I"M GOING HOME! I'M GOING HOME! I'M GOING HOME! I'M GOING HOME! Tomorrow night, the Wall sisters will be out in full force, so watch out Burlington!
I've had a wonderful holiday season, full of treats and goodies galore. Saw Cirque Du Soleil under the big top, shared Christmas with Brian and his Family, discovered new fun cheap gifts to make, and have enjoyed a general floating spirit.
But now I am manically excited. Because I'm going home and it's going to be snow city and I'm going to wear my snow pants THE WHOLE TIME! I get to meet the infamous Cooper, who I lovingly refer to as Cougar, only he doesn't know it yet. Cougar is Em & Kev's black lab. I get to see all of my friends and family and I'm super excited that my ding dong bff Isaac will be in Newport for the MASSIVE BONFIRE on new years eve!!!!!!
HOLY COW I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!
28.12.07
19.12.07
Pasta Presto!
My new favorite thing is Pasta.
I know, I know. I couldn't be more surprised myself. For years now, I've quietly loathed it, knowing full well how much joy it brings to the people I love. But I cannot support a food with virtually no nutritional value that doesn't have a taste experience to make it worthwhile.
Take chocolate cake, for example. Thousands of calories, pounds of saturated fat, enough sugar to kill an army of ants. Why bother? Because chocolate cake is amazing. Not only does it taste like we imagine heaven to taste, it makes you feel so good, even when you KNOW that it's so very BAD.
But Pasta? Stupid texture. Most jarred sauces are disgusting, even the "good" ones usually need some doctoring up. And I had finally given up on ever replicating the one sauce I do love (Trattoria Delia's spicy pan-fried tomato sauce.) I have always thought of pasta as food for people who are too lazy to cook, and too unimaginative to try something more adventurous. Until now.
Last week, I went thrifting. And I found a little book hiding in a musty corner. It is actually called "The Joy of Pasta", funnily enough. And the authors have written for many worthy publications, so they instantly had my esteem in that regard. And now they have my gratitude for changing my mind and adding a whole new factor of "Joy" to my kitchen.
First, I tried making as simple a pasta as possible. The way they have written the recipes makes it easy to make do. They don't call for all of the crazy machinery that I always thought was necessary, but they show you how to implement them if you are lucky enough to have a well-equipped kitchen. I made linguini. And it was easy! Very basic ingredients that most of us have at all times in the kitchen. Flour, eggs, salt, olive oil, water. Mix, knead, rest, roll, slice. Boil and toss. I used a hearts of palm and artichoke heart bruchetta topping sauteed with a shallot and some mushrooms as a sauce. Topped with a little cabot extra sharp and voila! Homemade pasta. And it was divine.
Then, last night, I got adventurous. When I worked at the half lounge, we got this genius of a pasta chef in the kitchen, Hillary. She made these little pasta's that she called ricotta gnocchi. I remembered her telling me the recipe and that there was no flour or potato in them. So I found a fun recipe in my new favorite book called Cheese and Spinach Dumplings that seemed like it might be similar.
First things first. I made a sauce from scratch and it was GREAT! Once again, very simple ingredients: Tomatoes, onion, carrot, olive oil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 40 minutes until you've reached perfection.
The dumplings were a bit of a challenge. The texture was very gooey and sticky, and to roll into a shape of any kind required lots of flour and patience. Thank god Brian had both! Together we conjured up an amazing, new and exciting meal like nothing we had ever tasted before.
I am anxious to try the potato gnocchi next, but think I should wait a few days and have a break from all the indulgence. Too much of a good thing might make us unappreciative of our creative genius in the kitchen. Our standards become so high, we find ordinary food unacceptable, inedible. Maybe that's a good thing....
I know, I know. I couldn't be more surprised myself. For years now, I've quietly loathed it, knowing full well how much joy it brings to the people I love. But I cannot support a food with virtually no nutritional value that doesn't have a taste experience to make it worthwhile.
Take chocolate cake, for example. Thousands of calories, pounds of saturated fat, enough sugar to kill an army of ants. Why bother? Because chocolate cake is amazing. Not only does it taste like we imagine heaven to taste, it makes you feel so good, even when you KNOW that it's so very BAD.
But Pasta? Stupid texture. Most jarred sauces are disgusting, even the "good" ones usually need some doctoring up. And I had finally given up on ever replicating the one sauce I do love (Trattoria Delia's spicy pan-fried tomato sauce.) I have always thought of pasta as food for people who are too lazy to cook, and too unimaginative to try something more adventurous. Until now.
Last week, I went thrifting. And I found a little book hiding in a musty corner. It is actually called "The Joy of Pasta", funnily enough. And the authors have written for many worthy publications, so they instantly had my esteem in that regard. And now they have my gratitude for changing my mind and adding a whole new factor of "Joy" to my kitchen.
First, I tried making as simple a pasta as possible. The way they have written the recipes makes it easy to make do. They don't call for all of the crazy machinery that I always thought was necessary, but they show you how to implement them if you are lucky enough to have a well-equipped kitchen. I made linguini. And it was easy! Very basic ingredients that most of us have at all times in the kitchen. Flour, eggs, salt, olive oil, water. Mix, knead, rest, roll, slice. Boil and toss. I used a hearts of palm and artichoke heart bruchetta topping sauteed with a shallot and some mushrooms as a sauce. Topped with a little cabot extra sharp and voila! Homemade pasta. And it was divine.
