The Knotty Professor

Penguin Classics

2011-01-02T11:36:00.003-05:00

So yes, it's been a while since I blogged last. It's been a busy fall/winter term. Here's a few updates. My new love is pinterest.com, where you can "pin" pictures from the internet to organize all of your ideas. Amy Bush pointed me to this little gem. LOVE.

My book collection (see my previous entry here) grows. Thus far, I have:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll,
A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Hounds of Baskerville
Little Women
Oliver Twist
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens,

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence,
The Odyssey by Homer,
Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen,
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte,
Pride and Prejudice
Emma

Still "need":
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, Emma by Jane Austen,

Tess of the D'Urbevilles by Thomas Hardy,
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson,
The Women in White
Middlemarch
Gulliver's Travels
Tales from 1001 Nights
Dracula
A Tale of Two Cities
The Divine Comedy
The Sonnets and a Lover's Complaint
A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings

Madame Bovary
Crime and Punishments (these last two are already out of print)
and I think there are a few others.

Halloween!

2010-09-29T09:36:00.000-04:00

Most of my friends know how much I love Halloween! I found these awesome labels (way better than Martha's which are a little to glittery vampire). You can view them all here!

Moustachio Bashio

2010-08-05T15:57:00.000-04:00

I am gearing up for my 36th birthday parties-- (one in Texas and one in New England). The Texas party is the moustachio bashio.

I have mixed feelings about moustaches being so big-- I don't want them to fall out of fashion, as I am and have been for nearly 8 years really into moustaches.

Old Tom Foolery released a new poster today of brackets as staches. Very cute. I am getting an inspiration board together for the party as we speak. I will post soon.

I just ordered some bakers twine

2010-08-05T15:51:00.000-04:00

I wish it was time to bake again-- the summer months are too hot to bake. In Texas, with central air, it wouldn't have been a problem at all. But up here in the land of window-units, if you make the mistake to turn your oven on, you are in for a big hot house for a day. Bleck! However, I am already thinking about my fall baking plans. Remember the pumpkin whoppie pies from last year? Those are definitely coming up and my latest fav-- French macaroons (raspberry and vanilla). In the spirit, today I ordered some new bakers twine from the Twinery. I ordered the sample pack of the loveliest colors.

Cute organizing ideas

2010-07-15T17:29:00.000-04:00

I love these bobbin skewers from 26 letters. Such a good idea!

New Blogs I am Following

2010-07-08T10:26:00.000-04:00

Pink Cupcake Vintage

Lottie Loves

Home Ideas

Freckle Wonder

Yvestown

Nest Decorating

What do you call a Mexican pesto? Delicious

2010-07-01T21:20:00.001-04:00

So last week, I took a French cooking class. One of the things we made was a French pesto called a pistou. Then Rosie and I went to the Williams and Sonoma where she found a cookbook called Tacos by the chef that owns the coyote cafe in Sante Fe. Let me tell you, if you see this cookbook you should definitely get it. At any rate, in the vegetarian taco chapter, there was a recipe for a Mexican pesto. I was intrigued. In general pesto is some herb and nuts pulverized with oil and cheese (although the French avoid both notes and cheese). So back to the Mexican pesto- I tweaked the reecipe. We spread it directly on corn tortillas then topped with roasted poblanos, roasted tomatoes, and grilled chicken. Honestly,this is some delicious shit.

1/2 a package of cotija cheese chopped up into big chunks
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves- rip off the stems
1/2-3/4 cup of roasted/salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
8 cloves of roasted garlic
1/4 cup + of Lemon infused Spanish olive oil (4 t. Simply organic lemon flavoring and 1 cup Spanish olive oil blended, can be stored for two weeks)
1 T. Mexican oregeno
1 T. Cumin
1/8 t. Ground chipotle
Couple grinds of pepper.

Put all but the oil in the food processor and give it a spin. While it's running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. You can make it a paste consistency or add more oil for a more dip like pesto.

I would suggest putting it on tacos. Either a simple veggie taco or with some chicken or carnitas.

Baking Supplies

2010-06-03T12:29:00.000-04:00

This place has some awesome baking supplies: Bake it Pretty.

A sewing room to die for!

2010-06-03T12:24:00.000-04:00

OMG, I couldn't love this anymore! The best part is that it's all Target and Ikea stuff jazzed up with some vintage stuff.

Pollo Asada Tacos

2010-04-18T19:29:00.005-04:00

April's Cooking Light has a chicken asada taco recipe, that I followed but did a little tweaking.

The original recipe is on page 92 or you can find it through this link.

Here's my version of theirs:

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemon)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium red onion, thinly vertically sliced
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon dried oregano (I like Mexican oregano for this dish)
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon of coriander
1/4 teaspoon dried chipotle
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (ours were bad so we ended up using hard shells)
1 cup diced peeled avocado (about 1 avocado)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

handful of chopped cilantro (I don't know why they didn't add cilantro in the original recipe-- seems like a crime)

Preparation

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Place onion in a small saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; drain and plunge onion in ice water. Drain onion then add the onion to juice/pickling mixture. Chill until ready to serve. Drain the onions before serving.

Here's my major departure. Dry rub on chicken thighs sounded dreadful to me. So I marinated the thighs in the my own choice of spices (cumin, oregano, chipotle, paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper) and the olive oil for about 2 hours. When ready to cook, go to step 2.

2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4-6 minutes or until browned and done, stirring occasionally.

3. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide chicken evenly among tortillas. Drain onion; divide evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons avocado and 1 tablespoon cheese; fold over. Top with cilantro!

We served them with sour cream and homemade salsa (which was awesome for my first time making a salsa from scratch!). Recipe is below

Salsa

4 tomatillos (cut in half)

8 small, vine ripened tomatoes

1 medium onion cut into thin slices

2 jalapenos (cut lengthwise and with membrane and seeds removed unless you want the extra heat)

1 clove of garlic (cut the top off, add about a tablespoon of olive oil, salt/ pepper, and wrap in foil-- will take the longest to cook)

Coat all ingredients in olive oil (don't need to drown, just a light cover) and place on a cookie sheet. Usually, I use a rimmed cookie sheet, toss about a tablespoon of olive oil on the pan directly, then toss the veggies. Arrange all vegetables (not garlic) on the sheet. Salt and pepper. Throw into the oven for about 30 minutes at 350. Check the veggies at ten minute intervals and stir to evenly roast all the sides.

