Three weeks in California

So, I’ve been in California for exactly three weeks, and I have so much to ramble on about, I’m going to do it as bullet points (of course, if I’d bothered to update in the past few weeks, I wouldn’t have that problem – but you move across the country and then tell me if you have time to blog right away).

Awesome things I’ve had to eat so far:

-Seafood cioppino with cheesy sourdough at Scott’s Restaurant

-Breakfast at the Oakland Grill twice – and the best chicken apple sausage – a surprisingly popular menu item around here

-Sweet crepes at Crepevine in Berkeley

-Dinner at Liaison in Berkeley – Alex had the trout almandine (a favorite of both of ours) and I had the canard a l’orange…and profiteroles for dessert

-Indian food I actually enjoyed at a little hole in the wall up the street, and pretty decent Chinese – and some Korean BBQ at a random food truck at the Treasure Island Flea Market

-Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee on every corner. You know I’m in heaven.

-Fruit at the farmers’ market. It’s like, oh, so that’s what a strawberry/peach/raspberry/cherry/orange actually tastes like

Awesome things I’ve done so far and that I love about living here:

-Death Cab for Cutie at the Fox Theater last week (they closed with my favorite song, with a freaking orchestra! It was epic)

-Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee on every corner

-Treasure Island Flea Market

-Target right up the road

-Sweet new patio garden going on

-Seeing the ocean every day

-Fresh crab meat for 5.99 at Safeway (the real stuff)

-Having money to spend on coffee and crab and cherries, and not constantly being on the verge of a mental breakdown due to a lack of funds

-Seeing my brother at least once a week

-Direct deposit!

-Weekly farmers’ market right next door

Places in Oakland I must check out – not even getting into the numerous Berkeley and San Francisco destinations (although, I must mention, I have never been to a Sur La Table shop and can’t wait…and Tyler Florence’s shop up in Napa…):

http://rockridgemarkethall.com/

http://www.urbanuniversity.biz/urban_furniture.htm

http://urbanindigo.com/

Oh, and Happy Mother’s Day, mom!

In season now

So over the weekend, I read 'Alice Waters and Chez Panisse' by Thomas Mcnamee -- it seemed fitting, considering that I'll be heading out that way on Saturday (excited squeal). The book included several examples of menus at CheZ Panisse over the years, most -- if not all -- which include local, seasonal produce. So that got me thinking -- what is in season in northern California right now? Like, what can I expect to find at the farmers' market next Sunday? Here's what I dug up:
In late April, here's what one can expect to find: Apples, Asparagus, Avocados, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherries, Fennel, Grapefruit, Halibut, Pacific, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Oranges, Peas, Pistachios, Potatoes, Radishes, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Scallions, Shrimp, Pink, Spinach, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turnips.
So I guess the question really is, what's NOT in season in northern California right now?
Just wanted to share...and gloat a little, too :)

When you go to San Francisco...

So, it’s official – California dreamin’ is now California reality. That’s right, folks – in a few weeks, I am leaving the Berkshires behind and headed west to the land of fruit and nuts. I know you’ll want to laugh at me, but I have it in my head that I need to go westward, to the land of gold and oranges.

So how did this happen? I had a long talk with myself a few months ago about where I wanted my life to go next, what my goals are, and what I felt like I was missing. One of the biggest things to immediately pop into my head was family. As you probably know, my family is scattered across the country – my parents are in Texas, my brother in California, and then my extended family is mostly in Michigan and Massachusetts. My grandparents live pretty close to where I am now, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned. I have been so lucky to be able to be close with them – I mean, I’ve always been close to them, but once I moved to Vermont and then here, I was able to spend a lot more time with them. I try to visit them every few weeks, and I bring my dog with me – he and my grandfather have grown very close, too. 

So, I love being close to them…but the price I pay is that I see the rest of my family only about twice a year – and we’re all together over Christmas…and that’s about it. It makes me really sad, because I think that as far as modern families go, we’re really close. Sure, we squabble (and sometimes worse), but we all really love each other and enjoy each other’s company. That’s especially true with my brother and I – we’re fairly close in age, and I am lucky enough to say that he’s one of my best friends.

So to summarize, being closer to my family seemed like a worthy goal.

And from there, my immediate next thought was food. I mean, of course. And of course, San Francisco and the Bay Area are a major food hotspot. Not only is Berkeley home to Chez Panisse and the beginning of the locavore, slow food movement in America, but go a little north and you’re in wine country (ahem, the French Laundry – Thomas Keller is a god). Plus the city is overflowing with awesome restaurants, particularly seafood (which you know to be a passion of mine). So that kind of seemed to make sense.

And then I thought about my job. Food and food writing are still a passion of mine (thank goodness for this blog and the opportunity to spout off about whatever is on my foodie mind at the moment, even if it is rather sporadically). I hope to be able to pick up some freelance assignments out that way and continue to move forward in that sense – and there’s the thing. I wasn’t going to move forward where I was working. Although there are some major advantages to the job, it wasn’t going to get me where I wanted to be…and I was soooo tired of being sooooo broke all the time.

