Reunited and it Feels so Good...

.... oh yeah. That about sums it up. There is much, much more to report. But right now, my coffee awaits me.

Pluots Make me Happy

It's that time again...pluots are in season! Pluots are "a complex cross hybrid of plum and apricot, being 3/4 plum and 1/4 apricot in parentage". Or so says Wikipedia.











Juicy and lovely ruby red - the color alone is enough to make me swoon.

I like to eat them alone, but I also love to eat them in salads.

The one I cut up for my salad tonight was so striking that I couldn't stop taking pictures.










And the taste is succulent and sweet as nectar. A simply perfect offering.















Later I will post the recipe for the salad I had tonight, featuring baby arugula, pluot, fresh mint slivers, feta, and a citrus-balsamic vinaigrette. It's the kind of salad that makes me happy to be alive.













I'm a simple kind of gal. Like my dog Spider, feed me and I'll love you more. Never mind that I fed myself tonight. Plenty of love to go around! Stay tuned for the recipe.


Right now, I gotta go see my friend Bob Wiseman play. He's finally in town, and he and his wife Magalie are staying at my house even! I wish they could've been here to enjoy this salad with me. But with any luck, there will be some juicy pluot slices in the fruit salad that I'm making them for breakfast before I rush off to do a personal chef gig where I'll be making brunch for 12. Yikes! I'm being hired to make brunch for 12 tomorrow morning! May the quiche fairies smile upon me.



Wish me luck! And go find a pluot and eat one right now!

When I am 69...

... I want to still be slinging the guitar, like Cordell Jackson.

The singer, songwriter, guitarist, engineer, producer, label owner, and rockabilly pioneer put it perfectly herself when she said...

"If I want to wang dang rock 'n' roll at 69 years old dressed up in an antebellum dress, it ain't nobody's business but mine.".

Enough said.

Life without Coffee

I miss my coffee. It's been 5 days now. Shouldn't I be waking up all bright eyed and bushy tailed? Instead, this is how I feel:





Of course, I used to feel that way every morning anyway. But then, I would stumble into the kitchen, put the water on to boil, pour copious amounts of Cole coffee into my little gold filter, and before too long, I was like a happy little junkie. All was right in the world.



But now, mornings feel all surreal and I feel disoriented. In fact, that feeling carries on into the day. I keep waiting for the day when I'll wake up and just feel good. And if that day doesn't come soon, then those 3 days of caffeine withdrawal headaches will have been for nothing, cause I'm going back on the coffee.

At least now, I've proven to myself that I can stop. Granted, it was hellish. But I did it. I wouldn't want to have to go through that again, so maybe I'll just decide once and for all that I'm never giving up coffee again. Next time I get a bright idea like this, somebody please slap me.

The Last Supper

Ok, it wasn't the last, not by any stretch of the imagination. But it WAS the last completely indulgent meal I'll be having for awhile. No shaky hands today, and although I do have a caffeine withdrawal headache that feels like someone driving nails into my head, I feel otherwise alright.

I'm still a little giddy from the meal I had at Aziza last night with a small posse of my friends from work. The restaurant is beautiful inside, and every single dish was exquisite. Seriously! Moroccan cuisine is so alluring, with an artful way of combining spices and fruits and herbs. It's the kind of food that just thrills and inspires me.

I have long been drawn to this type of cuisine, although I've never really gone out to eat it before! So, you might as well start with the best place in town, and that is exactly what we did.

We tried many different dishes from the menu, with ingredients like saffron broth, green olives, preserved Meyer lemons, cumin-orange glaze, mint sauce, cranberry-cumin couscous....oh just go look at their menu and see for yourself. Or better yet, go eat there!

Our after dinner tea combined fresh lemon verbena and crysanthemum leaves with rose petals, and it practically made me swoon! Dessert was cayenne-chocolate custard. Oh god, I was so full already, but I couldn't help myself.

So yes, I think this just might be my new favorite restaurant. Go eat there and tell me what you think. Or better yet, wait till I finish my detox diet and then take me with you!!

Detox Time

So I'm writing this with shaky hands as I slowly sip upon my second cup of coffee for the day. My second, very large, and very strong cup of coffee. My last cup of coffee until who knows when.

You see, I used to take breaks. I used to give up caffeine for a period of time every year. I used to do a cleanse or a fast every now and again. But the last couple of years I've been indulging, full speed ahead, every single day, without a break. It's time to slow down a bit. Or at least, tomorrow it will be. Famous last words, eh?

Truth be told, I feel like complete and utter crap much of the time. Sure, I still manage to pack a lot of fun into my life. But sometimes I feel like an 80 year old woman, all achey and sluggish and constantly exhausted. Probably 90% of the reason I'm always running around like a madwoman is so that I can attempt to avoid feeling just how bad I really feel. Sad, but true.

So now, at least for a little while, I'm going to cut out caffeine, alcohol, sugar and carbs. And I know, I'll probably feel worse before I feel better. But I have to try. And it wouldn't hurt to lose the spare tire either.

But oh lord, do I dread those first days without coffee. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am completely unfit for human company until I've had my coffee. Every day I drag myself out of bed kicking and screaming, with puffy eyes and a pained look upon my face that does not fade until I've had those first few sips. I'm crying already at the thought of it...but I'm trying to remain motivated by the notion that EVENTUALLY, I'm going to feel good again.

And really, how can I expect to accomplish anything in my life if I can't break an addiction? I just have to show myself that I can. I used to be able to, and I can again. And I will, just as soon as I drain every last bit of strong-as-rocket-fuel-caffeinated-goodness from this cup.

Snapshots from my Kitchen

What good is a little time away from work if most of it isn't spent in the kitchen? Well, that depends on who you ask.