I pulled the tomatillos and the tomatoes out about half-way or so; they cook faster than the onions and peppers. The garlic always takes longer than everything else, so my plan of action is to crank up the heat to 400 as soon as the rest of the veggies are done. Once the garlic is roasted, squeeze out the golden-brown ooey gooey delight and then throw it along with all the other veggies all into a food processor or blender. I leave the juices out (the tomatoes and tomatillos will likely produce a lot of juice. Add spices (I used 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, and 1/2 tsp of coriander). PULSE-- Do not just let it go willy-nilly. Just pulse less you make hot sauce rather than a salsa. Taste and adjust seasonings as appropriate. Store in the fridge.

Another awesome idea from the kids at Design Sponge

2010-04-09T09:02:00.002-04:00

Honestly, there's not a day that goes by that I don't try to check Design Sponge. Even on the weekends when I know they aren't posting anything new, I still look around.

Today's little gem was just stupendous.

Homemade Lotion from Design Sponge

2010-04-07T12:23:00.002-04:00

Check out this recipe for homemade lotion from Design Sponge.

Ooooohhhhh! New double points from Blue Sky Alpaca

2010-04-07T08:19:00.003-04:00

So exciting! These are back from Blue Sky Alpaca. They are spendy ($28/set) at Webs .

Fire Roasted Poblano, Hatch Chili Chicken Enchiladas

2010-04-04T17:11:00.006-04:00

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts (about 1.25 pounds) chopped into large pieces

1/5th of a dried ancho chili (cut into 1/4" pieces)

1/2 onion, diced

2 cans of hatch chilis (from Trader Joes or classic Ortega chilis)

1/2 carton of chicken stock

1 or 2 T. cumin

pinch of red chili flakes

1/4 t. chipotle (powdered)

3 cloves of garlic

4 tomatillos sliced into quarters

salt

pepper

1/2 t. coriander

1/2 t. Mexican oregeno

1 fire roasted Poblano pepper (That's right, open flame roast that puppy till the skin is black/charred. Wrap in some plastic wrap for about a half hour, then scrape off the black skin, seed, and throw it in the pot. I usually save this step for later in the day-- about 1/2 way through the cooking process, then put it in the crock pot)

Other ingredients that do not go in the crock pot

16 oz. sour cream-- use light or whatever you want

cheese (your choice, I like Mexican blends from Whole Foods-- I am pretty sparing with cheese in enchiladas these days)

1 package of flour tortillas

All ingredients in the top list go into a crockpot and steep for at least 6 hours maybe 8. It is done when you can shred the chicken with two forks. Don't discard anything! Separate out the chicken and the veggies-- chicken into a bowl, and the veggies/chilies into the blender.

Chicken: shred with two forks. Add a little of the liquid in the crock pot to keep the chicken moist, but not sopping wet. Set a side.

Veggies/chilies: Add sour cream into the blender and whirl. This is your enchilada sauce

When it's done, assemble. For those of you who have never made an enchilada, you need a bowl of shredded chicken, a pie tin filled with enchilada sauce, a bowl for the cheese and a greased (Pam) casserole dish. Dredge the tortilla in sauce, place in the casserole dish, add chicken, add cheese, roll, and repeat. Top with additional sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so until the cheese on top is bubbly.

Usually I have left over sauce. I recommend saving it to reheat enchiladas; they are notorious for drying out after the first cooking.

Sunday, Blood Orange Martini

2010-04-04T17:01:00.003-04:00

Supplies:

2 blood oranges (juiced= 1/2 cup juice)

1/4 cup sweet and sour mix

1/4 cup vodka (Tito's)

Mandarin orange flavored seltzer water (optional)

ice

cocktail shaker

1. Fill two martini glasses with ice and set aside.

2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add blood orange juice, sweet and sour and the vodka.

3. Shake.

4. Dump the ice out of your glasses.

5. Pour deliciousness into your glasses and add a splash of seltzer for fizz. Voila.

Rosie thinks it tastes like strawberries. I think it tastes like summer which with two glorious days of 75 degree weather, I am doing my part to wish here.

I heart these books

2010-03-11T13:54:00.002-05:00

So I have the Oscar Wilde one, but honestly, I want them all. :)

New York Updates-- Eating in the City

2010-02-20T07:32:00.010-05:00

Last month, I made a New York wishlist-- places I wanted to go to on our next trip. We spent Valentine's Day Weekend in the city and tried several places on the list.

Porchetta in the East Village is quite possibly the best sandwich I have ever had in my whole life. HOLY COW. Apparently, porchetta is street food in Tuscany. I am not going to Tuscany any time soon, but I will go back to the city for this. If you can go, then by all means do it. There are simply not enough adjectives to describe this experience that is porchetta. We ordered cooking greens (marvelous), crispy potatoes which were dotted with bits of crispy pork, and of course, the sandwich itself which is beyond delicious. This place is tiny-- seats 6 at a small counter. Most people ordered to go. The smell that wafts through the air in this place is intoxicating porky goodness. Sara Jenkins, chef and co-owner, is simply a goddess with pork.

And then there was the wonders of Chelsea Market (not the antiques one, the food one). I guess the Food Network has their HQ there. Good for them. They are on my last nerve lately spending more time celebrating personalities than actual chefs like it was in the old days. I am underwhelmed. However, the Chelsea Market, while a bit touristy (not too bad) and a bit crowded, is totally worth a stop.

Here you will find the chocolates of Jacques Torres which Giada talked about on the Best thing I ever ate (yes, I still watch the Food Network). His website, aptly named, MrChocolate.com, shows the other locations and I believe you can order directly. We shared a wicked hot chocolate which was thick, creamy, chocolately with just a tiny bite of spice to it. Delicious!!!! I guess he has an ice cream shop in DUMBO (Brooklyn neighborhood) that we will surely make our way to on our next visit.

