Bread And Jam For Frances

Soup Containing One Pound of Leafy Greens

2012-01-24T16:36:00.000-08:00

This might be the most delicious healthy thing you ever eat.

It's based on an Herb, Chard, and Feta Soup recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi that appeared in Bon Appetit. I made this soup shortly after returning for Portland and before my CSA had started up again post-holidays, so I ended up getting all of my ingredients from Trader Joe's. They didn't have chard, but they did have a big bag of 1lb of cored and chopped "Southern Greens Blend" including mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens, and spinach, and it worked perfectly.

This soup has so many greens that when you first mix them with the broth it seems like they'll never cook down enough to become a soup. But then they do, and you puree them with lemon juice and greek yogurt and lots of herbs and top each bowl with salty feta and more herbs and a dash of fruity olive oil and then you are happy. And meanwhile you are eating so many leafy greens!

Thai-Spiced Sweet Potato Stew

2012-01-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

I made this back when I was getting lots of sweet potatoes, peppers, and green beans from my CSA. It would make a great base for lots of veggie combinations. It's also good over rice if you have leftovers.

Thai-Spiced Sweet Potato Stew
(recipe adapted slightly from Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Occasions)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 med. onion, quartered and thinly sliced
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium-large sweet potatoes (about 1.5 pounds), peeled and diced
3 cups water
1 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into short narrow strips
1.5 cups green beans
1/2 teaspoon to a couple of tablespoons red or green curry paste, to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 stalks lemongrass (if available)
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter
salt to taste
one 8 oz package of tofu, diced
cilantro leaves for topping

1) Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until both are golden.

2) Add the sweet potatoes and the water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are about half done.

3) Add the bell pepper, green beans, curry paste, sugar, and ginger. If using lemongrass, cut each stalk into 3 or 4 pieces, and bruise by making long cuts here and there with a sharp knife. This will help release the lemony flavor. Stir into the soup pot. Simmer for 10 minutes longer.

4) Stir in the coconut milk, peanut butter, salt, and tofu. Return to a simmer, then cook over very low heat for another 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender and flavors well integrated.

5) Remove the lemongrass pieces. Taste to adjust seasonings, particularly the curry paste if you'd like a spicier stew, as well as the salt, sugar, and ginger. Serve at once, topping each serving with a few cilantro leaves.

Speaking of Tomatoes. . .

2012-01-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here's how I still have a few around.

When you get the summer glut of tomatoes, cut them in halves or quarters, toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a tiny sprinkle of sugar, lay them out on a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet and roast them at 250F for about 2 to 3 hours. Then tuck them in ziplock bags in the freezer. Thaw them out when you want them and sauté with some onion and fresh herbs to make a pasta sauce or blend with chicken broth and a touch of cream to make an amazingly flavorful soup.

Missing Summer?

2012-01-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

It almost feels like summer around here these days. It's been sunny and in the mid-sixties just about ever since we got back from the holidays in Portland and Auburn. The only difference is that there are no garden-fresh tomatoes around to make caprese salad.

But since I never got around to posting my version of the ideal caprese this summer, here it is. Everything in this salad should be the best of its kind you can track down. Here I have tomatoes (both cherry and heirloom) from my friend Bridget's garden, creamy tangy buffalo mozzarella, chopped fresh basil, excellent olive oil, a tiny splash of aged balsamic vinegar and a generous sprinkle of Maldon's sea salt with its nice flaky crystals.

Finished Object: Koolhaas Hat for Tom

2012-01-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

Ravelry Link: Koolhaas Hat
Pattern: Koolhaas Hat by Jared Flood
Needles: US 8 and US 6
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in "Button Jar"
Made for: Tom

I've made this hat a couple of times before, and I'll probably be making it again. It has terrific shaping and looks different enough from most hats you could buy without screaming "home-made!". Perfect accompaniment to your Trouble coffee on a sunny San Francisco Sunday in January.

New Favorite Thing: How to Make Envelopes Out of Those Old Calendars I Saved

2011-11-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

When I was packing to move to the new apartment, my mom generously flew down from Portland to lend a hand and keep me from pacing mournfully from room to room holding objects and gazing at them with a perplexed expression as if I had no idea where they came from or how to pack them.

Since we were moving to a somewhat smaller apartment, there was a lot of weeding and discarding that went on along with the packing. When we came across my pile of old Nikki McClure calendars, Mom suggested that if I still hadn't done anything with my 2005 calendar, perhaps it was time to let them all go. But I insisted, "No! I will make them into envelopes! I will do it as soon as I move!"

And I did, somewhat to the exclusion of the whole unpacking/cleaning top-priority stuff.

Here is how I did it:

I carefully tore open an envelope that fit the size of paper I usually use for writing letters.

I traced its shape on a calendar page and then cut it out.

I folded the little wing parts and the top and bottom to make the envelope shape.

I put a layer of glue on the little wing pieces and folded up the bottom flap to secure it.

Envelope front!

Envelope back!

As I made more, I ended up tracing the envelope shape onto tracing paper so that I could see through it when I chose where to cut and have a better sense of how to frame the images.

If you write me a letter, you will probably receive your reply in one of the oh, 50-odd envelopes I have hanging around now. I even bought some silver pens to write addresses on the ones that have more dark space than light space. This has been a very satisfying activity and I recommend it heartily.

Loft!

2011-11-17T16:02:00.000-08:00

Brooklyn Tweed (the maker of the lovely worsted weight tweed yarn called Shelter that I've been making my dissertation cardigans out of) just came out with a new fingering weight yarn called Loft that's available in all the same gorgeous colors plus some other beautiful colors! It looks really lovely and I can't wait to try it out. Maybe I'll find a nice simple garter stitch shawl pattern and make a dissertation shawl or two between cardigans.

Oh Yeah, I Have a Blog

2011-11-16T15:49:00.001-08:00

Now what did I used to do with it? That's right. . . Yarn things, food things, book things. . .

What happened is that I moved, and then for a while I was very busy, and then the inertia set in. But now that I am at movement again, I will tend to stay at movement. I think.

I live here now, in the Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco (on the ground floor where the door is open). It's a sort of basement apartment, but it's laid out nicely and we get good light from the backyard. And hey, backyard! I will take pictures of the inside soon. But we're not fully nested yet. Like, we haven't put any art up on the walls. And my desk is an amazing leaning tower of papers and yarn and little boxes and other things. It's amazing that I manage to work there, but I do.

The move was prompted by a combination of factors: 1) our Palo Alto building was sold and the new landlords decided to remodel all of the apartments and not renew any leases. 2) Caleb is taking classes at SFSU and needs to be on campus more often than I do now that I'm dissertating. Some weeks I still end up going to campus a lot, but the drive down highway 280 is beautiful and not usually too trafficky and I get to listen to lots of public radio and learn things about what's going on in the world or bonobo monkeys or whatever. And 3) Since it's unlikely that we'll find work in the area upon graduation, we thought it would be kind of nice to experience living in San Francisco before we leave the Bay Area for good.

Finished Object: Parkhurst Shawl

2011-09-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Parkhurst Shawl

Pattern: Parkhurst by Tonia Barry

Needles: US 4

Yarn: Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace

Made For: Jessalynn's friend Toni's friend Emily's bridesmaid.

(Jessalynn is my dear friend of long-standing and my Long Distance Kitchen companion. Toni is her close friend from college - we've only met once, but we hear about one another from Jess and like one another's facebook status updates as they relate to knitting, making soup, and other kindred activities. I've never met Emily nor her bridesmaid.)

Toni send out a somewhat joking call looking for knitting friends to volunteer to help with this rather-last-minute shawl emergency, and I replied that I currently had "no urgent lace" and would be happy to help out. I'm pretty sure I've earned some good knitting karma: my garments will fit and my yarn will not unravel.

Salad by Numbers: 7

2011-09-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

7. Grate carrots, toast some sunflower seeds, and toss with blueberries, olive oil, lemon juice and plenty of black pepper. Sweet, sour, crunchy, soft.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

Nothing special.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yum! These sweet/savory blends keep being surprisingly good. I think this one would be especially great for kids.

NEXT UP: 50

Finished Object: Bridget Cardigan (AKA Dissertation Sweater #3)

2011-09-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Bridget Cardigan
Pattern: Garter Yoke Cardigan by Marissa LaBarre
Needles: US 7
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in "Homemade Jam "
Made For: Bridget W.

I am, indeed, 3 sweaters done with my dissertation! Progress!

This sweater came out beautifully. Bridget is not trying out her zombie pose here, but rather demonstrating how the sleeves are not too short for her long arms. It's great when hand-made things are so easily customizable and I can make things than really fit perfectly.

