American Honey - neat

I'm a neat kinda gal... I rarely take ice in my drinks.

Usually I go for tequila - I like that fuzzy feeling it gives me... though i don't like Patron... I'd rather have Sauza.

But tonight I tried went to a place I've been meaning to go to for ages... The Woods (La Brea @ Sunset).

They have a significantly larger selection than at the Burgundy Room - which is my usual haunt. granted it's a dive bar, and it's not supposed to have a huge variety - just large quantities of the standards that the regulars ask for.

I spied a bottle with the word Honey on it... and i asked the bartender, Amy - what was it. She took out a shot glass, poured some for the 3 of us to sample. I was sold. I asked her how she usually serves it.

Neat.

Perfect.

it was destiny.

I have a new favorite drink to order at a new alternate bar...

American Honey - by Wild Turkey.

Very smooth.

I still like the warm fuzzy feeling from tequila... but this one was yummy.

Becoming Orthorexic

Ever heard of the term?

I hadn't until recently. I'm now reading Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food... and it's opening my eyes to how foods are being marketed and sold...

Terms such as Nutritionism, Edible Food-Like Substances, and Orthorexia are being introduced (not created by him - but totally new to me) & defined in this book...

Basically - Orthorexia is a term that fits me perfectly... I'm struggling with the Right and Wrong choices in Food. I want to enjoy going out and eating with friends... but I hesitate...

The argument in my head is "Where is this food coming from?"... but then i'll counter with "Don't be a bore - just go out and enjoy yourself." ... but then again - what is a good food choice?

I don't want grain-fed beef, beak-less chickens raised in cages... what about fish? Is it wild-caught or farm-raised? and where did it come from?

Remember the Melamine-tainted milk baby formula sold in China? and the tainted Pet food from last year? Well if that didn't raise some red flags about foods from China, maybe this will?

"Let's do Sushi" is a common invite I hear from many friends... but less and less, as they know that I don't like sushi... But that's not entirely true. I used to like sushi very much! But after learning about how contaminated the Eels being raised in China were - and I used to order fresh-water eel rolls all the time - I decided "NO MORE".

Honestly - these Michael Pollan books are changing my life... I really need to buy my own copy of The Omnivore's Dilemma - I only listened to the audiobook borrowed from the library... but I should own it.

Citrus time... analysis coming soon

Apples are fading away...

but it's Citrus time in SoCal.

I'm not the biggest fan of oranges - too acidic sometimes. And I used to hate Grapefruits, but I forced myself to learn to like them. I love Lemons & Limes, but never seem to use them enough even though I buy some almost every week.

Today was a quickie market day. I just returned from Reno this morning - so I popped over to the Larchmont Market to get a few items so I'd have some fresh foods this week.

So this winter, I'll do an in-depth analysis of citrus fruits. The Larchmont market seems to be an afterthought market. Vendors sent by the farmers... but not many of the real farmers themselves. Although the lady I got my persimmons from & who sells delicious looking homemade jams seemed like she was personally involved with her farm.

Last year was the first time I'd ever had a Pommelo.

Mellower than a grapefruit - with a very thick pithy part of the skin. I bought one today. Along with an Oroblanco grapefruit and a ruby red grapefruit, & some Meyer Lemons.

Next week, I'll visit the Santa Monica or Hollywood market to find some vendors with interesting varieties of citrus... to find out what is out there - and learn (and share) about my new discoveries.

Bad Netflix Planning

I currently have 452 entries in my Netflix Q(ueue) - with 24 listings in my "saved list".

The giant bulk of the movies/tv shows sitting in this Q were added about 2 years ago.

Every few weeks, I review the Q to see what's coming up, shuffle things around - perhaps bump something up to the top that is topical, or that I'm in the mood for now rather than later. I also eliminate titles that I've seen elsewhere in the meantime or am just not in the mood for.

But I haven't reviewed my Q for a while... so when I returned from my Xmas trip to Reno, what did I have waiting in my mailbox?

The Killing Fields & Schindler's List.

Happy Holidays?

These are movies I've always known I should see... and always said I'd get around to seeing someday... but at the same time?

No Paper? No Problem!

Wrapping presents... I love doing it. Just give me a stack, and I'll wrap it...

I'm kinda picky when it comes to the paper. Thin cheap-o paper? Ewww - I hate using thin paper. It needs to be a heavier weight paper - one that doesn't just flop over.

But what's a girl to do when she runs out of paper? Especially when she's trying to espouse this new way of living - being Gorgeously Green?


Well, I re-purposed a brown paper Trader Joe's bag, natch! I'd decided a few months ago that once i finish my supply of wrapping paper, I'll use the supermarket bags. My roommate ensures that we have an endless supply of these bags... For the most part, I use my re-usable bags... and rarely go to supermarkets anymore. As a matter of fact - I haven't been to Trader Joe's in over 2 months. However Gina never remembers (or bothers, or cares) to take the red TJ's bags that are right by the front door. As a result, our supply of these paper bags is overflowing out of the closet.



It folded up quite nicely, and was heavy-duty. Now I had a brown paper package - all I had to do was tie it up with strings (or ribbons, rather).


With pretty ribbons dressing it up, who would know that this was a humble supermarket brown paper bag? You could even get a rubber stamp and fancy the paper up with a design... or draw on it. I like the simplicity of this look.

I'm also a sucker for nice ribbons - especially the wired ones. But I have, and will continue to re-use ribbons if I get some nice ones on my presents.

My breakdown... chinese-made goods.

While I try my best to avoid the products that are "made in China" or other southeast asian countries... somethings just are not made in the USA anymore.

I don't know how much longer I can wear my converse. they are completely falling apart and separating where the canvas meets the rubber. also i must avoid wet pavement at all costs (not just puddles... and wet grass? forget about it - my socks will get soggy after 5 steps.

But what other brands of casual sporty shoes can I wear? I don't really have many options... and there aren't many Converse my size at 2nd hand stores... suggestions?

Computers:
I am limited to my connectivity due to the fact that I have a desktop. I am rarely home - and I have so much information that I am asked to access regularly - that if I didn't commit so many random thing to memory - I'd be of little help to those I help. And I like Apple computers. It's taken me a few years to get used to them. I use them at 2 of my jobs... and while I still don't "get" many things - I have really grown to love them.
So I want to get a laptop... a macbook... I don't need the ones with all the bells & whistles... I'm not doing any sound mixing or heavy duty photo editing... Just blogging, online banking, emails, writing letters and creating spreadsheets...

But while they're designed here in the USA... they are all made in Asia. So what are my options? get a used computer... a model that might be as old as this desktop I'm sitting at... or just breaking down and getting a brand-new apple.

And I've totally blown it the past few months... At Target, I got some slippers and a few other items from china... and at Williams-Sonoma as well. It was too late - I'd already walked out when I thought about where it was made.

so if I've already caved in and accidentally bought product made in china, and have plans to perhaps buy a computer made in china (and a printer as well)... is it OK for me to get new Converse?

I don't know what to do anymore.

Apples - a recap

See Canyon Farms - Santa Monica Farmer's Market

I learned quite a bit about apples this year. After a long spring and summer without them, I eagerly awaited their return to the markets.