There is a fantastic kitchen/restaurant supply store that I finally purchased my cracker cutter from and I could have dropped mad cheddar in, but alas, this just gives me a reason to go back to the Bowery Kitchen Supply. I have a laundry list of cooking tools and gadgets that I want. You know how it is. I like the gadgety party of most hobbies that I do.

We had a Valentine lunch of at the Clever Co's Green Table. This food was fantastic. Rosie had a kimchee burger (which I initially scoffed at) that was out of this world. I had a not too shabby mac and cheese that was scrumptious. All and all this is a great place to eat. If you get a table inside, it is a quiet experience that is away from the loudness of the Chelsea Market.

One of the places we went to Apiary, was sort of a let down. I am not sure if Valentine's Day is the best night to judge a restaurant by, but that being said, here are my thoughts. We arrived for our 9:45 pm reservation as we waited till the last second to find a place to eat. We sat at the bar and had some delicious cocktails. One, I believe was called the pollinator, was strega and herbs and it was divine. The bartender was delightfully charming and soon we went to our table. We were initially seated by two people on their first date. Did I mention it was Valentine's Day? She was straight out of college and exuded a certain youthful hubris which was accented by her loud talking. I didn't enjoy her. Her date, no less than 10 years her senior, was clearly not having a good time. He actually went to the bathroom at one point and said when he came back "I thought you would have left, I can't believe you are still here." It wasn't in a Woody Allen pity party kind of way, but more like, we have zero in common. This is going no where.

Onward, the couple left (as they had long finished their meal and I was astounded at their cavalier attitude about taking a table for about an hour after they finished eating). I ordered the hanger steak which seems to be on all the menus at shi-shi restaurants these days. It was a good steak. I finally looked up what exactly a hanger steak is (the diaphragm) and while briefly horrified, I think it is good to not lose sight of what exactly it is you are eating. I used to be a staunch supporter of meat disassociation theory (meat grows on trees). However, it seems irresponsible to not be mindful that you are eating an animal. That's another story.

The sauce on the plate, red wine jus, was so complex and elegant. I could have licked it off the plate. In no uncertain terms, it was delicious. The potato puree was also just top notch.
Rosie ordered the duck, which was good but not great. We've had better. We had an apple tarte tatin which was fine, but honestly, it was really messy to eat and not particularly enjoyable. Apiary is expensive, and I don't think I would have any interest in going back, which is a shame.

I rarely have that experience when eating at higher end restaurants (or even lower end) in New York. I also think I had really high expectations given than Bourdain talks about Scott Bryan as a genius. I don't think most executive chefs work on Sundays, so perhaps that was the problem. However, I have been to other restaurants when the chef was out and the food was still beyond reproach. A New York Magazine reviewer gave it 2 stars in November (out of a nearly impossible to reach 5) and up from a single star before Scott Bryan's arrival. Honestly I just don't know if it was because Valentine's day meals are akin to restaurant week in the City. No one gives a shit what they are making because the people who are eating it are less likely to know better.

About the service overall, I have mixed feelings again. We liked the bartender. I also liked the one dude who carried around a tray of bread and refilled your bread at all times. I love bread guys. The wait staff in charge of our table was peculiar. She seemed fully engaged at another table of foodies where they waxed on about how she worked for Tom Colicchio for twelve years and he's over-expanded his culinary empire resulting in poor management and bad food (I can attest to that as our experience at Craft Bar a few years ago was simply wretched). It seemed inappropriate. It also seemed that like the manager, she cared more about particular tables than others. Clearly we were one of the others. She was just possibly an odd person rather than actively trying to ignore us. The manager was clearly schmoozing to one couple who appeared to be his friends. He never even looked up to see if any one else in the restaurant was having a nice time. I thought it was arrogant and pretentious. I would not recommend Apiary, and again, I think that is a shame. Honestly the experience of cramming into the tiny space of Porchetta was by far a superior experience and about a third of the price. All and all, it was a fun trip. Next time, the other pig restaurant- The Spotted Pig will be on our list!

Gardening Project Plan Phase 2

2010-02-20T07:08:00.002-05:00

So after scouring the internet and my two magazines, I have decided that I am going to pursue the square foot garden method.

There is a growing calendar by guy who lives in Indiana that I think is a fairly useful guide for my project here.

I am not sure how much sun the spot I have picked out gets- I think it's the only space we have access to, so I better figure it out quick.

Starting a veggie garden for the first time

2010-02-19T18:12:00.002-05:00

So it's almost that time. I usually miss it (late winter/early spring) and then it is too late for my veggie garden. I have grown herbs (have some in my window right now) but I have never grown a vegetable.

I have two magazines and a load of websites I am compiling as it appears March is an important time to get things going.

Things to do:

1. Map out the space. We have a space in the back of the apartment that is probably about five feet wide and ten feet long. It seems sufficient for 5 vegetables which I have already chosen.
Anxieties: There is apparently some sort of compost pit out there already that the landlords used for waste foods that were given to a pig farmer. I don't look forward to finding or maintaining that. I also am worried about how much sun that space gets, but I think it will get the bare minimum of 6 hours once spring gets here.

2. Pick the veggies. I am going with peas, green beans, tomatoes (and possibly tomatillos), zucchini and cucumbers. I don't eat cucumbers but it is on a recommended list of first veggies to try.

3. Start the seeds indoors, which I think Mahoney's has a great resource here.

4. Prep the soil. Here's my biggest challenge. There is some kind of ground cover that needs to be removed. There's that weird pig waste thing that I am not even sure as to the location. There's issues of possibly having lead in your soil which requires samples and tests. I am considering creating 'raised beds' but they are a lot more expensive. I am daunted by the whole tilling and craziness of this part. Although Rosie might be into this especially if it involves renting a tiller. Gizmos have a strong appeal for her!

