tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9652736149959933882024-03-04T20:07:59.600-08:00The Way to EatTales from a hungry lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-72161842891014757982011-12-10T22:45:00.000-08:002011-12-10T23:01:38.593-08:00What a Cook Wants, 2This is rich.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A Baked Potato Bean Bag Chair</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9b1o1PN3vibuE4m6SOSP1wI4XuUT1GToX3BMfxQBd7E3T-QqZXPk4LtVzTxoTEK0l4ENsWp5WIWMohOwoeLzk_4ksRx0-41qB68Xdcdp7Olf12EVyxIexGzN53boIVsA4UvoNkS0Jb76/s1600/il_570xN.290588476.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9b1o1PN3vibuE4m6SOSP1wI4XuUT1GToX3BMfxQBd7E3T-QqZXPk4LtVzTxoTEK0l4ENsWp5WIWMohOwoeLzk_4ksRx0-41qB68Xdcdp7Olf12EVyxIexGzN53boIVsA4UvoNkS0Jb76/s400/il_570xN.290588476.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684758637327252194" /></a><br /><br />Have you ever looked deep within the fluffy white folds of a steaming baked potato and wished you could curl up inside its warm starchy walls and take a nap? Come on, people. For God's sake, it has A BUTTER PILLOW. This piece shows a true commitment to the foodie lifestyle. <br /><br />Now I want you to channel your inner nineteen year old for one minute- seriously, close your eyes, focus on the exhale, and ask the crazy teen that still resides within. They will tell you: This is <span style="font-style:italic;">awesome</span>!<br /><br />Plus, it's hand made by an artist in Philadelphia (with a BFA from the Taylor School of Art). Shop small businesses! No children in China suffered for your carb fantasy. Ahhhhh.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/87230076/baked-potato-bean-bag-chair-w-butter?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Internal&utm_campaign=Merch">The Baked Potato Bean Bag Chair</a> is made from hand-dyed cotton and stuffed with more cotton; the butter pillow is made of silk. $300.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-21221824979768941372011-12-07T09:56:00.001-08:002011-12-07T11:08:03.542-08:00What a Cook Wants, 1Dear readers. After last year's Hiatus of Despair, I'm back with a great series of gifts for the cook in your life. Buckle up! I'll post fabulous ideas every day.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Great Pot for Less</span>
<br />Did I say Pot? I meant Pots. Hee hee. (Sorry. Too much time in California, I can't resist the weed jokes.)
<br />Anyway, both Le Creuset and Staub offer a great, recession-friendly deal on two fabulous pots. For this price, you'd think they fell off a truck.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38OoJdRvKPKhuerlQaWd88kYsnvKgwEGmRshkKhSzfT8-rhrDTwAhHPT2Z8MGBGmYCALqMdlcetB-5U17yJ0Pp6SbxP4VeSDtsah9Pe2WaO_2lQj6mb4J1Aw0oUrDMXWmQ-uRRlHPcquT/s1600/PRO-722249_Default_2_200x200.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38OoJdRvKPKhuerlQaWd88kYsnvKgwEGmRshkKhSzfT8-rhrDTwAhHPT2Z8MGBGmYCALqMdlcetB-5U17yJ0Pp6SbxP4VeSDtsah9Pe2WaO_2lQj6mb4J1Aw0oUrDMXWmQ-uRRlHPcquT/s400/PRO-722249_Default_2_200x200.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683456284655482546" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;">Le Creuset</span>
<br />1) Le Creuset is offering a <a href="http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-722249/Le-Creuset-Fennel-Wide-Oval-French-Oven">3 1/2-qt. wide oval French oven</a> for a mere $129.95. That is peanuts in the world of Le Creuset. They're made in France, which means there's serious quality control and the workers are paid an actual living wage. When I got my first Le Creuset pot I thought, "This is pretty, but why the hype?" Now I reach for those first, every time.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIx7bym3SXZ8rIBjZkVHO7denHvWNOK0iqFU5bT3SnUbuaV7Sf5Kc_rWfYQc3WdMIBHKP3LbwNwVD7PfhiVb3H2IUJWiun14v8Hs2vJIl3dP2XSp35_lXSgm5jmTaDcTZTubLn7b6zwHCT/s1600/img3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIx7bym3SXZ8rIBjZkVHO7denHvWNOK0iqFU5bT3SnUbuaV7Sf5Kc_rWfYQc3WdMIBHKP3LbwNwVD7PfhiVb3H2IUJWiun14v8Hs2vJIl3dP2XSp35_lXSgm5jmTaDcTZTubLn7b6zwHCT/s400/img3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683460988030981890" /></a></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Staub</span>
<br />2) Staub is also a line of French, cast iron enameled pots and pans. For the holidays they're offering a <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/staub-round-wide-cocotte/?cm_src=hero">4-qt. Round Wide Cocotte</a> for $129.95, also an incredible bargain. The amazing thing about enameled cast iron is that it's nearly non-stick, but without the terrible Teflon chemicals.
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<br />Either one will impress and delight the cook in your life, and probably guarantee the giver some lovely dinners in the new year. <span style="font-style:italic;">Bon appétit! </span>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-47707465649921182542011-12-02T01:32:00.000-08:002011-12-03T01:40:10.677-08:00Why Care About Celery Soup?.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhin97aPr6XuVCRw1210Zxn34C6NRczSQOFSK7jjkdtCGdht_K9JDKOnm7NNE6mJ_Nbtb_y1Qv8wuNsBLM6fVphzgDTUbbkwTcEbKHpcNh39qvbJ6xl2rvaf0JEio-k9S_80i2o0tRxVFs8/s1600/celery.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhin97aPr6XuVCRw1210Zxn34C6NRczSQOFSK7jjkdtCGdht_K9JDKOnm7NNE6mJ_Nbtb_y1Qv8wuNsBLM6fVphzgDTUbbkwTcEbKHpcNh39qvbJ6xl2rvaf0JEio-k9S_80i2o0tRxVFs8/s200/celery.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681831942912220850" /></a>Indeed. Unless you grew up with your mom cranking open that can of Campbell's (all WASPs please raise your hands), why would you care about celery soup? I'll tell you why: because Thanksgiving just happened.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">But Tory</span>, you say, <span style="font-style:italic;">I didn't serve celery soup for Thanksgiving!</span><br />Of course you didn't. Nobody does (until you've tried mine). No no, you care because if we are anything alike, your celery sits in the crisper after you use the three stalks needed for Thanksgiving and slowly rots until you throw it away in mid-December. <br />Happy Holidays.<br />In this time of recession and hungry people, I feel extra guilt for wasting food. This is my humble answer to what to do with that celery.<br />Because you can only eat so many ants on a log.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">(Leftover) Celery Soup<br /></span>This recipe originated from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Cookbook-Katzens-Classic-Cooking/dp/1580081304/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322904074&sr=8-1">The Moosewood Cookbook</a>. It was vegetarian and a bit bland for my taste, but I'm grateful to Mollie Katzen for getting this soup party started. It's low calorie, not that it matters- you're already beautiful! But it's a warming, healthy soup in the midst of our season of over-indulging. I'll give you the recipe, then the prep photos.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Serves 6</span><br /><br />2 tbs. butter<br />1 cup finely minced onion<br />4 1/2 cups celery, divided: 4 cups in 1-inch chunks, 1/2 cup chopped very fine<br />2 tsp. salt, divided<br />1 tsp. celery seed<br />1/2 tsp. ground coriander<br />2 tbs. dry white wine (dry vermouth works in a pinch)<br /><br />3 cups low-sodium chicken stock<br />1 big Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced<br /> dash nutmeg<br /><br />1 cup milk<br />2-3 tbs. Greek yogurt or sour cream<br /> white pepper to taste<br />2 tbs. minced fresh parsley or snipped chives<br /><br />In large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion, 1/2 cup finely minced celery, celery seed, ground coriander and 1/2 tsp. salt. Saute about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are golden and just tender. Add wine; stir until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Set vegetable mixture aside in bowl. <br /><br />In same pot, bring chicken stock to boil. Add 4 cups celery in 1-inch chunks, potato, remaining 1 1/12 tsp. salt and pinch nutmeg. Return to boil, then lower heat and cover. Simmer about 18 minutes, or until potato is easily pierced with fork. Transfer to blender or food processor. Puree, in batches if necessary. Return to pot with reserved vegetable mixture.<br /><br />Whisk in milk, yogurt, and salt and white pepper to taste. Serve warm and garnish with chopped fresh herbs. <br /><br />And now the pictures!