Shortest Blog Post Ever

I'm writing this in between pre-holiday trip errands, so rather than recap recent events, I'm just going to summary and provide recipe links where I can.

A quick visit from my younger sister prompted a breakfast run at Miss Shirley's Cafe here in Hampden. If you're a breakfast food purist, I'd suggest hitting up another establishment for your brunch. But, if you're a fan of delicious flavor - specifically in the chicken and waffles vein - then make a beeline for Miss Shirley's as soon as you have pants on.

Tony had the Benne Seed Chicken & Waffles (boneless fried chicken with honey mustard on white chedder & green onion waffles with jalapeno butter).
While I had the What Came First, The Chicken or the Egg? (which consists of a poached egg on a buttermilk buscuit with a pepper sausage and beef gravy).

Jo had eggs and hash browns. And the Savory Grits, which are made with applewood-smoked bacon and marscapone cheese. They'll put you in a food coma approximately 15minutes after ingesting.

This past weekend has been dedicated to one single-minded venture: baking. LOADS of baking. Mostly for parties but also for a few holiday gifts. Friday I managed to turn out several dozen of the Shortbread Bakery's Earl Grey Tea Chocolate Truffles. Note to would-be bakers: Do yourself a favor and invest in some non-latex gloves before rolling the truffles. You'll save a lot of time and water wasted washing your hands repeatedly.

Next, Alton Brown's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. The key to this recipe is melting the butter before mixing in the sugar and using bread (instead of all-purose) flour. If you don't have a #20 ice cream scoop (I know I sure the hell don't) then simply use a 1/4 measuring cup instead.

Finally, to cap off the weekend, I turned to the good folks at Cooks Illustrated for a coconut-free, not too sweet Carrot Cake/Cupcake recipe. Unfortunately, you need a subscription to log into the site, but for $4 a month, the how-to videos alone are worth the expense.

Whew! Ok, I need to motor. I've got at least 13 hours of driving ahead of me and I need to make sure all my playlists are in order prior to my departure. I hope each of you have an AMAZING holiday and an equally kick-ass New Year!

Happy Eating!

The Perks of Being a Blogger: Free Steak from Hearst Ranch

Sometimes it literally pays to be a blogger.

Case in point: Not long after returning from the UK (photos to follow shortly), I found out that I'd been picked to receive a free sample from Hearst Ranch. HR specializes in grass-fed, open-range meats, all of which is available for order.

(This photo isn't mine. It's from the site. But I could totally take a picture like it if I bothered to use something besides my phone.)

And thank GOD it is! I was a tad apprehensive initially, as the last steak I purchased from a local grocer had a mouth feel on par with cardboard. But, I needn't have worried: This stuff is fabulous - it practically melts in your mouth assuming you haven't burned it, and even then I suspect it would still taste pretty damn spectacular. I received two very well-sized flank steaks in the mail during the week. (I also received the dry ice it was packed with, which was fun to play with for 30 minutes or so.) Steak #1 is in the freezer for the next few weeks, but steak #2 was immediately thawed for consumption.

After returning from a weekend wedding trip to Rochester, NY (Congrats, Tiffany & Steve!!), I scrounged around for an easy, non-grill required recipe to prepare the meat. I ended up tweaking an old Cook's Illustrated recipe, adding on a balsamic reduction for additional flavor. Throw in some rice and diced veggies, and you've got yourself a meal!

I'll post photos and food stories from London and Newcastle soon (aka, when I find the cable to for my camera). But let me offer some items to distract you in the meantime:

Books:
Packing for Mars by Sarah Roach




Good if you like easy-to-digest science texts, space odysseys, or just really want to know just how astronauts use the bathroom in zero gravity.





Music:
The Archandriod by Janelle Monáe





For those who enjoy funk and R&B or who think that Andre 3000 is an under-appreciated genius.