At the Hollywood market this morning - Lisa & I sampled Fujis and Pink Ladys. I rediscovered that I like Pink Lady apples. Then we got into a conversation with the farmer... about how we all hated apples when we were kids. Why?

The farmer explained that the supermarket apples that we found year round were kept in giant freezers... that's why the inside was always mushy or mealy. And they were specifically raised to have tougher skins (that would then be waxed) to keep the fruit within from spoiling.

That's why we all hate "Red Delicious". who came up with that name anyways? was it propaganda by the government to make us think that those apples were delicious because they were called delicious?

Pink Lady apples have a very thin skin - and the ladies at the stand described it's flavor like that of a jolly rancher. I'm not so sure I'd liken it to a candy - but seriously - those apples are delicious.

So here's my personal recap of the apples I tried this season:

I loved these:
Spitzenberg (early in the season - sept - early october)
Fuji
Pink Lady (later in the season)
Arkansas Black (late oct-mid nov. - 5 week season)

I disliked:
Old-Fashioned Red Delicious - (it wasn't mealy - but the flavor took me back to childhood - to when i hated apples)
Jonagold - same as above
Gala - they're ok - but i'd rather have the others.

The following were pleasing, but didn't stand out like the first grouping above
Criterion (gold skin - no freckles)
Gold Rush (gold skin - freckeled) - this little girl at our Thanksgiving gathering LOVED these.
Enterprise (early season)
Braeburn - I used them in the apple pie - which was very good. (mid to late season)
Muutsu (aka Honeycrisp) - but nothing to leap at. (earlier in the season)

As for the Winesap... they were very starchy but had an excellent flavor - yet not very good to eat fresh. They are highly recommended for applesauce or baking... but I didn't get around to cooking them - so next year i'll give them another chance.. the flavor really was enchanting. (early season).

On a side note: at the market today, I wanted to buy a vegetable - just one since I'm leaving for Reno Tuesday night. Okra was on my mind... but not at the tables... their season is OVER. Just as I learned that I don't hate Okra anymore & actually wanted it again - i have to wait another 10 months or so. Rats!

Sunday Breakfast

Sunday December 21st 2008 - a very cold brisk & crisp morning.
Lisa's Birthday
we went to the hollywood farmer's market
neither of us bought much.

but i had to get persimmons... they're at the end of their season.
Pictured above is the Hachiya - the kind you have to wait till it's completely mushy - otherwise you get that weird tannin dryness and strange caking on the inside of your mouth... it feels as gross as that sounds.

Just Wondering

There are many Hyphenated-Americans... but are there any American-(insert continent/region here)

What are Ex-pats living in other parts of the world called... other than ex-patriots?

Case in point:

Grey's Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington just became an African Citizen (of Sierra Leone)

Hello ALL,

Well…as I sit here in the TGMF office completely numb yet elated. I am at a lost for words. Minister Zainab Bangura has phoned me from New York to "officially" tell me that I am now a citizen of Sierra Leone and that I need to send her 2 photos for the Sierra Leone Passport that awaits me in Freetown. I could go on and on about how much that phone call means to me, but I will simply defer you all to the "Recent Work" section on Google's Wikipedia. President Koroma now goes down in history as the "first" African President to issue an African-American full citizenship based on DNA. Congrats to all who have been on this historical journey with me. Mission Accomplished. That said, I'm so moved right now that I am literally wiped out with the gravity of this new reality. Going home to celebrate with my "dual citizenship" with my family…One Love

IW

So is he an American-African now?

American Cars?

Julie sent me an interesting article on the origin of cars - What Makes a Car American?

While I've been on a quest to buy locally/domestically... when it comes to automobiles, I've remained strangely ambivalent to the "Big 3". I actually feel a lot of contempt towards said 3 - especially after the hubris exhibited when the CEOs of said companies went to DC asking for a bailout.

And if up to 85% of the manufacturing is done internationally - then why should i support them... I'd rather go for a Toyota anyway - they make great cars. here, mostly.

I get the whole ripple effect and how their shutting down would be devastating to the U.S. economy... (the factories, the showrooms, the salespeople...) but if the companies were run so terribly all these years, they don't deserve to get bailed out.

My car is really on it's last legs - it's almost 20 years old. I will probably be in the market for a new car (or used - just new to me) sometime this year... but I hardly ever considered a Ford, GM or Chrysler vehicle. ever. They don't move me.

What I'm looking for - fuel economy, low-emissions, good design, reliability, low-maintenance.

I still have a fondness for the Mini Coopers.

On the less sensible side... i've always loved these:

My New Favorite Blog

It's not for the faint of heart. He tells it as he sees it. Says things that I may think, but that I don't really say. Not because I wouldn't say it - but because he has a way of saying it.

Rude Jude Loves You.

Check it out.

And i'm sad to say that one of my recent favorite discoveries in the blog world is ending with 2008. Simply Breakfast. Jen's photographs of her morning breakfasts are so beautiful. she's even published a second book featuring these photos. I'd get them... only I don't really have room in my place for these books... lame excuse - I could always rotate the books on my coffee tables... I have other things ahead of these books on my wish/needs lists... but I'll always keep these earmarked for something to think of in the future.

Changing Seasons at the Market

This post is dedicated to Kim. Thanks for reading, and thanks for encouraging me to get back to taking pictures and writing about my market escapades.

Persimmons are still in season (yay!) but nearing their end (boo).

I still like slicing them up and eating some almonds to start the day.

I've gotten back into drinking PG Tips black tea in the morning... I just bought my second box in 2 months - whereas before this autumn, my stash of tea bags were stale and over 2 years old.

What's not pictured are the ginger cookies that I promptly dunked and devoured prior to the shot.



Despite the fact that I have been promoting the exploration of seasonal foods, the fact that certain things are no longer easily available can be very frustrating!


Case in point: Poblano chiles. Not in season unless they're grown in hothouses. How am I going to make my new favorite and almost weekly recipe of the roasted sweet potatoes with Keffir Lime & Poblano Chiles? Also - I can only find the Keffir Limes in Santa Monica - not Hollywood. But I can usually get the Poblanos at Hollywood... thus forcing me to go to 2 markets.

And this new soup that I made and fell in love with - using Chanterelle mushrooms... next week is the last week for Chanterelles! And they are so darned expensive. $20/lb.!

The apples aren't looking that great anymore - the ones from my favorite apple vendors at See Canyon farms are at the end of their season. The Gold Rush were small, the Pink Ladies (pictured above) were bruised, and I didn't want to get the red apples. But I love that crew: Vinnie cracks me up telling me dirty jokes & stories about Canada & betting on Hockey - and the 2 girls there are funny too. It's such a pleasure to shop there and talk with people who remember you and recognize you. They remember me by now. Their Fujis were still good, and they had mandarins & sapotes (I bought one) & pears. But they are down to 5 varieties of apples when in September they had about 15!

Did you know you can get several different colors of carrots?

I have 2 red skinned varieties here. But neither have red flesh. I wanted the red-fleshed variety for my soup - but a substitution is in order - I couldn't find any.

instead, I have the red-skinned orange carrots, and the "Indigo" carrots - which have a darker red/purplish skin, and a white flesh.