<br /><br />I love beautiful prep:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYHqKFv0xnc9nn4fAlHDYmJKiNAMDd7ziqVe9e-mNqpxat3Ohek1Cee5RJMwZmiK3H2wlDxePim7lbK2-79z4LO9mtqQGkub4XDOA-yhTP1jSX5khAUY8_mvvMZaUEoF7o6MkyFU-sBz3/s1600/IMG_0274.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYHqKFv0xnc9nn4fAlHDYmJKiNAMDd7ziqVe9e-mNqpxat3Ohek1Cee5RJMwZmiK3H2wlDxePim7lbK2-79z4LO9mtqQGkub4XDOA-yhTP1jSX5khAUY8_mvvMZaUEoF7o6MkyFU-sBz3/s400/IMG_0274.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681826549134597362" /></a> <br /><br />Very finely chopped, indeed.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjvayhDK6K84ITSgc6sr2yAzHgDLzkEeuXdfNLzvrK-njJnJAr-RUlDRPuZzpYtZjzXoAaIUSAGaLqYZvh5pgTiUH09gvg7UyFKv6wqJ4236YDiCaXDTa-3hJLEBWnAaZqY-RBiOgafdy/s1600/IMG_0273.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjvayhDK6K84ITSgc6sr2yAzHgDLzkEeuXdfNLzvrK-njJnJAr-RUlDRPuZzpYtZjzXoAaIUSAGaLqYZvh5pgTiUH09gvg7UyFKv6wqJ4236YDiCaXDTa-3hJLEBWnAaZqY-RBiOgafdy/s400/IMG_0273.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681826883412179730" /></a><br /><br />Go, celery, go!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtp1M0eqDdqG1mjuthaAcdKikC7sQG8KpBaHZaOuvrBl4Bsg0nmrthfbR3TFRyKLGbqugOWH8e3yCRjUicPoA_Q3IK-WZj9A_l6FX7Et28tIi-rTDDX20PSBhv3lscpp5ye81K0_7gAlX_/s1600/IMG_0272.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtp1M0eqDdqG1mjuthaAcdKikC7sQG8KpBaHZaOuvrBl4Bsg0nmrthfbR3TFRyKLGbqugOWH8e3yCRjUicPoA_Q3IK-WZj9A_l6FX7Et28tIi-rTDDX20PSBhv3lscpp5ye81K0_7gAlX_/s400/IMG_0272.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681827978026865106" /></a><br /><br />Never fill your blender more than 2/3 full. TRUST ME.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPkJefgWY7t82-u4cdtn8vIN-hSpT7X_ZFyvg1aSl1lNIb1hyphenhyphen-Mst9Bj9GkpjTZQy0DPKCTkRjSvY7_k8yfay1x_S1P2D1yWVz-Gei0wpM5fdYfJIX7_BiWE6qrAd8Np1Qi1tpRgCzBjb/s1600/IMG_0275.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPkJefgWY7t82-u4cdtn8vIN-hSpT7X_ZFyvg1aSl1lNIb1hyphenhyphen-Mst9Bj9GkpjTZQy0DPKCTkRjSvY7_k8yfay1x_S1P2D1yWVz-Gei0wpM5fdYfJIX7_BiWE6qrAd8Np1Qi1tpRgCzBjb/s400/IMG_0275.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681828302969661170" /></a><br /><br />Ahhhh. So lovely. I forgot the garnish and it's still delicious.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjel983Vi7SusLwJ_9yFldKPULxKuV3T9BfMGKRECzppbpPAk-I7JldZwe46bNo78khrwIiWQOUDRmlOdHY0QgWlJVTOA4syctFP2QumUhwWLyxs6jt361Owm6yCYNq2_Aq3DgB7u6bvYcJ/s1600/IMG_0276.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjel983Vi7SusLwJ_9yFldKPULxKuV3T9BfMGKRECzppbpPAk-I7JldZwe46bNo78khrwIiWQOUDRmlOdHY0QgWlJVTOA4syctFP2QumUhwWLyxs6jt361Owm6yCYNq2_Aq3DgB7u6bvYcJ/s400/IMG_0276.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681829010793565666" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-52906836528358560352011-11-23T01:15:00.000-08:002011-11-23T01:24:06.038-08:00Summer's EchoAhh, dear reader, I've missed you. Hello! I hope our sabbatical has been fruitful and peaceful for you, and that you're flourishing despite this difficult economy... or at the very least, eating well. This return post is due in part to my dad, who informed me he enjoys reading my posts even though he has zero desire to cook anything I talk about. In that spirit, I give you a story about how to make grape jelly. I imagine no one who reads this will be buying jelly jars anytime soon, but it should be be a delightful romp for us all.<br />Without further ado...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_jzQ6rMm2yncYFbYvHMNkWvE4QHV12jTxvtMOTtEMIxgmnudhT74vlnjwjAmgU_spjBwuJ50EwmW3UrgpUC63jH7p4upMP1p-O9z-sVMhIJ6R8TyqmVKxa080Wva-DpeLJ0R5BLbQUxj/s1600/IMG_0528.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_jzQ6rMm2yncYFbYvHMNkWvE4QHV12jTxvtMOTtEMIxgmnudhT74vlnjwjAmgU_spjBwuJ50EwmW3UrgpUC63jH7p4upMP1p-O9z-sVMhIJ6R8TyqmVKxa080Wva-DpeLJ0R5BLbQUxj/s400/IMG_0528.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664632354943236850" /></a><br />We begin with the grapes. Because home canning uses such simple ingredients, it's important to have the best. My dear friends <a href="http://www.layogagarage.com/">Tanya</a> and Erik have a house once owned by an old Italian man who brought grape vines from his homeland to make wine. He also planted fig, orange, grapefruit and lemon trees; they pretty much live in an urban orchard. Their vines run wild and all the grapes burst forth at the same time, too many for any one family to eat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjPEPVZntdFK8VaMlfjZ4Jf1YY5r0yqqeIwQl18jI0Uv2v2KHz0QMbt_e31a7N6oeBouTPzK6i1677ttF96DJH-kHlcGXUofua8I1ckdy2RovnF7wdvZ8SrGHEXsya_d5yMPM9K9GmOsx/s1600/IMG_0529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjPEPVZntdFK8VaMlfjZ4Jf1YY5r0yqqeIwQl18jI0Uv2v2KHz0QMbt_e31a7N6oeBouTPzK6i1677ttF96DJH-kHlcGXUofua8I1ckdy2RovnF7wdvZ8SrGHEXsya_d5yMPM9K9GmOsx/s400/IMG_0529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664633688100219730" /></a><br />So when the vines explode I come with buckets and fight the spiders for the best grapes I've ever eaten. <br />I always pick the fruit in the late afternoon, when the light is most golden and warm. After a few minutes of chatting, Tanya usually goes back to the house to check on tiny Sadie, and then it's the grape vines and me, alone, bathing in the afternoon sun. I pull the clusters off the vine the same way people have for thousands of years, and in that moment I am no different from any of them. I feel the silence of the trees and the ground, disturbed only by the buzzing of drunken bees, and drink in the colors of pale, delicate periwinkle to a deep and lush velvet purple. There is a simplicity and connectedness I feel there, back and forwards in time, and up and down to the fiery gold above and the cool earth beneath.<br /> <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm677T7prDrXneDn9IuO_hrjD7aRiqkcB21OgVupX85BBJ0BEMFQG-Gq0nLApguxfgJ-EZinImKZ_cH1HHZvCBVggkSrdJEXANB2GxAO3OEzexwrL767Yk3bVeV6ZanX6Ry1K6d3Ec8AE/s1600/IMG_0530.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm677T7prDrXneDn9IuO_hrjD7aRiqkcB21OgVupX85BBJ0BEMFQG-Gq0nLApguxfgJ-EZinImKZ_cH1HHZvCBVggkSrdJEXANB2GxAO3OEzexwrL767Yk3bVeV6ZanX6Ry1K6d3Ec8AE/s400/IMG_0530.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664634444802520722" /></a><br /><br />[<span style="font-style:italic;">Pause. Breathe.</span>] <br />To resume with the process: This year I got 55 cups of grapes, a great haul. Do you know how long it takes to de-spider, pluck and wash 55 cups of grapes? I do. It takes TWO hours... Next year I'm getting a jelly intern, jeez.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipR4ZXMm1q8iIsX4xPW-BWHjZyW3S9djLQnZHrb1vGTWaK42w9kjuSyzYLitbq9_cXiHB97t5MOrXVP6mMGDsLqys0uuTzG66bO3Hmrlltu03ZEMdKn2GtXsptbbZSUVBTbHQ0SPHC4eqH/s1600/IMG_0532.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipR4ZXMm1q8iIsX4xPW-BWHjZyW3S9djLQnZHrb1vGTWaK42w9kjuSyzYLitbq9_cXiHB97t5MOrXVP6mMGDsLqys0uuTzG66bO3Hmrlltu03ZEMdKn2GtXsptbbZSUVBTbHQ0SPHC4eqH/s400/IMG_0532.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671225736522550674" /></a><br />Then you briefly boil the grapes before turning your kitchen into a serial killer's den. (Yeah, you read that right.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gFPITuvzSOEfmi3vezdJR9LQkDdtgNBB3MzvRb3_sgcFl75iyI3_xuFiLIKKHEQN0Qy1QrmPo5Gakd3o7PUIeDDQZM7Gnn1JmTCFhVuEVk0cGk3q5VPAG5CPO9oyJx9R7d60sfDjcO-N/s1600/IMG_0533.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gFPITuvzSOEfmi3vezdJR9LQkDdtgNBB3MzvRb3_sgcFl75iyI3_xuFiLIKKHEQN0Qy1QrmPo5Gakd3o7PUIeDDQZM7Gnn1JmTCFhVuEVk0cGk3q5VPAG5CPO9oyJx9R7d60sfDjcO-N/s400/IMG_0533.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671226508973426114" /></a><br />Every time I do this, all I can envision are heads in those bags. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlNkEuHmPFABAVWXBFrZVFGUQ_2CwAOoTjumDVqQjz-mRM6CwcNh7OY81Ytj9It4j9vEN_gAf7-V-5dtisbAHn-ibVU05RiIuxz1JShA1713b6qRfJDHvq954hEmGCGtx5kTetQtFFp51/s1600/IMG_0534.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlNkEuHmPFABAVWXBFrZVFGUQ_2CwAOoTjumDVqQjz-mRM6CwcNh7OY81Ytj9It4j9vEN_gAf7-V-5dtisbAHn-ibVU05RiIuxz1JShA1713b6qRfJDHvq954hEmGCGtx5kTetQtFFp51/s400/IMG_0534.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671228747633924866" /></a><br />Anyway, this is an area where crafting skills come in handy. I guess someone sells a product called "jelly bags," but not in the city of Los Angeles, my friends. So I bought lengths of cheesecloth (four yards), layered them in a cross shape and then tried to hang them up with kitchen twine. Except, oh, I have no kitchen twine. sigh. You know what else works as kitchen twine? Cords to electronic devices that you no longer own. That's right, that day they got a promotion from 'junk in drawer' to 'no-cost twine.' Sweet!