tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76509715617621874912024-02-07T03:39:35.022+01:00only a matter of thymeNotes on experimental cooking, restaurant-going, and overseas traveltraveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-78912802057179537022012-01-09T23:15:00.010+01:002012-01-10T03:03:28.792+01:00A little sin on Sunday - Brunch with the girls<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p><span style="mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">There was a time when I hated eggs. At first they were never served to me properly – as a kid I found the typically dry, overcooked scrambled eggs and the difficulty of peeling a soft boiled egg so very unappealing that it turned me off to eggs altogether. Then somewhere along the way my taste buds were introduced to eggs cooked slowly, with care and attention. And since then I have loved eggs and feel much delight in experimenting in the numerous ways to prepare eggs. I am so very adamant about my eggs being cooked slowly on not too high of heat, my sister Soniya, refuses to prepare me breakfast altogether. </span></p> <p>A few weeks ago, to celebrate the existence of our dining table – (my previously tiny Manhattan apartment had only an island counter with stools) I invited a few of the girls over Sunday brunch.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-family:georgia;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Menu</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br />December 12, 2011</span></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-family:georgia;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> Oeuf en Cocotte<br />boursin, grape tomato, herbs </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-family:georgia;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Potato Gratin<br />garlic, thyme, cream</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-family:georgia;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> Yellow Cornbread<br />rosemary, olive oil</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-family:georgia;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> Berry</span><span style="font-size:10pt;"> Crossover<br />strawberry, cream, confectioner’s sugar</span></span></p> <p>Oeufen cocotte, which may sound intimidating, is rather easy. Some refer to this dish as baked eggs or shirred eggs. The components vary, but oeuf en cocotte is typically prepared with cream or cheese inside of ramekin. <a name="more"></a>I found this recipe on <a href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2003/12/oeuf_cocotte.php">Chocolate Zucchini</a> and prepared it with a few alterations seen below. </p> <p>Oeuf en cocotte</p> <p>- 1 egg / Or two if you prefer<br />- 1 tablespoon of Boursin with fine herbs<br />- ground black pepper,<br />- sea salt with herbs de provence<br />- paprika<br />- a pinch of grated pecorino romano<br />- chopped grape tomatoes<br /><br />This is what you need to prepare breakfast for one and will require one ramekin, but make as many as needed. </p> <p>Preheat the oven to 425°F. Butter a small ramekin, in this case, the exact size is not so crucial, though be conscious if you decide to use two eggs. Spoon in the tomatoes and Boursin. Crack the egg on top. Put in a tiny pinch of salt, pepper, and cheese.</p> <p>Put the ramekins in a large baking dish enough to hold water. Pour hot water in the dish halfway up the ramekin. Be careful not to spill water inside the ramekins. Bake for 10 minutes, or longer if you prefer a more solid yolk.</p> <p>Remove from the oven and carefully lift ramekins out of hot water. Add a tiny pinch of paprika for color and serve immediately.<br /></p><p><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language:IT" lang="IT">Traditional Potato Gratin</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I found this recipe on <a href="http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2006/11/03/can-you-really-dislike-a-gratin-pouvez-vous-vraiment-ne-pas-aimer-le-gratin/">La Tartine Gourmande</a>, I love this blog and cook from here religiously. She posts her entries in French and English, and I love getting a chance to practice my French. Her recipe calls for Celeriac, or celery root, which I could not find at Whole Foods so I simply omitted it and made a few alterations based on ingredients available in my kitchen. The gratin was enough for six servings and made for such a hit, and as La Tartine Gourmande says, “Can you really dislike a gratin?”</p><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">1 lb & 5 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">1 whole garlic clove, 2 crushed, or more if you wish</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">7 fluid oz whole milk (7/8 c)</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">7 fluid oz heavy cream (7/8 c)</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">3 thyme twigs</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Nutmeg</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Unsalted butter</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-ansi-language:ES" lang="ES">Sea Salt with herbs de Provence</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-ansi-language:ES" lang="ES">Fresh ground black pepper</span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Pour milk and cream in a pot and heat to a boil. Add the crushed garlic and thyme twigs. Turn off the heat, cover, and allow the flavors to combine for a half hour. Then remove the garlic and thyme from the pot.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">While infusing the milk, peel and slice the potatoes very thinly. At the time I did this by hand, but I now have a mandoline and highly recommend that. Add salt and pepper to taste. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">Preheat oven to 400F. I prepared this in a rectangular baking pan, but you can prepare them in individual sized dishes, too. Prepare the dish by rubbing the remaining garlic clove along the surface and then grease with butter. Line the dish with slices of potato and repeat for layers. Pour cream over potatoes. Add a pinch of nutmeg. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bake in center of oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rosemary Cornbread Muffins<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/314292/rosemary-cornbread"><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class=" down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span></a>For brunch, my roommate Deepa actually did all the work on this one! I was so bogged down with cooking other things and tired from spending the early hours in the kitchen, she woke up and came to my rescue. I found this recipe on <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/314292/rosemary-cornbread">Martha Stewart's</a> website, and they were a scrumptious addition to brunch.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I made this on my own a week or so later and was so very unsatisfied because I had switched things up and used whole wheat pastry flour. I found the muffins far less pleasant as they cooked a bit faster in my mom’s oven. I stupidly asked my mom to remove them from the oven while I rushed to shower before my sister arrived from the airport. She took them out as soon as the timer went off but they had become far too golden. I prefer muffins and cupcakes to be soft and delicate – but I suppose if I wanted a sort of skillet style cornbread that coarse cornbread would have been fine. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">This recipe when followed exactly produces a super soft cornbread with this pleasantly surprising infused flavors of rosemary and olive oil, and is quite addictive!!!<br /></p> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">1 c organic yellow cornmeal</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">1 c organic all-purpose flour</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">1 tsp baking powder</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">1/2 tsp baking soda</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">1/2 tsp natural salt</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary<br /></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">5 T organic cane sugar</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">2/3 c organic low-fat buttermilk</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">2/3 c extra-virgin olive oil</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Place cornmeal in a mixing bowl. Combine remaining dry ingredients and sift into cornmeal. Add chopped rosemary and mix briefly.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">In a separate bowl, break eggs into sugar, buttermilk and oil. Blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. On low speed, add half of cornmeal mixture until combined, and repeat with second half. Don’t over mix.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">Prep muffin pan with cupcake liners. Divide batter among cups. Bake until solid and a knife comes out clean when inserted into a muffin, approximately, 20 to 25 minutes. Keep a watchful eye, as the muffins should remain yellow, and not be golden. Remove muffins from pan to stop cooking and place them on a cooling rack.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Strawberry Crossovers</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I wanted to end the meal on sweet note and found this lovely <a href="http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/berry-puff-pastry/#respond">recipe</a> for pastry made with fresh strawberries. This blog has such a great set of pictures displaying each step I’ll go ahead and suggest reviewing that for detailed instructions on how to make the crossovers. I followed the recipe to the t, and the pastries came out sweet, but not too sweet. Everyone loved them! Enjoy them immediately – they were a bit soggy the next day after refrigeration so I wouldn’t make these in advance. The nearby Whole Foods carries fresh puff pastry dough from a local bakery, which I found much better tasting then the typical frozen puff pastry. Be careful to not let the dough get too warm and also to not let the strips get too thin. It’s handy to have scissors for your kitchen, too. </p>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-33580532384947565562012-01-06T04:02:00.003+01:002012-01-15T21:42:49.145+01:00Thatsaagreat pizza!Ever since I left Paris I've been dying to find another slice of delicious saag pizza (Oh how I long for my <a href="http://www.pinkflamingopizza.com/">Pink Flamingo Pizza</a>) I've been begging my parents to show me how to make saag properly so I could make it at home, but they always thought it was a silly idea. Alas, the beautiful day has come and my tummy is oh so satisfied with my beloved saag pizza! My parents were really stoked tonight since I rarely please them and even more so rarely please them by eating Indian food.<br /><br />Saag Paneer Pizza<br /><br />Tonight, mom and I teamed up. Pizza girl plus Indian mom yields amazing Indian fusion pizza!!! This recipe for saag paneer is stand alone - she's made this recipe for years - and you can easily prepare it and serve it with naan as eaten traditionally. Or you can have it my way, slathered in melted cheese.<br /><ul><li>Canola oil</li><li>1/2 tsp Turmeric</li><li>1/2 tsp plus more Laal mirch </li><li>Garlic cloves</li><li>Fresh ginger</li><li>2 10 oz frozen spinach packages, thawed</li><li>2 T butter</li><li>Ready made paneer, cut into cubes (soak in water for ten minutes to soften)</li><li>Ghee</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida">Asafoetida </a>(in India known as Hing)<br /></li><li>2 8oz fresh balls of mozzarella</li></ul><br />Makes 2 14-inch pizzas<br /><br /><br />Put a little oil in a medium sized pot on medium heat. Add half tsp turmeric, laal Mirch, garlic, and ginger. Fry a half cup chopped onion and stir occasionally. Then add the spinach and mix well. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mO9cVdBic9fyhJVrjO4U_OA8jPklnZvo8CtzCphFbqtH4qXN8XODPgAU8gjk5Q1uBAHxa6bNIF53FZxsp-LsQi0lZiyNsXcidVgsMkwlnUEOA88m2fpAgICjD0xEVX3yxcRSobGzchk/s640/blogger-image--2124991042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img style="width: 369px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mO9cVdBic9fyhJVrjO4U_OA8jPklnZvo8CtzCphFbqtH4qXN8XODPgAU8gjk5Q1uBAHxa6bNIF53FZxsp-LsQi0lZiyNsXcidVgsMkwlnUEOA88m2fpAgICjD0xEVX3yxcRSobGzchk/s640/blogger-image--2124991042.jpg" border="0" /></a></div> Allow it to simmer, and ensure no more frozen pieces are present. Add in the butter and stir. Mix the contents of the pot with a hand blender and blend until smooth. Add one cup Indian yoghurt and stir well. Add the paneer and mix.<br /><br />Separately prepare the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaunk">Tarka</a>. Heat ghee and add 5 little shakes of asafetida powder, pinch of laal mirch, just for a minute!<br /><br />Pour Tarka immediately in. Mom scoops up the spinach afterward and then pours it back in so that all the the tarka mjxture absorbed and the yummy oil doesnt stay in the other pan.<br /><br />Add a pinch of cumin to the spinach mixture. Stir. Remove from heat!<br /><br />On a floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangle or circle depending on your pizza pans. I prefer to cook on either a pan with holes to allow the crust to cook well or a pre-heated pizza stone. Otherwise especially with a saag pizza you may have some soggy saag pizza on your hands. Place crust in pan.<br /><br />Grate or slice the mozzarella depending on your preference.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhExrkp_q8wSbYKsS-tEgRCgYiTB-gNKCFH0g-iinlnVj4TFJgRkL1eZhZ6QyL7bvPoy1xAE6-oyQDx24dXFVARrM3E-kmtbV0X5xmylhIY-LBesyAHzeGFnDNOJKm-kU9aQAD5IWDnu8/s640/blogger-image--1934140344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img style="width: 336px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhExrkp_q8wSbYKsS-tEgRCgYiTB-gNKCFH0g-iinlnVj4TFJgRkL1eZhZ6QyL7bvPoy1xAE6-oyQDx24dXFVARrM3E-kmtbV0X5xmylhIY-LBesyAHzeGFnDNOJKm-kU9aQAD5IWDnu8/s640/blogger-image--1934140344.