5. Composting. I want to compost at home. I have been composting but we take the what I will politely call "matter" to Whole Foods so that they can deal with it. Most composting options that are available are either expensive, labor-intensive, or a combination of both. I don't want to do worms (it's too cold and they'd have to live indoors). What I am thinking I want is a premade tumbler, but they are all upwards of $100. Seriously? Seriously. The best prices I have found (including ebay) is Costco for $74.99 including shipping. I am confident that is the one I will get.

6. Pests. Again, have no idea, but it seems like a big ass problem, whether it is raccoons, coyotes, birds, vermin or other microbes I don't know how best to control these issues. Allegedly, compost does a really good job of protecting your garden from pests, but I saw a variety of nets and such at the Depot which made this process seem daunting too.

7. Somewhere inside of me I hope to channel the spirit and green-thumb of my grandmother. Her gardens were wondrous. She could grow anything and bring any plant back from the brink of death. She talked to them, babied them, and this garden project is in no small way an homage to hers.

I could use advise. I could use assistance (my friends and local peeps).

LOVE these hats!!!

2010-02-18T12:36:00.002-05:00

So apparently Ralph Lauren is selling these hats for a bargain basement price of $85.

Valentines en route

2010-02-10T21:39:00.004-05:00

Let my work pals eat cake

2010-02-10T20:24:00.004-05:00

So I wanted to make this cake as a special Valentine's day treat. It was a pain in the ass and the directions were flawed to say the least. However, half of it turned out looking pretty cool, the other half (which Rosie and I will be partaking) turned out less than stellar. The structural integrity of the cake is lacking. The frosting needed some serious help. All and all, it was an ordeal. Hopefully it will be worth it all taste wise.

Renegade Craft Fair

2010-02-09T20:59:00.003-05:00

I went to this in Brooklyn a few years ago and LOVED LOVED LOVED it. Now it's coming to Austin in May. Seriously, my Texan pals, it was awesome.

Is it wrong I love tape?

2010-02-09T20:56:00.002-05:00

I do. I love tapes. Scotch tape, packing tape, fancy tape...and then I found this: Japanese masking tape in the delightful hues that was just made for me. Check out happy tape.

Tomato tomatto...

2010-02-02T22:05:00.002-05:00

When I make this dish with the exact same ingredients, I call it "cheesy surprise." When Saveur makes it, it is called garganelli with peas and prosciutto.

LIKES

2010-02-02T14:14:00.002-05:00

From Retro Planet.

Um, seriously I want to go to there

2010-01-28T21:57:00.000-05:00

Knitted vases

2010-01-28T21:40:00.001-05:00

Ooooohhh!!!! I love these!

Cute embroidery

2010-01-25T22:13:00.001-05:00

Moustaches

2010-01-25T22:08:00.002-05:00

Inspiration for Christmas cards for next year? And Valentines...

Cute idea for storage bins

2010-01-24T21:44:00.002-05:00

Plastic milk crates, however functional are usually kind of bleh to look at, so thanks to Oh Dee Lah for this easy to make cover for milk crates. Note the delicious fabric choices.

Good Luck to CoCo and his staff

2010-01-23T00:08:00.001-05:00

NBC blows. Good luck CoCo to you and your staff.

Fetes!

2010-01-21T22:28:00.006-05:00

Garlands andTable decor fromFrom Head of the Table.

LOVE!

2010-01-21T22:20:00.001-05:00

From Shannon Fricke, this outdoor space is the palette of our bedroom.

The Moustache Culture Lives on

2010-01-20T23:17:00.002-05:00

A blog dedicated to one of my favorite party pass-times.

Disturbing

2010-01-20T10:34:00.001-05:00

Valentines

2010-01-19T10:59:00.007-05:00

EEMSL has some valentine ideas that I like. I would prefer to have found out from my subscription but whatevs. She always has her magazines in the store before I get mine delivered.

Heart Shape Pot Holders
I made some of these a few years ago with my mom. They were really cool. I like the idea of reinventing them for valentines. I also love the idea of giving breads for valentines. I am tired of sweets. Christmas wears out my interest in sugar for a long ass time. But a lovely savory bread (bacon, cheddar, apple) sounds divine! Although I admit, last year, I really wanted to make the cookies below. I have the stuff (stamps and all). Perhaps....Rosie and I are going to New York City for Valentine's Day this year so there may not be much time for baking, we shall see.

Arcade Fire's impromptu freight elevator video

2010-01-19T08:45:00.000-05:00

Organic versus conventional produce

2010-01-16T12:38:00.006-05:00

We buy organic stuff, sometimes and now with milk, always. I feel like it's a waste of money at times for certain organic produce. Turns out, there's some truth to that. January's issue of EE's MSL (Evil Empire's Martha Stewart Living) overviews which fruits and veggies are "clean" if conventionally grown and "dirty" suggesting you should go organic. So this list is for my sister, Karel, too, who asked me about this issue very recently.

As usual, buying seasonal and local is best. Better for you, better for the environment.

"The Environmental Working Group found that consumers could cut their pesticide exposure by almost 90 percent by avoiding the most affected fruits and vegetables, and eating the least affected instead."

The Clean 15 (okay to buy conventional)
Onions
Avocados
Frozen sweet corn
Pineapples
Mangoes
Asparagus
Frozen peas
Kiwi
Bananas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Papayas

The Dirty Dozen (buy organic if possible)

Peaches
Apples
Sweet bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Grapes (imported)
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes

If I go to France, will people think I was named after a soda?

2010-01-14T23:01:00.001-05:00

Visions of pantries dance in my head

2010-01-14T21:04:00.004-05:00

The pantry is a mess. This photo is from when we first moved in, and frankly little has changed. I want it to be more like the dreamy little pantry in a French cottage. We have plenty of stuff from Anthropologie to make this happen.

Cheese Plates

2010-01-14T20:27:00.002-05:00

Sunday Suppers makes amazing meals. Here's a whole spread on cheese plates.

Spray painted snow...

2010-01-13T20:32:00.000-05:00

New York's Finest

2010-01-12T11:42:00.004-05:00

Not the police, the restaurants, most of which I haven't yet tried. I don't know when we will be able to hussle down to the city for some eats, but I am putting together a list of a few places I want to try. We are planning a mid-winter getaway, so I am now of course pondering where to eat.