<br /><br />So then you let the bags hang for a couple hours or overnight. Here is something that makes me crazy: All the books say the same thing, "DON'T SQUEEZE THE BAG." In canning terms, it seems to be the equivalent of, "Whatever you do, don't push the red button!"<br />I don't know about you, but the minute someone says that, what do I desperately need to do? SQUEEZE THE BAG. It's all I can think about. It's all I want. It would feel soooo good. And yet, I DON'T. Why not? Because I didn't wash and de-spider 55 cups of grapes to f-- it up now. Damn! <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Whew.</span> That was a close one. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6X3iBeGWJxJtj5TAnZ46jm2KgD_NwBRuZ4UwwK8tfbxsM7Ad9T5LCzh-IkyHHhCBPjOH3yXGQU2Tw5du-d2GfrcdTo2JY1odMtdefWmwTv1xcOed31BgYlBBYEE8f5zCw9kas4x_RHIN/s1600/IMG_0535.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6X3iBeGWJxJtj5TAnZ46jm2KgD_NwBRuZ4UwwK8tfbxsM7Ad9T5LCzh-IkyHHhCBPjOH3yXGQU2Tw5du-d2GfrcdTo2JY1odMtdefWmwTv1xcOed31BgYlBBYEE8f5zCw9kas4x_RHIN/s400/IMG_0535.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671230099000528274" /></a><br />"When color is at its richest, form is at its fullest." -Cézanne<br /><br />Then I put all the juice in the fridge for a couple days because I'm sick of grapes. I need my kitchen back.<br />Did I mention this makes the most delicious grape juice ever on earth? Complex, deep, rich. I sip this juice and understand why early Christians used it to represent the blood of Christ- if I tried this in church I'd be a convert too. Turns out it's also divine in cocktails. So then the challenge becomes not to drink more than a cup or two- there's jelly making to be done! <br />For you mathematicians out there, this year I got 22 cups of juice for my troubles. (I'll include an equation at the end. Hot.)<br /><br />So before I go nuts and throw a party with the best grape punch on earth, the jelly making begins!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1htmO6HJPtc-IH3ZlEKLGglQiZpdwNwTDrSN4itOQOoyEbojO_wZGm2SaGj4IBzPkBLM1yxyrLFOAK8ErrWNz_Q1ghQBz8C6rFt_91MZM85EPc7aEy2xjM9FA1bf-Zn7NrgvBxdphgPgs/s1600/IMG_0543.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1htmO6HJPtc-IH3ZlEKLGglQiZpdwNwTDrSN4itOQOoyEbojO_wZGm2SaGj4IBzPkBLM1yxyrLFOAK8ErrWNz_Q1ghQBz8C6rFt_91MZM85EPc7aEy2xjM9FA1bf-Zn7NrgvBxdphgPgs/s400/IMG_0543.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671235381885114098" /></a><br />Homemade grape jelly consists of just a few things: grape juice, a little water, sugar, lemon juice and some cut up apples. You may be wondering, why apples? The answer is cool: grapes don't have enough natural pectin (a soluble dietary fiber that causes jams and jellies to firm up and take that gel-like viscosity). You can buy powdered pectin for canning, or you can use the pectin that occurs naturally in other fruits. Apples have a lot- I say, why not go the natural route? It increases the cooking time a little, but if I'm going to the trouble to do this from scratch then I want it to be the real deal. No factory-made shortcuts. I want it Great Grandma Pat-style.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I sterilized the jars. They say you can wash them in soapy water, but I'd just as soon dunk them in boiling water, it's quicker.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzYbrSduCVvqEcvhZGJd4_Dsp1ISMOFdC7GcnM7eAgZ_4vaudsujnKKf3QwOsUNHbgv2m2nV-y3MC9aWKVuciZF1moRJG9nLokhUhK6hCETMFbLGH1h7D9p_YjntK7oHNzZQl8hzPtU-V/s1600/IMG_0523.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzYbrSduCVvqEcvhZGJd4_Dsp1ISMOFdC7GcnM7eAgZ_4vaudsujnKKf3QwOsUNHbgv2m2nV-y3MC9aWKVuciZF1moRJG9nLokhUhK6hCETMFbLGH1h7D9p_YjntK7oHNzZQl8hzPtU-V/s400/IMG_0523.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678103657959242178" /></a><br /><br />After the jelly has boiled for a while, you start skimming off the scummy foam just like you do for chicken stock. Except this scum looks like a silly purple cloud.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhEG4nsU9qm17oOuH1iSP0xaB6uVb7CsNNd9BQKNHOtn_V0pIn7Po7cI_AC44CVIm88QvjWu_lIP-xSW-_IaetGVYzFafYbMSf132k0auw5WTm7tXjEdyvouYPLJkY2_SYkaz2n0ulnRN/s1600/IMG_0522.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhEG4nsU9qm17oOuH1iSP0xaB6uVb7CsNNd9BQKNHOtn_V0pIn7Po7cI_AC44CVIm88QvjWu_lIP-xSW-_IaetGVYzFafYbMSf132k0auw5WTm7tXjEdyvouYPLJkY2_SYkaz2n0ulnRN/s400/IMG_0522.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678104175877635698" /></a><br /><br /><br />And these are the tools of this sticky, sticky trade: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkeYiGdqFUs1M7o-0ZFZJhisqN6SydEIrDIOPLwojMXzwQGsFXZ6uHMyOrWuG245HcLoWTg1nvZyEZCPq2KqrYetfxxrx4VtCSfGkJaBwCC5H6hd5d4TAXcmzMriMP0cF8kIpqUWfUig_/s1600/IMG_0545.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkeYiGdqFUs1M7o-0ZFZJhisqN6SydEIrDIOPLwojMXzwQGsFXZ6uHMyOrWuG245HcLoWTg1nvZyEZCPq2KqrYetfxxrx4VtCSfGkJaBwCC5H6hd5d4TAXcmzMriMP0cF8kIpqUWfUig_/s400/IMG_0545.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678102116837164146" /></a><br /><br />After what feels like 42 hours of some weird facial-by-jelly boiling (it's at this point that I start having abusive thoughts: Why am I doing this to myself? I can buy this at Trader Joe's for $3! This is not lucrative! This is not efficient! I've entered some sick Twilight Zone, my jelly is f--ed up, it will never set and I shall spend all of eternity in this sticky, steamy cauldron of a kitchen!): <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_61Qb3A8KFD1k2PIHZZ8mzq5vgvbOJf6tf09I9HWa7FoBC6u0S9p3L87EowPKeQUc3csUhj4tdxbvDgI3DLu8RkWrXhV5le3vFNhf1pK2v5dfy1hSUMgvyAvcfVPMfqoVWvp3KoIARVZz/s1600/IMG_0546.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_61Qb3A8KFD1k2PIHZZ8mzq5vgvbOJf6tf09I9HWa7FoBC6u0S9p3L87EowPKeQUc3csUhj4tdxbvDgI3DLu8RkWrXhV5le3vFNhf1pK2v5dfy1hSUMgvyAvcfVPMfqoVWvp3KoIARVZz/s400/IMG_0546.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678105414568537490" /></a><br /><br />the jelly finally, finally starts to set, and it's time to start pouring it into jars.<br />See the difference in color between the initial grape juice and the ready-for-jars jelly? <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKuF3cVQQzmjgYOaJgAe3JFWq1k4292qMKSGa-A2EZdUx_4-QcFl7TJIHAKgptEUcfqJgdKsdwJ3A8GNVT42tIZ-BtNQdL0KDqLrTvjhuu_eFxsQYTw9HvozKbFYVbwZ1L24GAfyTJFdRI/s1600/IMG_0549.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKuF3cVQQzmjgYOaJgAe3JFWq1k4292qMKSGa-A2EZdUx_4-QcFl7TJIHAKgptEUcfqJgdKsdwJ3A8GNVT42tIZ-BtNQdL0KDqLrTvjhuu_eFxsQYTw9HvozKbFYVbwZ1L24GAfyTJFdRI/s400/IMG_0549.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678106357705105218" /></a><br />(At 1am, this is a profound moment.)<br /><br />Then, the ladling into the hot sterilized jars begins. Here is my late night attempt at an artistic perspective: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxoKYfgDAAudeoqL_5WWOWMBDRE4WDDeDfUrYNmgTZNPiQc4NpGztzkkQdJcSJ5Vuf9CQdEEz_QOga6hQsV3-NNaVfMP_6kyhx2A7eSIjh_Ecpw2gweu6fOO69jsgoBdztBzInjtd3oZH/s1600/IMG_0547.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxoKYfgDAAudeoqL_5WWOWMBDRE4WDDeDfUrYNmgTZNPiQc4NpGztzkkQdJcSJ5Vuf9CQdEEz_QOga6hQsV3-NNaVfMP_6kyhx2A7eSIjh_Ecpw2gweu6fOO69jsgoBdztBzInjtd3oZH/s400/IMG_0547.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678107219732752786" /></a><br /><br />And here is what it actually looks like: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCiVtUHppgRezxmFTeUoH5P2SLrwXnTYEzlE6c4LevDyJszHSktSx1A8mLU8W3jhNGa81lvmQqXVdygzGUoX1MeRVGLFESeAwB03t5kcemx9UHPy8Yj-FpW41_FxdshPAChxCFeY8Qj1q/s1600/IMG_0548.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCiVtUHppgRezxmFTeUoH5P2SLrwXnTYEzlE6c4LevDyJszHSktSx1A8mLU8W3jhNGa81lvmQqXVdygzGUoX1MeRVGLFESeAwB03t5kcemx9UHPy8Yj-FpW41_FxdshPAChxCFeY8Qj1q/s400/IMG_0548.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678107504429241170" /></a><br /><br />I fill up the rack with full jars of jelly, their lids screwed fingertip tight (just loose enough that air bubbles can escape, thus they won't explode in the pot), lower them into the roiling depths and wait 15 minutes while they're processed. It takes several batches, and I should note that by this point both I and my kitchen are completely covered in a thin layer of delicious purple stickiness. I believe I legally qualify as a grape now. My arms stick to the counter. *sigh*<br /><br />When the time is up, I carefully transfer the jars to a towel-covered table in a non-drafty portion of my kitchen-- which also helps avoid jars exploding. Who knew making jelly was so high stakes? Look at these babies, they're gorgeous: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnNFRSLSa0TMBrLdTLUEeSxcy0xIiZZn4bAhfXT8T8AOJ0aDrQ3b9g7g-fXWcD2iAAvFmxo3qsPcCQz2wYoOxebCHUjar1jLWJN6b9qExSfmoFYHG87kwPXQKy2qvENtUftuiWadKwraU/s1600/IMG_0550.