Dreams of Applesauce Danced Through Their Heads

        

I just scraped a glob of applesauce off the wall of my kitchen. And ate it. And I felt you should know. 

Does the five second rule apply to walls?

I've decided it does. 

Besides it was less then five seconds from the glob flying off my spoon to me eating it. I was ninja fast. 

But the true point is that you should make applesauce. Probably as soon as possible because otherwise you'll forget until it's too late and then you'll be sad and can vow all you like that you'll do it next year but we all know that's bullshit don't we. 

So do it now. That's a direct order. 

Dust off your crock pot and go find eight apples. Peel them, cut them into chunks, throw into crockpot, sprinkle with about two Tbs sugar and cinnamon, turn it on high and spend the next three hours thanking me you didn't put it on low for six because THE SMELL. Holy schnitzels. I'm pretty sure everyone in my buildng kind of hates me right now because they can only smell my homemade applesauce and can't eat it. 

I'm such an asshole. 

And it's 10:30 PM so they're going to have to fall sleep smelling this autumnal mouthwatering aroma. I'm pretty sure that line from that Christmas poem about dreaming of sugarplums came about because of the nocturnal kitchen activities of a jerk such as myself. 

You're welcome. 

A Silky Slop

                                   

I own my mother a serious debt of gratitude. Not only did she labor to bring me into this world but 28 years later she told me of burst tomato sauce. 

Simply pick up a pint of cherry tomatoes from the farmers market. When you get home set your pasta boiling pot on the stove with salted water. 

Put a large skillet/frying pan/medium saucepan on another burner with about 1/4 c of olive oil and set it to medium high. Wash off the tomatoes, pluck off any stems, and dump them into the oil. Wander off...

...then back in every so often to shake the tomatoes, later stir the thickening glop, and put in the pasta (about two servings worth) once their water is ready. When all of the tomatoes have burst (which is obviously a very enjoyable process. I felt applause was appropriate but I live alone.) turn the heat down and add some garlic and S&P to taste. Hopefully around the same time your pasta is done and you can pour the lightly drained pasta into the tomato pile and mix. Grab some wine, cheese to grate, and set yourself down to a truly lovely meal. 

I should note that in choosing which bowl to use to put your food in go with one you can easily lick clean. 

Because you'll be doing that. 

Aerie

It was cloudy this morning which was perfect for showing my new home. Come midday it will be so bright with light!

I love being up so high, I mostly just see sky and tree tops out my windows. And it's so quiet! Just birds and cicadas, no loud neighbors. The building was built around 1926 and is in a delightful neighborhood of shops, a European style square, and pretty old homes along tree lined streets on my walk to work.  

A little haven in the city. 

It is delicious

To be awoken from a post breakfast nap by the gentle ringing of the bells on the paletta man's cart.

I'm on a vacation...of sorts. I'm crashing (with all of my belongings) with my darling friends Cait and Lisa before moving into a new apartment in two weeks...and I'm calling it a vacation. And for the fist time on months I felt like coming here and dropping you all a line.

And for the first time in weeks I feel like cooking. I want to stuff my face with a carrot and parsley salad that drips lemony oily dressing off my chin. I want to curl slivers of pecorino on a bed of arugula and drop a silky sheet of prosciutto on top. I wan to lie on a hammock and drink something sparkling and clear.

Yes.

Oh yes.

I'm on vacation. And it feels soooo delicious.

Addict.

Hello.

My name is A. Sandin and I am a sushi addict.

It started innocently enough, my first California roll in college. Move on to sashimi. Then Chirashi. Friends looking to go out for dinner and I suggest sushi 97% of the time. I live in a city and I can get it on nearly every corner.

The problem is that it can add up...money wise...what was once a little occasional treat somehow turns into the dudes at the Japanese restaurant down the street recognize you.

A problem.

Enter the solution:

Sushi Bowl

Alton Brown's sushi rice, crumpled up nori, chopped avocado, strips of smoked lox, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds to finish it.

Cooking the rice takes the longest time and the smoked salmon is the most expensive part (mine was just under $7 and I get 2.5 servings out of it). There are lots of variations if you look around online, it really just depends on what you can find in your grocery store and how nervous you are about eating things when you don't actually know what they are.

I might get bored and need to go searching for the better stuff eventually, but for now this definitely takes the edge off.

A Game of Adjustments

My Dad declares that baseball is a game of adjustments. Now he lumps life into that category as well and I for one agree with the good Dr.  

Work was all over the place with moving into our new space right before diving headlong into our busy season. Though I have to say spending an afternoon sanding or staining is a fantastic stress reliever!

I managed to get as prepared as possible for the post Thanksgiving rush before I headed home to Ohio for the holiday.