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br />Brush dough with olive oil with a pastry brush. Cook at 425F for 8- 10 minute you want dough cooked. Don't worry, the crust will get crisp/golden when you put it back in with the toppings.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKIqKboSU3CfSSQKiC9EAN0pl6FwCueGiDe961TDbkP_uqhISLSHX6yxxtVAPnCWM8qNIdYHs57PA_OPYjeMhk1My7Kg5cMo2tEisFz7TTtDA5my90uM9REPWIhvdgHQtrvPKbOq2mHQ/s640/blogger-image--1867693479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img style="width: 314px; height: 419px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKIqKboSU3CfSSQKiC9EAN0pl6FwCueGiDe961TDbkP_uqhISLSHX6yxxtVAPnCWM8qNIdYHs57PA_OPYjeMhk1My7Kg5cMo2tEisFz7TTtDA5my90uM9REPWIhvdgHQtrvPKbOq2mHQ/s640/blogger-image--1867693479.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Remove the crust and spread palak paneer on both crusts in a manner that you would put tomato sauce.<br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMthvrxr_PpLvPOjwwHKAXjhhOta6emK30cHT7D9rIzkLI4XG1bRscVGeRqjOkZvZzAityAid7ezEqr-xxwtp0EFXQ9KGDmTDI-87YNMeoBowIi5q3ASy5MP0LFSLF9ewzB7pBBSOga4/s640/blogger-image--1605655927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img style="width: 346px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMthvrxr_PpLvPOjwwHKAXjhhOta6emK30cHT7D9rIzkLI4XG1bRscVGeRqjOkZvZzAityAid7ezEqr-xxwtp0EFXQ9KGDmTDI-87YNMeoBowIi5q3ASy5MP0LFSLF9ewzB7pBBSOga4/s640/blogger-image--1605655927.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br />Sprinkle cheese evenly on both pizzas. Cook for ten minutes and then broil for a few minutes. Keep a watchful eye so the pizza doesn't burn! My dad prefers a more golden look so I broil for a full 3 minutes.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOI2r5Ec08HfN_rP4Q-ZS0DDOoYH1GC5jfDK_28YjHokFd_LOmx9xiPQnZOLgQYDjrFGe92sMtg1mfVkEikpfR5SvXLihgr0GRxNTbQ-Qr-a1fRmuwD6LJ1VM1PR31s2RjDRwy9039Kw/s640/blogger-image-629978602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img style="width: 315px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOI2r5Ec08HfN_rP4Q-ZS0DDOoYH1GC5jfDK_28YjHokFd_LOmx9xiPQnZOLgQYDjrFGe92sMtg1mfVkEikpfR5SvXLihgr0GRxNTbQ-Qr-a1fRmuwD6LJ1VM1PR31s2RjDRwy9039Kw/s640/blogger-image-629978602.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-18681522513283317742012-01-05T02:34:00.009+01:002012-01-05T20:41:34.585+01:00It's About Thyme for Another Potato Gratin!I have been preparing gratins quite frequently since my mother gifted me this for Christmas (And to think all this time I was making delicate slices by hand)! <p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41127TTCVTL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41127TTCVTL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_sst4z7OaA">THE SHARPER IMAGE MANDOLINE SLICER(video)</a></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="mobile-photo">Why do you need this? 4 Reasons: Scalloped Potatoes, Homemade Chips, Beet Carpaccio, Uniform vegetables that cook evenly!!! You know something is really amazing when a mom buys it for herself and her three daughters.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="mobile-photo">Typically, I prepare a gratin with a combination of whole milk and heavy cream, but today I wanted to make something a little lighter and a little easier on our lactose intolerant digestive systems. I found this without cream potato gratin recipe on <a href="http://www.highgroundorganics.com/recipes/potato-onion-gratin-without-cream/">High Ground Organics</a> and decided to give it a go. I made a few alterations and this is the recipe I ended up preparing.</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo">A Potato Gratin, Without Cream</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXC-KzdRFmwu4QBfW2-7FgivnhpppTARHogl00U6jY8ar6XqIVCBB47zZg5FicsPrBNHYAgHMY-Vsm7K88ZhCUeATzOcgytqQuVK1CLlaNoy31-FCc_FGTa0y5oxh1HoLJcZIfmao2Zd8/s1600/photo-712103.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXC-KzdRFmwu4QBfW2-7FgivnhpppTARHogl00U6jY8ar6XqIVCBB47zZg5FicsPrBNHYAgHMY-Vsm7K88ZhCUeATzOcgytqQuVK1CLlaNoy31-FCc_FGTa0y5oxh1HoLJcZIfmao2Zd8/s320/photo-712103.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693955881025956722" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLF8zi-nxEvMqAfw7pwDuTEPB8QvQw9YcK4CC5oWe91UX9CZgihi86ZmfUvaSDSTUz6mpKQwA3zFAylPnMuYIWPglslmISZgtZ6bHzI9uy8hFAVOY3gxIZIYBXqd0S-Mi5_T0k_OBQVHw/s1600/photo-735145.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLF8zi-nxEvMqAfw7pwDuTEPB8QvQw9YcK4CC5oWe91UX9CZgihi86ZmfUvaSDSTUz6mpKQwA3zFAylPnMuYIWPglslmISZgtZ6bHzI9uy8hFAVOY3gxIZIYBXqd0S-Mi5_T0k_OBQVHw/s320/photo-735145.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693955548518502130" border="0" /></a></p> Ingredients: <p style="text-align: left;">- 2 c red onions, chopped (USE AN <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-GOC-300-Onion-Chopper/dp/B000A389IM">ONION CHOPPER</a>! Another great invention!)<br />- 8 medium potatoes, I used russet but prefer Yukon Gold, sliced thinly (with your mandoline slicer!)<br />- 2 cloves garlic<br />- dried thyme<br />- ½ c Chardonnay<br />- 2 c mushroom broth<br />- sea salt and freshly ground pepper<br />- Extra Virgin Olive Oil<br />- 1 c grated<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Comté</p><span style="font-style: italic;" class="st"><em></em></span><p style="text-align: left;" class="mobile-photo">Directions:<br /></p><p>Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prep a ceramic or glass 7x11 dish by rubbing a garlic clove along the surface. Mince this clove and the other and set aside.<br /></p><p>Lightly sauté onions in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another few minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has evaporated.</p><p>Meanwhile, heat broth over stove over medium heat with a lid. When hot, keep lid on, but turn off heat or keep on low until gratin is just about to go into the oven.<br /></p> <p>Spoon out about a third of the onions on the bottom of the gratin dish. Inside a large bowl, stir remainder of onions, sliced potatoes, thyme, grated cheese, salt and pepper until well mixed. Pour mixture into gratin dish over onions and spread as evenly as possible.<br /></p> <p>Using a spatula, press down on the potatoes to compress them (reminds me of the days I used to sit on my suitcase so I could zip it close). Pour in the hot broth very slowly to avoid spills or running over the side of the dish. The broth should cover the potatoes about 3/4 of the way up the dish.<br /></p>Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top and place uncovered on the middle oven rack for an hour. The top layer will be golden and a little crispy, and the liquid should be absorbed.<br /><p>Allow gratin to set for a few moments upon removing it from the oven before serving.</p><p style="text-align: left;" class="mobile-photo"><br /></p>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-70692964688823695802012-01-01T02:10:00.006+01:002012-01-05T20:42:41.701+01:00Pumpkinpalooza<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7bOmbB9-hvDwjb_rZcucYAgwQCSzpWk4amXM8UN0VaHaU0wgmeeMEkP60xwKH3IphnlH3ik9zf8nYAKqXY5CwGWE8Ik8N7dHOKDiZs3YgBfErPOVK1H-aLvLVxuEvJtOV6vUfS8h9qQ/s1600/DSC_0987.JPG"><br /></a><div style="text-align: left;">What to do with all that leftover canned pumpkin from Thanksgiving!!? Somehow the day before Thanksgiving we are all running to get the last minute ingredients we forgot or decided to add to the menu. It always happens but some how we're all still surprised to see empty shelves where canned pumpkin or yams are supposed be. This year we ventured to four stores in Toronto before finding pumpkin, and when we did, boy, did we stock up! As you can imagine after making our Thanksgiving dinner pumpkin souffle, we had so much pumpkin left to go through.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7bOmbB9-hvDwjb_rZcucYAgwQCSzpWk4amXM8UN0VaHaU0wgmeeMEkP60xwKH3IphnlH3ik9zf8nYAKqXY5CwGWE8Ik8N7dHOKDiZs3YgBfErPOVK1H-aLvLVxuEvJtOV6vUfS8h9qQ/s1600/DSC_0987.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 268px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692465481761158834" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7bOmbB9-hvDwjb_rZcucYAgwQCSzpWk4amXM8UN0VaHaU0wgmeeMEkP60xwKH3IphnlH3ik9zf8nYAKqXY5CwGWE8Ik8N7dHOKDiZs3YgBfErPOVK1H-aLvLVxuEvJtOV6vUfS8h9qQ/s400/DSC_0987.JPG" border="0" /></a>Pecan Topped Pumpkin Pie in a Puff Pastry Crust<br /><div align="center"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">We had leftover puff pastry from making tarts earlier and decided to nix the traditional pie crust used for pumpkin pie. You can never go wrong with the recipe on the back of the can - I feel a little better about using organic canned pumpkin when I put the spices and vanilla in myself - as opposed to buying "Pumpkin Pie in a Can," when I don't have time to cook and scoop out a whole pumpkin. Just roll out the puff pastry a bit larger than your dish to leave enough room for the crust. Pour in your filling, brush the edges with an egg wash, and bake at 375F until set. I decorated the pie with chopped pecans immediately upon removing it from the oven. I think I throw nuts in everything - vegetarians can never get too much protein.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa9pqgBa37VC79KZBUQvchbHW13lEW8u61CMTrtK-qNOeRJ-CTNdzGNPCayqp-nSYx-oKCBZZsJuEvu1tpcHT8756N4vx0yl80gQYliyjupGeHLBFaxj0XPZ6J31CA0hTl1YVq8aYqss/s1600/DSC_0958.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 268px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692465113182910802" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa9pqgBa37VC79KZBUQvchbHW13lEW8u61CMTrtK-qNOeRJ-CTNdzGNPCayqp-nSYx-oKCBZZsJuEvu1tpcHT8756N4vx0yl80gQYliyjupGeHLBFaxj0XPZ6J31CA0hTl1YVq8aYqss/s400/DSC_0958.JPG" border="0" /></a></div>Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Mini-Loaf<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And still there was more pumpkin! My sister's kitchen has all sorts of lovely tools and pans she's inherited from our mom, her mother-in-law, and my college apartment, ha! I love this baking pan that's just perfect for the holidays when you want to make a bunch of mini-loaves of pound cake or pumpkin bread to give to the mail persons (?), your children's teachers, coworkers, etc.<br /><br />The pumpkin makes these little loaves so moist and the chocolate adds such a pleasantly, sweet touch, especially when fresh from the oven!<br /><br />[be back with the recipe, soon]<br /></div></div></div><br /></div></div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-41358143932565505972011-10-10T16:47:00.012+02:002012-01-05T20:53:40.089+01:00A Canadian Thanksgiving<div><div><div><div><div>Greetings from Canada!!<p>My sister Pooja, my brother-in-law Anish and I had the most delicious Thanksgiving last night! Against all odds, we didn't plan it out - we just went to the farmer's market literally after it closed, snuck in when some people were walking out, and grabbed as much fresh produce as we could. </p><p>Everyone complains about spending so much on Thanksgiving dinner ingredients (cough, cough, you know who you are) but everything was inexpensive because it was the end of the market! The vendors knew what they didn't sell now wouldn't last the holidays to be sold after. One of the ladies working the market gave us a box of free peeled garlic, too!</p><p>We cooked everything in about four hours. We got home after six and ate just after ten! Would have gone even faster if that PGA tournament wasn't on.... We made some seriously yummy dishes, and the most satisfying part of this Thanksgiving was that nothing was too complicated aside from one of the desserts. I'm not sure how your holidays go but usually in our kitchen with the good food, laughter, and thanks come arguing, burns, cuts, and tears. In fact the cooking was so simple and easy to replicate that my sister is going use these recipes for an upcoming dinner party. Honestly, we made a lovely meal from just chopping vegetables and fruit and throwing it together.</p><p>To start, we made a salad with chunks of yellow peach, chopped yellow tomato, creamy buratta cheese, baby arugula, chopped pecans and shaved parmigiano.<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 200px; height: 134px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692461632999499090" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEe5rh9bV0arVZRnt0oTZ21IRh-HGJFWNJwwj9MLmjW5M4RnM3IQd40xRzm1Ir3FPSUplbG5FSTgCa5tx8EG32xpfUk0bf4tlns7RrKJPGITB-V4UzxrMH5F1oB8-6YoJvdiOzBZgDTTw/s200/DSC_0907.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>For a colorful side, we threw beets in the oven for a little over an hour inside packets of foil filled with olive oil. After letting the beets cool down, I peeled and chopped till my hands turned a lovely purply pink. We dressed the beets with a cup of Greek yoghurt that we had mixed with honey, lemon, and cayenne. To add a little decoration, we topped the beets with pistachios coated in salt, turmeric, garam masala, red chili powder, and coriander powder.</p><p> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 214px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692461963149559730" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7sbcOvWDPvLyJF0FWI_RiHk6ekzsLAoX-SZ7eE33p3hE3llHv7uj8vEdwkwsx6tVHAPITVcRO02zkNDV04bP-rxFc1Kd4EB6hb2xVvDdmrNt0W4nBqmHM4qbljUj_iA12tTE3z1HDPc/s320/DSC_0901.JPG" border="0" /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0a-SaCMuNDL3r-eCWCnIZobChlhDE1r_Vl9eoGxQZQyN6gwALUXNCpQ8s3zgqh9x50TjXAtVomYnCuL0NMbwFJhyjG02CxaEnDeMpGUf3jkN6Qdbdm_vRHuZYhTlgO0M5tUoaT8GwF8/s1600/DSC_0914.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 134px; height: 200px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692462539731468322" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0a-SaCMuNDL3r-eCWCnIZobChlhDE1r_Vl9eoGxQZQyN6gwALUXNCpQ8s3zgqh9x50TjXAtVomYnCuL0NMbwFJhyjG02CxaEnDeMpGUf3jkN6Qdbdm_vRHuZYhTlgO0M5tUoaT8GwF8/s200/DSC_0914.JPG" border="0" /></a>You can't have Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes. Pooja boiled sweet potatoes till tender. She kept the peel on - which is both nutritious and minimizes work - and mixed the potatoes with milk, butter, salt, pepper, and some sage, garlic, and thyme that she browned in butter.