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnNFRSLSa0TMBrLdTLUEeSxcy0xIiZZn4bAhfXT8T8AOJ0aDrQ3b9g7g-fXWcD2iAAvFmxo3qsPcCQz2wYoOxebCHUjar1jLWJN6b9qExSfmoFYHG87kwPXQKy2qvENtUftuiWadKwraU/s400/IMG_0550.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678109423528748114" /></a><br /><br />Then comes the most satisfying sound on earth (or at least at 2am in my kitchen): Thhhhhunk! Thhhhhunk! Thhhhhunk! Thhhhhunk! As the jars cool, the lids seal themselves and make that sound. (It's similar to opening a Snapple bottle.) <br /><br />Then I shower, pass out and dream of ANYTHING BUT JELLY. Later, when I'm rested, I make cute labels for the jars. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIZaidJgcp3ejZsRX3FjoJl_pqKP0CKLpFEaHl_yLBhgMEain17fklq0ppBNyiaJYg5QCslKKFmT_9I4vaHFpEP4B-OC8FnavTlPgstsvgDHd09IrwD-hVAkddiNXHOjxOgSmtvLNfFJB/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIZaidJgcp3ejZsRX3FjoJl_pqKP0CKLpFEaHl_yLBhgMEain17fklq0ppBNyiaJYg5QCslKKFmT_9I4vaHFpEP4B-OC8FnavTlPgstsvgDHd09IrwD-hVAkddiNXHOjxOgSmtvLNfFJB/s400/IMG_0551.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678112238321316370" /></a><br /><br />For you mathematicians, here is this year's equation: 55 cups of grapes + 4 yards of cheesecloth = 22 cups of juice, which ultimately = 17, 8-ounce jars of The Best Grape Jelly On Earth. Yes!<br /> <br />But the best part of the jelly making process? It comes months later, nay just days before Thanksgiving on a freezing rainy Sunday when I open a jar and sit down with my toast and coffee. They say God gave us memories so we could have roses in December, but I say God gave us jelly so we can taste the sweet warmth of summer on even the coldest, shiveriest morning. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hTrVaOa1FuXqXiKquPv7fBkAgg41LE_H0nxN1ji4sZ_o6tB9RX6mkP3s8O-oqOY3f_hWHEk2uOzm8SWDt2iguDfGNlZeQy7d7cAwbC2VKES1-Hg20FnFwcEZpBBufuejsBHz6I2QF-0U/s1600/IMG_0486.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hTrVaOa1FuXqXiKquPv7fBkAgg41LE_H0nxN1ji4sZ_o6tB9RX6mkP3s8O-oqOY3f_hWHEk2uOzm8SWDt2iguDfGNlZeQy7d7cAwbC2VKES1-Hg20FnFwcEZpBBufuejsBHz6I2QF-0U/s400/IMG_0486.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678113599469766818" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-36442435047077489912011-01-06T16:57:00.000-08:002011-01-06T17:24:18.182-08:00Chocoholics, Take NoteI don't have much of a sweet tooth. This means when I get around to eating chocolate, I like it dark, strong, subtle and barely sweet... like my coffee. What were you thinking?<br /><br />One of my delightful Kitchen Coaching clients introduced me to the <a href="http://www.createmychocolate.com">Chocri folks</a>, a web company that allows you to customize a chocolate bar with all kinds of craziness for about $10.<br /><br />You can add candied rose petals, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MqdbyO4hWgqYlKzxWMbRVdNAeRyR5gdgkl772kjddz4ep9xcy__GaCaXyXr5KvXj2G_AIIlYjQIzzHNv-XxhoEO6G-iuJAvI5OPDeUcpY3CmH3CI5d3r1O7Z78UPhKZOykH4ogRJMON8/s1600/86.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 80px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MqdbyO4hWgqYlKzxWMbRVdNAeRyR5gdgkl772kjddz4ep9xcy__GaCaXyXr5KvXj2G_AIIlYjQIzzHNv-XxhoEO6G-iuJAvI5OPDeUcpY3CmH3CI5d3r1O7Z78UPhKZOykH4ogRJMON8/s200/86.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559243784677462146" /></a> sour cherries, sea salt and other fancypants toppings, or let out your inner 5th grader and add banana chips, pop rocks and gummi bears. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjN3nLmVqXSi2ruS2B6ItfnBGNWBhqlIGCIqeCCCiqC7fob12l-cGZhK3la3jk3Ab0xdTwWMEsm_MycISAu76qFRZ1z74N1ndrbct179ZnPyzZgpsbEJv2G-VB-15GKGwrPoobRYDlujzT/s1600/72.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 80px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjN3nLmVqXSi2ruS2B6ItfnBGNWBhqlIGCIqeCCCiqC7fob12l-cGZhK3la3jk3Ab0xdTwWMEsm_MycISAu76qFRZ1z74N1ndrbct179ZnPyzZgpsbEJv2G-VB-15GKGwrPoobRYDlujzT/s200/72.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559244470652070370" /></a><br /><br />Usually with DIY chocolate items the bar itself is crap, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the dark and milk bars. It's probably because it's a German company; Europeans respect their chocolate much more than we do. <br /><br />My favorite creation entailed dried sour cherries, fennel and pistachios, a riff on Persian deliciousness. The chocolate wasn't overly sweet nor waxy, but had a delightful intensity and balanced flavors. Plus the packaging is totally cute: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWAje98GM46q5PxK6D4lzsld0fjqMZ5C7c1prUOzs_zZMdkhv53z1EKQEfl3apFkrdGvlTA7YN1COiYj24LqlLEDejtq2_dQY4TFuuWQSGO9Bh8xQL3bppD0RhQT4s8KitSY7W3wP5Grv/s1600/chocri_four_bars_small.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 201px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWAje98GM46q5PxK6D4lzsld0fjqMZ5C7c1prUOzs_zZMdkhv53z1EKQEfl3apFkrdGvlTA7YN1COiYj24LqlLEDejtq2_dQY4TFuuWQSGO9Bh8xQL3bppD0RhQT4s8KitSY7W3wP5Grv/s320/chocri_four_bars_small.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559246627777869650" /></a><br /><br />So indulge yourself or a friend (your favorite food blogger?) as you slog through the winter doldrums; this is a brilliant gift that fits just about anyone.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-45250943847733176012010-11-05T23:25:00.000-07:002010-11-05T23:53:44.078-07:00I Will Make You Crack Pie For A Mere $50.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BUjnrprCMZXn7bEf1L6x9tcYq3VibG5o8iVLShJ6T_hMKt1oKVT_G1oQLC1hyGoV9yXb-EMn-Ltd9rF8eGT5JsHTgu0DTLIq0JDxuimYhuFgbhfa2xVAjE-hpfjX2F-r_FWONVehNs7F/s1600/s-MOMOFUKU-MILK-BAR-CRACK-PIE-PRICE-ONLINE-STORE-large300.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BUjnrprCMZXn7bEf1L6x9tcYq3VibG5o8iVLShJ6T_hMKt1oKVT_G1oQLC1hyGoV9yXb-EMn-Ltd9rF8eGT5JsHTgu0DTLIq0JDxuimYhuFgbhfa2xVAjE-hpfjX2F-r_FWONVehNs7F/s400/s-MOMOFUKU-MILK-BAR-CRACK-PIE-PRICE-ONLINE-STORE-large300.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536326003664518066" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.momofukustore.com/">Momofuku Milk Bar</a>'s Christina Tosi, a brilliant baker by all accounts, is now shipping her famous Crack Pie to Angelenos for $103 with shipping. I guess people in L.A. are paying for it, but seeing as how the L.A. Times published the <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/11/food/la-fo-crackpierec11-2010feb11">recipe</a> not too long ago, I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse: <span style="font-style:italic;">I'll</span> bake you a Crack Pie for a mere $50 and deliver it to your home the day it's made.<br /><br />I may not be Christina Tosi, but the price can't be beat. $50 for a pie? Come on, I'm giving it away.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-89170366752513392422010-11-02T14:28:00.000-07:002010-11-02T14:48:26.233-07:00The Stealth Herb Garden.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJtWQxzQZN5h0Zlzehmywkn5NM-Z-BwNxK5gMdEzQ-N79ELbPabvnjM-Wif3ZwDdsrOEocLefyVve9W1eykFpS1JtImGj1jKZAoXrtpVSRnY8VkWs2MD_slBZPxX_APn4pOdEqeb_pkMa/s1600/tumblr_l4xyqrHpEx1qzt7kko1_250.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 231px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJtWQxzQZN5h0Zlzehmywkn5NM-Z-BwNxK5gMdEzQ-N79ELbPabvnjM-Wif3ZwDdsrOEocLefyVve9W1eykFpS1JtImGj1jKZAoXrtpVSRnY8VkWs2MD_slBZPxX_APn4pOdEqeb_pkMa/s320/tumblr_l4xyqrHpEx1qzt7kko1_250.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535071792368251170" /></a><br />Once I had a beautiful, abundant vegetable and herb garden that brought me great pleasure and joy. Sadly, it was one of the things I loved that got swept under and destroyed in the tsunami that raged through my life in the last year+. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">exhale</span><br />But like any relentless survivor, after pulling myself from the wreckage, I began to build again. The place I live now did not come with a garden, but that did not deter me. Around the pool I noticed a lush array of drought-tolerant greenery (LA is a desert- having a grass lawn here is not good use of resources!). I thought to myself, Huh, you know oregano would blend right in over there...<br />And the Stealth Herb Garden was born. Today I cultivate basil, oregano, parsley, mint and German thyme around the pool. The other day I was putting in a new mint plant and an old Armenian lady stopped to watch. <br />"What are you doing?" she asked.