So I know I've been away for almost two months, but I hope you won't take my blog off your read-list. I'm only a few weeks away from being DONE with law school, and back to regular posting. I did want to show you some of the massive supply of desserts I baked for a going-away party, and the first recipe is brought to us by Rachel, blogger over at Coconut & Lime, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary! I thought this was particularly appropriate for my going-away party, since where I'm going is back to Baltimore, where Rachel lives. This recipe is for Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, and it was very much up to the C&L standard. You may remember me mentioning this blog before on the site - Rachel's recipes are all original, and I'm constantly impressed. They're not all super fancy, but they're always delicious. This one is a great comfort dessert. The cookies are soft and crumbly, but still with a little bit of crisp. Though crumbly, they don't fall apart too badly, and I love the peanut butter flavor. They were one of the most popular desserts on the table.
06 June 2009
Happy Anniversary, Coconut & Lime!
So I know I've been away for almost two months, but I hope you won't take my blog off your read-list. I'm only a few weeks away from being DONE with law school, and back to regular posting. I did want to show you some of the massive supply of desserts I baked for a going-away party, and the first recipe is brought to us by Rachel, blogger over at Coconut & Lime, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary! I thought this was particularly appropriate for my going-away party, since where I'm going is back to Baltimore, where Rachel lives. This recipe is for Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, and it was very much up to the C&L standard. You may remember me mentioning this blog before on the site - Rachel's recipes are all original, and I'm constantly impressed. They're not all super fancy, but they're always delicious. This one is a great comfort dessert. The cookies are soft and crumbly, but still with a little bit of crisp. Though crumbly, they don't fall apart too badly, and I love the peanut butter flavor. They were one of the most popular desserts on the table.
16 April 2009
Cookbook Spotlight: Fried Matzoh from Gale Gand's Brunch
This month, Stephanie invited me to join an event called Cookbook Spotlight, where foodbloggers get a review copy of a new cookbook and are asked to make and review one recipe from the book. This round the book was Gale Gand's Brunch, and I was thrilled because brunch is certainly a meal I love. I've been getting more into breakfast foods lately, and this book has plenty of them, from pancakes to eggs to more ambitious offerings. Most of the recipes are fairly simple, and the one I chose especially so. From the photo here, you can see why she didn't include one with the recipe - matzoh brei is quite tasty when it's Passover and you have to eat matzoh, but it isn't all that visually appealing. It's also not a recipe that can be varied all that much, but Gand's version was perfectly tasty. I didn't have the maple syrup she suggests, so I used some organic cherry applesauce as an accompaniment. If you're not familiar with matzoh brei, it's like a combination between omlette and pancakes, but not too eggy. Salt it well and serve it with something sweet. You can find the recipe on page seventy two.
05 April 2009
Mocha Coffee Cake for a Sunday Breakfast
Joy the Baker recently asked her readers to make breakfast on a particular weekend. That Sunday, I made her mocha coffee cake. One thing I love about Joy is that she blogs as if she is a friend of every one of her readers, so when she says "hey, why don't we all make breakfast?" I say "okay!" And it did make my weekend happier, if a little more hectic for the time it took to put the coffee cake together. It's not what I normally think of when I think of coffee cake - no crumble topping, for example. I like the three marbled flavours (espresso, chocolate, and vanilla). I was a little impatient with the glaze, though, and didn't wait for the espresso I was using to fully cool before whisking in the sugar, which make it a little thinner than it necessarily should have been. Nonetheless, I liked to effect that came from soaking the dense cake in a coffee-flavoured glaze. One warning is that this should probably be served right away. It's a fairly big cake for one person, and it dries out quickly. If you want to make it and are worried about this problem, you could always have a little extra glaze to add for later portions.
03 April 2009
Excuse me a moment for a non-food, personal note...
THE IOWA SUPREME COURT IS GIVING US SAME-SEX MARRIAGE!!!!!
(I know some of you may disagree on this point, but it's my blog and it's my state so I have to say it. Back to our regularly scheduled foodie program soon.)
(I know some of you may disagree on this point, but it's my blog and it's my state so I have to say it. Back to our regularly scheduled foodie program soon.)
26 March 2009
From Food to Books
Little break from the usual. I was tagged by The Egalitarian Bookworm on a literary meme that looks like fun, so why not?
1) What author do you own the most books by? I've just gotten into trying to read multiple books by an author, and I have a few favourites, but in terms of owning Tolkien still takes the cake.
2) What book do you own the most copies of? Multiple copies of the same book? Um, I don't know, I have a couple accidental duplicates but that's it.
3) Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions? Yes! (Pet peeve.)
4) What fictional character are you secretly in love with? Hmm. I had to think about that a little, since I don't really have book-crushes. Maybe Eowyn?
4a) What fictional character would you most like to be? Glorfindel! (I'm a broken effing record, I know.)
4b) What fictional character do you think most resembles you? I don't actually know of any, to be perfectly honest. A book about someone who works as hard as I do would be frankly boring!
