Just when I thought I had seen it all...

A cookie diet. A cookie diet?!?!

* picks up keyboard and smashes it against her forehead *

My world has been rocked...

...because of Gourmet closing. Not because I was a huge fan of Gourmet - I wasn't. But it made me realize how easily my favorite foodie mag, Saveur, could go under in this economy.

I urge any and all of you to get a subscription, not so much because I'm worried about you. Oh, no, it's all about me. Buy a subscription so that I can continue to be a happy, well-balanced person. Thank you.

In the meantime, take their fun and fluffy quiz about what kind of a foodie you are. Here are my results:

Your Profile: Classic & Comforting

You learned to cook alongside your grandma, and still think her teachings are gospel. You believe the correct answer to the question of olive oil or butter is both. You're happiest around a chattering table, doling out heaping plates to crowds of friends. You just had your tattered, original copy of Joy of Cooking rebound. You're certain there's nothing that melted cheese can't make better.

Describes my style perfectly, except for the grandma bit. Except for her pie crust recipe - it's foolproof. Even I can make it.

Eat, drink, and come sit at my classic & comforting dinner table!

Take my breath away

My friend Laura sent me a blog post link from Curious Expeditions, and here was my favorite:

It's the Handelingenkamer Tweede Kamer Der Staten-Generaal Den Haag, the Hague, Netherlands.

I'm inspired. One more thing to do on my Life To-Do list... Check out the other stunning library photos on the blog post and let me know which is your favorite!

Inspiration

Still working on the story and, being set in Paris and Brittany, I found these slideshows the perfect motivation to keep writing!

Paris

Brittany

Eat, drink, and find your inspiration!

But where's the joy?

In my last blog post, I mentioned this week's New York Times Magazine, which is the "Food Issue." Last year's issue starred Michael Pollan, and this year it was Jamie Oliver. Oliver is taking on the town that has been unflatteringly deemed the Unhealthiest In America. It was an interesting article because Oliver really is doing some wonderful work on behalf of promoting healthy eating and cooking - certainly more than most celebrity chefs - and yet there is still some smoke and mirrors about how he goes about it. He's going into a town that doesn't necessarily want him there, a proud group of people that won't take too kindly to some good-looking Brit coming in and telling them that they're bad parents and irresponsible people. There's the idea that obese people don't necessarily want to change their ways.

There is also a more scientific and, honestly, more snooze-worthy article about calorie restriction in aging humans, rats, and primates. Seriously, it was rather boring. I skimmed it. Not my cup of tea.

I really like Mark Bittman's short article about online food shopping. As a weekly devotee to Fresh Direct, I agreed with everything he had to say about how the experience in no way caters to the consumer; instead, online food shopping is all about pushing products to the consumer, whether he wants them or not. It seems ludicrous that the process isn't more user-friendly, especially when you consider sites like iTunes and Amazon. Both of those sites allow the user/client/customer to really tailor the selections to what he is interested in. Why not online food shopping?

"No Polenta, No Cry" offered a voyeuristic look at all the little rules and restrictions we give ourselves as eaters. I felt like the author was unhinged at first...but then I realized that I think everyone eats like this a little bit. Whether it makes good sense or not.

But here's the thing: where was the joy? The "Food Issue", eh? I get that we need to talk about calories and locavorism and the ethics of meat. Important topics, all. But where was the article about the wonder and beauty and happiness in food and meals and cooking?

I remember how much I loved watching Julie and Julia because it captured how magical food can be in forging relationships and making connections. Today, on this sunny and cool autumn Sunday, I feel exhausted and maxed out on all the politics and science and showmanship of the "Food Issue." I eschew it with a firm hand and, instead, I'm looking forward to dinner tonight with my family: we've been looking forward to duck fat fries all week. I'll pour wine, and I'll play music while I'm cooking. Adam will pop in and out of the kitchen, kissing my cheek as he walks by. Bug will occasionally come in to dance to a song. We'll gather together at the table and, instead of saying a prayer, we'll raise our glasses to toast. Most likely we'll be toasting "a wonderful family weekend." That is what food is about.

For articles that really capture this feeling, I refer you to Saveur's "Dinner in the Piazza" by Beth Elon, Food and Wine's "Farm-Fresh French" by Rebecca Rose, and - one of my all-time favorite food articles EVER - Saveur's "Soulful Crepes of Brittany" by Nancy Coons* (unfortunately, this article is not available through Saveur's website so you miss the take-your-breath-away photography by Jorg Brockmann). THIS is good food writing. These are examples of how food affects our lives, affects real people, inspires cooks of every skill level. Read these before you go reading the "Food Issue."

Eat, drink, and find the joy in both.

*I loved this article so much when I read it from my library's copy that I called Saveur and tried to buy the back issue. It wasn't available. So I "lost" my library's copy. Lest you think that is ethically wrong, hopefully you'll think better of me when you find out that it cost me $20 to buy it from the library.