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Pan-Roasted Flank Steak with Garlic-Shallot-Rosemary Marinade
(Courtesy of Cook's Illustrated November, 2005)

Marinade
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

Steak
1 flank steak (about 2 pounds), patted dry with paper towels
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Balsamic Reduction
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. For Marinade: Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth, scraping down blender jars as needed.

2. For Steak: Using dinner fork, poke steak about 20 times on each side. Place on rimmed baking sheet or in large baking dish; rub both sides of steak evenly with salt and then with paste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Using paper towels, wipe paste off flank steak; season both sides of steak evenly with pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Set steak in skillet and cook until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, flip steak; sear until second side is well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Place skillet in oven and roast until slightly less done than desired, about 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Using potholders to handle skillet, transfer steak to cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Using sharp chef's knife or carving knife, slice steak about 1/4 inch thick against grain on bias. Serve immediately.

4. For Balsamic Reduction: Over medium-low heat, add the vinegar and brown sugar to the pan used to sear the steak, and whisk to combine, scraping up any bits still on the pan. Cook and reduce until thick, about the consistency of maple syrup. Whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve over the slices of steak.
   

Palm Leaf Plate Bonanza: Shrimp with Corn and Basil, Zucchini Parm Crisps, & Interesting Moments at the DMV

August is proving to be an odd month, full of various forms of travel, my husband's impromptu decision to buy a used pickup, and just plain randomness around the city.

Case in point: The DMV really, really, really messed up the spelling of my name and the VIN number on my car title, which in turn really, really messed up my loan with my bank. It was an easy enough fix, but it required a 2hr stint at the Baltimore City DMV to complete (and by complete, I mean wait in line for) my amended paperwork.

I remember remarking to a friend once - after watching a small child lick the entire front side of the glass door to the waiting area - that it seemed like the most random (see?!?) mix of individuals were always sitting at the DMV. To which my friend noted that it wasn't so much that the crowd was random as much as it lacked anyone who might be considered "normal."

I wonder if that includes me?

Anyway, the DMV in B'more, in an effort to make the glacial-speed passage of time more tolerable, has introduced the MVN: The Motor Vehicle Network. The red and black digital notice board has the techno-savvy of a game of Frogger, but the flashing news alerts do provide at least a temporary distraction. In addition to news and current events, it also flashes random bits of trivia and miscellany:

Here's a close-up shot.
That's right. The MVN did a bit on the RPS Society. Of which my hubby is a card-carrying member. (No joke.)

But life can't be all about long queues and road trips. Sometimes, life throws you a little break every now and then. This time, said break came in the form of a product review and free sample.

Ah, the life of a blogger. It rocks (at times). Case in point: the good folks over at Marx Foods, who specialize in fine foods in bulk, sent over a sample of their new Palm Leaf Plates to try out. Palm Leaf Plates are earth-friendly (read: biodegradable and compostable) disposable dinner ware for the trendy and/or eco-conscious set. As a person with pseudo-hippie leanings (as Tony likes to say), I was intrigued.

I received a large set of square salad plates and round dip bowls and soon put them to use. First up: a picnic in the park. Now, green space may not be the first thing to come to mind when one thinks of Baltimore, but the area known as Patterson Park is really very charming. There are tennis courts and softball fields, plenty of spaces to walk a dog or two, and even an ice skating rink in the winter. Tony was having a bit of a week, so I decided to pack up some fried chicken and bubbles, and then we hopped in the truck and set off for a picnic date.

I gotta say, the plates held up very well. Though the palm leaves look...grainy(?), the plates and bowls never splintered or split. And none of the grease from the chicken soaked through the plate, sparing our clothes. We just sat back and enjoyed the fried food and people & dog watching for the afternoon.

Test run No. 1: Success!

We still had some samples left over, so I decided to try a hot plate this time instead. A weekend trip to the farmer's market left us with several pounds of zucchini in need of eating. So, I decided to try out a recipe posted by a college chum (Thanks, Tracie!): Zucchini Parmesan Crisps.