There is a slight difference in flavor - but if you were to blindfold me, I wouldn't be able to detect which was which. but they make for a beautiful presentation!

Here are some Xmas Lima Beans. So-called due to their red and white swirly pattern, I suppose... and the fact that they're readily available in winter.

The title of the soup is "Elegant Barlotti Bean soup with Chanterelles & Chard" but I didn't find the Barlotti beans... However in the notes of the recipe, it said to use the Xmas Limas as a substitute... which I did.

And for yet another substitution, I used the turkey stock that I froze after cooking down the bones of the Thanksgiving turkey - instead of chicken stock. It was so good.

Routines

I like getting into a routine.
I find something I like doing - then I make it a habit.

But when something interferes with the regular patterns, everything gets turned upside down - and I get out of the habit. Or rather... because I didn't do part A, then I can't do part B or C.

Since I haven't been taking pictures lately, I haven't blogged. And instead of thinking about what to write - I've been thinking about how I haven't been writing... which isn't very productive.

Last night, however - I took a walk down memory lane (in a way). It was a reunion, of sorts - it was partial... some of the players were missing... and the location was new...

It was like a time warp - 10 years into the past. It was 1998 all over again... Me & Julie & Kim & Courtney & Rob & Jen & Sarah... We went to The Smell downtown to see our friend Rob (Damage Effect) play - opening up for Babyland (who I hadn't seen play since Al's Bar closed down). We didn't end up staying for Babyland... but we were all loitering outside the club trying to figure out what to do next...

If only Cafe Nova Express was still open... on Fairfax just across from Canter's. That was the natural choice.

That was our routine 10 years ago. It was open til 4am. After whatever it was we were doing, we'd somehow all meet up at Cafe Nova afterward... or just go to Cafe Nova & play cards, drink lattes or chai & snack on Salads or Pizza (i had no dairy issues back then).

Alas, no consensus was reached. Half the group went to Redwood Bar. Julie, Kim & I got wrapped up in conversation, got into the car & drove back to Julie's place & continued talking.

It's rad when good friends who haven't seen each other in years can just get right back into conversation with no awkwardness.

contemplating... and being thankful

It's been a while since my last posting... sorry.

Sometimes you just get caught up in your own life's dramas and need a jolt to look at the big picture again.

Thanksgiving is (was?) one of my favorite holidays... but this past one wasn't all that. The underlying feeling i had was that something is wrong... very wrong.

I have wonderful friends, and a lovely family... and i'm thankful for them - they are a part of my life.

This year we organized a family event... and it was the first time I played such a big role. Perhaps I bit off more than I could chew... but I was so stressed and all caught up in my little tasks - that when Thanksgiving day arrived, I was suddenly hit by such a strong wave of sadness.

Sadness and contemplating led to frustrations and a mini-meltdown... What did i do? I called mommy. She helped me put things into perspective. After listening to me vent & unload about the pettiest little dramas - she mentioned something about India...

- What's happening in India?
- You haven't heard?
- No - what? I don't watch TV and all I've been doing the past 2 days is cooking.
- The terrorist attacks - the bombings - the hostages
- ???

Wow - was I living under a rock? What a slap back into reality.

And when I was driving back to my cousin's to complete the cooking and have the meal, I saw a man with a sign - A Vietnam veteran who needed some money... all my food & money was in a bag in my trunk... I felt like a heel.

How many Iraqi war veterans are going to be on the streets just like this man in 2, 5, 15 years? They are going to be a part of the new destitute. Our country is still at war.

When I go to work in Hollywood, I'm seeing more and more homeless men and women in the corners asking for change or just humbly camped-out, sleeping and trying to stay warm.

So while I have countless things to be thankful for, I have this bittersweet feeling that i shouldn't be "celebrating" this holiday in such a big way for a while. I almost want to go on a Thanksgiving-Hiatus... but then would it be more of an insult that I'm not acknowledging what I should be thankful for? I have to do something different. put my work and effort to helping others instead rather than help orchestrate a big feast.

Adventures in Food

Rather than cook the Bloomsdale Spinach, I decided to eat it fresh in a salad. According to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market Cookbook - which is all I seem to be using nowadays, this variety of spinach (which has bumpy/nubby leaves) is low in tannins, and pretty sweet - and even the stems are sweet. So I tasted some, and it did taste pretty good.

Here's the salad I made. I chopped up the spinach into a chiffonade - which is kinda hard to even distinguish since the leaves are so bumpy. I added some Topo Avocado - this variety has a very thin skin... the vendor said it's even edible - and it is soft indeed. I prefer the flavor of the Reed Avocado I tried a couple of weeks ago. It was much richer and tastier than this one. Opal Basil & Pomegranate seeds (mascerated in Grand Marnier) were tossed in for color.




Normally I hate Okra. Not just because of the fuzzy skin (which can be gag inducing) - but the slimy innards. This recipe (again from the SMFM Cookbook) calls for roasting them.

First I rinsed the Okra, then with a Kitchen towel, I rubbed the fuzzy skin off. I shelled the fresh peanuts, chopped them coarsly then spread the Okra & Peanuts out on a roasting pan. Tossed them with Maldon Sea Salt, Red Pepper Flakes, Olive Oil - then popped it into a 425 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes.

The Okra wasn't slimy!!! As a matter of fact, the dish isn't bad at all. However it was rather labor intensive - shelling the peanuts & rubbing each okra. I kept pecking at Sunday's green beans & yesterday's roasted chicken - that by the time the okra came out of the oven - i wasn't hungry any more. it's a pity because i actually liked this dish. I hope it holds up well in the fridge.

How to Freeze Water

I've been contemplating switching to metal ice cube trays instead of the plastic i currently have.

I googled the topic.

Didn't realize that so many others were having these discussions:

Debra Lynn Dadd has a pretty thorough Q & A on the topic

so most metal trays are Aluminum. makes sense. I'll look into it - eventually. But i got distracted by other things...

She has an interesting site as well. She's referred to as the Queen of Green. So I'm not sure if it's worth switching over since they say not much harmfull substances transfer over. I don't use much ice but still... you never know when you're gonna want a Bloody Mary.

After pondering this topic - i think i need one. A Bloody Mary, that is.

Seasons: Autumn in L.A.

Snow does not a winter make.

If I had a nickel for every person who flippantly remarks how Los Angeles doesn't have any seasons...

This year is odd however. it was 80 degrees on Friday & it's November... and most of October was averaging in the 80s with a couple of days getting up in the 100's.

I have a low tolerance for cold - and right now i'm freezing!

Seasons do change in L.A.
they are subtle.
if you really take a look, and can appreciate these subtle changes - you will be rewarded.

Autumn
The air gets drier.
Santa Ana winds can kick up. (origin - Santana or "Devil wind" since it blows hot & comes from the northern deserts, not from Santa Ana in Orange County - and it has nothing to do with that Texan General either).
Brush fires are prevalent due to the dry brush after the long hot arid summer.
Santa Ana winds can make these fires whip out of control.

on a side note:
These fires are necessary for the Chaparral to regenerate - the seeds need the heat of the fire to open. It's part of the ecology of Southern California - the fires are cyclical - about every 10 years. What's made them devastating in recent years ----> non-native vegetation! Go ahead - plant eucalyptus trees because they grow quickly and smell nice. Their oils also burn HOTTER - and their fires are harder to put out! Also, the sprawl of the suburbs have moved people into the path of the fires - so what would have once been a wildfire in the far off mountains have become Super-Fires in people's backyards.