The buttons have a cool texture but the color so perfectly that they don't stand out too much.

Bridget was very patient letting me get pictures from all sides, and she even gave me a great Mary Poppins pose at the end.

Salad by Numbers: 41

2011-08-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

41. Halve avocados and scoop out some but not all of their flesh. Roughly chop and toss with black beans, queso fresco, cilantro, chopped tomatillos and lime juice. Serve in the meaty avocado shells.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

Just followed the recipe.

MODIFICATIONS:

I did have to swap in ricotta salata since I couldn't find any queso freso, but it's pretty similar

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

It didn't really fit inside the avocado shell (not surprisingly), but Caleb assured me that it looked fine spilling over onto the plate. Is it just me, or do tomatillos kind of taste like pluots? This was delicious and would make a great appetizer for a dinner party.

NEXT UP: 7

Strawberry Summer Cake

2011-08-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

I made this Long Distance Kitchen recipe for my writing group meeting a few weeks ago. I'm usually more of a fan than pie, but I loved this cake! It has a tender crumb with a delicate sweet flavor from the addition of barley flour. The edges are crisp and buttery and it's simply full of fruit. It was delicious with strawberries, but I think it would be interesting to try with peaches, blueberries, plums, or any combination of soft summer fruits. I even talked one of my ESL students into making it for a dinner party and he said that it was a hit. :)

Big Sur

2011-08-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Caleb and I finally went to Big Sur a few weeks ago. We enjoyed a nice meal at the bakery (though our Oregon selves found it a bit weird to be eating at a fancy restaurant in a natural paradise), we hiked a bit, we talked in the car a lot on the way, we decided to move to San Francisco, and we found an otter preserve/lighthouse combination that has settled into first place destination in our post-apocalyptic escape scenarios.

New Poems in Tarpaulin Sky #17

2011-08-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

Read them here.

Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad

2011-08-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Jess assigned this recipe a few weeks back and I made it for my mom and Caleb for dinner after picking them both up at the San Jose airport. It was flavorful and refreshing and I wish I had some to eat right now. I cooked the chicken in my grill pan, which worked pretty well. The marinate didn't call for anything difficult to procure and it tasted great! I used all possible garnishes mentioned, since I love heaps of fresh herbs in my food.

Salad by Numbers: 38

2011-08-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

38. Cube watermelon; combine with roughly chopped mint, crumbled feta, sliced red onion and chopped Kalamata olives. Dress lightly with olive oil and lemon juice. Despite saltiness of feta and olives, this may need salt.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I got a nice juicy seedless watermelon.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

I have made it again! I really seemed like the best possible use of the remaining watermelon to remake the salad. :) Adding olive and onion to watermelon seems a bit weird, I admit, but this is a yummy one. Everything really comes together nicely, and it's so cool and refreshing.

NEXT UP: #41

Reading in Brooklyn this Friday

2011-08-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

7 PM on August 26′th @ Goodbye Blue Monday – Bushwick, Brooklyn

with

Paul Siegell is the author of three books of poetry: wild life rifle fire (Otoliths Books, 2010), jambandbootleg (A-Head Publishing, 2009) and Poemergency Room (Otoliths Books, 2008). Paul is a senior editor at Painted Bride Quarterly, and has recently contributed to Black Warrior Review, Dark Sky Magazine, La Petite Zine and many other fine journals. Kindly find more of Paul’s work at ReVeLeR @ eYeLeVeL (http://paulsiegell.blogspot.com).

Kiely Sweatt has been living in Barcelona the last three years teaching English, translating and writing poetry. She started up the Prostibulo Poetico, in partnership with the Poetry Brothel, Poetry Society of NYC. She has since helped to start working on branches in Madrid, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Venezuela. She is co organizer of Tri Lengua, a multi lingual reading series in Barcelona, which looks to promote overseas writers of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. She holds a degree in Spanish Literature from WVU and an MFA in poetry from The New School. Her work has appeared online and in-print through such publications as The Why and the Later by Carly Sachs, Best American Poetry blog, Shampoo, Sawbuck Review, BCN Ink, and PSEUDÒNIMS.

Jared White lives in Brooklyn, where he co-directs the Yardmeter Editions event series and, with Farrah Field, he has recently founded a poetry bookstore, Berl’s Brooklyn Poetry Shop. His chapbook Yellowcake was included in the hand-sewn anthology Narwhal from Cannibal Books in 2009. Poems and essays have also recently appeared in Action, Yes, Coconut, Harp & Altar, La Petite Zine, No, Dear, Open Letters Monthly, and We Are So Happy To Know Something. An occasional blog can be found at jaredswhite.blogspot.com.

Goodbye Blue Monday

1087 Broadway
(corner of Dodworth St)
Brooklyn, NY 11221-3013 (718) 453-6343

J M Z trains to Myrtle Ave
or J train to Kosciusko St

Hosted by Steven Karl, Erika Moya & Christie Ann Reynolds

Salad by Numbers: 5

2011-08-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

5. Grate or very thinly slice Jerusalem artichokes; mix with pitted and chopped oil-cured olives, olive oil, lemon juice and a sprinkling of coarsely ground cumin. Unusual and wonderful.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I grated the Jerusalem artichoke and toasted the cumin before grinding it.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

It took a little while to get over how much the Jerusalem artichoke looked like raw potato. Eep! But it was nice and crunchy, with a flavor almost a little bit like coconut somehow. The cumin-lemon dressing was delicious, and the olives added a bit of richness. Surprisingly tasty.

NEXT UP: 38

Fig and Honey Pastry Cream Galette

2011-08-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

This is a fig galette from Rustic Fruit Desserts. It combines a Lovers' Lane Farm honey pastry cream (a sweet thick custard) with fresh figs and flaky butter pastry. What more could you want?

Sugar Snap Salad

2011-08-11T23:35:00.000-07:00

I've made this a couple of times. The first time was the same evening I made the rich ricotta, and we ate it with James's delicious pesto pasta salad and Jessica's magical cold strawberry cream thing. Then I assigned it to Jess for Long Distance Kitchen and served it with roast potatoes and lemony roast salmon after three hours of playing guitar with Tom. I also added some pea shoots. You can find the recipe here. It's a perfect summery blend of sweet peas, spicy radish, salty cheese, and tart sumac and lemon juice, not to mention being pretty.

Salad by Numbers: 60

2011-08-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

60. Ditto on the tuna. Mix with chopped apples, halved seedless grapes, chopped red onion, olive oil, a bit of cumin and black pepper.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used a mix of red and green grapes and put it all on a bed of baby greens.

MODIFICATIONS:

Nope.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Sure, I'd make it again. The lots of black pepper helped to keep things on the savory side.

NEXT UP: Salad #5

Overnight Crispy Waffles

2011-08-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

I liked the idea of this recipe as soon as I came across it. I think I pretty much like any recipe that you leave in the fridge overnight. So I assigned it for Long Distance Kitchen.

It's like most waffle batter, except that you use yeast instead of baking powder or baking soda as a rising agent. You mix everything together in the evening and then in the morning you're ready to go! You can just roll out of bed and heat up the waffle iron.

These have a super crispy outside texture and a light airy crumb. They have a robust yeasty flavor and taste amazing with maple syrup.

One little thing: in the recipe, she says to stir the batter before pouring it on the waffle iron. I did that the first time, and it went fine. But then we didn't finish them, so I just left them in the fridge for another night, and then in the morning I just poured with the batter still sort "risen", and they were more delicious – lighter, crisper, awesomer. That is all.

Spaghetti with Clams and Fennel

2011-08-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

Know what I love about making recipes from the Sunday Suppers book? The fact that I feel like I could order them in a fancy restaurant and be thrilled to get them. :)

Often there are a few more steps than I might prefer for ordinary home cooking, a few more time leaves to pluck, a little cooking separately and then rejoining, but damn if they aren't delicious!

This one combines onion and fennel with sweet little clams and pasta, with a hint of red pepper, white wine, butter, all topped off with crunchy thyme-flavored bread crumbs. Eat it on a balcony overlooking the sea if you ever get so lucky. I'll do the same.

Salad by Numbers: 53

2011-08-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

53. Peel beets and grate them in a food processor. Mix equal parts plain yogurt and tahini, and toss with the beets along with lemon juice and za’atar (a mixture of toasted sesame seeds, dried green herbs and ground sumac; you can make it yourself using dried thyme).

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used Greek yogurt which was very thick and the tahini was very thick, so the dressing was a bit thick, and I kept adding lemon juice until it got liquid enough to actually be a dressing.