</p><p> Aside from Anish's lamb souvlaki (which by the way he picked up at the market marinated, 4 skewers for $5) our meal was vegetarian, and so we made a savory Wild Mushroom Leek Tart for our main dish. So tasty, but so easy! Pooja rolled out some thawed frozen puff pastry (I usually make my own dough but here in Canada it's easy to find puff pastry without lard or hydrogenated oil) to fit 10x14 sheet pan. She <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-KSwp1prIw2bLK8Pi2jK-B1EjKTCwT8gQswny7wkm_pT7A7oa9wnk0kkX79QL-mU5V41Q8OdmojQ_BXdU6xY2lIFK07GXF7ORaD_eYsMBwwZ37oGIjZA7UqPvoDYVzmlKCKWzFhwfJ8/s1600/DSC_0913.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 134px; height: 200px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692463135847088354" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-KSwp1prIw2bLK8Pi2jK-B1EjKTCwT8gQswny7wkm_pT7A7oa9wnk0kkX79QL-mU5V41Q8OdmojQ_BXdU6xY2lIFK07GXF7ORaD_eYsMBwwZ37oGIjZA7UqPvoDYVzmlKCKWzFhwfJ8/s200/DSC_0913.JPG" border="0" /></a>brushed it with a beaten egg and baked it for 10 minutes. She repeated this step with a mixture of shredded Gouda and 2 beaten eggs and baked for 10 minutes. The final step is to spoon out sautéed leeks and mushrooms leaving room for crust, sprinkle with some basil and thyme, and broil for a minute! </p><p>For the first dessert (because Thanksgiving can't happen with just one) we dumped a bag of Walkers shortbread cookies that Pooja brought home from a flight on Porter Airlines and butter in the food processor. Got the cookies down to crumbles, and then pressed them into two small "tartlet" dishes. You could really do it with any size, you just have to use a bigger bag of cookies. We hardened the empty crust in the oven for about 15 minutes. I sautéed three kinds of berries (blackberry, raspberry, and local gooseberry) with sugar and a pinch of cornstarch, let it cool, and filled it in the shell, and the tart was ready to go!</p><p align="center"> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 268px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692463430993533362" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXb1Z2Ovot3fn7eJcrBNYv53-iBS5npY2EN1rCsgnPU5Ehy9aOU0_CS7HPzOuhEfz7fZOHC8FOhbZqmtPkm7gRc131tjGAUhcLTz70agIrl-ki8RXsQ8LmQm9oC6NGo-G389Nc8MXPaV0/s400/DSC_0905.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>The only dish truly complicated was the recipe from an old issue of Gourmet magazine (I'm still mourning for this discontinued magazine) for a spiced pumpkin souffle. T<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Pumpkin-Souffles-with-Bourbon-and-Molasses-Sauce-350576">he recipe can be found here.</a> The souffle was to be served with a bourbon molasses sauce but we couldn't find a mickey of bourbon anywhere in Toronto nor the jar of <a href="http://www.grandmamolasses.com/">Grandma's molasses</a> in Pooja's kitchen. At this point the tension started to build in the kitchen, but no worries. Anish brought out a bottle of Pondview Gewurtztraminer Riesling to calm us down (Anish and Pooja recently visted this winery at Niagra-on-the-Lake). Instead of the molasses and bourbon, we used local maple syrup and Jack Daniel's! The souffles soak up that caramel whisky sauce, and oh, was it delectable! </p><p>We were so busy having fun this weekend, we just didn't have time to find recipes. Anish was adamant about not spending too much time in the kitchen so we just didn't have time to stop and look at recipes while cooking. The moral of the story is buy fresh ingredients in season, be flexible, have fun, and everything will work out and come out well. Thanksgiving has and always will be my favorite holiday, and this year it comes twice! Just a month now ,and we'll have round 2 in the States.</p><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-68799052519218636892010-10-20T20:58:00.005+02:002010-10-20T21:06:33.164+02:00I want this real bad. Santa, baby....I want this for Christmas or Diwali or my birthday in 6 months. Is someone reading this? I actually need a kitchen of my own to put it in first. Santa, get to work!<br /><br />I've been eying this bad boy since August.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Giada's Cast Iron Panini Press<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.target.com/Giada-Laurentiis-Target-Cast-Iron-Panini/dp/B002XQD0UG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElKaIK3rxoTSLw7imcCKBJKaWDqexwB_agvth3tNyr9uiQGZ7j42Q-Ucg4EmB32NvFMw97A3Q9ls29Y0b2jIvPee3-RHRFXJEQoaILr-W1QJwGW_lcH-GaOo5Wt94Wrprq4UgnmeWVsQ/s400/panini.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530205207054245570" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsAM6asbSlI82nsJ0KqB0rfvciymiAVFH90cuyXi_yqwQhs7WVQXtOXgytWCViC9492hRZI2BZE_RGECMH7LqzmlIVXoZY4X4He5ov4fA3FvZ6uj5zV39SWqZsplRceavOsf0csbWdm4/s1600/panini2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsAM6asbSlI82nsJ0KqB0rfvciymiAVFH90cuyXi_yqwQhs7WVQXtOXgytWCViC9492hRZI2BZE_RGECMH7LqzmlIVXoZY4X4He5ov4fA3FvZ6uj5zV39SWqZsplRceavOsf0csbWdm4/s400/panini2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530206263491537330" border="0" /></a></div></div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-27084852453333626422010-10-20T20:32:00.003+02:002010-10-20T20:37:24.470+02:001492 Columbus sailed the ocean blueLocation: Manhattan (My new home, New York)<br /><br />Went to <a href="http://www.1492food.com/index2.htm">1492</a>, a tapas bar in the Lower East Side with Kelly the other night for much needed friend date after work.<br /><br />Trekked down there from the Upper East Side on a Monday night sometime around 7:30pm. Apparently Happy Hour was still going on, of course the waiter failed to share that us when we specifically asked what the specials were that night. It was fairly quiet, not an exciting happy hour atmosphere that I'm used to in Soho - regular crowds regardless of what day it is.<br /><br />Atmosphere was soothing after a long day's work. I imagine things would've picked up on Thursday or over the weekend. Good feel for a date or relaxing evening, but don't bring your foodie significant other here. Despite the annoyance that we each could've gotten our second drink for free (2 for 1 cocktails during Happy Hour) had the waiter given us the happy hour special, our waitor was friendly and went and tracked down the name of the song playing per my request.<br /><br />The food was a disappointment. I ordered the wild mushroom croquettes. Inside to my displeasure I found mushroom puree. It was bland and unpleasant to consume. I also tried the Vegetable Coca.. some sort of spanish flatbread... It was like a bad bland open quesadilla. I couldn't taste the supposed manchego (which I love!!) cheese and wasn't excited by the limp red pepper and tomato on top. My friend enjoyed the shrimp and steak and potatoes tapas she ordered, but said they were nothing special. Also, I'm not sure how steak and mashed potatoes makes serves as a tapa...<br /><br />The cocktails we had were a plus! The vodka with strawberries was potent and fresh tasting. One sip and we didn't regret overlooking the sangria on the menu.<br /><br />Overall I give this place 3 stars. Will I be back? Maybe, but just for the drinks and only on night where I can expect a more lively atmosphere.traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-20723398687294822922010-06-03T12:10:00.008+02:002010-06-03T13:38:38.714+02:00N.Y.C. / The rich and the rundown / The parade goes byLocation: Paayal's living room couch, which is coincidentally a bed<br />Listening: N.Y.C. - Annie (Remembering Soniya's laryngitis performance as Grace in middle school...The show must go on!)<br /><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIzpLd8U0ufzCzWWhnBUMjBwytoOPxl7Soh91UiqejGVtumZPBN9-9RGKjiFiuQidKISZJMvVLvQH4KDCrZtzSoICX5oDoxMqN3gK7P9IObwIEqO-GDgc88403zVYSMa6mGtRqKXFh5Y/s1600/photo-723645.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIzpLd8U0ufzCzWWhnBUMjBwytoOPxl7Soh91UiqejGVtumZPBN9-9RGKjiFiuQidKISZJMvVLvQH4KDCrZtzSoICX5oDoxMqN3gK7P9IObwIEqO-GDgc88403zVYSMa6mGtRqKXFh5Y/s320/photo-723645.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478487295405431202" border="0" /></a></p>Diploma in hand, it's time for me to two-step over to the East coast and make my run of the big city. I'm in Manhattan for about ten days looking for apartments, mostly business, but I wouldn't be a Longhorn if I didn't know how to have a little fun.<br /><br /><img style="width: 428px; height: 320px;" alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9TOw2Ed31FPIB7vbrkHG6ze9CM9QW0dp9xrUMJvRB6XDBGtBlS8ra_mXIIFYVW0tio5rQ_IKfi7ELjTqMB9xtm0WJl1vUE35y9GAoFuMBccu2IjUxLtr5mlNx07ASvmO4f2S_KeSj4k/s1600/photo-713698.jpg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9TOw2Ed31FPIB7vbrkHG6ze9CM9QW0dp9xrUMJvRB6XDBGtBlS8ra_mXIIFYVW0tio5rQ_IKfi7ELjTqMB9xtm0WJl1vUE35y9GAoFuMBccu2IjUxLtr5mlNx07ASvmO4f2S_KeSj4k/s1600/photo-713698.jpg" /><br /><br />I started browsing in the Financial District (FiDi). One place I checked out was directly across the street from The Trump Building and next door to Tiffany's. Talk about lavish living. Knowing me, I fell in love with the more open-spaced neighborhoods filled with small grocery stores, boutiques, and eateries like East and West Village, SoHo, and the lively Union Square area. I'm pleasantly surprised to see wonderful little imports from Paris like Maison du Chocolat and O&Co. Oui, Le Marais, I still think of you fondly...<br /><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fHHxjgXSo2Unint8R5_kTgxHTv6QkKbsq9TGbc17UCiug7xJuMou_hFke-UvPCCUetzUgfWJb-RjOIp6GEc0iZcVlEyYK4K5ri4a2nUjnFB-_qS3L5UOagLItVDWLGmKlOFuKxzxcls/s1600/photo-770500.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fHHxjgXSo2Unint8R5_kTgxHTv6QkKbsq9TGbc17UCiug7xJuMou_hFke-UvPCCUetzUgfWJb-RjOIp6GEc0iZcVlEyYK4K5ri4a2nUjnFB-_qS3L5UOagLItVDWLGmKlOFuKxzxcls/s320/photo-770500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478487499794952434" border="0" /></a></p>The hunt for an apartment has pretty much been a disaster, but I'm happy to share a few things I've learned. If you see an apartment and like it in NY, you put an application in right on the spot. Better come stocked with lots of goodies for the management i.e. Social Security card, bank statements, tax returns, pay stubs or an offer letter featuring a salary up to 50x the rent, and much, much more. Also, during the summer months, you're much more likely to find June 1st leases than anything else and for any time of the year, you really want to be looking only 2-3 weeks before move-in date (which is generally the 1st and sometimes the 15th of the month). Surprise, surprise, there really is such a thing as TOO EARLY. 2 months is far too soon. No brokers will talk to you and listings on public sites are just not available.<br /><br />Now on to the fun, less heartbreaking stuff.<br /><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtae-POH7CKzbHGOq_CnU_wD0er8nOQFT36hyphenhyphenuM9E3jdP5FFh6VDIrruVfNRHF81Djtdj5Qlu16MPKzdZRZldc2ySWV_nohszzK0J_4ATQQPIUh9NFYzxJdme_u0igwjKqNzEuBG0sfM/s1600/photo-708665.jpg"><img style="width: 288px; height: 384px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtae-POH7CKzbHGOq_CnU_wD0er8nOQFT36hyphenhyphenuM9E3jdP5FFh6VDIrruVfNRHF81Djtdj5Qlu16MPKzdZRZldc2ySWV_nohszzK0J_4ATQQPIUh9NFYzxJdme_u0igwjKqNzEuBG0sfM/s320/photo-708665.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478487662560531282" border="0" /></a></p>Well, maybe just one more brief setback. Walking there in the heat and finding out that tickets were not available was a disappointment, but no worries I got my fill of funny at UCB, <a href="http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/">Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre</a>. I saw a $10 sketch show with two troupes, the first of which was just not funny. See for yourself (There's a trailer on their website). The second troupe however blew me away with their parade of scenes showcasing die-hard LOST fans, shopping mall gays, a Staten Island talk show host, and my personal fav, I Love Lucy.<br /><br />Part 1:<br /><a href="http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/shows/2210"><img style="width: 408px; height: 272px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/4221889825_36d16bd2bc.jpg" /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span></a><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span><br />Part 2:<br /><a href="http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/shows/2341"><img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l2rd9y5Bnp1qzo6avo1_400.jpg" alt="" onload="NcodeImageResizer.createOn(this);" border="0" /><br /></a><a href="http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/shows/2341"></a><a>Thunder Gulch</a><br /><br />Pretty much since the day I started reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mixed-Up-Files-Mrs-Basil-Frankweiler/dp/0440431808">From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler</a> (circa 1996) I've been dreaming of living inside the Met. With a bit of age and wisdom, I've decided to settle for just a visit.<br /><br /><a href="http://store.metmuseum.org/Puzzles+Games/Inside-the-Museum-Puzzle/invt/80006609"><img src="http://store.metmuseum.org/content/ebiz/themetstore/invt/80006609/80006609_01_l.jpg" name="large" alt="Inside the Museum Puzzle" border="0" /><br /><br />Best affordable souvenir.</a> $16.95/$15.95 (Non-member, Member)<br />Quite tempted to purchase it actually. You know, the old framed puzzle ordeal. But I didn't bother to get it on this trip as I'd only be bringing it right back.<br /><br />Out on the front steps of The Met, despite the drizzle, I decided to rest and listen to this sax player.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='400' height='326' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy38j8_gMUch-LbVq0dREzGwFaP3GY35b4K1cxQZx_o3D9R1zR1R886DsaLESmSyE-P190JDhuIS8h-qfokHg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-47852590909881163382010-01-30T18:53:00.004+01:002010-01-30T18:58:30.666+01:00Rhapsodie de fruits<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjgibvzOs3BwGjAvdivCLBUS1BC835MwVfMLPZuO1vISm1mfdbaBSC9XV3AGREU7894d_Un0canK1b2YOip5JGLvau7GkbESeridKa7TNtRsoV1jUZDnngISaBtubRRa1Ozeo_A-D3dc/s1600-h/photo-704914.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjgibvzOs3BwGjAvdivCLBUS1BC835MwVfMLPZuO1vISm1mfdbaBSC9XV3AGREU7894d_Un0canK1b2YOip5JGLvau7GkbESeridKa7TNtRsoV1jUZDnngISaBtubRRa1Ozeo_A-D3dc/s320/photo-704914.