Here are a couple of pics from my weekend, with a soundtrack that featured the Genuine Diamelles, Noe Venable, the Boot Cuts, Jim Bianco...all independent artists, some from days gone by, once or always from California. And all of it good! No doubt, it made the food taste better.


First, I tried out a recipe for "Ultimate Picnic Chicken" from Cook's Illustrated. Delicious and worth the nearly two-day prep time! But, I'm not so into slathering spice rub all over the meat and under the skin. Next time, I'll need a picnic chicken loving grunt to assist me. Call me a primadonna, call me what you will. I wouldn't want to get my bass pickin' fingers all uncalloused, right?



And next, there was the Indian food spread, with recipes from the current issue of Food & Wine. This here my friends, is a sight that just makes me happy to behold.










Some of that, became this:











And though it was a delicious weekend in my kitchen, by Memorial Day, I was ready for the picnic on the beach, and most of all, ready to just collapse my tired body into the sand...

Mangos and Strawberries with Toasted Coconut and Molasses spiked Whipped Cream

There I go with the random capitalization again. I dunno; I think this title just looks better this way.

But screw the title; you should've been here for dessert! Shit, you should've been here for dinner for that matter! I was fortunate to enjoy both fish curry redemption, and a lovely improvised dessert moment.

Since I didn't have time to seek out a recipe for coconut custard, I improvised by doing this:

Peeled, sliced and diced one ripe mango. A bit of a bitch; I need to learn how to do this properly! Slimy mess! Nearly sliced my fingertips off! But it was worth it in the end. What's a little pain when dessert is involved?

Next I combined the mango chunks with ripe, thinly sliced organic strawberries. Stirred it all up and added a splash of Grand Marnier.

Next, I poured into a shiny bowl: a splash of maple syrup, a thin drizzle of molasses, a splash of vanilla extract, and a splash of Grand Marnier. To this I added about a cup of heavy cream, and then I whipped it, whipped it real good..."da na na na na. na na...When a problem comes along, you must whip it..."

Uh anyway, next I spooned some of the fruit mixture into ramekins, topped each one with a generous serving of the whipped cream, and topped each one with toasted coconut. Not quite coconut custard, but not bad! I would even say... good!

In fact, I would even say so much more.

I would love to tell you about the fish curry and the fine company and my maiden voyage with star anise and the spinach, basil and plum salad with citrus-vinaigrette, and how the kaffir lime leaves and ginger and cumin seeds and shallots filled our house with the most exquisite scents, and about the music of Tara Linda, Denise Funari and Jason Kleinberg that we enjoyed after. I would love to tell you all these things, and so much more. And perhaps I will, and perhaps I won't, but that is neither here nor there.

Right now, I'm a little obsessed with coconut custard. As if I didn't already have enough obsessions....

Selfishness is Fun

I'm trying on a couple of new habits this week - worrying less, and letting other people do more for me. And it turns out, selfishness is fun!!! And it keeps one from worrying!

The last couple days have been packed with so much good music and food and company, and here are a few highlights, in no particular order:

- Wandering down Valencia street on a perfectly balmy evening with my friend Myles, and happening upon a most excellent gypsy jazz band called Gaucho. It was a marathon night cause before that, Myles and I played music together, and after that, we had a most exquisite meal at a place called Osha Thai. This place does with curries and spicy fusion dishes the things I only dream of in my kitchen! The salmon sashimi salad was just divine. And there's more! After our dinner, we saw one of my favorite bands The Shut-ins, followed by a kick-ass twangy supergroup known as the Fireball Mailmen. Mmmmmm I love the sound of pedal steel. It's right up there with sashimi salad and gypsy jazz.

- In the interest of my needs and my needs alone, I spontaneously took half the day off work today and am taking all of tomorrow too (special thanks to my dear co-workers for helping to make this possible!). Today I got to enjoy a delicious lunch at Cesar courtesy of the lovely and talented Janet. If you can't make it to Spain, I guess the next best thing is Tapas and sangria. Janet was kind enough to accompany me to a certain doctor's appointment that I had been dreading, and lunch, and her company, was my reward.

- After a visit to my much loved hairdresser, I treated myself to a new cookbook and some fancy ice cream. Yeah... down with worrying, and up with indulgence!

Soon I'll have to post about all the great local music I've been listening to at home. But for now, it's getting late and you are getting verrrrry sleeeepy...and don't worry, I'm gonna live. It just turns out I'm inhabited by space aliens, but I'm told that if I eat enough fancy ice cream and tapas and listen to enough gypsy jazz, the aliens will vanish.

Who needs Sleep when you've got your own Doll??

Another action packed weekend has passed like some kind of crazy tornado, leaving me feeling like I need another weekend so I can recover from my weekend!

Thankfully there were quite a few highlights, so the bags underneath my eyes today are not completely without value.

Friday evening found me making a very spontaneous dinner for a few friends, in which I learned an important lesson. When improvising a fish curry dish, or any dish containing coconut milk for that matter, DON'T get distracted and boil the coconut milk! For if you do, then poof, there goes your delicate coconut flavor! And you really don't want that to happen!

Saturday I went to a Big Concert Arena and saw a Major Star named Bjork. Perhaps you've heard of her? I went cause some friends had an extra ticket, and I was curious. Now THAT is what I call entertainment! There were lasers! And fire! And dancing! And a 17 piece all female brass band! And two live drummers! And electronics! It was positively electrifying and worth every penny spent. The seven dollar beers I could do without, though...

And as an added bonus, lovely local siren Joanna Newsom opened up the show, and she completely and utterly won me over. I was mesmerized and I think several of the other thousands of folks in attendance were too.

Sunday El Mirage played a fun outdoor show at Lanesplitter, the place where I used to sling beer and pizza. 'Twas a treat to get to see my very own action figure on display, along with all the other action figures of current employees and employees past. It was also a treat to hang out with wonderful people on a perfectly sunny day while enjoying some of the best micro-brewed beers that Northern California has to offer. Man, are we spoiled living here!