MODIFICATIONS:

Nope.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

It was alright, but I'm not sure if I'd make it again. It tasted obscenely healthy. I like beets fine, but I think I prefer them cooked. If I made it again, I think I'd mess around with the dressing, maybe add a bit of olive oil and a lot of lemon and black pepper.

NEXT UP: Salad #60

Ragù Bolognese

2011-07-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

I made a Marcella Hazan version of this and then I assigned a Mario Batali version for Long Distance Kitchen to compare. Both were quite delicious. The Mario Batali one benefited from being eaten in a cabin in the Trinity Alps in charming company. I used the Marcella one in a lasagna though, so I think I'll need to make it again with homemade tagliatelle just to check which I prefer. Dinner anyone?

Stout Cupcakes with Milk Tea Mascarpone Frosting

2011-07-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

These are my variation cupcakes. I used the Smitten Kitchen stout cupcake base and that I used for these and combined it with the mascarpone milk tea frosting from these. I think I didn't whip the cream quite thick enough, so the frosting got terribly runny, but then I salvaged it by adding more powdered sugar. Then I took them to Bridget's birthday party and drank a bunch of dark and stormys and a martini. That was fun.

Salad by Numbers: 73

2011-07-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

73. Hawaiitalian: Combine pineapple chunks with bits of any cured pork product — cooked guanciale is ideal, or any ham — and a not-too-subtle chili vinaigrette.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I had some cured pork jowls from Lovers Lane Farm in my freezer, so I chopped them into cubes and cooked them in the cast iron skillet until crisp and delicious. I used sriracha to make the vinaigrette spicy.

MODIFICATIONS:

I threw some greens it! So that it would actually kind of be a salad.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Maybe. One thing I definitely will do? Use the jowls to make lardons to go on salad! I have more of them!

NEXT UP: Salad # 53

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

2011-07-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Eileen for the comment that lead me to this recipe.

Roast Fingerling Potato Salad

2011-07-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

I assigned this recipe for Roast Fingerling Potato Salad for Long Distance Kitchen after making it last summer. This time I threw a bunch of crunchy steamed green beans in and brought it to a friend's graduation BBQ. We ended up eating later than I'd realized, so the potatoes were a touch dried-out, but it was still very tasty. So, my only recommendation would be to eat it pretty soon after you cook it. And my other recommendation is to make it soon and go on a picnic.

Rich Ricotta

2011-07-19T23:27:00.001-07:00

This Long Distance Kitchen recipe for Rich Ricotta is from Smitten Kitchen. I made it when some friends were coming over to watch Game of Thrones. It was creamy, surprisingly lemony, and especially delicious with a drizzle of Lovers' Lane Farm honey.

Salad by Numbers: 24

2011-07-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

24. Blanch spinach, then drain and shock in ice water. Squeeze it dry, chop it and toss it with toasted pine nuts, raisins, olive oil and a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. Capers are good, too. Quite elegant, actually.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

Wow, spinach sure does cook down. I did my usual trick with the raisins (pouring boiling water on them and giving them a few minutes to plump up). I didn't have any capers, so I left them out.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Sure, I'd make it again. This felt more like a side-dish than a salad in some ways. I think something pretty similar is made Sicily – the spinach, raisin, pine-nut combination is a nice one, and the balsamic vinegar kept the raisins from making it all too sweet.

NEXT UP: Salad #73

Salad by Numbers: 37

2011-07-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

37. Cube smoked tofu, then brush it with a mixture of honey and orange juice; broil until browned. Toss with chopped cucumbers, radishes and peas or pea shoots; drizzle with soy sauce and lime juice.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I found some pretty purple radishes, so I used them. Caleb observed that they seemed more mild in flavor than the usual red ones.

MODIFICATIONS:

I couldn't find pea shoots, but I did find broccoli sprouts, so I added a handful of them.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yes, this was nice. It would be especially good for Lent, as the smoky tofu is both meaty tasting and protein-rich.

NEXT UP: Salad #24

Salad by Numbers: 46

2011-07-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

46. Sauté mushrooms and shallots in olive oil. Add a lot of spinach, chopped unless the leaves are small. When it wilts, stir in parsley and crumbled blue cheese. Feels like a steakhouse side-dish salad.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I added the blue cheese after the parsley because I didn't want it to melt and get completely mixed in.

MODIFICATIONS:

I put it on a bed of polenta to make a full meal of it.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

This was really good, especially on the polenta. I would make it again. It hardly seems like a salad this way, but whatever.

I was also happy with what I did with leftovers. I had leftover polenta and spinach/mushroom mixture as well as some other leftovers, so I mixed the spinach and mushroom mixture with 1) leftover meat ragù and 2) leftover diced tomatoes. Never have so many leftovers been combined into one meal and tasted so delicious!

NEXT UP: Salad #37

Chocolate Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes

2011-07-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

Deb on Smitten Kitchen made these. I recommend them.

I have plans to combine this chocolate Guinness cupcake base with the mascarpone tea frosting I used on these. I'll let you know how it goes.

Finished Object: Guatemala Wedding Ishbel

2011-06-30T16:47:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Ishbel for Gabby
Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague
Needles: US 4
Yarn: Madeline Tosh Merino Light in "Cobalt"
Made For: Gabby's wedding

Often I make things for people I know well. Occasionally, the spirit moves me to make something for someone I hardly know at all. A woman from church is getting married in Guatemala in a couple of weeks, and I heard that her wedding color is cobalt blue, and I saw this yarn, and then I thought "Ishbel!" So here it is. Watch out, acquaintances, no one is safe from my yarn.

Salad by Numbers: 59

2011-06-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

59. Sear tuna, or use good canned tuna. Chop it up and mix with chopped olives, capers, tomatoes, parsley and olive oil.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used jarred tuna in olive oil, Greek olives, and grape tomatoes.

MODIFICATIONS:

I added some crumbled feta and a bit of leftover balsamic vinaigrette. I also mixed in some greens, and I put the tuna on top rather than chopping it up and mixing it in.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yep, this is a good one. I liked my additions, and I think I'd keep them.

NEXT UP:

Salad #46

Finished Object: Jessica Cardigan (AKA Dissertation Sweater #2)

2011-06-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Jessica Cardigan
Pattern: Garter Yoke Cardigan by Marissa LaBarre
Needles: US 7
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in "Faded Quilt"
Made For: Jessica W.

I made a slight modification on this one – 3/4 length sleeves that are slightly tapered.

Still Making This One

2011-06-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

Here's another version of Coconut Milk Rice with Peas – this one has pea shoots and plenty of sriracha. Tasty!

Berry Pie

2011-06-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Jessalynn assigned this recipe from the Rustic Fruit Desserts book she'd given me. The recipe is for marionberry pie, but it said that you could use any type of blackberry-type berry, so I used a mix of frozen blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries that I had on hand. And I took it to my writing group And it was delicious. And I love pie. And I am no longer afraid of pie-crust. And I make my lattices interlace for real, bitches.

Chinese vs. Japanese

2011-06-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

"Chinese is a monosyllabic language with musical tones to distinguish the many identical syllables. In its classical form at least, Chinese is a language of great compactness. Japanese, on the other hand, is polysyllabic, has no tones like the Chinese, and sounds rather like Italian, at least to those who do not know Italian. In contrast with the brevity of classical Chinese Japanese is a language of interminable sentences – sometimes literally interminable, in which case they are left incomplete, at the end of the twentieth or forthieth subtle turn of phrase as if their authors despaired of ever coming to the end of their task."

-- Donald Keene, Japanese Literature: An Introduction for Western Readers, 1955

I love this "sounds like Italian, at least to those who do not know Italian" business. How about "tastes like chicken, at least to those who have never tasted chicken"? And I am also always a sucker for dubious uses of the word "literally."

Salad by Numbers: 39

2011-06-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

39. Yucatecan street food as salad: Roast fresh corn kernels in a pan with a little oil; toss with cayenne or minced chilis, lime juice and a little queso fresco. Cherry tomatoes are optional.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I chopped up some jalapeno and threw it into the hot oil before I tossed the corn in. I added the cherry tomatoes to the frying pan too, but just for a couple of seconds at the very end.

MODIFICATIONS:

There was no queso fresco, so I used ricotta salata, but I think the effect was pretty similar.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yum! This is going to be a go-to summer salad for as long as sweet delicious corn-on-the-cob is with us. I might tried adding some cilantro or basil. Also, cutting the corn off the cob in a stainless steel bowl is a nice trick that keeps it from going all over the place.