The Autumn light is also more golden since the sun rises & sets at more of an angle - giving us more dramatic sunsets full of gold & orange, pinks & purples... just gorgeous! and the colors of the buildings at sunset: a white wall turns to honey gold, or rosy pink.

As I sit here typing - wearing a second pair of socks & a hoodie (i don't want to turn on the heater yet) there's a sharp bite in the air. Today's sky was so dramatic! it was warm in the sun - but menacing clouds would pass by every now and again making it chilly. at sunset there was a cold wind that forced me inside.

True, we don't have those trees that turn colors as seen in postcards and the like... but the Plumeria are now in bloom... no - not native, but they have been planted everywhere.

If you see a tree with Plumeria - get close and take a deep breath - they are intoxicatingly fragrant!


Japanese Anemone is also in bloom now. Both the Plumeria & Anemone are found in various spots throughout the city - as Japanese gardening was all the rage & very much in vogue during the mid-20th century.


The Meyer Lemon trees are full of green fruit that will soon ripen into my favorite honey golden lemons. Pomegranates are plentiful, as are persimmons.

As you can see by my shopping at the markets - there's a definite change in what's available locally. I'm shopping as macrobiotically as i can. 90% of my groceries come from farmer's markets - hence I'm getting locally grown fruits & veggies that don't lose their vitality/vitamins during shipping & transit. Well, I'm having fun with it. I almost overdosed on heirloom tomatoes - but that has passed

Days keep getting shorter - nights are getting longer. rain? who knows - our "rainy" season isn't until february... but it is starting to get chilly... and what's chilly for me is anything under 65. brrrr. i'm getting cold just thinking about how it's getting colder.

At the Market

Honey Dates - $4
Okra - $3/lb
Fresh Peanuts - $3/lb
Persimmons - 4 for $1
Valencia Oranges - $.25 each
Pink Grapefruit - $.50 each
Beets - $2.50 bunch
Raw unpasteurized goat yogurt - $7
Black Arkansas Apples - $5/bag (8 or 9)
Asian Pear - $2.50/lb
"Yummy" plum - free! (given to me to try)
Onion - $.70
Brussel sprouts - $5 for 2 lb bag
Gerber Daisies - $2.50/bunch
Pomegranate - $1

I never liked Okra... but I have a recipe (Santa Monica Farmer's Market Cookbook) that uses Okra and Fresh Peanuts. I've never tried fresh peanuts before - the skins are soft! So I thought I'd try that recipe since now's the season.

There's this one stand where I always get my asian pears from - and sometimes persimmons (or whatever else they have in season) - they always add a little extra after weighing... today she added 3 plums called "yummy" - I thought they were just describing them - but that's the name of the variety.

I got some flowers just because i thought they were happy and cheerful. I saw my favorite Ranunculus later at a different vendor... too late. I didn't expect to see them - i thought they were spring flowers!

The bumpy textured spinach is called "Bloomsdale". I'd read about it, but never tried it. When I asked the vendor, he told me he likes to cook it - saute it with olive oil & garlic. He added extra into my bag after weighing. Thanks!

Today's apples are called "Black Arkansas" - they're only available 5 weeks of the year - so they'll probably be at the market thru Thanksgiving or so. I sampled one last week and it was sooo good. Nice flavor - sweet yet tart - fragrant like a "Winesap" without that starchy texture i'd been getting from them - and supposedly good for cooking. I have yet to cook any of the apples I've sampled this year. I just eat them raw every time.

There's this great looking recipe for Glazed roasted Beets - normally using blood oranges (not available til winter) but could be substituted with oranges & pomegranates - hence the oranges. I normally don't like oranges much.

I also got a chicken & the goat yogurt from "Healthy Family Farms" - they're the ones I ordered my Thanksgiving Turkey from. I feel bad for cheating on Tomas from Lily's Eggs - but I want to try another chicken to see if there's a difference. I almost got a cornish rock hen - but I wanted to stick with the chicken for now. I'll roast it with my upright roaster.

No herbs this time. I realized, my chives are growing nicely, and so is the rosemary - and I just planted some thyme & basil. The only thing I'm seriously lacking in is cilantro. I always seem to kill it - and it always wilts or gets black spots before I get to use the bunch. sigh.

Up at 6:30 a.m. - Knocked out by noon

I surprised myself this morning.
I was wide awake and full of energy at 6:30 am.
without the phentermine even.
I just couldn't sleep anymore.
This was after a night at the gallery/burgundy room where i closed the place out, waited for the drunks to leave the streets and all. I didn't leave until 2:30 & was barely in bed at 3am.

I stayed in bed til 7:30 then started working out.
Though I wanted to go to Santa Monica to hit the stairs & Farmer's Market - I just didn't go... Lisa couldn't join me and I still had so much food that there was no reason.

So I decided to tend to my sadly neglected garden on my front porch. All that sweeping & weeding & re-potting turned out to be a significant workout. By the time I was done, I was pooped.

All I wanted to do was nap. But first I had to shower. But before that, a friend needed to use my computer (and my help) to typeset some plaque she needs engraved.

Where did all that energy go?
Why was I wide awake after barely 3 hours of sleep?

I finally took a 1 hour nap, but i've been shuffling around the apartment since.
sleepwalking.
i didn't get to cook the veggies i bought this week - all i ate were salads.
as a result, I had 1bunch of rainbow chard that was wilting, 2lbs. green beans that were going limp with a couple of pieces starting to mold, 1/4 section of tahitian squash that was starting to look sad... all needed to be cooked and consumed - or else get thrown out. sigh.

so i roasted the squash, then the green beans, and wilted the chard with onions & garlic. 3 side dishes and no main course - all cooked at once since i was too busy (lazy) to prepare them earlier in the week.

Tomorrow at the Hollywood market - i'm NOT taking my cart - and only buying what i can carry.

and my persimmons still haven't ripened. hmpf!

note: the brighter orange the persimmon - the sweeter it is. you can get the greenish ones - but they'll take weeks to develop the color & ripen. my mistake of getting some not-so-orange persimmons.

vanishing black cod

I like to take pictures of my meals... but one item i can never seem to photograph...

Nobu-style Black Cod with Miso.

why?

by the time it comes out of the oven, all i'm thinking of is eating it. it happened on sunday & again tonight.

I voted today. it took over an hour! most of the previous times i voted, it took 10 minutes or less. I'm thrilled that so many people turned out - this is such an important election!

GObama!

NO on prop 8

I can't control the ads placed by GoogleAds.

Currently there's an ad which completely contradicts my political views. So here's me on my soapbox shouting as loud as i can:

NO on prop. 8

thanks.

Personal Shopper?

It's obvious I like food.
I'm passionate about good food.