5) What book have you read the most times in your life? Hmm, this is another one where I just don't read things multiple times. Probably the Book of Tao, actually.
6) What was your favorite book when you were ten years old? Oh God. The entire Babysitters Club series.
7) What is the worst book you've read in the past year? A book called Working in Language and the Law by a rather arrogant and obtuse forensic linguist.
8) What is the best book you've read in the past year? The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst.
9) If you could force everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be? Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin. Though I might trump it with Yes Means Yes edited by Jessica Valenti and Jaclyn Friedman.
10) Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for literature? Ian McEwan.
11) What book would you most like to see made into a movie? How about Emma Donoghue's Hood? That could be great with the right director.
12) What book would you least like to see made into a movie? Oh, I don't know. Ulysses, ha.
13) Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character. I don't know that I've ever had such a dream. Or actually, I did once dream that I was a hobbit. That was pretty weird.
14) What is the most lowbrow book you've read as an adult? Um. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants?
15) What is the most difficult book you've ever read? Possession by A.S. Byatt.
16) What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you've seen? I've only seen Macbeth.
17) Do you prefer the French or the Russians? Don't make me choose between my two favourites, come on!
18) Roth or Updike? Not familiar with either.
19) David Sedaris or Dave Eggers? I haven't read Dave Eggers yet. I like Sedaris in the New Yorker but less in book form.
20) Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer? Milton.
21) Austen or Eliot? Assuming we mean George, then Eliot.
22) What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading? Oh God, there are a lot of those. I really haven't read many of the "modern classics," which I'm trying to remedy, but maybe Victorian England would be the most embarrassing. I've only read a couple of the classics.
23) What is your favorite novel? That's just a mean question. I don't know if an epic like LOTR counts. If not, then I think I'd probably say Mrs. Dalloway.
24) Play? The Importance of Being Earnest. (Though I'm sure once I read the play version of the History Boys I'll change my answer.)
25) Poem? Ferlinghetti, L'Occupation Obsédée,
26) Essay? It's hard to think of a single essay. I remember the collections better, my favourite being Sarah Vowell's Take the Cannoli.
27) Short story? Ooh, here we hit a gap.
28) Work of non-fiction? Probably Foer, Soccer Against the Enemy.
29) Who is your favorite writer? Tolkien! After that Virginia Woolf, Ian McEwan, Alan Hollinghurst, David Levithan.
30) Who is the most overrated writer alive today? Ooh, I'm not sure. Maybe Meyers but I haven't read her stuff yet.
31) What is your desert island book? Lord of the Rings? *ducks*
32) And ... what are you reading right now? Sarah Waters, Tipping the Velvet (awesome!)
As for tagging, it's hard to know which bloggers/LJers are readers, but I'm going to go with:
Mom
Molly
Amanda Mae
Rachel (of Coconut and Lime)
Lis
Cass
1) What author do you own the most books by? I've just gotten into trying to read multiple books by an author, and I have a few favourites, but in terms of owning Tolkien still takes the cake.
2) What book do you own the most copies of? Multiple copies of the same book? Um, I don't know, I have a couple accidental duplicates but that's it.
3) Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions? Yes! (Pet peeve.)
4) What fictional character are you secretly in love with? Hmm. I had to think about that a little, since I don't really have book-crushes. Maybe Eowyn?
4a) What fictional character would you most like to be? Glorfindel! (I'm a broken effing record, I know.)
4b) What fictional character do you think most resembles you? I don't actually know of any, to be perfectly honest. A book about someone who works as hard as I do would be frankly boring!
5) What book have you read the most times in your life? Hmm, this is another one where I just don't read things multiple times. Probably the Book of Tao, actually.
6) What was your favorite book when you were ten years old? Oh God. The entire Babysitters Club series.
7) What is the worst book you've read in the past year? A book called Working in Language and the Law by a rather arrogant and obtuse forensic linguist.
8) What is the best book you've read in the past year? The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst.
9) If you could force everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be? Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin. Though I might trump it with Yes Means Yes edited by Jessica Valenti and Jaclyn Friedman.
10) Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for literature? Ian McEwan.
11) What book would you most like to see made into a movie? How about Emma Donoghue's Hood? That could be great with the right director.
12) What book would you least like to see made into a movie? Oh, I don't know. Ulysses, ha.
13) Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character. I don't know that I've ever had such a dream. Or actually, I did once dream that I was a hobbit. That was pretty weird.
14) What is the most lowbrow book you've read as an adult? Um. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants?
15) What is the most difficult book you've ever read? Possession by A.S. Byatt.
16) What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you've seen? I've only seen Macbeth.
17) Do you prefer the French or the Russians? Don't make me choose between my two favourites, come on!
18) Roth or Updike? Not familiar with either.
19) David Sedaris or Dave Eggers? I haven't read Dave Eggers yet. I like Sedaris in the New Yorker but less in book form.
20) Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer? Milton.
21) Austen or Eliot? Assuming we mean George, then Eliot.