The dish is more a less a healthier version of fried zucchini, but with less prep work and cleanup.

To pair with the veggies, Mary's take on Shrimp and Corn with Fresh Basil from One Perfect Bite. I find that shrimp-based recipes usually don't provide enough shrimp (what's up with that?), so I simply doubled the shrimp to 2 lbs and upped the butter from 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup. Paula Deen would have been proud.

You can check out Mary's shrimp recipe here. For the zucchini, head over here. The only adjustment I made to that recipe was to bake the zucchini slices on a cooling rack that I set inside of a sheet pan. That way, both sides were able to crisp up nicely!

Once again, the Palm Leaf Plates held their own. The shrimp dish produced quite a bit of liquid, but none of it soaked through. And the plates were cool enough on the bottom to rest on my lap, despite serving the meal straight from the stove top. Also, while I could tell that the plate was softening up a little from the combined heat and liquid, my fork never pierced it or pulled up bits of food-soaked pulp. No need to double layer paper dishes for once!

I decided to put the last of the bowls to good use and served up dessert. Fresh Peaches & Berries with Drunken Crème Fraiche. HO-LY CRAP was this dessert good. Tony fell asleep in between courses, and I honestly came thisclose to eating it all myself. The bowl proved more than able to handle two quickly digging spoons attacking its contents. And some subsequent bowl-licking afterward.

All in all? The Palm Leaf Plates are definitely worth an investment. They're durable, practical, elegant, and (bonus) eco-friendly. And unlike, say, those compostable Sun Chips bags, you can use them without waking the neighbors. (If you've had an encounter with the Sun Chips bag, you'll know what I mean.)

Think of it as giving Mother Earth a really fashionable, culinary hug. You can order a set for yourself, including flatware and utensils, or just find out how the hell they make these things at the Marx Foods site here. While I think the price could be a tad more budget friendly, the product definitely holds up to some hefty standards of form and function.

Palm Leaf Plates: 4 1/2 out of 5 spatulas

Great Gift For: Outdoor entertainers, BBQ enthusiasts, Hungry tree huggers, Trendy environmentalists, & Picnic lovers.

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Fresh Peaches & Berries with Drunken Crème Fraiche

2 large peaches, sliced
1/2 cup blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 - 1/2 cup crème fraiche
1/8 cup (approx 5 tbsp) brandy or Bailey's Irish Cream

1. Toss the peaches and berries with the brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Set aside and let the bowl sit for roughly 30 minutes.
2. Mix together the crème fraiche and the brandy or Irish Cream.
3. Layer the fruit with the crème fraiche. Drizzle the rendered fruit juice over the top.

June Runaround Entry 1/3: The Art of Gaman

Tony and I have/will be spending a great deal of June running back and forth between different events. So far I've described our trip to SC, but now I'll fill you in on our trip to DC to check out The Art of Gaman showcase at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Gaman is Japanese for the act of bearing the seemingly unbearable with dignity and patience. It's a fitting description and tribute to the generations of Japanese and Japanese Americans who were forced into internment camps during World War II. Members of my mother's family, as well as family friends, were forced to live in camps spread across the western and mid western US. Japanese Americans were given a week's notice to gather their family, along with some linens, cutlery, and clothing - but only as much as they could carry - before each family/person was assigned an identification number (written on a tag that was literally pinned to each individual) and "relocated" to one of 17 detention centers. (German American and Italian American camps also came into existence around this time.)

The Gaman exhibit is a showcase of the art that internees created while in the camps. It's a testament to their artistic skill - many artists hadn't created anything prior to interment and several never created anything again after. Without sounding too cheesy, it's also a poignant example of a people's refusal to be deprived of their humanity.

I can't recommend the exhibit enough. It's at the Renwick Gallery, and - bonus! - is free to the public. You can check out a slide show of some of the exhibit pieces online. However, I managed to snap some photos before one of the security guards politely reminded me that was a no-no.