And if all that wasn't enough, I developed a new flavor of granola in those few extra hours when I should've been sleeping. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, vanilla almond granola from Val's kitchen. Since I didn't have time to grocery shop, I guess it'll be granola for dinner tonight, and right after that, the couch will be waiting for my exhausted ass...

Taste of the Himalayas

It's been rather quiet in my kitchen this week, the sink filling with empty coffee cups and not much else cause I've been busy, busy, busy.

Last night Miss NoNo and I happened upon a sweet little spot called Taste of the Himalayas, at 2420 Lombard Street in SF. I'd never had Nepalese food, and it was wonderful. Very much like Indian, in fact, many of the dishes are the same - like Chana Masala, Naan bread, and the very delicious Sag Paneer, which was unlike any other version I've tried. It seemed to be scented with cinnamon, and it was so delicate and comforting.

The owners and staff here are so genuinely kind and welcoming, adding to that very comforting vibe. You can tell they are passionate not only in bringing lovingly prepared foods to your table, but in the sharing of their gifts with people in need around the world.

A message from the owners:

"Our mission is to share hearty soul food and music from Nepal and bring friends from the East and the West together while sharing part of our income with local and international charities. We serve authentic Himalayan dishes, tasty momos (steamed dumplings), rich curries and succulent tandoori, in a casual atmosphere. We use freshly grown organic vegetables and spices to bring the most authentic taste in town. We believe in bringing the best service to our valued customers. Your valuable comments will make us grow. We listen to you."

At the end of our meal, the owner came out and sang to us - and what a lovely voice. He clearly has a sense of humor too, cause he didn't even balk when Miss NoNo made a reference to "Nepal" sounding like "nipples". I'm sure it wasn't the first time he heard that one...

Anyway, this place is definitely a shining example of Soup and Song at its finest. Food and music really do soothe the soul. And we could all use more of that!

Quinoa for Kathleen

I've been experiencing some very good mojo in the kitchen recently. Today, the kitchen gods were smiling kindly upon me as I whipped up a potluck dish to take to Kathleen's impromptu birthday celebration.

The quinoa and black bean salad with lime zest, dried cranberries and roasted yams was as impromptu as the party, and was another thrown-together-from-what-I-had-in-the-house creation. And it turned out to be a hit!

But first, let's talk about Kathleen, and in no particular order, a Few Reasons Why I Adore Her:

She rocks. She is a talented and creative chef. She makes exquisite paintings and sculptures and glowing, pulsating creatures, and gardens! She sings like a beautiful bird. She has tools and she knows how to use them! She also rollerskates in a fiber-optic suit! The list goes on and on!

So hell yeah, I'm gonna be there to celebrate her b-day with her on a Monday night, even if I have to stop off and buy something pre-made.

But fortunately, besides quinoa, black beans, dried cranberries and limes, I had some leftover salad that I had made for yesterday's impromptu picnic at the beach. It featured roasted satsuma yams and brocolli in an orange-vinaigrette. It was a very nice addition, but I bet this salad would still be tasty on its own. And it goes like this...

Cook the quinoa. In this case I used red quinoa. If you don't remember or don't know how to cook quinoa, go here:

Drain a can of black beans. When the quinoa is done, rinse it lightly in cool water and drain it well. Mix it with the black beans in a real pretty bowl. Grate some lime zest into it, add a little salt and pepper, a couple squeezes of lime juice, a light little drizzle of olive oil, and a couple dashes of curry powder. Give it a good mix, and toss in a couple handfuls of dried cranberries. And if you happen to have roasted yams and brocolli lying around, invite them to the party too. Feel free to let your own imagination and pantry be your guide... you could use currants instead of cranberries, and snap peas instead of brocolli. Instead of sweet potatoes, you could use mango.... mmm.... mango. I'm gonna have to try that one!

Indeed, it was a rocking salad for a rock star on her birthday.... happy birthday Kathleen!

Important Things

48 hours passes too quickly, but I managed to pack a lot of goodness into those hours, and am writing this as the Sunday evening sky is just barely beginning to swirl into blue-grey-pinkness.

This is where Loretta Lynch played a fine little gig last night. Too bad I didn't bring my old clunker bras to leave my personal bit of bra-ness at the Black Cat Bar.



And today... today was just divine. I blew off every last "important" thing I needed to do, and did the most important thing of all. It has been about a year since I've had a picnic at the beach with good friends, and that needed to change.

So I took whatever food I had in the house and turned it into sesame noodle salad, roasted sweet potatoes and brocolli in orange vinaigrette, and marinated pan seared tofu....



... and we piled the dogs and guitars and food and beer and blankets into the van, and before I knew it, there I was, sticking my toes in the sand ...



... chasing the dogs into the surf ...



... marveling at the silver light on the gorgeous, endless ocean. What could be more important than this???

After a hard morning of Bra Shopping, Pho soothes the Soul

It was time. In fact, it was long overdue - the trip to the Mall to visit the Major Department Store to spend the morning trying on what felt like 700 bras. Misery loves company, so I was really glad that my friend Janet wanted to join me.

Now don't get me wrong; I love a good bra! I just hate shopping for them. Like all women's clothing, sizes vary. You gotta try 34B, 36B, 34C, and on and on, no matter what size the lady says you are. And that can be tedious. And tiring. And then when you haul your tired ass out of the store (but happily with a wonderful variety of new bras - pink! leopard! black! light blue and lacy! 15% off!), you have to settle for bad mall food to "satisfy" that hunger that you just worked up...