<br />I got nervous- would she bust me?- but what's the point of lying. "Planting mint. You can have some if you want." I pointed out the other herbs too. <br />She smacked her forehead, "Twenty-five years I lived here, and I never thought of that!" And we grinned at each other. <br />It felt good to have something to share.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-52441787117391208152010-11-01T12:05:00.000-07:002010-11-01T12:26:27.791-07:00Always organic? Not in this economy....<br />So I try to buy organic as much as I can- it tastes much better, helps preserve the environment and often supports mid-sized and small farms- but (as I'm sure many of you understand) in the last few years it's become too expensive to buy everything organic.<br />So then how do I decide, standing there in the produce aisle biting my lip, which kinds of apples to buy? For a while I was choosing based on price: potatoes, onions and carrots are cheap anyway, so going organic there wasn't much of a price jump. Raspberries? Forget about it.<br />But I recently came across this handy pocket guide and thought it might help my readers too. Below is a little card you can print out and put in your wallet that shows which produce gets coated in pesticides (so buy organic!), and which ones are less heavily sprayed (so save your pennies!). <br />Plus, it's cute.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEG3hdfrz1DvCtESs9X2KISPFv-VwIff4Ili5lwawQxcQdxg1CsYgft0TXBceBr7wSV6rtRPkdQh1vybloETElRi91THMbCk4OK0qBOF7v1oFbhGYDB2rhfquBgPZsxHTVNX03dRM0CuG/s1600/4541373052_c525ac5d67.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEG3hdfrz1DvCtESs9X2KISPFv-VwIff4Ili5lwawQxcQdxg1CsYgft0TXBceBr7wSV6rtRPkdQh1vybloETElRi91THMbCk4OK0qBOF7v1oFbhGYDB2rhfquBgPZsxHTVNX03dRM0CuG/s400/4541373052_c525ac5d67.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534663134953276402" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-51558683329338680732010-03-05T13:24:00.000-08:002010-03-05T14:11:40.454-08:00You're a Wonder...I've loved Wonder Woman since I was 6-years-old and watched her inspiring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Woman_(TV_series)">tv show</a>. Though today I reluctantly admit she isn't technically real, I still admire what she stands for and her constructive problem solving skills (if only I could find my own golden <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasso_of_Truth">Lasso of Truth</a>...).<br /><br />The last year has involved a lot of upheaval and sadness, and I freely admit one of my biggest comforts has come from this:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGy8eVSVm1JAbgtduTvSv8gfyUYOytvKr7dKgXLjH9HB8HzGqDvVodWRqrbOKDiyzjQlkuXDr9dm-fqdSnotj5VRsb-Xgn0_HosFmcONtjJxR6LcooRtEMm8L5rrmBYEjfb2dMt05lfFDc/s1600-h/414RdUfKmOL._SL500_AA280_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGy8eVSVm1JAbgtduTvSv8gfyUYOytvKr7dKgXLjH9HB8HzGqDvVodWRqrbOKDiyzjQlkuXDr9dm-fqdSnotj5VRsb-Xgn0_HosFmcONtjJxR6LcooRtEMm8L5rrmBYEjfb2dMt05lfFDc/s400/414RdUfKmOL._SL500_AA280_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445266546321902450" /></a><br />The script says, "As lovely as Aphrodite, as wise as Athena," an excellent message to see over and over throughout the day. It's ceramic and feels solid in my hand, and it makes others smile.<br /><br />A few weeks ago I left it on top of my car, drove off, and it shattered when I turned the corner and my cheery yellow mug smashed into the ground. Losing Wonder Woman pushed my last button; I pulled over and had a complete little kid meltdown. I thought, Really, God? You had to take my Wonder Woman mug too? (It's been a tough year.)<br /><br />Earlier this week I was driving past <a href="http://www2.warnerbros.com/wbsf/#/home/">Warner Bros. studios</a> in Burbank. I thought, Hey, don't they sell Wonder Woman stuff there? I pulled over, parked, walked through the metal detectors and Holy Diana! There <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vandor-Ceramic-Travel-Wonder-Woman/dp/B001TMG1TC/ref=pd_sbs_k_1">it</a> was! $18.61 later, balance is restored and I am on my way once again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-90371816294488799452010-02-25T17:37:00.000-08:002010-03-05T14:25:43.824-08:00Latté LoveMy friend Eve made me this delectable item today:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzWAsQeefZ-BABbjRGnpQsFOTIhXiK5iS8JKKNzifi4c725k8-4O-hoIU9i9Ha0bHaxVZ_4K5E9pUEqlJeKg3To5Q8AwiA-hyAXOY5AedPkyJn2sAgAApQB4Ls0Z6_XiV8nL1FsnmostT/s1600-h/15029_368531829055_711429055_4911044_4110876_s.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 97px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzWAsQeefZ-BABbjRGnpQsFOTIhXiK5iS8JKKNzifi4c725k8-4O-hoIU9i9Ha0bHaxVZ_4K5E9pUEqlJeKg3To5Q8AwiA-hyAXOY5AedPkyJn2sAgAApQB4Ls0Z6_XiV8nL1FsnmostT/s400/15029_368531829055_711429055_4911044_4110876_s.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442363639285493842" /></a><br /><br />Her employer, <a href="http://www.squareonedining.com/">Square One</a>, uses <a href="http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/">Intelligentsia coffee</a> and does hardcore training for its staff. I overheard some of it; I believe there were advanced calculus problems involved and I realized~ yet again~ many things I love I actually know very little about. <span style="font-style:italic;">*sigh*</span><br /><br />I find very very good espresso doesn't give me the jitters. I don't know why; I'm sure there's the same amount of caffeine in a great or terrible shot, but this latté went down smooth and mellowed me the heck out. Maybe it's because you just can't gulp the good stuff. Like a nibble of exquisite cheese or a chunk of serious chocolate, when there's serious umami a little goes a long way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-62842940603770467162009-12-29T11:09:00.000-08:002009-12-29T11:47:30.954-08:00Pharewell, PhillyI flew back from Philadelphia the other day. I get crazed before I fly; I find it unbelievable that a many-ton metal tube won't fall out of the sky. It's also hard to say good-bye to my family. But amidst my packing chaos, I had the good sense to holler down to my dad and ask him to call <a href="http://www.leeshoagiesabington.com">Lee's Hoagie House</a> and order an Italian hoagie packed for travel. <br />This priceless gift (well, $5.95 for a half, which is huge) comes on an <a href="http://amorosobaking.com/">Amoroso roll</a> made by Italians in South Philly sometime the night before, then has peppered ham, Genoa salami, Capocollo and another kind of salami, provolone cheese, shredded lettuce and tomato, oregano, and I like it with thinly sliced onion and oil, plus sweet peppers. Simple, right? Kind of in the 'duh' category, yet behold this magnificence: <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVy83dQqrPgQCoY97hGOFC_A4onjWg1TPjIGWwKxbYHSQ__u8w8DYvS9-Fs9MZRFs4zAMJRm9q_uGcbC9wrgj-KMIM9X9qM1C2m9jPBws8RxcKQ5-E7nrfcyowCB5XMZFNWJEjlN8gEiUc/s1600-h/IMG_0015.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVy83dQqrPgQCoY97hGOFC_A4onjWg1TPjIGWwKxbYHSQ__u8w8DYvS9-Fs9MZRFs4zAMJRm9q_uGcbC9wrgj-KMIM9X9qM1C2m9jPBws8RxcKQ5-E7nrfcyowCB5XMZFNWJEjlN8gEiUc/s400/IMG_0015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420742273928355154" /></a><br />Why can no one in L.A. come close to this masterpiece? <br />I ate half on the plane, and then polished off the rest of it last night at a friend's place. The last bit of hoagie or cheesesteak is always bittersweet: I know I'll have to make do with taco stands again, and it means I won't see anyone I'm related to for a while... at this point in my life, that really is a bummer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-63109996200983440692009-12-18T23:10:00.000-08:002009-12-19T01:25:02.434-08:00What a Cook Wants, 11.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A Platter with a Purpose</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLMo8KT0xvoqhw3JH8WzCvgS1q3Tlhclt0lmrUDOncEJplmdFJMYAy52z7iRi4AkzlY5zww6sPD9KXLPfcSBYRzGGiPATcBmPWXjkro8FtjhOY6vjUBEC677NaUqgE69G3O9CAx44byMS/s1600-h/15624_lg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLMo8KT0xvoqhw3JH8WzCvgS1q3Tlhclt0lmrUDOncEJplmdFJMYAy52z7iRi4AkzlY5zww6sPD9KXLPfcSBYRzGGiPATcBmPWXjkro8FtjhOY6vjUBEC677NaUqgE69G3O9CAx44byMS/s400/15624_lg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416874562633739218" /></a><br />I like trees. They're strong and steady and their silence leads me to believe they're kind. This square recycled glass serving plate is graced with two trees and is made by hand in western Pennsylvania. The company that makes them donates 10% of their profits to <a href="http://www.pgh-casa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=42">CASA</a>, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Allegheny County, which is a volunteer organization of folks who advocate within the legal system for kids who've been neglected or abused. <br />A pretty platter that serves more than food sounds perfect for any season. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?source=family&itemId=15624">Trees Platter</a> from Plates With Purpose, a 14-inch frosted recycled glass square, $72.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-28057373830215431322009-12-16T23:59:00.000-08:002009-12-17T00:33:12.440-08:00What a Cook Wants, 10.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Delicate, Crunchy Macarons</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUvIhSDp-ZBK8a5QxNuZWvLCC8QcI0l4-lak49qpnq1GLrW3VcmWN8FHmKXWUnh1I3DcbZUavQr5TocFZ8mJY_-oE800AyHkV2oieg5f5BaI9-E-Fz2I_AtmLSLFdHQeXKyLGH1b-WHLD/s1600-h/P0004063.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUvIhSDp-ZBK8a5QxNuZWvLCC8QcI0l4-lak49qpnq1GLrW3VcmWN8FHmKXWUnh1I3DcbZUavQr5TocFZ8mJY_-oE800AyHkV2oieg5f5BaI9-E-Fz2I_AtmLSLFdHQeXKyLGH1b-WHLD/s400/P0004063.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416116187930097522" /></a><br />French macarons have delicate, crisp exteriors that bely their chewy insides; they're essentially a meringue (made with ground almond) cookie sandwich with a lush, naughty filling. The best ones I had were at Boule, which sadly did not survive the recession.<br />But I hear the macarons at L.A. Burdick are mighty fine, and they're definitely the fabulous, perfect-end-of-the-party cookie right now. They seem almost too debonair to be called cookies, but that's just their French mystique. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.burdickchocolate.com/item-details.asp?I1869=Harvest-Flavor-Macarons&C0=">Harvest Flavor Macarons</a> in seasonal flavors: pumpkin, cinnamon and chocolate, $22 for a box of 15.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-62320995984121681012009-12-15T23:32:00.000-08:002009-12-16T14:54:06.192-08:00What a Cook Wants, 9.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Eco-Chic Grocery Bags</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgOIT5XFko6Y7KBgQIxRKbUIn6YurvfGv98WMP-J6Ver1Wujh8eCBX-hWoUAUHFk1kZ6lqbrGn6C9j9sucYMQP-2VpRxMYdxzT1S0eqL8dqKMMc1P-jZyejaM-6d8QBTE_LBZmlGPK51j/s1600-h/WA_09_GEN_AC202762_W1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgOIT5XFko6Y7KBgQIxRKbUIn6YurvfGv98WMP-J6Ver1Wujh8eCBX-hWoUAUHFk1kZ6lqbrGn6C9j9sucYMQP-2VpRxMYdxzT1S0eqL8dqKMMc1P-jZyejaM-6d8QBTE_LBZmlGPK51j/s400/WA_09_GEN_AC202762_W1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415969882470094146" /></a><br /><br />In Los Angeles, <span style="font-style:italic;">anything</span> can be a fashion contest. Your car, your dermatologist, your dog; it's all fair game. Now generally, these are contests I lose. And I'm ok with that, I have other fine qualities. <br />But in the kitchen I'm fashion-forward every time.<br />So I love my Envirosax shopping bags. They roll up very small, I fill them with heavy cans and they don't sweat it, and they save the planet from more landfill. Plus, they're the hippest grocery bags in town! It's hard to argue with that.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://gifts.redenvelope.com/gifts/envirosaxmarketbags-27250608?viewpos=1&trackingpgroup=productsearch">Envirosax</a> polyester market bags, $35 for set of five.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-30471592266309964072009-12-14T23:45:00.000-08:002009-12-15T01:07:21.858-08:00What a Cook Wants, 8.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Sweetest Snowman in Town</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3h3aFWYkLCiL_2M8X2IOlzQxIr6YvGSb1zj6djkir8KTD-tZEXhs-fW3YjGYt4NBrs1j8jwnSHOeF9HwIPKyTnBMfqBIoenqerlsquZ3hrB855izrjl3fTgXBqhiSKjGdmqzZlMGhyLH/s1600-h/yhst-20493720720238_2084_94009194.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3h3aFWYkLCiL_2M8X2IOlzQxIr6YvGSb1zj6djkir8KTD-tZEXhs-fW3YjGYt4NBrs1j8jwnSHOeF9HwIPKyTnBMfqBIoenqerlsquZ3hrB855izrjl3fTgXBqhiSKjGdmqzZlMGhyLH/s400/yhst-20493720720238_2084_94009194.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415377752705892770" /></a><br />We don't get a lot of snow in L.A., so there aren't many mountains of white stuff... well, unless you have a coke problem. Anyway, we have to get creative when it comes to snowmen: the Life of the Snowman by Maxim Velcovsky solves that problem very sweetly. Pour the sugar into the head and depending on your dulcet desires Frosty will melt slowly or quite fast! <br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.greenergrassdesign.com/area-qbloasg.html">Life of the Snowman</a> by Maxim Velcovsky for Qubus, blown glass, $60.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-82403608124647932072009-12-11T23:25:00.000-08:002010-03-05T14:15:53.334-08:00What a Cook Wants, 7.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Expressive Knives</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGctkwtiDFtRDQttu8MFM7fBCV1vmxVfyghPV1O_p4VgLsAVKeunzHrBtDZwUse7-N7aWFiaVl0XzttPWuP31-q-s_BLXg3HNshtK3mmsFiaEG9nYCk3O943G-PpHvPp758NNbyVi7wBH/s1600-h/41rzA-y8ExL._SL500_AA280_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGctkwtiDFtRDQttu8MFM7fBCV1vmxVfyghPV1O_p4VgLsAVKeunzHrBtDZwUse7-N7aWFiaVl0XzttPWuP31-q-s_BLXg3HNshtK3mmsFiaEG9nYCk3O943G-PpHvPp758NNbyVi7wBH/s400/41rzA-y8ExL._SL500_AA280_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414993725962812498" /></a><br /><br />I first saw these in red plastic form at a friend's place. They're called, "The Ex." I thought, well that's a little aggressive. <br />This year? I get it.<br />So get your favorite friend whose heart got crushed, ground and blown into the wind this gift that will make them laugh and may even help in the kitchen.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/5-Piece-Stainless-Steel-Unique-Holder-Chrome/dp/B000KM9QCG">The Ex</a> 5-Piece stainless steel knife set, $100.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-16660175077684202942009-12-10T23:06:00.000-08:002009-12-11T00:42:40.149-08:00What a Cook Wants, 6.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A Mug to Drink That Fine Coffee Out Of</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFxDZz57HWz1oqa9Foe0fiCex4u7KNp_nRqGaCtQZ_NPpLphKf525K7Dceqfu25-C4i_d8DoKGyIB8JaZ6aOyL4L4e7L2f1BHX5LxCCKDlqPW8CGFUqDv4F8cIPghO7DS4aygVU6nxDKX/s1600-h/pantoneset.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFxDZz57HWz1oqa9Foe0fiCex4u7KNp_nRqGaCtQZ_NPpLphKf525K7Dceqfu25-C4i_d8DoKGyIB8JaZ6aOyL4L4e7L2f1BHX5LxCCKDlqPW8CGFUqDv4F8cIPghO7DS4aygVU6nxDKX/s400/pantoneset.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413894204234496850" /></a><br />Ok, so very few people actually need another mug, I acknowledge that. However, I love these mugs from <a href="http://www.pantone.com">Pantone</a>, the fascinating color company. They're like a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorschach_test">Rorschach test</a> for how you see someone, but with color. Or, if you lean towards the East, you could give them out according to the <a href="http://www.threeheartscompany.com/chakra.html">chakra color</a> that feels right (yes, I've been doing a lot of yoga). These are sold as a set, but a lot of museum and hip home stores are selling them individually. <br />(In case you're wondering, I'm drawn to the grape, royal blue and red. What do you think it means?)<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Set of ten Whitbread Wilkinson <a href="http://aplusrstore.com/product.php?id=373&cid=97">mugs</a> under license from Pantone, $128. Give them as a set, or take care of ten gifts at once.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-36985250907366723152009-12-09T15:51:00.000-08:002009-12-09T16:08:51.188-08:00What a Cook Wants. 5.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ridiculously Good Coffee</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6p8Y_Bczz3blLdAMD7pl_oB44X7zZZd9Ed0tHIzISIjZf7GqaaRK2a187uxdelOzIohLzMZxRg646ChcD5Hv0dZ05rXFyXgPtkDJYAWhfYWXwXDxxfvQ2ogjieDiO2L80RGeXFNuXzim/s1600-h/coffee_intelligensia.rev.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6p8Y_Bczz3blLdAMD7pl_oB44X7zZZd9Ed0tHIzISIjZf7GqaaRK2a187uxdelOzIohLzMZxRg646ChcD5Hv0dZ05rXFyXgPtkDJYAWhfYWXwXDxxfvQ2ogjieDiO2L80RGeXFNuXzim/s400/coffee_intelligensia.rev.