First, Apiary. Scott Bryan is at the helm now. I blame Bourdain for creating an obsession with him. He's also a Boston boy too, which I am curious about.

(Apiary Photo from NY Eater)

Happily, I would return to Rose Water in Brooklyn, but since I went there the last time I was in New York, I might not be able to convince Rosie to revisit so soon. It's always such a pickle: do we go to the tried and true or branch out to something new? Chef Brett, (as Imani calls him and pictured below) makes some seriously delightful food and is bffls with Scott (the man who married us).

Against all things holy, I still have not been to Al Di La. Deepest sigh. This has already been mentioned as a high priority by the wifey.

High on my list is to fight the patriarchy of fine food and check out as many executive chefs who are women as possible wherever we travel. When in San Francisco we went to Citizen Cake, Elizabeth Faulkner's unpretentious gem where I ate, willingly and delightfully, several raw tomatoes. Then on the convomoon, we dined at Eric Ripert's 10 Arts largely because Jennifer Carroll's place as the chef de charges, who graciously met us while I fawned over her.

Last visit to New York we went to Gabrielle Hamilton's Prune which was fine, but not the best thing I ever ate as promised by one of those Food Network fools. Mostly, that experience rocked as our sighting of Jake Gyllenhall was quite distracting from the lack of taste in the sandwich.

Other female chefs I want to check out in New York: April Bloomfield at the Spotted Pig and Jody Williams at Gottino. I also haven't had hot chocolate from Jacques Torres, but easily rectified. Oh the possibilities!!!!

Monday Night Dinner

2010-01-11T15:25:00.005-05:00

I won't be able to invest as much into cooking once school starts; probably, I will be down to three nights a week, instead of 5-6. No pictures tonight-- there was a lot involved with dinner and I didn't know where my phone was.

Tonight's menu is a bit scattered as I forgot to defrost my pork tenderloin and I want to use up some of my veggies.

Chicken with an agave nectar-balsamic vinegar reduction. This was of my own improvisions. I wanted a bit of sweetness to the glaze, so I thought agave nectar. Then I heard Giada this morning talking about putting it on salmon, and I thought, oh yeah, this is going to be a winner. Indeed. Using a cast iron skillet, I butterflied 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts. I dry-rubbed them with a variety of Mexican spices: chipotle, ground corriander, ground cumin, white pepper, kosher salt and some smoked paprika. I don't know how much I used of each except that I used a lot more cumin than anything else. I should have used less chipotle (just need a tad if it's still fresh). Put some canola oil in a cast iron skillet and heat it up. Add the dry-rubbed chicken to the pan. Your four breasts should fit nicely in a 12 inch. Using a brush, I glazed the chicken once it began to cook. My glaze was one tablespoon balsamic vinegar, two tablespoons agave-nectar (cheapest at Trader Joes), and a tiny bit of olive oil (not even a 1/2 teaspoon). Whisk it up and brush it on the chicken. Brown and glaze each side. I think it took about 10 minutes total, as I cooked chicken that wasn't fully defrosted when it made its way to the pan. You can use the glaze in the pan as a sauce for the plate. I loved this dish. It was much better than I thought it was going to be. Agave-nectar is probably going to be my supplement for honey as my needs change.

Creamed roasted poblano rice (a la Bobby Flay) I didn't like this recipe very much. I thought it was odd, so I probably won't make it again. It's weirdly not seasoned enough. The scallions were a bit much. Meh. I also used 1/2 and 1/2 not heavy cream, figuring that was enough fat.

Roasted carrots with same glaze as chicken I used the linked recipe as inspiration but added all the extra spices from the chicken to the mix. I started them in the oven, but I didn't think they were cooking well so I switched to a stove top, lid on, steam/cook. It worked out fine as I had sliced the carrots like coins (not big chunks). This was an okay dish; not the best but not bad either.

Bronx Zoo Ads

2010-01-09T23:36:00.003-05:00

AWESOMENESS in Somerville! How I wish I was a letterpress lady sometimes :)

2010-01-09T23:29:00.001-05:00

Letterpress Coasters from Quarter Productions on Vimeo.

Rustic Potato Leek Soup

2010-01-09T19:51:00.006-05:00

When I hear the word rustic used to describe food, I usually think, chunky, not uniform in size, and all and all a lazy meal. I am choosing to reclaim "rustic" to describe my soup. Here, rustic means, homemade, mashed by hand potato soup, rich with flavor and using basic ingredients.

I drew my inspiration from Pinch My Salt, but tweaked the recipe in terms of fat content and seasoning. She used heavy cream and a lot of it. I didn't have any and I also feel like it would be fine without the extra fat. I also have been listening to Anthony Bourdain's audiobook, Kitchen Confidential, and he says the reason restaurant food tastes better than home cooking, is butter. Virtually all sauces (and soups) are finished with butter added in the end. I didn't add butter at the end, but rather in the beginning and in the middle. I think I used about 3 tablespoons (2 in the beginning and add an extra tablespoon when I added the potatoes). I think that comes out to about a half a tablespoon per serving which is livable.

Ingredients:
1 bag (1.5 lbs) of small yukon potatoes
1 really big leek (white and light green parts diced)
1 container of chicken stock/broth (I used 3/4s of a box of organic broth from Whole Foods)
2 small onions (or one medium) medium dice
1 tablespoon thyme (dried)
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon white ground pepper (My new favorite; use regular pepper and it will be fine too, but white pepper is fantastic and if you have the means, I highly recommend picking up some.)
2-3 tablespoons of butter
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil (depending on how much fat you want, you can adjust the oil and butter content)
1/2 cup-1 cup of half and half (Surely, you can use milk instead, it will be less rich, but save on calories. This recipe serves 6-8 as a full meal, so I just think it's really not too terrible per serving)

Directions:
1. Dice the leek, wash it. Wash it a lot. Leeks grow in sand and you would be better off not eating sand. Dice the onion(s). Throw both in a large pot (my favorite choice is ALWAYS a risotto pan) and cook on low in butter for about 3-5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, use a food processor to slice the potatoes thin. I saw this on Pinch My Salt. Holy cow is this fast and easy! I added one more tablespoon of butter and the olive oil at this point, all the spices and the potatoes. Cover the potatoes with stock/broth just until the potatoes are covered.
3. Raise the heat! Take the burner up to about medium and bring the potato soup up to a low boil. Slowly pour in the half and half. Cook, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender. I think about 10-15 minutes, but I don't really pay attention to time; I pay attention to taste. When the potatoes are tender, it's time to turn off the heat.