NEXT UP:

Salad #59

Poetic Intent and Monkeys

2011-06-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

"A very pertinent illustration is the contention that took place between Basho and Kyorai concerning one of the latter's own poems, the following:

On the edge of this rock
Here is one more
Moon-viewer.

In Records of Kyorai, the following conversation is given:

Kyorai said "Shado asserted that this must be a monkey, but what I intend is another person." Basho retorted, "A monkey! What does he mean? What were you thinking when you composed this poem? Kyorai answered, "As I was walking over the fields and mountains, singing under the light of a full moon, I found, on the edge of the rock, naother man filled with poetical excitement." Basho said, "In the phrase, 'There is one more person,' you announce yourself; in this there is poetry. I prize this verse and intend to include it in Little Compositions of the Traveling Altar." My poetical taste is below the highest, but in Basho's interpretation there is something fantastic, I think.

Quite apart from the question of which of the two was right, we have here the entertaining picture of Basho telling Kyorai, not what he ought to have said, but what he ought to have meant by what he said."

-- from Blyth's Haiku, Vol. I

I just like the accidental monkey. I feel tempted to do this myself in interpreting poems: "Did you perhaps mean a monkey here? It's not entirely clear. . . "

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my dear friends who have recently become fathers. And especially to my own dad, who built the best tree-house ever and found me a walking-stick small enough to fit me.

Finished Object: White Veylas

2011-06-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: White Veylas
Pattern: Veyla by Ysolda Teague
Needles: US 3
Yarn: Bristol Yarn Gallery "Buckingham"
Made For: Katherine B.

I started these last summer and got stalled a couple of times, especially when it came to buying buttons for them, but I finally finished them up, and I must say, they're quite charming.

Berber Pizza

2011-06-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

I assigned this recipe from A Platter of Figs back during Lent. And I think I made it then too? Not completely sure . . . But I can tell you that it was good.

It's a vegan version of a pizza that's actually more like a pie or calzone, since it has dough on the top as well as the bottom. The dough is a simple yeasty dough made with flour, water, yeast, and olive oil, and the filling is caramelized onions, with a bunch of toasted and ground spices and some fresh parsley.

The crispy crust and sweet spicy onions made a great side to various salads and vegetables, as you can see below.

Salad by Numbers: 52

2011-06-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

52. Chop hard-boiled eggs and mix with just enough mayonnaise to bind; spoon into endive leaves. Top each with a small canned sardine and drizzle with a vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice and mustard.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I had some leftover tartar sauce from Cook's Seafood in Menlo Park (they have pretty fantastic fish and chips, by the way), so I used that to hold the eggs together instead of mayonnaise, because, hey, a few bits of pickle can't hurt. The sardines I got ended up being a bit on the large size, so I just put a piece on each leaf instead of a whole fish. I used whole grain mustard for the vinaigrette.

MODIFICATIONS:

Just the tartar sauce switch-up.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yes – this was really tasty, not to mention how fun it was to pick up the little leaves like boats of tastiness and eat them! This would make a great appetizer, except that I think some people are squeamish about sardines, anchovies, and other small salty fish, so maybe I would check first.

NEXT UP:

Salad #39

Apple-Rhubarb Pandowdy

2011-06-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

I assigned this Apple-Rhubarb Pandowdy from Rustic Fruit Desserts, a cookbook that Jess had given me. A pandowdy, in case you've never made one before, is basically a pie with no bottom crust, often made in a rustic pan rather than a pie plate. I used my always-handy cast-iron skillet (not just for bacon!).

I'm a huge fan of rhubarb, and I've combined it with cherries, strawberries, yogurt, semifreddo, strawberries, and strawberries. But never before with apples.

It was a good combination. I used a mix of sweet and tart apples, and served the pandowdy with a simple milk/egg yolk/vanilla bean custard, which is my new favorite baked fruit dessert accompaniment. Leftovers made for delicious breakfast.

Salad by Numbers: 82

2011-06-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

82. Cut pancetta into matchsticks and crisp in a skillet with some oil, then caramelize onions in the fat. Toss both with chopped bitter greens — radicchio, escarole or endive, for example — toasted pine nuts and halved cherry or grape tomatoes.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

The pancetta I got was pre-sliced and very thin, so matchsticks were a bit tough to achieve, but I managed pieces of various shapes and sizes. I used both endive and radicchio.

MODIFICATIONS:

Rather than leaving the crisped pancetta in the pan, I took it out and set it on paper towel to lose its oil and crisp up further. This made a sort of pig brittle. Very tasty. I sprinkled it over the top of the salad.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

I would make it again. It's a nice combination of salty and bitter, mellowed by the tomatoes and pine nuts and contrasted by the sweet onions. I'd like to get slightly thicker slices of pancetta if possible. And I'd probably add some escarole if just to add a hint of green and make it more beautiful.

NEXT UP: Salad #52

Salad by Numbers: 21

2011-05-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

21. Dice cucumbers (if they’re fat and old, peel and seed them first) and toss with cubes of avocado, a little mirin (or honey, but then it’s not vegan), rice vinegar and soy sauce. (You could mix in a little lump crab meat, really not vegan, even rice, and call it a California roll salad.)

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I did my usual partial peel of the cucumbers, where I remove stripes but not all of the peel. I didn't use any of the extras, as I didn't have rice or crab meat waiting around to be used.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Sure, avocado and cucumber are classic together and the dressing was flavorful and complimented the creamy/crunchy combo well.

NEXT UP: Salad #82

Salad by Numbers: 4

2011-05-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Shave raw asparagus stalks with a vegetable peeler. Discard the tough first pass of the peeler — i.e., the peel — but do use the tips, whole. Dress with lemon vinaigrette and coarse salt. (Chopped hard-boiled eggs optional but good.)

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used the first-of-the-season beautiful fresh asparagus from the farmers' market for this. And Maldon sea salt in lovely crystals.

MODIFICATIONS:

Nope.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

This was sublime. I wasn't sure how raw asparagus would be, but shaved thin like this and with the olive oil and lemon and salt, it was tasted like pure spring. And so crunchy! It also totally seemed like an appetizer or salad that you'd get somewhere like Zuni or Chez Panisse. Give it a try!

NEXT UP: Salad #21

Finished Object: Anna Cardigan

2011-05-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Anna Cardigan
Pattern: Garter Yoke Cardigan by Marissa LaBarre
Needles: US 7
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in "Button Jar"
Made For: Anna H.

Did you know that I am writing a dissertation? Well, I am. And it takes a long time, involves long periods of reading, and can sometimes show no discernible progress for a long while. Oof.

I'd written before about the marvelous invention of the book prop, which permits reading and knitting at the same. And then I discovered the garter yoke sweater pattern, which consists entirely of garter and stockinette (AKA simple mindless knitting) and is knit entirely in one piece with no pesky sewing and seaming to do at the end. Plus it's pretty damn cute. I've also written about my enthusiasm for Jared Flood's line of tweed yarn called Shelter. It's soft and beautiful and comes in 17 colors, each more charming than the last.

Putting together the pieces, I decided to see how many garter yoke sweaters in various shades of Shelter yarn I can knit for friends while working on my dissertation. Knitting helps me sit still and stay focused when I'm reading. And as I knit for a particular friend, I feel her support for me and my endeavor as I knit my stitches and read my pages. It helps.

Now that I've completed Anna's sweater and sent it off to her in Pennsylvania and even gotten some pictures of her wearing it about town, I can officially say that I'm one sweater closer to finishing my dissertation! (I kind of doubt my advisers will accept that as an update of my progress, but Onward!).

Mark Lamoureux writes about my chapbook "Scaffolding"

2011-05-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

"What makes the process of translation so difficult is that words do not simply contain discrete meanings, but rather are built from layers and layers of association, idiom, culture and drift from other languages and culture. Words have histories, which are difficult to convey in the confines of a lexicon, even when the etymological history of a word is indicated. Words are built; what Scaffolding: My Proust Vocabulary does is provide just that, the scaffolding upon which a reading (the author's) of Proust's work in French is built. Not so much a process of translation, but a process of trying to distill the air and water around a word, which contains meaning, but also so much else." – Mark Lamoureux

Read the whole thing here.

Download a pdf of the chapbook here.

Thanks, Mark!

Salad by Numbers: 14

2011-05-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

14. A classic Moroccan thing: Thinly slice carrots, or grate or shred them (the food processor makes quick work of this). Toss with toasted cumin seeds, olive oil, lemon juice and cilantro. Raisins are good in here, too. There is no better use of raw carrots.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I grated my carrots in the food processor as recommended. I did not use raisins, but I think a few would have been fine.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

I would make this again! It was very easy and a nice accompaniment to my sort of Mediterranean meal. I might grind the toasted cumin seeds up a bit in a mortar and pestle to distribute them more evenly through the carrots next time.