That's why Janet and I were delighted that later in the evening we were to enjoy a perfect bowl of Pho, courtesy of our friends Blayne and Lu. And wow, it really was perfect. Blayne knew about this place in Oakland, at 412 E. 12th St, and we reached our destination just as the hot afternoon sky was turning to evening.

The Pho was plentiful, tasty and cheap, the broth rich and soothing, and the company just absolutely divine. Probably won't have to go on a major bra-buying excursion for another couple years, but hopefully I won't wait that long to enjoy another bowl of that Pho!

100 Posts, Good Granola News!

Wow, today was a good day!

I just this moment logged in and realized that I've been writing in this blog for a litte under a year, and that my last posting was my one hundreth. I don't know why that gives me a little thrill, but it does. I still find it a little shocking that people actually READ this thing! Hi Mom! Hi Dad!

It's also VERY cool that in the span of this nearly one year's time, I've reached some exciting and gratifying milestones, like having an apron named after me, just for starters!

This blog was kind of related to my first granola making obsession just about a year ago (a by-product of my having lots of leftover nuts & seeds from last year's b-daybatch of mole!). Hence, 100 blog entries and almost exactly one year later, it was REALLY FUCKING COOL to get a call from a friend informing me that a soon to be opening specialty foods store in San Francisco wants to carry my granola!!!!

Shit, now I have to get my shit all together and it's so exciting and terrifying!

In order to avoid obsessing over all my little fears, instead I'll share this amazingly sexy pic on the eve of my 38th birthday. Photo courtesy of Lucio Loud.



I do believe Miss NoNo was frightened of the gloves.

Pork Posole and Al Green - Let's Stay Together!

Lately I have been obsessed with two things - posole, and Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". Why? I cannot begin to fathom.

Is it some profound revelation about my need to be connected to pork and corn products forever? Is it love? Is it some kind of sickness? Who can say?

I only know that I won't be able to rest until I learn how to play "Let's Stay Together". But life keeps getting in the way. There's a job to go to, and gigs to play, and a floor full of dust bunnies that desperately needs vaccuming, and there are thrift stores to explore and there is shrimp to be barbequed and there are long, hot spring nights to make one feel completely and utterly under the spell of Spring Fever.

And for god's sake, there is posole to make!

So tonight, that's exactly what I did. I made my own version of pork posole, and I made a batch of homemade fresh corn tortillas, and I listened to so much great music as the fat sun slowly faded into the distance and turned the sky a lovely shade of cotton candy pink.

Al Green was in heavy rotation, as was Aretha Franklin, Sly & the Family STone, and Barry White for god's sake! I believe the Barry White songs were a direct response to the Spring Fever!

And later, after the posole, imagine my bliss when a sweet dear friend showed up and asked me to teach her how to play one of my very own songs! Like, someone wants to cover me... how cool is that???!!!

Frankly I don't think I could ask for much more satisfaction in the span of a mere 24 hours. But there's always room for a little more, eh?

Before sleep takes me over, let me attempt to share the posole recipe, as near as my perfectly sated self can possibly bring herself to recall...

Take 1 1/2 pork butt (bone in) and put it in a big stock pot - cover with a combo of chicken stock and water. Add half a red onion studded with 3 cloves, plus two bay leaves, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, and a liberal couples twists of fresh ground pepper.

Bring to a boil and then turn it down and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, till the pork is falling off the bone and tender and delectable. At this point, the house should smell divine.

Now, pull out the pork & bones, separate them, and toss out the onions, cloves, bay leaves and big chunks of fate plus the bones, and put the shredded pork back into the pot. Add 2 14 oz cans drained hominy, 1 finely diced jalapeno, 2 T. oregano, 2 T. freshly ground cumin, 1 T. chipotle powder, the juice of 1 lemon, and about 8 oz crushed tomatoes. Add enough water to completely cover the pork and hominy by 2 inches. Let simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Add plenty of salt and fresh ground pepper, plus about 1/2 bunch finely chopped cilantro.

Ladel into bowls and garnish with crumbled cotija anejo cheese, shredded Napa cabbage, and thinly sliced radishes and scallions and lemon. Serve with fresh corn tortillas. Seriously, just blow off all the other shit you need to do, and put all the love and energy you have left into fresh corn tortillas. YOu KNOW you want to.

Keep the stereo cranked up all along, and shake the booty with reckless abandon. Don't ask why, just do it. You will be glad you did.

Glazed carrots and quinoa

Ah, sometimes improv can be such a beautiful thing. I'm talkin' food here.

Tonight was one of those nights when things flowed perfectly in the kitchen. I came home exhilarated and starving after an early evening hike in the Redwoods with Ms. Dog, just as the sun was making the sky all swirly pink and silvery blue.

But wait! I had hardly any fresh produce and I had no plan! But I did have carrots, walnuts, and quinoa, plus a few other staples like clarified butter, dijon mustard and maple syrup. And so the kitchen gods smiled upon me, with a little help from Etta James on the stereo.

While I was cooking the quinoa (about 3/4 cup well-rinsed quinoa in enough water to cover, boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender), I sauteed some minced garlic and diced green onions in some clarified butter for a few minutes till they started to turn golden.

Then I added the carrots I had sliced, turned up the heat a bit and threw in a couple dashes of balsamic vinegar, and a little plop of maple syrup, stirring all along. Sprinkled in the chopped walnuts, added lots of salt and pepper and a little plop of dijon mustard. Kept on cooking and stirring till everything carmelized and the carrots were just barely tender.

Then I drained the quinoa and tossed some of it with the glazed carrots, and I absolutely inhaled it, it was so good! It was also fast and easy to prepare.

Usually after a good hike, I find a vegetarian meal won't feel satisfying enough, but this really did the trick.

As I sat there very content at the kitchen table enjoying my meal, I was pouring over cookbooks searching for the perfect recipe for chow mein noodles in peanut sauce. I think I feel another obsession coming on! But well, I've had much worse obsessions...