These pieces are actually made out of pipe straw cleaners and surplus mayonnaise jars.

Orphans of Japanese decent were also sent to camps. Caretakers made an attempt to make the camps as comfortable as possible for the children. This photo, taken taken by Ansel Adams, depicts the pond and garden of the Manzanar Relocation Center in the Eastern Sierra region of California.

Chiura Obata was an art professor at UC Berkley before he was relocated to a camp in Jerome, AK. Prof. Obata painted this picture of an incident at the camp, where a guard shot and killed an old man who had been chasing a dog that was near the camp fence. The old man, who was deaf, was unable to hear the guard's order to stop, and was killed because the guard thought he was trying to escape.

Geta are a traditional Japanese sandal. The conditions of the assembly centers and camps - which were usually old race tracks and fair grounds, as well as reservations (Native Americans who lived in these areas were forced to move - again) - made shoe and sandal use a necessity. These geta were fashioned from scrap wood found around the camps.

I took this photo because I love to crochet. This purse was created by a resident of the Gila River Relocation Center in Arizona. It's hard to see, but the handles are actually painted with a scene from the camp.

Congress has since determined that the evacuation of US citizens of Japanese decent was unnecessary. However, it's still on the book as being completely legal, which I find infinitely disturbing. I hope more people turn out for the exhibit, if for no other reason that to educate themselves on a darker, but no less important, part of US history.

Part 2/3 of the June Runaround will be decidedly more chipper. Coming up: Dual Baby Showers: Giving Momma What She REALLY Wants.

Dallas Recap: Haunted Hotels and Horror Movie Premieres

Oh it's good to be back coast-side. Nothing like travel to make you appreciate home, you know?

So, for those who work outside of the ever-exciting field of population demographics, April is generally the time of year that the Population Association of America holds its annual conference. This year, the conference took place in Dallas, Texas. And, yours truly was requested to attend for work.

Now, I've never actually been to Texas. I've driven through it, passing the world's largest crucifix, several chain gangs, and a handful of armadillos, but had yet to actually spend any significant amount of time in the state. Reports from friends about the area were, unfortunately, not very promising, and particular vitriol was saved especially for Dallas, so my expectations for the city were not too high by the time my plane touched down.

I'm happy to report that Dallas is not as tragic nor backwards as initial rumor indicated. Sure, the airport is far from convenient and the fundamental religious sect has no problem flaunting their crazy out in the open, but otherwise I had a pretty good time.

The conference hotel was booked before I could make a reservation, so I ended up staying at the Adolphus Downtown Hotel. It was cute! The hotel is pretty boutique-y (which I like), surprisingly affordable, serves high tea in the afternoon, and it was founded by Adolphus Busch of the Anheuser-Busch company (which I like even more). My room was a very nice suite with dining/lounge area, clean sheets and a well stocked minibar. Worked for me!

Unbeknownst to me, however, was the fact that the hotel seems to have some permanent guests. After chatting with a coworker who had roomed on a higher floor, I discovered that the Adolphus is apparently quite haunted. The epicenter of activity is the 19th floor, the previous location of the hotel ballroom. Guests often report hearing big band music or lots of chatter and movement in the halls, only to discover that there's nothing there. There's even a lady in white ghost (a bride who died after being jilted by her groom on their wedding day) who roams the building. My coworker complained that she heard voices outside her room, only to find an empty hallway upon closer inspection.

Now, I didn't experience any such thing. The oddest character I spotted in the hotel was the bellhop who bore a more than passing resemblance to Elvis, and the only noise I heard was caused by a different type of unexplainable entity: a gaggle of teenage girls in town for national volleyball team tryouts. The horror...

But it wasn't all demography and ghosts. I did make it out to some of the surrounding Dallas neighborhoods. My boss and I headed to the West Village with a friend of her friends for dinner at Mi Cocina. When we got out of the taxi only to confront a huge group of photographers and a red carpet, we were a tad confused.