Put all that together and what do you get? California, baby! So I started looking for jobs and a great one came my way and off I go! I am going to miss my grandparents SO MUCH (I wish I could just pack them in my suitcase and take them with me), but that is the only con to an otherwise pro-filled list. As the guy from Doc Hollywood once said,"Sometimes a man's got to do what a man's got to do...and sometimes, that's in California."

I’ll write again soon – this time probably about the Dungeness crab I just ate and the cake from Miette that I’m looking forward to (never mind lunch at Chez Panisse). Looking forward to it!

A trip down memory lane

A few weekends ago, my longtime friend Kate came to visit. We’ve been friends for about a billion years, but hadn’t seen each other in a couple years due to extenuating circumstances – a baby (hers), multiple moves (mine), and life in general (both). It was great to see her and catch up.

One evening, I prepared a fabulous dinner (if I do say so myself)) – Thai coconut shrimp curry and Thai iced tea (a fave of mine).  Over dinner, we got to discussing the best, most memorable meals of our lives, both home cooked and dining out. This is a game I love to play – I love to think back on these outstanding meals, who I enjoyed them with, and how they made an impact.

For home-cooked meals, the answer is easy – mini-Thanksgiving a few years back in Texas. Have I told this story already? Well, I’m going to share it again.

This was a few winters ago, not too long after my family and I had moved to Texas. Having grown up in Pennsylvania, winter in Texas seemed really strange to me. No snow – and often, not even freezing temps. Then, one day, a miracle! A snow storm hit the area. Classes were cancelled for Dad and I (my father is a professor…have I ever mentioned that?). We left the university early and ventured home, with a stop at the local grocery store – which also almost led to the car getting stuck. Funny tangent – the town we lived in gets so little snow, they don’t have a plow. So, snow is left to just accumulate on the roads until it warms up and melts. That, in combination with a whole town of people who are not used to winter driving, leads to some problems.

Anyway, we finally made it home safely. We got dinner started – roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings – and changed into our flannel jammies. The rest of the afternoon was spent playing board games with the house filled with the mouthwatering scent of roasted chicken. Everything was, of course, delicious. This is one of my favorite Texas memories, plus my favorite meal ever.

Deciding on my favorite meals out is a lot harder. Here are some, in no particular order:

Mr. B’s Bistro, the first time I went to New Orleans with my dad. Mmmm, gumbo ya-ya and pasta jambalaya.

The City Tavern in Philly, again with dad. This is just such a cool experience – one of the oldest restaurants in the country – plus, the food is delish. Many of the recipes come straight from Martha Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

The first time Danielle and I went to the Union Oyster House in Boston – also one of the oldest restaurants. I love seafood, and theirs is the best. Oh, Stanley! (That’s what we named my lobster…never mind).

In Burlington, the time I ordered two salads from the Bluebird Tavern, back before they changed chefs and were still awesome. Also, the Peking duck at A Single Pebble is to die for.  Both with Danielle, of course.

Trying to find the best fish and chips in San Diego, which actually involved a plethora of different restaurants. The place at Ocean Beach won, of course. (Dad agrees).

Viva, here is western Mass. Both times I went were outstanding – the datiles make my heart sing.

Gosh, I feel like I must be forgetting some. I’m sure they’ll come to me over the rest of the afternoon, so this may be continued. What’s your memorable meal? Was it just because it was delicious, are were atmosphere and company a factor?

The easiest, most perfect bread you'll ever make

I love baking bread. In another life, I think I ran a boulangerie (fancy way of saying bread shop). I am the first to admit that my regular cooking experiments do not always turn out the way I originally envisioned – BUT, at the risk of sounding just a tad immodest, I am a damn good baker. Bread, cakes, and profiteroles – all tend to turn out exactly the way they should. I have absolutely no culinary training whatsoever. Instead, I think the key is understanding how baking works, and then just making sure you have the proper tools and techniques in place.

So, I thought I’d share a recipe for sandwich bread, adapted from King Arthur Flour. My mom and I have perfected this over the years, and it’s pretty much no-fail. Here it goes:

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup hot water

2 cups bread flour (this is key – I’ve tried regular and it don’t work out as well)

1 cup whole wheat or white – and I do recommend King Arthur

2/3 cup milk

2 T sugar

2 T melted butter

Pinch salt

First, attend to the yeast – dissolve 1 t sugar into the hot water, and then add the yeast. Set aside for about five minutes, until it looks frothy, like a cappuccino. This step is skipped in a lot of recipes I’ve encountered, and instead they throw all the ingredients together (as did the original King Arthur recipe). However, this method, called proofing or blooming, allows the yeast to kind of “activate.” The sugar gives them something to eat.

While that’s hanging out, combine the flours, milk, remaining sugar, butter, and salt in a food processor with the kneading blade (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment – but both mom and I prefer the food processor method). Give it a pulse. Once the yeast mixture is ready, add that in as well. Continue to mix until the dough forms a ball and scrapes the sides of the mixer clean. This does all the kneading for you, too. Nice!