Long Live Internet Radio and The Silver Spoon

It's Friday already?! Another week has flown by. And the perks just keep coming! I love these month-long birthday celebrations!

A couple days ago, my pal Jamie gave me a copy of The Silver Spoon. Some claim it's the Italian Equivalent of The Joy of Cooking - and god knows that this is EXACTLY the kind of cookbook I need, seeing as I frequently suspect that I am truly a Mexican trapped in the body of an Italian. Homemade tamales and mole? No problem. But ask me to whip up a pot of spaghetti sauce from scratch, and ya just never quite know what the end result will be. So I'm thrilled to have a guide. Thanks, Jamie!

Have I ever mentioned that internet radio is what gets me through the day? I've always enjoyed listening online to stations like KEXP and KCRW, as well as one of my favorite local stations, Bootliquor. I've also recently discovered Twang City - another great local station, that lo and behold, found ME! Roger Coryall, who programs this most excellent station, was doing a search for soup recipes, and he found this blog, as well as my music. And now, my online listening experience is even more fun because he's got my music in heavy rotation! Thanks, Roger! Oh - and Roger has a very cool blog of his own, dedicated to glorious garlic.


Another delightful recent discovery is Live 365. Holy shit! There are HUNDREDS of stations here, each one dedicated to a specific genre or sound. I'm tellin' you, I cannot get enough of the All Memphis Music station, or Motown 365. You want a station dedicated to French music? How about British Invasion, Neo-soul, Bossa-nova, Southern Gospel, or perhaps Tejano Pop? You'll find it all at Live 365. My god I need to live another hundred years to take it all in!

BUT guess what? Internet radio stations like these are in grave danger of being shut down. And we can't have that, because as I already told you, I NEED this music to get me through the day. So please go here and read more about it, and take action!

Thanks for reading this rant!

Citrus Blossom Honey

Among the many fine birthday gifts I received was a jar of the most exquisite honey, courtesy of my lovely and talented friend Denise. Denise (together with her band-mates Melanie and Jill) not only sings like a glorious song bird, but she knows good food. And she got me the coolest gifts - some lemon infused olive oil, and a jar of citrus blossom honey, made by a company called Branches out of Napa Valley.



Usually, I'm not much of a honey person. Or at least, I wasn't until I tasted this stuff. Ah, so golden and sweet and just perfect. Don't dilute it or put it in your tea! Just slather it on toast, or eat it with a spoon. I brought it to work and Judith and I did exactly that. In fact, Judith squealed with delight because honey is one of her favorite things. I guess I know what to get HER for her next birthday!

Thanks, Denise... your gift keeps on giving! But I have a feeling the jar will be empty before too long!

I'm headed back to Monterey this weekend to both visit the Sea Otters and help my "little" neice celebrate her 21st birthday! I guess I know which one of us shall remain sober tonight ;)

Happy weekend to one and all!

Chez Panisse and Le Creuset

My cup runneth over.

Shit!

My birthday came and went, but the gifts just keep coming!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I work for and with the coolest people ever. Today, for the SECOND time in no less than the span of three weeks, we were given a VERY generous bonus at work. Suffice it to say that the news of it caused me to get a little teary and nearly pass out, because I certainly have never been treated this well at any job. I swear to god I am the happiest grunt you will ever meet in your life.

And now, I am a grunt who is planning a trip to Europe to play music, because that's the SECOND thing I'm going to do with the money.

The first thing I did was to enjoy the most perfect meal w/ my dear pal Miss NoNo at the upstairs cafe at Chez Panisse.

Uh, I could go on and on about the most perfectly moist and tender halibut, the most delectable asparagus I've ever eaten in my life, and the exquisite arugula salad.... to say nothing of the wine...oh god, the wine. But I think you get the picture. And damnit, I was thankful for every bite of food, every drop of wine.

And if that wasn't enough, I came home and got the package my parents sent me, featuring a brand new, 5 quart blue Le Creuset french oven. Oh, the big pots of deliciousness that await that pot. I feel like a kid in a candy store on Christmas morning multiplied by ten! I'm already bursting at the seams thinking of what I will cook in that pot and plotting my next dinner party.

Seriously - I am full as a tick and happy as a clam. I don't know why clams are happy, but I know why I am!

Happy Birthday to Me

I feel so lucky to be able to say that my birthdays get better with each passing year - I guess all of life does in fact.

And DAMN, was that a good party. An amazing celebration featuring my most favorite combination of all times: incredible friends, glorious food (yes there will be a separate entry coming with details on that!) and fabulous live music. Soup and Song at its finest!

I am indeed, the luckiest soul alive. Thanks friends and family. I heart you all.

A few snapshots from the last 24 hours in my kitchen...

Swirling the chocolate into the mole after having spent hours roasting, toasting, and blending the sauce....



Sharpening my knives and slicing blood oranges very thin for the Sangria...dancing around the kitchen laughing hysterically with Miss NoNo with Los Zafiros cranked up loud on the stereo (never mind that the cuisine is Mexican and the soundtrack is Cuban!)....a Friday evening spent in the kitchen...




... these are a few of my favorite things...

Oh yeah, Sangria!

The birthday fun continues and I guess there's no turning back now. After a nice little party at work featuring yet another test batch of Sangria (this one was utterly perfect!), I stocked up at the Berkeley Bowl and bought supplies to make yet more Sangria, tamales, enchiladas, and chicken in mole. Holy mole indeed, I just had to take this picture to convey my contentment with my very well stocked pantry tonight. I think the owl agrees. The plantain and chocolate in the bottom basket are for the mole, and the citrus fruit is for the Sangria, and the peppers are for the salsa.... OH ..... YEAH ...