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432592484331387474" border="0" /></a></p>Literally one of the most satisfying jams I've ever tasted. My cousins in Ashford run through St. Dalfour's jars so quickly. I find the texture, pieces of real fruit, and amount of sweetness create a pleasing combination. I love the four fruits variety on toast and usually put a tiny spoonful on my mother's buttery lemon cookies. My tummy is smiling just thinkin' about it.traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-60794699812813670262010-01-13T21:48:00.004+01:002010-01-13T22:04:42.042+01:00Chocolate Cake with Kahlua GlazeOh my, what a delight to add to any evening. Last Saturday I brought this Martha Stewart <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chocolate-cake-with-espresso-glaze">chocolate cake</a> over to my friend's apartment for a little get together. It's a fairly simple recipe, but you'll need a spring form cake pan. The cake comes out very rich and chocolatey. It does crack and crumble only on the top as you can see in the picture, but don't worry about when it comes to serving it's easy to slice, and the moisture helps it stay together. <div><br /></div><div>I did have a few substitutions. I didn't have instant espresso, so I replaced it with instant coffee, really a minor change, but of course a slightly different flavor. I also made my own glaze... just a bit of milk, powdered sugar, Kahlua, and melted chocolate... It took me a while to get the right blend of sweetness and consistency so play around with the ingredients to your liking. I ended up with a nice runny glaze to drizzle upon serving. .. although I have so much leftover.. Not really sure what to do with all my Kahlua glaze now? Maybe drizzle it over ice cream or cheesecake?? I even considered using it for pancake syrup ;)</div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-48466292208553360682010-01-05T22:50:00.014+01:002010-01-06T04:41:49.458+01:00Hum didalee dumplings!After spending a week drooling over the latest Bon Appetit issue's feature on Sriracha sauce dishes, I finally convinced Mother the fridge was not too full for a trip to Asian supermarket. So many delicious things we found, but so many brands to choose from! We decided to do a little taste testing of two of our favorite appetizers prior to cooking a little Asian feast (Another entry coming soon, Dad misses all the fun stuff when he's out of town).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">evidence Mother still loves me<br /></div><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9v9a2ZsRvb2O3FCfVBVNgD8dtOjmc2ER-GqxSr_WngEOQL6axPPy7kLBTq1l-oQ5Lir4TFSPPbc33B4dg5aP3LOamtP-RFw7gOLeg7LmEQyFXJvhmpqssM9ZDFsBrcfT0N39MyJNP9k/s1600-h/photo-787710.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423398173386747314" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9v9a2ZsRvb2O3FCfVBVNgD8dtOjmc2ER-GqxSr_WngEOQL6axPPy7kLBTq1l-oQ5Lir4TFSPPbc33B4dg5aP3LOamtP-RFw7gOLeg7LmEQyFXJvhmpqssM9ZDFsBrcfT0N39MyJNP9k/s320/photo-787710.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><div style="text-align: center;">deathly duel of dumplings<br /></div><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-w6akNb5SflKtUx8TTNQ1uEiyWARNo2T2UIaEnb8oNF0GAIGM07MbKtuM5FByM7TNZLr0eSUkQmHoILmEEDlBvlWl1VS80RaSLsAunUSGcea8CV16AZlDeW7EPmiShH1-fKKnzHMm1g/s1600-h/photo-704233.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423398244592527394" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-w6akNb5SflKtUx8TTNQ1uEiyWARNo2T2UIaEnb8oNF0GAIGM07MbKtuM5FByM7TNZLr0eSUkQmHoILmEEDlBvlWl1VS80RaSLsAunUSGcea8CV16AZlDeW7EPmiShH1-fKKnzHMm1g/s320/photo-704233.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo">skinny v. short vegetable dumplings<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc0dPdLJrXW_NFFx01eQQgfxNxve6NNxKtyS3z0aKsOAagXCAjkUya_2QrkmycmlUf9WpCdto7WEoYFlQ_sz5OW9WcuolNaJIfT-A13lW8vmQGi0rdfUUfVBks5qOOJ5qOs51I6v6KiY/s1600-h/photo-737835.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423398387852445986" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc0dPdLJrXW_NFFx01eQQgfxNxve6NNxKtyS3z0aKsOAagXCAjkUya_2QrkmycmlUf9WpCdto7WEoYFlQ_sz5OW9WcuolNaJIfT-A13lW8vmQGi0rdfUUfVBks5qOOJ5qOs51I6v6KiY/s320/photo-737835.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3_5pu_Z3hf1k38RFETjJOfikmAGNWCVZREDzKex4tLGOnIB6A9exsQ-DhPvTHJoK1RygdGt1-AdxMUg0n82MuSoXjV-NJuy7IzTvx4qTssbTEnR0XXOZUd-GVvaiSGMiaJsVkk6b1m4/s1600-h/photo-771198.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423398534616034850" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3_5pu_Z3hf1k38RFETjJOfikmAGNWCVZREDzKex4tLGOnIB6A9exsQ-DhPvTHJoK1RygdGt1-AdxMUg0n82MuSoXjV-NJuy7IzTvx4qTssbTEnR0XXOZUd-GVvaiSGMiaJsVkk6b1m4/s320/photo-771198.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="mobile-photo">Skin-wise both browned well and tasted as they should, however I found the an odd, indescribable flavor in the skinny ones and an unpleasant smashed peas textured filling. I overwhelmingly preferred the short ones - just the right amount of filling for the right amount of crunchiness.<br /></p>Every time we make dumplings or potstickers or gyozas or whatever you like calling these savory treats, my family prepares this easy, sweet dipping sauce to give the dumplings a little zing!<br /><p style="text-align: left;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-weight: bold;">mom's dumpling dipping sauce</span><br />a pinch of sugar<br />1 part soy sauce<br />1 part water<br />splash of vinegar<br />finely chopped scallions<br />grated ginger to taste</p><p style="text-align: left;" class="mobile-photo">Combine and enjoy!<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53HTXRsa3WjT4liW80lddU6SMnhcFTlCt-tjw_rFh1UHGm37umq4V00hOuYjCTpQmRh-uzgn9qfowFB1j3wE7X_uu9iI3hanN1sBtZMA4l6AYA7UkXCsBc8_a5IKyPXc3Iyn9LvwVmHQ/s1600-h/photo-779880.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423376670401745378" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53HTXRsa3WjT4liW80lddU6SMnhcFTlCt-tjw_rFh1UHGm37umq4V00hOuYjCTpQmRh-uzgn9qfowFB1j3wE7X_uu9iI3hanN1sBtZMA4l6AYA7UkXCsBc8_a5IKyPXc3Iyn9LvwVmHQ/s320/photo-779880.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo">battle of the egg rolls: India v. China<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5G7FPanzKJChPVnZOtlVaJrlzYCk36FuQWYHZeAAbx3elPBruu_Xl0CtwHyx5y1OtLeVCHvGaniQ4odX6W3eddERykfYYIZ-9Lfl3FXNweW023iHLTyhHe2HUx9pQQwEYLYT8Sf3y1Wo/s1600-h/photo-784158.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423398591032824498" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5G7FPanzKJChPVnZOtlVaJrlzYCk36FuQWYHZeAAbx3elPBruu_Xl0CtwHyx5y1OtLeVCHvGaniQ4odX6W3eddERykfYYIZ-9Lfl3FXNweW023iHLTyhHe2HUx9pQQwEYLYT8Sf3y1Wo/s320/photo-784158.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Indian eggrolls Mom found at the Indian supermarket.. Indian-Chinese another cuisine in its own right<br /></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejKLB9JaBCvGdVcW14CkHDOxcm7CVQUXZ5NVgdjvjBgazF_Sfd2UHqi8fPnIrGxgs5Uwuc0Do96jx5IRCDoN_9UMI9Ff_EarU2vo9q3FhfwZVvW_U3oApEpf3TBjh_AqsflgHvThTq0w/s1600-h/photo-719166.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423398741661805954" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejKLB9JaBCvGdVcW14CkHDOxcm7CVQUXZ5NVgdjvjBgazF_Sfd2UHqi8fPnIrGxgs5Uwuc0Do96jx5IRCDoN_9UMI9Ff_EarU2vo9q3FhfwZVvW_U3oApEpf3TBjh_AqsflgHvThTq0w/s320/photo-719166.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Orientex chinese eggrolls (we were hoping that they forgot to change the year on the stickers and really meant 2010....sketchy yes)<br /></p></div><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvzgUH426w41X_tZL6vwsgyh4bS0t0RGVYJ5VG8uQy44lEafcu5pMRCejve4RklneTH-9X-wqAUxSWIzOLMkD1g1Vwjuh41gn7OJwB7kU9mkw7UCkwVZpM_Xwv9k9Ycmld6ruLvCKE6k/s1600-h/photo-737081.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423398815983023954" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvzgUH426w41X_tZL6vwsgyh4bS0t0RGVYJ5VG8uQy44lEafcu5pMRCejve4RklneTH-9X-wqAUxSWIzOLMkD1g1Vwjuh41gn7OJwB7kU9mkw7UCkwVZpM_Xwv9k9Ycmld6ruLvCKE6k/s320/photo-737081.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo">The chinese egg rolls ( and this is NOT the first time this has happened to me) were not packed tightly and the wrappers broke! Naturally, the hot oil flooded inside and the filling flowed out. What a nasty mess!</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKw3y-gIUAD0Ffr8GKPAbCNwYLSFBrpFzXF_BW5cxqOC9Q7Hz5_kMMaZxwdFuBE_m4W0DxhyphenhyphenQJVvuwj59e1r2R62oh0A_k5UkGn3iQSEhztoDJGJhAS8RWR2PjHA2OPW5jymhozNYq3p4/s1600-h/photo-762700.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423409663412166066" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKw3y-gIUAD0Ffr8GKPAbCNwYLSFBrpFzXF_BW5cxqOC9Q7Hz5_kMMaZxwdFuBE_m4W0DxhyphenhyphenQJVvuwj59e1r2R62oh0A_k5UkGn3iQSEhztoDJGJhAS8RWR2PjHA2OPW5jymhozNYq3p4/s320/photo-762700.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;">The Indian eggrolls, and I'm not saying this because I'm Indian as I tend to avoid Indian-Chinese food, were much much better! They were bite-sized. Literally the size of my thumb. Neatly wrapped and therefore cooked well. They also had a bit of spice to them which I can appreciate!<br /></div><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="mobile-photo">And the moment you've all been waiting for...the return of Fun Finds column!</p><p style="text-align: left; font-weight: bold;" class="mobile-photo">Fun Finds in the Asian Superstore</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYPqVSWw0INvTlHJpLRT_3yCjd8VKU_Zu0bliOPNACzVseqD3E80Trr65KuyUxjED_1FatQC5tpmkWHyOvh2QMquiWyFxSYCcTaZZVeOubgJjPnmPCyA5908-fhLtd89aJxAbsl4yDwU/s1600-h/photo-722313.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423400041462746738" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYPqVSWw0INvTlHJpLRT_3yCjd8VKU_Zu0bliOPNACzVseqD3E80Trr65KuyUxjED_1FatQC5tpmkWHyOvh2QMquiWyFxSYCcTaZZVeOubgJjPnmPCyA5908-fhLtd89aJxAbsl4yDwU/s320/photo-722313.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo">Liver Care Tea .: college student's new BFF<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYxwVagvlrElzE0qMdD3RxbdXB8ccTNSn5i0IRcRdW2TpHEreZMYU1hmRF4PhGk389LeaxyHLTABGCgLR2iezNJyrD_EgX8pjjC9-l1WDcvbQRYOKIK04JYerIGYTzGUVhz48mgR018I/s1600-h/photo-737372.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423397960274520802" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYxwVagvlrElzE0qMdD3RxbdXB8ccTNSn5i0IRcRdW2TpHEreZMYU1hmRF4PhGk389LeaxyHLTABGCgLR2iezNJyrD_EgX8pjjC9-l1WDcvbQRYOKIK04JYerIGYTzGUVhz48mgR018I/s320/photo-737372.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Viva EL QUAIL MAN!</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLUHj7cWiCGm3qPJC9hFNrysTLhnWsAHLf7hr_MCEctZo46wRpI3mhO7S-HORyC_ItIS2R7gwiUYtpuFz5cl_dipH0fsApwG1Dy0yHd1ezRel9hM1ZYiq8U-yugZK1ESLBAglvYJaA74/s1600-h/photo-720551.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423397885878453666" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLUHj7cWiCGm3qPJC9hFNrysTLhnWsAHLf7hr_MCEctZo46wRpI3mhO7S-HORyC_ItIS2R7gwiUYtpuFz5cl_dipH0fsApwG1Dy0yHd1ezRel9hM1ZYiq8U-yugZK1ESLBAglvYJaA74/s320/photo-720551.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo">apparently the Asian supermarket has also fallen prey to green-washing<br /></p>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-89394249507124423932010-01-05T20:36:00.001+01:002010-01-06T01:18:41.914+01:00Why the hell not?<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0evEI39UqRfjW8m0AV3bTCviCYHSDAZaSlVTpoZu3RKjPcoaybZGWDG0TfAgzlXR81_xh-5LiislhMAxo2N7ltFezmbYXoivvv8jKtgDeFAd0T0juVOZEl309Lc5iJg9-hK79_DTMBsk/s1600-h/photo-730476.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0evEI39UqRfjW8m0AV3bTCviCYHSDAZaSlVTpoZu3RKjPcoaybZGWDG0TfAgzlXR81_xh-5LiislhMAxo2N7ltFezmbYXoivvv8jKtgDeFAd0T0juVOZEl309Lc5iJg9-hK79_DTMBsk/s320/photo-730476.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423342096054764050" border="0" /></a></p>Definitely microwaved birthday cake... Best idea ever. I know I'm <br />usually disinclined to eat birthday cake but who can say no to a warm <br />chocolatey mess? Happy birthday, big sis!traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-61078776354322898262009-12-21T20:05:00.010+01:002012-01-05T20:44:06.662+01:00Baked Eggplant Parmesan<p class="mobile-photo">There's really nothing like spicing up a regular old Saturday lunch with this easy <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/baked-eggplant-parmesan">Baked Eggplant Parmesan </a>from Martha Stewart! A few notes about the recipe. I halved this recipe to serve 4 people and found that my eggplant cooked in 25 minutes to a beautiful golden brown on both sides without flipping it over or cooking it for the additional 20-25 min recommended. Interestingly enough, I still used the same amount of tomato sauce! </p><p class="mobile-photo">I made my own tomato sauce, and why not? It's so easy! Plucked 6 or 7 leaves of basil and combined it with 6 quartered roma tomatoes and chopped garlic to create a fresh, chunky tomato sauce in the food processor. Be sure to season with salt and pepper! It's funny how simple and yet essential are salt and pepper. </p><p class="mobile-photo">A final note... I didn't have breadcrumbs, but toss a few cups of cornflakes in the food processor and you're ready to go. I guess I have ONE more thing to say. There was a certain lack of dried herbs in my parents' pantry, but luckily I had a bottle I brought back from Paris of Herbes de Provence, and that works just fine as a substitute in this recipe!</p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhdPU0sDi-TCOwUqBZPI9razGBm4X-31WE5Pc8FDTPWmIPGCuwt0VKTBqlNyMsHHaquwqijbZEtgZk045sXVyr0dhpN3HITAYN6m3rEwoYKLugmbxx1gPqexTUeb7SziS1TD5D5XcjgQ/s1600-h/photo-754373.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417768618765933506" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhdPU0sDi-TCOwUqBZPI9razGBm4X-31WE5Pc8FDTPWmIPGCuwt0VKTBqlNyMsHHaquwqijbZEtgZk045sXVyr0dhpN3HITAYN6m3rEwoYKLugmbxx1gPqexTUeb7SziS1TD5D5XcjgQ/s320/photo-754373.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />"round" eggplant slices<br />(I thought I was making something else and had started cutting the other way first)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQ1OqKs1iqgsBtbbv4T5FK3wZJ13iKy7bNgcO1WR5edAegEbD-C5bACByaJrGeM3bEVAOsX43R9eydz6fUky76tPcJyeNKl3ewZEL3TWorzlqarW0CKGWOdFQatJZ9CyhlR36Bp9rypU/s1600-h/photo-731789.