4. Get out your masher and mash the potatoes to the texture of your choosing. I went "rustic" meaning that they were not pulverized, but rather an even mix. I think the thin slices don't take too much effort to mash. Serve immediately with a nice bread.

The photo below shows the soup pre-mash.

Valentine Ideas....

2010-01-08T23:42:00.002-05:00

It's going to sneak up on me if I am not careful. The nearest Krispy Kreme is in Connecticut :( If Valentine's is on a weekend AND we aren't in the middle of a snow storm, perhaps...

Probably the best shot I have taken

2010-01-08T15:10:00.004-05:00

Probably the best shot I have taken, originally uploaded by rockabilachica.

Gini and Rosie

2010-01-08T15:10:00.001-05:00

Gini and Rosie, originally uploaded by rockabilachica.

Pretties

2010-01-06T22:52:00.001-05:00

Crocheted Pillow Cases!

2010-01-06T22:47:00.002-05:00

jubella has these beauties!

LOVES from the Blog Decor8

2010-01-06T22:36:00.002-05:00

Dinner

2010-01-06T21:03:00.004-05:00

I made mushroom risotto and roasted Brussels sprouts for dinner. The picture of the sprouts is a bit blurry. Recipe for the sprouts is from Barefoot Contessa. I improvised from the Martha Stewart Cooking School a risotto, which may have been my best yet. The key-- cook the mushrooms separately and add at the very end. Otherwise- mushy blah.

Bjork Video for Sarah

2010-01-05T21:49:00.000-05:00

Delicious Winter Veggies

2010-01-05T20:49:00.003-05:00

So the evil empire that is Martha Stewart did a few recipes on cabbage in this month's edition of her majesty's Living. Her "roasted cabbage" is simple and elegant. So, I bought a lovely head of cabbage and carved that puppy half, then in half again and so forth till I had eight wedges (core intact). Fired up the oven to 450. Placed the wedges on my devine Pampered Chef baking sheet and drizzled some olive oil, kosher salt and pepper on each side. I tried out my new white pepper courtesy of my mad trip to Penzey's Spices yesterday. Pop it in the oven for ten minutes, turn, and roast ten more minutes. Squeeze a little lemon over the top and eat. Healthy, delicious, and a new way (at least new to me) of making cabbage! The picture is from another blog- I of course didn't remember to take a photo.

More home decor ideas

2010-01-04T21:30:00.002-05:00

Look at this aqua and red kitchen!

2010-01-04T21:28:00.000-05:00

Aqua and red kitchens are my favorite. Mine is aqua and red- a bit of a work in progress, but definitely has the color scheme.

Brilliant pantry idea

2010-01-04T20:50:00.000-05:00

Instructables

2010-01-03T14:59:00.000-05:00

Your handy dandy guide to DIY everything: instructables.com.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T22:39:00.004-05:00

For New Year's Eve, we fired up the culinary torch for my first attempt at creme brulee. It wasn't bad. It will improve.

Everyone was scared of the flame thrower. I got the hang of it and felt quite empowered by it and after a while, I thought I could handle a professional blowtorch version at some point without singeing all the hair off my head.

Some Christmas gifts...

2009-12-21T08:41:00.006-05:00

These are the cookies I made for Rosie's friends at work. There are homemade caramels (but not gingerbread), sugar cookies topped with Rhonda's almond frosting recipe, and a new one for me: honey-ginger bites. I didn't take photos of my other homemade treats, because I wasn't thinking. It happens.

I am still planning on making a few new things for my local pals. I will try to remember to take pictures of them.

We made a few non-food gifts this year, but really not much. More details after the holidays.

What should I do with the left over wood from the wedding

2009-12-16T21:32:00.001-05:00

Oh my, look at these!

Awesome businesses that were at the bazaar bizarre

2009-12-09T16:07:00.004-05:00

We bought from a few of these, but they were really some awesome vendors this weekend.

My newest find is called Moth Written. Their slogan: "Encouraging positive dialuge about the Arabic speaking world." Delightfully charming tees and buttons (I purchased the buttons).

I bought some Dirty Ass Soaps.

Giant Dwarf had beautiful hats and lovely wool felts.

Sarah Ahearn who we bought two prints from at TWIST in Northampton in 08.

Sugarbee Books I can't remember what they sold! But I must have liked it because I picked up their card.

I couldn't afford, but boy did I love Pansey Maiden's beautiful bags. Her prices were totally reasonable, I just was on a strict craft fair budget.

Jenn Ski had delightful art. Her blog is here.
The Small Object was also around from which I secured a tiny moustache on a stick.

We met a few of the super nice kids who hang with Boston Comics and I believe Marshall has befriended.

Sarah Coyne is a super sweetheart and the proprietor of egg-a-go-go.

Weller Wishes had some cute prints (one looked like 2 Kobes).

I bought a bib at Buckaroo's Mercantile which also has a store in Central Square.

I was very thrilled to see Jaime Zollars who unfortunately had her website hacked and is having to start over. Her prints are deliciously youthful and whimsical. I own a few little ones.

The button and sticker maniacs of fishcakes were there too.

the girls can tell had the most awesome screen printed stuff! LOVED it!

Figs and Ginger were there with their simple and beautiful jewelry.

zeal had beautiful coasters made with amy butler paper or fabrics. Super nice.