And for the record, I've managed to squeeze in a little birthday fun every day this week. On Tuesday, Berge took me out for sushi to Sugata, a delightful little place on Solano Ave. in Albany. And I have 7 words for you: Go There And Try The Tennis Roll ! ! !

And also on Tuesday, Miss NoNo told me she's getting us tix to go and see the Be Good Tanyas, a very cool band that she turned me on to. Yep, a good week indeed!

Oh and did I mention that my dad called yesterday to ask me what kind of Le Creuset pot I want for my b-day? Go ahead dad, twist my arm and get me the 5 quart french oven. Please and thank you!

To be continued....

More birthday fun, featuring Johnny Cash and Strawberry-Rhubarb pie

Last night was such a fun way to kick off the birthday week, that I made a mental note to myself to do a little celebrating every day this week, without thinking too hard about how that would happen.

Well today, I didn't have to think. On my way home from work I stopped off at my dear friend Lucio's to pick up our lovely friend Ms. Spider the Dog. And Lucio sent me away with a piece of his delectable strawberry-rhubarb pie; regular readers of this blog may remember that Lucio is quite the pie baker. Perhaps he'll pass along his secret recipe one of these days, eh?

But wait, there's more! He also sent me away with a cool anthology of Johnny Cash; it's called "Johnny Cash - At Sen Quentin (Legacy Edition)". It's a 3 disc set, and it was recorded in 1969, the year of my birth. And of course, anyone who knows me well enough to know my phone number, knows that when you call, you get to listen to Johnny Cash! So, I am happy indeed.

This sweet pic of Ms. Spider was taken by Lucio himself, one fine hot day last Fall.

The week just keeps getting better! I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow brings. Until then, happy trails!

Homemade Corn Tortillas Kick off the Birthday Week!

So yay!

My birthday is one week from today, and thusly, I've decided it's time to start celebrating RIGHT NOW.

So, I finally bought myself a tortilla press today.

But wait - let's back up. On Friday at work, our CEO announced that on account of our record sales month, we were all getting an extra paycheck this month (!).

I've said it before and I'll say it again - my job rocks! I work for the coolest people ever!

So, since said bonus is arriving conveniently just before my b-day, what else to do but spend the weekend buying presents?

First, I got a bought a copper fire kettle and a bunch of mulch and plants for the back yard, and Miss NoNo did her thang making it all look real purty. We have this arrangement. I buy, she does the work. It's a nice arrangement for both of us.

So then I finally bought the tortilla press, and we called a spontaneous barbeque, and before we knew it, there was tequila and lime marintated chicken, quinoa and black and pinto bean pilaf, homemade fire roasted salsa, exquisite hand-made corn tortillas, veggie kabobs, and lots lots more.....

And there were golden voices singing beautiful songs around the fire, picking guitars, swilling wine, enjoying fine company underneath the light of the full moon.

It was the kind of night that makes me so happy to be alive, so happy to be among treasured friends. So happy to finally be able to make my own tortillas!

Damnit, once you've made your own tortillas, you'll never go back to the store bought kind!

I'm not going to post the recipe because you can find it just about anywhere... it involves masa, water, and salt. So simple. So delectable. So perfect. Such a great way to start the birthday week. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that perhaps I am a Mexican trapped in the body of an Italian.

No matter, whatever or whomever I am... I am just happy to enjoy this perfect evening which comes to me after a particularly stressful and sad several weeks. Tonight is good. And for that, I give thanks. To my wonderful employers, to Miss NoNo and all my other sweet friends. You are what gets me through, do you know that ? ? ?

x o x o x o x o

Adventures in Salsa making

So... my birthday approaches, and I'm very excited to carry on the tradition I started a couple years ago, which is to cook an amazing feast for a whole bunch of friends, one of whom shares the same birthday. That would be Janet - awesome friend, entrepreneur, apron-maker, and woman of many talents.

Last year's feast was tamales, mole, enchiladas, guacamole and blood orange margaritas. I've learned so much about cooking Mexican food since then; I can hardly wait to outfit myself with a fancy apron and start cooking for this year's meal!

The mole will be so much better! All the salsas will be made from scratch! There is a rumour about homemade corn tortillas! And there will be Sangria... oh yes, there will be Sangria. Janet gets her own personal gallon and perhaps if she's in the mood, she'll share it with the rest of us.

I've been pretty much obsessed with Mexican food in recent weeks (and that will be true in the coming weeks as well, I'm sure!), and last night w/ my friends Miss NoNo and BathTub, a fine meal was enjoyed. It featured a fire-roasted chipotle salsa that was passed along by our pal Camille, who as you may recall, has recently relocated to Texas. There she met a man named Mete who was kind enough to share his salsa recipe which I have adapted ever so slightly below. It's a good thing Camille gave me this salsa recipe, otherwise I'd still be mad at her for leaving us!

We also enjoyed a black bean and quinoa pilaf, buckets of Sangria, and a spinach salad with blood oranges, radishes, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, pickled red onions and lime.

And the salsa goes like this:

Under a flame, or just plain in a cast iron skillet on your stove top, roast 2 - 4 jalapenos, 3 - 6 serranos, and a whole head of garlic till it's all blackened and blistered. Mete said to peel the garlic first, but I roasted it with the skin on, and peeled it after.

Mete did not say to remove the seeds from the peppers, but damnit, I'm not a Texan, and so I did. I knew it was already going to be plenty spicy due to the next step...

Throw the peppers and garlic into a food processor along with a 7 oz. can of chipotles in adobo sauce (I used a little less!), a 28 oz. can of diced or stewed tomatoes, an entire bunch of green onions, salt to taste, and a liberal sprinkling of cumin. Now pulse till it's smooth, but still a little chunky. Squeeze several limes into it and dump it into a pan.

