la. I used celery and carrots instead. The dressing is really darn tasty, although oddly enough, the next day on the leftover salad it was bland and tasteless and I had to zing it up. Weird. I also added toasted sesame seeds, cos, well you know. There's alway a place for nuts and seeds!

I was hoping that the crab would last long enough to use on Sunday for the SuperBowl, but experts agree that today is the last day that crab is going to be edible. So for lunch I am sauteeing some of that baby spinach in butter and tossing the crab with it and squeezing some lemon juice over all of that and then piling it on a sourdough roll with some sliced tomatoes. Mmm.

Although I have yet to get to any of the exciting previously mentioned excitements, I did make oven dried tomatoes. Which are tomatoes, I used cherry, tossed with oil and salt and or herbage and cooked for hours and hours in a slow oven. Which is 250 here, and what? Gas Mark 1? TK?

So those went on top of toasts with garbanzo bean dip: Garbanzo beans, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt. Maybe a little water to thin it out. Parsley, basil or both. Basically hummous with out the tahini. White beans can be used too...

My mom makes a great white bean dip that she spreads on toasts and tops with proscuitto. I think its just white beans and some sage and s&p and olive oil...

OK, enough enough. The coffee is kicking in and I am getting way to chatty!

*but the black beans for the orange chili oil were bought. Oh, hey! Maybe I'll do that sunday while I'm making spin/arti dip for the game festivities...

I was going to put all of the recipes, but they're pretty standard. The dressing is as follows:


1 tsp grated orange zest
2 T fresh orange juice
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 T white wine vinegar
2 t soy sauce
1/2 t Dijon Mustard
1/4 c peanut oil
1 T dark sesame oil

whisk or shake and voila!

PS I burnt my bun.

One thing I've tried and a few for next week

Millennium Moroccan Marinade (1/2 recipe)

1 1/2 C tomato sauce
1/4 c fresh oj
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
1/8 tamari sauce
2 cloves garlic
1/8 c honey
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t ground coriander
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground fennel seeds
1 t ginger
1/2 T balsamic

blend

Ok, this kicks ass! I think I would make it more orange-y and less tomato-y. But I tossed cauliflower and mushrooms in it and marinated tofu and tossed it all in a casserole and baked the shit out of it and had it over brown rice with toasted almonds and pine nuts and it was delicious. It does need a green salad with it and so I had baby spinach with gorgonzola and pear with lemon juice and evoo. mmmmmm.

the following are on my list of things to do:


Chinese cracker jack (china moon)

1/2 c sugar
1 T kosher salt
1 T black pepper
1/4 ground cinnamon
1 1/2 star anise broken into points
6 whole cloves
2 t Szechwan peppercorns
2 c toasted and skinned peanuts and hazelnuts

blend sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon

grind other spices and add to sugar

heat cast iron skillet until a bead of water evaporates
add nuts toss 1 min until nut oils rise to surface
add 1/2 sugar and toss until caramelized
add other 1/2 sugar and shake until sugar melts again
turn out onto foil lined baking sheet
separate when cool enough to handle


pickled ginger

1/2 lb peeled fresh ginger
1 1/3 c unseasoned rice wine vinegar
3 T cider vinegar
2 T distilled white vinegar
1/2 c plus 1 T sugar
1 T plus 1 t kosher salt

cover ginger with boiling water let stand for 2 minutes, then drain, put ginger in clean glass or plastic container
combine remaining ingredients in non aluminum pot
heat until salt and sugar dissolve and pour over ginger
let cool and refrigerate

I have had the above many years ago and it puts jarred pickled ginger to shame. At the museum where I used to work managing the cafe the chefs did it for the menu to go with an Asian art show...wow. It was so good. They were very talented they were. At some point either before or after that exhibit they went to Mexico and she got pregnant, and you know what? I have never seen their child. It is strange how that happens, we were crazy tight, and then...poof.


