bad words were said

Two things have inspired me to get back in the kitchen: Top Chef All Stars, which began on December 1st, and an interest in macrobiotics I picked up from one of Tim's new hippie housemates. She lent me a book called The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics, which I skimmed through as she went to meet with her chi healer.



I haven't been able to go on a decent grocery run in a while, so Chinese takeout and eggs and toast have been featured as recurring dinner entrees lately... not ideal. Even though it was pouring rain today, I braved the elements to head to Real Foods and stock up on staples.

First up: an interesting macrobiotic recipe I made for dinner (and will be eating for the next week), polenta with broccoli and pumpkin sauce. An odd combination of flavors, but felt very clean and healthy and comforting at the same time. Perfect for a rainy Sunday.

Then I decided to get ambitious: bacon and cashew caramel corn from Bon Appetit, which I was hoping to bring to work to woo my coworkers.


Looks pretty good, hmm? Well, while making the caramel (which was supposed to boil on high for a full 13 minutes), I noticed the sauce was turning brown after only about 5 minutes. I turned to the computer to double check the timing, and before I knew it, the smoke detector was going wild, my caramel was burning, and all was lost. I was torn between waving at the smoke detector with a pillow and saving the sauce, and didn't manage to do either successfully. Bad words were said.

It's probably for the best, though - I don't know if bacon cashew caramel corn really vibes with my new macrobiotic kick.

The Holiday Ball was this weekend, and I have only two pictures to show for it. I'll have to do a fuller post later, when I can steal from Rachel's photo collection.

Reading: nothing! Finished Liar's Poker a few days ago. Any recommendations?

snacks on snacks

New blog title, new layout, new post. The excitement never ends!

Last Thanksgiving, I managed to document the end-to-end creation of a pumpkin pie, complete with pumpkin roasting. This year, I didn't quite have the time to roast a pumpkin, so Libby's was called in as a substitute. I made two pies, called (in Gap-isms) the "LY Pie" (last year pie, aka Heidi Swanson's Spice-Kissed Pumpkin Pie made with coconut milk) and the "TY Pie" (this year pie, aka Bobby Flay's Throwdown pie with a graham cracker crust). I also didn't manage to take ANY pictures, so these "inspiration photos" will have to do until I can steal some from Rachel's blog.


They were both pretty good, but not my best work ever. LY Pie's crust wasn't baked thoroughly, and I don't think there was enough sugar in the pie to offset the coconutiness. Too coconutty. And TY Pie's crust wasn't baked enough either, though it definitely had the better filling. The addition of heavy cream helps in that regard.


But I blame these shortcomings entirely on my oven. While making the TY Pie, butter in the crust melted and dripped through the edges of the tart pan and onto the bottom of the oven, where it started smoking like crazy. I had a smoke-filled apartment within seconds. Did my smoke detector go off? Yes, about two hours later, after I had already aired out the whole apartment but was working on baking the second pie at a higher oven temperature. I wonder if it's more sensitive to heat than smoke? Either way, it's a little disconcerting.

This year's Friendsgiving was a runaway success. We had 90% of the crew from last year, minus Julie (who is now visiting a boy in London) plus some new friendly faces. I'd also say that the food overall was somehow impossibly BETTER than last year. The turkey was perfect (thanks Tenley!), and all the sides truly hit the spot. And after watching both Home Alone and Love, Actually, I now feel totally in the holiday spirit.


And how could I not, especially after participating in Black Friday?? Total insanity! Gap was running a 50% Off The Whole Store event until 10AM (when I arrived), and it looked like a tornado had swept through the flagship store. There were clothes everywhere, people trying things on in the aisles, and an hour-long line that wrapped around the entire first floor. Insanity. The best part, though, was that at this flagship store, by 11AM, we had already generated as much retail volume as the store did last year for the whole day! Go get 'em, Gap!


In other news...
I felt the need to document some of the successful recipes I've created in the past few weeks, at the very least so I can refer back to them later.

Homemade Oreos, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen, which my boyfriend deemed "the best cookies I've ever made"


Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad (courtesy of Bon Appetit) - a lovely vegetarian complete meal, quite tasty. I substituted butternut squash for pumpkin, and used balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. Would anyone like to get me some cayenne pepper for Christmas?