We made it into the restaurant and soon found out that the scene was part of a press junket for a movie premiere: Walking Distance. I still have no idea what the film is about, and we sat next to a pair of extras from it. We did find out that it's the first movie to feature Adrienne King (who played Alice in the original Friday the 13th), who hasn't been on screen in some 27 years as she was dealing with a particularly frightening stalker in real life.

But enough about horror movie fare: let's get back to the food! Mi Cocina is trendy, which is fine, but I'm more of a casual/neighborhood eats type diner. The margaritas were small, but potent, and the brisket tacos I ordered were pretty tasty, if a tad greasy. However, I was so hungry that I neglected to take a photo until I finally paused between bites and conversation.

It was good, trust me.

The next day I was mad-craving some southern-fried cuisine. I originally planned to head to South Dallas (per the recommendation of the baristas at Starbucks), but when I mentioned it to the concierge at the hotel, he looked concerned. Not the safest part of town, apparently. Instead, the non-Elvis resembling hotel staff directed me to a place called the Screen Door. The Screen Door specializes in nouveau southern cuisine. Whatever that means. I just wanted a hearty lunch.

Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed. Deciding to treat myself, I ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes for an appetizer. The dish came with a buttermilk chai sauce and the tomatoes also had bits of bacon/crispy ham sprinkled on top.

For my entree, I went for the big guns: Fried Chicken served with baked Macaroni & Cheese, gravy (on the side), a top of wilted greens. YAY!

The chicken was light and crispy, but a little dry - I still killed it. The mac n' cheese was heavy, but in the dessert-decadent kind of way. The gravy could have been a side dish. The greens I left alone, as they were way too salty to enjoy.

Afterwards, I rolled out of the restaurant and decided to walk a bit before heading back to the hotel. My original plan was to find a bookstore and browse a bit, but almost by accident I happened upon the quadrant of Dallas art museums. Sweet! I entered the Crow Collection of Asian Art, since it was the first building and entry is free. It's not the largest collection by any means, but still pretty impressive. There were several paintings by Yang Jin Long, a Chinese artist whose work looks like something Chagall would have created if he had really been into anime. The museum also houses a substantial exhibition of jade pieces from various parts of Asian landscape:

It's a 16th century back scratcher from India made from jade, gold, and precious jewels. Seriously.

I wish I had another night in town because the museum has some late night events, like sake tastings, that sound like a good time. Across the street from the Crow Collection is the Nasher Sculpture Center. Not free, unfortunately, but exceedingly affordable. Just $10 to see this museum - for an additional $6 you can also check out the Dallas Museum of Art.

Anywho, when you enter the Nasher you are immediately greeted by some interactive installation art by Jaume Plensa, who has a special exhibit (Genus and Species) currently showing. You have to walk through the first piece, Song of Songs III & IV, to move through the museum. The piece consists of metal letters, which spell out Allen Ginsberg's Howl (you know, the "I saw the best minds of my generation" piece), strung and hung vertically from the ceiling and hanging to the floor. The letters are actually chimes, so you inevitably make music as you cross through.
I crossed through several times because, well, it was fun, and people didn't seem to mind. One of the security guards approached me as I returned from the sculpture garden (in the back of the building - also stunning) and instead of kicking me out as I feared, he noted that I should be in some photos rather than taking them and offered to take some of me as a kind gesture. Southern hospitality at it's best, let me tell ya!

peekaboo!

I was quickly running out of time and did not, unfortunately, have the freedom of schedule to check out the Dallas Museum of Art. So I settled for taking a photo of east entrance of the building.

Yeah, I don't get it either. But it's pretty.

So that's Dallas in a nutshell. Hater stop hatin' - it's not nearly so bad. You just have to be willing to taxi out of the downtown area a bit.

On a separate note, Happy Earth Day to everyone! Have you hugged and/or recycled your tree today? :)