I am also inquisitive and ask lots of questions. I see something new at the farmer's market & i start asking, learning, sampling, experimenting.

I also like to share said information. Knowledge is light, right?

A friend came over for dinner - it was a barter, if you will - handy-work in exchange for dinner.

unfortch, the drill which was necessary for said handy work wasn't available... but the fish would spoil otherwise, so dinner went on... modified from the chilean sea bass as the entree to the black cod w/miso. (sorry - no picture - totally forgot)

but an idea did come up: becoming a personal shopper for fresh produce. Or just plain good food. Many people complain that they don't have time to do their own grocery shopping - that it's such a chore.

I love shopping. I seek out the best items. Some are quite expensive though. I will pay more for quality. I will pay more for sustainably farmed foods. But will anyone else?

My friend Holly came over around dinnertime earlier in the week - she had some of that composed salad I threw together a few days ago (pictured in an earlier post). She loved it - she always likes my cooking. She says she doesn't have time to cook. She eats milk & cereal regularly. It's easy & convenient and she loves it. Due to my intolerance of dairy & disdain for soy & growing apprehension for grains... I can't eat milk & cereal... sigh... and to think that I used to eat the junkiest stuff when i was a kid. wow - ignorance was bliss.

My breakfasts don't take that much time to prepare. just a little thought and creativity... or working with what i have for the week. and since my foods are mostly perishable, i have to eat it or throw it out.

Now if I do this purchasing thing, for several people, then maybe i wouldn't have the problem of my bunches of herbs or cilantro going bad before the week is done. I could go to the market(s), buy a couple of cases of things (perhaps at a quantity price break), divide it up among the various clients/friends - then deliver the produce with some recipe cards? So I could split the bunch of cilantro, and not throw away food i didn't get time to prepare.

This would be great for people who really pay attention to the foods/ingredients. My dad loved the apples i brought him yesterday. But now i think he's faking his enthusiasm...

flashback 2 years ago:
me: I made these croissants from scratch! it took 2 days to make them!
dad - grabs one off the plate and mindlessly stuffs it in his mouth.
(i was horrified - it needed to be heated up and enjoyed with some jam or coffee)
me: so what do you think?
dad: it was dry.
me: DRY??? DRY??? that's all you have to say about it? it needed to be heated - but what about the taste or the texture?
dad: it was good.
me: how would you know? you downed it in one gulp - like a dog eating a treat. seriously, did you even taste it?
dad: oh i don't know - give me another one.
me: you don't deserve it if you're going to eat it that way. go back to your costco baked goods.

Ok - so i'm not that nasty - i'm paraphrasing, and peppering the dialogue with my cynical thoughts. He knows i scrutinize his reactions, so he plays it up. i'm not really buying it, so it's all an act with no objectivity, no real exchange of information. I'll never know if he really likes something or has a preference for one thing over another just because he's now telling me he likes everything i bring him. I have to catch him off guard or trick him to get something honest.

So how could I structure this? How much would i charge? How about if the clients don't know what to do with the items or don't have time to do any of the cooking and everything goes bad?

Thoughts?

Adventures in Food

Winesap apples - *** (Final assessment) Great flavor - strange texture. (5 for flavor, minus 2 for texture). maybe they're better cooked.

Reed Avocado - *****
according to the lady who sold it to me - they're only available 3 months out of the year (autumn, basically). Very buttery and creamy. So rich. I like adding it to my salad - just a little wedge. With such richness, a little goes a long way.

I also bought a Pink stripe Tomato. It was huge! it cost $4.83!!! but check out the composed salad I shared with Holly:Cross-section slices of pink stripe tomato, reed avocado, arugula, watercress, roasted chicken, toasted pecans, pomegranate seeds, cilantro

So sad. I bought mint & thyme last week. Didn't use either. They went bad. I hate letting food go to waste. I tend to over-buy in the vegetable department. I always get cilantro - half the bunch goes bad. every time. it's hard to purchase for one.

Inspiration

I was looking for inspiration.

I found it.

In looking for new breakfast preparation & presentation ideas, I stumbled across a blog called Simply Breakfast . Jen is a photographer who takes the most gorgeous photos of her breakfasts. No text. Just a great shot. So now I'm taking pictures of some of my meals.

This way, I can see how my diet changes with the seasons & moods.

I'm currently loving persimmons. This is a Giant Fuyu. I love the sand-dollar pattern it makes when sliced crosswise.

I was planning on going to Santa Monica this morning with Lisa to do a workout on the stairs, hit up the market, then pop into Santa Monica Seafood. I'm skipping the stairs however since my hair is still looking good from last night's 60's (Mad Men) inspired Halloween ensemble. Seriously - I don't know how women could tolerate curlers. Hence my reluctance to mess it up less than 24 hours later.

Now that I've started buying Jam/Preserves from the farmers at the Farmer's markets - I can never go back to the super-market varieties.

Harry's Berries makes an excellent Strawberry jam. Just recently, they had Raspberry jam at the market. They only made 48. I bought 2 jars. So good! They haven't made Blackberry Jam for several years - apparently their crop hasn't been plentiful enough in recent years - and almost all get sold fresh at the market. But I did find Blackberry Jam from another stand.

I also keep purchasing Apple Jelly from Ha's Family Orchards. Lisa gave me this great recipe for Salmon with a Horseradish/Apple Jelly glaze. But somehow the jelly all gets consumed before i can do that salmon.


I made breakfast for my dad the other day. He likes the convenience of opening a pack of that overly-processed, sugar-laden sorry-excuse some people call oatmeal.

At my place, he got Over-easy eggs with chives, half a persimmon, and half of each of 2 different apples - Spitzenberg & Gold Rush. Lucky for him, I had some sprouted-grain bread in the freezer, and some butter. I rarely ever eat bread but he couldn't even conceive of the idea of having eggs without toast. While he was eating, he was my captive audience - and I broke down why his oatmeal is such a manufactured marketing ploy to make him think he's getting something healthful while in reality it is all concocted to sell less nutrition with more packaging to spur the economy... I'll spare you the details... but if you're interested in hearing the breakdown, drop me a line.

Whatever. I haven't been sick for months (I usually get colds every 2 months - i should have had at least 3 by now). I stopped taking vitamins. I do swallow a spoonful of apple cider vinegar every morning. I eat a varied diet giving me tons of vitamins. I rarely use the microwave. I hardly ever buy processed foods. Twizzlers not-withstanding.

They still make my mouth happy

For all the talk of eating healthy & only shopping at the farmer's markets & stuff... when i fall off the "wagon" so to speak - i don't merely fall - I leap (with gusto, I might add)!

Last Tuesday at the office, someone brought the Halloween Fun Sized Twizzlers. I was done for. I can resist most commercial candies due to their dairy contents... and if i'm blowing my diet on chocolate, it has to be good chocolate.

But once I start with the Twizzlers - there's no stopping. So the next day I bought a bag to contribute to the office candy pot. As soon as I was in the car, I tore into that bag.

Wanna know what made it worse? It was a combo bag - with the Pull n' Peel variety in Green Apple, Wild Berry, Fruit Punch, Strawberry & then the regular Strawberry twists as well. Yeah - I probably ate 1/4 of the bag of 100 pieces.