Now Mete's recipe said to bring to a boil and simmer for a half hour, but I happen to know that cooking intensifies the spice, so I didn't cook it for quite that long. And it was still plenty hot. And mighty delicious. Spicy and smoky and just about right! I brought a bunch of it to work today and my co-workers agree....

Alright y'all, stay tuned for more adventures in Mexican cuisine!

If you Try sometimes, you Get what you Need...

One of the highlights of my job is that I get to help plan the parties, and fortunately for all of us, we enjoy many parties. Today was Derek's birthday and, being fluent in Japanese and in love with Japanese culture, he requested sake. I learned from Carl, another of our co-horts well experienced in Japanese culture, that I should stay away from the sweeter sakes that are served warm, and go for something cold and dry. And so I did, and we had a lovely afternoon sake break, also featuring seaweed salad, wasabi peas, edamame, red bean jam cakes, and rice crackers. Seriously, I am the happiest grunt you ever met. Days like this, I adore my job.

But later, I got the hankering for sushi. Like, bad. A few of us were talking about sushi, sashimi, sukiyaki... and a few of us almost went out to eat some, but at the last minute I found myself heading home, lacking an eating partner and not sure if I felt like venturing out on my own.

After a lovely near-sunset walk with Miss Nono and two beloved furry creatures, I found myself running out in a sashimi-crazed daze. I called both Kathleen and Anton to ask them the name of that place they love in the Grand-Lake area. I reached both of their machines. And I headed out the door feeling partially starving and excited to eat, and partially not feeling up for heading out on my own, but not wanting to let that stop me....

And so off to Grand-Lake I drove, and followed my Spidey senses around the lake until I found Coach Sushi, which I was pretty sure was the place both Kathleen and Anton had mentioned. And as I was walking through the door, dreaming of hamachi, who did I spot but Kathleen and Anton, beaming smiles and welcoming me to join them! A true moment of delightfully perfect timing.

And the food was splendid, the hamachi was so delicate it was like sinking your teeth into custard, and the cold dry sake hit the spot, and the company was so warm and welcoming. I wasn't even sure of what I wanted when I set out to greet this day, but I can say one thing for sure - I got what I needed, and boy am I thankful for that.

Unexpected Sweetness arrives Just in the Knick of Time

Oh thank goodness for little things, which really are the big things.

It's been a rough several weeks. One day up, next day down, every day new. Welcome to the rollercoaster of my life.

Yesterday rain, today, sunshine. I stopped by my post office box this morning to discover to my utter appreciation and delight, a special S.O.S. package of Sweet Stuff from a lovely siren named Joni Davis who happens to be in the U.K. right now.

I met Joni because we are both musicians, and she wowed me from the first time I ever heard her sing. We've been fortunate to develop a sweet friendship in a roundabout way - she has been in London ever since the day after our last show together in October of last year, and we hardly knew each other then, but have become penpals since she's been gone. What a treat to get to know her!

She knows I've been struggling, and she also knows that music is one of the main forces that sustains me. And so she totally surpised me today with this package featuring organic dark chocolate, and some of her favorite music. Man, what a treat! I haven't made it all the way through the music yet because I want to enjoy each song as it comes... but so far there's Nina Simone, Tom Waits, Daniel Johnston, Jolie Holland... it's all right up my alley, it's all perfect, and it's so very much appreciated that I can hardly put it into words.

I am really looking forward to Joni's return to the U.S. so we can get to know each other better outside of cyberspace. We share a love of food and music, and I can't wait to make a fat feast together and sing some harmonies.

Until then, it's nice to know that occasionally the p.o. box holds something more than bills and junk mail! Hello, people! Send love letters, fancy treats, random thoughts, and whatever strikes your fancy (as long as it is nice!) to p.o. box 3231, Oakland, CA 94609. ok???

And by the way, go and listen to Joni's music, y'all! She will simultaneously hypnotize you and revitalizing your senses with her deep, gorgeous, rich and velvety voice and her dark, sublime songs. I know I'm a little bit biased, but I swear I'd say that even if I wasn't!

Cheers...

Lemon & Garlic brined Shrimp

Food and music continue to be the remedy for all that ails me lately.

Saturday evening I was fortunate to spend the evening with friends preparing a feast that featured a recipe I've enjoyed at least once every summer since I first tried it - the lemon & garlic brined shrimp were once again a hit.

The menu also featured Steve Lucky's homemade babaganoush made from eggplant charred on the grill, and Lucio brought a home-baked strawberry rhubarb pie, and I made a salad with snap peas and rice noodles in sesame-vinaigrette, and grilled potatoes tossed with fresh oregano, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Berge brought the wine, and since it was St. Pat's day, Steve & Patsy also provided whiskey. And guitars. And what more do you need for a perfect evening? Well maybe just a sweet little baby named Monique to provide dazzling smiles all night.

Full disclosure - I used frozen shrimp that I bought at the Berkeley Bowl... it had been a long and draining week, and the last thing I felt like doing was peeling and de-veining 2 dozen shrimp. And you know what? You'd never know if I hadn't told you! I think the brining makes the shrimp extra succulent. This recipe originally appeared in Sunset magazine, and it goes like this:

In a large bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons sugar.
Add to the bowl: 2 dozen shrimp or prawns. Stir to coat, cover, and chill for about 45 minutes. Rinse the shrimp well and dry them. Rinse the bowl and dry it too. Now put the shrimp back in the bowl and add about a tablespoon of lemon zest, a big handful of chopped fresh italian parsley (about 1/4 cup), 2 - 4 cloves finely minced garlic, and a light sprinkling of olive oil, just enough to coat. Season with salt and pepper, give it a good toss, and now put your shrimp on skewers and slap 'em on the grill. Shrimp cook really fast - if your coals are good and hot, it will only take a few minutes on each side. And that's all there is to it! Serve piping hot in the company of good friends, and give thanks for another perfect evening.