22) What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading? Oh God, there are a lot of those. I really haven't read many of the "modern classics," which I'm trying to remedy, but maybe Victorian England would be the most embarrassing. I've only read a couple of the classics.
23) What is your favorite novel? That's just a mean question. I don't know if an epic like LOTR counts. If not, then I think I'd probably say Mrs. Dalloway.
24) Play? The Importance of Being Earnest. (Though I'm sure once I read the play version of the History Boys I'll change my answer.)
25) Poem? Ferlinghetti, L'Occupation Obsédée,
26) Essay? It's hard to think of a single essay. I remember the collections better, my favourite being Sarah Vowell's Take the Cannoli.
27) Short story? Ooh, here we hit a gap.
28) Work of non-fiction? Probably Foer, Soccer Against the Enemy.
29) Who is your favorite writer? Tolkien! After that Virginia Woolf, Ian McEwan, Alan Hollinghurst, David Levithan.
30) Who is the most overrated writer alive today? Ooh, I'm not sure. Maybe Meyers but I haven't read her stuff yet.
31) What is your desert island book? Lord of the Rings? *ducks*
32) And ... what are you reading right now? Sarah Waters, Tipping the Velvet (awesome!)
As for tagging, it's hard to know which bloggers/LJers are readers, but I'm going to go with:
Mom
Molly
Amanda Mae
Rachel (of Coconut and Lime)
Lis
Cass
21 March 2009
Restaurant Review: Les Salades de Provence, West Hollywood
I think it's just about time I admit defeat. I'm never actually going to be able to post all the photos and recipes that I have "in the queue" in order. By trying to do that, I'm depriving you all of recent recipes that are actually, you know, in season. So by that token, I'm just going to try to post as much as I can until I finish my law classes in June, and then it'll be back to your regularly scheduled, at least once a week posting schedule.
That said, I wanted to let you know about a fabulous little restaurant I discovered on my recent trip to Los Angeles for an academic conference. For that matter, the food at the conference itself was fabulous, but this little French place in West Hollywood is worth writing home about. The ambiance is simple, and though the outdoor terrace adjoins a very loud, busy street, I couldn't help but sit outside. After all, it isn't often you get sunny and sixty-eight degrees in Iowa. The owner was the only staff person present when I showed up, admittedly at an odd hour (when you've just flown through a couple of time zones, 4 pm seems like a perfectly logical time for a meal). He was very kind and it was a joy to speak French again. I even got a little card for a free glass of wine with my next meal, which I gave to a local friend. The salad I ordered was quite large, as you can see, and very filling. I loved the little polenta triangles, and the fresh mozzarella. I also love the very French touches - a carafe d'eau, the little toast squares. They're open for three meals a day, and besides a number of salads they offer quiches, including a daily special. They also do crepes, croissants, and other French fair for breakfast and a prix fixe brunch. Located at the corner of La Cienga and Holloway.
Also, I have to express my glee at finding the conference hotel right next to a Trader Joe's. I'm absolutely in love with Trader Joe's, yet I never manage to live near one. As you can see, I stocked up, and all this was only $20. Unfortunately the airline restrictions meant no raspberry fruit spread or blueberry dessert spread, but I did eat an entire punnet of strawberries for breakfast. Fresh fruit! Almost makes me want to live in California. I also highly recommend their toffee, of any flavour. Delish.
That said, I wanted to let you know about a fabulous little restaurant I discovered on my recent trip to Los Angeles for an academic conference. For that matter, the food at the conference itself was fabulous, but this little French place in West Hollywood is worth writing home about. The ambiance is simple, and though the outdoor terrace adjoins a very loud, busy street, I couldn't help but sit outside. After all, it isn't often you get sunny and sixty-eight degrees in Iowa. The owner was the only staff person present when I showed up, admittedly at an odd hour (when you've just flown through a couple of time zones, 4 pm seems like a perfectly logical time for a meal). He was very kind and it was a joy to speak French again. I even got a little card for a free glass of wine with my next meal, which I gave to a local friend. The salad I ordered was quite large, as you can see, and very filling. I loved the little polenta triangles, and the fresh mozzarella. I also love the very French touches - a carafe d'eau, the little toast squares. They're open for three meals a day, and besides a number of salads they offer quiches, including a daily special. They also do crepes, croissants, and other French fair for breakfast and a prix fixe brunch. Located at the corner of La Cienga and Holloway.
Also, I have to express my glee at finding the conference hotel right next to a Trader Joe's. I'm absolutely in love with Trader Joe's, yet I never manage to live near one. As you can see, I stocked up, and all this was only $20. Unfortunately the airline restrictions meant no raspberry fruit spread or blueberry dessert spread, but I did eat an entire punnet of strawberries for breakfast. Fresh fruit! Almost makes me want to live in California. I also highly recommend their toffee, of any flavour. Delish.
17 March 2009
Happy St. Paddy's Day!
I'll have food for you soon. Until then, a photo of myself in Youghal, Ireland, from when I lived in Cork at the ripe young age of 21:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)