Completely fascinating

Take a scan through this article: http://www.thedailymeal.com/50-most-powerful-food-folk-america. I found it to be really, really interesting. There were some staples on the list, but also a few surprises -- and I've met one of them (Alice Waters, I'm looking at you)!

Seriously, though, what I thought was most interesting about this endeavor is that it really opens one's eyes to what influences what we eat. Sure, Food Network or your favorite food magazine (or other media outlet) are obvious choices -- although in those cases, the viewer/reader is already interested in food and taking the initiative to expose themselves to these influences. For the "other" eaters -- those that may or may not care about taste or nutrition, and do not have a strong interest in cooking or food culture -- the big influencers include fast food chains, Wal-Mart and other retail stores, commercials on TV...Maybe it is just me, but I found it quite interesting to think about what influences me and what I cook and eat and think about food. Anyway, the article stuck with me for a while after reading it, and I just wanted to share!

P.S. How awesome is it that Pinterest is on this list?!?! I am soooo addicted -- and in fact, I do get a lot of random food inspiration from the site (for example, the no-bake Nutella cheesecakes I whipped up last night). Don't forget, you can follow me on Pinterest and check out my boards at http://pinterest.com/asheardy.

An Evening at Baker and Banker

I’m not sure why it took me so long to churn this post out (its already two weeks overdue). I’m sure there’s an excuse of how busy I am, I’m still not over this cold, blah blah blah. Regardless, here (finally) is the recount of dinner at Baker and Banker (http://www.bakerandbanker.com).

And what a dinner it was! I forget where I first heard about Baker and Banker – Tasting Table? Food and Wine? The SF Inside Scoop? All plausible possibilities. Anyway, the restaurant had been hanging out on my “places to go” list for months when the opportunity to eat there finally presented itself a couple weekends ago. Some friends and I – the roommate among them – were going shopping to the city, and naturally, dinner plans fell to me. I actually tried to get a table at a couple other places first, and then when one at Baker and Banker was available, I snatched it up – and I’m so glad I did!

Proof that it can be done!

As small as this may seem, I actually managed to make a recipe from Barefoot in Paris last night -- the first since looooong before the holidays. Behold!

Warm goat cheese salad with homemade vinaigrette

And also, I have recently discovered the joys on Instagram. This, along with my Pinterest addiction, spells trouble!

Writer's block, a bit

As the title implies, I'm a bit stumped these days when it comes to blog topics. It is my own damn fault -- I haven't been spending nearly enough time in the kitchen lately, or thinking about food, or eating delicious food...basically, I just haven't given my hobbies a top priority lately. There are many reasons why (are you ready for this list of excuses?): I traveled a lot of the last month, the holidays were a completely hectic time, I've been watching my spending, and most of all, my heart just hasn't been in it, as cheesy as that sounds.

These are, of course, completely empty excuses. I have been spending a lot less on groceries lately, but given time and effort, I could still cook up a storm. Instead I've just been taking the easy way out -- pasta and sauce, pre-mixed salad from the farmers' market, leftovers...You get the gist. Well, enough is enough. I am still completely devoted to cooking my way through Barefoot in Paris -- a little hiatus was all I needed. Actually, I never shared these pictures:

Beef bourguignon from that cookbook (you can find the recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beef-bourguignon-recipe/index.html). I thought it needed a little something, but the roommate went mad for it, so what can I say? So, I'll be sure to keep you all updated on that front. The awesome new chef's knives that I got for Christmas are sure to help, too (thanks mom!). Seriously though, they're awesome. Here's hoping I can keep all my fingers.

Operation 2013 commences

Happy New Year readers (and while you may be quiet, I know you’re out there)!

I don’t want to take too long to reflect on 2012 and the twisty, turny, crappy year it turned out to be. I do, however, want to take a moment to think about Operation 2012. All in all, I deem it a success! For the first time ever, I actually kept some New Year’s resolutions – and then some. To recap: The point of Operation 2012 is that it was a year-long goal, meaning that each day didn’t have to be perfect and there was none of that pressure that usually accomplishes resolutions. I ran my 5K in September, have been successfully planning meals (and cutting down on grocery bills) for several months, I grew some food out on the patio, and my finances are in pretty good shape. Not too shabby, I’d say.