Seibei.com was also a cool dude. His business card is funny: "It's pronounced like that Destiny's Child Song- If no on is around you, say baby I love you-- Just cut off the 'if no on is around you' and '-by I love you".

Zooguu.com had adorable stuffed animals!

We saw the Candy Thief again (saw her and purchased from her at Twist). She makes amazing felt headbands.

Craftster.org was also around as well as boston handmade.

The Last Few Christmas Craft Fairs

2009-12-09T15:57:00.003-05:00

The Bazaar Bizarre was last weekend in Boston. I picked up info on a few other upcoming shows.

Stars and Skulls Crafty Craft Fair on Sunday 12/13, 10am-5pm, American Legion Hall , 162 Route 9, Hadley MA featuring the Roller Derby folks from Pioneer Valley

6th Annual Sowa Holiday Saturday and Sunday, 12/12 and 12/13, 10am-6pm. $5 admission. Free parking. It's going to be inside the Cathedral High School Gym, 74 Union Park St, Boston.

Mass Market 5 at the Mass Art Gym. $1 cover. December 13, 11-5pm. A DIY flea market of the hipster variety. I have heard great things about this annual event. I am seriously thinking of hitting it! 621 Huntington Ave.

Craftland Show in Rhode Island. Word round the BB this weekend was that this is an awesome thing and it's ongoing through December 31st. Everyday, 10am-6pm. Open late Thursday-Saturday, 10am-8pm. 235 Westminster St, Providence. 2 hours free valet parking for validated shoppers.

And while I am sure there are others (particularly in Cambridge) that I am forgetting, Boston Handmade has a shop in Downtown Crossing that is open Wed-Sun until Dec 24. 505 Washington St.

Recipe: Baked Potato Soup

2009-12-09T12:54:00.004-05:00

5 yukon gold potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups milk (I used whole b/c it was what we had for some baking projects)
4 cups stock (I used chicken, but you can surely use veggie)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion(yellow or white)
1/4 lb of bacon cut into small pieces
1 bulb of garlic
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
salt
pepper

Baby it's cold outside which to means soup soup soup! This soup requires you to bake the potatoes and then making the actual soup.

Preheat oven to 375.
Quarter potatoes into wedges (skin on is fine), sprinkle with olive oil and salt and set on a cookie sheet. Make sure that you roll the wedges around so they get a little coating of olive oil one each of the cut sides.

Cut the onion into large wedged and separate. Toss in a bowl with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a scant tablespoon of olive oil. Let me tell you, this step makes a huge difference in the flavor of the soup. The cidery bite is subtle, but very well worth the $2.00 for the vinegar. Leave in the bowl while the potatoes and garlic are cooking.

Cut the top off a head of garlic and set the head on a small square of foil. Pour about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of olive oil over top, and salt generously (I used fancy pants Fleur de Sel, but whatever salt you have will work fine). Wrap the foil up and around the garlic so that all the open edges are sealed together at the top. Set on the same cookie sheet as the potato wedges.

Bake at 375 for about 50 minutes until fork tender. HALF way through the cooking, add the onions to the cookie sheet and flip the potatoes over to insure even cooking. You do not want the potatoes to brown, just a light coloring and fork tender.

Once all the veggies are cooked (about 50 minutes total) remove from the oven and check on the status of the garlic. The garlic should be a deep golden color, opaque, and soft. The bulb will be hot to handle so let it set before removing the cloves. The garlic may require a bit more time.

Let the potatoes cool to the point you can touch them. I tend to peel off the skin at this point since it's very easy and wastes little of the potato. If you are a pre-peel type of cook, then by all means, peel them before you bake them. Once the potatoes are peeled, scoop the potatoes and onions into a bowl. Add the entire head of garlic by gently squeezing the bulb. The individual cloves should ooze out without much effort. You can also do this with a spoon by pressing the garlic out of the paper. Either way, add it all. Roasted garlic is sweet and nutty and adds a wonderful depth of flavor for very little cost and effort.

So now, in a large bowl (or in a food processor bowl or blender) you should have all your veggies. I used an immersion blender but you can use whatever tool you have to pulverize the veggies. Don't do it dry, oh no-- at this point, add your sour cream, milk, and about a cup to two cups of the chicken stock. The mixture may be a little pasty-- you don't want that. If it is paste like, add more stock. I ended up using about 4 cups of stock TOTAL, but it's entirely dependent on the viscosity of your mixture. I did not add butter but I did pour a little of the excess olive oil into the mix from the cookie sheet. Up to you about how you would like to control the fat content. Remember, there's bacon in it to, so keep it all in mind. Set the soup base aside while you begin to prepare the next step-- the bacon.

In the pot you will be heating your soup, cook the bits of bacon. Trader Joe's has a new applewood smoked bacon that is OUT OF THIS WORLD on the bacon scale. By all means, if you have access to a TJ's get this bacon. Once the bacon is browned and crispy, remove it from the pot and set it aside. At this point, I tend to use a paper towel or two to soak up the excess fat in the pot. I want the brown bits but not the grease. So I get out as much as I can. Then, before pouring the soup in deglaze the pot.

To deglaze, take about a cup of your stock and pour it into the hot pot. Scrape the brown bits down and let the bacony residue cook off. Slowly pour your soup base into the bacony stock and mix them together. Heat the soup through. If you think it is too thick, then by all means, add more stock. Just make sure to stir it to incorporate the stock to the soup.

Immediately before serving return half of the bacon to the soup (use the other half for garnish on top).

I served the soup with a generous shaving of smoked gouda on top and a few bacony bits of goodness. I also added a good amount of ground pepper as I served it.

This recipe made six very sizable portions.

Ice Cream

2009-12-07T14:08:00.004-05:00

Places to go or have been that are ice cream mavens:

Franklin Fountain in Philly (missed in on the convomoon ;()

Ici in Berkeley TOTALLY fanfrickingtastic.

I am thinking ice cream is a major possibility for our business venture. We might need to make one of these.

Bows

2009-12-07T14:01:00.000-05:00

Make your own bows for the holidays!

Directions here.