I'm such a paradox.

friday's breakfast

1 egg, 1 chive, 1/2 grapefruit w/ ground flax meal

No more vitamins or supplements.

That's right.

I haven't taken my vitamins in quite a while. I never noticed a difference when I added them to my routine, and I still don't notice a difference now that i've eliminated them.

What I am doing however is getting a good variety of fruits and veggies... trying lots of different things - items I rarely ever ate. And if you scroll down to my posts from this past weekend, you'll see the variety of colors represented.

Orange fleshed squash, sweet potatoes & persimmons
rainbows of tomatoes (most of september)
Leafy green arugula & watercress
other greens in the form of rapini & chinese brocolli
white fleshed (red, green & golden skinned) apples & asian pears
deep red pomegranates
wild fish, grass-fed bison, locally/humanely raised sprout-fed bug-eating chickens & their eggs

I've strayed on occasion... I still can't resist cookies. I did have rice last week. I'm craving pasta but I haven't had it in over a month... i had some pretzels today.

But for the most part, my diet at home has been quite healthy. And you know what? I haven't been sick for ages. I usually get a cold at least once a season, but I haven't had a cold since february or march - I don't even know for sure. I feel guilty that I'm taking prescription Phentermine (sp?) - and occasionally advil or codeine even... but otherwise I'm taking myself off a section of the grid by not buying manufactured vitamins & supplements.

Food is Political

I've been blogging for about 7 months now!

I'm still an idealist, and I still talk about politics here and there but it's changed over time, and i contemplated re-naming it - or starting a new blog.

The majority of my topics deal with food. Even before i read Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma", I was talking about farmer's markets & buying locally. But I just read the Cliff's Notes version (by Michael Ruhlman) of Michael Pollan's 8,000+ word essay in the New York Times Magazine. I've also started reading said 8,000+ word essay "Farmer in Chief" and right there from the start Pollan states that food is political.

I'm glad to see that we're on the same page since I respect what he says. I'm still on the waiting list with the L.A. Public Library for his follow up to "The Omnivore's Dilemma" called "In Defense of Food". I was around 100th on the list. I wonder how long it'll take. I got the book this time rather than the audio book. I hope it doesn't completely depress me like The O.D. did.

On a side note: I ordered my Thanksgiving Turkey from a local farm (healthy family farms in Ventura county). It's $4/pound ($80 for a 20 pound bird - yikes!) It's being raised humanely and not being fed any corn or soy... I may take a ride up to the farm one of these weekends to see the living conditions. So I'm cooking the Turkey, but it seems that we might have too many people and not enough bird... so my cousin's going to grill a tri-tip, and someone might bring a ham... well, at least we're heading in the right direction... er, make that "i'm trying to coax them into the right direction".

Ecomii

Have you clicked on any of the ads on my page?

I was intrigued by one - talking about apple recipes... unfortunately the link didn't take me to the apple recipe page, but the website that hosted it was www.ecomii.com.

Even though i didn't get the apple recipes, I really do like this site! great articles and great information about ingredients to watch out for, good alternatives, and it's quite interesting.

so please click on the ads brought to you by ecomii.com - check out the site, and help me earn some cents here and there.

thanks!

Adventures in Food

Apples:
Gold Rush - **1/2 nice crunch - good texture. flavor was ok.
Winesap - ***1/2 interesting undertones - couldn't quite distinguish it - but the flavor is distinct and fragrant. the texture was odd - might have been under-ripe. I'll try another in a few days. Juicy!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Poblano Chiles & Keffir Lime: ****
Recipe from Santa Monica Farmer's Market cookbook... Note to self - either cut the sweet potato slices smaller - or roast longer... and if roasting longer, add the poblano chiles later. But WOW! the flavor combo of Keffir Lime & Poblano Chile!!! Both of which I'd never used before - ever. I don't know if i'd ever tasted Keffir Lime (be it juice, zest or leaf) - but now that I know this flavor - oh it's amazing. Love it! Lisa liked the flavors too - but the sweet potatoes were just a bit too crunchy (under-roasted, my fault). Good thing I was experimenting with a friend rather than trying to impress someone.

All about Apples

At the Santa Monica Farmer's Market - Saturday October 18, 2008

And this was just half the stand! This was the last week for Spitzenbergs... They were rather tiny too. Such a short season. All the apples were priced at $2.60/lb so i could mix & match. I took notes as to what I bought.


Yeah - that's my shadow. The light was so bright i couldn't see the image in the viewfinder. Oh well. (my pinky was raised... how dainty - haha)


L-R top row - Spitzenberg, Gold Rush, Fuji
center - Muutsu
bottom - Enterprise & Winesap

I tried an Enterprise today. The texture was nice - it had a good crunch. Not very juicy. Flavor was mild - and I was really trying to taste it to distinguish the flavors. It was alright. It's a pretty apple - great colors. But I'd chose others over this variety. I'll try cooking some of the others - maybe the flavors come out in baking.

My personal apple rankings (of the recently sampled varieties):
Spitzenberg - *****
Fuji - *****
Enterprise - ***
Gala - **1/2
Jonagold - **
Old Fashioned Red Delicious - *
regular Red Delicous - no star

Autumn!

Santa Monica (Saturday) & Hollywood (Sunday)
Poblano Chiles - 75cents for the 2
Keffir Limes & leaves - $1.50
Pomegranites - $1.25 each
Sweet Potatoes - $2/lb.
Pears - Asian & Bartlett $2.50/lb.
Persimmons - $2.50/lb.
Pumpkins - mini 50 cents each
Apples - $2.60/lb. (various)
Apples - $3/lb. (large fuji)

Today is October 19th... Technically it's Autumn... but so far this month, the average temperature has been in the 80's! Well - at least I'm seeing the changes at the produce stands.
I looked at the weather forcast for the week... It's gonna be in the 90's again this wednesday. WTF?

While perusing the Santa Monica Farmer's Market Cookbook, I saw an "autumn" recipe using Keffir Limes & leaves. I've never looked for them before - but I never thought I'd find them... but I found them at Santa Monica on Saturday. So I bought them - but i couldn't remember what else went in that recipe! So I returned to the market Sunday in Hollywood to get the Sweet Potatoes to roast with the Poblano Chiles - and use the juice of the Keffir limes... there's more too it, but those are the main ingredients.

The more i'm trying them, the more I'm loving Persimmons - these are the Fuyu variety. I finally saw the Hachiya variety on Sunday - but I already over-bought. Next week perhaps. I got more pomegranites to make another one of those salads... and some baby arugula & more watercress (not pictured).

Prop 8 and the "Protection of Marriage"

Passing Proposition 8 protects our children and places into the Constitution the simple definition that a marriage is between a man and a woman.

So if you're divorced - you've already tossed the whole sanctity of marriage out the window... and spat in the faces of your kids too (if you had any)...

If you're divorced and still support Proposition 8 - then you're a bleeding hypocrite and really have no leg to stand on.

If you live in California, please vote NO on 8!!!

10!

A new personal best!

Destination: Santa Monica 4th street stairs
ipod shuffle: selection courtesy of Carlos & Carrington's itunes catalog
Goal: 10 sets
Partner: solo - just the ipod.