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413388575956144978" /></a><br />This coffee is in the category of affordable luxury. The folks at <a href="http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/">Intelligenstia</a> are the best sort of coffee fiends, they're in it to win it and just as OCD as our good friends at <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/">Cook's Illustrated magazine</a>. I like these types: they obsess so I don't have to.<br />If you have a coffee lover in your life this is an economical way to delight them, plus an easy way to be the belle of the ball at any sort of holiday gift swap you attend. I'd suggest starting with the house blend, it's bright, slightly fruity with notes of chocolate and perfectly balanced. $14 might seem like a lot for a pound of coffee, but it's cheaper than an espresso machine!<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/store/product/id/210">Intelligentsia House Blend coffee</a>, $14 per pound. It's worth it to go to the page simply to check out the choice of grinds. There are <span style="font-weight:bold;">14</span> options. Sweet.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-26984388237901663202009-12-08T23:29:00.000-08:002009-12-09T01:20:26.440-08:00What a Cook Wants, 4.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Some Serious Pot</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3Uvk-BAIKqSES9StvXZ0FFFm2RtZAaKLJiYuXq7xI7gNVhruWnRaw7mfGok5c4vIMAINm4pCoGdzWZNJk6bcJqzEoCimGxOs2zgRv1wiQiVvv8GSY9LBpuzSKgHPm7pqyLzg05IP82Pf/s1600-h/img14m.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3Uvk-BAIKqSES9StvXZ0FFFm2RtZAaKLJiYuXq7xI7gNVhruWnRaw7mfGok5c4vIMAINm4pCoGdzWZNJk6bcJqzEoCimGxOs2zgRv1wiQiVvv8GSY9LBpuzSKgHPm7pqyLzg05IP82Pf/s400/img14m.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413161081830700034" /></a><br />This year I finally got a Le Crueset pot of my own. Actually, three. Now I'll admit, even I was skeptical about the price tag. Sure, it's French, but $250 for a pot? Seriously? <br />I'm here to tell you, dear reader, it made a true believer out of me. They're made in France, not an oppressed third world nation, and each mold is destroyed after the pot is cast. <br />But the proof is in the pot, my friends. I made a beautiful four-hour bolognese sauce on a fateful night this summer, and though ultimately credit must go to the cook(!), I tell you it would not have turned out as perfectly without the awesome pot. Because it's cast iron underneath the enamel it heats perfectly evenly, and the enamel ensures nothing sticks. It's like teflon minus the cancer. And you'll have it until you're dead.<br />So if you have the coin and you truly love the cook in your life, make his/her year. I've had a horrible year, but these pots have truly been a bright spot. And at least they'll last and provide years of great cooking. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Start with the <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/c140/?pkey=cckwlcered%7Cckwlcereddut">Le Creuset 5 1/2-quart Dutch Oven</a>, you can find it on sale for about $185 in myriad colors. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-16445185737717881132009-12-07T23:16:00.000-08:002009-12-09T01:14:40.422-08:00What a Cook Wants, 3.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">More Exquisite Cheese</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToUfmoc9a7CCjeS6MnXTfAtLVeUImk2z6nsgZdv0nrxGdSagc_nvdNq75zLTuNl8PvSopWeAt5VQ0IQ3WdIeUHYloeB8nM1l32PsPeEDJ9K8KqBFdqE3Nvy-xFMss4BtLQqbexyTJgYr7/s1600-h/goat3-125x125.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToUfmoc9a7CCjeS6MnXTfAtLVeUImk2z6nsgZdv0nrxGdSagc_nvdNq75zLTuNl8PvSopWeAt5VQ0IQ3WdIeUHYloeB8nM1l32PsPeEDJ9K8KqBFdqE3Nvy-xFMss4BtLQqbexyTJgYr7/s400/goat3-125x125.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412785453531589650" /></a><br />There is a lady named Sally Jackson who lives on a 140-acre farm in the <a href="http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/GeologyofWashington/Pages/geolofwa.aspx">Okanogan Highlands</a>, which are in the eastern part of Washington state. She and her husband Roger have been making cheese from the sheep, goats and a Brown Swiss and two Guernsey cows they raise. American artisanal cheese making has exploded in the last decade, and these days it's a bit of a foodie race to find the newest, loveliest specimens.<br />At the end of an astonishing meal at <a href="http://www.providencela.com/">Providence</a>, I had the pleasure of a slice of Sally Jackson's chestnut leaf-wrapped raw cow's milk cheese. It was semi-soft, the color of Irish butter and complex with a mere hint of funk. I wanted to cry, but I was too happy. You could serve this to most folks, it's not too intense and really pleasing, and totally wow your foodie-est friends.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.sallyjacksoncheeses.com/index.htm">Sally Jackson Chestnut Leaf Aged Cow Cheese</a>. They don't make it until you order it, heaven. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-87122209763966248662009-12-05T23:48:00.000-08:002009-12-11T00:44:12.004-08:00What a Cook Wants, 2.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Plats de Poulet</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVHbOootMJJdZyYdLeFC5REMqQlKKNxm6JiUmUW2RERe2j6gt4LL96aS_vQ_Qdt6_jEEaNSeNlTg23qtRf_5wqMPWHVioY4GlabQN-x-lSwhxzbhK3UfCq1ei5bcmWwuXMYaWQqki7LSy/s1600-h/yhst-20493720720238_2081_41107623.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVHbOootMJJdZyYdLeFC5REMqQlKKNxm6JiUmUW2RERe2j6gt4LL96aS_vQ_Qdt6_jEEaNSeNlTg23qtRf_5wqMPWHVioY4GlabQN-x-lSwhxzbhK3UfCq1ei5bcmWwuXMYaWQqki7LSy/s400/yhst-20493720720238_2081_41107623.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412027733067252242" /></a><br />It's true, chickens are the new black. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-citycoop18-2009aug18,0,1964942.story">Restaurants</a> have them as decor/fresh egg providers, urban hipsters keep them as pets and let them freely roam in their backyards, they even make fun <a href="http://blog.evite.com/evite/2009/06/chickens-are-the-new-black.html">party guests</a>.<br />Not everyone has the space or desire to raise chickens, but we can all enjoy their antics. These ceramic desert plates offer two fowl perspectives, one near, one far. It's just the right touch of silly for your sweets.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.greenergrassdesign.com/md-chickens.html">Marla Dawn Chicken Desert Plates</a>, set of 4, $42. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-46284692403370999412009-12-04T11:41:00.000-08:002009-12-16T15:02:44.226-08:00What a Cook Wants, 1Dear readers. I am sorry for the lack of posting; these are dark days. Betty Lou and Tiina Fey are gone and I shall not be married much longer. I've been too sad to write about the joy of eating, but fear not: I am determined to bring glad tidings of great food once again. My heart may be crushed, but my palate still works. Thank God.<br />If ever there were cause to enjoy a cocktail, this is it. This first gift idea is apropos. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ÍS Vodka</span><br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mI6mkNzDIOccaPrC0__dgGAJiBJkHnAaP19RY_DVGTrULAQ1ct9d4QFkv8lnzwoEUU9JllgnoAnMsnkAweKKdKexhO11cv20Gtahzj137ARkj5p7Ibs7LLWKPQ8IdaucWhFvxKNJsBxe/s1600-h/is-vodka-bottle-iceland-sunset-photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 339px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mI6mkNzDIOccaPrC0__dgGAJiBJkHnAaP19RY_DVGTrULAQ1ct9d4QFkv8lnzwoEUU9JllgnoAnMsnkAweKKdKexhO11cv20Gtahzj137ARkj5p7Ibs7LLWKPQ8IdaucWhFvxKNJsBxe/s400/is-vodka-bottle-iceland-sunset-photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411477685674401602" /></a><br />The cook in your life needs to kick back, relax~ heck, just sit down for a minute. This vodka- pronounced "ice"- is made from melted Icelandic glacier water [harvested in an eco-friendly way] and non-GMO English wheat. They distill it seven times. Artisanal water is pretty hot these days, why not make booze with it?<br />The bottle is tall and dramatic with nearly Ionic columns and a curvy lady on its crest. I found the stopper hard to remove and replace, but that's what we'd call a quality problem.<br />The spirit itself is incredibly smooth and clean, no jagged edges. There's a brief hit of clove at the very end of the sip and that's it. It's great in a cocktail and perfect for sipping, if that's your thing.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.isvodka.com/">ÍS Vodka</a>, about $40 for a 750mL bottle.