I need to get a thermometer for this 'un. And they didn't have chinese black beans at Whole Foods and I was too tired to drive 1/2 way across town to the Asian market that would have still been open. So, Sunday I will do this:

Chili orange oil

1 1/2 oranges minced zest
1/4 c red pepper flakes
1 1/2 T Chinese black beans chopped but not rinsed
1 clove garlic smashed
1 c corn or peanut oil
1/8 c Japanese sesame oil

combine all in non aluminum pot bring to 225/250 on deep fat fry thermometer
over moderately low heat stirring occasionally let bubble for 15 minutes

remove from heat and let stand until cool, pour all into glass or plastic container
store at room temp

One thing I've tried and a few for next week

Millennium Moroccan Marinade (1/2 recipe)

1 1/2 C tomato sauce
1/4 c fresh oj
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
1/8 tamari sauce
2 cloves garlic
1/8 c honey
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t ground coriander
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground fennel seeds
1 t ginger
1/2 T balsamic

blend

Ok, this kicks ass! I think I would make it more orange-y and less tomato-y. But I tossed cauliflower and mushrooms in it and marinated tofu and tossed it all in a casserole and baked the shit out of it and had it over brown rice with toasted almonds and pine nuts and it was delicious. It does need a green salad with it and so I had baby spinach with gorgonzola and pear with lemon juice and evoo. mmmmmm.

the following are on my list of things to do:


Chinese cracker jack (china moon)

1/2 c sugar
1 T kosher salt
1 T black pepper
1/4 ground cinnamon
1 1/2 star anise broken into points
6 whole cloves
2 t Szechwan peppercorns
2 c toasted and skinned peanuts and hazelnuts

blend sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon

grind other spices and add to sugar

heat cast iron skillet until a bead of water evaporates
add nuts toss 1 min until nut oils rise to surface
add 1/2 sugar and toss until caramelized
add other 1/2 sugar and shake until sugar melts again
turn out onto foil lined baking sheet
separate when cool enough to handle


pickled ginger

1/2 lb peeled fresh ginger
1 1/3 c unseasoned rice wine vinegar
3 T cider vinegar
2 T distilled white vinegar
1/2 c plus 1 T sugar
1 T plus 1 t kosher salt

cover ginger with boiling water let stand for 2 minutes, then drain, put ginger in clean glass or plastic container
combine remaining ingredients in non aluminum pot
heat until salt and sugar dissolve and pour over ginger
let cool and refrigerate

I have had the above many years ago and it puts jarred pickled ginger to shame. At the museum where I used to work managing the cafe the chefs did it for the menu to go with an Asian art show...wow. It was so good. They were very talented they were. At some point either before or after that exhibit they went to Mexico and she got pregnant, and you know what? I have never seen their child. It is strange how that happens, we were crazy tight, and then...poof.


I need to get a thermometer for this 'un. And they didn't have chinese black beans at Whole Foods and I was too tired to drive 1/2 way across town to the Asian market that would have still been open. So, Sunday I will do this. Maybe tomorrow, if I get up and going in time to procure aforementioned, but as I start the new "sleep regulating routine" this evening, I am really just hoping I get up and going in time to go to yoga. At Noon. I am scared of the regulated sleeping.

Chili orange oil

1 1/2 oranges minced zest
1/4 c red pepper flakes
1 1/2 T Chinese black beans chopped but not rinsed
1 clove garlic smashed
1 c corn or peanut oil
1/8 c Japanese sesame oil

combine all in non aluminum pot bring to 225/250 on deep fat fry thermometer
over moderately low heat stirring occasionally let bubble for 15 minutes

remove from heat and let stand until cool, pour all into glass or plastic container
store at room temp


enchiladas!

Last night KC and H came over for dinner. It was determined that we would do Mexican. KC wanted her old roommate's enchiladas- he was contacted, information was retrieved, and lo. His ultra secret wonderful enchilada recipe is the one on the side of the Old El Paso enchilada sauce can.

We subbed spinach for the beef called for, and had Goya Mexi rice that was surprisingly tasty, but I am a sucker for boxed rice.* And Whole Foods veggie refried pinto beans that were quite delicious. They were heavy on the cumin, I think. That was a good thing, and they have replaced Bearitos as my favorite canned refried bean.

And salad of course. Romaine with orange sections, sunflower seeds, almonds, lime juice and Briann's Italian because I seem to be out of not only olive oil, but all oil.

KC and I drank a Granacha that was really a little too sweet for my liking, and yummy Valley of the Moon Sangiovese.

Now, I would have preferred to drink the Cousino Macul Reisling I'm so excited about these days, but I was vetoed on the white wine. And no one really felt like drinking beer. There you have it.


* When I was very poor my favorite treat was boxed cheddar and broccoli rice with canned tuna and chopped tomato. mmm!

Oh hey! I just remembered that no one ate any caramel ice cream. I win!