NEXT UP: Salad #4

New Poems in Common-Place

2011-05-15T00:14:00.000-07:00

The editor of the "poetic research" feature at Common-Place (an online history journal) contacted me some months back asking if I might be interested in contributing the "poetic research" feature for their upcoming food issue. I was interested! And a bit intimidated. But I procrastinated some and then wrote and cooked and scanned and took pictures and the whole thing is up now for you to take a look at.

Click here for the journal.
Click here for my feature.
Click here for a statement of poetics that includes picture of butterscotch pie.

PS: I was honored to be placed in the particularly delicious "bacon region" of the pig above.

Finished Object: Ishbel

2011-05-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Ishbel
Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague
Needles: US 4
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Lace in "Blue Surf"
Made For: the lovely Katy Henriksen

This yarn is super soft with a gentle little halo and makes for a wonderful everyday shawl. I love the silks, but sometimes they feel a bit dressy to wear with a t-shirt or a plaid shirt. I have a burgundy shawl that I wear point-forward as a scarf all the time, and I hope Katy will get a lot of wear out of this one too.

I only had this much yarn left at the end! I was super-nervous the whole time I was binding off, but it worked out fine. Whew.

Spinach Salad with Bacon

2011-05-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

I assigned this Pioneer Woman recipe a while ago, but it took me some time to make and more time to blog. Combining caramelized onions and mushrooms, perfectly boiled egg and tender baby spinach, this salad is a worthy vehicle for the wonder that is Lovers Lane Farm bacon. You also use bacon fat in the dressing. Commit. The end.

Salad by Numbers: 87

2011-05-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

87. Cold not-sesame noodles: Combine about a half-cup peanut butter with a tablespoon soy sauce and enough coconut milk to make the mixture creamy (about a half cup), along with garlic and chili flakes in a blender or food processor. Toss sauce with cooked and cooled noodles, a load of mint, Thai basil, and/or cilantro, and lime juice. Shredded cucumber and carrots optional.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used soba noodles, since they seemed well suited. I added lots of shredded carrots and cucumbers to keep things on the salad side.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

This was good, but I'm not sure if I'd make it again. Between the peanut butter and the coconut milk, it was a bit heavy. I think I was actually ok with it until Caleb said that it looked like coleslaw and then I started to get a little put off. There's something about vegetable liquid mixing with or diluting creamy dressings that just doesn't sit well with me. Go figure.

NEXT UP: Salad #14

Crunchy Garlic Chicken

2011-05-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

This is another "it's about time" episode of Long Distance Kitchen. Jessalynn assigned this recipe for Crunchy Garlic Chicken from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. The recipe called for "6 cream or plain crackers" and I wasn't at all sure what that amounted to. I messed around with crackers and lemon zest and garlic and butter and parsley in the food processor, and I ended up with something more like a paste than like bread crumbs. Should have used more crackers? Maybe.

Anyway, I spread it on the chicken as best I could and baked it in the oven. It did get plenty crispy (at least in some places) and I cut it up into strips the way they do in Japanese restaurants and squeezed lemon over it. The chicken was tender and moist, and it was a good meal, despite the somewhat dubious breading.

Cheese-Stuffed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce

2011-05-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

I assigned this recipe from Pioneer Woman's blog because it looked like perfect comfort food. I used some of my Lovers' Lane Park ground pork to make the sauce, and I used lots of chopped up basil in the filling. We even felt like getting that sort of crappy supermarket French bread that goes stale really quickly and has a smooshy crumb. It was that kind of meal.

This is a great recipe for leftovers. Caleb and I ate our fill at dinner, and then I put a couple of shells in a bunch of plastic containers, put some in the fridge and some in the freezer, and we were always happy to pull them out and heat them up in a moment of need. I'll make some more soon.

Apple-Blackberry Crisp with Custard

2011-05-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Jessalynn assigned this recipe from Orangette a while back. It combines the simplicity of apple crisp with the caramelizing action of tarte tatin. What could be bad about that?

I bought a variety of apples to achieve a mix of sweet and tart, smooshy and firm, and I also used a weird mix of sugars including brown sugar, regular organic sugar and caster sugar that's been hanging out with my bulk vanilla beans. There was no real reason for this. I just like to complicate matters.

And I had some blackberries that friends had brought over for dessert that we hadn't finished, so I tossed them in too, though I waited to add them until I'd finished caramelizing the apples in the cast iron skillet.

Someone in the comments section of Orangette mentioned serving this with custard, so I decided to try it. I used a custard recipe from The Art of Simple Food that was just egg yolks, sugar, vanilla bean, and milk. I figured I'd rather err on the side of "too thin" than the side of "too scrambled-eggsy," so I stopped cooking the custard as soon as it started to thicken and let it chill in the fridge. Even with just milk and no cream, the custard was rich and sweet and a perfect compliment to the tart apples. (I'd like to try peach cobbler with custard too and see how Caleb likes it. It might even surpass his platonic memory peach cobbler with milk.).

The only thing I was a bit dubious about in this recipe was the crisp topping, which was pretty powdery and didn't really brown a lot or get much crunch. Is this a crisp thing? I think next time I might go for something a bit more streusel-like.

Apple variety makes sense.

Many sugars for no good reason.

Leftovers + Caleb's cappuccino + The New American Poetry = good breakfast.

Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese

2011-04-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

I think Jess assigned Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese from Smitten Kitchen. I made it a while back when I had a vegetarian friend over for dinner. It was ok, but it wasn't spectacular. Maybe my lentil-to-squash ratio was off. I think I also didn't get my squash quite as caramelized and sweet as Deb's looks in the Smitten Kitchen picture. So maybe I'll give it another shot next fall.

Salad by Numbers: 32

2011-04-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Boil or roast beets, but toss with cooked corn, arugula, olive oil, sherry vinegar and chopped shallots.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I boiled the beets and then slipped their jackets off and tossed them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and sherry vinegar. I chopped the corn off the cob and cooked it in olive oil with the chopped shallots and some fresh thyme. When the vegetables cooled a bit, I tossed them together with some fresh arugula.

MODIFICATIONS:

Cooking the shallots rather than leaving them raw.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yes. This was good. Corn and beets are both quite sweet, so the peppery bitter arugula worked well with them.

NEXT UP: Salad #87

Milk Tea Cupcakes

2011-04-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

Jessalynn assigned this cupcake recipe from Just Jenn Recipes. I made them with Bridget when she came over to watch Downton Abbey.

I followed the recipe nicely, and tasted a smallish cupcake before proceeding along to the frosting stage. It was yummy – buttery, eggy, good. But it did not taste like tea. Like not even a little bit.

I had been promised milk tea cupcakes, and milk tea cupcakes I would have! I hijacked the frosting, steeping the cream with a goodly portion of loose tea leaves until it had a distinct tea flavor before whipping it with the powdered sugar and mascarpone. I was not disappointed. This frosting will appear again in my life, perhaps in the presence of chocolate. Ah, yes.

Bridget and I had a cupcake or two with our knitting and our "I want to write down every single thing Maggie Smith says to use in conversation later," and then I put a couple of cupcakes in the fridge for the next day, wrapped up a few for Bridget to take home to Nickie, and then brought the rest over to La Bodeguita when I went to pick up Caleb, which resulted in some hugs from drunk strangers.

Be prepared. Don't underestimate the milk tea frosting.

Steel-Cut Oatmeal

2011-04-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

It's Long Distance Kitchen catch-up. The end is in site. I have delayed this and several other posts until the end of Lent in sympathy with my coreligionists' desire not to tortured with photos of cream and bacon mid-fast.

Jessalynn assigned this Steel-Cut Oatmeal recipe from Good to the Grain. It's not too different from the usual slow-cooking method for steel-cut oats, but it does involve an extra step of browning your oats in butter before cooking them.

The result is a chewy, toasty vehicle for cream and brown-sugar. I'd like to play around a bit with the cooking time and the amount of water used though – perhaps because I scaled back the quantity, I felt like I had to keep adding water to keep it from scorching, and I'm still not positive I cooked it quite enough.

Salad by Numbers: 22

2011-04-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Thinly slice button mushrooms; toss with finely chopped carrots and celery and mix with mung bean sprouts. Finish with peanut or olive oil, sherry vinegar, a little soy sauce and minced ginger. (This is a super vinaigrette, by the way.)