Supermarket Sarah

2009-12-07T13:55:00.002-05:00

This is a very cool thing. She sells all of her flea market finds off her walls; she sets up these cool displays and then you purchase right out of her house.

Busniess plan ruminations

2009-12-06T22:11:00.003-05:00

We are contemplating an endeavor, details to come later. I wish Lowell, Mass wasn't so far away. I wish we could set up shop here. If only there was a similar thing in the South Shore area. More details to come shortly.

Ornaments from Anthropologie

2009-12-06T22:07:00.003-05:00

Shiny

2009-12-06T22:06:00.001-05:00

Just in case anyone has $1300 sitting around for a turntable, this one is at Anthropologie.

French Paper isn't really from France. Quelle surprise!

2009-12-03T23:50:00.003-05:00

I love French Paper. I wish there was a French paper store here in Beantown

Visions of delicate ephemerata dance in my head

2009-12-03T21:02:00.002-05:00

A clean holiday table

2009-12-03T20:58:00.003-05:00

If I had a cupcake shop, it might look like this.

2009-12-03T20:56:00.002-05:00

Doesn't everyone need one of these???

2009-12-03T20:50:00.001-05:00

Before and after kitty palace!

Another idea to make tissue flowers for a garden party

2009-11-23T11:13:00.000-05:00

Rifle Paper Co.

2009-11-23T11:09:00.004-05:00

Seriously adorable stuff over at Rifle Paper Co. Follow her blog here.

More gift wrapping idears from MS

2009-11-20T18:43:00.003-05:00

Unique packaging ideas

2009-11-20T18:37:00.005-05:00

So I am annoyed at MS right now over a damn project she has in the December issue that requires a tool that doesn't exist. Like I want to DIY a knit wit? Whatever Martha. I did find an idea or two for packaging gifts that I like. Below are large cookies she stuffed into CD envelopes with a glassine window. Awesome, but now where to find the envelopes for cheap? WalMart?

These seem easy enough if you are only giving people one cookie (for the naughties on your list)

BITCHIN LIGHTIN

2009-11-20T10:01:00.001-05:00

Holy guacamole. I saw these on the Design Sponge this morning. GLORIOUS!

Martha going nutball over the difference between her and Rachel Ray :)

2009-11-19T21:17:00.002-05:00

Car comes with coordinating hat for driver.

2009-11-17T12:39:00.001-05:00

Mini Pumpkin Pies

2009-10-11T21:43:00.003-04:00

From Bakerella
Pumpkin Pies, originally uploaded by Bakerella.

Dying to get back to Northampton

2009-09-30T11:18:00.003-04:00

Once a month I had to go out to Springfield Mass for work. My visits are over and I am deeply saddened; not because of the work or Springfield, but because of my sidetrips into Northampton.

Northampton is located in picturesque Western Mass and includes gems like:

Essentials. Kim Francis described this place as "Gini heaven" when we first walked in the door. It's a wonderland of papers, kitschy little notebooks, ribbons, stamps and fantastic gift items.

There's a wonderful general home goods store called Cedar Chest, which is located in a tiny "mall" with a fantastic shoe store and wonderful little jewelry store (can't remember the name). Then across the street are more wonders such as Faces (a localized version of Urban Outfitters), a lovely jewelry store featuring local artists, and a clothing/shoe store that sells Patagonia.

And of course the motherload of yarn stores- Webs. I think it's the biggest in the country. It's magnificent. My yarn buddies from Texas told me about it before I even moved to Boston, and let me tell you, it is spectacular. So much wonderous yarn. Don't take people who aren't interested-- drop them off at Herrell's for ice cream around the corner! There are just so many great shops, great atmosphere and wonders. I bet the leaves are starting to change.

Photobooths

2009-09-28T09:47:00.002-04:00

same ones, originally uploaded by girlhula.

And absolutely NO Stairway to Heaven!

2009-09-28T09:46:00.004-04:00

plink plink, originally uploaded by girlhula.

Cake Balls

2009-09-25T10:16:00.000-04:00

Recipe

Amy Atlas

2009-09-25T10:10:00.000-04:00

Well, I found a 'sneak peek' of the new Martha Stewart Weddings for Fall (take your sweet ass time Martha!) which led me to Amy Atlas Events. Holy crap with her candy tablescapes. She has a blog too. De-light-ful!

Check out the faux bois blog post. Some of that loveliness might show up at an event soon. By soon, I mean 36 days away.

Paper Wheels

2009-09-23T12:01:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting to make a paper wheel and even thought of scrapping my wedding invites for wedding invitation wheels. Thanks to Design Sponge for this little gem. Note, I am using wood tree stumps like in this picture at the wedding, I already bought them and I have been seeing them crop up on table settings all over!

Cannibals Dot the Corners of their Mouths (No Wiping!)

2009-09-21T16:05:00.001-04:00

I like French Paper (nice stuff!), but this isn't exactly "nice." Also available in posters as well.

Domino's back?

2009-09-21T15:46:00.000-04:00

Rumor has it that Lonny Mag is where all the old Domino-ers went and the new mag is coming soon. I believe it is all online and it's launching 10/1. They also have a FB page.

House of Turquoise

2009-09-21T15:41:00.000-04:00

Yes, that's the name of a blog that is all about inspiration to decorate in turquoise. A little on the girlie end of the spectrum but delightful nevertheless! Laura-- perhaps for your new home you need more aqua inspiration.

Dinner Party Favors

2009-09-16T12:43:00.001-04:00

That Sunday Suppers blog is just unreal. Check out the salt and sugar gifts she made for her guests. Photos are by Karen Mordechai and Sunday Suppers.

Letter pressed recipe cards

2009-09-11T11:07:00.000-04:00

Available on ETSY.

Beautiful Lesbian Weddings

2009-09-09T10:13:00.000-04:00

This website has a gorgeous wedding, tres girlie and here's another one at the SF zoo that is very sweet.

Cookies!

2009-08-26T23:57:00.000-04:00

Totally doable with store bought cookies to make them a little extra special.

Cookie bags

2009-08-26T23:55:00.000-04:00

How lovely are these? Directions from MS here.