Turkey Pesto Meatballs (c/o Bon Appetit) - brought these to a potluck last week... well, hang on. I met up with Tim and some friends before heading to the potluck, but the meatballs got devoured before we actually made it there. They're that good. I used a 50/50 turkey/beef ratio, and Newman's Own Tomato Pesto Sauce. The best part? From grocery store to table, this meal was complete in an hour.


Happy cooking!

Reading: Liar's Poker, Michael Lewis
Listening: Glee's cover of Teenage Dream

artsy fartsy

The thing I love about graffiti - and of course, I mean good graffiti (a qualifier with specific intellectual and visual characteristics I don't feel like getting into now) - is the way it makes you feel when you find it: like you're suddenly "in" on an inside joke, connected to the city. Graffiti makes the urban space less anonymous and impersonal; it has the power to pull you into its conversation, to make you take a stand. It can also be very beautiful.

Found on Valencia Street - the graffiti is all wallpapered, so it's not even permanent. Isn't that neat?

Let's see. What have we been up to? Eating, as usual.

Alison turned the big 2-4 last week, so to celebrate, we had brunch at Foreign Cinema on one of the most gorgeous San Francisco days I've seen in months. Sunny but not too hot, it was the perfect opportunity to sit on the back patio and enjoy some amazing food. The chef at FC is well-known for his eggs - he has a cookbook called City Egg, Country Egg that is going on my Christmas list - and 4/6 of us ordered the exact same dish: poached eggs drizzled with a balsamic reduction, served with prosciutto, sauteed greens, and garlic potatoes.


The photo didn't do it justice. Needless to say, 4/6 of us ordered correctly.

The birthday brunch idea was really perfect: not too crazy, not too expensive, and considering that Alison was burned out from her weekend prior in Vegas, not too alcoholic.

Happy Birthday Alfie!!!

Tim's parents were in town, so we went out for dinner at Beretta and brunch (again!) the next day at B Star*, which is a Burmese-inspired restaurant that serves delicious and unique food. They're the sister-restaurant to Burma Superstar, which is famous for its fermented tea leaf salad... tastier than it sounds.

Lauren and Angela at Beretta:

And Tim at B Star*:

Last week, I also started taking a 7-week intro to acrylic painting class, which I'm very excited about. The class is offered through the City College of San Francisco, and of the twelve or so people taking the class, I'd say 8 are chic girls under 30. Quelle surprise! I'm hoping to end the course with something I can hang on my barren walls... Our first class was dedicated to black and white, learning about the properties of the medium and how to blend and shade. We watched a demo, then got to try our hand at a still life of our own. Mine didn't turn out too badly!


At the very least, it feels good to relieve stress and make something pretty. Maybe I'll go into graffiti next :)

... or maybe not.


Reading: Jonathan Franzen, Freedom (IT'S AMAZING!!)
Listening: www.hypem.com/kcp

the Month of the Potluck

Lately, my friends have embraced the idea of potluck dinners with such zeal, I can't remember a weekend in the past month that I haven't been to one. And let me tell you - I love potlucks now more than ever! They're perfect for the "emerging adulthood" phase of our lives: we want to have dinner with a big group of our friends, but don't want to deal with the hassle and expense of eating out as a big group (and god forbid getting a reservation for 10 in this city without a month's notice!). Potlucks allow people who like to cook to bring along something yummy, and for people who don't like to cook to bring along wine. Everyone spends about $10-15 dollars, eats well, drinks well, and leaves happy. It's a win-win.

The recipes have been mostly hit, with one miss. Let's start with the miss.

To celebrate Melissa Bishop's 23rd birthday, she threw a potluck. This is ironic, considering she doesn't know how to cook at all (someday I'll recount her spaghetti pie disaster), but she does know how to provide alcohol for everyone else. Anyway, I was craving chocolate, and figured a chocolate birthday-ish cake would probably work out well. I turned to Smitten Kitchen's Everyday Chocolate Cake, and put Becca and Bria to work while they were visiting me in the city to help me make it.