</span> <br /><br />Perhaps if I drink enough of it, I will be spirited away to Iceland for some quiet peace here:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiYQNDuqlzfY44Azyw7jiTiCdhK2d93gRIbiuU9034YiYIWUJywRapWXez10ZpTmQs0l5IcNWq72LdoeL8rzHpGqpNJQUfDLcGOkIMXHtfFGfGCQZkNQxnJqJNkIEMY84_Acikf71AR2h/s1600-h/gallery-5_n.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiYQNDuqlzfY44Azyw7jiTiCdhK2d93gRIbiuU9034YiYIWUJywRapWXez10ZpTmQs0l5IcNWq72LdoeL8rzHpGqpNJQUfDLcGOkIMXHtfFGfGCQZkNQxnJqJNkIEMY84_Acikf71AR2h/s320/gallery-5_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411477891213159154" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-89842634191494435602009-09-02T13:27:00.000-07:002009-09-02T13:41:00.975-07:00Breakfast In A Time Of Sorrow.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GtIFilLvNq3PDDKjwA7cIhCD8DptIjZNxt5sOay7L5UJ4Z3KwRwn-YvOwGJz4bQcnn-E8LBmobqDIUZ6P-XZ0MJwBhck5GieAgm5RX0kxkGHiEVcWbdmGA1QnTamjU79D0WR-K8IUrDU/s1600-h/IMG_0772.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GtIFilLvNq3PDDKjwA7cIhCD8DptIjZNxt5sOay7L5UJ4Z3KwRwn-YvOwGJz4bQcnn-E8LBmobqDIUZ6P-XZ0MJwBhck5GieAgm5RX0kxkGHiEVcWbdmGA1QnTamjU79D0WR-K8IUrDU/s400/IMG_0772.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376970912238541874" /></a><br />When things are terrible, I find it helps to seek beauty in small places. This morning I toasted a blue corn tortilla over the open flame of a gas stove, laid a slice of pepperjack cheese over it, poached one of Betty Lou's eggs and chopped a fragrant golden tomato. Then I drizzled the whole thing with olive oil and sprinkled it with rough sea salt. I made good coffee.<br />Sometimes, this is enough.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-235206626174560362009-08-11T14:47:00.000-07:002009-08-12T00:19:39.643-07:00A Tale of Two Chickens, 1Dear reader, I am a newlywed.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6rmqQbOw9yxTC70zkEl5jnDgBLeHz6Jlir2B-dptAfqDyeLxjAMsfxfEV5_q1R9jhADMVLU9sAQdJFEGsCmYFpKXt0_QEBHSo6Q1QFBQsBktDL26MXQ9JwZuaIRKqbZ1Sd3_FlPFcfuF/s1600-h/Tory+and+Adam.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6rmqQbOw9yxTC70zkEl5jnDgBLeHz6Jlir2B-dptAfqDyeLxjAMsfxfEV5_q1R9jhADMVLU9sAQdJFEGsCmYFpKXt0_QEBHSo6Q1QFBQsBktDL26MXQ9JwZuaIRKqbZ1Sd3_FlPFcfuF/s320/Tory+and+Adam.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368828832712703394" /></a><br /> <br />The main thing I've learned about marriage so far is that I don't know anything about marriage. I think it falls into the category of something you only learn by doing. And there are lots of surprises...<br /><br />Recently, my lovely husband Adam came home at lunchtime. "Baby, I got you a present! It's in the car." he said. "We can build it together!"<br />Aww man, I thought. That doesn't sound like earrings. "Can I eat lunch before we build anything?" I asked.<br />"Well come to the car and see it!" He was lit up with little boy excitement so I walked to the car and he opened the passenger side. On the floor were two very tall paper bags, closed at the top, with little slits on the side.<br />"What is it?" I asked. "Listen," he replied. I leaned in and as I got closer one of the bags began to shake, which got the other one shaking and then I heard it: bwak bwak bwak. Bwak bwaaaak, bwak bwak.<br />Oh God, I thought. Not chickens. "Are they chickens?" I asked.<br />"Yes!" So jubilant. "My mom had chickens when I was growing up, they're great! I like the sounds they make, and baby I wanted you to have fresh eggs. The coop is in the back, we can build it together!"<br />I was very suspicious about this turn of events, but tried to focus on the greater good. And I did like the idea of fresh eggs. My fantastic Great-Grandma Pat had neighbors who gave her eggs from their chickens, and I remembered the bright orange yolks and better taste. Ok, I'm in.<br />Plus, I got to name them. Dear reader, meet Betty Lou and Tiina Fey.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tqlSIPAzPzbyzMeW-RE6KWzZYO10GVI6ImEbeFclBeoT5YsPCo9dRKPEbnuCvBGVT5IFn_pV7LtxD3yz5lNuNOeffx8QM7J4F3ttPgNN-zzhULpd-ONiSPe33lTuqinWJYG9C8WmW3n6/s1600-h/IMG_0730.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tqlSIPAzPzbyzMeW-RE6KWzZYO10GVI6ImEbeFclBeoT5YsPCo9dRKPEbnuCvBGVT5IFn_pV7LtxD3yz5lNuNOeffx8QM7J4F3ttPgNN-zzhULpd-ONiSPe33lTuqinWJYG9C8WmW3n6/s320/IMG_0730.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368835951541176658" /></a> Betty Lou is the lighter one. They're <a href="http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/poultry/chickens/rhodeislandred/">Rhode Island Reds</a> and were raised together. According to Adam they're pretty friendly chickens. We decided they'd be free range. Though their coop is nice, all living creatures prefer to run around, stretch their wings. We'll probably have to get their wings clipped so they don't fly over the fence. I hope it doesn't hurt them.<br />We were worried about Sam the Dog, but it looks like he's too old to catch them. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyulgL8oKzyFV1xqSKFX1R-e7Kt4SLF8NqQ_GpGIxqX8Oqn7Dp8efcBhWxOxAbNylD6411HmRa-BGS-rzZkBR1A47dxHJL3UyuUz3XEs_amkfEdu_LQV7M0B09a0RGXPEBSzmUX9pEGwL-/s1600-h/IMG_0739.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyulgL8oKzyFV1xqSKFX1R-e7Kt4SLF8NqQ_GpGIxqX8Oqn7Dp8efcBhWxOxAbNylD6411HmRa-BGS-rzZkBR1A47dxHJL3UyuUz3XEs_amkfEdu_LQV7M0B09a0RGXPEBSzmUX9pEGwL-/s320/IMG_0739.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368838491157952434" /></a> He growled as they first walked by and tried to lunge at them, but by the time he stood up they were three feet away. Then Tiina Fey jumped on his head and pecked at him and he barked and ran off. I think they'll be fine.<br />So please join us on our fowl adventure! Oh lord, here we go...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965273614995993388.post-48606673891522112522009-08-03T21:31:00.000-07:002009-08-03T22:12:34.960-07:00Pringles Restaurant Cravers: Terrible, Terrible FoodDear reader, a confession: I love trashy junk food. Sure, I'm happy to discuss the ephemeral notes of clover in stinky Époisses cheese <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmbnrS0VPKVgtojhKASqbz3vJyEnCI2070V2cyFQ3uggpdNiVY-IdmCV9CRKt-BMAefWiW2DDfsgSQcxoAJsDSK_o8it0_GPGLKf3PLuqg0lFzK4vtn_psv-z3Vzz2mk6O_rol-BrO1LL/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 85px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmbnrS0VPKVgtojhKASqbz3vJyEnCI2070V2cyFQ3uggpdNiVY-IdmCV9CRKt-BMAefWiW2DDfsgSQcxoAJsDSK_o8it0_GPGLKf3PLuqg0lFzK4vtn_psv-z3Vzz2mk6O_rol-BrO1LL/s200/images.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365968194157977746" /></a>or each ingredient in your favorite sauce, but I also lust for <a href="http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/brands/brand.aspx?catID=438">Bugles</a>. And the awesome <a href="http://www.snydersofhanover.com/Home/">Snyder's</a> chips of my youth, which came in flavors like Steak & Onion or Kosher Dill. Delish. No raised nose here, bring it.<br />But I abhor bad trash.<br />I was in the grocery store a few weeks ago, starving for a snack to get me through rush hour on the 10 freeway and I happened upon Pringles' "Restaurant Cravers" Mozzarella Sticks & Marinara chips. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdx9mp3ArzZIEY5eN7_4sfPnWgyez9w0EvwRdkTrEAnJPnx9_1TYs5c1-KhdOMUD1JBS0kekBsam_S1rk2k5f2Rhq9cXpEyeLPcBd0uzQ5507xOnb0Ab14l9KRTF_7TWez3iFVouvrC137/s1600-h/3527506793_a7c247eacd.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdx9mp3ArzZIEY5eN7_4sfPnWgyez9w0EvwRdkTrEAnJPnx9_1TYs5c1-KhdOMUD1JBS0kekBsam_S1rk2k5f2Rhq9cXpEyeLPcBd0uzQ5507xOnb0Ab14l9KRTF_7TWez3iFVouvrC137/s200/3527506793_a7c247eacd.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365972053161000178" /></a>I thought to myself, what genius marketing! We're in a recession, people are eating out less; they can munch on these and pretend they're at Applebee's or Friday's (which I despise. Again, bad trash is no good.).<br />I make it to my car before I tear the can open, and what awaits? They taste like Pringles sprinkled with powdered Campbell's tomato soup. There's an empty tomato note and that's it. No cheesy goodness, no hit of oregano or spike of garlic. <br />After a handful, all I desperately wanted was to take the nearest exit and go to a restaurant to eat real food. Their marketing completely backfired, and instead became a cruel taunt: No restaurant for you, commuter! Only metallic tomato powder chips! Suffer.<br />What a waste of $1.73. Bad trash!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0