I was shot in San Francisco
Ah, what lovely round hills you have… what wonderful farmer’s markets… what singularly wacky, fascinating, witty people… sigh.
I’ve been shot through the heart, with an arrow, of love. Also, I’ve been shot with a camera, by my editor/producer/dictator, Chris. We filmed material for 2-3 more episodes which are now in post-production, so I’m told. We recorded shows for Banitza and Apple Leek Risotto with Shrimp. Looking forward to showing those to you as soon as Chris is finished making me look like I know what I’m doing. It may take a while.
We also made Paella and bunches of Hummus. I gorged on savory crepes which were surprisingly abundant, as well as delicious Indonesian lemongrass noodles, and beautiful home-made Indian ice cream.
I’ve been in love since we visited San Francisco this past May, and I’ve been bravely resisting the urge to drop everything and just move. We were there for a week, longer than previous visits, and had the chance to really experience the life, meaning excellent food, beautiful sights, stimulating conversation. Also… steep hills and carrying groceries home by hand which has a firming effect on the legs and posterior. Built-in exercise, granting the ability to eat more - yet another thing to recommend this city.
Filed under Rants | Comment (0)Yay! Updates!
After a long-ish hiatus, I’m finally getting around to doing a few updates.
Coming soon: Chicken & Chorizo Paella, various Hummusses (Hummusi?), Apple & Leek Risotto, and funny-but-true stories of our San Francisco Shoot. (I promise).
Filed under Rants | Comment (0)Really Cool Knives
I ran across this article in Gourmet magazine about this Ohio-based knife factory where they still make their knives by hand. The Warther Carving Museum and Knife Factory. I had to take a look because I have an unhealthy love of cutlery, and I have to say, they are beautiful. What really blows my mind is that you can get a set of hand-made knives like these for much cheaper than your run of the mill Henckels or Shun or whatever your blades of choice. Take a look for yourself.
Filed under Rants | Comment (0)What is Umami?
When you eat something and it feels and tastes rich and luscious and you sort of want to swirl your tongue along the roof of your mouth to get the full intensity of the flavor, that’s umami. Umami is the fifth taste, it’s less obvious and more difficult to capture than the other four. Foods rich in umami have a satisfying, almost addictive quality, foods lacking it taste watery, thin. When you are cooking something and you find that something is missing, but you can’t quite put your finger on what, likely you’re missing some umami. A bit of parmesan, some ground up anchovies, some tomato paste or a dash of soy sauce - depending on which cuisine you’re dealing with - will usually do the trick. Continue reading »
Filed under Rants | Comment (0)I like bowls.
They’re the best way to serve things, because you don’t really need a table to eat from a bowl, the bowl, by it’s nature, contains whatever is in it much more effectively than a plate, so even if you’re eating sitting on the rug with the bowl in your lap, you’re good to go. The bowl radiates warmth and naturally wafts the aroma of the food up towards your face, drawing you in. You can hug a bowl, the way Pooh hugs his pot of honey, which is a comforting thing.
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