A little Black spot on the Sun...

So as I sit down to write this, I realize that I have no idea what I'm going to write about.

And my lovely housemate Miss NoNo is sitting in her room listening to music with the door open, and here I sit in my room, feeling like I need to write something and I am not sure what that something is going to be.

And the words float down from her room "... there's a little black spot on the sun today ..." and it feels somehow appropriate for the way I've felt this week.

Blazing sunshine, clear skies, divine Spring/Summer breezes have been the backdrop to this week. But in light of this loss, it can't be seen in total brightness. It can't be felt in complete lightness, because one who was here just last week is gone, never to return to this earth.

I keep thinking of his family, of his girlfriend, of everything that he left undone. I keep thinking about how terribly sad I feel - and how perhaps those who knew him more intimately than I did, must be feeling that the earth has been pulled out from under them. I keep thinking that once a person is gone, you never get another chance to appreciate them on this earth.

And indeed the world does keep turning, we keep moving and breathing and burying ourselves under piles of incredibly important things that maybe aren't that important in the end. And the sun keeps shining and everything carries on, but there's the little black spot to remind us...to slow down, to appreciate, to just be...and oh, how I am trying...

Blazing hot nights, cold comfort foods, and grief

Once again, it's been an action packed and highly eventful week.

First, we had Camille's going away party on Friday - another incredible night of music and good people, the kind of night that just made me feel so happy to be alive and to be part of such a vibrant community of talented and generous creative people.

And then on Saturday, just like that, our little Camille flew away to Austin, and boy, was that a buzzkill. The sadness trickled in even as the happiness lingered. And I had another show to play, this time at my friend Dylan's place - Dylan's father had just passed away earlier that week, so sadness was in the air.

And then suddenly winter became spring became summer practically overnight, and there I was on Sunday morning in the hot sunshine when I got a call that my friend and co-worker Kimio, who was only 42, had died suddenly on Friday night. Gone, just like that.

And then I proceeded to wander through my day in a bit of a stunned daze, unable to focus, unable to relax, unable to eat. By 6 pm I was feeling practically manic, and I knew that only one thing was going to make me feel right again, so I headed off to the market so that I could head home and heal my heart through chopping, slicing, and dicing...

Within a few hours and with a little help from a couple friends, I found myself sitting outside amidst candlelight and flowers, eating a meal that we had prepared together which first of all totally hit the spot on a hot night - homemade tabouli, chipotle & roasted garlic hummus, marinated tofu, and a big greek salad with orzo.

And second of all, it's a meal the Kimio would have totally appreciated, being a serious foodie and big time lover of all things chipotle. Kimio would frequently lay out these beautiful spreads of food for all of us at work - fresh mozzarella & tomatoes w/ basil, sliced baguettes, olive oil & garlic, beautiful green salads, dark chocolate covered toffee, roasted garlic croutons, stinky cheese... the man knew how to eat and he also knew how to live. And sadly for us, his life was too short.

I don't know if there's a point to this story, except perhaps that I'm grateful for every opportunity to enjoy great friends, to be able to experience incredible music and glorious food. If there's anything I learned from Kimio, it's that the little stuff is all just that - little stuff, and seriously not worth the stress. Farewell, friend... you are greatly, greatly missed.

Another edition of Cook it if ya Got it

Damnit, how did I get sick again? Must be all that running around I've been doing, all that trouble I've been causing...

Tonight I got home, collapsed onto the couch to settle in for a couple episodes of the first season of Lost, and at around 10 pm I remembered that there was food in the fridge waiting for me to give it a purpose....and that it would soon die if I did not do so! I couldn't let that happen!

So first, I steamed 2 bunches of dinosaur kale, thinking I'd use it as an ingredient in another dish later. But you know what? It's so utterly and perfectly delicious just steamed straight up like that, why mess with perfection? I'm going to bring it to Judith tomorrow because where kale is concerned, she is like a kid in a candy store, and if anyone would appreciate the delicate deep green sustenance of this steamed kale, it'd be her.

And then, I made this very simple recipe that my friend showed me... the friend who is Norwegian and Indian and yet puts me to shame with his Italian cooking. So simple, and it's the bomb...

Slice an onion and sautee it slowly in a nice cast iron skillet till it starts to just barely turn golden brown. Then add a couple of zuchinnis which you've sliced into bite sized pieces, and sautee the whole lot of it slowly over medium heat till the zuchinni are tender and the onions are golden brown. Add lots of fresh ground pepper and salt.

Meanwhile, boil some water for pasta. Cook the pasta, about a half pound or so, al dente. Reserve a bit of the cooking water before you drain the pasta. Now combine the pasta w/ the zuchinni/onion mixture and add freshly grated parmesan, a bit of the cooking water if it needs it in order to be perfectly moist, and a little more salt and pepper. Boom, you're done. Simple, savory, sweet, and exactly what the doctor ordered. Never mind that you can't seem to spell zuchini tonight to save your life.

Now I'm sure that all I need tonight is a couple more gallons of vitamin C and I'll be ready to face the rest of this week...

Vintage Elvis and Roasting Vegetables on the Fly

Jeez, where have I been?

Sorry about the recent slowness in postings, folks. I could make excuses like...

...too busy to stop & write, too busy listening to vintage Elvis 45's courtesy of Miss NoNo (who is not the proudly displaying these covers, for the record!)...



too busy roasting vegetables on the fly (so on the fly that the recipe will have to wait for another time, friends!),


...too busy enjoying live music (left to right: Amy Honey, Adam McCauley, and Carolyn Mark at the Makeout Room, 3/4/07)...


too busy making music of my own (yours truly and parts of El Mirage at the Hotel Utah, 2/24/07)....



...and all those excuses are true!

So there. That's where I've been. And you???