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417768519261376594" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQ1OqKs1iqgsBtbbv4T5FK3wZJ13iKy7bNgcO1WR5edAegEbD-C5bACByaJrGeM3bEVAOsX43R9eydz6fUky76tPcJyeNKl3ewZEL3TWorzlqarW0CKGWOdFQatJZ9CyhlR36Bp9rypU/s320/photo-731789.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />water+egg bath use before these babies dive into a bowl of seasoned breadcrumbs<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNySwNSbC0gnEj-Px847wuXh3gI307X6etJnNKT9tIRQ06O0NVRT4UmmJtyTBbXMLHnGsexvKSdhOQYvkCd6gNinjDzbGxo3F54Pc4pTpD-wbuAD3zcWUFsdToSoSXBexVBxzRCf_S4tg/s1600-h/photo-778447.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417767863896885714" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNySwNSbC0gnEj-Px847wuXh3gI307X6etJnNKT9tIRQ06O0NVRT4UmmJtyTBbXMLHnGsexvKSdhOQYvkCd6gNinjDzbGxo3F54Pc4pTpD-wbuAD3zcWUFsdToSoSXBexVBxzRCf_S4tg/s320/photo-778447.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />arrange the slices on a tray lined with greased parchment<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lAZcLU__P4RrPRG9l1KS9yCNTFtTphgWAzst5pnbnszP284n4umKt2oL3bRgQeHqrpQ52naCdnhgoNK8g3isH4YUskjBO5xudP0cNX1ktr7xpKobX99Zmyu5f6dcLz6YNmtPsaHfgc8/s1600-h/photo-764840.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417768661529507282" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lAZcLU__P4RrPRG9l1KS9yCNTFtTphgWAzst5pnbnszP284n4umKt2oL3bRgQeHqrpQ52naCdnhgoNK8g3isH4YUskjBO5xudP0cNX1ktr7xpKobX99Zmyu5f6dcLz6YNmtPsaHfgc8/s320/photo-764840.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />13x9 casserole dish filled with this beautiful, red sauce<br />(fresh tomato puree, fresh basil, garlic, sea salt, pepper)</p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgGwwzplS7fWqYQkRDkIohwDDg_R-tOw4unq6f4MY0pvU3FlrOjcQrb8Vueaa4awjq3CTJAHt3lGC_YboOGw4AW_7xMtc_PHgdsdswaj4eBV6PDY56O_0HQj8vCxP_0lN3zOsXWQIAxw/s1600-h/photo-773343.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417768699747691186" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgGwwzplS7fWqYQkRDkIohwDDg_R-tOw4unq6f4MY0pvU3FlrOjcQrb8Vueaa4awjq3CTJAHt3lGC_YboOGw4AW_7xMtc_PHgdsdswaj4eBV6PDY56O_0HQj8vCxP_0lN3zOsXWQIAxw/s320/photo-773343.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />end result, plated on a bed of pasta</p><p align="left">You'll notice I didn't use angel hair, but honestly I prefer it with eggplant parmesan. But there are just times when you just have to tell yourself "I WILL ONLY USE WHAT IS ALREADY IN MY KITCHEN!" And so it goes!</p>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-56068151332105747622009-11-30T16:46:00.004+01:002009-11-30T16:54:35.399+01:00La vie en chocolatI literally dreamed of chocolate landscapes. So intricate, so inviting! From chocolate mulch to chocolate trees and bushes. It was magnificent! What pleasant tricks my mind plays on me at night! I went to sleep thinking about keeping will power this holiday season by pawning off on everyone else all that I bake. Talk about sweet dreams! Have you ever dreamed in chocolate?traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-3225011915630169732009-11-25T15:17:00.013+01:002012-01-05T20:52:58.889+01:00Festival of Fennel at Sagra<h3 class="r"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','1','','0CAcQFDAA')" style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.blogger.com/sagrarestaurant.net" class="l" title="Sagra"><em>Sagra</em></a><cite style="font-weight: normal;"><br />sagrarestaurant.net<br /></cite></span><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:100%;" >1610 San Antonio St</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Austin, TX 78701</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:100%;" ><br />(512) 535-5988</span></h3><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of Sundays ago, my friend Rachel and I decided to go on a girly date for dinner! Whilst trying to find a cozy place to catch up on our busy semester, I came across a local event coming up at Sagra (keeping tabs on food and art events happening in Austin is a much enjoyed pastime of mine). To my surprise, although it makes perfect sense, Sagra hosts a food festival twice a year where they offer a free dinner, fixed menu of course, to celebrate some produce of the season.<br /><br />An excerpt form Wikipedia reads:<br /><br />"A <i>sagra</i> is often dedicated to some specific local food, and the name of the sagra includes that food; the array of gastronomic specialties covered across Italy is amazing: for example, we find a <i>Sagra della Rana</i> (frog) at Casteldilago near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrone" title="Arrone">Arrone</a>, a <i>Sagra della Cipolla</i> (onion) at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannara" title="Cannara">Cannara</a>, a <i>Sagra della Melanzana ripiena</i> (stuffed eggplant) at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savona" title="Savona">Savona</a>, a <i>Sagra della <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polenta" title="Polenta">Polenta</a></i> at Perticara di Novafeltria, and so on. Among the most common <i>sagre</i> are those celebrating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil" title="Olive oil">olive oil</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine" title="Wine">wine</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasta" title="Pasta">pasta</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastry" title="Pastry">pastry</a> of various kinds, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnut" title="Chestnut">chestnuts</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese" title="Cheese">cheese</a>."<br /><br />I found out just in time to take Rachel to Sagra's Fennel Festival. Naturally, the reservations had filled up days in advance, but thankfully Sagra kept their back patio open to first come, first serve. We came about 30 minutes early and secured ourselves a lovely table out back on the covered patio, sheltered from the rain.<br /><br />Dinner circa 4pm after a glass of wine at the bar...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRKWkTOQklCllRb2cWe-R032H86fdMNZmgkYrqYpF6ONILPd7husrj5QszzNzmhOm2N1nEMznRXB-loolEqMKDWXvhMnAGs_npWuet-IdFCzqsNzFtlp80eZka8HGjpGned8xWHidn2I/s1600/IMG_6332.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRKWkTOQklCllRb2cWe-R032H86fdMNZmgkYrqYpF6ONILPd7husrj5QszzNzmhOm2N1nEMznRXB-loolEqMKDWXvhMnAGs_npWuet-IdFCzqsNzFtlp80eZka8HGjpGned8xWHidn2I/s320/IMG_6332.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408047323133952418" border="0" /></a> Mixed green salad<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">fennel pollen, orange and fennel<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMWt5Uhxmfjrbz0EWYtEFBavMvy1WvliTenfI_wpDH73BmI7px-IiJRXROmcIYZVO8vGPUOVktye6q5JPyMTJ_BgRWAVcEQpy166zUXs1ewP2KShIk0dqaXhhscN2MxCZDmu8J1cI_Ik/s1600/IMG_6334.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMWt5Uhxmfjrbz0EWYtEFBavMvy1WvliTenfI_wpDH73BmI7px-IiJRXROmcIYZVO8vGPUOVktye6q5JPyMTJ_BgRWAVcEQpy166zUXs1ewP2KShIk0dqaXhhscN2MxCZDmu8J1cI_Ik/s320/IMG_6334.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408047338349961778" border="0" /></a> Fennel Gratinati<br />layers of fennel and potato baked with cheese<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmN5k-9lUPVTh0o6hWfiI8WnpP0Uz3SFvMojbvJqJWF_55ufjYvDRQggsZs8vBWT6ESlIjGjDmll57xrzeVAj5kPm_8-zTYnvhCrysQmlTt6otFU8Qi948v0wGciDRrcUAzitlUY3kj4/s1600/IMG_6333.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmN5k-9lUPVTh0o6hWfiI8WnpP0Uz3SFvMojbvJqJWF_55ufjYvDRQggsZs8vBWT6ESlIjGjDmll57xrzeVAj5kPm_8-zTYnvhCrysQmlTt6otFU8Qi948v0wGciDRrcUAzitlUY3kj4/s320/IMG_6333.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408047333828993410" border="0" /></a> Brodetto<br />mussels, shrimp, squid, clams and fish in a “little broth” of fennel, saffron and tomatoes<br />grilled sourdough bread<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlG2QtJWtaujRLH72z0fvAMV_rPPBj8mN4EHZbpfshdwtr7mSgQu3D3AXrHZVhqjNEt_kpOaJTx6yVeDOuyiPxLVBxaZmtJpKbkI3qt06oPK1VEN7cx2i10dwbJXHn93UgW4dCoGpvnw/s1600/IMG_6353.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlG2QtJWtaujRLH72z0fvAMV_rPPBj8mN4EHZbpfshdwtr7mSgQu3D3AXrHZVhqjNEt_kpOaJTx6yVeDOuyiPxLVBxaZmtJpKbkI3qt06oPK1VEN7cx2i10dwbJXHn93UgW4dCoGpvnw/s320/IMG_6353.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408047344694540194" border="0" /></a> Apple Fennel Crostata (not included in the free dinner)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The entire meal was light, colorful, and pleasant. Sagra did not have a vegetarian option for the main dish, but I was able to enjoy the other 3 fennel-filled plates. The salad's citrus dressing complemented the fennel well, and the dessert, not overly sweet, had neat layers of apple and fennel a nice variation on the traditional apple pie. The white cheddar, potato, and fennel made a perfect combination...both were sliced thin and cooked till tender. Rachel especially like the golden crust of hardened cheese on top. Tasty, but I preferred the cream sauce within. Rachel did not care too much for the brodetto, though it smelled delicious and looked appetizing. However, she appeared to be frightened of shellfish in general and mostly used the broth as a dipping sauce for her bread. :)<br /><br />If you'd like to send yourself on a similar fennel adventure, you can check out these tips from my bff Martha on selecting, preparing, and storing fennel: <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/article/fennel-bulbs">CLICK HERE </a><br />I was excited read some nutritional information on fennel. Fennel has very low glycemic index, which I try to be conscious of when preparing dinner for my mother.<br /><br />I have since been back for brunch with some other friends and enjoyed Sagra again. We split the Polenta bowl, Rustic French Toast, and Steak Hash. I love ordering family style especially for brunch since I'm always missing Papa's Sunday breakfast when away from home. Andrew and I cherished the polenta bowl and eggs. Karina didn't touch it. She finds the texture of soft polenta unpleasant. I love polenta in all forms, but I think Andrew's spicy cheddar cheese broccoli and grits over poached eggs could rival it!! I feel like so many people settle for terribly ordinary and quite frankly soggy French toast, but I would definitely go back for Sagra's rendition, crisp and sweet!<br /><br />I can't find any brunch pictures so I'll leave you with the menu. Pictures could very well turn up on my SLR which is currently accompanying my sister to her pedicure. On a brighter note, excitement for Thanksgiving has reached its height. Preparation starts tonight with some gnudi dumpling dough. Stay tuned!<br /><h3 style="text-align: left;" class="r"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sagrarestaurant.net/img4B.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: left; cursor: pointer; width: 453px; height: 515px;" src="http://www.sagrarestaurant.net/img4B.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></h3><br /><br /></div></div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-27206768559794959002009-11-21T00:04:00.006+01:002012-01-05T20:53:19.806+01:00Oh how you fill me up butternut squash and don't let me down or mess me aroundI got together this week with some buddies I've had since the beginning of college. We call ourselves "The Blobby" after many nights of debauchery and very little studying in and around the Blanton Lobby, a study lounge in our residence hall. We celebrated Thanksgiving a week early with a potluck that sent us in such a dizzy food coma: sweet potatoes, green been casserole, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, deviled eggs, sangria, turkey, pumpkin mousse, steak, and more!<br /><br />I brought a new dish I'd never made before: <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scalloped Butternut Squash and Yukon Gold Potatoes.</span></span> I followed a <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Scalloped-Butternut-Squash-108890">recipe</a> I found on Epicurious with a few alterations. As a "starving" college student in love with food, I hardly have all the necessary kitchen tools I wish I had. (Thank God it's the season of giving. I have a tendency to accumulate cooking supplies around this time of the year). Anyway, I most certainly lacked a potato slicer so you can imagine the pain and suffering I went through in thinly slicing raw butternut squash by hand!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDrKe8gq6DegQc61v0-PHcUm6czAQCHRX4G8CsPREbdIBVrD4oXw5qbZRuUqYvPZNFwP3AViFyF1DnuI3LymaPsolVo4hH-a3yz2wypOyrjQPDAjp4Xm-xYeqZXz5QEW4IWkvCv6ukOA/s1600/IMG_0355.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDrKe8gq6DegQc61v0-PHcUm6czAQCHRX4G8CsPREbdIBVrD4oXw5qbZRuUqYvPZNFwP3AViFyF1DnuI3LymaPsolVo4hH-a3yz2wypOyrjQPDAjp4Xm-xYeqZXz5QEW4IWkvCv6ukOA/s320/IMG_0355.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406339979152747506" border="0" /></a>Thin slices is really the key to a successful scalloped dish. You want to achieve a tender bite, not too mushy or too firm.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcE3i-It-Okdj19BmGhP39HJbGDYJkI2nenJOmHJyEjfOQPt8lJf8nkG_lXVeHiLVTbJqUFNm2L0s8WUFQu9L9liMBhu5RfWcdaKhIOocLed583y-tNz_cmDmOnpVE3MDCgJHRRTvcnI/s1600/IMG_0353.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcE3i-It-Okdj19BmGhP39HJbGDYJkI2nenJOmHJyEjfOQPt8lJf8nkG_lXVeHiLVTbJqUFNm2L0s8WUFQu9L9liMBhu5RfWcdaKhIOocLed583y-tNz_cmDmOnpVE3MDCgJHRRTvcnI/s320/IMG_0353.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406339970538204018" border="0" /></a><br />Butter the pan well so you don't struggle in serving.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAtJSGNcWENYU3mq6oJzHd7iPdASIZAXh1y-Kbb0IakwPrCOg9vVgge2SoTb6eQSptvdtD1WyDS6wyd5SegxWuPgqUBHaP5vHY1k3Ks3XAmRXwfh0wVc0BRZRzoIhLS6kJufSTtHgQjw/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAtJSGNcWENYU3mq6oJzHd7iPdASIZAXh1y-Kbb0IakwPrCOg9vVgge2SoTb6eQSptvdtD1WyDS6wyd5SegxWuPgqUBHaP5vHY1k3Ks3XAmRXwfh0wVc0BRZRzoIhLS6kJufSTtHgQjw/s320/IMG_0358.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406339986588295506" border="0" /></a><br />I decided to mix up the recipe and use half potato and half butternut squash. I think it really helped in preventing that heavy Oh God I ate too much feeling for my friends.