Awesomeness:
my parents being in town for over a week
summertime in Michigan
kimchee
Select Seconds on South Washington
Rebel Reclaimed in GR
BYOB Korean bbq restaurants
Reading the NYT on a Sunday all the way through
Rebecca and Rebecca’s Sandy
walking to The Vic
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
The Southshore Line from MI City
city buses
asparagus season
3 more days of vacation
anticipating Michigan fruit season
goat cheese cheesecake
Bistro Bella Vita
Kind of Blue on vinyl
prosciutto with triple cream and pasta
summer menus at favorite restaurants
Don DeLillo’s Underworld
Project Runway
Literary Life bookstore
Charlie Rose
free unexpected martinis
craft buffets and sewing machine desks
Not-so-awesomeness:
library budget cuts
BP’s incompetence
missing out on Mesick
my mortality measured in the books I will never read
bad record wire
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
"we're gonna get high and listen to miles"
Yesterday was the first day of the farmers market.
Woo hoo!
The haul included: 3 lbs of asparagus (from 2 different farmers), 1 loaf of bread (I need to buy yeast!), ½ lb of spinach, and 1 lb of the most amazing bacon ever.
The bacon came from Crane Dance Farm in Middleville-a new vendor to Holland. It was a complete impulse buy. I’d been wanting some bacon in the house for awhile, but everything at Meijer just seemed…gross. All processed by ConAgra, full of nitrates and god knows what. This is nitrate-free and though not certified organic the closest I’m going to get. It’s also insanely expensive at $7/lb, but worth it. I cannot wait to make a BLT with heirloom tomatoes on homemade bread with market lettuce from that one family vendor whose name I can never remember….Botsma? Boersma? South east side 1/3 of the way from River….Anyway, it’s gonna be sweet. What’s also sweet? Crane Dance sells lamb, grass fed beef and a limited amount of chickens (only sold whole!!!) plus duck and goose eggs. I’m determined to get me at least one goose egg before the very short spring season is over. Those babies are ginormous. They also take orders for heirloom turkeys which means this could be the year I decide to finally do me up a Thanksgiving right like.
The ½ lb of spinach was not in the plan. I was talked into it at Visser Farms because I was “making a frittata and you’re gonna want spinach in that frittata.” He was right. I did.
We did not, by the way, consume all 3 lbs of that asparagus. 1 lb went to a coworker, ½ lb went to the frittata, ¼ lb went to Peter’s supper the other night and the rest will hopefully be turned into soup tomorrow night. This means Saturday I’ll be in the market for some more asparagus.
A new vinegar and oil shop opened downtown in Holland. Yeah, that’s right. I said “vinegar and oil shop.” It’s in the old Kilwins (which has relocated to the corner of the overpriced slightly silly looking outdoor fireplace brought to you partially by the Holland taxpayer. You’re welcome, tourists.) and it is awe-some. A big old empty room lined with flavored oils and vinegars. And they have truffle oil. And they have an 18 year old balsamic that is so going to be taking up residence in my kitchen as soon as I can justify the $18 a bottle price.
I almost feel bad for my local record shop owner as all the money I’d been spending on records is now being diverted to market and food stuffs. Someday I’ll figure out a balance.
In unrelated to food news: The Davisons are here!
Woo Hoo!
Woo hoo!
The haul included: 3 lbs of asparagus (from 2 different farmers), 1 loaf of bread (I need to buy yeast!), ½ lb of spinach, and 1 lb of the most amazing bacon ever.
The bacon came from Crane Dance Farm in Middleville-a new vendor to Holland. It was a complete impulse buy. I’d been wanting some bacon in the house for awhile, but everything at Meijer just seemed…gross. All processed by ConAgra, full of nitrates and god knows what. This is nitrate-free and though not certified organic the closest I’m going to get. It’s also insanely expensive at $7/lb, but worth it. I cannot wait to make a BLT with heirloom tomatoes on homemade bread with market lettuce from that one family vendor whose name I can never remember….Botsma? Boersma? South east side 1/3 of the way from River….Anyway, it’s gonna be sweet. What’s also sweet? Crane Dance sells lamb, grass fed beef and a limited amount of chickens (only sold whole!!!) plus duck and goose eggs. I’m determined to get me at least one goose egg before the very short spring season is over. Those babies are ginormous. They also take orders for heirloom turkeys which means this could be the year I decide to finally do me up a Thanksgiving right like.
The ½ lb of spinach was not in the plan. I was talked into it at Visser Farms because I was “making a frittata and you’re gonna want spinach in that frittata.” He was right. I did.
We did not, by the way, consume all 3 lbs of that asparagus. 1 lb went to a coworker, ½ lb went to the frittata, ¼ lb went to Peter’s supper the other night and the rest will hopefully be turned into soup tomorrow night. This means Saturday I’ll be in the market for some more asparagus.