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

This was was very similar to the salad I just made. Not much variety on one hand, but great to be able to use up the ingredients without going shopping again on the other. I used grapeseed oil for the dressing.

MODIFICATIONS:

I added a bit of chopped basil to the dressing.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yes. I think I liked the spice and heaps of herbs in the #6 salad, but the mushrooms and ginger were a nice touch here as well.

NEXT UP: Salad #32

Salad by Numbers: 6

2011-04-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sichuan slaw: Toss bean sprouts, shredded carrots and celery, minced fresh chili, soy sauce, sesame oil and a bit of sugar. Top with chopped peanuts and chopped basil, mint and/or cilantro. (The full trio is best.)

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used the Cuisinart again for this one, grating the carrots, slicing the celery, and finely chopping the jalapeno with the blade. I used the full trio of herbs, and I gave my toasted peanuts a little extra toasting for good measure once again.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yes! This was so flavorful and crunchy!

NEXT UP: Salad #22

Salad by Numbers: 20

2011-04-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Shred Napa cabbage and radishes. The dressing is roasted peanuts, lime juice, peanut or other oil, cilantro and fresh or dried chili, all whizzed in a blender. Deliciousness belies ease.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I probably should have used the slicing blade rather than the grating blade on the food processor for the cabbage, as it came out in pretty tiny pieces, but it was still good and crunchy. I had roasted peanuts from Trader Joe's but I stuck them in the oven for a few more minutes for good measure. I also kept a few whole to sprinkle on top. For chili, I used a fresh jalapeno. I used grapeseed oil, rather than peanut oil, since that's what I had around. The dressing came out looking very much like pesto.

MODIFICATIONS:

The peanuts on top.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yes. This was good. I'd probably chop the cabbage up next time to keep it in slightly larger pieces. I might add even more lime to the dressing and keep more peanuts out to add greater contrast as well.

NEXT UP: # 6

Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes

2011-04-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

In what is perhaps a Long Distance Kitchen record, I actually made this Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes recipe the very day Jessalynn assigned it to me. But, of course, it's taken me a bit to get it up on here.

I followed the recipe pretty closely, except that I added potatoes as well, including purple potatoes. I did this because 1) I had potatoes to use up, and 2) I wanted it to feel like a full-on stew, not something I needed to serve on rice, so that I could make full meals of it.

I was really happy with this recipe, the slow simmering got the carrots and onions really sweet and infused with curry and thyme and tomato. I can see this becoming a Lenten stand-by.

Salad by Numbers: 10

2011-04-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook whole grape tomatoes in olive oil over high heat until they brown lightly, sprinkling with curry powder. Cool a bit, then toss with chopped arugula, loads of chopped mint and lime juice.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

This was pretty simple. I was surprised by how quickly the tomatoes started to get color in the hot oil. I knew it was time to take them off the heat when the first one popped. I took Bittman at his word and used TONS of chopped mint.

MODIFICATIONS:

We were eating the salad with sesame whole-grain pita chips and Caleb crunched some up and used them as croutons. I kept mine on the side.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

This salad was quite tart from the lime juice and bitter from the arugula. I found it really refreshing and tasty on a warm day. I would definitely make it again, especially with something rich that needs something to counter it. It would also be great with skewers of grilled chicken and sweet onion.

NEXT UP: #20

Finished Object: Shale Baby Blanket

2011-04-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Shale Baby Blanket
Pattern: Shale Baby Blanket by Jared Flood
Needles: US 9
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in "Button Jar"
Made For: Baby WAV

This is the second blanket I've made with this pattern, and I'm still a big fan. It's simple enough that I can work on it while I'm tutoring or chatting, but it still looks gorgeous. Though lacy, it's creates some serious warmth as a lap blanket (as I found out while working on it). My tweed love continues.

Miso-Butternut Squash Soup

2011-04-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons. This cookbook is sort of a mixed bag as far as I'm concerned. It's organized by season, which I always enjoy, and it has some great-looking recipes, but it also is a modification of a vegetarian cookbook after the people who wrote it went vegan, and a bunch of the recipes involve soy cheese, soy milk, soy sour cream, or that kind of thing. For a full-time vegan that might be helpful, but as a part-time religiously-motivated vegan, I prefer to stick to the veggies when I'm fasting and eat real milk and cheese when I'm not.

Even still, avoiding the veganified "cream of x" soups, I've found some tasty dishes like this one, which is fast, yummy, and colorful, so I assigned it for Long Distance Kitchen.

It's a miso base with grated ginger added, along with soba noodles, butternut squash (I bought mine pre-cut-up and roasted it for half an hour), baby spinach and peas. I served it with a salad of grated carrot, cucumber, butter lettuce, pea shoots, avocado (The avocado was exquisite and I kept trying to get Caleb to admire it adequately but he did not show promise. Angela showed more aptitude.) with a rice vinegar, shallot, sesame oil dressing. It was a very green and orange meal.

Salad By Numbers: 95

2011-04-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS: Mix cooked couscous or quinoa with orange zest and juice, olive oil, maybe honey, sliced oranges, raisins or dried cranberries, chopped red onion and chopped almonds. Serve over greens, or not.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used quinoa and fresh-squeezed orange juice. I had a bag of mixed raisins, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried cherries from Trader Joe's, so I used a handful of them. I went pretty light with the onion and chopped it very fine, and I sprinkled chopped roasted salty almonds over the top.

MODIFICATIONS:

I saw some pea shoots at the grocery store and bought them to put in another salad, and I thought they might be tasty here too, so I made a little nest with them.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

I was a bit skeptical, but this was actually really good. I managed to get the quinoa perfectly cooked and fluffy, and I used plenty of salt and black pepper to tilt in it the savory direction. Good stuff.

NEXT UP: Salad #10

Finished Object: Snapdragon Flip-Tops

2011-04-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Snapdragon Flip-Tops
Pattern: Snapdragon Flip-Tops from Whimsical Little Knits 2, by Ysolda Teague
Needles: US 6
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted Merino in "Olive"
Made For: Dan Shuman

These mittens took me a while to make. I stopped at an awkward point and then couldn't remember exactly where I'd left off, so it took me a while to pick them back up and sort things out and complete them. But they're pretty charming, and Dan is about to leave on a European tour that includes some chilly Scandinavian countries, so hopefully he'll still get some use out of them this season.

The original pattern involves a loop at the top of the mitten part and a button on the wrist, so that you can keep them in the "fingerless glove" position without the top flipping around, but I decided that it looked a bit twee for a guy and that Dan was more likely to use "mitten position" and only flip them open to text or grab his keys, so this I skipped it.

Any volunteers to be knitwear blog models? :) Trying to photograph your own hands in gloves is something of a challenge. I won't even insist that you look sad! (I'm referring to this in case you missed it. Thanks, Sophie).

Pegasus by Robin McKinley

2011-04-02T00:45:00.000-07:00

Pegasus by Robin McKinley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After I read this book, my hands suddenly seemed so useful and beautiful to me as I watched them going about their daily tasks of writing and knitting and opening jars. I mentioned this to Maoli, who had also read the book recently, and she said that she'd felt the same. It's because the pegasi have only tiny feather fingers along their wings and long for and admire the humans' hands.

And then I thought that to describe one's physical sensations after reading a book would be as good a way as any to review it. I can think of a book that made me feel thirsty or a book that made me expect to see rattle snakes on the Italian beach where I was reading it.

This is more like half a book really, it ends so abruptly. But as long as the other half comes eventually, who am I to complain? McKinley creates a compelling relationship between the humans and the pegasi. There's maybe social commentary to be gathered in the depiction of two intelligent groups unable to actually communicate with one another, especially as we realize that this is at least partially deliberate on the part of some in power. In Sylvi we also find another plucky and imperfect female heroine, which McKinley excels at. McKinley may just keep retelling "Beauty and the Beast" over and over, but I'm happy to read it any way she chooses to spin it. Probably repeatedly. Like, I made up a silly song about Sunshine the other day while I was in the shower.

View all my reviews

Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango

2011-04-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Makers of Vegan Cupcakes,

You can keep them. I'll stick with this.

Love,

Bronwen

I've already made this recipe 3 times since discovering it about a month ago. I also assigned it to Jessalynn and sent her some vanilla beans with my last letter in case she didn't have any handy so that she wouldn't have to wait to make it. (I recently made a bulk order of vanilla beans online. It is so worth it! I have an ABUNDANCE of vanilla beans. It helps me sleep at night.)