I love that silver grey Midwestern sky! And I tolerate the flatness until we hit the hills that mean I'm home. With quite a bit of snow too!

Dr K. played barkeep and made cocktails to kick off the holiday, which I was thankful for. Nothing like a few shots of gin to make you take a load off!

Meanwhile Miss Linda made one of our favorite holiday cookies, Grandma K's 'Russian Teacake' recipe which you may know as Mexican wedding cakes, Greek kourambiedes, or if you're Dr K Swedish nut balls.

I got off my ass to help roll them in powdered sugar, before heading back to the couch to watch Hallmark movies under the blankie.

But I did contribute for a breakfast...

....and D and I laid the table...

...and I suggested Miss Linda make Smitten's Green Bean Casserole.

I also gave the thumbs up to make this delicious slow cooked stew with fresh toppings for a lovely dinner party with dear friends.

I'm an invaluable help in the kitchen.

They'd be lost without me.

I did spend a lot of time talking Gear with Dr K.

And rocking out over new additions to our Twang/Okra Punk music collections.

Its always great to go home but I had a hard time fully relaxing knowing the chaos that awaited me once I got back to work. Don't get me wrong, it was freakishly organized and scheduled chaos and I totally kicked ass. But it was still all mine to handle so it had my total focus, pushing everything else to the back burner (that means you Mumbles).

I did make time to decorate for Christmas, bulbs, starts, trees, candles, and Dhalas. 

I have to buy candles to make up for the lack of smell, but I do love my wee tinsel tree.

It was nice to crash on my couch with a cup of cocoa to watch the snow fall in candlelight after busting ass all day. And now I can do it after not busing my ass all day! I survived (with gold star levels of awesome) my first Holidayz as Production Manager! Very few casualties and I didn't piss of Santa or any customers. Score!

I'm liking life going back to "normal", taking care of all the things I couldn't for about a month and since it's the New Year making choices about that habits to keep and which to drop for 2014. Like Dad said, life is full of adjustments. But I have to say all in all I'm very content with how things stand in my life, I just keep rollin'.

Golden Treasure Inside is Hid

I occasionally wonder if my obsession with cooking an egg to the perfect state of creamy golden-ness is normal. 

I mean my day isn't completely ruined when I crack open the shell to see it has cooked past nirvana to pale solid crumbly-ness...mostly. And don't even get me started about my day if the white were still runny. Just. Don't.

Every fall I want to have soft boiled eggs on toast for breakfast again but I haven't made any since the early spring and have completely forgotten the nuances of how to cook them perfectly. How long do I boil them for? Did I let them cook for ten minutes or less? Uuuuggh.  It happens every year and it bugs the shit out of me. Why soft boiled eggs?!? Why are you so tricksy? I love you so much! If only I could see the yolk cook so I can know exactly when they reach perfection!!

Oh wait. 

I can.

Crack it open and bake that fucker. Take that shell of mystery and chuck it in the trash. 

Turn your oven to 350 degrees. Butter a ramekin (or if you don't own such things a small oven safe cup or if worse comes to worse a trusty muffin tin) and crack an egg into it. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper and set in in the oven for 10-15 min (just enough time for a quick shower!). Leave the butter dish out to soften. At the ten minute mark toast your bread and peek at your baking eggs. You can give the pan a jiggle to see how the whites are setting and if your yolk is still liquid. Keep peeping and BOOM there it is. The white is solid, the yolk is deep gold and molten. Butter your toast and using a spoon scoop out half of the egg to spread on the bread. Sigh happily.

If you want to get pinkies up you can pour a little cream on top of your egg, just remember that when you jiggle check it the cream will still be liquid over the top so don't overcook your egg on accident! Paprika or parsley is also a nice addition as seen here, a fancier dinner version to accompany a book on French cooking.

And you should read that book on French cooking, but only if you've read Julia Child's My Life In France. Consider it the prequel to Ann Mah's Mastering the Art of French Eating.

Each chapter focuses on a traditional French dish and it's history while also bringing up a wide range of topics on life, love, food, and identity. I tore through it and hope you do too so we can discuss.

I've got a few more food books lined up to read and am taking suggestions. I whine all summer long about "how I'm not reading anything right now and it's horrible wah wah" when the truth is I want to do anything but read during the summer. I've got 5 months of shitty weather to read as many books as I want in, why would I waste the good weather?? duh.

But it's already Phase 2 of fall, my light jacket and scarf have been replaced with a heavier long coat and fuzzy scarf. Its time for books, and knitting, and soft boiled eggs. My Mumbles just turned 4 years old and the next post will be Thanksgiving. Time is flying and I'm just trying to keep up. See you next time! Go bake an egg.