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0D8frhbrGbD1GoSgs1Rb2L0ISUuS_XOd7yFHWX8LlQD7szBk0i9iekztea1iPd2A-8bfov4GTZXJQR4Jo8WDpwOuwcOTFkPHkKF9MbHRvXpNAZaTI5oE7iSB5XD-LQTa576bTw-kbiU/s1600/IMG_0359.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0D8frhbrGbD1GoSgs1Rb2L0ISUuS_XOd7yFHWX8LlQD7szBk0i9iekztea1iPd2A-8bfov4GTZXJQR4Jo8WDpwOuwcOTFkPHkKF9MbHRvXpNAZaTI5oE7iSB5XD-LQTa576bTw-kbiU/s320/IMG_0359.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406339992801345826" border="0" /></a><br />I enjoyed this recipe because of its buttery goodness, and do I need to mention how much I like thyme? I would, however, have perhaps used another cheese. The grated block of mild cheddar didn't melt into a creamy sauce associated with scalloped potatoes, but rather gave the consistency of cheese on a slice of pizza. The recipe suggests discarding the fresh thyme used to flavor the cream, but I recommend pulling off the leaves and sprinkling them on the top layer of squash just to give a little contrast.traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-20807471725236417042009-11-19T22:46:00.002+01:002009-11-19T22:53:14.018+01:00I eat, You eat, We all eat for Meals-on-Wheels!<h1 style="font-weight: normal;" id="d-d4d-title"><span style="font-size:85%;">Everytime you go out to eat until November 30, review your meal online and Dishola will match it with Meals-on-Wheels!!<br /></span></h1><h1 style="font-weight: normal;" id="d-d4d-title"><a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"></a><a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishfordish">dish<span>-for-</span>dish challenge!</a><br /></h1><a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"></a><div id="d-d4d-instructions" class="d-30-70 d-section"> <a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"> </a><div class="d-u d-first"> <a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"> <img src="http://static1.idreamofuni.com/img/d4d_giftbox.gif" alt="" /> </a></div> <a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"> </a><div class="d-u"> <a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"> </a><h4 style="font-weight: normal;" id="d-d4d-how"><a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link">here's how it works</a></h4> <a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"> </a><ol><a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"> </a><li> <a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add" id="d-d4d-title-link"> <span></span></a><a href="http://www.dishola.com/dishes/add">You write a dish review on Dishola</a> </li><li> <span>We donate a dish to <strong>Meals on Wheels & More</strong></span> </li><li> <span>Someone gets a warm meal thanks to you!</span> </li></ol> </div> </div> <div id="d-d4d-sponsoredby"> <img src="http://static1.idreamofuni.com/img/d4d_sponsor_logos.gif" alt="Sponsored by Dishola and Whole Foods Market" /> </div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-6970573516788575072009-11-19T16:10:00.007+01:002009-11-19T17:17:06.636+01:00Thanksgiving SneakpeakYou've probably heard me say I wish Christmas lasted all year long (I have been found watching ELF smack-dab in the middle of the summer), and so it must be no surprise I share the same affection for Thanksgiving. Honestly a holiday to reflect on the good times over a festive meal with loved ones should come around more often. I'd be pleased with a similar feast to celebrate each season.<br /><br />I am thrilled to attend three Thanksgiving potlucks prior to my family's own Beastless Feast 2009, which of course gives me ample opportunity to test ideas on my friends. I could not imagine sending myself unarmed to my parents' home to prepare a dinner for their critical palates. I love my family dearly, but we are all a bunch of hungry, hard to please fools spoiled by our mothers' good cooking.<br /><br />Anyway, I promise to catch you up on all of the "coming-soons" below, but first let me delight you with a sneak peak of the draft menu I've assembled from a few sources:<br />- the three latest issues of <span style="font-style: italic;">Bon App</span><em style="font-style: italic;">étit<br />-<a href="http://www.americanwaymag.com/11012009"> American Way Magazine</a></em> (Papa pulled one from the airplane on one of weekly trips to Bloomington, IL.. I love their online version.. Papa flipped through his hard copy, while I browsed the interactive pdf!)<br />- FoodNetwork.com<br />- Whole Foods flagship store Thanksgiving tasting (gave inspiration for the crostini)<br />- <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/">Times Online UK</a><br />- <a href="http://primizieaustin.com/">Primizie</a> (One of my favorite dishes in Austin is Primizie's gnocchi, I'm talking I almost licked my plate clean... With my parents in Dallas, I hoped to create a similar version to share with them)<br />-Recipezaar (I don't usually trust this site, but wanted to use to give me some basic direction)<br /><em></em><em></em><em style="font-style: italic;"></em><br />You'll notice a few notes throughout the menu. I emailed this draft menu to my parents because when it comes to Thanksgiving, everyone has to get a say on the menu!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LE MENU THANKSGIVING : another Vegetarian celebration of food and wine!</span><br /><br /><em style="font-weight: bold;">L'ENTRÉE</em><b><br />Crostini w/ Fig Spread and Brie</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mirassou.com/recipes/crostini.asp"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_3">http://www.mirassou.com/recipes/crostini.asp</span></a><br /><b><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> LE PLAT PRINCIPAL</span><br /><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_4">Savory Bread Pudding</span> w/ Mushrooms</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Savory-Bread-Pudding-with-Mushrooms-and-Parmesan-Cheese-236494?sisterSite=bonappetit.com&src=1"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_5">http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Savory-Bread-Pudding-with-Mushrooms-and-Parmesan-Cheese-236494?sisterSite=bonappetit.com&src=1</span></a><br /><b>OR<br /><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_6">Butternut Squash</span> & Cheddar <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_7">Bread Pudding</span><br /></b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/11/butternut_squash_and_cheddar_bread_pudding"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_8">http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/11/butternut_squash_and_cheddar_bread_pudding</span></a><b><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> LES LEGUMES ET LES FRUITS </span>(CHOOSE UP TO 4)<br />Winter Greens & Shitake</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/11/saute_of_winter_greens_and_shiitake_mushrooms"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_9">http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/11/saute_of_winter_greens_and_shiitake_mushrooms</span></a><br /><b>Broccolini w/ smoked paprika & Almonds</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/11/broccolini_with_smoked_paprika_almonds_and_garlic"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_10">http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/11/broccolini_with_smoked_paprika_almonds_and_garlic</span></a><br /><b>Smashed <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_11">Rutabagas</span> w/ ginger roasted pears</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2007/11/smashed_rutabagas_with_ginger_roasted_pears"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_12">http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2007/11/smashed_rutabagas_with_ginger_roasted_pears</span></a><br /><b>Cranberry Sauce</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/cranberry-sauce-recipe/index.html"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_13">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/cranberry-sauce-recipe/index.html</span></a><br /><b>Sage Potato Gnocchi w/ <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_14">Chanterelle Mushrooms</span>, Roasted Sweet Corn</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gnocchi-with-Sage-Brown-Butter-Sauce-239838"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_15">http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gnocchi-with-Sage-Brown-Butter-Sauce-239838</span></a><br /><b><span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_16">Scalloped Potatoes</span> and Fennel</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/11/scalloped_potatoes_and_fennel"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_17">http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/11/scalloped_potatoes_and_fennel</span></a><br /><b><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_18">Swiss Chard</span> Ricotta Gnudi with Fall Mushrooms</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/10/swiss_chard_ricotta_gnudi_with_fall_mushrooms"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_19">http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/10/swiss_chard_ricotta_gnudi_with_fall_mushrooms</span></a><br /><b>Grilled Asparagus with Sesame Citrus Sauce</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/asparagus-with-sesame-citrus-sauce-recipe/index.html"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_20">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/asparagus-with-sesame-citrus-sauce-recipe/index.html</span></a><b><br /><br />LE PAIN CHOOSE UP TO 2<br /></b>olive bread (an incredible olive loaf available at Tom Thumbs near our home.. brand to be mentioned upon recall... even I need a break sometimes!)<br /><b>Chile cornbread</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.americanwaymag.com/acacia-honey-cake-honey-thyme-butter-jose-garces-heat-oil"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_21">http://www.americanwaymag.com/acacia-honey-cake-honey-thyme-butter-jose-garces-heat-oil</span></a><br /><b>Fresh <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_22">Cornbread</span> w/ basil</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/dishes/corn-bread/2008/04/fresh_corn_and_basil_cornbread"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_23">http://www.bonappetit.com/dishes/corn-bread/2008/04/fresh_corn_and_basil_cornbread</span></a><br /><b><br />LES DESSERTS (PICK AS MANY!)<br />Harvest Pear Crisp<br /></b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/11/harvest_pear_crisp_with_candied_ginger"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_24">http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/11/harvest_pear_crisp_with_candied_ginger</span></a><br /><b><span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_25">Apple</span> Goat Cheese Honey Tart</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2007/10/apple_goat_cheese_and_honey_tartlets"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_26">http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2007/10/apple_goat_cheese_and_honey_tartlets</span></a><br /><b>Lemon Tart</b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Classic-French-Tarte-Au-Citron-Fresh-Lemon-Tart-234277"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_27">http://www.recipezaar.com/Classic-French-Tarte-Au-Citron-Fresh-Lemon-Tart-234277</span></a><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article2179839.ece"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258644238_28">http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article2179839.ece</span></a><br /><br /><b>LES BOISSONS<br /></b>Pommeau (french apple wine) - first course<br />Pinot Grigio - 2nd course<br />Vin Santo (red wine from Santorini) - 3rd course.. For now I still feel a white wine goes best with the dessert. Papa is eager to open this bottle, however. Mother would be saddened without something to emulate her beloved apple pie.. Oh what a toss-up! Perhaps Papa will need to wait till I make something chocolatey later in the week.<br />Le Chocolat l'Africain a recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Chocolate-Michael-Turback/dp/1580087086">Michael Turback's "Hot Chocolate"</a><br /><br />P.S. Did I mention I'm still mourning the loss of Gourmet magazine? <a href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/10/07/gourmet_magazine_1941_2009_a_recipe_for_obsolescence/">Depression!</a>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-60774483505187400682009-11-19T15:29:00.003+01:002009-11-19T15:34:40.271+01:00Coming Soon<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dining out in Austin:</span><br />Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse- happy hour<br />Blue Dahlia Cafe - dinner<br />Primizie - brunch and dinner<br />Sagra - brunch and fennel festival<br />Thai Passion Lunch buffet<br />Titaya<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">From my kitchen:</span><br />Pumpkin brownies<br />Scalloped Butternut Squash<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Guest chef prepares dinner!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thanksgiving dinner</span>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-81237055385966510012009-11-12T14:11:00.002+01:002009-11-19T15:36:44.962+01:00It's November and I'm pumped up for the holiday carbs and singing!<img style="visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bHQ9MTI1ODAzMTM*NzQyMSZwdD*xMjU4MDMxNTExNjAwJnA9NDE4ODEzJmQ9MjAzNDk5Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTImbz*4MTM1ZWNmYTY5OWE*NDVkYmRmN2EyZWE3NjgzNjViMiZvZj*w.gif" border="0" height="0" width="0" /><div style="background-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); width: 425px;"><object id="A394491" quality="high" data="http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=qsAxQDUrMKN5mtaA&service=elfyourself.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="319" width="425"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=qsAxQDUrMKN5mtaA&service=elfyourself.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself"><param name="scaleMode" value="showAll"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="FlashVars" value="external_make_id=qsAxQDUrMKN5mtaA&service=elfyourself.