It was supposed to come out looking like this:


But really, it was a crumbly mess. Like this:


And this is how I felt about it:


People told me it was delicious, and I agree - the taste was totally there, but the texture! What a mess. I think there was a problem with the kind of cocoa powder I used.

Moving along, though, there were definitely some wins. I brought along the New York Time's recipe for Butterscotch Peaches to Kate Kosco's Clambake party, which were a hugely delicious success when served with ice cream. Kate never ceases to amaze me - she rented tables and chairs to seat 12 people in her apartment, fed us all an amazing seafood dinner, and brought together a great group of girls that I really enjoyed hanging out with! Thanks Kate!!

Our dinner:


And Becca and Maggie helping set up the spread:



Last weekend, Bria hosted a dinner party at her parents' house in Portola Valley, which has the most beautiful view of the foothills you could ever imagine. Her parents were out of town, and she slaved all day over a hot grill making chicken kebabs, tabbouleh, and other yummies. Becca brought homemade pita and hummus, Alison brought cheese and crackers, and I made a brown butter raspberry tart from Bon Appetit that got rave reviews. If nothing else, this crust is to die for!




And finally, last night, Tim and I went back to Smitten Kitchen for something to bring to our friend Beto and Tish's for a dinner at their awesome apartment in the Mission. With a go-big-or-go-home mentality, we decided to swing for the fences and make a cherry pie with almond streusel topping. Dare I say, it was one of the best desserts I've ever made.


We couldn't eat a bite.

Reading: Freedom, Jonathan Franzen
Listening: www.hypem.com/kcp

loving spoonfuls

Well friends, it's official: I'm lactose-intolerant. I spent a couple weeks using soy milk on my cereal then switched back to regular milk, and my stomach was not at all pleased with the cow juice. So this post is dedicated to my favorite food in the whole world: ice cream.

I scream! You scream! People around the world cream for ice cream!

Case in point: Tim mentioned the other day that he had Berthillon for the first time, even though he spent 6 months studying abroad in Paris! Berthillon is a must, if just for the experience of waiting in a long, long line, spending exorbitant euros, and receiving tiny scoops of flavor-bomb ice cream in return. They're famous for their salted caramel flavor, which is so unusual.


Next, let's pay tribute to my favorite ice cream in the whole wide world: Graeter's. Specifically, bourbon ball ice cream, best enjoyed during Derby season. The best part about Graeter's is their chocolate chunks: they're always gigantic, perfectly semisweet, and melt-in-your-mouth. They're most famous for their black raspberry chip - I found a pint of it in Colorado. Go West, my friend! Keep it coming!!


And now to San Francisco. People in SF certainly have a lot to say on the subject of artisinal ice cream, and everyone has a favorite: Mitchell's, Ici, Swenson's, Loving Cup... we could hardly want for frozen temptations. My soft spot, though, is for Bi-Rite's Rincanelas flavor, which is a divine cinnamon-snickerdoodle concoction - totally worth the trek to the Mission, and the inevitable 20 minute wait.



Hungry yet? Me too. Good thing they invented lactaid pills :)

Reading: The Lonely Polygamist, Brady Udall
Listening: Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance, Miike Snow Remix

from basque to brogues

The New York Times published a really interesting article I'd highly recommend - called "The Allure of Messy Lives," which basically explains why we enjoy watching Mad Men. The thesis, which I find rather compelling, is that we've become so focused on being healthy and leading balanced lives, it's refreshing to watch people drink hard alcohol at work, smoke cigars, eat butter, and be sexually promiscuous. Their self-destructive habits become our escape. Read it here: http://nyti.ms/9ABr26

Let's see. Busy weekend! Bria and Becca came up to the city on Friday evening, and I put them to work baking a chocolate cake to take to a Saturday potluck before going to Iluna Basque, which is a Basque tapas restaurant owned by one of the contestants on Top Chef Las Vegas.


He's a cutie, hm?


Too bad the service was HORRENDOUS. The food was pretty good, but I'm glad we didn't pay full price (got the Groupon - $30 for $60 of food and drinks). The menu features a lot of seafood - paella, squid ink calamari, spicy shrimp, etc. The sangria was a star, as were the bacon-wrapped plums. Yummmm...