A new vinegar and oil shop opened downtown in Holland. Yeah, that’s right. I said “vinegar and oil shop.” It’s in the old Kilwins (which has relocated to the corner of the overpriced slightly silly looking outdoor fireplace brought to you partially by the Holland taxpayer. You’re welcome, tourists.) and it is awe-some. A big old empty room lined with flavored oils and vinegars. And they have truffle oil. And they have an 18 year old balsamic that is so going to be taking up residence in my kitchen as soon as I can justify the $18 a bottle price.
I almost feel bad for my local record shop owner as all the money I’d been spending on records is now being diverted to market and food stuffs. Someday I’ll figure out a balance.
In unrelated to food news: The Davisons are here!
Woo Hoo!
Monday, May 3, 2010
go folks! go forth! go folks! trust your brain! trust your body!
I am so tricksy.
I made lasagna last night. I made healthier lasagna last night: double the spinach and half the cheese (and fewer noodles too, but don’t tell Peter because he’s already mad I tricked him into eating more vegetables and less cheese than he thought he was eating.) I credit my success to 2 things:
I “made” my own sauce. Okay, okay I didn’t completely make my own sauce. I used one jar of organic no-sugar-added tomato sauce, but doctored it up. Sauteed garlic, crushed San Marzano tomatoes, and a delicate hand with spices go a loooong way to improving a sauce.
I substituted some really good grated parmesan and/or romano for some shredded mozzarella. Small amounts of really good full flavored cheese will yield far superior tastes to watery fakey shredded mozzarella. Don’t get me wrong: I used some watery fakey shredded mozzarella in there too (and light cheese at that), but the majority of cheese was the good stuff.
In other food related news, I’m officially a baker of bread. We’ve made the switch from buying bread (what ARE some of those ingredients in “whole wheat” bread anyway?!?!) to me baking it every week. I’m still not in love love love with the texture. The crumb is a little dense. But the flavor is crazy healthy. I mean, you bite into this bread and you think to yourself “Dang! I am eating me some healthy bread!” Yesterday I whipped up a half batch of olive oil whole wheat dough half of which I intend to make into a caramelized onion, pear and gorgonzola pizza tonight. My next bread batch I’m adding ground flaxseed. Just watch me.
In other nonfood related news, Rebecca came into down and left me with an air conditioner and an adorable little desk. She also left me longing to hang out with her more. I’ve watched 4 episodes of the first season of Glee and huge surprise I love it. The federal government sent me a letter telling me they had found an error on my taxes in my favor (!!!) and I done got my money this week (!!!!). I’m successfully managing to a 40 minute run/walk at least every other day. I’ve started reading Underworld by DeLillo and it is crazy insanely awesome and I wish I could take a week off from life to read it in one felled swoop.
But most importantly: Tulip Time has begun and not only do I not hate it, I actually kind of love it.
I made lasagna last night. I made healthier lasagna last night: double the spinach and half the cheese (and fewer noodles too, but don’t tell Peter because he’s already mad I tricked him into eating more vegetables and less cheese than he thought he was eating.) I credit my success to 2 things:
I “made” my own sauce. Okay, okay I didn’t completely make my own sauce. I used one jar of organic no-sugar-added tomato sauce, but doctored it up. Sauteed garlic, crushed San Marzano tomatoes, and a delicate hand with spices go a loooong way to improving a sauce.
I substituted some really good grated parmesan and/or romano for some shredded mozzarella. Small amounts of really good full flavored cheese will yield far superior tastes to watery fakey shredded mozzarella. Don’t get me wrong: I used some watery fakey shredded mozzarella in there too (and light cheese at that), but the majority of cheese was the good stuff.
In other food related news, I’m officially a baker of bread. We’ve made the switch from buying bread (what ARE some of those ingredients in “whole wheat” bread anyway?!?!) to me baking it every week. I’m still not in love love love with the texture. The crumb is a little dense. But the flavor is crazy healthy. I mean, you bite into this bread and you think to yourself “Dang! I am eating me some healthy bread!” Yesterday I whipped up a half batch of olive oil whole wheat dough half of which I intend to make into a caramelized onion, pear and gorgonzola pizza tonight. My next bread batch I’m adding ground flaxseed. Just watch me.
In other nonfood related news, Rebecca came into down and left me with an air conditioner and an adorable little desk. She also left me longing to hang out with her more. I’ve watched 4 episodes of the first season of Glee and huge surprise I love it. The federal government sent me a letter telling me they had found an error on my taxes in my favor (!!!) and I done got my money this week (!!!!). I’m successfully managing to a 40 minute run/walk at least every other day. I’ve started reading Underworld by DeLillo and it is crazy insanely awesome and I wish I could take a week off from life to read it in one felled swoop.
But most importantly: Tulip Time has begun and not only do I not hate it, I actually kind of love it.
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