Lightly grease a bowl and add dough. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour. Next, grease your loaf pan. Form dough into a log to fit the pan, and cover with a lightly greased piece of saran wrap. Let rise for about another hour, or until puffy.

Finally, bake in a 350 degree over for 30-35 minutes. Top will be golden – to tell if the bread is done, remove from the loaf pan and tap – it should sound hollow. I recommend removing from the pan right away anyway – otherwise the bottom can get kind of soggy.

Enjoy warm with butter, toasted and dipped in a runny egg yolk, or in any sandwich. This also makes excellent French toast.  Wrapped in wax paper or parchment paper, the ends won’t get stale and it should last several days – not that you’ll want it to!

For an innovative take on bread, check out this method: http://www.sullivanstreetbakery.com/recipes.

Just some general stuff

I’ve been laying low (read: laying around the house) for the last couple weeks, still trying to recuperate from the holidays. I have had a headache, a stomachache, and a general sense of exhaustion ever since I returned to the Berkshire from Texas. Ugh. Maybe I am just getting old.

But the good news – I have been doing pretty well with my “Operation 2012” goals. For those of you that don’t know, “Operation 2012” was something I heard about on The Chew. Carla Hall was talking about instead of making resolutions, Operation 2012 goals help you remember the big picture. These are yearlong goals, so there’s no fear of screwing up right away and throwing in the towel – I have 12 months to get it right.

So anyway, one of my goals is to do a better job of planning meals – something I’ve mentioned a few times in this blog. I’m hoping this goal will help me waste less food and save a few bucks. At least initially, I am going really old school to try and get organized – Monday is pasta night (helpful for Meatless Mondays), Tuesday is chicken/starch/veggie night, Wednesday – a night I often work quite late – is leftovers or bowl of oatmeal night, Thursday is Asian food night, Friday is pancakes or waffles night, Saturdays are left open for some flexibility, and Sundays are slow-cooker days. This makes shopping easy and helps me stay organized. Plus, this way I can cook enough for lunch the next day as well. What do you think? Any other tips?

Once I’ve mastered this step, I can see becoming a little more flexible. For now, though, this is really working. I bought two boxes of whole wheat pasta – store brand on sale for $1 each – which was enough for at least a month of Monday pasta nights. Efficient, yes?

In other news…The CSA I belong to is having a potluck in a couple weeks. It is a relatively small CSA, so this is just a chance for the members and farmers to all meet and get to know one another. I want to go, and yet I’m a little nervous – showing up at these things alone and having to make small talk with strangers can be intimidating. At least here I’d know we all had something in common. I was thinking of making a bulgur salad with dried fruits and nuts in it – a good, healthy and hearty dish. I’m open to other suggestions.

Until next time!

Christmas plans aplenty

Tomorrow afternoon, I fly out of Hartford – and six hour later, I will be home in Texas. Now, I’m sure I have made many snarky comments about Texas and how much I despised living there – all of which remain true. However, a visit now and then to spend time with my family (and a trip to Central Market or two) is something to look forward too.

Naturally, a big part of our family gatherings involve food – well, yeah, I’m involved, so what else would you expect? My dad and I spent some time on the phone planning the big holiday menus. I always make Christmas Eve dinner, while Christmas day is a joint effort – my mom always does some kind of delicious breakfast casserole, and then dad and I do dinner. Often, actually, we end up with waaaay too much food, having two big meals in a row like that. So this year, I though, how can we cut back on the amount of leftovers? At the same time, coincidentally, I caught a special on the Cooking Channel about the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, always served Christmas Eve. Inspiration struck!

So, I decided to do a seafood dinner for Christmas Eve. We traditionally had shrimp cocktail that night in my house, so it fits. I’m planning on that, plus a main course – probably pasta with scallops – and steamers or mussels, depending on what’s fresh at Central Market (I also had to give a brief shout-out to what a fab day Friday is going to be – shopping with my dad and bro in Dallas, home of Northpark Mall [amazing], followed by a trip to Central market).

The Christmas day, we’ll have a scrumptious breakfast, as I mentioned. Right not, dinner is shaping up to consist of a crown pork roast (my idea), stuffed with an herbs de Provence stuffing and then rubbed with an herbs de Provence rub, along with scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, some kind of sweet potato dish, and probably another veggie, plus pumpkin pie for dessert. Yup, still gonna have a lot of leftovers.

I haven’t even gotten into the myriad of sweets that will be in the house over the next week. I made sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, and cherry-almond snowballs, as well as white chocolate bark and chex mix (plus some homemade dog biscuits, but those are less yummy). My brother made our traditional thin mint cookies – with help, I suspect – and I believe mom is making my favorite coconut macaroons. Then my dad always makes a puffed rice candy that’s yummy, and I’ve promised to make cream puffs for the clan. My teeth hurt just thinking about it all…in a good way.

Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned New Year’s Eve dinner. We’re not usually together for this holiday, so this year will be special. I think there’s beef on the menu, per my brother’s request, along with béarnaise sauce. Yup. Yum.

Anyway, I digress. Happy holidays to all, whatever it is you celebrate in your family. I’ll check back in once I’ve made my return to Massachusetts. Merry Christmas!