So, given the success of this endeavor, it only makes sense to give Operation 2013 a go. This year’s goals include running a half-marathon (although I’d be pretty pleased with just a 10K), continue to work on money issues, and spend my time/effort/energy/money on clothes, skincare, and general appearance. I also plan on going vegetarian for the month of January, partly to start the year in a healthy, whole way, and partly to atone for the meat I ate in 2012 (lamb at Chez Panisse, I’m looking at you).

I look forward to sharing the mistakes and successes that these goals bring throughout the year!

Birthday bash follow-up

I know, I know. I left you all hanging in that last post with promises to update again shortly…and now it’s a week later. A full, busy, chaotic, awesome week later, as I am about to expound on.

Obviously, the first order of business is to finish up the Chez Panisse post. Well, in case you couldn’t guess, the evening with capped off with me meeting Alice Waters. I know. I know! It was epic. I’d heard that she’s not at the restaurant all that much these days – after all, she practically has an empire to run. So I wasn’t expecting to see her at all. And then I spotted her early in the meal, stopping at various tables to chat. Alex and I began to notice something kind of weird – it seemed like everyone at the tables around us seemed to know each other, and Ms. Waters was kind of sticking with that group. Finally we deduced (well, a nice fellow at the table next to us explained) that it was a staff reunion night, which was why Alice was there in the first place and why they all seemed to know each other—because they did! Then, right before dessert, she stopped by our table and asked how everything was!!!! We chatted for maybe a total of 30 seconds, but they were an awesome 30 seconds. Alex commented afterwards that he was impressed with how composed I remained. Inside I was totally freaking out, to be sure. Anyway, it was a pretty excellent ending to an already fantastic meal.

But the birthday extravaganza didn’t stop there! Oh no, there was much more to come. First, Alex and I saw Bruce Springsteen that Friday night, and it was just an awesome show – I mean, Bruce never disappoints. And. And! He sang “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.” If you know me at all, you know what a big deal this was. BRUUUUUCE!

So then came my actual birthday last Tuesday. The last two birthdays Danielle and I have gone to Boston and ate lobster, so I was originally thinking that maybe this year would be kind of quite in comparison. Well, then Chez Panisse and Bruce happened, so there went that theory. But I still wasn’t expecting much else, especially on the day itself. Wrong again! The guys at work took me out to lunch at an adorable little French bistro in the city, followed by cake and champagne back at the office. Then a bunch of “the gang” went out to a very good Vietnamese place in Oakland (Le Chavel). It was a fun day.

And then. AND THEN. Everyone at work (which is a total of five people, myself included) went to Disneyland for a couple days. True story. An epic birthday all around. Let’s hope that this means that 26 is going to be an epic year. It’s off to a very good start.

So much to say, yet I'm speechless

Yes, the rumors are true – I had dinner at Chez Panisse last Wednesday! Yes, the Chez Panisse. And wow, was it something special. My darling brother and I went to celebrate my birthday a bit early. Consider this a life goal checked off the list. And I just have to say, it was everything I wanted it to be and so much more. I had high expectations for this dinner, and they were far and away exceeded.

Alex made our reservations a few weeks ago, knowing how much I wanted to go here to celebrate the big 2-6. We’d originally been hoping to go closer to my actual birthday tomorrow, but Wednesday was the closest we could get, and I have to say, it couldn’t have worked out better – but I’ll get to that shortly.

We got there just a few minutes before our 8:45 reservation and just hung out upstairs in the bar for a bit. Before too long, though, we were taken to our table – and it was a primo spot. We were seated in a cozy corner booth that looked diagonally into the open kitchen. From my seat I could see lamb roasting on the open grill, baskets of bread and fresh vegetables, and chefs hard at work. Also, I have to say a word about the atmosphere. Even though it was busy and a relatively small space, it still seemed quite and intimate. The whole room has a soft glow thanks to copper panels that reflect the light. In a word, magical. But enough about all of that. Let's get to the real matter here -- the food.

The perfect meal.