Start time: 9:15 am - kinda late & rather crowded.

1st set
warmup
ipod - billie holiday
easing my way in.

2nd set
down immediately
pause before going up
ipod - led zeppelin - hey hey what can i do

3rd set
down immediately
pause before going up
this is usually a tough one but it wasn't so bad

4th set
down immediately
pause - getting winded - watch girl with red shoes do push-ups... i should be doing those too... but then she'd think i'm copying her... why do i think she'd care? why do i care... almost halfway done...climb up again
ipod - rod stewart - don't remember the song - something fun & upbeat though.

5th set
down immediately
halfway there! but i want to stop... no! musn't quit. go up sideways leading with the right foot. activate a different set of muscles.
ipod - rod stewart - i wish that i knew what i know now

6th set
wander around a bit - then down.
ipod - led zeppelin - ten years gone. good jogging tempo for me.
decide to jog to the concrete steps. it looked so odd going west. (lisa & i usually went from the concrete to the wooden set on entrada).
up - Archies - Sugar Sugar... it was peppy... there was a smile on my face, but boy was this tough.
jog back to the wood steps - stop at car to get a tissue (darned allergies).

view looking down from the middle of the concrete steps

7th set
down immediately after the break at the car.
up - sideways leading with the left foot.
ipod - Ozomatli - yes! just what i needed - a little funk.

8th set
down immediately - the Ozomatli song is giving me that groove i needed.
jog over to the concrete steps.
ipod - Madonna - Holiday. good song to workout to.
jog back to the wood steps.

9th set
down immediately
ipod - elvis costello - watching the detectives (or something like that)... i can't go up to this! unacceptable!
fine - jog to the concrete steps. up - this matches my last workout...
jog back to the wooden steps.

10th set
ipod - led zeppelin - not the lemon song but something else like it.
down - legs are shaky... but i keep going.
take a break at the bottom
up - steady pace...

can i go for one more? make it 11?
ipod - rolling stones - beast of burden

forget it - there's no energy in that song... go to the car to stretch - & enjoy the view. (this picture was taken a while back - but today's scene was quite similar).
End time - 10:35 - that was a long workout.

go to the farmer's market (no cart).
proceed to buy 5 pounds of apples (pictures and taste test results to follow), and a jar of blackberry preserves... and other heavy fruits... and i parked on the 5th floor... dummy! i take the stairs anyways.

Autumn in all Its Glory

Dinner at Lisa's.
I made the salad.
Pomegranite
Persimmons
Pecans (toasted)
Feta (goat - crumbled)
Watercress
Dandelion greens
Celery.

yum!
(thanks Santa Monica Farmer's Market Cookbook)

Delicata & Chinese Broccoli - experimenting

No real meals here - just experimenting.

I roasted my winter squash - the Delicata. Since I don't have anything strong enough to chop it raw, I pierced it several times with a knife, popped it into a 375 degree oven, and roasted it until it was soft enough to slice up (about an hour).

Perhaps I could have let it roast a little longer - it was getting soft, but was still pretty, er - crisp? not that it was crispy - but it was firm rather than soft. After scooping out all the seeds & stringy insides, I scooped out the flesh (or pulp as it was referred to in one cook book) and put it in a corning ware dish to store in the fridge. I tasted it plain. It's sweet and flavorful. I sprinkled some cinnamon - made a nice accent... but I didn't prepare any real recipe with it... I don't really know what to do with it now. At least I now know what to expect when I roast it whole in the oven, and how to handle it.

I guess i can portion it out into 2 cup servings, wrap it up and freeze it to use in the next couple of weeks. Winter Squashes are high-sugar vegetables, so I can't just eat it in large amounts if i'm trying to lose weight...

Chinese Broccoli - I prepared it the same way I prepared the Rapini (or Broccoli Rabe). I didn't find it any more bitter than the Rapini (as the lady at the stand cautioned me). It was good! Lisa suggested I stir-fry it with some soy sauce and oyster sauce & some other stuff... I'll get her recipe next time & try it.

Winter Squash - Delicata - *** It's good. It's something from the season. It's different, so I get different nutrients... I'll have to try it in some recipe rather than just eating it plain or sprinkled with cinnamon (though that was a very low fat way of eating it).

Chinese Broccoli - *** Again, it's good. But nothing I would eat raw - It has to be cooked. Nice for a change. Since i'm still new to the whole rapini thing anyways, I'm sure my rating will go up once I'm more familiar with it.

Persimmon Tomato - **** Never heard of it until the SM Farmer's Market. It is very fleshy, and orange in color like a Persimmon - but it's a Tomato. Nice texture - and since it doesn't have as much of the slimy seed stuff, I did enjoy it more than a standard tomato. I had it with the olive oil, balsamic, avocado & basil.

The Future of Our Nation?

Kids Then Children Now (by Robbie Conal In collaboration with Debbie Ross)

Infrastructure doesn't only encompass roads & bridges & waterworks & sewage systems...

It also includes schools, education, access to affordable healthcare & basic nutrition... If we don't invest in our future, who is going to run the country when it's their turn to come of age?

How did so many politicians become so stingy with education - and the public education system? How many were the product of public education? how many send their children to public schools? i wonder. has the percentage gone up (doubtful)? stayed the same? gone down (most likely)?

Can Anyone Explain This To Me?

The Lincoln Savings & Loan meltdown...

I get it in vague terms.

I get McCain's role, and why his actions to stop regulators from intervening was criminal.

I remember the scandal - and the bailout...

Charles Keating was convicted and went to jail. The other senators were disgraced and didn't seek re-election... But somehow McCain got a slap on the wrist - and continued pushing for less regulation.

But how exactly was the $$$ being toyed with? I know that it had to do with some failed real estate investments (sounding too familiar already), but how does the bottom just fall out? how did it fall out then?

I know why it's falling out now... I saw it first-hand when I worked at a Mortgage company. Wanna know why I quit? among other reasons, I just couldn't stand the greed and the lies.

I couldn't bear to watch so many people who had no business buying houses (waaaay beyond their means) were enjoying this life of luxe - while I was just paying rent, and driving a 1989 Toyota Camry. I was the paper pusher... i saw how numbers were fabricated on the NI/NA (no income/no assets) loans... The borrowers were going "Stated/Stated" or "Made-up/Made-up". I could have made up my own numbers and gotten a condo.

I was a bit jealous... but i was also full of contempt for those liars (namely the borrowers, the loan officers, and the bank account executives). The Loan Officers and Bankers got their commissions... they were living large for a while... and no - it never trickled down to the general office staff - not even me, the "Executive Assistant" - it was a fight to get any raise let alone health insurance. Now the lying borrowers are being foreclosed upon... the lying loan officers are looking for new work since the mortgage business is in the shitter, and well, many of the banks we used to work with are now going under. Surprise, Surprise!

The writing was on the wall, and I wanted no further part of it... I didn't want to see it, I didn't want to help pass through the papers that assisted lying cheaters.

That's why I'm so opposed to the bailouts! So many were riding so high while I was just sraping by, under the radar, in my rent-control apartment, still driving my '89 Camry.