The pudding is very simple combination of arborio rice, coconut milk, rice milk, sugar and vanilla bean. It also calls for lime juice, but I opted to toss my chopped mango with lime juice rather than mixing it into the pudding. I've also messed around a bit with the coconut milk/rice milk proportions, making one batch with just one can of coconut milk for a lighter version. It was delicious, but I'm not gonna lie, the two-can version is sublime.

I recommend you find an excuse to make this soon. The tart silky little champagne mangoes are a perfect compliment, but I'm also looking forward to making a summer version with fresh figs and chopped pistachios. Yum.

Mushroom-Barley Soup

2011-03-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

When I was in Portland a couple of weeks ago, my mom made this soup, and it was so flavorful and satisfying that I decided to assign it for Long Distance Kitchen. The recipe is from The Moosewood Cook Book and involves the somewhat unlikely combination of sherry and soy sauce. The original recipe calls for a water base, but my mom had used mushroom broth for a deeper flavor. I used a combination of vegetable broth and water, but I also threw in some dried mushrooms (morels, porcini, etc.) with the barley while it cooked.

As my dad said, the great thing about this soup is that you don't have to go looking for the mushrooms – there's one in every bite. :)

Finished Object: Big Lace Scarf

2011-03-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Link: Big Lace Scarf
Pattern: Big Lace Scarf from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson
Needles: US 17
Yarn: Cascade Magnum in "Blueberry"
Made for: Auntie Nanna

This project involved the largest needles I've ever worked with and soft fluffy Cascade Magnum that's almost like knitting with roving. It's hard to get the color just right in a photo, but it's a lush purply-blue that made me think of my aunt, so it went to her. The scarf isn't super long, but it's long enough to cross over your chest and keep you nice and warm.

I hadn't realized how awkward large needles are to work with! I think I'm at my speediest and most comfortable with needles around US7 in size. I've gone as small as US0 on the crazy cabled mittens for my mom and sister, and I work with 6s and 9s fairly regularly too. Other knitters, what gauge/needle size do you most enjoy working with?


Yes, I know I need a haircut. But I'm indecisive and postpone and then it just gets worse.

Green Rice

2011-03-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

This green rice is from Sunday Suppers. To make it, you puree a bunch of herbs (mint, parsley, chives, cilantro) with hot water, saute some chopped onion and chopped fennel bulb in olive oil, throw in some basmati rice, a dried chili pepper, some toasted ground cumin, and cook. This stuff is really tasty and would be delicious with all kinds of things. Since it's Lent, I served it with broiled asparagus and red and golden beets with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar, but it would also be great with any kind of fish (I think that's what it's served with in Sunday Suppers) or with grilled chicken. The fennel and onion get very tender and sweet and the mint really adds something. I'll certainly make this again.

Salad by Numbers: 16

2011-03-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

16. Slice fennel and crisp apple about the same thickness (your choice). Combine, then dress with mustardy vinaigrette and chopped parsley. Come fall, this will be even better.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used a red lady apple and I made my vinaigrette with a Trader Joe's whole grain/dijon mustard, just a touch of red wine vinegar, and olive oil. I left the chopped parsley fairly rough.

MODIFICATIONS:

Does eating a slice of gruyère on the side count as a modification? If so, it was a delicious modification.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yes, for sure! Both apple and fennel are sweet, but they're sweet in different ways, and the apple is also tart, and both are crunchy and taste great with mustard and parsley. I can see this becoming a regular lunch salad.

NEXT UP: Salad # 95

Salad by Numbers: 62

2011-03-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

62. Dust shrimp with chili powder. Sauté in butter or oil (or a combination) with fresh corn kernels and flavorful cooking greens (bok choy is good, as is watercress). Add halved cherry tomatoes and lime juice at the last minute.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I used bok choy, as I was afraid that watercress might wilt too much.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Maybe. If I did, I think I'd cook the shrimp and the greens/corn separately, so that the shrimp could maintain a crisp crust while the vegetables could steam a little bit. I let the tomatoes warm up in the pan and get a bit juicy and this blended nicely with the lime juice.

NEXT UP: Salad #16

Salad by Numbers: 101

2011-03-08T12:11:00.000-08:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

101. Cook a pot of short-grain rice. While it’s still hot, toss with raw grated zucchini, fermented black beans, sriracha, sesame oil, sake and a touch of rice vinegar. Add bits of leftover roast chicken or pork if you have it, and pass soy sauce at the table.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I made the rice in my rice cooker. I didn't have any leftover meat to throw in. I had dry fermented black beans, so I soaked them in hot water for a bit to plump them up.

MODIFICATIONS:

Nope.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

I might make it again. I think I put a bit too much sake or vinegar in, as the whole thing was pretty sour. And I think if I made it again, I'd saute the zucchini a bit first, as the totally raw stuff sweat a bit and made the rice with the various dressings too soupy. I would like to try this again with cooked zucchini and plenty of spice but not too much vinegar.

NEXT UP: 62

Trader Joe's Pain au Chocolat

2011-03-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

I love baking things from scratch, but making pain au chocolat from scratch is a pretty major endeavor, and these frozen ones from Trader Joe's are very tasty. And you can eat them while the chocolate is still warm and melty, which you're not guaranteed to get at a bakery.

They start as frozen unappetizing lumps. And then you let them sit out overnight on a cookie tray.

In the morning, you will find them miraculously pouffy.

Then you will bake them at 350 F for 25 minutes until they are good and thoroughly brown and crispy.

And then you will eat them. And then you will be happy.

This is Tomorrow!

2011-03-03T16:16:00.000-08:00

March 4th with Bronwen Tate and Matthew Henriksen

Bronwen Tate is the author of the chapbooks Souvenirs (Dusie 2007), Like the Native Tongue the Vanquished (Cannibal Books 2008), Scaffolding (Dusie 2009), and if a thermometer (dancing girl press, forthcoming 2011). Her most recent chapbook is the loss letters (Dusie 2011), a collaboration with Ming Holden. Bronwen makes her friends hungry on her blog at http://breadnjamforfrances.blogspot.com/. She plans to knit 17 sweaters while completing her dissertation in Comparative Literature at Stanford University where she also edits Mantis: A Journal of Poetry, Criticism and Translation.

Matthew Henriksen is the author of Ordinary Sun (Black Ocean, 2011) and the chapbooks Another Word (DoubleCross Press, 2009) and Is Holy (horse less press, 2006). Some recent poems appear in Fence, Realpoetik, Raleigh Quarterly, Alice Blue Review, Sink Review, The Cultural Society, Handsome Journal and Two Weeks. He co-edits Typo, an online poetry journal, and publishes Cannibal Books, a book arts poetry press. From 2005 to 2008 he organized The Burning Chair Readings in Brooklyn and now hosts irregular readings throughout the country. A special feature of Frank Stanford’s unpublished poems and fiction, selected by Henriksen, will appear in Fulcrum #7. He lives and teaches in the Ozark Mountains.

7:30pm to 9:30pm

Studio One Art Center
365 45th ST in Oakland

The cross is Broadway

The Bart is MacArthur

donations for entry, drinks, pizza or byob

Finished Object: Maia Shawl

2011-03-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

Ravelry Link: Maia Shawl
Pattern: Maia Shoulderette by Rosemary Hill
Needles: US 4
Yarn: Malabrigo Malabrigo Lace
Made for: Bridget

This lace shawl has a slightly tricky beginning at the back of the neck, but after that it just slips off the needles. It's delicate, but not too fussy, and the malabrigo lace yarn is very soft on the neck.

I made it for my friend Bridget, but since I don't have a picture of her wearing it, I will subject you to a ridiculous bathroom mirror self-portrait.

Salad by Numbers: 84

2011-03-01T19:21:00.000-08:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Spring rolls, unrolled: One at a time, soften a few sheets of rice paper in warm water. Drain, pat dry, cut into strips and toss with chopped cucumber, grated carrots, chopped cilantro, bean sprouts, chili flakes and chopped roasted peanuts. Dress with toasted sesame oil, fish sauce or soy sauce, and rice vinegar or lime juice. A few shrimp are a nice addition.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

I made this shortly after I made the pot stickers and I'm pretty sure I used some of the pot sticker dipping sauce as a dressing.

MODIFICATIONS:

Nope.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Yes, this was tasty! The crunchy toasty peanuts contrast so beautifully with the clean fresh cucumber and bean sprouts, then you add a bit of spice, a bit of sour, it's good. I might add some rice noodles (the thin vermicelli type ones) next time rather than the cut up strips of rice paper, as the rice paper showed a definite tendency to stick to itself.