What I've Been Watching and Reading

I've been reading and watching some really interesting, cool stuff lately. Here's a sampling:

• The Children's Lit Project is fantastic. I particularly liked Sarah Small's bit where she states that she doesn't necessarily write for children, which probably attributes to her books being universally enjoyed by both children and grown-ups. Thanks to Read Roger for directing me to the website.
• You all should really be checking out the blog Sweet Reads: Books and Baking for Kids. Aside from having an awesome name, Rawley blogs book reviews with matching recipes. In particular, I liked her recent review of The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, paired with "Callie's Old-Fashioned Apple Pie." Loads of fun.
• In light of the recent release of Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan (which I am LONGING to read but have yet to obtain), I give you steampunk cakes. Excellent. And here's the trailer one last time:

• In an odd twist, I discovered this week that Patrick Carman, author of The Land of Elyon series and one of The 39 Clues' authors, graduated from the same university I did. Which is a little random, seeing as not many people know Willamette University. Even crazier is that he was also a work-study student for my mother-in-law, who works in the Career Center at Willamette. Small, small world.
• I loved this recent article in The New York Times Magazine where the ubiquitous Michael Pollan posts rules for eating. My favorite? "If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you are not hungry." ~ Emma Fogt
• I adored this recent article in Saveur, "Dinner in the Piazza" by Beth Elon. The photography was stunning* and it made me so happy to have recently received my new passport in the mail. Read the article and you'll be ready to hop on a plane too.
• I'm a die-hard Georgia Nicolson fan, the star of Louise Rennison's series. The last book in the series just released last week, Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?, and it was everything I could want in a series concluder. This series soooo makes me wish I were British just so I can make phrases like "daft tart" sound really gorgey and fab. I have yet to see the movie they made of the first book - my understanding is that it never released in Hamburger-a-gogo land, n'est-ce pas? Any of you seen the movie? Well, adieu, Georgia. I have loved following your adventures with the ace gang and, Louise Rennison, I can't wait to read your upcoming new series!
• Last but not least, I'm going OT here. I want to thank Alvina at Bloomabilities for introducing me to this YouTube video. I dare you to watch it and not smile. Warning, though: prepare to have the song stuck in your head for days afterward!

Eat, drink, and go out and smash it. Like, oh my god.

* Note: none of the stunningly beautiful photos from the print version of the article are in the online version. All the more reason to get a subscription. Please, oh please, don't let Saveur suffer the same fate as Gourmet!

I found a little motivation in my back pocket

* she looks up from typing furiously on her laptop*

Oh, hello there! It's you!

Don't mind me - I'm just writing. See, my whole life - particularly my young life - I have loved writing. I have dozens of journals, hundreds of letters, dozens of old stories...and now my blog. Whenever I wanted to argue my case to stay out past curfew as a teenager, I would write my parents a letter. Verbally, I fumble. Or I get emotional and cry. Or later I wish I had expressed myself differently and feel full of regret. But writing. Writing is my medium.

So why haven't I written a single story - nay, even started one, let alone finished one - since about 1992? I can't say. Nevertheless, here I am, working on one. I've been brainstorming and outlining and mulling for months now, and I finally starting really writing a couple days ago. Which has burned up my blogging time. Nevertheless, I'm thrilled. I was riding the subway this morning, and a conversation between two characters spontaneously popped into my head. What I would have given for a pen and paper at that moment! Dammit! Even now, I haven't had a chance to write it down. Instead, I've been holding it tight in my head, changing its tone, switching some of the words, tweaking moments. I can't wait to get it all written down!

So stay tuned. Mind you, I won't share much else here. Heaven knows that I have enough to handle between the books and the food. But I did want all of you to know that I've got a project I'm working on.

* begins typing furiously again, curls falling forward and obscuring her face *

All the single ladies!

I am asked - on a surprisingly regular basis - how I do all the things that I do.

The question "How do you do it all?" surprises me because 1) I don't think I do that much more than anyone else, 2) it seems like a rather personal question, and 3) I always wonder why I don't do more. And yet...I still find myself answering the question.

Nevertheless, my answer is always the same: "Adam." I couldn't go to all the conferences I do, attend culinary school, cook the meals I cook, or write as much as I do without Adam there as a partner, co-parent, friend, and counselor. I don't say this in a cavity-causing sweet way; rather, it is a statement of fact: Adam.

So when my husband goes on a week-long business trip, which happens very rarely, I find myself in a bind. But you know me: my biggest concern is how to keep up my usual standard of cooking and eating. I still want to make stellar meals...but while having my attention pulled away by homework, showers, forms to fill out, and other family sorts of things. Seriously, Adam does all that while I'm in the kitchen. So here is what I came up with for our menu last week, dubbed "Girls' Week":

Saturday: Out to dinner (we got dressed up and went to Uno's...which isn't too bad, as chain restaurants go...)

Sunday: "Spanish platter" - chorizo, rosemary Manchego, grilled ciabatta, Serrano ham, grapes, and olives

Monday: Grilled chicken-apple sausages with green salad and grilled bread (I had the salad, Bug had peaches)

Tuesday: Prosciutto and Melon Panini (Bug had a pear, I had more salad) - recipe

Wednesday: Scrambled Eggs with Herbed Croutons (Bug had cantaloupe, I ate more of those pesky leftover salad greens) - recipe

Thursday: Gnocchi with Sage and Brown Butter (I also cut up some of the leftover sausages and put them on mine - Bug's had no sage. And did I make fresh gnocchi? Hell to the no. I bought frozen, and it didn't suck at all.)

Friday: "Leftover Night" - Bug had a quesadilla and grapes. I had more of the sausages with gnocchi

And my life partner returned at 1 a.m. on Friday night/Saturday morning.

Eat, drink, and cheers to family!

Note: Where I linked to no recipe, I just made it up. No recipe, no measurements. I dressed the salad each night with about a teaspoon of mustard, salt and pepper, a tablespoon of olive oil, and about a half-tablespoon of vinegar (one night it was balsamic, another night white wine...I changed it up). Again, though, I didn't actually measure - I just kept tasting, tasting, tasting.