Then, last night, I got adventurous. When I worked at the half lounge, we got this genius of a pasta chef in the kitchen, Hillary. She made these little pasta's that she called ricotta gnocchi. I remembered her telling me the recipe and that there was no flour or potato in them. So I found a fun recipe in my new favorite book called Cheese and Spinach Dumplings that seemed like it might be similar.
First things first. I made a sauce from scratch and it was GREAT! Once again, very simple ingredients: Tomatoes, onion, carrot, olive oil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 40 minutes until you've reached perfection.
The dumplings were a bit of a challenge. The texture was very gooey and sticky, and to roll into a shape of any kind required lots of flour and patience. Thank god Brian had both! Together we conjured up an amazing, new and exciting meal like nothing we had ever tasted before.
I am anxious to try the potato gnocchi next, but think I should wait a few days and have a break from all the indulgence. Too much of a good thing might make us unappreciative of our creative genius in the kitchen. Our standards become so high, we find ordinary food unacceptable, inedible. Maybe that's a good thing....
5.12.07
winners and losers
I'm languishing in the aftermath of yet another South Coast Plaza event. This time, the annual retailers holiday party.
I almost didn't go. I'm feeling sick. Sleeping is scratchy and waking is lazy. But, at 2:30 after spending WAY TOO LONG on my new polyvore application on facebook, I realised that I had to leave the house, one way or another, and donned a trustworthy ensemble. LBD vintage, hounds tooth b&w tights and my best thrift yet in So Cal. Claude Montana stack heeled short boots. Wrapped a grey belt around the upper half of my midsection and put my best foot forward. In this case, both feet were looking pretty amazing.
We went. Stan bought us each 2 raffle tickets. We didn't know that we should have each bought at LEAST 20.
There was food. There was wine. There were prizes to be won. I knew that something was wrong when I found myself wishing against the Louis Vuitton bag, and for the Black Starr and Frost earrings. No, I didn't win the deluxe spa package, or the Donna Karan bag. But a kind soul who won FOUR TIMES with all her tickets took pity on me and let me have the centerpiece that she had won. It was an ivy grown in the shape of a Christmas tree, and I gave it to Brian because he's wanted a little tree for the holidays.
We have a big huge real tree here at the house, and it's covered in lights and glass balls, which are strategically hung at a higher level to avoid too much temptation for the felines.
I will have one more chance to win big this season at the Quicksilver Holiday party. Brian told me that he's ready to win the trip to Europe, and I assured him that I will be on my knees praying every day until then.
*********************
The spirit of Christmas has been elusive this year. I see the lights, I hear the music, everyone is wearing red sweaters, but I don't feel any different. I've been trying to analyze my lack of enthusiasm, honestly asking myself what is the difference between this season and last. There is the obvious missing family and friends, but if I am honest I will remember that I am usually too busy this time of year to really spend time with anyone. And I will be spending a LOT of time with family and friends only four days after Christmas.
Well, I got my answer in the unlikeliest of places. Disneyland. I went to Disneyland this past Friday night. A friend of Stan's is the Stage Manager for one of the shows there, and he took us all around VIP style.
And as we were approaching the line for the Buzzz Lightyear ride, he said "Here's this Season's lighting of the Castle," and suddenly, it was snowing. The have rigged up snow makers on top of the buildings. Fake snow in Fake Disneyland. And I felt all warm and cozy inside.
Suddenly, I've got the Christmas spirit.
I almost didn't go. I'm feeling sick. Sleeping is scratchy and waking is lazy. But, at 2:30 after spending WAY TOO LONG on my new polyvore application on facebook, I realised that I had to leave the house, one way or another, and donned a trustworthy ensemble. LBD vintage, hounds tooth b&w tights and my best thrift yet in So Cal. Claude Montana stack heeled short boots. Wrapped a grey belt around the upper half of my midsection and put my best foot forward. In this case, both feet were looking pretty amazing.
We went. Stan bought us each 2 raffle tickets. We didn't know that we should have each bought at LEAST 20.
There was food. There was wine. There were prizes to be won. I knew that something was wrong when I found myself wishing against the Louis Vuitton bag, and for the Black Starr and Frost earrings. No, I didn't win the deluxe spa package, or the Donna Karan bag. But a kind soul who won FOUR TIMES with all her tickets took pity on me and let me have the centerpiece that she had won. It was an ivy grown in the shape of a Christmas tree, and I gave it to Brian because he's wanted a little tree for the holidays.
We have a big huge real tree here at the house, and it's covered in lights and glass balls, which are strategically hung at a higher level to avoid too much temptation for the felines.
I will have one more chance to win big this season at the Quicksilver Holiday party. Brian told me that he's ready to win the trip to Europe, and I assured him that I will be on my knees praying every day until then.
*********************
The spirit of Christmas has been elusive this year. I see the lights, I hear the music, everyone is wearing red sweaters, but I don't feel any different. I've been trying to analyze my lack of enthusiasm, honestly asking myself what is the difference between this season and last. There is the obvious missing family and friends, but if I am honest I will remember that I am usually too busy this time of year to really spend time with anyone. And I will be spending a LOT of time with family and friends only four days after Christmas.
Well, I got my answer in the unlikeliest of places. Disneyland. I went to Disneyland this past Friday night. A friend of Stan's is the Stage Manager for one of the shows there, and he took us all around VIP style.
And as we were approaching the line for the Buzzz Lightyear ride, he said "Here's this Season's lighting of the Castle," and suddenly, it was snowing. The have rigged up snow makers on top of the buildings. Fake snow in Fake Disneyland. And I felt all warm and cozy inside.
Suddenly, I've got the Christmas spirit.
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