Saturday, did a little morning shopping before heading to my first day as a gallery volunteer for the Intersection for the Arts. I didn't realize gallery sitting would be so... quiet. The exhibit that is going on right now is super cool, and shows art from the Artists in Residence Program at Recology, the San Francisco dump.


Basically, artists who are admitted into the program are given a $2000/month stipend, free on-site studio space, and 24-hour access to the dump, which they get to dig through to find things that inspire them. The program has been going on for 20 years, and it's produced some incredible pieces.

Like this life-size model of a hummer made out of styrofoam:

Collages:
And found photography:

Volunteering seemed like a great idea, but I'm just not sure if they really need me. And if I'm not spending my time productively, what's the point of sitting for six hours on a Saturday??

Saturday night, went to Melissa's for her potluck birthday dinner and brought the Everyday Chocolate Cake from Smitten Kitchen. While it was tasty, it was SO crumbly! Something was off, not sure exactly what... Next time I'd just make my awesome triple-chocolate brownies. Anyway, had such a blast with the ex-Stanford/Gap crowd. I'm not ready for this weekend to end!

Well folks, it's bedtime. Rounding out the weekend:
- Seeing Ali and Roberto of Bachelorette fame on the sidewalk on the corner of Union and Fillmore. (They're more attractive in person!) I was able to contain myself enough to not ask them to take a picture with me, but didn't quite have the willpower to avoid taking a sketchy photo from 10 feet away after passing by them. See evidence below:

I think she picked the right guy. They seemed really happy - we'll see how long this lasts!!


- Four hours of retail therapy with Alison today. A very successful shopping trip... perhaps too successful?

- A great chat with Sara the night before her first day of medical school. What an accomplishment! I wish I could take some credit, but lord knows she worked her butt off to get to this point. Let's wish her luck finding the perfect outfit :)

LAST but not least... think I could rock these oxfords? Or are they too cool for me?



Reading: The Lonely Polygamist
Listening: www.hypem.com/#/kcp

summer updates

I know! I know! It's been forever. But you know what? I've got my head back in the game. Now that Round Robin is over and that Rachel has totally inspired me with her amazing blog (Vive La Goos!), that I need to get back into the habit of posting. Even if only to share recipe successes (and failures) with the world :)

Let's start with one success I'm particularly proud of: a roast chicken. Who knew it was so easy? Thomas Keller, of French Laundry fame, gave me this recipe which turned out beautifully. If the smoke detector hadn't gone off thirty times during the process, it would have been perfect!



Ingredients:

• One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)

• Unsalted butter
• Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.

Now, salt the chicken—I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip—until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/My-Favorite-Simple-Roast-Chicken-231348#ixzz0vHvCY3pu

Other highlights of the past few weeks:

- The wedding of one of Tim's coworker friends from Bain at the Thomas Fogerty Winery. I can't imagine a more beautiful setting, overlooking the Santa Cruz mountains. (image courtesy of google)


- Seeing Parker play a show at the Brainwash Cafe in SOMA. Hanging out with Jane and Parker in the city was somewhat of a time/space warp, but needless to say it was super fun getting to catch up.

- My birthday. Ahh, my birthday! So special, so much fun. I was really surprised how many people actually *remembered* my birthday, no less sending me emails and tokens of affection :) A few of my friends and I went to Beretta for dinner, followed by drinks at the Latin American Club and dancing the night away at the Makeout Room. Natalie even made the trek from Sonoma to say hello - even though she was recording with Ben Folds the next day!! Photos to come.


Okay, ONE more recipe winner, since I'm making up for lost time. This one's really delicious, and pretty darn easy:

Mascarpone-Filled Cake with Sherried Berries

Drool away, my friends!


Finally, books. I've read some fantastic books lately. Favorites listed below:
- The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje
- The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz-Zafon
- The World According to Garp, John Irving

And now, I'm reading The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall... on my Kindle!! It's hilarious, and I absolutely LOVE reading it on the Kindle. The only downside is that I can't share it with anyone...

Stomach growling. Too many food photos. Updates soon!