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></object><div style="text-align: center; width: 435px; margin-top: 6px;">Send your own <a href="http://www.elfyourself.com/">ElfYourself</a> <a href="http://sendables.jibjab.com/ecards">eCards</a></div></div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-67329450379654221072009-09-02T16:01:00.012+02:002010-01-06T17:59:22.718+01:00Can't kick butt let alone make coffee<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="style62" ><strong><em><a href="http://www.kickbuttcoffee.com/">Kick Butt Coffee </a><br />4600 Guadalupe a</em></strong></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="style62" ><strong><em>t the Triangle, Austin, Tx</em></strong></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Simply put, Kick Butt Coffee sucks. The terrible lighting and an unimpressive food selection is enough to send anyone that enters running. How I managed not to leave immediately is truly a wonder. You couldn't possibly dream of studying inside this coffee shop... Not with the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">awkward music performance by self-deprecating, absent-minded artist who couldn't remember where his instrument was let alone what note to play next. He was from out of town and I hope they've politely encouraged him to return from whence he came.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I believe I stayed because I was forced to kill a bit of time after dinner and before pub trivia at <a href="http://www.beerknurd.com/">The Flying Saucer </a>later that evening. I highly recommend trivia night! But back to Kick Butt Coffee. I don't believe anyone could possibly enjoy a lukewarm drink of any kind let alone an iced coffee that is so! Here I am sitting with a friend with no coffee to enjoy and no hope of studying in the dark (and it was dark long before the performer arrived) or drowning out the music.</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dailytexanonline.com/polopoly_fs/1.1788505%21image/845797156.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_260/845797156.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 261px;" src="http://www.dailytexanonline.com/polopoly_fs/1.1788505%21image/845797156.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_260/845797156.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">To add to the unpleasantries of the place, you will find there is no mirror in the bathroom, and yet a TV. Oh yes, and as you may have noticed on the website an overall alarming and just godawful Chuck Norris theme. My dear friend, Chuck Norris and coffee do not blend well together. Indeed I was never able to reduce my cognitive dissonance before leaving. Naturally I have no intention of returning to this terrible excuse of a cafe.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Photo: The Daily Texan</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Here you will find a few notes from </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.dailytexanonline.com/life-arts/brewed-without-benefit-new-coffee-shops-graded-1.1788504">The Daily Texan</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> on Kick Butt Coffee.. I find their grade B entirely too high.</span><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:85%;" ><br /></span>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-64897682989614867362009-04-14T11:47:00.006+02:002009-06-23T13:51:39.321+02:00"Ooh La La: How to be Infuriatingly French"Current Location: Slouched on the couch<br />Currently Listening: Asher Roth - I Love College<br />Weather: Sunnny sun sun sunnny<br /><br />For my birthday, YES I'm FINALLY TWENTY ONE!!!!!!!, Kristina got me a box of de-lish Leonidas chocolates and a funny book called "Ooh La La: How to be Infuriatingly French." After reading it I decided to come up with my own such how-to-guide.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1z8-s7_wlqUWrhB4rNfxgigROBC5S6sGEG4rGmEXJGgeR8BImbZXUB2Se6CASygayH2KMnl9XU410MaPRxFEJIE1RnifG0Bpcni7eTvAbXTqPwBe7z_hPTVoPbbW9jMA3YE7dZWZ3VI/s1600-h/IMG_3892.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1z8-s7_wlqUWrhB4rNfxgigROBC5S6sGEG4rGmEXJGgeR8BImbZXUB2Se6CASygayH2KMnl9XU410MaPRxFEJIE1RnifG0Bpcni7eTvAbXTqPwBe7z_hPTVoPbbW9jMA3YE7dZWZ3VI/s320/IMG_3892.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324483675542746594" border="0" /></a>Step 1: Always keep the mood lighting on...you know just in case.<br />Step 2: It's customary to observe "les neighbors" through their windows and pretty much any person walking down the street.<br />Step 3: Shop at Picard: the frozen only grocery store and pick up things like puree peas, escalopes de fois gras, and quartered figs.<br />Step 4: Eat hazelnuts in everything, and consume exorbitant amounts of nutella<br />Step 5: Put every cheese but mozzarella on your pizza.<br />Step 6: Store sugar in milk cartons.<br />Step 7: Have tiny ass kitchens so that when you open the fridge your butt touches the back wall. Oh and eat lots of confiture!<br />Step 8: Always buy belgian chocolate.<br />Step 9: Showcase all eccentricities especially in the window displays of your family shop<br />Step 10: Don't shower often.<br />Step 11: Learn traditional dance moves in your weekly African dance class.<br />Step 12: Never buy books in English or speak English for that matter unless a French-speaking American tries to speak to you in French.<br />Step 13: Alway order cidre with your meal and drink it from a bowl...like a cat. Michael Rosenthal would approve.<br />Step 14: Drink on the hour every hour!<br />Step 15: Revere French culture and lovingly tease Sarkozy<br />Step 16: Plaster your apartment with old, dark paintings that have been passed down in the family<br />Step 17: Bump the cars behind you in attempting to parallel park.<br />Step 18: Ladies always cover their shoulders and never wear silly American things like flip flops.<br />Step 19: Never go to church<br />Step 20: Spend summer holidays at the family chateau<br />Step 21: Since the French rarely leave France the only way to show kids some wildlife is at the city zoo.<br />Step 22: Lure your gay jewish boyfriend to Bois de Vincennes for a romantic boat ride.<br />Step 23: Flambee everything with Grand Marnier<br />Step 24: Eat crepes and gaufres daily without gaining a single pound.<br />Step 25: Shake that laffy taffy (because you secretly listen to American rap, but are behind about 2 years)<br />Step 6: Pucker up for PDA. French kissing in public is mandatory!<br />Step 27: Own a menswear shop in the Marais if you want to profit off all the bar mitzvahs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYqroxQVpo5zO6p0vXnM5R2vYRljbpim_BQKeVsoZEg_XwuKwZA4qlENxZp_XfRUwWCHU_hP534vTHdryHGsC0j5aJc6NvfnPoLgVpGoMz_XFmnzN3G_8J-R5ExfXl6XBPpB-xMv-JOs/s1600-h/IMG_4024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYqroxQVpo5zO6p0vXnM5R2vYRljbpim_BQKeVsoZEg_XwuKwZA4qlENxZp_XfRUwWCHU_hP534vTHdryHGsC0j5aJc6NvfnPoLgVpGoMz_XFmnzN3G_8J-R5ExfXl6XBPpB-xMv-JOs/s320/IMG_4024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324484065953225442" border="0" /></a><br />Step 28: Let old things fall apart. And rename streets every block.<br />Step 29: Never drink water in public. Wine or espresso only.<br />Step 30: Be a cute gay couple.<br />Step 31: Never get worked up about shops closing at 6pm.<br />Step 32: Take romantic strolls through the Marais with your same sex significant other.<br />Step 33: Buy over priced clothes from small boutiques that carry only 6 articles of clothing<br />Step 34: Always sport a one piece pant suit<br />Step 35: Be excessively green in terms of recycling but leave cigarette butts everywhere.<br />Step 36: Eat strange things like goose liver.<br />Step 37: Have a nice ass from walking up all those stairs since elevator technology never made it to France<br /><br />For the complete picture by picture guide, check out the Facebook album I made.traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-89218328906045052412009-03-29T12:29:00.006+02:002009-03-29T14:53:38.698+02:00I miss wearing t-shirts...Location: At ze kitchen table<br />Currently Listening: Eric Pridz - Pjano<br />Weather: Decent. A little cold but I managed to shop the Bastille fresh market in less than pants. At least I didn't get pooped on by pidgeon. .aka poor Laura.<br /><br />One thing I didn't manage to bring is a single t-shirt to Paris! What was I thinking?! You can't go out in public in t-shirts, but seriously I end up wearing crazy things in the comfort of my apartment because I didn't bring any "loungewear." Hahah it's kinda like when you see all the guys at school wearing their nice button ups and slacks and you know it must be laundry day.<br /><br />Well, I FINALLY bought my ticket to Greece to meet up Rachel this May. For the longest time I only had a ticket leaving Greece to get back to Paris in time to catch my flight back to the states. (YAY can't wait to be home!) You aren't going to believe what crazy adventure my friend Luiza and I have in store for ourselves to get to Athens cheaply.<br /><br />So first we have to bus out to some little town outside of Paris called Beauvais and catch a Ryan Air flight to Venice. We'll stay the night and a day there and check out the city, and then wake up super early the next day to get to the port to catch a <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/MinoanLines/Ikarus_Palace-01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 425px; height: 216px;" src="http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/MinoanLines/Ikarus_Palace-01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Minoan Line ferry cruise called Ikarus Palace to the Greek island Corfu. Guess how long's the cruise. TWENTY FOUR HOURS. Haha and we bought deck accommodation tickets, which basically means we stay awake all night and roam the public lounges with our bags on our backs. We found out my friend from Milan, Alan, who apparently did this once, that if we run on the cruise in front of the herd of deck ticket holders we can claim some space behind a staircase where the crew members won't catch us sleeping. We didn't realize that even in May it will still be cold out at sea so it's not exactly fun being up on the deck at night. Woops, missed that memo. I hope they sell espresso on that boat....... Well after one crazy night on that cruise we make it to Corfu where we'll spend a few days soakin' up the sun on the island. Then we'll have to take a night ferry to this Greek port city Patras and then take the subway to some other city where we can catch a train to Athens. Oh God, got to love budget travel. :) I think the one problem with budget travel is that it's usually a catastrophe. Then I feel like the world owes me something, and I end up spending money to make up for it. Haha. Okay well, hopefully I can stay sane all the way to Athens on my Skippy Jar compliments of Karina who recently visited and brought me peanut butter.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">WHAT-THE-FRENCH!</span><br />Went to a MONOCHROME party the other night with my neighbors Alan, Henning and Matthias. The costumes were pretty crazy. Everyone had to wear one color only and they took it seriously. One guy wore all foil. I think he was supposed to be the Tin Man. Another guy wore orange pants, shirt, and turban...and held a giant carrot the entire night. But nothing was as ridiculous as what my neighbors and Henning's girlfriend were wearing. They went in this ABBA meets Teletubby yellow attire equipped with a yellow ruffly blouse and a tighter European version of gaucho pants. Apparently Henning had convinced some wholesale (they only sell to retailers by the hundreds)shop to give them 4 samples to show to a "crowd of hundred people" to "confirm" the purchase. Hahaha. Talk about awesome.traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-61160160781858346892009-03-25T15:10:00.008+01:002009-03-26T11:57:38.672+01:00"We are always running for the thrill of it, thrill of it" - Empire of the Sun<div>Location: My sofa that caves in the middle</div><div>Currently Listening: Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream</div><div>Weather: A little drizzle, a little shine</div><div><br /></div><div>Spent the "better" of the morning waiting at the SNCF office only to be disappointed by the lack of good deals to South France...maybe I won't end up there for my birthday. I really wanted to see Nice... Maybe I will go there in May. I always thought traveling alone would be fun, but now I just feel like without someone else there, what's the point? But then the other part of me thinks why should you need someone else to enjoy life. Oh I don't know. I think I just wanted to go to the beach to drown in the sun and try to pretend I don't very much need to be home taking care of matters with friends and family...and of course spending my 21st with my best friends. Well, I'm in Paris for my birthday end of story. </div><div><br /></div><div>What's it like in Paris? It's normal. I think what I've learned from being here is that life is the same wherever you live. It still has its ups and downs...so you can't just run off to the other side of the world and expect life to suddenly be more exciting. I always wanted to start my life in Europe, but I think I could be happy anywhere if I just decide to live life that way.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's not say that Paris isn't completely different and bizarre in it's own way from Austin. So just for kicks.... You know you're in Paris when...</div><div>-Wine is as cheap as bottled water</div><div>-Local pizzerias are the hot spot for anyone that sports a yamaka or earlocks<br /><div>-Children are always accompanied by their au pair<br />-Women wear billowy pants like Aladdin<div><div>-Most guys have better hair days than your very best</div><div>-Cute dogs sit on window sills of small shops</div><div>-The constant techno gets you more jittery than any cup of espresso</div><div>-Cafe Noisette ("hazelnut coffee") is not a cup of hazelnut coffee, but rather espresso served with a touch of cream to give the color of hazelnut</div><div>-The business schools hire professional bouncers for their parties</div><div>-Chestnuts are not something in your plate of Buddha Delight, but are mashed into a creamy sweet paste for crepes [Really strange texture... don't really recommend it]<br /></div><div>-Tomato in a sandwich is not slices, but rather pasta sauce</div><div><br /></div><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQvdKWxlOH0vthKwwd-ck6Lb6G6axdNU6Jv8GCzYjdmuXqCPMziPU4RKEw8nY0JNKYjnPziswuRhyWKm2wlXsnkADnqnzT91VKdlun8UZ-FWukT2glUTpu3t1fYcCPDceb0zxNguNuYE/s320/IMG_3608.