What ever happened to having good work ethic? Responsibility? Accountability? Why do the profits get privatized (to the select few) and the losses turn into bailouts?

And are the companies/banks that are getting benefits from the bailouts going to share any of their profits (if any)? Who owns them? Offshore multi-national corporations headquartered in Dubai?

I'm not liking this one bit... I don't get what's going on... but I can smell something's rotten!

In Case of Emergency

I've been reminded - and would like to pass this on...

Have a stash of emergency cash available.

I used to deal strictly with credit cards, and sometimes would go weeks with hardly a $5 bill in my purse and scraps of change in jars at home...

Imagine if suddenly we had NO access to any of our money. What if there's an earthquake and the power goes out. for a week!

or imagine that some fraudulent activity went on and your bank closes your account while things get repaired - on a friday... and won't let you have anything until monday or tuesday... This just recently happened to a friend of mine - Washington Mutual froze her account on a friday when they saw her account's security was comprimised - but even when she went into the branch to try and talk to a manager - she still couldn't get any of her own cash!!!

So if you don't already have an emergency stash somewhere... start one. now.

and with all this crazy talk going on about the economy and banks being bought up or bailed out... it's a good idea to have some cash on hand.

just sayin.

9!

That's my new personal best... 9 sets at the Santa Monica Stairs.  

Last time I did the stairs was several months ago - so this wasn't a level I was working to... I just kept going until my thighs wouldn't lift me up any more steps.

Lisa went on to do a 10th set - but those last few steps up on my 9th round were like trudging though mud - I seriously couldn't lift my legs up anymore... and they were shaking!

So what did we do next? Santa Monica Farmer's Market, of course!

There is this one stand that had 12 different varieties of Apples!  Included were: Winesap, Braeburn, Empire, and Spitzenberg (among others).

I'd read (in the Farmer's market cookbook) that the Spitzenberg was Thomas Jefferson's favorite, and that eaten raw, it is "flavorful, complex crisp, sweet-tart" and cooked it's "warm caramel flesh, best sugar-acid balance, moist, soft texture, deep apple flavor"... So I had to give it a try.  I bought 4.  They are kinda small - and I wanted to cook some to see what they'd be like, but I've already eaten 2 of them.  They're very good!  nice crunch and texture. the flavor is delicious.  If you ever see them at the market, don't pass them up - give them a try!

I didn't find my favorite "pink stripe" tomato - that was one i found at the Hollywood market... But there was this one stand that had about 2 dozen varieties of heirlooms & other tomatoes.  I got a few (again). They just look so good!

Spitzenberg Apples- ***** 

now I just need some advil and/or muscle relaxers... i think i'll be in even more pain tomorrow - it's always the 2nd day after a workout that's the killer... of course Lisa & I didn't stop - we went on to do abs & arms when we got to her place... so my triceps are hurting too.

Adventures in food - a new series!

Since I'm experimenting so much with new ingredients at the various Farmer's Markets as the seasons keep changing... I might as well start a series...

So tonight's new items:

Broccoli Rabe & Jonagold apples. Not together, though.

I did a simple blanch and saute of the Broccoli Rabe.

I brought a pot of salted water to a boil, added the chopped Broccoli Rabe & cooked it for about 2 minutes. I let it drain over the sink and sit in the strainer while i heated some Adam's Ranch Olive oil & sliced 4 cloves of garlic. When the oil was hot, I added the garlic until the perfumes were released - then added a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes I bought last week when I went to Penzey's (they have the best spices!). Then I added the well-drained Broccoli Rabe... tossed to coat & heat through... & voila!

Originally I was going to cook this with Hot Italian Sausage (from trader joe's - not organic, i know) & pasta - but as I'm trying to lose weight - I opted for just the veggies.

Easy & delicious.

I also bought Chinese Broccoli, which the lady at the market said was more bitter than the BR. It has a coarser leaf, with a little ruffle, and a darker color. I'll try cooking that the same way to see how it compares. That will be tomorrow's side dish.

Broccoli Rabe ***
not really my fave, but it was good. I'll have to try it with other things. I had this alone, so the meal was - well, it was comprised of Broccoli Rabe, Garlic, Oil & Red Pepper Flakes. (note to self: go easy on the red pepper flakes when they are new & fresh - they are so much more potent than the stale old ones...)

Jonagold Apple **1/2
I prefered its flavor over the Old-Fashioned Red Delicious's - but it still reminded me of that apple flavor I knew growing up when I didn't like apples. The texture was not all that mealy but there was something to it that made me not like it.

When I was a kid - the fruits we had in the house mostly comprised of apples, bananas, grapes & oranges (in the summer we'd get melons, strawberries & stone fruits - and other seasonal items occasionally). Boring! Needless to say - i wasn't much of a fruit eater.

My dad loves apples. but he eats mindlessly. he just eats an apple while reading a magazine or the newspaper. he doesn't seem to pay attention to the flavor or texture. he just eats them. he'd always get Red Delicious. Back then, we used to shop at Alpha Beta on Pico & Beverwil... and all I knew about apples were the 3 colors - Red, Golden Delicious & Granny Smith (green). I'd go with my mom to the market, and that was the routine - getting a bag of Red apples.

I never really questioned it. It was just what we'd get. Eventually I noticed there were Jonagolds & Jonathans - and sometimes we'd get those too. I never enjoyed them. I never wanted to eat an apple. I never craved apples. In fact - I hated them!

Alpha Beta was eventually bought out by Ralph's - and our regular store (which was really going downhill and had a pathetic selection near the end) closed down.

We started going to Vons in Cheviot Hills. Maybe that's when I noticed the Galas and the Fujis. They were more expensive than the cheapo Reds (by what - a nickel or two?) but we eventually tried the Galas. I liked them a little better.

For some reason, we never got the green ones. My dad always reached for the Red.

Eventually, when I hit my teens, i did start questioning this - and would start getting green apples instead. Hey - I was finally eating apples - that's a good thing, right?

But I didn't try the Fujis until i was in my 20's and moved out of my parents' house. I love Fuji apples.

I was actually craving apples during the early summer months - when they were out of season locally. The only ones they had at the farmer's markets were the ones kept in cold storage from the previous season. Not good. And buying Washington Apples (let alone New Zealand) goes against my buy local philosophies.

Now that they're back - I'm taking this opportunity to try as many varieties as I see to really find out which ones I like best, & which ones I like least.

Most of those fruits I grew up with - the Red apples, green grapes, oranges & bananas - are now my least favorite fruits. At one point, during High School, I ate a banana almost daily with my lunch. But one day, my tastes just changed - and I was disgusted by them. I still don't like them much. I'll have a banana bread muffin once in a while - or I'd occasionally have a smoothie back in the day (when I could still tolerate milk) with a banana... but most of the time, the thought of the flavor simply repulses me.

I like these experiments... keeps things fresh and exciting. I'll get in a routine for a while, then switch it up. I enjoyed the figs, berries, peaches, apricots, cherries et. al. during the summer - but now i'm enjoying apples, pears & grapefruits again.

The 3rd apple I bought last sunday was the Mutsu (also known as the Crispin locally), I have yet to try it - it's still in the fridge.