NEXT UP: Salad #101

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham and Peas

2011-02-27T10:47:00.000-08:00

Oh yum. Here's another way to eat your ham steak.

To begin, brown it quickly in a frying pan, and then cut it up or tear it up into little pieces.

Meanwhile, do the usual macaroni and cheese thing. Boil your noodles, make your flour and butter roux, stir in your milk and then your grated cheddar. And why not throw a few frozen peas into the cheese sauce while you're at it?

Mix the noodles, the cheese sauce, and the bits of ham, and pour the whole thing into a dish. Top with grated cheese or bread crumbs and bake until nicely browned on top and gooey and delicious inside.

Eat. Die of deliciousness.

Blog Poll

2011-02-26T14:05:00.000-08:00

Since this blog is such a hodge-podge of various things, I put a little poll up in the top right corner (you'll have to go to the actual blog if you're reading this in a feed reader), to try to get a sense of what anyone would like to see more of. Because I'm curious. If you have other suggestions, feel free to enter them as comments to this post.

Pilgrim's Inn

2011-02-25T16:59:00.000-08:00

Pilgrim's Inn by Elizabeth Goudge

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think I will start a bookshelf containing books that I know I will want to reread repeatedly throughout my life. The books on this shelf will be there because I've found that when I'm in a certain mood, only this book (or author sometimes) will do. It will place Gerard Manley Hopkins and Henry James next to Megan Whalen Turner and Robin McKinley with plenty of room for Dorothy Sayers. And Elizabeth Goudge will be there too. Sometimes what I like most about a book is the atmosphere it creates. What elements of a book constitute "atmosphere"? It's hard to pin down. It could be Rae in Sunshine and her perfectly fried egg after a night of vampire-slaying in old flannel shirts. For Elizabeth Goudge, as for Lucy Maud Montgomery, I think it's at least partly a way of making houses and gardens and the people who occupy them beautifully infuse one another. I love reading these books because I would love to live in a house with a mantle piece made from bits of scroll-work from a grain ship that was driven aground in the marshes during a storm, causing a field of corn to grow in the marsh each spring a hundred years later. Some people would probably find this book preachy or find its morality old-fashioned. Maybe. But there's an honesty about the difficulty of what its asking that makes it solid to me. And both soothing and challenging.

View all my reviews

Pork Chops with Quince

2011-02-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

What's good for the lamb is good for the pig? That was the theory here, anyhow. Or good with the pig, perhaps I should say. I pretty much followed this recipe for lamb, and it worked deliciously with the pork as well. I served it with bacon Brussels sprouts and a lemony goat cheese butter lettuce salad.

The True Meaning of Smekday

2011-02-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was great! It may seem like a funny thing to say, but one of the greatest things about it for me was the fact that I would completely unreservedly recommend it to non-readers. Many of my favorite books (YA included) are about sensitive wordy types with their Virginia Woolf- like "moments of being." And thank goodness for books like Emily of New Moon that help sensitive wordy types like me feel like we're not alone in the world. But what about kids who aren't immediately interested in reading? What about kids who would rather know how the car works or how likely it is that there's intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? Or just kids who really don't want to write an essay for school? I believe that this book would make any of these kids into a giggling flashlight-under-the-sheets-at-night reader, at least for the duration of the book. It has terrific humor, pragmatic yet silly solutions, comics, a winning human-alien duo . . . Also recommended for adults.

"Wherefor you knowing it?" :)

View all my reviews

Finished Object: Baby Druid

2011-02-21T13:42:00.000-08:00

Ravelry Link: Baby Druid
Pattern: Druidess Beret by Anna Bright, inspired by Druid Mittens by Jared Flood
Needles: US 3
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino in Gray
Made for: Linnea (ultimately)

So, I have to admit, I started out making this little hat for my mom to match these mittens I'd made for her. My mom has a famously tiny head, so I wasn't too concerned as it came out looking small. But then got very close to finishing it and saw that it was very small indeed. So I put it in a drawer for a while. Those of you who knit will understand this part.

A few months later, I was visiting Kate, and she showed me a large yellow beret that she'd made for Linnea but that fit her instead. This reminded me of the tiny beret I had lurking about, so when I got home, I finished the beret, sewed a red button to the top and mailed it off.

Occasionally I tear things out and start over when something like this happens, but usually I just figure I didn't know who I was knitting for but I'll find out eventually. Mom has received plenty of other knit items and is about to give me a sweater she was knitting for a child (oops, too big!), so she doesn't mind too much.

And Linnea thinks that's hilarious.

Verb: to recurry

2011-02-18T12:13:00.000-08:00

I love Thai curries, especially green curry and panang curry. If we're going out for dinner and you say "how about Thai food?" I will almost always say "Yes!" Also, you'll notice that I take my leftover curry home, even if it's just a pool of sauce with the stray bamboo shoot or pea in it. This is because the next day (or whenever I feel like it), I cook rice, saute some zucchini or eggplant or just heat up some frozen peas, cook the vegetables a bit with the leftover sauce, and voilà, a meal. Anyone else do this?

Ham Steak Supper

2011-02-17T19:27:00.000-08:00

If you ever get your hands on some top-quality ham steaks, here's how you make yourself a quick and delicious dinner. Chop sweet potatoes into wedges, toss with any mix of spices (I think I used salt, pepper, cinnamon, a little bit of brown sugar, smoky paprika, cayenne) and a bit of olive oil and roast in a hot oven. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and brown your ham steak, flipping when the first side is nicely crisped. Pour most of the fat out of your skillet and toss in a bunch of baby spinach and a couple of smashed cloves of garlic. Wilt the spinach to the degree you prefer. Eat. Rejoice.

The Knitters of AWP

2011-02-16T13:11:00.000-08:00

I went to DC for AWP last week. A few highlights:

Enjoying the warm hospitality of my dear friend's Dan and Kate, getting to see their new home and dodge the caresses of their new hound Jolene. Singing "Jolene" to Jolene. Dan taking me to the Lincoln Monument and standing there together slowly reading every word of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address.

David surprising me by taking the bus from New York to hang out for a day. Pulling Anna over to try on her sweater-in-progress every time she walked by the table. Seeing Ming hold our chapbook for the first time. Getting small Adele to take me for a walk.Waving across the aisle of bodies at Marthe and Mackenzie at the Dusie table. Tom and Kate and others taking turns keeping me company at F30.

Getting to hug a lot of writers that I love. And hear some readings and buy some exciting books like Matthew Henriksens's Ordinary Sun, Farrah Field's Parents, and Farid Matuk's This Isa Nice Neighborhood. A poet dance party involving Michael Tod Edgerton's moves.

Selling out (with some giving away as well) of the 24 copies of my new collaborative chapbook that I'd brought along.

I also got to see MC wearing the scarf I knit at last year's AWP (which she won in a drawing).

And I got to enjoy the fun of knitting in public, which is that everyone else who knits feels compelled to come chat with you and can often be coaxed to show you something they're wearing that they've made or something they're working on right now.

A few show-and-tell moments:

Pork Pot Stickers

2011-02-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

This recipe for Pork Pot Stickers from Epicurious.com was both a Long Distance Kitchen recipe and a use of my pig share. Victory! I'd assigned it a while back, but Jessalynn and I finally got around to making it while she was visiting. It's the kind of recipe that makes sense to make with a friend, unless you really enjoy folding and tucking dumplings in a solitary trance. I can see being into that.

It was a time-consuming and ultimately rewarding (ie. delicious) activity. The filling includes cabbage, carrot, ginger, and lots of other aromatic vegetables to add lots of flavor. The cabbage involved the trick of letting it sit with salt sprinkled over it and then squeezing an almost inconceivable amount of water out of it. Wow.

Enjoy the step-by-step photos.

Happy roses cappuccino pain au chocolat, etc.

2011-02-14T10:08:00.001-08:00

Salad by Numbers: 11

2011-02-08T10:50:00.000-08:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Chop and steam baby or grown-up bok choy until crisp-tender, then shock it in ice water. Drain, then toss with halved cherry tomatoes, capers, olive oil and lemon juice.

METHOD/INGREDIENT DETAILS:

This one's pretty simple. I think I may have overcooked the bok choy a tiny bit though.

MODIFICATIONS:

None.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? IF SO, ANYTHING I'D CHANGE?

Sure. I tend to think of bok choy in an Asian context (ie. with soy or shiitakes), but it's actually a pretty versatile green. Lemon juice and capers brighten it up nicely.

NEXT UP: 84

For Real

2011-02-06T14:46:00.001-08:00

Actually in DC

2011-02-06T14:13:00.000-08:00