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317136920080103442" border="0" /><div>Oh Paris, so silly, but I still love you.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">By the way, I started this 365 days of pictures ordeal on Flickr so check it out:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/saloni365mehra/">Saloni365</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:24;"><br /></span></div><div><-- A little preview</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650971561762187491.post-60259767920331739442009-03-15T08:59:00.015+01:002010-01-06T18:00:30.759+01:00"Ah-what what what what what did you think would happen next?" - LCD SoundsystemLocation: Soaking up the window light from my bed, now equipped with one killer pillow<br />Weather: Warmer than Austin, Texas, what?!<br />Currently Listening: Time to Get Away by LCD Soundsystem<br /><br />Dublin:<br />Good Lord getting to Dublin on Wednesday was quite the journey. Flying Ryan Air was absolutely miserable. Had to pay 10 euros for being American (non EU passport carriers must pay for check-in) and my carry-on was so heavy that I literally wore 3 pants, 2 shirts, 3 sweaters and my coat, hat, and scarf. Add to that, my make-up in my boots, laptop charger, deodorant, phone, key, and wallet in my pockets. Oh and I wore my SLR around my neck. Yes, I was ready to pass out from hyperthermia. Naturally I made no hesitation in coughing up 3 euros for the bottled water on the flight. On the plane to further irritate me, an earring Rachel had given me for Christmas fell out of my wallet. I never found it, but I did manage to break the other that I was holding up to show the girl in the seat next to me when I tried to return it to my wallet. Well a flight and bus later, I was thrilled to see that gorgeous of a blonde Brady and pretty much collapsed in bed upon arrival to her dorm.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWQGMR1N1HmNCdK6TGeDKC2nhCP-0krAFO_LA3uH0cNQTyNzA88gopGgEtw7Wgrv6v8PhfB-qZjOwwUWa1wpx0qmVQnD4nyzRJOZOLq-mIMWKfH0MrbR7saIra-PSwWJLthwDDlXtios/s320/IMG_2640.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313896988408303394" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" />Exploring Dublin started the next morning. After hanging out with Oscar Wilde atop "Pride Rock" in Merrion Square, I walked Brady to class (I should have carried her books and brought her coffee) at <a href="http://www.tcd.ie/">Trinity</a>, I headed straight to all the good shopping on Grafton Street. My first stop was <a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/gp/node/n/42966030/280-5926649-9888757">Marks & Spencers</a>, which made me get all nostalgic about Scotland. Used to pick up all the yummy, extravagant chocolate mousse desserts at the M&S on Princes Street and enjoy them in the gardens below. I made no hesitation in picking up one of their melt-in-your-mouth chocolate shortbread slices from the bakery.Lots of butter and lots of sugar equals very happy Saloni.<br /><br />That happy snack set me on my way to <a href="http://xml.riverisland.com/flash/content.php">River Island</a>, which has really fun wallets and handbags...and I pretty much wanted to buy a whole new wardrobe- maybe because I finally wasn't looking at things that cost hundreds of euros (Silly Paris). At that point though I'd not had my will power broken from shopping for non-groceries so my ogling didn't result in shopping bags. <a href="http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?storeId=12556&catalogId=19551">Top Shop</a> has a lot of cute clothes, too. It's not as cutting edge fashion as the boutiques in Le Marais where I live but of course the pricing is much more accessible.<img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4o5yuxjWPLoQ62ZapT0S3m_nw1oQz6KSsospDmVVhxdMGfrJIowwEoDil_9pGRTVAZPmi3yDizXa1ZAKvfe03oISMT-S9qaCO1HPH7-6-WW4EZeab0y2lK5s4sQoF1V2W1xHo6y0p6os/s320/IMG_2657.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313900646137921538" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>During her lunch hour, Brady took me to <a href="http://www.butlerschocolates.com/pages/Butlers-Chocolate-Cafe/Butlers-Chocolate-Cafe.htm">Butlers Chocolate Cafe </a>where I had some hot chocolate and a whiskey truffle. Milk chocolate definitely has its place in my heart, but it was definitely a change from the intense dark chocolate consumption in France and Belgium.<br /><br />Brady had a little more class so I decided to walk around St. Stephen's Green, which is a massivepark/garden. I wished I <img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 167px;" src="http://www.thefriendsofthenationalcollectionsofireland.ie/donations/images/ferries.jpg" alt="" border="0" />brought a book with me to lounge and read, but I had nothing but a map and camera on me. After a nice walk outside around the duck pond and starting-to-bloom trail, I decided to hit up the national museums, most of which were closed because of a low wage workers protest, but I was able to visit The <a href="http://www.nationalgallery.ie/">National Gallery</a> to see Jack B. Yeats' work. His painting "Many Ferries" intrigued me most.<br /><br />At night, Brady took me <a href="http://www.porterhousebrewco.com/">The Porterhouse</a> where I was able to satisfy my craving for Bailey's on the Rocks. The glass was shaped funny or more likely purposefully so that the ice cube could not leave the glass. I've decided when I return to Austin, I'll be mixing Baileys in cup of Sonic ice, yes, I hate fast-food, but this drive-in establishment is good for something.<br /><br />After walking around the rest of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Bar,_Dublin">Temple Bar</a>(this can refer to the pub or the street of pubs), which I found to be rather touristy and what I envision what a street would look like if Party City got drunk and puked on it, I had Brady take me to O'Connel Street and forced swimsuit shopping on her. Rachel can take comfort in the fact that I've decided not to swim in a bra and underwear in Greece. We had gotten to this store and picked out all the swimsuits to try on and just as we reached the fitting rooms the store closed. Even though I was royally pissed at Penney's, I dragged Brady back there in the morning to finish what we started since the prices were just too good. I felt perfectly fine with purchasing a swimsuit for 7 euros because I will probably never use it after the trip. I pretty much hate swimming and never really need a bathing suit other water activities, but figured I must go swimming anyway in Greece because it's the thing to do. After picking out the swimsuit, I found a beautiful, lavender dress at surprisingly Penney's and had to get it. First article of clothing purchased on this trip! Brady got herself a burnt orange purse. I was a big advocate of Brady buying a purse and anything relating to her girly-transformation.<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2oIDVSa03J4GBWZREbCNGUftwijmdwq5rqgkwcCJ72mFKzHtAHSddvKjz42t-i7TzlTY-5woruO-XKFZH5KtbFB2uTj5V_RgB1Y9O-fD0QmoeGGD3810Vak9pSQ9brMeWM5Qzef6HDw/s320/IMG_2857.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313925232450580962" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" /><br /><div>Purse packed with hiking essentials (aforementioned swimsuit and dress) Brady and I boarded the bus to <a href="http://wicklow.com/glendalough/">Glendalough</a> for "some green" as per my request. There we went hiking on a few nature trails in a lake filled valley below the mountains and shared a lovers' picnic on a fallen tree-trunk. In the forest, the air tasted so fresh and untainted from cigarettes. The trees and ground were covered in green moss and looked beautiful. Wherever I stood I could hear the sound of the stream, and for the first time I felt so at ease.<br /><br />On Friday Night, we met up with the Frisbee kids (Brady plays on the Women's Ultimate Frisbee Team, go figure) for someone's twenty-first at this pub called <a href="http://wicklow.com/glendalough/">The Bernard Shaw</a>. It was fairly crowded, but there was was a back room reserved for us. Brady thinks drinks are expensive in Dublin. In France you can pay 4-5 euros for a half a pint. You pay that much in Dublin and get a full pint! Anyway, I ended up with one of the must-haves (I turned down the Guinness as I've tried it before and there was no way in heck I'd be able to consume an entire glass let alone more than sipfull, and some crazy purple drink called like Booker's Fast, someone correct me on this..because apparently it tastes like dying), a pint of <a href="http://www.bulmers.ie/">Bulmers</a>. That took me forever to drink. My belly is so small! And it wasn't pleasant to me either. I'm glad I have the sense not to keep up with Brady. She's full blooded Irish when it comes to drinking. Anyway the pub and meeting all of Brady's new friends was entertaining, but it soon came time for dancing at <a href="http://www.thevillagevenue.com/">The Village</a>! The atmosphere is very different from Parisian clubs. Most people just dance to dance and enjoy the good music ( a lot of indie techno, classic 80s songs )...no excessive touching/grinding. It's definitely worth the cover, that's all I have to say. We danced until I don't know how long, and then Brady and I walked across town with some of the frisbee boys back to her dorms.<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PYF0xP5rHZocVduhtFvZk4uCYOGY8RQHyl7igNkTxzIozEi4IeDCgN5StAIPz7sJNdFqew7TNxakbqE-rl1uqSqXWDrAZylWT1jSy5Vn_UsG3HOFQFSVEpyLCohya92MdRzMyA1-Y8I/s320/IMG_3031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313925244376320578" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" /><br /></div><div>I had a lazy Saturday morning and slept in till noon (Brady had slept for what, 3 hours? and left for a frisbee tournament). I finally got up, showered, and made my way into center of town to finish up the tourist attractions which I decided to see at turtle pace. Rushing through from point-to-point just would've killed me. I enjoyed a tour(included in the entrance fee) of Dublin Castle, which now serves as a government building and visited the ChristChurch and St. </div><div>Patrick's Cathedrals. Actually after </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjcd_l_RkY4-kTOwVTcQM6TT8ak4XoyAPjqS0BZC7LsTWCX_kfXuQ5_jvYwNUsdUKPnPo7GpGjlVS7pBP-lo2TygFB3AKLg8Aab4dsOtdZsLJlswsX2O6cjIhzB4dAA1VX-GTLbURmhg/s320/IMG_3010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313925219888647026" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" /><div>seeing ChristChurch, I felt it unnecessary to pay to see the other and only walked around the nice garden outside. I exhausted myself from walking but managed to get myself as far as possible from Brady's dorm and so I inched slowly back to the dorms to meet her upon return from the tournament. So tired from my day, Brady and I just laid in bed reading for the evening, me with <a href="http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html">Twilight</a>(KP lent it to me) and Brady with her physics textbook.<br /><br />On Sunday, we woke up and took the DART tram to the fishing village of Howth. </div><div>Outside the station we ran into a fresh market where we tried on some seaweed beauty cream and got cupcakes! We hiked our way up </div><div>through the town on the hill with the warm sun shining down on us to get to Howth Head. The cliff was so green and beautiful and overlooked the </div><div>sea, definitely </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJXQ28gcL050nxkMV8ahhtmK6xl4QqmSorm5vj6zXBT34CmP_pRF4vb9OluwJTkwzXTV88pjtRNMo1OoACoJ3jcjBu9X950_mD5D-E7b-783_FIvrLIrnla9U7ig_lhKdoQCTBpOh1FA/s320/IMG_3169.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313925226541035650" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltlIf2-xcf89pIWu3PvpF5Wqss6o6CppZ_9VgCmJupDCgMBmT8OV31G02JQSXWbBJMPTMY_1n847v9nSluO_GsGzo1v9sjzsIeSAITrIwZbvPo6ty0LWNTXmM4aN8mCKsuCzO2bVPqss/s320/IMG_3060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313925229421505778" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" /><div>breath-taking. Brady and I found a big rock and just sat to enjoy the good weather and a few sandwiches. After coming down the hill we walked around the other side of town to try and find some castle gardens. </div><div><br />At night we came home just in time to start getting ready for Brady's Texas Independence Day party fully equipped with enchiladas, salsa & chips, margaritas, and George Strait. Brady had just gotten started on the cooking when I realized she had several packets of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pappadum">Papadum</a> and no tortillas!!! Papadum are like these fried, spicy Indian</div><img src="http://photos-g.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v2467/7/93/7958250/n7958250_50584678_2186795.jpg" alt="" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 349px;" border="0" /><div> crackers you eat with dinner and needless to say would not be useful in making enchiladas. Brady rushed back to the store while I kept Sean (a friend from UT also studying in Dublin) and the other guests company. She returned soon enough and taught me how to make some vegetarian enchiladas. So so easy and so so good. I will definitely be making these upon return home. I made them with some faux-chicken cubes (<a href="http://www.quorn.us/cmpage.aspx?pageid=480&productid=147">Quorn Chik'n Tenders</a>) which actually worked out really nicely even though I didn't shred them like real chicken. It was so nice to eat something that tasted like home, although I still haven't killed my craving for guacamole, the last bit of Tex-Mex I had before leaving Texas. T sheer stomach delight sent me in a food coma for the few hours I had left before my flight back to Paris.</div></div>traveler's penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15927595046591277293noreply@blogger.com0